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TO
OUR VETERANS
AND TO
YOUNG AMERICA
THIS BOOK IS
INSCRIBED.
THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
PREFACE.
WHY confine this book to a record of five Imndrcd
brave men, out of the 2,778,304 patriotic Amer-
icans who volunteered to defend the Union, by land and
sea, in the stirring days of '61 ?
The answer may be found in the official returns of the
War Department,* which show that, of the thousands of
heroes on the rolls, but five hundred have been awarded
the coveted distinction of the United States Medal of
Honor.
There is no reward for military merit dearer to the
soldier's heart than the decoration bestowed by his Gov-
ernment for brave deeds in the line of duty. Promotion,
Power, Wealth, are to him trifles compared with the Iron
Cross of Germany, the Victoria Cross of England, the
Cross of the Legion of Honor of France, the Russian
Cross of Saint George, or the Medal of Honor of the
United States.
In all ages a personal decoration for valor has been
eagerly sought, proudly worn and jealously guarded, and
in all countries, save our own, it has been conspicuously
honored. In Europe, where such rewards are more numer-
ous, because of the size of armies and the frequency of war,
* See Appendix.
yj PREFACE.
the possessor of this glorious token is envied by men, ad-
mired by women, and loved by children.
In America the men who are entitled to wear the Medal
of Honor,* given by the Congress only for distinguished
conduct in the presence of the enemy, are almost un-
known to their countrymen, and the records of their hero-
ism lie buried in the pigeon-holes of the War Department
and in the recesses of their own breasts. And yet in
the very year of the institution of this military reward,
Mr. Stanton, the famous war minister, proclaimed + that
"■ alacrity, daring, courageous spirit and patriotic zeal on
all occasions and under every circumstance is expected
from the Army of the United States . . . and the people
of the United States will rejoice to honor every soldier
and of^cer who proves his courage by charging with the
bayonet and storming entrenchments, or in the blaze of
the enemy's fire ! "
A stranger within our gates will hardly agree with the as-
sertion, so often made, that " w^e are not a military people "
if he takes note of the profusion of military medals and
crosses worn by American citizens. With few exceptions,
these have no national, official significance. The badges
of the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of the Republic and
kindred associations are honorable reminders of our greatest
struggle for Liberty and Union, but do not mark individual
acts of courage or self-sacrifice. After these come militia
decorations : prizes for length of service, marksmanship, zeal
in recruiting, athletic sports, personal popularity, and other
commendable things.
♦For full description see Appendix.
t General Order 5, Headquarters of the Army, Jan. 22, 1862.
PREFACE.
Vll
That a great nation, possessing for more than twenty
years a congressional decoration for valor, already conferred
upon several hundred heroes, should be ignorant of its exist-
ence is astonishing.
The cause of this ignorance may be found in the mistaken
simplicity which has marked the method of presentation.
In countries from which we get many of our best military
customs, the decoration is often handed to the soldier by
his Sovereign in the presence of the principal officers of
state, of large bodies of troops, and of thousands of the
people ; the name of the fortunate recipient is published in
the official gazette and by the press throughout the domin-
ions.
In our country this reward from the highest power in our
Government is sometimes conveyed to the brave winner by
the hands of the postman, with the brief remark, perhaps, of
" a parcel for you." Seldom is there a parade of the troops,
or prancing of cavalry squadrons, or rumble of artillery
wheels, or flashing of infantry bayonets, or crash of military
bands while the prize for valor is pinned over a heart swell-
ing with honest pride. Seldom is the affair an occasion of
ceremony. But mayhap the man will glance wistfully at it,
for it means so much to him and seems to mean so little to
others, and then it is laid aside to be occasionally brought
out for inspection by a comrade, or to be worn on parade if
specially authorized.
The War Department has very recently published a list
of officers and enlisted men who received the Medal for dis-
tinguished service during the war. A similar list of those
who have been thus decorated since the war (more than
three hundred) will doubtless be forthcoming. An order
viii PREFACE.
containing such a list, with general instructions for the pre-
sentation of the Medal in future, might be issued with great
benefit to the Service.
The record of many of the exploits for which the Medal
has been given shows that they have been as grand as any
in the so-called Age of Chivalry, and that they shed a bril-
liant lustre upon our national escutcheon.
Why should not the custom of the Continental Army,
established by Washington, that those who had received
the " Badge of Military Merit " should be "suffered to pass
all guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do,"
be revived and applied to the Medal of Honor.f* "The
road to glory, in a patriot army and a free country, is thus
opened to all." * As has been said by a gallant volun-
teer ofificer, " Can we afford to neglect those appeals to
an honest pride which Napoleon and every other great
captain have found so valuable?" f
The names of those whose deeds are herein described
were taken at random from the official list above mentioned.
The valuable aid rendered the Editor by the .Adjutant-
General of the Army, the Adjutants-General of many of the
States, Captain R. Catlin, U. S. A., Captain H. M. Munsell,
U. S. v., and Lieutenant A. W. Vogdes, U. S. A., is grate-
fully acknowledged.
Z^
• 343
• 390
• 405
. 444
• 472
• 474
485
THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
PART FIRST.
1861-1865.
" My heart is fretting like a tethered steed's
To join the heroes in their noble deeds.
A noise of armies gathers in my ears :
The Southern yells, the Northern battle-cheers ;
The endless volleys, ceaseless as the roar
Of the vexed ocean, brawling with its shore ;
The groaning cannon, puffing at a breath
Man's shreds and fragments through the jaws of death ;
The rush of horses, and the whirring sway
Of the keen sabre cleaving soul from clay ;
And over all, intelligible and clear
As spoken language to a listening ear,
The bugle orders the tumultuous herds.
And leads the flocks of battle with its words."
Boker.
m ^
"COME AND TAKli 11' ! "
SERGEANT JOHN G. MERRITT.
I-'IRST MINNESOTA INFANTRY
A MINNESOTA BOY'S FIRST BATTLE.
PERHAPS the battle of Bull Run (or Manassas),
which was fought on Virginia soil on a certain Sun-
day in July, 1861, may be likened to one of three signal-
guns : the capture of Fort Sumter being the first, and the
battle of Gettysburg the third.
The firing at Sumter warned men to choose sides and to
prepare for a struggle, long and severe ; how bitter, how
bloody, none at the time dreamed.
Bull Run and its famous stampede taught the lesson that
something more was required to win battles than masses of
armed men ; that courage without discipline was of little
1
2 A MINNESOTA BOY'S FIRST BATTLE.
avail, and that the vast resources of the Government must
be organized, drilled and led by experienced commanders
ere victory could be ours.
Gettysburg marked the "high tide" of the war: the
roar of its cannon sounded the death knell of the Confeder-
acy. Other battles were to be fought and thousands of men
in blue and gray were to lie down in death on the same
fields, but the preservation of the Union was assured when
the sun went down behind the sheets of summer rain on the
third day of Gettysburg.
Somehow or other the name " Bull Run " is generally
associated, in the minds of people who were not there, with
the idea of an amusing and, on one side, at least, an en-
tirely disgraceful performance ; and this is quite natural.
We are often told that first impressions are strongest, but
this hardly holds good of a defeated army : there the
strongest impression is doubtless the last.
Greatly ridiculed and denounced when it occurred, the
battle of Bull Run is gradually finding its vindication.
General Sherman says it was " one of the best planned
battles of the war, but one of the worst fought," and that
"both armies were fairly defeated." General Johnston
says: " If the tactics of the Federals had been equal to their
strategy, we should have been beaten." While therefore
Bull Run will always be famous for its discreditable feat-
ures, it is now known that in no other affair of the war
were there more brilliant exhibitions of personal gallantry
and heroism than on that historic field. Many of these ex-
ploits were by boys of eighteen who faced death there for
the first time. One of these, Sergeant John G. Merritt.
GOING TO THE TRONT. j
Company K, First Minnesota Infantry, who afterward re-
ceived the Medal of Honor for gallantry at Bull Run, tells
the story of his first battle so well that it is given here in
his own words :
GOING TO THE FRONT.
" I was a sergeant in Co. K, First Regiment Minnesota
Volunteers.* The regiment broke camp at Centerville
about three o'clock on the morning of Sunday, July 21,
1861. With a soldier's equipments and three days' rations,
we realized before sunrise that it was going to be a hot day.
After we had been on the march for about a couple of
miles we turned off the main road to the right ; we were
delayed a good deal by fallen trees with sharpened points
sticking towards us. Whenever we could we would double-
quick, and, as the morning was very hot, the pace told on
some of the men.
" John Ball, the orderly sergeant of K Co., was sick and
I was acting as orderly sergeant. As sick as Ball was, he
came on the field, and I saw him standing near the regiment
while they were engaged, with his arms folded, apparently
the most unconcerned person of the lot ; he was a brave
and fearless man. Captain Lester, Lieutenants Holtzbornf
and Periam:}: were the ofificers of the company.
"We could hear the sound of cannon very distinctly about
*" The brigade left camp near Centerville at 2.30 a.i\i. in the following order:— ist
Minnesota, Ricketts' Battery, 5th Massachusetts. The Minnesota regfiment was arranged
with the two front companies as ready to act as skirmishers, the next three companies as
the advanced guard, and the remainder of the regiment formed the head of the column
. . . the brigade reached Bull Run about 11 a.m. after a march of about twelve miles."—
War Records^ Col. Franklin' s Report,
t Killed at Antietam.
X Mortally wounded at Gettysburg.
4 A MINNESOTA BOVS FIRST BATTLE.
eight o'clock, and by ten or eleven o'clock we could plainly
hear the sound of musketry ; by that time we knew we were
going to have a fight. After I was satisfied that such was
going to be the case, and being desirous of obtaining mili-
tary distinction, I applied to Lieutenant Holtzborn, of my
company, for the privilege of selecting four men for the pur-
pose of capturing the first Confederate flag we could get.
The lieutenant told me it was a hazardous undertaking,
but said, after consultation with Captain Lester, I had per-
mission. Sergeant Dudley, Privates Durfee, Grim and one
other, whose name I have forgotten, readily consented to
my proposal, and all agreed to follow me and to stick to
one another under any circumstances.
'* Before going into action, the whole regiment divested
themselves of knapsacks, haversacks and blankets, and piled
them in one large heap beside the road, thinking of course
we would be back in a couple of hours — as soon as we had
' crushed the Rebellion.* I and my four men in partic-
ular carried nothing with us but our ammunition and guns.
After we had supplied ourselves with water,* and every-
thing being now ready, orders were given to ' Forward ! '
and we immediately filed through a cluster of trees, where
the dying and wounded were being brought on stretchers
and blankets. Everything was at the height of excitement,
as the roar of cannon and the incessant volleys of musketry
were very heavy, and with an occasional stray shot coming
* " At Sudley Springs, while awaiting the passage of the troops of the division in our
front, I ordered forward the ist Brigade (Franklin's) to fill their canteens. Captain
Wright led forward the Minnesota regiment to the left of the road which crossed the
Run at this place. . . y— Colonel Heintzlemans Report.
GOING INTO ACTION.
5
among us, you can rest assured the regiment was on the
alert.
" I never shall forget the first sight of dead, wounded and
dying. Pity and sympathy, mingled with a feeling of fear,
made me realize in an instant we were approaching death.
But the feeling passed away as soon as it came.
" So far as my recollection goes, when we got out into the
open space we were ordered to the other side of the field,
and in marching over, double-quick, we passed directly in
the rear of our artillery, which was heavily engaged.* It
was very laughable and amusing to see some of the men
jump and squat down, trying to dodge, in all manner of
ways, the cannon shots from the Rebel guns ; and I was
not slow at the dodging business myself. One of my com-
pany would constantly run out of the ranks and up to the
captain and say, 'Has the fight commenced yet? Has
the fight commenced yet?' He was not long in finding
out when the fight did commence.
"Arriving at what seemed to me the extreme right, we
formed in line in a ravine, near some cavalry, and awaited
orders.
" It was now about half-past one o'clock. We were soon
ordered forward, and as we advanced rapidly to the brow of
a plateau we knew we were soon to meet the enemy, face
to face, at short range. Just before we got to the top of
the plateau the bugle sounded ' lie down.' With fixed
bayonets and loaded rifles we were ready and anxious for
business. In about a couple of minutes the bugle sounded
* "At a little more than a mile from the lord we came upon the battlefield. Franklin's
brigade was posted on the right of a wood near the centre of our line, and on ground ris-
ing toward the enemy's position." — Colonel HeintzUinafis Report.
6 A MINXESOTA BOY'S FIRST BATTLE.
' stand up ' ; no sooner had we done so and were well in
line when the command ' Forward ! ' was given. That
brought us directly in plain sight and directly in front of a
line of 'Rebs.'* We were not more than thirt)^ or thirty-
five yards apart ; in fact we Avere so close that for a minute
we did not know who they weref (I saw, about this time,
General Heintzleman riding in plain view of the enemy).
We saw their colors and all fired immediately ; in less than
half a minute they gave us a round. We were ordered to
lie down and load ; then we were ordered to stand up and
fire. We had given them three or four rounds and they
were slowly falling back, a little confused. When the
smoke and dust would break away we could see them and
their colors as plain as you can see a man across the street.
Just at this time a single gun from Ricketts' Battery came
directly to the rear of K Company, unlimbered, and in less
than half a minute gave them a round of grape arid canis-
ter. The artillerymen immediately reloaded and gave them
another dose of the same medicine. The second round
threw them in utter confusion, and it was at that time
myself and the men named above advanced double-quick
on the Rebel color-bearer. We had no trouble in reaching
him, as the smoke and dust had not risen, and from his
* " I then led up the Minnesota regiment, which was also repulsed but retired in toler-
ably good order. It did good service in the woods on our right flank, and was ainong the
last to retire, coming off the field with the 3d U. S. Infantry. . . .''—Colonel Heintzle-
Dian's Report-
t "The ist Minnesota Regiment moved from its position on the left of the field to the
support of Ricketts' battery, and gallantly engaged the enemy at that point. It was
so near that point, friends and foes were for a time confounded. The regiment be-
haved exceedingly well, and finally retired from the field in good order."— Colonel
Franklin s Report.
A FIGHT FOR THE STAiYDARD. -
actions I thought he was under the impression he had been
captured.
A FIGHT FOR THE STANDARD,
" The man who carried the colors was about five feet ten
or eleven inches, dark complexioned, with black hair, slight
mustache and black eyes ; he with others about him wore
gray clothes and black slouch hats ; some one was trying
to form them. The color-bearer had his coat unbuttoned,
with his hat on the back of his head. As I got within a
couple of feet of him I commanded him in a peremptory
manner to surrender, and at the same time Dudley, Durfee
and myself cocked our guns. I grabbed the colors out of
his hand ; he and one or two more said, ' Don't shoot !
don't shoot ! '
"The flag was a red one with a white stripe running
through the middle of it, with blue in one corner and some
stars on it. As soon as I grabbed the colors out of the
Johnnie's hands I told him to follow me quick, and at the
same time told my men to get back to the regiment as soon
as possible. Dudley, Grim and myself were laughing at
the easy thing we had, and all of us running for the regi-
ment .-as fast as we could go, \v\\Qr\—bang ! bang! bang!
came a volley after us, killing Grim and the comrade whose
name I have forgotten, and at the same time a dozen or
more of Rebs ran after us, some of them hollering ' Kill
the d d black abolition, red-shirt Yankee, . . . .' and
at the same time gave us another round. From the sound
it seemed as if a regiment was firing at us. That was the
shot that killed young Durfee and wounded me in the le^;
8 A M/XNESOTA BOY'S F/KST BA-J'TLE.
another bullet went through the breast-pocket of my shirt
and shivered my pipe in pieces. I dropped my gun but
held on to the flag, and was going about as fast on one leg
as most men generally go on two ; but before I had gone
ten feet I was hit over the head with what I thought was
the stock of a musket. It knocked me down but did not
knock me senseless. They immediately pulled the flag out
of my hands and fell back on a run.
" As they did so, Dudley came back to me (he had run
ahead some little distance), helped me up and assisted me
along as fast as I could go. How Dudley and I escaped
with our lives seems almost incredible, and looks now as if
we had been hedged about with some halo of good luck.
" From the firing of the gun of Ricketts' Hattery to the
time I was shot, not more than five or eight minutes had
expired. What we did, we did quick and without cere-
mony, and if we could have kept them off from us half a
minute longer we would have been safe. As soon as we
got back to the regiment and I realized the fact that I
could not walk and was bleeding very fast, I took my sus-
penders off and tied them as tight as I could above the
wound, to keep from bleeding to death ; and at the same
time asked Lieutenant Holtzborn, who happened to see
me, to have some one assist me to the rear. This was dur-
ing some change of position of the regiment.
" He ordered Sergeant Dudley and Private Durfee, a twin
brother of the one who had just been killed, to carry me
off. I put an arm round each of their necks and held on
to them as they hurriedly walked along.
GOING rO THE REAR. g
GOING TO TllK REAR.
" The regiment was still fighting, and at this time a
mounted officer, with his reins in one hand and a big navy-
revolver in the other, rode by us on a dead run ; turning
round in his saddle he hollered out, ' Men of Minnesota,
for God's sake don't disgrace your State ! ' — and he was
off for Washington or some other safe place as fast as his
big bay horse could carry him. It was an ocular and com-
plete demonstration of the advice a father gave to his son,
' Do as I say, but not as I do.'
" As soon as we got to the foot of a little hill I fainted
away on a spot where some horses had been standing. I
was brought to by Dudley throwing some dirty water in
my face. This immediately straightened me up, and taking
hold of them as before we hurriedly moved off. By the
time they got me to a house, which was being used as a
temporary hospital, I began to feel sick at my stomach and
very faint. Surgeons were dressing the wounds of some
of Ellsworth's Zouaves, Michigan and Massachusetts men,
and giving them stimulants. They gave me two or three
swallows, which settled my stomach and made me feel bet-
ter. The next thing I knew I was being pulled up and
yanked along as fast as we could go. All commenced to
move along at a break-neck gait. The retreat had com
menced. And of all the helter-skelter, pell-mell, devil-take-
the-hindmost gang I ever saw, or heard tell of, or ever read
about, that crazy crowd beat them all. They all went as if
a cyclone had struck them. All was confusion, all disorder
and every one acted as if the Johnnies were determined to
have a Yankee apiece for supper; and some of them would
JUS8 by and look .it iho wounded Uuit wore being carried
And helped off, as much as to say, ' They can have i'<»?/, but
by golly they shan't catch me ! ' I don't believe there \\ .\s
cv^cr a gi^atcr stampede of troops than there was bet\veei\
that house and the bridge. Dudley and Durfee saved my
life without a doubt. Durfee would have abandoned me to
Dudley's chai-ge some time before if I had told him the
truth about his brother, about whom he was constantly in-
quiring. And here was an instance where * evasion ' seemed
better than telling the truth. His brother, as brave and
daring a fellow as ever shouldered a musket, and very quiet
and modest at all times, made a remark just before I
grabbed the colors out of the color-bearer's hands th.u 1
shall nev<:r forget. 'Sergeant,' said he, 'when you take
it, hold on to it,' and in less than half a minute he was
shot dead. Had I told his brother he had been killed or
\vx>undod he \\^>uld have retunted to his assistaitce immedi-
ately, and that woi^ld have been the last of me.
" I was the only one of the three that had any money,
and w^ finally succeeded, after seveml attempts, in per-
suading a teamster, with a four-hor^e wagon, to let them
put me on the off-wheel horse, by giving him four one-dol-
lar gold pieces and some sutler's tickets. Dudley remarked,
* Give him all \x>u ha\-e got, as we might as well get broke
her« as anx'^vhere. Riding the off-wheel horse brought
my wounded left leg between the t\\-o horses and on top
of the wagon tongue ; this caused me so much pain, I had
to turn round on the horse so as not to hav^ my leg hurt
between the two hordes. With one hand holding on to
the root of his tail, and the other hand behind me grasping
A /'AMOU'i J\-^-w»*-^ fyy-cP^j- ^^Mi^-K^ cr\~!^ /^-^n^v^_0 cy<^£i^
^^<„«=l::S^^v i^i^\-.*y^ .^^u-^^z C^t:^z,.^ ^.^/^ ^^ ^..^ ^^.^^ ^-^^
SERGE.\NT EDWARD PROWNE,
SIXTV-SECOND S. Y INFAXTKY.
-FIGHTIXG JOE'S- MEN.
IT is well known to veterans that Major-General Joseph
Hooker, at one time commander of the Army of the
Potomac, was affectionately called " Fighting Joe." on ac-
count of the dashing manner in which he habitually led his
division in battle. In tact, wherever he was acting as a
subordinate commander — not weighed down with the re-
sponsibility of an independent amiy — he was enterprising,
energetic, cool-headed and vigorous in the performance of
his duty.
In an evil hour President Lincoln, deeming General
Hooker available, promoted him to the command of an
army of more than one hundred thousand men.
While the army was in camp, and required only to be
clothed and fed and disciplined, its new leader was equal to
CHANCELLORSVILLE. 2^
the occasion and s^rcatly improved the condition of the
troops. But when called upon to manoeuvre this armed
host in a wilderness, in presence of the enemy and of the
chosen champion of the Southern cause, " Fighting Joe's "
powers seemed paraU'zed, his sword no longer flashed in
the charge, his voice no longer rang in clarion tones, " For-
ward ! " His counsel seemed weak and uncertain, and his
movements those of one groping in the dark.
The battle of Chancellorsville was " Fighting Joe's "
Waterloo, as the general of an army, although he lived to
win fresh laurels as a corps commander in the memorable
" battle above the clouds." This is not the place to enlarge
upon the mistakes of leaders, however, beyond brief men-
tion of the operations in which there was the usual propor-
tion of individual gallantry among the rank and file. The
battle of Chancellorsville is famous as the spot where
" Stonewall Jackson " met his death in the hour of his
triumph, just as he had given a crushing blow to the right
flank of the Union army. The operations on the left of the
Union line, although more creditable, w^ere of no avail in the
end, excepting as they inspired the enemy with a respectful
caution in following up Hooker's retreat to his old camps
on the left bank of the Rappahannock.
If the army commander was wanting at Chancellorsville,
his subordinates, generally, were equal to the emergency.
The operations on the Union left were controlled by
General Sedgwick. One of his brave men, a survivor of the
Great Rebellion, Sergeant Edward Browne, Co. '* G,"
62d N. Y. Vol. Infantry, gives an interesting sketch of his
recollections on that occasion.
24 " FIGHTING JOE'S " MEN.
I. THE AFFAIR OF SALEM HEIGHTS.
" While ordinarily it is not agreeable to me (not to say
indelicate) to write of myself, and to speak of a distinction
which fell to my lot, I confess my pride in being the holder
of a Medal of Honor, conferred by the Congress of our
grand country, in recognition of alleged merit ; and to
enable you to determine whether the acts, for which my
then superior officers tbought fit to commend me, are wor-
thy of being recorded, I will briefly narrate events.
" It was on the morning of May 3, or 4 (,1 am un-
certain as to the date). General Hooker was at Chancellors-
ville. General Sedgwick, with the Sixth Corps, crossed to
the right bank of the Rappahannock, about three miles
below Fredericksburg, and took up his line of march tow-
ard that cit}'. The advance, after considerable resistance
on the part of the Confederates, entered the city just before
daybreak and drove the enemy from, and quite a distance
beyond, the city. My recollection is that the enemy found
refuge behind a stone wall at the base of the heights back
of the city. Be that as it may, at daylight six companies
of the 62d Regiment were thrown in advance to uncover
the enemy if behind the wall. I was with the color-guard
at the time. We advanced in line of battle until Ave came
within the enemy's works, which formed a circle at the foot
of the hill, and uncovered the enemy. But we reached
there through a murderous fire of small arms at point-blank
range, opened upon our front and flanks, and it seemed like
going to sure destruction. Our men were literally mowed
down. Those of us who were not incapacitated sought the
SAL KM HEIGHTS.
25
cover (if tlic city as soon as we coukl. The color-bearer was
injureil in the enq;ai;-cment, but my comrades and I brought
him back with the cok)rs. Upon our return to the city the
remainiiiij^ companies of the regiment were brought up, and
the icgimcnt re-formed. The colors were entrusted to me.
About noon we were in line of battle; for the charge which
carried the stone wall and the heights beyond. I was
among the first upon the wall with the colors, and kept
them n>'ing until we reached the top of the heights and the
enemy were routed.
" In the afternoon we pressed forward, after having rc-
fornu'd our columns, to Salem Church or Heights, about
four miles to the rear of Marye's Heights, where, in a belt
of wochIs, our advance became engaged with what we sup-
posed to be the rear guard of the enemy. We afterwards
learned that it was a part of Lee's forces on their return
from Chancellorsville. The 62d Regiment was in the sec-
ond line of battle supporting a battery, with its right rest-
ing on the road from Fredericksburg. Generals Newton
and Wheaton were close b\', mounted. Suddenly our boys
came in hurried retreat from the woods, followetl b}- the
enemy in good fcn-m. I was at that time in front of the
line waving the colors, when, on turning to the right, I
observed a line of the enemy emerging from a belt of woods
in that direction, and called the colonel's attention to it.
While doing so I was wounded in the side. The colonel
noticed that I was wounded and suggested my retirement
to the rear. But the boys were coming across the wide
open between the woods and our line, and I remained with
colors open so that they might know they had something
26 " FIGHTING JOE'S " ME.V.
to rall\' about, and to show the cneniy that \vc were not in
a panic. I remained at \\\y post until the boys had crossed
the open and were within onr Hnes, and the enemy had
been broui:;ht to a halt by our lire. Then the colonel. C.
B, Hamilton (^God bless him ! a nobler man never breathedX
commantleil me to i;"ive up the colors and get to the hos-
pital. I transferred the colors — the\' were not dropped, but
held up while being transferred — to a noble fellow, who
afterwards fell under them: and after the enemy's line was
broken and they had retired to the woods whence they
came, late in the afternoon, I went to the field hospital.
On the following da\- I crossed to the left bank of the ri\er.
and from a safe position, in the stone house which ser\ed as
a hospital, I saw the battle.
" I returned to my regiment as soon as nn- \\ound healed,
antl was with it in all engagements up to the tight before
Washington in '(>4. I was made sergeant and a commission
was offered me. but I declined the latter through lack of
appreciation of its wortli. I was breveted 2d and ist
Lieutenant and Captain in New York Volunteers."'
HE.vrQrARTERS 3n Bricape, 3D Division, 6th Corps,
Camt near Falmouth, Va., J/.m- 27, 1S63.
Sir: In compliance with Gcncr.-il Orders 53, Vxt. i. Headquarters Army of
the Potomac, I have the honor to forward a list of officers, noncommissioned
officers and privates, whoso gallantrv and merit were conspicuous and worthy of
especial notice during the recent battles at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights,
>fay 3 and 4, 1S63.
6rd New York Vols., commanded bv l.ieut.-(."ol. Ch.\s. K. Hamilton.
Corporal F.nwARn Hrownk. Co. " Ci," is recommended for a " medal " and
" honor.able mention" tor good conduct at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights.
Mav 3 and 4, iSt^,. In the second battle. M.ay 4. ne.\r Salem Heights, Cor-
SEKGE.UVT BKOJViVE'S CREDENTIALS.
27
poral Browne, who carried the cokirs of his regiment, was severely wounded,
hut continued at his post under fire until positively ordered to the rear by his
regimental commander.
Very rcsp'y your obt. svt.,
(signed) Frank Wheaton,
Gkn. S. Williams, Brig.'Gcnl. U. S. A.
A. A. G. Army of tlie Potomac.
A REGIMENTAL CERTIFICATE.
This is to certify that Sergt. EmvARD I^rowne was a member of the 626
N. Y. Vols., and during all the time the regiment served he was a brave and
efficient soldier. He was promoted from private to rank of color-sergeant for
courage and meritorious conduct on many a field of battle, and was commended
in general orders for personal bravery at " Salem Heights." He was offered
a commission during the latter part of the campaign, but refused to accept it,
preferring rather to remain among his comrades, the non-commissioned staff
and privates with whom he had so gallantly won his promotion, than to enter
the ranks of commissioned officers.
I would gladly recommend him to any military position, knowing from expe-
rience and personal knowledge he will fill it both with honor to himself and ser-
vice to the cause.
(signed) SA^^ C. Stewart,
Late Adjt. GzJ iV. V. S. Vols.
Sergeant Browne has achieved an honorable position in
civil life, and is now (1886) a Justice of the City Court of
New York.
2S
*'F/GHT/XC JOE'S" MEiV.
II. FKEI.IXG FOR A " STOXK WALL."
After the famous Southern general,
Stonewall Jackson, had with character-
istic energy and skill attacked the right
tlaiik of General Hooker's arni>- and
caused the troops of an entire corps to
retreat in confusion, it became necessary
to send out scouting parties in the dense
wilderness at night, to find the enemy.
One of these parties was sent out by
direction of General Berry, from the 74th
New York Infantr\-. Captain F. E. Tyler
writes : " As the corps (^3d) to which my
regiment was attached did not arrive at
Chanccllorsville for some time after the
main arnn*. we were put in reserve a
short distance back of the main line and
near the road from the U. S. Ford. About
;T^^'^4 r.M. the nth Corps was broken by
SERCEAM- lA lY. Stoucwall Jacksou and fell back in great
confusion. General Hooker ordered up
our division (Hooker's old division) to retake the line from
which the nth was driven. As we marched out we found
the roads and woods full of the fleeing nth Corps, and had
to charge bayonets to clear a passage. We regained the
original line of the nth Corps without much trouble, and
immediately proceeded to cut down trees to fortify our
position. I was then the senior captain of the regiment
and acting major. During the day General Sickles, who
FELIX BRANNIGAN. 2Q
comiTKinded our corps (the 3d), had two divisions of the
corps, well out in front of our main lines, scouting, and
at the time of the break of the iith had not to our knowl-
edge returncci ; there were also other troops well advanced
in front of our main lines, observing the movements of the
enemy. So it seemed important to know just what was in
our front, and also to find out what had become of the
troops of Stonewall Jackson. Some time about midnight
General Revere, who commanded our (Sickles') brigade,
rode down our line, and stopping at my regiment, asked
for the colonel. As he could not be readily found at that
time he was referred to me, and stopping, asked me if I
knew what troops of the enemy were in our front, or if
there were any. I mentioned the fact that it was reported
that the ist and 3d divisions of our corps were in front;
also the rumor that the Irish Brigade had been sent out in
that direction. He then told me that it was of the utmost
importance to know what was in front, and ordered me to
pick out some trusty men and send them out to get the
best information they could. I went to my old company
(A), and called for Felix Brannuian, who had been witli
me all during the wMr, and whom I knew from long expe-
rience to be a cool, courageous, intelligent soldier. I told
him what I wanted, gave him my ideas as to how to get
out of the lines and what to do, and suggested the other
men whom he should take along. They went in twos,
each in a different direction, having to pass our own pick-
ets and presumably those of the enemy, make their way
stealthily through the thickets and swamps and go until
they found troops in front ; either ours or of the enemy.
30 " FIGHTIXG JOF'S" J/£Ar.
They had all returned by da\-light, coming in at different
times, the last man coming in being JOS. GlOX, who was
out so long I greatly feared his death or capture. They
reported that they had gone a considerable distance when
they came to 'an open,' which was occupied by a large body
of troops ; by laying low and getting as near as possible to
the troops, who were camped close to the woods, they
found they were Stonewall Jackson's men, and that they
intended to make a determined effort at daylight to break
through where they broke the nth Corps the day before,
and push on and secure possession of the roads leading to
U. S. Ford, thereby hoping to effect a capture of a large
portion of the Federal army. To prove the importance of
this scout, shortly after daylight Jackson's troops, then led
by Stuart (Jackson had fallen during the night), charged
our works, where we held them for, say two hours, wheti
we fell back and formed a new and shorter line just back
of the Chancellorsville house. During this fight m)- colonel
and lieutenant-colonel were both seriously wounded, and
I was in command during the latter part of the battle.
After we returned to our camp across the river. General
Hooker ordered that each commanding officer report such
men as were conspicuous for good conduct. Under these
circumstances I made a detailed report to General Hooker's
adjutant-gene- al, and the men were awarded medals."
Gottlieb Lutv, one of the men selected for this haz-
ardous service, and whose portrait, taken from a war-time
photograph, heads this account, says :
" On the afternoon in I\Iay, 1863, when the Eleventh
Corps was driven back. General Hooker ordered the second
GOTTLIEB LUTY.
31
division of the Third Corps to take their place. We ad-
vanced and took their old position, which we reached about
dark. While lying there we heard firing in front, and Gen-
eral Berry, supposing that some of the nth Corps were
still in advance yet, asked Colonel Lonesberry of the 74th
N. Y. if he had one or two men who would volunteer to
go out and see if any were there, and find out what position
the rebels were in. There .were four of Company A, viz.:
Felix Brannigan, Henry Bierman, Jos. Gion and
myself, and Sergt.-Major Jacobson, who volunteered to
go. We divided into two squads, Brannigan and myself
going together, the others going by themselves in a differ,
ent direction. We advanced outside the outposts, prob-
ably fifty yards, close to the plank-road. We heard horses
coming down the plank-road. We concluded to drop and
await developments. They came down to within fifteen
yards of us. When the firing commenced it appeared to
come from all sides at the same time. I could not tell
from what quarter it started. We found out by the talk
that it was a body of rebels that rode down, and I
think probably it was Gen. Jackson and staff, as we heard
them say the general was shot just after the firing
ceased. As there was only one round fired, we had a good
chance to hear all. After the rebels withdrew, we got up
and concluded to go back to our lines, but lost our way
and got among the rebels. They were terribly excited
about General Jackson being shot. All was confusion.
So we quietly withdrew, as it was not very healthy for us
there. We reached our lines about 3 o'clock in the morn-
ing. We then heard that General Berry had followed us
22 " FIGHTING JOE'S " MEN.
out and was wounded, and before he died he requested
that if any of the men that went out got back the)' be
rewarded for their services. The others returned later in
the morning. We then fell back ovgr the Rappahannock
to Falmouth."
MAJOR WILLIAM I). HINCKS,
FOURTEENTH Cl>NN. INKANTKV.
MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.
A MIDSUMMER night's dream. At least all the ma-
terials were there. The moon bathing the corn and
wheat with mellow light ; the faint sound of church bells
wafted over the meadows from the neighboring town ;
the low, sweet notes of the whip-poor-will and the ceaseless
murmur of the brook ; and last, but necessary ingredient,
a young girl.
These pleasant sights and sounds centred in a lovely spot
in the suburbs of the now historic town of Gettysburg,
near the Emmittsburg road. Here upon a little crest
stood, a few days before the great battle, a modest farm-
house, surrounded by out-buildings bearing the usual Penn-
sylvania proportion to the size of the mansion ; the great
red barn, with its gothic windows framed in white, being
the best sign of the owner's prosperity. With the excep-
3 33
34
AN AMERICAN GIRL.
35
tion of a few fine old trees which shaded the house, there
was but little timber on the farm. In front of the house,
on the brow of the hill, a huge rock jutted out toward the
south ; its top was moss-covered, but level as a table, and
guarded, sentinel-like, by two large willow trees ; between
them swung idly a hammock, within which, half reclining,
and with her face turned southward, was the maiden of the
dream.
THE DIKTRICH FARM.
Elinor Dietrich was a true American girl. Her father,
a hard-fisted, prosperous " Pennsylvania Dutchman," had
married, some twenty years before, the pretty daughter of
a Lutheran clergyman, who had lived and labored and died
in the somewhat barren vineyard of a country parish, where
thistles grew more plentifully than grapes. In the only
child the virtues of the parents seemed reproduced : the
courage and self-reliance of the father, the patience, forti-
tude and physical beauty of the mother. At an early age
she had been sent to a famous Philadelphia school, where
girls were not only taught the accomplishments, but also
-,5 A/AKS AA'D CCriD AT GETTYSBi'KG.
the domestic arts of life, and where the experienced princi-
pal, herself a mother, took some of her pupils into her
heart as well as under her roof. Elinor was one of the
favored few, and when she returned home — "finished " — it
was a pure, true-hearted woman who was clasped to her
mother's breast. From a child she had been fond of out-
door life, and before she went away to boarding-school
could ride the wildest colt on the place, and bring down a
partridge on the wing with her father's best double gun,
whenever she could persuade him to let her share in the
sport. But in all this there was no sign of the hoyden — no
tom-boy manner.
Although Elinor was only nineteen, she was not heart-
whole. Three years before, she had met a young student
from North Carolina. He was good-looking, clever, and
after due inquiry was permitted to become a suitor. He
had made a long visit at the Dietrich homestead, and all
seemed smooth sailing, when the guns at Sumter, regard-
less of lovers' knots and lovers' sighs, called Frank Arden
to what he termed "the defence of the Old North State."
So the usual vows were exchanged and the youth departed
for the Confederacy. More than two years had passed. If
love laughs at locksmiths, he certainly has but scant respect
for picket lines. At intervals a letter found its way from
the far South where Frank (now an infantry captain) was
fighting the invader. One day Elinor received a billet from
Richmond, and the writer spoke of the rumor that General
Lee would make " an excursion into Pennsylvania some of
these days," and hoped that it might come to pass. And
Lee had come, but Arden's regiment passed by on the
BUFORD OPENS THE BALL. 27
Other side of the county and it seemed a case of " hope
deferred."
As Elinor mused over these things, Carlo, her pet terrier,
lifted up his shrill voice in a warning bark. Shuffling foot-
steps came across the lawn and a voice, strangely familiar,
said :
" Heh ! HI dog, wha' fo' you go back on yo' frens.? "
Elinor sprang to her feet.
" Jim, is it you ? "
"Yesm — yes, Mis Elinor; got somfin fum Mars Frank.
Tole me to put it in yo own hans."
And the dusty, travel-worn negro, diving into the pocket
of his jacket, drew out a letter on once white paper.
BUFORD OPENS THE BALL.
The clock in the tower of the Seminary marked the hour
of eight. The morning of a day famous in the annals of
American history had arrived — the first day of the battle
of Gettysburg. And yet, at the moment, there was but lit-
tle sign of war in the landscape, as it lay spread out, smiling
and placid as far as one could see. Just in front of the
town a few hundred horsemen were resting under tempo-
rary shelters of canvas or lounging under the trees, while
their horses impatiently stamped at the flies or, motionless,
drew in deep draughts of the clover-scented air. They be-
longed to Bu ford's division of the cavalr\' corps, Army of
the Potomac ; of that army they were supposed to be the
eyes and ears ; their duty to keep both wide open in the
direction of the enemy; to report his plans and movements,
to delay his advance and to hang upon his rear in retreat ;
and, besides, to do a multitude of things not usually re-
38
A/AA'S A.V/^ CCPID AT GETTYSBURG.
quirod of cavalix' tin the books\ but whicli arc apt to fall to
the U^t of bra\-o, /.calous. and intcl!iL;cnt soklicrs — horse or
foot — wlu^ haj^pen to be on the spot in an enierL;enc\'.
All this passed throuy,h the mind of the advaneed vidette
on the Cashtown road, about two miles west of Gett\-sburg.
He was a brij^ht x'oung
farmer from Illinois, and
a drai^oon of nearly three
}-ears' service ; it was long
since he had seen so fer-
tile a vale as that spread
out before him, and in
fanc)' he saw the old home
farm and wondered how
the crops compared with
those at his feet. But
he kept his militar)- e)-e
" peeled." and his large
ears open at the same
time. His position on a
knoll, in the edge of a
gro\"e, comuKuuled a \'iew
of the road for sexeral
miles in the direction of
Chambersburg. Private Kelly had good eyesight, and as
he looked down the road for the hundredth time since go-
ing on post that morning, his eye rested longer than usual
on an object about three miles awa\-.
A moment decided him as to its nature: it was undoubt-
edlv a horseman, but whether friend or foe it was impossi-
TIIK CONFEJ)ERATE ADVANCE.
39
blc to tell. Another glance revealed three — six — a platoon
at least, movini:^ slowly alon<^ at a walk. The man first
seen kept in the niidclle of the road ; a hundred yards be-
hind him rode another cavalier; at a similar distance in
rear came four or five men, riding together, with one in
front who seemed tt) be in command. Private Kelly was
much interested in the si^ectacle ; he l)raced up in his sad-
dle, drew his horse back into the shadow of the wood, and
TlIK ADVANCE GUARD.
took another look. The leading horseman bad disappeared
in a little gorge through which a small stream filtered un-
der a few boards crossing the road, and as the breeze came
from tiiat direction it bore the muffied sound of hoofs to
the alert Union picket. And now a larger party of horse-
men, perhaps twenty, came within his vision and the Hash-
ing of something in the sunlight suggested an armed party;
on cither side of the road and a little in advance of these
could also be seen three or four mounted men moving
across the fields in open order. Private Kelly could not
tell whether these visitors were likely to be welcome or not,
and very properly concluded to transfer the responsibility
to other shoulders. In rear of the little clump of trees
40 JL-IAS A\D CCr/D AT GETTYSBURG.
there Wvis an open spot, plainly visible to his '" reserve," and
not exposed to anyone coming from Cashtown. Kelly was
there in a moment, riding his horse rapidly in a circle and
putting his cap on the muzzle of his carbine as a signal
that something was wrong. Instantly this was seen by the
sentry in front of the picket-guard, and in another moment
a corporal was galloping to the front. " What is it,
Kelly.'" The vidette silently pointed down the road.
The horsemen were now only two miles off, but some
distance in their rear was a column of footmen, well closed
up, with a cloud of skirmishers in front, extending for a
hundred yards on both sides of the road.
"Johnnies I and doughboys* at that, — it must be a divis-
ion at least," said the corporal. "Well, Kelly, you know
what to do , stay out as long as you can, but don't let them
gobble you. I'll report to the lieutenant ; " and back the
corporal sped with the news.
" Honest John." as the commander + of the First Cavalry
Division was affectionately called by his troopers, was sit-
ting on a camp-stool under an old elm tree, which did duty as
headquarters, taking his after-breakfast smoke. The mod-
est brier-wood pipe was as much a part of his equipment as
the blue hunting-shirt which General Buford invariably
wore in the field. The general was not much of a talker,
at least in mixed society, and in this respect resembled the
Great Captain who sleeps so quietly at Riverside. Nothing
escaped his keen eye, and none was more ready to recognize
merit in others or slower to push his own claims for pro-
motion.
* Cavalry slang tor the infantry.
+ Maior-General John Buford
THE FIRST DAY'S FIGHT.
4'
A staff-officer rode up, dismounted, and saluting the gen-
eral reported that the pickets of Gamble's Brigade had just
observed the enem)' in some force, adxancing on the Cash-
town road. The Chief took one or two meditative puffs,
and then removing his pipe said, " Give my compliments
to Colonel Gamble, and tell him to move out with his com-
mand and meet the enemy ; we must keep him out of the
i;k rrvsiu'Ki;. — iiKsr 11A^■.
town as long as possible. Tell the colonel to keep me
posted as to the enemy's movements from time to time."
In ten minutes Gamble's Brigade — the 8th New York, 8th
Illinois, and part of the 3d Indiana and 12th Illinois regi-
ments of cavalry — about 1900 strong, with Tidball's Bat-
tery of the 2d U. S. Artillery under Lieutenant Calef, was
moving into position. Three squadrons, part dismounted,
MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN Bl'KORD.
FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, AKM\ OK THE POTOMAC.
42
KEEPING RESERVED SEATS. 4^
were sent to the front and deployed as skirmishers to sup-
port the squadron on picket, then falh'ng back slowly. Two
of Calef's three-inch rifled guns were placed on each side of
the road, and two on the right of the left regiment of cav-
alry. The enemy cautiously approached in column on the
road with three extended lines on each flank, and the artil-
lery and skirmishers became engaged. Soon the cavalry
were forced back, giving ground very slowly considering
that the little cavalry brigade was standing up against three
divisions of infantry — veterans of the Army of Northern
Virginia. For more than two hours this unequal contest
was waged. Under the eye of one of the best cavalry
fighters in the world, the Union troopers surpassed all
previous efforts. In Buford's own words, " the brigade had
to be literally dragged back " a few hundred yards to a
position more secure and better sheltered ; at one time the
enemy had a concentric fire upon the battery from twelve
guns, all at short range. Calef held his own gloriously,
worked his guns deliberately, with great judgment and .
skill, and with wonderful effect upon the enemy. Even
when the advance of the First Corps came up, so thor-
oughly had the horsemen warmed to their work, by fighting
on foot, that some of the 3d Indiana Cavalry found horse-
holders, borrowed muskets and fought side by side with
the Wisconsin regiment of infantry which came to relieve
them. But the work of the cavalry in keeping " reserved
seats " for the grand bull fight was not yet over. Heavy
masses of the enemy were advancing upon Gettysburg
from the north and west. General Buford stemmed the
hostile torrent on the northern side with Devin's Brigade
44
MAKS AXD CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.
until the arrival of the Eleventh Corps, when, perceiving
that the portion of the First Corps then engaged was sorely
pressed, he sent Gamble's Brigade to the left of General
Doubleday's line. It arrived at a critical moment and
rendered invaluable service. Dropping behind a low stone
fence. Gamble's dismounted men delivered, at short range,
a repeating-carbine fire that was perfectly terrific and
caused the enemy to recoil, temporaril)- discomfited.
And now General Hancock arrived on the field and
assumed command, and as the great army corps came
up they were assigned to positions. Both armies — Lee
wdth more than 70,000 and Meade with more than So,ooo
soldiers, the flower of American manhood — now prepared
for a terrible struggle. The character of the battle of
Gettysburg, the magnificent display of courage and en-
durance on both sides, and the nearly equal conditions as
to leaders and numbers engaged, shows that the result de-
pended largely on position. The result was therefore prac-
tically decided in favor of the Union arm}' when John Bu-
ford selected and held on to the ground where the battle
was fought. Well could he modestly report that " a heavy
task was before us; we were equal to it and shall all re-
member with pride that at Gettysburg we did our country
much service."
JOHN BURNS' FIGHT.
In the lull of the fighting came a strange figure upon the
battlefield. A farmer-like person with homespun clothes
of an ancient cut, well patched and darned, carrying in his
hand an old Kentucky rifle with an immensely long barrel.
JOHN BURNS.
45
and weighing almost as much as a light field-gun. Ap-
proaching the commanding officer of a Pennsylvania brig-
ade, he asked permission to go on the skirmish line. After
vain attempts to dissuade the old man, he was finally
allowed to join the soldiers in the front, where he remained
JOHN BURNS.
during the entire battle, picking off the Confederates from
time to time as he saw a chance, utterly unmindful of the
bullets which buzzed about his ears.
This man was John Hums, a resident of Gettj-sburg.
Bret Harte tells the story in verse, from which an extract
may be proper :
" Have you heard the story the gossips tell
Of John Burns, of Gettysburg ? No ? Ah, well,
Brief is the glory that hero earns,
Briefer the story of poor John Burns ;
lie was the fellow who won renown —
^6 .UAA'S A.VD CLT/D AT uETTySJ-UKG.
The onlv man who ilidn'l back down
Wl.cn the rebels rode throngh his native town;
liut held his own in the tight next day,
When all his townsfolk ran away.
That was in July, sixty-three —
The very day that General l.ee,
The flower of Southern chivalry,
Baffled and beaten, backward reeled
From a stubborn Meade and a barren tield.
How do you think the man was dressed?
He wore an ancient, long, bul'f \est —
Yellow as saffron, but his best ;
And buttoned over his manly breast
Was a bright blue coat with a rolling collar
And large gilt buttons — size of a dollar —
With tails that country-folk call " swaller."
He wore a broad-brimmed bell-crowned hat,
White as the locks on which it sat.
Close at his elbows, all that day,
Veterans of the Peninsula,
Sunburnt and bearded, charged away.
And striplings, downy of lip and chin —
Clerks that the Home Guard mustered in —
Glanced, as they passed, at the hat he wore,
Then at the ritle his right hand bore.
And hailed him, from out their youthful lore,
With scraps of a slangy repertoire :
" How are you. White Hat ? " " Put her through ! '
'• Your head's level ! " and " Pully for you ! "
Called him *• Daddy." and begged he'd disclose
The name of the tailor who made his clothes.
And w hat was the value he set on those ;
While lUn ns. unmindful of jeer and scoff,
Stood there picking the rebels off —
With his long brown ritle and l>ell-crown hat
And the swallow-tails thev were laughing at.
'' FLEEIXG FROM THE WRATIir
4/
'Tvvas hut a moment : for that respect
Which clothes all courage their voices checked;
And something the wildest could understand
Spake in the old man's strong right hand,
And his corded throat, and tiie lurking frown
Of his eyebrows under his old bell-crown ;
Until, as they gazed, there crept an awe
Through the ranks, in whispers, and some men saw,
In the antique vestments and long white hair,
The Past of the Nation in battle there."
"FLEEING FRUM THE WRATH."
On the morning of Ru-
ford'.s cavalry affair, Elinor
was sitting with her moth-
er under the willows. The
old lady was knitting away
upon a woollen sock of
liberal dimensions, a pros-
pective addition to the
wardrobe of the ancient
Dietrich. Elinor occupied
a substantial old-fashioned
arm-chair, and pensively
toyed with Carlo's ears.
With a slight sigh Mrs.
])ietrich said : " Dear me,
when will this terrible
fighting be over? So far
we have escaped, but no
one can tell when the soldiers may come here. By the way,
Elinor, have you any news from the South?"
48 J/.-iA'S AiVD CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.
This was ^Mother Dietrich's way of asking : " Have \o\\
heard from Frank ?" And her daughter therefore repHed :
"Yes, mother. He writes that he is on the march from
CarHsle, and hopes he may have an opportunity of seeing
us on their wa\- back to Virginia. But of course he can't
tell — thc\- ma\- not come witliin main- miles."
"Well. \\\\ child, we must be patient and hope for the
best."
A heavy report, as of thunder, broke the stillness ; it was
followed by a distant explosion. Both of the ladies rose,
and hurried to the northern side of the house, from which
they had a partial view of the artillery duel in front of the
Seminar)-.
Farmer Dietrich appeared. He was a large, heavy per-
son, a " Peace-at-any-price " man. who took no interest in
the issues at stake except as they directly concerned him-
self. He had tried to steer a middle course, with the re-
sult that he was looked upon with suspicion by both sec-
tions of the people. He now seemed somewhat excited.
" Mother, you and Nell will have to go over to Henry's
until this thing blows over; they tell me there's likely to
be a big battle right around here, and the womenfolks had
better get ready at once. The wagon will be around in a
quarter of an hour."
Being women of action, no time v.as wasted in specula-
tion or lamentation. Within the specified time, trunks
were packed, many valuable things were thrown hastily
into large baskets and made ready for removal ; for it was
impossible to conjecture the fate of the house in the event
of a battle. Much fine old furniture, too heavy to move.
THE DIETRFCH CAVALCADE. .p.
49
was left behind, ineluding an old Dutch clock, which had
ticked away, without stop or falter, for nearly a hundred
years.
The six-seated Germantown wagon, drawn by two fat
horses, was quickly filled b\' the family and the "women-
folks " — excepting- Aunt Chloe, the cook, who, perched
upon the top of her own precious trunk in one of the light
farm wagons, with a banci-box of generous dimensions in
one hand and a huge red bandanna bundle in the other,
presented, to all whom it might concern, an example of
monumental dignit}- hard to equal ami impossible to sur-
pass.
The Dietrich cavalcade moved down the Emmittsburg
road with a view of getting within the Federal lines if possi-
ble. First, the proprietor on one of his best horses, a colt
with which he hoped to take a prize at the next county
fair; then came the Germantown with its fair freight —
Elinor, pale but composed, and occupied with comforting
her mother. By the side of the carriage ran Carlo, who
looked on the whole thing as a picnic ; then four wagons
of various sizes, laden with an assortment of ploughs, pro-
visions, pots and pans, and the odds and ends of farm equip-
ment ; and, last of all, a small herd of cattle. As they
reached the summit of a long hill Elinor turned to look at
the deserted homestead. The familiar spot never looked
so beautiful ; the house in which she was born, the great
barn, the scene of so many frolics, the willows weeping in
silence — all stood out sharply against the smoke of the bat-
tle, now waxing hot in the background.
The refugees had almost reached a turning to the east-
4
i; o J/--/ AVS- AXD CC T/D A T GE TT\ SB i'RG.
ward which would L;i\c thcni a good road to Tancj'town
and safety, and Elinor's father was beginning to breathe
more freel}', when just ahead he saw a mounted man with a
carbine resting on his knee. Making a sign to his coach-
man to stop, Dietrich rode forward.
" Halt ! " said the soldier. " Whar } ou uns goin ? "
"I am taking my family to a safe place until the fighting
is over," was the reply.
" Wal, reck'n 'I hev to turn yo all over to the Looten't,
so keep right along o' me ; " and the procession moved.
" Likely critter that," said their captor.
The farmer's heart sank within him. To use his own
words, he " had jumped from the fryin'-pan into the fire."
Soon they came upon the commander of the picket-guard.
This officer Avas very civil, but sent them a mile further to
the headquarters of the scouting party to which he be-
longed. Here Captain Jones of the Confederate cavah}-
kindly exchanged some of his own spare-ribbed steeds for
the farmer's plump animals ; relieved the wagons of a few
sacks of oats and flitches of bacon for immediate consump-
tion ; turned over the cattle and wagons to the quarter-
master of the expedition ; permitted the family to retain
the Germantown wagon, now drawn b}- two exhausted cav-
alry' horses with " U. S." branded on their shoulders ; re-
quested Mr. Dietrich not to move further for one hour ; left
a corporal and one man to see that he should not forget,
and after apologies to the ladies for an}- inconvenience
which they might suffer from this change in their plans,
touched his cap and departed.
The Army of the Potomac was posted with its centre
THE THIRD DAY'S BA TTLE. e \
upon a high crest on the southern edge of Gettysburg,
called Cemetery Hill; from this spot the right of the line
extended toward the east, and lay on the north of the Bal-
timore pike ; from the Cemetery Hill the line occupied the
crest of a ridge which, broken by clumps of trees, extended
southward for nearly two miles to a high and rocky peak
called " Round Top," forming the extreme left of General
Meade's position.
The Army of Northern Virginia occupied a ridge nearly
parallel to the Union line, but not so high and with more
timber on its crest. These two lines of battle were sepa-
rated by low broken ground, at a distance of from half a
mile to a mile.
The farm buildings stood between the lines and a little
south of the Union centre. The buildings were first occu-
pied by the rebel sharpshooters, who began to annoy the
Yankee skirmish line. Finally a rush was made by a New
Jersey regiment, which drove out the occupants and cap-
tured eighty of their number. This was a brief triumph ; a
fresh body of Southrons attacked the building, and again
planted the " Stars and Bars " over the farm-house. Thrice
was this combat repeated until night, when both sides took
a rest.
THE THIRD DAY AT GETTYSBURG.
At dawn on the third day of the conflict a noisy fire from
Lee's artillery began. The battle of the previous day had
been most furious at Cemetery Hill and at the Round
Tops. Twice it seemed as if the Confederate army would
overwhelm the troops defending those points. General
^-, .]/AA'S AAD CiriD AT GETTYSBURG.
Lcc now dotcrmiiicd to make his final effort to dislodge his
eneni)' by a direct assault upon the centre of his position.
The — th North Carolina Infantry (or " The Pine Knots,"
as they had been christened, on account of certain tou^h
qualities) were aroused at an early hour on July 3, 1S63.
While it was yet dark the colonel had sent for Captain
Arden of his regiment. A tall, muscular young man,
bronzed to an old-oak color, with strong features, dark eyes
and hair worn in cavalier fashion, appeared and saluted.
"Arden, the regiment is ordered to re-occupy those build-
ings in our front as quietly as possible, so as to be in posi-
tion by daylight. I want )ou to take your company and
occupy the farm-house. Jackson's company will go forward
to the barn. The rest of the regiment will support you.
It may be that we shall find the Yankees there before us ;
in that case we must try to bag them if possible."
" Very good, Colonel ; is that all ? "
"Yes; take care of yourself."
Captain Arden had been a witness to the warfare at the
Dietrich homestead on the previous day. He felt certain
that Elinor had gone away, but where? and how? Had
she reached a place of safety, or was she exposed to the
horrors and dangers of the campaign?
At the appointed time the " Pine Knots " crept forward,
Arden's company leading. To avoid injuring each other,
a special countersign was agreed upon. The precautions
proved unnecessary : the buildings were unoccupied and
the regiment established itself unmolested.
The force at the house was under Captain Arden's com-
mand, and as soon as he had made everything secure out-
A RUINED HOMESTEAD. 53
side, he entered the famiUar doorway. What a ruin \
Shattered windows, bullet-holed walls, blood-stained floors ;
the old clock battered and silent ; it was impossible to con-
ceive of the destruction that one day could encompass.
Arden found the heavy oaken door leading into the cellar
closed, and fastened on the inside. Calling some men to
his aid, it was soon broken open. As the eyes of the party
became accustomed to the light, they saw in one corner a
curious heap of boxes and barrels ; peering behind this, one
of the men exclaimed : " Cap'n, thar's a nigger hidin' in
that corner — come out'n that."
" Ise comin', seh," said a smothered sort of voice, as amid
laughter and a cloud of dust from the flour bin in which he
had been lying, Jim appeared.
" Why, Jim, what are you doing here?" said Captain
Arden.
The negro chuckled. " Tell de truf, Mars Frank, couldn't
git awa)'. When de family done gone I tink go'n git some
sleep— hant had none two'r tree day. When I wuk up dey
wus at it. Hamr end tongs ! how dey did bang an' fight an'
groan, en it seem t'me dat I bes lay low entil dey was less
'citement."
" What did you have to eat ?" asked some one.
" Dey was right sm'at meat an pie lef, but powerful dry
fo' watah — only vinegar an' sich," said the boy. Taking
him aside, Arden soon had the news of the flitting as well
as a short note from Elinor, penned as she was leaving, and
entrusted to the boy. Jim was a free negro who had be-
come attached to Arden long before, when on a visit to the
54
JL-l/aS AXD CUPID AT GETTYSBCRG.
farm, and had ^onc South with the young soldier as a body
servant.
On the Union side, and occupying an advanced position
in front of the right of the Second Corps, were two regi-
ments of infantry : the 14th Connecticut and the 8th Ohio.
About 10 o'clock the fire from Arden's sharpshooters be-
came so annoying that the Connecticut regiment was or-
CONFF.DERATE SHARTSHOOTER.
dered to drive them away and hold the buildings. Captain
Moore, with four companies, moved forward against the
barn. Instantly the " Pine Knots " behind the stone wall
poured a volley into them, and two officers and several men
were seen to drop. But, with a cheer, the Connecticut
" boys " rushed on and over the wall, and at the same time
a canister shot ploughed its way into the barn and exploded,
wounding several of the Confederates. Major Ellis of the
Fourteenth, with the greater part of his regiment, now at-
tacked the house. Here there was a stout resistance. The
assaulting party were met with a sharp fire from the posi-
PICKETT'S GRAND CHARGE.
55
tion defended by Arden's men. But the New Englanders,
having come so far on their errand, did not propose to re-
tire, and availed themselves of the cover of the barn.
In the mean while they noted the tall form of a young
rebel officer moving unconcernedly to and fro behind his
men, encouraging them and occasionally correcting the aim
of a nervous marksman. Several shots were taken at him
by the Union sharpshooters without effect. And now the
Connecticut men rushed forward on both sides of the be-
leaguered domicile. Even veterans cannot stand before a
flank attack, and so the " Pine Knots " fell back sullenly.
All this took place during a pause in the general opera-
tions. It was a sort of tournament. Orders came to burn
the buildings, and so Major Ellis applied the torch to
everything that would burn, and in an hour the Dietrich
hojnestead Vv'as a smoking ruin.*
PICKETT'S GRAND CHARGE.
About two o'clock in the afternoon a heavy cannonade
was opened from one hundred and fifteen pieces of Lee's
artillery'upon the Union front and centre ; like the blows
of a great steam-hammer, shot and shell fell for nearly
three hours. At half past four o'clock, the firing ceased as
suddenly as it commenced. Across the plain came with
measured tread, elbow to elbow, three long lines, fifteen
thousand strong, the flower of the Southern army, com-
manded by a gallant Virginian — General Pickett. Their
purpose was evident ; they were about to assault and risk
* The site of this exploit was purchased by the Fourteenth Connecticut Veterans after
the war, and a Memorial Stone marks the s]iot.
56 .U.-IA'S AXD CUriD AT GETTYSBURG.
ever}'thing on the cast of a die. General Hunt liad massed
fresli batteries in the rear of the Second Corps, and soon
they were pouring destruction into the enemy, each moment
coming nearer. But on they came, until those on the cem-
etery crest could almost see, as in olden times, " the whites
of their eyes." With flags unfurled and floating proudly,
the undaunted assailants pressed forward. Round shot
ploughed furrows, shell and canister tore great gaps in their
lines, but the furrows disappeared and the gaps were in-
stantly filled from the rear. Stannard's Vermont brigade
was in position so that it commanded the right flank of the
approaching division, and it fired two or three volle\'s. with
the effect only of causing the enemy to crowd a little more
to the left. It seemed as if this huge wave must reach
and sweep over the Union army, when nothing might stay
Lee's triumphant march to Philadelphia. But the com-
mander at the threatened point was equal to this emer-
gency. As the Confederates were within two hundred
yards, six thousand men of the Army of the Potomac rose
from behind the low stone walls, and full in the faces of the
advancing host burst forth a sheet of flame. \'olle\' after
volley roared and rattled and blazed into what had been
such a brilliant array of banners and bayonets. Nothing
living could withstand the effect. As with a scythe the
gray-brown rows Avere literally mown down in this great
harvest of Death ! With this relentless musketry in front
and their own artillery a mile in their rear, now playing on
friend and foe alike, there seemed nothing for them to do
but to drop down and be gathered in by the Union troops.
On the left of Pickett's line hundreds threw themselves flat,
THE HIGH-WATER MARK.
57
waving in token of surrender hats, handkerchiefs or naked
hands. Others would not yet yield, but while avaihng
themselves of any cover that offered, planted their colors in
the earth and crouched behind and under them at bay.*
In spite of this hot reception the main part of the as-
saulting force, led by General Armistead, dashed through
the withering fire and reached the Union centre. The blue
flae: of Virginia waved for a few moments over the Union
WHERE PICKETT'S CUAKGE ENDED.
lines, and it was said by more than one cool spectator at
other parts of General Meade's line, " Our centre is
pierced." The Confederate general laid his hand upon a
captured Union gun and shouted, " Give them the cold
steel, boys ! " In a moment he fell, mortally wounded.
* The fences alongf the Emmittsburfj road were riddled. One inch-and-a-quarter board
was indeed a curiosity. It was sixteen feet lonp. fourteen inches broad, and was perlo-
ratcd with eight hundred and thirty-six musket balls. This board is said to be in the
possession of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. This board was on that part of the
fence where Scales' brave little brigade crossed it.
5S
MAHS AXD CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.
The Union general, Webb. b\' his personal example
greatly helped to turn the tide of battle. For a moment
there was great confusion. Regiments had lost their for-
mation, although the men had not lost heart, but were fight-
ing "on their own hook." A regiment from Minnesota,
one from New York, another from Michigan and a fourth
from Massachusetts threw themselves into the breach with
Webb's Pennsylvanians, and the enemy was pressed back,
broken and decimated, but defiant still. At this moment.
Lieutenant Gushing, of the regular artillery, who had been
mortally wounded through both thighs, his batter}- a ruin,
his men and horses h'ing dead or wounded at his feet, ran
his only serviceable piece up to the fence and said: " Webb,
I'll give them one more shot." As the report of the gun
followed, Gushing called out " Good-bye! " and fell dead.
SERGEANT-MAJOR IIIXCKS' EXPLOIT.
During the grand assault, the Fourteenth Gonnecticut
Regiment was in position opposite the left of the enem}-'s
advancing lines ; this regiment was armed with Sharps"
breech-loading rifles and their fire was \cry severe.
Sergeant W^ide of this regiment saj's :
" By this time the Fourteenth were all excited ; they re-
membered Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Ghancellorsville.
and over the wall they went ; nothing could stop them, and
soon they were fighting hand-to-hand with the rebels. We
captured six battle-fiags and forty prisoners ; and over one
hundred prisoners came in afterwards Oh, it was a
glorious day for the old Fourteenth ! One of the lieuten-
ant-colonels taken b}' our regiment, coming up to our thin
SERGEAXT-MAJOK IJINCKS' EXPLOIT. cq
line, asked us where all our troops were, and being told that
he could see all there were, exclaimed, ' Oh ! that I had
known it a half hour since.' Some of the prisoners told us
that their generals told them that they were fighting noth-
ing but the Pennsylwinia militia, but when they saw that
ace of clubs, the trefoil badge of the Second Corps, they
all exclaimed, ' We have been fighting the Army of the
Potomac' "
After the first fire from the Union side had taken
effect, Sergeant-Major William B. Hincks, of the Four-
teenth, saw, planted in the ground, some distance in front, a
rebel flag. Around and on a line with it were a number of
unwounded men who had thrown themselves down to avoid
the heavy fire. He determined to capture the flag. Leap-
ing over the wall, with nothing but his short sword in his
hand, he ran straight for it. iVt the same time two or three
others of his regiment had started for the same goal. One
of these, an officer, was brought down by a bullet ere he
had run ten yards. Hincks outstripped the others, reached
the spot, and with a yell seized the colors by the staff, and
waving his sword over his head was on his way back before
those around could divine his purpose. Instantly a shower
of bullets came all about him ; he was also exposed to a
scattering fire from our troops. It was " running the gant-
let " indeed. Hincks, in his dash across the neutral ground,
seemed to bear a charmed life. As he neared his own lines
he saw the men standing up, regardless of the leaden mes-
sengers behind, and as he mounted the wall, trophy in hand,
the regiment, to a man, wildly cheered the gallant fellow.
It proved to be the colors of the " Fourteenth Tennessee."
6o .VA/i:S AXD CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.
On the flag were inscribed the names of the following bat-
tles in which it had been borne: " Seven Pines," " Mechan-
icsville," " Cold Harbor," '* Shepardstown," " Fredericks-
burg," " Chancellors\-iIle," "Ox Hill," "Harper's Ferry,"
" Sharpsburg," " Frazier's Farm," "Cedar Run," "Manas-
sas."
Major Hincks writes:* "We were behind a low stone
wall, such as may be seen on any New England farm. Par-
allel to this wall, and perhaps 1 50 yards away, was a lane
(Emmittsburg road ?\ on either side of which were the ruins
of a wooden fence. M\' recollection is that our people
began to fire as the front line of the enemy crossed this
fence. This broke their front line ; their advance was
checked and they began to fire. Then their color-bearer
ran forward, planted his flag in the ground, and with several
others — I presume the color-guard — laid down beside it, our
fire being very hot. At that time I was firing two Sharps'
rifles which Lieut. Hawley was loading for me ; they be-
longed to men wounded early in the day. . . . The regi-
ment on our right fired buck-and-ball cartridges, and I think
that I was in as much danger from them when I ran to get
the flag as from the enemy. . . . One gun (cannon) which
had been pushed out a few rods in front of our stone wall
remained there during the charge, having been disabled. A
daring Southerner jumped upon this gun and waved his hat;
but did not live to tell the story. In going after the flag I
ran past this gun. leaving it upon my left hand." f
On the riirht of the Fourteenth, but further to the front.
* Aupust I, 1886.
t See full-page drawing facing opening of this chapter.
SERGEAXT MILLER'S TROPHIES. gj
another small regiment, the Eighth Ohio Infantr\-, had been
posted since the day before, as part of the picket-line.
SERGEANT MILLER'S TROPHIES.
When the wave of Pickett's charge rolled up to the crest
of the Cemetery Ridge it passed to the left of the Ohioans.
Having spent its force, part of it receded and, breaker-like,
scattered its foam along the battle beach. For a moment
it seemed as if the gallant Eighth would be washed away.
15ut it stood like a rock ; and the ebbing tide divided as it
met this new obstruction. The enemy was not panic-
stricken ; there was plenty of fight in him yet. Hand-to-
hand encounters took place. Prisoners and colors were
taken, and there were many acts of gallantry. Sergeant
Daniel Miller, of ''Company G, 8th O. V. I.," was a
terror in this combat. He had already sent several prison-
ers to the rear when he saw, a short distance away, some-
thing tempting; it was a rebel flag in the centre of three or
four " Pine Knots." At that moment a shell exploded just
over their heads. A piece struck the color-bearer and
brought him to his knees. The colors were not suffered to
touch the ground. A young ofificer sprang forward and
grasped the staff. This man was already wounded ; covered
with dust, the blood trickling from a gash on his forehead,
without a hat, his eyes blazing, holding his torn but pre-
cious standard aloft in one hand while he guarded it with
his bare rapier in the other, he seemed the living imperson-
ation of valor. But -he was almost alone, his revolver
empty and his line of retreat nearly cut off. He backed
slowly toward a gap in the fence near which he stood ; once
62
MJA'S AXD CUriD AT GETTYSBi'KG.
ow the other side of it he nii^ht reach his own lines in
safety. ]Uit the foenian was u[nMi him. The Ohio soldier
confronted the brave Confederate and bade him snrrender.
Nine out of ten men would hav^e done so. l>ut no; holdinii;
the flag behind him the rebel officer parried with great dex-
terity the thrusts made by the sergeant, who was loath to
shoot this gallant }Outh. lUit there was no time to lose ;
if he wanted the flag he must act promptly. " Surrender I
or I'll shoot," hoarsely cried Miller. In response the slen-
der sword-blade seemed to wrap itself round the barrel of
his rifle and the point pierceil his wrist. A sharp report
rang in the ears of the Southern soldier; he dropped his
weapon and fell backward upon the banner of his regiment,
pale and motionless. His opponent in vain tried to loosen
the death-grip which held the color-staff", so tearing the
silken trophy from the lance, he thrust it into his bosom.
Honors now were easier. There were but few in sight of
that grand division of Virginians and Georgians which
AFTER THE BA TTLE. ^t^
swept SO proudly on to the Union position less than half
an hour before. Here and there might be seen a little
group slowly nearing the rebel lines with wounded com-
rades. Once more did Sergeant Miller add to the glorious
" loot." Creeping along a stone wall he saw a " butter-
nut " figure. It proved to be another color-bearer. One by
one his color-guard had been killed or wounded, and he
was making to the rear. It required but slight exercise
of Miller's persuasive powers to induce the man with his
charge to turn about as a prisoner of war.
And now the forces of Nature took their turn. A great
thunder-storm gathered and broke over the battlefield.
The artillery of the heavens in mighty peals seemed to
mock the late cannonade. The lightning blinded man and
beast ; and the rain, falling in great sheets, promised to
wash out the blood-stains from the face of mother earth.
And this last was a great blessing to the thousands of
wounded and dying who, burning with thirst and faint for
want of food and drink, were instantly refreshed.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
The day following was the anniversary of our national
independence. How it was spent on the battlefield is told
by Sergeant Wade of the Fourteenth Connecticut, in an
interesting letter: " Saturday, July 4, we were called up at
three o'clock, and ordered to fix up our little stone wall put
in front of us, as the rebels would no doubt try us again early
in the day. But they did not come and we lay here all
day, resting from our arduous labors of the few days pre-
vious. We could hear the groans of the wounded rebels
64
.V.4A'S AXD Cri'/D AT CETTYSPrKG.
ahead of our picket-lines, but e\er\- attempt at taking them
off to a hospital would prove unavailing, as the eneniy*^
pickets would fire at us if we attempted it
" This was the first Fourth of July we had been in the Ser-
vice, and we talked over our prospects for the future, and
reviewed the past ; especiall)- that portion since we had left
Falmouth. We had been on the march twent\--one da\-s,
had travelled over 200 miles, and suffered exceedingly from
the heat and had pretty hard living. We had scarcely any-
thing to eat from July i to the night of the 3d. when we
crawled out on the battlefield after dark, where the ene-
m}-'s wounded la\'. and took the haversacks from those who
had been killed in the fight that da}- ; these haversacks
were nearly all full of nice hoe-cakes. Some that we found
were stained with blood where it had run into their haver-
sacks from their wounds. But we were so hungr\- that we
didn't stop for that. This may seem a tough stor}-. but it
is true."
The Dietrich family, shorn of much of this world's goods
by the Confederate foraging party, finally reached their
kinsman's roof. Here, during the battle, they eagerly lis-
tened to the booming and the crash of the conflict as it
came to them on the fitful wind. But Elinor was not idle;
together with others of the household she scraped lint and
made rolls of bandages, and felt that although men might
fight and maim, yet it was woman's sweet privilege to bind
up the wounds, to be the ministering angel, and to spread
the soft mantle of Christian charity over Rebel and Yankee
alike. Naturally her thoughts turned to the young soldier
WOUNDED UXTO DEATH.
(^s
SO far from home and kiiulrotl ; she did not sympathize
\vith his cause, but he was her hero and in danq;cr.
Coming up the Line, at this moment, appeared a negro
boy, dressed in a Union soldier's bkie trousers and cap,
and a shirt of no particuhir allegiance or color. As he
came nearer, I-llinor's heart beat fast. It was Jim. Were
his news good or bad ? She ran forward. Jim took off his
cap when he saw her, and in answer to her questioning
eyes, said : " Sorr)-, Mis Elinor, t' bring you sich news.
He's been wounded despert bad, an de doctah say he doan
kno ef he kin live fru de night."
WOUNDED UNTO DEATH.
Seated under a tree, out of sight of the house, and forti-
fied by the simple refreshment of pie and milk, Jim told
his story. In brief, he had been left in camp by Captain
.Arden on the morning of the third day. When the rem-
nant of the " Pine Knots" came back that night his master
was not with them ; he had been last seen in front, when
the Confederate line fell back. Late at night, Jim and one
of Arden's men had crept out to the point indicated be-
tween the pickets, and after an hour's search had found
the missing officer lying unconscious, but alive, and still
grasping the color-staff, from which the flag had evidently
been torn. Having found him, the difficulty was to get
him within his own lines. Jim had brought with him a
small flask of Pennsylvania " apple-jack," with which he
managed to partially revive the captain. Then, aided by
his companion, he made a sort of litter with a blanket and
rubber poncho, stripped from a dead Union soldier, and
5
56 MAKS AND CUPID AT GETrYSBUKG.
thus they half carried, half dragged their almost uncon-
scious burden to the Confederate picket-line— not without
danger of occasional shots from the vigilant watchers of
both armies. From this point Arden was carried to a small
hut occupied by an old colored woman. Upon examina-
tion, the surgeon reported that Captain Arden had received
a slight scalp wound, apparently from a bayonet ; but the
most serious thing was a gunshot wound through the body,
near the left lung, the ball having evidently passed out
through the back, under the shoulder-blade. That it was
impossible to say, then, what were the chances of recovery,
but that, so far, the absence of fever and a fine physique
were in the patient's favor. In any case, it would be a
matter of nursing rather than of medicine. As the boy
finished, Elinor had made up her mind. She 'must go to
Frank. Who could nurse him so well as she?
Jim reported that the Confederates had fallen back from
the place where Arden was lying, and that he had passed a
number of farmers returning to their homesteads. So
Elinor took her father into her confidence, and he, seeing
her resolution, yielded. Her mother was not to be taken
into the secret until a day later, when it would be possible
for her to join Elinor by comfortable conveyance. Under
pretence of taking a ride in the direction of the Dietrich
farm, Elinor and her father, followed by Jim on one of the
despised " U. S." cavalry horses, set out early the next
morning.
Aunt Sheba's abode was a rude cabin of boards with two
rooms ; one was kitchen, reception, dining and sewing
room, and the other answered the purpose of a bedroom ;
REWARDING THE VICTORS.
67
at present doing duty as guest chamber. The place was
"neat as wax" and not without a picturesque air, with nas-
turtium vines running uj:) its weather-beaten sides and
almost shutting out the light which struggled to enter at
the port-hole-like windows.
Within, on the bed, lay Arden, pale, helpless and breath-
ing with difficulty, his eyes fastened upon Elinor, who
stood by his side, holding his hand. On the other side of
the bed was the doctor, an old practitioner in the neighbor-
hood. At the foot of the bed stood one in half clerical,
half military garb, with a book in his hand. In the back-
ground sat Farmer Dietrich.
Although fever had not set in yet, the wounded man was
very weak, and it was thought his case was hopeless. By
mutual consent it was determined to join these loving
hearts while the spark of life still lingered. It seemed to
gratify Arden that at least Elinor would bear his name.
The ceremony was brief but impressive. After it was
over, the sick man closed his eyes, and all but the doctor
and the young wife left the room.
REWARDING THE VICTORS.
On a crisp, beautiful morning in December, 1864, there
was a grand parade, of all the troops available, near the
headquarters of the Second Corps. After a review by Gen-
eral Meade, the command " Order arms ! " was given. The
adjutant-general of the corps soon appeared at the head of
a small party of officers and men, wearing side-arms only.
There were three commissioned officers, two non-commis-
sioned staff-officers, and several sergeants, corporals and
68 .VAKS AAD Ci'PlD AT GErTYSBL-RG.
privates. They advanced to the front and centre of the
line, and after the adjutant-general had read the orders in
the case, the Victor of Gettysburg, followed by a brilliant
retinue, including several corps commanders, visiting offi-
cers of foreign armies and others, approached near the little
group and presented to each man, with a graceful word or
two of congratulation, the Medal of Honor won during the
campaign. When Lieutenant llincks' name was called, a
tall, slender, boyish figure in the full dress of an adjutant
of infantry, advanced and received his medal. As General
Meade handed Hincks the prize, he said, looking at the
lieutenant's shoulder-strap, "I am glad to see. sir, that you
have received something more substantial than a medal."'*
Through some inexcusable blunder the gallant Sergeant
Miller, of G Company, 8th Ohio Volunteers, never received
the medal for which he was recommended by his regimental
commander, but it was sent from the War Department to
another man of similar surname, in the same company.
The poor fellow died some years since, and never ceased to
feel that " Republics are ungrateful." f
We have already taken up too much space with the
incidents of the great battle, and must stop short now%
But not before it can be truly said that what seemed to be a
* William B. Hincks of Connecticut, aged 22, enlisted as a private in the 14th C. V. I.,
July, 1862. Promoted through all grades to 2d lieutenant and adjutant, Oct. 20, iSc,?,
major, April 3, 1865. Served with regiment in Second Corps, Army of the Potom.ic, dur-
ing entire period, and in following engagements: Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancel-
lorsville, (iettysbiirg, Uristoe Station, WiKierncss, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Peters-
burg, Hatcher's Run, Appomattox. Received honorary degree of A.M. from Vale College,
July, 1S78.
t " The 8th pressed forward, capturing a large number of prisoners and three stands of
colors ; one marked 34th North Carolina and one 38th Virginia were captured by Ser-
geant Daniel Miller ' G' Co."— i:/.-CW. F. Sawyer, %th O. V. I. 0_ffici,il K,/>ort, BatiUo/
Gettysburg.
PEACE AXD rROSPEKlTY.
Gey
death-bed marriage had a happ}- ciuHng. A strong constitu-
tion and the tender care of his \\ ife enabled Captaiti Arden
to pull through. But his recovery was very slow, antl re-
quired a trip to Europe to complete the cure which Elinor's
nursing had commenced. Indeed, the young Carolinian
had hardly stepped upon his native heath when the news
of Appomattox put an end to his militar)' ambition.
I saw them driving in the Park the other day. From the
size of the family party and the appearance of the equipage
it was evident that our Gett\'sburg friends are both ha|j>py
and prosperous. In the dignified coachman, I with diffi-
culty recognized Jim.
70
COKTOKAL JOHN II. WT.KKS.
ISaD N. V. VOL. INIANTKY.
THE SALIENT AT SrOTTSYLVANIA.
THE Army of the Potoniac. Icaviiis;- its winter quarters
at Brandy Station and Cuipeper. with its shelter-tents
folded on the top of the knapsacks, and its cartridge-boxes
and haversacks well tilled, had crossed the Rapidan River,
for the last time, " on to Richmond."
For six da}-s it had fought and marched through the
Wilderness, and on .May ii. 1864. had reached the neighbor-
hood of Spottsylvania Court House, where General Lee,
with the Arm}' of Northern Virginia, barred the way.
Never before had gigantic armies striven for the mas-
tery in such ciense forests, where in a single week forty
thousand men had fallen, killed or wounded.
The country from the Rapidan Ri\er to Spottsylvania
Court House was an immense wood, with here and there a
clearing or field that had in former years been cultivated
for the raising of corn and tobacco The male portion of
72
THE SALIENT AT SrorrSYLVANIA.
the population had nearly all gone further south, leaving
the women and a few negroes at home.
There was a projection in General Lee's line a short dis-
tance north of the Court House, which military men call
" The Salient." General Grant determined that an assault
should be made at that point. He issued orders at 3 P.M.
to " move three divisions of the Second Corps by the rear
of the Fifth and Sixth Corps, under cover of the night, so
as to join the Ninth Corps in a vigorous assault on the
enemy at four o'clock A.M., to-morrow." He sent two staff
officers to impress upon the commanders concerned the
necessity of pushing forward vigorously.
How these orders were carried out is related in the fol-
lowing pages by two soldiers of Hancock's Corps — one from
a Pennsylvania and one from a New York regiment. These
men received two out of the fifteen Medals of Honor
awarded by the Government to Grant's army for distin-
guished service at Spottsylvania. Their statements were
contributed upon the invitation of the Editor.
I. CORPORAL WEEKS' STORY.*
" On the night of the ilth of May, 1864, we were relieved
by the 5th Corps at Laurel Ridge (or Stony Ridge, I have
forgotten which) after dark, and moved out of the works,
with instructions to move as silently as possible ; not to
allow our cups or bayonets to rattle or make any unneces-
sary noise. We marched all night through a cold rain,
♦John H. Weeks was born at Hampton, Windom County, Connecticut, March 15, 1845.
Enlisted as private, " H " is2d N. Y. Volunteers. Auffust 28, 1862. Served in Second
Corps, Army of the Potomac, until dischartjed as corporal, for wounds. May 25, 1865.
CORPORAL WEEKS' STORY.
73
until just before the break of day, on the morning of the
1 2th, we were halted in line of battle, with orders to ' in
place rest.' The report had been in circulation during the
night that we were going to relieve the 6th Corps in the
Reserve, that we might get a chance to rest, as we had
been under fire constantly for six days ; and when we
halted we could see the light of camp fires shining along
the sky in our front, where we supposed were the 6th
Corps. No sooner were we ordered to rest, than I threw
myself down in the mud and fell asleep. In a few min-
utes I was awakened by the tramp of a horse coming on a
lope. I raised up and saw an aide ride to General Hancock
(who happened to be near our right) and give the verbal
order to the general, as near as I can remem.ber, as fol-
lows : — * Gen. Meade's compliments, and directs that you
move your corps forward and occupy those works.'
" We w^ere called to attention and ordered ' Forward,
guide centre, march I ' Little did I think then what it
would cost to obey that order, as I still thought it was the
6th Corps in our front.*
" We were in the second line of battle, following close
behind the first, till soon the Reb skirmishers commenced
firing. Then for the first I began to realize that we had
work before us. It was now getting quite light, but the
fog prevented us from seeing far in our advance. We soon
* General Grant says, " The ground over which Hancock had to pass to reach the enemy
was ascending, and heavily wooded to within two or three hundred yards of the enemy's
intrenchments. In front of Birney there was also a marsh to cross. But notwithstand-
ing all these difticuliies the troops pushed on in quick time without tiring a gun, and
nhen within four or five hundred yards of the enemy's line broke out in loud cheers, and
with a rush went up to and over the breastworks. Barlow and Birney entered almost
simultaneously. Here a desperate hand-to-hand conflict took place.
74
THE SALIENT AT SPOTTSYLVANIA.
came to an open field with a gradual ascent to near the top,
where there had been heavy timber, which had been felled
with the tops toward us and the boughs sharpened ; also
wire stretched through the tree tops. Still beyond this
obstruction were the enemy's works, which consisted of a
ditch, eight feet wide and nearly as deep, with a row of
sharpened stakes set in front, the points about breast high.
Immediately in rear of the ditch were the breastworks,
which were formed of the dirt thrown up from the ditch,
making the distance from the bottom of the ditch to the
top of the works from twelve to fourteen feet, without a
chance of a foothold.
" As soon as we came to the edge of the open field they
opened on us with canister and musketry. The artillery
had been massed at this point and all double-shotted with
canister — thirty pieces, if I remember right. Such a
storm of iron and lead I never saw before or since. It did
not seem possible for a man to live to reach the crest of
the hill and pass the obstructions ; but, as history tells,
some did. But by the time we reached the ditch there
w^as no line of battle, but a moving mass of yelling Yan-
kees. We succeeded in wrenching the sharpened stakes
from their places, and used them in crossing the ditch and
scaling the w^orks. When I think now of all the dif^cul-
ties we had to overcome, with the flower of the rebel army
behind such works pouring upon us a shower of lead, success
seems impossible. It seemed to be an angle of their works
where we made the charge, in shape of the letter V. Our
right was on the left wing of the angle, so that when we
got inside of the works we could still see the enemy on the
THE CORPS COMMANDER.
75
right wing opposing our men there from entering. It
brought us in their rear. When we had sent our prisoners
to the rear we still advanced, but very slowly, on account of
our broken ranks.
" I saw the enemy give way at this time on the right wing,
and amongst the rest was a stand of colors and color-guard.
These men fired their muskets in a volley, and broke for the
rear. They had to pass down our front to get out of the
angle, and would have succeeded, but I made up my mind,
as soon as I saw them start, that I must have those colors.
I had also fired my gun, but had no time to reload. I ran
up to the sergeant and snatched his colors from him, threw
them on the ground and put my foot on them, cocked my
empty gun, and told them the first one of them that moved
out of his tracks I would shoot him down, and ordered
them to throw down their guns and surrender. The ser-
geant said to them, ' Boys, they have got the colors, let us
go with the colors ; ' so they threw down their guns and
marched to the rear as my prisoners. When I got back to
our line. Col. Curtiss told me to take them away, for we
might get driven back at any moment.
" I recrossed the works and started for our rear, when I
met General Hancock and staff going to the front. As he
passed I saluted him. He returned the salute, and said,
' What have you got there ? ' I told him a stand of col-
ors I had captured in the front. He then asked me if
those were my prisoners. I told him they were. He
looked at some of his staff and smiled (I thought at the
time a little incredulously), for there were five or six lusty
rebels and I was at that time about eighteen years old.
76
THE SAL/EAT AT SrOTTSyLrAAVA.
Then lie said, * Wni dcli\-cr youv prisoners to the provost
marshal and write your name, company and regiment with
the date of the occasion on a sHp of paper, and pin it on
your colors, and turn them in to the adjutant of your regi-
ment,' — which 1 dicl. I did not hear anything more about
it till in the following winter when in Campbell Hospital,
sufTering from a wound received at the battle of Boydton
Plank Road, on the left of Petersburg, I received a package.
Upon opening it I found it to be a Medal of Honor."
LIEUT. CHARLES H. FASNACHT,
NINETY-NINTH FENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.
II. SERGEANT FASNACHT S ADVENTURES.*
"On the evening of the eleventh day of May, 1864, the
Ninety-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers
♦Chari-hs H. FASNACHTwas born March 27, 1841, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Enlisted in :86i, in the Ninety-ninth Repiment Pennsylvania Volunteers for three years.
Re-enlisted February, 1864. Served continuously with his rej^iment, e.xceptinjr seven
months in hospital from wounds received at Chancellorsville and Spottsylvania. Pro-
moted corporal and sergeant and mustered out of service, with rcfiiment, as tirst lieuten-
ant July. 1S65. Received the MEnAi. ok Honor; Si/vt-r .Vf.Ai/ from the Directors of the
U. S. Sanitary Fair at Philadelphia in 1S64 ; and the Uronz,- " Kt\trn,y Jiii,/,i,v."
THK NINE TY-NINTII PENNSYL VAN/A. y-j
was lying back to the right of Spottsylvaiiia Court House,
Virginia. The men were somewhat exhausted, having had
fighting and marching in the Wilderness since the 5th day
of May. Rations were issued between seven and eight
o'clock P.M. About nine o'clock p.m. the troops of the
2d Brigade, Brigadier-General J. Hobart Ward, 3d Di-
vision (Birney), Second Corps (Hancock), received orders to
fall in, and shortly afterward the march to the left com-
menced.
" The Ninety-ninth was commanded by Colonel Edwin R.
Biles, and was the leading regiment of the division, being
preceded by Generals Birney and Ward, with their staff
of^cers, and the pioneer corps. The night was very dark,
and rain was falling nearly all the time. The men had
orders to keep very quiet, and allow no noise from the
rattling of canteens or other equipments. The rank-antl-
file had an idea that the Second Corps was marching for
some vulnerable point of the enemy's line, and that as
Birney's Division (composed of what was left of the old
Third Corps) was leading, it meant that on the morrow
desperate work was before us.
** Nothing occurred during this weary march until after
midnight. We could hear, now and then, all through the
night, away off to our left, the soldiers of Lee chopping
wood ; while away off to our right could be heard the
rumbling noise of artillery. The quiet and stillness of this
steady march through rain and mud was almost unbear-
able. Some of the men were tramping along almost
asleep ; in fact, on several occasions muskets dropped from
the shoulders of weary men. Now and then a comrade
78
THE SALIENT AT SrOTTSYLVANIA.
would ask in a whisper, ' What does this mean ? ' or,
• Where are we going? ' But no answer could be given, as
no one knew, except only those high in command.
" Company A of our regiment was leading, and kept well
closed up to Colonel Biles, who was just behind the stafY of
Generals Birney and Ward. And as we were thus march-
ing silently along, with a soldier's steady tramp, suddenly
the horses and their riders in our front came back pell mell,
scattering the men in every direction. Every man grasped
his musket more tightly, with hand on trigger, believing
the enemy was at hand. The cause of this stampede was
soon discovered. A soldier in the pioneer corps in front
had accidentally discharged his musket, which scared horses,
staff officers and others w^ho were near. It must have been
between one and two o'clock, on the morning of May 12,
when the head of our column arrived at its place of destina-
tion, and our company commenced to ' right by file into
line ; ' and for a long while after, the troops were passing
in our rear and forming in line to our left, with our regi-
ment on the extreme right of our corps. The ground was
wet and all around was darkness. The men in the ranks had
no idea, as yet, of what was to be done in the morning. But
the veteran soldiers who composed that line knew by instinct
that daylight would sec heavy fighting. With this belief, the
men were soon 'lying on their arms,' dreaming of home
and loved ones. The writer hereof was in ' light marching
order,' having nothing but haversack, canteen and rubber
blanket, besides his trusty Springfield musket. So with
my rubber blanket wrapped around me, a soft spot in rear
of the company was found, where I also was soon lost
AN EARLY MORNING WALK. yg
in dreamland. About four o'clock in the morning I was
awakened by being punched in the ribs with an officer's
sword, and hearing a rusthng noise, and low talk of the
officers and men in my front. Jumping to my feet I dis-
covered that the line was commencing to move forward.
"The men were told that we were advancing to charge
the enemy's works, supposed to be three-fourths of a mile
in our front, but which could not be seen from our starting-
point. Colonel Biles also ordered the men not to fire a
shot or give a cheer until we were inside the rebel earth-
works; this was to take the enemy by surprise. At start-
ing, we advanced through a swamp, overgrown with briers
and small trees. After going about one-third of a mile we
came out into a clearing on high ground. The line by
this time being somewhat out of shape, it was straightened
while still advancing. It was now daylight, and the en-
emy's works could be seen about one-third of a mile in
our front, running along the edge of the woods, parallel
with our advancing line of battle.
" These works looked formidable at that distance, and
proved so, later on, when we crossed them. A great many
low camp-fires were burning in the woods behind the
enemy's line, while still others were being started ; no
doubt to dry clothing and to prepare for an early breakfast.
The smoke of these fires, mingled with the fog, was hover-
ing a few feet from the ground. What force the enemy
had could not be known, as only here and there a sentry
could be seen on the intrenchments ; nor did any one in
our line have time to scan very closely.
" As our line came out in this open ground, where it got a
3o THE SALlE.xr A T SPOTTSYLVAXIA.
glimpse of the rebel earthworks, some soldier away off to
our left, who could not hold in any longer, gave a cheer.
It was against orders, but it started the cheering along our
whole line, and the rebel pickets commenced to fire on us,
while the enemy was seen to rush up to their works. But
our line swept on. Colonel Biles told us now that the faster
we went, and the quicker we got over the enemy's works,
the better it would be for us.
CAPTURING A FLAG AT SPOTTSYLVANIA.
" The assaulting column was composed of Birney's Divis-
ion on the right, Barlow's Division on the left, with Mott
and Gibbon's divisions supporting ; my company (A), 99th
r, V. v., being on the extreme right of the line. As we
advanced, it was discovered that on our right there was a
gap in the line, which was afterward filled up by troops (I
think) of the Sixth Corps.
" When the colonel gave the order to get over the enemy's
works, the regiment started on ' the double-quick.' At
this time, and while yet five hundred yards distant, a rebel
flag was raised over the works right in front of my com-
pany. The man holding it, waved it to and fro, as if invit-
ing us to come on. Long before this I had an ambition to
capture a rebel flag in actual battle ; not to pick it up from
where, perhajis. it had been lost by its bearer, who being
shot down had left it on the ground ; I wanted to be able
to say that it was actually a captured flag.
" I was behind the company as a ' file closer," being a
sergeant at the time. I ran around the right and in front
of the company. We had swept the enemy's pickets from
THE ASSAULT. 3 1
before us ; the rebels were crowding to their works ; their
fire was getting very warm, and opposite the gap on our
right the enemy had a battery which opened a flank fire on
OLir regiment. By this time the Ninety-ninth was pretty
close to the enemy's works, and their strength was evident.
In times like this every man in the ranks must, for the time,
be a general himself; that is, he must be brave, use good
judgment, make up his mind in a moment, and take advan-
tage of every opportunity to overcome the enemy. In
short, it is only when each private soldier is doing his whole
duty, feeling the responsibility resting upon himself, that
the general commanding will have his orders executed and
his plans crowned with success.
" As we came nearer, the enemy's fire was very heavy, the
ditch, about eight or ten feet wide in front of the works,
being nearly filled with water from the rain in the night.
In front of the ditch limbs of trees had been placed, making
a strong abatis. When our regiment came to this, the
enemy's fire was making great gaps in our ranks, but we
pressed on, tore away the obstructions, and jumped into
the ditch (the water being over two feet deep at this point)
and commenced to scale the works. The rebel flag was
still held up and waved, until just as I was about on top of
the works calling to the color-bearer to surrender, and mak-
ing a grab for it, the rebel sergeant, with several other soK
diers, started off on a run up on the inside of the works.
At this hour the smoke and fog were still near the ground
in the woods, and one could see but a very short distance
ahead. Tents to shelter the men from the rain, during the
night, had been made hastily with blankets and canvas.
6
82 THE SALIENT A T SFOTTSYLVANIA.
*' Thus it was not only impossible to see far into the
dense woods, but it was hard to get through and over these
obstructions. On account of the cheering of our men and
the delay in starting, the enemy was aware of our move-
ment before we got over his works. But the charge was
still a surprise to many of them, and a grand result in the
end, for we took over six thousand prisoners. The Confed-
erate general, Ewell, made a narrow escape from capture.*
" When I jumped over the works I was followed by our
whole regiment, Colonel Biles being right behind me.
What a sight to behold ! Confusion all around. While
many of the enemy had rallied to the works, numbers of
them were found in their rude shelter-tents. Some were
without their equipments ; they were firing in every direc-
tion. Some had just begun to get their breakfast ; others
would shoot through their tents. Our men tore down
everything giving shelter to the enemy, using the butt-end
of the musket and the bayonet. Our men seemed to be
possessed of superhuman strength and a determination to
conquer or die, right then and there. No one seemed to
see or fear danger, and yet we were right in the midst of it,
men falling all around us.
'' Immediately after our regiment had crossed the first
line of works. Colonel Biles made a half-wheel to the right
with the regiment, intending to move up and capture a bat-
tery the enemy had there.
* " Hancock's corps captured some 4000 prisoners — amonsr them a division and brigade
commander— 2o or more puns with their horses, caissons and ammunition, several thou-
sand stand of arms and many colors. Hancock, as soon as the hand-to-hand conflict was
over, turned the guns of the enemy against him, and advanced inside the rebel lines.
About six o'clock I ordered Warren's Corps to the support of Hancock."— (7<-«. Grant's
Moiioirs.
CAPTURING A FLAG. g^
" From the time thiit I first saw that rebel flag waving so
defiantly in our faces, my sole object was to get it, and to
that end all my energies were brought in play. So after I
was inside of the works I took in the situation in a moment.
Knowing the direction of our line of battle toward the left,
and the open gap on our right, I concluded that the rebel
color-bearer would try to escape by running up towards the
right, and then cutting through the woods. I started on
the run, diagonally through the woods, intending to head
off the color-bearer. The distance I had to go would be
shorter than his, and as one could see but a very short
distance through smoke, fog and woods, I lost sight of the
flag for a few minutes. But I had run probably one hun-
dred and fifty yards over all kinds of obstructions, when my
calculations proved correct ; for suddenly right in front of
me, through a clump of trees, came this same color-bedrer,
carrying aloft his flag, and behind him were five or six sol-
diers, his color-guard. I brought my musket to my shoul-
der, with hand on trigger, and as he did not see me as
soon as I saw him, he ran almost up against my bayonet
before he stopped. True, my musket was empty at this
time, but the muzzle of an empty gun at such close quar-
ters looks almost as dangerous as a loaded one, and he did
not know but that it ivas loaded. The men behind him
might have shot me down, but for some reason did not.
" So when we met at that instant I demanded his surren-
der and the flag ; he asked me not to shoot and reached the
flag towards me, I did not lower my musket, but let the
flag fall at my feet, and told him to go to my rear, which he
did with his companions, who dropped their arms. I have
84
THE SALIENT A T STO TTS YLl'AXJA.
often, since then, wonderetl wh)- the men behind him did not
shoot, but I suppose they were in the same fix as myself ;
that is, their muskets were empty. When the color-bcarcr,
who was a man fully six feet tall, had passed to my rear I
placed my foot on the staff and tore the flag off. It was a
flag inscribed with many battles, and the words ' 2d Louisi-
ivia Tigris,' — a good fighting regiment in the Southern
ami}', and one that we had met on many a battlefield
before. While crowding the flag into my bosom under my
blouse, absorbed in what I was doing, I cared little for what
was taking place around mc. I heard some one say, ' You
had better let me have that.' On turning my head I dis-
covered my colonel, for the tlrst time, about twelve yards
behind me, and about as many yards in front of the regi-
ment ; he had taken the same direction with the regiment
as I had. When I saw from whom came the voice, I gave
him such a look (continuing to stow the flag away) that in
after years he told me that he saw very plainly I did not
wish to part with my prize, and he therefore told me to
keep it.
\YITII THE WdUNDED UNDER FIRE.
"By this time the regiment had advanced some distance
to a line of works running at right angles from the first to
the second line of defence, behind which the enemy had ral-
lied to the support of some artillery. Our regiment at this
time was on the flank and rear of these pieces, and the
enemy, seeing the hopelessness of holding out, just as we
were about charging, raised white flags, in the shape of
handkerchiefs and pieces of tents, in token of surrender.
WOUNDED AND UNDER EIRE. 85
We called out to them to come over the works without
their arms, and they embraced the opportunity as fast as
possible. At this time a heavy fire from the second line of
works was opened on us, while quite a large number who
had been driven before us took refuge on the outside of
the first line, and were also firing into us.* Just as I had
stepped back a few feet to make room for these men who
were surrendering, a volley from the enemy on our right
and front was poured into us, killing and wounding a large
number. I fell shot, by a minie-ball, in my left leg at the
knee joint. Brave Captai-n Lewis F. Waters of ' I,' and
Lieutenant Henry S. Zeisert of ' D,' both fell alongside of
me, instantly killed.
" I was picked up and carried back to the first line we had
crossed, where Sergeants McGrann and Ursprung took me
further back about one-half mile, when our provost-guard
was met ; they ordered all the wounded, who could not
walk, to be laid on the ground, and the carriers to return to
their regiments. The men with the stretchers were not up
yet, and we remained in this clearing for an hour or more.
This one hour seemed an entire day, surrounded as I was
by several hundred wounded men who could not walk.
We laid on the bare ground like so many sheaves of wheat,
unable to move or get out of reach of the enemy's shells
and solid shot that were striking the ground all around us,
their artillery having a good range of this part of the field.
* " Lee made the most strenuous efforts to regain the position he had lost. Troops
were brought up and attacked Hancock furiously. Hancock was forced to fall back: but
he did so slowly, with his face to the enemy, inflicting on them heavy loss, until behind
the breastworks he had captured. These he turned, facing them the other way, and con-
tinued to hold." — Gen. Crunfs Memoirs.
36 THE SALIENT A T SPOTTSYL VANIA.
With all my pain 1 couldn't help but smile at some of the
odd expressions and ludicrous scenes, when a shell or solid
shot would strike close to some unfortunate and scatter the
dust all around. Some would berate the provost-guard,
severely, for leaving us lying there, to be scared to death if
not killed outright by the enemy's missiles; others, with
mangled arms or legs, would try and roll themselves away
from a shell or round shot, as it struck the ground near
them, making some witty remark.
" No pen can fully describe, nor pencil do justice to, this
scene ; several acres of ground covered with wounded sol-
diers, enduring untold pain, without attention or medical
treatment, and under the constant fire of the enemy's
artillery. It must be borne in mind that the bravest of the
brave under such circumstances will weaken, and wish for a
place of safety.
"At last, after an hour or so, the stretcher-bearers came,
and I was taken away from this place to an ambulance, and
driven to the rear, about two miles, to a little grove. On
one side of this grove ran a small stream of water, and on
the other a road, an open field beyond the road, a cornfield
on the other side of the stream, a little rise or hill in our
rear, and in front a heavy woods into wliich the road
entered. These were the surroundings of the place where
I was doomed to remain a prisoner for five days.
"It was probably a little after noon when we were brought
to this place. There was great activity all the afternoon in
loading up the wounded into ambulances, and toward even-
ing heavy army wagons were used. As darkness had set in
I saw the last wagon filled and drive away, as they said, for
CAPTIVITY ON THE BA TTLEFIELD. 37
Fredericksburg Hospital. It now dawned upon me that I
was one of the unfortunate two hundred and twenty who
were doomed to remain, for we were soon told by a surgeon
that one hospital steward and ten men were left in charge
of us ; that we should try and be contented and see what
would turn up in our favor ; that he would do all he could
to make us as comfortable as lay in his power. The sur-
geon (whose name I have forgotten) had but a small
amount of stores with him, and could give but little medi-
cal treatment to us ; he and his men were busy day and
night carrying water and food to us ; besides, they had to
dig graves and bury, on an average, ten of our number
daily.
CAPTIVITY ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
''On the morning of May 13, about nine o'clock, a brigade
of Confederate cavalry, under General Rosser (since Engineer
of the Northern Pacific R. R.), and known as the 'Laurel
Brigade ' (their badge being a sprig of green pinned on
the left breast), came marching over the brow of the hill
behind us. My place being quite close to the road, I heard
the general give orders to one of his aides not to allow his
men to go among the wounded, nor to disturb anything.
But as soon as the head of the column had disappeared in
the woods, the Confederates swarmed in among us, asking
all manner of questions, and teasing us with the assurance
that soon the Army of the Potomac would be driven back
across the Rappahannock River. But we were rather out-
spoken in telling them that a new commander, ' Grant,'
was at the head of our army, and that there would be no
88 THE SALIENT AT SrOTTSYLVANIA. .
retreat and no stop this side of Richmond. None of our
wounded were molested, but the newcomers took nearly all
the meat, sugar and coffee that had been left for us.
" The evening before, we could hear firing until late at
night, and this morning the firing seemed further away; we
were now told that we were outside of our lines, and that
our army had moved further on towards Lee's right. After
the Confederate cavalry had passed out of sight, into the
woods, I concluded to look at my rebel fllag, which was still
in my bosom, not having looked at it since the day before.
I asked the hospital steward to assist me. I had on at the
time a short army blouse, made for me the winter previous
by a Philadelphia tailor. It was lined throughout and filled
in with cotton wadding. I took off my blouse and secreted
the flag under a piece of old army blanket and placed it
under my legs. We next opened the lining at the back of
the blouse and pulled out all the wadding, then stuffed the
rebel flag in and pinned up the lining, after which I put on
the blouse ; and no one could notice it, except that I ap-
peared rather stout. We had to be very careful while doing
this so that no one could see the flag, especially the six
wounded Confederates, who were lying about one hundred
feet away from me. I was afraid that if the rebel soldiers
should find it out they would take the flag away from me ;
and as I had no other place to hide it, and as it was a
trophy that I prized very highly, I determined to keep it
with me as long as I possibly could.
" We had barely got through with our work when we heard
scattered musketry in the direction the Confederate cavalry
had taken, and in a very short time the whole brigade came
''THE LAUREL BRIGADE."
89
back pell mell ; the road not being wide enough, many of
the cavalry came through the woods and brought back with
them several wounded men. They had been gone only two
or three hours, and all that we could find out as to their
sudden return was that after they had gone out several
miles they came across some of the Union cavalry, who
drove them back. After this episode, General Rosser, with
his brigade, made his camp right alongside of us in the open
field, and remained four or five days. Their of^cers paid
frequent visits to our wounded, conversing with us, and
paying a good deal of attention to their own six wounded
who lay amongst us. These Confederate ofificers told us
that they were only camped there for the purpose of captur-
ing our ambulances that would be sent there for us, and
that then they would take us in our own wagons to Rich-
mond. We were anxious to find out what would be our
fate, and this was certainly bad news to us. The horrors of
Libby Prison, Belle Isle, Andersonville and other Southern
prisons, arose before us in their vivid forms, and I made up
my mind that death would be my fate if I was taken on to
Richmond. For three years past I had been striving with
thousands of other Northern soldiers to get to the Confed-
erate capital, and now that in all probability an opportunity
would be given to go there I did not wish to accept it. I
set my wits together to devise some plan whereby I could
outflank this latest of Confederate movements on my lib-
erty. I had some hopes that our cavalry would come in
there after General Rosser, and find us and take us away.
But five long, weary days passed and no sign of a Union
90
THE SALIENT A T SPOTTSYL VANIA.
soldier coming from any direction. Was it any wonder
then that despondency took possession of all of us?
DELIVERANCE.
" On the afternoon of the fifth day of our captivity, several
Confederate officers came among us and told us to be pre-
pared to leave by next morning, as they would then bring
their own conveyances and take us away. During these
days I had planned out a course to take, and now I had but
a few hours to make my preparations. I again called on
the hospital steward, and told him my plan ; that he was to
get me two small limbs with forks on them, and by wrap-
ping pieces of old blankets around them I would make use
of them for crutches. That in the night I would try and
drag myself across the little run of water and into the corn-
field, where I would hide myself until the Confederate cav-
alry had departed with the wounded. I would then get out
of the cornfield and run my chances of being picked up by
some Union cavalry, or die in my effort to escape rather
than go a wounded prisoner to Richmond. The hospital
steward listened to my plan, told me it was risky, but he
would assist me all he could, and wished me success. Be-
fore dark, that evening, I was ready for my undertaking.
But ' man proposes and God disposes,' for while I was
worrying my brain over what would be my fate in the next
few days, a movement by some of our troops was being ex-
ecuted for our rescue.
" It seems that our situation had been made known to
army headquarters, and a small division of infantry (I think
it was Mott's White Diamond Division), and a battery of
OUT OF BONDAGE.
91
artillery were on their way to our relief, and just before
sunset, while sitting on the ground with my back against a
tree, a wounded soldier, lying not far from me, cried out
loud enough for all of us to hear him : ' Look up there on
the hill ! ' Turning my head and looking towards the hill,
I saw that a piece of artillery was unlimbering, and the in-
fantry were moving up to support it, when several other
pieces were run up and placed in position. But the first
piece fired one shot into General Rosser's cavalry before
they knew that there were any Union troops near. The
echo of the first shot had not died away before three more
pieces were firing in rapid succession. In the Confederate
camp all was confusion ; horses tore loose, officers were
calling to the men, and everybody was looking out for his
own safety. And it took General Rosser and his men but
a very short time to get away from that place, and their
speed was accelerated by the Union shot and shell. Never
before nor since did I experience such real happiness as at
that moment, when these friends, wearing the loyal blue
uniform, came marching under the Stars and Stripes so
unexpectedly to our rescue. There were wounded soldiers
among our number, more dead than alive, who would rise up
and faintly cheer at the sight of the old flag and friends, and
then fall back exhausted, weeping for joy. Men grasped
each other by the hand, and with tears in their eyes praised
God for this unexpected deliverance. Yet in our feeble
condition we tried to give a few parting words to General
Rosser's men, as they so hastily took their departure. We
twitted them on their unceremonious going away without
us ; asked them how soon they would return ; but they paid
g2 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTSYL VANIA.
no heed to our remarks, and in a very few minutes they
had all disappeared, leaving behind a few wounded and
prisoners. In less than one half hour ambulances were
driven up and we were carefully lifted into them, so that by
eight o'clock that evening the last Union wounded soldier
had been loaded and the ambulance train with its escort was
ready to start for Fredericksburg. As already stated, there
were two hundred and twenty of us who were brought here,
but about fifty had died.
" It was about eight o'clock on the evening of May i6
that our train started. I had been placed on the seat with
the driver, with my leg in a swing, and tied to the roof of
the ambulance, and in driving along that night through the
darkness, over rough roads, the wheels would strike a rut
or stone, and give my leg a jerk that would send the pain all
through my body, and jolt those lying in behind, who would
hurl uncomplimentary remarks at the driver, for causing
them so much pain. About nine o'clock the next morning
our train arrived at Fredericksburg, where it was intended
to place us in hospitals ; but all the houses that could be
made use of were already filled with the wounded from the
Wilderness.
MINISTERING ANGELS.
" We were then given cofTee and bread, and after some
delay our ambulance train was started ofY across the Rappa-
hannock River, towards ' Belle Plain,' on the Potomac River,
where we arrived early that evening. It was about nine
o'clock that evening when I was carried on board of a barge
which was afterwards towed out to a larc^e Government
MINISTERING ANGELS.
93
boat in the middle of the stream. Shortly after, I was laid
on the barge, where a few flickering lamps shed their dim
light. I could hear sweet voices, followed by some of the
ladies of the ' Sanitary Commissions.' These ' minister-
ing angels,' with lint, medicines, brandy, milk-punch and
sandwiches, went from cot to cot, attending to the
wounded and speaking words of good cheer. Surely the
sick and wounded soldiers can never repay the debt of
gratitude they owe to the loyal and patriotic women of the
North, for the good work done by them in hospital and in
camp during the dark days of the war.
" During the night, our barge was towed out in the middle
of the river alongside of the large steam-boat, to which its
load of wounded was transferred, being placed on stretchers
in rows, making several hundred in all. The flag attracted
a great deal of attention in the hospital at Washington.
One gentleman, when he saw it unfolded, with the name
and number of the regiment it belonged to printed on its
stripes, ' Second Louisiana Infantry, C. S. A.,' said he was
in New Orleans in April, 1861, when this same flag was pre-
sented to the regiment. At the Armory Square Hospital,
to which I was taken, a screen was put up, a tub of water
brought, and a good bath given me. During this process
the surgeon came with a large glass of brandy and told me
to drink it, and it seems to me, even at this late day, that
was the best drink I ever tasted. I was now dressed with
clean under-clothing, and placed in a bed on the right hand
side, next to the entrance door, with my flag fastened on
to the wall over my head ; and under the influence of what
I had been drinking, and the sweet strains of music coming
94
THE SALIENT AT SrOTTSYLVANIA.
from a piano at the other end of the ward, I forgot my
pain, and was soon lost in slumber. After going through
with what I had the previous two weeks, I indeed now felt
as if I was in Paradise.
* * * * * ■» *
" After remaining in hospital at Washington and Philadel-
phia for nearly seven months, I rejoined my regiment in
the field and served with it continuously until the close of
the war."
THE WILDERNESS — A YEAR AFTER.
LIEUT. THOMAS PARKE GERE,
FIFTH MINNESOTA INFANTRY.
THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.
IT was upon a crisp, bright day in February, 1865, that an
interesting scene might have been witnessed in the War
Department at Washington.
The place itself was one of the lions which all pilgrims to
the Shrine of the Constitution thought it the correct thing
to visit.
Young officers, who for the first time entered it on of^-
cial business, did not entirely "leave Hope behind," but
they were conscious of a chill in the region of the back-
bone as the old green leather doors swung to behind them.
The corridors were dark and damp, and had a musty odor
from the tons of red-taped official papers which filled the
countless pigeon-holes. And the messengers, sitting on
guard at the doors of the various bureaux, had a stern and
95
li.Vril.E KEJJCi).
96
THE OLD WAR OFFICE. q-t
mysterious air, bcfittins^ men filled with plans of battles
and secrets of the Council Chamber.
There are pleasant memories, also, of the ancient struct-
ure ; of the time when the stone-flagged halls echoed the
ponderous tread of General Scott, with the front of Mars
himself ; or resounded with the stride of General Harney,
the military gladiator of his time ; or reflected the jingle of
Charlie May's spurs, or rang with the jolly laugh of old
Ben Bcall, of the dragoons, as he bandied jests with Prince
John Magruder, of the artillery, careless of the coming
"chestnut bell." While, later on, the clank of Custer's
sabre and Sheridan's quick footfalls mingled with the run-
ning to and fro of orderlies, and the tinkle of the great
Secretary's little bell.
But the quaint, ark-shaped edifice has been torn down,
ami in its place has arisen an official palace of marble and
iron and mahogany. In the new order of things one is not
impressed, as in the olden time, with the Spartan simplicity
which belongs to the God of War.
I. NASHVILLE TROPHIES.
Within the large reception-room of the War Department
there had assembled, on the day already mentioned, about
one hundred persons.
They had been summoned by the Secretary of War to
take part in the ceremony of receiving certain Confederate
battle-flags captured at the battles before Nashville, in
December. 1864.
In the centre of the room were grouped fifteen gallant
men who, in hand-to-hand combat, bad perilled their Jives
7
98
THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.
to secure as trophies the tattered banners now proudly
borne as spoils of war. These were generally young men
— some of them mere boys — whose bronzed faces were
flushed with pride and excitement. In front of these, and
in a sort of horseshoe formation, was another party. Sena-
tors and Representatives, war governors, members of foreign
legations, a cabinet minister, the Adjutant-general of the
Army, and other distinguished personages had taken a half
hour from their public duties to do honor to these brave
Western soldiers.
The spacious room had been cleared of furniture. Near
the walls, on three sides, were arranged in continuous line a
number of muskets, " stacked." Suddenly the hum of con-
versation ceased, and a short, stout man with square shoul-
ders, and wearing eye-glasses, stepped out between the sol-
diers and the civilians and unfolded a paper. This was the
famous cabinet minister, whose name will always be asso-
ciated with troublous times — our " Reign of Terror." He
read as follows :
Headquarters, Department of the Cumberland,
Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 13, 1865.
Special Field Orders, No. 38.
(Extract^
XIX. By virtue of permission received from the Honorable Secretary of War, the fol-
lowing named officers and enlisted men, captors of rebel battle-flags, at the battles of
Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864, and the battles before Nashville, Dec. 15 and 16, 1864, will pro-
ceed with the trophies to Washington, D. C, where they will report to the Honorable
Secretary of War, turning over to him the flags now in their possession, after which they
will rejoin their various commands in the field.
The detachment will be in charge of ist Lieut, and Adjt. Thomas P. Gere, 5th Regt.
Minn. Vet. Vol. Inf., who will be accountable for their good conduct while en route.
The Qr. M. Depmt. will furnish the necessary transportation.
ist Lt. (Adjt.) Thos. P. Cere, 5th Minn. V. V. Infantry,
ist Lt. O. Colwell, " G" 95th Ohio V. Infantry,
ist Lt. C. H. McCleary, "C" 72d Ohio V. Infantry,
ist Lt. IV. T. Simmons, "C" nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Sergt. A. Ramsbottom, " K " 97th O. V. Infantry.
Sergt. W. Garrett, 41st O. V. Infantry.
THOMAS PARKE GERE. qq
Corpl./. W. Parks, " F " nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. L. P. Koltenback, " F " 12th Iowa Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. G. IV. IVe/cA, "A" nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. P. Carr, "D " 124th O. Vol. Infantry.
Private O. W. Smith, '- G " 95th O. V. Infantry.
Private IV. May, " H " sud Iowa V. Infantry.
Private G. Stokes, "C" i22d Ills. V. Infantry.
Private ^./. Sloan, " H " 12th Iowa V. Infantry.
Private IViii. P. Moore, " C " 117th Ills. V. Infantry.
Private D.J. Holcoinh, "A " 41st Ohio V. Infantry.
Corpl. //. Collins, ist Tenn. Cavalry.
By command of Major-General THOMAS,
Wm. D. Whipple, Asst. Adjt. Genl.
Lieutenant Gere's name was called. A slender and
earnest-looking young man advanced, flag in hand, and
made these remarks : *
" Mr. Secretary : I have the honor and pleasure to present
to you the colors of the 4th Mississippi Infantry, C. S. A.
" The capture was due, and should be credited, to the
valor of the soldiers of Hubbard's Brigade, McArthur's
Division of A. J. Smith's detachment. Army of Tennessee.
It was the result of the final charge upon the enemy's
works by that invincible command in the second day's bat-
tle. Every soldier who participated in that assault shares
the credit of the captured colors.
" This brigade had a record previous to Nashville, and
its services had been recognized in the promotion of its
former lion-hearted leader, Joseph A. Mower, to be a major-
general.
" Smith's detachment, ten thousand strong, made up
from the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps, after fol-
* Thomas Pakke Gere was originally mustered as a private, Co. " B," Fifth Regiment
Minnesota Infantry, Jan. 17, 1862, aged 19; appointed ist sergeant, March 6, 1862; 2d
lieutenant, March 14, 1S62 ; ist lieutenant, August 20, 1S62 ; regt. adjutant, March 19,
1863 ; brigade adjutant, March 7, 1864 ; discharged, April 5, by reason of expiration of
term of service.
lOo THE VICTORS AXD THE SPOILS.
lowing the fortunes of Grant and Sherman from Shiloh to
Vicksburg, was, much to its regret, made an orphan by the
order lending it for sixty days to the Red River expedition,
but emerged wuth undimmed record from that campaign
to join in the long chase of Price and Marmaduke * through
Arkansas and Missouri, and arrived at Nashville just in
time to take position as the right of the army confronting
Hood.
" Advancing south-w^esterly on the morning of December
15, from the Charlottesville Pike, in ccJiclon, by brigades, the
enemy was soon encountered and steadily driven, through
continuous fighting, some three miles south ; at night our
front was to the east within one-fourth mile of the Granny
White Pike, our pickets on that road, and the enemy's left
flank was completely enveloped. During the night he
extended his line to the west some distance beyond our
position, again fronting north ; to meet which dispositions
our front was, on the morning of the i6th, changed to the
south, and our portion of the line advanced to within three
hundred yards of his position. Hubbard's Brigade, its left
now on the Granny White Pike, just north of the Brent-
wood Hills, was in an open field, protected only by such
w^orks as the soldier had learned to hastily construct under
fire. The enemy's line was behind a stone wall, in front of
which during the preceding night he had constructed a
strong ditch and abatis; and between us only a cornfield.
Our batteries took position on higher ground to our rear,
and opened upon the enemy's line. The enemy's batteries
Sec " Capturing a Major-General," p. 107.
BA TTLE OF NASH I 'ILLE. I O I
in our front were in his main line, but the short distance
between the lines prevented any exposure whatever.
These relative positions were maintained until about 3.30
P.M., at which time we received the order to assault. Elo-
quent speakers have detailed the history of the succeeding
minutes that made the soft cornfield ' the battle's gory
meadow.'
"The command swept through the carnage, over the
works, capturing everything. In forming for the assault
in two lines an interval was left between our brigade and
the troops on our right, which subjected the brigade to an
enfilading fire, but by sheer momentum the assaulting col-
umn cut straight through and landed beyond the opposing
line. Quickly discerning that the enemy in this interven-
ing space were our prisoners, we swept down their flank,
pushing them to our rear. This is where the capture of
these colors took place.* I reached the works near the
right of the brigade, but my horse could not cross the
abatis and wall ; so with the troops hurrying along the
enemy's works to our right we came upon the colors. I
was a little in advance in this movement. The color-bearer
leaped over the works toward our rear with the others.
leaving the colors behind the works. I could not reach
them, but compelled him to recross and deliver the flag.
" That second day's battle at Nashville was the most
complete rout of the eneni)- that I ever witnessed, and had
the assault raken place as earh- as noon I don't think any-
thing could have prevented the capture of Hood's entire
* All that follows is taken from a recent letter (Aug., iS86) written by Lieut. Gere.
I03 THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.
anil)' ; but it was w ct aiul misty aiul soon became dark.
The Rebs were complctel\- broken vip b\- that chari^e ; they
were tired and huni^ry, and did not offer mueh opposition
to capture after the works were reacheii. I carried a
' revolver ' in hand durin^:^ the niel(ie. and as e\erybod)'
was ' shoot iul;- cpiite promiscucnisly ' they ecMnpHeil ver\'
promptl\- w ith oiu- orders to mo\'e to mir rear. 1 had been
slightly wounded in the riL;ht wrist the tlay before, but for-
got about it until the excitement was o\-er."
Lieut. Gere also delivered to the Secretary, i>n behalf of
Lieut. Ciiari.es McCleakv, who was absent, the Hag of
the -jth I'Morida Regiment. I\L'Cleary, being in adxance of
the Union line of battle, came upon the rebel color-bearer
and color-guaril. He called upon them to surrender, which
they at first declined to <\k>\ but, as he insisted, they Ihiall}-
yielded and were nuule his inisoners.
Lieut. C')1.1V1:k CoiAVKl.l.'s troph)- was also handed in b>-
l\Ir. Gere.
Lieut. Wii i.TAM T. SniMOXS presented the flag of the
24th Louisiana.
Sergeant Ai iRin RAMSiuvrroM gave into the Secre-
tary's h.mds the flag of the 2d Mississippi regiment, taken
onl)' after a hand-to-hand conflict.
Sergeant W'li ilAM Garkkpt turned in the flag of the
13th Mississijipi.
Corporals J AM is W. Parks and Li'rin:R H. Kai tkn-
l!A(.'R each brought forwaid a captured color; the last
named that of the 44th Mississippi.
Corporal (.1. W. \Vi:i.cu ofl^ered the flag of the 13th Ala
CORPORAL COLLIXS' REVENGE.
103
bama. lie said tliat as the color-bcaicr was tryinc;^ to es-
cape he shot him and secured the trophy.
When Corporal Harrison Collins stepped out from
the group the Secretary made a little speech to his deeply
interested autlitors. Said he :
" General Croxton, who commands the force to which
this man belongs, praises in the highest terms his gallantry.
I am sure we will all be glad to hear the story of the capt-
ure from the lips of this brave soldier."
Corporal Collins blushed under the fire of so many big
guns, and after the clapping of hands had subsided, with
a little urging on the part of his comrades, he said :
"Well, gentlemen, there ain't much to tell, but I'll give
)ou the story the best I can. You see, last December,
when General Hood advanccti toward Nashville, I saw that
flag rally to the front. Vox thirteen da)'s we fell back in
good order before the enemy; it looks now as if we were
just drawing them on. That flag seemed to be in sight
nearl)' all the time. I shot at it every time I got a chance,
sometimes under embarrassing circumstances. It got to be
so provoking tiiat I made up m\' mind if we ever got a
chance I'd pay those rebels for flaunting that there flag in
our faces. After our army rested at Nashville for a week
we advanced on the enemy, and it was now their turn to
fall back, which they did, so fast, that on the second day
it eiulctl in a big stampede. On the third da\' I caught
sight of my old friend, this flag. I was on duty Avith
my regiment — the First Tennessee Cavalry — supporting a
battery. The rebels made a stand at a creek which was
bridged in our front. Part of them, with the flag, tried to
,04 TlfE VICTORS AXD THE SPOILS.
cross lower down. Thou I saw my chance. Some of us
charged. I was soon close to the llai;". The Confederate
ofTicer c^rderetl some of his men to dismount and ' fight on
foiU.' Our part\' halted here, but I forgot everx'thing hut
tlie pri/.e. and riding thnnigh tiie ilismountetl eneni}-. oxer-
took the color-bearer and demaiuled the tlag. He threw
it on the ground. I dismounted and picked it up.
" By this time T was some distance in advance, and as
our bugle Wvis soiuuling the 'rally' I turned back xvith
my tropin-."
Corporal FRANK C.\RR recaptured a U. S. guidon from
the enenu'.
"So you recaptured the old flag?" ini]uired the Secre-
tary.
" Ves." was Carr's repl)'. " W'c made a charge and were
repulsed. 1 got into the abatis, and couldn't get out. A
lohnnie came up and told me to surrendei-. I wouldn't do
it. but put on my bax'onet and was going to stand a fight.
The fellow had this Hag sticking out of his breast. 1
grabbed it. and he turneil vuul ran awa\-."
Private C'>l'is W. SMiril captured the battle-llag of the
6th I'lorida. He was one of the first to leap the rebel
works, and took both Hag and bearer.
Private Will iam May presented the Hag of InMian-
cood's Patter>-. aiul Private AxnREW J. SlOAN delivered
the colors oi the ist Louisiana Pattery.
Private GKORr.i' SroKKS ami nANiKi. J. HorcOMB also
transferred, to the care of the War Department. Confeder-
ate flags.
Private Wll i lAM F. MOORK told how he got his trophy,
WARLIKE rAFESTR Y
105
a battery flag of Cheatham's eommaiul. lie said: "The
color-bearer was in a small group of rebels and was tr)-ing
to climb the hills. I shed my knapsack, took after him and
a captain of the same regiment and captured both."
As each man advanced to deliver his trophy it was re-
ceived by a gray-headed veteran of the Mexican War, who,
after unfurling the flag, laitl it upon the musket-stacks pro-
vided, and when the last silken standard had been placed
there the effect was brilliant and thrilling. The varied
hues of the rainbow lighted up the sombre apartment in a
blaze of color. Each face, for the time at least, glowed with
the patriotic spirit of the occasion, and reflected the warm
tints of the tapestried walls. Was ever there a grander
decoration to human habitation — to feudal castle or impe-
rial palace — than these battle-flags? Embroidered by the
hands of fair women, bearing upon their folds the names
of bloody battles where brave Confederates had rallied under
them again and again ; torn by conflict, worn by tempest,
they had at last fallen by the fortune of war into the hands
of the victor. The Secretary, beaming with genuine pleas-
ure, now as Master of Ceremonies, presented each of the
notable personages to the heroes of the hour; each received
a hearty grasp of the hand and a word of encouragement
which none of them was likely soon to forget.
The trophies were then inspected by the company, and,
when the last dignitary had been presented, all returned
to their respective groups while the Secretary of War ad-
dressed Lieutenant Gere and his comrades as follows :
" In behalf of the Government of the United States, I
return to you its thanks, and the thanks of the people for
iq5 the victors and the spoils.
your gallantry. Accept also the gratitude of this Depart-
ment for yourselves and for your comrades-in-arms. The
Adjutant-general will be ordered to take charge of the flags
with the descriptions you have this morning given, so as
to connect your own individual histories with the noble
actions by which they were captured. He will also be or-
dered to present to each one of you a Medal of Honor, to be
worn by you as a token and a recognition of )'our gallantry
and distinguished services. I wish you all a safe return to
your homes, and that you may long live to enjoy in peace
the victories which have been won by you and your com-
panions in arms. Lieutenant, I return to you and your
command the thanks of the Department and of the Govern-
ment, and you will make known to them the high estima-
tion in which their services are held."
Turning about, the Secretary, in an imperious manner,
thus addressed the Adjutant-general of the Army, who was
present, accompanied by the military chiefs of bureaux and
officers temporarily in the city :
" General Townsend, to your keeping I commend these
sacred tokens of the courage, self-sacrifice and patriotism of
our armies. You will cause a proper record to be made of
the particulars of each capture, and present to each cap-
tor, on behalf of the United States, a Medal of Honor suit-
ably inscribed.
" You will publish in General Orders the names of these
gallant soldiers, furnishing each with a copy of the order, to
the end that their noble example may incite others to sim-
ilar deeds.
" You will direct the Paymaster-general to pay to each
officer and soldier a month's pay in advance.
CAPTURIXG A MAJOR-GENERAL.
107
" And, finally, you will grant to each a furlough of thirty
days, with free transportation to his home and thence to his
regiment."
As the detachment filed out of the apartment each man
saluted the War Minister. Mr. Stanton seemed for the mo-
ment to forget the grimness of ©facial duty in the emotions
that swayed the warm-hearted man. He waved his hand in
acknowledgment, his eyes filled with tears, and as the last
"boy in blue" disappeared the Secretary turned, without a
word to his guests, and darted into his private room.
I'RIVATE JAMES DUNLAVY,
THIRD IOWA VOL. CAVALRY.
II. CAPTURING A MAJOR-GENERAL.
In presenting the trophies of the battle of Nashville to
the Secretary of War, Lieutenant Gere spoke of the long
chase of Price and Marmaduke in Missouri and Arkansas by
the very troops that returned to Tennessee in time to gain a
victory over the famous leader, Hood, at Nashville.
I08 THE VICrOKS AND THE SPOILS.
The capture of the Confederate general, Marmaduke, was
made by a young Iowa cav^alryman, Private James Dun-
LAVY,'^ under circumstances which he relates in a letter
from which an extract is here given.
The Union forces consisted of two brigades of cavalry,
commanded by Colonels Benteen and Phillips. General
Sterling Price's forces were falling back, with the Yankees
close upon their heels. Dunlavy says:
" General Marmaduke had formed his division on the
prairie to hold us while Price's train crossed Mine Creek.
His position was bad, with Mine Creek to his rear, Benteen
on his right and Phillips on his left. Col. Benteen's charges
were made promptly, and, according to Gen. Cabell (Con-
federate), 'just in the nick of time.' A moment later
Cabell intended to charge upon Phillips. He had just
passed the word for it when Benteen struck their right,
capturing their artillery. Marmaduke's whole right and
centre were completely stampeded. I was on the extreme
right of my regiment, and was wounded in the arm by a
piece of shell, which also hurt my horse. Just as Marma-
duke's men ' broke,' my horse wheeled to the rear and my
gun fell from my hand, but held by the sling. Just as quick
as I could get my horse to the front, seeing m\- brigade far
in advance to my right, I noticed troops. Thinking they
were Federals I started for them, but soon found the}' were
Marmaduke's men in full retreat'. I noticed an ofificer in a
Confederate uniform. This officer started in my direction,
* Ja.mks Di'M..\vv enlisted in Co. F, 30th Iowa Vol. Infantry (aged iS'); re-enlisted Co.
D, 3d Iowa Cavalry, 1863. Served during all campaigns in Tennessee, Missouri and
Georgia until close of the war. Mustered out with regiment at Atlanta, Ga., April 9, 1865.
Was graduated M.D. at Keokuk in 1S70.
A MUTUAL SUKPRJSE.
shouting, ' What do you mean, shooting- your own men ! '
He was evidently trying to rally what he thought were his
own men. I shot at him, but missed. I checked to a trot
and he was soon by my side, and seemed surprised when I
demanded his revolver. He handed it over, saying, ' I sur-
render; thought I was with my own men.' I started to the
rear, and as one of our men asked for the rebel horse, I
ordered my prisoner to dismount, which he did in a very
cool and military style.
'' I then started to the rear with him on double-quick.
Had gone a short distance when he said that he had been
up all night, and was very tired, and asked me if I would let
him walk ; which I did. He wanted a horse, but I refused
to get him one. He then asked me to take him to General
Pleasanton, as he was personally acquainted with him.
" I told him that if the General could be found he should
see him. He then remarked, *I will tell you who I am,'
Just then one of Pleasanton's staff came up, and my pris-
oner introduced himself as General Marmaduke. I again
started to the rear with the officer. He asked me in what
troops' hands he w^as. I told him Iowa. He said he was
glad he was in Iowa instead of Kansas. We had gone
but a short distance when we met Gen. C. W. Blair, to
whom I delivered my captive. Blair got a horse and
mounted General Marmaduke, and asked me to accom-
pany them to General Curtis.
"General Blair introduced Marmaduke to Curtis, then
myself as General Marmaduke's captor. General Curtis
remarked, ' Right from my own State,' and that he was
acquainted with my father. I started to the field hospital
HQ THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.
to get my arm dressed, when an officer rode \.\\} to me, shook
my hand warmly, and said, ' M)' bo}', )'ou will hear of this
day's work in years to come.'
" Started, in company with a comrade, for the front, but
had not gone far when my arm bet^an to bleed and become
so painful that I gave it up and returned to Fort Scott.
" That night it rained ; m)' feelings can better be imag-
ined than described. A boy awa)' from home the first time ;
a stranger in a strange place ; wet, wounded, dirty, hungry
and homesick, l^ut General Blair sent for me and treated
me with great kindness. A load was thus removed from
ni)' heart for which I shall e\er be grateful.
"As soon as my arm was well enough for duty,' I left
Fort Scott, carrying ^\ith me a vivid recollection of the
kindness of the citizens, and as tokens of their friendship,
from the ladies an elegant album and a beautiful copy of
Tom Moore's poetical works, and from the men a brace
of very handsome ' Colt's nav)- revolvers.' "
A rather unique testimonial to military merit in the
form of a Resoliltion of the Board of Supervisors of Davis
County, Iowa, is in Dr. Dunlavy's possession. It reads as
follows :
Bloomfieid, Iowa,
JiUi. 12, 1S65.
WHEREAS it has come to the knowledge of the citizens of this county
that Private James Dunlavy, Co. D. 3d Iowa Cavalry, did in the late battle
of Mine Creek, Kansas, between the Federal and Rebel forces, after being se-
verely wounded in the arm. by his own personal daring and courage rush upon
and compel the noted general, Marniaduke (rebel), to surrender to him as a
prisoner of war. Therefore be it
Resolved, that we hereby tender the said James Dunlavy the thanks of the
A UNIQUE TESTIMOXIAL.
I I I
citizens of tiiis county for his brave, faithful and distinguished services. Be it
further
Resolved, that the clerk of the Board of Supervisors be directed to spread
this proceeding upon the record of this Jioard, and that he furnish the said
James Dunlavy with a copy of same under seal.
I, William Laiv, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Davis County, Iowa,
certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of proceedings, had by said Board at
its January term, 1S65.
Witness my hand and Otficial Seal this 12th day of January, a.d. 1S65.
L. S. Wm. J. Law,
Clerk.
i.
1
Ha Jill fo HVliam ilifsc ^rrsiiits olhill tfomf. COrfftinj:
I-Cnoy 'Te, .dvr,c. g^o«' ,6fc^ ff^fr i!tjidi!il^iiWcnL.Va\l) a\^.u«Jiii.
V '' did or not, ran excitedly back to the line
which was still firing over us. who were in the hollow, at
the retreating rebels be\-ond the thicket. I fortunately
approached my own company, who upon seeing me ceased
firing, set up a cheer, while I leaped upon the breastworks
and waved the flag. Lieut. John L. Williams, of our com-
pan\'. jumped up. embraced me, and the bo\-s pulled us
both down, as the enem\- had opened a prett)- lively fire
from their second line b\' this time. We unfurled the flag
and found it beh^ngcd to the 7th Now York Heavy Artil-
A GOOD DAY' S FISHIXG. I 1 7
lery. The prisoners, except the few \vc had taken in the
pursuit, had been sent to the rear by this time. The
young man who first surrendered to me was still there, but
was about being sent back under guard. When he saw me
he said to the captain, ' I am his prisoner, I surrendered to
him.'
" I told the captain about the wounded major and the
other two men. He ordered me to the rear with the pris-
oner and the colors, and said he would attend to them.
On my return I understood they were brought in. In the
centre and ow the left was an equally interesting time.
As I started back I met Lieut. -Col. Pleasants, who com-
manded the regiment. He congratulated me, and re-
quested me to gi\'c him the colors, bring the prisoner to
the rear, and report to him on my return. After some hes-
itation I gave him the flag. I soon overtook the other
prisoners, escorted b}' as numerous a guard, from various
regiments, as they numbered. I turned over mine and
returned to the front. In the mean time, the regiment had
moved forward and were throwing up breastworks. It was
from near this position, a week later, that we commenced
the mine that we exploded on the 30th of Jul)'.
" General Meade presented three others and me with
Medals of Honor, December i6th, 1864, at Ninth Corps
Headquarters in presence of a large part of the Army."
II. A GOOD DAY'S FISHING.
One of the operations resulting in the capture of Rich-
mond was the affair of Hatcher's Run, October 27, 1864.
Its object was to gain possession of the Southside Railroad,
Il8 THREE THIXKIXG BAYONETS.
then an important line of snppK' {ox the CiMifederate arni}'.
Although the attaek was unsueeessl'ul. there was some hard
fighting antl man)- eurious happenings )-et to be tokl in
print. One of these incidents is described by AlONZO
Smii'II. then ist Sergeant (since Heutenant) "th Michigan
Veteran Vohmteer Infantrw"^' lie says:
" 1 will gi\-e a sketch of what is known as the battle of
Matcher's Run. \'a.. CV-t. 27. 1864, so far as \\\\ memor>'
serves me. The _nl Oixision. Jd Corps, formed line of battle
across the Ixn'dton plank-road on quite a high ridge, facing
towards the south and west. My regiment was a part of
the left flanking brigade, with its right resting at or near
said plank-road, extending tlie line to the left in front of
the woods that were in our rear; ami on the left of the road,
as we faced the south and west, our line formed a half cir-
cle with centre in the advance, my regiment extending
into the wooils towards the plank-road. The brigade was
compc^sed of ic)th anil JOth Massachusetts. 4Jd and 59th
New York, 1st Minnesota. 36th Wisconsin and 7th INlichi-
gan. The Confederates attacked our right and rear, cap-
turing the artiller\- in position on our right. While in this
position some stragglers came through the woods in rear of
my regiment. Owx colonel then deployed us to the left,
towards the plank-roatl. to ]ire\ent any stragglers from
passing our left, we being the left Hanking regiment of in-
fantry within sight or hearing; although we understood at
* Ai.oN/o Smith enlisted (,on his nineteenth binh-day> .^uji- o, iS6t, in the 7th Mich.
Vol. Infantry, yv.^w,-/,./ corporal. .Apr., 1863 ; sergeant, Apr., 1S64; tirst serjfeant Nov.,
1864 ; tirst lieutenant. Dec. g. 1804. Servtd throiij;h >.ampaii;ns, .-Xrmy of the Potomac.
U'c'HHi/iif M .Vntictani, in left thijrh ; at Gettysburg, in left wrist. Mkd.^l ok Honok for
capture oi llajj .■!>ili N. C. Int.. iVt. .•7, 1804.
A Ul/OLKSALE srKKi:XDEK. j 19
the time that Ciivl;i;'s l)i\isit)n of cavaln- wore the only
troops on our left. Lookini;- in our rear I saw ijuite a num-
ber of men moviui; towards our line. Calling to Sergeant
Thomas Smith, who happened to be near me, I asked him
if he did not think they were ' Rebs.' After a thorough
look in that direction he pronounced them to be 'Yanks,'
and started to report to Colonel Lapoint, \\ho then hail
charge of the picket-line a little in our ailvance. Feeling-
somewhat uneas)- as to our position, I went some fifteen or
twenty rods to the rear and discovered the men to be Con-
federates, coming directly toward me — every man for him-
self. Stepping behind a large elm tree, I concluded to
tr}' a demand {or surrender as soon as they came near
enough.
" With a loaded musket aiul fixed bayonet 1 awaited their
approach. When within a rod or so, I stepped out from
my hiding-place and demanded a surrender, which they did
not appear to heed. 1 made the second demand when
their line officers came to the front, and I saw that none of
them had side-arms. They said they w'ould surrender to
me if I would take tliem out of there all right. They
wished to know if we hatl an\' troops in there, and in what
direction I was going to take them out. I pointed to the
direction of the plank-road, when they said it would be
taking them back into their own lines. I informed them
that we had a division only a few rods from me. Their
officers then toKl the men to throw tlown their arms and
surrender. I then called t(^ Alfred Bordine and John
Cramer, they being the first 1 saw after the surrender.
" The good news soon reached the regiment and a guard
J20 THREE TIIIXKIXG BAYONETS.
formed who helped the discomfited Confederates to remove
their cartridge-boxes, and I kindly became the color-bearer
of the 26th North Carolina. Just as I had taken the colors
from the sergeant, Colonel Lapoint came to the scene and
wished to know what I had been doing. He then told me
to take a guard and report to General Hancock, whose
headquarters were in an open field to our left, and across
the plank-road. I obeyed the order, and General Hancock
directed me to report the prisoners to the provost-marshal.
" The same night the army fell back to their old camp,
and through some mistake of the aides my regiment and
the 59th N. Y. were left to their fate. When daylight
came, the colonel discovered their position and started for
the rear, but had not crossed the first field when a squad of
rebel cavalry made a dash on them, which was repulsed by
a volley from the boys in blue. They then formed a skir-
mish line and kept under shelter of the woods. The color-
bearer of the State flag took the flag from the staff and put
it around his body, under his shirt ; the U. S. flag was torn
to pieces, each man putting a piece in his pocket.
" After wandering through the woods, avoiding openings
as much as possible, they became lost. Going to a log
cabin they found an old negro, who was willing to pilot
them to the Union lines, where they arrived after two days'
tramping. The old contraband was sent to Monroe, Mich-
igan, by the regiment, as a reward for his services.
"The number of prisoners for which my regiment re-
ceived credit at the engagement on Hatcher's Run, Va.,
was 20 officers and 480 enlisted men."
AN INDEPENDENT BA TTER Y.
This was an extraordinary haul for one lone fisherman,
but shows what a thoroughly wide awake sergeant may
do.
BVT. CAPTAIN PETER T. ANDERSON,
LATE CORPORAL 31ST WISC. LNFANTRY.
III. AN INDEPENDENT BATTERY.
In the year 1840, when Chicago was a village, among the
arrivals there were two Norwegians— husband and wife—
on their way to a new home in free America, where land
was cheap and where industry and thrift have ever been
rewarded with success.
They settled in Wisconsin, on the banks of the East
Pecatonica River, and erected a homestead, where in due
time numerous olive branches grew up around the worthy
couple, and became the seasoned timber of which true
American citizens and, when needed, good Union soldiers
are made. When the great war came, two of the boys volun-
teered to f^ght under the old flag. One, Gotack, gave his
life to his country in one of the battles near Atlanta, in
122 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.
1864. The Other. PETER T. ANDERSON* enlisted in a Wis-
consin regiment at the age of sixteen, and before the close
of the war, in which he served to the bitter end, had given
many proofs of his hardy Norway blood and his healthy
American training. His is one of the few instances in
which a private soldier has been honored with a brc\ct
commission as captain, for a special act of gallantry in the
presence of the enemy.
Anderson had tramped with his regiment under General
Sherman on the Great March to the Sea, and after the
capture of Savannah, had found himself still under the lead-
ership of " Uncle Billy " — as Sherman was affectionately
called by his men — close at the heels of the distinguished
Confederate, Joe Johnston.
Occasionally the enemy would turn and snap viciously at
his pursuers.
One of these occasions was at Bentonville, March 19,
1865. It is thus described by Captain Anderson, then
Corporal Go. B, 31st Wisconsin Infantry:
" The morning opened fair and warm. About one o'clock,
and just after dinner, we forded a stream. While we were
crossing the stream our major, Robert Stcpherson, asked
me to fill his canteen with water and then get into an am-
bulance and ride, as he thought I looked too sick to march.
1 told him I never had been in an ambulance and would
rather stay with my company. We were ordered down
* Peter T. Anderson enlisted Sept. 8, 1863, in Co. B, 31st Wisconsin Infantry. Pro-
;;;(>/<■- wounded), and some of them used
pretty rough language, telling me to surrender. There was
one Johnnie rode right up to me, with a Colt's revolver
drawn and pointed at mc. and shouted, ' Surrender ! you
d — d Yankee.' He had hardly uttered the words before
one o{ our boys shot him from his horse.
" The Rcbs followed me up close till they saw our brigade
forming. Colonel West, taking command, said, * We will
hold this position or die right here.' My ramrod was bent
double from trying to load my gun as I was running. So
when I got to the regiment the colonel told me to go to
the rear, as I could do no good there with a broken ramrod
and my hand badly bruised. I took the gun and horses to
the rear with me. As I approached the batteries that were
massed in our rear, an officer (I think it was the chief of
artillery) stepped in front of the works they had thrown up
and asked me what battery I belonged to. I told him I
was * Independent.' I told him in a few words all I knew
about it. Then he asked me if I would let him' use the
fjun, and of course I consented. Then I went to the rear
of the battery and sat down under a tree. I sat there
about ten minutes when an orderly came along with a ram-
rod in his hand. I asked him to give it to me as mine was
broken. He gave it to me. I started right away for my
RECONNOITRING.
125
company, and got there just as the rebels were making
their second charge. They charged us five times, but we
checked them every time.
" Just after dusk that evening the Major asked me to pick
a few men to go with me to reconnoitre in our front, and
sec where the enemy were. Our regiment was instructed
not to fire until we got in, even if we did shoot a little in
front of them. We started, and kept in the dark as much
as possible; several of the pitch-pine trees were burning,
and made it quite light in some places. After advancins"
about two hundred yards several rebels jumped up and
shouted, ' We surrender ! ' There were ten or twelve of
them and only five of us. We took them into our lines,
which was just what they wanted. The next day we buried
the dead of both armies, and on the twenty-first started for
Raleigh, N. C, where we lay until the surrender of John-
ston's army."
LIEUTENANT JOSIAH M. CURTIS,
TWELFTH WEST VA. INFANTRY.
HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
THE Sword has been often, in figure of speech, " turned
into a ploughshare," but has seldom been likened unto
a sickle, with which in olden time the harvest was gathered.
And yet, in the last month of the Civil War in America,
Farmer Grant made just that use of the sabres of his caval-
rymen, while with the bayonets of his infantry the over-
ripe crops of rebel resistance — the weary soldiers, the droop-
ing battle-flags, the flying artillery, the stampeded wagon
trains — were tossed into Uncle Sam's barns.
Many of the reapers were rewarded with the Medal.
Let us glance at the record in three cases.
I. THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
The month of April, 1865, was a black one in the Confed-
erate calendar. Ere its second day was spent two heavy
blows had been struck at General Lee's army, and while
the enemy was reeling under the shock, General Grant
126
THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 127
ordered others to be delivered in ciuick succession. The
outer intrenchments of Petersburg had fallen into the
hands of the victorious Yankees, and of the inner line of
works there only remained two small but strong forts, called
Gregg and Whitworth. General Grant says : " We thought
it had now become necessary to carry them by assault.
About one o'clock in the day Fort Gregg was assaulted by
Foster's Division of the Twenty-fourth Corps (Gibbon's),
supported by two brigades from Ord's command. The bat-
tle was desperate, and the national troops were repulsed
several times; but it was finall}' carried, and immediately
the troops in Fort Whitworth evacuated the place. The
guns of Fort Gregg were turned upon the retreating
enemy."
Of the assaulting force, one young officer* greatly dis-
tinguished himself. His father (Brevet Brigadier-General
W. B. Curtis, late Colonel 12th W. V. Infantry) furnishes
the following account:
" I was commanding the 2d Brigade, Independent Divis-
ion, which consisted of the I2th West Va., 54th Pa., and
23d 111. (Gen. Mulligan's Irish Regiment). Lieutenant Cur-
tis was then acting as aide on my staff. The assault was
first made on the Confederates by the 6th Corps, and their
line was broken. The fighting during the night was terrific,
the artillery and infantry both being engaged. When day
dawned on the morning of the 2d of April, we discovered
* Lieut. JdsiAii M. CfRTis enlisted as a private, D, 12th West V^irfjinia Infantry, Aujr.
25, 1862, JTt the apfe of sixteen years. Promoted throuj^h successive ^'rades to 2d lieut.
Dec. 16, 1864. Served under Milroy and Hunter, 1863, and under Sheridan in campaign of
1S64 in the Valley of VMrjjinia; honorably mustered out of service in 1865; awarded Medal
of Honor for gallant conduct in battle, April 2, 1865.
128 IIOKSE, FOOT AA^D DKAGOOiVS.
that the enemy were evacuating their works. We were
ordered to attack a large fort, which we took without any
material loss, as the enemy had mostly withdrawn. Our
division was ordered to move along the Confederate works
towards Petersburg. We captured many prisoners on our
route, meeting with no opposition until we came to forts
Gregg and Whitworth, south of Petersburg. P'ort Gregg
was surrounded by a ditch, flooded with water, about eight
feet wide and four or five feet deep, and manned by the
48th Mississippi Infantry (a part of Mahone's Brigade).
Gen. Foster, who was commanding the first division of our
corps, had made two or three assaults on the fort, being
repulsed each time with heavy loss. Our division com-
mander, when we came up, ordered me to charge. After a
desperate struggle we succeeded in crossing the ditch, —
pulling each other up the bank — and planting our colors on
top of the parapet, captured the fort. In this assault
Major Davis of the 54th P. V., and three color-bearers of
the I2th W. v., were killed before we succeeded in planting
the colors upon the parapet.
" My son, Lieut.- J. M. Curtis, after the third man had
been killed, grabbed the colors in his left hand, and cheering
the men on in the charge, a rush was made into the fort, and
after a short struggle the enemy surrendered. The Medal
of Honor was given to him for gallant conduct in this as-
sault.
" This was the last place the enemy attempted to hold in
front of Richmond ; they commenced to evacuate the city
that day. My regiment was presented by our corps com-
mander with a golden eagle to surmount our State colors.
AT TJIE '' LAST DITCH." 120
inscribed as follows: ' Presented to the I2th West Va. Vol.
Infantry by their corps commander, Gen. John Gibbon, for
gallant conduct in the assault upon Fort Gregg, in front of
Petersburg, on the 2d day of April, 1865.' The loss of our
corps in this assault was 715 killed and wounded. Lieu-
tenant Curtis, with his regiment and brigade, also partici-
pated in the pursuit of Lee, until he surrendered at Appo-
mattox Court House, marching thirty-five miles on the 8th
of April to get to the support of Sheridan.
" Lieutenant Curtis was one of the officers appointed to
take charge of the Confederate colors, which were surren-
dered and sent to Washington. Gen. Gibbon, our corps
commander, who had seen service all through the war, and
participated in some of the hardest-fought battles that oc-
curred, says in his report that this was one of the most
desperate assaults made during the war." *
In a conversation that took place the night after the as-
sault between some of Mulligan's Irish Regiment, one was
overheard to say :
" Moike, did yez moind young Cortis, standin' on the
parrypet av the foort, wid tlie colors in Avan fisht an his
soord in the other? Be me faith, he luk'd loike he wuz
afther takin' a lape entoo GayJiaima ! "
II. A FOOT SOLDIER AT "THE LAST DITCH." t
"Since the day that Sheridan's cavalry, the Fifth Corps,
* "The whole capture since the army started out gunning will amount to not less than
12,000 men, and probably fifty pieces of artillery." — Grant's Memoirs.
t Lieut. Rudolph R. Riddkll (late 6i.st N. Y. Vols.). He enlisted in 1861, at the age of
lifteen, as a drummer, and was promoted through intermediate grades to rank of Lieu-
tenant, commanding a company. Honorably discharged 1865. Awarded Medal of Honor
for capture of Hag at Sailor's Creek, April 6, 1865. (This account of the battle is by
Mr. Riddell.)
9
I30
//OA'SE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
and Miles Division of the Second (to which \vc belonged)
had struck Lee's extreme right, rolling him back and doub-
ling him up, we had been straining every power to ' finish
the job,' as Sheridan had expressed it to Grant, To this
end the pursuit was vigorous. The now desperate enemy,
finding himself too closely pressed, would frequently and
LIEUTENANT K. K. KIDDELL,
SlXTV-l-IKSr N. Y. VOl.lNTKliKS.
with great suddenness turn upon us. This made the many
engagements which took place along the line of retreat and
pursuit generally unexpected, and always sharp and deadly.
' Keep 'em on a jump,' was Sheridan's characteristic order,
and inspired with victory the order was carried out with
terrible energy. Thus the two armies swept their stormy
course from Petersburg to Appomattox.
" Near the close of that race for life the enemy's converg-
ing columns reached a point on Sailor's Creek, and taking
up a position of great natural strength upoa the further
bluffs that border the creek, faced their pursuers, for what
SA IL OR 'S CREEK
proved to be the last and orcatest struggle of the retreat.
It was the veritable ' last ditch ' into which, for four years,
we had been trying to get them.
"I remember we had pressed on one day, with frequent
heavy skirmishes, until late at night, nearly exhausted, we
threw ourselves upon the ground to get what rest a soldier
may under such circumstances. The morning (the 6th of
April, I believe) broke dark and lowery, and the weather
continued heavy, with frequent showers throughout the
day. At an early hour we were under arms, but instead of
taking up the pursuit and moving out with promptness,
there were certain dispositions made, and positions taken,
which seemed to indicate that we had something more seri-
ous to undertake than a rapid march after a flying foe. To
men who have served four years and fought a score of bat-
tles, the signs of approaching battle are pretty clear. I was
ordered by our adjutant to take my company, with full
supply of cartridges, and report to brigade headquarters.
As I had been on the skirmish lines all the preceding day,
I indulged in a little quiet reasoning, while preparations
were being made, as to the probable service before me ; and
as it was not customary to detail the same ofificers and
men for skirmish line or picket duty two days in succession,
I drew my cojiclusions, and they made me homesick.
" However, I was scared too soon ; just as I was about to
file off with old Company B, I was informed that the order
was recalled and I could keep my place in line. Firing
now began in our front, telling us the skirmish line was
feeling the enemy, and warning us that the services of a
line of battle might be needed. The woods in which we
J ^2 I/OKSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
were, and the general conformation of the ground, con-
cealed the position of the enemy from that part of the lines.
But as the firing became heavier, we were moved forward in
line, and soon came to the edge of the woods, and halted
for a moment just within shelter. Walking forward a few
yards with some brother ofificers, we saw our skirmish lines
about half way down the slope, hotly engaged with a strong
skirmish line of the enemy, who were posted along the
creek, and in little squads by the bridge, and at several
places sheltered by trees and bushes on the slope leading
up to the enemy's position on the ridge beyond. It was
perhaps a third of a mile from our position to theirs, but
the creek did not evenly divide the valley. From our crest
the descent was more gradual, and the distance to the
creek much greater than from the crest occupied by the
enemy. Running diagonally from left to right down the
slope, on our front, to the creek, was a broad road, badly
cut up by the passage of the enemy's trains, and partly con-
cealed from us, because cutting in places quite deeply into
the side of the slope, leaving the upper bank deep and
steep ; but after leaving the bridge it rose clear and distinct
in its diagonal course to the creek beyond. I have a de-
cidedly clear recollection of that road. It impressed me, as
standing upon the wooded crest I saw its broad, red course
as it left the creek and rose to the opposite crest, strewn
with the cast-off clothing and equipments of a retreating
army, together with its steep upper bank ; and as our line of
charge, if direct, would take us across it, I wondered how
the boys would manage to get up that wet and slippery
bank. But it impressed itself upon me more substantially
A/V INFANTR Y " CI/AA'GE." I ^ ,
soon after, when, in charging down, about a quarter of the
regiment rolled pell mell down its steep bank, carrying an
undignified quantity of the muddy, sticky sacred soil with
us, and making us look like an outlaw band of Sioux braves
painted for the war-path. Those who get the idea that a
line of battle charges as if dressed on a straight edge, with
guns aligned to a hair at an angle of forty-five degrees, with
alternate movements of right and left legs, so perfect and
together as to enable you to look down the entire line and'
see the triangular hole made by the bend of their knees,
ought to see the real article as it tears its way through
brush and woods ; as it tosses and heaves across fields ; as it
bends and billows and crowds itself up the slope ; as it reels
and roars and plunges itself upon the enemy, perhaps to
recoil broken into fragments, streaming back to shelter.
This latter is just the way we went down that slope, across
the run and up to the crest beyond. We did not wait long
in the edge of the woods before the order came, and burst-
ing forth we began the charge. The artillery opened on us
at once, and as we neared the run the musketry joined in
the work of death. Many a brave fellow was struck down
before the crest was reached. Especially was the loss heavy
during the struggle up the rise, beyond the creek. It was
like all other charges of like magnitude, impossible to de-
scribe ; the terrible rush of armed men, the hoarse com-
mands, the fierce energy of action, the smoke and tumult
and tempest of cannon and musketry are beyond descrip-
tion. We reached the crest, pausing a moment to pour our
fire into their ranks, then leaped forward with the smoke,
tore our way through the brush and tree-tops w^th which
134 HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
they had hastily covered their works, swarmed over it
shouting, yelling, struggling a moment in the awful chaos,
broke and crushed them, and — well, it was .all over in less
time than it takes to tell it.
" Colors were captured all along the line. It's easy
enough. All one has to do is to be there and go in with the
crowd, and be careful not to let too many get ahead of him,
else the first choice of flags is lost. There are some risks,
however. If the fellow who carries the flag is obstinate,
and don't want to give it up, you can hand him your card,
or use any other inducement which may occur to you at
the time.
"Those of us who took flags were soon after permitted
to go to Washington and present them to the Secretary of
War ; were granted a leave of absence or furlough for thirty
days, and a Medal of Honor from Congress."
III. A CAVALRY REAPER.*
" Uncle Elliott, I think I'd like to be a soldier."
The speaker was a handsome boy of fifteen, just at the
age when boys are apt to run to hero-worship, and Charlie
Jackson's hero was his Uncle Elliott, who had fought in the
war under Custer and Sheridan, and who, long before Char-
lie had opened his eyes on this world, had been honorably
mustered out of service, and turned his attention to the
quieter pursuits of an American citizen.
"Why do you say that. Charlie?"
* Elliott M. Norton enlisted as a private (B) 6th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, Oct. ii,
1862. Promoted through intermediate grades to rank of lieutenant and adjutant, served
with his regiment in the field in Virginia, and for a few months on the Western frontier,
and was mustered out at Salt I.al.>^.^#^^^^>v^^
LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT M. NORTON,
ADJUTANT SIXTH MICH. CAVALKV.
" I say, Uncle, tell me something about the cavalry and
how you got the Medal and all."
"Well, my boy, there isn't so much to tell — (just hand
me those slippers and my old brier-wood pipe — seems to
bring me back to camp-life again). Four years of fighting
and marching are equal to a lifetime of peaceful pursuits
here at home. Time travels very slowly when minutes of
excitement seem like days, and when hours of suspense are
like months at other times. But it doesn't take long to teU
about, as we sit here now."
136 I/OKSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
" Uncle Elliott, how did }-ou feel in your first battle ? "
" Well, the first fiijht, I think, was at Hanover, in Vir-
ginia, on the 30th of June, 1863. I don't remember much
about it now, only that I was badly frightened, and sup-
posed we must all be killed. It did not seem possible that
any one could live in such a shower of lead. It literally
rai)U'd bullets. I determined to sell my life dearl)' and
just ' waded in.' A few days after, we had a stubborn fight
at Hunterstown, Pennsylvania. We drove the enemy, and I
was surprised to find myself alive and able to go into camp
at night. The fact was, I was getting used to it a little ; it
seemctl that when I had plenty to i\o I forgi)t the danger."
" Uncle, which was the greatest battle of the war?"
" Charlie, that's rather a hard question to answer. Per-
haps the most important single battle was Gettysburg, when
we drove General Lee's arm\' acri^ss the Potomac, and, it
was said, ' broke the back-bone of the RebellicMi.' "
"Were )-ou at Gett\'sburg, Uncle?"
" Not precisely at the town, but all around the neighbor-
hood. On the third day w^e were engaged part of the time
with the enemy's cavalry, and part of the time in support-
ing some artillery. This last is the worst sort of service —
to stand still, while every now and then a solid shot will
come rolling along like a base-ball, and knock down a 'set
of fours' like so many tin soldiers ; or a shell may explode
just over you, and cut off limbs of trees and drop them on
you. This sort of thing tries the nerves of horses and men,
you may depend. Put there is nothing to do for it but
just to close in the gaps made by a horse falling in the
ranks, or, wounded, backing franticall)' clear out of them."
THE DA Y AFTER GE TT\ SBUKG. j -. -
Charlie socmcd nuich impressed by this serious rrHmpse
of real war. He sat silent for some minutes, while his
uncle puffed away at the brier-wood.
Suddenly the boy burst forth with a new query.
" Did you ever kill a man ? "
"I am afraid I have— in the line of duty; probably sev-
eral, but I only recollect one, and that was in self-
defence."
" Where was that, sir.^ "
" It was on the glorious Fourth (the day after the battle
of Gettysburg), at Monterey, Maryland. Although the
enemy were firing rapidly from their field batteries and our
artillery replied, and our men kept up a lively racket on the
skirmish line with their carbines, I confess it has seemed
much more deafening in a real old-fashioned Grand Rapids
'Fourth.' We had some hand-to-hand encounters. One
gigantic rebel captain— at least he seemed so at the time-
sprang from behind a high stump (we were fighting on foot),
and fired right into my face. The bullet went through the
rim of my hat, pretty near the crown. The pistol was so
close that the smoke and flash almost blinded me for a
second. At the same moment I fired, and the ' Johnnie '
fell back with a groan. At that moment something else
claimed my attention, and I never knew whether my enem>-
was dead or only w^ounded."
" Were you an officer then. Uncle?"
" No, only a sergeant ; but I can tell you, I never felt
prouder than when my captain promoted me to be a non-
commissioned officer of our compau)-, July i, 1863."
j-g nORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.
" Was that the narrowest escape you had in the war,
Uncle?"
" No, I suppose our charge on the rebel rear-guard at
FalHng Waters, July 14, of the same year, was 'the closest
call ' I ever had. The enemy had crossed the Potomac,
and feeling secure from any pursuit in force by our army,
was resting some of his infantry on the opposite bank.
The Michigan brigade was ordered to advance a short dis-
tance and form in line. My regiment, the 6th Michigan
Cavalry, was then moved forward very quietly to within
two hundred yards and halted, and companies ' B,' of which
I was sergeant, and ' F ' — in all about one hundred men —
were ordered to charge the breastworks which the enemy
had thrown up to cover the crossing. It was a greater
blunder than the ' Charge of the Six Hundred ' at Balaclava,
from which less than two hundred returned. But our offi-
cers and men never faltered.
" Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs but to do and die."
"The enemy at that point comprised a large force of
infantry, who could have successfully resisted a brigade of
cavalry. What chance do you think our little squadron
had ?
" Well, a Confederate soldier who saw the whole affair
answers the question.* He says :
" 'As Heth's Division, guarding the line of the retreat of
the main army, reached Falling Waters, near the Potomac,
while lying on the ground with arms stacked, in a state of
* "A Confederate Soldier," in the Southern Bivouac.
''CHARGE OF THE ONE HUNDRED:'
139
presumed security, they were attacked by the enemy under
the following circumstances :
"'Generals Heth and Pettigrew, Capt. Jas. H. Moore,
and other officers, from an eminence, were reviewing the route
over which they had just travelled, when all of a sudden a
small force of cavalry burst forth from a skirt of woods
about two hundred yards distant. The little group took
the cavalry for Confederates. The cavalry then displayed
the United States flag, and galloping up to Pettigrew, with
swords drawn, shouted out " Surrender ! " They rushed
over the little group, firing their pistols and mortally wound-
ing General Pettigrew. These brave fellows then attacked
the command of Heth. Heth's men very soon realized the
situation of things, and seizing their muskets, opened on
this party with effect, and very soon despatched the force,
tumbling them out of their saddles in every direction.
They were all killed or wounded in a very few moments.
This was the last battle fought north of the Potomac in the
Gettysburg campaign.'
" You see, Charlie, he says * they w^ere all killed or
wounded,' but that is not quite true. Of that devoted band
of one hundred, I and five others rode back ; the rest fell
victims of a foolish order.
" You asked me if it was a narrow escape. You can
judge for yourself. A rifle ball took off my hat, another
pierced every thickness but two of my overcoat, which was
rolled and strapped on the cantle of my saddle ; three bul-
lets passed through my clothes and three through my horse.
What a charger he was, Charlie ! A superbly built black,
nearly seventeen hands high, and as active as a cat. I saw
1^0 HOKSE, FOOT AXD DKAGOOXS.
both my officers fall, and the detachment almost ' wiped
out ' in two or three minutes. I turned to leave when a
Confederate infantryman thrust his piece almost in \w\ face
and fired. My face was filled with powder, and the ball
cut off a lock of my hair, which was rather long and thick;
with my sabre I struck the barrel of the musket an up-
ward blow, and at the same time took a downward cut at
the Johnnie. Without wasting an\- time, however, my horse
carried me back over the works and, Avhile I laid as close to
his neck as a Comanche, used the spur and flat of my sabre
on his sides. He carried me to our lines, nearh' a quarter of
a mile awa\-, and as I dismounted, the grand old fellow
sank down in a heap, shivered and was dead."
*' Was there much fighting the last }'ear of the war?"
*' Yes : the year 1864 was a constant series of hard strug-
gles on both sides. Our cavalry was improving in every
respect, and our supph' of horses was unlimited ; the enemy
was running short of horses and supplies of all kinds, and
their horsemen were getting discouraged."
" Now, Uncle Elliott, tell me how you captured the flag."
" It was near the last gasp of the war, only a day or two
before Lee's surrender — Sailor's Creek,* it was called. The
battle begaii about half-past three o'clock in the afternoon.
I was then a lieutenant and acting-adjutant of m\' regiment.
At five-thirty we were pursuing the enemy in * column of
fours ' at a gallop. I was riding at the head of the regi-
ment with the colonel. Seeing a squad of the enenu', about
twent}' in number, about sixt\' rods to the left with a battle-
flag, I left the regiment and went for them, with no other
* This is the same battle described by Lieutenant Riddell. pajje i jo.
ANOTHER FLAG-CAPTURE.
141
object than to capture a flag. I had made several attempts
to do this before, but failed. When within six or eight
rods of the party they fired together at me, leaving their
carbines empty, and me unharmed. With drawn sabre I
rushed upon them and ordered them to throw down their
arms, which they did. They did not so quickly give up
the flag. But I suppose they saw I was bound to have it,
and as some of our troops were now ahead of these Confed-
erates they sullenly resigned the flag to my care. Tearing
it from the staff and thrusting it inside my coat, I told my
prisoners to fall into line and start for the rear.
" It was after seven o'clock that evening when I overtook
the command, then going into camp. I kept my prize a
secret until evening, when as we (the colonel and I occupied
the same tent) were about turning in I told Col. Vinton
that if he would promise not to say anything I would show
him something. He agreed, and I then pulled out my
trophy. The old war-do^ fairly danced with delight.
" ' Jeems' River ! ' cried he, ' my regiment shall have the
honor of capturing that flag. No, Adjutant, I shall break
faith with you ! ' And he did. But I forgave him.
"After the surrender, I was ordered to Washington, in
company with a number of other flag-captors, to turn over
to the Secretary of War all the flags captured by the cavalry
corps. Here we each received a furlough of thirty days
and a Medal of Honor.
" My battle-flag belonged to the 44th Tennessee Regi-
ment. It was of heavy silk, 12 x 4^ feet in dimensions, with
gilt stars and bars, and the motto * Death to Invaders.' "
" Well, Uncle, that is very interesting ; but although you
142 110 KSE, FOOT AXD DRAGOONS.
ran a great risk of getting shot when you went for the flag,
it seems to mc that the Southern color-guard gave up the
flag pretty easily to one man."
" Ah, my boy, those were gallant men. They had fought
us during four long, weary, years ; but when they saw our
forces closing around them on that day, they realized that
the end had come, and then resistance died out with the
last volley from their carbines. Just how they felt is de-
scribed by an eloquent Southern soldier, who, writing of this
very occasion, says :
" * Soon we hear the notes of a cavalry bugle. How mer-
rily it sings ! how defiant its tones ! how martial the strains
as the gentle south wind brings its cadence to our ears ! It
is no stranger to us, for its strains we have heard before,
and we know their meaning. It is Custer's trumpeter, rally-
ing his dashing squadrons to the headlong charge. We fall
back to the foot of the hill to receive it. A Georgia brig-
ade re-enforces us. On, on they come, as though on pleas-
ure bent. The sharp clang of sabres is heard as they fly
from the scabbards. A moment more they flash in the
sunlight, magnificently. The enemy ascends the summit of
the hill and dash on us. We pour in a deadly and appalling
volley, and thirty brave fellows fall from their saddles.
The conflict is short, sharp, and decisive, and the gallant
Custer and his squadron fall back before overwhelming
numbers as gayly and gallantly as they came. But the lines
are closing around us, and the Confederacy is in its death
throes. Four hours later and the bloody conflict of Sailor's
Creek closes the last chapter in its melancholy history.
" ' Nearly all of Ewell's Corps are captured. Oh, the an-
CUSTER AT SAILOR 'S CREEK. , , .
guish of the hour! We saw, surrendered, eighteen battle-
flags which bore upon their tattered folds the historic
names of Manassas, Cold-Harbor, the Wilderness and
Spottsylvania Court-House. Wait ! Every cloud has its
silver lining. The next morning, after a refreshing slumber
on the sweetest of all beds — the bare ground — we are again
marshalled in line.
" ' Down that line came General Custer. By his yellow
hair and boyish face he is known to all of us. Near the
centre of the line he turns to his band and orders it to play
" Dixie," As the marvellous strains of the Confederate
war-song floated in liquid sweetness around us, we break
into tumultuous cheering. General Custer Avaves his hat,
and a thousand gallant soldiers in blue dash their caps in
the air.
" ' Such was General Custer in the presence of a con-
quered foe. Here might the artist have found his inspira-
tion for " Custer's Last Rally," and the Southern poet who
wrote :
" ' The nations of the earth shall know
That love, not hate, alone can glow
In soldier-hearts by valor tried
On many a field, and this our pride,
When heroes of the Blue and Gray
Shall each to each due homage pay,
And scorn with all their martial souls
The cowards base and venal ghouls
Who shunned the conflict they had bred,
And live but to malign the dead.' "*
* " A Confederate Soldier," in the Southern Bivouac.
FIGHTING THE BATTLE u'ER AGAIN.
144
FIGHTING THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
IT was a wet day in November at the Soldiers' Home.
Four veterans of the War of the Rebellion were enjoy-
ing themselves in an innocent fashion. Two were playing
chess. It was not serious chess by any means, and when-
ever the players lagged in the conversation they were
cheerfully relieved by the others, who appeared to act as
seconds in a peculiar game — they called it in old soldier
slang, "swapping lies." All, but one, were smoking pipes,
and punctuating their talk with pufTs, now and then taking
the pipe out of the mouth and waving it in a lofty manner,
intended to be at once impressive and convincing. One of
the players was a white-haired man, who had been with
Sherman in the Great March to the Sea, and now, being
without kindred, he was spending his last days upon one of
lo 145
146
FIGIITIXG THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
the most beautiful of the <4reeu pastures for ancient war-
horses that a grateful couutr}- has }M-ovided.
They were talking of the promptness with which the
people of the North answered the President's call to arms
in the early days of the war.
"Well," said old Sergeant Bent, "none on 'em did bct-
ter'n Illinoy."
" Ohio wa'nt no slouch them days," remarked Private
Strong, who was standing behind the first speaker, nursing
his elbow.
"That's so," grunted Peter Williams, who never indulged
in long sentences, but was generally supposed among his
associates to do " a heap of thinking."
The fourth man — Corporal Prim — was more laconic still.
After poring over the chess-board for a few moments he
briefly remarked, " Check ! "
By mutual consent a halt was called, and the ancient
Sergeant, taking up the thread where he had dropped it,
continued : " I ain't a going back on Ohio ; she done noble ;
but as an Illinoy soldier I hev a pride in her war record.
See here what the adjutant-general of the State said in
his report. I cut it out a long time ago." The old man
produced a great leathern wallet, and turning over a bundle
of discharges and pension papers found a newspaper clip-
ping which he handed over to Comrade Strong, saying,
"Your eyes better'n mine; jest read that to the crowd."
With one hand raised to fix the attention of his listeners,
Strong read the following :
" ' The order of the Secretary of War, making the call upon
this State, assumed that a draft would be necessary, and in
ILLINOIS PA TRIO TISM.
anticipation that the States would not be able to contribute
their quotas of the call in July (1862), announced that if any
State should not, by the i8th of August, furnish its quota
of the three-years volunteers, the deficiency would be made
up by special draft from the militia. . . , These vigorous
measures gave hope of a speedy termination of this terrible
war. The people of the State received the announcement
with the wildest excitement and most unbounded satisfac-
tion. Messengers and committees from every portion of
the State hastened to the capital, demanding that, as they
were ready to perform their share of the work of saving the
Government, that they should not be drafted so long as
they were willing to volunteer. This condition of things
was promptly communicated to the War Department, and
the assignment of our quota under both calls urgently re-
quested. The next day it was announced that our quota
under each call would be 26,148, but as Illinois had fur-
nished 16,987 men in excess of her quota of those in the
field, the total number required under both calls was 35,320.
... On the 9th August, from returns made to this Depart-
ment, I informed the public that there would not be a
draft : this was upon the strength of the despatch from
Washington that our quota was 35,320. ... On the even-
ing of that day, however, the assistant-general announced
that it had been decided in fixing the quota not to regard
those in the field before the call, leaving our quota at
52,296. ... To raise the increased number (16,976) of vol-
unteers, but thirteen days were allowed. The floating pop-
ulation of the State who would enlist had already done so.
These new volunteers must come, if come at all, from the
148 FIGHTING THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
farmers and mechanics of the State. It is no exaggeration
to say that, inspired by a holy zeal, animated by a common
purpose, and firmly resolved on rescuing this Government
from the verge of ruin and restoring it to the condition in
which our fathers left it, over 50,000 of them left their har-
vest ungathered, their tools on their benches, their ploughs
in the furrows, and turned their backs upon home and loved
ones ■. and before eleven days had expired, the demands of
the country were met and both quotas were filled ! Proud
indeed was the day to all IlHnoisans when the extraordinary
announcement was made that the enlistment rolls were full.
And when the historian shall write the record of those
eventful days of August, 1862, no prouder monument can
be erected to the honor and memory of a free people than
a plain, full narrative of the actual facts ! ' "
" There," burst in the Sergeant, " what do you say to
that ! Ain't that bully ? "
" Why, the fact is," quietly drawled Corporal Prim, " I
enlisted under that call myself."
The reading of the Adjutant-General's report seemed to
stir the usually placid pulse of the Corporal, and as his com-
panions pulled at their pipes and gazed at him in mute
agreement that he had the floor, the veteran leaned back in
his chair and went on: "Yes, I enlisted in the 119th Illi-
nois Infantry in 1862, but we weren't mustered into the
United States service until October of that year. Our first
duty was guarding the Mobile and Ohio Railroad for more
than a hundred miles, and we came mighty near being gob-
bled up by the rebel generals, Van Dorn and Forrest, near
Holly Springs ; but while they were capturing one of our
CAPTAIN xMcCONNELL. j^o
companies, five miles away, our little detachment jumped
on a train and ' changed station ' in a hurry. In February,
1864, we joined General Sherman at Vicksburg, and the next
month were sent under Gen. A. J. Smith to join Banks'
Red River expedition. My company, ' H,' was com-
manded by a gallant officer. Captain Samuel McConnell.
A MEDALLIST OF THE 119TH ILLINOIS.
" The troops from the Army of the Tennessee were rear-
guard of Banks' army to the mouth of the Mississippi River,
and also guarding Commodore Porter's ironclad fleet — in-
fantry guarding ironclads the same as a train of wagons —
the fleet being covered with cotton. On our trip up Red
River we landed at Simsport, Louisiana, and on the 14th of
March, 1864, we started on the march to attack Fort De
Russy, which we captured after 28 miles, before sundown.
Captain McConnell captured the field-glass of the command-
ing officer, as he said, to show that he ' was in with the first ' ;
it was on the platform of the pivot-gun. Our next battle
was at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864, where we drove
Dick Taylor from the field. Our regiment captured the
flag of the I2th Texas Infantry; on the flag was embroi-
dered in silk, * Presented to the 12th Texas Infantry by the
ladies of Galveston' Our next fight was at Bayou La
Moore, La., May 7, 1864. We were sent in some heavy
timber on the left of the line of battle, as there was heavy
skirmishing in that direction. We took our position about
four hundred yards in the timber, and about one mile from
the line of battle. The regiment took position in a low de-
pression and was ordered to lie down. There was, no enemy
ICQ FIGHTIXG THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
in sight, but the niuskct-balls striking the trees around us
and cutting off boughs over our heads, with an occasional
soHd shot from a one-pounder the Rebs had. We had not
to wait long. The 5th Texas Infantry came on the double-
quick, with the Texas fierce yell, to turn our left flank and
get between us and our line of battle. The heavy timber
and underbrush concealed us as we lay on the ground in the
depression, and instead of gaining our rear by passing our
left flank they came square in on our front. When they
got within about thirty paces of us we fired a volley into
them, and then charged on the double-quick with the bayo-
net. In less time than it takes to tell it there was not a
Texan to be seen, except the dead and wounded. The
regiment then fell back to the same depression. In the
mean time, the 89th Indiana Infantry was ordered to our
assistance. They were passing along in our rear, on the
double-quick, by the right flank, when the 5th, 6th and 7th
Texas Infantry made another dash to gain our rear. This
time they made the attempt to get round the riglit flank.
The right flank of the 89th Indiana had passed our right
flank about fifty paces, when the Texans opened fire on
them at short range ; but the Hoosiers kept on the trot
until they cleared our regiment, when they came to a front.
Both regiments charged with the bayonet, when the enemy
again ran. Each Reb seemed to be an arsenal on legs ; be-
sides his musket, each man had two navy revolvers and a
heavy knife, about twenty inches long, with eight feet of
cord, one end attached to the handle of the knife and the
other end tied around the wrist ; the prisoners we took ex-
plained that the knife was to be used by throwing it into a
STRIPPING FOR THE FIGHT. jcj
Yankee, and the string was to pull it back for another
throw.
"On the 7th of February, 1865, we were sent to New
Orleans, and camped on General Jackson's old battle
ground, six miles below the city. We were moved from
there in a short time to Dauphinc Island, at the mouth of
Mobile Bay. From there we went up the bay and marched
across to Spanish Fort; there our brigade guarded the
flank of the forces that were operating against Spanish
Fort to keep re-enforcements from coming by way of Fort
Blakely, opposite the city of Mobile.* After the forces
had completely invested Fort Spanish, our division was
sent up to take part in the siege of Fort Blakely, which
commenced on the 3d of April and ended on the 9th of
April, 1865."
Here the Corporal was interrupted by, '* Blakely? — Why,
I was there, too," from the Sergeant, and " We helped you
take it," from Strong. " Is that so? " replied Prim. " Per-
haps I'd better stop ; 'twont be much news to you fellows."
" Go on ! go on ! " urged the others, and the veteran went
on with his story.
" On April 9th, about four o'clock in the afternoon, an
order came from brigade headquarters that our company
was detailed to lead the charge on Fort Blakely. Soon we
had orders to form the company, and see that each man had
* Canby appeared before Mobile on the 27th of March. The city of Mobile was pro-
tected by two forts, besides other intrenchments— Spanish Fort, on the east side of the
bay, and Fort Blakely, north of the city. These forts were invested. On the night of the
8th of April the national troops, having carried the enemy's works at one point, Spanish
Fort was evacuated ; and on the 9th, the very day of Lee's surrender, Blakely was carried
by assault, with a considerable loss to us. On the nth the city was evacuated.
152 FIGHTING THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
his arms in good condition, with full forty rounds of ammu-
nition.
" The men took their places in silence, and answered to
their names as though they felt it would be the last time
they would stand in line for roll-call on this earth. I felt
the tears in my eyes as I saw the boys stripping off every-
thing that would be an incumbrance, and tightening the
waist-belt and making every preparation for a desperate
rush. We took our position in the rifle-pits in front of our
brigade ; the charging columns of infantry were in line
close in rear of us. 'Near where I was standing the two
color-bearers of the 2ist Missouri, counciling together in
regard to throwing their deck of cards away. One was say-
ing that they had gone through the battles of Fort Henry,
Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Tupelo and Nashville, and
had thrown away their decks of cards at all of those places
and had come out all right ; and that, as cards were hard to
get, he thought they would take the risk of going in
the fight with them. The other thought they ought to
throw them awa)- ; but as the first man was not willing, he
would not carry them and he gave them to his comrade.
They were large, strong men. When the bugle sounded,
they left their regiment and overtook Captain McConnell,
about forty paces from the fort, where they were both shot
dead, one falling against the captain. I heard distinctly
the balls pass through their bodies.
"When Colonel T. J. Kinney of our regiment was
giving the final instructions, Tom O (known as 'Big
Ugly') said: 'Colonel, I think we had better not go in
the fort, for it will only raise a fuss ! '
OFER THE WORKS. ,r^
" The color-bearers of the three regiments of our brig-
ade seemed to think it was a foot-race, as all three left
their regiments and started on a dead run for the rebel
works. Our color-bearer, a bow-legged Dutchman, came
over the works two hundred yards ahead of his regiment.
He did not stop to plant the colors on the works, but went
straight on. He is running yet for all I know. We made
our way through the abatis, which covered the ground
in front of the works for two hundred yards. The
abatis, }'ou know, was made by a thick growth of small
pine trees that were felled, the tops out ; the limbs
trimmed and cut off at the proper distance and sharpened,
which made our progress very difficult. When we got
through, we found a wire stretched along the front of the
ditch and about twenty feet from it. When I got to the
ditch I looked around to see if the company was close at
hand. I found only the Captain near ; he was just in front ;
the rest of the company was some distance back, making
the best progress they could. There was no time to waste.
Captain McConnell said, ' Come along, Prim.' We started
for the works, got over the ditch, and were near the top of
the breastworks when the rebels ran out a gun through the
embrasure and fired. In the smoke and confusion we had
not noticed the embrasure, and we were close to the muzzle
of the gun when it was fired. We were blown back in the
ditch. We were on our feet in a moment, and went over
the works among the guns and gunners ; I with my musket
cocked and bayonet fixed, the captain with revolver in hand,
ready for instant use. The gunners held up their white
hats in token of surrender. I suppose they thought that
•54
FIGIITIXG THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
only two men would not come over the works unless they
had backing- close at hand. I told them to get down close
to the breastwork, where they would be out of danger;
they did so.
" Captain McConnell and I went to the rear of the works
.uid turned to the left, towards the bay, and opened fire
with musket and revolver on a squad of Rebs that was try-
ing to get to a small gun-boat that was at the landing on
the right of their works. They fired one volley at us and
turned to the right. We kept on our course till we came
near their right, on the bluff near the ba\', when a captain
faced his company to the rear and they came to a ' ready ' on
us. I thought my time had come, for it did not seem pos-
sible that they could miss us at that distance ; but at that
instant some of our men came over the works and saved
our bacon. The rebel company surrendered to Captain
McConnell, and he took the rebel flag that was on the
works. The gun-boat was still at the landing. It was
lying broadside to land, and the gang-plank was still out and
the boat was crowded with rebels that had taken refuge on
board. We concluded to take the boat in and got within
about one hundred yards of it when we halted, and the
captain came to the conclusion that it would be risking
more than we cared about ; although the boat had a white
flag hoisted, we were afraid it was a trick to catch some
Yanks. We fell back in good order and the boat steamed
over to Mobile. I did not get a scratch, but Captain
McConnell was hit \>y a piece of shell on his left knee and
his clothes were riddled by Minie balls.
" Our brigade was paraded July 12, 1865, on Government
THE COLORED TROOPS.
155
Street, opposite the headquarters of General Kilby Smith,
and the Medal of Honor was presented to Captain McCon-
nell by Lieut. Colonel Lyons, Assistant Adjutant-General,
i6th Army Corps. He made a splendid presentation
speech. The captain seemed to think it a more tr}-ing or-
deal than the capturing of a rebel flat^-. and his company
took as much pride in it as he did."
After a few minutes' pause Private Strong asked :
" What regiment was yours, Sergeant ? "
"The I22d Illinois. At the siege of Blakely we were on
the left of Corporal Prim's regiment."
" And my regiment, the 97th, w\as on your right, Corpo-
ral."
" It looks as if we had General Canby's entire force repre-
sented here," chimed in Peter Williams.
" Don't forget the colored troops ; they were on the ex-
treme right, next the 97th, you know," remarked the Cor-
poral.
" Yes," said Strong, " they did well when they came to
close quarters."
"You see," continued Strong, " I was Colonel Vifquain's
standing orderly, and had an opportunity of seeing and
hearing a good deal about the operations in front of
Blakely.
COLONEL VIFQUAIN AT BLAKELY.
"The 9th of April, 1865, was an eventful day around
there. Since the 2d of the month the trenches had been
pushed forward with great energy. Colonel" Vifquain had
charge of the works in front of the Second Division, 13th
156 tlCnriXG THE FATTLF. O'ER AGAI.V.
Army Corps. The cli\ision was iiiulcr the command of
C. C. Andrews, the corps untler ]\laj.-Gen. Steele. 0\\
the ri^ht of Andrews' Division was Hawkins' colored Di-
vision, and the works in front of this division had not been
pushetl witli the same vit;"or as those in front of Andrews',
so that on the 9th oi April, in the morniiiL;', several ritle
shots had been sent through the third parallel which \'if-
quain was then completing. Not having lost one man as
\et, while at work, and not desirous to lose any unless it
was unavoiilable. the Colonel reported the fact to General
Antlrows. about tweU'c o'clock nt>on. and requested that
the colored division be instructed to occupy the ground on
his right antl in their front, so as to push back the rebel
line of pickets and skirmishers. He also reported the facts
to General Steele, who tnilcrctl the colored di\ision to ad-
vance sufficiently to answer the retiuirements.
"The rebel line of pickets was unusually strong that day.
and the works of the Second Division were not o\-er fiftx-
}-ards from the little V redoubts occupied b}' the rebel
pickets. So close were they, indeed, that the night pre-
\'ious, a beautiful moonlight night, sexeral rebel bullets
struck the spailes of our working fcM'ce. The spailes were
bright, and the moon, shining on them, made, so to i?peak.
looking-glass targets for the rebels as the earth was flung
o\er the parapet.
"At four o'clock I'.M. the colored dix'ision starteil on its
advance and were soon greeted b\' a terrible cross-fire of
artiller\-, which, added to the numerous torpedoes with
which the ground was coxered. made the task a telling" one.
The officers of the negro division behaved with unusual
COL OX 'EL I 'IL'-Q UA LN. , ;. ^
gallantry, but their men had laid cIdwii and eould not be
made to rise up again under the destruetive file from their
front, and the secret fire that sprang up now and then from
under their feet as the torpedoes were trodden upon.
"Cienerals Canby, Steele and Andrews were on the ex-
treme right of our rifle-pits and could see everything very
well. General Canby, who commanded the Military Divis-
ion of the Gulf, turned round and inquired, 'What can we
do to relieve them ? ' Colonel Vifquain said that if we were
to charge, the rebel fire wouUl be turned \\\)o\\ us, thus
relieving, to some extent, the colored division. He con-
sulted with Generals Steele and Andrews, anil very soon
afterwards General Andrews ordered him to prepare to
lead the charge. The regiment was put in line of battle in
the third i)arallel, the 76th Illinois being behind our
right, and the 24th Indiana Volunteers behind the left of
the 97th Illinois. These two regiments were crowded in
the zig-zags and second and first parallels, and were to fol-
low our regiment after we had reached the foot of the hills
on which the forts of Hlakely were. The Colonel had given
special instructions to ever)- one of the captains as to what
point they were to go for. l^y this time it was almost five
o'clock. General Canby had remained in the works and
was in the zig-zag that letl almost to the ver\- centre o{ t)ur
regiment. The last words he told Colonel X'ifciuain were:
'Colonel, stop at the foot of the hill if the fire is \oo mur-
derous.' Vifquain answered, ' General, there is no stoi)ping
place for us except in Blakely.' He had studied the
ground for several da)-s, and knew that any charge or
assault from the place where we were must be made to a
1-8 FIGIITIXG THE BATTLE O'ER AGAhV.
finish. He had the most implicit confidence in his men,
knowing what they had done at Vicksburg. Cieneral Canby
then said: 'Well, go; and good fortune attend you.' Vif-
quain asked him what time it was; General Canby replied
it was five o'clock and five minutes. The Colonel told him
that within a quarter of an hour our flag would be on the
rebel works.
"At the appointed time, I saw the Colonel jump on the
shoulder of the parapet ; the rebels could see him from his
knees up. He quietly drew his sword and allowed the
rebels to empty their rifles at him, and then gave the word.
Before the enemy could reload their guns we were upon
them ; rolling down the hill like an avalanche and up the
other side with great force. Our commander made for the
battle-flag on the rebel works, with the color company
right upon his heels ; and while he cut the halliard of the
rebel flag with his sword, and in the act of pulling it down,
our color-bearer planted our flag; for a second or two Vif-
quain was hidden by the folds of our victorious banner
mingling with those of the rebel standard. Our color-
bearer was killed on the spot. The bayonet finished the
work, and Blakcly was ours with 50CXD prisoners and 85
pieces of heavy artillery.
"The same night our regiment slept in the fort where
the rebel battle-flag stood in the morning, and General
Canby sent Colonel Vifquain a note in pencil, which read as
follows :
'''Dear Colonel:
" ' Thank you, and may God bless you and your brave boys.
" ' E. R. S. Canby,
" ' MJ.-Geiil. ComJ^.'
Tiro J/EKOES.
•59
'• The orderly that broui^ht the note was killed o\\ his
way back by a torpedo. Upon General Canby's recom-
mendation Colonel Vifquain was breveted Brigadier-Gen-
eral, and received the Medal of Honor.
"ONE OF THE NINKTV-SEVENTII."
"Captain P. II. Pentzek.* of my company. 'C,' 97th
Illinois Infantr)-, also won the iiuilal. He was command-
ini;- the extreme right of our skirmish line, and fmdinq; him-
self inside the rebel works in the charge, wcnikl ha\e been
capturetl hail it not been for the colored troops. wlu> at-
tacked the enemy with great fury, using the butts of their
muskets. About this time the captain noticed a rebel
soldier waving a white tkig. Approaching, the man shouted
that the general wanted to surremler. Captain Pent/.er
was then conducted to the headi}uarters of General C ,
who in person surrendered himself and headquarters' flag.
Captain Pentzcr remained in charge of his distinguished
prisoner for several da)'s."
PKIV ATI'. eAl.l.AllAN AT lU.AKELV.
"Well, bo)-s. dunno that I can add anything to what's
been said about the Blakely fight, but one of our boys got
a IMedal of Honor there, too." saitl the oKI Sergeant.
"It was this way: My regiment, the \22d Illinois In-
fantr)-, was on the extreme left of the Union forces sur-
rounding Plakely. and between our position and the enemy
* Captain V. W. Penivkk enlisted as a private in Co. H. 9th Illinois Volunteers (three-
mouths inen\ April, i86i. Re-enlisted for three years July 15, 1862, assertjeant-major 07th
111. Vol. Infantry; captain, Feb. 14, iSoj. Served at Vukslnirj.:: and Department of the
Gulf. Mustered out July, 1865.
I Co FIGHTING THE BATTLE O'ER AGAIN.
there was a ?\vanip, in addition to the abatis and torpedoes
you all have been describing. Blakely. }ou will recollect,
is on hii;h ground, about eighty rods from the swamp.
Going on the skirmish line about sundown, I and Private J.
J. Callahan i^the man who got the medaH. met two of the
rebels between the hostile skirmish lines and had a friendly
talk for about half an hour. The rest of that night we
stood on our feet with a sharp lookout to see if the rebels
were going to make any move. Being relieved about sun-
rise on the 9th, we returned to the reserve, and tried to get
a little sleep. At noon we were notified that the fort
would be assaulted at five o'cloek P.M. We advanced into
the swamp, apparently unnoticed by the rebels, but as we
raised out of the swamp it seemed as though the infernal
regions had opened in all fury. But every man did his
duty; we carried e\-er}-thing before us. We captured the
Confederate general. Liddell. and man}- others. General
Liddell had a demijohn of ' old peach * at his head-
quarters, of which Callahan and I had a taste. Our regi-
ment also captured a battery. As we wheeled to the left,
on the inside of the works, Callahan and I saw the rebel
flag defiantly floating; then he said to me. ' That flag must
come down.' Without orders we made a dash for it. Calla-
han reached the spot first, and seizing the colors, demanded
a surrender. The color-bearer, seeing there was no way to
escape, reluctantly gave up the flag. At this time a bat-
tery of two guns, just to the right, was still firing at us.
Captain l^ostwick of our company said : ' Bo}'s, we want
those guns,' and with a cheer we charged, capturing the bat-
tery and all of the men belonging to it. Captain Bostwick
GENEKAL SC07'7"S AL'TOuKAni.
l6l
told Callahan to get on one of the guns and stay there, and
he did so until the guns were turned over to the proper
officer. From Blakely we were ordered to Montgomery,
where we received word that Lee had surrendered, and that
Peace was made. Everx" man was almost wild with joy ;
but it is impossible to describe the shock that the Army
received at the news of the assassination* of Lincoln, our
beloved President."
1 62
CAPTAIN HARVEY MAY MUNM.l.l,,
NINETY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.
WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME*
JUST twenty years after the Great Conflict, I am asked
to give for publication my recollections of service as
a color-sergeant, during the War of the Rebellion. It
seems as if the subject of War had been written almost
threadbare : however, I will describe some incidents of
my soldiering days.
THE TRIALS OF A RECRUIT.
I was born at Painted Post, Steuben County, N. Y., Jan-
uary 5, 1843. My ancestors, on my father's side, are traced
to Sir Philip de M(a)unsell, who came from Normandy
with "William the Conqueror." His grandson, Sir John
M(a)unsell, was Lord Chief Justice of England, in the time
Contributed by Captain Hakvey May Munsell, at the request of the Editor.
16^
164
WITH THE COLORS h\ WAR TIME.
of Henry III. My mother was a May, and one of her
ancestors was John May, Esq., who came to America in
1640, from Mayfield, a town in the county of Sussex, Eng-
land.
At the time war was declared, and Fort Sumter fired
upon, in the Spring of 1861, I had charge, for an uncle,* of
a lumber yard at Oil City, Pa. Having been taught, from
a boy up, that Slavery was wrong, President Lincoln's first
call for 75,000 three-months volunteers naturally set me on
fire, as it did almost every one throughout the Northern
States. Oil City, at that time, was in the backwoods of
Pennsylvania; before the days of railroads in that section.
However, the people Avere intensely patriotic, and joined
me in purchasing the materials for an immense flag, made
b\' the ladies, hoisted to the top of a tall stafT made of
derrick poles, and unfurled to the breeze amid cheers from
thousands of voices.
That was a great day for Oil City, and the flag was a
gentle- reminder to all able-bodied men to fall into line and
march off for the preservation of the Union. That flag
did good service, and j-et Avhen the people of that region
learn for the first time that the flag we all "■ rallied around "
in 1 861 was as much like a rebel flag as any I ever saw,
they will certainly be as much surprised as I was in making
the discovery.. However, such was the fact, and I have
since enjoyed main- a good laugh over it.
The people were a little slow in Oil City, so I went to
Franklin, seven miles distant, hoping to join a company
there, but was too late.
* Hamilton Stow, Esq., of Cincinnati.
THE TRIALS OF A KECK C IT.
165
Then I made Pittsburg my objective point. Arrived
there one day too late. Sign posted up at all recruiting
stations, '" Xo more men zvantcd ! '' Saw the officers, how-
ever, and plead with J:hem to "let me in," but all in vain.
Besides, the daily papers announced to the public that the
quota of 75,000 men under the President's call was full,
and that twice as many more had offered than were wanted.
Just then my eyes fell upon a recruiting advertisement
in a Philadelphia newspaper. I opened a recruiting ofifice
in Pittsburg, and wrote, published and distributed several
thousand copies of the most patriotic, "soul-stirring"
handbills ever flung to the wind in that ancient and honor-
able town ; and the}- did the work, for in less than thirty-
six hours I was on the cars with twenty-sc\'cn men, tick-
eted for Philadelphia.
Arriving there, all the men breakfasted at ni)- expense,
and before I could report and turn them, with m}'self, over
to our P^'ench colonel, Romaine Lujeane, all but eleven
deserted ; and by evening on that da}- but three men
remained. The colonel ordered me back to Pittsbursr
that night, to take advantage of m)' circulars: result, thirty
more recruits. Took them to Philadelphia, where all but
four deserted.
Those patriots simply wanted free transportation, and
they got it ; but the seven who remained with me were
seven of the best boys, — honest, true, brave, soldier boys, —
in the United States Army. The fact is, I was only a boy
myself, just past eighteen, and weighed less than a hun-
dred pounds; but taken with the other seven (who were
1(56 WITH THE COLORS IX WAR TIME.
about ni)- a<;c and weiL^ht), I felt like
In the next instant the wagon stopped, and the sergeant
in charge called out, "Who comes there?" I replied,
" Friend with the countersign," and as I was advancing to
give it, down came every rifle, with the muzzle pointing at
me, and with the same movement, click, click, I heard the
double action of the locks, as they cocked their pieces.
Could there be anything more dreadful than to be
unwittingly placed in such a position on a lonely road in
the woods, in the middle of the darkest night, unarmed
and alone in a strange country? All the battles I after-
ward saw, rolled into one, could not equal the terror of that
supreme moment — just before they came to my relief, by
''A BRACE OF BRIGAA'DS." jgg
dragging me into the vehicle with them. They turned
the horse and wagon around, and drove off at break-neck
speed, finally landing me in the guard-house of an unknown
regiment.
Well, it was another relief to get there, although their
treatment of me had not improved, for they handcuffed,
shackled and tied me down. While one party was doing
that another had driven away for the Sergeant, who, when
found, was treated in like fashion. We had the guard-
house, a large wall tent, all to ourselves; but it was doubly
guarded by extra men, detailed for that purpose.
About daybreak, the following morning, I learned " con-
fidentially" from the Ofificer of the Guard that the vehicle
passing us on the road, and about which the Sergeant made
such a row, was returning from Washington with the regi-
mental mail. Frightened half out of his wits, in that
lonely spot at the dead of night, by the sergeant's intem-
perate yells, the }'oung man drove into camp, rousing the
whole regiment, exclaiming at the top of his voice that
he had been attacked by two highwaymen.
Sergeant R had commenced to sober up, and I shall
never forget the look on his countenance when I told him
we were a "brace of brigands," to be tried by ''drum-head
court-martial" at nine o'clock that morning, to be con-
victed, sentenced, and shot at twelve o'clock, noon, of that
day. He believed every word of it, and well he might
after such an ordeal as we had gone through the night
previous. I wanted him to believe it, up to the very last
moment, for had he let liquor alone, and gone along about
his business, he would not have dragged us into that
I JO WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
scrape. The Officer of the Guard secretly furnished me
with pencil, paper and envelope, that I might communicate
with my regiment. I wrote a letter to my colonel, explain-
ing the whole thing, and the Officer of the Guard sent it
over to him.
About nine o'clock that morning we were marched out in
front of the strange regiment (a new one), lectured by its
colonel, and then asked by him what we had to say for our-
selves. I looked off to my right, about that time, and dis-
covered my company (C) marching toward us, and then I
respectfully told the Colonel " nothing we could say, after
such treatment, would be of any avail, and we would leave
it to our regiment to settle with him." Just then the officer
in charge of our company handed the Colonel a letter,
demanding our immediate and unconditional release. We
were released, there and then ; and from that day forward,
as long as those two regiments remained near each other,
whenever our men caught any of the others outside their
camp, I regret to say, terrible battles were fought on our
account.
Sergeant R was never seen under the influence of
liquor after that. He was an honest man and a brave sol-
dier, and was, near the end of the war, a lieutenant in that
same Company C when I became its captain. Colonel
Lujeane and my captain (William J. Uhler) declared I
had fought my first battle and won a great victory. I
thought so then, and I think so now. As the result, I was
promoted to sergeant. Moral. — Never be caught in the
company of a drunken man, under any circumstances what-
ever, for you will have trouble when least expected.
A FAMOUS BADGE. j-j
" THE KEARNEY TATCH."
From Fort Davis the regiment moved to Alexandria, Va.;
from there to the Peninsula, under General McClellan, and
afterward, with his army, we moved up near Manassas,
under General Pope. It took part in General Pope's event-
ful campaign of 1862, including Bull Run 2d and Chantilly ;
the latter being the battle in which our brave General
Kearney was killed. After the battle of Chantilly, the
Army retired to the "Defences of Washington,*' General
Birney succeeding to General Kearney's command.
General Kearney, before his death, had issued an order
requiring officers and men under his command to wear a
badge or mark by which they would be always known.
The badge was a piece of scarlet cloth, worn on the hat or
cap, so as to be seen at all times. That was the first
attempt to designate officers and men in our arm)- b}- any
distinctive mark. It proved to be a good thing, for then
we could always tell whether our men lagged on the march
or straggled in action.
Soon after Kearney's death. General Birney issued an
appropriate order, and in it spoke of the piece of cloth to
be worn in memory of the dead general. The scarlet cloth
referred to was soon cut in the form of a diamond, and
this was known as the " Kearney Patch." After General
Hooker took command of the Army of the Potomac in
January, 1863, he wisely issued an order requiring the offi-
cers and men of each corps to be known by some distinct-
ive badge or mark ; the ist division of each corps wearing
red, the 2d, white, and the 3d, blue.
1^2 WITH THE COLORS IiV IVAK TIME.
The following is a characteristic order issued by General
Kearney to his soldiers :
'■' Brave Regimettts of the Division: — You have won for us a high reputation;
the country is satisfied ; your friends at home are proud of you. After the
battles and victories purchased with much blood, you may be counted as vet-
erans. I appeal then to your experience, to your personal observation, to your
high intelligence, to put in practice on the battlefield the discipline you have
acquired in camp. It will enable you to conquer with more certainty and less
loss.
" Shoulder-straps and Chevrons ! You are marked men ; you must be ever in
the front.
" Colonels and Field Officers ! When it comes to the bayonet, lead the charge ;
at other times be among your men and supervise. Keep officers and men to
their constituted commands ; stimulate the laggard ; brand the coward ; direct
the brave ; prevent companies from ' huddling up.'
'■^Marksmen! Never in the fight cheapen your rifles. \Vhen you fire,
make sure and hit. In wood or abatis one man in three is to fire, the others
reserve their loads to repel an onset, or to head a rush. It is with short
rushes, and this extra fire from time to time, such ground is gained. Each
man up in first line ; none delaying ; share danger alike ; then the peril and
loss will be small.
" Men ! Yon Brave Soldiers in the Ranks ! whose worth and daring unknown,
perhaps, to your superiors, but recognized by your comrades, influence more
than others, I know that you exist. I have watched you in the fire. Your
merit is sure to have its recompense ; your comrades at the bivouac will repeat
your deeds ; it will gladden your families, and in the end will be brought be-
fore your country.
" Color-bearers of Retriinents ! Bear them proudly in the fight ; erect and defi-
antly in the first line. It will cast terror into your opponents to see them sus-
tained and carried forward. Let them be the beacon-light of every regiment.
The noblest inscription on your banners are the traces of the balls.
" Again, Noble Division, I wish you success and more victories until, the
cause of our sacred Union being triumphant, you return, honored, to your
homes."
" WHERE THE RED VOLLEYS POURED."
KEARNEY AT SEVEN PINES*
I.
" So that soldierly legend is still on its journey, —
That story of Kearney, who knew not to yield !
'Twas the day when with Jameson, fierce Berry and Birney,
Against twenty thousand he rallied the field.
Where the red volleys poured, where the clamor rose highest.
Where the dead lay in clumps through the dwarf oak and pine,
Where the aim from the thicket was surest and nighest,—
No charge like Phil Kearney's along the whole line.
II.
" When the battle went ill, and the bravest were solemn,
Near the dark Seven Pines, where we still held our ground,
He rode down the length of the withering column,
And his heart at our war-cry leaped up with a bound :
He snuffed, like his charger, the wind of the powder, —
His sword waved us on, and we answered the sign ;
Loud our cheer as we rushed ; but his laugh rang the louder,
' There's the devil's own fun, boys, along the whole line.'
III.
" How he strode his brown steed ! How we saw his blade brighten
In the one hand still left — and the reins in his teeth !
He laughed like a boy when the holidays heighten,
But a soldier's glance shot from his vision beneath.
Up came the reserves to the melee infernal,
Asking where to go in — through the clearing or pine .''
' O, anywhere ! Forward ! 'Tis all the same, Colonel :
You'll find lovely fighting along the whole line.'
IV.
" O, evil the black shroud of night at Chantilly,
That hid him from sight of his brave men and tried !
* E. C. Stedman, in Scribner's Mug-azine.
173
, -^ WITH THE COLORS IX WAR TIME.
Foul, foul sped the bullet that dipped the white lily,
The tlower ot our knighthooil, the whole army's pride !
Vet we dre.im th.it he still, in that shadowy rei^ioM,
Where the dead form their ranks at the wan drummer's sign,—
Rides on, as of oKl. down the length of his legion,
And the word still is, ' Forward ! ' along the whole line."
OUR l?ArrLi:-FLAG AT FRFPFKICKSI^URG.
It was a loii>;- stop froni Chantill_\- to I'^vdorickslnirL:. but
it was succosst"vill\- made, ovorriilino- all sorts of obstacles,
marching;- and counter-marching, fighting in a small wa>-.
called by some *' skirmishing." and by others magnified into
regular battles ; and battles they were to those who hap-
pened to meet with a stray bullet while doing picket duty.
Little does it matter to the {ioor soldier who has been shot
to death while tighting where a hundred thousand were
cjigaged. or where he was the only one out of a hundred
thousand who fought and fell. That was his greatest bat-
tle, and if we coidd compile the thousands of cases of that
description in both armies, what a recoril it wvnild make!
Then it is so much easier to speak of thousands having been
killed in a certain battle, than to speak of only one' in some
other battle.
Here we are at l-'redericksburg. where one ot the greatest
battles of the War fo^ the I'nion was fought, and although
nearl\- twent\--four )-ears since, it makes me shudder to look
back at that dreadful field as I saw it December 13, iSt^J.
Thousands upon thousands fought their " last and greatest
battle" there, and that my last was not fought then and
there w.is certainl\- .1 mir.icle. And I will tell you wh>- : I
was color-bearer of mv regiment, dwd tlie reL;iment was in
F/fEDE/HCASBrA'G.
1/5
the very thickest of the tight, doing treble duty. J-'irst, it
was on the extreme right of our division. supjH^rting about
thirt_\- pieces of c.\nnon the eneni)- \\anu\l to c.\ptiire.
S(YO/it/, we were also held there in reserve to support Gen-
eral Meade and his brave Fennsyhanians. who were a\\a>-
ahead in our front, in plain sight, grappling with the enenn-.
T/tinf, our regiment opened ranks in the face oi a victori-
ous foe to let General Meade's decimatcil regiments pass to
the rear, after the\- had exhausted their ammunition, and
were compelled to retire in confusion. Then, closing our
ranks, we made a dashing bayonet charge, driving back a
Georgia brigade which tried to capture our artiller\-.
It was a sight long to be remembered in its terrible
grandeur; and .ill happened quicker than I can write it.
The brave Georgians wanted our artiller\-. which was pour-
ing grape and canister into their ranks at a fearful rate,
but in order to get it they had to mow down the 99th
rennsyKania. The Sovitherr.ers came down upon us di.ig-
onall)-. on the double-quick, (."^ur soldiers reserxeel their
fire until the enemy was within about three hundred feet,
and then gave them a galling reception, making them halt,
when the\' in turn commenced pouring a heav)- shower of
bullets into our ranks, from the right of the regiment up to
its centre, at the tlag.
I had the colors, and when I looked down the ranks at
my right and saw them melting away like ice under an
August sun. and heard bullets humming about m\- ears like
bees in a swarm. I concluded whatever was done must be
done quickl\- ; for if the enemy e\-er captured oin- artillerw
or cot in our rear .\monc' the ambulances. baeC'^i^e-wae'ons.
1/6
WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
and ponton bridges, the result might be serious ; so I
instantly started toward the Georgians on a run, with the
flag, and beckoned our men to follow. They were found
equal to the occasion, and did follow with a cheer, on an
extra double-quick. All in our regiment who were not
killed or wounded by the terrible musketry fire, all of Gen-
eral Meade's men who had recuperated from the panic, and
all stragglers and " coffee-coolers," caught the inspiration,
fell into line and helped drive the Georgians from the field
at the point of the bayonet, capturing many prisoners.
Both the flag and my clothes were riddled with bullets, but
I did not receive a scratch. It was said the enemy made
the same desperate attempt to break through our lines,
along the entire front of our division, all at the same time
and were everywhere repulsed, with great loss. However,
subsequent events proved that the 99th received more
than its share of the work on that day, because the object-
ive point of the enemy was our artillery.
The ** regimental poet," Mr. George Flower, composed
some verses about the battle, while we were lying on the
ground in the front line nearest the enemy, during the next
two days, and they will come in very appropriately now,
years after that desperate struggle, showing its fierceness
and naming some of the actors.
SONG OF THE NINETY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA.
{Composed on the battlefield.)
At Fredericksburg, the 99th their battle-banner bore
Two days and nights in foremost rank, despite the cannon's roar ;
The bursting shells, the whistling balls, the grape's destructive hail,
To move that living wall are sent, but all are doomed to fail.
SOA'G OF THE NINETY-NINTIL lyy
They are hardy as the granite, and they've got a wondrous knack,
When face to face, to give the foe good cause to turn his back ;
Swift and steady on the march, firm and gallant in the fight,
They drove the best brigade of Georgia clear, clean, out of sight.
Our colonel, wounded, left the field, and many captains, too.
When gallant Biles assumed command, none braver or more true;
He cheered us on so heartily, himself so cool and steady.
That to follow in his glorious path all hands and hearts were ready.
Upon that bloody battlefield for fourteen hours or more
We stood, our comrades from their wounds their ebbing life-blood pour.
The young and gallant Setley, as his bright sword waved on high,
Cried, " On, boys ! for our country, let us bravely fight or die 1 "
The colors of our glorious State, that CuRTiN gave in trust,
Were borne aloft by Munsell, and will never kiss the dust;
While his heart with life is beating he will nobly lead the way,
With our banner proudly waving, as it did upon that day.
Three cheers for Ward with hearty zeal, three cheers for BiRNEY too.
Who praised us on the battlefield, the enemy in view,
A sigh and tear is all we can, as sorrow's tribute, pay
To dear departed Kearney, ever foremost in the fray.
********
Ckonts : Come along ! push along ! By our bay'nets' sparkling gleam
We'll prove the rebel power but a false and idle dream.
General Lee, in his report of the battle of Fredericks-
burg, says that at no part of his line were his men driven
from the ground they had captured from our troops except
at the point where Birney's Division drove back Early's
Division of Ewell's Corps. As the 99th Pa. was in and on
the extreme right of Birney's Division, it held the post of
honor, and had the honor of clearing the enemy from that
part of the field, as already stated by me.
178
WITH THE COLORS IX WAR TIME.
MEMORIES OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.
The next great battle wiis fought at Chancellorsvillc,
Va., on Saturday and Sunday, May 2d and 3d, 1863, and
it was the only battle during the war, in which I took part,
where the carnage on both sides was so great, and the
blood flowed so freely down the hard-trodden, sloping sides
of a ravine, that a little brook, dividing the Union and Con-
federate forces at the point where our division was engaged,
actually ran red with blood !
"At midnight of Saturday, May 2, General Birney re-
ceived an order from General Sickles to make the necessary
dispositions to drive the enemy from the woods in his
front, and retake the plank-road and earthworks near it.
Ward's Brigade (in which was the 99th Pa. Vols.) was
placed in advance. Slowly and cautiously the men moved
along this road at midnight. No officer uttered words of
encouragement; no drum beat; no colors waved ; no cheer
rose from the ranks. The pale light of the moon, beam-
ing at intervals from between the clouds, increased the
effect of the scene, and photographed it upon the memories
of those who beheld it, in characters never to be forgotten.
Add to this the flash of the guns from the batteries sta-
tioned in the rear of the line, which in the early part of the
evening concentrated their fire upon a point on the plank-
road, to deceive the enemy as to the real character of the
movement. As the batteries belched forth their flames
and lighted up the landscape with a death-like hue, which
the flash of powder at night always imparts to surround-
ing objects, the scene was grand beyond description. At
CHANCELLORS JVLLE MEMORIES. j-rg
a given signal, the fire of the batteries ceased, the men
rushed forward upon the intrenchments, and their object
was accomphshed. The enemy abandoned the position
without a struggle, and soldiers and officers rested upon
their arms until daylight." "
General Jackson was in command of the line in Birney's
front on Saturday night. May 2, 1863, and he was un-
doubtedly wounded in front of Ward's Brigade in the great
midnight charge already described.
When General Lee first heard that Jackson had been
wounded, he exclaimed : " Thank God, it is no worse !
God be praised that he is still alive ! Any victory is a dear
one that deprives us of the services of Jackson for a short
time ! "
About 5 o'clock Sunda}' morning. May 3, 1863, the rebels
in turn attacked our division, and then commenced the
terrible destruction on the hill-side and in the ravine al-
ready mentioned by me. One correspondent wrote up the
awful reality as follows, and when speaking of the enemy,
said: " It seemed as if they were a dense mob, those in the
rear being ignorant of the carnage going on in front, and
crowded their companions on to sure destruction. They
appeared in front of our lines for at least a mile, along the
front of the entire Third and Second Corps, coming up in
dense masses, climbing over the heaps of the fallen, firing
heavy volleys, and going down among the slain as the
response broke from our ranks. It w\as frightful to con-
template, the slaughter to which these men were forced.
— t
* New York n.-mi.i. iVIay 7, 1863.
i8o
IVJ ril THE COLORS IiV WAR TIME.
Whole brigades were swept away in the determined effort
to force our hnes, and still other brigades sprang up to take
their places."
And so the battle continued, from five o'clock that beau-
tiful Sunday morning until after eleven on that day. If
OTSVERSK.
there was ever a place on earth that could be consistently
called a human slaughter-pen, that ravine and the sloping
land on either side of it was the place. Nothing that I
ever saw before or since could equal it. Within a radius
of a mile or so, more than twenty thousand men were killed
or wounded on that fatal Sunday morning.
THE DIVISION' DECORA TION. j g j
THE KEARNEY CROSS.
Soon after the great battle of Chancellorsville, on May
27, 1863, General Birney presented a few of his soldiers
with the Cross of Honor, called " The Kearney Cross,"
as follows :
*********
" The Brigadier-General Commanding Division announces the following
names of meritorious and distinguished non-commissioned officers and pri-
vates, selected for their gallantry, as recipients of the ' Kearney Cross,' the
division decoration.
" Many deserving soldiers may have escaped the notice of their commanding
officers, but in the selection after the next battle they will doubtless receive
this honorable distinction.
" This cross is in honor of our old leader, and the wearers of it wall always
remember his high standard of a true and brave soldier, and will never dis.
grace it.
*********
" Sergeant Harvey M. Munsell, Company C, 99th Penn. Volunteers.
*********
" An official copy of this order will be given to each soldier entitled to wear
the cross. D. B. Birney,
''^ Brig.-Gen. Vols., Commattding Division.^''
The following order was also issued :
" Headquarters, First Division, Third Corps,
" General Orders, 51. May 26, 1863.
" The division will be paraded to-morrow for the presentation of the medals
at three o'clock p.m. A staff officer from each brigade will report at these
headquarters at half-past two o'clock p.m., for instructions as to the ground.
Every available man will be turned out, and particular attention will be paid
to dress and accoutrements of the troops. The brigade band of First Brigade
will be present, and report at two o'clock to Captain Briscoe, Acting-Assistant
Adjutant-General. The drum corps of brigades will be consolidated.
" By command of Major-General Birney, etc., etc."
Ig2 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
The occasion drew together a large assemblage of soldiers
and civilians, in addition to the regular force of the divis-
ion and the distinguished ofificers present by particular
invitation.
The First Division, to members of which, only, the medals
were awarded, was drawn up in hollow square on a beauti-
ful meadow in the valley of the Potomac Creek. The
distinguished ofificers present occupied the centre of the
square.
When Major-General Sickles rode into the square, the
w^hole assemblage of soldiers broke out in the wildest cheer-
ing. An attempt was made at " three times three," but
the response was more like nine times nine. It was a con-
tinuous roar for several minutes.
As soon as the party were all present, the several brigade
commanders were directed to call the Roll of Honor of
their several commands, and the parties designated in the
above order stepped to the front. They were quickly
formed in three ranks, by brigades, the representatives of
each regiment carrying the regimental colors, and the
brigade colors being placed in front of each rank.
At the request of General Birney, General Sickles made
the presentation address. He spoke as follows :
" SOLDIERS : — Your general of division has confided to me the most pleas-
ing of duties — the decoration of brave men with Medals of Honor. These med-
als are the gift of your fellow countrymen ; they are such tokens of appreciation
as a martial people should bring to the camp of their defenders. You have
earned these proud emblems of constancy and valor — more precious than riches,
more honorable than office ; — they are legacies for your kindred, which neither
time nor change can impair. You are Volunteers, the noblest type of an army.
You have offered your lives for the preservation of a Government — alone among
THE SOLDIERS OE KEARNEY.
183
nations — of which it has been gracefully said that its blessings, like the clews
of heaven, descend alike upon all. Your power is in your bayonets. Bayo-
nets have dethroned kings, created nations, opened avenues to civilization and
religion. The sun which now gilds yours, never lighted holier paths than those
you follow to battle. The steel which destroys the enemies of a good cause
is consecrated. It is this, and because you know how to use your arms, which
makes you invincible. On the day after the attack upon Fort Sumter, April
13, 1S61, I had the honor to be accepted by my late lamented friend. Colonel
Vosburgh, as a volunteer in the ranks of the Seventy-first Regiment of New
York Militia. Like yourselves, a citizen soldier, my military services began
with the Rebellion; and.'if spared so long, will end when the rebels are put
down. Peace, while the Rebellion breathes, is dishonor. Never since Csesar
led his legions to conquest ; never since Rienzi, last of the tribunes, fell with
the last fragments of the Roman Republic; not in the armies of Napoleon,
where Marshals rose from the ranks ; never in any army, has promotion so
generally and so surely followed merit as in ours. The genius which chal-
lenges victory, even from adverse fortune, will, sooner or later, find its place
at the head of the column. Let your motto be ' EXCELSIOR '—the emula-
tion of the brave for the commendation of the good. You are the Soldiers of
Kearney — that electric commander, disdaining death, whose sword yielded at
last only to the Supreme Concjueror. These medals bear his honored name,
and his cherished image. When I add that Birney is his fit successor, and
that you are worthy of both, I hope that nothing is left unsaid which the occa-
sion demands. The medals will now be delivered to commanding officers of
regiments, who will decorate the men of their commands, named in the order."
THE NINETY-NINTH AT GETTYSBURG.
Then came what was more important to our country in
its results than the battle of Waterloo to Europe, viz., the
great battles and final victory at Gettysburg, Pa., fought
July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863, just two months, to a day, after
Chancellorsville.
The movement of two giant armies of nearly a hundred
thousand each, from Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville
to Gettysburg, — such a long distance, in such a short time,
I §4 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
— was looked upon by everybody as one of the most stu-
pendous undertakings of the war. Ofificers and men in
both armies had been schooled for that contest. AW vet-
erans ; and all used to the familiar " zip " of the bullet as
it passed them by. Long years of active service had hard-
ened them against the sound of roaring cannon, screech-
ing and ricochet shot, and bursting shells ; hardened and
as tough as Bessemer steel ; and nothing but steel and cold
lead could produce an impression upon a solitary man
of that two hundred thousand thoughtful souls. There
they were, face to face, in battle arra}'. Stripped for the
contest, armed to the teeth, waiting the signal to try and
annihilate each other. Christians, in a civilized country,
and every man of them battling for what he thought to be
right.
It was my good fortune to be one of that mighty host
battling for the Right — as I understood it — tJiat Slavery
was ivrong. I was but a unit, as compared to that great
whole, but I felt strong.
" Only a Color-bearer," — but that old, tattered, bullet-rid-
dled regimental flag appeared to be nothing more than a
pipe-stem in my hands on July 2, 1863, the day the great,
seething, roaring whirlpool of the battle struck my grand
old regiment a regular " broadsider."
It came abcnit in this way. The 3d Corps, General
Sickles', occupied the extreme left of the Union line in the
second day's battle. Ward's Brigade occupied the extreme
left of the 3d Corps, and the 99th Pa. (my regiment) occu-
pied the extreme left of Ward's Brigade, up near Big Round
Top, in front of Little Round Top, at the Devil's Den.
" THE DKl'IL 'S DEyr jg-
Why it was that the 99th haei the post of honor, as it were,
again, in this Hnc, I cannot tell ; but we were there, occu-
pying by all odds one of the most important positions in
either army. As a matter of fact, historians have since
declared it was the "key to the situation." Twist it as
they tried, the rebels always got a double twister that
hirled them back instead.
:Vy)«o
•;^-,4»'li'*^
*li>\V
GETTYSKURG — " DEVIL'S DEN."
Describing- it, an eye-witness said :
" Silence, deep, awfully impressive, but momentary, was
permitted, as if by magic, to dwell upon the field. Only
the groans, unheard before, of the wounded and dying ;
only a murmur— a morning memory— of the breeze throueh
the foliage ; only the low rattle of preparation for what
was to come, embroidered this blank stillness. Then, as
the smoke beyond the village was lightly borne toward the
1 86 WITH THE COLORS IX WAR TIME.
eastward, the woods on the left were seen filled with dark
masses of infantry, three columns deep, who advanced at a
quick step. INIagnificent ! Such a charo-e, by such a force,
— fully forty-five thousand men. under Hill and Long-street.
— even though it threatened to pierce and annihilate the
3d Corps (the one the 99th was in), against which it was
directed, drew forth cries of admiration from all who be-
held it.
" The rebels came on furiousl)'. halting at intervals, pour-
ing volleys that struck our troops down in scores."
There, on " our left," stood the 99th, as firm as the rocks
beneath their feet ; watching and waiting for the avalanche
of maddened men bearing down upon them, — a cyclone of
thirty thousand of Lee's bravest and best, sweeping toward
us, with loaded guns in a ba)-onet charge.
"Only a Color-bearer," but — Merciful Heavens! I me-
chanically prayed as I never prayed before nor since. j\Iy
heart was in my mouth, or boots, and never to this da\' have
I been able to tell which. My teeth, like those of " poor
old Harry Gill, went chatter, chatter, chatter still ; " and
chatter now when I think of it. I'rightened almost to
death, and not a soul in the regiment knew it but m\'self.
If I could ha\^e been suddenl)' transplanted, or could have
taken o\\ the garb of an angel and heaxenward llown, or
gone up like Elijah, what happiness at that supreme mo-
ment in which I was lixing two hundred thousand li\'es
every second, as it were, and when I would have sooner
died two hundred thousand times than to continue in the
terrible suspense when seconds seemed hours.
HIS SATANIC MAJESTY'S '^DENP jg/
LOCKING OUT TIIF, DEVIL.
\Vc were at the " Devil's Den," and the " Den " was locked,
and the 99th, as I said before, held the " key." Only a hand-
ful of men to arrest and kee}) at bay " His Satanic Majesty'
and thirty thousand others, trying to get in. The members
of the 99th, every man of them, looked like ghosts, and it
was not until after I made that discovery that I came to
the conclusion they thought I was the onl}- man in the reg-
iment not frightened half out of his senses. Every second
brought the advancing host nearer to us, and every second
they remained in the distance counted thousands of men in
our favor, for every one of us was quadrupling himself for
the herculean struggle near at hand. The regiment ap-
peared to be elastic, able to contract and expand to any
length and breadth at will.
1 had the flag unfurled to the breeze in the front as in
former battles, and every man looked to me and the flag as
a guide, and I knew it, but they did not know I did.
They had the guns, the bayonets, the bullets, the pluck,
the courage; and we all felt safe in each other's hands.
Not a solitary man of that little band, even for a mo-
ment, thought of being driven from " tJic Kcyy
\Vc were the " Davids," and on came the " Goliaths " to
their destruction. Our little "slings" did it. Column after
column of the " flower," as Lee was pleased to call those of
his army, was thrown against us, and for one hour and
thirty-eight minutes we were kept busy hurling them back.
It was solemnly said, by non-combatants and eye-wit-
nesses, that " men fell as the leaves fall in Autumn, before
J 38 WITH THE COLORS hV WAR TIME.
those horrible discharges." "Faltering for an instant, the
rebel cohimns seemed about to recede before the tempest ,
but their officers, who could be seen through the smoke of
the conflict galloping and swinging their swords along the
lines, rallied them anew, and the whole line sprang forward
the next instant, as if to break through our own by mere
weight of numbers." At many points along the 3d Corps
line they did break through, but never for an instant at
" the key " ; but the key was finally flanked and had to be
abandoned, but not until a new line of fresh troops had
formed at the Jiiiigcs of tJic door.
" Only a Color-bearer," with colors riddled, and eleven
bullet-holes in my clothes ; but the worst was not yet. I
had survived the whirlwind, had looked down the throats of
thousands of fiery guns, discharged without harm to my
person, and now that we were compelled to go away from
the " Den," out of that Hades of fire, and save ourselves
and the flag from capture, immediate action and some
engineering was required.
I had a color-guard of eight corporals, and every man
was killed or wounded. The rebels were pouring into our
rear in vast numbers on both flanks. General Ward or-
dered our regiment, or what was left of it, to fall back as
quickly as possible. It got a good start, say about sixty
feet, before I commenced to fall back, because I misunder-
stood the order, and as several of our men were too badl>'
wountled to leave the field, and yet able to load and fire at
the enemy from where they fell, the thin line of rebels re-
maining in our front, naturally thought our regiment was
lying down waiting for another charge. I retreated w-ith
"ALL BLOJVX TO PIECES:' 189
the flag a few hundred yards in good order, but shortly a
shell came whizzing past, then another, and still another,
bursting all around me. One struck the ground, tearing it
up, and burst right at my feet.
Stunned by the concussion, I tumbled into the depres-
sion it made, and many of our men, who looked back and
saw me fall, reported me dead. " Munsell all blown to atoms
by a shell, and the flag captured." That both the flag and
myself were not captured was no fault of mine, for there
we were for a long time, ^' play in o- possum," and I apparently
dead as Julius Ciiisar. The staff laid along the surface of
the ground in my front, under some rocks and bushes ; the
flag under my body, with my head and shoulders down in
the depression, and my feet and legs out, as a wounded or
dead man would naturally lie, stretched at full length, dur-
ing a battle ; for the fight was still raging on both flanks,
and the rebels were working a battery which they had cap-
tured at the "Den."
I was surrounded by low rocks and bushes, as well as by
the rebels, and I dared not move from that position until the
coast was clear to the rear ; the only thing I feared was that
a Johnnie might come along and try his bayonet on me to
see if I was really dead.
■Just about that time the 6th Corps swept down toward
and past me, driving every " Reb " before it. I jumped
up and " skedaddled " to the rear, where my regiment had
formed, quietly fell into line and unfurled the flag. Such a
shouting I never heard before or since. Men who saw me
fall, " all blown to pieces with a shell," and " the flag cap-
tured," came and looked at the flag, and felt of me to see
IQO WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
if there wasn't some mistake or humbug about it, for I was
already booked as among the " slain in battle." I saw
more, accomplished more, in those few hours than during
my whole life before.
I quote from a personal letter to me from General Daniel
E. Sickles, dated New York, Aug. 17, 1886.
■X- ^f vv -X- * -if -vf * vf
" The 99th Penn. Vol. — that noble regiment that stood
the brunt of battle for hours in the ' Devil's Den,' cover-
ing Round Top, the key of the Union position, while Gen-
eral Meade was sending troops to hold it."
I also give an extract from the report of the commanding
ofificer of my regiment and brigade.'"^
" Camp in the Field (Near Warrenton, Va.),
"////y 27, 1S63.
"Sir: — I have the honor to make the following report of the part my com-
mand took in the actions before Gettysburg on the ist, 2d and 3d inst.
*************
" The courageous conduct of Color-Sergeant Harvey M. Munsell, and the
manner with which he bore the regimental colors during the conflict, has in-
duced me to make special mention of his case, as one worthy of the most de-
cided approval.
" (Signed) John W. Moore,
" Major Comd'g g()fh Penn. Vols."
" Hdqrs. 2d Brig., ist Div., 3d Corps,
"August 4, 1863.
"Captain: — I have the honor to transmit a report of the action and move-
ments of my brigade on July ist, 2d, 3d and 4th :
*************
"It would afford me much gratification to speak of others in the terms they
* From the advance sheets of the U. S. Records—" War of the Rebellion," Vol. XV.. 1880.
HEROES OF THE COLOR-GUARD. jqj
deserve, but space will not permit. I would respectfully refer to the regimen-
tal reports for a detailed statement of the particular deeds of many other gal-
lant officers. I cannot omit, however, the names of a few gallant non-commis-
sioned officers, viz. . . . Sc-rgeant H. M. Munsell, 99th Pennsylvania Volun-
teers, . . . who by their bravery and example inspired all in their vicinity. It
is to be hoped that a suitable reward, by promotion and otherwise, will be
awarded these splendid soldiers.
" J. H. HoBART Ward,
" Brigadie?--General.^''
It is proper to mention, right here, three incidents in con-
nection with our color-guard at the " Den."
HEROES OF THE COLOR-GUARD.
George BrOADBENT, from Lancaster City, Pa. ; young
(about 18), tall, slim, light weight, fair complexion, always
kind and gentle, and nick-named on that account, " The
Lady " ; hau a mess-mate by the name of Charles Herb-
STER, one of my good and true Pittsburg recruits, and
both were color-corporals. Each had a " presentiment," a
few hours before the battle, that he was going to be
killed in the fight. They told everybody so, and made all
their plans to die. I talked with them about the matter,
and tried to ridicule the idea, but all to no purpose. My
captain wanted to detail them on other duty till after the
battle, but fight they would, and fight they did, and died
as heroes there at the " Devil's Den."
"The Lady" had fired away nearly all his ammunition at
the enemy in our front, and had just asked me what we
would do after our last cartridges were gone, when a bullet
from the enemy struck him square in the temple, right be-
fore my eyes, killing him instantly. He fell to the earth.
192
IVITH TJIE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
the blood spurting out of the bullet-hole over his battle-
begrimctl face.
Charles Herbster saw him fall, and was by his side in an
instant, took out his handkerchief, wiped the blood from
his dead comrade's face, kissed him, and said, " Poor Lady is
dead ! " On his knees, behind the body, Herbster planted
himself, and again commenced loading and firing at the
enemy in close company with GEORGE Setley, another
one of my color-guard, from Lancaster, Pa.
When we were compelled to abandon our position and
go to the rear, I tried to get Herbster and Setley to go with
us, as they were the only two of the color-guard, out of
eight, not killed or wounded. Nothing could move them.
There they were, riveted to the ground, avenging the
lives of their comrades, and there we left them. Setley
was frothing at the mouth with excitement and anger, and
Herbster taking it as cool as a cucumber. Both were the
best shots in the regiment, and both had done great execu-
tion. The next day we found Herbster's body lying on
top, and square across "the Lady's," and both were com-
pletely riddled with bullets.
Setley had been wounded, was taken prisoner, and sub-
sequently died in captivity. What a wreck! — annihilation
we might say. Eight boys (they were nothing else) shot
to death defending the Flag of their Country at a critical
point, at a critical moment.
Twenty-three years have passed since that terrible
tragedy, and it is as fresh in my memory to-day as if but
yesterday. Heroes they were, every inch of them, fighting,
and dying martyrs in a good cause, as were all their com-
rades who fought and died on that bloody field.
MODERN MARTYRS.
193
On the 2d day of last July, the 23d anniversary of
the conflict, the surviving members of the 99th Pa, Vet.
Vols, erected and dedicated a beautiful monument to the
memory of all its fallen heroes, on the very spot at the
Devil's Den where the little band of eight gave their lives
that we might live as a Nation.
That great leader in the noble army of martyrs, Abra-
ham Lincoln, said, on the same spot, a few months after
the battle : " We cannot consecrate nor hallow this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have
consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The
world will but little note, nor long remember what %ve say
here ; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for
us, the living, rather to dedicate ourselves to the unfinished
work which they so nobly advanced ; to consecrate our-
selves to the great task remaining, and to gather from the
graves of these honored dead increased devotion to that
cause for which they gave their lives.
Here let us resolve that they shall not
have died in vain ; that this nation shall,
under God, have a new birth of freedom ,
and that government of the people, by
the people and for the people shall not
perish forever from the earth."
Out of respect to the sacred memory
of the heroes who consecrated with their
life's blood the spot, where our beautiful
and enduring monument now stands, I take pleasure in
furnishing a miniature reproduction here.
13
,04 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
RIY " VETERAN FURLOUGH."
From Pennsylvania we returned to Virginia, and during
the Summer and Fall of 1863, the 99th was engaged in
marching and fighting many small battles, such as Auburn,
Kelly's Ford. Mine Run, Wapping Heights and Bartlett's
INIills, in all of which I carried the Hag, and. with x\\\
usual good luck, came out unharmed. January i, 1864.
found the 99th at Brandy Station, Virginia, and during a
tidal wave of patriotism that swept over our regiment
about that time, nearly every man in it " re-enlisted for the
war," unless sooner shot, of course. As I had been right
along with the veterans, through everything up to that
date, I wouldn't, couldn't, and didn't desert them.
The entire regiment received thirty days' furlough, and
returned home to Philadelphia in a body. I shall long
remember the day our regiment parted compaiu' with the
Army. The feeling was something like that possessed by a
strong, affectionate man leaving his family for a long jour-
ney. I thought, if the Army of the Potomac got into
trouble with the enem\', during the absence of the 99th. it
would have hard work to pull through without our assist-
ance ; and when our regiment moved off, homeward bound,
I felt as if the whole left flank of the Army was going with
us, actually deserting those poor fellows left behind, —
nearly a hundred tliousand strong.
Soon after arriving in Philadelphia I had nn- photograph
taken, and for the novelty of the thing, give a fac-simile of
it right here. I was 21 years of age, to a day. when it was
struck off.
'J LITTLE ENTERTALVMENT:'
195
One afternoon a committee of officers from the 99th
waited upon me, requesting the pleasure of my company
at a Httle entertainment. I accepted, as a matter of course,
without thinking- much about it, for the officers had
always been ver}- kind. They woukhi't tell me a thing
about it, except that it was a " little entertainment." I
didn't know whether it was an evening partw a ball, or a
regimental drill, but I went
to work and arrayed m}'self
in my best, and when re-
flected in a Continental Ho-
tel mirror I scarcely knew
m}-self, the transformation
was so great. Satisfied that
I looked well enough to be
presented, if necessary, to
Her ]\Iajest\', the Queen, I
hurried off to the " little en-
tertainment."
Arriving at the place, I was sadly disap[)ointed at not
finding any ladies there. No one but the officers of my
regiment, and their friends. In order to remove my
embarrassment, the Colonel, Asher S. Leidy, of Philadel-
phia, brought forth from its hiding-place one of the hand-
somest American flags (made of heavy silk, antl of the
regulation size) I had ever seen.* In a short and appro-
priate speech, on behalf of himself and the other officers of
the 99th Pa. Veteran Volunteers, he presented the flag to
* See full-page engraving facing this chapter.
196
WITH THE COLORS I IV IVAR TIME.
me, to keep as my personal property. With tears in his
eyes, and in the presence of all his commissioned associates,
who were likewise in tears, he thanked me for himself, and
for them, and said that as I had successfully carried the
regimental standard through all the great battles in which
the regiment had been engaged up to that date, and at the
critical moment in each one I had never been found want-
ing, they desired to acknowledge the fact in a fitting and
substantial manner. " That flag," said the Colonel, "with
the battles in golden letters on its stripes, and the engraved
inscription on the silver plate attached to the staff, tells
the whole story."
The inscription reads as follows :
Presented to
Sergeant HARVEY M. MUNSELL,
Color-Bearer 99th Reg't Pa. Vet. Vols.,
By the Officers, for
Meritorious Conduct on the above Fields.
When the Colonel had finished his remarks, I was found
blubbering too. I had always been considered iron-clad,
and bomb-proof, but when it came to being bombarded with
tears in that fashion, I surrendered, thanked the officers
for the beautiful gift, and told them I had only done my
duty as I understood it. If I had been the means of aid-
ing, in the slightest degree, in maintaining the good reputa-
tion of the Ninety-ninth, I was extremely happy, but it
could only have been accomplished, under certain condi-
tions ; viz., by the aid of the ofificers and soldiers of that
grand old regiment, who vigorously sustained me at all
times, and more particularly at the critical moment in all
the great battles in which we had been engaged. I was
ANOTHER PRESENTIMENT.
197
proud to say, not a solitary officer or man had ever been
found wanting in a fight with the enemy, — that we had
stood by each other, in fighting our battles with the com-
mon enemy ; and because we were all of one mind, and
stood by each other, shoulder to shoulder, we invariably
won our battles. I again thanked them for their good
opinion, and the honor bestowed upon me, and closed the
" little entertainment " by banqueting every one present
with lemonade and ice-cream.
WHAT CAME OF A PRESENTIMENT.
Soon after I re-enlisted for the war, a feeling came over
me, a sort of presentiment, — as in the case of Broadbent
and Herbster, — that the next battle in which I carried the
flag, I should be killed. That ugly sensation hung over me
all the time I was home on my veteran furlough.
On the re-assembling of the regiment at a camp near
Philadelphia, after its leave of absence had expired, I
brought the matter before my captain, and he tried to get
my furlough extended sixty days, but without avail. The
commanding officer of that department said it could not
be done, — that every able-bodied man was wanted and
needed at the front. From Philadelphia, the regiment
went to Washington on its way to the field,
I still kept on wondering how I could honorably get rid
of carrying the " old flag" in the next battle, and at last an
idea struck me.
The Government wanted officers for colored troops, and
as there was a free military school in Philadelphia for
198
]VITH THE COLORS IX WAR TIME.
applicants for commissions, I thouL^ht I would now try
the Secretary of War.
One afternoon I took my Kearney medal, and the flag
presented by the officers, and started to see the Secre-
tary of War. When I arrived at the War Department it
was late, and man\- were ahead of me, on various kinds of
business. Mr. Stanton received and listened to each man
in his turn. It was nearly dark when it came my turn
to meet the War Minister. Just before Mr. Stanton was
ready to leave for home, I introduced myself to him ;
he appeared tired and worn out by the day's work, and
spoke short, and treated me rudely. Wanted to know
what I was doing there, away from my regiment at that
time of day. I answered politely, and at the same time
unfurled my flag, and showed him the battles on it, and
the inscriptitni on the silver plate. There was onl)' a dim
light in his office, and I remember how he went and hunted
a match, lit uj) ever\-thing that could be lighted, and then
called in some staff officers and others to look at the flag.
It was simj^l)- a grand, impromptu reception. Scarceh' a
word had passed between us up to that moment, but he
looked first at me, then at the flag, and then at his army of
aides.
Finally Mr. Stanton asked me what I wanted. I told
him I was a coward, antl wanted to get out of the next
fight. That blunt answer to his cpiestion nearh' threw
him into convulsions of laughter, and at the same time he
whij-)ped out of his side pocket a little memorandum book,
and asked if there were any more " cowards" like me in my
regiment ? I answered, '' Yes, all alike." He took m\-
SECRETAKV STANIVA'^S ACTION. igg
name off of the silver plate on the fla^-staff, wrote it in his
book, and then asked for two more. I gave him the names
of Captain John W. Moore and Lieutenant A. W. Bach-
man, the latter a 2d lieutenant of my own company. At
his request I gave him a short account of my service, and
also told him about my " presentiment."
Mr. Stanton was apparently pleased with my record, for
he said, in the presence of ever}'body there, when shaking
me by the hand, that I was the only stranger, either soldier
or civilian, who had ever asked him for a favor, without be-
ing loaded down with letters, and who had brought such
a living testimonial of any service they had rendered the
United States Government. Those were about his words,
lie kept right on in the same strain, as follows : " I'll dis-
charge )'ou ; I'll promote you to a commissioned officer in
the Regular Army ; I'll do an)'thing in my power for you,
Sergeant Munsell."
That was certainly the happiest moment of my life, and
I was almost willing to go back to my regiment, take the
"Old Flag" into the next fight, and be shot. I told Mr.
Stanton, when thanking him, I did not want to be dis-
charged or promoted, or anything of the kind ; but sim-
ply wanted a furlough to attend the " Free Militar}'
School," in riiiladelphia. He sat down and filled one out
for me, himself, leaving it undated. He then wrote a letter
to my colonel, requesting him to date the leave of absence
the day I left the regiment, leaving the time optional with
me. I took said furlough and letter to the Colonel, and he
became furious ; tore up both of them, and put me in the
guard-house. Late that night the guart} let me out, and
200 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
I went direct to Mr. Stanton's home and reported my
trouble. He in turn became furious at the Colonel, wrote
me another furlough, and sent me back to my regiment
with an escort. This time the good colonel respected every-
thing, and everybody, but Mr. Stanton never forgot the
insult to his authority.
I attended the "Free Military School," then went before
the Board of Examiners in Washington, and passed for
what was then called a'"ist Class, First Lieutenant," for a
company of colored troops. The great battle of Spottsyl-
vania had been fought in the mean time, and I having suc-
cessfully y?rt;«/6^<^?V, took "■ French leave " of Washington and
started for my old regiment at the front, arriving there just
in time to take part in the battle of Cold Harbor, and all
subsequent battles with the regiment, including those
around Petersburg, and the first battle at Deep Bottom.
While absent at the military school, I had been pro-
moted to first lieutenant in my own company, C, 99th
Pa. Vols., and took command as lieutenant in the regiment,
at Cold Harbor, having been excused from going into a
colored regiment. Then Captain Moore, Lieutenant Bach-
man and myself were ordered home to raise a new regiment.
That was the trio Mr. Stanton took down in his memo-
randum book, and through him and General Birney the
order was obtained. Moore was to have been colonel,
Bachman, lieutenant-colonel, and I major, of the new regi-
ment.
PRISON AND PROMOTION.
Just before we could start home to recruit the new regi-
ment, I was taken prisoner. Moore and Bachman raised
HOW TO MAKE CONSCRIPTS FIGHT. 20I
the new regiment, — the 203d Penna. Vols., — in Philadel-
phia, in less than a month, and immediately marched with
it to North Carolina. Colonel Moore was killed while lead-
ing the 203d Pa., in the assault on Fort Fisher, and Bach-
man was promoted colonel.
Immediately after the battle of Cold Harbor, General
Grant moved the Army of the Potomac to the south side
of James River, in front of Petersburg, Va., and on June
17 or 18, 1864, the day after its arrival there, it fought
a desperate battle in trying to capture that city.
Our brigade had just received several invoices of raw re-
cruits, made up in most part of conscripts, who were in-
clined to be anything but patriotic and soldierly, — declared
they wouldn't fight, and if taken into a battle would either
desert to the enemy in front, or run away to the rear.
They made no secret of their designs, so the commanders
of regiments and brigades were compelled to take prompt
and decisive action to thwart them, and they did it in the
following way. More than half of the soldiers in the brig-
ade were old veterans, and they were detailed and divided
up into two parts, one part to be equally distributed
throughout each company in every regiment, and the other
part was sent out on the skirmish line, in charge of an ofifi-
cer. I was placed in charge of those in front of our regi-
ment, and before advancing to our position, each man was
supplied with a spade, one day's rations of food and water,
and 60 rounds of ammunition.
Under cover of the darkness, about two o'clock in the
morning, we advanced on our hands and knees to within a
few hundred feet of the rebel skirmish line, and then each
202 JVITH THE COLORS IN IFAR TIME.
man dug a hole, large and deep enough to He down and
move about in comfortably, without being seen by the
enemy. When daylight came our work was completed, and
the rebels knew nothing about it. At 3 o'clock that after-
noon the troops advanced to give battle to the enemy. The
moment it had passed the skirmish line, which was itself a
line of battle, in single file beneath the surface, the old
veterans in the regiments in front were ordered to shoot or
bayonet any conscript refusing to fight, or caught deserting
to the enemy, and the old soldiers in their holes on the
skirmish line were sternly ordered to instantly kill any man
trying to pass to the rear, unless wounded. There the
poor conscripts were between two fires, — viz., the fire of
the enemy in front, and the fire of their friends in the
rear; besides the fire of the veterans in the ranks right
alongside of them. They were completely cornered, and
had to fight or die ; so rather than die without any show
whatever for their lives, they stood square up to the rack
and took their chances with the rest of us, and fought like
demons. From that time on we had no more trouble with
" drafted men."
During that battle the 99th had two adjutants killed.
One, the regular adjutant of the regiment, was killed at the
front, carrying orders to and fro. The Colonel appointed
another on the spot, and sent him to the rear for some-
thing. There, over half a mile from the skirmish line and
the battlefield, and down in an immense ravine, where it
seemed to be entirely free from danger, the new adjutant
stopped to wash his hands and face in a little brook, and
while stooping over, a stray bullet from the enemy came
''MAKING A MAiV' OF ME. 203
along and killed him. That adjutant was a poor man,
while the other one was rich, but the bodies were both
embalmed and sent home at the same time, to their rela-
tives in Philadelphia. By a strange coincidence, the names
and addresses to be placed on the boxes containing the
remains, were by mistake changed ; that error caused
great confusion in Philadelphia, for the box containing the
remains of the poor man went to the rich man's relatives,
and the other went to the poor man's friends. When the
mistake was discovered, the wealthy people defrayed all
the funeral expenses.
In a little over a month after that battle I was captured
on the skirmish line, at a place north of the James River,
called "Deep Bottom"; it was about the time of the
great "Mine explosion" in front of Petersburg.
Our lines were not long enough by a mile or so, and the
rebels came right around on our flank and rear. Before we
knew it, more than a dozen of us were between two fires,
and compelled to surrender or die.
Not being ready to die just then, we surrendered. A
rebel captain kicked off a board from a fence near, grabbed
me by the shoulders, dragged me through, and said he
"would make a man of me." While saying that, he took
my hat, a bran new one, put it on his own head, and
placed his own old, greasy, slouch hat on my head, pulling
it way down over my eyes and ears. The ridiculous busi-
ness made us both laugh, right in the midst of the fighting,
and as he was ordering me to the rear, a shell from a mor-
tar on one of our gun-boats in the James River came along,
burst, and blew him to atoms. I made my way to the rear,
and to Libby Prison, under guard, just as fast as I could.
204
WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
In about a month from that date, our army had a fight
with the rebels on the Weldon Railroad, near Petersburg,
and lost several thousand men, taken prisoners. The fol-
lowing day the prisoners were brought to Richmond, and
among them a few wounded colored men. They were all
passed in review before " Dick " Turner, the fiend in
charge of Libby Prison. The column stopped, and a
wounded colored soldier, on crutches, who had almost bled
to death, dropped dbwn in his tracks, and Dick Turner
gave him several heavy kicks trying to get him up. We
hooted at him, through the prison grates. He ordered us
back from the windows, under penalty of instant death.
We, like good soldiers, obeyed. At lo o'clock that night
we were aroused from our slumbers by the music of a brass
band marching into the prison, up stairs, and right into our
sleeping apartment, a room fifty or sixty feet long, and
about twenty feet wide. Said band was at the head of a
file of rebel soldiers, with loaded guns and fixed bayonets
commanded by " Dick," himself. He marched the band
and soldiers around the room about half an hour, made
every one of us (about 400, all ofificers) fall into line, between
a double guard of rebel soldiers, at a charge bayonet, and
then told us to commence " marking time," and ordered the
guard to shoot or bayonet the first man who stopped be-
fore daylight the next morning, — said he would teach us
to " hoot " at him again. That was the hardest night's
work I ever did, and on an empty stomach too, for the
wretch had cut off our rations of* corn bread for that after-
noon and evening.
From Libby we were taken to Salisbury, N. C, where
PRISOiV EXPERIENCES. 205
there were about ten thousand of our enlisted men, prison-
ers of war. Nothing but a line of rebel guards separated
the men from the officers within the enclosure, called a
stockade. So we commenced to plot and plan for a break
and escape.
SUCCOR BY PROXY.
By an oversight on our part the rebels found it out, and
immediately sent the officers to Danville, Va., and there
put us in an old tobacco warehouse that contained three
floors. In order to be out of the way, I took up my posi-
tion on the third floor, in the corner farthest from the
stairs. A few days after our arrival there, a rebel officer
came to the head of the stairs, on the floor where I existed,
mounted an empty candle-box, and called out as follows ;
"Any you Yanks who would like to supply food to
my brother, now a prisoner of war on Johnson's Island,
Lake Erie, captured at Gettysburg, I will furnish you in
return." Every officer jumped at the chance, and then I i^
commenced to bemoan my situation, condemned myself
for taking up a position so far from the head of the stairs,
and mentally resolved never to do such a foolish thing
again. There was a regular scramble among the officers to
see who would be the " lucky one," when the rebel captain
firmly told everybody he would not furnish them with any-
thing until he first heard that his brother had been sup-
plied. I saw and heard it all, and I saw every man leave
the Captain as if by magic. Then I jumped up, and yelled
at the top of my voice, saying /would do it. He instantly
discovered me, pointed and yelled at the top of Jiis voice,
2o6 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.
saying, " You are just the man I am looking for. I thought
there was one honest man in this crowd, who was willing to
trust me." He was Captain Hutter, a resident of Lynch-
burg, Va.
Although a rebel, he was an honest, upright, whole-
souled man. He commenced supplying me from that
moment, and kept it up till I was released from captivity.
His brother wrote him from Johnson's Island, Lake Erie,
that I had more than kept my part of the compact. That
my friends had taken clothing, provisions, and money in
great abundance to him, but as the United States Govern-
ment was retaliating on prisoners of war, he was not allowed
to accept. He wrote his brother in Danville the strongest
letters in my behalf, telling him to do anything he could
for me, which his brother in Danville did, from first to last ;
fed me, and several of my prison friends, sumptuously.
Went all the way to Richmond, and made " Dick " Turner,
of Libby Prison, surrender all the money he had robbed us
of when captured. Procured a special order from the C. S.
Government for my exchange ; this was not used by me,
as the general parole of prisoners was near at hand. He
had me measured for a suit of clothes that was to have cost
twenty-seveft hiuidred and fifty dollars, in rebel money, but
did not wait to get them, because I had to go North before
they were finished.* That was in 1865, just before the
close of the war, when everything in the South was dear
and scarce, and a barrel of flour was worth twelve hundred
and fifty dollars.
* It was said Captain Hutter was a son of one of the wealthiest men in the South be-
fore the war. Owned several plantations, and several hundred slaves. Captain Hutter
was ordnance officer at Danville, Va., at the time he met me in prison.
''WHEN JOHNNIE COMES MARCHING HOME:
207
A TRANSFORMATION.
On returning to my regiment, May 17, 1865, after I had
been declared exchanged, I found a letter from the Ad-
jutant-general of Pennsylvania, enclosing me a commission
as Captain of Company C, 99th Regiment, Pa. Veteran
Volunteers, to rank from September 12, 1864. I was then
just a little past twenty-one, and captain of the same
company, in the same regiment, in which I enlisted as a
"high private" in 1861, when but a little over eighteen
years of age. This is a fac-
simile of a photograph taken
of me in a captain's uniform,
July, 1865, soon after the
war ended. My long and te-
dious experience as a pris-
oner of war had worn me
down, and made me look
thin and pale. However, I
did not mind that, for look-
ing back over my four long
years of the most active kind of service, barely touched
upon in this article, I could not but feel thankful for hav-
ing passed through the whirlpool of excitement and danger
unharmed. Besides all that, the final victory had been
gained. Slavery obliterated, the Rebellion crushed, and
the Union saved.
But what a contrast. The little, scrawny, eighteen-year-
old boy, with a knapsack on his back, marching down
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, a Private in the rear
208
iriT/I THE COLONS /X IVAK TIME.
iMnk,
•- '-^^
^1 ^^7 5 1 •
(
1 j^v^ \&h.<&^^^A' ] '.
231
in getting the men well up and together, and they very
soon became steady as old veterans. We had been tiring
some little time when the Lieutenant-Colonel came to me
and asked if I saw a single gun (12 Ibr.) that the enemy
had got out in front of *' Fort Thompson," — this fort
contained 12 guns. I answered him that I did. This
single gun was doing our ranks great injury.
The Lieutenant-Colonel then asked me if I thought we
could charge and take it. We charged, we got the gun,
the very last shot from which, before we reached it, got
me with seven other comrades — including the Lieuten-
ant-Colonel, killed. My foot was gone, and we were
left on the field in very nearly the same spot as where we
fell. Our regiment claimed this gun, and General Burn-
side ordered tiiat it should remain with the regiment.
Some days after the light (and my foot had been ampu-
tated) Colonel Kurtz and General Burnside visited the
Hospital (Academy), and the Colonel told me that I
should have a commission. I got that, and the Con-
gressional * Medal of Honor besides."
HIS FIRST TROPHY.
JOHN NICHOLAS COYNE was born in New York
City, and when the war broke out was engaged in
literar}- pursuits. The first gun of the Rebellion
sounded, and the young writer hastened to place himself
in the van among the. defenders of the Union. With this
object in view, he joined the famous Seventh regiment
of New York, and went with it to the defence of the
Capital in April, 1861.
After the emergency had passed, and the regiment had
returned to New York, he began recruiting for volun-
teers for the war. He soon -became tired of this, and
decided to join some regiment in the field — and to shoul-
der a musket as a private, although he was resigning a
conxrnission to do so. He enlisted in Company B of the
First Regiment of Sickles' Excelsior Brigade. His regi-
ment was stationed on the lower Potomac during the
winter of 1861-62, and in the spring he participated with
it in several expeditions into Virginia.
The Armv of the Potomac reached the Peninsula in the
spring of '62, and the First Excelsior regiment (Hooker's
232
FIGHT FOR THE STAXDARD. 233
Division), served in the trenches around Yorktown. At
the battle of Williamsburg the regiment was in the
thickest of the battle, and is particularly mentioned in
Fox's book of regimental losses, as having sustained an
enormous loss in that battle. The battle had been rag-
ing for hours, and the regiment had lost heavily. With
their ammunition exhausted, they were compelled to faH
back. When Sergeant Coyne retired, he had sixteen of
his company with him. He went over a part of the field
where there had been heavy fighting. In passing
through the smoke of the battle, he suddenly found him-
self in front of a company of the enemy with their. colors.
When the Sergeant saw the colors he called out : " Let's
capture their colors, boys," and although the brave fellows
were outnumbered, they responded with a cheer, and
immediately engaged in a hand to hand struggle with
the enemy, who seemed at first to be taken b}^ surprise.
Sergeant Coyne's contest was with the rebel color-
bearer, who was a powerful and determined man. He
tried to strike down the Sergeant with the staff, but
Coyne closed with him, and seizing the staff, tried to
wrest it from the rebel's hands. The struggle was des-
perate, and was over the bodies of the dead and wounded.
At last, Coyne got the staff down low enough for him to
grasp the colors. A bullet at this instant struck the
rebel's right hand, shattering it badly. The Sergeant,
seeing his opportunity, let go of the staff with his right
hand and struck the color-bearer a heavy blow in the
face. The blow drove the rebel back, and broke hi^ hold
on the staff. At this instant Sergeant Covne was struck
234 'f^^ FIRST TROl'IlY.
on the shoulder with ri luuskct, bul the blow was not
serious. The lebel had bt'cu shot while his musket was
u|)lillc(l, and thereh)re his opponent escaj)e(l with only
momentary confusion. When he recovered from this, the
rebel coh)r-bearer, who had rushed forward to renew the
contest, fell at his feet, pierced by the bayonet of Ser-
geant Coolv, who imnu'diatc'Iy fell over his body moitally
\vouiidcd. Serj^eant Coyne toi"e (he llajj^ from the staff,
and tying it around his body, turned and called out:
"I've got it, boys!" lie looked around for his brave
comrades, but only three of them were left standing; the
exciting scenes of llu' conllict had faded away like mist,
loi- 1 Ic'int/clinan had seen tiie desperate encounter and
had sent some men to the rescue; but the enemy, who
had survived the contest, seeing the succor coming, had
lied, and thus only the pallid and bloody faces of the
dead and wounded and ol his three comrades, met the
Seigeant's gaze.
\Vlu"n the hiave Cook was ])icked np he was dead, and
Corpoial Beekman and j)rivates Howard, Lynch and
othei's were lying dead not far off. Later in the day,
when Coyne took out his watch to see the t inu-, he lound
it shattt'ied, a bullet ha\ing struck it during t he c'ontest.
The watch can now be seen in his cabinet of relics at
home.
Among his most cherisluul possessions, e\i)i'essing as
it does the larelv bestowed praise of a grim c-ommander
who had earned the right to rewartl oi" punish his sol-
diers, C\)lonel Covne guards with jealous caix' the fol-
lowiuii" letter :
IIFJNTZELMAN-S LETTER. 235
Washington, February, 1867.
T.) iHE Hon. Secretary of War:
II would gratify me if the brevet recommended for Colonel Coyne be
conferred upon him. He was a soldier of distinguished bravery, and at
Willianisburg, Fair Oaks and other fields, won the commendatiori of his
superior ot'ticers. At Wiiiiamst)urg, with undaunted i)ravery and after
a severe contest, he captured the colors of a rel^el regiment and was
mentioned by me in (Icneral Orders for liis gallantry.
Very respectfully,
• S. P. Heintzelman, Major-General.
For his bravery in this battle Sergeant Coyne was
promoted to Second Lieutenant, to date from the battle,
and received the bronze medal from the government.
At the battle of Fair Oaks on the morning of June ist,
Lieutenant Coyne again distinguished himself by making
a daring reconnoissance wilhin (he enemy's lines.
He was promoted to First Lieutenant Dec. i, 1862, for
gallant conduct in the held, and placed in command of
the Color Comjiany.
He distinguished himself at Chancellorsville bv ca|)-
turing several prisoners liom Stonewall Jackson's front,
while on the picket line.
At Gettysburg he was made adjutant on the field, and
at the battle of \Vapi)ing Heights, Va., three weeks after-
wards, he had a horse shot under him, and was promoted
to Captain, to date from this battle, for " conspicuous gal-
lantry at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Wai)[)ing
Heights."
In Grant's campaigns with the Army of the Potomac,
Captain Coyne bore no inconspicuous part. His regiment
236
HIS FIRST TROPHY.
was relieved from duty in the tield in front of Petersburg
June 23, 1864, and ordered to New Yoi-k City, where
he was mustered out with it, July i, 1S64, its three years'
term of service having expired.
Believing that his work was not yet done, and knowing
that the country needed its veterans as much as ever,
Captain Coyne accepted a commission, which had been
tendered to him by General Hancock, in the First
Veteran Corps, and served until thfe cessation of hostilities
in 1865,
He received the brevets of Major and Lieutenant
Colonel for gallant services during the war, to date from
jNIarch 13th, 1865.
ei,
LIEUT. S. N. BENJAMIN.
SECOND U. S. ARTILLEKV.
THE PATH OF DUTY, THE ROAD TO GLORY.
IN nearly all great wars, the warriors may be divided
into two classes — the Volunteer and the Professional.
The Volunteer, called to arms to support a great prin-
ciple, to preserve a good government or Bozzaris-like to
" strike for altars and fires," is as innocent of warlike
arts as the youthful David, but imbued with similar con-
fidence he marches forth to meet Goliath, and in time
comes back the ])eer in ])r()wess of the soldier of the
schools.
The Regidar, having made a business of soldiering
during long and comparativelv peaceful vears, welcomes
the storm of strife with true professional ardor. He
feels that his s[)ecial training, exi)erience in martial
detail, habits of subordination, ability to cope with
emergencies, power to plan and direct campaigns, are at
rirO TYPES OF SOLDIERS. 339
last to be tested. He may, or may not, be in sympathy
with the causes of the war. But " he knows his duty,"
and quietly goes about its performance.
The true Volunteer type is sustained by patriotism
and enthusiasm ; he represents the " People in Arms."
He is often demonstrative, and seasons war's rude alarm
with shouts and songs and noise galore.
The Regular is restrained by his second nature, Disci-
pli)ic, from imitating his volunteer neighbor save in that
camaraderie inseparable from soldier life, and when let
loose in the phrenzy of the charge. At other times he is
given to contemplation of prosaic things, like muster
rolls, mules, clothing accounts, and the tendencies of cer-
tain guard-house birds. Withal he is a model of endur-
ance and obedience, and coolness under fire.
Opposed to each other, these elements have brought
about the collapse of empires ; united, they have
cemented, for all time, the subdivisions of the greatest
Republic of modern times.
The sketch which follows, happily illustrates this desir-
able co-oi)erati()n, and sets forth in some detail the sym-
pathetic service of both elements, the brave deeds of a
Regular told by his comrades of the Volunteers.
Samuel N. Benjamin came of good Revolutionary
stock, and after a careful home training was sent to the
U. S. Military Academy at West Point, N. Y., from which
he was graduated a Second Lieuteniant May 6th, 1861,
and was assigned to the Second United States Artillery.
From the first, Benjamin seems to have attracted the
attention of his superiors for devotion to duty and con-
240
rilR PATH OF DUTY.
spicLious ability as the commander of a Hi^lit battery —
"the handsomest commar.d in tlie Army " as it has been
called. And to this he had been detailed, owing to the
scarcity of trained artillerists at the ontbreak of the
war.
His first service was at Bidl Run, where he commanded
a section, and was reported as having " displayed great
coolness, energy and skill." Later on, he was working
like a beaver on the Peninsula, where, on crutches, he
fought his battery, and where the gallant Kearny, after
inquiring whose batter}^ continued to fire from such
a perilous position, exclai;ned, " It must be — for nobody
but Benjamin wmild remain in such a hell-hole !"* In
reporting the operations of his command to the Chief of
Artillery, Captain Carlisle, referring to " Garnett's
Farm " and " Malvern Mill," says of Lieutenant Benjamin
that : " It is unnecessarv for me to recount his valor and
untiring energv from the dav the battery left Washing-
t(jn ; and in the affairs of the last week he was always
present with the battery, directing and encouraging the
men, although so entirely disabled as to be unable to
stand without crutches, and could only be carried on a
gun-carriage."
" When General Reno was preparing to leave Fred-
ericksburg, Lieutenant Benjamin learned, at the last
hour, that it had been decided not to include his battery
in that general's command, and he at once sought an
* Remarks of Comrade L. C. Brackett, before Lafayette Post G. A.
R., May 26th, 1S86.
A HEAVY FIELD BATTERY. 24 1
interview with General Burnside, wlio stated that both
Generals Reno and Stevens thought his twenty -pounders
too far removed from a light battery to undertake forced
marches, and perchance forced fighting while 'on the
wing,' but that the matter was entirely in the hands of
General Reno. The lieutenant at once appealed to that
commander, who said that his battery was to have been
assigned to General Stevens' Division, but that that officer
felt, as did General Burnside and himself, that it might
prove cumbersonie ; but if General Stevens desired the
battery, well and good. Seeking the presence of Gen-
eral Stevens, who already admired the spirit of the
young officer, he was assured that nothing but the heavy
guns presented their mutual wishes from being gratified,
but, in face of objections raised, he could not take the
responsibility,
" ' Suppose I should move out with your column ?' said
the lieutenant.
'"Then I should be obliged to take care of you,'
replied the gallant Stevens.
" General Stevens never regretted the hint contained
in his reply to the zealous Benjamin. The march to
Raccoon Ford on the Rapidan, to Kell3''s Ford on the
Rappahannock (crossings the enemy found covered by
the able Reno), developed the fact that Benjamin and his
brave lieutenants, Lord, Graves, and Kecffe, with their
gallant men, could make a light battery of twenty-
pounders.' And so it proved on all the marches to
August 29th, when, at Second Bull Run, to the enemy it
proved a ' heavy field battery '—so heavy, indeed, that
242 THE PATH OF Dl'TV.
the enemy lOiuul it necessaiv t*) Cvineeiitrale the fire of
two lull six-gun batteries, and a seetion ot another to
j^revent its destructive work.
" I remember well this unequal tluel when his battery
ol lour t went \-pounders. sui>ported b\- the gallant
Ronntlheails. lought against such learlul odds. .Vt times,
as I glanced trom our position. 1 could see neither men
nor gun, so dense was the smoke Irom his tiring, and
from the enemy's bursting shells.
" The battei-y ha\ing suilered heaxilv in killed and
wounded, and one gun disabled be\"t>nd lurther use.
General Steyens. feeling that the sacritice would be too
great if allowetl \K^ battle K)nger against the enemy's
fourteen [Mcces. ordei'ed its withdrawal tor the time
being. On engaging the {(^Q, Lieutenant Benjamin
parted compan\- with one ot his crutches, and belore
executing the order to retire, he buried triim the eyes of
the enemy his crijipled gun.
" Lieutenant H.Mijamin's perlormance of dut\' through-
out that campaign, and in the battles ol .South Mountain,
Antietam, and Fredei'icksburg. won lor him the esteem
and loN'C of the otiicers and men o\ the Xinth Armv
Corps." [Ct)mrade Hrackett's remarks.]
This tribute fri>m the pen of one of the yolunteei^
officers associated with l>eniamin ma\- be linkcil here
with the testimony of the histoiaan of the ^olh X. V.
X'olunteers. He says: " We were joined at this time by
IJ.itterv E. jd U. S. Artillery, muler command of Lieut.
S. \. Benjamin, a skillful otHcer and peilect gentle-
man, between whom and the Highlanders a mutual adniir-
FORT s.ixp/-:rs.
-4j
atioii soon spruiii;" up .j;. ..^ W'luiuvcr the IkittorN' was
short it was to us that Liout. Ui'uiauiin canio lor help, and
the boNs always considcrcHJ it an honor to servo under
his orders. Passiui;- over the laithlul and iinpi)rtant. ser-
vice ol Heniamin's batterx' in l\.entnek\- and Mississippi
with the Ninth C\)rps, we biinj;- the reader to Tennessee
and the nuMuorable Siei^'e ot Ivnowille, where Henjaniin,
ni)w Cduel ot Artillerw perU>rnuHl his most dist in_i;uished
professional act.
It was the twellth ilav oi the siei;-e i^Nov. Jo. i ^63").
The enenn's inlantr\ under Cumu MeLaws luul succeeded
alter a two da\s' strui;"i;le with our dismounted ca\alr\-
under Cicn. Sanders, in tinalh' [^i^essing the Fnion troops
!)ack upon the earthworks in Iront ot the c'\\\\ hence-
loith to be called I'^ort Santleis in nuMnor\- ol the gal-
lant cavalryman who hatl i;i\(.M\ his lile in order that the
i^arrison mi>;ht jHX'pare lor Lon^st reel's linal ettort to take
the cit \-.
To Renjamin, still a lieutcaiant, was entrusted the
honor ot crossiui;" swords with the tamous Confederate.
Piudent as he was valiant, our hero nci^dected no
requisite pi'ccaution. in addition to the usual obsta-
cles customarily placed in front of a threatened fortifi-
cation, Benjamin had constructed a wire entano-lement
— telei^raj>h wire strunj;- h\>m stump to stump, immedi-
atelv in Iront of l-'ort Sanders. The force to man this
work consisted ol dctat-hments from the looth Pa., yqih
N. v.. antl a >[ichio-an rei;-imcnt — not rn'or 300 men in all,
includiui;- So artillerymen.
From the History of the 79th N. Y. \'olunteers (" the
U4
THE PATH OF DCTY
I lii;hlaiulcrs "). a rci^imont toi-niiiiii- part v>[ Bcnjaniin's
sup[)t)rl, is taken the l\)lK)\vini;- :
" Lieutenant Benjamin, in the absence of suitable
hancl-i;renacles. had prepared, some time before this, a
number of twent \-pounder shells, to be use^l in ease of
an attack; the fuses hatl been cut at twenty seconds, and
would explotle in a moment or two after thev reachetl
the bottom of the ditcii. These shells had been laiil in a
row on the banquette tread at \arious points on the
west and ni)rth fronts of the ft)rt, reailv h)r instant use.
We olten wished -as thev were dangerous neio-hbors—
that the "darned things" were somewhere else. The cot-
ton bales had been placed on the jiarapet, about two feet
frt)m the interior crest, which afforded standing room
for us to look over the bales; that was a dangerous out-
look, however, and we seldom attemptetl to take obser-
vations during the dav-time. Even o\\ a clear night our
heads could be seen against the skv, and the enemy's tire
was frequently drawn. Now we ventured to take fre-
cpient peeps over the bales and through the embrasures,
but nothing could be seen o\- heartl of the enemy, after
thev had driven in our pickets.
" We were obliged to remain in our places under arms
all night. Ammunition boxes had been opened, and
beside our free pouches, each man luul as many car-
tridges piled up on the parapet before him as he would
be likely to need. All the spare rilles that could be
found were loadetl. ami nearly all our pieces were double
shotted howitzers. In the northwest bastion thev were
THE ASSAULT. 045
double shotted with i;"ra})e and canister, while " number
four" stood with lan\ard in hand ready to tire. .j.. .,.. .^
" Darkness hatl given place to the gray dawn, and we
knew the enemy would not be long in making their
appearance. ' Now bovs ! look sharp ! Do you see them?'
' Yes, by ! There thev C(,)me !' Instinctively one of
our number levels his riile to tire, but his hand is arrested
by a comrade who remonstrates, ' You fool ! Don't
draw their lire on us!' 'Now boys, into the fort as fast
as your legs will carry \o\\\ " De'il tak the hinmost,"
but look out lor the wires !" It was a gi^and rush to the
southwest angle. A number were tripped up b}' the
entanglement. ' Long Andy ' ^vent down. ' D n
the wires,' he exclaimed, but was up again in an instant.
A single i)lank only s[xinned the ditch, and in the scram-
ble two or three were thrown o\er. lust as we were
crowtling the [ilank, the roar of artillery, volleys of mus-
ketry and yells of the rebels broke upon our ears from
the direction of the northwest bastion. Not a shot had
beenhred from the fort until the enemy \vere within fifty
yards of the nuiz/les (W our pieces. ' 1 lurry, boys ! To
your posts!' \Ye were soon there and found our com-
rades actively engaged in repelling the assault.
"The attacking party had reached the ditch before we
gained i)ur positions, and a scene was being enacted diffi-
cult for pen to describe. The artillery, depressed to the
lowest point, was hurling double and triple charges of
canister into the masses of the enemy. Some of our men
were firing over the cotton bales, and others through the
embrazures occujiied by the artillery ; still others were
246
THE PATH OF lU'Ty.
pouring a destructive flank Hre from their rifles, and
enfilading the ditch on both the north and west fronts.
Both officers and men were shouting and encouraging
each other. 'Give it to them, boys I Remember
James Island ! Remember James Island I' The enem}',
finding that the ditch barred their progress, seemed at
fault. They crowded about the edge, and, ho])ing to
escape the .murderous fire of our artillery and rifies,
many jumped into the ditch. Now was Benjamin's
opportunity, and assisted by Captain Baird, who held a
burning stick, the twentv pounder shells were ignited and
rolled down among the living mass below. As they
burst, yells, shrieks and groans attested the bloody
work. Now the enemy's fire slackens, and we can see
that many of them are hurrving to the rear. A cheer
goes up from our throats, but is instantly answered bv a
chorus of veils from a fresh column of the enemy, who,
nothing daunted by the repulse of their first line, now
crowd up to the assault. The wires trip many and break
their lines ; many fall to rise no more, but the living
press forward.'
"General Jones (Confederate Army) says: 'Just
before the advance the weather had been detestable.
On the 28th a cold wave swept over the coinitrv, and the
temperature fell below the freezing point. The parapet
was hard frozen, and a heavy ice crop was formed by the
moisture fi'om the bank, which prevented the men from
obtaining a foothold.'
" Soon after four o'clock McLaws rode along the lines
giving final instructions and assigning staff officers to
THE REPULSE.
247
accompany the different commands. General Jones con-
tinues : 'When the artillery fire ceased, the sharp-
shooters opened and the two columns dashed forward to
the assault. Then the Federal batteries opened and swept
the ground in front. The abatis did not retard the
advance an instant ; it was torn up and scattered by the
living torrent. oNIany of the men tripped and fell over
the wire entanglements, which caused some disturbance
of the front line. They gathered themselves for an
instant, under a destructive tire, on the brink of a ditch
from seven to eight feet deep, twelve feet wide and
surmounted on the further side by a parapet from twelve
to thirteen feet high, making a distance of about twenty
feet in height to the crest of the parapet.'
" Thev sprang into the ditch until it was filled with
men, swept bv a deadlv fiank fire and triple charges of
canister, and struggled with all their might to mount the
parapet. In the absence of scaling ladders, the men
mounted on the shoulders of their comrades to the top of
the parapet.
'' General Jones states that a soldier seized a handful
of wet clay and clapped it on the fuse of a shell that
Lieutenant Benjamin had rolled over in the ditch, ' in
the vain hope of extinguishing it, and held it there until
the shell exploded and tore him to pieces.' Flesh and
blood could not withstand the tempest of iron and lead
that swept through the ditch and over the glacis. .
Tt was plainly impracticable to enter the fort at that point.
Those who could fell back, first suddenly and slowly ;
then the column broke and fell back in confusion.
248
/•///■; /'.//•// ('/•• ]H'rv
Tlu)sc who couKl not escape surremkMod."
In a letter wiilten h\ iK-nianiin in iSS(), he says of the
assault ol I'ort .Sanders:
"The enenu' in their c-harL;e entered the ditehat onee.
the wire threw down nt\irl\, il not all ol the Iront rank
and most ol the second, hut tiuMe was such a mass ol
men that it was trodikai down at onee.
"The enenu' elambercnl u[) tlu> jKirapet steailih', and
were shot and havonetetl as tlu-y ^ot on the lop. A
brii^'ade ot live strong:; i-ei;iments were in the first charge,
and in about six minutes a seciuul brigade ol like
streni;th arrived with a rush that seenu'd boinul to carry
all belore il. Thex' planted three rej;"imental battU^ llai;'s
on the top ol our parapet, which we t-aptured. The
assault lasted soi\ie leu to filteen mimites. It was a close
attair. tor the\- were Loni^st i\hM's luv^t men, and had been
put on their nuMlle to take the lort.
" I threw shells with lii;htt\l fuse into the ditch. The
ditch was so crowded with nuMi that the\- c-ould not i;et
out ol the way ol the explosions, and they were mur-
ilerous.
" This raised the cM"v amon^- iIumu that tlu^r own bat-
teries weri" liriuj.;- on them.
" [ had no se^'ar. 1 was snu^kinj;" a pipe when the
attack conunencetl, and snu^ked it durino- the li^-ht, or
until the tobacci) i;-ave out. Lit the fuse froni a brand
ivoxw the tue.
" In the actual assault seven men were killed in the fort
and eight wounded. During- the cannonade and ihe
/.7-;.y/./.i//.\ w j/xiiMr/L 249
iissaull si)inc tliirt\- mort' were killcil aiul wouiulcd in [\\v
iiuiiKHlialc iK'ii;hlH)rh()i)d c)l the loi't.
" Wo picked up aiul _i;avc thorn 407 iload aiul badlv
wouiulcil. within sc\onl\- xards ot the lorl, as \vc tiiil ni)t
wish them to eonie close enoui;h to inspect our works. I
saw a i^reat nianv ilead ami wouiuLhI on the i^ionnd be-
yond our lin(.\ and think the\' must have lost 050 or 700,
besides more than two hundied and littN' prisoners taken
unhurt."
The Commandiui;' (ieneral reported ol this brilliant
action that, "To Uenjamin's Battt'rw with such jtoilions
ol l>nckle\'s anil Koeim-r's as were with them in thetoit,
the 79th I'vCiiiment N. \'. \'ols., the jd Rei^iment Mich.
Vols., aiul a detachment t)t the J9th Rei^imcnt Mass \'ols.,
is (\\\c \\\c cretlit ol repulsiuii" a picked cobunn ol the
enem\' ; killiui;", wouniliuL;" and taking;- [u'isoncMs tluMX'-
Irom, treble their own numbtM". besitles cai)turini;" thi'ce
stantl o[ colors."
Comrade l)rack(Mt in his address belort^.alaxet tt> Tost,
from which we ha\e alread\- cpioted. sa\s:
*' Nt) military stuilent in the world can allonl to pass
(.n'cr the lesson to be drawn IivMU the abilitx Lieutenant
Benjamin tlisj. laved at Fort Sautlers ; noi" will he. lor his
attenti(Mi will be riveted bv the discrepancv in losses, to
say niithino- 1)1 speculation as to consequences, had Long-
street succeeiled. «
"Colonel (then Captain) Hainl oi the SevenI v-ninth
Highlanders, who heUl the burning brand t\)r igniting
the fuses of the shells that played such havi)C in the ditch,
recently said to me that it seemed but yesterday when
250 1HE PATH OF DUTY,
Lieutenant Benjamin, as he threw a shell, remarked in
his c^uiet way, "There, I think that will cool them
down."
Once more at Spottsylvania in 1864, the i^allant young-
artillerist was to make his mark as the Chief of Artillery
of the Ninth Corps.
"Only a first lieutenant, yet experienced artillery
captains waiyed rank to serye under the accomplished
officer, and eighty-four guns were ready to respond in
thundering tones to his orders. From the 6th to the 12th
of May, inclusiye, the loss of our corps figured about
fifty-fiye hundred, and among the wounded was our chief
of artillery.
"It was during the terrific strug-gle on the 12th, that the
enemy's bullet pierced his neck. Riding to that portion
of the field where he was directing and encouraging, I
found him unmindful of self, though ^vcll aware of the
dangerous character of his wound. M\' api)eal to seek a
surpfeon was unheeded. A few minutes later I made a
second appeal, but being again unheeded, and noticing
that he was somewhat bewildered or growing faint from
loss of blood, 1 seized the rein of his horse, and guiding
it to the left and rear, a moment afterward placed him in
charge of an artilleryman belonging to Twitchell's 7th
Maine Battery.
" Not long since, in this very hall, when questioned by
some comrades concerning this episode, he replied that
when I forced him from the t'leld he was unable to see
where the land and sky came together. It can be truth-
fully said that though dangerously wounded and aware
THE ROAD TO GLORY
251
of the fact, he remained at his post of duty until the crisis
of that eng-agement had passed.
" The great conflict was well nigh spent before the
promotion of a single grade came to the subaltern who
had many times performed the duty of a general officer.
In July, 1864, he became a Captain, and subsequently
received the well earned brevets of Major and Lieuten-
ant Colonel U. S. A., ' for good conduct and gallant ser-
vices.' Long after the War (1875), Colonel Benjamin
was made an Assistant Adjutant General in the Regular
Army. But the reward most highly prized was the Medal
of Honor which was bestowed upon him for ' particu-
larly distinguished service,' and as a fitting recognition
of unblemished professional conduct in which unzvaverino-
devotion to duty shone out as the guiding star."
CAl'T. T. W. CRiaO.
SIXl'V-IlKsr N. V. INIANTKV.
A HERO OF ANTIETAM.
LAFAYETTE POST, 140, Department N.Y.. Grand
Arniv oi the Re[niblic, had assembled in its hand-
some rooms in Union Square, some years after the War,
to witness I he jtrescntation of the bronze medal for valor
which a i;reat government had awarded to one of its gal-
lant defenders. Captain riiKonoRic W. Okku;, 6ist Regi-
ment, New York \'olunteers, the Adjutant of the Post.
The Council Chamber was tilled with men who " had
smelt powder;" those who had \cd and those who had
followed. l>v :; natural lesult of the jWan of this great
militarv fralernitw war-time positions were reversed.
Among the officers of the Post were men who had
[tatienth borne the burden and heat of the day in the
ranks, with blistered feet and emi^tty stomachs ; these
now shared conspicuously with their former superiors*
2C2
A rj^ESENTA T/ON.
253
"the fruits of victory." On one side of the room, stand-
ing- modestly in the background — the rear rank of this
veteran line nt)\v ch^awn up on [)aradc — might be seen
the erect form, stronglv marked featuix's and white hair
of that corps commander, who, at Ciettysburg, on the
morning of the iirst day, did so much to repel tiie hei-ce
Southern onshuight at the Cemetery. Near by stood one
whose name had but recenth' been in all men's mouths,
the soldier of science, the loader in a war with the
elements, the returned ^Vrctic ex[)l(^rer. With these, side
by side, were comrades who had acliieved civic honors,
rulers of States, grave judges, successful advocates, great
bankers, merchant [)rinces, railroad kings ; these had all
returned for the moment to the memories of the days of
' 61, when a knapsack, a canteen and a cartridge-box con-
stituted their earthly possessions, and when their time
was divided between hghting- and foraging.
One who has hel[)ed in some measure to preserve the
history of the great .\meiican war medal, had been
selected to hand the decoration to the gallant soldier
who had won it. Impressed by the peculiar character of
the assemblage — so eminently expressive of dcrds rather
than words — the comrade charged with this dutv set
forth, briell\' but earnesth', the purpose of the medal, and
the distinguished service for which it had been awarded,
and then pinned it to the veteran's breast.
Captain Greig won his medal at Antietam. He was
then a Lieutenant, commanding a company in the regi-
ment already mentioned. His promotion had been
irradual but deserved, from the day he enlisted in the
254
./ JIKKO OF AXTIKTAM.
city of New York Scjitenibcr 9, 1S61, as a private sol-
dier (^at the age of eighteen), aiul alterwards thi-ough the
vari(His non-commissioned grades, initil he reached a com-
mission l^julv I, iS6j).
Yonng. aitlent, and a stranger to fear ; natnrallv taking
{o the indescribable tascination ol a soldier's lile in the
field ; ambitions to excel in the performance of his dnties ;
it is not strange that Private Greig early attracted the
attention of his snperiors, and tailing into the tide of
promotion which flows so swiftly in War, and si) slng-
gishlv in IV^ace, was nltiinateh' swept onward and
upward to the single bar ot a I'^irst Lientenant, and the
command dne a Captain.
The morning of the battle of Antietam broke npon
two sleeping hosts, who windd lain have taken a later
breakfast had Mars been propitions. The flower of the
Confetleracx'. under theii" famous chieftain, flushed with a
second victorv on a famous and now historic field, and
eager for the flesh pots of Pennsylvania, and the loot of
Philadelphia, confidently girded up their loins to press
back the blue-coated Yankees.
The oUl Armv of the Potomac, once more under its
idolized leader " Little Mac," his prestige increased by
brief martyrdom within the defences of the Capital, rose
calmlv as was its wont, and shook itself as some monarch
of the forest, who, disturbed by intruders, [prepares to
defend his home antl family.
The story of the bloody contest for supremacy which
followed the rising of the sun on that lovely day in '62,
is well known to most of those who may sec this page and
y ///•; UALLAXT s/x r ) ■-firs t
255
is not now repeated. Like two gladiators the i;-rand
armies rushed at each other, and strove and wrestletl and
foui^ht like devils incarnate in a ^-ii^antic " tucf of war."
Hour alter houi- passed, and still the victory hunj;- in the
balaiuw
The heaps ot the slain i;rew larger, the little pools of
blood h>rnied rivulets, and these quicklv fcnind their
several ways to the hc^iut il'ul stream which sej)a rated the
armies, anil ofcw momentarilv more red autl swollen.
It was hii;h noon, and there was a lull in the cannonad-
ing ; tlu> musketry hrc slackenetl. while the panting
soldiers replenished their cartridge boxes or moistened
their lips from hot and dusty canteens, tilled with tepid,
mudd\' water.
The gallant Sixty-hrst New York luul been in the
thickest ot the hght as their decimated ranks plainly
attested. Lieutenant Greig had been foremost in each
advance oi the line, and last to retire frpm positions no
longer tenable.
llis bh>od was at lever heat ami he chafed at the tacit
truce for which exhaustetl human nature, on both sides,
seemed responsible.
Out in front the gray lines extendetl in vague and
ghostly semblance, their dingy gray or butternut uni-
forms bkMuling with the trami)led and dust-covered sod
upon which they were posted. Just in front of the Six-
ty-hrst there seemed a speck of color which proved on
closer view to be a Confederate battle flag. Greig saw
that it was planted hrmly in the earth, as tempting and
dangerous a sight as any false beacon that ever lured a
256 -/ HKRO or A\T/i:rA.\f.
ship to clostruction. Its bearer, in inockiiii;- spirit, luul
placed it a short distance in tront ol his i(.-i;iinent the
Fonrth Ahibanui — (eeliiii;- snre that with a thonsaiul
rifles at his hac-i-;. beariiii;" u[H)n {\\c path h\ which onr
eneniN' conid reach it. the tlas^" was out ol dani^ei". l>nt
he had " reckoned wit hout his host." lie made no allow-
ance lor the spirit that \\\c\\ call /icroisin — that counts not
the ci>st when lives are to be savetl, battles won. i>r ila^s
are to be captured.
it was the work ot an instant -the thought — the deed.
With a wild rush o\er theshoiM but deadly /one bet ween
the lines, the active bov reacheil the co\eteil trophv,
seized the staff, threw it over his shouhler, turned, and
alni,)st betore the astonislu\l Alabaniians realized it,
Greii;' was hall wa\" b.ick t(^ his startiui^- point. .\n exult-
ant cheer went up lioni the l^nion lines, and a rapid but
irrei;ulai" tiriui^" w.is bei;"un bv CM"eii;""s Iriends to
cover his retreat. l>ut the enenn, wild with chagrin at
this bold anil successlul raiil bv a single Yankee, sent
alter him a perfect shower ol leaden rain. The daring-
ollicer had abn )st reached the covim- oi the low stone
fence behiiul \vhic-h his men were sludteied, when a bul-
Ict'found its billet, and stretched him bleediui;- ami insen-
sible at their feet. The ball had entered the left side of
his neck, narro\vl\- escaping an arterv. When Greig fell,
he retaint'd a linn hold of his n(U)lv won trophy, so that
it was with tlitlieultN- loosened i\on\ his gi-asj).
Alter a long conhnement in hospital, during which
a well earned promotion came to him, Captain Cireig
rejoined his regiment at Chancellorsville, and \ook part
TUF. \' A I. LEV OF IHF SHAIhUW'
-57
in (ho bloody campaigns which toUowi'd — a voiilablc
" \allc\' ot tho shatlow ot death"' throui^h which our
hero passed iinseathed, and with a reputation t)l whicli
i^rizzleil veterans !nii;hl be prouil, was honorably mus-
tered out ot the service ot the United Slates, October
Oth, 1864.
TWO KINDS OF COURAGE.
WHEN a veteran, whose shield, bent and bruised
from lionorable service, bears mute testimony
to the scenes of danger and death through which it has
passed, cahnly tells us that he once felt fear in the pres-
ence of the enemy, we are slow to believe him ; particu-
larly, if we are not of the warrior guild and unfamiliar
with the various phases of military human nature. To
such observers, the only type of hero is that which is
insensible to fear.
There are men who do not know what it is to be " ner-
vous," never have the toothache, sleep soundlv through
the night on the " owl train," and can stand the extremes
of temperature, hunger and thirst, without more emotion
than an ox. This is an abnormal state of things, incon-
sistent with a high order of intelligence or refinement.
The true, knightly nature, is no more like that of the
burly animal mentioned, than is the temper of a Damas-
cus blade that of a butcher's cleaver.
The subject of this sketch, Joseph H. DeCastro,
enlisted at the tender age of sixteen 3'ears and nine
259
26o TJrO KIXDS OF COURAGE.
months, on August 12, 1861, in Co. I, 19th Massa-
chusetts Volunteer Infantry. He served faithfully and
gallantly, in the ranks, through the privations and thirty-
live of the battles of the Army of the Potomac, and was
honorably mustered out of service July 3, 1865.
At the Editor's request, DeCastro has furnished the
following account of some incidents in his career. The
words and the deeds they describe indicate that this
soldier possesses both moral and physical courage — a
combination not always found in brave men.
" Possessed of a highly sensitive and nervous tempera-
ment, my emotions when ordered into action, were
peculiar, to say the least. ' The spirit was willing but
the flesh was weak.' It required moral determination of
the most rigid character to set the machinery in motion
which controlled the forward action of ray almost par-
alyzed limbs.
" I was obliged to appeal to every sense of patriotism,
honor and duty, and without doubt the fear of disgrace,
coupled with a stray bullet in the rear, were the potent
factions that decided the contest, so that I was enabled
to keep ' the touch of elbows ' with my more cour-
ageous comrades.
" Surely, to the average reader, this confession must
appear strange in connection with the record of a soldier
who braved the terrible dangers of the ' Seven days' '
fighting on the Peninsula ; volunteered to cross the
Rappahannock in the pontoon boats, in the face of the
murderous fire from the Rebel sharpshooters on the
Fredericksburg shore ; two days later climbed the hill
"THE THIRD DAY:' 261
beyond the town» amid such terrific slaughter that the
ground could only be compared to ' the shambles of the
butcher ; * at Gettysburg assisted in rolling back the tide
of invasion ; and, at last, had the glorir)us privilege of
being * in at the death * with the immortal Grant at
Appomattox.
** Early on the morning of July 3rd, I rolled out of my
single blanket, to the music of the birds, and feasted my
eyes on the beauties of a landscape unsurpassed, in
my estimation, by any under the wide canopy of Heaven.
Our regiment lay a few yards in the rear of Cushing's
and Rorty's batteries on the highest point of the Ceme-
ter)' Ridge, in a direct line from the famous " clump of
trees."
" The boys busied themselves wifh the preparations nec-
essary in getting up what proved to be a very slim break-
fast ; as I looked around me and saw the smooth-faced
chaps all the way from seventeen to twenty-two, with a
sprinkling of older men, some with bright, cheerful looks,
others with that grim determined look that tells of stem
duty, iron discipline, and a high resolve to deserve well
of their country on this or any other field, I could not
but feel proud that my lot had been cast, in a military
sense, among those who, from Ball's Bluff to the Peach
Orchard of yesterday, had shown themselves soldiers
worthy of undying fame.
"As the scorching sun rose higher m the heavens,'
we arranged our pieces of shelter-tents on the gun-
stacks, to shut out as much as possible his too ardent rays,
262 T^^f'O KINDS OF COURAGE.
and stretched ourselves to enjoy as much confort as we
could under the circumstances.
" The combinations and strategy worked out at the
General Headquarters, is a sealed book to the common
soldier. He is but a part of the machine, a cog in the
wheel as it were, of the vast and stupendous power that
causes him to be moved and manipulated like the pieces
on a clap-board, to work out the designs of the master,
* Thinking bayonets,' as we were termed. Yet we could
not think out what that day had in store for us. So the
long hours until one o'clock were passed, some changing
while others conversed and speculated regarding the om-
inous silence in the lines of the enemy. Ten minutes past
one the boom of a single gun in the direction of the Ceme-
tery Ridge, its detonation hardly being noticed in our line.
A moment later the ground shakes and trembles, the
frightful roar of scores of deep-mouthed cannon, mounted
on that grim ridge just across the fields of ripened wheat
in our front, tells the story of the terrible carnage to
come. The combined roar was deafening ; it seemed to
benumb every sense, and now the deadly missiles seeking
their range, work havoc in our ranks as we lay as close
to mother earth as men are ever permitted to get outside
the grave. A grim veteran of the Crimea on my right,
shouts in my ear, "This beats the storming of the Redan,
They are giving it to us with more than a hundred guns.'
On my left a young lieutenant presses me closely. I
turn towards him, and at that instant a fragment of shell
tears through his head, and the warm life blood is
sprinkled in my face. Our batteries are being served
"FOR OLD MASSACHUSETTS." 263
with a bravery born of desperation. Caisson after
caisson is blown into the air, piece after piece is dis-
mounted, and still the hell-born hail cuts and gashes and
kills. This horrible carnival of death could only be
fitly described by the pen of a Dante.
"■ For two long hours, which seemed an eternity to us,
this terrific hurricane of shot and shell pounded with
resistless force, and then a calm.
" We breathed again. A moment later a comrade says
to me, ' Look there, Joe !' Away yonder across those
lovely fields, at the base of that death-dealing ridge,
from out the woods long lines of the South men were
passing, marching as if on parade. Slowly, steadily they
came, ranks well closed up, marching with a sublime
courage worthy a better cause. They have crossed the
Emmetsburg road, and re-furmed their ranks with the
utmost precision.
" At this moment Gen. Hancock rides up to our regi-
ment and directs the Colonel to hold us in readiness.
" The batteries in our front have just opened on those
magnificent lines of gray, and the carnage in their ranks
is fearful to contemplate ; it seemed almost like butchery,
but on they came like a resistless torrent. The first line
is among our batteries, and we get the word, ' Go in, boys,
for the honor of old Massachusetts.' I took a firmer hold
on the staff of the color I carried, and went in with the
rest pell mell. The fighting was now hand to hand ; we
were a confused mob that fought in the clumps of trees.
I saw no less than eight regimental colors in a space
that could be covered by one small battalion. In the
264 ^^^'^^ KIXDS OF COURAGE.
impetuous rush that followed, we became a compact,
strugg-ling mass, all seeming t(j be bent on bloody work.
Blue and Gre}' were inextricably mixed in all directions.
I unfortunately became separated from my comrades, and
while endeavoring to get back 1 had the good fortune to
get in the first blow on a big rebel color-sergeant who
attempted to down me. I struck him with my color
staff, and as he dropped I seized his flag and rushed back
into our lines, where I soon found my Colonel, to whom
I turned over the captured flag."
The Colonel (A. F. Devereux) writes:* "At that
instant a man broke through ni}^ lines and thrust a
rebel battle flag into my hands. He never said a word,
and darted back. It was Corporal Joseph H. DeCastro,
one of my color-bearers. He had knocked down a
color-bearer in the enemy's lines with the staff of the
Massachusetts State colors, seized the falling flag and
dashed with it to me."
The method of this exploit deserves a passing com-
ment. One is at a loss to decide which feature to admire
the most, — whether the conversion of his own color
staff into a weapon, the unselfish and soldierly impulse
that led him to turn over his trophy to his colonel, or the
business-like silence in which the transfer was made —
" He never said a icord .'"
For " Capture of flag 19th Va." at Gettysburg, Cor-
poral DeCastro received the Medal of Honor at the
hands of Major General George Meade.
*"Some account of I'ickett's c^arj^e at Gettysburg," Magazine of
Am. History, July, 1887.
A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
NOTHING, with regard to the preparation to ''put
down " the Great Rebellion, surprises the military
student of to-day, so much, as the views of the Lincoln
Administration, in 1861, upon the necessity for cavalry
as a part of the Union forces.
This detail of organization, Mr. Lincoln, harassed with
larger cares, naturally left to his military advisers. Secre-
tary Cameron and General Scott. The first named
reflected the opinions, upon merely technical questions, of
the venerable and distinguished commanding General.
The latter, having achieved his professional successes,
to a great extent, by the aid of infantry and artillery,
realizing the expensive character of mounted troops, the
scarcity in the North of men accustomed to the saddle,
and, above all, the time required to make efficient cavalry
from suitable raw material, was loth to sanction the
acceptance of any mounted regiments in response to the
first call for volunteers.
This was made manifest to certain public spirited
gentlemen who, in 1861, tried to overcome the objections
265
266 A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
of the military authorities. Scattered throughout the
Eastern States, at the outbreak of the war, there were a
few troops of militia cavalry, more ornamental than use-
ful ; most of these melted away in the pn^cess of the
formation of infantry regiments to go to the front, or
under the temptation for their members to become
quartermasters, commissaries, aides de camp or even
mounted orderlies. Some, however, preserved their
independent organization, like the " Philadelphia City
Troop ;" while here and there a local taste for horses, and
the military fever of the hour, took the shape of new
organizations burning to flash their sabres in the sun of
another Austerlitz. Among these was the " Philadelphia
Light Horse," composed of gallant young men from the
neighborhood of Germantown, Pa., and commanded by
William Rotch Wister, a brilliant young lawyer of Phila-
delphia. About May i, 1861, they went into a camp of
instruction at Chestnut Hill, a suburb of the Quaker
City, and with an ex-dragoon (Mr. J. H. Stevenson) as
an instructor, being good horsemen to start with, they
made rapid progress in knowledge of the duties of
cavalrymen in camp ; information which })roved of
inestimable value to a number of these gentlemen, who
were subsequently commissioned, and, ultimatel}-, rose to
high rank. The entire expense of this preparation, of
course, fell upon the patriotic youths who were burning
to enter the service of their country — on horseback, if
possible.
About this time it was decided that the war was likely
to last more than three months, and volunteers were
STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE. 267
invited to enlist for " three years or during the war."
Very reluctantly, it woidd appear, the government
decided to have one regiment of volunteer cavalry, and
Colonel Carl Schurz was authorized to recruit for it
with the proviso that the recruits must supply horses and
equii)ments. He met with some success in New York
and Philadelphia, with the aid of certain public-spirited
gentlemen. Suddenly, Colonel Schurz was made min-
ister to Spain, and the budding regiment was headless.
The struggle for existence is well told by the historian
of the regiment, from whose admirable chronicle* we
shall make liberal quotations.
The colonelcy was then offered to a regular officer,
who accepted, provided the War Department would
grant him a " leave of absence " for the purpose. Major
Stevenson says :
" Accordingly, hef set out at once, armed with a letter
from Colonel Schurz to the Hon. Montgomery Blair,
then Postmaster General. On presenting his credentials,
Mr. Blair accompanied him to the War Department, and
introduced him to the vSecretary, Hon. Simon Cameron.
Mr. Cameron said he could do nothing in the matter
without the approbation of the adjutant-general, or Gen-
eral Scott, then commander-in-chief of the United States
Arm3\ Bailey could not get in to see the Adjutant-Gen-
eral that dav, so he repaired to the headquarters of Gen-
*" History, First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry." — By J. H.Steven-
son, Captain and Brevet-Major U. S. V., Harrisburg-, 1879.
t Lieut. Ezra H. Bailev.
268 A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
eral Scott. The general was very busy, so Bailey waited
till after office hoars, and then went to his residence.
When he attempted to enter, however, he was stopped
by a sentinel ; but the general, who happened to be at
the window, beckoived to the sentry to let him pass. The
general seemed to be in a bad humor ; did not believe in
granting leave to 3^oung officers of the regular army to
command volunteer regiments, and didn't believe in vol-
unteer cavalry anyhow ; said it would cost half a million
of dollars to mount and equip the regiment, and then it
would take longer to get them ready for efficient service
than it would to put down the Rebellion. (!) Bailey was
much discouraged by this opinion, and left the august
presence with hanging head and drooping spirits. The
bright visions of a ' prancing steed ' and a ' vanquished
foeman ' almost disappeared. The elegant uniform and
clanging sabre, which always insures the smiles of the
fair sex, where were they ? Bailey strolled moodily
along for some distance, w^!thout aim or object, until he
was aroused by the crowd in front of the White House,
pressing in to see the renowned 'rail-splitter' from Illi-
nois, then the Nation's honored President. He rallied
his thoughts and joined the throng, in hopes of having an
interview with ' Uncle Abe,' trusting vaguely that some-
thing advantageous to his mission would be the result.
" He soon found himself in the ' Blue Chamber,' scan-
ning the person of the President, watching the play of
his countenance, and listening to the original way in
which he disposed of many of his visitors ; among whom
were grave senators, pseudo generals and queer-looking
PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
269
aspirants for militar}- honors, contractors and pot-house
politicians ; all having an ' axe to grind.' B}^ and by the
President turned towards Bailej', and, with a smile, said :
' Well, General, what can I do for you ?' Bailey was
taken by surprise, but, collecting his wits, he smilingly
replied : ' Not General y^t, Mr. President, but hope to be
if the war lasts long enough.'
" Mr. Lincoln seemed to appreciate the ready rejoin-
der, and said : ' I hope the war will not last long enough
to make generals of all who aspire to that position.'
Bailey then informed the President of his mission to
Washington. Mr. Lincoln said he did not like to inter-
fere in army matters, unless it was absolutely necessary,
and recommended Bailey to call upon the Secretary of
War or General Scott. Bailey informed him that he
had seen General Scott, but had met with no encourage-
ment, and that the Secretary of War would not listen to
him at all. ' Oh !' said the President, ' it's the old story.
You tried all other sources first, and then came to me as
a last resort ?' ' Just so, Mr. President,' said Bailey, laugh-
ingly, ' and I hope I shall not have come in vain.' The
President said, with a smile, ' I can't see why you should
have so much difficulty about getting a colonel. Wh}^, 1
could supply you with a hundred, from Illinois alone,
inside of a week. Go back and tell Colonel Schurz to
hurry up this regiment as soon as possible, and 1 will see
that it is accepted.' Bailey set out for New York with a
lighter heart, and, on arriving, reported the result of his
mission. Captain O was disappointed, and so were
the officers of the regiment, but recruiting went on.
270
A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
" General Phil. Kearney had lately arrived from
Europe, and a committee of the officers waited upon him
to see if they could prevail upon him to become their
colonel ; but he was in some way pledged to the Gover-
nor of New Jersey, who shortly afterwards commissioned
him brigadier-general. When asked if he knew any one
whom he could recommend, he named Andrew T.
McReynolds, who had served with him as a captain of
dragoons in the war with Mexico, and had been wounded
there, and breveted major for gallantry.
"A committee, composed of Colonel McReynolds and
Captain A. W. Adams, William H. Boyd and Joseph K.
Stearns, was dispatched to Washington to procure the
ratification of the above transfer. The Secretary of
War intimated to the Committee that, as Col. Schurz
had been provided for, there seemed no reason to organ-
ize a volunteer cavalry regiment. They then sought
the President.
" Mr. Lincoln examined the papers, and endorsed them
as follows:
Hon. Secretary of War :
Please say to Colonel A. T. McReynolds, that when he will present the
cavalry regiment according to the within authority, they will be received
under him as they would have been under Colonel Schurz.
(Signed) A. LINCOLN.
June I J, 1861.
"Mr. Cameron said the committee must get the appro-
val of General Scott, before they could get him to consent
to the raising of volunteer cavalry. Captain Adams then
NAMING THE REGIMENT. 27 1
set out to find the Commander-in-Chief. That officer
was very busy, and it was hard to get an interview, but
Adams had a friend at court, in the person of Schuyler
Hamilton, who was a member of the General's staff, and
through his influence the General sent a note of approval
to the Secretary of War.
" This note seemed to take Mr. Cameron by surprise,
and he very reluctantly endorsed the papers as follows :
Approved, on condition that the whole of the regiment be at Wash-
ington, or wherever ordered to be, by the ist day of August next, and
portions of it before the i 5th of July next.
(Signed) SiMON Cameron.
June 15, 1 86 1.
" He must have thought that these conditions would
prove the overthrow of the whole scheme, and no doubt
he laughed in his sleeve as he handed the papers to the
committee. What a commentary this is upon the his-
tory of the late civil war, which continued for four long
years, and in which, from time to time, we had three
hundred rcguncnts of volunteer cavalry, and three thousand
regiments of volunteer infantry.
" While at the War office a discussion arose as to what
name the regiment should be known by, and Colonel
McReynolds promptly proposed "THE LINCOLN
CAVALRY," which was unanimously adopted by the
committee ; all of whom thought the name appropriate,
because Mr. Lincoln had called the regiment out, not-
withstanding much opposition from those high in author-
272
A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
ity around him. They thought also that the name
would make the regiment popular and aid in recruiting.
" When the President heard what the regiment had
been named, he inquired who had ' christened the baby,'
and when informed how it came about, he remarked that
he was \ accused of being its father, and might as well
own up.' He hoped, however, that the regiment would
not consider the name as conferring honor upon it, but
endeavor, by brave deeds, to confer honor upon the
name ; adding that he would watch its career with a
great deal of solicitude."
" The regiment reported for duty to General Franklin
the day after the battle of Bull Run. Their first colli-
sion with the enemy occurred during a reconnoissance
made by Capt. Boyd's troop near Pohick Church, Va.
Although the ' Lincolns ' retained possession ol the
field, they lost one — Private Jacob Erwin — killed. It is
claimed that he ' was the first cavalryman killed in
defense of the Union, and this the first charge made by
volunteer cavalry in the war, on the Federal side.' "
The regiment, although designated the " First N. Y.
(Lincoln) Cavalry " was not, especially, representative of
the Empire State, comprising companies from New York,
Pennsylvania and Michigan, with a personnel of every
nationality on the face of the globe, of which perhaps
fifty per cent, were Americans.
Passing over the service of this body of horse under
McClellan on the Peninsula, Milroy in the Shenandoah
Yalley, and Meade in Pennsvlvania, during which it made
a reputation on both sides of the line for great efficiency
EDWIN F. SAVACOOL.
^71
in partisan warfare antl invaluable service in procurinij
inlonnation of the enemy's movements, the Lincoln caval-
rymen returned to the Valley once more, to become a
thorn in the side of the Confederacy. Major Stevenson
says of them in concluding his stirring- record :
" During their term of service they had marched thou-
sands of miles ; had killed and wounded hundreds of the
enemy ; and had cai)tured about 4,000 prisoners, 3,000
horses, 400 wagons, 4 cannons, 1,000 muskets, 2,000
revolvers and 700 sabres."
Where all were brave it is difificult to pick out one
deserving especial notice. Yet such an one there was,
and one or two incidents in his career will serve to illus-
trate the character of the service and the sort of mettle
required from a " Lincoln cavalryman." Again we quote
from the regimental history :
" After being in the ' valley ' awhile, our men became
so familiar with every road and path that we dispensed
with the citizens, and organized a band of scouts from
the men of our regiment. We had a number of brave
fellows to whom adventure and danger were a pleasant
excitement, and we soon had a body of the best scouts
in the army. The principal men among them were Sav-
ACOOI., Atkins and Vosburg, of Company K ; Peavy and
Valentine, of Company B ; and Forkey, Dunn and the
Goubleman brothers, of Company D. On one occasion
a party of these men went clear down to North Carolina-
They had plenty of Confederate money, which they pro-
cured from Philadelphia, in sheets, for a trifling sum ;
the words ' fac simile^ printed at the bottom of each
274 ^i LI.XCOLX CArALK\M.L\\
note, so that it could easily be cut off. This money was
pronounced genuine by the cashier of the bank at Win-
chester, and passed current everywhere in Rebeldom.
The boys always had plenty of poultry, eggs, butter,
milk, etc., when on scout, without the trouble of taking
them. They bought them, and were always welcomed
by the inhabitants.
" On the trip to North Carolina, the boys brought back
a lot of fine horses and a negro whom they had pur-
chased from his master for three thousand dollars ' fac
simile,' The poor darkey was astonished when he found
himself in the camp of the Yankees, a free man.
" Savacool went through the valley as a mail carrier,
collecting letters at all the houses, and much information
was obtained in tliis way. On one of his trips he met
Gilmer's battalion, and could not hide, so he boldly faced
the music. He had captured many of these men, and
was afraid some of them would recognize him. Gihnor
quizzed him closely, but his suspicions were allayed by
Savacool taking a letter from his pouch addressed to
Gilmor himself. It was from a lady in Winchester, and
he was so well pleased with the contents that he gave
Savacool a pull at his canteen of apple-jack. He then
informed Savacool that they were on their way to burn
the bridge of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad over
Back Creek.
" Savacool had no sooner got away from them than he
made a detour, and rode for Martinsburg with all haste
to inform Colonel McReynolds of what he had heard.
Captain R. G. Prendergast was immediately sent to
BLACKFORD S CAP TURE.
^75
Back Creek Valley with one huiulred men to look after
the bridge-burners. Fifty of the men were from our
regiment, and fifty from the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cav-
alry under Captain Henry.
" Prendergast, learning that the party were concealed
in a piece of woods, disposed of his men so as to cut ofif
retreat, and then charged into Ihe ambush, capturing
Captain Blackford and his lieutenant, and thirty men
with all their arms, besides thirty-six horses with their
equipments complete.
" On our way up the Valley, Sergeant Edwin F.
Savacool of Company K, of our regiment, was in the
extreme advance, as he usually was, dressed in a full
suit of Confederate grav, and 'roped in' several
prisoners.
" Between Berryville and Millwood he found a fine
horse with full set of military equipments, tied to a fence,
and his rider up a tree picking persimmons. He hailed
the 'Johnny' and told him he had better get down, as
the Yankees were coming up the road from Berryville.
" The fellow showed great alacrity in descending from
the tree, but when he attempted to get his horse, Sava-
cool pointed his revolver at him and informed him that
he was a prisoner. ' That's bad,' said the Johnny,
heaving a sigh, and at once handed over his arms and
accoutrements. Savacool turned his prisoner over to ,
the first men who came up, and passed on ahead as
before.
" On arriving at the Shenandoah River, near Front
Royal, he learned from a negro that young Baylor, of
276 A L/.VCOL.V CAVALRVMAX.
Mosb3''s gang, was at his mother's house, on the point of
land between the forks of the river, which meet at tliat
place. It was known as Richards' Farm House, Mrs.
Baylor having married Mr. Richards. As Savacool
entered, with cocked revolver, the inmates were much
surprised, as they thought he was a Confederate soldier,
on account of his clothing.
" While the old ladv was talking to him, her son edged
up and made a spring for his throat, at the same time
grasping the pistol with one of his hands. Savacool
pulled the trigger, causing the hammer to come down
on Baylor's thumb, and he let go his hold and jumped
behind his mother. She then begged Savacool not to
shoot him, which he promised not to do, provided he
would quietly surrender. This Baylor agreed to do, and
Savacool took a seat, pistol in hand, to await the arrival
of our troops.
" The old lady got up on a chair and began to rum-
mage the shelves of a closet, and Savacool noticed her
putting something behind her as she turned to get dowai.
His suspicions were aroused, and he told her to show
her hands. She did not obey, but kept backing towards
her son, and Savacool told her to halt or he would blow
her son's brains out.
" She then burst into tears, and begged him not to kill
them, as she produced a small revolver from behind her
back. At that moment we rode up, and Baylor was
placed under guard ; his mother begging of us to treat
him kindly. Tf I am not mistaken he slipped away from
the guard that night at Strasburg, and made his escape.
HE KXEIV NO FEAR.
277
" Edwin F. Savacool was, in many respects, one of
the best, if not the very best soldier in our regiment. If
any man ever possessed a ' heart that knew no fear,'
that man was Savacool. His modesty was equal to his
courage, and it was a long time before his merits were
properly recognized.
"He enlisted as a private in the first one hundred
cavalry that left New York, and was transferred to the
New York Lincoln Cavalry. He was promoted to a
lieutenancy, in 1864, for his daring conduct in capturing,
single-handed, the notorious Blackford, and for other
daring deeds was soon promoted to a captaincy. He
brought into camp, in two years and five months, single-
handed, 72 prisoners. Within five months he had five
horses shot under him. On the day before he was
wounded the horse, which lie rode, received seven balls.
" His services, and the severe wound he had just received
won for him a commission ; and the colonel presented
him with a costly pair of shoulder straps, in the presence
of General McClellan, at our re-cnlistment reception in
New York, after overwhelming the poor fellow with
praise, which confused and frightened him more than
' grim-visaged war ' had ever done.
" On another occasion, Sergeant Charles N. Warren, of
Company K, and a man named Hogan, were in advance
of the advance guard, dressed in Confederate gray. On
entering Newtown they went into a house and inquired
if any of their men (meaning Confederates) were in town.
'What do you belong to?' said the lady of the house.
'We belong to Gilmor's battalion,' was the reply. She
2/8 ^ LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN. !
then informed them that Captain Blackford and half a
dozen of his men were around the corner, in ' Aunt
Mary's,' getting supper. This was a little inn kept by
a widow lady, who went by the above name,
" On hearing this, Warren rode back to meet the
column, and told Sergeant Savacool, who was that day
in command of his company, and these two, accompanied
by sev^eral others, set out at a gallop to look after Black-
ford. (This is the same Blackford who was captured in
Back Creek Valley with his company, in the previous
September; but had escaped from Fort McHenry a short
time afterwards.)
" The approaching horses were heard by Blackford
and his men, and ih.QN got out of the back door into the
garden, and hid among the currant bushes. On entering
the house Savacool inquired where Blackford and his
men were, and ' Aunt Mary ' stoutly denied having seen
them.
" Savacool and his men then passed through the house
into the garden, and began a search. The 'Johnnies'
were concealed in the farther end ; but fearing discovery,
they broke cover, jumped over the garden fence, and
made for the pines. Our men gave chase, firing at them
and commanding them to surrender. Blackford was on
top of the fence, and shouted, ' I surrender,' and the
soldiers advanced to take him ; but the moment they
lowered their pistols he leaped from the fence and ran
for his life. Warren had captured one of the Johnnies,
and was taking him back to the house, while Savacool
pursued Blackford, each firing at the other as rapidly as
BLACKFORD'S DEATH. 279
they could. At length Blackford was hit, and then he
turned on his pursuer like a stag at bay. Savacool
stopped also, and both took deliberate aim, each at the
other. Both fired and both fell together,
" Warren was just returning, after having delivered
his prisoner, and on reaching Savacool he found he had
been shot in the thigh, and seriously though not danger,
ously wounded. Blackford called for help, and Warren
ran to him and gave him a drink from his canteen ; but
he was mortally wounded and died in a very few
minutes.
" By this time many of our men had reached the scene
of this fatal duel, and Blackford's body was carried up to
' Aunt Mary's ' and laid upon the table from which he
had eaten his supper about fifteen minutes before. Such
is War."
On the morning of April 6, 1865, Lee's columns were
discovered at Sailor's Creek, on a road leading directly
to Burk's Station, on the Danville Railroad, which point
they still hoped to make ; but the Sixth Corps, under
General Wright, was ready to dispute the way, and a
battle was begun by the enemy in order to force a pas-
sage.
At this battle Custer's division again covered itself
with glory. The First New York (Lincoln) Cavalry were
the 'first to enter the enemy's lines, and in so doing the
brave and intrepid Captain Edwin F. Savacool was seri-
ously wounded at the moment he snatched the first Con-
federate battle flag from the hands of its bearer.
Want of space prevents us from dwelling upon this
2 So
A LINCOLN CAVALRYMAN.
soldier's service on this day, for which a Medal of Honor
was conferred. Suffice it to say that as private, sergeant,
lieutenant or captain, he had always done his whole
duty. He was foremost in every action, inspiring his
men with enthusiasm to follow where it was possible
for soldiers to go.
In his simplicity, manliness, and straightforwardness;
in his discreet but fearless bravery, that won for him the
admiration even of his enemies; in his large heart, with
an intense hatred of the Rebellion, yet so full of gener-
ous impulses and fervent love of country, we recognize
the character of a true hero and patriot.
FOILING AN ASSASSIN.
FAC-SIMILE OF GOLD MEDAL (PAGE 2lfi
281
SERGEANT GEORGE FOSTER ROBINSON,
NOW MAJOR AND PAYMASTER U. S. A.
FOILING AN. ASSASSIN.
TO the schoolboy of i860, "the times that tried men's
souls " meant the days of the American Revolution.
The schoolboy of to-day learns that men's souls and bodies
were sorely tried in a greater revolution, only twenty years
ago, when blood was poured out like water to preserve the
Union.
The war closed with a tragedy, — the assassination of one
of the greatest men and wisest rulers the world has ever
seen. The enquiry into the circumstances of President
Lincoln's death laid bare a foul conspiracy, which intended
the destruction of the principal officers of our Government.
The plot was only successful in one instance. Why it
failed in another case may here be shown.
In the year eighteen hundred and sixt}'-five, there stood
A FAMOUS NEIGHBORHOOD.
283
in the City of Washington, not far from the White House,
and on the eastern side of Lafayette Square, a plain, red-
brick house. It had been a fashionable club house, but at
the time mentioned it was the residence of the Secretary of
State. The street was bordered by noble old trees, and
although within a few yards of that famous thoroughfare,
Pennsylvania Avenue, might almost have been a lane in the
suburbs of some ancient provincial town, so prim and quiet
and dull did it seem. Appearances were a trifle misleading
as to its character. Over the well-swept cobble-stones had
rolled the carriages of some of the noblest families of Eu-
rope ; under the grateful shade had sauntered haughty
dames and gallant cavaliers. Within these precincts there
had been revelling and feasting and " flow of soul." But
these times had fled. War, with wrinkled front, had come
and changed the sights and sounds. 'The marching regi-
ment had taken the place of the handsome equipage ; the
clanking dragoon had succeeded to the languishing beau,
and the martial notes of " We're coming, Father Abraham,
a hundred thousand more," had supplanted the softer strains
of Strauss and Verdi.
As the war period drew near the end, the little street be-
came less frequented, and at the time mentioned, was rather
avoided by vehicles, for the famous dweller in the house
was very ill ; he had been thrown from his carriage and se-
riously injured. '
-;{• -:<•**** -s * *
" Swear to be loyal to me, to stick to me through all, and
I will give you more money than you ever dreamed of ! "
After a pause came the answer in low but firm tones, " /
284
FOILING AN ASSASSIN.
sivcar ! " The speakers were two young men ; the time,
February, 1865 ; the place, a room in the principal hotel of
Baltimore. One of these men was tall and slender, with
piercing eyes, and hair of raven hue. His dress was quiet
in tone, but not in its first youth, and was worn with a care-
less grace. His movements were quick and nervous, and
a voice singularly melodious was one of his attractions.
This man bore a name honored in his profession, albeit his
place was not among the " stars." But he was known to
the public as a bright and promising actor, and to many as a
genial companion. Who would have thought that here was
the material for a conspirator — nay, a leader of conspirators?
For this man was John Wilkes Booth.
Strongly in contrast was his companion. Almost gigan-
tic in stature, broad-shouldered, muscular, he was a mag-
nificent animal. His low brow, fierce, restless eyes, square,
massive jaws and deliberate movements, indicated qualities
which, in the hands of an unscrupulous master, might be po-
tent for evil. He was dressed in a motley assortment of
clothes, half military, half civil, such as might have been
selected at random in a cast-off clothing shop. His shoes
were originally soldier's brogans, now worn to the welt, with
the toes peeping through the uppers. A pair of faded light-
blue trousers, torn and patched, frayed at the bottoms, and
liberally bespattered with mud, covered his legs. Around
his brawny chest was tightly drawn a dark-blue flannel shirt
without collar, in lieu of which a red bandanna handkerchief
was loosely knotted about his neck. A jacket of Confeder-
ate-gray cloth, from which nearly all the buttons had dis-
A QUEER CUSTOMER. ,gr-
appeared, and a brown hat, completed the costume of
Booth's singular guest.
At that time, in Baltimore, it was not unusual to see men
in such incongruous garb ; stragglers or deserters from the
Confederate army or Southern refugees. It was war time,
and even the former dandy of his club, when on short leave,
was glad to get into "cits " of a past date; so that it was
not wonderful that this tramp-like person should be per-
mitted to pass the portals of a fashionable hotel without
question, in the company of the well-known actor.
This " queer customer " was a bit of drift-wood from the
war waves. He was reared in Florida, upon a small planta-
tion, and without the advantages of education. At eighteen
he enlisted in the Confederate army, fought gallantly, it was
said, and after much wild adventure had left the sinkinof
Southern ship and wandered to Baltimore ; there, footsore,
hungry, destitute and utterly friendless, he had stumbled
across the actor. A long while before, he had once seen
Booth upon the stage, in the velvet doublet and trunk
hose of the days of Chivalry, in all the golden radiance of
the footlights. His imagination had made the play real
and the players noblemen, in every sense. So, when he met
his stage-hero in the streets of Baltimore, he ventured to
accost him.
A brief conversation impressed Booth with the belief that
this man could be made a useful instrument in the evil pur-
pose he had in view. He was right. He had found the
unfortunate wretch who was soon to be known to the civil-
ized world by the name of Lewis Payne.
286 FOILING AN ASSASSIN.
The fourteenth day of April, eighteen hundred and sixt\--
five, was well-nigh spent. It lacked but three hours of mid-
night, and the dimly lighted Washington streets were silent
, and almost deserted. It was the moment when theatre-
goers begin to enjoy the play if it is good, or become bored
and restless if it is otherwise. To the frequenters of Ford's
Theatre there was, that evening, all the excitement of a
" first night." The President and Mrs. Lincoln, with a
couple of friends, were conspicuous in a box, thoroughly
enjoying " Our American Cousin," which, under the au-
spices of that (long ago) favorite, Laura Keene, had been
having a successful run. Had none among that gay throng
any presentiment of calamity?
At that moment, two men were in earnest consultation in
an obscure drinking-saloon in a side street, near the theatre.
In one we recognize our dramatic acquaintance ; the other
wears his hat pulled down over his eyes. On a table before
them are a couple of glasses, half full of an amber-colored
\ liquid. With the exception of the bartender, they are the
sole occupants of the room. In his nervous way, Booth
puts his hand on the other's shoulder and whispers, " Re-
member, try the medicine dodge first ; but sec Jiiui suj-c. As
soon as it is done, meet me at the bridge. Now go ; it
is nearly time." Both rose to their feet. Booth's compan-
ion towered above him as they clasped hands — for the last
time in their lives, although they knew it not. The motion
threw open the long brown-and-white-check overcoat worn
by the stranger, and disclosed a belt, buckled tightly about
his waist, in which was thrust a large knife, and from an
■ SERGEAXr ROBINSON'S OPPORrUNITY. 28-
open holster on the other side gleamed the silver-mounted
handle of a revolver.
A UESrERATE STRUGGLE.
Within the domicile of the disabled Cabinet Minister all
was quiet ; lights were turned low, and those persons not on
duty prepared for bed. Mr. Frederick Seward (the Assist-
ant-Secretary of State) was at his writing-table near his
father's room. Major Augustus Seward was resting, pre-
paratory to his regular watch, which would commence at
midnight.
In the sick-room the curtains were tightly drawn, and the
shaded lamp cast a soft radiance upon the quaint furniture
and the snow-white drapery of the couch upon which the
invalid sought in vain the brief oblivion of sleep. The
soldier-nurse, after a final glance at his charge, sank into
the depths of an old-fashioned leathern arm-chair, and pick-
ing up a book was about to open it, when he heard a ring at
the bell. Sergeant Robinson was not a regular hospital
nurse, but was himself barely convalescent from a severe
wound received as a soldier of the Eighth Regiment of
Maine Volunteer Infantry, at Bermuda Hundreds, Virginia,
on the 20th of Ma)', 1864. As soon as able, he was given
light duty, and detailed to take care of Secretary Seward.
The bell was answered by the colored boy, William. A
large man in a light overcoat and slouch hat strode into the
hall. He spoke hurriedly and roughly.
" I want to see Mr. Seward. I have some medicine from
Dr. Verdi."
288
FOILING AN ASSASSIN.
"You can't sec the Secretary; nobody 'lowed in his
room," replied the faithful servant.
" But I nmst see him, " said the stranger.
William reflected that perhaps this was a messenger from
the doctor, who might be allowed to see one of the family,
to whom he would perhaps deliver his miessage. He moved
towards the stairs leading to the second floor, closely fol-
lowed by the stranger, who kept his right hand in his
pocket.
" Don't tread so heavy,"
said William, as the stranger's
boots came down solidly on
the polished wood of the stair-
way. As they reached the
first landing, Frederick Seward
came forward.
" 'Tis a messenger, sir, from
the doctor. I told him he
couldn't see the Secretary,"
said William.
" Of course my father can see no one ; he is very ill."
" I viust see him ; the doctor said so," persisted the man.
" But I tell you it is impossible," said the Assistant-Secre-
tary, The man turned about as if to go down, and William
went before him. Suddenly, with an exclamation — more
like the growl of some wild beast — " You ! " the
stranger st^juck Frederick Seward a terrible blow, which
felled him to the floor ; again he brought down the butt of
his pistol on the defenceless head with crushing force.
At this moment the door of the sick-room opened and
PAYNE, THE ASSASSIN.
ajv unequal struggle. 289
Sergeant Robinson appeared. l>efore he could under-
stand the situation, the assassin rushed at Robinson
and struck at his throat with a knife. Robinson instinct-
ively tried to ward off the blow, but received it upon his
head and was knocked down. Bounding over Robinson,
the would-be murderer rushed to the bed and began to
strike wildly with his knife at the throat of the Secretary.
Already he had cut the flesh from one cheek to the bone,
and the blood flowed in torrents over the pillow. Then
the courage and resolution of his New England forefathers
came gloriously to the support of our Maine volunteer.
Although just from the hospital, with his wounded leg not
yet healed, and enfeebled from his year of suffering, he
sprang to his feet, and without one moment's hesitation,
without one moment's thought for himself, save, as he
afterward said, the thought that he must die to save the
Secretary ; without a weapon of any description, he op-
posed his naked hands to the armed and desperate ruffian.
Robinson seized the assassin just as the deadly knife was
about to be buried in the throat of the Secretary. Then
commenced an unequal struggle, in which the chances
seemed entirely in favor of the herculean stranger. Robin-
son succeeded, at the expense of two deep cuts down his
back and two more under the left shoulder-blade, in* drag-
ging the villain from the bed, but vainly tried to protect
himself from blows which were rained upon his head with
the butt of the pistol. By this time. Major Seward, aroused
from slumber, ran in and also seized the desperado, and
although himself cut and bruised, with Robinson's help pre-
vented another attack upon the Secretary, who lay gasping
290
FOILIXG AX ASSASSIX.
and bleeding upon the floor, where he had fallen from his
bed.
And now, baffled in his dread purpose, and alarmed for
his safety, the murderous intruder suddenly threw up his
hands, exclaimed " I am mad ! I am mad ! " and rushed
from the room. As he reached the threshold, he encoun-
tered a State Department messenger and stabbed him also.
It was but the work of a moment to throw his knife across
the street, to jump, hatless, upon a horse standing at the
door, and disappear in the darkness. William now ap-
peared with re-enforcements from the military headquarters
at the corner of the street. It was too late. Payne, — the
instrument of a stronger mind, the blind tool of a fanatic,
— had made good his escape.
A HArPV OMEN.
It is unnecessary to dwell upon the events which fol-
lowed : the excitement in the North over the murder of
the President ; the pursuit, capture, trial, and conviction of
the conspirators ; and the slow but sure recovery of the
wounded Secretary and his son.
The distinguished gallantry and fidelity of Sergeant
George Foster Robinson were brought to the notice of Con-
gress, and it was decreed that a gold medal should be struck,
in commemoration of his exploit, and that in addition the
sum of five thousand dollars should be presented to him.
He was for some time a clerk in the office of the Quarter-
master-General, at Washington, and in 1879 ^e was commis-
sioned Major and Paymaster United States Army.
The closing scenes of the Great Conspiracy were marked
A HAPPY OMEN. 29 1
by some curious incidents. One of these, never before
published, was told to the writer by an eye-witness, and
seems a fitting conclusion to this story.
It was late in the afternoon of the day upon which the
murderer of Lincoln was captured, when an ambulance,
drawn by four handsome mules, rattled along the road from
Surrattsville, in Maryland, toward Washington. It con-
tained Major-General Hancock and several ofBcers of his
staff, Colonels Tompkins, Morgan, Mitchell, Wilson and
Parker. In the confusion and terror which filled the minds
of the friends of the Government, men turned with firm trust
to Hancock,— next to Grant,— as a strong arm to lean upon ;
and a sense of relief was felt throughout the land when the
presence at the Capital of these dauntless, cool-headed
soldiers became generally known. As the party journeyed
along, they chatted of the stirring and bloody war scenes
they had witnessed. The great calamity that had just be-
fallen the country was, of course, the leading topic, and
doubt was expressed by one or two as to its effect upon
the sections so lately estranged. The General, however,
expressed his firm belief that nothing could prevent the re-
estabhshment of " Peace within our borders." "The peo-
ple have seen enough bloodshed ; they are tired of war and
seek rest," said he. Just then. Colonel Tompkins, who was
looking out over the landscape, and at the distant dome of
the Capitol as it glowed in the warm tints of the setting
sun, said to his neighbor, " Parker, do you see anything
peculiar about the sun ? "
That officer cast a careless glance in the desired quarter,
292
FOILING AN ASSASSIN.
and then quickly called the General's attention to a curious
sight.
Within the blood-red disc, now very low on the horizon,
could be plainly seen, surrounded by a luminous haze, the
outlines of a pair of clasped hands ! All saw it, and for a
moment there was an impressive silence. As the phantom
shape slowly melted away, Hancock said very gravely and
earnestly, " Gentlemen, that is a happy omen ; it is the
sign of Friendship. May it come to pass throughout Our
Country ! "
THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
PART SECOND.
1 866- 1 886.
" O the dragoon bold, he scorns all care,
As he goes around with his uncropped hair ;
He spends no thought on the evil star
That sent him away to the border war.
" His form in the saddle he lightly throws,
And on the moonlight scout he goes,
And merrily trolls some old-time song
As over the trail he bounds along.
« O blithe is the life that a soldier leads
When a lawless freedom marks his deeds ;
And gay his path o'er the wildwood sod.
Where a white man's foot hath never trod."
293
CONFliDERATE COLORS CAPTURED AT SAILOR'S CREEK, VA., APR. 6, 1S65,
WITH PORTRAITS OF THE CAPTORS (CUSTER'S CAVALRY DIVISION).
(FKOM A TINTVl'E THIS SIZE.)
294
BVT. LIEUT.-COU)NKI, TOM CUSTER,
LATE CAl'TAIN 7TH V. S. CAVAI.UV.
A BEAU SABREUR*
J CANNOT tell with what gratitude I embrace the op-
1 portunity to add my tribute to the valor of one of the
soldiers this book seeks to commemorate.
Many a woman adds to the pang of bereavement, the
sorrow of knowing that the grass has sprung up and faded,
for over twenty years, on the graves of those who saved to
us the unity of our beautiful land, and, alas! who now he
forgotten. Will not, then, the hearts of many f^U with
thankfulness that the brave deeds of those that are gone
are here given anew to their Country, and that a monu-
ment is raised to their '' loved and lost " more lasting than
" storied urn or animated bust ?
In New Rumlcy, Ohio, on March 15. 1845. Emanuel and
* This chapter is from the pen of Mrs. George A. Custer.
295
296 A BEAU SABREUR.
Maria Custer received the gift of a son, the third tie that
bound together still more closely their happy lives. The
mother said in after years, even when pride for her success-
ful boys filled her heart, that no time of her existence was
so happy as when the door of the simple farm-house shut
in, at dark, the little band about her. The war-drum burst
in upon this contented home, and scattered her dear ones
far and near. Her heart had grieved enough over the
departure of her ambitious eldest, Armstrong,* who had
implored his parents, four years before, to let him educate
himself as a soldier. But after he had gone, she huddled
the little curly-headed fellows that were left, more closely
about her, and sang still, at her daily toil, for their comfort.
In 1 86 1 peace departed from the hearth-stone. The two
striplings began to beg to go to the war. They finally
agreed to be content if one was permitted. Nevin offered
himself, but was declined ; although not an invalid, he was
delicate. Then Tom rushed to get his chance, but the
father had privately conferred with the local recruiting
officer, and Tom was refused as under age. At last nothing
could keep him. He sought another officer and was ac-
cepted ; at sixteen he kissed the weeping mother and little
sister Margaret, and was off to the wars as a private soldier.
It was all the father could do to keep the fourteen-year-
old boy, Boston, from going. Yet I hardly think the
parent blamed the sons. He was, from his own boyhood,
fond of "training-days," and had put his eldest son, Arm-
strong, into a uniform when he was but a midget of four,
and chuckled and admired the piping voice of the minia-
* The late General George Armstrong Custer, U. S. A.
"OUK TOM." 297
ture soldier when he called out a line from the schoolboy's
elocution, that was practised in the home audience—** ^[}•
Voice is for War."
The boy Tom was sent to the Western army, and soon
selected as orderly for General Negley. When I saw this
officer, a year ago, he went back over twenty years and told
me what a splendid soldier he had found our Tom. The
praise one brave man gives another, irrespective of station,
shone from his eyes, while he bore testimony in unstinteil
words to the courage and fidelity of the lad. In 1863, my
husband was made a general officer, and found his oppor-
tunity not only to send for his old school-mates and offer
them places on .his staff, but he began to plan for his
brother to be transferred from the West to the Army of
the Potomac. He obtained for him a commission as Lieu-
tenant in the 6th Michigan Cavalry, and not long after our
marriage, in 1864, Tom found us in Virginia and became our
boy. The amount of mothering and petty tyranny I exer-
cised was not in proportion to my years, but he submitted
to it all as only brave and big-souled men can do when as-
sured of sincere, disinterested affection. His manners and
self-culture became a serious study with him. He not only
aimed to be a perfect soldier, but he was determined to take
up his studies, interrupted by his early enlistment. Even
in those busy times he bought himself school-books, and
pored over them with patience in the evenings. He
seemed to have come through unscathed by the coarseness
of his surroundings as an enlisted man ; for though the best
blood of our land was often in the ranks, there was a large
element of lawlessness, beside, among the soldiers.
15
2gS
A BEAU SAFREUR.
THE YOUNG AIDE-DE-CAMP.
As soon as Tom was made aide-de-camp he followed his
intrepid brother in charges, and was entrusted with the car-
rying of important despatches and orders, which involved
caution in traversing the enemy's country, and reliance upon
his own judgment. He was invariably selected for the
hardest work. If, after a tumultuous day, the General and
his staff threw themselves down around the camp-fire to
sleep and were awakened by the news that required one of
them to saddle and start off for night duty, Tom was the
one selected. I never heard that he even looked a mur-
mur. I only know that I agreed with the staff when they
used to say, " If any one thinks it is a soft thing to be a
commanding officer's brother, he misses his guess." If I
ever attempted to put in a protest for the nineteen-year-
old boy, my husband argued with me that he must watch
himself ; that he never made the slightest difference in disci-
pline because Tom happened to be his brother. If the lad
came in our room to report officially, the General received
the Lieutenant in the most formal manner, but the moment
the business was finished, Tom flung aside his sword and
the two fell to scuffling, just as they used to in their merry
boyhood days on the old farm in Ohio.
Tom said little about his determination to try for medals,
but he was just as eager for another, as ever, when he had
taken his first flag at Namozine Church, April 2, 1865.
Beside this, he was inspired to try again, as he found his
brother, after whom he had modelled his life, was so proud
of his achievement. General Custer had taken the first
A T SAILOR 'S CREEK. 299
Confederate colors of the war while serving as aide-de-
camp on General McClellan's staff, in 1862.
General Capehart, who commanded the Third Brigade of
the Third Division, saw Tom take his second flag at Sailor's
Creek, April 6, 1865. I quote from a recent letter he has
kindly sent me regarding that day : " I saw your brother
capture his second flag. It was in a charge made by my
Brigade at Sailor's Creek, Virginia, against General Ewell's
Corps. Having crossed the line of temporary works on
the flank of the road, we were confronted by a supporting
battle-line. It was from the second line that he wrested
the colors, single-handed, and only a few paces to my right.
As he approached the colors he received a shot in the face
which knocked him back on his horse, but in a moment he
was again upright in his saddle. Reaching out his right
arm, he grasped the flag while the color-bearer reeled.
The bullet from Tom's revolver must have pierced him in
the region of the heart. As he was falling. Captain Custer
wrenched the standard from his grasp and bore it away in
triumph. For intrepidity I never saw this incident sur-
passed."
Major Farnham Lyon, who was a staff ofificer of General
Custer's at that time, has written me that he recalls Tom's
charge over the rifle pits at Sailor's Creek, and his being
wounded in the cheek. " I know I felt at the time," he
adds, " that it was a great wonder he escaped with his
life." General Whitaker, General Custer's chief of staff,
bears testimony in a recent letter that " Tom, on that day,
fought like a lion."
300
A BEAU SABREUR.
A BATTLE-FLAG HARVEST.
Major Allstrom of the 3d New Jersey Cavalry describes
to me the vich'c in which General Custer's Division found
themselves after the capture of nearly six miles of Con-
federate trains ; also artillery and thirty-seven battle-flags.
The confusion was great, and while the firing was still at
its height, he saw our brother Tom dashing past him, his
face streaming with blood from the wound he had received.
The flag he had captured was flying out from the standard
he still grasped. The Major, terrified at Tom's temerity in
making himself so prominent an object for the enemy's
sharpshooters, called out to him, saying, " For God's sake,
Tom, furl that flag or they'll fire on you." Major Allstrom
has in his possession a tintype,* taken by a camp photog-
rapher twenty-one years ago, of two rows of officers and
soldiers, holding in their hands the lances bearing the thirty-
seven battle-flags captured that day. The men are in
rough campaigning dress, their weather-beaten faces partly
covered with all sorts of slouched hats, but above their
brave heads is a line of tattered bunting that had but the
day before led out the valiant South to the last desperate
struggle of their waning cause. Major Allstrom stands
in the front row with his captured colors. On the end
of the line, our Tom, holding a standard in each hand.
The thirty-six men were sent up to Washington to present
in person their flags, and receive the recognition Congress
made of their valor. I was in the Capitol at the time of
* THis is the original of the engraving which faces the opening of this chapter.
'TVE GOT MY FLAG." ^OI
their arrival, wearily waiting for the war to close. The
first knowledge I had that the colors were taken was the
sight of a street-car filled with soldiers, and with flags
streaming from every window as the horses were urged
rapidly to the War Department. The street gamins fol-
lowing, called out, " Hurrah for Custer's soldiers and their
flags! " That was enough for me. I instantly joined the
crowd on the walk and followed. On giving my name at
Secretary Stanton's door, he admitted me, and as each
soldier presented his flag, I was introduced to him as the
wife of their commander by Senator Harris, of New York.
It was a very memorable day in my life, as well as in that
of the dauntless men who had won distinction.
My husband described to me, as soon as I saw him,
some of the circumstances of Tom's wound. He was
deeply moved as he talked. He said his first knowledge
that his brother was shot was seeing Tom dashing tow-
ard him, covered with blood. The ball had entered his
cheek and passed out behind his ear. Only a short time
before, 'a favorite color-bearer, whom my husband valued
very highly, had been wounded in the face, and the
bullet severed the jugular vein. He reeled in the saddle,
and was dead almost instantly. The General, seeing Tom
similarly wounded, was terribly startled, and expected that
in a moment more the boy would totter in his saddle and
his life ebb away. As he reached him, Tom called out,
" Armstrong, the d — d rebels have shot me, but I've got
my flag," and instantly set spurs to his horse to charge again.
The General checked him, and told him to go to the rear
and have his wound dressed. Evidently there was a trem-
302 A BEAU SABREUR.
ble in the elder brother's voice, and the younger was em-
boldened to disregard the direction. He was so full of
fight no ordinary request checked him. Then the com-
manding officer's tone was assumed, and my husband, see-
ing the necessity of instant obedience, ordered him in arrest
and to the rear. Poor Tom, hearing the order, which is
the extreme resort of military discipline, had nothing to do
but to report to a surgeon.
We both felt immense pride in his valiant deed, and the
black patch, planted in the midst of a very new and downy
beard, was an ornament in our eyes for all the time it
covered his wound. I remember that my husband was so
proud of Tom's medals that he showed them to a general
officer, who was our guest just before the campaign in Da-
kota, in 1876. The officer was surprised to find Colonel
Tom had two, and told my husband, if he had his choice, he
would rather have a medal for a flag than any brevet that
was ever given.
" OUR TOM " ON THE FRONTIER.
In 1866, Colonel Tom received an appointment as lieu-
tenant to his brother's regiment, the Seventh Regular Cav-
alry. He reported for duty at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was
received into our household as one of our family. From
that time on, he was in all the campaigns and engagements
of the regiment. It was an immense change to come down
from the position of aide-de-camp on the staff of the com-
mander of a division of thousands of cavalry, to the simple
humdrum of a lieutenant of a company. It was a great
test of the true metal of a man to adapt himself to the po-
ON THE FRONTIER.
303
sition of a subaltern, after the independent and important
duties with which he had so long been entrusted in the
exciting scenes of the war. Tom's character bore this test.
He was as conscientious and simple-hearted in the dis-
charge of his company duty as if he had never known any
other than that life. His brother, though never relaxing
the strictness of discipline, continued to place more and
more important trusts in Tom's hands, and proved, as years
advanced, that his judgment and soldierly abilities sto'od
uppermost in his mind, evert among the tried and true of
the Seventh Cavalry. In 1874, while the regiment was
stationed at Fort Lincoln, Dakota, it became necessary to
attempt the capture of a noted Indian murderer, Rain-in-the-
Face. Captain Yates and Colonel Tom were selected to go
to a post below us on the Missouri River, and secure the
Indian as a prisoner. The story of the capture which fol-
lows has already been told by me.*
" RAIN-IN-THE-FACE " AND HIS REVENGE.
" In order, then, to deceive as to the purport of their ap-
pearance at the Agency, the captain in command resorted to
a ruse. He sent fifty men to the camp, ten miles away, to
make inquiries for three Indians who had murdered citizens
on the Red River the year before. Colonel Custer was or-
dered to take five picked men and go to the trader's store,
where the Indians resort constantly. This required great
coolness and extreme patience, for they had to lounge
about, seemingly indifferent, until they were certain the
* " Boots and Saddles," by Mrs. Custer. New York . Harper Bros.
304
A BEAU SABKEUR.
ricfht man was discovered. The cold made the Indians
draw their blankets around them and over their heads.
There is never any individuality about their dress, unless
when arrayed for a council or dance ; it was therefore
almost impossible to tell one from the other.
" Colonel Tom had to wait for hours, only looking fur-
tively when the sharp eyes of these wary creatures were off
guard. At last one of them
loosened his blanket, and
with the meagre descrip-
tion that had been given
him, Colonel Tom identified
him as Rain - in - the - Face.
Coming suddenly from be-
hind, he threw his arms
about him, and seized the
Winchester rifle that the
savage attempted to cock.
He Avas taken entirely by
surprise. No fear showed
itself, but from the char-
acteristically stolid face
hate and revenge flashed out for an instant. He drew him-
self up in an independent manner, to show his brother
warriors that he did not dread death.
" Among them he had been considered brave beyond pre-
cedent, because he had dared to enter the Agency store at
all, and so encounter the risk of arrest. The soldiers tied
his hands and mounted guard over him. About thirty
Indians surrounded them instantly, and one old orator com-
RAIN-IN-THE-FACE.'
RAIN- IN- THE- FA CE.
305
menced an harangue to the others, inciting them to recap-
ture their brother. Breathless excitement prevailed. At
that moment the captain in command appeared in their
midst. With the same coolness he had shown in the war,
and during the six years of his Indian campaigns, he spoke
to them, through an interpreter. With prudence and tact
he explained to them that they intended to give the prisoner
exactly the treatment a white man would receive under
like circumstances ; that nothing would induce them to
give him up ; and the better plan, to save bloodshed, would
be for the chiefs to withdraw and take with them their
followers. Seeing that they could accomplish nothing by
intimidation or by superior numbers, they had recourse to
parley and proposed to compromise. They offered as a
sacrifice two Indians, of the tribe, in exchange for Rain-
in-the-Face.
" It was generosity like that of Artemus Ward, who of-
fered his wife's relatives on the altar of his country, for
they took care not to offer for sacrifice any but Indians of
low rank. Rain-in-the-Face was a very distinguished warrior
among them, and belonged to a family of six brothers, one
of whom, Iron Horse, was very influential. The ofificers
prevailed in the end, and the prisoner was taken to the
cavalry camp. During the time that the Indians were op-
posing his removal, the troopers had assembled around the
entrance, ready for any emergenc}', and prepared to escort
the murderer away. The Indians instantly vanished ; all
went quickly and quietly to their camp, ten miles distant.
Later in the day, a party of fifty mounted warriors dashed
through the Agency to the road beyond, which had to be
306 -4 BEAT SABKErh\
taken by our troopers on the way home. Of course our
officers expected an attack from that party when they be-
gan their homeward march ; to their surprise, they were
unmolested. We learned afterwards that the mounted In-
dians went to the camp of Two Bears to urge the young
braves there to combine with them in the recapture of
Rain-in-the-Face. Two Bears had long been friendly to
the white man ; he was too old to fight, and prevented
his young men from joining in the contemplated rescue.
" After the command had returned, and the officers had
reported, General Custer sent for Rain-in-the-Face. He
was tall, straight, and young. His face was quite im-
perturbable. In a subsequent interview the General
locked himself in his room with him. Through an in-
terpreter, and with every clever question and infinite pa-
tience, he spent hours in trying to induce the Indian
to acknowledge his crime. The culprit's face finally
lost its impervious look, and he showed some agitation.
He gave a brief account of the murder, and the next day
made a full confession before all the officers. He said
neither of the white men was armed when attacked. He
had shot the old man, but he did not die instantly, rid-
ing a short distance before falling from his horse. He then
went to him, and with his stone mallet beat out the last
breath left. Before leaving him he shot his body full of
arrows. The younger man signalled to them from among
the bushes, and they knew that the manner in which he
held up his hand was an overture of peace. When he
reached him the white man gave him his hat as another
and further petition for mercy, but he shot him at once,
AiV INDIAN MURDERER. 307
first with his gun and then with arrows. One of the latter
entering his back, the dying man struggled to pull it
through. Neither man was scalped, as the elder was bald
and the younger had closely cropped hair.
" This cruel story set the blood of the of^cers flowing
hotly. They had already heard from one of the white
scouts a description of Rain-in-the-Face at a sun-dance,
when he had betrayed himself as the murderer of the vet-
erinary surgeon, by describing in triumph his beating
out the brains of the old man with his mallet. After all
this, it is not to be wondered at that each ofificer strode out
of the room with blazing eyes."
Two Indians, one of them Iron-Horse, had followed the
cavalry up from the Agency, and asked to see their comrade.
The General sent again for Rain-in-the-Face. He came into
the room with clanking chains and with the guard at his
heels. He was dressed in mourning. His leggings were
black, and his sable blanket was belted by a band of white
beads. One black feather stood erect on his head. Iron-
Horse supposed that he was to be hung at once, and that
this would be the final interview. The elder brother, be-
lieving there was no hope, was very solemn. He removed
his heavily-beaded and embroidered buffalo robe, and re-
placed it with the plain one that Rain-in-the-Face wore.
He exchanged pipes also, giving him his highly orna-
mented one that he afterwards presented to the General.
These pipes are valuable, as the material of which the
bowls are made has to be brought from Kansas. Then,
finding that there was a prospect of Rain-in-the-Face having
his trial in Washington, he took off the medal that had
3o8 A BEAU SABREUK.
been given to his father by a former President, whose Hke-
ness was in the medalHon, and placed it over the neck of
his brother, that it might be a silent argument in his favor
when he confronted the " Great Father."
After his two friends had left him, Rain-in-the-Face occu-
pied part of the guard-house with a citizen, who had been
caught stealing grain from the store-house. For several
months they had been chained together, and used to walk
in front of the little prison for ex9rcise and air. The
guard-house was a poorly-built, insecure wooden building.
After a time the sentinels became less vigilant, and the
citizen, with help from his friends outside, who were work-
ing the same way, cut a hole in the wall at night and es-
caped. He broke the chain attaching him to the Indian,
who was left free to follow. We found afterwards that
Rain-in-the-Face did not dare to return to the reservation,
but made his w^ay to the hostile camp. In the Spring of
1874 he sent w^ord from there by an Agency Indian that
he had joined Sitting Bull, and was awaiting his revenge
for his imprisonment.
In June, 1876, the Seventh Cavalry, unaware of the fact
that eleven thousand Indians were encamped on and in
the vicinity of the Little Big Horn, attacked a village, were
overpowered with numbers, and Colonel Tom fell beside
his dearly loved brother. Rain-in-the-Face, who was in the
fight, sought out our brave brother and wreaked his savage
vengeance on the dead body of one against whom he had
so long treasured up an injury. The vengeance of that in-
carnate fiend was concentrated on the man who had ef-
fected his capture. It was found on the battlefield that
A MORTAL ENEMY.
309
he had cut out the brave heart of that gallant, loyal
and lovable man, our brother Tom !
So perished a gallant, noble, tender-hearted soldier, — a
devoted son, a faithful, affectionate brother, a loyal friend.
I cannot end this account of our chivalrous brother with-
out the brief testimony my. husband gave of his apprecia-
tion of Tom. Just before the last and fatal campaign, a
woman friend of ours in the East, said, "Well, General,
what of Tom ? "
" If you want to know what I think of him, all I can say
is, Tom oiigJit to be the General and I the Captain.'"
3IO
" RtD CLOUD."
RED CLOUD'S "BAPTISM OF FIRE."
WHEN the Emperor of the French, at the opening
of the war, in 1870, which cost him an empire, dic-
tated a dramatic despatch containing the words quoted at
the head of this chapter the cold world laughed in its
sleeve.
When the Indian chieftain, " Red Cloud," at the head of
thousands of brave warriors, flung himself upon a handful
of white men — outnumbered a hundred to one — and finally
withdrew, baffled, awe-struck, and bleeding, before the
deadly volleys from the newly-invented breech-loader, he
might, truthfully, have said to his people, " We have had
our baptism of fire ! "
This affair took place in the Summer of 1867, near Fort
Phil. Kearney, D. T. It was a modern tournament between
^i 1
3 1 2 RED CLOUD'S " BAPTISM OF FIRE:'
the representatives of civili;^ation and barbarism — science
and superstition.
The leaders were admirable types of their respective races.
Red Cloud was a Sioux of moderate rank but immod-
erate ambition. When the Government of the United
States sought to obtain the consent of the Sioux to run a
road through their country to Montana, Red Cloud refused
to sign the treaty, and placing himself at the head of a large
force of Sioux and Cheyennes, prepared to resist what
they deemed invasion. Burning with a desire for distinc-
tion and accessions to his band, he laid in wait near the fort
already mentioned.
His opportunity came ; one day, when a little party of
regular infantry — fifty-one men and two officers — marched
out from the shelter of Fort Phil. Kearney into fhe
country to protect a " wood party," which, under the
eye of a contractor, was cutting fuel for the use of the
garrison.
The commander of the detachment was Brevet Major
James Powell, Captain 27th Infantry, an officer of more
than twenty years' experience, in all grades, from private
to captain. He was still suffering from the effects of
wounds received in Georgia during the war, where he had
won two brevets " for gallant and meritorious services."
Powell found that the contractor had two encampments
of wood-choppers ; one of these was in the centre of a small
plain, fairly adapted to purposes of defence and for grazing
the animals ; the other, a mile distant, on the other side of
Little Piney Creek, near the foot of the mountains. Part of
the soldiers were detailed to protect the working parties
COLONEL JAMES POWELL.
I'^l
and to escort the wood trains on their trips to and from
the fort.
Major Powell wisely determined to make the position on
the plain as strong for defence as possible.
A number of wagons, sometimes called " Prairie Schoon-
ers," with high bodies or " beds," had been sent out to haul
the wood. For this purpose the running gear alone was
used.
The beds became of unexpected importance. They
were laid on the ground,
end to end, forming a
wooden fort, oval in
shape — thus : crX- At
the point on each side of
this little plan there was
one of the wagons on
tvhcels, which contained
supplies for the use of the
troops — such as blankets,
ammunition and tents.
There were fourteen
empty wagon-beds, and
in the wooden sides of each, holes were bored about
eighteen inches from the bottom, large enough to admit
the barrel of a rifle. Between the wagons the spaces were
filled with any loose material likely to stop a bullet, such
as sacks of forage, ox-bows, chains and short logs.
THE ATTACK.
Major Powell, having made his preparations for defence,
calmly awaited the attack.
i6
EVT. I.IEUT.-COLONEL JAMES POWELL,
CAPTAIN V. S. ARMV.
3 14 RED-CLOUD'S " BAPTISM OF FIRE."
"About nine o'clock in the morning of August 2, 1867,
two hundred Indians attacked the herders in charge of the
herd, driving them off ; at the same time, five hundred
attacked the train at the foot of the mountain, driving off
the men belonging there and burning the wagons."*
This double attack had the effect to deprive the com-
manding officer of nearly one-half of his detachment ; these
men, cut off from the "corral" of wagon-beds already
described, made the best of their way back to the fort,
losing several of their number, killed and wounded.
At the "corral" Major Powell completed his prepara-
tions for a desperate stand. On that very ground, but a
few months before, three officers and seventy-six veteran
enlisted men had been killed in an hour by the same tribe
of Indians which now, to the number of three thousand
braves, hemmed in this little band of twenty-six soldiers
and four civilians. So confident of success were the In-
dians that they had brought many of their squaws with
them to assist in torturing the victims, and to carry off the
plunder. The soldiers were told off to the wagons, which
were in most cases covered with blankets, under which the
men laid flat. At the " wagon-on-wheels " on one side,
Major Powell made his headquarters, rifle in hand, while
Lieutenant Jenness occupied the other.
Major Powell's parting injunction to his men, before the
fight opened, was, " Go in there and fight for your lives."
And well did his men execute the order.
By this time the surrounding hills were covered with
* M.-ijur I'f'wcU's Official Report.
AN UNSUCCESSFUL CHARGE.
315
gayly painted savages, who awaited with impatience the
moment when the white soldiers should be overwhelmed.
It was not unlike one of the great Roman spectacles of the
time of Nero, when bands of Christians were given over to
wild beasts in full view of the people. As the first act of
the bloody drama, eight hundred savage horsemen charged
down upon the silent little spot on the plain, as if to ride
over their prey and crush them to death under the hoofs
of their ponies. On they dash, with the speed and the
force of a whirlwind. As they come within a hundred yards
of the corral a sheet of flame darts out from the wagon
sides, followed by a roar, which is kept up without cessation
for several minutes. Like dry leaves before a gust of
wind the Indians are swept aside to the right and left.
The front of the legion has gone down in its place — melted
as snow under the midday sun ; those in rear are rallied
again and again, under new leaders, with fresh horsemen,
but although some get within ten feet of the corral they
fall dead as if by lightning stroke.*
None can live in the furnace blast which shrivels up group
after group of the desperate assailants. Red Cloud, who
saw this failure from a commanding crest, wondered, and
secretly chafed at the discomfiture of some of his most
dashing lieutenants.
But the success of his whole campaign depended upon
crushing this puny force — and that speedily. He deter-
mined to pour his entire band, on foot, down upon the
corral.
* Major Powell says one ball often penetrated two Indians.
3 1 6 RED-CLOUD'S " BAPTISM OF FIRE."
Lieutenant Jenness, leaving his wagon for a moment,
to perform some duty or other, exposed himself to the
enemy's fire and was instantly killed. The firing had been
so rapid that the barrels of the rifles became very hot, and
it was dif^cult to handle them. The poor shots among
the soldiers were set to work loading spare guns, and keep-
ing the marksmen supplied.
To make his second attack overwhelming, Red Cloud
had circled the corral with masses of Indians, preceded by
a swarm of sharpshooters, creeping forward, dodging be-
hind every stump or boulder, and hiding in the hollows,
firing upon the little garrison constantly. The grand charge
which followed is well described by Colonel Dodge, U. S. A.,
who afterwards had a talk with one of Red Cloud's sub-
chiefs, who was wounded in the fight.
" But now from the hills swarms a semicircle of warriors,
at least two thousand strong, under the leadership of the
gallant young nephew of Red Cloud, anxious to signal-
ize his valor, and to win the right to succeed his uncle
as sub-chief. When within about five hundred yards, the
order to charge was given, and the whole line dashed on to
the corral, to be, when they had almost touched it, hurled
back in confusion and dismay. Again and again did the
gallant band rally and charge, only to be again broken, dis-
comfited and driven back ; and it was only after ' three
continuous hours ' of almost superhuman effort against this
unseen, intangible foe, that the line became utterly demor-
alized, and fled in consternation to the hills.
" When the defeated horde had reached the safety of
the hills, they were ordered not to fight any more, but to
COUNTING THE SLAIN. 317
recover the bodies of the killed and wounded. A cloud of
skirmishers were sent out to cover this operation, with
orders to keep up a continuous fire. All the killed and
wounded nearest the hills were soon taken to the rear and
cared for, but to recover those nearer to the corral was ex-
ceedingly difficult and dangerous. Taking one end of a
long rope, formed by tying together many lariats, a warrior
ran out into the open as far as he dared, then throwing
himself on the ground and covering himself with a shield
of thick buffalo hide, he crawled to the nearest dead or
wounded man and fastened the rope around his ankles.
The men in the woods at the other end of the rope then
pulled on it, and dragged the man or body to a safe place.
The rescuing warrior then crawled backward, protected by
his shield."
TREMENDOUS SLAUGHTER.
One of the citizens who fought with Powell was a griz-
zled old trapper, who had spent his life on the frontier, and
been in Indian fights without number. Some months after
the battle, the department commander met and questioned
him.
" How many Indians were in the attack? " asked the Gen-
eral.
" Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say for sartin, but I think thur
wus nigh onto three thousand of 'em."
" How many were killed and wounded?"
'•" Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say for sartin, but I think thur wur
nigh onto two thousand ov 'em hit."
" How many did you kill?"
311
RED-CLOUD'S ''BAPTISM OF FIREr
" Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say, but gi'me a dead rest, I kin
hit a dollar at fifty yards every time, and I fired with a dead
rest at more'n fifty of them varmints inside of fifty yards."
"For Heaven's sake! how many times did you fire?"
exclaimed the astonished General.
" Wall, Gin'r'l, I can't say, but I kept eight guns pretty
well het up for mor'n three hours." *
Colonel Powell f writes (Sept. 20, 1886): " In one of the
charges on foot, the Indians came so close that the men,
not being able to load their pieces fast enough, tJircw the
migers (used to bore the loopholes) at the savages, who in
turn threw them at the soldiers. The tops of the wagon-
beds were riddled, and after the fight presented a very rag-
ged appearance, where the enemy's bullets had struck — for-
tunately, in most cases, above the heads of my men.
" I claim the credit of shooting Red Cloud's nephew dur-
ing the fight, which was over before the troops came from
the Fort to relieve us. We were very glad to see them,
however, as we were nearly exhausted, having been fighting
continuously from seven o'clock in the morning until three
in the afternoon."
The wounded Sioux chief, in the fall of the same year,
told Colonel Dodge, U. S. A., that the number of Indians
in the fight was over three thousand, and that a prominent
" medicine man " of the Sioux told him that the total loss
in killed and wounded, of Indians, was eleven hundred and
tJiirty-scvcn ; which would be at the rate of one white man
to two hundred and sixty-eight Indians !;{;
*" Our Wild Indians," by Col. R. I. Dodge. Hartford: A. D. Worthlngton & Co. 1882.
+ Major Powell was breveted Lieut. -Colonel V . S. A. for this fight.— [EundK.]
X The troops lost one officer, and two privates killed, and two private soldiers wounded.
THE MEDICINE FIGHT.
319
The Indians on the Plains, to this day, speak of this con-
flict as something mysterious and awful, and although they
have since learned to use breech-loading arms as skilfully as
white men, yet the Sioux and Cheyennes always speak of
the fight as the Medicine Fight, where the "Bad God"
fought against them.
/*,r^'' *
A FKIF.NI) INDKKU.
320
CAPTAIN CHARLES KING,
UNITED STATES ARMY.
TRAILING THE APACHES.
I. "A FRIEND INDEED."
SCARCELY any savages have more thoroughly resisted
every effort to civiHze them than the Apaches. These
Indians accept, rather sullenly, the beef and bread which
Uncle Sam periodically issues to them ; but when the first
green blade shows itself above the ground, the Apache paints
his face, leaves his tall hat and " store clothes " with his dusky
housekeeper, mounts one of his numerous ponies and sal-
lies forth. He carries the latest thing in breech-loaders, the
newest patent in cartridge belts, filled with bright copper
cartridges, and a pass from the agent certifying that " the
bearer, Victorio, is a good Indian." He proceeds leisurely
through the country, with a few boon companions, killing,
burning, and laying waste. They are pursued, but so famil-
321
322
TRAILIXG THE APACHES.
iar are they with the mountains that it is a long chase and
a stcr7i chase, indeed, before the last marauder is caught ;
and many a gallant soldier loses his life in the vain effort
to perform with one horse what the Indian does not at-
tempt without three of the toughest beasts known, or if
necessary does easily on foot. The latest instance of this
kind is the chase of old Geronimo's band in Arizona by that
gallant and lamented ofificer. Captain Crawford, of the Army.
By the fall of 1874, the Apache War in Arizona had
dwindled to small proportions. For nearly three years
General Crook had kept the entire Fifth Cavalry in scattered
detachments, scouting through the mountains and tracking
the renegades to their lairs. Fghting had been incessant,
the regiment had lost many a valuable officer and man, but
not a single fight, and when the summer of '74 was ushered
in, nearly all the once savage and hostile Apaches were hud-
dled together ; some on a reservation far up in the Verde
Valley, while others were similarly guarded at San Carlos,
two hundred miles by the mountain trails to the south-east.
The little garrison of Camp Verde consisted of two troops
of the Fifth Cavalry, " A " and " K," and two companies of
the Eighth Infantry, all under command of a veteran sol-
dier, Brevet Colonel J. W. Mason, Fifth Cavalry. Some
of the cavalry were still out on the inevitable scout in the
mountains, to the south-east, but all seemed peaceful around
the post.
Lieutenant King, of the Fifth Cavalry, was at work mak-
ing a survey of the military reservation, and was riding
along with his little party of rod-and-chain men one Octo-
ber afternoon, when they were startled by the appear-
THE ALARM.
323
ance of some herders coming toward them at full gallop
from the foot-hills. They brought the news that instead of
being all driven off to the south-east or into the Agency,
as was supposed, there was now a band of Apaches raiding
through the valley, far above them, and upon the very bor-
ders of the reservation. Taking two of the herdsmen with
him. Lieutenant King rode back to the post, where Colonel
Mason was speedily informed of the news. The first thing
necessary was to communicate with the commanding of^cer
at the Apache reservation, whose station was twenty miles
up the valley, and the Colonel directed Mr. King to take a
fresh horse, gallop to the Agency, confer with this officer,
who was also acting as Indian Agent, and get twenty
Apache scouts to accompany the troops, which the Colonel
purposed sending out that very night. Long before sun-
set, therefore, the Lieutenant was reining in his panting
horse before the shelter of the spreading canvas under
which his regimental comrade. Lieutenant Schuyler, was
324
rKAii.LXG nil-: A r ACHES.
busily at work writiiii; ilown the statements of some
of liis own " reservation police," who had come in to
rejxMl that the}', too, hail fcnnul the trail of tin- raiclin^;
haiul, who had driva^n off some fift\' head of cattle
throut;h the Red Rock country to the north-east.
Though some years his junior, Lieutenant Schuyler had
seen much more service against the Apaches than liis friend
and "statesman," Kini; (they were both New Workers),
for the latter hail been on other dut)' until the preceding
winter, and Schu)-ler had been selected to command this
big reservation because of his long experience among, and
intimate knowledge of. the Apaches. Both of them had
been in the field commanding scouting parties all that
Spring, however, and had been usually successful in find-
ing the Inciians for whom they were in chase. They were
warm personal friends and generous rivals. Here was
another opportunit)- for sharp, soldierly work, a chase, a
battle, the recapture of the stolen cattle and the thrashing
of the Indian marauders. Cieneral Crook was iiuick to
appreciate and reward zeal and dash in his young officers,
and both King and Schuyler had already been named by
him to the President for " brevets " for gallant conduct in
these conflicts in the Arizona nunintains. Neither of them
woidd stand in the other's wa)-, )-et each was eager for the
command of the force to be sent, as orders were given in
those days "to pursue and punish " the Indians in the case.
The moment Schuyler caught sight of King, he knew that
the story of the raid had ahead)' reacheil Camp WmiIc,
and that it was to be King's " benefit," not his. All the
same, he gave his cmiirade ever)' assistance, pointing out to
rKKPAK/XG TO MOVE. 325
him that so far from bciiii:^ a day old, as the herders had re-
ported, it must have been three days since the stock was
run off, and the i\paehes were b}^ this time well up tow-
ards Snow Lake on the " divide " of the Mogollon. King
asked for some of the scouts he had had with him in May
and June, but, as bad luck would have it, they were all out
with other commands, down toward the Tonto Basin to
the south-east. Schuyler had nothing to give him but
some Ai)ache-Yunias, whom King had never seen, and even
they were out somewhere on the reservation, and would
have to be hunted up. At sunset, therefore, King re-
mounted, and with a parting shake of the hand and " Good
luck to you, Old Man," from his brother lieutenant, hurried
back to Verde, pondering over in his niintl all that Schuyler
had told him cibout the probable course taken by the In-
dians, and the best way to nab them.
PRErARINC; FOR THE SCOUT.
Reaching Verde he found that orders were already issued
by Colonel Mason. Lieutenants King and Eaton, T'ifth
Cavalry, with twenty men of troops " K " and " A," and
a like number of Indian scouts were directed to push out
at dawn, go north-eastward, find the trail, " pursue and
punish the Indians." King hatl a few moments' chat with
his colonel over what Schuyler had told him, and then went
off to see the veteran packer, Harry Ilawes, who was to go
with the mule train. It was estimated they might be gone
ten or twelve days, and already the men were drawing from
the commissar)' store-house their supplies of bacon, flour,
coffee, sugar ami " hard-tack," while from the ordnance of-
326
TRAILING THE AT ACHES.
fice were lifted out two solid, heavy little boxes, painted a
dark olive green and labelled, " looo Rounds — Springfield
Carbine Ball Cartridge — Calibre 45." There was no telling
how much of that sort of thing they would need in addition
to the supply each officer and man carried on his person in
the handy " thimble belt." Lieutenant Eaton was quarter-
master of the post at the time, and ordinarily would not be
detailed for such duty as scouting, but here was a chance
of finding the Indians close at hand, and having the fight
over and done with in less than a week, so he wanted to go,
and received the Colonel's permission.
Busily at work among the soldiers was an Irish sergeant,
between whom and the cavalry of^cers, and even men, there
was a deep respect and esteem. He bore the name of
Bernard Taylor, was called "Barney" by the troopers
when off duty, but respectfully addressed as " Sergeant " at
all other times. Both King and Eaton knew him well. He
had been in many a scout and skirmish with the regiment,
and was hailed as a daring, resolute, intelligent man, and a
non-commissioned officer of high merit. He had not waited
for Lieutenant King's return from his forty-mile ride, but
had everything in readiness to report to him on his arrival.
The horses had been carefully inspected, and both they and
the mules were re-shod where the shoes were worn to any
extent. This is an imperative precaution over the Arizona
mountain trails — there is no rougher country in the world.
By ten P.M. everything was ready but the scouts. They
had not appeared, and as the lieutenant knew he would
have no great difficulty in overtaking the Indians during
the week, burdened as they were by slow-moving cattle and
SUSPICIOUS ALLIES. 327
compelled to follow the beaten trails, he was well content
with the Colonel's orders to let the men have a few hours'
sleep before starting. It was his purpose to push up
Beaver Creek in the dark, and scale the mountains from its
head-waters, hiding in the canons by day and continuing on
the chase at night, so that his coming would be unperceived
even by the wariest of Apache eyes. Late at night the
Apache-Yumas came riding down from the reservation, and
reported to Lieutenant King at his quarters. He and Eaton
looked them over by lantern light and shook their heads.
" No good," said Eaton. There were fifteen of them, under
the leadership of a couple of petty chiefs. An interpreter
came who said that Lieutenant Schuyler wanted the horses
returned at once. They had only been lent to hurry them
down. No mountain Apaches ever did their scouting ex-
cept on foot, and the first thing these fellows did was to de-
mand that the horses be kept for their benefit. Being re-
fused, they began to grumble and then to demand supper,
and were finally marched off to the command in a sullen
mood.
"I'll bet a hat," said Sergeant Taylor, as he watched
them talking in low tones among themselves, " those beg-
gars know just who the renegades are and don't want to go
and help find them."
At the first gray of dawn the little command was ready
to start.
FRONTIER UNIFORM.
Let us inspect these frontier soldiers. We look in vain,
with our civilized eyes, for the " pomp and circumstance "
^2^ TKAIUXG 77//-: APACHES.
which one associates with a "regular" in the East — at
Washington or New York. Where are the pkunes and
pipe-chiy? where the dazzling brasses and the faultless cut
of the company tailor? A search in the men's lockers
would doubtless reveal them, snugly packed away for the
next garrison duty. But here another garb, a combination
of experience and the old-clothes' bag, is the correct thing.
We may perhaps except the detachment commander. His
clothes are not shabby ; and he can't help being neat, even
when on a "scout." From the top of his low-crowned,
feather-weight, drab, felt hat to the dark-blue flannel shirt,
fastened at the neck with a knotted silk handkerchief, and
the small soft gauntlet which he twirls restlessly in one
hand, the artist as well as the campaigner stands out ; he of
all the party wears closely-fitting cavalry breeches, boots,
spurs, and a cartridge-belt well filled ; an " ofificer's rifle "
completes a picturesque and useful outfit.
Standing by his horse, a little apart from the men, is
an admirable specimen of the Irish-American soldier. Of
medium stature, very powerfully built, with a frank, bronzed
face, bright blue eyes and close-cut auburn hair and mus-
tache (marked in the descriptive list as "sandy "), Sergeant
Bernard Taylor of the Fifth Horse would at a glance be
picked out as one of the best men in the party. His cos-
tume, although hardly as natty as that of his superior, is
not less adapted to the nature of the service. A gray felt
sombrero, with upturned brim, is clapped well down on his
head, with a gentle inclination over the right eyebrow; a
faded lead-colored flannel shirt, open at the neck, gives a
glimpse of a red undershirt ; a plains-man's home-made
SERGEAAT TAYLOR'S OUTFIT.
329
cartridge-belt, bristling with metallic ammunition, encircles
his waist, with a revolver on one side, balanced on the
other by a keen-bladed hunting-knife ; buckskin breeches,
and well-greased cowhide boots, with huge rowclled Mexi-
can spurs, make up the Sergeant's equipment. The short-
limbed, compactly-built, California horse, standing quietly
at his elbow, looks fit for any emergency, and has more than
once shown a clean pair of heels to the enemy, when discre-
tion on his rider's part has been the better part of valor ;
the McClellan saddle, stripped of every ounce of unneces-
sary leather, and planted well forward on the neatly folded
blanket, the snug sack of barley, like a small section of
stove-pipe resting behind the cantle of the saddle, the
extra girth, — all these are signs that mean business.
The rest are more or less similarly accoutred. Hardly a
forage cap, not a sabre, nor a letter or number to tell to
what particular regiment of Uncle Sam's retainers these
bandit-like horsemen belong.
Fording the Verde, they pushed rapidly up the valley
of Beaver Creek, and at night were dragging their horses
after them in a tough foot-climb up the jagged steeps of
the Mogollon. Long before midnight the Indians, who
ought to have served as guides, had dropped hopelessly
behind. "Tired out," they said, and yet, when they want
to, any one of them can out-last the stoutest mountaineer
on a tramp. King, Eaton and Sergeant Taylor led the
way up the heights or down through the dark ravines,
guided only by the stars, and when dawn of the second
day arrived they halted, tired and foot-sore, far up in
the range, and, they believed, undetected.
17
330 TRAILING THE APACHES.
One thing had occurred to confirm the suspicions of
Sergeant Taylor. Climbing up out of a deep gorge they
came, just before daybreak, to a point from which they
could see the range, far away northward, and there, stand-
ing boldly out among the eastern cliffs of the reservation,
casting its glare miles to the eastward, but hidden from the
west, was a huge signal fire, a warning to the enemy that
the soldiers were coming. King sent back to the rear for
his scouts and silently pointed to the distant blaze as they
were finally huddled before him. One and all they denied
all knowledge of it, but declared they could not keep up —
" Soldiers go too fast." Warned that the first one caught
at anything that might betray the presence of the com-
mand would be summarily shot, they were herded down to
the next ravine, where the day was spent in resting in con-
cealment.
The next night the command marched rapidly through
a wild and beautiful table-land, far up in the mountains,
among pine, juniper and scrub oak. Here nothing could
keep the Indians along with the column. Two of them
swore they were sick, and both the officers felt certain that
they knew the troops were rapidly nearing the position of
the " hostiles," and dared not be with them. One of them
was so cold and abject an object that the Lieutenant or-
dered him to mount a spare mule. He did so, fell asleep,
rolled off and nearly cracked his skull. Eaton picked him
up, unconscious, and plastered the crack as well as he could
by starlight, and then, leaving the Indian in charge of two
of his demoralizxd comrades, the little column pushed
ahead. When they reached the banks of Snow Lake, far
A HOT TRAIL.
331
up on the plateau, only nine of the scouts were left. Two
had deserted and gone no one knew whither.
The actions of the entire gang were so unlike those of
all the other scouts with whom the two officers had dealt
in the past that they became thoroughly distrustful of
them. They kept protesting to Lieutenant King that no
Apaches could be in the vicinity, but their very volubility
convinced him they were lying, and excited his wrath. It
had grown sharply cold so far up among the mountains, that
the water froze in the canteens at night, and the Indians
complained bitterly of the hardships. But on the dawn
of October 31, King and Sergeant Taylor, scouting out
in front, came upon recent Apache signs in the sand of a
little gully ; more than that, they were soon on the track of
the captured cattle. That very evening, down in a broad
depression, they came in sight of the chase, and, leaving
their skulking allies to look out for themselves, the little
troop rode headlong down the slopes, and while some
"rounded up" the frightened cattle, King, Eaton and
most of the men rushed on in pursuit of the Apaches, who
had scattered into the hills. Darkness put an end to that,
however, and they had to wait until the scouts came up.
Leaving a guard with the cattle, King and his men
again set forth about nine P.M., and found themselves,
about one in the morning, in the defile known as Sunset
Pass, where they bivouacked for the night. Their orders
were to " pursue and punish." They had pursued, but up
to this moment had inflicted no punishment. Both officers
were confident that they would find the Apaches lurking
in the mountains north or south of the Pass, and were de-
^^■^2 TRAILING THE APACHES.
termined to have it out with them ; but the scouts pro-
tested that as soon as it was dark the Tontos must have
doubled on their track and gone back towards Snow Lake.
At dawn, King ordered them out to search the neighbor-
hood for signs. They were in a rocky ravine, through
which there trickled a tiny stream that formed little pools
here and there, from which they watered their horses.
South rose a rugged mountain, covered with tangled shrub-
bery and boulders. Northward lay another, and between
them curled and twisted the old trail leading to the Sunset
Crossing of the Colorado Chiquito, twenty miles away.
The Indians sullenly obeyed, but huddled nervelessly to-
gether, making only faint pretence of search, and inces-
santly protesting, " No Tonto here."
" THICK AS LEAVES."
Suddenly there came a shout from down the ravine.
Some of the men, in hunting about, had come finally on
a pool with sandy shores, and there, thick as leaves,
were the fresh prints of Tonto moccasons. The scouts
were fairly driven to the spot by the ofificers, and con-
fronted with the evidences of their worthlessness. Then
came the hurried consultations. It was evident that after
filling their water-vessels the Tontos had taken to the
mountains, south of the Pass, and King determined to fol-
low at once. Eaton, with the main body, was ordered to
remain a short distance in rear, while the commander, with
Sergeant Taylor, should force the scouts ahead and find
the trail up the rocky slopes. White men could not do it
unaided, and there were a dozen ways in which the Indians
"HEAT TONTO SIGN." 333
might have gone. Damnhig them for their cowardice and
treachery, King warned the scouts that they might expect a
shot from cither himself or Taylor if they lied again, or-
dered them out in dispersed line across the slope, and then,
pointing upward, gave the word " Ugashe " (go ahead),
and he and Taylor followed at their heels.
The ardent officer soon found himself and the Sergeant
far in advance of the more slowly moving detachment. In
a few minutes both stood upon a great flat rock, jutting
out from the precipice, and covered with huge boulders,
relics of some early upheaval ; above them, the great cliff
reared its forbidding front, black and seamed with the'
storms of ages ; below, the mountain side fell away in
mingled forest and ravine and rushing torrent.
Looking around for some outlet to the spot, for he was
convinced the hostiles were lurking near, the Lieutenant
sent the Sergeant in one direction, while he cautiously glided
into the underbrush in an attempt to flank the position. A
moment later something whizzed by his head and buried
itself deep in a tree. He had found the hornet's nest ! In
another moment he felt a sharp burning sensation as an-
other dart, better aimed, cut through the muscles at the
outer corner of his left eye and flew down toward the cow-
ardly scouts, who, at the sound of the first arrow, had taken
to their heels.
A hornet's nest.
To jump behind a convenient rock was but the work of a
moment for the bleeding but not seriously injured officer.
With carbine at " ready," he eagerly watched for the game.
334 TRAILING THE APACHES.
He had not long to wait. Another arrow sped by his head
from the left, and like lightning his rifle was at his shoulder;
a sharp report followed, and one of two dark forms crouch-
ing in his front dropped out of sight. Ere he could reload,
a volley came from the same direction, his carbine dropped
from his hand, and his right arm, pierced by a bullet, hung
nerveless by his side, while down the wounded limb the
warm life-blood poured.
In such situations men must think quickly. He must
run for it. Could he hold out until he reached his men,
whom he knew were even then springing forward to his
relief? All this passed through the gallant fellow's mind
in a second. In another he was springing down the side of
the hill with the yelling red devils after him, but moving
more slowly, as they did not expect any friends in that
direction.
The breathless and fast weakening soldier hardly needs the
obstruction of a tough, clinging vine to send him headlong
eight or ten feet down, where, bruised and nearly senseless,
he lies. But one thought is uppermost. They shall not
take him alive without another shot. He fumbles for his
revolver and — what is that ? Upon his ear comes a familiar
sound. It is the Sergeant calling his name. " Lieutenant I
Lieutenant ! ivhere are ye ? "
''Here I Sergeant," faintly replies the wounded man.
The Sergeant took in the situation at a glance. In a mo-
ment he had picked up his officer (who held on with one arm
round the soldier's neck) and was getting over the ground
in true mountaineer fashion.
When King fell, the Apaches for a few moments lost his
SAVING HIS OFFICER'S IIFE. 335
trail, but now they came tearing after the fugitives. Every
few yards Sergeant Taylor would stop and send a reminder
from his carbine that Ids arms were all right, and twice a
Tonto measured his length on the rocks. But the gallant
Irishman was getting winded, and King, fearing that both
would lose their lives, urged, implored, ORDERED his com-
panion to leave him and save himself.
But the Sergeant was not that sort of man ! To leave
any white human being — much less the officer whom he
loved and respected — to the mercy of those howling fiends
was not to be thought of for an instant. He knew what
that meant, — death by torture, with which the cruelties of
the Spanish Inquisition pale by contrast. The shots now
came more frequently, they came closer, and arrows mingled
with the leaden shower.
At last, just as Sergeant Taylor's strength has nearly
given out with the weight and the pace, sounds of crashing
bushes and excited voices are heard, and —
" Here come the boys, sir ! " is the welcome shout which
rings in the Lieutenant's ear as he loses consciousness.
In a quarter of an hour the affair is over. Several of the
Apaches have gone to the happy hunting-grounds of their
people, and the command is resting in a picturesque nook.
Lieutenant King's wound is not beyond the rough surgery
of old campaigners, of whom there are not a few in the
command. Fortunately, the ball had avoided the arteries
and the bones. Cold-water applications, careful bandaging,
some strong coffee, and as soft a bed of blankets as could
be made, went far towards bracing the disabled cavalryman
for the ride back to his post. And although suffering
TRAILIXG THE APACHES.
much, the first thhig he did upon his arrival was to dictate
an official report, in which Sergeant Taylor's conduct came
in for conspicuous mention and recommendation to the
military authorities. None realized better than the Lieu-
tenant that, but for Taylor's pluck and perseverance, to
some other pen would have fallen this professional duty.
It was for this act of daring and devotion that Sergeant
Bernard Taylor was named for and awarded the Medal
of Honor, and in the skirmish up the height Corporal
Bryan Smith and Private Frank Biffar were named for
conspicuous conduct.
Taylor was a typical Irishman, brave, intelligent, full of
high spirit and pride in his regiment.
He was a fine rider, a quick shot, a gallant and enthusias-
tic trooper, and never more thoroughly in his element than
in the rough mountain scouting, in which the Fifth spent
so many stirring years. Poor fellow ! he lived only a few
DECORATED A AD DESERVING.
337
brief months, and died at Verde, just before the regiment
started on its homeward niarcli.
SERGEANT JOHN NIHILL,
FIFTH U. S. ARTILLERY.
ir. THREE TO ONE.
Frequentl}' the force sent after the hostile Indians is
small, but that it gains in quality what it lacks in quantity
appears from the story of Private JOHN NiHILL, "F," 5th
U. S. Cavalry, a soldier who won a Medal of Honor for his
good conduct in the Whetstone Mountains, Arizona, July
13, 1872, and upon other occasions.
He has since become a sergeant in Batter}' " B," 5th U.
,€^s;il|| IJ,
S"^ S"*j^ §\?' .
1^ I ^■^l>
JJ^
SERGE AiV'J' XIHILL 'S ADVEN7VRE. 339
S. Artillery, and at the Editor's request gives the follow-
ing account of one of his adventures :*
" During the Summer of 1872, the troop to which I then
belonged (' F,'_ Fifth Cavalry) was stationed at Camp
Crittenden, A. T,, which at that time was the most ex-
treme Southern post in Arizona. The post was situated
at the base of the Santa Rita Mountains, which at that
time was a favorite resort of the Chiricahua Apaches, in
their raids through Southern Arizona.
"In the Summer of 1872, the Apaches committed more
depredations in the vicinity of Camp Crittenden than in
any other part of the territory, and we were poorly pre-
pared to return the compliment, having only the one troop
at the post, three-fourths of whom were sick with chills and
fever, and unable to perform any duties, so that a sufificient
force could not be sent out against them, to punish them in
their favorite haunts. Still, Lieutenant Hall, the post com-
mander, did all that possibly could be done, under the cir-
cumstances, to afford protection to the settlers in the vi-
cinity of the post.
" Indian alarms were daily occurrences, so that it was noth-
ing new, when, on the morning of July 13, 1872, a Mexican
ranchman, who lived about two miles from the post, came
in at daylight and reported that during the night a party
* Medals won bv Sergeant John Nihill, " B," 5th U. S. Artillery. {See Portrait.)
The medals on the right and left, respectively, of the Medal of Honor are -, with his troop, pro-
ceeded to the buffalo wallow. Poor Smith was buried,
and the wounded, mounted on horses, were taken to the
supply train, which, as had been ascertained, was camped
on the Washita. Those were stirring- times that followed,
for the great Indi.m war. begun under warm summer skies,
was terminated onl)- the next Spring. M.\n\- gallant
deeds were done, but as the men would gather round the
camp-fire the long and cold winter nights, they heard no
nobler story than that of the dead Smith and the survivors
of the fight on the Washita.
That celebrated Indian fighter. General Miles. U. S.
Army, made a special report of this atlair to the War
Department, from which we make the following extract.
Upon his recommendation the Medal of Honor was
awarded to each sur\i\'or.
■• I deem it but a dut\- to bra\-e men and faithful sol-
diers, to bring to the notice of the highest military
authority an instance of indomitable courage, skill, and
true heroism on the part of a detachment from this com-
mand, with the request that the actors be rewarded, and
their faithfulness and bra\ ery recognized b}* pensions.
364 A SPARTAN BAND.
medals of honor, or in such way as may be deemed most
fitting. . . .
" Although enclosed on all sides, and by overwhelming
numbers, one of them succeeded, while they were under a
severe fire at short range, and while the others with their
rifles were keeping the Indians at bay, in digging with his
knife and hands a slight cover. After this had been
secured^ they placed themselves within it ; the wounded
walking with brave and painful efforts, and Private Smith,
though he had received a mortal wound, sitting upright
within the trench, to conceal the crippled condition of their
party from the Indians.
" From early morning till dark, outnumbered, twenty-five
to one, under an almost constant fire, and at such short
range that they sometimes used their pistols, retaining the
last charge to prevent capture and torture, this little party
of five defended their lives and the person of their dying-
comrade ; without food, and their only drink the rain-water
that collected in a pool mingled with their own blood.
There is no doubt but that they killed more than double
their number, besides those that were wounded. The ex-
posure and distance from the command, which were nec-
essarily incidents of their duty, were such that for thirty-
six hours from the first attack their condition could not be
known. . . .
" The simple recital of their deeds and the mention of the
odds against which they fought ; how the wounded de-
fended the dying, and the dying aided the wounded by
exposure to fresh wounds after the power of action was
gone, these alone present a scene of cool courage, heroism.
SERGEANT KITCHEN'S ADVENTURE.
365
and self-sacrifice, which duty as well as inclination prompt
us to recognize, but which we cannot fitly honor."
II. AN AFFAIR WITH THE COMANCHES.
Another episode of General Miles' campaign in Texas, in
1874, is described by a wearer of the Medal of Honor —
First Sergeant GEORGE K. KITCHEN,* Troop " I," 5th U.
S. Cavalry :
"On the morning of the 9th September, 1874, Captain
VVyllis Lyman, 5th Infantry, with ' I ' Co. of that regi-
ment, and a detail of twenty cavalrymen, including myself,
of Troops 'A,' 'H,' 'I,' and ' M,' 6th U. S. Cavalry,
left Commission Creek, Ind. Ten, to escort a wagon train
of supplies destined for the command of General Miles,
on the headwaters of the Red River, Texas. The General
was at that time engaged in suppressing a rising of the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes,
" We pulled out from Commission Creek at 7 o'clock A.M.,
and crossed the Canadian River at 8.30 A.M. When about
two miles from the river, and about 9 o'clock, we were sud-
denly attacked by a large band of hostiles.
" The train, consisting of 24 six-mule teams, was formed in
two columns. The infantry formed line on each side of the
* George K. Kitchen enlisted at Harrisburg, July 21, 1870 ; assigned to Co. " H," 6th
U. S. Cavalry ; Corporal, April 2, 1872 ; Sergeant, May 2, 1872 ; Medal of Honor for
action lasting Sept. gth to Sept. 14th, 1874. Participated in an engagement with Indians
under Lieut. Henely, 6th Cavalry, on Sappe Creek, Kansas, April, 1875.
Re-enlisted July 21, 1875, Troop " F," 5th Cavalry; Corporal same date; Sergeant,
May 7, 1877.
Re-enlistcd Troop " I," 5th Cavalry, July 21, 1880. Sergeant to date from May 7, 1877 ;
ist Sergeant July 22, 1880. Discharged as ist Sergeant July 20, 1885. Character, " A most
excellent non-commissioned officer, and thoroughly trustworthy and reliable man."
Re-c)ilisted Troop " I," 5th Cavalry, July 21, 18S5. Re-appointed ist Sergeant same
date, with continuous rank.
-66 A SPAKTAiV BAiVD.
train, and the cavalry detail, by repeated charges, strove to
keep the Indians at a distance.
" In this fashion the command travelled on, fighting as
we went, until we arrived at the sand hills, about one mile
from the Washita River, Texas. At this point, after a
short lull in the running fight, the Indians concentrated
their entire force, and made a vigorous and united charge
on the train. We afterwards learned their strength to be
between seven and eight hundred warriors. This charge
was repulsed after a hard fight, the Indians coming to
within 50 yards of the train, and repeatedly attempting,
after being beaten off, to overwhelm the troops by dint of
superior numbers.
" The wagons were then, as it was impossible to advance,
put 'into park' as rapidly as possible, forming in an egg
shape. The infantry were thrown out on a skirmish line
round the hastily formed corral, some 25 yards from the
wagons. When this movement was completed, the little
band of cavalry found themselves, at the end of some hard
fighting, about 500 yards away from the skirmish line, and
surrounded by the enemy. To regain their comrades of
the 5th Infantry the\^ had to charge through a mass of
Indians, who concentrated themselves between them and
the wagons. This was successfully done.*
"On reaching the 'park' we secured our horses inside
the enclosure, and were then ordered out on the skirmish
line.
* About this time a trooper's horse was killed under him. Sergeant Kitchen halted
and picked up the dismounted man behind him, and managed, under a heavy tire, to carry
him off unhurt to the shelter of the corral.— [Editor.]
INDIAN TACTICS.
Z^7
"The hostiles now divided, and about four hundred of
them at this time made two unsuccessful charges on the
right rear of the corral, defended by about one-half of the
command. These charges were made in column of pla-
toons, and the alignment was as precise and well main-
tained as regular troops could do it. Each time they
came up to within 40 yards of the line in admirable order,
and only the perfect steadiness and continuous, well-direct-
ed, firing of our troops prevented this well conceived and
daringly executed movement from being successful.
" Our heavy firing, however, at last succeeded in repelling
them in confusion from the very muzzles of our guns.
" The enemy then, unsuccessful in storming us, took up
position on the numerous sand hills around, some as far
away as four hundred yards, others at about only two hun-
dred yards, surrounding us by a complete circle. As we
lay beneath them we were exposed to a severe and vexatious
fire from all points, and our return fire was comparatively
harmless. When darkness arrived, we were divided up
into squads, and orders were given to dig rifle-pits, from
twenty to thirty yards distant, around the corral. The en-
emy followed our example and were occupied in intrench-
ing themselves on the sand hills they held during the day.
Their object now appeared to be to starve us out, as they
knew we had no means of quenching our thirst. The
Washita was one mile away, and the one water-hole near us
had been inaccessible during the day, and our repeated
attempts to get at it, at night, proved futile. Several details
tried to reach the water, but the Indians placed a strong guard
around it, and their fire was too well-directed to allow of
our men getting near. They Avould permit us to get within
fifty yards of the hole, in fancied securit}-, before opening-
on us, and then poured in their fire in a way which balked
every effort of ours to reach the desired spot. In the mean
time, a desultory fire was kept up by them from all sides
of us.
" Next day this fire became regular and continuous, and
was returned by us from the rifle-pits. The Indians per-
formed some prodigies of horsemanship in full sight of us
and in the most daring way, right before our fire, offering
themselves in the most reckless way as targets for our fire.
When we learned afterwards that Comanches were amongst
our foes, we understood the cause of these freaks ; these
Indians being generally reckoned amongst the finest horse-
men in the world, as they are perhaps the most showy,
reckless and daring. One at least of every three of these
foolhardy * braves ' was picked off b}- the marksmen of our
little command, but this did not in the least pre\'ent one of
his comrades from at once taking his place, after the dead
body of the first had been carried off. This was done
always by two Indians, riding at full gallop, one on each
side of the dead man, who was picked up by them without
their making the slightest halt, and dragged into shelter.
'* When we first went into corral there was but a very
little water amongst the command, and this was saved for
the use of the wounded. From the 9th to the morning of
the 14th of September, no one, except our wounded, had
one drop of water. On the third day. when driven almost
to despair by the torments of thirst, some men opened a
barrel of vinegar, and undertook to drink it when sweetened
PERIL AND PRIVATION.
169
somewhat by sugar. It was with difficulty that they were
prevented from swallowing too much of the mixture. One
of the ten men whom I had in my rifle-pit drank, in spite
of my efforts to prevent any excess, so much of this drink
that he became delirious and very violent. We had to
tie him hand and foot to keep him inside the pit ; he
frothed at the mouth, bit and fought, and exhibited
every token of insanity. It was two days before he re-
covered from the effects.
"The fighting, until the night of the 13th of September,
was continued in the same way, we staying in our rifle-pits,
exhausted by heat and thirst, and returning as best we
could the fire of the Indians, who remained in possession of
their sand hills.
" On the morning of the 14th we saw, with relief, the
whole band of Indians pull out and move South. If we
had had water we could have lasted a long time. Without
it we could not have stood the siege for many more days.
" All our wounded got their hurts on the first day, except
one trooper, who received a severe scalp wound on the last
day. Lieutenant Lewis, 5th Infantry, was wounded in the
knee, and afterwards, I heard, he had his leg amputated.
We buried one sergeant, of ' I ' Co., inside the corral. The
assistant wagon-master was wounded, and died two days
afterwards. Him, too, we laid beside the soldier in the
corral, with brief but impressive ceremony.
" One-third of the horses were killed, and about one-half
of the mules. When we started again on our march, on
the morning of the 15th, having remained one day to
'straighten up,' a few of the wagons had four mules to
370
A SPAKTAN BAND.
draw them, out of their original six ; the rest had only
two
" Captain Lyman, about a week after the action, went
over the ground, and in one ravine counted forty fresh
mounds, graves of the Indians slain, but their loss in fatally
wounded and disabled must have been much more.
" The weather was throughout very hot, and the nights
pitch dark.
*' We were met on the Washita River by General Miles
and his command, and went into camp for a few days to
'recuperate.' The rumor of this command's arrival near
the scene of action had alarmed our opponents and been
the cause of their sudden flight. We now learned that
they were composed of Comanches and Kiowas united, who
had left their reservation, on the war-path. After the
fight with us they moved back, disheartened, we supposed,
at their severe loss and failure to gain any plunder. At any
rate, they kept within their bounds the rest of that year.
*• During the fight, the stench from the dead animals, our
own and the Indian ponies, was very horrible, and added
much to the discomfort of the men, and the danger of sick-
ness.
"■ On the third night we were corralled, the First Sergeant
of the infantry company came to me and asked how long
we could stand this. I thought then perhaps the best
plan would be to fight our way through to the river, but
this would entail the loss of the wagon-train. The First
Sergeant (Mitchell, now ordnance sergeant at Fort Assina-
boine) suggested we should fire the train to keep the
Indians from getting it, and fight our way off by its
'' FOR GALLANT conduct:' .y^
light. These suggestions, made at the time, show that,
at one time, we felt little hope of the Indians raising
the siege, or of our being relieved in reasonable time."*
* For conspicuous good conduct in the above affair, General Miles recommended the
following enlisted men of the 5th Infantry for Medals of Honor, viz. ■ First Sergeant
Mitchell, Sergeant William DeArmonu, Sergeant F". H. Hay ; Corporals T. H Kti lv
John T. W. Knox, and T. Tames ; privates Thomas Kelly and William Koelpin
(now Battery F, 5th Artillery).
On May 18, 1875, the medals were awarded by the Honorable Secretary of War, and for-
warded to headquarters 5th Infantry, where they were distributed on July 28, 1875.
372
PRIVATE WILLIAM EVANS,
SEVENTH U. S. INFA.NTKV
A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
HAVE you ever thought what a sensation it would make
if a detachment of United States Infantry and Cav-
alry, made up of men suddenly taken from the duty of the
moment, were to appear on that busy thoroughfare, Broad-
way, to illustrate in panoramic fashion the Army as it is on
the frontier? To nine-tenths of the people the nature of
our military service on the far-away prairies, or at the foot
of the rugged " Rockies," could in no other way be so dis-
tinctly set forth.
We will take our places on the steps of the Fifth Avenue
Hotel and note the features of the procession.
A post commander at the head of the column : fortu-
nately for him, he has been making his daily informal in-
spection of the post and vicinity and is mounted ; he is
nearing the retiring age, but is well preserved, rotund and
?>7^
374 A SOI.DIER-SCOC'T'S STOJ^y.
bald, with stiff Rebellion l^urnsidc to crown his florid face.
His uniform is a simple blouse, fastened by one button,
soldier's blue trousers, and gaiters ; as a conservative field-
ofificer of infantry, he substitutes a light switch for spurs,
to the evident satisfaction of his well-fed cob, which ambles
quietly along.
The commanding officer's orderly closely follows. A
cavalry soldier this, in natty clothing and spotless side-
arms ; the horse, groomed like a looking-glass, suffers him-
self to be curbed behind his more staid brother of " the
foot," but evidently longs for a gallop.
With a free stride, but " route-step," a body of bronzed,
athletic men approaches : the fact that they are soldiers
cannot be concealed by a grotesque and unfamiliar dress;
there are trousers of blue, tattered and torn, bound below
the knee with strips of bagging, or turned up at the bot-
toms, or pushed into the tops of cowhide boots ; there are
shirts of all colors, open at the neck some of them, or
with sleeves rolled to the elbow ; hats and caps of varied
ages and patterns. Each man carries a spade or an axe or
an adze or a sledge-hammer or a saw ; this is not a gang of
laborers, nor is it a working party of military prisoners, but
simply Company " L," of the — th Infantry, returning from
its daily task of building quarters at the new post of Fort
Barker. All drills have been suspended, and the necessary
guard duty and roll-calls and Sunday-morning inspections
are the only military duties performed by these soldiers
for the last three months. Although " Uncle Sam is
rich enough to buy us all a farm," he has frequent fits of
false economy of this kind.
OUR ARMY ON 27IE FRONTIER. 375
And now there comes to our ears the sharp flint-and-
stcel " click " of horses' shoes on the stony street. Four-
score cavaliers in plainsmen's garb of buckskin, mingled
with a dash of cavalry light-blue and yellow, with soft felt
sombreros and boots to the knee, pass in review before the
wondering tax-payer. The spare, soldierly man at the head
of the column carries upon his body the scars of conflict on
the Chicahominy ; the solid little captain near the rear of
the column has a name borne by three generations of
American soldiers ; there are other distinguished ofTficers,
so disguised by this bandit-like but most comfortable field-
dress, that none but their men or intimate friends can rec-
ognize them. These troops are a part of the ■ — th U. S.
Cavalry, just starting on a campaign against the Sioux ;
when they come marching home again, their ranks will be
somewhat thinner, their horses jaded and weary, but their
task will have been done and well done.
In rear of the cavalry come the " packs," patient little
long-eared creatures, trained to carry burdens larger in bulk
than themselves, and to follow with sure-footed sagacity
the leader, whose tinkling bell is their guide.
"Who are these in bright array?" * Sixty rnounted men
in helmets with waving yellow plumes, buttoned, booted
and spurred, with bright sabres, bronzed carbines, sitting
like centaurs the snorting, curvetting chargers that spurn
the roadway with an impatience due to idleness and oats.
It is Troop " K," of the same regiment of cavalry w'hose
curious outfit we have just noted. This troop has been
left behind in garrison, and has been taking part in a pa-
rade of ceremony.
376 A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
Three ambulances succeed the horsemen. Each is
drawn by four nimble mules. The curtains are rolled up,
and we can note the faces of the passengers. They are
clad in furs, although it is not cold. They represent the
survivors of three Arctic expeditions, and almost without
exception they are from the cavalry and infantry — officers
and men ; a mere handful of brave spirits, nerved and
trained for world-wide exploration by their army service on
the Plains.
If the reader can imagine this Broadway spectacle, per-
haps he may follow us to the great North-west, where, amid
storm and wind and deep snow, a little party of cavalry is
returning from a scout.*
The thermometer registers 42° below ; the driving sleet,
and the breath from mouth and nostrils, freezing upon
mustache and beard and eyes, forms a solid mask of ice
upon the faces of the blinded, perishing men ; far back,
like a broad red ribbon, stretches the bloody trail, where the
horses' feet have broken through the sharp crust of the
snow-drift, and the exhausted animals suffer themselves to
be urged into a barely perceptible motion by their half-
conscious and dismounted riders ; some of whom would
fain yield to a deadly languor, from which they can only
be roused by flat of sabre well laid on. The column is
steered by a compass in the hands of the leading man.
Left to themselves, these soldiers would never reach an
earthly destination, but with a resolute, experienced com-
mander, and a habit of discipline and obedience to orders,
the detachment will, ere many hours, reach the shelter of a
* See engraving facing chapter.
SKIRMISHERS OF CIFILIZATION. 377
cattle ranch, where they may be sure of a warm and friendly
welcome.
But there are other uses for the Army than to hunt the
warlike Sioux or the treacherous Apache. Our friend the
reader may see, as with the eye of a bird, the little encamp-
ments of a few tents each, scattered all over the public
domain west of the Missouri and south of the British pos-
sessions in North America. These are the bivouacs of
military geographers, geologists, meteorologists, telegraph
linesmen, and others ; they are the skirmishers of civilization,
the outposts of settlement, the harbingers of Peace, and
yet they are fitted out from the Department of War.
But this is a long digression from the title of this chapter,
which has to do with a phase of army life not yet touched
upon. It is the narrative of a soldier — Private WiLLIAM
Evans,* 7th U. S. Infantry — who won the Medal of Honor
in gallant and important, if bloodless, service : twice taking
" his life in his hand " as a bearer of despatches. The nat-
ure of this service is set forth in the following document :
" Headquarters Department of Dakota.
" In the Field Camp at mouth of Big Horn River, July 26, 1876.
" General Field-Orders,
"No. 5.
" The Department Commander has recently had urgent occasion to communi-
cate from this camp with Brigadier-General Crook, commanding a force en-
camped on the headwaters of Powder River. The duty of carrying despatches
between those points, through a country occupied by a large force of hostile
Sioux, was of the most arduous and perilous nature. A scout, inspired by the
* Enlisted at St. Louis, April 26, 1S75 ; assigned to " E," 7th U. S. Inf. ; enlisted Camp
Baker, M. T. (Co. D), Nov. 2, 1878 ; re-enlisted Nov. 2, 1883. Corporal Nov. 30, 1880. Hon-
orably mentioned in Regimental, Department and General Field Orders for gallant service.
Medal of Honor, August, 1876.
20
378 A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
promise of a large reward, made the attempt but soon abandoned it as hopeless
As a last resort, a call was made upon the troops of this command for volun-
teers, in response to which not less than twelve enlisted men promptly offered
their services. From among these the following named soldiers were selected:
privates William Evans, Benjamin F. Stewart, and James Bell of Co. ' E,' 7th
Infantry.
" On the 9th day of July they set out for General Crook's camp, which they
reached on the twelfth, delivered the despatches, and returned, arriving in camp
on the 25th.
" In making this public acknowledgment of the important service voluntarily
rendered by these soldiers at the imminent risk of their lives, the Department
Commander desires to express his deep regret that at present it is not in his
power to bestow the substantial reward which has been so well earned ; but he
is confident that an achievement undertaken in so soldierlike a spirit, and car-
ried so gallantly to a successful issue, will not be permitted to pass unrewarded.
The exploit is one calculated to establish in the public mind a higher and more
just estimate of the character of the United States Soldier.
" The Department Commander, on his own behalf and on behalf of the officers
of this command, desires thus publicly to thank privates William Evans, Ben-
jamin F. Stewart and James Bell, Co. ' E,' 7th Infantry, for a deed which reflects
so much credit on the vService.
" By command of Brigadier-General Terry,
"Ed. W. Smith, Capt. iSth Infantry,
" Acti)ts; Assistant Acijiitant-Ge7ieraiy
Following is an extract from Evans' modest statement :
" Being requested to furnish a sketch of my services in
the army, and any remarkable incidents that I have taken
part in, I will give all the facts in my possession.
AN ARMY RECRUIT.
" I enlisted in the army on the loth day of April, 1875, i"
St. Louis ; was sent from there to Newport, Kentucky, and
assigned to the Seventh Regiment of Infantry. Arriving
RECRUITS AA'D HOSTILE INDIANS.
d / J
at Carroll, on Missouri River, i„ July, started on our march
to Camp Baker, Montana— distance, 165 miles.
"There were 225 recruits, among whom >„r rifles were
distributed for defensive purposes. The country was full of
hostile red-skins. A number of friendly Crow Indians rode
with the column part of the way, and it almost made our
ha,r turn gray to look at them. We recruits didn't know
the difference between Crow an'd Siou.v, our information
bemg hmited to the wooden Indian of the tobacconist • and
the old soldiers seemed to delight in our ignorance. ' On
the fourth day we reached Camp Browning, where two com-
panies of the regiment were stationed. After dinner the
men not on duty were permitted to enjoy themselves after
their own fashion ; some went hunting, some to fish, and a
number, myself included, to wash our clothes in the creek
near by.
"About two o'clock the camp was attacked by Indians..
All the hunters were killed, one of the fishermen was
wounded, and some who had gone into the woods for fuel
had nothing to defend themselves with but axes. Those of
us who were washing clothes escaped with our lives We
were entirely naked (as we had been swimming), and although
some o the hostiles came near us they did not molest us ■
probably taking us for squaws or lunatics. The Indiani
eft, taking with them some of our cattle and horses. Lieu-
tenant Woodrufif pursued, and captured sixteen head of
T\- , r' "" '"-"''"S P-'y ^-d -d scalped on
the skirmish line, except one. and he had reached the foot-
hills, getting behind a rock, uherc he had fired thirty-eiHn
3 So A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
cartridges (as we found the empty shells) before he was
killed.
" This was not a cheerful first experience for us, especially
as we expected to march 200 miles further without any
weapons. But we were not annoyed again, thanks to our
friends, the Crows, who attacked the Sioux the next day
and whipped them.
WINTER ON THE PLAINS.
" I soon had a taste of winter campaigning ; not winter
according to the almanac, but as it is to be found on the
Plains. Our company, ' E,' Captain Clifford, was ordered on
the Yellowstone Expedition, March 17, 1876. Left Camp
Baker, thermometer 30° below zero, with snow three feet
deep. First day out all our wagons rolled down White's
Gulch Divide. Spent all day getting them right side up.
With two of the company badly frozen, travelled three da)-s
through snow three feet deep. Arrived at Fort Ellis ; was
left behind to drive for Fort Shaw command, my company
going ahead as escort to wagons. One of our men de-
serted on road but was captured in Bozeman, and I was
ordered to hitch up team and take the deserter and catch
up with my company. Left the fort at three o'clock in
afternoon ; got into a snow-storm on Bridger Pass Divide,
This divide is a part of the Rocky Mountains, and over-
looks Fort Ellis and the beautiful Gallatin Valley ; it is
thickly covered with pine timber, and wears a virgin
crow^n of snow the year around. It is at this place that
the Northern Pacific Railroad tunnelled through the moun-
tain, from the Valley of the Yellowstone to that of the
WINTER ON THE PLAINS.
381
Gallatin. We had not been out long when it commenced
to snow, one of those blizzards for which that country is
noted. Soon lost all trace of the road and started over
a road of our own ; this was not a success, as before we
reached the summit the wagon stuck fast in the timber, and
we could not get it out without axes, which we did not
have. It was the coldest night I ever saw. Left wagon
next morning ; had to give deserter two mules and took
two myself. Caught up with company at Quinn's Ranch,
thermometer 42 below. On our arrival I did not know
for some minutes whether I was alive or not. As Quinn
sold what they term whiskey in this country, my company
commander, Captain Clifford, ordered me, I think, about
a quart, and it was all that saved my life. A party of
men were sent back for the wagon ; they had a hard
time finding it, and a harder time to get it out of the drift.
Ever since, they have called it ' Evans' Snow Trail over the
Moon.'
CARRYING DESPATCHES.
•' On our arrival at old Fort Pease on the Yellowstone, the
regimental commander, General Gibbon, desired to send
despatches to General Terry, who was crossing overland
from Fort Lincoln. It was necessary to travel by water,
and, being a pretty fair boatman, the choice fell upon me.
At that time I was a very young soldier and not much in-
spired with the military spirit that afterwards was instilled
into me by my company commander, the late Capt. Walter
Clifford. If ever there was a man to train a soldier for the
field, it was that man. Coming to me, he said : ' Evans,
382 ^i SOLDIF.R-SCOUTS STORY.
you are a good boatman and, so far as I know, }'ou arc no
coward. 1 want you to take this trip. I do not want one
of my men to go where I would not go myself, but the
General will not let me go.' 'All right. Captain, tell the
General I will go.' I and a scout (Williamson) and a com-
rade (Stewart) started that night by moonlight. Our orders
were to travel the stream only at night, but in this instance
positive orders had to be disobeyed or we should have per-
ished with hunger. Starting from the mouth of the Big
Horn River in skiff, we proceeded down the Yellowstone
very slowly, as we dare not use oars; there were Indians
on both sides of the river and we had almost to hold
our breaths. The western bank of the river in many
places is like beautiful enclosed parks, with elk, deer,
buffalo, antelope, and other kinds of game down to the
squirrel ; while in this part of the Yellowstone there is the
finest mountain trout. The east bank is more mountainous,
occasionally broken by heavily timbered bottoms. Farther
down, between Powder River and Glendive, the scenery was
really grand, as though we were sailing through a city in
ruins, with the beautiful rounded peaks running up to the
clouds like church spires. The ground was covered with pet-
rified wood, shells and fish. I was almost afraid to stop
there for fear of being turned to stone. The same night we
ran past an Indian camp and were nearly given away by
their dogs, who howled and barked while we pulled like
good fellows until morning, A\'hen, finding we were not pur-
sued we laid to under some willows and took a nap. The
second night out, after running into various sloughs and
carrying our boat over sand-bars, we arrived at what is now
CAKRYIXG DESPATCIJES. 383
known as Buffalo Rapids. In running the rapids in the
dark wc ran against the rocks and smashed our boat.
"We, however, succeeded in landing with our rifles and
one can of peaches ; all the rest being lost, and not knowing
how far we had to go, we sat down, rested and ate the
can of peaches. We arrived at Glendive Creek about three
o'clock P.M., and there met Colonel Moore with four com-
panies. Sixth Infantry. One incident of our trip that made
us ' feel strange around where wc lived,' was the sight of
three black-tail deer standing directly in line with each other,
and we three hungry men stood looking at them without
daring to fire a shot.
" Colonel Moore kindly sent his own scouts on with the
despatches, returning tWo days afterward with the answer.
We volunteered to return with answer, but Colonel Moore
sent his own scouts, as he did not seem to put much confi-
dence in soldiers carrying despatches. Those same scouts
talked so much about Indians, and what they should do in
case of an attack, that they scared each other almost to
death before leaving. As Captain Powell and the sergeant-
major were present, I offered to bet $10 they would be back
before morning, which bet the sergeant-major accepted, and
lost. The first thing we saw at reveille were the scouts
returning without either ammunition or rations; they said
they had run into Indians and had thrown everything away.
I went up to Colonel Moore and told him if he would trans-
fer the vouchers to me I would carry back the answer. The
steamer ' Far West ' coming up the river, we all got on
board and went up as far as Powder River, Colonel Moore
giving me his own horse. I was just in the saddle when I
384 A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
espied the first boat coming down, which was the advance
of my own command ; thereby losing my $250, which was
on the vouchers.
AN ARMY COURIER.
" After both commands joined, nothing occurred worth
relating, until after the Custer battle, which happened on
June 26. After our return from that fated field to the
mouth of Big Horn, General Terry, desiring to communicate
with General Crook, rewards of $1200 were offered. As
usual, citizens got the first show, and, as usual, failed,
when General Terry called on the command for volunteers.
Twelve men out of the command answered the call. Our
opinions were asked in regard to routes on map, and I was
chosen; I suppose because I made a success of the last
trip, or probably because I chose the most direct route on
the map. I had my choice either to go alone, or to take
two men with me. My company commander decided for
me that I should take two men with me, and also that they
should be of my own company ; those that he knew he
could trust. We were furnished by Captain Clifford with
all we had in line of equipments, field glasses, compass,
maps, and, above all, his own experiences in cases of emer-
gency, which were very useful. Crossing the river at dark
on steam-boat, with one company of cavalry as escort to
come with us 12 miles, as the Indians were pretty thick
around the bank of the river, we proceeded up Tullick's
Forks until about 9 o'clock, w^hen Lieutenant Roc, Second
Cavalry, returned. My orders on leaving the camp were
that, whichever way any two of the party wanted to go
'KEEP COOLr
3«5
in case of dispute, that the third should be compelled to
comply ; also to travel as little as possible in daytime ; but
on all trips of that kind you have got to use your own
judgment to a certain extent.
'' We travelled all night. Our horses becoming tired, we
dismounted behind the largest hill we could find, so we
could look the country over at daylight and also rest the
horses for whatever the day might bring forth.
" Not seeing anything stirring, we kept on until we struck
the Rosebud Divide. Going down the mountains into the
canon, we found the very spot where the Indians buried
their dead, the first camp they made after they fell back
from the Custer battle. The Indians were buried on posts
set in the ground with poles on the top ; they were wrapped
in white cotton sheeting which had blood-stains on it, prov-
ing that those Indians had been woundedand taken along
that far, when they died.
" A CLOSE CALL."
" We dismounted and had counted about 30 dead Indians,
when around the bend of the stream came the head of a
herd of ponies, driven by about sixty hostile Indians.
" As fortune would have it, we were at the bottom of a
ravine in the canon, and it was there Captain Clifford's ad-
vice came in good—' Keep cool.' We consulted a moment,
and came to the conclusion that it was no good running away,
so when the head of the herd came along we very quicth-
led our horses into the herd and travelled along with them
until it became dark, when it did not take us long to get
out of that vicinity. This was the closest call we had on
3S6 A SO/.D/F.A'-SCOCT'S STOKV.
the trip, though \vc were badl>- scared tlie same night, or
about two o'clock in the morning. It was pitcli dark, antl
raining as it had never rained before ; and as the horses
could travel no longer, we dismounted. We took our lar-
iats and tied them around us and let the horses feed. We
•could not have been more than 15 minutes in the i)lace
Avhen we were all asleep ; the horses getting scared, tried to
run away and pulled us in three different directions. You
may guess we were frightened, but did not call out, as we
dare not. It took us half an hour to find each other, when
we proceeded on our way and found out afterwards that it
was Crook's old battle-ground we had laid down in, and the
wolves eating dead mules that frightened the horses. We
left the cafion at daybreak and branched off on Ash Creek,
a tributary of Tongue River, where we struck Crook's trail.
Following up the trails was where the first dispute arose.
About 4 P.M. we saw two different smokes at the foot of
Big Horn Mountains. We were about thirty miles away at
the time. Taking out the map we found out in which di-
rection Goose Creek ran, where we expected to find Crook's
camp. Then Stewart and I decided to take the left-hand
smoke, as it was the most direct to Goose Creek ; Hell
deciding to go the other way. So we failed to obey orders
in so far as we let him go. He started and went about a mile
and came galloping back with the very natural question,
* Ikit I have no despatches ; what will I do if it happens to
be the camp ? ' ' Well, if you insist on going, tell the Gen-
eral that we expected to find him on Goose Creek, and that
if he is not there, that he will find us in Fetterman ; that our
hard tack has given out, and that this command is on half
GENERA f. CROOK'S CAMP. 387
rations long enough.' ' Well.' he says, ' you can give that
message to the General yourself; I guess I will go along
with the crowd ; ' and as it happened, he was wise, as he
would have walked right into the Indian camp. We trav-
elled all night, and about nine o'clock saw the glad sight ot
canvas spread, but were not close enough to tell whether
Indian tepees or soldiers' tents. Keeping right on we were
rewarded with finding tents, and were very lucky that we
were not one hour earlier or we would never have reached it
alive, as the Indians had attacked the camp that morning,
burning the prairie and driving the encampment across
Goose Creek, leaving some of the Third Cavalry mess-kits
behind. When we arrived and saw it we did not know
what to do, as we could not see the camp for smoke, but
concluded to go ahead, — generally the best thing to do in
Indian warfare.
" It was a great surprise to the ofificers and men when they
saw us arrive, as they did not think it possible for any white
men to be in that vicinity, and still a greater surprise wh.en
they heard that General Custer was killed, with all his men.
We being tired and wanting rest, General Crook attached
us to II Co., 9th Infantry, and ordered me to report to him
next morning. But there was little rest for the weary in
that camp, as there were present five or six reporters of
prominent papers. Between them and the officers and sol-
diers, we got no sleep until near midnight. The camp was
attacked about eleven at night, we sleeping in the First Ser-
geant's tent. When he left the tent to form company, he
asked us if we would go along. I turned over and said,
' What do you say, boys, will we go, or take our chances
388 A SOLDIER-SCOUT'S STORY.
sleeping?' Stewart said, 'Let us go to the next world
asleep, if we have to go,' and we were asleep in a second
and did not hear any more of the fight, which lasted over
one hour, as we were told next morning.
" When we left General Terry's command there were three
Crow Indians sent out in a different direction, in case we
should not be able to get through. They arrived in General
Crook's camp three days after us. After asking in regard
to trails crossed and Indians seen en route, the General asked
me if we would volunteer to return with an answer, giving
us our choice ; telling me both commands were going to
join, and saying if we did not like to return, he would send
the Indians. Bell's horse dying the day we arrived in
camp, he could not come, so Stewart and I volunteered to
return. He entrusted his despatches to me, sending the
three Crow scouts with us. We left the command at dark
and had proceeded but a little way when the Indians called
a halt, and commenced eating their five days' rations, which
did not take them long. Not being satisfied, one of them,
' Buffalo Calf ' by name, came over to where our haver-
sacks were laying on the ground, and picked them up and
walked off ; they ate the contents of them, as well as their
own, not paying any attention to our remonstrances. We
then made up our minds that when we arrived in a country
where we dare fire a shot, that there would be three more
' good Indians ' ; but a lucky accident happened Avhich
saved them and also satisfied us. We travelled two nights
and one day. At about noon on the second day we arrived
at Custer's battlefield and there saw a calf, the only game
we saw in the country on the trip. The Indians were laugh-
HUNTING A DINNER. 389
ing at us. Our eyes were sticking out of our heads with
hunger. When I saw that calf I dismounted, and would
have shot if the world was coming to an end ; but the In-
dians commenced gesticulating for me to stop and they
would get the calf, which they did, by running it down.
Well, you ought to have seen us watching that calf, with
our guns in our hands. We were bound to temper their
appetites on this occasion. Whether they took the hint or
not, they acted like gentlemen, cooking the best parts of it
first for us and then filling our haversacks to make up for
our rations, and having lots of fun at our pitiable condition
and looks. There was nothing more happened, on our trip
back, of any moment.
" When we arrived at Yellowstone our camp had moved
down river, which was a disappointment to us, made up,
however, when we arrived there, by the welcome we received
from both ofificers and men. There being no steam-boat up
at the time, we could not get our horses across the river just
then. The steamer ' Far West ' came up that night. It
was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, the brave man
who ran his boat up the river for Custer's wounded soldiers,
making the remark that he would go there if he had to
take her overland ; which he did the bigger part of the way.
" Not liking to leave the horse that had carried me so far,
across the river to be eaten up by buffalo gnats, I went to
General Gibbon and requested him to get the steam-boat to
go for him ; the General told mc to go to Captain Marsh
myself, that he would go for me if I asked him. Captain
Marsh was at the head of the table at a dinner given to
some of the ofificers and tourists that were aboard his boat
390
A S0LD/ER-SC0U7''S S'/VA'V.
when I made the request. Pulling me into his cabin he
made the remark to his guests that there was no service,
either he or his boat could perform, that I was not wel-
come to ; drinking my health, and at the same time order-
ing steam up. General Gibbon made me a present of the
horse for my devotion to him.
" Headquarters 7TH Infantry,
"Camp Mouth of Rosebud, M. T.,
"Genera/ Orders, August 5, 1S76.
" No. 14.
" In communicating to the regiment General Orders No. 5, Department of Da-
kota, the regimental commander desires to express his obligation to privates
Evans, Stewart and Bell for the gallant and important sei vices rendered. In
doing so, he recalls the fact with pride that this is the second time during the
operations of this summer that privates Evans and Stewart have volunteered
to carry important despatches at the imminent risk of their lives, and he con-
gratulates them that they were as successful in the second effort as in the first.
Such conduct cannot fail to reflect great credit on these soldiers and the organ-
ization to which they belong.
" By order of Colonel John Gibbon. Levi F. Burnett,
" 1st Lieut, and Adjt. "jth IiifantryP
LITILE WOl.l'' AND HIS CAl'lOK.
(the late CAI'TAIN LLAKK, 2D U. S. CAVALKY.)
391
SKR(.1\NI WII I I \M li. LEWIS,
TlUKl) C. S. t AiAI.KV \OI,.
HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.
THE Northern Cheyennes being unhappy and dissatisfied
on account of sickness, caused by the strange ch'mate of
Indian Territory, where they were sent by the Interior De-
partment, liad traversed the State of Kansas during the
autumn of 1878, desolating happ)- homes and committing
many outrages on their path to their old home in the North.
After a close pursuit by the troops of three departments
they divided into two parties. A portion of them, under
Chief " Dull Knife," consisting of one hundred and fort^--
nine Indians and one hundred and forty ponies, were cap-
tured in the sand hills of Nebraska by the command of
Captain Johnson, 3d Cavalry, who had two Sioux guides,
Lone Bear and Eagle Pipe. Their arms and ponies were
taken avv^ay, but the prisoners said they would die rather than
392
DESPERATE PRISONERS. ^q-,
be taken back to Indian Territory. When told they must
go to Fort Robinson, and regarding this as a step toward
the hated Indian Territory, they began digging rifle-pits
and a fight seemed inevitable ; but through the coolness and
judgment displayed by the officers it wa^s avoided and they
yielded peaceably, were taken to Camp Robinson through a
snow-storm, and there confined in an empty barrack.
The other party, under " Little Wolf," escaped by scatter-
ing in the sand hills, where a dense snow covered their traih
and though the pursuit was kept up till numbers of the
soldiers were frozen, it was fruitless.
Remaining in confinement from October till January,
closely guarded by sentinels on all sides of the barracks, Dull
Knife's band was notified that the Interior Department had
directed them to be returned to Indian Territory. The few
who were willing to go and began to make preparations for
departure were forcibly detained in the prison-room by
those who dreaded punishment for their misdeeds, and were
determined to die rather than be taken back South again.
THE INDIAN FUGITIVES.
Wild Hog, a bad Indian and the principal disturber, was
arrested and securely ironed January 9, after a very severe
struggle, in which a soldier, one of the guard, was stabbed.
The Indians in the prison-room immediately barricaded
the doors and windows to conceal their movements ; began
tearing up the floor, and made rifle-pits commanding all the
entrances. Some carbines and pistols, as well as ammunition
in plenty, had been obtained from the Sioux, at the agency
near, who were secretly friendly to them, and being in many
394 HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.
instances related by marriage had been allowed to visit
them. Squaws had undoubtedly concealed the articles in
their blankets and clothes, thus passing the guard. The
barrack was now in such a condition that for any white man
to enter was certain death ; six sentries were posted around
the building. About ten o'clock on the night of January lo,
shots were fired from the windows, killing two sentinels and
wounding the corporal in the guard-room. The Indians
then burst from all the windows in a rush for " liberty or
death," securing the arms and ammunition of the disabled
sentinels. The garrison gave chase immediately, the Indians
retreating toward a creek near the post and keeping up a
constant fire on the troops. All refused to surrender when
called upon to do so. Thirty-two Indians were killed and
seven were captured ; the remainder were pursued, and at
a point twelve miles from the post intrenched themselves
strongly, and having plenty of ammunition, probably con-
cealed for their use by friends, by previous arrangement,
were able to keep the troops at a respectful distance.
The next day Lieutenant Simpson, 3d Cavalry, had two
skirmishes with them and lost a corporal killed and one man
wounded. The next day they again strongly intrenched
themselves in a place about twenty miles from Ft. Robinson.
Shells were fired into their fortification, but during the night
they succeeded in escaping under cover of darkness. Forty-
five Indians now remained, evidently bent on joining Little
Wolf's band, and preferring death to recapture.
General Sheridan had telegraphed orders to the command-
ing officer at Ft. Laramie, Wyo., " to send all his cavalry to
capture or kill this band." After hard marching by day and
BROUGHT TO BAY. 395
night, this command had again, January 20, driven the In-
dians to intrench themselves in a high, rocky peak, several
hundred feet above the mountains through which they had
been chased, commanding the surrounding ground on three
sides on which the troops must advance, and almost perpen-
dicular to the valley on the other. Coming upon them sud-
denly, after hours of climbing up and down the steep moun-
tains the Indians had chosen as more difficult to follow them
in, the command was greeted with a volley; fortunately no
one was hurt, but on the command being withdrawn to
cover, a captain and two of his men were found missing.
No one knew where the Indians were concealed, or from
which direction to expect the next volley. Another captain,
selecting several of the best shots in his troop, crawled warily
forward to relieve the beleaguered captain and his men, if
alive, or to recover their bodies and prevent mutilation ; and
by calling out, thus making their whereabouts known to the
hostiles as well as their friends, found to their joy that they
were still alive, and concealed in a pit in the rocks to which
they had betaken themselves for cover, not knowing which
direction the Indians were in. Warning their friends as to
their intention of keeping up a hot fire on the Indian posi-
tion to keep the Indians down, their friends were enabled
to slowly work their way out of their awkward predicament.
It being impossible to dislodge the Indians, and darkness
coming on, accompanied by a snow-storm, guards were posted
on three sides of the rocky bluff to prevent escape. The
command in the valley a mile below them, having heard
the firing, had gone into camp at the foot of the wall of
rock on the other side, so that their position, though im-
396 HCNTING LITTLE WOLF.
pregnable, was nearly surrounded, and it was thought the
Indians couldn't get away this time.
ELUDING PURSUIT.
At dawn, the watchers, who had paced wearily around the
eyr)' all night, were surprised to see the command at the
foot of the wall moving across the valley below them ; shots
were fired, flags waved, but all means of signalling failed to
stop them, and a messenger could only reach them by a trail
fully fifteen miles around. Had the Indians, or a part of
them, escaped during the night? The commanding officer
announced that it would be foolish to expose the whole com-
mand to a murderous fire while climbing the bluff, and that
he wouldn't order anybody to throw his life away in discov-
ering whether the Indians were still there, but if two or three
men would volunteer, they could go. Hardly were the
words spoken when Sergeant William B. Lewis of B Troop
stepped up, and with his heels together, saluted, and said :
" I'd like to go, Sir." Two more men volunteered, and after
receiving instructions as to the signals to be used in the
event of any discoveries, started forward, carbines in hand
and belts full of cartridges, to prevent the useless sacrifice of
many lives. Stealthily moving from cover to cover, and
climbing, climbing, till lost to the view of the command, they
struggled upward, liable at each new step to be greeted with
a volley that would doom them to lonely graves, and possi-
bly a report in the papers that " a sergeant and two privates
were killed." After a seemingly long while a shot is fired.
Has one of the men been killed ? Anxious guesses are made
as to what it means. Sergeant Lewis has gotten in the first
SERGEANT LEWIS RE.CONN01TKES. 397
shot at a wounded warrior, unable to travel, but very wide
awake and thoroughly able to use his cocked rifle, which he
holds ready for use on one of the Sergeant's companions,
the noise of whose movements has alarmed him. A dull
thump and a limp fall convinces the Sergeant that the
"bullet has found its billet." He moves forward warily
now, as there may be others equally eager for a shot at him ;
he soon discovers, however, that this was the only one, and
climbing to a point whence the command, which is eagerly
watching for him, can see him he waves his hat to let
them know that the Indians have fled. The commands,
" Mount I " and " Forward ! " are promptly obeyed, and the
cavalcade moves out at a trot to join their friends in the
valley, whose movements are now understood ; horses being
left for the Sergeant and his men to come up with. The
Indians were making for the Red Cloud Agency and friends.
A FAINT TRAIL.
The trail which the Indians made after making their peril-
ous descent was almost obliterated by the snow which fell
during the night, and they counted on its making it impossi-
ble to follow them, and leaving the " sojers " at a loss to know
where they had gone ; but Captain Wessells had at dawn dis-
covered the faint trail, and his sharp-eyed trailers followed
it diligently till he overtook the Indians on the 22d, in-
trenched in a circular gully caused by a water-spout, on a
knoll which commanded the surrounding ground, and which
they materially strengthened by judicious digging with their
knives.
598 HUiXTING LITTLE WOLF.
SAVAGE DESPERATION.
Captain Wessells surrounded their position with his
four troops of cavalry, and, with an interpreter, crawled
forward toward their breastwork and raised a white flag,
the meaning of which is understood by almost all Indians.
He told the interpreter to tell the Indians he didn't want to
hurt them ; he told them that the soldiers were their friends,
but had to do what the " Great Father " ordered, and that
the soldiers must either take them back to Fort Robinson
or kill them all. For answer, a volley was fired, which
knocked off the interpreter's hat. Captain Wessells then,
seeing that the Indians were desperate and would not lis-
ten to him, ordered a charge. The men dismounted,
rushed up the open space surrounding the pit, and dis-
charged their weapons in the faces of their enemies, but
were forced to retire, leaving Captain Wessells wounded
in the head and bleeding.
Lieutenant Chase, seeing that he was not dead, picked
him up, and endeavored to carry him out of danger, but
was promptly notified that, being next in command, he
must take charge.
The interpreter was again used, with as little success as
before, and another charge was made. After the third
trial, failing to effect anything, the interpreter swore that
he wouldn't risk his life again in such foolishness. Seeing
that the Indians were desperate, and meant to die there,
repeated charges were made, till, no more resistance being
offered, the pit was examined, found full of dead, and nine
Indians were captured, three of whom were wounded. Our
A PLEASANT CEREMONY.
399
old friends of the mountain-top rode up too late for the
fight.
Burying the dead and rigging travois for the wounded
the command started back to their garrisons, mourning
their dead comrades and the stern necessity which had
compelled them to kill all the occupants of the pit, who
preferred death to recapture ; and after facing death in one
form, now looked at it through another, through the bitter
cold of a Wyoming January.
AWARDING THE MEDAL.
The garrison of Fort Laramie is in gala dress this April
evening ; what does it all mean ? The call for " Dress
Parade I " has been sounded, the band plays, line is formed.
The Adjutant, having presented the regiment, is directed
by the Colonel to, " Publish the orders, Sir," faces about
and reads the following :
" Hdqrs. Ft. Laramie, Wyo. Ty.
" Orders, Airil 17, 1886.
''No. 21.
" The Congress of the United States having conferred upon Sergeant Wm. B.
Lewis of Company B, 3d Cavalry, a ' Medal of Honor,' for bravery exhibited
in an affair with hostile Indians near Bluff Station, Wyo. Ty., on January 20
and 22, 1879, the same will be delivered to him on parade this evening, and
will be worn by him on all dress occasions.
" By order of Major Evans.
"(Signed) Jno. C. Thompson,
" 1st Lt. and Adjt. T^d Cavalry,
" Post Adjutant.''''
Sergeant Lewis being directed to step forward, does
so : the Colonel pins the Medal on his breast, and with a
400 HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.
few kind words excuses him. The Adjutant commands,
" Parade is dismissed ! " joins the officers in the march to
sahite the Colonel, -and he, as well as every other officer in
that line, as it halts and salutes, would brave any danger to
wear deservedly the Medal just delivered; while the men in
ranks feel a thrill of pride in the Sergeant for his gallantry,
and gather about him on being dismissed, to look upon, and
reverently touch, his Medal.
A BLOODLESS VICTORY.
Lieut. William P. Clark, the officer selected by the De-
partment Commander to capture the remnant of the desper-
ate band wdiose fate has already been described, was a sub-
altern of the Second Cavalry, and had for a number of years
made the study of Indian character and customs a specialty,
and was greatly respected by both savage and civilized
men. He was young, handsome, brave, and straightforward,
and the sequel proved the wisdom of his selection. In com-
mand of a squadron of his regiment and some trusted In-
dian scouts, the hostiles were soon overhauled. Lieutenant
Clark says in his report :
" The next morning I struck an old camp of the hostiles,
two days old, after I had marched some three miles ; and
about two miles further, two of my Cheyenne scouts met
me, bringing three of the hostiles with them ; said they
went into camp during the night, and had delivered my
terms, which the hostiles said they would accept. The
three Cheyennes, brought to me, corroborated this state-
ment, but desired me to go into camp where I was,
and their village would move over and join me ; that if I
"WHITE HAT'S'' DIPLOMACY.
401
marched up to their camp, the women and children might
be frightened and there might be some trouble. I declined,
of course, to do anything of this sort, but selected the two
head-men. Brave Wolf and Two Moon, of my Cheyenne
scouts, to ride on ahead and renew, briefly, kindly and
firmly, my terms, and bring Little Wolf out to me as I ap-
proached the village with my command.
" This the scouts did, and Brave Wolf added to the mes-
sage in delivering it, ' I love the soldiers at Keogh ; I go
with them to fight all their enemies, and if you will not
listen, you will force me to fight my own people, for you
are my kinsfolk.'
" Little Wolf met me about half a mile from his camp, and
said he would accept the terms offered by my scouts, and that
he was glad to meet me again. I marched my command
to within one hundred yards of the village, which was in a
natural fortress, — and they had strengthened it by breast-
works of stone and dirt, — and put my forces in the next best
and strongest position about there, both for their protec-
tion and to attack, in case there should be any necessity for
such a measure. After about an hour, to allow the excite-
ment to wear away and to give my Cheyenne scouts time to
talk the matter over with them, I went over to the camp,
taking off my arms to show them that I had confidence in
them, and briefly told them in council what they must do, as
far as I was concerned ; that I had told my scouts to give
them no lies and I hoped they had done as I had told them ;
that the guns and ponies must be given up. This was the
price of Peace, and they must pay it. I wanted the guns
then, and would take the ponies when we reached Keogh ;
402
HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.
that I was truly and heartily glad we had arranged this
matter without loss of life on cither side ; they had ears
and sense ; they must listen and use their reason ; there
were many troops and Indian scouts in the country, and I
thought they were wise to surrender.
"Little Wolf said, in reply, 'Since I left you at Red
Cloud we have been South, and have suffered a great deal
down there. Many have died of diseases which we have
no names for. Our hearts looked and longed for this
country where we were born. There are only a few of us
left, and we only wanted a little ground where we could
live. We left our lodges standing, and ran away in the
night. The troops followed us. I rode out and told the
troops we did not want to fight ; we only wanted to go
North, and if they would let us alone we would kill no one.
The only reply we got was a volley. After that we had to
fight our way, but we killed none who did not fire at us
first. My brother, Dull Knife, took one-half of the band
and surrendered, near Camp Robinson. He thought you
were still there and would look out for him. They gave
up their guns, and then the whites killed them all. I am
out in the prairie, and need my guns here. When I get
to Keogh I will give you the guns and ponies, but I cannot
give up the guns now. You are the only one w^ho has
offered to talk before fighting, and it looks as though the
wind, which has made our hearts flutter for so long, would
now go down. I am very glad we did not fight, and that
none of my people or yours are killed. My young men
are brave, and would be glad to go with you to fight the
Sioux.'
INDIA N SIGN LANG UA GE. 40 3
" One or two others followed with similar remarks. They
were suspicious, and the idea of giving up guns, at once,
startled them, and in the fear of this, to them, immediate
danger, forgot the future, and failed to ask me any ques-
tions about staying in the northern country. I therefore
held them to the terms as long as I deemed judicious, and
compromised on my wagons as the place of giving up
guns, to which they agreed. I felt that from this time out
they would camp where I told them, and I could reverse our
present position ; and though I had no fear whatever of
any trouble, I deemed it best to secure this advantage at
once. I therefore told them to pack up and we would
move out a short distance that afternoon. We moved
about six miles and camped. I issued them some rations,
and Dr. Sabin kindly looked after their sick and cared for
their wounded ; and by the time we reached our wagons
a great deal of confidence had been restored and good feel-
ing really established.
" While the command was out the thermometer indicated
33° below zero. It has snowed and rained, and the ice has
gone out of the streams, leaving them swollen, difficult
and dangerous to ford."
* * % * -K- * *
"WHITE HAT" AND THE SIGN LANGUAGE.
" In September, 1884, a party of army ofificers, cut off for
a week from mail and telegraph communication, whilst pass-
ing through the wilderness between Forts McKinney and
Washakie, was approaching the latter post, when, late one
night, a courier arrived, bringing despatches and mail. In
404 HUNTIXG LITTLE WOLF.
one of the letters the death of Capt. W. P. Clark, 2d Cav-
alry, was mentioned. A day or two afterward the courier,
who was the Post guide and interpreter at Washakie, told
us something which excited great curiosity and surprise. A
few days before leaving, he was riding some miles from the
Post when he met an Indian, who, without uttering a word,
and by means of tJic sign language alone, told him that Cap-
tain Clark was dead ! The Indian had heard the news at
the Agency, and imparted it to a man of whose language he
could not speak a word. Now that Indians, like deaf-mutes,
could communicate by 'signs' we all know, but here was
an unexpected Qveni, occurring thousands of miles away, and
yet this Indian, without using his tongue at all, was en-
abled to communicate it to another. The assertion was at
first startling. Captain Clark, although known in person to
many of the Plains Indians, could be known by Jiis name to
the very few capable of speaking English, but those who
did know him must have some way of designating him, and
here was the key to the whole mystery. Indians designate
each other by some attribute of the person, or by some in-
cident in the life of the person referred to. Captain Clark,
while serving with Indian scouts, wore a- white felt hat, and
hence was known as ' the Chief with the White Hat.' His
proficiency in the sign language was such as to make him a
marked man among them, and hence it was easy for an
Indian to designate him as ' the Chief of the White Hat,
who talked so well with his hands.' Of course, if the man
spoken to had not known of Captain Clark he could not
have guessed who was alluded to, nor indeed could you or I
know who was alluded to when Washington's name was
GEXEKAL GIBBON'S TESTIMONY.
405
mentioned, if we had never before heard of him. All can
understand how the person once being designated, it was
an easy matter for the Indian to state by signs that he had
gone to sleep, died or ' gone under.'
" The distinguished officer, whose death was in this way
spread amongst the people who held him in high regard,
left behind him a lasting monument of his skill, industry
and untiring energy. His book on the ' sign language ' ex-
hibits not only these qualities, but deep and careful re-
search." *
* General John Gibbuu, U. S. A.,mJotc>ual Miiitury Sirvice Institution U. S.
TIIF. I.ATIC MAJOR T. T. TTIORNKURClt
406
BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
T
HE chronicles of the
contests between
the red and white men
of North America are
thrilling stories of hu-
man fortitude, self-sacri-
fice and military adven-
ture.
From the moment
when the daring De
Soto landed at Tampa,
in the Land of Flowers,
down through three
centuries of white set-
tlement to the latest
Apache outrage in Ari-
zona, our Indian annals
abound with the details
of small wars, broken treaties and bloody massacres ; and
there is something sad in the thought that the countless
hordes once roaming free as air, upon their own hunting-
grounds, from Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate, have
dwindled, by dissipation, disease and violent death, to a few
thousand souls. These, driven toward the setting sun, from
407
408 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
one strip of earth — one Naboth's vineyard — to another, will
finally, perhaps from the verge of the Pacific Ocean, turn a
last look backward ere they plunge into oblivion. The
present savage generation is doomed.
Its children will become citizens of the United States,
cast a vote at elections, and share in the pleasure and pain
of of^ce-holding ; but the fathers — the Noble Savage of
Cooper's novels, and the ruthless rovers of the present
day — will have vanished from the scene.
In the year 1879, among the most warlike tribes was that
of the Utes, a name once given to all the Indians west of
the Rocky Mountains as far as Nevada, and south, includ-
ing New Mexico and Arizona ; a name since given to the
territory of the Mormons, known as Utah. At that time
the four principal bands numbered about four thousand,
of whom eight hundred were located upon a Government
reservation, on the White River, in Northern Colorado.
These " oldest inhabitants " had accepted certain gifts
from the United States to be paid them annually, and had
in turn given up all claim to millions of acres of land. A
very large tract had, however, been set aside for the White
River Utes, where they might hunt, fish and graze their
herds of ponies. These ponies are very hardy animals, and
nearly every Indian could boast of at least twenty, as an
evidence of wealth and social standing.
But although their chiefs had agreed to this arrangement,
the young men, or "bucks," were not satisfied with the
limits of the reservation, but in small parties roamed about
outside, among the settlers, hunting the grizzly, the moun-
tain lion and the buffalo, for the skins; in doing this they
INDIAN INFANTRY AND CAVALRY. 409
would sometimes, to the injury of the settlers, set fire to the
magnificent forests abounding in that region. The great
grazing grounds of the buffalo are in the North-west, near
the Canadian border, and in the South-west near the banks
of the Rio Grande. Between these points, at certain times
of the year, vast herds are in motion. Then the Indians of
the Plains (like the Sioux), and those of the mountains (like
the Utes) get up large hunting-parties. These two tribes
are hereditary enemies, and fight when they meet. On the
Plains, the Ute, who is a natural infantry soldier, is at a dis-
advantage ; but should the Sioux horseman venture too
near the mountains, a shot from behind an innocent-looking
rock is apt to remind him of his danger, if it does not, then
and there, put a stop to his career.
INDIAN AGENT MEEKER.
Upon each Indian reservation there lives a white man,
who represents the Government and makes known, from
time to time, the wants and condition of the Indians. In
1879, the Agent at White River was Mr. Meeker, a kind-
hearted, zealous man, who did not realize the fierce nature
of his wards, but hoped to persuade the Utes to give up
their ponies and take to ploughing, and become industrious
citizens. He also proposed to change the location of their
camps and of the Agency buildings. Against all this the
majority rebelled.
In their eyes the "buck" who had not "heap ponies"
was of no account ; labor was ali very well for the poor
whites, but it degraded the noble reds ; horse-racing was a
4IO
BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
time-honored amusement of their people ; it improved the
stock and trained the warrior.
But the Agent was not discouraged. His daughter
taught an Indian school for the few children who were
permitted by their parents to come. Twenty-five Indians
agreed to dig a ditch across the Agency farm for fifteen
dollars a month, and, as the Agent reported, did it well ; but
they stopped at the end of the first month. Some of the
squaws were taught to milk a cow and to make butter, and
for awhile this was a fashionable amusement ; but as the
cows were wild when taken from the herd, and at every
milking had to be Rareyized with straps and ropes, the
Indians soon tired. Then Johnson, one of the sub-chiefs,
pretended to want to become a farmer, and demanded
wagons and farming implements and a house. He brought
to the Agency two vicious Indian ponies (that had never
had a white hand nor a bit of harness leather upon them)
to be broken by the white teamsters ; but after a fort-
night's work by one of the employes, it was found to be
a shrewd trick of Johnson's to fatten his ponies upon Uncle
Sam's hay, in order to beat a rival's horses at a coming race.
COMING EVENTS CAST SHADOWS.
In fact, to any but the Agent the signs of coming mis-
chief were plain. The Indians became impertinent, went
off and on the reservation as they pleased, bought large
quantities of cartridges for the Winchester breech-loaders
with which they were armed, and one day in August shot
at the Agency ploughman as he was quietly turning a
furrow.
411
412
BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
SOME INDIAN TYPES.
Yet there were some in-
teresting characters among
these people. The head
chief, " Ouray," was a noble
specimen of a patriarch.
He had flocks and herds,
and a large farm, cultivat-
ed by Mexicans whom he
employed. He rode about
the country in a handsome
" Germantown Wagon," pre-
sented by the Governor of
Colorado. He also had a
substantial bank account in
Denver, to which every
year the Government added
one thousand dollars, in ex-
change for his good influence with his people.
Some of the sub-chiefs did not come up to this high
standard. For instance, " Ute Jack," who was a bitter
enemy of the whites, although for a time he managed to
conceal it ; " Piah," who was suspected of setting the woods
on fire that the game might be driven out where he might
kill it without too much trouble.
" Bill " was still another bad fellow to meet in the dark,
with savage qualities well developed. He once boasted
that no lead could kill him. A comrade kindly offered to
test the matter. " Bill " stood up, folded his arms, and, as
"antelope" — ouray's runner.
A TOUGH FELLOW.
41.
the other aimed his rifle, gave the word " Fh'c! " The
bullet went through his left side, breaking a rib, but not
touching a vital part. "Bill" staggered slightly, put his
hand to his side, laughed and said, " I told you lead no' kill
me." He was laid up for a couple of weeks and came out
all right.
One afternoon in the
early part of September,
Indian Agent Meeker
was sitting at his desk,
musing over the trouble-
some state of affairs in
his dominion, when the
door opened behind him,
and a rush of many feet
fell upon his ear. Be-
fore he could turn around
he was seized by the
shoulders, thrown down
and severely kicked ; he
was conscious of being
dragged to the door of
his ofifice, and hearing "bill."
voices in loud and angry tones, and then everything
became dark. When he came to himself he was lying
on a bed in his own house, surrounded by his family.
The Agent, although severely .shaken and hurt, realized
that the moment had come for action ; that he was power-
less to control the bad elements, and that he must call
upon the army for help. Without a moment's delay he
414 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
sent the following telegram to the Commissioner in Wash-
ington.
"Sir: I have been assaulted by a leading chief, Johnson, forced out of my
own house and injured badly, but was rescued by employes. It is now re-
vealed that Johnson originated all the trouble stated in letter Sept. 8. His son
shot at the ploughman, and the opposition to ploughing is wide. Ploughing
stops; life of self, family and employes not safe; want protection immediately;
have asked Governor Pitkin to confer with General Pope."
Imagine yourself, friendly reader, upon an oasis in the
desert, surrounded by several hundred well-armed savages,
who regard you as an enemy, and suspect that you have
sent for the means of punishing them. Imagine, further,
that this spot is two hundred miles from any Government
aid, and fifty miles from the nearest settlement, and that
your available force consists of eight white men, embarrassed
by the presence of helpless women and children ! If you
can thus put yourself in his place you may realize the
Agent's terrible plight. But the lightning was at work,
and within forty-eight hours his appeal to the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs had been sent to the Secretary of War, and
orders were flashed back to the commandant at Fort Steele,
two thousand miles from Washington, to go to White River
and straighten out matters.
tiiornburgh's march.
The last note of the " Retreat " was dying away upon the
early Autumn air at Fort Fred Steele, as the door of the
commanding officer's quarters opened and Major Thorn-
burgh, of the Fourth Infantry, appeared upon the threshold.
If the pleasant piazza could not boast of a fig-tree, there
MAJOR THORNBURGII. 415
was no lack of vine, and durin<^ the hot summer days its
grateful shade had been enjoyed by more than one roman-
tic couple.
The Major was a stalwart, handsome soldier in the prime
of life, with a frank look in his dark eyes and a firm expres-
sion of the mouth, scarcely concealed by the heavy mus-
tache and whiskers that framed his countenance.
He was one of the youngest officers of his rank in the
Army, but although his advancement in the regular service
had been unusually rapid, few officers were better equipped
by education and general experience for a commission.
He had tasted of the horrors of War as a volunteer private
soldier, and afterward had studied the theory of the Great
Art at West Point. After a short service as a subaltern of
artillery, he was made a paymaster, but preferring the
saddle and the sabre to an office chair and an official
check-book, had availed himself of a chance to transfer to
the Line.
Thornburgh was not only a fine horseman, but of a won-
derful dexterity in the use of fire-arms. On one occasion
he nearly equalled the score of the marksman. Doctor Car-
ver, at one of that expert's public exhibitions. At another
time he made a practical use of his accomplishment by as-
tonishing some Sioux Indians, after a council, as they were
sneering in a half playful, half earnest way at the superi-
ority of their Winchester breech-loaders over the soldiers'
carbines. Picking up one of the despised weapons and
offering to give them all the half-dollars which, when thrown
in the air, he might fail to hit before they touched the
ground, he commenced firing. To their amazement, nine
^l6 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
out of ten pieces were split by his bullets ; then silver quar-
ters were thrown, with the same result ; until, as a last test,
"nickels" were tossed, to fare no better than the other
coins. The Indians were deeply impressed, and as shot
after shot took effect, grunts of wonder and approval in-
creased, until a warrior — known as " Young-Man-afraid-of-
his-Horses " — came forward, put out his hand, and with the
usual Indian salutation '' Hoiu / '' said to Thornburgh that
they wished to give him a name which means " The-Chief-
who-Shoots-the-Stars."
FORT FRED STEELE.
Fort Fred Steele, Wyoming Territory, was a military post
of some importance on the Union Pacific Railroad, where it
crosses the north fork of the Platte River. It was the
nearest fort to the White River Agency, which laid nearly
two hundred miles south of the railroad. The garrison
consisted of one troop of cavalry and two companies of in-
fantry.
As the genial commander somewhat impatiently " paced
the deck" of his veranda, a mounted soldier dashed up to
the door of the Adjutant's olTice with a mail-bag, and in
due time a portion of its contents was placed in the hands
of the expectant of^cer. In a few minutes he called
" Orderly ! " " Yes, sir ! " came the prompt response from
the precincts of the kitchen, where Private O'Malley, com-
bining business with pleasure, had been having a few words
with the cook relative to the extra supper, which was one of
the advantages of being the commanding ofificer's orderly at
Fort Steele.
A TYPICAL '' regular:'
PRIVATE O MALLEY.
417
Art exceptionally fine specimen of the American " regu-
lar " atppeared and saluted. Of medium height, compactly-
built, without any surplus flesh* upon his bones, thanks to
the constant and wholesome training which a soldier on the
frontier undergoes, Private O'Malley of the Fourth Infan-
try carried his credentials for honesty and intelligence in
his cleanly-shaven, bronzed visage, and in his well set up,
erect figure ; carried after a fashion described in the tactics
as " straight without stiffness," — the true martial bearing
seldom attained by the amateur. It goes without saying
that Private O'Malley was immaculate in dress, otherwise
he would not have been picked out that morning at guard-
mounting; and because of his general fitness it was almost
hopeless for the other men to compete with him. The
Adjutant had been known to pause before two of the guard
at inspection, in doubt as to the selection. Kelly's brasses
were as dazzling to the eye as O'Malley's ; their clothing
was equally fresh and well-fitting ; accoutrements perfectly
adjusted ; arms clean as when turned out at Springfield
Armory ; and a competitive drill in the manual failed to
solve the problem. The perplexed Adjutant tried another
test : the men were sent to the ofifice for an inspection of
underclothing, with a provokingly spotless result. Finally,
the Dromios in blue were tested in the duties of a military
messenger; in an unguarded moment Kelly omitted some
point, only to be observed through an Adjutant's micro-
scope, and O'Malley marched off triumphantly. There was
just enough of " the thinking bayonet " about the man for
41 8 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
practical purposes, but it never came to the surface at the
wrong time.
" The Commanding Officer's compHments, Sir, and he'd
like to see the Adjutant at his quarters," was the message
brought by the Orderly while we have been discussing his
good points.
The Adjutant found his superior officer in the library, an
apartment combining the comfort of a smoking-room with
the convenience of a business office. The trophies of the
chase and a few rare engravings which ornamented the walls
indicated the tastes of the master of the house, while some
exceedingly comfortable chairs and an open box of cigars
gave an air of hospitality not, by any means, misleading.
As the visitor entered, a noble Irish deer-hound rose from
his place on a huge bear-skin in front of the fireplace, and
thrust his nose forward in mute welcome.
" Mr. Brown, I have just received orders from General
Crook to proceed with a detachment to White River Agency
and support the Agent, who is having trouble with the Utes.
Lawson's troop and Price's company will go from this post,
and two troops of the Fifth Cavalry will report from Rus,
sell. We shall probably move about the 20th. Let all
extra-duty men report to their companies, and get out the
necessary orders at once."
" Very well, sir," and, as he turned to go, the Adjutant
said : " Do you expect any trouble at White River, Ma-
jor?
" It is hard to say ; it is possible that the Agent has let
matters drift too long. Meeker doesn't scare easily, and
has been jealous of military interference ; and things must
PREPAR/iVG TO MARCH.
419
look rather blue when he feels compelled to call for troops.
At any rate, it will be a good tramp for us."
" By the way, Major, I heard that a troop of the Ninth
Cavalry has been ordered down in the vicinity of Steam-
boat Springs, at the request of Governor Pitkin. The set-
tlers have been getting uneasy since those forest fires."
" Well, I am not so sure that the Indians had anything to
do with those fires ; in fact, all trustworthy reports are to
the contrary."
" Is there anything else. Major f' " said the Adjutant.
"Yes, you may have O'Malley detailed as permanent
orderly. He is a good groom and an excellent man in the
field. He can ride one of my horses on the march."
" Very well, sir. Good-morning."
The official kerosene burned late that night ; in the ofifice,
where the staff were getting out orders and requisitions, and
in the cook-houses, where rations were bubbling in caldrons
of witch-like proportions and blackness.
THE START.
The morning of Sunday, the twenty-first, was bright and
bracing, and the troops as they assembled for the march'to
White River wore a holiday look; so comfortable and ser-
viceable were all the appointments, so glossy the coats of
the horses, so cheerful the men, so natty the officers. It
might have been a picnic, excepting for one or two things.
People do not usually go picnicing armed " to the teeth,"
their saddles heavily packed, and with an ambulance or
two ; and those who come to the send-off do not usually
Avear so serious an air, nor are there so many women strug-
420 BESIEGED B Y THE UTES.
gling with tears and forebodings. But as General Wolfe is
said to have remarked the night before the storming of
Quebec :
" Why, soldiers, why
Should we be melancholy boys ?
Why, soldiers, why?
Whose business 'tis to die."
And so the majority took their cues from the sun and
beamed on each other, and looked approvingly upon the
Adjutant, Mr. Cherry, who rode up and down the column,
occasionally,, to see that the different parts of the machine
were working smoothly.
Lieutenant Cherry of the Fifth Horse vv^as a general favor-
ite. He was handsome of face, brawny of frame, tall of
stature, ajid generous of nature. At West Point he had
proved the nobility of his character. One day, at artillery
drill, he was stationed with a companion on the same side of
the gun. In shifting the piece, which weighed nearly a
thousand pounds, something in the carriage gave way and
the ponderous mass of metal slowly slid over toward
Cherry's comrade, who was physically small and delicate.
In an instant Cadet Cherry sprang in front of the boy,
against the piece, and for a few seconds held it, while the
other instinctively jumped aside. This, Cherry could not
now do, and before he could be extricated, the heavy cannon
settled down, pinning the gallant fellow to the ground.
He had saved his friend at the expense of a broken thigh,
which laid him up in hospital for a long time and dela)'ed
his graduation.
Major Thornburgh was quietly plodding along at the
EN ROUTE. 421
head of his command upon a well-bred, hunter-like animal,
with the dapper O'Malley in close attendance, astride of the
commanding ofificer's spare mount. It was a goodly sight
as the column " pulled out " on the trail. First, a platoon
to furnish the advance guard, and a few " flankers " (men to
ride on each side of the road and watch for the enemy), then
the leading squadron ; the infantry in wagons ; the train ; with
Lawson's troop bringing up the rear of the column. As the
men's sabres had been left behind in garrison there was no
clanking of scabbards, but, instead, a subdued clatter of can-
teens, haversacks and nosebags, a rumble of wheels, muffled
hoof-beats on the soft turf, an occasional snort from a chaf-
ing horse, and an undercurrent of low laughter and soldier
chaff which mark the freedom of a prairie march, or, as they
say in the infantry, " the route step."
NATURE OF THE COUNTRY.
The expeaition met with no adventures for the first hun-
dred miles. The road led over a curious country, not un-
like the bed of some vast ocean. Now, between rolling
hills, over dry and barren plains ; at distances of twenty or
thirty miles, a small river or creek ; then up, slowly and
painfully, over great sandstone cliffs overlooking immense
valleys, covered with short grass on which herds of antelopes
grazed peacefully, side by side with the thousands of cattle
belonging to the ranchmen who had settled there ; in fact,
the whole country was a grand, far-reaching series of vicsas*
separated by ravines or canons. Here and there were red
* High hiils with flat tops.
422 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
and yellow masses of scrub-oak and sage brush foliage.
Eighty miles from Rawlins the soldiers reached the Snake
River, — so called from its winding course, — about seventy-
five feet broad and a foot deep.
FORTIFICATION CREEK.
Onward, through heavy sand and by cultivated fields,
Major Thornburgh's men approached Fortification Creek
and a great natural curiosity. It is a wall of solid porphyry,
running east and west, one end terminating at the eastern
side of the road. It is from thirty-five to one hundred feet
high, shaped at the top in fantastic turrets, and upon one
side the porphyry bears a coloring of dark brown, varied b)'
patches of the richest crimson, where the snow, rain and
wind have polished its surface, — surpassing the finest lac-
quer of Japan, and glittering in the sunlight like a mountain
of rubies. Captain McCauley, who surveyed the road in
1878, says of Fortification Creek: " It is said to have been
so named from an actual fight there occurring between
several Indian tribes, who made use of this line of nature :
and upou its top small piles of rocks, near the road, were
pointed out by the guide as having been placed there by
one of the contesting bands."
At Fortification Creek, the infantry under Lieutenant
Price were left, with orders to establish a supply camp,
while the rest of the command pushed on for nearly twenty
miles, going into camp early in the afternoon of tlie 26th,
in the lovely vale of the Yampah (or Bear) River.
" UTE JACKr
423
SUSPICIOUS VISITORS.
After the usual orders for protecting the camp had been
given, the commanding of^cer, surrounded by several of
his subordinates, was
enjoying a well-earned
rest, when a small
party was seen ap-
proaching, under the
guidance of a mounted
corporal of the guard.
It proved to be " Ute
Jack " and several fol-
lowers, evidently come
" to spy out the land."
They were invited to
join the group, and
^eating themselves on
the ground without
ceremony, and accept-
ing some tobacco, they
were soon " blowing a
cloud " with the pale-
faces.
Jack was rather talk-
ative, in broken Eng-
lish, and referred to
his visit to the East a year or two before, remarking of
the great metropolis that " New York pretty good," " Pretty
good theatre in New York." Ever and anon, however, he
" UTE JACK.'
424 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
would turn to one of the officers with the question, " What
for you come?" "What soldiers going to do?" Of
course every effort was made to impress him with the
peaceful intentions of the troops, but soon Jack would ask
the same thing over again, showing how little impression
the soft words had made upon him. He spoke bitterly of
Agent Meeker, who, he said, had promised him, among
other things, a wagon " with heap red paint on it," but
instead sent him a blue one. The Indians, after disposing
of a meal, not " square " but cubic, as it was very long,
broad and thick, and included the additional luxury of the
only box of Reina Victorias in camp, left the soldiers, ap-
parently in good humor.
The next day the advance was resumed through the
wildest and most beautiful scenery imaginable, and after a
short march, a camp was pitched by the side of a sparkling
stream, fringed with weeping willows, its banks covered with
a thick carpet of grass, in which the tired animals revelled.
Another visit was paid by the Utes — this time a party
consisting of " Colorow," a White River chief of poor rep-
utation, " Bummer Jim," " Henry," the Agency interpreter,
and one or two others. These were at first more reserved
in manner than " Jack " and his friends, but after awhile
grew more sociable. " Colorow " did not thaw much even,
when, failing to see any Reina Victorias in sight, he coolly
drew into the folds of his blanket a precious bale of " Kil-
likinnick " tobacco. The rascals had commenced to loot
already ! Waxing familiar, " Henry " proposed that the
tallest two of the officers present — probably Thornburgh and
Cherry — should measure heights with himself and " Bum-
THE HOME OE THE TITANS. 425
mer Jim," who was very large and athletic. To amuse the
savages, the caprice was gratified. In the light of later
events this proceeding smacked somewhat of the under-
taker's craft, although, perhaps, only meant to gratify a
barbaric vanity. Again the " Reds " departed with signs
of good-will.
The last march but one was through a region described
by an officer in such graphic terms that we cannot forbear
quoting: " From Williams' Fork the road, still going south,
enters the canon of a small mountain rivulet, and at a dis-
tance of three miles bears sharply off to the right, when in
a pretty little park we found several sweet springs overhung
by masses of red sandstone, in some places eroded by the
action of wind and water into forms of fantastic beauty ; in
others, piled rock upon rock, in inextricable confusion, as if
the Titans had been playing at bowls in the long, long ago.
On our right a mountain, grim, brown, bare, rose to an alti-
tude of three thousand feet ; on the left the peaks shot
skyward, their crests wearing the foliated aspect of cathedral
spires, and the feathery plumes of smoke from the burn-
ing timber floating between us and the sun were beau-
tiful with the tints of golden bronze." *
Major Thornburgh broketamp on the morning of the 29th
of September, intending to go to the immediate vicinity of
the Agency with his men, put them in camp, and then, ac-
companied by the Agent (who had been requested to meet
him) and five soldiers, to go to Meeker's house and have a
" talk " with the Indians. " Jack," when visiting Thorn-
* Captain Payne, in United Service Magazine ^ Jan., 1880.
23
426 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
burgh's camp, had tried to persuade that officer to leave his
command tJicn and go to the Agency with a nominal escort,
but his advice was not taken, although Jack's motives were
not then suspected.
"At half-past nine the same morning," wrote Captain
Payne, " we reached the high ground overlooking Milk River.
Descending the hill a fine landscape lay before us: a small
stream running softly down a narrow valley ; on the right
hand, a mile off, a line of bluffs, continuous and inaccessible,
with broken ridges nearer the creek ; on the left, rounded
knolls, and what our English friends call " downs," furrowed
with arroyas, and running back to the high hills which form
the advance guard of the White River Mountains. The air
was soft and balmy as with the breath of the sweet South,
and the bright sunshine, shooting in broad flashes across the
hill-tops, filled the valley as with liquid gold. Save in the
long column which, dismounted, was winding its way down
the hill, not a living creature was in sight. Earth and sky
were fair to behold, and the pictured calm seemed the very
symbol of Peace."
THE FIGHT AT MILK RIVER.
The command halted a moment and watered the horses
in the stream, which takes its name and appearance from the
lime soil through which it flows.
Major Thornburgh moved down the creek a short distance
and crossed, with two companies, leaving the other troop
(D) of the Fifth to come on more slowly, with the wagons.
Suddenly Lieutenant Cherry, who was with the advance,
saw in front and on the right, posted along the bluffs com-
A BATTLE-INTRENCHMENT. 4^7
manding the road, a number of Indians. He instantly sig-
nalled his commander to halt. The troops were mstantly
dismounted and deployed on both sides of the road. Loth
to be<.in a fight if it could be prevented, in accordance
with instructions received from his department commander
Thornburgh, accompanied by Cherry, advanced in person and
„ade signs to the Indians for a parley. The reply was a
shot. . ,
The Indians, who largely outnumbered the cavalry, had
selected an admirable position, which not only towered
above the one occupied by the soldiers, but was just withm
the border of the reservation.
There was but one thing to do. To fall back to the
wagons, and, for the want of a natural fortification such as
the Indians held, to construct an artificial defence. The
Indians had almost prevented this by getting between t^.e
leading companies and the wagon-train; but by the skilful
movements and cool behavior of the troops, the desired
object was reached.
In superintending the details of this operation, the brave
commander furnished the " shining mark " which we are told
grim death loves. Seeing that the men of Payne and
Lawson were retiring in good order, Thornburgh galloped
off in direction of the train, attended only by the ever faithful
O'Malley. He had recrossed the little river and was within a
short distance of the wagons when, above the high grass,
behind a sage bush, rose the head and shoulders of an Indian.
A quick flash, a sharp report, a little puff of srpoke, and the
gallant officer fell forward on his horse's neck, which at the
same time plunged violently and dashed its unconscious
428 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
burden to the ground. The orderly, who had been sent
back, was returning, when this tragedy was enacted about
fifty yards in advance and before his eyes. As he drew near
he saw the Indian bushwhacker stealing toward the pros-
trate form of his victim. Mechanically, O'Malley reined up,
levelled his pistol at the assassin's head, and caused him in
turn to bite the dust. His first impulse was to secure the
body of his dead leader and bear it to the train, but a wild
yell, near at hand, caused him to turn and note the approach,
at the top speed of their ponies, of three hostile Utes. The
odds were too great, and emptying another chamber of his
revolver at the party, he had the satisfaction of seeing one
of their horses tumble in a heap ; touching his excited steed
with the spur, he soon reached the refuge of the train with
the sad news. The body remained within the hostile lines
for several days, and when finally recovered, bore no signs
of the customary mutilation, but within the cold fingers of
one hand was a photograph of " Colorow," placed there by
the bloodthirsty scoundrel, who had thus abused the kind-
ness of a good friend of his people.
SHERMAN ON THORNBURGH.
The General of the Army subsequently placed on record
his opinion that, " Major Thornburgh was an officer and a
gentleman of whom the Army has reason to be proud ; he
was young, ardent, ambitious, of good judgment, and no man
could have done better in life nor met death with more
heroism."
BRA VE SERGEANT DOLAN. 429
MEDAL WINNERS OF MILK RIVER.
Captain Payne, who succeeded to the command upon
Thornburgh's death, says : " The last order Major Thorn-
burgh gave me was to charge a body of fifty or sixty Indians
who were on a high hill, between the skirmish line and
wagon-train to which he had just ordered a retreat. In the
charge my horse * was killed and my men, not seeing me fall
on account of the dust and smoke, passed on to the train,
the Indians having dispersed on our approach. My First
Sergeant, DoLAN, soon missed me, and returning alone, dis-
mounted and offered me his horse, in the coolest and most
matter-of-fact way. Of course I could not accept his offer,
and he would not leave me, although I ordered him to do
so. At this time several of the Indians had returned to
their place on the hill, but sixty yards away, and it has always
been a mystery to me why they did not fire upon us whilst
we were talking together. Shortly after, help came, and we
got safely away, but the gallant old fellow was killed a
couple of hours later while exposing himself to the enemy's
fire, t
" He was the bravest and most loyal soldier to his ofificers
I have ever known. He must have been fifty-five years of
age.
" In his long service of thirty-three years he had met with
many adventures ; had been wounded twice, had innumer-
* The horse is the same photographed with Captain Payne, p. 35S.
t Supposing that he was only wounded, I went out to bring him under cover and found
Sergeant Grimes already by his side, and together we dragged the old man's body into
the trenches.
430
SENG E ANT GA'/MES' CONDUCT.
431
able horses killed under him, and had been a prisoner at
Andersonville,
" The year before he was killed, a bill was favorably re-
ported in Congress, placing Dolan on the retired list as a
Lieutenant, but before it could become a law the Sergeant
had ceased to exist."
An incident of the movement to the rear by the troops
of Payne and Lawson was the gallant and efficient service
rendered by Sergeant ED-
WARD Grimes (F, 5th Cav-
alry), who was awarded a
Medal of Honor for his
share of the day's work.
As the men were falling
back under orders, skir-
mishing with the Indians,
who were pressing them
hard, a break or gap oc-
curred in the line. It was
a critical moment ; the In-
dians were making for a
crest which would have
given them a decided ad-
vantage. Captain Payne saw it, and ordered Sergeant
Grimes to take a few men and make a rush for this
point. Without a moment's hesitation, and with only
two companions, he reached the spot in time and held it
until ordered to leave. In falling back, Lieutenant Cherry
had charge of the skirmishers and came very near being
cut off, as the Indians pressed him closely and his am-
SEKGEANT EDWARD GRIMES,
IIFTH U. S. CAVAI.UV.
432 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
munition was very low. Between his position and the
train was a space of about a thousand yards. To get more
cartridges some one must run the gantlet. Sergeant
Grimes " volunteered " to go. Cherry said, " Go, Grimes,
and I will never forget you." Mounting his horse, already
bleeding from two wounds in the neck, the brave fellow
set off on his perilous race. In his own words, "The party
of Indians surrounding us closed in on me. Pistol in hand
I gave them all that was in it. The cheering of our men
gave me courage. I put the spurs to my horse and outran
my pursuers without a scratch, but my horse was again shot
in the fetlock, causing him to skip from one leg to another."
The train had been parked on the right bank of and
about two hundred yards from the river ; the w^agons form-
ing the north side of a corral, elliptical in shape, its axis run-
ning east and west and the south side exposed to a fierce
fire from the Indians, who, massing in the ravines along the
river and upon commanding heights, were making a des-
perate effort to capture the train before it could be pre-
pared for defence. About twenty of the animals, already
wounded, were led out into the open space of the corral,
killed, and their bodies, with the wagons, were formed into
a continuous line of cover. The wagons were also unloaded
of the bedding, grain sacks and boxes of hard-bread which
were used to strengthen the breastworks. While this was
being done, the Indians kept up a continuous fire, and many
horses and men fell to rise no more. Lieutenant Paddock,
5th Cavalry, was wounded in the hip, while superintending
his part of the work, and Captain Payne was shot in the
arm.
4jo
434 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
The Indians, foiled in their attempt to cut off the
wagons, took advantage of the high wind then blowing
toward the soldiers, to set fire to the tall grass and sage-
brush in front of their intrenchments. Captain Payne ob-
served this, and also that the train of one Gordon, an Indian
supply contractor, w^as parked near by, between the troops
and the river. Fearing that, under cover of the smoke, the
wily foe might creep up and occupy this new position. Cap-
tain Payne started a iire in the opposite direction, which not
only cleared the ground immediately in his front, but
reached an.d burned up the contractor's train, to the great
relief of the besieged.
According to his commanding officer, Sergeant POPPE
here displayed qualities which won him the medal.
" I put him in charge of a party of ten men to dislodge
some Indians from the ravines and river banks, where their
position enabled them to cut ofT a part of my command
from. the wagon-train. This duty he gallantl}' performed.
Later, when the Indians set fire to the grass and sage-brush,
in an attempt to burn our train and drive us from cover,
I ordered Poppe to get three or four men and set fire to
the grass immediately about us, so that when the fire set by
the Indians should come, there would be nothing around
us to burn. Poppe said he would do it by himself, and
springing over the breastwork before I could prevent him,
he lighted a match, touched it to a wisp of grass, and going
from place to place fired the sage-brush, returning only
after the duty had been thoroughly performed. All this
time, which consumed several minutes, he was as cool and
SERGEANT LA WTON.
43:
collected as on parade, although a hundred rifles made him
their target ; miraculously he escaped without a scratch."
Sergeant John S. Lawton, of Troop " D," 5th Cavalry,
was also conspicuous in the performance of his duty dur-
ing the siege. On the first day he greatly distinguished
himself by heading a small detachment (five men) to the
rescue of Captain Lawson, 3d Cavalry, and Lieutenant
Cherry, 5th Cavalry, who were nearly cut off by the Indians.
In doing this, the party was
exposed to a heavy fire, losing
three killed before reaching the
shelter of the trenches.
Sergeant Lawton (now Cor-
poral of Battery B, 5th United
States Artillery), received a
Medal of Honor.
An attack made by the In-
dians was gallantly repulsed.
During the entire day the en-
emy kept up a constant fire,
using ammunition like water, killing or mortally wounding
several men and three-fourths of the horses. At dark
another charge was made by the Indians, which was again
repulsed with loss on both sides. In the night many of the
dead animals were hauled off, a supply of water for the
next day was obtained, cartridges and rations were issued,
rifle-pits were dug and the defence was strengthened.
We could only get our water at night. Great judgment,
coolness and address, as well as courage, were required in
the discharge of this delicate and dangerous duty. There
SERGEANT JOHN S. I.AWTON,
FlI'TH U. S. CAVALRY.
43 6 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
was a scarcity of officers, and each had his hands full. My
confidence in Corporal Hampton M. Roach was so great
that, although he was one of the junior corporals in rank, as
well as young in years, I gave him full charge of the water
supply ; a duty that with a full number of ofificers present,
would have been assigned to one of them. One night the
Indians crept up close to our intrenchments and attacked the
water party, but Roach was ready for them, and his men
covered them with carbines cocked and fingers on triggers ;
the Utes made a desperate effort and shot one of our men,
but Roach kept his head, repulsed the attack, and, without
returning to the rifle-pits, procured his supply of water for
the next twenty-four hours. For this gallant act, his gen-
eral good conduct and superior intelligence, I recommended
him for appointment as Second Lieutenant in the Army,
and I am glad to say that he passed his examination suc-
cessfully, and is now serving with his regiment, the 1st In-
fantry.
The next day brought a continuation of the bombard-
ment, and all the animals were killed, excepting fourteen
mules.
The day after (Oct. i) the programme was unchanged,
save that the water party was attacked at short range, but
drove the enemy away, with the loss of one man on each
side.
On the morning of the fourth day (Oct. 2) an Indian was
heard to say, " Soldiers coming I " Payne's men took this
for a stratagem to throw them off their guard, but it had an
other meaning.
Captain Payne writes : " After the first day's fight I had
437
438 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
to send couriers with the news to the railroad, 140 miles
away. Surrounded by Indians as we were, the duty was
hazardous in the extreme. Corporals GEORGE MOQUIN and
Edward Murphy (D) were the first who offered to go
when volunteers were called for, as they were, only in this
case during the entire operations. I deemed it best to
trust men for this dangerous service who were willing to un-
dertake it. I explained the danger to these men, expressed
my belief that the chances were against all of the party get-
ting through, and upon their still expressing a desire to go,
gave each of the party, Corporals Moquin and Murphy,
Scout Rankin and Mr. John Gordon (an Indian freight
contractor, a very gallant man), a copy of my despatches
and sent them off. The danger was great ; they fully un-
derstood it and went without hesitation."
THE COLORED TROOPS.
On the thirtieth of September, Captain Dodge, 9th
Cavalry, with his company was scouting near Bear River,
when his advance-guard came across a piece of white paper,
with these words scribbled upon it, hanging to a twig
of sage-brush: "Hurry up; the troops have been de-
feated at the Agency. — E. E. C." In the language of this
of^cer's report, " Having seen that my men were supplied
with 125 rounds of ammunition and three days' rations per
man, I started for Payne's command. I took with me one
pack mule, on which was carried a couple of blankets and a
few picks and spades. The force left to me consisted of
two of^cers, thirty-five soldiers and four citizens. * * *
The night was bright and cold and the march unimpeded.
CAPTAIN DODGE'S TROOP. 439
At four o'clock we reached the river road, about five miles
from the intrenchments, and shortly afterward came upon
the dead bodies of three men, lying in a gulch, near which
a train loaded with annuity goods had been burned by the
Indians Half an hour later we arrived at Payne's com-
mand. Singularly enough, the Indians did not molest us
in the least up to this time, and I can only account for it
by supposing that they imagined a much stronger force
comin- in, and were unwilling to expose themselves. How-
ever we were scarcely inside the trenches when they com-
menced a fusillade, which was kept up at intervals for the
next three days. Of forty-two animals taken into the
trenches with my company, but four are left, and these are
wounded."
The remark, " Soldiers coming," was the first intimation
that re-enforcements were at hand, and for the remainder of
the siege the " brunettes " (for Dodge's men were colored
soldiers) vied with their white comrades in deeds of daring
and self-sacrifice. Captain Lawson is reported to have
said afterwards, that " the men of the 9th Cavalry are the
whitest black men I ever saw."
MASSACRE AND CAPTIVITY.
On the first day of the fight the Indians lost twenty of
their young men. Up to this time the agent, Mr. Meeker,
and his family had not been molested. But urged by per-
sonal hatred, grief at the loss of so many promising braves,
and disappointment at the failure of the ambush they had
planned, a party of Utcs, headed by Johnson, rushed back,
murdered the agent and his men in cold blood and carried
JOSEl'HiiSi; MKi-KER AND iKLLUW CAI'lIVEb.
440
THE MEEKER CAPriVES. 44!
into a captivity— often worse than death — three women
and two children, the unhappy remnant of two house-
holds. These were the wife and daughter of the Agent, and
the wife and two children of one of the employes.
They were hurried away to a camp which had been es-
tablished by the Indians for the protection of their own
families in case of war. The captives were abused and in-
sulted, but preserved throughout a fortitude and courage
which drew from their brutal captors expressions of admi-
ration. Their lives were spared through the efforts of Susan,
the sister of Ouray and wife of Johnson,— the arch-fiend and
murderer of the x^gent. Susan was a wonderful instance
of the fact that, although Indians never forgive an in-
jury they often remember a favor. Some years before, she
had been captured by a war-party of Arapahoes, near the
Cache le Poudre River. As they were about to burn the
helpless woman at the stake, the commanding ofificer of Fort
Collins interfered, and partially by threats and partially by
promises, succeeded in rescuing the prisoner from the tort-
ure. Nobly did Susan repay the debt.
During all the horror of this time, Josephine Meeker (who
had been the school-teacher at the Agency) showed great en-
durance and heroism. On one occasion the chief, Douglas,
placed the muzzle of his rifle against her forehead and said,
" Me shoot," and asked her if she was not afraid. The
girl drew herself up and looking her persecutor calmly
in the eye, replied, " I am not afraid of Indians nor of
death ! " Whereupon Douglas dropped his piece and slunk
away, crestfallen, amid the jeers of his companions,
24
442
BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
The details of the sufferings of these poor women are too
sad to dwell upon here.
By the prompt action of tjie Indian Department, a brave
man, General Adams, formerly the agent for the Utes, was
sent at once to treat for the release of the captives. After
much trouble, and at some personal risk, he succeeded in
his object, and the intended victims were restored to their
own people.
MERKITT'S MARCH. 4^-,
RAISING THE SIEGE.
If the experience of those at the front had been exciting,
the sensations of their friends in the rear were equally stir-
ring.
As soon as the news was received, General Merritt — the
colonel of Payne's regiment and one of the famous cavalry
leaders of our great Civil War — was sent, with a large force,
to the relief of the besieged.
At the head of two squadrons of cavalry and two com-
panies of infantry, he made what was called "alightnino-
march " across country, through clouds of blinding alkali
dust, which settled in the eyes, nostrils, ears and throats of
men and animals, causing intense pain, bleeding and ex-
haustion. One hundred and thirty-one of the men were in-
fantry in wagons.
But such was the stern determination to reach the com-
mand at Milk River in time, that at 5.30 P.M., October 5,
after an unparalleled march of 170 miles in forty-eight
hours, Merritt's men arrived. Captain Payne thus describes
the moment : "Just as the first gray of the dawn appeared,
our listening ears caught the sound of ' officers' call,' * break-
ing the silence of the morning, and filling the valley with
the sweetest music we had ever heard. Joyously the reply
rang out from our corral, and the men, rushing from the
rifle-pits, made the welkin ring with their glad cheers. It
was the relief of Lucknow in miniature, Isandula over
again — this time in the mountains of Colorado.
*The trumpet signal by which military officers may be suddenly assembled in camp or
ijarrison.
444 BESIEGED BY THE UTES.
" The losses of the troops were one commissioned officer,
nine soldiers and five civilians killed, three officers and
thirty-two men wounded, and two hundred and ten animals
killed. The Indians acknowledged a loss of thirty-seven
killed out of 350 engaged. Among the wounded were
Lieutenant Paddock and Dr. Grimes.
" General Merritt pushed on to the Agency, from which
the Indians fled at his approach. Everything was in ruins,
and the mutilated bodies of the Agent and his assistants
were found unburied amid the desolation."
As he was preparing to move into the heart of the Ute
country, with a view of punishing the perpetrators of this
crime, he was ordered to suspend operations, while the
Indian Department tried diplomacy instead of force as a
remedy. Principally through the efforts of Ouray, peace
was preserved, and the Indians were permitted to return to
the reservation without the thrashing they so richly de-
served, and which General Merritt was eager to give them.
To this day, no atonement has been made by them for
the innocent blood poured out on the banks of the White
River.
COLONEL BENJAMIN LLOYD BEALL,
SECOND U. S. DRAGOONS.
445
REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
I. THE SECOND DRAGOONS*
Pressing here my mossy pillow.
Forms that moulder 'neath the willow,
Forms that sleep beneath the billow,
Flit and frolic round me now ;
Banishing all thought of mourning,
All my dreams with joy adorning,
May they tarry till the morning
Ere they breathe their " Hough ! " t
" Hough ! " boys, " Hough ! " — " Hough ! " boys, " Hough ! '
Let the soldiers' toast be ever
" Hough ! "
LET disinterested outsiders attest the excellence of a
famous body of horsemen, where the modesty of an
officer :{; trained in its school (who contributes the following
reminiscences) may fail to do justice.
The tone of the regiment, doubtless, had its source in its
ox\^\Vi-^ personnel, created for service in the Far West, and
the term of enlistment being but for three years, many
young native Americans joined its standard for the sake of
the adventurous career thus offered, and the hope of better-
ing their fortunes in that terra incognita. Thus a brother-
hood was formed, and an esprit dc corps established, which
endured for many years, and which, it is to be hoped, still
continues.
* Now the 2d U. S. Cavalry. t Pronounced "//tja/.
t The late Gen. H. H. Sibley, formerly Captain 2d Dragoons.
446
DA VID E. TWIGGS. 44;
THE FIRST COLONEL.
The first Colonel, Twiggs, when appointed in 1836, was
in the full vigor of manhood. Original, practical and of
quick perception, he inspired the Regiment with an endur-
ing faith and self-reliance. Severe in his discipline, he was,
nevertheless, possessed of that bonJiouiniic which won the
hearts of soldiers and officers. Of commanding presence,
and of that military dignity so essential in a commander,
his slightest wish was law, and a rebuke from him never
failed of its object. The men of the Regiment feared, re-
spected and loved him. A thorough tactician himself, he
did not hesitate to place himself in the ranks of the officers
for instruction in the sabre and lance exercises, and in the
true method of intoning the voice in giving commands,
under the newly arrived officers, Captain L. J. Beall and
Lieut. W. J. Hardee,* from the Cavalry School at Saumur,
France. Educated in the school of martinets which per-
vaded the Army at the period of his first appointment, his
passions were unrestrained, and were often manifested in
the most violent paroxysms of temper, resulting in inhuman
punishments. This, however, was of but short duration
after his appointment to the Second Dragoons. Perceiving
the error of his ways, he adopted instead a fatherly care,
and his punishments were more practical, simple, original
and telling.
* Afterwards Lieutenant-General C. S. A.
448 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
REGIMENTAL CUSTOMS.
The regiment was constantly on the watch for some odd
character. Thus it was with our quondam friend, Mr.
F , who not only afforded us amusement, but feathered
his nest as well ; and thus, too. Bill Williams, the most
famous fiddler in the upper country. Hearing such marvel-
lous accounts of him it was decided in conclave to send an
ambulance and fetch him down, the officers agreeing to pay
him five dollars a day and his expenses. He entertained us
for a fortnight with the genuine " Arkansas Traveller," tell-
ing the story as he played, " Harper's Fork o' Roaring
River," and innumerable " Scotch strathspeys." He played
for us at the balls we'd give, notwithstanding that we had a
band led by Sefior Chiofifi, the most famous trombone player
in the world, but who was not slow in acknowledging Bill's
wonderful expertness with his fiddle.
A " hunt " was organized, and men and officers were sent
to scour the country as far as Alexandria to procure hounds
of the best breed ; and you may rest assured, Madam, or
Sir, that the welkin would ring with a vengeance when the
twenty hounds, with their whippers and the hunters, would
meet in the midst of the parade for a fox hunt. Horns
blowing, hounds yelping, and men screaming at the top of
their voices, would make a scene of excitement that would
rival the most noted English hunting scenes.
Such, and of such, was the daily life at Fort Jesup, be-
sides, of course, the strictly routine duties of mounted and
dismounted drills ; recitations in tactics, and in the regula-
tions ; and exercises with the sabre and lance ; the latter
SECOND DRAGOON POINTS. 440
made in the regiment. Saturday was the day for exercise
in these arms : mornings for sabre, afternoons for the lance.
The entire command would be assembled in columns of
companies at open order, occupying the whole parade, and
under the direction of the Adjutant, would be exercised for
an hour by the non-commissioned ofificers alternately in the
points, cuts and moulinets. The method of command
taught by Beall and Hardee would be strictly enforced.
Thus, commands of caution would be drawled loudly, whilst
commands of execution would follow with a sharp, ener-
getic voice. By this custom the men would be exercised,
and the non-commissioned officers attain confidence and
uniformity.
The drills were practical rather than ornamental. In
very hot weather the officers and men would be permitted
to throw off their shell jackets or coats, and at a " rest " the
men were permitted and encouraged to sky-lark — so that the
drills would be pleasant episodes, rather than toil. Leap-
ing a pile of pine logs, by the whole command, would termi-
nate eaclj mounted drill ; and it was a rare sight to witness
the grace with which it was done by some of the men, lance
in rest. Awkward fellows, who pretended that their horses
would not take the leap, were given stick horses, and made
to scramble over it.
The alacrity of the Second Dragoons was always remark-
able. We were camped, I remember, near the town of
Lecompton, Kansas, during the border troubles. The
horses were picketed to grass on the prairie, about a quar-
ter of a mile from camp. " To Horse ! " was sounded, and
it appeared to me, in less than five minutes I was at a
450 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
round trot and gallop with my squadron, passing in
review the laggards who had not yet formed, and inter-
posed between the two belligerent lines of Free Soilers and
Border Rufifians. Each man knew his place and his num-
ber in the platoon, company, and squadron, so that there
was no occasion to count off. Promptness in action was
always a distinguishing characteristic of the regiment.*
A MODEL SERGEANT-MAJOR.
Our Sergeant-Major, Tree (of the period between '42
and '45), was one of the handsomest soldiers I ever saw ;
and quite as perfect in his duties. His uniform was within
a shade of the shell jacket worn by the of^cers. Indeed,
all the first-sergeants were thus clad. It was with no little
pride that the Sergeant-Major was observed crossing the
parade. At the time I speak of, the 3d Infantry, Colonel
Hitchcock, — the crack regiment of infantry, by the way, —
formed a part of the garrison, though quartered in sheds
and shanties on the outside. One day Colonel Hitchcock,
together with other officers of the regiment, was seated on
the broad piazza of the Adjutant's Ofifice, his ordef-ly, a
spruce sergeant, lounging below, when Tree came out of the
office ; gracefully saluting the group of of^cers, he descended
the steps to the ground, when the orderly sprang to " at-
tention," and saluted Tree as he passed ! " I am not a bit
* There is good reason to think that the successors of the Second Dragoons are not
" slow " when a move is ordered. On one occasion, during the War in i86i, the regiment
was ordered to break camp suddenly, and pursue Mosby, the celebrated Confederate parti-
san, who had attacked the rear of General Meade's trains at Urandy Station. When
"To Horse I " sounded the men were lounging, the horses standing at the picket line, and
no one thought of a march. In eight minutes the Second had saddled up, mounted,
and was trotting down the road with three days' rations in the haversacks. — [Editor.]
\
SERGEANT-MAJOR TREE. 45 [
surprised," remarked the Colonel. "The soldierly beariiTg,
and neatness of dress of that Sergeant-Major, would elicit
a salute from any man in my regiment." This was said
with a half suppressed tone of bitterness and envy. Phil.
Barbour, his adjutant, had, doubtless, the same feeling. In
fact, it seemed to be the study of the regiment to differ,
and. to distinguish itself from others. Accessories to the
uniform clothing furnished by the Government, such as
yellow worsted bands around the cap for ordinary non-com-
missioned ofificers and privates, and gold lace for the non-
commissioned staff and first-sergeants, were allowed and
encouraged, to distinguish the regiment from the First
Dragoons.
A FAMOUS CAVALRYMAN.
The Lieutenant-Colonel, Harney, like the Colonel, had
been educated in his youthful military career in the severe,
rugged school of 182 1. A man of stalwart frame, six feet
four inches in height, straight as an Indian, and without
an ounce of surplus flesh, his rugged face, sandy hair,
and light blue eyes, elicited admiration and confidence.
Thrown with roughs and Indians in his early service on
the frontier, he emulated the most daring of them in their
sports. In racing, leaping, and other manly sports, he
excelled all competitors. Simple as a child in his manners
and deportment, he was yet a lion when aroused or enraged.
When he was stationed at old Fort Shelby, near Nackitosh,
in '22, I think, and when his face was scarce fledged, he
attended a fishing party in which my entire family partici-
pated. In the course of the day, when the young men
452
KEGC-LANS OF THE OLD SCJJOOL.
were disposed to sk}--lark, the Sheriff of the parish, a Mr.
Johnson, a robust, powerful man, pretended that he was
about to give my grandfather a ducking in the lake.
Marney, being near my mother at the moment, she ap-
pealed to him to save her father from the impending catas-
trophe. Approaching the parties and remonstrating with
Johnson, the latter, releasing my grandfather, turned upon
Harney, as a foe more wortln^ of his steel ; but he had
i;ENERAL WILLIAM S. UAK.NKV,
l-NITED STATES AKMV.
very nearly paid for his temerity with liis life. He seized
Harney round the waist with a herculean grip, and al-
though begged and implored not to commit such a folly,
conveyed him waist deep into the lake, and, uniformed as
he was, plunged him under the water. Harney aroused
himself in the intense vigor of his manhood and strength,
shook himself free from Johnson's bear-like clutches and
{
A MILITARY ATHLETE.
453
seizing him, in turn, would have drowned him, in his wrath,
but for the timely interference of the spectators. Drenched
to the skin, his uniform ruined, he made his apologies to
the ladies, and retired from the party.
On the Upper Missouri he delighted in excelling the
Osage Indians, the bravest and most athletic of the tribes,
in foot-races, and in the pursuit of the Elk afoot.
On the occasion of Harney's hanging the Seminole chief,
Chikikie, and a lot of his followers in the Everglades (the
same chief who had surprised and massacred a detachment
of the Second Dragoons, who were building a trading-post
for the special benefit of his tribe, under the direction of
Harney, who escaped by the skin of his teeth), the com-
mander of the department neither approved nor condemned
the act, until he was instructed from Washington to the
latter course. But we of the Second Dragoons, six com-
panies of which were stationed at Fort Butler with the
headquarters, fired a salute of twenty-one guns, the mo-
ment we heard of it, in Harney's honor This was but a
single instance of esprit de corps, and regimental pride.
Expert in every department of his profession, of untir-
ing industry and energy, he was at home in any situation.
He was as skilful in a small boat as the most rugged sai-
lor. Fretful and impatient under command, he ever sought
detached and hazardous service. He commanded the
detachment of the Second Dragoons in General Scott's
remarkable campaign, in Florida. Three columns were
started from the northern part of the Peninsula to march
south, communicating with each other by signals : big guns
and rockets. Harney was attached to the centre column.
454 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
At night, when rockets were sent up, he leaped from his bed,
ran out of his tent, calling out in his stentorian voice, " What
fool is firing those rockets ? Captain Fulton ! Captain
Fulton, ain't your horses scared ? Well, it's strange they are
not frightened to death ! I never heard of such tomfoolery
in my life ! " Not a man in camp but heard his voice.
" It's General Scott's orders. Colonel," some one called out.
" Blank General Scott and the whole fraternity of Wash-
ington generals. Does he expect to find any Indians if he
makes such a racket?" There were plenty of gossips to
repeat to General Scott the language Colonel Harney
used ; and hence a bitter feeling was engendered, which
lasted for years, culminating in the attempt to overslaugh
him, in the organization of the expedition to Vera Cruz,
and which happily terminated with Harney's capture of
the heights of Cerro Gordo, the key to the Mexican posi-
tion. On this occasion General Scott tendered his hand, his
congratulations, and his thanks. An enduring friendship
was established thereafter.
In 1839 Harney was stationed at Key Biscayne. He
had with him as A. A. A. G. Lieutenant Saunders of the
Second. The light-house had been burned and the keeper's
family massacred by the Indians the year before. Harney
bethought him, one day, that the light-house ought to be
rebuilt. " Mr. Saunders," said he, "that light-house ought
to be rebuilt. Whose duty is it, amongst those fellows in
Washington?" "The Secretary of the Treasury has
charge of all the light-houses, I believe," replied Saunders*
* Well, write a letter to the Secretary and tell him, blank
him, that the light-house ought to be rebuilt. Tell him
1
''PEGGING" TURTLE. 455
that it ought to have been rebuilt long ago. Tell the
blank idiot that if he will give me the authority 1 will re-
build it myself." " But there is no stone here," suggested
Saunders. " Tell the fool to send to Boston for the stone.
Have you finished ? Read it ' " Saunders read precisely as
he had dictated, not omitting a single syllable of his angry
epithets. " Mr. Saunders," quoth the Colonel, with sup-
pressed anger, and half inclined to laugh, too, at the ab-
surdity of the whole proceeding, " a steam-boat will leave
to-morrow morning for San Augustine ; get ready to go in
her, and join your company."
His chief amusement was to stand in the bow of a
boat, with harpoon or grains, and strike the monster fish
which abound in the waters of the eastern coast of Florida
or to "peg" the enormous green turtle, as they slept on
the surface of the water. The " peg " is an instrument of
steel, about two inches long, one end shaped like a pyra-
mid, with a shoulder about an inch from the point, the
residue being a socket, into which a long, slender handle
fits loosely. To this little instrument a long line is at-
tached, which is held in the hand. The shaft is constantly
held poised. Cautiously approaching a sleeping turtle, the
shaft is thrown so as to strike him on the back ; the " peg "
enters the shell merely, up to the shoulder, which closing
over it, the shaft becomes detached, and he is secured to the
line, by means of which he is towed ashore without injury.
It was on such an excursion that he captured a sea-calf,
that rara avis of the ocean. The skeleton was sent to
Washington, and it is doubtless on eiihibition at this day
at the Smithsonian.
456
REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
CHARLIE MAY.
Perhaps one of the most picturesque of the proverbially
gallant sabreurs of the " Old Second " was Colonel Charles
A. May. He was one of the heroes of our war with
Mexico, where, at the head of his squadron, and in company
with Captain (now General) Pike Graham, Lieutenants
Sackett,* Pleasanton,t Inge and Winship at the battle of
Resaca de la Palma, he made a brilliant charge upon the
enemy's artillery, capturing a battery and a general officer,
La Vega, with a loss of one officer (Inge) and sixteen
men and twenty-eight horses, killed or wounded. Like the
* Late Inspector-General of the Army.
t Afterward Major-General commanding' Cavalry Corps, A. P.
CHARLIE MAY. 457
*' Charge of the Six Hundred" at Balaclava, it became fa-
mous ; unlike that charge, it was not a blunder. The equally
gallant deeds of May's comrades were overshadowed by
the personal characteristics of their leader. The Press
teemed with wonderful tales of his prowess and horseman-
ship, like these : " This gallant of^cer has immortalized him-
self. A friend who has watched his equestrian movements
at the camp describes him as a most singular being ; with
a beard extending to his breast and long, flowing hair,
which, as he cuts through the wind on his charger, streams
out in all directions. He is one of the finest horsemen in
the army. Nothing is too difficult for him to attempt."
In Baltimore, one day, in 1845, ^^^ ^^'^s fined for a breach of a
city ordinance, in leaping his horse over a cord of wood
in front of the City Hall. This horse was not less cele-
brated than his master. He was a large coal-black gelding,
and at the time of the Mexican War was about ten years
old ; was sired in " Old Kcntiick " by the celebrated " Whip."
May's eagle eye selected him from the mass — " ignobilc
vu/gus.'" Trained and tutored in the menage, Tonis noble
qualities spoke a blood and spirit far excelling his col-
leagues. The delight which the ambitious animal displayed
in every feat of daring or activity, seemed only to equal
his astonishing powers.
" OLD TOM'S " EXPLOITS.
In Florida, in 1837, Old Tom" s amazing leaps and un-
flinching spirit became notorious. One of his many
achievements — the capture of " KING PHILIP " — particu-
larly deserves historical notice.
25
458 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
The action of Dunlawton was still raging, and Old Tom's
ardor for the fight had carried the gallant May ahead of
his troop into the midst of the Seminoles, when their daring
leader, " King Philip," sprung forth, with upraised rifle, to
oppose horse and rider. May's sabre quickly swept the air,
but the agile Indian avoided the blow as the fiery charger
passed on. Instantly, however, did " Old Tom " turn on
his haunches (as his master has said, with all the spirit
and purpose of his rider), and rearing high, plunged both
his front hoofs into the breast of the Indian warrior, knock-
ing him full ten feet (as is well avouched), senseless and
thenceforth a captive.
Coa-co-chcc, ox Wild-Cat, then became the '^ head devW
of the real Seminoles, and swore vengeance on his father's
captor. One of his attempts was as follows : May, in the
habit of riding alone from his near post to St. Augustine,
was returning over the sandy road, unsuspicious of danger,
one very dark night, when he and Old Tom found them-
selves suddenly am.ong a drove of horses. May's pistol
was instantly cocked, for he knew that " Indians were
about ; " and he determined to go ahead and get his men
out of the fort. Old Tom made his way through, but the
Indians did not fire, for fear of alarming the post. About
half a mile from where they passed through the herd was a
wooden bridge which Old Tom always jumped ; this, as
usual, he did, when a minute after a horse's hoof was heard,
in the black darkness of the night, to touch the boards.
May then knew he was followed, and instantly reined up.
The treacherous horseman came on to meet the discharge
of the pistol. The Indian appeared to fall from his horse
OLD TOM" THE WAR HORSE.
459
and escape as May rode into his post with the horse
following. In the morning, the captured animal was found
to have on him the trappings known to be Wild-Cat's, with
a ball through his neck, and the worst kind of a kick
from Old Tom's heels.
The theatre of Old Tom's renown was next shifted to
Mexico, where he quickly won the admiration of the
rough and ready riders of our army, and the profound
respect of the enemy. At first, the Texans were inclined
to brag a little of their horses. On one such occasion, May,
knowing there was nothing " Old Tom " would not try,
shouted to a mounted party, " Now, follow me," pointing
at the same time to a ravine which no horse could possibly
clear. Old Tom dashed on, but at the brink each Texan
halted. His leap was unhesitatingly made, and all thought,
for the moment, that horse and rider had been dashed to
atoms ; Old Tom, however, had fallen unhurt in the soft
earth of the chasm.
At Resaca de la Palma, in the charge which took General
La Vega, Tom's courage shone gloriously. The Mexican
guns were not only advantageously posted, but had a
breastwork thrown up, with a ditch in front of it ; in fact, an
actual battery. So soon as General Taylor perceived it, he
rode up to May and told him he must take it at any cost ;
and off dashed the dragoons, going forward like a tornado.
" Old Tom " went steady at the enemy, all the time making
tremendous leaps, as he bounded over ditch, breastwork,
and everything else that came in his way. In this charge,
an escopette ball, or grape-shot, struck him in the neck ;
yet so steadily and unswervingly did he '■'go the pace " that
460 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
it was not known until after the battle that he was
wounded. The gallant Inge's fate has been much attrib-
uted to the want of that steadiness and vigor in his charge^
which distinguished " Old Tomr
At Monterey, a spent grape-shot keeled Old Tom over.
May thought him dead, spoke to him in sorrow, but the
old fellow in a few moments sprung up, shook himself
heartily, and began to return his master's caresses as if
" nothing to speak about " had occurred. All the damage
was a large welt on his flank, perhaps the first time Old
Tom had been out-flanked.
This one of the heroes of all Taylor's battles in Mexico
fought his last fight at Buena Vista. He had been under
the saddle for four days and nights, when on that bloody
field this " creature of heroic blood " began to show a fail-
ing of strength, which his devoted master and friend would
not o'ertask. May had Old Tom withdrawn, much against
that hero's free consent ; and thereafter the old horse, by
the interest and affection of his master, passed down the
vale of life through paths of peace and plenty.
" OLD BEN BEALL."
Bvt. Major Ben. Beall, notwithstanding his humor and
love of fun, was a good soldier, and an excellent disciplina-
rian. When in command, he was dignified and reserved ;
of? duty, he was the prince of good fellows. He could tell
more unique and original stories, sing better songs, and
stand up to his " toddy " more honestly than any man in
the regiment. No one could tell his stories with the
same grace, or humorous workings of the countenance, or
I
COLONEL BEN. BE ALL. 461
singhis songs with the same expression, and intonations of
voice. The posts where he was stationed were kept alive
by his vagaries. When we were in depot at Governor's
Island in '39, for the purpose of discharging and re-enlist-
ing the three-years men, Ben. Beall was in his glory. An
English frigate came into the port, and, of course, civil-
ities were exchanged. The British ofificers entertained
some of us at the old Globe Hotel, away down Broadway.
" Old-Strike-a-Light," as we delighted to call Beall, was
there, of course. He amazed John Bull, with his versa-
tile, never-ending humor. Amongst others he told the
story, as given by a Frenchman, of the capture of the
" Guerriere ' by the " Constitution."
" You see, I vas come from Marseilles with sheep load
wine and cognac ; I vas go to ze Levant trade. By'm-by
Capitaine Dacre he com vith zat ' Guerriere,' and he tak
my sheep ; and he tak all my vine, an my cognac in he's
sheep ; me and my crew he tak prisonares an he burn my
sheep. Pretty soon he say: 'Ah, Capitaine Dufosse, I go
look now fo zat Yankee frigate, ze " Constitution." ' Pretty
soon he see zat sheep. ' Ah, Capitaine Dufosse,' he say,
' I'm goin tak zat sheep in twenty minutes.' Ven he come
up vith her, he give von broadside br-r-r-r-r-re ! Zat Yankee,
he no say nossing ; — br-r-r-r-r-rc, ze other broadside. Ze
Yankee, he no say nossing ! ' Tonnere ! ' I say, ' what is
zat?' Br-r-r-r-r-rc! br-r-r-r-r-rc! from ze 'Guerriere.'
Zat sacre Yankee, he no say nossing !' Pretty soon, when he
come close — br-r-r-r-rc ! br-r-r-r-rc ! br-r-r-r-r-rc — by gar, I
go beelow. After avile I com on ze deck. Capitaine Da-
cre vas giv his sword to Capitaine Hull! I say, 'Ah, ha!
462
REGULARS OF THE OLD SCLLOOL.
Capitaine Dacre ! You say you goin tak zat Yankee frigate
in tiventy minutes ! By gar, he tak you in TAN ! ' "
Given with the French style and manner and peculiar lin-
guistical accent, in which he was inimitable, the story was
received in great good humor, and rounds of applause.
One of his legion of friends wrote an obituary notice,* of
which the following was a part :
" But Colonel Beall was not distinguished for his social
qualities alone ; he was a soldier in every sense of the word.
With a noble countenance and a commanding and well-knit
frame, he looked every inch the warrior. Once in the
saddle, his powers of endurance were wonderful. In mid-
winter, when the valleys at the eastern base of the Rocky
Mountains were filled with snow, when even the nomadic
savage had to seek some sheltered nook to pitch his lodge
in, it was then that the Colonel used to start on those ex-
peditions against hostile Indians which rendered him so
famous. Day after day,, night after night, as long as a
horse could hold him up, he would travel. During his
term of service in New Mexico, he underwent hardship
that broke down even the stoutest of his troops ; but cold
never pinched him, heat never relaxed him, and hunger
never weakened him. Incapable of fatigue, quick in de-
cision, brave in action, he was perhaps the best specimen
of a partisan officer our Service has ever produced.
" A character like that of Colonel Beall was apt to be
misunderstood by those who did not know him well ; but
underneath his apparent occasional levity of manner there
beat a warm and noble heart, and a conscience free from
♦Colonel Benjamin Lloyd Beall died at Baltimore, Aug. 10, 1863.
" THE NOBLEST Roman:' 463
guile. A strong undercurrent of religious feeling tinged
his whole life, and many a time, even in the field, after an
evening spent over the camp-fire, ' in riot most uncouth,'
has the writer of this seen the old Colonel, before he retired
to his bivouac on the ground, take out his prayer-book and
snatch a few precious moments from his restless and busy
life for a communion with the things of another world.
"He is now gone, and in after-times, when the oft-told
joke goes round and some old, familiar story tliat he once
told calls out the merry laugh, a tear will mingle with our
cups as we think of that true and honest gentleman, that
noble soldier, that prince of boon companions — Colonel
Ben. Beall."
Who, when shattered and broken from scoutings and toils,
In the Florida war,
Could smile at grim Death as he felt his cold toils,
In the Florida war ?
Who, but valiant old Ben ? — beau ideal of men —
Who wore gay soldier's tog in the days that we ken,
In the Florida war. —
God rest his old head where his blanket is spread,
Far from toil and cold lead
And the Florida war !
II. "■ THE NOBLEST ROMAN OF THEM ALL."*
The sun, which shines alike upon the just and the unjust,
was reflected from the burnished brasses of the garrison
of Fort Shaw, Montana, one bright day in the latter part
of June, 1886. The troops were paraded to do honor to
the memory of a distinguished non-commissioned officer,
* This account is prepared from data furnished by Lieut. Philit Re.mje, Third U.S.
Infantry.
464 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
who for thirty-five years had helped to defend the Flag of his
Country with all the power of his strong right arm and
with all the force of his brave, honest and intelligent exam-
ple. According to Army Regulations, the funeral escort or
" firing party " for a sergeant consists of sixteen privates
commanded by a sergeant, and it is further provided that the
funeral shall be attended by the non-commissioned officers
of the company or regiment, with side-arms only. But
the Colonel of the Third Infantry, responding to the esprit
de corps which has ever been a marked feature of that
SERGEANT JAMES KEGAN,
THIRD U. S. INFANTRY.
regiment, ordered out the entire garrison in full dress to
follow the remains of one who represented a type of the
American Army, now, alas ! seldom to be met with.
The band, playing a dirge, preceded the cortege ; then
came the firing party, selected with care from the oldest
and best privates, with reversed arms, commanded by a
sergeant of twenty years' service ; then the body on an ar-
tillery carriage covered with the Stars and Stripes, and
SERGEANT FKGAN. 465
guarded by six stalwart non-commissioned officers as pall-
bearers ; the chaplain and the surgeon ; the family — the
gray-haired widow supported by an only son, successor to
his father's post of First Sergeant ; the post and regimen-
tal commander as chief mourner for the regiment ; the
other commissioned officers in the order of rank ; four
companies of infantry, with the colors draped in mourn-
ing ; last of- all, a number of civilians living in the vicinity.
Soon are heard the three sharp volleys of musketry which
terminate the old soldier's last parade, and with a heart-
felt " peace to his ashes," the martial procession returns
with quickened pace and livelier music to the duty of the
hour.
Let us glance at the military record of the enlisted man
who was deemed worthy of these extraordinary honors.
SERGEANT FEGAN, THIRD INFANTRY.
James Fegan was born in Athlone, Ireland, in 1827, and
acquired military habits in the constabulary there. Coming
to this country in early life, he enlisted as a private in
Company " I," Second United States Infantry, October 29,
185 1. From that time to 1886 he had been almost
continuously in the service of the United States as a sol-
dier, and his record reads more like that of a warrior of the
early centuries, when war was man's chief pastime, than that
of a dweller in the New World who was born in the present
century. Fegan soon proved himself faithful, and was
promoted to be corporal and then sergeant, and in due
time, his term of enlistment having expired, he re-enlisted.
Again and again was he discharged and as often re-enlisted,
466
REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
until 1861, when he entered upon active service in the
Army of the Potomac for three years.
HIS ACTIVE SERVICE.
He served with his company at the Siege of Yorktown,
Gaines Mills, Malvern Hill, Hanover Court House, Fair
Oaks, Harrisons Landing, Bull Run, Centreville, South
Mountain and Antietam. At Antietam he was wounded by
a rifle bullet in the right leg, but was re-enlisted March 31,
1864, in Company " C," Third Infantry, and when again
discharged, his papers showed he had participated in the
following engagements : Petersburg, Reams' Station, Janus
Station, Birney Station, Stonenians Creek, first and second
Deep Bottom, South Side Railroad, Danville Railroad, Boyd-
ton Plank Road, Appomattox Station, Farmsville City, Neiu
House, Savage Station, Reno Station, Manehester, Rielunond^
Dunwiddie, C. H., Burksville Junetion, Appomattox Court
House, Surrender of Lee s Army. Sergeant Fegan had re-
ceived several wounds, and one would naturally suppose he
had had enough of a soldier's career to satisfy him for the
remainder of his life. Such, however, was not the case.
Twice he re-enlisted after this, but after the second enlist-
ment he was prevailed upon to seek admission to the Sol-
diers' Home at Washington, whither he went in 1870. Ex-
istence at the quiet retreat was too tame a thing for him,
and he succeeded in obtaining a discharge and at once re-
joined the Army. And there he remained to the day of
his death, participating in all the duties, dangers and vi-
cissitudes of the Service, honored by his associates and
trusted by his superior ofificers.
AN OLD SOLDIER'S EXPLOITS.
A DISTINGUISHED RECORD.
467
His record bears many endorsements of his bravery and
efficiency by commanding officers, and he has participated
in numerous thrilling experiences, besides pitched battles,
during the war and with the Indians. He stood guard, sin-
gle-handed and alone, over a deserter he had captured and
a mule train freighted with gun-powder, at Plum Creek,
Kansas, when a cowardly assault was made upon him by
another soldier and a crowd of citizens, and he took both
deserter and powder to camp. For this. Sergeant Fegan
received the Medal of Honor, and was mentioned in Orders,
as follows :
" Headquarters Fort Dodge, Kansas.
" March 13, 1868.
" Special Orders,
" No. 39.
" It becomes the pleasant duty of the commanding officer to notice in terms
of approbation, the conduct of Sergeant James Fegan of Company ' H,' 3d
U. S. Infantry, while in charge of a supply train en route from Fort Harker to
Fort Dodge, Kansas.
" During the journey, while encamped at Phim Creek, Sergeant John W.
Blake, Troop ' B,' 7th U. S. Cavalry, aided by some citizens, made a violent
and cowardly assault upon Sergeant Fegan, while the latter was guarding a
deserter, whom he had recently apprehended. He was threatened with death
if he did not allow the prisoner to escape ; but true to his trust and to his good
record as a soldier, he yielded nothing but what was wrested from him by
force. And at the same time defended himself with great courage and ability.
He defended, single-handed, the train freighted with gunpowder, when threat-
ened, and brought it safely to this Post.
"The courage and firmness with which Sergeant Fegan performed this dif-
ficult duty is worthy of all praise, and is in keeping with his excellent record
468 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
as a soldier through many years of service. His conduct is worthv the em-
ulation of all the soldiers of this Command who deem their profession honor-
able, and who desire to fulfil the requirements of it with honor and credit to
themselves.
" By order of Major H. DOUGLAS.
" Thomas S. Wallace,
" 2(/ Lieut. T,d U. S. Infantry,
" Post Adjutant. "
In a recent letter from Sergeant Fegan's company com-
mander, he says :
A commander's tribute.
" He was exemplary in his habits, honest, truthful,
slow to anger, conscientious, respectful and soldierly in
his demeanor to officers, a tower of strength among the
men. In personal appearance, he resembled General Har-
ney as the latter looked thirty years ago. Many humorous
stories are told of Fegan. He was a character whose life
and habits furnished many salients whereon to hang anec-
dotes. His own son, James Fegan, Jr., enlisted in H Com-
pany, 3d Infantry, eleven years ago, and was last year pro-
moted to be First Sergeant of the Company.
" The singular spectacle of father and son both serving as
sergeants in the same organization thus presents itself. We
were proud of old Fegan, who, from his earnings, gave his
son what he lacked himself ; to wit, a good education.
As long ago as 1867 the old soldier brought me $2800 to
keep for him. This was in an adobe hut on the banks of
the muddy Arkansas, at Fort Dodge. Calling his wife to
him, he bade her * dhrop a curtsey to the Liftinint ! '
This she did. The old warrior was over six feet. Standing
A VERV FRESH'' RECRUIT. 469
erect, his long arms were just able to rest on the curly head
of a miniature reproduction of himself as he sonorously-
said : * Liftinint ! The proudest fither in his father's cap
it will be whin he sees this lad idducated like an officer
and a gintleman. An' we've got the monney to do it, too,
— haven't we, ould woman ? Dhrop a curtsey, woman \
Right-hand salute, Jhames, to the Liftinint ! '
" At another time,— hour, midnight ; place, the guard-
house, — he being the Sergeant of the Guard, was addressed
by a rather fresh recruit as 'Jim.' Whack! and the neo-
phyte was sprawling, while seventy-five inches of irate,
Hibernian, soldierly humanity roared out: ^ Jim, is it?
Whin I'm on dhuty it's "Sergeant Faygan " ye'U call
me. Whin I'm off dhuty, thin, an' not /"///thin, Vvajim!
D'ye mind it! D'ye mind it ! ' And he again flourished
a fist as big as a Missouri ham in the face of the terrified
recruit.
'' If you have received any impression from this screed
that Fegan was a coarse, or brutal, or over-exacting man,
you are in error. He appreciated himself at his exact value ;
no more, no less. Officers were, to him, of the ' quality,' —
clay different from his. He was a devout Roman Catholic.
LOYALTY AND FIDELITY.
" In 1868, a Deputy U. S. Marshal came to Fort Dodge
one evening to arrest me. The suit was at the instance of
some citizens who had been broken up by me in the busi-
ness of trading whiskey to Arrapahoe and Cheyenne Indi-
ans. Having had warning of the advent of the hapless dep-
uty U. S. M., I casually — very casually, you will understand,
470 REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
— mentioned the fact to Sergeant Fcgan. He careless!}'
asked where would the U. S. M. sleep. Similarly, without
assignable reason, he inquired would I be at the Post Trad-
er's until, mayhap, midnight, that night ? I incidentally
gave him information and details. Of course there was
an entire absence of purpose in three or four circumstances
that followed ; to wit (i), I domiciled and fed and drank the
D. U. S. M. in my own quarters, suggesting that he defer
until the next day any business he might have with me.
(2) By a singular coincidence, the night that I spent at bill-
iards at the sutler's store, old Fegan and a few steady men
of my company had passes, with permission to be absent
from the Reser\\ation. (3) When I returned to my quarters,
I tip-toed to the room where I had left my Deputy U. S. M.
asleep, but was astounded to find the bed empty, his bag-
gage gone, the man nowhere to be found.
" Long afterward the Deputy told me — he was a pretty
clever fellow, Charley W by name — that late that night
he was gently but resolutely awakened from his stupor —
slumbers, I mean — by a giant, who had a whisper like the
North wind and the sinews of a Goliath, who enjoined
him to get up, dress, pack his things and silently follow him
to a wagon. By the way the Hercules spoke, the Deput}-
U. S. M. thought he meant it, and he meekly com-
plied. Without injury of any kind, the civil functionary
was taken to a point on Pawnee Creek, and there advised to
take the stage away from Fort Dodge. He did so. Old
Fegan always looked preternaturally sober whenever I tried
to talk about it. Do you blame me for feeling that in his
death I lost a friend ? "
THE AMERICAN rRIl'ATE SOLDIER. 471
THE " MEN BEHIND THE MUSKETS."
" The Annals of War abound with names of titled military
men, generals, colonels, and those of lesser rank but equal
bravery, to whom their country and the world have justly
awarded the deathless meed that heroism everywhere and
always deserves. No one questions the right of these
valiant warriors to wear their laurels and to enjoy their
well-earned renown. Physical bravery and soldierly leader-
ship will be admired and extolled by humanity for ages to
come, and it is right that they should be. The people that
has no appreciation of dauntless manhood and the prowess
of military chieftainship is likely to be one of poor spirit,
incapable of the noblest and best inspirations. But some-
times, to a close observer, it would seem that the incense
cloud which popular feeling continually keeps ascending
before the shrine of the greater heroes, obscures and belittles
the deeds of the humbler ones. The general, the colonel
and their subordinates plan the battles, marshal the armies
and keep the serried ranks in order, inspiring those under
their command by counsel and examples, but it is the men
behind the muskets who do the fighting and win the victo-
ries. Never was this exemplified in a more striking way
than during our own great struggle of twenty years ago.
The American Private Soldier gained the admiration and
applause of the world by his sublime heroism ; animated by
a grand purpose and thinking while he fought of all that de-
pended upon his exertions, he was doubly a hero — a hero
physically and morally — and he won battles and achieved
triumphs, often under the most adverse circumstances, and
47^
REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
despite bad generalship, for it must not be forgotten that
we had bad as well as good leaders. So when we crown the
titled soldier with laurels and wave incense before his face,
we must not fail to remember that behind and around him
cluster the memories of thousands of private soldiers whose
thinking and fighting were factors that largely helped to
eive him his fame,"
FIRST SERGEANT JAMES FEGAN,
Company H, 3D U. S. Infantry ;
Died at Fort ShaiVy Montana,
June 25, 1886, aged 59.
Service. Enlisted in Co. I, 2d Infantry, Oct. 29, 1851 ; re-enlisted Aug. 29, 1856 ; re-
enlisted July I, 1861. Re-enlisted in Co. C, 3d Infantry, March 31, 1864 ; re-enlisted
March 31, 1867; re-enlisted (Co. H) March 31, 1870; re-enlisted Aug. 13, 1873; ""e-
enlisted Aug. 13, 1878 ; re-enlisted Aug. 13, 1883. Retired /rovt Act i^'e Service as
Sergeant at Fort Missoula, M. T., May 8, 1885. Participated in 30 battles. War of the
Rebellion, and numerous Indian affairs. Jf 07<«fl'frt'al " Antietam," 1862. Mentioned
in Orders and awarded the U. S. Medal 0/ Honor and a Certificate of Merit for con-
spicuous gallantry at Plum Creek, Kansas, March, 1868. Sergeant Fegan -was made
(Dec. 6, \?i^q) the subject 0/ a Special Message to Congress from the President of the
United States.
"CHUM."
A MERITORIOUS CAMP FOLLOWER.
Bor7i at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., August 6, 1876.
Died at Fort Brady, Michigan, March 5, 1886.
u/ — ^HUM" accompanied the 23d U.S. Infantry all
V^^ through the Cheyenne expedition of '78. He
marched with the regiment from Fort Leavenworth to Fort
Supply, Indian Territory, in '79; thence he marched with
Co. " A," to the Cantonment on the Uncompahgre River,
Colorado, thence to Fort Union, New Mexico. He also
accompanied the troops from Fort Union to Richmond
Post-Office, Arizona, in an expedition against the Apaches,
known as the Gila Expedition of '82. During the expedi-
tion the troops suffered severely from want of water. A
detachment of Co. "A" was sent to scout through the
country to find pure water, but after travelling all day and
all night without finding even any signs of it, they went
into camp, and such was their suffering that they resolved
to kill poor " Chum " for his blood. One of the detachment
now (1886) stationed at Fort Brady, Mich., begged for
" Chum's " life, and it was. spared, providing water would be
found within the next hour; and luckily enough it was the
dog who led them to it. " Chum " returned with the com-
'^ 473
474
A MERITORIOUS CAMP FOLLOWER.
mand to Fort Union, and went with it to Fort Brady, in
June, 1884. The command felt grieved over "Chum's'
death, and tried to show their love for him by burying
him with appropriate military honors, and erecting a neat
headboard over his grave, near the Post Cemetery.
" CHUM.'"
APPENDIX.
MILITARY REWARDS IN THE UNITED STATES.
(1776-1886.)
UPERIOR merit and capacity were rewarded in various
ways by the Romans. A victorious general was, if the
people considered him worthy of it, honored with a
tiiumph. The General entered Rome in a magnifi-
cent chariot, followed by his soldiers and by the
-polls and prisoners taken from the enemy ; the
uore splendid the victory the more gorgeous the
pageant. When a Roman saved the life of a fellow-
citizen he was crowned with a chaplet of oak ; this
distinction was by no means trifling. It gave him
State privileges, and allowed him to confer them
u]:)on his father and grandfather by his father's side ; an encouragement to merit
which cost the country nothing, and was productive of many great effects. The
Greeks had no triumphs, but citizens who saved or protected the lives of others
were honored by a crown and a complete suit of armor. Among them, want of
military virtue was rather punished than valor rewarded ; this was particularly
so among the Spartans ; it was considered that the most determined bravery
was such a matter of course, that any, the slightest deviation from that excel-
lence was worthy of degradation. Thus only one S])artan escaped at the battle
of Thermopylas ; he was branded as a coward and his face shaven on one side
to mark him ; next year the battle of Platsea was fought and the Spartan was
in the Grecian ranks. Stung by the reproaches he received, he sought an hon-
orable death to atone for the past, but the stern justice of his country forbade
him the burial — the only grim reward for valor — which his fellow countrymen
received ; his death was considered the effect of despair, not of bravery and
devotion.*
*" The Causes which have led to the Pre-eminence of Nations," by Ross of Bladens-
b\irg,\n Jour nai Royal U. S. Institution (London).
475
476 APPENDIX.
THE HONORARY BADGE OF MILITARY MERIT.
(leiieral Washington understood the value of personal
decoration for gallantry or meritorious conduct, and on
August 7, 1782, issued the following order from his head-
I quarters at Newburg.
" Honorary badges are to be conferred on the veteran
*non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the army who
have served more than three years with bravery, fidelity and
good conduct ; for this purpose a narrow piece of white cloth
of an angular form is to be fixed to the left arm on the uniform coats ; non-
commissioned officers and soldiers who have served with equal reputation more
than six years, are to be distinguished by two pieces of cloth set in parallel to.
each other in a similar form. Should any who are not entitled to these honors
have the insolence to assume the badges of them, they shall be severely punished.
On the other hand, it is expected that gallant men who are thus designated will,
on all occasions, be treated with "particular confidence and consideration.
" The General, ever desirous to cherish a. virtuous ambition in his soldiers,
as well as to foster and encourage every species of military merit, directs that
whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall
be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in
purple cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of
unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any
way shall meet with a due reward.
" Before this favor can be conferred on any man, the particular fact or facts
on which it is to be grounded must be set forth to the commander-in-chief,
accompanied with certificates from the commanding officers of the regiment
and brigade to which the candidate for reward belonged, or other incontestable
proofs, and, upon gj-anting it, the name and regiment of the person with the
action so certified are to be enrolled in the Book of Merit, which will be kept at
the orderly office.
" Men who have merited this last distinction to be suffered to pass all
guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do. The road to glory in a
patriot army and a free country is thus opened to all.
" This order is also to have retrospect to the earliest days of the war, and to
be considered as a permanent one.
*************
"Sunday, August 11, 17S2.
" In order to prevent misapplication of the honorary badges of distinction to
be conferred on the non-commissioned officers and soldiers, in consequence of
long and faithful service, through any mistake or misapprehension of the or-
ders of the 7th inst., the General thinks proper to inform the Army that they
are only attainable by an uninterrupted series of faithful and honorable services.
IVASHINGTON'S BADGE OF MILITARY MERIT. 4yy
A soldier who has once retired from the field of glory forfeits all pretensions to
IM-ecedence from former services ; and a man who has deservedly met an
ignominious punishment or degradation cannot be admitted a candidate for any
honorary distinction, unless he shall have wiped away the stain his reputation
has suffered by some very brilliant achievement, or by serving with reputation,
after his disgrace, the number of years which entitle other men to that indul-
gence. The badges which non-commissioned officers and soldiers are per-
mitted to wear on the left arm, as a mark of long and faithful service, are to be
of the same color with the facing of the corps they belong to, and not white in
every instance, as directed in the orders of the 7th inst."
On the 9th of September, a Board was appointed to examine and report of
the claims of the candidates for the Badge of Merit.
The Board, of which Brigadier-General Greaton was president, made the fol-
lowing report on the 24th of April, 1783.
*************
" 1st.— That Sergeant Elijah Churchill, of the 2d Regiment of Light Dragoons,
on the several enterprises against Fort St. George and Fort Stongo, on Long
Island, in their opinion acted a very conspicuous and singularly meritorious
part; that at the head of each body of attack he not only acquitted himself
with great gallantry, firmness and address, but that the surprise in one instance
and the success of the attack in the other, proceeded, in a considerable degree,
from his conduct and management.
" 2d. — That Sergeant Brown, of the late 5th Conn. Regiment, in the assault of
the enemy, left redoubt in Yorktown in Virginia, on the evening of the 14th of
October, 1781, conducted a forlorn hope with great bravery, propriety and de-
liberate firmness, and that his general character appears unexceptionable.
Extract from Certificate with the Badge. — " Now therefore know ye that the
aforesaid Sergeant Elijah Churchill hath fully and truly deserved, and hath
been properly invested with the Honorary Badge of Military Merit, and is
authorized and entitled to pass and repass all guards and Military Posts as fully
and amply as any Commissioned Officer whatever : and is hereby further
recommended to that favorable notice which a brave and faithful soldier de-
serves from his countrymen.
" Given under my hand and seal at the Headquarters of the American Army,
this first day of May, 17S3.
" By his E.xcellency, Commander-in-Chief,
" ToNA. Trumbull, Jr.
" Secretary."
478
APPENDIX.
BREVETS.*
HE first brevet given by Congress (July 20, 1776) was
that of Lieutenant-Colonel to M. de Franchessin, "a
Knight of the Order of St. Louis, an experienced
officer in the French service, and who is well recom-
mended in letters from abroad."
The earliest brevet issued for special gallantry was
(October 27, 177S) of Lieutenant-Colonel to M.
Tousard (afterward Lieutenant-Colonel, Command-
ant of Artillery and F.ngineers) in a resolution of
Congress which read, " That the gallantry of Mon-
sieur Tousard in the late action on Rhode Island is
deserving of the highest applause."
The first reward of this kind to Americans was the
brevet of Captain to Lieutenant Henry Knox (after-
ward Major-General and Secretary of War), with the assurance " That Con-
gress warmly approve and applaud the cool, determined spirit with which (he)
led on the forlorn hope at Stony Point, braving danger and death in the cause
of his country."
At the beginning of our second war with Great Britain there was not a single
officer living who held a brevet in our Army, and Congress passed a law (July 6,
1812) that "The President is hereby authorized to confer brevet rank upon
such officers of the Army as shall distinguish themselves by gallant actions or
meritorious conduct."
During the war with Mexico, the following law was made by Congress, March
3. 1847 :
" When any non-commissioned officer shall distinguish or may have distinguished him-
self in the Service, the President of the United States shall be and is hereby authorized, on
the recommendation of the commanding officer of the regiment to which said non-commis-
sioned officer belongs, to attach him by brevet of the lowest grade to any corps of the
Army. Provided^ that there shall not be more than one attached to any one company at
the same time."
During the late war (March 3, 1863) the President was further authorized to
brevet "commissioned officers of the volunteer and other forces in the United
States service for gallant actions."
* Brevet is derived from the Latin breve^ brcvia, words still preserved in English law,
meaning a brief ; a parchment containing a notification. A brevet under the existing
laws, affecting the regular military service of the United States, may be defined as a com-
mission conferring upon an officer a grade in the ^r/;/j additional to and higher than
that which, at the time it is bestowed, he holds by virtue of his commission in a particular
corps of the legally established military organization. " History and Legal Effects of
Brevets," by Gen. J. B. Fry, U. S. A. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1877.
MILITARY MEDALS.
479
In i86g it was enacted that "from and after the passage of this act, commis-
sions by brevet shall only be conferred in time of War, and for distinguished con-
duct and public service in the presence of the enemy."
Ccngress had not yet proclaimed the independence of
the Thirteen United Colonies, when, on March 25, 1776, it
was ordered that a gold medal should be struck and pre-
sented " To His Excellency, General Washington, for his
wise and spirited conduct in the siege and acquisition of
Boston."*
Instructions were sent to Benjamin Franklin, then in
Paris, to employ the best artists in France for the purpose,
and the medals struck by order of Congress for certain
heroes of the Revolution were perfect specimens of the
medall'c art.
Franklin's ideas upon the subject are e.xpressed in the fol-
lowing extract from one of his letters to the Secretary
of State, dated Fassy, May 10, 1785:
" 'I'he ancients, when they ordained a medal to record the memory of any laud-
able action, and to do honor to the performer of that action, struck a vast num-
ber and used them as money. By this means the honor was extended through
their own and neighboring nations ; every man who received or paid a piece of
money was reminded of the virtuous action, the person who performed it and
the reward attending it ; and the number gave such security to this kind of mon-
ument against perishing and being forgotten, that some of each of them exist
to this day, though more than two thousand years old, and being now copied in
books by the art of engraving and painting are not only exceedingly multiplied,
but likely to remain some thousands of years longer. The man who is honored
only by a single medal is obliged to show it to enjoy the honor which can be
done only to a few, and often awkwardly. I therefore wish the medals of Con-
gress were ordered to be money."
Although the first medal voted was a gold medal to Washington, the first one
struck was the silver medal to Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury, one of the young of-
ficers of the French Army, who obtained leave to enter our service in 1777.
His devotion to our cause was so thorough, and his exploits so gallant that they
merit brief notice here.
Upon arriving in America this officer, who was an engineer, with other of his
countrymen, applied for commissions. General Washington, however, declined
to grant their requests, as many adventurers had already entered the Service.
Failing to obtain an appointment as an officer, De Fleury entered the ranks and
* Lnul)at's " Medallic History United States."
4 So
ArrENDix.
soon fought his way to promotion. lie was wounded and had a horse killed
under him at Fort Mifflin, for which Congress voted him another horse, pro-
moted him a lieutenant-colonel (Nov. 26, 1777) in consideration of the disin-
terested gallantry he had manifested in the service of the United States."
In the assault upon Stony Point (July 15, 1779) he commanded one of the
storming parties, was the first to enter the main work, and struck the British
tlag with his own hands. For this achievement Congress voted him a silver
medal and subsequently a vote of thanks for " his zeal, activity, military genius
and gallantry." He served under Rochambeau 1780-82.
After the close of the Revolution, Colonel Fleury went to India, and in 1790
returned to France. He was put on the pension list there, but continued in
active service with tlje rank of Marechal-de-camp until 1792, when, during the
retreat from Mons, his horse fell and he was ridden over by part of a regiment
of the enemy's cavalry and was permanently disabled. The same year, at the
age of forty-three, he retired from the Army.
But eighty-six medals in all have been struck since the foundation of the Gov-
ernment of the United States. But three of these commemorate episodes of
the War of the Rebellion : one to General Grant for his victories, one to Cor-
nelius Vanderbilt for patriotic generosity, and, at the close of the War, one to
George Foster Robinson for saving the life of Mr. Seward, Secretary of State.*
THE MEDAL OF HONOR.
The Medal of Honor for the army was first established as a reward for
military service by a law approved July 12, 1S62, as follows :
" Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, that the President of the United States be
and he is hereby authorized to cause 2000 ' medals of honor' to be prepared,
with suitable emblematic devices, and to direct that the same be presented in
the name of Congress to such non-commissioned officers and jjrivates as shall
most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and their soldier-like
qualities during the present insurrection."
This was followed by an act (March 3, 1863) to the "effect that the Presi-
dent cause to be struck from the dies recently prejiared at the United States
Mint for that purpose ' Medals of Honor ' additional to those authorized by the
act of July 12, 1862, and present the same to such officers, non-commissioned
officers and privates as have most distinguished or may hereafter most distin-
guish themselves in action ; and the sum of $20,000 is hereby appropriated
out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to defray the
expenses of the same."
The medal t is described as " a five-pointed star, tipped with trefoil, each point
* See p. front, to Foiling' an Assassin.
t For fac-simile of the Medal of Honor, see opposite first page of Preface.
THE MEDAL OF HONOR. 48 1
containing a crown of laurel and oak ; in the middle, within a circle of thirty,
four stars, America, personified as Minerva, stands with her left hand resting
on the fasces, while with her right, in which she holds a shield emblazoned
with the American arms, she repulses Discord, represented by two snakes in
each hand ; the whole suspended by a trophy of two crossed cannons, balls
and a sword surmounted by the American eagle, which is united by a ribbon
of thirteen stripes, palewise, gules and argent and a chief azure, to a clasp
composed of two cornucopias and the American arms."
General E. D. Townsend (late Adjutant-General of the Army) says: *
" As soon as news of the Civil War m the United States became known in
Europe, many persons who had been ofiicers in foreign armies came to offer
their services to the Government. It frequently happened that these gentlemen
brought letters of introduction and testimonials of their military career. Some-
times they came accredited to our Department of State. They usually paid
their respects to General Scott, and not unfrequently, on such an occasion, wore
their uniform, with all their decorations — medals or orders. There were
many men in our volunteer service who had served abroad, and it was quite
the habit among them to display on their uniforms such marks of distinction
if they possessed them. It is no wonder if they were objects of envy to many
of our young aspirants for military glory
" The experience of the Mexican War, when the honor of a brevet was so
often persistently sought for through political influence, sometimes without
_any special military merit to sustain it, early suggested tome the probability
>■ hat the same evil, in magnified form, would arise during the Civil War. It was
very desirable, therefore, if possible, to prevent what afterward actually hap-
pened, the destruction of the practical benefit arising from the brevet system.
Instead of tardy and sometimes indiscriminate recommendations for brevets,
why should not our generals, when in command of armies in time of war, be
clothed with the power of rewarding distinguished acts of bravery, on the
instant, by issuing orders conferring a medal for them, such orders to be as
soon as possible confirmed and executed by the War Department .-' Mistakes
would rarely, if ever, be made ; and the excellent effect of a prompt recognition
of gallantry in battle is no new thing in history.
"Impressed with these ideas, I, early in 1861, urged their adoption upon
General Scott, and upon the chairman of the Senate Military Committee, the
Secretary of War, and others in influence. They objected that it was contrary
to the spirit of our institutions to wear decorations, and therefore the measure
would not be popular. I instanced the pride which children feel in wearing
medals won at schools, and the pains taken by parents to foster it; and sug-
gested that, if those who won medals did not choose to wear them, they
would none the less value them, and so would their descendants after them.
♦"Anecdotes of the Civil War," by Gen. E. D. Townsend. New York : D. Appleion
& Co.
4S2
APPENDIX.
Nothing was done in that direction, however, until the 12th of July, 1862,
when Congress passed a resolution to award medals of honor to enlisted men,
which, by the act of March 3, 1863, was extended to officers also. These
medals, although intrinsically of but little value, have been eagerly sought for
and highly prized. The main objection to them is the mode of conferring,
under which years have sometimes elapsed before sufficiently reliable testi-
mony could be obtained that the claimant was justly entitled to one, according
to the terms of the law."
In Gen. Townsend's annual report, 1864, the matter was presented to the
notice of the Secretary of War, and of Congress, in these words :
" ' The Medal of Honor is of bronze, of neat device, and is highly prized by
those on whom it has been bestowed. Hitherto no medals have been conferred
upon commissioned officers, apparently under the idea that at some future day
their acts of distinguished bravery would be recognized by brevets. It is
believed that, in the majority of cases, the award of a gold or silver medal
would be quite as acceptable as the brevet, and of more substantial value, es-
pecially in the volunteer service. ... If any act were passed to authorize
it, a prompt and gratifying acknowledgment of distinguished services could be
made, by publishing a general order awarding to the officer " the gold medal "
or the "silver medal," with the privilege of engraving thereon the name and
date of the battle in which his gallantry was conspicuous. In case of his again
winning distinction, he would be authorized in general orders to add to the
inscription upon his medal the name and date of his new exploit. If both
gold and silver medals were authorized, there would be no objection to the
same officer being the recipient of both, if won by meritorious conduct at dif-
ferent times, and different in degree. The system of medals need in no wise
interfere with the conferring of brevet rank in cases where such rank might be
actually exercised in high commands, or at the discretion of the President; but
it would relieve the pressure for brevets on the part of the many officers who
justly believe they have won a title to some mark of honor, and would avoid
the many vexed questions likely to arise from the possession of brevet rank
by so large a number of officers as reasonably prefer a claim to reward."
CORPS BADGES.
As a sort of substitute for medals, the Corps Badges have
come to be regarded as a proud mark of distinction, and me-
morial of service in the War 1861-5.
To M?)or-General Joseph Hooker probably belongs the
'credit of flrst having issued orders for the adoption of regular
corps badges, to be worn by officers and enlisted men of all
the regiments of various corps through the entire Army of
the Potomac. Just before the Chancellorsville campaign, on
the 2 1 St of March, 1863, he issued a circular prescribing the device for a badge
for each corps, " for the purpose of ready recognition of corps and divisions of
SRCOND CdRT!
COEPS BADGES.
483
this army, and to prevent injustice by reports of straggling and misconduct,
through mistake as to their organizations." They were to be "fastened on
the centre of the top of the cap." The devices seem to have been arbitrarily
chosen, without particular significance.
The divisions of each corps were indicated by one of the colors, red, white,
blue ; and green and orange, if there were more than three divisions, upon some
part of the badges. They were either suspended by the tri-colored ribbon, or
fastened Mth a pin. As there were usually three divisions in a corps, the na-
tional colors were the ones sure to be represented. For the headquarters,
some slight modifications were made in the form worn by the divisions.
When several army corps were consolidated into an " army," the badge of that
army headquarters consisted of a combination in one of all those of the corps.
Corps badges have now a legal recognition in the Revised Statutes of the
United States :
" Section 1227. All persons who have served as olficers, non-commissioned
officers, privates, or other enlisted men, in the regular Army, Volunteer, or
Militia forces of the United States, during the War of the Rebellion, and have
been honorably discharged from the Service, or still remain in the same, shall
be entitled to wear, on occasions of ceremony, the distinctive army badge
ordered for or adopted by the army corps and division, respectively, in which
they served."
From General Jefferson C. Davis this legend of the Acorn Badge
was received : After the battle of Chickaniauga, Rosecran's army
lade a stand at and around Chattanooga. This army,
lowing to exceedingly muddy roads, and the cutting of its lines of
communication by the Confederates, had great difficulty in get-
ting supplies. The Fourteenth Corps was encamped near a wood
of oak trees, which were at that time covered with acorns. As
the rations fell short, many of the men gathered the acorns and
FOURTEENTH ate them roasted, till at length it was observed that they had be-
coRPs. come quite an important part of the ration, and the men of the
corps jestingly called themselves "The Acorn Boys."
In announcing this badge, Major-General John A.
I,ogan, commanding the Fifteenth Corps, says : " If
any corps in the army has a right to take a pride in
its badge, surely that has which looks back through
the long and glorious line (enumerating thirty-five
engagements and battles, and scores of minor strug-
gles) ; the corps which had its birth under Grant and
Sherman in the darker days of our struggle; the
corps which will keep on struggling until the death
of the Rebellion."
FIFTEENTH CORPS. ^^^ ^j^^.j^^ ^^j j,^^ y^^^„^ ^f jj^^ Fifteenth Corps was
suggested by the following incident : The Eleventh and Twelfth Corps were
484
ArrEiYDix.
SKVENTEENTH CORTS.
transferred from the Army of the I'otoniac to the Department of the Cumber-
land. They were better dressed than the other troops of that department, and
a little rivalry sprang up between these Eastern boys and those who came
from the West, The latter spoke of the former as " the men who wore pajier
shirt-collars, and crescents and stars." Before the Fifteenth Corps had any
badge, an Irishman belonging to it went to the river near camp to fill his can-
teen. There he met a soldier of one of the newly arrived corps, whose badges
were the subject of ridicule by his comrades. The latter saluted the Irishman
with the query, " What corps do you belong to?" "The Fifteenth, sure."
" Well, then, where is your badge .' " " My badge, is it ? W^ell " (clapping his
hand on his cartridge-bo.\), "here's my badge ! Forty rounds! It's the orders
to always have forty rounds in our cartridge-box, and we always do."
Major-General Francis P. Blair says in his
order: "The badge now worn by the corps
being similar to one formerly adopted by
another corps, the major-general commanding
has concluded to adopt, as a distinguishing badge for the command, an ar-
row.
" In its swiftness, in its surety of striking where wanted, and its destructive
powers when so intended, it is probably as emblematical of this corps as any
design that could be adopted."
This corps was organized late in the war, and was for
the most part composed of veterans who had served in
other corps. Major-General John Gibbon, in his orders
adopting the badge, says : " The symbol selected is one
which testifies our affectionate regard for all our brave
comrades — alike the living and the dead, who have braved
the perils of this mighty conflict, — and our devotion to the
sacred cause — a cause which entitles us to the sym-
TWENTV-IOUKTH CORPS. ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ,^^,^^.^^ ^^^^j ^j^^ SUppOrt of
every strong and determined hand.
"The major-general commanding the corps does not doubt that the soldiers
who have given their strength and blood to the fame of their former badges
will unite in rendering the present one even more renowned than those under
whirh they have heretofore marched to battle."
This corps was composed entirely of colored soldiers.
It was the first to occupy Richmond, Virginia, April 3,
1S65. The following is Major-General Godfrey Weitzel's
order :
" In view of the circumstances under which this corps
was raised and filled, the peculiar claims of its individual
members upon the justice and fair dealing of the preju-
diced, and the regularity of the conduct of the troops which dcso-ve those equal
ri<^hts that have hitherto been denied the majority, the commanding general
TWKNTY-KIKTH COKl'S.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT.
485
has been induced to adopt the square as the distinctive badge of the Twenty-
fifth Army Corps.
•' Wherever danger has been found and glory to be won, the heroes who
have fought for immortality have been distinguished by some emblem to which
every victory added a new lustre. They looked upon their badge with pride,
for to it they had given its fame. In the homes of smiling peace it recalled the
days of courageous endurance and the hours of deadly strife, and it solaced the
moment of death, for it was a symbol of a life of heroism and self-denial.
" Soldiers ! to you is given a chance, in this Spring campaign, of making
this badge immortal. Let history record that, on the banks of the James
thirty thousand freemen not only gained their own liberty, but shattered the
prejudice of the world, and gave to the land of their birth peace, union, and.
glory."
CERTIFIC.\TES OF MERIT,
During the War with Mexico a law was passed that " when any private
soldier shall so distinguish himself (or may have distinguished himself in the
Service) the President may (upon the recommendation of the commanding
officer of the regiment) grant him a Certificate of Merit, which shall entitle him
to additional pay at the rale of two dollars per month (March 3, 1S47).
486
APPENDIX.
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