USA > Indiana > Memorabilia of the marches and battles in which the One Hundredth Regiment of Indiana Infantry Volunteers took an active part : War of the Rebellion, 1861-5 > Part 13
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"I. All acts of war on the part of the troops under General Johnston's command to cease from this date.
"2. All arms and public property to be de- posited at Greensboro and delivered to an ord- nance officer of the United States Army.
"3. Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be retained by the commander of the troops and the other to be given to an officer to be designated by General Sherman, each officer and man to give his indi- vidual obligation in writing not to take up arms against the government of the United States un- til properly relieved from this obligation. "4. The side arms of officers and their pri- vate horses and baggage to be retained by them. "5. This being done, all the officers and men will be permitted to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by the United States author- ities so long as they observe their obligation and the laws in force where they may reside.
"W. T. Sherman, General,
"Commanding the United States forces in North "Carolina.
"J. E. Johnston, General,
"Commanding Confederate troops in North "Carolina.
"Approved: U. S. Grant, Lieut. General."
General Sherman returned to Raleigh the same evening, presented the "Terms" to Gen.
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eral Grant and requested him to approve them, which he did.
April 27th, 1865: General Joseph E. John- ston issued the following order to the Confeder- ate troops under his immediate command at Greensboro, North Carolina, consisting of Har- dee, Stewart and Lee's Corps of Infantry and Butler and Wheeler's Divisions of Cavalry, in- forming them fully of the terms of their surrender.
"Headquarters Confederate Army in North "Carolina.
"(General Orders No. IS.)
"Greensboro, April 27th, 1865.
"By the terms of a military convention made on the 26th inst. by Major General W. T. Sherman, United States Army, and General Joseph E. Johnston, Confederate States Army, the officers and men of this army are to bind themselves not to take up arms against the United States until properly relieved from that obligation, and shall receive guarantees from the United States officers against molestation by the United States Authorities so long as they ob- serve that obligation.
"For these objects duplicate muster rolls will be made immediately after the distribution of the necessary papers, the troops will march under their officers to their respective states and there be disbanded; all retaining personal pro- perty.
"The object of the convention is pacification to the extent of the authority of the commanders who made it.
"Events in Virginia, which broke every hope of success by war, imposed on its General
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the duty of sparing the blood of this gallant army and of saving our country from further devasta- tion and our people from ruin.
"Joseph E. Johnston, General.
"Commanding Confederate Forces in North "Carolina."
The 100th Regiment Homeward Bound From Raleigh to Washington City.
On the 30th of April, 1865, the war was practically at an end. There was nothing more to conquer; the work of receiving the paroles of the Confederates and such public property as was to be turned over to the Federal authorities was being quietly conducted at Greensboro and other points and Sherman's army was now ordered to march to Washington City. The orders were issued, all were in readiness, and on the morning of April 30th the four Army Corps took up their line of march for that place. We crossed the Nense river, north and east of the center of Ra- leigh four or five miles and encamped on the Cot- enau, about midway between the Neuse and the Tar rivers.
On the Ist day of May we crossed the Tar river at Andrew's bridge and encamped on Stony creek.
On the 2d we crossed Swift's creek and en- camped at evening on Fishing creek, just above the forks of that stream.
On the 3d we marched very hard.
On the 4th we encamped at a cemetery on the south bank of the Roanoke river.
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On the 5th we crossed the Roanoke river and moved northward a few miles into old Vir- ginia, and went into camp.
On the 6th we marched early and hard, al- most directly north. We crossed the Meherrin river at Peniton's bridge and encamped.
On the 7th we moved to a point on the south side of the Nottaway river, ten miles northwest of Jarrett's Station and encamped.
On the Sth we made a hard march of not less than 35 miles. We marched through Peters- burg across the Appomattox river and encamped on a small stream marked "Old Town" creek. Marched 40 miles.
On the 9th we encamped at Manchester on the James river, opposite Richmond, Virginia.
On the night of the roth there was a thun- der storm and three soldiers were killed by light- ning. A great many of our men visited Rich- mond, the Libby prison, Castle Thunder and other places of interest about the city.
On the 12th, the 15th and 17th Corps marched in review by General Logan through the city of Richmond and encamped ten miles north of that place, near the Chickahominy river.
On the 14th, we crossed the Pamunkey about three miles below the junction of the North Anna and South Anna rivers and encamped about thirty miles north of Richmond.
On the 15th, we marched to a point about six miles south of Fredericksburg and went into camp.
On the 16th, we moved about six miles north- ward to Fredericksburg, crossed the Rapahan-
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nock river, thence to Acquia creek where we encamped.
On the 17th, we marched early as far as Dumfries on Quantico creek, and encamped at Ocoquan.
On the 18th, we marched from Ocoquan to a point near Mount Vernon, where we halted, and after having rested fell into line and marched down to Mount Vernon and passed in front of the tomb of Washington.
May 20th, 1865, an order was issued for a grand review of the armies on the 23rd and 24th instant.
Alexandria, Va., May 22nd: A good many of our men who were mostly in need of shoes and clothing and some other articles were supplied.
May 23: Preparations for review were going on all day. During the afternoon we fell into line and marched across the Potomac river on the long bridge and up into the city of Washington. Camp at Crystal Springs, D. C. May 24th, 1865: On this day Washington city saw the grandest military spectacle ever witnessed in the United States or any other country. At 9o'clock we moved toward the vast multitude. First, General Sherman commanding the army and his staff, then General Howard commanding the right wing and his staff, then came General John A. Logan commanding the 15th Army Corps and his staff, then General Woods and staff, then perhaps 200 musicians or more, then came the head of column, each column reaching just from curb to curb on Pennsylvania avenue. Every
man kept the exact step to the music. The line was perfectly straight from curb to curb. Every leg and foot in the line came forward so exactly
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in time that the whole line seemed to be one solid leg. The marching was faultless and in- describable, simply superb. There is neither egotism nor exaggeration in the statement that few, if any, equalled and certainly none excelled the magnificent marching of the Tooth Indiana on that great occasion, as its absolutely perfect movements were observed by the highest officials of our own nation and the diplomatic corps and representatives of other nations, as well as the vast concourse of spectators present. Cheer after cheer arose from the multitude, and as its old and tattered battle-flag, containing seventy-three bullet holes, came by, flags, bunting and wreaths were waved and lowered as a token of respect and admiration, and half of the officials on the great grand stand arose to their feet and uncovered their heads; the demonstration was so touching that we all felt deeply affected by it, and felt as if the character of that reception was almost enough to compensate us for the hard- ships we had endured for our country.
Camp at Crystal Springs, D. C., May 25, 1865: When the newsboy piped his presence in the early morning there was a great rush for papers to see what the people of Wash- ington and the newspapers thought of us as soldiers. Nothing could have surprised or grat- ified us more than the unexampled praise be- stowed upon Sherman's army; almost the entire space in the papers was taken up by the many descriptions given of decimated Regiments and tattered battleflags, together with incidents of the parade.
On the 26th, orders were issued to muster out and send home a very large portion of
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the army. The Company officers were busy making muster-out rolls for their respective Companies.
We were soon on board the cars on our way back to . Camp Morton at Indianapolis, where we arrived in due time, receiving on our way through Virginia, Ohio and Indiana an ova- tion at every station. At Indianapolis we were met in the State House Yard by Governor O. P. Morton, who welcomed the survivors of the Old One Hundredth back to Indiana, and paid an eloquent tribute to the Regiment. In a few days we were mustered out of the service, and those of us who were so fortunate as to be one of the survivors returned to our homes and friends, and resolved ourselves at once into that class of citi- zenship which has had no equal in the history of any of the nations of the earth.
The Field and Staff of the 100th Indiana.
Colonel Sanford J. Stoughton entered the service from Ligonier, Noble county, Indiana. Ile was commissioned Colonel of the 100th Indi- ana Infantry October 19th, 1862, and mustered as such on the 29th. Ile resigned January 7, 1864.
Colonel Albert Heath entered the service from Elkhart, Indiana. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel on the 18th and mustered on the 20th of October, 1862, and commanded the Regiment during the pursuit of Price in North- ern Mississippi and the sieges of Vicksburg and Jackson. He was severely wounded during the
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$
Oliver P. Morton. Indiana's War Governor.
1
Colonel Albert Heath. 100th Indiana Infantry. (From an old war times photograph.)
assault on Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863. He was commissioned Colonel, January 8, 1864, and discharged for disability May 10, 1865.
Colonel Ruel M. Johnson entered the service from Goshen, Indiana. Ile recruited Company "D" of the tooth Indiana in Elkhart county and was commissioned as its Captain August 22, 1862, and mustered on September roth following. On the 18th of August he was promoted and commissioned Major, vice Robert Parrott killed. He was mustered September 5, 1863. On Jan- uary 9, 1864, he was promoted and commis- sioned Lieut. Colonel, and on May 2, 1865, he was again promoted and commissioned Colonel of the Regiment.
Colonel John- son was fitted by nature to command men. He first attracted the favorable notice of his superior officers by his conduct at the siege of Jackson, Mississippi, for which he was recom- mended for promotion, (Loomis' Off. Report, 37-631). He again came into general notice on the battlefield of Missionary Ridge where he deported himself in a manner without a parallel. Col. John Mason Loomis, who com- manded our Brigade, has said of the 100th Regiment and of the conduct of Col. Johnson on that day, that "they (the 100th ) were suffering severely from the fire of Cleburne's Division, even after they had laid down. But he (Major Johnson) was still on his feet and had perfect control of his men. He could have led them forward with enthusiasm if it had been re- quired. I remained mounted except when my horse was shot, * and was frequently on the line of Col. Johnson's Regiment, so that I
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had them in full view; and I had so much confi- dence in Col. Johnson, that I did not doubt his Regiment would stay with him if he lived. I only watched them to see if he did still live in that storm of lead and iron, often concealed in the smoke of bursting shell. The quiet temper of his men told me that he did still live." The same statement almost verbatim has been made by Col. John W. Headington and others, who saw the conduct of Col. Johnson on that day.
The foregoing statements by Col. John Mason Loomis and Lieut. Col. Headington are attested by the following named officers and sol- diers of the Regiment, who were present and actively participated in the battle. Capt. Sher- lock, Co. "A," Capt. Sabin, Co. "B," Capt. John K. Morrow, Co. "C," Sergt. John W. Miller, Co. "E," Capt. Leonard Akers, Co. "F," C. W. Rarick, Abram Geiger, T. N. Fowler, J. A. Nason and E. A. Rines of Co. "II," A. J. Snyder, John Zimmerman, Geo. W. Powers, D. S. Gillispie, Saml. Parker, J. Em- erick, William Davis and Silas Goodrich of Co. "B," James Collins, Co. "E," D. E. Newman, Eli Lusher, Silas Mott, Jacob Crull, C. N. Cole- man and Charles R. Kingsley of Co. "D," and many others.
The conduct of the Tooth Regiment on that day and that of its brave commander became well known throughout the country and finally reached the dull ears of the war department, which was bound to take notice of the bravery of Col. Johnson, and in recognition of his services a medal of honor was duly awarded to him. The Secretary of War, in notifying the Colonel of
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J
Colonel Ruel M. Johnson. tooth Indiana Volunteer; Infantry.
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The rooth Indiana firing on the Confederate lines while lying behind the railroad embankment; Walcutt charging on the hill to the left: Bushbeck's Brigade of the uth Corps is seen over the tunnel charging the enemy, who had flanked us on the left: Col. Headington and Jo. Hawkins are holding the colors up on the right, while Col. R. M. Johnson is seen in the open field marching up and down the line with sword in hand cheering the men which he continued to do for four hours.
its issue uses the following language in his letter of transmittal.
"Colonel Ruel M. Johnson,
"Late of the 100th Indiana Volunteers, "Elkhart, Ind.
"SIR: I have the honor to inform you that by direction of the President, and in accordance with the Act of Congress approved March 3, 1863, providing for the presentation of medals of honor to such officers, non-commissioned officers and privates as have most distinguished them- selves in action, the Acting Secretary of War has awarded you a medal of honor for most dis- tinguished gallantry in action at Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nov 25, 1863.''
"In making the award the Acting Secretary used the following language:
"At that time, this officer was Major of the "Regiment, and after the Lieutenant-Colonel "commanding was wounded and left the field, he "took command of the Regiment, pushing for- "ward to the railroad in front of Tunnel hill, "through the most destructive fire of the enemy, "where the whole Brigade was ordered to lay "down, hold the ground gained and protect them- "selves as much as possible under cover of the "embankment. This was done by the men but "Colonel Johnson remained on his feet marching "for four hours from right to left and from left to "right along the battle line, cheering his men and "urging them to stand fast to their duty, being all "the time exposed to a most dangerous and gall- "ing fire of the enemy, only a few hundred feet "away, four bullets passing through his coat and
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"he receiving a wound in his right cheek by a "fragment of a shell."
"The medal has been forwarded to you to- day by registered mail. Upon the receipt of it please advise this office thereof.
"Very Respectfully,
"F. L. Ainsworth, Col. U. S. Army. "Chief, Record and Pension Office."
During the winter of 1863-4, he made the Tooth Indiana the best drilled Regiment, in the performance of field evolutions in the United States. No Regiment in the Federal service could go through the evolutions in daylight which that Regiment could perform on the double quick in the darkness-the drilling hours being from 3:30 to 5:30 A. M. each morning.
He came into general notice again on the bat- thefield in front of Resaca, May 13, 1864, when with a skirmish line composed of men from the Tooth Regiment deployed in front of the Division, he drove a whole Confederate Brigade from the field in the presence of Generals McPherson, Lo- gan and Harrow. (Official Rept. Gen. Harrow, 74-278.)
He was again brought to the notice of Gen. Logan by the shrewd and elever manner in which he brought off the Division skirmish line at Dal- las, which he was placed in charge of by Gen. Logan, without the loss of a man, although the Rebel Army was confronting his line. After these successes he was detailed on Gen. Harrow's staff as skirmish officer of the Divison. At the battle of Atlanta he was taken prisoner on the front line by a force which had gained our rear during the many bloody assaults which took place
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Front.
100 In dinen Vols.
for CALLANTRY M
Thatterapia Train
Nov 25
Reverse.
Medals
Awarded to Colonel R. M. Johnson for bravery in the battle of Chattanooga by the war department F.
Lieutenant Colonel John W. Headington. 100th Indiana Infantry.
on that eventful day. Ile is specially men- tioned in the official report of Gen. Harrow and Col. Reub Williams for gallantry in that battle. ( Official Rept. Gen. Harrow, 74-281.) (Official Report Col. Williams, 74-289).
The Colonel was started towards Macon, Georgia, as a prisoner, along with 1,700 men and 75 other officers. On the third day he es- caped and had almost reached our lines, when he was recaptured and sent to Charleston, South Carolina, and placed under fire of our batteries. In September, 1864, a limited exchange of pris- oners took place, and by special request of Gen. Sherman he was included therein.
He distinguished himself in the pursuit of Hood. On the march to the sea, the battle of Griswoldville, the campaign through the Caro- linas, and specially at the battle of Bentonville, and his entire term of service was interspersed with brilliant achievements.
Lieutenant Colonel Headington entered the service from Portland, Jay County Indiana. He recruited Company "HI," of the 100th Indiana, in that county, and was commissioned as its Cap- tain on the fith and mustered on the 23d of September, 1862. He was promoted to Major of the Regiment June 1, 1864, and to Lieutenant Colonel May 21, 1865. Col. Headington com- manded the Regiment from the battle of Love- joy until the return of Col. Johnson, after the latter was exchanged. He enjoys the remarka. ble distinction of having taken an active part in every campaign and every encounter in which the Regiment took any part, during the entire period of its enlistment. Ile was not an impetu. ous, hasty, or rash man, but was in pos.
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1
session of a cool head and good judgment at all times and in every emergency. The men all had implicit confidence in him. He was certainly the George H. Thomas of the Regiment; a good disciplinarian and withal, a genial, companion- able officer, and when occasion required him to expose himself or his men he was perfectly ob- livious to his personal safety.
He first came into special notice on the bat- tlefield of Missionary Ridge, when, after seven out of ten color bearers and guards had been shot down, he accompanied Uncle Joe Hawkins of Company "HI," in bearing alott the Regi- mental flag. He received personal mention for efficiency and gallantry in the battle of Gris- woldville, in which he took an honorable and conspicuous part.
Majors.
Major Robert Parrot entered the service from Lagrange, Indiana. He was commissioned Major on the 18th and was mustered on the 28th of October, 1862. Ile was one of those good men whom everybody loved -even an enemy would be ashamed to hate such a man. He was killed by the falling of a tree during a storm at Oak Ridge in the rear of Vicksburg on July 6th, 1863.
Major Venamon entered the service from Goshen, Indiana. He was commissioned First Lieutenant of Company "D," 100th Indiana, August 22d, 1862, and mustered on the 10th of September. On the 18th of August, 1863, he
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Major W. H. Venamon. (From an old war times photograph.)
4
Ed. Goldsmith,
Lieutenant and Adjutant tooth Indiana Infantry.
was promoted to the Captaincy of Company "D," and on May Ist, 1865, he was promoted Major of the Regiment. He was a quiet, un- ostentatious officer. He enjoyed the respect and confidence of his superior officers as well as that of the officers and men generally. Whenever duty required Major Venamon to perform any service, no matter how difficult or dangerous, he was always promptly there and performed that duty.
Adjutants.
Adjutant Edward P. Williams entered the service from Fort Wayne. He was commis sioned August 27th and mustered August 28th, 1862. He was afterward promoted to A. C. S. and left the Regiment.
Adjutant William H. Ghere enlisted in Captain Thomas C. Dalbey's Company "I" as a private soldier. He was commissioned Adju- tant June 15th, 1863, and resigned May 29th, 1864.
Adjutant Edwin Goldsmith entered the service from Orland, Stuben County, Indiana, was commissioned Second Lieutenant in Com- pany "B" August 15th, 1862, was promoted to First Lieutenant January 30th, 1864, and to Adjutant, April 20th, 1864, and served as such until the end of the war and was mustered out with the Regiment. Adjutant Goldsmith re- ceived a flattering personal notice in Col. Heath's official report of the Atlanta campaign in the following words;
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"I also make special mention of Lieut. E. Goldsmith, my Adjutant -- cool and self possessed in time of danger. No one possesses the confi- dence of the men more than he does. I also recommend him for promotion." (See serial 74 P. 31I).
Adjutant Goldsmith received favorable per- sonal notice by Col. R. M. Johnson in his official report of the battle of Griswoldville. (See Johnson's official report.)
Regimental Surgeons.
Samuel France, Regimental Surgeon, en- tered the service from Syracuse, Indiana. He was commissioned December 2nd, 1862, and mustered January 6th, 1863. Dr. France served efficiently in the field with the regiment until after the surrender of Vicksburg and Jackson. He tendered his resignation August 11th, 1863, while we lay at Camp Sherman, on the Big Black River.
By his cheery words of badinage, or some well-told dry joke of professional or camp life, he says that he often did more than his pills or potions to restore the physical health or mental brightness to the depressed in spirits.
At Camp Sherman, on Big Black river, after the siege of Vicksburg, and the return of the Regiment from Jackson, Dr. France's health became undermined. He then conferred with Dr. Lomax and Dr. Shaw-the Brigade and Division Surgeons, who gave it as their opinion that his only hope of prolonging or saving his
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Samuel France, M. D. Surgeon 100th Indiana Infantry.
T-B.ENG.CO.K.C.
D. J. Swarts,
First Assistant Surgeon 100th Indiana Infantry.
life, was to resign and return to civil life, where he could have home comforts. He returned to his Indiana home at Goshen, much broken in health. Surgeon France was a skilled physician, and scientific surgeon, a whole-souled comrade and a warm-hearted friend of all the boys, whether he had the epaulette of office on his shoulders, or the badge of the patriot soldier, the knapsack, strapped to his back. Self-sacrificing free-hearted and generous, was Dr. France.
Assistant Surgeons.
First Assistant Surgeon 100th Indiana, David J. Swarts entered the army from Auburn, DeKalb county, Indiana. He was com- missioned First Lieutenant of Company "A" August 13th and mustered Sept 10th, 1862. He was promoted to be First Assistant Surgeon October 3rd, 1862. Dr. Swarts served with the Regiment until the end of the war in the field and was an honest, faithful and very competent officer and had the respect and confidence of all the officers and men of the command. He was ser- eral times detailed on detached service at the Corps hospitals after a heavy engagement, in which a great many had been wounded. He en- joyed the distinction of being one of the best surgeons in the 15th Corps. Seventy-five sur- geons were killed and wounded in battle during the war.
Dr. Leavitt enlisted as a private soldier in Captain Brouse's Company "K" rooth Indiana
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Infantry. On the 12th of May, 1863, he was pro- moted to be assistant surgeon vice Richard Ma- gee, dismissed May the 8th, 1863. On August 12th, 1863, he was promoted to be surgeon of the Regiment.
Assistant Surgeon Henry H. Hand entered the army as a private soldier in Company "C," tooth Indiana. His qualities soon attracted the attention of his superior officers, and as he pos- sessed some knowledge of medicine and an apti- tude and special capacity and qualifications for its practice and administration, he was promoted to be hospital steward of the Regiment January 1, 1864. Ile performed his duties in that capac- ity so faithfully that he was commissioned As- sistant Surgeon of the Regiment. On the 22d of February, 1865, on the march through the Carolinas on the Peay's Ferry road, Dr. Hand and Henry Stebbins of Company "G" were ambushed by Rebels. Stebbins and his horse and Dr. Hand's horse fell dead. Dr. Hand was taken prisoner and sent to the Rebel prison in Florence. South Carolina, and confined within the dead line until he was exchanged at the close of the war.
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