The Siege of Vicksburg
Dunlap Springs, Nov. 3, 1862. We have built a snug log house and last night for the first and probably last time have slept in it; for our company has orders to move down town and act as city guards. There are eight or ten regiments here, some of them new ones from Jackson, Miss. The new regiments, like all new ones, have great confidence in themselves and think the war is to be settled by them and them only. There is an undercurrent of jealousy existing between the old and new troops. The old troops call the new ones “forty dollar men,” “bounty men,” and “home guards.” Last Friday, Oct. 31, we had general review from Gen. McPherson who is here commanding the post. There were twenty regiments, ten thousand men, I should judge, on the field. There is a great forward movement taking place. All the troops started out on the Grand Junction road this morning with the exception of the 43rd, and 17th Ill. The weather is fine, the days are warm and pleasant, but the nights are very cold and frosty. About once in ten days we have a northeast rainstorm, followed by cold weather and sleet. We are on guard every other day, sometimes every third day.
Nov. 7. We got a buggy shed from the citizens, boarded it up tight, built a furnace in it, and were just putting on the finishing touches, (battening up the cracks with cotton) when we received marching orders. Such is the fortune of war.
Nov. 8. We struck our tents and started for Grand Junction about 10 o’clock. The boys are in fine health and spirits. We marched about nine miles and camped by a clear spring.
Nov. 9. Sunday. We marched about fifteen miles today and arrived at LaGrange, three miles west of Grand Junction. It is dry and very dusty. Sometimes the dust was so thick we could not see the ground. That and the smoke and heat from the burning fences was almost intolerable. We passed miles and miles of burnt and burning fences, fired by troops in advance. Large and fine farms and plantations were laid waste. We met fully forty teams of four and six mules each, loaded with wenches and young woolly heads, and all their personal effects, and in fact all they could smuggle from their masters. Ask them where they are going and they will tell you, “You folks sent’s to Bolivar, don’t know where wes goin’ from thar.” I blistered my feet badly on the march. We hear that Hollow Springs is evacuated. We have very stringent orders in regard to stealing. Everything has to be paid for by the division when it cannot be traced to the company, regiment or brigade of the persons committing the theft. I hope they will be enforced.
Nov. 14. All quiet. We had brigade drill this forenoon. Our brigade consists of the 7th Missouri, 8th, 63rd and 18th Illinois, commanded by Col. Stevenson of the 7th Missouri. Our regiment is the first of the fourth brigade, third division, of the right wing of Gen. Grant’s army. Gen. John A. Logan made a speech to the troops this afternoon.
Nov. 20. Col. Stevenson made a few remarks to us this morning after drill. He is good natured and jolly, and a fine speaker. He gave us great praise and said he had the 7th Missouri, 8th and 63rd Illinois, with the pick of another five or six regiments, among them ours. He took us and placed us on the right of his brigade in preference to any other.
Nov. 21. Our brigade was reviewed by Generals McPherson and Logan this afternoon. Gen. McKean’s brigade was reviewed today.
Nov. 24. There was grand review this afternoon. Generals McPherson, Grant and Logan were the review officers. The weather is fine but the nights are very cold.
Nov. 25. On picket one mile southeast of LaGrange, the night was very cold.
Nov. 27. We received orders to pack up and be ready to move down town this morning, where we were to be quartered and remain as provost guard. We marched down about 8 o’clock and secured our quarters. Sixteen, including Frank and myself, took a room upstairs in an old grocery with an old stove. During the day we fixed our bunks and got some benches from a church close by, and by night had things quite comfortable. LaGrange comes nearer to being like a northern town than any other I have seen in the South.
Nov. 28. I was on guard in front of the Provost-marshall’s office today. The troop began to move toward Holly Springs long before day light. While I was in town five batteries and as many brigades passed. Gen. Grant passed us a number of times. He is looking a great deal better than when at Inka.
Nov. 29. The troops have mostly passed out and it is getting quiet once more.
Dec. 1. While I was looking out of the window this morning at some recruits for the 48th Indiana, whom should I see but John Metternich of our old company. (Co. E, 12th Ind.) He was as much surprised as I; the last time I saw him, his head was bruised and bleeding as the result of a spree. This morning a band of guerillas came up within about two miles of this place, captured a number of mules and burned the cotton they were hauling.
Dec. 2. Tuesday. The 109th Ill. came in tonight.
Dec. 4. I was on guard today. It rained nearly all day, and toward night we had a real northerner.
Dec. 5. Late in the afternoon it turned cold and began to freeze and snow.
Dec. 6. Ground is frozen quite solid this morning, for the first time this winter. There is some excitement among the boys of the 17th in regard to a report that Gov. Yates has ordered home ten of the old regiments to recruit and fill up their ranks. If any go, the 17th will probably be one of them, as the company reports only twenty-two for duty.
Dec. 7. Sunday. I was detailed for guard this morning and stood before the provost-marshall’s office.
Dec. 9. On fatigue. Weather fine.
Dec. 10. Weather fine. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock.
Dec. 11. Weather warm. I was on fatigue nearly all day, cutting and hauling wood for the company. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. Just at dusk the news came in that a guerilla band was to attack us before morning. Fifty men from our regiment and forty-eight from the 126th (which is here doing picket duty) were detailed to build breastworks of cotton, four hundred bales of which lay near the depot. Col. Norton and Major Bates did the engineering. After they had finished we lay on our arms during the night, but no enemy made its appearance, and about 7 o’clock we were ordered back to camp.
Dec. 12. Quite sore from chopping and rolling cotton. Our Colonel, Amos Norton, is Commander of the Post, and Rats is provost-marshal, Col. Smith commanding the regiment. Toward dark a rumor was rapidly circulated through the camp that we were ordered to Holly Springs, Miss. No one could tell where it started from, and consequently no one credited it.
Dec. 13. Marching orders, sure enough. We drew three days’ rations this morning, with orders to have two cooked and in our haversacks, ready to march at 5 o’clock the next morning. I have a new pair of boots which I expect to break in on the march—or they will break me. We were relieved this morning by the 126th. I have a very severe cold.
Dec. 14. Sunday. Reveille sounded this morning a little after 2 o’clock. We filled our haversacks, got our breakfasts, and by daylight were ready for the march. We fell into ranks, the regiment was formed, and then we witnessed an unexpected ceremony which is disgusting to every true soldier—the drumming out of a fellow soldier for disobedience and disgraceful conduct. I should prefer death to being marched between two lines of a regiment by a guard, at a charged bayonet, with an escort, the band playing the Rogues March, and the remainder of the regiment standing at charged bayonets; but it was soon over, the ranks were closed, and the regiment started on the march. We crossed Wolf Creek, a fine stream one mile from LaGrange. We passed over a fine country somewhat broken. The army has surely left its mark here. Miles of fences and scores of houses have been burnt. From one place we could count seven or eight ruins. The destruction of property is not countenanced by a good soldier, but every regiment has its straggling, order breaking reprobates that are a disgrace to the flag they fight under. We reached Coldwater toward night and camped. I was on guard. I came across an old cove who helped build dam No. 4, in Maryland, and knew all the citizens who live there now.
Dec. 15. We struck tents early, packed our effects as snugly as possible, and as on the preceding morning, shouldered our knaps. It rained during our entire march to Holly Springs, the flower city of the South, and on our arrival there the flood gates of heaven opened and the rain poured down on our defenseless heads in torrents. We stood it about two hours before the Colonel could secure quarters. Three-fourths of a mile up the railroad track we found a very large rebel arsenal, but were wet to the skin long before we reached this shelter. It continued to rain all day without intermission.
Dec. 16. We packed up twice to change our camp today, but the order was countermanded each time. The arsenal is a very extensive building and the rebels turned out one hundred small arms per day. We are preparing it for an extensive hospital. Quartered here again tonight. I went up to the depot and while there met old Captain Backman, of Co. C, 12th Ind. Reg. He is now sutler in the same regiment, which is located but a few miles below here doing picket duty on the railroad.
Dec. 17. Toward night we received marching orders and started for Abbyville at dark. We heard that there was great excitement at Jackson, as an attack from a detachment of Bragg’s men was expected. We marched about eight miles from town and crossed the Yazoo swamp, where we camped for the night. The next morning we again packed up and started for Abbyville.
Dec. 18. We arrived at the Tallahatchie Bottoms about noon. Bissell’s engineer regiment is encamped here. It has just finished the railroad bridge over the river and the cars now pass on to Oxford in advance. There was a clearing with two redoubts which we passed before entering the woody bottoms of the Tallahatchie. The teams were halted and we slung our knapsacks and carried them over the marshy bottoms. We had advanced but a short distance when the formidable earthworks which the Rebs had erected, loomed up before our eyes. When we once more struck terra firma we were halted, unslung our knaps, and when the teams came up, packed them on the wagons. I started on and entered the camp of the 12th Ind. Volunteers. Found the old members of Co. E. divided among two companies—F and I, both gotten up at Warsaw. We arrived at Abbyville in the middle of the forenoon. The country between LaGrange and Abbyville is rough and hilly.
Dec. 19. Jesse Walker and I went out foraging and succeeded in capturing a shoat. The nigs were left very destitute and there will be a great deal of suffering if the government does not feed them. There is a report that Jackson, Tenn., is threatened by Bragg; that there is fighting there and our communications are cut off, at any rate troops are on the move, being taken back by rail as fast as possible. There is a great battle being fought this morning by Burnside’s men. They have already fought one whole day. Burnie has crossed the river and holds Fredericksburg.
Dec. 20. The news came in this morning that Holly Springs was entered at daylight and captured. The Rebels took over two hundred thousand dollars and burned the depot with all the stores and the arsenal we had fitted up for a hospital. After dinner we were set to work building breastworks of cotton, having captured one thousand bales from the C. S. A. When we first came here the regiment was scattered along the railroad, one company in a place extending nearly to Oxford. Companies G and K were kept here, this being the headquarters of Regiment 1, Norton commanding the Post. Two companies below were sent up, and by night we had a complete breast-work of cotton bales, regular old hickory style.
Dec. 21. The long roll was beaten at 3 o’clock this morning. The company was formed and we marched down to our cotton fort where we lay until daylight, when the other companies marched to their camps, and we back to ours. Last night a division of cavalry passed, going north. It was composed of the 3rd and 4th Ill., 7th Kansas and 3rd Mich. Just before night Generals Ross and McArthur came into town with their respective divisions. They are moving back for some cause. The weather is fine but the nights are very cold. It is what people call pleasant fall weather in Michigan. We have had no more snow since the flurry in September, and the weather never was more favorable for a winter campaign. The army is well clothed, having as much clothing as the soldiers wish to pack.
Dec. 22. On guard in Frank’s place, he has gone foraging ten miles below. More troops passed on their way back.
Dec. 23. Gen. Grant passed through here this morning on the train. The division of Denver’s, (ex-governor of Kansas, for whom Denver City was named) passed through here today also. The troops are all coming up further north. The cars are going north loaded with cotton. I think this is a cotton expedition.
Dec. 24. On picket guard today. Got my boots half soled. Gen. McPherson passed through here, and Logan’s division is coming up and passing through. Our old brigade (Col. Stevenson’s) also passed. A train came in a little after dark and was loaded with cotton. The country is stripped of everything and so we are on half rations. All the hogs and live stock have been killed. The Negroes are suffering and I think they would welcome their old masters. There are a great many leaving, a large carload left today. We have poorer fare than at any time since we enlisted.
Dec. 25. Christmas. I came off guard duty this morning. We drew half rations for four days and part of that was cornmeal. Our coffee is rye and in small quantities at that. The boys have gone out to see if they can find a stray hog or beef for Christmas dinner. Oh! if I could be at home today.
One o’clock. We just now received marching orders to be ready tomorrow morning. Frank, Bill, Buttons and Boggs of our mess, and Ragan and Doughty of the Peacock mess, fetched in a whole beef, and a few minutes later Abe, John and Scott brought in a whole hog. If we live on half rations it will not be of meat, as we have a hog and half a beef. It is very warm and pleasant today, I lay down and took a nap, but the flies were so troublesome I could hardly sleep.
Dec. 26. Warm and raining. We were astir early, cooked our breakfasts, filled our haversacks with meat and what little bread we had, and fell in about 7 o’clock. It began to rain and we had gone but a mile or two when we were wet through. We secured two ox teams, one of six oxen, and one of four, which hauled our knapsacks. The 12th Ind. is still camped on the Tallahatchie. Saw Lieut. E. Webster and Tom Anderson, they are living on quarter rations. Capt. Williams, now Colonel of the regiment, was at Holly Springs at the time it was captured and he was taken for the third time. We marched to the Yazoo Bottoms and camped on the opposite side. It rained and we were completely soaked. The ground was muddy and I looked around, found a stack of corn, dug down to the dry stalks, husked out a lot and made a bed for myself. We are within seven miles of Holly Springs.
Dec. 27. Warm and rainy this morning. We struck out tents, fell in about daylight and marched through to Holly Springs, where we saw the effects of the late raid.
A long ambulance train, a large hotel and one whole block was burned, also the whole of the large arsenal building which we had prepared and were using for a hospital, the large depot and all the supplies that were in it, two or three engines and a long train of cars. When the magazines exploded it jarred out nearly all of the window glass in that part of the town. We camped on the north side in a beautiful grove. As soon as camp was laid off we killed one of our oxen which had labored so faithfully in hauling our knapsacks here, and drew one more day’s rations to finish out our four days. The boys have taken the mills into their own hands and are shelling and grinding corn, what they should have done long ago, live off the country. They tell us that we are the first regiment of the first brigade, sixth division (Gen. Arthur’s) of Grant’s department. There has been no time to parole the sick.
Dec. 28. Sunday. We lay here all day, all is quiet.
Dec. 29. A foraging party went out this morning. One of our boys killed five hogs and thirteen chickens, and found two government wagons and two barrels of molasses that the Rebs had taken out from Holly Springs and hidden. At 3 o’clock we had orders to move in twenty minutes for Moscow, a small town ten miles west of LaGrange on the Memphis and Charleston railroad. We marched to the opposite side of Coldwater and camped for the night. Our brigade was in advance of the division and our regiment in advance of the brigade.
Dec. 30. Rained a good deal last night. We were up early. Our regiment was rear guard to the wagon train today. It cleared off early and was quite cool, making a fine day for marching. We carried our knapsacks as on the previous day, and marched about eight miles. Fine country between Coldwater and Moscow, that is for Mississippi. Most plantations have fine mansions. There have been but few troops over this road, consequently cattle and hogs are quite abundant. Our boys drove in about sixty hogs and most of them are fine, fat ones. When they came into camp the boys pitched in, each man for himself, and our mess got half a hog.
Dec. 31. Last night was very cold. It snowed quite hard. The regiment formed this morning and guns were fired off. We were formed for muster at 2 o’clock yesterday. Abe left our mess, also Geo. Scott, both were ill.
Jan. 1, 1863. Thursday. Bright and clear, warm and pleasant. How well do I remember two short years ago today when we took a sleigh ride and made a regular family visit at Uncle Tim’s. Since then I have traveled over four thousand miles, five hundred and eighty of which I marched with gun on my shoulder; have seen more vice and drunkenness than I ever supposed existed, yet I hope I am morally no worse than when surrounded by kind relatives and friends. An orderly call beat immediately after reveille this morning at which time we received orders to cook our rations and be ready by half past seven. We cooked our fresh pork and by the appointed time had it in our haversacks, and our knapsacks strapped on our backs, ready for the march. We went eight miles and camped close to a small town called Lafayette, situated on the Memphis and Charleston R. R. As soon as we had pitched our tents, Chas. Berry and myself went out one mile from camp and killed a hog. We are now the first regiment of the first brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General McArthur, of Gen. Hamilton’s corps, of the left wing of Gen. Grant’s army. We were put in the rear of the brigade today as a special guard to keep up the stragglers.
Jan. 2. Struck out tents early this morning and marched to Colliersville, a distance of seven miles from Lafayette and twenty-four from Memphis. As soon as we had stacked our arms and broken ranks, John Cumbersworth and I went out a mile and a half from camp and got a fine hog. While we were skinning it our orderly-sergeant, Sullivan, Jesse Walker and Mike Walsh were captured not more than a quarter of a mile distant, by a band of rebel cavalry. Sullivan turned and ran and several shots were fired after him, which we heard plainly but we thought it was the boys shooting hogs. When we got into camp Bob Dew and Charlie Berry came in with their paroles, they having been caught by the same company. Five paroled from Co. K in one day. Five such days’ work will muster Co. K out of service. The 17th Ill. at present musters about three hundred and fifty men. On guard tonight; storming fearfully.
Jan. 3. Quite pleasant during the day, but it rained heavily all night.
Jan. 4. We had inspection at 1 o’clock. Col. Norton’s tent burned today.
Jan. 5. Monday. I am on guard at the depot today.
Jan. 8. Orders are very strict. If caught outside of the pickets the fine is ten dollars. We get up at 4 o’clock in the morning and stack our arms. I am on parole guard today. We expect to move in a day or two.
Jan. 11. The regiment was formed at 4 this morning. In the afternoon we received marching orders. Our division has been moving up all day. Logan’s division is here. The stockade fort that the contrabands are at work on near the depot is almost completed. At 4 o’clock we had dress parade. Orders were read, fining the absentees from roll call since the last of December, one dollar each time.
Jan. 12. We were called up at half past three this morning and were on the road inside an hour, and by sunrise were four miles on the way. We arrived at Germantown about 10 o’clock. It is a village. At five minutes before 12 o’clock we halted for dinner, and started again on our march at 1 o’clock, our regiment in advance. We reached the edge of a town at dusk where we learned that we were selected as guard at the navy yard. As we passed through the town, the little children followed us and hurrahed for Jeff Davis. We moved to the upper end of town and encamped on land adjoining the navy yard. Col. Norton bought five cords of wood for us. He made a speech in which he said Gen. Hamilton ordered McArthur to send his best disciplined regiment here as guard, and he wanted us to be strict, orderly, and diligent. He also said the duty was a kind of secret service (how so I do not understand). The guerillas crossed over last night, cut around and burned a steamer. We are very tired this evening, having made the heavy march of twenty-six miles.
Jan. 13. We moved into the navy yard this morning. Had seven men detailed for guard. I was one of them. We were put on camp, or chain guard. I don’t see where the secret service comes in, for my part. I was down to see the ex-reb gunboat, “Gen. Bragg,” she was injured at Vicksburg and is being repaired. There are five or six mortar boats lying close to shore.
Jan. 14. I came off guard this morning. It rained very hard all the latter part of the night. Another boat load of troops came down last night, making five or six in all. They are from the Kansas Valley Division of Fremont’s old forces.
Jan. 15. About six inches of snow fell last night and it has snowed all day. The citizens say it is the heaviest storm they have seen in a number of years. By night it was about ten inches deep. The paymaster paid off all but our company today.
Jan. 16. We were paid off this morning, after which there was a general settling up of accounts. I drew $41.00; $25.00 advance bounty, one month’s advance pay, and $3.00 premium for re-enlisting. I expressed $25.00 home. It is very cold this morning, not more than five or six degrees above zero. Towards noon the report came that we were to be relieved. We were almost frozen, having no chance to fire up and keep warm. These are the dark days of a soldier’s experience.
Jan. 17. I was on guard supernumerary in the daytime and stood beyond Wolf Creek at night. Towards night the sergeant-major came along with instructions to be ready at 6:30 o’clock in the morning to go aboard the transports for down the river.
Jan. 18. We were up early and had our things packed at 8 o’clock, fell into ranks and marched down to the wharf and on board the “Superior,” a fine river boat. The 11th Ill., 17th Ill., and part of the 16th Wisconsin regiments are on our boat. It took all day to load and at night we went up to the coal yard just above town to coal up. Abe and I made our bed down on the top of the hurricane deck. About midnight it began to sleet and rain, and before morning our blankets were completely soaked. It was about as disagreeable a night as I ever spent.
Jan. 19. Cold, rainy and windy. We lay here all day coaling up, and suffered with the cold. Most of the boys kept warm by drinking whisky. Nearly all have their canteens full. We have details patrolling the town, picking up the stragglers. Still rainy and disagreeable. At 1:30 the boats backed off and started down the river. We stopped a few minutes at the forts, two or three miles below the town. There are fifteen boats in the fleet, among the principal ones are the “Nettie Dean,” “Silver Moon,” “Minnehaha,” “Platte Valley,” “Superior,” “Maria Denning,” “Sunnyside,” “St. Louis,” “Gate City,” “Mary Forsythe,” “City of Madison,” “Arago,” and “Belle Reora.” Our regiment lost about fifty men at Memphis, three from our company. At dark we tied up to the Arkansas shore. It was dreary and cold but I went on shore on purpose to put my foot on Arkansas soil. We set our pickets and stayed all night. Abe Van Auken and I slept under Jim Mitchell’s bunk, the same as the night before and slept fine.
Jan. 21. The boat shoved off at daylight and started down at 10 o’clock. We arrived at Helena, a small town, where we stopped about three hours, and then went on down the river. It is thickly timbered on both sides most of the way. There are a few farm houses scattered along. At sundown we tied up to the Arkansas shore just forty miles above Napoleon, at the mouth of the Arkansas river. As soon as we halted the “Silver Moon” played several tunes on her calliope. I went back to a little town of Nig quarters just over the levee, about one-half a mile from the river and tried to get something to eat, but they had nothing to sell or give. Everything was eaten up and the levees were all breaking away and they could not repair them as the able bodied had run away. Most of the Whites that are not in the Rebel service have left. One of our boats was fired on today. We passed Napoleon about 9 o’clock. At sundown we tied up at the Mississippi shore, eighty miles above the mouth of the Yazoo, and opposite the state of Mississippi.
Jan. 23. We started at sunrise as on the preceding morning. The wind blew quite strong, making it difficult for some of the smaller boats to keep up. When we were within a few miles of the Yazoo, the flagship “Platte Valley” halted and gave us the signal to close up. We closed up in regular order and about 3 o’clock came in sight of a fleet of eighty transports and gunboats at the mouth of the Yazoo. We halted about one mile above them, and twelve miles from Vicksburg by water, or eighty by the short cut on the Louisiana side. The troops here tell us our boys are working on the Farragut’s canal and are to have it finished in a few days. We slept in the boat last night, Abe and I in our old place. The country for over a hundred miles above here is quite thickly settled by wealthy planters. On some of the plantations the Negro quarters form quite a town. The trees on the shore are covered with a long vine-like growth called Spanish moss. It is light green in color, and gives an appearance of being dead and covered with icycles.
Jan. 24. Rained all day; slept in the boat last night.
Jan. 25. Sunday. The regiment was formed early this morning and we moved back out of the levee into camp. The river is rising, it is on a level with our camp. It is warm and pleasant, a real spring day. There was heavy firing this evening down the river. I saw the “Chillicothe” tonight. There were four men detailed to go down to the ditch tomorrow.
Jan. 26. Warm and rainy. More boats went down last night, one war boat and several transports. We heard heavy firing this morning, supposed to be the gunboats. The river is still rising.
Jan. 28. Bill Boggs and myself secured a pass this morning early and started down to the canal. We followed the river bank until we were about one mile and half from the ditch, when we saw that we were upon a bayou that ran back up the river about two miles. We had to turn back, feeling pretty badly sold as it made us four miles extra walk. Young poplars were so thick that we could not see where we were for a while. The levee is broken in two places. Our division (6th McArthur) is repairing the upper one, and the lower division the lower one. The water is running through here badly. They are planting artillery behind the levee all along between camp and the ditch. The levee forms a substantial breast-work. One mile this side of the ditch we came, for the first time, within full view of Vicksburg. The town lies upon the west side of a sloping bluff. One large church and the courthouse and one earthworks could be distinguished quite plainly. The town did not look more than two or three miles distant, but it is not less than eight. An officer was looking through a glass, he could see transports at the wharf, and a crowd collected around someone who was taking observations. As we passed the mouth of the Yazoo we could look up and see three or four gunboats and as many rams, while on this side lay the “Chillicothe” and three rams. As I was going down I was hailed by two cavalry men who had just passed me. On looking up, whom should I see but Oll and Dave Hubler, formerly of Co. E, 12th Ind. They belong to Co. C, 4th Ind. cavalry. They told me that Geo. Hissung is down here. They are bodyguard to Gen. Smith. Pat Gallegher and Bill Humphrey, our old first lieutenant and orderly, are here. Nearby is the far famed ditch. About noon we sat down on its banks and took a good rest. The boys encamped there say the water has risen one foot today. It is now five feet deep and has a rapid current. It averages over twenty feet wide upon the surface. The Mississippi is rising rapidly. I went down to the lower end of the ditch, it is one mile and one-eighth in length. There are heavy details at work throwing up a levee on the west side of it. We have thirty two-pound parrots blockading the river. They are posted behind the levee here. When we arrived Gen. McClernand was taking observations. The Rebels are throwing up heavy works below the mouth of the ditch upon the opposite side. It is about three miles distant. We could see them moving around, coming up and going away. We lay there about two hours and watched them. We could see two heavy earthworks, or forts, and one line of rifle pits. We went from here up to the head of the ditch. It starts in an eddy and there was a tug, “The Ivy,” lying in front to keep out the driftwood. It is hard to tell if the thing will prove advantageous. Large details at work, showing that the generals still have faith in it. We understand that they have sent for a dredge. There are encampments all the way between our division and the ditch. Gen. Steele’s division is below the mouth of it. We came back to camp a little after dark, tired and hungry, having traveled during the day about twenty miles, but were amply repaid. McClernand is a homely man, apparently about forty-five years of age, with black whiskers and a Roman nose. I saw a fine looking general, said to be Gen. Steele.
Jan. 29. This is a beautiful day. I am quite stiff and sore from the effects of my walk. There was a detail from the sixth division this morning, mounted on mules and sent out in the northwestern direction upon a scout. Corp. Si. Livingston and Privates Briton and Schultz represented Co. K, 17th Ill. They went about sixteen miles to a little town called Richmond, where they found a detachment of the enemy, but owing to a large bayou, our boys could not get at them, and had to leave them in possession of the place. We heard heavy cannonading this morning. The Rebs had undertaken to cross with about five hundred head of cattle, but slipped up on it, and they fell into our hands.
Jan. 30. I was detailed on fatigue this morning. The detail from our regiment worked on the big break in the levee. We did a good day’s work, and slightly checked the current. The Mississippi continues to rise. Uncle Ben, Scott and Patterson returned from their three days’ scout. They had been up the river after beef and had secured fifty head. Mail came in last night, Frank received a letter from Rosalie, dated Jan. 4. Just to think, they have had no snow yet in the north. Generals U. S. Grant and Ross have arrived.
Jan. 31. The first news that greeted us this morning was marching orders. After breakfast we drew four days’ rations, two of them cooked, put them in our haversacks, and were ready to march aboard the boats. About 2 o’clock the regiment was formed and we marched aboard the “Crescent City” and the “Ella,” escorted by a gunboat, or Ram No. 2. We started in the fore part of the night. Abe and I found a place on the lower deck on the top of a wood pile, and it is well we did, for it rained nearly all night.
Feb. 1. Sunday. We went forty miles last night. This is a rainy day. Fortune seems to be against us when we float the Mississippi. Our rations in the bread line since we left Bolivar have been mostly hard-tack with cornmeal. We occasionally draw flour. The hard crackers we draw are better now than they have been before. The boats have moved very slowly against the current today. We arrived at Providence the middle of the afternoon, landed above the town, and went ashore. Our company and company F surrounded the town but caught no one. Capt. Wheeler and three or four of us entered the Post Office and searched it. We found a few letters and papers. We broke open the ballot box which was full of tickets voted for Jeff Davis. Abe and I each got us a set of chess men. I got a six-inch drafting rule, also some pamphlets giving the object and description of the K. G. C., or Knights of the Golden Circle. Providence, before the war, must have been a beautiful town, but now it is almost deserted. A few women and children were standing in the doors, nearly scared to death. They scarcely knew what to expect from the long dreaded Yankees. The Post Office is a large brick building, in the back part of which was the equipment of the Sons of Malta. We caught no guerillas. We threw out our pickets and slept upon the boat, Abe and I upon the hurricane deck, as our wood pile was burned up. It was quite cool for this country, one might say cold. We lay in the boat until the middle of the afternoon. A detail from the brigade went out mule-back this morning on a scout. When we heard that guerillas were out a few miles in the country, our company and company G were ordered out. Col. Dietzler said there was no use in going farther as there were none there, but the boys wanted a little exercise, so they took us about two miles to a nice plantation, where we killed a lot of chickens. Gus Schultz and I caught eight, I caught five and found some eggs. John Cumbersworth, also of our mess, got a frying pan which we needed very much. One of our boys was thrown from a mule. It commenced raining just as we started back, and before we arrived at camp we were completely soaked through. We were called aboard and dropped off below town where we remained until morning. The night was very cold and the ground was frozen quite solid. This morning there was a detail of nearly half the brigade for fatigue. We were put to work digging away the levees to let the water into Lake Providence, which is one mile back from the river. There was once a channel between the river and lake in high water, but it is dammed up. The lake makes connections with Red River through bayous. Providence is equally divided into three parts, they are separated by the old channel, which forms a common for the town. The town is a little higher than the channel, but lower than the levee. The inhabitants are badly scared and are moving out. It will all be inundated when we get the levee cut through. The engineers say there are four feet and six inches of fall between the surface of the river and the surface of the ground below the levee. We worked until noon, and then another relief came on. The regiment moved down to the boats and camped on the other side of the levee. We got a large barroom stove for our tent. This evening there was a detail sent across the river to a large plantation for Nigs. One hundred and forty were caught and sent to Vicksburg. We saw peach trees in bloom today. We met Gen. McArthur and bodyguard when we were coming out.
Feb. 11. Boggs, Buttons and I went over the river this morning on an old flat log. About 10 o’clock Si Livingston and I had permission to go out and get some chickens. We crossed over on the log, baled out an old canoe, and took a ride up the river two miles and a half, and stopped at a beautiful plantation. We could buy nothing. We then struck back for camp, and stopped on the way at another plantation and got five chickens. The steamer “Louisiana” came around this morning with provisions. Two men from company E knocked down an old Negro and robbed him. It was proven, and Major Peats had them tied up by the hands, with a card on their backs.
Feb. 12. The two men were tied all day. We played ball.
Feb. 13. We played ball again today. It rained last night. Three men of company G were tied up today for running the pickets.
Feb. 14. We were ordered back to Providence this morning. Caught a sheep and brought it along. The roads are very muddy. We met Gen. McArthur on the way back. One of our brigade went on the south side of the lake and the other on the opposite side. They are clearing the brush from the bayou that leaves the lake for Tensa and are stopping up others.
Feb. 15. Sunday. We had a big thunderstorm last night. Part of McClernand’s forces came up on the transports this afternoon. The supposition is that all are coming up.
Feb. 16. I was on guard (supernumerary), all day and was not called out. It was rainy this morning.
Feb. 17. Rain all last night and all day today. There has been no work done on the ditch since we came back, on account of the rain. The river is falling fast. A large wharf boat went down at noon.
Feb. 18. Cloudy this morning, though not raining. The ground is covered with water and mud. The old wooden gunboat “Tyler” is lying here at anchor.
Feb. 19. Tuesday. Warm and pleasant. Mud drying up very fast. Work on the ditch was continued today by four hundred Nigs. We draw rations for twelve hundred Negroes, wenches, children and all. The women and children will be sent into the cotton fields to work. Men are detailed to oversee them.
Feb. 20. Wednesday. Beautiful day. We played ball.
Feb. 22. Friday. On guard. Stood picket in a large cotton field which contains five or six hundred acres of cotton, unpicked. I went back to the cane brake and got a fish pole. The guard of our forage train came in contact with some cavalry in the vicinity of Old River and routed them. In the course of the proceedings a Negro teamster hopped off his horse, drew a revolver and shot a Reb who had just shot one of our Captains, and took two prisoners.
Feb. 23. We were relieved early. The day was fine. A fleet of ten boats landed here this morning, having on board Logan’s division. They landed and marched back about three miles and camped on the bank of the lake. John A. Logan looks fine. Colonel Stevenson looks the same as ever. It is rumored that he is trying to get us back into his brigade. A year ago today George and I explored the caves under the bluff below the dam, and one year ago tomorrow we left the dam. Played ball this afternoon. There are about four hundred Negroes at work on the levee.
Feb. 24. Played ball this forenoon and in the afternoon were detailed to extinguish a fire which destroyed the best part of town. The Post Office, one of the best buildings, was burned. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. Gen. Logan’s address to his troops was read to us. Grant and McPherson were both here today. It is rumored that the “Star of the West” has been captured.
Feb. 25. Our division was inspected today by Major Strong, Inspector-General. Ours was the first regiment inspected. We had a thunder shower in the afternoon and an awful one last night and this morning. Our tent leaked like a sieve. The river is rising very fast. The bank is being leveled to keep the water out of the canal. We had dress parade this evening.
Feb. 28. We mustered and had regiment inspection this afternoon. Major Peats of Co. K complimented the troops quite highly on their clean guns. The ground is drying off fast. The river is still rising. There is much sickness, and about two burials take place every day. The “Rocket” came up tonight, bringing Gen. McPherson. I heard an adjutant-general say that the Rebs had sunk the “Indianola.”
March 1. We had company inspection at 12 o’clock and dress parade at 5 o’clock. We then drew clothing, which was needed very much. I drew three pair of socks and one pair of trousers.
March 2. On picket in the cotton field today until about 3 o’clock, when Capt. Wheeler, officer of the day, came around and relieved us. They have the steam tug on the lake bank nearly ready to launch.
March 3. We had a short game of ball this morning, but Buttons got mad and broke it up. Negroes are coming in very fast. We had dress parade at 5 o’clock, after which a game of ball. To close the scene Bill Lowe and Ragan had a fight. The river has risen over two inches a day.
March 4. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. Orders were read for regimental drill of one hour each forenoon and afternoon.
March 5. We received the news of the Conscription Act. It passed both Houses and became a law. It receives the general approval of the soldiers. Peats drilled us from 10 to 11 o’clock this forenoon, and from 2 until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. There was an order read from Major Peats awarding a medal, worth not less than fifty dollars, to the best drilled in the manual, and the most prompt in the discharge of duty. He gives until the 1st of May. A dredge passed here today. Some of our boys found four hundred bales of cotton, a large pile of corn, and about two tons of meat hidden in cane brake and swamps.
March 6. Friday. The gunboat “Tyler” came up last night and is lying here this morning. I helped make out muster rolls today.
March 7. We had a heavy rainstorm last night. I finished making out the muster rolls for January and February.
March 8. Sunday. We had a warm and sultry day which ended in a thunder and hail storm. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock.
March 9. Helped get out the morning report book in the forenoon. At noon the company formed and we marched up town and received our pay. Mine was nineteen dollars. Cold and windy today. At about 2 o’clock heavy cannonading was heard on the other side of the river in the direction of Yazoo City. It was continued until after dark, and in the night it started again and continued for some time.
March 10. Cold, rainy and disagreeable. We paid old Sampson off and let him go. We still have our house and cook in it, and are living very well at present. We draw crackers two-fifths of the time, and flour the remainder. We use cistern water altogether. The spirits of the troops are higher than they have been in six months. If old Abe would only call back a portion of the first volunteers they could soon annihilate the enemy.
March 12. Bright and pleasant. About one hundred and twenty-five Nigs were set to work this morning to open the old levee and let the water in. We were ordered out of our house this morning. Had dress parade at 4 o’clock. The sentences of F, Co. A and W, Co. C, were read. The charges were attempted desertion. The sentence was the forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and to be confined in the military prison at Alton, Ill., with a ball attached to the leg by a chain four feet long, to serve out the remainder of the time of their enlistment, and at the end of the three years to have “D” branded on their right hips, their heads shaved, and to be drummed out of service. Some letters were read from the parents of the boys, counselling them to desert.
March 13. Clear and pleasant. I made out the quarterly returns. For some reason they have suspended work on the cut.
March 14. Bright and clear. Drill forenoon and afternoon. Dress parade in the evening, the same as yesterday. We had a game of baseball in the evening. I worked all day on the pay rolls.
March 15. Warm and rainy. I arose before roll call and took a walk down to the levee. Vegetation is starting rapidly. Peach trees are just in bloom, and some are leaved out. Logan’s division came down and embarked on transports during the day.
March 16. The long expected opening in the levee was made this evening, amid the shouts and cheers of the two divisions. The water was let through in two places, each about two feet wide. The heavy clay banks melted away rapidly. Along in the night we heard heavy cannonading.
March 17. Hot and sultry. I got up at reveille and went down to see how the cut prospered, and found the water rushing through, a perfect torrent. The channel had washed out about one hundred feet and is still washing. If it does not succeed, it will not be for want of water. Captain Bush went through in a yawl this morning. It was a dangerous experiment, but he came out all right. In the course of the day some of Co. A went through with the same result. Some of the boys disturbed the bricks in one of the vaults in the cemetery and exposed a cast iron coffin, hermetically sealed. The lid was moved and the head and shoulders of a man who had been dead for eighteen years were visible through the glass. It is a shame the way this cemetery has been used. The Nigs are at work putting up a temporary levee between camp and the ditch, as some of the town is being overflowed. The 11th Ill. and 14th Wis. of our division went up the river a few miles and we hear they had a fight. Logan’s division started up this morning.
March 18. The cut has washed about one hundred feet since yesterday. The water in the ditch is rising fast.
March 19. Thursday. Cloudy, looks like rain. Cleaning up and ditching our camp was the order of the day. I was on the detail to dig a ditch on each side of the camp. The banks of the ditch are slowly washing back. It is now about one hundred and fifty feet at the first levee, and two hundred at the second. Water is slowly rising in both the ditch and the lake. The President has given deserters until April to report at a certain depot. Co. K expects about four back.
March 20. Friday. I was up at reveille as usual and went down to the ditch. To my surprise I saw a big oak just outside the channel washed up by the roots. The tree was about three feet in diameter. Another of nearly the same size washed out before noon. I went fishing this morning. We can see fish weighing from forty to one hundred pounds, working up against the current. I threw my spear at them, but they were too far off. I saw a laughable incident this evening in front of McPherson’s headquarters. Some of the boys were trying to fasten a yawl to a tree and float down to where the fish were showing themselves in an eddy. The first time they missed the tree and went whirling into the center of the channel and came very near upsetting. They finally brought it to, and after a good deal of hard work, got it into position for another trial. This time they were successful, caught a projecting limb and pulled themselves into the eddy formed by rushing around the tree. After they had made themselves fast by a long rope, they undertook to get out of the eddy, which proved no easy job, for as soon as one end was pushed into the current the boat would whirl around and back up into its former position. While on the whirl it threw off one man’s hat. McPherson and officers and nearly the whole regiment were out watching them, and the cheering was loud enough to raise the dead. It was nearly dark when they got out of their predicament. I worked nearly all day on the company’s papers.
March 21. The water rose in the canal so that it ran up into our camp in the night. It washed away the trees that were rooted up yesterday. The channel is smooth and a good boat could go through it. One year ago today we left Winchester, Virginia, on our march for Manasses Junction. Part of Providence was burned this afternoon. The few citizens and Negroes whom the raise of the water had overtaken, were wading in the streets, waist deep, trying to save what things they had left.
March 22. We had orders to draw and cook one day’s rations early this morning. The water rose a good deal last night, and nothing but a small temporary levee keeps the camp from being inundated, and that is being washed away. The cattle and mules are all being driven higher up.
March 23. It rained all night. Our tent leaked like a sieve. We still remain in camp but it has rained nearly all day.
March 24. We had a hard storm last night, with heavy thunder. This afternoon some miserable fellows set fire to some buildings, among them a church. Such men should be sent to Alton. The channel is deepening and widening, and the water is rising. It is now about two feet above our camp. I expect some dark night to be wading out to our transports, and that right suddenly. The news came last night that a number of Farragut’s fleet were at the mouth of the ditch, below Vicksburg, and that he had taken Warrentown with all its ordinance. Gen. Carr’s division went down on transports today.
March 27. Yesterday and today Buck and I were at work copying orders into the company order book. Today they discovered, in Logan’s division, a girl who had served eighteen months as a private soldier. They took her to the preacher’s to get her a dress and will send her north. A good many of our boys saw her.
March 28. Two large gunboats, both iron clads, went up early this morning. Troops are passing down.
March 29. We had a lively time last night. A storm of rain and wind began about 10 o’clock in the evening and kept up until about 12, when the wind increased and the rain ceased. Out tent bent and reeled like a willow. I got up to dress before she went over, but had just got my legs into my trousers when down she came full tilt. I finally extricated myself, seized my knapsack and started for dry ground, got into the commissary and spread down, when to cap the climax the levee broke through and the water came rushing in upon us. The drums beat, the boys fell in, and we had a general move up the levee. Most all of the tents blew down and some of them were whipped nearly to pieces. In the meantime Captain Bush had his Negro brigade out, filled them up with whisky, and ordered them into the water waist deep. By dint of perseverance and hard work they succeeded in stopping the break. I took up some boards and passed the remainder of the night beside the cotton pile. This morning the effects of the storm were everywhere present. One of the boats was blown up on the beach, the smoke stacks of two others were blown away, and shanties everywhere were blown down and torn to pieces. It continued cold and windy all day. Charlie Berry came back last night. This afternoon Gen. Smith’s (John E.) division came down and anchored here for the night. In the afternoon some of the boys of the 14th made a break on the sutler’s stock. It was no more than done when the 17th and 95th Ill., 1st Kan., and 16th Wis. came rolling over the levee. Canned fruit, boxes of boots, shoes, oysters, oranges, lemons, bales of shirts, pants, socks, drawers, barrels of soda crackers and sugar, boxes of raisins, and in fact everything which the large stock could contain. He had just got in a new assignment, valued at somewhere near $10,000. The poor old fellow ran around wringing his hands and wishing he had stayed in “Chicago.” The guard arrived just as they had him completely cleaned out. I can say that my hands are clear of such wholesale robbery. At 9 o’clock roll call the companies had orders to deliver up the contraband articles in their possession.
March 30. Monday. Cold. The boys have turned over most of the stolen goods. Gen Smith’s division started on its way down this afternoon. Gen. Grant is concentrating troops rapidly, the grand issue must be approaching, and the sooner the better. This afternoon we drew the old fashioned wedge tents, one for every four men.
March 31. Tuesday. Frank, Newt, Jim Sweeny and I comprise our newly established household, and we were busy until afternoon raising and settling our tent, and building our bunks. We went out foraging last night and made a raise of boards enough to put up our tent, build our bunks, etc. This afternoon the little tug came out of the lake into the river. We are having very cold weather for the place and time of the year. We hear that Gen. McArthur has acquitted the 17th Ill. of the raid. One year ago tonight the 12th Ind. was camped at Bristo Station, and I made my unsuccessful search for Uncle Lebbeus.
April 1. Wednesday. Last night was cold and frosty. A boat came in with a load of deserters. There were quite a number for the 17th, but none for company K. About the middle of the forenoon a steamer passed up, towing an iron clad. She must have been disabled at Yazoo or at Vicksburg.
April 2. At 11 o’clock last night an orderly call sounded and we received the orders to cook two days’ rations, and be ready at 7 o’clock, to board the transport for a foraging expedition. The morning was cool and pleasant. At the appointed time we boarded the steamer “David Tatum” and proceeded slowly up the river. On the way we saw where the levee had been cut in a number of places, the water was rushing through rapidly. All the country back was flooded. We stopped and took a couple of Negroes and a fine yawl. We arrived at our destination about 4 P. M. It was sixty-five miles above Providence Lake. The object was to secure a barge of hay which had been wrecked and partly sunk the night of the storm. There were six companies of us, and we were divided into reliefs of two companies each, and set to loading the hay.
April 3. We succeeded in getting the boat loaded by 3 P. M., then we started down and landed fifteen miles below and killed a lot of hogs and took a large, beautiful, ten oared boat. It was the nicest thing of the kind I had ever seen. Frank and Doty took some books and got themselves into trouble. We backed off and started down about dusk. Peats had four or five men tied up. We met a fleet of thirteen boats just after starting. After dark there was a light waved on shore as a signal to come to, but the Captain thought it might be a decoy so we steered on down and arrived at our camp about 11 o’clock.
April 4. The paymaster is here and we sign the pay rolls this afternoon for four months’ pay. Hospital boats are going below and there is every indication of an approaching engagement.
April 5. Was detailed and worked all afternoon unloading commissaries from the “Woodsides” to the “City of Madison,” a commissary boat of the post. A gunboat went down the river this afternoon.
April 6. Monday. Today is a great day for the 17th, as it is the anniversary of the battle of Shiloh. We moved back to the cotton field this morning, it being much higher and a better camping ground. It took most of the day to move, raise our tents and settle.
April 7. Tuesday. A general clearing up of camps which took until this afternoon. Tom Martin came back yesterday and an order was read at dress parade returning him to duty.
April 8. Wednesday. At 11 o’clock this forenoon an orderly call was beaten and we received orders to be ready in fifteen minutes with all our arms and all our accoutrements on, to march down with other brigades of the division, to a large plantation house. Upon the porch stood Generals Thomas, McPherson, McArthur, Crocker, and a drove of the “rankest commish,” such as Colonels, Lieut. Cols., and Majors. Gen. Thomas was a fine stately looking man, tall, with iron gray hair, and apparently about sixty-five years of age. He was introduced by Gen. McPherson in a pleasant speech. Gen. Thomas then made a few remarks in which he expressed great sympathy for the poor enslaved Africans, and announced the President’s settled policy of arming the Negroes. He authorized two regiments to be raised here. He said he had authority to commission officers for said regiments, where the applicants came well recommended. I like the policy. He also said the object of it was to protect the navigation of the Mississippi and defend other Negroes who were at work on abandoned plantations trying to raise their living. After Gen. Thomas was through, Gen. McArthur was called on. He came forward and gave a short, good natured speech. He was heartily cheered. After him came Col. Reed of the 15th Iowa, Crocker, and Captain Chink, who by the way, is to be Colonel of one of the regiments. When they had concluded we marched back to camp and Gen. Thomas boarded the steamer “Rocket” and started up to Logan’s division. When we returned six applications had been handed in for appointments in the regiments of color—from Co. K, namely: Hines, Davis, Foxears, Foster, Chesher and Berry.
April 9. Warm and pleasant, in fact we have had beautiful weather for over two weeks. Major Peats is gone and Capt. Moore is in command of the regiment. Nearly half the company went fishing this afternoon. Buck got a pass to take us outside the pickets and we caught about a mess. We had dress parade at 5:30 P. M. Two boats, the “Edward Walsh” and the “City of Alton” came down with deserters. There were two for our company.
April 10. Warm and pleasant. At 10 o’clock we had muster. The whole U. S. forces are to be mustered today, to find the exact condition of the army, and the number of conscripts needed to fill the regiments up to the required standard. We had dress parade this evening in which the two deserters were returned to their companies by a regimental order. Our company needs about fifty-four to fill it up.
April 11. Saturday. A beautiful day. On regimental guard. Most of the company have gone fishing. We have as easy and fine times now as it is possible for soldiers to have. Foster got the position of Captain in the new regiment. They had a Negro meeting this afternoon. Chink, and a colored man named Frederick Douglas, spoke.
April 12. We had a hard rain last night. Our new tents did not stand the storm much better than the old ones. They disappointed us much. Captain Wheeler succeeded in getting B—— an appointment in the 9th La., Chink’s regiment. Some of the boys are quite hurt to think as poor a soldier as he should have the appointment. They went down below on the “Platte Valley” and brought up a large number of Negro recruits.
April 13. Rainy and disagreeable. Ross’s division passed below today. They did not land.
April 14. Cool and cloudy. I was detailed and went down the river foraging. It was about six miles and the roads were very muddy. About 5 o’clock, Hornby’s division came down direct from Yazoo Pass. The “Lady of Jackson,” the “Duke of Argyle” and other stern wheelers were nearly ruined in that expedition. They were the nicest boats on the river when they left here a month ago. The 48th Ind. was aboard. I hunted up John Metternich and had a long talk with him.
April 15. Wednesday. Went down and visited with John this morning, until the fleet backed off and started down.
April 16. Gen. McClernand and staff went below today. More troops passed down the river. Some of the troops broke into a sutler’s shop night before last, and there is an investigation going on, so we are not to get our pay until it is settled. Capt. Moore spoke to the regiment tonight on dress parade and offered one hundred dollars to the man furnishing the most evidence of the guilty parties. We have review of the division tomorrow, and brushes and blacking are in great demand tonight The Captain buys it with the company fund and furnishes it to us.
April 17. Our brigade was formed at 8:30 A. M. and we marched down about three miles, where we found the other brigades drawn up en mass awaiting us. We were reviewed by McArthur and everything passed off in style. I think we never did better. We returned to camp about 2 o’clock. Capt. Moore (commanding the regiment) told us he would leave a paper with the Captains of the different companies, for those not implicated in the sutler raid to sign. The Negro regiments are filling up fast. Today I saw one on guard for the first time. There was heavy cannonading for about four hours last night, and occasionally today. It is supposed the fleet is trying to run the blockade.
April 18. Saturday. Warm and pleasant. Our brigade is ordered down the river for review. It was supposed to be done for Gov. Yates, but he did not arrive, and McArthur took us through, the same as the day before. I think we did slightly better than we did the other time. A little after dark we had an awful storm of wind and rain. I got up and dressed, thought surely the tent was going over, but it was all right.
April 19. Sunday. We got four months’ pay today—no pay was deducted. I expressed home $55 and Frank sent $45.
April 23. Thursday. On picket at the Negro quarters of the 8th La. Leavitt volunteered to stand my guard. We got orders this evening to prepare three days’ rations for a foraging expedition up the river. Capt. Wheeler went home today.
April 24. Friday. We boarded the “White Cloud” this morning and started up to Greenville, where we arrived in the afternoon. A regiment had just boarded transports and started below. We lay there until after dark, then started and landed toward morning, about seventy-five miles above Greenville.
April 25. Buck took Fox, Boggs and I outside the pickets and we went up about two miles to a fine plantation where we got a lot of butter, a knife, some forks, a chicken, and all the sweet milk we could drink. We found the overseer’s account book hidden in an old chicken coop with some other things. At night the chickens, goats, sheep and hogs came in by wholesale, together with a lot of beeves. The object of our expedition was to obtain Negroes and supplies.
April 26. Sunday. Twenty-one years old today. How my mind carries me back to those good old times when I used to welcome this day of all others, when my sister, aunts, and grandpa composed the family circle. What a change! That good old man whose memory I revere and cherish, is gone, and the old place is sold. On picket today. Mosquitoes are very thick.
April 27. It rained this forenoon. We started back about 1 o’clock and arrived at Lake Providence. Found orders there awaiting us, to leave in the morning for Vicksburg. I took a good wash and went to bed. The river is rising very fast. The Captain commanding the expedition did not want us to take off our live stock, but the boys threw them overboard and secured them as they swam ashore.
April 29. Wednesday. Making out muster rolls today. We had dress parade at 5 o’clock. The “Edward Walsh” came up this morning for the 95th and us. We are to return to Stevenson’s brigade. Stevenson is now Brigadier-General. We expect warm work shortly. The river is falling rapidly. It is a number of feet below where it was in the spring when we first came down here. I was walking on the bank this evening when whom should I see but Coon, the little Negro who used to cook for Capt. Williamson. A new iron clad boat and hospital boat went down the river yesterday. I wrote two letters today, one to Rosalie, and one to George Butterfield.
April 30. Thursday. Major Peats returned last evening and at 8 o’clock this morning, mustered us for pay, after which we boarded the steamer “Edward Walsh” for Milliken’s Bend. Most of the boys bought what was called blackberry jam, but it was merely liquor in cans and created a drunken row in which some were hurt, one officer and two privates. Arrived at the Bend before dark. The troops have all left, except the convalescents. They took one tent to each company and loaded the train with commissaries, hard-tack, pork, coffee, salt and sugar. I took a towel, one pair of socks, my oilcloth and blanket. This evening we heard heavy and continued firing up the Yazoo, supposed to be Sherman attacking Hams Bluffs.
May 1. Friday. Up at 4, and started on our march at daylight, accompanied by the 95th and a big train of commissaries. A fine road has been made by Bush’s engineering corps. We passed through Richmond, a small country town. It is a beautiful country and the planters are wealthy. The plantations range from six hundred to twenty-four hundred acres. The land is low and level and the soil is rich. The roads have been very bad, but are better now. We made a hard march of nineteen miles.
May 2. Marched fifteen miles, very tired. We passed McArthur’s division this forenoon. Weather awfully hot.
May 3. Started at 5 o’clock, as usual. The country through which we are now passing is the most beautiful I have ever seen. The plantation mansions are grand, and the grounds and outbuildings are fitted up in fine style. Each plantation has a splendid steam gin, and some have steam cane-mills as well. The mills must have cost between ten and twenty, possibly thirty thousand dollars. The inhabitants have but recently left. They put in their corn crops, and some cotton, before going. The corn is nearly two feet in height. The boys have destroyed a number of gins and a good deal of furniture. The roads have mostly followed the banks of bayous, and alligators, turtles and snakes abound. The boys have shot a number of alligators. We marched twenty miles today. I became overheated and completely exhausted.
May 4. We started early and after marching eight miles, arrived at the landing called “Hard Times,” where we took the steamer “Silver Wave.” We crossed the river and landed four miles below at Grand Gulf. There is a high promontory and a range of bluffs here which the Rebels had forfeited with nine guns. It commanded the entrance to the Black River as well as the Mississippi. It was a fort of nature’s own construction. We have had a fatiguing march and a good many have given out. Grant’s headquarters are eighteen miles back. We hear that Logan’s division is in advance and has done good fighting, also that many prisoners have been taken. I should like to hear from home very much just now.
May 5. Gov. Yates and Adjt. Gen. Thomas are here. We are detailed to remain here and do fatigue duty. The burning barges loaded with provisions came down this evening. The town of Grand Gulf is entirely destroyed. I didn’t know there had been a town there until told.
May 6. We hear that McClernand’s troops are advancing. One hundred and twenty-eight prisoners came in this morning. We are having a very cold snap for this time of the year.
May 7. Thursday. Very cold again today. Had to stand around the fire to keep warm. Seventy-four more prisoners came in today. A good many of our boys found old friends or acquaintances among them. They have been very poorly dressed and fed. There is general activity today, Steele’s division is crossing over—also Tuttle’s. Gunboats and transports are engaged in the work.
May 8. Friday. All quiet. Sherman’s corps moved out this morning. An exorbitant price is demanded for everything. A sheet of paper and envelope are five cents each. Twenty-five cents for a lemon; six dollars for a canteen of whisky; milk costs a dollar a quart, and other things in proportion. At 5 o’clock we boarded the “Empire City” for the lower landing, fifteen miles below, to protect the hospital and bring off the wounded.