The source of this typed transcription of Hoffman’s diary is undocumented, and the location of the original documents is unknown. The diaries begin with April 21, 1861 and end June 15, 1863. Hoffman is listed in Michigan Volunteers as being from Macomb County, attained Sergeant rank by Dec. 1864, and was mustered out at San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 12, 1866. The only Grand Rapids association found documented in the diaries to date is the Oct. 2, 1961 mention, of traveling via Grand Rapids to Camp Anderson, two miles away. He gives a paragraph description of that camp.