Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Post image for Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

August 19, 2013

Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry

Wednesday, 19th—A thunderstorm last night cooled the air some, though it is still extremely hot. There was a boat blown up this morning down at the wharf and thirty or forty lives were lost, mostly negroes. The boat was being loaded with ammunition and the explosion was caused by a negro’s dropping a box of loaded shells. A number of persons thrown into the water were rescued from drowning.

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