History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 20

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 20

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Buchanan, James C., Brown, Daniel,

Bennett, Albert C., Beatty, Simon B.,

Bowman, Wm. H., Baymiller, Michael,

Brown, Christopher. Bear, John O.,

Batchelor, John, Chase, James M.,

Chapman, Douglas M. Clark. Jerome J.,

Riddell, Sylvester,

176

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

Cowgill, John F., Carroll, James S.,

Carnahan, S.,

Diseron, Daniel,

DeCamp, Goin S,, Doran, Hugh H., Garrison, Zach. M., Gill, Benjamin F., Hall, George P.,

Hamilton, P.,

Lane. Benjamin F., Monfort, L. M.,

Laughlin, Robert F., McCandless, Moses A.

McCandless, Wilson, Maxwell, John C., Myers, John V., McClellan, James C., McClellan, John, McClellan, Wm. G., Pennington, Jos. L., Pitman, George,

Mayfield, Joseph, Pitman, Burress E., Pembroke, John F., Parker, Henry, Rhea, Elias B., Reed, Henry G., Shannon, John F., Stewart, Francis M., Shannon, James P., Stewart, John F., Smith. Joseph A., Smith, William F., Tunis, Isaac,

Plotts, Thomas M., Painter, George, Ricketts, Harvey, Reed, William R., Scudder, Jesse B., Stewart, Thomas B. Seward, Jolın W .. Scudder, Martin V., Smith, James H.,

Tunis, Joseph, Vail, Thomas J.,

Vincent, David A.,

Weaver, John,

Wilson, Lewis R.,

Weaver, William, Withrow, James E., Wilson, Rufus R.,

Broaddus, Thomas H., Bridges, Thomas B., Carroll, John R., Cupp, William C.,

Cupp, Jonas P., Decker, Nathaniel, Faber, Jacob,

Ellis, James C.,

Gibson, Samuel F.,

McClintock, Karr,

McClure, Hugh,

Pace, Ingram A.,

Sims, John,

Wilhelm A.,

Wilhelm, Samuel P.

SEVENTY-EIGHTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

This regiment, than whom a more gal- lant or heroic one did not enter the ser- vice of the union, was organized atQuincy, Illinois, in August, 1862, by Colonel William H. Bennison. It was mustered into the service of the general govern- ment on the 1st of December, 1862, and

Carroll, Daniel M.,

· Craig, Simeon, Downen, Thomas J., David, George H., Dallam, Samuel W., Edmondson, Thomos, Gibson, John, Howe, John B., Hogue, George P., Hummer, John,

was, at once, ordered to report at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and upon arrival there it was assigned to the 2nd brigade, 4th division, army of the Ohio. It was afterwards transferred to the 2d brig- ade, 2d division, 14th army corps. While at Louisville,, the regiment was tempo- rarily detached from the brigade, and, under the command of General Boyle, did guard duty in various parts of Ken- tucky. While engaged in this duty the regiment received its "baptism of fire," having been engaged with the confeder- ates under General Morgan, at New Haven. In the latter part of Decem- ber, 1862, General Rosecrans, who had assumed the command of this army, com- menced concentrating troops at Nash- ville, and shortly afterwards fought the battle of Murfreesboro, which for a time drove the enemy out of Kentucky, and the 78th was ordered to rejoin the main army. In June, 1862, it took part in the forward movement of the union forces under Rosecrans, who with sixty thou- sand men, threatened the communication of General Bragg and compelled that commander to evacuate Chattanooga, on the 8th of September. General Rose- crans under the impression that Bragg's forces in retreat were demoralized, pushed on in his rear, but the confeder- ate commander, who was an able one, receiving heavy reinforcements, turned and met his pursuer. This he did with so much suddenness and ferocity, that the union forces narrowly escaped being cut up in detail, as they were scattered along a line forty miles in length. Gen- eral Rosecrans, who was on hand, rap- idly concentrated his forces, and the two armies met at Chickamauga creek. The

177

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

first day's engagement, although a hot one, was indecisive and on the second day, the 20th of September, 1863, the day had hardly dawned ere the roar of artillery,and the sharp rattle of musketry awoke the, slumbering echoes of the "River of Death," the Indian name of the creek bearing that interpretation. All the forenoon the battle raged with unparalleled fury, but about noon the federal line was broken for a few mo- ments by the passing of troops to the left, then hard pressed. General Long- street, of the confederate army, seized the opportunity and hurling the neces- sary forces on the weakened center, soon swept it and the right wing from the field. The demoralized fugitives, in their headlong flight carried off General Rose- crans with them. All, now, depended upon General Thomas who had com- mand of the left wing, which yet stood steadfast. The gallant 78th, then in the division commanded by General Sted- man, was with this part of the army and did noble service in helping save the union forces from utter rout. All through that long afternoon, the entire confed- erate army surged around that band of heroes, a body of brave men commanded by as brave a commander, who by the firmness of their front, earned for Gen- eral Thomas the proud sobriquet of " rock of Chickamauga." The 78th lost severely in this conflict, Major William L. Broaddus. of Macomb, being among the killed, at the first volley of the rebels. Gallantly they stood at their post, and their colonel having been asked how long he could hold a certain point where they had been stationed, and had been holding against great odds, replied, "un-

til the regiment is mustered out of serv- ice." When the shades of night had gathered around both armies, General Thomas, deliberately and sullenly, with- drew his forces to Chattanooga, picking up five hundred prisoners by the way.

Colonel Bennison, who although quite a favorite among the men of the regi- ment was not liked by the officers, and the latter asking him to resign, he did so and was succeeded by Lieutenant Colo- nel Carter Van Vleck, of McDonough county.

The union army was now shut up in the fortifications of Chattanooga, Bragg occupying the surrounding hills and cut- ting off all communications. General Grant superceded General Rosecrans in the command, and soon appeared among the starving troops. Reinforcements now poured in and communications were once more established and active opera- tions against the enemy commenced in which the 78th bore its full part.

Early in the spring of 1864, General Sherman moved with an army of one hundred thousand men toward Atlanta. Among them marched the 78th. For one hundred miles there was constant skirmishing, interspersed with bloody battles. At Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Lost mountain, and Kenesaw mountain, the enemy was met in great numbers, and battles of great magnitude were fought. At Kenesaw in particular, the 78th dis- played unequalled valor in the attack on the enemy's works. Finally, on the 10th of July, 1864, General Joseph E. John- ston retired to the entrenchments of Atlanta, and Sherman invested the city. In all the engagements that preceeded the fall of that doomed city, the 78th bore

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

a full share, but sad losses befell it. Colonel Van Vleck, than whom there was 110 better officer, was mortally wounded by a sharpshooter, and died on the 23d of August, 1864, while many of the offic- ers and men were killed or maimed by the fatal bullet or bursting shell. Illi- nois gloried in the fame of her honored sons, but wept for the dead heroes on the stricken field. The following beautiful lines were written by a lady upon hear- ing of the sad losses sustained by this favorite regiment in this campaign:

Cold are the sleepers Wrapt in their shrouds- Pale are the weepers The battle has bowed; Softly they slumber, Our soldiers in death- While hearts without number Cry, with hushed breath- O God, are they dead !

Pale are the sleepers, Like marble they lie- Sad are the weepers, Tear-stained their eyes; Quiet they slumber, Soldiers entombed, While hearts without number, All shrouded in gloom, Cry-O, are they gone !

Calm are the sleepers, Taking their rest- Sad are the weepers, Joyless their breasts; Softly they slumber, Our soldiers to-day, While hearts without number Cry, only this way Can our battles be won?

After the evacuation of Atlanta by Hood and the subsequent occupation by Sherman, the 78th, with the balance of the army under that matchless com- mander, Sherman, lay encamped for

about three weeks, and then entered upon that celebrated "march to the sea,". that is so well known as to need no comment in this connection, suffice it to say that in that campaign, that commenced in At- lanta pierced the confederacy, and ter- minated by the "grand review," at Wash- ington, the 78th was always on hand for any emergency, and added fresh leaves to their crown of laurels. During this march the regiment was commanded by Colonel Maris R. Vernon. The regi- ment was mustered out of the service of the government, June 7, 1865, and re- turned to their homes.

In this regiment there were 214 men from this county, and of that number 15 were killed, 28 wounded, and 23 died of disease while in service, 20 were taken prisoners, 6 of whom died at Anderson- ville, and 3 at Libby.

EIGHTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.

Colonel:

Lewis H. Waters. Adjutant:

Charles E. Waters. Quartermaster: Louis A. Simmons. Surgeon: James B. Kyle. COMPANY A. Captains: .

John P. Higgins.

Willis Edson.

Second Lieutenants :

William F. Stearns. John S. Walker.

Sergeants :

John McCabe, Edwin B. Rall, Thomas M. Whitehead.

Corporals:

Warren S. Odell, Joseph B. Wortman,

David J. Tuggle, Quincy A. Roberts,

. William J. Lea, Thomas J. Starns,

William Jones.

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

Privates :

Allen, Coffier W.,

Blair, Samuel,

Archer, George C., Brotherton, Silas E.,

Butler, Preston,

. Baker, Jolın,

Clark, Jacob,

Clarke, James S.,

Clark, Milton,

Casto, George W.,

Casto, Thomas J., Covalt, Abraham B., Crane, John A.,

Case, Edward,

Dunswortlı, D. B.,

Driscoll, John,

Deardorff, Joseph,

Davis, John W.,

Fenton, George,

Gadd, Frank, Green, William T.,

Holliday, Francis M., Kelly, James,

Lane, David H.,

Lutes, Granville M.,

Misener, Charles W., Maury, Thomas B.,

Morris, Richard L., Nolan, Michael, Owen, Nathaniel, O'Bryan, Edward, Parks, John,

Parks, George, Pelsor, John C., Patrick, Charles,

Patrick, Samuel,

Remick, Augustus,

Reno, Joseph L.,

Robertson, James T.

Shoopman, Jacob,

Spear, Samuel R.,

Shepherd, Thomas J., Slyter, Philo, Slyter, Lorenzo, Tuggle, Crawford, Voorhees, John, White, Thomas W., Willis, Able H.,

Smizer, John,

Voorhees, George R., Walker, Daniel,

Wood, Richard A.,

Wilson, Zacharia,

Whiting, Charles H., Wells, Christopher C. Dawson, Richard A. Clarke, Benjamin F., Chase, Chauncey, Mitchell. Wilford,

McCamenout J. P. Willis George W.

COMPANY B. Corporals :

R. H. Mcclintock, David G. Harland. Privates: Andrews, Martin, Chappell, W.,

Hannon, Patrick,

Green, Wm. T.,

Leighty, John H., Miles, Augustus,

Mitchell, Coleman, Smiter, James P.,

Stambaugh, Jacob,

Stambaugh, Samuel,

Walker, Ebenezer,

Toland, John T., Walker, Samuel, Greer, John A.,

COMPANY C. Captain: William Ervin. First Lieutenant: Joseph G. Waters.

Second Lieutenants:

Wm. P. Pearson, Wm. F. Jones,

First Sergeant : William T. Harris. Sergeants :

John S. Provine, George T. Yocum,

John A. Eyre, Wm. Pointer.

Corporals:

Daniel Wooley, William J. Hensley,

Edward S. Piper, Alex. Blackburn,

Wm. L. Hampton, Nathan A. Miller.

Privates:

Adcock, Joseph T., Avery, Daniel,

Broaddus, Thos. H., Brooks, Francis,

Brown, David, Bowlin, John S.,

Cord, William G., Chapman, Wm. A,, Dailey, James, Erwin, Jesse L., Champ, Martin H., Dailey, Isaac W., Foley, William H., Hill, James, Ferguson, J. V., Harris, John, Hall, Henry, Harris, George W., Hammer, Josiah Y., Johnson, James, Herron, Wesley C., Herndon, Allen A., Harlan, Marcus L , Kemble, Thomas E., Lee, Cicero B., McQuestion, Alex., McDaniels, G. W., Maxwell, George, Provine, James H., Purdam, James, Pennington, W. T., Ringer, William W., Simmons, Wm. W., Stratton, John W., Smith, Samuel A., Swigart, Josiah, Tandy, Jeptha M., Vleet, David, Witherell, Cyrus,

Kelsey, Cyrus, Markham, Albert. Martin, Thomas J., Maines, David, Pennington, C. W., Purdam, Abraham, Pennington, R. W,, Rollins, John H., Sumpter, Henry, Sweeney, John W., Stratton, Elijah,

Smith, Edward, Sweeney, William, Venable, John W., Van Meter, Henry, Willis, Abraham V., Winslow, Wm. H.,

Winslow, Charles F., Wilkinson, F.,

Wayland, Wm. H., Walker, Wm. C., Hunter, James H., Hankins, John.

COMPANY E. Taylor, Benjamin F. COMPANY F.

Second Lieutenants: Samuel Frost, Joseph Price,

Cox, Nathan C.,

180

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

Corporals:

Eli Elwell, James H. Kennie, Rufus L. Cox.

Privates:

Benson, Vachel,

Enders, Christopher,

Graves, Allen,

Herlocker, James M.,

Hammond, Benj ,

Kerr, George N.,

Kerr, Clayburn 'T.,

Knock, Daniel,

McConnell, George,

Miller, Levi A.,

McFadden, Sam'I N., Nebergall, Reuben J., Seaburn, George, Sloan, John F.,

Shaffer, John,

Swearingin, Martin,

Swearingen, George, Thomas, John,

Turner, Thomas B., Wetsel, Christopher,

Walroth, Abram N., Culp, William.

THE EIGHTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.

One of the most gallant regiments of a gallant state was the one known as the 84th infantry. It was organized at Quincy, Illinois, in August, 1862, by Colonel Lewis H. Waters, who had served a few months as the lieutenant- colonel of the 28th infantry, and who had resigned to come home and raise a new regiment. On the 1st of September, 1862, the regiment was mustered into the service of the United States with 951 men, rank and file. It was on Sep- tember 23, ordered to report at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and on arrival at that place was assigned to the 10th brigade of the 4th division, and on the 29th of the same year marched with the balance of the troops in pursuit of General Bragg. After a long and weary march through Bardstown, Danville, Perryville, Crab Orchard, Wild Cat, Somerset, Columbia, Gallatin and Silver Springs, the com- mand reached Nashville, Tennessee. The first battle of any importance in which the regiment participated was that known as Stone River, or the battle of Murfreesboro, which occurred on the

31st of December 1862, and on the 2d and 3d of January 1863. General Rose- crans had assumed the command of the army lately under General Buell and had concentrated his forces at Nashville. From thence he marched to meet Gen- eral Braxton Bragg, the rebel com- mander, who, with a heavy column was moving north on a second grand expedi- tion, and had already reached Murfrees- boro. Both Generals had formed the same plan for the approaching contest. As the union left was crossing Stone river to attack the rebel right, the strong rebel left fell heavily on the weak union right. At first the onset was irresistable. But General Sheridan was there and his generalship held the ground until Rose- crans could recall the left, replant his batteries and establish a new line of bat- tle. Upon this new front the rebels charged four times, but were driven back with heavy losses. This was upon the 31st of December. On the 2d of Janu- ary following General Bragg renewed the contest, but being again unsuccess- ful, retreated. This is claimed to have been one of the bloodiest conflicts dur- ing the war, and the gallant 84th play the part of heroes, losing 228 men, killed and wounded. This battle was the last attempt of the rebels to wrest Kentucky from our grasp, and placed General Bragg upon the defensive. At Wood- bury, on the 17th of January, while in pursuit, the 84th had another brush with the enemy, but no general engagement took place until during the summer months. General Rosecrans, feeling his inferiority in cavalry, made no formal movement until June, when with 60,000 men, among whom was the 84th, he

181

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

marched in search of General Bragg. The latter lay at Chattanooga, and when Rosecrans threatened his communica- tions, he was too able a strategist to allow himself to be cooped up in a forti- fied place, and evacuated the place. Rosecrans, thinking that Bragg was in full retreat pushed on rapidly in his rear, but the rebel general, having re- ceived some powerful re-inforcements, turned on him so suddenly that he well nigh caught him unprepared and scat- tered over 40 miles of line. But the union forces rapidly concentrated, and the two armies met upon the Chicka- mauga, the 'river of death," as the In- dian name implies. On the 19th of Sep- tember the armies engaged but the con- test was indecisive and on the 20th was resumed. About noon the federal line became broken from the movement of troops to help the left wing, then hardly pressed. Longstreet seized the oppor- tunity and pushed a brigade into the gap, and following it up, swept the union right and center from the field. The crowd of fugitives bore Rosecrans, him- self away. In this crisis of the battle all depended upon the left under General Thomas, who alone stood between the rebels and disaster and rout. All through the long afternoon these veter- ans stood whilst around them surged the whole rebel force, but in vain, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Minnesota's bravest men stood there and bore the brunt of many a hard pressed charge and earned for General Thomas his name of "Rock of Chickamauga." When night had come, General Thomas deliberately withdrew to Chattanooga. All through this bloody day, the 84th fought nobly and when

rallied around their colors and the roll called, 172 men failed to respond, being either killed or wounded. They now with the balance of the union army were shut up in the entrenchments of that place, while Bragg cccupied the hills and threatened the city. The garrison was threatened with starvation.

Grant was now appointed to supercede General Rosecrans,and hastened to Chat- tanooga, but being afraid that Thomas, who had command after Rosecrans left, would surrender before re-inforcements could reach him, telegraphed him to hold fast. The old Roman's reply was "I will stay till I starve." On Grant's arri- val things began to wear a different as- pect. A corps from the army of the Po- tomac, 23,000 strong under General Jo- seph Hooker came, and General W. T. Sherman hastened by forced marches from Iuka, 200 miles away, and commu- nications were again restored. On the 24th of November, the 84th was ordered on duty and helped fight the ever mem- orable battle of Lookout Mountain. Hooker was ordered to charge the enemy but to stop on the high ground, but the men, carried away by the ardor of the attack, swept on, over the crest, driving the enemy before them. The next morn- ing Hooker advanced on the south of Missionary Ridge. Sherman had been the whole time pounding away on the northern flank, and Grant perceiving that the rebel line in front of him was being weakened to repel these attacks on the flank, saw that the critical moment had arrived and launched Thomas' corps on its center.

"The signals for the attack had been arranged," says B. F. Taylor, in his ac-

182

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

count of the battle, "six cannon shots fired at intervals of two seconds. The moment arrived. Strong and steady the order rang out: Number one, fire! num- ber two, fire! number three, fire! It seemed to me like the tolling of the clock of destiny. And when at number six, fire!' the roar throbbed out with the flash, you should have seen the dead line, that had been lying behind the works all day, come to resurrection in the twink- ling of an eye, and leap like a blade from its scabbard."

The orders were to take the rifle-pits at the foot of Missionary Ridge, then halt and re-form; but the men forgot them all, and carrying the works at the base, swept up the ascent. Grant caught the grand inspiration, and ordered a grand charge along the whole front. Up they went, without firing a shot, over rocks, trees, and stumps, surmounted the crest, captured the guns and turned them upon the enemy, now fully routed and in disorderly retreat. Although the 84th held its accustomed place, in these battles it was fortunate enough to lose only nine men.

Early in the spring General Sherman started upon the ever memorable Atlanta campaign. He had with him about 100,- 000 men of all arms, among whom was the 84th Illinois. General Joseph E. Johnston, the rebel commander, barred the way and the heroic regiment partici- pated in the battle at Dalton, on the 13th of May, 1864, Resaca, May 14, Burnt Hickory, May 26 to 31, and Dallas, June 1, 2 and 3. At the battle of Kenesaw mountain and during the siege of Atlanta it bore a prominent part. When Sher- man drew out of Atlanta, Thomas' corps

was left to defend Nashville, and during the sanguinary conflicts that occurred at Franklin and Nashville, December 15, and 16, the 84th bore off the usual palm of victory. The total casualities, in the different battles, in this regiment reached the number of 558 men. On the 8th of June, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee, the 84th was mustered out of service and re- turned home. There were 205 men from McDonough county in this favor- ite regiment, in five different companies, A, B, C, D and F, and of these 11 were killed; 39 died; 39 were wounded, and one was captured and died in Anderson- ville prison-pen.

EIGHTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY A. .

Campbell, Thomas, Moss, Samuel, Peterman, David P .. Randolph, John H.

COMPANY F.

Sergeant:

James W. Filson,

Private:

Hollenbeck, Francis.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD IN- FANTRY.

COMPANY F.

Corporal:

Andrew J. Justice. Musicians:

William A. Smith,

William E. Cooper,

Privates :

Buck, Joseph H.,

Buck, Joseph,

Baughman, Samuel, Holler, William,

Post, William.

COMPANY G.

Ames, Americus,

Myers, Artemus,

Yocum, John W.

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY A.

Freeman, John P., Fortney, Henry M.,

Leal, Clark. Martin, Henry C.

COMPANY B.

Burham, James T., Haigh, John,

Ladd, Andrew L., McCants, Leander,

Mattelu, Conrad. Ramsey, Samuel,

Wells, Lewis T. Weider, Alonzo.

COMPANY E. Corporals:

Jacob D. Bungar. Thomas, George W.

COMPANY I. House, William A.

COMPANY K.

Hazel, Solomon, Martin, George W.,

Philip, Felix L. Toland, D. L.

ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY H.

Captain: Samuel McConnell.

First Lieutenants:

Henry C. Mullen, Jackson Wells.

Second Lieutenant: Samuel D. Sawyer.

First Sergeant: Nathan B. McGraw.

Sergeants:

Levi S. Mills,

Robert T. Carter,

Joel C. Bond, Parvis H. Moore,

Privates:

Arthur, Daniel, Anderson, Wm. H.,

Amos, George W.,

Bond, Benjamin,

Booth, James Jr„,

Burchett, Henry B.,

Bootlı, James C., Bechtel, David,

Booth, John,

Carter, John E.,

Clark, James, Covert, Joseph B.,

Crownover, F. L.,

Covert, David,

Covert, John,

Cruser, De Witt T. B.,

Duncan, Benjamin, Duncan, James E.,

Dewey, William H., Eby, Jeremiah W., Frost, Richard T., Faust, Charles,

Falck, Frederick, Frankenburg, Benj., Fleming, John, Farley, George, Hobart, John, Hunt, Manning F., Kepple, James V., Faulkner, William, Gilson, Alpheus M., Hall, James, Loggard, Tolbert, Kantz, George,

Lemmons, James H., Long, Samuel C., McKennelley, W. L., McMaster, Wm. W.,

McMein, Ammon P., Noel, William T., Oglesby, William T., Parvin, Isaac M., Pelley, John D., Plotts, John C., Purman, John H., Plotts, Martin L.,

Pugh, Alexander, Stearns, Abdallah M.,

Snook, Roswell H., Thomas, William,

Sutton, James A., Wilson, Lewis,

Whittlesey, Wm. H., Frankenburg, J. W.,

Maxwell, John A.,

Morris, John,

Camp, Thomas J.,

Couch, William H.,

Hyde. Charles, . Ittle, John,

Ralston, David R.,

Wagner, John.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEENTH IN- FANTRY.

This regiment was organized at Quin- cy, in September, 1862, by Colonel Thomas J. Kinney, and was mustered into the United States service, on the 10th of October. On the 2d of Novem- ber it was ordered to Columbus, Ken- tucky, where it went into camp, but afterward removed to Jackson, Ten- nessee, and then to Humboldt. On the 30th of May, 1863, it proceeded to Mem- phis, where it was assigned to the 4th brigade, 5th division of the 16th corps. In January, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Vicksburg, where it took part in what is known as the Meriden cam- paign, under General Sherman. On the 10th of March, 1864, the regiment, with portions of the 16th and 17th corps, under the command of General A. J. Smith, moved up the Red river to the, assistance of General Banks. General

184

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

Smith's force consisted of ten thousand infantry and three batteries of artillery, which left Vicksburg, March 9th, on transports, accompanied by gunboats. At the mouth of the Red river this fleet was joined by Admiral D. D. Porter, with a large fleet, including several iron- clads. The fleet entered Red river by the southern stream, and passed thence into Achafalaya, proceeding as far as Semmesport, where the troops disem- barked on the night of the 13th and im- mediately commenced a march on Fort De Russey. No halt was ordered till the army had marched some seven miles. It was twenty-eight miles from there to Fort De Russey. Nevertheless the army marched that distance the next day, constantly harrassed by rebel cav- alry; delayed once two hours at a stream over which a bridge had to be made; at- tacked the fort and carried it by storm before sundown and before the gunboats had arrived.

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 20

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150