From the diary of Osborn H. Oldroyd
MAY 26TH.–Up this morning at three o’clock, with orders for three days’ rations in our haversacks and five days’ in the wagons –also to be ready to move at ten o’clock to the rear, in pursuit of Johnston, who was thrusting his bayonets too close to our boys there.
I am not anxious to get away from the front, yet a little march ing in the country will be quite a desirable change, and no doubt beneficial to our men. I have been afraid we might be molested in the rear, for we were having our own way too smoothly to last. I think the confederate authorities are making a great mistake in not massing a powerful army in our rear and thus attempting to break our lines and raise the siege. We shall attend to Johnston, for Grant has planted his line so firmly that he can spare half his men to look out for his rear. What a change we notice to-day, from the time spent around the city, where there was no sound except from the zipping bullets and booming cannon; while out here in the country the birds sing as sweetly as if they had not heard of war at all. Here, too, we get an exchange from the smoky atmosphere around Vicksburg, to heaven’s purest breezes.
We have marched to-day over the same ground for which we fought to gain our position near the city. Under these large spreading oaks rest the noble dead who fell so lately for their country. This march has been a surprise to me. It is midnight, and we are still marching.