c. 1. Awoke to find it a muddy morning, it
having rained very hard in the night, blowing the fifth tent to the
ground. Our tent leaked considerably. Laid quiet all day. No firing
heard. Evie went foraging, gone nearly all day. In the evening ordered
to have two days' rations ready to march at sunrise.

Enroute, Tuesday, Dec. 2. Advanced about five miles, starting at about 8
o'clock, marched south, leaving Waterford on our left. Halted some three
hours on the road, it raining continually. We were passed by General
Hamilton and staff, also General Grant and suite. Came into camp at 4 P.
M. some three miles from the Tallahatchie in open field near large
mansion used as Quinby's headquarters. Stretched our tarpaulin and slept
sound.

Enroute, Wednesday, Dec. 3. A sunny and bright day, dried up the mud and
made things cheerful. Hitched up at 8 A. M., stayed harnessed until 3 P.
M. We then moved out to the river and went to camp in sight of the
rebels' fortifications. Some of the boys crossed the river while
watering [horses]. Pitched our tents.

Enroute, Thursday, Dec. 4. We remained quiet all day. Rained in the
evening. Pitched Quartermaster's tent. Felt symptoms of the ague, felt
rather bad.

[Sidenote: 1862 Taking Prisoners]

Enroute, Friday, Dec. 5. Took up the line of march through mud and rain
early. In the morning the rain that was continually falling made the
road almost unpassable for the artillery. Crossed the Tallahatchie with
difficulty, passed fortifications which might have given us much trouble
to pass had they been held by their builders. Met thirty prisoners.
Halted at Abbeville about two hours at noon, then pushed on. Night
overtook the train while crossing a lagoon [Herrington's Creek], which
was very difficult. Stood in the road till 8 P. M., when finding it
impossible to cross, we came into park on the roadside in an old
cornfield, slept on the tarpaulin, no shelter.

Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Dec. 6. Awoke with an unpleasant feeling, a
racking pain in back and head. Started out early, the road having frozen
hard enough to bear footmen, marched without much difficulty. Reached
Oxford by noon. Neat place, two-thirds the size of Holly Springs;
compared favorably with it in building but not in situation. Went into
camp on the southern limits, saw some 700 prisoners marched in from the
advance. Price still ahead. One darky reported him almost to hell.

Oxford, Sunday, Dec. 7. Nothing new.