An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

Vicksburg, Friday, Aug. 28. Felt pretty well. Fine day. Just before dinner I was informed that there was a box for me at the express office. I immediately obtained the necessary papers from Lieutenant Clark; George Spencer and myself hitched up the team and started down. Found it “a good large one”, but just as I got in the wagon it commenced raining, and did rain all the way back, giving us as good a wetting as ever a soldier had. Pound my tent nearly immersed in water, a large stream running between our bunks and the rain pouring in from above. Obliged to lay the box away for two hours before the storm abated so as to open it—was Job ever tempted so? But at last it stopped and we found lots of good things, butter, cake, dried fruit, cheese, etc. Much obliged to you.