Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

Monday, 21st–We reached Cairo at 4 o’clock this morning and I went ashore with my comrades to the Soldiers’ Home for breakfast. We then went to the provost marshal’s office for our railroad transportation from Cairo to Davenport. We boarded the train at noon and arrived at Centralia at 5 o’clock. We had to lie here until after midnight when we took the Illinois Central for La Salle, Illinois. The train was so crowded that in order to get a comfortable place, we bought sleeping berths. The weather is cold here, and we saw snowbanks for the first time in two years.