USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb County, Illinois > Part 22
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RECRUITS.
Coster Nicholas, Sandwich, mustered out Sept. 5, 1864.
Dobbin David, Sandwich, mustered out Sept. 27, 1864. Davis Henry, Sandwich, died May 8, 1862. Estabrook Adelbert, Sandwich, mustered out July 4, 1865. Gletty George, Sandwich, mustered out Dec. 28, 1864. Gletty Jacob, Sandwich, died Jan. 29, 1862. Hough George A., Sandwich, discharged July 19, 1863. Holden William, Sandwich, mustered out Dec. 28, 1864.
Hoefner Antonio, Sandwich, transferred to Mississippi Marine Brigade. Latham Thomas A., Sandwich, mustered out Dec. 28, 1864. Morrison Thomas, Sandwich, transferred to Mississippi Marine Brigade. Seaton Leonard B., Somonauk, mustered out July 4, 1865. Trouslatt Eugene, Sandwich, re-enlisted as veteran.
37
Thirteenth Illinois Infantry.
Thirteenth Illinois Infantry.
The history of the early part of the war for the Union is a record of a persistent effort by the people to procure from their government the privilege of placing enough armed men in the field to march over all opposition, and a constant resist- ance on the part of the government, which desired to carry on the civil war with much more civility than the case demanded; to conduct it in a deliberate, cautious way, with as small an army and as little material as possible.
When Fort Sumter had fallen, and that indignant uprising of the people had occurred which everywhere followed it, in every town and hamlet of loyal Illinois the notes of martial preparation were heard, and little bands of men, gathered to- gether, began drilling, and clamorously demanded of the gov- ernment to be led against the enemy. The President soon called for 75,000 troops for three months, feeling warranted by the laws as they existed only in calling out troops for that length of time. This call was filled; and still hundreds of thousands of men, anxious to do their duty upon the battle- field, were left out of the ranks.
Upon the 4th of May, the President made a new call for 42,000 more men, to serve three years ; and Illinois was given the privilege of furnishing six regiments of them. Then be- gan such a scrambling for the privilege of forming a part of these regiments as was probably never seen before in any
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country. Places were sought in these regiments with as much avidity as civil offices are now struggled for. All manner of schemes, combinations and strategems were used to affect the minds of the authorities, so as to gain the boon of a place in these regiments.
A convention of claimants for this honor in this congres- sional district was held at Geneva, and every one who had any influence or acquaintance with any person in authority was urged to attend and secure a recognition for these companies. The convention accomplished nothing; but soon after, an order was procured for the creation of one regiment, the 13th Illi- nois, in this 2nd congressional district. Of its ten companies, one from Sycamore and one from Sandwich were fortunate enough to secure a place and a right to serve their country. Most of the companies had been filled up to the number of one hundred privates, besides the officers, when an order came from the War Department, still bent on diminishing the force, to reduce the company to eighty-four privates.
This was a sore disappointment to those who were excluded. In some of the companies the men drew lots to determine who should remain ; and in others, by some kind of authority, the married men of the company were forced to fall out of the ranks and stay at home, the single men only being accorded the privilege of remaining. It is also a noteworthy fact that many men purchased the right of those who had been fortu- nate enough to be accepted, paying from $20 to $50 for the privilege of taking their places.
The Sycamore company had for several weeks been drilling daily under charge of Z. B. Mayo, a decrepid old soldier who had seen service in the Mexican war ; and many will recollect how, being without arms, they daily went through the manual in the streets of Sycamore with broomsticks and hoe-handles.
When the permission was really gained to join the regiment, the people of the place, anxious to do something for these men, assembled in the Court House, and the ladies busily employed themselves and their sewing machines in makinn uniforms.
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
The citizens were ignorant of any army regulations of cloth- ing ; but gray was thought to be a desirable color; and the boys were equipped in full suits of gray, the gifts of the ladies and gentlemen of the place. With a vague idea that each company required a banner, a beautiful silk flag was prepared and presented to our company by one of the young ladies, before an immense crowd gathered to witness the novel scene.
On the 9th of May, 1861, the 13th regiment was organized at Camp Dement, Dixon ; and on the 24th it was mustered into the service. It is said to have been the first regiment to organize under the President's call for three years men, and the first to enter the United States service.
The regiment remained at Dixon for a few weeks engaged in improving its drill and discipline; and here lost its first man, Sergeant Berry, a young gentleman of fine promise, who was shot by one of the sentinels.
The regiment was soon after ordered to Caseyville, Illinois, and in July moved forward to Rolla, Missouri, an important strategic point, the termination of a railroad, and the depot of supplies. It was the first regiment to cross the Mississippi river, and move into the hostile region of Missouri.
The regiment did excellent service in suppressing the plun- dering bands of guerrillas who infested that region for forty miles around. They also served to inspire with courage the Union people of the country, who had been cowed by the prevalent disloyalty. While they were stationed here, Colonel Wyman organized many of the Union citizens of the neighbor- hood into cavalry companies, who afterwards, under General Curtis, proved themselves the most efficient cavalrymen in the southwestern army. While at this point, Captain Z. B. Mayo resigned his captaincy, and was succeeded by 1st Lieutenant E. F. Dutton.
Engaged in this duty until October 25th, the regiment was then ordered forward to join the army which was forming under Fremont at Springfield, in southwestern Missouri. The
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troops were still comparatively unused to long marches ; yet they were urged forward with great rapidity, marching, on the second day, thirty-four miles, and reaching Springfield, a distance of one hundred miles, in four days. Gen. Fremont, learning the speed on which it had come to his assistance, named it his "Flying Infantry," and, noting its superior dis- cipline, assigned it the highest post of honor and danger in his army.
But Fremont was now removed from command, the plan of the campaign was changed, and the 13th returned to Rolla. In the retrograde movement, on the night of November 11th, a very sudden death occurred at Camp Plummer, proving that the skeleton-king oft comes when least expected-passing from the blazing battery to strike his victim in the midst of security and peace.
A young man, Henry Holt, bugler of Major Power's caval- ry, attached to the 13th regiment, was complaining of feeling rather ill, when the Quartermaster, Captain Henderson, who had a passion for aught like fun, proposed to bury the musi- cian; and, in the spirit of merriment, seized a spade, and, after measuring the complainer, dug a grave of his exact pro- portions.
The bugler laughed, as did his companions, at the humor of the officer, and soon after went away to discharge some duty with which he had been intrusted.
About nine o'clock the same evening, Holt was sitting, with seven or eight of his company, about a camp-fire, within a few feet of the grave, when some one pointed to it and remarked, in a tone of badinage :
" Come, Harry, get ready for your funeral !"
The youth looked over his shoulder at the gloomy cavity in the earth, put his hand to his head, and fell from his stool. His companions laughed at the little piece of acting, as they supposed it, and were surprised that he did not rise from the earth.
They went up to him, asking, "Are you asleep, Harry ?"
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He made no answer, and yet his eyes were open.
They shook him in vain.
His friends grew alarmed. One placed his hand upon Harry's heart. It was still : he was dead !
He had perished of a stroke of apoplexy, and was buried at midnight, in the grave made for him in jest by a merry-heart- ed friend.
And so the droll jest was drowned in the hollow sound of the earth falling upon a rude coffin, and solemnly waking the stillness of the night-morn amid the solitude of a broad prairie of the southwest.
The regiment remained at Rolla till, on December 12th, it moved to Salem, where guerrillas were reported to be infesting the country, and, after remaining two weeks, returned to Rolla.
Here the cold dreary winter was spent until, on the 6th of March, 1862, the regiment was sent to join the army of Gen. Curtis, who was threatened by Price's rebels, and who, before our regiment could reach him, had fought the famous and sanguinary battle of Pea Ridge. It was a terribly severe march. Through constant rain and mud, and amid want and destitution, it pressed on from twenty to thirty miles a day, living upon most scanty rations, and forbidden to forage upon the country-as the policy of the higher powers was still to please instead of punish the foe.
On the 14th it passed over the battle-field of Wilson's Creek, and on the 17th camped on the battle-ground of Pea Ridge. The ground was strown with shot, shell, and other remains of the conflict. The odor of the decaying bodies was still ex- tremely offensive. In one spot the bodies of seventy hostile Indians lay festering in corruption : there was such a bitter feeling toward the savages who had scalped and plundered our men, that they were refused interment.
On the 18th the regiment joined Curtis' army, but next day moved back again some ten miles, Price being reported within
·
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twenty miles with 50,000 men. But Price's army was too badly shattered by its late terrible conflict to dare to attack ux.
We lay encamped till the 8th of April, and then commenced a long, tedious and laborious movement across the country to Helena, Arkansas. No one who was engaged upon that ter- rible march can ever forget its painful weariness, the cold, the hunger, the drenching, chilling rains, the dangers from flooded rivers, the perils from hovering guerrillas and armed bands of the enemy, the destitution from scanty rations, and, at times, from thirst. Terrible sufferings were caused during the latter part of the march by this cause. The weather had become intensely warm, streams were very rare, the rebel inhabitants filled up and destroyed their wells upon our approach, and our troops often were without water for a day at a time. Men could be seen struggling along in the intense heat, their tongues swollen and hanging out of their mouths. Yet guards of United States troops were sent forward every day to guard every rebel's house that we passed, and prevent foraging upon the inhabitants. The march lasted for more than three months ; and it was not till the last of July that our army reached the Mississippi at Helena, and again was furnished with the necessaries of existence from the stores of the United States.
We reached the river accompanied by an immense train of negroes, the slaves of the rebels, who followed the army loaded with such provisions and property as they could secure-a most ludicrous procession.
After some desultory service about Helena, the regiment was attached to General Steele's division of Sherman's army, then assembling for the movement upon Vicksburg.
On the 22nd of December the regiment, with an immense fleet, moved down the Mississippi, and, on the 26th, under convoy of the gunboats, moved up the Yazoo river to the at- tack on the city in the east.
On the morning of the 27th, the whole army was drawn up, the 13th, in Steele's division, on the left. During the after- 38
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
noon the rebel pickets were driven in, and the regiment went into camp for the night in a furious rain-storm. In the morning the regiment was engaged in skirmishing, and during the afternoon a dashing charge was made upon a rebel battery by the 13th and 16th Illinois, under General Wyman. He had placed himself at the head of the 13th, and the regiment was moving on the battery, and had arrived at a small bayou, silenced the rebel guns upon the opposite side, and lay down and began firing on the sharpshooters who swarmed in the woods. As General Wyman rose up to move among his men, he was struck by a rebel bullet in the right breast and mor- tally wounded. The fall of the General was a terrible shock to the regiment. Several officers rushed to his assistance, but he cried, "For God's sake leave me and attend to the men." The regiment remained there some time, and were subsequent- ly moved to another part of the field. At this time Porter D. West and Isaiah Babcock of Company F were severely wounded.
On that night the men lay on their arms in line of battle, destitute of blankets, although the weather was freezing.
On the 29th occurred the grand desperate charge upon the rebel works on Chickasaw Bayou, in which the regiment lost one-third of its number.
About nine o'clock a line was formed for an assault upon the batteries. They stood on eminences, in horse-shoe form ; and, in the terrible abyss into which shot and shell from three sides were pouring, the regiment was formed for a charge. There were three brigades ; and the 13th was in the brigade under command of General Frank P. Blair. Most of this brigade was composed of new troops ; so that the veterans of the 13th were required to lead the charge.
Into all this terrible storm of shot and shell the 13th march- ed without faltering. They captured two lines of rebel rifle- pits; and when they reached the third line, very few remained of this brigade but a scattered remnant of the 13th.
They were now within thirty rods of the fortifications. Of
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· the 600 men who started, 177 were either killed, wounded or captured. Of 63 men of Company F, 22 were killed, wounded and missing. Captain R. A. Smith, who had gallantly led his company to the third rifle-pit, lost his arm while in the ad- vance, but bound it up and continued with the troops until the charge was over.
If we could have captured the fortifications, which we had now so nearly accomplished, the road to Vicksburg would have been open to us, and all the loss of life and property that subsequently occurred in the struggle for its capture would have been saved.
But the day was full of misfortunes ; the divisions moved without concert of action. No reinforcements were sent for- ward, and, after holding their ground for half an hour, the order came to retire; and, as similar misfortunes had occurred at other points, the day was lost.
But the 13th Illinois were the heroes of the day. They fought with magnificent bravery, reckless of all danger. No sooner were their lines formed than they fell before the pitiless storm of shot and shell, like grass before the scythe of the mower ; yet they held their position like Spartans, although exposed to this terrible fire from batteries against which their own fire was harmless.
The colors of the regiment were left upon the field of battle, and afterwards sent as a trophy to Richmond. They lay there till the final capture of that city, when they were found by one of the first of the Union troops who entered, and were thrown to the breeze-the first Union flag that had been seen in that rebel capital since the fall of Sumter.
The grand attack upon Vicksburg had failed, and the country was much depressed.
Up the Arkansas river was Arkansas Post, a strong fortifi- cation to protect that river, and to McClernand was assigned the task of capturing it. Steele's division, in which was the 13th Illinois, was among his troops. After a day of hard fighting, Arkansas Post was forced to surrender to the Union
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
arms ; and with it five thousand prisoners were taken, and a large amount of munitions of war. It was a victory that raised the hopes and the spirits of the country, and greatly cheered the hearts of the soldiers.
Upon the fall of Arkansas Post, the regiment accompanied General Steele to Greenville, Miss., where an immense amount of stores were captured and destroyed. Passing then under the immediate command of General Grant, it marched across Milliken's Bend to Grand Gulf, and, making a detour, took part in the capture of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. Orders from the General authorized the 13th to inscribe upon its banners, with Chickasaw Bayou and Arkansas Post, the word Jackson, as a token of its participation in that achieve- ment of our troops.
From Jackson the regiment moved upon Vicksburg, and engaged in the siege of that place until its final fall on July 4th, 1863. In the trenches, in the deadly assault, in the dangers and sufferings of that long siege, the 13th bore its full share ; and Vicksburg was also inscribed upon its banners and its list of triumphs.
It was the grandest triumph yet vouchsafed to the Union cause : for it bisected the Confederacy and restored to us the control of the Mississippi, the great Father of Waters.
Two days after the surrender, the 13th were again moving upon Jackson, which had been re-occupied by the enemy ; and, upon the 10th of July, that city was again in possession of our boys, and Jackson, July 10th, was added on our ban- ner to the list of our victories.
For a few weeks the regiment was rested, encamped upon Black river, in the rear of Vicksburg. There George Carr and Samuel Bryant were captured by the enemy, and for many long months endured the horrors of captivity in rebel prisons.
Then under the great Sherman, it moved on Chattanooga. Arriving at Bridgeport, on the Tennessee river, Col. Gorgas turned over the command to Lieutenant-Colonel Partridge,
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and departed on recruiting service, appearing no more with the regiment until after its active campaigns had ceased.
The regiment now engaged in the active operations for the capture of Chattanooga. They acted as rear guard for the 15th Army Corps on its march from Corinth to Tuscumbia, and for one week were every day engaged in severe skirmishes with the enemy, who was striving to cut off its wagon-train. Upon the capture of Tuscumbia, the name of that place was ordered to be placed upon its banner.
In Lookout Valley the regiment was placed in the command of Fighting Joe Hooker, and participated in the memorable capture of Lookout Mountain, and, on the 25th, in the still greater victory of Mission Ridge, where the 13th captured more prisoners of the 18th Alabama regiment than it had men of its own, and carried off in triumph from the field the battle flag of that regiment.
Here the rebel foe was defeated and routed, flying in de- spair across the Chickamauga, and burning the bridge in its rear. The 13th was among the troops sent in pursuit of them. Cleburne, who, among the rebels, was called the Stonewall Jackson of the west, was in command of the rear of Bragg's flying host, and, at Ringold Gap, determined to make a stand and resist his pursuers.
The 13th, upon that bloody day, was the first to engage the enemy and the last to leave the field. It was sent forward over an open plain to seize an important position. Of their service on this occasion, General Osterhaus officially says : " The 13th Illinois executed the order in magnificent style. They charged through a hail-storm of balls, and gained the position assigned to them-held it, although the enemy pour- ed a murderous fire into their brave men, both from the gorge above and the hill upon the right."
The rebels rallied and made a desperate charge upon its position, but the charge was repelled with heroic courage. General Hooker says: "The position was heroically taken and held by that brave regiment, it all the time maintaining
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
its position with resolution and obstinacy. It has never been my fortune to serve with more zealous and devoted soldiers." No small praise, this, from the most famous fighting general of the war.
Many instances of individual heroism upon this occasion might be related. Patrick Riley, the color-bearer, while car- rying the flag across the open plain, was struck in the breast, and fell to the ground, the flag bespattered with his blood ; but he still held it firm and erect, until his successor was obliged to wrench it from his dying grasp and pass on. The regiment gained undying fame by its valor at this fight ; but it was at a fearful cost. It lost, in dead and wounded, one- one-seventh of the entire loss of the desperate battle ; but the victory was won, and Cleburne driven from his position.
Among its dead was Major D: R. Bushnell, and of its wounded were Colonel Partridge, Captain Walter Blanchard, and Captain James M. Beardsley. Major Bushnell was a citizen of Sterling-one of the noblest and manliest of all our citizen soldiers. llis loss was sadly deplored. Captain Blanchard, who subsequently died of his wounds, was an aged man, a judge of DuPage County Court, and President of the Naperville Bank ; had two sons in the army, but endured all the hardships of the service with a heroism that nothing could overcome.
On the 17th of April, when the time of the regiment would have expired in a week, it was posted at Madison Station in Alabama. The rebel Roddy's command, outnumbering it five to one, came upon it disguised in the blue uniforms of our own army, and completely surprised and surrounded it. The regiment at this time had only 350 men fit for duty. The rebels had three pieces of artillery and 1500 cavalry and in- fantry. After two hours hard fighting against these odds, the regiment was obliged to abandon the station, fighting its way through its foes, losing sixty-six men prisoners in their hands. The enemy's loss, as reported by flag of truce, was sixty kill- ed, wounded and missing.
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THE THIRTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
In the summer of 1864, worn down with the hazards and hardships of three years of very active service, having travel- ed through seven Southern States, marched more than three thousand miles, fought twenty pitched battles and innumerable skirmishes, the searred and war-worn veterans of the 13th Illinois came back to their homes, and were received with a welcome such as their heroism deserved.
A large number of the regiment re-enlisted, and were con- solidated with the 56th Illinois Infantry, being there known as Company I; and for another year they fought the rebel- lion till its close.
Of the remainder of the regir ent, full one-half subsequently re-enlisted in other regiments, and again took the field. The regiment entered the service with 1010 men. It received 55 recruits, but, when mustered out, its whole force was 500. It had lost from the various casualties of war 565 men.
Men of DeKalb County in the 13th Illinois Inf.
COMPANY E.
SERGEANTS.
E. W. Duvey, Sandwich, deserted Jan. 1, 1863.
B. W. Clifford, Plauo, promoted 2d Lieutenant. Zenas S. Harrison, Sandwich, discharged Nov. 3, 1861, for disability.
William Wallace, Sandwich, promoted 2d Lieutenant. CORPORALS. James M. Dobbin, Freeland, died Jan. 12, 1863, of wounds. William E. Underwood, Sandwich, mustercd ort Jan 8, 1865, as Sergeant.
MUSICIANS. E. T. Bowers, Somonauk, mustered out. June 18, 1864. S. W. West, Somonauk, mustered out June 18, 1864.
PRIVATES.
Ankle Henry, Somonauk, mustered out June 18, 1864. Bish Lewis, Squaw Grove, mustered out June 18, 1864, as Corporal. Bashew Joseph M., Sandwich, died Jan. 21, 1863, of wounds. Brookins James, Squaw Grove, mustered out June 18, 2864. Brainard Jacob, Squaw Grove, mustered out June 18, 1864. Doolittle Marcus B., Sandwich, died March 7, 186'. Fitch Albert C., Somonauk, mustered out June 18. 1864. Hermis Lewis, Sandwich, prisoner, mustered out June 10, 1865. Joles William, Sandwich, mustered out June 18, 1864. Judge Michael, Somonauk, mustered out June 18, 1864, Kelly James, Somonauk, mustered out June 18, 1864. Kouth Michael, Somonauk, deserted July 4, 1861. Liter Nicholas, Squaw Grove, mustered out June 18, 1864.
Miller Nicholas, Squaw Grove, m. o. June 18, '64, Corporal ; was a prisoner. Mullin Andrew, Sandwich, killed at Chickasaw Bayou, Dec. 29, 1862. Mattison Joseph D., Sandwich, mustered out June 18, 1864. Nicholas Thomas, Somonauk, died August 16, 1863. Orr Alfred B., Somonauk, discharged Sept. 8, 1868, for disability. Patch William B., Clinton, deserted March 10, 1862. Potter Thomas B., Somonauk, killed at Chickasaw Bayou, Dec. 29, 1862. Palmer Camillas L., Squaw Grove, died June 16, 1863. Pierce Benjamin, DeKalb, died Jan. 7, 1862.
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