My ancestor, H.S. Albin (Henry) fought for the 79th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E. during the Civil War. He was captured near Murfreesboro and spent time at Libby Prison and Camp Asylum.
As the family story goes, my grandmother thought that his Civil War diary was meant to be seen by the world, so one day, sometime in the 1960s, she took her kids to downtown Chicago to donate the diary to the library (Chicago Public?). I have looked at a number of library catalogs around the Chicago area and Worldcat, and can’t seem to find any record of this diary.
Can anyone point me to other bibliographies or resources that might help me locate this diary? I would love to read it!
Dear Mr. Mundt,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
We suggest that you search the Chicago Public Library - Civil War Digital Collection;
The 10 Best Libraries in Chicago; Chicago Historical Society Research Center; and the Illinois State Archives to ascertain if Henry S. Albin’s diary may be found among their holdings.
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!