Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Saturday, March 18, 1865

Regt on the road at 6. at 7.30 made Bon secure bayou. see great heaps of oyster shells more low ground today. they bay & gulf one place at the neck not more than 34 of a mile apart. Hear heavy guns all P. M. supposed to be the fleet at Mobile, move about 10 miles today. We see one happy wench. we were the first yankees she had seen. After dark a squad of 15, belonging to the Div. 2 of whom belong to our Regt get into camp. They were at Ft. Gaines Hosp. crossed to Morgan & finding their Regt gone pushed on & walked all the way from the Cove today. They report Genl. Veaches Div. coming right on & Genl Smiths Corps landing at the Cove & will start Monday The Estimate is 10000 men with us & 20000 more to follow & we expect to form junction with Steele, who started from Pensacola the 17th with between 20000 and 25000 men

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. 578

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Monday, March 20, 1865

Regt in line to move at 6. Rec orders to wait. At 12. I am sent with a detail to corderoy the road. The train all stuck in the mud. men pull the wagons out with ropes. At 3. I am relieved and report to the Regt. At 3.40 Regt in line to guard a train of 20 wagons, (all that had been got over) to the other Brigade ahead, as they are out of rations. Met Genl Grangers ambulances one mile out, begins to rain before we get through rains hard & is very dark. Get through at 9. The train sticks in the mud & is hard to get through. hear cannonading on the Bay all P. M. we are now in the turpentine orchards, hundreds of pounds of resin on the trees, get supper at 9, raining, retire at 10. Genl Veaches Div has overtaken our rear. The Regt moved 6 miles today.

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. 578-9

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Wednesday, March 22, 1865

Fine day; lay in camp all day quite a no of the men out to forage. see some Rebs. Capt sent back with detail for rations. Men pull the wagons. Evening Genls Granger & Veach have Hd Qtrs in our camp. Heavy artillery heard all day supposed by some to be Steele fighting Genls. Canby Smith & Osterhaus are at Fish river Foragers sees the ruins of a large turpentine factory. destroyed by fire about 2 weeks ago, which accounts for the big smokes we had noticed & find 100 prs good new drawers & 200 prs negro's cotton pants

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. 579

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Friday, March 24, 1865

Fatigue party goes out at 5. a. m. to unload boats. spend A. M. going to the Commissary for grub, and writing. P. M. go with Lt Loughridge to camp of 8th Iowa, while there this Regt rec's orders to be ready to march at daylight tomorrow morning with 4 days rations in their haver sacks. Genl Smiths whole corps rec's the same orders. We see post of the line of breastworks about this camp, which are good & strong & 9 miles in extent, seems as though these things come by magic, they rise so quick. Genl Veachs Div gets in this P. М.; After dark the train comes in, there is a big shout when the train crosses the pontoons. They lost by bushrangers 14 men drivers. & as many mules Lt Loughridge & I were out after Tattoo to learn the cause of the cheering when the train was coming in, & hear some sweet music in another Regt. Word in camp that in a skirmish 3 miles from camp this P. M. several men were wounded. 2 ambulance loads said to have come in.

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. 579-80

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Sunday, February 19, 1865

Pass Port Hudson in the night also Battan Rouge. all day passing through the richest contry I ever saw. fine plantations splendid houses & villages of negro houses in regular order with streets; land at Carrolton at 3. P. M. go off & look around but few troops here. Saw flowers in bloom, & oranges on trees. town all the way from here to New Orleans which place we land at at 4 P. M. Gnl Reports. we then cross & disimbark at Algiers at 4.30. any amount of Black troops, & our Brigade which is again disorganized. Hear that Genl Steele is removed. Genl Veach assigned the comd of a Div, raining when we land and 10. P. M. before our things get to camp. no wood & no fire. More than 200 sailing vessels lieing in river here and about 50 to 100 steamboats some 20 gunboats, no end to small craft. Some troops leave on a steam sailing vessel for 3d time wrecked and loss 15 men

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. 574

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Tuesday, February 21, 1865

Was over in town A. M. Regt. expected to leave P. M & Genl V—— would not forward application for discharge. P. M. Regt drew twins, "Belle ve Dere" our ship, come but the Capt would not take on more than two Regts. The 77th Ohio embarked Storm comes up about 5 P. M. Men all get wet, but make merry. Go to bed about 8, the storm still raging. Seagulls plenty

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. 575

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Thursday, February 9, 1865

Cool & raw today. a. m. spent running about. Called to see Charlie who is mending rapidly. Cory pretty sick H. Bowman back to the Co. Genl. Car relieved from the command of the Detached Brigade & Genl Veach late comdg at Memphis assigned to comd the Brigade The 29th Iowa left at 6.30 A. M. on the cars. P. M. drew & issued clothing. Boxing up surplus clothing to ship to Keokuck Subject to the order of Co commanders. Evening cool

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. 573