USA > Indiana > The Eighty-sixth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry : a narrative of its services in the civil war of 1861-1865 > Part 46
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
these partisan warriors in their own country among all their friends. But the manner in which the march was conducted gave the boys who were so disposed a fine opportunity to forage, nor were they slow to take advantage of it for that purpose. The immediate section of country had not, recently at least, been overrun by troops and cleaned up, therefore. it furnished rather a rich picking of eatables. The bivouac near New Market was reached about 3 o'clock p. m. The day's march had been a gay time for those disposed to for- age. They brought in meat, molasses, meal and apples. All through the day's march bushwhackers were heard of, but they were all the time just a little further up country or over eastward toward the mountain.
On the following morning the scout was continued by marching back into town and turning off to the eastward. The pace was not rapid enough to catch well mounted guer- rillas, but it was sufficiently slow to give the boys a splendid chance to continue their foraging, as they at no time had to go far from the road to secure an ample supply. It was truly astonishing to see how willing men were to make pack mules of themselves. Of something that would tickle the palate they would nearly always think themselves able to carry a little more. About noon the detachment passed quite near a house in the yard of which there were a number of beehives. The day was warm and the bees were out in goodly num- bers, but this made no difference to the honey hungry sol- diers. A rush was made for them by all who were not afraid. The attack was made in every conceivable way. One would turn the hive down and break out a piece of comb and go on his way rejoicing, another would rush up to the hive, kick it over, knock the cap off the stand and rush out fighting bees and yell at the top of his voice to the great amusement of those who had remained in ranks. But they got the honey, that was the purpose of the raid. The place of bivouac was reached about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The merry for- agers brought into camp with them an ample supply of flour, honey, corn bread, ham, eggs and dried fruit. Nearly every. thing, in fact, that this part of the country produced in the
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line of eatables was represented in the foragers' combined commissary. Everyone in the command had plenty to eat. and a greater variety of edibles than at any time almost dur- ing their term of service.
During the afternoon a squad under command of Cap- tain Jeremiah Haugh, of Company B, visited the house of an old rebel not very far from the bivouac where. it was reported, there were quite a number of government shoes ยท stored that had been captured from a train by guerrillas or the enemy's cavalry. While the shoes were not found, yet the squad discovered almost everything else. A corpse was at the house, said to have been that of a Union man. Golden or Goldman by name, who had been killed by the bush- whackers on a mountainous ridge not far away. And it was generally believed by the people in the neighborhood that this Union man had been killed by a member of the family where the body now lay. It was generally remarked by those who knew the people and their animosities, that the body was secured and taken to the house as a protection when it was learned that the scouting force would probably come into this neighborhood. It did not, however, wholly shield them, as will be seen. There was no one at the house but women, which was a suspicious circumstance, as the men of the family were known to be in this locality. The women said that their family was the dead man's best and truest friend, and were wholly at a loss to know why anyone should have killed him, as it was not known that he had a personal enemy in the world. They confirmed the report that he was a Union man and acknowledged that their own sympa- thies were with the South, thus giving some show of reason for believing the neighborhood reports that the male mem bers of the family may have been the guilty ones, or, at least. the instigators of the crime. Captain Haugh and a few of the boys went into the house to look at the corpse, and to be sure there was no one in hiding there, but a majority of the party remained outside looking for what they could find and to. begsure that no band of bushwhackers was near. The smoke-house was most carefully searched but no sign of
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
bacon was found. Only one old "gobbler" of the poultry line was visible. It began to look like a brief hunt and a short haul. But the hunt was not given over. An amus- ing feature was the conduct of a young woman who remained in the yard to watch the boys, no doubt, and report whatever mischief they got into. It was little the boys cared, how- ever. They kept smelling around for some meat. At length in an old out-house, buried in a pile of ashes they found it. All had looked in there. but seeing only the ashes, which . were well tramped down. and had the appearance of having been there for years, carried their investigation no farther in that direction. By and by, however, one, more inquisi- tive than his comrades, or reasoning to a more correct con- clusion, determined to push his interrogation of that ash heap to a final and definite result, and so began prodding in the pile with his bayonet. This soon settled the question, for in a moment he fished up a nicely cured ham. The signal was at once given announcing this discovery. A general assault was made on the old out-house, the particular point of attack being the ash heap. The meat was quickly dug up and carried off at a lively rate. There was a sudden rustling of calico, a whipping of skirts on the back door cheek of the house, and the young lady had disappeared from view. But it was only for a brief time. She had gone into the house to inform her mother of the great catas- trophe which had befallen their commissary department. The old lady came out of the house with a shriek and a groan. followed by the girl, and the Captain coming along at his leisure. The woman remonstrated in a vehement manner with the Captain against his allowing the boys to thus rob her, and he warned the boys in a very calm and mild tone of voice not to "take more than one apiece." In a second after the Captain had laid this injunction on the boys, a soldier more hardy than the rest popped out of the door right between the old lady and the Captain lugging a ham in each hand. The woman thought surely the Captain would stop this audacious fellow who was disobeying the order almost at every moment of his promulgation, and therefore cried
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out, "There goes one with two. There goes one with two." But the Captain was wholly oblivious of the woman's cries, and was occupied looking only to see how effectually the boys were fishing the hams out of the ashes. It is scarcely necessary to state that the messes represented on this foray, and, in fact, the whole scouting force, feasted glo- riously that evening. The bill of fare called for hard tack, corn-pone, molasses, honey, dried fruit, ham, eggs, and good old government Java. One man actually so over-fed himself that he never recovered from it, going to the hospital directly upon the return of the regiment to its quarters and dying soon thereafter.
On the morning of the 17th all were up and stirring in good time, and breakfasted on biscuit, honey, molasses, dried peaches, ham, and coffee. Certainly a royal feast for sol- diers who had been actively campaigning at the front for more than two years. The detachment resumed its line of march to return to camp about 8 o'clock, passed through Maysville without any noteworthy incident and reached a point near Brownsboro,' and halted for dinner. Although it had passed through a country undoubtedly thickly infested with some of the most daring guerrillas in the entire South. none had been found. They had had due notice and warning. and had kept well out of the way, not daring to face so large a force as was on the scout. Parties of fifteen or twenty were as large as they ever dared to collect, and seldom so large as that, usually not to exceed four or five, and more frequently only two or three.
The old soldiers were good carriers, and, therefore, still had an abundance of the fat of the land, and again feasted. Resuming the march soon after the meal in a very little while crossed Mountain creek, a tributary of Flint river. Almost immediately after crossing the stream an order was promulgated to cease foraging, which was duly obeyed. The march was continued until 4:30 p. m., at which time the com- mand bivouacked for the night. On the following morning the march was resumed about 8 o'clock. Before reaching Huntsville the men were ordered to conceal their foraged
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edibles. Teams and wagons had been pressed in to haul the foraged meat, so into these wagons were placed all bulky foraged articles and covered up. Then the march was continued. Reached town about 10:30 and camp about 12:30. The arrival gladdened the hearts of the boys who had, for various reasons, been compelled to remain in camp. They, too, now had a feast such as they had not had since leaving the parental roof and table.
In the afternoon of the 18th the Eighty-sixth drew cloth- ing. It was badly needed; almost every man in the regiment was scantily clad, some being compelled to remain in camp from the scout for want of clothing. For a few days now the Eighty-sixth did nothing but do picket duty, stand bri- gade guard, get up fuel to keep warm and feast on the good things which were brought into camp from the scout.
On the 24th drilling commenced, and thereafter, except on Sunday, unless otherwise employed and the weather being suitable, the men were drilled one hour company drill in the forenoon, and about one and half hours battalion drill by the Colonel in the afternoon. Colonel Dick did not mean to allow his men to become soft and worthless for want of exer- cise. Sometimes, however, it was varied by the whole brigade being called out and being given a brigade drill. Besides the drilling on fine evenings the regiment was called out for dress parade.
On January 31 reveille at 6 o'clock and roll call as usual. After the morning meal "sick call" and "guard mount- ing." Then there was one hour of company drill. While eating dinner a few minutes after 12 o'clock, without a moment's warning the "general call" was sounded. It startled the troops somewhat from their pleasant dreams. In a very brief time the meal was disposed of and everything packed up ready for tramping. The shanties on which the men had bestowed so much labor, now looked deserted. Although the call was sounded a few minutes of noon the order to set forward on the march was delayed until almost night, when Beatty's division marched to town and got aboard the cars. The train, however, for some reason was
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delayed and did not start until about 10 o'clock p. m. At this time the train rolled out eastward toward Chattanooga. reached Stevenson about daybreak the next morning. Feb- ruary 1. The troops breakfasted here and then the train proceeded on its way, taking the road to Nashville, which point was reached about 10 o'clock that night. The next forenoon the command was moved out from the depot and bivouacked near its old camping place, occupied just before the battle of Nashville. The command remained here until February 6, when it was again ordered aboard the cars and returned to Huntsville where it arrived about 4 p. m. Feb- ruary 7. Disembarked and marched back to the old quarters, which were reached just. at nightfall. All were in fine spirits at the prospect of camping once again in their good comfortable quarters-veritable houses. But alas! many were left out in the cold. Some wretch had set fire to and burned down several shanties, and therefore these unfor- tunates had to lay out that night on the cold ground while others slept in good bunks. Besides it now required greater labor to procure timber and construct a hut than it did before, as trees were not so conveniently near. But they were rebuilt.
Brigade-guard was established on the 9th. On the 13th company and battalion drills were resumed and dress parade in the evening. On the evening of February 17 orders were received to go on another scouting expedition. It was to be a force of three regiments and Colonel Dick was to have command. This force started on the march about $:30 p. m. on the 17th. marched sonth to Whitesburg, on the Tennessee river, where it arrived about 11 o'clock and bivouacked for a short time, getting about two hours rest and sleep. The men were then ordered up to get aboard two gun-boats, the Stone's River and Sherman. The boats steamed out up the river, conveying the detachment twenty-five miles when it disembarked at Fearn's Ferry, on the south bank about 8 o'clock a. m. on the 18th. The detachment was then marched to Warrenton, a small town some five miles from the place of disembarkment. Here the detachment was allowed to get
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
breakfast and have a good rest. From here it was marched in a circuitous route to Guntersville, the shire town of Mar- shall county, Alabama, and almost directly east of War- renton, and ten miles above the ferry. In the march east- ward through the country the detachment ran on to a squad of rebel cavalrymen or guerrillas, or bushwhackers, or cut- throats, which ever they were, but they hastily skeedad- dled, and that with so much speed there was little oppor- tunity to get a shot at them. This part of the country was also thickly infested with this class of lawless men, and woe to the Union man or isolated Federal soldier whom they caught. But infantry could do little against them as they were generally well mounted and thoroughly acquainted with every foot of the country over which they operated and would, if pressed, at once disperse to meet at some other point. Some of the boys of the Eighty-sixth had found it so agreeable to their natures, and had experienced so much enjoyment in foraging the good things of the land while out on the former scout, thought they would have an equally enjoyable time on this occasion, and therefore started out to raid a few smoke houses, but were promptly checked by the Colonel. They thought to evade him and get their booty at any rate, but were promptly detected and called in somewhat crest-fallen. This made the boys hot, and there was some grumbling in ranks over the matter. The boys argued that the people here were just as great rebels as those on the other side of the river where they had been allowed to for- age so freely. But the Colonel was firm and they were forced to obey orders. In fact, it was here a necessary order, and was much better for the boys than to be shot down by bushwhackers or to be captured and carried off to South- ern prisons. The command reached Guntersville about 3 o'clock p. m. The town is situated on the south bank of the Tennessee river, on the great horse-shoe bend at the most southern point reached by the river. Took boats for Whites- burg, reaching that place about 6:30 p. m., having made much better time than in going up the river. From Whites-
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INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
burg, a distance of five miles, it marched to camp which made it late getting to bunk.
From this time on the regiment had no more hard service or scouting while it remained in camp in the vicinity of Huntsville. The duties consisted of fatigue, policing the quarters and hauling away the refuse from camp, patrolling the surrounding country to catch men ranging away from camp, and to intimidate and keep away guerrillas, picket, brigade guard, and drilling.
On the 15th of March marching orders were received. Tents were struck and every preparation made to leave. The order, however, to set forward did not come. On the following day, however, the order came and the command left its very comfortable quarters for good, no more to gan- bol in the sunshine on the hill-side like school-boys in the May-day of life. Winter quarters were a thing of the past. The start was made at 6 a. m. Reached town in good time, and the Third brigade got aboard the cars about 9 o'clock and rolled out for Stevenson, which place was reached about 3 o'clock p. m. The government freight trains, it will be understood, made but slow time anywhere, but here in this part of the country which was overrun with bushwhackers, great caution was necessary. The command took advantage of the stop at Stevenson and dined. The run was then con- tinued throughout the night, but with many stops and delays. Daylight found the command east of Cleveland and still run- ning. The train on which the Eighty-sixth was being trans- ported reached Loudon, on the Tennessee river, about 9 o'clock a. m. on the 17th. Here there was a long delay. Some of the boys wandered down in town and were arrested by the post-guards and put in the guard-house. This caused trouble at once, and some of the more excitable of the old soldiers flew to the cars and got their guns preparatory to making an attack on the post-guards. The officers of the guards deployed their men, forming a skirmish line between the train and the town. The old soldiers were jeering and hooting at the "feather-bed soldiers" and working them- selves into a greater passion all the time. There seemed to
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
be quite a fair prospect for a battle. But fortunately General Thomas came along in his car and the trouble was averted. It was settled at once at the word of the chief without blood- shed. The boys who had been arrested were returned to the regiment somewhat crest-fallen, although free once more. Left Loudon about 2 o'clock and arrived at Knoxville at 10 p. m. The train and troops remained at Knoxville until 12 o'clock noon the next day, the 18th, and were then moved on eastward to Strawberry Plains, and then to New Market, where the troops were disembarked and bivouacked about 9 o'clock p. m., having been aboard the cars three days and two nights. Most, if not all of the men were heartily glad to get off the cars and were quite willing to try a little mod- erate marching rather than to be penned up in box-cars and shipped about the country like so many hogs or cattle.
At New Market drilling was resumed, picket duty had to be performed, and then the camp had to be cleaned and fixed up. This kept the men pretty busily engaged for some days. But when not employed otherwise the boys would make up a game of ball and have a "high old time" at that amusement. It seemed that they could not be quiet any more for any great length of time-activity had become a kind of second nature to them. The weather was very changeable while the command remained at New Market. Sunshine, cloud and rain, wind and cold, were strangely and variously mingled from day to day. On the 26th corps head- quarters were moved to Morristown, eighteen miles farther east. This served as a notice to the men that they might expect to move on soon.
On the morning of the 29th the command was called up at 2 o'clock to pack up extra baggage to send it back to be stored. The orders were to march at 5 a. m. The column started forward at 5:30 a. m., and covered about fourteen miles and bivouacked. A heavy rain fell during the night. The next morning the march was resumed at 6 a. m., passing through Morristown and Russellville the command bivou- acked about 1:30 p. m. after marching twelve or thirteen miles. During the night of the 30th there was another down
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pour of rain which rendered the roads still worse than they had hitherto been. The tramp was resumed at 6 a. m., and covering five or six miles Bull's Gap was reached. Here the command was halted and bivouacked.
On Monday morning, April 2, 1865, at Bull's Gap, East Tennessee, the news was received by a telegram from Gen- eral Grant that Richmond and Petersburg had been evacu- ated by the enemy and taken possession of by Union troops. This was gloriously good news and everybody was jubilant. All now felt confident that as the Capital of the Confederacy had been taken the days of the Confederate States were numbered, that the life of the Confederacy itself was of a few days and full of trouble, and then to be no more forever. The Union forces from every direction were evidently con- centrating in the direction of Richmond, or rather in the direction of Lee's army now. The Fourth corps was march- ing eastward to head him should he try to come this way. Sherman with his grand army, "sixty thousand strong. " was marching northward and closing down toward Richmond, and Lee saw plainly enough that if Sherman arrived with his conquering army that he would be cooped up in Rich- mond and Petersburg and starved. and therefore forced to surrender. His only hope then was to escape from the clutches of Grant's army and join Johnston, and thus com- bined try and crush Sherman. But Sheridan by his dashing generalship headed Lee off from Johnston and now the Fourth corps was to be thrown across his pathway.
On the morning of the 4th of April reveille was sounded at 4:30 and Knefler's brigade filed out upon the road at 7. A lively pace was at once set, and the column went forward rapidly and steadily and passed the First and Second divi- sions, which had hitherto been in the advance of the Third division in East Tennessee. Another dispatch was read to the troops while on the road, confirming the evacuation of Richmond and Petersburg, which greatly elated the boys and they stepped along at a lively rate, talking of the prospect of going home soon. A halt was made at noon for dinner. and then again marched away at the same lively rate and
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
bivouacked at Greenville, the home of Andy Johnson, about 5 o'clock, after having marched about twenty miles.
The command remained until about noon the next day, April 5, at which time Beatty's division resumed its east- ward march and bivouacked that evening near Raytown, and the Eighty-sixth was sent out on picket. The following morning reveille was sounded at 4:30 and the column filed out upon the road to continue its eastward tramp at 6. The road led over a broken, hilly country. The day was warm which rendered marching anything but an easy task. The column passed through Leesburg and on, arriving at Jones- boro about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, where the troops biv- ouacked. The Eighty-sixth did not pitch its camp or bivouac with the rest of the brigade, but in the edge of the town.
The Eighty-sixth arrived at Jonesboro' on the 6th of April. On the 10th a dispatch came bearing the pleasing information of the surrender of Lee's army to General Grant on the previous day. This was great good news over which all rejoiced. On the next day another dispatch was received confirming the dispatch of the previous day and giving a few more of the particulars of the surrender. A dispatch was also read stating that General Sherman had captured a por- tion of Johnston's forces in North Carolina. On Wednesday the 12th a dispatch was received stating that Johnston was retreating before Sherman, and also saying that Forrest and Roddy had been captured, or, at least, that they had sur- rendered. This indeed began to look like the closing up of the business of the Southern Confederacy and the approach of the White Winged Angel of Peace, and therefore all rejoiced. On the 13th came another dispatch confirming the surrender of Forrest and Roddy, and also one announcing the capture of Lynchburg, Virginia. Almost daily now there came telegrams of the surrender of portions of the rebel army indicating that in truth and in fact the boastful Confederates were falling and tumbling over one another in their undignified haste to climb out of the "Last Ditch." All the late events of the war pointed to the early restora- tion of the supremacy of the United States government over
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its broad domain. and peace over all. Again the torn and distracted country would be at rest and bask in the sunlight of peace as in the halcyon days of yore, and her eagles would once again bathe their blood stained talons in the still waters that flow by the shores of amity and concord. On the 15th a dispatch came saying that General Lee had advised all rebel officers to surrender their commands to the nearest United States forces.
Such was the condition of affairs when the lightning- like stroke of assassination stunned the American people. On Sunday, April 16. the Eighty-sixth was inspected by Captain Walker, Brigade Inspector for the Third brigade. and everything was dragging along in the usual hum-drum channels of camp-life. But in the evening a dispatch came bringing the shocking news that President Lincoln had been assassinated. This fell like a pall. It caused universal sor- row in the army, for no one in all the land came so near the hearts of the soldiers as Mr. Lincoln. They had never seen him. but his kind words had come to them and touched in their hearts a sympathetic cord. His character and great- ness has been analyzed as follows by one of America's great- est orators:
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