too late. Visited the new font that is
going up, and caught in heavy rain storm before we got back.

Huntsville, Monday, April 18. Rained very heavy all night. Dark heavy
clouds hung over us this morning which slowly dispersed as the day
advanced. Windy in the evening and chilly, uncommon in this country.
18th Wisconsin Infantry broke camp at the public square and came up on
our left. The 17th Iowa relieved them from provost duty. News reached us
of the horrible massacre of our troops at Fort Pillow, heart sickening.
How long will such things last? Preparations were made to turn the
fourth and first pieces over, but we have no horses to draw them.

Huntsville, Tuesday, April 19. Nice day. Very small mail this morning.
Anxiously waiting for my weekly letter from home. Three days behind.
Health is very good except my eyes bother me considerable. I am afraid
they will grow worse with the warm weather. Monthly inspection by
Captains ---- and ---- at 10 A. M. Inspected at our posts, after which
our quarters were examined. Every man was required to stand at attention
by his bunk and salute them as they came. 'Tis hard to pay respects to
unworthy beings, but we must if they have shoulder straps.

Huntsville, Wednesday, April 20. Cogswell's Battery turned their horses
over to us late last evening, and this morning broke camp, and go to
Nashville by rail to-night for the field. I was given a team once more,
a good large span of bays. Two guns, caisson, harness and all equipments
pertaining to them were turned over this afternoon. I drove my team down
with them leaving us but two guns in our park.

I was rendered half crazy all the forenoon by the greatest of plagues,
the toothache in back tooth. Could not lie, or sit, or talk, eat or
drink with it. After dinner Dr. Griswold laid siege to it. After taking
a hitch on it and pulling with all his might, showing me a beautiful
panorama of stars, it came out and bothered me no more. Heavy
cannonading could be heard from 2 to 4 P. M. in the direction of
Decatur.

Huntsville, Thursday, April 21. Awoke this morning with eyes heavily
sealed and jaw from which the tooth was taken swollen to a mouthful.
Felt very well otherwise. Pleasant ride to the spring in the morning.
Returned in time to fall in for policing, a big job, very dusty and wind
blowing. Did not get through till noon. Artillery firing heard this
afternoon, at times very rapidly. Gunboat on Tennessee River it is sa