American Historical Ephemera and Photography Featuring the Civil War and American Militaria Collection of Bruce B. Hermann

Approx. 6 5/8 x 4 in. notebook, leather over boards with working metal clasp, post-war typed title "CIVIL WAR / Battery and Entrenchment / book" on 3 1/4 x 1 in. paper adhered to front cover, 23pp. utilized (spine with heavy wear, appears several pages removed from notebook, light soil, typed title paper on front cover loose). Interior front cover with two identifications, "G. Davies" and "George Davies." Detailed sketches in notebook include: "Plan of a Battery for 3 Guns and 2 Motors," "Telegraph," and "Section of the Blinded Gallery / Descent of the Blinded Gallery into the Main Ditch."

HDS identifies a total of five soldiers with the first and last name "George" and "Davies." Though this notebook does not bear any specific regimental identifications, it may have belonged to George Davies (1836-1894), 34th PA Infantry, part of the “Pennsylvania Emergency Volunteers.” According to A History of Catasauqua in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (1914), prior to the war Davies had worked at the trade of moulder and as a machinist, and by the the outbreak of hostilities was employed as Master Mechanic at Parryville, Pennsylvania. As Confederate troops moved into Maryland and Pennsylvania and converged on Gettysburg, calls were made for able-bodied men not already enlisted to form additional home guard regiments for 3 months service. Heading this call Davies joined the 34th Pennsylvania Infantry militia, enlisting on 30 June 1863 as a sergeant and mustering into Co. F under the command of his brother-in-law and future business partner, Captain James Thomas. The 34th emergency regiment marched to Gettysburg though the record does not indicate that the regiment was actively engaged. He mustered out on 24 August 1863. 

In addition to the sketches, the notebook contains explanatory notes of a military nature: how to construct a rectangular field powder magazine; how to use a telegraph and what each position of its arms signifies, both for numbers and letters; how to create a blinded gallery, with details of the men, tools, and materials required; discussion of pontooning; and tinctures and remedies for horses. As a Master Mechanic with experience at various iron works, Davies possessed extensive knowledge of the iron-making business and broad technical expertise. Given the fact that he was called into service on short notice and with little training, it is quite plausible that a man of his experience kept this technical notebook while serving with his regiment in an effort to prepare for the ways in which his skills might be utilized.