Saturday, 16th—Reveille sounded at 2 a. m., and packing our knapsacks, we started at 8 o’clock for the boat down at the levee. Here we stacked our arms and waited until the quartermaster with his detail got the commissariat loaded, putting it upon our boat and the two barges, one on either side. By noon all was ready and we marched on board, some going upon the boat and some upon the barges, and at 2 p. m. left Davenport, bound for St. Louis.
We reached Muscatine about sundown and because there are so many Muscatine people in the regiment, we landed and marched uptown to Main Street. Here we had dress parade for the benefit of the citizens, who turned out in large numbers. Companies A and H are made up of Muscatine boys, while our colonel and quartermaster reside here; besides, Company I is from Louisa county just west of this place. After the parade we marched back to the boats and left at once for Keokuk. Our boat is the “Jennie Whipple,” and Company E is stationed on the hurricane deck.
