USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of companies I and E, Sixth Regt., Illinois Volunteer Infantry from Whiteside County > Part 10
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"The Indians supposed I was dead and one of them stole up and attempted to finish the job by scalping me. . I revived just as he was preparing . to make the final
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
swing with his knife and lift my hair. I managed to get my hand on my six-shooter which he had not taken time to secure. and as he was gloating over me. I half opened my eyes. took quick aim and fired. That poor red devil never knew what happened to him. for that piece of lead. half the size of your fist had bored a hole clear through his head, and with a yell he sprang into the air and fell on his face dead as a door nail."
"The other boys who hadgiven chase to the red- skins, returned in a couple of hours. They had met a troop of U. S. regulars and put them on the trail of the Indians. We picked up our dead comrades and re- turned to our homes. It was some time before I en- tirely recovered from the slashing I had received at the hands of the vicious Indian. and the hair has never grown on those spots since."
The man from the east drank in the whole story eagerly and as the man from Illinois finished the narra- tive he gathered himself up and pulled a big six-shooter from his hip pocket and caressed it tenderly. The stranger looked about him for a moment and seeing the way clear, backed away a few paces and turning, made a bee line for camp. The musician lay on the grass and laughed until he was sore. The fact of the matter was he fell from the top rail of a fence and cut his scalp quite severely when a mere boy, and it had left him with the scars which had caught the eye of the wandering soldier from the east. This deception regarding the presence of the cow-boy and Indian in Illinois was kept up until a regiment of infantry arrived at camp from Kansas and another from Missouri. then we kept quiet . on these matters.
On May twenty-fourth, General Graham appointed
MAJOR DAVID E. CLARK.
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TROOPS REVIEWED BY MCKINLEY.
Colonel Foster to the command of the Second brigade .mak- ing him acting Brigadier General of volunteers. This un- expected honor to the Colonel of our regiment was hailed with delight by our boys and our camp life was bright- ened for a time. The appointment was not permanent however, and not long afterward General Garretson from Ohio was placed in command of the brigade.
May twenty seventh. General Graham reviewed the troops of his command. and complimented them highly on their military appearance. The day following. the troops passed in review before President Mckinley. Vice President Hobart. Sec'y Alger, Gen'l Miles and a number of other Government officials.
The President and his party arrived on the grounds at three thirty p. m., escorted by two troops of New York Cavalry. The parade formed immediately after- wards. It was exactly one hour from the time the first company passed the reviewing stand until the last went by. There were eleven regiments in line: First New Jersey: Seventh and Eighth Ohio: Sixty-Fifth New York; Sixth Illinois; Sixth Massachusetts; Eighth, Twelfth and Thirteenth Pennsylvania; Fifteenth Indiana and Twelfth Missouri. Two or three of the regiments that were in camp did not participate in the review for some cause.
Colonel Foster was in command of the Second bri- gade. First division of the Second army corps, which was composed of the Sixth Illinois, Sixth Massachusetts and Eighth Ohio. Lieut. Colonel Kittilsen was in com- mand of our regimeut. This brigade was the recipient of many compliments on the showing it made, as com- pany after company swung by the reviewing stand with regular step and perfect line. It was without doubt the
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
best equipped and most thoroughly drilled brigade at Camp Alger.
After the review the Presidents party drove through each regiment's quarters and was greeted with rounds of cheers on every side.
We were never in want for music. Nearly every regiment present had either a band or fife and drum corps. The fife and drum corps of the Sixth Massachu- setts was extremely persistent in its rehearsels and it could be heard the first thing in the morning, all through the day and late at night. The Washington papers gave the Eighth Ohio band first place. with the Sixth Illinois band as a close second: but thanks to the con- tinued efforts of Chief Musician Prestine. our band kept steadily improving until we readily saw it was first in the favor of the many camp visitors whose interest in the boys in blue never lagged.
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COLONEL GIRARD IN EVIDENCE.
CHAPTER X.
The hours of duty were lengthened shortly after our arrival at Camp Alger. First call for reveille sound- ed at five fifteen a. m. and taps at nine thirty p. m: we were given an hour's hard drilling, from six thirty until seven thirty in the morning: an hour and thirty minutes before mess at noon: and from three o'clock until four in the afternoon. with dress parade at six thirty in the evening.
Our regiment held its first dress parade and review on the evening of May twenty-fifth. The band marched down the line to the stirring strains of the good old "First Brigade March." The review was fine and elicit- ed great applause from the visitors. The regiment marched in column of companies before Colonel Foster. and the alignment and step was perfect.
Orders were read to the men practically establishing a dead line one mile from camp; or in other words. a sol- dier who was found beyond the mile limit from camp without permission was subject to court martial. A por- tion of the Articles of War was read to the men each night to familiarize them with the regulations which controlled their actions at all times. whether on or off duty.
Privates Goodman and Little, of company E. were
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
detailed to duty in the hospital, and private John Strock of the same company, regimental color guard. May twenty-eighth. Captain Lawrie made the following ap- pointments in company E: Corporal Sheldon to be Ser- geant; private McNeil. Corporal: private Book. Wagon- eľ. Private Will Flock was detailed to special duty in the quartermaster's department.
Major Anthony established a theoretical school of in- struction to soldiers, or "The first aid to the wounded." He explained to us how the various injuries and wounds should be treated when unable to secure medical assist- ance. We were given thirty minutes of this instruction daily.
Quite a sensation was caused in camp when we were informed that Colonel Girard, Chief Surgeon in com- mand of the First division hospital. had ordered the regimental surgeons to turn over to the division hospital all of their supplies such as cots, bedding. tents etc. The information given out carried with it the idea that this was done in order to centralize the work of caring for the invalid soldiers. A vigorous protest was made by our surgeons. The cots and bedding in our hospital were furnished the regiment by Senator Mason and Mrs. Electa Smith from their private funds and Major Antho- ny decided that the supplies received from this source did not come under the jurisdiction of Colonel Girard. The transfer of this equipment meant the relinquishing of all hopes of securing respectable treatment for our boys as the division hospital was a farce.
It was lacking in equipment. nurses, supplies. med- icines and surgical instruments, with which the regimen- tal hospitals were kept supplied. A rigid examination of the existing conditions at the division hospital brought
USV
CAPT. JOHN J.CAIRNS, Regt'l Adj. Sixth Inf.
161
. NEW QUARTERS.
to light the fact that the patients were poorly cared for, while the men in the regimental hospitals were receiving the best of treatment and supplies were constantly being brought in in large quantities by private parties.
Major Anthony decided to risk a court martial rather than see the result of so much time and labor thrown into the hands of the surgeons at the division hospital. and refused point blank to deliver his sup- plies to Colonel Girard. The controversy was carried on for some time and eventually resulted in the re- tention of the regimental hospital.
The next move of Colonel Girard was to order the transfer into the regular service of all members of the volunteer hospital corps. This caused , another stir among the men who would be effected by the order. but there was no way of avoiding it and the final re- sult was that several of the Sixth regiment were trans- ferred to the regular service, with the verbal under, standing that they were to be allowed to remain with their regiment and be mustered out with it.
Ralph Humphrey of company I. and Guy Rodgers of company E were among the number.
We had just fairly settled ourselves in our quarters when we were ordered to strike tents and move across the road. The boys had been putting in the hours off duty in building bunks in their tents. We drove crotched sticks in the ground. on these we placed strong poles, then a layer of bark from trees. then an armful of pine twigs and over all a blanket was thrown. making a very comfortable bed. and raised about six inches from the ground. This work was just completed when the order came to move and on June third we reluctantly packed our belongings and
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
camp equipage and began life anew in our new quar- ters.
Our new site was on a side hill. the lower end of the company street terminating at the very edge of the timber land. On our right wound the corduroy road leading to Falls Church. This had become a very busy thoroughfare. and a continual string of teams was passing our tents from early morning un- til late in the evening. The soil was sandy. and the weather hot and dry and every gust of wind would fill our eyes and cover everything about us with dust.
Along this road opposite our quarters, it had been built up solid for nearly a half a mile with temporary structures of wood and canvas. There was a barber- shop, billiard hall. shooting gallery. and several dining halls, with numerous refreshment stands intermingling. Once in a while a blockade of teams would occur and then the mule-whacker could be heard for half a mile as he urged his four-in-hand throughthe labyrinth of vehicles.
A few days previous to our moving to the new camp site we were given another degree in soldiering by the appearance of "greybacks." We had been drawing clothing and one of the boys. among other articles had been issued a new flannel shirt. He had taken the clothing to his tent and was looking it over when he saw something crawling on the collar of the shirt. He picked the shirt up and called the attention of several of his comrades to the moving object and they decided it was the old original army greyback and they scattered instantly.
The owner of the shirt carried it down to the
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REGIMENT RECRUITED TO MAXIMUM.
end of the company street and placed it on the ground where it was inspected by the whole company as there were but few of the boys who had ever seen one of the "critters." They all made sure to remain a re- spectful distance from the contaminating piece of cloth, while its owner stood by thinking of the $1.85 which had been charged to his account in payment for the article. Turning the matter over in his mind he walked over, picked the shirt up and carried it back to his tent. He knew it would be a matter of only a few days until the new-comer would find him anyway and he may as well keep the shirt.
Mrs. Smith continued her visits to camp always bringing something for the boys to eat. Her smiling face and gentle voice had become almost a necessity to many of the volunteers .! Her strong character and the enthusiasm with which she kept at her self-imposed task was an inspiration to all those who witnessed it, and the effec was noticeable long after her departure.
It was through her efforts that bugler Eshelman of company E. received his discharge and was sent home. He had been in poor health for some time and camp life, was rapidly wearing him out. As soon as Mrs. Smith came to know the circumstances she took im- mediate steps to hurry his release. An application for his discharge had been forwarded to the War Depart- ment on the grounds of physical disability. As soon as the discharge was granted Mrs. Smith took him to her home in Washington and cared for him for sev- eral days until she felt he was in fit condition to make the journey home safely. He left Washington for Sterling the second week in June.
Early in June. the government having decided to
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
fill every organization to its maximum, officers were de- tailed from all Illinois regiments to visit their home stations and there recruit each company to its desired number of one hundred and six enlisted men from the neighborhood where the company was originally organ- ized. First Lieutenant Dillon of company E was ap- pointed recruiting officer of the First battalion of the Sixth regiment. A man from each company was de- tailed to accompany him and aid in the recruiting; Ser- geant Osborne of company I and private Bensinger of company E were detailed from those two companies. They left Camp Alger for Illinois, June seventh. Lieut. Dillon opened a recruiting office in Sterling and he soon had the desired number of volunteers. He, with the enlisted men detailed to assist him returned and reported for duty at Camp Alger June twenty-sixth.
The recruits for companies E and I arrived at Camp Alger at intervals between the nineteenth and twenty-sixth of June and were as follows: Company E; Clare Brumley. Ford Brittenham, Moses N. Dillon. Isaac Davis, Charles Eberle, Harry Eberle, Ed. Haberle, Louis E. Hayes, Fred A. Johnson, Mert Jackson, G. A. McKelvey and j. D. Walck, who were sworn into the service at Sterling, June sixteenth, by Lieut. Dillon and departed the next morning for Camp Alger. They reported to Capt. Lawrie for duty on the morning of June nineteenth.
Twelve more men for Company E were mustered at Sterling, June eighteenth and embarked for Camp Alger. June twentieth, reporting for duty June twenty third. They were: Frank Apple. Howard Armstrong, William Connell. Ernest Esterbrooks. Frank Heath. Wilber Jackson, R. E. Jackson, Richard O. Jones,
CAPT. FRANK W. BARBER. Q .- M. Sixth Inf.
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SIXTH REGIMENT ON DRESS PARADE.
Walter Latherow, Harold Matlack, Arthur Overholser and Bert Sneed. John Drew signed the muster roll June twenty-third and started for Washington immed- iately. This completed the roster of company E.
June nineteenth. twenty recruits reported to Capt. Colebaugh for duty in company I. they were: Olin Car- gay, Marcus L. Drennen. Walter C. Drury. George Freek. Charles Freek. George Hunt. Byron Humphrey. Rollin Humphrey. Arthur Lewis. Charles Lewis. William Leslie, Edmund S. Langdon. Bert Palmer, Charles Reafsnyder. Ernest Snyder. John Stowell. Arthur Sears. Schuyler Sweeney, Olin Wells and Frank Weaver. June twenty-third. Albert Anstett. Guy Humphrey. Irvin Stumbaugh, Frank Wells and Fred White joined company I: and on June twenty-sixth: Harry Bent came into comp. This gave company I a full complement of men.
A misunderstanding occurred in the enlistment of private Langdon. His father applied for his discharge, and it was granted. "by way of favor." It took some time to secure his release but it was accomplished and he returned to his home. The vacancy thus caused was filled by the enlistment of William Boilshaus. Private Brubaker of Company I was transferred to the Signal Corps and detached from the company and regiment.
The practice drills continued regularly, and soon the recruits were placed in the ranks by the side of the older men. The effect of the course of instruction which the volunteers constantly received was quite evident. At regimental dress parade, the troops from the unoccupied regiments would congregate to witness the maneuvers of the men of the regiment that was on parade. Hundreds of visitors from Washington and the surrounding country
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
were usually on hand each evening for the same purpose. When the Sixth Illinois formed and executed the manual of arms drill there was nothing in camp that could touch it. With the command, "order arms," every rifle came down at the same time with a thud; the left hand of each man dropped to his side with a precision like clock work, and the men never failed to receive hearty applause.
In passing in review before the commanding officer and his staff, each company, with few exceptions, held a perfect line and kept regular step. Colonel Foster was extremely proud of his command and was the recipient of many words of praise from the brigade and division officers for the splendid showing made by the men of his regiment.
A limited number of passes were issued to the men each day and they eagerly took advantage of the oppor- tunity to visit the city of Washington. A three mile ride in the dirt and dust to Falls Church, and about ten miles on an electric car, up hill and down dale, whizzing around sharp curves and over bridges in Old Virginia, bringing up suddenly on the bank of the Potomac opposite George- town; taking foot passage over the bridge into this suburb of the Capitol City, then a short ride on a street car and the party landed in the heart of the National Capitol.
There was much to be seen and usually the time was limited to a few hours in the city. The Capitol building and White House must not be over looked; then there was the Navy yard, the Marine barracks, the U. S. Museum. Treasury and Navy building, the Congres- sional Library, which is the finest building in the world, with its long corridors, library rooms and large open stairs, all built of the best granite and marble the world
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167
A VISIT TO WASHINGTON,
produces and very highly polished. Both the upper and lower domes on this building are over laid with gold leaf on the out side. The walls of the interior are adorned with beautiful paintings and works of art wrought by master hands. The wide shelves and mammoth tables are laden with books, papers and magazines published centuries ago.
Washingtons monument must also be visited be- fore returning. This testimonial erected in memory of the father of our country. is thirty five feet square at the base and towers five hundred and fifty five feet above the earth. The interior is open and contains a winding stairway from bottom to top. An elevator makes the ascent and descent every thirty minutes. The stones used in the construction of this memorial were contribu- ted by the many states, and societies of the union, each one bearing an appropriate inscription.
Arriving at the upper landing a birds-eye view of the city and the country for miles surrounding is had, men and women, on the lawn far below look like pig- mies. The waters of the Potomac shimmering in the sunlight can be traced for miles and as its course grows fainter and fainter in the distance it appears like a band of silver girdling this part of the world. The city itself, lies spread out before you like a page of an open book. Its labryinth of streets and avenues, bordered by beau- tiful shade trees aud handsome residences are bewilder- ing while the pure white of the federal buildings nest- ling among the green foliage of the many gardens rests the eye and reflects peace and security over all. De- scending in the elevator the party turns its steps toward the Lincoln home. It is getting late and the boys com - lete their day of sightseeing by taking a drive through
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
the residence portion of the city and return to camp very tired but more than pleased with the result of the days excursion.
L. R. GAYLORD, Ist Lieut., Adj. 1st Bat Sixth Ill. Vol.
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PAYING THE TROOPS.
CHAPTER XI.
.
June fourth, General George R. Garrettson, of Col- umbus, O., assumed command of the Second brigade, re- lieving Colonel Foster who had been in command since May twenty fourth. Capt. Cairns who had been acting Ass't Adj't Gen'l at brigade headquarters was also re- lieved and returned to regimental headquarters.
The men were growing weary of camp life. They were not tired of soldiering but were restless and anxious to begin active service. We were fitted out with uni- forms and clothing very slowly. The one bright spot in these long days of monotonous drilling and camp duty was the day the paymaster made his first visit at camp. We signed the pay roll June eighth and the following morning we lined up and one at a time received our pay.
This was the first money the boys had received since their leaving home and they were sadly in need of it. Many of them had entered the service with but little money in their pockets. Some were yet wearing citi- zens clothing and had been compelled to purchase vari- ous articles of wearing apparel, besides the dining halls and refreshment stands hard by had lured the loose change from the pockets of the majority of the soldiers and long before the arrival of the paymaster their last cent was gone. They soon began to realize that they must plan differently, that fifteen dollars and sixty cents per month
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
would not meet their expenses at the pace which had been set and immediately after receiving their first pay from Uncle Sam a goodly portion of it was sent directly home.
Intoxicating liquors had been kept away from our quarters as much as possible. The Pennsylvania regi- ments had a wide open canteen running but nothing of the kind was allowed in the neighborhood of the Illinois or Ohio regiments. The crafty fellows in our vicinity were not slow to take advantage of the situation and they sold whiskey on the sly until they were caught and put under arrest. We called them "moonshiners" and the stuff they sold was known as "moonshine whiskey." It was about the worst mixture that ever tickled a palate. It was prepared in such a way that a man could drink a quantity of it but would not feel the effects of the over indulgence for several hours. Take several drinks in the middle of the day and towards evening he would begin to feel queer, couldn't find the ten- he lived in, wander around awhile, begin to feel a little sick, wabble and stagger a few moments and then he would give up in de- spair, "Don't care if I never get home," and generally landed in the guard house, waking up in the morning he would reach out a foot or so feeling for his head and wonder what it all meant. Not until then did he know the full meaning of "moonshine whiskey."
Talk about "cullud" folks. They were so plenty in that country that it would get dark about three o'clock in the afternoon; no matter how bright the sun was shin- ing it always appeared like twilight. Ask one of them . how far it was to a certain point and the general reply was-"Well, I doan know exactly, sah, but it's ah right smaht ways." The white people were but little in ad-
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PASSING INCIDENTS.
vance of the "cullud" folks. They were unmercifully slow. They would not hurry under any circumstances. a good man from our country would work all around them. They speak with the twang peculiar to the Vir- ginia people and it was difficult to keep from laughing when talking with one of them. They were little better at judging distance than the negro; ask one of them the same question that was put to the negro and he would re- pły "about a mile," walk nearly two miles and your des- tination not in sight; ask another one how much farther it was and it was then a mile and a half. A Virginia mile was never understood by the western boys.
Shortly after Chaplain Morgan joined our regiment at Camp Alger he tendered his resignation to Colonel Foster. His age and health would not permit him to fol- low the fortunes and hardships of a campaign in a foreign climate. Colonel Foster considered the circumstances and regretfully accepted his resignation. He delivered his farewell sermon on the nineteenth day of June, (Sun- day) and with difficulty kept from breaking down before completing his talk. He had been connected with the regiment for a long time and the thought of severing all connection with it at the time when we were on the eve of entering the strife, where his services would be so in- valuable, nearly overcame him.
Private Jack W. Ferris of company D was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Chaplain Morgan. He was a Methodist clergyman and pastor of a flourishing church at Abingdon, Ill., when the war broke out and the President called for volunteers. He immedi- ately tendered his resignation to the trustees of his church and took a place in the ranks as a private. He had shared camp life with his comrades, had enjoyed it. and
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HISTORY OF COMPANIES I AND E.
was as eager as any of them to get to the front.
At about this time a severe blow was administered to the many refreshment stands that were established in the neighborhood of the camp. The commander of the post issued a sweeping order, prohibiting the sale of pies, cakes, cookies, sandwiches. ice-cream or lemonade. within one mile of camp. The managers of these places had been doing a flourishing business, but the officers in com- mand decided that the quality of the goods put out was of the poorest and detrimental to the health of the troops. The situation could be met in one way only and that was to stop the sale of the articles. which they did.
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