Tuesday, 8th—The rebels in this locality are not making much of an effort to retake Corinth. The report in camp is that they have sent the greater part of their forces east to reinforce their army in and around Richmond. News came this evening that General McClellan has been whipped and is now retreating from Richmond.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Monday, 7th—No news of importance. We have to haul our water for the camp. The springs where we get our drinking water have become very low on account of the dry weather. Our quartermaster has to send the teams three miles distant for water. I went out about four miles to the south with a squad of men to slaughter some cattle and to bring in some fodder for the mules.
Sunday, 6th—It is very hot today. We had company inspection this morning. No news of importance.
Saturday, 5th—There is nothing of importance. Everything seems quite dull. There are but few whites left in Corinth and we seldom see white natives anywhere. There are some colored people in town, women and children, but the able-bodied men have all been taken off with the rebels. Some colored men are coming into camp from the plantations.
Friday, 4th—The Eleventh Iowa came in from picket. The weather is very hot. This is my first Fourth of July in the army. Things appear so lonesome. The battery boys of our brigade took their battery of six guns out a short distance from camp and fired a salute to celebrate the day.
Thursday, 3d—The Eleventh Iowa went out on picket duty. I was on guard at division headquarters, my post being in a large orchard, and my orders were to keep all soldiers out of it.[1]
[1] Such orders soon got to be a joke with the men, they in a quiet way giving the commanding officers to understand that they did not go down South to protect Confederate property. In a short time all guards were taken from orchards or anything which the men wanted for food.—A. O. D.
Wednesday, 2d—I went out about a half mile from camp to pick blackberries, and I picked a gallon of them and sold them to the hospital steward for $1.25.
Tuesday, 1st—Received orders to cook four days’ rations and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. We had everything in readiness when late in the evening the order was countermanded.
Monday, 30th—The Eleventh Iowa was mustered for pay this morning. The men all looked fine—well and clean. None had on ragged clothing and few were absent from the regiment on account of sickness.
This ends June, with us in a good camp near Corinth, Mississippi.
Sunday, 29th—We had inspection this morning at 8 o’clock by the general inspector. Colonel Hall and Captain McLoney arrived from home this morning. The Colonel had been wounded at Shiloh and went home to let the wound heal. Mrs. Hall is with the Colonel in camp and the men of the regiment have great respect for her; she is so kind to the sick in the regimental hospital.
