exceeds the demand, while a likely soldier, suitable for the front rank, is valued at the price of a good horse.

25. The work of fortifying goes on; besides a fort on the north bank of the Harpeth, defenses are being constructed on Roper's Knob, an eminence a mile to the northeast.

29. Went beyond the lines in company with six muleteers; captured and brought in four mules; paid twenty-five cents for a dozen eggs for Lieutenant Charles Sinnet.

30. This day was set apart as a day of fasting and prayer, but I am compelled to say it was not much observed. Colonel Wilcox has resigned and returned home. He has few equals as an officer, and his retirement at this time in our history will be seriously felt by our regiment. We had been a long while learning to understand him, but now that we have learned to know him better, we value him more. No one questions his motives in leaving the service, and our best wishes follow him in his retirement.

MAY, 1863.

1. Our cavalry engaged the enemy at daylight some distance to the south. General Gilbert went out at two o'clock in the morning with a number of regiments, but returned before noon, having killed seven of the enemy and captured forty-three prisoners.

2. Sunday. Went out with a company of teamsters toward Nashville to hunt mules and recreate. We captured two mules and had a quarrel amongst ourselves about the ownership of a chicken. Got a good dinner.

5. Have had a number of teams at work hauling lumber for the construction of quarters. We procured the lumber from a seminary in the southern suburbs of town.

Captain Avery, of General Gilbert's staff, caused the arrest of our party for taking the lumber without his permission. After giving us some advice, which we failed to appreciate, he dismissed us.

6. The 113th crossed the Harpeth, and camped south of town. The contrabands at our camp had an old-fashioned dance, and we acted the part of admiring spectators. While in Franklin to-day, I plucked a full-blown rose, and will send it home to my wife.

8. Sergeant M. Hays, John Scureman and Fred Steirs, Company B, having been left at the hospital at Nashville, joined their company to-day.

9. The command recrossed the Harpeth, and occupied the camp from which they moved on the 6th.

10. Attended preaching at Franklin, and listened to the first sermon for five months, and was so much interested that I forgot the text and the name of the preacher.

II. The 33d Indiana has an excellent band, and they discourse splendid music of an evening. One of the few things I would rather hear than a brass band is a dinner bell. That reminds me that we get plenty to eat here, but forage for the animals is scarce.

17. Went beyond the pickets in company with James A. Baker; dined with a farmer east of camp. John F. Riker, Captain of Company E, has resigned, and started home to-day. Dr. Harlow has also resigned.

20. Lieutenant W. R. Hanawalt has been assigned to duty in the Pioneer Brigade. He is a fast friend of mine.

27. The regiment received one month's pay. Thirteen dollars. would not start a respectable faro bank.

28. M.G. Doak and I dined with Mrs. McGavock east of camp. We were treated very hospitably. Buttermilk is a good thing for a stomach that has been regaled with army feed for so long.

29. The Paymaster is here again and disbursed the promises of the United States to the extent of $26 to each enlisted man. The officers get more, but then they have to work for theirs. Having plenty of cash, I went to Franklin and bought two pounds of dried apples for forty cents, preparatory to a swell. Have now been paid $157.50 since enlistment.

30. Went to the Widow McGavock's, and got some pie plant, sweet milk and strawberries. I am favorably impressed with her and shall be her friend while these supplies last.

and we

There are indications of a movement of Rosecrans' army, are expecting an order to move at any time. This will be good news, for we have grown weary of our stay here. an immense amount of fortifying here, and those who come after us will have little to do but enjoy the benefits of our labor.

The troops have done

31. Rode into the country with Doak and Brigham, of the 113th, and Millet, of the 78th Illinois. Millet and I captured a fine young mare, and proposed making her a present to one of our officers. As we drew near to camp the cavalry outposts put us under arrest, and escorted us before Captain Avery, A. A. G. on the staff of General Gilbert.

The Captain was much incensed at us, but listened to our

plea, and finally sent us to our command, and that was the end of it. We will let the officers steal their own horses.

JUNE, 186 3.

1. Orders have been received to be ready to move to-morrow.

2. We marched at 8:30 A. M. struck the Wilson pike in the reached late in the afternoon. of the pike. The roads are soft and part of the train failed to get into camp to-night.

Traveled seven miles, and our route direction of Triune, which, place we Camped on a high ridge on the right

One of our wagons upset in the creek, creating some sulphuric profanity and wetting the equipage badly. We are fourteen miles from Franklin.

5. Took charge of the train of the regiment. Triune is twentythree miles from Nashville.

10. Have just returned from a trip to Nashville for supplies. We brought an immense quantity of grain, pork, flour, clothing, and other army supplies. Quartermaster Swisher issued clothing this evening. Assistant Surgeon T. C. Tipton has resigned and goes home. Captain David Taylor, Jr., has also resigned.

II. Our camp was attacked by the enemy at 10 A. M., and for two hours things went lively. The enemy then withdrew, leaving a number of prisoners in our hands.

15. Things move quietly in camp, but there are indications that our stay here will be brief. The teamsters of the regimental train hired a colored cook to-day. His name is "Dad." He claims to be a preacher, but if he can preach no better than he can cook the cause will certainly suffer. We shall hold Dad as a probationer for a while and see what outcome there is in him.

16. The regiment shifted its position to one further south and more in the shade. The country is overgrown with plenty of rich clover, but I have not seen a single stack of hay in Tennessee. The times are not favorable to hay making. Lieutenant Hamilton has arrived from Ohio and is on duty as regimental adjutant.

22. Five of our teams joined a large supply train and went to Nashville for flour and other supplies. I accompanied them. We reached Nashville at 1 P. M. It is very dusty. I visited some of our sick at Hospital No. 9.

23. Our forces moved in the direction of Murfreesboro.

25. Our train reached Murfreesboro this afternoon. We have had a bad road and a serious time. I find Lieutenant Swisher, A. Q. M., Doak, and a number of convalescents stopping here. The regiment, with the main army, has gone on toward Shelbyville. Still it rains. 26. The train which brought flour from Nashville was unloaded here, and, after reloading with commissary supplies, again moved, going to the front. Quartermaster Swisher and I went to Murfreesboro and got a good dinner at a hotel. Such meals as we ate would soon bring a hotel to bankruptcy.

28. Sunday. Colonel Mitchell is in Murfreesboro and is suffering with something like varioloid. Some prisoners were brought in from the front to-day.

29. We are preparing to join the regiment. The regimental wagon and the portable bakery, both having been abandoned between here and Triune, were brought in to-day. It rains.

30. Left Murfreesboro at 7 A. M., joining the regiment at Shelbyville at sundown.

ters.

On my way, and when within six miles of Shelbyville, I stopped at a house for dinner. The lady told me that I was now in the house where Vallandigham first stopped after being put through the lines of our army, the house at that time being General Bragg's HeadquarThe great Val. tarried here until a carriage could be sent from Shelbyville to convey him thither. As he approached the town, the road was thronged by rebel troops, who called on him for a speech. One of General Bragg's staff officers, who had been a fellow congressman with Val., spoke to the soldiers, excusing the martyr (?) from speaking, and saying that the peculiar circumstances under which their distinguished visitor was placed made silence the better policy. The soldiers then asked that they might get sight of him, and Mr. Vallandigham, to gratify them, stood on the carriage steps. It has rained every day for a week, and the men have suffered much discomfort in consequence.

For a record of events since the regiment left Triune, I make the following extracts from the diary of Comrade Isaac Green:

"June 25. We received marching orders on the morning of the 23d, and since then we have been marching through dust, rain and mud in unlimited quantities. Our march was in a southeasterly direction for a distance of twelve miles. Camped in a cornfield, where we find plenty of company, the forces at Triune having marched by different routes aud centered here. Yesterday the bugle call to

fall in sounded directly after dinner, and in the midst of a heavy rain and plenty of mud, we moved in the direction of Shelbyville.

"The 113th was on duty as train guards, and as a consequence, we made progress slowly; but it was fully as tiresome as steady marching, for the roads had been so used up by the forces which had passed that our animals could move their loads with difficulty. Night came on, and still we trudged on through rain, darkness and mud, five miles further, where we came to our camp. The closing act of the trip was to wade into a mud hole and assist in lifting an ambulance in which Colonel Mitchell was riding. It was now past midnight, and it was next to impossible, under the circumstances, to find comfortable shelter for the rest of the night. I spread my blanket on the ground and stretched my weary limbs thereon; but a torrent of rain soon roused me, and, seeking a friendly tree, I propped myself against it in a half comfortable way, and, throwing my blanket over my head, I half slept the weary time away. At four o'clock this morning we were roused up and again trudged on in a soaking rain. We at length reached the pike, where we halted and constructed shelters of rails. It ceased raining about noon.

"The sun is sinking in the west; we are in line anticipating an attack. A large cavalry force and some artillery are feeling for the enemy in our front. Every few seconds I can hear the boom of cannon in our front at no great distance.

"June 26. We have not moved ahead to-day, as many expected. We have been sheltering ourselves from the rainy torrent by putting rails and blankets up in shape to turn the water. Last night a mounted soldier rode into camp at one o'clock, and shouted, 'Fall out, fall out.' We were soon out, but the regimental commander soon sent us to our bunks again. At three o'clock we were again called out, but after standing to arms a short time we again lay down

to rest.

"June 30. We are now at Shelbyville. On the 27th, last Saturday, we received marching orders to move toward this place, a distance of seven miles. Our force of cavalry drove the enemy in our front the whole distance, and at such a rate as to prevent our infantry from getting a shot at them.

"It is said that the cavalry and artillery drove them out of the town before seven o'clock. They brought back three cannons and more than five hundred prisoners.

"On the 28th, Sunday, a force was sent back to where we had our camp the day before, reaching there before sundown. The next day we thought we would certainly go back to Murfreesboro, but instead of doing so, we marched toward Shelbyville again; we marched about eleven miles through a hard rain, and then camped. This morning we moved on four miles further, and are now in sight of the town.

"From here to Murfreesboro is twenty-seven miles, and from here to our camp of yesterday morning is eighteen miles. Can any one wonder that I and others have sore feet?