USA > Illinois > History of the 17th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers > Part 1
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Gc 973.74 IL5ca 1792690
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEA! OGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00824 9234
HISTORY
OF THE
17th
SEVENTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY VOLUNTEERS
BY
EDWIN A. CARPENTER Private Company "K."
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/historyof17thill00carp
1792690
.
F 8349 DO .13
Y I
Carpenter, Edwin A.
349 13 History of the 17th Illinois cavalry volunteers. By F. [i. e. E.] A. Carpenter ... . n. p., 1886?] [40, p. 30Pm. Caption title. Apparently originally published weekly in the columns of a local newspaper.
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2 1. U. S .- Ilist .- Civil war-Regimental histories-Ill. cav .- 17th. 2. Illinois cavalry. 17th regt., 1863-1SCG.
6-42745
Library of Congress
E505.6.17th
7723
DIEE
int Hindistan try Voluntvers. . - 1+
.. . 12801: TEL. fr.rat Con.Da:) ** k. "
CHAPTER L
I. purpose writing the history of Co. K. how the date of enlistment of the majority of the rimbers of the " n- pins down to the time of the dir .Large of the same. I shall recount the copy's of those in juWel as well as to sound the phases of the deserving I should im Pede cancute the task which I have undertaken were i really to trent of battles and marches, of the promo- "oh or reduction of non-commissioned nivers, which occurred as a result of whys or caprice on the part of cum- pary commanders, or the promotion of manisstored officers, the promo- hola nicaring mer the war was over, As a result of political intrigue or special favoritism. In the Volunteer Arany the distinctions in rank were pard'y artificial, for not uufrequently the ardsan held a commission while one colleze-bred served in the ranks. The pale-freed student and the brawny toller wore muess-mates. the banker's ron and the mechanic were bunk- mates, their highest aims being to vie with one another in zoulous devotion to country and her forensic laws. It was Jadoon Kilpatrick (General) who first di-covered the material of which Out arty was composed, and in a burst w! enthusiastic admiration, asserted Car the maierity of the privates un- Ces tim were capable of commanding brig ades. But still this may not be fairly satisfying. for every man by rip t. should maintain as high a po- sign in serving as the dignity of his e!Fine entitles him to, and not tame- saluait to being robbed of his hon- «8 th. this ground your historian vill kindly meet you, though I dis- doim all intention of detracting from ami, and one canert' rob another of sendung he did not possess. At the wiganization no opportunity had been 4 -!. on the men to demonstrate their i tively qualities, by capturing flags, or bring the van of forlorn hopes, or o! 'mung the micraless hail of grape a deminister. hence some other course artist be adopted. Sir Win. Hamilton says. "On earth, there is nothing great Vit mou; in man, there is nothing, real but Sind." Acting on the above advies there should have been a com- rientive :xon nation, for the oficial
1
1 ..
til vivil : at the campour worki have Ir ata- weed with the amount ve u have been mbt ined by V. B Dare, while Q. B. Binroom and frank Milf would have taken y ond and third positions. have beer &swissed from the service; nicer would Will have went into a atsome & fiers, changes took place among them with - a n irequency the a Dicte mutator of artmal occurreress would do great fuj astice to somme, while others were too frequently distingui-h- wd'y irregularities. None oftainsi their positions " an immor won. none underwent a competitative examina- tion, hence muy postulate i- proven, that in our nous all distinctions in rank were pmisly artificial, and as an additional evidence, the facts are that since the war muy who were privates have distinguished that saves in arts, sciences and kterouar. Mapy have woon titles and homens, I've fine requ- tations and enjoy a high degree of popularity. If my information is cor- reet, neither comnoi cored of non- so distinguished him.Il, Hat were such the case. I. with exquisite pleas- ure would chronicle the event. From this some would inter that I purpo conserving the inca that better mater -. ial was in the raak than out of it Events since the wir , irtainly warrant such a-sumuption, though I only wish to assert that all distinctions in rank were purely artificid. I am certainly warranted in the position I have taken. for the historien, a serving to the ral's by which they .re povere. d. must in- vestigate cause and . il vis, and intro- dave ali matter contert 1 with the subject. The writer tunet pre- nt a faithful account of what has tikon piace, of his work i- volvoless. All prejudice must be laid oside. Nuth- ing mit be eenorden, nothing ex- aggerated. All availedJ: sources of in- formato a must be explored, and what- ever beers on the subject in hun.1 Inket be brought to light. In enses cf doubtful ur conflicting testimony, the rules of evidence must be carefully weigh .. ]. and troth insured at the ex- pense of every other consideration The anhals a. ' the history of any onb. jest are widely different. The first particularly deals with dates in chron- olor'sal order, as regards event., and does not aduit of any observations on
just. The annals of the wayand Hate that men deverts & Se Midon will tell why they deserted. The me. nels state that the company an irish; the historian will till why it watini 1 etc., etc. I do not expect to manage criticism-some friendly, one per- haps adverse for the recollection - !? comrades are frequently widely dif . ent. as evineed Is three letters. One says, "Well, com: annak dat I : osburg." while the facts are it was Being. as soriated with whom Was the gre.i Governor Tietcher -- gro t in all that makes the man and patriot, as will be spen further on. Another tells wb. u the regiment was lost auder fire. b.t he is seren i months behind the times. for the troops 'in around Glargo- n.re in many fights long previon to the tine he alludes to. This par me ir mind of a story, perhaps mn; th: al; which runs as follows: Party non it of the French Academy rien und :- took to define the word creo, and his upon this, which they demred quite satisfactory: Crab-A small, red S -. which walk . backward. "Perfect. g. r- themen, said Cuvier," when intern. com touching the correctness of the . defini tion. "Perfect, only I will make out sieall observation in natural history. The crab is pot a fish, it is not fed. and it does not walk backward. With these exceptions your definiu mais de mirable." This applies valy weiss some historical data I have op lond. The mest unreliable course of informa - tion imaginable is camp runer. To obviate this deceiving temfleury ene cannot be too caretel, vandes two ris- idly apply the rules of evidence It is eminently propor that the cac-e o enuses that led to our enlisting in the Federal Away he narrated, for while we , may still have fresh in our momci .. the conses that led us to forsale father and mother, brother and sister. wife. children and sweetheart, and take our lives in our hands. go forward and lar thei apion our country's alvor a will.
of liberty unturaished by the trois of slavery and greeny gain; they si .. come after us may not kory lo na constry was filled with in u.v. .. larly with every change of the p.vos derfred that the next thirty > > would see the end of the war some weren't they moulded poche unie in. for people are apt to Delle a did which they need itsite.
end moore, and in the winter of 1853 -4 we entered the ore 1 circle of -r 'n'ty, Many mien bud en! sted in coser rochaents, natalie the 12th THinsjo Cavalry, Co. A. of which re: imene hau had r. contly ef. d under C'ap tain Phillip K. Free -to ! bis aids, of that compray. Three the wire, withou. by your leave, Transferred ? the - templated With It! Vel. Cavalry, Can- tain P. D. Fis er becoming Major of tla Ed Ratrallion of the latter regi- ment. Major Fisher entered the se :- vice as a private, and for soldierly qual- ities hur drill and the care-of accoutra- tuents had won the position of sergeant, after which bis hewvery and coolness in battle won for him. a captainey. In the 12th he was noted as a agiter, and a favorite of his men. When of anty he was by them known as Phil. At the fight at Darksville, Was he and many of his men were severely injured. In no sense was le a politie an, rather the converse. This is the man that brought about sixty men, who had ca. listed for Co. A, the 12th, to what sono became Co. K of the 17th Il. Voi. Cavalry. In order to do this without eausing trouble among somy who did Dot want to be transferred, be made some pledges, pledges he was never able to fulfill, for he wofully licked in- finence in degree in accordance with his rank in our regiment. He was a strict disciplinarian. yet as bumine and kind-hearted as Col. Beveridge. in many respects these two men were alike -- both brave. both good, true, humane. just, whole-souled mien. But here their lik-ness ceases. for Diver- idge was a politician of the first w ter; Fisher despised politics, and Iam af-sid politicians as well. Harly in January Fi-her's recruits, the last of them accompanied him to Camp Fes which was situated a few miles borth of Chicago. The cold was intense, ati we were greeted with the umpleases intelligence that the previous night five guards wore frozen to death en their beats, one being found near the setler's shop. stamiing costiy ere.t, propped up with a stick which served every purpose of a gun. The offie Ts, it was said, sought the comfort . : the city, not having sense enough to sider the guards off before they let. When the condition of the west was discover- ed, the guards were, as quickly as ver. sible, taken of, and those needing it thoroughly; mulibed with snow, under the supervision of a doctor who it. euros, preferred the performance of duty to the wine and women of the esty.
Satisfa u. Countle, - thousands trust yet yieli up their Bien for their coun- try, countless th estade mest yet sui- for in Southern hells mitsnowed poris- Pas. c.paul-sx thirustads yet janguish in hospitals, with no loving mother, wife or sister to wipe the swert of anguish from their faces of smooth their dying pillows. At this time the cruelties of Andersonville and other Southern prison pins were well known, eruelties that would! poet the savage red men vi the plains to blach. Daniel Webster had so indoctrinated the pen- ple of the North with love for the Union that the people arose almost as one man to put down the rebellion. Previous to the call under which we eulisted, calle for one million, six huu- dred and seventy-seven thousand, seven hundred and fourteen (1.677,711) meu had been made and filled, vid before the war closed, 2,362.714 troops bad been called for. The snows of winter came, and yet the call for 300,000 made the preceding October had not been ülled. In every street the drums were beating, every school house had its speaker who harangued the people, made pledges in the name of the gov- ernment, which pledges were never till- ed, and never will be. At this time the patriotic cioment of the North was well nigh exhausted-that clementthat would for-ake home, comfort, and en- joymeut to defend their country's rights and die in her cause it need be. At this time a private soldier was re- garded as a menial, not openly and avowed. but tacitly. The railroads, as a rule, barred hiu from first-class ear- riage, the ladies, unless personally se- quainted, avoided Lim, the connuis- sioned officers frequently affronted him, bothe churches barred him from their door, or if he did enter, he enjoyed a whole pew to himself. He was class- ed, with bounty jumpers. deserter-, thieves, thugs, pimys. and it is true that an occasional one was the incarna- tion of all these. Thus at the period of which I am writing it required a high order of moral enarage, and the attributes of a patriot to induce one who was respectably connected, and fairly well educated, to enter the ranks as a private soldier. Observation had taught him all this, and if he went to Lis country's aid he knew that the world, aided and abetted by the com- missioned officers, would regard him as one belonging to the lowest strata.of the human lumiiy. Love of country triumphodd; we poured forth from the
10
VA
7 .. . of batt'e .. Galveston, erisive battle of one River, : 90. Jan. 34. Union any ''n from before Vicksburg. circe Federal transports : Cumberland river. Jan. Jou, Blocking sesenta captured by ELderates st Sabine City, Texas. Seth Contederats war swaner .ulik art, ucstroys one vessel and cup .- was erother. Feb. Ist. a second ur- metersfal geabort attack on Ft. Me- .: Rister. frk, destructionof ourtrans- puits on Rel River. 12th, Union mer- step. vessel, Jacob Bell captured by w2: Florida. 15.1, the iron-clad, In- Lancia. runs the bb chade at Vicksburg and i captured. 21st, the Confederate voniser, Alabama, destrovs two vessels on th .. African coast. 28th. twenty- Fight a re of stores destroyed by Con- fromhis ju Kentacky. March Ist, third Fruitlessattack on Ft. McAllister, Gu. Sd, two U. S. gunboats destroyed. 5th. rebel Vaa Dorn captures Spring- fielj. Ten., and many prisoners. 6th, Van Porn captures a considerable Union forre ot Franklin. Tenn. 14th, Ad- Dovol Faltagat defeated at Port Hud- sou. 25 th, two Union vessels lost be- fore Vicksburg. April 7th, uine Union irvuelads acteck Ft. Sumter and are beston; Confederate Alabama captures the Union Morning Star. 10th, two Thion gunboats destroyed on the Cum- orlund river. 24th, Union defeat at Beverly, Va. May 1st, Unionists de- xeLied as La Grange, Ark. June 1st. brilla of Chancellorsville -- a Federal :epulso. 29th, General Banks fails in several attacks on Port Hudson. . July Eis Confederate victory at Mich- ind, Ky. Aaz. 19-2uth, Rosenerana Screened at Chickamauga. A number of whit repulses were met with, but the dite at hand is insufficient for his- E Final accuracy. On October 15th, President A. Lincoln called for 300,- f 10 more ticops. While it is true that Curing the year our forces had gained .ruty hatties, probably greater in num- y. than the Confederates. yet our losses wod bova very heavy-much heavier than the enemy. On every street in the worthiand empty sleeves could be seen fiertering in the wind, the click of the cruteh could be heard upon the parement, every cemetery had fresh mate mounds on every hand. The « plow and the fatherless were ever be- fore eur . je8. The gray-haired eire
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F. .. VARDESTRI, Proste tomias; " K. "
CHAPTER IL.
Ane tales we reard may have been aerated-though I canuor forget thc not all soldiers were liars, though que conit paint pictures in high col- ors. in this respect were artists of no mea order. In a few days we bade Bien to Camp Frey with its mphas- and memories, and by train went to. Wayne, somde four miles north-east of Camp Kane, which jast place was seat- el unon the east bank of Fox River and south a little way, from the Vil- lage of St. Charles, Kane County. I!l., Nearly opposite our camp, west-ward from the river about a half mile, was the stone house of the patron of our regiment, John F. Farnsworth, uncle of John Cotton, our Regimental Com- missary. He was, or had been, Colonel of the Sth Ills, Vol. Cavalry, and a law partner of John L. Beveridge, our Colonel. While we were there he dis- tinguished himself by an ill timed speech. We bad beeo in carop or gar- rison long enough for that dread dis- rose, Nostalgia. in plain english, home- sickness, to make its appearance, and while the effects of the discase was be- ing felt, he appeared and we were marched our and compelled to listen to him. To make the boys feel better, I suppose be, amongst his remarks, said, many of us would get killed, winy of ur die from wounds or sickness. In this strain he continued for some time, giving sweet consolation to boys who in theit troubled sleep were muttering of mother and home. It was like a funeral oration over the grave of some loved one. In our opinion the speech be indicted up- vi. 4 was injurious in the highest de- !"te. The tale goes, that, one time while making a speech (?) in Congress a little dog in the gallery began bark- ing at him. He, Farnsworth, stopped, waved his hand, majestically of course, avil said. every dog has his day, it is my turn now. llis turn ceased with the irreales movement. While we were at Phon b .. made bis appearance amongst uv, and one of the boys caused no lit- rle metriment by saying, "boys, boys, there goes Farnsworth, lets kill him be- fore he has a chance to make another speech to us." We do not know that he talked to us there, probably not.
At that time ambitious and unquiet mediocraty was elamorous for power
woot dethier
The Most my Vo tills organized.
.. . . 4. Gen. B. Strativa, ut, wwar lockTil. M., was company co mander. He was formerly engaged int witz in un summer time and towinnt Nstrict schools in the winter Srasen. He was will educated, agree- al! . 4 phasing in miners, a favor- it among his class. A clean. Faire nat & ber, temperate, gentlemanty. Nothing less eva truthfully be said of Lim. 11, avere and downfall were auriomille to a lack temper at times, almost uncovermille, in connection with the arbit ory p. wer company com- manders power ... 1. He was ill adap- ted to a saldo is life, cutting a sorry Cure in the -able, ur when drilling with the same the voice liked clearness and three, even when they- oughly angry, which have quently was, he spoke in a minor key He was ech- tinnously on the witch fredefects, pro- digal of censure, desstate of praise. He soon became a favorite with the la- die of the region, intentari; - ) with a daughterit gets the officers. The only. if atyether this had was to make him more arrogant. Whit hore many of the toen farmsshed their own horses, paying from ten dollars upward more for the Nowa than the govern- ment would allow for them. A rumor was industriais cremated that those who did not furnish a horse wonly be transfered to th Infantry, a rumor not founded on fart. While Lere we ob- tained our Bigte -off Abe ' beins the seeund regiwent in the U. S. service that possessed one. The 8th Wissen- sin Infantry possessed a bald Eagle which av congo united them in their bat- des and on their marches, and ours, like theirs, wis timed Ale The history of our Eagle is as follows: .A Hage
driver while enroute from Byran, Ill .. to Rockford. His, saw him sitting on a rock by the road side. He dismount- ed and seizing a stone, harled it at and striking Air just ax ho wax ri-ing to fly away. The blow so stunned the Eagle that he was easily captured and brought to Rockford, where he was sidd to Jeho O-barn, a re-tanrant keep- er. who sold bim to Van Buren Palce of our eumy any. Our Kagle was not what is called the American or bald Eagle, though surely American. I be- Leve a naturalist would designate him Aquila Chrystetos, or Golden Eagle.
Biutry.
and we bas a weird to give Me a
positive and with lock and tallen prepare his own neal fried animal luiture." To this end we jonpred a common barn yard fowl, and while the owner helt the carte, we put the ! - upon his perch and breathle-drewvir- ed to see the eagle make a meal at the little "yellow leg." They sified ap to one another and in a few minute, Aby had the hen safely escoured under his wing, where he jealonsiy guard ber for a few days. The engle and Len be- came very much attached to one ah- other, but as we could not keep a !'+. of poultry in the company quartets, cho chicken was disposed of. The eagle was a great attraction, many peorde coming to sce him. In fact it was poi - sidered the proper thing for viento !! !! our camp to pay their respeets to this bird that is supposed to look the sun out of countenance. Most of the L .- it were very much attached to Abc, and had they been allowed, would soon here over-fed hit, notwithstanding he was no Jiinty feeder. Our army vas com- posed of an leterogenous mudas of in- congraities, here the gentleman, there the black-gunid, here the pale-fuerd student, there the brawny laborer: bere the man of pure character. there the criminal; here the christian, there the infidel. Some entered the army on the ground of principle, others on the ground of policy-the latter poisoned our military atmosphere and sueked the life-blood of our society.
With us it was somewhat differ.nt. It was not the large bounties that drew them from the land of school boy es and chinrehes, that induced them to forsake pleasant homes and social pri- vileges; that induced rhem to forsake the land that under their thrity m- dustry had been made to blossom like a rose, that indneed them to leite .6: school houses, whose well wora burghes attested their constant and parlent at- tendance. to bid their college I'm theas- or, good bye, just as they had besoy te taste the sweets of higher sobola-die attainments. just as they had got a glimpse of that better, parer. Chamber, swreter life beyond. No! to. "I'nin now and forever, one and ir w paralle." ring in their cars. In fancy they heard the clanking of chains, beard the twist of the lash in the air, saw thei iran tiful homes tureel into Slave Pianta tions, saw the living skeletons of broth ers return from the prisons and host tails, left the bright present where . was joy and ghulness, and wont niet the roaring cannon, the crashing tal hetry and for long years tailed marek ed and fought For Gol and Lit. -.
494
05 .: :
3: tinou Cavalry volunteers,
Wat god Sippen At Rix Reserved. !
CHAPTER IV.
have for all let me repeat that the historian has no choice.
The last good hyes were said, and carly in May we assembled on the pa- rade ground, in front of our company quarters, and sang many of our soul stirring national anthems, in our com- pany Dalce beating thne, his full rich Lebilluous baritone being distinctly heard, notwithstanding it was not so high as tenor nor so low as bass. Dur- ing the winter DaLee had drawn a- round him a few whose voices were goud, and who loved musie, and assist- ed by M. M. Wyllys, had se instructed us that the music we rendered was at least fairly good. Capt. Stratton, who Inew as much of music as a pig does of latin, kept shouting, "sing louder," his amitacheis looking as fierce as a taiwdril; dressed womans switch.
Our songs were veritable battle cry's of freedom, nothing pathetic, nothing to make the boys think of home. of mother. We had practiced singing under ditheulties, for not unfrequently the little wicket that separated our quarters from the commissioned officers, sound open and "stop that noise" would come from the hole, and now the anti- Foods of the game cock wanted us to not only sing, bat to sing loader, "Oh! consistency thou art a jewel."
A few days previous to this time we had been given a short furlough; howe for the last time, the parting advice is ivet.ved. the last good bye's are said. As te get into the crowded ears we "ese our friends, whose streaming eyes !. It us what love is. As we ge around cir curve we catch a glimpse of the . hit handkerchief, we see the baby Feld high in air, -- and with our 'ammen eyes the vision quickly Vat- i- nes, but ever to be mentally reprodu- ved be long as life lasts. After sing- ing, with three rousing cheers we Iroks for our horses, "those of us that Hol d' em." and proceeded to Batavia, where we loaded our horses and selves for Cine ego.
Many were present to see us off. The iet ale cousins being out in full furre. Without event worthy of note we proceeded to Chicago, where we were sv .tehet onto the Chicago und Alton ii. R. and being heavily loaded, slowly . wamed southward, getting "stalled" Theo or telle on upgrad a. At Alt. u
1 30. Lont 0
Di the west bank of t! Arters" the might; a.it is one of the . idert Government Sich in the I'nitos States.
South of the P. - t on a rise of ground si: 1, was neveral with accord growth timber our car was located. One of the largest, if not the largest Come- tery le rear was here. The mands upen thou art's here laid near the great nur v :. u. murmurs, let us be- lese strup that kisses down their eye-
Duriaz . ur briet stay we drilled and made some ch it manches into the sur- rounding country. praying soldier. For the time being pettiwat goverment ceased to exist, and we stayed our- selves, watching struthers fra and re- post som . bearing prisoners and com- rades to t'. north, and again laden rith il. paraphernalia of war, hasten- ing conthwart, their huge stacks emit. ting dense volumes of black smoke.
Ilie the boys would plunge into the deep, and perform feats that if they did ant betray good judgement, : hand pick. Sickness manifested itself. an ( one hol his Ing injured, bro- ken I belew. by a fall from his horse. Here ton papier shop was raided for the second time, the first occurring at Comp Rane
At that time I thought the raiding of the sutlers :hop an ontrage, that should have no i. t the severest punishment. box lib . on I wondered that the love and rat raid oftener.
White, I se we visited the Post and grounds and was lost in wonder and admiration of the me atly kept grounds. Not a striw. was a bit of a stick or weelmarred :he watness and beanty of the lamb-raye. Not a huge -got of ground. ow f. the w.ils in the en- . lesure, ferre- sad buildings in neat- ne-se sapared favorably I have nev- er seen it: equ t in the respecte allud- od to. The archive, of this Post would I. interestin : beyond the pow- er of pento describe for the history of the mis it has sheltered is in great part the history of this United States. Doubtless The Confederate Army had ni.un; w'io in previous years had also Le estatimed here. It was not only an historical place, but one in which mu h romance had occurred. flere it was that General. U. S. Grant was -17- tioned when he became acquainted with his wife, who resided five miles west fromu Jefferson barracks, It was not far from here that he with. I a
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