Turner S. Bailey of Epworth, Iowa, enlisted on May 22, 1861 and mustered in June 10, 1861, probably at Dubuque, Iowa in the 3rd Iowa Infantry, Company A. They left the state of Iowa on June 29 and spent the rest of 1861 in moving around the state of Missouri, engaging in skirmishes at Hannibal, Macon City, Chilicothe, Brookfield, and Kirksville, among others.Bailey apparently served as chaplain for his unit, but he served in other capacities as well. On March 27 he writes, “I commenced cooking for our mess of fourteen men. Am to receive 35 cent for each man per month.”  It doesn’t appear that he cooked the entire time because there are some entries in which he says, “I cooked tonight,” implying that he wasn’t cooking all the time. He often goes out foraging and brings back beeves, corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, among other items. He often leaves camp in the summer months to harvest wild berries. The army also apparently made use of his ability to write because he made out muster rolls for pay rolls and for the distribution of clothing.  P  In the spring of 1862 they were moved to the south by boat and train, and participated in the battle of Shiloh, which he calls Pittsburg Landing.Turner S. Bailey’s description of the Battle of Shiloh: P“Sunday, April 6th. It has been a pleasant day so far as weather is concerned but extremely unpleasant on account of the shell, shot, and bullets flying so profusely. The rebels attacked our advance about six o’clock A.M. Our regiment was not called out until about ½ past 7 oclock. We formed in line of battle soon after leaving our camp and met the enemy (who had driven our advance divisions back) about ¾ of a mile from our camp. The battle was tremendious and we were under continual fire till dark. The secesh flanked us and caused us to fall back and finally drove us back nearly to the river, but we checked them by well aimed shots from our gun boats and siege guns on the hill above the landing. Firing closed about dark and we lay on our arms all night in a drenching rain. Buell reinforced us during the night. P “Monday, April 7th. Buell took the advance this morning and at early dawn the ball opened again with fresh vigor on our side for our boys were determined to drive them over the ground we lost yesterday. Cheered on by reinforcements the old troops took fresh vigor and by four P.M. they were entirely routed and made a hasty retreat leaving us in possession of the field and many of their cannon. The field is covered all over with killed and wounded. I look over a portion of the field and Oh, the suffering to be seen.  I went back to the old camp and am in my own tent once more safe but it looks lonesome for many of our boys are not here and we know not what has become of them. It has been rainy all day and rains very hard tonight. PApril 7th to 12thP“It was storming all the time and very muddy almost impossible to get along the road at all. The bodies are nearly all removed from the field. Gilliam and Swift from our mess are wounded.  15 from our Co wounded and Capt Oneill prisoner. The loss in our regiment in killed, wounded, and missing in the two days battle was 215. I have been in my tent every night. There is a great deal of talk about the battle among the boys and the camp seems lonely.”PHe contracted bilious fever after this and spent May 4 to July 15 in hospitals, including one at Terre Haute, Indiana, or recuperating at his sister Emaline’s in Berlin Heights, Ohio.P The 1862 diary will be especially valuable for scholars researching Company A of the 3rd Iowa Infantry, since it includes a list of field and staff officers when sworn into service and remarks about them. It is believed that he lists all the non-commissioned men, as well.  This diary contains a list of his correspondents and their relationship to him, as well as what he calls an index, but is in reality a recap of some of the highlights of the year.P In 1863, they were assigned to Memphis. They took an active part in the siege of Vicksburg and were very near the fort at some of the heaviest fighting and they saw the flag of truce come out on the fort on July 3, the day before the official surrender.P They were on the march after this. The print gets very cramped and faint here, but it looks like one of the last locations named is Champion Hills. On Sunday, July 12, the entry ends “. . . was repulsed with heavy loss. I was wounded but walked off the field.”  Written across the spaces for July 13 ad 14 is the following: “There follows the loss of the right hand and [dam(age)?] to the elbow and final discharge because of viability.” P His great-granddaughter, who donated these diaries, tells us that he spent the rest of his life as a Presbyterian minister.