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CHIEF: Dr Robin Boyd, MA (Oxon); MB BS; LRCP, MRCS; DCH; AFOM, 8th Baron Kilmarnock |
Richard G. Boyd NEW EMAIL ADDRESS RichBoyd (at sign) Charter.net
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CHIEF: Dr Robin Boyd, MA (Oxon); MB BS; LRCP, MRCS; DCH; AFOM, 8th Baron Kilmarnock |
Richard G. Boyd NEW EMAIL ADDRESS RichBoyd (at sign) Charter.net
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Cyrus F. Boyd
"The Civil War Diary of Cyrus F. Boyd" edited by Mildred Throne, 1953, State Historical Society of Iowa. 1998 edition by Louisiana State University Press with a new introduction by Earl J. Hess.
Fifteenth Iowa Infantry 1861-1863
In 1951 the State Historical Society of Iowa came into possession of an unusually fine Civil War Diary written by Cyrus F. Boyd of Company G, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. This is not the ordinary camp and battlefield, diary, but after the war, in the peace and quiet of his home, he took his war-time notes and compiled them into a "Daily Journal".
One of Boyd's closest friends was Daniel Embree of Indianola, Iowa. In 1896, when resident of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Boyd sent a copy of his diary to his friend Dan with the note: "The enclosed copy from my Journal may be of interest to you as the years go by." The diary remained in the possession of the Embree family until 1951, when Daniel's daughter, Bertha Dodds, died in California.
Cyrus F. Boyd was twenty-four years old at the time of his enlistment. His diary is an extremely full account of the soldiering in the Union Army written from the point of view of an outspoken "citizen soldier" who did not hesitate to express his opinions of his comrades and officers. He described with frankness and many touches of humor the conditions of camp life and camp living, and who in simple, often startling, language wrote descriptions of battles and their terrible aftermath that call to mind comparisons with modern realistic writing. Much of the diary is not pleasant reading, but is an honest simple account of one man's experiences in a bloody civil conflict, and as such is worthy of preservation.
Cyrus does not mention very much about his family. He mentions a brother Scott Boyd, two sisters Mary and Jennie, and a brother Matt (probably Matthew). A Luther S. Boyd is mentioned and is probably another brother, but the relationship is not noted. Luther S. Boyd also served in Co. G of the 15th Iowa Infantry His residence was Indianola, Iowa and his nativity, Ohio. (James) Matthew Boyd, another of Cyrus' brother served in the 3rd Iowa. His brother Scott was wounded at Shiloh
His wife was Maggie Johnston of Keokuk, Iowa. (Weekly Banner, March 16, 1865).
This diary was originally published by the State Historical Society of Iowa in 1953, edited by Mildred Throne. A second printing was done in 1998 by the Louisiana State University Press and is still available for purchase. (RGB)
Census 1850 Census Place: Polk, Iowa;
NOTE: Use this data as a finding tool, just as you would any other secondary source. When you find the name of an ancestor listed, confirm the facts in original sources.
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Copyright 2001- 2002 © Clan Boyd Society International. All Rights Reserved. |
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