HENRY DYSART

Company D, 3rd Iowa Cavalry

***B***enton Barracks, January 1st, 1862.

\"***T***ime flies\" and it is indeed true that it \"waits for no
man\".  Today We may be at home in peace, tomorrow at war, to-day happy,
to-morrow sad, to day rich tomorrow poor.  As Time revolves, new eras
open up marked sometimes with dark events.  The past is open to view but
the future is always uncertain, sometime bright sometimes dark.  This
first day of January 1862 finds Me about entering upon a year which is
likely to be very different from last in its events, wherefore from to
day I shall endeavor to keep a record in my Own style giving each day a
representation believeing that time spent in this way will not be lost
but will be to My improvement, and pleasant to turn back too in the
future.  

 Saturday Jan 4th 62

***D***isese in the army strikes down more than the sword.  Were our
armies made up of old men whose heads were white for the tomb this would
seem more natural.  death from old age is scarcely known in the army, at
least in Ours. 

***S***unday Jan 12th \'62

***S***ome of the boys wishing to take a side the lieu. took Us around
through the city treating to lager beer of which all drank freely except
one or two and myself.  Though urged I refused to indulge having
resolved to \"touch not taste not handle not\", and more, it seemed
inappropriate it being the Sabbath and We just having buried one of Our
comrades.

 

***S***aturday Jan 18th \'62

***E***verything covered over with ice.  The night has been spent in an
interesting and boisterous discussion as to whether the Earth is round
or flat.

 

***S***unday Jan 19th \'62

***A*** day in the army does not seem like a day spent at home.  before
one is aware of it night comes, a blank is all that is to be seen on
which can be traced no mark of improvement.  How fleet is time and how
misspent!  We mark time in the army not by weeks or sundays (for there
is no sunday) but by the space intervening between one letter and
another from home.

***D***r. Eliott preached in Co. D\'s quarters this afternoon.  His
sermon was very plain and interresting and his advice good, \"Say Your
prayers and keep Your powder dry.\"

 

***S***unday Feb. 2nd \'62.

***D***r. Elliot preached in Co. I\'s quarters this evening.  \"Day unto
day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge\"  Each day I
realize more and more the necessity of strong resolution in resisting
the many foul temptations which I find too daily increase as the men
with whom We are associated give way to immorality.  Some who make
pretentions, who were well raised and know what is right \"because they
are in the army\" seem to give way to and make no resistance to wrong,
become offended if the Chaplain makes the least refferrence to their
conduct.  \"Is\'ent that wrong\"?  \"not for a soldier\".  \"Are you not
breaking the sabbath?\"  \"There is no sabbath in the army  were I at
home I would not do it.\"  The result of this instability is that We
become so accustomed to a looseness of character, Our consciences become
so siered that We do daily what We would be ashamed of at home. 
indecent expressions in our conversation are unnoticed and become
habitual.  What to Us is unnoticed would seem to a parent or any other
one from home rediculous.  

 

***M***onday Feb. 3rd \'62.

***L***ost a button off My coat. 

***W***ednesday Feb. 12th 62.

***A***bout sundown one of Co A whilst carelessly handling his pistle
shot his comrad through the leg.

 

***L***ebanon.  Feb. 14th \'62

***L***ast night was the coldest We have experienced this winter. 
Whilst I journalize the ink freezes on My pen.  in a minute I will crawl
closer to the big camp fire by the light of which I now write.

 

***T***uesday Feb 18th 62.

***M***oveing on from Springfield We crossed Wilsons\' creek at the
battle ground but did not stop to look over it as I would have liked.  I
saw enough to cause a shudder.  I saw bullet holes in the wood, I saw
the hill from which Gen. Seigle played his cannon.  the hill where Gen
Lyon fell.  I saw dead mens\' bones.  I saw soldiers graves.  I saw the
pool where the dying soldiers quenched their thirst and then I passed
on.

 

***B***enton Co. Arkansas Saturday Feb 22nd 62.

***W***oke this morning in the midst of a large and bustling camp  
stuck my head from under the \"kiver\" and in a kind of a trance
witnessed 7 or 8000 troops pass by my \"Sty.\"

 

***F***riday Feb. 28 - 1862

***T***his time last year I had no thought that I should ever pass a
night under such circumstances, so far from home as last and every night
now is spent.  A nights rest here is just as sweet as then at home. 
After marching all day over Arkansas mountains and rocks it is pleasant
to spend an Arkansas night in an Arkansas thicket  as last night was
spent with an Arkansas rock for a pillow and an Arkansas sky for a
covering.

 

***S***ugar Creek.  Ark.  Wednesday March 5th \'62.

***C***harles W. Gordon private of Co. C. 9th Missouri was drummed out
of service to day in the presence of his brigade to the tune of \"Pop
goes the weasel.\"

 

***H***elena Ark.  Thursday July 31st 62

***M***ost of the reiments have been paid off   many spend most of their
leisure time and mony at games of chance or gambling.  I happened the
other day to pass where the paymaster was paying off a regiment in the
shade of two or three large sycamores.  immediately by in a space of not
more than a quarter acre I counted no less than twenty five games in
progress, \"green backs\" in abundance lay on every board or blanket. 
Chuck-a-luck a game with dice, and cards are the popular employments 
some I noticed who immediately on receiveing their mony sat down at
\"seven-up\" stakeing half their wages to begin with.  thousands who
never threw a card before comeing into the army thus throw away their
hard earned money which might and ought to be sent home.  Experienced
gamblers follow the army with no other employment or design than robbing
the unskilled soldier of his money.\"

 

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***H***elena Ark.  Jan 11th Sunday 1863.

***O***f all the sensations and apprehensions felt by the human mind
those experienced in battle are the most powerful and disagreeable. 
Every power is tried to the utmost extent it is capable of enduring and
he who can with equanimity command himself and go forward is truly the
brave soldier.  Under one great commander a corageous solder was not he
who heedlesly and fearlessly rushed forward into danger but he who
knowing the danger trembled and still kept on.  

***A***s the time for the contest approaches the hours however few are
long and wearisome.  minutes are worn away like hours and hours linger
like years.  The soldier stands about his camp fire with anxiety painted
on his countenance not careless and jovial as before but when he laughs
it is with affected mirth.  Now he examines his gun and arranges his
ammunition conviently.  now leans upon sabre, now fondly caresses his
horse who is his chief dependence and again examines his arms.  When he
converses it is in a low tone.  few questions are asked and little is
said to his comrads about the comeing conflict lest they should think
him over anxious or lest he should seem to exhibit fear.\"