Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, November 1, 1862

I was on guard today. The Sixth Division received orders to march in the morning.¹  We are to go in light equipment, leaving here our knapsacks and tents, which are to be put in storage.

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¹ The Eleventh Iowa regiment was within fifty miles of Corinth for two hundred and thirty-four days, and in that time took active part in the two days’ battle at Pittsburg Landing, the siege of Corinth, two months of garrisoning and fortifying Corinth, forty-two days in fortifying and garrisoning Bolivar, the battle of Iuka and garrison duty there, the two days’ battle of Corinth and then the pursuit of the enemy and return to Corinth. During all this time Company E was with the regiment performing its full duty. The losses of our company were nine killed in battle and five dying of disease, making fourteen of the company whose bodies were laid away under the green sod. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 80

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, October 15, 1862

We are once more getting settled in camp. Our duties are not as laborious as they were at Bolivar and Iuka. We have begun the building of forts and rifle-pits, close in, all around Corinth, so that a small force can hold the place. We are pulling down some of the vacant houses to make room for fortifications. But the fortifications will not be on as grand a scale as those built here during the summer. They will be smaller, too, than the fortifications which protected us during the battle here.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 76

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, October 1, 1862

The Eleventh Iowa was ordered down into town last night, for it was expected that the rebels would make a charge into town to burn our rations. We think, however, that they want our rations for their own haversacks. We formed a line of battle and lay in the streets all night, but the rebels did not show themselves. We received orders to march at daylight this morning. The cars came in from Corinth at 4 o’clock this morning, and the sick men, our baggage, and the remainder of our stores were loaded up and sent to our headquarters at Corinth. By noon Iuka was expected to be entirely evacuated by our men. Our regiment marched twenty-three miles and bivouacked for the night within six miles of Corinth.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 72

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Friday, September 26, 1862

I was on fatigue duty down in town today, helping to dismount the guns and load them with the ammunition upon the cars to be shipped to Corinth. We are preparing to leave Iuka as soon as possible, but it is slow work, as the railroad is in bad shape, and there is only one train a day.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 71

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, September 23, 1862

We moved out of the old camp in the woods and went into bivouac in a large field. We are obliged to form a line of battle every morning at 2 o'clock and remain in line until after sunrise. A few of the rebel cavalry are still watching us in this vicinity. Our entire division is at this place, but it is thought that we shall soon leave for Corinth, as Iuka is not a very important point to hold, but Corinth, because of its two railroad lines, is very important.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 71

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, September 20, 1862

We remained in line of battle all night and early this morning advanced in a line about two miles, when we received orders to march on into Iuka. The rebels retreated during the night, and General Rosecrans' forces are after them. We learned this morning that a battle had been fought yesterday here by Rosecrans' forces alone. When we were waiting for the sound of Rosecrans' cannon, we could not hear them on account of an unfavorable wind. The rebels attacked him and made the fight come off a day before the time set for our capture of them. The Sixteenth Iowa of Crocker's Brigade had been detached from us and sent forward, being the only regiment of our brigade engaged in the fight. Their loss was fourteen killed. The Fifth Iowa in Rosecrans' army was trapped in an ambush which was made with a battery masked in green leaves, and lost forty-one killed. The rebels were driven out and left their dead and wounded on the field. Quite a number of our wounded are now being brought into town from the battlefield. Iuka is a nice place with some good buildings. It is well supplied with good water from splendid springs. There is poor farming land around here, it being quite rolling in this part of Tennessee. The timber, mostly pine, is rather scrubby.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 70

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, September 1, 1862

We were expecting to be attacked today and so were in line of battle most of the time. Our pickets to the south of town are still skirmishing.¹ The weather is very hot.

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¹It was the belief In camp that there was only a small force of the enemy In the locality of Bolivar, but that they were quite active to make our commanders think that they were here In large force to take the place, and so make us keep a large force there while their real objective was Corinth. We had then but a small force at Corinth while the Confederates had their main army in the vicinity of Iuka, Mississippi, with the view of capturing Corinth. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 65