Tuesday, 27th–Things are quiet all along the lines today. Our supplies and ammunition are hauled by team from Pittsburg Landing. We still draw our full army rations every five days.
May 27th. Got under way, and taking a coal schooner alongside, proceeded on our way. Passed Natchez at eleven thirty, A. M., without stoppage, and ran all day without any occurrence of note, anchoring by a plantation, and sending ashore for fresh provisions at sunset.
May 27th. The cry is “Ho! for Greenwell!” Very probably this day week will see us there. I don’t want to go. If we were at peace, and were to spend a few months of the warmest season out there, none would be more eager and delighted than I: but to leave our comfortable home, [...]
27th. Woods and I issued five days’ rations. We boys carried ours to the woman where we board.
Camp on Corinth Road, Miss., May 27, 1862. Why don’t you write me just a word, if no more? I’m almost uneasy. Not a line from home for a month. We hear that smallpox is raging in Canton, and—I want you to write. They say there is some smallpox in the center and right of [...]
May 27th, 1862.—They have gone. It is bad enough to give up the sisters but it is even worse to let the children go. Mother says I love them too well. But she loves them as well as I do if the truth was known. The girls have promised to write us every day, that [...]
Eliza Woolsey Howland to her husband, Joe. Floating Hospital, Off White House, May 27. Still not a word from you for a fortnight now. I am beginning to be very hungry, – not anxious, only hungry, for letters. I only hear in indirect ways that our division was near the Chickahominy a day or two [...]
27th.–Resumed my labors in the hospital this morning making requisitions for provisions and cooking utensils. Some of the men have now been without food, and are in a state of starvation. I have not had to-day half the help I need, and in consequence of my over-work, am sick again to-night, and have been compelled, [...]
MAY 26th.—Gen. Lee is still strengthening the army. Every day additional regiments are coming. We are now so strong that no one fears the result when the great battle takes place. McClellan has delayed too long, and he is doomed to defeat. The tobacco savers know it well, and their faces exhibit chagrin and disappointment. [...]
Monday, 26th–It is very warm. Had company drill twice again today. There was very heavy cannonading off on the left flank.
May 26th. Another reconnoissance took place yesterday, but although the gunboats went very near the rebel batteries no firing took place. This morning all hands were surprised with the intelligence that no attack was to be made on the city at present, and that our large ships would again drop down the river. This is [...]
26th. Helped unload seven loads of provisions. Played ball a little while. Reminded me of old times.
Monday, 26th.—I am more tired this morning than when I went to bed last night. W. E. Story, Adison Ramsey and myself, undertook to sleep together lengthwise of the hill. Had to lay a pole at the lower side to keep from rolling down the hill; but we soon found that would not pay the [...]
May 26.—During the past week we have lived somewhat like Venetians, with a boat at front steps and a raft at the back. Sunday H. and I took skiff to church. The clergyman, who is also tutor at a planter’s across the lake, preached to the few who had arrived in skiffs. We shall not [...]
Abby Howland Woolsey’s Journal New York, Monday. Georgy’s letter of the 23d, written on the Spaulding from White House, came in this morning at breakfast, which is more prompt than usual. It tells of the proposed opening of hospital tents ashore, and two thousand sick ready to put into them at once. Why the Commission [...]
26th.–To-day, was so far recovered that I reported myself for duty at the Liberty Hall Hospital.[1] I found there about four hundred sick, about one hundred of whom were crowded into the house. The rest were lying about in stables, alive with vermin–chicken houses, the stench of which would sicken a well man, on the [...]
MAY 25th.—The enemy send up several balloons every day. Sometimes three can be seen at once. They are stationary, being fastened by ropes to trees; and give us an idea of the extent of his lines. But with glasses they can not only see our camps around the city, but they can view every part [...]
Sunday, 25th–We stood in line of battle out on picket all night, and were relieved at 9 o’clock this morning. There’s a report in camp to the effect that General Pope is desirous of moving his command around by the left flank to get into the rear of Corinth and cut off the retreat of [...]
May 25th. Sunday. Wrote home, grazed my horse and rested.
Thursday, Friday, 22d-25th.—Had to go on picket, away out in the mountains; thought it pretty doleful-looking place. Being on post at about 2 A. M. Something appeared; looking through brush, that looked like fire, so we whispered to each other: “Isn’t that fire?” All thought it was; then the question arose, who can it be [...]
25th.–I had a dream last night. There is nothing being done to-day, and as Dr. Franklin, when he gave as one of his rules of conduct, “Never tell your dreams,” did not add, never write them, I here record mine. “Like master, like man.” Master McClellan had his dream published for the the world; I [...]
Near Corinth, Miss., May 24, 1862. I returned last night from a two day’s scout. Our orders were to scour the country along the Tennessee river to near Eastport and return through Iuka, Burnsville and Glendale. A Michigan colonel commanded the party and skipped Iuka three miles. There were little bands of Rebels in sight [...]
MAY 24th.—Every day the two armies are shelling each other, more or less; and every gun can be heard from the Hospital Hill, north of the city, whither many repair to listen.
Saturday, 24th–The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket at 5 o’clock this evening. It was reported in camp that General Beauregard is moving all of his heavy ordnance and his entire army to the south with a view of evacuating Corinth. The report says that teams loaded with munitions of war are leaving Corinth every [...]
May 24th. We left Grand Gulf on the 23d, at which time the Flag Officer joined us, and arrived four miles below Vicksburg at four o’clock, P. M., where we found several gunboats awaiting our arrival. We swelled the number here to eleven vessels of war. The city is situated on a bluff perhaps sixty [...]