Interpretation of diary entry

[ClintI]

In my 2x great grandfather's diary, the words in the attached image appear. I'm having a hard time discerning what they say. Are there any 19th c. handwriting experts to help me out? The words in question are "was mustered out of the Mja Bay Cape Munsen". I know from his discharge paper that it was signed by a G.D. Munsen (or Munson) and the word Captain appears to be on the next line down on his discharge, so I think it reads "by Capt Munsen (or Munson)." What I can't make out is the "Mja" since it follows "was mustered out of the, I assume it was a place or his unit? I'd appreciate all suggestions, thank you.

 

[ClintI]

Oh wow! I wasn't far off.

How long is the diary? Do you have much farther to go?

It's about finished. I have a cousin who studies and knows this type of writing who has done a masterful job of transcribing it for me. The diary itself is 129 pages, laid out 3 entries to a page, as it appears in the original format. I've added an introduction and some photos and document images, so the book will be 169 pages in total.

 

[ClintI]

Here's a word neither of us can decipher. It looks like H e a n(m) e n(m). I tried using your writing style guide to see if I can make out any different letters, but did not see anything than what it looks like. Guesses?

 

[CWdiaryPA]

Need help on these initials. https://civilwartalk.com/threads/need-help-with-initials.199873/#post-2611

Here's a word neither of us can decipher. It looks like H e a n(m) e n(m). I tried using your writing style guide to see if I can make out any different letters, but did not see anything than what it looks like. Guesses?

View attachment 461397

Can you edit this image to underline the word by not overwriting any of the letters or words surrounding it? I can't figure out what word here to decipher. thanks

 

[CWdiaryPA]

It's about finished. I have a cousin who studies and knows this type of writing who has done a masterful job of transcribing it for me. The diary itself is 129 pages, laid out 3 entries to a page, as it appears in the original format. I've added an introduction and some photos and document images, so the book will be 169 pages in total.

Wow! That's a lengthy diary. Usually diaries back then were constructed to be physically small, a few things inches by a few inches. Mine is three & 1/4 inches wide, less than one inch thick, & six inches long. Of course, reading my grandfather entries I wish he'd written more, but it's lucky he wrote anything whatsoever.

Like most farmers back then, he had it laying around, is my theory, when the war started because he'd begun it as a crop & weather tracking device.

Do you have a potential publisher, or will you self-publish? Or go my route, having a nervous breakdown when presses told me to cut it all down to 100k words, so I put it all online. In the end, it's far more accessible online anyway. And free to all.

 

[ClintI]

My diary measures 3.5 x 4.5 inches, which seems typical of ones I've seen pictured from that time. I wonder if he kept others that didn't survive, and if not, why he kept this one from his last year of service. Possibly because he had time to fill in between his hospital duties as a nurse. I don't have a potential publisher, though my cousin who has transcribed it suggests he may know of one who would be interested. Maybe I'll do what you did. Do you have a link or site where I may find yours? The original isn't that long; the number of pages are indicative of how it's laid out in my book.

I've cropped the page so you may see only the word I asked you about.

Thanks!

 

[Northstep]

Here's a word neither of us can decipher. It looks like H e a n(m) e n(m). I tried using your writing style guide to see if I can make out any different letters, but did not see anything than what it looks like. Guesses?

View attachment 461397

My best guess is that it is a misspelling or phonetic spelling of "He-man". He has just described Dr. Sharp's fight where he bit the end of a finger off his opponent... and the "scrimage" continued for 15 minutes! I believe he was trying to say that Dr. Sharp was a tough man.

 

[ClintI]

Interesting interpretation - thank you. Hadn't considered that.

 

[Northstep]

Sorry, should have given a source so that you would know I was not talking about a modernization of the word. It's been around a long time:
"especially masculine fellow," 1832, originally among U.S. pioneers, from he + man (n.).

he-man | Etymology, origin and meaning of he-man by etymonline

HE-MAN Meaning: "especially masculine fellow," 1832, originally among U.S. pioneers, from he + man (n.). See origin and meaning of he-man.

www.etymonline.com

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

View attachment 461427

Heaven - a great place to be if you can get there

Edit- FYI, to be clear, I'm suggesting the word is "heaven," not he-man.

 

[Ole Miss]

I would recommend contacting @lelliott19 as Laura has a gift of reading old documents and deciphering writing from the 1860's era
Regards
David

 

[lelliott19]

Here's a word neither of us can decipher. It looks like H e a n(m) e n(m). I tried using your writing style guide to see if I can make out any different letters, but did not see anything than what it looks like. Guesses?

View attachment 461397

I looked at this post earlier today and came back to it after @Ole Miss tagged me. Thank you David.

I usually like to read a page or two of handwriting before attempting to transcribe it. Get a "feel" for the vernacular. How the writer uses words and forms his/her letters. Without the context of a larger sample, I am at a bit of a disadvantage to decipher it but my best effort, under the cirumstances, follows:

"....in Hospital all day saw Dr. Sharp & H. P. Ensy Egaged in a hard fight - Dr. Sharp bit the End off Perries right little finger and atter about fifteen minutes of a Scrimage Dr. Sharp come out Heaven." [I believe the writer meant "heaving" - as in breathing heavily "heavin"]

 

[ClintI]

Again, I appreciate the help on this word. That's another interpretation, and fits better within the context. Thank you Laura!

 

[TerryB]

I looked at this post earlier today and came back to it after @Ole Miss tagged me. Thank you David.

I usually like to read a page or two of handwriting before attempting to transcribe it. Get a "feel" for the vernacular. How the writer uses words and forms his/her letters. Without the context of a larger sample, I am at a bit of a disadvantage to decipher it but my best effort, under the cirumstances, follows:

"....in Hospital all day saw Dr. Sharp & H. P. Ensy Egaged in a hard fight - Dr. Sharp bit the End off Perries right little finger and atter about fifteen minutes of a Scrimage Dr. Sharp come out Heaven." [I believe the writer meant "heaving" - as in breathing heavily "heavin"]

Or "even" meaning the fight was a draw.

 

[Ole Miss]

Told you @lelliott19 was good at ciphering ole letters and documents!
Regards
David

 

[ClintI]

Yes, thanks Dave!

 

[CWdiaryPA]

My diary measures 3.5 x 4.5 inches, which seems typical of ones I've seen pictured from that time. I wonder if he kept others that didn't survive, and if not, why he kept this one from his last year of service. Possibly because he had time to fill in between his hospital duties as a nurse. I don't have a potential publisher, though my cousin who has transcribed it suggests he may know of one who would be interested. Maybe I'll do what you did. Do you have a link or site where I may find yours? The original isn't that long; the number of pages are indicative of how it's laid out in my book.

I've cropped the page so you may see only the word I asked you about.

Thanks!

View attachment 461427

I see "heavier." Yes, my site is in my signature. I too wonder if my grandfather kept more diaries than the one that survived time....

 

[ClintI]

I'm not clear how to find your signature so I may look at your diary.

 

[lelliott19]

I'm not clear how to find your signature so I may look at your diary.

We Saw a Grate Smoke Raise Up: Letters, Diaries, Wires from the Valley of the Late Rebellion – Posting my Grandfather's 1862 Jackson's Valley Campaign Diary on the 160th Anniversary he Wrote It

jacksonsvalleycampaign.com

 

[CWdiaryPA]

We Saw a Grate Smoke Raise Up: Letters, Diaries, Wires from the Valley of the Late Rebellion – Posting my Grandfather's 1862 Jackson's Valley Campaign Diary on the 160th Anniversary he Wrote It

jacksonsvalleycampaign.com

Thank you, lelliott19

 

[ClintI]

Thank you, both. When mine is finished, I'll read your diary. I imagine there is lot of similarity.