DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1861

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1861-04-21 -- 1861-04-22

Sun. 21    Took Mr. Wickand's horse and road home. I make a great stir in the "Excelsion school-house", where many of my friends were assembled, made them a patriotic speech. Met my parents, and told them about the distracted conditions, and presented myself as a volunteer of the first Iowa regiment, but to my greatest astonishment I saw the tears start to father's and mother's eyes, and they uttered exclamations of regret. But I was firm and they finally became calmed. We talked till late at night, they very reluctantly consented to let me go; they are disappointed in Charley. 
Mon. 22.    Early this morning I bade my parents adieu, and arrived in Western in good time to straighten all my affairs. The citizens met me in the chapel, and presented me with several tokens of respect.The Volunteers appointed me to present the likenesses of the volunteers in a frame to the citizens of Western, to be hung in the college library, I did so in few words and bade them all an effectionate farewell, which created considerable feeling and very few dry eyes remained in the house while I was speaking. I know we have the prayers and well wishes of the citizens of Western. We formed procession in wagons accompanied by numerous ladies and gentlemen.

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Sun. 21 Took Mr. Wickand's horse and road home. I make a great stir in the "Excelsion school-house", where many of my friends were assembled, made them a patriotic speech. Met my parents, and told them about the distracted conditions, and presented myself as a volunteer of the first Iowa regiment, but to my greatest astonishment I saw the tears start to father's and mother's eyes, and they uttered exclamations of regret. But I was firm and they finally became calmed. We talked till late at night, they very reluctantly consented to let me go; they are disappointed in Charley. Mon. 22. Early this morning I bade my parents adieu, and arrived in Western in good time to straighten all my affairs. The citizens met me in the chapel, and presented me with several tokens of respect.The Volunteers appointed me to present the likenesses of the volunteers in a frame to the citizens of Western, to be hung in the college library, I did so in few words and bade them all an effectionate farewell, which created considerable feeling and very few dry eyes remained in the house while I was speaking. I know we have the prayers and well wishes of the citizens of Western. We formed procession in wagons accompanied by numerous ladies and gentlemen.