Bright and clear,
warm and pleasant. How well do I remember two short years ago today when we
took a sleigh ride and made a regular family visit at Uncle Tim's. Since then I
have traveled over four thousand miles, five hundred and eighty of which I
marched with gun on my shoulder; have seen more vice and drunkenness than I
ever supposed existed, yet I hope I am morally no worse than when surrounded by
kind relatives and friends. An orderly call beat immediately after reveille
this morning at which time we received orders to cook our rations and be ready
by half past seven. We cooked our fresh pork and by the appointed time had it
in our haversacks, and our knapsacks strapped on our backs, ready for the
march. We went eight miles and camped close to a small town called Lafayette,
situated on the Memphis and Charleston R. R. As soon as we had pitched our
tents, Chas. Berry and myself went out one mile from camp and killed a hog. We
are now the first regiment of the first brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General
McArthur, of Gen. Hamilton's corps, of the left wing of Gen. Grant's army. We
were put in the rear of the brigade today as a special guard to keep up the stragglers.
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, pp. 24-5
