Etowah Bridge, Friday, Aug. 5. A pleasant day. On guard, third relief. After waiting all day, paymaster came about 4 P. M. and in a few minutes our greenbacks were counted out for the months of May and July, sixteen dollars per month for the first time.
1864 Merit and Favoritism
Etowah Bridge, Saturday, Aug. 6. Very pleasant time. On guard last night and this morning. Relieved at 9 A. M. Days busy settling up, paying, dunning, changing, etc. I have no such work to do. Sergt. Alba Sweet, veteran, ordered to Kingston to take charge of a section of artillery. His men to be detailed from infantry, he to drill and organize, the position of a lieutenant. A good boy and a true soldier, best drill master in the Battery. D. L. C. a recruit, detailed as clerk to headquarters, which caused a little surprise among some of the old soldiers, but he was a brother Mason.
Etowah Bridge, Sunday, Aug. 7. Very heavy rains last night, river raised two feet this morning in a very few hours. Company inspection at 7 A. M. Took sick man's team to graze. Wrote letters in the afternoon. Very warm.
Etowah Bridge, Monday, Aug. 8. A pleasant day of clouds and sunshine in pleasing variety. Cannoneers called out this morning for standing gun drill. I went out with a team. Two wagons sent out in brigade train for forage ten miles. Returned by 3 P. M. Two negroes came in this morning from McCook's disaster on the Macon Railroad, having been eight days in the woods, subsisting upon blackberries, peaches, etc. Having tasted freedom once, they will not succumb to the degradation of slavery again. P. G. a big reckless dare devil, who had been tied up the last five days for persisting in doing as he pleased, was released, and a tender youth, unaccustomed to the hard buffeting of a heartless world, tied instead for trespassing upon the dignity of our stable sergeant.