Sunday, 17th—The same as ever. Am still in the hospital, but getting some better, and I am very thankful, for it is very disagreeable to lie sick in a field hospital. We have soldiers for nurses, and though they are convalescents, yet they are strong enough to care for the sick and wounded. They are glad to do everything possible for their comrades.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Saturday, 16th—The weather is pleasant. There is nothing of any importance.
Friday, 15th—There is nothing new. We have very poor food here in the hospital, but we have good water. Rome was selected for our field hospital because of the good water and because it was on high, rolling ground, thus affording drainage. There are very few citizens living in Rome, they having gone before our army took possession of the town, some going to the North, others to the South. There was no burning of property here, our officers having placed guards about town to prevent it.
Thursday, 14th—I am with a large number of sick in a ward over a vacant store building. For the last four days I have had the camp diarrhea, and have become so weak that I have to lie on my cot all the time.[1] But we have a good doctor in this ward.
[1] Mr. Downing has an entry in his diary for every day, but wrote them at a later date, after he was convalescing.—Ed.
Wednesday, 13th—There are a great many sick and wounded at this place. All of the vacant store buildings are filled with the sick, while the wounded are cared for in tents east of town. Nothing of any importance.
Tuesday, 12th—I was taken with the other sick and the wounded to Rome, to the field hospital of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps. We left Marietta at 10 a. m. and arrived at Rome at 6 p. m. No news.
Monday, 11th—A train load of the sick and wounded left today over the railroad for Rome, Georgia, where they are to go into the hospital. I stayed here at Marietta all day.[1] The general quartermaster has his headquarters here now since the railroad is in running order to this point. The supplies for the army are being taken from here by wagon trains and distributed along the lines as needed. A great many citizens are coming into Marietta for the purpose of going North to get away from the war region.
[1] Mr. Downing thought that his fever was broken and that he might Boon rejoin his company, yet he feared that he would have to go to Rome. There was some danger in going to Rome, because of a possible attack, and then he dreaded the thought of being confined in the general hospital.—Ed.
Monday, 10th—The men of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps are raising a subscription for the purpose of erecting a monument in memory of the lamented Gen. James B. McPherson,[1] the old commander of the two corps, who was killed in the battle of Atlanta on the 22d day of July, 1864. I gave $5.00 myself, the whole company raising $75.00.
[1] Major-General McPherson was a noble man, a Christian gentleman, kind to the officers and men in his command, and the men of his two corps placed him equal to any of the generals in the army. East or West. —A. G. D.
Sunday, 10th—The sick and wounded were all moved today from the division hospital to Marietta. This could safely be done, now that the rebels have fallen back across the river. Marietta is not likely to be within the lines of a fierce battle, in case the rebels should come around on either flank of our army. It is very quiet all along the lines today.
Saturday, 9th—The rebels left their rifle pits in the night and crossed the Chattahoochee river.[1]
[1] General Sherman always moved his army by the right or left flank when he found the Confederate fortifications in front too strong to make a charge, and in that way the enemy had to fall back, leaving their strong position.—A. G. D.
