1862 April 8

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

Tuesday – April 8th 1862
An awful night! last night – It rained
the whole night long & every man got
wet – we had an alarm at abt
midnight but it was quieted down –
Our pickets on our left fired a good
many shots during the night at the Enemy’s
pickets, or rather at what they thought, were –
Woke up this morning with a worse
headache & sick stomach – we did not
get up till 8 o’c when the rain stopped
for awhile – slight skirmishing on our right
& left this morning – Asked Capt Smith
again to let me join the Companies
[-] battalion on that duty but he
will not let me go! My fine rifle
is thus almost lost. Had a severe
chill at twelve o’c today & hot fever afterwards
Capt Cohen & Lieut Lyons gave me a bed
& the use of their floor & fire tonight
I feel used up – The enemy did not
shoot a gun today – their skirmishers
hauled off also at abt one o’clock –
It rained nearly all day & tonight
is a terrible one, rain & storm, the
Crescents & Co”L” are still in the
trenches – the 10th La has been
relieved by the 11th Ala & are in
comfortable quarters tonight – the
Guards are skirmishing today – Cadets
& the Guards having been relieved by
them – last night. Sgt Bertram
of the Grivots was shot by one
of our pickets last night while
taking the relief guard round –
Killing him dead – he was shot
through the breast. He was one of
the best men in the Co. We hear that the
Enemy has drawn off all along our
line – the Enemy did not
use their artillery in York
town today – A prisoner
was taken today inside our
line – he reports that they
are nearly starved, the
roads being bad that they
Cannot get up their large
Guns, & provisions


[Co. B of 1st La. Bn. known as “Crescent Rifles” or “Crescent City Rifles”]
[Co. A of 1st La. Bn. known as “Louisiana Guards”]
[Co. E of 1st La. Bn. known as “Grivot Guards”]

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

MSS 6154