Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, April 13, 1862

Two gun-boats and two transports came up to Chickasaw and landed about one hundred and twenty cavalry and three regiments of infantry about daylight.* Our picket fell back in advance of the Federals to Bear Creek. After crossing the bridge they (the picket) set fire to it. The Federals continued their movement along the east side of Bear Creek in the direction of the railroad bridge that spans said creek about eight miles from Chickasaw. Having no artillery and only about two hundred cavalry at Iuka, we were poorly prepared to protect said bridge while a force so much superior to ours was now apparently bent on its destruction. However, about one hundred of our battalion and a part of Captain Sanders' Company mounted and moved out to the bridge to see what was up. A few moments after we arrived at the bridge the enemy came in sight on the opposite side of the creek, and firing commenced. We soon found that the enemy had another advantage of us in having long-range guns. A few of our men who happened to have long-range guns returned the fire. Considering it useless for us to make further effort to protect the bridge with such odds against us, we were ordered to fall back. The Federals, after burning the bridge and cutting the telegraph wire, went back to Chickasaw, reboarded their boats and moved back toward Pittsburg Landing that night. No one of our battalion was killed, but three were wounded. One of them, George Davenport, was from Captain Allison's Company. And, by the way, he was the first man of said company that had been wounded. George C. Moore, First Sergeant of Sanders' Company, was wounded. We were reinforced about midnight by cavalry, infantry and artillery, but it was too late to save the bridge.

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*General W. T. Sherman was in command of this expedition.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 165-6

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, April 16, 1862

Our battalion moved about nine miles west and went into camps one-half mile south-west of Burnsville, still in Tishamingo County, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. All the troops, except a few cavalry, left Iuka.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 166

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones: Sunday, September 21, 1862

Rienzi. Was another repetition of that a week ago only on a little larger scale. The horses were harnessed at 1 A. M. and we went out on the Ripley road three quarters of a mile, laid there half an hour waiting for the enemy, then filed left on our drilling ground, drilled half an hour, then came home and unharnessed. Received new gun carriages and caissons in the afternoon. Report of another great battle at Iuka in which 1000 of our men were killed in twenty-five minutes. Colonel Murphy of the 8th put under arrest for withdrawing his men. Stood guard duty.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 6-7

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells: November 28, 1862

I was on guard in front of the Provost-marshall's office today. The troop began to move toward Holly Springs long before day light. While I was in town five batteries and as many brigades passed. Gen. Grant passed us a number of times. He is looking a great deal better than when at Iuka.

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. 14

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, April 3, 1862

I and five others were on picket on the bank of the Tennessee at Chickasaw. About nine o'clock A. M. another gun-boat paid us a visit. She had eleven guns aboard. After spying round awhile, she went back down the river, without either landing any troops or firing a gun. The battalion moved to Iuka, and camped in the “Iuka Springs" lot, in the edge of town. There were a couple of nice mineral springs there.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 139

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Saturday, April 5, 1862

The battalion moved to a nice camping place in an old field, one mile west of luka, where it remained about eleven days.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 139-40

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, March 23, 1862

After a ride of about thirty miles, crossing Big Bear Creek, the battalion went into camps near Iuka, in Tishamingo County, Mississippi, within about twenty-five miles of Corinth. The battalion remained near Iuka for about three weeks. Distance from Decatur to Tuscumbia, forty-eight miles; from Decatur to luka, eighty-five.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 138

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, March 24, 1862*

A little after dark seventy-five of the battalion went out to guard the railroad bridge which crossed Bear Creek about seven miles east of Iuka.

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*Brother Will and I left the battalion at Tuscumbia (on the 22d) to visit some of our relatives (Aunt Martha Ramsey's and Uncle Ben Hancock's families), who lived fourteen miles south on the Russellville road. After spending an evening and one night very pleasantly with our relatives, we rejoined the battalion at Iuka on the 24th.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 138

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, March 25, 1862

Bear Creek empties into the Tennessee River eight miles north-east of Iuka. Chickasaw was a little village above, or on the east of Bear Creek, and Eastport was below, both on the bank of the Tennessee. The Confederates had a battery at the latter place. Two Federal gun-boats came up the river to Eastport, and opened fire on our battery. The boats fell back down the river soon after our battery opened on them. A part of our battalion was still guarding Bear Creek bridge.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 138

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Monday, October 26, 1863

This morning at two o'clock the bugle's blast is heard and soon the regiment is moving towards Iuka. At daylight we come to a halt one and a half miles from Iuka where we tie up and feed, after which Colonel Rowett proceeds with the regiment to Iuka, and reports to General Sherman.

Companies A, B, C, D, E, G and K, go into camp in the woods west of Iuka. Companies H, I and F, under the command of Captain Johnson, pass through Iuka and go into camp as an out-post, on the road leading south.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 200-1

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, October 29, 1863

To-day the sullen roar of artillery is heard in the front, towards the Tennessee river. The troops are soon in motion. Sherman and staff are now leaving Iuka for the advance; the conjectures are that a storm is brewing down by the Tennessee. Sherman is now moving with his army to form a junction with General Rosecrans, and the probabilities are that Bragg will attempt to check him.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 201

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Wednesday, November 4, 1863

This morning companies H and A escort the Second Michigan Battery out to the camp of the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry. Rumor has it now that the troops will all leave Iuka in the morning for Eastport, Tennessee river. All are in confusion this evening. Considerable excitement amongst sutlers and "civilians," for the order has come for the command to move to-morrow, at 7 A. M.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 202-3

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, November 5, 1863

The bugle blows at early dawn, all are soon up and prepared to move; it is now raining in torrents. All the infantry are now in motion. During the morning the Seventh stand in the rain, expecting to move every minute. We wait and wait; mid-day is now passed and the Seventh still at luka. After this standing in the rain all day waiting for an order to move forward, we receive orders to unsaddle and remain another night, and in consequence the Seventh are far from being in a good humor this evening.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 203

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Friday, November 6, 1863

 This morning, the troops being all gone, we leave Iuka for Eastport, where we arrive about noon.

The troops are now busy crossing the river. We go into camp for the night with orders to be ready to cross early in the morning.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 203

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, October 25, 1863*

Gen. Sherman's command for the last week has been thronging Corinth, and moving on towards Iuka. Marching orders is now the cry in camp. Four o'clock P. M. we are in the saddle with three days' rations. General Dodge's entire command is now in motion. Our regiment moves on the road leading through Jacinto, Mississippi, to Iuka. Nine o'clock in the evening we go into camp at Jacinto.

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* Possibly Sunday, October 25th. This is an undated paragraph at the beginning of a new chapter, previous to this was the entry for Saturday, October 24th, and the next entry is for Monday, October 26th. So this is either a continuation of the entry for the 24th, a new entry for the 26th, or a remembrance placed at the head of the chapter to keep the reader up to day of the movements of the 7th Illinois Infantry. — Your Blog Editor

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 200

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: July 8, 1863

Last night about four hundred of Roddy's command ventured to the government corral, two miles from Corinth, capturing a company of the Thirty-ninth Iowa, and drove off about six hundred mules. Cornyn, with his cavalry, is now in hot pursuit. In the evening the Seventh's bugle blows, and we are soon in the saddle. We travel nearly all night on the road leading towards Iuka. The boys become very sleepy, and it is with difficulty that they remain on their mules.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 177-8

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, July 9, 1863

This morning about two o'clock we come to a halt near Burnsville, Mississippi, and send a company forward to reconnoitre. During this time the remaining companies obtain some little sleep; some reclining by the road side, some in the road. Occasionally a mule steps upon a soldier, and then the poor meek creature gets a set-back. At daylight the company sent out returns without discovering anything. The bugle now blows and we move on a few miles and halt upon a blue grass common to graze the mules and eat our breakfast, after which we move on to Iuka, where we remain about one-half hour and return to Burnsville, halt, feed, and eat our supper. About dark the bugle blows and the regiment is soon in the saddle. We move on to Glendale, halt and lie down to obtain some rest.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 178

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: May 1, 1863

Our brigade is in the advance this morning. Notwithstanding so many are foot sore we march briskly, and arriving at Iuka about noon we halt and wait for the train and the rear to come up. Thousands of freedmen, exiles from bondage, are now following the command. They dream of freedom, and their hopes beat high; they are building castles in the air, but we imagine that they will be disappointed in their ideal of freedom. After the train and the rear come up we proceed to Burnsville, and go into camp, Oh! how weary the soldiers are to night, and no rations, only ten pounds of meal to the company is all we have, and twenty miles from Corinth—things appear somewhat bilious. What mean these shouts from the camps on the surrounding hills, that are now rending the air? We listen, and we hear a train coming up the road from Corinth. It comes loaded with supplies, and all are made to wear a pleasing smile, for now we have plenty to satisfy the cravings of the inner man; and to night for the first time since leaving our camp at Town Creek, we lie down without being too hungry to sleep.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 158

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: April 14, 1863

Remaining in camp at Corinth without anything of note occurring until the evening of the 14th, we receive marching orders. The guerrilla Roddy, having been hovering around Glendale and Iuka, committing unwarranted depredations for some time, the rumors this evening, confirmed by general indications are, that General Dodge is about to start on an expedition against him, and the camps seem in a bustle all around Corinth this evening.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 146

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, April 16, 1863

This morning the boys are soon up, eager to push forward. We eat our breakfast and are moving by six o'clock. The sun shines intensely hot to-day, and in consequence many fag by the way.

We halt for our dinner at Iuka, Mississippi, which place is noted for its mineral springs, the resort of the chivalry, where in brighter days they loved to rehearse to the south's fair ones their gallant deeds; but those days have flown, and on these rocks the encased swords of the Union's warriors now make grating music. After dinner we move on, march hard all the afternoon, and at night go into camp three miles from Bear River.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 147