Saturday, 31st—The water has left our camp in a frightful condition, and we got orders to move the camp to higher ground tomorrow. This was general muster day.1 I went on fatigue today. William Green of our company, not having recovered from his sickness, left for home this morning on a thirty-day furlough. I sent $50.00 to father by him.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Friday, 30th—We had a downpour of rain last night which continued most of the day. Our camp is flooded, the dry run beside it having become a raging torrent, and our camp ground is under water from one to four feet. Some of the boys put all their belongings on their bunks and others left for higher grounds.
Thursday, 29th—It is quite pleasant today. The Mississippi river is slowly rising. Produce is very high here at Vicksburg and fruit and vegetables are scarce this fall because of the large armies in and around this section for more than a year. What little stuff has been grown by the farmers was confiscated by the soldiers before it was matured, so what we get is shipped down from the North, and we have to pay about four prices for it. Potatoes and onions are $4.00 a bushel, cheese (with worms) is fifty cents per pound, and butter—true, it’s only forty cents a pound, but you can tell the article in camp twenty rods away. Vicksburg being under military rule makes it difficult for the few citizens to get supplies, which they can obtain only from the small traders who continued in business after the surrender, or from the army sutlers. No farmers are allowed to come in through the lines without passes, and even then no farmer, unless he lives a long distance from Vicksburg, has anything to bring in.
Wednesday, 28th—The weather is getting quite cool, particularly the nights, and a little fire in our tents in the evening makes it quite comfortable and homelike. It is different on picket, where no fires are allowed, except on the reserves’ posts. Troops are leaving Vicksburg nearly every day, going to northern Mississippi and western Tennessee to occupy garrisons made vacant by General Sherman’s men going to the relief of the army cooped up in Chattanooga.
Tuesday, 27th—The Eleventh received their pay today, and then went out on picket. Picket exchanges are directed by the aid-de-camp of our brigade, who rides out every morning with the picket relief, and after posting them, brings the retiring picket into camp and disbands them.
Monday, 26th—Everything is quiet. A thousand men are at work every day on the fortifications. The fortifications are being built on a small scale, but are built all around the edge of town so that a small force can hold the place. The cannon are arranged so that they can be turned in any direction.
Sunday, 25th—I went out on picket today. We keep a strong picket guard along the entire line. The rebels’ cavalry are not as bold as they were two or three weeks ago, for they know that we are becoming more thoroughly entrenched every day; besides this, they have been pretty well driven out of this section.
Saturday, 24th—The weather is quite cool. I worked all day building a fireplace in my tent, while my bunk-mate was out on duty. The boys are all fixing up for winter just as if we were going to stay here all winter.
Friday, 23d—It rained all day, but that did not affect our camp routine. I was on camp guard, and large details were out at work, as every day, on the fortifications.
Thursday, 22d—We are glad to be at home again in camp after eleven days’ absence. Most of that time we were in bivouac without any protection—two nights in soaking rainstorms. Our heavy duties begin again—fatigue duty and camp guard, fourteen of our number being on guard today. Our regimental payrolls for two months’ pay were made out and we signed them today. There is no news from the army in the East, and all is quiet here in the West.
