Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, December 22, 1862

All seemed quiet in the morning & we started on our way. 12 noon we passed the Noted Island No 10 viewed as we passed the squads of soldiers & their trusty cannon commanding the Mississippi each way. at dark we landed at Mitchaels wood yard and tied up for the night. I being officer of the Guard had the pleasure of placing out the first picket guard of our Regiment in an enemys country Tennisee & releeving it & passing around to see that all was wright

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 100

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, December 23, 1862

5 Oc morning I went out and brought in the picket guard and we loosed cable & started, we landed on Island No. 36 Arkansas & wooded Mississippi County, 45 miles above Memphis. 5 Oc we landed at Memphis and at 7 Oc we was called of the boat & formed in line marched into Court Square & formed in columns by companies ordered to load & lay down in line on our arms. it is a beautifull place with new trees & blue grass, so we all laid on the grass and had a good sleep. I wrote a letter in there by the gass light to my children. the people are much excited & are expecting an attact on the citty & are rejoicing at our arivel.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 100

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 19, 1863

The different corps had only taken such positions yesterday as they could in the dark, but today troops were constantly being brought forward and assigned positions as best they could. Our regiment was still in the front. Skirmishing commenced early in the morning. Company E advancing. I had charge of the skirmishers. They drove the rebel pickets in and took an advanced position. They were not strong enough, and I went back to the regiment and brought forward Company K, Captain Reid. They were advancing over a hill, when Captain Reid was shot through the wrist. He was taken to the rear and had his arm amputated that day. He was a brave man and a surveyor by profession, and should he survive would miss his arm and hand terribly. Two companies from Logan's Division relieved us and we rejoined the regiment. General Ransom ordered me to reconnoiter and see if I could not find a way to join the brigade to Sherman's left without cutting through the cane brakes, which were as thick as they could grow. I never had such work in all my life, climbing up and down ravines, my horse at one time getting so tangled that I was afraid I would have to leave him—through cane, over and under fallen trees, guided by the sound of artillery, until I found the artillery, which to my agreeable surprise was Batteries A and B, Chicago Light Artillery. I stayed but a few moments and hastened to report to General Ransom. Bullets were flying thick, but I fortunately escaped being hit. I had found a good road and led the brigade to the position assigned us; got into position at once and ordered to charge at two p. m. Started forward up a steep hill and across an open field, when the Rebs opened on us, killing and wounding twenty of the regiment in five minutes—one shell took a file clean out of Company D, killing every man. We could not reply as they were behind entrenchments. We sought shelter in a ravine, leaving our dead on the field until night. At night we had a burial party, buried them, and a hundred men were detailed to throw up rifle pits along the brow of the hill we had crossed. All worked silently; the Rebs would oссаsionally open on us with artillery and musketry, but no harm was done.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 15

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, May 26, 1863

We have now commenced to make a regular siege. We have the rebels cooped in and intend keeping them there. Pickets are thrown out in front pretty well up to their works, and all day long the firing is steady, but without much damage.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 17

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, May 21, 1862

A scout went out to Burnsville and learned that one hundred and five Federal cavalry had been there the evening before. So all except the pickets went back to camps.

Colonel McCulloch's Battalion and ours were all the troops stationed near Jacinto.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 170

Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, January 8, 1863

Orders are very strict. If caught outside of the pickets the fine is ten dollars. We get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and stack our arms. I am on parole guard today. We expect to move in a day or two.

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. 25

Diary of 4th Corporal Bartlett Yancey Malone: July 1, 1862

just twelve months from the time I left home we crost over and about 10 oclock we overtaken the scamps again And they comenced throwing bumbs amung us And we amung them And thar was a very heavey canonading cept up all day And a little befour night the pickets comenced fyring And from that time untell about a hour in the night thar was very hard fiting don indeed And a great meney kild and wounded on boath sids in our company M. Miles L. Smith, B. Murphey, I. Calmond, G. Lyons And my self was all hurt

SOURCE: Bartlett Yancey Malone, The Diary of Bartlett Yancey Malone, pp. 22-3

Diary of 4th Corporal Bartlett Yancey Malone: December 12, 1862

we was marched around to the left of our armey and was expecting to have to fight every minnet but did not for thar was no fiting don except the pickets and cannonading

SOURCE: Bartlett Yancey Malone, The Diary of Bartlett Yancey Malone, p. 26

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant John S. Morgan, Saturday, February 4, 1865

Last night pickets of 43d Ills Kill one capture one and see another bushwhacker. Colm moves at 6.30 for the Rocks, Roads 1½ good 1½ very bad. at the burned mill at 12, in our quarters at 3 P. M. Marching orders awaiting us Find our details all back from up rivers except corp schippers wonded in head and left at Clarksville. Rebs captured the Chipawa with detail of 50th Ind. Rebs were 1500 with 3 pieces Artilery. boat crew parolled Raining this Evening. recd our mail but little of it.

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. 572-3

Diary of Dr. Alfred L. Castleman, October 24, 1861

A little skirmish to-day, amounting to almost nothing. A party of four or five hundred went out in the morning, came upon the enemy's pickets, and firing on them, drove them in. Then, on returning, our four or five hundred found five men in the field, drawing manure, and well armed with shovels and dung-forks. We took them all prisoners, without losing a man! Wonder, if by to-morrow, this cannot be magnified into another "Great Victory," to offset the terrible disaster at Edward's Ferry. This "Grand Army of the Potomac" is a great field in which to win glory. Victories make glory, and victories with us are very cheap.

SOURCE: Alfred L. Castleman, The Army of the Potomac. Behind the Scenes. A Diary of Unwritten History; From the Organization of the Army, by General George B. McClellan, to the close of the Campaign in Virginia about the First Day January, 1863, p. 48

Diary of Major Joseph Stockton, March 25, 1863

Went out today and visited the pickets. Riding through the woods is fearful on both man and beast, as the gnats and mosquitoes are terrible, particularly on the horse. Firing going on all day with the rebel pickets—could see them distinctly.

SOURCE: Joseph Stockton, War Diary (1862-5) of Brevet Brigadier General Joseph Stockton, p. 11

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: August 17, 1861

Was awakened this morning at one o'clock, by a soldier in search of a surgeon. One of our pickets had been wounded. The post was on the river bank. The sentinel saw a man approaching on the opposite side of the river, challenged, and saw him level his gun. Both fired. The sentinel was wounded in the leg by a small squirrel bullet. The other man was evidently wounded, for after it became light enough he was traced half a mile by blood on the ground, weeds, and leaves. The surgeon is of the opinion that the ball struck his left arm. From information obtained this morning, it is believed this man is secreted not many miles away. A party of ten has been sent to look for him.

This is by far the pleasantest camp we have ever had. The river runs its whole length. The hospital and surgeons' tents are located on a very pretty little island, a quiet, retired spot, festooned with vines, in the shadow of great trees, and carpeted with moss soft and velvety as the best of Brussels.

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 56-7

Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel John Beatty: August 24, 1861

Last night a sentinel on one of the picket posts halted a stump and demanded the countersign. No response being made, he fired. The entire Fifteenth Indiana sprang to arms; the cannoniers gathered about their guns, and a thousand eyes peered into the darkness to get a glimpse of the approaching enemy. But the stump, evidently intimidated by the first shot, did not advance, and so the Hoosiers returned again to their couches, to dream, doubtless, of the subject of a song very common now in camp,to wit:

"Old Governor Wise,

With his goggle eyes."

SOURCE: John Beatty, The Citizen-soldier: Or, Memoirs of a Volunteer, p. 64

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.

_______________

*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 23, 1862

Six of Captain Allison's Company (J. W. Kennedy, H. L. W. Turney, Jim Thomas, W. E. Rich, Tom O'Conner and B. A. Hancock), whom we had left at home in Middle Tennessee, had made their way out through the Federal lines, and after about thirteen days' travel rejoined their company at Burnsville on the above date.

We were still picketing the various roads leading out from Burnsville.

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

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, April 28, 1862

It was reported that the Federals were at Sulphur Springs, some twelve or fifteen miles from Burnsville.

The picket on that road was reenforced about midnight.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 166-7

Diary of Private Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Sunday, March 1, 1863

Got his wagon and hauled one load to Camp. Camp moved three miles further up the pike. I went up Creek and got Mr. Jonichin to start with his wagon. Went on top the mountain to get two more wagons and as I came back the Yanks ran our pickets in. I came near being caught by them. Came back down Creek and told J. He turned back. I and Polk then went on to Camp. After going to bed, all waked up and fell back to the other Camp.

SOURCE: Ephraim Shelby Dodd, Diary of Ephraim Shelby Dodd: Member of Company D Terry's Texas Rangers, p. 9

Diary of 4th Corporal Bartlett Yancey Malone: June 26, 1862

we travield sloley down the Chickahominy River driving in the pickets as we went

SOURCE: Bartlett Yancey Malone, The Diary of Bartlett Yancey Malone, p. 22

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: April 5, 1865

Bright and pleasant.

Stayed with my next door neighbors at their request last night—all females. It was quiet; and so far the United States pickets and guards have preserved perfect order.

The cheers that greeted President Lincoln were mostly from the negroes and Federals comprising the great mass of humanity. The white citizens felt annoyed that the city should be held mostly by negro troops. If this measure were not unavoidable, it was impolitic if conciliation be the purpose.

Mr. Lincoln, after driving to the mansion lately occupied by Mr. Davis, Confederate States President, where he rested, returned, I believe, to the fleet at Rocketts.

This morning thousands of negroes and many white females are besieging the public officers for provisions. I do not observe any getting them, and their faces begin to express disappointment.

It is said all the negro men, not entering the army, will be put to work, rebuilding bridges, repairing railroads, etc.

I have seen a New York Herald of the 3d, with dispatches of the 1st and 2d inst. from Mr. Lincoln, who was at City Point during the progress of the battle. He sums up with estimate of 12,000 prisoners captured, and 50 guns.

The rumor of a success by Gen. Lee on Monday is still credited. Per contra, it is reported that President Davis is not only a captive, but will soon be exhibited in Capitol Square.

The Rev. Mr. Dashiell, who visited us to-day, said it was reported and believed that 6000 South Carolina troops threw down their arms; and that a large number of Mississippians deserted giving such information to the enemy as betrayed our weak points, etc.

Three P.M. I feel that this Diary is near its end.

The burnt district includes all the banks, money-changers, and principal speculators and extortioners. This seems like a decree from above!

Four P.M. The Square is nearly vacated by the negroes. An officer told me they intended to put them in the army in a few days, and that the Northern people did not really like negro equality any better than we did.

Two rumors prevail: that Lee gained a victory on Monday, and that Lee has capitulated, with 35,000 men.

The policy of the conquerors here, I believe, is still undecided, and occupies the attention of Mr. Lincoln and his cabinet.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 471-2

Diary of Private Adam S. Johnston, August 26, 1862

Left the Tunnel camp and arrived at Grallatin on the same day, driving General Morgan and his forces out of the above named town, killing one of the rebel pickets because he would not halt when ordered by one of our number, and took possession of the town for the night, making a march of 7 miles.

SOURCE: Adam S. Johnston, The Soldier Boy's Diary Book, p. 19