Tuesday, 25th—Division drill in the forenoon and battalion drill in the afternoon, as usual. We had a practical demonstration during our division drill of the difficulty of drilling on uneven ground. While our column was advancing in line of battle by right flank, up hill and down hill, and across ravines and gullies, the line at times became badly broken; men occasionally fell into the gullies and had to be helped out; it became pretty exciting and even quite laughable, for there was always some one struggling to stay in his place in the line.
Diary of Alexander G. Downing; Company E, Eleventh Iowa Infantry
Monday, 24th—We draw rations now of equal parts of meal, flour and crackers, and in amount equal to a one-pound loaf of bread. We have no means for baking bread, so each man turns over his flour and corn meal to the company cook, who boils it into a mush. Then at the noon hour he calls out and the men go and get their portions. Some of us fry the mush with a little bacon, which makes a very palatable dish. But I cannot understand why it is, that with a railroad open to our base of supplies, the quartermaster cannot draw full rations of crackers for the men.
Sunday, 23d— Nothing of importance. We had general inspection this forenoon and in the afternoon the boys were permitted to remain in their tents—some were reading, some writing letters home, while others were mending their clothes.
Saturday, 22d—It is dry and the weather is quite pleasant. After the regular drills we cleaned up camp for inspection. There is no news, but the report in camp is that the division will start for the front in four or five days.
Friday, 21st—No news of importance. We are now in the regular routine of camp life, with drill twice a day. The quartermaster received a consignment of clothing and blankets for some of the men of our regiment.
Thursday, 20th—We had division drill by General McArthur this forenoon, and in the afternoon we had battalion drill under Lieutenant Abercrombie. Our drill ground proved to be poorly suited for division drill, on account of the ravines and washed-out gullies.
Wednesday, 19th—I was detailed to help the general quartermaster draw supplies for the division. There were about one hundred men and we went with teams to La Grange, Tennessee. The supplies consisted of sugar, flour, pickled beef, pork, salt and vinegar, these all in barrels, with coffee and rice put up in sacks, and crackers or “hard-tack,” salt bacon, pepper, soap and candles in boxes. The feed for the animals consisted of oats and shelled corn in sacks, and hay in bales of four or five hundred pounds each. Loading these on the wagon was heavy work, especially the big bales of hay, which required the strength of all who could get hold to lift them. We got a taste of another phase of war.
Tuesday, 18th—We cleaned up our camp ground and finished setting in order our new camp. We have a very fine camp now and it looks quite homelike. It is located in rather open, wooded ground and the different colors of leaves on the trees make it look quite grand. The nights are getting frosty.
Monday, 17th—We moved our camp today onto the hills back from the creek. We raised the tents from the ground about three feet, by digging trenches and setting staves which we made from the red oak trees growing so plentifully here. Then we elevated our bunks about eighteen inches from the ground with the staves and lumber torn from vacant houses in the vicinity.
Sunday, 16th—We had another heavy rain today which caused Scott creek to overflow and our camp was almost flooded over. It seems that we shall have to move the camp.
