Wednesday, 11th—I went up to the Fair Grounds and spent the day there. The attendance was good, there being about two thousand present.
Business is becoming quite dull. The war seems to put a stop to all improvements, and there is no demand for farm produce. Money is getting scarce, gold having been out of circulation so long that people have forgotten how it looks, and merchants say that it will not be long until silver goes the same way. For a long time now we have had wild-cat money, but everybody is afraid to go to sleep with any of it on hand for fear that it will be worthless in the morning.
Tuesday, 10th—I went down town this morning to see about enlisting in a battery which Mr. Little, a business man of Davenport, is trying to raise. He was planning to raise a company of two hundred men to command a battery of heavy cannon. But before night I made up my mind that he would not succeed, and I did not enlist in it. I bunked with some others in vacant store buildings, lying on gunny sacks. It rained hard all day.
Monday, 9th—Our company was disbanded this morning, since we could not get men enough to fill it up. Some of our boys enlisted in other companies of the Eighth Iowa. Captain Foster of Le Claire sent word to our captain, McLoney, that he would raise an entire company at Le Claire.[1]
[1] At the time some of us were greatly disappointed in not getting Captain Foster for our company, but I believe now that in the long run it was a good thing.—A. G. D.
Sunday, 8th—We had preaching in camp three times today, morning, afternoon and evening. Quite a number from the city came out to camp to attend the services. The weather was delightful.
Saturday, 7th—We had a big picnic dinner in camp today, given for the soldiers by the ladies of Scott county. There was fried chicken, bread, pie and cake by the wagon load, free to all who were hungry. The food was placed on a long table and each man could walk up and help himself. There must have been as many as five thousand who enjoyed the dinner. It was a beautiful day for the occasion.
Friday, 6th—Nothing of importance. We have company drill twice a day now. We draw our rations every morning about 9 o’clock now. They consist of bread, beans, potatoes, bacon, rice, sugar, coffee, salt and pepper, also soap and candles. Twice a week we have salt beef and fresh beef. Each one draws enough for the day according to army regulations.[1]
[1] Mr. Downing says that he learned later that Mr. Hiram Price (the Davenport banker) provisioned the soldiers with his own funds, which is in keeping with the well-known facts concerning the financing of the first regiments by Mr. Price and others, for the State of Iowa.—Ed.
Thursday, 5th—Four men from Company A of the Eighth Iowa were drummed out of camp today. They had refused to take the oath to support the United States Government.
Wednesday, 4th—Very fine weather. No news of importance. The Government has issued to each man a good, double, woolen blanket, which we use for covers at night in our bunks of wheat straw. There are two men to each bunk, my bunk-mate being Thomas Fossett. He is a good, conscientious fellow.
Tuesday, 3d—A new company came into camp today which had only about half the necessary number, and so it was planned to have them join with us and form a full company, but the two companies could not agree on who should be captain.
Monday, 2d—We are having regular drilling now; company drill at 10 o’clock in the forenoon for two hours, and in the afternoon regimental drill for two hours. Every evening at 5 o’clock we have dress parade.
