1862 April 7

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

Monday – April 7th 1862
We opened the ball this morning by firing
shells into the Enemys skirmishers on
the Creek, also shooting at their horsemen
as they appeared on the edge of the
woods near their battery, or where they
fired from yesterday – they have not
shot but once today – sending a shell
among our skirmishers, on this side the
Creek – from a gun battery on the hills to
the right of their former position – We re
-plied from our Parot gun in Cosinghams
battery – The enemy have not shot at us
since – During the day we sent some
14 shots & shell among their skirmishers, &
horseman – The skirmishers on our right &
left Kept it up pretty lively today – shooting at
each other until dark across the creek &
in the woods beyond the mill dam –
None of our men hurt today – the boys
have taken more care of themselves
taking advantage of the trees & some
dug pits near the creek – We had
a terrible time of it today in the
trenches – cold & damp – with a steady
disagreeable rain from two o’clock –
no tents, having sent them to
Lebanon church – we had to put
up with flys & pines of canvass
to cover us from the rain. It is in-
-tensely cold – some of my mess lay
together tonight – spoon – fashion! the
rain dripping through on our blankets –
retire at 8 o’c with the prospect of
a hard cold night – Charley Aby
joined us today – making sixty men
in the trenches for the Crescents [?] – out of 70
7 absent sick & 3 sick at Sprattleys – I [Spratley’s Farm]
went over to the battery today & had some
of the balls from the “air gun” to rain over me


[transcription by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards; annotation by Robert K. Krick]

MSS 6154