Thursday, 23d—We were off by 4 o’clock this morning and reached Big Black river bridge by noon. It had rained very hard here yesterday and last night, overflowing the river and causing the deep dust to become deep mud. This made our traveling very heavy, and since the rain set in again this afternoon, we moved on only about three miles and went into bivouac.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Wednesday, 22d—We started this morning at daylight and marched all day. We stopped for the night along Baker’s Creek, just beyond Edward’s Station. The roads are alive with troops returning to Vicksburg. It is reported that Johnston’s army is falling back to Columbus, Mississippi.
Tuesday, 21st—Our brigade started for Vicksburg this afternoon. We covered five miles and went into bivouac. It is extremely hot, and having had no rain for so long, the roads are very dusty. Our entire army is falling back to Vicksburg.
Monday, 20th—We came in from picket this morning and this afternoon moved our regimental camp onto higher ground. Some of our boys are having a time with the ague and fever. The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Regiments were ordered out to Miller’s Creek to guard a wagon train. The Thirty-fifth Iowa passed us on their way to Vicksburg with five hundred prisoners from Johnston’s army. Orders came to prepare to march.
Sunday, 19th—Company E with three other companies, one from each regiment, went out on picket this morning. Our company is stationed on the south side of a vacant field. Off to the north on the other side of the field and just in the edge of the timber on high ground, we can see the rebel cavalry, but they are careful to keep their distance. We have fine times on picket now, with little danger of being attacked and plenty of fruit to eat. We have green corn, too, and the fields nearby are being pretty well picked over. One of the boys came in with a hundred ears of corn. He roasted fifteen of them in the campfire ashes, ate all of them, and declared that he could eat two or three more.
Saturday, 18th—Our wagon trains now move unmolested back and forth from Vicksburg to Jackson, since there are few of the rebels’ cavalry left in this section. Our brigade is to remain here at Clinton as a reserve to escort wagon trains when needed. We hear that Sherman is still after Johnston. Our camp here is quite low and damp, and a great many of the boys are coming down with the ague.
Friday, 17th—We heard that our wagon train went through to Jackson without attack, and that the rebels evacuated the place this morning, with Sherman’s forces in hot pursuit. We hear that Johnston, after crossing the Pearl river, burned the bridges behind him and is now in rapid retreat on the other side. News came that Meade had taken Richmond, Virginia, together with thirty thousand prisoners. Things are very lively here today—there is singing and rejoicing.
Thursday, 16th—We left our bivouac with the wagon train at an early hour and moved on quite rapidly, expecting to be attacked at any moment. We passed the place on the road where the train just ahead of us was attacked by the rebel cavalry, which captured and burned fifteen of the wagons, taking with them the mules and carrying off the drivers and guards as prisoners. This was a terribly hard day for us. We were not allowed to climb the wagons, but were ordered to keep up with them, and with muskets loaded and bayonets fixed, be ready to fight at the drop of a hat. Then, too, the weather was awfully hot, and the dust kicked up by the mules was stifling; besides this, we were almost famished, the little water we could find being unfit for use because of its sickly odor. But late in the afternoon we arrived at Clinton, where we were relieved by another regiment and went into camp with our brigade which was stationed here.
Wednesday, 15th—A train of provisions and ammunition arrived from Vicksburg this morning. Late in the afternoon they finished loading the wagons with the provisions and ammunition for Jackson, and our regiment was ordered to accompany them. We started late and after marching six miles stopped for the night. We received orders to keep a sharp lookout for the rebels’ cavalry, as they had crossed the Pearl river and had captured and burned a part of the train just ahead of ours.
Tuesday, 14th—We lay here in bivouac at Black river bridge all day, and we are glad for the chance to rest and clean our clothes. The cars from Vicksburg can run only to the river, since the bridge is burned and the railroad track is torn up for five miles east of the river. A train load of provisions came out from Vicksburg today, and a part of the provisions and ammunition have been loaded upon wagons and started with an escort for Jackson.[1]
[1] The men generally dreaded this kind of service, for it was exceedingly dangerous. Then, too, much of the journey had to be made on the run—but it is a soldier’s business to obey orders and do the best he can.—A. O. D.
