Diary of Private Seth J. Wells, January 19, 1863

Cold, rainy and windy. We lay here all day coaling up, and suffered with the cold. Most of the boys kept warm by drinking whisky. Nearly all have their canteens full. We have details patrolling the town, picking up the stragglers. Still rainy and disagreeable. At 1:30 the boats backed off and started down the river. We stopped a few minutes at the forts, two or three miles below the town. There are fifteen boats in the fleet, among the principal ones are the "Nettie Dean," "Silver Moon," "Minnehaha," "Platte Valley," "Superior," "Maria Denning," "Sunnyside," "St. Louis, "Gate City," "Mary Forsythe," "City of Madison," “Arago," and "Belle Reora." Our regiment lost about fifty men at Memphis, three from our company. At dark we tied up to the Arkansas shore. It was dreary and cold but I went on shore on purpose to put my foot on Arkansas soil. We set our pickets and stayed all night. Abe Van Aukin and I slept under Jim Mitchell's bunk, the same as the night before and slept fine.

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, pp. 29-30

Diary of Private Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Sunday, November 30, 1862

Lumpkin's Mill, Miss. This was a dark and sultry morning, and about 8 A. M. while sitting upon the ground, I felt the earth shake a kind of a dull roll, which was felt by many. Firing with siege guns was commenced at about nine o'clock and kept up briskly through most of the day. While listening to the firing, expecting momentarily to be called upon, the orders came to hitch up, get two days' rations in haversacks, and ready to march in half an hour. 11 A. M. At this time L. N. Keeler rode up for one man to go foraging. Sergeant Hamilton detailed me. We started with two teams and three men, Bowman, Leffart and myself. We went to the northeast one and one fourth miles, crossed the railroad, found our corn in an old log barn. We had to turn around before loading in order to be ready to leave in case of necessity, as the pickets close by were expecting an attack. We loaded our corn got three quarters of a barrel of salt from the smoke house and returned in a hurry. Found the Battery still there, unharnessed and cooled down. The firing gradually ceased, and by night was heard no more. We went to bed without knowing anything of the result in the front.

P. S. This place represented as Waterford proved to be called Lumpkin's Mill.

SOURCE: Jenkin Lloyd Jones, An Artilleryman's Diary, p. 16

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