MARCH 31. Tuesday. Frank, Newt, Jim Sweeny and I comprise our newly established household, and we were busy until afternoon raising and settling our tent, and building our bunks. We went out foraging last night and made a raise of boards enough to put up our tent, build our bunks, etc. This afternoon the little tug came out of the lake into the river. We are having very cold weather for the place and time of the year. We hear that Gen. McArthur has acquitted the 17th Ill. of the raid. One year ago tonight the 12th Ind. was camped at Bristo Station, and I made my unsuccessful search for Uncle Lebbeus. APRIL 1. Wednesday. Last night was cold and frosty. A boat came in with a load of deserters. There were quite a number for the 17th, but none for company K. About the middle of the forenoon a steamer passed up, towing an iron clad. She must have been disabled at Yazoo or at Vicksburg. APRIL 2. At 11 o’clock last night an orderly call sounded and we received the orders to cook two days’ rations, and be ready at 7 o’clock, to board the transport for a foraging expedition. The morning was cool and pleasant. At the appointed time we boarded the steamer “David Tatum” and proceeded slowly up the river. On the way we saw where the levee had been cut in a number of places, the water was rushing through rapidly. All the country back was flooded. We stopped and took a couple of Negroes and a fine yawl. We arrived at our destination about 4 P. M. It was sixty-five miles above Providence Lake. The object was to secure a barge of hay which had been wrecked and partly sunk the night of the storm. There were six companies of us, and we were divided into reliefs of two companies each, and set to loading the hay. APRIL 3. We succeeded in getting the boat loaded by 3 P. M., then we started down and landed fifteen miles below and killed a lot of hogs and took a large, beautiful, ten oared boat. It was the nicest thing of the kind I had ever seen. Frank and Doty took some books and got themselves into trouble. We backed off and started down about dusk. Peats had four or five men tied up. We met a fleet of thirteen boats just after starting. After dark there was a light waved on shore as a signal to come to, but the Captain thought it might be a decoy so we steered on down and arrived at our camp about 11 o’clock. APRIL 4. The paymaster is here and we sign the pay rolls this afternoon for four months’ pay. Hospital boats are going below and there is every indication of an approaching engagement. APRIL 5. Was detailed and worked all afternoon unloading commissaries from the “Woodsides” to the “City of Madison,” a commissary boat of the post. A gunboat went down the river this afternoon. APRIL 6. Monday. Today is a great day for the 17th, as it is the anniversary of the battle of Shiloh. We moved back to the cotton field this morning, it being much higher and a better camping ground. It took most of the day to move, raise our tents and settle.