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diff --git a/old/62981-0.txt b/old/62981-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8e960a3..0000000 --- a/old/62981-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4662 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of A History of the Trial and Hardships of the -Twenty-Fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, by Richard J. Fulfer - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: A History of the Trial and Hardships of the Twenty-Fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry - -Author: Richard J. Fulfer - -Release Date: August 19, 2020 [EBook #62981] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRIAL, HARDSHIPS--24TH INDIANA INFANTRY *** - - - - -Produced by John Campbell and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. - - - - - A History _of the_ Trials _and_ Hard- - ships _of the_ Twenty-Fourth - Indiana Volunteer - Infantry - - [Illustration: (Bugler)] - - 1913 - Indianapolis Printing Co. - Printers - - - - -[Illustration: RICHARD J. FULFER - -Twenty-Fourth Infantry] - - - - -PREFACE. - - -This history is based on my pocket memorandum which I kept during the -late Civil War, 1861-1865. - - RICHARD J. FULFER. - - - - -[Illustration: COLONEL ALVIN P. HOVEY - -Twenty-Fourth Infantry] - - - - -CORPS COMMANDERS OF OUR REGIMENT. - - General Fremont. - U. S. Grant. - N. P. Banks. - E. S. Canby. - W. T. Sherman. - - -DIVISION OFFICERS. - - General Pope. - Lew Wallace. - A. P. Hovey. - General McClernard. - E. O. C. Ord. - C. C. Andrews. - - -REGIMENT OFFICERS. - - Colonel A. P. Hovey. - Lieutenant Colonel Gurber. - Major C. C. Hines. - Colonel William T. Spicely. - Lieutenant Colonel R. F. Barter. - Major John F. Grill. - - -[Illustration: GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT] - - -OFFICERS OF COMPANY A. - - Captain--Hugh Erwin. - First Lieutenant--George Sheaks. - Second Lieutenant--H. F. Braxton (resigned). J. L. Cain. - First Sergeant--Richard F. Cleveland. (Non-commissioned.) - Second Sergeant--John East. (Non-commissioned.) - Third Sergeant--Francis M. Jolley. (Non-commissioned.) - Fourth Sergeant--Henry B. East. (Non-commissioned.) - Fifth Sergeant--Van B. Kelley. (Non-commissioned.) - First Corporal--Josiah Botkin. (Non-commissioned.) - Second Corporal--Chas. H. Dunnihue. (Non-commissioned.) - Third Corporal--J. N. Wright. (Non-commissioned.) - Fourth Corporal--John Edwards. (Non-commissioned.) - Fifth Corporal--George F. Otta. (Non-commissioned.) - Sixth Corporal--William Erwin. (Non-commissioned.) - Seventh Corporal--King A. Trainer. (Non-commissioned.) - Eighth Corporal--Jasper N. Maiden. (Non-commissioned.) - Musician--James S. Cole. - Teamster--Alfred Cambron. - Hospital Steward--Robert J. Mills. - Sergeant Major--George A. Barnes. - - -[Illustration: GENERAL WILLIAM T. SHERMAN] - - -PRIVATES OF COMPANY A. - - Arms, Thomas R. - Bartlett, Haines. - Blevins, Willoughby. - Busic, William S. - Clark, John C. - Clark, William G. - Cole, William C. - Coward, Joel. - Coward, James. - Collins, James W. - Conley, David. - Cox, Andrew. - Crow, Walter S. - Douglass, Edgar L. - Edwards, William. - Enness, Charles. - Erwin, Jarred. - Fulfer, Richard J. - Fullen, John. - George, Andrew J. - Harvey, James. - Hamer, Henry. - Hamer, George. - Hostetler, Samuel. - Harbaugh, Benjamin F. - Higginbotham, David D. - Gross, James A. - Gross, Wm. C. - Jolly, George W. - Keedy, William. - Lee, John. - Lochner, John C. - Lynn, Ephriam. - McPike, Francis M. - Melvin, William - Mitchell, William H. - Neugent, Willoughby. - Orr, Patrick. - Painter, Noah. - Palmer, Noah. - Peters, Henry C. - Phipps, David. - Phipps, Isaiah. - Ramsey, William W. - Riggle, Timothy. - Robbins, William. - Smith, F. M. - Staples, Abraham. - Stotts, David. - Stroud, Washington. - Tanksley, Charles. - Teft, James. - Tinsley, David. - Toliver, John. - Walker, Wesley. - Williamson, George. - Williamson, Joseph. - Woody, Henderson. - - -[Illustration: BATTLE OF SHILOH AT PITTSBURG LANDING] - - -DECEASED AND DISCHARGED OF COMPANY A. - - Pruitt, David R. - Pace, David. - Walker, Lewis. - Bearley, William T. - Melvin, Ezekiel M. - Clark, Francis M. - Harvey, Robert. - Landrom, Archie. - Dodd, John S. - Watson, Thomas. - Deceased-- - Discharged-- - Dalton, James R. - Hostetter, John W. - Keithley, Jesse. - Mitchell, Isaac. - Rudyard, Jeremiah. - Stogell, Hamilton R. - Helton, Pleasant. - Williams, Solomon. - Low, John C. - Andrews, James T. - Miller, William. - Harvey, Bird. - Landreth, William H. - -The places at which the different companies were made up: - - Company A--Bedford Lawrence County, Ind. - “ B--Paolia Orange County, Ind. - “ C--Evansville Vanderburgh County, Ind. - “ D--Washington Davis County, Ind. - “ E--Petersburgh Pike County, Ind. - “ F--Princeton Gibson County, Ind. - “ G--Orleans Orange County, Ind. - “ H--Petersburgh Pike County, Ind. - “ I--Logotee Martin County, Ind. - “ K--Medora Jackson County, Ind. - - -[Illustration: POSITION OF HOVEY’S DIVISION, VICKSBURG] - - -CAMPS OF THE TWENTY FOURTH INDIANA REGIMENT. - - Names. Located at. Date. - - Knox Vincennes, Ind. August 18, 1861 - Jessey St. Louis, Mo. August 2, 1861 - Allen Carondalet, Mo. September 16, 1861 - Jessup Syracuse, Mo. September 20, 1861 - Lamine Bridge, Mo. September 24, 1861 - Georgetown, Mo. October 16, 1861 - Tipton, Mo. October 21, 1861 - Burr Missouri November 1, 1861 - Near Springfield, Mo. November 9, 1861 - Warsaw, Mo. November 16, 1861 - S. E. of Tipton, Mo. November 27, 1861 - S. of Syracuse, Mo. November 29, 1861 - N. E. of Sedalia, Mo. December 8, 1861 - Below Sedalia December 15, 1861 - Otterville, Mo. December 23, 1861 - Fort Donnelson, Tenn. February 18, 1862 - Fort Henry, Tenn. March 1, 1862 - Crump’s Landing, Tenn. March 18, 1862 - Shiloh, Tenn. April 18, 1862 - Broomsage May 10, 1862 - Gravel Ridge, Tenn. June 5, 1862 - Boliver, Tenn. June 8, 1862 - Union Station June 12, 1862 - Memphis, Tenn. June 18, 1862 - White River, Ark. July 4, 1862 - Helena, Ark. July 5, 1862 - Vicksburg, Miss. July 4, 1863 - Jackson, Miss. July 10, 1863 - Vicksburg, Miss. July 20, 1863 - Natchez, Miss. August 5, 1863 - Carrolton, La. August 13, 1863 - Brasier City, La. October 3, 1863 - New Iberia, La. October 6, 1863 - Vermillion Bayou, La. October 10, 1863 - Camp View, La. October 18, 1863 - Barres Landing, La. October 21, 1863 - Opelousas, La. October 21, 1863 - Caron Crow Bayou, La. November 1, 1863 - Vermillion Bayou, La. November 5, 1863 - New Iberia, La. November 9, 1863 - Algers, La. December 22, 1863 - Evansville, Ind. March 2, 1864 - New Orleans, La. April 3, 1864 - Baton Rouge, La. August 16, 1864 - Morganza Bend, La. December 24, 1864 - Baton Rouge, La. December 25, 1864 - Shell Carrolton, La. January 5, 1865 - Mud Kennerville, La. January 19, 1865 - Redoubt Pensacola, Fla. January 26, 1865 - Beauty Florida February 11, 1865 - Fort Blakely April 9, 1865 - Fort Spanish, Fla. April 12, 1865 - Selma, Ala. April 29, 1865 - Mobile, Ala. May 8, 1865 - Galveston, Texas November 16, 1865 - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -The Twenty-fourth Indiana regiment was one of the first called for -as three years’ volunteers. We were enrolled on the 9th day of July, -1861, to serve for three years, if not sooner discharged. We were -mustered into service July 31st, 1861, at Camp Knox, which is near -Vincennes, Indiana. - -Our first camp life after being enrolled was a new mode of living and -sport. Some of the boys had never been very far from our homes, and -were not posted in the pranks and tricks of the times, even in those -early days. - -We soon drew a few old Harper’s Ferry muskets. We had a string guard -around the camp. Company drill was held four hours each day. This -was the only amusement which we had in the daytime, but at night -we had magicians, sleight of hand performers, and others who made -amusement for some of us who had never seen many shows. The tall man -and elephant also paraded through the quarters at night, and this -furnished a great deal of amusement for us. - -We got our uniforms August 7th. They were gray and were about as -appropriate as our old Harper’s Ferry muskets. The guards soon beat -the stocks off of the muskets and bent the ends of the barrels. These -they used as canes. - -Getting used to camp life was quite a change for some of us who had -been raised up on corn bread, hominy and buttermilk. There was also -a change in the bill of fare. We now had hard tack, sow belly, and -black coffee. There were many other changes of life which must be -made to make us a happy, united family. - -The weather was very warm at this time, and we soon began to think -that army life was no soft snap. - -On the 16th of August we again drew arms. These were new Harper’s -Ferry muskets. Six Enfield rifles were allowed to each company. - -On the next day we marched through the city of Vincennes on review. -All was a hurry and excitement, as the troops were being sent to the -front on that day. - -We got marching orders on the 18th, and we got on board a train bound -for East St. Louis, Ill. We arrived there on the morning of the 19th. -We crossed the Mississippi river on the steamer “Alton City,” marched -two and a half miles through the city of St. Louis, Mo., and went -into camp in the Lafayette Park. Here were the first tents we ever -pitched, and all the boys wanted to learn how. - -Lafayette Park is a beautiful park. It contains many fine animals. -There were many of our boys who had never seen such sights as the -city of St. Louis contained. Some of them had sore eyes on account of -so much sight-seeing. - -There were many regiments in camp at this park at the same time we -were there. - -In a short time we struck tents and marched down the river a distance -of seven miles. We went into camp at Carondelet. One of the officers -named this camp, Camp Allen. - -August 27th, Colonel Alvin P. Hovey took command of our regiment. -He soon commenced battalion drill, which was very hard on us, owing -to the warm weather. We had battalion drill four hours each day and -company drill two hours, so you see that we were somewhat busy. - -September 6th, Colonel Hovey, with six of our companies, boarded a -train on the Iron Mountain railway and made a trip of twenty-five -miles. We left the cars at 8 o’clock p. m. and made a rapid march of -several miles out through a very rough, broken country. At 5 o’clock -in the morning we got orders to lie down on our arms for a little -rest, but not to speak above a whisper and to be ready to fall in -line at a minute’s notice. When morning came we learned that the -rebels had evacuated their camps and skipped. Thus we were knocked -out of a fight at this place. On account of not having any rebels to -shoot at, we could do nothing else but march back over the roughest -roads we had ever marched on. - -Here was our first experience in foraging off of the country. But we -got a plenty on this trip, such as cream, honey and peaches--all of -which were good things that we could not get in camp. - -This trip was called the Betty Decker march. I don’t know why this -name was given it unless she was the lady who furnished us so many -good things for our suppers. - -We got back to the railroad at 8 p. m., got aboard a train, and at 10 -o’clock arrived at our camp at Carondelet. - -While here we had to guard the dry docks while the ironclad vessels, -St. Louis and Carondelet were being built. It was rumored that these -vessels would be blown out of existence before they were finished, -and as half of the people in St. Louis were ready to do anything -for the Southern cause, we believed it. But nevertheless they were -completed and had an active part in putting down the rebellion. - -While we were drilling and guarding at this place we could see -other regiments at Benton Barracks who were strengthening their -fortifications. Now was the time when something had to be done to -invade Missouri. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -September 16th, 1861, we got marching orders, struck tents, and -boarded a steamboat which carried us to St. Louis. We left the boat -and while marching up Main street on our way to the Union station -was the first charge which the old Twenty-fourth struck. Drums and -fifes were playing when four large gray horses drawing a big delivery -wagon collided with the head of our column, knocking it east and -west. Several of our boys were slightly bruised, but they were more -frightened than injured. In this way James R. Dalton and John W. -Hostetter got their discharges. - -That night we boarded a train, pulled by two engines, of twenty flat -cars, fifty men to a car. We started westward to open up the Union -Pacific railroad over which a train had not run for months. The weeds -had grown upon the track until the engines could hardly pull their -own weight. We traveled very slowly, and the morning of the 17th -found us not many miles from St. Louis. - -Half of our train had been cut loose and the engines had pulled on to -the next switch. They soon returned for the balance of the train. At -this place we heard the first national songs which we had heard sung -in rebeldom. Some ladies carrying the grand old Stars and Stripes -came out on the portico and sang “The Star Spangled Banner,” “The -Red, White and Blue,” and other national songs. You bet there were -cheers which went up for those union ladies. - -This was the first time that Colonel Hovey knew that Indiana -soldiers would eat chickens. But he found it out now, as the boys -came straggling to the cars, at the call of the whistle, loaded with -chickens and peaches. Colonel Hovey called, “Take them back, you -d---- chicken thieves, or I’ll have you arrested. I didn’t think I -had started out with a clan of Indiana thieves.” - -Some of the boys became angry and made threats, while others laughed -and were jolly about it. But it was all soon forgotten as the train -pulled out. We had to walk by the side of the engine and throw gravel -under the drive-wheels so that the engine would pull anything. - -We went through three tunnels and came to Jefferson City. This is the -capital of Missouri. Governor Jackson had the State House burned and -skipped out with the old rebel, General Price. - -At 11 o’clock p. m., September 7th, two engines, coupled together, -and pulling our full train, went on west. Just as we started one of -the boys of Company D fell under the car and was instantly killed. - -On the morning of the 18th the engines could not pull their own -weights and each company cut loose and pushed their own cars. While -doing this, Brown of Company B, fell under the car and the wheels ran -over his leg. - -We pushed up the grades and rode down them. Sometimes we even had to -push the engines. - -We reached Syracuse late on the evening of the 18th. We got off of -the cars, marched out and went into camp near the town. A strong -picket line was posted and a strict order was placed on the pickets. -A heavy penalty of death was imposed on those who slept on their post. - -The moon shined bright and at 10 o’clock the still night air was -disturbed by the tramp of horses’ feet and rattle of sabers coming -towards our camp. The picket who was posted on the road did not wait -to challenge the supposed enemy, but fired his gun and skedaddled to -camp. The pickets all around the camp fired their guns and ran. - -The long roll was beat and all was hustle and bustle in camp. “Fall -in, fall in!” was the order from colonel and captains, “and get ready -for action.” In four minutes the old Twenty-fourth was ready for -action and facing the supposed enemy. Several were shaking as with -the ague, yet they were ready to take their medicine. - -In a few minutes we saw a single orderly coming down the road. He -rode up and asked, “What the h---- does this mean?” Colonel Hovey, -standing there in his night clothes, with his fighting blood up, -answered him pretty roughly and wanted to know who it was. We found -out that it was Colonel Eads’ home guards of “Jayhawkers” who had -come from California to join our army. We then broke ranks and went -back to our quarters to dream of the false alarm and the excitement -which Colonel Eads’ Jayhawkers caused us. - -On the morning of the 20th we struck tents and marched seven miles -west. Here, at the Lamine river, we went into camp. THIS camp was -called Camp Morton. - -The next morning heavy details were sent out to build fortifications -for picket duty and to guard the Lamine bridge while the carpenters -rebuilt it. This bridge had been burned by the rebels a few days -before we got there. - -The Twenty-fourth Indiana was the first regiment to arrive at this -place, but there were more brigades on the way to reinforce us, some -by way of the Missouri river and some by rail, as we had come. - -On the morning of the 23d we were joined by the Second Indiana -Cavalry. We now had the bridge completed, and the trains ran over -it and went as far as Sedalia, this being as far as the road was -completed at that time. - -At about this time, the Eighteenth and Twenty-sixth Indiana landed -on the banks of the Missouri river, and it being a very dark night, -they ran into the Twenty-second Indiana. They had quite a little spat -before they found out their mistake. The Major and six men of the -Twenty-second were killed. - -On the 30th of September we marched to Georgetown, the county seat of -Pettice county. It was dark when we reached the town. As we found no -enemy to oppose us we went into quarters in the court house. - -Here the Eighth, Eighteenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-fifth, -Twenty-sixth Indiana regiments and the Eighth Missouri and ten pieces -of artillery joined us. We were collecting an army to raise the siege -of Lexington, which was twenty miles above here. Rebel General Price -had had Colonel Muligan, with a handful of our soldiers, cooped -up there for several days. General Fremont was getting his troops -together to raise the siege, but he was too slow. The little garrison -of 2,800 Union men defended the fort five days against a superior -force of 11,000 men. - -An order was given to mount the Twenty-fourth Indiana on mules. -We marched to the corral and tried to break several of those wild -bucking mules. The order was countermanded. That evening we started -on the march, but had only gone a few miles when we met our paroled -prisoners. They reported that they held out five days and then ran -out of rations and ammunition. They also stated that their loss was -60 killed and 40 wounded. The rebel loss was unknown. - -We about faced and went back to camp. On the 5th of October we moved -out on an open field and pitched tents. Here we drew two months’ -pay. This was the first time that we had ever drawn any of Uncle -Sam’s money. The officers were paid with gold coin. - -While at this place we drilled six hours each day. We received -marching orders on the tenth of the month, but the order was -countermanded. On the morning of the 16th we again received marching -orders. We struck tents and marched a distance of two miles to -Sedalia, a town at the end of the Pacific railroad. - -The war had stopped all the progress of the railroad. The workmen had -stacked their shovels, picks, and wheelbarrows in a large cut and had -fled in all directions. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -We boarded a train and went to Tipton, which was twenty miles -distant. Here, on the 19th, we drew uniforms. - -On the morning of the 21st we received marching orders, struck tents, -packed our knapsacks and marched in the direction of Springfield, -which is south of this place. At the end of a fifteen-mile march we -halted and went into camp. On the morning of the 2d we continued our -march. At 4 o’clock we came to a halt and went into camp in a little -black-oak grove. Our feet were blistered from marching over the -rough mountain roads, and many of the boys fell out of the ranks and -straggled in late at night. - -On the morning of the 24th we took up our line of march. After a hard -day of travel we came to the little town of Warsaw. We crossed the -Osage river and went into camp. - -While here General Fremont received the news from one of his spies -that General Price’s army was at Springfield. We were called into -line early the next morning. We moved out seven miles and the order -was then countermanded. Therefore we went into camp in a field which -was covered with burrs. For this reason we named this place Camp Burr. - -Our boys were about played out on account of heavy marching, and -so each of our companies bought an ox team to haul our baggage. -Our quartermaster sent our train back to Tipton after supplies of -ammunition and rations. This was supposed to be our base of supplies. - -On the evening of November 1st, 1861, we received orders to leave -our tents, and in light marching order move out and march in the -direction of Springfield. At 8 p. m. we moved out eight miles through -the dark night and came to our main army to consolidate our regiment -with our division, brigades, etc., which were commanded by Generals -Pope, Hunter, and Jeff C. Davis. - -The next morning we marched through a little town by the name of -Black Oak Point, and after a hard day’s march we went into camp in a -meadow. We were all very tired and foot-sore. - -On the morning of the 3d we marched through the little town of -Buffalo, crossed Greasy Creek, and went into camp. - -We were all worn out with the day’s journey. Most of us had eaten a -cold lunch and had lain down for a little rest. A few of the boys -were cooking beef and trying to prepare some food for the morrow when -the bugle sounded the assembly to fall in line and march. We slung -knapsacks, fell in line, and marched off in double quick time. Some -of the boys were swearing because they had to throw their beef, which -had just started to boil, out of the kettles. - -We felt sure that we would have a chance to take old General Price in -that night. Everyone was worn out and angry, and their fighting blood -was at its highest pitch. We marched all night, and early in the -morning we waded Pometytor creek. We then halted for a short rest. We -had nothing for breakfast except a few pieces of hard tack to munch -on. - -This was the 4th day of November. After a short rest we fell in -line, marched off as fast as our swollen feet would allow us to. -At 4 o’clock we reached Springfield. After a forced march of fifty -miles, without sleep and with very little to eat, we were in splendid -fighting order--mad and worn out. - -But our chance for a battle had slipped. - -As old Price’s army had skipped, all mounted on gray horses, General -Fremont with his one hundred bodyguards, started in pursuit. They -ran into Price’s rear guard. I heard some shots fired, and it was -reported that a few shots were exchanged with the rear guard of -General Price’s retreating army. - -Here we forced a junction with General Lane’s army, which swelled -the number of our forces to about 35,000. General Lane had several -Indians under his command--some 1,200 Cherokees. It was reported that -he sent them after the rebel forces which were retreating towards -Cassville, which is in Barry county. I never heard of those Indians -afterwards. They must have been disbanded. - -We went into camp that night about a mile from town. On the morning -of the 5th of November, Colonel Hovey took command of a brigade. - -On the night of the 6th, cheering was heard throughout our army, as -some grapevine or false dispatches had reached our officers of a -great victory gained in the east. The thunder of drums and voices -were heard for miles. - -General Fremont received instructions not to follow Price farther -into the mountains, or he would be caught in a trap. On the morning -of the 9th we received orders to march back to Tipton. - -On the 13th our regiment and the Forty-second Illinois marched on a -race to Camp Burr. We beat them by five hours. On the morning of the -14th we made double quick time back to Osage Bridge, in order that -we might get there before General Sturges’ brigade arrived there. We -crossed the river and went into camp. We stayed two days waiting for -our supply train. - -We went to Tipton on the 20th of November. This completed the -Springfield march. - -While on this expedition General Fremont issued a proclamation to -free all the slaves who made their way into our lines. Soon they were -flocking in by the score. For assuming this authority General Fremont -was superceded by General Pope. His name was never mentioned again in -the history of our late civil war, as he was placed on the retired -list of our good old generals who had served their time faithfully in -our past wars. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - -We pitched tents at Tipton and went into camp for a few days rest. -The weather was getting somewhat cold, making our camp life somewhat -disagreeable. We stayed here until the morning of the 27th, when we -struck tents and marched to Syracuse. Here we went into camp and -stayed until the morning of the 29th, at which time we got orders to -march back to Tipton again. We were getting tired of running around -so much, and having no fighting to do, as we had been promised that -we would put down the rebellion in thirty days. As yet we had not -even made a start. Some of our boys were getting homesick and wanted -to fight it out in a pitched battle. Some of them thought that they -could clean up five little greased rebels. - -We went into camp two miles north of Tipton, in a little grove. On -the night of December 1st five inches of snow fell, we then had a -grand time hunting rabbits. We remained here until the 6th, when we -drew two months’ pay. - -We broke camp the next day and marched to the Lamine bridge. A -heavy rain fell that night, overflowing our camp and making it a -disagreeable place. We lay here until the morning of the 15th, when -we got marching orders to move over to Sedalia. We went into camp -a little north of town. While here we received the report that our -advance under Pope had captured 1,540 prisoners, without firing a -shot. - -While here we formed a scouting party detailed out of the -Twenty-fourth Indiana. Concealed in covered wagons we traveled all -night. In the morning we came to an open prairie. From here we sent -part of the detail to a large mill and distillery. A few shots were -exchanged between the guards and our boys. In a short time the guards -mounted their horses and rode as if for their lives. There were about -twenty men on guard. They had a number of bushels of corn, several -pounds of bacon, and some barrels of old copper distilled whiskey. -The boys loaded one of our wagons with the beverage and set fire to -the building. We then started back to Sedalia, as we had accomplished -what we were sent to do. On our way back the wagon loaded with -whiskey broke down and we had to leave it. Out of all of that whiskey -we only got a small drink of whiskey each. We reached camp and -reported our success. As soon as it was dark Lieutenant Sheeks, with -a small detail, started after the wagon which we had left. - -Colonel Eads had run across the wagon and went into camp at this -place. They were having a time drinking the good old liquor which the -wagon contained. The night was very dark, and when Lieutenant Sheeks -reached the top of the hill he heard quite a number of men around the -wagon. Thinking that they were rebels, he ordered the boys to fire -into them. Colonel Eads’ men also thought that we were rebels, and -returned the fire. After several shots were exchanged, Lieutenant -Sheeks withdrew, as we were outnumbered five to one. We never learned -of our mistake until the next evening. No one was seriously injured, -as all the shots flew wide of their mark on account of the darkness. -This battle was named “Sheeks’ Defeat.” - -While here a five-inch snow fell, making a very disagreeable time. -On the night of the 23d of December we got orders to march back to -our old camp at Lamine Bridge. This was one of the coldest, hardest -marches of our service. While on the journey a sleet fell and froze. -The batteries all had to be left at the foot of the hills, as the -horses could not pull them up the hill on account of it being so -slippery. - -When we reached camp we were almost frozen and there was no wood to -make fires with. We had built log cabins here for winter quarters, -but there was no chance to get fire only to tear down our cabins. We -did this and piled the logs in heaps. We set fire to these. We made -coffee and soon became warm and comfortable. - -We soon began preparations for sleeping. We spread tents on the snow -and sixteen to a bed we lay down and pulled our blankets over us. A -snow fell, which covered us over and kept us warm. When the reveille -sounded at four o’clock the next morning it was a sight to see the -boys crawling out from under their snow beds to answer roll call. - -A heavy detail from the Twenty-fourth Indiana was sent to pull the -batteries up the hill. The horses and mules had failed but the old -Twenty-fourth was reliable. - -The 24th of December found us with tents once more, with tents -pitched at the Lamine Bridge. On Christmas Day some of the boys got -drunk on stomach bitters and had a jolly time. - -January 1st, 1862, we had a general inspection. Our work at this -place was hard, as we now built Fort Lamine. The snow lay on the -ground six inches deep, and the ground was frozen to a depth of -eighteen inches. This made it slow work building fortifications. Some -days each man could not pick out a yard of the frozen dirt. - -While at this work several of the boys froze their hands and feet -and some of them had to have their fingers and toes amputated. These -received discharges. - -January 18th a detail of twenty men was called out to go with a -foraging train after hay and corn. We went ten miles northwest. Here -we found plenty of hay and corn. We camped in negro quarters. We -killed a hog and had the negro cooks to get our supper and breakfast. - -We loaded our train and gave the old farmer a due bill on Uncle -Sam and started to camp with lots of good things, such as apples, -honey and potatoes, hidden in the hay. The weather continued to turn -colder, and we almost froze on our return to camp. - -On the 12th another train composed of ox teams, was sent after corn -and hay. Several of the guards of this train were badly frozen. - -On the 15th we drew Sibly tents and stoves, but it wasn’t before we -needed them. On the 27th we drew pay for two months. We also drew -plenty of rations. We had bacon to spare. There was no wood to burn -in our little sheet iron stoves and so we kept them red hot with -bacon. - -The citizens brought cakes, pies, apples, and cider into camp and -sold them cheap. The boys ran some of them out and called them -rebels, but we had not yet seen a real rebel. - -At about this date we had one soldier in Company I who did not fill -inspection. For this a detail carried him to the Lamine river, cut -the ice and stripped and washed him all over. He was afterwards one -of our best lieutenants. - -After February 1st, 1862, our camp duty was lighter. A string guard -which was composed of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Illinois, -Twenty-fourth and Twenty-sixth Indiana, and Fryberger’s battery of -six twelve-pound guns, was placed around the brigade at this fort. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -Friday, February 7th, 1862, we received marching orders, struck -tents, and marched as far as Syracuse. On the 8th we marched through -Tipton and on the evening of the 10th we went into camp near -Jefferson City. We stayed in this camp until the 13th, when we went -to town. Here a part of the regiment had quarters in the State House -and the rest were in a large church house. - -The weather at this date was below zero and there was plenty of snow -on the ground. We had marched about eighty miles, over a very rough -road and were worn out. Some of the boys almost played out on the -morning of the 15th. - -Stowed away in box cars, with fifty men to a car, we started for St. -Louis. Early in the morning our train stopped at a small station for -fuel and water. We were just in front of a little saloon, and as -the boys were almost frozen, some were allowed to get out and get -them a dram. Frank Smith, of our company, brought back a five-gallon -keg of peach brandy and rolled it in through the car door. The door -was closed as soon as all could get in. Some kind of a hammer was -procured and the head of the keg was knocked in. The boys soon had -their cups filled with brandy instead of coffee. The train started -and the boys soon had the brandy keg emptied. - -There was no more complaining of the cold, but it was certainly a -mixed up drunken mess. Some of the boys wanted to fight but it did -not amount to much because we were too thick and crowded to fight. - -We got to the Union depot at St. Louis at 7 p. m. and at 8 o’clock we -marched on board the steamer Iatan. On the morning of the 16th we ran -into blocked ice at Cairo, Ill., the place where the Ohio runs into -the Mississippi. We had to hammer away about four hours in order that -we might get through the ice. - -We passed Cairo, turned up the Ohio river, and landed at Paducah, -Kentucky. - -Here, on February 17th, we heard of the surrender of Fort Donellson. -Several boats were lying at this place filled with the wounded. We -went on up the river to Smithland, and here we turned our boat up the -Cumberland river. - -On the morning of the 18th of February, 1862, we landed at the -Bluffs, under the big guns of Fort Donellson, Tennessee. We marched -out through the dead bodies of both armies which had not yet been -buried, for our troops were almost played out after three days of -hard fighting. - -During the battle, General Pillow and Johnson cut their way through -our lines and made their escape to Nashville with a brigade. Our -final charge was made on the 17th, at which time the garrison -surrendered with 5,000 prisoners and a number of heavy guns which -were mounted on the fort. Our loss at this place was heavy, about -1,500 in killed, wounded and prisoners. The rebel loss was about -1,800. - -We went into camp on a small island opposite Donellson. At 10 o’clock -that night the river rose and overflowed our camp. There was some -hustling around to get our tents and camp equipage moved. We then -pitched tents on the other side of the river. - -On the 23d a squad of twenty men was detailed to go up the river on a -scouting expedition. We went as far as Bellwood Furnace, which was -nine miles from Donellson. We saw a few rebels at a distance, fired -a few shots at them and fell back. On our return to camp we killed -several squirrels for our sick in the hospital. The squirrels were -plentiful and gentle at this place. - -We remained at this camp until March 6th, when we received marching -orders. We struck tents, got on a boat, and crossed the river. While -landing at this place Adjutant Barter lost his horse. It fell through -the staging and broke its leg. - -We marched in the direction of Fort Henry until 5 o’clock in the -evening, when we went into camp for the night. The land was rolling -and timbered with pine at this place. - -On the 7th we marched to Fort Henry on the Tennessee river. We went -into camp near the fort. This place had been taken by our forces -about three weeks before. It was well fortified and was mounted with -sixty heavy guns. It showed the marks of a hard-fought battle. - -We lay here until the 9th. We then marched down to the landing, and -got on board the steamboat, “Telegraph No. 3,” and ran up the river -as far as High Piney Bluffs. Here we lashed on to another boat, which -had on board the Eleventh Indiana and Eighth Missouri regiments. -The two boats pulled on up the river one hundred miles and on the -evening of the 12th of March, 1862, we landed at a little town called -Savannah. - -We marched off of the boats and formed our brigade in hollow square. -Washington’s Farewell Address was read to us by A. J. Smith, who was -to be the commander of our brigade. It was composed of the Eleventh, -Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Indiana and the Eighth Missouri. -General Lew Wallace commanded the Twelfth Division. - -We moved back on to the boats and at 10 o’clock that night we ran on -up the river seven miles to Crump’s Landing. Here a shot was fired -by one of our gunboats as a signal for us to land. Our boat ran into -the shore with such force that it knocked almost everyone down. But -we were soon on our feet again. As soon as the staging reached the -shore we got to land as fast as we could run off of the boat. - -This was a night long to be remembered. The rain was pouring down, -and it was so dark that we could not see where we were going, only by -the frequent flashes of lightning. - - The thunder rolled from pole to pole, - Onward we marched this gloomy night - Which tried the nerve of the brave and bold, - For we were looking for a fight. - -We moved out five miles, found no enemy. We then halted for a short -rest, as the mud was very bad and the water was sometimes knee deep. -When daylight appeared, some were leaning against trees, some were on -brush-piles and others were even laying down in the mud and water, -and all were sound asleep. - -Our cavalry passed us here. They went on as far as Perdy, found no -enemy, and returned in the evening. We all marched back to the boats -on the night of the 14th. - -Our regiment was called out on picket duty. A battery was planted on -the road, making a strong guard. We knew that there was a large force -of rebels somewhere near us. At daylight we were relieved by the -Eighth Missouri, and went back to the boat. The rain had poured down -all night and we were in somewhat of a soaked condition. - -Tuesday, the 18th, our division of 9,000 men moved off of the -boats and marched out into the timber half a mile. Here all of -the divisions went into camp. Grant, whose headquarters were at -Savannah, had 35,000 more troops at Pittsburgh Landing nine miles -above here. - -We still continued our brigade drill. April 1st, 1862, our brigade -was on review. We could hear the boom of the cannon in the direction -of Corinth. On that day Colonel Hovey made us a little talk. - -He said, “I think that the battle has commenced on our left wing. -But I wish that we could see the whites of the rebels’ eyes. Now, -Twenty-fourth, all of you have mothers, sisters and sweethearts -back in Indiana homes and I hope and trust that you will never let -the disgraceful name of a coward go back to those dear ones who are -praying each day for your honor and life to be spared.” When his -speech was ended three cheers went up for Colonel A. P. Hovey. - -At eleven o’clock in the evening of the 5th our bugle sounded the -assembly for us to fall in line. The rain was falling as fast as I -ever saw rain fall, but it was all the same, we had to march to--no -one knew where. The water was from shoe-top deep to knee deep, all -over the road. Still we plunged on. It was so dark that we could not -see where to go and we had to keep touch with the file men. - -Lieutenant Colonel Gurber’s horse fell into a hole but got out again. -Captain Erwin measured his length in a ditch that was five feet deep. -There was plenty of swearing and grumbling going on that night. We -marched as far as Adamsville, found no enemy, and returned to camp at -7 o’clock April 6th, 1862. - -The roar of cannon and rattle of musketry could plainly be heard. -The battle of Shiloh had now commenced in earnest. At nine o’clock -General Grant, on his way from Savannah to Shiloh, landed and gave -us orders to get to the battlefield as quickly as possible. We were -called into line in light marching orders. - -Colonel Hovey spoke a few encouraging words to the boys, impressing -upon their minds friends and honor. He told us what we were about to -go into. He also said that he wanted us to go in like soldiers and -men. - -We started off on quick time, our regiment in the advance. The roar -of the battle became plainer every minute. About 11 a. m. our advance -guard came dashing back and reported us to be exactly in the rear of -Bragg’s army and only a few miles distant. We got orders to about -face. We double quicked three miles back and went the river road. -This road curves with the river and this made the march much longer. -We could hear the noise from that desperate struggle and carnage all -evening. - -Late in the day we passed squad after squad of our soldiers coming -from the battlefield, whipped. We came up within a mile of the battle -ground. Here we passed one soldier laying on his face and scared to -death. Some of the officers said, “Turn him over and see if he is -dead.” He then spoke and said, “Boys, you had better go back. We are -all killed or captured. There ain’t enough of us left for a string -guard.” When we slipped in between the lines a short time later we -found that he had come near telling the truth. But we found a few -brave fellows huddled down at the landing, who were not yet whipped, -but Sherman’s battery and the gunboats were all that saved the little -band of heroes. They also saved the day. - -General Prentice was surprised on the morning of the 6th. Most of his -brigade were taken as prisoners, and the General himself captured as -a prisoner, and it was seven months before he was exchanged. - -Sidney Johnson had been killed in the evening and this had put a -damper over the rebel army. - -Beauregard had been too sure of a victory. He made his brags that he -could let his troops rest during the night, and in the morning ride -down to the river to water his horse and find the yanks all sticking -up white rags. But he missed his mark. - -Beauregard and Johnson had 60,000 men and they had pounced upon a -force of 35,000, many of whom had never been in such a fight. There -were not more than 7,000 in the ranks of the Union forces at the -closing charge on the evening of the first day’s fight at Shiloh. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - -Between sundown and dark our division, under Wallace, slipped in -between the lines of the rebel and union forces, while our gunboats -constantly threw shells over into the rebel ranks. All during the -night, under this same protection, Nelson’s forces were being brought -across the river, and General Buell’s army was coming up the river -from Savannah, as reinforcements. These two forces numbered 35,000. - -The union force outnumbered that of the confederates then by 17,000. - -That night the rebels drew their lines back about one and a half -miles. Our division laid down in line of battle and remained in that -position all night, with the rain pouring down all the time. The -groans of the dying and wounded were terrible to hear, yet many of us -slept soundly until we were awakened to fall in line. - -At 4 o’clock on the morning of the 7th, drenched in rain and very -hungry, Wallace’s division plunged into the fight on the right of the -army of the Tennessee and opened the battle of the second day’s fight. - -We moved out one mile and formed our line of battle. Our brigade -supported the Ninth Indiana battery. We were charged by a regiment -of rebel cavalry. They were repulsed in a short time and went back -faster than they came. - -Companies A and B were placed on the skirmish line with Birds’ -sharpshooters. We charged on two big twelve-pound batteries -which were raining shot and shell into our lines, causing great -destruction. We got within forty yards of their guns and silenced -them for a few minutes, but they then double shotted with canister -and drove us back. We soon met our main column coming up into the -charge. - -Our two companies got lost from our regiment and fell in line with -a Kentucky regiment. We supported the center of our army, while it -was driving the enemy back on the flanks in every charge. The center -which we supported was masked with three firing lines. The fighting -was awful. - -The batteries were pushed up by hand and as many as two files of -wounded were going back to the rear for an hour. The earth shook as -if with an earthquake. It seemed as if nothing could live in the hell -of fire. One could taste the sulphur and the shell and bullets could -have been stirred with a stick. The atmosphere was blue with lead. - -The rebels were drawing off on the flanks and were holding their -center with all their strength to cover their retreat. At 3 p. m. -General Bragg, seeing that he had come to stay, withdrew his army and -skedaddled in the direction of Corinth. He was whipped and had left -8,000 men on the field dead and dying. Among them was Sidney Johnson, -one of the South’s best generals. - -Our cavalry followed up the retreat a few miles, picked up a few -prisoners and was called back. - -The union loss at this place was 10,000. The loss in the -Twenty-fourth Indiana was thirty-two killed and wounded. We lost -three officers who were as good and brave as any who ever drew saber. -Lieutenant Colonel Gruber was struck in the breast with a spent -cannon ball while in front of the regiment on the charge. Lieutenant -Southwick of Company B, had his jaw shot off with grape shot. Captain -McGuffin, of Company I, was shot through the breast. - - -A report From History of the Battle of Shiloh. - -Grant, with his victorious army, moved up the Tennessee river to -Shiloh. Here, April the 6th, 1862, he was attacked by General A. S. -Johnson and driven back. - -The night after the battle General Buell brought a large force of -Union troops. The Union troops outnumbered the Confederates now -by seventeen thousand. The next day Grant gained his second great -victory. - -He said in his report, “I am indebted to General Sherman for the -success of the battle.” - -Twenty-five thousand men, dead and wounded, lay on the field after -the battle. - -When the battle was over we lay down on the battlefield and remained -there all night without anything to eat. A steady rain was falling -and had been for several days. The 8th and 9th the wounded were cared -for and the dead buried. This put an end to the bloody battle of -Shiloh. - -The Battle of Shiloh Hill in verse: - - “Come gentlemen and ladies, a story I will tell, - About a noted battle that you all remember well; - It was an awful strife and will cause your blood to chill; - It was the famous battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill. - - It was on the 6th of April, about the break of day, - The drums and fifes were playing for us to march away; - The feelings of that hour I do remember still, - When first my feet were treading on the top of Shiloh Hill. - - There were men from every nation lying on those bloody plains, - Fathers, sons and brothers were numbered with the slain, - That has caused so many homes, with deep mourning to be filled, - All from the bloody battle that was fought on Shiloh Hill. - - Early the next morning we were called to arms again, - Unmindful of the wounded, unmindful of the slain; - We fought them full nine hours before the strife was o’er, - And the like of dead and wounded I never saw before. - - Our army reinforced, we made a desperate stand, - And before the battle ended we fought them hand to hand; - The carnage it was fearful and ten thousand men were killed; - All at the bloody battle of the famous Shiloh Hill. - - And now my song is ended about those bloody plains, - I hope the sight by mortal man may ne’er be seen again; - And I pray to God the Saviour if it be His holy will, - To save the souls of all of those who fell on Shiloh Hill!” - -We lay here on the field five days without shelter or rations, except -what the other regiments, stationed here gave to us. On the 13th -a detail was sent after our tents and camp equipage. It was still -raining, but we had to move out and do something, as we could already -hear the “graybacks” crawling in the leaves. - -On the 16th we moved out to the front and went into a camp in a nice -meadow. Here we had four hours’ brigade drill each day. - -General Halleck soon took charge of this army and commenced to -advance on Corinth, where Bragg had a force of 60,000 troops, well -fortified. On the 20th a small squad of rebel cavalry ran into our -picket line. Our lines were reinforced and we had to stand in line of -battle from 4 o’clock until daylight. - -Our fatigue guard duty was now heavy. Almost all of our time was -employed. The weather was getting fine. Leaves were putting forth -and the aroma of the flowers filled the air. The birds warbled their -sweet songs and all Nature seemed to say, “How foolish for human -butchers to slaughter one another.” - -On the 26th we marched to a place called Hamburgh, seven miles away. -We found no enemy and returned to camp on the 27th of April. - -May 2d, 1862, we marched out near Perdy, a distance of about ten -miles. We halted, went into camp, and sent a force of cavalry on to -burn the railroad bridge. The cavalry returned at 4 o’clock in the -evening of the 3d and reported that there was a heavy guard at the -bridge, and they had not fired a shot at the enemy. General Wallace -sent them back with orders to burn that bridge at all hazards, or he -would dismount them and send the infantry on their mounts. That trip -they burned the bridge, captured some prisoners, and ran the train -into the bridge. - -We could hear the distant boom of our gunboats and heavy artillery -that were advancing on Corinth. We started back to camp. It had -rained and we had a very muddy, hard march on the return. - -On May 8th we took up our line of march to the front. We moved out in -the direction of Corinth, Mississippi, and went into camp on Gravel -Ridge. - -Our division was held in reserve four miles in the rear of our main -army. We had an army of 80,000 collected here. The Union force was -trying to dig a canal to get the gunboats near enough for action. We -had Corinth almost surrounded and the heavy guns kept up a constant -bombardment. - -We had battalion drill two hours each day. We were drilled by -Spicely, who was major at that time. About this time we drew four -months’ pay, which amounted to fifty-two dollars. - -Our picket duty was extremely heavy, as the rebel cavalry made -frequent visits to our lines. There was heavy skirmishing in the -advance at all times. We were closing in too near to suit old -Beauregard and Bragg. - -On the 26th of May Bragg’s army to a man evacuated Corinth. It was -no siege--merely a draw battle. That army went in the direction of -Richmond. Most of them went by railroad. This was the end of the -first battle of Corinth. - -June 2d we received marching orders, and on the morning of the 3d -we marched in the direction of Memphis, Tennessee. The roads were -dry and dusty, making our march very disagreeable. We passed through -Union Town on the 8th. Here was the first place on this march where -we had seen the Stars and Stripes waved by citizens, and you bet the -boys gave them three cheers and a tiger. - -We marched on through Bolivar and on the night of the 13th we went -into camp near Memphis. After a march of a hundred miles, we were all -tired and ready for a little rest, but our rest was yet to come, for -at 1 a. m. o’clock the next morning the bugle sounded the assembly. -We fell in line and marched to the city. - - The fearful wind it blew a blast, - The lightning never ceased to flash, - The thunder roared, - And the rain it poured. - -but on our weary boys tramped into Memphis. We took refuge under -sheds, porches or any place else to get shelter from the rain. The -next morning we marched down to the river bank, pitched tents and -went into camp. - -On the morning of the 16th we were ordered out seven miles back of -the town on a scout. We found no enemy and marched back to camp. We -had a heavy provost guard at this place to keep the boys from running -around over town. - -We received marching orders on the morning of the 17th. We embarked -on a steamer, and went as far as Helena, Arkansas. Here we got orders -to reinforce General Curtis who was in Missouri with a small force, -at that time. We got on board a boat and ran down the river, sixty -miles below Helena. Here we turned our course up White River as far -as Aberdeen, a small town on the bank of the river. - -We could not hear of the whereabouts of Curtis’ army, and on the 4th -of July, we remained all day at Crockett’s Bluff. On the 6th, six -companies of our regiment under command of Colonel W. T. Spicely, -marched out about six miles to Grand Prairie. Here we ran into a -force of the 2nd Texas cavalry, about four hundred in number. Only -four of our companies were in line. These companies numbered about -180. The rebels charged up within thirty steps of us. They lay over -on the opposite sides of their horses and fired at us with double -barrel shotguns, from under their horses’ necks. - -They were repulsed, tried the second charge, and were driven off in -disorder. - -Colonel Fitch’s command was two miles in our rear but they did not -get up in time for the fight. Late in the evening we returned to the -boats and Colonel Fitch treated us to the beer. On the morning of the -7th all the troops marched to Grand Prairie again. There was some -skirmishing with the rebel pickets but they made no stand. We had -battalion drill at 10 o’clock that night. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - -July 7th, we marched as far as Clarenden, a distance of ten miles. We -crossed the river and went into camp in the town. We remained here -until the evening of the 9th. We got a dispatch that Curtis’ army had -made its way through to Helena. - -We embarked on boats and at night ran back down the river. Our boat -ran on to a snag and almost sank, but we got it off and repaired -after quite a lot of work. On the 14th we landed at Helena again. We -found General Curtis’ command here. They had had a hard time marching -from Missouri down through Arkansas. - -We stayed here drilling and doing camp duty until August 9th. We then -marched to Clarenden on White River, sixty miles distant, but found -no enemy. The weather was hot and the roads dusty, making a fearful -march. But nevertheless, we found plenty to eat on the way, such as -pork, chicken, honey and other good things. On the 19th we got back -to Helena, covered with sweat and dust. We looked more like the black -brigade than white folks. - -August 27th, we got on board a boat and went thirty miles up the St. -Francis river, on a scout. We landed the boat, got off, and marched -through the canebrake seven miles. We found no enemy and returned -to our boat the “Hamilton Belle.” When we got on board we found her -loaded to the guard with cattle, cotton, sugar, pork, and all kinds -of forage picked up by the boys. - -We started back to Helena, and landed a short distance from our camp -at 2 o’clock in the morning of the 28th. We had quite a time getting -our private forage ashore as the general, E. O. C. Ord, put a guard -at the staging and would not let the boys take anything with them off -of the boat. What they didn’t get off they rolled into the river. - -September 4th, 1862, several companies of our regiment went on a -scout up the river after Bushwhackers. We went up to Chalk Bluffs, -below Memphis. We found no enemy and started back to Helena. We had -not gone far when a volley was fired into us by a force of mounted -rebels. Our boat in command of Lieutenant Colonel Barter, landed. -He ordered us off and out after them. After a run of three miles we -decided that we could not run down mounted rebels and make them fight. - -We marched back to the boat and continued our return to Helena. We -landed there the evening of the 6th. - -On the 16th, a detail got on a boat and went thirty miles up the -river, after a load of wood. On the 23rd, we had a sham battle. We -had quite a time at this and we then settled down to camp life. We -had brigade drill four hours each day from then until October 16th -when we got orders to go up White River. - -We embarked on boats and went down to the mouth of the river, but the -water was so shallow that we could not get in at the mouth. We then -returned to Helena. - -Our drill and picket duty was very heavy, as we had pickets on the -opposite side of the river. We were in all kinds of employment, some -peddling, some fishing, and some playing games. We had a general -routine of camp life. - -November 20th, some of the 11th Indiana boys, while out foraging were -fired into by the rebels. One man was killed. - -On the morning of the 28th, we got marching orders. We boarded a boat -and went to Delta, nine miles below. We got off of the boat and -marched out forty miles east, to the crossroads. We went into camp in -a bottom. - -December 3rd, General Washburn with part of the command marched to -the railroad. Here they had a sharp skirmish with the enemy, losing -one piece of the 1st Indiana cavalry’s artillery. This was a draw -battle. We got plenty of pork and sweet potatoes on this march. - -On the 5th we marched back to Coldwater. The next morning we began -our march at 4 o’clock. Sunday, the 7th, we marched three hours -before day. Half of the boys didn’t get their breakfasts that day. We -reached the river and got on the boats. We landed at Helena at 10 p. m. - -On the 9th of December, General Gorman took command of the post, and -we had grand review. On the 11th we were reviewed by Generals Gorman -and Steel. About the 15th, some heavy rains fell, causing the sloughs -to rise, so that we had to haul the picket guards to their posts in -wagons. - -On the 21st, General Sherman, with his army and a fleet of gunboats, -passed Helena. This army was on an expedition against Vicksburg. - -On the 22nd, Lieutenant Colonel Barter was appointed Provost-marshal, -and the boys of Company B of our regiment were guards. - -About the 25th, General Grant’s communications were cut off while -he was on an expedition against the rebels at Meridian. This caused -his failure to form a junction with Sherman at Vicksburg. Generals -Sherman and Smith with their forces charged Haines’ Bluffs. They were -repulsed with heavy loss. - -Sherman was now reinforced by McClearnand. They went up the Arkansas -River and took the Arkansas Post, with six or seven thousand -prisoners and some heavy guns. Sherman captured more prisoners at -this place than he had lost at Vicksburg. - -On the morning of January 11th, all of our troops at Helena under -Gorman, except one cavalry regiment, got on boats and went down to -the mouth of White River. We went up the river to St. Charles which -place the rebels had evacuated. On the 15th of January, 1863, a -seven-inch snow fell. The canebrakes and timber bent under their -heavy loads. - -The heavy rains had overflowed the river and it was all over the -bottom land. This together with the snow made a very gloomy morning. -That night, the pickets had been sent out with orders not to kindle -any fires. Some of them were angry and set fire to some buildings, -thus causing some excitement in camp. The pickets were called in and -we got on the boat. We went up the river to Clarendon, and on the -evening of the 16th, we landed at Duvall’s Bluff. The rebels had just -evacuated this place. Our cavalry moved out after them and picked up -a few prisoners. - -The rebels left two sixty-four pound guns in our possession. We -loaded these on to the boats. On the morning of the 17th, Colonel -Spicely, in command of the 24th and three gunboats, went to Desarc. -This is a beautiful little town. It is about as far up White River as -navigation is carried on. - -We found many sick and wounded rebels here. Our officers paroled -them. There was also a great deal of small arms and ammunition here -which we took. - -January 19th, all of the command moved to St. Charles. At night -several houses were set on fire, making quite an illumination. On the -21st we went down near Helena, but had to tie up on account of the -fog. On the morning of the 22nd, after a distance of 540 miles had -been traveled, we landed at Helena again. - -The weather was cold and disagreeable, and we began building winter -quarters. There were to be sixteen men to a log cabin. - -We remained here until the 18th of February. Our camp was then -overflowed and we moved back from the river. We went into camp on -higher camp ground. - -The 19th we embarked on a boat and went down the river as far as Moon -Lake. Here the levee had been blown up, and every foot of the lowland -to Yazoo City, had been flooded. In early days this place had been -called Yazoo Pass, and boats had run along here. We crossed the lake -and marched five miles. We went into camp for the night. - -On the 20th, we drew some cornmeal. This was quite a treat as we were -tired of hardtack. We found a mill, set her to going, and soon had -enough meal ground for a good corn cake. Some baked their cake in -half canteens, some on boards, and others rolled the dough on a stick -and held it near the fire until it baked. - -A cold rain had set in making a very muddy and disagreeable time, but -we had to pull the heavy trees out of the pass, which the rebels had -felled to keep our boats from going through. We fastened two-inch -cables around the butts of the trees, and pulled them out, tops and -all. Several cables broke, throwing the boys twenty feet each way. We -finished cleaning out the pass on the second evening. We were wet and -muddy all over. The officers took pity on us and issued a thimbleful -of commissary whiskey to each man. Some of the boys paid twenty-five -cents a thimbleful for enough whiskey to make a good drink. - -On the evening of the 22nd we got on the boat and went down to the -mouth of the pass. We found no more obstructions. When we got to -Coldwater River, our gunboat threw shells into the woods on each -side. We ran down this stream twenty-five miles and tied up for the -night. We could see the signs of a great many rebel boats which had -peeled the bark off of the trees near the shore. All of this country -was flooded. - -On the morning of the 24th, our task completed, we turned the bow -of the boat up stream. On our return, we ran up near Moon Lake. When -night set in it was so foggy that we had to tie up for the night. The -next morning we decked our boat with holly and other evergreens and -set out on our journey. We ran into Moon Lake and here met General -Quinby’s division on their way to Fort Greenwood. - -We returned to Helena. General Quinby moved on down to the fort and -found that country all under water. At night he planted two guns on a -small knoll near the fort. The next morning the gunboats opened fire -on the fort. The rebels threw a shell into the port of the Benton, -killing seven gunners. The union troops then had to draw off, as they -could not get to the fort. They left the two guns which had been -planted there. - -They came back to Helena after a hard struggle to get through to -Yazoo City. All of their plans had failed. - -General Prentice was now in charge of the post at Helena. On the 28th -of February, he issued an order for all citizens to be sent out of -our lines who would not take the oath of allegiance to our government. - -The river rose, overflowing our camp, and we had to move it. - -March 14th, Company B of our regiment was relieved from provost duty, -and they returned to the regiment. Nothing of importance occurred -until the 26th of March, at which time we received two months’ pay. - -In the morning of April 6, 1863, we were called into line. Our -brigade marched into the fort and was addressed by Adjutant General -Thomas. He spoke in regard to arming the negroes, as the Emancipation -Act had already been passed. He had come direct from Washington, -D. C., with full authority to arm and equip the colored troops. He -advocated that it would be much better to put the negroes up for a -target to be shot at than for us to risk all of the danger ourselves. - -This proclamation caused quite an excitement throughout the army. -Many of the boys deserted and went back home, but they were -afterwards pardoned, and came back to their regiments. About this -time we received two months’ pay. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - -April 9th, we received marching orders which were read to us at dress -parade. On the evening of the 10th we struck tents, marched on to the -boats, and went down the river four miles. Here we joined General -Quinby’s division. General Hovey was now in command of our division. -On the morning of the 12th, our squadron moved on down the river. We -went past Napoleon at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. On the morning of -the 13th, we ran past Lake Providence, Louisiana. - -We landed at Millikin’s Bend at 12 o’clock at noon, this being about -210 miles below Helena. On the morning of the 14th we went up the -river two miles, got off of the boat, and went into camp. - -April 15th, we loaded all of our baggage on a barge and prepared for -a march. This country was low and swampy, and a great many of our -boys had died from malaria and other diseases. Many of them were -buried on the levee. Our troops had lain here since the charge at -Chickasaw Landing. - -On the morning of the 16th we started to march around Vicksburg. -We went into camp at night near Richmond, a small town in Madison -Parish, Louisiana. The next morning we marched twelve miles and went -into camp on Dawson’s Plantation. We remained at this place three -days. Our teams went back for rations. - -About this time General Grant sent his Yankee gunboat past the -blockade at night. It fooled the rebel gunners and each fired a shot -at the supposed monster. As the nights were very dark, we could see -the flashes of the guns and hear the boom of the heavy guns which -were planted on the river bluff for seven miles in length. - -At this place we had roll call seven times each day in order to keep -the boys in camp. On the 19th, our cavalry had a small engagement. -After they had taken a few prisoners the rebels fell back. - -On the 21st, we marched to Fisk’s Plantation, a distance of about -thirteen miles. We went into camp near the bayou. Grant had been -trying to open up this bayou for several months, so that he might get -the gunboats around Vicksburg. It rained all that day making it very -disagreeable. - -There was heavy cannonading at night, as our gunboats and transports -were running the blockade. We must have been twenty-five miles away -but the roar and flashes could plainly be heard and seen. - -We lay here several days while our pioneers were constructing pontoon -bridges across the bayou. Here our siege guns were brought up. They -were drawn by several yoke of cattle, as it was too muddy in that -black sticky soil for horses or mules to get through, with big loads. - -On the 27th we resumed our march. While crossing the bridge one of -our heavy guns fell over the side of the bridge, and went down into -thirty feet of water, dragging the teams with it. It began raining -and after marching nine miles through the rain and mud which was knee -deep, we came to the banks of the Mississippi River. - -All of our fleet which had run the blockade at Vicksburg, lay at this -place, which we named Perkins’ Landing. - -On the 28th, General A. P. Hovey’s division embarked on boats and -barges and went fifteen miles to Hard Times Landing, which is five -miles above Grand Gulf. - -On the morning of the 29th, all of us marched on to boats with barges -lashed on either side, which were filled with troops ready for the -charge. Our squadron of ironclads, seven in number, moved in line on -down toward the rebel forts. It was a grand sight to behold those -great ironclad monsters gliding down against this mighty fortress at -Grand Gulf, with its large guns, to receive tons of iron hail against -their iron sides. - -Everything was as still as death when we neared the fort. Many were -holding their breaths and listening for the terrible fray to begin. -On the boats went, the Benton in advance. When she got opposite the -fort, she circled round until within 150 yards of it. She then opened -up with a broadside of six heavy one hundred pounders one after the -other. Each boat followed in succession. Scarcely had our guns opened -fire when the enemy replied with their heavy 284 pound guns. - -The fort became a mass of fire and smoke. The Tuscumba in the same -manner as the Benton, poured in her broadside. Next came the Baron, -DeKalb, the Lafayette, the Carondalet and so on. - -The fort seemed to be silenced and then it was that our brigade on -a boat and two barges, moved on down with orders to charge that -American Gibraltar. We were in good spirits, for we thought that no -human life could exist in that flame of hell and destruction, which -rained over the rebels for two long hours. All was silent, but we had -run down but a short distance when a white cloud of smoke belched out -of the fort like a volcano, and the heavy shot and shell once more -poured out from that crater. - -One of the largest shots struck not over twenty yards from our bow. -It was not many seconds before our pilot had the bows of our boats -turned in the opposite direction. - -We were about two miles from the fort when the battle was renewed, -part of our gunboats running close to the fort and using grape shot -and cannister. The old Lafayette lay at a distance of three miles up -the gulf, using her big stern gun and dropping shell directly into -the fort. - -The hog chains were cut off of the Tuscumba, and she, put out of -business, dropped down below the fort. - -After four hours of hard fighting, our boats drew off to cool down -and rest a while. It must have been terrible for the boys who were -shut up in those iron monsters. - -Our force landed and a detail of volunteers was called to stay on the -boats while the blockade was being run. We marched round six miles on -the west side of the river. At 8 o’clock we were on the river bank, -five miles below Grand Gulf. At nine o’clock our entire fleet ran the -blockade. This sight will be remembered by many persons as long as -they live. We could see tongues of fire pouring forth from the mouths -of those mighty monsters. The sound on the still night air was heard -many miles away. The earth trembled as far away as where we were -looking on. Our boats got through but they were riddled up somewhat -badly. - -Our loss was twelve killed and wounded. The rebel loss was -twenty-six. Among their wounded was a brigadier general. We lost -six battery horses on the transports, while they were running the -blockade. - -On the morning of the 30th we crossed the river. Our regiment crossed -on the old ironclad Benton. The marks of the shot on her iron plates -were terrible. Great pieces of shell had been forced under her iron -plates, and they were blue all over where the minnie balls had struck -and glanced off. - -After we had crossed we drew a small amount of hardtack and a -little piece of bacon. At four o’clock we started on a march in the -direction of Port Gibson, which is seven miles back of Grand Gulf. -We marched all night over a very rough, broken country. At 2 o’clock -on the morning of the 1st of May, we ran into the rebel army. We were -halted from our tiresome march by the terrific sound and the crashing -shell of a battery, which broke the still morning air with its echo -over hill and valley for many miles and warned even the little birds -of that desperate day which was to come and cause so many homes to -mourn the loss of some dear friend. - -Hovey’s division being in front, our regiment moved down and stacked -our arms in line of battle. We were not farther than 100 yards from -a concealed line of rebels. They lay in a canebrake. Everything -was as still as death and this was the darkest part of the night, -the hour just before day. Our regiment was ordered to move to the -right and form the right wing of our line of battle so that the -troops in the rear might come up and form in line. But before our -lines were formed, that ravine and canebrake became a solid sheet -of fire, caused by the rebel batteries and small arms. Daylight was -now beginning to break and we could see that the shells were playing -havoc with our troops on the hill, that were forcing their way up to -the front to form our lines. - -We had stacked our guns and the boys were trying to make some coffee, -but the battery in front seeing that the hungry boys needed some heat -to make their coffee boil quickly, rolled in a few shells and blew -all of the fire out. Some of the boys swearing, declared that it had -come from our own guns, for the shell came directly from the place -where we had stacked our arms that morning. - -The fight was now on in earnest, and there was no time for arguing -about the matter. We now piled our knapsacks and prepared for the -charge. - -General Osterhos had charged in front, and our regiment charged down -across a large ravine, which was grown up with cane, making it almost -impassable. The rattle of shot and shell striking the cane and the -whoops and yells of the charging regiments made a terrible noise. - -We moved across and supported the 8th Indiana, which was commanded by -General Benton. The rebels gave way on all parts of their lines and -fell back. We then moved up and supported a battery in the edge of a -big plantation. They were shelling the rebels on the retreat. Some -old houses were near by and the rebel batteries were knocking the -chinking and splinters in all directions. - -We followed up the retreat five miles. We found everything imaginable -scattered along the road. The rebels halted and formed their lines -in the timber near Port Gibson. We moved up within a mile of their -lines, halted, and stacked our arms, to take a rest. - -At two o’clock, the rebels were reinforced by General Tracy and -Green, who had fresh forces, and they were also good fighters. We -could see them coming down on us in as nice a line as was ever seen -in any army. We then had to get busy, and in a hurry too. We advanced -to meet the enemy. Our regiment stopped at a ditch. The 47th Indiana -and the 19th Kentucky stayed with us. - -When the rebel line got within forty yards of us their men fell to -the ground and remained there one and one-fourth hours, before we -repulsed them. We averaged fifty-eight rounds of cartridges to the -man before the rebels withdrew. After that we never grumbled about -carrying sixty rounds of cartridges. - -After General Tracy and many others had been slain, the rebels fell -back demoralized. Very many of their men had been slain and wounded. -Our regiment had only thirty-four killed and wounded, as we were -protected by the ditch, and did not suffer like other regiments. - -The fighting along the line was kept up until five o’clock in the -evening when the rebels fell back, some by the way of Grand Gulf -and the others in the direction of Vicksburg. At two o’clock on the -morning of the 2nd of May we were awakened by the jar and report of -the exploding magazines which were blown up at Grand Gulf, when the -rebels evacuated that strong fortress. We could see their signals -going up all night, and thought that the rebels meant to concentrate -their forces and fight a pitched battle with us, on the next day, but -they saw that we had come to stay and decided that it would be better -for them to take all of their men to Vicksburg. - -Now it could plainly be seen that nothing could hold the blockade of -the Mississippi against our mighty force of ironclads and the army -which had undertaken to open it up. - -Our loss at Port Gibson was 500 killed and wounded. The rebel loss -was about 600 killed and wounded and we also took 700 of their men -as prisoners. The divisions that were engaged at this place were A. -P. Hovey’s, Osterhos’, and Carr’s. Logan’s division came up just at -dark, and Quinby’s division did not get into the fight at all. - -May 2, 1863, we moved into Port Gibson. Here we had to wait until a -pontoon bridge could be constructed over Bayou Pierre, as the rebels -had burned the bridges, while on their retreat. - -Our boys found many valuables, such as watches, jewelry, silverware, -and some gold and silver coin at this place. We also found plenty -of good bacon which was buried in hogsheads and sodded over. This -came in good play as our rations were getting slim. The citizens all -seemed to be in mourning. Many of them had their property burned on -the supposition that they had fought us the day before. - -On the morning of the 3rd, our regiment crossed the bayou, and -marched out six miles in the direction of Grand Gulf on a scout. We -found plenty of bacon and other articles of food, which the rebels -had concealed in the woods, but they were not sharp enough to hide -anything from a yankee. - -At two o’clock we started back, but when we came to the Jackson road -we learned that our entire army had moved on. We then followed up as -a rear guard. - -We marched twelve miles and went into camp near Rocky Springs. -Our army had nothing to eat and we were cut off from our base of -supplies. Thus we had to forage off of the country. We foraged corn -and ran one or two mills, and this furnished a half pint of meal to -the man. Some made bread and cooked it on coals and others rolled the -dough on sticks and baked it, and still others mixed water and meal -together, making mush without any salt. At least we had a time to get -something to satisfy our gnawing stomachs. - -We lay here until the evening of the 6th when we moved up eight -miles. We went into camp and drew one cracker to the man, for supper, -but we had plenty of water to wash it down with. - -On the morning of the 7th we moved up three miles and formed on the -line of battle which was being established. Our cavalry had a sharp -skirmish and took twelve prisoners. We had grand review by General -Grant. - -Sherman’s corps arrived on the 10th. We marched ten miles and went -into camp. Sherman’s corps passed us late in the evening and went -into camp two miles in advance of us. This was near the enemy’s line -of battle and we looked for a heavy battle at any moment. - -On the morning of the 12th we marched on past Sherman’s division. -After a march of five miles we came up with our cavalry command, -which was engaged in a sharp little fight with the rebel advance. We -drove them back to the main Vicksburg army near Edward’s Depot. - -We crossed Baker’s Creek and went into the camp for the night. We -were so near the rebels that we could hear them talk at night, and -our teamsters and their cavalry got corn at the same cribs, between -our lines. While our teamster of company A, Timothy Riggle, was in -the crib filling his sack, a squad of rebel cavalry came to the door. - -One of the rebels looked in and called out, “Boys, heah is a d---- -yank in heah stealing ouah cohn.” Then this to the yankee, “Get out -of heah.” - -Our teamster hardly knew how to answer, but he replied, “Gentlemen, -please give me time to get a few more ears. My mules are nearly -starved.” - -When they heard him call them gentlemen they gave him a little time. -I suppose that they had never been called gentlemen before. But the -teamster didn’t take time to fill his sack. He was glad to change -places with the rebs, and feed his mules on half rations. When he -came into camp with his hair standing on end, and reported his escape -from prison, the Captain said to him, “Bully for you, Tim.” - -That night Sherman, with his corps passed to our rear, and went with -all speed toward Raymond. On the morning of the 13th we heard the -batteries of Sherman’s force open up on the rebel army at Raymond. - -During the night the rebels had concentrated a large force with the -expectation of a general fight the next morning. But at daybreak when -they heard the noise of Sherman’s batteries at Raymond, they came -down on us like demons. The bullets flew thick and fast but the most -of them went too high as we were under the hill. - -As we had only a small detachment against the main rebel army, we -were ordered to fall in line and pull out on double quick time. - -I will relate a little circumstance which took place while we were -in this critical position. In forming our lines we were ordered to -left wheel into line. One of our old comrades by the name of John -Lochner, who was a very clumsy Dutchman, slipped on a pile of rails -and peeled all of the skin off of half of his nose. He was standing -there cursing in Dutch and the Captain seeing him with the blood -running down his face, yelled out, “Lochner, if you are shot, go to -the ambulance.” - -“Shoot, hell Ciptain, shoot mit a rail in de nose.” he replied. But -he stayed in his place in the ranks anyway. - -We crossed the creek and were soon out of the range of the rebels’ -bullets. A very heavy rain set in making a hard muddy march. Seeing -the rebels did not follow us, we crossed over Baker’s Creek on a -bridge and then set the bridge on fire. We went into camp in the -bottom. - -That night we tore down some cotton pens and each fellow had a good, -soft, cotton bed. But just as a person thinks that he is getting some -great pleasure for himself, death and destruction come along and cut -off his happiness. About 10 o’clock that night, we were almost washed -out of that camp by a flood. We waded to the hills in water that was -sometimes waist deep. - -On the 14th, we marched through Raymond. Here we passed over the -battleground. It bore the marks of a hard fought battle. In the fight -Sherman had taken several prisoners, but he had lost 500 men, killed -and wounded. He had gone on to Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. - -We, tired and hungry, marched on through rain and mud. At the end of -twelve miles, we went into camp we knew not where. But one thing we -did know. That was that we were tolerably well mixed up with a large -rebel army and would have to untangle soon. - -On the morning of the 15th, we began marching at six o’clock, and -after a distance of five miles had been traveled we came to a little -town on the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad, by the name of Clinton. -The distance to Jackson from here was eighteen miles. We received a -dispatch from General Sherman stating that he had captured the town -of Jackson, captured several prisoners, and put General Johnson’s -rebel army to flight. - -Our army consisting of Hovey’s and Logan’s divisions turned back -toward Vicksburg. We were foraging along the road as many of the boys -had empty haversacks, and not a morsel to eat. I jumped over into a -garden and grabbed a few onions. The other boys followed my example -and soon the garden was cleaned up. I had procured a small amount -of Orleans molasses and when we stopped for a short rest I made my -breakfast on onions and molasses. I will always remember that I -enjoyed that breakfast more than any that I ever ate. - -We were soon called into line and we began our march again. After -a march of ten miles we ran into the rebel’s advance guard, near -Bolton’s Depot. Our cavalry drove the picket in and we formed a -line of battle. We stacked our guns for we were hungry. As soon as -our guns were stacked, we were out looking for something to eat, -just anything to stop the gnawing at our weak stomachs. Two of my -messmates, John Clark and John Toliver, and I ran for a house down -in the field. When we got to the house we saw an old French lady -standing on the portico, with a large bull dog tied to the post. - -The old lady forbade our coming inside, but we could not understand -her gibberish, and even if we could, we were too hungry to pay any -attention. There was a smokehouse on the place and we could smell -the delicious odor which the good hams hanging in there made. We -knocked the gate down, and while I was having a battle with the dog -the boys went for the meat. The dog placed his feet on my breast, but -I had my bayonet in the scabbard and I grabbed the dog with my left -hand and with my right hand I ran my bayonet through the dog’s ribs. -This made the old lady jump up and down and swear like a trooper. -I met the boys coming out of the smokehouse with two big hams on -their shoulders. One of them called out, “We have plenty of meat, -Fulfer, you get the honey.” The old lady came with an ax and I saw -that something had to be done. As quickly as possible, I grabbed up -a large bee stand that was open at the bottom, and threw it on my -shoulder. At last the battle was won. The last time that I saw that -old French woman, she was flying through the door with the yard full -of angry bees after her. There was at least seventy-five pounds of -honey in that gum. - -Just at this critical moment the rebel cavalry drove our cavalry -back. The bullets rattled through the cornstalks and past us like -hail. Toliver called back at the top of his voice, “Hold on to that -bee gum, Fulfer.” When we got back to the regiment all of the boys -were in line of battle ready for business. - -We camped here that night and the two different cavalries were -skirmishing at intervals all through the night. Some of company A -will always remember that we had honey and ham that night for supper. - - On the cold ground we were lying, - Filled with thoughts of home and God, - For we knew that on the morrow. - Some would sleep beneath the sod. - Farewell mother, you may never - Press me to your breast again. - But you’ll not forget me mother. - If I’m numbered with the slain. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - -On the morning of the 16th of May, 1863, a day long to be remembered -by some of us. We were called into line at an early hour, but some -time elapsed before the plan of the march was decided upon by the -generals. Finally Osterhos and Carr moved by the way of Raymond, and -Hovey and Logan by the way of Champion Hill. General Quinby was in -the rear guarding the trains. - -After we had advanced a few miles we met some straggling rebels who -reported that the rebels were in full force on the Raymond Road, but -had pitched their battle ground on Champion Hill, near the forks of -the road. - -After a six-mile march we ran up against the rebels, posted in a -natural fortification, made by the circling road that curved round -the hill. Logan moved his division up and took a position on the -extreme right flank, in line of battle. Hovey’s division was formed -next to Logan’s and Osterhos’, Carr’s and Smith’s division were on -the left on the Raymond Road. - -At ten o’clock Company A was ordered on to the skirmish line. We -charged up within sixty yards of the main rebel line which was formed -in the edge of the woods. This brought on the engagement and it was -general all along the lines of Logan and Hovey. Our company having -one man wounded, while getting here, fell down in a hollow. The air -above us was blue, and the roaring of the guns and the whizzing of -shot and shell was fearful. - -At one time I thought that Company A was lost. The rebels in a solid -mass, charged one of Logan’s batteries, which was 150 yards to our -right and rear. They were repulsed with great slaughter, and they -were driven back past us faster than they had come. It was terrible -to look upon the slaughter of that desperate charge. The only musket -balls which I ever saw used, were at this place. By the use of them -the rebels in our front tried to shell us out of that hollow ravine. - -The 11th Indiana and 29th Wisconsin of our brigade charged on our -left, driving the rebels out of the road. They also captured a -battery and took 160 prisoners. General Logan’s division charged on -our right, and drove the enemy in a mass, back in front of Hovey’s -division. There was cheering all along the line because the boys -thought that we had the rebels routed. But they had only fallen back -to mask their forces and draw Hovey’s division into a trap. - -Our regiment moved up and gave three cheers on account of holding our -part of the skirmish line so near the enemy. Our company joined on to -our regiment and moved two hundred yards to the left flank at the top -of the hill. This was where the 11th Indiana had taken a battery. - -We faced the enemy and charged down the hill. On we went, unmindful -of the death and destruction which we were running into. Not a shot -was fired to warn us of the danger, until we were in nineteen steps -of a masked division. Fifteen to one hundred of them came up out of -the ditches. They were to our right flank and rear, not over 200 -yards from where we had started down the hill. - -Regiment after regiment poured death and destruction into our ranks -until we had only a little squad left, to rally around the flag. At -the first volley the most of our little battalion fell, dead and -wounded. I dropped into a ditch and loaded and fired three shots at -the rebels. They were so close that I could see the whites of their -eyes. - -It seemed as though the hill was filled with rebels. On they came and -I had to get up and change my position. When about half way up the -hill, I ran into a squad fighting hand to hand. Here was the place -where the old 24th almost lost its flag, and also, Colonel Barter -almost lost his hand. The colors were shot out of it and the flag -staff was split into three pieces. Corporal Steel carried the flag -off of the field. - -We could not get reinforcements and the chance of any of us being -saved was a forlorn hope, but just at the last moment, we were saved -by reinforcements. They came into line on the right at the top of the -hill. We were a mixed up bunch, but those brave Missouri and Iowa -boys, the 3rd, 5th and 6th Missouri and the 10th Iowa, saved us. When -the rebel host saw our solid line of reinforcements they became panic -stricken. They were so excited that the last load that they fired -they did not return their ramrods, but fired them into our faces, -threw down their guns, and fled for safe quarters. - -We had won the day, but Hovey’s and Logan’s divisions had paid dearly -for their prize. At four o’clock the enemy fell back in confusion. -They were being hard pressed on all parts of the lines and they made -no stand until they reached Black River Bridge, which place they had -well fortified. - -The rebels, on their retreat, had left many dead to be buried in -fence corners. - -Our division, commanded by General A. P. Hovey, was composed of the -following troops: the 11th, 24th, 34th, 46th and 47th Indiana; 29th -Wisconsin; 24th Iowa; 56th Ohio; and 22nd Kentucky. - -The loss of our division was 1,500 killed and wounded. The loss in -our regiment was 259. Our company loss was 22. Two of our boys were -taken prisoners. The number of men when we went into the charge had -been 480. Our brigade having suffered the greatest loss, was left on -the field to care for the wounded and bury the dead. - -At night a heavy picket was placed around the battlefield, for fear -that the rebel general, Loring, who had cut through our lines, would -come back and make a night attack on our little worn-out force that -had been left on the field of battle. - -No person except those who were pickets on that field, that dark -night, can imagine the horrors of that awful bloody field of death -and destruction. The groans of hundreds of wounded and dying could -be heard on the still night air, and one could imagine that they saw -them in their mangled condition, begging for water and calling on God -for help. “War is hell.” - -The rebel loss at Champion Hill had been as heavy as our own, and we -also captured 4,000 of their men as prisoners, and took twenty-two -pieces of their artillery. - -On the morning of the 17th, the still air was disturbed by the -belching cannon at Black River Bridge. Osterhos and Logan charged -the works at daylight, driving the rebels out and putting them to -fight in the direction of Vicksburg, their last stronghold. Several -prisoners and four pieces of artillery were taken. The enemy set the -bridge on fire, thus checking the advance of the union forces. But -they were not to be hindered in that way, for they were soon crossing -on pontoons. On the morning of the 18th General Grant was forming his -lines around Vicksburg. - -May 19th, 1863, having cared for the wounded and buried the dead, our -little shattered brigade took up our line of march. After a march of -ten miles we came to Black River Bridge. - -General Sherman crossed Black River some distance above here on his -return from the capture of Jackson, Mississippi. On the night of -the 19th, he charged the enemy at Haines Bluffs, where he had been -defeated about the 23rd of December, the year before. This time he -was successful in capturing the fort. He then established his lines -on our extreme right. The capturing of Haines Bluffs connected us -with our base of supplies above Pittsburg. We had been on less than -quarter rations for twenty days. - -At Haines Bluffs, Sherman captured several prisoners and took some -heavy guns. He also forced the enemy back to their main defenses at -Vicksburg. - -On the morning of the 20th, we took up our line of march. We left -Black River Bridge at 4 p. m. We marched until twelve o’clock at -night. We moved up near our troops which were establishing their -lines around Vicksburg. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - -On the 20th, our troops had had a hard little fight but were repulsed -by the rebels, after they had charged up close to the strong rebel -forts. On the 21st we moved up near our advance lines and on the -22nd a general charge all along the lines was ordered. Our regiment -supported the 7th Kentucky. - -Several of our regiments in front had planted their flags on the -rebel forts and the destruction of men was horrible. The earth -trembled under the powerful explosives. Many of our boys were slain -in hand to hand fights. - -From some unknown cause, the rebel army in our front was reinforced -and we were driven back with a heavy loss. The blame was laid -to General McClernand, the commander of our 13th corps. He was -superceded and I never heard of him afterwards. He was a fine looking -general. Thus the name of the 13th corps was lost at Vicksburg. - -The nurses and wounded whom we had left at Champion Hill, had been -captured but were paroled. They came to us about this time. - -Our troops were driven back and some of the regiments lost their -flags. At night some of the wounded were carried away but the rebs -would shoot at any little noise. Many of the wounded perished that -night for want of help. - -During all of the siege. Admiral Porter bombarded the city with -twenty-two inch mortars and other heavy guns. It was a sight to see -those huge shells raised to the distance of four miles, and then -explode and send the pieces of shell humming to the ground, and -making a noise like thunder. - -On the 24th, we went to work digging rifle pits and preparing for the -siege. Our large guns kept up a continuous firing all along the lines. - -On the 25th, our dead, who had fallen in the charge of the 22nd, had -not yet been buried. The rebels had refused to let us bury them. But -the corpses stunk them out and they gave us a four hour’s armistice -in which to bury the dead. - -Two of those in our regiment were wounded while working in the rifle -pits. We were relieved from this duty by the second brigade. We then -moved back in a deep hollow to rest. - -On the 26th we moved up to support the first regular siege guns. -Our duty was heavy skirmishing all day and digging rifle pits and -planting batteries at night. - -On the morning of the 28th our batteries opened a heavy fire all -along the line. They blew up one of the rebel’s magazines, thus -causing a terrible explosion. The rebels returned fire but after an -hour of heavy bombarding they were silenced. On the 30th, a small -dram of commissary whisky was issued all along the line. - -On the 31st we took our position on the lines where we remained until -the surrender. Osterhos moved his brigade back to Black River and -began building breastworks to protect our rear. - -The rebel generals, Johnson and Breckenridge, had come up with forty -thousand men to raise the siege. - -On the morning of the first day of June, 1863, our troops were -stationed on the lines as follows: General Herring on our extreme -left flank, next to the Mississippi River; General Lawman’s division -joined on to them; our division, under General Hovey next; the first -brigade of General Osterhos’ troops, next, which brigade reached -the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad; Generals Carr, Smith, and -Quinby next came in; General Logan’s corps was fronting that strong -fort called “The Queen of Vicksburg,” which afterwards became the -noted part of the drama of Vicksburg; next General McPherson; and -General Sherman’s corps as has already been stated, took their place -on the extreme right at Haines’ Bluffs, near the Yazoo River. We -were reinforced by Burnsides’ ninth corps, which was moved back to -strengthen our rear, and Osterhos’ second brigade, and to fortify the -banks of Black River. - -We now had one hundred thousand troops in this vicinity. General -Logan’s troops began tunneling under the largest fort at Vicksburg -that morning. The rebels opened up with several of their heavy guns -but they were soon silenced as we were advancing our rifle pits in -close range and our sharpshooters were getting to be good marksmen. - -At night General Lawman’s division tried to advance their rifle pits, -and the rebels in front opposed their advance. There were several -hard charges made on both sides. The rebels would drive our boys out -of the pits and fill them up and then Lawman’s men would charge back -and open up the rifle pits again. It was quite an exciting scene to -witness. - -Everything was quiet in front of Hovey’s division, but we were -looking for the rebels to oppose our advance at night. On the morning -of the second of June, our army was digging wells all along the -line to supply us with water. We got plenty of water at a depth of -eighteen feet. - -The rebel batteries opened up a heavy cannonading, but our boys soon -silenced them. On the morning of the third we were still advancing -our rifle pits and the rebels were getting in a few shots with their -big guns. They were now getting short of ammunition and were loading -their guns with pieces of our mortar shells and railroad iron. - -Breckenridge, the rebel, had forty thousand men at our rear, but we -were too well fortified for him to make an attack. On the eighth a -force of rebel cavalry attacked our guards and sick at Millikin’s -Bend, but they were repulsed and driven back with a slight loss. - -On the 11th a continual firing was kept up all day. One man in -Company B of our regiment was killed. He was hit in the back with a -piece of one of our own shells, while he was lying on his bunk. - -On the 12th a detail from our regiment planted some heavy eighty-four -pound guns in our rear and fifteen thousand men were sent back to -Black River to reinforce our rear guard which was looking for an -attack every hour, as things were getting desperate with the rebel -army which was cooped up in Vicksburg. - -On the 14th the rebels opened fire with some small mortars, on -General Herring’s troops. Several were killed and wounded by mortar -shells. They also threw some shells into Logan’s division. - -At night some of our boys met the rebs half way between our lines and -exchanged coffee for the papers which the rebels were printing in -Vicksburg. We found much valuable information in these papers. - -Since they had been cooped up in Vicksburg, the rebels had been in -communication with Breckenridge’s army by means of some spies. We -also often traded coffee with the rebels for tobacco or something -which we wanted, while we were on picket duty. - -On the 16th the rebels opened fire with some of their heavy guns on -our rifle pits which we were advancing within a short distance of -their forts. But they were soon silenced by our sharpshooters. - -On the 17th, a battery of our twenty-four pound siege guns threw -hot shot into the city and tried to set the houses on fire, but they -failed to do much damage, as the buildings were so far apart. The -most of them had been pounded down by Porter’s big mortar shells, and -very many of the citizens had dug out houses in the railroad cut, -sixty feet below the top of the ground. Some of the houses had been -dug out in solid rock and they were proof against Porter’s big shells -that rolled to the height of four miles, then dropped and went into -the ground fifteen feet, then they exploded and tore out holes in the -ground as large as a house. - -It seemed impossible for any living being to exist in such a hell -through forty-eight days in the presence of those death-dealing -monsters. The earth and air were both filled with iron and lead. - -On the morning of the 18th, our company was relieved out of the rifle -pits by Companies C and E. While we were yet standing there two of -the boys were killed by rebel sharpshooters. One was out of Company C -and the other out of Company E. The bullets passed through the loop -in our head logs and then went through the boys’ heads. We were only -sixty yards from the fort at this time. Admiral Porter used his fleet -of mortars and ironclads continually. There was neither rest nor -quiet during those hot days, made still hotter by the whizzing shells -and zipping minnie balls. - -On the 23rd we received two months’ pay. We now had money and -could catch a little time to bet on our old familiar game called -chuck-a-luck. - -General Logan’s men had their tunnel underneath the “Queen of -Vicksburg” completed. On the morning of the 25th, we received orders -for every man to fire fifty rounds of cartridges and each battery -to fire one hundred rounds, all along the entire line. Just imagine -eighty thousand anxious men, standing in the rifle pits, awaiting -orders and ready to charge the mighty Gibraltar of Vicksburg. - -Everything was quiet and not a sound disturbed the still air. Many -were thinking of home and God and wondering what was coming next. -About ten o’clock we saw a cloud of black smoke go up like the -upheaval of a volcano. It carried with it to the height of a mile, -hundreds of tons of earth and debris and a great number of men. This -was followed by a mighty shaking of the earth, and the “Queen of -Vicksburg” was no more. She was up in midair with hundreds of mangled -human bodies dropping back to the earth. - -At this moment five hundred cannon and eighty thousand small arms -opened fire, and every man yelled at the top of his voice. Just think -for a moment what a panorama this must have been. In five minutes -nothing could be heard except the crash and roar nor could anything -be seen on account of the smoke. Sheets of flame and clouds of black -smoke shot up from the mouths of those great monster guns. - -After an hour of work in this awful scene of death and destruction -the lines all ceased firing. A few rebels in front of us gave three -cheers to let us know that they were not all dead. The destruction -then continued in Logan’s division, and it lasted until after dark. - -I cannot give a full account of the work of destruction that went on -in that division because I was not there, and got only a brief sketch -of the horrors in that awful crater. After the explosion of the fort, -Logan’s men charged in and tried to make an opening in that terrible -place. They fought the rebels hand to hand, and both sides used hand -grenades. These caused a great destruction on both sides. The rebels -were reinforced and drove our men out, capturing several prisoners. - -On the 26th, we moved one section of Captain Foster’s twenty-pound -Parrot guns into our rifle pits, not over one hundred yards from the -main rebel forts. We had to put collars on the guns to protect the -eyes of our gunners. - -Hard fighting was going on between Logan’s division and the rebels. -They were fighting for the possession of the crater which was blown -out between the two armies. They used all kinds of devices for -holding that “bone of contention.” At night General Hovey had our -rifle pits extended to within forty paces of their large fort. The -rebels opened on us with canister, but it took no effect as our works -were too strong. - -At night our pickets and the rebels stood only ten feet apart and -talked to each other. When four o’clock came, the first one that got -into the rifle pits fired at the other, sometimes cutting the dirt -close to his heels as he went over into the ditch on his head. He -then lay there panting for breath. - -The rebels built a wire fence and defied us to cross it. On the -night of the 28th Captain Jackson of our pioneer corps and a working -squad advanced our pits as far the fence. The rebel pickets were -called into the fort and several shots fired. We then sent for -reinforcements. The commander of the fort called out to know who the -officer was who dared to intrude on his rights. We were now within -thirty feet of the fort and were lying under two big guns whose -muzzles one could crawl into. - -Our captain answered the rebel thus, “Sir, I am Captain Jackson of -the pioneer corps, and have orders from U. S. Grant to dig you out of -here, and who are you, sir?” - -“I am Colonel Jackson of the 20th Alabama Confederate, and have my -orders form General Pemberton to blow you out of existence if you -cross that wire fence.” - -They met each other between the lines, shook hands, and had a long -interview, for they proved to be uncle and nephew. I thought that -we were in for it that night when their picket was called in and I -heard the gunner call out, “Double shot with cannister, Number Four.” -But now all was settled and we rested in our rifle pit until morning. - -On the 29th the rebels planted a heavy gun to dismount our -twenty-four pounders, that lay to our rear. They had fired two shots -which took no effect, when one of our twenty-pound Parrots in the -rifle pit threw a shot which knocked the rebel gun out of existence. - -July 1, 1863, the rebels made a charge on part of McArthur’s -division, but they were driven back into their works, with a counter -charge. They lost thirty killed and taken prisoners. They also -charged out on Lawman’s advance, capturing and filling up several -rifle pits. They covered up several of our wounded, who perished -before we recaptured the pits. That part of the line was reinforced -and we established our line nearer their fort. - -On the 3rd, we advanced our works by sapping and mining. We dug up -some negro skeletons as this had been a negro graveyard. We were -building ladders and preparing for a general charge. We could throw -clods of dirt into the rebel’s forts. They had planted several mines -under our rifle pits by digging tunnels. - -We all knew that something was going to happen, as this kind of -warfare could not last much longer. - -At nine o’clock, on the morning of the 3rd of July, a flag of truce -came out from the rebel lines, and was received at General Grant’s -headquarters. Then came the order to cease firing all along the line -for a three hours’ armistice. But Porter, who had not received the -order, kept his big mortars busy, and threw some large pieces of -shell over the rebels, and into our lines. - -This rest was a good thing for all of us. Both rebel and union -troops sat up on our works and talked over the business of the day. - -This is a day long to be remembered by many, both of the North and -the South. At twelve o’clock at noon both armies resumed their places -in the works and renewed that long struggle, but the firing was not -as heavy as it had been. - -At six o’clock in the evening, we saw the second flag of truce and -firing ceased all around the lines. On the morning of the 4th of -July, at eight o’clock, a salute of eight blank cartridges was shot -from each heavy gun all along the line. At nine o’clock General -Pemberton and his staff rode out and met General Grant under a large -live oak tree, near the lines. Here Grant accepted the surrender of -Vicksburg with twenty-seven thousand prisoners, fifty thousand stands -of small arms and three hundred and fifty pieces of artillery. - -White flags went up on each fort and the rebels marched out and -stacked their guns. Yanks and rebs were soon all mixed up and talking -as sociably as if nothing had happened. They were almost starved and -soon we were all at the same tables, eating a good square meal of -hardtack, sow belly and coffee. - -Later I went inside their works and found several kettles of poor -mule beef, cooking on fires back of their forts. It was horrible to -witness the sights in the town, especially the hospitals. It did not -take long to get enough of sight seeing for the rotten smell in that -hole of death was terrible. - -General Grant soon went to Washington, D. C. to receive thanks -and congratulations for the part he had taken in putting down the -rebellion, and General Sherman took temporary command of the army at -Vicksburg. - - - - -THE SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG. - -From the History of D. H. Montgomery. - - -On the Mississippi, Vicksburg and vicinity was held by a strong -Confederate force under General Pemberton. Early in the spring of -1863, General J. E. Johnson, then at Chattanooga, Tennessee, moved -with an army to join Pemberton. In a number of masterly battles, -Grant defeated Pemberton before Johnson could unite with him. He -forced Pemberton to retreat into Vicksburg, and drove Johnson off of -the field. - -For several weeks Grant and Sherman, with over seventy thousand, -besieged Vicksburg. Union men were shelling the city night and day. -Food was so scarce that the Confederates had but one cracker a day. -The town was so knocked to pieces that women and children had to live -in caves, dug in the earth. They too were reduced to a few mouthsful -of food a day. Mule steaks gave out and many had to choose between -eating cats and rats. - -Out of less than thirty thousand, they had six thousand sick and -wounded. They could hold out no longer and July 4th, 1863, Vicksburg -surrendered. Grant took nearly thirty-two thousand prisoners. Union -loss, twenty-three thousand three. Rebel loss, twenty thousand four -hundred and fifty-one. - -Among those that took part in that day of celebration and victory -was the war eagle, Old Abe, the hero of many battles. He was carried -on a perch, near the flag, by one of the color bearers of the 8th -Wisconsin. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - -At two o’clock in the evening we received marching orders to go to -the rear after Johnson’s and Breckenridge’s army. There was a routine -of work to do here, such as cleaning up and granting paroles to -prisoners, but we had troops enough to see after all of this. - -On the morning of the 5th, we moved out to Black River, which was -twelve miles distant. We had some strong fortifications at this -place. We lay here until the morning of the 7th when we moved out in -the direction of Jackson. - -We stopped at the battlefield of Champion Hill for an hour’s rest. -There was hardly a living tree on the field. Those fine, large -magnolias had been torn and shot up until the place looked like an -old deadening. One could see the dead leaves for miles. We found -several bodies off of which the rain had washed the dirt. Not much -pains were taken in burying the dead rebels, while we were at this -place. - -We moved on twelve miles to Bolton’s Depot, and here ran into -Breckenridge’s rear. After a few shots had been fired from our -batteries the enemy fell back. We lay here until 5 p. m. on the 8th -when we moved out against the rebels. They contended for every foot -of ground. We drove them about six miles and then lay down for a -short sleep. - -On the 9th we marched to Clinton. On the morning of the 10th we moved -out in the direction of Jackson. There was skirmishing all the way -but this did not annoy us very much for we were used to skirmishing. - -We went into camp near where Sherman was forming his lines. The -rebels were keeping up a constant firing from their guns. Our cavalry -cut off a train of ammunition belonging to the rebels, and then they -blew up three carloads of their powder and fixed shell to keep us -from capturing it. This made a terrible explosion. - -On the morning of the 11th, General Hovey’s division had orders to -take our position in the line of battle. Our regiment, the 24th -Indiana, went in advance. After a march of three miles we ran into a -body of rebels, posted in the edge of the timber, a mile from their -fortifications. Part of our battalion moved out through the timber -and looked for a road to move out and flank them. We drove their -pickets in and returned to regiment to await reinforcements. - -Soon a battery came up and unlimbered. They fired several shots at -the rebels at the top of the hill. We then formed in line of battle -and had quite a skirmish before the rebels fell back. We moved up to -open field which was planted to corn, and just in good roasting ears. -We could see the enemy going in double quick time for their fort as -our batteries were pouring their shell into them. Our division moved -down near the railroad and halted. At 5 p. m. the rebels opened fire -on us with several large guns, making it pretty hot for us. This -firing lasted until night. The shells cut through all parts of our -lines. We lay here all night without any thing to eat and with no -protection from shot and shell, as this was a comparatively level -country. - -On the morning of the 12th we again fell in line and moved up within -two hundred and fifty yards of their main fortification. It was built -of cotton bales and earth and made a strong fort. A deep ditch was on -the outside. - -Here we had some sharp fighting. We were in some black oak bushes and -the bullets and shells, as they passed through, made all sorts of -noises. At 2 p. m., General Lawman’s division came up and formed on -our right. General Lawman, without orders charged the enemy. He got -within twenty yards of their strong works, but they were reinforced -and drove Lawman’s brave boys back with a heavy loss of four hundred, -the most of them killed outright. Lawman’s command was taken from him -and the division was placed under our general, A. P. Hovey. - -On the morning of the 13th, the rebel cavalry had captured our -pioneer train. They tried to burn our tools, but our cavalry drove -them off and saved part of them. They were soon brought up and -distributed, a pick and two shovels to the company. - -We soon got busy and fair earthworks were thrown up. You cannot find -many lazy soldiers where the bullets are cutting as close as they did -there. While one of the boys was lying on top of the pit, a piece of -shell struck him some place in the rear and tore all the hind part of -his pants off. Another boy in Company B was hit in the shoulder. - -We had just finished our breastworks when all of the rebel batteries -in front of us got range of us and shelled us like fury until -darkness set in. - -As we had had nothing to eat since the morning of the 12th, each -company had three men detailed to go back one mile in the rear and -pack up rations for the regiment. These men would come running back -to our rifle pits, loaded down with camp kettles, filled with coffee -and roasting ears. We were glad to see them coming for we all had -good appetites. - -On the morning of the 14th the smell of our dead comrades near the -rebel works became so bad that they could bear it no longer. They -sent a flag of truce and requested a few hours in which to cover the -dead which fell in Lawman’s charge of the 12th. They had refused to -let us get near their works to bury our dead. We had carried off a -part of our wounded at night, but many of them had perished. They -were in the troops from Illinois. - -A few hours armistice was given. The rebels piled our dead in ditches -and merely covered them to keep them from stinking them out of their -fortifications. They didn’t get half of them covered before the -firing was resumed. - -All on both sides were busy and each man was trying to see how many -shots he could fire. - -I was on the picket line that evening, and while lying behind a -good-sized pine tree, my eyes were almost knocked out by bark and -splinters. Some of the best marksmanship which I ever saw was at this -place. - -On the morning of the 15th, our lines extended from the bank of Pearl -River, above the town, to the river below, and we were crossing a -division five miles above. The division on our left made a charge and -gained the rebels’ works, but they could not hold them on account of -the heavily masked batteries. The works here were almost as strong as -the works at Vicksburg. The rebels made a counter charge, but were -repulsed with great slaughter. Several charges were made later on in -the evening, but none of them were successful. - -On the 16th our division lost fifty men killed and wounded. Volley -after volley was fired that night all around the line, and our heavy -guns kept up a continual fire. The rebel bands played “Dixie” and -“The Bonny Blue Flag.” Our troops were crossing the river above on -pontoons. All was hustle and bustle until after twelve o’clock at -night. The cars were running back and forth, and locomotives sent -forth their screeching whistles, making this night one long to be -remembered. - -We knew that something was going to happen, but did not know what -that something was. Some predicted that the rebels were getting -reinforcements, but when we awoke from a short nap on the morning -of the 17th of July, we found everything quiet and Breckenridge’s -and Johnson’s army gone. The generals with forty thousand men had -crawled out through a little gap back of town. They had taken all of -their guns except three hundred stands of small arms and one large -siege gun. - -All of the fortifications, which were made of cotton, were soon on -fire and many fine buildings in the city were burned to the ground. -The soldiers were allowed to roam the town over. They carried off -many valuable articles. I saw a safe in a bank blown up and several -hundreds of dollars in gold and silver scattered. There was certainly -some scratching and running over each other to get those bright -pieces which were thrown all over the street by the explosion. Many -fine pianos and much furniture was chopped down. - -Our cavalry followed the retreating rebs and picked up several -prisoners who had straggled behind, purposely to be caught. - -On the morning of the 18th a regiment from each brigade was sent to -tear up the Memphis and New Orleans Railroad. We tore up the track -for ten miles in each direction. We piled the ties and set them on -fire. We put bars of iron on the piles of ties until they were red -hot, and then bent them double so that the track could not be put -down again. We worked hard all day and at night enjoyed a good rest. - -We received marching orders on the 21st and at three o’clock we moved -out in the direction of Vicksburg. We went by the way of Raymond. We -lay here until the morning of the 22nd when we moved out for Black -River Bridge. While on our way we were in a cloudburst. It came late -in the evening and it was so dark and the rain fell so fast that we -could see to travel only by the flashes of lightning. - -At the end of an hour the storm ceased. We were wading water which -was knee deep. Some of the regiments were sheltered by the heavy -timber. Just as we came up to the river bottom, we were almost -blinded by a flash of lightning. I saw many of the boys go to the -ground and two of the 28th Iowa regiment were killed. - -We waded for a distance of three miles before we came to the bridge. -We crossed over and went into camp. We had the cold, wet, ground for -our bed that night. - -On the morning of the 23rd, we marched to Vicksburg. The weather was -very warm that day and we were all almost played out by the time we -had marched through the city and two miles down the river. Here we -went into camp. - -On the morning of the 25th, we got orders to furlough three men out -of each company home for sixty days. While here we drew new zouave -uniforms. They were sent to us from Indianapolis, Indiana. There was -a hustling time at this place. Some troops were gathering up captured -arms and ammunition. They were scooping up barrels of lead from the -banks of the forts. The heavy rains had washed the dirt down, and had -left a solid wall of blue lead and pieces of shell. - -We found a great many wounded and sick here, but the most of them -were rebel soldiers. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - -Our Vicksburg army was now being bursted up and transported to -different departments. The 9th corps had gone East, and on the -morning of the 1st of August, 1863 our 2nd brigade marched on the -boats and started down the river to join General Banks’ army, or -the Department of the Gulf. Port Hudson had fallen two days after -the surrender of Vicksburg. The Mississippi was now open for -transportation, and its powerful fortresses and blockades were wiped -out forever. But the cost had been thousands of our young American -heroes’ lives, and also many many thousand had been maimed for life. - -The cost which it took to make this grand American nation and -republic can never be repaid, not even the interest at a low rate can -be paid. - -On the 2nd we received two months’ pay, and in the evening we had -grand review. The weather was now getting very warm. We received -orders to march and on the morning of the 5th, we got on boats and -started down the river after our 2nd brigade. We ran down the river -about one hundred miles and landed at Natchez, Mississippi. - -We got off of the boats, marched back two miles, and went into camp. -This was a nice country and camp, but water was the one drawback. We -had to haul and carry water from the river. - -We had a great deal of fun at this camp. We were quartered near a -camp of five thousand freedmen who kept up music, dancing and singing -day and night. They were as happy as the children of Israel when -they were encamped in the wilderness, after they had been delivered -out of bondage by Moses. - -A heavy provost guard was kept in town, and many of our boys without -passes were arrested and put in the guard house. They were soon -sending for their captains to get them out as they were in a regular -jail and had to look through iron bars. - -We lay here until the morning of the 11th. We then got on boats and -moved off down the river. We landed at Port Hudson, at six p. m. Our -boat had sprung a leak and we got off and stayed on shore all night, -waiting for it to be repaired. This place bore the marks of a hard -siege, some very heavy charges having been made here. - -On the morning of the 12th, we started on down the river. We landed -at Carrollton, Louisiana. On the morning of the 13th we got off of -the boats, marched back one and a half miles and went into camp. - -On the 14th, one of the boys in our regiment, while trying to catch a -chicken, was shot and instantly killed by a negro safeguard. The boys -planned to take him out of jail that night and lynch him, but he was -slipped out and I never heard of him afterwards. - -We lay here until the morning of the 17th, when we moved down two -miles. We went into camp in the lower edge of Carrollton, five miles -above New Orleans. The next day Colonel Spicely joined us with the -remainder of our brigade, and we all moved out and went into camp -near the bank of the river. - -A division of the army of 10,000 men, under General A. J. Smith, -was “lent” to General Banks to assist him in his campaign against -Shreveport and Texas. - -On the 22nd Major General N. P. Banks received us into his army, and -we had grand review. On the 29th we were again reviewed by General -Banks. - -September 4th, 1863, General Grant came down to see after the army -and reviewed our corps, the 13th, and the 19th corps. Late in the -evening, he was thrown from his horse. He struck a curb stone and was -seriously injured. - -We lay here until September 12th when we got marching orders for a -general campaign under the command of General Banks. Our army here -consisted of the fragments of the 13th corps, the 18th corps, and the -19th corps. - -We got on boats, crossed over to Algiers, and boarded a train at -night. We went to Brasier City which is on the edge of Berwick Bay, -eighty-four miles from New Orleans. This is as far as the road is -completed. - -The boys had lots of fun on this trip, shooting at alligators in the -railroad ditches. The water was full of them. We almost lived on -crabs and oysters while we stayed at Brasier City. The water we had -to drink at this place was terrible. The boys played several tricks -at this place. - -We went to work here and dug wells. We found plenty of water but it -was so brackish that we could hardly drink the coffee that was made -from the salty stuff. - -Our pickets stood over across the bay one mile from our army. We had -left our tents at New Orleans, but we had some comfortable shelters -here. They were covered with the leaves of the palm trees which grew -in abundance here. - -On the morning of the 25th, our troops were all drawn up in two -lines facing each other. A soldier that belonged to the 1st Missouri -battery was to run the gauntlet. He was drummed out of service with -a dishonorable discharge for stealing from his comrades. One side -of his head and face was shaven. Our sheepskin band ran after him, -playing the “Rogue’s March.” He looked horrible as he passed, with -everyone taunting and kicking him. - -That night our officers from Lieutenant to General got on a spree. -They had some kind of a dance, music and singing of camp songs. They -had a heavy guard to keep the file and rank from bothering them. At -ten o’clock they ran out of commissary whisky, and sent a detail back -to the warehouse to get some. The guard that was at the warehouse, -and our string guard decided to have a spree also. We procured -augers, and as the floor was on piling, four feet above the ground, -we went to boring through. The first trial was successful and one -barrel was soon issued. Like a bee getting a taste of honey, the -whole camp came rushing to divide if the guard would let them through. - -Several augers were soon working. A German in Company C was standing -on post, when his messmate came running out. He said, “Chris, let -me out!” “I vill, Shon, if you vill divide up mit me,” answered the -guard. - -John ran to the commissary and seeing the contents of four or five -barrels spilling out, slapped his kettle under and caught it full of -what he supposed to be whisky. He didn’t take time to taste it. The -boys had struck two kinds of “oil” there. Some of it was salt beef or -“red horse” as the boys would call it. It so happened that John got -his kettle full of the salty brine. - -When he stopped, he said, “Hurry oup Chris, or dey vill catch us.” -The guard gulped down two or three swallows, threw down the kettle, -and called out “Corporal of de guard--Beat No. 4. Run here queek, I -am seek at mine stomach.” - -This put an end to the fun of the night. But there were several drunk -men in the regiment after all. Along in the latter part of the night -all of the officers except one had cooled down and were quiet. That -one’s song I will never forget. It was, - - “Go tell Aunt Nancy, her old gray goose is dead, - One she has been saving to make her feather bed.” - -The 19th corps crossed the bay. Colonel Spicely had taken command in -the absence of Colonel Barter. On the 27th our corps was reviewed by -General E. O. C. Ord. On the 28th we crossed the bay and went into -camp. - -The next morning we went in wagons on a scouting expedition. While -traveling five miles we saw no dry land. This country was fit for -nothing but raising alligators. - -October 3rd we took up our line of March through western Louisiana. -We marched up the bayou thirteen miles. This was on the line laid out -for the Opelousas railroad. This is a beautiful rich country with -rice fields and orange groves, sugar cane and all kinds of tropical -fruits. The water in the bayou was also getting better. - -At ten o’clock on the 4th we marched through Centerville, our company -in the rear guard. We went into camp late in the evening near a bayou -in Attakapas Parish. This country is settled up by the French and -Creoles. We found plenty of large yams here and we had all of them to -eat that we wanted. - -Our cavalry had a skirmish near this place, capturing a few prisoners -and taking a small gun that threw a four ounce ball. It was a breech -loader and belonged to the 2nd Texas cavalry. It was drawn by two -little mules. - -On the 6th, we marched twelve miles and went into camp near the -bayou. This is a nice place, the bayou getting narrower, but very -much deeper. Here General Cameron took command of our brigade. He -was a former colonel of the 34th Indiana. We lay here until the -morning of the 10th. We then began our march early in the day. We -passed though New Iberia, and after a march of twenty miles, we went -into camp on Vermillion Bayou, near Vermillion. This country is a -beautiful rolling prairie. - -While at this camp, General E. O. C. Ord issued an order to arm the -citizens, so that they could protect their property from marauders -and thieves. Our boys had no use for such generals. He was removed -from our army shortly after this order was given. - -General Banks had a telegraph line built from New Orleans to our -camp, so that he could keep in communication with his army, his -headquarters being at the city of New Orleans. - -On the 11th, we had inspection of quarters. We had four hours brigade -drill each day under the direction of General Cameron. On the morning -of the 15th, we received a dispatch stating that the 19th corps -which was in our advance, had struck the rebels in force and had had -skirmishing with them. - -At four o’clock that evening we began marching and passed the 19th -corps at midnight. They were in line on the Carron Crow Bayou. We -crossed the bayou and moved out in the advance. At daybreak we -ran into the rebels. We moved out in the timber about a mile and -supported Nims’ battery. The rebs fell back and we went into Camp -Fairview to cook breakfast and make some strong coffee. We had -marched all night and were in need of some stimulant. - -We scarcely had time to finish our breakfast, when the rebels made a -dash at us. We had a sharp fight, but they were repulsed. Our cavalry -followed them up. On the night of the 18th, firing was kept up at -intervals by our batteries and outside pickets. On the morning of the -19th, Captain Nims’ battery and the 30th Indiana went to the front on -a scout. They found a strong force five miles out. They exchanged a -few shots with their batteries and returned to camp in the evening. - -While here we drew clothing and wool blankets, something that we had -not seen for six months. The nights were now getting cool and they -came in good play. We also had brigade drill that day. On the 20th -General Lee came up with a train of supplies for us, and a force of -cavalry. - -On the 21st of October we moved out towards Opelousas. After a march -of a few miles we ran against a force of rebels. We formed our line -of battle and after a good shelling from Nims’ battery, we advanced -on them. They fell back without showing much resistance. - -We marched through Opelousas and went into camp at Bear’s Landing on -Bayou Tableaux. Our cavalry had a skirmish with the 2nd Louisiana, -killing five men and capturing several prisoners. We found better -water than we had drunk since we left New Orleans. - -On the morning of the 23rd, we built a pontoon. Our cavalry and -forage train crossed over and went out about eight miles. They -captured eleven prisoners and brought back wagons loaded with sweet -potatoes and other forage, besides driving back a bunch of beef -cattle. - -We lay here until the morning of the 29th when we marched back to -Opelousas. Here we met our second brigade commanded by Colonel Slack. -On the morning of the 30th, three companies of our regiment were sent -out on a foraging expedition. We had traveled about three miles when -we met two cavalrymen coming in as fast as their horses could run. -They stopped long enough to report that the rebels were in front of -us in full force. They thought that their company had been taken -prisoners. - -By the time that we had moved ahead through a dashing shower of rain -we came up to the grove where the enemy was reported to be. We met -a company of cavalry, which proved to be our own men coming out. We -went on out about eight miles, got our forage, and returned to camp -without the loss of a man. - -November 1st, 1863, we went back thirteen miles and went into camp -on Carron Crow Bayou. We left General Burbridge’s brigade at Camp -Fairview, as a rear guard. On the 3d they were attacked by nine -thousand rebels. There was a general engagement. We could see the -smoke rising up out of the timber, and could hear the heavy roar of -the cannon and rattling musketry. - -It is hard to describe the fearful thoughts that filled our minds -while we were waiting for the order to go and aid them. But soon it -came, “Move out Twenty-fourth on double quick time.” We had a run of -about four miles before we stopped and formed our lines within eighty -yards of the place where our retreating army was coming out of the -timber. We could not open fire on account of our boys falling back. -Here we were standing right in front, in danger. - -Some negro cooks were shaking white rags from a low place into which -they had crawled for protection. Two companies of Texas cavalry -charged round our flank and went flying back to our camp. A section -of Nims’ battery, which we had left at camp, and our sick soon sent -them back about as fast as they went. - -One of their number had charged through our lines, making a collision -with our cavalrymen. His horse was killed and his leg was shattered -to the hip. This brave man was a rebel, belonging to the Second Texas -cavalry. I was an eye witness to the amputation of his leg. I never -heard whether or not he recovered. - -One man in our company was wounded while we stood here. We got here -just in time to save our wagon train and the rest of Burbridge’s -brigade from being captured. They were falling back rapidly, but were -contending with the rebels to the last. This battle lasted about four -hours. The tide had now turned and we drove the rebs back three or -four miles, and then drew off. We marched back to camp at night. - -On the 4th the dead were buried and the wounded cared for. Burbridge -lost five hundred, killed, wounded and taken prisoners. The greater -part of these belonged to the Sixty-seventh Indiana. We were all -drawn back to Vermillion Bayou, where we joined the Nineteenth corps, -commanded by General Franklin. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - -On the morning of the 6th we could see a heavy body of the rebels -out on the prairie, near our pickets. We then began building rifle -pits on the bank of the bayou. On the 11th we sent a brigade -across to draw the rebels into a fight. Our men drove them back to -Vermillionville, where they were reinforced. They followed our troops -almost in range of our works. We opened up on them with two heavy -batteries and they fell back. They were too smart to be drawn into -a trap. The loss on both sides was slight, as this was simply an -artillery duel. - -On the 15th our entire force drew off and marched back seventeen -miles. We went into camp on the shore of Lake Tias. This is a -beautiful pool of water, three miles wide and nine miles long, with -timber all along the edge. We had a strong rear guard all day, as the -rebels were in sight. - -On the 16th we marched to New Iberia, five miles distant, and went -into camp. The Confederate army kept pretty well up on our track. -On the 18th a force of them was in sight of our picket line. On the -19th our regiment crossed the bayou and got lumber to build winter -quarters. - -At four o’clock on the morning of November 29th, 1863, we got orders -to fall in line and march out. After a march of an hour we heard the -rattling of musketry. We charged on double quick time. Just as we got -into the fight the rebels surrendered. Our cavalry had surrounded -them and had done the work for them. - -We marched eleven officers and one hundred and nine privates into -camp as prisoners of war. Our regiment was formed in hollow square -and was given three cheers. The sound traveled for miles on the still -morning air, and then the echo came back. Thus ended the battle of -Lake Tias. - -On the 21st our company was sent out on picket guard. The remainder -of the regiment went out with a foraging train. After they had -traveled about ten miles, they met three hundred mounted rebels, but -they seeing that our boys meant business, pulled off, and gave our -boys the right of way. - -When they had loaded our wagon train with forage to its full capacity -the boys returned to camp. - -On the 22d our cavalry captured fifty prisoners. They were -not organized in the rebel army, but called themselves “The -Boat-burners.” That day was Thanksgiving and all the officers made -speeches. - -On the 24th we went out with some foraging trains and had a regular -stampede. December 1st, 1863, we heard heavy cannonading at a -distance. Our cavalry and two batteries were having an engagement -with the rebels. They drove the rebels back to Vermillion Bayou, but -there they met the main rebel army and our little force had to draw -off and skip back. - -On the 2d our cavalry went to St. Martinsville. They ran into a squad -of home guards who were armed with shot guns. Our men drove them back -and captured several prisoners. On the morning of the 4th we rafted -lumber across the bayou and began building our winter quarters. - -On the 7th the Nineteenth corps moved off for Brasier City and left -us. On the 18th we drew a new stand of colors which was presented to -the Twenty-fourth Indiana by Governor O. P. Morton. In the evening we -went out foraging. We returned, both wagons and men loaded down with -as much sugar as they could carry. The boys had just put all of the -kettles to use in making candy when the order came to cook rations -for a hard day’s march on the morrow. - -On the 19th we marched twenty-five miles, en route to New Orleans. -We went into camp on the edge of the bayou. On the 20th we marched -seventeen miles and went into camp at Centerville. On the 21st we -marched through Pattersonville. After a distance of twenty miles had -been traveled, we went into camp at Berwick, opposite Brasier City. - -On the morning of the 22d we crossed the bay, boarded a train and -reached Algiers at six p. m. We got off of the cars and went into -camp. This was one of the worst camp grounds that we had ever pitched -a tent on. It had been raining almost every day, and the mud was knee -deep all over the camp. - -A report was circulated that we were going to cross the gulf, and -just at that time a call was made for veteran volunteers. Two-thirds -of our regiment re-enlisted. - -Not over six men in each company were left in camp to do camp duty, -as the boys had taken up quarters in New Orleans. - -January 1st, 1864, we were sworn into the veteran corps and “The most -of us drank stone blind, while Johnnie filled up the bowl.” We now -had the times of our lives--those of us who had been spared. - -Right here was a change, as we had placed ourselves under obligations -for three years longer, if needed. We lay here in the rain and mud, -no one knew what for. - -On the 8th we drew our veteran bounty and our non-veterans were -transferred to the Eleventh Indiana. When we parted with them it was -like parting with brothers, but soon there was something to draw our -attention from this. - -It was a thirty day furlough, at home, where we could see our loved -ones, whose loving arms had not clasped us to their tender hearts for -so many long, weary days. - -On the 14th we got on board the steamer “J. C. Swan.” We crossed over -to New Orleans, and had quite a time getting all of the rest of the -boys on board. On the morning of the 15th we searched the town over -and gathered them up. We found some in the guard house. Several were -getting somewhat tough, and were having a gay time. - -On the morning of the 16th all on board, we pulled out for our homes. -We were happy and in good spirits, for we now thought that we would -see our friends once more. - -We passed through Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana. This is a -nice little city, situated on the east bank of the Mississippi river. -On the 17th we passed through Port Hudson and landed at Natchez to -unload some freight. - -On the 18th we passed Vicksburg. It still bore the signs and marks -of the terrible struggle during the siege. On the 20th we passed -Lake Providence and Napoleon, and arrived at Helena just at dark. On -the 21st we passed Memphis, and on the 22d we passed Fort Pillow. On -the 23d we ran past Island No. 10 and Columbus. We reached Cairo, -Illinois, at dark. We had been seven days traveling about one -thousand, one hundred miles, but we had had to tie up part of the -time on account of the fog and high winds. - -At twelve o’clock that night we boarded a train on the Illinois -Central. We got to Mattoon, Illinois, at four o’clock on the evening -of the 24th. Here we changed cars and took the Big Four railroad for -Indianapolis, Indiana. We reached that city on the morning of the -25th. - -On the 26th the ladies of Indianapolis gave us a grand reception -and as good a dinner as we had eaten in many a day. This was served -at the Soldiers’ Home. Here we met the Seventeenth and Forty-fourth -Indiana veterans. In the afternoon we all marched down to the State -House, where Governor Morton, General Hovey and other officers gave -addresses. They gave the Indiana veterans much praise and honor. -Three cheers also went up for them. - -There was a great time that evening, as many of the boys had friends -who had come there to meet them. - -On the morning of the 27th our furloughs were all made out and we -disbanded, going in different directions to our homes, where we -would be free for thirty days. It seemed like we were living in a -new world, as all was joy and happiness. There was rejoicing in many -homes, but there was sorrow and mourning in many more homes, because -of loved ones, who lay beneath the sod on some battle field in Dixie -Land. These would never return to their homes and friends. - -I boarded a train on the Indianapolis and Jeffersonville road. I -changed cars at Seymour and ran to Mitchell in Lawrence county. From -there I went on the Monon road to Lancaster. I reached my home on the -29th of January, 1864. - -We spent many happy hours in the company of friends and loved ones, -yet some of our boys met with trouble and were killed by their -enemies at home. These were members of the order that were called -“The Knights of the Golden Circle.” Their emblem was a butternut pin. -They supported the cause of the Confederacy. - -Ambrose Parish, of Company G, was killed by a man named McCart. Two -of the boys who lived west of Paolia were killed. - -Our stay at home soon passed away and on the 29th of February we -all met at Vincennes and reported to the captains of our respective -companies. The boys were all pretty wild. They tore up a printing -press and scattered the type all over the street. The owner skipped -for his life. It was reported that he published a rebel paper, but I -think that he learned a lesson. - -We got on board a train and went to Evansville. There we found a -good supper, which had been prepared by the ladies of the town. It -was relished, as we all had good appetites. - -On the morning of March 2d, 1864, we drew tents and marched out of -town one and a half miles. We went in camp on the top of a hill near -the coal mine. Almost all of the boys ran off and went back home. The -officers were having a good time and we thought that we would have a -time too. Often there were not enough in camp for a string guard. - -On the 9th of March we drew our guns and equipage and began getting -ready for business. At four p. m. we had dress parade for the first -time in many days. On the 17th we marched into town and had a grand -dress parade. This was a sight for some of the citizens, and the most -of them came out to see us perform. - -On the 23d we had battalion drill, and in the evening we were called -in line by Major Grill. He took us to the brewery and said, “I am -going to treat my mans if dey vill be good mans and stay in camp mit -me.” We all marched past the beer kegs, cup in hand. Some of the -boys, after drinking their beer, fell back in the rear and marched -past the kegs again, getting another drink, and some got several -cupfuls of the liquor. - -After several kegs had been emptied the Major noticed that some had -emptied several cups. He roared out. “Stop dat you mans! You haf done -already had enough.” Some of them certainly had plenty. - -After the Major had paid out ten or twelve dollars to treat the boys, -to keep them in camp, about twenty-five of them slipped out that -night and went home. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - -On the morning of the 25th we were ordered on board the steamer -“Joseph Pierce” and started down the river. We were hailed at Paducah -the next morning. A force of rebels under General Forest had charged -in and set fire to our commissary stores. The town was a cloud of -smoke. They had charged on our fort, which was manned by a few -guards, and the invalids. They were repulsed and had fallen back out -of town, but they had had enough of it and failed to make the second -attack. We lay here until eight o’clock, then ran on down the river. - -At Cairo we met some veteran troops on their way home. Among them was -the Eighth Iowa, or Eagle regiment. They were all rejoicing because -of getting to go home. We ran down to Columbus. Here they were making -preparations and looking for Forest’s army, but they did not come. - -We ran on down to the mouth of White river in Arkansas. Here a squad -of guerrillas fired into our boat. They killed one man in Company F. -We arrived at New Orleans, April 3d, 1864. - -On the 4th we got off of the boat and went into quarters in the First -Louisiana Cotton Press. We were kept in under a heavy guard and the -boys were angry, as they wanted to get out and run at large over the -city. - -On the 12th we received a month’s pay. At three p. m. we got marching -orders. We boarded a gulf steamer and went up the river one hundred -twenty miles. We got off at Baton Rouge, and went into camp on the -south side of town. - -Here we received news of Banks’ defeat at Sabine Cross Roads. General -Green’s brigade made a charge on our ironclads, but were repulsed -with a heavy loss. While at this camp two men of our regiment were -wounded owing to the carelessness of a recruit while he was cleaning -his gun. - -May 2d three regiments and the Fourth Wisconsin cavalry, with the -Black Horse battery, went towards Clinton on a scout. At night we -halted and went into camp. The next morning at eight o’clock we ran -into the enemy, and had a sharp little fight. We drove them back to -Olive Branch Church. Our loss in this fight was two killed and four -wounded. The Major of the Fourth Wisconsin was killed. We reached -camp the 4th. On the morning of the 8th a salute was fired and the -body of the Major of the Fourth Wisconsin cavalry was escorted to the -boat and sent to his home to be buried. - -On the 9th quite a skirmish took place on the picket line. On the -21st we drew two months’ pay and one installment of our bounty. - -On the 16th of June we were inspected by Major General Sickles. The -weather now was very warm, and our picket duty and drill kept us -busy. We had plenty of watermelons to eat, and if one had the money, -he could buy all of the luxuries of life. Nothing of importance -happened until August 3d, 1864. - -At that time a detail of sixteen picked men was sent out five miles -east of camp to guard five hundred acres of cotton that was being -raised by yankees. The government was to get a part of the cotton. -We slipped out after night and about eleven o’clock came to the -negro quarters. Thinking that we were rebels they skipped in all -directions. There were all sorts, sizes and colors of them. They soon -found out their mistake, and came back and cooked for us. - -We moved our line down into the edge of the timber, one mile from -quarters. The third evening two spies passed out through our line. -They were dressed in female attire. Soon after the last one passed we -could see some rebel cavalry about three miles distant. We drew off -and had a run for our lives. They overtook us at our cavalry post and -we had a skirmish. Two of our men were killed. - -On the 4th we lay in line of battle all night. On the morning of the -7th at four o’clock, we were ordered into line and formed our line -of battle on our picket line. Some of our non-veterans--who had come -back to our regiment--raised a racket, as it was time for them to be -discharged, but they had to face the music. They moved off on a boat -in the afternoon, as they were anxious to get home and did not want -to be killed after they had served out their three years’ faithful -time. - -The rebel army was threatening us every day, although several of them -were coming in and taking the oath of allegiance. - -On the 15th of August, 1864, our regiment was assigned to the Second -brigade of the Third division, in the Nineteenth corps. On the 16th -at eleven a. m., we struck tents and marched on board the steamer -“Starlight.” We landed at Morganza Bend at seven o’clock. On the -morning of the 14th we ran up the river two miles above the fort. - -We got off of the boat and went into camp. We lay here until the -morning of the 21st, when we struck tents and marched down the river -five miles to join our brigade. September 6th, at two a. m., we were -ordered on board the steamer “Chouteau.” We ran down to Bayou Saira, -where one of our boats had been fired into by a rebel battery. - -Our force, which consisted of two white regiments and one colored -regiment, got off of the boats early in the morning, and marched out -through St. Francisville. After a rapid march of five miles, we ran -into a rebel camp, but the occupants had all skipped, except four, -which we made prisoners of war. We returned to our boats, and at four -o’clock got back to our camp at Morganza. - -On the 12th a salute was fired on account of a victory which had been -gained. It was the surrender of Forts Morgan, Gains and Powell, the -defenses of Mobile. This let us through the pass. Companies B and K -of our regiment were sent on board the ironclad Ozark on duty. We had -almost all of the citizens in this parish protected by safeguards. -The rebels took these men prisoners, and captured their horses. Our -General gave them to understand that if they were not returned that -that parish would be destroyed by fire. They thought that he meant -it, and they came in with a flag of truce and delivered them up. But -we failed to furnish any more guards to guard rebel property. - -On the evening of the 16th we marched out to Bayou Atchafayala. -We were in the Second brigade, which numbered two thousand, eight -hundred. Our commander was Colonel Spicely. - -A rebel force of three thousand men and nine heavy guns were posted -on the opposite side of the bayou, behind the levee. We charged up at -two o’clock that night and took possession of the levee. The rebels -all along the line opened fire on us. We were running against a solid -sheet of fire, and the air was full of cannister, but we got there -all the same. - -We lay here skirmishing all day. The hot sun came down on us and we -had no water or food, but we could not get back until night. At night -we drew off and marched back to camp. We had four men wounded. The -rebel loss was three killed and seven wounded. - -On the evening of the 19th another expedition was planned. Some of -us were to go out against the rebels at Atchafayala at night. Our -brigade was chosen to try them again. In addition we took with us two -good batteries. After a rapid march of fourteen miles we came near -the bayou. - -At four o’clock in the morning we went to work planting our batteries -and protecting them with redoubts. The two cavalries kept up a -skirmish all day, but we failed to get a reply from the rebels’ -batteries. They had disappeared. Our batteries threw shells a mile -into the timber, and our infantry and cavalry began crossing over. - -That evening we crossed over in yawls, which were hauled for that -purpose. The cavalrymen swam their horses over. We had no resistance. -We could see a small force of rebels hurrying from behind the levee -when we started to cross. These had been left as guards. The main -armies evacuated their works. They had left four hundred beef cattle, -which fell to our possession. They were guarded by three hundred -rebel cavalrymen, but they skipped out. - -We marched up the bayou two and a half miles and captured three -prisoners who had been left out on picket duty. Seeing that the -enemy had all disappeared, we marched back to the place where we had -crossed the bayou. Here we went into camp. - -Soon everyone was busy, preparing himself a good square meal, as -almost all of the boys had a good piece of fresh meat. There was -pork, mutton, chicken, goose, or almost any kind of meat that one -could mention. The odor of the fried meat soon filled the air, and -many hungry boys were working hard to satisfy their gnawing appetites. - -At night several buildings were set on fire, thus causing a false -alarm. Some of the officers thought that we were going to have a -night attack. One of the fires was a large mill. We fell in line -of battle, but soon found out our mistake. We then went back to -bed, some of the boys swearing because of their night’s rest being -disturbed. - -All was well on the morning of the 21st, so we started out on a -foraging expedition. We were soon loaded down with fowl and all kinds -of meat and went back to camp. In the evening we learned that the -rebel force had fallen back about eighteen miles to Yellow Bayou. We -decided to not follow them any farther. - -On the morning of the 22d we crossed the bayou, marched one mile, -and went into camp near where the colored troops were building -fortifications. Late in the evening our cavalry, which had been out -on a scout, returned. They had burned and destroyed a great deal of -property, and had captured three prisoners. Several negroes were -following them. These had stuck fire to their quarters, and had -started for the land of freedom. - -On the morning of the 23d we began our march back to the bend. We -arrived at camp at five o’clock in the evening. We found Companies -B and K of our regiment in camp. They had been relieved from the -ironclad. - -On the 26th of August our regiment escorted General Lawler to Baton -Rouge. We went on the steamer “Laurel Hill.” We got to the city at -noon. We got off of the boat and marched up to our old parading -ground. We were led by our regimental band, one of the best in -the army. Here we stacked arms to await further orders. We were -acquainted with many of the citizens, and were treated very well by -them. At four o’clock we got on board the boat and went back to camp. - -October the 1st, 1864, three regiments marched out to Atchafayala. We -found a small force of rebels. After a slight engagement, we drove -them off and returned to camp. - -On the morning of the 2d a small force, with Colonel Spicely, went -to St. Francisville. Here they had an engagement with the rebel -general, Scott’s cavalry, and two batteries. They had to fall back -to the gunboats for help. The gunboats shelled them back until our -little force got on the boats and drew off. They then returned to -camp. Our loss was four. The rebel loss was unknown. - -On the morning of the 7th, a brigade, with Colonel Spicely in -command, went back to try them again, but Scott was too sharp for us. -He had slipped out and had taken other quarters, unknown to us. - -On the morning of the 9th a detail was called out to guard a train -of wagons. They were going after lumber with which to build winter -quarters. We found the lumber at Echo Office, on General Scott’s -plantation, which is near Point Coupee. We loaded the wagons and -returned to camp. - -In the evening a body of rebels came into our camp, bearing a flag -of truce. They had come to turn over some arms and horses which they -had captured from our safeguards. The citizens were getting tired of -having so much of their property burned down, in retaliation of their -guerrilla warfare. They also wanted two rebel officers, who had shot -their lieutenant and then had come to our camp for protection. - -Late in the evening our troops who had gone out to Atchafayala, -returned to camp. They had had a sharp fight, losing fifteen men -in killed and wounded. The rebel loss was not known, as the bayou -separated the two armies. On the morning of the 10th we got on board -the steamer “Chouteau”. We ran fifty miles up the river, near Fort -Adams. The rebels were trying to swim cattle, which they had driven -from Texas, across the river. They were trying to get them to Lee’s -army. Our gunboats had thrown shell into the herd, killing a great -many of the cattle. - -On the morning of the 11th we marched off of the boat and marched out -into a swamp. We lay in ambush all day at this place. After darkness -had set in, we marched back on to the boat. On the morning of the -12th we marched out on track of the rebels. Their herd of cattle had -left a good trail. We went to Black Pass. Here we captured two wagons -and six prisoners. Two of them were officers. We marched back as far -as Swamp Bayou. On the morning of the 13th we returned to the boat. -We were all tired and hungry, for we were out of rations, and nothing -grew in this swampy place, except alligators and snakes. - -At three p. m. we got on the boat and started back down the river. We -landed and at ten o’clock we were in our quarters. Here we learned -that some sharp skirmishing had been going on since we left camp. - -On the morning of the 18th we sent out a force from the bend -consisting of two batteries, two thousand cavalrymen, and one -thousand, six hundred infantry, to Sims’ Port, on the Atchafayala -Bayou. They ran into the rebel force, drove them back and returned to -camp, on the 20th. - -On the 22d a wagon train was sent out after wood. It was guarded by -two companies of the Second New York cavalry. They were surprised -by a small force of rebels and captured. There were also twenty-two -negroes, four of whom were killed. There was a force of our cavalry -at the bend. They pursued the rebels, but did not catch up with them. - -On the 23d heavy cannonading was heard from our gunboats on Red -river, and we could see great clouds of smoke. On the 28th a national -salute was fired over news received of a victory gained in the East -by Sheridan’s troops. - -In the evening of the 28th a brigade marched out to Atchafayala. They -found no enemy and returned to camp that night. On the 31st a large -detail and a train of wagons went after lumber with which to build -winter quarters. - -On the 1st of November all of our brigade except the Twenty-fourth -Indiana, was sent out on an expedition. They ran up the river near -the mouth of White river. On the 7th our regiment, the Twenty-fourth -Indiana, embarked oh the steamer “Ohio Belle,” and ran up the river -fifteen miles to where the gunboat “Ozark” was stationed. We got -off and marched six miles out through the country. This is the most -broken country which we were in while in Louisiana. - -We found plenty of women on this trip, but no men. Almost all of the -women claimed to be widows. One old Irish lady gave one of the boys -a good cursing. She said that he was not a genteel Irishman or he -would not be caught in the d---- yankee army. She also said that her -husband was a genteel man and was captain of a company in the Second -Louisiana regiment. - -Our officers gave orders for the boys to not take off more geese -and chickens than they could carry. While the old lady was swearing -around the boys soon had her geese, turkeys and chickens divided up -between themselves. The fellow that could run the fastest got the -most. - -We started back to the boat loaded down with poultry. It rained on -the way back, making our march very disagreeable. We captured two -prisoners on the return to the boat. We marched at will and were -badly scattered. We got to the boat about sunset. It was a sight to -be remembered to look back and see our straggling boys coming down -the long slope to the river, loaded down with flopping geese and -squalling chickens. - -We got on the boat and landed at the bend at ten o’clock that night. -On the 23d two hundred rebel cavalrymen made a dash on our picket -line, half a mile from camp. The colored troops were stationed at -this place. The rebels killed a white lieutenant and six negroes and -left. They also made a dash on the lower part of our picket line. -Here they killed two of our white soldiers and then made their escape -to the rear. - -November 27th we had grand review by General Ulman. Nothing more of -importance, except camp duty and drill, occurred until December 11th, -1864, when the captain of gunboat number fifty-three of our Mosquito -Fleet, while the boat was near Hog’s Point, went on shore and was -killed by guerrillas. - -We were immediately called upon to fit up an army to go on an -expedition, and scour and destroy all of the country for twenty -miles around that vicinity. The troops that were fitted up were the -Twenty-fourth and Sixty-seventh Indiana, three companies of colored -troops and two companies of cavalry, accompanied by four gunboats. We -were under the command of Colonel W. T. Spicely. - -We went twenty-five miles to Hog’s Point, where the cavalry and -colored troops got off and marched down Old river. We went on down -one mile and turned into the mouth of Old river. We went up twenty -miles, near to the place where our cavalry was scouring the country. -We landed and sent large details on shore to confiscate and burn all -of the property in that vicinity. - -At four o’clock our entire force got off and marched six miles out -through the country, in the direction of the Cutoff. We set fire to -all of the buildings and captured several horses, mules, and cattle. -Here we went into camp and foraging parties were sent out in all -directions. This was a very rich country and was settled mostly by -the French. The boats were soon loaded to the guard with horses, -hogs, cattle, sugar, molasses, and poultry of every description. We -were learning them a lesson for their sneaking guerrilla warfare. -Taking the life of one of our captains had cost them thousands of -dollars. - -On the morning of the 16th a detail was sent to guard the boats and -the remainder of the force marched through by land to Morganza Bend. -After we had marched fifteen miles, at nine o’clock we got to the -camp. At ten the boats got to the bend and landed. - -We almost got into a scrap over the private forage. Colonel Spicely -and the provost marshall had some hard words over the boys’ chickens, -pork, and other private forage which they were bringing to camp. -General, the provost marshall, and his colored guards, marched down -to take possession of our well-supplied boats. While Spicely and the -General were parleying, the boys were getting their forage off of the -boats by the means of skiffs, and several barrels of molasses were -rolled down through the wheel house. Our boys were getting a little -stirred up over the colored provost guards, and we all expected -trouble, but we were mistaken. - -We had regimental inspection on the 18th. On the 19th of December the -Twenty-fourth and Sixty-seventh Indiana were consolidated and formed -a battalion. On the 21st several officers of the Sixty-seventh were -mustered out of service and sent home. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - -December 24th, 1864, we received marching orders. We got on board a -boat and started for Baton Rouge. We arrived there at two o’clock. On -the morning of the 25th we got off of the boat and went into camp on -our old camp ground. We relieved two regiments from guard duty, whose -time had expired, and they started home at two p. m. We had grand -review that day. That was a dry Christmas for us, but we kept up a -little fun just the same. - -On the evening of the 29th we received marching orders, struck tents, -and marched on board the “Laurel Hill.” We landed at New Orleans -on the morning of the 30th and reported to General Hulbert. We got -orders to run up to Carrollton. Here we disembarked, marched out one -mile on the Shell Road and pitched our camp. - -January 5th, 1865, we drew four months’ pay and one installment of -our bounty. On the 11th we were reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel Smith -at two p. m. We received orders and marched to Kennerville on the -19th. We went into camp and had such bad rainy weather that we had to -wade around camp in mud that was knee deep. - -On the 24th we received marching orders. Every one rejoiced because -we were all tired of that mud hole. At four p. m. we marched on board -the steamship “Corinthian,” which was bound for Pensacola, Florida. -On the morning of the 25th we ran to the gulf, the distance being one -hundred miles. As we pulled out of the mouth of the river the waves -were rolling a great deal, and several of our boys got very sick and -almost threw up their socks. After we had sailed an hour, the water -became smooth and we glided along very nicely. - -We ran in sight of our gunboat fleet which was anchored at the mouth -of Mobile Bay. At ten p. m. we cast anchor in Pensacola Bay, near -Fort Pickens, Florida. - -The morning of the 26th brought to view some grand sights in that -mild tropical climate that were new to us. There stood two large -forts. Fort Pickens and Fort Barancas with their monstrous guns -pointing out through many embrasures. There also stood the lighthouse -towering up two hundred eighty-four feet above sea level. - -We hoisted anchor and ran over to the wharf. We got off of the -vessel, marched out eight miles, and went into camp near Fort -Redoubt, which is below the city of Pensacola, Florida. This was a -beautiful, sandy shore beach covered with a pine forest. - -At eight o’clock the left wing of our battalion came in on the ship -“St. Mary.” On the morning of the 27th the balance of our brigade, -commanded by General Andrews, came in, and we all moved out one mile -and went into camp. - -All of the regiments were lined up in camp, making a fine show of -camp life. Each company went to work and ornamented their quarters -with evergreen and white and yellow sand, writing numbers and names -in the white sand with the yellow sand. This was the most magnificent -camp that I ever saw. There were pictures of animals, birds, and all -kinds of flowers in front of our tents. - -We lay here until February 11, 1865, with nothing to do except to -have battalion drill four hours each day. The remainder of the time -we put in by wading out in the bay and carrying out shoulder loads of -oysters. We were having a good time then, but we did not know when -the storm would come, although we did know that come it would. - -We had protracted meeting and several marched down in the bay and -were baptized. - -On the 12th we had grand review by General Granger. We had no more -drill after the 16th. One day a salute of eleven shots was fired over -the arrival of General Asboth. - -On the 17th and 18th we had target shooting, and in the evening -Generals Asboth and Andrews came over to see the Twenty-fourth -Indiana perform on dress parade. On the 29th a brigade came in and we -sent our baggage and camp equipage over to Fort Pickens. This fort -mounted two hundred eighty heavy pivot guns. This is the place where -Major Brown held against General Bragg’s army at the commencement of -the war. I was in the lookout, two hundred eighty feet above the sea -level. One can see for miles over that vast blue water. Two ships -came in with a battery on each vessel. - -March 8th we received marching orders, but lay here until the morning -of the 11th. At six o’clock we marched out through the peninsula, and -after traveling twelve miles came to the town of Pensacola. This had -the appearance of a nice city, but fire had consumed the most of the -buildings. - -At four o’clock we moved out near Jackson’s old fortifications and -went into camp. This is the place from where General Jackson marched -his troops to New Orleans and whipped General Packenham, in the year -1812. - -On the 15th we had our camp in good shape again, and we had dress -parade in the evening. Fifty rebel cavalrymen made a dash on our -cavalry outpost and drove them back. General Andrews happened to be -out in the advance and they made him cut dirt to get back to our main -lines. - -On the fifth we drew five days’ rations and began marching at six -o’clock. On the morning of the 20th five thousand cavalrymen came -from Barancas. They passed us and took the advance. We marched in the -direction of Pollard on the Mobile and Atlanta railroad. The country -was low and swampy, covered with a pine forest. We had a time getting -our train and batteries through. Many of them mired down and had to -be pulled out by hand. - -After a march of twelve miles, tired and worn out, we went into camp. -That night we could hear the roar of the cannon at Fort Spanish, near -Mobile. A heavy rain poured down all night, and it was still raining -the next morning. We marched out five miles and went into camp, as -all of our wagon trains and batteries had been left in the rear mired -down. Some of them were almost out of sight in the mud. A heavy -detail was sent back to build corduroy roads and bring them up. - -Our pioneer corps was at work in front, constructing a bridge across -a bayou. Several of the boys in different regiments were killed by -falling trees while they were cutting trees with which to build the -roads. In some places the logs laid three tiers deep to hold our -batteries out of the mire. - -At two p. m. on the 22d the rain ceased falling, and the weather -became clear. Here two regiments of cavalry and two brigades of -colored troops passed us on their way to the front. - -We began marching at ten o’clock on the morning of the 23d. After a -distance of twelve miles had been marched, we went into camp. Here -our cavalry had run into a small force of rebels. They had quite a -skirmish, but drove the rebs back. We lay in camp on the 24th waiting -for a bridge to be built so that we could cross Piney Barren. At six -o’clock we crossed over, moved out two miles and went into camp. - -On the morning of the 25th at seven o’clock we began our march. -After a march of two hours we ran into a rebel force of about four -thousand, commanded by General Clayton. Our cavalry and mounted -infantry charged them, and after forty minutes’ hard fighting, the -rebel force fell back. They were all mounted troops. We followed -them, and our advance kept up a continual skirmish until three -o’clock. The rebels then formed in line of battle and made a stand. -Our cavalry made a grand charge. We came up as a support. The rebels, -seeing that we meant business, fell back and were soon on full -retreat, across the Escanby river. They set the bridge on fire and -tried to make a stand, but Nims’ battery made it too hot for them and -they soon fell back. Some in our cavalry were drowned in trying to -cross the river after them. - -We captured one hundred, forty-two prisoners. Their loss in killed -and wounded was twenty, ours fifteen. Their general was wounded in -the first charge. - -At four thirty p. m. we went into camp on the advance line. We were -all very tired, as we had driven the rebels eighteen miles that day. -On the 25th our brigade crossed the railroad bridge. We had to march -single file and it took some time to cross, but after two hours had -elapsed we were all across and standing on Alabama soil. - -We began marching at eight o’clock, and in a few hours we came to the -little town of Pollard. A few straggling rebels were in town, but -they did not stay to see what we wanted. A great deal of tobacco was -captured at this place, and the depot and several warehouses were set -on fire, making quite an excitement. - -The women in this place came out by scores to see the yankee army. -They were surprised, and some of them said, “Youalls is the best -lookin’ set of men that weuns ever seen. Mr. Davis told weuns that -youalls wore little red coats and had horns like cattle.” - -This was the most ignorant set of girls that we had met in the -southern Confederacy. All of them chewed and smoked tobacco. Each one -had a reticule, filled with tobacco, hanging on her arm. They were -dressed in home-spun dresses and were barefooted. Our boys had more -than a little fun out of them. Quite a number of grown girls started -to follow us off, and our major had to drive them back. Enlightened -America, where was the ignorance of these good people hedged in at, -at this late date of our civilized government? - -After the depot had been burned and a mile of railroad track torn up -and burned we moved out two miles and went into camp. We were all -tired after our march of fourteen miles. - -On the 27th a detachment of cavalry, which had gone by the way of -Evergreen Station, came into camp and reported. They had captured one -hundred forty prisoners and two trains loaded with tobacco. This they -burned. We began marching at twelve o’clock, our regiment detailed as -train guard. After a fourteen mile march in the direction of Mobile -we went into camp. - -At one o’clock on the morning of the 28th heavy details were sent out -to build corduroy roads. We were out of rations and had to move on. -We went into camp, nine miles farther on. The cavalry and colored -troops passed us on the way to the front. The Ninety-seventh Illinois -lost one man by a tree falling on him. - -We began marching at six o’clock. Our regiment was building roads. It -began raining, making the roads terrible. We marched only nine miles -and went into camp at six p. m. We were tired and very hungry, as we -were out of rations. On the morning of the 30th we began marching at -seven o’clock. We reached better roads after a half day’s march. We -went into camp at seven o’clock. One company of cavalry was sent out -to the Alabama river. They captured twelve prisoners and returned. - -On the morning of the 31st, at six o’clock, we marched out over a -very rough, broken country. At half past five we crossed the Tennsas -river and went into camp. We were very tired, as we had marched -almost twenty miles with but little to eat. - -April 1st, 1865, we marched at eleven a. m. We traveled six miles and -halted. We tore up the railroad track quite a distance. We could hear -heavy cannonading in front. We completed our work and marched on. We -went into camp at seven p. m. Our cavalry captured eighty prisoners -and a stand of colors belonging to the Forty-sixth Mississippi. Here -we drew quarter rations. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - -On the morning of April 2d, 1865, we heard heavy cannonading in -front. We began marching at eleven o’clock, and when we had gone six -miles we came in range of the enemy’s heavy batteries and ironclad -gunboats, which lay at Tennsas Bay. We advanced at two p. m., under -a heavy rain of shot and shell. We moved up and formed in line of -battle with a loss of one man in Company E killed. - -We now formed our lines around Fort Blakely, one of the strong -defenses of Mobile. Our troops were stationed under a heavy artillery -fire from forts and gunboats, on the lines as follows: Our colored -division was placed on the right (several of them were going to the -rear with bloody heads) next to the bay; our division commanded by C. -C. Andrews, came in next on the line; and Osterhos, Carr, and Veach -were to our left. - -We were furnished with shovels and soon went down into the earth like -moles. The laziest man that lives will work under circumstances like -these. The rebel forts mounted some very large Brooks rifles, which -threw thirty-two to one hundred eighty-four pound shots. They also -had three ironclad gunboats. - -Our force, which was commanded by General Granger, was at Fort -Spanish, seven miles to our left. There had been fighting there for -several days. We could hear our fleet bombarding at night. The jar -from the heavy guns almost shook the ground. But we also had plenty -here to draw our attention. - -April 3d, 1865, we strengthened our earthworks all along the line. -Our artillery was not in position yet, but our sharpshooters kept up -a lively racket. A continual roar was still kept up by our gunboats -and heavy guns at Fort Spanish. Colonel Spicely and three out of our -regiment were wounded that day. This was the first time since we had -left Pensacola that we drew full rations. - -On the 4th we heard heavy fighting at Fort Spanish. Our land forces -were making it hot for them and charging was going on. We could hear -them cheering all around their lines. - -On the 5th there was sharp fighting all along our lines. Two men -were killed and one wounded in our regiment. We tried to advance our -rifle pits. At night our company moved forward one hundred yards to -establish a new line. - -On the morning of the 6th our batteries being in position, opened on -the rebels. They did not reply for some time, but when they did let -loose it was a sight. The air was full of iron and one could see the -dirt and limbs of trees flying in all directions. There was a solid -crash and roar from the big guns on the rebel forts. - -On the 7th, at four a. m., our company took position in the advance -pits. We were advancing our works well. I was one of the three -vedettes who were stationed in the extreme advance, two hundred yards -from the fort and eighty yards from the rebel sharpshooters. During -the day five bullets cut the sod above the loop hole through which -we were shooting, but we escaped their deadly message. After dark we -crawled out and advanced fifty yards and established other pits. But -we discovered just now that we were running into a nest of torpedoes, -and they were dangerous things to dig around. - -We were relieved at nine p. m. At twelve our artillery opened all -along the line, and the rebels soon replied. The two artilleries had -quite a duel. - -On the morning of the 8th there was a general engagement all around -the line. Some heavy shells which were thrown by the rebels’ gunboat -fell in the rear of our rifle pits. They went ten feet into the -ground and exploded, throwing up a cloud of dust and leaving quite -a hole in the ground. We had a simple recruit in our company by the -name of Murray. He jumped out of our pit and stepped up to the edge -of the hole. - -Captain Taylor called out, “Murray, get down from there! You will get -your fool head blowed off.” - -He answered. “Guess not. Captain; they can’t hit that hole again.” - -But several more shots were put in too close to feel comfortable. - -Four of our thirty-two pound Parrot guns, manned by the Twenty-first -Indiana, had an hour’s engagement with two rebel gunboats. One of -the boats was disabled and drew off down the bay. The other one took -warning and did not stay long. Our regiment began digging quarters -pits and received marching orders to go to Fort Spanish, but they -were countered. We then lay in the pits all night and supported the -Pioneers. - -An assault was made on Fort Spanish at six o’clock in the -evening. A desperate struggle, which lasted four hours, followed. -General Granger’s brave boys then charged over the rebels’ strong -fortifications and captured seven hundred prisoners and one hundred -heavy guns. This put a damper on the rebel army at Blakely. - -April 9th, 1865, everything was quiet in the fort. Some rumors were -going that the rebels were evacuating the fort. At three o’clock all -of us fell in line and moved into our advance rifle pit. The colored -troops made a charge on our right, and the rebels opened concentrated -fire on them. They were repulsed with heavy slaughter. They fell -back to a deep hollow and were not able to make a second attack. - -Our skirmish line was ordered to charge all along our lines at five -o’clock. We had to go two hundred fifty yards, through three picket -fences and over hundreds of torpedoes, to gain their main forts. -I was on the skirmish line, and looking back, I saw our entire -force coming, everyone trying to get across that field of death and -destruction. - -At first many brave comrades planted their colors on the rebel -fortifications, to pitch over into the rifle pits, with a bullet -crashing through their heads. Scores were blown out of existence by -torpedoes. The air was full of cannister and minnie balls, but the -work was short and decisive. As soon as the rebels found out that -nothing would stop our determined assault they hoisted up white flags -all along the line. But it was not before they were covered with the -blood of brave boys who were shot and had fallen over into the pits -on them. - -This charge had lasted about fifty minutes. The rebel troops in front -of the colored troops surrendered to our division, for they knew that -the negroes would not show them any quarters, as they came up with -the shout of “Fort Pillow,” and they continued to shoot at the rebels -even after they raised the white flags. - -The loss in our division was four hundred killed and wounded. The -loss in our regiment was fifteen. Captain Merchant of Company G fell -dead on the field. Colonel Spicely’s horse was blown up by a torpedo. - -We captured four thousand prisoners and one hundred heavy Brooks’ -cannon. Three thousand of the rebel troops had made their escape -on trees felled across the swamp to the Sand Battery. It was about -sunset when we got into the fort. - -Three rebel ironclads were lying out in the bay, awaiting a barge -load of marines who had been in the rifle pits. George Williamson, -of our company, wheeled a little brass gun into position and fired a -shell over the marines. It bursted forty feet too high, but it had -the effect all the same. They came back to shore faster than they had -gone out, with white flags fluttering in the air. The gunboats moved -on down the bay towards the sand batteries. - -Our regiment moved down and took charge of the commissaries, which -were well supplied. Two old messmates, Clark and Tolliver and I saw -the upper room lighted up. We went upstairs, and it proved to be the -officers’ dining room. A colonel, for supper. - -The table was the best supplied one that we had seen for months. -There was chicken and other good things too numerous to mention. - -Clark called out, “Hello, rebs! Thanks for your good supper. We are -in need of something of that sort after a hard day’s work. Get out of -here!” - -They pleaded for more time but had to be contented to go with a -piece in hand. Two of our soldiers came in and wanted the honor of -capturing some officers. We turned the officers over to them and took -our places at the table. We enjoyed as good a meal as we had eaten -for months. - -As I passed out and downstairs, I picked up a caddy of old Virginia -tobacco to divide up with the boys at a dollar a plug. - -The Sixteenth corps charged on our left. Their loss was not as heavy -as ours. Several of them were blown up by torpedoes at night. On the -morning of the 10th we marched out to where our quarters were on the -line. We passed over that ragged battle field, and a rebel major and -a squad of prisoners were raising torpedoes. They were as thick as -pumpkins on new ground. They exploded several by means of a battery. -There were long rows of them which were fastened together by wires. - -Heavy bombarding was going at the sand batteries, which is about half -way between Forts Blakely and Spanish. On the 11th we had general -inspection. Heavy clouds of smoke were seen in the direction of -Mobile. Much was going on at that place. The rebels evacuated the -sand batteries and Mobile at eleven a. m., leaving all of their heavy -guns and monitors of war in our possession. - -We received marching orders at five p. m. and marched all night. -After traveling a distance of thirteen miles we reached the landing -below Fort Spanish. All was quiet now, except the cheering that went -on over our great victories. Our recruiting officers returned and -we got the news that Richmond had fallen into our possession April -2d, 1865, and the Stars and Stripes now waved over the southern -Confederacy. - -We lay here until the 14th of April, when we marched back to Blakely. -On our way back we met some prisoners whom we had taken at Blakely. -We went into camp inside the fort at two o’clock. On the evening -of the 15th we had general inspection. Heavy details were at work, -getting up all of the artillery and small arms which we had captured. - -Sunday, the 16th, church was held throughout our entire army, and -many prayers went up to God for his kindness in saving so many of our -lives through the past butchery and hell. - -On the 17th a national salute was fired over the success of our -armies in the surrender of Forts Spanish, Blakely, Tracy, and Huger, -which placed Mobile in our possession. We had also received the -news of General Lee’s surrender. He surrendered to General Grant, -April 9th, 1865 (the same time at which we captured Fort Blakely) at -Appomattox Court House, in Virginia. - -On the 19th one of our boys in Company G stepped on a torpedo, just -outside of camp, and was blown up in the air fifteen feet. One leg -was blown off, his ribs mashed in, and one arm shattered to the -shoulder. - -On the morning of the 20th we marched on board a boat and ran six -miles down the bay to Mobile. We saw several torpedoes explode in the -bay, throwing the water fifty feet high. We had several torpedo rakes -at work knocking them off. The “St. Mary” had been blown up at the -mouth of the pass which is known as Grant’s Pass. These monsters of -destruction were planted all over the bay. - -Our department was commanded by General E. S. Canby. The surrender of -the defenses around Mobile were the last hard battles of the great -Civil war. - -On the evening of the 21st we went up above the city and anchored in -the mouth of the Mobile river. At this place we first heard the news -of the assassination of our beloved president, Abraham Lincoln. His -life was taken by John Wilkes Booth, at Ford’s theater, on the night -of April 14th, 1865. This sad news put a damper over our army. Our -flags were all dropped to half-mast, and many of the boys shed tears -and were mourning. These same boys had shouted themselves hoarse a -few days before over our great victories, which aided in putting down -the rebellion, for we well knew that peace was near at hand. The -chief cornerstone of our American government had now been stilled for -all time by the hands of a wicked assassin. - -Two of our gunboats and thirteen transports, loaded with troops, -had gathered at this place. On the morning of the 22d we pulled up -the river to the mouth of the Tombigbee river, to await the arrival -of the remainder of our fleet. Here we found one of our gunboats, -lying on guard duty. During the day several flat boats loaded with -citizens passed us on the way back to Mobile. - -On the morning of the 23d we hoisted anchor and ran on up the Alabama -river to Chocktaw Bluffs, which was sixty miles away. The rebels had -had this place fortified, but had gone, leaving two heavy guns on the -fort. - -On the morning of the 24th we started on up the river and landed at -Clayburn, sixty miles distant, at four p. m. We found some of our -cavalry here, who had been left as safeguards. Three heavy guns had -been planted at this place. We landed and the boys soon brought in -plenty of pork and chickens for supper. - -On the morning of the 25th we moved on up the river at six a. m. -After we had gone seventy miles we anchored at nine o’clock. This -is a beautiful country and has very large plantations. The colored -troops got off of the boats here and marched through by land. - -On the 26th we ran along by the side of the “Mustang” and drew -rations, as this was a commissary boat. We passed Mattee’s landing at -nine o’clock and Prairie Bluff at ten. We captured a flat boat, which -was loaded with rebel supplies, and was trying to get away from our -cavalry. Our advance boat was fired into by a squad of guerrillas and -one man was killed. We landed, got off of the boats and found where -their horses had just been fed, but now they were fleeing for safer -quarters. We burned all of the buildings on several plantations. - -We got on the boats and moved on up the river. Many dead rebel -soldiers and horses floated past us during the day. They had been -drowned at the time of Wilson’s raid. We landed at ten o’clock at -night. - -On the morning of the 27th we passed Cahawba, where we took three -of our men from the rebels, who they had made prisoners. Some of -the citizens of this place cheered our brave boys while they played -national airs. We landed at Selma at two o’clock. We went into camp -on the river bank opposite the town. This is a beautiful little town, -situated on the bank of the Alabama river. The surrounding country is -also very beautiful. - -The boys went out and soon returned with plenty of good things to -eat. We lay here until the morning of the 28th. We then broke camp, -crossed the river and marched through the town. We went into camp -near the rebel fortifications, which General Wilson’s cavalry had -charged and captured a few days before. They had blown up the arsenal -and burned many stores. They then continued on their raid, and went -in the direction of Montgomery, the capital of the state. This was -called Wilson’s Raid. - -There had been strong fortifications around this arsenal, as we could -see. Many heavy guns and hundreds of pounds of ammunition had been -turned out of this arsenal. Many of the citizens were now coming in -and taking the oath of allegiance to our government. - -April 29th we sent a force out on a scout to look for rebels. They -found several paroled prisoners whom Wilson had captured. April -30th we were mustered for eight months’ pay. In the evening a small -force of rebels came in bearing a flag of truce. They were bringing -provisions to their sick and wounded in the hospitals here. We were -busy all day cleaning and straightening up our quarters. - -May 3d, 1865, a general order was read at dress parade. It was as -follows: “There will be a cessation of hostilities until further -orders, by order of General E. S. Canby, commander of the Department -of the Gulf, and there will be forty-eight hours’ notice given before -going into hostilities again.” - -On the 5th of May an official report said: “There will be no more -fighting done east of the Mississippi.” That day cheering and music -were kept up throughout our camps. - -Dick Taylor had surrendered the last armed force east of the -Mississippi to General E. S. Canby at Demopolis on the Tombigbee -river. On the morning of the 6th a train of cars came in from -Demopolis. This was the first train that we had seen for a long time. -After this two trains ran each day. - -On the morning of the 7th the prisoners who had been captured at -Blakely came into camp and we gave them a good, square meal. They -started on their way home, rejoicing. They claimed that we treated -them better than the old southern planters, in dividing rations. - -General Kirby Smith, with his command, skipped out for Mexico to join -the French army, which was at war with Mexico. May 8th we had grand -review by General C. C. Armstrong, the commander of our division. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - -On the morning of May 11th, 1865, we received marching orders and -at seven a. m. we marched down to the river. We boarded the “Joab -Lawrence” and started down the river. On the morning of the 12th we -met several transports going after the remainder of our brigade. - -On the morning of the 13th we landed at the city of Mobile. We -marched out three miles, near the Mobile and Atlanta railroad. On the -15th we drew six months’ pay and one installment of bounty. May 18th -we received an official report of the capture of Jeff Davis. - -On the 25th one of the greatest explosions of the war took place in -Mobile. One hundred tons of loose powder and all of the fixed shell -and ammunition that had been turned over to the government was stored -in the warehouses at the wharf. The colored troops were there on -guard duty, but no one was left to tell how it was set off. - -The explosion shook the ground for several miles. The loss was -terrible. One thousand, two hundred people were killed and wounded. -The most of them were colored troops and citizens. Several large -boats, loaded with ammunition, went up with the explosion, or were -set on fire and went down. - -The buildings in eight blocks were leveled to the ground, and windows -were jarred out for several blocks back in the city. The loss was -estimated at five million dollars’ damage. Many of the dead and -wounded were covered up in the ruins and burned. The fire lasted -for three days, burning the wreck. It could not be extinguished on -account of the bursting shells. They made a sound like the raging of -a continuous battle. Several were killed with pieces of the shells -while trying to put out the fire. - -On the morning of the 27th we marched into the edge of town. We went -into camp and relieved the Third brigade. They were mustered out of -service and sent home. June 3d we were reviewed by Chief Justice -Chase. On the 4th we marched on grand parade down to the city park. -We went through the manual of arms and got the praise of making a -splendid show-off. Our battalion was small and well drilled. - -Our camp duty was cut down to two hours and dress parade at six p. m. -each day. - -On the evening of the 18th, while we were on dress parade, a thunder -storm came up and just as we reached our quarters lightning struck -one of the pine trees in our camp. William Edwards, of our company, -was instantly killed. Some of the other boys were badly shocked. -There were also some boys in an Iowa regiment who were killed. They -were a mile from where we were in camp. - -On the 22d the leader of our band, Alec Owens, returned to the -regiment with a new set of silver instruments which he had purchased -for the sum of seven hundred dollars. Company A had donated five -hundred dollars on them, and we never regretted our gift. We were -well paid with the music of those sweet-toned instruments. - -On the 25th we received marching orders, struck tents, and moved -down to the landing. The boys had some fun out of the citizens just -as we marched out of camp. There was quite an explosion from a small -cannon, which our boys had loaded and covered with old clothes. A -fuse was left burning. Several of the citizens had gathered in and -were picking out the best of the goods, when the pile was thrown high -in the air. They did not stop to find out the cause, but it had its -effect, and every one called out, “More torpedoes.” - -We got on board the “Alice Vivian.” We ran down near Fort Gaines and -ran alongside of the steamship “Hudson” and boarded it. We ran out -between Forts Morgan and Gaines into the Gulf. On the evening of the -27th we passed in sight of the light house at Ship Shoals. On the -morning of the 28th the wind blew a gale and the sea became very -rough. Several of us were thinking about Jonah and the whale. - -On the morning of the 29th we came up with our fleet and anchored -near Galveston Bay. The sea continued to be rough and we could not -land on account of the sand bars between the Gulf and the Bay. On the -evening of the 30th, the water being smooth, three companies of our -regiment got on a small schooner and ran into the bay. We landed at -the wharf and got off and lay here all night. It seemed as though we -were in motion all the time. The remainder of our regiment came in -July 1st and we all marched through the city of Galveston, Texas. We -went into camp on a beautiful sandy beach. - -On the 2nd we had inspection of arms and dress parade at six p. m. -On the morning of the 4th we marched through the city and all of -the troops at this place met at the public square, where a national -salute was fired. Speeches were made and prayers offered for the -glory of our nation. We marched to camp by moonlight, our band -playing the solemn tune, “Loved Ones at Home.” - -On the 9th of July, our left wing, the old 67th Indiana, was mustered -out of service and started home. Colonel Spicely, who had been -temporarily commanding our brigade, went with them. He had well -earned his star but he failed to get it. On the night of the 20th -the officers all got on a big booze. We escorted Colonel Spicely and -the 67th through town, put them on the ship, and started them home on -the 21st of July, 1865. - -Our battalion was now small. Almost half of them were on permanent -guard duty and the remainder were doing patrol duty. On the 27th we -moved our camp a short distance to clean up, as our family was now -small. We were the only troops left to keep order and patrol the town. - -Our battalion was now commanded by Captain Pollard of Company K. -Nothing of importance now happened except guard mounting guard and -dress parade. On the 28th we moved our quarters up to the east end -of town, near the college and Catholic nunnery. Some of the boys had -a good time trysting with the nuns at the fence. Others of the boys -made good money by digging down fortifications and opening up the -streets. We got all of the water that we used at the nunnery well. - -October 1st we received a large amount of mail. There were many -greetings and promises in those letters. We also received general -orders to be mustered out of service, on the 27th of October, 1865. - -November the 1st, our officers were all busy making out our pay rolls -and discharge papers. The 48th Ohio relieved us from guard duty on -the 4th and we turned over all of our camp equipage on the 14th. - -The boys who wished to remain at that place were mustered out of -service and started for New Orleans to get their pay and settle up -with Uncle Sam. They left on the 15th. Several of them had gotten -into trouble with the Golden Circle or Butternut organization, while -at home on their furloughs and they did not wish to go back to -Indiana. - -On the 16th of November, 1865, the remainder of our battalion was -mustered out of the U. S. service. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - -On the 17th, we marched down to the wharf, embarked on the Steamship -“J. W. Everman,” to start down the home stretch. We took on six -hundred barrels of coal and at one p. m. we ran out of the bay. While -getting on board, one of our boys fell overboard. A Dutch teamster, -by the name of Oose Yager, pitched a rope to him, and he was lucky -enough to get hold of the end of it and Oose hauled away at it, in -the meantime bawling out, “Hold to the wope! Hold to the wope!” This -afterwards became a by-word. The poor fellow who fell overboard was -saved from the sharks, as many of them were swimming around the ship. - -The water was as smooth as glass and as blue as the sky, not a -riffle was to be seen. Many huge sharks were keeping pace with the -vessel. The sea gulls would light on the masts and flap their wings -and chirp. All of the boys were filled with joy at the prospect of -getting to see the loved ones at home once more. Some of them were -feeling good from turning up their canteens too often. The sailors -laughed and said, “You will change your tune before going to bed, for -the darkest hours of life they say, come just before the brightest -day.” - -At six p. m. we saw a small black cloud which looked as if it were on -top of the water. It soon seemed like mountains of snow were rolling -toward us. The waves rolled fifty feet high. When they struck the -vessel, the rudder came unshipped and we logged along, once more at -the mercy of God. - -The sailors went up to clear the deck, but some of our drinking boys, -who were on deck drove them down and swore that they were running -that craft and were going home. One could hear them yell, “Hold to -the wope.” But it was a different scene down in the hull. Some were -trying to pray and others were too sick to do anything but roll from -one side of the vessel to the other and vomit. - -That horrible night will never be forgotten by some of the boys of -the old 24th Indiana. The morning of the 18th came and found our -little wrecked vessel still wallowing in the foamy billows of that -stormy deep. The storm had abated just a little. We knew not how far -we had been carried from our course by the storm and the compass -was out of order. The captain of the vessel had to do something, so -he set the reef sails, got up steam, and pulled out to find land -somewhere. - -On the 19th the sea was calmer, but no land was to be seen. The -morning of the 20th found us anchored in sight of Powder Horn, at the -mouth of Matagorda Bay. This was not many miles from Indianola, one -hundred ten miles from Galveston, after we had been tossed about by -the storm, five or six hundred miles. - -At seven a. m. the steamer “Clinton,” on her way to Indianola, came -in sight. We fired several shots from a cannon and hoisted a flag of -distress. She came back in the evening, took our ship in tow, and -pulled us back to Galveston Bay. On the morning of the 21st we were -cut loose from the “Clinton” and towed in to the wharf by the tug -“Eliza Hancox.” - -We felt somewhat calmed down after being tossed about for five days -on one day’s rations. We drew rations and on the morning of the 22nd, -we were towed out into the gulf by the “Eliza Hancox.” At two p. m. -the “Clinton” hitched on and we started for New Orleans again. - -On the 23rd we ran in sight of Sabine Pass. At four o’clock on the -morning of the 24th, we ran into the mouth of the South-west Pass. -Here the “Clinton” lashed on to the side of our boat and we pulled -on up the river. A little accident occurred which drew the attention -of many of our boys. Some one in the regiment was taking a little -Mexican dog home. The poor little fellow fell overboard, and trying -to rescue him caused quite an excitement. A monstrous alligator, -sixteen feet long, appeared on the scene. The dog gave one yelp, made -one bite, and disappeared. Several shots were fired at the alligator -but none took effect. The boys were left to mourn the loss of their -little dog. We had only two pets in the regiment, a bear and a dog. - -We ran past Fort Jackson at ten p. m. On the morning of the 25th, we -landed at Greenville Station, above New Orleans. We got off of the -good ship which had carried us safely across so many miles of stormy -waters. - -On the 26th we got on board the “Elnora Carol” and started up -the river. We ran past Morganza Bend and on the 28th we landed -at Vicksburg. On the morning of the 30th, we ran past Helena and -past Memphis some time in the night. We landed at Cairo, Illinois, -December 2, 1865. We had traveled one thousand six hundred and two -miles in ten days, after the time when we had been reported lost. -Many of our friends at home never expected to meet us again. - -We got off of the boat and marched out through the town to the -Soldiers’ Home. Here we were served with a splendid supper of coffee, -beans and bacon, and were given good quarters to sleep in. - -On the morning of the 3rd, we marched to the depot, boarded the -train and ran to Mattoon, Illinois. At ten o’clock, we changed cars -and went on the Big Four to Terre Haute, Indiana. We arrived at -Indianapolis at seven p. m., December 4, 1865. We got off and marched -to the Soldiers’ Home. - -On the 5th we signed up the pay rolls. On the 6th of December, 1865, -we were payed off in full and disbanded. The rain poured down all -evening. Each comrade hunted for the nearest road and quickest route -that would take him home to the loved ones that he had not seen for -many long weary days. - -The 24th Indiana traveled through eleven states and made a distance -of thirteen thousand six hundred and seven miles in four years, four -months and twenty-seven days. The average was eight and a half miles -per day. - -There were many of us who never met again, but we will ever stand in -Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty, at Home, Sweet Home. - -Names of states the 24th Indiana traveled through: Indiana, Illinois, -Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, -Florida, Alabama and Texas. - - - [Illustration: (Publisher colophon)] - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE - - Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been - corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within - the text and consultation of external sources. - - For consistency, several instances of A. M. and P. M. have been - changed to a. m. and p. m. - - Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, - and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. - - Frontmatter: ‘BATTLE OF SHILO’ replaced by ‘BATTLE OF SHILOH’. - Frontmatter: two instances of ‘Vicksburgh, Miss.’ replaced by - ‘Vicksburg, Miss.’. - Pg 16: ‘Endfield rifles’ replaced by ‘Enfield rifles’. - Pg 17: ‘back aver the’ replaced by ‘back over the’. - Pg 20: ‘which Colenel’ replaced by ‘which Colonel’. - Pg 21: ‘to the carrall’ replaced by ‘to the corral’. - Pg 32: ‘On the moning’ replaced by ‘On the morning’. - Pg 35: ‘Still we splunged’ replaced by ‘Still we plunged’. - Pg 36: ‘Bureguard had been’ replaced by ‘Beauregard had been’. - Pg 37: ‘Buregard and Johnson’ replaced by ‘Beauregard and Johnson’. - Pg 38: ‘while our bunboats’ replaced by ‘while our gunboats’. - Pg 38: ‘the Tennessee anl’ replaced by ‘the Tennessee and’. - Pg 40: ‘great victroy’ replaced by ‘great victory’. - Pg 41: ‘Th birds warbled’ replaced by ‘The birds warbled’. - Pg 42: ‘Bureguard and Bragg’ replaced by ‘Beauregard and Bragg’. - Pg 49: ‘a thimblefull of’ replaced by ‘a thimbleful of’. - Pg 49: ‘enough wiskey to’ replaced by ‘enough whiskey to’. - Pg 53: ‘our seige guns’ replaced by ‘our siege guns’. - Pg 55: ‘A 8’ replaced by ‘At 8’. - Pg 61: ‘Sheman had taken’ replaced by ‘Sherman had taken’. - Pg 90: ‘at the ctiy’ replaced by ‘at the city’. - Pg 90: ‘The hebs fell’ replaced by ‘The rebs fell’. - Pg 94: ‘XIII’ replaced by ‘CHAPTER XIII’. - Pg 94: ‘rebels surrundered’ replaced by ‘rebels surrendered’. - Pg 99: ‘several cupfulls’ replaced by ‘several cupfuls’. - Pg 100: ‘squad of gorillas’ replaced by ‘squad of guerrillas’. - Pg 106: ‘their gorilla warfare’ replaced by ‘their guerrilla warfare’. - Pg 109: ‘killed by gorillas’ replaced by ‘killed by guerrillas’. - Pg 110: ‘sneaking gorilla’ replaced by ‘sneaking guerrilla’. - Pg 116: ‘had a ridicule’ replaced by ‘had a reticule’. - Pg 118: ‘right next (several’ replaced by ‘right (several’. - Pg 121: ‘they hosited up’ replaced by ‘they hoisted up’. - Pg 124: ‘Tomgigby river,’ replaced by ‘Tombigbee river,’. - Pg 125: ‘of gorillas and’ replaced by ‘of guerrillas and’. - Pg 127: ‘Tombigby river.’ replaced by ‘Tombigbee river.’. - Pg 129: ‘of our land’ replaced by ‘of our band’. - Pg 133: ‘Matagordia Bay’ replaced by ‘Matagorda Bay’. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A History of the Trial and Hardships -of the Twenty-Fourth Indiana Volunte, by Richard J. 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