USA > Illinois > History of the Fiftieth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the war for the union > Part 10
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with one accord, they sent back their answering replies, every line of which breathed for loyalty to the Union and death to all traitors, their aiders and abettors. It goes without the say- ing that never was higher test made, never nobler action in res- ponse. That summer of 1862 was full of peril to the cause of good government, to the struggle for Union and flag. Not in peril from guns in hands of brave men in front, so much as from the fire in the rear. The attack of the cowardly "stay at homes;" the members of disloyal organizations in the north. Knights of the Golden Circle, and kith and kin alike. While these conspirators and assassins met and plotted, the brave le- gions of the Union around their camp-fires sang the songs which had bubbled up, out of the well-spring of patriotism, never failing to shout until the skies resounded with melody :
" Tell the traitors all around you, That their cruel words we know In every battle kill our soldiers. By the aid they give the foe."
And then happy in the thought of duty nobly performed, each man a hero, and for all time to be immortal for what he wrought and did, wrapped his blanket about him and on the bosom of his Mother Earth laid down to rest, and dream of home and the beloved whose prayers went up to Heaven for the success of the great cause for which their heroes were battling.
During the last week in June there was a rumor afloat that the regular army was to be established upon a much larger footing. and there was considerable talk about enlisting as reg- ulars, the terms being as it was alleged, $50 down, sixty days furlough and two month's pay when the soldier rejoined his regiment. Investigation proved the story simply a hoax.
The 4th of July was ushered in with every demonstration of joy at hand with which to attest the patriotism of the troops. Music, roll of drums, cannon firing and shouting made up the early part of the programme, followed by eloquent orations from some of the gifted speakers then in and around Corinth. A notable specch was that by the gallant sollier, Gen. Oglesby.
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Before the war he was noted far and near as one of the rising men of Illinois. When war came he marched at the head of as magnificent a body of men as ever rallied at call of native land and whose deeds in four years of service have made the history of the Sth Illinois infantry an imperishable part of the glory of Illinois. Old Dick, as he was lovingly called, made a speech that day which moved thousands as never before. Every word uttered breathed an exalted patriotism ; a love of country high- er than life over and above all other human consideration. Many of the Fiftieth heard him and when they returned to camp they seized a recently captured rebel gun and fired a na- tional salute of 35 guns. The health of the regiment was at high tide and the Surgeons had but little to do. The weather was oppressively hot, the musquitos innumerable and rapacious, and the flies in swarms of myriads made life a burden.
Here for the first time was encountered upon his native heath, the chigger. He was literally a little red devil. His mission was to eat and die. Every soldier was a walking chig- ger cemetery, and until science had struggled with the knotty problem how to do him up he was of all pests the worst. But the Surgeons cut him off and he ceased to annoy.
On the Sth of July the following regimental order was issued :
HEADQUARTERS 50TH ILLINOIS REGIMENT, } 1 CORINTH, MISS., July Sth, 1862.
General Orders, ) No. 77.
In compliance with general orders No. 4, of July 4th, 1862, the following list of absentees from the regiment is published. All men whose names are in this list will report to the headquarters within thirty days from the date of this order or send Surgeon's certificate of disability showing that they are unable to join their regiment. At the end of said thirty days all absentees not accounted for will be published as deserters, and if apprehended will be treated as such.
By order of
Lieut. Col. WM. SWARTHOUT,
T. W. LETTON, Adjutant.
Com'd'g Regiment.
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A copy of this order was sent to every absent member of the regiment, and their friends in the different companies wrote them urging immediate attention to the matter. The best of results were attained. Many returned within the time or in- stead sont the required certificate.
The lack of vegetable food began to be apparent, and to correct the ill effects thereby produced. Chaplain Bigger on the 27th of July, hurried to Illinois upon a short leave of ab- sence. for the purpose of soliciting and forwarding to camp a needed supply of food and articles necessary for the health and comfort of the command. His return home was heralded through the press and otherwise; depots for receiving supplies were established and with such success that on the 9th of Au- gust following he returned to camp and brought with him about seventeen tons of apples, vegetables, onions, dried fruits, pick- les, &e., which were carefully distributed to the companies and were productive of the best results. The gift of the patriotic donors was acknowledged by letters, rhymes and resolutions. from the happy recipients. Upon the same day, August 9th, of the return of the Chaplain, the regiment received two month's pay. So it did not rain, it just poured.
While the Chaplain was looking after the bodily wants of the men under his charge, he did not leave out of mind their spiritual needs, and to this end prayer meetings were organized. Many from the Fiftieth, as well as other regiments, attending, and deep was the interest manifested. There was something wierd yet entrancing round and about a prayer meeting in the army. In God's first temple, beneath the shading trees, there were nightly gathered hundreds of brave and stalwart men who upon their bended knees appealed to their God to lead them safely through war's red sea into the haven of lasting peace. How softly broke the songs of praise upon the still night air. The old songs, and forever new, of "Come thou fount of every blessing," "Am I a soldier of the cross," and that tenderest and most soulful of all, "From Greenland's icy mountains," inter- spersed with prayer and exhortation. If there were those who did not believe it is nevertheless true, that seoffers were few
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and far between. In the hour of danger man knows his weak- ness and leans on God.
One of the first, and in many respects the most import- ant, lessons learned by the army was the necessity of keeping the camp thoroughly polished and clean. The Fiftieth was not slow to learn and appreciate this fact so material to comfort and to health and its camp presented a careful attention to . police details. The streets were cleaned and so were all the by- ways. On the march from Corinth many of the wedge tents were exchanged for Sibley's left by the enemy and these were so built up as to be of great comfort. The inventive genius of the men devised various schemes for betterment. The bunks were constructed, pictures hung up, writing desks fitted up, car- pets made of old tents laid and all kept in order.
The culinary department was under constant improve- ment. That there was room for improvement will not be gain- said, for it is safe to assert that when the regiment was first organized not one in fifty had even ever attempted the role of a cook in the most crude and elementary form. But necessity is the mother of wit as well as of invention and under its imperi- ous law the art of preparing food in tempting shape became only a matter of time.
How to make use of flour was early a problem as sticky as it was hard of solution. At first the flour being mixed with water into the consistaney of dough, each man would roll a lot of it around a stick and hold it over or in front of the fire un- til it was smoked and burned into something like bread. But this was altogether too slow and in form too primative. Genius worked out this idea: A barrel was cut in two lengthwise, a small hole cut in the end to give draft and let out the smoke, then it was filled with wood and plastered on the outside with mud, which, when burned, assumed the shape of an oven. This idea was improved on until there was evolved out of such means as were at hand a regularly and well constructed cook- ing arrangement, furnace and all, capable of any amount of baking and boiling, So well arranged was the culinary de- partment that one man was able to do the cooking for a com- (8)
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pany. There was economy in this as the over plus of ration- could be the better saved and constituted a company fund. which, at stated times, was paid in pro rata shares to each one of the company.
The continuance of the very hot weather coupled with a searcity of good water seriously affected the health of the Fir- tieth and many were down sick, this made the service of those able for duty much more severe. The routine consisted of brigade, camp, picket guard and fatigue duty. Water had to be hauled from the spring, and when ever opportunity offered brigade, regimental or company drill was in order.
Many of the regiment will recall the picket lines held by the division during the summer of 1862. Its right lay on the luka road, and it will be recalled that the orders were very strict against permitting any one to pass through the lines without a permit.
- By some oversight the line of the division on the right did not join to and connect with the luka road and there was a gap of about one hundred yards intervening. It was not long before this opening was discovered and made use of by the rest- less'spirits inside the lines. Of course they were soon on col- lusive terms with the pickets and without trouble slipped by when the backs of the otherwise watchful guard were turned as though by common consent. Outside the lines there was an abundance of green corn, vegetables and fruit, and in considera- tion of favors advanced the foragers upon their return always left a goodly supply for the valiant watchers on the picket line.
The line extended through an old rebel camp of the spring before and the ground was plentifully strewn over with large slabs of bark about eight feet long, which had been stripped from the trees; these were concave in shape and made most desirable sleeping appartments. All that was necessary was to lie down in one half and pull the other half over, and the covering was perfect. One of the Fiftieth tells of an in- cident that happened on the line one morning and it is given in his own words :
"Hearing a noise one morning just before day I listened ;
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the comrade on guard said, "hist ;" we could hear the cautious step, step of an unseen foe approaching through the mist and fog. We held our breath and listened expecting every moment an assault. When lo and behold instead of a johnny with his gun there broke into view a magnificent turkey gobbler. There had been numerous alarms upon the line and several of our videtts had been shot so we did not dare to fire at him, know- ing it would cause the long roll to sound and the whole com- mand to turn out, and so our bird escaped, but Lord how our mouths watered for him."
On the afternoon of the 3d of September the regiment was marched some distance from camp and passed in review before the commander of the division, General Davies, and re- turning reached camp after dark.
The next day there were heavy movements of troops. The divisions of Generals Stanley and Hamilton under com- mand of General Rosecrans passed though the lines on the Iuka road, evidently bound for that famous watering place dis- tant from Corinth twenty-five miles.
The following extract from a letter of one of the regi- ment, gives a well defined idea of the situation on September 7th : "We are," he writes, "doing picket duty with right rest- ing on the Iuka road. Strong cavalry videtts of from eight to twelve each are far out on every road leading into Corinth. In front of each vidette a solitary cavalryman is sent out to a point overlooking the country, whose duty it is to watch that no one approaches without hinderance. So expert do the horses become that they are always on the alert. Every day the videtts are shot at by scouting parties of the enemy."
While matters were comparatively quiet in and around Corinth, saving and excepting the confusion incident to the moving of troops, the news from Iuka indicated that the enemy was in near proximity to that point. and by the 13th of Sep- tember it was deffinitely reported that a superior force under Price and VanDorn were rapidly concentrating in front of Gen- eral Rosecrans with the intention of giving him battle. In plain substantiation of this report, troops and supplies were
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daily hurried to Rosecrans, and it was generally understood that he had accepted the gage of battle thrown down at Iuka by the rebel generals.
On the 20th of September the Fiftieth was moved into a new position just south of Corinth and assigned to provost duty. The news from the front, while conflicting, yet gave prestage of a battle, and of what turned out to be a desperate and bloody struggle. Heavy cannonading was of frequent re- currence and to add to the prevailing anxiety a train with sixty wounded on board came in from Iuka. All at once the news came of the attack by the enemy and of his repulse with great loss, followed by his retreat from the field, and shortly afterwards, the troops engaged in that struggle were moved back and occupied the lines around Corinth. One of the Fif- tieth, writing of this time, says: "Our regiment is still in the 3d brigade, Col. Baldwin commanding, 2d division 16th army corps. Gen. Davies ; but as General Rosecrans is in command of the 2d Division army of the Mississippi we are now under him, Hamilton's and Stanley's divisions of Rosecran's old command have taken position upon College Ilill west of Corinth.
"A few days later finds us relieved from provost duty . and back in camp one mile east of our old camp, near Price's breast works, to which point we were again removed on Oct. Ist. Rosecrans is rapidly concentrating his forces and the air is heavy with rumors of a coming battle. There is a something in and about the camps which indicates trouble ahead-the troops are quiet, the duties of the camp are silently performed. Mounted officers ride hurridly here and there, lines are strengthened and works strengthened, the prayer meeting which has been kept up with gratifying results, is now more largely attended. A deep solemnity prevails, and especially was this true of the night of the second of October. After the usual service of song and prayer there was some talking and one of the 57th said the indications pointed to something serious within the next few hours. As taps were sounding the meeting broke up and as each brave fellow took his brother by the hand and spoke good night, some one called for a moments silence
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and then said : "We will not all meet again on earth, let us do our duty and pray that we may meet in Heaven." And he was right for before another night-fall many a brave man had passed through death's chilling waters, dead to country, but alive to God."
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CHAPTER X.
The Advance of Price and VanDorn -- Preparation for Battle -- Rosecrans in Con- mand-The Assault of the Third and . Repulse-Next days Terrible Strug- gle-The Victory-The Story of the Fiftieth's Gallant Action of Officers and men-Chaplain Bigger and General Rosecrans -- Sketches and Inci- dents of the Battle -- Reports of General Davies, Colonels DuBois and 1 Swarthout.
T HE battle of Corinth was fought on the 3d and 4th days of October, 1862. The Union forces under command of Major General W. S. Rosecrans numbered of all arms 20,- 000; the rebel forces under command of Generals Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price, numbering, according to their own reports, 38,000.
The rumors which followed the battle of Iuka were that General Price had marched to Ripley, where he had been joined by General Van Dorn, with all the available rebel forces in northern Mississippi, with the design of either capturing Cor- inth or of breaking the Union lines of communication in the rear and thereby forcing a retreat towards Columbus, Ken- tucky. A strong reconnoisance made by a heavy force of cavalry demonstrated the presence of the enemy in battle array and within striking distance.
Where would the blow be struck was the question at issue. It could be delivered at Bolivar, Bethel, Jackson, or Corinth.
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To settle the question as far as possible two divisions were on the 2d of October moved out some distance and troops from Tuka and other points ordered to Corinth. At 1:30 a. m. in the morning of the 3d the following orders were issued by General Rosecrans : "There being indications of a possible at- tack on Corinth, immediately. the following disposition of troops will be made: General MeKean with his division will weupy his present position; General Davies will occupy the lines between the Memphis and the Columbus roads; General Hamilton, with his division will take position between the rebel works on the Purdy and the Hamburg roads, and General Stan- loy will hold his division in reserve at or near the old head- quarters of Major General Grant.
"The respective divisions will be formed in two lines, the second line being either in line of battle or close column by division as circumstances may require."
In compliance with these orders the troops moved out at 3 o'clock a. m. to the positions assigned, with 100 rounds of ammunition and three days rations per man.
By 9 o'clock on the morning of the 3d the Union army occupied positions as follows :
Hamilton on the right, Davies in the centre, Mckean on the left, with an advance of three regiments of infantry and a weiton of Artillery under Col. Oliver on the Chewalla road, at or near Alexanders, beyond the old rebel earthworks.
The cavalry was disposed of as follows :
A battalion at Burnsville, one at Rorey's mill on the Jacinto and Corinth road: Col. Lee with the 7th Kansas and part of the 7th Illinois at Kossuth and Bone Yard. watching the rebel's right flank : Col. Hatch and Captain Wilcox on the Past and north fronts covering and reeounoitering. The neces- -ity for these precautionary dispositions is easily apparant for it was not known from which direction the threatened attack would come.
The general plan was to hold the enemy at as far a dis- tance as possible until his plans would be uncovered and then to take up a line of defense nearer Corinth.
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Early in the forenoon the pressure upon Col. Oliver in- dicated an advance in force and soon the purpose of the enemy was fully developed. Heavy skirmishing as for a position was commenced and the enemy was discovered through the openings in solid conformations and evidently massing for a direct as- sault upon the centre, held by General Davies. Orders were ac- cordingly given to Mckean to fall back to a strong position outside the intrenchments, his right to rest on Davies' left, and for Stanley to move northward and eastward en cchelon with McKean, and General Hamilton was ordered to face Chewalla and move down so as to touch with his left the right of General Davies. The assault upon Davies came with tremenduou's force and he was slowly pressed back, his right being hotly engaged. Colonel Mervin's brigade was advanced to his support, and late in the evening General Hamilton moved against the flank of the enemy, but his course was through woods and over broken and rough ground, and night coming on closed the scene.
That night General Rosecrans telegraphed General Grant at Jackson as follows:
October 3d, 1862, 11:30 p. m.
"From advanced position at exterior batteries reported to you this morning, our troops slowly drew in and concen- trated. The rebels attacked between railroads northwest. Davies' division-the right of MeKean's-were the only troops really engaged ; it was bushwhacking, our troops knowing noth- ing of the ground, although many of them had been here.
Hamilton attempted to swing in from the Purdy road. westward, but it was late in the evening and he was too far ad- vanced to the north. Our left MeKean and Stanley-occupies Price's new line; right-Hamilton and Davies rests north of the town on the (old) rebel works, stretched across to join Stanley in the bottom near Halleck's old headquarters. They appear to be still in the angle of the road. If they fight us to- morrow I think we shall whip then. If they go to attack you we shall advance upon them. General Hackleman killed.
W. S. ROSECRANS.
To GENERAL GRANT.
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By this dispatch it is apparant the real purpose of the enemy had as yet not been developed, but calling his generals around him, General Rosecrans explained his plans and issued his orders for the following day.
Briefly stated they were to rest the left of the new line on the batteries extending from Battery Robinett, the center on the slight ridge north of the houses, and the right on the high ground covering both the Pittsburg and Purdy roads, while it also covered the ridge road between them, leading to their old camps. MeKean held the extreme left. Stanley, Batteries Will- iams and Robinett, the Memphis railroad and the Chewalla road extending nearly to the Columbus road. Davies was plac- ed in the center which was retired, reaching to Battery Powell. Hamilton held the right with Dillon's battery, supported by two regiments, and all posted on a prolongation of Davies' line. At the very earliest of the dawn the enemy's artillery opened in front of Robinett at a distance of 600 yards, but by 7 o'clock his batteries had been silenced by the heavy guns of the forts, assisted by the 10th Ohio. For over an hour silence prevailed, ominous as it always was of serious work. At nine o'clock the heavy firing on the skirmish line proclaimed an assault. It came, and fell with terrific force upon Davies first, Stanley next and Hamilton last.
In his report to General Grant, Goneral Resecrans, refer- ring to this majestic movement of the enemy, says: "I shall leave to pens dipped in poetic fire to inseribe the gorgeous py- rotechny of the battle, and paint in words of fire the heroes of this fight, the details of which will be found graphically depic- ted in the accompanying sub-reports."
The assault upon the center was so overpowering that the ยท line gave way, but after falling back a short distance was re- formed. The enemy seeing victory within their clutch rushed forward with vells that rose above the storm and roar of battle, but their advantage was of but short duration, for their advance was suddenly met by a storm of grape and by a counter charge which drove them back in the utmost confusion.
The center, under General Davies, gallantly rushed for-
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ward to retrieve their old line, and in a few moments Battery Powell was again occupied and the line of the morning re-estab- lished. The battle was over on the right.
During all this time the skirmishers on their right were moving in our front, and about twenty minutes after their re- pulse on the Union right, the enemy advanced in four columns on Battery Robinett. They faced a perfect whirlwind of grape and cannister until within fifty yards of the battery. when the brigade supporting the battery arose and delivered a murderous fire of musketry, before which they reeled and fell back into the woods. Once more they returned to the charge led by Colonel Rogers of the 2d Texas, and so desperate and determined was their intent that despite the slaughtering fire which met them. their advance reached the edge of the ditch around Robinett. the gallant Rogers sealing his valor with his blood. But hu- man endurance could not withstand the storm of death which greeted them. They wavered, and at the opportune moment the command "charge" was given and the 11th Missouri and 27th, Ohio sprang at them and drove them off the field at great loss.
It was noon and the battle was over.
General Rosecrans sums up the results as follows: "We fought Van Dorn. Price, Lovell, Villepigne and Rust in person. numbering according to their own authorities 38.000 men. We signally defeated them with little more than half their number and they fled leaving their dead and wounded on the field.
"The enemy's loss in killed was 1,433 officers and men. Their loss in wounded, taking the general average, amounts to 5,692. We took 2,268 prisoners, among whom are 137 field ofli- cers, saptains and subalterns, representing 53 regiments of in- fantry, 16 regiments of cavalry, 13 batteries of artillery and " battalions and 18 batteries, besides separate companies. We took also 14 stand of colors, 2 pieces of artillery, 3,800 stand of small arms, 45,000 rounds of ammunition and a large lot of ac- coutrements,
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