Sunday, 28th–The supply trains started on ahead for Vicksburg, taking with them about six thousand contrabands and refugees–men, women and children, both white and black, of all sorts and sizes. The rebels drove in our pickets today, but did not come any closer. The report is that it is Wheeler and his cavalry.
Saturday, 27th–We remained here in camp all day. A number of foraging parties were sent out and some of them were captured by the rebels, and so did not have the privilege of enjoying their booty with their comrades. Canton is a very nice little place, and our army did not destroy the town because [...]
Friday, 26th–General McPherson with the main part of the army left camp at 8 o’clock in the morning and after an all day march arrived at Canton after dark. They crossed the Pearl river at 10 a. m. and then reloaded the pontoons and destroyed what remained of the bridge. Just before going into camp [...]
Thursday, 25th–The main army moved only eight miles today, when it went into camp for the remainder of the day and night. This is to give the Sixteenth Corps time to cross the river. Our brigade was the first to cross the river, and we went on as far as Canton, about fifteen miles north [...]
Wednesday, 24th–The army left the Hillsborough bivouac over different roads. Our brigade went in advance of the Sixteenth Corps to assist the engineers in laying the pontoons across the Pearl river. This is a good section of the country for forage. We selected twelve men from our entire headquarters’ guard of twenty-eight to go out [...]
Tuesday, 23d–We left at 8 o’clock and by noon had reached Hillsborough, where we were ordered to go into bivouac for the night. We caught up with the supply trains here and getting a fresh supply of provisions we are to lie over to give them a start again. All is quiet on the return.
Monday, 22d–We had a long hard day’s march, with our brigade leading the corps. There were some wide swamps to cross and we had to build corduroy roads of rails and pine trees, over which to move the artillery. It was late before we went into bivouac.
Sunday, 21st–The weather is fine for marching. After a night’s rest, we started early this morning and reaching Decatur, went into bivouac. The provision trains aim now to keep one day’s march in advance of the army.
Saturday, 20th–The weather is quite cool and has been for several days. We left Meridian early this morning for Vicksburg, followed by large numbers of contrabands and refugees. Some of the negro women have their bedding tied up in quilts, carrying them on their heads, each with a bundle of clothing in one hand and [...]
Friday, 19th–The quartermaster is sending out large foraging parties today, while the army is preparing to start back toward Vicksburg tomorrow, after destroying everything within our lines. There are no more rebels to be found in this vicinity.
Thursday, 18th–Our provision trains came in from the rear today and we are thankful for the hardtack which we have been without for three days.
Wednesday, 17th–The different troops are returning to camp here after destroying about one hundred and twenty-five miles of railroad, stations and all public property. All is quiet around here.
Tuesday, 16th–After a rain yesterday, it is quite cool today. General Crocker’s Division went on to the town of Enterprise, to destroy the railroad there, while the Sixteenth Corps went to the north destroying the railroad. General McPherson has his headquarters in a fine residence in the west part of town and his headquarters’ guards, [...]
Monday, 15th–After two hours’ marching our army entered Meridian at about 10 o’clock this morning and went into camp. The rebels are still retreating, and detachments of our army are pursuing them. The infantry is sent out in all directions tearing up the railroads, burning the ties and twisting the rails. Large numbers of cars, [...]
Sunday, 14th–We marched fifteen miles again today and went into camp for the night. The Seventeenth Corps also corralled their wagon train, leaving two brigades as a guard. There was some skirmishing in the front today, but we learn that the rebels have left Meridian without making any resistance, retiring to the south. Some of [...]
Saturday, 13th–We left Decatur early this morning and marched fifteen miles before going into bivouac. The Sixteenth Corps corralled their train and leaving a brigade to guard it pushed forward after the rebels. Skirmishing in the front continued and was brisk at times. The weather is pleasant and the roads are fine for marching. There [...]
Friday, 12th–We reached Decatur at 10 o’clock this morning and went into camp. The rebels attacked the provision train of the Sixteenth Corps and killed twenty of the mules before our men could rally and put them to rout. The town was burned before we left it. Things are marching fine.
Thursday, 11th–We moved but ten miles today, when we went into bivouac. Our men are foraging on the way, especially for meat, of which there is a plenty of fresh pork. Some of the foraging parties sent out today were captured and roughly used by the rebels. General McPherson had his headquarters in a large [...]
Wednesday, 10th–We left Morton early this morning, and covering fifteen miles, reached the town of Hillsborough at about 3 o’clock. There was some skirmishing in front with a loss of three to the rebels. By the time the rear reached town it was all on fire, the citizens having fled. Our army moves rather slowly, [...]
Tuesday, 9th–Starting early this morning we reached Morton about noon, where we went into bivouac and remained the balance of the day. The rebels took their first stand here, forming a line of battle, but our two corps being brought together to engage them, they feared to risk a battle and hastily fell back. The [...]
Monday, 8th–We left bivouac at 8 o’clock and covered seventeen miles today. There was some skirmishing in front. The roads were good and but few bridges to cross. All is quiet in the rear. This section of the country is heavily timbered, mostly pine, and the soil is quite sandy. It is thinly settled through [...]
Sunday, 7th–We started early this morning and after reaching Brandon, about thirteen miles east of Jackson, went into bivouac about a mile from the town. There was no skirmishing in the front today, the rebels rapidly falling back. Our men set fire to the town this evening and burned almost the whole town. Most of [...]
Saturday, 6th–Our army did not move until in the afternoon, because of having to lay the pontoons across the Pearl river. The rebels had burned the bridges, twenty-eight in all, after crossing. I was detailed this morning as special guard at the Seventeenth Corps headquarters while out on this expedition. Things are quiet in the [...]
Friday, 5th–We left our bivouac this morning at 8 o’clock and moved forward about fifteen miles. General Liggett’s Division was assigned the advance today, while our brigade was taken from the supply train and placed immediately in Liggett’s rear. General Hurlbut’s Division is on a road just off to our left. There was some skirmishing, [...]
Thursday, 4th–We started to move at 8 o’clock and by night reached Bolton Station, where we went into camp. Our brigade being in the rear did not get into camp until 11 p. m. There was some skirmishing by Crocker’s Division, which lost three men killed and several wounded. Two men were killed by a [...]