Tweet
Diaries at Augustana College
Rock Island, Ill.
We start in March 1862.
- - - -
18th Tuesday
Reached Savannah at 2 1/2 PM put the sutlers with whisky off at Clifton.
19th Wed.
In camp out a mile from town ... This is a very warm day after thunder storm last night and one sterak of lightning came near striking our tent
20th Thursday
Clearing of the camp ground
- - -
23rd Sunday
We landed about 10 or 12 miles above Savannah on the right side or west side river. have camped to day 2 1/2 miles from river in a field ours & 18 & 13 Iowa Regt. in the Brigade. Cold wind
24th
Fine clear day. had a comp drill .... and Battalion in afternoon and dress parade at 5 PM. Received letters from J.C.A.A.
27th
Nothing of import still in camp - continue the drills ... Sent letter by Col. Rhoades left to day on steamer ... for home to recruit .... Elected him Colonel to day. ...
28th Frid
Missed dress parade yesterday .... buy some baked break so am marked 3 extrad duties on guard for it, served me right .... cut my hair & shave my chin to day
29th
Had a long Battalion drill by "Col. Dick" fine weather
30th Sunday
Very beautiful day had company inspection and I washed my old Red shirt & etc.
31st Monday
Moved out tents this morning. Cloudy to day heard discourse by our chaplain last evening have diarreah to day worse than ever -
April 1st Tuesday
"All Fool Day" a beautiful day afternoon drill went fishing ... on dress parade we had speech from Gen. McClernand
2nd Apr.
Heavy rain last night ...
3rd Thursday
Review of our 1st division (2 Brigade) ... 8th & 18th Ills Regt. & 13th & 11th Iowa - 17th, 29th 30 & 31st Ills Regts by Gen'l McClernand. A beautiful day and all passed off well fine sight 4 batteries art. present Dressers, Schwartzs, McAllisters and Taylors Co. A
4th Friday
Rainy day no drilling. about sundown an alarm given adn called out in line of battle ...
Sat 5th
All quiet to day drill cool ... dress parade this eve Colonel Oglesby left us to day ...
Sunday 6th
this morning we was quietly getting ready for inspt. and the long roll beat and we fell in ... our Regt. was in line of battle and they (the Rebels) was right in front us and we had an awful fight but were finally driven back. We left 4 dead out of our Company. Jo Harbin, John Wallace and James West. T. B. Davis .. many wounded. I escaped unhurt. We contested bravely against the odds ... were driven back ... from our camp ..... I fought after our co. & regt. was entirely broken up with 52nd Ohio & 16th Ohio supporting 5th Ohio battery. we have a tremendous fight. They routed us & we rallied again & again and they drove us back at last and at six oclock all quiet. through the night gunboat Lexington fired once in 30 minutes.
- - - -
I tried to follow it as he wrote it. Typos are likely mine. He wasn't too keen on punctuation and capitlization though.
All for now,
John Pillers
Rock Island, Ill.
We start in March 1862.
- - - -
18th Tuesday
Reached Savannah at 2 1/2 PM put the sutlers with whisky off at Clifton.
19th Wed.
In camp out a mile from town ... This is a very warm day after thunder storm last night and one sterak of lightning came near striking our tent
20th Thursday
Clearing of the camp ground
- - -
23rd Sunday
We landed about 10 or 12 miles above Savannah on the right side or west side river. have camped to day 2 1/2 miles from river in a field ours & 18 & 13 Iowa Regt. in the Brigade. Cold wind
24th
Fine clear day. had a comp drill .... and Battalion in afternoon and dress parade at 5 PM. Received letters from J.C.A.A.
27th
Nothing of import still in camp - continue the drills ... Sent letter by Col. Rhoades left to day on steamer ... for home to recruit .... Elected him Colonel to day. ...
28th Frid
Missed dress parade yesterday .... buy some baked break so am marked 3 extrad duties on guard for it, served me right .... cut my hair & shave my chin to day
29th
Had a long Battalion drill by "Col. Dick" fine weather
30th Sunday
Very beautiful day had company inspection and I washed my old Red shirt & etc.
31st Monday
Moved out tents this morning. Cloudy to day heard discourse by our chaplain last evening have diarreah to day worse than ever -
April 1st Tuesday
"All Fool Day" a beautiful day afternoon drill went fishing ... on dress parade we had speech from Gen. McClernand
2nd Apr.
Heavy rain last night ...
3rd Thursday
Review of our 1st division (2 Brigade) ... 8th & 18th Ills Regt. & 13th & 11th Iowa - 17th, 29th 30 & 31st Ills Regts by Gen'l McClernand. A beautiful day and all passed off well fine sight 4 batteries art. present Dressers, Schwartzs, McAllisters and Taylors Co. A
4th Friday
Rainy day no drilling. about sundown an alarm given adn called out in line of battle ...
Sat 5th
All quiet to day drill cool ... dress parade this eve Colonel Oglesby left us to day ...
Sunday 6th
this morning we was quietly getting ready for inspt. and the long roll beat and we fell in ... our Regt. was in line of battle and they (the Rebels) was right in front us and we had an awful fight but were finally driven back. We left 4 dead out of our Company. Jo Harbin, John Wallace and James West. T. B. Davis .. many wounded. I escaped unhurt. We contested bravely against the odds ... were driven back ... from our camp ..... I fought after our co. & regt. was entirely broken up with 52nd Ohio & 16th Ohio supporting 5th Ohio battery. we have a tremendous fight. They routed us & we rallied again & again and they drove us back at last and at six oclock all quiet. through the night gunboat Lexington fired once in 30 minutes.
- - - -
I tried to follow it as he wrote it. Typos are likely mine. He wasn't too keen on punctuation and capitlization though.
All for now,
John Pillers