USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 31
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Company H, one of the new one-year companies, was almost entirely from this county, and was commanded by Capt. James H. Jaquith, of Chebanse. This company was mustered in, in the spring of 1865, and saw nearly all its service at Montgomery, Alabama, doing guard duty.
THE SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
The Seventy-second was one of the Chicago Board of Trade regi- ments, and went into the field, August 23, 1862, under the lead of Col. F. A. Starring, 967 strong, and spent most of that fall in cam- paigning in western Kentucky, leaving Columbus, Kentucky, for Vicksburg, November 21, 1862; spent the winter of 1862-3 in the movements preparatory to the Vicksburg campaign. At Champion Hills the regiment came into the fight at an opportune moment, and by a bold dash helped turn the left flank of the enemy, and drove him from the field. The regiment was engaged at Big Black, and in all the siege operations up to the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. The regiment then participated in the capture of Natchez. In October, 1863, the regiment returned to Vicksburg, Mississippi, and did duty until the next October, 1864, as provost-guards of the city. The regiment moved to the support of Thomas at Nashville, November 13, 1864, and became a part of Gen. Schofield's forces, and was actively engaged at Franklin, where it lost nine out of the sixteen officers engaged, and 152 men killed and severely wounded. The regiment fought like tigers, and to them and the men of Opdyck's Brigade is largely due the credit of saving the union army from a crushing defeat. The
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regiment took an active and honorable part in the battles of Nashville, December 15 and 16, and followed Hood's flying army to Clifton, and there embarked and proceeded to Eastport, Mississippi, and went from there to the department of the Gulf, taking a part in the capture of Spanish Fort and Blakeley in the vicinity of Mobile. From Mobile, the Seventy-second marched across the country to Montgomery, a dis- tance of just 200 miles, in just 11 days. The regiment went from Montgomery to Vicksburg, in July, 1865, and August 6 was mns- tered out at Vicksburg. The regiment came home with twenty-two officers and 310 men out of the 967 that enlisted. Iroquois county furnished Company G with a corporal and one man, one of whom died, and also Company K two men, William and James Shottenkirk, of Onarga, both of whom died. The writer lay in the post hospital, at Franklin, Tennessee, when James Shottenkirk died there of liis wounds, and will always remember his piteous cries and prayers for relief from his suffering, and how kindly and tenderly his brother Daniel sought to soothe the terrible agony of the wounded hero, until death's icy hand was laid upon the fevered brow of the young soldier, and his pitiful cry of " Oh, Danny, give me water," was hushed forever.
THE SEVENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
The Seventy-sixth Regiment of Illinois Infantry was raised in the counties of Kankakee, Iroquois, Champaign and Grundy. Iroquois furnished three full companies, to wit : Companies A, E and K, and quite a number to Company D from the French Canadian colonists residing in the north part of this county.
The regiment was mustered into service August 22, 1862, at Kan- kakee city, with Alonzo W. Mack, of Kankakee city, as its colonel, and Dr. Franklin Blades, of Iroquois county, as surgeon, and also Dr. William A. Babcock, of this county, as. first assistant surgeon. While the regiment was in camp at Kankakee, and before it was mustered, S. C. Munhall, widely known among his comrades as " Urchin," sent a communication to his home paper, the " Patriot" of Champaign, in which he gives a racy description of the first camp experiences of the Seventy-sixtli; and we here take the liberty of making an extract from it, and are frank to say, in this connection, that to our friend " Urchin " we are largely indebted for the material from which we have evolved this rather imperfect regimental sketch. But to return to " Urchin's " letter; he wrote, under date of August 20, 1862: " Our camp is situated about one mile north of Kankakee city, in the old fair ground. It is a beautiful situation, well supplied
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with water, together with plenty of shade trees, which are a fine thing in camp, especially after drilling in the hot sun for a period of two hours. We have an abundance of 'grub,' such as it is, namely, army crackers (thoroughly seasoned), coffee, branded 'pure Rio,' (which resembles red-oak bark, pulverized), sugar, which lias the appearance of being half sand), rice, molasses (one pint to every eighteen men for three meals), and other notions, such as candles, soap, etc. But so it goes ! We all manage to get enoughi to eat, drink and wear, besides having plenty of fun. There are now in camp some 1,400 men from the different counties, ordered to rendezvous here. Quite an excite- ment was created in camp last night by the report that the regiment was ordered to Cairo. A great many companies did not feel disposed to go before receiving their bounty money, but after cooking two days' rations, and a great many of them packing their 'duds' the report turned out to be a regular h-o-a-x. Our company (G) received the county orders yesterday morning much to our surprise. They jumped around in as good spirits as so many grasshoppers until they received orders to go to Cairo. It is expected our regiment will organize to-day or to-morrow. We are looking anxiously for the time to come as we expect a little $40 in 'greenbacks' when that day rolls round. The principal amusement for evenings is to 'reach' for chickens. One mess in an adjoining company went out Saturday evening and returned with twenty-eight fine pullets, a goose and a couple of fancy ducks, so you can judge how they lived on the following Sabbath."
As they had anticipated, the regiment was sent to Cairo immedi- ately after it was mustered in, and from thence to Columbus, Ken- tucky, where it remained about a month ; and again we will quote from one of. Munhall's letters, describing the camp and camp-life at Colum- bus. He wrote September 7, soon after arriving there: "This partic- ular locality of the Confederacy is what your correspondent would style a 'seedy country,' and furthermore I will say, and vouch for the truth at the same time, the inhabitants are peculiarly 'suited to the country. The country surrounding us does not appear to produce any- thing but contrabands, mules and secessionists. We are encamped on the top of a liill, some two hundred feet above the level of the river, about a quarter of a mile northeast of the town of Columbus. The grounds were evacuated by the rebels before they evacuated this place. Columbus is truly a stronghold. The fortifications extend nearly around the town, and huge breastworks are along the river. Every portion of these fortifications is represented by innumerable mortars, columbiads and cannon, among which there are many sixty four and one hundred and twenty-eight pounders that now stand grinning and
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ready to belch forth ' conciliation' by the ton upon the traitor hordes that dare to confront them. Taking everything into consideration, we have a first-rate camp ground. The health of the regiment is good. There are only ten or twelve in the hospital and none seriously ill. The boys are in good spirits and anxious to try the range of their new Enfields the regiment captured. The guns are tip-top. They were captured from the rebel steamer Fair Play, which was taken with a cargo of guns, ammunition, etc., by our troops on the expedition up the Yazoo river. They were designed to be sent to Hindman for his rebel crew, but our boys will put them to a better use. The cartridge- boxes and other accouterments were made in London, and, of course, bear the stamp of the English crown. * * * In pursuance of orders from headquarters, we are confined to camp much closer than the boys like, but we take it as a 'necessity of war,' and the only way by which proper discipline may be maintained. We have reveille at half-past four o'clock, when Sergeant Miller admonishes us to ' fall in for roll-call'; next comes breakfast, then drill for two hours ; we are allowed then to make our own amusement till noon. After dinner 'ye soldier goeth where he listeth,' taking care not to intrude on the sacred soil of the sentinel's beat, lest he might be forced to visit the officer of the guard, who, perchance, may offer 'extra inducements' for him to take quarters in the guard-house. At five o'clock we have dress parade, after which comes supper and drill. Tattoo and roll-call at nine, when you would suppose we all retired to rest, but on the contrary then com- mence the hilarities of the day ; while a few of the staid and sober ones would fain retire to sweet repose, a majority of ' gay and festive cusses' seek to while away the allotted ' half hour' in the most uproar- ious amusements that can be devised, singing, dancing, speechifying, etc. etc., until from exhaustion, and a hearty exercise of lungs, limbs and muscle, they gradually 'subside,' and a deathly silence pervades the camp until the ominous blast of the bugle awakes the sleepers, and the bustle of the previous day is resumed. Taking all into consideration, ' sogering' here is a gay life, yet there are many of the boys who would gladly exchange it for the comforts of the homes they left, did not duty to themselves and their country demand the sacrifice."
Columbus did not prove so healthy a place as " Urchin" thought it would. Before the close of September the regiment buried several of its members that died there of disease. October 3, 1862, the Seventy-sixth moved by rail to Bolivar, Tennessee, where it remained in camp for several weeks, doing camp and garrison duty until Novem- ber 3, when it marched to La Grange, Tennessee, and still later in the month, on or about the 24th, it started with other troops under Grant
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on his famous but rather unfortunate Mississippi campaign, marching as far as Yocona, Mississippi, when the unexpected surrender of Holly Springs, without a proper defense, deranged Grant's plans, and so in- periled his army that he retired again to his base of supplies in Ten- nessee. But previous to the withdrawal front Yocono, the Seventy- sixth suffered while encamped there for three weeks from the scarcity of rations, and subsisted almost entirely on corn.
The regiment upon its return to Tennessee encamped at Moscow, at which place Col. Mack resigned, and Lieut. Col. S. T. Busey was commissioned colonel, to rank from January 7, 1863. The Seventy- sixth remained in camp at Moscow until February 5, 1863, when it marched to La Fayette, Tennessee, remaining there in camp about a montlı, and here again our inimitable " Urchin " writes a letter, giving so laconic an account of the manner in which soldiers made merry over discomforts and misfortunes, that we cannot forbear republishing a part of it. Under date of February 9, he writes among other things : * *
* * " Before closing this epistle I will say a few words in regard to our last march. On the 5th inst. our regiment marched from Moscow, Tennessee, to this place, over roads that would have been considered impassable in time of peace; the snow was about four inches deep, and the depth of the mud under the snow was without limitation. The day was the most disagreeable of any that we have had since we have been in the service of 'Uncle Sam.' The northeast wind blew cold, and the snow fell thick and fast, but we made the trip without any serious accidents, and camped about 3 o'clock P.M. in the muddiest place we could find near the village of La Fayette, ten miles distant . from Moscow. After we were halted and armns stacked, we commenced work shoveling snow and mud, hoping to discover dry soil enough on which to pitch our tents, but our lopes were blasted and our efforts defeated. To sleep on the frozen ground without fire, or in the mud with fire, seemed to be our destiny. Choosing the latter we pitched our tents, built our fire in the center (Sibley tents), took our little ration of ' hard tack' and 'sow belly,' and wilted down with three rails under us crossways to keep us above board, determined to make the best of a bad bargain. The night proved a severe one, but morning found ns above the surface. It was thought by some that one man in our mess had gone under, but on calling the roll was found present. After par- taking of ' Uncle Sam's' hospitalities we floated out each nian on a rail and commenced to improve our quarters. We now boast of good quarters and stylish living. The inud is rapidly drying up, the average depth is now about sixteen inches. We hope to leave here for Mem- phis soon as we are now welì fixed. It spoils soldiers to remain in
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good quarters long." March 9 the regiment did leave its comfortable quarters at La Fayette, and marched to Memphis, Tennessee, where it remained just thirty days, and then joined in the Hernando expedition, returning to Memphis again April 24, 1863, where it remained until May 13, when the Seventy-sixth took passage on the steamer Fort Wayne, and steamed down the broad Mississippi toward Vicksburg. During the second day's ride down the river, the boat was fired into by guerillas at Greenville, and on the 15th of the month it landed at Young's Point, Louisiana. On the 18th it marched to Bowen's Landing and crossed the river. May 19 the regiment was assigned a position on the extreme union left, and continued in this position until the capture of the city. In the great charge of May 22, the Seventy-sixth bore a prominent part, it being the first real fight the regiment had ever par- ticipated in ; notwithstanding the men of the Seventy-sixth demeaned themselves with all the steadiness and courage of veterans. During the long siege of Vicksburg the regiment lost heavily, and among the number slain was Lient. Peter I. Williams, of Company E, one of the best and bravest of men, universally loved and esteemed by his comrades and all who knew him before he became a soldier. After the capture of Vicksburg the regiment accompanied Sherman to Jackson, Mississippi, participating in the battle and capture. And after the fall of the boasted Sebastopol of the rebels of Mississippi (Vicksburg) August 12, 1863, embarked and moved to Natchez, Mississippi. Sep- tember 1 it went on the expedition of Gen. Crocker into Louisiana, re- turning on the 8th, after which the regiment received the name among the boys of that department of the " Alligator Regiment."
On the 16th of the month the Seventy-sixth again embarked at. Natchez and returned to Vicksburg. November 28 the regiment marched to Camp Cowan, and February 1, 1864, it accompanied Gen. W. T. Sherman on the Meridian raid, during which it participated in a number of pretty sharp skirmishes on the march to Meridian. It moved from Meridian to Enterprise city, where the regiment camped two days, and employed the time in tearing up and destroying the railroad, and left Enterprise February 19, 1864, and after marching four- teen days on half rations, reached camp, eight miles east of Vicksburg. The regiment lost but four men on this campaign, two of whom were wounded and the other two were captured near Enterprise, just pre- vious to the departure of the regiment, and were afterward recaptured from the rebels near Hillsboro, February 22, by a foraging party. The Seventy-sixth remained in their camp near Vicksburg, doing picket and camp duty, till May 4, 1864, when it joined the command of Gen. McArthur' in the expedition up the Yazoo river, taking part
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in the engagements at Benton, Vaughn's Station, and Deasonville. The campaign occupied seventeen days, and the troops suffered many hardships. It returned to Vicksburg May 21, and remained in camp until June 26, when it marched to St. Albans, and thence returned to Vicksburg again by rail. July 1 the regiment marched to Clear creek, and July 3 started with the command of Maj .- Gen. H. W. Slocum on an expedition through central Mississippi, to the cap- ital (Jackson) arriving there on the 5th, after a fatiguing march and almost continnous skirmishing, the Seventy-sixth being in advance. It remained in camp at Jackson until July 6, when marching orders were received at four o'clock P.M., when the regiment moved about three miles and met the enemy, and were fiercely attacked, culminat- ing in a general attack upon the union forces, and continuing until darkness compelled a cessation of active hostilities, which were resumed . on the morning of the 7th, lasting till noon, the Seventy-sixth meanwhile taking a prominent part in the battle, being deployed as skirmishers ; were finally cut off, by a flank movement of the rebel forces, from the union army, and forced to fight their way out of the " trap," over a hotly contested field, losing from the regiment nearly 100 men. Capt. Davis, of Company K, left eight of his brave men dead on the field. July 9 the regiment had made the retreat, and was again encamped at Vicksburg. On the 23d the prisoners who had been captured at Jackson were exchanged at Fort Hill, and rejoined the regiment. July 29 the regiment moved to Morganza's Bend, Louisiana, and August 24 moved by steamer to Port Hudson, Louisiana, returning to Morganza's Bend on the 28th of the same month. It embarked on steamer September 3, and was landed at the month of White river September 7.
October 18, 1864, it moved from the mouth of White river to Mem- phis, Tennessee, camping in Fort Pickering, where the regiment re- mained until October 27, when it reembarked on steamer and returned to the mouth of White river, Arkansas. November 1 it started to Duvall's Bluff, arriving November 9. It remained at this point till November 27, when the regiment again reembarked and returned to Memphis, where it remained until December 31. It moved to Kenners- ville, Louisiana, arriving early in January, 1865, and lay there in camp until the army was organized for the Florida campaign. During the month of February, 1865, the regiment was transported by ocean steamers to Fort Barrancas, Florida, a portion of the regiment being on the steamer George Peabody, which was almost totally disabled in a storm, and was only saved, with a precious cargo of 800 soldiers, by the coolness of the officers in command and the heroic conduct of the
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men. All the ambulances, wagons and nearly 200 mules and horses were thrown overboard. The detachment of the regiment on the ill- fated steamer was returned to New Orleans and went to Lakeport by rail, where it embarked and crossed lakes Ponchartrain and Borgne, reaching the Florida coast nearly a week after the rest of the com- mand.
From Barrancas the Seventy-sixth and other regiments went on an expedition to Pollard, and from thence returned to Pensacola, where it went into camp and remained until the troops set out on the Mobile campaign. During its stay at Barrancas and Pensacola, the Seventy- sixth was attached to Gen. Steele's division.
In marching out from Pensacola on the campaign against Blakeley, the union army of Gen. Steele passed over the same road upon whichi Gen. Jackson-" Old Hickory "-moved an army of 3,000 men in 1818, and found it a miserable, sandy road, in spite of its historic association. March 31 Gen. Steele's army took up a position in front of the fortifi- cations of Blakeley, not a little to the surprise of the rebels behind the works, who had just learned from scouts that the union army was moving on towards Montgomery, and had got " stuck " in the Florida swamps after leaving Pensacola. The Seventy-sixth formed a part of Spiceley's brigade, of Steele's division, of the Thirteenth Corps, and in the line of investment held the "right center," to the left of the Stockton road leading into Blakeley, which position, with the Seventy- sixth in advance of both brigade and division, was held during the eight-days siege operations, and up to the time of the assault and capture of the stronghold, April 9, 1865,-being the last battle of any importance of the war of the rebellion. Throughout the siege in its advanced position the Seventy-sixth behaved with coolness and cour- age, but particularly distinguished itself in the final assault upon the works. Gen. C. C. Andrews, in his history of the Mobile campaign, gives the following truthful and glowing description of the charge of the Seventy-sixth : "The Seventy-sixth Illinois charged directly on the redoubt in their front-the one north of the Stockton road- and preserved its alignment well until it got to the second line of abattis. One man of that regiment was killed at the first line of abattis and rifle-pits, then at the second line the battle became fierce and bloody. The confederates maintained a bold front fron beliind their breastworks, and when the Seventy-sixth was within fifty yards of the redoubt it suffered severely from the confederate musketry and artillery. While a part of the regiment maintained a spirited fire, thie rest crossed the abattis. Lieut. William F. Kenaya was shot through a leg at the second abattis, and nearer the works was hit in the ankle
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joint of his other leg, then unable to walk he kept upright on his knees and rallied and cheered the men. The color-sergeant (Hussey) was killed within twenty feet of the works; then the colors were taken by the noble and brave Corporal Goldwood, who, as he was planting them on the parapet, received the contents of three muskets so close that the discharge burnt his clothes, and he fell dead inside the works with the colors in his arms. The Seventy-sixth and the confederates fought across the works, and those of the regiment in the rear were coming up as fast as they could pass the obstructions. Col. Busey ran along close to the parapet and with his revolver disabled the gunner of a howitzer about to be fired, and which afterward proved to have a double charge of grape and canister, then turning to the right he exchanged shots with two at short range. Afterward he ordered Lieut .- Col. Jones, Capts. Hughes and Ingersoll and Lieut. Warner, with from twenty to fifty men to charge the right flank of the redoubt, while he with another squad charged the front. They charged with bayo- nets and drove the confederates from the works. Fifty yards in rear of the redoubt the ground began to slope considerably. It had been cleared of underbrush, and the latter had been piled along the crest. Behind that cover the confederates formed again and gave another volley, wounding among others Col. Busey and Capt. Hughes. Then the Seventy-sixth charged them again, and they threw. down their arms and ran into the woods toward the landing. Col. Busey sent detachments in pursuit of them. Upward of 400 prisoners fell into the hands of the Seventy-sixth. It had five men killed inside the works. Its whole number of 'killed was sixteen, of whom, besides those already mentioned, were Sergeant Perkins and Corporals Hop- kins and Tremaine. There were eighty wounded, some mortally, so that its entire casualties were about 100. Among the wounded were Lieuts. Martin and Warner. The Seventy-sixth entered the redoubt over the south salient and over the breastworks extending south. Its national colors were planted on the breastworks. It is claimed by his comrades that Private Eldrick Broullette, of Company D, was the first one over the works. He was killed fifty yards inside the works by a confederate captain, and the latter was killed by Broullette's comrade. The regiment used the bayonet in the charge and displayed throughout the highest degree of valor. No regiment on the field that day suf- fered so heavily. None exhibited more intrepid bravery ; and higher praise than that cannot be awarded troops."
The colors of the Seventy-sixth were the first planted on the rebel works in this assault, and of all the regiments that were engaged in the charge, none suffered as did this regiment. It lost 118 men killed and
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wounded, out of the 260 that advanced to the assault when the signal gun was fired. The graves of seventeen heroic dead mark the spot where the colors were planted by that brave boy,-" Charley " Gold- wood.
After the capture of Blakeley the Seventy-sixth marched to Stark's Landing, on Mobile bay, and embarked for Mobile, and steamed across the bay to the captured city, where it encamped for several weeks. It moved from Mobile to Selma, Alabama, by steamer, where it remained but a short time, and returned to Mobile. Afterward the regiment embarked on the steamer Herman Livingston for Galveston, Texas, at which place it went into camp, and remained until July 22, when it was mustered out.
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