USA > Illinois > History of the 17th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers > Part 5
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Dwu. Asantomission there com- par . vi of charity coveringall. To
womanrize, our boys were badly handled,
badly der . a.s. 1. badly whipped. That
our balt of Pam bys uniler such men as Muur kadar, Pal Molar, or many others of oarre, meat andethive covered the ground
with the euennew dead and if benten, it would have been at fearful cost to their foes. They were good . aldiers as nttested in many battles previneand subsequent to this un- Tortnn ir counteure, and were doubtless, Whier De re auis niet entirely blameless. The dale ter c fedt me of this important occurrence datos i mme respects, but in the main ferite:r- there is a unanimity of teHagas wamibeatri by their statements. short!" after one of our best boys, Jaines HA040As, tart alt'i an nieident that cost him his lir His tevaiver while In the scabbard exptard, the ball trh ; effect near the knee. At the time the wound was considered a inding ie citer, but it cansed his death. He w.ww an excellent soldier companionable and
Both 1, with forty men from HI, was sent to colon those that have got so badly worsted . ... for's finn, ont of that scrape. He found one ofwar offleers in cuizens clothes, who ap. jun ofty was frightened so badly that he was want to.jury to his men, but with 150 to his bak the wis m citizens clothes. Had he :: uel the command over to Butler, I would, si hopt such doubt, have now a different tele to write. Butler wanted to take his own men auf about to Santer's farm, but this not beleg jo rath 1, he went out alone, a tool- lardv trick. certainly, bringing lock with mw alanse by find mintang loose and a per ol boots he found on the battle ground. His will thit mir officer? gave the orders I reesviry to mannt and dismount repeated. lv, whatis the enemy was closing in on him, This denunalizing the men, who inn to the woods for deat the, leaving their horses for the Bashw hackers. Dimels and the Militia Lieutenant were both killed while fighting. The boys state that the Guerrillas were Bill Ander-on's men. I think they are mistaken In this, fur cotupanies Cand D nt this time with Melthe were giving Bill no rest day or night. ( Who it wasat present writing I am unable to say, but will I think be able to do so In the history.) Butler was furious, witht now nenily if not quite 200 men and the Bushwhackers within striking distance and no tight. The comprmy G boys, many of them with tears in their eyes, begged tobe ird in ngain. Bni onr Llentenant was completely demoralized, and was only auxions to get back to a place of safety-Glasgow.
It Roanoke our boys were w. rned byn Dr. that 40 Guerrillas were there, foltsclaw's
Fond who we waits were the ant - they fon tal shaper's I'nfortunate str Aton.
mia was in cemreal and the band escaped without one suot being fred a dem, More [.teut. I mirtv 's dismissed . he service, but ;
the men say fr wayentirely bl Queles -. cana. :
oring hun entirely, laying the blumne upon !
Mattlack, aby at this time ival cy included the hat:rd of his men that threatening let . ters were sent him, ene containing a qui. 1. It was whispered aro,and cast several of the men were to be arrested upon suspicion
of doing this, but as the ramer gut a.woat
they deserted, knowing that an enlisted man
was doorved if chiiges were piel ried against bini by a commissioned officer, no. matter how talse the charges were. This disgusted Capt. Hibbard, who resigned. Mat. lack who had been elected Ciptain of Co. H. upor an agreement, broke faith with the men and there were but tew that felt friend -!
ly towards bim. Major Matlack had been
enosen Captain with the understanding that he had a sure promotion to the position of Major, but if he failed to receive his Myjars commission he was within one week to rel sign which would leave Hibbard forCaptaing Laird Ist Lient.ant orderly sergt. Butler and Lieut. The program was carried ant except with Butler, who was weil educated, a man of gond habits and a veteran. The claim is that Mrs. Beveridge had a consin who was y gradnate of a harness shop, had never seen service, but by Beveridge's intinence was put in as 2nd Lieut. over such men, who were veterans, as Butler, Oberholzer and Horner. Laird was a very pleasant fellow but when Hibbard resigned, and Laird dis; inissed the service, both Butler, Oberholzer and Horner were lett where they were and a stanget in the company received commey ions necessary to fill the vacancy -- Lnird @! nally being reinstated as a simple act of jus, tiec. Sammy Smith, our Adjutant, was ero. moted to the Captaincy of this Co (H.) who afterwardy distinguished himself having a personal encounter with Capt. G B. Stratton at camp near Cape Girard-an The second, thongh in reality the first Capt Hehard wasavery fine gentleman, kind and indulgent to the boys, brave as a fion, coo and collected under fire, as a history of the following fight will show :
Company H, of $2 men, under Hebard, let Glasgow to go on a sconting expedition The first night the boys camped at Rounoke having met with no "Whackers," but a course the rebel couriers were ont watebity onr hoys from the distant hill tops and :h near woodlands, and they made elaborat preparations to repeat the Centralia Messi cre. Our boys had orders to take not his thau forty roundsof ammunition, but the took about eighty. They also took four day cooked rations. They were to go to Persic Hills, a noted stronghold for Guerrilla thence to Fayette. The second day ont ti boys stoppet at Dripping Springs Cheie which was thont torty miles they bad mare el fnain Glasgow. The church was #1 51:18 sized mipainted frime building standing t itselfin a small clearing of abont one uri On the sonin and rast side of this church 14 a small stream whose steep banks we fringed with willows. About tro bundy and fitty yards north of the church on a ge tle eminence stood a plain farm house, nor of which wasan wehad of ahmit two zer in extent. North of the orchard and abo two hundred yards from the house a toise honse stood. East of the orchard anit ros and about two lmudred yards from the hou was the stable and corn erib. il of the buildings were erected of logs. At this hou Cant. Helming conelded formais bort night, in-tineted Builer to pni ont the guar A corporat and three men were left at t stable to guard the horses with instructio to keep a sharp look ont. About this time shot was heard in the cornfield near 1 which started De emmmand somewhat, h at Rod they upon investigation fonuil one of the men, James Keunedl who had enlisted ford, dend, shot through the hort by the i eidenial discharge of his own gur. Jt back of the church a grave was ong, af with thesetting of the sun our pominde | from his home. was Inid away to ret, whi LAsmile way thinking of the happy fritt with her husband. Remords Was a Ro soldier, quirt mund tinassifang. This
companions and as they turned away in his grave each wondered, why not: - hu thinking that in a few short promis th would be actors in one of the flucest of fiets ny the war.
Volunteers,
S. A. CARITAT: 3, Prh. t: ( pr. y . K."
CHAPTER XV.
The boys sought their much needed rosi when about midnight a discharge of fire arias caused them to spring to
tin ir feet, while eries of distress and pela partedel from the vicinity of
the stat le. Some rushed to the st ... le si loand Holland, another one of the
boys, sounded. having been fired upen that deres the lane about thirty feet
distant where the bushwhackers had, >We'llel and protected by the trees, craft up unseen. It seems the relicf and guard were conversing about the
death of their comrade when this
trencherous and murderons volley was poured into them, one receiving thir- teun. the other eighteen buck shot in
their backs. Orderly Sergeant Butler.
now a Physician in Chicago, dressed their wounds, removing many but not all of the buckshot, it taking a long time before the wounds were properly
watching on his own neesunt. He dressed, after which Bater did a little
watched the orchard where the shots had come from and finally thought he Suw a form. Watching for some time he became convinced that he saw a man and with his revolver firel at Lin. The report was followed by a ery of pain and two or three foras raised up from bali recumbent positions, and ran for The adjacent woods, hunted by the bui- lets that sang around their cars. Oar boys sprang to their fect and sccing Butlers revolver flashing nietook him for the enemy, at which one fired at him, Batler stopping them just as oth-
ers were leveling their guns upon him.
Comrades Samuel Ripley and Jeseph
Dewberry had each fred at him. At daylight the spot where the Bush- whacker was shot, was visited and a Coits navy revolver was picked up, on the stock of which was written the meine of Joseph Gooch, who was a lead-
er of a band of Guerrillas that infested
the spot where dooch was shot, Bill that region. While some were viewing
Anderson appear I and drove our boys to cover, some ru-hed into the tobacco Fuase and other houses just as the Guerrillas appeared from all directions along the road, out of the woods and bushes. The boys in the tobacco house
fired a volley, when the whackers ran. Our boys foll back to the corn erib and stable, which afforded excellent protec- tion, while between the logs they had
or ino being North
of time were some main stacks,
which wer willsi by the enemy as
well as be co, riegois tence and dense growth of small oaks that arow close by. They had been re-intoreed until they numberel several hundred. The we dead and two wounded of our boys loft ouly twenty nine effective men to
fair on their hands. Our boy- strip ;.. ] thought they had another Centrali t af- resist all these men, who dou! tless
their coats. knowing the death bu . ford come. For the next two hours cher
ately our boys instead of thing forty vas a continual roar of gans, Fortun-
rounds of ammunition, had supplied themselves liberally. The cut-throats man and horse were both killed the Were strapped to their ! nes. aml unk's
devils would be carried off by their horses . They demanded Goodyear- volver, but the huge sunt their e a pla-
ments in the shape of ndar ies mit dhl not return the revolver. po sh they did send the bullets ' ... . Att r hunnit three hours firing the tava. for be- eine nearly vaisusted. \: t jane- tare a port kept on fighting. pobdince
state away with the horses under der- Font- Simpson and Porter. down tran 1 behind the high ceck bank. The boys stol away as rapidly as por tals. Ile. lard and Butler coming List, when away our boys went, after killing miny more than their own number. The tuile or more, taking the road to Col-
spurs were vigorously applied for a minbia, eight miles distant. Our men hul been gone full ten minutes. before the men of the black flag made the discovery. With their splendid mounts they were soon clase on to ger bugs.
traveling on another road, but themetal Donglass was at the head of a re_ ment of Militia coming to the rescue Our boys had soven minnie cartride. .. and six revolver cartridges left. The Mil-
itia had a httle brash with them. when they scattered.
strongly of the opinion that Bối And- erson was not present, but Maior Per-
kins headed this band. for at this they Phil. MeRae was running Anderson night and day. and after the a. issiere
at Centralis, Bill was principally on the
retreat). The next day our boys were re-inforced to about ove hundred, re- serves were sent to agreed points, and Major Perkins that day lost twenty-five of his men. The Guerrillas broke into
squads, which our men dil also, and
when night fail came the foes of the
Union were seeking safety in flight, while the Union citizens who had been driven out by the dis Joyal element, were returning to their-
Dr. government to bear arms. Farth- .r on se afl how what this citizen
dement, the Local ch arent did to the di-loyal element Fashiw! acker clemeur. who ever after found no home on Mi-amisol dy the home the grave : och An amusing incident occure ] while the boys were at thisgow. Lar-
r hoe went out with a scent to Roanoke antal front there he was to goto Ftyette, bont be kell ashop on bis borse and marelelluch In the-gow. The boys iread it - a subscription to buy a cow- bh ta Li horseto keep Lim awake. it whether he put it on the horse we 2 . ... theow. Several other fights here . wouri -. Ent none that compared with
!'w. Dripping Springs Church affair. The s .ht at Allan, Station resulted in 1. Ning Que and wounding several Guer- is, the balance of the trip included the Shaffer farm affair. Comride Sher- wiu died here. his wife being with him
to the last, and when the end caine shc took her loved one home with her. lay- ing him away in the bosom of his lov- ed northland. The 2nd Battallion and C and D of the 1st are heading for the regiment, which are now at Rol- la, but we left them and the 3d Battal- lion at Alton, where we will join them. In the middle of July the 3d Battallion with Hd. Quarters received marching orders to go to Benton Barracks at St. Louis, which is distant from the bus- iness portion of St Louis about five miles. In chelience to the orders. one fine July morning found us winding down those limestone hills to the whorf where huge steamboats awaited our comming, leading our horses over the gang plank, they were stripped and led onto the boat back of the engines and firmaces, and were tied to huge picket ropes, being crowded closely togather. In a short time we were loaded, when the bell rang, the gang plank drawn in, the rope cast off, the huge paddle wheels revolve, the stokers are pitting in coal and wood with bare arms and open collars, the perspiration streaming down their faces. But the best will not move. it is fast uron the shore. Soon the order comes for us to move to that side of the boat that is in deep. water, when the wheels again revolve Luge clouds again ascend, from the great stackAuf inky smoke. We glide out into the river, the prison nestling at the foot . f the limestone hills rapid- ly dissappe ire, and that horrid night- mare is shut from our vision, never more to play any part in our career.
HISTORY OF THE
1ith Ilinois Cavalry Volunteers.
BY E. A. CARPENTER, Private Company ** hi." [Copyright worktech All highis Reserved] CHAPTER XVI.
Here we left Stratton. of Co. K. and yesterday we received the following letter from Sargent C. B. Wod, which we copy ver batiw et literaton. which explains itself, and which wounded sleep from my eyelids until early muura- ing, worn out with tossing and toruine I sank into troubled dreams more (x. hausting than loss of sleep.
Ellsworth, Wis, Feb Ze, last. COMRADE E. A. CARPENTER:
Your letter was received in due time and found me and mine all well. Fre been residing at this place the last .7 years, and each year I think it will be my last, and still I stay, and now I am thinking of building, and making this a permanent home. I was at Ro kord, Ill., twice in 1876, and saw Sam Pell -. John Clark. Egbert Phelps, But ok and Edward Tiyer, all seemed to be do- ing well except Ed Dyer.be was would. plete wreck. W. E. Mihis was living in this country some ten years a.o. but has gone to some place in Minu. I sww him several times. I heard from Bob Souders once, helped what little leid on bis pension, have not heard what success he had. Henry requested me two months ago to write up the Jer- seyville Scout and our work at Center- ville, but I've been so busy I've neglect- ed it. I am at work six miles from home running a circular. saw-mill, and have everything to see to, engine, mill and hands, and when I get houw. I am generally tired enough to rest, but I'll try next week to write something about Jerseyville. There is one thing about that which I will give you, known oniy to five persons, I think, which does not reflect much credit on sothe who formerly belonged to Co. K. The morning after the citizens turned the Bushwhacker Smith, who was captured by them, over to Capt. Stratton and Major White, and we were on the return to Jerseyville atter our return to the lowlands, the command was all order. : into the eniumn. and Capt. Stratton er. dered the four men who werein charre of Smith to shoot hitu before we reach. ed Jerseyville, the arrangements wire as follows: The guards were t march at the rear of the column one of the m leading Smith's horse, at a sirmi to be given by Stratton, the halter of the horse was to be dropped and the 1. i've turned out of the road and the guat is was to shont him claiming he tried to escape, which was followed out. one of the guards shooting him in the back, near the spinal column, indr.ting a wound which resulted in his death a few days after. if you want my nar- rative of the trip in full I will give it to you, only I have no dates, not hav- ing kept any diary while in the service and have to rely on my memory, which prevents my giving dates, and you pro- Lably have a full history of the Scout except perhaps the above, which was
not known in the Co. while we were in the service, but it is truc and I can give the names of the four guards, and the one who did the shooting. if want- ed. In regard to our work at Center- ville, I was there only a short time, went to Ironton, after clothing for mem- bersof our Co. at Centerville, and Capt. Stratton had Major flilliard return me to HId. quarters for duty. Let me hear from you, and if you want what I can give you, I will furnish it. The above is disconnected. but you must overlook it, a> I have been over-worked, and have been on the road two nights and one day. getting engine repaired, and am anst for writing. Yours. C. B. Woon.
For twenty-two long years I have mited for this tostimony and at last it mune wasobeited. I have written for more on this, though as previously wilt.n. I was present and knew all about it, but I cannot get too much testimony in the killing of this Brown, 6- Sunt'i, as others persist in calling hita. Rendere please remember this is the captured man at Osterville, that Sargent Word is writing of. But to return tothe ! mais. We steamed past the mouth of the muddy, filthy Missou- rivi. r, wr. ity treacherous sand-bars und mereile .. undertow. "A tremend- ous weimma of wirty yellow water is vomited forth into the beautifully clear and .wout water of the Mississippi riv- er, au !!. in theuen downward the great browdi r. or was filthy in the extreme, thouLa somme tutte miles sunth from the mouth of the moldy iuterven- ed, before the water became a hom- ogenotts . how, at first only
side was dirty boat ultimately ail became polluted. At -Horn, amidst miles of Steam- hoity, our boats wedged their way slow- by i. Our ears were greeted with the coarsest and wort profane language that ever fell from the lips of human birgs, coming from the lips of men engaged in daty at the wharf. Apple and pie women hustled one another in tur haste to reach us, pick-pockets, thieves and sharpers were close up, just outside the guard we put on. We led our horses off, saddled them and soon were on our way to Benton Barracks, many of the horses rearing and curve- ting, dancing and prancing, entering into the spirit of the occasion. What a sight we presented! our neat, sleek horses with the clean MeLellan saddles, our overcoats, poucho and half-tent in com; et and neat roll.strapped at pom- tuei of the saddle, our blankets exactly fulded and compaetly rolled, strapped at the cantel of the saddle, our saddle
bags snugly bickled with loop cuck J in, our Sharp's Carbines suspended by a sling over our left shoulder, the car- bine in socket at our right side, our brightly burnished scabbards with sa- bre hung at our left, suspended by belt and shoulder strap; at our back was the cartridge box with the cap box to the right, though well in front, a pair of brass spurs at our heels. Our. head gear was the regulation black hat crushed down, minus the feather and brass ornaments, and a pair of huge re- volvers at our belt, which with our canteen and baversack, completed our tout ensemble, unless I mention the curb and chain that controlled our hor- ses. The people gazed and gazed. We were the eynosure of all eyes, some with bright eyes and smiling counte- nances, with open admiration and warm leyal , parts, others, with studied solid- ity evidently wished us at the bottom of the red sea, but we were not travel- ling in that direction at that time, but were anxious to meet with wien that disliked the appearance of our national colors. At our hend rode one of the finest specimens of manhood that could be seen in many a long days :ide, and no doubt be felt a natural pride in our appearance and gentlemanly, or if you profer the equivalent, soldierly conduct. Steadily we marched until Benton Bar- racks were reached, when we were put- in quarters beginning with No. 1 and including No. 1, being on the west side of the camp, a few rods west from the Commandauts Quarters. Back of our. Barracks were the kitchen and dining . rooms, south and west of these weret the Stables for the horses, with large roomy yards or open spaces. The wa ter came from the hydrant, a huge res orvoir to the north of us being wel filled with a very good quality of water Here an order was read, prohibitin: swearing in the quarters, but unless ot: memory fails me, I heard a few cus words i n the barracks Here was an immense Camp contain ing thousands of troons, some arriving some departing every day. In the cen ter of this enclosure, inclosed wit' close fitting boards fully fifteen fee high, was a race track, and one evenin three trotters were speeding aroun. the track, one of them being the note Flying Cloud, while the white mare St. Louis Bell, driven by a colored ma who was putting him to the top of hi speed. The third horse with a tremend ous burst of speed joined the othe two and for once around the turn the struggled for supremacy, but Flyin Cloud could outfoot the other two how ever, though it required all his spce to do it. It was a very neat brush : moug the fistest of fast horses.
HISTORY
OF THE
17th Iffinois Cavalry Volunteers. PY E. A. CARPENTER, Private Company "K."
[Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved.] CHAPTER XVII.
Here the Invalid Corps was on duty and withont stepping outside che en- clusure, one could see and converse with heroes of hundreds of battle fields, men with armaless sleeves, with legless pants, men who had endured the hor- rors and privation of prison life, still doing what they could, little though it was, for our . Nation. How the boys loved to visit these men, view their confortable quarters, and pleasantly ehat the hours away. listening to deeds of valor, and tales of bravery as n: . ra- ted by those who had been there. liere the men were paid off and some of inen were in a fevered state of excite- ment until their last dollar was spent, betting on eards and games of chance of which they kiew next to nothing, while the sharp ones gathered in the money, and contrary to the tales of romance we read, they did not squan- der their gains, but expressed the mon- ey to a place of safety. Two of our boys who were skilled with both cards and diee are worthy of mention in this connection, both were model soldiers, always doing more than their share of duty,always to the frout, bad nofemale cousins or bad habits, save they chew- ed tobaceo. Neither played curds be- fore entering the service. One, the youngest, left College in defence of his country, the other was well educated. had been a soldier in Dick Oglesby's regiment, and helped to bear him off the field when wounded. This one was just above the minimum of regulation height. black eyes and hair, quite low spoken, observant, with a fand of nerve rarely equaled. about twenty-three years of age. The other way his autipode. full large blue eyes, rather above the medium in height, very light hair, squarely built, a superb horseman. an accurate shot, and notwithstanding his tender age, his powers of endurance were rarely equaled. He was the se- cond or third best educated man in the company. This same one, men now boy then, is one of the leading citizens of this state. A graduate of College, an University as well, where he won bonors amidat the sharpest competition, is one of the trustees of a literary eol- lege, president for years of a scientific society, number of three otherscientific societies, besides ether honors, and is not yet forty years of age. Mas the
reputation of being a model speaker. has a fine reputation vod enjoys a high degree of populuity. The commuis- sioned officers combined to beat him for a Sergeaney, but he was offered a Corporals position which he modestly refused. The greatest mistake was here made, for he had an undefined in- fluence that was irrisistable, and men would take their cue from him without a word being spoken. Here way a di- lemma. He was one of Fishers men. une to whom pledges had been made by Fisher to induce him to come to the 17th, and when he refused the Cor- porals position, Fisher privately blat- ed him for so doing, he retorted by say- ing "You will want me to blick your boots yet." The blood left Fishers face, but to come rushing buck, he say- ing "it will all come right." The boy responded "doubtless, but the french saying is that a man that gets drunk once will get drunk again." F. "Well I can't help it." Boy. "That is evident. a casual observer can see you have no influence here." Fisher was distressed. This boys mate had been in the rebel amy, being a Major in Picketts 1 ;- vision of Longstreets Corps. His fa- ther had been a resident and property owner in Rockford. Ill., in an early day, one of the Creeks near there being named for him. He had went south, and married a wealthy southern lady, the fruit of the union being this sen who was sent north at the age of fifteen to be educated. He was rebel to the core, our boy being a rank abo- litionist. These for nearly four years had been room-mates, the Southerner being four years the . Mest had gradu- ated and gone south two years previous. The separation between these two boys who even had spent their vacations to- gather, tugged at the heart strings. To Either had they risen at the clang of the bell. together gone to the Chapel. together attended tin Sabbath school. sat in the same pew, listened to the same sermons,and now one with - Union now and forever, one and inseparable." had in the blue unifiem. the other an erdent advocate of State Rights, had on the gray, and tell mortally wounded at the battle of Gettysburg. It was during college vacation when one af- ternoon at tratable our comrades father premeditatedly said, Well Lou died in the Rebel canse. The blue eyes were raised to his father, face "I'll bet he died like a hero." But Mokon went from. the table and threw himself under a large nak where they Lad Lin reading to one another, where the family would gather to hear them read or recite, or talk the hours away. In the house the
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