Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan: Wednesday, April 5, 1865

Was late in the morning before I arose as being fatigued by the trump over last night I felt like taking all the rest I could get. At 9. the Col laid off the camp & ordered each co to construct a bomb proof large enough to contain all the men. We all worked hard until noon when the Regt was ordered to move to the left about ½ its length, this by order of genl Granger. This move cheated the 4 cos on the left out of their forenoon's work; we all went at it with a will to make the best of a bad bargain, worked until 4, P. M. when the men were all so fatigued that I thought it best to suspend active operations although we had no cover yet This was more especially necessary as I was ordered on Picket on the skirmish line with my co. each man to be supplied with 100 ronds of cartridges, & we are to remain 24 hours, at 7. follow out my written instructions & report with the co in front of the 27th Wis. to the left of our Regt, where I find the Brig. off. of the Day. ordered by him to the right of the 28, Ill. where I was to find the off. of the Day of the 2 Brig. halted the men & hunted about 15 minutes before I could find any one to report to, was ordered out on the line in front of the 2d Brig, went out through a sap. I was ordered to work my men all night to widen the ditch we stood picket in. I tried it but the men were so tired & worn out, that although they did not complain much I had not the heart to keep them at work, & arranging for 1/3of the men to be on the watch all the while I allowed 2/3 of them to sleep.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, 33rd Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 13, No. 8, April 1923, p. 584

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