An Artilleryman's Diary

Glendale, Monday, Oct. 12. Very pleasant day and health good. Went to graze at 10 A. M., returned at 12. We grazed in the middle of the wood. The grass is dry and withered, but...

Rienzi, Thursday, Sept. 11. I answered the summons of the reveille, but I did not feel very well; had an attack of the ague but got over it by dinner. Nothing to break the monot...

More desperate fighting, it is said by those who witnessed, they had never seen. Our line being for hours under the enemy they rolled stones upon us, wounding many. Three compan...

Fort Gillem, Saturday, Dec. 24. A pleasant night on guard though rather cold. Thawed but little during the day. My health still continues very good. Camp is all hilarity over th...

Twilight. The day has gone by quietly, no sound or sight of battle yet. Some thirty transports have arrived from Paducah loaded with General Smith's veterans, amongst them the g...

Chattanooga, Sunday, April 30. A cool, windy day. This is the last day of the month, consequently muster day. Mustering officer, Lieutenant Dutch, arrived 12 M. Lieutenant A. Sw...

Helena, Wednesday, Sept. 16. A cold, blustering night I had of it last night on guard, threatening clouds passing over with high winds. The boys lying around with no shelter, re...

On the Yazoo, Sunday, April 5. Although late, arose very sleepy to feed my team. 7 A. M. we started up stream with the rest of the fleet in their proper places. The day was beau...

Etowah Bridge, Friday, Nov. 4. Sergeant Sweet returned to the Battery this morning and resumed his duties as orderly. Weather continues very cold and disagreeable. All we can do...

Sequatchie Valley, Ala., Wednesday, Nov. 18. Reveille sounded before dawn and we were ordered to prepare to march, but they knew not at what hour. All baggage that could be spar...

Bridgeport, Wednesday, Dec. 16. Reveille at 5 A. M. Breakfast at 6 A. M. Sick call at 8 A. M. Guard mounting 9 A. M. Water call 10 A. M. Dinner and "feed horses" call 12 M. Wate...

Before Vicksburg, Wednesday, June 10. A heavy rain storm came on early and continued all day. The dusty valley was converted into a bed of a wild rushing stream. Kept middling d...

In the evening I went to Griffith's "shebang" and listened to sacred music. It sounded as of old. "I'm a Pilgrim", "There is a Happy Land" etc. But a soldier is a soldier, and t...

Meanwhile we were waiting in the road in range of their shells, which were flying over us and dropping either side, but luckily none took effect. The enemy's infantry in line in...

Major Mendenhall is starting a garden for the reserve artillery. Sergeant Hutchinson is detailed to take charge of it. He is to have one man from forty-three different batteries...

Nashville, Friday, Feb. 17. Very stormy night, and this morning was blowing and raining, but military orders must be obeyed. The teams commenced early with their work, hauling d...

But modesty prevented me from making the experiment, and we went on in quest of berries. Found plenty of beautiful ones in a field adjoining, and we soon filled our pails and st...

Etowah Bridge, Sunday, Oct. 2. After a rough tour of guard last night in rain with thunder and lightning, I feel somewhat drowsy to-day, and am a little impatient for mail and n...

Vicksburg, Wednesday, July 22. Teams and men gathering rebel pieces and caissons. Company cook started to-day, and all the Battery to be in one mess, much to the dissatisfaction...

Had a most hearty old-fashioned supper of potatoes and onions with gravy, which was better for our grease-laden systems than loads of cathartics. We had about twelve pounds of d...

Chattanooga, Thursday, May 25. Drilled two hours in battery drill, and when we returned, received a large mail which was long looked for. I received two which assured me that al...

Huntsville, Monday, Jan. 18. An idle day in camp. Nothing of interest. Griff and myself went to town on pass, made a few purchases. Camp policed. Lieutenant Simpson went to Stev...

Huntsville, Thursday, April 28. Quietly we prepared and at 7 A. M. we pulled out, much to the regret of the 56th Illinois. Artillery always has a great encouragement to infantry...

En route, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Called out at 3 A. M., and I thought it was no more than ten as I was very sleepy. At 5 A. M. we moved out, marched through the sleeping town with dru...

Oxford, Wednesday, Dec. 10. Warm and pleasant. Health improving. Diarrhea checked by abstaining from all eatables except hard crackers. All teams sent foraging. 3rd Platoon had...

Huntsville, Wednesday, Feb. 24. Weather once more very mild and pleasant. Laid in tent all day. Throat pains me severely. Tonsils much swollen. Did not go out to drill, equipmen...

Huntsville, Wednesday, June 1. No drill. General policing. Veterans were assigned to platoons, giving about thirty-six men to a platoon and three corporals. Very crowded. Seven...

Kingston, Monday, July 11. Evie took my team out to graze. Spencer and I built, lower in park, shebang with table, etc. Boys hard at work putting up houses, sheds. 4 P. M. on de...

Etowah Bridge, Saturday, Aug. 20. We were up in time to see an expedition start down the river, consisting of 900 cavalry and three regiments of infantry. They laid under arms a...

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Grant, Gen. Ulysses S., lieutenant-general, 201, 324; reviews troops, 13, 147; in danger, 187; at Millikens Bend, 47; Oxford, 18; Tallahatchie River, 17; in Vicksburg campaign,...

Madison, Tuesday, July 18. The rolls have returned with Lieutenant Colonel Giddings' (mustering officer) signature annexed, and the military tie which bound us together as the 6...

RIVERS-- Big Black, 122; communications with, 80; engagement at, 52, 72; 6th Wisconsin Battery at, 52-54, 59. Chattahoochee, 328; Hood at, 260. Coldwater, expedition on, 41, 42,...