Thursday, 25th—General Rosecrans’s division passed here today on their way to Memphis. This is rather a gloomy, dry Christmas. We are still on half rations. But in spite of it, the boys are all enjoying themselves. They are taking everything that they can lay their hands on, carrying to their tents couches, rockers, chairs, tables, books, bric-a-brac—in fact, all kinds of household articles. Some of the boys, who are lovers of fancy books, sent home by express some of the most costly bound volumes. Holly Springs has certainly paid dear for burning our supplies.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Wednesday, 24th—Nothing of importance. It is quite cold and our extra clothing, underwear, is in storage at La Grange, Tennessee. There is no chance to draw new clothing now.
Tuesday, 23d—No news of importance. We pitched our tents this morning. I was out on a foraging train for some corn, but we got very little, as this section of the country is pretty well cleaned up. We are now on half rations.
Monday, 22d—The rebels before leaving town burned several houses, altogether some two or three squares, besides burning about one million of our rations, and we are again short of food. On that account the boys are not in the best of humor, and every man has practically a free hand to take anything that he can use or that he may want; and there are no officers out looking for corporals to reduce to the ranks as was done on our way south. Any citizen who in any way had aided the Union army found his property set on fire by the rebels under the pretext that it had caught fire from our burning supplies. We received word that we are to stay here until further orders.
Sunday, 21st—We left Abbeville this morning and marched through to Holly Springs, twenty-two miles. It was warm and dusty traveling. We arrived at dark, going into bivouac in the north edge of town, and I tell you the boys made the boards fly, for as the teams had not yet arrived with our tents, we pulled down vacant houses to build bunks and windbreaks to protect us from the cold wind.
Saturday, 20th—We struck our tents early this morning and marched twenty-one miles back toward Holly Springs. It is a disappointment to have to retrace our steps and the boys are not as jolly as they were when going south. Holly Springs is said to have been taken and our supplies cut off. We have been put on half rations.
Friday, 19th—The boys worked all day setting up their tents. The boys of our company cut down a red oak tree from which we made staves, set them in trenches dug in the ground, and had just finished putting up the tents, when at 5 p. m. the long roll sounded to form in line. We were ordered to march to the station to board the cars for Holly Springs, as the rebels had taken the place and burned our rations. But we did not go, as another regiment nearer the station got there ahead of us and we were marched back to our camp, with orders, though, to be ready to start for Holly Springs in the morning. We had expected to stay here several days and are sorry to have to leave the place, for it would have made us an excellent camp ground, being on a south hillside with timber just thick enough for shelter.
Thursday, 18th—We started at 6 o’clock this morning and arrived in Oxford at about 10. We were inspected by General Grant, passing through the town by platoon. We marched on eight miles out from town and went into camp along the railroad. Grant has his headquarters in Oxford. It is a fine town, on high ground and well built up with fine homes of the rich planters. A college is located here, with good buildings.[1] The surrounding plantations are well fenced and have good buildings.
[1] Our diarist must have seen either the University of Mississippi, opened in 1848, or Union Female College, a Cumberland Presbyterian college, founded in 1854.—Ed.
Wednesday, 17th—We struck our tents this morning and at 10 o’clock started toward Oxford. We went into bivouac for the night within four miles of the town. The weather is fine for marching and we have good roads.
Tuesday, 16th—The Sixth Division received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been in the rear of the army and we are now to move forward. The railroad being in operation now, it is said that our base of supplies will be moved forward and established at Holly Springs, Mississippi.
