Diary 7/22/1861 – Pvt. John Henry Cowin, Co. D, 5th AL
Arose this morning very tired and sore, scarcely able to walk at first but after breakfast felt better and walked around to see what was to be seen after yesterdays fight.  I was witness to some awful scenes.  Saw the wounded, shot in every portion of their body, head, neck,, body, arms, hands, legs & feet.  [...]

Diary 7/21/1861 – Pvt. John Henry Cowin, Co. D, 5th AL
Slept cold last night as I had only a single blanket whi[ch] was too small to sleep upon and cover with at the same time, besides the night was colder than usual.  Arose quite early this morning and found we had orders to prepare to take up our line of march.  We got breakfast as [...]

Dress-Up
Kevin Levin has posted this article over at Civil War Memory.  I have no dog in this fight: I am not nor have I ever been a re-enactor or “living historian”, whatever that means.  And I don’t attend – purposely, anyway – re-enactments.  I was vaguely planning to be in the area for the 150th [...]

Diary 7/20/1861 – Pvt. John Henry Cowin, Co. D, 5th AL
Slept finely last night although it rained, of which however I was not aware until this morning.  Brother was on guard last night and this morning is a little unwell.  Hard at work this morning throwing up breastworks along the creek bank[.]  Expecting an attack all the while and we are preparing for it. We [...]

Dairies and Letters
I don’t know how many of you have noticed this, but there are very few published collections of soldiers’ diaries and letters that discuss First Bull Run.  I sometimes run across various sites that have letters transcribed on them, and I think I’ll start a new section on my links page for them.  However, if [...]