Monday, 4th–The Eighth, Twelfth and Thirty-fifth Iowa Regiments passed here today on their way to the front. They are all fine-looking men. I feel in hopes that Vicksburg will soon be in our hands. Our division is in the rear, most of the other troops having gone on ahead of us. Our army is in [...]
Sunday, 3d–News came that our army took five hundred prisoners at Grand Gulf. General Steele’s Division passed here today. There is an Iowa brigade in it, consisting of the Fourth, Twenty-sixth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first Infantry. The men all look fine and there are none from the brigade in the hospital.
Saturday, 2d–The weather has been warm and quite pleasant for several days and the roads are drying fast. Things are very quiet here. Colonel Hall is now in command of our brigade. We have drill twice a day, though this afternoon there was none, in order to give the boys time to wash their clothes [...]
Friday, 1st–News came that General Sherman has again made an attack on Haines’s Bluff, the same as last fall when the plan failed because General Grant failed to co-operate with him. The plan is to be tried again this spring. A large ammunition train passed through here for Carthage, Louisiana. General Crocker left the command [...]
Thursday, 30th–Our provision train returned from the landing today. There was some very heavy cannonading at Grand Gulf today, where it is reported that the rebels are strongly fortified. Some of our transports ran the blockade at Vicksburg last night. The Eleventh Iowa was mustered for pay today. The sergeant-major reports the regiment as having [...]
Wednesday, 29th–The teams all went back to the landing this morning for provisions and the boys cleaned up our camping ground. We have first-rate grub now, hard crackers, sowbelly, green tea, besides fresh beef every fifth day. We draw full rations every five days when in camp, and every three days when on the march. [...]
Tuesday, 28th–It cleared off this morning and we left Richmond at 10 o’clock, marched nine miles and went into camp on Holmes’s plantation, about eight miles from the Mississippi and due west from Vicksburg. We took possession of all the vacant houses and sheds on the plantation. The roads are very muddy and many of [...]
Monday, 27th–It rained all day and we marched into Richmond early this morning, taking shelter in cotton sheds, vacant houses, and any shed that would turn water. The Third Brigade is quartered in gin houses and negro shacks. White and I had a fine bed to sleep in last night. The land here is so [...]
Sunday, 26th–We struck our tents this morning at 5 o’clock and loaded them on the boat and at 2 p. m. with knapsack on took up our march. By night we were within one mile of Richmond, Louisiana, on the railroad running from Vicksburg to Monroe, Louisiana, where we bivouacked for the night.
Saturday, 25th–Our division received orders to get ready to March. All the sick are being taken to the hospital and we are storing our supplies[1] upon the boat. We have to go in light marching order, one tent to each company and with five days’ rations. [1] Tents and extra baggage.–A. G. D.
Friday, 24th–We are now in camp twenty miles above Vicksburg. Received orders to clean up our camp ground and to have company drill forenoon and afternoon. A large detail was put to work and when the camp was put in order we had our regular drills, one hour each time. A large fleet of troops [...]
Thursday, 23d–Brig. Gen. M. M. Crocker took command of our brigade today. I got a pass to go down to the landing to buy bread for the officers’ mess in my charge. Our troops are encamped by the thousands all along the Mississippi river, for thirty miles up from Vicksburg. There is much sickness among [...]
Wednesday, 22d–We landed at Milliken’s Bend early this morning and went into camp on a large plantation about a mile from the levee of the river.
Tuesday, 21st–We struck our tents and at 3 o’clock in a heavy rain embarked on board the “Platte Valley.” We had all the supplies loaded by dark and during the night left for Milliken’s Bend to join the other brigades. The boys all feel very fine.
Monday, 20th–The Sixth Division received marching orders, and the First and Second Brigades started down the river. Our brigade, the Third, has orders to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. We heard some cannonading this morning down toward Vicksburg. Companies E and K went out on picket. I remained in camp to guard [...]
Sunday, 19th–Warm and pleasant today, but we had quite a storm last night. We had company inspection at 3 o’clock and dress parade at 5 o’clock. The boys all feel quite lively; no one is reporting to the doctor.
Saturday, 18th–Weather pleasant. Had some rain this evening. Another large fleet loaded with troops passed down the river just after dark.
Friday, 17th–The Sixth Division was reviewed today by General McArthur. We heard some very heavy cannonading last night down toward Vicksburg. The report is that four gunboats and six transports with five hundred thousand rations on board ran the blockade. Another large fleet loaded with troops went down the river today.
Thursday, 16th–The weather is very pleasant. Mrs. Hall, the wife of our colonel, returned to camp today from the North. Another large fleet went down the river today.
Wednesday, 15th–General Quimby’s Division passed on down the river today, and another large fleet of boats loaded with troops passed us for Vicksburg. It is thought that Vicksburg will soon be attacked. Things seem quite lively at present.
Tuesday, 14th–Another rainy day. I went to town two miles up the river this morning in a canoe, with the cook of Company K (I am taking cooking lessons from him) to buy provisions. I bought ten pounds of ham and other things for $3.95. I wrote a letter home to Albert Downing and enclosed [...]
Monday, 13th–Our nice weather was broken today by an all day rain. A large number of transports loaded with troops went down the river; the Twenty-fourth Iowa was on board. I went down to the sutler in the Fifteenth Iowa camp and bought a bushel of potatoes, paying $2.50.
Sunday, 12th–Eight gunboats went down the river today. The boys feel quite lively and are anxious to get into action again. We had company inspection in the morning and regimental inspection in the afternoon, with dress parade at 5 o’clock. Some of the men of our regiment were caught in a trap today. They went [...]
Saturday,11th–The Eighth Iowa passed down the river today. We had no drill this afternoon, but were ordered to clean up for inspection. April has been warm and pleasant every day, but today we had a high wind.
Friday, 10th–William Mills, secretary to the president of the Sanitary Commission of Iowa, visited our regiment today. He is down here among the different Iowa regiments distributing the sanitary goods donated by the loyal people of the State. The health of the Eleventh Iowa is very good, and the boys are feeling fine. Our regiment [...]