September 1863

1st   this is a beautiful day Heath of the Reg. seems to be improving slightly more troops come almost every day until an immense army is collecting at this place

2d   weather fair

3d   beautiful weather Health of the Reg. steadily improving none have died for four days none have died from this company since the Battle of Prairie Grove December 4th /62

4th   weather beautiful Grand review by Major Gen. Grant

5th   fine day Embark on board the transport D. G. Taylor at 8.A.M. start up the river at 1.P.M. run all night passing Baton Rouge during the night

6th   arrive at Port Hudson at 9.A.M. plenty of aligators here, take on wood & run up the river twenty miles tie up on the west bank for the night

7th   three Reg'ts from the 2d Brigade march out at sunrise under command of Col. Day (Col. 91st Ill.) they march 12 miles & have a skirmish fall back & wait for reinforcements

8th   our Brigade march to the front this morning & for the first time I am left behind being unable to march they go 13 miles & lay on the bank of a steep Bayou the Rebs oposite making it impossible to cross without Pontoons which we have now[?] at hand it is a very warm day thus making it very hard marching through the dust which is very deep, very thinly settled through these parts

9th   this is a beautiful day our Brigade also the 2d Brigade is coming in (13 miles) they have had no fight to amount to anything Piquet has been shot

10th   Off Morganza L.a. the weather is beautiful but very warm- a scout goes out for Beef to gather information &.C. get plenty of beef we run 10 miles up the river & land with wood come back at night

11th   weather fair, Health of the Reg. good what there [is] of us here,

12th   this morning the 26th Ind. & 19th Iowa under command of Lt Col. Leak (of the 20th Iowa) run up the river 6 miles land & march six miles into the country the Cav. & one section of Artilery go with them they take their position as an outpost

13th   fair weather no news from the outpost

14th   one Packet comes up one down but no mail on Either, our sick are on the upward Bound boat four from our company going Home on furlough our 13th Corps has left New Orleans for Texas by land

15th   the Ben Franklin goes up the river

16th   our outposts have a little brush with the reb's but without any advantage on Either side

17th   some of the 26th come in today but bring no news from the front of importance

18th   No 8 (Missqueto) comes down from the mouth of Red river & goes down the river

19th   nothing of importance occurs

20th   weather fair run up the river 6 miles land & take our position beside the levee in the town of Morganza Coupee Parish L.a.

21st   weather fine no signs of our Camp Equipage coming to us no news of importance from outpost

22d   this is a lovely day so cool & comfortable that is for this place

23d   weather fair no news from the outpost Health of the Reg. Excelent

24th   on Piquet two miles up the river great Nos of people come in to see the Gen. (Herron)

25th   weather fair the people here are mostly French & Irish

26th   weather fair looking for a new Division Commander Major Gen. Herron is to leave us no one knows (or if they do they will not tell) where he is going to

27th   weather beautiful nothing of importance from the front occasionaly a skirmish but without any advantage being gained by Either side the Rebel Piquets stand this side [of] the Bayou but their camp is the other where they seem to be strongly post & in quite large numbers under Gen. Green Major Gen. Dana is in command

28th   morning fair rain at night no news

29th   last night the Reb's crossed & surrounded the outpost & took them after a short but desperate struggle a few Escaped by instant flight the cavalry not being in the same camp Escaped & came into camp our loss in killed was 13 wounded 27 the Reb's burried 27 in one grave or ditch leaving them only partly covered it looks very cruel to leave them thus after they have fought & died on the Battlefield ours were brought into camp the 37th (ours) was called to the rescue but was too late & returned the secesh having retreated accross the Bayou as quietly as they came taking the two Regiments & one section of Batery E. 1st Misouri Light Artilery it has rained all day & there is no signs of clearing off very soon the mud is very deep & the stickiest I ever saw, men from the 26th and 19th keep coming in from the woods until there is quite a squad of them they were Noble Regiments but under a very incompetent commander & so every body thought & thought it very strange that Vandever should want[?] him in com'd

30th   still it keeps raining as though it would never clear off