Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, December 27, 1862

10 Oc I was released I have been on duty for 24 hours without any sleep, there is strong expectation here of an attack & our officers are having the buildings near our embankment torn down & to hurry it on the Negroes set fire to two and burnt them down, there is perhaps from one to two hundred houses will be torn down and some verry costly ones. 9½ Oc night we recd an order to report our company at Head quarters in 15 minutes armed and equiped ready to go into action many of our men was asleep but before the time we ware on hand & Co H of our Reg & 2 companeys of the 120 Ill were put in line & marched by our Major Woodward to the south Sallyport of this Fort Pickering & there awaited an attack & as they did not come Genl Asboth & Major Woodward marched us about a mile outside & posted our comps in different plases to watch & open on them if they came & we divided our Co & Cap Fee took one and I the other platoon & we posted some rods apart, he & a part of his men got a sleep but I & my men did not sleep any I awoke him & some of his men twice, one of his men got down in front of us & we commenced firing on him

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 101

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