USA > Illinois > Military history and reminiscences of the Thirteenth regiment of Illinois volunteer infantry in the civil war in the United States,1861-65, pt 1 > Part 1
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Gc 973.74 ILSieb pt.1 1792596
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00824 1652
548
MILITARY HISTORY AND REMINISCENCES
OF THE
12:". THIRTEENTH REGIMENT 13th
OF
Pt.1 -
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
IN THE
CIVIL WAR IN THE UNITED STATES
1861-1865
PREPARED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE REGIMENT, 1891
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PURLICATION COMMITTEE: H. T. NOBLE. S. C. PLUMMER H. D. DEMENT. C. E. BOLLES. HISTORIANS: A. B. MUNN. A. H. MILLER. W. O. NEWTON.
CHICAGO WOMAN'S TEMPERANCE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION 1892
592
:
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: 1:92596
1
COL. JOHN B. WYMAN. Thirteenth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
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F 8349 .135
Illinois infantry. 13th regt., 1861-1864.
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3349 .125
Military history and reminiscences of the Thirteenth regiment of Illinois volunteer infantry in the civil war in the United States, 1861-65. Prepared by a committee of the regiment, 1891. Publication committee : II. T. Noble, S. C. Plummer, H. D. Dement. C. E. Bolles. Historians : A. B. Munn, A. H. Miller. W. O. Newton. Chicago, Woman's temperance publishing association, 1992.
THELF CARO
viii, 672 p. front., plates, ports., maps, facsim. 233cm.
1. U. S .- Hist .- Civil war-Regimental histories-Ill. inf .- 13th. I. Ti- .tle.
2-13538
Recat.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/militaryhistor00illi
F8349.125 1
BOR
U.S. !
ROUND'S
62879
NOV 22 1895
TO THE COMRADES OF THE THIRTEENTH, LIVING OR DEAD, AND TO THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE FRIENDS AT HOME ·
WHOSE HEARTS AND PRAYERS WERE WITH US,
THESE RECORDS ARE LOVINGLY DEDICATED.
PREFACE.
A book written to contribute the proper acknowledgement of worthy deeds, and to add to the enjoyment of those who may come after us, is in order. Such is the design and hope of this unpretentious record.
As the individual stone has its part in rearing the moun- tain, so the organization of our regiment, we are happy to say and show, bore a very honorable part in the most worthy ef- forts of the army and navy of the United States.
. In telling this story, as you, surviving comrades, have asked the committee to, we shall do what seems to us repre- sents our regiment fairly. When we are called upon to touch upon individual records, we may seem to some to give scant or overdue preferences ; yet such is not our intent.
We shall not feel called upon to laboriously vindicate any one nor in many words condemn any man's course. As a regiment, we have no particular complaints of not having had an open door to glory ; for if long marches and sharp fighting be glory, then we got enough to settle the froth on our patri- otism of 1861, and cooled to the point of going slow before taking a contract of like size again.
We were called by the Government in its hour of special peril. . We promptly responded. There was toil and exposure and suffering and death to many. If we who live may be per- mitted to speak for all, we would say that we would not change it. The Union was preserved and humanity was helped by it. In what better way can men exert themselves or even sacrifice life.
Our men lie buried far and wide. Some were tenderly borne to their homes where as boys they played, but the con- ditions forbade this in most cases, so that they were buried
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PREFACE.
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where they fell, all over the Southern States: The spot where their bodies rest, may or may not be marked ; yet that mat- ters little ; the spot where they lie is hallowed ground.
Thomas Campbell beautifully says :
"What, hallow ground where heroes sleep? 'Tis not the sculptured piles you heap ; In dews that heavens far distant weep Their turf may bloom, Or genii twine beneath the deep Their coral tomb.
" But strew his ashes to the wind Whose sword or voice has served mankind And is he dead whose glorious mind Lifts thine on high ? To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die."
We have not been paid for our War services. No number of dollars can pay for them. If they could, we would not receive them ; for then would our glory be taken from us and we would be as hirelings. Then we would lose the comfort of our heart that comes from having given something, for we learn that " It is more blessed to give than to receive."
The record is made ; in this book we hope to preserve some of the names and events as pleasant memories to the surviv- ing comrades and their interested friends.
While such a book had been desired, it was not brought to the surface in any way till the reunion of the regiment on its twenty-fifth anniversary of our muster into the service. Then Comrade W. O. Newton of Company B, residing at Marshalltown, Iowa, moved that we begin such a work, and he was appointed historian to do what he could to secure material. This he faithfully did. The regiment will be under lasting obligations to him. A committee of publica- tion was then appointed, consisting of Col. H. T. Noble, Surgeon S. C. Plummer and Rev. A. H. Miller. The Regi-
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PREFACE.
mental Association asked A. H. Miller to write the regi- mental history. At the reunion at Dixon in May, 1889, the matter was taken up more seriously, and at the next reunion a plan and scope and cost of the book was presented and approved. During the year Capt. Asa B. Munn was added to the committee. Since then Captain Munn has been most active in the work, having written the current history from our arrival at Rolla, Missouri, to the capture of Vicksburg, and also the history and roster of Company, I of which he was a member.
We take great pleasure in giving credit to those who did work or lent data from which to make records. The regi- mental association appointed different persons to look after the special work of each company, thinking that a member of a company would be better acquainted with the names and the facts than a general historian could be. There will be some difference in the amount of work and space given to each company. This must be attributed to the amount of work given by the company historians. Some will be ready to see omissions of valuable matter from the book. That would have been given if it had been furnished ; but we could not put in what the men were not ready to contribute.
H. D. Dement wrote for Company A. S. T. Josselyn wrote for Company C. Francis Fox wrote for Company E. Reuben Hevenor wrote for Company F. A. H. Sibley wrote for Company H. Charles Carpenter and Capt. J. J. Cole furnished material for Company K.
Further acknowledgements are due Mrs. Walter Blanch- ard, the widow of our grand old Captain of Company K, who gave his life to our cause at Ringgold Gap, who furnished a valuable diary kept by her husband, for which she places the "Regimental Organization " under deep obligation.
Comrade Wilson E. Chapel, of Company F, had written and preserved a most valuable diary which has contributed largely to the success of this work.
With the patriotism worthy the true daughter of a vete- ran, Miss Nellie A. Hevenor, daughter of comrade Reuben M.
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PREFACE.
Hevenor, painstakingly copied Comrade Chapel's diary, in a neat and clerkly hand, for the uses of the regimental historian. For this service she deserves special thanks.
Comrade Reuben M. Hevenor, historian for Company F, furnished a valuable diary covering an important period of the services of the regiment ; as also did comrade Josselyn, of Company C, and comrade J. D. Davis, of Company B.
Comrade Charles H. Sanford, Company B, furnished val- uable maps. Comrades Charles E. Bolles, and Charles Car- penter, both of Company K, and.J. B. Farnesworth, of the Hundred and thirty-fourth Illinois, cheerfully furnished books of reference and otherwise rendered valuable assistance.
Edward A. Munn, besides being helpful with the type- writer, entered with patriotic alacrity into the spirit of the undertaking, and drew the two maps of the "Chickasaw Bayou " battle-field which accompany this work.
The confederate Rebellion Archives, published by order of Congress, have been largely drawn from for much valuable information which would have been obtainable from no other source.
And lastly, from very many of the surviving comrades, came an inspiring "God bless you ! Push on the history."
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
CHAPTER I.
THE PRAIRIES ABLAZE WITH PATRIOTISM AT THE FIRING ON SUMTER .- WE ORGANIZE AT DIXON, ILLINOIS, SWORN FOR THREE YEARS OF WAR.
AT DIXON.
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AY 9, 1861, found most of the men who were to make up the Thirteenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers Infantry gathered at Dixon, Illinois.
A place where a man is born, is usually a place of lasting interest to him. Dixon is where our regiment was born and will ever be remembered by those who were there when it was born. We now speak of the "Old Thirteenth," and so all men might speak of it if they were to see the survivors in a body. Some help- ing out their crippled limbs with staffs, and their eyes with glasses, and sheltering their crowns with wigs or displaying thinned locks. But on that memorable day in May the regi- ment was just ready to be made and there was the timber out of which it was to come. Then not " old " but "new," not · seasoned, but somewhat green ; yet that was no fault of the timber.
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
If one were to ask what brought to Dixon in one day this large body of young men, it would open the way to an obser- vation or two that it would not be out of place to record, as a part of the true history of the time and of the regiment. The first and short answer would be, we were there at the call of Richard Yates, at that time Governor of Illinois. But what magic was there in the suggestion or call of this man that a thousand young men should leave business and home and in one day repair to Dixon, even rush there with eagerness ? To be sure this man was the chosen executive of our State. But then men do not always come at call, unless there is some- thing back of the call. There was something back of the call that made so prompt a response possible. That thing was latent love of country, and of good government. This love blazed into the spirit of sacrifice, when the government was put in open peril.
As I said, we were at Dixon on the 9th of May; and I have given the reason why we were there as soldiers. We did not get even that far on our honorable soldier's career without some sacrifice-all of life is made up of a series of sacrifices. We got to Dixon easily enough, as far as conveyance was involved. It was a jolly lot of men rolling over a good rail- road. And it was quite in contrast with any transportation we had in Missouri or Arkansas. There were no long and weary marches in getting together. A single day was suffi- cient to accomplish this.
Dixon is located on the Illinois Central railroad, in the northwestern part of Illinois. Now this railroad looked like any innocent sort of a speculation, when constructed a few years before the war. Now over it rolled thousands of trains loaded with the sturdy men, and almost countless trains of supplies that were the very sinews of war.
While the rebels were laying plans against the govern- ment, providence seemed among other things to be laying lines of railroads that should bring the forces of the North near to the line of battle:
It is certain · that the war could not have been fought on
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ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
the scale it was, in so wide an extent of country, without the railroads. It is certain they helped us to our camping place, where we soon learned to go afoot, so that we could in an independent way stir up the rebels, who were back in the woods.
WHAT WE BROUGHT WITH US.
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Of course in coming to camp the men brought along with them the very best they had and knew to bring. Of the things they brought, some were soon left behind and other things taken on, that abide with us to this day.
In obeying the call of the governor and our patriotic impulses, most of the men came without military uniform ; quite a requisite in army life. Those who came in uniform presented more of a soldierly appearance, but had not a whit more of the soldierly heart on that account. The Scriptures are authority for the statement that "No man goeth to war- fare at his own charge." So the boys for the Thirteenth came looking to the government for rations and equipments. Vet some of the men were armed with revolvers, not knowing but that they would soon have need of them. But I think it is fair to say that all of the men who were harmed or killed by the use of revolvers during the war, except by accident, hardly warranted the trouble of carrying them.
FIFTEEN STAND OF ARMY.
It was reported that the State of Illinois had only fifteen stand of arms fit for service at the opening of the war. If she had had as few loyal hearts and strong arms, she would have fared badly to begin with and would not have the proud record she now has.
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Another thing we had a full stock of, was an absence of military knowledge. It is safe to say that the most of our officers were loaded down with about the same amount of ignorance as the rank and file.
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
One man who was elected lieutenant had been down East somewhere and observed some militia drilling. He noticed that they "marked time" a good deal. He con- cluded that it was an important move, so he had his men mark time, when he could not readily think of any other order to give. Yes, we brought to camp a full stock of mili- tary ignorance, but time and experience wrought a change, so that at the end of our three years, it would not be boast- ing to say that this regiment was wise in this regard, and equal to the best.
While we freely confess ignorance on this point, these men were evidently sharp enough in other things. If all the thoughts and views and ambitions of these men could be written out, I am sure you would not have to follow them beyond this camp to write a most interesting book.
Some of the men were not tied down very closely in life, and they were glad to accept the promised excitement in this new kind of life. Others had some of the military fire in their blood and this brought to them visions of honor and promotion, while others had more serious plans for life, so that serious sacrifices had to be met on the first move toward camp and war.
In all of these men, there was the boiling of young blood, and yet a certain vein of seriousness and devotion that fur- nished material from which the true men were to come when brought under pressure and the fires of sad and horrible war.
Some persons are disposed to pass over the stay in our first camp as an unimportant period. That is evidently not the case. The future history of the regiment was largely shaped in these first few weeks. Men were consenting to make an entire change in their mode of life. They were drilling themselves into the consent of ready obedience to the word and beck of another, in the name of patriotism and for the sake of the government. During this time they were getting acquainted with each other so as to be friendly, even when there was little congeniality either in person or in habits.
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ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
ONLY NINETY DAYS.
Many of the men were of free and lofty spirits, so that to consent to be part of a machine where a thousand men should be moulded into one, and move at the command of one man day or night, sick or well, was truly a trying time. Then too, at the time of our coming into camp, to most of the men and their friends it meant but ninety days from home. A few days in camp put on a more serious aspect to the picture. The call and muster by the general government for three years, struck many unfavorably, so that it was quite a strain both upon their courage and pride to take the more serious step.
When this thousand men came to camp they brought something more than numbers. Some things that could neither be counted nor weighed-some things that would either prove a tower of strength, or a source of weakness to them, as they pushed on into the battle line. Back of these men were a thousand homes, more or less. Each of these turned to the camp in Dixon. In these were fathers and mothers, wives, sisters and sweethearts. In these were well- wishes, tears and prayer ; from them came many letters filled with inspiration, or in some cases discouragement. We called our regiment, "One thousand strong." But was it not true that one half of our strength was never seen in either the camp or the battle-field. It was found in the homes and hearts left behind.
IN CATTLE SHEDS.
It was a new experience for these men to take up lodging in sheep pens and cattle shelds. But the adjustment was soon made, and many times before the service closed, these quarters would have been regarded palatial.
By night of the 9th of May the ten companies from which the regiment was to be formed had arrived at Dixon and made their way to the Fair-ground east of the city. These companies hailed from Dixon, Sterling, Amboy, Rock
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
Island, Sandwich, Sycamore, Morrison, Aurora, Chicago and Naperville. The grounds were good ; having on them some timber and a good spring of water, while the Fair-ground fence was something of an advantage in keeping men in and out, but not equal to the "great gulf" that is declared to be fixed. Before the sun went down on this day there was some- thing of a stir in camp. One thing was settled and all of our experience only seemed to confirm the conclusion. It was, that we would get hungry in spite of all our patriotism and disposition to sacrifice for our country. The matter of ra- tions not having been fully looked after, a move was made on the Nachusa House, and some of these same hungry fel- lows still make for the " Nachusa " when near it.
THE FIRST DAY IN SERVICE.
May 10th was our first day in service. A severe rain-storm coming on before daylight gave us a touch of what was a common thing before " the cruel war was over." It was, a wet time and a late breakfast. But after things were straight- ened out a little, we were treated with a speech from Mr. Dennio, who had just come from Washington, D. C. This was a matter of interest, as it seemed to bring us something from headquarters. The companies were then sworn into the State service for thirty days by Captain John E. Smith of Governor Yates' staff. A vote was then taken for regimental officers, resulting in the choice of John B. Wyman of Amboy as Colonel, Benjamin F. Park of Aurora for Lieutenant-Col- onel, and Adam B. Gorgas of Dixon as Major.
Just what our voting had to do with the choice of a Col- onel I could not see, when it has been stated on good author- ity that J. B. Wyman had tendered a regiment to Governor Vates, to be raised in our congressional district, and that the Governor had accepted it. But then we were children in those things, and we were led to think we were doing some- thing while we went through the motions.
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ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
THE FIRST MAN WOUNDED.
Guns were put into the hands of two of the companies ; and the first day brought on war to the extent of one wounded man. Some of Company K, then known as the " Du Page rifles," were on guard, and a soldier, starting to go by, was given a lively bayonet jab in the abdomen.
DRILL, DRILL.
Drill of all kinds from "squad " to "battalion " was at . once instituted and kept up in a most vigorous way. It seemed hard, and was hard work, but it served us well in after months, whether on parade or on the march or in battle line. Our friends had no occasion to feel ashamed of us.
AN EVENT IN MISSOURI.
While we were getting ourselves adjusted to camp life and fitted for more serious service, some things were transpiring in that part of the country where we were soon to act, that it may be of interest to note at the time of their occurrence. While we, as a regiment, had nothing to do with them, they doubtless modified the history of that field and so modified our future services.
It is well known to men familiar with the history of the time that Missouri was at heart a Secession State, and that the great city of St. Louis was disloyal and only wanted a pretext to openly declare with the South.
Near the city was a camp called together under the State Militia law, and commanded by Brigadier-General D. M. Frost. While they professed loyalty to the general govern- ment, they were in constant communication with the so- called Southern Confederacy.
Captain Nathaniel Lyon, of the Second Infantry, had been put in command of the Arsenal at St. Louis and of the troops stationed there. He was a clear-headed, energetic, patriot officer, and saw at a glance that it was very important that
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HISTORY OF THE THIRTEENTH REGIMENT
St. Louis should not fall into the rebel hands. He saw that this nominally loyal but heartily disloyal camp should be broken up. He determined to act at once by capturing the whole camp. Having secured sufficient forces he proceeded on May 10th, at 3 p. m. , to Camp Jackson in the northern part of the city and addressed the following communication to the commander, General Frost.
HEADQUARTERS OF U. S. TROOPS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, May 10th, 1861.
SIR: Your command is regarded as evidently hostile toward the Government of the United States. It is for the most part made up of those citizens who have openly avowed their hostility to the general government, and have been plotting at the seizure of its property and the overthrow of its authority.
You are in open communication with the so-called Southern Con- federacy, which is now at war with the United States and you are receiv- ing at your camp from the said Confederacy and under its flag, large supplies of the material of war, most of which is known to be the property of the United States.
These extraordinary preparations and the well known purpose of the Governor of this State, under whose order you act, and whose purposes recently communicated to the legislature have just been responded to by that body in the most extraordinary legislation, having in direct view hostilities to the general government and co-operation with its enemies.
In view of these considerations, and of your failure to disperse in obedience to the Proclamation of the President and of the eminent necessities of State policy and warfare, and the obligations imposed upon me by instructions from Washington, it is my duty to demand, and I do demand of you an immediate surrender of your command, with no other conditions than that all persons surrendering under this demand shall be honorably and kindly treated. Believing myself prepared to enforce this demand, one half hour's time before doing so will be allowed for your compliance therewith.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, N. LYON,
Capt. Second Infantry, U. S. Troops.
Captain Lyon took the camp with fifty officers and six hundred and thirty-nine men. While he was marching off to the prison some fighting was indulged in, killing and wound- ing a number of persons, and as is usual in such cases, some
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ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
innocent people. In this camp were found guns and stores that had been taken from the United States Arsenal at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, boxed and directed to some Union men in St. Louis, as a blind to the real destination.
The future developments proved conclusively that Captain Lyon's judgment in the case was correct, and that his prompt action saved St. Louis to us, and much fighting in that quarter to the United States troops.
Of course, General Frost protested most earnestly against such measures, and appealed to General Harney who was at that time " Commanding the Department of the West." This protest, together with Captain Lyon's account of the affair was sent to Washington.
Let us note a further occurence of the day following as reported by Captain Lyon, and also an expression of his, as to General Harney's relation to the vigorous measures necessary at that time.
ST. LOUIS ARSENAL, May 12th, IS61. 4
SIR : Yesterday, I left to Captain Callender and Lieutenant Saxton, the duty of receiving and arming about twelve hundred men, from the northern part of the city, who on returning to their station, were fired into by a mob, which fire was returned by the troops, from which, all told on both sides, about twelve persons were killed, -two of whom, as far as I am informed, were of the United States troops ; further particu- lars of which may hereafter be transmitted.
General Harney having arrived, has assumed command of the de- partment, and has ordered into the city all of the troops of the regular service now here (except my own company) and four pieces of artillery.
It is with great delicacy and hesitancy I take the liberty to observe that the energetic and necessary measures of the day before yesterday, reported in my communication of yesterday, require persevering and constant exertions to effect the object in view of anticipating combina- tions and measures of hostility against the general government, and that the authority of General Harney under these circumstances em- barrasses, in a most painful manner, the execution of the plans con- templated, and upon which the safety and welfare of the government, as I conceive, so much depends, and which must be decided in a very short period.
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