Read Ebook: The siege of Vicksburg from the diary of Seth J. Wells by Wells Seth J Seth James Krolik Sarah Ewell Author Of Introduction Etc Bliss May Wells Other

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JAN. 8. Orders are very strict. If caught outside of the pickets the fine is ten dollars. We get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and stack our arms. I am on parole guard today. We expect to move in a day or two.

JAN. 11. The regiment was formed at 4 this morning. In the afternoon we received marching orders. Our division has been moving up all day. Logan's division is here. The stockade fort that the contrabands are at work on near the depot is almost completed. At 4 o'clock we had dress parade. Orders were read, fining the absentees from roll call since the last of December, one dollar each time.

JAN. 12. We were called up at half past three this morning and were on the road inside an hour, and by sunrise were four miles on the way. We arrived at Germantown about 10 o'clock. It is a village. At five minutes before 12 o'clock we halted for dinner, and started again on our march at 1 o'clock, our regiment in advance. We reached the edge of a town at dusk where we learned that we were selected as guard at the navy yard. As we passed through the town, the little children followed us and hurrahed for Jeff Davis. We moved to the upper end of town and encamped on land adjoining the navy yard. Col. Norton bought five cords of wood for us. He made a speech in which he said Gen. Hamilton ordered McArthur to send his best disciplined regiment here as guard, and he wanted us to be strict, orderly, and diligent. He also said the duty was a kind of secret service . The guerillas crossed over last night, cut around and burned a steamer. We are very tired this evening, having made the heavy march of twenty-six miles.

JAN. 13. We moved into the navy yard this morning. Had seven men detailed for guard. I was one of them. We were put on camp, or chain guard. I don't see where the secret service comes in, for my part. I was down to see the ex-reb gunboat, "Gen. Bragg," she was injured at Vicksburg and is being repaired. There are five or six mortar boats lying close to shore.

JAN. 14. I came off guard this morning. It rained very hard all the latter part of the night. Another boat load of troops came down last night, making five or six in all. They are from the Kansas Valley Division of Fremont's old forces.

JAN. 16. We were paid off this morning, after which there was a general settling up of accounts. I drew .00; .00 advance bounty, one month's advance pay, and .00 premium for re-enlisting. I expressed .00 home. It is very cold this morning, not more than five or six degrees above zero. Towards noon the report came that we were to be relieved. We were almost frozen, having no chance to fire up and keep warm. These are the dark days of a soldier's experience.

JAN. 17. I was on guard supernumerary in the daytime and stood beyond Wolf Creek at night. Towards night the sergeant-major came along with instructions to be ready at 6:30 o'clock in the morning to go aboard the transports for down the river.

JAN. 18. We were up early and had our things packed at 8 o'clock, fell into ranks and marched down to the wharf and on board the "Superior," a fine river boat. The 11th Ill., 17th Ill., and part of the 16th Wisconsin regiments are on our boat. It took all day to load and at night we went up to the coal yard just above town to coal up. Abe and I made our bed down on the top of the hurricane deck. About midnight it began to sleet and rain, and before morning our blankets were completely soaked. It was about as disagreeable a night as I ever spent.

JAN. 19. Cold, rainy and windy. We lay here all day coaling up, and suffered with the cold. Most of the boys kept warm by drinking whisky. Nearly all have their canteens full. We have details patrolling the town, picking up the stragglers. Still rainy and disagreeable. At 1:30 the boats backed off and started down the river. We stopped a few minutes at the forts, two or three miles below the town. There are fifteen boats in the fleet, among the principal ones are the "Nettie Dean," "Silver Moon," "Minnehaha," "Platte Valley," "Superior," "Maria Denning," "Sunnyside," "St. Louis," "Gate City," "Mary Forsythe," "City of Madison," "Arago," and "Belle Reora." Our regiment lost about fifty men at Memphis, three from our company. At dark we tied up to the Arkansas shore. It was dreary and cold but I went on shore on purpose to put my foot on Arkansas soil. We set our pickets and stayed all night. Abe Van Auken and I slept under Jim Mitchell's bunk, the same as the night before and slept fine.

JAN. 21. The boat shoved off at daylight and started down at 10 o'clock. We arrived at Helena, a small town, where we stopped about three hours, and then went on down the river. It is thickly timbered on both sides most of the way. There are a few farm houses scattered along. At sundown we tied up to the Arkansas shore just forty miles above Napoleon, at the mouth of the Arkansas river. As soon as we halted the "Silver Moon" played several tunes on her calliope. I went back to a little town of Nig quarters just over the levee, about one-half a mile from the river and tried to get something to eat, but they had nothing to sell or give. Everything was eaten up and the levees were all breaking away and they could not repair them as the able bodied had run away. Most of the Whites that are not in the Rebel service have left. One of our boats was fired on today. We passed Napoleon about 9 o'clock. At sundown we tied up at the Mississippi shore, eighty miles above the mouth of the Yazoo, and opposite the state of Mississippi.

JAN. 23. We started at sunrise as on the preceding morning. The wind blew quite strong, making it difficult for some of the smaller boats to keep up. When we were within a few miles of the Yazoo, the flagship "Platte Valley" halted and gave us the signal to close up. We closed up in regular order and about 3 o'clock came in sight of a fleet of eighty transports and gunboats at the mouth of the Yazoo. We halted about one mile above them, and twelve miles from Vicksburg by water, or eighty by the short cut on the Louisiana side. The troops here tell us our boys are working on the Farragut's canal and are to have it finished in a few days. We slept in the boat last night, Abe and I in our old place. The country for over a hundred miles above here is quite thickly settled by wealthy planters. On some of the plantations the Negro quarters form quite a town. The trees on the shore are covered with a long vine-like growth called Spanish moss. It is light green in color, and gives an appearance of being dead and covered with icycles.

JAN. 24. Rained all day; slept in the boat last night.

JAN. 25. Sunday. The regiment was formed early this morning and we moved back out of the levee into camp. The river is rising, it is on a level with our camp. It is warm and pleasant, a real spring day. There was heavy firing this evening down the river. I saw the "Chillicothe" tonight. There were four men detailed to go down to the ditch tomorrow.

JAN. 26. Warm and rainy. More boats went down last night, one war boat and several transports. We heard heavy firing this morning, supposed to be the gunboats. The river is still rising.

JAN. 28. Bill Boggs and myself secured a pass this morning early and started down to the canal. We followed the river bank until we were about one mile and half from the ditch, when we saw that we were upon a bayou that ran back up the river about two miles. We had to turn back, feeling pretty badly sold as it made us four miles extra walk. Young poplars were so thick that we could not see where we were for a while. The levee is broken in two places. Our division is repairing the upper one, and the lower division the lower one. The water is running through here badly. They are planting artillery behind the levee all along between camp and the ditch. The levee forms a substantial breast-work. One mile this side of the ditch we came, for the first time, within full view of Vicksburg. The town lies upon the west side of a sloping bluff. One large church and the courthouse and one earthworks could be distinguished quite plainly. The town did not look more than two or three miles distant, but it is not less than eight. An officer was looking through a glass, he could see transports at the wharf, and a crowd collected around someone who was taking observations. As we passed the mouth of the Yazoo we could look up and see three or four gunboats and as many rams, while on this side lay the "Chillicothe" and three rams. As I was going down I was hailed by two cavalry men who had just passed me. On looking up, whom should I see but Oll and Dave Hubler, formerly of Co. E, 12th Ind. They belong to Co. C, 4th Ind. cavalry. They told me that Geo. Hissung is down here. They are bodyguard to Gen. Smith. Pat Gallegher and Bill Humphrey, our old first lieutenant and orderly, are here. Nearby is the far famed ditch. About noon we sat down on its banks and took a good rest. The boys encamped there say the water has risen one foot today. It is now five feet deep and has a rapid current. It averages over twenty feet wide upon the surface. The Mississippi is rising rapidly. I went down to the lower end of the ditch, it is one mile and one-eighth in length. There are heavy details at work throwing up a levee on the west side of it. We have thirty two-pound parrots blockading the river. They are posted behind the levee here. When we arrived Gen. McClernand was taking observations. The Rebels are throwing up heavy works below the mouth of the ditch upon the opposite side. It is about three miles distant. We could see them moving around, coming up and going away. We lay there about two hours and watched them. We could see two heavy earthworks, or forts, and one line of rifle pits. We went from here up to the head of the ditch. It starts in an eddy and there was a tug, "The Ivy," lying in front to keep out the driftwood. It is hard to tell if the thing will prove advantageous. Large details at work, showing that the generals still have faith in it. We understand that they have sent for a dredge. There are encampments all the way between our division and the ditch. Gen. Steele's division is below the mouth of it. We came back to camp a little after dark, tired and hungry, having traveled during the day about twenty miles, but were amply repaid. McClernand is a homely man, apparently about forty-five years of age, with black whiskers and a Roman nose. I saw a fine looking general, said to be Gen. Steele.

JAN. 29. This is a beautiful day. I am quite stiff and sore from the effects of my walk. There was a detail from the sixth division this morning, mounted on mules and sent out in the northwestern direction upon a scout. Corp. Si. Livingston and Privates Briton and Schultz represented Co. K, 17th Ill. They went about sixteen miles to a little town called Richmond, where they found a detachment of the enemy, but owing to a large bayou, our boys could not get at them, and had to leave them in possession of the place. We heard heavy cannonading this morning. The Rebs had undertaken to cross with about five hundred head of cattle, but slipped up on it, and they fell into our hands.

JAN. 30. I was detailed on fatigue this morning. The detail from our regiment worked on the big break in the levee. We did a good day's work, and slightly checked the current. The Mississippi continues to rise. Uncle Ben, Scott and Patterson returned from their three days' scout. They had been up the river after beef and had secured fifty head. Mail came in last night, Frank received a letter from Rosalie, dated Jan. 4. Just to think, they have had no snow yet in the north. Generals U. S. Grant and Ross have arrived.

JAN. 31. The first news that greeted us this morning was marching orders. After breakfast we drew four days' rations, two of them cooked, put them in our haversacks, and were ready to march aboard the boats. About 2 o'clock the regiment was formed and we marched aboard the "Crescent City" and the "Ella," escorted by a gunboat, or Ram No. 2. We started in the fore part of the night. Abe and I found a place on the lower deck on the top of a wood pile, and it is well we did, for it rained nearly all night.

FEB. 1. Sunday. We went forty miles last night. This is a rainy day. Fortune seems to be against us when we float the Mississippi. Our rations in the bread line since we left Bolivar have been mostly hard-tack with cornmeal. We occasionally draw flour. The hard crackers we draw are better now than they have been before. The boats have moved very slowly against the current today. We arrived at Providence the middle of the afternoon, landed above the town, and went ashore. Our company and company F surrounded the town but caught no one. Capt. Wheeler and three or four of us entered the Post Office and searched it. We found a few letters and papers. We broke open the ballot box which was full of tickets voted for Jeff Davis. Abe and I each got us a set of chess men. I got a six-inch drafting rule, also some pamphlets giving the object and description of the K. G. C., or Knights of the Golden Circle. Providence, before the war, must have been a beautiful town, but now it is almost deserted. A few women and children were standing in the doors, nearly scared to death. They scarcely knew what to expect from the long dreaded Yankees. The Post Office is a large brick building, in the back part of which was the equipment of the Sons of Malta. We caught no guerillas. We threw out our pickets and slept upon the boat, Abe and I upon the hurricane deck, as our wood pile was burned up. It was quite cool for this country, one might say cold. We lay in the boat until the middle of the afternoon. A detail from the brigade went out mule-back this morning on a scout. When we heard that guerillas were out a few miles in the country, our company and company G were ordered out. Col. Dietzler said there was no use in going farther as there were none there, but the boys wanted a little exercise, so they took us about two miles to a nice plantation, where we killed a lot of chickens. Gus Schultz and I caught eight, I caught five and found some eggs. John Cumbersworth, also of our mess, got a frying pan which we needed very much. One of our boys was thrown from a mule. It commenced raining just as we started back, and before we arrived at camp we were completely soaked through. We were called aboard and dropped off below town where we remained until morning. The night was very cold and the ground was frozen quite solid. This morning there was a detail of nearly half the brigade for fatigue. We were put to work digging away the levees to let the water into Lake Providence, which is one mile back from the river. There was once a channel between the river and lake in high water, but it is dammed up. The lake makes connections with Red River through bayous. Providence is equally divided into three parts, they are separated by the old channel, which forms a common for the town. The town is a little higher than the channel, but lower than the levee. The inhabitants are badly scared and are moving out. It will all be inundated when we get the levee cut through. The engineers say there are four feet and six inches of fall between the surface of the river and the surface of the ground below the levee. We worked until noon, and then another relief came on. The regiment moved down to the boats and camped on the other side of the levee. We got a large barroom stove for our tent. This evening there was a detail sent across the river to a large plantation for Nigs. One hundred and forty were caught and sent to Vicksburg. We saw peach trees in bloom today. We met Gen. McArthur and bodyguard when we were coming out.

FEB. 11. Boggs, Buttons and I went over the river this morning on an old flat log. About 10 o'clock Si Livingston and I had permission to go out and get some chickens. We crossed over on the log, baled out an old canoe, and took a ride up the river two miles and a half, and stopped at a beautiful plantation. We could buy nothing. We then struck back for camp, and stopped on the way at another plantation and got five chickens. The steamer "Louisiana" came around this morning with provisions. Two men from company E knocked down an old Negro and robbed him. It was proven, and Major Peats had them tied up by the hands, with a card on their backs.

FEB. 12. The two men were tied all day. We played ball.

FEB. 13. We played ball again today. It rained last night. Three men of company G were tied up today for running the pickets.

FEB. 14. We were ordered back to Providence this morning. Caught a sheep and brought it along. The roads are very muddy. We met Gen. McArthur on the way back. One of our brigade went on the south side of the lake and the other on the opposite side. They are clearing the brush from the bayou that leaves the lake for Tensa and are stopping up others.

FEB. 15. Sunday. We had a big thunderstorm last night. Part of McClernand's forces came up on the transports this afternoon. The supposition is that all are coming up.

FEB. 16. I was on guard , all day and was not called out. It was rainy this morning.

FEB. 17. Rain all last night and all day today. There has been no work done on the ditch since we came back, on account of the rain. The river is falling fast. A large wharf boat went down at noon.

FEB. 18. Cloudy this morning, though not raining. The ground is covered with water and mud. The old wooden gunboat "Tyler" is lying here at anchor.

FEB. 19. Tuesday. Warm and pleasant. Mud drying up very fast. Work on the ditch was continued today by four hundred Nigs. We draw rations for twelve hundred Negroes, wenches, children and all. The women and children will be sent into the cotton fields to work. Men are detailed to oversee them.

FEB. 20. Wednesday. Beautiful day. We played ball.

FEB. 22. Friday. On guard. Stood picket in a large cotton field which contains five or six hundred acres of cotton, unpicked. I went back to the cane brake and got a fish pole. The guard of our forage train came in contact with some cavalry in the vicinity of Old River and routed them. In the course of the proceedings a Negro teamster hopped off his horse, drew a revolver and shot a Reb who had just shot one of our Captains, and took two prisoners.

FEB. 23. We were relieved early. The day was fine. A fleet of ten boats landed here this morning, having on board Logan's division. They landed and marched back about three miles and camped on the bank of the lake. John A. Logan looks fine. Colonel Stevenson looks the same as ever. It is rumored that he is trying to get us back into his brigade. A year ago today George and I explored the caves under the bluff below the dam, and one year ago tomorrow we left the dam. Played ball this afternoon. There are about four hundred Negroes at work on the levee.

FEB. 24. Played ball this forenoon and in the afternoon were detailed to extinguish a fire which destroyed the best part of town. The Post Office, one of the best buildings, was burned. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. Gen. Logan's address to his troops was read to us. Grant and McPherson were both here today. It is rumored that the "Star of the West" has been captured.

FEB. 25. Our division was inspected today by Major Strong, Inspector-General. Ours was the first regiment inspected. We had a thunder shower in the afternoon and an awful one last night and this morning. Our tent leaked like a sieve. The river is rising very fast. The bank is being leveled to keep the water out of the canal. We had dress parade this evening.

FEB. 28. We mustered and had regiment inspection this afternoon. Major Peats of Co. K complimented the troops quite highly on their clean guns. The ground is drying off fast. The river is still rising. There is much sickness, and about two burials take place every day. The "Rocket" came up tonight, bringing Gen. McPherson. I heard an adjutant-general say that the Rebs had sunk the "Indianola."

MARCH 1. We had company inspection at 12 o'clock and dress parade at 5 o'clock. We then drew clothing, which was needed very much. I drew three pair of socks and one pair of trousers.

MARCH 2. On picket in the cotton field today until about 3 o'clock, when Capt. Wheeler, officer of the day, came around and relieved us. They have the steam tug on the lake bank nearly ready to launch.

MARCH 3. We had a short game of ball this morning, but Buttons got mad and broke it up. Negroes are coming in very fast. We had dress parade at 5 o'clock, after which a game of ball. To close the scene Bill Lowe and Ragan had a fight. The river has risen over two inches a day.

MARCH 4. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. Orders were read for regimental drill of one hour each forenoon and afternoon.

MARCH 5. We received the news of the Conscription Act. It passed both Houses and became a law. It receives the general approval of the soldiers. Peats drilled us from 10 to 11 o'clock this forenoon, and from 2 until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock. There was an order read from Major Peats awarding a medal, worth not less than fifty dollars, to the best drilled in the manual, and the most prompt in the discharge of duty. He gives until the 1st of May. A dredge passed here today. Some of our boys found four hundred bales of cotton, a large pile of corn, and about two tons of meat hidden in cane brake and swamps.

MARCH 6. Friday. The gunboat "Tyler" came up last night and is lying here this morning. I helped make out muster rolls today.

MARCH 7. We had a heavy rainstorm last night. I finished making out the muster rolls for January and February.

MARCH 8. Sunday. We had a warm and sultry day which ended in a thunder and hail storm. We had dress parade at 4 o'clock.

MARCH 9. Helped get out the morning report book in the forenoon. At noon the company formed and we marched up town and received our pay. Mine was nineteen dollars. Cold and windy today. At about 2 o'clock heavy cannonading was heard on the other side of the river in the direction of Yazoo City. It was continued until after dark, and in the night it started again and continued for some time.

MARCH 10. Cold, rainy and disagreeable. We paid old Sampson off and let him go. We still have our house and cook in it, and are living very well at present. We draw crackers two-fifths of the time, and flour the remainder. We use cistern water altogether. The spirits of the troops are higher than they have been in six months. If old Abe would only call back a portion of the first volunteers they could soon annihilate the enemy.

MARCH 12. Bright and pleasant. About one hundred and twenty-five Nigs were set to work this morning to open the old levee and let the water in. We were ordered out of our house this morning. Had dress parade at 4 o'clock. The sentences of F, Co. A and W, Co. C, were read. The charges were attempted desertion. The sentence was the forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and to be confined in the military prison at Alton, Ill., with a ball attached to the leg by a chain four feet long, to serve out the remainder of the time of their enlistment, and at the end of the three years to have "D" branded on their right hips, their heads shaved, and to be drummed out of service. Some letters were read from the parents of the boys, counselling them to desert.

MARCH 13. Clear and pleasant. I made out the quarterly returns. For some reason they have suspended work on the cut.

MARCH 14. Bright and clear. Drill forenoon and afternoon. Dress parade in the evening, the same as yesterday. We had a game of baseball in the evening. I worked all day on the pay rolls.

MARCH 15. Warm and rainy. I arose before roll call and took a walk down to the levee. Vegetation is starting rapidly. Peach trees are just in bloom, and some are leaved out. Logan's division came down and embarked on transports during the day.

MARCH 16. The long expected opening in the levee was made this evening, amid the shouts and cheers of the two divisions. The water was let through in two places, each about two feet wide. The heavy clay banks melted away rapidly. Along in the night we heard heavy cannonading.

MARCH 17. Hot and sultry. I got up at reveille and went down to see how the cut prospered, and found the water rushing through, a perfect torrent. The channel had washed out about one hundred feet and is still washing. If it does not succeed, it will not be for want of water. Captain Bush went through in a yawl this morning. It was a dangerous experiment, but he came out all right. In the course of the day some of Co. A went through with the same result. Some of the boys disturbed the bricks in one of the vaults in the cemetery and exposed a cast iron coffin, hermetically sealed. The lid was moved and the head and shoulders of a man who had been dead for eighteen years were visible through the glass. It is a shame the way this cemetery has been used. The Nigs are at work putting up a temporary levee between camp and the ditch, as some of the town is being overflowed. The 11th Ill. and 14th Wis. of our division went up the river a few miles and we hear they had a fight. Logan's division started up this morning.

MARCH 18. The cut has washed about one hundred feet since yesterday. The water in the ditch is rising fast.

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