March 21.
Last night was dark and rainy with just wind enough to make sounds everywhere. At midnight, cannonading began at one of the forts, and then followed shells from the gunboats. Our pickets were fired upon and there was a general impression outside that all secesh was down upon us. But the enemy has not since been heard from. Today Major Strong went with skirmishers far beyond the accustomed line, without opposition. Cannonading in the night is hard for weak nerves and I dreaded the effect upon my sick. One of the convalescents was suddenly attacked with pleurisy in the night, and when I asked him about the time when the pain began, he replied, "Just after de gun done gone shoot." Another who had a bullet through his leg, said he had "enjoyed a mighty bad rest."
SOURCE: Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Volume 43, October, 1909—June, 1910: February 1910. p. 377-8
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