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

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1863-11-10 -- 1863-11-11

Tuesday 10.  Yesterday we stopped at the city of Providence which is now entirely deserted by the white people  It appears to have been a nice town of perhaps 70 houses and 300 inhabitants.  Near this place is the celebrated lake, of the same name, through which General Grant attempted to cut a canal by which means he could avoid the rebel batteries at Vicksburg, and operate in the rear of this stronghold, but it failed.  Saw some black soldiers at Goodrich’s Landing, they look well enough and their officers speak highly of them, but complain that there is a great amount of sickness prevailing among them.  I saw my friend R. H. McCampbell who is orderly sergeant in Captain Lt. Claire’s Company of the 1st Arkansas Colored Inf.  Our boat went slowly but steadily, it is firmly built.  The eating on this boat is not first rate in Kind but it is in price, a meal costs fifty cents.  

Wednesday 11.  I remained in bed most of the day, felt quite unwell, having caught a severe cold which has effected my lungs, so much that I can hardly talk.  Nothing of interest is occurring on our journey.  The common routine of steamboat travel is observed on board.

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Tuesday 10. Yesterday we stopped at the city of Providence which is now entirely deserted by the white people It appears to have been a nice town of perhaps 70 houses and 300 inhabitants. Near this place is the celebrated lake, of the same name, through which General Grant attempted to cut a canal by which means he could avoid the rebel batteries at Vicksburg, and operate in the rear of this stronghold, but it failed. Saw some black soldiers at Goodrich’s Landing, they look well enough and their officers speak highly of them, but complain that there is a great amount of sickness prevailing among them. I saw my friend R. H. McCampbell who is orderly sergeant in Captain Lt. Claire’s Company of the 1st Arkansas Colored Inf. Our boat went slowly but steadily, it is firmly built. The eating on this boat is not first rate in Kind but it is in price, a meal costs fifty cents. Wednesday 11. I remained in bed most of the day, felt quite unwell, having caught a severe cold which has effected my lungs, so much that I can hardly talk. Nothing of interest is occurring on our journey. The common routine of steamboat travel is observed on board.