Still in camp and on short rations at that, the
quartermaster having cut us down to one-half rations. We cannot understand why
this should be, though there must be a good reason for the order. The fire
department of the city came out this morning for inspection by General Sherman,
and made a fine appearance, considering that the city had been captured only
ten days before.1 Our men commenced today to fortify the city.
They are throwing up heavy earthworks ten feet through, protected
by a ditch on the outside, ten feet deep by twenty feet wide at the top and ten
feet at the bottom. The fortifications are built just inside the city. We have
to tear down a great many houses in order to get lumber to support the earth
thrown up, and with which to make platforms for the artillery.
And so this is the end of the year 1864. It has been a year
of hard, active service for our brigade, as also for the entire corps. The
Eleventh Iowa has done its part and suffered severely, Company E alone having
lost seven men by bullet in the siege of Atlanta, besides a number having been
severely wounded.
_______________
1 It seems that there was the best of
understanding between the people of Savannah and General Sherman. They tried to
make it as pleasant for the Union army as they could, and Sherman treated them
with great consideration.—A. G. D.
Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B.,
Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 242-3
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