Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Stanley's Corps - Newton's Division - Wagner's Brigade
Sherman remains in Atlanta, still considering his future plans. He has the army watching the Confederates, and is discussing war strategy with Washington, as well as managing his department that stretches from the Appalachians to the Great Plains, and all the way down to the Gulf Coast.
Hood is now relieved of the need to protect the Andersonville prison camp, as all the prisoners are in the process of being moved further into the interior of the Confederacy. He has moved from Lovejoy Station northwest to Palmetto, GA, and plans to move north and attack Sherman's supply lines with his still mostly intact army.
Sherman is puzzled by his initial move and waits in Atlanta. Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy, has reached Georgia and will consult with Hood about his future plans for the western army.
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John Baer Diary Entries - text in white, comments in blue. - September 20th to September 23rd.
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DIARY ENTRY - Tuesday, September 20th, 1864
Arrived at Macon just at day light and remained until about 9 o’clock A.M. when we again pursued our journey in the direction of Atlanta. The train was very slow and the time passed wearily to men as anxious as we were to get to our lines. Reached Lovejoy station at dusk - as it was very dark and it commenced raining soon after our arrival, we were compelled to remain in the cars all night - a very disagreeable alternative, but one easy to be borne under the circumstances, considering that we were leaving the gates of perdition and going to a better place.
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DIARY ENTRY - Wednesday, September 21st, 1864
Were compelled to march to the point of exchange at Rough and Ready, a distance of about 16 miles this evening, accomplished under an escort of rebel cavalry - but we arrived too late for the train, and we were compelled to bivouac for the night. This was a disappointment, for we expected to get hardtack and coffee, but instead we were compelled to go to bed hungry.
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DIARY ENTRY - Thursday, September 22nd, 1864
Roll call first in order after a repast of fresh air - date of capture taken and everything is ready for exchange. At ten o’clock the Yankee train ran up under a flag of truce and the commissioners met. Roll was again called to see that everything was correct and we were transferred from rebel Gray to Yankee Blue - boarded the train and soon shoved off for Atlanta, where we arrived in due time and were quartered in deserted houses and furnished with hardtack, sowbelly, sugar, coffee, beans, salt, pepper, beef, candles, and soap. What a change from a little rough cornbread of unsifted meal and a small piece of beef, badly cooked, and a little cooked rice or beans without salt or seasoning.
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DIARY ENTRY - Friday, September 23rd, 1864.
After breakfast my mess, minus myself, went to the Sanitary commission and got a lot of onions and cans of milk. The Provost Marshal took our names and corps preparatory to sending us to our regiments. Saw some of the 40th boys, took dinner, and were preparing for supper when we were ordered to fall in to go to our regiments, for which we had a very strong desire. Reported at Corps, Division and Brigade Headquarters, thence to our regiments. After supper, performed the act of cutaneous ablution and were employed to clean clothes being furnished by the boys.
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John has spent nearly three months away from the regiment after having been captured on June 28th, and happily returns on September 23rd. The army was still in Atlanta, and so he would have found his way back to the regiment relatively easily.
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More Information:
- Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXIX, Chapter LI, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 410-450.
- The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 178-179.
- The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1II, Red River to Appomattox, Shelby Foote, pp. 601-604.
- Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 548-550.
- Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 625-636.
- Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 591-614.
- Events: 1864
NEXT POST: SEPTEMBER 27TH
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