Adam H. Whetstone diary

Adam H. Whetstone, a member of the Fifty-third Alabama Regiment, wrote the entries in his diary between July 24, 1864, and his parole and return home on May 17, 1865. He described the regiment's movements through Georgia and South Carolina. With the exception of a narrow escape and a skirmish near Atlanta on November 9, 1864, there are few mentions of interaction with Union forces. Instead, many of Whetstone's diary entries describe the social excursions that he participated in with other soldiers. While Whetstone recorded little direct military action within his own regiment, he did discuss war-related news. Notable entries include Whetstone's reactions to the evacuation of Richmond and General Lee's surrender.

The diary ends with a final update written on December 25, 1865, in which Whetstone reported the death of his only son. "Since the 17th of May I have wrote nothing, but have seen more trouble than in all my life before," Whetstone wrote.