n detail
for five days in rotation, but it is not hard work that we have to do,
and many hands make light work. 4th Minnesota returned from home on
evening train, relieves 17th Iowa. Too busy to be lonesome.

Huntsville, Saturday, May 7. A warm day but not oppressive. Sent on
detail with Corporal Knapp outside picket lines after poles and brush
to protect horses from the sun. Passed the infantry picket and cavalry
videttes three miles from camp. While out on the hills, in the thicket,
a party of guerrillas fired into our cavalry, wounding a captain about
half a mile from here. Two were taken in citizen's clothes. The
prevailing idea is that they will be shot. I cannot hope so, although it
would be but just retribution for the massacre of Fort Pillow.

[Sidenote: 1864 Negro Religion]

Huntsville, Sunday, May 8. On guard detail again. Would rather it was on
some other day, as I wished to attend meeting. Was orderly of the day,
easier than on post. Had to stay round headquarters during the day.
Grazed horses in the afternoon near a negro meeting, which I attended.
After an earnest discourse from an old gray-haired negro, and a prayer
which would compare favorably with many a white man's, several of the
sisters "got happy", which was truly amusing, and I could but laugh,
although I should not have. Their exercise was composed mostly of
chanting scraps of every hymn they ever heard, in a gay, dancing tune
style, with all jerks and hops for variations. Poor ignorant souls. They
greedily grasp at the most mysterious dogmas, as their judgment and
reasoning faculties have never been developed or cultivated.

Huntsville, Monday, May 9. Went early in quest of mail but did not get
any. Relieved at 8 A. M. Off duty till 12 M. when the assembly sounded
and a detail of forty-two men, two corporals and one sergeant under
Lieutenant Hood were sent to Captain McBride's to work on the fort.
Heavy details were there from all the batteries, cavalry and infantry.
There is much work yet to be done on it. The hill being so rocky, very
tedious work. Worked half the time, the 12th Battery relieving us every
thirty minutes. Forrest reported moving on this place, hence the haste
to complete the works.

Huntsville, Tuesday, May 10. 6 A. M. detail of fifty men to report at
the fort, taking all the men in camp except the guards, leaving the
non-commissioned officers to groom the horses. Marched up through a
heavy rain which continued all