Sunday, 25th–I went out on picket today. We keep a strong picket guard along the entire line. The rebels’ cavalry are not as bold as they were two or three weeks ago, for they know that we are becoming more thoroughly entrenched every day; besides this, they have been pretty well driven out of this [...]
Saturday, 24th–The weather is quite cool. I worked all day building a fireplace in my tent, while my bunk-mate was out on duty. The boys are all fixing up for winter just as if we were going to stay here all winter.
Friday, 23d–It rained all day, but that did not affect our camp routine. I was on camp guard, and large details were out at work, as every day, on the fortifications.
Thursday, 22d–We are glad to be at home again in camp after eleven days’ absence. Most of that time we were in bivouac without any protection—two nights in soaking rainstorms. Our heavy duties begin again—fatigue duty and camp guard, fourteen of our number being on guard today. Our regimental payrolls for two months’ pay were [...]
Wednesday, 21st–Our orders came and we left this morning at 6 o’clock for Vicksburg. We arrived in camp at noon, twelve miles from where we started. All is quiet here and no news of any importance.
Tuesday, 20th–General Logan’s Division returned to Vicksburg today. Our brigade pickets were called in and we were expecting also to return to Vicksburg, but had to remain here in bivouac all day. The health of our regiment is quite good now, and most of those away on sick furlough have returned to the regiment.
Monday, 19th–We were out this morning for our skirmish drill. The scouting expedition returned from Jackson this afternoon and occupied their old camp, while we had to go into open bivouac for the night. The expedition had little difficulty in routing the rebels at Jackson, but lost five or six men killed and quite a [...]
Sunday, 18th–The Thirteenth went up to Messenger’s ford on picket. We had our regular company inspection this morning. In the afternoon I went to the refugees’ camp to hear a colored man preach. There was a large number of negroes and they had a joyful time; their singing and shouting beat all that I have [...]
Saturday, 17th–We had regimental dress parade this evening, after which an order was read to us giving us our drilling program while stationed here. Beginning tomorrow the Eleventh and the Thirteenth are to have skirmish drill in the afternoon of every other day, and the Fifteenth and Sixteenth are to practice battalion drill on the [...]
Friday, 16th–I went on picket this morning. We have to keep a strong picket line for fear of the rebels’ cavalry making a dash into this place and burning the provisions stored here. The large camp of refugees is still maintained here by the Government. The cars are running back and forth through here from [...]
Thursday, 15th–The weather is quite cool and pleasant and we are enjoying the rest afforded us, for the duties here are not laborious; all we have to do is to keep the camp clean and serve on picket. We had regimental inspection this afternoon.
Wednesday, 14th–General Tuttle’s division left early this morning on their expedition, carrying eight days’ rations. General Logan’s Division is also in the command, and there is a total of about ten thousand men—infantry, artillery and cavalry. Our brigade moved into the tents of the Third Brigade of Tuttle’s Division, the Eleventh Iowa occupying those of [...]
Tuesday, 13th–This is election day for the soldiers of Iowa, they having been given the right to vote while in the army. No one is permitted to electioneer for his favorite candidate and those who persisted in doing so were arrested and put in the guardhouse. General Tuttle, the commander of a division, is from [...]
Monday, 12th–We remained here in bivouac all day, and shall probably continue at this place several days. Our brigade was sent here to relieve the Third Brigade of General Tuttle’s expedition toward Jackson, Mississippi. It turned very warm today. It is raining this evening, and we have no tents in which to stay.
Sunday, 11th–We left this morning according to orders and marched fifteen miles, when we stopped to eat dinner. We then continued our march about five miles farther, and at 4 o’clock we reached the Black river bridge, just ten miles out from Vicksburg, thus making a circuit of twenty miles to reach this important point.
Saturday, 10th–The Thirteenth came in and the Eleventh again went out on picket this morning. I was relieved from camp guard after two days’ steady duty, and accompanied my regiment on picket. About dark our brigade received orders to be prepared to march at 6 in the morning, with one day’s rations in haversacks and [...]
Friday, 9th–The rebels have made no attempt at a raid into Vicksburg, but seem to be at their old trick of making our officers believe that they are in this vicinity in large force. Our officers, however, are on their guard, and are not to be caught napping. They continue a strong support of the [...]
Thursday, 8th–The Eleventh Iowa went out again on picket this morning, relieving the Thirteenth. I did not accompany the regiment, because I was on camp guard. The weather is quite cool and there is no news of any importance.
Wednesday, 7th–Six regiments were stationed at the different roads last night to reinforce the regular pickets. But the rebels did not make their appearance as it was reported they would. Our regiment was relieved at 10 o’clock this morning by the Thirteenth Iowa. We were struck by a fearful rain and windstorm last night.
Tuesday, 6th–Our brigade went into Vicksburg this afternoon at 2 o’clock to be in the review, together with the entire army at this place. We were reviewed by Major General U. S. Grant. The report in camp is that General Grant has been ordered by the War Department to report at Louisville, Kentucky. All are [...]
Monday, 5th–Everything is very quiet here, although as the health of the men is improving our duties become more laborious. Every regiment that can be taken from Vicksburg is being sent to reinforce the armies at other posts. General Sherman has been ordered to proceed to Chattanooga and thus all of the Fifteenth Army Corps [...]
Sunday, 4th–Our brigade was reviewed this morning at 7 o’clock by General McPherson, major-general commanding the seventeenth Army Corps. The pickets were not relieved until about noon, and so we missed the inspection. The boys are in camp today reading or writing letters.
Saturday, 3d–Orders have been issued to fortify Vicksburg so that a small force can hold the place against one five times the number; the fortifications are to be on the highest ground in the city. I was on duty at a picket post three miles below Vicksburg, on the east bank of the Mississippi. There [...]
Friday, 2d–The weather is quite cool for this time of year in the “Sunny South.” There is no news of any importance. Things are very quiet.
Thursday, 1st–We had brigade inspection this morning at 7 o’clock, by General McArthur. Colonel Hall of our regiment is in command. There were three regiments of infantry, one of cavalry and three batteries. In the afternoon I was on fatigue duty, and part of the time in a heavy rain; this is our third successive [...]