Perhaps the most interesting items in this collection are the diaries that Sergeant Bean kept between 1862 and 1864. The first, covering December 23, 1862 to December 31, 1863, is concerned primarily with the generally mundane existence of the average Union solder. It speaks of the weather, letters that Bean has received or written, camp life in general, marching, food, and Bean's financial accounts. This diary does, however, also contain snippets relating to the Civil War on a larger scale: for example, it speaks of troop movements (both Union and Confederate), of Bean's experiences in battle, and of Bean's various military duties. Bean's 1864 diary concentrates almost exclusively on battle. Here, we see an abundance of descriptions of Bean's experiences in battle, troop movements (again both Union and Confederate), and notes as to which of Bean's friends have died in various actions. The collection is further enriched by an ambrotype of Bean himself and by Bean's Veteran's Medal.