USA > Illinois > History of the 112th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in the great war of the rebellion, 1862-1865 > Part 3
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Col. Saunders occupied Mt. Sterling with his troops; but the rebels hovered in the vicinity, and there was daily skirm- ishing between the pickets and scouting parties of the opposite sides, and a number of prisoners captured by both parties. The detachment from the 112th was engaged in several sharp
29
TWO KENTUCKY REGIMENTS.
skirmishes, but with no serious casualties ; and on the 10th of March was relieved and returned to Lexington.
Co. K was also mounted about the same time, and under command of Lieut. E. H. Colcord was sent to Paris, and re- mained in that vicinity about two weeks, scouting the country, and captured a large number of horses and a considerable number of prisoners.
These several detachments were dismounted on their return to Lexington, and rejoined the regiment at Camp Ella Bishop.
On the 2nd of March one of our scouting parties captured twenty-eight prisoners, among whom was Morgan's letter car- rier, having in his possession 220 letters, many of them ad- dressed to prominent citizens of Kentucky, and some tender missives from the boys in gray to the girls they had left behind them.
On the 19th of March, Lieut. Petrie, of Co. C, was ordered to report with forty men, to Capt. Wright, who with about the same number of men from Co. F, was ordered to proceed t) Boonsboro, on the Kentucky River, where they constructed a fort, under the direction of Capt. Brooks, engineer on Gen. Gillmore's staff, to defend the crossing of the river on the Win- chester and Richmond pike. The detachment met with sev- eral adventures, in one of which Lieut. Petrie and three of his men came near being drowned by the capsizing of a "dug out" in which they were crossing the river in the night. They were frequently interrupted in their work by detachments of rebel cavalry, and at one time were called out in the night to dispute the advance of a force which proved to be the 14th Ky. (Union) regiment. The detachment was relieved on the 3d of April and proceeded to Lexington, where it joined Capt. Sroufe in command of the camp, and all joined the regiment at Mil- ledgeville on the 9th of April.
About the 20th of March, Col. Wolford of the First Kentucky cavalry, reported a heavy force of the enemy in his front at Mill Springs, on the Cumberland River. General Carter ordered the infantry in his command to concentrate at Danville in readiness to meet any advance of the enemy.
On the 21st the 112th Illinois embarked on the cars at Lex- ington and proceeded to Nicholasville, the terminus of the rail-
30
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
road, and thence marched in a pouring rain for Danville, Ky., where it arrived on the evening of the 23d, and, having no tents, found shelter in buildings, public and private.
Co. E bivouacked in the court house, but at ten o clock was ordered to return to Dick's River and guard the bridge. Af er a march of six miles, in the rain, Capt. Ofman and his com- pany occupied the bridge, which was covered an l afforded shel- ter from the storm.
On the 22nd Wolford's lines on the Cumberland were b ok- en by a division of cavalry under the rebel general Pegam, supported by a strong force of infantry, and Wolford was com- pelled to fall back, to protect his flanks. Pegram eluded Wol- ford and marched rapidly toward Danville, and at the same time other rebel forces crossed the river above and swept for- ward toward Richmond and Mt. Sterling.
Gen. Gillmore, in command of the Union army, ordered Gen. Carter to call in his outposts and fall back across the Ken- tucky River, and occupy a strong position at Camp Nelson.
It was confidently believel by the Union generals that Po- gram's cavalry was the advance guard of Buckner's whole ar- my, and that the long talked of invas on of Kentucky had ac- tually taken place. They were paralyzed by the very audacity of the rebel troopers, and seemel incapable of understanding the situation or of adopting the necessary measures to repel the rebel forces. But one officer among the brigade and di- vision commanders seemed to comprehend the true state of af- fairs, and that was Col. Wolford of the 1st Kentucky cavalry Wolford's regiment seemed to be everywhere at the same time. They were on their native soil and knew every foot of the coun- try thoroughly, and seemed to have cart blanche to go when and where they pleased and return when they got ready. They knew but little about drill, and discipline was a stranger to them, but the men had the utmost confidence in their co .- onel and he in them. Every man was a brigadier on his own hook, and a majority of them believed themselves superior to the average brigadier. "Two ranks into four, git-go," was their ordinary and almost only command; and away they would go, at break-neck speed, and woe 10 the rebel who cross- ed their path. Brave, generous men-bold, daring soldiers-
31
ORDERED FORWARD.
they had the utmost contempt for red tape, discipline, dress parade and reviews, but were always on hand when there was a ny fighting to do, and nothing gave them so much satisfac- tion as to get a "whack" at a rebel.
At midnight of the 231 of March, the 112th Illinois was or- dered to fall back at once to Dick's River bridge, on the Lex- ington pike, and hold it "at all hazards." The regiment marched at once, and by daylight was in the designated posi- tion ; but as there was not a rebel in sight, the position was not extremely hazardous.
In the evening of the 24th the command was ordered to fall back to the Kentucky River at the Hickman, and made a night march, retreating before what was still believed to be a super- ior force of the enemy.
By an oversight of the brigade commander or some officer of his staff, Co. E, which occupied the bridge, was not reliev- ed when the command fell back. This was not discovered un- til the command had marched a considerable distance; and Adjutant Wells at once started back to relieve the company from its perilous position. Wolford's cavalry, the rear guard, had crossed the bridge, and Capt. Otman found himself con- fronted by a force in front, and at the same time detachments were crossing above and below to cut off his retreat. Adju- tant Wells came riding down the road at a rapid pace and call- ed out to him, "Get out of there as soon as you can, the command is half way to the Kentucky River !" Capt. Otman then learned for the first time that the command had fallen back. He succeeded in eluding the rebel cavalry, by reason of the darkness, and after a hard night's march joined the reg- iment on the north bank of the Kentucky River near the Hick- man bridge.
The next day the whole command fell back to Nicholasville, s'ill retreating before a force which the 112th Illinois, a year Inter, would not have hesitated to attack alone and unsupport- e l.
Five men of the 112th, William C. Biggs, Jesse B. Kilgore and Andrew Peterson of Co. K, John Gotlander of Co. H and Jerry H. Bailey of Co. E, had been left in hospital, sick, at Danville, and were captured and paroled by the enemy, and
32
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS,
were sent to Camp Dennison, Ohio, where they remained until exchanged. Jesse B. Kilgore was sent from Camp Dennison to St. Louis, and after his exchange was sent to Indianapolis and transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps.
By this time it was discovered that the "great invasion" of Kentucky was no invasion at all, but simply a raid by a strong force of cavalry in quest of booty-a grand foraging, stealing expedition-that while keeping up a bold front along the line of the Kentucky River, the rebel troops had been actively at work gathering up horses, mules, cattle, boots and shoes, and whatever else they could lay their hands on, and sending their "plunder" on converging roads to Somerset, and thence across the Cumberland into the Confederate lines in the mountainous regions south of the river, where Buckner's "infantry" were waiting to receive it. And now the order was given to "about face," the advance was sounded, and instead of retreating we started in pursuit of the enemy.
On the 28th of March the 112th Illinois, with other regiments of infantry, moved from Nicholasville, on the Danville road as far as Dick's River, but the enemy having burne I the bridge, the command turned into Camp Dick Robinson for the nigh' Having no tents or blankets -- they being on the wagons-and the ground being wet and cold, the men built lires and sat around them until one o'elpek in the morning of the 29th, and then proceeded to Lancaster, where the command arrived at daylight. Remained at Lancaster until 11 o'clock, and then marched four miles, on the Danville road, to the river, when it was discovered that that bridge had also been burned by the enemy. Returned to Lancaster, and marched on the Crab Or- chard road twelve miles to the river, and found that the bridge there had also been burned. The wagon train having come up, the wagons were unloaded and rolled into the river, and the troops crossed over on them, leaving everything except arms and ammunition, and proceeded to Crab Orchard and bivou- acked in buildings, having marched twenty miles, on solid stone pikes, since 11 o'clock in the morning. The enemy was now in rapid retreat toward the Cumberland, closely pursued by Wolford with a brigade of cavalry and mounted infantry ; and early in the morning of the 31st the infantry proceeded, by a
33
SKIRMISHING.
rapid march, on the Somerset road to their support. But in- fantry cannot keep up with mounted troops, especially when the latter are in pursuit of retreating mounted forces; and when we had marched sixteen miles we were informed that our cavalry and mounted infantry had overtaken the rear guard of the enemy at Dutton s Hill, near Somerset. and after a sharp fight had defeated and driven them across the Cumberland, capturing a number of prisoners. and a large herd of cattle, and considerable other property, which the rebels had failed to get across the river.
The infantry command bivouacked in the woods, and the next day (April 1) returned to Crab Orchard and encamped in buildings again.
On the 2nd of April the 112th Ilinois, with the rest of the brigade, marched to Stanford, where the wagon train was met. Here the 112th was detached from the brigade, and a new bri- gade formed, consisting of the 112th Illinois. the 32nd Ken- tucky and the 45th Ohio (mounted infantiy) under the com- mand of Col. Ben. P Runkle, of the 45th Ohio.
On the 4th of April the 112th marched from Stanford to Houstonville, twelve miles, and camped for the night in a large academy ; and the next day marched to Milledgeville, on the Houstonville and Danville road, nine miles from Danville, and pitched tents and went into camp. preparatory to being mount- ed. It was determined by those in authority to supply the de- ficiency in cavalry by mounting several infantry regiments, and the 112th Illinois was one of the regiments selected for that service.
The camp was named "Camp Burnside. " in honor of Gen. A. E. Burnside, who had recently arrived from the east to take com- mand of the Department of the Ohio. And Col. Runkle an- nounced in a general order that the brigade should be known a3 "The Excelsior Brigade of Mounted Rifles"-although there was no intent on of mounting the 32nd Kentucky. and there was not a single rifle in the 112th Illinois. The regiment had been armed, at Peoria, with old Harper's Ferry muskets -- the best that could be obtained at the time. Col. Henderson had
3
34
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
repeatedly endeavored to procure better arms, but thus far had received nothing but promises.
The regiment was needlessly encumbered in its movements with a "regimental wagon train" of fifteen wagons-one for cach company and five for headquarters and quartermaster's and hospital stores. Even then there was considerable com- plaint by some of the officers and men of lack of sufficient transportation, and it required no little ingenuity to pack all the baggage and camp and garrison equipage upon the wagons. Later in our term of service, when transportation was reduced to one wagon to a regiment, and at times to but one wagon for a brigade, the men experienced no difficulty-had all the trans- portation needed-could have got along very well, in fact did, for weeks at a time, without any, save knapsacks and hav- ersacks and pockets.
When the regiment moved from Lexington a considerable number of men who were unable to march had been left in camp, and Capt. Sroute had been left in command. The sick and convalescent who were left in hospital having recovered from their illness with the approach of warm weather, and others who were on detached duty in Lexington having been relieved and joined Capt. Sroufe in camp, and the detach- ment from Boonesboro having also joined them, all now re- joined the regiment, aud the 112th Illinois once more assumed its old proportions ; and all, officers and men, commenced making preparations for the next campaign.
CHAPTER IV.
"MOUNTED INFANTRY" .- SOMERSET AND MONTICELLO.
Details were made from all the companies and sent to Lex- ington, under command of Capt. Dunn, after horses and ac- coutrements. On the 24th of April they returned with all that could then be obtained, but only enough to mount six compa- nies ; and the next day companies D, C, E, K, (i and B select- ed horses, and drew saddles. bridles, etc., and fitted them to the horses.
On the 26thi the regiment drew clothing ; and it had hardly been distributed to the men when an order was received to prepare to move at once. and in less than an hour the regi- ment was on the road marching toward Somerset. Tents were left standing ; no extra clothing or other baggage was taken, no wagons accompanied the regiment, and the sick were left in camp. Another lot of horses arrived soon after the regiment had left, and the next day a detail was sent back after them. They overtook the regiment late that night with horses enough to mount company H and part of company I. The command arrived at Somerset on the morning of the 28th, where it joined other troops under command of Brig. Gen. Car- ter, and on the 30th the whole force moved south across the Camberland. The infantry and artillery crossed at Stigall's Ferry. Companies A, F and part of I, of the 112th Illinois, not being mounted, accompanied the infantry. and by order of Gen. Carter remained at the ferry, to guard the crossing and
36
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
take charge of the ferry boat-an old flat-bottomed scow, pro- pelled by men pulling hand over hand on a rope stretched from shore to shore, across the river.
The mounted troops, including the 112th Illinois, crossed the river near Mill Springs. The men were ferried over, and the horses unsaddled and driven into the river and made to swim --- one horse leading the way. his rider swimming behind and guiding him by the tail, and the other horses following. The troops passed over the old battle-ground where the Union ar- my, under Gen. George H. Thomas, had defeated the rebel ar- my under Crittenden and Zollicoffer, on the 19.h of January. 1862 ; and the Kentuckians pointed out the place where Zolli- coffer was standing when he was killed. We looked with con- siderable curiosity, not ummixed with awe, upon the long lines of breast-works and rifle pits.
Our advance reached Monticello early on the morning of May 2d, where a small force of rebels was s rongly posted on a hill. The 112 h Illinois charged up the hill and the nel els retreated. They were closety pursued about four miles, when they were joined by a larger force, under Col. Chenault, and occupied a strong position on a high hill. ( apt. Law's bat- tery was brought to the front and gave them a few she'ls, to which they replied with artillery They were partially con- cealed by timber, so their numbers could not be even guessed at, and our troops were ordered to fall back, as if in retreat, to draw them from their concealment. But the ruse did not work ; they refused to follow, and the Union cavalry, support- ed by the 112th Illinois, dismounted, charged up the hill and routed them from their position. Co. C, of the 112th Illinois, was detached and sent to the left, on a road leading from the south, and deployed and ascended the hill. covered with tim- ber, in splendid style, Lieuts. Mitchell and Po'rie being in command. It was now nearly dark, and the command was ordered back to Monticello.
This was the first time the 112th had been under fire ; and although it was not severely engaged and suffered no loss, the regiment was higlily complimented by Col. Wolford for its good conduct and steadiness, who could hardly believe that was its first experience under fire.
37
DROWNED IN THE CUMBERLAND.
At 6 o'clock that evening Lieut. Thompson, of the 112th, and an officer of the 45th Ohio, were ordered to start at once and go to Milledgeville, seventy miles, and bring the men left in camp, and the camp and garrison equipage, forward to Som- erset
The rebel forces retreated toward Tennessee, closely pursued by the Union cavalry aad Law's battery, and as it was next to impossible to transport supplies over the rough roads and across the river to Monticello, the infantry, foot and mounted, and artillery returned to Somerset. In crossing the river an unfortunate accident occurred ; one of the boats was capsized, and one captain and thirty-two men of the 27th New Jersey regiment -- of the 9th Corps, brought from the East by Gen. Burnside-were drowned. The men were encumbered with knapsacks and unable to swim, and were swept down stream by the rapid current, and sank beneath the waters before aid could be rendered. Lieut. Dow. of Co. A, and several men of his company and of Co. F, who were managing the boat, nar- rowly escaped drowning. One company of the 112th (B) came near meeting the same fate as the New Jersey company.
The tents and camp equipage of the regiment reached Som- erset the same day as the regiment, May 8th, and there the command went into camp. Company F, and a few mounted men to be used as scouts, under the command of Capt. Wright, were ordered to remain at the river and guard the ferry; and detachments were also stationed at other points above and be- low, to guard the numerous crossings. The Cumberland at that point is quite wide, and a portion of each year is naviga- ble. At times of low water it may be forded, but at this time it could be crossed only by ferries,
Capt. Wright's command occupied a position on a bend of the river on the heights, three hundred feet above the river, overlooking the opposite shore, and commanding a fine view for miles above and below. The rebel troops soon returned and occupied the opposite bank, in full view of our forces, The pickets held frequent friendly chats, and at times agreed among themselves upon a temporary cessation of hostilities, and in- dulged in the pastime of fishing on the opposite banks of the river,
38
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
Gen. John H. Morgan was now in command of the rebel troops, and on the 13th of May sent over an impudent mes- sage, under a flag of truce, stating that he held one Union cap- fain, one lieutenant and fifteen men, whom he wished to ex- change for salt and coffee. The message was returned to him without answer or comment.
The following letter from Gen. Carter will illustrate the nature of the service required of guards on the Cumberland, and else- where in that region :
"HEADQUARTERS 4TH DIVISION, ARMY OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY, SOMERSET, KY., May 15th, 1863.
"To Capt. W W WRIGHT. Commanding Guards, Stigall's Ferry.
"You will have your command use the utmost vigilance against surprise. The enemy may eross in small bodies above or below you and attempt to take you in rear. The crossing must be held as long as possible, but should you be in danger of being overpowered, destroy boats and fall back slowly Ad- vise me at once of an attack and aid will be sent you.
"William Stigall's family reside just above the mouth of Pit -. man's Creek-he is with the rebels. I wish you to send, after dark, a, small mounted force, which will dismount before reaching the house, and move cautiously on foot to some point sufficiently near to watch the premises. At the proper time surround and carefully search the house and out-buildings, as he may be caught. If possible I wish to ges hold of him. Use great caution.
"There is a negro belonging to Wm. Stigall named "Fount." You will arrest him and send him to the Provost Marshal at Somerset.
"Do not be surprised, and hold your ground with courage and obstinacy If you take any prisoners have them carefu .- ly searched immediately.
"Respectfully, S. P CARTER, Brig. Gen."
Capt. Wright did not succeed in finding Stigall-he was in Dixie with the rebel army-but the negro "Fount" was arrest: ed and sent up to camp.
39
THE ORGANIZATION.
Co. F remained at the river, scouting up and down its banks, meeting with numerous adventures and some narrow escapes, until May 19th, when it was relieved and joined the regiment, and on the 4th of June was mounted-thus completing the mounting of the whole regiment.
The troops concentrated at Somerset consisted of infantry and artillery (tour batteries), three regiments of cavalry and two regiments of mounted infantry-the 112th Illinois and 45th Ohio-about six thousand men, all under the command of Brig. Gen. Carter. The brigade of which the 112th was part, was designated the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Division of the Ar- my of Central Kentucky The camp was named "Camp Wol- ford," in honor of the doughty colonel of the 1st Kentucky cav- alry, who was a warm friend of the 112th Illinois, and almost as popular with our men as with his own.
The 112th remained at Somerset until the 8th of July ; de- tachments of the regiment being constantly engaged in active an l severe duty, scouting up and down the Cumberland River, and in other parts of the country, by night as well as day. of- ten at great distances. being absent many days at a time, guarding the crossings on the river, and furnishing heavy de- tails to picket the numerous roads leading into the town.
During this time the army in Kentucky was reorganized. The 2nd East Tennessee regiment of infantry was added to the brigade, and the number changel to 1st Brigade, 4th Divi- sion, 23d Army Corps-the system of designating the armies by corps having recently been adopted.
While at Somerset our large camp ten's were exchanged tor shelter tents-"dog tents," the boys called them. To say they were disgusted with the change would not, by half, express their feelings ; but they soon became accustomed to them, and were satisfied with the change. The officers of the regiment raised $550 by subscription to purchase instruments for a band ; competent musicians were detailed from the companies, an instructor from Geneseo, Ill., was employed, and in a short time the 112th band was an institution known throughout the corps, and popular wherever known. It was of great benefit to the regiment in drill and on the march; and there were no more useful men in the regiment than the band boys. In ac-
40
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
tion they carried stretchers and assisted the ambulance corps ; and at all times were ready and willing to perform such duties as were required of them. More than this, they were excellent foragers, and never permitted themselves nor their horses to want for food if the country afforded anything eatable.
The regiment was in splendid condition. The men were in excellent health and spirits, and notwithstanding heavy de- tails for detached service, on the 20th of May over seven hun- dred men were reported "present for duty."
Law's battery, composed of eight guns, was manned in part by men of the 112th Illinois, detailed for the purpose, who ac- companied the battery through Kentucky and Indiana into Ohio, in pursuit of Morgan, on his celebrated raid, and render- ed valuable assistance in destroying his band of marauders. Capt. Law was never satisfied with a position in the rear of the skirmishers, but invariably ran his guns out to, and sometimes in advance of, the skirmish line, and astonished the enemy by his rashness as well as by the precision of his aim.
The rebel forces south of the river were evidently bent upon mischief. They made frequent attempts to cross the river, and several times the Union camp was alarmed and the troops called out in line of battle,-once at eleven o'clock at night, and the men frequently slept upon their arms, in readiness for an emergency
On the 2nd of June the regiment received orders to pack up all company clothing, and all the men's clothing except a change of underclothes, and send the same to Hickman bridge on the Kentucky River, to be stored : and to be ready to move at a moment's notice, with three days cooked and five days un- cooked rations. Everything was prepared as directed, but the regiment did not move. As will be seen hereafter, other plans were adopted.
On the 7th of June Second Lieut. Henry S. Comstock, of Co. I, resigned. Sergt. Harry Fones was promoted to fill the va- cancy, but not until September, 1864.
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