January 1864

1st   wind is still blowing very hard see Lt Merrill of our Reg. he being here on detail

2d   the St Mary is off the Bar waiting to come in with the tide

3d   run down to the St Mary & Embark Gen. Herron came on her to take command of our division it is a long time since I have seen him before he looks quite well again

4th   cloudy but quite calm this morning now we have to wait for Gen. Dana to come from Brownville before we can go he now goes to MataGorda Bay to take command of out 13th Corps

5th   again it is windy & disagreeable weather no Gen yet

6th   quite calm today

7th   quite a pleasant day

8th   the Gen is coming aboard & we Expect to start this Eve

9th   the Generals Baggage did not come aboard therefore we did not go yesterday

10th   now the Horses are being loaded & we Expect to go

11th   got stuck on the Bar last Eve & did not get loose in time to run out now we cross the Bar at 9.A.M.

12th   arrive at Matagorda Bay at 9.A.M. we are going on board the Clinton as that runs out today & this does not Eve by some mistake four of us are left be hind & shall have to wait for this boat skirmishing 7 miles from here

13th   run out at 4.P.M. it is very calm this Eve for this season of the year

14th   stand on our course finely today one of the boys seasick

15th   weather beautiful Expect to run into the - Mississippi at Sunset tonight

16th   arrive at 10.A.M. go to the Convalescant camp boys all doing well at the St Charles House

17th   no signs of going up the river yet

18th   times are lively here report is that the river is froze above Vicksburg

19th   weather fair

20th   Embark on board U.S. Transport J. S. Pringle & start up the river at 11.A.M.

21st   pass Baton Rouge at 4.P.M. arrive at Port Hudson at 10.P.M. where we lay 2 hours see Capt Sands & Lt Tripp have a fine time & proceed up the river at 12 midnight

22d   this is a beautiful day run to Natchez lay over to take on a Gen who is going to Vicksburg

23d   fine morning see my cousin Albert Drake this has been a beautiful city garrisoned mostly by colored troops all but the 28th & 29th Illinois & 4th Ill. Cav.

24th   Arrive at Vicksburg at 2.P.M. go & see my friends in the 95th Illinois the old Reg'ts here are nearly all reenlisting how I wish ours would go in for another term but I scarcely think they will under our present Col. (Black) Payne rec'd his commission as Lt Col. in N.O. if it had been as Col. the boys would all Enlist or nearly all I think.

25th   Come back from the 95th change boats to the "Wm Ewing" & again we are on our way. it is a long long time since we left the Reg. at Brownville Texas & still we are far from Home

26th   we are making very slow headway all we have is green cotton wood to burn & it makes a poor fire

27th   weather fair

28th   weather beautiful considerable Excitement on board this P.M. occasioned by the report (brought by a down river steamer) that the U.S. Transport Lady has just been captured at the mouth of the Arkansas river we prepare to defend ourselves as best we can by laying cotton bales around for Breastworks & to protect the boiler

29th   meet a fleet going down the river to join the Expedition East of Vicksburg consisting of the 16th & 17th Army Corps pass Hellena at dusk

30th   have run all night weather fair Expect to reach Memphis today shall lay over night there

31st   draw clothing & go to the Soldiers Lodge to stay over night it is a small but comfortable place very good beds &.c. one month ago today we left Brownville Texas we Expect to start tomorrow Eve on the Bell Memphis it is a fast boat & will go through in one day therefore we will save time by waiting for her