USA > Illinois > Military history and reminiscences of the Thirteenth regiment of Illinois volunteer infantry in the civil war in the United States,1861-65, pt 1 > Part 17
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When Sergeant Thoma had vigorously emptied the second box, he looked out of his tent in search of the searchers ; he saw the company street half full of assorted sizes of army shoes, but no commissioned officer in sight. The Colonel never found the liquor.
Something of the nature of our service at this time, may be learned from the following communication from our Divi- sion Commander, General E. A. Carr, to General Curtis.
CAMP NEAR SEARCY LANDING, ARKANSAS,
May 28th, 1862.
Major-General S. R. CURTIS.
GENERAL : Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis' (of the First Missouri) skir- mish yesterday resulted in killing four of the enemy and wounding many others, as shown by blood on the ground. He lost one sergeant, mortally wounded, and one private, slightly. He remained out all night on the other side, thirteen miles above. I was very anxious about him, and sent Wyman's brigade at daylight to succor him. He made a detour to the southwest on account of the bad crossing of Indian Creek, which wagons and all had plunged through in their ardor, and came into Searcy while Wyman was looking for him. *
Thus it will be seen that while no rebel army confronted us from any direction, at that time, there were yet left enough
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guerrillas, to cause much annoyance, and continuous vigi- lance ; and the more so, as from about this time, our base of supplies was cut off from the direction of Rolla, and now we must subsist off the country, or, cut our way through to a new base, both of which we were successful in doing.
THE DRAMA IN THE ARMY.
O, it offends me to the soul, to see a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters. -Hamlet.
· . But I will aggravate my voice so, that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any nightingale. -Bottom.
Among our armies, in addition to military musicians, there had to be of necessity, now and then one who had more or less (generally less) dramatic talent ; and of course, where there was a dearth of fighting, or of fun, all of this surplus talent was brought into requisition.
Frank Clark, a soldier of General Steele's body-guard, (Kane county, Illinois Cavalry ) which had just now joined us at Batesville, was one of these dramatic artists, from whom our friend " Bottom," at the top of this, could have learned some points to his advantage.
In person, he was tall, lanky, and loose-jointed. His two eyes could never agree, except to disagree ; and generally looked in opposite directions. His hair, which was really his strong feature, generally stood up, whether in deference to the company, as a part of good manners, or other motive, was, I believe, never ascertained ; but certain it is that his hair had imbibed most radical "State's rights " doctrines ; for every particular hair, not only stood on end, but each hair in the confederacy reserved to itself the right to carry out its own ends; and when all of these sovereign hairs massed their different expressions, this feature became not only formidably, but comically expressive.
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He could easily transpose tragedy into extremely low comedy, and he could mix the two in just the right propor- tions to make the whole an extremely ridiculous farce.
He delighted in travestying Shakespeare, and every other poet and writer.
Some samples must be given in order to show his talents ; but no word-painting, however graphic, could reproduce his personality. Commencing where Othello says :
" I had rather be a toad and live upon the vapors of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I love, for others' uses."
He would render thusly :
"I would rather be a tadpole and feed on the vitals of an Injun, than have one drop of water in the rum I love."
And then Macbeth to Banquo :
"Banquo, thy soul's flight, if it find heaven, must find it out to-night."
Adding :
"But if you miss the way, then, well, Go thou and fill another room in hell."
Another :
"Imperial Cæsar; dead, and turned to clay, Might stop a crack to keep the winds away."
Then, this argument :
"Now, if Imperial Cæsar would deliberately join a Plasterers' Union, using his mortuary remains for mortar, why may not the imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander till he finds it stopping a bun
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Then, too, Frank Clark was a singer. That is, he knew something of tunes in a general way, and in a chorus could do extremely well ; or at any rate, he had a way of opening his mouth, causing his hair to vibrate or oscillate in some queer way which, together with abundance of facial contor- tion, gave the impression that he was singing, and I believe most people thought he was singing.
This really great artist was welcome everywhere through- out all the camps where he visited. His whole appearance, even in his soberer moments, was provocative of merriment, and his friends and auditors would commence to laugh before he had said a word. His presence had a far better sanitary effect than the entire medicine chest of the surgeon ; and his ability in the comic line was of vastly greater value to the country than he could have been while stopping bullets.
Frank Clark held a captain's commission when mustered out of the service.
May loving hearts prompt willing hands to strew fresh and fragrant flowers as each succeeding Decoration Day comes round, on the mound covering the remains of genial Frank Clark.
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CHAPTER XVI.
CURTIS' ARMY LOST FOR WEEKS IN THE WILDS OF ARKAN- SAS .- GREAT ANXIETY OF GRANT TO REACH US. - FIGHT TO GAIN THE RIVER.
W
E had now reached a crisis in our cam- paign, in which, for a period of several weeks, we were as completely lost to the world as was Sherman's army, a year and a half later, dur- ing its " march to the sea "; and the greatest anxi- ety was experienced as to our safety, as will be seen by the following :
BATESVILLE, ARKANSAS, May 30th, 1862.
Brig .- Gen. SCOTT KETCHUM.
GENERAL : My express from Rolla has not arrived for several days. At last news the train was attacked near Rolla. * * A report has just come in that Pike, with eight thousand Indians, has crossed White river thirty-five miles above here and designs to take Rolla. The report seems incredible, but should be looked after.
I am, General, with great respect,
S. R. CURTIS, Maj .- Gen. Com'd'g.
FLAG SHIP, WESTERN FLOTILLA, June 10th, 1862.
Hon. GIDEON WELLS, Sec. U. S. Navy. SIR : * * * * I received this morning a telegraphic message from General Halleck, urging me to open communication with General Curtis by way of Jacksonport. I shall, therefore alter the original de-
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sign of the expedition so far as to limit it to the waters of White river, so long as its presence may be necessary to give support to Gen. Curtis. I am, Sir, with very great respect,
C. H. DAVIS, Flag Officer.
HEADQUARTERS, WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
June 23d, 1862.
General S. R. CURTIS.
GENERAL: Colonel Fitch, with transports and provisions, ascended White river one hundred and seventy miles, but being unable to com- municate with you fell back to St. Charles, ninety miles from the mouth. Can you not move down east side of White river and connect with your supplies? Endeavor to communicate with Colonel Fitch at St. Charles, and order supplies up to Duvall's Bluff, or above, as soon as you can change your base to White river and draw your supplies from Memphis. As soon as communication between you and Memphis is opened, I will send you reinforcements if required. I receive 110 com- munications from you, and am kept in entire ignorance of your move- ments and wants.' If you have telegraphic communication with St. Louis, there is no reason why I should not hear from you daily.
I am, General, respectfully, H. W. HALLECK, Maj .- Gen. Com'd'g Dept.
HEADQUARTERS, CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI,
June 25th, 1862.
General U. S. GRANT.
GENERAL: If your information from Arkansas is such as to render it safe for the expedition to ascend White river, send all of Colonel Slack's forces to reinforce Colonel Fitch and open communication with General Curtis. If the boats can not get np the river, we must repair the railroad. Have we no gun-boats at White river ?
I remain, General, with great respect, H. W. HALLECK, Maj .- Gen. Com'd'g Dept.
On June 25th, 1862, Grant says to Halleck : "I will, with your approval, send such of the boats now loaded with supplies for General Curtis as can ascend the White river, reinforcing Colonel Fitch with two regiments from here. There are two gun-boats at the mouth of White river, but
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they can not ascend over sixty miles with the present stage of water. I would recommend, on consultation with Captain Phelps, that two or three light draught steamers be fitted up to keep open the communication with General Curtis. * * * I am informed that a body of rebel troops are now trying to get in north of General Curtis." * * *
Same date as above, Ketchum writes to Curtis : "Trans- ports ascending White river one hundred and seventy miles and could get no higher. Hearing nothing of you, fell back to St. Charles, ninety miles from the mouth.
"General Halleck directs me to give you this notice, and see if you can not communicate with the boats. They are loaded with commissary stores."
We had now been in the vicinity of Batesville, Arkansas, including the Searcy campaign, from the 4th to the 25th of June, 1862 ; and were now again under marching orders ; and, with the exception of Company I, which was detailed for service with the Flat-boat fleet on White river, the regiment had reveille at two on the morning of the 25th, and breakfast before daylight, and broke camp at four and headed southeast, taking the old stage-road to Jacksonport. We camped that night about fifteen miles from Batesville.
On Thursday, the 26th, the same matutinal hours were observed, in regard to reveille, breakfast, and etc., and were again on the road at 4 a. m., but had only nine miles of march before reaching our camp between the White and Black rivers, two miles, or so, above their junction.
On this last day, to Colonel Graham N. Fitch, command- ing expedition on White river, General Grant writes :
"I send five steamers loaded with supplies for General Curtis' army. As they necessarily pass through a hostile country, great caution will have to be exercised to prevent these supplies from falling into the hands of the enemy or from being destroyed.
"I have selected you as commander of the expedition, and reinforce you with two additional regiments, as you will perceive from special orders accompanying this.
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" It would be impossible to give full special instructions for the management of this expedition. Much must neces- sarily be left to the discretion of the officer in command. I would suggest, however, that two pieces of artillery be placed on the bow of the boat intended to lead ; and that all of them be kept well togetlier ; and when you tie up for the night, strong guards be thrown out upon the shore, and that the troops be landed and required to march and clear out all points suspected of concealing a foe.
" It is desirable these supplies should reach General Curtis as early as possible. As soon as the boats can possibly be dis- charged return them, bringing your entire command to St. Charles, or to where you now are.
" It is not intended you shall reach General Curtis against all obstacles, but it is highly desirable he should be reached."
Friday, June 27th .- The regiment crossed the Black river by the pontoon bridge, and Comrade Hevenor says : " Moved up stream one mile and camped in a cypress swamp, between Black river and Horseshoe lake."
The regiment remained in this camp one week. In the meantime Company I had not left Batesville for seven days after the regiment had gone. It had taken that time to complete and load the boats. Carr's Division, to which we belonged, was the real guard of the army, and Bowen's Cavalry was assigned as the escort of the boats, and was to move down the river on roads parallel to, and as near as possible, so as to be able to render such aid as might be necessary. The boats got away on the 3d of July, were at- tacked on Friday, the 4th, at a point where the cavalry escort could not reach them on account of a cane-brake through which there was no road, and perfectly impenetrable by any animal larger than a hog. The cavalry distinctly heard heavy musketry firing for the space of half an hour, or so, and charged up and down the outside edge of that cane-brake, and were foiled at every point, and were extremely anxious for the safety of the boat's crew, and eagerly watched at the nearest point where the river could be approached from below.
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And when the boats drifted into view, and nearer, they felt somewhat relieved, but had many misgivings as to the losses sustained through such heavy firing ; and were very much astonished to find our men victorious, and not a man even scratched, except Captain Wadsworth, and his wound not dangerous.
Disembarking at this point where the cavalry was waiting, Company I camped there for that night, and next morning, July 5th, took on board, one of Colonel Bowen's mountain howitzers, shelling the woods, occasionally, on the right bank of the river, at places which looked as if a foe might choose it for another ambush ; but no serious hindrance was met with, and Company I with fresh laurels after this baptism of fire, safely reached Jacksonport that night, where the four boats were eventually scuttled and sunk.
This fight was at a place called "Devil's Bend," and was about twenty-five miles above Jacksonport.
July 6th .- Company I rejoined the regiment, near Augusta.
On July 3d .- The day that the Flat-boat fleet left Bates- ville, General Grant says to General Halleck : "So well sat- isfied am I from information received (and which I telegraph herewith) that I deem it my duty, in the absence of instruc- tions, to dispatch to Colonel Fitch, to take no risks in reaching General Curtis. It is impossible to reinforce him from here sufficiently to insure the success of the expedition."
On July 6th, 1862 .- The same day that Company I rejoined the regiment near Augusta, Arkansas, Grant says to Halleck : "A messenger is just here from Colonel Fitch. He reached Clarendon with nine casualties from guerrilla firing (three fatal), when the gun-boat declined proceeding farther. This is below Ball's (Devall's) Bluff, the point of greatest danger. Colonel Fitch has dispatched two messen- gers to General Curtis, informing him of his position. I will instruct him to remain where he now is ( he has dropped back to St. Charles) a reasonable time to hear from General Curtis, and if the latter is not making his way to Fitch, to return here.
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"In the meantime, I have two separate messengers on their way to General Curtis. Colonel Fitch says that it will be impossible to reach Jacksonport without cavalry and artillery, and a very considerable increased infantry force from what he now has." * *
As a fitting text, or preamble to the record of those few last dreadful days between Augusta and Helena, we draw from Confederate General Thomas Hindman, in his report to his superior, Major-General T. H. Holmes, dated November 3d, 1862, bringing up a considerable period in arrears, he says : "On June 24th, 1862, certain information reaclied me that Curtis with his entire army was in motion down the east bank of White river, and that he was almost destitute of sup-
plies. * ** Three regiments of infantry were being raised east of White river, mounted, to admit of their with- drawal on any sudden emergency. They were concentrated at Cotton Plant, fifteen miles east of Des Arc, and added to General Albert Rust's command. His force amounted to about five thousand effectives. His instructions were to resist the enemy to the last extremity, blockading roads, burning bridges, destroying all supplies, growing crops included, and polluting the water by killing cattle, ripping the carcasses and throwing them in. In that country at this season, the streams are few and sluggish. No army could march through it so opposed."
. (It is fortunate that we have Confederate authority for these diabolical proceedings. And it is no palliation of the fiendish intention, that he afterwards says, that he counter- manded the order. )
* "In that interval (two days) Curtis advanced, * * crossed the Cache river and attacked General Rust, whose command, after an engagement of about thirty minutes, retreated in great disorder across White river. *
* * * The Governor and other executive officers fled from the capi- tal, taking the archives of the State with them. * * * *
" These evils were aggravated by an address of the Governor, issued shortly before his flight, deprecating the
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withdrawal of troops, and threatening secession from the Confederacy." * * *
We shall avail ourselves of the graphic pen of Comrade Reuben M. Hevenor, to picture that last seven days' march, from Augusta to Helena, Arkansas. Comrade Hevenor says :
"Tuesday, July 8th, 1862 .- With an early start, we made eighteen miles. The dust and heat are terrible. Water very scarce and all suffer much.
" Wednesday, 9th. - Up again at two, and on the road at 4 o'clock. Slow marching on acccount of teams. Heat as usual, and water very scarce. Made but fifteen miles.
" Thursday, roth .- Three o'clock found us on the road again. Water scarcer than ever, and we were glad to get a cup half-filled with mud. The boys were so overcome with heat that they could hardly travel ; and were scattered for miles along the road. Suffering thus, we dragged out twenty miles ere we encamped for the night.
"Friday, the 11th .- Broke camp at 6 a. m., and after four miles travel, news came that the enemy was upon us, and we were brought into line of battle on a double-quick. It proved a false alarm, but the day's work was spoiled, and we filed into the woods and encamped.
"Saturday, the 12th .- Left camp at 2 a. m. and made one of the longest, hardest marches ever known. The sun was scorching, and the dust blinding. There were few wells on the rout, and we were parched with thirst. One, and even two dollars, was offered for a canteen of water, but money was no object. Men would stay for hours at a well, till all the troops had passed, before they could fill their canteens. For thirty- two miles we toiled on, and then found a small, filthy lake in a cypress swamp, near which we pitched our tents. We were ready to rest here, and the most of us too tired to eat, threw ourselves on the ground, and only arose at reveille next morning.
"Sunday, the 13th .- But little rested from the march of yesterday, we started at 6 a. m., making ten miles during the day.
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"Monday, the 14th .- We start off briskly and cheerfully, for this day is to be the last of marching for a time. We mind not sun or dust but stretch out bravely, and after twenty miles, we then, for the first time in twelve months, see the waters of the old Mississippi. With three rousing cheers, such cheers as the Thirteenth only can give, we close our columns, and with firm and steady step to the music of our band, pass through the streets of Helena, the strongest and healthiest regiment in the grand Army of the Southwest."
Comrade Josselyn, in his diary, says : "The distance marched by the regiment, from our arrival at Rolla, Missouri, to our arrival at Helena, Arkansas, was twelve hundred and eighteen miles."
Here, and now, seems fitting in both place and time, for drawing some comparisons between General Curtis' Arkansas campaign, and that of General Sherman, in his famous "march to the sea," one year and a half later. '
Sherman was lost to the world four weeks. Curtis was not heard of for five weeks, and from the efforts of Halleck and Grant to communicate with the latter, his condition will be seen to be considered far more perilous than was that of Sherman during nearly a like period of time. For the greater anxiety in the case of Curtis, there were many reasons.
Sherman marched through a section of country with which he was personally thoroughly well acquainted, not only with its physical geography, but with many of its inhabitants as well; and could feel sure of exemption from modes of warfare not allowable among civilized people.
Curtis marched through a section of the country where the tomahawk, the scalping-knife, and the poisoning of social bever- ages and food, and of springs and streams, were modes of warfare which many experiences made it necessary for him to constantly guard against.
Sherman started from Atlanta with twelve hundred thou- sand rations, which was a twenty days' supply for an army of sixty-two thousand men, and through a country where he says : " We found abundance of corn, molasses, meal, bacon,
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and sweet potatoes." * ' We also took a good many cows and oxen. In all these the country was quite rich, never before having been visited by a hostile army."
To McPherson, he had said : "The recent crop had been excellent, had been just gathered, and laid by for the winter. As a rule, we destroyed none, but kept our wagons full, and fed our teams bountifully. * * * *
"They (the foraging parties) would usually procure a wagon, or a family-carriage, load it with bacon, cornmeal, turkeys, chickens, ducks, and everything that could be used as food or forage. * * *
"Even cattle, packed with old saddles and loaded with hams, bacon, bags of cornmeal, and poultry of every charac- ter and description. * *
"Our men were well supplied with all the essentials of life and healthı. * *
"And our animals were well fed. Indeed, when we reached Savannah, the trains were pronounced by experts to be the finest in flesh and appearance ever seen with any army."
To Honorable E. M. Stanton, United States Secretary of War, Sherman says: "The army is in splendid order, and equal to anything. The weather has been fine and supplies are abundant. Our march was most agreeable. And we were not at all molested by guerrillas. We have not lost a wagon on the trip."
Curtis marched through a country of such scarcity, that his army would have been deeply grateful for the overplus which Sherman left, or permitted the slaves to carry off, and which his sleek teams left in the feed-boxes.
Sherman says : "The most extraordinary efforts had been made to purge this army of non-combatants and of sick men, for we knew well that there was to be no place of safety save with the army itself. Our wagons were loaded with ammuni- tion, provisions and forage ; and we could ill afford to haul even sick men, in the ambulances ; so that all on this exhibit (roster to go) may be assumed to have been able-bodied,
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experienced soldiers, well-armed, well-equipped, and provided, as far as human foresight could, with all the essentials of life, strength, and vigorous action."
Alas ! for Curtis' poor, sick, wounded, and crippled vet- erans, they could not be turned over to General Thoma, and safely protected and comfortably transported by his magnifi- cent and invincible army, which was about to move back towards home. There was no back towards home for our men, there was only a back towards destruction ; the only alternative to which was, forward with the army in wagons sunk to the hub in swamp-muck or quicksand, with ambushes from guer- rillas concealed in the tangled woods skirting the roads, with no water, or poisoned water to drink, or some other method of assassination awaiting every straggler.
Through Sherman's entire march he never once encoun- tered a bad road ; for he says: " We have not lost a wagon on the trip."
When our regiment arrived at Helena on Monday, the 14th of July, 1862, we had camped temporarily above the town about two miles ; but the place proved to be so muddy in wet weather, that we were glad to be ordered to move, which we did on the 20th, to an ideal camp-ground on the side of a fine hill where the soil was so sandy that it thirstily drank up the rain as fast as it fell, leaving no mud to remind us of the mud we had waded through in the twelve hundred or more miles now between us and Rolla ; and we called that mud-splashing marching. We were much nearer the town. Then again, the outlook from our new camp was inspiring to all who love a beautiful landscape,-one sweep of an appreci- ative eye took in woods-covered hills, fertile valleys, and a noble river ; then our hill was crowned, and ornamented partly down the sides, by beautiful and most majestic beech trees, which nowhere reached a grander perfection of growth than over our camp on that delightful hillside. Then, too, we knew that those busy steamers plying up and down the river so constantly, were bearing off, with full cabins and crowded decks, our sick and wounded, who were thereby
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