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Two diaries written by Civil War soldier Maximilian Hartman are included as well as a transcription of their contents. The first diary begins in September of 1861 and continues until February, 1862. The second diary continues from February, 1862 and ends in May of that same year. The diaries delineate the travels and military actions of the 93rd Regiment from Pennsylvania as it passes through Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Of local interest are the descriptions of events in Hampton Roads, Yorktown, and Williamsburg regarding the Peninsular Campaign. The contents of the diaries are rich in details regarding military life, including duties such as marching and drilling, and skirmishes. There are also descriptions about entertainment, food, sight-seeing, the effects of the weather, and personal observations of the life of a soldier. Also included are a company roster, an index of letters sent and received, a list of expenses and the lyrics of five popular songs.

Diary, 1840-1842 of Mildred Stone Brown of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Mildred Stone Browne was born in October of 1820 to William Browne and Margaret Emily Stone. In 1846, Mildred Stone Brown married John Lawrence Mayre, who later became the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. In her diary, Mildred writes about the weather, events, and illnesses. She spends many of her days visiting and hosting family and friends. She attends weddings, engagement parties, social events, and goes on numerous outings. The Brownes were most likely an upper middle class family, as Mildred does not write about homework or labor. The family goes to church every Sunday and Mildred is a very devoted woman. Besides her daily activities, her diary includes 45 pages of private devotions. These devotions includes prays for herself, prayers for her mother, father, brother, and sister, and prays for people in positions of authority, including the president. There is also a section on a series of psalms regarding divine trust. In the back of the journal there is a series of poems and excerpts from famous writers, including William Shakespeare.

Memoranda, 1810, made by Thomas R. Joynes on a journey from Virginia and Ohio to Kentucky.

A travel diary written by a person from Baltimore, Maryland. They write about touring through western Virginia on horseback and later Niagara Falls on foot. They comment on Virginia locations such as Mount Vernon, Montpelier, Monticello, Warm Springs, Weyer's Cave (now Grand Caverns), Natural Bridge, and the asylum in Staunton (now Western State Hospital) among other places.