earance of rain. The
health in general is not very well, several troubled with ague, etc.,
supposed to be owing to the water which is very bad, being taken out of
an artificial pond. Stood guard. Rained very heavy in the night.

Buntyn Station, Wednesday, Jan 14. This morning, while it was yet dark,
Sergeant Hamilton came to our door, calling upon Evans to harness and
hitch up team. I being on guard, coupled the horses, stood until 8
o'clock, when they were unhitched and unharnessed. Marched from 2
o'clock. Roll call. After [marched] to the headquarters of the 48th
Indiana to be paid off, the boys having two months' pay. I received
none. Raining heavy all day. Five months in the service of Uncle Sam.

[Sidenote: 1863 A Cold Night]

Buntyn Station, Thursday, Jan. 15. The rain of the day before has turned
into snow during the night, and I awoke to find the ground all white, my
head imbedded in a snow drift. Looked out to see the 4th Platoon boys
crawling out from under the snow, their tent having given way under the
weight and rolled aside. It was a little the hardest sight seen during
my campaign, but there was no murmur, all were jovial and contented. We
had to take the horses, who were trembling at the rack, out to exercise
to the race course, against a blinding storm of snow from the west. In
the afternoon it stopped snowing, leaving about a foot deep on the
ground. Many of the boys gone to Memphis.

Buntyn Station, Friday, Jan. 16. Clear though cold morning. S. Beaver,
S. E. Sweet, E. W. Evans, T. J. Hungerford and myself, having a permit
from Captain, started for Memphis at 8 in the morning, going afoot on
the railroad. Travelled briskly until within two miles of town, when we
were halted by a guard, with orders not to pass any officer or private
of Quinby's Division without a pass signed by officer commanding, but
suggested that we had been in the service long enough to know how to
pass a guard. Taking the hint we turned back about fifteen rods, then
going through the snow around a field, passed in to town undisturbed.
Stayed in town some four hours, went to the gallery, had my likeness
taken. Spent money. Returned by the evening roll call better off than
most of the boys, as we were able to walk straight as we had taken no
liquor. Considerable tired nevertheless.

Buntyn Station, Saturday, Jan. 17. Was spent in resting from the tramp
to town. Sunny but raw, did not take much of the snow off. Rebuilt ou