Near Helena, Friday, April 10. Received a large mail. Boats all came from the Pass, the two iron-clads bringing up the rear. The boats went up to Helena to take on coal, nearly all of them. Health good. G. R. Jones quite sick. Sat up with him part of the evening, an attack of pleurisy.
Near Helena, Saturday, April 11. All busy in writing home and to those left behind. Although we may be tanned and roughened by hardships and exposures, the memories of those behind are still uppermost, and although otherwise hardened, that is untarnished. Reloaded all the horses, etc. Rainy.
Near Helena, Sunday, April 12. A fine day. Expected to leave, but instead we took our horses off. Troops going down the river nearly all day, about twenty transports loaded. Took a ride in the afternoon, enjoyed it much, though all alone. On guard in the night. Quite cold.
On the Mississippi, Monday, April 13. Got all on board once more and at 12 A. M. started up to Helena, unloaded the cotton taken in the Pass, and returned to find the boats all gone except the "Tempest" (commissary boat) and at about 3 P. M., we started down the river. Detained most of the night in extricating the "Duke of Argyle."
Providence, La., Tuesday, April 14. Cold and rainy all day, making it rather disagreeable. Spent the day in our quarters over the horses. Read the Covenant, mused and slept most of the day. At about 9 P. M. we neared what appeared like a city with its hundreds of lamps, but proved to be Providence with the lighted steamboats tied close.