USA > Illinois > Will County > Fifteen years ago; or, The patriotism of Will County, designed to preserve the names and memory of Will County soldiers, both officers and privates - both living and dead: to tell something of what they did, and of what they suffered, in the great struggle to preserve our nationality > Part 22
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On the 30th, five of the sick were sent to Lebanon, and five returned to the regiment, and one, Jerry Harper, of Co. C, was left in charge of a resident physician. He died a few days after, Oct. 30th.
Nov. 1st, they reached Glasgow, camping on the fair grounds. Here the regiment received a mail, and learned of the capture of the gallant sutlers, Caswell and Bush, who had started from Louis- ville with a load of goods, boxes, and mail, for the regiment. But John Morgan gathered them in, and the boys had to mourn the loss of their letters and good things from home. Here, also, they learned that Rosecrans had superseded Buell, which gave general satisfaction. The force staid at this place until Nov, 4th. Sixteen more of the regiment were sent to the hospital at Cave City. On the 4th they marched seven miles to Scottsville, crossing two streams, where the bridges had been burned by the rebels the year previous. One, the Big Barrow, was the largest stream that had been met since leaving the Ohio. Here quite a number of the regiment that had been left on the way came up. After another day's rest, and a march of twenty-two miles, they passed from the neutral state of Kentucky into the rebel state of Tennessee. No great change was perceptible in the physical or moral atmosphere.
A granite obelisk, on which are the names of Gov. Harris and
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his secretary, and of the engineers, marks the spot. The boys hur- rahed for Dixie on crossing the line.
While passing over the sacred soil of Kentucky, the orders of the commander, Buell, had been very strict against foraging, and the boys found it very hard work, when tired and hungry, to keep their hands off the fruit, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. One time the regiment was passing a fine orchard of fruit, and one of the boys of Co. A, a fine soldier, started from the ranks and jumped over a fence, bound for the apples. The colonel saw him, and ordered Jeff. back. Now, Jeff. was a good soldier, and did not mean to be insubordinate, but he did want the apples bad, and he did not halt very fast. The colonel drew his revolver, and repeated his order, "Take your place in the ranks." It was a solemn moment ; Jeff. looked back over his shoulder to see if the colonel was in earnest, and, to use his own words, " saw shoot" plainly in the eyes of the colonel, and the result was, he did not want the apples any more.
Almost immediately upon the entrance of the regiment upon the sacred soil of Kentucky, they had made the acquaintance of two classes of vertebrates, which played an important part in the war of the rebellion. I mean the mule, and the contraband. I wish it distinctly understood that I mean no disrespect to either, in thus classing them together. I do so simply because in the experience of the 100th, they came together, and because, although each deserves a separate chapter in our history, yet the necessities of brevity forbid.
Occasional specimens of both had been seen here at the north before the war. Now and then a man had ventured to ride a mule, or to drive a span through the streets. And we had had frequent glimpses of the contraband, as the naughty abolitionists transported them through on the underground railroad ; while, as permanent specimens, there was " Uncle John," who lived so long in his elegant mansion alongside of banker Woodruff's. We also had " Bogus," (sometimes called Levi), of the National Hotel 'bus, to show us how even black will fade under certain circumstances. But these were fragmentary specimens. In Kentucky, both were to be seen in their glory. Kentucky had long been celebrated for raising mules and politicians, sending now and then one of them
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to congress. She had also rivaled Virginia in the traffic in " slaves and souls of men," rearing them for the cotton states. One of the first lessons it became necessary for the boys to learn was how to subsist, and how to manage a mule team, and how to keep the mules from chewing up at night the wagon and its contents, which they had so patiently drawn through the day. Another lesson on which they studied long and hard, but which I do not suppose this or any other regiment ever learned perfectly, was how to tell when a mule was going to kick; but they never found any diffi- culty in telling when a mule had kicked ! Without the mule, I do not see how the war could ever have been conducted, as no other animal could have endured the labor and deprivation inci- dent to the transporting of the impedimenta of an army through a country that had already felt the devastating effects of war. Many rich experiences, no doubt, could be related in respect to the mule, but we cannot give them now. We turn our attention to the con- traband, between whom and the mule there were many points of resemblance. Neither had any rights which a white man is bound to respect. Both had from time immemorial been the sub- jects of prejudice and abuse, and both have exhibited the most wonderful patience under such abuse, although both have occasion- ally been known to kick. Both have a wonderful capacity for music, and delight in exhibiting their powers " oft in the stilly night." Both came to be recognized at last as important instru- mentalities to be employed in the service of the Union, although I fear that there are many still left, even here at the north, who are not willing that the contraband should have a fair chance to prove his claims to manhood. Some, I suspect, are afraid of being out- stripped in the race, if the negro is permitted to enter the lists on an equal footing. When the 100th entered the service, the ques- tion of what to do with the contraband, had not begun to be solved. It was the most perplexing of all the questions of the war. Per- haps Gen. Butler never served the country better than when he gave it a partial solution, and fixed upon the race a name which is a most happy one, inasmuch as it avoids on the one hand the mean and contemptible epithet of " nigger," and on the other, does not bring him " between the wind and our nobility," and outrage our delicate feelings by recognizing him as a man and a brother. It
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was a master stroke, and perhaps the shrewd general had in his mind the saying of some old abolitionist, that no man could ever again be president who spelled negro with two " g's."
Well, as I have said, the boys encountered the contraband immediately upon their entrance upon actual service in Kentucky. And it is something wonderful how quickly many of them forgot their former prejudices. The great inalienable right of the slave- holder to his " nigger," which had heretofore seemed to some to be the corner-stone of our government, vanished into thin air, and the darkies were soon welcomed into our camps, and not unfre- quently kept, concealed and protected, against the orders of the commanding general. And this was not so strange after all, as in every slave-holder the boys soon came to recognize an enemy, and in the contrabands their only reliable friends.
Perhaps no one left Joliet with stronger prejudices than the Captain of Co. G. But before the 100th had got half through Kentucky, these prejudices somehow got worn very thin. So much so, that when a good likely boy made his appearance in camp, with the story of how his " massa" abused him, and how he wanted to " go long" with " massa Linkum's sogers," the offi- cers of Co. G, concluded unanimously that they would keep the boy, and employ him as their cook and man of all work. So they contributed around and got the boy a new rig throughout, the captain investing liberally in the enterprise. They felt very proud of their colored servant, and put on some airs before the other boys, calling their attention to the appearance of the boy, after they had got him dressed up. The boy served them well for a few days. But one morning when they were congratulating themselves upon their good luck in getting so fine a cook, and an- ticipating the rasher of bacon "a la Kaintuck," and the hot cof- fee, and de hoe cake, etc., Mr. Darkey was not to be found. His new clothes had run off with him, and the only thing Co. G had to show for their investment was his old rags. I suppose he had some Phyllis that he did not like to leave behind, which caused his heart to fail him, when the regiment was about to move. The Captain got a good many jokes over his luck in " stealing niggers," but I suppose he consoled himself with the reflection that the boy
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had at least proved his equality with the white man, in being like him, "mighty onsartain."
Some time later in the war, a chap in the 100th was almost as happy in giving a name to the mule, as Gen. Butler was in giving one to the darkey. It was at a time when a great many of our officers were being breveted-the brevet fever as the boys called it, was prevailing alarmingly. I suppose no explanation is necessary as to what is meant by being breveted. It is a kind of fancy title by which a man is cheaply rewarded for gallantry or meritorious service, without having either the pay or the power of the rank, ex- cept when detailed for some special duty. It was however an honor much sought after at one time, and those who got it were happy, while those who did not get it, were envious. . Well, one time, when the piazza of a hotel at Nashville was swarming with these breveted officers, sporting their shoulder straps, some of them double the regulation length, a high private of the 100th, was rid- ing his mule along past the hotel, when he spied the breveted gen- tlemen. He rode up pretty near the hotel, and commenced bela- boring his mule at a terrible rate, swearing at him and exclaiming, " Get up here ! get up here! you d-n'brevet-horse ! you d -n brevet- horse!"
After the army had crossed the line into Tennessee, they took it for granted that the orders against foraging were no longer in force, and the fences, pigs, poultry, etc., suffered. A march of sixteen miles on the 8th, brought the army through Gallatin, and Sunday they rested three miles beyond the town. On the 10th they crossed the Cumberland, marched twelve miles and camped on the Lebanon and Nashville pike, about twenty miles from Nashville, at Camp Silver Springs, and here the regiment re- mained some days.
The last part of this march was made after dark. Two of the boys of Co. G, got so disgusted with marching in the dark, and were so tired withal, that they concluded that they would fall behind and take a rest for the night, and catch up with the regi- ment in the morning. So they dropped out on a favorable oppor- tunity, and made their bed under some bushes, and slept as only tired soldier boys can sleep, dreaming no doubt of home and its delights, until the sun awoke them in the morning. When they 31
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jumped up and looked around, to their no small surprise, they found themselves in a camp, men and horses all around, some still sleeping, and some, like themselves, getting up. Sentinels too are standing guard all around the camp. They have a strange look -who can they be? certainly not their old comrades of yester- day. The mystery is soon solved. The boys are discovered, and are soon surrounded by a lot of rebel cavalry men, John Morgan's famous rangers. Of course they are prisoners. How they cursed, (inwardly) their folly in straggling last night ! But there is no help for it. They are now at the disposal, and under the orders of men in butternut. The camp is all astir, and after a hasty breakfast, of which they are allowed a slender share, they are treated to a rapid march of about fifteen miles in the opposite di- rection to the one they wished to go. Marching to keep up with the cavalry, was worse even than that of the night before. They are all uncertain too as to what was to be their fate. Their captors took delight in playing upon their fears, and even talked of hang- ing them. But after keeping them three days, they parolled them and let them go. Not, however, without first effecting quite a change in their personal appearance. The rebels compelled them to strip off their good clothes, and to accept in exchange a suit of the hateful and dirty butternut, confiscating at the same time the contents of their pockets. They then made their way back to the regiment, sadder and wiser, and, let us hope, better boys. They put the best face they could upon the matter, as they made their entree into camp at Silver Springs. The shouts and yells of wel- come that went up from the boys on discovering who they were, I presume they will never forget. The colonel, however, was some- what indignant at their course, and threatened at first that he would not respect their parole, but put them in front. He relented, however, and let them off.
This adventure entitled them to an honorable retirement to the veteran reserve corps ! It is said that a photograph of them, taken while dressed in their new uniform, is still extant, and is the admiration of their friends. The Baptist church at Beloit would hardly recognize in one of them their eloquent and well-beloved pastor-but he was one of the boys !
While at Silver Springs, the weather was mostly cold and 31
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rainy, and the men were worn out with their campaign, and a large number were sick. Some mornings, 100 to 150 would report at surgeon's call. On the 15th, all fit for duty were out on a trip attempting to capture a force of the enemy's cavalry. They pur- sued them to Lebanon, and then gave up the chase, and returned about 9:30 p. m., having traveled twenty-eight miles, part of the time on the double-quick.
Tuesday, the 17th, was a sad day in the regiment, as they were called upon to bury two of their number, A. Leonard, of Co. E, from Troy, of typhoid pneumonia, and Wm. Sutton, of Co. A, from Wilton, of typhoid fever. They were buried with military honors.
The regiment remained at this camp nine days, the longest stop which had been made since leaving Louisville.
On the 19th, it moved eight miles, stopping about an hour near the "Hermitage," giving the boys an opportunity to visit one of our national shrines, the residence and tomb of " Old Hickory." Many expressed the wish that Old Hickory had been in the execu- tive chair when the rebellion commenced. Next day crossed Stone River, and marched some three or four miles. That afternoon the ambulances were sent into Nashville with seventeen of the sickest ones of the regiment. It was supposed that the army would remain some time at this point, and so the men fixed up their camp in good style, setting out evergreens, building chim- neys, &c., and receiving a daily mail from Nashville, and enjoying the presence of a sutler who had driven in from Louisville. But just as they had got nicely fixed up, they moved again on the 26th, going to a point about four miles southeast of Nashville, which was their camp until the advance on Murfreesboro, the 26th of December.
On the 27th, another member died in camp, Amos Gawthrop, of Co. H, from Wilton. He had been on detailed duty with the battery attached to the brigade, and was sick for some time there, and was then sent to the regimental hospital, where he died, mak- ing the fourth death with the regiment. The other boys who had died on the march, had been buried without coffins, but Co. H, determined that Gawthrop should have a coffin. They were camped at this time on the land of a Mr. Jones, who lived near the camp,
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and who like a good many others, was a good Union man when our army was around, and the boys applied to him for some boards to make a coffin. But he refused to give or sell them any. They reported the matter to the colonel, who told them to go and help themselves. So they stripped off a lot of boards from his fences, and made a rude coffin, and wrapping the soldier in his blanket, put him into it, and buried him near a brick church, Chaplain Crews officiating. This soldier had two brothers in the 100th, and another brother in the 4th cavalry, and a half brother also in the service. One died of disease, and one was killed at Chicka- mauga.
Co. A also buried a good man in a similar manner next day, Wm. Birdenstein, of the town of Reed, whose brother died also December 19th. Other deaths had occurred among those who had been left behind in hospitals.
The location of the camp was not a very pleasant one, and the weather was most of the time cold and wet, and consequently there was a good deal of sickness in the regiment, principally measles and lung affections, for which sleeping on the ground could not be very good. Several were sent from time to time into the city, which was now one great hospital.
The men all had some interesting experiences in this camp. Being comparatively young soldiers, they had not yet learned how to make the best of it, had not yet learned all the shifts and devices by which an old campaigner knows how to alleviate the discomforts of such a life, even under the most untoward circum- stances. The 100th was brigaded with old troops, and one might naturally suppose that these would stand ready to assist and instruct their new comrades. Not a bit of it! On the contrary, they seemed to find great satisfaction in standing by and witnessing the awkwardness and mistakes of the fresh fish. But the 100th soon learned all the tricks and devices of the camp, and took their revenge by playing the same role with other new-comers ; a curious phase of what we call human nature, seen also in college life ; when the freshman becomes a soph., he seems to find sweet revenge for the indignities to which he had been subjected, by playing them off on his vealy successors.
On the night of Dec. 1st, the camp had a rough experience.
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It had rained hard all day, and in the evening there was a teriffic thunder-storm, accompanied by very high winds. Imagine how unwelcome such a storm must be in cold weather, with nothing overhead but cotton cloth, and nothing underneath but the bare ground !
The two assistant surgeons, Harwood and Woodruff, occupied a tent together. About nine o'clock, the ditch which had been dug around the tent, for the purpose of carrying off the water, began to overflow, and the water came into the tent. As the beds consisted of nothing but straw with the blanket thrown over, they soon became uncomfortably moist, and the surgeons had to forsake their downy couch and excavate a deeper cut to carry off the water -not a very agreeable job in the darkness, the wind, and the rain. The next tent was occupied by the senior surgeon and his clerk. They were no better off, if so well, for in addition to the water, the tent pins had got loosened, and the clerk was out trying to drive them in the darkness, and he could only see them when a flash of lightning lit up the scene momentarily, showing also the senior surgeon standing en dishabille in the tent door, and most emphati- cally giving directions to his clerk in a composite language, mainly English and German, with now and then a word that ought not to be in either language. I think the old adage, " Misery loves company," was true in this case, and the sub-surgeons drew no little satisfaction from the glimpses they caught of the chief, reveal- ing the fact that he was in a worse plight than themselves. But they got punished for so selfish a feeling, for they had no sooner got settled down again before the chimney fire, where they had drawn the bed, than, without any warning, down came their tent, an irreparable wreck, in the darkness. Hastily gathering up books and papers, they had to retreat to the hospital tent, where they sat up the balance of the night on the boxes, thoroughly disgusted with army life. In the morning they were again comforted to find that the rest of the officers had had similar experiences. The colonel, for the first time since leaving Louisville, had undressed, and was enjoying the unwonted luxury of clean sheets once more, when his tent blew down, and he was caught literally sans culotte -whatever that means !
On the 4th, the division was reviewed by General Rosecrans.
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Life in camp now moved on with but little to interrupt its monotony. The regiment took its turn occasionally in going out to guard forage trains. The officers and men discussed over their coffee and pipes the rumors and speculations that were rife respect- ing further movements, and anyone fortunate enough to get news from home, shared it with his comrades. Anything to read was a godsend. Dime novels and illustrated papers found a ready mar- ket, and were devoured most greedily. The Republican and the Signal were especially welcome. Not a few, let us hope, read the testaments which their mothers had crowded into their carpet- bags ! And here they remained until after Christmas-the last Christmas many of them would see !
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REGIMENTAL HISTORIES.
CHAPTER VI.
HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH REGT .- CONTINUED. . NASHVILLE TO CHICKAMAUGA. SEPTEMBER, 1862, TO DECEMBER, 1863.
Signs of Advance-Christmas Eve-Strikes out for LaVernge-On the March-Camps-In Line of Battle-La Vernge-Advances-Captures some Rebs-Incident-Stewart's Creek-Sunday Rest-Battle Opens-How it went-Incidents-Casualties-Night-New Year's Eve-New Year's Day- Night Again-Battle Renewed-Incidents-Casualties-Victory-Jan. 3d- Enemy makes Another Attempt-Gives it up-Retreats-List of Casualties -Incidents-Moves through Murfreesboro and Encamps-Visitors from Home- Accident in Camp- Deaths - Paymaster Welcome - Reviews- Changes Camp-Fixes up-Foraging-Incidents-A Visit from Joliet Ladies -Forward again-Incidents - Foraging- Storm-Settles at Hillsboro - Month's Stay-Accident-Capt. Munger makes a Good Shot-Scientific For- aging-On the move again-Aunt Emma makes a Sensation-Over the Mountains-Incidents-Down into the Sequatchie-24th Tenn. Inf .- Expe- dition-Chaplain Resigns-A Story on him-On the March-Peter's Cave- Crosses the Tennessee-Nickajack Cave-A Corner -- Moves on-Old Look- out -- In Chattanooga -- Out to Chickamauga Creek.
FEW days before Christmas, the orders received left no doubt in the minds of the men that " Old Rosey " was soon to show his hand. Sickness had reduced the regiment to 600 men fit for duty. On the morning of the 24th, orders came to be ready to move at 7:30 next morning. This necessitates turning out at five, and plenty of hard work to get ready. But at the set hour the tents have been struck, breakfast cooked and eaten, the indispen- sible " coffee " made and drank, the wagons packed, and every
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thing ready for a move. Then came orders to issue two days' additional rations, and repack the wagons, so that two or three should carry all that was indispensible-the balance to be sent to Nashville to be stored. This was also done, and the boys lay around on the ground, dozing and grumbling, until 3 p. m., when they were ordered to pitch tents again, and be ready to move at. daylight next morning.
And this was Christmas eve! Every soldier's thoughts go back to the homes they have left behind them, and in many a mind, no doubt, the question comes up unbidden : "Shall I ever join in the Christmas festivities of the old home again ?" Pic- tures of Christmas trees in gas-lit parlors and churches, surrounded by groups of happy children, and dear, dear friends and kindred, pass in panoramic visions through the mind, in strange and start- ling contrast to the camp, and its groups of soldiery, guns, and warlike preparations. A strange contrast, too, in another respect : There, they are celebrating the advent of the PRINCE OF PEACE ; here, we are about to move forward in fierce and bloody encounter, appealing to the God of War.
1 . Very timely, a load came in from Nashville, of thirteen boxes for the regiment, full of those things which were welcome to the soldier. They were quickly opened and contents distributed, and many had a taste of Christmas, a reminder that they were not for- gotten, though far away.
Christmas day was passed quietly in the same camp, and on the evening of the 26th, by nine o'clock, the army was finally under way. The division in which the 100th was placed took the road toward La Vernge and Murfreesboro. The day was rainy and the army moved slowly, being stopped occasionally by the enemy skirmishing with the advance. The regiment passed through the deserted camps of other portions of the army, which had preceded them, and five miles out passed the last picket, and struck out for La Vernge. Frequent stoppages were made, to allow the artillery to shell the woods to drive out any rebels that might be lurking in them to pick off the men. As they progress, they see the marks left by the artillery upon the trees, barns and fences. In the advance, a man is seen upon the roof of a house, waving a flag to and fro, and far away to the right is another doing the
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