Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, October 28, 1862

Forenoon we drilled in the manuel of arms evening I took Miss Richey of Ill to the sociable at the M E Church Chatam Square we had a pleasant time

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 93

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, October 29, 1862

We drilled forenoon in manual of arms & afternoon in battallion drill & dress perade Our Reg took a march through the citty & drilled some on main Street evening I wrote our Capt a letter visited the hospitals & with our 1st & 2nd Seargent took a dish of Oisters two of the men of our Reg in Capt Vermilions Co. ware sent home to be buried

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 93-4

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, October 30, 1862

Forenoon I drilled the Co in the manual of arms afternoon we ware on battallion drill & dress perade & ware down on main street & had our arms inspected I visited our boys in the hospital morning & night some of them are verry sick one of Co [F] Capt Vermilion died he is a brother to one that was sent up yesterday

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 94

Diary of Captain Joseph Stockton, February 12, 1863

We have a splendid camping ground, plenty of wood and water, Made ourselves very comfortable. I feel so much better here where we can have batallion drills and dress parade.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 8

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: August 1, 1861

It is said the pickets of the Fourteenth Indiana and the enemy's cavalry came in collision to-day, and that three of the latter were killed.

It is now 9 P. M. Sergeants are calling the roll for the last time to-night. In half an hour taps will be sounded and the lights extinguished in every private's tent. The first call in the morning, reveille, is at five; breakfast call, six; surgeon's call, seven; drill, eight; recall, eleven; dinner, twelve; drill again at four; recall, five; guard-mounting, half-past five; first call for dress-parade, six; second call, half-past six; tattoo at nine, and taps at half-past. So the day goes round.

Hardee for a month or more was a book of impenetrable mysteries. The words conveyed no idea to my mind, and the movements described were utterly beyond my comprehension; but now the whole thing comes almost without study.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 41

Diary of 1st Sergeant John S. Morgan, Monday, January 2, 1865

Not very well today. drill the co part of the time this P. M. Recd mail, a letter from Mattie

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. 570

Diary of 1st Sergeant John S. Morgan, Tuesday, January 3, 1865

Feel rather blue but finish the Pay rolls P. M. Battalian drill was not out.

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. 570

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Tuesday, October 1, 1861

Cooks were discharged this morning their time having expired The reported capture of Capt. Ritters comp proves to be false comp Drills in the forenoon to day And Battalion Drill as usual. Another report is comon this evening that our troops have been driven from Norfolk and falling back on Birds Point the Enemy advancing Fifteen Thousand strong.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 227

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Wednesday, October 2, 1861

morning dark & gloomy Drissling rain Roll call as usual but Drill omitted. no drilling to day whatever An order was issued by the Gen. about 11 O'clock to day for 10 men and one Lieut. with arms and 10 rounds of ammunition each Dress Parade as usual this evening.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 227

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Friday, October 4, 1861

Battalion Drill as usual this afternoon. Lt. William taken sick with the measles to day nothing of importance transpiring to day.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 228

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Saturday, October 5, 1861

morning clear & nice Health of camp improving only 3 of our Comp. now in the Hospital. Capt. Parke making arrangements for going home—has drawn his pay from the Pay Master. Drilling as usual both forenoon and afternoon

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 228

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Monday, October 7, 1861

morning clear and pleasant. Duties as usual. Battalion Drill as usual Nothing of importance to day.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 228

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Saturday, October 12, 1861

Morning clear and pleasant—Drill in the forenoon Battalion Drill in the afternoon all the Regt. out also the Bloody 18th Col Lawler was up on parade with us tis said his Regt. has joined our Brigade

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 228

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, Monday, October 14, 1861

morning clear air and bracing. Drilling from 6 to 7 O'clock. to day is Pay Day Comps. A. & E. are paid first—as they are going off on a scouting expidition—To-morrow we get paid, the boys are over joyed at getting their pay, have been disappointed so often that they had no confidence any more as to the promised pay day. Have no Battalion Drill to day. A stern wheel Boat came up the River this afternoon with a flag of Truce flying The purport of her visit is no known This Brigade was ordered down town on Double Quick this evening and paraded about an hour on the levy

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 228

Diary of Corporal John W. Dennett, January 4, 1863

The battery was inspected in the forenoon, and began to drill for the first time since we crossed the river. Mrs. J. C. Johnson of Boston sent the battery a case of knit jackets, one for each man,—one hundred and fifty in all. These jackets cost two dollars apiece in Boston.

SOURCE: John Lord Parker, Henry Wilson's Regiment: History of the Twenty-second Massachusetts Infantry, the Second Company Sharpshooters and the Third Light Battery, in the War of the Rebellion, p. 271

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: November 14, 1862

All quiet. We had brigade drill this forenoon. Our brigade consists of the 7th Missouri, 8th, 63rd and 18th Illinois, commanded by Col. Stevenson of the 7th Missouri. Our regiment is the first of the fourth brigade, third division, of the right wing of Gen. Grant's army. Gen. John A. Logan made a speech to the troops this afternoon.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 13

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: November 20, 1862

Col. Stevenson made a few remarks to us this morning after drill. He is good natured and jolly, and a fine speaker. He gave us great praise and said he had the 7th Missouri, 8th and 63rd Illinois, with the pick of another five or six regiments, among them ours. He took us and placed us on the right of his brigade in preference to any other.

SOURCE: Seth James Wells, The Siege of Vicksburg: From the Diary of Seth J. Wells, Including Weeks of Preparation and of Occupation After the Surrender, p. 13

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones: Tuesday, September 2, 1862

Rienzi, Miss.  We went out in the morning to drill on the field but did not see much into the wild scampering way. I wrote to Sp[ring] Gr[een]. Had no time to write home before mail went out. Was drilled on foot by Corporal Sweet in the evening.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 3

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones: Wednesday, September 3, 1862

Rienzi.  Woke by the bugle at 3:30 A. M.; went out to roll call and drill. The weather fine. Washed shirt and stockings for first time. Wrote home. Drilled by Syl. Sweet in the evening on the gun. The enemy skirmished our pickets, wounded three; our horses were harnessed ready. I felt a little flushed.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 3

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones: Thursday, September 4, 1862

Rienzi.   Acted as No. 6 on drill to-day. Made a galloping time of it. Did my first sweeping. Saw the first nigger dance; watered horses in the evening; fell in with clothes on.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 3