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

Friday, 19th—The boys worked all day setting up their tents. The boys of our company cut down a red oak tree from which we made staves, set them in trenches dug in the ground, and had just finished putting up the tents, when at 5 p. m. the long roll sounded to form in line. We were ordered to march to the station to board the cars for Holly Springs, as the rebels had taken the place and burned our rations. But we did not go, as another regiment nearer the station got there ahead of us and we were marched back to our camp, with orders, though, to be ready to start for Holly Springs in the morning. We had expected to stay here several days and are sorry to have to leave the place, for it would have made us an excellent camp ground, being on a south hillside with timber just thick enough for shelter.