Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 9, 1863

Went on a scout from Murfreesboro' with our whole division, marched 5 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 10, 1863

Marched 8 miles and encamped for the night.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 11, 1863

Lay over in camp.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 12, 1863

Went out on a scout three miles from camp. Twenty-eight rebel cavalry driving in our pickets, we fell into battle-line, but the rebels seeing our force skedaddled, and we returned again to camp the same day, making a march of 3 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 13, 1863

Lay over in camp all day on the Eagleville pike.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 14, 1863

Returned to camp at Murfreesboro', having fulfilled our scout, remaining in this camp four days. A march of 16 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 18, 1863

Changed camp and moved two miles to a new camp south of the town, making a march of 2 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 20, 1863

Was rallied to march double-quick to reinforce Col. Hall at Milton, Tenn., and went out on the same day, having remained two days in this camp, making a march of 15 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 27

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 21, 1863

Returned from Milton battle-ground, Col. Hall having whipped the enemy before we reached him or his forces, and leaving many of the rebels wounded and dead on the ground, making a march of 15 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 27-8

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, March 26, 1863

Went on picket out on the field where Jeff. Davis made a speech to his men, 2½ miles from Murfreesboro' camp, making a march of 5 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 28

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 1, 1863

Went on picket on the Manchester pike four miles, making five days rest in camp there, and returned the next day to camp, making a march of 8 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 28

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 20, 1863

Started again from Murfreesboro' camp on a scout and arrived at Readyville, and encamped for the night two miles south of Fort Transit, making a march of 12 miles. Remained eighteen days in this camp without moving.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 28

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 21, 1863

Left Fort Transit and arrived at Woodbury, eight miles from this place, and was ordered fourteen miles further on the same day, and encamped for the night, making in all this day a march of 22 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 28

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 22, 1863

Left Camp Woodbury and arrived the same day at a place called Small-pox camp, having received its name from the fact that at this place the inhabitants never were clear of this fearful disease. Encamped for the night, making a march this day of 17 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 28

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 23, 1863

Left Small-pox camp and arrived at Liberty, driving out the rebel General Breckinridge and all his forces, causing them to flee in all directions, and leave their camp and camp equipment behind, including a variety of almost everything you can speak of. The headquarters of General Breckenridge were set on fire by our cavalry after entering the town, and by the time the infantry got in sight were burned to the ground. The inhabitants of the town seeing they were caught for the first time by our army, began to clear their houses of furniture and contents, carrying out their hardware and throwing their brittleware out of the windows, through the excitement that the town was to be burned down ere we would leave, in retaliation for some horrible murders committed on the soldiers of the Union army by those hellish fiends of their so-called Confederacy. After searching or scouting the town, it was ascertained that there was a large steam mill, filled to the brim with wheat, flour and corn, and on entering the mill we found hidden in a pile of bran a quantity of their ammunition, having been made or manufactured at Atlanta, Georgia. It was covered up by bran being thrown over it. We were ordered to remove it to our train, together with all the flour and wheat. It was no sooner said than done; then a match was applied to the mill, and soon nothing could be seen but a pile of coals and ruins. After firing several other buildings that they used for places of concealment of this kind, we moved to camp at Smith's Fork, DeKalb county, Tenn., the same day, and encamped for the night, making a march of 20 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, pp. 28-9

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 24, 1863

Lay over in camp at Smith's Fork all this day quiet and unmolested.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 29

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 25, 1863

Detailed to go out as skirmishers, and to support some batteries.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 29

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 26, 1863

All quiet in camp at Smith's Fork.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 29

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 27, 1863

Report of two thousand rebels in battle line on Snow Hill in the rear of Liberty, Tenn. Hearing this we were reinforced by Col. Hall and fell into battleline and remained so for the night.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 29-30

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, April 28, 1863

All quiet in camp to-day, only some little foraging for ducks, chickens, pigs, &c., so that the sons of Uncle Sam's family enjoyed themselves well on this day.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 29-30