Wednesday, 4th—The engineers finished calking the steam tug and with ropes attached to it some five or six thousand men succeeded in pulling it overland to the lake where it is to be launched. I crossed the lake in a skiff to the south side to buy some notions of a sutler with the Fourth Division. Among other articles, I purchased a diary for seventy-five cents, for the purpose of keeping a record of my army life. We were ordered to prepare for inspection.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Tuesday, 3d—Everything is quiet. I went down town again this afternoon. Our men have pulled a steam tug up on the bank and the engineers have a force of a thousand men re-calking it.
Monday, 2d—Being off duty I got a pass this afternoon and went to town. The quartermaster drew wedge tents for the regiment and clothing for some of the men. I drew a new haversack costing fifty-six cents. Our army is in good condition in equipment, provisions, clothing and munitions of war, and the health of the men is good with the exception of the new regiments, in which there are many sick. The work on the canal continues, with about a week’s work to complete it; we still have the large force of negroes on the job.
Sunday, 1st—We had regimental inspection by the colonel at 2 o’clock, and our regiment showed itself in good trim. Boats are passing daily, loaded with troops for Vicksburg. I was on camp guard and the evening seemed to be very long and lonesome. It put me in mind of the long evenings just before the battle of Shiloh, and I thought how soon there might be another such a battle.
Saturday, 28th—Our regiment was mustered for pay at 9 o’clock this morning, and at 10 o’clock we had general inspection with all accouterments on, by the inspector general of the Seventeenth Army Corps, General William E. Strong.1 I got an order today from the captain on the sutler for $1.50.
1 Iowa may well be proud of the Third Brigade of the Sixth Division, Col. M. M. Crocker commanding. It is composed of the following troops, Viz.: The Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa Infantry. It turned out for inspection 1,935 rank and file. • • • Since I have been a soldier, it has so happened that I have seen many brigades of many different army corps, both in the Eastern and Western armies, but never have I seen a brigade that could compete with this Iowa brigade. I am not prejudiced in the slightest degree. I never saw any of the officers or soldiers of the command until the day when I saw them in line of battle prepared for inspection. • • • I cannot say that any one regiment of the brigade appeared better than another—they all appeared so well. The Eleventh was the strongest. It had 528 enlisted men and 20 officers present for duty, the Thirteenth 470 enlisted men and 22 officers, the Fifteenth 428 men and 29 officers, the Sixteenth 405 men and 33 officers. In the entire brigade there was not to exceed a dozen men unable to be present for inspection. —Roster of Iowa Soldiers, Infantry, Vol. II, p. 279.
Friday, 27th—We received orders to clean up for general inspection. Captain Beach of Company H of the Eleventh Iowa having been appointed to go after and bring back any deserters from our brigade, left for Iowa to get all such found in the State.
Thursday, 26th—We reached our camp this forenoon in a rain which continued all day. General Quimby’s division just went into camp here, from up the river. The regimental quartermasters are bringing in large quantities of cotton every day.
Wednesday, 25th—We arrived at Greenville at 9 o’clock in the morning and reported to the commander of the post, who informed us that he did not need reinforcements. He had just defeated a force of three hundred with a battery of six light guns and lost but three men. We remained, however, during the day, leaving for our camp down the river at 10 o’clock at night.
Tuesday, 24th—There was quite a fire today in the town of Lake Providence, burning several vacant houses. In the excitement our men found two rebel flags. The Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa received orders to embark with three days’ rations, and taking passage on the “Marie Deming” left for Greenville, about sixty-five miles up the river, to reinforce the brigade there.
Monday, 23d—General Logan’s division arrived today, accompanied by the Seventeenth Engineers’ Corps with pontoon bridges.
They bring the news that our men are still throwing shells into Vicksburg, and that the rebels are vacating the place. Our quartermaster went out into the country with the teams and brought in nineteen loads of cotton.
