The original version of the GTS diary, published in 1952, is in 4 volumes. The first covers the period beginning October 5, 1835, when 15-year-old Strong began recording the events of his life, through December 1849. Volume 2 runs from 1850-59. Volume 3 is the war years, and volume 4 runs from June 1865 until the author’s final illness in 1875. The editors, Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas, had to reduce the 4 million + words substantially for practical purposes. So they left out much of what Strong wrote about Columbia College and much of his criticism of musical concerts he attended. And, according to the editors’ preface, “Many interesting personal entries, dealing with the diarist’s family circle, have been left out, but these would make another kind of story.” Too bad. That would have been interesting.
Clearly, Strong intended his diary to be read by Americans of a future era. He kept it secret from his friends so their words to him were not spoken with posterity in mind. He recorded his impressions, opinions and predictions with the knowledge that an audience with full hindsight would one day judge them. After Strong’s death in 1875 his heirs kept it out of public view until 1928, when it was lent to the museum of the American Red Cross, apparently because of Strong’s writing about his time with the Sanitary Commission during the Civil War. It wasn’t until the late 1940’s that Strong’s descendants consented to the publication of the diary. This first printing was issued 77 years after George Templeton Strong died.
Volume 1 begins with a 32-page biography of Strong. My earlier impression that he was a New York hipster lawyer has expanded and I now realize Strong was an impressive and virtuous man who served his country well and did his part to make New York into one of the world’s great cities. He never sought the limelight, but gave extensively of his time, talent and money to support Columbia College (now University), Trinity Episcopal Church, the arts, and the legal profession in New York. During the Civil War he served with distinction, not in uniform, but in a vital support role with the Sanitary Commission, which managed the hospitals and other services for wounded soldiers.
The portion of the abridged diary that covers August-October 1856 is identical to the original edited version. So we haven’t missed anything by posting the initial entries from the abridged version. I scanned ahead and it looks like we can expect 8 to 10 entries a month during the next several months.
Continued from September 30 (reply #47)
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas, Abridged by Thomas J. Pressly
