Franklin County: Diary of Franklin R. Rankin (1864)
About Franklin R. Rankin:
Franklin R. Rankin was born in Franklin County in 1834.
During the war he enlisted in the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry as
a sergeant. This diary is a record of his service during 1864
in what are at times very brief entries. His daily reports
include updates on his regiment's movement toward Richmond and
tallies of casualties incurred along the way.
1864
February 1864
February 5 -
Reenlisted at Chambersburg
March 1864
March 5 -
Left home for Chambersburg
6 -
At Bloody Run all night
7 -
All night at Wm. Brattons five miles West of Chambersburg
8 -
Joined the Regiment at Chambersburg.
May 1864
16 -
Left Chambersburg for Washington
21 -
Arrived at Washington and marched to Camp Stoneman
22 -
In Camp all day
23 -
Turned the horses in
24 -
Marched to Arlington Heights
25 -
Still at Arlington Heights
26 -
At the Heights and received arms and equipment
27 -
Marched to Alexandria and got transportation for Port Royal
28 -
Arrived at Port Royal
29 -
On a forced march all day
30 -
Still marching
31 -
Still on March
June 1864
June 1 -
Arrived at Cold Harbor in front of Richmond
2 -
In the same place and under heavy fire
3 -
Under fire all day and lost over 60 men in the Regiment
4 -
Picketing
5 -
Relieved and marched Chickahominy River and encamped until the 12th
12 -
7 o'clock P.M. Crossed the River and marched on towards James River
14 -
Arrived Harrison landing and encamped until the 16th
16 -
Crossed the James and marched 18 miles and encamped
June 17 -
In Camp
18 -
In action all day and night and lost heavy in killed and wounded
19 -
In reserve and under fire all day. Still losing some few men
20 -
In the same place
21 -
Advanced to the left a few miles
22 -
Moved front to support 2nd Corps and was under heavy firing all evening and all night
23 -
We were relieved till 3 o'clock when we moved in the extreme left and built breastworks all evening and most all night
24 -
Returned to Camp
25 -
In Camp
26 -
In Camp
27 -
In Camp
28 -
In Camp
29 -
In Camp
30 -
In Camp
July 1864
July 1 -
In Camp
2 -
In Camp
3 -
In Camp
4 -
In Camp
5 -
In Camp
6 -
In Camp
7 -
In Camp
8 -
In Camp
9 -
In Camp
10 -
In Camp
11 -
In Camp
12 -
Ordered to the front line of work front of Petersburg
13 -
In front
14 -
In front
July 15 -
In front
16 -
In front
17 -
In front
18 -
In front
19 -
In front
20 -
In front
21 -
In front
22 -
We were relieved in front of Petersburg and returned to Camp
23 -
In Camp
24 -
In Camp
25 -
In Camp
26 -
In Camp
27 -
In Camp
28 -
Our regiment was ordered in front of Petersburg
29 -
Busy building bomb proofs
30 -
The enemies fort blown up and sieging all day
31 -
Our dead and wounded still lying on the field in front of the blown up fort which they charged on
August 1864
August 1 -
Our dead was berried and the wounded taken off that had been lying in front of the fort
2 -
In front until the 16th
September 1864
September 30 -
Advanced to Poplar Church and took two lines of works with but little loss and captured one gun and 50 or 60 prisoners.
October 1864
October 1 -
Exposed to firing from the enemy whilst reversing the works we took the day previous and rained all day which made it very disagreeable
3 -
In front until the 6th
6 -
Ordered to City Point for the purpose of being mounted
7 -
In dismounted camp until the 16th
16 -
Received horses and equipments and all complete
17 -
In line of march at 8 o'clock A.M.
18 -
In Camp near Hand Cock Station
October 19 -
In Camp
20 -
In Camp
21 -
In Camp
22 -
Fair and warm
23 -
Fair and warm
24 -
Fair and warm
27 -
Made a reconnosance toward the Boyd Town plank road
28 -
Skermshing and fighting all day and lost 60 or 70 men.
29 -
Returned to camp
30 -
In Camp
31 -
In Camp
November 1864
November 1 -
In camp
2 -
Picketing. it rained all day
3 -
Picketing. Still raining
4 -
Picketing - fair weather
5 -
Returned to camp
6 -
In camp
7 -
Raid toward Stoney Creek Station
8 -
Presidential Election. All passed off quiet
9 -
In Camp. Pleasant weather and all quiet along the line
10 -
In Camp
11 -
In Camp
12 -
In Camp
13 -
In Camp
14 -
Picketing
15 -
Picketing
16 -
Picketing
17 -
Picketing
18 -
Relieved and returned to Camp at 5 p.m. It commenced raining and rained all night
November 19 -
Still raining
20 -
Still raining
21 -
Still rainy
22 -
Fair and nights very cold
23 -
Fair
24 -
Fair
25 -
Fair
26 -
Fair
27 -
Picketing. The weather fair and warm
28 -
Picketing
29 -
Picketing
30 -
Returned to Camp
December 1864
December 1 -
Out on a Scout as far as Stoney Creek Station. Burnt the Station and returned to camp and lost but few men
2 -
In Camp. Still fair weather
3 -
In camp
4 -
In camp
5 -
In camp
6 -
In camp under marching orders
7 -
Started on the raid toward Bellfield, Va
8 -
Raiding
9 -
Raiding
10 -
Raiding and the roads very muddy
11 -
Returned to camp at 12 p.m. and the night being very cold
12 -
In camp and still cold
13 -
In camp and still very cold
14 -
In camp
15 -
In camp. Fair and warm
16 -
Picketing
17 -
Picketing
December 18 -
Picketing
19 -
Returned to camp
20 -
Fair and warm
21 -
Raining all day
22 -
Very cold all day
23 -
Cold
24 -
Cold
25 -
Picketing and pleasant
26 -
Rainy
27 -
Rainy
28 -
Returned to camp
29 -
Cold. Some few flakes of snow falling
30 -
Very cold and rainy and in camp all day
