USA > Michigan > Genesee County > History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 45
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At the battle of Fredericksburg, after fighting all day and part of the night, a Michigan regiment lay down on their arms and were soon asleep.
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Their ammunition wagon coming up late, the mules, hungry and thirsty, being halted near the sleeping place of the colonel, gave several of their peculiar howls, which suddenly awoke the colonel, who, much provoked at being thus so unceremoniously disturbed, and in his bewildered condition thinking that the noise was made by the musicians of the regiment at band practice, called to the adjutant, saying, "Put these devilish buglers under arrest and send them to the rear; they will jeopardize the safety of the whole army."
John Steele, a private in Company K, Sixteenth Michigan, having his right arm shot off at Middleburg, Captain Hill said to him a few minutes after: "John, you cannot carry a musket any more." John replied with tears in his eyes: "No, Captain, but I can carry the colors, can't I?"
While the Sixteenth Michigan was engaged at Cold Harbor, a Maryland regiment broke while under fire, and when falling back was checked and held by the Sixteenth. The colonel of the regiment struggled to rally it, but with- out success, when he hurriedly advanced to Colonel Partridge and, with tears streaming down his manly face, exclaimed: "Colonel, would to God that I commanded a Michigan regiment !" He had hardly said these words when a rifle bullet passed through his body, killing him instantly.
The following anecdote is told with all due respect to the cause therein alluded to, and also for the colonel and chaplain referred to, and is only recited as an extreme example of how tenacious and jealous commanders of regiments become of the standing of their commands.
One of the Michigan regiments in the Army of the Potomac was brigaded with a Pennsylvania regiment, into which their chaplain had infused consider- able of religious feeling. Several had been baptized; this feeling also pre- vailed to some extent in other regiments of the brigade, but had not taken effect in the Michigan regiment. The chaplain referred to, having the wel- fare of the Michigan regiment at heart, conceived the idea of calling on the colonel, a soldier from his youth and every inch a man, gruff but brave, not sudden and quick in quarrel, nor full of strange oaths, but bearded, like the pard, and gaining reputation even in the cannon's mouth. Consequently the chaplain waited upon him; calling at his tent and finding him, he stated that several members of other regiments of the brigade had recently experienced religion and in his own regiment he had baptized fifteen the previous day, remarking also that he was very desirous of a like result in the Michigan regiment, but unless the Colonel made some effort in that direction the regi- ment would be left behind in the matter. The colonel, a little nettled at what he considered over-zeal of the chaplain, and especially at the idea of having his regiment suspected even of being slow or behind in any respect, started
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to his feet, called the sergeant major, and hurriedly said: "Give my compli- ments to the adjutant and direct him to detail immediately with orders to report to the chaplain here, twenty men for baptism; my regiment shall not be beat in any way by any regiment in the brigade." The chaplain gave him one serious look and left quickly.
OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN OF THE SIXTEENTH INFANTRY FROM GENESEE COUNTY.
Col. Thomas B. W. Stockton, Flint; Aug. 22, 1861; res. May 18, 1863.
Surgeon Isaac Wixom, Argentine; Aug. 19, 1861.
Qr .- Mast .- Sergt. Henry H. Aplin, Flint; pro. to 2d lieut., July 7, 1865; must. out as sergt.
Company C.
Capt. Thomas C. Carr, Flint; July 30, 1861; killed in battle of Gaines' Mill, Va., June 27, 1862.
Capt. Irving M. Belcher, Flint ; July 16, 1864; honorably disch. for disability, May 15, 1865.
First Lieut. Miner S. Newell, Flint; July 30, 1861; app. gr .- mast .; must. out of service Sept. 7, 1864.
First Lieut. Randolph W. Ransom, Flint; Aug. 9, 1861; killed in battle at Bull Run, Va., Aug. 30, 1862; was 2d lieut. from July 30, 1861, to Aug. 9, 1861.
Second Lieut. Ziba B. Graham, Flint; Aug. 30, 1862; trans. to Co. G.
Second Lieut. Menzo Swart, Flushing; April 27, 1863; wounded in action at Tol- optomoy, Va., June 1, 1864; pro. to 1st lieut. Aug. 3, 1864; must. out as 2d lieut. at end of service, Sept. 26, 1864.
Sergt. Irving M. Belcher, Flint ; pro. to com .- sergt. Sept. 22, 1861.
Sergt. Harrison Way, Flint; disch. for disability; died Dec. 2, 1861.
Corp. Arza M. Niles (sergt.) ; disch. for wounds, Sept. 9, 1862.
Musician Henry Davis, Flint; disch. Oct. 25, 1862.
Wagoner Thomas Belden, Flint (corp.) ; must. out July 8, 1865.
Privates-Merritt Avery, disch. by order, Aug. 12, 1863. James Applebee, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Nathaniel N. Anderson, died March 31, 1865. Ed- ward Bigg, died in Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 28, 1862, of wounds received in action. Edward Britton, disch. for disability, Oct. 1, 1862. Edwin Barlow, disch. for disability, Nov. 13, 1862. William Bagg, disch. Sept. 7, 1864. Edward C. Brigg, disch. Patrick Bradley, died of disease at City Point, Va., Sept. 16, 1864. Reuben Bradish, must. out July 8, 1865. John S. Copp, must. out July 8, 1865. Boyd Culver, disch. for dis- ability, Nov. 13, 1862. Jolm Conquest, disch. for wounds, Nov. 28, 1862. Augustus Chapel, disch. May 8, 1862. James Crawford, died of wounds at Philadelphia, Pa., June 4, 1864. Hiram G. Darling, died of wounds at New York Harbor, Sept., 1864. Eli Devoe, disch. for disability, Nov. 13, 1862. Albert Doan, died of disease in hos- pital. Edward Davis, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Dennis Falby, disch. by order of surgeon, Feb. 2, 1862. Smith Forsyth, disch. for disability, Feb. 25, 1862. Sanford Guthrie, died of wounds at Washington, D. C., May 20, 1864. Richard C. Goyer, disch. by order, May 18, 1865. James Hempsted, veteran; must. out July 8, 1865. George W. Hilton, disch. for disability, April 6, 1864. George Handy, died in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 8, 1864. Roswell Hilton, disch. for disability, Nov. 13, 1862. Arthur M. Hodges, veteran; absent on furlough; not must. out with com- pany. Orrin Johnson, disch. for disability, May 20, 1862. Charles Knapps, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. George Mohan, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24,
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1863. James McKee, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Andrew J. McDowell, disch. for disability, June 17, 1862. Albert E. Mcclellan, disch. for disability, April 21, 1862. Charles Martin, died of wounds at Gettysburg, Pa., July 21, 1863. George W. Monroe, died of disease in hospital. Russell C. Moon, discharged. Elisha Moses, disch. April 1, 1863. Charles Marion, disch. Feb. 26, 1863. Milton C. Miller, died in action at Spottsylvania, Va., May 8, 1864. Patrick Murphy, must. out July 8, 1865. Elias Palmer, disch. for disability, Feb. 25, 1862. Philander Payne, disch. Sept. 7, 1864. Gershom Palmer, died of disease at Gaines' Mill, Va., June 11, 1862. Abram Parsons, died of disease at Georgetown, D. C., April 15, 1862. Ira Patterson, died of disease, Aug., 1862. James Richards, died of disease at Annapolis, Md., Aug. 31, 1862. James Ripley, disch. for disability, Feb. 24, 1861. Charles H. Root, disch. for disability. John Shout, disch. for disability, Feb. 24, 1863. Charles Starks, died of disease, Sept., 1862. Samuel P. Smith, disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 24, 1863. Nathan Small, must. out July 8, 1865. James Shouks, disch. by order, May 24, 1865. George Turner, disch. Dec. 26, 1862. Garwood Tupper, must. out July S, 1865. George Tower, disch. for disability, Dec. 26, 1862. Thomas Thompson, must. out July 8, 1865. William Teachout, must. out July 8, 1865. Marion Van Riper, disch. for disability. Harrison Way, disch. for disability, Dec. 19, 1862. David S. Weaver, disch. for disability, April 19, 1862. Harry Wilder, disch. to re-enl. as veteran. Adoniram A. Worth, died of dis- ease at Yorktown, Va., May 1, 1862. Abram Way, died May 12, 1864, of wounds re- ceived in action at Spottsylvania, Va. Dewitt Williams, disch. Sept. 7, 1864.
Other Companies.
E. Frank Eddy, Flint; 2d lieut., Co. G, Aug. 9, 1861; wounded in battle of Gaines' Mill, Va., June 27, 1862; pro. to 1st lieut., Co. G, Nov. 3, 1862; capt., Co. G, Aug. 11, 1863; pro. to lieut .- col., 29th Mich. Inf., July 29, 1864.
T. Frank Powers, Fenton ; sergt. Co. K; 2d lieut., Co. A, Nov. 3, 1862; 1st lieut., Co. B, June 21, 1864; capt., Co. B, Aug. 3, 1864; must. out July 8, 1865.
Gilbert R. Chandler, Forest ; 2d lieut., Co. D, July 21, 1861; 1st lieut., Sept., 1862; capt., April, 1863; lost his left arm in action at Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862; was after- wards in battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Aug. 11, 1863; must. out of service, Oct. 10, 1867.
Irving M. Belcher, Flint; sergt., Co. C; 2d lieut., Co. B, Aug. 30, 1862; 1st lieut., Co. K., April 17, 1863; pro. to capt. Co. C.
Charles Veeder, Genesee; sergt., Co. G; 1st lieut., Co. E; must. out July 8, 1865.
Ziba B. Graham, Flint; sergt., Co. C; 2d lieut., Cos. C and G; 1st lieut., Co. I, April 23, 1863; wounded at North Anna River, Va., May 23, 1864; must. out at end of service, Sept. 7, 1864.
James L. Topping, Fenton, 2d lieut., Co. I, Sept. 4, 1862; resigned March 28, 1863. Lloyd G. Streevor, Flint; sergt .; pro. to 2d lieut. ; must. out as sergt.
Patrick Murphy, Flint; sergt .; pro. to 2d lieut .; must. out as sergt.
Privates-Samuel Atherton, Argentine, Co. A; must. out July 8, 1865.
William
Atherton, Argentine, Co. I; disch. from Vet. Res. Corps by order, July 10, 1865. Na- thaniel Austin, Argentine, Co. K; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. Corp. John J. Bost- wick, Co. K; died of disease near Falmouth, Va., Nov. 26, 1862. Nathan Barton, Ar- gentine, Co. I; died at Laurel Hill, Va., May 10, 1864. George S. Bailey, Fenton, Co. D; died of disease at City Point, Va., July 28, 1864. Samuel D. Bostwick, Argen- tine, Co. K; died of disease, Dec. 8, 1862. James Brady, Argentine, Co. A; must. out July 8, 1865. George W. Chase, Argentine, Co. A; must. out July 8, 1865. Jacob A. Clark, Argentine, Co. A; disch. for disability, Dec. 16, 1863. Lewis Case, veteran, Ar-
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gentine, Co. A; must. out July 8, 1865. Jacob W. Craw, Argentine, Co. I; died of dis- ease, Nov. 25, 1864. John Coles, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. Dennis Falbey, Flushing, Co. G; disch. at end of service, Nov. 21, 1863. Lambert Fos- ter, Gaines, Co. B; must. out July 8, 1865. George Garner, Fenton, Co. B; must. out July 8, 1865. Edgar G. Hicks, Argentine, Co. I; disch. Jan. 15, 1863. Thomas Hopkins, Jr., Argentine, Co. I; disch. March 5, 1863. Joseph H. Hough, Flint; Co. B; disch. by order, July 6, 1865. David Hubbard, Montrose, Co. H; disch. by order, June 13, 1865. William Hardick, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. William E. Jacobs, Flushing, Co. K; disch. March 22, 1863. John Knight, Flint, Co. G; disch. March 17, 1863. Stephen M. Kent (corp., sergt.), Co. K; disch. to re-enlist as veteran, Dec. 23, 1863. Albert L. Metz, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. James A. Mc- Knight, Argentine, Co. I; disch. for promotion, Dec. S, 1863. George W. Noyes, Fenton, Co. D; disch. for disability. Elin Starks, Argentine, Co. I; died of disease in hospital, April 18, 1863. Theodore Sternhardt, Flint, Co. G; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Sept. 30, 1863. Alfred Starks, Argentine, Co. I; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. George Seymour, Argentine, Co. N; disch. by order, May 30, 1865. William Tillman, Argentine, Co. I; disch. Feb. 9, 1863. Philo White, Argentine, Co. K; disch. by order, May 29, 1865. Ethan H. Wright, Mt. Morris, Co. K; disch. by order, July 10, 1865.
TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY.
The Twenty-third Regiment, which was raised and organized in the summer of 1862 under the President's call for volunteers issued July 2, immediately after the close of the Seven Days' battles on the Virginia penin- sula, was rendezvoused at East Saginaw, under D. H. Jerome as commandant of the camp of instruction and organization. It was composed of volunteers from the sixth congressional district, and contained two companies raised in Genesee, as well as a considerable number of men from the county serving in several of its other companies.
The Genesee companies, while recruiting and until the organization of the regiment was completed, were known as the "Thomson Light Guard," in honor of Col. E. H. Thomson, and the "Wolverine Guard." The former was recruited to more than the maximum strength by Capt. Charles E. McAlester and Lieutenant Stewart in about three weeks' time, and the latter, recruited principally by the Rev. J. S. Smart, filled its ranks in about two weeks from the beginning of enlistment. The Wolverine Citizen of August 9, 1862, mentioned that "Colonel Thomson and the Rev. J. S. Smart are addressing the people at different places in the county, to raise the quota of Genesee for the Twenty-third Regiment," and about the same time a Flint correspondent of the Detroit Free Press said, "The Rev. J. S. Smart, presiding elder of this district, lately felt it his duty to go to the wars, so he told his family and friends to 'stand clear,' for he was going that way. He immediately started a
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recruiting office, and the fact soon spreading through the city and county, in four days afterwards the elder had a full company of one hundred men on his rolls. He then posted off to Detroit, got his commission as captain, and is now here, organizing and straightening out matters preparatory to leaving for the camp of the Twenty-third at Saginaw. The new captain is very popular and could have had another hundred men if he had been authorized to accept them. He is now called here the 'Fighting Parson.'" This corre- spondent was decidedly in error as to the time in which the company's ranks were filled and other portions of his communication were too highly colored; but it was not an exaggeration as to the height of the patriotic enthusiasm which then existed among the people of the county in regard to the furnish- ing of their full quota and the promotion of enlistments, particularly in the companies that were to join the Twenty-third Regiment.
The two Genesee companies left Flint early in August and proceeded to the rendezvous at East Saginaw, where on the 30th of that month they were reported respectively as one hundred and nine and one hundred and twelve strong, the former number representing the strength of Captain McAlester's company. The Rev. Mr. Smart, after seeing his company filled, retired from it and accepted the chaplaincy of the regiment. The command of the com- pany then devolved on Capt. Damon Stewart, previously first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment, and still earlier a non-commissioned officer in the Second Michigan Infantry, serving with that regiment in the campaign of the Peninsula.
In the organization of the regiment, the "Thomson Light Guard" was designated as C Company, under the following commissioned officers: Cap- tain, Charles E. McAlester; first lieutenant, George W. Buckingham; sec- ond lieutenant, William C. Stewart; the "Wolverine Guard" was designated as K Company, its commissioned officers being : Captain, Damon Stewart; first lieutenant, Samuel C. Randall; second lieutenant, John Rea.
The field-officers of the Twenty-third at its organization were: Marshall W. Chapin, colonel; Gilbert E. Pratt, lieutenant-colonel; Benjamin F. Fisher, major; dating from August 23, 1862. The regiment, nine hundred and eighty-three strong, was mustered into the service of the United States at the rendezvous on the 11th and 12th of September, and it being understood that the command would be immediately ordered to the front, preparations for the movement were at once commenced.
On the 16th of September orders were issued for Company C, H and K to take up their line of march for Detroit, preparatory to departure for the theatre of war. Pursuant to these orders they broke camp in the morn-
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ing of the 17th and were transported on the cars of the Flint & Pere Mar- quette railway to Mt. Morris, which was then the southern terminus of the road; thence were moved across the country by way of Flint to the Detroit & Milwaukee railroad over which they proceeded by train to their destination. At Flint a bountiful repast had been provided for them and they were received by the citizens with great enthusiasm-the more so, no doubt, because this first detachment included the two Genesee companies, and for the same reason the adieux which were waved to them here and every- where in their passage through the county were the more sad and tearful. The memory of that occasion was long fresh and vivid in the minds of sur- viving soldiers and relatives and friends of those who never returned. "The incidents of that first movement," wrote an officer of the regiment, "were no doubt similar to those of the remaining companies over the same route- flat cars, rain, sunshine, tears, smiles, feasting at Flint, transportation by variety of vehicles, hilarity, airs, boisterous mirth, and much good cheer."
On the following day the remaining companies left the rendezvous and moved by the same route to Detroit, where they arrived in the evening and were hospitably entertained by the patriotic citizens. With but little delay the ten companies were embarked on steamers, which landed them at Cleve- land the next morning; the weather was rainy and dismal and the condition of the men anything but comfortable. From Cleveland the regiment moved by rail across the state of Ohio, to Cincinnati, where after a stop of some hours it again proceeded by railroad and on Sunday morning, September 21, reached Jeffersonville, Indiana, on the north bank of the Ohio river opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In the afternoon of the same day the command moved to "Camp Gilbert" near by, and that night for the first time, the tired men of the Twenty-third slept upon the soldier's bed-the bosom of mother earth.
At this time the Southern general, Buckner, was reported to be approach- ing Louisville, and in consequence of the panic thus caused, many of the people were crossing to the north side of the river. Large quantities of government stores were also being transferred to the Indiana side, by order of the general then in command at Louisville. The Twenty-third was placed on duty, guarding the public property and ferry landing at Jeffersonville, and remained so employed for two days and nights, at the end of which time it crossed the river and camped in the southwestern suburbs of Louis- ville. Here the situation of the men was not the most comfortable and it was made worse by their almost complete ignorance of the methods by which veteran soldiers manage to force something like comfort out of the most unfavorable surroundings. A few hours later they were ordered to move
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to another camping-place, and while on their way thither they passed a brigade or division of the army of General Buell, which had then just entered the city after a fatiguing forced march from Nashville in pursuit of the Southern army under General Bragg. As the Twenty-third marched past the dusty and battle-scarred veterans of Shiloh, and Farmington and Iuka, the latter indulged, as veterans are apt to do, in many a joke at the expense of the fresh troops, few of whom had yet heard the whistle of a hostile bullet. The officer before quoted says of this incident, "The con- trast of their dirty, tattered and torn garments with our men was a matter of much comment. We were surprised that they jeeringly hinted at our greenness and inferiority which a few months' experience in marches and on battle-fields would change. In time we learned that they had not been mistaken in their estimate of our relative merits as soldiers."
The camp to which the regiment was moved at this time will be well recollected by those who occupied it as "the Brick-yard Camp," a dreary and comfortless place where the command remained without tents or other shelter until the afternoon of the 3rd of October, when the Thirty-eighth Brigade, Army of the Ohio, composed of the One Hundred and Second and One Hundred and Eleventh Ohio, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth and Twenty-third Michigan, all under command of General Dumont, marched away from Louisville on the road to Shelbyville, Kentucky. The weather was very hot, the road dusty, water almost impossible to obtain, and the men, not having yet learned the meaning of "light marching order," were overloaded with the cumbrous outfits which they brought from home. When late at night they halted on the bank of a muddy stream known as Floyd's fork, the exhausted and footsore troops were glad enough to lie down upon the ground, with no shelter but their blankets, and no thought but that of rest from the fatigues of this their first severe march.
Late the next morning they arose stiff and sore in every joint and soaked with the rain which was still falling. Coffee was made from the muddy water of the stream, in which hundreds of mules were stamping and wallowing. The rations were neither very good nor plentiful, but these were on this occasion supplemented by supplies taken from a mansion which stood near by, from which the occupants had fled on the approach of the troops. The soldiers, impressed with the idea that all food, raiment and other movables found in the enemy's country belonged to Uncle Sam's elect, proceeded to ransack the premises, bringing off meat, meal, vegetables, sauce, honey, jellies, preserves, and some pretty good stock for the stable-a por-
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tion of which we recognized the next spring grazing in the valley of the Saginaw."
Early in the day the rain ceased and the command moved out towards Shelbyville, which was reached the same evening. The Twenty-third encamped in the vicinity of the village. Here the brigade remained until the morning of October 9, when it moved through the village and on towards Frankfort, arriving in the neighborhood of that town the same night. The advance guard of the force had already entered the city after a skirmish with the cavalry of the enemy, who had succeeded in destroying the fine bridge of the Lexington & Frankfort railroad, and had attempted the destruction of the turnpike-bridge.
On the march from Louisville to Frankfort, large numbers of negroes had fallen in with the column, some engaging as servants to the officers, but more accompanying the force without any definite object; among the dusky crowd were found "the names or lineal descendants of every prominent gen- eral in the rebel army." A considerable number of Kentucky horses had also "fallen in" on the line of march and were being ridden by officers and pri- vates. But on arrival at Frankfort there came for these a host of claimants. The day was one of reckoning for those in whose possession they were found. "A court-martial was instituted, and held a protracted session at Frankfort. It must have made sad havoc among the Wolverines but for the fact that our fighting companion, Captain Walbridge, who rode the best captured steed into the town on that eventful morning, October 10, was the honored judge advocate of the court."
With the exception of an expedition in pursuit of the guerrilla chief, John Morgan, the Twenty-third remained at Frankfort thirteen days. It was. at this time under command of Major B. F. Fisher, the colonel being in command of the brigade and Lieutenant-Colonel Pratt being absent. It was while the regiment lay at this place that the death occurred of Lieut. John Earle, of E Company, on Sunday, October 19, 1862. His remains were sent home to Michigan in charge of Sergeant Lyons. At about the same time the regiment received the sad news of the death of Captain Norville, of fever, at Saginaw City, October 3.
At a little past midnight in the morning of the day of Lieutenant Earle's death, the men of the Twenty-third were startled from their sleep by the thrilling sound of the "long roll." At one o'clock a. m. they were marching rapidly away in pursuit of the redoubtable Morgan, who was reported to be at Lawrenceburg; two companies of the regiment, however, K and G, were left as a guard at Frankfort. The pursuing column was
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almost as a matter of course too late to overtake the main body of Morgan's force but succeeded in capturing a few men and horses belonging to his rear guard. With these trophies, the command returned the same evening to the camp at Frankfort, having marched twenty-six miles under the usual disadvantages of choking dust and great scarcity of water.
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