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 26
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"In the surgical practice among the men of the Thirteenth Illinois, they were all heroes. It made no difference how se- verely men were injured they bore up well, and I attributed their recovery in a great many instances to that heroism."
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MRS. LIVERMORE'S VISIT TO THE THIRTEENTH.
" I had been requested, before leaving home, to visit the camp of the Thirteenth Illinois if I should happen in their neighborhood ; and I had been trusted with various packages for individuals of it.
"These I had sent forward and had received acknowledge- ments of their receipt. They were encamped seven miles down the levee, and almost daily I had received a note from some mian of the regiment charging me not to forget to come to them, with other similiar messages. One pleasant day I started for their encampment.
"The only chance for a ride was in an army wagon drawn by six mules and loaded with molasses, hard-tack, salt pork and coffee.
"A very black negro drove the team, who rejoiced in the name of Socrates. He pronounced his name as though it were 'succotash.'
"In this lumbering ark I took passage through the mud and water. We had gone but a little way when we stuck fast in the mud. Thereupon black Socrates fell in a passion worthy of Xanthippe. and cudgeled the mules unmercifully. They kicked and pulled and floundered, and at last extricated themselves. We started again, rode slowly a little farther, again got stuck in the mud, and again Socrates applied his cudgel and beat and swore, and swore and beat, until I could stand it no longer.
"'What are you beating the mules for,' I remonstrated. ' Don't you see they are doing the best they can ? '
"'Lors Missis dey orter be licked, mules is dat mean dey allus won't pull a bit when dey knows yers gwine somwhar in a hurry.'
"' Well, I wont have them beaten any more. Now stop it. I can't stand it. It hurts me.'
"Socrates threw back his head, showed all his gleaming teeth, and laughed immoderately. 'You'd git hurted a heap,
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Missis if yer stayed hyar allers ; fer I clar to goodness, mules is dat mighty mean dat yer jes has ter lick em.' And he flew to cudgeling again. It was too much. I could not stand it ; and crawling out from the molasses and pork, I picked my way to the top of the levee, thickly dotted with soldiers' tents. For miles the inside of the levee was sown with soldiers' graves, at the head and foot of which were rude tablets, bearing the name and rank of the deceased, and some other particulars. The soldiers spoke of their buried com- rades in a nonchalant way, as 'planted.'
"In most cases, the poor fellows had been wrapped in their blankets and buried without coffins ; or 'overcoats ' as the men called them.
"In places the levee was broken, or washed out by the waters, and the decaying dead were partially disinterred. This sickening sight did not move me then, as it would now ; for hospital and army life, after the first few weeks, merci- fully lent a temporary stoicism that enabled one to see and hear any form or tales of horror without deep emotion.
"A young Lieutenant became my guide and escorted me to the camp of the Thirteenth Illinois. We came upon it unex- pectedly.
"I halted reverently and laid my hand upon the Lieutenant's arm, for some sort of a service was in progress in the camp.
"The men were standing or sitting in a body, and a chap- lain was delivering an address or preaching a sermon. As I listened, he seemed to be setting the sins of his audience be- fore them in a manner that savored more of frankness than tact, and he was exhorting the men to repentance. The boys, however, seemed to enjoy the recital of their shortcomings and sins of commission, and frequently assisted the preacher's memory to facts which he had forgotten, or did not know, suggesting peculiar punishment for them, all of which was immediately adopted into the discourse.
"I thought the interruptions of the soldier audience need- less and profane.
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"Little as I sympathized with the queer exhortations of the chaplain, I tried to infuse into my manner an expression of rev- erence that would rebuke the wild fellows. The service was brought to an abrupt close by one of the men shouting out : 'I say, Harry, you'd better wind up your gospel yarn and see who's behind you !'
"There was a sliout. The speaker turned toward me, when lo ! it was no chaplain, but the young brother of one of my friends, an irrepressible wag and mimic. His mimicry in this case, if reprehensible, was perfect. I found that this regiment had made quite a reputation by its versatility. There was nothing its men could not do. All the arts, trades, pro- fessions and mechanical employments were represented in it. In addition to their other accomplishments, they were such experts in quizzical thefts that they had earned the some- what equivocal sobriquet of the stealing regiment.
"The brigade surgeon walked back with me part of the way and gave me an amusing account of their exploits in this line, some of which were very comical. He told me after- wards that while he was thus engaged ( escorting the lady ) the boys went to his tent, and while some of them diverted the attention of his servant, others stole his stove with all the pipe attached to it, the fire in it burning all the while, all of his kettles and pans on it and the supper cooking in them. They gave operatic concerts, sham-fights, exhibitions of gymnastics, feats of legerdemain, were proficient in negro minstrelsy, gave medical lectures and conducted religious services, in short, there was no performance to which they were not equal.
" As soon as we recovered from the laughter raised at the expense of the counterfeit chaplain, I asked to be shown to the regimental hospital.
" 'Haven't got any !' was the answer in chorus.
" Why, what do you do with your sick men ?" I inquired.
" Don't have any," was the reply again in chorus. And, indeed, they rarely had sickness in their camp. They were fortunate in their men to begin with, who were strong, not too young and mostly married. ( ? ? ? . )
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"And then almost all had resources in themselves, thanks to their mental ability and early training. They had an induce- ment in their families to take care of themselves, and good influences were exerted over them by the letters of wives and mothers.
" Their officers were men of intelligence who knew how to take care of their inen, liad been attached to their commands, were humane and not drunken. They had lost heavily at the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, their Colonel being left among the dead. But when it came to sickness they hooted at the idea.
"The regiments in their neighborhood were a little afraid of them, I found, they were so hearty and roistering and so full of pranks.
"After dining with the Adjutant, I left them not quite satisfied with my visit, because, as that worthy explained, 'I had, unfortunately,' found them all well instead of all sick.
"On my way back, I passed black Socrates still plowing through the mud, but evidently reconciled to 'the mighty meanness' of his mules as he was sitting aloft on the driver's seat shouting in a sing-song recitative-
"'An' I hope to gain de promis' lan' Glory Hallelujah ; Lor' I hope to gain de promis' lan' ; Dat I do ! Glory, Glory, how I lub my Sabior, Dat I do !' "
INCIDENTS, BY A. H. SIBLEY OF COMPANY H.
John Williams, two others and myself got leave to go ahead of the regiment one day in Arkansas, on march from Pea Ridge to Helena. We were hungry-came to a house- four cavalry were just seated at a table to eat-the first new potatoes we had seen in '62. John Williams and John Rich- ards of G Company made a grab and we followed suit and
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emptied the plate of potatoes. "Here's bacon," yelled Rich- ardson, grabbing some out of a hot skillet by the fire. We rushed out of the door and down the road. I sometimes have thought I would like to know what the cavalry boys did after we left. But Bowen's cavalry liked the Thirteenth, and I guess they thought we were in need.
Alas ! Johnny Richards was soon after killed at Chickasaw. A great forager and live soldier.
Abner Baird and John Williams, Company H, Jesse Betts of Company I, and myself left camp opposite Vicksburg with- out leave and went on the railroad track down to the town of DeSoto directly opposite Vicksburg. As the water was high we had to walk every foot on the railroad bed ; the rebel bat- teries commanded the track for more than a mile. I wanted to go back, thinking the rebels would fire. I felt blue, as we had left our guns in camp and would be marked deserters if missing. There were quite a number of our men down look- ing at Vicksburg and I finally went to the houses, remarking that if I was in Vicksburg I would fire. Betts went into an old frame house ; Williams and Baird started to take a ride in an old hand car ; I stood outside of a small levee about five feet high-I saw companies of soldiers marching behind breastworks-from the belt up, they were in plain view. There was one man in the Court House tower, another came up ; I was watchful, I saw a puff of smoke-instantly I fell- the shell tore the bank just over me, bursting after passing me. Williams and Baird fell behind the levee, the rebels cheered; I put my hands on the ground and threw myself over the levee; the rebels then fired a volley of musketry from the steamer, City of Vicksburg, which lay at their wharf and the old shake house rattled and shook Betts out of the back door over behind the levee ; the rebels cheered loud and long. I was mad at Williams and myself, and everybody.
I got up and shook my cap to let them know I was yet kicking. They made us down quickly ; all was quiet- we thought we would retire. The minute we showed up they peppered us with the siege guns. Every time we saw a puff
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of smoke, we ducked our heads behind the bank forgetting our heels as the water would not let us shelter our bodies- when we came to the second washout, the men had left the raft on the opposite side and the wire broke and there we were on the bank. Williams and I were for swimming, Betts swore he could not swim, Baird could not-in I went, Williams also, we landed-they begged us not to leave them. We were inexorable so in went Betts and Abner and if they never swam before they got there.
Four pretty figures we cut that March day ; not a dry thread on one of us, and Williams' long curly, black hair so full of cuckle burrs that it had to be cut off. I served some time after but never went out of our lines to see what the Johnnies were doing.
Lieutenant Gifford received orders to report with sergeant and twenty men to captain Ben Harriss (Chief of Scouts,) winters '63-'64. I was detailed-we were mounted on mules. Pat Askins of Company I, teamster, got leave to go ; he said ; "Sib. if there is a fight I want to see it," Being a teamster he had not been in any. "You are always around, post me well " Pat said. "I will stay with Harriss, if he divides his party and sends part to one house with the lieutenant, just see that you go to the place that Harriss makes his head- quarters." We rode three days and three nights stopping about three o'clock getting one hour's sleep, while the people cooked some coffee and meat and corn, feeding our stock ; the fourth day we came to a settlement. Harris ordered ten men with a lieutenant to a man's house whose name was Watson. He was a heavy set man about forty-two years old. We fed the stock and were cooking at about three o'clock. I noticed Harriss and Watson talking and going to the stable; I fol- lowed, they saddled, so did I, Pat, and a little fellow by the name of Bishop. Harriss mounted. We rode toward the Tennessee river, and crossed. Harriss ordered us to hitch the stock in a bunch of timber and left Bishop with the stock. We proceeded on a well beaten path. I was posted in a hol- low tree with orders to shoot any one coming up the path
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from the river. He went off toward the brush toward some large corn cribs on the bank of the river. I grew impatient waiting, but finally I heard rushing and snapping of timber and cane. Watson hove in sight. "They are coming " he cried. "Harris says come down and keep behind the corn cribs and I'll send the rest down." I went to the river- Askins was guarding a colored man . Behind the crib Harriss was talking to some men in boats who were crossing to our shore-there were three boats and as near as I could see twelve men. When they got close to the shore Pat said, " What shall we do ?" I said " Let the first boat land, we will run down the bank, order thein to surrender and fire and use our bayonet on those who do throw down their arnis. Pat and I shook hands. Just then captain Harriss fired when the first boat was in thirty feet of the shore. I suppose he was afraid to let them land as his fate was certain death if cap- tured by the rebels. They returned fire. They had supposed Harriss was a rebel citizen as he was dressed in rebel uniformn. They had been learning the news generally, had inquired of Harriss how the war was getting on, was there any news from Harriss, and Jackson battery, as they had named our squad, because we always rode mules and carried Enfield muskets ; they were long range. Well, Harriss was not slow at snap- ping his and it was fun till he fired, then Pat and I and Bishop stepped out, we could hear the canoes crack when struck ; we fell some men into the river and fired twenty rounds before the survivors reached the south bank. We then elevated our guns and fired where we could hear a great noise and many talking. Then all became silent. It was dark. The next time we were in that vicinity we were told that the last fire had put a bullet through a rebel negro's hand.
We were next taken to Deposit, a ferry crossing, and eight of us were posted behind some large rocks on the north side of the river. The rebels had a fort opposite the guards in plain view, We were ordered to fire on them, we did so and some were hit. I asked why this was done and ascertained that they had been firing at a house on the north bank-at
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the women of the house when they went to the spring to get water. Our general ordered us to retaliate. They quit firing then.
When we were scouting from the mouth of Flint river to the mouth Paint Rock creek, at a point where the road is cut on the face of the bluff, and it was impossible to get out of the road, the rebs showed up opposite, behind trees and peppered for about a mile. We had to grin and scratch gravel, but we got there and not one of us was hit. We crossed the creek, hitched our mules in the thick timber with a couple of guards, and went carefully through the brush, to the river bank ; con- cealed ourselves, expecting rebels to cross and hide their boat in the creek ; which they did before and after by turning the canoe bottom side up, it then looked like a log. There was a brigade of rebel cavalry camped opposite. The sentinel was on the bank, in the bright moonlight, a flock of geese were in the river, the boys made noise enough to attract the sentinel's attention, he called the corporal down, the corporal cursed him for a "Georgia Conscript," accused him of being scared at the geese in the river, and went back to a log house on the hill side where they commenced playing a violin and dancing. The light at the house gave us a good view. We waited until three o'clock in the morning ; we then elevated our guns and fired in the shake roof of the house. The light went out instantly and we returned to camp.
WARREN GENNINGS OF COMPANY G, OR "OLD SLY."
At the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, "Sly's" younger brother was killed, his brother older than himself was mortally wounded. After the battle, "Sly" appeared loaded with weapons he had picked up. They were for sale for cash.
Gennings had blue eyes, long, yellow hair, turn up nose and was too sleepy for anything. At the siege of Vicksburg we were guarding a battery manned by the sailor gunners. One morning "Sly " and I started from camp to a battery ; there was a good trench ; I jumped down into it and started for the
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battery-" Sly " kept on the parapet. "You will get shot," I said." They can't hit me," he answered. The rebels made the dust fly and we moved along lively. When we got to the battery "Sly" jumped down quickly. "I told you they couldn't hit me." A gun lay on the ground, "Sly " inquired whose it was, getting no answer he put five cartridges in, one on topof the other. A lieutenant who saw the gun was loaded, thought he would try a shot. He rested it on the parapet, aimed at "Dixie " and got set back ; he thought a mule had kicked him. No one knew anything about the gun or the load.
At Black river after the siege of Jackson, "Sly " and Trim Platt wanted a bake oven, and I built one for them. They bought a load of pumpkins from a colored man, and Sly cut his finger to be excused from duty. They forged Captain Jenkin's name to an order on the commissary, and flooded the camp with pies at twenty-five cents apiece. My reward was all the pies I wanted. Lieutenant Pritchard said if I would get a mule he would get a permit to keep one, and if we marched we could keep the company's kettles and things on the mule. We hoped to get the permit by reason of Pritchard's ill health. I did my part. I got several, the quartermaster took them as orders were strict. Finally Quartermaster Mccrary said "I will let you keep that mule ; you got so many fine ones the 22d of September." "'Sly" borrowed my mule to get pumpkins. Before noon we received orders to march immedi- ately to Vicksburg and embark on a steamboat. We packed our traps and watched for our mule, but finally the orders came, and we had to march-about 4 o'clock here came "Sly " with my mule loaded down with traps. "Here's your mule, Sib." . "What good will he do me ? Why didn't you leave him in the country ?" "I thought you would want to sell him," said "Sly." "I've sold three since we camped at Black river. " Whom did you sell to ? How much can I get."
"Fifteen dollars." "Sell him said I. "No, I am too busy " said "Sly." I tried. The only offer I could get was $2.50. The boat was to leave at 8 o'clock. I rode as far
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below Vicksburg as I dared risk and turned the mule loose, hid the saddle and bridle and walked back determined not to let the parties have my stock at less than ten dollars.
Comrade Conley furnishes his military life for the regi- mental history as follows :
He was born in the town of Mason, Delaware county, in the state of New York, on the 3d day of April, 1828 ; on the 6th day of December, IS48, in the city of New York, he enlisted in the general service of the United States Army under the name of Owen W. Sherman, through fear of the interference of one Gregor McGregor, to whom he had been bound out when a child, and from whom he ran away. He was sent to Governor's Island to receive additional instruction as a mu- sician.
He was in Texas on the Neuces river during his five years' term, and was three times slightly wounded by Indian arrows while in one of the scouting parties under the command of General Ben. McCulloch ; was honorably discharged at the end of his five years' term.
About the 23d day of June, 1861, Comiade Conley en- listed at Dixon, Ill., in Company D, Thirteenth Illinois Infan- try, and expected to have been made drum major ; but the choice fell on Merritt Perry, of Company K. Comrade Conley having had instruction in martial music in the regular army, took this disappointment very much to heart, so that together with the effect of an attack of measles at Springfield, Missouri, made him reckless and he took to excessive drinking, and by Colonel Wyman's orders, but without trial and no papers to show service performed so as to draw pay, then in arrears, he was drummed out of the regiment at Rolla, Missouri, on or about the Ist of February, 1862, and, but for the kindness of Lieutenant Beardsley, who gave him some money, he would have been turned adrift without a cent in his pocket. He claims to have been dealt by without any form of military law, or any other law, and says that he pressed the matter on the attention of the war department and that as late as ISSS, his claim was allowed and paid, to the amount of $151.98.
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On the 18th day of February, 1862, he enlisted for the third time at St. Louis, Missouri, in the Second Missouri Mounted Rifles, and served in the cavalry of the state militia, which was afterwards consolidated with the First Missouri state militia, rendering service as principal musician and was honorably discharged on December 27th, 1862.
Afterward, on August 20th, 1863, he enlisted for the fourth time in the first regiment Missouri Volunteers, and served until June 30th, 1865, when he was honorably dis- charged by reason of the termination of the civil war.
On the 15th day of January, 1866, he enlisted for the fifth time, and served three years on the border in Dakota, and was honorably discharged at Fort Totten, Dakota Territory, by reason of expiration of term of service.
Comrade Conley says that his entire military service un- der the United States flag, covers a total of eleven years, eight months and nineteen days.
Comrade Conley is now at the National Soldiers' Home at Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
IN MEMORIAM.
Geo. H. Thomas, Post No. 5, took the following action in , relation to the deceased Comrade Thomas Mitchell Blair, late of Company D, Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, at their regular meeting July 22d, 1886.
" WHEREAS, Our Comrade Thomas Mitchell Blair, a member of this post, was suddenly killed at his post of duty as a railroad conductor on the 17th day of June, ISS6, at Kilgore, Kentucky, and we bow humbly but sadly to the decree of an overruling and all-wise Providence, and
" WHEREAS, Our deceased comrade as a soldier in the war for the Union ; as a citizen and as a man, was composed of the best elements that constitute excellence of character and true manhood by which our grief at his untimely death is enhanced,
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"Resolved, That we deeply deplore the tragic event that has deprived this post of one of its most meritorious members, has involved the loss to his venerable parents of a beloved son, and has been to brothers and siste.s a source of deep affliction.
" Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with his relations in their irreparable loss and that a copy of these resolutions, with the preamble and accompanying memorial statement of his life and military service of the lamented deceased be transmitted to them in evidence thereof.
" Resolved, That the historiographer of the post is hereby instructed to enter the proper record in the memorial volumes of the Post."
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
"Thomas Mitchell Blair, son of James and Ann W. Blair, was born August 9th, 1839, at Fredericktown, Knox County, Ohio, and was killed in a railroad accident at Kilgore, Ken- tucky, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, June 17, ISS6, aged forty-six years, ten months and eight days.
" This is the brief record of one man, one of the countless myriads of the human race. The great world goes on, and soon the man is forgotten by his fellow men. It seems appropriate, however, that we, a gathering of comrades of the G. A. R. should pause for a few brief moments this evening, and pay loyal tribute to the memory of one who was to us more than an atomn in the great mass of humanity-for he was a comrade in the "Grand Army " and a member of Geo. H. Thomas Post No. 5, Department of Illinois.
"Comrade Blair was the oldest son in a large family, hay- ing two brothers and one sister, and two half brothers and four half sisters. These together with an aged father and mother survive him and were present at his funeral, June 20, 1886, at Ibena, Ohio.
"Comrade Blair was mustered as private in Company D, Thirteenth Illinois Infantry, June 8, 1861, being then twenty- one years of age, and was mustered out as first-sergeant of
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same company, June 13th 1864, having served three years. In the autumn of 1864 he re-enlisted in Company K, First United States Veteran Volunteers, receiving his final dis- charge as Sergeant, January 9th, 1866, thus completing a long and honorable record as a soldier.
"Comrade Blair was as modest as he was brave, and was not given to referring to his own soldier experiences, hence the writer of this, who only knew him in later years, can not give the personal details of his soldier life. It is to be regretted that the members of his company, who could in a measure supply details that are lacking, are scattered far and wide, and in the twenty-two years that have come and gone since the muster out of his regiment, death has been busy and many who passed unharmed through war's ordeal have joined their comrades gone before.
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