An Artilleryman's Diary Part 5

Buntyn Station, Thursday, Jan. 15. The rain of the day before has turned into snow during the night, and I awoke to find the ground all white, my head imbedded in a snow drift. Looked out to see the 4th Platoon boys crawling out from under the snow, their tent having given way under the weight and rolled aside. It was a little the hardest sight seen during my campaign, but there was no murmur, all were jovial and contented. We had to take the horses, who were trembling at the rack, out to exercise to the race course, against a blinding storm of snow from the west. In the afternoon it stopped snowing, leaving about a foot deep on the ground. Many of the boys gone to Memphis.

Buntyn Station, Friday, Jan. 16. Clear though cold morning. S. Beaver, S. E. Sweet, E. W. Evans, T. J. Hungerford and myself, having a permit from Captain, started for Memphis at 8 in the morning, going afoot on the railroad. Travelled briskly until within two miles of town, when we were halted by a guard, with orders not to pa.s.s any officer or private of Quinby's Division without a pa.s.s signed by officer commanding, but suggested that we had been in the service long enough to know how to pa.s.s a guard. Taking the hint we turned back about fifteen rods, then going through the snow around a field, pa.s.sed in to town undisturbed.

Stayed in town some four hours, went to the gallery, had my likeness taken. Spent money. Returned by the evening roll call better off than most of the boys, as we were able to walk straight as we had taken no liquor. Considerable tired nevertheless.

Buntyn Station, Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 17. Was spent in resting from the tramp to town. Sunny but raw, did not take much of the snow off. Rebuilt our chimney.

Buntyn Station, Sunday, Jan. 18. Most of the snow made its disappearance to-day. Cloudy in the afternoon. Health very good. Anxious for mail.

Rec'd none since the 13th.

Buntyn Station, Monday, Jan. 19. Rainy and disagreeable. Logan's Division pa.s.sed on the R. R. going towards Memphis. Rec'd three letters, four newspapers.

Buntyn Station, Tuesday, Jan. 20. Still rainy and muddy. Orderly Jenawein gone to town. Sergeant Hauxhurst acting. Health good.

Buntyn Station, Wednesday, Jan. 21. One day without any rain, which dried up underfoot somewhat. Health excellent. On guard. No news from below.

Buntyn Station, Thursday, Jan. 22. Sunny and warm. All quiet in camp.

Exercised the horses on the course. Weighed 140 pounds. Read Parson Brownlow's book in the evening.

Buntyn Station, Friday, Jan. 23. Spent the day in darning stockings.

Listened to Brownlow read in tent. But when night came there was a scene at once ludicrous and deplorable. Music was started in the 4th Platoon tent; Parker with his fiddle, Bill Bailey with the banjo, Day's tambourine. Byness with the bones, and Goodman's clarinet. But Quartermaster had brought some bottled whiskey into camp and it broke up in a drunken row. * * * Deplorable, deplorable sight. Rec'd a letter from Thomas and a Milwaukee _Sentinel_ of the 18th, mailed on the 20th inst.

Buntyn Station, Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 24. Rainy and dark all day. Health good.

Battery in general dull from the effects of last night's carousal.

_Price of army clothing, Oct. 1862._

Hats, naked $1.68 Cord and ta.s.sel .15 Eagle .14 Cross Cannons .03 Jacket 5.55 Trousers 4.60 Woolen s.h.i.+rts 1.46 Woolen drawers .95 Stockings .32 Sewed boots 3.25 Pegged boots 2.87 Overcoat 11.50 Woolen Blanket 3.60 Lined sack coats 3.14 Canteen .44 Knapsack 2.14 Haversack, glazed .56 Rubber pouch 2.90

[Sidenote: 1863 Home Letters]

Buntyn Station, Sunday, Jan. 25. Sunny in the morning, but clouded over by afternoon and rained heavy while out on exercise; got beautifully wet. Received the N. Y. _Tribune_ from John, mailed 18th. Letter from Mary, Jen and James (his first letter). May he be permitted to live a useful and intelligent life to comfort my aged parents. Prospect of their once more finding a home in Dodge Hollow, Iowa County. May they live to see their children once more gathered in the old homestead.

Buntyn Station, Monday, Jan. 26. Rain, rain, rain. Turned cold towards night. Health not very good on account of the damp. Ague and rheumatism.

Buntyn Station, Tuesday, Jan. 27. Cold this morning. Came out sunny.

Buntyn Station, Wednesday, Jan. 28. Cold and clear. Froze hard in the night. Went down to the 59th Indiana where there was a gallery. Took my likeness for $1.00. Carriages washed clean for painting.

Buntyn Station, Thursday, Jan. 29. Warm and pleasant. Stood guard.

Health good. No mail.

Buntyn Station, Friday, Jan. 30. 4th Brigade of this Division pa.s.sed toward Memphis. Harnessed up in the afternoon in order to see if the harnesses were in marching order. Indication of rain.

Buntyn Station, Sat.u.r.day, Jan. 31. Sunny in the A. M. but clouded over and there came a heavy spring shower. Rained nearly all night. Health good.

[Sidenote: 1863 Sunday in Camp]

Buntyn Station, Sunday, Feb. 1. It is Sunday, but hard to realize it.

The same routine is gone through as upon the other days, the cards shuffled with equal liveliness, the game of ball with the same noise.

And I lay in my tent never realizing that this is the Sunday that I used to spend at home with such stillness, when the horses stayed in the stable unhitched, all work laid aside. Ah, well I remember the first Sunday spent in the army, how I used to recoil as I heard the boisterous oaths and reckless sport of the soldiers as they were returning to their comrades on that clear Sunday morning from Columbus to Corinth. It was just five months ago to-day, and am I really so much changed? Can it be that I am so much more vicious and wicked than then, that I heed not the Sabbath? G.o.d forbid. But what does company have to do? Almost everything. I flatter myself that it is not so very wicked. It cannot be.

In the evening I went to Griffith's "shebang" and listened to sacred music. It sounded as of old. "I'm a Pilgrim", "There is a Happy Land"

etc. But a soldier is a soldier, and the "Dixie" and "Gay and Happy"

were promiscuously mixed. Weather warm and sunny. Heard that the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry were at Memphis.

Buntyn Station, Monday, Feb. 2. Cold, and toward the evening windy. S.

Beaver went down town in search of his brother wounded at Arkansas Post, but returned without finding him. Gone up the river.

Buntyn Station, Tuesday, Feb. 3. Very cold for this lat.i.tude, having frozen water one-quarter of an inch in thickness. Detailed to go with the teams down town. Got there by 10 A. M. Loaded four teams with hay, having to take it out of a barge. Heavy work. After they were loaded, Griffith and myself went around to do a little business. Meantime, the teams started, thus obliging us to walk home. Came into camp by 6 P. M.

The 93rd Indiana Volunteers came to the station by rail and pitched their tents alongside of the 48th.

Buntyn Station, Wednesday, Feb. 4. Cold and clear as a bell. Exercised our horses for two hours under Sergeant Runyan. A. Goodman with two others of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry made us a visit, they being encamped within the limits of the town. Turned warm in the afternoon, and turned into snow which fell heavy till dark.

Buntyn Station, Thursday, Feb. 5. About three inches of snow. Quite cold all day. E. W. E. went to town; was called on to guard S. Sanger for discharging a revolver. Very cold.

Buntyn Station, Friday, Feb. 6. Temperature what they would call quite sharp, but indicative of a fine day. Most of the snow disappeared during the day. Health excellent. Spelling school in the evening at G.

Thomas's shanty.

Buntyn Station, Sat.u.r.day, Feb. 7. Quite cold in the morning. The frosty air rather keen in our well ventilated house, but a brisk fire soon made us comfortable. 4th Minnesota Infantry and the 12th Wisconsin Battery pa.s.sed by toward Memphis. We are to go in the morning.

Memphis, Sunday, Feb. 8. Warm and cloudy day. Reveille at one hour before daylight. Prepared to march, and started at 7 A. M., the 48th going on the railroad, and we took the south road. The roads were very muddy, the frequent frosts had made them soft, and we had very hard work to get along with the balky horses that we had. Came into camp at 12 M.

about a mile southeast of town on a hill covered with trees, very handsome. Busy in building racks and "shebangs". All the lumber under guard.