Monday, 5th—Clear and quite pleasant. All things are quiet.[1]
[1] Men were leaving every day for the front and but few were brought to our hospitals, since the Union army was in possession of Atlanta, where hospitals were being established, while those at Rome were to be closed just as soon as the sick there were able to go to the front.—A. G. D.
Sunday, 4th—It is cool and quite pleasant. No news of any importance. The boys in my ward are all getting along fine, with the exception of two or three, and it is doubtful whether they will ever again be well.
Saturday, 3d—A report[1] came in today that General Sherman has his headquarters in Atlanta, and that the rebel army is in retreat with our army after them.[2] News came also of the surrender of Fort Morgan at Mobile, Alabama; also that General Grant is shelling Petersburg with fifteen-inch shells. All things are quiet here at Rome, Georgia.
[1] The information was gathered from a poster or news sheet about four inches wide and twenty-two inches long, printed on one side and sold among the soldiers at the hospital. Mr. Downing purchased one, which he has preserved, and thinks he paid ten cents for it.—Ed.
[2] General Sherman finally took Atlanta by a bit of strategy. He withdrew his army from the rifle-pits in front of Atlanta, and placing the Twentieth Army Corps across the Chattahoochee river to protect his base of supplies at Marietta, moved with the remainder of the army in a wide circuit by his right flank and got into the rear of Hood’s army. It is said that when Sherman made this move, Hood, taking it for granted that Sherman had given up the siege, proclaimed the fact, and he and his army, together with the citizens of Atlanta, began celebrating the event with a great jollification. But when Hood, in the midst of their rejoicings, learned by courier the truth about Sherman’s move, and that the Union army was in his rear in full force, he sent orders throughout his camp and the city, calling every man to arms. He immediately began the evacuation of Atlanta, destroying the ammunition and all army supplies.—A. G. D.
Friday, 2d—Cloudy and warm—threatened rain. No news.[1] I wrote two letters today, one to Lewis Elseffer and one to Mrs. Mary Ham, Iowa City, Iowa.
[1] On this day John Hilton of Company E was severely wounded in the right side at Lovejoy Station. This was the last day’s fighting in the siege of Atlanta. Crocker’s Iowa Brigade had been under fire eighty-one days out of the eighty-seven days of the siege—from June to September.—A. G. D.
Thursday, 1st—It is quite warm. Nothing of importance.[1] The number of men in the hospitals is decreasing rapidly, for so many are going home on furloughs and no more are coming in.[2]
[1] On September 1st Crocker’s Iowa Brigade advanced from Jonesboro to Flint creek with the remainder of Sherman’s army. The loss during the day was light.—A. G. D.
[2] This shows how completely in the dark our diarist-nurse was, as to what was going on around Atlanta.—Ed.
Wednesday, 31st—The same old thing over again. Nothing new from the front.[1] The sick and also the attendants here in the hospital were mustered for pay today. This is muster day throughout the entire army.
[1] Crocker’s Iowa Brigade at this time was down at Jonesboro, below Atlanta, stationed on the Atlanta & Montgomery Railroad, which was one of the main roads running into Atlanta from the South. The losses in the brigade while there, were small.—A. G. D.
Tuesday, 30th—It is warm and sultry. There are not so many sick and wounded coming in as there were a few days ago. Quite a number, at their own request, are being sent out to the front. When the convalescents are able for duty, they can’t stand it to remain here; the first thought is to get back into the lines. Taking care of the sick is no light work, if one does his duty. The worst is that there is so much sad, heart-rending work to do, ministering to the dying, taking down their farewells to be sent to their homes; then after death, we have to roll the bodies in their blankets and carry them to the “deadhouse,” where other hands take charge and bury them without coffin or ceremony.
Monday, 29th—News came that General Grant had an engagement with the rebels on the Danville railroad near Petersburg, Virginia. The loss was heavy on both sides, but Grant succeeded in holding his place. The fight took place on the 21st of the month.
Sunday, 28th—No news. All things quiet. Rome, Georgia.
Saturday, 27th—All things are quiet. The furloughed men left on the train this morning for their homes. This has been another very busy day with us, being our regular clean-up day. No news from the front.
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