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William Gravell diary, 1863-1867.

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  • UPenn Ms. Coll. 723
    • This leather-bound, ruled diary was kept from 14 July 1863 to 31 August 1867 by William Gravell during his four-year stay in London, England to escape the draft of the Civil War. Gravell traveled from Upper Darby Township, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to New York where after being swindled; he eventually boarded a cargo ship named Plymouth Rock bound for London. Gravell writes daily about his life on board the ship, including his sea sickness, storms, other passengers, amusements, rations, and his acquaintance with a sailor from Philadelphia. Shortly after celebrating his twenty-third birthday on 13 August, William arrives in London, England. He meets his Uncle Thomas, a gilder and framer, and then meets his Uncle William, a watchmaker. Uncle William provides William with "the document which made me a soldier in the U.S. service for the space of three years." William lives with his cousin Thomas, acquires a job at Causton & Sons Printers in a warehouse where he works from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. William's entries in the diary appear weekly, recording events, excursions, holidays, and family gatherings. William describes the yearly tours of the Crystal Palace at Easter time, Guy Fawkes's Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day. He records the passing of his birthdays. William describes going to lectures, museums, plays, pantomimes, recording the titles and theatres. William writes about attending service on Sundays at St. Paul's Cathedral, dinners with his extended family, and games they play, such as Whist. He writes of the walks he takes with his cousin Thomas or Mr. Jewell to Black Heath, Greenwich, and London Bridge Park. At times William becomes depressed and writes of his dislike of London weather and his search for friends. In the summer of 1866, after the death of his Uncle William, Elizabeth, William's sister arrives unexpectedly. William and his sister spend much time together during the year she is there. In May of 1867 William's parents send tickets for his and Elizabeth's passage from Liverpool to Philadelphia. The pair leave in July, arriving in Philadelphia on 31 August 1867, the last entry in the diary. There are two inscriptions on the first leaf: "Minnie presented Aug. 22nd 1878" and "Watch Jacque Roulet Locle No. 28483." Some lines regarding William's departure for London to avoid the draft have been crossed out in pencil. After the last entry the rest of the diary is blank.

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    upon the deck enjoying the novel scene and watching the gradual rise and fall of the boy of the ship as it de- scribed a considerable part of the arc of a circle against the sky when the sensation first came on and a most wretched miserable feeling it is. I was sick all the evening and dared not lift my head to look at any part of the ship without a return of the sickness, and I was heartily glad when it was time to retire to our bunks. I slept very sound and arose somewhat refreshed but I had not been on deck many minutes before I was awfully sick again and have been off and on all day. Our rations were served out today for the first time and although very skimpy in quantity seem to be of tolerable quality. We have had every sail set but do not make much headway, as the wind is very light. We have seventeen passengers all of whom seem to be very respectable people.

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    Friday July 17th 1863

    We are now far out on the broad unfathomable ocean with nothing but sea and sky on all sides. The sea has been pretty rough with a strong southerly wind. I have been tolerably well today, not having suffered much from sea-sickness. Last night it rained very heavily.

    Saturday July 18th It is a beautiful day; the sun shines beautifully bright and the southerly wind still continues and being favor- able, we are speeding gaily on our course. Early this morning we saw a shoal of whales, sporting and sprinting very near the ship, and somewhat later a lot of porpoises tumbling and rolling about. Saw also a Nautilus or as the sailors style it a "Portugee Man of War" is a beautiful little fish. The Captain appears to be very anxious about privateers; and this eveing quite an excitement existed for some time in consequence of

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    the appearance of a suspicious looking vessel, whose character the captain could not well make out. At one time it seemed as if she were bearing down upon us and active preparations were made to receive her; the [[Bremen?]] flag was run up and all the passengers and crew were called on deck so as to present as form- idable appearance as possible and one of our German passengers was engaged to hail should she come near enough. But all our precautions were useless as she suddenly seemed to change her course, and as the night closed in she was soon out of sight. The weather this evening seems to indicate a change; it is very cloudy in the west, and threatened a storm.

    July 19th Sunday, Contrary to our anticipations the morning turned out fine and we have had a beautiful bright

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    Sunday, which has been kept by all on board as appropriately as possible; the sailors dressing themselves and abstaining from work. About noon the Captain and his lady distributed testements and tracts among the passengers and crew, and we have been sitting on deck the best part of the day engaged in reading them. Early this morning we saw a whale spouting and blowing very near the ship, and in the course of the morning hundreds of porpoises came alongside the ship, diving under and swimming around her. This afternoon we had a very heavy shower which drove us all below for an hour or so. The little wind we have had since starting has almost completely died away and the ship apparently does not move an inch.

    Monday July 20th 1863 A very pleasant morning, the wind is very light, and consequently we are making but very little progress. Five

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    sails in sights, we saw another whale spouting a short distance from the ship. By three o'clock all the sails observed during the morning had dis- appeared but another shortly after hove in sight, and by making directly for us excited our suspicions. The Captain, after taking a long observation with his glass, bet five dollars she was a Rebel Privateer and immediately adopted the precautions made use of day before yesterday; that of presenting as formidable appearance as possible by calling all hands on deck, and engaging one of the German passengers to hail the suspicious craft. Within an hours time she passed close to our ship and proved to be a British Bark bound for [[Nova Scotia]]. I have now become pretty well acquainted with all our passengers who number seventeen, viz; [[Mr. Coad]] wife and son, of [[Canada]] West bound for [[England]] on a visit; Mr. and Mrs.

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