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 9
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During the return of the 20th from Fredericktown, strict or- ders were given by Col. Marsh against foraging. On encamping for the night, the men found themselves terribly hungry, and their prospects for supper very slim. One of the lynx-eyed boys es- pied a flock of sheep, and the temptation was too strong for some of them, and several carcasses were brought into camp, and pre- parations made for a good square meal. Suddenly the Colonel made his apppearance, and seeing what was going on said, " Boys this won't do, you know that it is a positive violation of my
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TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
orders. " One whom the boys called " Lemon Jim, " spoke up, and with the utmost gravity said, " Col., we came suddenly upon these d -- d devils ; they refused to take the oath of allegiance, and here they are !"
The 20th, soon after the battle of Fredericktown, (Oct. 31st) re- turned to Birds Point, on steamer Alex. Scott. Here the men built log houses for their winter quarters.
While here, during January, General Paine ordered Captain Hildebrant to take Sergeant Branch and ten men, and proceed to Belmont and arrest one Wiseman, the leader of a rebel gang that shot many of our pickets on the 16th of January, and to bring him into camp. They arrived at Belmont about midnight, and cautionsly approaching a house found it a rendezvous of rebel pickets whose camp was a mile ahead, directly opposite Colum- bus. The call was unexpected. Our boys drove in the pickets and surrounded the house. In a loud voice the captain gave out his commands, ordering the columns to move forward ! as if he had a large force. The rebs skedaddled toward their camp with- out firing a gun. Our boys searched the house, but found that the bird had flown. On their return they heard the long roll call sounded in the rebel camp, and the order to " fall in."
This bold reconnoisance on the part of Captain Hildebrant, is only one of the many tests to which his bravery and judgment were subjected, and in which he always proved himself equal to the occasion.
Soon after the return of the 20th to Birds Point, it received a visit from some of its Joliet friends. Among them, Otis Hardy, Esq., and his two eldest daughters, and Mrs. Button, the wife of the worthy chaplain. "Bro. Hardy " had heard that somehow hospital stores which had been forwarded to the boys from Joliet had failed to come to hand, and with his usual zeal and thorough- ness he made it his business to investigate the matter. He ac- cordingly looked up the stores in Cairo, and got them into the hospital. Not liking the looks of the hospital, (of which our boys had just taken possession,) he pulled off his coat, and with the assist- ance of the others, he thoroughly " policed " it, without waiting for orders or even a permit from headquarters. Some officials looked on astonished at so extra-judicial a proceeding, but I guess the inmates rather liked it.
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.
The stay at Birds Point was extremely tedious, and the boys became somewhat restive. The difficulties in the regiment broke out again. A petition was circulated asking Col. Marsh to resign, which was signed by more than three-fourths of the officers, and a great majority of the men, which he declined to do. Capt. Hilde- brant, on being arbitrarily denied a leave of absence to go to Cairo and meet his wife, allowed himself to be guilty of an act of insub- ordination, and to go without leave, for which he was placed in arrest, and ordered confined to camp. After a few days, Captain Hildebrant reported to the general commanding, when he was released from arrest, and placed on duty as a scout, and remained most of the winter on special service. Just before the movement up the river to Fort Henry, the captain was tried on the charge of disobedience, with some other charges of which he was not guilty, and the court cleared him of all ; but for some reason, the papers failed to reach the headquarters.
The captain remained on special duty, taking part in the New Madrid fight, and the final skirmish at Sykeston, until April, 1862, when he rejoined his company at Pittsburg Landing as a private, and carried a musket during the two days' fight, and was afterward restored to his command by order of department com- mander.
While at Birds Point the 11th Ill. and 20th were brigaded together, and the men became fast friends. They were located in the vicinity of some of old Bird's bee-hives, and of course, as the old man was known to be a secesh, and as the boys had a kind of han- kering after honey, some of the hives got robbed of their sweet stores ; and what was more unfortunate, the robbers got caught at it by Grant's body-guard, who arrested the whole squad, and paroled them to appear at headquarters next morning, which they did, and got assessed a fine, to pay the old man for his honey. But the joke of the thing was, that the body-guard were so careful of the honey, and so anxious to keep temptation away from the men, that they eat it up themselves. The consequence was, that when any of them came within hearing of the brigade, the follow- ing catechism was repeated for their edification :
Question .- " Who stole the honey ?"
Answer .- " The 11th and 20th."
.
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TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
Q .- " Who paid for the honey ?" A .- " The 11th and 20th."
Q .- " Who eat the honey ? "
A .- "Gen. Grant's body-guard ! "
This got to the ears of the general after a little, and the fine on the 11th and 20th was remitted !
New Year's day, 1862, found a large army gathered at Birds Point, under the command of Brig. Gen. Paine, Gen. Grant being in command of the district of Cairo.
Many of the wives of the officers of the regiments composing this force were stopping at Cairo, among others, Mrs. Erwin, Mrs. Bartleson, Mrs. Hildebrant, and Mrs. Goodwin, of Joliet, were there. Of course there was much passing to and fro across the river. New Year's Day was kept under novel circumstances by the army congregated at the " Point," and by the ladies quartered at Cairo. The ladies generally kept open house, and were the recipients of many calls. Not to name any others, Mrs. General Grant " received " on that occasion. I presume that then she did not in the least anticipate that she would ever " receive " as mis- tress of the white house.
Among others, Col. Wallace, of the 11th Ill., Lt. Col. Erwin, and Captain Bartleson, of the 20th, called upon her in company. Each of the three now sleep in honored graves, having met death on the field. The first to fall was Lt. Col. Erwin, (only a few weeks after), at Donaldson. A little later, Col. Wallace fell at Shiloh. Capt. Bartleson, after losing an arm at Shiloh, survived to meet the enemies of his country as colonel of the 100th, on the fiercely contested fields of Stone River and Chickamauga ; and after enduring a long imprisonment at Libby, fell at last before the deadly aim of a rebel sharpshooter in front of " Kenesaw " a few days after rejoining his regiment.
While the officers were thus spending the day, the " high pri- vates " were not without their recreation. Some wags of the 11th and 20th took it into their heads to get up a masquerade, which for its grotesqueness, its happy hits, and telling comicalities, has seldom been excelled, and will be remembered by many still liv- ing. Among other performances, they went through a burlesque artillery drill, mounted on old mules, and using old stove pipes
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mounted on cart wheels for cannon, imitating the movements of artillerymen in the most ludicrous manner. Two of the boys- one being dressed in female garb-went on a " tour of inspection " through the camps and hospitals, riding from one to the other in great haste, dismounting, and going through a hurried inspection of the premises, asking questions ludicrously impertinent, making short speeches and exhortations, and then mounting their mules and flying to another ; thus burlesqueing some " visitors " they had seen. And in a hundred ways, which those who witnessed the scene may recall, the boys kept their New Year's Day-alas ! the last very many of them would see !
On the 14th day of January, 1862, the 20th was in the force that accompanied Gen. Grant in his reconnoisance toward Colum- bus, and on the 20th returned to Birds Point.
Some time in January, also, a part of the regiment accompanied a force of about 1,500, which was sent out to chase up a cavalry force of the enemy. The expedition started out a little after dusk, and after wandering about all night in a drizzling rain, they were guided by a man, who proved to be a traitor, into an ambuscade, while it was still dark. From some unknown source, they were met by a volley of musketry, which killed four and wounded some fifteen in an Iowa regiment. A retreat was indulged in as soon as possible.
The regiment then took part in the expedition under General Grant, which left Cairo Feb. 2d and 3d, 1862, the objective point being Fort Henry.
They left comfortable quarters, but were glad to be on the move. They left by steamer. A snow storm came on, which, with the crowded state of the boat, made things somewhat uncom- fortable, especially the first night, when the 20th had to occupy the hurricane deck. The deck was covered with ice, and it was impossible to move. Two men slipped overboard during the night, and were drowned. They laid at Cairo until 10 o'clock of Monday. They then crossed to Paducah, stopping two hours, and then passed up the Tennessee in the night. The morning found them within twelve miles of the fort. Soon they heard the music of the gun-boats in the advance, under Commodore Foote, shelling the shores. They landed within four miles of the fort, and
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TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
encamped on a high hill. The 20th was placed in the 2d brigade, Col. W. H. L. Wallace, commanding; the 11th Ill., the 45th Ill., the 4th cavalry, and McAllister's and Taylor's batteries, with the 20th, constituted the brigade. In the capture of Fort Henry, the land forces took no part, the work being wholly done by the gun-boats. On the 6th, the 20th was in the fort.
It was the intention to have the land force invest the fort in the rear, and to cut off the escape of the garrison, as well as to aid in reducing it. Nine o'clock was the time set for attack, it being expected that by that time the land forces would be in position. But, although the troops were on the move by daylight, such was the condition of the roads, that they had not proceeded two miles before the gun-boats commenced the attack. The weather had been rainy for weeks, the river was over its banks, and every slough and bayou was full, so that instead of four miles, the force had to go ten to reach the rear of the fort, and had to wade streams and bayous waist deep, and encounter mud knee deep. The conse- quence was, that the infantry did not get to Fort.Henry until after dark, and the main part of the rebels had escaped to Fort Don- aldson.
The regiment left fort Henry for Donaldson on the 12th, with the army under Grant, the greater portion being in camp before dark the same evening. But they had a weary march through mnd and snow, and over a rough country. The bombardment by the gunboats was commenced the 13th. Friday, the 14th, was comparatively quiet. But on the 15th, the fight was vigorous. The gun-boats had got disabled, and the work had to be done, this time, by the land forces. On the night of the 13th, the enemy made an attempt to take Taylor's battery, and it was repulsed by the 11th and 20th regiments. Saturday, the 15th, the enemy made a desperate attack, of which McClernand's division sustained the brunt. They were nobly resisted for three hours, and finally repulsed, our side being nearly out of ammunition. On the 17th, the fort surrendered, and Grant won the soubriquet of " Uncondi- tional Surrender Grant," that being the terms he gave the rebels.
In the three days' fight, resulting in such a glorious victory, so important in its results, the 20th took its full share. And this time not without severe loss. The rejoicings which filled our hearts 13
.
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HISTORY OF THE
at the news of victory, were sadly dampened when the tidings came that Col. Erwin was among the killed ; that the life of one of our most respected citizens was part of the cost of victory. The 20th also lost twenty killed, eight of whom were from Will county, and our companies, B and F, had also thirty wounded.
The attention shown the remains of Col. Erwin has been given in our home history, and a brief sketch of his life will be found elsewhere. We give here the official report of Col. Marsh, in full, and the casualties to Will county men :
"HD. QRS. OF 20TH REG'T, 2ND BRIGADE, IST DIVISION.
FORT DONALDSON, FEB. 17TH, 1862,
SIR :- In compliance with orders, I make the following report of the movements of my command during the 13th, 14th and 15th insts. On the morning of the 13th, my regiment with the rest of the brigade was formed in line of battle near the brow of the hill, fronting the right of the enemy's fortifications. Nothing of special interest affecting my command occurred during the day. Towards evening I was ordered to move toward the right, and I took position on a ridge facing the outworks of the rebel's left, the 11th Ill. being on my right, and the 48th on my left. Shortly after taking posi- tion it commen ced raining, turning in a short time to snow, and bitterly cold. My regiment was under arms nearly the whole night, the frequent skirmishes of our pickets with those of the enemy, leading me to fear an at- tack at any moment. At daylight, on the morning of the 14th, I ordered fires started, and coffee made for my command ; our close proximity to the enemy forbidding the use of fires at night. Most of this day was spent in watching the movements of the enemy, and employing my sharp-shooters in picking off the rebels as they showed themselves above their breastworks. This night passed very similarly to the preceding one, my men bearing the exposure of the cold and fatigue with exemplary patience. At daybreak, on the morning of the 15th, repeated volleys of musketry on the right, caused me to form in line of battle. I soon ascertained that the firing was caused by the enemy's attacking the Ist brigade, (Col. Oglesby's) posted on the ex- treme right of our line. I immediately strengthened my skirmishers whom I had kept out all night, giving instructions to report from time to time the movements of the enemy, if attacked, to endeavor to drive back their ad- vance, and not retreat till forced to do so by a superior force. Matters con- tinued thus for some two hours, the firing on the right being without inter- mission. At this time the officer in command of my skirmishers, informed me that the enemy was advancing in my front. A few moments and my advance was drawn back, and almost immediately the rebels appeared com - ing over the brow of the hill. Not waiting to receive their attack, I order- ed my command to advance, which they did in admirable order, driving the rebels steadily before them till they broke and run. Advancing in pursuit I was suddenly met by a fresh force of the enemy, who at once opened fire upon me, still moving forward. I succeeded in forcing them to retreat, and followed them up, till running short of ammunition, I drew back in good
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TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
order to my first position, and sent back for a fresh supply. I remained here without further molestation from the enemy till ordered to march to the left. Shortly after taking my original position, the 11th Ill. next on my right became engaged, and at the time of my being ordered off the field were still fighting bravely. Had I received a fresh supply of ammunition, I would gladly have gone to their assistance. I may be pardoned for speak- ing with pride of the behavior of my entire command, officers and men during the action. The fine order, coolness and courage with which they advanced in the face of a terrible and continuous fire meets my hearty com- mendation. My every order was promptly and correctly executed to my complete satisfaction. Could my record end here, I would be indeed happy, but the painful duty remains to report the loss of many of my brave men. My Lt. Col. Wm. Erwin was killed quite early in the action, being struck in the breast by a round shot from one of the enemy's guns. A cool, brave officer, a noble man, he gloriously fell in the execution of his duty, adding in his death new laurels to those he long since won on the bloody field of Buena Vista. His commander sadly regrets the occasion which calls forth this feeble tribute of respect to his memory. Color Serg't Newton and the entire color guard, except one corporal,' were either killed or wounded." I herewith append a list of the killed, wounded and missing of my command. My field music and band were employed during the action in removing the wounded and dead from the field, thus rendering efficient service and per- mitting me to retain all my fighting men in the ranks. Tendering my con- gratulations on the glorious victory and the capture of Fort Donaldson, I have the honor to remain,
Your very obedient servant,
C. C. MARSH, COL
The official report of Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, commander of the 2nd brigade, 1st division, says :
"My brigade was formed by order of Gen. U. S. Grant commanding the district of Cairo, consisted of the 11th Ill. Infantry, Col. Ransom; 20th Ill. Infantry, Col. C. C. Marsh ; 49th, Col. John E. Smith; 48th Ill., Col. I. N. Hayne; 4th Ill. Cavalry, Col. T. L. Dickey ; Capt. Ezra Taylor's Battery (B. 1st Ill. Artillery) and Capt. E. McAllister's Battery of three 24 pound howit- * * * * * * zers. * *
"The 20th, which stood next the 11th, was the next heaviest sufferer, having eighteen killed on the field. Lt. Col. Erwin, while nobly animating his men, and adding new laurels to those he so nobly won at Buena Visita, was struck down by a cannon shot from the enemy's battery."
Col. C. C. Marsh exhibited the utmost coolness and self-possession on the field, encouraging his men with all the order of parade. Major Rich- ards also acted with great bravery.
"McAllister's guns did good service. They were three 24 pound how- itzers, without caissons, and with a limited supply of ammunition, and with- out a full compliment of men. One of them lost a wheel, shot away onthe 13th, but supplied from their limber. On the 15th inst, the trail of another howitzer was broken, and it was rendered useless. They fired all their am-
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munition, fifty rounds a piece. The cavalry of Col. Dickey, 4th Ill., did ex- cellent service in reconnoitering, and holding the enemy in check on the right.
To Surgeon Goodbrake of the 20th, acting brigade surgeon, I am under special obligations. Chaplains Pearsons of the 11th, and Button of the 20th were indefatigable in their attentions to the wounded, and in collecting and burying the dead."
The reader will bear in mind that in the 4th cavalry men- tioned above, Will county had five commissioned officers and one hundred and twenty-seven men ; and also that McAllister's bat- tery was largely from our county ; thus, in this memorable en- gagement, our county was largely represented.
CASUALTIES TO WILL COUNTY MEN IN THE 20TH REGIMENT,
KILLED:
Lieut. Col. Erwin,
Color Corporal John Weist, Co. B.
Private, Thomas Mahan, Co. F. 66 Jacob Dolkey, Co. F.
Private, James A. Bassett, Co. F.
John A. Bowman, Co F.
SLIGHTLY WOUNDED :
Wm. D. Rudgers, Drum Major. Joseph Griffin, Co. B.
2nd Lieut. Harry King.
George Bentz, Co. B.
James Carson, Co. B.
George F. Smith, Co. B.
Francis MRooke, Co. B.
Henry Gerich, Co. B.
George Lee, Co. B.
Joshua Dykman, Co. B.
Serg't James F. Branch, Co. F.
Duncan W. Covert, Co. F.
Corp. John J. Quackenbush, Co. F.
John W. Coombs, Co. F.
Wm. Lanson, Co. F.
George Wier, Co. F.
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED :
Private, Eugene R. Connors, Co. B. Lewis Otto, Co. F.
Corp. James C. Porter, Co. F.
John Hiller, Co. F.
A. W. Burrows, Co. F. John Counter, Co. F.
William Unruh, Co. F.
David Spade, Co. F.
Oscar Gamble, Co. F.
MORTALLY WOUNDED:
Wilson W. Wright, Co. F. died Feb, 18, Alonzo Rose, Co. I.
SEVERELY WOUNDED :
Henry Sampson, Co. B.
John Ragan, Co. F.
James E. Sheffer, Co. F.
MISSING.
Wm. H. Duncan, Co. F.
Total in regiment killed, 18; wonnded, 109; missing 6.
A writer after the surrender of Donaldson, writes most exult- antly, "The Union is saved, and the backbone of the rebellion broken." This proved a little premature ; we had to break that backbone several times afterward.
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TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
. A correspondent writing from the battle field of Donaldson says, " We first rode over the ground where the rebels on Satur- day endeavored so hard to break through our lines. That the fight had been of the most desperate character, the scores of the dead lying all around fully attested. I counted on a piece of ground not more than 100 feet square, thirty-five dead rebels lying where they fell, while in every direction we took we met their dead on every hand. In a deep ravine just below the ground occupied by the rebels, the 11th, 8th and 20th Ill. regiments had met the terrible charge of 1,600 rebel cavalry supported by six or seven regiments of infantry. It was here too that they were ex- posed for two hours to the fire from the enemy's rifle pits, not more than 200 yards off. I need not write that here our own dead were lying as it were in heaps. When we reached the ground, par- ties from the regiments had commenced the sad work of gather- ing the dead. The 11th had already identified 44, and placed them in rows for burial. The 20th had found 20, and the 8th, 30, and still the ground was strewn with the dead."
Lieut. Branch, of the 20th, writes thus in reference to Fort Donaldson, and the part the 20th took in the action :
" On the afternoon of the 12th, we came in sight of the rebel fort, and on the 13th and 14th were busily engaged in taking and changing positions, constructing lines, &c. After three years' ser- vice in the field, and enduring every hardship imaginable, I look back to the 13th, 14th and 15th of February, 1862, as being filled with the severest hardships we were ever called upon to endure. On the afternoon of the 13th, it commenced raining at about three o'clock, and rained hard for three hours, then turned to snow, with high, freezing winds, which drove the sharp frozen snow in our faces. We had marched without tents ; our clothes and blankets were wet through and frozen stiff. We were within easy musket range of the rebel works, and could not build a fire. It was impos- sible for the men to lay down to rest or sleep, on account of the snow and cold, as well as the rebel sharpshooters, who were con- tinually firing at us, and we stood in line of battle three-fourths of the night. The morning of the 14th brought no relief. At day- light the snow turned to rain again, and continued nearly all day.
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Constant skirmishing and sharpshooting all day. At ten, the gun -. boats opened, but after two hours' heavy firing, drew off disabled The rebels set up a yell of triumph. The night of the 14th was, if possible, more uncomfortable than the preceding one. The snow fell, and the weather grew colder, and the rebel firing was more vigorous. About 9 in the evening, our pickets were driven in ; two were killed during the night. Some of the men were so com- pletely exhausted that they lay down and slept in the snow. On the 15th, with the first streak of daylight, I saw heavy lines of rebel infantry passing to our right. I was on the picket line, as sergeant of the guard. I was satisfied that they were marching out to attack Oglesby, in command of the 1st brigade, on our extreme right. I reported the fact to Col. Marsh, who despatched a messenger to apprize Oglesby, but before he could have gone half way, the battle opened fiercely with musketry, and continued for an hour on the right, when our attention was called to our immediate front, where, from my advanced position with the skir- mishers, I could see heavy columns coming directly toward us, and by 9 a. m., we were desperately engaged at short range, with small arms alone, as we were too near each other (not over five rods), for artillery. We were firing across the crest of a small hill, we occupying one side and the rebels the other. The brigade advanced, under the most galling fire, to the top of the hill, driv- ing the enemy back step by step, and inch by inch, until they were driven into their works, when the enemy opened with artil- lery, and we were obliged to fall back behind the hill. In this engagement, our beloved Lt. Col. Erwin was killed, and 21 men of the regiment, and one hundred and four were wounded. After expending all of our ammunition, we were ordered to the rear to replenish the stock, and another brigade took our place. The rebels rallied and drove this brigade back past the place where we had left our knapsacks, which they took, robbing us of all our clothing except what we wore, and that being wet and frozen, the prospect was not cheering. We prepared to renew the engage- ment, expecting every moment to be called on, but the rebels, after being three times repulsed, remained behind their works. Gen. Smith, who commanded the left, charged the enemy's works, and held them, at 4 p. m., and our lines were reformed for a grand
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