The National tribune. [volume], December 07, 1905, Image 3

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RECITALS AND REMINISCENCES.
Stories Eminently Worth Telling of Experiences and Adventures
in the Great National Struggle.
THE MILLIKEX'S BEND SCRAP.
A iownMle Who Wns Suddenly Converted
to the Belief That Segrues >\ on Id
Flffht
Editor National Tribune: Notwith
standing the fact that several of the
communications sent by me have gone
?'where the wooubine twineth," or been
consigned to the waste-basket, I am
tempted to try once more. In your is
sue of Nov. 16, "The Opening of the
Mississippi" details scenes that were
very familiar to me at the time of their
occurrence. My regiment, the 10th 111.
Cuv., was represented at that place
(Milliken's Bend) by the 1st battalion?
Cos. A, D, G and K?having about 150
men present fit for duty. Only a few
had carbines up to that time, but all
had revolver and saber (the latter we
never-had use for). A detachment of
100, including the writer, left Milli
ken's Bend June 5, '63, to scout around
the vicinity for news of the enemy. On
the morning of the 6th we came out
in a clearing, which had been a large
plantation, but not cultivated for a year
or two. We soon saw a body of about
30 horsemen, and proposed to be social
with them; but they declined, retiring
toward Richmond, La. After following
them a mile or two, they passed through
a gap in a hedge. We soon discovered
there was a lot more of them on the
other side of the hedge, and we halted
to take observations, which soon showed
us that we were in for some kiiuf of a
show, and our officers thought the best
kind for us would be our heels, as we
were largely outnumbered, and had
"bitten ofr' more than we could chew."
So we concluded we had a pressing en
gagement to get back to the Bend as
soon as possible. We "stood not on the
order of our going," but went, followed
hotly by the enemy, and for some dis
tance had a galling fire from right, left
and rear. We tried to get in a little of
the shooting, and they gathered a few
wounded from the field (I never learned
just how many). Our loss was one
killed, no wounded and 24 prisoners.
Some of our horses were killed or
wounded and a number stumbled in the
race, throwing the riders, who were
then captured. Lieut. Thomas Vreden
burg, of Co. D, was the only officer
taken. He was kept a prisoner some
months, but the other men were pa
roled, and came to camp in a few days.
About two miles from where we began
to "fall back" we came to a bridge
over a bayou, and a little way beyond
we came in sight of a line of men in
bright new blue uniforms, who soon
opened fire on "our friends the enemy."
They supposing it a large force for our
support ceased their all-too-friendly
advances on us. WTien we had time to
look well at our men in blue, we dis
covered they had black faces. I had
been raised an Abolitionist, yet was op
' posed to the plan of arming negroes
before that day, but I can tell you of
one who became a sudden convert right
then and there, perfectly willing that
negroes should have as good a right to
be shot as myself. Next morning, June
7, before it was fairly light, the enemy
attacked the Bend, and we had an in
troduction to some of the realities of
war. Our camp was Just below where
the hastily-constructed breastworks
were, about where the town had been.
When the attack was made we were in
line of battle waiting orders to take
part in the game, but when the gun
boat began to pitch shells to the enemy
they lost interest in that direction, and
seemed very anxious to get out of range
of the dreaded gunboat's heavy guns.
The cavalry was then sent do?/n toward
Young's Point, to help look after mat
ters that were supposed to need us. We
did not find any fighting or chasing
down that way, and returned to our
camp before dark. I understood at the
time that Gen. Lieb had only about 400
negroes (very raw recruits) and 120 of
the 23d Iowa, and that only three or
four of the negroes escaped unwound
ed. It was said that the rebels came
to the charge, yelling, "No quarter to
the niggers or their white officers."
All knew what that meant, and the
blacks fought desperately. Our boys
captured the day before said when the
rebels started for the Bend they said:
"We are going to kill all them nig
gers." They asked our boys if they
thought the niggers would fight. Some
said yes; others, "Go and try them."
When our boys saw the rebels come
back they called out, "Say, how did
the niggers fight?" The reply was more
forcible than elegant?" your nig
gers; they fought like !"
It has ever been a satisfaction to me
that I saw the first trial of negro sol
diers, and can join in the general ver
dict, "The colored troops fought nobly."
One incident was told me soon after
that fight, which illustrates the spirit
moving them. A black Sergeant on the
line of defense saw his former master?
a rebel Major?coming right in his
front. He had been down in a little
trench, hastily dug near the top of the
levee; but when he saw his "old Massa"
he sprang to the top of the embank
ment, and shouted, "Hi, Massa!" and
as soon as he was recognized shot the
Major; then, clubbing his gun, sprang
to the enemy's line and fell fighting
madly, selling his life for the best price
he could get.
More than 42 years have passed since
those fearful scenes were enacted, yet
they are as fresh In memory as if only
occurring last week. With all Its hor
rors, I am glad I had some small part
In making the history of those "times
that tried men's souls."
I have a letter from Gen. Basil Duke,
C. S. A., saying he was well acquainted
with my uncle, who was a brave and
gallant officer under his command. So
our family was represented on both
sides.?F. W. Sedgwick, Co. A, 10th 111.
Cav., Parma. Mich.
Tlgilut Scooting Squad.
Editor National Tribune: On July 21,
1861, was fought the first battle of Bull
Run. We lay on Kalorama Heights,
Washington, and that night we went
down to the Armory to draw guns. They
were not unloaded ye^ so we lay on
the grass and slept until 2 a. m. Got
our Enfields and marched back to
camp. Breakfast over, away for Long
Bridge and the front. It rained?
poured. We met the rabble of demor-j
alized Bull Run boys about two miles
out, toward Bailey's Crossroads. Went
to the crossroads and put out pickets.
Next day, July 23, 12 of my company
were ordered out on a scout. We
marched up the turnpike, over Mun
son's Hill. Seeing blackberry bushes in
the fence corners with canes six feet
long, loaded down with ripe berries as
long as one's finger, the Sergeant in
charge ordered us to stack arms In the
road, and we all went for the berries?
save one man on guard at the stack.
After half an hour we went on to Falls
Church; found a house with no one at
home. A wing was used as a sutler's
?tore; found the beds up-stairs made
and every little trinket in the bureau
drawers?nothing disturbed. The sut
ler had gone and a big stock was left.
We ate our fill of everything and tied
a box of something good to each gun,
then laid a gun on each shoulder of the
r.ian ahead and marched back to Bailey's
Crossroads. While preparing this novel
march a man came from the woods
northeast of Falls Church, limping and
hopping along with the help of a fence
rail. He was a 1st Minn, man, and was
wounded by a bayonet through the foot.
We saw three wagons on a side road
leading to Washington, loading up camp
<equipage and ready to start, and sent a
man on the run across lots and stopped
I the last wagon just in time to get the
| poor fellow on the wagon and on his
| way to Washington. I wonder If ha is
I
yet alive. If so, would like to hear
from him.
You ought to have seen that .scouting
party marching back with 12 boxes of
sutler's goods, slung in between flies,
lashed to their guns, stopping every
little of the way to rest. Boxes of dried
herring, sweet crackers, Julian soup in
cans, tobacco, pipes, honey?I don't re
member all. We got back about 5 p.
m., and the Sergeant reported, "No
enemy in sight." Then Co. B had a
supper that was a supper, while the
rest of the boys looked on with envy.
That night the rebels occupied Falls
Church.
In June, 1862, while my company was
headquarters guard at the Lacy House,
opposite Fredericksburg, we had
charge of prisoners captured and
brought in. A young fellow of the 15th
Va. Cav. was brought in. As he was'
the only prisoner on hand, we had him
fat with us in our mess. He told us
he and his company were in the woods
just west of Falls Church, saw us pack
up t'no3?? boxes, sling them and march
off; in fact, he told us all that we did.
and said that our very carelessness and
nnmilitary conduct was what saved us
frorr capture, as they supposed we were
right with thousands of our own men.
We felt, much chagrined, yet thankful.
Some of our boys were inclined to be
abusive to this nice-looking young rebel.
He stoutly maintained that his regi
ment could whip our regiment, and our
boys as stoutly maintained that we
could whip hi3 or any other regiment,
and they came near to blows, until I
said to him: "Supposing your regiment
and my regiment and a South Carolina
regiment and a Massachusetts regiment
were in one brigade and pitted against
England or Spain, for instance, what
do you think?" He grabbed my hand
and yeiled out, "We could whip all
Europe." Our boys all grabbed him by
the hand and said, "Bully for you!"
and harmony was restored. We fed
him the best of everything we had, and
he was sent to Washington the next
day. I wonc'er if he, too, is living.?
Charley L. Clarke, Co. B, 24th N. Y.,
208 E. 55th St., Chicago, 111.
The Executions at Murfreeaboro.
Editor National Tribune: I read a
communication in The National Trib
une from Comrade Rose, in which he
said there were no executions at Mur
freesboro in the Spring of 1863. If
there had been, he thinks he would
have heard of them. I do not know
where he could have been. He was
right as to the 11th Mich, being the
Provost Guard from soon after the bat
tle of Stone River until the Tullahoma
campaign. I will say, however, that I
was an eye-witness of the hanging of
three men. One of them was executed
some time before the other two.
Comrade J. W. Horner, 69th Ohio,
and Comrade Downs, 75th Ind., were
right in most of their particulars, ex
cept as to crediting Bragg with hanging
one of the men and as to the escape of
another. I was a member of the es
cort that guarded the prisoners to the
place of execution. Lieut. Frank Bis
sell, Co. B, 11th Mich., was the officer
in charge of the execution of the two
that were hanged last. He read the
sentence of the court-martial to them
and pulled the black caps over their
faces, then gave the signal for the trap
to fall.
Our regiment formed a hollow
square about the gallows, and we had
to "about face" and press the crowd
back at the point of the bayonet, the
people were so eager to see the grew
some sight. The execution must have
been witnessed by several thousands.?
R. C. West, Co. B, 11th Mich., Little
Sioux, Iowa.
Am Iaeldeat at Gettysburg*
Editor National Tribune: In a recent
issue of The National Tribune Com
rade Henry Gushee, Co. B, 33d Mass.,
says there was no singing in or about
Gettysburg before, during or after the
battle; or words to that effect. Allow
me to say that if there was any sing
ing by the school girls, there were none
of the Sixth Corps there to hear them.
On the evening of July 2, 1863, the
advance of the Sixth arrived at Little
Round Top about 5 o'clock, and there
was only one brigade in action on that
evening, and that was the Third Bri
gade of the Third Division, Sixth Corps.
This brigade had the lead on that long
and dusty march, and the 93d Pa. had
the lead of the corps. This brigade
was composed of the 93d, 98th, 102d
and 139th Pa. and the 62d N. Y., and
these were the only Sixth Corps troops
that were in the fight on July 2 and
that was at Little Round Top. As the
remainder of the troops arrived they
were formed between Little Round Top
and the "high-water mark." Some of
the Sixth Corps did not arrive on the
field of battle until the morning of
July 3, so I think the comrade of Co.
A, 5th Vt., Second Brigade, Second
Division, Sixth Corps, must be a little
off when he said that part of the. Sixth
Corps marched through Gettysburg on
the evening of July 2, 1863.?Leonard
Fernsler, Co. D, 93d Pa., Third Bri
gade, Third Division, Sixth Corps, Na
tional Soldiers' Home, Va.
Who Saved Washington?
Editor National Tribune: I saw in
The National Tribune a little piece
about Monocacy that I didn't just like
the tenor of. I was near that fight,
though not in It, for I was Commissary
of the 9th N. Y. H. A., and issued ra
tions to my regiment near the railroad
bridge over the Monocacy River, on the
morning of that day. The regiment
went to the left of the railroad imme
diately after taking their rations, and
perhaps they crossed that bridge that
the correspondent speaks of and re
turned; and after returning to this side
of the river they went into a hollow
and behind a hill. Some of them, at
least, got behind a stone fence, where
the rebels had to come down hill to get
at them. There they held the rebels
three or four hours, perhaps more, for
it was quite late in the afternoon when
they began to retreat. There was only
the Third Division of the Sixth, and not
all of that. As the Second Brigade of our
division was coming up the road they
heard the cannonading, and stopped
and did not come up to the fight. I
don't want to take away any glory from
any one, but the query comes to me,
How long would they have held the
bridge if the old Sixth Corps had not
been close by? It was the Third Divi
sion of the Sixth Corps that h-sld the
30,000 rebels at bay that day, and saved
the city of Washington from Early.?J.
T. Crittenden, 9th N. Y. H. A., Corn
ing, Cal.
The Colored Troepa.
Editor National Tribune: I would
suggest that you invite officers of the
U. S. C. T. to write articles on their ser
vice and experience in other commands.
Our service was honorable and efficient,
and the colored regiments were just
what their officers made them, and if
we conscientiously performed our duty
we need not be backward or ashamed
j of our service with them. A comrade
; who was at the Guntown defeat told
j me that he was almost ashamed to tell
it that he flung his gun away, but was
frank enough to admit that the niggers
were the only ones that kept their or
ganization intact and had to cover the
' disgraceful retreat and rout. My regi
ment, the 113th U. S. C. T., was as fine
a disciplined body of soldiers as ever
! carried a musket for freedom and hu
? manlty, either black or white, of which
I shall ever be proud.?Peter Shipp
man. Captain, 113th U. 6. C. T., Le
Sueur Canter, Minn.
BATTLE OP PIEDMONT.
Comrade Oaf Revislte the Field 41 Years
After.
Comrade John T. Duff, editor and
publisher of the Newcomerstown (O.)
Index, revisited the ground he tramped
and fought over with Gen. Hunter, and
writes thus vividly of those heroic
days, when he was carrying a musket!
In the ranks of the 1st W. Va.:
Except that the morning was a
trifle warmer, it was the same lovely
sunshiny day that it was 41 years ago,
when we three?two Johnny Rebs and
a Yank?had met on the same spot.
It was easy to pick out the points
where the battle raged the deadliest
that other day, and where the blood of
the North and South had flowed in one
red stream.
The strip of woodland yonder from
which our boys had emerged torn and
bleeding was still there, and as we
looked up at the great scars still show
ing the awful work of the rebel bat
tery just across the meadow, it seemed
that not a tree had been touched since
the war.
Just beyond was the meadow across
which wc charged, and where we re
ceived such a blinding, death-dealing
deluge of bullets from the rail piles on
the farther edge that we were com
pelled to creep back to the protection
of the woods.
"And there was the little ravine up
which Von Kleyser pushed unobserved
tvo guns from his Maryland battery,
and poured such an awful flre at close
range into the rail piles, that instantly
they became death-traps to the hud
dling Confederates behind them.
''We could almost hear the Yankee
>ell as we rushed across the meadow
meeting the enemy at these same rail
?>}*? a death grapple the like of
which had been rarely witnessed even
in the bloody civil war.
"The bloody scene seemed almost as
real on this beautiful Summer morning
41 years after as it had on that other
morning when brother met brother in
r\iad death struggle. There be
hind the fatal rail piles were huddled
dead men in gray, their bodies torn and
mangled into frightful shapes, and in
the midst of the ghastly heaps were
dying men bravely giving up their
lives for the cause they thought was
right.
"Just over there under that tree was
the body of Gen. W. E. Jones, the Con
federate commander, with a bullet hole
through his temple and about him,
dying or dead, the flower of his army.
They had died on the very front line
of the battle.
"It seemed that we could again see
the strange-looking old man, his eyes
already glazing in death; his thin
white locks all blood-stained, begging
us for a drink of water before he died.
We could almost hear him feebly tell
ng his story over again. He had been
impressed into the service at Staunton
only the day before. He hadn't fired
?L .?t a' the Stars and Stripes, and at
the beginning of the battle had driven a
pin into the tube of his gun to prevent
its discharge.
"A little further down the line we
came to the spot where a Confederate
battery had met with such hard luck.
The fine black horses had been killed
before the guns could be moved; and
a young gunner?not yet out of his I
teens?with a bullet hole in his fore
head was piteous testimony to the des
perate courage with which the men had
clung to their guns.
Again we could hear the cry of the
wounded and the dying In the strip of!
woodland during the night. The strug
gle had lasted until nightfall, and we
.had sunk down exhausted and supper
less on. the Confederate line to a fitful
sleep Just where our enemy had made!
his last stubborn stand. From this line
he had fled only when the last vestige
of hope had departed. Amid their dead
and dying we bivouacked.
"All night long the ambulances and
Jiunter s relief corps were busy search
ing _ ? woods for the wounded and
dead, but the underbrush and leaves
had caught flre from the battle, and the I
smoke was so intense as to suffocate
the searchers. It was a dreadful night,
and will never pass from the memory
of the participants on either side.
t we never knew, and the
two ex-Confederates at our elbow don't!
?f?m.??*?,?w.elther- ?ff ^nder to the
left in that stretch of timber Imboden
lay all day with 800 cavalry. When
Thoburn, in a desperate effort,
pushed In the Confederate right flank
that afternoon had Imboden galloped
across the field and struck our left
no*h}n* have saved us, and the
rebel forces might have won the day.
1But Imboden did nothing of the
sort. Within 300 yards of his place of
concealment two companies of the writ
er s regiment fired one volley after an
other to distract the attention of the
Confederate jight and thus give Tho
?Mr,nra^ oPP?rtunlty to advance. And
? I i??,bcLden was 8llent. Why we were
not killed or captured, and why Tho
^3?. not 8truck at the critical mo
never be known probably.
wi?vT0I^y"or!f ?ear8 after we are struck
with the slightness of the change In i
this country. The same stretches ofl
timber crown the ridges off yonder to
a 8ame Adds are waving I
wh/Ll I Summer fruitage; the same
whitewashed farm houses?cannon-bat
it-d from that day's dread conflict?I
are filled with simple-minded, klnd
' contented country folk. The
old Dunkard Church in the direct line
of the battle, and which received the
wounded of either side after the roarl
!?ad 8wept by? 81111 stands
among the grim old oaks a mute un
ornamented protest against the ' sav
agery of war.
thP bIoo<|y Piedmont
battle?the first and the last that was
fought in that section of Virginia. It
isi not to be wondered that the old men
of Augusta County still speak of it with
nnnn?ri?? a later generation look
uPon the field with awe. Col. Turk!
ftn tHaf*PKl Kirr^at OUr 8,de Were lads
. that b^ody day and were our ene
ovS't*VH*?A ar? In arm' wander
Sit fi? ? fJld to*ether thank God
not only that the struggle is past for- i
ever, but that It all ended as it did." I
Ge*. Geo. B. MeClellsa.
as EThprNafinnnf1-rTulbune; Inasmuch
A National Tribune gives us old
veterans an equal chance to sta?e our
personal opinions in regard to every-1
thing connected with the war, I wish!
^yii 11 rather hurts my feelings I
as well as thousands of other veterans
manv"er7fll,,Under hlm- "o h?e "
ciStan Thirt upon aen- M?
uienan. I had the honor to serve on
the front line under him every day he
commanded the Army of the Potomac
and am free to say that I am alwavs
ready to defend him as a soldier and a i
command, will throw up my hat
andn,hU,rrah ,or "Lltt,e Mac" m lomr
as life lasts. Hope to be able to write
JT0J,e |.bout hlm sometime in future.?
f? ?mt*rson, Chaplain, Russell Post
96, Department of Maine. Skowhegan!
The Caueroa Rifles.
Editor National Tribune: Is the sat*
^hTd?<,c?eS??,ae,) ?f <h*
ington Aug. 24, 1861. I had blen
sworn in In New York for three years
unless sooner discharged. The latter
pait of September the regiment was
presented with a bunting tUi* /qEtli
?nd Stripes) by the Secretary of War I
regiment""1 w^n'?i1h,inCe the name of th?
,We then marched into Vir
ginia, and from that time on were Dart
of the Army of the PotomnV a*P?T
battle of the Second Bull Run my com!
pany lost over 20 men. At Gettysburg
just before we entered the battle, Gen'
Barlow made a brief speech sayinir that
fhe"- *X?,ds h*d been killed and thai
k p" WM surrounded; there
fore, It became our duty to cut th?m
out. We were ordered,,, L blyonlT.
fhe d,d- Barlow on
? .w * d our Colonel on the left
of the regiment We took a piece of
artillery and extricated the First Com*
The point called Barlow Bluff, I
lleve, Is north of Getty*>urg It was
thr* We repulse# three charges of
the rebels; after that we were out
rt?* k covered Ihe retreat through
S2 ^ThU5Br* fl*?ting the time until
we halted qn Ejyrt Cemetery URL On
Uie second day of July, abSut 8 o'clock,
whi^io6* ? hand*to4hand conflict,
lasted three-quarters of an hour.
Tne rebels outnumbered us three to
one.
I was told that on the 1st of July be
that cbar*? the regiment
numbered 238 rifles.. On the morning
??? w* coul* muster only ?0
cl ^TT?. ' Kreutzer, > 620 Hanover
St., Baltimore, Md.
The 68th N. y. was one of the 300
fighting regiments given by Col. Fox
Its lots was five officers and 38 men
killed in action or died of wounds, and
one officer and 74 men died of disease,
^Uents, in prison, etc.; a total loss of
lis officers and men in the service.?
Editor National Tribune.
? '
War Days la Tennessee.
Editor National Tribune: Dr. Ross,
of the 11th Mich., seems to think I am
away off in regard to some things that
happened around the city of Nashville
and the town of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
is possible that I am; but one thing,
sure I am not wrong about, the shoot
ing of the deserter of one of the Michi
gan regiments. The soldier was a mem
ber of one of the two regiments, and
I am inclined to believe he was a mem
ber of the 10th Mich. The brigade that
our regiment belonged to at that time
was composed of the 10th and 14th
?il<?,,T.t.he 10th' 16th and 60th HI* The
A was camP?d on Fort Negley
Hill. Our company (E) and Co. B were
camped inside of Fort Negley. As to
the execution of the soldier I am not
mistaken, for I was there and saw the
act, regardless of whether Dr. Ross had
any notes of the events or not. As to
the execution of the spy at or near Mur
freesboro I could not say, as I did not
see that performance; it is simply what
I heard at that time. We were at Nash
ville quite a while before Rosecrans's
army came, and we had quite a good
df-al to do with the guarding of Fort
Negley, doing picket duty in the front
on the Franklin, Murfreesboro, Nobles
vllle and Granny White pikes. Our bri
gade was scattered around Nashville at
different points. The 16th III. was
camped across Cumberland River at
Edgefield. Any of the old brigade who
were at Nashville at the time can, and
I know will, bear me out in all I have
written about the execution of the Mich
igan soldier. Dr. Ross also states that
he helped to collect the negroes around
Nashville. Well, now, I know what be
came of our negro, "Wash," we lost
about that time. We had brought him
from Tuscumbla to Nashville, and he
was a fine young man. We went on
picket one morning, and our cook failed
to bring us any dinner or supper. We
sent to camp to And out the trouble;
but our negro was gone, and we never
heard of him after. They told us when
we came back to camp that they were
taking all the negroes from the camp,
except those around the officers' quar
ters, and I rather think that Dr. Ross
must have taken our darky L W
Armstrong, Co. E, 10th 111., Randolph.'
Iowa.
?i _
The 36th Kjr.
Editor National Tribune: In your
grand paper, The National Tribune, of
Sept. 28, in answer to Thos. L. Daman,
^'? ' ?26th Ky- Walnut Tree, Ark.,
asking for a short sketch of that regi
ment, I think you have mado a slight
mistake when you say the regiment was
organized at Nashville and Columbia,
IfJLnVfrom MarcJ* 5 to 10, 1862. The
26th Ky. was organized at Owensboro,
Ky., in October and November, 1861,
and the understanding was that we
were not to be taken out of the State
Kentucky. We received our first
months pay from the State In
February, 1862 However, we were
put on board a transport at Owensboro,
and started for Fort DonelSon. We ar
rived too late to take a hand In that
engagement and were kept going up
Cumberland River until we reached
arriving there- the latter part
of February. Then there was growling
by some few of the men because we
were taken out of the State of Ken
tucky, and we had a good many deser
2 go)J}? ln one ni?ht* WeH. the
Mustering Officer was sent for ln dou
ble-quick lime, and the men being will
ing. we were sworn into the United
?^?es 8?rv,ce for three years in March,
Stephen G. Burbridge was fhe
J ? clcero Maxwell the second
and Thos. B. Fairlelgh the third, who
JuTv %U''uKSf ?Zl wlth. the rfigiment
iJi/ t!0' J 6 regiment veteran
ized Jan. 27, 1863, some 60 or 60 refus
22LtoT?? a,onfir- , As to what our losses
T ?. know, any more than
what I have read in The National Trib
me. We were not one of Fox's fight
ing regiments, but we did some very
Imf fan? h?a^ marching, from Nash
ville to Corinth, then through Alabama
to Stevenson; from there over the Cum
berland Mountains back to Nashville*
from there to Louisville, Ky., and then
w Pei"ryville, and from there back to
Nashville, tramping every foot of it.
We guarded the Nashville Railroad
ire*u,tyi Ky*' to the Tennessee
"ne'the Memphis Branch from
Bowling Green to Clarksvllle, and there
never was a time when the 26th Ky.
railed to cheerfully and promptly per
form any and every duty assigned to it.
i?iU falIed to ?tate our loss at Nash
*C# 15 memory is
not good enough to lead me Into giving
aetalls. I am only giving a kind of
the three years and nine
around of the old
Z6th In the days from '61 to '66.?C. H
Hart, Co. D, 26th Ky., 606 6th Ave. Ex
tension, Pittsburg, Pa.
Our correspondent is undoubtedly
right as to his regiment, but the record
that we gave was taken from th*e offi
cial one, which only recognized its en
try Into the United States service, and
?i! o.?K not,ce Its former service for
the State. At Nashville the 26th Ky.
?va? 1" the First Brigade, commanded
Joseph A. Cooper, of the
Second Division, commanded by Maj.
Cen. D. N. Couch, of the Twenty-third
M?rRS;H^ni^an?.ed1 by MaJ-Gen. John
fl'* ofield. It lost two men killed
and three officers and 41 men wound
ed: making its total loss 46.?Editor
National Tribune.
Executions at Hilton Head.
Editor National Tribune: Kindly al
low me a few words'concemlng the exe
cution of the two members of the 6th
Conn., shot at Hilton Head ln April,
1864, for desertion/ My Captain, Ed
win S. Babcock, 9th U. S. C. T., was
Provost Marshal, and conducted the
execution, assisted by Capt. King, 6th
Conn., Assistant Prbvost-Marshal.
Capt. Babcock was p. very efficient
executive officer, and the details orig
inated by him and carried out through
his recommendations; and Instructions
were very impressive. The orders to
the firing party were not given by word
of mouth. While CaptS. Babcock and
King were tying the elbows and bandag
ing the eyes of the culprits the firing
party, having been previously drilled
by Capt. Babcock, formed in front of
and at proper distance from the men.
These preliminaries ended, Capt. Bab
cock stepped to the right and front of
the firing party, drew his sword and
made an officer's salute, at the motions
of which the firing party made ready,
aimed and fired as the salute was com
pleted, the men falling backward, dead.
The command was then given and the
troops present, some 8,000 I should
judge, wheeled into column by com
pany, right ln front, and in this forma
tion reviewed the corpses, so to speak.
We saw Capts. Babcock and King
standing at attention and the executed
men lying side by side, their breasts
bared, the blue bullet-holes which
could have been covered by a man's
hand attesting the nccuracy of aim as
well as the terrible punishment they
had received. It was a most Impres
sive sight.?W. A. Huntley, First Lieu
tenant, commanding company at above
execution. Burling 84, Chleage, XII.
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What To Do.
There Is comfort in the knowledge so
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or bad effects following use of liquor,
wine or beer, and overcomes that un
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ine mild and the extraordinary effect
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You may have a sample bottle of
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and a book that tells all about It. both
sent absolutely free by mail. Address,
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When writing be sure to mention that
w11 read this generous offer In the
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The ISOth lad.
Editor National Tribune: I have not
seen any statements In your valuable
paper relative to the 130th Ind. I take
great pleasure In reading the many In
teresting stories of the late rebellion,
so well written In The National Trib
une. One of the first men to fall In
battle In the 130th Ind. was Capt.
Barns, Co. I, at or near Buzzard's
Roost, Ga., In the beginning of the At
lanta (Ga.) campaign, the latter part
of April or the first of May, '64, as I
remember. He was shot through the
lungs, and Abner Brothers, of Co. B,
ambulance driver, took him to the field
hospital that night. I still have the
photo of the Captain, which was taken
by P. S. Ryder, 25 and 28 N. Pa. St.,
Indianapolis, Ind., in the Winter before
we were sent South to the front. I gave
notice In the Indianapolis Tribune of
this photo some years ago, but got no
answer. If any of the Captain's friends
or relatives wish this picture, which is
a very true one, In full uniform, sword
j drawn, they can obtain the same by ad
I dressing their request to me.
From Buzzard's Roost to Atlanta the
ICOth Ind. took an active part until the
capital of Georgia was destroyed and
captured; then helped to destroy and
annihilate the rebel army at Nashville
in December, 1864; then was sent to
New Berne, N. C.
At Grassy Forks, near Klnston, N.
C., March 8, 9 and 10, 1865, they en
gaged the enemy under Gen. Beaure
gard for the last time; were at Golds
boro, N. C., to receive and make a junc
tion with Gen. Sherman's army, who
had been "marching through Georgia,"
and when Gen. Joe Johnston surren
dered we were in Raleigh, N. C., and
were discharged In December, 1865.
The Hoosier State never sent a better
regiment to the war than the 180th,
under Col. Parish.?N. M. Baldwin, Co.
B, 180th Ind., Ontario, Wis.
?
The 25th Ohio.
Editor National Tribune; Will you
please give a short history of the 25th
[Ohio? My recollection Is that such an,
account will astonish some of the brag]
regiments, in the number of men enlist
ed, officers and men killed, wounded
and missing?the officers, especially, asj
only one officer that went out with the
regiment (the lowest ranking Second
Lieutenant, promoted to Colonel and
Brevet Brigadier-General) returned
with the regiment.
It served longer than any other Ohio
regiment; suffered the greatest loss;
was in the largest battle?Gettysburg,
and was out within a few days of five
years.?J. M. Rhodes, Sergeant-Major,
Columbus, O.
The 25th Ohio was a fighting regi
ment, and belonged to Ames's Brigade,
Barlow's Division, Eleventh Corps. It
was organized at Columbus In June
and July, 1861, for three years, and Co.
D was permanently detached as the
12 th Ohio Battery, its place being tak
en by a new company organized in
October, 1864. The veterans and re
cruits were retained In service until
June, 1866. The first Colonel was
James A. Jones, who resigned, and was
succeeded by Col. William P. Richard
son, who was brevetted a Brigadier
General and discharged on account of
wounds. Col. Nathaniel Haughton was
in command of the regiment when It
was mustered out, and was brevetted
a Brigadier-General.?Editor National
I Tribune.
The Sd III. Car.
Editor National Tribune: I would
like to hear from Capt. S. L. Shellen
berger and other members of the 3d 111.
Cav., Co. B. I was a member of that|
company and regiment for four years
and two months. If not too much
trouble, would like a short history of
the regiment. Col. (afterwards Gen.)
Carr was our first Colonel. I like The
National Tribune very much. I wish
it was a daily.?J. I. Crites, Co. B, 3d
111. Cav., Gawanza Station, Los An
geles, Cal.
The 3d 111. Cav. was organized at
Butler ln August and September,
1861, to serve three years, with Eu
gene A. Carr, a Captain of the Regu
lar Army, who had done good service at
Wilson's Creek, as Colonel. The orig
inal members, except veterans, were
mustered out Sept. 5, 1864, and the
veterans and recruits consolidated
into a battalion of six companies, to
which four more companies were after
ward added, and the regiment mus
tered out Oct. 10, 1866. Col. Carr was
promoted to Brigadier-General and suc
ceeded by Col. Lafayette McCrillis, who
was mustered out, and Col. Robert H.
Carnahan was in command when the
regiment was mustered out. The 8d
111. Cav. belonged to Hatch's Cavalry
Division of the Army of the Tennessee,
and lost 38 killed in battle and 237 died
from disease.?Editor National Tribune.
The 7th 111. Cav.
Editor National Tribune: Please pub
lish a short history of the 7th 111. Cav.
and Its officers In your valuable paper!
?S. G. Moore, McKeesport, Pa.
The 7th III. Cav. was organized ati
Camp Butler in September, 1861, to
serve three years, and the veterans and
recruits mustered out Nov. 4, 1865. The
first Colonel was William Pitt Kellogg,
who resigned, and was succeeded by
Col. Edward Prince. Col. John M.
Graham was ln command when the
regiment was mustered out. Lieut -
Col. William D. Blackburn died from
wounds received on the Grierson Raid.
The 7th 111. belonged to Hatch's Divi
sion, Cavalry of the Army of the Ten
nessee, and lost 64 men killed and 2701
died from disease.?Editor National
Tribune. 1
?
The 524 Ohio.
Editor National Tribune: Please give
a short sketch of the 6 2d Ohio and
greatly oblige?J. B. Sonder, Minne
apolis, Minn.
The 5 2d Ohio was Organized at Camp
Dennison ln August, 1862, for three
years, and mustered out June 3, 1865.
It? first Colonel was Daniel McCook,
| who died from wounds received at
Kenesaw, and Lieut.-Col. Charles W.
Clancy was in command of the regi
ment when it was mustered out. The
regiment belonged to Davis's Division
Fourteenth Corps, Army of the Cum
berland, and lost 101 killed and 169
died from dlseass.?Editor National
Tribuns.
-k -if
* /s, <
THE QVARTERMA8TER-6ENERAL
Wket tkc OBce Wm Created mi Ita
Derelepa?it
Editor National Tribune: To settle
a controversy as to historical facts,
kindly answer the following questions
through the columns of The National
Tribune:
1. When and by what authority was
the office of Quartermaster-General
created ?
2. Who was the first incumbent, and
how long did he serve?
3. Who served in such office during
the year 1861?
4. When and by what authority was
the 11th U. S. authorized, and when
and where organized?
5. Who was its first Colonel, and how
long did he serve as such ??D. El
dredge, Boston, Mass.
1, 2 and 3. There were Quartermas
ters-General during the Revolution,
and Gens. Miffiin and Nathaniel Greene
were among them. The office at that
time was, like everything else during the
Revolution, crude and inchoate. That
is, the Quartermaster-General did the
best he could with the means at his
hand, and without much reference to
rules or regulations; in fact, there were
hardly any, because everything had to
be developed, and war on a large scale
was an entirely new thing to the peo
ple. It might be properly said that
Benjamin Franklin was the first Quar
termaster-General, since with his emi
nent practical ability he organized the
means of supplying Braddock's army
for its ill-fated expedition against Fort
Duquesne. The experience so gained
was of great use In supplying the Con
tinental army.
After the formation of the National
Government in 1787 things relating to
the Army went on in a crude and un
satisfactory way, because there was
really no army for some years. A few
men, under the command of Capt. John
Doughty, were kept in service to man
some forts and take care of public
property. The beginning of the pres
ent Army was in 1789, when the men
serving In the fortifications, etc., were
made a battalion of artillery, consisting
of four companies, with one Captain,
two Lieutenants, four Sergeants, four
Corporals, two Musicians and 60 pri
vates each, and a regiment of infantry
of eight companies was added to these.
Each of the infantry companies had
one Captain, one Lieutenant, one En
sign, four Sergeants, four Corporals,
two Musicians and 60 privates. The
act authorized an Adjutant, Quarter
master and Paymaster to be taken from
the subalterns of the line. The Treas
ury Department Insisted upon doing
much of the work of the Quartermas
ter and making all purchases for the
Army and Navy, as for every other De
partment of the Government.
Properly speaking, the first real
Quartermaster with full powers and
duties was Brig.-Gen. Thomas Sidney
Jesup, who was appointed Quartermas
ter-General upon the reorganization of
the Army May 8, 1818. He was born
in Virginia, appointed from Ohio, and
had been an infantry officer, rising to
the rank of Colonel and receiving two
brevets for Chippewa and Niagara. He
held the office until his death In 1860,
and organized it substantially as It Is
to-day. The Quartermasters-General
down to and including the war were as
follows:
Thomas Mifflin, Colonel; August,
1775.
Stephen Moylan, Colonel; June 6,
1776.
Thomas Mifflin, Brigadier-General,
Oct. 1, 1776.
Nathaniel Greene, Major-General,
March 2, 1778.
Timothy Pickering, Colonel; Aug. 5,
1780.
Samuel Hogden, Lieutenant-Colonel;
March 4, 1791.
James O'Hara, Lieutenant-Colonel;
April 19, 1792.
John Wilkins, Jr., Lieutenant-Col
onel; June 1, 1796.
John Wilkins, Jr., Major-General;
June 1, 1799.
Morgan ' Lewis, Brigadier-General;
April 4, 1812.
Robert Swartwout, Brigadier-Gener
al; March 21, 1813.
James R. Mullany, Colonel; April 29,
1816.
George Gibson, Colonel; April 29,
1816.
William Cumming, Brigadier-Gener
al; April 18, 1818.
Thos. S. Jesup, Brigadier-General;
May 18, 1818. , ?
Joseph E. Johnston, Brigadier-Gen
eral; June 28, 1860.
Montgomery C. Meigs, Brigadier-Gen
eral, May 16, 1861.
4 and 5. The 11th U. S. was first or
ganized July 16, 1798, and disbanded
June 15, 1800. At that time regiments
were commanded according to the Brit
ish model by Lieutenant-Colonels, and
Aaron Ogden was Lieutenant-Colonel of
the regiment from its formation to its
discharge. The regiment was again or
ganized Jan. 11, 1812, and continued in
service until May 17, 1815, when it was
consolidated with the 25th, 27th, 29th
and 37th U. S. to form the 6th U. S.
The Colonels were Isaac Clark, J. B.
Campbell and Moody Bedel. It was
again organized for the Mexican War
Feb. 11, 1847, and discharged Aug. 14,
1848. The Colcnel was A. C. Ramsey.
It was again organized May 14, 1861,
by order of the President, and made a
three-battalion regiment. Sept. 21,
1866, the 2d battalion became the 20th
U. S. and the 3d battalion the 29th U.
S. April 14, 1869, the 11th U. S. was
consolidated with the 34th U. S. to form
the 16th U. S. The Colonels were M.
C. Meigs, E. D. Keyes and W. S. Ketch
um. April 25, 1869, a new 11th U. S.
was formed by the consolidation of the
24th and 29th U. S., with A. G. Gillem
as Colonel. The present Colonel is Al
bert L. Myer, who was born In New
York and enlisted as a private in Co.
F, 3d battalion, 11th U. S., Oct. 26,
1865, and was promoted to Second
Lieutenant Dec. 6, 1867.?Editor Na
tional Tribune.
? ? ?
McClellan Medal Found at Salisbury.
Superintendent Edward S. Past, of
the U. S. National Cemetery, Salisbury,
N. C., writes to The National Tribune
to say that during some recent street
improvements in the city of Salisbury,
on the site of the old Confederate mil
itary prison pen, there was unearthed a
soldier's medal, commonly known as a
"McClellan Medal," which had upon its
reverse side what appears to be: "F.
Morse, Co. H, 9th N. H., Lancaster,
H 99
The Initial letter of the name is
rather indistinct, and may be other
than an "F." If any of The National
Tribune readers have knowledge of the
soldier who originally possessed this
medal, or know of the address of his
kinsmen, and will communicate with
Superintendent Past, they can be put
in communication with the finder of
the relic, who would be pleased to
know it could be restored to those who
would prize it as a souvenir of times
when a prisoner's hope was bent to
wards home and loved ones. The med
al has evidently been buried for more
than 40 years.
Pension Papers Fonnd.
In a communication to The National
Tribune, J. T. Alexander, of No. 6%
West Market street, Huntington, Ind.,
says there has been placed in his pos
session certificate No. 870,608, issued
under act of June 27, 1890, increase, at
the rate of 110 per month, in favor of
George H. Scott, Corporal, Co. D, 56th
N. Y. Vol. Inf., pension payable at Chi
cago Pension Agency, and other army
papers. Also, the pension certificate
No. 328,876 of Augustus C. Gregory,
who was a Sergeant in Co. B, 32d Wis.
Vol. Inf., at the rate of $17 per month,
payable at the Indianapolis Agency,
and other papers. These papers were
left on the seats of cars on the Fort
Wayne * Wabash Valley Inter-Urban
Railway, and they can be obtained
from him by the claimant furnishing
proof of identity.
I Will Send My
DEAFNESS
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To anyone who la deaf or whose hear*
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My book tells Just what causes Deaf*
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perfect hearing. It explains what bring*
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head and ears and how to be free from
them. It shows how the ear gets clo
up and points out how Deafness can
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If you want to get rid of your Deaf*
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f ron Alert Coaradee Akwg the WM?
Liie.
Served With the 1st Wis. Car,
Comrade A. D. Farrar, Co. B, ltfl
Wis. Cav., Portage, Wis., would like to
receive Information concerning the
whereabouts or fate of Stephen Davis,
who enlisted at Kingston, Wis., in Co.
B, 1st Wis. Cav., Col. Daniels com*
manding. Comrade Davis says: "We
were both wounded in the light at
Langville River, Ark., Aug. 8, 1861. Ho
was shot twice, while I was shot four
times. We were both discharged in
1862, and went home to Wisconsin. Ho
later re-enlisted in the 10th Wis., at
Sparta. He went with his regiment to
the front, and was heard from for
awhile. -1 will be glad to hear from any
comrade who saw him or was with
him or can tell me of his fate. I am
greatly interested in The National
Tribune and Its stories and leading |p?
sues of the day."
Executions at Oeldaheto.
Comrade W. M. Morrison, Co. C, 9tU
N. J., Woodstown, N? J., writes. In re
ply to Comrade Gllkinaon, Co. D, 98th
Ohio, regarding the execution at Goldf
boro, N. C., of a member of the 18th
N. Y. Cav. The man's nam* was Bry
ant and his crime an aaaiult on i
young lady of 17 years at Kinston, N,
C., and an old lady of 86 year* at
Goldsboro, N. C. His execution took
place. Comrade Morrison says, March
29, 1866. The firing party waa from
the 17th Mass.
Scattering.
Robert Welsford, Sailors' Snug Har*
| bor, Staten Island, N. Y., Is anxious to
And some one who remembers Charle#
W. Seymour, who served on the U. 8.
I Commodore Reed, between Sept. t?r
1864, and June 30, 1865. He was Cap
tain of the starboard watch after
guard, and Coxwain of the third cut
ter.
A Correction.
In The National Tribune of Oct. 8,
| Comrade G. W. Rich, 105th Pa., wrote
a very interesting letter of his regiment.
A mistake, however, was made in the
address of this comrade. His correct
address is 121 No. 63d Ave., Chicago,
: 111. Comrade Rich, who is Commander
of Kllpatrick Post, 276, says that he
finds very many comrades who do not
know The National Tribune, which
| Comrade Rich considers the soldler'e
best friend.
Waati the Mllltla Pensioned.
A. J. Martin, Aurora. Mo., wants in
fluence brought upon Congress to pass a
bill to place upon the pension roll all
the State Militia who served as much
as 90 days during the rebellion, and at
the same rating as the volunteers. He
served In the Missouri Militia, and had
just as hard a time as any soldier could
have. The regiment was paid off in
State script worth only 75 cents on the
dollar.
His Lost Discharge.
L. D. Bright wants to know if any
comrade found his discharge as Cor
| poral of Co. I, 61st Ohio, which he lost
in the shakeup at Bentonville. He
wants it very much now, in order to
get his bounty.
Free $1.00 Coupee
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