Thursday, 21st–We took up our regular company and regimental drills again, and have a very fine drill ground.

Wednesday, 20th–The first thing this morning was to finish drying our clothing, after which we cleaned up and burnished our guns. There are several thousand troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery here in camp. The barracks are ordinary frame structures and built around the drill ground. The Eleventh Iowa is located on the west side of [...]

Tuesday, 19th–We started down the river again at daylight and reached St. Louis at 3 p. m. We landed and marched to Benton Barracks, where we were to be at home. Just as we left the boat it commenced to rain and we marched the whole way in a downpour of rain which soaked our [...]

Monday, 18th–We left Keokuk at daylight and ran all day without accident or incident. We again tied up for the night, for fear of encountering a “secesh” battery on the banks. The weather is delightful and riding on the “Father of Waters” is very enjoyable.

Sunday, 17th–We had a pretty stiff introduction to our first night on a river boat, for it snowed in the night. My bunk-mate, James Fossett, and I lay down on the deck with our heads to the smoke-stack instead of our feet, in order to avoid lying with our heads down hill. By morning we [...]

Saturday, 16th–Reveille sounded at 2 a. m., and packing our knapsacks, we started at 8 o’clock for the boat down at the levee. Here we stacked our arms and waited until the quartermaster with his detail got the commissariat loaded, putting it upon our boat and the two barges, one on either side. By noon [...]

Friday, 15th–We received orders to leave for the South and everybody is happy in the thought that we are going to leave. A great many got passes to go down town to purchase supplies, such as letter paper, stamps and the like. We had our last drill on the old camp ground yesterday and got [...]

Thursday, 14th–Our regular drills twice a day, company and regimental. No news.

Wednesday, 13th–The weather is getting cold, which makes it rather disagreeable eating our meals at the long tables outside the barracks; besides, the coffee and victuals cool off so quickly.

Tuesday, 12th–There is some talk of our having to stay here in camp all winter. Most of the men are getting rather restless and anxious to get to the seat of war. New companies for the Fourteenth Iowa are still arriving.

Monday, 11th–No news of importance. Our regiment is gradually adapting itself to the military harness; the hardest thing to get used to is wearing the leather collars about our necks.

Sunday, 10th–We had company inspection this morning at 9 o’clock and preaching at 10. At 5 o’clock in the afternoon we had dress parade and then in the evening we had preaching again.

Saturday, 9th–We received our State pay today. I got $20.60 in paper money, thus losing only about twenty-five cents on the dollar. I served forty-five days under the State.

Friday, 8th–The Thirteenth Iowa received their uniforms and equipments today. Some of our boys are absent on sick leave, having caught severe colds on account of the changeable weather.

Thursday, 7th–Received orders to fix up for review. We packed our knapsacks, filled our haversacks and canteens, and with our arms formed in line, all as if we were going on a long march. At 10 o’clock we marched down through the streets of Davenport and were reviewed by Adjutant General Baker. Then we marched [...]

Wednesday, 6th–Drill twice a day: company drill in the forenoon and regimental drill in the afternoon. Colonel Hare for the first time commanded the regiment on the drill ground.

Tuesday, 5th–We received strict orders today to take care of our equipment, especially our clothes and guns. Then we have to wear brass epaulets on our shoulders, which makes a great deal of extra work as they have to be kept polished.[i] [i] When we once got into active service, these epaulets were discarded, and [...]

Monday, 4th–We had some visitors in camp today from Inland. Nothing of importance. The part of our uniform most talked about and criticised is the leather collar, which each man has to wear. It is a piece of stiff upper leather about two inches wide in the middle, tapering to one inch at the ends, [...]

Sunday, 3d–We had company inspection for the first time, this morning at 10 o’clock, and we therefore had preaching in the afternoon only. Our entire regiment was out on dress parade in the new uniforms for the first time. Fully half of the people of Davenport were out to see us, for it was the [...]

Saturday, 2d–Company E drew their uniforms today, each man receiving the following pieces: one dress coat, $6.71; one overcoat, $7.20; one pair of pants, $3.03; one pair of shoes, $1.96; two shirts, $1.76; one double woolen blanket, $2.96; one hat, $1.55; two pair of drawers, $1.00; two pair of socks, 52 ¢; one cap, 60 [...]

Friday, 1st–Our uniforms were brought up to camp from town, and several companies drew theirs today. Every company drills four hours a day now. Some of the men have a hard time remembering the commands of the officers and some of the officers cannot remember the correct commands to give. Some of them make as [...]

Thursday, 31st–The new uniforms for the Eleventh Iowa were received today by our quartermaster. We are the first to receive uniforms before leaving the State. This is the last of October—and we are still at old Camp McClellan, Davenport, Iowa.

Wednesday, 30th–Nothing of importance. We now have a quartermaster for our regiment, Richard Cadle of Muscatine. All think that he is a good man for the place, and will see that every man is cared for. We draw rations every five days.

Tuesday, 29th–Several new companies of the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry were sworn into the United States service today. Marcellus M. Crocker of Des Moines is to be their colonel.