 Iowa In the Civil War |
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January, 1863 January, Thursday, 1, 1863. New years we were at Lafayette Tenn. The first Iowa passed close to us and camped close by. I went to there camp to see the boys. Friday, 2. The first Iowa went back to Memphis to gaurde the train through. A squad of the enemy are troubling us, part of the 13th Iowa went out after them. We are ordered to be in readiness for a fight. Saturday, 3. All is quiett to day in camp. January, Sunday, 4, 1863. The Rail Road is open from Corinth to this place. Monday, 5. I went down to the _______ river to do some washing. Tuesday, 6. I went out in the country about three miles with Lieut. Casey (?) after some brick to build a fireplace in his tent. January, Wednesday, 7, 1863. Nothing of importance to day. Thursday, 8. We got a large mail we have not had any for two weeks. Friday, 9. We got another mail to day. I got one letter from home. I answered it. January, Saturday, 10, 1863. I was an Rail Road gaurde. We were gaurding a Trestell work about a mile outside of the Piquette. Sunday, 11. We received orders to march in the morning for Memphis. Monday, 12. The Brigad took up the line of march at 7 o'clock. Co. C and K were detailing for Rear gaurde. We marched 22 miles and camped near a Watter Tank. January, Tuesday, 13, 1863. We took up the line of march this morning and arrived at Memphis at 11 o'clock. The distance from Lafayette to Memphis is 91 miles. We sighned the pay roals this eavning. Page 2, Armstrong Diary Wednesday, 14. We had quite a snow storm. The snow fell 8 inches deep and still snowing. Thursday, 15. We received two months pay for the months of July and August. January, Friday, 16, 1863. I wrote home and sent 10 dollars in the letter. Saturday, 17. We received orders to march to the river to embarque tomorrow at 8 o'clock. Sunday, 18. We marched to the river at 8 o'clock and embarqued at four o'clock and laid on the river at Memphis all night. January, Monday, 19, 1863. We laid on the boat all day at Memphis. We were busy loading the teams and property. Tuesday, 20. We got up steam and pushed off and started down the river at half past one o'clock. We went 35 miles and tied up for the night. Wednesday, 21. We went on down the river and arrived at Halena at 10 o'clock and left there at 12 o'clock and traveled untill sundown and then tied up for the night. January, Thursday, 22, 1863. We started down the river at daylight. Three of the boats in the rear were fired into by the Guerillas and two men wounded. The Captain of one of the boats was wounded in the ancle. We tied up at dusk. Friday, 23. We started down the river at daylight and came up with the rest of Shermans fleete at two o'clock. They were tied up some 20 miles north of Vicksburgh. Saturday, 24. We are tied up on the west shoar of the river with the rest of the fleete. They took the Horses and Mules off. The distance from Memphis to Vicksburgh by the river is 620 (?) miles. There is a report that we go back to gaurd the boat back to Memphis. January, Sunday, 25, 1863. We disembarqued this morning at noon we moved up the river Page 3, Armstrong Diary about a mile and camped. I was on detail for fatigue at the Vill. The Company was detailed for Piquette and reported but did not go out. Monday, 26. All is quiet in camp since most of the boys are writing home to day. It rained and got quite cool in the eavning. Tuesday, 27. It is quite cold and cloudy in the morning. We moved camp just after dinner. It is very cold tonight. January, Wednesday, 28, 1863. I was detailed for Piquette but did not go on post untill noon. It is a little cool this morning but very pleasant in the middle of the day. Thursday, 29. I was relieved from Piquette at one o'clock and returned to camp. All quiet in camp. The weather is very pleasant. Friday, 30. All quiet in camp. I done some washing to day. January, Saturday, 31, 1863. All quiet in camp, it rained to day. February, Sunday, 1. Cloudy and rained most of the day. The Chaplain gave us a sermon in the afternoon. Monday, 2. I was detailed for Piquette and went on in the morning. And got the sick head ache and returned to camp at three o'clock. February, Tuesday, 3, 1863. All quiet in camp. I wrote two letters, one to R. Parsons and the other home. Wednesday, 4. This morning I went on duty for G ______________ to work on the leve it rained most all day. Thursday, 5. On duty on the Leve again. The weather was very cold and cloudy. February, Friday, 6, 1863. All quiet in camp. The weather is cold and cloudy. Saturday, 7. I was on duty at the Leve. I worked all forenoon. The Page 4, Armstrong Diary weather is very pleasant. Sunday, 8. We prepaired for inspection. We are drawing Clothing. I drew one pair drawers and one pair socks. We got orders to march on board the boats at four o'clock. February, Monday, 9, 1863. We shoved off and started up stream at 11 o'clock. We arrived at Providence 60 miles from Vicksburg at six o'clock. Tuesday, 10. We disembarqued this morning and went into camp two miles from town at Lake Providence. We are here to dig a canal from the River through to the lake to let the boats in. Wednesday, 11. I came off gaurde this morning. I wrote a letter home. It is raining this Eavning. February, Thursday, 12, 1863. I done some washing to day. It is quiet in camp. Friday, 13. I went on camp gaurde this morning. Saturday, 14. I came off gaurde, it rained all day. February, Sunday, 15, 1863. I was on duty ditching the campground. Monday, 16. It rained all day. We moved and raised it. I drew a hat to day. Tuesday, 17. Our company went on Piquette gaurd. It rained all day. February, Wednesday, 18, 1863. We came off gaurd it rained all day. Thursday, 19. It cleared up last night. It is quite pleasant to day. I wrote a letter home. Friday, 20. It rained all day all quiet in camp. February, Saturday, 21, 1863. Nothing of importance to day. Page 5, Armstrong Diary Sunday, 22. I was on camp gaurde. A very pleasant day. Monday, 23. I came off gaurde this morning the weather is very pleasant. February, Tuesday, 24, 1863. I received two letters one from R. Parsons and the other from home. We got orders to go on board the boats. We started up the river run most of the night. We had to lag up to fix the rudder. Wednesday, 25. We arrived at Greenville at 9 o'clock. We staid there two hours and then came back to Providence to our oald camp at four o'clock. Greenville is 60 miles up the river from here. Thursday, 26. I wrote a letter home the weather is quite wet. All quiet in camp. February, Friday, 27, 1863. I was on camp gaurde. It cleared up today and got quite pleasant. Saturday, 28. I came off camp gaurde this morning. It was quite misty to day.
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