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VI. WINTER AND SPRING IN EASTERN TENNESSEE 1863-1864 Dec the 10th [1863] we got up & eat breakfast. It was a cool morning & the order came that 4 men to the Company could go to town a day with passes. 2 in the fore noon & 2 in the afternoon. & the talk was that we was a goying to start back to Chattanooga the next morning. One of our Boys started out again to forriage & he got some molasses & potatoes & Brisket. & we drawed somebeef & a Little meal. I don some writing & at 10 A.M. I took a pass & went to town [Knoxville] with Lieutenant Batchelar & we saw the whole town & we looked at nearly all the breast works & there is a very extensive line of fortifycations & breast works around town. & we went to the Seminary & went clear up to the cupalo & had a fair view of the whole town & works & surounding Country. We saw the Cumberland Mountains & we saw the Smokey ridge or Mountain & Mount Mitchel the highest peace of ground in the United States or is said to be the highest mount in the western slopes. & we saw thousands of names writ on the top of the ciminary. & I writ my name. We went down then & went to the fort that Longstreat had charged & we saw where the rebels had been slaughtered & we saw where they advanced & the direction that they retreated in. & we saw lots of citezens & children & a lot of very respectable looking Ladies which was union. & the stores was open & the traid seamed to be goying on the same as in the north. & I thought of hoam & when I went in town. & it is a tolerable nice town. & I think there is not less than 10 water mills in 3/4 of a mile on a little stream. It is so much fall that some dams are not than 100 yards apart. We took a good view of all the town & went in the printing office of oald parson Branlows & they said they would have the office in active bisness. It was the oald Knoxville Whig & the printer said that oald Branlow would soon be in town. We got tired of our trip & started back to camp & I bought $4.00 worth of tobacco & took it to camp & got $6.00 for it. & it was dark. & we eat supper. & had plenty to eat. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. Dec the 11th we got up very early & eat breakfast as we expected to start at 6 o'clock somewhere but we did not know where. It was cloudy. We drawed a little meal. We did not get orders to march. & they gave the boys passes to go to town. & I went to writing. & we got orders to lay out camp. & they layed out camp in regular stile. & we put up shead tents. & I don some more writing. I eat a grean apple. The first for 2 months & a half. We retired at 8 o'clock. Dec the 12th I don some writing & it comenced clouding up. & we boiled our shirts & dried them. & we went about a half a mile & got plank at a house & carryed it to camp to make a warm tent. For the word was that we would stay here for some time. We got a splendid tent put up of plank & covered it with 4 peaces of tent & there was 5 of us to stay in it. William Critser had come in our mess on the march. We drawed a little salt & coffey & flower & mutten. And it comenced raining. & we had rool call & retired to reast at 8 o'clcok. & it was raining. Dec the 13th, Sunday. we got up at daylight & got word to be ready to go out on picket at 8 A.M. & we got ready & went out at half past 8 A.M. & I saw an oald lady that was said to be 102 years of age the next March. Our Company was sent out on out poast again. It seaced raining continual & rained at times all day. We got orders to send our letters that we had writ to the Station in a half hour. & I sent 4 letters hoam. I don some writing. After dark it comenced raining very hard. & we set around a little while. & capten How proposed to me to put up a shelter & I concented amediatly & we went to work & cut forks & put up a shelter of our oil cloaths. & broak fine Bows to lay on. & it seaced raining when we got our shelter up. & it rained at times all knight . Dec the 14th I got up at 3 o'clock & took charge of the post. It was turning cooler & still raining at times. We was relieved & got to camp at 9 A.M. & they had drawed nothing but beef. & we went to work. 4 of us. Wm Critser being detailed for guard. & we went to a Brick ciln & carryed 180 Brick. & built a nice chimney to our tent. & it drawed & throwed out heat very well. & we closed up the tent. & I made a doar & hung it. & our tent was the best & warmest one we ever had & the most machanicaly put up & we had a gun rack & all was convenient. We drawed a little beef & flour & we was very scarse of rations. We had only one small cake to the man & a little meat & enjoyed the evening till 8 o'clock very nice siting by the fier place. We retired at 8 o'clock. Dec the 15th we got up very early & had but a cake to the man for Breakfast. I put in my time at writing. We bought a wheat cake for $1.00. & some onions for 25 cts. We drawed some meal & meat & molasses & a mutton to the Co. & at 1 P.M. the Bugler began to sound the General & we went to takeing off our shelter tents & prepairing to go on a march. & then we drawed a fiew hard tack. The first that we had saw for some time. It was a clear day & we set & wated for the bugle to sound for us to start. & we formed the regt at 2 P.M. & stacked arms. & then we marched to the road & stacked arms. & one Brigade of our Devision went out toward Knoxville. & we got orders to go back to old camp. & we went back & put up our tents at the same places where we had them. & eat supper. & I bought a candle & I went to writing & writ till 8 o'clock at knight. I had a warm fier which made the tent very comfortable. We had orders to have 60 rounds of cartrages to the man & to ceap our crackers for the march. & that the bugle would sound revelee at 4 o'clcok in the morning. & we was to be ready to march at 6. The talk was that we was goying out to the front. After 8 we drawed a little flower & coffey. & I retired to reast at about 9 o'clock. Dec the 16th revelee sounded before 4 & we got up & eat breakfast & at 5 the General sounded & we took down our tents & was ready to march & at half past 5 we formed the batallion & stacked arms & at day brake we started & marched toward town & crossed the river at sunup. & we marched through the town on main street by Company on the right in line. & the band playing in front of the Brigade. I bought $1.00 worth of writing paper & left a letter in the office. & we marched out on the Strawberry plain road. & when we got 4 miles from town we saw where the rebels had choped trees across the road. The road was mudy & my left foot was out on the ground at the toes. It was a little cloudy. We stoped 15 minute at 12 M to eat a bite & then went on & met some troops coming back & a train of wagons & a fiew ambulances with wounded. & they said that the rebels had took 1000 of our 6 month troops & they said that yesterday morning the 9th & 23rd Army Corpss was in line of battle about 15 miles out further to the front. & that there had bin cavelry skermishing for 3 days. We met a fiew rebel prisnors. we stoped to camp at half past 3 P.M. 14 miles from Knoxville making 16 miles march. We had a little gravy & crackers for supper & affer dark we drawed about a half a cracker to the man. We retired at 7 o'clock to reast & at about 10 it comenced raining. & we got up & fixed up a shelter & it leaked & the water run under us. & we did not sleep very much. Dec the 17th we got up at revelee at 4 o'clock & it was still raining & we dryed our blankets a little & eat gravy & crackers. For that is all we had to eat. It ceased raining but it was a little cloudy still. & we looked to have to start every minut. We got our tents dry & it comenced sprinkling rain & rained a little once & a while. We gave our Captain $1.25 to bye us a shoalder of meat at head quarters. & we fried a little & made some gravy & that was all we had for dinner. We drawed a little fresh hog meat & a little flour & meal. The boys went out to try to bye something but did not get anything but corn & Wm Mitchel boiled & grated some meal. & we got Captain How to get us a quart of molasses at head quarters. We put up our gum Blankets to turn the rain for it rained at intervals. We cut some ceader & pine bows to lay on & after dark it cleared off & was cold & winday. We retired at 7 o'clock. Dec the 18th we got up before daylight & eat breakfast & it was awful cold & winday & cloudy. We saw Wilders Cavelry passing to the front & some Infantry. We boiled & grated some more meal & we drawed some mutton. Wm D Mitchel made some humony & we had tolerable plenty to eat till supper. We only had parched corn. I don some writing but it was so cold that I could not stand to write much. We retired to reast at 8 o' clock & it was clear & very cold. Dec the 19th we got before daylight & eat breakfast. & it was awful cold & the ground was froze hard. But the sky was clear & blew. & the bright sun raised from behind the ridge just east of us & it was a little warmer. I put my time in at writing. We drawed a little mutton. & we drawed two overcoats to our Company & two pr of socks & 11 pr of shoes & 8 pr of pance & 5 shirts & two wool blankets. & that was all we drawed. & I got one par of shoes. We started out on picket at 4 P.M. & we had a nice place for picket. Our Co was on the reserve. We had a little mutton for supper & after dark we drawed a little meal. The moon shun very bright & we had a very big bead of leaves & our tents put up. & we had plenty of rails. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. Dec the 20th, Sunday. we got up & eat our breakfast before daylight. It was a very cold morning & the ground was froze harder than it had bin this winter before & the ice on the water did not thaw all day. We was relieved at 4 P.M. & went to camp & got up some wood & drawed some mutton & a fiew crackers & a little coffey & sugar & salt. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. It was a cold knight. Dec the 21st we got up at daylight & eat breakfast & it was a very cold morning. We heared that longstreet was retreating & that Mead had whiped Lee. We got orders to have rool call 4 times a day. We drawed some mutton. We got the mail at 3 P.M. It was the largest mail I think that our regt had ever received & we was told that the mail would go out in an hour. & after dark we got some more mail. I received 3 letters & my Phonography Book. I sent out two letters. I don some writing. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. Dec the 22nd we got up at revelee & it was a beautiful morning. & we went to writing & at 9 A.M. we got orders for Comp I to go to Strawberry Plains to guard the teems after rations. & we started & went about 2 1/2 miles South West to the place where the railroad crossed the Holsten river. The bridge was burned & they was repairing it. The cars was there & had rations. We loaded the teams & started them back & we had to stay & guard the rest till the teams came back. & I wayed myself & I wayed 160 lbs. The teams came back but not enough to take all the rations. For our Brigade teams was all out a forriageing but a fiew scrawny teams that was not fit to send out. & we had to stay to watch the rations. & it was cold & clear & the moon shun bright & we had a good fier. & the quartermaster when he left to go to camp told our lieutenant if we starved it was our own fault. & so we helped our selves to the rations. & after midnight I took the head of a cracker barl. & layed it down & layed down to try to sleep a little. & I slept a little nap & then got up to watch while the other boys tryed to sleep a little. We had no blankets nor canteens nor haversacks & we got a bucket to carry water in for we all seemed very thirsty. It clouded up a little before daylight. Dec the 23rd at 9 A.M. it comenced drizling rain a little & was very cold but did not drizle anough to make us wet. There was a train came up with more rations & General Foster & staff. We stayed till 2 P.M. & the teams got the rations all loaded & started to camp & we got to camp at 4 P.M. & they had moved camp in the bushes about a quarter of a mile from where we was. We had managed to get some rations while we was guarding them & we got a fiew crackers. So we will have plenty for several days. & they had drawed in camp half rations of bread & coffey & sugar & a little bacon & so we was well off for rations. We retired to reast at 7 o'clock. & it cleared off in the knight. & it was very cold. Dec the 24th we got up very early & went to cuting timber & building a little house for a tent. We got the tent don at 10 A.M. & we heared that the mail would go out the next day. & I went to writing. & writ a very large letter. & it was a beautiful day. I writ a little at knight by candle light & read till 8 o'clock & then retired to reast. Dec the 25th, Christmas. We got up before daylight & I writ a large letter by candle light. The mail went out. We had corn cake & beef for breakfast. The sky was a little cloudy. I put my time in at writing & reading. There was a considreable move of baggage to the front. & some troops went to Strawberry plains. Two boys of our regt fought very hard. I comenced today in my Phonographic Book & find it a nice interesting study. It comenced sleeting before knight. But did not sleet much. At 7 o'clock the bugle sounded. & we had to fall in line & stand a good while. For someone shooting & yelling & one fellow was put to carrying a rail for shooting. We was promoted to go to our tents before 9 & at 9 o'clock we retiered to reast. Dec the 26th we got up late & it was raining. We eat breakfast & was expecting to go out on picket but did not go. I studied in my book. & it rained till nearly noon & stoped. We drawed flour & beef. We heared that there was some fighting on the right & front. & that on the 25th our men had took 1500 prisnors. It rained a little all afternoon. At half past 3 P.M. the bugle sounded & we started out on picket & our Comp was out on out post. I saw two men of the 19th O.V.I. fight. The ground was thawed & was very muddy & dissagreable. It had rained a little nearly all day & at knight it still rained. I layed down to sleep at half past 10 o'clock & was waked up & took charge of the post at 12 o'clock. Dec the 27th, Sunday. I layed down to sleep at 3 o'clock & slept till daylight. It was still drizling rain. I went to writing & writ a letter to send home. & it rained often on till 2 P.M. & set in for a regular rain. At 4 P.M. we was relieved & went to the camp through the rain & mud & we choped wood & built a big fier. & the teems of 23rd A. C. was passing to Strawberry Plains. & they said that the troops of the 23rd & 9th Corps had passed to cross the river at the plains & go out East for they was changing the front. They also said that there had bin some fighting during the day on the right. We got our wood up at dark & got in our tents out of the rain. We drawed a little Beef. We retired at 8 o'clock. It rained all knight. Dec the 28th we got up & it stoped raining at daylight & cleared off & was very winday. But it soon clouded up. Calumbus Hancock of our Co was sent to Knoxville to a hospital. For he was sick. We drawed a little beef & coffey & sugar & salt. I put my time in at writing & reading. We had a little beef & brawth for dinner. It was so smokey in camp that it nearly put our eyes out. We had no supper. We retired to sleep at 8 o'clock. Dec the 29th we got up at revelee & we had 4 ears of corn. & we shelled it & took it to mill & got a little meal. It was still cloudy & winday. We had a little cornbread & beef for dinner. It cleared off. We went to the mill & bought a little shorts & flour. We drawed a little Meal & Shorts & a half a loaf of bread to the man. We suffered desperatly with the Smoak. For it nearly put our eyes out. We got the mail. I got a letter from hoam. We had nothing but bread for supper. We retired at 8 o'clock. Dec the 30th we got up at revelee & it was a very cold morning. The ground was froze to bear up. & the sky was clear. We had bread alone for breakfast. The mail went out. I writ & sent two letters. At 9 A.M. I was called on to arest Corporal Langsdal of Company F somens Sergeant McKey & John Lin of Company F for witnesses. I took them to the Lieutenant Coln & the charges was read against Corp Langsdal & they was that he had loaded cobs with gun powder & caused them to expload with fier. Making a disturbance & nois in camp & using unbecoming language to his officers. & this was on the 25th of Dec. He was ast if he was guilty. & he answered, I am. & the Lieutenant Colonel S. P. Oyler told him to go to his quarters & the guard & witnesses was reliesed. We bought a quarters worth of beef taller to make gravy & to shorten our bread with & we had a little beef & gravy & bread for dinner. It cleared off in the evening. We had bread & gravy for Supper. We retired to sleep at 8 o'clock & it rained in the knight. Dec the 31st we got up at revelee. It stoped raining. We eat bread & gravy & beef for breakfast. The Mails went out. I put my time in at writing. At about 10 A.M. there was a considreable cannonading heared toward Knoxville. I dont know what it was for. I supose though it was a salute. At about 2 P.M. it comenced raining. & the smoke bothered us very much. We drawed 4 days 1/4 rations of coffee sugar & salt & meal & heard bread & a little bacon. We retired at 7 o'clock. & it rained & stormed & turned very cold.
JANUARY THE 1st A. D. 1864. We got up very late for it was awful cold & dissagreable. We had a little gravy & bread for breakfast. I composed & writ a little poetry to send to my love who lives in the North. & the words are as follows: On new years day, Of eighteen hundred and sixty four. In my little tent, A soldier in the U.S. army I sit and printed with my pen, Those lines to you my dear. For you to keep for me, To remember that you I love. I sincerely hoap and pray, That on next newyears day, I may sit by your side and say, That I have come home to stay. And that all will be, Peace, happiness and love. From sea to sea, And all around a band of love. Then may our brave Soldiers, Who use to bear, The bright glittering steel, Boath know and feel, That they have won, A good and glorious union victory, And that all is done for them, For time and ages to come. January the
1st The wind continued to blow & it seemed to be as cold as it got in Indiana. The smoak made it very dissagreable. We had bread for our Newyears dinner. At half past 3 P.M. the bugle sounded & we went out on Picket & we had bread & beef for supper. & we got an ax & cut a tree (a green oak). Our Co being on the reserve. & built a big logheap for fier. We got done at 8 o'clock. & we layed down. & my tooth ached so I could not sleep. & I had to get up & sit by the fier for some time. & it got better & I layed down again & slept. January the 2nd We got up very early & choped down some wood. The wind was not quite so strong as it was. But it was very cold. I don some writing. It clouded up. We was relieved at 4 P.M. & we come to camp & we went to a house & bought some Sweet cakes & we got 18 apples & a half a dollar's worth of soap. & we took our Newyears as we did not get anything on Newyears & we had a good mess of apples & Sweet cakes. We drawed beef. We retired at 7 o'clock & it cleared off in the knight & was very cold. Jan the 3rd, Sunday. it was very cold & clouded up. We went to the branch & built a fier & pooled off our close & washed & boiled them & dryed them by the fier & nearly frose while we was at work. I don some sewing & some writing. We got the mail & I got two letters. One from home. We had no supper. We put our time in at writing till 8 o' clock & then retired. It turned some warmer & rained a little. Jan the 4th we got up very early & eat but little. & I went to writing & it rained at intervals. Isaac Higgens came to see me as he was passing by. He is well & hearty. He belongs to the 65th regt Ind Vols. We drawed a half a days rations of beens & salt & vegtables & bacon to do 4 days. & 2 days rations of crackers & coffee & sugar to do 4 days. It was romered through camp that we was a goying to leave in the morning. The orders came to see how many rounds of cartrages each man had. & at 3 the orders came to be ready to march at a moments warning. It was a misty dreary day. Some of the convelessants came up. We drawed some more rations after dark. We suffered with the smoak & retired at 7 o'clock. Jan the 5th we got up at revelee & it had rained all knight at intervalls & had turned a little cooler. We prepaired our haversacks to march & was ready & wating for the bugle to sound. & at 8 o'clock the bugle sounded in the 19th O.V.I. & they started at about 10 A. M. to go home to go in the veteran service. Nearly all went & what didnt go went to corps head quarters. & the Band played to the regt as they left. We bought some wheat cake. I put my time in at reading. It cleared off & was cold. We suffered with the smoak. We got the mail. I got a letter which was very interesting & we heared that Sergeant M. B. Buttler of our Company that was wounded in the knee at mission ridge was dead. We went to a house & bought 8 pies for $2.00. They was green apple pies & we sold 6 for $3.00 & eat 2. We retired at 8 o'clock. Jan the 6th we got up & it was very cold & clouded up & went to snowing & snowed a little sciff & then stoped. & we choped a lot of wood. & the cartrages was ordered back. & we found that we would not be apt to leave soon. I don some writing. Isaac Higgens come back from forriageing & stoped & took dinner with me. & we had a long chat. We bought 16 pies for $4.00 & sold 8 for $4.00 & let Capt How have 2 & eat 2 for dinner & 2 for supper & cept 2 for breakfast. We bought some beef & biscuit. We suffered with coald & smoak all day & we retired at 8 o'clock. Jan the 7th we eat early & went to building a chimney to our tent. & we put up a stick & mud chimney & got it nearly high enough till 2 P.M. & then we got ready to go out on picket. We drawed a little vegitable & a little pepper. At 3 P.M. we went out on picket. Our company went out on out post. & it comenced sleeting & sleeted till after dark & turned to snow. & snowed a fiew inches deep. At 5 I went out on relief & was relieved at 7. & it was two dissagreable to sleep but a very little. Jan the 8th at 5 I went out with my relief again. It cleered off & was a very cold day. Only on the sun side of the hills. I put my time in at writing. We was very hungry for we did not have anough to eat for the last two days. We was relieved at half past 3 p.m. & went to camp & drawed two days rations of flour & crackers to do 4. We received the mail. I received a splendid letter. We had a good fier in our fier place & we was warm. We retired at 8 o'clock & it was clear & very cold. Jan the 9th we got up at revelee & had but very little to eat & after breakfast two of my mess started out & got some meal & some onions & some beef which capt bought & devided out to the company. & the boys got some corn bread & biscuit & a hogs joal. & so we will have a little plentier than we did have. We drawed beef. We enjoyed the evening siting by our fier plase. I don some writing & I bought some candles & we set up & writ & read at knight. Jan the 10th, Sunday. we had a good breakfast. It consisted of cornbread & buiscuit & beef heart & liver & onions. I don some writing. I studied in my phonography book. It was very cold & cloudy. & we went to a house & bought some corn & got it ground. & bought some pies & sold anough to get the money back & cept the rest. At knight we drawed two shelter tents to the Comp. We spent the evening in singing. I sent out 4 letters by a docter. But the mail did not go out. Jan the 11th we got up at revelee & it was a very cold day & the ground was froze as hard as could be. I don some writing & studied my book. It turned a little warmer & thawed a little snow on the sun side of the hills. We had but little to eat. We retired at 7 o'clock. Jan the 12th I don some reading & writing & helped Lieut T. C. Batchelar cut & carry timber & build a tent for him to stay in. It was some warmer & cloudy. We drawed some rations. But not half enough to do 4 days. We retired at taps which is at 7 or 8 o'clock as a general thing. It rained a little in the knight. Jan the 13th it was a cloudy day & not very cold. We drawed a little mutton. I don some writing & studing. & helped the Lieut finish his tent. The ground thawed a little on top. & we bought some meal & only eat 2 meals a day. At 3 P.M. the bugle sounded & 5 comps of our regt went out on picket & the rest of us stayed in camp. Genl Woods had went home & Brigade Genl Willich was in command of our devision & he aranged the picketing a little.different so the reserve would not have to go out & stay in the bad wether for nothing. At rool call the order was given us to be ready to march at 7 A.M. on the next morning. & we was ordered to draw rations. I don some sewing & prepaired a little for the march. We baked some of our meal & got don drawing rations & went to bead at about midnight. We drawed shugar & coffee to do till the morning of the 19th. & pork & meal to do till the morning of the 16th. Jan the l4th we got up at an early hour & eat breakfast. & at 6 the General sounded & we got ready. & at about 7 A.M. the Bugle sounded & we started & marched to the Strawberry Plains & crossed the Holsten river on the railroad bridge. & took the Dandridge road & marched along over the little hills. & the road was froze very hard & before noon the sun thawed the ground so that it was very muddy & dissageeable walking. At 1 P.M. we stoped & stacked arms. & some of the convolessents came up to our devision. James Cotton & E.M. Downing & Wm Holdcroft & Wm A Ritchardson & Samuel Wilson of our Comp came up. & we reasted a good while & then started. & it was so muddy & bad walking that we could hardly get along at all. We bought a little meal at a house. & we stoped to camp at 15 minuts before 4 P.M. about 10 miles from Strawberry Plains makeing 13 miles for the days march. One of the mess went out & bought some meal & molasses & the rest of us put up a shead & got straw & had a good place to lay. & Wm A Ritchardson came in our mess. We had two pans to our Comp to bake up our meal on. We not word that revelee would sound at 5 in the morning & we would start at 7 A.M. The teems did not come up & so our Lieut Colonel & Capt & Lieutenant did not have anything to eat. & we gave the Lt Colonel & the Lieutenant their suppers. & another mess gave Capt his supper. We retired at about 9 o'clock. Jan the 15th we got up at 4 o'clcok & comenced geting breakfast. It was winday & cloudy & sprinkled rain & sleeted a little. & we eat before daylight. & we gave Lt Colonel & Capt & Lieutenant their breakfast. At half past 6 the General sounded & the troops comenced passing & at 15 minuts after 7 A.M. we started marching & marched two miles & came to a grain mill. & Company E of our regt was left to guard it & to grind up grain for us. & it did not sleet any more. We marched two hours & 45 minuts without reasting. & considering the bad roads & the heavy loads that we had to carry it was very hard on us. We marched in sight of Dandridge the county seet of Jefferson Co & we turned to the right & went in camp at half past 11 A.M. 8 miles from where we started in the morning & half a mile from town. It was a good looking place to camp. & a good looking valley runns along the Brawd French river which runs near town. & we could see the Allegany Mountains* very plain for they was only 5 mile from us. We eat dinner & two of the mess went to get something to eat. & the rest went to cuting & carrying tent logs. We got 21 logs. & the boys got some sweet potatoes & 7 chickens & some molasses & some pork. I saw Thomas Mussleman of the 5th Cavelry regt. Silas Marten came up. He was wounded at the battle of Chickaooga & he is not well yet. We eat no supper & at 8 o' clock we got word to be ready to go out forriageing the next morning at 7 A.M. We retired at 9 o'clock. __________ * The Great Smoky Range __________ Jan the 16th we got up & eat breakfast which consisted of cornbread & sweet potatoes cooked with two fat chickens. I felt a little under the wether all knight & cept geting worse all the time. We fell in & stacked arms. & the order was countermanded at sunup. We went to puting up our tent & I got so bad I had to quit work. We heared some cannonading on our left. We bought some meal & had chicken for dinner. The Capt came & got me to go to the docter & get medicine & I had an awful fever & misery in my head & bones. The docter said he would comence giveing me medicine in the morning. I layed down nearly all afternoon in a great deal of misery. The cannonading seemed to get cloeer & more of it. & the men could go out of the noisy camp & hear the musketry & see our men in line of battle away off. The boys put up their tents & dobed them as fast as possible. I went to the docter to get some medicine. & the bugle sounded & we fell in & had orders to be ready to march at a moments warning. We don up our things & was ready. We drawed some beef & some flour. It was about sundown when the bugle sounded & we did not have our tent don. We had the walls up & dobed & the back & jams of our chimney was not don. We had orders at rool call to take arms. & we retired at about 9 'clock. It was cloudy. I suffered considreable in the knight & had the Diarrhea. Jan the 17th, Sunday. we was ordered in line of battle at 6 o'clock. I comenced takeing medicine. We went to work to finish our tent & we got orders at 10 A.M. to be ready to go out on picket at 12 M. We drawed some clothing but not one tenth what we needed. Capt How told me I shouldent go out on picket. & the docter said I should not stir around any more than possible. We had a good mess of chicken & dumplings & potatoes. & at 12 M the bugle sounded & the regt formed & stacked arms & we had orders to not work at our tents for we would leeve that evening or in the morning. & we drawed some more clothing. & we had heared a little cannonading at a distance & we saw some troops mooving out. The pickets did not go out at all & at about 4 P.M. we heared the musketry very plain. It seemed to be about two miles distant & in a short time the artillery opened & the musketry was tolerable heavy. & it continued till dusk. & the Bugle sounded. & we fell in & marched nearly to town & we stoped & stacked arms. & at 8 o' clock we had orders to go back to camp as the fiering had nearly seaced. & we got supper & before we eat we got orders to do up all our things & be ready to march. & so as I was sick Capt told me to try to get transportation & I went to the docter & he told me to get my knapsack hawled in the waggon & I could not for there was only one waggon to the regt. They was ordered to load light. & there had bin some baggage came up from Chattanooga which prevented them from halling knapsacks. & the word was that we was goying back towards Chattanooga. There was a call from our comp for a Sergeant & a privet to go with the teems to guard them & so I was one of them. & I went to the waggons & put my gun & knapsack in as they had got another teem to our regt. & at half past 12 o'clock the waggons started. Jan the 18th we went a round about way & got along very slow for the roads was awful bad. An officer drawed his revolver to shoot a soldier for not helping push a waggon out of the mudd & he could not make him go. & at daylight it sprinkled rain a little. I got to ride on a mule which helped me considreable. But a little after daylight we heard the rebel cavelry fiering close to us in our rear & we made as quick time as we could with the scrawny mules that we had . We heared the firing till we got out of hearing of it. I heared that they only got 4 waggons. It was foogy & the rain fell study. & we waided the mudd & pushed the waggons where it was nearly hubb deep. I had a little peace of corn cake to eat & that was all. We marched along & the last 10 miles I just had to drag myself along. I was week & tired. We got to the bridge at Strawberry Plains at about 4 P.M. & they parked the teems & we got our supper. & the Brigade came in at dark. They came another road. We got orders to go to our regt & we went. & we was camped in a cedar grove. & it was very cold & windy & it was cleer when we retired at about 9 o'clock. Jan the 19th we got up & it was cold & cloudy & our bead was covered with snow for it had snowed a good little snow in the knight. & we had no tent up. We eat a little bite & don up our things as we expected to start soon. It cleared off & at 12 M we went down to the Bridge to cross. But we had to wate for the waggons & troops that was before us to cross on the railroad bridge till 2 P.M. & then we crossed & marched down on the railroad within 13 1/2 miles of Knoxville & then stoped to camp. I was very tired altho we had not came far. We went to work & fixed up a sheet. We drawed one days rations of shorts & a little pork. We got the mail. After we had layed down to sleep the order came for us to go out on picket & we had to get up. & 5 comps went out. Capt let me stay in. I did not reast very well in the knight for my bones was fool of misery. Jan the 20th I went to writing. We got the mail again. & we drawed some clothing & some more rations. I was very unwell. The mail went out & at about 4 P.M. the Bugle sounded the General & we got ready to march & the pickets came in & a little before sundown I was detailed to go with the waggons as a guard & we started & I put my gun & knapsack in the waggons & we started toward Knoxville & marched about 5 miles & went in camp. My knee was nearly givout. & my boans felt awful bad. We eat a little supper. We drawed a little meal. & we retired at about 10 O'clock. It was a cold knight. I reasted tolerable well during the knight. Jan the 21st we got up at revelee at half past 4 o'clock & eat breakfast & prepaired to march as we had orders to march at 7 A.M. & we started at daylight & had 9 miles to Knoxville. We was on the same road that we went out. & the ground was froze very hard & the sun raised & shun very nice. I was some better than I had bin. But it was hard work for me to ceep up with the comp. We got within a mile of town & stoped at 12 M to eat a little dinner. It was a beautiful day. Lieut Colonel Oyler was commanding the 79th. For Fred Knefler had started home on a furlow on the morning of the 17th. At half past 1 P.M. we fell in & marched through Knoxville & crossed the Holsten river & went out 2 miles on the Severs road & went in camp at 3 P.M. in a nice place in the woods. We had bread alone for supper. & we bought some meal & drawed some beef. & we retired at 9 o'clock. Jan the 22nd we got up early & eat breakfast & we had orders to go out forriageing & capt told me I might stay in camp & reast. At about 8 A.M. they started. I heared that our cavelry had went in Seversville. It is about 16 miles from hear. & I heared that they was a fighting at Strawberry Plains. I don some writing. It was a beautiful day. The boys comenced coming in at a little before sundown & come in till about 7 o'clock. My mess brought in a little meal & a shoulder & a little hunney. We drawed coffee & sugar & salt & flour & pork. I don a little sewing. We retired at about 9 o'clock. Jan the 23rd we got up very early & got orders to be ready to march. & we eat & we drawed some more clothing. I got a pair of drawers. & at daylight the Genl sounded & a little after sunup we started & marched across towards our old camp & went 2 miles & stoped & formed in mass at clos column. & we got orders not to stragle for we would go where the reb cavelry would pick up the straglers. & we reasted & then took the Marysville road & marched the same way we had came up to Knoxville. The ground was froze but soon thawed & made it very muddy. We got to Rockford & crossed the Little river at 2 P.M. on a slabb on the water single file. Some fell in. & we marched near the same ground where we camped when goying out to Knoxville & went in camp at about 3 P.M. Our Brigade was in the advance & we had marched about 14 miles. It was a beautiful day. I got tolerable tired. We drawed beef & retired at 8 o'clock. Jan the 24th, Sunday. we got up very early & eat breakfast & the Genl sounded a little before daylight & we was ready & we started at sunup & marched in sight of Marysville. & stoped & formed in mass. & the Genl (Willick) told us that two brigades of us was to stay at this town & he called the 9th Ky regt for provost guard in town & the Genl said if anyone went in any house & took anything without paying or destroyed any thing they should be arested & brought before the court marshel. & then he took the 9th Ky regt. & Genl Willick gave very strict orders against anyone goying out side of the picket line without a pass. & he said that we was rather exposed to the rebel cavelry that was scouting around. We was took to a place where we layed out camp near town & we went to puting up winter quarters. We had but very little to eat & we bought two canteens fool of molasses for $1.00 & one gallon and a half for $1.50. We got our walls up & our tents stretched & got straw & made our bead in our tent & retired at 8 o'clock. Jan the 25th we got up at rool call & we had but little bread to eat & we went to work to dobb & finish our tent. We drawed some extra rations of coffee & sugar & soap & pepper. At about 9 A.M, the 5 camps went out on picket. & we drawed a little beef & we had nothing for dinner but a little beef. We got the tent ditched & dobed & the chimney almost don till 3 P.M. & then they called for 9 men & a noncommissioned officer from our comp for picket. & I was detailed. & we went out on the Seversville road. & we had orders to let citezens in without a pass but not let them out again without a pass. & not alow the soldiers to bring in anything in the line, but to arest them & send them to the provost marshel. & not alow any bying or selling at the picket line. It was a beautiful day. I had charge of the 3rd relief & it stood 3 times. I slept a little. We bought some cakes. We had a nice knight to be out on picket. Jan the 26th we was relieved at 9 A.M. & we washed & boiled all of our cloath. & we got word that the mail would go out at 1P.M. each day. I done some writing. Saw a farmer a plowing. It was a beautiful day. We drawed a little beef & some meal & flour. We retired at the regular time. Jan 27th we got up very early & we put our time in at writing. & we had orders not to burn any rails or plank eather on picket or in camp. & to take plank & use them if we needed them if they was not in use & not destroy them. & we had orders two that one man of each mess could go to town to the citezens market in the four noon & in the after noon. & we found out that Genl Willick was a goying to do the best he could to get us plenty of rations. We had plenty of meal & beef but we had to eat it without any salt. It was a beautiful day & the sun dazzled in the sky. Nearly all the regt had thear tents in splendid stile. & we cleened the quarters. & the Boys was very buisy washing their cloaths. We spent the evening fine. & retired at taps. January 28th we got up very early at roolcall & it was a beautiful day. It seemed as nice as it did in Indiana in April. We don some writing & poleeced the whole regts quarters. I got some paper & envelope from a girl that thought I could not get paper on a march. I received 12 sheets & the envelops. I received it by mail. I received a letter from my cousin. His father has reinlisted & I received a letter from father & it stated that a young lady in the Neighborhood was at the point of death. It was one of the best young ladies in the whole neighborhood. I was grieved to think that she was so low. & I read in another letter that she was dead. Oh how it made my poor heart ache for many a good letter I had read of her writing. For I coresponded with her. I writ some & passed a dreary day. For the news was very unexpected. & I was so sorry & so grieved that I could not enjoy myself. For I dearly loved the young lady & respected her as one of the best in the State. I writ after knight as I bought a candle to write by. We spent the evening in singing. We bought some pies & cakes. For a woman had come to our camp about 3 P.M. with pies & cakes & she said that she had not drunk coffee for two years. & Hicks of our mess made them some coffee & they drank it & bragged on it & then ast ______?_______ tobacco(?). & then left. We had orders to go out on picket the next day. We retired after taps. January 29th we got up at roolcall. I had not reasted very well for I layed & studdied a goodeal. We marched out & had guard mount at 9 A.M. & Inspection of arms & the band played & we put on a great deal of stile & went out on the Seversville road. I had charge of the first relief. The orders was very perticular & strict on soldiers coming in with any forriage. It was a beautiful day. We bought 5 dozen of onions for $1.00. There was some fiew cavelry came in & some teems from on the other side of Severesville. They reported that they had bin fighting with the rebels & had repulsed them every time. I learned that the cavelry forces was falling back. I dont know the cause of it. Some very respectable ___?___ looking citezens passed in & out our line during the day. I passed a dreary(?) day & could not enjoy myself as comen(?). __________ Some of the pencilled lines in this old book are very dim; the copied sheet is missing. F.B.L. __________ At dark we got the mail. I received a letter from home & one from James W Huntzinger & one from a young lady concerning the death of Miss Armanda Oggdon who died January 10th 1864. I could not sleep for studing. It clouded up in the knight. January 30th we was ordered to stand in line at 5 o'clock & they said the regts in camp were in line at 5. We was relieved at 10 A.M. & came to camp. & I writ some letters. We had drawed some meal & beef. It sprinkled rain a little. Some of our Brigade started home as veterans. At about 4 P.M. the order came for Company C & I to get ready to go to the little Tenn river to guard a ferry. We got ready & took everything with us & started about dark. & we had a waggon to hawl our cooking utencils & our meal & our knapsacks. & we marched till half past 10 o'clock & we got to a mill 10 miles from Marysville. & we stoped & layed down. January 31st, Sunday. we got up & got ready to start & at 15 minuts after 4 in the morning we started & marched 7 miles & at 7 A.M. we got to the Little Tenn River at Niles ferry landing. & there was some troops there. & we was took in the large Barn to quarter. & it comenced raining & we had to cook away from the Barn. Our mess stoped in a large corn crib in the Barn & we had a good bead of hay. We bought some potatoes & parsnips. We eat a little & I went to writing. & it rained a little. & we bought some milk & got some of our meal baked. & we had a good mess to eat & we was well pleased with our plase. We retired at about 8 o'clock.
February 1st 1864. we got up at day light. & it was raining & had rained hard in the knight. & we got orders to go up the river to another place to Parkers ford & we got ready & started at half past 8 A.M. & we crossed the Little Tennessee River on a ferry boat. & we marched up the river two miles & crossed the river in a canoe & took up quarters in some old corn pens & darkeys huts. My mess & 3 other messes stoped in a nice hut. & we got some hay & fixed a bunck. & we had a nice dinner of potatoes & turnups & meat. & we got the darkeys to bake us some bread of our meal. The darkeys where we are staying. & we got a half a hogg to our mess. & I don some writing. & there was a detail made to build pens to put corn in. & we put out pickets. & we had orders to gether 30 acres of corn & shuck it & pen it & we had 6 teems to gether it with. We retired to reast at 8 o'clock. February 2nd we got up at 5. & at 7 A.M. 9 men from each company started out to gethering corn. It was a beautiful day. & we had a splendid dinner of fresh meat & potaotes & parsnips. & Cap How traided the beef that was sent for our two comps for 15 gallon of molasses. & got some salt meat for us & we sent 6 bushels of corn to mill. One company of the 86th regt came to help us & they stayed across the river. We bought some fish & eggs. I don some writing. & at 2 P.M. I was detailed for picket. & at sundown the sky became thickly overcast with angry looking clouds & after dark it stormed & rained & was a very blustry knight. I slept some during the knight. February the 3rd we had some hunney & eggs & molasses for breakfast. It was a cold morning & the ground was froze. The sky was very clear. There was a detail of 6 men from each company to geather corn. We heared that there was some fighting out in front of Marysville. & the word was that our brigade was out to support the cavelry. We had to give up two waggons to hawl wheat. Lieut Wm Cordell went out & got 207 lbs of pork for us. We had as much as we wanted to eat only we get no suger coffee or salt. I was relieved at 2 P.M. & I took a good Canoe ride on the little Tennessee. It was the first time I ever tried to paddle a canoe over a river. The boys got their two waggon loads of corn to the pen till noon. Some of the boys got whiskey & had a jolley time & at knight they got a fiddle & had a dance I retired at 8 o'clock. February 4th, 1864 it was a cloudy morning. & a detail of 7 to the Comp went out to geather corn. I don some writing & we sent out the mail to Marysville by Capt Hannah. We had a wild duck for dinner. It was a nice day. We got the darkies to boil us some humany. It was made right & eat very well. At knight the Boys played the fiddle & danced again. I retired at 8 o'clock & reasted fine. February 5th 1864 it was a glorious looking morning. The sun raised in its splendor & shun bright & dazzling & all was still except the merry sweet songs of the merry little Birds who was pouring out their soles in praise to god. It reminded me of years passed & gon when I was at home in the spring of the year. There was 7 from each comp detailed for geathering corn & 3 men from each comp to go up the river to guard some corn about 2 miles above. I went to the river & heat some water & washed & boiled my shirts. I don some writing. I studied in my book. At 2 P.M. I was detailed for picket & it turned a little cooler & clouded up. We shelled some corn & took it to mill. & the Boys got the corn geathered here where we are staying. One of the Boys got some more hunney & it was the Best I had saw for some time. At knight the Boys played the fiddle & had a dance among themselves. I slept a little during the knight. February 6th 1864 we got up at an early hour & it had bin raining since 3 o'clock. & we sent a detail of 4 men to the comp up the river to shuck corn. The train came from camp & loaded at our pens of corn. I studied in my book. Wm F. McIlvain came from camp with a fiew clothing & a little sugar & salt for us. It stoped raining & turned cool. We got a lot of meal. I was relieved at 2 P.M. We sent out the mail. I had the toothache very bad & had to get up at knight & warm my pain before I could sleep. February 7th 1864, Sunday. we sent waggons after the corn that was on the Island. At half past 8 A.M. I started with 4 others & Lieut Wm Cordel to get some meat & we went about 2 1/2 miles to Mr Howards & got 205 1/2 lbs of pork. & came back to camp. I writ some & passed the day the best I could for it was rather a lonesome day to me. The Boys did not dance because it was Sunday. Capt got orders to not let the Boys leave camp without a leaf i not atal after knight. I had the toothache & layed down to sleep at half past 8 o'clock. February 8th 1864. it was a tolerable cool morning. & the waggons went to the Island after corn. I started out at sunnup to get some milk to eat to mush. & the second house I went to they invited me to eat breakfast & I eat & payed 20 cts but they would not charge enything. But I let the money with them. & there was two very intelligent decent looking young ladies there. & I took a good chat & a very interesting chat with them & then came around another way & got to camp at 10 A.M. with a canteen of milk for 20 cts & one fool of buttermilk for 15 cts & we had a good dinner. The Boys got the corn off ove the Island. At 2 P.M. I was detailed for Picket. & the Boys had a lot of whiskey & got tight. & they had a fiddle Banjo. & they danced. & the train came from camp. & brought us a little sugger 7 coffee & the mail. & the train loaded & stayed for the knight. I received two letters. One from Levi P. Huntzinger & I answered it. At knight the Capt would not let them dance for they was two drunk to get along without a fuss & one man Mr. Frasher was a goying to cut a darkies heart out & I & the guard stoped him & was ordered by Capt How to arest him. & he run & hid in the dark. & we found him & brought him to capt. & he told me to tie him. & I tied his hands behind his back & left him tied one hour & then cept him in the guard house all knight. I did not sleep much. February 9th A.D. 1864. It was cold & clear. & the train started back to camp. & Wm F. McIlvain went back & took the mail. We had some more corn to geather on an Island down the river & we had to take the teams across on a ferry boat. & it was slow work. I put my time in at writing. & I was relieved at 2 P.M. from Picket. There was a devision of cavelry passed over the river & camped & I think they intend to stay some time. We heared that the veterans was ordered back to the front. We did not know whether it was so or not. The boys danced. I retired at 8 o'clock. February 10th 1864. we got up early & it was a very cold morning. & the ground was froze & there was Ice in the river. & the boys started out after corn. & there was some cavelry tryed to take our boat & Island of corn from us. & we sent after Capt How who had started out after meat. & Capt Huston who was at the ferry landing & Capt How came & would not let them have the Boat. & sent up for us to get in line. & we got our rig on & guns & formed & by that time the cavelry had stoped trying to get the boat. & Captn How give it all over to Captn Huston. & so we did not go down. & the cavelry left our geathering corn & so we went down with 4 waggons & 8 men to the waggon & geathered as fast as we could so as to get as much as we could for we could not make them leave. For there was 200 of them with fine shooters. & their whole devision would have been ordered out if necessary. We geathered all that we wanted & then left & the train came from camp for corn. & Lieut T. C. Batchelar came along & he had bin arested on picket & had his trial. & had proved all his charges fals & come out clear. We retired at 8 o'clock. & it was a cold knight. February 11th 1864. it was very cold. I sent out letters with the guard with the train. I don some writing & we got a lot of meal from the mill. Captn How found out that E.M. Downing & Wm Critser had took a hive of bees from a good union woman whos husband is in the union army. & Captn took them to task & made them pay $5.00 a peace to the woman. E J Hicks & I went out to chat with some union girls before we left. For we had orders to go down to the ferry landing & we had a little chat. & I felt sorry for the girls for they hated to see us leave for they thought the rebel citezens would impose on them. They wanted to go North they said where they could live in peace. We went to camp & got ready & put our things on the river bank to go down on the ferry boat. & hague & Critser went to camp at Marysville to guard two teems. We went down to the barn where we had formerly bin. & took up quarters where we had before, at sundown. & we retired at 8 o'clock. It was a cold knight. February 12th A.D. 1864. we got some bread baked & drawed some meat. I writ some & at 10 A.M. we got orders to go to Marysville. I took a good Sciff ride. & we got ready to go back to Marysville. The word was that the rebels was advancing on Marysville. We started about 10 minuts after 2 P.M. & we got to the Brick Mill before sundown & we stoped for the knight. & Captn give us orders not to forriage any for the order was that if a soldier was seen pilliaging or stealing & another soldier saw him he was to shoot him on the ground. The sky was overcast with clouds & it denoted rain. One of the soldiers at the mill sayed that he thought the news was true that Jeff Davis had sent in a proclimation for peace. He said that he was willing to come in as a prisner & he told a great deal more & I just thought of the times before when we had heared of peace & I thought it would result in a battle before a great while. We retired between 8 & 9 o'clock. February 13th A.D. 1864. we got up at 4 o'clock & it was very frosty & cold & clear. At 7 A.M. we started & we met the train of waggons. & we got the mail. & I got two letters. & one was for Levi P.H. & it had bin forwarded on from the convelessent camp & I think he is coming up to the company. We got to camp at the regt at noon. & went in our same old tents. & we got the box that was sent to James Hague & I last July & the things was all safe for we had no eatables in it. It was filled up with writing paper & envelopes & tobacco & clothing & a cake of suger. & we had give out ever seeing it. We got more mail. I got a letter from home. We had to carry wood a good ways. At knight E. J. Hicks & Wm Critser & I went to town to meeting.& heared a good sermon delivered from the 16th verse of the 6th chapter of Daniel. We returned & retired at 9 o'clock at knight & slept fine in our winter home. Sunday, Febraary 14th 1864. we got up late & it looked like rain for it was cloudy & at 8 A.M. it comenced raining. The Company books had come up on the 12th & the baggage from Chattanooga & we heared that the cars was running through from Chattanooga to Loudon. I put a great part of the day in at writing. For I was somewhat behind in my writing. we heared that our devision was goying to be stationed along the railroad for guards. & our regt was goying back to Indianapolis, Ind. The boys seem very____ ?___ ___?___ if it should be so. But I fear it is all a hoax. We bought some candles & writ till nearly 8 o'clock & we got orders to get ready to march at 6 O'clock in the morning to go to Little River to guard a train or cattle or something else. We was to have a days rations cooked in our haversacks. We retired between 8 & 9 o'clock. February 15th A.D. 1864. We got up at revelie at 4 o'clock. & it was raining & had bin all knight I think. We got ready & started at 7 A.M. & marched to Little river at Rockford without stoping. & we stoped at half past 9 A.M. & it had rained all the time & was very muddy & slavish walking. We sent 4 comps of our regt to meet the drove of cattle. & at 2 P.M. the cattle came. & we started to camp. & it stoped raining. & before we got to camp it comenced raining again. When we got to camp we got the mail & I got a letter from William Thomas Huntzinger. We drawed rations of suger coffee & salt & meal. It continued to rain untill after dark. James Hague was very unwell. He had a very hard chill. We layed down at 8. & at half past 8 we got orders to get ready to march. & we struck tents & loaded the waggons with what we could not carry. We had 3 waggons to our regt to hawl things for us. The teems pooled out & we layed around till 2 o'clock & then started without any sleep. We marched toward Knoxville. We heared that the rebels had drove our Pickets in at Knoxville. Dr McFaden of our regt came up. He had been captured with the wounded at Chickamooga. February 16, 1864. we marched along stoping every fiew steps for stalled teems to pool out of the way. & it turned cold & cleard of & was very windy. & we got to the Little river at Rockford making 7 miles march till 12 M. The river was very fool. It was not safe crossing. We baked a corn cake & eat a little while the teems was crossing. & it was very cold & freezing in the shade. The teems got across & we started at 4 P.M. & the roads was a little better & we marched within one mile of Knoxville till 8 o'clock at knight. & the wind was blowing very cold. & the ground was froze very hard & we was just over a hill. & we bought some cakes of the soldiers that was in camp & baked a pone & fried meat & eat supper for we was very hungry. & we retired to sleep at half past 11 o'clock & slept tolerable will considering it being so cold. February 17th A.D. 1864. we got up after sunup & was very cold. & we got a fier built & tried to get a little breakfast. & the wind blew very hard. & when we eat breakfast the water in my tin would freeze a ring of ice around the tine from one time that I would drink to another. The 65th Ills boys told me that old Longstreet had sent in a flag of truce & an order to the commander of this post to tell the women & children of Knoxville to leave for he was goying to burn the city. He gave them till the 18th to leave. I don some writing. It was very cold all day. We drawed some beef. We baked some Johney cakes on a chip. We sent out mail & received two little stragling mails. The boys got some shoes. Those who needed them very bad. Isaac Higgins came to see me & he was well. & he said when they came through Marysville on the Evening of the 16th they had a skermish with the rebels for when we left there the rebels came in. They was advancing on Marysville when we left. We drawed some hard tack the first we had seen for a long time. & some flour. We retired to reast at about 8 o'clock on the frozen ground & tryed to sleep. February 18th A.D. 1864 it was very cold & cloudy. The boys thought it was as cold as we had this winter. We slept very cold through the knight. At about 7 A.M. it comenced spiting snow. & it turned a little warmer & snowed a right smart little sciff & we put up shead tents to ceap the snow off. It stoped snowing at noon. We suffered with smoak like at the crossing at Strawberry Plains. We had nothing but Bread to eat. At half past 12 M the Genl sounded & we started at 1 P.M. & marched in town & stoped & stacked arms & nearly froze. & we started & marched to the depo & closed in mass as close column at half distance & we stacked arms. & we heared that the 23rd A.C.was all laying in line of battle in front. & the 9th A.C. also. & we started & marched out about a mile from fort Sanders. & then we formed in line of battle & camped for knight & our comp & 3 others had to go out on picket. We went out about a mile & we nearly froze for it was so cold. & I was on the first relief. & we got our flour baked at a house for 20 cts. For we had no chance to bake it ourselves. We had nothing to eat but bread. I had the toothache so bad that I could hardly reast. & I could not sleep untill 3 O'clock in the morning. February 19th A.D. 1864. it was awful cold but when the sun raised it was not quite so cold but the ground was froze as hard as it could be & we suffered with cold. We heared the report of a cannon 3 times about noon & it seemed to be in the direction of Strawberry Plains a good ways off. We was relieved at 5 P.M. & got to camp & they had laid out camp & put up their tents. & we drawed some meat & eat supper late. & I had the neuralgey so bad that I suffered considreable with it in my jaws & teeth. We retired at 9 o'clock. February the 20th A.D. 1864. It was very cold. & I went to the 17th Ky & bought a overcoat for $5.00 at payday. I got a pass & went to town & gave $2.50 to get a new main spring put in my watch for I had broken mine. I got some things for the boys & wayed myself. I wayed 174 Ibs without overcoat or any heavy clothing. I returned to camp & the regt was all ready & wating for Genl review. The mail came in. I received a letter. We had the guns all stacked in line & wated for the Genl to come to review. & at half past 2 P.M. the bugle sounded & we fell in. & the whole Brigade formed & we had the order given. By comp left Wheel ---------------[a word or two too dim to read] to the rear open order. March & field & Staff to the front & officers to the front of your comp. & March & Inspection of arms. & the Genl came along in front of the line & looked at our arms as we throwed them up to his view. & when he was inspecting us the Band was playing & when we was inspected we went to our quarters. We put up our tents for it was clouding up. We drawed some pork & suger & coffee & salt & molasses & vinegar & vegitables & beans & rise & pepper & soap. O yes & hard tack. The Boys thought we was goying to moove soon because we drawed so many differant kind of rations. I helped the Lt with the Pay rolls after dark a little. I retired at 9 o'clock. February 21st A.D. 1864, Sunday. we got up after sleeping a good knights sleep. It was warmer than it had bin. & was cloudy. & it was a nice morning. But soon it comenced snowing & snowed a good deal. I put my time in at writing in the fournoon. & in the afternoon I helped make out the Pay rolls & we signed the Pay rolls. The snow melted of ove the ground. The mail went out & we received mail. I heared that the rebels had drove in our pickets on the other side of the river. We drawed 3 gum blankets to our comp & 2 mess pans & one camp kettle & some shoes. I got a pr of shoes. We spent the evening singing. & retired at 9 o'clock & slept as fine as kittens. February 22nd A.D. 1864. it was tolerable cold & a little cloudy. I went to writing. But was soon called to help the Lieut Coln compair Muster & Pay rolls. & after noon I writ again. It was a prety Evening. We retired at 8 o'clock. February 23rd 1864. we got up very early. & it was a prety morning. I don some writing & sewed my clothing & read. & we had orders to clean up quarters. & the whole camp. & we got the camp tolerable clean. I writ till night. It was warm & had thawed & we retired before 9 o'clock. & at 11 I was awakened by the loud thunder. & it was raining. & I had the newralgey in my head & jaws so I could not sleep for some time. I heared at midnight that something was to be done. & soon we got orders to be ready to march at daylight. & a detail was sent after Amunition. February 24th 1864. We was up before 4 & eat our breakfast. & we drawed some rations. & we was ready to march at daylight but the Genl did not sound till half past 7 A.M. I had writ some & sent a letter. & did not believe very much that we would go. But the troops had been moving all morning I think from the sound of the trains. We had to take 50 rounds of cartradges to the man. At 8 A.M. the bugle sounded & we fell in & started (Leaving in camp James Hague for he was not very well & had the every third day chills. & we left Silas Karsten & I. George Anderson & Sumner Swan had bin sent to the Hospital in Knoxville on the 17th of February). & marched in town & took a differant road to Strawberry Plains than we had traveled before. & our regt was in front of our Devision. It was a clear day & we stoped at Holsten river at a ford about 2 miles below Strawberry Plains at 4 P.M. & we was somewhat tired we had such loads to carry. We saw where the rebels had bin in camp. & the citezens said that the rebels had left a day or two before & it was thought that they had went to reinforce the army in South Carolina. We had 4 days rations (or what had to do us 4 days) & we had to alowence our self. We had drawed some old bacon & ground coffee. We retired at 8 o'clock & slept fine. February 25th A.D. 1864. We got up very early & eat breakfast. We was ready to march. The ground was froze but the sun raised clear & magnifficent. We heared som shots across the river often on all forenoon. & we thought it was the cavelry. At half past 11 A.M. we heared the cars coming. I think the railroad is in running order clear to Strawberry Plains. It got very windy & was very smoky. The mail came in at 2 P.M. & I received a letter from home mailed the 20th. Father said that he had sold his place but had not closed the bargain yet. But had bin payed some to fasten the contract. & he intended to go to Ioway in April. The Mail went out. I don some writing but it was so windy that I could hardly write siting on the ground in the open wind & smoak. We drawed a very little beef. We put up a shead tent & spent the Evening in talking & retired at 9 o'clock. February 26th A.D. 1864. We got up at revelia & was ordered to have rollcall. & the sky was a little cloudy but the clouds soon banished away & the sun raised brilliant & bright. & it was a nice day. I don some writing. & we eat out of our rations except a little bacon. We heared that the 9th & 23rd A.C.s was crossing over the river on the pontoon Bridge which had bin brought out on the cars the day before. & they had orders to have 5 days rations to carry & 10 in the waggon. & be ready for a 15 days march. We expect to stay here if that is the case. The Pay Master came up to pay us. I don a good deal of writing for the boys. & we drawed fool rations of coffee & sugar & salt for 4 days & half rations of crackers & bacon after dark We got orders - be ready to. To a house to get payed & they comenced paying at 8 o'clock & the reason that we was payed was because the paymaster was afraid that we would leve in the morning. & he wanted to pay us. & our comp went down & was payed at 10 O'clock I got $37.00 & we settled our little Comp debts & retired at 11 O'clock & could not sleep very much for it was very cold. February 27th A.D. 1864. we heared the Genl sound long before we got up, in the other Corps. & they was marching out when our revelie sounded. We got up at half past 5 O'clock. & I went & payed for my overcoat. I don some writing. & the boys in the regt was gambling for watches. We was all engaged our selves at one thing & another & at half past 10 A.M. the Genl sounded. & we prepaired to march. & at 11 A.M. we started & marched along the railroad. & the cars came along. & I suppose it was a missionary throwed off a lot of religious tellescops*, off ove the cars. & we marched near the bridge & stoped & stacked arms at half past 3 P.M. & we got rails & got supper & at half past 4 P.M. we got orders to draw rations for 9 days & if we wanted two we could leve our knapsacks & all that we did not want to carry & store them up in a house. & they was to be guarded by some men of each Brigade. & we fixed it up so that our mess would take all of our tents & two wool blankets. & I thought I would take my knapsacks. & cap & I & some more of the boys carryed our things to the house to be stored & it was dark. & we started back & got lossed in the corse & we got clear in to the camp of the 9th Corps. & we walked about 5 miles before we got in the Brigade & then we were turned round so that we did not know which way to start to the regt. & they told us. & we got to camp between 8 & 9 o'clock & I had the newralgey so bad that I could hardly reast ----?--. I read & destroyed a great many of my old letters. We retired at 10 o'clock. But I could hardly reast for a long time. For it was cold & my head was in such misery with newralgey. __________ * The RELIGIOUS TELESCOPE was the official periodical of the United Brethren in Christ. __________ February 28th, Sunday, 1864. we was up & ready to start soon only we had not got our rations yet. I went to writing d I sent off a letter d I bought a good large Memoranda book for $2.00 6r we drawed some crackers to do a day 6r some sugar. & at half past 11 A.M. the Genl sounded & we got ready d at 12 M we starred leving Mathew Chandler behind & we went to the bridge 6r took the New Market road & as we marched along Genl Scofield passed us d Genl Woods & we~heared that the 9th A.C. had passed on before us. We marched through Van Station & came to New Market. A very nice looking little town on the E Tenn & Va railroad in Jefferson Co. 9 miles from where we started & there was a great many respectable looking ladies standing in the doors & on the porches seemingly glad to see the Yankies as they call us. We stoped to camp N. E. of town a half a mile on a rais overlooking the town at half past 4 P.M. It was a little cloudy & warm & every thing indicated rain. We bought a little meal & baked it before we retired. We retired at 9 o'clock in our little tent which we had pitched. February 29th 1864. we got up at revelie at 4. & had orders to march at 5. & it was raining. & we started between 5 & 6 o'clock & marched through Mossey crick Station & it rained till 10 A.M. & was very hard marching. & after 10 it rained at intervils & at half past 12 M. we stoped to eat dinner. & it was raining. But it had bin raining very modret all day. We started at 15 minuts till 2 P.M. & it rained tolerable hard & we had a very hard time to march for it was such a muddy time. & at 15 minuts till 4 P.M. we stoped to camp in the rebels old camp at Morris town which is on the line of Jefferson & Van Countys on the E Tenn & Va railroad having marched 18 miles. We put up our tents in shead stile & Wm F & Thomas McIlvain was staying with us. We bought some meat. We tryed to dry our close but it rained so hard that they got wet nearly as fast as we dried them. We got bords & dryed them for to lay on. Our mess only had two wool blankets & 8 tents & 4 gum blankets & each one has an overcoat. & so we got along fine as far as sleeping is concerned. We retired to reast at 9 o'clock. & it rained regular & tolerable hard all knight. & our tents leaked on us & wet us through. & our bords that we layed on was very unpleasant to us. For they made us very soar.
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