157. CIVIL WAR DIARY OF SGT. FRANCIS A. CLARY, K.I.A. AT PORT HUDSON An excellent war-date diary and photographs of Sgt. Francis A. Clary of Co. D, 31st Mass. Infantry, a 25 year-old color sergeant killed on June 14, 1863 at the battle of Port Hudson. His black leather-covered diary, 2 3/4" x 4", covers the year of his death and has been signed by him "F. A. Clary" on the first page. There are terse, daily entries, with a gap between April 13 and May 24, about half in ink and all legible. In small part: "...Steamer just passed in defiance of the challenge. Second shot could not be fired on acct. of vessel coming down...We were relieved by the 1st Native Guards fr. N.C. Colored men...Moved up the river a little before noon...two men drowned...had a narrow escape from a boiler explosion...Left Plaquemine in disgust & effected a 'masterly retreat'...Anniversary of the terrible storm off Hatteras, on board the Mississippi...Col. makes an enthusiastic speech to us 9 of the Color Guard...in a Grand Review before Gen. Banks...we begin our Grand Expedition towards Port Hudson...Occupy ground just deserted by the rebels...sickness in the Gen. Hosp. 29 deaths reported last night...moved up a short distance from Pattersonville. Shelled a post of rebel cavalry & at 5 PM engaged a rebel battery. Fight lasted 35 min. Were driven back. A piece of shell struck only 2 ft. from me...advanced in force 1 mile nearer Port Hudson...remained in the woods all day... 5 killed & 10 or 11 wounded...the cannonading has commenced...This has been a day of terrible slaughter...dead and wounded are counted by the hundreds...the firing was resumed upon daylight...saw a deserter with Lt. Morey...several narrow escapes from the heavy guns of the enemy tearing down trees...moved from our ravine farther to the left...Preparations with cotton bales &c. for forcing our way into the fort tomorrow. Expect a hard fight. Hear hard things of Gen. Dwight[?]. Several men shot by his order...". Clary's last entry is on June 13, 1863. This entry is more hurriedly-written than the others, and is almost heartbreaking: "All prepared for the attack of Port Hudson at early dawn. I am in excellent health & spirits". In the rear of the diary, Clary kept a number of clippings of inspirational texts. The diary comes with two CDV images of Clary in uniform, one of which is set into a period frame. It shows Clary full-length, and holding the colors in his right hand. The image is slightly faded but otherwise very good. The second CDV also pictures Clary standing in uniform with his sword at his side, no backstamp, and is in excellent condition. It is accompanied by a newspaper notice mentioning Clary's death. Clary had enlisted on Oct. 9, 1861 and was present at nearly all of the regiment's engagements in and around Louisiana. $2,500 - 3,500