USA > Indiana > The Forty-third Regiment of Indiana Volunteers : an historic sketch of its career and services > Part 6
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balance of Civil War, I suppose they would act upon the principle that distance lends enchantment to the scenes of · battle. If the love of the Infinite Father was applied to such characters as a lever, with Heaven for a fulcrum, it would take untold myriads of years to raise them to the level of convicted felons. Yet these very same would-be robbers at heart have called on me, in late years, for favors, and have received the same. But the whys of the report- ing. When those parties above mentioned found that they did not own us, no, not the minutest atom of our physical structure, they were then ready to ask permission of a government official to file an affidavit against us, the con- tents of which they well knew to be as false as fiction itself. Yes, they dared to insult High Heaven by the dark loath- some act of perjury. Yea, when we dared to assert our manhood, by voting and thinking as we pleased, and would not meekly come under the political yoke; when they as taskmasters threatened us with the lash of party require- ments, then they sought to do us injury by stopping our pension; and not only that, but they attempted to slander myself and family by false swearing. The government sent a special agent to sift the matter and determine the facts. My heart-felt gratitude is here expressed to the noble, warm hearted men who were my comrades in arms, for the manner in which they so fully sustained and vindicated me in the dark hours when the modern Benedict Arnold, and Judas Iscariot were seeking not only to impoverish and re- duce to a state of indigence the condition of my companions and little girls, but to defame and slander them through the medium of willfull and sworn perjury. My case went through the government crucible of investigation and came out all the better of having been thoroughly inves- tigated.
In conclusion, will say so far as known there are 12 of the
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original 101 of Co. G, 43d Ind. now living. All the rest have gone to the eternal camping ground. Now boys, "Three cheers for the Stars and Stripes, and three for our beloved commander, William E. McLean."
JOHN COLEMAN MOSS,
Late Sergeant Company G, 43d Indiana.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE 43D REGIMENT, FROM THE PEN OF HON. JAMES C. GILMORE, FORMERLY PRIVATE OF COMPANY "H." SINCE THE WAR A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE OHIO BAR; FOR SOME YEARS JUDGE OF THE DARKE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.
IN pursuance to the urgent request of the compiler of this volume, Judge Gilmore has been induced to make the following contribution to this history, which we feel will be highly appreciated by every survivor of the old 43d. In a private letter, Judge Gilmore says, "that since the war although he has not succeeded in accumulating much money, he has succeeded in accumulating a large family of children and grand-children." "Long live Jim
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Gilmore," we feel will be the hearty greeting of every old Forty-Thirder.
REMINISCENCES, INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES. INTRODUCTION.
IN responding to the request of Col. William E. McLean
to contribute something to his forthcoming history of the Forty-Third Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, I have simply jotted down from memory alone, some of the inter- esting and amusing things I saw, heard, and knew, during the three years I was connected with the Regiment.
In so far as my contribution may tend toward being "historical", I make no pretense of accuracy in dates, nor in the chronological order of incidents or events referred to. For a history of the 43d, and the part it played in the war of the Rebellion, I refer the reader to the more serious por- tion of the book. If I succeed in entertaining and interest- ing a few of my surviving comrades, for but a brief time, and cause them to recall some of the pleasant hours we spent together as members of the Forty-Third, I will have accomplished all I have reason to hope for or expect.
The transferring of some of my recollections from mem- ory to paper, has been, with me, a labor of love. I delight in recalling and revelling in the happy memories and fond remembrances that cluster around every camping ground of our old regiment, as they are fixed in my mind.
It is true, that many sad and distressing scenes come ti11- bidden within our mental vision, to prevent our pleasure from being unalloyed ; but even these sad scenes have been deprived largely of their distressing features by the lapse of time, and we can look back and think of them, with a de- gree of pleasure, when we reflect upon the patience with which sufferings were endured, and the sympathy aroused
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in the breasts of the soldier boys for their stricken come- rades, manifested by the touching tenderness with which the roughest of the soldiers ministered to the wants of the afflicted ones.
On these sad pictures I have dwelt but slightly, leaving them for a more skillful writer to portray, and confining myself chiefly to such incidents as bring out the wit and humor of the soldier, as well as his reckless disregard for the moral precepts taught him in his youth.
I do not mean to say that soldiers, as a rule, were more immoral or less honest than at home ; but the restraints of home influences being removed, the younger soldiers were "prone to wander", and to reconcile their consciences to the doing of things they never would have done at home. They were encouraged in this direction by the fact that conduct on the part of soldiers, that would have been coll- demned in any community as exceedingly reprehensible, was tolerated, overlooked, or winked at by officers and men. To their credit it may be said, that with compara- tively few exceptions, the wildest and most reckless sold- iers, when discharged from the army at the end of their term of enlistment, returned to their homes, settled down and once more became quiet, honest, law-abiding citizens, thereby showing that they regarded their army experiences as a sort of hiatus in their lives, during which they were not answerable to the laws of civilized communities ; but that whatever they might do as soldiers, like Rip Van- Winkle's frequent last libitations, "wouldn't count".
My observations in attending re-unions and other meet- ings of veterans, lead me to believe that they prefer to ignore the sufferings and hardships endured, and to recall those episodes in their army lives, that exhibit a cliaracter- istic disposition to emulate Mark Tapley, whose aim in life it was "to be jolly" under the most adverse circumstances.
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OUR FIRST CAMP.
The first camp of the 43d, after leaving Camp Vigo, where the regiment was organized, was on the Ohio River, just below Evansville, Indiana. My recollection is that we remained there about ten days, and that it rained every day. The boys tried to keep the water out of their tents by digging a hole at the lower corner of each tent, on the outside, then digging ditches to run the water into the holes. These holes soon filled with water and were a con- stant menace to pedestrians. There was nothing doing in camp ; and about the only amusement one could indulge in, was to retire early and while lying in one's comfortable bunk, listen for belated soldiers to tumble into these watery man traps. The varied expressions of disgust, and lurid oaths coming from the unfortunate ones, mingled with the hilarity of their companions, who were better posted on the topography of the camp, served to break the monotony of an otherwise "tedious and tasteless" camp life.
SPOTTSVILLE.
From Evansville we took boats and went up Green River, Ky., making our first stop at Spottsville, where we went into camp and remained some time, guarding the locks lo- cated at that point, as we understood it, to prevent their destruction by wandering bands of Confederates.
The camp at Spottsville stands out in my memory as the muddiest spot the 43d ever wallowed in, and no one regret- ted leaving it .. We spent Christmas there ; and there our venerable Col. Steele left us and returned to Indiana, and Col. Wm. E. McLean took command.
CALHOUN.
From Spottsville we continued up the river to Calhoun, where we again pitched tents and remained some time. I
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had not then, and have not now, the most remote idea why we stopped at Calhoun. Indeed, I have little idea of the purpose of tlie Green River campaign, unless it was that some Union troops expected trouble in the vicinity of Bowl- ing Green, and it was supposed that our presence in the State would give those troops "back bone." It is to be hoped that it did, for we certainly gave them aid in no other way.
SOUTH CARROLLTON.
At Calhoun we crossed Green River on a pontoon bridge and marched up the river to South Carrolton, where we re- mained about two weeks.
OUR FIRST LINE OF BATTLE.
While in camp at this place an exciting incident occured. One day our pickets were supposed to have been driven in by the enemy. At any rate they came in and great excite- ment prevailed in camp, as it broke upon the minds of officers and men that we were face to face with real war. The "long drum" was beaten, the bugle call was sounded, and the 43d quickly formed its first line of battle in actual ser- vice, with Col. McLean at its head. The regiment was kept in line for some time awaiting reports from the picket line ; and I shall never forget the look of disgust that over- spread the countenance of our genial Colonel, as he an_ nounced to his men : "It is a false alarm".
WILL GROGAN'S MARCHING ORDERS.
Every member of the 43d remembers Will Grogan, our regimental bugler, and his droll humor. Will and I were fortunate in getting acquainted with a family consisting of an old woman, two daughters and a young son, who lived
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in a small frame house that stood on the bluff of the river, only a short distance from our camp. They were bright, intelligent people, who had evidently seen better days. Grogan soon got into the good graces of the women ; and an arrangement was made under which we furnished flour, coffee, etc., and the women furnished such articles of food as they had, and we messed together, including a contract- or, who furnished beef for the troops, and who boarded with the family, and provided fresh beef for the mess as his part of the arrangement, to say nothing of a large demijohn he kept under his bed, and the contents of which, through connivance with the girls, Grogan and I frequently sam- pled. The contributions of the women to the stock of pro- visions were very meager, but any shortage in that respect was more than balanced by their skill in the preparation of the grub. Their biscuits and pan-cakes were such as "mother used to make", and we were satisfied with the arrangement. All this is preliminary to what I started out to relate.
I was sitting in the parlor one evening conversing with our contractor and the family, when hurried steps and the rattling of accoutrements were heard on the porch, and in rushed Grogan. He had his bugle, knap-sack, haversack, canteen and gun strapped about him, and had evidently recently sampled the contents of the demijohn, or some other receptacle for contraband goods. His eyes were fair- ly snapping, and I saw that something out of the ordinary had occured.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"Hurry up", said Grogan, "The devil's to pay. We have orders to strike tents and be ready to move forthwith. Your tent is down. Hurry up and pack your traps, or you'll be left."
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"Why, Mr. Grogan !" exclaimed the old lady, "where in the world are you going ?"
It probably occured to Grogan that it would not be proper to disclose to a rebel family what our orders were, even if he knew, (which I very much doubt, ) and with a peculiarly droll, but exceedingly wise expression of coun- tenance, he looked at his questioner as he answered :
"By Heavens ! Madam, we have orders to march in every direction."
I never met Col. Wmn. Farrow, after the war, but that I had to repeat this story.
DOWN THE RIVER.
Notwithstanding Grogan's explicit declaration as to our movements, we did not, in fact, march at all; but took to boats, and wended our way down Green River to the Ohio, and down the Ohio to Cairo, where we made our first stop, but did not go into camp.
The town, particularly about the landing, was all bustle and confusion. Boats were being loaded with men, provi- sions, camp equipage, ammunition, horses, mules, and all the paraphernalia of a moving army. We supposed we were to be sent up the Tennessee River; but when our boat backed out from shore we soon found that our destination was up the Mississippi. Our river voyage was short, as we disembarked at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and marched down through the country to New Madrid, on the river below Island No. 10. This island had been fortified by the Con- federates, and was being bombarded; and was abandoned while we were on that march, its garrison escaping down the river.
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NEW MADRID.
New Madrid was still occupied by some Confederate troops when we went into camp in sight of the town, but they made 10 defense.
I remember standing near the quarters of Col. Fitch, who I think was then in command of our brigade, when a gray headed old corporal from his regiment ran up, almost breathless, to the Colonel's tent and yelled out:
"Colonel, they say the Rebs are 'vacuating the town. Hadn't I better take a squad and go down?"
Whether the corporal got his squad and "went down," I don't know, but the town was "'vacuated" very soon.
RUDDLE'S POINT.
We remained at New Madrid but a short time, and moved a few miles down the river to Ruddle's Point, Mo., across the river from Tiptonville, Tenn. We went into camp in a corn field, the only piece of ground I ever saw that could be compared with Spottsville for mud. Here Gen. Pope, who had just forced the evacuation of Island No. 10, took com- mand of all the troops; and very soon our regiment was or- dered to move its camp into a nearby meadow.
"WHAT REGIMENT IS THAT?"
In moving to the new camp, the men marched through a gap in a fence; and near this opening Gen. Pope sat upon his horse looking at the men as they passed through. The 43d, up to that time, had not drawn a stitch of clothing after leaving Camp Vigo, nor had we received a cent of pay, and it may be imagined that the boys presented any- thing but a soldierly appearance. They were both ragged and dirty. After two or three companies had passed, Gen. Pope cast his eyes along the line, and inquired in a loud voice: "What regiment is that?"
LIEUT. GEORGE W. LANCASTER,
President Reunion Organization 43d Regt. Has attended every Reunion of Regiment since muster out.
COL. JOHN C. MAJOR.
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The question was not addressed to any one in particular, and no one answered for a moment, which gave a little fellow, who will be recognized if I call him "Jim," an op- portunity to answer for the regiment, which he did in a voice more penetrating, if not so loud as that of the Gen- eral:
"This is the bare-legged, dirty-faced, never paid Forty- third, By G -. "
The answer brought forth cheers and shouts of laughter all along the line, and even the General smiled as he turned his horse and rode away. Nothing more was said, but I have always thought that Jim's impudent answer had some- thing to do with an issue of clothing that occured not long afterward.
SMALL POX.
We had a small pox fright while in this camp. Two cases of illness in another regiment were diagnosed as small pox, and quite an excitement prevailed for a few days. A pest tent was erected some distance from camp, and the cases were at once isolated. Two soldiers who had had the disease, and were therefore "immune," were detailed to take care of the patients. One night a colored dance was re- ported to be in progress on a neighboring plantation, and the nurses deserted their patients to attend the dance. A storm came up and blew down the tent, leaving the sick men exposed to the elements until the nurses returned. The men recovered but were severely marked. So far as I remember no other cases occurred, and the "scare" subsi- ded; but the treatment is not recommended as a specific.
"FROSTY" AND "BILLY."
While at Ruddle's Point, some of our men were sent across the river to Tiptonville; and I believe a picket line
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was maintained on the Tennessee side. Considerable fora- ging and raiding was indulged in; and on one occasion a skirmislı occurred, in which our men captured a horse owned by Jeff Thompson, a rebel officer. The horse in some way came into the possession of our Quarter-Master. We had no means of knowing his former name; but his color suggested a frosty morning, and we called him "Frosty." He proved to be an excellent saddle-horse; and, at Helena, I had the pleasure of making many a trip between Helena and our camp on the back of "Frosty." I mention him because he was a sort of pet in the regiment; and many of the old boys will remember "Frosty," as well as another equine favorite, "Billy," a diminutive specimen of horseflesh, owned and frequently rode by Col. McLean, and known to every man in the regiment.
No history of the 43d would be complete that does not mention "Frosty and "Billy."
MOORE'S LANDING.
I don't remember how long we were at Ruddle's Point; but we took boats there and steamed down the river to Moore's Landing, Arkansas, probably two miles above Fort Pillow, near a little village called Osceola.
It is scarcely true to say we landed here, as I don't remember seeing any land except a levee that extended for miles up and down the river, and a few bits of elevated ground that escaped inundation. Our boats were tied up to the levee; and, except necessary pickets and guards, most of the men were confined to the boats and the levee during the seven or eight weeks we remained there. The whole river bottom was practically under water, and a more desolate spot for a rendezvous could scarcely have been selected. Our objective point was Fort Pillow, which was located two or three miles below, where the river made a
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS
sharp horse-shoe bend, the Fort standing upon that part of the shoe that a steel toe would occupy on an actual horse- shoe. A point of timber extending down into the "frog" part of the shoe, intervened between the Fort and our transports, obstructing the view. About half way between our boats and the bend of the river, our mortar boats were located, and kept up a daily bombardment of the Fort.
A number of our gun-boats were lying out in the river, tied up to some little island or lazily floating at anchor. The Confederates had quite a number of gun-boats lying below the Fort, and occasionally one of these would stick its nose around the point and exchange a shot or two; but no serious conflict took place until about June 4, 1862, when the two gun fleets came together, between our trans- ports and the bend mentioned; and we were favored, until the smoke obscured our view, with the privilege of looking at one of the liveliest gun-boat fights of the war. The con- test lasted about an hour, during which time pandemonium reigned on the river, resulting in the demolition of the enemy's fleet, followed soon after by the abandonment of the Fort.
A STOLEN WHARF-BOAT.
I omitted to mention that after New Madrid was aban- doned, one of our transports confiscated a large wharf-boat that was lying there, and towed it down the river. At Moore's Landing this wharf-boat was of great utility, in our cramped condition for room. It served as a Commis- sary and Quarter-Master's storehouse. It was used by officers and men as an exercise ground, laundry, guard- house, and a dozen other purposes; and it now seems as if we could scarcely have survived without the stolen wharf- boat.
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PESTS GALORE.
One of the results of the high waters referred to was myriads of gnats of every species, known or unknown; and the most pestiferous pest of the lot was the "Buffalo Gnat." These ravenous little devils attacked our animals, crawling into their nostrils, ears, eyes, and every opening, actually killing the animal. The only protection was to lead the horse into water over his back, and then plaster the exposed parts with axle grease. Even this drastic treatment failed in many instances; and my recollection is that nearly all our horses were killed by buffalo gnats, or died from eating green cane.
We had started out with teams of fine Indiana horses; but when we replenished our stock of animals for transpor- tation purposes we dealt exclusively in mules.
THE ARMY MULE.
Will full justice ever be done, and credit given that meek and lowly, but effective and indispensable aid to the sol- diers, "the army mule?"
It may be true, as Josh Billings has said, that the mule is the contrariest animal in nature; that if you want a mule to stay in an orchard, you must turn him loose in an ad- joining field and let him jump in, or he won't stay; that a mule will behave himself for six months to get an oppor- tunity to kick a man just once. It is true that the mule has been made the butt of cruel jibes and jokes, and the victim of vilification and abuse; but it is none the less true, that without the mule the armies of the Union would have been helpless, and the despised army mule deserves our Country's gratitude and a place in our Country's history.
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A NARROW ESCAPE.
While at Moore's Landing, Lt. Col. Major, Lt. Burley and myself, with three or four others whose names I don't recall, had a little adventure that might have proved dis- astrous to 11s.
The levee already mentioned, followed the river nearly down to the bend, then cut across the point, until it came near the river below the bend, and again followed down the river bank.
One afternoon the party mentioned took a large yawl be- longing to our steamer, the George W. Graham, and going down the river past our Mortar boats, till we came to where the levee cut across, where we landed on the levee and walked along it until we were directly in front of Fort Pil- low, of which we had a very fair view through the inter- vening timber and across the river. While we were there the Fort and our Mortar boats began exchanging their daily compliments in the shape of shells. We were almost in the line of the firing, and the shells from both sides passed over us accompanied by that peculiar and indescriable noise, with which we were all somewhat familiar. Having no business that detained us in that locality, and being urged by the premature explosion of a shell and the falling of its fragments in our immediate neighborhood, we concluded to retire. The river was booming, and a stiff breeze blowing up stream made the water very rough. We reached our yawl without trouble ; but when we started up stream, hugging the Arkansas shore to avoid the current, we were suddenly aware of danger ahead. The firing of shells con- tinued, and we could see, ahead of us, the splashing of the water caused by the falling of pieces of exploded shells ; and these splashings were so close together that it was a ten to one shot that if we kept our course the bottom would be knocked out of our boat, and the captain of the George
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W. Graham would lose his yawl. An impromptu council of war was held at once, and it was unanimously decided that we should not subject the Captain's yawl to the danger of being wrecked. We were equally unanimous in the be- lief, that it would be folly to attempt to stem the river cur- rent, and that onr only chance to save the yawl was to cross the river and go up near the shore on the Tennessee side.
Half a mile above the Fort there was a small stream coming into the river. This stream was also on the "rampage" and was quite a river in itself. If we could strike the shore, (or rather the timber, for the bottom was flooded and there was no shore in sight), we would be safe; but if we drifted below the mouth of the stream, we would inevitably fall into the hands of the enemy. We had two expert oarsmen, who, after considering the chances, con- cluded they could do the trick, and we. started. We had not gone far until we wished ourselves back on the levee, but it was too late to go back. We found the current stronger and the water even rougher than we expected. The waves were rolling, not mountain high, but high enough to deluge our boat with water, and set those of us who could not row to bailing out water with tin cups or cans we fortunately found in the boat. We soon got out so far and drifted down stream so rapidly, that the point of timber below the levee no longer obstructed our view, and we could look right into the Fort, which stood on a bluff that sloped off up and down the river.
It looked to us that if they had seen fit they could have turned a gun upon us and blown us out of the water. I think that all that saved us from being fired upon, was the fact that they probably felt, as we did, that they would get ns anyhow, as we were rapidly drifting toward them. We saw men leaving the Fort and starting up the river along
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