“This is a cool day—splendid for marching. Came 18 M. & encamp opposite Los Vegas [Las Vegas] on Cajenna river a very swift & turbulent stream. On the road Col. Howe 3d U.S. Cav. passed us on his way to Ft Craig. Los Vegas [Las Vegas] is an old town of about 1000 inhabitants mostly Mexicans. The buildings are built of Adobe & brick dried in the air. The streets are laid out tolerably regular, but very filthy. The population is a mixture of Spanish Indian & Negro. The best looking building in the place is the public gaming house. All classes of the population may be found represented here daily. The priest, the judge, the ranchero, the mechanic, the merchant—All take a hand in “Faro” or “Monte”, 1866 Aug 23

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.