Valley of the Shadow

About the Author

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.

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February 5 -

Reenlisted at Chambersburg

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March 5 -

Left home for Chambersburg

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6 -

At Bloody Run all night

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7 -

All night at Wm. Brattons five miles West of Chambersburg

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8 -

Joined the Regiment at Chambersburg.

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16 -

Left Chambersburg for Washington

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21 -

Arrived at Washington and marched to Camp Stoneman

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22 -

In Camp all day

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23 -

Turned the horses in

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24 -

Marched to Arlington Heights

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25 -

Still at Arlington Heights

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26 -

At the Heights and received arms and equipment

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27 -

Marched to Alexandria and got transportation for Port Royal

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28 -

Arrived at Port Royal

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29 -

On a forced march all day

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30 -

Still marching

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31 -

Still on March

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June 1 -

Arrived at Cold Harbor in front of Richmond

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2 -

In the same place and under heavy fire

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3 -

Under fire all day and lost over 60 men in the Regiment

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4 -

Picketing

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5 -

Relieved and marched Chickahominy River and encamped until the 12th

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12 -

7 o'clock P.M. Crossed the River and marched on towards James River

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14 -

Arrived Harrison landing and encamped until the 16th

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16 -

Crossed the James and marched 18 miles and encamped

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June 17 -

In Camp

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18 -

In action all day and night and lost heavy in killed and wounded

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19 -

In reserve and under fire all day. Still losing some few men

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20 -

In the same place

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21 -

Advanced to the left a few miles

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22 -

Moved front to support 2nd Corps and was under heavy firing all evening and all night

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23 -

We were relieved till 3 o'clock when we moved in the extreme left and built breastworks all evening and most all night

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24 -

Returned to Camp

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25 -

In Camp

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26 -

In Camp

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27 -

In Camp

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28 -

In Camp

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29 -

In Camp

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30 -

In Camp

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July 1 -

In Camp

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2 -

In Camp

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3 -

In Camp

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4 -

In Camp

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5 -

In Camp

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6 -

In Camp

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7 -

In Camp

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8 -

In Camp

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9 -

In Camp

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10 -

In Camp

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11 -

In Camp

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12 -

Ordered to the front line of work front of Petersburg

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13 -

In front

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14 -

In front

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July 15 -

In front

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16 -

In front

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17 -

In front

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18 -

In front

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19 -

In front

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20 -

In front

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21 -

In front

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22 -

We were relieved in front of Petersburg and returned to Camp

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23 -

In Camp

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24 -

In Camp

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25 -

In Camp

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26 -

In Camp

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27 -

In Camp

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28 -

Our regiment was ordered in front of Petersburg

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29 -

Busy building bomb proofs

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30 -

The enemies fort blown up and sieging all day

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31 -

Our dead and wounded still lying on the field in front of the blown up fort which they charged on

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August 1 -

Our dead was berried and the wounded taken off that had been lying in front of the fort

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2 -

In front until the 16th

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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.

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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

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3 -

In front until the 6th

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6 -

Ordered to City Point for the purpose of being mounted

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7 -

In dismounted camp until the 16th

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16 -

Received horses and equipments and all complete

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17 -

In line of march at 8 o'clock A.M.

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18 -

In Camp near Hand Cock Station

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October 19 -

In Camp

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20 -

In Camp

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21 -

In Camp

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22 -

Fair and warm

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23 -

Fair and warm

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24 -

Fair and warm

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27 -

Made a reconnosance toward the Boyd Town plank road

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28 -

Skermshing and fighting all day and lost 60 or 70 men.

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29 -

Returned to camp

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30 -

In Camp

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31 -

In Camp

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November 1 -

In camp

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2 -

Picketing. it rained all day

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3 -

Picketing. Still raining

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4 -

Picketing - fair weather

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5 -

Returned to camp

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6 -

In camp

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7 -

Raid toward Stoney Creek Station

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8 -

Presidential Election. All passed off quiet

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9 -

In Camp. Pleasant weather and all quiet along the line

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10 -

In Camp

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11 -

In Camp

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12 -

In Camp

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13 -

In Camp

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14 -

Picketing

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15 -

Picketing

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16 -

Picketing

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17 -

Picketing

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18 -

Relieved and returned to Camp at 5 p.m. It commenced raining and rained all night

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November 19 -

Still raining

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20 -

Still raining

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21 -

Still rainy

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22 -

Fair and nights very cold

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23 -

Fair

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24 -

Fair

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25 -

Fair

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26 -

Fair

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27 -

Picketing. The weather fair and warm

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28 -

Picketing

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29 -

Picketing

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30 -

Returned to Camp

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December 1 -

Out on a Scout as far as Stoney Creek Station. Burnt the Station and returned to camp and lost but few men

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2 -

In Camp. Still fair weather

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3 -

In camp

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4 -

In camp

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5 -

In camp

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6 -

In camp under marching orders

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7 -

Started on the raid toward Bellfield, Va

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8 -

Raiding

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9 -

Raiding

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10 -

Raiding and the roads very muddy

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11 -

Returned to camp at 12 p.m. and the night being very cold

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12 -

In camp and still cold

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13 -

In camp and still very cold

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14 -

In camp

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15 -

In camp. Fair and warm

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16 -

Picketing

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17 -

Picketing

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December 18 -

Picketing

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19 -

Returned to camp

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20 -

Fair and warm

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21 -

Raining all day

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22 -

Very cold all day

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23 -

Cold

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24 -

Cold

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25 -

Picketing and pleasant

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26 -

Rainy

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27 -

Rainy

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28 -

Returned to camp

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29 -

Cold. Some few flakes of snow falling

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30 -

Very cold and rainy and in camp all day