Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, February 1, 1863

10 Oc I went down to the 3 Iowa Cavelry in hopes of hearing their Chaplain, Brother Ingalls preach but he had no meeting 2½ Oc Our services was opened with prayer by Capt J B Casebeer of the 24 Iowa the sermon one of power Preached by John T Simmons Chaplain of the 28th Iowa, text 1st Psalm then our Chaplain MH Hare read the order above referred to & commented some & then invited our Brig Genl Clinton B Fisk to close he sung Come thou fount in the old methodis[t] stile then gave us a feast of fat things in his exortation in which he remarked he would rather go into battle with 10 devoted unflinching Christians than 100 wicked profligate, demoralized men. he closed by an able prayer, we ware all enabled to say it was good for us to be here Evening I attended worship in Co F & spoke from these words, Work out your salvation with fear & trembling &c. after which we had several warm prayers & then had a good speaking meeting.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 107-8

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 2, 1863

We drilled in Bayonet exersize & at 4 Oc we ware on dress perade I have been quite feeble but am on duty, this night I took 2 pills the first medicine I have taken since I have been in the Service. One was a blue mas & the other an Opium pill

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 3, 1863

The mud was stiff enough to walk on this morning & a thin ice around the edges of the ponds We drilled in bayonet exersize & at 4 Oc ware on Dress perade I have felt verry feeble & after Dress perade I was quite sick & vomited severely evening I took a dose of oil & have powders to take every 4 hours through the night A soldier shot & killed a black man this evening cause not yet known

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 4, 1863

The day was so stormy we did not Dril nor have Dre[ss] perade I made a call at Mr Long & excepted a pressing invitation to take dinner, although I am not well & bad been to dinner before I made this call, but the large dish of Lettice, fine Redishes baked potatoes & beef stake ware not to be slited by one so modest as I, & I enjoyed the call verry much, next I called on a Mr Holcomb himself & Wife with two union Officers ware playing at cards I soon took my leave I feel better this evening

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 5, 1863

Snow 3 to 4 inches deep 4 Oc we ware on Dress perade I feel more compfortable than for several days I have two powders to take tonight. A Mulatto servent of one of the Captains axidentally shot & killed an Orderly of Brig Genl Washburn

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 6, 1863

8 Ос A M I went on the street to superintend about 150 men on fatigue duty making corduroy road from the fort to the levvy, we lacked teams, but done reasonably well, the injeneer or man that directed the cutting of the timber done a bad job by cutting it to short being much of it only 8 feet long & waggons bounce & slide off. I have been rather feeble but made no complaint, I did not eat a morsel of vituals this day not even a sup of tea or coffee, & early in the morning I vomited up what I ate last night for supper

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 7, 1863

We ware on Dress perade in the mud I believe I feel a little stouter today & have some apetite There was an alarm of an attack this morning but I think none of our Reg knew it until it was announced on dress perade in the evening A Soldier shot a black man it is thought the wound will prove mortal, cause they ware taking all negro men found near to unload boats & the soldier halted the Negro he passed on he fired at him 3 times with a pistol missing then he loaded a gun & fired shooting him through the boddy

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 108

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, February 8, 1863

Our Chaplain M H Hair took dinner with us in our cabbin 2 Oc Brig Genl Clinton B Fisk had an appointment to preach to us in the fort, there was a large congregation & Brother Ingalls Chaplain of the 3rd Iowa Cavelry commen the discource after Our Chaplain had prayed. Ingalls nor the Genl took no text but pitched in with great earnestness & deep feeling, & we had a good time the Genl, scored the officers that would stoop so low as to swear & they must have felt mean under his scathing remarks. 4 Oc we ware on Dress perade I am better today & have some appetite Evening I went down town to the Baptist Ministers house, whare Mrs. A Wittenmyer¹¹ stops at this time & spent an hour pleasantly, took tea & got some information about the Iowa soldiers, as her mission is seeing after the sick.

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¹¹ Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer of Keokuk was a noted Civil War nurse and a writer of note. See Vol. IV, p. 277, ANNALS OF IOWA. A large collection of her correspondence is on deposit in the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of lowa.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 108-9

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 9, 1863

We drilled some in bayonet exersize. Our Capt went out on picket about 11 Oc[.] 1 Oc I took the Co on Dress perade I wrote some in a letter I had commenced to write to my Daughter on the 7th I also wrote her one today desiring her if she could to send me some honey & butter

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 10, 1863

I received a letter from my Daughter dated Jany 29th also a fiew lines, from each of my two eldest son's Amandus & Augustus & my heart rejoices that Amandus has got able to sit up again Night I wrote a letter to my son Amandus, & also a little one to each of me little boys.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 11, 1863

We drilled in the manuel of arms & bayonet exersise with the volts, there was no dres perade

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 12, 1863

Our Capt was Regmental officer of the day, I drilled the Comp & at 4 Oc PM took them on dress perade I started a letter to my sons This evening attended meeting spoke from Isaiah Who are those that fly as a cloud or as Doves to the window I followed, we had a speaking meeting & a good time, after dismission Lieut Swigget & I had a social religious talk & a feast of love I understand Genl Prentiss has this day taken command here

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 13, 1863

At 10 Oc one of our company was marched out between two of our soldiers with Bayonets fixed & in the center of our regment formed in a hollow square he was reprimanded as the centance of a Cort martial held yesterday directed, he was tryed & found guilty of stealing one pare of shoes from the Qr master, I drilled the Co & was on dres perade at 4 Oc PM I had the pleasure of a short interview afternoon with Genls Prentiss, Ross, Fisk & Washburn.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 14, 1863

4 Oc we ware on Dress perade Genl Fisk was out to se I wrote a letter to my good Brother C E Yeager Keosauqua Iowa. eight full pages of foolscap

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 109

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, February 15, 1863

10 Oc I spoke to the contrabands from 1st Epistle General of Peter 1st ch 24 & 25 v. Our Chaplain closed after me we had a good time services out dores 1 Oc I spoke to them from Rev 20th ch 12th v it was the funeral of a black man I presented the alter & over 30 came forward & many ware converted it was a time of great power Evening I spoke to them again out dores, from Matthew 11th 28 & 29 & 30 I invited mourners & near 40 came to the alter & many ware made happy in a Saviours Love, it was a time of great power the behaviour of the soldiers present was excellent, thank God. 4 Oc I was on Dress perade In the afternoon I took a little Boy & Girl Jessey Ann & John Turner Brother & sister, with straight hare & hazel eyes & skin nearly white, live specimens of the boasted institution of the south. I took them about amongst our officers & men, some of whom justify the cruel thing. These ware the chattles of John Woodburn of Madison Ia.¹² & his father old John Woodburn deceased the wench sais is father to the little boy & she sais he promised to free the child, but he was late slave to his half brother

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¹² "Ia." is the old abbreviation for Indiana,

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 109-10

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 16, 1863

9 Oc AM I reported at head quarters as officer of the day, attended guard mount & gave the necessary instructions to the Sergeants & Corporals 1 Oc I went down on the steamer Emma to see Cozen Albert Aflick Capt of Co A 12 Mo Inft had a short pleasant chat. I then went on to the steamer Imperial Head Quarters of this post, to see Genl Prentiss had a short interview with him & acomplished my mission. I then went to the provo Marshal attended to some buisness & then had an interview with Judge

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 110

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 17, 1863

9 Oc I attended guard mount & dismissed my old guard & delivered my report, I broke the crystle out of my watch & went to town through the raine & got one in, at 50 cts. 4 Oc we ware on dress perade. afternoon Capt Albert Aflick of Co A 12th Mo came up & was to se us on dress perade he speaks verry flattering of our Reg. he amused us with interesting incidents of their fighting, especilly of Pea Ridge, he only lost one man out of his Co at Vicksburg, he staid all night with us & shared my bunk with me. we had a pleasant time.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 110

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 18, 1863

4 Oc we ware on dress perade there ware some Resolutions gotten up by the field Officers of the Iowa Reg at this place read & a vote taken on them, every commissioned officer voted for them & all the men of Our Reg except about ten & over half of them was in our Co Seargt A I Boston Corp's Lowery & Willis Higgenbothan Privates John R & William C Hodge, they are brothers. Phillips the Iowa Regts are all to vote on them & they are to be sent to Iowa papers to be published.¹³ Also an order by Genl Gorman against gambling by Officers or men & also an order by Genl Fisk for us to hold ourselves in rediness to march aboard the packets in short notice

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¹³ For text of these resolutions, see Burlington Hawkeye, March 2, 1863, p. 2, col. 5. (In the newspaper collection of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa.)

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 110

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 19, 1863

I washed some & done a little tailoring in the way of mending some rents in my Cloths evening I attended meeting in our log Chapple the Chaplain of the 46th Iowa opened the exersizes he took no text, gave us a good talk he is an Old Baptist Brother. Rob is the name. Our Chaplain followed & commenced a general speaking we had a good time bless the good Lord Wm. Pearson Co K 29 Iowa Inftn died in hospital in Helena Arkansas I believe he was from Guthrie Co Iowa & is son of John Pearson & is remotely connected to me

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, pp. 110-1

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, February 20, 1863

Coz Albert Aflick & his Lieut Col came up & spent an hour with us, forenoon and insisted on Capt Fee & I going down & dining with them & to be Sociable at noon we went down on board the steamer Emma & partook heartily of their good things, Afternoon Albert came up & spent a social hour with us, after which I went to Genl Washburns head Quarters, next to Genl Rosses head quarters & then to Genl Fisks, head Quarters at 4 Oc we ware on Dress perade & Genl Fisk & Lady ware out to see us

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 111