Tuesday, 10th—I was on camp-guard all last night, and until 9 o’clock this morning, when I was relieved. The order of the day was cleaning up camp and our clothes. Our camp is on high ground and we have plenty of wood for fires and for cooking. We also have good water, but have to go a half mile for it.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Monday, 9th—We left the cars and marched up through town, where we were met by the Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry, who turned out to receive us, presenting arms. They took us into camp about a mile southwest of town. Here we pitched our tents and for the first time went into camp.[1] I went on guard.
[1] We had left our train standing on a siding east of the city alongside a fine piece of timber, the ground covered with a heavy sward of blue grass. Some of the boys thought the grass would be just the place upon which to lay the ponchos and sleep on them for the night, and they did so. But it was a mistake, for the ground was cold and damp and a number of the boys caught hard colds from which several of them never recovered. My bunkmate, James Fossett, was one of those, and with the cold taken that night and later, he was sent to the hospital suffering from inflammatory rheumatism. He never again returned to the company, being finally discharged for disability, on October 17, 1862. —A. O. D.
Sunday, 8th—Reveille sounded this morning at 2 o’clock. We jumped out of our bunks, packed our knapsacks, and got started for the railroad station by daylight. As we left the barracks and entered the main street leading down to the city, the sun away to the southeast, just above the hills, showed its face—a regular ball of fire. How glorious it was! I think I shall never forget it. Arriving at the railroad yards, we stacked arms and went to loading our commissariat onto the cars—coal cars. At noon we boarded the train for Jefferson City, riding in box-cars and open cars, and reached our destination at 6 p. m.
While loading our train at St. Louis, we heard the church bells calling the people to worship. It made many of us think of home and I wonder if the folks at home were thinking of us boys here at the seat of war. For here there is no church for us, and when we get orders to go, there is no stopping for Sunday.
Saturday, 7th—The Eleventh Iowa received marching orders today, and we are to carry forty rounds of extra ammunition, besides our cartridge box of forty rounds. There was no drill or dress parade today on account of an all-day rain.
Friday, 6th—Very warm and pleasant. There are soldiers drilling almost all the time. Our drill ground is level but well drained, so that even after a heavy rain it is soon dry again.
Thursday, 5th—No news of importance. There are troops from all of the western states here in camp and working together in harmony.
Wednesday, 4th—Company drill in the forenoon and battalion drill in the afternoon. We get the St. Louis papers in camp every morning and keep posted on the movements of all parts of the army in the field.
Tuesday, 3d—Nothing of importance. It is quite noticeable that the men are now holding their heads erect without wearing the “dog collars” around their necks.
Monday, 2d—It turned warm today and the snow is all gone. I was on guard for the first time here at the barracks. We have to walk the beats with our overcoats on. A man on this, the west side, of the camp was engaged in cleaning his rifle today, when by some movement it was accidentally discharged and hit and killed a soldier on the other side of the grounds.
Sunday, 1st—We had a big snowstorm last night. It came my turn to go on camp guard for the first time. It takes some five hundred men to go around the camp.
