An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones

Huntsville, Sunday, April 24. Awoke to hear the rain pattering thick and fast on the pine boards overhead. At first I was dissatisfied with the anticipation of a wet day with mud —very blue, but at the thought of yesterday’s dusty ordeal I could but say, “blessed be the rain that clears the atmosphere and makes all nature look more pleasing when it ceases.” Cleared off into a most delightful day by 9 A. M., and I listened to a thorough scientific sermon from Dr. Boss upon technical points, existence of evil. His arguments were very concise and binding. Although differing in opinion I received many new ideas. He is one of the leading Southern clergy and formerly a rabid secessionist, and to-day he touched upon the war, but so nicely that it could not displease any of his audience which was composed of the two extremes, viz: Yankee soldiers and secesh women. He sat way up, he said, upon his faith in God, “looking down upon the struggle with as much composure as though they were but the convulsions of so many pigmies—God would do it right”. Just found it out I suppose. Two regiments of Osterhaus’s Division marched by toward Decatur this morning with no wagons or ambulances. Go to the front.