Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, August 2, 1863

The teams went to the wharf down in Vicksburg for our tents. The three boys from our company drawing furloughs were Sylvester Daniels, Daniel E. Sweet and Major Christmas, and they left for home today on a thirty-day furlough.¹ I sent $1.00 with Sweet to buy postage stamps for me and $2.00 to buy me a gold pen.² I also sent $5.00 to father by Daniels.

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¹ In drawing lots for furlough, our diarist tells me, the officers favored the married men. Mr. Downing himself did not care about a furlough. — Ed.

² I am using this pen in re-writing the manuscript of my war diary fifty years later, and in my seventy-second year. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 133

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, September 12, 1861

I attended the Scott County Fair again today. The attendance was about the same as yesterday. A part of the Second Iowa Cavalry is in camp here, Camp Holt.

For three days now I have been trying to find some new company in which to enlist, but not caring to go into a company of entire strangers, I made up my mind to go home for a few days. About sundown, with two other boys, Sylvester Daniels and David Huff, I started for home, going with a Mr. Chesbro in a farm wagon.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 8-9