An Artilleryman's Diary Part 6

Memphis, Monday, Feb. 9. Hitched up the team and got a load of bricks and boards from a burned building one and one-quarter miles from camp.

Weather very sultry, warm, indications of rain. Signed the pay roll for September and October.

Memphis, Tuesday, Feb. 10. A fine spring rain fell nearly all day, nevertheless we covered our shanty and built our chimney.

Memphis, Wednesday, Feb. 11. Warm and sunny. Ball playing and building shanties the order of the day. We completed ours. It consists of an excavation of one foot, then walled two feet with rails and logs, and banked; covered with a double roof, a brick chimney in one end, and door in the other, with the floor boarded. Such is our house.

Memphis, Thursday, Feb. 12. Slept in a wet bed, our door being open, a storm coming up of rain, wind and thunder. Health worse than it has been for two months. Diarrhea and pain in bowels.

Memphis, Friday, Feb. 13. A bright, sunny day. Everything looked cheerful. Standing gun drill. Milton Campbell, 23rd Regiment, made us a visit from the hospital. Health better.

Memphis, Sat.u.r.day, Feb. 14. Six months in the service. Another rainy day. Signed the pay rolls again, the first ones being objectionable and returned.

Memphis, Sunday, Feb. 15. Warm and pleasant. Health good. Two horses and three mules stolen last night. Guards doubled.

Memphis, Monday, Feb. 16. Was called on guard last night, second relief.

While on the last relief, the sounds of the drum and bugle were heard upon all sides. A foraging expedition to be sent out, one section of the 12th Wisconsin to accompany, but when the bugle sounded most of the men refused to fall in, as there were some sixty of the recruits of last August, these having been by neglect not mustered in the U. S. service, hence a remonstrance was sent to General Quinby. Meantime the men refused to do duty.

[Sidenote: 1863 Sight Seeing]

After watering horses, G. Thomas, E. W. Evans and myself visited the Elmwood cemetery half a mile distant. It contains forty acres and is certainly a beautiful "City of the Dead", handsomely divided off by evergreen shrubbery, with the s.p.a.cious vaults of solid marble. From the white obelisk to the little lambs at the heads of once sparkling innocent babes, all was beautiful. But on one side were four hands busily piling up the rounded graves in close compact. They held the bodies of the unfortunate soldiers, averaging twelve a day. On the other side were the like victims of the Confederate States of America.

Memphis, Tuesday, Feb. 17. Wet and cloudy. A dismal and dreary day for me. Kept inside nearly all day. Burnt up all my letters which by this time had acc.u.mulated, so as to encroach too much on the room of my crowded valise. It was a difficult task. They seemed to be a connecting link between me and the dear ones. I read the anxious words over, and then with a sigh consigned them to the flames. Burnt up 17 of T. L.'s, 18 of J. L.'s, 11 of M. L.'s and 15 from Albion.

Memphis, Wednesday, Feb. 18. Raw and windy. Health not very good.

Memphis, Thursday, Feb. 19. Warm and dry, though windy. Suffering with a very bad cold. Captain Dillon read an order from J. B. McPherson, commanding 17th Army Corps, relative to going to Vicksburg. Patriotism raised the spirit of the boys fifty per cent. Played ball in the afternoon.

Memphis, Friday, Feb. 20. Health better but very sore throat. Beautiful day.

Memphis, Sat.u.r.day, Feb. 21. Rain and thunder all day. Health not very good. Sore throat.

Memphis, Sunday, Feb. 22. Cold. Froze the mud in the morning. Excused from duty, being on the sick list. Cold.

Memphis, Monday, Feb. 23. Very pleasant. Health little better. The long looked for "to-morrow" at last arrived and the paymaster paid us off.

Rec'd $13.80. $20.00 sent per allotment, being up to Oct. 31, 1862.

Memphis, Tuesday, Feb. 24. Very pleasant spring day. Boys busy settling their accounts. Captain H. Dillon started home on a furlough. Lieutenant Simpson also went with a discharge.

Memphis, Wednesday, Feb. 25. Rained in torrents all last night and to-day, with thunder and lightning. Health better. No mail from above since Sat.u.r.day.

Memphis, Thursday, Feb. 26. Cleared off a little but drizzled part of the day. Received a needle case from home, a loving tribute from sister Mary. No mail down the river.

Memphis, Friday, Feb. 27. Pleasant day. Oiled our harness in the afternoon. Troubled with diarrhea severely. Rec'd a letter from home, they being in great anxiety about me, as my letters did not arrive at their destination. Poor mother. I have thought much of you since reading it, and may I spare no pains keeping you easy, is my prayer.

Memphis, Sat.u.r.day, Feb. 28. The last of February, consequently mustered for pay at 9 A. M. by Lieutenant S. F. Clark. Then opened ranks and inspected by Lieutenants Clark, Hood and Simpson, the latter being reinstated. Ordered to prepare for an inspection to-morrow.

UP AND DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI AND YAZOO

[Sidenote: 1863 Embarking on the Transports]

Memphis, Sunday, March 1. To-day we were ordered to prepare for an inspection by Major Maurice, chief of artillery, but instead of that came marching. We broke up camp at 9 A. M. and marched with the whole of Quinby's Division into Memphis. There was a busy scene. Infantry and artillery and baggage and wagons, all in a rush embarking on the transports. 6th and 12th Wisconsin Batteries were ordered on the "Robert Campbell Jr." but we could not get out on first Section, it being too crowded. The 2nd and 3rd Sections with the battery and forage wagons were pushed in front of the "Tec.u.mseh" and there guarded for the night.

Memphis, Monday, March 2. Cloudy in the morning but cleared off sunny.

Failed to get the carriages on in the forenoon. After dinner four men of each platoon were left to load the pieces, while the boat dropped down to load with coal. Felt rather weak; troubled with diarrhea which had rendered me rather weak. Got forage on board for horses.

On the Mississippi, Tuesday, March 3. Raw and cold on the boat. Laid at the wharf all the forenoon, waiting for the word. 2 P. M. the fleet "tied loose" and headed down stream, the "Campbell" being fourth in the procession. It was an interesting spectacle, fourteen boats all laden with troops and munition and ammunition of war, leaving the clayey bluffs of Memphis on one side, and the blackened ruins of Hopefield on the other to plan the final destruction of all that harbor the enemies of our country. But notwithstanding, it was a sad thought to me as I looked to the distant North, where there are anxious hearts for me, and I was still going farther, and I may never again return. The river was very high, nothing but water in sight, the willows putting on their garb of green. The "Campbell" soon took the lead and arrived at Helena by 9 P. M. ninety miles distant. Tied up till 2:30 A. M.

[Sidenote: 1863 Racing on the Mississippi]

Grand Lake Landing, Ark., Wednesday, March 4. When we again started, the air was very raw and cold. Hailed at the mouth of White River by a gunboat and we had to come to and report at 9 A. M. Pa.s.sed Napoleon at 11 A. M. which was nearly inundated. In the afternoon a race took place between the "Campbell" and the "Louisiana" which came up, and after about half an hour took the lead. 5 P. M. the fleet landed at Grand Lake Landing, eighteen miles above Providence. We immediately commenced unloading; got everything off except the horses. They were harnessed, but were again unharnessed. Slept on the boat.

Grand Lake Landing, Thursday, March 5. Up early; got the horses; then got the carriages off the "Tec.u.mseh" which was rather tough work. Came into park right by the levee and stretched our picket rope and put up the tarpaulin. Very wet all around. On guard. Health very good.

Grand Lake Landing, Friday, March 6. Cloudy and windy. General Quinby went down on the "Superior" to Providence, returned in the evening. In the afternoon David Evans and myself went down stream on the levee, bareback about three miles, where the engineers were at work digging out the levee. Took a drink in Louisiana and returned to camp with no better impression of the sunny South.

On the Mississippi, Sat.u.r.day, March 7. Ordered to reembark at early dawn. Arose at 4 o'clock but did not get loaded till in the afternoon on the same boats as before. Severe rainstorm and wind last night. Very muddy. Part of the day the sun shone very bright. Health good. 2:30 P.

M. the fleet once more "swung loose" and headed up stream. The "Campbell" was aground, so had to be towed out by the "Gladiator" and "John H. d.i.c.key"; after she got afloat we lashed to the former to get some coal. As night advanced we kept slowly going, and by night were the fourth in line.

On the Mississippi, Sunday, March 8. The boat had been steadily plowing her way up the turbid water of the Mississippi. Rained very heavy, got a wet bed to sleep on. Very foggy all day; pa.s.sed the "Von Phal", being next to the flagship "Superior". Pa.s.sed the Yazoo Pa.s.s, 2. P. M.