“. . . .near one of which we encamp. Here we saw the first cornfield since we lef[t] the states. The corn is just in roasting ears & we invest in that luxury at 75 c pr dozen. Close by in a canon large herds of sheep are feeding. The new mexican frontiersman is a very careless sort of a being, his wants are very few & he does not exert himself beyond what is actually required to supply them. His diet is of the most simple kind and consists chiefly of Atole a gruel made of corn meal jerked beef & goats milk or water & tortillas also of corn meal & fired on hot rocks or grid irons. The goat & sheep meat is cut in long strips and dried in the sun at any time of the year. When sufficiently dry & hard it is stored away in some corner of the room ready for daily use. The education of the New Mexicans is generally finished when they know how to say their “Pater noster & Ave Maria.” Reading & writing are rare accomplishments among the common class & if they practice any trades it is done in a very primitive way.”, 1866 Aug 8

Item — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection contains a bound volume that consists primarily of the diary of Charles Borberg (pages 29-54 of the volume) describing his experiences during a march from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Fort Union, New Mexico, to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with the 57th United States Colored Infantry from June 8 to November 30, 1866. The volume also includes an undated, handwritten draft obituary of John L. Criswell of Stanton, Missouri (obituary is written in pencil and is difficult to read); a page of accounts titled “J.R. Clark Trustee,” 1875-1876 (page 2 of the volume); a page of notes in German script titled “Thoughts, Ideas,” February 19, 1883 (page 120 of the volume) (see transcription and translation below); a page of undated verse in German script titled “Auf die Geburt von J. Aschenbachs Jungsten” [To the Birth of J. Achenbach’s Youngest] (page 121 of the volume) (verse is written in pencil and is difficult to read); memorial verse in German script titled “Wachruf an John Achenbach” [Fanfare to John Achenbach] (page 122 of the volume) (see transcription and translation below); page of names and addresses (page 144 of the volume); page titled “Memorandum of Forwarding of Pension Papers,” which includes several names and addresses (page 145 of the volume); and a page containing two undated newspaper obituaries of Charles Borberg (last page of the volume). Many pages of this bound volume are missing. In addition to the bound volume, the collection also contains a handwritten statement of Charles Borberg recounting his military service in the Civil War up until his discharge on December 13, 1866.