USA > Illinois > History of the 17th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers > Part 2
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steve. in drill. and char the count ...: Guerrillas, and by our presente later. idate Kmgbits of the Golden Cire . Alton is situated ppon th neitu bank of the Mississippi River, I wh population of about eight thousand !. situated upon a numberof hills all of which sloped toward the river. Owing to the declivities. and loping of ground in all directions, though eventually tending southward, the cay was admir- ably drained It rested upon great animal formations, limestone, several large kilis being in operation during our stay. Here it was where the great Abolitionist met his death at the hands of an infuriated anti-abolition nob. wh> not only killed Lovejoy, but. put his printing press into the river.
Lovejoy, the Garrisons end Phillips, are characters who have a considerable niche in our history. Lovejoy did not live to see the Nato's free, but he helped to sow the seed the harvest of which resulted in the color- ed people singing, "Tank God I-a frec, Glory Halleluyah." Here was also what once had been the State Prison of Ills., with its great high limestone walls that inelosed the prison buildings and yard. What an awful appearance those eells presented. In fancy we saw the State inmates, we saw the gallows ereet-
ed, the criminal with pallid free brought -. trembling forth-we saw the arms pin- ioned, the legs strapped togather, the black cap adjusted. We saw the white signal, the door spring from under ile - doomed ones feet, the body sboot through the hole. sving rapidly around, the shruaging of the shoulders-chen stillness, death. With an effort pe recover ourselves. What an auto! place this wasfor boys of sensitive ir- ganizations. The battle Geld was ka:', this worse. Soon many of us without cause or provocatiou were thrust in here. prisoners, prisoners by the brutal- ity of one man. As the condemnation of car mon is praise, so were we hot- vied by the act of this oui, through at a fearfar ensc. Our comp po per was located nearly, if por quite Que mille northwest of the city. in a beau- tifui grove of ok. with a ravine ren- ning from the bath to the south on either site of the cety lus saot.ry pointed new we here hal for ios camp, the natural drains beteg pull . every shower made our camp lead and hertufal. Here the 3rd R tel. n and regimental headquarter
CHAPTER I:I.
flere mes enlisted for three years 'r . wing the war. When - o war was for the zon claimed their aime by bad expired. Whule the guys who were drawing bis pas, , hem ) that their terms of enlistment did not expire until the end of three Fonix and. I suppose never if the war 'ed forever But we will treat of this more pirticuliarly when we ap- preach its chronological period.
Tomary, February and March passed lating which time we were drilling, Joiug a triting amount of duty, fight- ing beme-sickness. Small pox broke
out in our company at this time in the Marion of John Clark, our bugler, but vaccination had been so thoroughly firf.rmed that no other case occurred, with pustules, though several cases of what probably was varioleid. occurred. pour historian being one of the victims, 1 bus owing to the maildnes, of the at- sicks with absence of pustules ren- dere.l a positive diagnosis impossible. When I responded to sick call Dr. Crawford told me a very amusing story, but I was just a trifle too sick to laugh. The sary is highly appreciated at pre- sent. Avril was spent in hard drill, squad, company and battalion; we lesrued to drill, as we learned to swear, and we became adepty at both. We Billed according to the manuel. and swere by note and by rote. Not all became profane, but nearly all could ense a Quakers hat for him, if it was dying away in a gale of wind, and he wanted it thoroughly dammed he could cagly have been accommodated ard the "thank you" would have been high- ly appreciated, for a little common civility at that time was as rare as gold and as highly thought of. To kill time sorue learned to play poker, which art is acquired as follows: you sit down to the game with five dollars. and goup with five cents or less. This also assisted one to learn how to swear, bet as one must find his money where he low.it he would keep on trying, and after a while he might find his own money as well as some other fellows.
Dming the month of April. accord- ng to camp rumor, ve had received marching orders several times cach das, but still we lingered, dr.lling al- -wasantly, though without even
"angle and the us they called to top they lost favor in ver el. ionalis one would come, call for one of the bage, not the Nagle, take him aside and talk a long time with him. Boquiry would elicit the fact that he was his cousin. Lots of the boys had emisins that calici to see them. Cou- sins in Illinois. cousins in Missouri, consins in Arkansas, and cousins in
Kansas. Their uneles and aunts must
have been untur ous, exceedingly pro- lific, their offspring being principally girls. We never could quite under- stand this cousin business. nearly as badly nonplussed as was one of our recruits at Rolla. He had received fifteen hundred dollars for enlisting for one year, fall as much I think ay he was worth to us. One of the boys
one day returned to camp with a cheese; this reerait who distinguished himself, and manifested his superiority by wear- ing a paper collar, eagerly asked him where he got the cheese; "sold eggs and bought it of course." was the reply. "Yes, bat where did you get the oggs?" The soldier tarned, caught sight of the paper collar and thundered out. "stole, you - -- foul. stole em, where in h-Il did you think I got them' ? The recruit wax really offended, was not used to such language he said. Some laughed until the tears enme. Soive of the recruits learned to play poker with the boy>-and-well- - While at Camp Kane the Veteran 8th Illinois Cavalry left us, to again take the field, and when the war closed they could truthfully say they had been under fire 118 ties. As they passed down be-
tween our lines tears filled the eyes of more than one, for both regiments were raised about in the same place. Co. M. of the Sth had ten of my school mates on her roll -. It is safe to say that St. Charles did not again have in her precincts such a large body of troops, and it is not likely she would have had these but for the influence of the Hon. John F. Farnsworth. There was an intense desire on the part of the nien to have the stb, 12th and 17th Il., Vol. Cav. put in one brigade. They came from the same territory and it should certainly have been done even if a special act of Congress had been necessary to such consolidation. By our stay at St Charles the people were richer in money, but poorer in chickens; their yellow legs were tontheoDie. The jungle added the price of the chickens to the milk, and sol leather pies they -old towe Thry loved the soldiers may , 1 dl. : did
i. 1 2 been paying.
that while region Was giving Jut_u pantities of milk, or else the pamip.s were called inte requisition. At our depasture the perfde mounted, for the House that iand the golden er - were roue, nevermore to return. While in St.Chile a series of religions meetings were industriously carited on. and not a few becane converted. Almost et. ery company, if not every on, and plenty of praying men whine example was of the best. Nearly every soldier carried a Bible and perused it, ard many who by habit were profane were also firm believers in the chri tian re- ligion. I never knew a soldier to con. fess to being an infidel, though doubt- loss some were. The meinl attuit . . phere would favorably compare wich any society, when all things are con- sidered, and as for brotherly love, I have never seen it equaled Of course there was come hate and also was there plenty of deep true manly love Take the ex-soldiers today and as a hody nie they not bound togather as in no other branch of society? It is true that we prefer one another to all men and ag the years go by we insensibly draw elo-er. No one can gain our affertions by maligning some comrade, and while we claim the right of criticising our brothers, and being criticised by them. we say to all others it is not yer pin- vince to criticise these men as sokbers, for in not being a soldier, you lack the knowledge essential to a military eric ... A: St. Charles an incident occurredI that pains mne even now. Capt. Anstin of M Co. came into our company Quarters where were many men of his sequair - tanec; one of His acquaintaine.s com. ing face to face with him, spoke to him and offered his hand. Austin open- ly ignored the hand and deignel no re- ply. To make the contrast bey.inithe power of language to describe, beim. this specimen of the penns homar had finished eating our rations, (for Le was eating his dinner,) Major Fisher care in, around whoin the boys crow .led ask- ing questions and shaking band .. Ah! Phil. if angels can take cognizance of what is passing here on e. rth, you are carefully watching over os still. It is painful for a historian to chro side such events as these; but still more &sious charges, charges coming from huis hr. ther officers, await inseruon. .. uk onr individuality in the history .1. 26) perform this part of our det with . . feelings of pleasure.
is Cavalry Volanteurs,
2. A. ! ABPERIPEL Pisdes Company "E."
CHAPTER V.
Hon our eagle distinguished him- sclf of Agingacross the river into Mis- soul bat was cusily recaptured, after which ba liberties did not include freeden ie ving. Here Company K shot two moen, one of whom certainly Bei. . he o'1 er if I am correctly iuform- ul also jol. il the silent majority. To guard the prisoners, details from the regiment would be made, which guard cep d on the high bluff a few rods westward from the prison. One day on and one day off with a vertical sun batting down upon us, our feet or bod- ies testing upon tho-e hot limestone hille, our only shelter being the dog- t.nts that afforded but little protection from the suns rays. To the uninitiated, we could scarcely sit erect even in the conter of those tents, henee lying down ir them was about the only way of re- ceiving their flimsy protection. The enervating influence of the heat and duty was soon felt and men were changed with astonishing rapidity. One evening, in the hight of these bancial influcuces, while nearly all were ju their tents asleep, a tremendu- ous r : ket was raised in our midst, by guards mirounding our eamp, turning es out of our beds, and while still rub- brug our eyes hustling us of down to and in the prison. As we passed with- in the port ils of the huge door we were put in the stone room directly opposite the guard roce, which place I submit to all as worse than the notorious Black Hole of Calcutta, the remem- brance of the facts in connection with which causes ali human people to shudder. I quote from Carpenter Phy- siology page 316 :- "1'3 out of 146 who died during one rights confinement in a room only 18 feet square only pro- med with two small windows-of the 23 who were found alive in the morn- ing, many were subsequently cut off with gotrid fever." We had still less room bring crowded while standing on our feet. Two small iron barred holes were our only windows. the door was open, but not a breath of air stirring. What is the matter? What are we in Lore for? was asked by nearly all. Soon we were driving with perspiration,- our iminph. +hrob, our heads ache. The grand refa d to ht us out of the Joor -- "against erdeis." Some tried en break into the room over. The ef- Art of the Carlintr Acid poisoning was
No air was sammen
But a breath.
" Says, I had recher i - shot then ref- frente, crowd me out." V. B. D.ILco took me by the shonivers and out I went, the rest praring ifter me. The guard had sosse enough not to shoot, else his preis was held, I dont know whir L. Be was, I remember, a very determined fellow, and was not in the least to blame. Most of us sank to the ground and were hours in recovering A kind hand bathed our head and tem- fles with cold water obtained from the well, in the prison yard, we soon vous- ited when he said "you are now all right." He had evidently read medi- cine, but would never confess it. He too was to become a victim of that. nights horrors, and for long weeks the angel of death hovered over his couch. Sonne felt the effects of breathing the vitiated atmosphere but very little compared with others, and soon were roaming around inside the prison yard, and stole the such and hat of the Of- ficer of the Day while he was sleeping in the officers quarters. It was by the Officer of the Day or his order that we were arrested. Early the next morn- ing we were released, and then I learn- ed why we were arrested. Late in the evening while the Captain was walking on top of the prison, some one among us called him names, and he severely punished about one hundred and fifty of us for the bad aet of one man. That Captain Hardin knew the great dan- ger he was placing ns in by confining us in that small room I do not for a moment believe -- no sane human being could knowingly perform such an act of cruelty, but his ignorance was inex- cusable as was his brutality in arrest- ing the entire camp.
For this act he should have been tried by court martial, but I never laid eyes upon hitu from that day to this. It is due us, even at this late day to know what became of that man. If he es- caped punishment by whose eonni- vance was it? Why was he not pun- ished? These ia power may have thought being only comnon soldiers, and he an officer, it would not do. But Grant in his memoirs, speaking of us says, Vol. 1 "Our system embraced men who risked life for principal, and often men of social standing. compe- tenec, or wealth and independence of character." Many of us reported sick, DaLee going into our regiment il hos- pital. In a few days he was sent home where for long weeks he lay with searely hope of life. As I bent over him, with hands elasped I said, "Adieu Van." Those large soft black eyes
flori with your2
Van Sont
of the head is the only reply. The rare start and as I reach the urer [ take one last look ar muy pale comma 1. my more than brother The soft Back eyes look yearningly into mine. fjamp. Hearing worth to languish for weeks on a fevered coach, muttering 1 015 delerium of his Fine eyed boy' alo .. at the sterne- duties of a solar -. .. ft. and at times call for him. refusing medicine or nourishment url .- > be came and give it to him. Fr. . A Bab cock succumbed, his disease taling a severe form of neuralgia. Il. D. Pierce I think held up, though alling until Benton Barracks were reached, where one afternoon be was taken to the dead house. Three deserted. one I heard say "if I am put in prison again for nothing, they will have to be very quick about it." The next morning he was gone. He reinlisted in an To- fantry Regiment and served through the war, and I am credibly informed was an exeellent soldier. Que night one of Co. K, boys shot a prisoner 16- side the prison walls. The prisoners claimed he had not transgressed his privileges. My impressions were, that the guard was a trifle too hasty with his gun. The prisoner did not funpe- diately die, but, I have been informed that he did not reeover. He was an inmate of the prison hospital at the time and while going to the water elo- set was shot. Of course the guard did not exceed what he conceived to be his duty, but the affair was unfortunate when all the circumstances are consid- ered.
Hore one of the boys connived at the escape of some prisoners-a Maior and Captain. Whatever became ot the boy, we never learned-whether tried and executed for his great crime, or sent to the Dry Tortugus, or made his escape we know not. We heard the rumor and never sinee saw him -- sini- Fly this and nothing more. Here the prisoners would be taken ont and roade to break stone, and one day one of them stretched himself out while his fellow prisoners covered him up with the broken stone. IIc was observed from the top of the high bluff way above him. The prisoners in des course of time were taken in to the prison. This one was left there. Guardy were properly posted, when under this direction of Major Fisher, frota the bluff a shot was fired into the stones that so carefully concealed him. IT .. quickly sprang to his feet. when he was marched back to the prisen.
CHAPTER VL
the regiment would be given a the iver, which they svega inre as well as the men. The unit : the boys, enjoyed the sam tron . Secure position on the bank Somen the horses with no_till- jo-tab .. ott- oui neck in air with top of back visi bie, with tail shating beland tham. The last were in a manerity however. No areident occurred among the bath- ors while engaged in this pastime. The 1.t and 2d Battalions had long since gone into Missouri, the history of which should be written by other hards then none, but as data i. fui- nished. we will extend the mantle so es to include them. One evening w.c ty-seven picked mien of Co. K. fiet slowly out of camp at dusk and proceeded northward. under the com. 1: 1 of Captain George B. Stratton. The Gaiden was unfurled . 42 att. e bed of the column was foraring in the evening breeze. About one mile with of camp, by the r wendy, in tens of an unpretentious tam bons vich quiet surroundings, a group of 'des stood, who evidently av ut -l eur coming. As the little Boy came py rite to them. with one areord th s breve waving these drinty coloschaf- toirs that are dignified by the tana of Handkerchiefs. As they bal cheered " u" fag, the flag we loved so well. the 24g that miny of us subsequently fol- loved where the shells were bursting. where the bullets were flying, amid-t. the shricks of the wounded, the proany of the flying, over the dead. af deg- v'iy funntel it in the fares of ton hier mir number, can? right here I get to tell those ladie . you cloud a good little flag that evening. ~ fie that went where I am glad you wer. hot present, a flag that a few hours subecoment was but a few feet in front of a tragedy, in front of a nian y ho rat & carbine ball put through him ) But to return. as we cheered then .. "Hunt'a torrent of abuse was hearted upon ne by Stratton who called us "machines" "engs in a wheci 'creatures f his' "mine too commind, your- to They." Solomon says that ": word uti, spoken is like apples of cold ia pictures of silver ' but the words we heard cannot so he described. Oh! de thing. When Soldiers refuse to
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1
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Totine torrent of abuse we maandloon. Bat to connect were open to Mento .. One, to apologize. an open, fre ample apology; the other to resign. He chose weither. He was entirely to blame. We dil just right in cheering those la- dies. Much excited calk vernused in the ranks, the Captain riding moonily :t the head. The night was very wann, the horses sweating freely. With only the leaf hal we proceeded to Jersey- " He where we slept on the ground in .. Court Yurt the batone of the At only dawn we were in the s .. bile ramin : alles-ly aromnel, but at woon we fe hed up at the home of a hirley purralons farmer, about one mele frota de rooy. ile, who I distinctly reme nher taed to impress us with his importance, and the excelh nees of his two son .. who were absent from home, but not in the Army. I ve- disgusted with him but helped to eat the dinner be provided. That is over twenty-two years ago, but I remember the wagging of that old follows tongue. as though it was but yesterday. I presurse it is still now-in death. After dinner w. moved out through Jerseyville, South- west a few miles to Otterville, a hant- let of perhaps an hundred inhabitants. or rather less Here a man was dis- covered in the Post Ofice with a pair of Manhattan Revolvers in hi, bohr. Do. did not have his "Permit. to bear dinis' with him. though he claimed E'nt General Copeland. of Alton, had ghi n him a primit. and all he asked was to be taken before the General. His all gray mere with a grass belly on her and from appearance the dam el numerons ones of ber kind, was hitched to a po.r. Your historian was orderidl to guard the street some fifteen rode east in the Post Ofice. The prix- mer was handled pretty tough, (from what I was told.) but he would confess to nothing but pure loyalty. We took tea with the people, Captain Stratton taking me with him. Again he was the polite, refined gentleman. courteous. urbane: putting the lady in her humble home who waited on us, at perfect ease. I was proud of him, and yet my heart. acked to think of the iusales he had heaped upon us the evening before, because we had eherred the ludies, Giul bless them, that cheered our f.g. Why he should have distinguished us by a mark of his special favor we don't know, but once subsequently he repeat- ed the act, whether to save me the dis- grace? of arrest, or for my silent . yut- pathy, I know not. I narrate facts
a Well north : few nije jose dt p. poder with us. He wa non-commissioned Office inthe strange preceding. We can a at a firm house and as we passed nif is pike to the saying, "they are sold tokill me" Tindignantly replic!" don't morderour prisoners sin." IL. w badly frightened and I sucreedel soothing him. cautioning him not to t to escape,and that he world spe Gen Copeland. He told me his name wy Brown, not Smith as has been chr.d eled, nor Jones, nor Clark but Benoit can nanie the ones who stand by sit me while talking to huma. his guarda So. In appearance our prisoner lo of ed like a farmer. bis cleur Une eye aquiline nose and firm set lips woul to a close observer be sufficient to s him down as a man of decided opinind He was about five feet seven inch high, and I should judge fifty-five yea old. The next day, not very early, resumed our march. onr prisoner moud ed on a large bay borse. one man lea ing the horse in the column a Bit4 back of the center. Had the prisci been counted of in a column of ford he would have been No. 1. The se was high, the heat intense we wel marching in a dusty road whh ure on either side of us. the timber m ver. heavy, when the report of a ca bine rang out Instantly se we around the prisoner who feil close the road. Capt. Stratton helped hi to his feet he exclaiming "my pol wife and children, I am killed. I vehemcatly denied trying to Escap bis guard saying he snatched at tl halter. Stratton raised bisshirt. the ba came ont below and to the left of df naval.enteringat the right of the s; in oh! you will get over this says Stra ton, when one of the boys said: yon aj mortally wounded, if you never praye pray nov." He died in a few hont his wife I am reliably informed reach ed his side and was with him when die.l. Personally I wish this m enuli have reached Alton. Wh-th he wasa Guerrilla or not I do not kanj I cannot say the guards were too hast but oh! this is awful. The man clay ed loyalty, that is certain, it may al be true that he was a Guerrilla. certainly do not know. I regret th occurrance even at this late day, ad now see him standing there, Captar Stratton holding his shirt above the wound. He was sent to a house little way back, but was subsequently taken to Carlinville or Jer. eyvili where he died.
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: :. LARDE XTLA. Private Company "h."
CHAPTER VU.
Bob 's and Bushwhackers it was -in frequently crossed into Illinois from Thesonri, at or near the landing .. few miles from Otterville, and work- : for their cause in a rather quiet banner. Loiges of Knights of the Qu'on Circle were said to be numer- 01.2. Upper Alton being specialty mentioned as a place deserving wanda-
ing We returned to catap after Jis- prang of our prisoner, getting there in the night without order, our road pleasantly lighted by moonlight. the guards being dimly scen pacing their beats, the white tents presenting a beautiful appearance under the green Frees, the soft light of the moon mak- ing everything plainly visible, all ar- gles toned down. no salient points, one barmonions whole. Through the trees could be seen Hi. Quarter teats, the Sudler teat on the right net obstruct- ing our view. In the stillness the lap- ping of the water upon the shore of the river could be heard. in occas- sional steam boat with lights suspended high in air vas plowing its way up or down the channel, now bugging the bank and then in the center of this expense of water fully one mile in width. Ilow quiet. how peaceful; sneh a night makes que think of God, of home, of "on earth peace, to all mien goud will." The excitement of the past few hours has banished sleep from our eyelids, and with a comrade we seek the river ani take a much needed bath, for the road had been very dusty. How refreshing the wa- ter. what power the current. what im- mensity, what strength? How closely it envelopes us, with what seductive forve it takes ns toward the center of the river where the channel is. With -an effort. no slight une, we regain the shore, when agais the sickening horror takes holl of us, and the anguish of the past few hours comes with fall forer apeu us. We rub our horse un- til not a stain is ieft upon his silky woat, pet mnd esress the one tie that binds us to a region where: God reigns. seon the bugles are Wung, "fall in, faali in for roll call." in bearse tones is heard all over the camp. Long lines .of thea ar- seen. their mitses iu sten- turing tones are prouvunei, to which they respond with the monosyllable .1.10." The feed call has sounded- the horses who wehet. , the "call,"
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