Saturday, 22d—Weather quite pleasant today. Our regiment was paid off this afternoon, and we received our discharge. This makes us free men again and we at once left Camp McClellan for town. I went to the Davis House and stopped for the night. Mr. Hatch came to Davenport for a load of us. I bought [...]

Friday, 21st—It rained all day. No pay yet. Most of the boys are staying down in -town. There is nothing of importance.

Thursday, 20th—We remained in camp all day. No pay yet.

Wednesday, 19th—Our night along the lake shore was quite cool. We arrived in Chicago this morning at 2 o’clock, and then marched to the Rock Island station, where at 8 o’clock we took train for Davenport, Iowa. We arrived at Davenport at 5 p. m. A large crowd of citizens was at the station to [...]

Tuesday, 18th—We are still pushing on towards home and everything is all right. Our train ran all night, except when standing on some sidetrack. We arrived at Michigan City a little after dark and changed cars for Chicago.

Monday, 17th—We had our last reveille early this morning. We took down our rubber ponchos, packed our knapsacks, and at 5 o’clock started for the boat landing, where we took the ferry for New Albany, Indiana, crossing the river below Louisville. On our way up the river we passed the headquarters of Generals Logan and [...]

Sunday, 16th—It rained all day, and having no duty of any kind, we remained in our “ranches.” We had no services of any kind today, but as we had our last dress parade, and as this is our last Sunday in camp, we should have had some minister come out from the city for our [...]

Saturday, 15th—Our regiment, the Eleventh Iowa Veteran Volunteers, was mustered out this morning at 9 o’clock. We were relieved from all duty and turned over to the general quartermaster the regimental teams and everything that does not belong to the individual officers or men. The papers for the rest of the brigade have not yet [...]

Friday, 14th—I had a time getting the men out this morning when starting around the brigade to relieve the second relief, some refusing to come out of their tents. I finally started with what guards I had, and when I came to a guard for whom I had no man as relief, I told him [...]

Thursday, 13th—I was on camp guard this morning, detailed as sergeant of the brigade guard. This thing of camp guard is about played out, and I suppose it is my last.[1] The guard house or tent has become so dirty that the men on that relief do not want to stay there while not on [...]

Wednesday, 12th—Very pleasant weather. Our regimental muster-out rolls are almost ready.

Tuesday, 11th—Troops are leaving daily for their homes. The boys are all active in getting everything squared up with one another before leaving for their homes. We get passes to the city as often as we can, to buy things we want before leaving the army for good. The boys are getting small photo gems [...]

Monday, 10th–The men of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps are raising a subscription for the purpose of erecting a monument in memory of the lamented Gen. James B. McPherson,[1] the old commander of the two corps, who was killed in the battle of Atlanta on the 22d day of July, 1864. I gave $5.00 [...]

Sunday, 9th—It rained all day and all of us not on guard remained in our “ranches.” Our camp is on rolling ground and so the water runs off quickly. In this camp we have no bunks built up from the ground, for there was no tearing down of houses to get timbers, but we have [...]

Friday, 7th—Our officers have commenced to make out the discharge papers and the muster rolls. The blanks came this morning and the officers of each company have expert penmen at work filling them out.

Thursday, 6th—It is hot and sultry, but as our duty is light we can stay in our “ranches” and keep out of the hot sun. All are happy at the thought of going home soon.

Wednesday, 5th—An order from the War Department came today, ordering the mustering out of all the soldiers of the Army of the Tennessee. All is quiet.

Tuesday, 4th—General Sherman reviewed the Army of the Tennessee today for the last time, our division passing in review at 9 a. m. He made a short speech—a farewell address—to all the troops. He told us that we had been good soldiers, and now that the war is over and the country united once more, [...]

Monday, 3d—Reveille sounded at 1 a. m. for the Iowa Brigade, and at 2 o’clock we started for the city, marching down to the wharf for the purpose of escorting General Sherman from the landing to the residence of Mr. Osborne, the editor of the Louisville Journal. The general looks fine; he never looked better [...]

Sunday, 2d—Things are working fine. Company inspection this afternoon. On account of the heat, the men remained in their “ranches” until time for dress parade at 5 o’clock in the evening. We cannot go to the city to attend church without a pass, since there is a brigade guard around the brigade.

Saturday, 1st—The weather is quite hot and sultry. We are looking forward to going home soon, and expect to receive such an order any time, though we have not yet heard of one having been issued.

Friday, 30th—The weather is sultry. Nothing of importance today.

Thursday, 29th—I am on brigade guard again, being sergeant of the guard. Each day we have on guard from our brigade two commissioned officers, three sergeants, six corporals, and one hundred and thirty-eight privates. One of the commissioned officers, a captain, is officer of the day for the brigade, while the other, a lieutenant, is [...]

Wednesday, 28th—We still have brigade guard. There is a great deal of dissatisfaction in the veteran ranks on account of their not having been discharged yet. The Indiana troops are finding the most fault, as they can almost see their homes just across the Ohio river, but dare not cross over. They have been making [...]