RECOLLECTIONS
OF Pioneer and Army Life
BY MATTHEW H. JAMISON, Lieutenant E Company, Tenth Regimf'nt, Illinois Veteran Yolunteer Infantry;
Assigned Commander of F Company on the Hood f'hase au Assigned Commanner of G Company on the Campaign through the Carolinas under General Wm. Tecum:-,eb ShermaJ.J. Peace is the dream of the wise; w~1r is the history of man. lVouth listens \\·ithout attention to those who seek to lead it by the paths of reason to happiness, and rushes with irresistible violence into the arms 11f thP phantom which lures it by the light of glory to destruction.---S('gur. TO HARRY F. lVIcALLISTER: THIS IS MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE "DBRISIVE SILENCE OF THE CENTURIES,n AND MY TI~STIMONIAL TO YOUR EVER F'AI'rH FUL FRIENDSHIP THESE FORTY-FIVE YEARS. PREFATORY. Gone are they all ! The tints of youth; the tumult of battle; the old and worn and tattered banners; the neighing horses ; the broken caissons ; the prisoners of war; the Mis sissippi flotilla; the defiant rebel yell on the 111idnight departure from Corinth; Bragg's broken colu1nns on the shifting field of Mission Ridge; the bloody repulse of Kenesaw and Marietta; the discomfiture of Hood be£ ore Atlanta; the exultant March to the Sea; the advance in storm and flood through the Caro linas ; the bloody hour before Bentonville; the Surrender of Johnson at Raleigh; and the pageant on Pennsylvania Avenue fallowing the funeral car of Presi_dent Lincoln. Gone are they all; and I too am soon gone t In the fleeting n1oment the aging veteran, hat in hand, waves a salute to the oncoming youth, bearing full high advanced the colors of his country to undreamed-of triumphs: for this is our war£ are; no battle; no crown of Victory t M. H.J. October I, 191 I. Battle Mountain Sanitarium, Hot Springs, South Dakota. CONTENTS Page. CHAPTER I. Our Family in the Early History of the Government .... 7 CHAPTER II. My Earliest Days Continued ...... CHAPTER I I I. My Mother ...... 18 CHAPTER IV. Rachel T. Nicol...... 23 CHAPTER V. The South Henderson Church ...... 30 CHAPTER VI. Off for Oregon. Frontier Life in the Early Forties ..... CHAPTER VII. The Illusions of Childhood ...... CHAPTER VIII. The Family Removes to the Yellow Banks ...... 44 CHAPTER IX. My Boyhood at the Yellow Banks ...... 50 CHAPTER X. Temptations of the Great River ...... 56 CHAPTER XI. The Yellow Banks ...... 61 CHAPTER XI I. "Gold! Gold! from Sacramento River"!...... 66 CHAPTER XIII. The Village Bakery ...... CHAPTER XIV. The Presbyterian Chapel and Its l\1emories ...... CHAPTER xv. The Ghost and the Fink & Walker Stage Coach ...... 80 CHAPTER XVI. The School-teacher Descended from the Pilgrim Fathers, CHAPTER XVII. The Menace of the Great River ...... 92 . . 11 Contents . Page CHAPTER XVIII. A Ride with One of the Cloth ...... 96 CHAP1'ER XIX. The Bloomer Costun1e, the Crinoline Disturbance, and Other Matters...... 100 CHAPTER XX. The 11ysterious Stranger...... 104 CHAPTER XXI. The Ghost...... r 1 2 CHAPTgR XXI I. Overland to Fountain Green...... I 15 CHAPTER xx I I I. A Glimpse of Horace Greeley...... I I 9 CHAPTJ<,h. ' , ,~~'-..: X I\T . Lincoln and Douglas...... 124 CHAPTER XXV. My School-days at l\Ionmouth and the Crozier-Fleming Tragedy ...... 1 30 CHAPTER XXVI. "T'o Pike's Peak or Bust" ...... 135 CHAPTER XXVII. Homeward Bound...... 1 45 CHAPTER XXVIII. A Volunteer at the Fall of l-i... t. Sumter...... 149 CHAP1'IiR XXIX. To Washington and Through New Englanr!...... 156 CHAPTEI< XXX. R.e-enlisted for Three Years...... 163 CHAPTER XXXI. Our First Encounter with a Contraband...... 171 CHAPTER XXXI I. The Capture of Island No. 10 and Ne\\r l\laclrid...... 175 CHAPTER XXXIII. From Shiloh to Corinth under Halleck ...... 183 CHAPTER XXXIV. The March to Tuscumbia and Nash ville ...... 188 CHAPTER XXXV. Isolated at Nashville...... I 92 CHAPTER XXXVI. Bridgeport to Chattanooga...... 197 ( ·o ntents. 111 Page. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Good-bye, Braxton Bragg ...... 201 CI-L\PT.ER XXXIX. Relief of r,,;::noxville...... 205 CHAPTER XL. On Veteran Furlough...... 21 I CHAPTER XLI. The Knights of the Golden Circle ...... _... . 215 CHAPTER XLII. The Confederate Can1paign in Henderson County...... 219 The Atlanta Campaign, or the Hundred Days Battle.... 220 Battle at Rocky Face ...... 2 33-4 Battle of Resaca ...... 235 Adjutant Rice Vi/ oundcd...... 2 36 Capture of Ron1e...... 237 The Fight at Dallas ...... 239 Preliminary Fighting at Kenesaw l\,fountain...... 245 The Charge of Our Division at l\tlarietta ...... 247 Fightin~ at the Rifle-Pits and on the Picket-Line ...... 250-1 Peach-Tree Creek. Major Wilson and Captain l\tlunson Wounded ...... 254-5 Battle of July 22nd. Death of Gen. l\1cPherson...... 255 Our Division, the Victim of a Shan1eful l\1iscarriage on July 28th ...... 257 Our Regiment Exchanges the "Acorn'' for the "Arrow," 264 Resignation of Commissioned Officers ...... 267 Assigned to the Command of Company F...... 2 68 The liood Chase ...... 268-9 Dea th of Gen. Ransom ...... 2 74 The March to the Sea...... 2 78 Tear Up, Burn and T·wist . ·,· ...... 284 Prisoners from Fort McCallister...... 288 On the Gulf Railroad ...... 2 89 The City of Savannah ...... 2 90 On Ocean Transports to Beaufort, S. C...... 293 Campaign Through the Carolinas ...... 296 Fighting at the Crossing of the Salkahatchie...... 300 Assigned to the Command of Company G. Capt. Wilson of "G" Wounded ...... 302 Midnight Crossing of the Edisto...... 304 Passing Through Orangeburg...... 306 On the Saluda, Opposite Columbia ...... 308 The Burning of the Capitol of South Carolina...... 309 . 1V Contents. Page. At \Vinsboro...... 31 1 Capture of Cheraw ...... 314 Arrival of the Army at Fayetteville, N. C...... 318 Our Divi~ion at Bentonville...... 321 Our Arrival at Goldsboro...... 323 Grant Has Taken Richmond...... 325 Dispatch that Lee Has Surrendered...... 32 6 Arrival of Sherman's Army at Raleigh ...... 32 6-7 Assassination of President Lincoln...... 32 7 I 7th A. C. Reviewed by Gen. Grant, She rrnan and 0th er Distinguished Officers...... 328 Interview with Mrs. Stewart...... 329 Homeward Bound via Richmond and Washington .....·. 330 In Old Virginia, Petersburg...... 332 "On to R.ichmond," Libby Prison and Belle Isle...... 333 Richmond to Washington. Scene of Sheridan's Cavalry Engagements...... 334 Ride Over Spottsylvania Battle-Ground ... \ ...... 335 Ride with Surgeon Ritchey and Acting Q. 1\1. Hughes to Mt. Vernon...... 337 President Johnson at the Entrance to the White House . . . 338 Letter fron1. Mary F. Hamilton of the Treasury De partment...... 339 By Rail to Parkersburg--Down the Ohio River to Louis- ville ...... 340 On Fu lough. Ride \\ ith Gen lVIorgan on Front Platform of Cars from 4 J>. :w. until l\ili Copyright 1911 By MA'ITHEW H. JAMISON, Kansas City, Mo. CI-L-\PTER I. OuR F.\:\IlI.. Y 1~ 'l'In: E.,RI.Y H rs'rURY ot: THI~ GOVERN i\H:NT. To bear ·willing testi1nony to the vi rtnes of 111y honored parents, ·whose 111e1nory I hold in unfeigned love and rever ence, is 1ny first duty as ·well as 1ny chief est pleasure in the preparation of these pages. ~[y father, \Villja111 R.ollin Ja1ni son, ,vas born in Grayson County. l(entucky, in 1808, the year in which the Congressional Act was passed prohibiting the slave trade, and in which ~--\aron Burr, after his trial a: Richn1ond, left his country for EuropeJ an outcast, to wander a discredited 111an. 1Iy father's long and useful life con1passe John Jan1ison 1 from across the ,vater in the north of Ireland, settled in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, the richest agricult- ·ural part of the State. in the first quarter of the eighteenth century. He it was who named the township "Little Britain"; 7 8 Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Ar11iy Life. and my grand£ ather, Sarnnel J an1ison, 1noveJ f ron1 thence to Kentucky at the beginning of the century, where n1y father was born as aforesaid. The axe, the plow and the rifle were the im plements used by the three generations of my ancestors to sub due the ,vilderness. 1~hey chose the route into the Mississippi Valley taken by the Lincolns-namely, fro1n Pennsylvania an 111y birtb, :-;0111e (_ a fevv) of the better helps \\·ere coining into use, such as the cast-iron plow, the then l_not always) reliable :--tcel pL ,\\. l recall my father in 111y earliest years, dragging jn his sruall grain with a well-distributed tree-top, and he did a good j nli. The. sn1all grain was cut with a cradlt>, and his :--icklc, with ib serrated edge (an i1nple111ent of a funner gen cration1 with \,·hich "the 111ovver no longer filleth his hand, n()r lie that hindeth sheaves his boso1n"), was an object of in terest t, :· me, ancl coveted_. hut denied to 1ne as a plaything. The trace-chain, the !lat \\'uoden ha111es tied with a leather thong, the harness 1nade of broad, tlat strips of leather cut directly f ro111 the hicle, the wide-track linch-pin \vagon \vith its :;mall fore \,·heels and extra large hind ones, the tar-bucket ~,,·inging un(kr the hind axle, was the fashion on the public highways. 1\ \\·agon of this description, usually clrawn by oxen and scantily daubecl \vith tar on the thi111bles, ,varnecl the coun-• try round ( ,f its appruach long hef ore co111ing into vie,v by its agonizing ~liriek' The late John Drucn, on~ of the vvealthy live-stock rnen of the county, began life with such a wagon. I re1ne1nber hitn well, swinging his ox-goad over his shoulder, a nut-brown, good-naturetl fell ow, hesitating in his speech. The late David Rankin, another n1an of the same class, a reputed 111illionaire, ~tarted on a successful career with such an outfit. l\1y father had the mechanic's eye, ancl knew at a glance ,vhether- a line was straight or not. He had the charge, ·when under age, ()f the 1nachinery or tools requiring special care, for n1y grandfather had little aptitude for such _\vork. \i\lhen doing work which required son1e skill, his usual con1111ent upon his awkward sons or others assisting in the labor was, "He hasn't half an eye!" He "found'' hi111self, and "can1e to" him self, in his o,vn way. He had considerable education: but gathered it as every pioneer did. by hook and by crook, no one can tel! just how~ f o-r he was a 1nan of fe,v words and only briefly and casually ren ,_iniscent. For a rail-splitter, inured to the toil of building ho1nes in 10 1?.ecollections of Pioneer and .:4.nny Life. the. wilderness, he wrote a good hand~ and spelled correctly, an acco1nplishn1ent 1narked by the breach rather than the ob servance by alleged educated people. 1-Ie never talked about it; but I think he n1ust at one tin1e have had an ambition be yond the conunonplace, for he always had useful books in his possession, and one in particular ( an .A.insworth's Latin diction ary) which he seen1s to have put to considerable use. During the winter evenings, when he \Vas not otherwise engaged, he busied hin1self making split-botton1 chairs for his children and larger ones for the family. He was skillful at any kind of re pair work and owned a kit of shoe1naker's tools, with which he kept the footwear of the f a111ily in good shape. These hon1e ly labors are best appreciated ,vhen those of us who are old enough can recall f an1ilies ,vhere the stupidity was so dense, or indolence so extreme, that even in severe ·weather little ef fort ·was n1ade in pioneer hon1es to provide these con1forts. He ,vas diligent in his business, intent on his purpose, concentrated, and cheer£ ul, whistling in a peculiar 1ninor key as he went about his farm ·work. I recall hin1_, as he appeared to n1e in 111y earliest yea rs, wearing a broacl-bri111111ed ho111e n1ade straw hat and linsey-·woolsey waistcoat. Usually the f arn1er of those days ·wore a red waun1us of hon1e-woven rna terial, the san1e as the n1other and daughters wore, except that the linsey-woolsey for the latter can1e f ron1 the loon"J in stripes. The elder Hanna presided at an old-£ ashioned Independence Day celebration at Centre Grove as late as 1853 in every-day attire-na111ely. in an old ,vaun1us, with the corners drawn to the front and tied in a knot. In pioneer days my father was a sort of referee in local legal 111atters; that is to say, his neighbors 111ade hin1 "Squ: re" by regular commission, and by this official title he· was always addressed by his friends. And too, he was available when his neighbors were ailing, for, while he made no pretensions to the healing art, his judgment ,vas relied upon with great con fidence by his neighbors. Blood-letting was still in vogue for l"<.ecollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 11 111any diseases, and as a child l used to look upon his keen lance, with its tortoise-shell handle, with a kind of horror, and I never failed to lapse into a condition akin to nervous pros tration whenever he bled my 111other for sick headache. In this connection poor Josh Darnell comes into view. He was an epileptic, seven or eight years of age possibly. }lis parents_, not knowing what better to do, brought hi111 to father to be bled, which was done. One day at school l ca111e very near being the victim oi one of Josh's spells. Mary A.nn Bigelow, an estimable young won1an, was the teacher at the old Davenport school-house, and I and n1y younger brother, Ewell, were sent to her to ex plore the n1ysteries of the alphabet. \Ve were an1ong the sn1all est urchins and sat with our bare legs hanging over the first lovv bench at the front. Behind us rose a higher bench and a writing desk or board rurlning along the wall. Here the larger scholars sat. Josh was seated right behind me, and without warning the poor lad was suddenly taken with a ''fit." His face flushed purple and he was caught by the teacher in the act of striking 1ne a terrific blow from behind. The teacher was as much afraid of hin1 as the scholars were and the school ,vas in a fright; but, after a struggle, the boy lapsed into a stupor, and in an hour or so was about as well as usual. The only event that arose to disturb the even tenor of l\!Iiss Bigelow's school was her method of getting even with the refractory boys. f\ feature of her academy was an in1- provisecl gallows, f ron1 which was suspended a piece of woolen yarn. The criminal was brought out upon th~ floor and placed on the trap. The rope ·was adjusted so that the transgressor stood on his toes, and if he acted as his own executioner, and sprung the trap-that is to say, settled down on his heels and broke the rope, he either got a "licken'· or had to be hung over again. In the pursuit of learning the two children ,vere sent to Aunt Tabitha Stice, who opened a competing university in a log cabin which stood on the site of my brother Francis 12 l?ecollections of Pioneer and A rlll)' Life. 1tlarion's hon1e. At this tin1e, throughout all the region round about, there was a great scare over the mad dog that bit Brad bury. The good 1nothers were particularly concerned at the risk taken in sending the children a 111ile or two to school while this MY EARLIES1' DAYS CoN'rINUI£D. During n1y father~s laudable effort to help poor Josh Dar nell, I find that I have escaped into this world unbeknownst, as it were, and got as far as Aunt Tabitha's school before be ing discovered, and if n1y patient reader please, we will trace the fugitive back to his entrance. I ,vas born on the 10th day of September, 1840, on the ancient hunting-ground of the Sacs and Foxes-two of the 111any collateral tribes of the great Algonquin race; within a few yards of an old stockade, pierced for musketry, erected at the ope1jng of the Black Hawk War on my father's hon1estead, situated in the angle formed by the branches of the Henderson River, close to its junction with the lviississippi, and \vithin five 111iles of the '{ el lo-w Banks, where I grew. to manhood. J\f y half-brothers, John C. (October 15, 1830) and Francis Marion (October 1, 1832), were born in that stockade, ,:vhile the children of the second n1arriage, myself included, \Vere born in a log cabin {,n the same ground. Ttere was no boon1ing of cannon on n1y ad vent into this world; but the vVhigs throughout the country were on their sailor's legs through the inot dinate consu1nption of hard cider. Does 1ny reader ren1ember the campaign song of 1840? "Farewell, old Van; You 're a used-up man. To guard our ship We '11 try old Tip. With Tip and Tyler We '11 bur st Van's biter !" 13 1 + I<.ecollections of 1-Jioneer and "Llnny Li/e. In the .. i\.1ilitary Tracf' the supporters of "Tippecanoe an -tbe patient accu111ulauu11 uf years by \Yhich the young 1nar ried couple surround tliunselves with the con1forb of hon1e; the co1nf ortablc cabin itself; the necessary outbuildings; the conveniences of interior lanes and gates an lVI y MOTHER. 1vly 111other, ;\Iargaret l\'.Icilvain Giles, was born in r\bbey ville Parish., South Carolina, the birthplace and ho111e of John C. Calhoun. One of htr earliest recollections, at three years of age, vvas of being carried on the shoulder of her uncle. f\:1dy Giles, in st1bsequent years a ,vealthy slaveholdec in full dress, including his cavalry boots, fron1 the tops of which hung pendent a tassel after the style of the Revolutionary period. Her people were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who en1igratecl during the first quarter of the nineteenth century with a con siderable body of these sectaries into Preble County, Ohio, where they had an established church under the ministry of Doctor Porter, the father of the well-known first pastor of the Ce_dar Creek church in Warren County, Illinois. One of the brighest pictures of 111y childhood is the Sabbath scene at this country church on the occasion of one of our sen1i-annual visits to our numerous relatives in the vicinity: the ,varn1 sunlight of ai perfect sumn1er clay; the noble forest; the interest of innu111- erable strange faces; the neighing of horses as of an artny with banners ; the groups of worshipers in the light and shade of the trees. held together by the living meshes of demure yet happy children; and the coining and going through the throng, with nimble tread, of a pet deer or two, with a tinkling bell under its throat. The pastor, a typical preacher of pioneer days, was marked by the romanticism of the mighty hunter. Woodcraft and the hunting of large game was second nature to him. He had. too, the ,vit, tact. and flavor peculiar to his class. Of no mean education, he lived a rude life, spend- ts Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 19 ing 1nore ti1ne in the woods with his rifle than in the prepara tion of his sermons, which lacked nothing essential, however, to the ho111ilies of the John Knox cult. l\!Iy mother was the idol of her household of boys-indulg enL gentle, affectionate. One of 111y earliest recollections is of standing at her knee Sunday afternoons repeating after her the Child's Catechisn1: "Who 111ade you? God. \Vho re dee111e her pastor's wife, of a later time, whon1 she ·was fond of hav ing at her table for tea or an elaborate dinner. They were a newly married couple, and the wife, being an1bitions to learn, got her first points, after son1e failures in jellies, f ro111 n1y n1other. 1'he cabin where l was born, afterward weather boarded over, had a fireplace, where the cooking was done in the beginning of her 111arried life; but she was an1ong the first, if not the very first, in our neighborhood to have a cooking stove, which ·was like the two steps of a stairway, the firebox the first step and the rising step the oven back of it. It was a sin1ple affair, but effective as far as it went, for it was only an adjunct to the fireplace. 'rhe big corn pone, seasoned with s111all bits of fat pork scattered through it, continued to be baked on the hearth, in the Dutch oven, vvith coals and hot ashes on top and underneath. 'l'hat old birthplace is still in use-by the alien. The ancient hearth is still there, in the roon1 vvhere I slept in my trundle-bed, ,vhere the fire Llazed over the back-log, and scorched my face, while I tried to whittle with the first dog-knife on the Christn1as clay it was presented to n1e. The ·walnut door3, plain as a pikestaff, and the little old-style latches, which look like they hacl been beaten out on the sn1ithy's anvil, are there, and it is a long tin1e now since l bad to stand tip-toe ancl n1ake a struggle to raise the latch to con1pel the "open door" which John Hay, poor fel low! clan1ored for in the Orient so loudly. She had s111all. beautifully shaped hands-the thumbs cunning little half-circles, full of character; and when they rested in persuasive achnonition on n1y head, I felt the strength of that n1aternal love which is the 1nost potent guiding force known to our race. When she vvas left alone, without com pany except her sn1all children, and any unusual noise occurred at night outside, she would get up from her bed and go out around the house to find the cause. This is a pioneer home, where help ,vas not at hand, during the years ,,·hen the l\ ror n1ons occupierl N anvoo. 1\1 y fat her' s horse~ "·ere sto1en bv., Recollections of Pioneer a1'td Army · Li/e. 21 11ormon thieves at this time. He recovered two in place of them, but did not get his own. One day an insane 1nan passed through the country. 1-Ie can1e do\vn the lane past the house, hurling stones and clnbs as he went. l\Iy father was away f r01n hon1e and 111y 111other stood on the porch with her s111all brood around her, f nil of apprehension, relieved son1ewhat a.s she saw our neighbor, San1 Lynn, and others, riding hastily fro1n the north: watchful of the n1an until he had pa:,:-;cd uur place and no harm could co1ne to us. 1~his kindne.~s on the part of Lynn was always referred to gratefully by her, although he was a n1an w110, his life long, kept a liquor-joint on hi., place and ,,·it h whon1 uu r fa1nily could not fraternize. I \vas a reckless rover about four years of age vvhen 111y 111othcr ventured one Sunday n1orning to leave 1ne at ho111e while she an l tried to trudge over to Uncle Calvin ·s one R.ACHEL T. l\ !COL. So111e of 1ny 111other's forebears and 1nany of her relati\·cs rest in the churchyard adjoining the Cedar Creek church; and if 111:y reader should ever visit the lonely spot ( not so bright and fair as in the days long gone, for the 111eeting-house has been re1noved to conforn1 to the public highway on the section line), on the center pathway he will find the grave of Rachel I\" icol, a blood relative1 the had the advantages of hospital practice, an rf,(J . 1/ rs. f.,1 •1 yor{' . .. ~ ew England 1-iospital, Boston, :\ I ass. "'\fay r6, 1879. "lJ1•:~\H. FM.\1.\.-~\s yuu ~:cc_. l a111 ·swinging around the circle,' and no,v find myself at the ·_H ulJ,' where l expect tu tarry for a year. The New England tiospital is delightfully locate her care uef ure breakfast, dinner and ~upper, also again in the forenoon ,vith the chief of the hospital. ;\fter supper each one reports to the chief physician the condition of her patienb. Each puts up her own ren1eclies also. Tuesdays and Fridays are set apart for surgical operations, so you have a synopsis of our work, except that I did not say that we are expected to write the histories of all our cases." -:1 Premonition of 11 er Fate. "33 vVarrenton St., Boston, Mass. "Dec. 30, 1879. "DEAR EMMA.-I think you 111ight have 111acle a f urthcr sacrifice in order to 111ake 111e a visit and see Boston, ,,.- hu:-;e wonders I would only be too glad to visit with you; then you know such a thing 1night happen as that I could not visit y, 1t1 for a long, long tin1e, 111aybe never, and then-no, no, I will not try to work upon your feelings in such a way as to unfit you for responding to the cle1nancls of the present; but then, after a while-not now, but far away in the future. the burden of years or s0111e such inconvenience 111ay possibly interfere with the realization of anticipated enjoyn1ents; only a bare pos sibility you understand, of course. You ask how I like n1y profession. ?\f y reply is, the more I knovv of the principles upon which its practice is founded the deeper becomes my in terest in and the greater my admiration for it. My great . lamentation is that I did not begin the study ten years sooner than I did. I an1, and have been, in the dispensary connecterl with the N. E. I-Iospital. We have clinics every forenoon anrl while away our afternoons. and alas! too many of our nights, visiting patients at their homes. It is especially interesting to be called up at I or 2 in the night ·when the horse-cars are not running and find ~ \\'alk of f ro1n r to 3 n1iles before you with the inspiration of a pouring rain or a terrific snovv-storm to spur you on." 2u Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Artny Li/c. Fruui Gernuniy tu JVlrs. J(ilgore . .. 1-lotel de la Rose, vViesba the journey from flagging until about 1 l'. M. of the sa1ne day ( the hour of starting was 10 :30 A. M.), when the train stopped and everybody got out and I could see they were unloading the baggage, and yet there see111ecl to be no station, _only a single large uuil Fron, S1c 1,£tzerland to Jl.tf rs. f(-ilgorc. "Zurich, Dec. 1 r, r 880. "DEAR EM M A.-Y· ou evidently think crossing the ocean an extraordinary affair, yet you think nothing of making a long journey by rail every few months which is attended with many more inconveniences than traveling by water. I admit sea-sickness is not the most agreeable sensation imaginable, yet believe it can be to a great extent avoided by going on ship board in good condition and exercising a little common sense the first few clays of the voyage. "As to your question, 'An1 I attending the University?' Yes, I· am attending two lectures daily and the remainder of the time devoting to the clinics and the hospitals; am also having l?ecollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. . 29 practice work in the pathological laboratory three hours every Friday. * * * * \Voul '1'111-: Sot~TII 1-IENDJ•:Rso;-J C11u1{Cil. 'l'he South 1-lenclerson Associate l{efon11ecl Congregation was organized by the Rev. 1\lexancler Blakie on July 4, 1835. ,vith a 1ne111bership of fifty-nine. lVI y f athet and John Giles ,vere elected elders. Four sern1ons were preached in 111y f ath er's barn prior to the organization. two by Rev. Jeren1iah lVIor row in r834. and two hy Rev. trh0111as Turner in r835. 1.-\he first 111eeting-house, a f ran1e structure, was built in 1837; the second. of stone. in 1855. 1.'he f ra111e 111eeting-house was the one f arniliar to 111e in n1y childhood. I-I ere the honest yernnan ry of the llew country n1et in reverential worship. Here the local workmen put to gether their share of the 111oral f ran1e,vork of the political structure which fonns the co1nmonwealth of Illinois. The in teresting spot. hallo,ved by association with so 1nany good ancl useful lives. beca111e a notable lancln1ark in the county ancl a 111odest force and center in our Western civilization. Our fat h ers clicl a crude and in1perf ect work possibly. but it was clone in sincerity and there is none to gainsay it to this clay. The open, original forest ( the heavy undergrowth has since ob scured the view) pennitted us to see the 111eeting-house one thi rcl of a 111ile away f ro111 111y father's doorstep, and we had a private pathway through the woods by which we attended the services. I-Iere the old-style preachers of the ancient Scotch faith n1acle the spot lurid with the fires that are never quenched and n1acle the prayers hold out better than the legs of those who stoocl to hear then1. .At unanticipated intervals we ha(l a supply direct f ro111 Scotland. They ,vere of the :rn Recollect£ons of Pio,neer and .. -lrmy Life. ,)) I straight John Knox brand-very raw. They en1ployed the n1ethod direct. They handed out the prescription. If the flock would not take the close~ because it \\·as "too strong,'' then the devil would be to pay. and his tenns were hard to 111eet. I an1 glad 1 did not hear everything the preacher said. \ Vhile he breathed threatenings. and warned the good people of an in1pending s111ash-up, 1 leaned n1y \\·eary head the long. hot s11111111er clay on 111y clear 111other's ar111. oblivious of it all. and I think she ,vas as glad as J wa:; to get out of the stifling close roon1 into the fresh air. where \Ve could eat cookies. pie and chicken. and talk with the neighbors during ''intern1ission. ·· I an1 happy to say. there was a constant aspiration toward bet ter things, both as to forms and doctrine-a pern1anent revolt a111ong the less hide-bound n1en1bers against the absurdities of House's version and allied straight-jacket n1ethocb of script ural construction. The ohl church cracked the ,vhip over its poor slaves \vho would not--111any of the111-so 111uch as look up ancl clai111 an inheritance here. 111uch less a rest \Yith the people of Goel hereafter. Derision in the seat of the scorn£ ul. and ridicule in the church itselL drove Rouse back to his native highlands, and openecl the hearts and 111incls of 111en and ,vo- 111en nursed in the ironclad f onns of an ignorant and brutish age to the light and ,varn1th of the truth as it is in Jesus and An1erica l The indulgence in strong drink, a convivial ,veakness not unco1nmon an1ong the n1en1bers and not ,vl101ly unkno,vn an1ong the clergy, ,vas esteen1ecl a trivial offense co1npared to a little sanity in the ritual. I can speak by the ca rel, for my 111other declared that the old preacher who baptised 111e had a preternatural affection for his toddy and was crazy ,vithal ! Almost ,vithout ·exception, all the olcl-ti1ne clergy were grovel- .ing tobacco-chewers. There were so1ne odd specin1ens an1ong the early pastors of the South Henderson church. Father Friedley w:ts one of these. He had a very priestly air ,vhen harnessed for service, and he was an honest little man. but he 32 Recollections of Pioneer an,d Anny Life. couldn't preach worth shucks. I-lis best point was an unf ail ing good nature, and his vvorst an incorrigible laziness that 1nust have reached back lineally through seventeen generations, it was so thoroughly bred up. I-Iis n1orning service was sched uled for r r o'clock A. M.; he did nobly, for him, if he hove in sight of his flock at I o'clock P. M ., and the apprehension the poor man felt, that under the circumstances the "session'' would have a rather chilly reception planned for him, did not add to his peace of mind ! Later on he taught the Brokelbank "Acaden1y," and still later the public school in the court-room at the Yellow Banks, where I took advantage of his kindness, and along with two other boys got leave to study in the shade of the black-jacks outside! Why our elders put us to study ing Latin when as yet \Ve kne,v nothing about our own tongue is one of the tnysteries not pertinent to this narrative. 1~here was blue-grass in the bushy groves in those days, big bull snakes, strawberries and flocks of quajl. My companions, John Brook ancl Jin1 Pollock, were very good in the L.atin gran11nar and in reading "Historire Sacrre," but a large portion of our time was spent in gathering violets and fighting 'em as Johnny J un1p-ups. I ren1ember well, at a point not over fifty yards f ron1 the court-house, catching over a dozen quail in my trap and losing half as many more in my efforts to hold them all in one hand while I reached under and pulled them out by twos and threes with the other. The sanely level extending hack from the river to main Henderson was heavily wooded and the soil fertile, the result of decades of rotted leaves. In places the ground was heavily carpeted with blue-grass, and the whole of it so covered, but in places thinly. When the original forest of large oak trees was cut away and the fierce heat of n1icl-summer fell unbroken upon the sandy loam, the strength thereof disappeared like snow in May. The forests in the great economy of Nature are ranked by the Psalmist with the seas and the n1ountain ranges, and the mental feather weight ,:vho will invade their ranks for indiscriminate slaughter 1 N.ecollcctions of Pioneer and .·lnnJ 1 Liff'. ,)..,3 should be indicted for the murder of earth~s chiefest conserv ing glory. To gather up the threads of 111y discourse: Don1inie Fried ley I believe really preferred teaching to roasting such an i1nn1ense majority of the hun1an race in the flames of the pit. I-le did not take kindly to the business of a stoker. The dear, kind, patient old 1nan ! I-Ie will get his share of the good things co111ing I verily believe, whatever becon1es of the rest of us! As a class the old-style preachers knew no other way than to strike terror into our guilty souls-ta scare us into the king dom. The Sunday aspect at South Henderson was rather grin1. The sermons were wrathful. Robert Ross, ,vho was a comparatively modern preacher there, had but one burden the wrath to come! His favorite phrase, which he never omit ted, regardless of the text, \Vas .. the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" as the seething 111asses of hu111anity, like 111aggots in a dunghill, crawled over each other in their efforts to get out of the flames. One in1pression only was indelibly stan1pecl upon 111y youth£ ul min cl by these sennons-that of terror, and the nightmare follows 111e like a shadow to this clay! And yet to 111y immature understanding there was the suggestion that 111y elders took these anathemas ,vith some grains of salt; that. after all, it may not be as rough sledding in the great hereafter a-:; the picture drawn ,vould seem to in1ply. l\if y father, conten1plative and discerning, did much thinking on religious subjects on his own account. I-le ,vas an inquirer, and welcon1ed the light which shone from his varied reading. He ,vas a great admirer of Dr. N. L. Rice and he never failed, when opportunity offered, to hear that erninent man in his own pulpit in St. Louis. On these occasions he was fed on manna not so severely roasted as that to which he was accustomed at home. An interesting old couple in regular attendance upon the services were the aged l\.1r. and lVIrs. Davis--coming and going in their well-remen1bered "one-horse shay.'' l\f r. Davis was 3+ Recollections of Pioneer and .:·lrtny Lifc. a figure sure to attract attention fron1 any boy. His age (he 111ust have been a veteran of 1812), his erect carriage; and his queer, drab-felt great-coat con1ing down to his heels, and its series of ever-enlarging capes, beginning with a sn1all one at the throat and increasing in size down to the point of the shoulders, and the fastening at the collar (_ a twisted Lrass chain ancl hook)-the whole giving one a good idea of the appearance of historical figures of the past. The fathers of South llenclerson were of that grain that if a prejudice once found lodg1nent therein, it was like a four prongecl, hard-and-fast n1olar tooth-one nn1st break the jaw to get it out; but with all their shortcon1ings, of whatever nature. ,vhich they shared in co1nn1on with their fellow-1nen. they ,vere, as a rule, clean as a new silver dollar. as welcome, and ,vould pass the solid globe around. The congregation was about equally divided betvveen · im1nigrants from the North and South-members fron1 Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana had their equivalents f ro1n Georgia, South Carolina and 'I'ennessee, and sotne of these latter· ·who had withdrawn fron1 the South were so poisoned by the virus of slavery that they continued to vote for the oppressor as before; but vvhile the elder gen erations have passed away, I re1nain steadfast in the hope and belief that son1e tin1e or other, in the future ages, their de scendants will cease to vote the Democratic ticket. A.nd now as to King David : he was a 111usician-the chief n1usician and co1nposer of his ti1ne. the leader of a choir; the co111panion, friend. and patron of choristers. His psalms, or songs, were all addressed to some one of the chief n1usicians, hy nan1e. his conten1poraries. It ·was his business and chief delight to "sing a new song" unto the Lord. with "the harp, ·with trumpets, and the sound of cornet. with the tin1brel. and with stringed instrun1ents" and "organs," with the "loud," the "high-sounding cytnbals." He was the inspired composer of Tsrael as 1\1 ozart and 1\1 enclelssohn and their compeers ,vere the inspired children of song of a later ti1ne. Our clear old Recollections of Pioneer an-d Arniy Life. 35 fathers affected to ad1nire David's· songs above all other 1nen, and in the ~an1e breath tc· despise bis orchestra. Ho\\r could that be? But his orchestra, as we have seen in the passing years, is a 111onster which the old Church, with all its qua]ms, "endured, then pitied, then e1nbraced." I salute then1 1no;;t heartily in their ernergence f ron1 the thralldo1n of Rouse and all the bigotry of centuries. Niay their choirs, their organs, and their "gospel songs'' prevail and spread till they fill the whole earth ! .l-\nd I la1nent and 1nourn with them that one of their i1111nature preachers, in a public asse111bly, in the year 1905, should 111ake such an ass of hi1nsel f as to atte111pt to 1 cover with opprobriun1 the inspired song "Lead, Kindly Light. ' The Church will purge herself of all such indigestible 1112.tter in due tin1e. CHA.PTER. VI. Or.it l◄'OR OREGON. FRONTIER LIFB IN 'I'H£ EARLY FoR'rn:s. ln the year 1845 sun1P uf our kin and acquaintances-a part of that restless, 1nigratory advance guard of the race anticipating a lack of elbovv-room on the fertile soil of Illinois, gathered up their small effects and struck out with their ox tean1s and prairie schooners for Oregcn ! Think of all that has haprened on the "plains., since that year! Around Forts Bridger, Snelling and Kearney; Zack Taylor and his little army on the Rio Grande; the expeditions along the Santa Fe trail ; John C. Fre111ont and Kit Carson and their alleged explora tions; Albert Sidney Johnston and his anny menacing the l\iTor n1ons in Utah ; the Argonauts in search of the golden fleece; the dran1atic scenes in the Lava Beds and the bloody vengeance taken on the pale-face; the score of Tnclian can1paigns marked by the bloody reprisals and heroic deaths since these emigrants n1ade their peaceful journey to the Willan1ette valley! 1"'hey pulled up at my father's gate to say farewell, and they n1ight well do so, for it vvas the final separation of old friends. They had gotten a 111ile distant on their journey to the Pacific when we discovered that they had forgotten a rifle ( an important part of their eqt1ip111ent. as regarding gam~ and defense), and 111y young cousin 11ary, ahvays quick to act, picked up the gun and ran across lots, through an eighty acre field, and intercepted then1 ; I, doing 1ny best to keep up ,:vith her, got lost in the weeds. During these years my young cousins, older than I, Sarah Ann, Mary and Ellen, daughters of n1y uncle James Jamison, took care of me an(\ Recollections of Pioneer and .-Jn11y Life. 37 younger brother ,vhen our parents ,rere absent f ro1n home. Mary was a fearless, enterprising girl, and was wont to take me down to the sheep pasture, along the little spring-£ ed "branch," among the crawfish-holes, in search of adventure. Here she found a garter snake or two one day, and stunning them by a stroke with a stick, would lay then1 on a stump and cut them in two with an axe she held in her hand. I stood by in consternation, looking at the pieces \i\Triggle ! My uncle Ja111es and aunt Polly l\1cKinney died at thirty five years of age, or thereabouts, leaving behind then1 these young cousins and their brothers, Sa111uel R. and George 1\1 c Kinney, all of whon1 lived to old age and have been blessed in their day and generation. The three daughters made their home under- 1ny fat her':-:. roof at intervals while they were grovving up. and all of ihern were n1arried under it. Sarah Ann was tny tnother\ right hand for so1ne years. and n1uch endeared to us by her f ::i.ith ful services in the household. ~\,f y uncle Jatnes ,vas the eldest son in 1ny grandfather's family, an honor to his race, as indeed ·were all 111y uncles, his broth ers. I-Ie was a n1en1ber of the Presbyterian congregation at the Yellow Banks, and after the pioneer method, he ,vent to the woods and cut out and delivered the timbers for the frame of the church, which is still in use in an almost perfect state of preservation. The brothers, James, \¥illian1 R. ( my fat h er), John Calvin, 1-Iarvey and Na than H., were home-builders. as were their forebears. They founded Christian homes and surrounded them with peace and plenty. They \Vere all lovers of choice fruits, and literally rested under the trees which bore twelve manner of fruits in this world, as they had a well founded hope should be their lot in the world to con1e. A.nd now, when I recall them in their old age, their bent forn1s and their blameless lives, I feel that just pride in an honorable ancestry which should be the inheritance of all. It was during th~ winter of the deep snow ( 1845-46) that my father would bundle us all into the two-horse sled and drive by moonlight to the Davenport school-house, where the 38 Recollections of Pioneer a11rd Arniy Lifc. singing-school, under the training of !\Ir. Joseph Chickering,. was held. 'fhe patrons were David and Aleck Finley and their sisters, Sarah and Eliza, and the young people of their generation. 'fhe school was very s111all in nu1nbers and the inco1ne slight for the young Yankee singing-111aster. What ever it 1nay have been, it was subsidiary to the old gray 1nare and the big undulatory driving-wheel of the turning-lathe at the furniture factory, which \vould be under f nll swing the next n1orning at the Yellow Banks. 'fhere nn1st be son1e of lVI r. Chickering's kitchen and rocking-chairs, bedsteads. etc., in use in Henderson and Warren counties to this day. If none can be found in use, but a piece of one of then1 can be recovered f ron1 the weeds back of the stable. I hope it will be placed in a glass case for preservation, for I know of no man's handiwork better ,vorth recovery from the "tooth of tin1e and razure of oblivion." One of the figures that interested me in n1y childhood ,vas old :VI r. Lusk. the deer-hunter. Tie was a dilapidated-looking old sheik, with a glittering eye. He rode a horse ,vhose sur nan1e might have been "The :\ncient of Days," ancl it had a 111ove111ent like the planets; that is to say, if you hacl the neces sary instru111ents and \Vere versed in astronon1ical calculations, you might determine the progress of that horse. It was be yond the scope of plain mathematics. It ,vas a special Provi dence in behalf of the old hunter, having been designed from the foundation of the world for stalking big game. )if ounted. you could not tell where the tnan left off and the horse began, the two were so essentially one. 1Vf oving like Fate through the open forest in the early, frosty 1norning, the old hunter of sixty years ago rode imperceptibly along ,vith his long rifle on his shoulder, a tinkling bell hanging under the horse's throat and a bit of bright red flannel conspicuously in vie,v. He never pu rsne THE ILLUSIONS OF CJ ULDHOOD. Every child has its share of illusions. acquired in part fro1n the conversation of his elders, which he 1nisconstrues. On a journey into Rock Island County with 111y parents to visit n1y aunt Susan Nicol, I was queerly in1presscd by an old bachelor who lived alone in a cabin on the roadside. I I e believed in witches, and would not sleep on the first floor of his cabin, but in the l:>ft, to which he ascended by a ladder. which he drew up after him! The lower floor was covered with a jun1ble of trumpery, including buffalo robes, and so forth. I tried to catch the 1neaning of the conversation be tween 111y f c:1ther and 111other concerning this 1nan and the witches which were his unwelcon1e visitors. I was curious tu know the dimensions and appearance of a witch. At the edge of the grove near his cabin were some singular bits of handi work 111ade of split hoop-poles the size and length of wagon bo\vs. These were bent and the sharpened ends stuck in the ground ; they ,,,ere in pairs, the one bent over the other at right angles. T wondered what these were for. Did the witches live in those wicker houses? My father was not con1- 1nunicative on the question of hobgoblins, and I did not feel at liberty to push my inquiries. When a small lad, I was playing near n1y father's store when a wraith ca111e out of the invisible and disappeared be fore my a:ffrightecl gaze in the same direction. Out of the viewless air came he and went in the same way-like a flash. It was the figure of a man in a devil of a hurry, carrying something. It n1ight have been the devil himself. who had captured a sn1all boy and was tnaking off ,vith hin1 ! Ff e made -10 N t:collcctiu11s of J>io,,ccr and .1 rlll)' Lifc. 41 the dust tly as he sped a way into the unknown. lle 1nade an itnpression un n1e at the n101nent ,vhich slowly faded a way as the years passed on. I Ie never can1e back and I a111 ,glad of it. I was standing under a certain tree with another boy in the deep woods of the I IenJerson River botton1s when a cer tain warning sound seen1ed to co111e f ro111 the tree and we thought it tren1blecl. \Ve left the spot ·without so 111uch as saying. "(~.. .10 and he gave his set to Elisha along ·with his old clothes. He was t\ivo n1iles up when I first noticed hi1n, going lickety brindle, no open bridges to engulf hin1, no traction cars cross ing just a hair ahead of hi111, no won1an frozen stiff with fright on his beat. I never saw a man enjoy a ride so 111uch. No wonder Elisha tore his coat fro1n tail to collar when he foun:d he could not go along! l got nervous for fear one or n1ore of those horses would plunge oft the billow of fire and break his neck. l watched that 1'lobler spin away, up, up, and a\vay, till night can1e on; then Lij e sheered up to the door and asked the n1an in the 1noon for the loan of an overcoat. 1--Ie ex plained that he didn't think it was so far; wanted to kick hi111- self for throwing his own coat out at Lish's head as his chariot responded to the throttle anc!_ lit out. As he specl away for the Big Bear in the polar zenith overhead he con£ essed to hin1- self that the clin1ate was different f ron1 ·what he expected; then he began to wonder if the contents of the storage-tank would last the trip out, and if he could buy a bearskin cap with eartip:S anywhere on the route. The next station was lVIars, and he made as if to stop a few 111inutes and aid the constable by an inquiry as to whether Rockefeller had been seen anywhe,re around; and too, Lije had another n1otive up his sleeve : if, in aiding the officer to serve his subpcena, lie n1ight in the same n1otion persuade Rock to refill his storcige tank; but lVIars was not to be caught napping. I-Ie mistook the l\1obler for an English fishing-smack and let go a broad side with his quick-firing guns. That settled it for Lije. He bore away lin1ping, but not co111pletely disabled. I watched him as he 111ounted into the inaccessible verge of planetary life. I felt bad for Lije, to think he would go on such a fool trip. The billow of fire was clying out; it was dull red, almost cold; the storage-tank had collapsed, the punctured vvheeis shriveled up, and the skeleton of the venerable chauffeur sprawled over the disjointed chariot, the grinning skull and it's streaming hair crowning the ,vreck-drifting, drifting. : to shores where all is dumb! Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 43 .l\!lost drean1s are of the earth earthy-in line with the cur rent of our lives; but s01ne of our visions are separate an 'f 111~ FAMII,Y REMOVES TO TH J<: YELLOW lJ1\N KS. ln the year 1847 n1y father rented his hu1nestead, which had cost hin1 so n1uch labor, and ren1oved to the Yellow Banks, to Lecon1e a n1erchant, for which he ·was well fitted; that is to say, for general n1erchandising, which ·was the vogue in his day. He was a skillful and experienced trader, and his enter prises included investinents in the Northern pineries, the sale of lumber from the mills on Black River in \i\Tisconsin, and the buying and 5hipping of grain, which involved long credits to the farmers and the 1naxin1um of bookkeeping. The trans£ er to the county seat ,vas easily made, for he owned a good resi dence and half a block of ground in the residence district, a combined storeroon1 and ·warehonse on l\1arket Square, and a separate grain warehouse ready to hand. For many years he was highly prosperous- for that reason-because he was a brute, big and burly, \vith a voice like a fog horn, and who would not hesitate to take a stick of cord-wood and brain the wretch that crossed hi111. There was of ten great rivalry between these freighters. As fully as possible the stea111er going up engaged the cargo for the trip down, but there were odd lots of freight to i>e picke ies, hardware.. woo :;picy isles, the oranges and li111es f ro111 the languuruus South, nuts f ron1 1Jrazil, sugars f ron1 .. Belcher's sugar-house" and .. New Orleans •i 111olasses f ru111 Louisiana-and the "Tiger'· State, with its slaves and :;ugar plantations, see1ned n1ore re- 111ote to the sn1all Loy than Spain or Italy, both ui which were vvell represented in the carg< >. 'l'hink of the anguish he enclure 1 selves with confections fro111 Chickering's "Yankee Notions. ' I have spoken of Belshazzar's feast elsewhere, but the real thing was served a la ca,rtc at 12 o'clock noon of each day on hoard these great stca111crs in the good uld days. None of your pale Pecksniffian coffee, but the stout black Turk, and plenty of it; 111eats and roasted birds and puddings-but I do not care to be set dov\·n as lax in strict veracity. Solmnon had wives enough to turn out a fair quality of hash and enough to go around, but he'd pale his ineffectual kitchen fires, once he got a gli1npse of the saloon of a lVf ississippi stea1ner in white an MY BOYHOOD s\1' THI•: YELLOW DANKS. Idle "skiffs'' ,vere plentiful along the river shore, so111e of then1 fastened with lock and key. others drawn half length ashore and not tied. One day \Vill I-Ienderson ( a lad of my own age, long dead, poor fell ow!) and I got hold of one of these free-fur-all row-boats, and by dint of a long struggle got it launched. There were no oars and we could not have used then1 if there had been. After a search, I found some pieces of rotten string on the wharf, with which I tied the boat~td a stake. \i\Till sat in the stern and occupied himself1 as first cabin passenger. The string would allow the boat to float out a fe,v feet into the current, and with a stick I propelled our craft fron1 the shore to the limit of the string a number of tin1es. Each successful trip1 tnade the navigator more bol tender age by playing hookey to get into the water. and I learned the manly art by getting into a hole one day, an.cl I ,,·as so frighten eel because I could not touch botto1n that I struck out and landed without difficulty. Ever afterward for n1e to swin1 ,vas no trick at all. T grieve to add that I ,vent to ·war aln1ost at daybreak. 'rhere are few boys that escape it. There ,vere the King boys -the blacksn1ith 's sons. They dug a hole in the ground for a play-house, a fireplace therein. and a cupboard-dishes and so forth disposed around. T 111acle a friendly call; hut they had just set up housekeeping that 1norning, and ,vere not "at home" to their f riendsJ nor to their enen1ies either. and proceeded to prove it by both of thetn ju111ping onto n1e. I was surprised at their lack of hospitality, and I rose up sotnething like Samp son ,vhen he grasped the pillars of the ten1ple and brought it down, roof and all, upon the heacls of his persecutors, and the dishes flew like the sparks from a Fourth of July ,vhirligig. the cupboard turned a handspring, and the house caved h1. I don't kno,v whether anybody got licked or not. To the best of 111y recollection. I got out whole; but l\1rs. Carmichael, ·who \\·as passing at the n10111ent. had a good' laugh at ns. Con1ing hon1e f ron1 school one clay at noon. I 1net my foe in the alley. \Ve were of the san1e age ancl size. I do not re111en1ber what it was about; anyway. at the first cross-fire ,ye grappled. He had long hair, vvhich \Vas a decided advan tage to me. In the struggle I got two full hands in the vvool and I was slowly pulling his head do,vn into chancery ·when his fat her came yelling at the top of his voice, as I supposed to jun1p onto n1e_. and I cleared that battle-field at a bound! I n1et the gladiator often_aftervvarcl. but he seen1ecl not to \Yant anv 111ore of it and I vvas content to let hin1 alone . ..At the old Fryrear house ·we had a circus. Charley Co,van. Jr.. ,vas the general n1anager and clo\vn. He appoint ed n1e ring-n1aster and gave me a sn1all co,vhide riding-,vhip ,Yith which to encourage the "horses'' and performers. The grand entry had been 111ade and the three-ringed show was in 52 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. full 3wing, with the clown winning bursts of applause by his acrobatic feats and Shakespearean jests. Now this star pro tege of Dan Rice was clothed in delicate gingham knicker bockers, and at a 1no111ent when the beauty and fashion on the upper tiers were in a cataclys111 of delight over his jokes, he stooped, vvith his head down and his hands on the floor, and the ring-n1aster, quick to see his opportunity, came down on the clown's •· full 1110011'' with a thwack of that raw-hide that 1nade the veteran of the sawdust ring jun1p about ten feet and flush painfully_ in the presence of the ladies. I fear but for the presence of our sweethearts on that uccasion the ring-master would have suffered affliction, for the noble jester vvas much the older and stronger of the two. These ,vere the days when Uncle San1 was vvaging war with 1\1 exico and the boys' sports all took the n1ilitary form. Through the sand burrs and stinkweeds of the suburbs our campaigns were conducted. The forces ·were diviclecl as nearly equal as possible into two arn1ies. One of these had its headquarters at the Fryrear house aforesaid and the other in the unfinished brick school house not far away. The armies 111et in battle's stern array on the sandy plain between. We secured a n1odern equip ment of arms at the lumber-yards, where the bunches of lath and shingles suffered marked depletion on account of our re qt11s1t1ons. From this raw material vve constructed n1uskets, swords, and some of the most savage-looking decisive stroke. At times it would appear that twenty-seven veterans were heaped upon one poor fellow, \vho still had life in hi1n and was yelling defiance and striking fiercely at his foes vvith a deadly weapon in each hand. As a rule) both ann ies were slaughtered to a man; the field being strewn with the slain, who rose up at dinner-tin1e, when they proved that the next best thing to fighting was to devour the rations. At the close of the lVIexican vVar I found that I vvas a radical, if not an offensive, partisan. General Zack Taylor vvas my father's candidate for President. Forthwith I dis covered that I was a Free-sailer-whatever that \\·as, and had never been anything else, and when election clay came, I ran bare£ ooted around and around the old te1nple of Justice ·where the ballots were being deposited, yelling 1nyself hoarse for old Zack. and singing the campaign couplet: •· :\nd he had an old 'vVhitey' and he rode hin1 very fast, Because he was a ten-1nile nag; J\ nd he answered back to Van Buren ancl Cass, '.1.~ little n1ore grape, Captain Bragg!'" When President Taylor died, all of "us Free-soilers" nearl v died too, for ,ve loved that old n1an ! I was pleased to accon1pany n1y father in his drives. on mingled business and pleasure: out to the farm, over to Uncle Calvin's, and on to Uncle John's-a grand-uncle. who differed f ron1 all of the J an1isons ,vhom I have ever seen. He was trim1ner built and finer honed; a hanclso111e man. I am sure, "·hen 1~e ,vent ·'sparking'' a111ong the belles of Kentucky: full of the n1ilk of human kindness and in his old age childlike in his fondness for his kin. Like the folks at Grigsby's Station. he was "so happy ancl so poor," for he was no 111oney-111aker: and when \\·e <1 rove np to his cloor,vay. enclosed by a two- or three-rail fence. like himself decrepit with age. he ,vonkl lead ns around and point out along the distant g-royes the spots where all the kin lived, with the simplicity and eagerness of one showing son1ething new. Poor old 1nan ! ,vith his shaggy 54 Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Lifc. eyebrows white as wool; he has gone where the 1nists of the n1orning have gone-swallowed up by the universal light in which we shall all be merged at last. He lived the typical simple life of the pioneer, in marked contrast to my father, who at that tin1e was in his prime, restless and ambitious. In a sense they were far apart, yet full of that love for each other which had run in con1n1ingied blood for generations. · i\nd then again we were driving along Cedar Creek, where herds of deer vvould cross the road ahead of us, single file, and hop leisurely over a lovv rail fence into a corn-field. The dense ,voods along this strea111 was a favorite haunt of wild turkeys and "vannints" of different kinds. At a turn in the road an opossun1 exploited his tail and his person along a lin1b overhanging the water. This gave my father his opportunity. He asked 111e to spell ·'possun1. I spelled it correct! y as he pronounced it; but he declined the civility. I noticed at an early stage in this n1ortal life that if one confidently ( a good deal depends upon the amount of "bluff" you put into it) raises a doubt, it will almost certainly breed another; so I fol lowed up 111y stunt by on1itting one s-"posum''; but I felt right a,vay that this was a reflection on the gentleman with the elongated tail out on the li1nb on our left. All I knew about hi111 I had picked up in conversation and I spelle the final clevelop1nent of outcluor devotion. The saint:-; took these n1eetings seriously; pitched the tabernacle in the \Yilder ness _; erected booths; provic led rations ; and 1na< le a cli rect a~ sault on the world, the flesh and the devil. His 111ajesty never shirked the challenge, but n1et Gideon and his band boldly, and it took 111ore than a ran1's horn and a perforated tin lantern to scare hin1 off! 1\t the first 1J1are of the preacher's horn, the foe tapped a ,vhiskey-barrel under the guise of cider and sup plied the scoffers \\rho n1inglecl with the crowd; the livery stables cstablishecl quick round trips and clicl a lancl office bus iness, and there ,vere other traffickers with an eye to the 111ain chance. Once in a while a hrancl was snatch eel f r11111 the hnrn ing, and he was wept and exulted over alternately ; and Fash ion can1e as in later tin1es and hung on the <)utskirt~ of the cro,,·cl to display her 111illinery. The can1p-n1eeting at Ryer son's. in the old Sugar Can1p. at the foot of the hlnff two niiles f ron1 the Yellovv Banks, is the one I re1nember best. _-\ copious spring flowed ot1t fron1 the rock to cinench the thir~t of the 111ultiturle. Interest centered in the mourners' bench. 1--I ere the pentitent in deep ahasen1ent grovelled in sack-c1nth and ashes until the preacher, in Stentorian tones, declared hin1 ab solved from any further allegiance to Satan, or the attendant saint whispered in his ear the supreme deliverance from the thralklon1 of sin. There \Yas jubilation. The bold, bacl sin ner, having regained his freedo1n. Yented his joy in ,var-vvhoops or wept on his n1arrow-bones. and the ransomed sisters went off in a trance or figured in the green-corn dance. Old-timers recall one of the WycKoffs ( a hulking country bun1pkin) vvho on a ti1ne got religion at Ryerson's. and in a paroxysn1 of pious frenzy an The river stea111ers had a bar. which shone with the efful gence characteristic of Satan's favorite decoy, the cut-glass service of high rank, as beco1nes the plate in use by "gentle n1en." The iced cocktails were a te1nptation to over-sn1art clerks at the landings, who were disposed to "take son1ething" and pay for it with coin filched frotn the e1nployer's till, for I am pained to say that graft was noticeable at ti111es "before the war," where the salary vvas incomn1ensurate with the vault ing appetite! and there ,vere other ten1ptations. The great river gave the Yellow Banks connection with the world-wide crnnn1ercial ganglia, and stirred the in1aginations of youth 011 its shores to a strong desire to penetrate the Utopia that lay beyond their own itnmediate region. Ed Knowles was the first of our enterprising lads to 1nake the venture. Ile would throw the "old n1an" off the trail by placing a suit of clothes -hat and all-on the raft anchored to the shore. "\;\Then the J ndge discovers these," Eel a rguecl to hin1sel f, "and cannot lo cate the owner thereof, he ,vill infer that his unfortunate off ~pring had n1ade his accusto111ecl plunge f ron1 the spring-board to rise no n1ore !'' But the father \Yas a discerning man, and upon exan1ination he found that the young 111an had left home in his best clothes. and the noble fat her ceased to mourn. In a fe,v brief disastrous 111oons af ter,vard. Ed was discoverell in an nn\vashecl. f a111ished condition~ sneaking- in at his n1oth er's back door. John }f cKinney. Jr .. a youth of the to,vn. verging on tnanhood, felt that he could in1prove on Ed Kno,vles' ro1nance. He ha as to salary and stern-wheel stean1boats. "Nothing but the best/"' he said. "There is roo111 at the top," he quoted. St. Louis was s0111ething of a that ten-dollar note is a good ways f ron1 hon1e, and l )11 allow you fifty cents on the dollar for it." John weaken-e Questioning the Prodigal, he said to hin1: "\Vhat is yuu r \veight ?" "One hundred and tvventy pounds," said John. ''Charles," said the captain, addressing the clerk, busy cast ing his accounts, "make out a bill of lading for this young n1an at live-stock rates, consignee John lVlcKinney, Sr., Yellow 7 .B an k s. " "'.1 on w1·11 b e transterre(,. l " cunt1n_uec. l t l1e captain,. " to a Northern-line packet at St. Louis, and 1nay the Lord have mercy on you l'' John l\tfcl(inney, Jr., was a creditable soldier during the Civil \Var; the captain of a c0111pany in the THE YELLOW BANKS. The years 1840-1856, inclusive, the Yellow Banks ,vas one of the important n1arkets and chief distributing points on the upper l\1ississippi. As a lumber market it was second to none of the up-river landings. l\1y father exchanged 111erchandise for grain, pork and other farn1 produce f ron1 points as r·emote as fifty n1iles, and the ,videly separated settlers in the area came here for lutnber and repairs at the \vagon shops. The country stores in the interior received their stocks of goods at this landing. Rankin, of Mon111outh, delivered his barreled pork here for shiptnent, and the travel f ron1 the East carr.e to this point on the river by stage-coach via Peoria, Galesburg and l\1onmouth. A very considerable part of the population of tlie town can1e fron1 New England. The old l\,f iddle West contributed its share-Ohio chiefly; and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee contributed heavily of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians to the country surronnding. The intelligence at the county seat was above the average for a frontier town, and the public schools were ·well supported. It was the center of an1usen1ents. such as large singing-school classes, the cotillion. the circus, the concert troupes and the vandeville. Dan Rice ,vas here in the early forties; the Hutchinson f an1ily of con cert singers, the Peck f atnily of Swiss bell-ringers, and the Lrnnhards, "rho can1e duwn to and included the Civil \Var. Tl1 e old Pioneer I-I ouse was the scene of many elaborate and liberally patronized social events, and the fashions of the pe riod "'ere promptly displayed on the streets. One of the characters about town in the days of the fl l 62 1?.ecollect-ions of Pioneer and .Anny Life. stea111boats "Clennont," "lron City" an l-Iarney, Ua vi ··GoLD ! Gor.,v ! FROl\·I S.,cR.-\MEN'ro R.rvER !'' 'fhe .Argonauts of 1849 followed hard upon the election of Taylor to the Presidency. The g;)ld fever affected n1ulti pliecl thousands and sent its lessening \vannth to the uttcnnost corners of the earth. 1:'he ·yellow I ~anks was the center of preparation for a wide reg-ion. I 1npec11nious 111cn foresaw an opportunity to gd ril·h qnirk. 'l'hc conservative de111ent in the co111111unity sn1ilecl at the ebullition around the111 and kept on plodding_, content with sn1all but steady gains. Attractive nuggets had already f ouncl their way from "the diggin's'' to the Yellow Danks. I have a distinct recollection of s0111e of these, displayed in 111y father's store. They shovvecl plainly that they had once been in the 111olten state; of the valur of $20.00, s0111e of then1-enough indeed to fire the in1aginations of 111en ! Interested parties who could not go sent proxies; that is to say, provided a young 111an of brawn \vith a grub stake and sent hin1 forth to try his luck. l\1en ga1nblecl on the discovery in all sorts of ways. and took all the desperate chances, as men have clone and will ever der-all for gold! 'rhat 111agic word has thrown a glatnour over the State of California that has lured scores of n1en to a tragic fate, an(l many thousands to clisapnointn1ent. Mr. Hart's blacksmith-shop was the headquarters f 01- shceing- the animals for the overland trip. 1t was equipped with gearing for shoeing the ox-tea1ns an "It rained all night the clay I left, ,.I'he ,yeather it ,vas dry; The sun so hot I froze to death. Susanna, don't you cry !" On the journey out Sam ·was in hard luck, but he got safely through. and the next year, on the Isthmus, on his way home, he was n1nch "jolljed" by \Vils. Graham on his success in making the round trip. Glancing out of the corner of his 6b l?.ecollections of Pioneer and ..:-lnny Lifc. eye, Sain would answer with the gag \V bich had Leen a by \vord with hin1 all his life: "Catch a weasel asleep_, will ye?" 1\ll the phases of hu1nan nature shone forth in sharp con trast on the journey. Personal and property disputes aro::ie \\·ith aggravating frequency, ancl \vhen the parties were in the neighborhood of a n1ilitary post the 111atters in contruvcrsy \Vere sulHnitted to the officers in con1111an 111an) fell in the bloody encounter on Stone R.iver. 'fhe other two ,vere ·with the beaten right wing of Rosecrans' arn1y at Chickan1auga. Captain l\,IcGaw survived 111any notable engage- 111ents in Tn1•: \TILLAGE B:\KERY. Deacon Benner's bctke-shop 1vv~ts the f oncl a'.traction < if the s111all boy. It had a flavor of its own which affr:cted n1e n1nct1 as the sn1ell of grog undern1ines the equilibrium of the toper. 'rhc odor of the gingerbread wa~ clemoralizi:1g. Under it~ spell I was drawn irresistibly to the door to gaze in helples~; rapture on the squares of sweet bread when I had not a cent in n1y pocket and no e'q1ectation of ever havi11g- , ,ne. Rig-ht there in full view the good deacon had a heaven. whose l>lis~. for the lack of a penny, was as ren1ote and inacce~sibk tu 111e as the real thing n1ay prove, alas! for many of ,1:-; in the great day later on. I ,vas in despair. At this tin1e Jan1ison & l\ioir were at the southwest corner of Nlarket Square in Jin(· ,vith a row of grain warehouses. J n th(' san1e row, lll )rth. stood the deacon's bakery and lunch counter aforesaid. and on further north, along \Nater Street, on both sides. ,,-ere· the "cloggeries," the principal one and the most celebrated Sam Snook's, the hunchback. ;\ t the extren1e north end, f ac ing east, stood the principal business house of the town in the earliest time, that of the Phelps Brothers. l\1 cKinney & Adams had a general 1nerchandise store on the then busincs'; outskirts-on Schuyler Street as it existed, mostly on the town plat. Trian & Day had a si111ilar store on the corner of Schuy ler Street and Market Square. There were other minor places of business, clustered around Colonel Patter~on's printing of fice, the brick addition to which stands a disligured relic of the past. Deacon Benner's little bake-shop was of the hun1blest origin, but there was a man behind it! In the northwest cor- 10 Recollections of Pioneer and ..dnny Life. 71 ner of the s111all Lusiness roon1, behind a bit of counter, rested a keg of spruce beer and the display of gingerbread. On the 1nain counter and sheives were luncheon goods with such un usual neighbors as two or three styles of plain ribbon, one or rnore patterns of calico, and a suspicion possibly of millinery; but of this latter I cannot 111ake oath-\Yhatever there was, it was the pron1ise of things not seen. The f a111ily occupied the back roo111s. The daughters, of who111 there were three, were the 111ain attractions, and no inconsiderable ones either ! 'rhe f an1ily was of Gern1an descent, dexterous in the use of English, but with a noticeable lisp. They were ·• Pennsylvania Dutch" probably, or I-Iessian. They were Baptists, and the good clea~ con stood by his colors nobly. It 111ay seen1 a bit odd even for that day that the bake-shop should include haberdashery a111ong the articles for sale; hut thereby hangs a tale. The deacon was a born gentle111an. The rogues like Ed Ray and Brent Jones 111ade a butt of hin1; the Yello\v Banks "Four Hundred'' winked at their jokes, and the bad boys were none too decent in their dcportn1cn t tow a rd the girls, who were regularly at school up to their 111ajority, or nearly so. The current fun of a frontier town is of the broad stripe; the kind that takes 3C 111any risks that it son1etin1es drops its n1olasses jug, to use a phrase stolen from Uncle Remus. Deacon Benner had ju~t enough of the Gennan lisp in his speech to n1ake him an in teresting character when allied to other peculiarities which lent the1nselves to the picturesque. The two practical jokers aforesaid fastened on hi111 at once. Always treating hin1 courteously, or seen1ingly so; but ever with a card up the sleeve. Brent Jones ,vas a printer, and it was no surpris1~ when the town ,voke up one tnorning and found itself in the possession nf this bit of verse: 72 Recollections of Pioneer and ..:1 nny Life. "Old Deacon Denner of our town Is now a man of great renown ; He left the East in an angry mood l-1e left it for his country s good ! 1-ie landed here with a picayune, But soon he sang the temperance tune; 1-le 111ade a Larrel of ginger beer.- J f you 'd 111ention run1, he 'cl shed a tear! lJ e put on a religious face, And they n1ade him deacon of the place; But every Sabbath he is found Selling beer on the old can1p-ground ! The 'Suckers· suck his ginger pop, But they find it all n1olasses slop. I-Iis ginger beer and ginger cake Give the 'Suckers' the bellyache!'' T have no doubt the rhyn1ester reported the Deacon··s financial condition correctly on the day he landed. but Brent 111aintainecl a fan1iliar intercourse with \i\T ater Street-where water was the only ref reshn1ent unobtainable-and it is pos sible that he was overseas when he 111ade the clai111 that the Deacon sold pop on the Sabbath; that the brand ·was not the best known to the trade, conducive to abdominal calm and a better grade of morals than pertained to hilarious printers. If the Deacon landed with a picayune, he quit the town with a barrel of 'em, and that is where he had the advantage of the jokers, for if the assets of the nondescripts of the to-wn had been pooled, the Deacon might easily have bought them in with his small change. Business at the bake-shop prospered; the pop and ginger cake were in time let out, the luncheon trade was abandoned, and the Deacon and f a1nily ( for each member contributed to the success of the business in a direct way) became the leading venders of millinery, not to men tion dry goods, of which he came eventually to carry a large stock. The tov.rn did not continue to thrive like the trade- Recollections of Pioneer an,d .Arnzy Lifc. 73 centers in the interior on the railroads, and Deacon Benner ren1ovecl his business to Cialesburg, ·where he prospered and Firewater is not a good protection f r01n cold, hut < 111 a day the late Charles lVI. Harris ( distinguished la vvyer and one tern1 n1e1nber of Congress) ran this gauntlet without injury. I-Ie was a three-hundred-pounder, and on a trip to I(eithsbnrg in an open vehicle \Vith son1e boon con1panions, in the dea< 1 of winter and against a fierce north ·wind, he was seen with his shirt-front wide open, in the full enjoyn1ent of the supretnl" luxury of a drunken stupor. .\I y uncle J a1nes J an1ison vvent to the woods and cut down, hevvecl out and delivered the oak logs for the f ranw \vork nf the Presbyterian church in the village, and it is as neat a pioneer chapel as can be found in the State. T can hear the tolling of the bell in the cupola this n1on1ent as in tlic far-away years, when each stroke counted one for every year nf hin1 who \\·as being borne over to his last rest in the village ccn1etery. J was at the hurial, when a lad, of a brother u·[ _I udge \Villian1 C. Rice. As the scene closed the J uclge said to a friend, ''This is the last of earth!" Tlo\Y a few wonls like tlie.;;e \\·ill stick in the n1en1ory ! It so happened that. after an al>--ence of man\· \·cars fnm1 the State. I \Vas within call \\·hen T heard that the re1nains of two old friends. those of Joseph Chickering and l\frs. John \f. Fuller. the 111other of those gallant soldiers. Lieutenant \Vn1. I--I.. of the Signal Corps. and Sergeant 1\ndrew l\I. Fuller. \vould he buried in this con- secrate(l ground the next day. I obeyed the pron1ptings of 111v heart and ,vent to see the ren1ains of so n1uch that wa:- g0< ·d. and so closely associated with the early history of the l·nunty. left to silence and the worn1. \Vhen T wish to recall the fair young faces and the gra\·c an I ~ut \VC had a Ii ne vie\V of the pn:al-1H:r-t > f his head tncre1y. I-Te was boxed in 1 far and away! The pulpit was an architectural triu111ph. There were two routes bv which, if vou \vere careful and observed all the ~ - finger-hoards of direction, you could find the good 1nan when seated and lost to the view of his flock. One could start on either side where there \Vas a lJroad and sure footing and be gin the ascent of the ecclesiastical :vr atterhorn. A guide bear ing a banner with a device, as ''vVhere he leads we ·will fol low.'' woulcl have been a great convenience. By keeping one's eye fixed on hin1 and not pennitting hin1 to get too far ahead, up the winding stairway, one 1night co1ne at last upon the object of his search. I have heard of preachers unused to this sky-scraper pulpit getting lost, trying to find the ··way": hut once in the box, they could look clown ancl count the warts on all the bald heads in attendance. The stranger \Vas given a seat right under the droppings of the sanctuary, \vhere, hearing a voice s0111ewhere overhead, he unifonnly suffered dislocation of the neck trying to locate it. \Ve faced about to see the choir in the gallery, over the entrance. I suppose the time never was ,vhen the choir ( the organ-loft) ,vas not the favorite spot for the display of 111illinery. .Not always, I suppose (bless their honest hearts). \Vas the vocalization of the "olcl school" church in inverse proportion to the display of head-gear. The young \VOtnen in their flounces and fur belows and the young gentlen1en in their soap-locks gave prestige to the choir by their nu111bers, for there was a wide spread desire an1ong the young folks to be of the elect coterie; but as for their deliverance, they rested secure in the belief that in Father Chickering and his violin, his fine baritone and 1?.ecollcctions of Pion co· and ~·lrnzy L£f e. 77 his acco111plishecl leadership and the acco111panying n1elocleon they had a ::;afe refuge fron1 detection. 'fhere was a sensa tion a111ong the young gentlen1en vvhen the soprano and her convoying sisters filed in, enveloped in a distinct odor of t11c perftuner' s art-the seven angels with the seven vials filled \\·ith seven kinds of bear's oil, from which I think the young gentlen1en helped then1selves surreptitiously to n1ore than their share, since they sn1elt so loucl. In the depths uf those high-backed pews I 111ade one in the ro,v of the Sunday-school class. which sat under the 1ninis- trations of good old "Squire" Patterson, with his spectacle.s hanging helplessly on his venerable nose. I 111aintained allegi ance to the "Squire .. to secure the right to draw a book each Sunday fron1 that wouderf ul library consecrated to the spirit ual ,velf are of the on-coining citizens of our glorious country. T acknowledge ,vith so111e clis111ay the greed with which T turned over the leaves of the different books to find the one that had the "purtiest'' pictures. I-laving con1e off vict6riou:-; in that reconnaissance. I carried it ho1ne in triumph to read about Albert Toogood, ,vho ,vas so pious he always looked down like Grief on a ton1bstone, ,vho committed to n1e111ory a chapter of the Dible every clay of his precious life, ,vho was so patient and sweet ,vhen one of those old flinty sand-burrs ran one of its spirited needles a stout half-inch into his heel. X o; he never dropped one-not one of those pearly tears nor bad ,vords over so trifling a thing as that. I was satisfied ,vith one of those nice books. I got through vvith it in a hurry. I felt so discouraged over ....:.\Jbert's superior gnoclnes~ that I wanted to drown 111yself. The quality had a rock-ribbed pre-en1ption right to certain of the pe,vs. These they furn ished with foot-stools and cushions, and there was no denying the distinguished ri1anners of gentle1nen like the late \ Villian1 lVIoir and the ladies of his family and the allied fan1ilies. of ,vhon1 there ·were a number. who ,vorshiped here. One of these ( the late Asa S111ith's) had artistic tale'nts of a high order. One of n1y earliest recollections is of JI r. Smith's 78 Rcco!Lcctio11s of J>ioll1_'cr and . I rlll_v fjf('. studio in a building \rhich storn_l on the corner \vest of the old Conger hoarding-h()use, \\·here portraits f ron1 life_. in oil, hung on the walls. There \ras slight patronage in the pioneer towil for one so regally endo\Yed, but the \vonclerful discovery of Daguerre 1nade it possible for the ht1111blest the world over to pos~css the likenesses < >f those clear to the111, and ~j r. Sn1ith established a gallery and supplied the people far and neai with the pictures they so nn1ch prized. lVIany fa111ilies still have specin1ens of that art of surprising beauty and fidelity. Then ca1ne in succession the a111brotype and finally the phutu graph-all of \vhich .lVf r. Sn1ith successfully cultivated. I recall an incident which illustrates his skill in drawing. I-Iis neighbor. l\l r. Blackheart ( which indeed was not a name one would choose for a good neighbor. but \\·as the hest the fore bears of the old. well-knovvn blacks111ith could do for hin1). had lost his cow. and after son1e clays he chanced to call at ]\Tr. Sn1ith's book-store. where he f ouncl a pencil sketch of a cow the artist ha ''While the la111p holds out to burn The vilest sinner n1ay return!" In short, sharp staccato the doctor said: "The choir will please omit the stanza [giving the number], for I believe it to be wholly and essentially false!" 11any a time and oft had I heard the hymn used in the service. but this was the first ti111e I had ever heard it challenged. CHAPTER XV. 1'HB GHOS'l' AND THE FINK & WALKER S'rAGE-CoAc11. ~1 y rnother's relatives, the Giles, ,vere the 1110s t f riencll:' people in the world, ancl ·when they can1e clown f ron1 "Cedar .. to pay us a visit, there was a cletnonstration of "that fellow feeling \Vhich makes us wondrous kind"; but I recall an in cident ,vhich occurred on an occasion of this kind which lef l a different impression. l\ify forebears were Scotch-Irish in 111y senses, but l was powerless to recall the111 or to rid 1nyself of the spell. I was for the n10111ent daft. I 111ade no outcry, and 111y 1nother, unconscious of 111y condition, continued in an a111used way to listen to the stupid outrage f ro111 which J suffered. J think it was her lo,-v. kind voice, reassuring; al though unconsciously so, \vhich restored me. I see1n never to have gotten quite over the shock, but I said not a \vonl to n1y n1other nor to others about it; and in this l was wiser than I knew, for if I had confessed to n1y suffering, I woul neck speed, he blew his horn. Ah ! was it not grand! the tally ho, as it poised for a mon1ent · on the brow of old Schuyler Street in the days before the hill was graded down! And the bare-legged. shirt-tailed boys swooped around the corner like pigeons to take it all in! How the old Fink & 'vValker stage coach rocked and plunged, and stood on her bean1 ends, as she rounded the corner in a cloud of dust and landed before Col· onel Patterson's post office, where the 111ail-bags were thrown out and the passengers braced then1selves for the role of dis tinguished arrivals to 1neet the expectations of the staring crowd! Colonel J. B. Patterson was hardly less distinguished in the eyes of the small boy than the stage-driver himself. In our n1incls he was inti1nately associated with that great rivai. lle received the 1nail-bags from him, and the n1ail in our youth ful thought was an in1portant matter. I supposed the Great Father, who lived in some great ten1ple of fan1e like unto that which used to serve as a frontispiece for McGuffey's second reader, wrote all the letters and sent them to everybody and everybody sent hin1 letters in return and paid Colonel Patter son for the privilege. And I used to look with an absorbing interest on the little tray at the table open to all, where the good Colonel kept the old-£ ashioned pennies, big as our "quar ters," the picayunes, the 12¼ cent "bits," the "smooth" quar ters vvith a cross on them which marked then1 as degenerate and worth only 20 cents, all of which were used as legal tende: in the payn1ent of postage, all the way from 6 to 25 cents per letter. according to the distance. One of the "lame ducks" in the early history of Hender :--on County vvas vV atty Bu.rnside. \,\1 atty ,vas a patriot after his kind. He ,vas zealous in the matter of specie payrnents, and in his role was a sort of financial prophet in the vvilderness. His contribution to the conntry~s circulating n1ediu111 was home-n1ade. His equipment consisted of a pair of n1olds. or dies, and a 111elting-pot. In the latter he was wont to reduce old pewter spcon~ : lacking these. he challenged Fate and the Rcco!!cct£ons of Pioneer and 4·-/nn_\' L-ifc. 83 scrutiny of the public with plain. bare-faced bar lead. \Vith this 1naterial he "struck" half-dollars bearing the si111ilitude of the coin of the san1e denomination issued by Uncle San1. \1/atty vvas a dense nlcl si1npleton and thought he could ex change the output of his 111int for the con1111on 111oonshine whiskey of his titne. Rut the boss of the \i\f ater Street grog shop \Vas built un the san1e lines as his lineal descendant of to '1' Jig S~-CITOOL- 'I' }£.ACHER D J~SCENDED FROM TII I·: PILGRIM FA'fHERS. Brokclbank; do you ren1e1nber hin1? Alexis Phelps ,vas living ,vhen I went to school to Drokelbank. Ja111cs K. Polk 1 was President. Yes, that is quite a ways back; sixty year.~ now and 1nore. 1 would like to be a child again-a sn1all boy; but not on the old tenns ! Those were the good old days, that is true; Lut "ye that say the f orn1er tin1es are better than these, ye inquire not wisely concerning these things.'' I would like to be a small boy now and hold in my strong embrace "the faces loved long since and lost awhile,'' and all the other pre cious things that I have garnered and that are the furniture of the soul. Rrokelhank n1ust have been a Dutchn1an. Look at his nan1e l .\ 1-Iollancler by blood descent, although I would not nced]essly hurt the feelings of the good young queen of that country by saying so; nor would I cast a slur on the Pil grin1 Fathers, but I find the name an1ong those folks who came over in 16---. He was not of the true Dutch type, to be sure. 1-Ie had not the rubicund face nor the jovial capacity for lager beer com111only attributed to that ancient and honorable race. In the last analysis Brokelbank was an attenuated Dutch Yan kee. He appeared on the streets of the Yellow Banks quite unlooked for by the honest burghers. He said he was a school teacher. ITis acco111plishments as such seemed to lie in the direction of a strong aversion to earning his bread by the s,veat of his brow. He dropped in at Henderson & Grahan1\ store in the old Trian & Day building on a Saturday in the year 1848. and after discussing the weather and the probable ~7 88 I<.ecollection.s of Pioneer and ... --Jnny Life. success of General Zach Taylor in his race for the Presidency. Le was c,n the point of taking his leave; when, ad1nonishecl by the approach of ·winter that a pair of gloves would come handy, he turned to the counter, on which lay a quantity of the buckskin variety, which, along with buffalo-robes, ,vere the vogue of the period, and pulled on a pair, but declined to purchase at the solicitation of Colonel I-Ienderson, but he vvould see the Colonel later, he said, or words to that effect. 1n relating th.is incident in his re111iniscent hours the Colonel used to say that it gave hi1n a pang to recall that Brokelbank did not keep his word, but that a hurried inventory taken on the heels of his departure disclosed a shortage in the stock of gloves by one pair! I was a f reshn1.an at the seat of learning known as the Brokelbank school-house, which stood across the street from the grounds of Alexis Phelps. 11y time was occupied in learning to spell "horse-back" and similar words in vVebster's -old blue-back spelling-book, and in solving the conundrun1s in :d Clit1ffey's second reader. rrhe picture of /dhert driving bi~ dog hitched to the victoria "·as the piece de resistance around which n1y affections revolved. I quarreled ,vith the order of things every time I looked at that picture. I ,vantecl a dog like that, that would work anywhere you put hi111, single or dnuhle. and a wagon like that one, in which I could rest at n1y ease, ,vhip in hand, and drive the dog and keep on driving hini forever. vVhen 111y attention ,vas ,vithdrawn for the 1110111ent f ro111 _\lbert and his clog. I was industriously engaged with a Uarlu\\' knife. cutting 1ny initials in the desk, which vvas a plain slab already overloaclecl with the hieroglyphics of preceding generations; and when this labor palled, my energies were absorbed in ,vriting love-letters for Bill Kelly. Bill couldn't write, but he ,vas 111oving heaven and earth trying to learn the art, ,vhich see1necl an up-hill business for him. I can see him no,\·, sprawled over the desk, his tongue squirn1ing around in his 111outh like an in1prisoned boa constrictor on the point oi .breaking througp, his cramped fingers bending desperately to Recollections of Pioneer and .:-lrrny Lifc. 89 the task of 1naking parallel lines, which was the first lesson after the ancient 1nethocl. I don't ren1e111bcr whether I acted as Bill's stenographer and took the n1atter down at his dicta tion, or whether it was a schen1e of 111y own to test the young lady's affections by proxy. I don't know what ca1ne of it all; nothing in particular, l think. except the evidences~ which ,,·ere plain enough, that Cupid's wings were short in his first flight. The young lady was well ,vorthy the an1orous forays of th'.: 111ost gallant knights. She ,,·as a pretty little body. the claugh- ter of 1)r. Clendenin. I wonder if any v\'110 read these pages ren1en1ber l)r. Clendenin? \'lhether they do or not, s0111e of the big boys, like Billy W oocl and l-Tonie r Conger, locked oid Brokelbank out of the school-house and nailed tbe ,•:indows down! '{'see it was this way: Christ111as had con1e and fl rnke;· had failed to treat. The big boys detern1ined to force tlte isst1e, and they got a padlock and fastened the door solid. and set hvo big for keel posts in the ground in front of the door and laid a rail from fork to fork, and this they called a "horse." on which they said they \Yonlcl ride Brokey if he should con clude not to "set 'e111 up." 'l'hen they got a stick and furled :i handkerchief upon it and set it a flying fro1n the head of the "horse," as a sort of challenge f ron1 which Brokey n1ight take ,varning at a distance that the boys ,vere "onto hi 111. ~· Then they took to the brush and watched to see what Brokey would do. VV ell. he can1e along at 9 o'clock ( the school hon r), and the horse ,vas there to receive hi111, bnt never said a word, nor Brokey a \vord to the horse. Then Brokey looked around, raspy and hot, and f ouncl an old han1111er lying on the ground, ,vith \vhich the boys had nailed the winclo\vs down and hac1 forgotten. Brokey did it ,vith that han1111er-he smashed that pad lock till it looked \Vorse than one of those Russian battleships in the Straits of Tsushi1na after Togo had gotten satisfaction cut of it; then he opened the acacle111y on tin1e, as usual. But I want to say confidentially that Brokey rallied handsomely and went down to Deacon nenner's at noon and bought a < o N ccol/ccf ions of /=£oncer and .:·1rnzy Life. bushel basket full of ~\\·eet-cakes. gingerbread and things, and feel us like chickens at the coop. Other shadows fell un the old school-house. 'I'he chil dren whispered to each other ho'.v bad son1e of. their playnrntes felt when a new report ca111e f ron1 the sick-roon1 across the way. It was one of the palatial hon1es of a branch of an in fluential fan1ily engaged in the Indian and clon1estic trade of the frontier. 'J'he loss of such a 111an would be severely f dt by the con1n1unity. ,,fhe children at school had s01ne co111prc hension of thi~. and ,ve were in deep syn1pathy when a young girl can1e tu the door and beckoned to her sisters in the school roon1. They went out in tears and we all knew that Alexis Phelps was dying. The did school-house ,vas affected by the California gold fever with the re:--t of the town. Brokelbank showed strong sy1npton1s f rotn the h rst. l[e was absent n1inded in the conduct of the school. TTe was a diligent in quirer after the latest news. TTe would start up in his drea111s with a bag of gold as big as a beer-keg in each hand. lie early n1ade up his mind to go. I--Ie went. But, like most of his neighLors, he had diffic.ulties to overcome. I-le was breasting a nnancial shortage. I-Ie had not thought of California having a gold eruption. He had been teaching geography for a nurr1- ber of years and California was "laid clown" in the old Olney school atlas sicklied o'er with the pale cast the few "Greasers" and old Spanish 111issions could confer upon it, never once suspected of the largess she held in store for the seekers after the golden fleece. He must now n1ake the best of it, and take his chances. f-Te elaborated plans which involved a wagon, oxen, and provisions in quantity. I-Ie placed an order for :J wagon at one of the local shops, linchpins and all, and started the men at work on it forthwith. The woochvork finished in due time, it was up to Brokey to provide the iron for it. At this point Brokey struck a sawyer. He was "busted"-to use~ the vernacular of a frontier town in '49. On his pillow he thought it all over. ancl took heart in a way. I will explain if n1y reader will forbear. f Te rose f ron1 his couch and shook Nccollcctions of Pioneer and Arnt_\' Life. ()l hi111self, to dear his \\'its-and disappeared in the darknes:-, 1-1 red with an invincible resolution. If he weakened at any n1oment, he recovered his courage at once as the gold mirage flooded the As the river ,vas a fruitful source of apprehension tn 111y n1other in the sun1111er: it ,vas none the less so in t!1e v_rinter ti111e. I)nring Saturday holiclays the boys ,vere out on the frozen river in crowds. Frequently dangerous air-holes were. in close µroxin1ity t< > our skating-place~. In addition to these, the noise of the contracting ice, sounding like the sullen roar of distant artillery as the n1ercury descended rapidly toward the bulb, often filled her startled senses with foreboding. On a Saturday night of a biting cold ·winter all her flock ,vere safe in the fold except her oldest boy, Porter. The short winter day haa closed and no word of him. None of us had seen him since the early morning. All that was known of him was that he and George lVIcI(inney were seen skating on the river. i\t the close of an hour after dark my mother sat down in tears and would not be comforted. She had sent word to my father at the store and he had consulted with uncle John McKinney and the two had left town walking south along the river shore, but my 111other knew nothing of that. i\..nother hour of sus pense and anguish wore on, at the encl of which, dazed by mental suffering, not knowing what she did, she drew a thin shaw I oYer her shouklers and went out on the porch, holding byself and younger brother, E\\rell, by the hand_, and sto J 02 Recollections of Pioneer and ~•-/ nny L-if c. 93 er returned ,vith the 111issing boy. The parents had gone on down the river shore till they 111et the boys returning over the ice on their skates f ron1 Burlington, twelve n1iles below. ]'his brother years ago f oll After dinner I went in to sit with her. arn 1 father said l1e would go out and see what the men were doing in the garden. 1\T other said she would like to sit in the rocking-chair while 1 arranged the bed for her. T-laving done this service f O!" her, she said she could not sit up any longer; fo,- 1ne to lay het down. I did so, and she closed her eye~: an( I ::;een1ed to go to sleep. T rested a little \vhile and then \valked quietly out on the halcony so I should not wakt-;li her. I laving put Roy to sleep, I returned to 111other and spoke to her; laid 1ny hand gently on her vvastecl f crn1 ancl felt her puL-,c, and found that she had passed a·way. You can hardly understand 111y anguisl~ when I discovered the truth concerning her." My n1other's was the initial n1ound in the new city (Jacksonville, Fla.) cen1etery. around which a great con1pany 11as since gathered. Two years afterward, in his se\·enty-fi fth year; 111y father died, walking in the yard with his cane in his hand. I)uring the summer vacatiun when I \Nas about twelve years of age, I ,vas hunting clovvn at Grizzly Island, where n1y father O\vned tin1ber lc1nds and hacl a wooclyarcl and flatboat and men en1ployed, s:utting cordwood. When an up-stream stca111er called. the flatboat ( which was kept loaded) was loosed f rotn its 111ooring and taken in tow by the stean1er. which trans ferred the \\'()ocl to her own rleck as she proceeded on her way. \tVhen tl1c transfer had been completed. the \VOodboat was cast off and floated back to the landing to be reloaded for the next stea1ner. By boarding the stean1er I was saved a walk of several miles ho1ne. On the day af oresaicl I ·was standing on the gunwale of the woodboat nearest the stea1ner as she can1e p1o,ving her ·way under a full head of steam. The force of the deep, strong current brought the \voodboat square across the hovv of the stea1ner, which struck it a stunning blow and knocked tne. like a shot from a rifle, into the deep. dark water helovv, between the boats, \vhich were rapidly swinging in to~ gether over the spot where I had sunk out of sight. The first I knew T was struggling in the ,vater and could see the light Recollections of Pioneer a'lvd .,-Jrniy Life. 95 as I swan1 to the surf ace The 1nate on the deck of the stean1er was watching for 1ne, and vvhen I can1e up~ he had two 111en hanging over the gunvvale of the stea111er with hands extended tcnvarcl 1ne, and when I got near enough, they grappled 1ne and pulled 111e to the deck ,vith n1y hat still on n1y head and none the worse, except being well chilled through before I got home. CI-LA.PTER XVIII. A Rrnr. wrrn ONE oF' THE CLOTH. Our ho1ne ,vas the headquarters for the visiting preacher~ of the old Scotch church. As a n1atter of fact, 1ny parenLs ran a sort of "Preachers' Inn,'' and I can hardl~r recall a tin1e when son1e of the cloth \Vere not enjoying the1nselves at 11\i' n1other's table. I looked at them askance, for the prayers were long. They seen1ecl to feel bounJ, under the clain1s of hospi tality, to repay 111y 111other for her good cuisine by rangir~g over seas and across continenb in search of 111aterial t0 lengthen out the petitions to the point she ,vonlcl accept a:-:; liberal compensation for the free lunch. While the debt was being paid I usually fell over dead asleep. One day Ton1 Cu11ninghan1 ran1e along. You reme1n!Jer Toni? He was the ."flash" preai.:her of the old church when I was n1erging into n1y "teens." He had one of the best- jobs under the paternal care of the vVestern Synocl--the pastorat~ of a big congregation in St. Louis. It ·was a sunny 111orning in June when Tom got off the Northern-line packet at out landing and met father at the gate, just starting clo-wn to,vn. I ,vas standing in the yard, stunned by the appearace of the clapper young preacher in his ·white silk hat, nobby garmenturc, ancl winning ways. For a minute or two 1ny father, the fan1ily, I-even I-everybody-was tho1 oughly saturated by a spray of Ton1's choicest salutions. \Vhen the sign ,vas about right, 1~0111 sprang his request. I never knew one of those preachers that did not have a cleep-f elt want of s01ne kind. 1'0111 had a good old father and mother out on a farn1, northwest of l\1ontnouth, and could n1y father land hin1 on the spot? Father could do that, or anything else, one of the 9f> Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Lifc. 97 preachers of ··our church'' asked hin1 to do. Yes; he had a horse and buggy and a. boy, and the boy vvas listening, and heard his father acquiesce in the plan. It ,vas the boy that was always called on to handle the preachers, and he's han dled his share of 'en1. I got out the nic~ b1;ggy ,vith olcl Cc:eh1111. Co('l,1111 in Latin n1eans "heaven.'' \Vbat better than Cceh1111 to haul the 111cu1 ,,,ho ,vas directing the world to th:: port after ·which he was na1ned. Good enough-we started, not for Paradise, but for the preferred landing at Father Cun ningha111's in \Varren County. To111 was voluble, and the landscape bright with the tender spring verdure, ancl every thing took on new beauty as seen th rough the eyes of tbc young preacher fro111 the city, \\'ho was in a state bordering on ecstasy as we jogged along. I ietimes \\"C pulled up at the gate of a farn1-house ,vhere the roses cla111hered over the entrance and the 111oss-coverecl bucket invited 111an and beast to ref reshn1ent. There was a pause of so111e 111inutes if To111 can1c in contact \\·ith so111e of the fair young faces of the house hold. \\·hich gave opportunity for an exchange on the trans cendent loveliness of everything when yon "feel that ,vay.'' and \\·hen you rlon~t "feel that ,vay'' everything is a theory and not a condition. ::\Ty distinguished con1panion's exuberance ,vas the counterpart of the affluence of nature in the 1110.;;;t hopeful tnonth in the year. f·T e could not repress hitnself. I-I e becan1e 111ore con1n111nicative. even confidential, with even· 111ile acc0111plishecl. }I e had a load on his n1incl ancl he 111u:.;t ease hin1self by n1aking 111e a partner in his juys. 1 f e told 111e all about it. 1-Te \Yas in love! In a fe\\. choice phrases he told 111e all about it, ho,v divinely fair she ,vas. ,\nd then she had a further charm not universal an1ong expectant bride.~ She had a rich "Pop," think of that! Ton1 thought about it every day, and every hour in the day, and every 111inute i1 1 the hour-poor young preacher~ She ,vas sixteen he said To head off all rivals, Tom had "cast his fly" early. Having secured his catch, he had nothing to do but to play with it until she had reached her majority, then land his prize. The 98 Recollections of Pioneer and ~·lrmy Life. children of light are as wise as the children of this world in s0111e things! It is seven and fifty years since J took that ride with 1'0111 and it is little less than that since I sa vv hin1 the last time. It was on the day in 1859 ,vhen vVillian1 I-I. Seward n1ade his bid in Chicago for the vote of the young West for tlie Presidency. Quite unexpectedly I caught a 111ere glin1psc of hi1n on the street. 'f'he young St. Louis wife was with the angels, and ·Ton1 had a second 0ne, leaning joyfully on hi::=; ann as they tripped away through the crowd. On ,vhat seas sails his barque now, or is poor Ton1 a-cold? The lin1its assigned to these pages preclude the interest . that attaches to the lads iclentifieJ by birth with the early his tory of the town. Suffice it that John l\f. Fuller, Esq., a staunch supporter of the great cause, took an honest pride in his sons. but the one thc1.t gave the least pron1ise led all the rest. The rather delicate, f recklc-faced hi(i learned a trade, and the knowledge of tools gave facility in the handling of agricult- ural in1ple1nents _for one of our great Illinois 111anufactoric·= which led to position and a con1petence. George Fuller sits now an1ong the con1111ercial princes of the earth, and, \vhat is better, bis exe1nplary Christian character puts to sharne the unbclieYer and the scoffer. I cannot ref rain f ron1 a passing allusion to two others of the conten1poraries of 111y youth: '1'0111 Scott-''our To111.'' as he is affectionately called, and I-I orace Bigelow, who led 1ne in age by a year or two. Both have won a fair share of worldly f an1e and fortune in the face of adverse conditions, and none of 111y early friends an~ n1ore ,vorthy. The "Q" railroad, or Peoria cincl Oquawka. as the charter read, was completed f ro1n the east shore of the 1'fississippi, opposite Burlington, up through the 1--Ienderson County bluffs, in the sun1111er of 1854, and the con1pany on the 4th day of July ran an excursion train f ron1 the river to the groves along the hills, the terminus being at Ward's mill, where an old-time barbecue \Yas held-the pit dug and the ox roasted, with such Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 99 side dishes as the people chose to bring. The train \Yas made up of plat£ orn1 (dirt) cars, with plank seats. .c\ large crowd took advantage of this opportunity to take their first ride on a railroad train. Junketing parties ,vere let off anywhe1 e they chose among the natural groves along South Henderson Creek~ those in charge of the train accotnmodating themselves to the whims of the people in that respect. Some of these small parties, with their lunch-baskets and hampers of champagne, showed greater nimbleness in getting off the train in the morn ing than they were able to exhibit in getting on again in the . evening. e .lrr - .• ~ ·\·l)tl'J7'D - ...... _[\. .LXI"V . ..L:\.. • '1'111•: HLoo:\a:R Cos·ruM1•:_, 'l'H~ CRINOLINE I)rs·ruRn.\~CJ•:. AND 0'1' lI 1-:R J\J A'l'1'ERS. One of the great sensations in the tovvn \vas the advent of the "Bloon1er" costun1c. When it first crossed the disk nt fashion, the young n1isses throughout the country craned their necks till they nearly pulled the1n out of joint staring at it, and the staid n1atrons hacl to pu L on their glasses to 111ake it out. But the weakness of hun1an nature to gral> at every ne\\' style n1et with a perceptible balk as the Bloo1ner tide rolle< l ,,·eshvard. The Yell ow Danks were agitated as never before uver the question of trousers becon1ing the ,vearing apparel for both sexes, with only such modifications as n1odesty n1ight suggest. At the last it assun1ecl the f onn of give and take. To tnaintain the judicial balance, the n1en thought it ,voulcl be correct to adorn their breeches with s01ne of the trimmings hereto£ ore in exclusive tise by the ladies; ·while the sewing societies of the tov;n almost broke up in a rovv over the adop·· tion of hip pockets. Ed Rayi as the strenuous advance agent (if the ne,v style, ordered fringe~ around the botton1s of his new trousers; ,vhile Luke Strong, as a JVIiss Nancy, occupy ing a position bet\veen the rival parties in interest, had a row cit steel cut buttons sevved on the seams of his'n. The ne,v fad ,v as 111aking progre~s after a11 ! The ladies took courage, hut ,vho should take :he first plunge? By and by it leaked out. The garn1ents ,vere being n1ade. An expert sea1nstress had 'em on the ,vay, seven-ninths con1pletecl, and she ,voulcl have them ready to launch the next Sunday for church. There \Yottld be new 1nillinery attachme11ts and everything in rapid- 100 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 101 fire order. There was an exces~ of joy throughout the pur lieus of the Y ello\v Banks. Everybody hoped it ,voukl be a pleasant day. For once in the history of the to,vn, the people had a pious spe 11, and all with one accord brushed up their religion, and said they were going to attend the services. The eventful da,·- dawned at last-a sunnv- sumrner dav.. Services were held iu the court-house, and as the tribLs went thither the windows \\·ere packed ·with noses flattened against the panes to see the pant3 go by! Cn11n :\fa thews was in co1n- 111and; but a~ to the particular frills and the fit of the calico pantaloons. ask any of the old-tin1ers. They can tell you a11 about it. The Crinoline atn1ospheric c!J~turbance ·which followed in due successiun equalled that of Free Silver uncler "Coin' 1 T-Iar vey in 'c)6,. ancl they were alike in the dependence upon wind for their e~ploitation ; the 1nore yon talked against the1n-the 111ore wind you raised--the greater the increase in circulation Tt was dangerous for 111ere 111an ( the old n1an of the house) to suggest to his son that the honps on the rain-barrel needed 111encling. The daughters of the household took the slur an Capitol. Lord Lyons and the other gilded gentry of the eff de 1nunarchies had to stand out under the dripping eave-troughs. In the woods one day on Cedar Creek, ,vith n1y uncle Ja1nes Giles, he asked 111e if my teacher had ever given n1e for a copy the line, ''The eagle's flight is out uf sight.~, l an S\vered that he had, and he said to me, "Look up there and you will see the eagle now in his flight.'' It was a clear sunny day, and I was cager to see the national bird looking his do n1inion uver. I scanned the sky with a boy's keen eye, but was disappointed. I looked for a large bird, which I thought might be easily seen. Then n1y uncle said to 111e, "You will sec only a speck n1oving in a great circle." After s0111e further search, I found it. No incident in nature in all my life, certainly not in my younger days, in1pressed 111e 1nore deeply, save perhaps the con1et of '58, the total eclipse of the sun in '69, or the descent of an i111mense meteorite in '73, in Iowa, a copper colored globe of fire. The n1ajesty of that flight in the far ether! The bin l see1ned in no hurry. 1\ sentinel in the third heaven, it seen1ed to have eternity itself in which to n1ake one of its grand rounds. Nothing had so co111pletely captivated the boy's in1agination as the bird that clarecl to look in at the sun's open door and feel the breath of his furnace fires. l\lly uncle suggested to 111e that the bird f ron1 its far eyric coulcl see across n1any States, and that the energy of its vision was so great that a rabbit hopping along the ground would be an easy n1ark for it. Almost all 1\111erican families, especially of the f anner class, in the course of a generation ovvn some fine horses draft or steppers. If not natural horsemen, they get the over flow, which not infrequently contains son1e speedy animals. I believe 1\n1erica has the best cavalry in the world, because we have the best horses, and the most of 'en1, and the best riders. English111en and Gern1ans, as a rule, are too pot-gutted for cavalry. Take a ~housancl Gern1ans, as they run, fron1 civil life, and they are the most a\vkward riders on earth. As we are to-clay and have been, good horsemanship is a national Recolfrct£ons of Pioneer a11d .·lnny Life. characteristic. ~ I _y brother .:\I arion Tn1~ :vr YS'l'8RIOUS STRANGI•:R. I-le was a gentlen1an of the olcl school. Ile liked to fix up. Ff e was as fond of the frills of the toilet as a young 111iss. A portion of each clay was devoted to the placing of his person in dry clock. where it \:vas scraped and adorned for the voyage to the 11101-row. when the regulation for repairs was observed as be-fore. 'l'he .\lgonquin would have said that his hair was yellow; it \vas parted in the conventional ,vay, but when the comb reached the crown it descended to the back door, part ing the locks in the descent, and carefully hrushecl then1 fo: - \Varel over the ears. J--Ie seen1ecl never to have been young, and yet he ·was not old, and at the close of each succeeding decade he seemed about the sa1ne-a sort of perennial Beau Brun1n1el. I-Ie \Vas the on1y n1an in town \vho went habitually well dressed. clay by clay. T-fe uniforn1ly shone upon the stree:t in a swallo,v-tail coat. silk hat and white vest; his hands neat ly gloved, hranclishing a gold-headed cane. A precious stone of uncertain value glanced like a serpent's eye upon his fault less front. I--Iis linen \vas Byronian. his ivory plates con spicuous to a degree. liis unequal extren1ities caused a dis tinct but slight pause in his gait. T-Ie il111111inated the street8 of the Yello\v Banks for many years. He \Vas one of the at tractions; a phenomenon incleecl; the l\1ysterious Stranger all in one-of the town. T-Ie was the unique and incon1parable host of the old Pioneer House in the paln1y clays of the Fink & Walker n1ail-coaches: he assisted the travelers to alight f rotn the tally ho; he was the Sir Walter Raleigh at the reception of his lady guests; he was olcl J. 1( .. and no other; a shre\vd n1an of the 104 Recollections of Pioneer and .Anny Life. 105 ·world; posted on the news of the clay, and had his opinion of George vVashington and everybody else. And withal, he seen1ed suspiciously well versed in the under-world-the sub- 111ergecl tenth, and all that i111plies. This inf onnation, how ever, he kept carefully to hi111self. 1-le was never known to con11nent on it, but if it beca1ne the subject of conversation in his presence, he \Vas co111placent, serene, disinterested, Satanic. The great ga1nes \Vere played on the river in those days, f ro1n St. Paul to New Orleans; chiefly on the lower Mississippi. The big stakes and the guns to def end then1 were on the tables in the gentlen1en's cabin. .But the Pheno111eon was no fighter; he had \vhat was better for him, a de1noniac's cunning, sharper than a needle point, and luck can1e his way son1etin1es ; but he was too cautious, l surn1ise, for a successful ga111bler. I-Ie bad con1pensations. If Fortune gave hin1 the cold shoulder at the gan1ing-table, he brought his reserves into the tight. I-Iis touch was light and sure, and he dfrl not disdain revenue from any source, nor object to it in s1nall a1nounts. ~-\n observing Boni face, accu~to111ed to study his guests. can create opportun ities, if they are not apparent. For n1any years he paid on de1nand, and shone resplendent. Other 1nen aged under their burdens, but the Pbenomenon carried the \Vorld on his shoul- ders as it were a puff-ball. 'fhe swell society functions throughout the forties and fifties at the Yellow Banks were held at the Pioneer I1ouse, which, \Nith its bold river front and shade and its Corinthian columns, affected my boyish gaze quite like the Parthenon is supposed to overwheln1 the traveler. The great sen1i-annual events ,vere the cotillion parties_. or '"balls," as they were called in the golden far-gone tin1es. There was a noticeable stir an1ong the young couples when the date vvas announced for the next one f orthco1ning. 1~he fair ones lapsed into a f orn1 of hysterics over what they were to wear; they ran across the street the back way and compared notes about it, breaking out into fits of lunatic laughter at their own quips. 105 R ccollections of Pioneer and .Army Lifc. 1'he impending social convulsion struck the hotel kitchen in advance of all others, and the staff shoveled up pie stuff till the stanchions gave \\'ay antl the rhef and his retinue () f aids ,vere buried under a landslide of raw n1aterial. The ~ estor of hotel 111anagers, our in1perial J. K. was un earth in his best fonn on these great occasions. .-\11 things being in readiness. the couples began to arrive. They ca1ne in all sorts of vehicles fro1n everywhere. The high-over-all ton can1e f run1 I(citl~sburg and lvlon1nouth. The real nickel-plate could be easily distinguished by the height of his boot-heels. I-le ahvays wore boots on great occasions. To wear shoes was plebeian. l-lc scorned the suggestion. The n1ore "ply" he could persuade the cobbler to nail onto his boot-heels~ if only one more than his rival displayccl, puff e(l hin1 up horribl). \Vhen he walked, his heels struck the cobble-stones sonic sec onds in advance of his toes, if the latter landed at all. The ·women of 191 I are beco1ning knee-sprung by the revival 01 this barbarism. The n1an afflicted with an excess of boot heels when I \vas a boy-well, his head ran up to a point as his heels ran do\\'n, the ten11inus in either case being small. I-laving acquired knuck-knee~, his pace along the sanded floor was painful to behold. The ball-roon1 of the ancient hostelry \Vas well proportioned for the gayety of its tin1e, ancl it tends to sober one to 111use in silence now on the ani1natccl scenes redolent there far beyond the half-century n1ark. On these occasions the early settlers got together. The ball served a good ancl an evil purpose, as their successors do to this day. There were n1any reputable people at these gath erings, and Satan can1e also. Virtue can1e clothed in the lat est fashion, and othenvise, and \Tice f ollo\vecl her example. Couples from up the creek came ,vi thin the charmed circle of trerpsichore not in the best tonsorial for 111, clothed in black satin vests venerable for service, but with honest dollars in their pockets and honest purposes in their hearts, and it would have been well if all had gotten home in the gray of the next N ecvllrctious of I )io11ecr and . l nuy Lifc. 107 n1orn111g \\·ith a conscience equally void of offense. .\s a rule. there was an odor like that of a bad circus left in the wake oi these balls; the livery-stable crowd prevailed, ancl the atmo:; plicre had a horsey taint. .-\t the upper end of the hall-roon1 sat the orchestra in state. The first violin was a character. I-le was known in all the region around. and ,vas considered indispe11."ahlc to a successful function. I-Ie was known as "The \Tan that Slept on His \~iolin." I don't know that he had any other na111e. Nobody ever heard hi111 talk; none ever saw hi1a awake~ Ile went to sleep fifty years before Rip Van \Vinklc was heard of, ancl he is asleep now-for good. 1-Te ,vas an exceptional character, and will prove exceptional doubtless \,·hen ( ~abriel hlo\\·s l1is horn. and sleep on regardless of what the 9~er fellows do .. I-le was playing. f o~ balls ·when C~lun1- bus dtsc,J\·ered :\n1cnca. and ,vas at 1t hkc a n1ere spng of yllttth when I was a 1,oy. \ \'hen they got ready to open the ball. they just gave the old fellow a hunch and 111usic rose volupt11- ()tJS. Ir i_;.; touch \\·as delicate, resonant, 1nilitant ! 1 Ie clrcan1cd celestial drea111s a~ he dre,\· bis ho\\' back and forth. and hi~ head dn ipped in dead slnn1ber and swayed f ro1n side to side a.-, he played. I-le was on duty frotn the opening to the close. To ea.;,e himself he rose at ti1nes to his feet. asleep, filling the roon1 \\·ith his strains, keeping the acco1npanying inst n1111ents hnsy _\t the close ()f the cotillion. and before the waltzer-; l:egaL t,, spin. he \\·,nlld i111itate the nightingale. 1'he bird .--trud-: ih :,-;\\Tctcst note far up in the t\\·ilight, a challenge to every 1Jird that carried a harp of gold in its throat; then fol~ lo,ved an intricate 111elody too subtle in its n1ethod and triumph ant in it~ :-;trains for n1ortal ken; the note of victory was so co1nplete that one thought it vvottld cease, nothing 1nore being possible, but the note of exaltation continued to rise till the heavens \\·ere filled with its glory, and all the angelic choir~, the answering harps of ~eraphin1 to seraphi111. broke forth in jubilant d1orus. .-\nd still the wonder gre,\· hn\Y nnc 1nan with that frail little instrun1e11t and ho,r could ~o entice the soul 108 Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Anny Life. and overpo\ver it \\·ith the channs of n1usic ! Knight and lady sat stj}l under the spell of this backwoods 111aster of tbe violin. 1\t the hour of twelve, 1nidnight, the gnesb were sun1111oned to Belshazzar's feast, fur which tickets were reqni red. Frontier crin1inal exploits along the ~ l ississippi 1nay bL: supposed to have reached bigh-tide abuut the ti1ne of the 111nr cler of Colonel Davenport at his hmnc on l<.ock Island in 1845. 'fhe n1inting ~1nd circulating of counter£ eit coin ,vas one of the active pursuits of these river rogues. The owner of the 111int was not al ways the n1ost successful distributer of the "queer''; that required a nin1ble endow111ent not possessed by every 111an. ln pioneer days the Yellow Danks was not short on original genius of this and other kinds. Son1e of thc111 ,:vere birds of passage. 1f they ha(l been flushed, they ca1nc in f rrnn abroad un tired wing. 111orc or less hedragglecl, and took ref uge at "The Catfish''-a hostelry that started \\·ith the best in tentions, hnt fell under the opprobrium of too 1nuch skin-fish on the taldc d'lzotc. a pabuh1n1 interdicted by the old Je,vish econo111y, nor enthusiastically popnlar ,vith the Gentile as a daily ration. and for that reason this particular travelers' rest 1 sn fferecl n1artyrclo111 all its clays. "The Catfish ' clid not shelter the gan1e birds, however; they stepped softly with gun1-shoe footfall into the clove-cote farther up the hill. T11e ~Tysterious Stranger took care of the111, ancl when the pursuit had lost the trail and the sky seen1ed propitious, the rascal sallied forth again. and the lVf ysterious Stranger in dancly attire ,vent with h'ii11. The guests at the Pioneer T~Touse and the 111an-abont-tovvn noted the ahsence. These pilgrin1ages. 1nore or less prolonged. occurred at intervals annually. They ca1ne to be a feature. One day the report ca111e in that the 1nail-coach had been rob bed. Alert ears kept tab on the absences f ro1n the hotel and the coincidence of the road agents' activity. \V e11, the years ca1ne and \vent, children vvere born and the aged passed away. but the Mysterious Stranger held steadily on his course like an ocean greyhound through fog ancl storn1 and ice-floes. ( )n a R cco!lections of Pioneer and ,/lnny Life. 109 sunny day in June he arrived in port. The air was balmy. tfhe world had been clothed anew in leafy splendor and the great river flowed serenely on to the sea as our lives flow on into that vaster eternity. t-fhe hush ,vas full of happy chil dren, and they plucked thc> tender, spongy, half-forn1ecl leaf 1 surcl1argcd with its cardinal tints, and placed it betvveen layers uf sno,\·y \\'hite sheeting, put pressure upon it, and lo, the print uf the leaf delicately transferred tu the cluth; and as the chil dren sh<>uted their triu111phs to each other, they noted the ~Iys tcrious ~tranger as he passccL tapping the walk \\·ith his cane. and then the long step and the short step. l l is leathern pocket book with a fold ancl a tuck was gorged with bank-notes, and the Yell ow Banks and all the world a round \Yas conscious 0: a great change going on: involving the l\/Iysterious Stranger and all hi:-;· nei~hbors. The Fink K \ \'alkcr 111ail-coaches had '·' ceased tu run; the railroad carried the 111ails, and the Pioneer I-Iouse ,vas no longer central enough for travelers. These facL-.. had hardly been accepted ,before tlie l ◄:agle 11 uuse \\·as ()pen for business under the ~uave wek()llll' r )f ib distingt1i:-d1e( l host. i\O\Y can1e s01ne brief years of prosperity \\·hen Juliu,, Ciffonl ran his livery-stable in the rear of Ja111ison & )lfuir's brick block and Thad \Varner hustled his mail and passenger hack up and do,yn f ro111 the Junction to the county seat. Thad re1ne111bered the thundering display of the Fink & \Valker stage \\·hen it 1nade the grand entry, and attc111ptecl a feeble irnitatiun. Thad had a facial trick which he always played when he ,,·isbed to win the adn1iratio11 of the crowd. }le coukl look cross-eyed at will and he had a distinguished leer. He had other crooked acco1nplishn1ents, but these ,vere his tnunp cards. It was a hun1iliating drop for the whole town whtn the advance of civilization on the frontier compelled it to ex change the po111p of other clays for Gifford's two-horse hack. but 'I'had conceived himself more than equal to the amend. Driving up f ron1 the Junction with the 1nail in the evening, 011 reaching the brovv of Schuyler Street he ass11111ed his 1nost l 10 Nt'Collcctio11s of J>iullC('r a11d . Inns /j/t'. powerful strahis111us stare. and with an artistic flick of the whip he gave his t\H) old plugs to understand what was re quired of then1, and du\\·n they ca1ne, n1aking the grand curv c at Phelps' corner in approved style. I an1 sure the old-timer falls short of what is due t() Thad whenever he 0111its to shed a few tears at the rc111e111brance of that perf onnance. In due course there \vas an enlarge111ent of the household at the Eagle 1 f ouse by the addition of two sons-in-law. As the increa~e in nu111bers was purely ornan1ental, there was no in cnn1brancc in the way of additional revenue. This n1acl'e hard sledding for the l\lystcrious Stranger. There is hardly any thing in this present evil world that will 111akc a 111an's face blanch whiter than to look into his cash-box and find it empty. It was noticed that the old gentlen1an was less spruce than fonnerly. The broadcloth was getting a little seedy; the step less springy, and Hope sat on his bro,v less securely. The in exorable years will bin cl the best of us hard and fast. In the early 1norning of a day long gone the early riser went do\v,1 to the river shore as usual. The fresh morning air cleared his brain and his heart, and there ,vas s01nething like the finger of Fate in the n1ighty river that rolled ever in that one direc tion in which \\·e all are going. allcl a voice seen1ed to say, •'That strean1 cannot turn back upon its course, nor can you return and n1ake good the ,vasted years." The town break£ asted as usual, and in the interval of going and returning f ron1 the 111orning 111cal the "j i111111y ., had been at ,vork and forced an entrance to Phelps' Bank. The safe had been wrecked and the contents taken-all in a 11101nent's ti111e, and silence reigned. As the rising sun burst upon the streets he ,vho kept the keys returned to the scene of his life-long labors to find the evidence of the burglary-the forced entrance, the confusion within, the prints of feet \Yi th out. The first thing we do in a case of this kind is to stare in unbelief. 1~hen one or two neighbors cotne along, and we point to the ha voe, and \\·e explain that when ,ve ,vent to breakfast all was as usual. In a few n1inutes the to,vn Recollections of Pioneer and ~'lrmy Llfc. 111 awDke to what had been done, and the singular thing about it all ,vas that \Nhile. few glimpses, or none, were had of fig~ ures going or coming, the n1ass of the people had but one opinion as tu the idenity of the robbers, but all ,vas serene at the Eagle 1-Iouse. The old tJysterious Stranger ,vas there. supervising the first 111eal of the clay. The household seerned intact. If there were any discrepancies, they were not noticed at the moment. As the people canvassed the situation the ex citement increased. After son1e consideration, the cro,vd of citizens as if by con1n1on impulse went to the Eagle I-louse. T was in the cro,vcl, along with all the boys in town, and I stoo THE GIIOS'J'. On a dark and stonny night in recent years a physician_. returning f ron1 a 1niclnight professional call in the country. caught a gliinpse of a 111oving taper through the vvindo,vs of the Eagk IIouse, ·when it was unoccupied, in its uncanny. cli.s l·redited old age. Tlaving left his conveyance at the livery, un his way up town his curiosity awoke on passing in fronL of the deserted hotel, ancl he cletern1ined to go in an During 111y school-days at :dontnouth I 1nadc an overland trip with Robert \\Tilson :\IcClaughry ~ a well-known fellow student, now a distinguished authority on penology and war den of the Governn1ent Prison at Fort Leavenworth, ,vhose fame is founded on exhaustive study, and a career of 1nany years of supervisory control of son1e of the great prisons and rcfonnatory institutions nf ottr country. The journey \\·as 1nade in a single-rig livery conveyance of the subdne(1 p~~ttern of those days. l\!Iack called the horse ·· Bones,'' which was ilhnni•natingly instant hef ore a Jap con1n1its hari-kiri upon his honorable pcr son-for he professes great conten1pt for this 111ortal existence -he is just as happy as he ever was in his life. I suppose a !~o, when one ju111ps f ron1 a spring-board for the l>otton1 of the Colorado Canyon two 1niles below. that he is as serenely coin-· f ortable at the precise ~econ cl in advance of his pre-detern1ined leap as one ever conld be here belo\V. It certainly is after, and not before, a French111an {(sneezes in the basket'' that he feels "the slings and arrovvs of outrageous f ortunc. •· Su here, looking ahead upon the long stretch of liquid 1nud ahead of the1n. the travelers \\·en.~ not in the least disn1ayecl; on the oth er band, your hu111l>lc serv ant, who Lore aloft the rih bons, proudly said "cluck" to '·Bone:;" and ad vanL·cd con lldently. \Ve sank a foot the ti. rst lenbrth. the second length out we were up to the axles. at half of "BoNES"AT THC: BOTTOM OF THE Boo the third length "Bones)' had difficulty getting his feet up out of the stuff 111uck at the bot ton1; then he laid dovvn flat ancl rested, out of sight, except the half of his neck and head. "Dones'' did this respectfully, quietly, without disturbing anybody. But he was not ailing, ancl there was a chance for an arg111nent. .\I ack gave an audible gasp and s11ccun1becl. By and by a little resolution. the size of a pea. began to flutte~ under his waistcoat. and he era wlecl out onto the rail-fence ancl cooned along to land not so 1noist and ,vent up to the f arn1er tean1ing near by, and I could see the panton1ime between the two. i-f ack first stood on his toes, bo\ve .. yankecr·· it f rnn1 the jaws of Erebus 1 while the cl river sat on the box triun1phant as it en1ergecl. The travelers C()t1te1nplated "Dones·~ in silence for son1e 1ninutes. Then < me said to the other~ "I le is richly en1hossed and l think we had hetter haye hi111 baked and hand-painted. and return hi111 to the li\·ery- 111an as a 'shef~cluver.' '' \V c tnok dinner with >.Ir. Eldridge. nf Roseville. n<'>t with out s0111e apprehension as to the appearance of our entourage as \\·e cln >\T \Yithin the porte-cochere. \Ve greeted our hu~t 111eckly as he glanced at "Bones·· and ()h~cn·cd the evidences of the desperate efforts we hacl 111ade to dean hi111 off with cohs and sundry other aids vve found along the road. and after the noon hour. as \,·e drove a\,·ay, <1t1r conrteous host see1ned to <.;n1ile in an unwonte,l 111a11nc1 as \Ye truttecl off clown the lane. Our stepper had been ref reshecl ·with a good dinner and \\·as \,·inso111cly hlithe and graceful, barring the 111ud on his sides. on the harness and un the vehicle. which did not seen1 to in1pede his movements as -....ve drove south ward to\Yard the next frog-pond, which ,ve reached in dne tin1e. and on the verge of ,vhich l\1ack deserted his compan ion, and took to the fence again to observe the behavior of ''Bones" and his driver across the worst place \Ye had yet struck. A farn1er plowing in the field adjacent ,vas also in terested in the passage. and craned his neck over the plo\,.. bent on not n1issing any part of the sho"' as he sa,\· "Dones" 1 c S Nccollt·rtions of Pioneer and ...-·lnny l~ifc. cauti,Jt1:-dy de~ccnd into the abyss and the driver lay on the whip at the supretnc 111on1ent. ;\t the botton1 of the bog .. nones" declared hin1self, and ,valked out of the harness and a way in :111 the jaunting-car onto MosEs IN THE BuLLRUSHES. IT ere \\'C sh l )ll ld have tu rncd due east on the old stage road to l\ I 011111outh, liut the bridg-e." ,,·ere gone, and we drove north to T-Iollingsworth 's; but the stonn god shook his head, and we continued north to Coghill's, where the bridge was also gone, and uncler. grin1 necessity poor "Bones'' dragged his vveary ,vay far north into ~Ierccr Coun ty, where we found lodging at the hospitable f ann-b The Civil \Var <1f 1861-65 ,vas one of the stepping-stones of the ages; like the expulsion fr0111 the Garden; the Exodus; the fall of nabylon; the civilization of Greece; the :i-all of Ro1ne; the crucifixion of Christ; the Crusades; the disi:overy of ~America; the overthrow of British tyranny by tr e thiri.een Colonies. ft was a fight to hold what the race had already won of civil liberty-a free conscience and a f rec right ann. \Vith the crisis can1e the n1an-our great political prophet; horn in clue tin1e. an1ong the lowly. in deepest poverty. There was no beauty that we should desire hin1. \Ve \\·ere faithless and unbelieving. "Can any good con1e out of X azareth ?'' "Is not this the carpenter's son?" ''\Vhence getteth he this wisclon1 ?'' Derided, scorned, hated, threatened, 111urclered ! J\nointed of God, bearing His un1nistakable in1age in his soul, and confessed of just 1nen, ,villing to stand for the truth at the cost of blood and treasure. J\nd so it can1e to pass that he ,vas 111ade President of the United States, and wrought a work which has transfigured the man for all time. A root out of dry ground, he is still an enign1a and an astonishn1ent to many; incomprehensible no-w in this age of graft and colossal selfishness as he \Vas to the great men of his o,vn generation, ,vho assumed superiority over hi1n. A 1natchless pilot he, to the consternation of the shallo,v pre tenders in high places. He had none of the pride of life. The obscurity of his birth ,veighed upon him down to his entering the White House. It ,vas only then that he was emancipated. "I am not fit for the Presidency," he wrote. to his friends. 119 120 Recollections of Pioneer and "'4rn✓iy Life. At the opening of the senatorial joint discussion, he said: Twenty-two years ago Judge Douglas and I beca111e ac quainted. We were both young then-he a trifle younger than I. Even then we ·were both an1bitious-I perhaps quite as 1nuch so as he. With n1e the race of a1nbition has been a fail ure--a flat failure; vvith hi1n it has been one of splendid su<:, cess. I-Iis name fills the nation, and it is not unknown even in foreign lands. I affect no contempt for the high en1inence he has reached. I would rather stand upon that en1inence than ·wear the richest cro,vn that ever pressed a n1onarch's brow." The one glorious and glorifying fact concerning l\1ary Todd, a fact that should hallovv her 1nen1ory to all future gen erations despite her weaknesses and follies, is that she be lieved fro111 the first, in1plicitly, ,vith a faith rock-ribbed and unshakable, in the inherent greatness of her husband. ,;Doug las is nothing but a scrubby little Vern1ont Yankee. not to be con1pared with Lincoln,'' said l\:Jary. The won1an's intuition surpassed the wisdotn of the great. During n1y school-days at l\1onmouth there were no hard and-f ast contracts with literary bureaus to secure popular lect ures on diverse current themes. Some of the distinguished n1en of the period were at our service, an1ong then1 tlorace l\f ann, George D. Prentice, Dr. I-Iaven, and I-Io race Greeley. The literary societies of the college were the intern1e our Governn1ent we have had only two ( not 111ore) great journalists in this country-Benja1nin Franklin and Horace Greeley. This was my thought when a young n1an and at the close of half a century I an1 still of that opinion. These tvvo 111en in intellectual force surpassed a thousand. and they \\·ill he re1ne111bered ,vhen ten thousand bright editorial pens are forgotten. It is true that the founder of the Tribune ,vas brought lo,v during the Civil \Var and had to dip his colors to the Great Co111111oner in the \t\1hite IT ouse, hut he tnight have clone that and still easily be the one great editorial light to lead a nation to rid itself of a da1nning stain. I~cnja111in Franklin was not a pattern in 1norals for his generation and I-Iorace Greeley hacl his li111itations; bnt when that honored 111e111ory is 111enaced, a 1nighty throng (>f the chivalrous and i111partial stands ever ready for ib defense. \fr. Greeley arrived in lVf on111outh. according to agree111ent. <)11 the early 111orning train. I was late in getting clown to n1eet hin1. The depot was a dirty little dry-goods box. the reserved space fully occupied by a "cannon'' soft-coal stove. by the side of which stood the solitary figure of the great editor, wrappecl in an cnorn1ons buffalo great-coat, his well-re1ne111bered face and full cl0111e of thought o'ertoppecl by a hroad-brin1111ecl Quaker hat of the precise pattern of Willian1 Penn's own. I con cealed 111v an1azen1ent as well as ,vas able, and found hin1 . I - 111ost cordial and con1panionable. I sa,v hitn con1fortably quartered at the old Baldwin House. On assisting hi111 to divest hin1self of his ,voolv buffalo investn1ent. we uncovere itation of the local photographer, I had agreed to entice l\1r. Greeley over to the sky-light for his picture. This he good naturedly assented to, and after breakfast and other prelin1i naries were out of the way, I sallied forth with 111y peculiar charge in the ancient drab envelop an \Ve are not to kick, therefore, if in being helped 1n the advanccn1e11t of a great can~c, we ourselves should suffer humiliation and contumely. Alas, that it should -be so! His great and sensitive heart was broken at the last, and it \vas a hard an Stephen . \. Douglas was \vell known at the '{ ello\Y Banks when I! endcrson ,,·as a part of \V arren County. .:\Iy father sat nn the jury when l)ouglas was the circuit judge. ancl his charges to the jury. as n1y father was wont to say. ,vere 111odels <,f force and dearness. :\t the age of thirteen or thereabouts l first heard Douglas in a public address. It was during the "Know-nothing" eruption and the gathering took place at the north door of the court-house. General Dodge, of Burlington, Io,va. introduced the speaker, who presented a striking figure as he can1e forward on the platfonn. (Jn a l'0n1pact little body. clothed in a black broadcloth, claw ha111111er suit. sat a re111arkahle head. surn1ot1nted bv a shock of dark bro\\'11 hair. It was an Trish 1nt1g and he looked like an unabridged edition of Adn1iral Dot. But he was n1ighty in the pulling do\vn n f his enen1ies' strongholds. For con• centratecl vituperation his denunciation of the political fore runner of A. P . .A .-isn1 has had few equals. 1-Iis invective did not appear in its n1ost significant aspect in the printed page. I recall it no,v as though one of our battle-ships had placed one of her twelve-inch shells ten tin1es in succession in the sa111e spot on the enen1ies' water-line. In the course of his address he undertook a clef ense of the repeal of the "Kansas }\' ebraska Act.'' It ·was then that the cro,vd becan1e restless under the interpellations of Gideon Russell, a thoroughly sin cere, courteous, fearless and well-informed citizen on the cur rent political questions of the day. The local anti-slavery chain pion was persistent and sent a shot in at every favorable oppor tunity. The Den1ocrats in the crowd finally got nervous over 12--l Rcrnllections of Pioneer and ... -lrnzy Life. 125 it, and boldly accused Frank Dalla111 and Colonel flenclerson uf 1nolcling the bullets for ). Ir. Russell tu J-i re at the speaker. 1\t this n10111ent there was a chance for a ro\L _:\s a boy, earnestly partisan, and watching the corner~. l cuuld see that there ·was an undercurrent of deep feeling in the cro\vd. This was 111acle plain in various ways; as for Colonel T-Ienclerson, he was shaking like an aspen \rith anger and exciten1ent. l)ouglas could on ()Ccasion 111ake the mncndc honorable in a very neat \\·ay. and so, here and 110\,.. oil ,ras p< lll red ()tl the troubled waters; the crowd quieted down. and the 1neeting dispersed in an amiable n1ood. .\ ften,·anl. I heard 1)uuglas on the public square in ~'vlon1nouth. l le had gro,\·n stouter; his voice. al ways strong. 11<>\\. sce1ned at ti111es ~tenturian as he rolled off his periods. His deliberation "\\·as such that his ,,·urds seen1ed hyphenated. and tun the syllables. and he be ca111e so ab.;.;urbed in his the1ne that he "\\·as 1 ,bliYious of his handkerchief and uther trifles till the f ()an1 gathered in the corners of his 1nouth, not an object specially attrartiYe. I was at school at the ti1ne. and having a good \·1 )ice 111y:.;el f. T used often to a11111sc n1y confreres by i111itating l )t1t1glas· peculiar hull-dog notes and n1anner. I usually began \\·ith the Senator's opening sentence in his ~ I on1no11th speech : .. Felln,,·-citizens of - olcl - \Varren ! \Ve - have - con1e-together - to-dis-cuss-the •grecrt-questions-which-are-now-ag-i-ta-ting - the-country-from - cen-ter-to-ci r-cun1-f er-ence !" Fiis stun1p speeches were con1posecl largely of pure soph istry and bluff, but he will be ren1e111bered for his sturdy, all-around, large patriotistn. If Great Britain put up a hluff against us, Dougb.s was sure to call it 011 the floor of thc Senate. I-le was a thoroughbred A111erican, and that 111eant his country-an indissoluble U nion--first. last and forever. T salute his 1nemory. The ans,vering notes of preparation for the Lincoln Douglas senatorial can1paign ,vere beginning tn be heard throughout the State; discussion ,vas rife1 and voters were stin·ecl as never before. As the sun1111er of 1858 \\'ore along 126 N.ecollections of Pioneer and Army Life. these giants in the political arena can1e together on the sa111e platfonn at carefully selected points in congressional districts supposed to Le coigns of vantage, but the vvholc country stood in the attitude of attention and made careful notes on the progress of the debate. The passing years have rendered juclg111cnt fron1 ,rhich there is no appeal OJ?. these t\vo historic characters and the results of this campaign, and when the un believer questions the veteran "'ho "lags superfluous on the stage," the book is pointed out, ,vith the injunction: "There is the history of your country; read it.'' On the elate fixed for the joint discussion I n1ade one of :i.n i111n1ensc delegation f ron1 lienderson and Warren counties and boarded a train for Galesburg to witness the meeting of the gladiators at that place. The day was fair and hot and the n1ultiplied thousands who can1e· hy train and private con veyance stirred the dust in the streets until it was suffocating-. T)ouglas \\'as detained at a hotel near the depot during the forenoon by a political sicle-shovv. An arnbitious student f ro1n Lombard University, encouraged by' his party allies. add ressecl the Senator in a speech of absurd buncombe and presented him ,vith a small Aag. After the noon hour, the in1n1ense crowd assen1blecl on the I(nox CoIIege campus, the platf orn1 for the speakers. the reporters and others having been erected against the \Vall of the old auditorium on the south sicle. 1-Iere with their backs against the wall of the old college-as near as either of then1 ever got to a college-the trihnnes of the peo ple ,vere at bay. and had. as it were, to fight for their lives. As a young auditor and a strong partisan. it is easy for me to exaggerate the scene presented to my highly wrought nerves on that day; and ~till, now. looking hack npnn it after the lapse of three and fifty years, thrcugh the color reflected by the blood-red shield of }\,f ars, an1 I not justified in record ing that the occasion was a 1re111orable one, so full of sup pressed feeling, as the tall figure of our great political prophet advanced to protest against the brazen impertinences of the Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 127 chief Northern apologist for the extension of slavery? 1\leck Findley, an intelligent fanner of our county, stood in the dense crowd in front of 111e, and when Lincoln in a few clear cut sentences laid bare the n1oral stain of slavery .upon the race ancl its depressing effect upon the heritage won by our fathers, \vhich vve \vishecl to preserve in its entirety, he could not restrain his en1otion-"J sn't that grancl !~' l)ouglas opened the discussion in a speech of one hour; Lincoln replied, oc cupying an hour and a half ; and Douglas closed ,vith a resu1116 of thirty n1inutes, during which he presented a figure ,vhich co11ld not be forgotten. 'faking exception t() Linculn \ pointed arraignn1ent, Douglas presented a spectacle for 111en and an gel~ as his shock of hair flared like that of an en raged lit m, and, as usual, his explosions of wrath and power of denuncia tion were the sensations of the clay. During this forensic dis play Lincoln sat with his back half turned to the auclicnl'C, leaning on his hand, braced by his arn1 akin1ho; at time~ run ning his fingers through his hair until it stood straight np, the gnarled face upturned. the kindly. bcan1ing, penetrating eyes looking straight into the face of his roaring antagonist ! .-\ part -f ron1 the joint discussions. both speakers continued the canvass of the State. ancl including all other points. Lin coln spoke in the old ~Tilitary Tract at 1)allas, Oqnawka and l\J onmouth. T-1 is speech at the latter place, where I was at school, ,,·as delivered under conditions in striking contrast to the bright, sunny day on which Douglas appeared there. Fro111 first to last the hvo 1nen appear in striking contrast: The one was tall; the other short. The one deferential; the other sufl,cient unto himself, and def erred to none. The one studied carefully his ground, then 111oved with the force of an aval and1e; the other ,vith supreme audacity forced the fight from start to finish. The one seen1ingly never quite ready; the other akrt and never surprised. The one inscrutable in his patience and \,·ariness, ,vaiting his opportunity; the nthcr, ,vith savage directness. did not scruple to tear do,vn the 111n~t sacred 128 Rccollcc:ions of Pioneer and .,Jrmy Life. Larriers. The one con1posite, revelling in the wannth of his co1npanionships. passing easily to the consideration of the gravest questions that concern our race; the other destitute of hu1nor. selfish in his ain1s, basking in the plaudits of the groundlings. The one love< 1 his hon1e and the child at his knee; the other al111ost unconscious of the do1nestic hearth. 'fhe one lived, as it were, under the constant surveillance of the Eye that shnnber:, not nor sleeps; the other oblivious to the unseen world so dose at hand. The one took counsel of the prophets of old ; the other was never known to open the Hook, nor to care concerning its contents. The one abstetni ous, clean, not an haLitue of the bar-roon1. and shrank instinct ively f ron1 its odorous powers as a soul- and bocly-vvrecker. The other drank "·hiskey, and leaned heavily on tnen given to their potations. noth have disappeared. f r01n the horizon of 111ortal ken-the souls hungering for liberty in every clime, of whon1 the vvorld is not worthy, with upturned, ,vistful faces, looking yearningly after the great E111ancipator ,vhen, and the circumstances incident thereto, and what He had been doing these six thousand years: where he had failed in his calling, the remedy he had applied for hjs 111istakes, how things were going now since he had introduced his ref onns,. what rebates he had abolished, the amount in dollars and cents of the graft he had exposed, the nun1ber of the big thieves he had locked up, and on and on, extending particulars, until he had thoroughly coached hi111 in the whole of his biography . .,And now to turn the switch-after the gentlen1an had equip ped the speaker with a good running knowledge of hin1self ancl fully posted the crowd as to the i1nportance and extent of his own superior knowledge and inforn1ation. he told ::\[ r. Lincoln that it ,vas his turn. In the n1eanti1ne ho,v poor old l\'Iother ~atnre did flood the earth with her tears! And by the time the entire crowd had found a seat on the lumber-pile, and under the protection of their un1brellas had pulled off their boots and e1nptied a quart of water out of each one~ the speaker had finished. and we all went home. CHAPTER XXV. Mv ScnooL-DAYs AT J\1oNMOU1'H AND TH1•: CRozIER FLEMING TRAGEDY. l\1onmouth College was opened for the reception of stu dents in Septe111ber, 1856, in an old frame school-house of one roon1, which stood on ground near the Y. M. C. A. builcl ing. Provision had been made for a college building, of ,vhich the school took possession the next year. 'rhe president-elect, David A. Wallace, did not take charge of the school at once. I-!e ,vas an attractive, interesting 111an at the tin1e of his ad vent on the streets of Monmouth, within a t\,velvemonth of the opening, at the age of thirty-five or thereabouts. His ·intellect ual qualifications were considerable. He possessed good exec utive talents and marked energy. I have heard him deliver son1e very able discourses, but as a rule his sermons, while ac con1panied by more or less forensic display, were not above the average. I-Ie had his limitations, but he must be credited with a laborious life-work, self-denying, great and enduring. He had affable, pleasing manners, and I am sure he ,viii be held in grate£ ul ren1embrance by the early friends ( ah1n1r.1 and their descendants) of what has come to be a highly creditable anrl flourishing school. It is to be hoped that some glad day the college will come into the possession of an endo,vment that ,vill place it beyond apprehension as to its financial support; then it will f ollo\v as a matter of course that a fund will be raised and expended in the erection on the campus of a bronze statue of its first president. lVf y elder brother, Porter, and I were among the first students in attendance at the opening of the school. l\Ty father was a staunch frien.:l of the under- 110 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 131 taking, a member of the first board of trustees, and a liberal supporter. In the yiear 1857 we occupied a room at the hospitable hon1e of Jan1cs G. ?\ia cut both 111en to the heart.. They died ahnost instantly. I-Ienry Fleming, after being cut, ran clown the stair,vay into the· hotel office and fell a corpse in the center of the roon1 as aforesaid. I-Iis brother sank down a corpse in the roon1 ,vhere he was :Struck. 1\ young brother of Crozier's 111et the elder Fleming in the hallway upstairs and struck hi111 in the face_, and thus .ended this bloody tragedy, the whole of which was consu1n- 1nated in less ti111e than it has taken to write these ,vorcls. The if ew people at hand at the 1110111ent were stunned. The Fle1n jng f a1nily suffered great loss, and \Varren County stands conspicuous with the na111e of Crozier ,vritten in bloocl upon J1er annals: a natne not to be pronounced in the ho111e which ~helters the sacred honor of a Christian household. He be- i:rayecl the innocent one, and in clef ense of that cri111e con11nit- tecl a double 111urder for ,vhich there ,vas no extenuation, and l1e shou~d have forfeited his life on a li1nb of the first tree at hand ! I do not believe there is another instance in the his· tory of our country where a fan1ily and the 111ajesty of the law suffered such an enonnitv.. at the hands of one 111an, and ihe crin1e-laden scoundrel anointed \Vith an acquittal ancl given l1is liberty~ The old church of which he was a 111en1ber began forthwith to n1anufacture public sentin1ent in his favor. and ·son1e young 111en of the town secured a cheap notoriety by -supplying the prisoner with s0111ething better than a convict's ration and sharing his bed in the old county jail. It is a fair ,question whether, in the event of their own household having ·suffered a like invasion, these young 111en would have hesitate(! to advertise their shame by lying-in \vith the ravisher. One of these addle-pated gentry I believe ~erved a tern1 subseque~.1t ly as a 111e111ber of the State L~g·slatttrc and rour1clcd out his career as a statesn1an by selling ~econcl-hand sewing machines. The truth in this instance 111ay be discerned at the bottom of the ,veil. The con1111unity wbere this cri111e was acco111plished bad not been so fortunate up to that time as to come into -possession of a hero. In Crozier they discovered this ''great Recollections of Pioneer and .A.ruzy Li/e. 133 awakening Lght,'' and they 1nade the. n1ost of it. I do not know at _,vhose instigation or pern1ission, but the finishing touches were placed on this uncanny business by the photog rapher who secured a negative of the re111ains of the brothers resting together on the bier ready for burial, and the picture gallery became the subject of curious inquiry on the part of the _grouncllings who repaired thither in nun1ber~ to grat:fy a n1orbid curiosity. It is a pity that Crozier could not have sup plied the ·•high lighf' to this post-1norte111 finale by stan,~~1ng on the public square and selling his own negatives, rather than undertake a retreat to 'I'exas. It was on a dark, 111isty day that the long funeral train passed like a phanto1n across the high tableland to the ce111- etery, as the road ran in those days. As I stood at 1ny ,vinclo,v and caught a gli111pse of the procession the ,vords of o~sian seen1ecl to fit in well: "The 111ist is on the hills; the blast of the north is on the plains ; and the traveler shrinks in the midst of his journey!" During n1y attendance at the school ''bleeding Kan:as'' ,vas the principal the1ne of public controversy. Politicians "rrangled over it; street toughs fought over it; ''advanced'' preachers bloviatecl about it; and the Eccrittean Society, of ,vhich I ,vas president during a port of this period, ,vent into convulsions trying to reconcile the antagonis111s growing out of it. If, in the regular ,veekly debates, ,ve sounded the depths of theology, astrology, psychology or any other subject ,vhich we knew nothing about, the astute disputants uniforn!ly ,vound up with a peroration on "bleeding l{ansas,'' in ,vhich she ·was 111ade to bleed afresh~ at every pore, copiously. Out in K:insas~ John Brown, of Osa,vato111ie, ·was the heavy villian. The Eccrittean Society, not be outdone in n1ixed vaudeville, ex ploited a John Brown also. }\t a 111en1orable n1eeting of the society during the winter of 1858-59 vve suddenly found our selves in the throes of revolution, ,vith John Bro,Yn in the leading role as a Jacobin. The "house'' ca111e to a division. in 134 Recollections of Pioneer and .Arniy Life.· which Brown "got it in the neck." In a paroxysn1 of wrath he seceded-went across the hall to the Philos-and they shut' him out with a _blackball. Thereupon "bleeding Kansas.'' out of sympathy, discharged gore more profusely than before. Bob Diehl led the Brown forces. Bob appeared on the floor at the· next regular 111eeting with a manuscript speech seven yards. long. His roach, nicely slicked, stood vertically in the n1ost menacing way. The benches we1e full. Bob was a veteran orator ( the equal of Dad Harris), and the boldest held his• breath to catch the opening sentences. Bob was grave even to sadness. He took a hitch in his suspender and addressed the chair in his best lord n1arquis n1anner. The chair responded with a distant random rap of the gavel that made the eyeballs of the members "about face." The house came to order and Bob opened art£ ully. He said-or read-that he purposed to "touch lightly upon the great questions which now made the earth tremble exultingly." At this point the members look ed suspiciously at Bob's manuscript, which hung down and extended in n1anif olcl waves along the floor like a queen's train. I would be pleased to give a stenographic report of Bob's speech right here, but the necessary space would exceed that required for "Atmosphere Bill's" speech on Free Silver, and prudence admonishes a recoil. 'ro explain, however. Bob's speech was in defense of the Brown family generally. and among other things he declared with extreme emphasis that nothing had occurred in "bleeding Kansas" to compare with the revolting abasement which our own illustrious scion of the tribe of red-heads had suffered at the hands of his enemies. The upshot of it all ·was that, in the absence of the lord chan cellor and his lieutenants, on a subsequent night, "our Brown" sneaked back into the fold, and when we heard of it we ex changed a casual glance, pulled a \ 1irginia stoga and took a smoke. CI-It\PTER XXVI. ''To PrKE's PEAK OR BusT." During the year 1859 the political parties throughout the country were organizing the contest for the non1inations for the Presidency to be n1ade in the national conventions the fol lowing year, the dramatic f ea tu res whereof stirred the dark est passions of partisans for years, and were destined to affect the organic structure of the Governn1ent itself for all time. The hopes of the conservative anti-slavery party were cen tered in \Villian1 I-I. Seward, although strong side-lights re vealed figures of other notable men. In due tin1e Seward n1aclc a direct bid for the vote of the \:Vestern States and I joined the 111ultitude which packed the trains going to Chi cago to hear him. The city had less than 200,000 population ; it laid low on the flat prairie, the wooden sidewalks conspicu ous for their inequalities. It was essentially a wooden town, the same that went up in flames twelve years later. The tern1- inals of the "Q" railroad were of the cruelest description, and our train stood on the open prairie with a dozen other long passenger trains of that and converging roads for two hours, waiting turns to get into the city and unload. Seward's Northwestern welcome was an open-air tneeting, for the crowd was beyond the capacity of any dozen auditoriums of that day. "Long John" vVentworth was the mayor of the city, and introduced the senator, \vho was welcomed by the pro longed· cheers of the people, who were massed in the streets for blocks in the vicinity of the speaker's plat£ orm. The lit tle ''great man'' was visible only to the few, and could be heard only by the select few in his immediate vicinity. He made one of the great orations of his life, as the people discov- 135 136 Recollections of Pioneer an,d Anny Lifc. ered after they had returned home and read it; but Seward, to be appreciated as an orator, required certain conditions; an enclosure of li111ited area; a place to lie down, broadly speak ing; to be exact. s0111ething to sit on, or, in clef a ult of that, son1ething he could cling to with both arn1s~ for he was born tired. 1~he Civil \¥ ar, you remen1ber, would not last longer than ninety clays, according to the New York senator's reckon ing, because, in the physical sense, that was the li1nit of his con1prehension. In l\'1ay of the year the non1inating conventions were held, 1860, I was on 111y way to the \1/ estern n1ountains. As ,ve ,vound along west,vard, a-cross the broad, lonely tablelands of western Iowa. ·where the bleaching bones of the recently ex terminated buffalo were still lying plentifully broadcast, the approaching Republican Convention at the "\Nigwa1n" in Chi cago becan1e the subject of conversation between 111yself and n1y co111panion, Jan1es Shoen1aker, who declared stoutly and conclusively ( in his own estimation) that Abraham Lincoln \vould be the non1inee. I shared in the general belief that vVilliam H. Seward \Vas the coming n1an, and I also shared 111 the general surprise, although not in the disappointn1ent. at hi5 defeat. The western half of Iowa was very thinly settled; the only object of interest ,vhich \Ve visited before reaching the :l\'lissouri River being a Mennonite settlen1ent, where 111ar riage was barred and property held 'in common. I recall the log dining-roo111 and kitchen with its i111111ense cauldrons where the food was cooked. \Ve crossed the "Big Muddy'' at Platts n1outh. K ebraska, ,vhere we· 111et E. H. N. Patterson and D. C. Hanna ,vith quartz 1nills, on their \Vay to Pike's Peak. We joined their train. ,vhich materially increased the pleasure of the journey. for 1f r. Patterson had made the trip the. year previous, and, too, ,vas an Argonaut of '49, and' had printed notes of these trips at hand, which gave our bearings from clay to day. At this point I respectfully snbn1it that a 111en1oir of 1'1r. I ~ - -Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. JJ Patterson is due the people of Henderson County frotn the pen of his talented son, now the publisher, in the third gen eration, of the S pcctator, one of the olcle5t county papers in the State. Such a n1en1orial voh1111e, with portrait and the notes of the California and Pike's Peak journies and the his torical 111atter available fron1 data left by the grandfather, 1vir. J. n. Patterson, would n1eet ,vith a cordial reception at the hands of the people of the county and without doubt would be financially profitable. The 1-listorical A.ssociation of the county ,vould find such a volun1e an invaluable accession to its archives. Neglected local history soon fades into tradition, then to doubt, which is another word for denial. Catch the record while you can. Bayard Taylor at this time was in the flush of his fa1ne as a litterateur ancl traveler, and his published works were f a1niliar to n1e. Before leaving for the West I had the pleas ure of hearing hin1 at Galesburg deliver a descriptive lecture on a journey along the Xile valley, ,vhich so affected my in1agi nation that when we first can1e in view of the Platte River I looked with delight on the distant virgin landscape, the \vind ing river, the isolated trees, not unlike the tuftecl pahns of the Nile valley. and aln1ost in spite of myself, I found I was look ing through Taylor's glasses upon olcl Ran1eses~ sand-dunes and fertile fields. \Vith a pyra1nid or two the picture would have been con1plete. I was tnounted, riding alone far in advance of the train, and, at a 1non1ent, l\,f r. Patterson overtook me afoot. I was riding leisurely, and, as he was a genial co1n panion, ,ve were en rapport at once. He ,vas a cultured gentle man, and I cannot recall a happier hour on this journey than this present one; the soft, rose-colored at111osphere was en chanting, and our hearts burned within us as ,ve drank to our fill the elixir of a perfect spring morning in the last of 11ay. 1"'here are lost years in our lives; so long gone and so co1n pl_etely forgotten that we cannot identify the111; then there are other clays-hours--one hour in which we feel that we have been supremely blest, and yet nothing has heen added to out 138 Recollections of Pioneer and Ar1ny Life. stature nor to our bank account! This was one of rny happy mornings! That ,vas largely an equestrian journey so far as I was personally concerned, and I had a picturesque steed of an ashen hue, and its sense of hearing was fully proportioned to the equipn1ent which Nature had provided for that neces sary office. Had General Washington, in Crawfonl's bronze group in Capitol Square, Rich111ond, Virginia, been 1nounted on a thoroughbred such as n1ine, his dignity would be im paired; but I believe Julius C~sar had nothing better to ride at the head of his victorious legions. 1\1 y steed had a voice with its other accomplishments. One June morning our train took the upland trail while I rode out of sight of it on a parallel route, at the foot of the marl bluffs, along the river, and had ad vanced son1e miles when I suddenly found that the ears of 1ny steed had assumed a particularly rigid and questioning at titude. I gazed off toward the Pacific Coast and saw in the distance two highly illuminated mounted figures advancing in 1ny direction-gentlemen without hats, with quills in the seams of their pantaloons, fringe on their coat-tails, and a turkey cockade in their hair, and when the sense of being un armed fully dawned upon me, they seemed about nine feet tall, and at the end of each rod in our mutual approach they took on at least a foot more in height, until by comparison I felt of no consequence ,vhatever. But I n1ade bold with the thought that 1naybe I was increasing in size in their imagtna tions also, and I rode on to my doom! .As \Ve n1et in Nature's audience-chamber the old chiefs said "Ho,v ! I-Iovv !" and the one nearest to me reached out his brawny hand in welcome. IVI y Rosan1ond circled gracefully out of his reach. Then it ,vas my turn to rlo the grand handsome, and I plunged the spurs to the hilt and bore dovvn upon l' enipere1trs Aniericaine v,.rith the glad hancl: but Rosamond ,vas coy ; a princess of the bloocl could not courtesy and retreat n1ore faultlessly. Noth ing daunted, I sun11noned the shades of all n1y patriotic an cestors, and plunged down into the dust of the arena once more ,vith my hospitable right hand extended far out. The Hecollect·ions of Pioneer and .-1 rnly Life. 139 old chiefs e1nbraced the opportunity in succession, and with a hearty ''I-Io,v ! Ho,v !" from both sides the brilliant court dis.-,olveJ, assented to with great rcadine~s by H.osa111ond, who lifted up her noble voice, with the echoes of which the vasty solitudes rang in a ,,·ay they never rang before and will never . . nng again. Fremont's orchard, and Fort Kearney, O'Fallon's Bluffs, and old Fort St. Vrains, of the 1-Iudson's Bay Co1npany, ,vcre .-.:01ne 1)t the interesting points on this journey, but the trail <> f the Argonauts of '49, still plainly visible in many places, affected 1ne in a peculiar 111anner. I noted with interest where they crossed the Platte--at the confluence of the North and Sou t 11 Forks--where so111e of then1 ·1ost their lives by drown ing. l ~huulcl wish to approach the palaces of the Eternal City by the \/ia Appia, along the rut.3 ·worn by the chariots in the solid rock-paved road ·where Paul \Vent with "this chain" to appeal to c~sar. Here, rather than in the shadows of the rnouldering plinths and blackened shafts, I should feel like taking the shoes f ron1 off 1ny feet. The footsteps of tho~e who have gone before hallow the ground for 111e ! We 111ade our noon halt one blistering hot day in a desert region where the prickly pear and other f orn1s of cacti were the only vi.-,ible vegetation. For an hour or 111ore, off in the distance ~outh of us, an Indian \Vas in full view stalking an antelope. Ile finally killed it, as I ren1en1ber, with the bow and arrow, dressed it, and ca1ne in haste, spitting cotton, and of fered to trade half of the carcass. vVe gave hi1n a pint of sugar in exchange, ,vith \.vhich he was delighted. In the vicinity of a suspicious cabin, ·where the pasture \.Vas rich and plentiful, ,ve made our ca111p. The small log cabin of one room was occupied by t\vo slouching-rascals, who had no vi3.ible n1eans of support, and Jim, ,vho had an uneasy iceling concerning then1, had the1n under surveillance. He paid them a visit and came back to camp confirn1ed as to the character of the squatters; but, notwithstanding, none of us were considerate enough to stand watch du ring the night. We 1.-io Recollections of Pioneer and .tlr'lliy Life. paid the usual penalty. The next 1norning our best horse ( picketed out) was n1issing. Ji1n had plenty of nerve, and a \barren investinent. 1n the face· of these discouragements 1-Ianna and Patterson, neither of whon1 had any practical knowledge of the reduction of quartz, invested in two quartz n1ills of the S·wartz pattern. They were nothing more than large coffee-111ills of the type in use by qur grandmothers. They vvere lan1e and ineffective, and _came to naught. They were built for horse-power, . but the m9tor was ridiculously inad equate, as well as the grinding powec r-rhe mills wen~ to the junk-pile jn .;;hart order-Patterson to his printer's case and J-Ianna to his plow. A long the sun11nit of the valley range some happy 1nid sumrner hour3 were rounded out breathing in the delicious odor5 of the spruce groves and gathering the flecked gum so 111uch prized by the children of the hon1e prairies, who had lit tle knowledge of the glorious regions vvhere it is gathered .. On s0111e far granite boulder I used to loiter and look back over the plains vvhence we had con1e, and trace like threads the con rse of the strean1s. 1\t intervals vve came upon scenes of devastation too black for words, caused by forest fires-the Leautif ul coniferous groves burned to a crisp, the mountains to their very st1111n1its studded with the .3keleton stems of the 1na~se~ of young trees. I-laving secured our anin1als ancl other property for an absence of some clays, we strapped Rosamond with a grub-stake and made a trip over the range to the Greg ory diggings in search of the can1p of Billy Martin and \rVill Porter. The trail crossed the first range north of the BoU't, .. der; it was very narrow, and in places the narrow path stop ped at the base of a vertical ledge of rock ; then Jim would get under Rosamond with one of her forelegs over each shoulder, whilst your humble servant would secure a good stout tail halt, ancl in this elaborate and skill£ ul fashion lift her majesty onto the shelf above and ·so continue the ascent. From the spot where the trail crossed the Boulder, that mountain tor rent,. clear as crystal, can be seen for n1iles in its sharp descent from its covert of eternal snows, escaping confinement in the narrow pas.-;ages in the rocks at one point. breaking in spr~y N.ecollcctions of Pi.oneer and .1lrn-iy Life. 143 over resisting boulders at another, con1ing down upon one like a long line of glittering, .sabre-wielding cuirassiers ! In our passage over -...ve slept one night on the do1ne of the mountains with the cougars. At dawn Nature was in deep mourning. We no longer looked up at the clouds. \Ve groped our way cautiously in the mid3t of them. They enveloped us like cotton-wool. As we made our way in the moist mass it would open and close upon us, then move in prodigious vol ume round about us, to open for a mon1ent, then close again. ,.fhe mountain world was reeking wet, but there were no rain drops. .Along those 'high altitudes, through these impenetrable fogs, ,ve can1e now and then upon miniature glens carpeted with the most luxuriant emerald pasturage. We were now in the ancient haven of the wild flocks and herds. Even Rosa mond the i111perturbable took heart at this scene. After some hours' travel, we descended into the lateral gulches leading into Gregory Canyon, which we found -strewn in places with the abandoned appliances for placer mining. Pay dirt had not been found, or not in quantity to warrant further effort. Be fore night£ all we had reached Martin and Porter's cabin, where the t\vo 1-Ienderson County boys labored assiduously in the role of 1nasters of cere1nony, and welcomed the travelers from "the States" with the pomp and circumstance ,vorthy of old Gregory in her best days. Jim responded promptly to their friendly advances; placed another quid where it ,vould do the most good, and broke out in one of tho~e full-moon sn1iles which have been the envy of his friends these three-score year.3 and ten. Porter acquiesced with a broad grin, his ey~s rest ing heavily on our grub-stake; then he lifted up his voice ,vith his favorite song: "The ash and the oak and the bonny willow tree Are all growing green in the old country." We were as hungry as coyotes. Billy 1\tfartin was the chef. Seigneur Porter turned to hi1n and said: "Let the grand ·~alon be made ready, and covers laid for four." "1"'he salon js al- 144 Recollections of Pioneer and Arni~· Life. ,vays ready," replied the chef. I was curious to see a Grc-g-ory ,dining..:hall that was '~always ready," so I looked in. It had no windows. It had a piece of the mountain for a fl.00r, an fiOMEWARD BOUND. Denver \\"as the place of rendezvous for our departure ho1neward. I-I ere we 1net l\1Ir. Fred Ray, Sr., his son Fred, and other associates, who had just got in from extensive ex plorations of the 111ining region contiguous to South Park. J\laska is the only territory now under the Stars and Stripes, with the exception possibly of the Philippine Islands, ,vhich can produce such a scene as Denver pre3ented in 1859-6o. Dance-halls and gan1bling-dens had full swing, and these re sorts were crowded with blacklegs of every description. Three card 111onte and every other gan1bling device, the most of them beyo11d 111y knowledge and the whole of them I was looking at for the first tin1e. were being patronized by the crowds con1- posed of ~J exicans, half-breeds, and strange characters from distant corners of the earth. A leader, an assistant, and the "cappers·'' exploited each his own peculiar ga111e of chance in his own way. .Abandoned ,vo1nen stole into view and disap peared through doorways opening f ro111 the rear into the n1ain hall, and the passage to hell ·was softened and gilded to the ear by strains of 111usic f ron1 an orchestra. I looked in at the 111orgue, where the dead ,vere to to be found aln1ost every n1orn ing. Few questions ,vere asked about the cri111es comn1itted the night before; whatever happened was accepted as a n1atter of course. The to,Yn pointed with pride to its graveyard contain ing a select assortment of gentry who had died with their boots on. In one of my ratnbles about the town I came upon a more cheerful aspect son1e distance back f ron1 the turbulent streets~ a \Yell-conclucted school under the supervision of a lady teach- 1 -1 f> 146 .Recollections of Pioneer and Artrzy Life. er, a bright, intelligent w0111an of middle age, in the pursuit of her vocation with as much pride and success as we are accus ton1ed to see in ,vell-ordered c0111111unities. Vnder the circum stances the discovery was a surprise to me. She was the only 1.voman of good repute that I can recall seeing in Denver at that tin1e, although the good mothers of the children in that school were in the town somewhere; certainly they were chary of going on the streets. To get a letter from ho1ne I stood in line while two hundred men preceded me to the delivery. On opening my letter, I found that R.obert Moir ( on who111 I had an order for n1oney) and Mr. Blake, of Burlington, had passed through Denver ahead of us on . their way ho1ne. The men quarreled on the return journey, and after 111y own return home I was the only witness to a terrific pugilistic encounter between them. In the late su1nn1er \Ve bade adieu to Denver, ,vhich I have not seen since, and on our way ho1ne we came upon the whole of the Sioux tribe of Indians returning from their annual hunting-trip with the "jerked buffalo" heat_ hang ing in strips across their ponies. They went swarn1ing over the plains north,vard, the squaws having the care of things generally, the young copper-colored lads, cunning as mice, shooting birds in the grass with the bow and arrow as they continued on their way. The young braves, tall, athletic scamps six feet in height, son1e of them, annoyed us a good deal, sneaking around our wagon for· an opening for theft. When ,vel! settled in camp one evening we found that we \vere close neighbors to a sn1all village of the Ogallalah Sioux. The bucks \Vere a \vay on some thieving foray, a favorite a1nusement, the main purpose of which was to make a sneak at night on the ponies of a neighboring tribe and get off with some of the best of them. Nothing shows some of the char acteristic traits of the Indian so thoroughly as this bent to theft. I-T 1s skill at secreting hin1self at the 1noment, permitting you to pass within a few feet of hi111 unobserved, is provoking. On this journey ancl in subsequent years he caught me un- Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 147 awares n1any tin1es. I have been the victin1 of an old lun1p of a squaw vvith a papoose on her back, standing in the woods like a statue-·I rode past within a few feet of her, unconscious of her presence. They seem to have the art of the wild anin1al of taking on the color and shape of ·.surrounding objects.. It is true that I was not hunting "Injuns," but I was in their country, and I always felt a little "off" ,vhen told by others of my cotnpany, who were following the trail after me, that we had just passed some red folks. On the evening in question we were not aware that there ,vas a sn1all group of tepees in our imn1ediate vicinity, in a valley on the further side of the knoll; great vvas my ..,urprise, therefore, when a group of ladies of our great interior quietly filed around me as a cen ter-piece and seated then1selves in a circle around our camp fire. I felt like a tender£ oot, n1uch abashed. Doubtless I srniled with a mixed 1notif, but I bowed correctly. I 11as1nuch as the ladies had already secured a solid foundation on the ground, it vvas not necessary for 111e to suggest that they take seats. 11y "buffalo chips'' were burning brightly, and I ·was frying "tvvisters'' of the barbwire type in a hoary spider of an earlier time. The ladies i,ad found 111e by tracing the odor of the evening 1neal up the \Yincl. I was glad they called, for I exchanged without difficulty son1e of those libelous clough nut; for cha1nois (antelope) skins, soft as the cheek of in fancy. They departed in triumph, these club ,vo1nen of the Ogallalah Sioux-heavy laden with the trophies of an equit able con1n1erce. A f e\\" clays afterward we \Vere in ca111p at the noon hour. I had in the wagon a "target" rifle of the old pattern; a su perior gun, highly ornamented, but very heavy; too much so f nr hunting game. T had brought it along in the hope of trad ing it off. '\Vhile ,ve were eating our lunch so1ne Indians rode up to the vvagon where I was seated, and I entered into an earnest pantomin1e with one of them, exhibiting my rifle, and offering to trade it for his pony. It attracted his attention at 148 Recollections of Pioneer and .Anny life. once, and he reached out for it. The weight of the gun so surprised and di.5appointed him that he shovved his estimation of it by instantly pulling a feather out of his hafr and offering it in exchange for the rifle. C}--L-\PTER XX\1111. j\ \101.UN'rI~ER AT THE F.\LL OF FORT Sl~M'l'ER. 'fhe winter of 1860-61. following the electlon of Abraha111 Lincoln to the Presidency. ,vas n1arked by a disturbed condi tion of the pnhlic 111inc1. Conservative n1en began to question then1selves ancl each other as to the threats of the Southern leaders who had cleclare of Fort Sun1ter, there was a 111ovement at the Yello\v Banks for volunteers to join the Union forces at Cairo under Colonel Ben 1\1. Prentiss, of Quincy. Frank A. Dallam, founder of The Plaindealer, was the leader of this 111oven1ent. Along with the principal young rnen of the village, I signed my nan1e on this roll of the first volunteers of the Civil War f ron1 I-I en d er son County. ~:I y services as such ceased on the 4th day of July, 1865. ()n the day we left hon1e for the South there was a throng of people on the stre~t3 and around the court-house to see us off. There was a current of strong patriotic feeling in the hearts of those who had assembled to bid us God-speed, and, as was natural under the circun1.stances, our thoughts took a practical direction, ancl a Den1ocrat distinguished hin1self hy con1ing forward and offering to drill us in the facings and evo lutions of the 111ilitary con1pany. I was 111uch surprised to see Judge Richey engage in this 1nost useful and necessary work. He was a De111ocratic official and an honorable man, but so111e how in the n1ind of the youthful brave the word "Democrat," as kno,vn in that day, ha troops, the base of supplies, and the chief ;:;trategical point in the Southwest in the days of hurried organization under the first call for 75,000 men. The population of the town com prised many traitors in disguise; rebel spies crowded elbows on the streets with the Union troops and a good deal of con fusion and uncertainty marked the administration of the post. The regiments of the State ,began with the nun1ber 7, where our regiments in the Mexican War left oft\ and they were co111posed of the best blood of the comn1on wealth. 'fhe 9th and 10th Regi111ents occupied barracks along the levee on the west side of the town. Here we had a local drill- and parade ground, and our tin1e was occupied by squad, co1npany an 1 their war-cry throughout the service 1 ''Zc.( ei Lager und cine Union!" Floyd and his conspirators ,vere still busy shipping arn1s and munitions of ·war South in disguised packages in the holds of the steamboats up to the last 1-i101nent, and it ,vas the bu.,i ness of these craft carrying the contraband goods to get past Cairo without being searched,. although none of them succeed ed in doing so after our arrival. A shot across the bow from one of our field guns compelled. a landing. There was such a ~~ss of hun1anity-citizens . and soldiers-on the streets of Cairo. during these months, and .indeed do,vn to the close of the war, that business of all kipds ,vas very profitable: so much so that it ,vas a con11non remark. that one could, and many did, n1ake small fortunes, or lay the foundations of large for- Recollections of Pi.one er and Anny Life. 153 tunes, selling pea-nuts and the ''pegged and sewed'' pies so notable in that town in those day3. Close to our barracks, on the extren1e point of the peninsula, Fort Defiance \ a f ormid able earthwork) was being constructed. In its unfinished state General George B. l\IcClellan, ,vho was making a study of all the advanced posts held by the Union forces, paid it a visit, and the field guns placed near were fired to show him the range over the water. In the evening the troops \Vere reviewed by hin1-a really f onnidable ho:3t as they appeared to us, unused as \Ne were then to the large annies with which we \Vere identified in the years afterward. I recall his short, stout person; his large black charger~ ancl his new buckskin gaunt lets. We looked upon him as he dashed down our line as noth ing less than a god: if anything less than a god, certainly noth ing less than a god with a sn1all g, \Vho, at the very least, possessed son1e of the attributes of the supernatural. Such \vas the in1pression 111ade upon the youthful warriors by the successor to General \Vinllelcl Scott, the aged and the hero of two wars. Innocently enough, while in the armed po3session of this post we had a peculiar ( if long-range) connection with the Brit ish Government. Paln1erston and "melud" John Russell were no friends of ours. English official opinion gave vent to its joy at our fancied dissolution in the columns of "The Thunderer." Tlzc London Tillles had already wiped the United States f ron1 the map of the world, declaring that "the great Republic is no n1ore" ! In this vein of cherished belief the publishers of that paper sent 'vV. 1-I. Russell, who had served as their war correspondent in the Crimea, to spy upon our m0Ye1nents and troubles. From the first he sho\ved a marked fondness for the South and her leader.;. He domiciled and counseled with then1, n1ade the 1110s t of their preparations for defense, and declared then1 invincible. Starting in at Richmond, he 1nade a tour of the Southern States. concluding with a trip up the l\1ississippi River fron1 :-:..ew Orleans· to Cairo, ,vhere he looked the raw levies of the Government over. I can see 154 Recollections of Pioneer and Arm)' Life. him now; his insolent figure confronting us as we stood on dress parade on that sun1mer evening in 1861. But "where be their gibes now"? .i\cross ''the gray and 111elancholy waste of years" I see the pirate ships, equipped with English guns and manned by. English sailors, being built and fitted out in English ship-yards: the destruction of our merchant marine on the high seas; the British corvette, the "Deerhound/' ·3tand ing in the offing to rescue Sen11nes and his drowning ship mates, fleeing like rats from the sinking "Alaban1a." Is there anything in history more detestable than the con duct of the British Government toward us during our strug gle to save our national inheritance? On the completion of Fort Defiance, a small group of soldiers, including son1e ladies from the North, led Ly Colo nel (later l\1ajor-General). Dick Oglesby-vvounded nigh unto death at Corinth, resisting Van Dorn and "Pap" Price-gath ered at the foot of the flagstaff to do honor to the raising of "Old Glory'' over the fortress. The flag was run to the top, when the tackling parted and the colors fell to the ground. We had the heartache for an instant when Oglesby burst forth in an impassioned· speech of a few sentences, declaring that the flag of our country would be trailed in the dust by some of the States of the Union, but that it would float again over an undivided country and in greater splendor than be£ ore! In July the reports of the first battle on Bull Run reached our camp. Our chagrin and humiliation _was complete. The term of our enlistment ( ninety days) would soon expire, and our leaders gathered the soldiers en nzasse on the· parade ground, pleading and insisting that in the shadow of def eat it would be dishonorable to. accept a discharge. I am sure that if the Government had insisted upon it-officially suggested such a sacrifice, the large majority would have promptly com plied and remained in the service. The South recoiled from that shock n1ore distinctly than the North-were amazed, in fact, that by a lucky chance they held possession of the battle- Recollections of Pioneer and Arn~y Life. 155 field. If they had felt convinced of a fairly earned success, they would have promptly followed it up. The excitement died down, leaving the \,\T estern troops where they properly belonged. CII~t\PTER XXIX. To WASHINGTON AND THROUGH New ENGLANT). When our tenn of enlistn1ent had expired, under which the first call for 75,000 111en ,vere s·\vorn in, th~ regin1ents reorgan ized, ancl re-enlisted for three years unless sooner discharged. \Ve were paid in gold and silver, and with the thought in n1y n1incl that I ,vould like to serve throughout the \Var in the i-\rmy of the Poto1nac, I took the train for Philadelphia, de termined withal to refresh 1ny patriotism at the shrine3 of the past. A. young hlood is te1npted to do son1e foolish things in going to war, and without doubt I did 1ny share of them. My older brother, Porter, although he ,vas not in the 111ilitary serv ice, 1nust have had s0111e ,var-like notions in his youth, for he was the pos3essor of an elegant pearl-handled poniard which had never been brought into requisitisn; but, as the opportu nity to use it see1ned to have arrived when I volunteered. I took the Castilian ,veapon with 111e. When I boarded the train for the East I concealed the sti1etto in rny boot-leg in regular cut-throat fashion, and thought no 1nore about it until I had been two nights out~ ·when, feeling the loss of rest, I took an upper berth in the sleeper. The car ,vas packed to suffocation; the aisles overflo\ving with passengers; so that I had difficulty in reaching 1ny berth in the old--f ashioned sleeper, and in doing so 1ny dagger '"·as exposed, and instantly I beca111e an object of suspicion. At that tin1e one ·was liable to be placed under surveillance on slight evidence. I becan1e aware forthwith that I was asstuning unwonted and sanguinary proportions in the imaginations of my fellow-passengers. and, as the result of panto111in1ic notification. H~e conductor ca111e an I :.fl Recollect-ions of P-i.onee~ and .Arniy Life. 157 a.- searching eagerness into my boot-leg. I affected indiffer ence, and turned over as though I had taken refuge in "the lancl of Nod." On arriving in Philadelphia the next morning a stranger came and indulged in a little com1non-place, but I shook him off. 1\fter I had established myself in comfortable quarters at the hotel and scrutinized the old Liberty bell. and t_he apartn1ents at Independence Hall, and the portraits of the sages on the walls, and plucked a blade of gra.ss or two from the grave of Benjan1in and Deborah1 Franklin, I was con scious, as I n1ade these vai·ious and sundry turns throughout the city, of the n10111entary presence of the face I had n1et on getting off the train. I-Iacl I taken a carriage to adn1ire the venerable edifice known as Girard College, the face seen1ecl to flit by; at Betsy Ross' hou.5e, where the flag ,vas 111acle, I ·was not quite sure, but I ha ,vas in \Vashington. I lodged at the old Willard l-Iotel, where . all the great 111en of eld, my peers~ were wont to put up. I· lodged in realistic fashion, for they put me in a crypt directly under the roof. Washington ,vas a scrub town in those day-a military can1p-and the commissioned officers blocked the passage-way at Willard's, and the entrance to the saloons along Pennsyl vania Avenue. The soldiers vvere coming and going. One poor lad in uni£ orm, quite exhausted, had sunk do,vn under the load of his knapsack and accoutrements. He was a mere• youth. Drawn by his pale face, General Mansfield approached and began conversing with him, advising and admonishing. In line with our American love of sensation, I looked upon the spot where Dan Sickles killed Philip Barton Key. T was ashamed of myself when T looked down on the slight stump yet remaining- of the shade-tree in the brick sidewalk ( all that was left ·by relic-hunters) to mark the place of the tragedy. Think of the human vultures making off with the :-;plinters of the shade-tree which marks a lecherous chapter in the history of the capital ! Under the second call for troops a large army had already assembled on the heights around Arlington. The Army of the Potomac, however, lacked the enchantment that distance gave it, and I reconsidered my purpose to join it, preferring to return and tntst my fortunes with the comrades ·with whom I had already paS'sed through a preparatory serv ice. Having resolved, ·while I ·was on the ground, to finish my visit to the East, I spent some days in the Capitol building itself, and in the Department buildings ( mainly in the Patent CJ:ffice building), wliere at that tin1e were kept the objects of interest most attractive to an under-age youth to whom Gen eral Washington's sword and Ben Franklin's old. wooden printing press were as sacred as the bodies of Gengis Khan's ancestors were· to him. ..i\nd more than this: to keep my spir it5 at the right point above low-water mark, the face of my Philadelphia double had a ghostly preference for me. · How ever, when I took the "Bound Brook" route for New York Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Anny Life. 159 the f a111iliar face came and sat down in the seat with me and we got real chu1nmy, he having made up his mind, without any assistance from n1e, that I was not an emissary of Jeff Davis, nor an assassin from Baltimore with designs on the President. We walked up Broadway together from the Jersey ferry at tnidnight, and he showed me into a nice hotel. No. 144 Broadway, for which act of courtesy I wa.s sincerely grate ful, as I was a stranger in the town. J\;Janhattan Island em braces its share of the visible traces of the brave days of old, and I spent some happy hours there, for the transfigured scenes of youth and young 111anhood surpass in interest all others. On an excursion steamer to \Vest Point in subsequent years I fell in with my old con1rade in arms, l\:Iajor Charles S. Cowan, who was born in the city. In our stroll from the Gold R.oom ( the scene of the "Black Friday") · over to Broadway we passed into Trinity church-yard, ·where he shovved me his n1other's grave. When the l\'Iajor was a babe occurred the great fire in the history of old N e\v York, when the fire de partment was wholly inadequate to cope with such a disaster, and in the ,videspread confusion and destruction of property his mother' died from fright and grief, in the full belief that her child, which had been taken by its nurse to a distant block on a visit, had been lost. Trinity and the interior of old Saint Pat11's, where Washington worshiped, are haunts not to be overlooked by the young visitor-nor by their elders, for that n1atter. I found a seat in a coach on the old New York and New Haven line through New England for Boston in the month of August, a favorable time for a visit along the Atlantic coast. I had been dreaming of the land of shoe-peg oats and bass wood hams since childhood, and I now was to see the people of the old V\T ooden Nutmeg State in the very act of emptying their coal-scuttles out at the back window onto Rhode Island, and in this mean and underhand way had about buried "Little Rhody" out of ·5ight. l\1y most radiant recollections of my mid-summer trip up to Boston are illuminated by the bright 160 Recollections of Pi.one er and Arniy L1f e. Yankee girls with who111 I exchanged bits of silver for pieces uf huckleberry pie, which happened every novv and then, for, as I re1ne1nber, we jogged along in no great hurry and I had a good opportunity to see the hills, salt-water estuaries, villages and country life on the hunting-ground3 of the Pilgrim fathers. As I rode along tovvard the intellectual and con1111ercial center of l\1as3achnsetts I could not bring n1yself to believe that the shadow of a great civil war ( the n1ost terrorizing of all wars) ,vas at that mo111ent lowering over these peaceful landscapes. I saw no evidence of it anywhere. A.nd yet I had already con1- pleted one tenn of 111ilitary service and would soon return to resun1e these duties. On arriving at the. hotel, and having reg istered and gotten rid of n1y grip, I stepped to the entrance and sa,v acro..;s the street an old brick meeting-house, plain as a barn, and helf-e1nbedcled in the walls, near the cornice, a British cannon-ball, fired in 1776 from one of King George's blockading vessels. Now, I had come to Boston to see that cannon-ball and other coincident things, and I saluted it with unction; and right there and then I took the shades of all the embattled f arn1ers, each in his turn, and gave him, or it, a big hug. I was so itnpressionable that vvhen I recalled all the scraps the patriots used to have with the "red-coats" in those crooked streets ( they have been straightened since), I went about in my unsophisticated "Sucker'' way earnestly desiring to worship everybody and everything I met. Down at King's Chapel, where the British stabled their cavalry. I vvould not have been in the least surprised to have seen the stout troopers da3h out like an arrow fron1 the bow and charge Washington'~ lines clov.rn on the Con1n1on there. Ben Franklin stood in bronze close oy and I saluted him in abject admiration, and I would not have considered it a hardship to have saluted him five hundred ti1nc.s a clay while 111y visit lasted. In truth I soon reached such a condition of chronic salutation that I v.rent about \vith 111y hat poised three inches above my head, where it rested in rigid veneration for all Boston had, could, ·would, or should have. In this patriotic trance I came at last Recollections of Pioneer and Ar1ny Life. 161 to the foot of Bunker 1--Iill. On the spot ,vhere vVarren felL 111arked by a tablet, I so1-ro,ved as sincerely as 1nortals can. I did not see the n1ontnnent. I wa.3 too busy looking for Pres cott and ''Olcl Put,'' and the f arn1ers young and olcl, with their flint-lock 1nuskets, long-barreled rifles, and shot-gt1n;; carry ing buckshot. I ren1arkecl the line where they had stood, and I looked off upon the bay 'Where the British debarked, and I saw then1 forn1 in line, one con1pany after another ancl one battalion after another, until they seen1ed strong enough to swallo,v the hill ancl all the patriots upon it. They ,vere in full uniforn1 ancl silent, but they ,vere not cowards. 1'he Driton had been a .:5ok1ier for a thousand years, and he was not going to balk no,v. The battle of Bunker I-Iill belongs to your clay and n1ine. There was no loud-resounding circun1stance of ,var along that British line of battle that is now ready to charge the hill. The order to advance was given quietly. I an1 stand ing here on the hill. looking clown at the 111. The shadowy f onn~ of other days are around 1ne. 'rhere is a deep silence here also, for n1odern civilization is about to strike· another blow for a larger liberty. Cro,vn3 and titles will not see this thing clone ,villingly. England's n1ight is at the foot of this hill tn see that it shall not be clone. Her line of battle is already half ,va v up the hill, con1ing on with the rnasterful resolution she had ever shown. They are nearer now and con1ing close. The f anners at the word crouch and lean fonvarcl. looking keenly along their rifle ba_rrels with the fine nerve of the X ew \ Yorld hunter. There is a crash as the fa nners sen cl their shots to the 1nark. Through the po\vcler sn1oke you can see the British line stagger and fall in its own blood, and they sullen ly fall back and re-f onn again at the foot of the hill. ·You know all the story that fills so bright a page in the history of this dear land of ours. Down at the '·Cradle of Libertyt I laid my hand on it.3 ,valls to assure 111vself., that it was still there, and the 111or- ro,v being Sunday. I attended the service at '1're1nont Te1nple. ,vhere Jenny Lind had sung a f e,v years rreviously, her con- 1 (J2 1?.ecollections of Pioneer and Arnn.' Life. cert being n1arked by an enthusiastic advertiser, who bid $625 for first choice of seats. On 1\/Ionday 111orning I laicl a twenty dollar gold-piece down and the agent gave 1ne a ticket for Chicago, and I ·was whisked away through the Catskills to .-\1- bany, thence to Buffalo, where the conductor gave 1ne a stop over for Niagara. On a n1oonless night I stood alone on the natTO\V bridge leading tu Coat 1sland and looked down for the first time on the darlding ,vaters as they flashed their myriad Satanic faces upon 1ne while they passed like a shot f ron1 a riAe under n1y feet. In the visitors' register on the Canadian side I noticed the autograph of I-Ienry Clay and other notables of the past, placed ·some years before. Here we put on our \vater-proof suits, and descended under the 111ain fall. and on the verge of rock in the depths below we felt as one n1ight vvho is about to stop into eternity! Here I met some Hen derson County Argonauts returning ho1ne with a good stake after t\,velve years' absence. On the Niagara River below the falls I squandered some delightful hours and brought to a close 1ny inter-military itineracy. CHAPTER XXX. Rr:-ENLIS1'ED FOR. 'fHREE YEARS. Our c0111pany reorganized for the three-year service un der Charles S. Cowan, ancl assen1bled along with the other con1panies of the regin1ent at Cairo. The con11nanding officer of onr regi111ent, Colonel Jan1es D. l\lorgan, had served as captain in an infantry regin1ent in the l\!Iexica11 War, rendere view of all the troop..-; at the post. Forty thousand 1nen of the different anns of the service were in line, and the earth was tramped till the dust was deep and stifling. The intense heat and the suffering of the n1en for water gave us a foretaste of the n1any privations in store for us. i\s our Govern111ent ad vances in age the lustn1111s are apt to be 111arkecl by the lineal descendants of distinguished soldiers in its history who con1e to the front in the activities of the hour. l\1y attention was called to this fact by the appearance an1ong the general officers in charge of the review of General \'an Rensselaer, a nan1e f an1ilia r to readers of "Knickerbocker" history on l\1anhattan Island. \Ve had with us also, in our canipaign in the Car olinas1 under Shennan, a general of division, ~t lineal descend ant of Israel Putnan1. \Vhen I f ouncl that we had a Van Rensselaer with us at Cairo, I ,voulcl hardly In. ve been sur prised to learn that "IT anl-koppig Piet" and ··The l-Ieaclle.3s I Torsen1an'' were n1en1bers of his staff. The people of southern Illinois ,vere not all loyal, and this was shown by a ,vealthy resident of l\Iouncl City when our regi1nent took possession of the town. 1-Iis large, comfortable house was directly on our route as we entered the village: the clay was hot and the 1nen thirsty. It ,vas a great surprise to l\Ir. Rollins when our 1nen rushed in upon his well to replenish their canteens. The old gentlen1an ca1ne out in a furious pas sion and ordered them out of his yard. His voice was clrowneJ in the volley of chaff the boys fired at hin1. ancl in spite of his valiant exertions he was carried off his feet like a feather on the current of the Ohio. The large majority of our con1pany was composed of the native born; the ren1ainder were Ger n1ans and Swedes. The foreign-born were ahnost to a n1an good 5okliers_. and here and there an1ong them a 1nan of su perior fibre. This is shown now, after an interval of half a century, during which they have achieved successful careers; one of then1 being the president of a bank, others successful nterchants, live-stock con1n1ission agents and f anner.3. One of the 1nost attractive of the young Swedes ( Albert Peterson) Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 165 died in the ho3pital at l\Ioun We first can1e under the observation of General U. S. Grant on this parade-ground. Orders had been issued that the General would review our regin1ent on a certain day. \Ve knew nothing about hin1; had hardly heard of hi1n. Before leaving Cairo field orders f ron1 hin1 as co1nn1ander of the De partment had been read to us; but the only incident that had occurred up to this ti111e to clra"v my attention to hin1 was an order read to us one evening by Adjutant Joe Rowland, signed "U. S. Grant, con11nancling, etc.," ancl when the adjutant can1e to the General's initials-in a Stentorian, perfunctory voice he announced "lJnitecl States," when on noticing that "U. S." or the bugle, preferably by the latter, and ahvays so in battle. During our firat ninety days' service at Cairo this drill was beautifully given on that level parade-ground. During our stay at Mound City one of the gun-boats was launched. A large assembly of soldiers and citizens witnessed the event which was marked by the usual ceremonies. When the full nun1ber of these fighting-craft was completed and in commis sion, the 1if iasissippi flotilla under Corr1111odore Foote, and later under Con1n1odore Davis, forn1ecl a f on11iclable arn1 of the service) ,vhirh played an i111portant part i11 opening up the river to an unvexed flow to the sea. The hulls of the boats were built in \\·ater-tight co111part- 1nents, eight feet square, of 12x12 solid white or live oak ti111- bers. Our guards held the approaches, vvith a reserve on the vessel under construction, and if any of our 1nen dropped to the botton1 of any of the compartments, they had difficulty clan1bering out, for the walls were neatly joined and s111ooth and seven or eight feet in depth. On the 7th of N oven1ber, 1861, the battle of Belmont was fought. \Ve could hear the field guns distinctly. On the next day one of the transports brought the remains of some of our officers slain on that field to our levee to be expressed home. i\s we looked upon their pale faces, their hands crossed in eternal protest again.st the deep damnation of their taking off, treason and rebellion assumed their true significance. Men \vill volunteer for ,var whose physical qualifications are noth ing short of a travesty on what a soldier should be. In our con1pany we had a man built on the plan of the Platte River, which Artemus vVarcl said would n1ake a good river on its edge. This man had length and width, btit no thickness. As he approa~hed one could see distinctly through his transparent rigging ,vithout the aid of the .r-ray. The skull was always grinning) for he ,vas a very good-natured fellow, and he was always sick' and always eating. At the sutler's and elsewhere he kept his pockets replenished between meals. "M. Korn," namesake of the original at the Yellow Banks. called him "Old 168 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. Death.'' This 111an, after gliding spiritually throughout ca111p for a few 111011ths, ,vas reabsorbed into private life. i\ncl [ think at this precise moment he must be somewhere in this glorious Union in high feather with a big pension, for such people never die. A.t n1y readers' sufferance I ,vill devote a few lines to the 111ethocl of such creatures. Finding the Government 1nore than willing to get rid of then1, they returned hon1e to play the gan1e of the "coffee-cooler," to place hin1self in the swin1, uncler the patronage of so111e gentlen1an recruiting tu secure a comn1is sion, through whose collusion he ,vas sworn in again, securing the usual perquisite3 of city, township, county and occasion ally private bounties, a1nounting in all to a considerable su111. The second enlistn1ent ,voukl not last long. Ile ,vould he dis charged the second tin1e probably, on the rccon1menclation of the surgton at the hospital. By this tin1e he would have learned his lesson well, and presenting him.self before some n1an who ,,,anted to hire a substitute, he would be paid $1,000, pr·rhaps 111ore. to n1ake once 111ore the vicarious sacrifice. It is only fair to say that the 1nen ,vith whotn I entered the serv ice at the fall o{ Fort Sun1ter did so without a thought, hope or pro111ise of re,varcl of any kind. Bouilties were then un knovvn, pensions unthought of. As noted elsewhere, ,ve ,vere paid in specie at the close of our service under the first call. Our first payn1ent under the seconcl enlistn1ent was 111acle in greenbacks ( the first we had seen), crisp ancl clean, fresh f ron1 the press. Since the f ounclation of the Governn1ent our people had strngglecl ,vith an uncertain~ discounted, if not fraudulent shinplaster currency. A.ncl here it 1nay be said in a ,vord, but with the force of exact truth, that a1nong the many blessings brought about by the Civil vVar was a stable, ·secure financial systen1, which can1e to its full and rounded perfection when the nation anchored at last on the resun1ption of specie pay- 111ents with the gold dollar as the unit of value. 'rhe green backs (pron1ises to pay)-"five-twenties" they were callecl ,vere in LJ nde Sa111 vvas solvent ( entirely so), but he had no 111oney. and a3sassins were thirsting for his blood on all the h< >rizon around. Fionest 111an that he is, he took a si111ple, open, straightforward way. T-Ie issued pron1ises to pay, founded on the wealth of the country. Ile fixed a tin1e and 111anner of re< len1ption. I-Te sign eel the bond. /\t a later clay the people called it "fiaf' 1noney, but the greenbacks were a "go''-they \\·ent like Sa1npson ·s foxes and 1i rebrancls through the "stand ing corn.'' The pockets of the people bulged out with then1; prosperity prospered over again, and the North grevv rich be yond the clrean1s of avarice, as a direct result of the war. Calico sold at 25 cents a yard: but hogs brought I 1 cents a pound on the hoof. Everybody took greenbacks, nothing doubting. I could fill 1ny ,vallet with then1 in Chicago and the z·ashier at the bank in San Francisco or Boston \vould receive then1 without question. 1\: nt sc) nnder tlv_, old regin1e. Then the cashier \vould get out his ''Bank-Note Detector," adjust his glasses and scrutinize colun1ns of nan1es and titles dignified as .. Banks," where they kept in store a few old-style coppers, a poverty-stricken assort111ent of silver, and a coin or two of golcl, all conspicuously displayed, and a ton of shinplasters, shown with less effrontery. In those clays a cashier was e1n _ployed for his accon1plishn1ents as a persuader. His business \Yas to stand at his window and convince people by son1e hocus pocus that the shinplasters he was shoving at the111 \voulcl not •expire before they conlcl unload then1 on so111e other fellow. l lere in the greenbacks we had a universal currency; a finan• .eial heaven we had never aspired to and dicl not feel ,vorthy .of. \Ve had discovered another Beatitude: "Blessed is he that hath a barrel of the111.'' But our ancient enen1y, John Bull, ,voukl have none of then1. r\ndrew D. \Vhite in his 111en1oirs gives testi1nony to the 1ight in which the financial circles of London looked upon our issue of currency to carry on the ,var: "Drawing 111oney one 111orning in one of the large banks of London. I happened to 1exhibit a few of the new national greenback notes ,vhich had 170 Recolleetions of Pioneer and Army Life. been recently issued by our Governn1ent. 1'he moment the clerk saw the1n he called out loudly, 'Don't offer us any of those things; we don't take them; they will never be good for anything.' I was greatly vexed, of course," says l\1r. White, "but there was no help for it." John Bull sings a different song nowadays ! I took the clean bright bills from the paymaster and ex pressed the111 hon1e. Good n1oney ! I had no doubt of it. Good as gold. Taken on faith; faith in a good cause. Faith in God! And I communed to myself: Uncle Sam's pro1nise to pay had gone forth to the world. He must make good. And he has placed a rifle in 1ny hands that carries nine hun clred yards and sent n1e South on a righteous errand ,vith this 1 injunction, "See thou to that. ' There never was an hour dur ing the four years that I did not feel the force of that obliga tion. It bore 111e up through good and evil report; in light and darkness; in weakness and strength; down to that moment when, standing under the dripping trees in North Carolina in the driving rain, chilled to the marrow, we were told that Lee had surrendered; that we must finish Joe Johnston; and then we could go ho1ne l CI-IAPTER XXXI. OUR FIRST ENCOUNTER w ITH A CONTRA IlAND. During the winter of 1861-62 general orders were issued for the concentration of troops at Bird's Point, opposite Cairo, in 11issouri, and on the Kentucky and Illinois shores in that vicinity, for a projected n1oven1ent down the 11is3issippi un ·der General John Pope, and a sin1ilar 1noven1ent up the Ten nessee against Fort Donelson, and on to Pittsburg Landing, under General U. S. Grant. Preparatory to these 111oven1ents and for the purpose of confusing the enerny, our regiment be came part of the 4th Brigade of 10,000 n1en, under the com- 111and of Gen. John A. 11cClernand, to threaten the fortified rebel post at Columbus. It was a mid-,vinter n1arch, the weath •er was severe, ,vith a considerable f a~l of snow and rain, and the reconnaissance, ·while it fulfilled its purpose, was far from a round of pleasure; the rough clay roads, worked into an aln1ost impassable condition by the artillery and trains, made the progress of the infan try slow and difficult. While in camp at Fort liolt. after our return fron1 tl1is detour~ an incident occurred which ,vill throw light on the status of the slave at the opening of the war. \Ve were still splitting hairs over the question, ,:vhether we were fighting to save the Union as it is, or as it ought to be. We had men on both sides of this question, ancl ·while the majority, if put to the test, undoubted ly were anti-slavery. the North through observation had be con1e so accuston1ed to the "peculiar institution" that many doubted vvhether we might or could get rid of it. Ben Butler 11ad not as yet defined the slave as contraband who had taken Tef uge within our lines. i\nd so it came about that a young -fugitive slave ·within our lines but a f e\v hours gave rise to 171 172 Recollections of Pioneer and .Arn-,,)' Life. a new experience. i\f cClernand, the con1111ander of this expe dition, was a radical pro-slavery politician. The slave's 111aster had a cle,v or suspicion that hi.s chattel was in hicling an1ong the troops, and applied at the general's headquarters for as sistance to recover hi111. There was an i111pression current that our regi1nent had posses.sion of the colored boy; the charge was in fact whispered around that the nigger was in E's wood-pile. The general's partisan zeal was aroused, an, 1 he applied at ColoneI-'s }forgan's headquarters for in fonna tion, but without result. \Vhen, as in blind 111an 's bnff, the search got warn1, our men were non-committal; if questioned, they ans,vered that they had not con1e South to hunt niggers. ~ o discovery was made. The troops were under orders to 111ove. 'fhe transports were at the lancling to take the division across the river. lVIcClernancl hacl his spies out, and when the train ca111e down to clrive aboard, our wagon was searched ancl the young slave cl ragged out f ron1 uncler the load of tents and equipage and handed over to his 111aster. This incident hacl a n1arkecl effect on our personal fortunes. ~I cClernancl 's prej udices were aroused against us, and our regin1ent vvas 0111ittecl f rorn the troops selected to fight the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh. But for that colorecl boy clonbtless the bones of 1nany of us would now be resolving to earth on those f an1ous fi elcls. On a bright day in February, after a season of prolonged, clis111al, severe weather~ I wa.s standing on the levee at Cairo when a fleet of transports, con1ing clown the Ohio, landecl the Confederate prisoners from Fort Donelson ancl were taken on to Rock Island. It was an itnpressive scene and rejoiced the hearts of the loyal North. In con1pliance with a general order for the concentration of ·troops, the 'I'enth Illinois 111acle its final exit f ron1 the preparatory school at Tvr ound City and winter quarters in cabins at Dird's Point, on the l\Iississippi shore, opposite Cairo, whence ,vc entered npon those great ca111paigns under Gen erals Pope, Halleck, Rosecrans, Tho1nas, Grant, and finallv Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Anny Life. 173 Shern1an, which tenninatecl, so far as I was personally con cernecl, on the 4th day of July, 1865, after the exhausted Con federate ar111ies had surrenderecl and our Govern1nent rested · once n1ore in the peace and security of restored sovereignty. \Vhile at this ca1np I \\·as forced to go to the hospital for the first and the only tin1e during the war, by a severe cold. akin to pneu111unia. and l believe was diagnosed as :,nch hy one of the surgeons. I was convalescing ,vhen the truops Lrokc can1p and 1narchcd South at the opening of the spring cam paign, and I stood in the doorway to greet 111y regi111ent as it passed by, feeling hlue as it disappeared f ro111 Yiew in the \\·uods. In a few days, feeling _;,trongcr, I insisted on rejuining 111y regin1ent. against the ren1onstrances of those in charge at the hospital. . \lthough not at all strung, 1 felt well. excepting a tender throat, and shouldering 1ny traps, I boarded a "bob-tail'1 train, which took us as far as Sykeston, where T took the high ,,·ay in con1pany with others for the front, which \\·c reached in the evening. The weather being n1ilc1, I regained strength and resu1ned 1ny duties. Our hrigacle occupied a ca1np within a fe,v n1iles of the rebel fortifications at ~ew :\fadrid, an old to,vn f uunc1ec1 by the Spanish ,vhen under their jurisdiction. ~J y first glin1pse of Gen. John Pope was had at this can1p during a revie,v of the troops, when he rode down our front at br;ak-neck speed on his dapple-gray charger. This per f onnance was intended to be very i1npressive. hut son1ething in the appearance of the horse and the rider 111acle it both ridiculous and con1ical. General George n ~J cClellan 's per f onnance in the san1e role, while 1nore grandiose, i1ad essen tially the sa111e effect. I never could rid myself of the co1nical figure our clear old President, Abrahan1 Lincoln, use I cannot say certainly, but I do not believe Ulysses S. Grant ever thus displayed himself for the delectation of be holders. It is possible that Julius Cresar weet clown his lines with such speed as he could thun1p into an ass, and n1ilitary gentlen1en in all the ages have been loth to surrender the priv ilege; on the other hand, there is the sense of 111ajesty and po\ver in an i1nmense arn1y, such as the A.rn1y of the Cumber .land before the battle of Stone River, passing in review before ,General Rosecrans at Nashville; or the anny that made the J\;J arch to the Sea pas.sing in revie-vv before General Sherman jn Exchange Square, Savannah; or the same army, at Raleigh, .North Carolina, after it had con1pleted the historic can1paigns ·111 Georgia and the Carolinas, passing in rcvie\v before the group of historic n1ounted figures, in repose, con1posed of Grant, Sherman, Howard, Slocum, Schofield, Terrill, Schurz, Logan, and many other di.;tinguished soldiers. Such pictures as that, or the Grand Review at vVashington, are epochal tab- 1eaus that remain fixed in the 111en1ory and are beyond criticisn1. CHAPTER XXXII. 'rHE C.\PTCR.I~ OF ISLAND No. IO AND ~EW ~IADRID. On the 12th of l\1arch, 1862, in the evening twilight, our brigade fanned and silently 111oved out from ca1np, the artil lery muffled, and the 111en cautioned against 1naking unusual noise. Conversation, when indulged, was in undertones. In the darkne~s of the n1oonless night the column moved like an hnn1ense serpent winding in and out through the openings of the forest. I was in the file at the head of our company ,vith Lientenant Sam Wilson and Captain Carr, whose cornpany (I-I) preceded us in the colun1n. That officer was a veteran of the l\1exican War, of n1iddle age, ,vho had seen 1nuch of the ·world; ,vas devoted to the service, and kept his men well in hand. vVe chatted in low tones as we marched along, Cap tain Carr adn1onishing his men at intervals against the clat ter of their canteens, or the querulous voice of s0111e 111an who had difficulty in getting along amicably with his neighbor. \,Ve passed rapidly along in the darkness, and soon debouched upon an open field. Our engineers and staff officers were at hand and under their guidance ,ve ,vere clra wn up in line facing the rebel works; stacked arn1s; and in the inky darkness found a line of rail-£ ence, which we lifted bodily, noiselessly. and extended along our front as a base for a breastwork; then ,vith our trenching tools, working like beavers, \Ve soon had an effective defense against the enemy's siege guns, for at daylight we ,voulcl be an easy 111ark for his trained gunners at the rebel fort. \Ve were no,,, up against the first notable· obstruction of the Mississippi south of Cairo, which consisted of a f onnidable earth,vork and siege guns and a line of de fense works for infantry, a fleet of gunboats on the river, and 17,'j r 76 Recollections of Pi.one er and .1.,,,lrniy Life. the fortifications on Island No. 1 o above. On the left of our line four siege guns were place(l in position protected by a still heavier earthwork. \i\Thile \Ve were engaged in this \Vork not a shot had been exchanged. l f the rebel pickets heard us, they relied upon their ears rather than upon their rifles for cntertain111ent. The silence re1nained unbroken, till Captain Carr left his con1pany at their work in the trenches and ,vent ()llt on our front to reconnuitre on his o,vn account. There was a lane running at right angles to our line of \vorks, and altmg the "worn1'' fence the captain stole quietly. J-Ie loved his pipe, and in an unfortunate 111on1ent stopped and struck a nwtch ! That was the rebel sharp-shooters' opportunity. and in the glare of that little blaze the veteran received a n1ortal wound. I-le was carried to the fann-house near by, ·where he died shortly afterward. In the early dawn, our earthworks having been co111pletecl, there was a lively exchange of :\Iinie halls, and the gunners in the rebel fort, discovering a big black hunch in the corn-field which they had never seen before, trained son1e of the best rifled pieces on it and 111acle the n1orn i11g exercises interesting for Captain Joe ~I o,ver and his n1en. The captain (later a 111ajor-general) in co111111ancl of our divis ion. and later of our corps, was a fighter, but he was out classed ,vith his little hunchback of earthwork and four guns against a deliberately built fort of approved pattern. During our second night under the rebel batteries our cnn1pany was on the outpost3, ,vhere in the silence we could hear much that was going on behind the enen1ies' lines. There was a "racket" throughout n103t of the night, their lights \Vere glean1ing, their band played continuously, and there was the run1ble and tu111t1lt as of reinforce111ents coining in. 'rhe truth proved to be, they were going on board their transports in a panic, cvacnating all their ,vorks, leaving valuable prop erty behind then1. At daylight ,ve found their tents standing, lights burning in then1 and break£ ast on the tables. and n1ili tary stores in quantity and the heavy guns in the fort fell into our hands. The result \Vas that during the t1ne<1ual duel vvhich Recollections of Pioneer and .Arniy Life. 177 extended throughout the previous day, a center shot fron1 the rebel fort nearly buried Colonel S1nith of the 16th Illinois and another broke the n1nzzle off one of our big guns, putting it out of the gan1e. The captain s111iled grin1ly ( a 111an in a fight always sn1iles "grin1ly," I believe, if he is able to vvork his facial 111uscles at all) and landed another shot a little closer than be fore; at all events, the captain took a look at the ene111y's coign of vantage after ,ve got possession of it, ancl found one of his guns clis111onnted ancl his household furniture piled up in a heap. ;\long with our work on this day there \Vas smnething do ing clown at Point Pleasant-pointed but unpleasant for the rehel Con11nodore I-Iollis, which shut hi1n out of the n1ixup. The ~Ii.;sissippi is a nice strean1 to travel on if you have the stuff which entitle.3 you to a first-cabin passage and a "Northern line'' table to lunch at ,vith a seat on the right of the captain, and provided there are no hunting parties out looking for big gan1e. Up to this hour in the Con11noclore's life he had sn1ooth sailing. but on a night a Yankee battery was neatly fitted into a depression 111ade for it at the .. Point" and a lot of our best wing shots stood in the rifle-pit.3, looking bland and sn1iling out over the water. and. as usual. the t111suspicions Con1111oclorc ca1ne along \Yith his Rock of "'I'urtles," and our boys scared hin1 so he ha.:-, not been heard of to this day. As a further diversion. during the afternoon the rebels f onnecl a sn1all in f an try force out of our sight and played the old trick of 111arch ing it around ancl around through the fort as a continuous line of reinf orcen1ents. but really dropping out of sight be hind the fort and coining in again. an encl less chain. \Ve \\·ere unbelievers and stnilecl as we looked at the perf onnance. General Pope 1nade the fallowing official report of these operations : "The 10th ancl 16th Illinois, con1111ancled respectively by Colonels J. D. l\1organ and J. R. Sn1ith. ,vere detailed as guards to the prosposecl trenches and to aid in constructing then1. They marched from camp at sunset on the 12th in- 178 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. stant, and drove in the pickets and grand guards of the enemy as they were ordered: at shouldered anns, vvithout firing a shot; covered the front of the intrenching parties and occupied the trenches and rifle-pits during the whole day and night of the 13th, under furious and incessant cannonading from sixty pieces of heavy artillery. At the earnest request of their Colo nels, their regin1ental flags were kept flying over our trenches, though they offered a conspicuous n1ark to the enen1y. ;,1~he coolness, courage and cheer£ ulness of these troops, exposed for two nights and a day to the furious fire of the enen1y at close range, and to the severe storn1 which raged during the whole night of the 13th, are beyond all praise, and delighted and astonished every officer ·who witnessed it.,. General Pope says in another connection, ref erring to this n1ove111ent: "One brigade, consisting of the 10th and 16th Illinois, under Colonel l\!Iorgan, of the roth, ,vas detailed to cover the construction of the battery and to work in the trenches. They ,vere supported by General Stanley's division, consisting of the 27th, 43d and 63d Ohio. Captain l\Iower, of the 1st U. S. Inf an try, with Con1panies A and H of his regin1ent, was placed in charge of the siege guns. ''The enemy's pickets and grand guards ·were driven in by Colonel l\1organ f ron1 the ground selected for the battery, with out firing a shot, although the enemy fired several volleys of 11111sketry. The work was prosecuted in silence and with the utmost rapidity until at 3 o'clock A. M. two small redoubts, con nected by a curtain and mounting the four heavy guns ,vhich had been sent me, were completed, together vvith rifle-pits in front and on the flanks, for two regiments of infantry. Our batteries opened as soon as the day clavvned and were replied to in front and on the flanks by the whole of the enemy's heavy artillery on land and water." We had in our company an educated Virginian, Absalom l\Jartin, for whom I felt a \Vann admiration on account of his litera,ry quality. By the aid of a good memory he would plunge Recollections of Pioneer and .Arnzy Life. 1 ,9 1nto the English classics and help 1ne to divert the tedious hours in camp. He had a pren1onition of his fate. \Ve were seated on our brea5tworks one evening after the enemy had -ceased firing at us, ,vhen he said to me: "If I should fall dur ing this revolution [ I use the exact ·words], I ·want you to write to n1y wife and tell her all about me.'' I replied that I ·would be glad if I should never have occasion to comply ·with his request. His ordinary 11100d ·was that of a cheerful good hun1or, and although physically too ·weighty a n1an for active service, he got along very ·well until after the close of our ope1 • ations around N e\v NI ad rid, ,vhen it was noticed, ·while on the transports going South, that he was not well. On our return up river, on the vvay to Pittsburg Landing, during a stop at Cairo, he vvas sent to the hospital. Fron1 thence he was for warded on a hospital stea1ner, along ,vith hundreds of others, to one of the large general hospitals in St. Louis, from whence ,ve were notified of his death. The letter from his wife in response to one from me concerning him was painful reading. Concurrently our friends were busy up at the Island. Colonel Roberts ( that gallant, deeply lan1ented hero of the 42d Illinois. vvho fell at Stone River), vvith a picked squad of his boys, dropped in upon General :\'fcKown at vespers and spiked his guns, and on a ·.;tormy night the "Pittsburg" ran the rebel batteries and got safely down to the New Madrid landing. ,vhere we ,vere vvaiting for it. \Vithal, the opening along the bayous for the transports had been con1pleted, and while our brigade 5tood in arn1s on the shore, lo! a steamer ca1ne ,valking, as it were, out of the woods, landed, and took us aboard. There was a rebel earthwork on the opposite ·shore and the "Pittsburg" dropped out into the stream and sent a f e,v plunging shots at it. There was no response, and the transports carried us pron1ptly to the Tennessee _shore, and a foot-race began to interpose our force across the rebel line of retreat f ron1 the Island above. Our brigade had the advance; quick tin1e was 111ade, and be£ ore night came on we had taken up our positions ,vith strong picket forces out. Our own com- 180 Recollections of Pioneer and ...4rni:J Life. pany occupied an outpost, where we took prisoners in nu111 ber equal to our own strength-regular Arkansas travelers; arn1ed ,vith frontier "toothpicks," hon1e-n1acle, ~on the anvil, and rifles, rnuskets and revolvers and every description of shot-gun that had been 111ade up to that tin1e; one of these a giant shot-gun that only a giant could carry or ,vish to fire. During the night the con1111ander of the rebel anny at the Island, whose forces ,ve had barred in their efforts to e~cape, sent in a con1n1unica tion asking for ten11s of surrender. 'fhese having been agt~eed upon, the rebel army ( infantry and batteries) filed onto open ground, nearer the river, in the vicinity of a hamlet named 'riptonville, close at hand, and stacked their arn1s. I cannot say that the stars in their courses contributed to our success in these operations, or that our foe lacked courage and skill. I atn sure that those rebel soldiers of the Sou th west lacked nothing essential to the real soldier. The use of fire-arms, and fighting of one kind or another, was an everyday affair with then1-aln1ost a pastin1e; an(l I feel that l an1 stating the exact truth in saying that those backwooclsn1en whom our con1pany corraled as prisoners at our outpost could, 111an for 111an; have ''wiped the ground" with us on a fair field and no favor. The reasons for our success include s0111e curious facts. Precisely fifty years in advance of our appearance before New ~'laclricl a great convuL~ion of ~ ature had changed the features of the landscape f ro111 the n1outh of the Ohio River to the St. Francis. \iVhere once had been level fanning lands and high plateaus covered by the ancient forest, appeared lakes of great depth or depressions difficult to pass. 'fhe seis1nic disturb ances of 1811-16 ( for they covered the interval between these years) involved this whole region ancl were the severest in the i1nn1ediate vicinity of our operations. No disturbance of .the kind recorded since the landing of Colun1bus could compare with it. The best authorities state the movements were of two kinds-a perpendicular and the horizontal; that the latter was the most destructive; that it n1oved in immense waves, increasing in size as they progressed until they were the height Recollections of Pioneer and Ann:,' Life. 181 of the trees, which tossed and tumbled together, the earth opening and discharging great volun1es of vvater, sand, coal and rock. \Vhole districts of fertile conn try ,vere covered to a depth with ,vhite sand, and in other places the earth ancl forest sank, fonning lakes s01ne of then1 t\,·enty n1iles in length. ~\djutant 'I'heodore \i\Tisernan, of our brigade, assured n1e that prcvions to the ,var he had passed in a hunting-boat ,,·ith his fowling-piece over subn1erged forests in this region) th<::: trees standing upright where they had sunk. The grave-yard of :\1" ew ~,fad rid and large tracts of land with it ,verc swallowed up by the great river, and chasn1s and cre,·ices appeared across which the few inhabitants of the country crawled upon trees where they happened to span these gulfs. As a result of this earthquake the region around Island ~ o. 1 o-which since the close of the ,var has wholly disappeared in the current of the ~T ississippi-extending on down the river and e1nbracing all the country on both shores below ~ e\v ~I aclricl, was so broken up by lakes and the scars of this convulsion that the passage out f ron1 the Island by an arn1y under the restricticns of an in vestn1ent ,vas not a job to be relished by. the 1nost co1npetent of 1nilit:1.ry con1111anders. The difficulties of the situation were greatly it~creasecl by high ,vater. The Father of \\Taters was rolling one of his in1111ense spring tides to the sea and was a 1najestic spectacle. The tributary strean1s ,vere overflowing} and I lr1ve said enough to show that the Confederacy was in hanl luc~{ in her struggle ,vith ~ atnre. to say nothing of John Pope an<1 his army . .,-'\ f.e!d battery of the \Vashington artillery ( the pride of the South'). n1annecl by young bloods f ron1 New Orleans, ·was a part of the trophies of this can1paign. These gallant young French creoles and their beautiful brass guns ,von our syn1-• pathies, ~11d I had an interesting talk ,vith a lieutenant of the con1pany as v,.re stood on the shore looking out over the great river. f-.:c ,vas courteous, intelligent. undisn1ayed by their ill fortune, and had a rock-rooted faith that the South would never be overcome. Our prisoners follo,ve :Donelson to Rock Island, while a fleet of transports assembled .at New :\1a FROM SHILOH TO CORINTH UNDER HALLECK. 'fhe surprises, involving 5udden change of direction and thwarting well-laid schemes, during the Civil \Var, are well illustrateJ in _the change in our fortunes while ,vaiting in thi~ Arkans::ts can1p for the order to advance. ,,r <:. ,vere 3tartled by the news f ron1 Shiloh, and, under an order f ron1 vVashing ton, re-embarked and n1ade the long journey back to Cairo and up the Tennessee River to I-I an1burg, where I n1et \Vill H. Scroggs, an old classn1ate, who 111ake a diagran1 ,vith hi3 finger on the ground to sho\v n1e the position of his regiment and the general line occupied by our troops at the battle of Pitts~ burg Landing. \Ve had a close personal intere5t in this fight, for our old colonel (later general), Ben 1\!f. Prentiss, and 111ost of his division, after a prolonged struggle, ,vere surrounded and captured and taken to Richn1ond. The ..Army of the Mississippi ( novv no longer such), under Gen. John Pope, be can1e the left wing of Gen. 1-Ialleck's grand arn1y, and aclvancccl on Corinth, along the Farmington road. I-Ialleck's entire force con1prised 111ore than 100,000 tnen, and it was an anny ,vorthy of any comn1ander. The enen1y kept us busy. After the ex perience at Shiloh, we ,vere wary and made our reconnaissance in force. General E. H. Paine, of J\1onmouth, a \Vest Point graduate, was our brigade comn1ander. He ,vas a man of "nerve," and in n1any respects an accomplished soldier. Our first reconnais3ance was in a heavily ·wooded country, so diffi cult to operate in, for aimost every step in advance ,vas a sur prise of son1e kind. The "Yates Sharp-shooters," arn1ed with globe-sighted rifles, were onr close con1rades and the appoint ed skirmishers of our brigade. :'\t a crossing, close to the edge 183 184 Recollect-ions of Pioneer and Anny Life. of the dark, heavy tin1ber, a nun1ber of the enen1y were killed trying to get over an open space to a refuge. On the lffw ground ·we halted for a few 1non1ents, when a neatly dressed young rebel officer can1e out of the woods on our con1pany's front to give hin1self up, crying out to us not to fire upon hin1 -"Don't fire, gentle1nen," he said; he was submissive now, but afterward, when he found he was being treated according to the rules of civilized warfare, he becan1e very abusive. Be yond this tin1ber there vvas high open ground, which the ene111y stubbornly held. There ,vas s0111e delay, when General Paine, hecon1ing restless. passed through our lines, and having n1acle his observations. we f orcecl our way under fire out upon ris ing, open grouns1. Our line was now the target for an enetny we could not see in the woods west of us. A.t this 1110111ent l loughteling's Battery passed us like a fiash, unli1nberecl on a knoll on our right and shelled the woods, which ,ve followed up with a charge that cleared our front of the enen1y for that dav., . It ,vas a ,varn1 n1orning in lvfay when the long roll called us to arn1s. Our can1p ,vas on a high wooded ridge with open ings to the south upon the Farn1ington plains, a park-like plateau, ,vith copses of ,vood here and there, and covered ,vith bluegrass. Looking -south upon this partially open country. ,ve saw an arn1y ·with banners like a stereoscopic picture suddenly cast upon canvas-a reconnoitering force, twenty thousand strong, led by John C. Breckenridge. ,.I'he facts ,vere as we now know them to be: Beauregard's arn1y in Corinth ,vas getting ready to abscond and did not wish to be crowded in the act, fearing it n1ight not be a success; hence this bluff ( the battle of Farn1ington) on our front this day. Our anny ·was dra vvn up in line to receive the1n, and at one or two points of contact there ,vas severe fighting, hut the Conf ecl erate force ·withdrew ·without bringing on a general engage n1ent. Following up this diversion, we advanced to the village -and thre,v up a f orn1idable line of breastworks. Tarrying here briefiy. ·we advanced within striking distance of Corinth. Here Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 185 wa5 a beautiful pasture-like country studded \vith parks of "K apoleons," or ''rifled parrots," and all the paraphernalia of a great anny. i\s our lines of circumvallation shortened a portion of this splendid equip111ent was necessarily held in re serve. On the last clay of our operations on the front of Beauregard's arn1y ,ve ca1ne into line in the early n1orning. 'vV e occupied the south line of an open field, across ·which,. posted along the edge of a \vood, were the rebel outposts. .A.s we stood in line ·waiting, the "Yates Sharp-shooters" deployed rapidly upon our front and passed gallantly across the fielcl in face of the enen1y. V\/ e held our breath for a tin1e, fearing s0111e of our lads would fall; but they en1ployed the Zouave trick of always keeping in n1otion, and the line, including the 111ajor in con1111and on his black charger, coolly riding up and down with his n1en, had a wonderful escape. .--\s I ren1en1ber, onlv one or two were wounded. C)nr line of battle ,vas 111anv n1ile5 in length-through swa111p and thicket, over hills, across gullies, at the door of f an11-houses, closing in on all sides of the f ortifiecl tov,·n except a door of escape by the B. & 0. Rail road, which it was the Con£ ederate co111111ander's e3pecial care to keep open. }\t intervals along the line sharp fighting took place. The day ,:vas occupied on our own front in forcing our ,vay close up under the rebel ,vorks, the yello,v clay of which we had gli111pses of through the \H)Ocl3. A.n inf an try force ca1ne out under cover of the thick underbrush on our front to dispute our further advance, and our sharp-shooters ha 111en out of their blankets yelling the1nselvea hoarse trying to 111ake the in1pression that they were receiving reinforcements. vVe stood in groups in our blankets in the chill night air ( in the South the te111perature is low fro1n midnight to da,vn and our ponchos reeked with dew when we ,voke up), assuring one another that the rebel anny was destroying what they could not carry a \\'ay. Tbe run1bling of trains was inces.3ant, loaded with our departing f riencls in their hurried flight. ln the vvake of our cavalry our brigade had the advance in the pursuit, for a portion of the retreating arn1y occupied the roads leading south f ro111 the town. .l\s we entered the village but one 111an greeted us-a typical hook-nosed Jew with a peclcller~s pack on his back. I--Ie crawled out of a vvet brush heap and solicited con1radeship. The vvandering Jew is the real thing vvhen ,ve ,vant to label a n1an doing Lusine3s under difficulties. \Ve can1e up with the rebel rear guard at the Hatchie River. They had burned the bridge, and their cavalry videttes occupied the south bank. At this point our pursuing cavalry suffered a severe check and retired in our favor. They can1e upon this ground in the early morning hours, before it was yet dawn, cautiously feeling their way. i\t a sharp turn in the road, close to the bridge, the advance vvas literally blo,vn from the muzzles of a rebel battery ambushed to cover the approach. The spot, n1arked by the dead horses, was the subject of ren1arks as we passed. Our cotnpany (E) wa:; here detailed to advance and discover the strength of the rebel videttes holding this crossing. We filed down into the woods to the left of the burned bridge and advanced at ,viii toward the river bank, each 111an selecting his own cover frotn whence he could fire upon the ambushed enemy waiting for us on the opposite bank. We were well to the front, having gained a hundred yards advance, when Sergeant George W. Cowden had his arn1 broken by a shot from the hidden foe. As we could not charge him across the stream, we poured a volley into the brush where he was hidden, with good effect, for he decan1ped without ceremony. The pursuit of Beauregard's Recollections of Pioneer and Ar11lj1 Life. 187 anny was given over to our cavalry, and we went into can1p at Big Springs near Corinth. \Ve were here during the black berry season and recovered from the fatigues of the can1paign indulging in pie sicklied o'er ·with the pale cast of crust con structed without those helps down in milady's cook-book as the shortening and baking powder. They were just cobbled those pies. Possibly Martha Washington regaled Uncle George with something better, as she had saleratus and sour milk. I don't know. The boys dug a hole in the side of the hill and built what they called an oven, where they baked those pies. I did not think it good manners to inquire too closely about that oven. I conten1plated it respect£ ully at a distance. S01ne ho,v our pies had no color. 'fhey 111ust have had tuberculosis, for they perished pren1aturely. Dave Sage ,vas our tonsorial artist at this point, f a111ed for the superior style of his "cut," and for the vvay he in spired the boys to spruce up. \Vhen David got through with the arn1y, the n1en looked like a lot of dudes. -w·hen he had tri111n1ed and slicked up the last 111an, he had hair enough on hanrl to start a hair-1nattres3 factory. Ile vvas our pride, and distinguished for his ver5atile talents. \Vhen he took a patron in hand, he finished hin1 for a swell function of any kind. I-le shaved hin1 and "shingled" him, stuck 111int in his nose, sham pooed and 111anicured hin1, laid hin1 on a board and pinched and punched and slapped and rolled hin1 under massage, rub bed in s0111e skin food, shook him, and 111ade him stand up like a n1an and look like somebody. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE NfARCII TO TUSCUMBIA AND NASHVILLE . . \t the close of a clay's 111arch toward 'ruscnn1bia, i\la han1a. at night£ aH, supper over, we gathered our n1ounts on short notice ( a group of the line officers and subalterns) ancl struck off at right angles into the enen1y's country for a 1110011- shiner'.3 headquarters of \vhich ,,ve had been advised by one of our scouts. :-\n hour's rapid riding f ron1 our outposts brought us into a desolate, uninhabited, hilly region within striking distance of the rebel cavalery. \Ve slowed clovvn and advanced cautiously with a sn1all, alert, advance guard. 'I'here was no 1110011 and the darkness and silence n1ade our ear.:; re ceptive of every sign or noise outside of our o,vn group. 1-\buut 9 o'clock vve came suddenly upon the cluster of cabins well ,vithin a s1nall canyon, withdrawn f rorn the prying vvorld without, which con1posed the "still" characteristic of the South in ante-bell urn clays, ,vhere, judging f ron1 the quantities of ancient pu1nice lying in heaps around, the quality of ';chain lightning'' known a.3 peach brandy had been n1anufactured for a hundred years. 1-Iaving posted pickets, vve took an inventory of the "still" in the darkness. 'rhe pre1nises stank of alcohol. Strong as the odors were. they ,vere so conflicting that we could not locate the best in stock in the darkness by .3n1ell alone. and we strode noiselessly to the door of the 1noon ... shiner's cabin and tapped it softly. one, t\vo, three, and an object ca111e .to the door and we said to it, "Stranger, we are around looking at the country for an uncle of ours: have you anything at hand ,:vith which to cheer belated travelers?'' \Vith great apparent alacrity, but with a subcluecl. apprehen sive voice. the figure out of the clarknes:; answered: "It's likker 188 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 189 you'ns 'd like?" .. Stranger," replied the captain, "you 're wann; hand her out.'' \i\Tithout ado, the old n1onntaineer rolled a keg out at tbe door, saying, "Thar ain't 111uch in yer, but it's all l hev .'' 'fhe contents were drawn into canteens, the cabin uoor closed softly, and we were pro111ptly on the road for ca1np. \Ve had hardly got away fro111 the ··still'' when at a low signal we stood 111otionless in the road. There was a n1ove111ent at the front \rhicb cast a doubt in the n1ind~ c,f our advance, and the rider.3 parted equally to each side of the roacl, sl1eltered in the heavy forest, and stood on their guard, listen ing an( 1 waiting. .After a brief interval ancl a sign of restored confidence, we covered the 111iles into can1p at a rattling pace. 'f he round trip had Leen 111acle in con1parative silence. and was wholly free of bibulous traits. lt was undertaken at the in ~tance of John Tillson and other headquarters gent!<: 111en of like taste.3, si111ply to equip their circle with the cul-' which cheers. 1 joined the expedition with no better 111otive than that of adventure. Of the 1nany beautiful springs in the South-at Iuka, 11untsville, "\'ashville, and R.on1e-f ron1 which we ;ined our canteens. l an1 sure the spring at 'l'uscu111bia is the 111ost won derful of all. worthy of a journey of a thousand 111il~s to see. It rushes f ro111 the rock a river in volun1e and, like the jester in cap ancl bells, goes plunging and dancing away over the rocks, glittering in the sunlight and shaking with 111erri111ent. If I were an artist, I would return to Tuscumbia and lay upon n1y canvas the old colored "auntie'' con1ing up f ro111 the spring, with the turban of color around her head, a pail of ,vater balanced upon it, her pickaninnies happy all the day, in her train. On one of the lonely hillsides near that town Wt' buried one of our Swede boys. .AJaban1a-"I-Iere ,ve rest.'' Tt used to be said of one of Henry Clay's partisans that he \VOttld go t\:venty 111iles to hear Kentucky's great "'\,\Thig orator pro nounce the nan1e "Alaban1a.'' Our fan1ily used to have in l-Ienclerson County a friend ( A.llen Briskey by na1n~--ped.ce 190 Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. to his ashes!) who had two distinguishing characteristics: he was f ro111 Alaba1na and, as the boys in the .-\rn1y used to say,. he "stood lots of rest." The seizure of cotton by Government agents and by pri vate parties began first to attract n1y attention at Tuscumbia. 'rhe leader in this business near our ca1np was a Jew. and tl1is fact did not tend to confirm my conviction that it wa~ a "square deal.'' The great staple of con11nerce was 1no1 c to be desired than fine gold. 1-\ few bales surreptitious1y tt c1ns ported within our lines and cashed \vould place the possessor on the road to in ISOLA'l'ED A'l' N .'\SlIVILLg. At ~ ashville ,ve ,vere i.:--;olatecl in the enen1y's country, having neither rations nor co111n1unication with our 111ilitary leaders save by courier, \ivhich was a dangerous business at that tin1e. The city ,vas full of spies and other ene111ies, and ,ve were liable to attack at any tin1e by independent fore es_, such as Forrest's cavalry, or other n1arauclers of the guerrilla type. VVe prepared for this by enclosing the city in a rude breastwork and by a series of fortification~. of ,vhich Fort Negley was the chief; albeit this fortification ,vas in a crude state for so1ne 111onths. but af terwarcl, when co111pleted. a forn1iclable defense, arn1ed ,vith heavy artillery in bcnnb-proc)f case111ents. Our regin1ent occupied this fort for s0111e 111onths. Rations had to be supplied by our wits: and a systcn1atic search of the cellars of the city resulted in finding a quantity of en reel pork in a condition bordering on put ref action. and in a li111itecl supply of flour and corn 111eal. \Vith this pork and accessories we invited ihe bubonic plague. dysentery and the 1nalignant fevers that find a hospitable hon1e in the Soll th in the sultry season. .;\s for forage. the brigade 111arched into the country in force with a train of en1pty Army \vagons, ancl having 111arked the plantations where the cribs were ,vell sup plied, outposts were stationed on all the approaches and the \vagons, loaded, returning to the city heavy laden. Son1e of our 111en were captured in sn1all squads when they ventured out along the turnpikes in search of son1ething to fill their haversacks. Reports of guerrillas in force can1e in aln1ost daily, and there were collisions of more or less importance, 192 R ecollertions of Pioneer and Anny Life. 193 and finally we prepared for an attack. threatened by Forrest. The situation was considered Berious enough to ju~tify Gen eral Granger in coming to the fort and carefully studying through his gla3s the move1nents of Forrest and his men on our f rant. The enemy, not finding ·what he was looking for ( an opportunity to surprise us), reconsidered his purpose and decamped. The State's prison is in the suburb east of the city. Here the 1nilitary prisoners were confined, including those under sentence by the general courts-n1artial. One day our brigade was called out and n1archecl to the level ground on the east ern outskirts of the city. In the cohunn ·was an Army wagon containing a coffin and a prisoner in irons seated thereon. On reaching our destination, we "£ armed square," the wagon and the prisoner at the center, ,vhere ,vas an open grave. The coffin ·was placed on the ground and a guard conducted the condemned 1nan to his seat on the coffin as before. He sat facing the west. A.n official of the military court read the charges and specifications and the sentence of the court. An officer of the line then stepped f onvarcl and blindfolded the prisoner, and at a silent signal another officer with a file of sharp-shooters faced the prisoner at a distance of ten pace3 and cocked their guns out of his hearing. S01ne of the rifles were loaded ,vith ball and others were not. In silence, at a signal, the n1en aimed at his heart; at a signal they fired. For an instant the body sat upright, then feii over back\vard, and the colt1111n 111ovecl quietly alvay at the vvord. Not all the deserters f ron1 the service had the good fortune to receive clen1encv., at the hands of that most merciful of all n1en- Abraham Lincoln. On another occasion our regiment halt a painful duty to perform. i\ troop of Pennsylvania cavalry had ref used to obey orders. They ,vere picked men-blue bloods frorr1 the old "T(eystone" State, who claimed to have been "inveigled'' into the service (poor credulous dupes) as the body-guard of General George B. l\1cClellan, \vhereas it was sought to put the111 to baser uses-to feel for the enetny I~J-4- Nccollectio11s of Pioneer und . I rmy I.ifc. if happily they n1jght find hi111, and put hi111 to rout. Ucrc ,,.·a-; another rcl>ellion and it was up to L~ncle Sa111 to put it d Texas. ln the latter State f ru111 two to three thou.-,and lives \Yerc taken hy local vendetta on the plea that they \\'ere not in sy1111>athy \rith the rcLcllion. Those \\·ho \\·ere fit f1 >r 111ilitary duty were < >rganizc ~lT\·icc ( cavalry 111ustly_) and. in a scnse1 pn)\·idccl for in that 'J'he \\' th c :-,Ctni na rjcs 1 the f actnry 1Jt I ild i 11gs. were taken by the Gt )V cn11nen t f<>r hospital,.; and they \\Trc constantly full to reple tion. 1 \ t the convalescent hospital, on a Sunday afternoon, in the large hallwa_y, there \Yas usually an i111provised se1ni religi()11;-; sen·ice or ·'talk." The leader. often a distinguished visitor ()f the Sanitary Co111111i~~iun, like Lydia ~\!aria Child, uf Philadelphia. her hair ~nu\ry white. the S\\·ect 111ntherly iacc of line intelligence, .~ct off l)y tlw Quaker cap of lace. 'fhe 11alt, lan1e and blind, nr nearly so. fron1 the great battle-fields, gat hcred eagerly around her while she ga\T uut in sin1ple \\'ords those truths \\·hich \\·e need to have repeated to us e,Try dav,., . and ,vhich are as old as the race . J\ f ter the battle of Perryville, General \ Villian1 S. Rose- crans sm:ceede outskirts of Nash ville near the close of the .,vear r862. I-Ie appeared to advantage, and scanned the troops closely for de ficiencies of every kind 111ore thoroughly. I believe. than 1 had ever ~een it done. lTe had 1na11_\' of the traits of a popular con11nander. and so1ne of hi~ nnhlest qualification~. Tie nar- 19() Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. rowly missed being the idol of the North during the Civil War. ·'Old Rosey" was once a nan1e to conjure with, and his n1en saw hi1n go away after Chickan1auga with a pang. I saw hi1n in Nash ville on his \vay North f ron1 Chattanooga. Laura Keene was in town, playing leading roles at the principal theater-the same actress who appeared in '·Our A1nerican Cousin" the night Lincoln was assassinated. Rosecrans and his staff occupied a private box one evening and the actress, during a pause in the play, in response to applause fro111 the general and his con1panions, turned full upon hin1 and court esied in acknowle Union died, and hi3 ton1b 1 ,vere the principal objects of inter est. . r'\s we walked along the paths f an1iliar to the hero of the battle of New Orleans, we could hear the distant guns of an arn1y assen1bled ·with the sworn purpose to destroy all that "Old I-Iickory" held 111ost clear, and we can1e away convinced that his bones were resting uneasily in the grave \vhere his countryn1en had bid hitn. CJ-IAPTER XXX\/f. BRIDGEPORT TO CHATTANOOGA. On our 111arch to Bridgeport, on the Tennessee River, ,ve were held for a day or two in our can1p at Colun1bia. Dur ing the delay, along ,vith -Sergeant Sin1pson, I called at the ''Athenceu111''-a seminary for young ladies, equipped ,vith a fine library and a nun1ber of n1usical instru1nents. It was the su111n1er vacation) but the principal was in charge, and a nun1- ber of students ,vere in attendance-taking lessons in 111usic po3sibly. Our reception, while not lacking in the an1enities, was a little on the bias, as a call from the "blue-coats" evident ly had not been anticipated. I-Iowever, she was a lady of 1nature years, intelligent, and ,ve soon becan1e interested in a line of conversation that presented son1e difficulties. The principal having cleared the ground and stretched the rope, as it were, we were given an opportunity to explain our mis .sion to the South. \Nhile Charlie was n1aking the pass pre li111inary, I was looking over 111y n1ental wares to see if I could find a reason for having been discovered by this lady south of 1\-Iason and Dixon's line ,vith a gun in n1y hand. l\f y comrade ,vas a "Union Democrat,'' and scorned the thought of fight ing to free the "nigger." Whether I was an 1-\bolitionist or not, I thought I ,vas, and I said to her in effect that ·.slavery was a subsidiary thing, to be gotten rid of, as vVashington and Jefferson had sh 197 198 Hccollections of J>iunc"·r und ~Jnny Life. bone of contention to \\Tangle over as before. Charlie fared no better in the old lacly's graces than I did; in truth, she smiled on us as though \\·e were a brace of young lunatics. \Vhile on this n1arch the troops were called into line one morning, and to our surprise there came <>11 a quick-step down our f runt the s11are-dn1111s and the shrill notes of the fife, playing "The Rogue':; ~larch,'' the rogue hin1self following, and a file of bayonet~ in close touch bringing up the rear. 1'he culprit was exhibited 1H.' rnre a long line of troops, his buttons cut off, and at the end he was dn11nn1e the trees, \Ye stand absorbed. thinking of all the tragedies that ha,-c taken place here \\'ithin the s,,·cep uf one\; visi(n1. ·Can one nan1e a spot on the r()uncl globe so fit for the circun1stance and po111p of war? .\ pai11ft1l scene this; as our train wound sl(l\dy' along this valley, ,,·hich hacl hecn so often crossed and recrossed hy armed n1en ancl 1)y the starving ani111als of the beaten· L;nicm host. The earth was tr over which started one or two little strav.rs burning1 and they started other straws. till Deacon Bross, fleeing along the streets of the lurid city, looked back and saw the public buildings afla111c '\:\"ith a st1bli111ity of effect that astounded 1ne" ! No one knows. Dead guards tell no tales. They ,vere careless, and sn1oked their pipes in unconcern on this 111ountain of gun powder. Tt does not see111 pnssiblc that a grain of powder could have been expose During the crucial days when General Grant assumed conunanci of the beleaguered arn1y in Chattanooga and General Shern1an and the Arn1y of the 1'ennessee were being trans ferred f ro1n \ticksburg to our front, our division, under the connnand of General Jeff C. Davis ( the same who shot Gen eral N ebon in the Galt liouse at Louisville), ,vas di3tributed along the iords of the Tennessee above the city; our own co111pany ,. E) being stationed at Penny's Ford. vVe were di rectly opposite the cxtre1ne right of Bragg's army on 1vTis sion Ridge. Across the river. on our in1mediate front, ,vere the rebel cavalry vidette~ with inf an try supports en echelon. behind barricades. This was our situation at the opening of the battle of l\lission llidge. Our division ,vas a part of the Anny i)f the Cu1nberland, under General Thomas, which oc cupied the center sotne n1iles away f ro1n us in the Chatta nooga valley. Our orders vvere, therefore, to co-operate with General Shennan's Arn1y of the Tennessee, which came onto the ground we occupied, but remained screen.ed from obser vation in the woods back from the river. General Jcff Davis 1 our Jeff) ,vas a vVest Pointer and a lieutenant under General Robert Anderson ,vhen Fort Su1nter fell; after that event he was advanctd in grade along ,vith most or all of the West Point 111en, and transferred to the West, and was in con1n1and of a brigade in Euell's army at Louis ville when the personal encounter took place ·which resulted in the death of General Nelson. He was a stocky little man, wa~ Davis, and \\·ould recoil, one ,vottld suppose, from a passagt.· at a rn1s with a powerful man like Nelson, v,.rhose '..!01 202 Hccul/cctions of J>ionccr und ~·lrni_v L-ife. courage nothing cuuld daunt. ~ ut s< > ~ :\ d~()n 's brutality ventured once too of ten~ ~\ las, that it \ras so! fur he \ivas a soldier \\'li ridge, their polished arn1s glistening in the sunlight. The en en1y had the advantage of us in his superior view of all parts of the field. Sheridan's charge on the center of his clefensea was noticeable tu us by the 111usketry fire only, as we could not see the 111oven1ent. General John ~I. Cor~e. later the hero of ~\ltoona Pass and son uf the (>ld-ti111e buuksellcr al Durlingtun, Iowa, ,vas on the fighting-line in our front, and was borne back wounded to the field bospital, un a stretcher. I-Ie vvas boisterous and blasphen1uus, declaring his ability to lick the Confederacy, with otber 111ani fcstatinns of lunacy. The surgeons gathered around hi111, and a111011g the111 our divisi()n surgc(m, I leury H.. Payne, \\·hon1 I quote: '' \ \' c rc1nu\·ccl the general's clothing tenderly, expecting to find ( as there \\'as no hloud) a severe contnsioti. ()n opening the underclothing at the knee ,vith a knife, the disabled lin1b wa~ exposed. and looking it over minutely, we found a little Llue spot \,·here a spent ball hacl struck hin1 !" On learning that so111e prisoners f ruin Suuth Carolina had been taken on our front. l \\'l't1t n\·er tu \,·here they \rere held, and f onnd an1()ng then1 srnnc 1ncn f ron1 111y tn()thcr\ natiYc parish. ·who told 111c of a Giles relati\0 e \,·ho had received a mortal \Younc.l du ring the day . .After nragg's center had been 1Jn >ken and his ann\· had taken the roads south in retreat. nur division crus~ecl Chicka- 111a11ga Creek in pursuit. \Ye can1e up with their rear guard at Chickan1auga Station, ,vhere they bad a field hospital. Here we were conf rontecl by a strong earth,vork on a salient of the bluff. The Conf eclerate officers stood on the parapet ob- serving us forn1 our line below. To charge these hills we had to 1nake our ,vay over fallen tin1ber. 111uch of it of the largest size, fellecl to n1ake altnost a perfect clef ense against the attacking force. The trunks nf son1e of the trees ,vere so large that ·while ,ve could not force our way under them for the 111ass of tangled lin1bs, they \Vere so thick through that it was all -we could do to cli111h over then1. .\s we advancecl ,ve finally got away f ron1 this obstruction. and ,vent to the top of 204 Recollections of Pioneer and /lnny Life. the ridge on the double quick in the face of a sharp cross fire of musketry. We got possession of the range of hills without difficulty, and advancing through the open woods acros.3 the high tableland, discovered the enen1y's rear guard ( a division of troops) in full retreat across a field in the next valley. They disappeared from view in the .. dense woods on the further side of this opening. I--Iere they were screened from our sight, and I thought we would be severely punished as we can1e within range with a close line of battle. I could distinctly hear their teamsters cursing their anin1als in their efforts to get their trains out of our range. vVe were halted here. When we did advance, after some delay, the enemy had taken a strong position, where severe fighting was going on when night fell and we ,vithclrew to our catnp-fires. This was the last we saw of Braxton Bragg. When we grappled again with this reorganized rebel army, it was under the able leadership of General Joe Johnston. Cl-IAPTER XXXIX. H ELI l~F OF KNOXVILLEo Longstreet had v.. ,ithclrawn fron1 l\1ission Ridge before the battle and united his strength to the rebel investtnent of our fortifications at Knoxville, def ended by Burnside. Under the impression that the Union arn1y · there n1ight suffer defeat, our division and Gordon Granger's were sent by forced n1arches to raise the siege at that point. Our route lay along some of those fertile valleys in east Tennes.5ee, celebrated when I was a boy for their crops of red winter wheat, highly prized on the Atlantic sea-board when converted into superior flour for domestic use and for export. I was kindly re ceived at a cabin on the roadside, one evening after we had got into can1p, by an octogenarian, who had served under Jackson and who was greatly surprised and pleased to find the Stars and Stripes so unexpectedly near his house. The women of that household baked for me s01ne biscuits-incomparable biscuit, no doubt, for never before nor afterwards during the service was I blessed with the good fortune of wheaten biscuit, for "co'n-bread" was the staple article of diet in Dixie at that time. Perfect little gems ( those biscuit), baked by the fire-place of our forebears, in the same little oven, with the hot coals underneath and on the lid. One day later on I went into a fa rn1-house. at the close of a long march. and found a group uf soldier.;;; who had pre ceded me being entertained hy an intelligent young lady of the household. She ~ ecmecl in good humor ,vith her self- invited callers, but as I took a seat ( with due deference I am sure) she turned to 1ne and sai for sally, out l could not take water; so l gathered 111y vvits and replied: ··vVe are here and it i3 General Bragg's busi ness to put us out." I 111ust say here, once for all, that not vvithstanding all that had happened, and was happening, and in the nature 0£ things \voul I an1 in deep sy111pathy this n1on1ent with 1ny patient reader. He ,vas ,vholly justified in his expectation that these pages would be filled ,vith a blood-curdling narrative of war. I am rnortified beyond words that I cannot disen1bowel a hun dred of the ene1ny on every page, or hold up 1ny dripping sword on filling a nu111ber of chapters with the slain of my own valiant arm. r\ ,vord about this: Our destined end and way depends upon the star under ,vhich we ,vere born. The old 3d Brig., 4th Div., 14th A. C., under Gen. J an1es D. l\Iorgan. possessed a peculiar hypnotic povver-the power of dispersion. vVhen ,ve suddenly con£ ronted the rebel fortifications at New Madrid and 1ny co111pany took position on the outposts, that was a bluff. 1\nd the foe did not stop long enough to blow out his lights, nor to eat a hasty, early break£ a5t. \\Then he found the old 10th and 16th Illinois across his path of escape from "Island No. 10," he acknowledged the corn, came in, and stacked his guns. Beauregard kept his nerve f ro1n Shiloh to Corinth, till Morgan closed up against his work5. That fixed him. I-le promptly exploded his 111agazines and left for a sunnier South. When ,ve got to Bridgeport the Fates ,vent against u.3 (but for a few 111inutes only) and turned our own shells against us-a striking instance indeed ,vhere, gallant n1en not being able to bring the enen1y to bay, adverse fortune evened up the score by involving then1 in a fight ,vith them5elves. At n1Iis sion Ridge and Chicaka1nattga Station the old prenatal influ ence returned and Bragg virtually refused to 1nake our ac quaintance. A.nd here we are, within striking distance of Knoxville; and we ,vaved our n1agic wand and Longstreet at once bestirred hin1self to get back into Virginia. Fortunate man! Jvforgan's brigade was instructed at the outset to "make war gaily" and we continued to do so "all sun1mer," and every sumn1er, till Jeff Davis, ti red of his job, disappeared in a petticoat. 21 o l?. ecol! ections of JJionecr u n d ...-1 nny Life. And so now we have nothing to do this n10111ent but to take up the long n1arch jn the hot sun ancl stifling dust and stride on, ·unn1ovecl, when 1nen oppre.3secl by the heat, the burden of anns, and the choking thirst, throw a\\'ay their blankets with an oath and a·wake in the chill and heavy de,v of the Southern night suffering for the \vant of those blankets. Who;;oever thou art, 0 youth of thjs dear native land of ours, who shall bear this flag in other clays on other fielcls-kno\v thou that not to every 111an is it given to bear vvounds or suf fer death on the field of honor. :'\t the suprcn1e n101nent, when cluty calls. we in vain protest; for shall the thing n1acle say to Hin1 ,vho 111ade it, "\iVhat doest thou?'' CI-IAPTER ~L . .A.t Ros:;\·illc \\·c recei\·ed the proposition to re-enlist as veterans of the service; to receive our regular pay~ a bounty of four hundred dollars to be paid in acl vancc 1 thirty (lays· furlough and free transportation to and f ron1 the place of enlistn1ent-Quincy, Illinois. \ \ · e co111pletecl our 111u~ tcr-rulls and were sw~rn in and paid on these tern1s. Each of our n1en had a con1fortable roll of greenbacks. Lut su111e of the1n, being incorrigible ga1nblers. had lo~t all their n1oney at ··chuck a-luck'' before leaving ca111p antl boarded the train at Chatta nooga bankrupt. \Ve 111acle the round trip in freight cars. and other notable rides \\·e had in like iashion, during and at the close of the ,var. The self-denying ·work of the loyal ,von1e11 of the X orth through the Sanitary Con1111ission and other agencies \\·ere a part of the an1azing energies of the Civil War. vVe came Yvithin the scope of this influence on our arrival at Quincy. ,Ve had hardly stacked anns before we ·were ushered into the banqueting-hall~ The soldier could hardly get a ruund without breaking hi3 neck, stun1bling over things provided for the inner n1an. and the attention and service of these ladies did not stop here, but they ,vere at the beck and noel of eYery volunteer, sick or ,vorn out. I an1 sure our reception, how ever. would have had fewer qualn1s could ,ve have dodged from the cattle-cars into the bath-room before being discovered by the fair daughter3 of the Gen1 City. Passing through the old "Sucker" State-£ ron1 the sliding doors of the box-cars ,ve cheered everybody and ,vere cheered by everybody in return. A·s our train passed th rough a small, coal-mining hamlet on 211 2 12 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. the Quincy branch of the "Q" a buxorn young Irish 111other came to her door with her babe in her arms in response to our cheers and the swinging of our hats from the car windows ( we exchanged freight for passenger cars at Quincy), and began saluting us by lustily swinging her disengaged arrn, and when that tired, she would bounce the baby over onto the other arn1 dexterously and swing the free ann as hef ore, the baby smiling and enjoying the fun as much as the n1other. As we passed out of sight that baby wa.; making lightning changes f ron1 right to left and back again with the good1 hu1nor and abandon the Irish race throw into every _cause which they have at heart. On our vvay North to Galesburg, Major Charles S. Cowan wired ahead to a way station an order for dinner, for the cotnpany, as a free-will offering. In the evening of a January day in 1864 we were received by our friends in the ancient village of the Yellow Banks. It is difficult to ade quately set forth here the deep syn1pathy and loving-kindness shown us by our old friends and neighbors during our leave of absence of thirty days. We shall not see its like again, for son1ehow the great days of old never repeat themselves. As the war spirit grew in fervor f ram year to year the political estrangements and antagonism in the North multi plied so that almost every neighborhood showed the limit to which people can be drawn in the fierce enmities of a civil war. The people were divided as formerly between the two great political parties, but within the l)emocratic party arose another, a secret organization known as "The Knights of the Golden Circle," sufficiently ornate in its title and threatening in its teachings to create the su3picion that it originated in central Illinois and the southern half of the State, southern Iowa, Indiana and Ohio and along the border counties of other States adjoining the Confederacy. T--f enderson County was afflicted by an1bitious gentlemen of this description. They took their cue from the Right Reverend Henry Clay Dean (''Dirty Dean''), formerly of Iowa, later of Rebels' Cove, Mis- Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 2 13 souri, L)an \ 7 orhees, of Indiana, and \'allandigha111, of Ohio. The official title of the organization was found in practice to be too elaborate for the Western 111in<-1, and the people cut it short by calling the members the "Copperheads"' and "But ternuts.'' 'rhe young people of the "Circle" households were the n1ore de1nonstrative in their efforts to show the world where they stood on the great f1uestion at issue. They P-vaded explanation.:; and ca111e to the point at once by ·wearing a "But ternut" pin-an article of home-n1ade adorn1nent. worn as a lady's brooch. On the occasion of a social event held at the south end of the county ( in Bedford precinct, I believe) be fore our return on veteran furlough, a young lady had the ten1erity to traverse the sentin1ents of the Union majority present and a patriotic won1an in the con1pany tore the offend ing ornament from the wearer's person. The 1nen of our company, to show their appreciation of this act and to co1n memorate the event as a part of the local history of the tin1es, purchased a valuable set of jewelry, and at a public n1eeting where a banquet was served, honored the heroine by presenting her with this evidence of their approval. My comrades "'ere kind enough to ask 111e to make the formal presentation. It was an interesting occasion, and the notoriety ·given the incident served a good purpose, as it had a deterrent effect upon insolent enemies of the Union cause at home. The meeting wa5 held in the lvf ethodist church, and the first citizens of the town and vicinity were present and gave their hearty assent to the pro ceedings. vVith a few compli1nentary phrases I endeavored to discharge my comrades' commission. 1'he ceremony closed with one of those characteristic Civil vVar banquets where the abundance and variety of the viands were beyond belief. At whose initiative I do not remember, but in a burst of generosity a liberal appropriation was n1ade by our 111en, and a sword purchased and presented to Captain Sain J. Wilson. The enthusiasm of E Co1npany was \vithout bounds so long as our "greenbacks" held out. For the first ten days o( our furlough we felt equal to any proposition in high finance. 2 LJ- J{ccollections of Pioneer and .,Army Life. 1-Ience the S\\·ord affair. General Crant and other heroes had received a sword at the hands of acl111ircrs, and our lads would hold their place on earth with the best. The majority ''chipped in"; that is to say, those who had a reserve fund with no pre f erred investn1ents. J\ considerable contingent refused to "go broke" over the sword. I vvas solicited to n1ake the presenta tion, which I did. 'fhere was a big crovvcl present to witness the ceremony. l\!IcKinney's I-:lall \vas packed to the entrance and our sweethearts vvere there, and the lamplight gloated o'er. In presenting the sword I assun1ed that the captain \vas as 111uch of a l1ero as anybody and a good de.al better one than so111e ,ve had beard of, although I did not press the point. Rev. Hanson backed all I had to say on the subject and went 111e one better, and as the affir111ative "had it," \Ve adjourned to another hall and had a "shake-do,Yn." CHAPTEl{ XLI. During the \\·inter n f 1863-64 the ''Copperheads" con spired with Jeff Davis ancl the select coterie of traitors at Rich n1ond known as "The Forty Thieves., to control the next Pres idential election, on the platfonn that "The \Yar is a failure." 1~he details of the sche111e were perfected in the councils of the I(nights of the Golden Circle. ()r the Sons of Liberty. a~ they, on occasion, pref erred to ca11 thernselves. .A part of their general plan, as it is now well kno,vn ( see the 1nen1oirs of Ceo. H. Dontwell, Secretary u f the Treasurer in President Crant's cabinet, 2d \rol., pp. 57-() r). was to kidnap President Lincoln, hole 1 hin1 as a hustage until the independence of the Con£ ecleracy was recognized: failing 111 that. an< 1 in the event that the election was lost to the Democrats, to n1urder him. I do not n1ean to say that the 111asses who voted for the J\Ic Clellan electors nursed the thought of assassination. but I clo n1ean to say that the leaders of the "Copperhead" branch of the Den1ocratic party of 1864, wl1ich ,vas an annex of the Con f eclerate Governn1ent at Rich111ond, ,vere traitors ·with all these intents and purposes. Vallancligham discussed his plans with Jeff Davis and the Southern leaders during his expatria- tion, and "the n1an without a countrv'' and his associates gave . - aid and co1nf ort to the ene1ny, in cash, in an all-pervading spy systen1, an it imperative that Dill I-Ianna, as an auxiliary of the ''Copper head" leaders of the old lVIilitary Tract, should 1nake a clen1on stration to prevent the Union arn1ies f ro111 overwhel111ing Lee and Johnston in \lirginia and Georgia. The unorganized rebel forces in 1-Ienderson County ,vere the ref ore pron1ptly brought under 1nilitary discipline: a charter for a council of the Knights of the Golden Circle was secured: the ritual also, the rules and the regulations for the installation of 1nen1ber.,. 'l'he gentlemen concerned felt the solen1nity of the occasion. They conferred fully vvith each other, .with \lallancligha111 at \Vincl sor, Canada, and with the Con£ eclerate authorities at Rich n1ond, who urged sepulchral secrecy and the utn1ost energy in organization. I-Ianna and his 111en responded pron1ptly. On a certain night~ notable in the history of 1-Ienclersun Coun ty, these patriots of the bush catne together by stealth and posted their pickets. The council being called to order, Bill Hanna, in suppressed tones, 111ade known the object of the n1eeting, and read f ro1n the printed 1natter in his hands a synopsis that gave his con1patriots a vague conception of the scope ancl purposes of the order, ,vhich statement carefully veiled the ·whole truth except by inference. One of the ob jects ,vas to create as large an anned force throughout the North as possible; to do this their unsuspecting dupes n1ust be inveigled to commit thetnselves by oath and the restraints of association and con1radeship to the fortunes of a desperate cause. The leader.; there£ or.e dealt gently with the unwary, but were open and bold among those vvho had their confidence. 'rhis meeting of the charter members ·was confined largely to the great unvvashed, unsanctified Den1ocracy-such as Bill Hanna, San1 Hutchinson, Ton1 Record, Lynn Carson, Jon athan and San1 l\Jickey, Elihu Robertson, and other well known d1oice spirits of the Yellovv Banks. Stringtown, Bald Bluff. ~agetown, and niggsville. \Vhile the oath taken was about all they could stand up to, they swallowed it at a gulp and made a pretense of calling for more. Bill Hanna, having heen previously ·svvorn in and qualified by the State Council. Recollect-ion,s of Pioneer and Artny Life. 217 now called before him the charter 1nen1bers, to whom he re peated the following oath, line upon line, which was assented to in like 1 nanner: Tlze O penin,g Declaration. "Do you believe1 the present ,,var now being waged against us to be unconstitutional?" Ans\ver: "We do." "Then receive the obligation." The Oath, or Bill H a·nna) s fl oly Alliance. (A true copy.) "I do solen1nly swear in the presence of .Aln1ighty God that I ·will support the Constitution of the 1Jnited States and the State in \vhich I reside, a11d keep it holJ,' ! "I further promise ancl swear that I will go to the aid of all true and loyal Den1ocrats, and oppose the confiscation of their property, either North or South! "And I further promise and swear that I ,vill suffer n1y body severed in four parts, one part east, out of the East gate'; one part west, out of the West gate; one part north, out of the North gate; and one part south, out of the South gate, before I will suffer the privileges bequeathed to us by our forefathers blotted out or trampled under foot forever! "I futher promise and s,vear that I ,vill go to the aid, from the first to the fourth signal, of all loyal Den1ocrats. either North or South. "I further promise and s-u,1ear that I '"Will do all in n-iy power against the present Yankee, abolitlon, disitnion, .4 d1nin istration. "And I further promise and s,vear that I will not reveal any of the secret sign.5, passwords, or grips to any not legally authorized by this order. binding myself under no less a pen alty than having my bowels torn out and cast to the four winds of heaven; so help me God.'' 21S Recollcct£ons of Pio11e,:r and ~-lr,ny Life. 'rhe tender£ eet in this assen1bly felt so111e di::itinct qualms 1at' the ·prospect, under certain contingencies, of Leing hung, drawn, and quartered for no worse offense than a n1ilcl ad hesion to the ad111inistration of .,\ braha111 Lincoln, who was accepted by 111any of their neighbors as one of the prophets of the age.:;, a seer in the councils of the ,vise and prudent, tl1c herald indeed of a better day; 1n1t they were reassured by a 111otion to adjourn to the school-house for an hour of social intercourse, where elaborate preparations had been n1acle to jolly the boys. The n1en f ron1 Sagetoyvn vied ,vith the veterans f ro111 nald Bluffs in the glo\r ancl wan nth of their enthusiasn1 : Stringto\vn led the Yellow Banks a n1erry dance; and the Sn1ith Creek boy~ en1ptieci' the flo-wing bowl in a way to di.3gust the Biggsville patriots. The leaders 111ingled vvith the con1n1011 hercl like hircls of a feather. Bill I-Ianna f ratern izecl vvith the boys ,vith that .3tereotyped sneer for ·which he ,vas fan1ous son1ewhat 111oclifie Tr-rE CcNFEDERA'rE CAMPAIGN IN HENDERSON CouNTY1 Our thirty days at ho1ne at the crisis of the vvat intensi fied the bitter feeling between the loyal citizen.3 and the "Cop perheads." But the influential Union 111en at the cctinty seat were not of one 111ind respecting their neighbors in secret op position to the Governn1cnt. :i\len like· Fred R.ay_, Sr- , and S11111ner S. Phelps and others of the sa111e relative standi!-:g did not agree on all points involved in the peace of the co1nn1u nity. I conversed with the1n freely on these subjects. :\Ir. R.ay was peculiarly sensitive. apprehensive of incencliari~1n: and, to state the bald fact a:3 it was, he distrusted a bra\Yling soldier a:3 n1uch as a "Copperhead." Ben 1-Iarrington offered to sho\V 111e where the Conf ecleratc forces of the to,\·n had arn1s secr<::tecl. Out of regard to the conservative senti111ent an1ong the lJnion 1nen, the majority of our 111cn neither said nor did anything to provoke a collision. i\s for those arms, ,ve were not under 1nartial la\v at hon1e_; and as for Bill Hanna and San1 I-Iutchinson and their retainers, ,ve considered then1 impotent. Bill I-Ianna was a nice 111an. I-Ie ,vas n1uch def erred to. \,\Then he sneezed, some of his neighbors never failed to explode in concert with hin1. I-Iis only fa ult was, he pulled off fron1 the 111en ·who staked life and treasure on the Union, and became an ordinary skulking "Copperhead." But notwithstanding the friendly deportn1ent of our boys during their f reedo111 f ro1n 1nilitary restraint, ,ve did not es cape attention f ron1 Bill l-Ianna's "bushwhackers." I have briefly stated the condition of affairs at home when on a Saturday a f e\v of our n1en of the pugilistic tem peran1ent who had in1hibcd freely of the usual sti111ulants con- 2 l II 220 Recollections of /Jionccr and . lrn1y Lijc. sidered the111selves still in the pursuit of the enen1y, and hav ing one of the n10.:;t notorious of the local type pointed out to them on the street, gave chase, and cornered hin1 in a dry goods store with the object of con1pelling hin1 to take the oath of allegiance to the Govern111ent. It hurt the pride of the "Butternut" to take the oath under co1npulsion, and if his friends could have been sun1111oned at the n1oment, there would have been an encounter of n1ore or less in1po1 tance. There was s0111e delay in getting the rebel courier off through out the county with dispatches, but at the sun1111ons to arn1s there was a pro111pt uprising a111ong the local step-sons of Jeff Davis. Bill I-Ianna left his plow in the furrow; Sam !-lutchin son spit on his flintlock, wiped off the dust, ju111ped bareback on his old 111are and rode at breakneck speed for the rendez vous. Bald Bluff arrived with strong reinforce111ent.3. It be ing Saturday night, Sagetown was in a condition of indeter- 111inate consciousness, with a gallon jug of "Coonrod's best" in reserve, and on the way over lost the road, and did not reach headquarters till after n1idnight. Jake Spangler and the learned blacks111ith from String- town struck the highway with loaded powder-horns. The army assen1bled in the 111ountains on the head-waters of Sn1ith's Creek, and detachments continued to arrive on the grounds on all the public roads up to a late hour. It was a formidable n1ounted force, well equipped. All move1nents were carefully 111uffled; all the approaches carefully picketed. General Bill Hanna arrived on the ground by a circuitous route, anc. cau tiously reconnoitered his own co1n1nand f ron1 behind a hay stack before he ventured to n1ake himself known. His ad vance guard having co111pleted a final patrol of the ground ahead of hi1n and notified him that the ·way was clrar, he assembled his escort and rode to Colonel Sam Hutchinson's headquarters in great state. The troops were massed and the affairs of the hour carried on in suppressed tones, no fires or lights being allowed. A large number of recruits had been sworn in at the sub-stations the officers and most of the rank and file being unacquainted, it vvas deten11ined to improve the esprit de corps by introduc ing the general cori11nanding the Department to the army. Colonel 1--Iutchinson therefore stepped forward and saluting, said: "Gtntlen1en, I have the honor to introduce to you the brigadier-general comn1anding the gallant Knights of thi;; Congressional Department. Soldiers ! I propose three sup pressed cheers for General Bill I-Ianna.'~ 1'he noble general advanced, Ii f ted his shako, sn1iled, bowed in an uncertain way, both right and left, and said: "l an1 delightell to see you look ing so well to-night. I am looking extren1ely well rr.yself. There are none like me. I an1 the only one- the real tc.:ng, in I-Ienclerso11 County. It is true, gentlemen, that I have (inly a single star on each shoulder to designate my rank du ring this night attack, but when this cruel campaign is over I shall have gold-wash epaulets equal to those General Scott wore ,vhen he led the victorious An1erican arn1y into the capital of 1-iex ico. Wait and see. It would be useless to ,vear gold epaulets in a night attack. You could n 1Jt see the111. but I '11 be with you. Understand me, pray: I am your brigadier only. Colonel f-Iuthchin~on \vill co1nn1anl! in the field; b(' will lead ~cu: I will follo\-\': follow all the way, cven to the gate3 of the (ity." Lynn Carson, his face all allaze with-with--well, Lyn~ L,roke out in a wild "I-I ooray" but was choked off in the 1nidst of his "hoo." .A. voice broke in here-that of Brother Ton[ than, who only the day before had his patriotism ref re~hed by tak ing the oath at the Yellow Banks: "Gentlemen, this is the winter of t;llr discontent; the b1·eeze is chi11y for Democrats of our peculiar stripe, and c1.s the '3Chool-hor1H: has been warm ed for our acco1n1nodation, I move, sir, that we repair thither to con1plete 011 r preparations for our advance." The change of base wa~ 1nade \vithout the loss of a m:1n. The high ones and the power£ ul Knights entered the audience-chamber with grave vi~ages, big with portent. Colonel Hutchinson ~ trode grandly in, his lofty n1anne1 and ~tern glance enough tc wither a hand-3pike (his brave comradcs saluting and bowing 1( \V as 2 22 Recollections of I'ioncer and . l nny L-if e. he passed), and took a seat on the left of the brigadier-general. .A.. ,.varrior from Biggsville got bis monocle deeply imbedcled between eyebrow and his cheek-bone, and covering the crO"\\:cl ·with his questioning gaze, gave his thun1b a rotary turn; there \Vas a responsive conference aside, between the forces fron1 Sagetown and Smith's Creek, and the foren1an addressed the assembly, saying: "Your Iinn1inence, has the refre~h1nents arriv ?" Lynn Carson horc down rroudly n nd answered, '"They have, sir!'' saluted, and brought a t\vo-gallon jug down upon the table with a thvvack that 1nade the gold and silver plate on the side board jingle again. Lieutcnan t-Co]one I 1'cn1 Record: the second in con1n1and, was painfully affected Ly the demonstration, mcuntecl the tribune, and in his 1nost scorch ing manner said: "We didn't con1e here to drink Sch1ed a111 schnapps; I '111 no Dutch1nan, nohow. You have heard," he proceeded, "the reverberation5 vvalluping up and down over our distracted country? You have heard," the orator ·went on to say, his voice rising; to a most painful pitch, "what \Vilbur F. Storey, in his Chicago Ti-mes, calls our grand old Demo cratic party? He calls it 'a putrid remini~cence'; are you going to stand that?'' "No, begcrry!11 reared the battalion fron1 Sagetown, and the gallant Colcnel Hutchin~cn banged the round table ,vith his eminent sword and cried, "Not 111uch, lvlary Ann t" Colonel Record proceeded: "lVkn, patriots, Democrats!" ["That 's us !" said S1nith's Creek.] "vVe didn't come here to limber up and be hauled ho1nc in s0111e neighbor'~ ·wagon. V./e 're here for war! Lincoln's hirelings attacked us in the streets of the Yellow Banks, and we 're goin' to wipe out the stain-on to the Y ellovv Banks !" The orator, purple ·with wrath ~at down to recover him~elf. At this point Gen eral Bill I-Ianna arose, gave his accentuated sneer another twist and satd: ''Colonel Record has spoken to the point; vve are alreacl y in the fie Id; why stand we here idle? Is life ~o dear and peace so sweet as to be purcha~ed by the price of chains and slavery? 'rhere are anned n1en now on the plains of Boston, but" I an1 suspicious that they are no friends of Recollections of Pioneer :J,nd ./lnny Life. ours. If those 111en on the plains of Boston should 111ake a 1ni~ta~c--a feint oni_v of reinforcing Gener~, l Crant in Vir gi~ia and suddenly drop dovvn on us here in Henderson Coun ty, in the language of lJncle Ren1ns, where vvould be our 1110- lasses jug?'' "Now. con1rades.J• continued the general un sheatbing his glittering blade. ··\ve are ahout to engage in a 111ilitary expedition of the first 111a.l..'.11itude and in the organiza tion of our cor11n1and il is proper that the troops which I shall have the honor to con1111and ( not actually. hut technically) 1 should have an official title. \Vhat shall it he ? ·' I'he learned hlacks111it h fro111 String·town took th:._• floor and <.·xplaincd that as '\ve arc going after large ga111e. \YC should need the buck ~~ncl ball cartriclge 1 and ha,rpily our douhle-barrckd shot-guns will prove the 1nost effective \Yeapon: I therefore 1nove. sir, that our trcopers he giYen a clescripti\·e titk, nan1e ly---·The Sh-:)t-Gun Brigade.) '· By unanin1ous consent an official order wa3 issued confinning this title and setting forth the subdivis ions of the anny ancl designating· the co1n1nanders thereof. .:\t thi,-.; point the anny tuok to the \\'Oods. anll under a scrub oak Cul. l Iutchinson. con11nanckr in the field u.f all the expedition an·. forces, assu111ecl fonnal direction . uf the fortunes, of the Cunf. ederate' cause in old J-Jenclerson. -J. t was a 111ost sole11111 oc- casi?~1, and in the pale 1110011iight it \Vas noticeable ho,v 111uch the distinguished departn1ent co1111nancler and his troops had aged, ~)n the eve of the battle-so wan, and so swan-like, in that they 3at the111 clo,,~n on the frozen, ground to ,veep and sinR their last war-chant. There \Yas danger of a collapse, and field orders for an advance ,vere issued at once. En passa1it, it 1nay be noted that the scrub oak where Colonel liutchit)son drew his sword and assun1ed con11nand of De1no- • J ! . • cr~ts ~specially fond of the Constitution is an historic spot- I a sbri,ne for ,the has-beens so long .as the ,,·orld shall stand. Th~se, e1gl1t and forty years no,v they have n1ade their pious pilg1}mages to the spot and chipped the historic oak till noth ing i3 l~ft- of it. (I! 224 Recollections of Pioneer and Artny Life. On further reflection, General 1-:lanna sun11noned the offi cers to a last council, and explained the necessity for a gen eral revie\v of the anny before opening the can1paign, an,i 12 o'clock midnight \Vas the hour nan1ed in general orders for the pageant. "The moon is at the full/' said the brigadier, "and I have carefully scrutinized it over 1ny right shoulder, and the sign3 are all propitious. A moonlight review is an innovation,'' said he, "but I am introducing improved meth ods in all 1nilitary operations in my departn1ent and I shall n1ake Wellington and Nap the First and the rest of the boys ashamed of themselves before I conclude 111y triunlphs on Fame's eternal camping-ground." At the blast of the bugles and the roll of the drum, the Stars and Bars clipped and the sabres flashed in salute as the group of mounted officers and their escorts appeared at the head of the colun1n. It was noticed at once, when they 111ade ready for a dash down the line, that Colonel Hutchinson's old mare was gay; she snuffed the battle f ron1 afar, and con1- 111unicatecl her n1artial ..spirit to the brigadier's nag, and the fever spread through the group, the most of whom were riding bareback with blind bridle.,. A rare exhibition of horseman ship took place. The spirited steeds pirouetted around about, lifted fore and aft; standing at times heroically on their haunches. Colonel Hutchinson kept his seat admirably, one hand clutching both the mane and the reins, the other holding on to his plug hat, at an angle on the back of his head, but pounded down securely over his eyebrows, his knees gripping the shoulders· of old "Snip." General Bill Hanna never ap peared to better advantage, and in the chopping sea of agi tated horseflesh Baul de Conying Ham, Lynnovitch Carson ovosk and Jake Spangler acquitted themselves beyond praise. 'At the firing of the gun they were off; the hirsute extensions of the war-horses rose to the occasion ; between Colonel Sam Hutchinson and the brigadier it was nip and tuck, and the descent down the line was. accomplished in a style befitting a battery of discharging interrogation points. Instantly the col- Recollections of Pioneer and .~lnn:y Life. 225 u1nn, in fours, followed at the trot, Colonel H.ecord, the second in command, acting as rear guard. .A night n1arch in the pres ence of the enen1y is a dangerous perf onnance, but the com mand reached the Davenport Gap in the Henderson County Alps with a loss only of those who fell over seas, into the fence-corners. At this point the force moved with circun1- spection. The head of the column approached the narrow defile with extreme caution. The veterans f ro1n Sagetown were vexed at the reckles3 bravery of Colonel Fiutchinson, and expostulated with him for exposing his valiant person on the outposts_; but the noble con1111ander 111ade as if to tear hin1- self away fron1 then1 and plunge n1ore deeply into the danger ous gorge. The brave 111en rode forward in group3, and pressed th~ daring officer quietly on the arm, saying: "Prithee, 1non, is it dyin ye 're after? Stay, 111ilud; for if a cannon-ball should tunnel yer ston1ach, who ,vould care for mother thin?" The colonel was undisn1ayed. The crisis ,vas approaching, and another council of vvar was held, at ,vhich it was deter- 111ined to secure the crossings of the Henderson at Jack's Mill, Coghill's and Hollingsworth's. It wa3 noticed that Colonel To1n Record had son1ething pressing hard on his giant mind, and the way was opened for hi111 to assert hin1self. Address ing the co1n1nancler in the field, he asked: "What is the ob ject of this expedition?" "To capture the Yellow Banks." "But have you a casits belli?" "\Ve have, sir, two of 'en1, and we '11 be overstocked if any of these men straggle f ron1 the colun1n over ground dedicated for thirty days to 1\1:ajor Cowan's n1en." "But have you sent in an ultin1atun1 to the burgomaster?" "Brother Jonothan did that yesterday when he hiked through the gates to give the alarm." "Have you ordered the non-combatants to the rear?" Here Brig adier-General nill IIanna interrupted by saying: "I shall be in close touch with the rear guard as soon as my horse can carry 1ne." "Banzai !" yelled the troops. Private Baul de Conying Han1 novv advanced ancl 1nodestly inquired if the refreshment train was at hand. Corporal Lynnovich Car- 226 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. sonovosk replied that the supply ·was getting low, but he had adjusted his personal necessities to the situation, and believed "it" would hold out "till we had dyna1nited the breastworks and captured the city." "General Hanna,'' said Colonel I-Iutchin son," addressing the departtnent con1111ander, "before you fall back on the tean1sters, can you think of anything ,ve have on1itted to do to cornpel a glorious victory?" "Colonel, I beg pardon, but I think I hear _a noise on our front, and I will send in a written report on that point to-11101Tow." Saying ,vhich, he ·waved his nevv buckskin gauntlet and fell back on the field hospital. Detachn1ents were now told off for the ~1p-1-iver crossings, the co111n1anders stuffed ·with precautionary order~ of the severest description. The arn1y ·was novv 1nassecl for f.inal instructions, ,vhich were given in a few incisive vvorcls: "Den1ocrats of the glorious clays of the Constitution as it was! Forty centuries look clown upon yon from these ..Alpine sum- 111its. We are novv at close quarters vvith the enen1y,'' con tinued the colonel; "we are about to advance,• and as a pre liminary, Corporal Carsonovosk will issue a final refreshment ration." Turning to the engineers, the colonel said: "Gentle n1en, you ,vill see if Davenport has fortified the bridge." They returned in two n1inutes and a half and breathlessly reported that Davenport kept the bridge, as in clays of old; that he ,vas sound asleep, and that his rooster had called the hour with a clearness and jocularity that shovved he had escaped the whooping-cough. "The route then is practicable?" said the colonel. "It is," responded the civil engineers ,vith emphasis. "Is Colonel Record, the rear guard, in position?" demanded the colonel. "He has deployed hin1self, and is holding on prepared for the worst,'' said Baul de Conying fian1. "Then," said the gallant colonel, "let Le Grande .Arn1ee follo,v its com- 1nander." The bugler was heard winding his horn through the enclo3ing 1nountains, signal rockets f ron1 the cletachn1ents at the up-river .crossings were seen bursting in the far ether. and there was a si111ultaneous dash f ro111 all points, up through the black-jacks, converging upon the 1'e1nple of Justice. where Recollect-ions of. Pioneer and Anny Life. 227 in accents aspirate they tied the 1nules and the plow-horses and the various and sundry saddle-nags to the bushes, and in their heavy-tramping cavalry boots and loud-clanging sabres marched up the grand staircase and occupied the ancient panoplied hall of the judges and magistrates in all the splen dor of Solon1on of old. It \vas yet dark and a sole111n hush fell upon the brigade in full possession of the stronghold of the burgher::;, ·who were not aware, and would not for s01ne ti111e realize, that they ,vere victin1s of Bill Hanna~s four hundred. But never since the day.3 of Hannibal had a 111ilitary surprise been ,vorkecl out vvith greater precision and success. General Hanna e111braced the colonel and re-e1nbraced hin1, saying, "It was my plan, but it's your treat"' Colonel Sain soured at this, and the silence \vas audible. 'I'he relations bet\\·een the con1- 111anders continued strained, and each took a window and set hin1self the ta.5k of observing the landscape; n1eanti1ne the sun, after the second .A.usterlitz, had dawned. For some incruta ble reason the brigade did not sally forth and slaughter the burghers in the streets, and the unsuspecting people ·were in a,ve at the nun1ber of horses tied under the bushe3, and with bated breath inquired the reason thereof. It seemed that hav ing achieved a f an1ous victory, the instinct of the Knights of the Golden Circle to lurk in hidden places asserted itself. and Bill Hanna was abashed at the prospect of having to look an honest 1nan in the face in broad day. To John l\!IcKinney, Jr., and others, who called upon hi111 for an explanation, he laid great stress upon the fact that if the brigade had atten1ptecl to put the populace to the sword, the schoeJZc Fraus ·would have frustrated the design from their upper chambers by emptying their yellow crockery down upon the heads of his Cossacks. A.s the sun 1nountecl the blue vault the children appeared upon the streets in their bright frocks and the church-bells began to call the people to prayer. "\Vhat clay of the ·week is this?" said the brigadier. turning suddenly fron1 the ,vindo,v and addressing Colonel Record. "General.'. replied Colonel 228 1?.ecollections of Fioneer and ~ lrnty Life. Tom, "do you know, l had lost the count tnyseli, and the old Cumberland stone church is open for service to-day, and I'm going to have trouble to square accounts with n1y wife.'' ''Hold ! there comes Ed Patterson vvith a basket of rations/' said a high private, "and it begins to look like vve must feed and get out of this." 'l'he refreshments were served in silence, and by twos and threes the brigade dissolved and quietly disappeared. A close study of the volu1ninous Conf eclerate archives reveals the unique character of the 111ilitary operations under General I-Ianna. It is clear fron1 the records that he was a war lord of the first water. 1-Tc is no,v in heaven; and if, on n1y arrival there, he cotnes forward, out of deference to a per- 1nanent accession to the citizenship n f the place, to do n1e honor, I shall recognize hin1 cordially, and shall be happy to receive his personal assurance that he is now supporting the administration. THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN; OR, THE IlUNDH.ED-DA.YS BATTLE. On our return to our old can1p at Rossville, Georgia, in February, 1864, vve occupied winter-quarters cabins, for the cold still Loxed the con1pass and refused to leave. Following the resignation of l\lajor Charles S. Cowan, on a vote of the field officers of the regi1nent, Captain Sain J. Wilson, of our company, ,vas advanced to the 1najority; and by the ahnost if not quite unan1in1ous consent of Company E, Governor Richard Yates vvas authorized to honor n1e ·with a co1nn1ission for the vacant lieutenantcy. 'fhe spring of 1864 opened early and the weather was beau ti£ ul. There was a note of prepara tion on every hand for the momentous events of this year, and troops were massing in ca1nps around us, and as far as the foot of the Pigeon 1\1ountains, around Ringgold, hventy miles away. We had a level parade-ground, and squad, cotnpany, batallion and brigade drills were the daily routine. It \Vas near this can1p where Dan McCook's brigade vvas drilling that Dr. Mary Walker, assistant surgeon so that brigade, vvas captured ,vhile riding beyond our lines. The "Johnnies" in catching Mary in their drag-net got hold of a freak which was a surprise and a conundrum; but, after making a close study of it, they re turned it in as good condition as when they got it. When not otherwise engaged, we made excursions over the battle-field of Chicka1nauga, close at hand. In the few months that had intervened since Bragg and Longstreet had swept over this field little change had taken place. In the somber woods rude log pens, made of the fallen, half-rotted timber, had been built over the graves of s0111e of the precious 220 230 Recollections of Pioneer and ..:lr·niy Life. dead, the lovvly resting-places of others were marked in si1n pler fashion, and here the trees: riven by the vengeful wedges of war, he]d up to the view their splintered fingers. The ten der opening leaves ,vere now spreading a canopy of green over the scene and the ,vann sunlight lay in 111ottled patches upon the earth. I trod Death's deserted banquet-hall alone. The birds in the leafy boughs and the winged thoughts with in repeopled the for est paths to the exclusion of the erstwhile bloody harvest. April 30th. In camp at Rossville, Georgia. Mustered. Packed baggage for the campaign. Reuben Bellus, losing the conveniences, of settled camp, has determined to "take it cool," and says he is "only on a visit." Officers assen1bled at Pufs Ranch for dinner to-clay for the first tin1e. Lieut.-Col. l\Iac vV ood and Col. Tillson guests. Spring showers. James Simons returned f rotn Smallpox Hospital. i\ thrilling future before us-·men feel it, display it in their faces, and jest upon it. Play at draughts with Lieut.-Col. Vv ood. · l\Jay rst. Sabbath. At dusk heard voices engaged in sing ing 'hymns. 1distrusting the cause, set out in the direction of th~ sound and found in a distant camp a large assembly en grossed in religious exercises. Chaplains of regin1eqts and others tnacle remarks which interested 1ne. l\1any fervent prayers offered. up, bearing upon the success of the approach- 1ng. campaign. 2d. i\ clay long to be ren1e111bered. The sun rose in all his glory f ron1 behind the eastern n1ountains. Peace and beauty sn1iled upon the landscape. Silently the bat~alions f orn1ed in solid 1nasses preparatory to quitting Rossville for- . . . . . ev·er. Our regin1ent forrried on the color-line at 8 A. M. and stacked arms. Hear the hoarse thump and clatter of "16th and 6~th's" bass and t~nor drums! 1vr y eyes \Vander among the clouds above the summit of Lookout. ,vho sits in his ·maj esty, the waters of the Tennessee in his lap. and rules the Recollections of P-ioneer and Army Life. 231 illin1itable region around as only a true king of 1nountains can. How softly blue his tawny sides appear in the vapory, en chanting n1orning air! How the masses of Carrara-white clGuds wheel around his frowning forehead! The hour has co1ne. Gen. 11organ and staff appear on the road; the blue colun111 links on, and drags its siovv length behind. rfhey co111e ! 1\djt. Wisen1an on his gray n1ount at the side of General ~!organ, next the escort ride gayly on, bearing the brigade guidon, two crescents on a red and blue ground; then the brigade band, chanting a national hy1nn. 1~he line opens, our regiment files into its place, and the ·winter can1p is seen no more. Halt near Ringgold at 12 M.; went into camp on north side of Chick amauga Creek at 2 P. M. Our cavalry engaged the enerr1y in the n1ountains on our front. 4th. Visited signal station situated on the sumn1it of 1nountain to left of Gap. Found a throng of eager con1rades looking rebel-ward. Could see the ene1ny's outposts and our own. Facing north, could see King "Lookout" and his train the latter receding to the left-southwest and disappearing on the horizon. Squads of our cavalry dashing along at the base of the hills. The view of our camps inspiring-vast in extent and growing larger 1nomentarily-the little white tents half hid in the evergreen forest presented a charming picture. The vil lage directly ber..eath us. Night, received orders to move for to~tnorro,v. ... ·• 5th. lVIarchecl at daylight, passed through the 111ountains by the pass ·where General Hooker overtook the enen1y's rear guard after the battle of Mission Ridge, and engaged it, and ca1ne off ,vorsted, losing 500 killed and wounded. The trees as \Ne passed through gave evidence of the fight, as also the graves on the n1ountain-sicle. Had a pleasant 1narch of five miles. Turned off the road to right and formed line of battle, our right resting on---- Creek. After n1uch delay, went into camp-16th Ill. on our left. Hear an occasional shot on the picket line. Supper. Officers fishing in strean1 close by. Fine opportunity for bathing. which ,ve improve. 4th A. C. 232 J Severe action ensues. Batteries open on both sides. Rebel bat teries give us canister. .Adjt. Wallace R.ice displays great cool ness under fire. Gen. i\1organ spirited an 1 skill£ ul. · Gens. · Howard and Shennan witness the action. .Night settled down ·1.>ef ore we were drawn off. Brigade lost forty-three killed and wounded. 60th Ills. lost heavily as skir111ishers. At dusk ran gauntlet of enen1y's balls while goii:g to rear to get a drink of water~ 'fhe scene to-day at times was truly P1agnificent. The ·glaring ,vall of Rocky Face Mountain, the enemy posted on and firing down on us from the overhanging cliffs, made a striking picture 1 10th. Stoo left of road behind earthworks ¥.lich stretrh across mouth of Gap. Stack arn1s. Artillery p~.ssing to the front. Gen erals with body-guards pass. Gen. Thon1as comes into the road f ro111 our rear, looking splendid. Rapidly and silently, dense 1nasses of troops n1ove out in the direction of Resaca. Ord nance trains and an1bulances follow. We were the last out. Left _at 3 :30. 4 P. M. Artillery open~. Our forces invest the en en1y's works at Resaca. We moie up and rest on our arms in rear of the line of battle. I-Iot rnnsketry fir:ng. 14th. 6 A. M. Our division moved forward into open fields to rear and left of Gen. Johnson's first division; massed and stacked arn1s. Gens. l\1organ and Jeff C. Davis lying on plowed ground, consulting their map. Dispatch of Grant's victory received and cheered. r P. M. Johnson heavily engaged. We 111ove close to his support. Johnson 111akes a charge. Only partially successful. Wounded being borne to the rear. i\111111unition to the front. lVIusicians gathering leaves and boughs for the wounded to rest upon. 4th A. C. on our left. 84th Ills. there. Geo. Cow ·den wounded. Rumor f ron1 the 36th Ills. that John Porter, first sergeant, disabled by a falling lin1b, broken off by a cannon shot, struck on the head, severely hurt. 20th A. C. passing along our rear to the left. Night. Lie do\vn on pallet of straw. Just dropping asleep when \Ve were aroused by: "Get out of your nest) going to 111ove !" Draw on boots and speculate as to "what is up.'' l\f ove to right and fill trenches vacated by 20th A. C. Got into position at midnight. r 5th. Skirn1ishing on our front. ro A. M. Gen. Davis passed along. Tells the boys to de ·scencl the hill in front and try their hand on the rebel pickets just across the field. Half a dozen go do~n. All return un hurt after an1using thetnselves as 111uch as they ,vished ! r2 M. !-Ieavv firing on our left. The battle is on! No - ' genuine fighting on our own front. 2 P. M. Adjt. Rice struck by an enemy's ball in the hip. Borne instantly to the field hospital. He ,vas reclining at the 236 J<.ecollect-ivns of Pioneer and Arniy Life. foot of a large oak tree ( we were all idle at the ti1ne), his pen cil in his hand, tracing lines on the paln1 of his hand and chatting vvith Lieuts. Carr and Boughn1an. 'fhe ball was from a sharpshooter's gun and came a long distance, but with full force, striking hin1 jn the hip and coursing up, it is be lieved into the viscera. The pencil dropped f ron1 his fingers and he exclain1ed: "O Goel! I am struck," and attempted involuntarily to rise; failed; asked help and received assist ance f ron1 Lieut. Carr. A stretcher was called, and he was placed on it, quite pale. I-le then asked for his pencil and· said he thought he was not badly hurt. I-Es quivering lips, how ever, showed his n1ental agitation. We never saw hi1n again. 6 :35 P. M. Henj. F. Dennett, of Co1npany C, wounded in right leg. Night. Talking with the rebel pickets Our boys want to know "when they are going to evacuate." 11 o'clock. Heavy discharges of artillery, accoinp~tnied by cheers and a false charge of the ene111y. Our boys were vvide awake to wclcon1c then1 ! 16th. Enen1y gone; heavy firing at a distance; can nonading ·with lVIcPherson. lvfove out fron1 entrenchments. Recci,·c n1ail. l\'Ieet 10th :Mich. just returned fro1n vctera,1 furlough. Return to thE' mouth of Snake Creek Gap. Take up our knapsacks, camp equipage and baggage train and push south on the R.0111e road, preceded by Garrard's cavalry. Passed some fine plantations. Night. Camped in pine grove. Our division detached for this flank movement. 17th. Rear guard to-day. lVIarched to Arn1uchee Creek. 2 :30 P. M. Rain-coffee-cigars-fight here between rebel rear guard under Jackson and Kilpatrick. 3 :30 P. M. "E" and "I(" go on picket-Sitnon for guicte. Grave of rebel in fence-corner. I took 2d platoon of "E" and advanced thcn1 as skirn1ishers as far as ])r. Jones' l\tlill and posted pickets. Factory half n1ilc to our right-boys get tobacco there. Dr. Jones and his slave brought his boat over Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 237 and took us across. At his house ,ve got milk and bread and found a rebel soldier at home. Posted pickets to cover ap proach to the mill. I discovered three of our boys with a pig half butchered ! 18th. Broke camp at I P. M.-rebel cavalry on our front-move out on Rome road-rear guard to piece of train following troops to Rome-reached town in the evening shown on the way here the ground where Col. Straight and his forces were captured. Gen. Baird shows us our camping ground. Night-sore feet. Our advance had a hot skirmish here with rebel cavalry last evening; captured some prisoners. 19th. Boys bringing in immense quantities of tobacco. R.ebel cavalry hovering around on the opposite shore of the Coosa. Our pickets exchange shots with them. Issue 27 bales smoking tobacco to regitnent. Visit Shorter's residence. Mc Cook marches into town. Rebel cavalry talking to our boys they kill a citizen. 20th. H.ome-visit town with Maj. Wilson and Lieut. Walcott. Church-preacher's notes-they are of the "fire eating" character; "The chivalry God's chosen people," etc. Madam Lun1kins-Dick W. plays on the piano-the widow talks of her daughter at a monastery in N. C., pursuing her studies-portrait of her son in the Army-portrait of "the Doctor ''-lithograph of l\frs. Howell Cobb-the flower garden. In the capture of this town ,ve have secured the most important point between Chattanooga and Atlanta. \Ve have possession of the foundries, n1achine shops and other expen sive appliances for casting shell and the 1nanufacture of sin1ilar war 1naterial-these we destroyed. 21st. Shorter's residence again-talk with slave-Addi son's works. This mansion is the property of a very ,vealthy citizen. The rooms were richly furnished, which our soldiers defaced-the ruin was complete when ,ve visited thetn. 22d. Broke catnp at 7 A. M. :Marched to pontoon bridge and halt-delay. Village bells ringing for church-the sound 238 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. conies strangely sweet to us! Move forward across Oostanaula River into town-through it to the shores of the Etowah troops put across in detached pontoons, rowed. l\!Ioye out on the Vaughn's valley road one mile and ca1np. Creek half mile to left of can1p and large flour mill, where \iV<:· bathe. 23d. Part of 16th A. C. arrived-Col. Bain, 50th Ill. Doc. l\!Icl\!Iaury-stra-wbcrries ! 24th. Broke ca1np at 5 A. M. Two 111iles out on road two rebel deserters surrender. Blowing a hurricane this P. M.-n1arched thirteen miles and rested two hours. Lieut. \Vinsett had hilt of sword shot off-accident. Resun1ed the 1narch blinded with dust. Halt at---- Springs; mass; stack arms and camp. Night. Violent thunder-storm-torrents of rain-slept in an old cabin with Col. Tillson, Maj. Sam. W. and Lt. Tate. These springs are beautiful-water clear and cold, flowing in several little channels from the fissured rock. - 15th A. C. in camp near by. 25th. Drying blankets-broke camp after some delay and took a dim. , road leading over pine ridges, uninhabited save by the poorest class of "white trash." Brick residence before striking the hills-piano. Acting Adjt. Tate warns us to be chary of the water in our canteens, as none can be had for several 1nile5. Surgeon Reeder riding a mule-boys guy him-he threatens to shoot-he is known as the "blacksmith." Evidence in the woods of tornadoes. Halt on hillside for dinner-rattlesnakes! Sunset-colu1nn winding slowly through the desolate hills-distant boon1 of cannon-storm-night camp-raining furiously. Sleep on a sand-bar in the midst of a swamp, four n1iles fro1n Dallas. 26th. Broke camp at daylight-slow progress-bad roads, hills-20th A_. C. ahead-on wrong road-countermarch-take road to Dallas. Pumpkin Vine Creek-deploy skirmishers Gen. Thotnas Adjt.-Gen'l-Brig.-Gen. Whipple our guide bridge-ascend hills-n1eet boy of 16th Ill. returning home; term of enlistment expired. Reach Dallas. Our skirmishers Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 239 drive rebs out and back upon the hills beyond. 15th A. C. on our right. In town-woman takes Gen. Morgan for a "Sub" and asks hin1 for coffee! Minister and family-woman frightened. Boys found a petition of. the citizens of this, Paulding County, praying Jeff. Davis to exempt them from the coming conscription, as their aggregate is only r ,ooo and they had already furnished 900 1nen for the war; that if their prayer was not granted, many women and children must starve; as it is now, many fa1nilies found it difficult to subsist themselves-there were none left to harvest the crops. 125th Ill., lVIcCook's brigade, lost fourteen men, including a lieu tenant, on picket-line, at night. The enemy's cavalry vi dettes n1ade a sneak on their outposts. A. coincidence, that in the n1ix-up in the darkness our boys captured fourteen men and a lieutenant as an equivalent. 27th. Heavy firing on picket-line-cannonading to left and right-suddenly leave can1p-1nove to front-halt under hill-skirmishers on our right advance-prisoners taken-one of "G" slightly wounded. Received mail. lvioved fonvard again in echelon-halt in woods-occasional shots chipping trees near us. 16th Ill. on our left. Anderson of "B" and Coppage of "G" brought in wounded off skirmish-line; the first in arm, second through abdomen. P. M. Coppage dead. One con1pany of 60th Ill. sent out on our front-rapid shots on picket-line-S. of "B '' tnortally wounded. Five \Vounded to-day; 1nany narrow escapes, as the enemy's balls fell among us all day. 28th. Heavy cannonading on our left and continuous firing on our picket-line-prisoners taken; some of them wounded-enemy shell us. 1 :~o P. M. Form line, expecting to be attacked. 5 P. M. Rebs charging the 15th A. C. on our right artillery and 1nusketry-we spring to our arms. Heard from \Vallace R.icc to-day. Logan repulsed the enemy with severe loss. Stood to arn1s all night. 11 o'clock enemy again charges our lines-repulsed. The 240 Recollections of J>ionecr and .Anny L-ifc. fire of our artillery terrible. Rebe 1 prisoners tell us their gen erals told then1 that they would break through our lines and push for Chattanooga'. The enetny has extensive field-works along a range of high hills. 29th. Two years ago this morning Beauregard evacu ated Corinth, l\fiss. Our pickets swear they saw a wo1nan shooting at then1 to-day! All quiet, save slight picket-firing. One of "G'' wounded. Night. Rebs again atten1pt to charge our lines on our left-repulsed as usual. 30th. Occasional shots on the picket-line-" Doctor John" and "Put" visitors. lVIan in "G" had his pipe knocked out of his tnouth, and a piece taken out of his chin by a rebel l\1inie-ball. Threw up breastworks. l\tfan in "I" ·wounded. "E'' on picket this eve. In pit with Andy Fuller, Sin1ons and I-Iartley-close shooting by rebels-35th New Jersey on our right-n1any of thern \vounded. Some 111en very care less-lying out asleep apparently in full view of rebel sharp shooters. Dead rebels beh,veen the picket-lines, killed on the day of our arrival. 31st. Zouaves-35th l\. J. still with us. Enemy erect a:new battery opposite the left of our brigade, on a high hill, and .. shell the 16th Ill., ,vounding one tnan. Gen. Sweeny at tacked the enemy at 1 F. M. "E" relieved this eve from picket-line-returned to camp with no casualties. Night. l{eceiYed orders to move at daylight. June 1st. Best sleep in four nights. Delay in moving. Godden shoots his finger off purposely! Rebs evacuate, leav ing a line of observation. We shift position-rebel skirmishers follow us a short distance-driven back-intensely hot. Move to the left. Hear that rebel cavalry are in our old camps at Dallas. Long m~jch to extren1e left of line of battle-pass line of ambulances on l\1arietta road and drove of beef cattle. Forage going to the front-hospitals filled with wounded graves-strike our troops-move to the left and rear of 4th A. C. Artillery packed in ravines-cattle shambles. Move to the front-great caution in getting into line, whi~h we N ccol!cct io1ts of Pioneer and .·:/ rniy Life. 241 accomplished after considerable [Mem. -The '' Copperhead wolf hunt'' was a prearranged pretext for a political meeting of Henderson County Confed erates where Bill Hanna could discipline "the forces."] · 8th. Reading Hawthorne and Wordsworth. Hear three volleys fired over the grave of a dead soldier of the 14th Mich. Night-light shower-brigade band-Gen. Sherman's order on straggling. 9th. Orders to march at 6 A. M.; countennanded. Other troops moving. Rumors of flag of truce. There are a hundred thousand of us: the infantry, the cavalry; the artillery and trains; the ambulances and the signal corps; the furled guidons and the faded banners. And we lay in our blankets in the silver moonlight in the 1nount ains of Georgia; the foe close at hand and the dead bet\veen the lines. Sleepless, but resting at ease in my blanket, I lie and look around upon the champing horses; the batteries; the billowy forn1s asleep around; the moonlight pouring down the gray, brilliant moonlight, glittering like the jeweled bosom of a -queen. We are here on our way to Atlanta and the sea- • J from Island No. 1 o and Belmont; from Donelson and Shiloh; from:Corinth and Stone River; from Chickamauga and l\,fission Ridge; from Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill; from Fredericks burg and Chancellorsville. 'Tis the early summer of 1864, and we are on our way home via Savannah and the Carolinas and Washington. Many of the lads will never see home again, but we will do the best we can as to that! 10th. Broke camp at 5 A. M. Move out into field along roadside and halt while 3d Brigade moves in advance, fol lowedibyi2d Brigade. Col. l\1itchell-rainstorm-troops 1nov ing to.._'north_and east. Move forward-halt while 15th A. C. passes us, __ or, \father, crosses our path. Another beating rain shower-up to knees in mud. Roads horrible for our trains and artillery. 3 P. M. Skirmishers engaged-our battery opens-halt and form line ,_of...:battle parallel and confronting rebel works. Sky clears-evening-brigade band : '' When This Crue 1War Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 243 Is Over.'' 4th A. C. in rear. Clearing away trees to-~gi ve our battery range. i\.djutant James Allen has just received a note fron1 Wallace R.icc, dated in hospital, near Chattanooga, on the 7th, in which he says: "I have been very bad from get ting erysipelas (gangrene) in tny \Vound. HaYc suffered-oh, so 111uch ! and an1 ·writing this in 1nuch pain." 11th. l\!Iisty this morning-shots on the picket-line n1111or that the enemy v,ould attack. Raining-Gen. Baird 011 our left. Troops getting ragged--clothes n1uch ·worn holes in hat-crowns patched ·with bits of blue cloth the size of one's hand. Cloudy and dismal. lWuddy stream-bivouac Gen Johnson rides past. Carries a cane instead of a sword! Gray beard; dark eyes; above the medium size; pleasant looking. Artillery shots-skinnishers-cars-whistle of loco motive-the engine keeps close on the heels of the skirmish ers-cracker-line perfect! Cutting away timber for batteries. 13th. Raining. Go on picket at 7-boys fall into creek. Brigade ~as orders to move-two companies sent to front dinner-artillery opens on our left. 4 P. M. Push line forward. Gens. Davis and Thorr1as Kenesaw Mountain in full view to front and left. Clear our front of the enemy's pickets. Night; stars; crescent. 14th. Clear and beautiful. Gen. lVIorgan and relief. l\fail and breakfast. Read in Plaindealer of money being sub scribed as a bonus to induce n1en to go into the "100 days" service! 9 :20. Move to the front--light marching order-left in front, close column by divisions-prisoners going to the rear wounded passing back. Advance and thro,v up breastworks. Dinner-Gens. Thomas, Whipple, Palmer, Davis, King and ,others. Cannonading to left. Skirmishers advance under or ders from Gen. l\'Ior.gan to go to top of hill and halt. Com panies "G '' and "K" sent out to strengthen the line. Gen erals repass-battery on our right opens-mail-moved to left-Johnson's division fills the works we vacate. Camp in woods close column by divisions. Rebel signal station detected 244 Recollections of Pioneer and ,t~Jrnzy Life. sending a dispatch ·which asserted that the rebel Gen. Polk was killed to-day by a shot fro1n one of our batteries. Night, bands playing national airs-we intrench. 15th. Under arn1s at daylight-felling trees for breast works-weather clear and beautiful. Shots on the picket-line intermingled with shots at intervals from our battery on the right. Four con1panies sent out as pickets. 12 M. Gen. Sherman and staff pass along the lines. Heavy skinnishing on our left-16th A. C. advancing their picket-line. Sixty prisoners taken in this advance. Tobacco scarce-not to be had for love or money. "Chokem" says: "I 'II fight any man in the brigade for one pound of the weed." 16th. Clear and beautiful-right advances, encircling Kenesaw. Shots on the picket-line. Barnett's Battery wakes up a rebel _battery on the mountain. Heavy artillery firing on our left. Received orders at 1 P. M. to hold ourselves in readiness to move at a 1noment's warning-light marching order-picket-line strengthened. Johnson is supposed to be making preparations for attacking us-we are prepared. 2 :30 P. M. Parrotts coming up. Mail this P. M. Group of generals in angle of works at house on our right at 5 P. M. Sherman, Thomas, Palmer, Davis and others. Fro1n this point can see on su1nmit of mountain rebel signal station, also horsemen and infantry. 17th. Brisk skirmishing on our left-rumor ~f prisoners being taken. 8 A. M. Orders received to hold · ourselves in readiness to tnove at any n101nent. P. M.-Visit picket-line-Negro huts-slaves-14th Mich. Reserve-skinnishers advance-flank rebel line and capture a squad of prisoners-a n1ajor atnong them. Our loss three wounded. 4 :30 P. M. Enemy atten1pts to recover his lo5t ground-repulsed. Our boys cheer. Light rain falling-put up tents. At dusk the picket-firing grows 1norc spiteful. 1 Artillery opens on our right. "Put" tells of "Dad Hand ' dancing for "a chavv tu-backer." Night--Gen. Paltner says main body of rebs ten n1iles distant--doubtful. The General Recollections of Pioneer and /lrnzy Life. 245 in a jocular vein-" Don't blame a man for getting behind a tree," he would do the same. "Want anything rash done, call on new troops--old soldiers too sharp." 18th. Raining-gloomy-swamps on our front-batteries on our right moving--our line advances half mile and throws up breastworks. 19th. Bugles rouse us before day-brigade band-" Old Hundred." Light firing on picket-line. Rebs evacuate-their pickets driven away. lVIove forward half mile and halt at cross-roads. One section of Barnett's Battery goes to the front. Gen. Whipple passes to front. Col. Dan lVIcCook a mediun1-sized, wiry fellow. Col. l\1itchell, a little, fancy n1an. They chat together-three reb prisoners pass to rear-Col . McC. talks to them. Find that enemy had only contracted his lines-"the apex on Kenesaw, his flanks resting on Noon day ( ?) and Nloses Creeks." Our battery (2d Minn.) shelling the sides of the mountain. R.ebels on the summit looking down on us as we approach. Our skirmishers take a few· prisoners and one of the enemy's an1bulances. Pass two lines of strong rebel rifle-pits and continuous ·works which the enemy had abandoned, and halt on his last and heaviest works, ,vhich were ten feet in depth, platfonned for guns and bushed to secrete then1. 11 A. M. Gen. Sherman walks along the de serted ,vorks where we are resting, gazing at the n1ountain; lines of battle and skirn1ishers advancing on our left-drench ing rain. 12 M. l\fove to the front and fonn line of battle move by the left flank, obliquing toward the n1ountain, and fonn another line of battle. Our batteries fire oyer our heads at the 1nountain. 3 :30 P. M. Reb sharpshooters discover us in the bushes. Del. Esterbrook, "H," ,voundcd in tip of shoulder; hall goes on and pierces a canteen and tears a n1an 's pocket out. Shots getting 1nore frequent-sky darkening-strong tokens of rain. 4 P. M. Captain 60th Ill. wounded in the hcacl-111ortally. Hear of the death of Adjt. Rice---unexpectecl-shocked profouncl sorrow. 246 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 20th. Built breastworks-rebel sharpshooters trouhle us. Cyrus Chapin shot through the wrist. Our batteries open. 12 :vr. shell from our battery bursts prematurely; pieces fall atnong us. Gen. l\!Iorgan views the enen1y's position-talks with us. Pieces of shell falling around. 4 :30 P. l\L Attack on right. Our batteries open on 1nountain-supper. Two of 10th Ill. wounded, Cos. "I" and "F"; leg and breast-latter died. Also one of 10th J\Iich. Regiment moves to the front for picket--reserve in ravine night-raining. 21st. Sergt.-lVIaj. Chas. B. Simpson hit in the scalp. Gave him a bad headache! 4th Miss. and 125th Ill. talking across picket-line-exchange tobacco for coffee. 22d. Reb batteries shell our camp. Dan Parker chews, dries and smokes the same· quid. R.ebel guns open on us two killedJ Several wounded on our right. Women reported near the rebel batteries on the mountain-top. Cannonading to our right. 12 midnight. Rebel batteries open on us; this supposed to cover the removal of their artillery. Orders to march-countermanded-build breastworks. 23d. Rebel artillery opens to the right and left of us. Twelve pieces in rear of our brigade open and silence rebel batteries-exciting scenes-splendid shots by our gunners. Our batteries to right-4th A. C.-open terrific fire on right of mountain. Another duel between battery in rear of brig ade and rebel guns-magnificent-our guns victorious-tre mendous cheering by our boys. Cannonading still going on to our right. Last night rebel pickets attempt a surprise our men on the alert, and drive them 100 yards to rear of their former line. 24th. Robt. Graham gone home-time expired. One of '' C'' wounded in thigh. 25th: Artist sketches Kenesaw. 10:30 A. M. Rebel bat teries open. Boys repair to trenches-terrific artillery duel; -engagement lasted one hour, neither side gaining any adYantage. Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 247 2 :30 P. M. R.ebel batteries open again-they challenge with a volley of six guns. Our batteries reply and drive rebel gunners from their pieces. Our guns had effective range engagement lasted half an hour-our guns continue to fire enemy unable to respond. With a glass can see the effect of all our shots as they are fired. 4 P. :vi. Rebel batteries open again-intense exciten1ent. Shells of contending batteries pass directly over our heads. Our batteries reply. Action renevved vvith increased fury. Enemy directs some of his pieces on our camp. Capt. Car penter's right-hand fingers torn off by piece of shell. Tops of trees cut off by shell and fell with a crash among us. lviail orders to move at nightfall. Our division relieved before Kenesaw at midnight. 26th. J.Vlove along the rear of our line of ,vorks a distance of four miles and mass in rear of Gen. Stanley's division, 4th A. C. Had a tedious night march of it, getting into camp at 6 A. M. Breakfast. Clear and breezy to-day. Prisoners go ing to rear. Hear the 1 'halloo" of a voice altnost superhun1an attracts the attention and suspicion of many. Gen. :\Iorgan thinks it the warning of a spy. "Stick" Carl, Capt. l\1cGaw, Adjt. Casvvell, Surgeon Mc Dill, of the 84th, and Lieut. Worrell, of the 78th 111., call. Hooker on our right. 27th. Roused at 3 o'clock A. M. with orders to move at daylight, light 1narching order. l\1ove1nent delayed-left camp at 6 :30-observe Gens. Howard and Palmer riding past-no tice something unusual in the face of the latter, deeply flushed. Is there a fight on hand? Heavy cannonading to left. File into a line of works at the front with great caution-muskets brought to the trail to prevent the gleam of the barrels being seen. Run a gauntlet of rebel sharpshooters for quarter of mil~-reach advance of breastworks ·with loss of one killed and four wounded. Relieved 21st Ky. l\fitchell's, Dan ~1c Cook's and Gen. Harmon's brigades charge the rebel vvorks advanced in silence. Hooker's skirmishers on our right ad- 248 Recollcctious of JJioneer and ~/Jr,my Life. vancc upon the e11cn1y si111ultanl'ously with the charging-line. I 13th and 78th Ill. rcgi1ncnts cross our works on the double quick unclcr a burning su11 --the charging-li11c vvas exhausted before it ~ot half way to rebel works. Ene1ny's batteries get cross-fin_• on us, raking our line with grape and canister. Rebel pickets driven in, 111ost of thcn1 captured. The charging-line disappears in the hills and ,voods on our front. }Iear the fio-hti11(,-~ ~• but sec nothino-.b The deafenino-b crash of the rebel batteries as they continue to shell our ,vorks. Our charging- line repulsed. Stragglers and color-bearer of I I 3th conic into our \\·ork·s ---one of then1 struck with piece of shell after sit ting down. Confused report of the actio11. Our charging-line retired a fc\V yards only and in trenched. Our loss heavy. Our wounded coining in. J)an l\icCook n1orta1ly wounded. Col. IJannon killed. _jfajor 113th ,vou1Hled. .Many fine offi cers and 1nen lost. _A dark, sad day. Gen. Brannon, Chief of ..:'\rtillery, Army of the Cun1berlan on coming into the presence of our dead. Rebel general seemed to enjoy our discomfiture. Reh colonel denounced Northern "Copperheads" and New York Herald. Return to our line with feeling of indignation and inexpressible sorrow. \risit frotn A. T. l\1cDill. By so1ne strange 1nisfortune this charge vvas dcli,,ered against the most fonnidable point in the line of rebel ,vorks, built by slave labor, days in act vance, in anticipation of the event. JOth. At :2 o'clock A. M. heavy firing on our front. Rebel skinnishers opened the action. 34th Ill. engaged---they dig rifle-pits on our front. Pickled onions and kraut, antiscorbutic, issued to-dav. l\Tuster. .I July 1st. Heavy fog. 2d and 3d Brigades keep up an incessant firing on the rebel works. Had view, from high, open ground on our right, of rebel fort being erected to our front and right, distant one mile. Gorgeous sunset. Our batteries open along our entire line-no response. 85th Ill., directly in front of the rebel salient, attempt to mine the rebel stronghold-our boys rake their works with 1nusketry, and no "Johnny" dare show his head! 2d. Dawn--our batteries open-no response---cleaning camp. R.ebels fire a few cannon shots. 3d. 3 o'clock A. M. Enemy gone. Breakfast at day light. Our regiment moves, skirmishers in advance, in direc tion of Marietta. Debouch into main road-strike 20th A. C. take a few prisoners. Halt and stack arms till Hooker's men pass. "Fighting Joe" passes on gray charger. One of our batteries opens on rebel rear guard-enemy's artillery replies f ron1 Marietta. Kill one man and wound others of 20th A. C. We take a circuitous route to town and enter the place at the Military Instit~te. Rest-prisoners--dinner-the tovvn pretty village-disfigured by the wear and tear of armies. Cannonading at a distance-leave town to our left, and move southward. Pass Hooker's ordnance train. Group of ex hausted men-very hot and roads dusty. Column of infantry with train moYing on road to left, and east of us S. R.. R. B. Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 251 burying-cannonading to right. Rebel works. In answer to a gentleman, Gen. Morgan, proud of his old regiment, replies: "This is the 10th Illinois." Relieve two regiments of 20th, A. C. in breastworks. Night-found the enemy on our front intrenched. Skirmishing-his nevv line of ,vorks in full Yiew· across open fields. 4th. The national anniversary. Bands out--camp re sounding ,vith "Star-Spangled Banner," "I-Iail Columbia." "Hymn of Liberty," "Ready to lVIove at a }Iotnent's \Varn ing." Cannonading to left. 1 I o'clock A. :vr. 60th Ill. move to front as skirmishsrs. Bill of fare for dinner; quarter goW11 green apples, intensely acid. l\1Iunched our hard-tack in the trenches in the· hot sun-joked and thought of the sun1ptuous feasts North to-day. Our skirn1ishers advance rapid firing-rebs running from right of their rifle-pits to left-strengthening them. Our batteries shell their pits ef fectually. Scatter their reinforcements and drive them a,vay. Our ,vouncled con1ing in. One rebel battery can almost en filade our vvorks. Orders to move at 6 :30 P. M. Supper. Our brigade advances and thro,vs up a ne,v line of works. Our regi1nent sent out to relieve the 60th on the picket-line, which suffered severely to-day.· Our batteries open to left and right. In swamp-sunset-bands playing at a distance. Night-right ,ving in reserve-left companies 111ove to the f rant-dangerous ground-rebs close at hand-1n0Ye with the greatest caution. l\!Iaj. \Vilson putting cotnpanies in position very dark, thick undergrO"wth on our left. Close shooting by rebel pickets-our boys engaged. During the night Prvt. Jno. Nelson had rubber poncho on his person struck, it being folded; on unrolling it, found eight or ten holes in it! J an1es W. Davis, lying asleep at our reserve, had tin can on his person pierced and dirt thrown in his face by a rebel Minie ball. ::Maj. Wilson ran the gauntlet of the enen1y's fire. Nar row escapes ,vere numerous. 5th. 3 o'clock this A. M. rebs silently retreat-dawn visit the deserted vvorks of the enemy; found thetn very Recollections of Pioneer and ..4r·my Life. stro11g--prisoners. Corporal \Valla.cc of the Goth Ill. dead his position-Lieut. Van I'uyl attempts to awake him, taking him to be asleep! I-Ie lay very naturally, as if screening himself fro111 the enemy behind a small pine bush. "Come, co1ne, soldier, it is daylight, the rebs are gone-get up t" Alas, for hi1n ! Ile was farther advanced than any of his co111radcs, and the bush behind which he had lain down to protect hin1self vvas scarcely large enough to hide his handj ·'fherc he lay, as if about to take a shot at the foe, his kerchief on his ann with which he wiped his brow; his gun out ahead of hiln, extended, the butt against his shoulder, his face lying on the lock. The enemy's ball entered the right eye. The ground on vvhich he was killed had been a peach orchard, and a fe\v stracn,linabb b trees remained·1 flourishino-b youncrb pines' were con1ing up thickly on every hand, and the tender grass sprouted luxuriantly, 1naking a scene of real beauty. As we moved to the right and left the place spades were busy preparing the grave of Corporal Wallace. Farther on, came upon other burying parties-the dead still lying where they had fall en. lVIoved out to the reghnent asse1nbling on the road, where ·we found the column in pursuit of the enemy. Prisoners-one of them seven feet in height and as saucy as he was long! Pass through heavy earthworks deserted by the enemy. March slow-hot-reach hills and halt for din ner--cannonading to our right and front. lVIove close to the Chattahoochie R.iver and halt. Skirmishers thrown forward and engaged, 10th and 14th Mich. in advance-drive rebel pickets back to their works-14th- Mich. lost heavily. Brig- ade forms line of battle-halt and intrench. Our battery shells rebel train moving across river. Run1or of difficulty between some of our generals. Rumor that our cavalry c~p tured large nun1ber of n1ilitia and Negroes. 6th. 1~wo rebel divisions reported on our front. With Lieut. Winsett in search of a spring, observe rebel wagon train beyond river on the double-quick. James M. Rice, on cler- Recollections of Pioneer and Arnzy Life. 253 ical detail, vvith us lo-day. Hooker n1ovcs to our right. Our batteries shell rebel works. Vicvv of .Atlanta fron1 tree-top. 7th. In obedience to order, policed can1p and fitted up tents to "stay a while." Spend the day in clcaning grounds, sinking barrels for water, etc. Night--fivc co111panies on picket. R.cbs attcn1pt to advance their pickct-line--are driven back. Shots pass over ca1np. 9th. Encn1y kft I-looker's front. 23d A. C. crossed river east of this yesterday. Cannonading in that direction to-day. 'Troops gathering large quantities of blackberries. Capt. l\iason says Adjt. Rice died of neglect of vvouncl by 1 hospital attendants. Sergt. Brown, of "C, ' doing vvell. F'ac tory burned up the river and train of wagons brought into :Mari etta laden vvith the operatives. Order to n1arch at daylight. roth. Tents struck and packed for 1narching-~enemy left our front-prisoners go by-sixteen-rumor that we vvill not rnove. Visit abandoned rebel works. Pine bushes cut by Minie-balls. Post of rebel picket reserYe. Rebel picket stations-octagons-abattis-stockadc-breastworks. In rear, works for field officers and hospitals. 'fhese works, a portion of them at least, have been built a long time. l\Iail to-day. Return picking blackberries. Cannonading on the river. 11th. lVIisty-lowering weather-cleared towards noon write letters-Gen. Shennau and escort pass. Pickets swim ming-friend and foe together in river, and exchange coffee for tobacco! Gathering berries. c3th. Rose at daylight and gathered berries-beautiful springs-in camp again at noon--clothing issued this P. M. Evening--receiyed orders to n1arch at 7 A. M. to-morrow cannonading-order to march countermanded. 14th. Rumor that the enemy charged McPherson-re pulsed. Ex-Capt. David R. Waters, formerly of" G," presents himself. It is exceptional for an officer deliberately to aban don the service of his country for personal gain-to sell whis key and trash to the soldiers at extortionate prices. This seems a harsh comment. Capt. W. ·was and is a talented man, 254 Recollections of Pioneer and Arni] ,Life. and acted in this matter within his rights. He was encour aged by drinking men like Tillson, and received the sutlership,. which he coveted. 15th. Rumored fighting across river. lvfail - berries. plenty. 16th. Cannonading across river. Inspected at ro A. M ► Received orders to march at 5 A. M. 17th. Left camp at 5. Marched east and south-up north side of river to Atlanta road. Came to bank of stream and n1assed in ravine. Lay pontoons and cross without much opposition. 16th Ill. in advance-lose four killed out of Com pany "F," Henderson County men: D. Montgomery, Warren Patterson, Alex. Peterson, Thos. Whitcher. Two wounded: John Shaw and J. E. Nelson. Drove rebels two miles and go into camp-dead rebels in the woods. Send a note to The Plaindealer. I 8th. Slept little-our batterymcn hard at work all night felling trees and planting guns-artillery moving all night-· Hooker's batteries passing along our rear. Visited graves of Company "F," 16th 111.-found their con1racles disinterring them to get their personal property out of the pockets to give to friends at ho111e. Our regiment relieved 16th this n1orning. Col. Tillson un\-vell. l\ifaj. Wilson in command. Army 1noves our reghnent in advance-Companies "D" and "I" skirmish ers-Company "C" ordered out to strengthen line. "H" sent out subsequently-Nancy Creek-skirmishers have difficulty in connecting their lines ,vhich rest (right flank) on Peach ~free Creek-1\tlaj. \Vilson with it-is struck in thigh-badly "vounded-visit hin1 after being brought in-lies on stretcher he goes to rear in an1bulance, deeply regretted by all. Dusk Capt. Frank lVIunson, right arn1 broken by a rebel ball-,vound ed on picket-line. Night-Company "E" goes on line-fills space between "I" and "D"; complete rifle-pits-hear rebels talking and chopping trees-shots exchanged. Hood relie,:es Johnston as com1nander of rebel army on our front. Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 255 19th. Call outposts in-mocking-birds-firing to right and left of us-send Amos Wright to ''reconnoitre"; gets a shot-returns-si.ving left of picket-line forward-stream and factory close on our front-in view. 5 P. M. Gen. l\1Iorgan, Col. Lum, and major 10th ::\iich. call at our outpost and go dovvn on our front and take items, keeping close to the large trees. The General brought 10th l\!Iich. and section of battery with hi1n, intending to advance upon the strea111. :\fter a close inspection of the enen1y's po sition, deferred the 111ovement. I-Ieavy action on our left, in which "C" participated. 20th. Aroused at 3 A. M., with orders to 1narch at day light. Delay-10 A. M., orders repeated to hold ourselves in readiness to move at any 1noment; 11 A. M., men permitted to take off cartridge-boxes. Fighting on our left-rebels charge our lines-repulsed.• 21st. Move out to picket-line-pass rifle-pits ·which we prepared on 18th and 19th inst. Prisoners -1nill -wade stream and ascend hill to rebel works, which are yery strong forn1 line and stack arms. Notice the effect of our shot on rebel ·works; found many of our balls in the head-logs. !viail. This P. M. our regiment left brigade and recrossed Nancy Creek to Ho-well Plantation, and relieved pickets of 2d Brigade-three companies reserve go into camp. Chattahoochie River close by. Remains of railroad bridge in full view. We are now on the extre1ne right of our army. 22d. Rose early-gathered quart blackberries for break fast--cannonading far to left-relieved by cavalry this A. l\L Return to brigade in old camp. Heavy cannonading ahead and far to the left. A battle is on! Confused reports of the fight on our left in circulation. General l\:IcPherson killed. Our forces go into line and entrench three miles fron1 the city. Our brigade on the extreme right, save the cavalry. Our batteries shelling the enemy-night-heavy skirmishing to left. Black berries. Orders to strengthen breastworks. Lieut. Winsett; 256 l~ecollections of JJioneer and Army Life. "Oh that this calamity were past and we were returning honw -so many of our brave fellovvs being slaughtered!" 23d. Cannonading-profound regret at the loss of Gen. lVIcPhcrson-build shade over tent. 11 A. M. Enen1y massing on our front-generals prepare to receive them-some curios ity and excitement. Mr. Eno, from Gen. Thomas' headquar ters-this old gentleman belongs to the Sanitary Commission. Troops on our left in line-our batteries shell rebel column passing to our right--our shell n1ake it hot for them-they double-quick and disappear behind a belt of woods. Portion of the city can be seeri from Dutch1nan's house in rear of our can1p. I-lea vy firing far to the left. Hear the whistle of a railroad engine in Atlanta. G-en. rvicPherson's body sent North with two of every grade in his comn1ancl as an escort. Con stant picket-firing night and day. 24th. ;\rtillery and tnusketry fire. Preaching by chap lain at rear line of breastworks this A. M. Noon-Neo-roesb co111- ing into our lines on road fron1 west. Received hat in mail to-day. Very quiet this P. M. Bands playing-sutlership of regin1ent given to Capt. D.R. Waters. .l\.rtillery and 1nusketry spiteful. Gen. lvlorgan around-says he ·will ,vatch to-night- apprehensive--cheering loud and long hy the entire arn1y. Heavy firing-no attack--cheering and firing dies a,vay. 25th. Cold last night-misty this A. M.-da.ys unusually cold. Policed can1p and pitched tents regularly. Night- - signal rockets. 26th. In cotnpany with comrade Ed H. Ellett, obtained pass, approved by A. A. Tate, for Capt. Lusk, commanding regiment, and by Provost Marshal Stinson for Gen. Morgan, by which we visit 84th Ill. in 4th A. C. Pass along the rear of 14th and 20th A. C.'s breast,vorks-batterics-reserves. 27th. Vacillation of Lusk. Disliked by Morgan. 2 P. M. Recall our pickets-assemble and n1ove into camp-move out-brigade-to road on the front of 1\tlitchell's brigade-fonu line of battle--Companies "G" and "K" deployed as skirn1- ishers under cover of hill--delay-16th A. C. passing to the Recollections of Pioneer and ...4.rtny Life. 257 right along our rear---6oth surgeon in shirt sleeves--wrist bands open and turned back, ready for work, an on1inous figure indeed. I1ic Id officers dismounted-snatch a 1no1nent to chat with Lieut. Tunis, 4th Iowa-l\1itchcll's men on -works behind us, avvaiting developments. Heavy rain. \Ve advance -six co1npanies deployed, four in reserve. Engage the ene1ny after marching quarter of mile straight to front. Four regi ments close column by divisions support us. Re be 1 captain killed and others of his 1nen killed and wounded-drove their entire line back one 111ile-16th A. C. on our right. Put bat tery in position and throw up breastworks. 6th Incl. of 16th A. C. relieve us on picket-line-assemble' -and returri to old camp. Loss of regiment slight, all ,vounded. Returning to camp met 17th A. C.; also Generals Paln1er and Baird. Gen erals Sherman, Thomas, Palmer, and Davis at Gen. l\ilorgan's headquarters to-clay-Generals Thotnas and Palmer present Gen. l\1organ with a pair of major-general's shoulder-straps. Learn then our division will remain in reserve a while and Gen. Baird's will take the front. Gen. Jeff. C. Davis in co1nmand of corps. 28th. Gen. l\1organ in con1mand of division. Lieuts. Porter and Parrott call-marched out on Sandtown road. Co1ne upon 9th Ill. l\!Iounted Infantry on outpost on the extre111e right flank. Road in places obstructed by rebel picket barri <:ades. I-louse-rail barricade-talk with family, one n1ile to river, five 111iles to Sandtown. Turn to left into vvoods, and halt for dinner. R_umor that we are going to Turner's Ferry on Chattahoochie River Out again at 1 P. M.-strike rebel cavalry-drive them-hou~e--old man-t,,·o miles to ferry. Aid fron1 Gen. Davis~hange our course-turn to left-can hear the sound of battle at our old camp-volleys of artillery and 1nusketry. Vv"e turn sharply to the left-moving no,v di rect to the position of our arn1y-solitary country-diin roads night-saw-tnill, house-glare of the flame in the old fireplace little girl standing in the doorway, woader-stricken at the phan toms passing in endless procession through the d8.rkness. 2 58 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. Rapid firing on the front and right of our column-delay long and tedious march-men dropping out along the roadside. Itnpression that we did not accomplish what ·we went out to do -a sudden change in the programme during our 111arch-no body seems to knovv the trouble--reached can1p in rear of 15th .:-\.. C. at I A. M. [A1 eni.-This was a 111ost dan111able perforn1- ance. \Ve earnestly desired to get into this mix-up ·with Hood's army. It was the intention that we should strike the enemy 1 s flank. \Ve had a guiclc-vvhcther ,Ne were intentionally misled I do not know. It vvas as dark as hell when we got into catnp, and the confusion was great. On arriving at the spot where we \\·ere to go into can1p, we ca1nc up, as it were, out of the bottom less pit. Adjt. Theo. Wiseman stood at its 111outh ,vith a torch in his hand to light us out, and I watched him narrowly to see if he had one big eye in the middle of his forehead and a tail \\·ith a spear on the end of it. Who \Vas at fault in this "Sand town '' movement I kno\v not. One thing I know: If Joe l\Iower or Phil Sheridan had directed the movement, our di Yision would have found the flank of the enemy in short order. How did Gordon Granger find the enen1y when Gen. Thomas ,vas hard pressed on the fie Id of Chickamauga? By the sound of battle. God bless his memory.]* 29th. Issuing rations-breakfast-Quartermaster Oliver Pyatt called-Gens. Sherman and Davis discuss the orders given Gen. lVIorgan yesterday. Gen. Sherman gave no order to go to Turner's Ferry-Gen. Morgan received that order, and no other. We were to have gone to the extreme right of our army and taken position to attack the flank of the as saulting rebel column. Gen. Davis (sick at this time) much :·r.. ~ *Recent search has ferreted out the truth concerning this move ment. This contretemps rests heavily upon our division to this day. It g~ ve Sherman an opportunity to slur the Army of 1he Cumberland, which he took advantage of in his "Memoirs." The order of the general of the army was erroneously copied by a clerk at the Corps Headquarters. The blunder was higher up than General James D. Morgan, and the grand old man felt so indignant at the aspersions of Sherman that he did not at the time, nor ever afterward, attempt to vindicate his repu tation as a safe and sure soldier in the field. Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 259 disappointed at the miscarriage. Passed over the battle-ground to-day. "Louisiana Tigers" fought desperately - many of them fell on our works-reported that regiment lost their colonel, n1ajor, and seven captains killed. In front of the 55th Ohio and 26th Ill. many rebel dead over the ground. "Put ' 1 says, "They tried to get us into a fight yesterday, but ·we were too sharp for them." 12 M. Our brigade, commanded by Col. Robt. F. Smith, 16th Ill., moved to the front--roth lviich. on the skirmish-line-forward through woods in line of battle weather very hot--cross large road leading into the city halt and throw up rail barricade. 4:30 P. M. Our pickets engaged. 3d Div. 20th A. C. on our right. Our entire line of investment moved forward this P. M. and erected works-farm-houses burning-battery going into position-fifty-seven dead "Johnnies" found through the woods on the ground of the action of the 28th inst. Dropped a little to the rear of our first position and cl ug trenches by torchlight. 30th. I~oused at 3 o'clock-completed breast\vorks orders to 1nove--delay-_Col. 'fillson visits us to-day--not able for duty yet. Noon-lVIorgan L. S111ith's division of 15th A. C. relieves 3 regiments. ;froops moving past us into woods on our front and into position. Artillery packed in valley to our left and rear. Ambulances debouching into valley and going into park-a place seemingly made for their safety. Rebs shell us-shell blovvs hat off one fellow and dints the n1uzzle of his n1usket-this and nothing n1ore. Lieut. Anderson, Con1- pany "G," reported for duty fron1 hospital at Chattanooga. Two of our batteries shell rebel vvorks furiously. 6 P. M. rapid skirn1ish firing. Evening-air dense ·with smoke, obscuring the landscape. Our division files along edge of ·woods-sun set-the blue sky-n1ist rising along the forest-a1nbulances going to rear with wounded-groups of soldiers in valley Negroes in valleys stiff with fright--eventide-horses grazing in the valley-fires lighting-smoke settling-shouts of tea1n sters coming up--cheers of our skirmishers driYing the en emy--one brigade of our division gets position on hill to our front. Rebels shell them-heavy picket-firing-spirt of balls passing over us-soldiers passing to the front from commis sary with boxes of hard-tack on shoulders. Sapphire sky-- stars-multitudinous voices of insects-hun1 and buzz of the Union host settling into camp. New moon-thin crescent abov<:: the western horizon--camp close colu1nn by divisions entrench-sleep without blankets. 5th. Breakfast-prisoners-Gen. Morgan-we advance- 10th Mich. skinnishers-some loss. Advance over a tnile entrench-put up traverses to prevent ene1ny from enfilading trenches. Shell us severely-no casualties in our regiment. Gens. Morgan and King. 1st Tenn., 23d A. C., on our right. Send detail to old camp for knapsacks. 6th. Hazy and cool. Reb sharpshooters throvving balls among us-they shell us-our skirmishers drive their pickets in-threw their shell among us all day. 12 M. 16th and 14th sent to front, to support pickets. 23d A. C. advances-heavy firing in that direction-16th and 14th return-one of '' B '' wounded by piece of shell. Night-heavy rain. 262 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 7th. Issuing rations. 12 M. hot skirmishing on our front -14th Mich. sent out to support our line. 1\vo of our batter ies open on rebel works. Gen. Sherman and Howard stop in rear of our line. Fighting on our left. Turn the enemy's left he falls back-we advance-take prisoners-reach rebel works, reverse them and erect traverses-shell us-take head off one man, wound others-make it hot for us. l\!Iove forward to crest of range of hills and entrench. Fighting to left of us. Our wounded-n1ore prisoners. Showers to-day. Rebel lieu tenant hrought in wounded. 8th. Brisk firing on picket-line. 2d Ill.. A.rtillery in po sition on our front. Put up head-logs. Enemy throwing shell among us with great precision. Knapsacks brought up-Jno. Crawford slightly \\rounded by piece of shell. 12 M. Sergt. Ben. Kimball of "I(_" killed while eating dinner-Lieut. Tomn1y Kennedy affected to tears at this loss-buried in rear of camp. One of "D" and another of "I(" wounded. Narrow escape of Capt. lVIason and others from shell. l\fail-23d and portion of our A. C. to advance to-day-rain prevented this movement. 6 P. M. Relieve 16th Ill. on picket-line. ~fcKinney sick Van Tuyl 1st platoon, myself 2d platoon. Pine tree over our pit -put men in forward trenches-Billy Endicott and others enemy's works very close and in full view-angry firing all day. Sid McCurdy hit in heel. Found dead rebel in front of our pits-killed on the 7th, while engaged ·with 14th l\1ich. Sid got half dollar in silver and knife from his pocket-buried him! Midnight-squad of 14th Mich. appear and ask per mission to go out in front of our pits and bury two of their dead who fell here on the 7th. 9th. Heavy firing on left. Our batteries shell rebel camp, which is in full view in ed·ge of woods across open field. 12 M. 23d A. C. advances. 2d 111. shell rebel pits; knock head-logs off. Our boys spoiled several rebs-saw them carried off on stretchers. Deserters came in last night from 4th Ga. Sharp shooters. That regin1ent at Resaca was 400 strong; have now but 80 men; 40 lost in front of ot1r brigade in the advance on the Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 263 7th. R.ebel forts on our left. 3 P. M. Artillery duel. Relieved at 6 P. M. by 14th :Mich. 10th. Rebels shell our camp; kill one of "D." Narro,v escapes. 12th. Orders to move at daylight. Baird's 3d Division in our entrenchments-31st Ohio relieves us on the picket-line. Keep our reserve at the old place, but rnove our line to the right. Brigade shift to right c1nd occupy trenches of brigade of 23d A. C. }[ail. 6 P. M., return to trenches of 14th ~Iich., near Gen. Cox's headquarters. 13th. R.un1or of our leaving old brigade soon ancl going to 17th l\.. C. Orders for our re1noval said to be ,vith Gen. l\iforgan. Night-attend orayer-meeting in company with Lieut. Van Tuyl. 14th. Policed grounds and oitched tents. Orders for monthly inspection to-morrovv. Suggest Soldiers' lVIonument to Sergeant Andre,v Fuller and others. The sergeant is a man who would adorn any company of men to which he belonged. 15th. Details sent to country for green corn. Bathe at Cascades this A. M. Receive orders to make out charges against John Tank for firing his gun in camp. Excitement about leav ing brigade-men generally opposed to it-if left to a vote of the men, it would be defeated unanimously. 16th. Draft circular for Soldiers' Monument. Evening relieve 16th on picket. The loss of such men as Wallace W. Rice, Samuel Plummer, James McDill, Gid. H ...t\.yres, and oth ers, of Henderson County, suggested the 111011ument to their memory. 17th. Hot-bad rifle-pits-too narrow-men cramped up in them. Close firing by the enemy. Chas. Cowan grazed in ankle by ball. Relieved-meet, going to camp, Lieut8. Porter and Aton. Arrange to visit 84th Ill. with them to-morrow. 18th. Lieut. Porter refused permission by Col. Cahill to be absent from his regiment to-day. Visit 84th ,vith Lieut. Aton-mule rnounts--complete draft of articles for Soldiers' Monument Association. 264 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 19th. Roused at 3 A. M. by color-corporal and afterwards by Col. Tillson, with orders to be ready to march at s. Troops moving in to take our place-took cup of coffee and moved to right and occupied works of 23d A. C. Returned to old camp at midnight-learn from "Solomon" that we leave for the 17th A. C. to-morrow. Under an order from the War Department, secured by the scheming of Col. John Tillson, we exchanged the "Acorn" ( 14th A. -C.) for the "Arrow" (17th A. C.). After three years of active service with Gen. James D. Morgan, in whom we had unbounded confidence, to be torn a·way from our old division and corps to gratify the spite of John Tillson was deeply mor tifying. And our chagrin was not lessened when, a few dasy after our departure to the 17th A. C., our old division, led by Gen. 1\1:organ, gallantly charged the enemy's lines and captured an entire brigade and two rebel batteries of ten guns. Is it not plain that Tillson played himself for an ass? In the face of all, the regiment continued to do its full duty. 20th. Bid old brigade good-bye-God bless the brave old band-forced to leave them or we should never separate. Call on 16th Ill. before leaving along with comrade Ed H. Ellett. We chose our own road to 17th A. C. Comrade Ellett is one of our most popular men and an accomplished soldier. I~each Gen. Ransom's headquarters-Henry McDermott--coffee- Col. Tillson-regiment comes up--camp in rear line-left wing -right wing in the advance works. Indecision of Capt. Lusk- Col. Tillson commands brigade-3d; 1st Division commanded by l\1aj.-Gen. Joe l\Iower, with whom ·we began our career as soldiers at Island No. 1o. 21st. In response to an order, I reported at brigade head quarters, where Col. Tillson offered me a position on his staff; in effect, it is a command and I cannot refuse, although I have no desire for close relations with its commander. 22d. Am to report to Col. Tillson to-morrow morning. 23d. Eight companies on picket at 3 A. M. On duty at brigade headquarters. I? ecollcctions of l)ioncer and A nriy Life. 265 24th. Dr. Payne and Capt. :\IcE11~1lly took dinner with us. Advised of a n1ovc to take place to-n1orro\V morning. lviail letter fron1 brother Ewe 11. John Winsett reports ford uty fron1 hospital; leaves for his con1pan y, which is detached. Stationed at bridge on Chattahoochie River, guarding commissary stores enemy shell us. Night--n1arching orders received for 9 A. M. 2.i:;th. Clear and hot. Very quiet on the lines-packing up-teams departing-----learn that 20th ..A. C. has swung back on river and entrenched. The rest of the army, 50,000 strong, side-stepped to right --on Jonesboro. 2(>th. Orders received to have con11nands in readiness to 1nove at 8 P. M. Night-we evacuate ·works-delay in getting off ---rebels shell us-they can hear our artillery moving-strong picket-line out -n1arch all night-pass Ovvl Church. I-Ialt for rest in tnorning. Slept none for two night~. Pass on and halt again at 10 1\. M.-take breakfast-find our trains here. March on tvvo 111iles-place troops in position-post pickets. One of the Adams family, relation of the late John Q. Adan1s, is reported to be driving a team in this army. 27th. Again on duty with my cotnpany. Delayed in catnp till sunset, when, the train having stretched out on the road, we move out as rear guard. Pass cavalry. A.11 night going about three 111iles-wagons upset-hurn the111- -Capt. Carpenter missing; supposed to be captured. \Vent into camp -train ahead in corrall. Green corn for dinner and supper. Hear of active operations on the front--troops go out 011 the double-quick. [A1em.-Col. Tillson ga,·e 111e an appointtnent on the brigade staff. The books were easily kept, and the duties otherwise were not beyond the capacity of any n1an of average intelligence; but I had difficulty with Tillson almost at once. He received an order which was part of a very in1port ant move by the vvhole anny, and which resulted in the capture of Atlanta itself. He made two verbal drafts of the order in succession; having made one, he forthwith made the other, and then, after some reflection, went back to the first, remarking that one's first thoughts vtere the best. I said to him, "This 266 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. order I will have to deliver to Capt. Lusk-a slender reed to lean upon-and it must be as plain as a barn door or we will get into trouble." I did not hear the order as delivered from Gen. Fuller, but I gave Tillson's version of it clearly and re peated it to Lusk; and he did what he was expressly forbidden to do. At the moment Tillson cast the blarne on Gen. Fuller; but Tillson drank whiskey over-much, and, so far as I am per sonally involved in this or any other controversy with him, I am now, as then, a better man than he ever was cut out to be.] 30th. l\1arched at 6. Railroad ties burned-rails twisted and broken-this is the M. & W. R.R. 15th A. C. moving on our left-in the _direction of Jonesboro. We move on the ex treme right--circuitous route. Kilpatrick ahead-drives rebel cavalry. Darkness overtakes us-very weary-10 o'clock and no camp-men clamorous and exasperated. Billy Endicott cursing at a huge rate-man in company next in our rear opens with a volley of oaths-Billy eclipsed-felt ashamed of his own conduct as reflected in the bad temper of the other silent for a few n1inutes-gets humorous, crying out: '' 0 my bleeding country!" "Hurrah for Aue Lincoln! hurrah for the Union!'' l\:Iarched till 1 r o'clock and camped tvvo miles from Jonesboro. Hear railroad train. Pickets firing. 31st. Constant picket-firing-cannonading to left-trains running. A.dvance lines and throw up works. Rebels charge 15th l\.. C.-repulsed with great loss-shift' to left on double quick-Jack Thomas, of "A," and Sergt. Nicholas Stnith and others wounded. Entrench-prisoners-see steeples in town of Jonesboro-night-cars running continually. September 1. Orders to be ready to move at a motnent's warning. Gen. Ransom-prisoners-Tunis and Allen, of 2d and 7th Iowa. P. M. Fighting on our left. 14th A. C., Gen. l\'Iorgan's division, charges the enemy; breaks his lines--captured c 1:e brigadier-general, 2 ,ooo prisoners and ten guns! Our lines advance-enemy retreating-night coming on-enemy evacu ating-our batteries shell them furiously-tremendous cheer- Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 267 ing! Midnight, enemy exploding ammunition. Gen. 0. 0. Howard's congratulatory order on the success of recent move ments, resulting in the capture of Atlanta. But for Tillson we would have shared in the glory won by our old division under Gen. lvlorgan ! 2d. Enemy gone. Our army after then1-our division delayed. l\1ove into Jonesboro in the evening with train. 3d. Churches filled with rebel dead and wounded. Our -own wounded in tents. Go on picket-relieved-march to front after night. 5th. We 111ovc to left and fall back into ne,v line of works. Right ,ving of regiment on picket-rain-storm. Gens. I-Ioward, Ransom and Fuller in house-brigade headquarters. 6th. Drop back into old works before Jonesboro-rebel cavalry following us-they are in town-raining. 8th. Left camp early and marched in the direction of Atlanta~annonading in our rear-rebel cavalry pressing our rear guard. Reached vicinity of East Point in the evening and went into ca1np behind old rebel entrenchments. 9th. l\1oved one mile nearer East Point Station-within inner line of rebel fortifications-policed grounds and put up tents. Right ,ving east of main Atlanta road - left wing west of this road-brigade headquarters directly in our rear spring water close by-this is our place of rest after the long and difficult summer campaign. While in this camp the fol lowing line officers resigned: Capt. Charles lvicEnally, "B" Co.; Capt. John Boyle, "C" Co.; Capt. Samuel l\:Iason, "D" Co.; Capt. G. C. Lusk, ''K" Co.; 1st Lieut. Richard Wol cott, "F" Co. The follo\\i~ing officers of the line received furloughs for thirty days: Capt. Colin McKinney, "E" Co.; 1st Lieut. Henry C. l\'1cGrath, "A" Co.; 2d Lieut. Geo. D. Woodard,. "H" Co. A large number of enlisted men received furloughs also. At this time Lieut.-Col. M. F. Wood returned to regiment for duty and took command. A number .of enlisted men whose 268 Recollections of P-ioncer and Anny Life. term of service (three years) had expired, were mustered out. Those in our own company were as follows: A. R. Graham, J as. M. Rice, Frank Rascher, Henry Millholland, Kirk P. Hartley, John Rosebaum. On 26th September, in obedience to orders, I took com mand of Company '' F ''-receipted to Lieut. Wolcott for ord nance, camp and garrison equipage. Raised a subscription of five hundred dollars in our con1- pany for Soldiers' l\tlonument in Henderson County. The facts in regard to the above subscription are, it was cheerfully given, but was much larger than the company could afford. THE Hoon CHASE. October 1st. Mess with Lieut. Winsett. Confused re ports coming in as to Hood's movements. Received orders at 1 P. M. to be ready to move at 2 :30. At this hour moved out and formed, close column by companies, on parade-ground; stacked arms-breezy, but hot. Brigade band-troops pass prisoners-marched three miles and bivouac for the night. 2cl. Left camp at 5. Marched ten miles~an1e up with small force of the enemy and drove them-returned to the camp we left in the 1norning. On picket with Company "F,'' detachment of 25th Ind. and detail from Co111pany "B,'' sixty-five in all. Terrific thunder-storm-slept none. 3d. Left camp at 6 A. M.-returned to old can1p in the trenches. ,.f ook breakfast and packed baggage and sent to Atlanta to be stored. Received 111arching orders for tu-mor row. Ira Putney 111ustered out after making three trips to 4th Division mustering officer-had at last to apply to Gen. Ransom. Night-complete an article for Plaindealer on W. W. R.ice, 1st lieutenant and adjutant. Place it in the hands of "Put" on the eve of his denarture for ho111e. 4th. Troops moving since daylight-delay-left ca1np at 1 P. M. l\1:ove slowly and halt often. Draw rations on the roadside. Pass 14th A. C. can1p. Old rebel forts-suburbs of Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 269 Atlanta-~trike Sandto'vvn road-turn to left upon it. Night. Road blocked with troops-succeed in the course of two hours in marching one mile! '' Y akob '' afflicted with night blindness-send him to ambulance. Bad roads-wagons break down-throw a,vay camp equipage-strike railroad-march along it-Negro pickets--Chattahoochie River---cross and halt in road--cold-sleepy-stiff. 3 o'clock A. M. Men giving out -fall by the wayside. 5th. Marched all night and still marching. Road lined with sleeping stragglers-not stragglers, perhaps, but men com pletely given out-pass through old earthworks-troops break fasting-Doc. Payne--Gen. Fuller--countermarch one mile and halt for breakfast. Aching feet--do not move.-r 2 M. Stragglers coining in-Company "F" boys get on train at Chattahoochie River and ride to Marietta, from whence ,ve joined regiment. Send our valises to Marietta, where they are taken charge of by quartermaster, who remains behind. This is the battle-ground of 4th July. Left camp at dusk, ,vith but few minutes' warning, and marched till midnight to with in one mile of battle-ground of 27th June-Kenesaw Mountain. Halt in old rebel works-rain-drowned out-am amazed at the rapidity with which we get over this ground now, as com pared to our progress south over the same roads during the spring and su111mer ! 6th. lVIarching orders countermanded. Bounced coffee coolers fron1 our 111ess ! 7th. Heavy fog this moming--distant cannonading- pioneers go out-read "lVIexico" -and "On Horseback into Oregon'' in the Atlantic. 4 P. M. Order to march---countermanded--dispatch from signal station of Corse's fight at Altoona. "157 rebel dead before our works." Our loss in killed, wounded and missing slight. Orders to march at 4 A. M. Hood has a good pair of legs and is keeping out of our way. 8th. March delayed-high wind and cold-read all day had to keep under my blankets most of the day, it was so cold. 2 70 Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy ~if e. Received marching orders for to-morrow. Put up a ·wind break and slept well. 9th. High wind continues. "A" and "F" rear guard- 1narch to l\!Iarietta-seminary-residences burning-hospitals --cemetery-camps-moved beyond town and camped in the ·woods, close colu1nn by division; main portion of the army in camp here. Hot-graves of soldiers killed during summer can1pa1gn. 10th. In camp-five companies forage to-day-broke camp in the evening and marched to Ackworth-reached camp at midnight. 11th. l\'Iarched to Altoona-evidences of the fight-garri son still there-bridge over Etowah-Centreville-people cheer us-railroad trains. 12th. l\'Iarch to Ki11gston--cannonading at Rome-bulk of the opposing armies in that direction. Troops and ordnance trains pass on to Rome-our regiment got aboard train for Re saca-road torn up twelve miles; Hood smashed it good. Come to within half-mile of the break-" A" and "F" on skirmish-line-reach break-rebels fled-repair break, during ·which "I" is feeling the way in advance. Overtake them with engine at tank. '' I'' gets aboard and '' D '' takes the advance . Reach Calhoun. '' F '' and '' D '' on picket-Federal commis sary-$600 horse-rebel cavalry just left town. Dispatch fron1 Resaca-our garrison there summoned to surrender! Not 1nuch ! Train returns to Kingston-we move forward to Re - saca. "D" in advance-" E" flankers-Lieut. Van Tuyl on right with 1st platoon, myself on left of railroad track ·with 2d platoon-placed in temporary charge of this. Capture cavalry horse and accoutrements on skirmishing-line-belonged to rebel deserter or spy. Arrive at Resaca at 3 in the morning-very cold--cross on pontoons-enter fort and fill trenches-850 of our men here, mustered out on their way North-time expired. These movements at night, in the confusion of pursuit, so1ne queer things happened; one, a horseman having an altercation Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 271 with some of our mounted officers; I observed the man ride off; he was believed to be a spy. 13th. Enemy in view - constant picket-firing - enemy maneuvering on our front. Afternoon. Rebel force understood to have crossed river and advancing to attack us-people come in from the surround ing country for safety. Wife of Gen. L. H. Rousseau here with wives of other officers. 4 P. M. Our skirmishers advance and drive the enemy from intrenchments-cheering. Our cavalry out-our artillery used with effect-sunset-reinforcements rebels attempt a charge-repulsed. 14th. Enemy gone--our cavalry in pursuit-had the en emy remained, we were to have charged them. Large part of our army arrived here to-day. 15th. H.oused at 3 A. M. Army broke ca1np and 1novecl after the enemy in the direction of Snake Creek Gap. Came up with his rear guard at the mouth of the Gap. Our brigade in advance. We form line of battle-skirmishers driYe the ene1ny away with loss of twelve killed and wounded. Gen. Sherman talking to prisoner--Gens. Howard, Ransom, and Fuller-enter Gap-road obstructed with fall en trees of large size. Completely blocked--our prisoners cut them away. Slo\\r progress-skirmishing constantly, our regiment deployed -march over the hills ·with extreme difficulty-deep ravines \Veather extremely hot---Gen. Ransom reprimands Lieut.-Col. :\Jae \Vood, and justly. 16th. 15th A. C. in advance to-day. Rebels living on parched corn, sorghum cane, chestnuts, chinkapins, and co,v peas-anything they can find; "No bread," says a Negro cap tured-the road literally covered with the chewings of the Chinese cane; \\re track their columns by it. Rear guard to day. 4th and 14th A. C. moving alongside us on an improvised road. Gen. Stoneman rides past in a private soldier's hat and blouse; very plain n1an. Camped near Villanow. 17th. Did not move until dusk. Received a large mail; great rejoicing over it-learn nothing of Hood~rossed mount- 272 Recollections of Pioneer and L'4nny Life. ains and went into can1p in cornfield. Gen. Howard's order on pillaging. 18th. Broke camp early and marched rapidly-reached Chatooga River; camp at sunset on this stream, near Osgood's Factory. Sweet potatoes in abundance-female operatives our cavalry had severe skirmish with enemy's rear guard at the bridge here. Slater's Ridge on our left-passed some fine farm·s to-day. Traces of rebel army; it passed here on the 16th and 17th. System of foraging instituted. 19th. Left Osgood's Factory at daylight. lvI arched through Summerville and Alpine. Went into camp at dusk out of rations-hungry--Gen. Osterhaus--crossed State line into Alabama. 20th. Co. "C" brigade foragers. Broke camp at 7--Co. '' F" rear guard. Brigade inspector picking up stragglers and private foraging parties. l\ien in sweet potato patches--old / 1nan shouts to boy to help him get a few before all are gone; he gets enough for one meal. Jenkins shoots pig; Gen. Leggett, of 3d Division, strikes him with the flat of his sword; men in black haws-foragers in procession, going into ca1np loaded. Inspection to-day at 2 P. :.\L 23d. Capt. Geo. I<.ace to see us this P. M.-informs us that our old brigade is close at hand. 24th. On picket with "F'' at 6 P. M. R.elieve Company '' A'' at the mouth of Spring Valley. 25th. On the picket-line-Parson Canfield~itizens wish to go North and ask rations-appear at our station hungry give the1n coffee and hard-tack-give me chestnuts. Hurley wants to go North-has a son in Illinois-Widow Hurley and Widow Banister ·want rations-our foragers have stripped the country. lVIrs. lvfartha Cromar wants to go North-her hus band a prisoner at Rock Island-she wants to 1neet him in Illinois and remain there. Our anny has stripped this region of its horses and mules, grain and provisions. People are utterly destitute. Parson Canfield's written appeal referred. The parson is a "l\'lission ary Baptist." 26th. In camp - read "History of Europe." Lieuts. Woodard and :McGrath return from furlough. :McKinney's furlough has expired also. 27th. Gen. Ransom very sick. Gen. Jo. A. lviower ar rived yesterday and assumed command of division. Gen. Wilson in command of cavalry. 28th. Portion of army marches to-day. Reviewed by Maj.-Gen. lvlower and Brig.-Gen. Sprague. Col. Lum and staff present as spectators. 29th. Broke camp at 7 - crossed Chatooga River on bridge--0ur brigade rear guard-pioneers fell trees in the ford and bum bridge after us. Pass through village of Cedar Bluffs on the east side of valley, under the hills. Cross Coosa River-delays-swatnpy country covered with pine forest trains have great difficulty in getting through. .Capt. Hemp street, Division Provost Marshal, thinks we will march all night-darkness-flounder along till 10 o'clock and camp. Draw rations-sleep at 11. Roused at 4. 274 Recollection,s of Pioneer and Army Life. 30th. Broke can1p at .5-very dark yet-halt for ord nance train to pass. No meat in supply train-men hungry living on hard-tack and coffee. Push on-strike Rome road about ro A. M. Reach Cave Springs-ragged village-camp in field. 31st. Gen. Ransom died within three miles of Rome, on a stretcher. A fine-looking young man-dark brown hair, hazel eyes, tall and slender-much lamented. Rumor that Perry Godfrey was captured while guarding a forage train near lvlarietta. Large mail this P. M. Letter from Robert S. McAllister on Soldiers' lvionument; also one from Maj. Wilson. Papers in abundance. Col. Wood sent up an application. for the re turn of Capt. Race to regiment. Mustered to-day. Adjt. i\llen informs me of his commission as major in 5th U. S. Colored Heavy Artillery, stationed at Paducah. On a stroll this P. M. 1net a brigadier-general and a host of other officers returning to their commands from furlough. ]no. F. Benn.ett, of "F," among the number. Also Sergt. Nicholas Smith, of "E," who brought us news and letters. McKinney does not show up! November 1st. Indian sun1n1er-liazy and blue and peace ful! Received 1narching orders for 3 A. M. Broke can1p at 7. Passed through village of Cave Springs. Saw two citi zens oniy-wo1nen at windows! ~rders kept secret-know nothing of ·where we are going-thoughts of being paid soon almost abandoned-n1oving southeast-tending probably to lVIarietta or Atlanta by easy n1arches-foraging in the valleys as we go-on one spot at the roadside to-day noticed thirty hogs slaughtered, which a foraging party had placed for their comrades when they should come along in the column. Boys in rear had a few shots to-day at guerrillas hovering around, picking up stragglers. Reached Cedar Town at I P. M., ·where 17th and 15th A. C.s camped-a deserted, dilapidated['place. Rumor that Gen. Blair has returned from his pacificatory Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 275 tour! l\!Iountains beyond. the valley south of us 1001n grandly upon the distant and indistinct horizon. 2d. Broke camp at 8 A. M.-raining-clreadful roads train miring down-burn cotton and cotton gins on our ·way camped at a miserable place called Van Wirt. 3d. lVIarched from Van Wirt to Dallas-our old "stamp ing ground." Severe march-rained all day-prisoners--camp at dusk-rear guard got in at 3 o'clock in the n1orning. Passed a beautiful slate quarry to-day-houses roofed ·with it and to1nbstones cut fron1 it. 4th. Broke camp at 7 and marched to ·within seven miles of l\Iarietta--camped at 12 M., behind an old line of breastworks-showers this morning and sleet, aftenvarcls Yery cold with high wind-read "History of Europe." 5th. l\ifarched at 8 A. M. Reached the railroad four miles below Marietta, and went into regular camp. Capt. Pollock, Division Inspector, seized all extra horses and mules not accounted for. 6th. Put in estirnate for clothing-special order f ron1 Gen. Howard, stating that we will ·remain in ca1np here till the army is paid and clothed and till after the Presidential election. Corporal John Clover brought this order to me on the picket-line. Sent in list of married men to headquarters. The regiment received t\vo hundred recruits to-day; thirty eight of these substitutes and drafted men-assigned to Com pany '' F '~-to drill these men so I can handle then1 on the eve of an opening ca1npaign is an arduous labor. 7th. Henry Post visits us on picket-line-says the troops are being paid off! Great rejoicing in "F" at t~is nevvs-men in this company have not been paid for twelve 1nonths, some fourteen months! 8th. Have all I can do and more-no help-company of eighty-three men now, larger part raw recruits. Lieut. Carr returns this evening with desks. Make out and forward ord nance returns. 276 Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 9th. Hard at work organizing and cl rilling company. Had to correct Wolcott's rolls. Paid after night. 10th. Received 1st sergeant's pay on "final statements." Ordered to drill recruits five hours daily. Everybody in a great hurry. Received captain's pay as commander of Com pany "F" and pay on rank as lieutenant. Lieut. Winsett was a genuine homespun-a fine old country gentleman, one of the olden time. He was chosen to carry a large sum of money home after the troops were paid, and the load of green backs was so heavy and he discharged his trust so faithfully that he established a solid reputation as a hunchback, which he had not enjoyed before, and which was never called in question afterward. 11th. Drilling recruits-issue clothing-work enough to do-everything hurrying back from Atlanta to Chattanooga. 12th. Battalion drill to-day--finish clothing receipt rolls. Last train for Chattanooga leaves to-day! Lieut. Winsett goes North with the regiment's money. A large fortune in green backs went North in private hands from the Army. 'fhe stupidity of Lieut.-Col. Mac Wood was well illus trated on dress parade this evening. My thirty-eight recruits were in line with the veterans of "F" and the other troops, Wood in command. He was putting the battalion through the manual of arms, at which the veterans were expert. lVIy recruits were as awkward as Satan among the angels in Heaven, although I had drilled then1 considerably. They could handle the guns all right, but they could not order arn1s with neat ness and di~patch. \Vood couldn't see straight, being cross eyed, but he could hear like the Devil, and ,vhen the guns of the recruits came down, one would have supposed that old lVIac had got religion (which indeed would have been a most extraordinary supposition), he received such a shock calling out to me to place one of my veterans out for a fugle man and show the green /uns how it was done. The battalion rested in silence while this wonderful interpellation was gone through with. I had am.ong the recruits a slick youth, ex- Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 277 pert in the handling cf his gun, who had belonged to the reg ular Army. I answered the colonel, saying: "Certainly, I will take one of these recruits and show you and the rest of these men a little sleight of hand." My man went to the front and did the trick as though that had been his specialty for three hundred years. As for lVIac Wood, I didn't care a continental. He couldn't drill his own company, when he was captain of '' A. '' 13th. Gen. l\tlower and Col. Tillson inspect us this morn ing. 11 A. M. Received marching orders. Left for lVIarietta to tear up railroad track--entered town-filed to left and formed hy wings along the switches-formed line along railroad track line stooped, put handspikes under track, heaved it over, pried the ties loose, piled them up, put iron rails on top, fired the piles, and twisted the rails around trees. One hour for supper-Gen. lVIower-work again till Io P. M. 14th. Left camp at 5. Got two tniles on our way south and were recalled-went back to Ke::nesaw Mountain and fin ished tearing up a piece of track ·which was untouched; so care ful were our generals that the work of destruction should be complete. Left for Atlanta at r P. M. Marched till dusk halt in edge of woods and take supper. Resume the march. Reach Atlanta at 9 P. M.-move to Whitehall and camp. At lanta on fire. Read portions of '' Regulations to Recruits'' and accompany it with some advice. Place sick and lame in ambu lance-draw cartridges-broke camp at Io A. M. lVIarched half-mile-halt-long delay-division supply-train n1oved out on wrong road; had to wait for it-1nove forward-come up with train-rear guard-~evcn wagons to company-·wearisome march all night long-reached can1p at 9 A. M. THE l'l'IARCH TO TI-IE SEA. "HEADQUARTERS lVlILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI. ''In the Field, KINGSTON, GA., Nov. 8, 1864. '' The General commanding deems it proper at this time to inforn1 the officers and men of the 14th and 15th, 17th and 20th Corps that he has organized them into an arn.i.y for a special purpose, well known to the War Department and to Gen. Grant. It is sufficient for you to know that it involves a departure from our present base and a long and difficult march to a new one. All the chances of war have been considered and provided for as far as human agency can. All he asks of you is to maintain that discipline, patience, and courage that has characterized you in the past; and he hopes and through you to strike a blow at our enemy that will have a material effect, what we all so much desire-his overthrow. Of all things the most important is, that the men, during marches and in camp, keep their places and do not scatter about as stragglers and foragers, to be picked up by a hostile people in detail. It is also of the utmost importance that our wagons should not be loaded with anything but atnmunition and provisions. All surplus servants, non-combatants, and refugees should now go to the rear, and none should be encouraged to encumber us on the march. At some future time we will be able to provide for the poor whites and blacks who escape the bondage under which they are now suffering. With the few simple cautions, he hopes to lead you to achievements equal in importance to those of the past. ''By order of l\IAJ.-GEN. W. T. SHERMAN. "L. M. DAYTON, Aide de Camp." 27; SHERMAN'S FAREWELL Tu THOMAS. Before the telegraph·_wire was_cut/~which ··was the last frail link that bound us to our friends, Sherman sent this simple message to Thomas: "All is well." The distance to be traversed vvas three hundred miles. On leaving Chattanooga on the .Atlanta campaign, one hundred and thirty carloads of provisions had to be delivered daily over the Louisville & Chattanooga F_ailroad for the use of our army. Now we had to cut loose from the "cracker-line" and "root hog or die.'' The army was composed as follows: 55,329 infantry, 5,063 cavalry, 1,812 artillerymen, and 65 guns; 4 teams of horses to each gun, with caisson and forge; 600 a1nbulances, each drawn by two horses; 2,500 wagons, drawn by four mules to each. Each 1nan carried 40 round~, the wagons having the remainder of the ammunition. We had five days' rations only vvhen ·we started. The army was divided into four corps, which n1arched on parallel roads, with the cavalry on the flanks. This gave us a front of from forty to sixty miles and ·we cut a swath of that width as we moved toward the sea. The London Times said of the "l\Iarch to the Sea," in an ticipation of that great 1novement: '' That it is a n1omentous enterprise cannot be denied. It may either make Shern1an the most famous general of the North or it n1ay prove the ruin of his reputation, his army, and even his cause altogether." 16th. Having marched all night, ,,ve rest two hours and push on. Prisoners--country rough-poor farm-houses-thin ly settled-stream--old mi11-house--old man, tall and gray- 279 280 R ecollecrivns of J>ioncer and .{il rmy Life. old store-liouse-t\vo boys in buggy--cotton burning-getting a little forage-pork and sweet potatoes-men jaded and silent --come into fine, open country this P. M. Night--old n1an watching his bam--creek--camp near McDonough. 17th. Broke camp at 7-slept well-village dingy and weather-beaten----:-eourt-house--fine country--plenty of forage- 1narch well conducted to-day. Army Negro atte111pts to forage a little on farm on roadside; white woman gets after him with sharp stick; boys shout and groan. Advance ordered to kill all bloodhounds and other valuable dogs in the country. 15th A. C. behind us. Camped on beautiful spot, near Jack son. Forty horses and n1ules taken by our division to-day. 18th. Broke camp at 7. Hear that the Georgia Militia are assen1bling to stop our progress. Reached Ocmulgee River at 11 A. M. Halt in field to right of road while pontoon bridge is being laid. Dinner-issue rations-recruits' feet very sore; feet of all of us sore-plenty of forage-burned cotton-rain night-called into line suddenly; move off partly by right in front, partly left in front-general confusion-road blocked by train-swa1np-"vagon upset--Ocmulgee Mills-the rushing river--high, precipitous banks-bridge-rapids-lights reflect ed--can1p-fires on shore below and on the distant hills-across, up to the mountains and over an undulating country into camp. 19th. Rained all night-wet blankets--breakfast-three barrels sorghum found in woods close by. Learn of forty barrels tnore secreted-Negroes tell of it-two hundred bushels sweet potatoes found in one heap-placed there by ''C. S. A." Recruits give me trouble-in poor condition for 1narching get son1e of then1 into ambulance-burn cotton and gins pass through Monticello-pretty village-citizens-Negroes churchcs--forage---camp four miles beyond town. 20th. Broke camp at 6 :30. Received foraging pass fro111 Lieut.-Col. \Vood for two 1nen and sergeant. Dwellings burned to-day! :Made first six miles without a halt-bad roads first specimen of the palmetto to-day-raining-made sixteen miles-camped in open grassy field. Robt. C-. Bell brought in Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 281 two fine horses. Supper tonight on fresh pork, sweet potatoes, sorghum and quince butter! Cavalry engaged. 21st. Rained all night-still raining-broke camp at 9 A. M.-slow progress-burned cotton-turned cold towards sunset-high wind-portion of our army is in l\1acon, also our cavalry in l\lilledgeville. 22d. Broke camp at 7-very cold-reached Gordon at 12 M. Portion of 15th .A.. C. in camp here. Went into camp-- rest this P. M. Bath-change clothing-engage Billy Roberts as forager for officers' mess. Two regiments from 1st and 2d Brigades detailed to tear up railroad-cannonading in direc tion of l\1acon. 23d. Clear-frosty-inspection-guns of recruits in bad condition. This P. M. moved out on lVI. R. R. and tear up track-return at 9 P. M. 24th. Broke camp at 7 - rear guard to-day - moving towards Savannah-heavy frost last night-clear and cool- tear up railroad as we go! Louisiana sugar-cane-get into swamp-n1iserable roads-delay-night- delay-midnight teams unhitch and feed in road-orders to rest till morn ing! Slept none. 25th. Countermarched at 4 A. M. and took another road, or, rather, no road-route through fields till swamps ·were cleared-farm-house and vats of 1nolasses-boys get what they want and pull out the bungs and let the contents run do,vn hill in a stream for a distance! Black haws, persimmons, huckleberries! Cannonading eastward-Irvington-rice grow ing-Col. 11ac Wood's interview ,vith three ladies-their story of the pillagers-ho"'r they received them. \Var is "hell"(?) Long and tedious march. Reached No. 15 Station after night and went into camp. Orders to march at 6 :30. Reveille at 4. 26th. lVIarched en tin1e ! Old 1nan to right of road arms folded, looking over his silent home and desolate fields~ lVIake four tniles-enter S¥tamp-oh1iged to turn hack for ,vant of road-countennarch 2.nd go into carn.p till Negro picneers make rcac:--tJ-.n.e n1ik~ to ri, <. 1--- poi:tcci:~ r~r,n1 ~1-.~1rl part 282 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. of 15th A. C. across. ,Our cavalry had a skirmish here yester day. Left camp at sunset and marched to Oconee River and crossed-narrow stream-vista to right converged in dark ness-clear, starry night. Thoughts on Sherman's movement effect on Lee-poor Confederacy! Camped on high ground lofty pine trees on fire to their topmost boughs! 27th. Gen. Sherman with us. I-le signifies his intention to 1nove with the right wing during the remainder of the n1arch. Broke camp at 6-swan1p-slo\v progress for the first two n1iles--Spa11ish 1noss as we come upon high ground; the (_'ountry i1nproves. l\1ade nine n1iles-portion of 15th A. C. tearing up railroad. Order fro1n Gen. 0. 0. H. against pil laging, or worse-penalty, death! Forage in great abundance. ()ld 1nan on roadside ~alutes the flag! Indignation at allow ing prisoners to ride horses and mules when the sick and barefoot of our own army can scarcely be accommodated. 28th. Broke camp at 8. Slow progress. Cotton burn ing-commodious farm-houses and slave cabins-long march got into camp late-on picket. 29th. Broke camp at 8. Forage in abundance-large farm-houses with Negro quarters. Bottom of shoes slippery as glass, marching on the ''needles'' in the piney woods! Fifteen miles to-day. 30th. Relieved from picket-line at 6. Marching orders for 7. Pine barrens most of the day-reached to within half 1nile of Ogeechee River at sunset-supper--crossed river after night-horrible place-railroad station-camp-lost Jacob Er tell, a worthless '' substitute "-deserted probably. December 1st. Broke camp at 7-moved to railroad sta tion and filed down track-troops tearing it up-reach our point-tear up, burn and twist-hard work-hot sun-hot fires! l\'love on to another point, tear up, bum and twist; and still another point, tear up, burn and twist-getting our hand in! It is now 3 :40 P. M. Moved one mile farther south on track and tear up, burn and twist! Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 28,1 Night-march to camp four miles distant--crossed a hor rible swamp to get there. Gen. Sherman complimented our brigade upon its work to-day. Gen. Fuller complimented Company ''F." He might ·well do so! Company "F'' killed two calves while rails were heating! The fat lings intruded and the boys, needing a roast, supplied their ·wants like sensi ble fellows! Plantations seen to-day vvere large and well appointed. Slave cabins, etc., deserted by their owners-hogs in abund ance-potatoes also. Picked up an old Southern paper con taining extracts from a book of travels in North America in the 18th century, written by Capt. Basil Hall, of the Royal Navy. The Cockney captain travels in (}eorgia and dis courseth as follows: "Rain is amongst the greatest of all plagues in a journey; your feet get wet; your clothes beco111e plastered with mud from the wheels of the carriage; the gen tlemen's coats and boots steamed; the driver gets his neck cloth saturated with water!" And further: "He could rarely obtain a private parlor and table in the country inns"; he was '' often obliged to lie on a feather bed''; he carried ·with him, indeed, "one of those admirable traveling-beds, 1nade by l\'Ir. Pratt, of Bond Street, London, vvhich fold up in an incredibly small compass." Three-fourths of the tillable land in the Confederacy stood vvith corn this year-the cribs f ro1n which ,ve get our supply attest this fact. There is no greater hun1bug than the "starva tion theory." "Dixie'' can feed itself-now-for the first time since the slave-holder appeared on the soil. Picturesque swamps--cypress grovcs--Spanish moss - water-lilies-stalk with tuft like that on the head of so111e South American birds - small pale pines shooting up - the counterpart of the human plants which inhabit these sickly localities. Gen. Sherman and escort-bad roads-marching rapidly, however. No halts in 17th A. C. save the accidental ones resulting from swamps-bully for the swa1nps ! Large 284 Recollections of Pion.cer and Artny Life. tracts of land abandoned, supposed to be worn oilt-covercd now with young pines. Reached Millen, an insignificant town; but an i111portant railway station. Rebel stockade here, like that at Anderson ville. Union prisoners hurried off to other points. 2d. Broke camp at 9-1narched down railroad three miles and tear up, burn and twist-n1en bruised more or less-- marched to Scarborough and ca111p. Negro pen-Gen. How ard's orders relating to foraging and firing guns rc;ad to regi ment to-day. l\1ade eight 1niles. 3d. Broke camp at daylight-111oved do-wn railroad threl" miles and tear up, burn and twist-twenty eight r a i Is first--Cotnpany '' F "--forty rails second time. l\lloved out to vvagon road and halt ed for the foragers to bring in their spoils, during which Company "F" killed a cow! Preferred to take her along l!'i ~}·~·· for fresh tnilk, cream and ·, .• ,.f. butter; being short on dairy ~ - implen1ents, accepted fresh "TEAR UP, BURN AND TWIST." meat as a substitute Cannonading this morning, also after getting into camp. We are near Savannah Going into camp by moonlight marching over the white sands of Georgia-the men are silent and tired-for the thousandth time, more or less, we are trudg ing "weary and heavy-laden" into camp-to a hasty supper, a short sleep, the reveille-the tocsin to new toils, continuous, unceasing, interminable(?). A large concourse of slaves; men women and children are following after us-the men and boys laboring as pioneers I noticed them in camp to the left of the road as we came in-a strange but interesting picture. John McClintock arrested for firing his gun-~ecured his release Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 285 4th. Broke can1p at 8- -fifty-four 1niles f ron1 Savannah came up with the cnt'my-our division in advance-struck swamp where rebs vvcre entrenched-Gen. Blair-two shots f rorn our battery and they "skedaddle "-pushed ahead one mile and ca1npecl-sugar and molasses galore-passed '' Uncle Billy" sitting in porch of farm-house ·with his heels over the railing and his big head uncovered; thought he was asleep, but a1n not so sure about that. sth. In can1p all day-portion of our anny tearing up railroad. Lieut. W. I-I. Carr placed under arrest for absenting hin1sclf from the picket-line-Capt. Pollock reported him. Reading "Echvin Hrothertoft." Pleasant day-·111en washing and cleaning u p-rcporterl $2 ,ooo in gold and t\VO watches found buried, the pronerty of one man; doubtful-pillagers foiled. Coining uo to Negro cabins, they address a wench with: '' What did you hide?" '' Box clothes in de field." Turning to another standing near, they ask: '' And v.rhat did you hide?" '' Books in de garde a.'' Boys b<:lieving the ''half had not been told," started off to the garden ,vith high hopes. They searched and found-a Bible and a work on niedicine. Four 111en of '' C '' tied by thumbs in front of color-line for pillaging. 6th. Broke camp at 9-slow progress-rear division to day-poor country; full of swan1ps-had a time getting our train through-rained-did not reach camp till 2 A. M. 7th. Broke camp at 7-clear-very hot-country poor swamps covered with saw palmetto-white clouds to south of us must hang over the sea. Marlow station-locomotive de stroyed-twenty-six miles from Savannah-live oaks-resi dences. Wheeler defeated by Kilpatrick. 8th. l\Iade ten miles to-c1ay without incident, save cordu- 286 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. roying several miles of swamp and clearing the ~ame of trees felled by the enemy-heavy guns at sea. 9th. Inspection-broke camp at 6-our division in ad vance-Sprague's brigade ahead, ours next. Strong sea breeze in our faces-dense pine forest-prisoners-skirmishing-heavy guns at sea. 10 A. M. One of our batteries opens-go into line of ~attle on the clouble-quick-skinnishers advance-Gen. 11ow er-buildings burning in our rear-we turn the enemy's right -our regiment deployed-enemy's works; pass over them-go into line of battle again-move forward on the double-quick strike railroad-discover locomotive-platform car; one piece of artillery on it-advance through swamps and over fallen trees-through thickets-over fences to Station No. 1-enemy shell us-first shell bursted among us-they had our range with considerable accuracy, but no one on the line was hurt. The long-servce men in Company '' F" were Gennans, from St. Louis; they had not re-enlisted as veterans, and their term of three years having nearly expired, they were not anxious to take risks, and ,vhen the rebel shells unexpectedly dropped among us, they disappeared like a covey of partridges in the thick underbrush, leaving me standing alone. The "presto change '' quickness of the act amused 1ne; but they all returned to the line in a few minutes. Capt. Hamerick, Q. lVI., killed some dista!lce in the rear-32d Wis. lost a fe\\" killed and vvounded-torpcdoes buried in the road; Gen. Shern1an com pels prisoners to dig them up-eleven miles to-day. 10th. Rear guard. At 10.30 halt and stack arms at a point five n1iles from Savannah. Enemy here in force-en trenched-troops go into line of battle; trains and non-con1bat ants ordered to rear-four compan1·es ''A"" F" '' G "and" I " ' ' ' ' ' ordered back as train guard; rest of regin1ent in line at the front-Lieut. O'Reilly, of Gen. }dower's staff, shot through the neck; not killed-shell takes head off Negro and passes close to Gen. Sherman. Gen. Kilpatrick's headquarters. The general-blue sur tout, light blue trousers, two rows broad gilt lace, medium size, Recollections of Pioneer and Arnty L-ife. 287 broad shoulders, not heavy, but wiry, thin light hair, almost bald, sloping forehead, heavy and full at the brows, large Roman nose, light complexion, blue eyes, broad mout):i, thin lips well compressed; his staff, laced; his orderlies and t\vo wench cooks; his nephew "Billy" and the pigeons; \Vhat lieu tenant says of this boy; don't knovv his place; insults every body on the staff. Night-signal rockets. 1 rth. l{igh wind toward night and extremely cold-sky full of shaggy clouds, hiding the moon-rockets-14th A. C. n1oves iri on our front and relieves us-:Morgan's division-old f riends--troops out of rations-we move to-morro¥t to Ossa baw Sound to open communication with fleet. 12th. Bitter cold-slept little-broke can1p at 6-011 our way to the coast-slow progress-hard-tack ~elling at high· prices-men hungry and the whole surrounding region stripped of food-roads very bad-throughout the entire day we scarcely made, between halts, more than a few hundred yards; the de lays were so frequent and long that the train often went into park and remained thus for an hour, two hours, or more, as would happen; occasionally we made a distance of two miles easily, then the wagons would mire to the axles; almost the entire distance ·was corduroyed by our pioneers; marched thus all night long. 13th. Crossed canal at 8 A. M.-hear whistle of steam tug on the Ogeechee River. 15th A. C. in position; their pickets engaged. Reached camp ~t 12 M. An occasional shot by our artillery-smoke of transports seen to-day off the coast-,ve are not far from Silkhope Station on Gulf Railroad. Fort l\lc Callaster stormed by Hazen's division r 5th A. C.-it is said that Hazen "drew cuts" with Gen. Movver of our division for the chance of storming the fort. Gen. Sherman ·with the fleet men living on rice, which is issued to them in the straw; it is hulled by beating it in a mortar; tedious and difficult process; the pestle for beating out the rice is fastened to an old-style well-sweep, which we work up and down. Transports at Hilton Head with rations signaled down. 288 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 14th. Trains moving to Ogeechee River for rations- - oysters on the coast; men go down for them-policed gr_ounds rice for breakfast, dinner, and supper; we e111pty the camp kettle at each meal. 15th. Learn that our troops at Fort McCallaster received mail to-day-anxiety for letters-one transport said to be loaded with mail for us-living on rice. Appointed one sergeant and six corporals to-day for'' F," chosen out of the veterans. 16th. Got ration of rice for men. 2 P. M., received march- ... ing orders, the substance of 1 1 ·t:,/;· ~·~'. ! %;~-~ -..,, ', which is to cross the Ogee- 1 b~·,~::~~~.';~ 1 4...:·~ · ·. ';".'.:- chee River and proceed for- • .. p!n,i: 1ul,1lt1to1, , ,,,. -'"'-i _ f .... ,,./ ~ ty miles west on the Gulf -':- t<"-., • -,t Railroad, tear up the track, burn every tie, and twist every rail for that distance, and destroy th e b r i d g e across the Altamaha River, and return within five days. The force to accomplish this consists of I st Division 17th A. C. (ours) and Kilpat- "Tw1sT EVERY RAIL." rick's cavalry. Going towards the Ogeechee-passed hospital of 1.5th A. C. containing wounded-saw column of prisoners-the garrison captured at Fort McCallaster-loo½ed like jail-birds-beautiful farm-house-yard; troops camped therein-train of wagons bearing our wounded men to hospitals-Negro pioneers and the corduroy road-immense labor-best corduroy I ever saw; pinned down; very solid ; needed, for it rested on a quagmire or quicksand. Met wagon-load of mail going to camp, turned it back. Reach Ogeechee River-troops here-boat-bell-sunset -go into camp-half-dozen sacks mail brought us; great re joicing over it-read letters and papers most of the night learn that we draw rations to-night-men shout for hard tack; none con1es; cl isappointment-noticed men in the dark- N.rcol!ections of J.Jioneer and Anny Life. 289 ness purloining the half-eaten corn frotn the n1uks to parch for their su ppcr. 17th. Broke can1p at daylight--crossccl riYc-r--heavy fog -country Hat-bog-trees dripping ,vith ckw---sn1all bridge broke through-halt-n1e11 reading letters-- 110011 halt-had piece of half-cooked sole-leather beef for di11ner--n1arclwd rap idly this P. :\I. in the face of the hot sun--carnpecl at ).Iichvay Church, a place of Re\·olutionary 1ne111ory-got a littk forage fron1 country this eve-·· Akx '' and ''Billy" out--cat supper at n1idnight--Lieut. Yan Tuyl principal cook---first good 111eal in four days--had the advance to-day-I carried in 1ny hand a sn1all history of Georgia, containing brief references to fighting on this ground du ring the Revolution. 18th. Broke catnp at 7-se\·ere n1arch----very hot-catne into good country - plantations large -- people wealthy - reached \Valthourville at 2 P. 11.; a s1nall, aristocratic village, situated in pine grove-pretty churches-residences vacated; everything left in then1 sa,-c the jevvels and portable valuables; furniture and libraries intact; got two books--1narched bt"yond the village to the railroad and ,vent into ca111p-n1cn·s shol's giving out; son1e of then1 barefoot-abundance of forage - passed t,yo noble paln1etto trees. 0 19th. Broke can111 at daylin·ht-licrht b 111archin(fb order- out on railroad-our ,vork assigned-Co. "F '' had forty-three rails for the first job-111arched two n1iles f urtht·r down track to Walthourville Station and tore up twenty-six rails-returned to can1p by circuitous route through vvoods. Evening-sea breeze in our faces-sunset-night -when ·we got into camp. Heard Kilpatrick canonading at the Alta111aha bridge; learn that he can do nothing on account of the high ,vater - sur rounding country flat and overflowed. 20th. 1st Brigade sent to reinforce cavalry at Altan1aha bridge-; on their ,vay 1net cavalry coining back, having failed to burn the bridge, which ,vas surrounded by. water and de fended by cavalry and a battery strongly entrenched. Our work completed, ·we started, after sonic delay, for the Ogeechee 290 l?ecollcctions of Pioneer and Anny Life. R.i-vcr-reached lVIidway Church at sunset without incident brought in quite a train of carriages, carts, and buggies loaded with forage-1net our supply-train here with rations-hard tack issued. The ancient vehicles which the foragers picked up and loaded \vith sustenance for the inner man were a prize lot; they were the skeleton remains of carriages of state, in ·which milord and ladies rode to the society functions of the Oglethorpe and earlier periods. ltnported they were, and had descended through heraldic lineages from a time remote. The worm had eaten up what the ,vear and tear of prehistoric man had left of the upholstery. 'I'here was a blear of a film on the wood vvork, and the tackling and the once gilded metal fastenings and furnishings were of a unique and strange pattern. I marked the vehicle-the family carryall-in which Adan1 and Eve rode out to see the new homestead; the road wagon in which Noah rode around to look at the country after the freshet; the State chariot of Nebuchadnezzar, in which Shad rach, l\Ieshach, and Abednego took their revenge on that po tentate after he was sent to grass by yoking hi1n with his mate and using the pair to draw them and a brass band through the crowd of anarchists holding high old wassail in the Hanging Gardens; and all the lumbering things on ,vheels lhat gave sig nificance to the later succeeding centuries down to our time. ~ 1st. Broke camp at 6 A. M.-reached Ogeechee River at 1 2 M.-bad roads-learn here that Savannah was evacuated by the enen1y last night-reached old catnp at 3 P. M.-hear of Tho1nas' fight with Hood at Franklin and Nash ville; bully for ''Pap'' Thomas! On picket ''F'' and ''E.'' When Gen. Sherman pre~ented the city of Savannah to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift in the ·winter of 1864, he restored to its honored place under the flag one of the most interesting cities of the Colonial period. Two centuries prior to the investment of the city by our army, the Creek chief Tomochichi, then ninety years old, welcomed to the Georgia shore "the first soldier and gentleman of his day," Gen. Ogle- Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 291 thorpe. That old Indian friend of the founder of the city \Vas buried in the center of the public square, and a huge boulder with a memorial medallion imbeded in the side n1arks the spot. The names of the streets suggest loyalty to the Union: State, Congress, President; the avenues: Tuiontgomery, Perry, lVIcDonough; the wards were named \Vashington, \Varren, Franklin, and Greene. The lots were platted 6ox90 feet and fronted upon a street both ,vays. The city contains a monument to Gen. Greene, to Sergt. Jasper (the historic idol of n1y youth), and to Count Pulaski, the ''heroic Pole." The :Marquis de Lafayette laid the corner-· stone of the two last in 182 s. While our armv rested on the Thunderbolt River near bv, ~ ~ I studied the city with great interest, not omitting the Colonial burial-ground. Ori south Broad Street stands the old house where the Colonial Legislature assembled in 1782 and the house ·where Washington was entertained and which was his head quarters while in the city is still an object of interest to all visitors., I attended services in Christ Church, where John Wesley and Whitfield, the great evangelists, both preached, and the tradition is that Wesley was an irascible old English gentleman, ·who ruled his parishioners with the '' big stick." 22d. High wind-cold-on picket-relieved at s P. M. by two cotnpanies of 32d \Vis. 23d. Sun rose like a queen from the sea-morning gun at Fort Jackson-along ·with Lieut. v·an Tuyl, spent the day in making a house; made a good one-bought a table from one of 26th and put it in place. Evening, receiYed orders to n1arch to Savannah at 8 A. M. 24th. Broke camp at 8 A. M.-reb works-heavy artillery -shell road-cemetery-inner fortifications-forts-our troops encamped in the suburbs of the city-penitentiary-poor-house -Forsythe Place-its fountains and groves--citizens-Negroes -account of the evacuation, some drowned in the hurry to cross the bridge. Marched three miles south of town and went > 292 l?.ecollections of Pio1ieer and .:-1.nny L-if e. into can1p near the fort ancl to,vn of Thunderbolt-Fort Jackson three 1niies distant-Thunderbolt River close at hand. 2sth. Christ111as-putting up house-Yisited Thunderbolt -'' pressed '' a table fron1 a deserted house-borro,ved a stool, and paid $1.00 to an Irish oystcrn1an's wife for another table. 1'Ionitors anchored in the rivcr--transports in the distance- inspection. Co1n1ncnced clothing receipt rolls by candlelight. Lieut. R. f-I. l\Tann 1nusterccl out. 2 (>th. At ,vork on clothing receipt rolls--hac1 .thc111 signed and witnessed. 27th. At ,vork on ordnance returns. Lieut. :i\Iann left for New ·v ork city. Order recci vcd for n.·vicvv to-1norro,v Gen. Shcnnan ,vill rcvievv his entire annv at the rate of one A. C. each day. 28th. Roused at 4. Lightning low on eastern horizon- sky o,·e1-cast-evcry indication of stonny ,veathcr. Left can1p for Sa,·annah for review at 6 A. M. Co1n111encecl raining heav ily as we entered the suburbs of tht> city---fonnccl line on lower encl of South Broad Street-delay-rain---dclay-rain black servant steps out of a residence close by and invites us in-pouring rain-Capt. Gillespie, Adjt. Allen, Lieut. l\Ic(~rath and I go in ,vith the servant. Conyersation-black grand da111c-her courtesy-coffee-rain-" wringing-\n~t." Return to ca111p-reYievv postponed-work on papers-night-high ·wind-cold. Death of lVIcl\Icc111s--,vrite to his friends and enclose letter of chaplain. ·29th. Clear and cold-drun1s--air thick ,vith run1ors signs of orders and n1arches-ask for information--none able to ans\iver. \Vill ,ve be reviewed to-day? Nobody knows. Troops moving out. 1st Brigade 111oyes to tovvn for review. We receive no orders-Capt. Carr, over fron1 division head quarters, informs us of review-no orders still-everybody drunk at brigade headquarters-order arrived there from di vision, but too drunk to read it! Order finally received {all in and 1narch to town-forn1 line same as yesterday cold-cle lay-citizens-city papers-Gen. l\Torgan-16th and Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 293 60th ofl,ccrs-Col. Tillson and 1ny article on "Wallace \V. Rice._,, Wishes iiie to describe "Buenayentura." Wishes ar ticle on "W. \V. Rice" sent to his ,vife--delay-~IcGrath and I visit clock-reviewed in Exchange Place-great crovvd Gen. Slocurn and Gen. Shennan and staffs-Pulaski l\Ionu- 111ent--return to can1p at 3 P. :\I. .10th. At ,vork on papers. Visit "Buenaventura" with Lieut. Lewis \V. Van Tuyl. Xight-C. B. S. 111ustered t11rn '' F ·· over to hi1n-fecl relieved. 3 I st. l\I usterecl this 1norning-at work on papers. This work co111pleted, 111y connection ,vith Company "F" wil1 cease. I wil, rcreiye con1ma.ndc·r's pay. and sue h con s0lation as fol lows duty faithfully perforn1ecl. John Charles Fre1nont, the first Republican candidate for President, vvas born in this tovvn. January 1st. Ne\v \tear---get pass and attend church in city---Inclcpenclcnt Presbyterian--pleascd \Vith services-Gen. Shern1an and staff present-Yisit city-oyster supper. ON OCEAN 'f'RANSPORTS TO BEAUJ?0RT, S. C. 2cl. \Vith 1ny own con1pa11y again-go on picket ·with it. Guard 111ount at Gen. l\Iovver's headquarters. lVIet Col. Till ~on. His con1plin1ent on the n1anncr in ,vhich I had conducted Company" F." I n1ade no response. Pleasant day. Night troops checring-Lieuts. Shaw and \Voodard Yisit us on the picket-line with an appeal for signatures on Lieut.-Col. J\lac \Vood's case. Wood is an ignoramus and Tillson a plotter, as the surgeons say, by "first intention." He plotted against Col. J an1es D. l\1organ at l\1ound City, and through all the years of the service afterward. He was shallo\v enough to suppose that while he flattered he deceived me-never for a moment on any point l He affected poetry, and died an inebriate. 294 l?.ecollcrtions of Pioneer and Army I.,ifc: 3d. Early breakfast brought us by Aleck· troops hav<.· marching orders-going-17th and 15th A. C.s-to Beaufo~t, S. C., on ocean transports. Relieved from picket-go to camp and pack up baggage. 2 P. M. ]Vfarch to Thunderbolt to embark. Troops going aboard-Gen. Sherman in neat fatigue suit, v_rhite vest, talk ing to naval officers on board transport, anchored in middle of river.. Tars row the General from one vessel to another- transports leaving-General aboard salutes General Sherman, who waves his hat in return. 32d Wis. and 10th Ill. go aboard one vessel-men crowded-officers comfortable-night-offi cers drinking-went to bed early-steamer did not leave her anchorage till late in the night. The en1barkation was an animated scene. 4th. En1erge from the Sound into open sea at 9 A. M. Reach I-Iilton Head at 12 M.-did not stop-reached Beaufort at 3 P. M. lvioved out to camp two miles fron1 town. The trip up Beaufort Bay is a delightful memory. 5th. :Mess out at Negro huts after oysters---get then1 after dinner-big stew-Aleck in to,vn to-day. :Move ca1np this eve-go back few hundred yards on higher ground-cold and windy. 6th. I and Howard go to town. Call at comn1issary department and make requisition for mess. :Meet Ed eating cheese-isn't going to camp until he spends all his n1oney ! Get an Atlantic l\1onthly-see Sam Cooley-artist-cour tesy of himself and wife-his coast views very beautiful arsenal-dinner at Beaufort Hotel. Gen. Saxton and wife returned to camp. Line officers met at Col. T.'s headquarters and elected Capt. Gillespie to the majority 'Vice Wilson. 7th. Majority of 1ness go to town on mules! Tillson having placed Gillespie in line of advancement, he will succeed to the lieutenant-colonelcy as soon as Wood is out of the way, an event anticipated daily. Gillespie gave a champagne blow-out this evening. Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 295 8th. Cornpany inspection - received sanitary goods - edibles. 9th. Co1npleted papers - drilled company. Went to town and mailed "The Republican Court." Negro soldiers abused by white ones-,vhite soldiers drunk-bought clothing at post quartermaster's-officers drunk-returning to camp, rnet Burns ~~itb "D" going into serve as provost guard. roth. Send note to Plai-ndealer. vVrote to R.obt. l\1oir on loss of subscription to Soldiers' l\Ionument. \Vrote to l\1aj. Kelly on pay. It see1ns that the co1npany subscription of five hundred dollars to the Soldiers' lvionu1nent has been inter cepted and squandered-consider ho,v it 1nay be recovered. 11th. Learn that Lieut. -Col. \Voo CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE CAROLINAS. 12th. Received 1narching orders for to-n1orrovv. In town with Lieut. l:Iankey-charming view of the Bay-Gen. Ho,v arcl's headquarters. Col. Wood in Beaufort-a citizen-drank his health in a glass of wine-good-bye. Took dinner ,vith Burns and Ho,vard. 15th A. C. landing from transports rccruits-substitutes-drafted and furloughed men of both A. C.s con1ing in from Nashville-eleven days on the road ~'IcKinney not among them. 13th. 1\1uster-roll for "F." Broke can1p at 5 P. M. and 1narched seven miles-did not get off the island-·went into camp near estuary. 14th. Broke camp ·at daylight-delay-move out upon causeway and over pontoons-vessels in the far blue distance at sea! Cannon shot-skirmish in advance-drove the enemy before us all day-went into camp after night inside old en trenchments of the enemy-heavy cannonading-marsh grass on fire-had to burn a ring around our bed to prevent burn ing out during sleep. 296 Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. r 5th. Broke can1p at 7-passed through tvvo lines or heavy earthworks, old and grass-grown--Negrces inform us the enemy left our front at 111idnight-reachecl Pocotaligo Station on P. R.. & ..:-\. Railroad at 10 ~\. :v1.-ca111p on low ground on south side of railrnacl--rebe 1 ·winter quarters-learn that Fos ter's troops, Capt. Janws' con1n1and, five 1niks distant-10th Ill. and 27th Ohio ordered out "'ith foraging train this P. l\L I-Ieywarcl i\lansion; its destruction-·books-furniture-pict ures-111usical instrurnents-bust of Calhoun-Nev,· York 11 er aids. 'This was the sunnner dwelling in the piney woods of a pron1inent fa1nily, a class in touch ·with Northern traitors through the spy syste111, by which they ·were supplied with 1nedicines and the daily papers, etc., etc. Our soldiers smashed the piano ,vith the butts of their 1nuskets while the ,vagons 100.ded with forage. 16th. Reading B. T----·s ·· India, China, and Japan." 17th. I~eading-ride ·with \Voodard into country-plan tation-cemetery-'' No co1n1non dust lies here," etc. Maj. ScreYcn's plantation-Gregory's-letter frotn lVIaj. \Vilson-death of Gid. H ..A.yres at the head of his colored com pany in the battle of Nash ville. Beaufort and vicinity ·was dis tinguished before the ·war for its wealthy slave-holders and their aristocratic pretensions, illustrated by the above line i copied from one of their tombstones. I 8th. Clear-nights cold-heavy f rust-inspection at r P. M.-prepare '' Buenaventura" for Plaindealer. I 9th. Circular of Gen. I-I. announcing capture of Fort Fisher-received marching orders for to-morro,v. 20th. Broke catnp at daylight-1noved out on Ridgeville road-struck the enemy's cavalry soon after leaving our out posts; drove hin1 four miles-only our division out-aim to capture a battery and its support-made a flank move1nent, during which rebs decoyed and nearly surrounded a small force of our cavalry; prevented by our infan try-struck river in our flank movement; atte1npted to bridge it; swollen by recent floods; failed-rained continuously-waded in ·water to our Recollections of Pioneer and ~--drmy L·ife. 297 knLTS-Yery colcl-returnecl to RidgeYillc and catnpecl-got co1nfortably settled, ·when ,vc were ordered back to Pocotaligo ~ot into old catnp after night--founcl 111y old friend Capt. James, 3_1cl U. S. (colored), at 111y tent; pkasecl to 111ect hitn --- ca111p l1oocled with water --sick-- -no rest. 2 I st. In co111pany \\'ith Capt. Jatnes, called on Colonel T. -1nou11tec1 and returned \\·ith the captain as far as the I-Iuclson J>lantation, the scene of Col. Terry's fight, leading colored troops a.~ainst the ene1ny; won his first star here. 2 2(1. Troops tearing up rail read ---our regin1en t 1novcc1 L·ast in direction of Charleston and tore up one 1nile of track n·be l battcrv shcll us---PocotaliQ"o Station, 011 P. R. & A... Rail- ~ < ' r<>acl-in the station building I cxa111ined a 111ass of private papers left by rebels in their !1ight---son1c curious deeds to rcalt .v sicrneclb bv. I,in 1 >f ( ;eorgia--Gen. Fuller returned fron1 furlough-what has heco111e of i\Jcl(inney? 2 .+th. Dried blankets--ckar---high \\·incl-reading. :25th. \Iountccl anc1 rode clown to Capt. J a1ncs' regi1nent at Hudson's Plantation---nx·t Negroes \\·ho infonned 1ne that Gen. Hatch ·s troops hacl crossed the Tilufinny-resolve to go ()n-pass Gens. Potter ancl I-Iatch-reach \\·orks of colored Lroops; clesertccl, save by section of 3d R.. I. battery-sec f ro1n this point the nevv camp across the ri,:er-shipping in the estu arics-ka,T 1nule under the Negro guards and cross riYer in boat with squad of soldiers. In Capt. J a111es' tent I ,vas ill at night fro111 pto1naine p:Jisoning, caused by sornething I had eaten; sick 110,v for t,\·o clays with intennittent attacks; but for strong can1p coffee, I had fared ,vorsc. 26th. Up ,vith the sun --breakfast----recross ri ,·er and re turn to Pocotaligo-founcl di,·ision gone; on:>rtake it-returned to old ca1np-found Lieut. \Vinsett in can1p; learn fron1 hin1 of the interception of the Soldiers' ~\Ionun1ent fund by l\IcKinney. 298 Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 27th. Arranged with Capt. IZellogg, division command er, for getting grub for officers' mess on credit-learn that our campaign opens on the 30th inst.-trains loading with supplies, and sick and. disabled returned to Beaufort, also extra baggage -packed a box of books and papers and sent to rear-Capt. Race reported for duty. This officer, one of the n1ost efficient in our organization, but detached on Gen. James D. lVIorgan's staff, is a valuable and much-needed acquisition. 28th. Prepared '' Buenaventura" article for Plaindealer. 29th. Capt. James and adjutant of 33d (colored) called- I 5th A. C. tnoving to f rant-marching orders for 7 to-morrow. During one of my father's semi-annual visits to the city of New York for the purchase of merchandise, a Sunday call, in 1854, at the old Five Points Mission, resulted in an acquaint ance with tir. Pease, the fan1ous superintendent, one of whose first and best aims was to find friends for the friendless and homes for the homeless who found a temporary asylutn at the m1ss1on. l\,Jerchants of character and repute from the \Vest were seized upon ·with avidity by lVIr. Pease in behalf of the boys and girls in his charge. In this ·way Capt. Williatn James, a youth of fifteen or thereabouts, from Kilkenny, Ireland, came West to grovv up ·with the country. This alert, active son of the soldier race th rove sturdily under this transmigration; the human plant rooted readily in the new soil and gre\v apace. He absorbed a knowledge of business methods, schooled hitn self fairly well in the common branches, becan1e active in the '' Wide-A,vakc '' Presidential ca1npaign of 1860, entered the Union Anny in 1861, and rose from a sergeant in tny regin1ent to a captaincy in the '' First South Carolina Colored Troops," afterwards nun1bered by the Government the "33d U. S. Col ored." I-le survives in comfortable circumstances, a substantial citizen of Jacksonville, Fla. 30th. Broke can1p at 7 and moved out on Ridgeville road to point near Combahee River and camped. Reading" Oliver Twist.'' Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 299 J 1st. This P. M., \·etcrans of '' F" were sent to rear and mustered out, their three years' service having expired-march ing orders for 6 A. M. to-morrovv. February 1st. Broke can1p at 6 A. l\L Our division in ad vancc. Soon struck the enemy. Negro informed us that they were simply the rebel outposts of two hundred· cavalry. They fl·lled trees across the road, which our pioneers quickly !·emoved ; they d.lso erected rail barricades every t\vo 1niks, fron1 heh incl which they did their shooting on our advance. Drove easy. Can1c to deep svvamp at 3 P. M.-very difficult to cross --had severe ~kirmish here--captain on Gen. I-Iowa rd 's staff ~c\-et-ely \'\·ounded through the neck-detained here till (htsk ·crossed, single file, on poles-precarious footing. En ca111pec1 half-n1ilc fro1n swan1p. Pack-1nule and trains can1e o\Tr after night. ::\lade twelve miles-vveather clear--country 1nore hilly than expected. Passed one fine large plantation \vhich was deserted--our n1en burned the buildings--large quantities of chinaware of superior quality found buried in the ca rt h and destroyed-shame! 2d. 3d and 4th Divisions, not getting across S\van1p last l'\T, could not take the advance, and we took the lead again-· .,d Brigade (ours) in advance of DiYision, 25th Ind. skirn1ish crs. ;\1et the enemy two miles out. Severe skirn1ishing killed four rebs-wounded a number. I-iad some officers and 111<:n \Vounded. Burned plantations. Enemy drove hard-delay --fonn line of battle-bury rebel dead-Gens. H., B. and l\l. close by. :\'love in-delay where roads fork-take left road Gen. ]\lower pushes things-heavy skirmishing-savr 9th Ill. :\'lountecl Infantry make a charge-brilliant-rebs fled precip itately. Lieutenant-colonel on Howard's staff wounded in leg. Reach an open field-halt-form line of battle-send three companies from our regiment to relieve the skirmishers of 25th Ind. Cannonading to our right. 20th and 14th .l\.. C.s said to be not far distant. Night-bivouac-water hard to obtain-forage in abundance. Mulatto girl presented her~:elf at our camp-fire to-night-wanted to cook for onr mess. Colo- 300 Recollertio·ns of Pioneer and ,_r/r11zy Life. nel 43d Ohio wounded in leg to-day. Adjutant of 25th \\·i~, head shot off by shell. \Ve arc now on the shore of the Salka hatchie-enen1y entrenched on the other sicle---swan1ps \viclc and deep intervene. 3d. Our division in ach·ancc--brokc can1p at 6-1110\·ed up road parallel to ri Yt"r one 111ile-delay--blockccl up in road-raining-deep nntd--011 causeway-swan1p on either side of us-Gen. ~lower standing in the miclst-detachn1ent~ carrying hoards and laying a sort of bridge over the swan1p to left of road to reach the bank of the river. Cannonaclin~· to our right--solclicrs on a litnited clry spot to right of road. ·washing and joking. \Iove to left, clcscenc1ing into a clisn1al swan1p. 25th and 32d vvent in-- our regi111ent 1110\TS on up causcvvay and suddenly quit the road, entering the svvan1p to the ri no-ht---plun r,ere in to \\"ai.er- ·-th rott :--.crh clee11 tan r,crkcl wilcl- vvoocl- a nw,ze of poisonous \·irn.:s and cypress stu111ps-- \Yater ankle-deep· - knec-clcep-thigh-cleep and hitter cold. Slo\\' and tedious---reach ri\-cr·-- n:lie\T 6,)d pickct~:--glin1pscs of rebel fort one hundred yards distant-- rebel f1ag---our pickets cn gagecl---we n.-co1111oitn.•- -Capt. C~ille~pic thinks the enc111y can be easily dri\Tll away and his artillery captured'. He sends vvorcl to this effect to Col. Tillson, who is with the 25th and J2d on the left of the cat1Sev\ 0 ay. Sergt. To111 Cook actiug ::~s urcler1y for Gillespie. Send detail to brigade wagon for axcs--ten men of "E" fell trees across river for the purpose of crossing our n1c11. Phil Lent, stretcher-bearer of "D,' · killed. '' E ·' out on skinnish-line. Prvt. Silas \V. Goulden just ahead of n1e wounckcl in breast and ann--sent hi111 to the rcar-\Villb Nelson near the sa1ne ~pot had his clothing pierced on the tip of right shoulder. Con1panies ''I(" and "G '' cross strcan1- Booth ,voundccl--Capt. Wilson of "G" also. One of 'F" killed. One of "C '' n1ortally wot11Hkcl. Jacob Rust and \Vil lian1 ·Tweed of "E '' wounded. Casualties in other con1panies also. Rebel artillery opens, sweeping the cau~·evva y to our left. Our boys pour their volleys into the rebel fort, and drive the rebel gunners avvay fron1 their pieces. A few of Recollections of P-ioneer and .,,-lrniy Li/e. +Jd ( )hio boys assist us. Rain--clusk- -troops to left of can~c way cross the ri,,cr in force--flank the cnen1y·s \\·orks----\\T advance fron1 the front-rebs evacuate-fly in confusion, leav ing their dead and 111any prisoners in our hands, abo clothing and knapsacks-among the1n four cavalryn1en oi 3 I st S. C. \Ve occupy the ene1ny's ,,·orks-Gen. Howard and captain of staff arri \TS: ··Can .,vou tell 111e hovv .vou no-ot it?·' .. B v 111ak- ing it too hot for 'en1." Shook 111 y hand hcartil y. I was placed in charge of prisoners-· talk with a rebel ordnance ser geant and his co111radcs--they live in Savannah-- anxious to return to their allegiance and hon1es. Cavalry1nan of 3d S. C. in \:""ankee unifonn-Gen. }To,ver asks pennission of Gen. H. to hang hin1. ~ ight-troops go into ca111p-re lic,·ecl fro111 duty V{ith prisoncrs--supper-dry clothing-boys gathered up son1e rebel otlicer~/ unifonns--get f ron1 pockets 1nachine poetry and ktters. Loss of regin1ent to-day, 2() killed and \\·0111H1ec1. Gen. l\Iovver fell into ri,·er--pullcd out by Capt. De Grass. Buried our dead on a little c:le,·ation in the swa1np. 4th. Our rcgin1ent left ca111p, light 111arching- order, \,·ith forage train at 8 ~\. :.\I. \Iet 4th DiYision con1ing in-Gen. G. A. Stnith, Gen. Potts and Gen. Bdknap (Secretary of \Var under Grant), the latter ,,·ith his ~addle hung thick with chick ens! Boys laugh at his Shanghais---hc, a big, burly, sandy whiskefcd fcllovv, sn1ikd and ~aid: ·' Boys, you 're only 111acl because you haven't got 'etn ! " Found rebel artillery annnuni tion strewn along the route of retreat of the cnen1y hFt night had to lighten his load to get avv·ay. People along the road said the rebel forces \\TlT going their last cent on their legs as they passed on the double-quick at an early hour last cycn ing. Halt at old lady's-·' seyenty-odd "-palsied-her con1- plaints-gave her a guard-1110Yed on a rnile-rich reb, four sons in rebel .Anny--loacl wagons vrith corn-boys fill canteens with 1nolasses and haversacks with peanuts-kraut-the f a.111- ily-a scene-group on porch-cotton-gin and buildings burn ing-tears. An1bulancc gone back to Beaufort with wounded, 302 Recvllections of f"ioneer aJLd .-lnny Life. under an escort \,vith "·agon-train, which is to return with rations. 5th. R.ode into country with Hartley and "C" boys on 1nules-kill blood-hound-talk with Negro, who shows us the hiding-place of his n1aster. Find the old gentleman with his Negroes, mules, horses and wagon on a little island in the center of a large swamp. Brought away the animals and turned the1n over to the quartern1aster. Coming out of swamp on our return, can1e upon two other citizens secreted with horses-men ·were old and infirm-so ·were the animals-let thetn go. :Met Lieut. Kennedy and Capt. Race and their "Bummers," also Lieut. Woodard-returned to ca1np with then1. ()th. Broke camp at 8 A. M. and n1arched to Little Salka hatchie-eight n1iles-arrived at 11 A. M. Went into camp here thus early, as it was impossible to proceed till the swamp and river were bridged and corduroyed. Heavy rain. 7th. Received n1arching orders for 8 A. M.-delayed till 12 M. Swamps innumerable-took command of "G" to-day. Reached camp after night. Gen. lVIower listening to piano 1nusic evoked by young lady; the boys meantin1e pulling the blinds off the windows of the residence for fire-vvood ! The commander of '' G '' being wounded and sent to the rear, I was assigned to the command of the company and ren1ained in charge ,of it till we reached R.aleigh, N. C. 8th. Broke camp at 7-one mile-past a saw-111ill and over a swatnp brought up to lVIidway Station on the Sav. and C. R. R. Gen. Howard's headquarters here-stacked arms along track and tore it up and destroyed it effectually. Talk with Negro refugees-they come frotn beyond the. Edisto, whither we go. The Jennings. Go into camp-dinner-throw up breast-works-learn that the rebel force is not far distant. Ride out with Lieut. \Voodard to the plantations of Sims and Jamison. Get a few books and papers and return-high wind-cold. Recollections of ?£oncer and Anny Life. 303 [The Jamison plantation referred to belonged to David Jamison, the president of the convention which voted the State of South Carolina out of the Union-so far as a vote could do that. The premises ·were a wreck when I reached the spot. There was at least a ton of books and private papers in a small out-office still remaining; among them I found the secret cypher used by Jamison when chairman of that convention to communicate with the conspirators ·who remained in Washington. I lost this and other papers, in cluding my con1mission, by accidental fire.] 9th. Broke camp at 8-rapid marching-pass burning plantation buildings-cannonading ahead-cloudy and cold halt-load-move on-go into line of battle at the double quick-rebel batteries open on us-reach a position in an open field, in a depression. Our battery takes position and opens rebels reply-first rebel shot takes the leg off a batteryman and kills one of the 32d \Vis. \Vhile ·we eat dinner, a soldier with a ''diamond'' shovel scoops out a shallow grave and lowers his dead comrade into it. Presently a piece of shell strikes the_ grave-digger, who had his back turned to the rebel battery, on the knapsack, thro"ving him upon his face, doing him no injury ,Nhatever. .A.n orderly \voundecl. After 111uch labor, succeeded in eluding the enen1y-drew his attention to the left of our position and laid a pontoon bridge a little to our right, ahnost on the rebel front (effected this at dusk)-crossed immediately-strict orders not to con verse above a vvhisper a.nd to 1nove ·with great caution across the bridge, 1naking no noise-32d and 10th ahead-off the bridge into the mud and ·water and dense ·woods. Not fifty yards distant reb pickets discover us and fire into our flank, wounding John Nelson of "E" in the cheek. "A" and ''H" deployed on our left flank. Firing ceased-conclude they are gone-move ahead-cautiously-swamp getting deeper every step-delays-bitter cold-feet and limbs aching-men shiver; teeth chatter so they can not talk-delay-Gen. Nlo"ver-his impatience-advance-water knee-deep-water thigh-deep- ~04 Recollections of Pioneer and ./lnny Lifc. I-Ica Yens, hov\· cold! \Yater waist-ckep-- so111e short fellows nearly go under'. Ugh'. Ugh'. Son1e crawl up and perch on the cypress-knees shaking vvith the cold-foolish felk>v,·s ! vvhy 1 (ro don't thcvJ n ahead? Pluno-vn on • kadinun ''G' -hard-tack f ro111 the ha \·ersacks of those \\·ho preceded us i1oating 011 the turbid ,vater. l t is now near 111idnight-plu11gc ahead-- gain drv land ·-2rt>S:-i a fence into a field -fonn line of skinnishers and also a 1i ne of battle i11 rear with as n1an Y as ha \T no,\· ;:-,crot throu IDth. Clear- -beautiful dav. Troops n:111ain in can1p · ()llf rcginwnt orclered out \\0 ith train for forage. Reported to Ccn. ~lower-- 1110\Td up lanc-----halt--- stack anns---continuous st1~ca111 of foragers passing into ca1np, loaded with 111eat and 111ea1, tlour --c\·crything '. Sonic \Vith buggies, others with car riages; arn1y \\·agons loaded and pack-nnllcs. Return to ca1np. ,,d DiYision passes to front ----solc1icr 1narchccl through all the can1p unclcr guard ,,·ith '' SkulklT '' written in large characters un a board which \\'as strappl·cl upon his back. Lieut. J~cn nedy and I rick into the country this P. :\I. Jennings' rcsi ckncc---its plight--thc fa111ily in the kitchen-· -library--''Cot ton is Kin.~.'' Yisit churches -_knnings and his boats--his safe. Don't infer that \H' cracked this nm.n's safe. I can only speak for 1nysclf. I ca111c out of the South ckacl-brokc '. 1 r th. Clear and war111. Broke can1p at 12 :\I. RcceiYed 111ail 011 the ( )range burg road to-clay--country rolling---planta tiuns largc---rcd clay soil, highly cultivated. Got into ca1np after night- 1nacle SC\Tt1h'l't1 1niles. 1-Iea YY firing; ahcacl - -15th ;\. C. Reading '' Life of John C. Calhoun.·· 12th. liigh wincl----ca1111onading through the night. Rcbs said tu be in forcc on the ri \Tr--.'.\; orth Edisto, \\·hich is close \)\·. Look for a fight. H.c1nainccl in ca111p till r 2 :\I. Our butteries 1nean while she 11 re bcl \\·orks. Left ca1np at 110011 on a 1nonH.·nt's noticc-lwaxy 1narching order-· 1110\Tcl down to\,·arcls our battery and turned to right parallel to river, debouched upon an open field, \Vherc ,,-c founcl our artillery n1assed--also an1111unitio11 train and atnbulance -- 01ninous enough'. \Vann, sunny day-·~tack anns-suspcnse--prescntly f ro111 the ,,·oods in front of us e111ergc two officers vvith orderlies. They ride rapidly across the field and report to sonic one far to our left and disappear )round our left flank in the ,voods suclclenly Gen. Howard and staff appear and ride off to,vard the p~)sition of our batteries-they speak as they pass the left of our line--notice slight agitation an1011g the 1nen-news of son1e kind-in a niinute or two word co111es that Gen. Blair is in Orangeburg! The town is ours'. Cheers'. .\ pause- 306 Recollcrt-ions of Pioneer and /lrmy Life. Gen. Sherman and staff appear and ride t?~ard us-the old hero is looking splendid-we cheer-he salutes-cheers re doubled-he rides away in the wake of Howard, tov{ards Orangeburg. Gen. l\!Iower passes down the line-boys shout the watchword of the can1paign: "Cartridge-boxes 'round the necli! Heave-a-heave!." The first referring to the swamps and rivers which we ,wade; the last to tearing up railroad track. Gen. l\iiower the boys call "S\vamp Lizard." We take arms and follow our leadcrs--halt near the causeway which leads to bridge across river, then push on over into the city-notice a fe,v dead rebs by the wayside. Reb works-city-buildings on fire-citizens (1nen. women and children) in the yards with all their household stuff packed up awaiting to see their houses consumed-perhaps themselves! F'ools! Court-house-flag Negro pen-jail-fine residences-Gen. Shcr111an on the side walk-prisoners-tearing up railroad. Orphan Asylum-gray suits and-white aprons-little girls and boys scctn quite happy they bring ,vater to us-the town was fired by a Jew n1crchant of the place-whiskey burning. SCENE: Old rich fel- lovv standing in his portico. Regi111ent passing. Sol dier: "How do you like the looks of the Star Spangkd Banner?" Citi zen: '' I 've seen it before." Soldier: '''You are liable Recollect£uus of Pioneer and Anny Life. 307 tiful plantations·-· -reached camp soon after night-difficulty finding the cook's "shebang"-dear old '' Aleck,'' of .A.labama, and "Billy," the n1ule, comprised the comn1issary outfit of the officers' tness. "Aleck" vv as a plantation slave, and came with us frotn Tuscumbia in 1862; an honest colored boy as ever lived. I never could tell why, but "Aleck" always showed a peculiar affection for tne, nor do I know how or ·where we finally lost hi111. After the grand n.~Yievv at \Vashington, when the anny boarded trains on the Baltin1ore & Ohio for Louisville, the littk fat 1nule '' Billy," that so faithfully carried overhun d reds of 1niles the greasy old gunny-bag paniers which con tained our boiled sweet potatoes and pig 1neat, would have to he left behind; hut certainly "Aleck" ca111e West with us. I would gi vc dollars 110\V ( 1911) to possess a kodak picture of our faithful cook, the pack-animal, and the grub-stake of the Carolinas. L-t-th. Advance division to-day~loudy and cold---fine country and ·well in1provcd-vvide stage road-golden grass and hills covered ,vith evergreens-strike hills an -hut halt.---gcl in '.-:hade of sn1all bush~-\·iew of Co/um/nil,· splendid; -.;ituatecl on very· high ground, just below the conl1u cnce of the Saluda and Broad rivcrs--Capitol buildings, olcl and nc,".,---ll.tgs--desertecl streets-s111all groups of rebels ricli11.~· in full \·icvv; darting in and out, to and fro, carrying the torch cotton burning in the strccts---thc ground on which our corp~ is 1nasscd also very high and in full vicvv fro111 the city--our entire annv, ·with its vvar-stainecl banners~artilkrv-a111b11- ~ ~ lanccs---onlnance ancl supply-trains stand in full \·iew bcfon· the doonwcl Capitol. Report that the encn1y has l'\·acuatccl, lea\' ing only a detach111ent of cavalry as a party of obsen·ation. Our batteries throw shell across the river at the rebel cavalry in the strects---foragers ccnning in with large quantities of meal, n1eat, flour, and tobacco-vve arc halted alongside an old prison ca111p, ,vhere the oiliccrs of our an11y vVl·n· Pnly recently starved; a 111iserable, filthy place --old garn1ents, patched, lying around the brcec hes: the gruxcs ! the hove ls-bi ts of old letters pieces of ol them; they open on us With a battery; we deployed under cover of the deserted rebel huts to left of road and looked upon the ene1ny deploy his skirmishers and prepare to receive us. As vve came out to tear up track and not to fight, and as \Ve were already farther advanced than necessary, \Ve stationed our pickets and withd re,v and ·went to tearing up track. At this place the Confederate authorities were erecting a stockade for prisoners; had cut the trenches and framed a great many timbers for this purpose; we burned the timbers. On returning to camp, learned that the ene1ny's cavalry made an attempt to destroy our supply-train. 20th. Broke can1p at 9-moved up track four 1niles be yond where we were yesterday and camp-portion of the army tear up track-ten miles to-day. Rumor that Charleston is eyacuated; contrabands bring in this ·word. 21st. Our regin1ent in advance of the arn1y-111oved slow- 1y along the railroad, tearing it up as ,ve went; we tear up the track, pile it and fire it, and the engineers come behind and twist the rails-some flat rail on this road. Son1e of our escaped prisoners ca111e to us to-clay-i1nmense quantities of forage taken. 2 2cl. Broke camp early and reached Winsboro about noon ---handso1ne village; has college-found part of 20th A. C. herc--railroacl destroyed-after leaving village, took road to right-entered a very rough country-soil intensely red-sides of hills furrowed by deep gullies-got along slo·wly. Accil·mu lating Negroes fast; poor creatures cling to us, despite the bad treatment they often receive at the hands of the soldiers; their patience is in vincible; I often pity them; they n1eet with insult and abuse at every turn; the vast majority qf our 111en, hovvev er, respect them. Rear guard to-day. 23d. Broke can1p at 8. :Marched to within two 1niles of Wateree River and stacked arms till 15th A. C. crossed. Remained here three hours-pulled out finally, but made very slow progress-reached the river at dusk and crossed over on a poor pontoon bridge. Boys in trouble about horses and mules which were ordered to be turned over here-" Bummers" 312 !( ccollcctions of J->ioncer and ..:'1 nny Life. anxious about their riding stock----extrcn1cly so'. .-\s the co111- panies 111assccl nn opposite bank, they pushed fonvanl to can1p 1 distant t\\-n 1niks -- rain - n1iry ---- hills-- night--road blocked \\·ith \Vagons---pitchy darknc~s --- ca111p --- got into line and stacked arn1s in a confused 1na1111L-r- --rain ----rain --late suppcr-- gct tent 11p and fare yery \\Tll. Ru111or still floating· about that Charleston is c\·acuatcd. 24th. Broke ca1np at 6- -our di\·ision in ~Hh·a11cc ra111- . . 111 o- -1nirv. 2()th A. C. appears off our k·ft---halt till we pass. '~ _, >.'0011 halt-11() brcakfast--hungry---rain again---- \Try slow progress this I'. :\I. Cot to ca1np at twili,ght. "n, .. "E" and •· r--::" on pickL't ·· posted on plantations. Rain I sth .A. C. pickets- :\L·.~rcc's cabins. 2,:;th. Raining----·olcl boats burnt. Took 11p picket-line at 7 and joined rcgi111ent. Out four n1iks canw to sandv soil-- goocl reads-country poor; swamps and thinly inhabited. I\:ople p:xn. ~ecurc a living by making turpentine and rosin. Piney ,voods "chipped'' for turpentine. }lade tvvclvc miles. Passed ~pot \\·here one of "A ·s" foragers \\·as killed--rebl' 1 placard: ·· J)1·atli to all /oruycrs." Bellus, Co\\·an ancl Purcell of "E" captured and taken to Anclerson,·illc Prison. They had load of proYisions in buggy-~attcn1ptecl to cut loose and run, but \\Tn· not quick enough! )\J y boots are about '' gone up.'' Rosin pockets in trees burning last night as \Ye canie into ca111p. 26th. Broke ca111p at 8 A. :\I. Crossed Little Lynche's Creek-swa1npy on each side of it-r~n11nunition-train had to raise hoxcs to keep load cl ry-s1vvan1 the 111uks-Alex and "Billy'' had to swin1 ! Good roads now-111ade first three 111iles easily; then can1c f requ!nt halts-finally got under way and moved rapidly along till reached can1p before dusk; one mile from main Lynche's Creek. Passed t1vvo houses only to day and they \\"C:Tc of the 1neanest sort. Country poor, flat and gravelly. Tillson, having lost Purcell, details Billy Rob erts for brigade forager. Two brigades of infantry and 3,000 rebel cavalry said to have been near this ground at 9 A. M. to-day-doubtful as to the nun1bcrs. Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 27th. Our division has lhe adYance. Broke ca111p at 5 :30. Passed 4th Division in ca111p. Delay at creek-pass over--stn::an1 full to ovcrf1uwing; farther shore low and cov ered ,vith watcr---road being cord uroycd by colored pioncers ckcp watcr~horscs dovvn-half-n1ile to dry land---reach it and stack arn1s. .\f O\T forward one hundred vard s and stack arn1s -go \\·ith Lieut) \Vinsett to spring--troops 1110\"e fon,·arcl again a short distance and ca1np for the night. Connecticut officers \vith us. LeLLrn of Kilpatrick's disaster \,·ith \Yack IIa1npton. C )rckrly this 1'. :'IL captured forty-three 111ules. four horses and large 1111111bcr of :\'egrocs. r ,_=;;oo "Bun11ners'' out to-day. 28th. See little of the c11c1ny since leaving \Vinsboro-- 0111inous ! Broke ca111p at 7. Our division in advance; our regiment in rear. :\Iack fifteen 1nilcs to-claY. Rain-gained ca1np at 3 P. :\I. On direct road to Chera\Y. Learned aftl·r getting settled in can1p that 9th Ill. ,,·ere in tight place; vvent out to assist then1-no forage for n1an or beast. Dravving ra tions at the rate of five crackers for four clays. ~Ien hungry and out of hun1or. Rumor that con1111unicatio11 will be opened ,vith us on the Great Pedee. Entrenched after night. Presence of the ene1ny restricts foraging. :March I st. Our corps ren1ains in can1p to-day-under stand we are further adYancecl than the other ~-\. C.s. Fin ished Sin1111's "llistory of South Carolina"; on .. Life of l\Ia rion." l~ebs on our front-their picket-line four 111iles distant. ,,faken I 50 prisoners since yesterday. Batteryruan of our di vision came in to-day who has long been a prisoner at Flor ence-says rebels, on evacuating that place, left large ntnnber of our sick behind ·with nurses, to be picked up by our army; 111any die daily. ~Iarching orders for daylight. 2d. "Bun1mers" fonning at headquarters. Broke can1p at 6. :Moved out on the Chera,v road-came upon the enemy's outposts-drove thetn back upon their rifle-pits and beyond, with slight loss. Out foraging to-day-our brigade have di vision supply-train ,Yith us, Gen. }1owcr and one section artil- 314 l?.ecollcclions o / f>ioni'c-r and /1 nny Life. lery. Found the e11en1y in force---in line of battle-too strong for our small force-returned to catnp. Some 1nisgivings about our situation to-day. It is said we can not penetrate farther into this poor country without great risk. Enemy is concentrating all his available forces on our front and entrenching to dispute further progress. We do not ·wish to fight so far frotn a base, lacking facilities for the transportation of wounded. I think, however, that "Un cle Billy" is n1aster of the situation, and we will push on, probably to-1norrovv. 20th A. C. said to be skinnishing heav ily. Ca1np at 12 M. l\1en faring poorly for rations-country a pine barren-no subsistence-nothing but tar and turpentine. lviany men barefoot-Chas. N. Cowan captured to-day. 3d. l\1arched at 7-move '· Presented to the Sovereign State of South Carolina by One of I-Ier Citizens Residing Abroad, in Commemoration of the 20th December, 1860." Laying pontoons-1st brigade across river-cemetery many Revolutionary graves here-mostly British officers. The f olluwing piece of Southern buncombe is cut on the front of a large family tomb here: '' l\Iy name-n1y country,-what are they to thee? What-whether high or low my pedigree? Perhaps-I far surpassed all other men. Perhaps-I fell below them all,-what then? Suffice it, stranger, that thou seest a tomb; Thou knowest its use. It hides-no matter whom.' 1 Broke can1p at 3 P. M.-crossed river-1st Division in line of battlc--skirn1ishers advance-firing-" G" and "B" sent out on flank--to knees in n1ire-cross fields-gain woods- drove the enemy off and camp-night-enemy's ammunition exploding on our front-3d Brigade moves out to reconnoitre- return to ca111p-lose my haversack containing toilet articles, the equipn1ent of 111any weary campaigns. Cannonading up the river_ 5th. Enemy left our front-left baggage and provisions behind, on the ground where he blew up his a111n1unition. Beautiful day---no n1ove-doze and read the poets. Foragers coining in loaded to the guards. They report a rebel com- 1nissariat six n1iles distant, filled with pork and n1eal. N u1n ber of barefoot 1nen increasing every day. Our rear guard still in Cheraw destroying the spoils taken there. Charleston, in her haste and doubt, shipped her plun der off to Cheraw, ·where Sherman could never reach it! When at last they found it lay on our route, it was too late to get away vvith or destroy more than half of it. They did. how ever, burn a large depot building containing valuables of every description. Two foragers had encounter with reb to-day. l(illed him; but not before he wounded one of his antagonists and broke 316 Recollections of Pioneer and .·lrmy Lzfc. his carbine o\·er his l:ead. "Bumn1ers '' pillaged a rebel store to-day-brought in rebel uniforn1s and underwear. 6th. Broke camp at 8. A few of the field-pieces cap tured at Chera,Y along with us-the cannon not on trucks ,vcre abandoned. Reached finely cultivated country to-clay large plantations-horses, mules and f oragc taken in great quantities. Reached Bennetsville and encamped. Visit town Gen. Blair's headquarters-printing-office-prisoners-Charles ton refugees-hooks-search for a n1ap of North Carolina Billy l\Jorgan and Alex, our colored cook, learning to read. 7th. I~ear guard to-day. Our regi1nent in advance of brigade. Took Fayetteville road-passed through fine coun try-guide-boards n1any. Procession of carriages carrying sick, latne and lazy. :Made eight n1iles and can1pecl at ~ P. M. at Beaver Creek church. Night-procession of refugee siaves con1ing into camp singing ·with splendid effect a doggerel after this tnanncr (tune of " Dixie") : "\Vay do,vn South in de land of gn1\Tl, Barefooted \Tankees bound to travel. Look a·way ! Look avvay ! Look a,vav ! " 8th. Eggs, sweet potatoes, chicken and coffee for break fast! Broke can1p at 9 :30-make half-mile and halt-rain pouring clo,vn-slow progress-frequent halts-crossed 1nany swan1ps and streams-head-waters of Little Pedee-country poor-farn1s small--cabins and fields of stu111ps and stones. Negroes' vehicles taken out of train (lengthened it so n1uch) and put in rear of corps. Negro procession quite an army in itself. These poor creatures are sadly n1istrcated by some of the soldiers; they are uncomplaining, ho\vever. No enen1y last two days-crossed State line into North Carolina-roads yery bad; wagons sink to their axles-have to corduroy nearly every foot of the way. R.egiments and brigades-in fact, the entire arn1y-take a rail on the shoulder as they go along, depositing w:here needed. R.utnor that Rich- Recollections of Pioneer and Arniy Life. 1- '-3 / tnond is evacuated! I-Icard this for a day or two. Prognosti cations on this event-rumors of Terry's 111ovements. Learn that our gunboats have been at Fayetteville looking for us. Got into ca111p long after night-ordered out after supper to corduro:y road- train can not get through-anger of 1nen-go ---ordered back-rain-Gen. 1-Ioward's orders arc to march till 10 o'clock. \\,~hat 'sup? Lee? Let him con1c ! \Ve can vnd this n·bcllion on this ground as well as on any other. 9th. Roused at 4 o'clock with orders to 1narch at s. \Varn1---cali11 --binls si11ging--con1e into finely cultivated coun try-plantations large - d,vellings good - fan1ilies at ho111e. First plantation: old gent, ,vife, children, sla\TS. Second plantation: young ladies on portico-\'.,.. ankee offi.cer strutting and purring and stroking his tnoustache before the111. Third plantation: two ladies-guard-they stand in the porch look ing at us f1ounckring along, knee-deep in 1nire and in torrents of rain. \Ve glance ruefully out of the shadow of our lo,vering, d renchccl hat-ri111s ! 3 J>. >-I. Rain lashes our faces--in1possible for trains to g-ct through the 111ire, so \Ye take a rail each and cordurov t..·,Try inch of the road. Thunder and lightning-night over takes 3cl 11i\·isio11 train fast in 111ucl-111y old, ,vorn-out boots 1an1c n1L· terribly. ...-\ttc1npt to catnp in open field--failed fikd off to shelter of woocls-pitchy darkness-rain, and numb -with cold. Foragers stuck three 1niles f ron1 can1p. Hall his silverware. Passed Flora College. A great n1any of our nwn lost their rc111nants of shoes to-dav . .I 10th. Broke camp at 6. ?\Iy old boots-111y old socks! So help 111e God, if I had old Jeff Davis here, I 'd cra1n then1 do,vn his dirty throat; thought I 'cl throw then1 a\vay this 111orning, but after 111uch difficulty got then1 on my feet and staggered along. Hasty breakfast and 1no\·e out-Negro 1nen, --women and children. Vie are rear guard. By 12 :\I. got half- 1nile from ca1np ! Swamps ·without number. r P. :\I. Large swamp-clelay-n1oonlight-supper-cross o,-er-Negro ,von1an's child dro,vned-horses drowned-march 318 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. rapidly-swa111ps again---Presbytcrian church--go into house during delay and give an old reb $25 (rebel 1noney) for pair of shoes-good-bye, old boots! Cross over-it is now t,vo o'clock in the morning - cotne to marshy country - wagons 1nire dovvn-got within tvvo miles of camp at daylight. 1-Ialt for breakfast and feed in the road-n1ove on to camp-get in at 9 A. M.-found division ready to move out for the ensuing march-stack arms, rest a few minutes, and resun1e the new day's tnarch. ''Toil on, ye ephe1neral train!" 11th. In advance-rosin burning-3d Division ca1np and general headquarters-cross Fish Rod Creek-pass through R.ock Face Village and across river of same name-factory here burned; operatives idle-can1p within three miles of Fayette ville, our cavalry having driven the enemy away from the tovvn and across the Neuse River. Night-just got asleep when aroused to go on picket-took co111pany and posted north of camp. 12th. Brigade moved down to river; put down pontoons and crossed over-seventy men and eight connnissionecl officers of 24th A. C. cotnmunicated ·with Gen. Sherman to-day-came up Cape Fear River on tug]. J\llcD. Davidson, from Wiln1ington Con1munication \vith home at last. Beautiful breezy day. \Vrote note for Plaindealer. Evening--orclered to take in pickets and join regin1ent Gen. l\Io\\rer passes-distant canonading-arrive at river-por tion of bridge taken up to allo-w steamer to pass; this operation cut my con1pany in t\vo \Vhilst crossing. Rumor that we ,vill receive ten days' rations here and move forward on Wednesday. 14th A. C. troubles-lost tents and baggage-Gen. Morgan thinks rebellion "dwindled down"; lost all his tents but one, which he carries on a pack-mule; his headquarters in fine house in town; his staff inside, himself in tent outside; small wedge tent; fire in front. Apropos of Gen. James D. lvlorgan's method of plain living in the anny, the following slight incidents will further reveal his character and standing with his contemporaries: Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 319 In the evening, at the close of the fighting before Dalton (Rocky Face), Gen. lvlorgan ordered Company "H," Lieut. Woodard, hack for our knapsacks. The company passing Gen. Pahner's headquarters, that officer hailed the lieutenant with, "Where's that large body of men going?" Woodard answered according to Gen. l\.iorgan's order. Gen. Pahner: "Oh! All right; Gen. l\1organ never does anything but what is right." On another occasion, in the field, Gens. Stanley, Davis, Johnson, and l\1organ sat mounted, taking a social glass to gether. Gen. Stanley, addressing Gen. l\1organ, offered his flask and said: "Will you drink, general?" l\'1organ: "Thank you; I an1 not dry." Stanley: "General, we don't drink be cause we are dry." :Morgan: "I never drink unless I an1 dry." Demolishing arsenal to-day-Gen. Shennan looking on and giving the proper instructions-\Vtn. Case-residence near catnp-pocketbook buried under apple tree-goods buried-the hazel-tree wand-horses on island-daughters away-rebels under guard-one tricky fellow crossed dead-line and is n1ortally wounded. Sent in requisition for twenty pounds coffee for mess, got five pounds, with injunction to go light upon it, as no 1nore could be had. 13th. Bright, sunny day-music across waters of Cape Fear-1\'lr. Case; stables burning; runs out to save buggy; plug hat; boys shout at hitn; they run his buggy back into the fire. This old gentleman ( ?) had made himself very obnoxious by telling the tnen that he was a genuine traitor, and looked for the speedy overthrow of the Union armies. Broke camp at 7, our brigade in advance-pushed out three miles and went into permanent camp for tw_o days-encount ered rebels, however, and did not gain the three miles without fighting for them-put up rail barricade and pitched tents. discharged Hall this morning and took John Banfield for mess forager-turkey for supper. Clothing-'' C ''and'' G '' estimate 320 Recollections of Pioneer and Arnzy Life. called for. Order received f ro111 Gen. }Icnvanl on habit of profane S\ivearing. 14th. With Lieut. 1-Iankcy, visit Faycttevillc-clifliculty in getting over river-pontoon bridges crowcled-to-wn-1un·y officers-troops passing-bands playing--citizens out-)JegTo burial-return to can1p-fincl troops going- into new can1p-- night-headquarters off" E" and ''I-I" and "C ., in corn-crib- Lieut. Woodard relieved as '' Bun11ner." 15th. .:\Iovecl out rapidly in direction oJ Clinton-11<> l'l1l'- 111y till we reached~---- River; here had severe skinnish with hin1; punished hitn sc,·erely and drove hi1n away, but not \\·ith out small loss; one of their dead and t"vo wounded fell into our hands-\ivide and deep swan1p on either sick of this strL·a111- rebels attetnpted to burn oridge; failed; ~ve were across about as soon as they-torrents of rain on us all e,Tning. ? n1y n1e11 of '' G" becon1ing scattered at this point, firing fron1 behind cover of the trees; son1e of thetn 1nissing in the dense battle stnoke; and feeling the necessity of having them well in hand for emergency orders, I stepped out into a s1nall open space and notified all within hearing that if they intended to re1nain with me to fonn instantly on my left; the principal men near by, including the sergeants, forn1cd in good order-Gen. l\Iowcr, Tillson, Gillespie, and Race at hand-enen1y reported flanking us-fix bayonets-fall back to better ground-give thcn1 1nusketry--\Vyatt 1nortally woundecl-nu1nbcr of others in '' G '' wounded and others n1issing-rebels reported still forcing our left flank-line ordered to retire--fell back slowly and in good order-did not hear the order at first-discovered the line retiring and fell back with it-rebels follovv, cheering Corp. John Hungerford killed-fell back to first line of rebel works and re-fonncd our line-awaited the enemy, who didn't come-regiment lost sixty killed, wounded, and missing-our skirmishers got into Joe Johnston's headquarters tents; also reached bridge over Mill Creek in rear of town of Bentonville had our movement been supported, we could have held the bridge and destroyed or compelled the surrender of the enemy's force. Casualties in '' E": 0. P. Craig, ~illcd; lVIar. Furnald, John Knutstrum, wounded. Moved to left and joined right of 4th Division-found two lines of battle-drew cartridges - move again to left and rear-form line-throw up works and camp-artillery in position on our left-houses passed this morning used as hospitals-dead buried. 22d. Enemy gone-follow him into Bentonville-halt wounded left by enemy in buildings-our wounded and dead being brought in from the scene of yesterday's action-found young Otho P. Craig still breathing; lying by fire, one hand in the coals badly burned; soon died-15th A. C. overtakes rear guard of enemy; engaged; our boys drive them away-we re turn to camp-our wounded doing well-some limbs amputated -men tied up before 25th Ind. headquarters for pillaging wounded men's knapsacks. Sunset-go on picket-visit field Recollections of Pioneer and Ar-niy L·if c. 323 hospital in search of son:c of our 111issing; found none-the floors of farn1-house used for field hospital covered with our wounded; I stepped cautiously through the crowded, silent, prostrate men; one, as I approached, a fine-looking young n1an, sat up and gazed wistfully far away, then laid clown and died instantly. Relieved from picket at 6-returnecl to can1p and marched at 7-struck dovvn river to point ,vhcrc stacked arms on 20th inst.; here passed Negro troops, 10th A. C.; also ,vhite troops in camp of same corps headquarters-zouave guard; boys groan at hitn; for two n1iles heard regiments as they passed that guard groaning and shouting derisively; unreason ably and damnably insulting-Gen. Sherman's circular order congratulatory-pushed on do,vn river-pass 15th A. C. in camp-1niserable day; wind blowing a hurricane; sand flying in clouds-sore, stiff, and weary. 24th. Broke camp at I I A. M.-marched to river; crossed at Cox's bridge on pontoons-rebel earth-works-detached and furloughed men cotne out from Goldsboro to meet us-great re joicing-we 1nust be about to make com1nunication with the land of patriotism and bad habits, since I see a fello,v smoking a cigar-reach Goldsboro-Gen. Sherman and group of other generals review us as we pass into city-1narch two miles be beyond town and camp-McLain and lVIcl\'1ullen, of 30th Ill., call on us-recruits, lately from Henderson County-this is the third opportunity furloughed men and officers have had to reach us; but :ri-1:cKinney does not shO'w up. 25th. The whistle of a locomotive from Ne,vbern stirs our hearts; the whole army cheers-sunny morning - wagon train goes to Kingston for clothing and supplies-regiment or dered out with small train for forage-" Sherman's army shall have rest.'' Learn that mail is at division headquarters for us; excitement in consequence. Send note to Plaindealer. 26th. Mess held caucus this morning on change of cooks; did not determine-regiment busy building houses and policing -received mail. 324 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 27th. Transcribing orders for Lieut. Winsett-issue cloth ing-visit town, hospital, college-soldiers in buggies-clepot Negroes-refugees-train-woundecl-Gcn. H.-citizens-Col. Tillson gone home on furlough; is to have a brevet star; for \Vhat reason is what we arc all guessing at. 28th. l\!Iaking pay-rolls for "G '·-got furlough for Sergt. Harvey. 29th. At work on pay-rolls-muster out R.ufus Neal, of ·" G ''-on Board of Survey to-day--passed upon clothing at brigade head quarters. Learn that l\'Iac Wood is colone 1 of 154th Ill.; a good joke on Tillson if old Mac should rank equally with him at the close of the service. 30th. l\1ake out list of articles to l:e purchased by l\Iaj. Race at Newburn-issuing clothing-learn that Lieut. Watson, of 16th Ill., is in College IIospital, Goldsboro-n1arching orders for 5 to-n1orrow. 31st. Broke camp at 5-in cotnpany with 43d Ohio and twenty wagons, went for forage; orders not to go farther than seven miles; found nothing, and returned to camp. April 1st. Inspection at I I A. M-knapsacks and quarters searched for quilts, clothing, and books, picked up during the campaign, to be turned over to hospitals; only one article found in "G," piece of sheeting. Officers drunk-Hallaman, of '' I,'' "wetting" his commission. Receipted to Lieut. Win sett for McKinney's receipt for package of money-$480, 1nonument fund-Winsett does not wish to be held responsible. 2d. ~Iaj. Race returned from Newbern-on picket-re lieved Lieuts. Van Tuyl and Woodard. Very quiet along the outposts. We have lost "Old Joe"; he goes to command 20th A. C. 1.. • 3d. In obedience to orders, took formal command of "G" and became accountable for its ordnance, commissary and general equipn1ent-have been in command of "G" for over two month~, but not till to-day have been responsible for its quartermaster's property. ''Uncle Billy'' has returned f1om Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 325 his visit to Gen. Grant. Campaign will open soon-extra baggage going to rear. 4th. Parade-ground enlivened by skirmish and squad drills. Busy on "G's" papers. Anxiety and sclicitude in crease as we approach the crisis of the rebellion! Bets offered that the rebellion will go down in fro1n three to five months. Gen. Sherman says this army \vill be n1ustered out in fiye n1onths. 5th. Called on Lieut. Henry Watson at College :Hospital -his furlough--will start home to-n1orrow-trcmendous cheer ing-· 'grape vine'' news in a bu nda nee. 6th. Drills-cheers throughout the camp-shouts of "Peace! Peace! Grant has taken Richmond! Thanks to Aln1ighty God!'' Regiments assembled; dispatch read and shouted to! What 's the price of gold in Ne,v \''. ork this 1norning? At brigade headquarters-'' lVIajor Bob,'' the ex pert fife-player-Dick \Tan Nostrand says he 's getting scared; the war will soon be over, and he '11 be out of a job! 7th. Mocking-birrls along little stream in front of camp clays and nights resound with cheers! 8th. Policing-no drills-visit Goldsboro with Lieut. Van Tuyl, Simpson, Col. G., Maj. Race and Sergt. Ritchey. Called at office of Capt. Hall, brigade quartermaster-firing salutes rockets-cheers ! 9th. Men buying '' Henry rifles'' of 64th Ill. Doc Craig reported for duty-Capt. Shaw on leave of absence-cam paign resumed to-morrow-men eager to be off-inspection to-day-circular from Gen. Grant: '' Let us finish the job at once." Marching orders for 8 A. M. 10th. Cannonading at the front-broke can1p at 11- passed through town and took road to Raleigh-torrents of rain-frequent halts-made ten miles-got into camp at 9 P. M. Cup of tea and laid dovvn. 11th. Roused at 4 with marching orders for 5. Moved back on road three miles to assist trains-corduroyed the road and returned to ca1np-found troops moving out for the day's 32 i{ecollcctions of P1:oneer alld .. -1 rmy Lij e. 111arch-took our place in colu1nn--rail barricades numerous- used by rebel cavalry-country flat-swamps numerous-slow progress-now-in country called "Pine Levels." Made eight miles-got into camp at sunset. 12th. Train mired down-this moment received dispatch that Lee has surrendered to Grant-tremendous cheering- men's guns go down and their hats go up! Anny wild with joy. Brigade 111assed and dispatch read. Cheers for Grant~ for Sherman and for 3d Brigade! 10 A. M. Cannonading distant-slow progress-long and tedious delays-no bottom to these roads-wagons 111ire to the axle. \Vent into camp at I P. M. on rising ground. Fin ished " Life of Stonewall Jackson." 13th. Two days' rations issued. Broke camp at 8 A. M.·- clelay-Gen. Sherman's circular read on Grant's victories cheers-hills covered with living green-orchards in bloon1-- - in catnp at 4 P. M.-three miles to Neuse River. 14th. Broke camp at 8 - marched to river---- delay- cross -- rebel paroled prisoners - beautiful scenery - farms- growing ·wheat-rail barricades-dead horses-gravcs-~first vievv of city of Raleigh-dome of Capitol and church steeples to our right over tops of fore st-crowned hills-troops encamped on our left-the city-entrance-heavy siege guns and earth works-Fayetteville Street-ladies-Capitol-bronze statue of Washington-can1p in suburbs west of city on I-Iillsboro road. 15th. Forn1ed line for march-torrents of rain-order to march countermanded-ru1nor that Johnston has surren dered-cheers, cheers and cheers! extravagant demonstrations of joy! Visit city-citizens highly elated at the prospect of speedy peace. Progress and Standard, daily papers, are loyal-very strongly in favor of the old Government. Nego tiations pending between Gens. Sherman and Johnston. 16th. Policed ground and arranged regular camp-at tended service at Baptist church-Sabbath-school-soldiers sermon very good-prayed for peace. Indeed the sound of Recollections of Piourer alld Anny L-£/e. 327 Sabbath hells and religious ceremonies came gratefully to our long-estranged senses. r 7th. Inspection at 1 P. M. Visit city ·with Lieu ts. l!ovv ard, Sitnpson and Capt. lVIcGrath. Rode out to the Insane Asylun1-on leaving camp first heard of the assassination of President Lincoln-a grape-shot through the heart vvould not have struck 111c more dun1b. I at first thought it a ghastly joke---I could not believe the report. After a pleasant ride through the city, returned to can1p only to have our worst fears confirn1ecl. The President, Secretary Se·ward, Fred. Se,v ard and l\f aj. Sc\varcl ·were assassinated-the fonner in his private box at Ford's Theatre; the others at the Secretary's home. The Sevtards, according to later dispatch, ,vere not killed. Gen. I-Io-ward's circular announcing the sad event re ceived; profound sorrow· fills every heart. \,Vrathful resolves and vows of vengeance. "The South has lost her best friend" is the opinion of all. "Let us hoist the black flag," say the soldiers. One says, "I 've just comtnr·ncecl to soldier." What 1s gr,ing on at the front we can not guess. It is said, however, that Gen. Sherman will succeed in obtaining the surrender of Johnston. 18th. No word from the negotiations pending between Gens. Sherman and Jackson. 19th. W. H. Davis and W. H. R.oberts tnustered out. Circular from Gen. Sherman received at brigade headquarters announcing that satisfactory tenns had been made with Johns ton for the surrender of his army-subject to the approval of the President. Armistice of five days. No cheers among our troops since the death of the President. . 20th. Attend review of 10th A. C.-Gens. Shern1an, Aines, Terry, Schofield, Slocum, Cox, Mower, Paine, Schurz and a host of other stars, known and unknown. Negro division rumor that we march for Washington after the review. 21st. 23d A. C.-Gen. Schofield reviewed-not present said to have been splendid. 328 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 22d. Attended review of 20th A. C.-Gen. Mower-mag nificent - received particulars of President's death in New York flerald. Order received for review of 17th A. C. for 24th inst. 23d. Attended service at Episcopal church-Gens. Sher man and Barry present. lVIinister aged and prosy. Prepar atory review by Gen. Force at 2 P. M. Lieut. Anderson of "G" reported for duty; this "'ill relieve me, for which I an1 thankful. Thank Goel for the freedom which awaits us all t Sent a comn1unication to the Daily Pragress relating to the assassination of President Lincoln. 24th. Formed line for review at 8 A. M. After some de lay marched to south part of city, stacked anns and awaited orders. lVIeantime, .A.djt. Allen reported that Lieut.-Gen. Grant ,vould review us-this vvas the first intimation we had of the presence of the General-in-chief. Enthusiasm at this an nouncement-had an additional incentive (if such were needed) to acquit ourselves well. Passed in revievv-Gen. Grant looked quite natural. Spec tators and generals enthusiastic over our appearance and demeanor. P. M. Air thick with run1ors-sick being sent to hospi tals-trains loading with supplies and ammunition-every in dication of a for,vard movement-rutnored that Gen. Grant has given Johnston till 8 A. :\-1. to-morrow to accept his terms of unconditional surrender; in case he does not, we move against him. 25th. Broke catnp at 8. lVIovecl west along railroad ten miles and went into regular camp. Communication to Prog ress appeared in this 1norning's issue. Relieved of "G" by order-thanks! 26th. Engine and coach passed west to Johnston this morning, carrying Gens. Grant, Shern1an, Howard and Blair. Night-train returned from f rout-communicates wjt];i the army-cheers-Gen. Blair announces the surrender of Johns ton and peace in consequence-rockets and cheers! Tillson Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. .1"'29 returned with a brevet star-he ran home like a small boy to exploit himself over a brevet star-what had he done to vvin it? He is a long way behind Jan1(~S D. ~\!organ, whom he despises. 27th. Broke can1p at 6 and n1arched back to Raleigh occupied old camp-found our hrush shades intact. \Vorked on "G's" papers. Night-vi~it the city-l=and ~ertnading at Terry's and Slocu1n's headquarters. Run1or that vve will 1narch through to \Vashington. 28th. \Vork on papers--run1or that \t\"e 111arch to \Vash ington; thence by rail to Springfield, Ill., to be nu1stered out. \Ve go via Petersburg and Richn1ond. Great rejoicing at this. Orders fro1n Gens. Howard and Blair-circular to citi zens from Gen. Howard-visit city. Intervie,ved l\I rs. Stevvart, a lady past eighty years of age, living in the city and ac quainted with Andtew Johnson in his earliest years. lVIrs. Stewart said : '' He was born in 1808; I ,vas n1arriecl the 7th of l\:Iarch of that year; he ,vas born on the 11th of that n1onth. It was the custom to have a ball after ,veddings in those days. While we were dancing at a late hour I heard Polly had a boy. I went up into her room in my wedding cl ress-the roo111 ·was a comfortable one, and reached by a flight of stairs f ron1 the outside-I went up and named him Andrew. I wanted to call him Andrew I\IcDonald; but his father said, 'No, only call him Andre,t\·-that is as much as 1 can remember.' His father ·was a tall, ra,v-boned man; don't think he had twenty pounds of flesh on him, and the heartiest eater I ever ~a\t\'. Andy's parents lived with my step-father; his father drove tea1n for my step-father, and they called my parents 'Old 1'Iaster and :\Essus.' They ,vere poor, but honest. I have seen .A.. ncly's grandfather, who ·was a tailor.'' When about to take my leave, :Mrs. Stevvart said: "Will you see the President soon?" I thought I would. "Tell hin1 '.\Irs. Stewart, who named him, is still living, very frail a,:id 330 l?.ecollcct-ions of f>iuncer alld .:lrlll_y Life. poor-to-do; tell hin1 to send me a little present, a little sum of n1oney or son1ething." I met other persons who had known Andy when a '' poor tailor in R.aleigh." One old gentleman, pointing to a large oak tree about fifty yards from his house, said that under that tree once stood the house of an old ,voman ·which Andy had helped to stone, and in consequence had to leave town. l-IOME\VARD BOUND VIA R.ICHMOND AND WASHINGTON. 29th. Broke camp at 9. Gen. I-Ioward's circular regu lating the 1narch-great pains are being taken to prevent injury of property or 1nistreatment of citizens along the route of march. Heavy penalties laid down against straggling or pillaging. After considerable delay on the route, reached the Neuse-crossed and went into ca1np-rain pouring on us as ·we turned in at 8 P. M. Very dark-wet-crawl into blankets. Heard cannon shots at Raleigh all day at intervals, till sunset, when a salute of thirty-six guns was fired, com memorating the reunion of States, now thirty-six in number. The first \Vere fired in memory of the fallen President. 30th. Drying clothing - no marching Sundays going home! Boy clro·wned in the Neuse. Took piece artillery down and fired over the ·water-raised body-bathed to-day with Lieut. '' Le,v"- -S., H. and Davy Duston. I-Ienry Allaman of our company and Wright of "fl" returned fron1 Salisbury Prison this eYe. The for111er ·was wounded in neck and cap tured at Bentonville; the other was taken near Raleigh. The Confederates said to these boys when they were taken: "Let us have your knife and pocket-book." Took rings off their fingers; sold them at auction-one went at $70 Confederate scrip. Rebel rank and file in Johnston's army lament the death of Abraha1n Lincoln. Slow to believe in the surrender of Lee! Jeff Davis escapes-paid their soldiers ten months' pay $1 .65 in silver! Strawberries on the Neuse. Maj. Race gave me a sketch of his life-a marked success. Simpson mustered as captain. Recollel·ti,,ns of f>ion(·cr and .lrnzy Life. 331 rvrav rst. Broke ca111p at 7---n1archccl rapidly-passed through villages of Forestville and Wake Forest-collcge citizens--beautiful country-groves-valleys-more oak and c Im and less pine-country lads and lassies congregated at cross-roads to sec the "·vankces" pass. Notice n1any officers and n1cn of Lee's anny at their homes-Othello's occupation gone! Anny very orderly-disturb nothing and nobody. This 1:narch is 111uch like a holiday parade. Passing through towns v{e unfurl '' Old Glory" and our bands play, ·which brings all the citizens to their doors. Tv1ade seventeen 1niles. Going to bathe, ca1ne upon citizens taking articles of clothing, etc. 1 fron1 a cave! 'T'he horrible nightlnare of Civil \Var no longer disturbs their sleeping and waking hours. 2d. Broke ca1np at 6-marched rapidly-citizens out to see the "Yankees'' ho1ne·ward hound. Country high and sandy crossed Tar R.iver-1nade twenty-t\vo miles. Boys plagul'cl the Negroes greatly along the route, snap ping gun-caps at them and making them take off their hats and shout for Shennan l Negroes ,vere not displeased at this; but the g-i1ns and horse-play scared so1ne of them, and the wenches sca111pered back over the fields to their hon1es ! :;cl. lviarched at 5. Passed Ridgeway Junction-train of cars passed us here-Ridge·way Station-\Varrenton Station sick--got into an an1bulance for the first tin1e during the \Var! It is said we are racing with 15th A. C. for the first crossing of the Rcanoke. It is considered vvorth an effort to haYc the advance after crossing the river-perhaps so; but \Ve are flesh and blood: and the sun is hot, and, besides, there is no hurry. Reached vvithin three miles of river-15th A. C. ahead-went into can1p at 3 P. M. lVIade eighteen n1iles. Fine plantations along to-day's route; any nun1ber of Ne groes and any amount of tobacco-seventy boxes of the latter found in one place. Boys appropriate it. 4th. 15th A. C. laying pontoons; progress slowly with this work-Lieut. Hankey-Company "C" sent forward to Petersburg ·with fifteen wagons for rations-remained in camp 332 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. till 3 P. M., when moved out and marched down to within half- 1nile of river-trains sent over first-first view of Roanoke gleam of water through mass of dark-green foliage-twilight went down to pontoon bridge---corps trains massed in the valley. 5th. Broke camp and marched at 3 A. M.--crossed river and marched rapidly towards Petersburg till daylight, when we halted for breakfast-spring shower; cooled the air and laid the dust, making the march delightful-we are now in '' Ole Vir ginny ''; took first drink upon her sacred soil from a sulphur spring-beautiful landscape-fine plantations-tobacco houses - Lee's soldiers - Meherrin River - bridge burned - Wilson -Sheridan-reached creek; bathed face and feet-pushed on to Boydton Plank Road, historical ground, and camped near ---'s store-some clain1 we 1nade thirty miles to-da y-n1en in good spirits-got into camp at 4 P. M.--citizens clever-some Union people-children brought us the cup of cold ·water-the Logan and Blair race seen1s at its crisis. 6th. l\1arched at 5 - Negroes shouting for Shern1an: " · Rah Sherman! "-men suffering from exhaustion and sun stroke-made twenty-five 1niles--ca1nped on north ba11k of --- Creek on farm where Gen. Scott is said to have been born, half-mile from Dinwiddie Court House--Five Forks close at hand, off our left. 7th. :Marched at 5-arrived at Petersburg at 10 A. :vi.; camped two n1iles frotn city on the Appomattox-purchased supplies; first we have had fron1 "God's country" for s01ne 1nonths-with Lieut. Lew Van Tuyl_, visit city-ride mules citizens-effect of grape, shell, and 1nusketry on buildings rebel hospitals-officers and soldiers in gray, less an arm or leg, resting at their ho1nes. For four years the approaches to the city and, in fact, the regioµ round about has been tran1ped by the contending hosts ti~l the _face of Nature, barring the forests, is as bare as one's hand. We were out where the Petersburg n1ine was exploded,. and I studied the defensive earthvvorks vvith interest, for they Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 333 ,were intricate, elaborate, and, I believe, were never successfully stormed at any point for a time, long or short. They ,vere built hy slave-labor, and they certainly furnish evidence that the Southern leaders came in due time to realize the size of the job they had undertaken. 8th. Orders to march at 8 A. M.-left camp in company with Lieut. Brugel (" F ") and visited fortifications east and north of city-exploded mine-Fort Hell-Fort Steadman - cemetery-bones of the dead-joined the column at the A,ppo mattox, north of city, going out on Richmond Turnpike- 1narched to --- Creek and camped-bath-bad conduct of men while passing through city-bad feeling bet\veen Eastern and \Vestern armies; discreditable to both; a spirit indulged) however, only by the worst in each. 9th. "On to Richmond! "-left camp at 8-marched rap idly and cheerfully along the wide turnpike-passed through earthworks enclosing Richmond-evidences of battle-Drury's Bluff and Fort Darling off our right; Drury's Plantation on our left-beautiful residence and groves-James River and steam ers, joyful to our long-exiled eyes-first view of Richmond can1ped in suburbs of city-14th and 20th A. C.s already here dinner-Gen. Sherman ref uses the proffered hospitality of Hal leck; bully for "Uncle Billy!" With l\IcGrath, Lieut. \Tan Tuyl, and Si1npson, visit :'danchester-factories-Scott's Bridge -Castle Thunder-Libby Prison. roth. Vlith Lieut. \:"an Tuyl, Hankey, and Simpson, visit Belle Isle - graves - enclosures - low ground - soup-house, bakery, etc. Along the ra1nparts of this mournful spot Jeff Davis and his Cabinet were wont to enjoy an outing on pleasant days in!their white flannel suits and gold-headed canes, iooking do\vn on the starving ,vretches who, by the fortunes of ,var, had becon1e their victims. 11th. With Lieut. Hankey, visit Richmond-Castle Thun der-Libby/ Prison-Corcoran Prison-Dallgren Depot-Capi tol-marble statue of Henry Clay-Crawford's bronze eques trian statue o(\Vashington and the Virginia Compatriots-C~n. 334 Recollections of Pioneer and .:/r1ny Life. Lee's residence-burned districts-left wing of our army com- 111enced the march to Alexandria-stood on ·west side of Capitol Square and sa-w the head of column pass through the city-Gen. Sherman and staff in advance-cavalry-Gen. Davis and 14th A. C.-Gen. lVIorgan, brevet major-general, 2d Division; no honors to Gen. Hallcck~-2oth A. C. will follow the 14th, ancl to-morrow the right ·wing vvill pass through-our A. C. in advance. 12th. Broke can1p at 6-left the colun1n while it was pre paring to leave camp and crossed over into Richmond with 3d Division, which had the advance, as I wished to look over the city again. St. Paul's Church, where Jeff Davis worshiped-his resi dence-the Patrick Henry Episcopal church, where this cele brated man made his great speech ad vacating vvar with King George; the church built on site of theatre destroyed by fire, which consumed a great nu1nber of persons-the lVIonument; inscriptions-Gen. Washington's headquarters, fine stone build ing on lVIain Street between Nineteenth and 1\ventieth; used forn1erly as hotel. Joined my regiment as it debouched into l\Iain Street-out of the city-Emmanuel Church-Chickaho1nin y battle-ground off our right-cemetery-graves of soldiers-delays-very slovv progress-went into camp early-troops ahead have b~d roads, which impedes our progress-supper--tness talk of war with France in l\!Iexico; we are not averse to the ad venture. R.ICHMOND TO WASHINGTON. 13th. Broke camp at 6-delays-crossed Chickahominy early-marched to Hanover Court House and camped-pontoon bridge being laid across Pamunkey-Bethesda Church; this is the church back upon which Sheridan drove Fitz-llugh Lee in the severest cavalry fight of the ,var; the fight commenced at Hawe's Shop-skeletons of horses lying over the ground. 14th. Crossed Pamunkey; small, turbid stream-delays in getting over-did not clear the bridge n1uch before noon- Rcroll{'rfions of Pio11{'er and .4nny Life. 335 after crossing, marched rapidly; 1nade fourteen miles, and ca1nped beyond Chesterfield Station on railroad - Concord Church-wedding-one of Lee's soldiers. 15th. Broke camp at 4. Our division in advance and our regiment in advance of division. Crossed tributaries of Mat tapony-made twenty miles and camped across Po River, with in five miles of Spottsylvania Court House. Lee's extreme right rested here-his works-got into camp at 2 P. M. 1\1ounted and rode with Capt. McGrath to Spottsylvania Court House rode over the entire field, several miles in length. Scene of Gen. Hancock's battles-Gen. Grant's headquarters-1\IcAI sop's house-grave of Capt. 1\1cGrath's brother. The dead! 1\1r. Sanford at Spott's Tavern-grape and shell against his buildings. 'This battle-ground still bore the deep scars made by the artillery and trains through the woods along improvised roads. 16th. Broke camp and marched at 4. Reached Fred ericksburg at 9 A. M. With lVIaj. Race and Maj.-Surg. Ritchey, visited battle-ground. Howison's Hill-Howison's residence Howison himself-Gen. Lee's point of observation Howison's Hill-his position worth 100,000 n1en to him. Gen. Burnside's point of observation on heights opposite. Marye 's Hill Hamilton's Crossing. The stone wall; cemetery on l\!Iarye's Hill-buildings da1n aged by our shcll-n1arks of musketry on tombstones-plucked a rose here. Trenches filled with our dead. Ice-house and fair ground and their grueson1e story .. Visited s1nall shaft to the mother of Washington on Ken more estate-Col. Lewis' residence-J\tlrs. Washington's home where she died-her character as portrayed by 1\'1r. Bayne. Washington's father-his grave-Westmoreland County. Rev olutionary buildings. l'vir. Bayne's talk of the battles-Fred ericksburg and Chancellorsville-Lee nothing less than a god! Sedgewick's retreat across Bank's Ford-dead floating down . nver. 336 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. The· citizens-town demolished-Orphan Asylum. Cap ture of Jeff Davis announced by Gen. Sherman. lVIaj. Race speaks in just terms of the dishonesty and trickery of Tillson; and so, also,• did Surg. Ritchey. Encamped near Potomac Creek-~evere march-weather extremely hot-overtook col umn three miles from camp. The shaft that marks the grave of lVIary Washington is chipped and marked by Vandals and musketry. I 7th. God speed our weary feet to Alexandria! l\I v flesh feels like it had been beaten with a maul. The dust is thick and the sun hot-the muscles of our legs hard as wood. Got along slowly-made ten miles only-camped in pines. Some deaths to-day from overheat. Did not get the nearest route to Alexandria and have twenty miles extra to march- 15th A. C. is on direct road. 18th. Reached Occoquan River early this P. M. Blue -Ridge l\Iountains off our left for two or three days-heavy rain this P. M.-bath-camped on heights north of river. 19th. Broke camp at 6 and emerged from the hills upon Strawberry Plains at 2 P. M.-country level-beautiful pas tures-camped four miles from Alexandria-mail. Learn that McKinney i~ in Alexandria and will join us to-morro-w ! Delighted to know that this eminent warrior, ,vho was not with us on the Hood Chase, nor on the ~:farch to the Sea, nor in the Campaign through the Carolinas, ,vill taste camp life with us for a day or two before ,ve are reviewed and discharged. 20th. Doubts as to whether all the veterans will be n1us tered out. Boys will be sadly disappointed if they are not at home on the 4th July coming. McKinney returned to regiment after an absence of seven months. 21st. George ("Dad") Hand reported for duty to-day after an absence of nine or ten months; another of the ab sentees ,vho will not adorn the coming grand review. -It is due the men of my company who were faithful through long: years of service that~ a deep and ,vide gulf should separate Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 33 7 them from those who were conspicuous by their absence from the post of duty. \Vhen the ''coffee-cooler'· ,vas an enlisted man with a stomach eaten out by fire-water before he entered the service, the offense was sufficiently heinous; but ·where the shirk was -a commissioned officer, dra,ving liberal pay, ,ve stood in need of an endowment akin to the miraculous to endure patiently .a n1an so shamelessly indifferent to every sense of honor as to prefer the associations of "Smoky Row'' to the 1nanly discharge of his obligations to the men ,vhose suffrages sup plied his shoulder-straps and the salary for ,vhich the Govern- 1nent received no adequate return. Our one compensation lay in the conviction that his roon1 was better than his company. Recently promoted officers in \Vashington, drawing pay on final statements. Wife of Capt. l\IcGrath, of Philadelphia, in can1p to meet her husband. Orders received this eve to march to Long Bridge at 8 :30 to-n1orro,v. \Ve do not hope to compete successfully with the .i\.. rmy of the Potomac at the coming revie\v. In discipline, in drill, in physique, we arc superior to the Eastern Army; but \Ve shall not be so ·well dressed and will not appear so well to the superficial observer. The Eastern people have an erroneous notion of us. They think we are a rabble! 23d. Broke camp at 8. Column moved to camp betvveen .\lexand ria and Washington to be close to the Capitol at the .appointed hour for revie,v. I did not move with the column to-day; but, in company vvith l\Iaj.-Surg. Ritchey and Acting ~)uartermaster I-Iughes, mounted and rode to :Mt. Vernon, eight miles distant. View from Rose Hill of the valley in which :\It. \lernon is situated. Lunch at a freedman's, a de scendant of one of Washington's en1ancipated blacks-stra,v berries-returned in evening-views of Potomac-views of Washington and Alexandria fron1 bluff~ross into Alexan dria--lunch at restaurant-reached ca1np at sun~et, having spent some hours at Mt. Vernon, n1inutely inspecting the place, to form some conception of the ho1ne life of the First President. 338 Recollections of Pioneer and ,,1nny Life. 24th. Broke can1p at 6 and moved across Long Bridge to \Vashington. l\!Iet Lieut. Porter, 16th Ill. Lee's residence off our left. Around the Capitol building to suburbs and massed. At 9 A. M. moved forward-inscriptions-brilliant pageant-emerged from the thronged Capitol at 12 M. Moved out on a continuation of 14th Street to camp-right of road in woods. Our anny did splendidly. Pennsylvania Avenue was brilliantly decorated ·with the national colors and placards of welcome. At the Treasury building the old "Tenth" received its full measure of applause for its steady lines and finely ex ecuted changes of direction. But, notwithstanding the flood tide of exultation, the Capitol was lonesotne in the absence of Abraham Lincoln. ,.fhe President and the Cabinet, Gen. Sherman, and other distinguished men were on the reviewing stand. With Lieuts. Van Tuyl and \Voodard, visited the city in the evening. 25th. Enlarged booth-sent a bit of chaff to the Daily Chronicle concerning our rations since our return to "God's country.'' 26th. Visited the White House. As I stepped into the portico a carriage drove up, from which Pres. Johnson alighted. The doors of the mansion swung wide. We raised our hats, and the President returned the salute, bowing several times to different portions of the crowd. We were soon after ad mitted. Saw Gov. Curtan, of Pennsylvania, in one of the upper chambers. In the East Room laborers were busy tak ing down the platfonn on which rested Pres. Lincoln's cata falque. The Yankee Vandal was present, as usual, with his pocket-knife out, splitting walking-canes out of the detached boards lying around. A fat man, with an impatient air, in quires the room of the President. The mansion and grounds precisely the same as when I saw them four years since, at the beginning of the struggle, when Gen. Scott commanded 3"9 Recollection-s of Pio1ieer and Anny Life. ' .) our arnues. Re\·isited the Capitol and all the other places of public interest. Attended Grover's Theatre with Lieut. ·van Tuyl, Brown and Sergt. Fuller. 27th \\Tith Capt. Shaw, slept in city-breakfast at cafe-- 1net with Jno. Jackson, formerly of" B,'' now captain in a Ne gro regiment. He gave me a Chronicle containing my squib. Visited Go\·erntnent buildings with Shaw, ·who had never seen thern--can1p-Atlanta baggage received this evening. 28th. Enlarged our "dog" tent with tents received in stored baggage. This P. M. visit Crystal Springs on I~ock Creek lVIossy spring. This ,\. M. made out ordnance and commissary and general equipment returns. Went to city "vith I\iaj. Crensha"v, 25th Ind., who drevv pay on muster-out papers as captain. Applied to First National Bank (Jay Cook & Co.) for payment-after banking hou rs--rcferrcd by an employee of the bank to a subordinate, who cashed the major's check for half of one per cent. 30th. Went to Ordnance and Quartermaster's Depart n1ents in city to settle n1y accounts with Government. Could not finish on account of the rush-have to ,vait a fc,v davs on Quartennaster's Department. Both departments hard pressed Met P. De Krigger, Tillson and Gen. Leggett at Willard's. Bassett, "Doc" of "B," and Dick Yan Nostrand, "E" men. have difficulty with Invalid Corps, City'' ProyosJ•_ our boys overpowered-three of "E" in guard-honse-re leased-the only defeat of "E" during the war. Visit Canterbury with captain of A.rn1y of the Poton1ac. 31st. Found on table in tent on tny return fro1n city a letter for" lVL H. J." from Mary F. Hatnilton, of the Treasury Department. She read my squib in the Chronicle and asks me· to dine with her! Good Lord! look at my shabby old uniform-just out of the woods; fine escort for a lady in a fashionable cafe ! I '11 see l\IcKinney. He 's got something 340 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. to wear! I '11 send hitn ! Le'N and l\1cK. absent in city Gen. Grant and ,vife passed in carriage. June 1st. Lieut. John S. Spear of the Signal Service, Regular Army, called-an old classmate-pleasant interview crowds of soldiers going from one general's headquarters to another, calling for a speech! 2d. Called at the Quartermaster's Department about pa pers. Sent nole to Ji. F. H. from Willard's-received reply fell in with Lieut. Hankey, :Maj. Race and Simpson, with whom visited Smithsonian Institute and Navy Yard. 3d. Went again to Quartermaster-General's office on business. ~let in town Capt. Kennedy and Lieut. Fannestah of "K." BY RAIL TO PARKERSBURG-DOWN THE OHIO RIVER TO L< >lJISVILLE. 4th. Receiyed note fron1 Con1. Div. "C" of lVI. Called on Gen. Force, as requested. l\ioving to place me on his staff as ordnance officer, ,vhich I do not want-unable to call on Miss Hamilton, ·who sent me a note and some money. Sent l\1cKinney to call on her-he took the n1oney and returned it to her-he reported that he found her a very pleasant lady, of which I have no doubt. Received marching orders for 5 A. M. to-morrovv. ..1-\rn1y goes west to Louisville, Ky. Gen. Force's compliments; came to naught, perforce, as the army is soon to dissolve. 5th. Broke camp at 5 and marched to depot of B. & 0. R. R. \Vestward ho! Relay house-Bladensburg-Pa tapsco River scenery-picnic parties-factories-night-Har per's Ferry-Western Virginia-people cheer us and wave handkerchiefs in friendly salutation. 6th. Mountain scenery - Potomac--Cumberland-Sani tary Commission--coffee-mountains increase in size-we as cend the range-magnificent views. As our train poised on the western· summit, detained for the moment, the hundreds of faces looking do-wn a sheer perpendicular hundreds of feet be- Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 341 low upon the roof of a farm-house and the beautiful level fields stretching far away, an involuntary chorus of cheers from our car windows woke the echoes of the hills around us. 7th. Breakfast at Thornton-Grafton-McKinney leaves us, as usual-country rough-petroleum scaffolding and der ricks-Kanawha River-Parkersburg-leave train and go into camp on bank of Kanawha, with orders to 1nove at 5-bath. 8th. Broke camp and marched through Parkersburg to levee, which vve found crowded with steamers-left wing of our regiment boarded the iv! armora, right wing the Camelia-large number of steamers accompanied us, bearing the other regi ments of our division-Blennerhassett's Island; farms thereon -went to shoals, where we reshipped on steamers awaiting !.!S our entire regiment boarded the Empire City-greeting along the shores by the people-our pilot being unacquainted with the channel of the upper Ohio, had to lay up for the night just below Gallipolis. 9th. Rested ,vell last night-:rviaysville-scenery im proving-hills cultivated; covered with orchards and Yine yards-found violin and guitar aboard; Jim Boyd and '·Doc'' Craig musicians; excellent music. Night-Cincinnati-run till 12 and laid by till daylight. 10th. Warsaw-Madison-Louisville at 12 M.-disen1- barked and marched to camp five miles ·west of city on banks of Ohio-regiment attracted some attention passing through the streets--camped on bad ground; swampy, miasmatic, and swarming with mosquitoes-rumor that we will be paid and furloughed. 11th. A camp rumor that 84th Ill. passed through Louis ville last evening mustered out-having no rations in camp, dined at Louisville Hotel-our regiment ·was offered provost duty in city; Col. Gillespie declined-43d Ohio went-got note from McKinney for $480, monument money. 12th. After some delay, we changed camp to high, open ground, where we were paid off, the army receiving an immense sum in greenbacks, crisp and new, direct from the ~1int. [111em. 342 Recollections of Pioneer and . I rmy Life. --Across the interval of forty-five years, I recall Father Linell, our chaplain, trying to hold the attention of a confused mass of restless soldiery while he proved that all n1en vvould be saved. "It is a fact and I can prove it," said the chaplain. The pock ets of the n1en were full of greenbacks and their heads full of a speedy and final discharge from the arn1y, and if they were all going to he saved, what's the use of a pother about it? and 111uch as they loved the old chaplain, he could not hold them.l At Louisville, the troops having nothing to do but to wait the pleasure of the Govcrn1nent, I took a furlough for thirty days, and when I boarded the train for St. Louis I found my self in the company of Gen. Jan1es D. Morgan, our old divi sion con1mander. The train was packed to suffocation, and we sat down on our grips on the narrovv platform of the old fashioned cars, ·where we were hammered and jan1111ed and trodden upon from 4 P. M. till midnight before ,ve could get in side. The general sat patiently through it all without offering a word of complaint. In St. Louis I went to bed and slept, and kept on sleeping till they were about to break down the door of my room with a battering-ram, for I had secured myself against intruders in case I slept beyond my call. When I a\voke it ,vas upon a new hc;aven and a new earth, for old things had passed away. I was glad to be in the dear old city which was 1ny father's trade 1\!Iecca in the old days. To this port his cargoes of grain and pork and other and minor produce \Vere shipped and from thence went his shipments of merchan dise home. Among some trifles purcha~ed in the city was a pair of shoes, for which I paid $14.00 ("war prices); I can buy as good now for $5 .oo. While the days were passing by, I took the train for Gales burg and thence down to lVIonmouth. It was a sunny, peacefu I day in June when a young soldier, "'·ho had entered the Army under age at the fall of Sumter, stepped from the carriage to the walk in his twenty-fourth year, rather the vvorse for the wear. As he passed through the gate his mother, her dear old face wreathed in smiles, came and placed her arm around him and Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 343 drew him within the sanctuary of home as one rescued from some dire fate. I met my regiment at Catnp Douglas, Chicago, where we were discharged to date, the 4th of July, 1865. APPENDIX. (~eneral Orders, } }JEADOUARTERS IjTH ARMY CORPS. No. 1. Goldsboro, ]\l. C., l\Tarch 24, 1865. The badge novv used by the corps being similar to one forn1erly adopted by another corps, the major-general con1- manding has concluded to adopt, as a distinguishing badge for this command, an arrow. In its swiftness, in its surety of striking ·where wanted, and in its destructive powers, when so intended it is probably as emblematical of this corps as any design that could be adopted. The arrow for divisions will be two inches long and for corps head quarters one and one-half inches. The I st Division arrow will be red; the 3d Division, white; and the 4th Division, blue. The 9th Illinois :Mounted Infantry, same as the 4th Divis ion; and for corps headquarters it will be of gold or any metal, gilt. The badge will be worn on the hat or cap. It is expected that every officer and man in the con1mand ·will, as soon as practicable, assume his badge. The wagons and ambulances will be marked with the badge of their respective commands; the arrow being twelve inches long. By command of l\IAJ.-GEN. F. P. BLAIR. Official: (Signed) C. CADLE, JR., A. A. Gen'l. CHAS. CHRISTENSEN, Lieut., A. d. C. & A. A. Gen'l. 244 Recollections of Pioneer and Army Life. 345 STATE OF CALIFORNIA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. Sacramento, January 2, 1865. iH aj.-Gen. vV. T. Sherman, .Savannah: The series of victories ,vhich have attended your arn1y during the past year-the capture of Atlanta, the triumphant march from Atlanta to the sea-coast, and the subsequent cap ture of Savannah-have filled the hearts of all who love their country with joy, and justly entitle you to the profound grati tude of the Nation. For and on behalf of the people of this State I beg to tender you, and through you to the officers and soldiers under your command, my heart-felt thanks for the signal services your army has rendered to the cause of civiliza tion, liberty, humanity, and good government. • To you as their great leader I tender my cordial congratu lations, with the prayer that God may preserve and protect you to lead the victorious hosts of the Republic on to still greater victories, even to the conquering of an honorable and permanent peace. I am, General, gratefully, Your obedient servant, Official: (Signed) FRED T. Lo-w, Governor. (Signed) L. 1\1. DAYTON, A. A. G. 346 Recollections vf Pioneer and Anny Life. A photograph of the pot-tran1mel-s (alias "pot- hooks") n1ade by Ja1nes Jamison over a peat fire in Londonderry, Ireland, in the year 1690, during the siege of that place by the Irish, led by King James II· They were brought to America in the year 1713 by John Jamison, who settled in Little Britain Town ship, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. After the death of John and his son Sa1nuel J ,.unison, they becan1e the property of James Jami son, ·who took then1 with hirn to Virginia and thence to Kentucky in 1798, thence to Perry County, Indi ana in 1820, where he died in 1821, and hisunn1ar ried daughter Sallie fell heir to the pot-trammels and carried them with her when she ren1oved to Hen derson County/Illinois, in 1840, where she lived to the age of eighty-five, and before her death she gave the trammels to her grand-nephew James Shoemak er, who re1noved to southwest Nebraska, where this photograph was recently taken. The hooks are in a good state of preservation at the age of 221 years. They have been in An1er ica I 98 years. BEMENT, TEXAS, October 3, 1899. Matthew H. Jamison: DEAR Cous1N,-James Jamison was the son of Samuel Jamison, Sr., and brother to Capt. Adam, John, Samuel, Jr., William and Col. Joseph, and was the grandfather of the writer, S. S. Jamison. My sister Margaret, now living in southwest Iowa, at the age of eighty-six years, informs me she ate mush made in a pot hanging on those hooks over the fire at Grand father James Jamison's in Grayson County, Kentucky, seventy seven years ago; so they are no myth, but a genuine antique heirloom of the old Jamison family. Sincerely yours, S. S. JAMISON. R ecollcctions of Pioneer and A rniy Life. 347 PATRIOTIS:.\I OF ILLll'\OIS. 'The State had a population in I 860 of I, 704,323. She sent into the field during the Civil War 258,217 of her brave sons, of whom 28,642 were killed in battle or died of wounds and disease. Henderson County, in I 860, had a population of 9,499, and I, 153 of her sons represented her on many battle fields in the years 1861-65. Some of the larger and more populous counties in the Commonwealth maintained the cause of the Union at a greater ~acrificC', hut none of the1n \\rith a strc11~:cr c1eycticn. In the year 1863 I saw the statement in the New \:? ork Observer, a Presbyterian religious weekly (none too loyal to the cause of the Union, however), that Gen. Joe Hooker, on the eve of the battle of Chancellorsville, declared that God Almighty himself could not prevent him achieving a victory over Lee's army. It may have been no n1ore than a shrewd guess at Hooker's ·well-known mental predilections. Gen. John Pope, of Illinois, in command of the Army of the lVIississippi iri its operations around Nevv :Madrid and the capture of the Confederates in their efforts to escape from Island No. ro, vvas known at times to be very insolent and blasphemous toward the Volunteer officers, he himself being a West Pointer. His "headquarters-in-the-saddle" order, on taking command in Virginia, ,vas a type of the man with his head turned, and quite in line with Hooker's mental athletics. It is a remarkable coincidence that both men ,vere brought low in a very striking manner. It is also true that Gens. Grant, Sherman and Thomas were neither blasphemous nor obscene, but men of pure thought and high ain1s under all conditions. Gen. Sherman 348 Recollections of P-ioneer and Army Life. would indeed throw off a ''cuss-word" at times, which, with him, was no more than a verbal flourish. All of them, and n:any other Union officers I might name, held woman in su preme respect, and that is accounted to be the foundation of genuine morality. The Union officers given to strong drink died early. I can not recall one who lived beyond middle life. 1~hey were susceptible to malignant dis<:>ase, such as ty phoid and yellow fever. Almost without exception, they were the true sons of l\1ars, who dared to lead the forlorn hope at every hazard and to the last extremity. Of such was Gen eral Joe l\1ower. None of them, frorr, Alexander to Napoleon, ever shared the fortunes of a finer soldier. When the deep pulsations of the rebel batteries, as under Van Dorn and Price at Corinth, filled the air with sulphuric grape and canister, "Old Joe" would advance, spurn the fate that awaited him, and come out of it all his face transfigured with the flame of battler The boys of the old '' Tenth Illinois'· can never forget Gen. lVIower and his aide, Capt. De Grass. There was dark disloyalty in.the Church in 1861. Old Dr. Pressley, of the United Presbyterianh Curch at Pittsburgh, Pa., was a genuine ''Copperhead,'' and his relative who founded the Public Library at Monmouth, Ill., disin herited his son becau~e he enlisted in the Union Army! European Globe-trotters have come to this country to see the American methcd of slaughtering hogs and curing the pork on a colossal and econotnic scale. Some of these vis itors, at the first glimpse of the endless chain of pigs descend ing to the knife on the overhead trolley, gagged at the sight and retreated! After slaughter, the pig in the packing-house Recollections of Pioneer and Ar1ny Life. 349 is done t p with such minuteness-hair, ears, eyebrows, as cending and cle~cending colcn, vermiform appendix, hoofs, his last and undigested rr.eal, that the flcor '"-ill te ~canned with a microscope to ~ee if they haven :t mis~ed some-thing. Now·, it was different in the early fifties in the slaughter- and packing house of Jamison & lVIcKinney at the y· e llo-'iv Banks. The work was carried on with method and dispatch by hand, but with incredible waste also. The 5pare-ribs ,vent tegging for a mar ket at one cent a pound, and I haYe ~een pork tenderloins cast ,outside by the ton and rotting for the want of consun1ers. The Columbus, Ga., Sun and T,irnes clain1ed the follovv' ing letter was found in the streets of Columbia, S. C., after the army of Gen. Sherman had left. Tl:e retel paper claimed that the original had been pre~erved, and can te shown and substantiated, which, of cour~e, is a gross fah:ehccd. It is inserted here as a '' Secesh" curiosity. Old Henry Clay Dean, -of "Rebels' Cove," Mo., is the only "Ccpperhead" who had the ''gall'' to vouch for it. "CAMP NEAR CAMDEN, S. C., February 26, 1865. '' lVIY DEAR WIFE,-1 have no time for particulars. We have had a glorious time in this State. Unrestricted license to burn and plunder was the order of the day. The chivalry have been stripped of most of their Yaluables. Gold watches, silver pitchers, cups, spoons, forks, etc., are as common in •camp as blackberries. The terms of plunder are as f ollo-ws: Each company is required to exhibit the results of its oper ations at any given place-cne-fifth and first choice falls to the share of the Commander-in-chief and staff; one-fifth to the corps commanders and staff; or,.e-fifth to field officers of -regiments; and two-fifths to the company. '' Officers are not allowed to join the~e expeditions with out dif guising them~elves as privates. One of our corps com manders borrc-wcd a ~uit of rough clothes f rem one of my 350 I<. ecollections of Pioneer and Artny Life. men, and was successful in this place. }le got a large quan tity of silver (among other things an old-tiine milk pitcher) and a very fine gold watch from a lVIrs. De Saussure, at this place. De Saussure was one of the F. F. V.s of S. C., and was made to fork over liberally. Officers over the rank of captain are not made to put their plunder in the estimate for general distribution. This is very unfair, and for that reason, in order to protect themselves, subordinate officers and pri vates keep back everything that they can carry about their persons, such as rings, ear-rings, breast-pins, etc., of which, if I ever get ho1ne, I have about a quart. I am not joking I have at least a quart of jewelry for you and all the gi~ls, and some No. I diamond rings and pins a1nong them. ,. Gen. Sherman has silver and gold enough to start a bank. His share in gold watches alone at Columbia was two hundred and seventy-five. But I said I could not go into particulars. All the general officers and many besides had valuables of every description, down to the embroidered la dies' pocket-handkerchiefs. I have my share of them, too. We took gold and silver enough from the d--d rebels to have redeemed their infernal currency twice over. This (the currency), ,vhenever we came across it, we burned, as we considered it utterly worthless. '' I wish all the jewelry this army has could be carried to the 'Old Bay State.' It would deck her out in glorious style; but, alas! it will be scattered all over t.he Northern States. The d--d niggers, as a general rule, prefer to stay at home, particularly after they found out that we only wanted the able-bodied men (and, to tell you the truth, the youngest and best-looking women). Sometimes we took off whole fam ilies and plantations of niggers, by way of repaying Secession ists. But the useless part of them "'·e soon manage to lose; sometimes in crossing rivers, sometimes in other ways. "I shall write to you again from Wilmington, Goldsboro, or some other place in N. C. The order to march has arrived, and I 1nust dose hurriedly. Love to grandmother and Aunt Recollections of I)ioncer and .Anny L-ife. 351 Charlotte. Take care of yourself and children. Don't show this letter outside of the family. ''Your affectionate husband, "THOS. J. lVIYERS, Lieut., etc. "P. S.---I ,v-ill send this by the first flag of truce to be mailed, unless I have an opportunity of sending it to Hilton Head. Tell Sal11P I am ~aving a pearl bracelet and ear-rings for her; but Lambert got the necklace and breast-pin of the same set. I an1 trying to trade him out of them. These were taken from the l\1isses Jan1ison, daughters of the President of the South Carolina Convention. We found these on our trip through Georgia." GEN. JEFF C. DAVIS AT ATLANTA. Too SICK To Go IN THE FIGHT oF JuLY 28, 1864, THOUGH Hit l\L\DE THE EFFORT. Comn1unicated to the National Tribune by Capt. David R. Waters. With a vievv to some co1nments on the battle of July 28,. 1864, before .Atlanta, I desire to prelude with the follovving extracts from Gen. Sherman's" l\1emoirs": "As Gen. Jeff C. Davis' division was, as it were, left out of line, I ordered it on the evening before to march down toward Turner's Ferry and then to take a road laid down on our maps which led from there tovvard Eastport, ready to engage any enemy that might attack our right flank; after the satne man ner as had been done to the left flank on the 2 2d. * * * As the skirmish fire vvarmed up along the 5th Corps, I became con vinced that Hood designed to attack this right flank to prevent,. if possible, the extension of our line in that direction. I re gaine reap fuller results, hoping that Davis' division wouid come up at the instant of defeat and catch the enemy in flank, but the woods were dense, the roads obscure, and, as usual, the division got on the wrong road and did not come into position until about dark." On the day of this battle I was serving as a volunteer aid with Gen. Jeff C. Davis, having resigned from the service the previous April, but upon his invitation I had joined his head quarters the day before his division crossed the Chattahoochee. On the 28th his headquarters were at a house on our right, near the left of Blair. When Gen. Sherman arrived Gen. Davis was sick in bed. The corps commander, Gen. J. l\L Palmer, was seated on a porch in front of the room occupied by Davis, into which were open windows. Gen. Shermanj was excited and very impatient. He censured Palmer for a mistake in the order to Davis that was misleading Gen. James D. Morgan. Palmer resented Sherman's reflections on him, and insisted that he had given the order precisely as Sherman had issued it. Here was the beginning of the estrangement that arose between Sherman and Palmer that resulted in Palmer's retire111ent from Sher- 11?,an's command and the placing of Gen. Jeff C. Davis in com mand of the 14th Corps in the march to the sea and to the end of the war. Finally, nervously chewing a cigar and pacing the porch, Sherman exclaimed: "I wish to God Davis was in con1mand of his division to-day." Davis heard this remark, and imme diately arose and dressed. His horse was brought out, and the staff ordered to mount. His colored servant assisted him into the saddle, but upon gaining his seat he fainted and would have fall en had he not been caught. He was carried back to his bed, entirely unable to ride. Every effort possible was made by the staff to find Morgan and bring the division into the fight on Hood's left, while Logan was repeatedly repulsing with pitiful slaughter the brave enemy who charged his front again and again. Logan reported 765 dead out of Hood's charging c planned, Hood's army would have been routed and Atlanta won without Jonesboro, for the division was strong, finely dis ciplined, and veterans, who had met the enemy in every fight from Nashville to Atlanta, besides I~lan SiOP THIS SILLINESS. The National Tribune submits the following table and comment: "The number of ninety-day men and 'eleventh-hour' sol diers is being worked to death by those ¥(ho are opposed to pension legislation, and are using it with some effect to create dissension in the ranks of the veterans. It is twin brother to the other clamor used so effectively for the same purpose about the number of deserters, bounty-jumpers, and shirks on the pension roll. Comrades should pay no. attention. whatever to this clamor from outsiders and discountenance it among themselves. It has little basis in truth, and conveys a prejudiced view of the constitution of the Army which put down the ~ebellion. While the ninety-day men did their share, th~y were relatively very few at that time and are quite as few to-day. This is not a matter of mere assertion, but is strongly supported by the actual figures. Some time ago Commissioner Davenport decided to Rerotlections of Pioneer and Army Life. 355 have the services of the pensioners as shown by his rolls col lated and compared, and he was astonished at the result, as all other students of statistics are. We have all of us become more or less affected by these exaggerated reports. At that time there were 541,739 pensioners on the rolls, and the services of those men were as follows: Percentage. Nu,mber. Served 4 years or more ...... " ...... 042 22 ,753 Served 3 years and less than 4 years ...... 203 I09,973 Served 2 years and less than 3 years ...... 2 2 1 119,724 Served 1 year and less than 2 years ...... 2 44 132,185 Served 6 months and less than I year...... 203 109,973 Served 3 months and less than 6 months . . . . . 084 45,506 Served 1 month and less than 3 months ...... 003 1,625 541,739 11 A study of this table will be very interesting to everyone. From this it would appear that the entir~ nun1ber of men who served less than six months was only 45,506, or less than one in eight of the whole. One man out of every five served less than a year, and one man out of every four served less than two years. About the same proportions served less than three years and less than four years. Therefore, this blathering about the three months men is concentrating all the attention upon one man to the exclusion of consideration of the seven men who ren dered much longer service and bore a heavy portion of the war." .A GRAY 'fRIBUTE TO LlNCOLr\ HENRY WATTERSON lvlADE THE SPEECH OF PRESEN~fATION 01<' ' THE STATUE IN THE STATE CAPITOL OF l(ENTPCKY, ON NOVEl\JBER 8, 1911. While the President of the United States and a large assemblage of people, including many of those ·who wore the gray in the conflict between the North and the South, looked on, an heroic bronze statue of Abraharn Lincoln was unveiled in the Capitol building. "Proof of a reunited country," said Governor Willson, of Kentucky, in accepting the statue on behalf of the State, is made evident in the selection of Henry Watterson, a Con federate soldier, to present this image of the great President to the people of his native State. The greatness and the goodness, the nobility and the sweetness of Abraham Lincoln are recognized as earnestly by those who wore the gray as by those ·who ,vore the blue." The unveiling of the Lincoln statue in the rotunda. in the Kentucky Capitol preceded the dedication of the Lincoln Monument at Hodgenville, Ky., by a day. l\Iany of those ·who came from distant States to Frankfort to attend the exercises continued their journey to Hodgenville. Near there is the Lincoln farm, where the cabin in which Abraham Lincoln ,vas born is now preserved in a monumental structure, recently completed. It was the dedication of this memorial which brought President Taft and others of note to Hodgenville. 356 HENRY WATTERSON ON LINCOLN. PERSONAL REMINISCENCES ADDED T<> THE INTEREST OF THE En1TnR ·s AnoRESS. [f'rankfort, J{y., 1Vovember 8, 191 r. Henry Watterson, editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, delivered an address on Abraham Lincoln at the unveiling of the Lincoln Memorial. Mr. Watterson's oration was devoted 1nainly to the personality, the origin and spiritual life and character of Abraham Lincoln. He gave a minute account of the Lincoln and Hanks families, derived from documentary evidence; disproved the falsehoods touching Lincoln's birth, and traced his noble qualities of head and heart to his mother. In concluding this passage he said: '' To-morrow there will assemble in a little clearing of the ·wildwood of Kentucky a goodly company. The President and the Chief Justice and the rest will gather about a lowly cabin to consecrate a shrine. Of him that was born there the final earthly word ·was spoken long ago; but, l\iother of God, shall that throng pass do-wn the hillside and a,vay without looking into the heaven above in unutterable love and homage with the thought of a spirit there which kne,v in this -w·orld naught of splendor and power and fame; whose sad lot it was to live and die in obscurity, struggle, almost in penury and squalor; whose tragic fate it was, after she had lain half a lifetime in her humble, unmarked grave, to be pursued by the deepest, darkest calumny that can attach itself to the name of ,voman; the hapless, the fair-haired Nancy Hanks? "No falser, fouler story ever gained currency than that 358 Recollections of Pioneer and Arn1y Life. which impeaches the character of the mother of Abraham Lincoln. It had never any foundation whatsoever. Every known fact flatly contradicts it. Every aspect of circum stantial evidence stamps it a preposterous lie. "It offends the soul of a brave and just manhood, it should arouse in the heart of every true woman a sense of ·wrong that so 1nuch as a shadow should rest upon the memory of the little cabin in which Nancy Lincoln gave to the world an immortal son, born in clean, unchallenged wedlock, no thought of taint or shame anywhere." IVIr. Watterson told the story of Lincoln's friendship with Joshua Fry Speed, an uncle of the donor of the statue, in the early days at Springfield, Ill. He added: '' It is of record that he stood closer to Joshua Fry Speed than to any other. The ties of early manhood between the two ,vere never broken. To the end Lincoln could turn to Speed, certain to get the truth, equally sure of sound counsel and unselfish fidelity." Mr. Watterson told a graphic story of the coming of Lin coln to Washington and his first inauguration. His narrative took the form of a personal reminiscence. "I was engaged by Mr. Gobright, the general manager of the Associated Press in the national capital," said he, "to assist him and Maj. Ben Perley Poore, a widely known news paper correspondent of those days, with their report of the inaugural ceremonies of the 4th of March, 1861. The newly elected President had arrived in Washington ten days before to be exact, the morning of the 23d of February. It was a Saturday. That same afternoon he came to the Capitol es corted by Mr. Seward, and being on the floor of the House, I saw him for the first time and was, indeed, presented to him. '' Early in the morning of the 4th of March I discovered, thrust into the keyhole of my bedroom a slip of pap~r which read: 'For Inaugural Address see Col. Ward H. Lamon.' Who was 'Col. Ward H. Lamon'? I had never heard of him. ·The city ,vas crowded with strangers. To find one of them Recollections of Pioneer and Anny Life. 359 was to look for a needle in a haystack. I went directly to Willard's Hotel. A.s I passed through the long corridor of the second floor, spliced . with! little dark entryvvays, to the apartments facing on Pennsylvania A venue, I saw through a half-opened door Mr. Lincoln himself pacing to and fro, apparently reading a manuscript. I ·went straight in. He was alone, and, as he turned and met me, he extended his hand, called my name, and said: 'What can I do for you?' I told him my errand and dilemma, showing him the brief 1nemorandum. 'Why,' said he, 'you have come to the right . shop; Lamon is in the next room. I will take you to him, and he will fix you all right.' No sooner said than done, and supplied with the press copy of the inaugural address, I grate fully and gleefully took my leave. '' Two hours later I found myself in the Senate cham ber, witnessing there the oath of office administered to \Tice President-elect Hannibal Hamlin. Thence I followed the cor tege through the long passageway and across the rotunda to the east portico, where a temporary wooden platform had been erected, keeping close to Mr. Lincoln. "He was tall and ungainly, wearing a black suit, a black tie and a black silk hat. He carried a gold- or a silver-headed walking-cane. As we came out into the open and upon the provisional stand, where there was a table containing a Bible, a pitcher and a glass of water, he drew from his brefl,st pocket the manuscript I had seen him reading at the hotel, laid_ this before him, placing the cane upon it as a paper-weight, re moved from their leathern case his steel-rimmed spectacles, and raised his hand-he was exceedingly deliberate and com posed-to remove his hat. As he did so, I lifted my hand to receive it, but Judge Douglas, who stood at my side, reached over my arm, took the hat, and held it during the delivery of the inaugural address, which followed. "His self-possession was perfect. Dignity herself could not have been more unexcited. His voice was a little high pitched, hut resonant, quite reaching the outer fringes of the 360 Recollections :rof Pioneer and Army Life. vast crowd in front; his expression ferious to the point of gravity; not a scintillation of humor. In spite of the cam paign pictures, I was prepared to expect much. Judge Doug las had said to me upon his return to Washington after the famous campaign of 1858 for the Illinois senatorship, fron1 which the Little Giant had come off victor: 'He 1s the great est debater I have ever met, either here or anywheie else.' "To me the address meant war. As the crowd upon the porticq dispersed back into the Capitol, I found myself wedged in behveen}J ohn Bell of Tennessee and Reverd y Johnson of Maryland. Each took me by an arm and we sat down upon a bench, "just outside the rotunda. They were very optimistic. No, there would be no war, no fight; all the troubles would be tided over;J the Union still was safe. I was but a boy, just one and twenty. 'fhey were the two most intellectual and renowned of the surviving Whig leaders of the school of Clay and _.:Webster, one of them just defeated for President in the preceding election. Their talk puzzled n1e greatly, for to my mind there seemed no escape from the armed collision of the sections-secession already accomplished and a Con federate government actually established. "There is in youth a prophetic instinct which grows duller with advancing years. As I look behind me, I not on]y bear this in mind, illustrated by the converse of those two veteran statesmen that day in the rotunda of the Cap itol at Washington, but I feel it and realize rit, so that I am much less confident, with a lifetime of experience to guide me, than I was when, buoyed by the ignorance and bra very, but also the inspiration of youth, the problems ahead read plain and clear as out of an open book. "The duty Lincoln had been commissioned to do was to save the Union. With an 6verwheln1ing majority of the peo ple the institution of African slavery was not an issue. In his homely, enlightened way, Lincoln declared that if he could preserve the Union with slavery, he would do it, or, without slavery, he ,vould do it, or, ·with some free and others slaves, I