USA > Ohio > A history of the Eleventh regiment, (Ohio volunteer infantry,) containing the military record of each officer and enlisted man of the command -a list of deaths-an account of the veterans-incidents of the field and camp-names of the three months' volunteers, etc., etc > Part 19
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GENERAL JOHN B. TURCHIN.
Stories innumerable-some good, some bad-have been told of this gentleman ; none, however, having a tendency to disparage his bravery or kindness to his men.
We found the General to be an accomplished officer, a gentleman of fine social qualities, and on duty strict enough for all practical purposes. His ideas, from the very first, as to the proper means of conducting the war in the South, were quite different from those of officers holding higher positions ; but his system was finally adopted to a great extent, showing him to be a man of sound judgment and clear foresight. He believed that the people who were to
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blame for the war, should be compelled to pay the penalty for their crime to the fullest extent, and did not think their gardens, cornfields, potato patches, &c., too sacred to be invaded by Union soldiers. It will not be forgotten. how severely the General was censured for giving his men the "freedom of the town" upon his first visit to Athens. We have no doubt but that it is with much satisfaction that he now contemplates the vindication of the policy he then inaugurated, by General Sherman in his march through the South, at a later period !
General Turchin was a fine drill-master, and when ma- neuvering his brigade nothing escaped his notice. His sense of the ludicrous was very keen and his quaint bro- ken English remarks, caused much merriment among the men. One day while drilling his brigade, a rabbit jumped up from the grass in front of the line and started across the field. The General had the order for a change of front half given when his attention was drawn to the lit- tle animal; he stopped, looked at its lively motions, and concluded-
"H-l! dare goes a rappit!"
When the army was moving south from, Murfreesboro, the orders were very strict against foraging. One evening after stopping for the night near a large sweet potato patch, our boys went for the potatoes in a hurry. General Rey- nolds, commanding the Division, saw the foragers from his tent, and immediately mounted. his horse, rode down to General Turchin's: quarters and reprimanded him rather severely for net placing a guard about the premises. Gen. T. protested that he had forgotten the matter, but that he would immediately attend to it in person. Ordering Lieut. Roney (who had charge of the provost guard) to follow him
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. with the guards, the General rode down to where the boys were filling their haversacks.
" What you doing dare, boys?"
" Getting sweet potatoes, General."
" You besser get out of dare-de guards are coming. Besser you go round dat way, boys, or de guards will catch you !" said the General, pointing in an opposite direction to that from which the guards were coming.
We might multiply such instances almost indefinitely, but it is sufficient to say that the General always regarded the comfort and welfare of his men in preference to that of the rebel inhabitants of the country where he happened to be. His "fighting qualities" are too well known to need commendation at our hands. The grand charge led by him at Chickamauga is one of the principal features of that. bloody field, and stamps him as a most brave and successful commander.
The General is now (August, 1866,) engaged in business in Chicago, Illinois. We wish him and his accomplished lady (who is about as good a General as her husband) the most .abundant success in all their undertakings.
ILOST.
Ed. B. Warman, who enlisted in September, 1864, and was a member of Company C, of the battalion, had quite an adventure on the march through the South. With a comrade, he started out foraging and got lost, and for five days walked about through the swamps, at times falling in with different corps of the army, but feeling as greatly "out of his reckoning " when with the strange troops as if they were denizens of another country. Falling in with the
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Twentieth Corps he remained several days with some friends he found there, but becoming tired of "visiting" he determined to make a break for his own corps, which he learned was marching on a parallel road about ten miles to the left. After a toilsome march through the pine for- ests, Ed. and his friend finally reached their company, and found that they had been about given up as "gobbled" by the rebels.
Mr. Warman kept a diary of every day's proceedings while he was in the service-distances marched, rivers crossed, adventures, personal and otherwise, &c.,-for the use of which he has our thanks.
"GREASED MINNIES."
While our Regiment was encamped at Raleigh, Va., one of the company officers feeling that his stomach needed a change from the regular bill of fare, purchased from the Sutler a box of Sardines. While regaling himself with the · luxury, one of the men passed the tent, and being some- what surprised at the unusual sight of the officer lunching alone, reported the fact to his "mess" as follows :
"The Captain is on a h-l of a spree ! I just now passed his tent and saw him have four boxes of sourdeens, and a lot of other fixings!" After a pause he continued: "I . don't like sourdeens, but I do like them little greased minnies."
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RESERVES-RALLY.
While our army was at Chattanooga many reconnois- sances, in force, were made, and sometimes quite severe skirmishes took place during the movements. Our Regi- ment had been placed in the advance on several occasions, and the boys having secured all the "glory" they cared for, thought it about time that they were learning some- · thing about the duty of "reserves." They also began to feel hard towards General Turchin, who they thought pushed them forward for the purpose of securing fame for himself. The General, however, was about as desirous of trying the rear as any one, and on one occasion received the promise that his Brigade should act as reserve to a movement that was to be made on the enemy's position.
The troops moved out in good order, our Brgade bring- ing up the rear, and the boys were congratulating them- selves on the prospect of escaping the hard fighting which was thought would take place. The "ball opened" quite lively in front, the rebel guns spitting grape and canister very spitefully. We don't know how it happened, but the Eleventh was almost immediately at the front and in a full charge towards the rebel lines! When within a short distance of their batteries, the men were ordered to lie down, and for some time grape, canister and musket balls flew in a perfect " sheet" of leaden fury but a few inches above their heads.
"The object of the reconnoissance having been accom- plished," the Regiment was ordered to withdraw. Major Higgins was in command, and from the peculiar twitching of that well-known " beauty-mark" on his cheek, he evi- dently enjoyed the "situation." Stepping out in front the Major dryly remarked :
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" Well, this beats all the reserve I ever saw ! If this is what they call reserve, I prefer duty in front !"
On another occasion the Eleventh was ordered to relieve another regiment on picket close to the enemy's line. Ar- riving near the point where the picket reserve was usually stationed, the men that had been on duty were met retreating from their position in great disorder before a party of rebels who had made a charge on the pickets. A line of skir- mishers was immediately thrown out from the Eleventh, with orders to bayonet any man of the retreating regiment who attempted to pass through the line. Billy Hilliard, who was but a boy in years, and " small for his age," was one of the skirmishers, and seizing one of the skedaddling Captains by the collar, raised his voice to its shrillest focus, and accosted him as follows :
" What are you running away for ? Why the devil don't you rally your men !"
INNOCENCE.
In our reconnoissance to the right of Lee's army at Sewell Mountain, our skirmishers came on to the rebel pickets unperceived by the latter. Sergeant Charley Achuff and several others fired and the rebels evacuated. John Glaspy was one of the skirmishers but did not fire, nor did he even make a motion to that end.
" Why didn't you shoot, John?" asked one of the boys.
" Oh they looked so innocent I didn't like to hurt them!" replied the good natured fellow.
John's tender feelings did not last long, and he never failed after that time to hit wherever he saw a head.
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A HARD TRAMP.
About the 18th of August, 1861, Lieutenant Hatfield, of Company A, was ordered to select half a dozen men and scout the country from the Lewisburg road north to Gauley River, to ascertain if there were any roads by which the rebels could " flank " us and get to the rear. Crossing the first range of mountains the party found three farm houses in the valley, one of them the residence of a rebel quarter- master, whose wife gave the men a good supper.
For two days the party scoured the country, climbing mountains, and forcing their way through dense laurel thickets, without discovering any road which could be made available by the enemy. When the party started on the scout the regiment was lying at Rich Creek. On their return, while resting on the top of Rich Creek Mountain, Lieutenant H. heard musketry firing in the direction of the place where he had left the regiment. Hastening down the mountain (which took some hours), he cautiously ap- proached the former camp, but no person was to be seen. From the appearance of things a hasty evacuation of the locality had been made, but which way the regiment had gone could not be determined. Judging that if the enemy were being pursued a guard would have been left at the camp, the Lieutenant concluded that the regiment had been worsted and fallen back toward Gauley. But then might not the rebels have followed, thereby throwing his party in their rear ? was the question to decide. If this should be the case, a long detour over the mountain would be neces- sary to avoid the rebels, but the boys were too tired to think of that, and they resolved to go through by the road. After resting and bathing their weary feet the little party started and soon came to the barricades near Hawk's Nest. It had now become quite dark, and the men moved with
لقدمـ
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greatcaution over and around the numerous obstructions. Near the bend in the road at " Rob Hites" they heard the " click " of muskets and came to a halt. Upon being chal- langed, they made themselves known, and were happy to meet their comrades of the Eleventh.
It will be remembered that the regiment had that morn- ing retired from Rich Creek to Hawk's Nest. Presuming that the Lieutenant and his party would be on the return about this time, they had been given up for lost, as it was thought they would certainly encounter rebel soldiers upon the road. They were heartily welcomed, and compliment- ed for their bravery and endurance.
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AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
The Eleventh, with other regiments, had reached the rear of the enemy, after very severe fighting, and the reb- els were retreating in disorder. At this time a rebel color- sergeant and color-guard emerged from the chestnut under- growth, and marched directly toward the place where Col- onel Coleman, with a squad of men, happened then to be. When about forty paces away, a shot was fired and one of the guard fell, but the color-bearer kept steadily on his course until halted by Colonel Coleman, who ordered him, in the usual terms adopted on such occasions, to surrender. When the rebel stopped, a stone fence, behind which our boys were lying, was all that separated them. After paus- ing a moment the rebel hastily raised a pistol and fired directly at Colonel Coleman, strangely missing him. The rebel (who was certainly a brave fellow) immediately turned to run, but a shot in the shoulder and another in the head felled him to the earth. Several other shots were
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fired at him just as he was falling, and upon examination it was found that seven or eight bullets had entered his body.
F. M. Underwood and John B. Roberds became separat- ed from their comrades. John was some distance behind in the laurel, and when he got through he saw Francis standing in an open space loading and firing at the rebels. Calling to Roberds to come up, Frank remarked as he joined him, " This is the best place you ever saw !"
Just then a rebel, with a white blanket throwu over his shoulder, started out of the bush on the run.
"Now watch, John," said Frank, " and see him tumble !"
Deliberately raising his gun Frank fired and the rebel fell. "There," says he, "that is the fourth one I have landed just there !"
The balls were flying pretty thickly about the boys, and John remarked that they would be killed if they remained there much longer. "Oh," says Frank, "I never thought of that ! I guess we had better get back a little!" and the brave fellows retired to a less exposed position.
BOUND TO GO TO WAR.
It is related of John Blackford of Company F, that when the call was made for volunteers he was living in the country and did not possess " stamps" enough to transport himself to a recruiting station. Having made the deter- mination to become a "soldier for the Union," Johnny con- fiscated his father's dog, and sold him for the enormous sum of twenty-five cents! With this amount of ready cash in his pocket, he wended his way to the nearest ren- dezvous, and enrolled himself as one of Uncle Sam's crack- er-eaters.
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A REGIMENT IN HOSPITAL.
In the Second Kentucky Regiment were a great many Cincinnati "bummers," who were noted and successful foragers whenever anything eatable was to be had. In the way of notoriety the regiment had a great deal to shoulder, as they received the "credit" for nearly all the " confiscations" made by the boys of other regiments.
Between this regiment and the Eleventh considerable strife existed as to who should secure the most "forage," and at the same time shift the responsibility of the confis- cation to the other command. As a consequence numer- ous jokes were perpetrated, and the wits of each regiment were always on the alert for an opportunity to get " rigs " on each other.
Our regiment, small at the start, became greatly reduced in numbers by the time we were getting back to Gauley from the Sewell Mountain expedition. In fact, the day we marched from Lookout to Mountain Cove the regiment looked not larger than a full company, and the men march- ed slowly and with little spirit. For the first time during the campaign other regiments beat us marching, and the Second Kentucky had their tents pitched by the time we got into camp. We were ordered to file into a field imme- diately adjoining the Kentucky regiment, and just as we were doing so they called out :
"Hallo, Eleventh! Where are you going? That aint the way to the hospital !"
This was the heaviest joke of the season, and gave the Kentucky boys "one ahead" for the time.
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A GENEROUS ACT. 1
It would give us great pleasure to notice the many in- stances of personal daring and bravery exhibited by the men of our regiment, while in the performance of their duty as soldiers. The men have been very backward in furnishing us personal incidents, and we can only generally say that the lustre of the feats performed in "ye olden time " by the Knights of history would pale when brought in comparison with many thrilling exploits and incidents of daring adventure performed by many of our men. An instance of generous bravery occurs to us which we will relate :
At the battle of Chickamauga our skirmishers got so . close to the rebel lines that it was dangerous to move in any direction. The men were scattered at irregular dis- tances over a considerable space of ground, and were gen- erally "treed." The officer commanding the party was sheltered by a tree some distance nearer the rebels than any one else, and immediately in his rear, behind another tree, was Corporal James C. MeLaughlin. Calling out the cor- poral inquired :
" Who is ahead of you Cap ?"
. "No one," was the response.
" Well I won't stand that," replied the brave fellow, and darting out from his shelter he took position a rod or more in advance of the Captain, and remained there until it was safe to retire.
DUTCHI VINEGAR.
Jimmy Tallon was sick, and Jimmy wanted something a little better than hard-tack and bacon. So he sent a com- rade to the sutler shop with his message.
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" Ask Kano if he won't plase to let yees have a dhrap of whisky for a poor sick b'ye."
Keno was not allowed to sell whisky to the men, but sent Jimmy a bottle of first-rate Catawba wine ..
Jimmy had never tasted such wine as that, and became enraged over the "sour sthuff," as he thought a joke was. being played on him. After he was able to get about again he walked down to the sutler's and pitched into Keno rough shod.
Kano, fwhat the divil was that yees sint me in the bothle whin I was sick ?"
"That was the best kind of Catawba wine, Jimmy," re- plied Keno, good naturedly.
"Cathawba h-l! It was nothin' but dom'd Dutch Vin- egar, and I've a mind to lick yees like the divil, ye little bit of a long whiskered sphalpeen ye !"
It took some time to pacify Jimmy, which was not fully accomplished until he was furnished with a good strong dose of his dearly loved " crather."
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A "SNAIK" STORY.
It was the custom, in perhaps too many of our volunteer regiments, to keep a supply of spirituous liquors on hand at head-quarters, if for no other purpose than the enter- tainment of visitors. Sutlers were generally allowed to keep a small quantity for the benefit of such officers as could afford to indulge in the luxury-the price varying from $2,50 to $5,00 for a very small pint bottle of "twenty- five cent whisky."
Our "head-quarters," while at Raleigh, entertained a great deal of company. Pay-masters, Quarter-masters, 17
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Commissaries, etc., passing back and forth from Gauley to the front, found it convenient to stop and enjoy the well- known hospitality of the Eleventh. As a consequence, empty pint bottles became quite numerous about the win- dows and odd corners of the log school-house in which head-quarters were established.
The bottle that was "doing duty" for the time being was usually placed on a stand under the window near the entrance, and to the bottle which, nearly empty, stood there "one quiet evening in June," hangs a tale. Upon retiring for the night we noticed that the little round glass concern was quietly reposing in its proper place, and that it con- tained about one good stiff "horn." In the morning the liquor had disappeared,) and in its place was a beautiful green snake comfortably filling the bottle with its coils. The eyes of the little reptile were bright as coals and its forked blood-red tongue darted wickedly up the neck of the bottle when any one approached. How it got there is a mystery, unless the label pasted on the bottle will give the reader some light on the subject, viz :
PURE "ESSENCE" OF WHISKY.
Sold by the SUTLER OF THE ELEVENTH O. V. I.
Every bottle warranted to produce one or more fine Snakes. PRICE, $2,50.
It may be that Tommy Mitchell, Phoch. Way, or our friend Ferguson, the scribe, might explain the mystery ; but if not, the only person we know of who can is our worthy friend John King, of Piqua, to whom we respectfully re- fer all who desire to know more on the subject.
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WHEN WE WENT SOLDIERING.
Among other " material " from which we have compiled this work, is a copy of "The Troy Times," dated May 2, 1861. A good portion of the paper is filled with letters from Camps Jackson and Dennison, which we have found very interesting.
We take the liberty of copying extracts from some of the correspondence, as we believe a reminiscence of their first soldier experience will be of interest to all. We have made some slight changes in the wording of the letters, which we find necessary in order to divest the matter of some purely local facts of little importance now, and to give it that general interest which we desire. We hope the writers will be satisfied with this explanation. The first is a letter written by a visitor to " Camp Jackson :"
Last Thursday evening I left Troy on a visit to Camp Jackson, to see our friends. Although it was nearly four o'clock in the morning when we ar- rived at Columbus Depot, still having letters and messages to cur friends in Camp we went directly from the Depot there. A gallant member of Captain Nolan's Company, of Dayton, was on guard at the gate of entrance and although wide awake and prompt in duty we soon satisfied him who we were, and of the patriotic nature of our mission; he at once dispatched a sergeant to the officer in command to admit us. In two minutes the permit came and the gate was opened, and we repaired at once to the Trojan Camp, the entrance to which we found also guarded by one on watch ; but knowing our character as well as whence we came he ushered us instantly into the narrow hall of the sleeping apartments. Here were our men, sound asleep in their beds of straw. We wakened a few, and delivered to them our mail matters, requesting that no others should be disturbed till the "grey of the morning." We then left Camp and walked up to the Goodale House in this City, stowed away our overcoats, took a wash, and then went to the room of our representative in the Ohio Legislature. .
In front of the State House, and indeed on all fronts, companies of re- cruits were out, the drums beating and the officers forming their men into line, to lead them into camp preparatory for drill and breakfast. I suppose at least 1000 men had slept in the various halls of the State House. On Thursday our military friend, Capt. A. H. Coleman, had been worthily promoted to the post of Major of this Regiment, thus occasioning a vacancy in the place which he had before filled. The company had just, with entire
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unanimity, elected that gallant soldier of the Mexican Campaign, Dr. J. V. Curtis, Captain. And owing to causes noticed in the published proceedings of Capt. Drury's Company, Lieutenant Culbertson was compelled to re- sign and return home. Dr. Hoagland was that morning promoted from the position of Second to that of First Lieutenant, and our gallant young friend of the Mormon Campaign, Jerome Weller, was chosen to that made vacant by Dr. Hoagland's promotion.
From another letter, dated at Camp Dennison, April 30, 1861, we extract the following :
Saturday noon last, we were told to hold ourselves in readiness to march in one hour. After hurriedly dispatching our dinners, we quickly drew from our bunks our extensive wardrobe, packed it away, and fell in. In due course of time we were marched over the line and inspected by Col. King. After this formal proceeding, which occupied something less than two hours, under a meridian sun, our hearts were cheered by a few kind re- marks from our fellow townsmen, Messrs. Kile and McClung.
Well, after considerable suspense about the time of going, and our real destination, we were told by Lieut. Col. Frizell, that we would leave the next (Sunday) morning at 5 o'clock. . We were in some measure satisfied with this, although few of us knew where we were actually going. We re- tired Saturday evening expecting to get up in the morning at 3 o'clock, but about 8} o'clock it commenced raining like fury and continued to do so without intermission; until about 10. About 9 orders came from Head- quarters countermanding our march until 5 o'clock Monday morning. Many of the poor fellows, worn out by drill, etc., of the previous day, fell to sleep before hearing the last announcement, and aroused us-all the next morning at 3 o'clock, the time appointed for rising.
The Sabbath was remarkably quiet considering the number and variety of characters on the ground. There was little drilling during the entire day, but singing could be heard from all quarters.
Two and a half o'clock Monday morning we turned out and hurried to and fro in preparation for leaving for Camp Dennison, as it was generally understood by this time that this was to be the place of sojourn to learn the art of war. We packel up again, and to put in the time, we drilled awhile, and then partook of our breakfast, which we heartily enjoyed, as it was at the Neil House, and not at the " Buzzard," where we were furnished at one time with crawling meat.
The battalion made an imposing appearance as it marched forth in the early dawn of the sun, composed of a regiment and a half of men-the 11th and half of the 3d. After some delay, we boarded the cars, thirty in num- ber, and moved off on the Little Miami R. R. for Camp Dennison. It was a grand sight to see this long train turning a curve. Every station greeted us with hearty hurrahs, and in every house the maidens waived their band- kerchiefs to signify their good will toward the soldiers, and to evince their patriotism .. We rode through a glorious section of the country, and as we
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