USA > Illinois > Ninety-Second Illinois Volunteers > Part 36
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And there, too, came our first experience in drill. Do you remember a crowd of very wise looking fellows, numbering thirty-three, with bright shoulder-straps, to whom nine hundred and seventy of you less fortunate fellows used to tip your hats? Do you remember how we thirty-three dignified men were lead out each day, by a beardless boy called Lawver, and put in train-
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ing for our high position? You called them the awkward squad The most prominent thing about them was the glitter of their new uniforms. Their hands and feet were always in the wrong place. Was there ever anything more laughable or amusing than this officers' drill; unless it was to see Doctor Winston on horse- back, at review?
Who will ever forget how wise your Captains and Lieutenants were after these drills, when they took you out into the same fields and repeated what they had learned? There, too, your awk- wardness was displayed. Then came the Regimental drill, when we were exhibited to the multitude. Do you remember the first time I undertook to drill the Regiment? My first command, promptly executed by you, put the Regiment in such a position as to require the skill of every officer for ten minutes to straighten the line again. I had not then learned to say that I knew the command was wrong, and only gave it to see if you would exe- cute it. Fond parents looked on at those drills, and, pointing with feelings of noble pride to their boy, said, "Isn't our John a model soldier? Wouldn't he look fine with those shoulder-straps? and he would certainly set an awkward horse better than those awk- ward field officers."
But the days of this soldiering were soon numbered. The mid- dle of October brought the long hoped-for order to move to the field of strife. Every fellow seemed spoiling for a fight, and in his own estimation weighed two hundred pounds avoirdupois! The last farewells were said-the last kiss from mother, sister, or maiden was taken, and away with the speed of the wind, we went South- ward. Many-alas, how many, never again to return to friends or loved ones. All over the South-land lie buried those who went forth that inorning with hopes bright as we. Noble boys-no sister's, or mother's, or maiden's hands pressed their foreheads, or closed their eyes in death. They went down always with their face to the foe. Noble, heroic boys-how we loved them!
" Sleep, soldier boy! the clarion tongue Of deathless fame shall speak of thee; And ages hence, thy name among The brightest of the earth shall be."
I am glad that here in Stephenson county you are building a Monument in honor of these heroic men. The people of Byron, in my county, were among the first to pay this tribute to the memory of our fallen comrades. There, as here, you honor the
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men, and the cause for which they fell. The Monument you build will perish. Time, relentless time, with sunshine and storm, will deface the words you have inscribed upon the marble-but out in the unfolding future, the fame and glory of these men will gain new lustre. Humanity's cause, for which they battled, shall never die. Soldiers-surviving comrades-while we enjoy this Regimental Reunion, let us remember our fallen comrades.
After leaving Rockford, our first campaign was made in Loyal Kentucky. We marched through her blue-grass region, always beautiful; we drank the green waters from her miasma stock pond, while loyal Major Generals locked the wells; we burned no fence-rails, robbed no bee-hives, twisted no chickens' necks, kissed no pretty girls; but we would steal niggers!
After marching and countermarching, we neared the moun- tain region, and, finding no armed Rebels, we went into garrison duty at Mt. Sterling. Here was developed the startling announce- ment that the Regiment had but one married man, poor old Cap- tain Brice, and I really believe he would have passed for unmar- ried, if he had not have had a gray-bearded son in the Regiment. It was here that we witnessed the first, and, so far as I know, the only, exhibition of cowardice on the part of a private soldier in our command. While marching through the streets of Mt. Sterling, one of our boys said to a beautiful Kentucky girl, who was carry- ing a little flag-the Stars and Stripes-" What will you take for that flag?" Her quick and ready response was, "a kiss, sir!" And he, who afterward faced danger on a hundred battle-fields, and assisted in carrying our banner on to victory and triumph, was too cowardly to capture that little flag !.
I have always thought that the soldier imagined that the Adju- tant reserved all such duties for himself; I am sure he was not an officer, for we had no officer, not even Captain Becker or Captain Hawk, who ever turned his back on such a foe. It was here that our Colonel Atkins (wonder if Mrs. A. is present?) learned to sing, with great fervor,
" Miss Julie am a handsome gal, Her heart am young and tender."
Boys, have you forgotten Miss Julia? The Colonel used to take me along, and the old lady (so unlike most mothers) had such an easy way of getting me out of the parlor, so that the Col- onel and Miss Julia could admire alone. The old lady used to tell me about her lands, her niggers, and her family, while the Colonel
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in the parlor defined love to Miss Julia. Here is what he was overheard by one of the boys to say :
" Love, real love, cannot well be defined,
'Tis a feeling of feelings deep down in the mind;
Suffice it to say, it is tenderly furious,
Painfully pleasing and peculiarly curious."
Mrs. Atkins can tell us whether the Colonel ever surpassed this poetic effusion !
At Mt. Sterling, too, we had our first long roll. A crowd of innocent darkies were hunting coons at night. Having treed his coonship, they used powder and shot to bring him down. Our sentinels, smelling the enemy afar off, gave the alarm. Needham rushed for the drum-men and officers for their arms, and in less than three minutes our line was formed and ready for the strife.
The foe, of course, did not test our metal. Our only loss was the heads of three drums that Needham stove in. And the only disaster was that of the Major, who, in the great haste, got into his pants, with his pants wrong end up.
The anti-slavery sentiment of our Regiment soon became obnoxious to the good people of Mt. Sterling. Repeated orders and changes brought us to Danville, Ky .. On the whole, the change was a pleasant one. Our stay in Kentucky was made up of a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant events. We were called the Abolition Regiment-using the more chaste language of Kentucky loyalists, we were " nigger thieves." We were pursued by men and women hunting their chattels. Our Colonel, I believe, stands indicted as a thief under the old laws of Loyal Kentucky! I believe I express the sentiment of every soldier, when I say that our cause suffered more from the so-called loy- alists of Kentucky, than from the Rebel element. Had Ken- tucky joined the other Rebellious States, the war would have been shortened by years. Her loyalty was always with an "if."
I need not assure you that the order, transferring us from the Army of Kentucky to the Army of the Cumberland, was hailed with shouts of joy, and songs of gladness. It meant more active work. We learned that inaction was death. What we needed in the army, as well as out of it, was something to do. Active work brings good health, and develops strong muscle. We soon found this, but not exactly to our taste. Time and events brought us to Franklin, Tennessee, where we found ample room for the exercise of muscle in digging ditches, and building fortifications. These
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works, that seemed useless then, afterward served to protect our army under General Thomas, and many a brave fellow who found shelter in them, gave thanks to the men whose efforts had built them. At Franklin came that senseless order, putting us in line of battle, long before daylight, and keeping us there until General Granger should wake from his morning sleep, and order "recall" sounded from the fort. That order would have cost us the lives of fifty noble men, if we had not violated its spirit, and . spent the time in drill.
Our march from Franklin to Triune you have not forgotten. I shall never forget how those knapsacks of yours looked on that June morning. Many a fellow, anxious to save extra shoes and blankets, started with knapsack larger than himself. We had not marched more than five miles, before you began to strew the ground with boots, shoes, overcoats, blankets, etc. This was our first march after Chaplain Cartwright joined the command. Seeing this great waste of property, the Chaplain undertook to save it; riding up to the head of the Regiment, he told me what was going on. I told him it was all right, that you ought to lighten your load. "But," said he, "the poor fellows will need their blankets." That night the Chaplain rode into camp, with his horse loaded with blankets, and calling to the boys, he gave to each his own. The Chaplain followed this until, one day, some wicked chap claimed the Chaplain's own blanket, and left him to sleep without any covering. This was the first time that Brother Cartwright entertained a doubt but that every Union soldier was a good honest christian. The second doubt came when he traded horses with a cavalryman, and got a horse so religious that he would always kneel, in going down hill. This march to Triune brought us into the movement against Tullahoma.
During the following month, we were mounted and attached to Wilder's Brigade. Could you have seen us as we were first mounted, you would not have wondered that General John E. Smith called us " Mamelukes." We had horses and mules of every age, size and color. In August we crossed the Cumberland Mountains, demonstrating against Chattanooga. Recrossing the mountains, we reported to General Thomas at Trenton, Georgia, and, on the morning of the ninth of September, entered Chat- tanooga, and unfurled on the Crutchfield House our flag-the first Stars and Stripes seen in that city since the fall of Fort Sumter.
I must not attempt to trace longer in detail the history of our command-I can say of it, without detracting from others, that
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in camp, on the march, in battle-everywhere it did its duty, whenever that was made known. Its discipline and drill were above the average. Its fighting qualities below none. Those who measure the service of a Regiment, or its bravery, by its losses, fail of a correct estimate. I remember in the Chicamauga battle, that in less than five minutes we lost, in killed and wounded, thirty men, and it was at a time and in a place where we were doing no possible good. He is a good commander who accom- plishes the object desired with the least loss of life. The life of a Union soldier was too precious to be sacrificed to gratify the ambition of a reckless leader.
It would be pleasant to follow the Regiment into battle, to tell you where, and how they fought. But this has formed no part of my purpose. Three years ago General Atkins gave a detailed account of the Regiment in battle. Since that time it has become history, and you can read it there. The record is one of which all are proud. No stain of dishonor rests upon it. It has been my purpose, rather, to make mention of a few of the pleasing remembrances of the past; to call to mind some of the unwritten history of the Regiment. Of course I cannot picture these events to do them justice.
I might describe to you Doctor Winston on horseback, or Captain Schermerhorn as a cook, or Captain " Bobb Shorty" on parade, and yet you could not appreciate fully those events with- out the sight of the natural eye. I am sure if you should see the Doctor on horseback, or eat one of Schermerhorn's camp dinners, you would never forget it.
Camp life was not altogether as unpleasant as the people at home were in the habit of believing. It had its bright and its dark days-its sunshine and its shadows-its January and its June. It was not always without social enjoyments. You have never had a finer time at home in your parlors than we used to enjoy when our Captain Becker used to sing of home, and friends, and country. How often that trundle-bed song-so simple, yet so beautiful-used to take us back over the by-gone years to child- hood's happy hours. And then came Hope, painting the future in characters of living light and beauty.
[General Sheets here suggested that it might be a good thing if the Captain would sing that good old song right at that time. The Captain came forward, amid applause, and gave the song, when General Sheets continued : ]
Do you imagine that Lawver or Skinner ever enjoyed a social
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gathering more than that near Bridgeport, Alabama, where each of them took behind him on his horse a buxom Alabama girl and went with " we uns" to the party? All went merry at the party, but on the way home Skinner's girl fell from the horse, and buried herself in Alabama mud, so that neither Lawver nor Skinner, nor both combined, could lift her on the horse again. Do you think Schermerhorn was ever more tranquil than when he used to visit Widow Lewis, down at Trianna? Even that long row of hats failed to give him pain. Trianna was a great town for widows. It was the custom there to hang a hat of each departed husband on the wall as a remembrance of the loved ones gone. Widow Lewis had ten of these hats. The Captain was there one day (of course he was inquiring about the departed loved ones), and while he was thus engaged some wicked fellow stole his horse and equipments, and Schermerhorn never saw them again.
Speaking of hats reminds me of a fellow of Company F, whom I saw hatless one day-
I remember Petermyre, one of the boys of Company F. It was near Ringgold, in Georgia; we had received orders to report to General Rosecrans, at Lafayette, Georgia-and, by the way, General Rosecrans himself never went quite so far south as Lafayette, for Bragg, with his Rebel army and with the reinforce- ments of Longstreet, from Lee's army, at that time lay between us and Lafayette-but we had our orders, and pushed out bright and early on the road for Lafayette. Near Ringgold, we struck a division of Rebel cavalry under Forrest. General Atkins was com- manding, and he had formed a line of battle across the road, facing south, with the right flank resting on the Chicamauga River, and the left flank on the mountain, and we were pushing the enemy with our Spencer Rifles, when suddenly the enemy's line of skir- mishers gave way, and we charged up to their main line. Peter- myre had got far in advance of the rest-had, in fact, dashed right in among the Rebels. Pretty soon he came down the road on foot, and I asked him what he was coming back for, and he said : "O, Colonel, Colonel, dey shoots my horse, dey shoots my gun, dey shoots me here, and dey shoots me dar, and I'se almost dead!" And sure enough Petermyre's horse had been killed under him ; another bullet had wounded him; another bullet still had struck him, and lodged in the side of his pocket-book ; and yet another bullet had shattered and torn away the butt of his Spencer Rifle. It seemed laughable to me at the time, but I
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didn't feel like scolding him for coming back. You see Peter. myre could not capture all of Forrest's cavalry alone !
While we were lying on the Tennessee River, General Atkins sent me out one day to visit the picket posts. It was against orders to kill the animals in the country, but sometimes the boys would kill a hog, particularly if they thought they would not be caught at it. "Dide" Haggart was on picket at one of the posts I visited, and when I rode up to the post the first thing I saw was a handsome porker, killed and dressed; "Dide" was greatly fright- ened, but he was equal to the occasion. Said he, "Colonel," pointing to the hog, " that was the d-dest hog I ever saw; he came at me with his mouth wide open, and I had to shoot him to save my life." I thought "Dide" was not very much to blame for shooting such a very ferocious hog, and he escaped punishment. The next morning the officers' mess had fresh pork for breakfast; .but the cook did not tell where it came from.
I have a notion to tell a story about our good old Chaplain ; I hardly know whether I had better, but I guess I will. We were on the march, and the boys came across a patch of sweet potatoes, and they " went for them," every man for himself, down on his hands and knees, and clawing after the lucious tubers, and the Chaplain was in the crowd. By and by the owner of the potato patch came out, a tall gentleman, in a suit of black citizens' clothing, with white neck-tie; the Chaplain did not look up to see him, and the citizen said, "It is too bad, it is too bad." " Yes," said the Chaplain, "it is too bad," but kept on going for his share of the sweet potatoes. " Why," said the citizen, " I'am a min- ister of the gospel." " Yes," replied the Chaplain, as he hauled out a big potato, " so be I."
These incidents were of every day occurrence. If it were possible to gather them together, they would form an interesting volume. Who will ever wish to forget them? And it in this Reunion we shall spend the hours in refreshing our memories of the past, our coming will not be in vain. We may talk of heroic deeds ot the noble ones fallen, of the cause for which they fell, and in all this find that which will be pleasant and profitable.
The war with its events is over. I trust the bugle may never again call us or our children to the field of strife. It was a fearful war. The Government has never, and can never reward you for the hardships and perils you endured.
You can only look for your reward in the results accom- plished. You have seen the hour of triumph. You have seen
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our beautiful banner carried forward to victory. You gaze to-day upon its bright stars and ample folds, and there you read in characters of living light and beauty, those sublime words :- " Liberty and Union-Now and Forever-One and Inseparable!"
Your valor has vindicated the honor of the country, and saved it from Rebel hate. Aside from the conscious assurance of hav- ing done your duty well, you have the thanks of all loyal hearts. The people have never forgotten the debt of gratitude they owe. Politicians have, and would still deceive you. I heard them say to men in my own county, "Go to the war, you ought to go, and when you return the people will bestow upon you the offices, and hold you in remembrance." And yet, with the exception of two or three post-offices, I know of no Federal positions in all this Congressional District filled by soldiers. You were good to stop bullets, but you must beg if you would fill a place of profit or trust. Offices which have grown out of the war are filled by men who never smelled powder, and all over the land there are crippled or maimed soldiers, every way worthy, struggling in poverty and want. These things have been so in the past, because this patronage has been used by the politicians to secure place and power. It ought not to be so. I am glad to say that I believe this District is now represented by a man who thinks more of his christian manhood than of the place he fills.
I rejoice in another fact. Higher and nobler motives than these prompted you to shoulder your guns and peril your lives for your country's defense. You saw the flag insulted and tram- pled in the dust, and, leaving the endearments of home, you placed friends, and property, and life upon the altar of your country-a willing sacrifice. You have saved the country from Rebel hate, and have perpetuated, to yourselves and to your children, the blessings of a free Government. You have solved for the world the great problem of self-government.
The crushing of the great Rebellion here has done more to perpetuate this Republic, and to plant in other lands the germ of civil freedom than a thousand years of peaceful discussion. Such an effect has been produced all over the world by our success, that I belive those simple words, " I am an American citizen," would bring to the stranger a more affectionate and a broader shield of protection, than to be clothed in the robes of royalty and called a king. Its influence will be seen and felt all over Europe-in her populous cities, and in her mountain fastnesses- and shall be echoed and re-echoed along her blood-stained battle-
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fields, until every man and woman struggling for a nobler development shall read with new joy of our achievements here.
You crushed the Rebellion. You destroyed slavery, and in these years of strife you lifted the Government over a thousand years of discussion, and placed her in the van of christian civilization.
In 1861 Jeff. Davis went out of the United States Senate to destroy the Government he was sworn to defend. In 1869 Jeff. Davis's seat in the same Senate was filled by a colored citizen of Mississippi.
Your efforts have placed the Government where nothing but gross folly can ever impede its progress. We may go forward in triumph-leveling the mountains, filling up the valleys, develop- ing our soil, laying parallel tracks from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and binding with these cords of commercial intercourse East and West, North and South, into a Union so firm and indissoluable, that, under the providence of God, even the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The triumphs of our civilization shall spread all over this land, covering the hills and vales, the green riverside and broad savan- nas of our young continent.
The sword shall be beaten into the plowshare, the spear into the pruning-hook, and these implements of industry, in the hands of a free and brave people, shall develop here a continent rich in all that constitutes true wealth. Should traitors ever again assail the flag, we will beat the plowshare into the sword, and the prun- ing hook into the spear, and vindicate again the honor and unity of the Government.
A career of unprecedented glory awaits this nation. Disen- thralled from the sins that have so long impeded us, we wake to a new life. Already the darkness disappears and the morning" light gilds the horizon. If we prove true to our high trust, the dreams of the past shall more than be realized. I see the nation coming up in its grandeur to the fulfillment of its lofty destiny. Our vast territory shall be peopled with an industrious, freedom- loving people.
Christian civilization, no longer an apologist for slavery, shall rear here her imperishable monuments, and science and art shall gain new and bloodless victories, while the songs of our joy shall float out over all lands, and shall fill all climes.
Here, O young man, here, my soldier friend, is the field of your glory. Here you may identify yourself with interests that time
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cannot destroy. Here, if honest, virtuous, earnest, you may assist in moulding for this nation a destiny noble and grand. Here you may grapple with the grandest problems of human life. Here you may set in motion chords of influence that shall vibrate on and on through the coming years. Here, however humble your lot in life may be, you may aspire to be good and great. Here every man is his own king, and may write his history in characters of light and beauty.
Our ranks are growing thin. One by one we shall drop away. But the ranks in the great battle of life will be filled by our chil- dren, or children's children.
When another three years shall roll around, some who hear me now will have listened to the angel reveille on the other shore. This battle of life is an earnest battle. In it we need stout hands and brave hearts. There is no "discharge" in this conflict. It is not a muster for three years, but for life. Let us acquit ourselves like men. If we shall prove as true to ourselves as to our coun- try, the future will be radiant with hope for each one. Comrades, God bless you! If we meet no more here, when on the other shore let us gather at the great Reunion. Living, I shall love to remember you. Dying, I shall hope to meet you where the anthem' of peace and good will is unbroken.
General Sheets's speech was received with shouts of laughter and rounds of applause, and at its conclusion it was unanimously resolved that it should be printed in the proceedings.
After music by the Band, Captain Becker again came forward and sang a song. The audience called for various persons to speak, but the election of officers for the ensuing three years being in order, it was proceeded with, and Captain R. M. A. Hawk was elected President. The ex-President of the Association intro- duced Captain Hawk to the audience and retired, when Captain Hawk thanked them for the honor conferred upon him, and took his seat as the presiding officer. Dick McCann, private of Com- pany D, was elected Vice President, and Al. McClure, private Company C, was elected Secretary.
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