An Artilleryman’s Diary–Jenkin Lloyd Jones, 6th Battery, Wisconsin Artillery.

Larkinsville, Friday, Jan. 1, 1864. The new year came in very cold with a little snow, the first of the season. Ground frozen several inches in depth. Veteran enlistments began this morning. John Eagion headed the list and was followed by eighteen before breakfast, which continued rapidly through the day accompanied with considerable excitement and hesitation. Thus New Year’s day was spent, a striking contrast to those that our minds were continually turning to. A good supper for a soldier, of “chicken fixin” which helped to make us very contented during the long evening.

Larkinsville, Thursday, Dec. 31. Wet and disagreeable. Rained all night and day. Water running into our houses so as to threaten drowning us out. So we stole lumber enough from a deserted house to build us bunks, E. W. and myself on the upper shelf four feet above, where I laid and tossed from pain until late; the other bunk underneath. Could not sleep and I thought of the closing year that we had commenced two hundred miles west of here on a tedious march from Germantown to Lafayette, and since then travelled many a hundred miles of rebel country, meeting the enemy and winning.

Larkinsville, Wednesday, Dec. 30. Cold and cloudy day. I suffered much from neuralgia and toothache, from which I could get no rest. Dressed the two hogs brought yesterday, and salted them. The chickens hung up for New Year’s. We drew rations for the tent and cooked at the fireplace, a family of our own. Camp still busy improving. Women and boys in camp trading cornbread off for coffee and salt, etc. with the soldiers. Eight hundred rounds of powder ammunition received by Lieutenant Clark for new battery. Unloaded and stored down town.

Larkinsville, Tuesday, Dec. 29. Warm and pleasant. Long train sent foraging under escort. Snyder sent on detail. Hauled stone from bluff and put up fireplace and chimney, mudded up, etc. Streets of the Battery presenting a lively appearance, men’s sleeves rolled up, coats off, rolling stones, chopping, making mud buildings of every fancy and description to suit the proprietors. Soldiers are not lazy when they work for their own immediate interest.

4 P. M. Snyder’s [Seiders?] horses led into camp by infantry men loaded with five hogs, twenty-six chickens. Guards took him to headquarters, but he outgeneraled them by sending off the game which they wanted, therefore he was returned.

Larkinsville, Monday, Dec. 28. Rain ceased and sky cleared off. Sun shone down on mud six inches deep on level. Camping ground staked out and tents ordered to be moved into position. Blake gone out after fresh meat. Dixon and Evie started after cedar timber to wall the tent. I snaked them down with horse team. By night we had tent up, four feet red cedar logs with bed of cedar boughs. Rather cold bed. Blake and Snyder [Seiders?] returned with half a porker. Snyder [Seiders?] changed with Schmidt and came into our mess and tent.

Larkinsville, Sunday, Dec. 27. Rain, rain, all last night, and to-day I was on guard. Stood with toothache and swollen right side of face in no pleasant mood. Felt cross and lonesome. Foragers sent after corn. Returned with plenty of fresh meat, etc. Larkinsville is situated in a very fertile valley, and citizens well disposed and loyal. Forty miles east of Huntsville, twenty-two west of Stevenson and two hundred twenty-six east of Memphis. 3rd Brigade and 12th Battery busy at work hauling stones, timber, etc. for winter quarters.

Larkinsville, Ala., Saturday, Dec. 26. Four small crackers (⅓ day’s rations) were issued to us this morning for breakfast, reserving the others for the day’s march. Struck tents in a drenching rain, and continued all day. We marched along through the mud and rain, part of the roads exceedingly bad, being a low marshy ground covered with water for miles, timbered with large beech trees and green holly. Seottsboro is a very pretty little station five miles from Larkinsville, headquarters of the 15th Corps. Warning given not to enter houses as smallpox was prevalent, one house had five patients, another a corpse. Reached this place at 4 P. M. wet, footsore, and quite hungry, and had to wait until after night for rations 3rd Brigade to go in winter quarters. Plenty of cedar rails.

Bellefonte, Ala., Friday, Dec. 25. Christmas Night. Awoke, not to the chiming voices of happy children as they cried “Wish you Merry Christmas”, but to the notes of the bugle calling us to be ready to move. Struck tents at 8 A. M. Roads much better than those we have passed. Marched fast most of the time, having to go much out of the way to avoid swamps or bluffs. Marched quietly along, absorbed in thinking of home, and what they are doing this Christmas Day. Came into camp late at night near the county seat of Jackson County. The buildings burned and gone to ruin. I was very tired and foot-sore. No crackers for supper, so we made up the Christmas supper on parched corn and coffee. Tooth ached badly, had but little sleep. During the night rained very heavy.

En route, Thursday, Dec. 24. Lay waiting for orders to move till 10 A. M., when it came—”to strike tents” and march out. Marched through town which was once an active place from appearances. Followed the Nashville road for one mile then turned east through a low swampy bottom, and o(?) course progressed very slowly through mud holes and over corduroys, having to halt frequently to allow trains to close up. Made coffee. Camped at 4 P. M. Pitched our tents at will in a thicket of oak and pine on a side hill. Rails plenty out of which we made large fires and gathered large piles of leaves for “downy beds.” The evening was calm and still, the thick growth above giving our camp a picturesque appearance like a mammoth hall. It was Christmas eve, and many were the loving wishes that “we were home”. Game of cards whiled away the hours pleasantly to many. I was suffering with a severe toothache. The very thing to relieve it—lay down early and contrasted past scenes with present, trying to pry into the future, until weary nature lulled pain and homesickness, and I slept to dream of home.