Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, November 19, 1861

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 clothes through and through. Reaching the barracks we built fires to dry our clothes before retiring for the night.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 19