April 2. At 11 o’clock last night an orderly call sounded and we received the orders to cook two days’ rations, and be ready at 7 o’clock, to board the transport for a foraging expedition. The morning was cool and pleasant. At the appointed time we boarded the steamer “David Tatum� and proceeded slowly up the river. On the way we saw where the levee had been cut in a number of places, the water was rushing through rapidly. All the country back was flooded. We stopped and took a couple of Negroes and a fine yawl. We arrived at our destination about 4 P. M. It was sixty-five miles above Providence Lake. The object was to secure a barge of hay which had been wrecked and partly sunk the night of the storm. There were six companies of us, and we were divided into reliefs of two companies each, and set to loading the hay.
April 3. We succeeded in getting the boat loaded by 3 P. M., then we started down and landed fifteen miles below and killed a lot of hogs and took a large, beautiful, ten oared boat. It was the nicest thing of the kind I had ever seen. Frank and Doty took some books and got themselves into trouble. We backed off and started down about dusk. Peats had four or five men tied up. We met a fleet of thirteen boats just after starting. After dark there was a light waved on shore as a signal to come to, but the Captain thought it might be a decoy so we steered on down and arrived at our camp about 11 o’clock.
April 4. The paymaster is here and we sign the pay rolls this afternoon for four months’ pay. Hospital boats are going below and there is every indication of an approaching engagement.
April 5. Was detailed and worked all afternoon unloading commissaries from the “Woodsides� to the “City of Madison,� a commissary boat of the post. A gunboat went down the river this afternoon.
April 6. Monday. Today is a great day for the 17th, as it is the anniversary of the battle of Shiloh. We moved back to the cotton field this morning, it being much higher and a better camping ground. It took most of the day to move, raise our tents and settle.
April 7. Tuesday. A general clearing up of camps which took until this afternoon. Tom Martin came back yesterday and an order was read at dress parade returning him to duty.
April 8. Wednesday. At 11 o’clock this forenoon an orderly call was beaten and we received orders to be ready in fifteen minutes with all our arms and all our accoutrements on, to march down with other brigades of the division, to a large plantation house. Upon the porch stood Generals Thomas, McPherson, McArthur, Crocker, and a drove of the “rankest commish,� such as Colonels, Lieut. Cols., and Majors. Gen. Thomas was a fine stately looking man, tall, with iron gray hair, and apparently about sixty-five years of age. He was introduced by Gen. McPherson in a pleasant speech. Gen. Thomas then made a few remarks in which he expressed great sympathy for the poor enslaved Africans, and announced the President’s settled policy of arming the Negroes. He authorized two regiments to be raised here. He said he had authority to commission officers for said regiments, where the applicants came well recommended. I like the policy. He also said the object of it was to protect the navigation of the Mississippi and defend other Negroes who were at work on abandoned plantations trying to raise their living. After Gen. Thomas was through, Gen. McArthur was called on. He came forward and gave a short, good natured speech. He was heartily cheered. After him came Col. Reed of the 15th Iowa, Crocker, and Captain Chink, who by the way, is to be Colonel of one of the regiments. When they had concluded we marched back to camp and Gen. Thomas boarded the steamer “Rocket� and started up to Logan’s division. When we returned six applications had been handed in for appointments in the regiments of color—from Co. K, namely: Hines, Davis, Foxears, Foster, Chesher and Berry.
April 9. Warm and pleasant, in fact we have had beautiful weather for over two weeks. Major Peats is gone and Capt. Moore is in command of the regiment. Nearly half the company went fishing this afternoon. Buck got a pass to take us outside the pickets and we caught about a mess. We had dress parade at 5:30 P. M. Two boats, the “Edward Walsh� and the “City of Alton� came down with deserters. There were two for our company.
April 10. Warm and pleasant. At 10 o’clock we had muster. The whole U. S. forces are to be mustered today, to find the exact condition of the army, and the number of conscripts needed to fill the regiments up to the required standard. We had dress parade this evening in which the two deserters were returned to their companies by a regimental order. Our company needs about fifty-four to fill it up.
April 11. Saturday. A beautiful day. On regimental guard. Most of the company have gone fishing. We have as easy and fine times now as it is possible for soldiers to have. Foster got the position of Captain in the new regiment. They had a Negro meeting this afternoon. Chink, and a colored man named Frederick Douglas, spoke.