An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

Waterloo, Ala., Saturday, Oct. 31. The rain has cleared off and it is a fine and clear morning but rather cold. Mustered by Lieutenant S. F. Clark for pay for the months of September and October, after which we marched up to go across on the transports (stern wheels). Came up the river three miles under escort of the gunboats, loaded with commissary stores. Did not get to the ferry till 4 P. M. The guns and wagons were loaded on a barge and sent across by the ”Anglo Saxon.” The horses sent down stream to be taken across by the “Masonic Gem”, but it was so small that it took three trips to get across. I got over on the second trip. We were landed half a mile above the guns and we galloped across the other bank. It was dark before I got to the Battery (it was in a large field of corn). Fed my horses all they could eat, having had nothing since morning, and filled their nosebags. Mail arrived. By that time I found Evie with a fine supper of coffee, sweet potatoes and raw ham (which we bought of the commissary, 3 cts. per lb.) with hard crackers for dessert. Obliged to wait for the other horses until 9 P. M. After awhile we moved out three miles to camp, came into camp and got into bed by 11:30 P. M. in a negro shanty. Two companies of 4th U. S. Cavalry arrived from Huntsville, Ala. with dispatches to Sherman.