Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, April 6, 1863

One of Company A's men died to-day. His name was Burch. A boat-load of negroes landed here to-day and were taken down towards the city, what for I did not learn. Many of the men in camp are having diarrhea, and some have to go to the hospital, where the diet can be regulated. Some corn and contraband goods were seized to-day a short distance up the river. A man has been suspected for a long time and to-day was seized upon with all his goods. We are expecting letters every day now. We watch the papers for the mail steamers, and if we get no letters are much disappointed.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, pp. 96-7

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, April 7, 1863

Two steamers due and yet no letters. Been loafing about camp so long I feel as if I was an unprofitable servant. But as there is nothing doing I am about as profitable as the rest.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 97

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, April 10, 1863

Yesterday I took the place of a nurse who was ailing, and to-day have been with several others to explore the country roundabouts. We came to an orange orchard and found and cut some sprouts for canes. General Dow and his staff were riding past, and seeing us, rode full tilt towards us, as if to run over us. The general was so busy watching us he never saw a ditch, and into it he went. The horse went down and the general went on his head, landing in the tall grass on all fours. He was not hurt, and after his staff had caught up and helped him on his horse, he came up and said, "To what regiment do you men belong?" Being told, he snapped out, "Report to your quarters at once and don't be seen cutting orange trees again." It is said he roams about like this, driving in any he finds outside, and in other ways making himself unpopular with the boys. However, he didn't take our canes and we have some nice ones to show for the trip.

Two letters to-day, and although they were a month old, they were full of news to me.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 97

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, April 14, 1863

A letter from John Van, with one in it from George Willson and one from T. Templeton of the 150th. They are feeling fine and the regiment has little or no sickness to report.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 98

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, Thursday, April 16, 1863

A letter from Walt Loucks asking me to come and see him. Shall surely go if I can get a pass.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 99

Diary of 5th Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, Friday, April 17, 1863

Went to see Walt. I had a first-rate visit. He is about well. I did little but answer questions about what has been going on since we parted at Camp Chalmette, who is living and who have died and what sort of a place we are in. Found three letters for me when I came back.

Later. Marching orders with two days' cooked rations and 100 rounds of ammunition, blankets and overcoats. I am going, too, unless Dr. Andrus stops me. Must stop and write a letter before taps.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 99

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, Wednesday, February 6, 1861

A pleasant day overhead but muddy under foot. W^m H [Burridge or Burniage?] of Cleveland Ohio dined with us today, Cha^s also. Public affairs look brighter than they did before the Virginia Election. The Peace convention now in Session here sit with closed doors, but as far as known everything with regard to it looks favorable to an adjustment. Had letter today from Brother C R. He will start for Washington 1^st day of March. Did not go down to the Ave'^e tonight. Willie was learning from me how to write his name and to add up figures. The other boys, Halsey & H N, are drawing.

SOURCE: Horatio Nelson Taft, The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11, 1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C., image 16.

Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, Thursday, February 7, 1861

The morning was bright with a fine and cool atmosphere, just freezing, but tonight the wind blows almost a hurricane. I like almost any kind of weather better than a cold wind, consequently I have not gone out tonight. Nothing of importance has occured today. More U S troops have arrived and the idea of taking Washington will I think be abandoned by all who have been so disposed heretofore. Had letters today from Julia and from [S A Dewey or Ducey?]. Sent off ten copies of Agricultural Report of P^t office to friends in different States north. Rejected a case which Hon Schuyler Colfax M.C. has in charge. The “Peace Convention” promises good results.

SOURCE: Horatio Nelson Taft, The Diary of Horatio Nelson Taft, 1861-1865. Volume 1, January 1,1861-April 11, 1862, Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Washington D. C., image 16.

Diary of Private Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Wednesday, June 17, 1863

Drill morning and evening inspection. Received two letters, one from Cousin Jennie, one from Tom Maxwell.

SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 19

Diary of Private Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Tuesday, June 30, 1863

Our work finished and we return to Camp at Tullahoma. Regiment came in soon after. I got a letter from Miss S. A. Jourdan. I went over to the Texas Brigade, saw Doc. Norwood, George Holman, George Jourdan, Frank Wilkes and Billy Dunson. Came back and our Regiment moved out on the right and camped. I went on a scout with Black to Hillsboro; went within one mile and came back; no Yanks there. Traveled all day or I should have said all night. Got back and found the Army on the retreat.

SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 20

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Saturday, April 1, 1865

Lay in the rifle pits all night. Could hear Smith in the night shelling the Reb transports during the night. Were relieved at 8. A M. & march the co to camp, have a chance to send out mail at 10. I write in a hurry a letter home. Alexander Moore, who has been guarding at the wharf was up today & reports the Monitor Milwakee to have been raised, but another Monitor lies over a torpedo which they are trying to remove without exploding it, one man lost his life by fooling with a torpedo which had been taken out. Capt Ledyard hurt himself last night while inspecting the picket line & is ordered to the rear by the Doctor leaving the co in my charge, P. M. am told the torpedo exploded in the bay & sunk the monitor which was on it. Boys busy all day building bombproofs to get into where the enemy begins to shell us.

There was a vigorous shelling kept up all day. After getting to bed was waked by the Adjt who brought me a detail for the co to go out at 3 A. M. to the paralel about 100 yds to rear of the skirmisher for a support to them

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. 582-3

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Tuesday, April 4, 1865

Mail was to leave the camp at 12 today; sat down to write a letter before I was ½ through was detailed to take charge of a squad of 30 men with spades for fatigue & report with them at Div Hd. qtrs. I reported with the detail at 11. A. M. some mistake had been made with reference to the detail as the A. A. G. expicted my detail to have axes. waited with the men until he rode to Brig. Hd. qtrs to ascertain how the mistake had occurred, he returned at 12, М. & ordered me to report at a two gun battery, on the left & near spanish fort. I found the battery & put the men to work to finish it. The 1st Ind heavy Artilery mount 2 30 lb Parrots here while we are at work. These guns are intended to play on the Rebel water battery which annoys us more than all their other guns, while we were at work a staff officer rode around giving orders for all the batteries around the whole line to open out at 5 P. M. & fire 40 ronds to each gun, with intervals of 3 mins. finished the battery a little before 4. but had to hold the detail to tear down a breastwork in front of it which was to come down just before time to open out, at 20 mins before 5 Capt of Battery ordered the work down, men all worked lively as there was danger of the Rebs firing on the party, two men having been wounded here yesterday. Just 3 mins before 5 finished that job & falling the men in started for camp about ¾ mile distant & if the Rebs replied to our batteries in point blank range, had not advanced from the battery more than 200 yds until the whole part of our line was ablaze, walked fast to camp. Rebs did not reply & no accidents occurred. after arrived in camp the Jonnies lifted a few shot over, they tried to sharpshoot our gunners from their fort & sent the balls uncomfortably close. The 33d Mo. & 35th Iowa & 12th Iowa moved in this evening again to our camp our Brig is ordered to the left to fill the places of these Regts. At 8. P. M. fall in & move in the darkness with a little sprinkle of rain 1 mile to the left of our camp, find very poor quarters, lie down almost anywhere for the night.

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. 583-4

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Monday, April 10, 1865

All the Regts rec orders to be supplied with 5 days rations in their haver sacks. Capt Lacy was in our camp looking well & hearty. Mail is to go out at 10. a. m. until which time spend the time in writing. After dinner Templeton & I go out to see the fortifications, see many pools of blood. Can see Mobile from the forts & see some rebel batteries out in the Bay firing at our gunboats & shelling a pontoon bridge we have across Spanish river See a squad of rebs under guard taking up the torpedos which are thickly strewn, the roads are full, they uncover them & build a fire on them to explode them. the pieces fly about with a wicked noise. Saw one place where in the charge 4 men were Killed by the explosion of one torpdo. The Jonnies had extensive works laid off here which would have taken a year to complete but the works completed are ugly to get to over fallen timber & brush thick abbattis & dead loads of torpedos. About 150 of the men who had been at Spanish fort were captured this morning they not knowing this place had been taken were making their way up here. I was to see them & pronounce them the best looking confeds I ever saw, when the forts here were charged yesterday there were two Genls there, but one was taken & it is supposed the other escaped with some of his men who swam the river, but this evening he was captured. he had secreted himself in an commissary boat & undertook to get out & run for it but there were too many guards with muskets close by to allow that. It is rumored here this evening that about two hundred prisoners were taken, found in their holes close by Spanish fort think this not reliable. A supply train started to Thomas early this morning, saw a small detachment of cavalry from his army who say they saw no rebels between him & no report his men wanting grub. Genl Steeles command is ordered to be ready for a forward movement where to not known, the way to Mobile by land is 135 miles & there is a camp rumor that Steeles corps & Smiths corps are to go to the rear of Mobile & Grangers corps to Thomas who will opperate somewhere above. heavy firing has been kept up all day in the bay but do not learn with what effect.

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. 588

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Saturday, April 15, 1865

Soon as breakfast is over sit down to write a letter, not finished before I was detailed to take charge of 40 men & report to Div Head Quarters, was about 9. A. M. when I reported, the detail was to go on the train to Mobile for the purpose of loading & unloading 200 sacks of corn, while we waited for the train saw a squad of 10 negro soldiers with arms come in who had deserted the Rebs & report none closer than 20 miles, they say the Rebs declare they will bush whack us. & also report that Genl Lee had issued an order that all Rebs found in arms after the 1st of April (I think they meant May) should be considered as outlaws. The train started at 9.15, & run down in 20 minutes, left the detail at the depot & went with Capt Jordan A. A. Q. M. to the wharf to see about the corn. was in the Provost Martials office & the citizens of Mobile was doing a big job of swearing swallowing the oath at a gulp. The streets are full of Yankee officers. with their starch on. It was 1. P. M. before the corn was brought to the cars, after which we waited for Cols. Patterson & Grier to come before the train starts, while we wait the coquette a reb. steamer comes down the Mobile river loaded with cotton, she had tried to get off with it but the Yanks got on the river ahead of her & she returned with her cargo. about 4. P. M. our teams just over from the Eastern shore start out to camp. train starts at 4. unload the corn & get to camp just in time as it rains soon after. I have just time to distribute the mail, of which there was but little before the rain fell in perfect floods, rained hard for about an hour, a Regt of Cavalry camp out beyond us tonight & the artilery belonging to the Div moves out, rumors of Lees defeat & surrender grow more in favor. Reported that a fed. force had taken Meridian & that Galveston Texas had surrendered & Texas had sent commissioners to Washington asking to come back into the Union & the privalege of free trade as the residents were starving.

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. 591-2

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Thursday, April 27, 1865

Genl Inspection at 9 A. M. co come in at 11, an extra Roll call was ordered by Genl Benton at 1. P. M all absentees to be reported to Div Head Quarter. Cos A. & B. were sent out to patrol & bring in soldiers found pillaging, several were sent in, A soldier from Forests army says that his men declare publicly if he does not disband them if Jonston surrenders they will kill him & go home, a slight shower at 1 P. M. and sprinkles semi occasionally during the afternoon after supper walk down to the river, call in to see Lt Cory, & after return to camp take a stroll with It Sharman. No boats in, no mail, no news!

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. 596

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 6, 1862

Thursday morning still cloudy & cool Capt. Parke Officer of the day. Lt. Williams Comp. C. has been detailed by the Col. to act as Qr. M. until Qr. M. Sears arrives from Cairo. A regular mail & passenger packet runs the line between this & Cairo

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 236

Diary of Private Edward W. Crippin, March 29, 1862

Saturday Weather cloudy. Heavy firing in the afternoon. We made about One mile to day. Received mail to Day.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 239

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Tuesday, December 16, 1862

Near Oxford. Pleasant and sunny. Health never better. Lost my needle book, very sorry. Received three days' mail; had two papers and a letter from home.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 19

Diary of Musician David Lane, October 18, 1863

Knoxville, Tenn.  Once more have my eyes been gladdened and my heart made to rejoice by the reception of love's sweet messengers—letters from home. How anxiously have I watched and waited, and what a load has been removed by those grateful words, "Well as usual."

But eighteen days is a long time to await tidings of those we love. Arrangements are being made to have our mail carried over the mountains on pack mules. When these arrangements are completed I think there will be more regularity.

We are encamped again near the city, awaiting whatever may turn up. The regiment is in excellent health and spirits. We have become accustomed to soldiers' fare; nothing seems to affect us. There is a striking contrast between old troops and new. When in pursuit of the Rebels beyond Greenville, Wilcox's men tired out and were withdrawn from the chase, while we pursued ten miles further. They are six and nine months men from Indiana.

I see by Northern papers that Rebel sympathizers hope to carry Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania in the coming election, and this hope nerves the Rebel leaders to make the most desperate efforts to hold out yet a little longer. They are doomed to disappointment.

These states will give an overwhelming majority for the Union.

SOURCE: David Lane, A Soldier's Diary: The Story of a Volunteer, 1862-1865, p. 107

Diary of Musician David Lane, October 29, 1863

Lenoir.  Another letter from home last night, dated October 16th. Only four letters in two months; I find, too, my letters are quite as irregular.

I have just learned that Lieutenant Miller starts for home at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning. He will visit my loved ones and tell them all the news. I know not how to express myself in regard to our present situation. I am glad we were not forced to retreat. Still, I am certain we could have held those heights, and to leave without firing a gun! Oh, for a few Wolfords and Grants—men who are "here to fight."

All sorts of rumors are afloat. "Bragg, with all his army, is advancing." Longstreet is crossing the river six miles below Kingston to flank us on the right. Another heavy force is on our left, making for Knoxville. "Wilcox has been driven back from the east," and a hundred others equally encouraging. We know not what to think of it, and yet must criticise and form conclusions. But it is all explained at last. We fell in at 1 o'clock today, marched about a mile to a beautiful grove near a large spring of never-failing water. Here our division formed in line and stacked arms, with orders to remain in line until further notice. Lieutenant Colonel Comstock soon called our regiment to "attention," ordered company commanders in front of center, and then and there revealed to them the long-wished-for intelligence. All officers and men were taken by surprise. We were prepared to hear of some great calamity, but not for this. Nothing like it had ever before happened to the Ninth Army Corps. "Our fall campaign is closed. Prepare for yourselves comfortable quarters for the winter." For a moment there was a silence that could be felt, then a shoat went up that "rent the heavens and shook the everlasting hills." Not simply because we were ordered to prepare winter quarters, but a mysterious movement had been explained a weight of anxiety removed.

SOURCE: David Lane, A Soldier's Diary: The Story of a Volunteer, 1862-1865, pp. 113-5