An Artilleryman's Diary Part 16

Memphis, Tuesday, Sept. 29. Hot and sultry, road very dusty. Expecting our things from Vicksburg. Lieutenant Clark arrived from Wisconsin with his wife. He has taken boarding at a citizen's house close by. The anxiously looked for letter from home came at last, the downward mail having stopped here. Written by Ellen dated the 20th inst. Relieved my anxiety much, notwithstanding it brought the news of Margaret's and Orren's sickness.

Memphis, Wednesday, Sept. 30. The threatening clouds of yesterday evening resulted in a heavy rain commencing about midnight, raining all night, and by daylight we were glad to get up from our wet blankets, as the rubbers, stretched against the fence, did but partially keep out the rain. After breakfast I was detailed to go down town after forage and rations. The rain fell thick and fast. Got down there; the requisitions being wrong, Quartermaster had to come back, and we were obliged to wait on the street till 4 P. M. When he came we drew ten days' rations, eighty loaves of bread at the post commissary. Reached camp by night, wet to the hide with no place dry or warm to go to. The 12th Battery being a little more active than our officers, drew their tents and they kindly divided with us. We had nine wedge tents. Moved our wet blankets in one of them and spread on the wet ground. Still raining. Lieutenants ---- and ---- on a grand drunk last night, fought with brickbats, etc.

Were they privates, they would be tied up. Shame! Shame!

Memphis, Thursday, Oct. 1. The rain fell all night. This morning it is bl.u.s.tering and chilly. Arose shivering from our wet bed and put on our dripping clothes and huddled around the fires waiting for the sun to warm us. This is not pleasant work, but the infantry suffered much worse than we did, many of them having nothing but a poncho along with them.

10 A. M. the king of day came forth in all his sultry glory and soon righted matters. Drew twenty new tents. Received mail, morning papers, etc. Looks like civilization a little now.

Memphis, Friday, Oct. 2. A fine sunny day. Six furloughed men returned, also Frederick Baker who was wounded at Vicksburg. He has lost the sight in one eye. Mr. Lester brought me a package of letters, papers and a pair of boots, all of which is very acceptable, but most of all he has been to my home, seen and heard them all, and says they are all in a hopeful condition. Most of the Division baggage arrived from Vicksburg, ours not yet arrived.

[Sidenote: 1863 A Scare]

Memphis, Sat.u.r.day, Oct. 3. Raw and windy morning. a.s.sembly was sounded at 8 A. M. and an order read to us from General Smith to hold ourselves in readiness to move at a moment's warning. No officers or men allowed to leave camp. Ammunition to be inspected, etc. A scare is up, the pickets were attacked last night and driven in. A story is told here that Johnston with 15,000 was on the Tallahatchie night before last moving on Memphis, all of which is not impossible, but highly improbable. Heavy picket thrown out which will not let us go to water to Wolf River.

P. M. The 3rd Brigade is moving all the baggage, loading on the cars.

The men go aboard early to-morrow morning. Destination said to be Corinth. "Sunny South" arrived 5 P. M. with our things from below; too late to move them up to-night. Tatoo in camp rolled with the big drums to-night.

Memphis, Sunday, Oct. 4. To-day is the anniversary of that terrible day when our Battery lost their guns at Corinth, and it is not forgotten.

The baggage was brought up as early as possible but in miserable condition, most of the clothing destroyed by water, having been stowed away in the hold of the boat which sprung a leak, and stood in two feet of water. Three sets of harness missing or torn too badly for use, and several horses lost. Two of the horses were found in the camp of the 7th Wisconsin Battery. Harnessed up at 7 A. M. and an invoice taken of the missing articles; the result reported to headquarters. The 1st Brigade are moving their baggage on to the cars. We expect to go soon. I am ready, but many of the boys are in poor condition to move. Many of the boys drunk last night.

EN ROUTE TO CHATTANOOGA

Memphis, Monday, Oct. 5. I was on guard last night. It was very cold, a heavy frost. Reveille was sounded in the infantry camp before dawn and at 5 A. M. they moved out; also the 12th Wisconsin Battery. Our quartermaster drew three sets of artillery harness, whips, curry combs and leather buckets. Water call in the afternoon, after which hitched up as soon as possible, struck tents and moved toward the depot of the Memphis and Charleston road. Came into battery on the planked floor which we found between the depots of about an acre in area. Unhitched and stretched the picket ropes. Amused ourselves rolling cannon b.a.l.l.s, good fun for soldiers. Made our beds down in the open air, but dry floor.

[Sidenote: 1863 Memphis To Corinth]

Corinth, Tuesday, Oct. 6. Had but a very poor night's sleep, having a terrible toothache all night, in fact the last three or four days--a decayed back tooth. If my teeth will decay as fast next year, as last, I will have to go home toothless. The cooks were called up at 3:30 A. M.

and reveille at 4. Fed, harnessed, ate breakfast and immediately loaded the guns, wagons, etc. on the open cars. The horses put in the box cars with the harness on. By 8 o'clock we were all loaded, when to our surprise Captain Dillon made his appearance, having come in by the boat last night. 9 A. M. we started in two trains, infantry on top the box cars and the artillery boys stowed away on their carriages. At the same time it commenced raining and it continued all day.

Pa.s.sed by Buntyn Station without stopping, but we saw where we lived during the month of January last, but our shebangs were gone.

Raleigh--we stopped here for wood and water. We recognized this as the place where we stopped the night before we reached Buntyn Station and we lay in the rain. All the road to Germantown was familiar to us. Stopped here fifteen minutes.

Collierville was our next stopping place, a large cavalry force being stationed here. One of our mules dropped off here and we pa.s.sed on and left him.

Lafayette--as familiar as ever. We halted here nearly three hours. Four long trains pa.s.sed us. The switch was too short so we were obliged to run up and down every train. The 66th Indiana were stationed and reported guerrillas very troublesome. The road is patrolled the whole length every two hours by cavalry, each patrol having six miles of a beat. Two reb lieutenants were in the depot, caught yesterday cutting the telegraph wires. They look like flashy desperadoes.

Started on at 1 P. M. Ran very fast thirty-seven miles from Memphis.

Stockades and block houses are to be seen all along the line, some large enough to hold a regiment, but most of them are left vacant.

We pa.s.sed through Moscow without stopping. The place looks decidedly better than it did when we were here before, all the dirty wood-colored houses having been burned down and the whole policed nicely.

Halted at La Grange a few minutes. This is the pleasantest place on the whole line, very elegant mansions here, several stores running and a large body of troops.

Grand Junction--forty-three miles from Memphis and forty-five miles from here to Corinth. The Mississippi Central crosses here. The last ten miles of the R. R. were very crooked. The three trains were coupled together part of the way, and they crawled like a serpent, ran very slow. Our train laid here two hours to steam and oil up, and it was dark before it started, but when once under headway it endeavored to make up for lost time, and it plunged into the darkness around curves and through cuts at a fearful rate in the condition the road was in. The carriages on the cars were loose, and they flew back and forth and were in great danger of being thrown off, which would be a fatal catastrophe.

Our next halt was at a small station twenty-nine miles from Corinth called Porter's Creek. Took wood and water. Talked with a member of the 118th Illinois who were stationed here. He said they had seen no trace of civilization for six months. All they did was to hunt guerrillas who were very thick and very wicked.

Pocahontas--fourteen miles from Corinth. We stopped here thirty minutes.

Several buildings to be seen. Tatoo sounded while here. We were now all fatigued, sleepy, hungry and cold, the rain having fallen all day, and it was quite chilly. There was no room to lie down and I sat on the foot-board of the limber and bracing myself, went to sleep, but it was broken. I dreamt of a warm room and a comfortable bed (tantalizing dream that). I was next conscious at Corinth, where we halted, but we supposed we were going right along. I crawled under the caisson and fell asleep with no covering save my overcoat and poncho. Woke up at midnight chilled through. Found us still at Corinth and fires lit on the roadside. I sat up for about half an hour and warmed, when big drops of rain commenced falling. I sought shelter under a warehouse stoop and laid down between two infantry men in a s.p.a.ce nine inches by five feet, with my rubber over my head and slept.

[Sidenote: 1863 A Good Camp]

Glendale, Miss., Wednesday, Oct. 7. When next I opened my eyes it was daylight and I felt thankful for it. I was cold and numb with a bad headache. I got up, doubled up my poncho and found that I had escaped a very heavy shower. The train stood on the east side of the town in a deep cut. Fires were blazing all along the track, and I soon was by one.

Met my bedfellow Evie. He had slept down-town, but was wetter than I.

Had we known we were to stay here all night, we would have spread our blankets and slept comfortably. The train backed up on the side track, and I got some water and a handful of unground coffee, which I boiled.

We had soft bread drawn in Memphis, which made up my breakfast. It was 8 A. M. before we started out. The track was full of curves up and down.

Ran out seven miles and stopped at what is called Glendale. The only building, a shed one story high, is graced with the name of "Saw and Grist Mill". On the left hand side is the "Yates's Sharpshooters", and 1st Alabama Cavalry in neat barracks, encircled by a stockade. They have been stationed here nearly a year. On the right are the newly erected tents of the 7th Division and the part of our Battery having come through last night were unloaded and waiting for us. The horses were taken off, having been thirty hours without food and drink. Of course they looked very bad. My team was taken off last night. The Battery was taken into park by noon on a high knoll, but covered with oak brush.

Unhitched and watered. By that time the welcome sound of the bugle called us to meat and coffee, and after dinner sufficient room was grubbed out to stretch a picket-rope and tie our horses. Tents were pitched in the thicket of oak and pine so that one could not see his neighbor. Gathered pine twigs enough to make a fine bed and I laid down to rest in this. A "lodge in some vast wilderness". A very pretty clear brook runs close by under the hill with several beautiful springs.

Fences lay around so we have good wood and water. What more does a soldier want?

Glendale, Thursday, Oct. 8. Cold night, but a beautiful day. As we have no prospect of getting hay, we took our horses out to graze this morning. Grazed in an old field on the road to Clear Creek where government cattle are kept. The gra.s.s was dry and withered so the horses did not relish it much. Lieutenant Hood and his citizen brother Wilson went to town and on their return were fired into by a squad of guerrillas.

Glendale, Friday, Oct. 9. Captain Dillon came into headquarters this morning. Also Mrs. Lieut. S. F. Clark. And she has gone into the tent I suppose to enjoy camp life. Grubbed out all the bushes under the Battery and below our quarters, which makes a field of nearly two acres opened by the 6th Battery. Drew clothing in the afternoon. Grazed to the north, pa.s.sing by the camp of the 1st Alabama Cavalry, 1300 strong, consisting mostly of refugees from the rebel army, many of whom have their wives and children along. Notwithstanding, they are doing valuable service scouting. The train on its return is daily loaded with refugees from the interior. Antic.i.p.ating the presence of an army, they are leaving bag and baggage, trusting to the tender mercies of Uncle Sam. Mail arrived. I received two letters of the 27th.

Glendale, Sat.u.r.day, Oct. 10. A very fine day and my health is very good with the exception of a slight cold. Enjoyed myself pleasantly in this rural retreat. I like the wilds of nature better than a mock at civilization by the hand of slavery, such as we everywhere meet. Grazed our horses in the woods to-day. Middling good gra.s.s. Our horses are on half rations of grain, which after so much confinement and fasting on boat and cars, look very bad.

Glendale, Sunday, Oct. 11. Fine day, cold night. Last night Griff slept with us. Breakfast of coffee, hard-tack and sow belly, as we are now reduced to the strict army-rations, but we have apple sauce and it goes good. Company and knapsack inspection at 8 A. M. by Lieutenants Clark and Hood. Forage train was sent out this morning, two of our teams went out with eight men. Returned late in the afternoon with two loads of poor corn, having been out eight miles towards Burnsville where the 3rd Brigade is stationed. Report the country scoured of all forage by Osterhaus's Division which has gone ahead. There is a report in camp General Sherman and staff have been taken prisoners at Lafayette by 15,000 cavalry who made a dash on the train in which they rode. It comes by telegraph from Corinth but not creditable. On guard, third relief.

[Sidenote: 1863 Agricultural Possibilities]

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 gra.s.s is dry and withered, but better than nothing. One from Wisconsin would be surprised to find the season so far advanced, if he were to come here. The corn is yellow and the leaves are sear and dead, and everything looks much later than it usually does in Wisconsin. But the change here is slower and it gradually falls into a healthy old age, while there everything is green in the evening and next morning blighted by the bitter frost. With proper culture in intelligent hands, vegetation of all kinds can be brought to a higher degree of perfection here than there. But instead of finding extensive fields waving with clover and rich with beauty, we find but small worn-out patches with deadened trees, standing as a monument of the enterprising race that has so long inhabited these parts--ignorance and slavery.

Glendale, Tuesday, Oct. 13. Cloudy, with occasional showers and distant thunder. A large division forage train took the road to the north. In moving they go in charge of staff officers and heavy escort of infantry.

The cavalry is very busy. A large squad left this morning on different roads, while some go and come all day. The report of the Sherman capture is contradicted but no particulars of the raid, which evidently designed it. A small mail arrived with Wisconsin dates of the 6th, but I was disappointed. Spent the day patching and putting pocket in my blouse vice the old one worn out. Capital workman I. To-day was election day for Ohio, Iowa and Indiana, and the troops from these states voted.

To-day the fate of Vallandigham is sealed, I trust, and those who would henceforth seek him will find him in the grave.

Glendale, Wednesday, Oct. 14. A wet morning, raining heavily. Fed seven ears of corn to team this morning, brought in yesterday by forage team.

Rained in the forenoon so that we did not graze, but it cleared off at noon, and as we had no feed, we grazed two hours in the woods and gave three pints of sh.e.l.led corn to the team for supper. It is strange how they live upon such fare. They are getting very poor. Train arrived from Memphis this afternoon with paymaster but they say that we will not be paid.