6th. After breakfast sent out forage and provision detail. About 8 heavy firing in the direction of Rogersville. Ordered to be ready to march as soon as detail sent for comes in. Got in. Just got supper ready and had to move out. Rested an hour in field–disgusting. A very tedious night ride, heavy frost, [...]

5th. Up at 4 A. M. Co. “C” ordered to go with Capt. Easton on scout. Got on wrong road, being dark. Trotted two or three miles, returned and fell in with the regt. Moved to near Rheatown and waited for 5th Ind. to come down from Leesburg. Rainy and unpleasant. 14th Ill. to front. [...]

4th. Aroused before daylight. Struck tents and loaded wagons. About 8 A. M. again pitched tents and sent out forage detail. Voted on re-enlistment question. Co. C, 21. Well done for it. Felt proud, better than most companies. Had good visit with many of the boys. Finished “Lillian.” Thede got some apples. Pleasant day.

3rd. In the morning went up and saw Provost Marshal about Hayes, also saw him. Fear he will be caused some trouble before getting away. Inspection at 1 P. M. Horses, men and arms. Co. C did itself up in array. Col. P. loaned me “Lillian.” Finished up Quartermaster and clothing, camp and garrison equipage.

2nd. Wrote a letter home. Helped make our ordnance returns –about square in everything. Was kept busy till quite late. Ordered to be ready to march tomorrow at daylight. Plenty of rumors. Col. Kautz came to inspect the cavalry–all wished he would come to stay.

Sunday, Nov. 1st. Took a bath before breakfast. A beautiful Sabbath day. Wish I could spend it quietly at home. May the time soon come when we may all be at home in peace, but contentment we should ask for. I find myself uneasy nowadays. Mr. Brown preached at 2 from Ecclesiastes 12, 1. Very [...]

31st. Immediately after breakfast commenced muster. Co. “C” was first on hand. Teams and 9th Mich. went for forage. Considerable trouble drawing enough. At 2:30 P. M. companies went out and fired revolvers and rifles. I made several good shots with the carbine. Good many boys under the influence of liquor. Helped some about ordnance [...]

30th. Train and sutler came up. Got Co. property. Mail came. Letter from home, expected more. Had inspection and charged boys with ordnance and ordnance stores. Quite a time. Appointed L. H. Thomas Corporal. Busy on muster rolls and Quarterly Returns. Hugh is busy enough. Wrote a letter home. Ordered to march at daylight. Rain [...]

29th. Boys went out for forage, every man for himself, horses having stood hungry all night. Lay and slept considerably during the forenoon. Boys got some apples. Saw the boys play poker some. Am glad I have not the habit of playing. Col. sent for wagons to come up. Mail sent for. Bosworth went. Getting [...]

28th. At 2:30 relieved and ordered to Jonesboro, 11 miles. Cold ride. Reached there at sunrise, reported to Shackleford. Sent on G. road half a mile, dismounted and fed. Whole army retreating. Went mile east of town where Regt. in line. Stayed and waited for Capt. Case to come from the river. Got chestnuts. Sent [...]

27th. In the morning, read some late newspapers–month old. Took Davenport over to be mustered. Found no difficulty in examination. Co. detailed for picket, also myself. Took 50 men to Vaul’s Ford on Blountville and J. road. Awkward place for picket, 7 miles from camp. Long ride posting pickets. Two letters from home. Good. No [...]

26th. Got out desk and Co. property to work. Trains reloaded and sent to the rear. Fear of an attack. Proposed to the boys the order for re-enlistment. Read some in “B. House.” Boys got some good apples and apple butter. Cloudy and quite cold. Contradictory news from the Army of the Potomac. Election news.

25th. Morning work over, set out for regt. Stopped in town and saw wounded boys. Glad to see the boys so long absent. Reached Watauga about noon. Found most of Co. C absent on a scout. Came in about dark. Grand jubilee. Proposed to re-enlist as regiment. All would like to go home this winter [...]

24th. Another unpleasant day. Boys drew some boots. Brought in big pile of butter, bacon, potatoes and oats. Receipted to Union man and Confed. money to Reb. Seems good to have the boys back again. In the evening wrote home and to Ella Clark. Feel ashamed of my carelessness. Ordered up with train. After forage [...]

23rd. Cloudy, started out at 8. Commenced raining. Slippery and nasty roads. Passed the train. When 6 miles from Jonesboro stopped at a big house for dinner and feed. Old rebel wanted Confederate money for pay. Let the boys stay over night. Went on and found all regiment but stragglers gone to Watauga River. Two [...]

22nd. After breakfast went to hospital. Did some chores. Got horse for Davenport, who has enlisted with C Co. and took the cars at 9. Crowded. Mason coming back to regiment. Proposals for re-enlistment talked of. Co. D about concluded. Reached Greenville about dark. Stopped with the boys. Very comfortable time. Boys rather discouraged at [...]

20th. Cleaned up and started for Knoxville at 8 A. M. Came near being left. Hired a horse and hurried on. Davenport with us. Went about K. some with him in search of friends. Went up and saw Charlie. Supped and stayed with him over night. Had some barbering done. Went to hospital and saw [...]

19th. Breakfasted and got under way about nine. People very afraid that we were going to fall back again. Passed through Rheatown, Greenville and reached Bull’s Gap about dark. Got supper with Lt. Pearson. Stopped to see Darling–away visiting. Getting along well. Stopped to make inquiries about the chase. Killed one man, wounded one and [...]

18th. Moved on after breakfast. Passed through Jonesboro. Stopped and saw Dick Bail and Bishop. Both doing well. Camped about two miles west of town. The Batt. gave three cheers for Brough, 65,000 majority. At 3 P. M. Col. P., Lts. Hamlin, Houghton, Eggleston, McBride and self and 8 men started for Knoxville. Stopped three [...]

17th. Early breakfast and then moved. Took the Zollicoffer road, whole Brigade. Co. H went on with Shackleford. Stopped and tore up two miles of track and burned the bridges. Still in charge of Batt. Capt. Stewart sick and Lt. Bills under arrest. About 5 P. M. report came that enemy were coming. To horse. [...]

16th. Kept watch over Davenport. About midnight scout went out. Got a tent from warehouse. Boys got plenty of tobacco from warehouse. Many stores and private buildings were broken into and plundered. Soon after daylight the Col. becoming disgusted moved out three miles for breakfast. Ordered back about noon. Burned 15 cars, three engines and [...]

15th. Breakfasted and moved through Blountville towards Bristol. Rested at B. till noon, waiting for reports from Foster’s Brigade–gone to Bristol and 7th Ohio gone to Zollicoffer. Bristol very enterprising little town–thoroughly secesh. Girls all pouting. Sullivan County all rebel. Got a late rebel paper. Little news from Rosencrans. Not very encouraging. Passed through and [...]

14th. Up and breakfasted before sunrise. Skirmishing commenced before fairly on the road. 2nd called to the front, Co. C as skirmishers on left of the road in open field. Ordered to gain a piece. Deployed and advanced. When 10 rods from the woods, opened upon us. Boys dropped behind apple trees and fence and [...]

13th. Got the desk out and papers to vote. Mail came. Seven letters for me. Fannie, Ella, Fred, Will and home. Never felt as today, an epoch in my life. Felt sad all day. Ordered forward. Moved out on Blountville road, damp day and somewhat rainy. Read considerable in the Independent. Letters seem so acceptable [...]