Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, September 9, 1864

It is clear and quite warm. The constant shifting of the sick and wounded men makes a great deal of work for the convalescents here. They are planning to close the hospitals here as soon as possible and the hospital equipment will be shipped either to Chattanooga or Nashville until needed. The field hospital at Atlanta is all that will be needed

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 214

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, September 5, 1864

Clear and quite pleasant. All things are quiet.¹

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¹ Men were leaving every day for the front and but few were brought to our hospitals, since the Union army was In possession of Atlanta, where hospitals were being established, while those at Rome were to be closed Just as soon as the sick there were able to go to the front.—A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 213

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, September 3, 1864

A report¹ came in today that General Sherman has his headquarters in Atlanta, and that the rebel army is in retreat with our army after them.² News came also of the surrender of Fort Morgan at Mobile, Alabama; also that General Grant is shelling Petersburg with fifteen-inch shells. All things are quiet here at Rome, Georgia.

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¹ The information was gathered from a poster or news sheet about four inches wide and twenty-two inches long, printed on one side and sold among the soldiers at the hospital. Mr. Downing purchased one, which he has preserved, and thinks he paid ten cents for it. — Ed.

² General Sherman finally took Atlanta by a bit of strategy. He withdrew his army from the rifle-pits in front of Atlanta, and placing the Twentieth Army Corps across the Chattahoochee river to protect his base of supplies at Marietta, moved with the remainder of the army in a wide circuit by his right flank and got into the rear of Hood's army. It is said that when Sherman made this move, Hood, taking it for granted that Sherman had given up the siege, proclaimed the fact, and he and his army, together with the citizens of Atlanta, began celebrating the event with a great jollification. But when Hood, in the midst of their rejoicings, learned by courier the truth about Sherman's move, and that the Union army was in his rear in full force, he sent orders throughout his camp and the city, calling every man to arms. He Immediately began the evacuation of Atlanta, destroying the ammunition and all army supplies. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 213

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, August 28, 1864

No news. All things quiet. Rome, Georgia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 212

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, August 25, 1864

There are now from five thousand to six thousand sick and wounded here, and still more are coming. Though some of the sick are gaining slowly, yet there are from five to six deaths daily; there have been as many as eight deaths in a day, and not less than three a day for the time the hospital has been established here. I am told that the dead are buried in the Rome cemetery. Most of the men are sent out to the front again just as soon as they can go. General Hospital, Ward D, Second Section, Second Division. Rome, Georgia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 211-2

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, August 3, 1864

Everything is quiet here in Rome, Georgia. There is no news from General Grant's army.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 209

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, August 5, 1864

It rained nearly all day. The troops here are receiving their pay today, some for one and others for two months. Since May 1st the Government has been paying the privates $16.00 per month, which is an increase of $3.00. But money here in Rome is of no particular benefit to a soldier, for there is nothing in town to buy, the only business men being the sutlers who are attached to the regiments in the front. All is quiet at this place.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 209

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, August 1, 1864

Quite warm and sultry. There isn't any news from the front. There is a force of about two thousand here under command of General Vandever, with an equal number of convalescents. The courthouse, located on the highest point of ground in Rome, is our citadel, strongly fortified with guns facing in all directions. The place is soon to be garrisoned with two regiments of negro troops, and the few remaining citizens are greatly agitated over the thought of being stopped on the streets by negro guards and required to show their passes.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 208

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, July 25, 1864

It is hot and sultry. Lieutenant Carey died this morning here in the hospital, from his wounds, after suffering thirty-five days, he having been wounded on the skirmish line on the 15th of June. He was shot in the left thigh, the minie ball glancing from his hip and lodging near the spine. But the doctors were not able to locate it until after his death, when they removed it. I had not seen Lieutenant Carey from the time he was wounded until after he had died, being present when his body was dressed for burial. John Zitler came over to my ward and we went down together. We saw his clothing and other articles packed by the chaplain, who has charge of all the effects of the deceased soldiers, and they will be forwarded to Mrs. Carey at their home in Cedar County, Iowa. Lieutenant Carey's body was buried in his uniform here at Rome, Georgia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 206-7

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, July 15, 1864

There is nothing new. We have very poor food here in the hospital, but we have good water. Rome was selected for our field hospital because of the good water and because it was on high, rolling ground, thus affording drainage. There are very few citizens living in Rome, they having gone before our army took possession of the town, some going to the North, others to the South. There was no burning of property here, our officers having placed guards about town to prevent it.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 205

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, July 12, 1864

I was taken with the other sick and the wounded to Rome, to the field hospital of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps. We left Marietta at 10 a. m. and arrived at Rome at 6 p. m. No news.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 205

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, July 11, 1864

A train load of the sick and wounded left today over the railroad for Rome, Georgia, where they are to go into the hospital. I stayed here at Marietta all day.² The general quartermaster has his headquarters here now since the railroad is in running order to this point. The supplies for the army are being taken from here by wagon trains and distributed along the lines as needed. A great many citizens are coming into Marietta for the purpose of going North to get away from the war region.

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² Mr. Downing thought that his fever was broken and that he might soon rejoin his company, yet he feared that he would have to go to Rome. There was some danger in going to Rome, because of a possible attack, and then he dreaded the thought of being confined in the general hospital. — Ed.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 204

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 5, 1864

Rain again this forenoon and clear this afternoon. We started early this morning, our regiment leading the advance division, and at 3 o'clock reached our destination, Rome, Georgia. The sixteen miles covered today was over very muddy roads, such as we have had for the last fifty miles, and all were greatly fatigued. Some of the men gave out completely and had to ride in the ambulance. News came that General Grant had surrounded Richmond, and that General Sherman was driving Johnston, but the report is too good to believe, yet I hope it is true.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 193

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Friday, May 27, 1864

We remained in bivouac until 2 o'clock waiting for rations. After getting our rations we crossed the Tennessee river by pontoon bridges and started on our way for Rome, Georgia. The railroad bridge of the Memphis & Ohio, here at Decatur, was destroyed by our gunboats soon after the battle of Shiloh. It took seventy-two pontoon boats to make our bridge. Our road today lay through a large swamp which it took some time for the artillery and provision trains to cross; besides we had some very rough country to cross, and did not get into bivouac until midnight.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 191

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, May 25, 1864

We packed our knapsacks and sent them by rail to Rome, Georgia. The advance of our corps started early this morning for Decatur, Alabama, but our brigade taking up the rear did not leave Huntsville till in the afternoon. From Decatur we are to proceed to Rome, Georgia. We marched through fine farming country with good buildings, but as usual the people are gone and the farms are idle. Such is the effect of war, the citizens being afraid to remain while our armies are marching back and forth.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 190

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, May 24, 1864

We remained here at Huntsville all day resting. I went to the camp of the Fifty-ninth Indiana and found my cousin, Hamilton Shepherd, and the sons of some of our old friends from my old home at Bloomfield, Indiana. The order is that we are to start for Chattanooga¹ in the morning, and we again had to turn over our tents and baggage to the quartermaster, who will put them in storage.

Huntsville is a nice little town among the hills, and as in the case of most all of the villages here in the South, its citizens fled on the approach of the “mudsills,” as they call us. There is a large spring here with a strong, steady flow of water, coming off a rocky cliff one hundred feet high, which supplies the town with water. The water runs into a large pool, from which it is pumped into an elevated tank by means of a water-wheel set near the cliff, and distributed over town through pipes.

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¹ Rome, Georgia. The order was later countermanded and the army. Instead of going to Chattanooga, went to Rome via Decatur, Alabama. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 190