Name/Title
George W. Sabine | American Civil War DiariesScope and Content
CIVIL WAR FIELD DIARIES kept by George Sabine of Maine, 3 vols. Three highly detailed leather-bound duodecimo pocket notebooks kept during the Civil War by GEORGE W. SABINE (1832-1865) of Eastport, Maine, while commanding Company K, 18th Regt. Maine Volunteers, and subsequently while serving in Maine’s 1st Heavy Artillery Regt. ALTOGETHER TOTALING approx. 282 pp. of diary entries, military engagement sketch-diagrams, related drawings, dollar accounts, etc., plus blanks. Sabine fully names many of his fellow combatants. TOGETHER WITH his pocket diary for 1860 (recording his regional travels, election results, birth of his only child, wife’s health, named steamship departures and arrivals, weekly sermon topics preached by named ministers, etc.), his inscribed leather wallet, two daguerreotypes, the circa 1860 browned muslin ditty bag (inscribed in ink with Sabine’s name and town) in which these notebooks have descended, and one LEONARD HALL’s highly detailed 48-page 1848-1851 pocket notebook of grocery purchases from JOHN CHAMPNEY.
From John Raye, Canton, Connecticut in email, March 24, 2024:
The George Washington Sabine Diaries
George Sabine was born in Eastport and lived there for all of his life and is now resting at Hillside Cemetery. This set of diaries are quite special as they begin in 1860, a pivotal point in the history of the country and in particular, Washington County. These well written and legible documents cover in detail life in Eastport leading up to the fervor of the Civil War. Temperance parades, named ship arrivals and departures, ministers and sermon content, birth of a child, city business, and even attending a literature club discussing the merits of Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry.
The three war journals outline George’s beliefs and his recruitment of volunteers at Fort Sullivan just prior to the outbreak of hostilities and then cover the incredible battles of the war. They name his friends from Eastport who died at his side in battle in places like Spotsylvania, Cold Harbour and Petersburg where he led his troops as an acting Lt. Colonel of the First Maine Heavy Artillery. His last entry reports Rebel snipers picking off officers the night before a pivotal battle. He was one of them.
I can not stress enough the importance to Eastport of this period of history as recorded so accurately in these amazing diaries. They are invaluable and deserving of recovery and your support on this effort.
John L. Raye
Author of Island Sacrifice
From Kilby's History of Eastport and Passamaquoddy, p. 361:
George W. Sabine, captain. Promoted major and lieutenantcolonel. Fatally wounded June 17, 1864; died May 28, 1865.
Emma Augusta Bucknam
married Henry H. Wadsworth to become Emma Augusta Bucknam Wadsworth
quilt dates to 1895 and signature (in thread) in the quilt: "Aunt Emma 1895"
Emma's sister in law was Adelaide Wadsworth Sabine, she was married to George Sabine (killed during the Civil War at Petersburg)
quilt was made for and given to Adelaide and George's daughter, Marion (Emma's niece and hence the "Aunt Emma 1895" woven in thread in the quilt
Marion passed the quilt on to her daughter _______________
Marion's daughter in turn passed the quilt onto to her daughter, Louise Peck (Marion's granddaughter) of Cambridge, Massachusetts (Louise Peck now has Civil War diaries of George Sabine).
From John L. Raye by email, August 29, 2022:
Emma Augusta Bucknam Married Henry Howard Wadsworth both of Eastport. Emma was the maker of the quilt. It was made for her niece Marion Sabine daughter of George Sabine and Frances Adelaide Wadsworth Sabine, (both from Eastport) Henry Howard Wadsworth's beloved sister. Marion Sabine Paine's ( married name ) daughter Emily Paine Fried (married name) inherited the quilt which was given to her daughter Louise Wadsworth Fried Peck (married name) who gave the quilt to John L. Raye also a descendent of Emma Augusta Bucknam Wadsworth. John gave the quilt to the Tides Institute and Museum of Art. The quilt was signed "from Aunt Emma 1895". This quilt has found its way home through direct decent.
From Vital Records of Eastport Sentinel, Eastport, Maine, 1818-1900, p. 348:
Marriages
In Eastport 28 Dec 1882, Rev. Edward Houghton, Marion Wadsworth d/o Addie W. and the late Maj. Geo. W. Sabine of Eastport to Fred A. PAYNE of Albany, NY.
From Vital Records of Eastport Sentinel, Eastport, Maine, 1818-1900, p. 367:
Marriages,
In Washington DC, 11 Mar 1884, by Rev. Shippen, Prentiss M. CLARK of St. Paul, Minn to Mrs. Addie W. SABINE of Eastport.
