USA > Illinois > History of the 17th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers > Part 4
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errored che jmirtop' isterday and why started from the bed when we Booked im. wod plerdet. in his : roken English, for work. There was a poet. who, af. ter doing two days week in every four und twenty homes, one for him. if. and one for the prison, write veter ah at ships, (he was by trois a mariner) .od the maddening the cap. and friends at home. There were formy many of them. Some re Mened at the sight of visitors, and some turned very pate. Some two or three had prisen nur"s with them, for they were very sick; and one. a fat o! ! negro whose log had been taken off in the jal had for his attendant a classical schottland an ac- complished,surgeon, himself a prisoner likewise. Sitting upon the stairs ch- gaged in some light work, was a pret- ty colored boy. I- these no refuge for young criminals in Philadelphia then? said L. Yes but only for white chil- dren. Noble Aristocracy in crime! There was a sailor who had been there upwards of eleven years and who in a for months time would be free. Eleven years of solitary confinement! Iam very glad to hear your time is nearly out." What does he say? Nothing, Why does he stare at his imandy and pick the flesh upon his fingers, and raise his eye- for an instant. every now and then to those bare walls which has seen his head turn gray? It is a way he has sometimes. Does he never Ik men in the fare, does he always pluck at those hands of his, as though lic were bent on parting skin and bone? It is his humor: nothing more. It is humor, too, to say that he does not look forward to his going out: that Le is not glad the time is driving near; that he did look forward to it once, but tint was long ago; that he has lo-t all cure for everything. It is his humor to be a helpless, crushed, and broken man, and Heaven be his witness that he has his humor thoroughly gratified. There were three young women in ad- joining cells, all convicted at the same time, of a conspiracy to rob their pro- secutor. In the silence and solitude of their lives they had grown up to be quite beautiful. Their looks were very sad and might have moved the stern- est visitor to tears. but not to that kind of sorrow which the contemplation of the men awakens. One was a young girl, not twenty as I recolleet, whose snow-white room was hung with the work of some former prisoner. and up- on whose downeast face the sun in all its splendor shown upon through the chink in the wall where one 'nar- row strip of blue sky was visible. She was very penitent and quiet; bad come to be resigned, she said (and I believe her:) and had a mind at peace. In a word you are Lappy here? and one of
Japan: ..
Al radio her eyes and meeting that Figure of freedom over head. she " west into texts and said, she tried to lu: she ottored no complaint; but ir w . ; tirdi the che should sometida s lagt cancel that one cell: she could not help that. The sobbed. pour thing. I wear in a cell to call that los and every face I saw or word [ scari, or hundert I noticed, is procent to my mind in all its painfulne s. - This in times of peace, in a christina ragofty, a christian judge, jury ant Lawyers: Compare this with the treat loent we gave our military prisoners whether rebel or Union. Confinement, solitary confinement is exquisite torture. Our prisons were Hewen as compared with this hell. Of the two give me Andersonville. yes Attersonvile! I have intr duced these facts that all by comparison naught know how kin's how humanely we treated our milit ay prisoners. Every kindness shown them, except liberty. The freedom of the yard. yoder rens- onable restrictions, the freedom of the country or city under guard. They boxed, romped, played cards, or offer games told stories or sang, and we fed and chthed them, and while jealously gnarding them. deeply sympathised with them. We have no reason to be- livre that either our prison at Liten or Pilot Kuob was more Inmunely con- ducted than any other prison in the no:thland. The prison at Camp Doug- las was certainly conducted in a simi- lar manner as at Alton aut Pilot Enop. Dickeus description of the prison at Pittsburg is a repetition in the main features of the Philadelphia system. I Lave thus been particular of the man- ner in which we treated our prisoners for obvious reasons. The gro.se>: in- humanities have been loid to our door, as regards the treatment of prisoners charges not founded on fact, changes that were as false as the bearts of the inventors.
The Ist and 2nd Battalions had left us. going to Glasgow, Mo., after bist having went to Benton Bersacks, where the men were completely equipped, with both horses and arms. After putting in some time in active werk drilling, they embarked at StLouis, companies A. B. C and D. going to StJosey.h. MIo. Corepan.es b. F, G and !I, going to Glasgow, Mo.
7
HISTORY
13th illinois Cavalry vol antvers,
E. A. LABPENTEE, Private company ". A." ['goright Scoured All hughes Reserved ) CHAPTER XII.
This section of the country was ter- rorized by bands of Guerrillas under Hildebrandt, the two Anderson's and lesser leaders in deviltry, rapine and vinience. It was in this section of the country that the notorious Younger and James brothers took their initial les- sons in erimie. Jesse James recently lost his awful life, finally in St Joseph, but full twenty years after the war.
But to return to our treatment of prisoners. It has been said that we inhumanly treated our prisoners, par- tieularly at Elmira, N.Y. A daughter of Ex-Governor Swayne, of North Car- olina, a lady southern born and bred had interested herself in military priz- oners. Knowing this I indited the ful- lowing letter to her husband, who speaks for his diseased wife.
HAILEYVILLE, ILL., FLB. 15. 1586. GENERAL S.D. ATKINS, Freeport, III. My Dear General. Have I your per- mission to publish in our regimental history that your wife visited the El- mira Military Prison, and found the rebel priconers well treated and well cared for? Will you kindly teil me who it was that said we abused them?
Ever Yours, E. A. CARPENTER Please answer by return mail.
(REPLY.)
My wife visited Salisbury Prison, N. C. and was at first permitted to visit the Camp of the Union prisoner-, and supply them with such food as she eould, but that was prohibited by order of the prison keepers, and she could neither visit the prison, carry or send in food. After the war was over, she, with me visited Elmira, went through the Camp where the rebel prisoners had been contine 3, and talked freely with the Commissary of the C.m.p. Capt. J. II. Leavitt, and visited with him the comfortable buildings in which the rebs had lived, and was told by Javitte that their rations ure just the same as were furnished to the Union Soldiers. Yours Truly, SMITH D. ATKINS.
This is the Camp that the rebels claimed gross inhumanities were prac- ticed in. I wished to establish the fact without going into laborions detail that the kindness we Jith toys showed to prisoners, was the kindness of all Vaion Soldiers. As much as we bated the principles of our erring brothers,
selves-or as we treated our Union pris- obers-usually better, and incomparably better than the Christian(?) Civil Au- th. rities of Philadelphia and Pittsburg, as described by Chas. Dickens.
I shall have something more to show how we treatel, even Guerrilla prison- ers, but, that will appear in chrono- logical order.
The Ist and 2d Battallions had gone up the Big Muddy or the Missouri Kiver where we will accompany them. They were broken up into squads, com- janins or squadrons and scattered over a large tract of country and as we will bon zer doing much hard riding and Yhar historian regrets that with the utmost care and pains he will fall short of completing the regiments history in this region, but we ealled to our .sistance. Hickman, McRae, But- ler, V'araz , Mallory, besides others, all __ of whom sir men entitled to be listened to with every mark of attention, These men stand high in the communities in which they now reside, men that were notedew => [ undliers and hard fighters. Your hist rian has to state that these men have grape led to his call for ma- terin! with the same promptness they went into battle. In their narratives, they have, in 4 pors nal sense, been so Iendest that I was rumpelled to get their indition i ros rde from sources not their own They have 1
suggestions offered no criticism, and have betrayed so much confidence in me that it his it only robbed me of all vanity but made me exceedingly timuid Companies A, B, under the comteand of Major Hilliard went to Winston, companies C and D, to St Jo- seph. Butts and Wait of these com- ponia being assigned to special duty. Irft company (' ander Philip MeRae, Lient who practically commanded that company during its term of service, also, having e wpany D under his com- untur. I in conjunction with his own com- pay in Price . Raid. Here re have a prominent character. Who is he? What is he? To me there was a sim- Harity between Phil. and Wild Bill, Loth tall well male meu, not given to embonpoint. both brave, daring, both wore their black hair, hair as dark as midnight, long, down to and below their shoulders. The eyes of Bill were blue as the sky, of MeRne, black, Bill's lips were thin, elear cut, the other pos- sessed a mouth full, sensnous. Both above six feet high, bony, museular. The steel of one and the photo of the other lie side by side before ine and there is a similarity easily described. The same lower jaw, which MeRae's
brand pertinly hides high or rather Fiominent cheek bones, in fact por- withstanding their symmetry of form, all angles were salient, bonc and mus- ele with not an ounce of adipose tissue. Both rushing, daring. fearless med, both: did good work for their country. and took pride in so doing, McRae was born in Canada in 1940, coming to DeKalb Co. Ill., ia 1830, his people settling on a farm, Here he truderd barefoot over the prairies, trapped the chicken and quail, drove breaking tecm in summer, and attended distriet school in the winter, a leader among the young people of that section, and had the reputation of always standing by his erowd. In September 1861 he en- listed in Co, L, Sth Ill., Vol. Cav. be- ing mustered in on the 18th of that month. He was in the battles of Wil- liamsburg, Fredericksburg. seven days fight, Antietam and scores of skirmish- es, On October 12, 1863 at the bat- tle of Stevensburg, Va., he was wound- ed in the head, and by the War De- partment was ordered into the recruit- ing service. From St Joseph these troops in company with other woops were loaded on two trains and started for Macon, Mo., General Fisk being in the last train. A short distance east of Brookfield, Mo., the train, owing to obstruction on the track, came to a halt at the same time being fired into, it being in the night aud quite dark The boys fell out laying down on either side of the train waiting for de- velopements. The other or rear train did not appear. There were in this Bushwhacker reginn staunch Union men who came and informed our meu that ouly eight or teu had fired into the train and they could safely go ahead. The Bushwhackers had taken four Union men prisoners and departed with them. The train without further mo- lestation proceeded to Macon, where Col. Draper of the 9th Missouri took command. Our boys were informed that they were destined for Howard and Boone counties, to fight the An- derson and James brothers with their three hundred Border Ruffians; men who fought under the black flag, who gave no quarter and asked for none. At Fayette one of the Guerrilla spies eamie into eamp and was knocked down with a carbine, He was kept until morning, but lacking evidence sutaci- ent to retain him, he was permitted to depart with the injunction that if he was over found in eamp again, he would Le shot. Here a picket post was sur- prised and captured by their own men, but MeRae would out allow them to be punished. The men doing this should have been punished-by receiving the contents of the guards guna. Brt plenty of such men were to be found,- men who itched for promotion, forget- ting in their eagerness that foolhrdi- ness is precisely what an officer dor not want, it in faet ineapacitates one for weh position .- Bravery and pra- dence combined make model officers.
1
HISTOR
OF THE
17th Raneis Casaley Sale sta CS.
BY
R. S. CARPENTER, PaIvate f .pany "K." [ Copyright Secured. All Rights hearted] CHAPTER XIIL.
Here the Union men citizens would hunt for the Garrillas and vice versa. Leaving eighteen sick men at Fayette, the command proceeded wo Rochefort, Brown county, but before arriving there the column was attacked, when quite a spirited contest took place, che en my fiering. By the time this action was well over Anderson's guns were heard about five miles distant where he had surprised some Missouri troops capturing eight wagons and killing six- teen men. Anderson then turned his attention to our boys who had entered Rocheport and were eating their sup- per. Pickets were ent and one post of six men fired into Anderson's gang at close range, killing two and wounding several others. The citizens burried the dead the next morning. The com- mand, when daylight appeared, moved out to the scene of t! battle of the day previous, where the wagens had been captured and the dead men lay. Striking the trail of these demons, fol- lowing it for a mile or more, when the trail was lost, the band seattering. While still hunting in all directions for the trail a messenger arrived from Fayette, which was thirty miles away, stating that Anderson was there fight- ing the eighteen sick men our boys had left there. Away went our nien, Mellae at the head, riding on the run, their objective point thirty miles away. Sheridan's twenty mile ride has been imortalized, but this deed has slumber- ed unrecorded twenty-two years. Sev- enty ren rushing madly into three hundred Guerrillas! In less than three bours that devoted band has covered that distance, in a hot July day. Oh! the brave fellows. (Is it any wonder we love one another)? The siek had taken refuge in the buildings, had killed six of Bill Anderson's mien. One of our sick boys being isolated from the rest was killed by the Guerrillas, who scalped bim, and nailed the sealp to a gate-post. Truth, truth, truth.
About twenty of Anderson's mien were wounded, and were beaten, full three hundred of then'. On the boys went after Anderson, but they scattered, re. met and captured a train at Centralia,
Mo., in which were twenty sick sol- diers, all of whom were killed, a 17th being one among them. To their res- cue went Major Johnson, who was com-
temps. finding Anderson two calles south of Centralla mar Singleton's barn. Ilis men were diding autrained pressed horses, armed only with mis- kets. He remained in Centralia with thirty men, sent the rest of his con- mand, ninety mien, under two Captains to go after Anderson. From the vil- lage out it was a level beautiful prairie for over a mile, then came timber in the enge of which, screened by the foli- age and trees sat the bushwhackers waiting for the raw half armed undrill- ed Union troops. When Johnson's troops had come within one third of a mile of their hidden foe, out the devils rushed with a revolver in each hand in a wild mad charge, whooping and yell- iug. A well directed volley would have sent them flying back, but the volley never came, the troops were par- alyxed with fear, and never fired a shot attempting to seek safety in flight. Major Johnson with his reserve of thirty mien went to their rescue but was soon killed. Every man ran for his life. Not one musket had been discharged. The muskets picked up were loaded. Ten men made their escape, one hundred and ten were killed! The next day the Cand D boys gut there, but too late to even punish the fiends. Our boys found ninety lying by the side of the rail-road. in rows, all scalped, with a bullet hole over the left eye. (Anderson's mark) a piece of paper pinned on one, notified us of this. The other twenty dead had been sent to Sturgeon, near where Anderson was, who: ent the boys word that they would serve them the same way. Our boys guarded the dead that night,and in the middle of the night, one of company C boys asked to be relieved, saying. the dead men would sit up and look at him; he was relieved. During the night a congressman rode up and said some- thing in favor of Anderson and his gang. The boys, with some dith- eulty, were restrained from killing him. The rain began pouring down, drench- ing alike the dead and the living. while the village caught fire. Ausidst death fire and rain, those not on duty laid down to sleep, tired with their hard riding; knowing that the morrow would call for active service from them. Finally heavens artillery grew faint- er and fainter, dying away in sullen mutterings. With daylight the squad- ron or troop were in the saddle and on trail of the Guerrillas. At the ap. proach of our boys they broke and fled, and when pressed, pursued their old taeties, scattered. Our boys had kill- ed so many of their men, they would
no longer hght us On we went to Rochepart Anderson's All'grs. campoi there that night and strange to say the town took fire, and was nearly burned down. Anderson's men firing on our pickets frequently during the night,doing no harm but having che cf their own men wounded.
Subsequent to the Centralia massacre. MeRue, with seventy of his men was after Anderson night and day for eigh- teen days, only stopping at times long enough to give men and horses much needed rest. But Anderson with his 1 ur huudred dare not stand. He wall knew he could not cope with well drill- ed aud disciplined Cavalry. MeRae writes me that he had seventy as good men as ever lived, and the boys write that Phil was the best and bravest of- tiver that ever lived and your historian does not exceed bis privilege when he says, they were, as Soldiers, the peers of any, of the very best, having confi- dence in one another and themselves, and at this late day holding one anoth- er in fond rememberance, as attested by piles of data Iving around me.
From Rocheport Anderson fled for I'rice's Army, our boys following. We leave them here for the time being and go back to the 2nd Battalion who have disembarked at Glasgow, a City nestling in the foothills, on the north bank of the Missonri river, a region of country infested with the bands of An- derson, James and others. It was about the middle of July 1864, when Major Matlack with his Battalion form- ed camp east of the town about one- third of a mile, on a level piece of ground along side and six feet above the river. The camp was inclosed, which enclosure afforded our boys some protection from the bullets of the ene. my. On the east and north of this "'amp were prominent bluffs shaded by large elm trees, making the scene a picturesque and beautiful one, atforo- ing the grateful and cooling inQuence of shade during the snitry days the men were permitted to remain in Camp resting their jaded horses, and wenty limbs. About two- thirds of the m'en were mounted, and armed with salted aml muskets of an inferior pattern. Shou our sronting opened by Mai. - Matlack taking about two-thirds of the command and securing the surrounding country. Our pickets were frequently fired upon, but from seereted points. Of our movements they were kept well informed by the disloyal citizens. Horses of great speed and endurance were used by them, both, by those who acted as couriers for them, and them Ives. Horse, that had Gleneo, Whip and Eclipse binod in their veins were evin- mon, and in use by these men. A rar of ten miles was of little more than good exercise for them, and at a fare of speed that defied capture.
1
-
·
1
HISTORY
I ::. IN ois Cavalry Vebemteers.
E. 1. CARPENTER, Privat (ntupany ** K."
[ Copyright Secure t. - All Blyhes iteserumk] CHAPTER XIV.
The Union men of Glasgow Were Very 2.w while the balonce were ready to the u . keeping the fighting element : el pom'el a4 to var movements. Ar.ength bortpre ie deserving special mentionof that town .. .. three brothers by the name of Law's, hash ns Ren Lewis, Major Lewis, and Ph. Fral. Ben Lewis was reputed to bea mino: ze t wealth, which he freely spent in the ( , .0 tor the Union, fuelly nisy sir Bing Lix pt a sentire to his country. To the file they rendered. every Assistance in their join - er, bring uuttring in their seal for the I ... ion canxi. The Doctor was more concerts. 3 S
tive, yet truly loyal. Qu jag to the miseroti muskets that had been issued to the men. sixteen men of Cosapany H put each &5. into the hands of Orderly sergeant Butler, with the request that he obtain for theo Henry rifles, which were sixteen shooters, and oh. tain ammunition for the side. Here Isir.fr another character, a character winthy et come description. Butler gitte fix. per ex to Major Matlack requesting hin to arstr the guns and ammonition which ho fufeito do, reporting that they were out to be hal, or an order in St. Louis conid id be fiel. On investigation the mien fonit out tue or- der could easily have be .: pp-d. -- - : 15is time on Matiask wascortadly ! ated by mrtny ot ing :n. "old Bean Belly" was his soldi. quet. Doubie dealing was Init at his door. Sergeant Butier during the Kansas troubles was residing at Fort Scott, Kan. On April Ist, 1861 he entered the State service ann ser- ved until July 5th following. From there le went to Leavenworth, Kan., and enlisted for thirty days to guard stores at Ft. Leaven- worth. Sept. Ist, 1901 he enlisted In Capt. W. S. Jenkins company in the Ist Ranas Cov- alry, which was afterwards transferred to the 7th Kansas Cavalry.serving in that liegt. until May 1:53, being most of the time at srout fer Gen. R. P. Mitchell, ot Kan-as, anti opera. ted on both sides of the lines. He sulp. quently entered our Regt. from Preatonf 4, Ills., becoming Orderly sergeant of co i. For a time there was little here to do, save keep the Bashwhackers out of town, and the telegraph lines in repair. The picket« would be tired upon almost every dark night. f'n x - et pust fighting was compon, brt. Jint A ... derson, who was subsequently snot In s.m. nel Taylor of CoG. Hultsel.w. Capt. siew. art, Gooch and Major Polking werden the 1 lert, and soon our boys had a tristar h. h with these gangs combined. Capt Hilbert offf with his company and iwish f.r M .. htia, the latter being anded with dethe. barreled shot guns, loaded with the shelf. moved out from Glasgow, the Mati onder Batter of It Co. tik'nigg the leit, other Iro of Il boys accompany ing the selvance. After marching about ten miles they cont 19 a dense growth of Jack Oaks, it th .< Jivir. tare llibbard rodr np and ordered out fito. kers, at the same time the rear gnard d :- voy- ered armed men in the distance. The fan. kers were put ont, Hibbard und Butter cup. versing as they rode along, when "Aus 'ana the crack of revolvers from abont thirty Bushwhackers, who faced them in the roof. The Captain who was just about to d.op back to the main column kot . sind ance und emptied his revolver into the euthreats. The Militia broke and ran and our lage neverafter met withany of them. Butler was this left alone In the road with the bushwhackers. Having a pair of Rerolzion revolvers borrowed of Major Lewis he open- ed fire, hitting the chie!, whose insignia of rink was a plume of red and black ostrich feathers. He was taken away by his compan- jona. Only four loads from Butler's povol. vers would go off, while the gang were shoot. ingat him only forty fert away, yelling hke
demona. Artal i meter a sert. rachage
when the bushwhicher- fled. The plum- of
tin- bushwacker haler is in the possession of Butker, am govert to have bren wert by Cap. Stewart, who was wounded in the arm and shoulder while two of his men Peut re-
ceived wounds that wete mortal. Thhk pl
Brel tive skors, all he had, and Rutier onr
Good work from good men. Capt. stewitte In a short thine was killed on the Layette routt, and in all probability by Meline's luen who were opetaling in fuat section at that tor, hls wounds still unhealed1.
har. x took place at, or nent Allen station, our in when only eighteen of onr nam par- tie. abd, winning the victory, having one 1 ... " wounded, Unt killing one of the rebels att woumling several others. soon another nobt opp red at that plice, our side number .
Ingef, ty bnt the commissioned Offireis
1 . 11 n ! 11 , 31 . if reports be true shame. Isay .tenmed themselves. One of the 17th ofavers 16 15 - und was triund in citizenscloth. ... Two men of our side had been killed,
Fear of Them sratped. These men were
L ... frisbiders larm, one a Militin Lieut. w . w-sealped, the other was John Daniels of . . I. s most home was at Woodstock, 1.14 on boys iund been dismounted to fight on fret, and tespit lost every. horse by
h . og to neaptured. Forty men of Ca. 1.
w .th Bitter it their head reinforced the de-
: on the next morning when they returned
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