1862 April 11

[from the diary of Daniel Logan, younger brother of General Thomas M. Logan, and a Sgt., Co. B, 1st Special Battalion (Rightor's), Louisiana Infantry]


Friday – April 11th 1862
Rose at ten this morning – but felt so sick
had to take to bed again – the Dr says I am
threatened with Pneumonia – which together with
the Morphine taken last night made me feel horribly
but for Capt Cohen’s & Lieut Lyon’s Kindness, I do not
Know what I would do – fortunately for me the
Enemy are very quiet today – very little firing on
the line – Abt four p.m. heard a brisk Cannonade
towards Yorktown – Wrote a letter today to father –
Our company & Capt Rawles were relieved
this morning by two Companies of Col
Williams 3rd SoCa regt – just arrived
from the Army of the Potomac – Our
boys have spent seven 7 six nights nights and 6 days
in the trenches – three nights and days it
rained all the time & was cold – we were
hf [half] the time without rations, & had old
pieces of tent flys to protect us from the
rain; spreading them over stumps

& forked sticks a few feet high – these are
the most disagreeable days we have had
since we left home – two days & nights
exposure to the wet & rain, without
sufficient clothing & no overcoat, is the
Cause of my present sickness, some ten others
are likewise laid up by it. Our Companies
are now in the woods abt 200 yards
from our trenches, crowded in tents borrowed
from other regiments - & in Comparative Comfort –
We can distinctly hear the drums of the
Enemy in the woods beyond our lines, -
Our cannon opened on a squad of
Infantry seen this morning in the
Edge of the woods beyond the field –
Cash’s, William’s, & Jone’s reg’ts SoCa Vols
have arrived from Manassas – Met Mr
Marshall today from the Newberry Co
now in our trenches – Eggleston tells me today
of an incident in the skirmishing of York town

One of the Enemies & one of our men came
from their places of protection & ran to meet each
other in the open field – both making for
a hill – when within 300 yards of each
other our pickett haulted & taking aim
killed his antagonist - & runing up dismantled
him of everything he could bring back. Under
fire of the whole line of the Enemies pickets –
all of whom, as well as our own men,
saw the whole affair – Our man got back
uninjured amid the cheers of his friends –
Both were armed with Maynard Rifles –
No letters from N.O. for an age – Heard today
that the Morton fleet were inside the bar at the
Balise. Nothing new from Beauregard –
Had to take to bed again at seven o’c
feeling badly – The term of the Enlistment
of the Cadets expires today –

[Col. James Henderson Williams]
[La Balize-transl.=Seamark (now Pilottown)at the mouth of the Mississippi River, Plaquemines Parish.]

[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 6154