Chattanooga, Friday, March 31. Pelt much better after a good night’s rest. A very cold morning for this season. Notified by Corporal Ray to get my breakfast early and go out to the hill to chop and load logs. Gone all day. I found four letters when I returned, and in them I was surprised to find the familiar faces of Sisters Mary and Ellen. Look as they used to three years ago. I assigned them a prominent place in my album, which is a precious treasure to me.
An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones, 6th Battery, Wisconsin Artillery.
Chattanooga, Thursday, March 30. No rest for the wicked, for the present at least. Was on the inevitable detail as usual working on Captain’s house. I and another man sawed out the door hole and corner blocks in the forenoon, roofed it and fixed ready to move into it in the afternoon. Rained till I was wet through before quitting time. Feel tired and somewhat sick from my cold. Dye finally reported from furlough, six days behind time. David Carpenter also joined us, having been relieved from duty at 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps headquarters. He left the good old command at Pocataligo, and came via Savannah and New York. News is splendid all around, would like to have a little from home though.
Chattanooga, Wednesday, March 29. Rained last night. Feel no better with my cold. Sergeant James some better this morning. All the men not on duty ordered out to police the country round. Was out with the crowd in the forenoon. Cleared and leveled off the ground in our front, forty rods around. This afternoon detailed with the house builders, put up the logs for Captain’s house. Rained heavy toward evening. Houses shed rain well.
Chattanooga, Tuesday, March 28. Last night when darkness spread her protecting veil over us, Griff, D. Evans and myself started out and appropriated some of Uncle Sam’s lumber for Uncle Sam’s benefit, or at least his boys. Returned with enough to make our bunks. Makes no difference where we got them. Cloudy and rained a little this forenoon. On duty all day with Sergeant Goodwin covering stables. Somewhat tired. Have caught a bad cold, mouth and throat sore. Sergeant James and Van Brocklin taken sick very sudden about 4 P. M. James will not live long if no change takes place.
Chattanooga, Monday, March 27. Two men took sick on guard last night, so I had to stand four hours. Our sick list is increasing a little, three men off duty from sore eyes. Fixed up our bunks in the forenoon, in the afternoon was detailed “daubing.” We moved into our new home after supper. Six bunks put up each end of the house, which is 12 x 18 ft., but there are but fourteen in ours yet. Bunks made of shakes, no boards given us. Griff and I occupy the middle berth.
Chattanooga, Sunday, March 26. A pretty spring day. On guard as supernumerary. Had preaching by one of the Christian Commission agents, 10 A. M. Wrote letters in the afternoon but received none. I think I feel a little lonesome tonight.
Chattanooga, Saturday, March 25. Night quite cold, day is pleasant. Bunks are being put up in the new houses to-day. Many of the boys have moved in. I did not do much to-day but read State Journal received from home. Griff has gone to cooking instead of Bob Grey. Sorry for it, I fear he will work himself sick again. Five trains passed to-day loaded with from twenty to thirty ambulances apiece, each one with the triangle of the 4th Corps painted on its side. They go to Knoxville and look ominous.
Chattanooga, Friday, March 24. Wind still continues. Health good. Mail brought me this morning my long-looked-for letters from home. On detail under Sergeant Goodwin all day siding up the stables. George T. Hill started home on sick furlough this morning. Poor man, he has been running down for the last four months. R. Grey’s and Bancroft’s furloughs returned approved. They start to-morrow. Two returned disapproved.
Major Mendenhall is starting a garden for the reserve artillery. Sergeant Hutchinson is detailed to take charge of it. He is to have one man from forty-three different batteries to help him. He is to till about seven acres of land. Sergeant Proctor relieves him in the woods, this being queer work for soldiers.
Chattanooga, Thursday, March 23. Quite a pleasant night to stand guard in last night, but to-day it has blustered very disagreeably, filling our eyes with dust. Did not work to-day.
Chattanooga, Wednesday, March 22. A very windy day, dust flying, water rising. On guard, first relief. Mail came in the morning but did not bring any from home. All hands busy. The homesick ones of the Company are anxious to know whether they are to be counted in on the next batch of furloughs. Five to go, and I know of some forty-five applications. Benoit and R. Dye are due from last time. Gymnasium pole has been put up to-day, and the muscular will be developed.
