JULY 16. Thursday. I am on duty again today. The duty is very heavy now as all the troops excepting two divisions have gone to the war. I helped unload ammunition today without any relief and was tired out when night came. They are running a large supply of ammunition back to the rear as rapidly as possible. JULY 17. Friday. Early this morning we moved our camp over about one mile nearer town. We tore down some houses to get boards for our table and to fire up our mess quarters. About 1 or 2 o’clock we were paid again. I received forty-five dollars and fifty-five cents. Frank and I expressed home fifty dollars each. Stafford was around and gave me a Secesh song written in the ditches. JULY 18. Saturday. On duty at Fort Hill carrying gabion baskets. Our old covered way is nearly destroyed. I got some peaches and apples today and we had some pies. I also had an ear of corn, but it was too hard to be good. Couriers came in today with the news that Joe Johnston had cut through our lines and was retreating. We get no late news from the East, and are on the tiptoe of anxiety. I wish Grant was on the Virginia side of that river for a short campaign. Papers on the 11th are here but no news only that Meade is concentrating. JULY 19. Sunday. Hot and sultry. Had inspection at 10 o’clock. The order has come for granting furloughs, two go from our company--G. Ross and A. J. Van Auken. Got a Free Press but no letters from home. Dress parade this evening. A funny incident took place. One of the poor, half-starved horses that overrun the camp, preceded the band as it led the regiment, just in good kicking distance. We got the New Orleans Sun the evening of the 15th. It has the particulars of the surrender and occupation of Port Hudson with five or six thousand prisoners. JULY 20. Monday. Very hot and sultry. On fatigue, digging a well for headquarters. Got a number of papers which I culled from a cartload of them. Two months ago today the siege of Vicksburg began and was continued through forty-seven long, dreary days, and ended that glorious old day, the 4th of July. JULY 21. Tuesday. Boats came in last night and brought Northern papers of the 14th. No particular news from the East, only Meade concentrating at Hayes. John Morgan is making a raid into Indiana. I hope he will succeed in arousing the people and then get himself captured. No news today from the rear. Jim Chesher came in this morning. JULY 22. Wednesday. The furloughs have come this evening, approved. I send this north to be mailed by D. D. Ross. Our regiment registered two hundred and ninety men at the beginning of the siege. The day of the charge and other days while skirmishing and sharpshooting, our loss, killed and dead from wounds, was fourteen, forty wounded, making an aggregate of fifty-four, over seventeen per cent. The order of the different divisions of Grant’s army besieging Vicksburg from the right to the left, June 28, 1863.