Sunday, 22d–A detail from our regiment was sent out along the road today to help the loaded wagons across the deep mud-holes, as they come through from Beaufort. It is reported that the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps have crossed into South Carolina and are floundering in the mud bottoms of the Savannah river.
Saturday, 21st–It is still raining. The teams are going back and forth day and night, hauling provisions. The roads are so bad now at places that the teams get stuck in the mud.
Friday, 20th–It rained all day and the roads are becoming quite muddy.
Thursday, 19th–There is nothing new. We are still on picket on the main road to Beaufort.
Wednesday, 18th–The weather is very pleasant. We are still on duty guarding the main road to Beaufort. The trains have all gone in for supplies. All is quiet in front. This low country, before the war, was planted to cotton, the planters living in town while their plantations were managed by overseers and worked by [...]
Tuesday, 17th–Our brigade was inspected at 1 p. m. today by the brigade commander. There is very little sickness among the men in spite of the fact that we have been in this low, flat country for a fortnight. The land where we are stationed is barely above the sea level, and we easily see [...]
Monday, 16th–All is quiet in front. Company E moved back four or five miles to a large rebel fort on the main road to Beaufort, and on an inlet of the ocean. We are to remain here on picket duty until further orders. The main part of the regiment has fortified. Our company put up [...]
Sunday, 15th–The rebels fell back last night and our men pushed forward this morning. We moved six miles and again went into camp. One regiment and the Thirteenth Iowa was left at Pocotaligo for picket duty and to act as train guard for the trains passing to and fro from Beaufort, hauling provisions out to [...]
Saturday, 14th–Our army commenced to move at 7 this morning and by 10 o’clock the last detachment had crossed Broad river. We moved on about ten miles, driving the rebels and skirmishing with them all the way. The Iowa Brigade lost one man killed, a lieutenant of Company A, Fifteenth Iowa. The expedition consists of [...]
Friday, 13th–For some reason we did not break camp and get started until 4 p. m. and then moved only four miles and went into bivouac. We routed the rebels from the south bank of the Broad river and laid down the pontoons for the army to cross over. Two of our regiments crossed the [...]
Thursday, 12th–All is quiet in camp. The weather is very pleasant and everything has the appearance of spring. The trees seem alive with birds, many different kinds, some of which are very sweet singers. Sometimes the sun is so bright that it reminds one of June days in the North. We received orders to be [...]
Wednesday, 11th–It is clear and quite cool. We learn that a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps landed at Beaufort today and will come out this way and go into camp. We expect to be joined by the other two corps from Savannah as soon as they succeed in crossing the river, when we shall [...]
Tuesday, 10th–Our division moved out to the front about five miles and went into camp again. We had to move because we had burned up all the fallen timber around our camp, while at the new camp we will have plenty. It rained quite hard this afternoon and then turned colder at night. The country [...]
January 9th, 1865 I had been suffering with the toothache for some days when on this day it became so bad that I made up my mind to go to the doctor and have the tooth extracted. I arrived at the doctor’s tent, he directed me to an ancient chair and asked me to show [...]
Monday, 9th–We remained in camp all day.[1] It rained most of the day. No news of any importance. [1] I had been suffering with the toothache for some days when on this day it became so bad that I made up my mind to go to the doctor and have the tooth extracted. I arrived [...]
Sunday, 8th–It is quite cool. We lay in camp all day. We are once more drawing full rations, and it is well that we are, for there is absolutely nothing to forage here, not even rice in the hull. We have also received some of the Sanitary goods sent here for distribution. All is quiet [...]
Saturday, 7th–This morning we found that during the night our ship was driven by the high wind upon a sand bar in the bay. Here we lay, a cold northwest wind blowing across our deck forty feet above the water. But we fared better than the boys below, for, on account of their being so [...]
Friday, 6th–We left our camp this morning at 8 o’clock and marched down to the coast about four miles below Savannah. At 2 o’clock we embarked on the transports for Beaufort, South Carolina. Our regiment is on board a ship built in England as a blockade-runner for the Southern Confederacy, but which was finally captured [...]
Thursday, 5th–The order for the Iowa Brigade to move was countermanded this morning, and we remained in camp all day. The weather has been pleasant and is quite warm today.
Wednesday, 4th–A large detail from the Fourteenth Army Corps was at work today on the fortifications. The Third Division of the Seventeenth Corps marched down to the coast and this afternoon embarked upon the expedition. Our division, the Fourth, received orders to be ready to move in the morning. Our regimental quartermaster received a consignment [...]
Tuesday, 3d–The First Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps embarked this afternoon on an unknown expedition.[1] They had to march down to the coast below the city in order to take ship. It is reported in camp that the rest of the corps, together with the Fifteenth Corps, is to follow in a few days, [...]
Monday, 2d–The weather is quite cool. I was detailed this morning to work on the fortifications. We are building the platforms, upon which will be mounted the large cannon, just outside of the forts and rifle pits. These are elevated from five to ten feet above the common level of the ground and then floored [...]
Sunday, 1st–This is New Year’s Day and my fourth in the army.[1] We did not have to work on the fortifications today, and as the weather was cloudy and cool we remained close to our “ranches.” At 4 p. m. we had company inspection. We are still on two-thirds rations. [1] The common belief among [...]
Saturday, 31st–Still in camp and on short rations at that, the quartermaster having cut us down to one-half rations. We cannot understand why this should be, though there must be a good reason for the order. The fire department of the city came out this morning for inspection by General Sherman, and made a fine [...]
Friday, 30th–The Twentieth Army Corps was reviewed by General Sherman at 9 a. m. They came out with their flying colors and brass bands, making a big showing. But when there’s a fight on hand they are not as forward as they might be; it suits them better to garrison a place after it has [...]