22nd. After morning work, Sergts. Drake and Arnold and Capt. Tod and I rode down to Alton. Very pleasant. Drake is a good boy. Seems to have a heart. After dinner saw Col. Ratliff and got permission to go home three days. Oh what a happy boy. How good it will seem to see Ma and girls and F. Thede has a pass, too. C. G. and Tully (Norton) rode to town with us. Stayed at the National.
