Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 16, 1862

We packed up twice to change our camp today, but the order was countermanded each time. The arsenal is a very extensive building and the rebels turned out one hundred small arms per day. We are preparing it for an extensive hospital. Quartered here again tonight. I went up to the depot and while there met old Captain Backman, of Co. C, 12th Ind. Reg. He is now sutler in the same regiment, which is located but a few miles below here doing picket duty on the railroad.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 18

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 17, 1862

Toward night we received marching orders and started for Abbyville at dark. We heard that there was great excitement at Jackson, as an attack from a detachment of Bragg's men was expected. We marched about eight miles from town and crossed the Yazoo swamp, where we camped for the night. The next morning we again packed up and started for Abbyville.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 18

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 18, 1862

We arrived at the Tallahatchie Bottoms about noon. Bissell's engineer regiment is encamped here. It has just finished the railroad bridge over the river and the cars now pass on to Oxford in advance. There was a clearing with two redoubts which we passed before entering the woody bottoms of the Tallahatchie. The teams were halted and we slung our knapsacks and carried them over the marshy bottoms. We had advanced but a short distance when the formidable earthworks which the Rebs had erected, loomed up before our eyes. When we once more struck terra firma we were halted, unslung our knaps, and when the teams came up, packed them on the wagons. I started on and entered the camp of the 12th Ind. Volunteers. Found the old members of Co. E. divided among two companies—F and I, both gotten up at Warsaw. We arrived at Abbyville in the middle of the forenoon. The country between LaGrange and Abbyville is rough and hilly.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 18-9

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 19, 1862

Jesse Walker and I went out foraging and succeeded in capturing a shoat. The nigs were left very destitute and there will be a great deal of suffering if the government does not feed them. There is a report that Jackson, Tenn., is threatened by Bragg; that there is fighting there and our communications are cut off, at any rate troops are on the move, being taken back by rail as fast as possible. There is a great battle being fought this morning by Burnside's men. They have already fought one whole day. Burnie has crossed the river and holds Fredericksburg.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 19

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 20, 1862

The news came in this morning that Holly Springs was entered at daylight and captured. The Rebels took over two hundred thousand dollars and burned the depot with all the stores and the arsenal we had fitted up for a hospital. After dinner we were set to work building breastworks of cotton, having captured one thousand bales from the C. S. A... When we first came here the regiment was scattered along the railroad, one company in a place extending nearly to Oxford. Companies G and K were kept here, this being the headquarters of Regiment 1, Norton commanding the Post. Two companies below were sent up, and by night we had a complete breastwork of cotton bales, regular old hickory style.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 19-20

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 21, 1862

The long roll was beaten at 3 o'clock this morning. The company was formed and we marched down to our cotton fort where we lay until daylight, when the other companies marched to their camps, and we back to ours. Last night a division of cavalry passed, going north. It was composed of the 3rd and 4th Ill., 7th Kansas and 3rd Mich. Just before night Generals Ross and McArthur came into town with their respective divisions. They are moving back for some cause. The weather is fine but the nights are very cold. It is what people call pleasant fall weather in Michigan. We have had no more snow since the flurry in September, and the weather never was more favorable for a winter campaign. The army is well clothed, having as much clothing as the soldiers wish to pack.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 20

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 22, 1862

On guard in Frank's place, he has gone foraging ten miles below. More troops passed on their way back.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 20-1

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 23, 1862

Gen. Grant passed through here this morning on the train. The division of Denver's, (ex-governor of Kansas, for whom Denver City was named) passed through here today also. The troops are all coming up further north. The cars are going north loaded with cotton. I think this is a cotton expedition.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 21

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 24, 1862

On picket guard today. Got my boots half soled. Gen. McPherson passed through here, and Logan's division is coming up and passing through. Our old brigade (Col. Stevenson's) also passed. A train came in a little after dark and was loaded with cotton. The country is stripped of everything and so we are on half rations. All the hogs and live stock have been killed. The Negroes are suffering and I think they would welcome their old masters. There are a great many leaving, a large carload left today. We have poorer fare than at any time since we enlisted.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 21

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 25, 1862

Christmas. I came off guard duty this morning. We drew half rations for four days and part of that was cornmeal. Our coffee is rye and in small quantities at that. The boys have gone out to see if they can find a stray hog or beef for Christmas dinner. Oh! if I could be at home today.

One o'clock. We just now received marching orders to be ready tomorrow morning. Frank, Bill, Buttons and Boggs of our mess, and Ragan and Doughty of the Peacock mess, fetched in a whole beef, and a few minutes later Abe, John and Scott brought in a whole hog. If we live on half rations it will not be of meat, as we have a hog and half a beef. It is very warm and pleasant today, I lay down and took a nap, but the flies were so troublesome I could hardly sleep.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 21-2

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 26, 1862

Warm and raining. We were astir early, cooked our breakfasts, filled our haversacks with meat and what little bread we had, and fell in about 7 o'clock. It began to rain and we had gone but a mile or two when we were wet through. We secured two ox teams, one of six oxen, and one of four, which hauled our knapsacks. The 12th Ind. is still camped on the Tallahatchie. Saw Lieut. E. Webster and Tom Anderson, they are living on quarter rations. Capt. Williams, now Colonel of the regiment, was at Holly Springs at the time it was captured and he was taken for the third time. We marched to the Yazoo Bottoms and camped on the opposite side. It rained and we were completely soaked. The ground was muddy and I looked around, found a stack of corn, dug down to the dry stalks, husked out a lot and made a bed for myself. We are, within seven miles of Holly Springs.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 22

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 27, 1862

Warm and rainy this morning. We struck out tents, fell in about daylight and marched through to Holly Springs, where we saw the effects of the late raid.

A long ambulance train, a large hotel and one whole block was burned, also the whole of the large arsenal building which we had prepared and were using for a hospital, the large depot and all the supplies that were in it, two or three engines and a long train of cars. When the magazines exploded it jarred out nearly all of the window glass in that part of the town. We camped on the north side in a beautiful grove. As soon as camp was laid off we killed one of our oxen which had labored so faithfully in hauling our knapsacks here, and drew one more day's rations to finish out our four days. The boys have taken the mills into their own hands and are shelling and grinding corn, what they should have done long ago, live off the country. They tell us that we are the first regiment of the first brigade, sixth division (Gen. Arthur's) of Grant's department. There has been no time to parole the sick.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 23

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, Sunday, December 28, 1862

We lay here all day, all is quiet.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 23

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 29, 1862

A foraging party went out this morning. One of our boys killed five hogs and thirteen chickens, and found two government wagons and two barrels of molasses that the Rebs had taken out from Holly Springs and hidden. At 3 o'clock we had orders to move in twenty minutes for Moscow, a small town ten miles west of LaGrange on the Memphis and Charleston railroad. We marched to the opposite side of Coldwater and camped for the night. Our brigade was in advance of the division and our regiment in advance of the brigade.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 23-4

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 30, 1862

Rained a good deal last night. We were up early. Our regiment was rear guard to the wagon train today. It cleared off early and was quite cool, making a fine day for marching. We carried our knapsacks as on the previous day, and marched about eight miles. Fine country between Coldwater and Moscow, that is for Mississippi. Most plantations have fine mansions. There have been but few troops over this road, consequently cattle and hogs are quite abundant. Our boys drove in about sixty hogs and most of them are fine, fat ones. When they came into camp the boys pitched in, each man for himself, and our mess got half a hog.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 24

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, December 31, 1862

Last night was very cold. It snowed quite hard. The regiment formed this morning and guns were fired off. We were formed for muster at 2 o'clock yesterday. Abe left our mess, also Geo. Scott, both were ill.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 24

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: December 6, 1862

Ground is frozen quite solid this morning, for the first time this winter. There is some excitement among the boys of the 17th in regard to a report that Gov. Yates has ordered home ten of the old regiments to recruit and fill up their ranks. If any go, the 17th will probably be one of them, as the company reports only twenty-two for duty.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 15

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: November 3, 1862

DUNLAP SPRINGS. We have built a snug log house and last night for the first and probably last time have slept in it; for our company has orders to move down town and act as city guards. There are eight or ten regiments here, some of them new ones from Jackson, Miss. The new regiments, like all new ones, have great confidence in themselves and think the war is to be settled by them and them only. There is an undercurrent of jealousy existing between the old and new troops. The old troops call the new ones "forty dollar men," "bounty men," and "home guards." Last Friday, Oct. 31, we had general review from Gen. McPherson who is here commanding the post. There were twenty regiments, ten thousand men, I should judge, on the field. There is a great forward movement taking place. All the troops started out on the Grand Junction road this morning with the exception of the 43rd, and 17th Ill.. The weather is fine, the days are warm and pleasant, but the nights are very cold and frosty. About once in ten days we have a northeast rainstorm, followed by cold weather and sleet. We are on guard every other day, sometimes every third day.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 11

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, July 23, 1863

This morning orders are issued for all the troops in and around Corinth to be paraded on the review ground by eight o'clock, A. M., to witness the execution of one Johnson, a deserter from Company A, First Alabama Union Cavalry. At the appointed time all the troops are on the ground and in position. The sun shines intensely hot, and the tramp of infantry and the galloping of horsemen keeps in the wind one dense cloud of smoke. Soon the procession with the unfortunate man appears upon the ground. They march slowly along the division line, the doomed man walking, supported by the Chaplain of the Sixty-sixth Indiana. He has the appearance of a guilty man—guilty of deserting the flag and his comrades. After the procession has passed the line, they march to the place of execution; the deserter is placed upon his coffin in a sitting position. A solemn and impressive prayer is offered by the Chaplain after which he is blindfolded. The executioners take their position, the Provost Marshal gives the command, and the man who so unhappily erred from the path of duty is launched into eternity. May his ignominious death prove a warning to all who might peradventure be tempted to do likewise.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 180-1

Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune, February 9, 1862

FORT HENRY, Tenn., February 9, 1862

Via. Cairo, the 11th.

A force of the 2nd Illinois cavalry under Major Mudd, made a reconnoissance to-day in the direction of Fort Donelson.  An advance guard of some forty men, encountered a superior number of the rebel cavalry about seven miles on the main road to Dover.  Capt. Brink, ordnance officer, who accompanied the command, with Carson, were in the advance, and discovered the enemy and gave notice to our cavalry who were feeding some distance in the rear.  The rebels advanced on our small force and gave them battle to a cross road.  Some 20 more of our cavalry coming up to the assistance of our struggling little band, the enemy turned and took to flight with a loss of 5 killed and 23 prisoners, among whom was the captain of the rebel band.  Our loss was 1 man wounded and 1 horse killed.

Gen. Grant and staff to-day, also made a reconnoissance to within 4 miles of Fort Donelson, and a complete knowledge of the roads was obtained.

The Reconnoitering transport steamer H. H. Brown, in charge of Capt. Logan, aid to Gen. Grant, with Col. Riggins and Col. A. H. Markland, the military Mail Agent accompanying the army, made another trip to-day to the railroad bridge across the river at Danville, where a large quantity of army stores, wagons, hides and numerous other articles of value were obtained.

From All appearances in every direction from the Fort, the rebel retreat assumed a complete panic and stampede.  At Danville the quarters of the troops gave evidence that they fled while in the act of preparing either dinner or supper.  The cooking utensils contained the allowance of their morsel.  Beds and cabin furniture were strewn about in reckless confusion, and terror and dismay seem to have filled the breast of the occupants.

An unfinished letter from a soldier to his sister, was found, dated the 6th, (the day of the battle) which stated that the 7th regiment left there the night previous for the fort leaving every room for the conclusion that actual force at this place on the day of the capture of this Fort was not less than 12,000.

Col. Markland, by order of Gen. Grant, took possession of eleven bags of mail matter at Danville and closed the office yesterday.

Gen. Grant and staff visited Danville and took possession of a large amount of property of the same character as that taken to-day, besides the ferry steamer J. M. Martin, which was brought down to this point.

The bridge is a magnificent structure of about 1200 feet in length, besides about 400 feet of trestle work.  The piers of the spans, some nine in number, are built of granite, and in the strongest manner.  The trestle work has been partly destroyed to its being used by rebels.

Reinforcements are arriving very rapidly.  The 14th Iowa, the 13th Missouri, a battalion of Birge’s sharpshooters, the 43rd and 17th Illinois regiments, all arrived during last night and to-day.

The gunboats which went up the river after the capture of the fort have not yet been heard from.

SOURCE: “Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune,” Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, Wednesday, February 12, 1862