DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | George C. Burmeister diary, 1863

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1863-10-29

Thursday 29.  I do not know what the weather or any other thing or person did today since I write this some time after today.  Yes, I do too, we received an oven today which is to do the baking for our regiment.  It is in the hands of our sutler, placed there by our Colonel.  I believe the arrangement is to have the sutler do the baking for the regiment, by having men detailed from the regiment for this purpose.  While the 12th Iowa, has an oven, and does the baking themselves, thus saving about $300.00 per month, our regiment does the baking and the sutler pockets the profits.  This in my opinion is like every thing else that our Colonel does, indicative of his powerful(?) capacity for filling the position he occupies.  I am decidedly opposed to many of his mismanagements yes to all.  I was astonished to hear him say that he did not order the property destroyed, which I left in the old camp.  Censured me for not having left my mess boxes and taken my tents.  He tries to make the line officers bear the blame in every particular while he claims all the credit, if anything is done by them deserving of praise.  He is a strange commander, in my opinion he is no soldier and never will be.

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Thursday 29. I do not know what the weather or any other thing or person did today since I write this some time after today. Yes, I do too, we received an oven today which is to do the baking for our regiment. It is in the hands of our sutler, placed there by our Colonel. I believe the arrangement is to have the sutler do the baking for the regiment, by having men detailed from the regiment for this purpose. While the 12th Iowa, has an oven, and does the baking themselves, thus saving about $300.00 per month, our regiment does the baking and the sutler pockets the profits. This in my opinion is like every thing else that our Colonel does, indicative of his powerful(?) capacity for filling the position he occupies. I am decidedly opposed to many of his mismanagements yes to all. I was astonished to hear him say that he did not order the property destroyed, which I left in the old camp. Censured me for not having left my mess boxes and taken my tents. He tries to make the line officers bear the blame in every particular while he claims all the credit, if anything is done by them deserving of praise. He is a strange commander, in my opinion he is no soldier and never will be.