Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Saturday, March 25, 1865

Genl Smiths corps commences moving at daylight; go out to see them pass; we rec orders to drill from 10. to 11. A. M. This order is countermanded & orders to be ready to move immediately. 5 days rations are issued to the men to be carried in the haver sacks. The 13th Corp begin to move at 1. P. M. at 3.30 Regt falls in line & moves out. march slow, and are to 9. P. M. getting to camp 5 miles from Fish river station. Saw where the trees were marked where the skirmish had occurred. I was detailed for picket as soon as I got to camp, had to go right out. The train sticks in the mud 3 miles back & our grub did not get up, boarded with the boys. Lt Hook Co C. detailed today as A. C. M. 3d Div. The following promotions in co "G" are announced today. Sergt A. Templeton to be 1st Sergt. Corp A. J. McCollum to be sergt. Privates W. H. Downing T. J. Vineyard. H. J. Vanderwan & J. Lemons to be Corporals, Corp W. Thomas at his own request is reduced to the ranks

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, Thirty-Third Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, Vol. XIII, No. 8, Third Series, Des Moines, April 1923, p. 580

Private John C. West to Mary Stark West, May 26, 1863

CAMP ON THE RAPIDAN,        

MAY 26TH, 1863.

MY PRECIOUS WIFE:

The order to move has been countermanded for the present, and we will be on picket duty for a few days. I wrote you yesterday, thinking it was Tuesday, and that Mr. Robinson would leave to day; so I will continue the account of my trip from Columbia. I left there on the 20th in company with Decca Stark, who was about to pay a visit to Mrs. Jennie Preston Means. I found Stark Means at the depot in Winsboro. He is looking very well and his wounds have nearly healed. I found all those up-country villages a great deal larger and more prosperous looking than I expected.

When I reached Weldon I found Troutman there as quartermaster, and spent an hour or two with him very pleasantly, talking over old college days. He has married Miss Napier and seems to be in good circumstances. Miss Lou Neely has married Ed. McClure. John Neely is dead. John McLemore, Lucius Gaston and Charlie Boyd (Capt), have all been killed in battle. The sacrifice of a nation of hired Hessians will not atone for the loss of such men as these. I took supper with Troutman, at the commissary's residence, and had a first-rate meal. I reached Richmond on Friday morning about 9 o'clock, and after paying a barber $2.50 for a shave and shampoo I took a stroll over the city; called on Mrs. Wigfall, Mrs. Chestnut, Miss Barnwell, etc., etc., and found all at home except Miss Nannie Norton, whom I also called to see; and I also called on Miss Mary E. Fisher. Miss Nannie was on a visit to Raleigh.

I had a letter from Mrs. Julia Bachman to Miss Fisher. She asked me in and gave me a drink of water, flavored with mint, which was very acceptable. Mrs. Carter, whom I met at Mrs. Barnwell's, seemed very glad to hear from you and asked to be remembered to you. Mr. Barnwell was quite sick. Mrs. Chestnut invited me to dine and Willie Preston to meet me; he is a major of artillery. Jack Preston has married Miss Huger. I delivered Mr. Carter's letter to Mr. Winston, but he had no time to talk to me; he has a task for each day and not a moment to spare. I spent more of my time sightseeing, but was especially interested in the equestrian statue of Washington, which surmounts a plain shaft of marble, with a granite base. There are also on the same monument statues of Jefferson, Mason and Henry. This is in Capitol Square, which is beautifully shaded. The Square is a great resort for all classes in leisure hours. Just at this point I was called out to our company drill, which has given me an hour and a half of good exercise. I must write a letter to some of the folks at Austin; so will have to curtail this. Let me repeat, you must take good care of yourself and not trouble about me. If you cannot manage any other way you must quit thinking of me entirely, except enough to keep from forgetting me altogether. My little picture of you copied from one in Columbia is charming, and is a source of great pleasure to me. Tell the servants to behave well, and to obey you, or I will haunt them. Talk to the children about me every day and tell Stark to say his lessons regularly.

Your husband, faithfully ever,

JOHN C. WEST.

SOURCE: John Camden West, A Texan in Search of a Fight: Being the Diary and Letters of a Private Soldier in Hood’s Texas Brigade, pp. 65-8

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Thursday, December 11, 1862

Oxford. Rumors of march. Logan's Division left to-day. Troops passing in the afternoon. Had standing gun drill. Ordered to have five roll calls in a day. Order No. 1 from Colonel Marsh, 20th Illinois, post commander of Oxford, read.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 18

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, February 28, 1863

For the last two days we have had no drill out of doors, and very little guard. It has rained steadily. The "Dudley Buck" arrived yesterday with a large mail, and a lot of boxes have also made their appearance. We were mustered for two months' pay this forenoon, and in the afternoon, between the showers, began one of a series of base-ball games between men of the 23d and ours; but the rain postponed it to the dim future. We find our barracks just the thing this weather, much better than tents, and thank our stars and the United States Government for them.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 40

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, March 8, 1863

A little incident occurred yesterday, which is very gratifying to some of the boys, showing the confidence our captain places in their word, and what a narrow chance others of us had. Saturday is generally cleaning up day, and we understood there was to be no battalion drill. At noon Sergt. White notified us that there would be a drill at half-past one o'clock P.M. Three or four of us happened to be close to the cook-house door, and of course cleared out. Robbins was outside and out of hearing; we asked him to go with us, and he, being innocent of the order just promulgated, fell in. We put in no appearance till dress parade, but nothing was said till tattoo roll-call, when those who were absent were questioned. Robbins was the first victim, being nearer the right of the line than any of us. The question was, "Did you hear the order given by Sergt. White?"—" No, sir."—"Where were you?"—" Outside the building, sir." Which answers were satisfactory. When the captain came a little short of the centre of the company and found another victim, the brilliant idea struck the culprit to say, "I was with Robbins, sir." (So he was, afterwards.) Robbins corroborated this, and the captain, not happening to ask if the order was heard, passed; and one more was saved. It was a narrow escape, and perhaps the white part of the fib saved the guard-house a temporary boarder.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 41

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

Rain. Continued untill past midnight. We drilled in manuel of arms from 11 Oc to 12 Ос

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 102

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

We was out this morning by request of our Col & had a tryal at target shooting with him the commissioned officers of us, pistol shooting. Capt Hale made the best shooting. forenoon we had company drill & at 4 Oc we ware on dress perade. night I continued my letter to my children. I recd a verry interesting letter from Ellis Burch of Ia.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 103

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

Our Major was grand officer of the day which makes him for this 24 hours next highest in Command to Genl Gorman who is commander of the post TM Fee is officer of the day for the Reg. I drilled the Company fore & afternoon & took them on Dress perade. at 11 Oc last night the long roll beat & some 2 Reg of Inft & 2 or 3 parts of Regments, Cavelry went out in anticipation of an attack on the pickets, but there was no attack.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 103

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

Morning clear & cold with heavy frost & ice on the little ponds thick as heavy window glass Capt drilled the Co & I attended to getting things for our mess the 1st Mo Battery 6 guns came down on the Black Hawk & are camped here. afternoon the 28th Wisconsin Inft came down on ——— & the company grounds being all taken up they passed down

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 103

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

We drilled a short time after our scirmish drill & was on dress perade I received a letter from Emma with the good noose that Amandus is better

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 103

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

Forenoon we drilled some in skirmish. 4 Oc we ware on dress perade I was in town a short time afternoon & priced some things Flour is $4.00 per hundred lbs corn meal 2.50 per hundred Dried peaches 50 cents per lb Dried Apples 40 ct per lb cheese 30 to 40c per lb Butter 30 to 35c per lb Honey 40c per lb Chickens 50 cts each potatoes $2.00 per bu Onions 2.00 per bu Green apples 5.00 per barrel or 2 apples for 5 cts

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 103

Diary of Private Lewis C. Paxson, Monday, February 2, 1863

Thirty-two below zero. I mended my moccasins, Battalion drill.

SOURCE: Lewis C. Paxson, Diary of Lewis C. Paxson: Stockton, N.J., 1862-1865, p. 12

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty, December 31, 1861

General Buell is here, and a grand review took place to-day.

Since we left Elkwater there has been a steadily increasing element of insubordination manifested in many ways, but notably in an unwillingness to drill, in stealing from camp and remaining away for days. This, if tolerated much longer, will demoralize even the best of men and render the regiment worthless.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 90

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, January 8, 1863

To-day is the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans and is celebrated here like the Fourth of July at home. Drill has been attempted, but only about 200 men were fit for it and our camp duties are about all we are able to do.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 82

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Tuesday, March 7, 1865

Day rather cool to be agreeable drilled the co. P. M. 1 hour, rained at 3 P. M. News is that a Rebel Ram French built has appeared in the Gulf, monitor moves up to Flag ship. Reb flag of truce report that news in Mobile is Beauregard has defeated Sherman, & that Lee was evacuating Richmond. The Rebel force at Mobile is augmenting. Deserters report one division of Hoods army 10000 strong to have arrived there.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, Thirty-Third Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, Vol. XIII, No. 8, Third Series, Des Moines, April 1923, p. 577

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Friday, March 10, 1865

Last night quite cold, strong North wind, morning very cold & windy, no wood, water in Gulf two ft- lower on beach than any time since we have been here, bushels of shells, see a small porpoise lieing out on the beach, too rough all day for drill, P. M. after Oysters up the bay. At 8.30 P. M. notice signal lights followed by a rockit from one of the Monitors, Reported that 3 Reb Rams were seen in the Gulf. A rumor current that our Brigade will be sent to Charleston. Evening cold

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, Thirty-Third Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, Vol. XIII, No. 8, Third Series, Des Moines, April 1923, p. 577

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Wednesday, March 15, 1865

Rained most of night, A. M. clear, drilled co., P. M. driven from drill by rain. rains all evening & most of night. T. Thomas joins co from N. O.

SOURCE: “Diary of John S. Morgan, Company G, Thirty-Third Iowa Infantry,” Annals of Iowa, Vol. XIII, No. 8, Third Series, Des Moines, April 1923, pp. 577-8

Diary of Private John J. Wyeth, February 24, 1863

The time for the last two weeks has been used up with drill, quinine, and getting ready for the ball last night. It was ahead of anything yet. The partition between "D" and "E" was taken down, and about all day spent in fixing up our hall. The bunks were hidden by the shelter-tents festooned, and scrolls underneath, with the names of the officers on them. The card of the managers was as follows:

GRAND MASQUERADE BALL.

Sir, The pleasure of your company, with ladies, is respectfully solicited at a Grand Bal-Masque, to be given under the auspices of the 44th Regiment Dramatic Association, at the Barracks of Companies D and E,

On Monday Evening, February 23d, 1863.

Floor Managers.
William Howard,		J. B. Rice,			Jr.,Harry T. Reed
"D."		"E."			"E."
Committee of Arrangements.
Sergt.	G. L. Tripp,		Co. D.		Corpl.	C. E. Tucker,	Co E
"	H. A. Homer,		E.			H.	Howard, D.
Corpl.	Z. T. Haines,		D.			J. H. Waterman,	D.
"	J. B. Gardner,		D.			A. H. Bradish,	E.
"	J. W. Cartwright,		E.			C. H. Demeritt,	D.
"	M. E. Boyd,		D.			D. Howard,	D.
	F. A. Sayer,		D.			E. L. Hill,	A.
Tickets, Ten Cents, to be had only of the Managers. _______________ Masic by the New Berne Quadrille Band. Five pieces
ORDER OF DANCES.
1.	March			Lee's Quickstep.
2.	Quadrille			Sullivan's Double Quick.
3.	Lancers			Richardson's March,
4.	Contra			Skittletop Galop.
5.	Redowa			Odiorne's Choice.
6.	Quadrille			Surgeon's Call.
7.	Polka			Mary Lee's Delight.
8.	Contra			Stehbins' Reel.
INTERMISSION.
9.	Quadrille			Ham Fat Man.
10.	Waltz			Pas de Seul.
11.	Quadrille			Dismal Swamp.
12.	Contra			Friends at Home.
13.	Polka			"Long Acre."
14.	Quadrille			Dug-Out Race.
15.	Military Quadrille			Newell's March.

Generals Foster and Wessels, besides other officers of note, were there, and seemed to be much pleased. Some of the costumes were good. Deacon Foster (H. W. Johnson) walked about the barracks as natural as life. Patten, made up as a Howard-street Sport, was so good, that Capt. Richarson did not recognize him. Among others, Chum Ward showed to advantage as a lady, having borrowed a complete outfit for the occasion.

Promenading and flirting wound up the affair about eleven o'clock.

SOURCE: John Jasper Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass. Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, pp. 39-40

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

9 Oc we went on Battallion drill. after we dismissed I & A Mullen visited the hospital & afternoon he started for home we was on company drill & Dress perade after dismissing I again visited the hospital and endeavored to comfort the suffering. evening we had meeting at the Barracks of Co A. the Chaplain had me to open by prayer he spoke then called on me to exort after that we had a speaking meeting & the power of God was with us & many wept 1st Lieut not able for duty

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 97

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, December 4, 1862

Forenoon we had a fine battalion drill afternoon the orderly & I drilled the company we ware on Dress perade Evening the Chaplain preached in barracks of Co C text prayer is as an anchor to the soul &c. after preaching we had an excellent speaking meeting.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 97