Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 25, 1865

Rain this afternoon. We had company inspection this morning and dress parade at 5 o'clock this afternoon. The paymaster finished paying the Fifteenth Iowa and then paid part of the Sixteenth Iowa.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 284

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, June 14, 1865

The weather is sultry. We occupied the day in cleaning our clothing and accouterments. The long journey of eight hundred miles on coal cars and transports was pretty hard on our clothes as well as trying on the men, for we had no protection from the hot sun nor shelter from the rain. The farmers around here are harvesting, and the grain looks fine.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, June 15, 1865

The men found so much fault with our camp on the low ground and made so much complaint about it at headquarters that our division was ordered to move to higher ground. We moved today to a large piece of sparsely-timbered land, high and rolling, where we will have a fine camp. It is about two miles south of Louisville. The Fourteenth Army Corps and one division of the Twentieth Corps, with the exception of the eastern men in these two corps, have arrived at Louisville.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Friday, June 16, 1865

Pleasant weather. We cleaned up our camping ground today and built “ranches” covering them with our rubber ponchos. General Hinkenlooper, a West Pointer, is in command of our brigade and has given orders to put on camp guard.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, June 17, 1865

Still pleasant. We have not yet received our pay. A part of the Fifteenth Corps has been paid, and the paymaster is paying the men of the First Brigade.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 18, 1865

We had regimental inspection at 10 a. m. by Captain Foster. The weather is very hot and this afternoon we had a heavy thunderstorm. I was sergeant of the regimental guard and during the night, on account of the rain, I had the guard relieved.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Monday, June 19, 1865

It is very pleasant, having cleared off during the night. We had regimental inspection again this morning. Our camps are filled with all kinds of agents from the city, trying to sell their nostrums to the boys; even the “dents” come out to pull teeth or to clean them for the boys.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, June 20, 1865

Very pleasant weather. I sold my watch to Samuel Bair for $25.00, receiving $20.00 in cash, the balance remaining unpaid. They have fine macadamized roads out from the city, and there are men working on them all the time, but they would be killing on soldiers marching over them.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 283

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 11, 1865

Our boats ran all night. This is a bright sunshiny Sunday. All went well and everything was quiet until about 4 p. m. when our boat struck a snag. We were nearing Manchester, Ohio, when we ran upon an old sunken stone barge, the bottom of our boat was torn off and it sank in less than three minutes. The captain, quick to see the danger of our going down in midstream, ordered the boat turned toward the Kentucky side of the river, and we were within twenty feet of the bank when it sank stern first, going down at an angle of about forty-five degrees. In the excitement several men jumped overboard, but were rescued by men in canoes from Manchester. Tears were shed by the ladies of Manchester, thinking that, of course, a great many would be lost, but all were saved in one way or another. Regardless of the danger some of the boys on the sinking boat broke into the steward's pantry and filled their haversacks with the good things in store. Our regiment was now divided, and put on the other already crowded boats. Company E, with H, G and B, went upon the “word” — and as usual, Company E got the hurricane deck.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 282

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Monday, June 12, 1865

The boats ran all night, and we passed Cincinnati about 1 a. m. At daylight we landed at Ornod, Indiana, remaining there about two hours, till the fog lifted. We arrived at Louisville about 4 p. m., and disembarking, marched out about eight miles below town where we went into bivouac. This is a miserable place for the troops to camp, being very low, the next thing to a swamp, and heavily timbered; we cannot remain here long without its resulting in a great deal of sickness.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 282

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, June 13, 1865

We had a thunder shower early this morning. The Eleventh Iowa signed the muster rolls this morning and we expect to get our pay in a few days. The Army of the Tennessee is in camp in and around Louisville. The veterans are becoming very much dissatisfied, as they were expecting to be discharged as soon as the war was over, but there is no sign of their being discharged very soon; besides that, we are kept in ignorance of it all, not knowing what they are going to do with us. Some of the boys think that we shall be sent down to Texas on duty, while others believe that we shall receive our discharge within a month or six weeks.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 282-3

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, June 8, 1865

We left Washington City at 1 a. m. and arrived at the junction of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad about 8 o'clock, where we changed to the line running through Harper's Ferry, which place we passed through. Our brigade is in the rear, the Eleventh Iowa being on the rear train, as we were the last regiment to leave Washington, D. C. The day was very hot and many of us being crowded on the open cars suffered terribly under the hot sun. We arrived at Cumberland about midnight, where we were served with hot coffee by the Sanitary Commission Society.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 281

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Friday, June 9, 1865

Our train ran all night, except for two or three times when we were standing on some sidetrack. Arriving at the foot of the Cumberland mountains our train was divided and another engine put on to pull one-half the train up the mountains. The train moved up very slowly, which gave us a chance to get off and cut some sassafras bushes, which we nailed on the sides of the cars for shade, for the sun was terribly hot, and the weather was very sultry. By noon we reached the top of the mountains. At 4 p. m. we arrived at Grafton, Virginia, where we received hot coffee from the Sanitary Commission. Here we left the Baltimore & Ohio road for Parkersburg, Virginia, over the Ohio & Virginia Railroad. We passed through a great many tunnels between Grafton and Parkersburg, one being four thousand one hundred and thirty-eight feet long. The citizens along our route today seemed to be very loyal, cheering us all along the way. It reminded us of our home folks.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 281

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, June 10, 1865

We had a heavy thunderstorm and rain early this morning, which made it very disagreeable for us on our open coal cars. We arrived at Parkersburg on the Ohio at daylight and left the cars. We cooked and ate our breakfast and then at about 8 o'clock went aboard the transports, and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon we left for Louisville, Kentucky. The Eleventh Iowa and the Thirty-second Illinois Regiments are on board the transport “Empress.” We have a fleet of five boats, which besides the “Empress” are the “Nord,” “America,” “Revenue” and “Edinburgh,” the headquarters boat. All the boats are heavily loaded and we are crowded, but it is much more pleasant than in the open coal cars, and while the sun is hot, it is not so oppressive as on the railroad.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 281-2

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, June 1, 1865

The weather is quite sultry. There is nothing of importance. Our camp duty is very light here. The ground is rough, and it would be impossible to find a place for a drill ground or even a parade ground.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Friday, June 2, 1865

For the first time we saw mustered-out soldiers leaving for their homes today.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, June 3, 1865

The weather continues quite hot. All men in our brigade whose time is out by the 1st of October were mustered out today and they turned over their guns and accouterments. Twelve boys from our company received their discharge and will be sent home.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 4, 1865

We had company inspection this morning. The weather is very hot and we all remained close to our “ranches” today. We could not go to the city anyway, for without a pass it is difficult to get by the provost guard.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Monday, June 5, 1865

This forenoon we had a temperance speech by Wm. Roach of Iowa at the headquarters bivouac of the Eleventh Iowa. Blank pledges of the Washington Temperance Society were distributed and a good many of the boys signed the blanks after they were filled out.¹ The men mustered out from our division, the Fourth, started for their homes this afternoon. The Government furnishes them transportation to their home states.

_______________

¹ Mr. Downing was among the number. — Ed.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, June 6, 1865

We received orders to leave for Louisville, and drawing four days' rations turned over to the general quartermaster our regimental teams and wagons. We expect to start in the morning. The Third Division of our corps started this morning, while the First Division left yesterday morning. The troops are leaving Washington as fast as the railroads can furnish cars; they even bring in all the open cars not in use and crowd the soldiers onto them until there is no standing room. Large numbers of soldiers have already left for their homes, while others are going to different cities to remain in camp for a while.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 280