Willis B Keith Diary
Sunday - January 1, 1865
Left Columbia, Tennessee with the pontoon train - marched 12 miles and went in to camp at 5 o'clock. Marched the green mules and teamsters - had a rough time to get it in to camp.
Monday
Left Camp at day light - the roads very rough and hard but melted before night and was very mudy. Marched through Tuloski, Tennessee at 4:00 - marched 12 miles
Tuesday
Left camp at day light and marched 15 miles to Elkton, Tennessee. Got in to camp at 4 o'clock. Drawed rations in evening. Rained a little - the first detachment had the pontoons laid down.
Wednesday
Laid in camp ______ of all day - rained at night. Plenty of citizens came in to camp.
Thursday
In camp all day. Nothing transpired worthy of note.
Friday
Still in camp - went over in town and got my diner for 50 cents. Cheap as dirt ain't it.
Saturday
Still in camp. Tree fell on a Head Quarter mule and killed it. Dress parade at 4 o'clock.
Sunday - January 8, 1865
In camp - very butifull morning. I took a ride on Capt. Garmon's horse - went out in the country 5 miles and got my diner at a house who never saw a yankee before.
Monday
Regt. still in camp. Drawed rations in the evening. Went over the river and got my diner.
Tuesday
Long roll beat at 12 o'clock to see how long it toock the conscripts to get in line. Some came out in their shirt tail and some with out any clothes at all.
Wednesday
Left camp at daylight for Huntsville, Alabama. Marched 7 miles and went in to camp at dark - very muddy roads and hard to travell.
Thursday- January 12, 1865
Left camp at day light - marched all day and went in to camp at dark - marched all 9 miles.
Friday
Left camp at day light and arrived within 2 miles of Huntsville and went in to camp at 4 o'clock.
Saturday
Laid in camp all day received our mail the first we received since we left Nashville over a month ago.
Sunday - January 15, 1865
In camp. Rev P.P. Cooney had church. Evry man must go - went down town with Orderly Sergt Kelly of Co. I and had a good time.
Monday
Orders came to build winter quarters. A heavy detail made to chop wood for the houses.
Tuesday
Still working on them - getting along very fine.
Wednesday
Very nice morning - my log shanty pretty well done building it. 8 by 6.
Thursday
Comenced working on my shanty at 8 o'clock and got the puffs on by 4 o'clock a.m.
Friday
Finished my house and moved in - a good fire place and very comfortable.
Saturday
Had company drill in forenoon and battallion drill in afternoon.
Sunday - January 22, 1865
Church at 8 o'clock - Dress parade at 4 o'clock
Monday
Drill all day. Company in forenoon and battalion drill in afternoon
Tuesday
Rained most all day - no drill - went to town for coureasity and I got satisfied
Wednesday - January 25, 1865
Drawed clothing and rations in afternoon. Raining
Thursday
Clear and cold. Evry body in his shanty for comfort.
Friday
Clear and very nice morning - had drill in forenoon. Drawed more clothing.
Saturday
Clear and cold - ditched our tents and swept up camp. Drilled in afternoon.
Sunday - January 29, 1865
Very nice day - had church at 8 o'clock by Rev P.P. Cooney.
Monday
Clear and nice - received 200 more conscripts. Our company got 19. Our company 85 present and absent.
Tuesday
3rd Division of our corps in moving for East part of Mississippi - pased through our camp.
Wednesday - February 1, 1865
Had drill all day. Very nice and warm day for ducks.
Thursday
Received a letter from M. K and E.R.Y. and answered them.
Friday
Very nice day. Our Sutler opened out to see what he has got.
Saturday
Had drill in forenoon and dress parade in afternoon. Received a letter from E.R.Y. and H.C. and M.K. Big mail came in for once.
Sunday - February 5, 1865
Rained and snowed all. Church at 8 o'clock
Monday
Clear and cold but rained and snowd at night - most off the regiment got drunk and plaid several low life tricks.
Tuesday - February 7, 1865
Snowd all night - Thawed some in forenoon. I received 2 letters from home. Company's A, E, I, and K returned from Easton.
Wednesday
Went to town - had a good time. Rote letter to T.F. All the officers drunk in the sutler tent to night.
Thursday
Colonel B.F. Mullen left for home this forenoon. No Ale aloud to be sold in camp today. 4 of the officers under arrest for drunkedness.
Friday
Company drill in forenoon and Battalion drill in afternoon. Darned mudy.
Saturday
Company drill in forenoon and dress parade in afternoon. Drawed clothing. Rote 3 letters home to friends.
Sunday - February 12, 1865
All quiet in camp. Nothing going on to atract any notice.
Monday
Very cold in morning. Went to town with Sergt. Kelly - had good time - rained coming home. Yours trruly.
Tuesday
Cold and wet drill in afternoon
Wednesday
Drill all day - coat weather.
Thursday
Company drill in forenoon and batalion drill in afternoon. Genl Stanley in camp. John & James got drunk.
Friday
Drill in forenoon - wind blowd so hard we couldn't drill in afternoon. Blowd some of the hair off of Majors head. Charleston was evacuated and the old flag raised over Fort Sumpter.
Saturday
In camp all day - very warm and nice day.
Sunday - February 19, 1865
Very butiful day. I went out in country and got my diner. Received a letter from home.
More diary entries coming soon.