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Levi wounded Levi in hospital # of casulties in battle Letter from Levi IV. BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA...UNDER SIEGE IN CHATTANOOGA Sept the 10th [1863]. Revelee sounded at about 5. But I felt in a bad fix for marching. We started at 8 A M & marched a little ways & stoped & the docter came around & told us that all that was sick & likely not to be able to march to go Back to Chattanooga in the Ambulances. & Captain & nearly all of the boys advised me to stay. For the Docter said we was goying to have hard marching & the Docter said I was not able to stand it & that I had better stay. But I told them that I had been sick at the other battle* & I wanted to be in this if I could ceep up any way at all if there was any. So the Lieutenant said he would carry my gun & the Docter said he would try to get me halled some in the Ambulance if I give out. & so we started & I cept up for several miles & got so sick I could not go any further then. & I stoped & got in the Ambulance and rid till we stoped to camp. We was following after a part of Brags army, & we supose they are making for Rome about 65 m from Chattanooga. We stoped at 2 P.M. & formed a line of battle in the rear of the artillery & camped to wate till our train came up with rations for we was out of rations. We could here the Devision in front of us skermishing with the rebs very plain. The front guard was all captured out of the front Devision as they was goying to camp (so the report was) & I guess it is so. & the report is that they fell in our rear & capturd 25 men of our straglers. We are about 12 m from Chattanooga. I feel some better now for one of our boys cooked a chicken with plenty of soop & invited me to eat with him & I did & I feal some better. I have had the diarhea for about 6 days & it made me feel very week The boys are buisy geting potatoes corn hogs sheep & Beef for their supper & breakfasts. There was bushwhackers shooting at our pickets. They wounded 2 of the 17th Ky. V.I. & one of the 19th O.V.II of our Brigade. We drawed rations & layed down to sleep at 9 at knight. __________ * The battle of Murfreesboro __________ Sept. the 11th we got up at 5 & started at half past 6. The second Brigade of our devision caught up. They was left back at Mc M-V. I felt some better & expect to be well soon. We started at half past 6 & marched to Ringgold & skermished nearly all the way. The Brigade that led the front. & we shelled the rebs at about 9 A.M. & they set the rail road bridge on fier & scedaddled like all get out & we marched in Ringgold at 10 A.M. 6 m. from where we started from in the morning & 18 from Chattanooga. Ringgold is the county seet of Catoosa Co. It has ben a very nice buisness little town some day. The cars had run on the track very latly. We formed in line of battle & marched by the rite of Companys to the front & marched about 1 1/2 miles through the woods to the side of the road along in a gap. & we stoped & Wilders brigade passed us & led the front with his cavelry. He shelled them for 2 hours often on & killed about 10 & wounded several & took several prisners. They dressed the wounds & amputated where it was necessary. One of the 17th Ind mounted infantry was shot through by the rebs shell & expired instantly & was burried where he fell. His name was R. T. Waiters. We marched 3 miles from Ringgold & waded the crick twice. The rebs burned 3 bridges as they retreated. We stoped to camp at 15 minuts till 4 P.M. It was my turn to go out on picket. But I did not think I was able to go & march the next day. We had a splendid supper of sweet potatoes that Levi & Thomas McIlvain had dug & brought in & we had a nough for breakfast. I went to the docter & got some Diarhea medicine for I was geting tolerable week. We went to bead at half past 7 at knight. Sept the 12th we got orders at 4 to get up & get ready to start at 5 & go another road. At half past 4 the bugle sounded the General assembly. & at 5 we started Back & marched to Ringgold & rested a good while & started Back towards Chattanooga & marched 8 miles & I got so week that I could not march any further & I got in an ambulance. & we marched about 4 miles & stoped to camp at about 4 P.M. on a river called Mud River. I was very week & I washed my self & fixed my self to lay down to sleep. I eat a fiew crackers & a little sowbelly for the first during the whole day. I eat all of my sowbelly & pickled pork raw as I would as soon have it that a way as cooked. Levi was detailed for picket & was sent back with the rest of the detail of the Devision as they did not want them. We could here the sharpshooters in front very plain & it is suposed that we will have an engagement with the rebs tomorrow. The bands are playing now. We are about 12 or 16 m from Chattanooga, Sept the 13th, Sunday. They came around & waked us up at 4 & we formed in line of battle & stayed till day light. It is suposed that we are goying to stay here today. We fell in line about every once and a while & at 9 A.M. we fell in & started & marched about one mile & I saw the rebs & we sent out skermishers & our whole Brigade deployed out in line of battle. & we marched about 3/4 of a mile our skermishers driving theirs & got to the top of a hill in the open fields & saw the rebs running & we marched 3/4 of a mile further to the top of another hill in the open fields at about 11 o'clock A.M. & we halted & the rebs artillery opened fire on us. & the first fire shot fell just behind our Co. under the lieutenant Colonels horse. It was a solad shot. The horse ran off. The Lieutenant Coln was not hurt for he jumped of ove his horse. We layed close to the ground. They had 2 peaces well aimed at our regt. There was several shells passed just over us & some lit before our line. We were ordered to fall back behind the hill. We fell back & formed behind the brow of the hill & they could not hurt us. & then by that time our batteries opened on them and soon silenced their batteries. We advanced at 11 A.M. about 3/4 of a m. & we was in the woods at the crick. & our artillery & theirs comenced playing again & several shots was shot. & then they stoped at about half past 12 M & we had orders to rest where we was. The word was that Capt Drewry Cheef of the artillery was shot in the stomach with a mina ball. It is thought that he is dangerously wounded. He was a brave man & always don good execution. He was between our regt & our skermishers with the battery. He was two brave if such a thing can bee. There was one of the 19th O.V.i was shot through the legs with a cannon ball & cut his legs off except a little skin. There was several of our boys killed & wounded in our Brigade but I dont know how many yet. At about 3 P.M. we got orders & marched back to our old camp & across the river & about one mile back to camp. We found plenty of troops. The Boys all felt in good spirits & talked a good deal about how trying it was when we laye in fool view of the enemys artillery. They said that they did not like the way the Georgians had meetings here on Sunday. But when the boys was talking and laughing I was week & almost give out for marching so long in line of battle through the fields & corn. It tired me very much & when we lay In line of battle & the balls passing so near over us that if we had been standing up they would have cut us in two. I layed & when I hered the balls begin booz--zoop it made me lay close to the ground. I thought that maby I would be in eternity in a moment. But I thought that if it was my time I was all ready & willing. Well we are all in camp. I have just eat a little hard tack & sowbelly for the first since breakfast & am now sitting by the fire writing. The Bugle is sounding & I must stop writing & go to rest. Sept the 14th revelee sounded at 3 & we got up & got ready to march before day light. But we did not start till about 8 A.M. We marched a peace & I saw George Borden of Co. F 90th O.V.I. He was not very well. We went to the river & turned west instead of crossing the river & marched toward the lookout mountain. We marched 3 miles & stoped & stacked arms & layed down in the shade. & we suffered for water. We did not leave till 15 minuts after 6. The bugle sounded & we started & marched around between the hills in a gap about 4 miles & stoped to camp at 15 minuts till 8 about 10 m from Chattanooga & a short distance from the Mountain & layed down to sleep. But did not sleep very much for Levi & I have only our gun blankets with us. So we sleep two cold when we sleep out in open ground in the dew. Sept the 15th revelee Blowed at half past 4 & we had nothing to eat but hard tack & we had not drawed sowbelly for 4 days & then it was only 1 days rations. (Well we do pass some of the poorest houses in the South that I ever hered tell of. The most of them are log huts & lots hant chincked & dobed & some hant got bords nailed over the cracks even. Some have cracks large enough to climb through. It looks rite hard to see the children & women run when we comence skermishing & fire the cannon. They more than run & say thee hered them big things pass over them so fast. They mean the shells) At 15 minuts till 11 A.M. the bugle sounded & we fell in & at 11 we started & marched back the same road that we came the knight before & marched 5 miles & turned to the south on a road leading to Lafayette 13 m distance & it was 13 m to Chattanooga. We marched one mile & formed our Brigade on the left of the road in line of battle the whole Brigade & went in camp at 15 minuts till 2 P.M. about a half mile from the bigest spring that the most of us had ever seen. The march weried me very much & it seemed like it would nearly smuther me. But when I stoped & eat a little & writ a letter I felt better & slept very nice. Sept the 16th I felt a great deal better. It was a butiful morning. It had threatened rain the knight & evening before but it dont look like rain now. I got 2 letters & writ a letter. We got word to wash up our clothing & we drawed clothing & shooes & rations. Rosecranse head quarters are at the big spring called Crawfish Spring. The spring is large enough for a skiff to be rowed up to the mouth of it. It comes out of a big rock of the bank and 2 hundred yards below the head of the spring it is about 100 feet wide & from there on down it is still that wide. We retired to rest at 8. Sept the 17th Orders came to stand in line of battle. From 3 in the morning till 4 we stood in line. We drawed one days rations more. We hered cannonading. I writ 2 letters & some memoranda. We got orders to be ready to march at a moments warning. At 4 P.M. is when we got the orders. We was ready to start. We got more cartrages & wated fore some time but we did not leve. We stayed all knight at the same place. We layed down at 7 & it rained somewhere in the knight & turned cool. Sept the 18th the bugle sounded at 5 & we got up. The wind was blowing & it was cool at half past 8 A.M. They detailed pickets. I was detailed. We went out a great ways to picket & we had a very heavy picket. At about 11 A.M. there was cannonading on the rite & on our left it was almost a continual cannonading. Some of the rebs cannons was very close for we could here the balls whize. & some cannons was so far off that we could hardly here the roar of them. We got orders that we was to ceep a good lookout & that if we was atack we was to fall back to the spring fighting as we fell back & we got orders that our devision had left. & that we would be relieved by farmers Devision. The dust could be seen of the rebs army & of ours. I got up on a house & could see the dust of the rebs army & thought that they was advancing on us in force. The wind was very strong blowing from us towards the enemy. After 12 M the cannons was silenced at times & then there would be several shots fired & at half past 2 P.M. the cannons fired on our rite again. There was muskets firing all the time on our rite. At 2 P.M. there was heavy cannonading on our left about 4 or 5 miles distant & musketry as we thought in volleys. At 1 P.M. one of our pickets at our station took my canteen & 2 others & his gun & went to get water outside of the picket lines & the man has not returned yet & we was not alowed to go out to see about him from our picket station. His name was Niclous Mays of the 17th Regt KyV.I. Co D. He was about 20 years old & a nice looking Brave young man. His Co said that he had fought well in several hard battles. We was relieved at 5 P.M. & started back to the big springs. We got back at half past 5 P.M. & wated for orders to know where our Brigade was. We soon got orders & marched 2 miles to Lees Mill & then about one mile down the river to our regt. We got to the regt at 7 & they was laying in line of battle in a field. Levi was detailed for alarm guard. He told me that there had bin several charges very late in the evening & there had bin a rite sharp little Battle. We layed on the ground & nearly froze for it was awful cold & we was not alowed to have a fire. Sept the 19th We got up at 4 & stood in line of battle looking for the ball to commence as the boys call it. At about 5 we hered some sharpshooters shooting. We mooved back near the mill to get our breakfast. At half past 7 A.M. the cannon commenced firing on our left at about 3 or 4 miles distant. & at 20 minuts till 8 A.M. the cannons opened fire on our rite some 2 or 3 miles distant & at 3 minuts after 8 A.M. the artillery close to us at the mill opened fire on the rebs & the firing of muskets could be hered off at a distance. & at half past 10 A.M. the cannons a little ways to our left comenced firing very hard for some time. & the rebs shells came over to where we was once. & then to our rite & left at a distance there was a very heavy cannonading and we could here the musketry off to our left. It continued a half hour & then seaced a while seemingly to take a new start. Soon they opened hevier than before. From the continual roar of the muskets and the heavy regular cannonading they must have had a very hot time & [a] very severe fight. On the rite the firing seaced after a severe firing for something like an hour. At 12 M the cannons comenced firing at the mill at some Cavelry but soon seaced. But a heavy continual firing was still cept up on the left & the word came that our men was driving the enemy. & at 1 P.M. they was geting the best of our men & we got orders to march to their help. We marched double quick part of the time & at half past 1 P.M. we marched in line of battle through the woods firing as we went & a battery came up just in time to give us a fiew loads. & then by that time we had killed so many of the horses & men that they could not get the battery away. So we captured the battery of 4 guns & some prisners. & then we was repulsed a short distance. We fell back of the 17th Ky. V.II. They engaged them then & we was laying down to suport them. & Levi P Huntzinger was to my left by my side & some one said the orders was to fall back in line (as our regt was scattered some out in front). & Levi raised up & said the orders are to fall back. & as he turned to go back a peace a ball struck him zip rite by me. I knew he was wounded rite away. The ball struck him in the calf of the right leg about half way between his ankle & knee. (this was at 15 minuts till 2 P.M.) He cried out in pain Oh I am shot. & the captain said take him back to the rear & James P Johnson & my self started leading him baring him up by the arms. He hated to let his gun go but gave it to Captain D W Howe & told him to take care of it for him. We got him back about 50 yerds & he said he had to lay down for he was geting blind & sick. I sayed we would lay him down & I talked to him to encouriage him & told him that he was in a good caus. & would soon get well I thought & the men on horses some escorts with sowards compelled us to go back to our regt. I was willing to go back but I requested of them to let me get him behind a tree first as he requested me to do so. But they cried out that he would be taken care of by others. They made the boys all leve the wounded & return to the lines. Levi was suffering a great deal when I left. He got behind a tree by himself. I looked back to see him once more thinking it might be the last time I might see him who was so brave & so merry at all times & so ready for his duty. & then offering a short prayer to god for his protection over him & my self I rejoined the regt. The regt had fell back but a little way. Then we layed for a while & then advanced a little way but the shots from the enemy soon stoped us & we layed down as there was a line in front of us & some of our regt was wounded & some killed. & the firing that was on our left that had bin engaged so long was letting in as hard as they could. & the first thing that we knew we was flanked on the rite & they was firing length ways with our regt. We thought that we had a host of men joining on our rite but they had not got there yet & so we had to retreet back fast where I had left Levi. We fell back behind our artillery which fired tremendous & stoped them in the woods only a fiew which charged the battery but did not get any of the peaces but our men got all of them away. But some of us had to go back a half mile before we could form the regts. I hered that they got 3 of our big guns but I doubt it I dont know certain. We went behind a hill & formed our brigade. We was behind our wounded but the ambulances got most of them away. I deot know whether they got Levi away or not but the boys said that he was got in an ambulance. As we was retreeting a ball struck my gun near the lock plate on the oposite side & slivered it all up injuring my arm by the jar a little. & tore my blows & scattered the lead of the ball all through the rite sleeve of my blows. But as it happened it did not draw blood on me. I hated to throw away my gun but I had to & get another. We had 4 men wounded in our Co but none killed as I know of yet. More may have been wounded that we know not of yet. The hard firing ceased on our left at about half past 4 P.M. but we soon hered firing again. We at 5 P.M. put up a little brest works of rails on the hill where we was. The firing on our rite could be heard at times tolerable heavy. & we do not know the result of any part of the line on the rite or left. & I think that we hold the same ground & the rebs their ground as we did when we comenced. But several of our Devision was captured. The firing on our rite still got harder & harder & they did not stop till after dark. It was nearly 7 when the firing seaced. At dark the Docter came up from the wounded & said that Levi was not dangerously wounded but was suffering a great deal & he was on a horse goying to a hospital. The firing all seaced at 7 & we went to bead at 9. We was so cold that we could hardly sleep. I had to get up to warm. Sept the 20th, Sunday there was a frost in the morning. We got up at 4 & eat our crackers for that was all that we had since the morning before. We got some more cartrages. We fell in at half past 6 & marched down in the hollow, the whole devision & drawed rations. & we hered some musketry over to our left. It was but little firing but soon it was renewed & at half past 9 A.M. we was started towards the firing & stoped before we got to the firing wating orders I supose to know what point we would be needed at the most. The hardest of the firing was to our left. At 10 A.M. they was goying in very heavy. We was sent down to the left & fron except one line of infantry & a battery. & we laid down & the balls whized over us & wounded some of our men & we was flanked again on our rite. & after we found out that we was flanked we had to retreet & we fell back some distance. & the rebel cavelry was charging on a battery & drove our men from it. & we formed all together some of all regiments & charged on them & got all of the battery except one peace. But soon we was repulsed again & we fell back to a hill something like a half mile from our first position & formed again in one line & held the hill in spite of the rebs teeth. We was engaged for a long time almost continualy till half past 2 P.M. & then we got a little reinforced on the rite which started it a fresh again. Then we still held the hill. & at 15 minuts till 3 P.M. the firing had nearly seaced on the rite & front. & we let others take our place. & the rite soon comenced firing again. & we hered by the prisners that they relieved their line every once and a while. So that accounts for the vacations between the firing. The firing was very heavy on the rite. We was scattered considreable but I was with my capt & several of our regt who was the bold boys that intended to hold the hill & stay with the companys if it cost our lives. There was a firing all around & all along the lines. & at 4 P.M. the firing comenced all along the lines & they shelled us and throwed grape & canester rite up amongst us. But one of their batteries was elevated two high & so they missed us. & they charged up on our hill & flanked on our rite & left till they was nearly all around us. They would have taken us sure if it had not bin for a little brest works that we had put up of rails & chuncks when they fell back to get their help. They charged clear in our brest works in one corner at one time. But we had the bravest officers & men that ever lived. The officers waved their swords & yelled & charged up with flags in one hand & the sword in the other & some got guns & fired at the rebs. & we charged on them & drove them back killing some rebs inside of the brest works & slaying them outside as they run down the hill. They killed lots of our men & wounded a great many in every way and maner that one could think. The fire was hot & continued untill dark. Our men succeeded in driving the rite wing back a little & the left also & we drove them in the center & they left after dark or after the moon showed very plain. We had ammunition brought around to us & I & others got amunition out of the killed & wounded mens boxes. & so we did not run short of amunition. We took a fiew prisners. & at 7 the Boys was all laying at their posts looking for a knight slip up on us. But we got orders to leve. Lieutenant Colonel S P Oyler got a little squad of the old 79th & we started back down the hill down a little hollow. The only way for us to escape. We marched along as still as mice. Leving our killed & wounded laying thick. As we could not get them away we marched along still gethering up all the straglars that we could find while the moon was shining down on. We marched about 6 miles I think & maby 8 & stoped at 10 at knight to camp. The boys was glad to stop & get water for we was nearly perished for water all day for we could not get water all day. We eat a little & layed down to sleep at 12. My captain & one private was all of our Co that was along. We left the hill without any loss in our co. Only one private Wessely T. Shepard. He was severely wounded in the breast. __________ [ Gen. George H. Thomas was in command of the Federal troops on the above-mentioned hill, which was called Snodgrass Hill, according to the 79th Regiment History.] __________ Sept the 21st we got up at 5 & eat a little & got ready to start on to try to gether up more of our Brigade. We started at 15 minutes after 6 & soon came to where the whole earth was covered with yankees & we hered of Vancleevs head quarters. & we stoped & sent out a man to find them. Our troops was goying out all the time. We hered that our devision had got to Chattanooga. & so we marched to Chattanooga. & the dust was so deep that it is no use to try to discribe how bad it was. We got to Chattanooga & marched to the rite & found the most of our regt at 12 M. We was the proudest set of fellows that you ever saw to see each other. & I thought that Levi & others that had bin wounded had bin paroled by this time for the rebs had took our ground where we had our hospitals & I expected they had got our wounded. But I soon hered that Levi was in town in the hospital & geting along fine. I got 2 letters & my Loves miniture. I put my time in at writing. We drawed Whisky. We hered Cannon nearly all day & the talk is that our men had drove the rebs back of ove the battle ground & retook some Artillery at the big Spring & the Mill. I retired to rest at 8. Sept the 22nd we got up at 5 & I eat a little Breakfast & got a pass & went to see Levi. I started at half past 7 A.M. & hunted all over where I thought he could be. & the last that I could here from him was that he was in an ambulance goying toward the river & it is suposed that he was sent across the river with a great many that was sent. So I went back at 11 A.M. & they was all buisy working at breast works & it was suposed that the rebs was driving our men. We could here the Cannons very plain. We are out East of town on a high elevated peace of ground. We all worked at the breast works. & at 5 P.M. the rebs shelled the pickets. & they was in sight of us all the evening coming around on our left on a big hill or mountain & forming on the side next to us to bring on the atack the next morning. I think we hered the cannons on the rite nearly all day it did not seme to be any nearer at knight than in the morning. We burned the houses & brush that was in the way of our shots both muskets & cannons. & the teems was crossing the river nearly as fast as they could crowd. After our pickets was shelled there was a Brigade sent out. We could see the fire of the rebs cannons & at about sundown the rebs was firing at our men up the railroad behind the river & road. There was a little firing all the time till dark & the moon was shining when the skermishers was firing. We got our supper & the Colonel said that we had better work after dark & get more dirt throwed up. & then the rebs could not charge up on us or hurt us with their balls. Well we was very tired & felt like rest & sleeping. But the next day was when we expected that we would have to work harder but the Boys seemed to think that we could hold our place. It was thought that we would get reinforcements to knight from Burnsides. (Well I must stop writing this & write a little note & send home to let them know that I am still alive). At 8 the bugle sounded & we fell in & went out on picket & left our brest works. We went out a half mile & deployed the regt on post half of a co to each relief & at 10 they shot at Woods Devisions Pickets for we did not know that they was there. We soon found out the mistake & then we formed a new line & we formed the centenals about 10 steps apart. I set about 4 hours watching for the rebs to crall up to us. We was determined to give them the headache as they aproached us. Sept the 23rd we was relieved & went to the reserve at half past 5. We had got chilled nearly to death & was glad to get to the fire. We was relieved & got to the breast works at 10 AM. They had got the work tolerable strong against musketry. & we still worked at them. At half past 1 P.M. General Rosecranse came around the lines talking to the Boys to cheer them up. We fell in & gave him 3 chears. I put my odd minuts in at writing but it was said that we would not get to send any mail out till after the fight was over. We could here cannonading once & a while. & we could see the rebbels lines 2 or 3 miles off passing along the side of the mountain. Each regt had her flag planted on the breast works & forts. & at half past 2 P.M. we was ordered to dig on a new line of brest works inside of the other to shelter the reserve in. We went to work & you never saw the dirt fly so fast. We had hard rooty ground to dig in & but a fiew spades & picks. The cannons was roaring on our rite untill knight. We got the inside line don & layed down to sleep at 8. But a lot of men was working at our out line breast works for it was said that they was a goying to try to burst up our works with their artillery & at half past 12 midnight we was waked up & went to work & worked 3 hours. We built a entanglement outside to tangle them as they came up, out of brush & built fiers when the moon went down & made a smoke & fogg so they could not see anything for a long time in the morning. When we stoped work at half past 3 in the morning we was ordered to fall in line & stand in line of battle till day light. & another relief worked in our place & at 5 o'clock our cannons opened fire on the rebbels & kept a firing for some time. I dont know whether they was firing at a line of troops or a line of fires. In the knight General Rosecranse & other Generals came around to examine our breast works & they seamed to think that if the rebs did not come on us two soon that we could hold them off very handy. Sept the 24th at half past 7 A.M. we could here musketry very plain in different directions but it soon seaced. At 9 a.M. our blankets was brought to us for it was two cold for us to lay on the ground & sleep with only a rubber over us. We had clothing issued to us & the sutler brought some paper & things that the boys needed & sold & went back. Our boys still had to work on the forts. At half past 2 P.M. our cannons fired several times on our rite at the rebs & at half past 3 p.m. they throwed shells out of our fort at a battery that the rebs had that we expected that they were goying to use on us. At 15 minuts after 4 P.M. the cannons on our rite was firing again. I put all the odd moments in at writing down my menoranda. We drawed beef. At half past 4 the cannons in the fort & on our rite comenced firing at different points & we hered musketry on our rite. The cannonading continued until knight & we stoped working on the fort at knight & we went to bead at 7 not knowing how soon we might have to get up. At 15 minuts after 10 o'clock we was waked up & hared the firing of muskets on our rite & at half past 10 our cannons fired at them & the musketry was prety heavy. We was in our breast works looking for them to come. The moon shon. We had fiers built out in front of our brush & a wire stretched to throw them when they came up in colums so the Boys in the rear would think they was shot. The cannons & musketry seaced at 12 Midnight. Except a fiew shots that we could here. & we layed down at half past 12 & we could still here them working on different parts of the fort. We did not know what the design of the rebs was in trying to drive our pickets in without they wanted to get a position for a battery. But I guess it was not so easy to drive our pickets in as they thought. Sept the 25th I got up at 6 & felt prety well for I slept fine. At 8 A.M. the orders came for us to poleace the ground inside of the breast works & fix them up for to camp in & them that had tents put them up. We cleened the ground the best we could. & I put in all my odd minuts at writing. I sent a letter home. We could here but little musketry but some cannons in the evening on the rite. We could see them moving around at a distance. We hared that our men had got the best of the rebs the knight before for they captured a good many & lost but fiew on our side. The Cannonading seaced on the rite at dark. We layed down to sleep at 7. It turned cool in the knight. There was some shots fired out on the line. Sept the 26th we was waked up at daylight & hered firing out on the picket line. There was a rite smart firing out in front & the cannons on the rite. We got breakfast & eat & the firing seaced. Our co knapsacks came to us. I got my knapsack & Levis all safe. & I was glad to find everything all rite. At 8 A.M. we got orders to work more on the forts. We devided the Cos in 3 reliefs & worked a half hour at a time & we got don at half past 11 A.M. & we had the ditch on the outside about 8 feet wide & four feet deep & the bank just high enough to shoot over & about 15 feet wide at the bottom & about 10 feet wide at the top. We think it is secure now against all charges & cannon balls. We have a good fort that the rebs had nearly finished on top of the nob which has a commanding position. It has several guns mounted in it & some 24 Pdrs. & they are building a magazene in it. We could here several shots of cannons & some of muskets through the day. & we could see the rebs mooving. We drawed beef & 8 of us drawed cuts to see who should have the whole pile for it was only about a nough for a man to a mess. I put my time in at writing. I sent 2 letters home of my memoranda of our late proceedings & battle. & I hered that Levi was down in town yet but I could not get a pass to go down to see him. For the coln would not sign any for there was an order issued against it. So I did not get to go to see him or to see if he was down in town or not. I dont think he is here yet for they have been sending all over the river that they could. We layed down to sleep at 7. Sept the 27th, Sunday we got up at 5 & I writ some & cleened my gun a little. Our tents came up. & some put them up. Some of our old accquaintance came over to see us from the 82nd Ind V.I. It was a very still day & but very fiew shots could be hered out at the picket lines. There was a paper got up certifying that orderly Joseph M Drybread should be reduced to ranks for misconduct & absenting himself from the regt when in front of the enemy & during the late fight. The Co all signed the paper except 2 & I hered the Lieutenant say that the Coln said that he should be reduced to ranks & R.M. Gosney should take his place. We went to bead at 8 & at 15 minuts till 10 the rebs tryed to come in on us on our rite. They had a sharp firing for a half hour & then it seaced. I supose the rebels hered our wagon train coming over the bridge & thought that we was evacuating. But they was foold & it was our suply train. Sept the 28th it was a butiful morning. We got up at sunup & we had but a very little to eat. We had orders to lay out the camp in regular stile & put up the tents. We don so & we drawed rations at noon. We have 32 men in our Co now & E.M.Downing & James Hague & I bunck together. I cleened up my Springfield gun that I got on the battle field in the place of the one that the rebels shot two peaces for me & the Boys sayd it was the pretiest gun in the regt when I got it cleened up nice. There was a lot of ambulances went out after our wounded with a flag of troos. So the boys said. At 7 there was a detail of about 6 men from the Co went out with axes & fixed another row of brush entanglement. We had rool call & layed down to sleep. Sept the 29th we got up at daylight. We had very wormy crackers to eat & some was two rotented to eat. So it made our rations very scars. I washed my clothing & drawed some new clothing. We hered that the rebels sent in a flag of troos & wanted us to come out & take care of our wounded & there was 700 ambulances went out & took 10 days rations for those who was two bad to come in & they intended to bring in them that was able to ride to our own hospitle for the rebels said that they could not provide for them. I have no doubt but what our wounded have suffered a great deal for there was so many of the rebs wounded. & they would be apt to give them their atention first. At 6 o'clock I got a note stating that Levi was at General Hospital No 1 Ward M & that he wanted me to come and see him. We got ready & went to bead at 8. But I had to get up several times as I was not well. Sept the 30th revelee sounded at 5 & we got up. It was a little cloudy & some cooler than comen. I got a pass & went to see Levi & at 8 A.M. I found him in General Hospital No 1 Ward M. He was geting along fine. He was glad to see me. He showed me the wound. It was pronounced a severe wound by the docter. The ball had come nearly through his leg & lodged against the bone & he had it cut out by the side of the shin bone. His leg was swelled & was very soar. He had not walked a step since he was wounded but he said he was geting along fine. But he thought that his leg would never get as strong as it was. We had a good talk till 12 M. Then my pass was out & I returned to my regt. & it was sprinkling rain a little. The Boys said that I was appointed Sargeant. I dont know how true it is for Capt had gone out on picket. It drizled rain & after dark it comenced raining very hard & regular. It rained all knight. I had to get up in the knight prety often & did not rest very well.
Oct the 1st, 1863. it was still raining. I was geting very week with the Diarrhea. We got the mail. I thought Back one year & remembered that we left Louisville, Ky on the long march after brags army to perreville & Wild Cat & to Nashville. It rained tolerable hard all day. At 2 P.M. we drawed rations & eat a little for the first during the day. There was 2 seage guns brought from Nashville. They was 30 Pdrs parret guns [Parrott guns]. They had 10 horses to each gun. It rained till way in the knight. Then the wind raised & the clouds scattered & broke away. Oct the 2nd it was almost cleared off & the sky looked blewe. I was very weak but was a little better in my bowels. I was greatly in hopes that I would get better without taking medicine. I don some writing. We could see the rebels moving & it was suposed that they was moving to the rite. Our men could see the rebs come out on dresaparade & the cannoneers in our fort said that if they had their seage guns mounted that they would amuse the rebs when they was out on dressparade. They have upwards of 4,000 shells in our little fort & looking for a good many more besides the solid shot. It is said that there was some seage guns found in town that the rebs had burried & spiked. & they are drilling the spikes out. We had rool call at half past 7 o'clock & went to bed. Oct the 3rd Revelee sounded at the regular time. & we got up & we poleeced the quarters. It was a beautiful morning & I was some better. I was greatly in hopes that I would soon be all rite. Our pickets still changes papers with the rebels. We got word that Wesley T Shepherd of our co was in town. We had left him Sunday evening as we thought mortaly wounded. & one of the boys went down & saw him. He was geting along tolerable well. The rebs had paroled him. We was glad to here that he was still alive for he was a good soldier. I hered that Levi had left the hospital where he was & went somewhere else with 3 days rations I supose that he was sent north. I saw in the paper that it is suposed that our loss at the late battle was 12,000 killed & 7000 wounded. I red a good deal in the paper & writ home. We pulled a seage gun in the fort. It was a cool windy evening & the wind blew till about midnight & then seaced. Oct the 4th, Sunday. it was a splendid day only it was very windy. I writ a letter home. We got orders to get ready for Inspection at 4 P.M. We hered that some of our train had bin captured & burned. Our boys & the rebels changed papers 6 times at one place today & made a plot for 14 men of their army to come in our lines the next knight. We had nothing to eat but crackers till 2 P.M. Then we drawed beef & stewed it & had a good mess. The other seage gun was took in the fort. We had Co Inspection at 4 P.M. We drawed rations. 2 days rations to do 3. General Rosecrans issued an order to be read to the different parts of the army speaking well & encouriageing them for the way they fought at the battle of Chickamauga. We had rool call & went to bead at 7 o'clock. It was very cool & had bin very winday. Oct the 5th it was cool & there was a frost on the ground. At 10 A.M. I started to get some grass & weeds to make a bead & I went out nearly to the pickets. & I was geting weeds at 20 minuts after 10 A.M. & the rebels fired 2 cannons on our rite at our men & at half past 10 A.M. there was one fired at our pickets & it bursted rite over the picket post. & the peaces of the shell passed over me as thick. Just a singing. & I thought I had better get to camp. & I went to camp at 15 minuts till 11 A.M. Our cannons opened fire on the rebs & there was a shot every once & a while on boath sides. & on the rite there was a rite brisk cannonading all the time without any delay. Some of the shells passed very close over our pickets & some peaces came clear up & bursted near our fort & the peaces passed over our camp. Our captain was very unwell. He had a severe Diarrhea for some time & he had a chill today. I am afraid he is a goying to get so he wont be able to comand his Co if we have a battle here soon. The cannonading seaced at sundown & it was a cool knight. Some cannonading in the knight. Oct the 6th revelee at 5 & we got up & formed the companys & had Co inspection of arms & stacked arms. There was a frost on the ground. The Tenn river was very fool & had raised up over the trussle bridge (& I hered broke it) & the river has fell about 4 inches this morning. There was a tremendous heavy fogg & it did not leave till nearly noon. Our boys had dug out one of the balls or shells that the gun of the rebs had throwed yesterday & it was a 42 Pdr. & 3 of their small shells passed clear over our camp & lit down over the hill. The name of our fort is ball.* Our regt lays jus to the left of it. We read in the paper that the 20th & 21st A.C.'s was consolidated & was to be comanded by General Gorden Granger & it was to be the 4th A.C. & our Coln is trying to get our regt & the 70th Ind V.I. consolidated. It was very quiet all day untill half past 3 P.M. Then a cannon fired an our rite & it was said there was a moove to the rite & that all our forses had left but the outside line & had gon to the rite. I hered that there was fighting on the rite at a distance. I don some writing & slept part of the time. We had only a very little to eat. At evening it clouded up & comenced raining at dark a little & rained a little all knight. There was a cannon fired at about 8 o'clock. __________ * Regiment history says this was Fort Wood. Huntzinger must have been sleepy here. __________ Oct the7th it was a very coold rainy morning. It rained till about noon & then the clouds broke away & the sun shone at times. I put my time in at reading. At 1 P.M. two cannon in our fort fired at the rebs & at half past 1 P.M. 2 more was fired for our men could see some men at work & it was suposed that they was goying to plant a seage gun & at 10 minuts after 2 P.M. another was fired and soon another. We had nothing to eat but one cracker apiece & a little beef for breakfast until knight. & then we drawed crackers & a little coffe & suger. We was awful hungry. It was very cool. We went to bead at half past 7 & at 8 there was a cannon fired. Oct the 8th we got up at 5. & we had layed under 2 blankets for it was two cold to sleep comfortible under one. At 8 the pickets was marched out. They lacked a sargeant & I was detailed & marched out & our regt was left on reserve. But I was sent out on our post. I had the 4th relief & it went out on centenal post at 15 minuts after 3 P.M. & at half past 3 P.M. there was a rite brisk cannonading comenced on our rite. & at 4 P.M. E.M.Downing brought me a slice of sowbelly & a little tea to drink, as I had nothing only cracker & he said that they had not drawed rations but he had bought a little peace of bacon of one of the boys that just came up from guarding a suply train. I was glad to get a slice of meat. At half past 4 P.M. the rebs fired their cannon in front of us but their balls lit along the picket lines & did not do any damage. Our cannons fired at them but I dont know what they saw to fire at. I could see a reb once & a while walking around at about a quarter of a mile distance without guns & rig. The pickets & myself laughed at their poor shelling. Our cannon in fort Ball throwed several shells at the rebs & some shells passed clear over the mountain & exploded. The distance is from 4 to 5 miles to the top of the mountain or Ridge [Missionary Ridge]. The rebs could not reach our fort with the guns that they used. Our orders on picket was to stand to our post & not fire at the rebs unless they advanced on us. & then we was to fire at them. & the outpost reserve was to come out & reinforce us & then if we could not hold them we was to send back to the grand guard (or grand reserve) & then if we could not hold the picket lines we was to send to camp for help. The firing seaced at dark. There was but very fiew shots out on post during the knight. Oct the 9th we was relieved at 9 A.M. There was a very heavy fogg. It did not leave till nearly 10 A.M. I got to camp very hungry & we had a little meat but no hard tack. I cleaned my gun a little. At 12 M. there was cannonading on our rite comenced & continued all afternoon a little firing. I hered that Levi was at Bridge Port & that he was awaiting a chance or room on the train to go to Nashville. I went to a battery & got some corn & parched it & we eat that for our supper. Oct the 10th it was a beautiful morning. I washed my clothing. & put my time in at writng. At 12 M. I hered some cannonading on the rite. I don some sewing on my cloth. In the Evening we drawed rations for 5 days & I took James Hague his supper for he was on picket. & then I eat my supper & we retired to rest at 8. It was cool. Oct the 11th, Sunday. I went to the 82nd Ind. V.I. to see some old accquaintance. They had a bad accident at the 82. The major had a 32 Pdr that the rbs had throwed in their camp & it had not exploded & they took the powder all out but a little as they thought to fizz & scare the darkies around the fire & the major threw it in the fire & it exploded & killed one white man & wounded another. & some peaces passed very close to others. & it took one darkeys leg off & broosed another all to peaces & wounded 2 more. I returned to the regt at 1 P.M. & they had orders to get ready for General Inspection at 4 P.M. I wiped the grease off ove my gun & we was ready for inspection in a little while. We had Inspection at half past 4 P.M. We hered a little cannonading on the rite. I writ a letter for one of the boys. We had rool call & went to bead at 8. & the mail came & there was 2 letters for me & I got up & read them for I was glad to get a letter from home. It was quite an interesting letter. It rained in the knight. Oct the 12th We got up very early & the pickets was ordered to get ready to go out at 15 minutes after 6 o'clock. There was some rebel deserters came in. There is some comes in nearly every day that we here of. We got orders to drill Co. drill in the emanuel of Arms from 9 A.M. till 11 A.M. & we drilled. Hague & my self had a fine soop boiled out of Desicated Vegitables. We hered cannonading. I writ a long letter home & some other writing. & it clouded up & it was windy & cool. General Vancleeve is assigned to a post of honor at Murfreesboro Tenn. & it is said that General Critendon is goying North & that General Battey is in conrmand of 8 regts. He mooved his head quarters to a house & some thinks we will get our large tents again & fix for winter. Some of the Boys has got little fier places to their tents. Our regt still sends out a detail to work on a fort a good peace from here. & 3 are gon out of our Co. for Train guards & from 4 to 5 for picket each day. Oct the 13th it was raining & had rained nearly all knight. I writ a large letter. & I helped the Lieutenant place several hundred orders in regular stile & sew them together. It rained all day with a fiew intervills. It was quite dissagreable for it was a cold rain & our tents are so thin that the rain dashes through & the wind blowed the rain in around the edge of the tent & wet the blankets. & it was very dissagreable sleeping in a wet tent. It rained all knight. Oct the 14th it was still raining & we got breakfast & I layed down in my tent & it stoped raining at 10 A.M. & I got up but it soon started raining again. It was a rainy day all day. I writ a large letter & some memoranda. It continued to rain & we layed down to sleep & had no rool call. & it rained tremendous hard & thundered & lightened & the wind Blew very hard & I did not sleep but about 2 hours. For we was as wet almost as drounded rats. & so I did not sleep. Oct the l5th we got up & it was still raining & cold. It was very dissagreable & bad on the pickets & fortigue men. General Vancleeve started to Murfreesboro Tenn. & our 3 provost guards came back to our Co. They was at Devision headquarters. It stoped raining at 9 A.M. & there was a General order sent to the different regts for to be read & they was read to us to give 3 cheers for Ohio had elected Grough for Governor of Ohio by 3000 majority & that pleased the Boys very much. It soon comenced raining again & rained hard & regular. We drawed rations for 5 days. It seaced raining just before dark & cleared off. Hague & myself dryed our blankets & slept fine. Oct the 16th it had clouded up but did not rain in the knight. We got up very early for the pickets have to go out about daylight. I don some writing & reading & at 12 M. I received a letter from Levi. He was at Steveson Ala. when he writ. The date of his letter was Oct the 7th. He was geting along fine & expected to go to Nashville as soon as the railroad is fixed. I put my time in at reading all afternoon. There was good news in the papers. It was clear part of the day. At knight I was detailed for picket the next morning. Oct the 17th I got up at revelee at 4 o'clock & got my breakfast & got ready to go on picket & we went out at 6. There was as heavy a fogg as I ever saw. At 9 A.M. the fogs left & the wind raised & it was a nice drying day. It reminded me of Autumn when I used to be at home. When I was out on the centanel line with my relief I could see several rebels walking around not more than 400 yards from us. We had strict orders to not change papers or have any communication with the rebs that day. & I was at the place where they generaly changed. & at 12 M. the rebs came & waved their paper to change but I waved my hand to let them know that I had no paper. & at 1 P.M. they came again & I waved my hand again. We saw lots walking around & we could see only a fiew with guns & they was the pickets. & the rest was walking around to see what was goying on I supose. A little after 1 P.M. James Hague brought a letter to me from home. It was quite an interesting letter. The news was very incouriageing in the papers. I put my time in at reading. At 15 minuts till 5 P.M. there was some cannonading on the rite. It continued on till dark. & after taps there was a great cheering in our camp. They was cheering over the union elections in the north for govenors. It was said that Ohio had went 70 000 majority union abstract from the soldier vote & Pa 30 000 & Ill. 15000 & Iowa 15000. It clouded up in the knight. Oct the 18th, Sunday it comenced raining at 6 o'clock & at 7 we was relieved & it was a very rainy fournoon. I writ a letter home & writ some memorandom. There was orders for inspection at 10 A.M. but it was two rainy & they had Inspection at 2 P.M. I put my time in at reading. & had orders to be out for dressparade at 5 P.M. But at 5 it was a raining a little & we had no dressparade but fell in line. & the adjutant read an order from Genl Rosecrans teneting his thanks to the men for their enginuity & hard sucessive labor at the fortifycations. & he hoped that they would still continue to discharge their duties when at work & be energetick in strongly fortyfying this place. The word came that old Wheeler was captured & the most of his men. Joseph Fraker came to see us & eat supper with us. It cleared off in the knight & was very cool. We drawed some beef. The first for some time. Oct the 19th it was a beautiful morning. The Signal Corps has fixed a seet up in the top of a large oak tree near fort Ball to use a signal light on if necessary to have it so high. They have peaces of plank nailed up the side of the tree to climb up to the top of the tree by. They want to tellegraph to Hooker's army when they get in sight. The news came that Hooker had drove the rebs 10 miles in the lookout valley. I was geting very week from the effects of the Diarrhea. For I have had it for several days. I put my time in at writing & reading. It was suposed that Meed was a fighting from the reading of the papers. Oct the 20th we got up at 6 A.M. & had orders to get ready to moove camp. We got ready at 8 A.M. We mooved camp about a half a mile to the left between the graveyard and the river about 400 yards from the river & about 200 yards back of the outside line of breast works. We got the camp laid off & our tents up till noon & we have a tolerable nice place for a camp but wood is awful scarce. I was nearly give out for I had the Diarrhea so bad & had only eat 2 crackers in the 2 last days. There was some cannonading on the right. We drawed rations & retired to rest at the regular time. It clouded up in the knight & Lightened & thundred. Oct the 21st we hered that Meed had whiped the rebs in the East & had two days fight with them on the old battle ground at Bools Run. Hague & my self washed our clothing & just got them don & it conrmenced raining & we watched chances between showers & dried them at the fire. At 2 P.M. there was a big storm came up & it continued to rain till nearly knight. There was some cannonading on the rite. I got a letter. Oct the 22nd Hague & my self made a table & we had to poleece the ground for culler line & all around the line officers tents. The whole army seems to be fixing & mooving around for winter. It was a warm clear day. I writ a letter home & put my time in at writing & reading. There was cannonading on the rite & in the evening there was several shots fired from fort Ball. E.M.Downing came up. He had been guarding a train 14 days. There was a steemboat mooving around in the river here. Dont know what the ideah was. The river is up & still raising. I was some better of my Diarrhea. It clouded up in the knight & rained some & at midnight I was awaked by the firing of the seage guns in fort Ball. I got up & the boys said that there had been several shots fired & they continued to fire often on all knight. The pickets said they saw the rebs mooving a great deal to the left. Oct the 23rd it was a raining. It continued to rain all day. It was a cold rain & was very dissagreable. I stayed prety close to my tent & put my time in at writing & reading. We hered that General Grant had got to Atlanta Georgia with his army. But I dont think the report is true. I did not go to bead till 9 o'clock for I was not well. It was still raining but it sceaced raining before midnight. Oct the 24th it was cloudy & cool & Hague & Downing & my self went to work & built a chimney to our tent. We carryed rock a good ways & poor ones at that. & built the chimney about 3 ft high of rock & then toped it out with mud & sticks. & it don fine. It was a very cool knight. Oct the 25th, Sunday. it was very cool & I fixed up the sides of my tent with cracker boxes as far as they would go to ceep the cold out. We had orders to get ready for General Inspection till 10 A.M. & we had Inspection at 10 A.M. & then I worked at the tent & got it tolerable well fixed up. For we had but one Blanket to sleep under. For one of my messmates was out on picket. The river is still raising & geting tolerable fool. We drawed one pound of crackers to the man to do two days & one lb of salt pork to do 4 days & a little salt & fresh beef & a little tea & coffe. We have a very hard time now for rations. At knight we was told that we would picket by regt hereafter. & after knight they told the 4 rite co's of our regt to get ready for picket till 5 o'clock in the Morning. & there was some cannonading on the rite in the knight. Oct the 26th We got up at 4 & got ready & went out & the 19th O.V.I. was out & we had to send back to camp & get two more Co's. & we went out & we still lacked some men. It was a tolerable cool day. But the sun shon at times a little. We hered cannonading on the rite & it seemed to be on the rite of Lookout Mtn. We was very close to the rebs picket lines. I stood centanal in E.M. Downing's place. For he was sick. Oct the 27th we was relieved at 15 minuts after 6 o'clock & it rained before we got to camp. We hered cannonading on the rite at half past 6. & it was said that there was a fiew boats goying down the river & a train of wagons was to go down on this side of the river. The report was that the railroad was fixed up to Shellmount about 12 miles from here. & that they was a goying down to put a pontoon Bridge crosss the river. It is hoped that they will get to hall the provisions closer to us on the cars so we will get more to eat. I helped E M Downing wash his cloth for he was not well. & I got a letter from my duck.* & I went & got my picture taken to send to her & I got another letter & I don some writing. The cannonading continued all day & some musketry was hered. But it was two far off to here it very well. We hered that there was a gap that the rebels had fortifyed & our men took it & lots of prisners & I expect there was a rite smart little battle fought. It was cool. __________ * Colloquial for a pet or a darling. __________ Oct the 28th it was raining & I started out with two boys to chop timber to make bords to wetherbord my tent to ceep the cold out & we worked hard & at half past 10 A.M. we hered heavy cannonading on the rite. The cannonading continued till we went to dinner at 2 P.M. & we thought we hered musketry at half past 2 P.M. The guns in fort Ball comenced fiering. We got our timber for bords cut & split & carryed to camp till knight. We was tired for we had to carry it about a half a mile. We had dressparade at 6 P.M. & the orders was read that General Rosecrans was ordered to report at Cincinatio by the president of the united states & was goying to take command of the Eastern army & he gave us his farewell words in his order. Hoping that through the help of god we might be successful as we had bin & the order was read that we was under command of General Thomas. I received a letter from home sent to Levi. The moon raised at 31 minuts after 6 o'clock & it was clear &the moon was fool & I layed down to sleep at 8. & there was some fiering on the rite untill half past 12 midnight & I got awake then. & I hered a heavy fiering of musketry & artillery & I got up. & it was in the valley on the right of lookout Mt. & the fiering continued for one hour very heavy. They seemed to have but very fiew cannon but they played very fast & seemed to be 24 Pdrs. & at half past 1 o'clock the fiering was not constant. But was a heavy skermishing for a fiew minuts & then heavy volleys for some time & then it would seace a little. & at 15 minuts after 2 the artillery seaced & I could not help but to ask god to give our union boys victory & to take care of the killed & wounded. I felt sorry for the many that might fall. & I knew that must be lots fall where so much fiering was. At half past 2 the fiering seaced. It was cool & I was tired & sleepy & I went to sleep. Oct the29th I got up at 5 o'clock & at 15 minuts till 6 the cannons comenced firing on the rite. & we could here musketry at a distance & it continued & the sun shun very nice & it was a beautiful morning & I went to riving my bords with a spaid & a bayonett & I made some tolerable nice boards. & then we made our tent larger & built our chimney higher & closed the tent up so as to ceep the wind out. The cannonading continued all day on the right. We heared that General Grant said that he would have the way open & plenty of rations to us in two days. We had nothing to eat but beef. We had dressparade at half past 4 P.M. & the orders was read that all Commissioned officers could get half rations at Brigade head quarters. & that they could get rations on creadit if their money had expired as it has bin some time since they have been payed. I don some writing. It was windy & clouded up. We drawed crackers after we had layed down to sleep. Oct the 30th it was a raining when we got up & I went to writing & spent the time at writing. At lO A.M. I hered cannonading on the right. The cannonading continued often on all day. & it rained all day & Hague & my self went outside of the picket lines & got wood & carried it to camp to burn in our little fier place. The rain beat through our tents very bad. & it rained untill between bedtime & midnight & then it turned cold & the wind raised. Oct the 31st it was cloudy & cold & we had orders to stay in camp all day to be mustered for pay some time during the day. It cleared off & the sun shun but it was cool. We got a waggon & hawled some wood. I don some writing. There was cannonading on the right. We drawed a little rations 2 crackers to the man. We was mustered at half past 4 P.M. We retired to reast at the regular time.
November the 1st A.D. 1863, Sunday. it was a cool frosty morning but the sun shun brite. We had orders to get ready for Co Inspection at 10 A.M. & we had Inspection at 10 A.M. & James Hague & my self went to the 22nd Ind Regt to see some of our accuaintance. & I saw Lieutenant Marshel & several of the boys that I knew. We returned to the regt at 2 P.M. & at 3 the Chaplain came. & the word was passed around for us to assemble in front of the coln's tent to here the Chaplain preach. We colected & after hering a chapter read & a hymn sung & a lively prayr we hered a short & encourageing & good sermon delivered. & if my memory serves me right from the 1st verse & 2nd Chapter of the Apassle Paul to Roam. There was cannonading on the right during the day. At 5 P.M. we had dressparade. The news was that a large raft came down the river & tore the pontoon Bridge in two. The river is very high. The talk in camp is that a small boat came up with some rations. After dark we drawed about two thirds of a cracker to the man & we was so hungry that we eat it & went to bead. Nov the 2nd it was cloudy & looked some like rain. At 20 minuts after 7 A.M. the rebs comenced throwing shells over our camp from the top of Lookout Mt. The shells bursted up in the air over our camp. & they throwed some over to the right of lookout Mountain & our cannons comenced fiering at half past 10 A.M. I put my time in at writing. We drawed beef at 12 M & eat it without anything elce to eat. It was all that we had to eat today. The rebs continued shelling all day. We drawed a fiew crackers at knight. & we got ready to lay down after taps & the bugle sounded the General assembly & we was in line in a short time & we marched out to the breast works & stayed there an hour & was ordered back to camp & to lay down with our rig on & be ready to fall in line in a moments warning in case of an alarm. The reason that we went out was the rebs had formed a line out on their picket line all around. & it was thought that they was goying to make some demonstrations. But we judged that they was goying to try to cover some secret movement probly consentrate their force on the right. We layed down & there was some cannonading on the right during the knight. Nov the 3rd We got up at the sound of the bugle at half past 4 o'clock & got a cracker a peace to eat. & got ready to go out on picket at 15 minuts till 6. We started out & went out on the picket lines (our regt went out). It was cloudy & looked very much like rain. The order from General Wood came around for the corporals to stand on post the same as privets & to do all kind of duty as privets but still be held as corporals & mustered as such. There was a considereable cannonading on the right cept up from morning by both sides at times till after knight. It cleared off at noon & we had a fine day. They drawed some beef at camp & sent some out to us. We had two crackers for the day. There was 4 deserters came from the rebs army to our lines after dark. & they said their army was hard up for rations. & there was more that would come to our army if they could get to our lines safe. We got the mail & I got a letter from Levi & one from Home. & we was much pleased to read the news. Nov the 4th We was relieved at half past 6 o'clock & came to camp. They had drawed a fiew crackers. It was very foggy but we fixed & all 3 went to the river & washed & boiled our clothing. The sun shun out at noon. There was cannonading on the right. Our quartermaster came up & he said he saw some morters down in town & said our men was useing some down below town. & we could see the shells burst up on top of Lookout Mountain. & we saw a great smoke raising from the west side of Lookout Mt from 4 P.M. till dark. I dont know what it was, but we had dressparade at half past 4 P.M. & the Brigade Band came up & played several tunes for us which was very interesting & encouriageing. They belong to our Brigade since the 2nd Brigade & ours have bin consolodated (they use to belong to the old 59th O.V.I.). & our regt belongs to the 3rd Brigade & 3rd Devision & 4th Army Corps. I don some writing. We retired to reast at tattoo. Nov the 5th I put my time in at writing. We was very hungry. There was some cannonading on the right. We went & cut & carried up a lot of wood & then set by the fier. We drawed rations & it continued to rain all day & we got orders to have rool call 4 times a day. We retired to reast at the regular time. I was detailed to report for fortigue in the morning at 15 minuts till 5 o'clock & 6 privets also & 6 at 8 A.M. It seaced raining in the knight & cleared off. Nov the 6th I got up at revelee at 4 o'clock & eat my breakfast & we started out a little after 5 o'clock. & the detail of our Brigade went up to fort Wood. The fort that I thought was fort Ball. I was mistaken in the name. We worked on the fort till 9 A.M. & then we was relieved & went to camp & eat dinner. & we drawed a little molasses & vinegar. About a spoonfool to the man. & we started back at 11 A.M. & there was cannonading all the time nearly from Lookout Mountain. The shells exploded several hundred feet up in the air over the camp. We was relieved at 3 P.M. & returned to camp. It was a beautiful day. The sun shun very warm & the sky looked very blew. We found nearly all of our hard tack stole from us & two ears of corn which we intended to eat when we was relieved. & so we have to be with out. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. I don some writing. I was detailed for alarm guard & I found out where the boys layed & let them take my watch & relieve themselves at the right time & I went to my tent & slept. It was a cool knight . Nov the 7th it was a foggy morning. I had about a third of a cracker to eat for my breakfast. & that was my last. Hague & my self went to the fort Negly & to the 22nd Ind. & I saw Sirus gray & William A Adams & Mr Marshel & several other boys that I knew & we returned at 12 M. It was a nice day. & the rebls was throwing shells off ove the Mountain. We drawed a little beef. I received a letter which was very interesting to read. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. & there was very strict orders read concerning the safety of the trains when after rations & the rations. For the boys had bin in the habit of geting rations for themselves when they did not issue it to them when with the train. The officers was to be held responsible for all the rations that would be missing. I begged a hand fool of little peaces of crackers for my supper & that is all that we had. We layed down at taps very hungry. Nov the 8th, Sunday. it was very winday & cool but the sun soon warmed the sky. We had nothing to eat. We got orders to get ready for Co Inspection at 10 A.M. I bought a box of blackening & blackened my shoes & rig & fixed up in stile & had my gun in good order & my close was cleen. There was cannonading very early from Lookout Mountain. We had Inspection at 10 A.M. & at 11 A.M. we drawed 3/4 rations of crackers but nothing elce. & at 12 M my cousin Wm Thomas Huntzinger came over to see me & he was well & very hearty & had bin ever since I had saw him at Murfreesboro. He was still on General Mortans escort. They was camped on hog mountain. We drawed beef at 1 P.M. & in the afternoon we drawed a little coffe & sugger & tea & pork & soap. We had dressparade at half past 4 P.M. I got a letter from my love which cheered me on Sunday evening. But Oh how much better would it have pleased me to have met her face to face on the doorstep in the village & bin invited in the setting room to enjoy the evening by her side. But oh this could not be now. & so I have to stay in my little tent & look forward to a day if god will spare me to get home. When we may meet & enjoy each others society. It was a cool winday day & the cannonading continued till late in the evening. Only now & then we would hear a shell burst & they did not come near. They must have bin shelling a train. It was a cold clear knight. We got cold & I could not sleep. Nov the 9th it was a nice clear day but a cool wind. I put my time in at writing. There was some cannonading on the right. & we got some corn & parched it to eat. It grew colder all day seemingly. & at 5 P.M. we had dressparade & the order was read that we should be ready to be payed some time during the week. The paymaster having arived hear at Chattanooga he wished us to be prepaired to send as much home as we wished by the alotment rool. As we did before. & all that had drawed clothes for more than the worth of $42. it was to be reducted out of their pay & a settlement up to the 31st of August 1863. After rool call Hague & my self being without cooking vessels started out & got two mess panns. Nov the 10th we got up at revelee & got ready to go out on picket. The 44th Ind. having left our brigade to go in town for provost guards that put us on one day sooner. We marched out at 6 to relieve the 19th O.V.I. & the ground was froze tolerable hard & there was ice froze on the ponds of water. There was some cannonading to the right at about 9 A.M. The sun shun but it was a cool day. I had only one cracker to eat. We had to stand on our post every 4 hours. There was considreable cannonading on the right from 4 P.M. till dark. I was out on centenal line with my relief at 7 o'clock. It was dark & I heared a little nois out side of the lines & we listened a little while & a reb said dont shoot. & we come to a ready & said how many of you is there. & they said only two. & we asked if they had guns. & they said no. & I said come in. & they advanced a little & stoped seeing us at a ready. & I said come on in. & they came on in & shook hands & was nearly scared to death. They belonged to Allisons Squadren of conscripts. Their homes was in middle Tenn. & they was about 35 years of age. & they had deserted their posts and come. They said they had poor treatment. & found out that they was on the wrong side. It was a very cool knight. & the ground froze awful hard. & there was a white frost. Nov the 11th we was relieved at 7 A.M. & went out side of the picket lines nearly to the rebs line & got a rail 6r went to camp & had a little beef for breakfast & I got a letter from home, & Hite Terhoon had come to the Company the day before. the sun shun but it was a cool day there was some cannonading on the right at 9 A.M. We hered considreable cannonading in the evening we had dressparade at half past 4 P.M. d the band played for us. it was a cold knight. Nov the 12th it was a frosty morning. We heared some cannonading. I put my time in at reading & writing. We heared a considreable cannonading comence at about 1 P.M. at Lookout Mountain. Our guns throwed shells up on the top of the mountain. We signed the pay rools. It was a splendid day. The pickets said that there was 27 rebels came in at our lines at one place last knight. I put my time in at writing. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. There was cannonading on the right till knight. The papers came for the orderly sergeants of our regt to go home to get recruits for our regt. They was to start on the morning of the 14th. Nov the 13th I got a pass at half past 8 A.M. & went to the hospitals & saw our Companys sick, & went on to General Mortans Head quarters to see my cousin. & he had to take a dispach to a Colonel in charge of a train down toward Bridge Port & so I came back. We had wood floted across the river & issued to us. It was but a small lot to each tent. It was a very nice day. There was some cannonading. I hered that there was 150 rebels came in our lines near the Lookout Mountain. I don some writing. & helped the Captain with some of his papers. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. We baked our beef for supper. It was a nice knight to sleep. Nov the 14th it comenced raining at daylight & rained a while. Then the wind changed & the clouds shifted & it stoped raining. The Orderlys of our regt started home but came back to wait a day longer to get a better ready I recon. Gosney from our Co is goying to see how many he can get to enlist. There was considreable cannonading on the right. I put my time in at writing & reading. We had dressparade at half past 4 P.M. & the orders was read showing that the troops which had fought in the knight some time ago & at different times on the right deserved a great deal of prais & honor for their sucessful movement & for forming a line from bridge port to Lookout Mountain driving the rebels out of their fortifyed positions after climbing up hills & revenes upwards of two hundred feet. There was cannonading till after knight. It cleared off & was tolerable cool. Nov the 15th, Sunday. the orderlys started home. It was a beautiful morning. We had orders to get ready for Inspection at 10 A.M. We was to have knapsacks haversacks & canteens & was to be inspected by the colonel. We got our guns cleened & got ready for inspection & was inspected at 10 A.M. I don some writing & put my time in at reading. It was a beautiful day. There was cannonading to be hered every once & a while all the time during the day. There was preaching by the Chaplain at 3 P.M. A very interesting short discourse was delivered from the 119th Psalm first 8 vereses of the Psalm. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. We had roasted beef for supper. We borrowed a darkeys scillad & lid & baked it after having bin boiled don. We slept fine for Downing had managed to get a woolen Blanket & so we layed on one & under two blankets. Nov the l6th it was a beautiful morning. The cannonading comenced as usual very early at the Lookout Mt. We had nothing to eat till evening. We drawed a little. I put my time in at writing & reading. I bought 23 candles to read by at knight for 30 cts. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. We got a little wood. I got two letters which was very interesting. I set up & read very late. Nov the 17th we got up & prepaired to go out on picket. At half past 6 the bugle sounded & we went out on picket. We just got to the reserve (our co was on the grand reserve) & there was a tolerable heavy cannonading on our left. About 30 peaces was engaged. We could see the flash of the cannon for it was hardly light yet. The cannonading lasted some 20 or 30 minuts & then seaced. It was cool & cloudy. There was some cannonading on the right. It cleared off at noon. There was a detail of men went to a little stream* & put a bridge across so our pickets could put the line out further. They drawed a loaf of bread to the man at camp. I got a letter. There was 3 deserters came in our lines at dusk & 3 more before midknight & 5 at midnight & I took them to the provost marshals Head quarters. They was all Tenneseeans & belonged to the Squadren. They told a heard tail about their fair & eatables. __________ * This was Citico Creek. The next day picket lines were advanced beyond it. __________ Nov the 18th our pickets advanced the line across the branch. It was a very groggy morning. We was relieved & went to camp at half past 7 A.M. There was considreable cannonading on the right at about noon. I put my time in at writing. We fell in & was payed at 4 P.M. We got 4 months pay & my clothing account was only $36. & some cts. & I drew what was coming to me on the clothing account & a little Sergeants pay & so I drew $65.10. & I owed $1.00. & I payed it & had a little coming to me & I got it nearly all in. Some of the boys had to pay between $20. and $30. on their clothing & I got about $8. on my clothing account. Our pickets mooved out the picket line a little further & fiered several shots. I dont know what the result of the shots was. There was some deserters come in. We drawed a fiew rations. Nov the 19th I was detailed to go out on fortigue at 7 A.M. I sent $60. home by the alotment rool before I went out to work. We worked very heard & was relieved at half past 12 M. They had drawed about one spoon fool of beens to the man. We bought a little vegitable for soop. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. There had bin a little cannonading all day. I put my time in at writing till rool call.
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