ivers being already on the start, after
pitching their tents and again striking, we passed up the hill again, on
the top of which, countermanded again, unhitched and left the horses at
the bottom. Laid down at 1 A. M.

Oxford, Monday, Dec. 22. Awakened by Sergeant Hamilton, while the stars
were yet bright, with orders to feed. I, unsatisfied with the short
sleep, again laid down till daylight, until the orders to water aroused
me. Hitched up, drank a cup of coffee, ate hard bread. The blankets were
ordered off the guns and put in the wagon. Expectations of a fight
somewhere, but I know not where. The troops were moving out all night.

Evening. At 9 A. M. the troops that had been called out in the night
returned to their old camp with the intelligence that it was a false
alarm of the enemy advancing upon Oxford. 12 M. we unhitched,
unharnessed and pitched our tents.

Enroute, Tuesday, Dec. 23. Struck our tents and took up the line of
march northwards at 8 A. M. Followed the same road as that which we came
in on, passed through Abbeville at noon, recrossed the Tallahatchie at
night, coming into camp on the same ground as on the 2nd inst. To-day we
passed the 23rd Wisconsin Regiment, many of the boys met old
acquaintances; reported occupation of Jackson, Tenn., by the enemy.

Lumpkin's Mill, Wednesday, Dec. 24. A day of fasting to Quinby's
Division, the rations having run out yesterday and none having arrived.
I ate parched corn and drank coffee. Marched to Lumpkin's Mill, went
into camp 1 P. M. Drew rations in the evening. A heifer found.

[Sidenote: 1862 Christmas]

Lumpkin's Mill, Thursday, Dec. 25. Christmas! Christmas! resounded
through the camp this morning; everyone turning the gay reminiscence of
the past in their minds and hoping again to enjoy. Laid quiet during the
day. Ate a Christmas dinner of dumplings and unleavened bread. The
howitzers ordered to prepare to march, going in charge of a provision
train to Memphis. Troubled with bad cold.

Tallaloosa, Miss., Friday, Dec. 26. Aroused early to prepare to march.
High wind, appearance of a storm. We were hitched up with the rest of
the Battery by 7 A. M., when it began to rain heavy. The howitzers,
under charge of Lieutenant Clark, with two Parrott guns of the
Regulars, two howitzers of the 11th Ohio, started out with four teams on
the guns, two on the limbers of the caissons, the hind wheels having
been sent to Holly Springs the night before. We