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V. BATTLES OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN AND MISSIONARY RIDGE Nov the 20th [1863] I sent $1.00 to get a phonographic book. I went out about 3/4 of a mile & got a big poal for wood to burn. There was cannonading on the right. I changed my pockets to ceep from loosing my pocket book & other things. It comenced sprinkling rain at noon & sprinkled a little all the time. We got orders to have 100 rounds of cartrages to the man & two days rations to comence the next morning after breakfast. & we would be inspected at 5 P.M. to see that we had them. We got the cartrages. But we hered nothing of the rations kind[?]. To do longer than for supper. The talk was that we was to start out in the knight or the morning to try to drive the rebels from our front. We was ordered two if we should start, to only take our rubber blankets & one woolen blanket. We drawed some rations & we was inspected at 5 P.M. & we had orders read to us to carry 100 rounds of cartrages about our person to the man & to stand firm & fier low & aim well & not a man was to leave ranks to help any wounded man off ove the Battle field no difference what rank or he would be counted a dezerter in front of the enemy & would be treated as such. & the Genl ordered that he did not want any one to break the ranks or regts to scatter by no means. This order was from Genl Woods. There was some mooving of artillery after dark. We fixed up our rations to go early in the morning for we expected by the order that something was to be don in the morning. For in the order there was to be one man of each co to stay to watch the camp. & we was to leve all of our things but two blankets haversack & canteen. & a detail was to be made to tend to the wounded so that non would have to leave the ranks. It continued to drizle till after dark. At 8 o'clock at knight the orders came to turn over our old cartrages but to hold our selves in readiness for we might be called out at any moment. I read till 9 o'clock & then retired to reast. It rained tolerable hard all knight. Nov the 2lst we did not get up very soon. It being raining & the order for us to go out in the morning being countermanded. I went to writing & reading. It still continued to rain. I dreamped a great deal of being at hoam last knight & I expected that when the mail come I would get a letter. But I did not. But Downing got one & it stated that Levi was at hoam on a 30 days furlough. It pleased me to think that he had got home once more to see the friends & to stay a while. As he was wounded it would be incouriageing to him to get home. I would have bin glad to have bin with him. I dug myself some sasafras roots to make tea for to drink & I traided some coffe for sugar to sweeten it & I had tea & soop for dinner & it made me swet to drink warm tea & eat vegitable soop. I pealed the bark of ove the roots to dry & carry with me if we should march to make tea. We got orders to get ready for Inspection by the Brigade Inspecter till 10 A.M. next day. It turned cool at 2 P.M. & stoped raining & the wind blew cold. There was some cannonading on the right after noon. I heared the reason that we did not make the atack as was anticipated was because General Sherman had not got his forses to the designed point. He is to cross the river up above the rebels camp on a pontoon Bridge & come up in the rear & atak them when we would atack in front at the same time. I expect there will be powder burnt before many days from all apearance. Our Company had a load of wood haweld. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. The order was read stating who was on General Grangers staff. I dissremember the rank & names of the staff. I did not reast very well for I had very sever pains passing through me. & it cleared off in the knight. Nov the 22nd, Sunday. it was a beautiful morning. I did not feel very well. I received a letter. We fixed up for Inspection but it was put off till 1 P.M. At 10 A.M. the cannons in Fort Wood comenced shelling the rebs. They could be seen marching up the side of the mountain & a train was goying up & some artillery. & the rebs big gun on Lookout was trying to shell our troops. Our guns fiered tolerable often till noon. I put my time in at writing. We had nothing for dinner but some meat. We had inspection at 1 P.M. There was firing from fort Wood nearly all afternoon. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. The order was read for us to have 100 rounds of cartrages as we had on friday & be ready to go out in the morning with two days rations cooked, in our haversacks & none was to be left in camp only one to each Co to guard the things they left in camp & preparations was to be made that those on picket should have the same rations & amunition & there was to be 40 axes to each brigade & 20 spades & shovels & 10 picks. & the men that carryed them should have amunition & rations. & that General Wood desired that each officer should see that these orders should be carryed to effect for the success & wellfar of the intended move. The cannonading seaced at dark. We drawed two days rations of bacon & two days 3/4 rations of sugar coffe & crackers & got these in our haversacks till half past 9 o'clock. I still was bothered with very sever pains in my bowels. We retired to reast at 10 o'clock expecting to be called up before daylight. As there had bin some troops come up to the breast works from the rear. It was a clear knight & cool. Nov the 23rd we got up early & there was a detail made in our brigade for fortigue men to report at 15 minuts till 7 A.M. It clouded up. The Tennessee river is very fool this morning. I expect the reason that we did not start out this morning was becaus the river is two fool to put the pontoon Bridge across to let the left wing Shermans troops across. This is only an opinion I drawed. I don some writing. There was some cannonading from our guns on the right. It comenced at 10 A.M. & at 11 A.M. there was some shells throwed from fort Wood. There was 5 more men to the Co detailed for fortigue at 12. & at 2 P.M. we got orders to fall in. & we marched out side of the breast works & formed in mast. & at half past 2 P.M. the pickets advanced & comenced fiering as soon as they advanced, fiering clear along the whole line. & we started at the same time & loaded our guns as we marched along. & at 25 minuts till 3 P.M. our artillery in fort wood comenced fiering & there was fiering of artillery on the right & we could hear a very heavy skermishing all along the line at 3 P.M. I heard the rebs artillery fiering a fiew shots. & we deployed in line of battle & marched forward a peace & stoped at 15 minuts after 3 p.m. & the file closers had strict orders to ceep the boys in ranks & not fier a shot our selves. & we sit down. & there was not much musketry to be heard in front. But on our right I heard them skermishing. Our shells passed over our heads just a boiling seemingly. & we was in the thick woods. White shrub oak was the principal groath. & a great deal of shrub oak was all through the woods. Making it a perfect under groath thicket. Making it a difficult matter to advance only as we felt our way. We could hear the cars just over the Missionary Ridge it seemed to be & I saw the rebs train of wagons goying up the ridge going over to the other side. Our guns seaced in the fort for a fiew minuts at a time. And then would fier again as rapid as possible. My watch stoped & I cant account for it stoping without it was becaus I wound it up two tight. But I think it was about half past 3 P.M. When our men gained the top of a noal.* To our right a fiew yards. & our men drawed a battery up I think & shelled the rebels. The rebels guns was up on the ridge & played very fast at times. Their shells was very clost to us. We saw the shells expload just before us & all around us & there was some skermishing at times all along the line but I dont think it amounted to much. We layed in line of battle till dark & the cannonading seaced at dark on boath sides & it was cloudy & cool. & it comenced sprinkling rain at dark & I sit & tryed to write this little noat till it was so dark I could not see the lines to write on. I suffered with the diarrhea a great deal. & crampen pains in my bowels. At 8 o'clock we layed down with our blankets around us to ceep warm. I layed my head up against an oak tree & slept a little nap. & at 11 O'clock they called for our company to work one hour in the rifle pits for the men that had been detailed at noon to work at fortigue had brought over a load of axes Picks & shovels. & some of the men had been hard at work ever since we had gained the top of the noal to our right. & a signal flag was telegraphing from the west side of the noal nearly ever since we gained the noal. We worked till midnight & we had a good line of breast works & the timber choped down in front & in our rear. We layed down to sleep again & at 4 we was waked up again & marched in the rifle pits & layed down again. & there was some work still goying on. & it was very cool & the wind blew & the clouds passed very fast & the moon would have given light all knight if it had not bin cloudy. __________ * The noal (knoll) was the famous Orchard Knob which Grant used as headquarters for the rest of this three-days battle in and around Chattanooga. It was about 100 feet high, one mile in front of Missionary Ridge, and gave a clear view of the whole battle. __________ Nov the 24th at daylight the pickets comenced fiering to our left & front. It was sprinkling rain a little. The word was that our devision had took 700 prisners the day before & I dont doubt it for I saw several goying back my self. The boys said there had bin 8 guns planted on the noal during the knight. I heared also that hookers troops had took about a brigade on our right. I felt very bad in my bowls & we suffered with cold a great deal. At 20 minuts till 7 A.M. the artillery on the noal comenced fiering & there was one or two 32 Pdrs on the noal according to the report of the gun. At 10 minuts till 8 A.M. there was some cannonading on the right. It seemed to be near lookout Mt. The boys got orders to make themselves small fiers & make a little coffe. I eat a cracker & a peace of sowbelly. The boys made coffey. We was about one mile and between 200 yards & a quarter of a mile from fort wood. We was out at the rebles out side line of rifle pits. Our men charged them when we came out & took some prisnors yesterday. When they advanced we could see the rebs marching to their left on the ridge in colums. & our guns in fort Wood shelled them as they was marching. At 15 minuts till 9 A.M. & at 10 A.M. the rebs shelled our pickets that went out to relieve the pickets that was out as skermishers. There was cannonading often on all forenoon on our right. They seemed to be tolerable large guns. & once & a while I heared a cannon up on our left. & at 12 M the cannonading on our right comenced very hard & we could hear musketry. It continued very heavy till 10 minuts till 1 P.M. & then we heared a charge & the cannonading was not so heavy afterwards. & the word came to us that our men was charging on Lookout Mt & had taken it up to the white house [Craven's farm] on the bench at the north end of the mountain. The musketry continued very heavy. & it was smokey & drizzling rain & we could not see what was goying on. We could hear the fighting very sensible & plain at 2 P.M. The fiering was not as constant but at times it nearly seaced. & then again there was heavy fiering of muskets & artillery. The word came that our men had gained the top of the Lookout Mountain in certain places. At half past 3 P.M. there was a heavy fiering from 3 guns on our right. It seemed to be about a half a mile to the battery. & there was a heavy cannonading at lookout mt it seemed like they had a very hard contest. It still continued to rain & was very dissagreable whear we had to lay in the fresh dug rifle pits. At 4 P.M. I got a letter from James W Huntzinger stating that Levi was at hoam. I almost rejoiced when I heared that he was at hoam. The fiering on lookout seemed to be growing harder & harder. They fiered constant & it was a perfect roar all the time from 3 P.M. till know. & it is half past 5 P.M. & the fighting is still goying on yet & the staff officer just brought word that Hooker had took 7 guns & that he was driving the rebs around the side of the mountain & had gained the bench of the mountain & had them drive back past the road where we came down from the Lookout house & that the cannonading had bin mostly from the rebels guns & it has bin very mute for an hour or two. We also got word that Shearman had crossed the river on our left & formed a line joining on General Howards left which layed to our left & was of the 11th A.C. There was rations come for us at 7 o'clock & we drawed one days rations of bacon for two days & 3/4 rations of sugar coffey & crackers for two days. & the fiering on the right was still goying on. We could hear distant cannonading on the right. It was nearly constant cannonading. It may have bin musketry but we all thought it was artillery but it was at a distance. We got our rations issued & ready to retire to reast at 9 & I layed down & still heard fighting on the right. It cleared off & I got cold at 1 o'clock & got up to my fier to warm. I still had the diarrhea. & at 2 the moon was total Eclipse & I layed down to sleep another nap when I was warm & I got up at 5. And the shadow of the Eclipse left the moon at 40 minuts after 5 as my almunac in my day book stated. Nov the 25th. I got ready to eat & eat my breakfast before daylight so that we would be ready to stack if the order would come. We heard some fiering at a distance on our left at 7 A.M. The guns on the noal to our right comenced shelling the rebs which we could see marching to our left on top of the ridge. & we heared that our men was clear up on the side of lookout & had fiers & that they had took one whole battery & 4 large guns & 2000 prisners. I heared a cannon to our left at a distance once & a while. & at 15 minuts till 9 A.M. our pickets in front comenced fiering prety smart. & it continued & we could hear the shots to our left & front. & at half past 9 A.M. we heared yells on our left. & I think it was a charge. The cannons still kept up a fiering on the left & there was rebels to be seen marching to the left for hours & our guns in fort wood shelled them & from the noal. & thear was some cannonading on the right, seemingly at Lookout Mountain. The sky was clear except a fiew thin clouds & the wind blew tolerable cool. At about 20 minuts till 10 A.M. there was a fiew cannons comenced fiering from the rebels side & it continued & seemed to be geting worse & worse. & at half past 10 A.M. the picket lines seemed to be moving out toward the rebels a little for there was a prety smart skermish all along the lines. & on the left there was a prety smart chearing & not much musketry. & then tolerable heavy musketry on our right & front & chearing & there was considreable cannonading on boath sides & a regular cannonading on the left several miles distant. The musketry seaced at half past 11 A.M. But there was shells passing all around us. & I saw several shells fall very close to our lines as we lay in line. We was in the rifle pits except the file closers. Before 12 M. the cannonading of the rebels in our front had seaced but our men was shelling ocasionaly. & the cannonading on our left at a distance was kept up very regular & one of our buglers saw our troops marching to our left in our rear for the last hour. At 12 M. there was not a cloud to be seen & the sky looked very blew. & a brisk wind blew from the west & our bugler said he saw nearly all of our Generals up on the noal right to our right. Genl Grant was there for it was a great place to see his army & comand the troops. At 15 minuts till 1 rebs got a shell ranged in direct line with our rifle pits. & one passed just over our heads a little ways in the air. & it cut a limb of an oak tree off & did not hurt us. Thear was several passed close to us. We all thought that Shearnans troops must have advanced considreable from the sound of the cannons for it seemed to be swinging around pressing the rebels right. Our left seemed to be gaining. We fell in at half past 2 P.M. & formed in close column by devision at half distance & stacked arms & wated orders. & we heared a boat blowing down toward the boat landing at Chattanooga. & so I think they [we] have got lookout Mountain & the boats can come up know. & we could hear musketry roaring but it was so far to our left that it could hardly be heared. At half past 3 P.M. we fell in & deployed in line of battle & marched out & formed a line out side of the rifle pits & at 15 minuts till 4 P.M. there was some cannon fiered on the noal & then on the right for a signal. & then we all started & marched as hard as we could go for a little distance through the thicket. & when we started I comenced praying & I felt as well as I ever felt. I did not think I would be hurt or wounded but I thought I would come out all right. But it had bin pressed on my mind that James Hague my messmate would get killed or wounded ever since I left camp. I ast God to give us a great victory & to preserve us for I heared the skermishers fiering just in our front & knew that we would soon be engaged. & then we got out of the booshes in plain view of the rebels. But they did not fier much from their rifle pits at the foot of Missionary ridge. & we had crossed two of their rifle pits. They soon started up the ridge. & the whole top of the ridge all along as far as I could see seemed to be fool of artillery fiering at us. & the most of the shells passed a fiew feet over our heads for we was running as hard as we could all the way. The shells exploaded & hurt some of the men that could not ceep up with us. & we could look up & down the valley & see the whole line of troops running towards Missionary ridge. & the shells was exploading all along in the valley a fiew feet up from the ground & some on the ground. & it looked like a cloud of smoak. & our artillery was playing on their batterys as fast as they could. & we got to the rebs breast works at the foot of Missionary ridge & layed down & reasted about 3 minuts for we was run nearly down & then we went rite on up to charge the missionary ridge. & then the canester & grape rained around us like a storm & there was a high point just before our regt & the 86 Ind which was formed on the left of our regt & Colonel Knefler comanded boath regts. The colors was all together between the two regts. there we was charging up the point & the battery on the point tryed to give us grape. We was shelled by a battery on a point to our left & two batterys to our right. & they had a compleat crossfier on us. & the hill (or I might say the Mountain) was very steep & rocky. & a fiew little shruby oak trees stood along up the side. & our two regts was so far in front of the other part of the line that the rebels shelled us from the right & the left. It plowed the dirt & killed some men. & we got up within a fiew feet of the breast works & layed down for we was so tiered that we could hardly walk a step & we layed & fiered for some time. & we looked back & saw the line of suport coming up to suport us. & we looked to our right & left & saw that our line was nearly up as far as our regt. & then we was reasted a little. & got up to go in the breast works. & we could see to our right was up ready to take the different little points & the batteries for they seemed to want to take ---?--- batterys. & I saw our men charge right up to the mouth of the cannons when they was fiering & take the batteries & turn them on the rebels & fier them at the rebels. & I know that the rebels could not have bin very far down the other side of the hill when our men had the guns turned & fiering at them. We charged up & took a little outpoint that lay out about 50 yards further than the main strait line. & a shell bursted rite close to James Hague & knocked him down & he was sensless & he roaled down a little way & lodged against a tree & there was someone took him back. I was not alowed to help any one that was wounded & I had orders to not shoot any. But I dissobeyed the orders & shot every good chance I could see. & Sergeant Mickeal R Buttler was wounded in the knee. & a shell passed so close to James P Johnson that it ?--uned his arm & hurt him for some time. & a fiew of the Boys was missing when we got up to the main ridge. We fiered down at them. & they killed some of our boys when we got clear up & was fiering down at them. & we captured some prisnors & flags & a fiew officers. & the 79th took two guns down on the other side of the ridge in the hollow. They was 12 Pdrs. I think brass peaces. & it is said that our Devision took 27 peaces of artillery. & after we got up several minuts of hard fiering took place on our left about 400 yards. It was a hard fight. & at sundown we repulsed them & drove them clear off & had posession of the whole ridge. & I could see them a running off like raskels. & I could see off about 8 miles the smoak of the carrs where they was leaving and a train of wagons or something burning to our left & front. We could look back & see the whole works in our rear & town & everything, we was so high. We got wood up & made some fiers & I made some coffe for James Hague for he had come two & come up to the regt. & he had no crackers. I thought a great deal of him. Nearly as much as a brother & I was glad to see him come up. & we got some corn & parched it for James had no crackers. I went back to the place where we charged up the hill & viewed the whole ground & saw just how we advanced. & the wounded was all carryed off to the hospitals. We did not have very many men killed for the rebs shot two high only the shells. But the rebs was laying tolerable thick & I heared that we had killed a major General & took a major prisnor. & we took several of the rebs. The rebs canester & grape had wounded several of our boys. & we got tiered of talking about the fight & layed down to sleep at 11 o'clock. It was very clear & cool & the moon was bright & clear. The ground froze tolerable hard. Nov the 26th I got up at 5 & my eyes had bin filled with dirt & my face scrached with gravel or something when the shells exploaded. My face & eyes felt bad but I washed & felt better. My Captain & myself went down the hill where we had come up & it is so steep that one has to watch how he walks or he would fall. We took a good view of the ground. It must have been over a mile that we charged double quick as fast as we could run. & we had orders once to stop. But the colonel could not get his boys to stop. But we run on. The missionary ridge must be 1000 feet high & the rebs breast works consisted of logs & rock & some brush & dirt thrown up at some places. I got some grape that was shot at us & I am a goying to carry a couple with me. The word was that we had took 60 odd peaces of artillery. We could hear a cannon once & a while on our right & some little musketry. & captain Howe & I went along down the ridge to the left of whear we came up. & we went about one mile & we saw lots of the rebs killed. & the most was shot about the head. We saw a fiew of our men all along who was killed & some wounded that was not taken to any hospital. It had been very hard contested ground all along on the left. From the looks of the killed & the marks on the trees of balls. Our men had built some breast works in the knight to shelter themselves provided the rebs should make an atack or a dash. We did not go as far as to Shearmans troops for we was afraid the regt might leave. & we returned. The 86 Ind said that there was one shell passed through their flag & 88 rifle balls. I dont know how many passed through our flag. The boys heared that Jeremiah Goley had got wounded in the ankel & Columbus Handcock was wounded a little. Boath of Co I. At half past 9 A.M. we was called for a detail of 3 men to gether up guns & accutrement. At 15 minuts till 10 A.M. we heared cannonading on our left & front. & it was said that our men had advanced. & we would stay on the ridge to reast. It was a clear day. But it was foggy in the valleys. So we could not see all the movements. But the fog left at about 10 A.M. & we could see the whole camp & town & our works & where we got to on Monday knight & where we fortifyed on the noal & the rifle pits & where we came. & I knew the rebels could see all of our movements. At 15 minuts till 11 A.M. we could see Chickamogua Station & a great many buildings a burning & our cannons throwing shells toward the rebels & we could see our infantry marching out to our front. The land looks like a lot of knobs all fool of low timber like a haricane of bushes all east of the ridge towards Roam & up towards Knoxville. & we could see the allagany mountains away off. & a pretier sight of a battle never had bin seen I dont think than it was yesterday for the men in camp could see every large peace of artillery fiering on us & the line of our men moving up to the top of missionary ridge. At 11 A.M. we saw a fier. We thought it was the railroad bridge. At 20 minuts till 12 M there was 34 or 36 shots fiered at fort Wood. We suposed it was a salute for the victory of Woods Devision & probly for the whole armys victory for we certainly gained in all parts of the whole line. & I heared that we took the rebels train of wagons with amunition & the rebels blowed up some of their artillery amunition. I went to the right of where we came up on the ridge & I saw several dead rebels. One lieutenant colonel & one lieutenant. & I saw some of the most mangled bodies that I ever saw in my life. The ridge on our right was not as steep & long to climb as whear we climbed up only one point. The ridge layes a little in the shape of a letter ess. I will endeavor to discribe it a little. Well the rebels had a line of heavy breast works all along the foot of the ridge & right on the brow or top of the ridge was another line crooking with the little newks & points. & the top of the hill was not level but it decended right off like a house roof. & a part of the ridge was cleared & part was timbered & it was fool of limestone rocks. & the prisnors that we took said that their was another line of breast works back of the ridge over in the little hills. & we had crossed two lines of rifle pits right after we left our line that we built on Monday knight & come out in the open field before we got to their line at the foot of the hill. They had great natural positions & fine places for breast works. At half past 2 P.M. our Brigade band came up & played several chearing songs. We could see our train goying out with rations for the troops nearly to Chickamogue Station. At dark we could see 5 lines of fiers & they must have bin 8 or 10 miles out from us. & we could see the flash of our cannon. A little after 6 I layed down to sleep but I had not slept but a little while till I was waked to issue a fiew crackers & I issued them & the order came at half past 7 to go to camp. & we got in line as quick as possible & started & of all the yelling & chears I never heared the like. It seemed like the whole earth was hollowing. We decended the ridge & crossed the rebels line of breast works at the foot of the hill & then we crossed two more lines of breast works in the valley & then came to the line that we throwed up when we got in to our forts. The brigade Band was on the side of the road playing to chear us & we felt as brave & mery & lively as any yankies for we had bin out to the front & was the front line of battle all the time from the forts on Monday till we took Missionary Ridge. We got to camp at half past 9 o'clock and built a fier & drawed a little coffe & sugar & salt & beef & retired to reast at 11 o'clock. I pooled off my shoes & rig for the first time since we left Camp & I slept like a log. Nov the 27th I got up at daylight & eat my breakfast & sewed James Hagues pance & went to writing. & at 15 minuts till 9 A.M. I heared a considreable cannonading toward Ringold. It lasted for several minuts very regular & then seaced for some time. & then it could be heared again & it seemed to be moving toward the right. & I heared that Burnside had whiped Longstreet & had him in fool retreat. Capt Howe went down in town & said there was thousands of prisnors in town & lots of wounded & there is lots of artillery pooled in with oald muels. The Adjutant said there was 27 wounded in our regt & none missing or killed but some was wounded so they would die he thought. We got our beef all boiled good & tender & baked it & had a good dinner. We got orders at 1 P.M. to be ready to march at 6 o'clock the next morning. & we drawed 4 days rations 3/4 rations of crackers & pork & coffe & sugar & salt & a fiew beans & rice & vegitables for soop & an onion to each man. We heared cannonading often on till knight. We had dressparade at 5 P.M. & there was an order read from Genl Wood. He tendered his thanks & gratitude to us for our brave soldierly charge. & he stated that we was ordered out on Monday on a recrenoirtring expedition & was ordered to charge on Wednesday to the Botom of Mission Ridge to the rebels rifle pits & stop there to draw the rebels from our left so Genl Shearman could whip them on our left. But said he in his order you was not contented to stop there. But he said we went on & charged the ridge & the rebels breast works on top of the rugged ridge. & captured lots of prisnors & small arms & artillery & crowned our selves with honor. It is said that our regt has the prais of geting the colors on the breast works first. We heared that our men had good sucess out in front capturing small arms & artillery & prisnors & stores from the rebels. James Gotten came up to the Co. I writ till 8 o'clock at knight & then my candle gave out. It was a little cloudy but not much appearance of rain. Nov the 28th we got up at 4 o'clock & it was a raining & had rained very hard in the knight. We drawed some beef & eat breakfast before daylight & packed our haversacks & we got orders to carry only 40 rounds of cartrages & to take our tents & everything. & we did not turn over any cartrages but cept 60 rounds. It rained affel hard at times & I went to writing & writ some memoranda. & we had a good boiled dinner & was ready to march. But we had to carry 60 rounds of cartrages & at half past 1 P.M. I heared the General word over camp to pack up & we got ready & the Bugle sounded at 2 P.M. & we formed in line & stacked arms & wated for the troops to go out in front. & at 15 minuts till 4 P.M. we started out & marched along the Knoxville railroad to the 5 mile stone & it was 133 miles to Knoxville from the 5 mile stone. We stoped to camp at dusk & built fiers of rails for it was cloudy & very winday. & W.D. Mitcheal & E.P. Hix & James Hague & myself went together to sleep & put up our tents & pooled grass to ceep us up off ove the damp wet ground. We retired at 8 o'clock. We had left E.M. Downing in camp for he was not well. & Samuel Wilson & I.M. Drybread & Ralph Robins & James Cotten & Wm. Holdcroff. & we had 24 men in ranks & myself & a sergeant acting orderly & a drummer & bugler & a Lieutenant & the Captain. This was our Company. Nov the 29th, Sunday. we got up at 5 o'clock & got breakfast & it was still cloudy & very winday & cold. & at 15 minuts after 6 o'clock the bugle sounded & we struck tents & got ready to start & at half past 6 the bugle sounded the General assembly. & we fell in & stacked arms & at 7 A.M. the bugle sounded & we started our regt in front. & the Band played for us. We did not march very far till we had to stop for there was a train in front of us & the mud was froze. But not hard enough to bear up. We stoped & built fiers to warm by & it comenced spiting snow but it seemed to be two cold to snow much. At 10 minuts till 10 A.M. we started & crossed a swamp several hundred yards across. & they had cut timber down to cross on. At 10 A.M. it was nearly clear & after 10 we stoped for the train to go ahead for they stoped every once & a while for they stalled. At 12 M we started & went to where Shearman had crossed the Tenn river. And the Bridge was across the river yet & the rifle pits was throwed up where he had crossed. & we saw the ridge where Shearman was fighting the rebels the day that we charged the ridge. We cept moving on slow & at half past 1 P.M. we crossed the Chickamougu river 7 miles above Chattanooga on a pontoon Bridge just where it emptied in the Tenn River. We marched through some prety land & nice farms. & at 7 o'clock we stoped to camp near a little town called Harrison. A station on the Tenn river. I think it is a County Seet ( James look in the map & see what county it is & put it in this vacant place) (………). & it was awful cold & freezing very fast. We had plenty of rations. We had marched about 12 miles winding about. But we was only about 14 miles from Chattanooga. We layed down to reast at 9 o'clock & had orders to be ready to start at 5 in the morning. Nov the 30th revelee sounded at 4 o'clock & we got up. & some of the troops started out at half past 4 & at 5 o'clock we started. The ground was froze awful hard & we marched very fast. & at 11 o'clock as we passed along I saw some live hogs. The first I had seen for two months. & we stoped at 11 A.M. & eat a bite & started at 15 minuts till 12 M. & the ground was thawed a little on top on the sun side. Which made it very dissagreable walking & slavish. We passed a large spring which boiled up out of the ground. & there was a mill about one mile below on the stream from the spring. We passed a splendid house & there was an oald man had a union flag & one was waving his hat. & a lot of women was standing around. & our Band played for them. It seemed to do them a heap of good to see us. We got to Georgetown at 15 minuts till 1 P.M.16 miles from where we started in the morning. & there was 3 union flags in town waving by the ladys. I had a tight shoe on my foot & it hurt me so I could hardly walk for misery I suffered a great deal. We marched 5 miles from Georgetown & went in camp on the left hand side of the road in the woods at half past 3 P.M. & Hague went to where the boys had killed fat hogs. & he got a head & liver which made us a good supper & a nough for breakfast. We gethered up leaves for a bead & retiered at 7 o'clock to reast. We slept fine but it was a cold knight.
Dec the 1st, 1863. we got up at 5 o'clock & eat our fresh meat & parched corn for breakfast. & at noon we bought 50 cts worth of fresh pork to eat for dinner. & at 2 P.M. we drawed 3/4 rations of bacon & crackers coffe & sugar & salt & had a bully mess. & I writ some memoranda. & at 4 P.M. we drawed a good mess of beef. & we heared that the reason that we was laying there was for the troops to cross the river. They was crossing on the flat boats & a steamboat & crossed very slow. We boiled our beef & eat supper & at 6 o'clock the bugle sounded the General. & we got ready & at half past 6 we was called on for 3 men to the Company to help ferry the teams across the river. & we started & went a mile to the river called Hiawassee & stoped & wated for the 6 first regts to cross. & I got some cornstalks to sit on. & we built a fier. & at 10 o'clock we went on the steamboat called the Dunbar. & we crossed the river & went a mile to camp & stoped at 11 o'clock. & we built fiers & got hay to lay down on. & after 12 we layed down. & the fortigue men came in after geting the teams across at 3 o'clock. & layed down to sleep a little while. December the 2nd we was waked up at 5 o'clock to get ready to start. I could hardly walk for my feat was so soar & my legs also & I had the Diarrhea very bad. At half past 6 the bugle sounded the General. & at half past 7 A.M. we started. The ground was froze very hard & it was very cold. I did not eat breakfast for I was not very well. We passed about 8 women side of the road. They was singing a union song. The roads thawed & it was very dissegreable walking. We passed through very hilly country & it was stoney. & the principal groath of timber was pine & oak. We stoped at 12 M to eat a little dinner. & we built fiers & the boys boiled coffey. My feet was so soar that I suffered a great deal when marching. Waiter Hunter fell out of ranks & has not come up. We got the mail & I got 2 letters one from hoam. We started at 15 minuts till 1 P.M. & passed through a little town called Decatur. The County Seat of Meigs Co. 11 miles from where we started in the morning. We marched till 15 minuts til 5 P.M. & we went in camp on a splendid farm & got up a lot of rails for a fier. We always burn thousands of rails at knight where we stop. We had marched about 20 miles or upwards. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. Dec the 3rd it was a very cold morning. We got up at 5 & got ready to march. & at 15 minuts after 7 A.M. the bugle sounded. & we started & crossed Sewey Crick. The ground was froze very hard & rough but it thawed before noon making it very slavish bad walking. Jeremiah Foley fell out of ranks & has not come up yet. At 1 P.M. we stoped to eat dinner & we started before 2 & turned off ove the Philadelphia road 6 miles before we got to town. & started toward Sweet Water. & got to Sweet Water at 4 P.M. It was a splendid looking little town in Manroe Co. The railroad runs through to Knoxville. The town is a very nice thrifty little town. We marched a mile past town making 20 miles for the days march. & went in camp at half past 4 P.M. & we was buisy geting rails. & there was a fiew rebels shot at our men that was starting out to foriage. & our boys shot at them & they left. Our Brigade was in front of the Devision & the bugle sounded & we fell in & a regt went out to the front on picket & we finished geting up our rails. & Hix & I went about a half a mile & got water. & Mitcheal had bought a large chicken for our mess. & we boiled it after knight. & I gave 60 cts for 6 pts of flower that the boys brought in camp. & we had some dumplings & put them in the chicken soop & boiled it good for breakfast. We drawed two days rations of beef. We retiered to reast at half past 9 o'clock. Dec the 4th we got up at 5 & warmed our chicken & potpye & had a splendid mess for our breakfast. We boiled our beef. It was a cool morning. There was a detail of 2 men out of each company to go ahead to foriage for the brigade as our rations was all gon. At half past 7 A.M. the Bugle sounded & we fell in & started on the Morgantown road & we marched through some prety Cuntry & stoped after 12 M to eat a little dinner & we started after 1 P.M. & marched 12 or 14 miles & went in camp at half past 2 P.M. about 4 miles from Morgantown. I had suffered more with my feat than ever before. It seemed to me that it would almost kill me to walk. I greased my feat good after washing them & Capt How told me I should not march any more till my feat got better. He would have got me a pair of shooes if he could. & if I could get a pair of shooes he would receipt for them but we had no clothing with us. So I could not get any shoes. We bought a quart of Preserves for 50 cts & had fried beef & slapjacks & preserves for supper & that was good. We got some straw for a bead. We drawed some beef & mutton & I sit up & boiled it very tender. The foriagers came in after dark & they had upwards of a hundred head of sheep for our brigade & some fat hogs & beef & flower & meal & potatoes & bacon that had just took the salt. Walter Hunter came up. I retired to reast very late on a good straw bead. Dec the 5th we got up early. It was cloudy. We drawed 2 spoonsfool of flower in the knight to the man & one potatoe & we had no bread for breakfast. We drawed a little salt & bacon that had just took the salt. I went to the Docter & got a pass to ride in an ambulance as my foot was very soar. & I expected that my toe nail would come off. There was a detail of fortigue men again sent out at 7 A.M. & at 8 A.M. we started & we marched about a mile & I was oblige to get in an ambulance for my feat pained me a great deal. & at 9 A.M. it comenced raining. & we came to the little Tenn river at half past 9 A.M. 3 miles from where we started in the morning. & we stoped for the Brigade in front to cross. They had to cross on ferry boats & it was very slow crossing for they had broke down the trussle bridge. But they got the Bridge repaired at 11 A.M. & we was ordered to walk across for fear the bridge would break down with the loaded ambulances. & we crossed. & after 12 M the Ambulance came across. & we got in again & we passed through Morgantown. It is in Blount Co near the river. It seaced raining & cleared off. The roads was slipery. We passed through some prety cuntry & fine groves. I drove the ambulance about half way. We stoped to camp & I went to my Co at half past 7 o'clock at knight about 16 or 18 miles from where we started. We had nothing to eat but some meat. We retiered to reast at 9 o'clock. Dec the 6th, Sunday. We got up at 5 & made a little gravy & eat meat for breakfast. I bought a pint of molasses. We had 3 chickens & we picked & dressed them & we carryed them in our haversacks. We started at 15 minuts after 6. Our regt in front of the Devision. I had to stop & get in an ambulance after walking about a mile. There was a big frost & it was cold & cloudy & rained a little at times. I road 4 miles till I got to Mary Ville the County Seet of Blunt Co. It has bin a good little town before the rebellion. I got out to walk at 15 minuts after 9 A.M. & walked about 4 miles to Little river. A very small stream for to be called a river. & the roads was very mudy & slipery. The Ambulances stoped at about 15 minuts till 11 A.M. & I started to hunt the regt & it was out on picket. & I found the regt & my Company was out on out post. & I went out to them. I suffered a great deal with my feat & legs. We had nothing to eat but meat & one of the 5 that I mess with went out & got a little flower & shorts & a gallon of the thickest molasses that I ever saw. & I bought a part of a ham for a quarter & we boiled our 3 chickens & made a good gravy over them & baked some slapjacks. & we feasted on our supper. After we eat we drawed 3 quarts of meal to our Company & a fiew little potatoes & a bit of meat. But if we had not bin where we had a chance to foriage for ourselves & purches we would have suffered for something to eat but we was very lucky in finding something to eat. It cleared off & we had a good time. I was relieved of the outpost by the hon Lieutenant T. C. Batchelar & layed down to sleep at about 11 o' clock. It was a cold & foggy knight. Dec the 7th I was waked up at half past 3 to take charge of the poast again. I had slept but very little for it was cold & two much talking. We baked some slapjacks & had breakfast early & at half past 7 A.M. we got orders to bring in the pickets. & we went to the Station & it was very frosty & very foggy. We started at half past 9 A. M. & marched a little way & stoped for the Devision to cross the river. Our regt was in the rear of the Devision. We crossed the little river at noon. & there was a splendid factory on the bank. The name of the place is rockford. We marched very slow & study. We passed a woman standing by the fence & she saw someone that she thought she knew in our regt. & she said there goes Ellick. & she comenced shouting & come out side of the yard & said oh cant I get to him & she followed a little ways. & our boys said they did not know her & we expected that she had some conection in the army & thought she saw them. The sun shun very warm & we had a mudy road & poor cuntry to march through & we saw the fences throwed down where the cavelry had bin skermishing a fiew days before one of my mess got 50 cts worth of flour & meal together & we carried it for we had nothing to eat since morning before daylight. We stoped to camp at sundown two miles from Knoxville, Tenn having marched 10 miles today. My feet was very soar & hurt me very bad but I made out to ceep up. We could see the forts toward town on the high noals. I talked a while with an oald lady & her daughter. They was union & had bin away from home while the skermishing was goying on. & the oald lady had 4 sons in the union army. They almost rejoiced to see us coming. We baked some cakes & had fried meat & molasses & we eat very harty for we had not eat since before daylight. & it was after dark when we eat supper. & we retired to reast about 8 & slept fine for we was in the woods & rails was plenty. Dec the 8th we got up at revelee & baked our corn cakes & fried meat & don fine for breakfast. It was cloudy & cool. We had nothing to do but to stay by the fier. We had dinner but some of the boys had nothing. Our mess bought some butter & meat & a canteen of molasses & some dryed apples for $1.85 at the picket lines. It comenced sprinkling rain at 2 P.M. & we had orders to fix our tents as comfortable as possible as we was not expecting to leave before the next day. & we put up our tents in a shead stile. I saw some of the boys eating grean apples. & they was the first I had saw for nearly 3 months. It did not rain very much. We drawed a little pork & salt & had a little bread for supper & butter & molasses & djed fruit 5 meat. We retired to reast very early in the evening. Dec the 9th we got up very early in the morning & drawed a whole mutton to our Company & a pint & a half of meal to the man & it was not sifted. & we had a fine breakfast. It was nearly clear & a very pleasant day & we looked to have to move at any time. I went to writing & put my time in at writing & reading. & in the evening we drawed a sheap to our Company & we boiled it up & we neaded bread. We drawed some meal & meat & salt & a little tobacco & 3 loaves of bread to the Company. & after dark there was one of our mess came in. He had bin out all day to get something to eat. He had some meal & corn bread & sosage & onions & pickels & molasses & humney. & we had a fine supper. & we had a nough eatables to do us a right smart good. & they did not cost so much inside of the picket lines. We retired to reast at 8.
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