June 16. Tuesday. Up at 5 o’clock and returned to camp. Doty and I started for blackberries. I picked a gallon. Davis got an order for flour and sugar. Ragan baked pies. Frank and I got a letter from home.
June 17. Wednesday. Cool and pleasant. Rebs threw over a good many shell from their guns. We always knew when it was coming for it was heralded by six or eight shots from our batteries. I helped make out muster rolls today.
June 18. Thursday. I worked at muster rolls almost all day. About noon I was agreeably surprised to be accosted by Pat Gallegher and George Hissung. Pat is Captain, and George is about to be Second Lieutenant. I was extremely glad to see them. They both look the same as ever and are bodyguards of Smith, who is on our left. Frank got a pass and went over to Hovey’s division to find A. B. Knight, but he was wounded at Champion Mills, caught and paroled by the Rebs and sent north, and I expect by this time he is at home. He was a good soldier.
June 19. Friday. We were called from our slumbers by bursting shells and they continued to come at regular intervals all day. They were shrapnel filled with a handful of small balls, which rained down in a perfect shower among us, but fortunately no one was hurt. Their guns are in hollows and used as mortars out of range of ours and we can do no better than let them shoot. A good many of our boys are burrowing into the hillside. We received the melancholy news last evening of the death of Dare. Poor fellow! he was a good soldier and a true patriot. One shell from the Rebs’ old mortar fell directly into the tent of Stolbrand (chief of artillery on Logan’s staff) bursting in the ground, tearing everything to pieces, and scattering dirt on the writing desks in other tents, but strange to tell, no one was hurt. Stolbrand was out.
June 20. Saturday. Last night deserters came in reporting another massing of troops, and about 2 o’clock in the morning our brigade formed and were ordered up to the rifle pits. The pits were filled without Co. K, and we marched back to camp as reserve, so I lay down and slept until morning. About 4 o’clock Logan’s old whistling Jack sent over its eighty-four pound messenger. This was the signal for the whole line to open. From six to eighty-four pounders now united in pouring over a perfect shower of shell on doomed secession. This continued until 10 o’clock, six long hours. When we were through they opened their old mortar and another gun. The shell from the small gun burst over our brigade, throwing numberless pieces among us. One shell struck on the left of the 7th Mo., in the midst of a crowd standing around a well. They immediately fell down and rolled away. The shell burst, tore up the ground, and hurt no one. Such accidents are constantly occurring, but the boys are not always so fortunate. We partly expected a charge today. Sappers and miners are digging into the fort; we can see them from above. Gen. McClernand is relieved and O. E. Ord takes command of his corps.
June 21. Sunday. We were ordered out at 3 o’clock for skirmishing. We had a six pounder planted between Co. C’s pits and ours. Johnny Moe, 1st Lieut. Co. C, was shot through the leg, and had it taken off. The Rebs continue to be quite active and use their mortar considerably. One of their shells struck one of our big guns, beside which one of the Generals was standing. It glanced down the side opposite him, battering the carriage, but hurt no one though it exploded. There is a place between picket post and camp where five or six Red sharpshooters have a fine range. Mail came in early this morning. I received letters from Uncle P., Aunt C. and Rosalie. Papers also came in, and with them the report of another invasion of Pennsylvania. Report said the Rebs were already at Chambersburg. I got a pass and went over to Smith’s division to see Hissung and the boys. I found them all well but Bill H. I had a good time and returned to camp the middle of the afternoon. Two men were wounded in camp today. We had roll call this evening. Gen. Johnston has at last crossed the Black with a force variously estimated at from thirty to seventy thousand. Divisions, brigades, and batteries are being detached and sent to meet him. It is reported that Grant and McPherson have gone to the rear in person. If the Rebs wrest Vicksburg from us now they must pay dear for it.
June 23. Tuesday. Sweeny and I went to work remodelling our shanty this morning and at 11 o’clock were detailed on fatigue to fix Gen. Logan’s bomb-proof underground cellar. We finished it about noon. I took a knife from his culinary department. The regiment was called on for numerous details of fatigue duty today.
June 24. Wednesday. I was awakened about 10 o’clock last night by the roars of artillery and musketry. An incessant fire was kept up for two hours. We learned today that the Rebs made a sortie but were driven back. They wanted to hinder us advancing our lines but did not succeed. Day before yesterday I saw some of the cavalry bring in ripe peaches and green corn.
June 25. Thursday. We hear the forces in our rear have had a slight engagement. Our forces fell back until they had their position and then repulsed the Rebs and drove them back in confusion. The cheering and acceptable rumor of the capture of Port Hudson has reached us. It is said to be official. The latest news from the east is that the Rebel raid is rapidly progressing and they are within forty-seven miles of Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. Lee and his generals are surely adopting Napoleon’s tactics. It yet remains to be seen whether they have the genius to carry out the bold and fearless plans. It is now 2 o’clock. The artillery is getting busy, and it is rumored that we shall have work before night. The brigade was formed in rifle pits at the brow of the hill. Gen. J. Leggett’s brigade was formed in the rear of the fort. We lay here an hour before the explosion took place. It was followed by four others that we could see, and a general opening of artillery along the whole line, and also the mortars and gunboats and fleet. As soon as it occurred, regiments filed up parallel with the fort and poured a close and deadly fire into the enemy’s face. Hand grenades were freely used on both sides. We lost severely and did not accomplish our object. The fault must have been the engineers’. The fort was not destroyed, the concussion was not near what we expected it would be. We lay there all night. The throwing of hand grenades was kept up. At dusk I went and drew a new gun.
June 26. Friday. We were ordered out on picket early this morning. The Rebs on our front were very shy. I only caught an occasional glimpse of them, but fired fifty rounds, mostly at their port holes and works. A good many shells and pieces came among us, but no one was hurt. Our boys at the fort had warmer work and finally fell back.