Downing's civil war diary

Introduction

Of the larger phases of the Civil War the Historical Department of Iowa has a library of published volumes quite replete. Of the official relations, civil and military, of our State to the Federal Government we have in our collections an adequate deposit. But of the proofs of the workings of the heart about the hearthstones of Iowa, where a son and support of a household is undergoing conversion into the volunteer soldier of the Republic, there is a lack.

The American Volunteer soldier of the Civil War — North and South — was in his day the most admired of all time for his soldierly qualities. For his convertability after Sumter from civil life into an effective soldier; and after Appomattox into a better citizen.

How were the best elements of the Citizen preserved throughout years in the ranks, and how was the good in the ranks carried back into life at peace? Where were the currents which blew a life out from the haven of home upon the sea of war and upon that part of such a sea which bore the standard of national as against state sovereignty? Whence came the poise in action and on march, which made of an Iowa boy the veteran soldier upon which Grant relied even in the major responsibilities of a great war?

Of Iowa soldiery in the ranks the intimate accounts are especially meager. The men who served in the nth, 13th, 14th and 15th Infantry were as conspicuous for valor as were those of the other notable Iowa regiments, and in addition were privileged to be together from Shiloh to the Grand Review under the designation of "Crocker's Iowa Brigade." The history of that Brigade is well preserved yet there is lacking that hearthstone phase of it all which has its secret and sacred appeal to the ordinary mind.

Such a lack as to written sources did not always exist, for letters flew to and from the front which bore the individual

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and the collective story. There were almost as many diaries as testaments in the knapsacks of the boys. There was universal written appeal and response, of hope and of prayer, between the boy at the front and the family at home. It was such that Lincoln had in mind when he said :

"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

The Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa assumes the full responsibility for publishing such a record and of saying that evidences of such Iowa "chords" are both rare and necessary.

The diary of Alexander G. Downing, Co. E, Eleventh Regiment Iowa Volunteers is one of the most precious of contributions toward supplying this lack. It is published out of respect for frequent calls upon the Department for such materials, and with a degree of pride that it could have been done under the appreciative and efficient editorial oversight of Dr. O. B. Clark.

EDGAR R. HARLAN, Curator.

Preface

In presenting Downing's Civil War Diary to the public, the editor wishes to set forth the exact nature and character of the work. In the first place it should be said that it is not a verbatim reproduction of the original text. This statement no doubt is enough, according to the accepted tenets of historical criticism, to condemn the work without further consideration ; no attempt will be made by argument or brief to defend so gross a breach of the historical sense. However, a brief description of the original diary and an account of its publication in its present form, may both justify the course pursued and explain the true character of the published diary.

The original diary with other papers and commissions of Mr. Alexander G. Downing have been presented to the historical Department of Iowa, at Des Moines. The diary consists of two small note-books, one containing the daily entries from August 15, 1861, to the close of 1862; the other from the beginning to the end of 1863; a larger note-book for the year 1864; several large sheets of writing paper, dated and numbered consecutively, from January 1, 1865, down to the mustering out of the young veteran and his return to the harvest field in July of that year.

Another manuscript of the diarist must be mentioned as a step in the evolution of this published diary. Upon learning of the existence of the diary, the present editor suggested to Mr- Downing the desirability of preserving it in printed form. With characteristic modesty he responded that certain friends had urged the same, but that it was hardly worth it, and in any event he meant first to re-write it as it was not in shape to be printed. He thereupon set for himself the task of re-writing his diary and completed the work in the early months of 1914. This revised diary together with the original he then delivered to Curator Harlan for preservation, at the same time expressing the wish that if his diary were ever published, it

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should be the revision rather than the original. In fact he felt that with the revision the original was no longer of use, and it was only through Mr. Harlan's sympathetic interest and earnest solicitation that Mr. Downing consented to its preservation. Arrangements were at once entered into by Mr. Downing and Mr. Harlan for the undersigned to edit the diary for publication.

This revised manuscript is a faithful piece of work, neatly bound, which by accurate transmission, omission and amendation, is a most worthy effort at writing "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," of a soldier's experience, after the lapse of fifty years. But it will readily be seen that there was a fundamental problem to solve before entering upon the work of preparing the diary for publication, viz. ; how to make use of both the original and the revised manuscripts. It was finally determined to edit the original diary and draw upon the revision for such additional matter as would serve to enrich the simple, crude, but manifestly faithful fact-presentation of the original and so construct the material that the reader might have the advantage, without confusion, of Mr. Downing's reflections of fifty years upon his original writing. In doing this it was necessary to re-write the diary. Great care has been exercised so as not to obscure the diarist's point of view and change the spirit in which he originally wrote. The method thus adopted has had from the first the full approval of Mr. Downing.

There were entries in the original which Mr. Downing regarded of no consequence, others which he thought improper and which he consequently omitted from his revision. But all such, with his consent, have been religiously included in this volume. On the other hand, some things which he wrote in the revision have either been omitted entirely or excluded from the body of the text and placed as footnotes or included in the appendix. This is particularly the case with such reminiscent or explanatory statements which in their nature could not have been in a diary, or which would tend to discredit the work as a record of fact. The work is thus preserved as a diary. Only such material from the revision has been drawn upon as would clear up facts and make the whole more reada-

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ble. It is thought that the added descriptions and experiences give a more perfect picture of the routine life of a Civil War soldier, and yet in no way change the recorded events and the currents of feeling.

The original diary was written, much of it, under the rather unfavorable conditions and trying circumstances, attending the hurry and excitement of war. Often the diarist was unable for several days, or even in a few instances for a week at a time, to set down the daily entries. Sometimes he would jot down the barest facts in a "sort of short-hand fashion," as Madison says of his "Journal," and then when he found respite from his duties, would more fully write out the entries. This he makes known to us when home on his furlough in the spring of 1864. After reaching home and being shut in upon a rainy day, he takes the opportunity, as he says, "to bring my diary down to date." Some portions of the original were much better written than others, a good example being the movements during the siege of Vicksburg, as will be seen by observing the facsimile page for June 7, 8 and 9, 1863, opposite page 120. The spelling is quite original and the writing somewhat shy in punctuation, capitalization and the use of words. Of these shortcomings in his diary, the author, Mr. Downing, was quite conscious, and on that account was unwilling to have it published in the original form.

This printed edition then, lays no claim to being what it is not, the publication of the original text without change. It is an edited edition which retains to the fullest possible degree the original in the essentials of fact and spirit. That this is so, is due to the fact that the editor had the valuable aid of the diarist himself. Every daily entry has had the approval of Mr. Downing as to matters of fact and of feeling. Every item has been cast in terms and point of view of the original writer. Thus there is preserved the spirit and thought of the youth who tho he had little opportunity for schooling beyond the merest rudiments, and handicapped in giving expression to his vision, he nevertheless wrote from the highest sense of personal honor, duty, and moral courage. These characteristics crop out all thru the diary. One reads with the feeling that this boy is a truthful and reliable witness.

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In the preparation of the manuscript for publication, the editor wishes to express his great appreciation to Mr. Downing for his patient help and appreciative concern, without which the task would have been difficult indeed and the completed volume of far less value. The editor also wishes to acknowledge the valuable assistance of Mr. Edgar R. Harlan, Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, both in his wise counsel as to the general plan and his critical reading of the proof sheets. Acknowledgment is due Miss Ida M. Huntington, Assistant Curator, for her scholarly criticism in reading the manuscript.

The editor feels that for a work of its kind, it is as worthy as it is rare and entertains the hope that it will be received as a valuable contribution to the literature of the Civil War. The author of the original diary is deserving of high praise for his foresight and conscientious work in setting down what he saw, what he experienced, and what he thought as a youthful participant in that memorable struggle.

O. B. C.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 31, 1916.

Contents

Reminiscent Note 3

Chapter I. Enlisting in the United States Service 4

II. In Camp McClellan 12

III. The Mobilization at Benton Barracks 18

IV. In Winter Quarters and Garrison Duty 22

V. Mobilization at Pittsburg Landing and the

Battle of Shiloh 36

VI. The Battles in and Around Corinth 46

VII. On Guard at Bolivar, Tennessee 60

VIII. The Battles of Inka and Corinth. Chasing

Price and Fortifying Corinth 68

IX. The Campaign Around Holly Springs and

Retreat to Lafayette, Tennessee 80

X. The Vicksburg Campaign. Siege and Surrender of Vicksburg 94

XI. The Campaign Against Jackson, Mississippi 127

XII. On Guard at Vicksburg and the Fruitless

Expedition to Monroe, Louisiana 132

XIII. A Siege of Fever and Ague. Fortifying

and Patrolling Vicksburg 141

XIV. Re-enlisting as Veterans 156

XV. The Expedition to Meridian, Mississippi 165

" - XVI. Home on Veteran's Furlough 173

XVII. Mobilization at Cairo and Moving Forward

to Join Sherman 182

XVIII. The Battles Around Atlanta. In the Field

Hospital 195

XIX. In the Hospital at Rome, Georgia. Reports from the Front 205

XX. Rejoining the Eleventh Iowa at Atlanta

and the Pursuit of Hood 217

XXI. Marching Through Georgia. Capture of

Savannah 227

XXII. Raid Through South Carolina 244

XXIII. March Through North Carolina. The Last

Campaign. Johnston's Surrender to Sherman 260

XXIV. Peaceful March Through Virginia and the

Grand Review at Washington 271

XXV. The Mustering Out. Return to the Harvest Field 279

Appendix 291

REMINISCENT INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

During the months of July and August, 1861, the country was greatly aroused over the prospects of war. Excitement rose high when the news of the battle of Bull Run, July 21st, was flashed over the wires. I was then almost 19 and living at home on a farm near Inland, Cedar county, Iowa. Naturally I was deeply stirred over the question of war. Some of our neighbors and friends had earlier opposed the use of force in preventing secession, but I distinctly remember that my father and many neighbors and friends entertained no doubt as to the righteousness of such a course.

During these days we were at work in the harvest field. We had finished cutting our wheat and oats and during the first two weeks of August were engaged in stacking the grain. Everyone had some part in the work. Father did the stacking, while John was on the stack with him, placing the sheaves at his right hand. Albert and George drove the teams to and from the fields, while Paul and Andrew attended to watering the stock during the day. 1 Tom Toly, a strong Irishman, who had worked for us three or four summers, pitched the sheaves to father from the wagon, and Dave Cole pitched the sheaves from the shocks in the field to me on the wagon, while I arranged them on the load.

There had been some talk of raising a company of troops at Inland, but nothing had come of it. At Tipton, the county seat, a company of one hundred men was raised when the first call for volunteers was made. But as they were not then needed, they went out under the call of July 23, 1861, and became Company A of the Fifth Iowa Infantry.

I had been pondering in my mind the matter of going to join the army. On the evening of Saturday, August 10th, news came of the battle of Wilson's Creek, and that General Lyon had been killed. The First Iowa Infantry was in that battle and made glorious history for itself and for Iowa. That fact, with the excitement over the battle itself, stirred us boys in the neigh-

a The five boys, John, Albert, George, Paul and Andrew, are Mr. Downing's half-brothers. They are all living at this time (.March, 1916) and all reside in Iowa. — Ed.

borhood, and I practically reached a decision as to what I should do.

The next day was Sunday, and everybody was talking about the battle of Wilson's Creek. Ministers spoke of it in their sermons and prayers. It was the all-important topic of the day, and for the next three days — the 12th, 13th and 14th of August, it was the topic of conversation while we were finishing our work in the harvest field. On the next day, my birthday, I began my diary and shall now let it speak.

A. G. D.

THE DIARY.

Chapter I.

Enlisting in the United States Service.

Thursday, 13th — We capped our grain stacks against rain and windstorms, and then commenced mowing wild grass for hay. This is my birthday ; am nineteen years old.

Friday, 16th — I, with Tom Toly, mowed grass all day. Swinging the scythe was hard work for me and I did not cut as wide a swath as Tom did. Father went to Tipton in the afternoon and upon his return told us the war news. I am thinking some of enlisting and going to war.

Saturday, 17th — I mowed grass all forenoon and in the afternoon went to a Sunday school celebration down at Posten's Grove. I made up my mind to enlist and go and fight our Southern brethren. In the evening I went to Mr. Willey's to stay all night with Ward. Later in the evening we attended a peace meeting at Inland.

Sunday, 18th — This morning attended the Methodist church and Sunday school at Posten's Grove. Several Methodist brethren were received into the church. In the afternoon Mr. Wharton, the minister, delivered a patriotic speech and spoke of the war. He then called for volunteers and I put my name down to go for three years or during the war. About fifty-five boys enlisted and we are to go in Company E of the Eighth Iowa.

ENLISTING IN THE UNITED STATES SERVICE 5

Monday, 19th — I helped haul and stack hay this forenoon, and in the afternoon went to Inland with the other boys who enlisted yesterday, to see about going to Camp McClellan, at Davenport.

Tuesday, 20th — I went early this morning to Inland, where all who enlisted were to meet and go to Davenport. 1 Several of the friends came in to see us off. There were forty-five of us and at 9 o'clock we left in wagons for Davenport. After a hot, dusty ride we arrived at Davenport at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and marched out to Camp McClellan, where they received us very kindly. We had very fine barracks to go into and the boys of the Eighth Iowa had a good supper for us. It was our first meal in the army and consisted of boiled potatoes, fried bacon and baked beans. We have lots of straw to sleep on at night. We were to meet a part of a company from Le Claire under command of Captain Foster and together form one company in the Eighth Iowa Infantry. But Captain Foster did not come, and since there are only eight Le Claire boys here we have not enough to make a company.

Wednesday, 21st — We drew our army cooking utensils this morning and one day's rations, and then cleaned up our camp. Besides a part of the Eighth Iowa Infantry, there is a part of the Second Iowa Cavalry in camp. The first day of camp life is past, and we had our first experience of a night in camp, sleeping on straw for a bed.

Thursday, 2 2d — Received orders this morning to get ready for review. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon we marched down into town and through the streets for a while and then back to camp. General Baker, Adjutant General of Iowa, is in charge of the camp. Our camp was named for General McClellan in the East.

Friday, 23d — There is so much delay in completing the company that the boys are beginning to think there is no hope of getting our company full. Some of the boys are joining other

1 When I bade father good-by, he said: "Well, Alec, as you have made up your mind to go into the army, I want you to promise me that you will not enter into any of the vices that you will come in contact with while in the army, but try to conduct yourself just as if you were at home." Of course I was not an angel while in the army, but I always remembered father's advice, and to that I attribute what little success I have had in life — and this is my seventy-second year. Father was in his forty-sixth year, but he told me that if it were not for leaving the family alone, he would go with me. He was a strong Union man, and his father had served all through the War of the Revolution, in the command of General Wayne. — A. G. D.

i DOWNING' S CIVIL WAR DIARY

companies. V iiting. those who wish may leave camp on

I got a pass to go home for two or three da; .- Saturday. 24th — I reached home this morning at daylight, having left Davenport late yesterday afternoon, riding out i farmer to '"the forks" of the Hickory Grove and the Allen's jfove n there .valked the twenty-one miles home,

after \ I me.

7 s a fine day. I ent over tc Mr. Sparks 1 and accompanied hi: I grove oats :f Tipton, to a camp meeting which is being conducted by the Christian church. We got there in time for the ~et:ing.

5:: : : :h — I stayed over night at Sparks' and attended

--- ng at the grc e igain this morning. We had a basket dinner at nc jb At the afternoon service the Lord's Supper was ob- 1. After the meeting we started for home, a dif

Monday, 26th — There • as a heavy rainstorm last night. I - td all da; and in the evening went down

Ian 1 to make arrangements to go back to Davenport in the morning to join the camp.

Tuesday. 2~th — I went to Davenport today and returned to

Camf Dan. A force of about five hundred men was sent

- er by boat to Keokuk, for the pur; i reinforc-

trooj ■ :hat place. It is expected that they will have

a fig: t there. 1 e in returning to camp to g

them.

■:dnesday, 28th — There is nothing of importance. The camp as ::' it - serted. There are just a few convalescents .: able to go with the boys to Keokuk ; there are - - coming in.

Thursday, 2 r ^th — News came that they had a fight at Keokuk ; the boys that vn had a lively skirmish with the

mri 1

Friday, ?otk — .' : - rtance. There are still some

ig in camp for the Eighth Iowa, an<"i still a -ecruits to the Second Iowa Cavalry, which is

in camp at the Fair Grounds.

- . - known aa th» battle <.'. — Bd.

ENLISTING IN THE UNTTKE STATES SERVICE

Saturday, list — Our men arrived from '-'. » morning

They did not get into actk n

reported. The companies for the Eighth Iowa Infantry are almost completed and the regiment will be ready leave Ear the South at a moment's notice. The arc fee receive the clothing ar.i i~ - i: 5: L: -i?

Su ' im — We - 7 reaching in camp today, both

morning and evening, by the rhapbin of the Ek Eowa In-

fantry. Quite a number :: s .-ame out from t: Trend

the meeting. Al : e had dress parade with the E _

Iowa.

Monde - — We are having regular driUmg now; com? drill at 10 o'clock in the forenoon for two hours, and in the afternoon regimental drill for two hours. Z er -A • 5 clock we have dress parade.

Tnesdtr 3 & — A new :::":i::y came into camp today which had only about half the cssary number, and so it was planned to have them joir. us and form a full company, but the I

companies could not agree on who should be captain.

Wt i:h — Veryfi news »f importance.

I K Governme .1 man 2 g :olen

blanket, whkA ghl r bunks of wheat

straw. There an two men to each bunk, my bunk-rr. Thomas Fossett Be is a g

Thursd - — Four men from Company . A.

:he oath to support the United States ernment-

Fridoy. 6th — Nothing of importance. V iriH

We or o'clock now. The - I bread, beans

sag salt and pepper - soap and candles. Tv

- fees reef. Ea -

for the :ng to army regal

A — We had a big picnic dinner in car.-.

- En for the - ers by the ladies of Scott c [here

r. Downing -

is in k 5 fried chicken, bread, pie and cake by the wagon load, free to all who were hungry. The food was placed on a long table and each man could walk up and help himself. There miust have been as many as five thousand who enjoyed the dinner. It was a beautiful day for the occasion.

Sunday, 8th — We had preaching in camp three times today, morning, afternoon and evening. Quite a number from the city came out to camp to attend the services. The weather was delightful.

Monday, pth — Our company was disbanded this morning, since we could not get men enough to fill it up. Some of our boys enlisted in other companies of the Eighth Iowa. Captain Foster of Le Claire sent word to our captain, McLoney, that he would raise an entire company at Le Claire. 1

Tuesday, loth — I went down town this morning to see about enlisting in a battery which Mr. Little, a business man of Davenport, is trying to raise. He was planning to raise a company of two hundred men to command a battery of heavy cannon. But before night I mlade up my mind that he would not succeed, and I did not enlist in it. I bunked with some others in vacant store buildings, lying on gunny sacks. It rained hard all day.

Wednesday, nth — I went up to the Fair Grounds and spent the day there. The attendance was good, there being about two thousand present.

Business is becoming quite dull. The war seems to put a stop to all improvements, and there is no demand for farm produce. Money is getting scarce, gold having been out of circulation so long that people have forgotten how it looks, and merchants say that it will not be long until silver goes the san. vay. For a long time now we have had wild-cat money, but everybc \y is afraid to go to sleep with any of it on hand for fear that it will be worthless in the morning.

Thursday, 12th — I attended the Scott County Fair again today. The attendance was about the same as yesterday. A part of the Second Iowa Cavalry is in camp here, Camp Holt.

For three days now I have been trying to find some new company in which to enlist, but not caring to go into a company of

'At the time some of us were greatly disappointed in not getting Captain Foster for our company, but I believe now that in the long run it was a good thing. — A. G. D.

ENLISTING IN THE UNITED STATES SERVICE 9 entire strangers, I made up my mind to go home for a few days. About sundown, with two other boys, Sylvester Daniels and David Huff, I started for home, going with a Mr. Chesbro in a farm wagon.

Friday, 13th — We made the entire trip of thirty miles from Davenport last night and reached home by daylight. I went up to Tipton this afternoon and was sworn into the State service, my service dating back to August 20th. Our former captain, Mr. McLoney, and somie of the other Inland boys are here, besides four of the Le Claire boys. We are trying to form a new company and everything looks good for a new company in a short time, quite a number of the boys having already enrolled. We are boarding at the hotel.

Saturday, 14th — We had company drill this morning, and some five or six new men enrolled. I went home in the afternoon.

Sunday, 15th — This morning I went to church and Sunday School once more.

Monday, 16th — I returned to Tipton this morning. Our company had no drill today on account of the rain — it rained all day. There were no enlistments. The disagreeable weather seems to make everybody feel gloomy.

Tuesday, 17th — Several new men enrolled today and things look more encouraging. I boarded at the tavern today.

Wednesday, 18th — There were more enrollments today, and there is some hope now of raising a company. The weather has become settled and everybody seems more cheerful. We have drill twice a day now, and have a good drill ground out on the town commons.

Thursday, 19th — Nothing of importance today. A few new recruits came in. There is no excitement in getting men to enlist ; only plain facts are presented as to our duty to sustain the Government.

Friday, 20th — Captain Stearns of Company A of the Eighth Iowa arrived today from Davenport, coming to encourage enlistments. Several new men enrolled today. We have a fine drillmaster in John F. Compton of New Liberty, Scott county. He is an Englishman, and has served five years in the Queen's Guards of England.

Saturday, 21st — We had company drill this morning. In the afternoon we had a big loyal mass-meeting in town, and we had speaking by Captain Stearns. He talked of our duty to sustain the Government. Quite a number enlisted as a result of the meeting, and it is hoped that the company may be completed so as to leave for Davenport in about eight days.

Sunday, 22d — I remained in Tipton all day, going to preaching this morning and to Sunday school in the afternoon.

Monday, 23d — The boys are beginning to enlist quite fast. A goodly numlber enrolled today, and we now have our company almost full. We drill twice a day. We drilled today in "double quick'' through the streets of Tipton.

Tuesday, 24th — More enrolled today than any day yet. Most of the boys are from the surrounding farms, though there are a number of Tipton boys in our company. Our drillmaster keeps us on the drill ground most of the time.