12 20 1862 [Saturday]
The Regiment left Kingston, Tenn. early in the morning and at night occupied “our old quarters at Lenoirs”.
12 21 1862 [Sunday]
This morning we were ordered to cook two days rations. The day was spent in cooking, fitting out for the trip South
12 22 1862 [Monday]
We took to our cars about ten o’clock this morning, had a pleasant ride through “Old East Tennessee.” At dusk we rolled up to Dalton, Georgia and were told to sleep in, on, and about the cars. We scattered about and did the best we could.
12 23 1862 [Tuesday]
We cooked rations to do us two days.
We (59th Tenn.) were stopped at Dalton, Ga. to wait for supplies to come up.
12 24 1862 [Wednesday]
We left Dalton at six o’clock and traveled to Atlanta, Ga., reaching there a little before sunset. About dark we left
Atlanta and arrived at West Point, Georgia about three o’clock Christmas morning.
From Atlanta to Montgomery we pass through some fine country, fine houses. Generally level between Montgomery and West Point.
12 25 1862 [Thursday]
The Colonel treated the boys and some of them got a little too much. Some of them got pretty tight and were quite funny all day. We left West Point about twelve o’clock and arrived at Montgomery, Alabama, about eleven at night. There we had to change cars. As soon as we stopped, the teamsters drove up in their drays and we soon had our baggage all packed and ready for the move. We marched across town to the Mobile road and after loading remained there till morning.
While at Montgomery, Alabama enroute to Jackson, Miss., Pvt. Bejhamin C. Giddents, Co. G, 3rd Tenn. Infantry penned these words to his wife:
“I am ankcious [sic] to get away from this place for I never saw so
many Strumpets and their audacity and vulgarity is beyond all
reason. I think that my company has not spent less than 200
hundred dollars after the nasty whores. Some of our company that I
thought were decent strange to say have turned from the path of
virtue now lost to all that is virtours and good. Just now while I am writing,
received an invitation from an officer to go to one of these houses of ill
fame. There was two strumpets in camp today in their fine carriage and
dressed in their silk. She invited the whole company to come to her house
to night. I thought to myself that she was bad off.”
12 26 1862 [Friday]
We started for Mobile. We traveled all day and all night.
After crossing the Alabama river the best farms I saw in Georgia or Alabama is after you leave Montgomery. You pass some beautiful little towns. From West Point to Tennsaw River is a dense swampy country. The cypress trees grow in abundance.
12 27 1862 [Saturday]
The Tennsaw River is perhaps one mile wide, seems deep and eddy. We went on board a steam boat about dusk, was quite cool, slept some, got up, saw lights ahead. Saw stakes or a row of piles set up in the river to show navigators the proper channel. Passed a battery in the river which now becomes a bay. Some several war vessels, rams, many steamer boats and transports of every form and size.
At daylight we came to Tensaw wharf [twenty-five miles above Mobile] and took the boat, leaving this point about twelve o’clock. About an hour by sun we arrived at Mobile. All were interested upon our arrival to see such a number of boats, forts, blockades, etc.
Landed on the wharf, put our baggage on wagons and hauled to the end of the railroad. We built fires and laid down to sleep. Before arrived here I and several others was invited to a place for supper, promising us fish, oysters, good coffee, cake, butter, etc. We sat down to eat. Nothing on the table. Commenced calling, got a little perfumed warm water, sweet potatoes, no meat but promise. Got enough of that, paid one dollar and left, never to call again. Next morning some sour oranges, pies, cakes, were being sold by women and children.