The Civil War Journal of Stephen Keyes Fletcher Contributed by Maxwell Keyes Fletcher, 111 Edited by Perry McCandless* Stephen Keyes Fletcher (May 30, 1840-July 6, 1897) was one of Calvin and Sarah (Hill) Fletcher’s eleven children. Calvin Fletcher was one of the earliest settlers of Indianapolis and his family was one of the most prominent and influ- ential in the capital city. Stephen Keyes Fletcher enlisted in the Thirty-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry on October 14, 1861, and he was immediately detailed as Ordnance Sergeant. In July of 1863 he was discharged to accept a commission as First Lieutenant and Adjutant in the One Hundred Fifteenth Indiana Infantry Regiment, and he joined that organization on August 14, 1863. He was mustered out on February 24, 1864. Although the journal was not begun until March of 1862, it narrates events from the author’s enlistment in October, 1861, until October, 1862.’ The Thirty-third Regiment, under the command of Colonel John Coburn, was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, then to Camp Dick Robinson, and on to Lexington, where they reported to General George H. Thomas, Army of the Ohio, as part of the First Brigade, Brigadier General Albin Schoepf commanding. From Lexington they were sent to Crab Or- chard and to Camp Wildcat to reinforce Colonel Theophilus T. Garrard’s Seventh Kentucky Regiment. On October 21 they engaged the enemy at Wildcat, defeating General Felix I(. Zollicoffer’s forces. After a march to London, then back to Crab Orchard, they spent the period January, 1862, to April, 1862, in Lexington. After receiving orders to join General George H. Morgan’s forces at Cumberland Ford, they set out on the march and engaged in several skirmishes on the way. On June 18 Cumberland Gap was taken. While here the Thirty-third participated in marches and skirmishes into East Tennessee. On September 18 the Gap was evacuated and the Thirty-third marched as escort to an ammunition convoy to * Peny McCandless is associate professor of history at Central Missouri State College, Warrensburg, Missouri. 1Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indium (8 vols., Indianapolis, 1865-1869), I11 (1866), 193. 142 Indiana Magazine of Histom Manchester, Kentucky, and thence across the Ohio River into Ohio. At this point Sergeant Fletcher’s Journal ends. The Thirty-third moved later with General William S. Rosecrans’ army into Tennessee and also participated in the Atlanta Campaign.* The Civil War journal of Sergeant Stephen Keyes Fletcher reveals in vivid prose the hopes and disappointments, the pleasures and hardships, the difficult monotonous work, and the long delays and dry-runs of a soldier’s life. A keen observer of both the physical characteristics of the area in which he served and of the life and attitudes of his fellow soldiers, Fletcher records his impressions in clear and at times dramatic style. During the period of the journal, the major military operations of Fletcher’s regiment were directed toward the capture of Cumberland Gap. The Union forces occupied the Gap after its evacuation by the Confederate forces only to find themselves, in turn, blockaded, and as Fletcher wrote : “For 9 months we marched & countermarched through rain & snow mud & water just to take the Gap, & just 3 months ago . we took it. We have lived on short rations every [sic] since. But for four weeks now we have been blockaded . & now just three months after we leave it as we took it, with a hungry gut & a lean belly” (see pp. 182-183). Following the Civil War, Stephen Keyes Fletcher became a well-known and highly respected business man in Indiana- polis. In addition to his business activities he operated a model dairy farm about fifteen miles from Indianapolis. His first wife was Miss Mary Malott, who died in 1876, and his second wife was Miss Laura Maxwell. John H. B. Nowland, who knew him well, described him as “rather below medium height,” with “light hair and complexion,” and as “genial and pleasant in manner^."^ On the following pages the journal of Sergeant Fletcher has been reproduced in its entirety. The original spelling and punctuation have been followed as closely as possible, although it has been difficult at times to distinguish between the author’s periods and commas, and between his capital and ZZbid., I1 (1865), 330-332. 3John H. B. Nowland, Sketches of Prominent Citizens of 1876 (Indianapolis, 1877), 338. Another sketch of Stephen Keyes Fletcher is in Indianapolis Daily News, July 7, 1897. Civil War Journul of Stephen Keyes Fletcher 143 lower case letters, and to determine his intentions regarding paragraphing. The original journal is the possession of the author's great-grandnephew, Maxwell Keyes Fletcher, 111, of Sister Bay, Wisconsin. The editor is grateful to Mr. Fletcher and to other members of the Fletcher family for their cooperation in making this publication possible. Monday March 3rd 1862. To commence this Journal & note down the incidents of 5 months in the service of the United States, I hardly know how. That a civil war broke out between the North & the south, & when that was commenced & why it commenced is & ever will be known. All know that after the Confederates fired on Ft Sumpter, that there was a general uprising throughout the North & all cryed, to arms the Union must & shall be preserved. It was my desire to join the armie immediately on the first call. But circumstances did not permit of my doing so until the middle of October (1861) Ingram' & myself worked together on the farm through the summer, both desirous of going to war as soon as the summer work was done. But when in the middle of August we learned of Drs. being taken prisoner,5 the war fever raged high in my breast. But about this time I had my right shoulder fractured by jumping a horse over a pair of bars. It was nearly two months before I could use it at all. When my shoulder got about well I told Ingram I had determined to go to war. He said that he was going, & that I must stay & take charge of the farm, as one of us had to stay. So we threw up a cent to determine which should go. I got it 5 times out of 7. I began to get up a company with Adams & Brown. I was to furnish 25 men. I had 10 of my men in 2 or 3 days. But the other fellows 4 A brother. 6Dr. William B. Fletcher, another brother, served with the Sixth Indiana Infantry Regiment and did secret service work. He was captured at Big Spring, Virginia, in the summer of 1861. In October of the same year he was tried by court martial and ordered to execution. After General Robert E. Lee issued a reprieve pending further investiga- tion, Dr. Fletcher was sent to a Richmond prison. Through an error he was paroled in March, 1862, and returned home to Indiana olis. Berry R. Sulgrove, Histm of Indianapolk and Ma.n'on County, Zdiana (Philadelphia, 1884), 285. 144 Indiana Magazine of History were working rather too slow for me, I informed them that it was my intention to go to war & not to be fooling around Indianapolis fishing for an office for nothing. As Maj Mankere of the 33 Ind. was then in the city, and just going to start for his Regt. then at Camp Dick Robinson, K. Y. I concluded to enlist & go with him as high private. So on the evening of the 10th of October 1861, we left Indps for the seat of war in K. Y. We arrived after a very pleasant trip at Camp Dick on Sunday afternoon. We found the Regt had left that morning for Crab Orchard 18 miles farther south. We changed horses & put ahead & over took the Regt. camped near Crab Orchard, at 10 that night. On Monday the Regt went into camp lY2 miles S. E. of Crab Orchard, called Camp Coburn. I went into camp Monday afternoon, 14th of Oct and this was my [first?] night in camp life. The weather was most delightful. Indian summer was just commencing, & the excitement of being brought into this new life so suddenly, filled me with the most ardent love for the camp & the life of a soldier. On Wednesday it began raining very hard. About noon I saw a buggy drive up the road, & stop at the camp, in mud up to the axles, & who should I see but Will Holliday' step out & come into camp. I had bid him goodbye but the Friday before in Indianapolis, little thinking I would ever see him in the armie. My impressions were that he would not, or could not stand the life. As he had long been a clerk in a dry goods store. But am happy to say after nearly 6 months camp life, he has stood it as well & better than most in the Regt. On Wednesday 16th Col Coburn* appointed me Ordnance Sergeant, & on Thursday started me to Louisville for ammuni- tion. I went to Camp Dick horse back. There met Gen Sherrn~m.~After a five hours waiting, I got to see his honor. He was very crabid & nervice But I had just brass enough eMajor William J. Manker, of Martinsville. All names of soldiers identified by the editor in this journal have been located either in Francis B. Heitman, The Hiittorreal Register and Dictionmy of thr United States Amy (2 vole., Washugton, 1903), or 111 Report of tha Adjutant General of the State of Indaam.