Jesse Labar was from Slatington, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.  He was born in 1835 and married in 1855 and had three children. He served in the PA 28th Regiment in 1861-2 and kept a diary of his experiences.  

The diary is a small leather one, with a pocket in the back and a loop to hold a pencil.  At first, Jesse wrote in ink, but soon switched to pencil. He started out numbering his pages, but stopped at 30.  In the interest of organization, I continued the numbering for the transcription.

To read the diary, click on the image to read the original script or read the transcript to the right. Spelling is the way it appears in the diary. Words in brackets [ ] are my comments or notes. Some of the words were very difficult to read, so if you can make sense of anything more than what I have, please let me know.

 

page 0 Jesse Labars
Diary for 1862
Jesse Labar
Slatington
Lehigh Co
Penna

[other miscellaneous notes]
pages 1-2

Page 1

[Virginia] Wilst I was at Snickersville with my 
Brother from March 12th up to April 1st, 
the regiment marched to Uperville Distant 
12 miles thence to Alden 13 miles thence 
back to Snickersville 11 miles thence 
to midle Burgh 15 miles thence 
to white Plaines 9 miles there I joined 
them again.

Page 2

Commenced Marching
left Harpers fery march 11th
10 miles to Niks? Borough
March 12th march to snickersville
By way of neatland? and Bersville
14 miles
there I remained with my
wounded Brother march 28th
we carried him to winchester and
I returned and overtook the Regiment at white
Plaines on Tuesday April 1st
then marched to thoroughfair Gapp
Distant 6 miles - left thorough
Fiar Gapp for Greenich
April 3rd Distant 12 miles

 
pages 3-4 Page 3

marched from Greenwich to
station April 4th Distant 12 miles
April 6th marched to Warenton
Distant 12 miles 7 marched to
smiths farm Distant 7 miles 11th
 left smiths farm to white plaines
5 miles 14 from white plaines to
Bector town 11 miles
May 24th marched to white plained
8 miles 25th marched to thorough
fair Gapp 6 miles 26th marched to manasses Junction Distant 20

miles 28th marched through
Ball run Battle ground Distant
10 miles 29th marched

.. to Midle Burgh

Page 4

Distant 15 miles 30th marched
to Uperville 10 miles 31st marched
to Bariss 7 miles June 3th
marched to Piedmont 7 miles
5 marched to recot 5 miles
Friday June 6th.
fixed up our tent and very tired
Saturday 7th

Built table and a arbaur
over it a shour in the evening
Sunday 8th church first time since
we left rectortown before every thing quiet
Monday 9th [June]
all quiet cars pased through here
with 150 Rebel prisoners taken by
our man at Strausburgh R.A.
pages 5-6

pages 7-8

pages 9-10
pages 11-12
pages 13-14 Page 13

Thursday 3rd [July]
all quiet in camp no news
since we are here no papers no
mail very bad water sent a
letter home to Wife

Friday 4th of July
all quiet in camp we had a verey
dry fourth report of the great battle
near Richmond came to hand
some talk of our going to
Gordonvville

Saturday 5th [July]
all quiet in camp Received a letter
from home and sent one off
verrey hot day extremely so

Page 14

Sunday 6th [July]
marched from camp near north Branch
Shenendoah to beyond front royal
distant 12 miles through a scortching
sun many of the men gave out on the
road we were not able to ?
towards the last for the heat Slept without
a tent

Monday 7th [July]
marched from fort Royal and
Encamped on the road to Warrenton
distant 9 miles great heat and
hard shours and wet bed to
lye upon we where
soking wet
pages 15-16 Page 15

Tuesday 8 [July]
Marched from camp to this place
Distant 11 miles we are on the road
from front Royal to Gordonsyille
Heat is intence

Wednesday 9th [July]
All quiet in camp received two
papers and one letter from home
sent one letter home. Franklin
F Bortz member of band went
to general Hospital

Thursday 10th [July]
Caled[?1 out in the morning at
3 1/2 o'clock and drawn up in
line of battle expecting General
Pope to Pass but he came not

Page 16

Friday 11th [July]
Marched from Gaines cross roads
to Hedgmans River ~n? road
to Warrenton Distant 11 miles
Whole Division on the march

Saturday 12th [July]
Marched from hedgmans
River to the advance of Bankes
Division within two miles of
Warrenton Distant of march
8 miles
Sunday 13th [July]
All quiet in camp 2 [?]
R W Leran off to the hospital
sent a letter home sent
our [?] home to Alexandria
pages 17-18
pages 19-20
pages 21-22
pages 23-24
pages 25-26
pages 27-28
pages 29-30
pages 31-32
pages 33-34
pages 35-36
pages 37-38
pages 39-40
pages 41-42
pages 43-44
pages 45-46
pages 47-48
pages 49-50
pages 51-52
Names of the Members of the 28th Regimental Band

[?], G. Warwick Band, Cornet
[?], Jacob H. Beck, Cornet
Lehigh Co., William E. Hines, Cornet
[?], Walter H. [?}, Cornet
city, William H. Hurt, Cornet
NJ?, Joseph Canorer, Cornet
city, Samuel Maury, Cornet
city, ?Beck, Alto
Lehigh, George H.F. Burck, alto
NJ, William H. Bur, Alto
NJ, Jake Simmerman, Alto
Lehigh, R. W. Leran, tenor
Lancaster, Alfred H. Stauger, Tenor
Lehigh, Franklin Bortz, tenor
NJ, George H. Fenner, 1 Baritone
city, Antram Beck, 1 Bass
city, Tenemink Markley, 2 Bass
Lehigh, Jesse Labar, 3 Bass
Lancaster, Peter Hilby, 4 Bass
city, Gray Beck, Bass Drum
NJ, ? Cousins, Tenor Drum
city, William ?, Do Do
NJ Charles Hisley, Simbals


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Jesse Labar's Civil War Diary