Max Schlund's Civil War Diary

The Schlund family emigrated to America from Bavaria, Germany because of the conflict in Germany in 1848. There is a lot of controversy surrounding my g-g-g-grandfather Fidel Schlund's departure from Germany, I will save that story for another blog post.


After arriving in America Fidel and his son Max, Sr joined the Union and served during the late part of the civil War. During his time in the 82nd U.S. Army infantry regiment Max Schlund wrote a diary. 

His diary is currently  kept in The Newberry Library, the description of the diary, which is written in all German is:


Diary, 1862-1865, kept in German by Max Schlund during the period of his Civil War service, representing a very complete account of the 82nd Regiment’s action from its inception until the end of the war. Schlund includes detailed descriptions of battles and marches including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Knoxville campaign, the Atlanta campaign (Resaca, Cassville, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek), the occupation of Atlanta, the march through Georgia to Savannah, and the Carolinas campaign (Averasboro). He also describes conditions (terrain, diet, equipment), foraging for food and supplies, and the sacking of plantations and destruction of railroads. At the end of the volume are genealogical notes regarding Schlund’s birth family and his wife and children, and notes regarding the Civil War service of his father and brothers. Also a typed English translation of the diary entries.


The library also includes this biographical/historical note:


German-American Civil War soldier from Chicago. Born in Germany in 1844, Max Schlund emigrated with his parents and siblings to New Jersey in 1853, and settled in Newport, Lake County, Ill., in 1855. Max moved to Chicago in 1858, where he worked as a harness maker, and enlisted there on Aug. 7, 1862 in the 82nd Volunteer Infantry Regiment (also known as the Hecker Regiment). He served until the end of the war, seeing action at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, in Tennessee, and on Sherman’s march through Atlanta, Savannah, South Carolina, and North Carolina. He was discharged July 1, 1865, in Chicago. Schlund, who married in 1869 and had three children, died Aug. 23, 1932.


This is a pretty accurate description of my g-g-grandfathers life, however Max had 9 children and he and his family eventually settled in Sodtown, Buffalo County, Nebraska.