Friday, 11th—My company, E, has ninety-seven men. They are of several different nationalities, as follows: Three from Canada, four from Ireland, two from England, two from Germany, and one from France; the rest are American-born, as follows: Twenty-three from Ohio, twenty-one from Pennsylvania, sixteen from New York, eight from Indiana, six from Iowa, two each from Michigan and Vermont, and one each from Maryland and Maine. The average age is less than twenty years, and there are eight married men.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Thursday, 10th—The Thirteenth Iowa are building their new barracks just north of ours. The weather is getting quite cool, especially at night.
Wednesday, 9th—Drill twice a day and dress parade at 5 p. m. New recruits are daily coming into camp.
Tuesday, 8th—Regular drill morning and afternoon. All men are supposed to be on the drill ground regularly every day, unless they are marked not fit for duty by the surgeon of the regiment.
Monday, 7th—I left for Davenport early this morning, riding to town with a farmer, and got back to camp at 2 o’clock. Quite a number of the boys around Allen’s Grove are in camp here as members of the Second Iowa Cavalry.
Saturday, 5th—Our company was sworn into the United States service today, by Captain Alexander Chambers of the regular army. Four men were rejected, which left ninety in the company. Fisher was rejected because he was too short—less than five feet,[1] and Lowe was rejected because he was pigeon-toed.[2] I got a pass and went to Allen’s Grove to see John Moore.
[1] He was taken later, however, when the need of men was greater and also because of his persistence.—A. G. D.
[2] Lowe feigned to be pigeon-toed, so that he would be rejected, having got chicken-hearted. The boys jeered him.—A. G. D.
Friday, 4th—The third all-day rain. Our regiment, the Eleventh Iowa, commenced to build their new barracks, located on the east side of the camp ground. Lieutenant Durbin arrived today.
Thursday, 3d—It rained again all day, and although our camp is on high ground, on the bluff just east of town, yet it is a jelly of mud. It couldn’t be otherwise with three or four thousand men tramping over it.
Wednesday, 2d—It rained all day. The band from Tipton left for home this morning. Our company held an election this afternoon for choosing non-commissioned officers, sergeants and corporals. It was quite a political battle, the way the boys strove for the different offices.
