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 2 > Part 18
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About two days after Captain Breed's company occupied the wigwam, another fragmentary company, of about fifty, rep- resented by Mr. Samuel W. Wadsworth, came to the wigwam, and entered into negotiations with Captain Breed, for the joining of the forces, and making one company out of the two. A third military fragment now came forward and made propo- sitions to be admitted to partnership. This was the remains of a company of the Rumsey Rifles, called the Union Cadets ; of. whom Frank Thoma, had been the acting captain.
In this triangular negotiation, Mr. Breed claimed a colonelcy, when a regiment should be raised ; and would be
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satisfied with nothing less. Frank Thoma claimed, and others admit, that he was promised, a commission, by Breed, in the consolidated organization ; not because he brought some men with him, but because of his claim to being an expert in military drill, which was acquired while a pupil of Colonel Elsworth, the famous commander of the Chicago Zouaves.
Captain Breed soon drew out without having received any military position whatever ; and it was alleged, gave away the interests of the Blue Island contingent, and swamped Frank Thoma as well. George E. Himnan, asked for nothing, and got the position of First-Sergeant, which he did not want. Frank Thoma, reluctantly, and under protest, took the posi- tion of Second-Sergeant.
These discordant elements, founded on broken promises, were never thoroughly harmonious ; though whether anyone, · except Breed, was to blame, does not appear.
No election ever took place, but Samuel W. Wadsworth was made Captain, James G. Everest was made First-Lieutenant, and Isaiah H. Williams was made Second-Lieutenant.
Everest and Williams had long been acquainted; but Wadsworth and Everest had an acquaintance of but a few days, brought about by reason of membership in the old Yates Phalanx, which both had joined for opportunity for drill. This naturally brought Wadsworth, Everest and Williams into relations of friendship. A promise of a Lieutenantcy, induced Everest to join the Barker Dragoons, for a few days, until he discovered that nearly enough commissions had been promised to supply a regiment, when he withdrew ; when he, together with Wadsworth and Williams, with nearly fifty men, consolidated with the Blue Island contingent, and this organi- zation became Company I, of the Thirteenth Illinois.
When the majority of the men from Blue Island had drawn out, Sergeant Hinman felt it his duty to send back the flag to the lady donors of Blue Island, the more especially as they were expecting to raise another company. The officers opposed this ; but the sergeant rescued, and carried off the flag before their eyes.
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He then intrusted the flag to Mr. Breed, who sold it and never accounted to the Blue Island ladies for either money or flag.
The consolidated company occupied the wigwam about a week ; those from Blue Island going home every night, while the days were spent in drill ; but as most of the men were subjected to considerable expense, the earliest possible oppor- tunity for incorporation into some regiment was taken, which proved the Thirteenth Illinois ; and the companies of which it was to be composed, were ordered to rendezvous at Dixon, Lee county, which was the home of Company A.
Company I was neither armed or uniformed before leaving Chicago, which they did on May 9, over the Northwestern railroad arriving at Dixon the same day, and the first com- pany to arrive, of all, from abroad ; but all the companies had arrived by that night.
While still in Chicago, company I had enlisted William Howard, " the little drummer" (twelve years old) who, together with another small boy played the fife, but the latter not being enlisted, only went with the company as far as Dixon, then returning home, furnished the first martial music which Com- pany I had. It is greatly to be regretted that the name of this young fifer cannot now be recalled.
It was to the music of these little musicians that Com- pany I marched from the depot, through the streets of Dixon, to their first quarters, the court house, which had been as- signed them temporarily, until their permanent quarters at the fair grounds could be fitted for them.
It is an extremely difficult thing to do, from memory to thoroughly establish, even a small fact or incident, as to time, place, or other conditions, which happened thirty years before, though well known at the time by a thousand men ; and as to the exact time of the occupancy of the court house at Dixon by Company I there are various opinions ; but probably not more than two nights, but certainly one.
The Company's permanent quarters at the fair grounds consisted of a long "lean-to" building, whose legitimate use
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had been stalls for blooded stock. These were luxurious quarters for soldiers, if they had only known it, and they did know it before the close of the next three years.
There is no individual company history of Company I dis- connected from the regimental history, at this time, calling for particular record. There are, however, two incidents con- cerning members of our company, which may, in one case, and which must, in the other, be recorded.
The first is a very pretty romance ; and the romances connected with war, have, in all history, been the most eag- erly perused, and the most fondly cherished in memory.
Lieutenants James G. Everest of Company I, and N. Cooper Berry of Company B, both emulous of the knightly feats of ancient chivalry, were engaged in a friendly bout of bayonet practice, and were using such skill as they were pos- Sessed of, in thrust, parry and guard, when Lieut. Berry's weapon found its way through his opponent's guard and through his hand.
The next morning, when preparing to go on duty, the wound, not having been properly dressed, broke out afresh and bled profusely.
Two ladies, Mrs. Wadsworth and her sister, Miss Nina T. Pratt, happened to be near, and saw that the soldier was hand- ling the dressing very bunglingly, whereupon Miss Pratt asked to be allowed to dress the wound herself. The gallant bachelor lieutenant had never seen the lady before, but not at all reluctantly, it is to be presumed, accepted the proffered service ; and while the deft fingers of the fair nurse were cleansing the wound and skillfully adjusting the bandages, two or three deep-chested sighs, certainly coming from as low down as the heart, escaped from the lieutenant's lips. the cause of which may have been the pain, but not probable ; at any rate the hand the lady liad healed was offered her in pay- ment, and by her accepted.
Sad that so soon after, one of the parties in the above story should figure in a tragedy fatal to himself.
N. Cooper Berry had been a young man who had shown
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great promise of military efficiency and zeal in the service ; so much so indeed, that Company B had elected him First Lieu- tenant of the company ; but he soon developed a tyrannical and overbearing disposition, and had several times managed to cajole or over-awe some inexperienced sentinel and would disarm him and then report him as derelict in his duty, thereby getting the delinquent punished. This seemed to be more to show off his smartness, than having any ill-will or any other unworthy feeling against any particular man.
So unpopular did he soon become, that the same men who had secured his election as lieutenant, now requested him to resign, which he promptly agreed to do, if the request were unanimous.
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This was shown him to be the case, and as he had not been commissioned, he was reduced and given a place on the non-commissioned staff, and was, for a time, acting sergeant- major of the regiment.
On the night of the 14th and 15th of May, Fred. W. Brinkman, of Company I, was on guard at the spring. Brink- man was not a man to be fooled with while on duty ; and, as though he had been considering what to do in case Berry should select him as his next victim, if he should repeat his tampering with the guard and try to' either pass or disarm him, he asked Orderly-Sergeant Hinman for instructions in a supposable case. Sergeant Hinman told him that he knew his duty, and that he himself, had no power or discretion to alter the plain orders touching a sentinel's duty ; that he was to do his duty fearlessly and he would be sustained by his superior officers.
There was some disturbance near the camp about mid- night, and Berry assumed, or was permitted the authority to inspect the guard-posts, and his fate seemed to impel him to tamper with Brinkman who promptly ordered him to halt and advance one, and give the countersign. To this, Berry re- plied, " You know me well enough without the countersign." and all the time kept advancing on Brinkman who had warned him two or three times, in addition to the order, three times
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given, to halt. Brinkman now fired, the ball passing directly through Berry's neck, killing him instantly.
Brinkman was, of course, arrested, and kept under guard, until the arrival of Colonel Wyman, from Springfield, which was only a few hours, who heard the case, carefully sifting all the evidence, and then ordered him released and returned to duty.
Popular opinion sustained Brinkman, who was ac- knowledged to have done nothing but his duty.
On the next day, May 15 the remains of Berry were followed to the depot from which they were taken to Sterling, Whitesides county, Illinois, for burial.
The fact that the happenings to, and personal experiences of the soldier, are to be found in a department by itself con- sisting of each soldier's personal history leaves little to be added to our company history, after recording all of im- portance that can be learned of its company organization. The "Flat-boat " expedition, however, fairly belongs to the company history, as being in no way controlled by, or con- nected with the regiment ; and is here given as a legitimate part of the company history ; following which, the history of the company is so completely merged in that of the regiment, as not to call for separate mention.
While the army was at Batesville, Arkansas, in the spring of 1862, and preparing for its advance on Little Rock, a part of the preparation consisted of the building of four " flat- boats" to be used as ferry-boats for the army in crossing White River, on the left bank of which the army was encamped ; and when the Little Rock part of the campaign was abandoned, the work on the boats went on to completion, as their use to the army might be of great service in trans- porting commissary stores ; and their possible use still, as ferry-boats, as long as the rout of march towards Helena should follow the river.
The boats were nearly completed when the advance of the army left Batesville, and the stores were on board and the bulwarks of cotton-bales adjusted to the two sides of each boat
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as a protection against sharp-shooters from the river-banks, the long steering-sweeps in their places, and Mr. Norton, supposed to be a union man, a resident of that country, who had been sent to us as a pilot, took his place on the bow of the leading, or "Flag-Boat," his left arm resting on the steering-sweep, which was adjusted to the bow of the boat, while his experienced eye swept over the fleet, and at a signal from him, the four columns of Company I, Thirteenth Illinois Infantry, detailed for that work, marched on board their respective boats, and on this Thursday, the 3rd of July, 1862, the several boats were shoved into the stream ; the " Flag- Boat " in advance, commanded by Capt. Samuel W. Wads- worth, also in command of the fleet. The second boat, commanded by Second-Lieutenant, George E. Hinman, ( First-Lieutenant, James G. Everest, being on staff duty with Gen. E. A. Carr. ) The third boat was commanded by First-Sergeant, Frank Thoma, and the fourth boat was com- inanded by Second-Sergeant, Hyacinthe Cuniffe.
The men unslung knapsacks and cartridge-boxes, bestow- ing them where they could quickly be brought into use if necessary ; then adjusted themselves as comfortably as cir- cumstances would admit of.
Our company had been selected for this service on account of having in its ranks quite a number of sailors ; who, while good fighters, might reasonably be presumed to also be skilled in managing all kinds of water craft ; and after the fleet was well under way, there was no end of the jibes, jokes and chaff poked at these old sailors by the landsmen.
Corporal Jesse A. Betts, had been a sailor on the lakes for several years, and Private George W. Sutherland advised Corporal Betts to suggest to Admiral Wadsworth, that there were signs of a squall, and to ask him if he had not better luff a little. Corporal Betts replied that Admiral Wadsworth would not know a raft of pine logs, on the Wisconsin River, from a line-of battle-ship off Portsmouth.
Sidous R. Helmick, was an old salt-water sailor, and was approached by Private Orson Hamlin, who took the position
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of a soldier, touched his cap, and bowing profoundly, said : "Captain Helmick, could you not coax a little more speed out of this vessel ? " To which Helmick replied : "Mr. Ham- lin, if your ears were of the ordinary size, it would be worth at least five more knots of speed to this ship."
John Grant (usually called Scotty) was an old man-of- warsman, and Private John A. Curtis asked him if there was no way of increasing the speed of the boat? "Certainly," replied the old sailor, "jump right overboard and push on the stern."
The day was very warm, and canvas awnings were agree- able. Nothing of particular interest occurred, and before sundown, Admiral Wadsworth signaled to draw in to the left bank, where an encampment for the night was made, two lines of guards were thrown out, but no alarm disturbed us and early on the morning of the Fourth of July, and after a leis- urely breakfast, the fleet was again under way ; the heat much greater than on the previous day.
Colonel Bowen, with his cavalry battalion, was detailed as our escort, with instructions to follow the course of the river, and keep as near us as the roads and nature of the country would permit.
All boats, skiffs and dug-outs were gathered from both sides of the river, and after selecting one for each of our boats, the others were destroyed to prevent, as far as possible, com- munication by the enemy from one to the other side of the river:
During the forenoon, two men signaled from the right bank, and were brought on board Captain Wadsworth's boat and warned the captain that we were likely to be attacked sometime during the day. This warning was based on the fact that these men had that morning, come upon a camping place of a very considerable body of men who had left . the camp so recently that the camp fires were still burning.
Hardly more than a momentary impression of the neces- sity of caution was produced, however, before the men were as careless as ever, lolling and reclining at full length on top
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of the cotton bales and other exposed points, and even bathing in the river, a few at a time.
Between Batesville and Jacksonport, about twenty-five miles above the latter place, the White river makes a great bend to the west and then returns again to about its original general direction. Our pilot, Mr. Norton, informed us that it was called "Devil's Bend." The space of several hundred acres lying between the two arms of this bend was covered by a cane-brake so dense that nothing but a rattlesnake, or an Arkansas hog, which is of about the same caliber, could get through ; and there were no indications of any road ever hav- ing been cut through it.
On Friday, the Fourth of July, 1862, our boats swung lazily into that bend, when, from another canebrake on a high bank on the outside, or western side of the bend, we were ambushed by 250 Texas rangers, whose storm or bullets was the first notice we had of their near proximity. The boys rolled off those cotton bales, for all the world, like mud-tur- tles from a log when scared into the water. The rebs poured into us for about thirty minutes, a steady shower of buckshot, and bullets from shotguns, squirrel-rifles, and one Springfield musket, (known by its voice), when they suddenly ceased fir- ing and fired no more.
In the mean time, our boys had sprung to their posts and returned the compliment as best they could. In the weather gunwale of the captain's boat, over eighty bullets were em- beded in a width above water of not over eighteen inches. An awning, which had been put up to keep the sun off, looked like a sieve from bullet holes. Garments which hap- pened to be lying about on cotton bales, were well riddled. Captain Allen J. Whittier of Company I, Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry, an invalid, had been assigned passage in our fleet, and happened to be reclining on a cotton bale, over which he had spread his blue overcoat. He was on the opposite side from which the bullets were coming and he also mud-turtled off his perch with all the alacrity of a well man. When the fight was over, six bullet-holes were found in his overcoat.
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And yet, strange to say, not a man on the entire fleet was wounded except Capt. Wadsworth, and he was struck in the top of the head ; and the bullet, which was taken out with a jack· knife after the fight, was as flat as a penny. It was prob- ably a glancing shot, after having flattened itself against something else ; but we all insisted to the captain, that his skull was harder than a bullet.
In this fight we were so close under the west bank of the river, that the rebs had to fire down on us at an angle of at least thirty degrees ; and in nearly all such cases the aim is. too high to be effective. If these rebs had stationed them- selves a little lower down off from the high bluff, with one piece of artillery, they could have blown us all out of the water.
We afterwards learned from some prisoners captured, that we killed and mortally wounded twenty-six rebs.
It was the first time that most of us had been under fire ; and the attack had been so sudden and so complete a surprise, that there was no chance for that nameless dread, which most soldiers are said to experience once for all, when they march steadily up to where they know they will receive the enemy's fire for the first time.
In the mean time Col. Bowen and his calvary heard the firing and it set them perfectly wild ; and they raged up and down the outskirts of that cane brake to find some road or opening where they could come to our assistance. They could judge very justly as to the proportions of the fight by the fir- ing, and that gave them the gravest anxiety; but the rebs knew well the ground they had chosen, and that we could re- ceive no help. We helped ourselves however, and that is the very best kind of lielp.
At that point where the river comes back from its great westward bend and resumes its original course toward the Mississippi, was the nearest point where Col. Bowen's road touched the river. Here, as he could not go to the boats, the boats, unless captured or destroyed, must come to him ; and with his anxiety scarcely lessened, but with hopes somewhat
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increased, he at last beheld their sluggish approach. When we finally disembarked, the rejoicing was great and we were the heroes of the hour.
After camping for one night at the place where we joined Col. Bowen, and taking on board one of his Mountain Howit- zers, with which we thoroughly shelled the woods and other suspicious looking places, on the morning of July 5th, we again set sail and arrived in Jacksonport the same day.
On Sunday, July 6th, 1862, the company resumed the march, temporarily interrupted and re-joined the regiment. near Augusta.
Of Company I, it only remains to be said, that in all the subsequent history of the Thirteenth Regiment, this company shrank from no duty ; and at Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, the attendant battles, and the siege of Vicksburg, Look- out Mountain, Mission Ridge and Ringgold Gap, it had its full share of exposure and danger and always bore off its full share of honor.
ASA B. MUNN, Historian to Company I.
ROSTER.
Samuel W. Wadsworth,
Captain ; was at the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, a resident of Chicago, and by occupation a railroad conductor.
[He was twenty-nine years old, dark complexion, black eyes and hair, was of stout build, was about five feet seven inches tall, and would weigh about one hundred and sixty pounds. Was of a mercurial nature, was boisterously jubilant and morbidly depressed by turns.
He was enrolled and mustered with the regiment at Dixon, Illinois, for three years, by Capt. Jolin Pope, U. S. A.
At the sharp fight with his company at " Devil's Bend," Arkansas, in early July, 1862, he behaved gallantly ; but at the battle of " Chicka- saw Bayou," December 29, 1862, he was brought from the field during the progress of the battle, with a mere scratch between two toes, which really needed no attention from the surgeon, and which he was gener- ally charged with having come by dishonorably ; and so indignant were the officers of the regiment gererally, that a Court-Martial was averted only by his promise to promptly resign. He left the army immedi- ately, but the withholding the tender of his resignation for two and a half months, was considered a gross abuse of the leniency shown him.
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His resignation is dated March 17, 1863. On leaving the army he resumed his former occupation, and lately was living at St. Josephs, Missouri. ]
James Grant Everest,
Original first-lieutenant of the company ; was a resident of Chicago at its organization. He was twenty-nine years old, of fair complex- ion, black eyes and hair, five feet and ten inches tall, and weighed one hundred and seventy-five pounds.
[Captain Everest comes of good New England fighting stock of English ancestry, the American Patriarch of which, was Isaac Everest, of Guilford, Connecticut who lived there at about 1670, and his descen- dants about five generations further down, were represented by Ethan Everest, whom we find living at Pierrepont, St. Lawrence County, New York, on the 9th of January, 1834, which is the date of the birth of the subject of this autobiography.
His father, Ethan Everest, was one of about thirty boys, all between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one years, who offered their services to the government, were accepted and they were enlisted for the full term of the war of ISI2.
During the siege of Plattsburgh, on the 11th of September, IS14, Ethan Everest was wounded in the leg by a British musket ball, which was never extracted, and the patriot carried it to his grave.
The patriotism of these boys, and their excellent service to their country, was so highly appreciated that Congress passed a vote of thanks to them, and ordered that each survivor be given a gun, into the stock of which was inlaid a silver plate handsomely engraved and which, in this case, bore the following legend :
" By resolve of Congress, presented to Ethan Everest, for his gal- lantry at the siege of Plattsburgh."
On a smaller plate, shield shaped, about the size of a silver half- dollar, right behind the hammer of the lock, near where the hand grasps the stock, is engraved the date of the wound mentioned above, as follows :
" SEPTEMBER 11, IS14."
The gun is a flint lock, breech loader, and now has the bayonet fixed. It is of about the dimensions of a modern Springfield rifle, perhaps a little heavier, and seems to have been a most effective weapon. The writer lately examined this historic gun, and to him, it was a revelation that the breech-loader preceded the percussion cap.
Ethan Everest lived to see the opening of the War of the Rebellion ; and, as if to inspire in the hearts of his descendants the same patriotism that had fired his own heart, and nerved his arm, when his country needed his service, he willed the gun to that one of his six sors who should first enlist in the Union Army, to put down the rebellion. Our
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CAPT. JAMES G. EVEREST.
Company I.
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subject, James G. Everest, the youngest of the six brothers, was the first to enlist, and, consequently, was entitled to the precious heir-loom, which he now has and treasures it as a precious relic, and ever tangible proof that his country appreciated and acknowledged his father's patriotism.
Captain Everest may well lay claim to inheriting his father's mili- tary spirit, for. when only eighteen years old, he was a member of the " West Boylston Guards," attached to the Eighth regiment, Massachu- setts State Milita.
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