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Transcriber’s Notes
You may find the following notes helpful when going through this transcript, and they are listed here in no particular order.
- When you encounter brackets [ ] they will always enclose my own thoughts. When you see parentheses ( ) they will always have come from the original diary. Where a word is underlined, it is underlined in the original. The notation [sic] means the mistake is Frank’s, not mine. Misspelled words are Frank’s – faithfully copied.
- Weston, Lewis County, Va is presently in West Virginia, which did not exist as a state at the time of the diary’s entry. [Attained statehood June 20, 1863]
- The word “Sesesh” first seen on page two [Thurs July 11th] is a slang word used by Frank Eldredge [and others] for “secessionist” or rebel.
- “C--- Dennison” on page 6 [Sunday July 28] was Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, Ohio, Frank’s “basic training” camp after he mustered in.
- Albert Carr [Friday August 16th] was a friend from Edinburg. After the war, Frank married Albert’s sister, Sue Carr [also Sue or S.C. in the diary].
- I have just [2/19/05] discovered a roster of G Company, 7th OVI which lists
John H. Douthitt. This man was a particular friend of Franklin’s, mentioned many times in the diary. Unfortunately, he was mortally wounded just three days after Frank’s last entry and died on August 21, 1862.
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Transcribed by Harold P. Baird, a great grandson of Franklin (Frank) Eldredge
Images courtesy of Harold P. Baird
Biographical Notes on Harold P. Baird
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 28,1937, but I am a native of
Olmsted Falls, where my family was living at the time. As a child of 7 was moved to Ft. Wayne, Ind., and
later to Portland, Ore., before settling in New Jersey at the age of eleven. Graduated high school in Long
Branch, N.J., and college with a BA in Business Administration from Rutgers University in 1959. Served 6
years in the NJ ARNG, 2nd Tank Battalion. Trained as a tank crewman and turret mechanic on the M48 Patton
Tank. (Fortunately no war). Began career in sales, followed by management, in the wholesale lumber business,
primarily in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, which lasted 43 years. I worked as a product
manager for a number of years, handling W.R. Cedar lumber items, and also became General Manager of a lumber
distribution center in So. Plainfield, N.J. I am now retired and living with my second wife, Evelyn, in Wall
Twp., New Jersey. I have one daughter from my first marriage, and Evelyn, a son, deceased, and two daughters
from her first marriage. Between us we have 10 grandchildren. We enjoy reading, hobbies, and travel.
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Inside of Diary
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