August 5th. About half-past nine, as we got up from the breakfast table, a guerrilla told us the ram Arkansas was lying a few miles below, on her way to cooperate with Breckinridge, whose advance guard had already driven the pickets into Baton Rouge. Then we all grew wild with excitement. Such exclamations! such delight [...]
Tuesday, 5th–The Eleventh Iowa drew two months’ pay today. I received $26. We are able to purchase most any kind of goods needed, right here at Bolivar only two miles from camp.
5th. Tuesday. In the morning did little of everything. Wrote to Fannies A. and H. in answer to letter received almost three months since. In the afternoon the service for the burial of three men was performed. Lt. Pike drilled the escort. It seemed his whole ambition to get the men well drilled. He had [...]
Tuesday, 5th.—At 2 P. M., started forward; soon came to Clinch River; advance guard skirmishing a little some distance out. Saw one Federal prisoner. Clinch River was about one hundred and fifty yards wide; no bridge; ordered to wade through. Now came a ridiculous but laughable scene, 1,800 breechesless men wading in water three feet [...]
AUGUST 5th.—The enemy have postponed drafting, that compulsory mode of getting men being unpopular, until after the October elections. I hope Lee will make the most of his time, and annihilate their drilled and seasoned troops. He can put more fighting men in Virginia than the enemy, during the next two months. “Now’s the day, [...]
5 August Mrs. Stevens wrote me a note yesterday morning to say that she had permission from her husband to join him at Vicksburg and she would be glad to take letters or a parcel for John so we all wrote letters made them in a packet and gave them to her for she came [...]
August 5.—The papers of last night brought us no news, except that our troops are firing upon the enemy’s gun-boats near Coggin’s Point. The result not known. A battle between Jackson and Pope still imminent. Major Bailey made a brilliant cavalry raid a few days since upon the enemy in Nicholas County, in which he [...]