USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 84
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Companies G, L and M were transferred to the Sixth Cav. alry, and were mustered out at Murfreesboro. Tenn., September 15, 1865.
Men from Randolph County belonging to the Eighty-fourth Regiment-Assistant Surgeon, George H. Russell, mustered out January 27, 1865.
Company B-Ephraim B. Thompson, Sergeant, mustered out . June 15, 1865; William A. Daly. Corporal, promoted Second Lieutenant, First Lientenant, mustered ont June 3, 1865; as First Sergeant.
Privates -Nelson Barnes, Matthew Comer, Joseph C. Cra- nor, John Fennimore, Jesse C. Harris, John Hiatt, Levi S. Hunt, Daniel Myers, Charles G. Potter, Jonathan Quinn, Elwood F. Seett, Thomas M. Wright.
Recruits-John M. Craner, David M. Thom, Robert W. Thomson.
Thomas N. Barnes died in Andersonville Prison August 15, 1864; Philander Blackledge, mustered out May 13, 1865; Will- iam Brown, died at Indianapolis November 14, 1862; David Fudge, transferred to V. R. C. August 17, 1863; Elwood Hall, died at Indianapolis November 29, 1862; Jonathan H. Harris, died at Camp Nelson, Ky., Jannary 21, 1863; Abram Hunt, died at home February 20, 1864; William A. Maines, mustered out May 27, 1865.
Company C -- Company Quartermaster Sergeant, George H. Russell, promoted Assistant Surgeon; Commissary Sergeant, Adam B. Simmons, promoted First Lieutenant; Captain, Benja- min Farley, resigned May 3, 1863; Finley Pritchard, Corporal. mustered out June 15, 1865. as private; Isaac T. Nash, Corpo- ral, discharged April 14. 1863; Abram J. Foist, Bugler, trans- ferred to V. R. C., wounds, mustered out June 29, 1865; John W. Johnson, saddler, killed at Blountsville, Tenn., September 22, 1863: Martin V. Sipe, Wagoner, mustered out June 14, 1865.
Privates-Samuel F. Biteman, George Elwell, Noah Ingle, Norman McFarland, James Manes, Charles Norman, John B. Sipe, Isaac Sipe, Sergeant; Edward Simmons, Corporal: Daniel Brittain, died at Nashville, Tenn., October 8, 1864; Samuel Goslen, died April 8, 1865; John W. Huston, mustered out June 15, 1865; Smith Hutchinson, died at Knoxville, Tenp., Jannary 1, 1864; Samuel E. Smith, died in Andersonville Prison Aug. ust 11, 1864.
NINETY-SEVENTH REO1MENT.
Company K -- Mordecai Bayes, discharged January 15, 1863. Statistics-Mustered in at Terre Haute September 20, 1862; Colonel. Robert F. Catterson; mustered out at Washington City June 9, 1865.
Officers, 41: men. 859; recruits, 26; died, 230; deserters. 33: unaccounted for. 2; total, 902; killed, 46; wounded, 146; died of disease, 149: died of wounds, 35; three color-bearers killed: marches, over 3,000 miles.
Operations -- With Grant in Mississippi, fall of 1862; Vicks- burg and Jackson campaign, summer of 1863; marched from Memphis to Chattanooga under Sherman October, 1863; Chatta- nooga and Knoxville, November and December, 1863; Atlanta campaign, summer of 1864; with Sherman to the sea, fall of 1864; from Savannah to Washington City, spring of 1865; to Indianapolis; oration in State House; addresses by Gov. Mor- ton, Gen. Hovey; June 13, 1865, home.
NINETY-NINTH INDIANA INFANTRY, THREE YEARS.
Regiment mustered in at South Bend October 21, 1862; Colonel, Alexander Fowler; mustered out at Washington June 5, 1865.
Officers, 41; men. 859; recruits, 84; died. 178; deserted, 32; unaccounted for, 2; men at close. 425; total, 984; marched 4,- 000 miles.
267
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
The Ninety-ninth was recruited in the Ninth Congressional District, including, however, three companies from the Sixth District that had been raised for the Ninety-sixth.
In November, 1862, the regiment moved to Memphis, and November 25, on the Tallahatchie campaign. Returning. they were stationed on the railroad east of Memphis, at Lagrange.
May 6, 1863, the regiment moved to Memphis, and thence down the Mississippi to the siege of Vicksburg.
July 4, they started for Jackson. July 16, that town was evacuated and Sherman's army took possession. After lying in camp at Big Black River for several weeks, the movement to Chattanooga was begun. The Ninety-ninth formed a part of the column that struck out from Memphis and marched across Mis -. sissippi and Alabama into Georgia, through Corinth, Florence and Stevenson, to Chattanooga, arriving November 24. The bat- tle of Mission Ridge was fought the next day, and the Ninety- ninth was engaged therein.
Chasing Bragg to Graysville, they turned eastward, and set out forthwith for Knoxville, to drive off Longstreet and relieve Burnside. The column accomplished their difficult march, nearly without blankets, and greatly lacking for clothing and shoes, without regular rations and cut off from supplies, many of the men barefooted, but cheerful in their destitute condition, they pressed resolutely onward to find Longstreet's legions fleeing from their approach, and bringing abundant rejoicing to the hearts of the troops shut up in the beleaguered town of Knoxville. The regiment returned, reaching Scottsboro, Ala., December 26, having made a desperate march of more than four hundred miles since driving the hosts of the boastful Bragg from the investment of Chattanooga.
They encamped at Scottsboro until February 14; marched into East Tennessee and back to Scottsboro, and on the 1st of May, 1864, set out as a part of Sherman's grand army on tho movement to Atlanta and the sea.
The regiment was in nearly every battle through the entire campaign.
After the fall of Atlanta, Hood's army was pursued, and the Ninety-ninth had a march out and back of 200 miles. With the Ninety-ninth in Howard's Corps on the left, Sherman's victorious force swung loose from its moorings and moved boldly forward through the heart of Georgia, finding supplies as they marched. On a track sixty miles wide that conquering army moved, nor stopped nor stayed until in twenty-four days they had swept over 300 miles of travel and taken Fort McAllister, entered Savannah in triumph and opened communication with the shipping on the coast.
December 15, Savannah was occupied. Shortly the legions took up again their line of march, turning the head of their ad- vancing column northward to capture Richmond and Gen. Lee, and end the war. Columbia was reached February 17, 1865. The Twentieth Corps gladly received the aid of the Ninety-ninth in the battle of Bentonville. Thence the road was taken to Goldsboro, Raleigh, Petersburg and Richmond. The brave sol- diers who had made their march hundreds of miles to help take Richmond were balked of their purpose; for Richmond had been already taken, and Sherman's legions could only enter the rebel stronghold as a conquered city. Onward to the capital they pursued their unobstructed way, took part proudly in the grand review in the streets of Washington and were mustered out June 5, 1865, and going by rail to their own State and capital, they were joyfully received and cordially welcomed "home again." The Ninety-ninth had 900 officers and men, and 425 at muster- ing out. Though they performed much had service, including thousands of miles of weary tramp, tramp, tramping over South- ern plains and valleys, yet health and strength, and, we may add, good hope and cheer, were preserved in a remarkable degree.
Company H-Elliot Budd, discharged February 1, 1863; John W. Baker, mustered out June 5, 1865; Joseph Clark, dis- charged January 1, 1863; James D. Dooley, mustered out June 5, 1865; John C. Denny, mustered out June 5, 1865; Adoniram Doughty, mustered out June 5, 1865; Burdine Dodd, mustered out June 5, 1865; John P. Dodd. mustered out June 5, 1865; Franklin B. Johnson, mustered out June 5, 1865; Henry T. :
Lamb, discharged May 5, 1863; Anderson Lamb, died at Mem- phis December 7, 1862; Lewis McDaniel, discharged March 13, 1865; William F. Parsons, discharged November 12. 1862; George L. Parsons, discharged February 20, 1863; Green M. Parsons, mustered out June 5, 1865; David Pennington, mus- tered out June 5, 1865: John B. Rolston, died at Memphis No- vember 26, 1862; John Robins, transferred to Marine Brigade, April 13, 1863; Isah M. Shepherd, died at East Point, Ga., Sep- tember 6, 1864, of wounds; William Wallton, died March 6, 1863; Jesse W. Wynn, mustered out June 5, 1865.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH REGIMENT-MINUTEMEN-MORGAN'S RAID,
Late on the evening of July 8, 1863, word came to Indiana- polis that Gen. John H. Morgan had crossed the Ohio near Cory. don, Ind. Gov. Morton issued his call forthwith, and in forty- eight hours 65,000 men had answered the call. Thirteen regi- ments were organized, numbered from One Hundred and Second to One Hundred and Fourteenth inclusive.
The One Hundred and Fifth Regiment contained two com- panies from Henry and two from Randolph; Union, Putnam, Hancock, Clinton, Madison and Wayne Counties, each one com- pany. Seven of the companies were of the Legion.
The regiment was organized July 12, 1863, Kline G. Shry- ock, Colonel, containing 713 men. They left instanter for Law- renceburg. After marching around for several days in pursuit of Morgan, and finding that he had gone eastward through Ohio and beyond their reach, they returned to Indianapolis in just six days after they had quitted it, and were mustered out July 18. 1865. Men from Randolph County in One Hundred and Fifth Regiment:
Company D-Captain, Jacob A. Jackson, mastered ont July 18, 1863; First Lientenant, Alvin M. Owens, mustered out July 18, 1863; Second Lieutenant, Joel A. Newman, mustered out July 18, 1863. Sergeants - James N. Wright, Levi Thornburg, W. H. Thornburg, Isaac A. Mills, John Gordon. Corporals -- Jesse W. Bales, Jacob Bales, Joseph Thornburg, John Hogland. Privates-Joseph Anderson, William Anderson, Jobu Bakehorn, Joseph T. Ball, Jonathan M. Bules, Jacob Coy, William H. Cal- vin, Stephen Cooper, Samuel Clements, Joshua H. Chamness, Charles Cramer, Edom W. Davis, Samuel M. Doherty, Jona- than Edwards, Calvin E. Engle, Hamilton Edwards, George W. Edwards, Elias Engle, Isaac A. Fisher, Bartley Franklin, Evan Garrett, Franklin G. Gordon, Henry Garrett, William Gordon. William E. Glover, James Gordon, Joshua Hodson, Micajah C. Hodson, Nathan Hockett, John Holton, Samuel A. Harris, Jon- athan Hockett, Levi Johnson, Jesse Kennedy, James N. Karnes, Matthew Karnes, Alvah C. Kepler, John B. Longenecker, Jacob Lasley, Solon Lawrence, Henry C. Lamb, James Mound, Ste- phen Martin, Solomon B. Mills, James Nichols, Levi Oren, Ad- dison M. Pugh, Jesse Pegg, Dow Patterson, Mahlon G. Rainier, William A. Rainier, John L. Stakebake, John H. Smith, Francis B. Smith, Benjamin Stine, Oliver B. Stetson, Robert H. Sears, Milton C. Stakebake, David H. Semans, Isaac Simcoke, William Stine, Robert W. Thomson, Samuel M. Thornburg, John W. Vandegriff, William H. Willis.
Company I-Captain, John A. Hunt, mustered out July 18, 1863; First Lieutenant, Benjamin Peacock, mustered out July 18, 1863; Second Lieutenant, John D. Jones, mustered out July 18, 1863. Sergeants-William M. Botkin, J. C. Bates, Henry H. Brooks, Samuel F. Botkins, William Faultner. Corporals -- Allen C. Diggs. Milton Cox, Robert C. Miller, M. E. Linzy. Musicians-Leander Priest, E. A. Cropper, Sylvanus Davisson. Privates-William Atkins, John Adamson, Noah Abernathy. Samuel L. Abernathy, John Abernathy, Amos Baldwin, Samuel Conyers, G. W. Crouch, Alpheus W. Conyers, Daniel Dearbin, Elias Davisson, John Faultner, Lavoisy Fry, Alexander Feagans, A. C. Gaddis, Joseph Gilmore, I. M. Glynes, Benjamin R. Glynes, Benjamin H. Grubbs, Robert H. Grooms, I. J. Hunt, Fairfax Hunt, N. J. Hunt, Milton Hunt, L. H. Hunt, Lemuel C. Hunt, Miles H. Hunt, Martin Hoover, Daniel Heaston, Ira Hiatt, William H. Justus, Joshua M. Johnson, Elihu Knight, J. C. Kep- ler, William R. Lee, Walter Murray, William Mosier, Henry H. Moore, Matthias Oxley, Enos Pickering, Thomas Peacock, James
268
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.
Quackenbush, T. F. Ross, E. P. Ross, James Shearer, E. M. Shearer, Elihu Starbuck, William Stevenson, Thomas Smithson, Nathaniel Spray, George W. Smith, L. D. Veal, A. B. Vauder- burg, Jeremiah Willis.
ONE HUNDRED AND SIX'FH REGIMENT - MINUTEMEN.
This regiment was organized July 11, 1863, under Col. Isaac P. (tray. There were five companies from Wayne, two from Randolph, and one each from Hancock, Howard und Marion. The number of members was 792. They left Indianapolis for Hamilton, Ohio, July 13; went to Cincinnati, and returned to Indianapolis, being discharged July 18, 1865.
Colonel, Isaac P. Gray, mustered out July 18, 1863; Major, Thomas M. Browne, mustered out July 18, 1863.
Company A-Captain, Jonathan Cranor, mustered out July 18, 1863; First Lieutenant, B. F. Farley, mustered out July 18, 1863; Second Lieutenant, George W. Branham, mustered out July 18, 1863. Sergeants-George W. Branham, promoted Second Lieutenant; B. C. Hoyt, D. H. Reeder, S. Lewis, Benton Polly. Corporals-H. Paxson, J. Kesler, William Archard, S. Carter. Privates-John Arnold, Joseph Alexander, Elihu Addington, G. Addington, A. Alhouse, S. Bohlinger, William Bailess, J. W. Brice, Joseph Bowers, R. H. Bailey, J. S. Bright, E. Bunch, George Bright, Thomas Bragg, Nathaniel Barnum, J. W. Burns, Rolla Bowden, Joel Bradford, Charles Branham, G. W. Cow- gill, Anthony Cost, Joseph Coats, Silas Coats, Lewis Coats, D .. Coats, S. Chamberlain, J. D. Clear, J. S. Clear, John . Cole, An- drew Cole, W. Collins, P. Cook, D. Curtis, W. Davis, E. Engel, N. Engel, Joseph Espy, Gabriel Fowler, J. S. F'linn, Joab Fri- ber. Frank Grahs. Thomas Garrett, J. W. Gray, J. Gray, Ed- ward Gray, Spencer Hill, James H. Hiatt, E. Hiatt, P. Hiatt, E. IInffhine, S. Hoak, D. Harris, Stephen Hawkins, Charles Hanna, Frank Johnson, Smith Kennon, O. F. Lewallen, H. Lathington, H. Little, W. Lamm, J. Lewis, E. McNees, D. McNees, M. Mc- Nees, E. H. Meuse, John Manuel, J. Murphy, R. B. McKee, John Manzy, John Mott, P. T. Paris. A. W. Peacock, H. Pea- cock, George Perkins, O. Peterson, C. Peterson, L. M. Reeves, E. Shaw, B. F. W. Stewart, G. Scott, J. Somerville, W. Somer- ville. W. K. Smith, J. Saucer, J. W. Thompson, Miles Tucker, John Vail. Thomas Welch, B. T. Wilkerson, S. D. Wharton, Raiford Wiggs, Levi Wolf, M. West, Levi Wright, William Walls, William Worthington.
Company B -- Captain, George W. H. Riley, mustered out July 15, 1863: First Lieutenant, John K. Martin, mustered out July 15, 1863; Second Lieutenant, Michael P. Voris, mustered out July 15, 1863. Sergeants-Asa Teal, Harris H. Abbott, Thomas I .. Scott, Thomas L. Addington. Edmund Engle. Cor- porals-Thomas W. Kizer, E. B. West, D. S. Ketselman, Nathan Fidler. Privates -Joel Arny, Martin C. Alexander, John Barn- bart, John M. Bascomb, Richard Beatty. Joseph Blackburn, Albert Bowen, S. B. Bradbury, William A. Brice, James N. Bright, W. J. Brewington, F. B. Carter, E. D. Carter, William Chapman, Gilbert Coats, James Coats, Nathan Cook, John Con- nor, Patrick Doyle, W. J. Doxtater, John L. Ennis, William H. Ennis, James Fecht, John Fudge, Robert S. Fisher, James H. Fitzpatrick, D. Garrett. A. H. Harris, A. R. Hiatt, John H. Hen- derson, John Harris, Stephen Harris, Abram Heaston, W. C. Haworth, Henry Hiatt, Alfred Hall, John C. Hinshaw, John C. Hallowell, Charles J. Hutchens, Patrick Hutchens, Q. E. Hoff- man, John H. Ireland, John Johnson. John E. Keys. K. Krantz- er. W. O. King, Nathaniel Komp, William Lukensdoffer, Amos Lucas, L. L. Murray, Lemuel Mettler, Alfred H. Moon, Oliver Martin, L. J. Monks, Daniel Moore, L. Murray, I. N. Murray, Walter S. Monks. R. T. Monks, David Miller, Henry O. Nell. James L. Neff. David Neff, Jacob C. Plannett, John M. Puckett, Thomas W. Pierce, Samuel H. Pierce, John Q. A. Roberts, La- fayette Shaw, O. W. Scott, Miles Scott, John Stanley, John W. Sowers, E. W. Thornburg, W. W. Thornburg, Washington W. White, Benaiah C. White, Andrew White, Andrew J. Winter, Henry Yonker.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINTHI REGIMENT-MINUTEMEN.
The regiment was organized July 10, 1863: John R. Mahan,
Colonel; 709 men: La Porte, two companies; Hamilton County, two; Miami, two; Coles County, two; Henry and Randolph Counties, one cach. The regiment went by rail to Hamilton and Cincinnati, returned to Indianapolis, and were mustered out July 17, 1865.
Company K -- Captain, John S. Way, mustered out July 17, 1863; First Lieutenant, John Locke, mustered out July 17, 1863; Second Lieutenant, William Locke, mustered out July 17, 1863. Sergeants -- Samuel Ginger, William M. Fisher, Charles F. Locke, Isaac Rathbun, Jesse May. Corporals -- Joel Ward, George Shepherd, Caleb Sanders, Joseph L. Reece. Privates- Abram Andrews, James D. Brown, William Bales, William Bra- den, Lewis Bockoven, Simeon Bell, Isaac Clevinger, James A. Collett, William Carpenter, William Cowgill, William Emer- son, Edward Flood, E. Frazier, Thomas Faustnaugh, J. N. Gun- kel, Casey Gunkel, Aaron Gunkel, William Hudson, John E. Henry, Frederick Lock, Joel Lock, George P. Lair, Levi Mcsky- hawk, Elins G. Moore, Alfred Rathbun, George D. Reece, Sher- rood Reece, Daniel Rathbun, Joseph F. Robinson, William Skinner, James Sample, James Towers, Henry Treheame, Will- iam Trusley, Jeremiah Vance, Samuel Warner, Elisha T. Wood, Elisha B. Wood, Samnel Williams, Cornelius Whiteneck, Henry Wargen, Jacob Wyrick, Alexander Wood.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT, SIX MONTHS.
Mustered in at Indianapolis September 17, 1863; Colonel, Thomas J. Brady.
Mustered out and discharged February -, 1863.
Officers. 39; men, 958; died, 95; recruits, 15;' deserted, 13; unaccounted for, 32; total, 1,012.
Positions of the regiment-Nicholasville, September 24, 1863; Cumberland Gap, October 3, 1863; Clinch Mountain Gap, November 24, 1863; Knoxville, December, 1863; Strawberry Plains, December, 1863; Cumberland Gap, January, 1864; In- dianapolis, February 6. 1864.
The winter campaign in East Tennessee was very severe, marching over mountains, crossing streams without shoes, and sometimes on quarter rations.
Members from Randolph:
Quartermaster, John A. Moorman, mustered out, term expired.
SEVENTH INDIANA CAVALRY, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEENTH REGIMENT.
(NOTE .-- Much of the annexed statement is composed from material taken from a history of the Seventh Cavalry published some years ago, partly under the eye of Gen. Thomas M. Browne. )
This regiment was recruited by order of the Adjutant Gener- al of Indiana, dated June 24, 1863, one company being accorded to each Congressional District, and thirty days grantod for the completion of the work.
Col. J. P. C. Shanks was appointed commander of the camp of rendezvous, called Camp Shanks. One hundred dollars were to be paid to cach man-$25 in advance.
The regimental officers were: Colonel, J. P. C. Shanks, of Portland, Jay County; Lieutenant Colonel, Thomas M. Browne, Winchester, Randolph County; Majors, Christian Beck, Samuel E. W. Simmons, John C. Febles; Adjutant, James A. Pice; Chap- lain, James Marquis; Surgeon, William Freeman.
Companies were recruited as follows:
Company A, from La Porte County, Capt. John C. Febles,
Company B, Randolph County; Capt. Thomas M. Browne.
Company C, Dearborn, Grant, Marion and Ripley Counties, Capt. John W. Senior.
Company D, Capt. Henry F. Wright.
Company E, Jay County, Capt. David T. Skinner.
Company F, La Porte County, Capt. John W. Shoemaker.
Company G, Vigo, Delaware, Franklin, Marion, Lake and Grant Connties, Capt. Walter K. Scott.
Company H, Marion, Grant and Tippecanoe Counties, Capt. John M. Moore.
Company I. Kosciusko and Marion Counties, Capt. James H. Carpenter.
Company K, Marion County, Capt. William S. Hubbard.
269
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.
Company L, Wabash County, Capt. Benjamin F. Daily. Company M, Madison County, Capt. Joel H. Elliot.
The regiment was mustered in at Indianapolis . October 1, 1863, and mustered out at Austin, Texas, February 18, 1866.
Officers, 51; men, 1,151; recruits, 127; died, 243; deserted, 169; unaccounted for, 29; total, 1,239.
The regiment entered Camp Shanks, at Indianapolis, and re- mained under drill until December 6, 1863. At first, they were entirely untrained, and their experience presents some ludicrous adventures.
At their first parade, for instance, when the order was given to " draw sabers," the rattling caused by the movement frightened the horses out of all control, and they scattered and fled in every direction. But persererantia vincit omnia (perseverance con- quers all things), and before they left Indianapolis, their mounted parade was a scene that would be, even for a veteran cavalier, a sight to behold.
December 6, 1863, the Seventh Cavalry left Indianapolis for Cairo, Ill., moving thence to Columbus, Ky. Their first camp was near that town, and their first night in the field was spent in a pouring rain, which flooded the country and their camping- ground as well.
They marched to Union City, Tenn. ; arrived December, 1863, and were there assigned to the First Brigade, Sixth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps-Brigade Commander, Col. George E. Waring, Jr., of the Fourth Missouri Cavalry.
The regiments in the brigade were the Fourth Missouri, Col. George E. Waring, Jr .; Second New Jersey, Col. Joseph Karge; Seventh Indiana, Col. John P. C. Shanks; Sixth Tennessee, Col. Hurst; Nineteenth Pennsylvania, Col. Hess; Second Iowa, four companies, Maj. Frank Moore; battery, Capt. Copperfair.
The regiments marched in detachments to disperse a body of rebels at Dresden.
December 23, 1863, Gen. A. J. Smith set out with his entire force for Jackson, Tenn., sixty miles from Union City, to drive away Gen. Forrest, remaining till January 1, 1864, that "terrible New Year's," when the thermometer changed, in Central Indiana, between 9 P. M. and 4 A. M., from forty five above to twenty-six below zero, a change of seventy-one degrees in nine hours, or a fraction less than eight degrees each hour.
The regiment was on its return to Union City. The weather grew intensely cold, and the rain changed to a fierce and fearful sleet. Many were badly frozen, and some died from the expos- ure-among others, Alvah Tucker, of Company B, dying at St. Louis some time afterward. Even horses perished by the cold and fell dead in the road.
A detachment of the Seventh Cavalry had been left at Hick- man, Ky., and Lieut. Col. Browne was sent there to take com- mand.
January 7, 1864, the body of the cavalry, under Gen. Grier- son, set ont for Colliersville, in Southwest Tennessee, to join an expedition into Mississippi in aid of Gen. Sherman
Gen. Grant writes to Gen. McPherson, December 11, 1863: " I will start a cavalry force through Mississippi in about two weeks, to clean out the State entirely of all rebels."
He writes to Gen. Halleck, December 23, 1863:
"I am engaged in collecting a large cavalry force at Savan- nah, Tenn., to co-operate in 'cleaning out Forrest,' to push on also into East Mississippi and destroy the Mobile Railroad."
Still again he writes to Gen. Halleck; Jannary 15, 1864:
"Sherman is to move to Meridian from Vicksburg with 20,- 000 men and the co-operating cavalry force from Corinth. Banks is to push westward from the river, and, by these combined move- ments, it is expected to crush the rebel power in the Sonth in the region of the Mississippi River."
Gen. Smith was ordered to start from Memphis by February 1, and to move straight for Meridian, Miss., having about seven thousand cavalry.
Gen. Smith remained near Memphistill February 9. March- ing eastward, the army of seven thousand men concentrated near and east of the Tallahatchie River on the 17th of February. A slight engagement was had at Okolona February 18, and the Union forces were badly defeated February 20, retreating to Col- --
liersville, reaching that point February 25, and arriving at Camp Grierson, near Memphis, February 27.
The whole movement was a sad, disgraceful failure.
On the day when Smith commenced his ill-starred retreat, Gen. Winslow, with the Union forces, was at Louisville, Miss., only forty-five miles distant.
The history of these events charges that the Generals com- manding in that and the succeeding expedition in which the Seventh took part were entirely incompetent and inefficient, es- pecially Gen. Sturgis in the expedition that followed.
The whole number of the regiment who were engaged at Oko- lona was 813, and the loss was one-tenth of that number-eleven killed, thirty wounded, five wounded and prisoners, captured nn- wounded, thirty-six; total, eighty-two. Loss from Randolph County, Liout. Francis M. Way, wounded.
The regiment afterward engaged as part of a force of 8,000 men under Gen. Sturgis, who seems to have been unfit for his station. At Brice's Cross Roads, Miss. (Guntown), a severe bat- tle took place, resulting in the defeat of the Union forces, June 10, 1864, and Col. Browne was wounded in the ankle.
The troops seem to have been, in these expeditions, brave and heroic, but the failure would appear to be charged upon the commanding General.
The Seventh Indiana, Lieut. Col. Browne commanding, was especially commended for heroic conduct. Gen. Grierson thus recognizes their brave and soldier-like bearing:
" Your General congratulates you upon your noble conduct during the late expedition, fighting against overwhelming num- bers, in adverse circumstances, your prompt obedience to orders and unflinching courage commanding the admiration of all, turned evon defeat almost into victory. For hours, on foot, you repulsed the charges of the enemy's infantry; and again, in the saddle, you turned his assaults into confusion. Your heroic per- severance saved hundreds of your fellow-soldiers from capture. You have been faithful to your honorable reputation, and have fully justified the esteem of your commander."
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