[Illustration]
The Siege of
VICKSBURG
FROM
THE DIARY OF SETH J. WELLS
INCLUDING
WEEKS OF PREPARATION AND OF
OCCUPATION AFTER THE
SURRENDER
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
WM. H. ROWE, Publisher.
1915.
Copyright 1915
BY
MAY WELLS BLISS
AND
SARAH EWELL KROLIK
All Rights Reserved
In Loving Memory
OF
Seth James Wells
AND
Frank Ewell Wells
Foreword
The Diary of Seth J. Wells from June 14th, 1861, to July 9th, 1864,
relates to the every day life of the soldier in camp and field and
records its tramps and hardships cheerfully borne.
The Siege of Vicksburg is taken from the Diary.
He was born on April 26th 1842 in Iowa, Des Moines County, near the
village of Rising Sun and was reared in his Grandfather Ewell’s family
on the “Ewell Farms” in Michigan, Macomb County, near the village of
Utica.
He was wounded in battle and died a few days later in a hospital at
Vicksburg on July 9th 1864. He enlisted on June 12th 1861 and served in
three companies of the United States Army during the Civil War: Company
E, 12th Indiana; Company K, 17th Illinois; Company G, 8th Illinois. The
brothers, Frank and Seth, were together in Company K, 17th Illinois.
S. E. K.
The Siege of Vicksburg
DUNLAP SPRINGS, NOV. 3, 1862. We have built a snug log house and last
night for the first and probably last time have slept in it; for our
company has orders to move down town and act as city guards. There
are eight or ten regiments here, some of them new ones from Jackson,
Miss. The new regiments, like all new ones, have great confidence in
themselves and think the war is to be settled by them and them only.
There is an undercurrent of jealousy existing between the old and new
troops. The old troops call the new ones “forty dollar men,” “bounty
men,” and “home guards.” Last Friday, Oct. 31, we had general review
from Gen. McPherson who is here commanding the post. There were twenty
regiments, ten thousand men, I should judge, on the field. There is
a great forward movement taking place. All the troops started out on
the Grand Junction road this morning with the exception of the 43rd,
and 17th Ill. The weather is fine, the days are warm and pleasant, but
the nights are very cold and frosty. About once in ten days we have
a northeast rainstorm, followed by cold weather and sleet. We are on
guard every other day, sometimes every third day.
NOV. 7. We got a buggy shed from the citizens, boarded it up tight,
built a furnace in it, and were just putting on the finishing touches,
(battening up the cracks with cotton) when we received marching orders.
Such is the fortune of war.
NOV. 8. We struck our tents and started for Grand Junction about 10
o’clock. The boys are in fine health and spirits. We marched about nine
miles and camped by a clear spring.
NOV. 9. Sunday. We marched about fifteen miles today and arrived at
LaGrange, three miles west of Grand Junction. It is dry and very dusty.
Sometimes the dust was so thick we could not see the ground. That and
the smoke and heat from the burning fences was almost intolerable. We
passed miles and miles of burnt and burning fences, fired by troops in
advance. Large and fine farms and plantations were laid waste. We met
fully forty teams of four and six mules each, loaded with wenches and
young woolly heads, and all their personal effects, and in fact all
they could smuggle from their masters. Ask them where they are going
and they will tell you, “You folks sent’s to Bolivar, don’t know where
wes goin’ from thar.” I blistered my feet badly on the march. We hear
that Hollow Springs is evacuated. We have very stringent orders in
regard to stealing. Everything has to be paid for by the division when
it cannot be traced to the company, regiment or brigade of the persons
committing the theft. I hope they will be enforced.
NOV. 14. All quiet. We had brigade drill this forenoon. Our brigade
consists of the 7th Missouri, 8th, 63rd and 18th Illinois, commanded by
Col. Stevenson of the 7th Missouri. Our regiment is the first of the
fourth brigade, third division, of the right wing of Gen. Grant’s army.
Gen. John A. Logan made a speech to the troops this afternoon.
NOV. 20. Col. Stevenson made a few remarks to us this morning after
drill. He is good natured and jolly, and a fine speaker. He gave us
great praise and said he had the 7th Missouri, 8th and 63rd Illinois,
with the pick of another five or six regiments, among them ours. He
took us and placed us on the right of his brigade in preference to any
other.
NOV. 21. Our brigade was reviewed by Generals McPherson and Logan this
afternoon. Gen. McKean’s brigade was reviewed today.
NOV. 24. There was grand review this afternoon. Generals McPherson,
Grant and Logan were the review officers. The weather is fine but the
nights are very cold.
NOV. 25. On picket one mile southeast of LaGrange, the night was very
cold.
NOV. 27. We received orders to pack up and be ready to move down town
this morning, where we were to be quartered and remain as provost
guard. We marched down about 8 o’clock and secured our quarters.
Sixteen, including Frank and myself, took a room upstairs in an old
grocery with an old stove. During the day we fixed our bunks and got
some benches from a church close by, and by night had things quite
comfortable. LaGrange comes nearer to being like a northern town than
any other I have seen in the South.
NOV. 28. I was on guard in front of the Provost-marshall’s office
today. The troop began to move toward Holly Springs long before day
light. While I was in town five batteries and as many brigades passed.
Gen. Grant passed us a number of times. He is looking a great deal
better than when at Inka.
NOV. 29. The troops have mostly passed out and it is getting quiet once
more.
DEC. 1. While I was looking out of the window this morning at some
recruits for the 48th Indiana, whom should I see but John Metternich of
our old company. (Co. E, 12th Ind.) He was as much surprised as I; the
last time I saw him, his head was bruised and bleeding as the result
of a spree. This morning a band of guerillas came up within about two
miles of this place, captured a number of mules and burned the cotton
they were hauling.
DEC. 2. Tuesday. The 109th Ill. came in tonight.
DEC. 4. I was on guard today. It rained nearly all day, and toward
night we had a real northerner.
DEC. 5. Late in the afternoon it turned cold and began to freeze and
snow.
DEC. 6. Ground is frozen quite solid this morning, for the first time
this winter. There is some excitement among the boys of the 17th in
regard to a report that Gov. Yates has ordered home ten of the old
regiments to recruit and fill up their ranks. If any go, the 17th will
probably be one of them, as the company reports only twenty-two for
duty.
DEC. 7. Sunday. I was detailed for guard this morning and stood before
the provost-marshall’s office.
DEC. 9. On fatigue. Weather fine.
DEC. 10. Weather fine. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock.
DEC. 11. Weather warm. I was on fatigue nearly all day, cutting and
hauling wood for the company. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. Just
at dusk the news came in that a guerilla band was to attack us before
morning. Fifty men from our regiment and forty-eight from the 126th
(which is here doing picket duty) were detailed to build breastworks of
cotton, four hundred bales of which lay near the depot. Col. Norton and
Major Bates did the engineering. After they had finished we lay on our
arms during the night, but no enemy made its appearance, and about 7
o’clock we were ordered back to camp.
DEC. 12. Quite sore from chopping and rolling cotton. Our Colonel,
Amos Norton, is Commander of the Post, and Rats is provost-marshal,
Col. Smith commanding the regiment. Toward dark a rumor was rapidly
circulated through the camp that we were ordered to Holly Springs,
Miss. No one could tell where it started from, and consequently no one
credited it.
DEC. 13. Marching orders, sure enough. We drew three days’ rations this
morning, with orders to have two cooked and in our haversacks, ready
to march at 5 o’clock the next morning. I have a new pair of boots
which I expect to break in on the march--or they will break me. We were
relieved this morning by the 126th. I have a very severe cold.
DEC. 14. Sunday. Reveille sounded this morning a little after 2
o’clock. We filled our haversacks, got our breakfasts, and by daylight
were ready for the march. We fell into ranks, the regiment was formed,
and then we witnessed an unexpected ceremony which is disgusting
to every true soldier--the drumming out of a fellow soldier for
disobedience and disgraceful conduct. I should prefer death to being
marched between two lines of a regiment by a guard, at a charged
bayonet, with an escort, the band playing the Rogues March, and the
remainder of the regiment standing at charged bayonets; but it was
soon over, the ranks were closed, and the regiment started on the
march. We crossed Wolf Creek, a fine stream one mile from LaGrange. We
passed over a fine country somewhat broken. The army has surely left
its mark here. Miles of fences and scores of houses have been burnt.
From one place we could count seven or eight ruins. The destruction of
property is not countenanced by a good soldier, but every regiment has
its straggling, order breaking reprobates that are a disgrace to the
flag they fight under. We reached Coldwater toward night and camped. I
was on guard. I came across an old cove who helped build dam No. 4, in
Maryland, and knew all the citizens who live there now.
DEC. 15. We struck tents early, packed our effects as snugly as
possible, and as on the preceding morning, shouldered our knaps. It
rained during our entire march to Holly Springs, the flower city of the
South, and on our arrival there the flood gates of heaven opened and
the rain poured down on our defenseless heads in torrents. We stood it
about two hours before the Colonel could secure quarters. Three-fourths
of a mile up the railroad track we found a very large rebel arsenal,
but were wet to the skin long before we reached this shelter. It
continued to rain all day without intermission.
DEC. 16. We packed up twice to change our camp today, but the order was
countermanded each time. The arsenal is a very extensive building and
the rebels turned out one hundred small arms per day. We are preparing
it for an extensive hospital. Quartered here again tonight. I went up
to the depot and while there met old Captain Backman, of Co. C, 12th
Ind. Reg. He is now sutler in the same regiment, which is located but a
few miles below here doing picket duty on the railroad.
DEC. 17. Toward night we received marching orders and started for
Abbyville at dark. We heard that there was great excitement at Jackson,
as an attack from a detachment of Bragg’s men was expected. We marched
about eight miles from town and crossed the Yazoo swamp, where we
camped for the night. The next morning we again packed up and started
for Abbyville.
DEC. 18. We arrived at the Tallahatchie Bottoms about noon. Bissell’s
engineer regiment is encamped here. It has just finished the railroad
bridge over the river and the cars now pass on to Oxford in advance.
There was a clearing with two redoubts which we passed before entering
the woody bottoms of the Tallahatchie. The teams were halted and we
slung our knapsacks and carried them over the marshy bottoms. We had
advanced but a short distance when the formidable earthworks which the
Rebs had erected, loomed up before our eyes. When we once more struck
terra firma we were halted, unslung our knaps, and when the teams
came up, packed them on the wagons. I started on and entered the camp
of the 12th Ind. Volunteers. Found the old members of Co. E. divided
among two companies--F and I, both gotten up at Warsaw. We arrived at
Abbyville in the middle of the forenoon. The country between LaGrange
and Abbyville is rough and hilly.
DEC. 19. Jesse Walker and I went out foraging and succeeded in
capturing a shoat. The nigs were left very destitute and there will be
a great deal of suffering if the government does not feed them. There
is a report that Jackson, Tenn., is threatened by Bragg; that there is
fighting there and our communications are cut off, at any rate troops
are on the move, being taken back by rail as fast as possible. There is
a great battle being fought this morning by Burnside’s men. They have
already fought one whole day. Burnie has crossed the river and holds
Fredericksburg.
DEC. 20. The news came in this morning that Holly Springs was entered
at daylight and captured. The Rebels took over two hundred thousand
dollars and burned the depot with all the stores and the arsenal we
had fitted up for a hospital. After dinner we were set to work building
breastworks of cotton, having captured one thousand bales from the C.
S. A. When we first came here the regiment was scattered along the
railroad, one company in a place extending nearly to Oxford. Companies
G and K were kept here, this being the headquarters of Regiment 1,
Norton commanding the Post. Two companies below were sent up, and
by night we had a complete breast-work of cotton bales, regular old
hickory style.
DEC. 21. The long roll was beaten at 3 o’clock this morning. The
company was formed and we marched down to our cotton fort where we lay
until daylight, when the other companies marched to their camps, and
we back to ours. Last night a division of cavalry passed, going north.
It was composed of the 3rd and 4th Ill., 7th Kansas and 3rd Mich. Just
before night Generals Ross and McArthur came into town with their
respective divisions. They are moving back for some cause. The weather
is fine but the nights are very cold. It is what people call pleasant
fall weather in Michigan. We have had no more snow since the flurry
in September, and the weather never was more favorable for a winter
campaign. The army is well clothed, having as much clothing as the
soldiers wish to pack.
DEC. 22. On guard in Frank’s place, he has gone foraging ten miles
below. More troops passed on their way back.
DEC. 23. Gen. Grant passed through here this morning on the train. The
division of Denver’s, (ex-governor of Kansas, for whom Denver City was
named) passed through here today also. The troops are all coming up
further north. The cars are going north loaded with cotton. I think
this is a cotton expedition.
DEC. 24. On picket guard today. Got my boots half soled. Gen. McPherson
passed through here, and Logan’s division is coming up and passing
through. Our old brigade (Col. Stevenson’s) also passed. A train came
in a little after dark and was loaded with cotton. The country is
stripped of everything and so we are on half rations. All the hogs and
live stock have been killed. The Negroes are suffering and I think they
would welcome their old masters. There are a great many leaving, a
large carload left today. We have poorer fare than at any time since we
enlisted.
DEC. 25. _Christmas._ I came off guard duty this morning. We drew half
rations for four days and part of that was cornmeal. Our coffee is rye
and in small quantities at that. The boys have gone out to see if they
can find a stray hog or beef for Christmas dinner. Oh! if I could be at
home today.
_One o’clock._ We just now received marching orders to be ready
tomorrow morning. Frank, Bill, Buttons and Boggs of our mess, and Ragan
and Doughty of the Peacock mess, fetched in a whole beef, and a few
minutes later Abe, John and Scott brought in a whole hog. If we live on
half rations it will not be of meat, as we have a hog and half a beef.
It is very warm and pleasant today, I lay down and took a nap, but the
flies were so troublesome I could hardly sleep.
DEC. 26. Warm and raining. We were astir early, cooked our breakfasts,
filled our haversacks with meat and what little bread we had, and fell
in about 7 o’clock. It began to rain and we had gone but a mile or two
when we were wet through. We secured two ox teams, one of six oxen, and
one of four, which hauled our knapsacks. The 12th Ind. is still camped
on the Tallahatchie. Saw Lieut. E. Webster and Tom Anderson, they are
living on quarter rations. Capt. Williams, now Colonel of the regiment,
was at Holly Springs at the time it was captured and he was taken for
the third time. We marched to the Yazoo Bottoms and camped on the
opposite side. It rained and we were completely soaked. The ground was
muddy and I looked around, found a stack of corn, dug down to the dry
stalks, husked out a lot and made a bed for myself. We are within seven
miles of Holly Springs.
DEC. 27. Warm and rainy this morning. We struck out tents, fell in
about daylight and marched through to Holly Springs, where we saw the
effects of the late raid.
A long ambulance train, a large hotel and one whole block was burned,
also the whole of the large arsenal building which we had prepared and
were using for a hospital, the large depot and all the supplies that
were in it, two or three engines and a long train of cars. When the
magazines exploded it jarred out nearly all of the window glass in that
part of the town. We camped on the north side in a beautiful grove. As
soon as camp was laid off we killed one of our oxen which had labored
so faithfully in hauling our knapsacks here, and drew one more day’s
rations to finish out our four days. The boys have taken the mills into
their own hands and are shelling and grinding corn, what they should
have done long ago, live off the country. They tell us that we are the
first regiment of the first brigade, sixth division (Gen. Arthur’s) of
Grant’s department. There has been no time to parole the sick.
DEC. 28. Sunday. We lay here all day, all is quiet.
DEC. 29. A foraging party went out this morning. One of our boys killed
five hogs and thirteen chickens, and found two government wagons and
two barrels of molasses that the Rebs had taken out from Holly Springs
and hidden. At 3 o’clock we had orders to move in twenty minutes for
Moscow, a small town ten miles west of LaGrange on the Memphis and
Charleston railroad. We marched to the opposite side of Coldwater and
camped for the night. Our brigade was in advance of the division and
our regiment in advance of the brigade.
DEC. 30. Rained a good deal last night. We were up early. Our regiment
was rear guard to the wagon train today. It cleared off early and was
quite cool, making a fine day for marching. We carried our knapsacks
as on the previous day, and marched about eight miles. Fine country
between Coldwater and Moscow, that is for Mississippi. Most plantations
have fine mansions. There have been but few troops over this road,
consequently cattle and hogs are quite abundant. Our boys drove in
about sixty hogs and most of them are fine, fat ones. When they came
into camp the boys pitched in, each man for himself, and our mess got
half a hog.
DEC. 31. Last night was very cold. It snowed quite hard. The regiment
formed this morning and guns were fired off. We were formed for muster
at 2 o’clock yesterday. Abe left our mess, also Geo. Scott, both were
ill.
JAN. 1, 1863. Thursday. Bright and clear, warm and pleasant. How well
do I remember two short years ago today when we took a sleigh ride
and made a regular family visit at Uncle Tim’s. Since then I have
traveled over four thousand miles, five hundred and eighty of which I
marched with gun on my shoulder; have seen more vice and drunkenness
than I ever supposed existed, yet I hope I am morally no worse than
when surrounded by kind relatives and friends. An orderly call beat
immediately after reveille this morning at which time we received
orders to cook our rations and be ready by half past seven. We cooked
our fresh pork and by the appointed time had it in our haversacks,
and our knapsacks strapped on our backs, ready for the march. We went
eight miles and camped close to a small town called Lafayette, situated
on the Memphis and Charleston R. R. As soon as we had pitched our
tents, Chas. Berry and myself went out one mile from camp and killed a
hog. We are now the first regiment of the first brigade, commanded by
Brigadier-General McArthur, of Gen. Hamilton’s corps, of the left wing
of Gen. Grant’s army. We were put in the rear of the brigade today as a
special guard to keep up the stragglers.
JAN. 2. Struck out tents early this morning and marched to
Colliersville, a distance of seven miles from Lafayette and twenty-four
from Memphis. As soon as we had stacked our arms and broken ranks,
John Cumbersworth and I went out a mile and a half from camp and got
a fine hog. While we were skinning it our orderly-sergeant, Sullivan,
Jesse Walker and Mike Walsh were captured not more than a quarter of
a mile distant, by a band of rebel cavalry. Sullivan turned and ran
and several shots were fired after him, which we heard plainly but we
thought it was the boys shooting hogs. When we got into camp Bob Dew
and Charlie Berry came in with their paroles, they having been caught
by the same company. Five paroled from Co. K in one day. Five such
days’ work will muster Co. K out of service. The 17th Ill. at present
musters about three hundred and fifty men. On guard tonight; storming
fearfully.
JAN. 3. Quite pleasant during the day, but it rained heavily all night.
JAN. 4. We had inspection at 1 o’clock. Col. Norton’s tent burned today.
JAN. 5. Monday. I am on guard at the depot today.
JAN. 8. 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.
JAN. 11. The regiment was formed at 4 this morning. In the afternoon
we received marching orders. Our division has been moving up all day.
Logan’s division is here. The stockade fort that the contrabands are at
work on near the depot is almost completed. At 4 o’clock we had dress
parade. Orders were read, fining the absentees from roll call since the
last of December, one dollar each time.
JAN. 12. We were called up at half past three this morning and were on
the road inside an hour, and by sunrise were four miles on the way.
We arrived at Germantown about 10 o’clock. It is a village. At five
minutes before 12 o’clock we halted for dinner, and started again on
our march at 1 o’clock, our regiment in advance. We reached the edge of
a town at dusk where we learned that we were selected as guard at the
navy yard. As we passed through the town, the little children followed
us and hurrahed for Jeff Davis. We moved to the upper end of town and
encamped on land adjoining the navy yard. Col. Norton bought five
cords of wood for us. He made a speech in which he said Gen. Hamilton
ordered McArthur to send his best disciplined regiment here as guard,
and he wanted us to be strict, orderly, and diligent. He also said the
duty was a kind of secret service (how so I do not understand). The
guerillas crossed over last night, cut around and burned a steamer. We
are very tired this evening, having made the heavy march of twenty-six
miles.
JAN. 13. We moved into the navy yard this morning. Had seven men
detailed for guard. I was one of them. We were put on camp, or chain
guard. I don’t see where the secret service comes in, for my part. I
was down to see the ex-reb gunboat, “Gen. Bragg,” she was injured at
Vicksburg and is being repaired. There are five or six mortar boats
lying close to shore.
JAN. 14. I came off guard this morning. It rained very hard all the
latter part of the night. Another boat load of troops came down last
night, making five or six in all. They are from the Kansas Valley
Division of Fremont’s old forces.
JAN. 15. About six inches of snow fell last night and it has snowed
all day. The citizens say it is the heaviest storm they have seen in a
number of years. By night it was about ten inches deep. The paymaster
paid off all but our company today.
JAN. 16. We were paid off this morning, after which there was a general
settling up of accounts. I drew $41.00; $25.00 advance bounty, one
month’s advance pay, and $3.00 premium for re-enlisting. I expressed
$25.00 home. It is very cold this morning, not more than five or six
degrees above zero. Towards noon the report came that we were to be
relieved. We were almost frozen, having no chance to fire up and keep
warm. These are the dark days of a soldier’s experience.
JAN. 17. I was on guard supernumerary in the daytime and stood beyond
Wolf Creek at night. Towards night the sergeant-major came along with
instructions to be ready at 6:30 o’clock in the morning to go aboard
the transports for down the river.
JAN. 18. We were up early and had our things packed at 8 o’clock, fell
into ranks and marched down to the wharf and on board the “Superior,”
a fine river boat. The 11th Ill., 17th Ill., and part of the 16th
Wisconsin regiments are on our boat. It took all day to load and at
night we went up to the coal yard just above town to coal up. Abe and
I made our bed down on the top of the hurricane deck. About midnight
it began to sleet and rain, and before morning our blankets were
completely soaked. It was about as disagreeable a night as I ever spent.
JAN. 19. 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 Auken and I slept under Jim Mitchell’s bunk, the same as
the night before and slept fine.
JAN. 21. The boat shoved off at daylight and started down at 10
o’clock. We arrived at Helena, a small town, where we stopped about
three hours, and then went on down the river. It is thickly timbered
on both sides most of the way. There are a few farm houses scattered
along. At sundown we tied up to the Arkansas shore just forty miles
above Napoleon, at the mouth of the Arkansas river. As soon as we
halted the “Silver Moon” played several tunes on her calliope. I went
back to a little town of Nig quarters just over the levee, about
one-half a mile from the river and tried to get something to eat, but
they had nothing to sell or give. Everything was eaten up and the
levees were all breaking away and they could not repair them as the
able bodied had run away. Most of the Whites that are not in the Rebel
service have left. One of our boats was fired on today. We passed
Napoleon about 9 o’clock. At sundown we tied up at the Mississippi
shore, eighty miles above the mouth of the Yazoo, and opposite the
state of Mississippi.
JAN. 23. We started at sunrise as on the preceding morning. The wind
blew quite strong, making it difficult for some of the smaller boats
to keep up. When we were within a few miles of the Yazoo, the flagship
“Platte Valley” halted and gave us the signal to close up. We closed up
in regular order and about 3 o’clock came in sight of a fleet of eighty
transports and gunboats at the mouth of the Yazoo. We halted about one
mile above them, and twelve miles from Vicksburg by water, or eighty
by the short cut on the Louisiana side. The troops here tell us our
boys are working on the Farragut’s canal and are to have it finished
in a few days. We slept in the boat last night, Abe and I in our old
place. The country for over a hundred miles above here is quite thickly
settled by wealthy planters. On some of the plantations the Negro
quarters form quite a town. The trees on the shore are covered with a
long vine-like growth called Spanish moss. It is light green in color,
and gives an appearance of being dead and covered with icycles.
JAN. 24. Rained all day; slept in the boat last night.
JAN. 25. Sunday. The regiment was formed early this morning and we
moved back out of the levee into camp. The river is rising, it is on a
level with our camp. It is warm and pleasant, a real spring day. There
was heavy firing this evening down the river. I saw the “Chillicothe”
tonight. There were four men detailed to go down to the ditch tomorrow.
JAN. 26. Warm and rainy. More boats went down last night, one war boat
and several transports. We heard heavy firing this morning, supposed to
be the gunboats. The river is still rising.
JAN. 28. Bill Boggs and myself secured a pass this morning early and
started down to the canal. We followed the river bank until we were
about one mile and half from the ditch, when we saw that we were upon
a bayou that ran back up the river about two miles. We had to turn
back, feeling pretty badly sold as it made us four miles extra walk.
Young poplars were so thick that we could not see where we were for a
while. The levee is broken in two places. Our division (6th McArthur)
is repairing the upper one, and the lower division the lower one.
The water is running through here badly. They are planting artillery
behind the levee all along between camp and the ditch. The levee forms
a substantial breast-work. One mile this side of the ditch we came,
for the first time, within full view of Vicksburg. The town lies upon
the west side of a sloping bluff. One large church and the courthouse
and one earthworks could be distinguished quite plainly. The town did
not look more than two or three miles distant, but it is not less than
eight. An officer was looking through a glass, he could see transports
at the wharf, and a crowd collected around someone who was taking
observations. As we passed the mouth of the Yazoo we could look up and
see three or four gunboats and as many rams, while on this side lay the
“Chillicothe” and three rams. As I was going down I was hailed by two
cavalry men who had just passed me. On looking up, whom should I see
but Oll and Dave Hubler, formerly of Co. E, 12th Ind. They belong to
Co. C, 4th Ind. cavalry. They told me that Geo. Hissung is down here.
They are bodyguard to Gen. Smith. Pat Gallegher and Bill Humphrey, our
old first lieutenant and orderly, are here. Nearby is the far famed
ditch. About noon we sat down on its banks and took a good rest. The
boys encamped there say the water has risen one foot today. It is now
five feet deep and has a rapid current. It averages over twenty feet
wide upon the surface. The Mississippi is rising rapidly. I went down
to the lower end of the ditch, it is one mile and one-eighth in length.
There are heavy details at work throwing up a levee on the west side
of it. We have thirty two-pound parrots blockading the river. They
are posted behind the levee here. When we arrived Gen. McClernand was
taking observations. The Rebels are throwing up heavy works below the
mouth of the ditch upon the opposite side. It is about three miles
distant. We could see them moving around, coming up and going away.
We lay there about two hours and watched them. We could see two heavy
earthworks, or forts, and one line of rifle pits. We went from here up
to the head of the ditch. It starts in an eddy and there was a tug,
“The Ivy,” lying in front to keep out the driftwood. It is hard to tell
if the thing will prove advantageous. Large details at work, showing
that the generals still have faith in it. We understand that they
have sent for a dredge. There are encampments all the way between our
division and the ditch. Gen. Steele’s division is below the mouth of
it. We came back to camp a little after dark, tired and hungry, having
traveled during the day about twenty miles, but were amply repaid.
McClernand is a homely man, apparently about forty-five years of age,
with black whiskers and a Roman nose. I saw a fine looking general,
said to be Gen. Steele.
JAN. 29. This is a beautiful day. I am quite stiff and sore from the
effects of my walk. There was a detail from the sixth division this
morning, mounted on mules and sent out in the northwestern direction
upon a scout. Corp. Si. Livingston and Privates Briton and Schultz
represented Co. K, 17th Ill. They went about sixteen miles to a little
town called Richmond, where they found a detachment of the enemy, but
owing to a large bayou, our boys could not get at them, and had to
leave them in possession of the place. We heard heavy cannonading this
morning. The Rebs had undertaken to cross with about five hundred head
of cattle, but slipped up on it, and they fell into our hands.
JAN. 30. I was detailed on fatigue this morning. The detail from our
regiment worked on the big break in the levee. We did a good day’s
work, and slightly checked the current. The Mississippi continues to
rise. Uncle Ben, Scott and Patterson returned from their three days’
scout. They had been up the river after beef and had secured fifty
head. Mail came in last night, Frank received a letter from Rosalie,
dated Jan. 4. Just to think, they have had no snow yet in the north.
Generals U. S. Grant and Ross have arrived.
JAN. 31. The first news that greeted us this morning was marching
orders. After breakfast we drew four days’ rations, two of them cooked,
put them in our haversacks, and were ready to march aboard the boats.
About 2 o’clock the regiment was formed and we marched aboard the
“Crescent City” and the “Ella,” escorted by a gunboat, or Ram No. 2. We
started in the fore part of the night. Abe and I found a place on the
lower deck on the top of a wood pile, and it is well we did, for it
rained nearly all night.
FEB. 1. Sunday. We went forty miles last night. This is a rainy day.
Fortune seems to be against us when we float the Mississippi. Our
rations in the bread line since we left Bolivar have been mostly
hard-tack with cornmeal. We occasionally draw flour. The hard crackers
we draw are better now than they have been before. The boats have moved
very slowly against the current today. We arrived at Providence the
middle of the afternoon, landed above the town, and went ashore. Our
company and company F surrounded the town but caught no one. Capt.
Wheeler and three or four of us entered the Post Office and searched
it. We found a few letters and papers. We broke open the ballot box
which was full of tickets voted for Jeff Davis. Abe and I each got us a
set of chess men. I got a six-inch drafting rule, also some pamphlets
giving the object and description of the K. G. C., or Knights of the
Golden Circle. Providence, before the war, must have been a beautiful
town, but now it is almost deserted. A few women and children were
standing in the doors, nearly scared to death. They scarcely knew what
to expect from the long dreaded Yankees. The Post Office is a large
brick building, in the back part of which was the equipment of the
Sons of Malta. We caught no guerillas. We threw out our pickets and
slept upon the boat, Abe and I upon the hurricane deck, as our wood
pile was burned up. It was quite cool for this country, one might say
cold. We lay in the boat until the middle of the afternoon. A detail
from the brigade went out mule-back this morning on a scout. When we
heard that guerillas were out a few miles in the country, our company
and company G were ordered out. Col. Dietzler said there was no use in
going farther as there were none there, but the boys wanted a little
exercise, so they took us about two miles to a nice plantation, where
we killed a lot of chickens. Gus Schultz and I caught eight, I caught
five and found some eggs. John Cumbersworth, also of our mess, got
a frying pan which we needed very much. One of our boys was thrown
from a mule. It commenced raining just as we started back, and before
we arrived at camp we were completely soaked through. We were called
aboard and dropped off below town where we remained until morning. The
night was very cold and the ground was frozen quite solid. This morning
there was a detail of nearly half the brigade for fatigue. We were put
to work digging away the levees to let the water into Lake Providence,
which is one mile back from the river. There was once a channel between
the river and lake in high water, but it is dammed up. The lake makes
connections with Red River through bayous. Providence is equally
divided into three parts, they are separated by the old channel, which
forms a common for the town. The town is a little higher than the
channel, but lower than the levee. The inhabitants are badly scared
and are moving out. It will all be inundated when we get the levee cut
through. The engineers say there are four feet and six inches of fall
between the surface of the river and the surface of the ground below
the levee. We worked until noon, and then another relief came on. The
regiment moved down to the boats and camped on the other side of the
levee. We got a large barroom stove for our tent. This evening there
was a detail sent across the river to a large plantation for Nigs. One
hundred and forty were caught and sent to Vicksburg. We saw peach trees
in bloom today. We met Gen. McArthur and bodyguard when we were coming
out.
FEB. 11. Boggs, Buttons and I went over the river this morning on an
old flat log. About 10 o’clock Si Livingston and I had permission to
go out and get some chickens. We crossed over on the log, baled out
an old canoe, and took a ride up the river two miles and a half, and
stopped at a beautiful plantation. We could buy nothing. We then struck
back for camp, and stopped on the way at another plantation and got
five chickens. The steamer “Louisiana” came around this morning with
provisions. Two men from company E knocked down an old Negro and
robbed him. It was proven, and Major Peats had them tied up by the
hands, with a card on their backs.
FEB. 12. The two men were tied all day. We played ball.
FEB. 13. We played ball again today. It rained last night. Three men of
company G were tied up today for running the pickets.
FEB. 14. We were ordered back to Providence this morning. Caught a
sheep and brought it along. The roads are very muddy. We met Gen.
McArthur on the way back. One of our brigade went on the south side
of the lake and the other on the opposite side. They are clearing the
brush from the bayou that leaves the lake for Tensa and are stopping up
others.
FEB. 15. Sunday. We had a big thunderstorm last night. Part of
McClernand’s forces came up on the transports this afternoon. The
supposition is that all are coming up.
FEB. 16. I was on guard (supernumerary), all day and was not called
out. It was rainy this morning.
FEB. 17. Rain all last night and all day today. There has been no work
done on the ditch since we came back, on account of the rain. The river
is falling fast. A large wharf boat went down at noon.
FEB. 18. Cloudy this morning, though not raining. The ground is
covered with water and mud. The old wooden gunboat “Tyler” is lying
here at anchor.
FEB. 19. Tuesday. Warm and pleasant. Mud drying up very fast. Work on
the ditch was continued today by four hundred Nigs. We draw rations
for twelve hundred Negroes, wenches, children and all. The women and
children will be sent into the cotton fields to work. Men are detailed
to oversee them.
FEB. 20. Wednesday. Beautiful day. We played ball.
FEB. 22. Friday. On guard. Stood picket in a large cotton field which
contains five or six hundred acres of cotton, unpicked. I went back to
the cane brake and got a fish pole. The guard of our forage train came
in contact with some cavalry in the vicinity of Old River and routed
them. In the course of the proceedings a Negro teamster hopped off his
horse, drew a revolver and shot a Reb who had just shot one of our
Captains, and took two prisoners.
FEB. 23. We were relieved early. The day was fine. A fleet of ten boats
landed here this morning, having on board Logan’s division. They landed
and marched back about three miles and camped on the bank of the lake.
John A. Logan looks fine. Colonel Stevenson looks the same as ever.
It is rumored that he is trying to get us back into his brigade. A
year ago today George and I explored the caves under the bluff below
the dam, and one year ago tomorrow we left the dam. Played ball this
afternoon. There are about four hundred Negroes at work on the levee.
FEB. 24. Played ball this forenoon and in the afternoon were detailed
to extinguish a fire which destroyed the best part of town. The Post
Office, one of the best buildings, was burned. We had dress parade at 4
o’clock. Gen. Logan’s address to his troops was read to us. Grant and
McPherson were both here today. It is rumored that the “Star of the
West” has been captured.
FEB. 25. Our division was inspected today by Major Strong,
Inspector-General. Ours was the first regiment inspected. We had a
thunder shower in the afternoon and an awful one last night and this
morning. Our tent leaked like a sieve. The river is rising very fast.
The bank is being leveled to keep the water out of the canal. We had
dress parade this evening.
FEB. 28. We mustered and had regiment inspection this afternoon.
Major Peats of Co. K complimented the troops quite highly on their
clean guns. The ground is drying off fast. The river is still rising.
There is much sickness, and about two burials take place every day.
The “Rocket” came up tonight, bringing Gen. McPherson. I heard an
adjutant-general say that the Rebs had sunk the “Indianola.”
MARCH 1. We had company inspection at 12 o’clock and dress parade at
5 o’clock. We then drew clothing, which was needed very much. I drew
three pair of socks and one pair of trousers.
MARCH 2. On picket in the cotton field today until about 3 o’clock,
when Capt. Wheeler, officer of the day, came around and relieved us.
They have the steam tug on the lake bank nearly ready to launch.
MARCH 3. We had a short game of ball this morning, but Buttons got mad
and broke it up. Negroes are coming in very fast. We had dress parade
at 5 o’clock, after which a game of ball. To close the scene Bill Lowe
and Ragan had a fight. The river has risen over two inches a day.
MARCH 4. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock. Orders were read for
regimental drill of one hour each forenoon and afternoon.
MARCH 5. We received the news of the Conscription Act. It passed both
Houses and became a law. It receives the general approval of the
soldiers. Peats drilled us from 10 to 11 o’clock this forenoon, and
from 2 until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We had dress parade at 4
o’clock. There was an order read from Major Peats awarding a medal,
worth not less than fifty dollars, to the best drilled in the manual,
and the most prompt in the discharge of duty. He gives until the 1st
of May. A dredge passed here today. Some of our boys found four hundred
bales of cotton, a large pile of corn, and about two tons of meat
hidden in cane brake and swamps.
MARCH 6. Friday. The gunboat “Tyler” came up last night and is lying
here this morning. I helped make out muster rolls today.
MARCH 7. We had a heavy rainstorm last night. I finished making out the
muster rolls for January and February.
MARCH 8. Sunday. We had a warm and sultry day which ended in a thunder
and hail storm. We had dress parade at 4 o’clock.
MARCH 9. Helped get out the morning report book in the forenoon. At
noon the company formed and we marched up town and received our pay.
Mine was nineteen dollars. Cold and windy today. At about 2 o’clock
heavy cannonading was heard on the other side of the river in the
direction of Yazoo City. It was continued until after dark, and in the
night it started again and continued for some time.
MARCH 10. Cold, rainy and disagreeable. We paid old Sampson off and let
him go. We still have our house and cook in it, and are living very
well at present. We draw crackers two-fifths of the time, and flour the
remainder. We use cistern water altogether. The spirits of the troops
are higher than they have been in six months. If old Abe would only
call back a portion of the first volunteers they could soon annihilate
the enemy.
MARCH 12. Bright and pleasant. About one hundred and twenty-five Nigs
were set to work this morning to open the old levee and let the water
in. We were ordered out of our house this morning. Had dress parade
at 4 o’clock. The sentences of F, Co. A and W, Co. C, were read. The
charges were attempted desertion. The sentence was the forfeiture of
all pay and allowances, and to be confined in the military prison at
Alton, Ill., with a ball attached to the leg by a chain four feet long,
to serve out the remainder of the time of their enlistment, and at the
end of the three years to have “D” branded on their right hips, their
heads shaved, and to be drummed out of service. Some letters were read
from the parents of the boys, counselling them to desert.
MARCH 13. Clear and pleasant. I made out the quarterly returns. For
some reason they have suspended work on the cut.
MARCH 14. Bright and clear. Drill forenoon and afternoon. Dress parade
in the evening, the same as yesterday. We had a game of baseball in the
evening. I worked all day on the pay rolls.
MARCH 15. Warm and rainy. I arose before roll call and took a walk down
to the levee. Vegetation is starting rapidly. Peach trees are just in
bloom, and some are leaved out. Logan’s division came down and embarked
on transports during the day.
MARCH 16. The long expected opening in the levee was made this evening,
amid the shouts and cheers of the two divisions. The water was let
through in two places, each about two feet wide. The heavy clay banks
melted away rapidly. Along in the night we heard heavy cannonading.
MARCH 17. Hot and sultry. I got up at reveille and went down to see
how the cut prospered, and found the water rushing through, a perfect
torrent. The channel had washed out about one hundred feet and is still
washing. If it does not succeed, it will not be for want of water.
Captain Bush went through in a yawl this morning. It was a dangerous
experiment, but he came out all right. In the course of the day some
of Co. A went through with the same result. Some of the boys disturbed
the bricks in one of the vaults in the cemetery and exposed a cast
iron coffin, hermetically sealed. The lid was moved and the head and
shoulders of a man who had been dead for eighteen years were visible
through the glass. It is a shame the way this cemetery has been used.
The Nigs are at work putting up a temporary levee between camp and the
ditch, as some of the town is being overflowed. The 11th Ill. and 14th
Wis. of our division went up the river a few miles and we hear they
had a fight. Logan’s division started up this morning.
MARCH 18. The cut has washed about one hundred feet since yesterday.
The water in the ditch is rising fast.
MARCH 19. Thursday. Cloudy, looks like rain. Cleaning up and ditching
our camp was the order of the day. I was on the detail to dig a ditch
on each side of the camp. The banks of the ditch are slowly washing
back. It is now about one hundred and fifty feet at the first levee,
and two hundred at the second. Water is slowly rising in both the ditch
and the lake. The President has given deserters until April to report
at a certain depot. Co. K expects about four back.
MARCH 20. Friday. I was up at reveille as usual and went down to the
ditch. To my surprise I saw a big oak just outside the channel washed
up by the roots. The tree was about three feet in diameter. Another
of nearly the same size washed out before noon. I went fishing this
morning. We can see fish weighing from forty to one hundred pounds,
working up against the current. I threw my spear at them, but they
were too far off. I saw a laughable incident this evening in front of
McPherson’s headquarters. Some of the boys were trying to fasten a yawl
to a tree and float down to where the fish were showing themselves in
an eddy. The first time they missed the tree and went whirling into
the center of the channel and came very near upsetting. They finally
brought it to, and after a good deal of hard work, got it into position
for another trial. This time they were successful, caught a projecting
limb and pulled themselves into the eddy formed by rushing around
the tree. After they had made themselves fast by a long rope, they
undertook to get out of the eddy, which proved no easy job, for as soon
as one end was pushed into the current the boat would whirl around and
back up into its former position. While on the whirl it threw off one
man’s hat. McPherson and officers and nearly the whole regiment were
out watching them, and the cheering was loud enough to raise the dead.
It was nearly dark when they got out of their predicament. I worked
nearly all day on the company’s papers.