The Civil War Journal of Private Heyward Emmell, Ambulance and Infantry Corps: A Very Disagreeable War ed. by Jim Malcolm (review)

There is no shortage of published Civil War diaries and journals in today’s academic market. The field abounds with first-hand accounts that cover everything from the weakening plantation system to the military engagements of the common soldier. Even within the burgeoning field of medical history, there exist hundreds of published diaries by doctors, surgeons, nurses, administrators, and wounded soldiers. Editor Jim Malcolm adds to this growing list with the publication of Pvt. Hayward Emmell’s personal journal. Emmell’s is distinctive not only because he fought in almost every major battle of the war but also because of his transfer to the Union army’s Ambulance Corps in September 1863. Having served as a stretcher-bearer for fourteen months, Private Emmell provides historians with a unique view of the difficulties in dealing with wounded soldiers.

The information in Emmell’s journal is most helpful to the academic when viewed in its entirety rather than in smaller segments. The pages are littered with interesting anecdotes that raise numerous questions from the reader but are rarely insightful in themselves. However, when these stories are woven together, they compose a rich tapestry of material for the historian to analyze. At first glance, for instance, Emmell’s writing appears to comment on race as if he were a third-party reporter. Interactions with “contraband” or “darkys” occur around him, but he never directly takes part. However, Emmell’s feelings on race are evident when snippets of information are strung together. His terse observations on the rebel “darky sharpshooter,” the use of a large black bear to “chase down and squeeze” contraband because the bear was “down on darkys,” and the nightly minstrel shows in camp reveal Emmell’s prevailing views of African Americans, despite his reticence in giving a personal opinion (19, 27, 106).

Emmell’s insight into camp life is equally rich when contextualized broadly. His remarks on arsenic cake, soldier suicide, wedding ceremonies, barrel punishments, burning “sculls” to brew coffee, masquerade balls where men dressed as women, and even one instance of two Union soldiers dressed as rebels who snuck into Petersburg during the siege to attend a dance tell us much about how soldiers coped with the stress and boredom of camp (3, 42, 55, 88, 109, 106, 119). When viewed as a whole, Emmell’s diary is useful for a wide range of Civil War topics, such as race, fraternization, camp life, battles, military organization, medical services, and injury.

The Civil War Journal of Private Heyward Emmell suffers from some notable drawbacks. Given the curt nature of Emmell’s writing, this book would benefit from additional contributions by the editor. Apart from a five-page introduction and an epilogue that reads like an obituary, Malcolm prefaces the chapters with a few paragraphs that do little to help explain the various themes found within Emmell’s journal.