Etowah Bridge, Wednesday, July 27. Cloudy day, showery in the evening. Health very good. On guard, the first time for a month. The moments passed slowly while on post, and I was almost lonesome. 1st Ohio and 5th Kentucky Infantry passed through on their way home this evening. They go right from the front line of battle to homes that are awaiting them. But a few of them left to represent the 1,000 that started. Report Sherman surrounding Atlanta on all sides, expected to be engaged to-day. Major General Steedman and staff gone to the front. No mail received.
Etowah Bridge, Thursday, July 28. Dull, drowsy and dreamy. Nothing in camp but speculations on the affairs in front and the future in general. A few have hopes of peace from the Peace Commissioners in Canada, but fear it is delusive.
Etowah Bridge, Friday, July 29. A very hot day. Hauled load after load of water in the morning, afterwards went to town with E. F. H. to spend the day. Saw General Kilpatrick, a young officer. Fighting Joe Hooker sent to the rear with his staff on a "dinky". They go to Washington. Hope they'll give him a chance to work.
1864 A Friendly Family
Etowah Bridge, Saturday, July 30. After breakfast, waited to go with Corporal Knapp and O. J. Burnham out after berries. E. F. Hayes and I followed with pails. Walked about five miles to the romantic country seat of Old Cooper. By 9 A. M. we had dishes full of the luscious fruit, upon which we have feasted for the last month. Visited at a house inhabited by an old couple called Williams, formerly of N. C. Very social and friendly, apparently open-hearted and honest, but ignorant, as was shown by the old man asking if Minnesota was a state. A pretty young lady treated us to a drink of good buttermilk which tasted home-like. And we started back. Jerked a load of roasting-corn out of a corn field and returned to camp by 1 P. M. exhausted by the heat which was very severe. Had green corn for dinner and felt better. Thus the time passes.