Vicksburg, Tuesday, Sept. 8. Preparing to march. There are but four pieces going, ten days' rations supposed to be enough. Oiling harness, etc. On guard. Music by the fiddlers in the evening, who were not much disposed to put their lights out at taps. Orderly Jenawein dictates, which resulted in quite a row. Lieutenant Hood finally succeeded in getting things dark, but the minstrels kept on with their fun till midnight, quite sprung, some of them, by whiskey.
Vicksburg, Wednesday, Sept. 9. —— and —— drunk and noisy. Lieutenant Hood endeavored to arrest ——, but he ran away. Corporal Neefe chased him over the hills awhile and returned, when King, corporal of the guard, with three men, tried it, but with no better success. They then returned to camp. When —— thought pursuit was abandoned, he returned, when three guards with sabres arrested him, but he got away, putting them at defiance, running over the hills yelling like a maniac. Lieutenant Hood now mounted the guards, and after a good deal of running and more excitement, he halted from exhaustion and attacked the guards, Proctor and Richardson. At this time quite a mob of —— sympathizers made for the guards and interfered, but were finally subdued, and in the afternoon Hood took ——, —— and —— to the Provost Marshal, and they are to-night locked up in jail. Army regulations read at roll call.
Vicksburg, Thursday, Sept. 10. Very warm and quiet during the day. All ready and awaiting marching orders. J —— taken to the Provost Marshal as being concerned in yesterday's riot. Mail arrived, brought the sad news of the death of Alice, Evie's sister. After supper call, while eating quietly in the dusk, a hurried order came to hitch up, and was executed with more haste. Our piece was not going, and I knew not in what capacity I was to go, but it was evident there was nobody to tell me just then. And not wishing to be left, I hurriedly packed my blankets and started with the column; nearly everything lying around, such was the haste. We marched briskly until we reached the levee street, when we halted, made a counter march and returned to camp.
At Work Again
Vicksburg, Friday, Sept. 11. Reveille at the usual time, breakfast, after which proceeded to move; hitched quietly and leisurely. I was ordered to pick my team out of the Platoon and harness it as extra team, which gave me an opportunity to take my valise along with me. Griff took my butter keg and dried apples. Left my overcoat with E. W. E., knapsack in charge of G. M. Spencer and Piper, who are to stay behind. Proceeded to the levee and loaded on to the "Illinois", a large freight boat; guns put in position on the forecastle, the horses in the stern unharnessed. All was stowed away tuck by 9 A. M. Infantry loading on teams and mules all the remainder of the day, filling up the lower deck so as to be impassable. Made our bed on the boiler deck and slept.
1863 Toiling Up the Mississippi