Wednesday, 19th–We struck our tents about noon and marched back about five miles, toward Raleigh, going into camp within three miles of town. We laid out our camp in regular order for the purpose of building small houses and covering them with our shelter tents.

Tuesday, 18th–General Sherman went out to the front on the cars, and the two generals agreed upon the terms for the surrender of Johnston’s army. Both armies are to go into camp and remain until the terms of surrender have been approved by the War Department at Washington. The Union army is to go into [...]

Monday, 17th–News came that Abe Lincoln[1] had been assassinated at Washington, in a theater, also Secretary Seward and his son.[2] When the news came of the death of the president, the safety guards, placed at private houses to protect the families from violence, were relieved. General Sherman at once demanded an answer from Johnston by [...]

Sunday, 16th–The weather is warm and pleasant. We remained in bivouac all day. All is quiet in the front and both armies are resting under a flag of truce. Neither army is allowed to change its position while the agreement is in force.

Saturday, 15th–We started at 7 a. m., marched only four miles and went into camp again. News came from the front that Johnston had stopped fighting for the purpose of surrendering his army to General Sherman. It rained hard all day, but we don’t mind that when hearing such glorious news as the surrender of [...]

Friday, 14th–We started at 5 a. m. and marched twenty-one miles. We crossed the Neuse river at noon and passed through Raleigh about dusk, going into bivouac four miles west of town. Raleigh is a very nice place, and not a building was burned. Our division had the advance, the Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa being [...]

Thursday, 13th–It rained nearly all day and I never saw it rain harder than it did this forenoon. We left our bivouac at 5 a. m. and marched eighteen miles. The roads are good now. The left wing of our army marched into Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, the rebels having evacuated the place [...]

Wednesday, 12th–We started at 8 a. m. and marched five miles, all the way through one continuous swamp. News came to us this forenoon that General Lee had surrendered his entire army to General Grant. It was glorious news. We forgot all about our hard marching, and the whole brigade commenced singing songs—”John Brown’s body [...]

Tuesday, 11th–Weather quite pleasant. We started at 6 a. m. and marched twelve miles. Our march was very slow, the road being through one continuous swamp. We had to lay corduroy the whole way. Our division, the First, was in front of the corps, and there was some skirmishing in our front.

Monday, 10th–Had an all-day rain. The entire army moved forward today, some starting at 8 a. m. We packed our knapsacks early this morning, but did not start until 10 o’clock. While we were waiting, some of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Regiment which had arrived at Goldsboro came over to our “ranches” for a visit. We [...]

Sunday, 9th–Very pleasant weather. Our division was inspected this forenoon by General Smith. Two regiments in the division did not pass inspection and were sent back to their “ranches” with the order to get themselves up in better style and come back at 4 o’clock for inspection. The Eleventh Iowa was complimented for its neat [...]

Saturday, 8th–All is quiet. Sherman’s army received orders to march on the 10th. Our wagon trains are loaded with thirty-five days’ rations, and we are to carry five days’ rations in our haversacks. The news is so good that all are anxious to move at once. The boys are all happy, thinking that this will [...]

Friday, 7th–Weather still pleasant. Company drill two hours a day. Our brigade came out in review and was inspected by General Smith. A statement was read to us by the assistant adjutant general of our brigade, stating our loss at Richmond, and also that of the enemy. Our loss was seven thousand killed and two [...]

Wednesday, 5th–The regimental chaplains are occupying the pulpits of the different churches of Goldsboro and conducting nightly meetings. A large number of the boys are attending and a great many are coming forward and professing the name of the Lord. May the work continue until all have made the profession.

Tuesday, 4th–The quartermaster distributed new clothing today. I drew a hat, a pair of shoes and a pair of socks. We are enjoying full rations again, and also our new clothing. We no longer have to search our haversacks for a crumb of hardtack.

Monday, 3d–Fine weather continues, and camp routine the same. We are enjoying our fine camp ground, and to prevent our becoming stale, we have to keep up regular drill for our next campaign.

Sunday, 2d–Regular camp routine is the order. We had company inspection this morning besides two hours’ drill. A great many of us attended church in town this morning, also in the evening.

Saturday, 1st–The weather is pleasant. No news of any importance. The camp here is the best we have had since leaving Vicksburg. Our “ranch” is eight feet square, boarded up seven feet high, and has a gable roof of the proper pitch covered over with our rubber ponchos, nailed to the rafters; it will protect [...]

Friday, 31st–Cloudy and windy today. We are ordered to have company drill four hours a day and dress parade at 5 o’clock in the evening. This is all the duty we have to perform; do not even have camp guard or provost duty. We have no picket duty to do, as the Twentieth Corps is [...]

Thursday, 30th–It is quite stormy and rainy today. All is quiet in camp, and there is no news of importance.

Wednesday, 29th–It is quite rainy. We are now in spring quarters. Some of the boys in the regiment get teams from the quartermaster, go out to some vacant house or barn, and get what lumber they want to build “ranches.” J. D. Moore and William Green went out this morning with a team and brought [...]

Tuesday, 28th–We have had pleasant weather for several days, but today it is cloudy, with some rain. The men drew new clothing today just as fast as the quartermaster could receive the supply from the general quartermaster. Nearly every man in the regiment is drawing a full suit, out and out. Some of the men [...]

Monday, 27th–We cleaned up our camp today, and are building “ranches” with the expectation of staying here a while. We have a fine camp ground and plenty of water. Large foraging parties are sent out for corn and fodder. All is quiet in the front. No news of any importance.

Sunday, 26th–Pleasant weather. The Eleventh Iowa was sent out with a foraging train to get corn and fodder for the mules and horses of our brigade. They had to go a distance of thirteen miles to get the feed. I being on camp duty did not go. A train of cars came in from Newbern [...]