Friday, 26th–The Fourth Division commanded by General Logan passed here today on their way to Memphis. Nearly all of the troops which started on the expedition south have now returned.

Thursday, 25th–General Rosecrans’s division passed here today on their way to Memphis. This is rather a gloomy, dry Christmas. We are still on half rations. But in spite of it, the boys are all enjoying themselves. They are taking everything that they can lay their hands on, carrying to their tents couches, rockers, chairs, tables, [...]

Wednesday, 24th–Nothing of importance. It is quite cold and our extra clothing, underwear, is in storage at La Grange, Tennessee. There is no chance to draw new clothing now.

Tuesday, 23d–No news of importance. We pitched our tents this morning. I was out on a foraging train for some corn, but we got very little, as this section of the country is pretty well cleaned up. We are now on half rations.

Monday, 22d–The rebels before leaving town burned several houses, altogether some two or three squares, besides burning about one million of our rations, and we are again short of food. On that account the boys are not in the best of humor, and every man has practically a free hand to take anything that he [...]

Sunday, 21st–We left Abbeville this morning and marched through to Holly Springs, twenty-two miles. It was warm and dusty traveling. We arrived at dark, going into bivouac in the north edge of town, and I tell you the boys made the boards fly, for as the teams had not yet arrived with our tents, we [...]

Saturday, 20th–We struck our tents early this morning and marched twenty-one miles back toward Holly Springs. It is a disappointment to have to retrace our steps and the boys are not as jolly as they were when going south. Holly Springs is said to have been taken and our supplies cut off. We have been [...]

Friday, 19th–The boys worked all day setting up their tents. The boys of our company cut down a red oak tree from which we made staves, set them in trenches dug in the ground, and had just finished putting up the tents, when at 5 p. m. the long roll sounded to form in line. [...]

Thursday, 18th–We started at 6 o’clock this morning and arrived in Oxford at about 10. We were inspected by General Grant, passing through the town by platoon. We marched on eight miles out from town and went into camp along the railroad. Grant has his headquarters in Oxford. It is a fine town, on high [...]

Wednesday, 17th–We struck our tents this morning and at 10 o’clock started toward Oxford. We went into bivouac for the night within four miles of the town. The weather is fine for marching and we have good roads.

Tuesday, 16th–The Sixth Division received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been in the rear of the army and we are now to move forward. The railroad being in operation now, it is said that our base of supplies will be moved forward and established at Holly Springs, Mississippi.

Monday, 15th–The railroad bridge across the Tallahatchie river is repaired now, and the first train came through today. The cars can run as far as Oxford now. The quartermaster of our division has brought together at this place about $1,000,000.00 worth of cotton, which is to be shipped to the North.

Sunday, 14th–No news of importance. We had company inspection as usual on Sunday morning. There are no foraging parties sent out on Sundays, but brigade and picket duty are performed every day and night.

Saturday, 13th–I was on duty again today, going out with about two hundred men from our division to bring corn. We got one hundred loads, and although it was not a good day for snapping corn, yet the corn being quite good it did not take long to fill a wagon.

Friday, 12th–Nothing of importance. I was relieved from picket this morning. New regiments from the North are arriving and passing out to the front to hear their first roar of cannon.

Thursday, 11th–I was on the picket line again today. Picket duty is less dangerous now than it was, as the rebels have fallen back. We maintain a brigade guard at this camp.

Wednesday, 10th–Our troops are still moving out to the front. It is fine weather for marching. There is very little sickness among the men now.

Tuesday, 9th–No news of importance. Our foraging parties destroy a great deal of property unnecessarily, especially when the owner of a plantation is away with the rebel army—then there isn’t much left when the boys get through.

Monday, 8th–The Sixth Division is running a mill now, the quartermaster having taken possession of a grist mill which he is running day and night. We are now drawing full rations of meal instead of crackers and we have plenty of fresh pork and sweet potatoes. The boys have confiscated every bake oven in the [...]

Sunday, 7th–No news of importance. The weather is getting quite cool. The chaplain of our regiment is not with us at present and we have no preaching on Sundays, though we have prayer meeting in the evening. We had regular company inspection this evening. Our guard and picket duties are light at this place.

Saturday, 6th–I was on duty today with a foraging party of our division, to help load the wagons with corn and cotton. We brought in seventy-five loads of cotton worth about $40,000. At one plantation some negroes were out at work picking cotton, while others were baling it in the gin houses, but we drove [...]

Friday, 5th–The rain continued all night. We were relieved from picket this morning about 9 o’clock. Troops are passing to the front and there is some heavy cannonading in that direction.

Thursday, 4th–Our entire company went out on picket duty this morning with the orders to keep a sharp lookout for rebels. The sentinels out on the front are ordered to stand in secluded places, as they are in danger of being picked off by the rebel sharpshooters. It rained all day again.

Wednesday, 3d–It rained all night, but the weather is rather cold. We moved our camp today and set it up again in a deserted camp, one mile from Abbeville, which the rebels had built for winter quarters.