Saturday, 5th–There is nothing of importance. Everything seems quite dull. There are but few whites left in Corinth and we seldom see white natives anywhere. There are some colored people in town, women and children, but the able-bodied men have all been taken off with the rebels. Some colored men are coming into camp from [...]
Friday, 4th–The Eleventh Iowa came in from picket. The weather is very hot. This is my first Fourth of July in the army. Things appear so lonesome. The battery boys of our brigade took their battery of six guns out a short distance from camp and fired a salute to celebrate the day.
Thursday, 3d–The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket duty. I was on guard at division headquarters, my post being in a large orchard, and my orders were to keep all soldiers out of it.[1] [1] Such orders soon got to be a joke with the men, they in a quiet way giving the commanding officers [...]
Wednesday, 2d–I went out about a half mile from camp to pick blackberries, and I picked a gallon of them and sold them to the hospital steward for $1.25.
Tuesday, 1st–Received orders to cook four days’ rations and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. We had everything in readiness when late in the evening the order was countermanded.
Monday, 30th–The Eleventh Iowa was mustered for pay this morning. The men all looked fine–well and clean. None had on ragged clothing and few were absent from the regiment on account of sickness. This ends June, with us in a good camp near Corinth, Mississippi.
Sunday, 29th–We had inspection this morning at 8 o’clock by the general inspector. Colonel Hall and Captain McLoney arrived from home this morning. The Colonel had been wounded at Shiloh and went home to let the wound heal. Mrs. Hall is with the Colonel in camp and the men of the regiment have great respect [...]
Saturday, 28th–It rained this morning and the air is nice and cool. We worked most of the day cleaning up for another inspection—polishing our shoes, belts, cartridge boxes and muskets, besides sweeping the camp ground.
Friday, 27th–We were relieved from picket this morning by the Thirteenth Iowa. Blackberries are beginning to ripen and seem to be plentiful. Fresh fruit with our rations will lighten our work.
Thursday, 26th–The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket. The Third Brigade of the Sixth Division was inspected by the general inspector of the army. Men and camp both passed inspection quite satisfactorily.
Wednesday, 25th–The weather is very hot today and our camp is becoming very dry and dusty. Twenty-seven men were detailed this morning to clean up our camp for general inspection.
Tuesday, 24th–Our camp was inspected today by the brigade commander. Colonel Hare arrived in camp today. The boys were very glad to see him come back to the regiment.
Monday, 23d–Nothing of importance. I went out to the branch a mile from camp to do my washing. Burtis Rumsey of our company has been sick for about two weeks and he begged me to take two of his shirts along and wash them for him, so I did. I used a small camp kettle [...]
Sunday, 22d–We had company inspection at 5 o’clock this evening. Our chaplain, John S. Whittlesey, died of diphtheria on May 11th at Durant, Iowa, and our regiment has no chaplain at present. We have no services on Sunday now, except that some of the companies occasionally have prayer meetings.
Saturday, 21st–We were relieved this morning by the Thirteenth Iowa. Some of the fruit in this locality is beginning to ripen and we will have some variety in our rations.
Friday, 20th–Our regiment went out on picket this evening. Water is very scarce out on the picket line and so we have our canteens filled in the evening before we go out.
Thursday, 19th–Drill is now all dispensed with on account of the hot weather. But the men are kept busy at fatigue and picket duty.
Wednesday, 18th–It is very hot, but the troops are in fine spirits. Some of the boys who were wounded at Shiloh, together with those who went home on furloughs on account of sickness, are now returning to their commands.
Tuesday, 17th–It is very hot. Nothing of importance.
Monday, 16th–It came my turn for the first time to go on fatigue. Our men are throwing up a line of breastworks and building some very strong forts. I worked all day at one of the big forts built for the siege guns. The fort is fifteen feet high, with a ditch in front fifteen [...]
Sunday, 15th–There were five hundred men from the Sixth Division detailed to go out and cut down the timber in front of the fortifications around the camp. The trees are cut so as to make them fall outward toward the approach of an enemy; the branches are then sharpened, making what is called an abatis. [...]
Saturday, 14th–We came in from picket this morning, having been relieved by the Thirteenth Iowa. We do not have much idle time here, for besides keeping our camp and clothing clean, we have picket duty and fatigue duty on the fortifications.
Friday, 13th–It came the Eleventh Iowa’s turn to go on picket today. The teams still have to go to Pittsburg Landing, twenty-two miles from Corinth, for provisions and ammunition for the army.
Thursday, 12th–The farmers living about here are cutting their wheat; some have already begun stacking. Wheat here is good, with some especially fine fields, but some fields were entirely destroyed during the siege of Corinth. The corn is not as good on account of the cold, wet spring.
Wednesday, 11th–I was on guard today at General Todd’s headquarters. The weather is very hot. The teams all went to the river for provisions. We are establishing a good camp at this place. We raised our wedge tents up from the ground and built bunks for our beds instead of lying down on the ground.[1] [...]