January 1863

1st   In camp at Prairie Grove once more rain at night it is New years day & now let us look forward to better success this year

2d   march to Fayetteville 15 miles roads very muddy

3d   weather fine our C. (Black) is doing well also the boys that were wounded from this Reg.

4th   the W.S.C. is caring for our boys here

5th   General review today by Gen. Schofield he tries to take our Blanket team away but is not quite smart enough still we have to carry our Knapsacks

6th   march 8 miles S.E. camp on White river.

7th   march 4 miles camp on the banks of Richland creek weather fine a little cloudy

8th   weather beautiful camp named after Gen. Rosecrans the Hero of Murfreesboro

9th   Reg. in good Health & spirits weather fair

10th   this morning we break up camp & march East 14 miles through a beautiful valley to the once beautiful but now desalate town of Huntsville Ark. Gen. Herron's (3d div'n) has left today for Carrollton East Gen. Blunt's (1st) Div'n is at Elm springs thus leaving one div'n in a place

11th   weather beautiful just cool enough for comfort this is a fine town & the County seat while here Herron shot 9 bushwhackers mostly leaders of bands

Jan. 12th   this is a beautiful morning the roads are good it is very mountainous [illegible] here

13th   a rainy day orders to march but they are countermanded & we lay in camp Gen. Schofield has come from Fayetteville where we left him the 6th [illegible]

14th   We are weather bound have had orders to march for two days & all the time it has rained so we cannot move

15th   last night the rain turned to snow & now that is 4 inches deep rather cool

16th   this morning it snowed & blowed but now it is warmer

17th   A very pleasant morning roads excelent but like to be very muddy soon

18th   march at 3.P.M. train ahead almost impossible to get along but we go to go 7 miles

19th   rainy day lay 7 miles north of Huntsville for the roads to get better

20th   cloudy weather roads impassable & we still lay mud bound

21st   clears off train commences to move there is a prospect of proceeding at once to Missouri where it will be easier to get rations & clothing to us for we are greatly in need of both at present Reg. good Health

22d   March 6 miles north teams take the wrong road & go to the War Eagle 5 miles cloudy, rain in the P.M. roads very bad

23d   weather fine teams come in & we pitch our tents on a beautiful Hillside 6 miles south of White river in Madison County Arkansas

24th   march north cross the White river over bridge erected for the occasion by the 26th Ind. strike the telegraph road at Mudtown pass through Crosshollows & camp 1/2 mile north of there we are now on the old familiar road with our faces turned Springfield marched today 16 miles

25th   march 13 miles along the telegraph road & camp on the very ground where we made our last charge at the Battle of Pearidge march 8th/62. the effects of the battle are to be seen on every side here a tree splintered by a shell in another place a score of bullets are embedded in the trunk of some giant oak it is cloudy & looks as though we might have a shower

26th   march 10 miles along the telegraph road & camp in camp Sigel last night it rained all night & the roads are very bad we are again in Missouri

27th   lay in camp clears off is a beautiful day roads are getting better mud is drying up we shall soon have good roads one of Blunts Brigades is at Springfield receive mail

28th   weather fine roads are getting excelent the Regiment is in excelent Health & spirits expect soon to resume our march northward or it may be we shall turn back from here

29th   break up camp at daybreak march 16 miles north along the wire road pass through Keatsville & Cassville & camp on flat Creek nearly all the Houses on this road Keatsville & Cassville included have been burned to the ground by our (miserable) Missouri troops this a beautiful creek on which we are camped & winds through a beautiful valley crossing the road nine times in twelve miles

30th   march 7 miles along the wire road and camp at what is known as the three widows 45 miles S.W. from Springfield

31st   camp named after our present com'd'g Gen. (Schofield) or as he is termed here Buell No Two for all believe he lacks the courage to risk a battle