Prisoner of War Diary, bulk: 1863 - 1865

Item — Box: 23.2, Object: 2

Identifier: 23.2.2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Michael Dougherty Collection includes documents, personal letters, and artifacts related to the life and military service of Private Michael Dougherty of Company B, 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Dougherty was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Civil War, specifically for his actions at the Battle of Jefferson, Virginia, in 1863. The collection documents his experiences as a prisoner of war in Andersonville and other Confederate prisons, highlighting the challenges faced during his 23 months of captivity.

Among the items in the collection are two Medal of Honor certificates, the first from 1897 and a reissue from 1927, as well as Dougherty’s medals, letters, diaries, and official documents, including his naturalization and pension certificates. The collection also includes a letter documenting his participation in the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Dates

Majority of material found within 1863 - 1865

Conditions Governing Access

Contact Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library (archive@grundylibrary.org) for information about accessing this collection.

Biographical / Historical

A handwritten diary that documents Michael’s time spent as a prisoner of war in Pemberton, Barrett's, Belle Isle, Libby, and Andersonville prisons up to his release. Michael was captured on October 12th, 1863, sent to Andersonville in March 1862, and was released at the end of the Civil War in 1865. The presence of ink and pencil suggests revisions were made to entries, possibly before the diary was published in 1908 with the help of his son Chas. A. Dougherty.