Huntsville, Thursday, April 21. Awoke this morning with eyes heavily sealed and jaw from which the tooth was taken swollen to a mouthful. Felt very well otherwise. Pleasant ride to the spring in the morning. Returned in time to fall in for policing, a big job, very dusty and wind blowing. Did not get through till noon. Artillery firing heard this afternoon, at times very rapidly. Gunboat on Tennessee River it is said. Skirmish in vicinity of Decatur continues.
Huntsville, Friday, April 22. Health very good. Papers bring us very bad news from sea, which had quite a depressing effect upon my spirits. Every reverse retards that anxiously longed for moment when "peace reigneth". The hottest day of the season by several degrees, an impressive forerunner of the fire that will soon be upon us. Signed receipt rolls, would rather it were pay rolls. Sanitary gave us a meal of kraut and onions. Blessed be the donors.
Huntsville, Saturday, April 23. Worked hard all the forenoon hauling the refuse from picket rope, but not to enrich the corn field as of old. Drew twenty-five good new horses direct from Nashville, nearly enough now. The weather was most disagreeable. Warm and sultry wind all day, driving the dust in blinding clouds, finding its way through the many cracks of my bachelor's hall, settling in thick layers of clean dust upon bed, desk and everything, the dust filling my eyes, etc. Awful!
1864 Southern Sermon
Huntsville, Sunday, April 24. Awoke to hear the rain pattering thick and fast on the pine boards overhead. At first I was dissatisfied with the anticipation of a wet day with mud—very blue, but at the thought of yesterday's dusty ordeal I could but say, "blessed be the rain that clears the atmosphere and makes all nature look more pleasing when it ceases." Cleared off into a most delightful day by 9 A. M., and I listened to a thorough scientific sermon from Dr. Ross upon technical points, existence of evil. His arguments were very concise and binding. Although differing in opinion I received many new ideas. He is one of the leading Southern clergy and formerly a rabid secessionist, and to-day he touched upon the war, but so nicely that it could not displease any of his audience which was composed of the two extremes, viz: Yankee soldiers and secesh women. He sat way up, he said, upon his faith in God, "looking down upon the struggle with as much composure as though they were but the convulsions of so many pigmies—God would do it right". Just found it out I suppose. Two regiments of Osterhaus's Division marched by toward Decatur this morning with no wagons or ambulances. Go to the front.