The National tribune., 1892-03-31
VANOUISHINGVICKSBUR
Continued from first page.)

claimed for the sketch is that the original
was taken just at the end of the siege, and
now. ON the rough sheet of rebel writing
paper used at the time is fastened in my
diary. The difference between its looks be-
| fore and after the surrender was that after
| (here) we kept the camp kettles and boxes
| with us.
Across that railroad track the 18th Ind.
tried, by digging well, to find water It
| was started in the bottom of the hollow, and
sunk from 40 to so feet, in vain. 1 believe
| some from all the brigade helped upon it.
Platforms were fixed from side to side. and
men upon these threw dirt to the next plat
form, and thus it progressed.
We used all the reading we could get. A
bound volume of Sartin's Nagazine was my
stock in trade. L had found it somewhere
in the field of plantation, where it had been
dropped, and carried it to the rear of yicks-
burg. 1 sent it home afterward, and my
little boys got the backs off of it after they
arrived on the scene. But it did good serv-
| ice, and was loaned, through my brother, in
the 33d Ill. Occasionally we got hold of
Northern daily papers, and
OUR FRIENDS AT HOME
sent US something now and then. These,
with the letters we received and wrote, took
up some of the time that we were not en-
gagged in siege work.
But our reading material also seemed to
have largely exceeded that of our friends in
the city. The Citizen, the paper in Yicks-
burg, furnished the mental pabulum for its
patrons, sometimes 6 Is inches in size.
However, when it began to use wall paper,
it was enterprsingly enlarged. From "A
Woman's Diary of the Siege of Vicksburg,n
appearing in The Century, we learn that on
June Is it thus cheered the hearts of its
citizens: "But a few days more and john
ston will be here. Kirby Smith has driven
Banks from Port Hudson" etc.
1 find that I wrote home about June @:
aWe have drawn us new clothing, and if we
lived anywhere else than in the dirt, would
consider ourselves pretty well off. You
would like to know what I think of our
taking Vicks( fen burg, perhaps! think we
every night. Our boys on picket nightly
ask them to come over and leave off fight
ing, and some of them do. Give Us enough
to stem the reinforcements under Johnston,
and we'll do the rest. / am acting Sergeant
Major, vice G., sick. Have to make details
out of the regiment for the various objects de-
manded by higher authority. Adiutant J.
has gone to Chickasaw Landing to see about |
pay-rolls, and have the fun all by myself |
Details are to be made at and II, forenoon,
3 and 6, afternoon. And regiment keeps |
one busy if he is prompt with brigade |
orders"
Later-Diary: "Rain, rain, rain. It pat
tiers on the headquarters tent and not on me
Just now, thank my stars! l was out in it
though this morning collecting the guard.
I find the Orderlies pretty clever set gem
orally, though geta good-natured scolding
sometimes for detailing so many; but they
know as well as I that it isn't my fault.
Rumors still afioat about another
charge. Hope they will not take the shape of
reality. It's dangerous to be safe, for safety
lies III inc VI 1t |
has cleared off again, and the sun is shining
brightly. The boys talk more of home than
usual. Brave fellows! This is very greatly
different than their life there. It's enough
to make one sigh for "auld lang syne."
But they are still ready to do their
duty.
1.-TWO deserters came out last
night during the storm. They report short
rations and enough of them to last, perhaps
three weeks. (They hit it exactly.) Also re-
port many anxious to get out, but all watch
ed too closely"
June 13.-" Early morning. I have just
sent off the rear picket-guard" (the whole
line felt thus the approach of Johnston.) "Co.
B was detailed in the rifle-pits last night.
Forces are arriving rapidly. think this
will be the battle of the war"
June 15.-"Do not feel well to-day. Yes
terday the agent Of the Pike County folks,
with fruit etc, arrived at Chickasaw Land
ing, where he was forced to give them up to
the humbug Sanitary Commission"
(Yes, wrote that Undoubtedly expressed
\ sentiment at the time, when a knowledge
Of the grand work done by the Commission
generally had not been received. Mustn't
pervert the records, however
"Sent home by Mr.. M. Sartin's Magazine,
which I captured in Louisiana No news.
The rebs fire occasionally volleys of cannon.
[ think their days are fast being numbered.
Whew! Pm tired and feel badly!"
perhaps this accounts for the gloomy
view of that Commission.) Thus, in the ordi-
nary life of day and night on the hill, we had
our experiences and passed the time. Mean
while, how was the work ON the approaches
70 the rebel forts in our front progressing?
Ito be continuedl