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The Journal of Charles Rawn
March 1, 1864 to March 31, 1864 (Book 28)
Edited by Lyndsay Morrison
Charles Rawn was a man of consistency. During the month of March 1864 he did not miss one day in his journal, and one gets the sense that Rawn could not consider the day complete without recounting the events in his journal. Rawn used his books to release his own personal opinions and also as a makeshift checkbook. He was very careful with his money; anytime he spent or received money there is a record of that transaction in his journal. From Rawn's records, the month of March 1864 came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. Rawn continued his normal routine, meeting with the Board of Enrollment, walking through town whenever the weather permitted, and going to church Sunday mornings and evenings. The Rawn family even hosted a visiting reverend from Sunbury, Pennsylvania.
Although Rawn did not discuss the Civil War extensively, the topic of the war crept in his writing on two separate occasions. On March 9, Rawn and his family watched, along with a large crowd, a public drill given by the Myers Academy Cadets from West Chester, Pennsylvania. Judging from Rawn's reaction the performance "exhibit[ed] a Proficiency which I have Never seen surpassed." On March 28 the Rawn family attended a lecture given by another visiting pastor, Rev. Warner of Gettysburg. Although Rev. Warner was not particularly "agreeable" to Rawn, he did take the opportunity to write candidly on the war effort, making interesting statements on how the Union government handled the war effort.
Charles Rawn was not an extraordinary man, and he lived a simple yet successful life. The record of his life is an effective tool for historians studying northern life before and during the American Civil War.
The Journal
Transcriptions for this section of the journal begin March 1, 1864 and end March 31, 1864. Click on a date to begin reading.
List of Names Mentioned
- Beatty, Mrs.
- Blasiers Brothers
- Bobb, Lewis
- Brenner, M. F.
- Brownold, Mr.
- DeWitt, Dr.
- Edwards, Rev. Dr.
- Farland, A. J. Henry
- Fox, Mr.
- Fitzgerald, Mr.
- Flint, Esq., Jno.
- Gilbert, Henry
- Grant, C. W.
- Grayson, Esq., H. M.
- Groff, Benja.
- Hetrick, Mr.
- Hoover, Geo. A.
- Hummel, David
- Jennings, W.
- Jones, Andy
- Jones, Martha
- Jones, Richard
- Kermp, Mr.
- King, Edmin
- Letterman, Dr.
- Malay, Peter
- McCormick, Mr.
- Orth, Mr.
- Pollock, E. M.
- Rawn, J. Calvin
- Ritter, Nm. L.
- Rumfort, Mayor
- Ryan, Patrick
- Sanford, Saml S.
- Shellenberger, Henry
- Simmons, Mrs. Seneca G.
- Wallover, Saml
- Warner, Rev. I. R.
- Wiseman, Mrs.
- Wyeth, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
- Young, Rev. J. H.
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