March 1 - March comes in like a lion, a cold storm of wind and rain. Camp excessively muddy. Rode to hospital in p.m. About 11 are sick. Had a pleasant supper of corn bread and coffee. Wrote home. Sherman advancing successfully in Mississippi.
March 2 - Our forces serve advancing into the Confederacy from various directions. Gen Smith's cavalry expedition from Corinth, Smith has failed and returned. Letter from Ella. Mother still sick. Went to [Tennessee] river bank and saw Decatur [Alabama] and the rebels. Fair day and mud drying.
March 3 - Fair day and drying mud. Had an industrious feeling and desire to improve the time and my mind. Went to hospital and studied. Talked with a man very low. Supped with the doctor.
March 4 - Windy day. Struck by a question in Chaplain's manual "Have I this day labored to improve my mind?" Must not trifle with news papers and strolling. Felt like a fisher of men as I went about camp. First lilies of the season.
March 5 - From great depression and indolence could hardly brace my mind up to write my sermon but persevered. War K[?] and all feel somewhat depressed. Mails backward.
March 6 - Lovely day. A.m. near our camp a large congregation from 43rd and 63rd regiments and 111th Illinois, mostly [?] 63rd. I preached on fall of man. Quite inspiriting. 2 other chaplains present. P.m. rode 7 miles and preached to Col. H's company.
March 7 - At 4 p.m. our regiment, the 63rd and 111th set out for the mouth of [Little] Limestone Creek [Tennessee]. Some difficulty in crossing the river. Dr. Rose and I slept in an ambulance near the bank.
Do you have May 1864?
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