USA > Indiana > Reunion of the 9th regiment Indiana vet. vol. infantry association, 1892-1904 > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
26
center of the fight on both days. It met the enemy in full career at the Brock field, and there held him until other forces could come up to relieve us long enough to refill our exhausted cartridge boxes. We met the enemy thirty minutes later at the Brotherton house in the full pursuit of our fleeing men, and, almost alone, the Ninth held Stewart's Division at bay until two great parks of artillery were assembled, which crushed the charging columns of the enemy and saved our line of battle. It took post that night on the right of the Kelly field line, and next morn- ing held it against repeated assaults all day, despite the fact that the Union line on both sides was driven back, until the enemy's lines at one time almost met in its rear, and only left its position when called to repel the assault of Longstreet upon the Snodgrass field, where with its Brigade, Hazen's and Harker's Brigade, it repelled that heaviest assault of the war, fighting until near night. It was then sent by Gen. Hazen to the right of the line on Snodgrass Hill, which it reached just as the shades of night were falling. Upon its right front in this position were the Twenty-first Ohio, Twenty-second Michigan and Eighty-ninth Ohio. Soon after the Ninth reached its posi- tion on Snodgrass Hill the enemy turned the flank of these three regiments I have just named, and, sweeping up in their rear with heavy force, captured them, taking in some of the outlying guards of the Ninth Indiana. They de- manded the surrender of the Ninth, also, but were an- swered with a volley, and in the confusion which followed the firing of the Ninth, in which the Thirty-fifth Ohio also participated, which regiment was lying close up to ours on our left rear, many of the prisoners escaped and the enemy were driven off the hill. This firing closed the battle of Chickamauga. The Ninth Indiana remained there facing the enemy until eight o'clock that night, and then with- drew, finding nothing but wounded men as it retired, until it came up with the retreating army in the Gap late at night. We claim for the regiment that it fired the last volley, and stood the last guard at the battle of Chicka-
27
mauga. It was with Hooker "above the clouds" at Look- out Mountain, and the next day engaged in the wonderful assault upon Mission Ridge. After that came the won- derful campaign known as the Atlanta Campaign, where for 120 days the booming of cannon and the crackle and roar of musketry was heard every day. This campaign was followed by the battles of Franklin and Nashville, in which the regiment was in the front line, and did all that was expected of it. The men did the part of steady, un- yielding veterans, animated by the warmest love for the fag and the cause for which they fought. More need not be said. So much for what the Ninth did in the war. I am proud of its record in the war, but I am prouder of what they did after the war. Skeptics as to our form of government pointed with sneers to our army. "Now comes your hour of peril," they said. "You can never disband that army. With habits formed during four years of service, the men will be unfit for anything else but the life of a soldier, and designing men will use them to subvert your government." Think of the mortification of these men when they saw our soldiers melt into civil life in a day as it were, ceasing to be soldiers forever, unless the nation should be again in peril. The Old World was astounded at the spectacle. It was thought by these people of other lands that our disbanded army would be a lawless banditti. They had no conception of the universal intelli- gence which prevails among our people, of the love of law and order which rules and controls them. There is our safety: the education of our people. The education of the masses is our sheet anchor, our national safeguard.
I am proud of our country, proud of our people, young and old; proud of their intelligence, of their patriotism, of their past record and of their promise for the future. With them the institutions of my country are safe through the oncoming generations.
I thank you for hearing me so patiently.
At the conclusion of Capt. McConnell's speech the audience was again favored with some excellent music by the orchestra and the Campfire declared closed.
28
SECOND DAY.
Forenoon .-- With A. S. McCormick, Vice-President in the chair, the Association was called to order and the fol- lowing business transacted: Calling the roll of survivors and making additions and corrections thereto, and noting death of those who have passed away since the last reunion.
Secretary Whitehall and Treasurer Banta suggested that the funds available for printing and binding the forth- coming annual report were inadequate, and thereupon a committee was appointed to solicit donations from such of the comrades as felt able to contribute, and in the neighborhood of twenty dollars was thus secured.
The Corresponding Secretary again importuned the members of the Association to keep him better advised of changes in the post office address of comrades, and of deaths, and of the discovery of survivors whose names have not yet been added to the roster. He hoped every: comrade would feel it his duty without waiting for orders to promptly notify the Secretary of the death of a com- rade. The Vice-Presidents were requested to make it their duty to keep the Secretary advised regarding the deaths of members of their own company. The Committee on Res- olutions, through Capt. McConnell, submitted the follow- ing report :
Preamble.
The Ninth Indiana Infantry Volunteers, under the com. mand of Col. R. Il. Milroy, was the first organized regi- ment to leave Indiana for the scene of active hostilities at the commencement of the Civil War, under President Lin-
29
coln's call for 75,000 troops for three months' service. In that short service it and its gallant commander attracted the eyes of the nation by their soldierly qualities. Three of its captains-Moody, Dunn and Chase-were made cap- tains in the regular army, and many others of the officers, because of that service, rising, later, to high commands in other organizations in the Civil War. After the reorgani- zation of the regiment for the three years' service in this city (LaPorte) it was led into the field by Col. R. H. Milroy, who being made a brigadier general, left the regi- ment which had first given that distinction to him as a soldier which made him a major general and gave him the prominent place in the events of the great war and in his country's history, which is the glory of this regiment and the pride of all who knew him. His subsequent career in civil life was distinguished and honorable.
He was succeeded in the command of the regiment by Col. G. C. Moody, then holding a commission as captain in the regular army, but who had been granted leave of absence that he might accept the command. He was an accomplished officer, commanded the regiment at the battle of Shiloh, where the regiment won laurels which estab- lished its reputation as a fighting regiment and for sol- dierly qualities. In August of 1862, his leave being re- called, he returned to his place in the regular service, and was detailed upon the staff of Major General G. H. Thomas, where he served with distinction through the Kentucky campaign and the battles of Stone River, Chick- amauga and Mission Ridge, after which he left the service to join a colony then locating in the territory of Dakota, where he distinguished himself in civil life, rising to the position of chief justice of the territory, and when the state was admitted became United States Senator. He is re- garded as one of the foremost lawyers of the Great West. He was succeeded in the command by Col. W. H. Blake, who commanded the regiment with conspicuous ability . through the trying ordeal of the battle of Stone River, showing a coolness and capacity unsurpassed by anything
30
ever witnessed upon the battlefield, and which should have given him a general's star, and would doubtless have brought that reward had not ill-health compelled him to withdraw from the service and enter the civil service of the country, where he distinguished himself as he had in the military service, until an early death put an end to a valuable life.
Col. Blake was succeeded in the command of the regi- ment by Col. I. C. B. Suman, who had served with dis- tinction with it from its earliest organization, and whose soldierly qualities won for him the love and affection of his friends and the respect and admiration of his enemies. Col. Suman commanded the regiment until the close of the war. During his command the regiment veteranized, and he led it home on its "veteran furlough." Under his command the regiment passed through the Tullahoma campaign, the Chickamauga campaign, the Atlanta cam- paign, the pursuit of Hood to Galesville, Ala., the battles of Franklin, and Nashville, the pursuit of Hood to Hunts- ville, the East Tennessee campaign, and the expedition to Texas, in the last of which he commanded the brigade, and in all these the regiment and its gallant commander won ever increasing laurels. At the close he was made a brigadier general for gallant and distinguished services. His career in civil life has been distinguished and hon- orable.
The honorable and distinguished records of these past commanders of the "Old Ninth," both in military and civil life, is the property of the regiment, and of right goes to enhance whatever of glory and renown attaches to the record for duty well performed in the greatest war which has been fought since the dawn of civilization, and should have mention in the records of this Association. With this mention of past commanders of the regiment the mem- ory reverts to the reorganization at LaPorte, and its de- parture for the seat of war, amidst the plaudits, cheers and tears of the people, and the hospitable treatment, the exhi- bitions of pride and affection which this Association has.
31
received from them on the occasions when its reunions have been held in LaPorce; therefore be it
Resolved, That this Veteran Association takes just pride in the records, military and civil, of all of its com- manders as mentioned in the preamble to these resolu- tions, and that the same has been made and preserved as a part of its records, to be read by those who shall come after us, as our testimonial. Be it further
Resolved, That we regard the city of LaPorte as pe- culiarly connected with our regiment, being the place of its organization for the great work of the Civil War, and having extended to us the warmest and broadest hospi- tality when we have met within its bounds in reunion.
That we beg to extend to the good citizens of LaPorte our warmest thanks and most sincere love and affection for the kindness and hospitality shown to us, and to assure the good people that we shall ever bear it in grateful re- membrance.
That our warmest thanks are due and are hereby ex- tended to Mrs. C. O. Nelson and Miss Cora Ephlin for their beautiful rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." To us it was both beautiful and artistic, and we appreciate their great kindness in giving it.
We do also tender our sincere thanks to the Patton Post Quartette for their great kindness in singing for us upon the occasion of our campfire. We greet them with that term which has taken on such new and delicious mean- ing since the days when we "slept under the same blanket and drank from the same canteen."
We extend thanks to all of the good citizens and the G. A. R. Post of LaPorte for kindness shown us upon this occasion. We will ever hold them in grateful remem- brance.
That with deep sorrow we note the death since our last meeting of our comrade, Lieut. Thomas Prickett. He was with us at our last reunion. Since then he has an- swered the last call. He was a gallant soldier, a true and faithful comrade, a loving friend, and that noblest work
32
1
of God, an honest man. His death is an inestimable loss to his family, and to them the heartfelt sympathy of this Association is extended, this Association holding his mem- ory in loving remembrance.
Our grateful thanks are due the kind ladies of the Woman's Relief Corps of LaPorte for the bountiful and delicious banquet which their ever kind hands provided for us. Words always fail us when we attempt to speak of what the ladies do for us. Their unfailing kindness is only excelled by their patriotic devotion to the flag for which we fought.
We are still thanking our incomparable Secretary, Hon. A. L. Whitchall, for his valuable services. He is a paragon of both capability and patience.
The resolutions were adopted by a unanimous vote. Announcement was made that dinner would be served promptly at noon in order to enable all comrades desiring to leave early an opportunity to make their trains in time. Comrades were besought to not only attend at Elkhart next year, but endeavor to get as full a turnout as possi- ble, particularly of the comrades residing in the eastern part of the district. On motion the Association adjourned.
Dinner having been prepared by the ladies of Patton Post Relief Corps, and spread upon tables set in the Post room, the comrades of the Ninth were invited to be seated, and sat down to a sumptous feast, and were served by the ladies of the corps. The veterans did ample justice to the fine spread.
Dinner over, Secretary Whitehall called for three cheers for the ladies who had prepared such a superb din- ner. Three times three were given with a hearty good will. And thus closed a very pleasant reunion of the Ninth Indiana.
The following members of the Ninth Regiment reg- istered :
John Banta, Co. K. Loganspost; H. O. Kremer, Co. I, Mishawaka; J. B. Baldwin, Co. E, Leroy; Henry Burgess, Co. E, Hebron; Jas. D). Braden, Elkhart; Geo. Williams.
33
Co. E, Hulbert; J. F. Hubar, Co. D, Castleton; Jno. H. Thornton, Co. G, Rensselaer; Jesse Drake, Co. C, Elk- hart; Wm. Brummitt, Co. G, New Carlisle; Edmund Smith, Co. B, Sharpesville; L. H. Burns, Co. K, Logans- port; Wm. Banta. Co. K, Logansport; Adolph Whorwell, Co. F, Bangor, Mich .; Samuel Dustan, Co. F, Wheeling, W. Va .; John Holliday, Co. I. Mishawaka; Harvey Gibbs, Co. H, Leroy; Thos. J. Robinson, Co. E. Hebron; Geo. Friend, Co. K, Logansport : Win. MeLaughlin, Co. K. Lo- gansport; D. B. McConnell, Co. K, Logansport; Jas. Mc- Knight, Co. E, Leroy; Ed. Ephlin, Co. A, LaPorte; Al- pheus Porter, Co. K, Logansport: J. M. Barron, Co. K, Logansport; A. L. Hart, Co. B, LaPorte; Matt. J. Day, Co. F, Cincinnati; Andy Wadel, Co. D, Albert Lea, Minn .; L. D. Van Winkle, Co. B, Walkerton; W. H. Merritt, Co. F, Elkhart; Silas Baker, Co. D, Walkerton; Jas. Gordon, Co. B, Michigan City; Jacob Miller, Co. K, Braidwood, Ill .; Ellis Palmateer, Co. G, Michigan City; S. I. Kessler, Co. C, LaPorte; Thos. Madden, Co. A, Indianapolis; W. Kelly, Co. D, Plymouth; A. L. Whitehall, Co. F, Chicago; Geo. I. Badger, Co. I, LaPorte; J. M. McGinnix, Co. D, Westville; Geo. K. Marshall, Co. A, Logansport; Geo. H. Cleveland, Co. E, New Carlisle; Wm. A. Markel, Co. I, Goshen; David Slough, Co. I, South Bend; Andrew J. Martin, Co. C, Huntsville, Ala .; Simon Barringer, Co. C. Mansilona, Mich .; E. W. Hyde; Co. C, Goshen; A. G. Manning, Co. C, Elkhart; Wm. B. Webster, Co. B, La- Porte; W. H. Carr, Co. F. New Carlisle; Gen. I. C. B. Suman, Ninth, Valparaiso; John Ritz, Co. H, Valparaiso; B. A. Dunn, Co. C, Waukegan. Ill .; J. M. Helmick, Co. E, Wheatfield; C. L. Andrews, Co. D, Plymouth; Jones Grant, Co. D, Plymouth; G. W. Dawson, Co .. D, Plymouth; J. G. Leonard, Co. D, Plymouth; A. S. McCormick, Co. A, La- fayette; Fred Ludwig, Co. F, LaPorte; Daniel Lynch, Co. H, Lowell; Geo. H. Wilbur, Co. D, Milwaukee; Geo. Post, Co. H, Hammond.
In addition to the above list of those in attendance were the following ladies, wives and daughters of members of the regiment :
34
Nancy J. Baker, Walkerton; Mrs. Grant, Plymouth: Mrs. Helmick, Wheatfield; Mrs. Carr, New Carlisle; Mrs. Manning, Elkhart; Mrs. McGinnix and the Misses Mc- Ginnix, Westville; Mrs. Friend, Logansport; Mrs. Whor- well, Bangor, Mich .: Mrs. Wm. Banta, Logansport; Mrs. Drake, Elkhart; Mrs. J. and Miss Banta, Logans- port.
35
IN MEMORIAM.
Lieut. Thos. Prickett died at his home in Ligonier, Ind., at 4:20, Friday morning, May 9, 1902, aged 69 years, 2 months. and 28 days. He was born near Benton, Elkhart coun- ty, Feb. 11, 1833. Dur- ing his boyhood days he attended the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood, and, later, the Lagrange Collegiate Institute at Ontario, Ind. He par- tially learned the car- penter's trade, but when a little more than nineteen years old, in 1852, being in Illinois, he joined a company emigrating to California, by an overland route across the plains, where he spent five years working in the gold mines of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, returning home in 1857.
After his return from California he taught school for several terms. In 1858 he went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
36
and engaged in farming. While there he again was seized with the "gold fever," and with a company of young men of that place started out upon the plains for Pike's Peak. After getting several hundred miles out on the plains they met so many returning from the so- called gold fields who reported that there was no gold there in quantities that they returned to Iowa. Later he returned to Indiana, and with his brother, J. P. Prickett, engaged in farming and the milling business.
When the civil war broke out he volunteered in the Twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, then in camp at Laporte. While in camp there the regiment not being recruited to the proper quota, Col. Robert Milroy returned with the Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry from three months' service in Virginia, to recruit the regiment for three years' service. The Ninth, lacking some men to bring it up to the required quota, Col. Milroy called for volunteers from the Twenty-ninth, and Mr. Prickett and a number of others volunteered to go with the Ninth, which regi- ment returned to Virginia and was engaged in a number of battles there, in all of which the subject of this sketch was a participant.
A vacancy occurring in the commissioned officers of Co. E, to which he belonged, Mr. Prickett was promoted from the ranks to orderly sergeant over the heads of all the other non-commissioned officers of the company. Later the regiment was transferred to the Army of the Cumber- land, and was engaged in the battles of Stone River, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Perryville, Mission Ridge and a number of other minor engagements. At Stone River he was wounded, but only remained away from his regi- ment for a few days. At Chickamauga he went into the battle as orderly sergeant, but came out in command of the company, all the commissioned officers of Co. E being killed or wounded. He was successively commis- sioned Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, but, al- though having command of the company, was never com- missioned as Captain.
37
After more than three years in the service of his country he resigned and came home, and on Jan. 21, 1864, was married to Miss Martha M. Darr, daughter of David Darr, and a granddaughter of Charles G. Vail, who had been a pioneer merchant of Benton, Ind., and later a merchant of this city.
Some years after the war he was the Republican can- didate for sheriff of Elkhart county, but was defeated by 52 votes. He afterwards served for many years as trustee of Benton township, that county. Removing to Ligonier he engaged in the boot and shoe business, and was nominated for clerk of the Noble circuit court, to which position lie was elected by a large majority. He served one term as clerk, declining a second nomination, and returning to Ligonier he lived a retired life. . Feb. 16, 1902, he had a serious attack of organic heart trouble, from which he died, as above stated, May 9, 1902.
He leaves a wife, four daughters and two sons, be- sides two brothers-one of whom is the editor of the Milford Mail-two sisters and one step-sister, and sev- cral grandchildren to mourn his departure. He was an affectionate husband, a kind and indulgent father, and faithful in all his friendships. He was faithful to every trust, a good citizen, and one who had given the best years of his life to his country's service.
Funeral services under the control of Stansbury Post G. A. R. of Ligonier, were held at the family residence in this city at 10 o'clock a. m. on Sunday, after which the remains were laid to rest in the family lot in Jackson cemetery, near Benton, at 2 o'clock p. m., a large number of old neighbors and soldier friends being present at the burial.
Thomas Prickett was a man of sterling worth, upright and honorable, honest in every transaction, a man of truth and veracity, and you would find him the same, day after day and year after year. He was a man of strong character, unswerving in his convictions, and what he believed he was not ashamed to affirm. He had
38
no patience with hypocrisy or deceit, and loved the truth. He was an ardent Republican, intensely patriotic, and would have given his last drop of blood for the life of his country. Truly a good man has gone, but he has left behind a life that is worthy of emulation for its ex- ample of patriotism, honesty of purpose, sterling worth and character. Truly it may be said that a good man has gone. May he rest in peace.
The foregoing sketch of the life and tribute to the memory of our loved comrade appeared in the Ligonier Leader, his home paper, and so truly sets forth the ster- ling worth of Comrade Prickett that we have adopted it as a fitting memoir, calling attention to the resolution of condolence passed at the reunion of the Ninth Indiana at Laporte in October, 1902, as voicing the high esteem and love of his surviving comrades of the Ninth Indiana Veteran Infantry.
CAPT. DUDLEY H. CHASE.
Born at Logansport, Ind., in 1837 and died in said city July 1, 1902.
The subject of our sketch was the son of Henry and Elizabeth D. Chase. His father was at one time Circuit Judge. His mother died when Dudley H. was a child, and most of his boyhood was spent at the home of his uncle, William Chase, a pioneer business man of Logans- port. Hon. Schuyler Colfax secured for young Chase the appointment as a cadet to West Point in 1856, but the chivalrous young man was so strongly imbued with anti- slavery sentiments that instead of reporting to the mili- tary academy, he went to Kansas and organized a body of free state men, and under the leadership of Gen. Jim Lane was active for several months in making Kansas a free state, after which he returned to Logansport and began the study of law in the office of Hon. D. D. Pratt, late United States senator from Indiana. In 1858 he graduated from the Cincinnati Law School. Subsequently he became a law partner of Senator Pratt. Meantime he
39
had organized a military company known as the Logan Greys, and was elected captain, and under his drill the company became well known as one of the best militia companies of Indiana.
When President Lincoln issued his call for 75,000 men, Captain Chase and his Logan Greys promptly enlisted and became a company of the Ninth Indiana Regiment of Infantry, and under the dashing Milroy participated in the early engagements in West Virginia. August 4, 1861, the brilliant and dashing young volunteer Captain was commissioned a Captain in the regular army and served with much credit in the Army of the Potomac. He was Captain in the Seventeenth United States Infantry in Gen- eral Sykes' division of the Fifth Army Corps, and received in the battle of Gettysburg a severe wound in the side. Later on, returning to his command, he participated in the Mine Run and other campaigns in Virginia, being as ranking Captain in command of his regiment, when, in consequence of his suffering from his wound and ill health he was forced to resign in 1864. Returning to Logansport he resumed the practice of law and for four years served as prosecuting attorney of his district, com- prising six counties. In 1872 he was elected to the circuit bench and continued as Circuit Judge up to 1884, when he retired from public duty for a time, but in 1894 he was again elected Circuit Judge, and was holding the position at date of his death.
Judge Chase not only took a keen interest in military affairs, but was a prominent worker in Odd Fellowship and also in the Masonic fraternity, being a Knight Tem- plar, and was acting as Captain General of the Knights at his death.
Being possessed of a well-poised mind and genial, yet commanding and dignified presence, Judge Chase took high rank as one of the foremost jurists of his state. He was a member of the Veteran Association of the Ninth Indiana Regiment and will be remembered by his com-
40
rades as a courageous, high-minded and companionable comrade.
CAPT, JOHN CRANER.
In the three months' service . of the Ninth Indiana, John Craner was a private, and on re-enlisting for the three-year service, Sept. 5, 1861, was made sergeant, and subsequently rose to the rank of Captain of his company. Several years after the close of the war he left Laporte county, Indiana, for the west, and resided for a number of years at Moline, Kan. He was temporarily at Geuda Springs in that state on account of his failing health at the time of his death, July 28, 1902.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.