Dec 4th 1864 (Sunday) The weather has been warm and pleasant for some ten days past, it has been “Indian Summer” with a soft balmy air and smokey atmosphere, the pleasantest days of the year. Today it has been delightful. I went to the 4½ Street Church, the 1st Pres[byterian] (Doct Sunderlands) to hear the [...]

December 4, 1864. Got on the road before day-light and made 16 miles easily by 3:30 p.m. Good road, many fine places, and excellent forage, from 75 to 500 bushels of sweet potatoes on a farm. Heard cannonading for two hours this morning. Think it must have been in the vicinity of the 20th Corps. [...]

Sunday, 4th–Rain last night. The First and Third Divisions and the First Brigade of the Fourth Division destroyed the railroad this forenoon for a distance of ten miles. The Iowa Brigade acted as train guard. We covered fifteen miles today and went into bivouac near Cameron Station. For the last two or three days, we [...]

December 3d.–Very warm–clouds and sunshine, like April. Roger A. Pryor, who resigned his brigadiership, and has been acting as a scout (private), fell into the hands of the enemy the other day while exchanging newspapers with their pickets. They have him at Washington, and the United States newspapers say he makes revelations of a sad [...]

December 3d. Our duty continues to be the same from day to day. When off regular duty, work in the woods cutting up wood for camp. Everyone must take a turn at the axe. George A. Weaver, of our company, received a bad cut in the leg from an axe slipping from the hands of [...]

Saturday, 3d.—Late in evening drove Yankee skirmishers back and moved up our main line three-quarters of a mile. Fortifying. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

3rd. Saturday. Spent the day in camp. Was officer of the day. Wrote to Uncle Milo.

December 3d.–We drank tea at Mrs. McCord’s; she had her troubles, too. The night before a country cousin claimed her hospitality, one who fain would take the train at five this morning. A little after midnight Mrs. McCord was startled out of her first sleep by loud ringing of bells; an alarm at night may [...]

South bank of Scull Creek, December 3, 1864. We have laid here all day, being our first rest since leaving Atlanta. Had to wait for the 17th Corps and “left wing” to catch up. We laid a pontoon across the river this morning, and two of our brigade went over to tear up railroad The [...]

Saturday, 3d–We started off on our railroad destroying this morning at 7 o’clock. Our corps destroyed about ten miles of road, from Millen down to Station No. 70, where we went into camp for the night. The Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps are off on our left, destroying the railroad from Millen toward Augusta. At Millen [...]

December 2d.–Warm, and raining moderately. My landlord gets $400 of the $500 increase of my salary. Dispatches from Gen. Bragg: “Augusta, December 1st, 1864. – Following received from Lieut.-Gen. R. Taylor, Savannah, Ga.: ‘Gen. Hardee is at Grahamville. No fighting there since yesterday evening, when the enemy was driven five miles, leaving their dead upon [...]

2nd. Friday. Went into our old camp at 2 P. M. Mail from home.

Friday, 2d.—Marched to within four and one-half miles of Nashville, and formed in line and began fortifying. Later moved up half-mile and began fortifying again. Can see forts in Nashville. (Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

December 2d.–Isabella and I put on bonnets and shawls and went deliberately out for news. We determined to seek until we found. Met a man who was so ugly, I could not forget him or his sobriquet; he was awfully in love with me once. He did not know me, but blushed hotly when Isabella [...]

West bank of Ogeechee River, eight miles south of Millen, December 2, 1864. Recrossed the river this morning and, joining the brigade, made some eight miles to-day. We are ahead of the rest of the army or could have made more. Pine country, almost uninhabited. Saw to-day my favorite tree—the magnolia. Have seen but few [...]

Friday, 2d–We marched eleven miles today and went into bivouac after dark near the town of Millen. We passed through some fine country with very large plantations. We crossed the east prong of the Ogeechee river about dusk, the infantry crossing over the railroad bridge and the artillery and teams by pontoon bridge. Millen is [...]

December 1st.–Bright and warm. It is said there is a movement of the enemy menacing our works on the north side of the river. There was shelling down the river yesterday and day before, officially announced by Gen. Lee–two of the enemy’s monitors retired. Gen. Longstreet says “over 100 of Gen. Pickett’s men are in [...]

December 1st. Time is passing very pleasantly with us. Duty so far mostly picket and guard. There are many points of interest in this vicinity that were connected with the Revolutionary War, so we have been informed. The raid of old John Brown, and his death by hanging, in December, 1859, by the State of [...]

1864—Battle of Franklin Thursday, December 1st.—Moved on to the edge of the battlefield; just then our batteries opened very heavy. Reported Federals are falling back. Day-light, Federals have retreated, leaving many of dead and wounded on the field. Went on to the battlefield at 8 A. M. Most awful of any battlefield I have ever [...]

Thursday Dec 1st 1864 Since my last date the Presidential Election has passed off quietly and Mr Lincoln is re-Elected, every non Slave holding State but one (New Jersey) going for him. No very great Battles have been fought lately. Genl Grant made an unsuccessful attack upon the Rebel works in Oct. Since which time [...]

December 1st.–At Coosawhatchie Yankees are landing in great force. Our troops down there are raw militia, old men and boys never under fire before; some college cadets, in all a mere handful. The cradle and the grave have been robbed by us, they say. Sherman goes to Savannah and not to Augusta.

Cushingville Station, east bank of Ogeechee river, December 1, 1864. Ten miles to-day. Had just finished the last line when (the officers are talking over the rumors of the day) I heard Captain Smith say, “Our folks captured one Rebel ram.” I asked him where, and he pointed out an old he sheep, one of [...]

Thursday, 1st–A heavy fog this morning. Our division crossed the Ogeechee river early this morning, the other two divisions of the corps having crossed last night. We crossed near Benton Station on the Savannah railroad. Our brigade destroyed the railroad this forenoon all the way from Benton Station north to Sebastopol on the road running [...]