Sunday, 21st–Things are quite still all along the lines today, but the mortar boats continue to throw shells day and night. Our chaplain preached a sermon to us this afternoon; his text was from John, fourteenth chapter and second verse. It was the first sermon our regiment has heard for nearly six months.
Saturday, 20th–By order of General Grant all the artillery opened upon Vicksburg this morning, and the bombardment continued throughout the day. It is reported that the rebels have lost six hundred, killed and wounded, many of these being killed during the first two hours of the firing. Our left is holding quite tight. The sky [...]
Friday, 19th–It is again quite warm. Every morning at about 2 o’clock we have to form a line of battle, so that if the rebels should come in upon us we would be ready for them; but I do not think they will come. On account of the very poor water here, several of the [...]
Thursday, 18th–We have had strong wind and thunder for three days now, but no rain. I was on duty today for the first time in two and a half months, for while I was cook I had no other duty. Skirmishing and cannonading are still going on. News came that our army is in the [...]
Wednesday, 17th–Our mortar boats are shelling the rebels day and night, and the constant roar of cannon is something dreadful to listen to. Our regiment drew some clothing from the quartermaster today. We just learned that we are to remain out here on picket. The boys are having easy times picking blackberries and plums. They [...]
Tuesday, 16th–We have had several days of very warm weather which became very hot yesterday, but today there is a high wind accompanied by thunder. The Eleventh Iowa signed the payroll today for two months’ pay. Cannon have been roaring all day and the place still holds out. General Grant still feels confident that he [...]
Monday, 15th–Our brigade is all broken up, most of it being on picket duty facing Johnston’s army and acting as a reserve, and doing police duty between the two lines of battle. Johnston is reported to be out on the Big Black river with about ten thousand men, in an attempt to get into Vicksburg, [...]
Sunday, 14th–Company E moved back as a reserve and to do police duty. Six of our companies are out on picket. There was heavy cannonading today by our men, the rebels in return throwing a few shells now and then. It is reported that one of our shells exploding in the streets of the town [...]
Saturday, 13th–The Eleventh Iowa moved out towards the rear about four miles, to relieve the Ninety-third Illinois on picket. The land around here is very rough and heavily timbered. There is an occasional small farm. The people around here are all rank secessionists.
Friday, 12th–Our brigade receiving orders, moved out about a mile and again went into camp in a large hollow; we fixed up bunks and made a nice camp. I was out last night again with a large detail from our brigade digging rifle pits, working all night with rifle in one hand and pick in [...]
Thursday,11th–The Thirty-fifth Iowa received marching orders. A report is that General Burnside with eight thousand troops went on an expedition up the Yazoo river today. Cannonading has been heard on all sides all day. News came that General Banks has Port Hudson surrounded and is now besieging the place.
Wednesday, 10th–The cool morning was followed by a rain all day ending at dark in a heavy windstorm. Companies E and D of the Eleventh Iowa worked all last night in cutting a road through the canebrakes to the rebels’ breastworks. Skirmishing has been going on all day.
Tuesday, 9th–The weather away down south in Dixie is getting quite warm. The soldiers are all in good health and fine spirits. Times are quite lively, with good news from all directions around Vicksburg. Our mortar boats are throwing shells into town day and night.[1] [1] We were all confident that Pemberton would soon be [...]
Monday, 8th–The Third Brigade received their knapsacks this morning. The boys are at work building sheds of the canebrake which is so plentiful in this part of the State. Fighting is still kept up and reinforcements are arriving every day. Vicksburg must and shall fall this time!
Sunday, 7th–The rebels made an attack on our forces at Duck’s Point, Louisiana, where, it is reported, two negro regiments met the attack and captured two hundred prisoners and five pieces of artillery. Who says that the negro will not fight? I say he will fight! Arm the negroes and let them fight for their [...]
Saturday, 6th–Several companies from our brigade were detailed to go out last night and work as sappers and miners on the rifle pits. Our forces are working their way closer to the rebels’ works every day, and Vicksburg is now almost completely surrounded. The rebels are running short of provisions, it is said, and are [...]
Friday, 5th–We remained in line of battle all night. Our brigade lay in bivouac all day. The Governor of the State of Iowa made a speech to the Iowa Brigade. Adjutant General Baker and Congressman Wilson of Iowa spoke also. The Sixteenth Iowa went out on picket. Skirmishing has been going on all day, and [...]
Thursday, 4th–We left early this morning to join the army in the rear of Vicksburg, and arrived at General McPherson’s headquarters about 5 o’clock in the evening. Here we stacked arms and formed a line of battle. Our men are still shelling Vicksburg day and night. We are here on high ground, but cannot see [...]
Tuesday, 2d–We lay here in bivouac again all day. Our quartermaster drew some clothing for the regiment. I drew a pair of shoes, a shirt and a canteen. We are still without provisions. We spent the day in cleaning our clothing and equipments. There was some very heavy cannonading at Vicksburg today and we are [...]
Monday, 1st–We lay over here below Haines’s Bluff all day, the boys being very tired after their long march. We ran out of provisions last night and could not draw any today. Some of the boys went out into the country to see what they could forage. We heard the roar of cannon at Vicksburg [...]
Sunday, 31st–We camped by the river last night, and early this morning started for Haines’s Bluff. We marched along some fine cornfields. We reached Haines’s Bluff in the afternoon, and went into bivouac to the south of that place. We were as far east as Mechanicsville, forty-two miles from Vicksburg. On this raid we burned [...]
Saturday, 30th–Our expedition started back this morning for Vicksburg. We received orders to burn the buildings along the way and drive in all the cattle we could find. Our road ran along the south side of the Yazoo river, through rich bottom land planted to corn and cotton. The plantations are well improved with fine [...]
Friday, 29th–We started on the move early this morning and after marching about ten miles came upon the rebel pickets. We drove them in and forming a line of battle advanced towards them about two miles, our batteries throwing a few shells. But the rebels refused to take a stand and finally withdrew altogether. It [...]
Thursday, 28th–Last night we bivouacked twenty miles east of Vicksburg and remained there till noon, waiting for rations. We then moved on ten miles and went into bivouac for the night. The country is very rough in this part of the state and there are only a few small farms to be seen. Water is [...]
Wednesday, 27th–Our brigade, with four others, all under the command of General Blair, left this morning for Benton’s Crossroads. The expedition is to keep General Johnston from coming in to reinforce the rebels at Vicksburg. Cannonading and picket firing opened up early this morning. Our army, by sapping and mining after night, is gradually working [...]