APRIL 11. Saturday. A beautiful day. On regimental guard. Most of the company have gone fishing. We have as easy and fine times now as it is possible for soldiers to have. Foster got the position of Captain in the new regiment. They had a Negro meeting this afternoon. Chink, and a colored man named Frederick Douglas, spoke. APRIL 12. We had a hard rain last night. Our new tents did not stand the storm much better than the old ones. They disappointed us much. Captain Wheeler succeeded in getting B---- an appointment in the 9th La., Chink’s regiment. Some of the boys are quite hurt to think as poor a soldier as he should have the appointment. They went down below on the “Platte Valley” and brought up a large number of Negro recruits. APRIL 13. Rainy and disagreeable. Ross’s division passed below today. They did not land. APRIL 14. Cool and cloudy. I was detailed and went down the river foraging. It was about six miles and the roads were very muddy. About 5 o’clock, Hornby’s division came down direct from Yazoo Pass. The “Lady of Jackson,” the “Duke of Argyle” and other stern wheelers were nearly ruined in that expedition. They were the nicest boats on the river when they left here a month ago. The 48th Ind. was aboard. I hunted up John Metternich and had a long talk with him. APRIL 15. Wednesday. Went down and visited with John this morning, until the fleet backed off and started down. APRIL 16. Gen. McClernand and staff went below today. More troops passed down the river. Some of the troops broke into a sutler’s shop night before last, and there is an investigation going on, so we are not to get our pay until it is settled. Capt. Moore spoke to the regiment tonight on dress parade and offered one hundred dollars to the man furnishing the most evidence of the guilty parties. We have review of the division tomorrow, and brushes and blacking are in great demand tonight The Captain buys it with the company fund and furnishes it to us. APRIL 17. Our brigade was formed at 8:30 A. M. and we marched down about three miles, where we found the other brigades drawn up en mass awaiting us. We were reviewed by McArthur and everything passed off in style. I think we never did better. We returned to camp about 2 o’clock. Capt. Moore (commanding the regiment) told us he would leave a paper with the Captains of the different companies, for those not implicated in the sutler raid to sign. The Negro regiments are filling up fast. Today I saw one on guard for the first time. There was heavy cannonading for about four hours last night, and occasionally today. It is supposed the fleet is trying to run the blockade.