•« 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EIGHTH REGIMENT 
 
 KENTUCKY VOL. INF., 
 
 DURING ITS ' 
 
 THREE YEARS CAMPAIGNS 
 
 EMBRACING 
 
 Organization, Marches, Skirmishes, 
 
 AND 
 
 Battles of the Command, 
 
 WITH 
 
 MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE OLD RELIABLE THIRD 
 BRIGADE, COMMANDED BY HON. STANLEY MAT- 
 THEWS, AND CONTAINING MANY 
 
 INTERESTING AND AMUSING INCIDENTS OF 
 
 ARMY LIFE. 
 
 By CAPT. T. J. WRIGH 
 
 ST. JOSEPH, MO.: 
 
 St. Joseph Steam Printing Company 
 
 1880. 
 
.S 
 
 Cot>y iLi 
 
 Entered recording to Act of Congress in the year 1880 by 
 Capt. T. J. Wright. 
 
TO THE 
 
 MEMORY OF MY FORMER COMRADES, 
 
 WHO DEFENDED OUR GLORIOUS UNION, 
 
 IN THE 
 
 WAR AGAINST REBELLION, 
 
 WHETHER THEY FELL UPON THE BATTLEFIELD, 
 
 OR WASTED AWAY 
 
 FROM WOUNDS AND DISEASE in HOSPITALS AND PRISONS 
 
 WHETHER THEY LIE 
 
 BURIED IN LONELY SOUTHERN GRAVES, 
 
 OR 
 
 RETURNED HOME WITH SHATTERED CONSTITUTIONS, 
 
 TO SUFFER AND 
 
 SINK INTO UNTIMELY GRAVES, 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 
 IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 In placing this History before the public, the author takes 
 pleasure in assuring his readers that this work is not fiction, 
 but a chronological order of facts, wherein runs along the wild 
 tide of war and great events ; of fields of blood ; the compara- 
 tive succeeding calm ; of the soldier's daily toils, camp duties 
 and privations; their many hardships, marches, skirmishes and 
 battles; detailing modes of cooking, with many amusing epi- 
 sodes of foraging expeditions, being truly the true inwardness 
 of the private soldier's life. Written from the author's daily 
 journal, kept by him throughout this Veteran Regiment's long 
 and eventful service, embracing much of the history of the re- 
 nowned Third Brigade, commanded by Hon. Stanley Mathews. 
 
 The author having promised many of his former comrades, 
 on taking leave of them when the regiment disbanded, to pub 
 lish this work, has this apology to offer for the long delay in 
 placing the work before the publie : First — For several years 
 immediately succeeding the rebellion, the country was flooded 
 with wild, romantic and fictitious story books of the sanguinary 
 struggle, written principally by men and women whose sources 
 of. information were vague newspaper reports, lavishly colored 
 by their own fruitful imaginations, causing the reading public 
 to tire of literature relating to the late war. Second — The au- 
 thor's unsettled affairs, in making a new home in the West ; 
 and, thirdly, the scattered condition of the survivors, making 
 it difficult to obtain from brother officers certain statistical mat- 
 ters material to the work. 
 
 Hoping the true and moral character of this work, free from 
 
 any of that bitter sectional feeling usually found in such books, 
 
 will make the following pages a welcome and interesting visitor 
 
 in every home, and especially to all old soldiers and their nu- 
 merous friends. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
contp:nts. 
 
 HISTORY EIGHTH KENTUCKY. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Clouds of War. Kentucky's Neutrality. Union Home 
 Guards. Invasion. Enlisting. Recruits Arming themselves 
 with Rifles and Shot guns. Rendezvousing at Estill Springs. 
 Awkward Drilling. Organizing the Regiment. Flag Pre- 
 sentation by Loyal Ladies. Response of the Eighth. 
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 Marching Orders. Taking Leave of Friends. A Rainy March. 
 Loyalty in Richmond, Ky. A Snow Storm. Officers Pay- 
 ing for Chickens. Arrive at Lebanon. Putting on Style. 
 Drilling. Serious Sickness. Moving Camp and Making 
 Beds. Married Soldiers Desirous to be Furloughed. A 
 Shrewd Woman and a Sharp Lieutenant. Kindness of Cit- 
 izens. Our Death Roll Increases. Pay Day, Marching to 
 Louisville. Boat Ride. An Indignant Boat Crew. Excited 
 Negroes. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A Silent Southern City. Buell's Unpleasant Orders. Cutting 
 ReJjels' Timber. Moving South. Wading Stone River. 
 Heavy Camp and Picket Duty. Ward fools the Doctor and 
 is caught. Shooting a Rebel fool. Pig Skins. The Eighth 
 at Wartrace. Catching a Rebel Surgeon. Fortifying. Cut- 
 
8 CONTENTS. 
 
 ling Railroad Timbers and Guarding Bridges. On the 
 Mountains under Gen. Dumont. Hard Living. Returning 
 to Camp at Wartrace. A detail wash ''Dobins" neck. 
 Fourth of July. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Night Ride to Elk River Bridge. Marching in a Rain Storm. 
 A Knapsack Squabble. Fortifying TuUahoma. The 35th 
 Indiana joins the Brigade. Picketing and Foraging. March 
 to Murfreesboro. Putting the Darkies to Digging Rifle-pits. 
 A silent Night Move ends in Hard Marching. Nelson ex- 
 pecting Attack at Murfreesboro. A hot March to McMinn- 
 ville. Morgan Evacuates. Expedition over Cany Fork, 
 A hard set of Teamsters. Rain. Hard work, wet clothes 
 and no grub. Counter-march. Green Apples. Nelson's 
 Drills. Expedition to Liberty. Nelson and the pie vender. 
 " Thirty-fives " run a Distillery. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Loyalty leaving McMinnville. March back to Murfreesboro. 
 Scarcity of Greenbacks. An Accommodating Sutler. Troops 
 passing through Nashville. On to Kentucky. Pants only 
 for the ragged Gray-backs in camp. Leaving Tennessee with 
 full Stomachs. The Flag and Loyalty in Kentucky. Bran- 
 son and the Goat. On half Rations. Grating Corn Hard 
 Marching. Drinking Mule Soup. Skirmishing ahead. Ar- 
 rive at Cave City. Novel Cooking. Wormy Flour. Soldiers 
 Distrusting Buell. Sleeping with wet garments, A Race 
 for the Ohio. Famishing with Thirst. Midnight Entrance 
 into Louisville. Condition of the Troops, 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Expecting Pay, but Double-quick after the Johnnies. Skirmish- 
 ing. Scarcity of Water. Battle of Peiryville. Rebels 
 Retreating. Indignant Kentucky Soldiers. Hunting a fight 
 at Danville. On toward Crab Orchard. Night attack on 
 
CONTENTS. 9 
 
 the Johnnies. They leave a hot Breakfast, Rebels Blocka- 
 ding the R.oad near Wildcat. The Sth Surprise and Capture 
 a Camp of Rebel Recruits. On to Somerset. Early Snow. 
 March to Columbus. Sad Reports from Home. The 8lh 
 and 2 1st desire a few Greenbacks. Married Men wanting 
 Furloughs. Pay day at Glasgow. Moving on to Tennessee, 
 A big day's Washing at Galatin. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Slipping on to Morgan at Lebanon. Heavy Rations of Flour, 
 Bacon and Whisky. A novel Supply Train. Foraging at 
 Silver Springs, Guarding Supplies to Rural Hill. Attack 
 at Breakfast. Discomfitted Rebels leave seven dead. Wise- 
 man tumbling a " Jip." Col, Hawkins Compliments the 
 Eighth. Camp nearer Nashville, Changes in the Command, 
 Move to the Murfreesboro Pike. Rosecrans Inspects the 
 Army. Foraging and Battle at Dobins' Ferry. Our Dead 
 and Wounded. Another move. After Absentees in Louis- 
 ville 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The Army moves on the Enemy, The Eighth's Company 
 Commanders, Skirmishing in the rain, A Sunday in Bi- 
 vouac. Pickets' Armistice. Arrival at Stone River, Two 
 Armies Facing. Heavy Skirmishing. Terrible Battle the 
 last day of 1862. Wading cold water. Third Brigade a 
 Bait to Rosy's Trap, Magnificent War Picture, A gallant 
 Resistance by the Third Brigade, Breckenridge falls into 
 the trap. Terrible Slaughter. Murfreesboro ours. Burying 
 Dead. Bad Weather. Loss of Comrades. Irishman's No- 
 tion of Putting Down Rebels. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Torn Battle Flags in Kentucky Legislature. A Hospital 
 Town. Picketing and practicing Economy. Death of three 
 gallant Officers, Foraging on a large scale, A Rebel dis- 
 
lO CONTENTS. 
 
 likes his Voucher. Fortifying M, The Status of the Slaves 
 discussed. More Deaths from Wounds. Guarding Pontoons. 
 On a Reconnoissance. Rain, mud and songs. Camp on 
 Lytle's Creek. A stylish Inspector Wets his Pants. Off to 
 Snow Hill with one hundred rounds. Charging the Enemy. 
 Victory. Return to Camp. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Heavy Drills and Picket Duty. Col. Matthews' Farewell. A 
 Mammoth "Nigger" Dance causes Alarm. Maj. Broadhus' 
 and Col. May's Departure. Capt. Mayhew and Adjt. Clark 
 Promoted. Officers being Married to Commissions. Mark- 
 ing Comrades' Graves. Swap for Enfield Rifles. Smith's 
 Gun the Brightest. Dobin Spikes tries Bean Juice. Wit- 
 nessing the Shooting of a Deserter. Army moves Forward. 
 Marching and Scouting. Union Songs and Rebel Hate. 
 At Woodbury. At McMinnville again. Ornamenting Camp. 
 Unwelcome Harvesters. The last Man ever Tied up. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Over the Mountains. Topography of Sequatchie. Rattlesnakes. 
 Pikeville. Brains Hockersmith and the Rebel Beauty. Liv- 
 ing on Produce. The Loyal Refugee Preacher. A good 
 Work begins. Down the Valley. Crossing the Tennessee. 
 Wet Men. Guarding Supply Train. A piled up Country. 
 Passing the Gate City. Three Miles of Fight. Entering 
 Ringold, Ga. Frightened Women. Back to Gordon's Mills 
 and McLamore's Cave. A Sweet Incense of Frying Mutton. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. ^ 
 
 Reconnoitering and Skirmishing at Chicamauga. A Cold 
 Night and Piteous Cries of the Wounded. Description of 
 the. Two Days' Battle. Gallant Charge by the 51st Ohio and 
 8th Kentucky. Return to the city, war worn and brush torn . 
 Loss of Comrades. 
 
CONTENTS. I I 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Siege of Chattanooga. Digging Day and Night. Under Fire. 
 On Quarter Rations. Picket Repartee. Another Picture of 
 War. Religious Worship. Frank Captures Rebel Beeves. 
 Rosecrans and Crittenden Farewell. The Command Changed 
 to the 4th Corps. A Detail of the Brigade at Field Hospital. 
 Forage for a Living. At Moccasin Point. Wauhatchie and 
 Shell Mound. Dilapidated Clothing. Building Winter 
 Quarters. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Over Bad Roads with three days' Rations and Sixty Rounds. 
 Facing Frowning Lookout, Pile Knapsacks and Climbing. 
 Surprising the Enemy in day-light. A Rich Harvest of 
 Prisoners. Novel Missiles. Ward Silencing a Sharpshooter. 
 Battle above the Clouds. Carrying the Flag on Point Look- 
 out. Capturing Camp and Commissaries. An exciting Battle 
 Scene. Finishing Winter Quarters. Consolidation of the 
 Regiment at Shell Mound, Parting with Brother Officers. 
 Maj. Clark's Farewell. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Re-enlisting. Manner of Doubling Companies. Leaving the 
 '' Illegant" Shanties. Incidents of the March to Cleveland, 
 Tenn. Self Reliance of the Soldiers. Form new Camp and 
 Acquaintances. Veterans get Pay, and an Expedition to 
 Buzzard's Roost. In Leaky Tents at Blue Springs. A 
 Rainy March and Miserable Night Ride. A Supperless Set. 
 Camp at Chattanooga. Chuck-a-luckers Burying Mules. 
 Snow-balling. Veterans Dressing up. An Officer's Advice 
 to his Men. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Veterans take a Thirty Days' Furlough, Soldiers' Home. In 
 Louisville. Leaving Lexington. Cleaning out a Hotel. 
 Good Behavior. Home and Friends. How a Southern. 
 
1 2 CONTENTS. 
 
 Rights Woman became Union. Returning to the War. A 
 Reinstated Cook. Garrison and Picket Duties around the 
 " Gate City." Some Characteristic Citizens. Afraid of a 
 Yankee Gun. A sad case of Sudden Poverty. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 • 
 
 Guarding Trains Front and Rear. A hard lot of Bounty 
 Jumpers. The Fourth of July. Steadman's hard Orders to 
 Citizens. Rebel Raid on Dalton increases our Duty. A 
 Hot Valley. Fanciful Reverie of a Thunder Storm. Soldiers 
 taking Interest in Religion and Politics. A Characteristic 
 Debate. Model Worship. Forest's Raid on our Cracker 
 Line. Platform Cars to Cumberland Tunnel. Waiting for 
 Attack at Block Houses. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Life Tvi^enty Days at Elk River. A Destitute Country. An 
 Impressive Funeral. Night Ride to Bridgeport. Returning 
 to Chattanooga. Picketing with Colored Troops. New 
 Clothing. Arrival of the Fourth Corps. A Camp of Dis- 
 couraged Atlanta Citizens. The Eighth sent to Reseca and 
 Calhoun. Turning over Government Property. Making 
 Muster out Rolls. Bidding good-bye to Lieut. Pucket and 
 the Veterans. All aboard for Nashville. Receiving Pay at 
 Louisville. Disbanding. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Appendix. 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Eighth Kentucky Volunteers. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 In the month of December, i860, the State of 
 South Carolina passed the rash and fatal Ordinance 
 of Secession. This dark, ominous cloud of civil dis- 
 cord that arose in the South and gathered strength 
 and blackness as it rolled northward, threatening soon 
 to burst in a terrific storm of civil war, blood and 
 carnage, and convulse this mighty Government from 
 center to circumference — a war that was soon to 
 stain hundreds of battlefields with the blood of many 
 thousands of brave and good men from every part 
 of our glorious Union. Early in the winter of 1861 
 all classes of our citizens in Central Kentucky be- 
 came intensely interested in the question of the pro- 
 priety of Kentucky's seceding and casting her for- 
 tune with the other Slave States, which had been, 
 by excitement and forced elections, hurled out of 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the Union into the so called Southern Confederacy, 
 where slavery instead of freedom was to become the 
 chief corner-stone of this new national edifice. 
 
 In Central Kentucky, and especially in those coun- 
 ties bordering on the southern part of the '^ Blue- 
 grass region," debates became decidedly warm and 
 spirited. A small majority of the best citizens im- 
 mediately took a firm and decided stand against 
 secession and rebellion, while many whose love for 
 the " divine" institution of African slavery assumed 
 that peculiar cloak for treason called neutrality, and 
 loudly demanded compromises instead of coercion ; 
 and many were from the first rebels at heart, who 
 openly proclaimed on the streets of our towns their 
 wicked and treasonable designs to destroy or divide 
 this Union of States. 
 
 The winter passed. The mad fire of secession 
 continued to rage. Active preparations for war were 
 carried on in the seceded States. Union men were 
 astonished at the inactivity of Buchanan's weak Ad- 
 ministration ; while rebels rejoiced and exulted over 
 the surrender of that brave and good man, Major 
 Anderson, and his gallant little band of heroes at 
 Fort Sumter. Rebel companies were drilling in 
 Central and Southern Kentucky, and open, out- 
 spoken Union men were threatened with hanging or 
 banishment. We began to think the time had come 
 when we should rub up our old shot-guns and trusty 
 rifles, and instead of discussing secession meetings 
 were called to consult as to the best methods of self- 
 protection. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 5 
 
 The legerdemain by which the extreme Southern 
 States were juggled out of the Union had so far 
 proved a success. Only let it be granted that where 
 thirteen or more parties have entered into a solemn 
 contract with each other either of the parties can 
 rightfully withdraw from the arrangement when he 
 pleases without the consent of the others, and you 
 can prove anything. Any man whose mind can be 
 taught that, could be made believe anything, and the 
 Southern people were carefully taught to believe it. 
 They contended that while the States which chose to 
 secede could not be rightfully coerced to remain in 
 the Union, those States which chose to remain must 
 be forced to secede. But the Confederate logicians 
 in Kentucky hatched a new lie called neutrality, and 
 declared that Kentucky should be neutral until the 
 rebellion should become strong enough to swallow 
 her at a mouthful. Governor Magofifm, whose sym- 
 pathies were strong for the South, issued a procla- 
 mation calling for the organization of the State 
 Militia, and also convening the Legislature to con- 
 sider the crisis. The 226. of May, 1861, the Senate 
 passed a resolution declaring '' that Kentucky will 
 never sever her connection with the National Gov- 
 ernment, nor take up arms for either belligerent." 
 This resolution was lost in the House of Represent- 
 atives by a large vote. The secessionists of Ken- 
 tucky began to be alarmed, and their fears were not 
 diminished when the result of the election held the 
 first of July showed a majority for the Union candi- 
 dates of more than fifty-five thousand votes ; and 
 
I 6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Kentucky Union men began to take courage at the 
 action of the President, and the hearty response by 
 troops from the Northern States to his call for 
 75,000 three-months' men to meet the rebel army 
 then gathered in Northeastern Virginia. And many 
 believed the " sectional troubles'" would soon blow 
 over without the loss of much blood. Union home 
 guards were organized in most counties along the 
 Kentucky River and throughout the north part of 
 the State — probably the best move that could have 
 been made at that time. But, as subsequent events 
 proved, to have attempted to put down the rebellion 
 with home guards and three months' men was about 
 as wise as to try to put out the flames of a burniifg 
 building with a squirt-gun. The writer had the 
 honor to command one of these home guard com- 
 panies in Estill County. We met twice a week, 
 every man with rifle or shot-gun ready for any 
 emergency, but principally to drill. The military 
 display and general awkwardness of both rank and 
 file on these occasions would have excited the pro- 
 fanity of a West Point general. But we had the 
 best of raw material of which to make soldiers. 
 These undisciplined companies contained brave and 
 fearless men, accustomed to handling firearms from 
 early boyhood. They were excellent marksmen^ 
 and only needed schooling and discipline to make 
 them what most of them afterward proved, the best 
 of soldiers. 
 
 Before the first of August, 1861, so many of these 
 home guards were organized throughout the coun- 
 
■ EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 7 
 
 try, those would-be Confederate soldiers who had be- 
 gun to drill and bluster in our midst, began to think 
 it would be more healthy a little further south, and 
 in their attempt to join ZoUicoffer's forces (then in- 
 vading the State) many were gobbled up as prisoners 
 by these undisciplined home guards, among them 
 James B. Clay, son of the great statesman, who, 
 with a large number of followers, were sent under 
 guard to Louisville. Most of them took the oath of 
 loyalty and were released. This invading army of 
 rebels caused many of us to doubt the efficiency of 
 our home organizations, lacking combined co-opera- 
 tion and discipline. 
 
 In August, 1861, Sidney M. Barnes, a lawyer 
 gifted with more than ordinary talent as a speaker, 
 and proprietor of the noted watering place ''Estill 
 Springs," near Irvine, Ky., addressed the citizens of 
 Madison, Estill and some of the adjoining counties, 
 at a series of meetings, principally held at the times 
 and places where the home guards met to drill. He 
 ably pointed out the many disadvantages under which 
 we would labor, and the danger of the State being over- 
 run by the rebel army, the necessity of being armed 
 with guns of the same caliber, of uniform clothings 
 and of a more perfect organization, with some assur- 
 ance of remuneration for our services. The Colonel 
 humorously remarked: "Notwithstanding your 
 bravery, which is undoubted, should the rebel army 
 succeed in advancing this far, all you married men 
 in the home guards will be sure to want to go home 
 and see after Sally and the children." 
 
l8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 On the 14th of September, 1861, a battalion mus- 
 ter of half a score of home guard companies met at 
 Texas, in Madison County. The loyal citizens of 
 the surrounding country came with well-filled baskets 
 of the choicest provisions the country could afford. 
 A picnic of mammoth proportions was the result to 
 which everybody was welcomed by the loyal, kind- 
 hearted women, who formed a large part of the great 
 throng of people. Captains Powell and Wilson, who 
 had partially formed two companies of three years' 
 volunteers, were present with their new recruits 
 beating up for volunteers, and no less than four 
 other parts of companies were represented by as 
 many flags, followed by drums and fife, appealing to 
 the patriotism of the young men to take arms in de- 
 fense of the best Government ever vouchsafed to 
 man on earth. There are many ' survivors of the 
 Eighth that dated their enrollment from that bright 
 14th of September, 1861, and became members of 
 Companies B, C and H. The two former compa- 
 nies, under Powell and Wilson, had obtained their 
 full quotas by the 22d, and on that day were given a 
 bountiful feast by the good, old, loyal fathers and 
 mothers of Station Camp, in Estill County, as a 
 farewell token of their love to the " boys" and de- 
 votion to the cause of union and liberty. That long 
 table extending half across Uncle Eb. Wilson's pas- 
 ture, loaded with rich and savory food, surrounded 
 by kind mothers, sisters and sweethearts, insisting on 
 us partaking of more when we had eat to repletion, 
 was a scene and pleasure we often recalled to mind 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 9 
 
 when on quarter rations '' Away down south in 
 Dixie." These two companies rendezvoused the 
 23d at Estill Springs, carrying with them many good 
 shot-guns and rifles " borrowed" from reluctant 
 rebel owners. The new encampment was armed 
 principally by " loaned guns" of all kinds and 
 calibers. 
 
 The 26th September, Capt. R. Winbourn and 
 myself left Estill Springs on a recruiting tour, each 
 of us taking different routes, he going up the Ken- 
 tucky River into Owsley County, and myself with a 
 few recruits rode to the farm of Mr. Wills, where 
 our first appointment to beat up for volunteers had 
 been previously announced. The surrounding hills 
 re-echoed the sound of our martial band, the music 
 of which was not of the best, but the patriotic ardor 
 being augmented by the rumored invasion of the 
 State by the rebels under Zollicoffer, caused men, 
 women and children to collect from all directions, 
 some bearing large baskets filled with provisions, all 
 with hearts full of love for our old flag and freedom. 
 At 10 o'clock a. m. several hundreds of eager, ex- 
 pectant persons had assembled. The poor music 
 was followed by an equally poor speech from the 
 writer, and this was followed by loud and boisterous 
 cheering. We hoisted our flag, headed by our three 
 amateur musicians^ playing their one and only tune, 
 ''Sally is the gal for me." As each recruit fell into 
 the moving line loud cheers rent the air. In a short 
 time we had about eighteen recruits, among them the 
 brave and lamented Lieut. W. B. Cox, who gave his 
 
20 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 life's blood as a sacrifice for human liberty on the 
 battle-field of Stone River. After partaking of a 
 bountiful dinner, a la pic nic, we agreed to meet 
 within two days, the 28th, at one Mr. Berryman's, 
 where the bad speaking and music were again fol- 
 lowed by a call for recruits. Several handsome young 
 women took the flag and marched after the music, 
 appealing to the young men to fall in and go fight 
 for the best government on earth. These appeals 
 were not in vain, as one boy said "none but traitors 
 or cowards could stand back now." Nor did the 
 tearful, pleading eyes of fond and affectionate wives 
 restrain husbands from enlisting. Here our numbers 
 were increased to upwards of thirty. According to 
 instructions from Col. Barnes, we proceeded to col- 
 lect a sufficient number of guns from rebels and rebel 
 sympathizers to arm each new recruit. Many laugh- 
 able incidents occurred in thus collecting arms. I 
 
 will recite only one of the many : One T , near 
 
 the Spout Spring, had openly and publicly swore that 
 '' no Lincolnite should ever take his rifle to Estill 
 Springs unless he first received the one charge it 
 contained. Knowing the truth of the old saying 
 that "a barking dog doesn't bite," I went alone to 
 his cabin door and demanded the loan of his gun. 
 He first denied having one — with trembling limbs 
 and husky voice he declared his brother in Clark had 
 it. When told that was "too thin," and that no 
 fooling would be permitted, he acknowledged that it 
 was behind a wide board over the door, and told me 
 to take it down, which I declined to do, telling him 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 21 
 
 of his previous threat, and to hand it to me himself. 
 This he did. With tears in his eyes he said, "Capt., 
 take care of her, fur she cost me twenty-five dollars, 
 and I split rails at fifty cents a hundred to pay most 
 ov it." He was told if he conducted himself as a 
 good, loyal citizen, he would receive his gun again. 
 In justice to many of these men of whom guns were 
 
 taken, be it said that they, like Mr. T , proved 
 
 to become Union men, and regained their reluctantly 
 loaned property. 
 
 On the 3d October, in company with Lieut. Cox 
 and twenty more of the recruits, we returned to Es- 
 till Springs, and were sworn into the U. S. service 
 for three years or during the war, unless sooner dis- 
 charged by proper authority. 
 
 Recruiting parties with squads were daily arriving. 
 The Colonel's long rows of neat cottage buildings 
 were full, and a large quantity of lumber procured 
 to build quarters. We were bountifully supplied with 
 excellent beef and bacon. The services of an expe- 
 rienced baker was secured, who furnished us good 
 bread, full rations of coffee and sugar, and often a 
 wagon load of potatoes were dumped into camp as a 
 donation from some good old farmer. But the in- 
 sufficient number of skillets, frying-pans and coffee 
 pots, promiscuously gathered up and brought in by 
 thoughtful recruits, and the great num.ber of self-ap- 
 pointed, inexperienced cooks, caused confusion and 
 no little discord. To avoid this a certain number of 
 cooks were selected for each company or part of 
 company, to attend to culinary affairs alone. After 
 
2 2 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 this judicious arrangement we lived well for soldiers, 
 and many of those company cooks were there given 
 " nick names" that they carried throughout the war. 
 One Harris, of Company H, for his scrupulous 
 cleanliness and dexterity in handling the dish-cloth, 
 received the affectionate name of ** mother." I. 
 Ward, Company F, kindly answered to the name of 
 "Aunt Sally," &c. 
 
 The 4th October, Capt. Jamison arrived with a 
 full company from about the three forks of the Ken- 
 tucky River. A i'ew days later, Capt. Winbourn 
 with another squad arrived and joined us, thus aug- 
 menting our company, H, to about sixty. Lieut. C. 
 Benton soon after came in with a large squad, that 
 subsequently became Company E. By the i8th 
 October there were no less than fifteen parts of com- 
 panies and full companies in camp. Col. Barnes 
 informed us that companies could have only until the 
 loth November to complete their organizations. 
 Then considerable splicing of squads took place, and 
 parts of squads bolting to other parts of companies, 
 the men not being pleased with tne selfish arrange- 
 ments their recognized leaders were trying to make 
 with others, securing to themselves a lieutenantcy. 
 and making no provision for even a non-commissioned 
 officer for any of their devoted followers. Thus men 
 were, after being sworn in, allowed to leave any 
 company not full and join what company he chose, 
 and then have a choice in the selection of company 
 officers, even down to 8th corporal. 
 
 The 23d October our encampment was thrown into 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 2^ 
 
 a furor of excitement on the receipt of the news of 
 Gen. Zollicoffer and his rebel horde being defeated 
 in the spirited little fighi at Wild Cat Mountain, by 
 a few regiments of Indianians and a few raw Ken- 
 tucky recruits. About the 28th October, Captains 
 Mayhew, McDaniel and J. B. Banton's companies 
 from Barbourville and Manchester arrived at the 
 Springs. Our reception of this important addition 
 to our command was enthusiastically warm and noisy. 
 These companies had smelt powder at Wild Cat, and 
 we met them in the town of Irvine with music and 
 much cheering, and escorted them as conquering 
 heroes to our camp. 
 
 The measles had broken out among us, and not- 
 withstanding good medical aid was secured, several 
 hundred of the 8th boys went through this sickening 
 contagion. Though none died immediately from 
 the disease, it no doubt subsequently caused the 
 death of a large number. 
 
 Several hours each day was spent in an awkward 
 attempt at drill. Progress was unavoidably slow, as 
 nearly all the self-appointed officers and drill ser- 
 geants were as little skilled in tactics as the men, 
 who found it difficult to habituate themselves to be- 
 ing discipUned by such awkward superiors. Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel May, Major G. B. Broadhus and 
 Captain Powell had served in the Mexican war as 
 Lieutenants, and Captain R. B. Hickman had at- 
 tended a military school a few months previous to 
 joining the Eighth. All the other officers were 
 novices in tactics and regulations. 
 
24 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 From the ist to the loth of November the prin- 
 cipal excitement in camp was the splicing of squads 
 into companies and the election of officers. With 
 so much electioneering, discipline existed only in 
 name. Some exciting and uncomfortably close 
 races, but the best of humor prevailed, defeated as- 
 pirants cheerfully acquiescing in the choice of the 
 majority. 
 
 The 13th November, ten companies being organ- 
 ized, with maximum number, making an aggregate of 
 a few over nine hundred. The newly elected com- 
 pany officers met and decided upon the letter and 
 rank of each company, as follows : 
 Co. A — Captain, J. D. Mayhew. 
 
 I St Lieut., Wm. Ketchen. 
 Co. B — Captain, A. D. Powell. 
 
 ist Lieut., L Neal. 
 
 2d Lieut., J. Blackwell. 
 Co. C — Captain, John Wilson. 
 
 ist Lieut., Wm. Park. 
 
 2d Lieut., Cassius Park. 
 Co. D — Captain, R. B. Jamison. 
 
 ist Lieut., J. P. Gumm. 
 
 2d Lieut., T. Carson. 
 Co. E — Captain, R. B. Hickman. 
 
 1st Lieut., C. D. Benton. 
 
 2d Lieut., Perry Nickolls. 
 Co. F— Captain, John B. Banton. 
 
 ist Lieut., Barton Dixon. 
 
 2d Lieut., Newton Hughes. 
 Co. G — Captain, L. C. Minter. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 2 
 
 J 
 
 ist Lieut., Caleb Hughes. 
 
 2d Lieut., Winfield S. Spencer. 
 Co. H — Captain, Rhodes Winbourn. 
 
 ist Lieut., Wade B. Cox. 
 
 2d Lieut., T. J. Wright. 
 Co. I — Captain, Wm. McDaniel. 
 
 ist Lieut., Crooks. 
 
 2d Lieut., -Amy. 
 
 Co. K — Captain, Henry Thomas. 
 
 ist Lieut., Wesley Stewart. 
 
 2d Lieut., Wm. Smalhvood. 
 Co). S. M. Barnes chosen Colonel ; Reuben Mav, 
 of Clay county, Lieut. Colonel ; Green B. Broadhus, 
 of Madison, Major ; John S. Clark, of Irvine, Adju- 
 tant, and Timothy Paul, of Clay, Chaplain. 
 
 Three days after, we received an entire outfit of 
 camp and garrison equipage, except tents. The 
 arms were the old altered muskets. With our new 
 clothing the Eighth began to assume quite a martial 
 appearance, and the officers were becoming indefati- 
 gable in study and drill. 
 
 By the 26th November the majority of our 
 measles-stricken comrades had become convalescent. 
 About this time the Colonel received orders from 
 General Thomas to break up camp and march to 
 Lebanon. The evening of the 27th November a 
 delegation of loyal ladies from the town of Irvine 
 and vicinity assembled on the long veranda of the 
 principal Springs building, one of them bearing 
 above her a large and beautiful silk flag, made by 
 them expressly for gift to the Eighth Kentucky. 
 
26 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The regiment formed dress parade, though the offi- 
 cers' uniforms were as varied as the habiliments of 
 any thirty or forty citizens usually are. The proper 
 salutation had to be made with the hand, as none of 
 us had purchased swords or uniforms. We closed 
 column by division, when Joseph Clark, Jr., made 
 the presentation speech for the ladies, winding up 
 with the admonition to " Carry that flag to victory; 
 never let it be deserted or dishonored by brave 
 Kentuckians I" The throbbing hearts and quivering 
 lips of our brave mountain boys responded, "Never!" 
 " Never !" then gave three cheers for the loyal ladies 
 of old Estill. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 The morning of the 28th November, long 
 before the light of day made its appearance, the 
 echoes from " Sweet Lick Nob" resounded the 
 music from our drums. Instantly all became astir. 
 Much bluster, loud talking and hasty cooking, 
 mixed with considerable profanity, was indulged in, 
 something not unusual with new troops preparing to 
 march. Acting Quartermaster Curtis had procured 
 the services of a few citizens with teams and wagons 
 for this especial march. About sunrise the regiment 
 formed, amid music and some cheering. Every man 
 appeared eager to be moving, as if the suppression of 
 the rebellion mainly depended on their individual 
 exertions. Many of those scarcely recovered from 
 measles were in the ranks with well-filled knapsacks, 
 arms and accoutrements buckled on, scorning to be 
 left behind. Many were bidding hasty farewells to 
 near and dear friends, not thinking it would be the 
 last with ah, so many manly, ruddy boys, in the 
 bloom of youth. Some time was spent in ferrying 
 the command over the Kentucky River, at White's 
 Ferry, where many good, old loyal fathers and tear- 
 ful mothers and sisters had collected to take, per- 
 haps, the last look at son or brother. 
 
 " 'Neath war's dark clouds, the sturdy volunteer, 
 By Freedom taught, his country to revere ; 
 Bids home and friends a hasty, sad adieu, 
 And treads where dangers all his steps pursue." 
 
28 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The threatening clouds began to shed their tor- 
 rents of water on us about ten o'clock a. m., and 
 continued to pour all day. The road, principally a 
 mud pike, soon became a loblolly of mud and water. 
 At four p. m. we entered Richmond, Ky. The loyal 
 citizens there, not only welcomed us to the spacious 
 Court House and two large churches, but gratui- 
 tously furnished victuals to both men and officers. 
 
 The 29th the rain continued to fall. Every sol- 
 dier who drank whisky was allowed to purchase his 
 canteen full before starting on the march, to counter- 
 act the unhealthy effects of the inclement weather. 
 This well-meant kindness on the part of the Colonel 
 and some other officers proved in most cases an in- 
 jury to the men, as quite a number through the day 
 used this precautionary beverage too freely while 
 marching the thirteen miles on the Lancaster Pike. 
 We camped near Miller's Mills, and soon had the 
 Woodland pasture of T. Burnham dotted with blaz- 
 ing log fires, drying our thoroughly soaked raiments. 
 The wagons containing our Company tents met us 
 here. The rain ceased and the thermometer went 
 down very fast. Tents were pitched amidst a first class 
 snow-storm. Here we eat our first "hard-tack," 
 The commissioned officers held a consultation and 
 chose from among several aspirants T. Burnham 
 as Quartermaster, and he was soon after commis- 
 sioned. The morning of the 30th, Colonel B 
 
 did considerable swearing at some of the men, whose 
 whisky had proved a hindrance to their alacrity in 
 loading camp and garrison equipage. That evening, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 29 
 
 the 8th, we marched through Lancaster, county seat 
 of Gerrard County, and camped within one and a half 
 miles of that place. A good supply of straw made 
 our tents quite comfortable. After dark a disturb- 
 ance among Mr. Robinson's chickens caused the 
 Colonel to detail a guard, as the boys said to prevent 
 the minks from feasting on poultry. The first day 
 of December we passed through Danville and en- 
 camped within two miles of town. Before dark a 
 report was circulated through camp that the citizens 
 of that vicinity were rebel sympathizers, conse- 
 quently next morning the ground about camp was 
 covered with feathers and occasionally spots of hog 
 hair, indicating that the men had devoured the 
 poultry and made a fair beginning on pork. In jus- 
 tice to the neighborhood I will state that we after- 
 ward learned that the people were generally good 
 Union citizens, and proved it by their conduct to- 
 ward us the next October, after the rebels had been 
 eating their chickens. 
 
 Snow began to fall early the 2d, and before we 
 halted in camp, in the neighborhood of Perryville, 
 five or six inches of snow covered the earth. We 
 suffered much with cold feet and fingers in pitching 
 tents and building fires. The following morning 
 the company officers, upon learning that old Mr. 
 Bloomfield was a staunch Unionist, made up money 
 and paid him for the chickens that had found their 
 way into camp from his premises. 
 
 The 3d day of December ended our first march. 
 On arriving within one and a half miles of Lebanon 
 
30 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 we were met by Colonel Fry, in command of the 
 Fourth Kentucky, with colors and music. We were 
 conducted to a piece of woodland, south of the 
 Danville Pike, near the quarters of the latter regi- 
 ment. The deep snow was scraped away, and tents 
 erected in regular order. Marquees were issued to 
 the officers, two to a company. The next day the 
 men were organized into messes of eight men each. 
 Officers' messes were also established, with regular 
 cooks. Thus we began to live quite in military 
 style. The officers' commissary bills were light. 
 The men drew more rations than they could con- 
 sume, but instead of this surplus being accounted 
 for as company savings, the men cheerfully gave it to 
 their Captains and Lieutenants. But the reader will 
 remember that the science of war has to be learned 
 before it is practised. We remained here at " Camp 
 Swamp" seventeen days, drilling vigorously whenever 
 the weather would permit. About ten days after our 
 arrival here some of the men began to sicken with a 
 kind of fever — afterward called camp fever — which 
 proved fatal to many of the Eighth during the win- 
 ter, especially those who had recently recovered 
 from the measles. Our first death occurred the 
 1 8th — Granville Lady, Company C. We buried him 
 according to regulations. The convalescents arrived 
 from Irvine the 15th, the men continuing to increase 
 the sick list. Colonel Barnes decided to move camp 
 to a higher and dryer place. 
 
 The 20th we moved camp half mile east of Leba- 
 non, and pitched tents in Spaulding's apple 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 3I 
 
 orchard — a high piece of ground, but unprotected 
 from the cold winds. Our Quartermaster appeared 
 to experience much difficulty in procuring sufficient 
 straw for bedding. The few teams of citizens which 
 came from Estill County with the regiment were 
 kept busy all day in transferring the camp and garri- 
 son. A large number of the men were sick, and the 
 company officers began to look more closely after 
 the health and comfort of the men. Details were 
 sent into adjacent cornfields to gather dead grass. 
 Captain Powell gave Company B permission to take 
 hay from a stack near camp, but Colonel Barnes soon 
 stopped them, when the Captain and the Colonel 
 indulged in some short words about unauthorized 
 and promiscuous foraging. The men gathered up 
 old boards and placed under the straw on the ground 
 for bunks. Neither surgeons, officers nor men ap- 
 peared to realize the importance of having the bunks 
 raised off the ground, where the straw soon absorbed 
 moisture enough to kill a healthy man in two weeks. 
 But the line officers were anxious to do all they could 
 for their men, and money was made up by them and 
 sheet-iron stoves purchased for each tent. Still the 
 sickness increased at a fearful rate. 
 
 The last of December our Quartermaster received 
 our transportation outfit — twelve old army wagons 
 and a number of unbroke mules. Our newly-ap- 
 pointed teamsters had some lively times drilling their 
 awkward squads of drafted four-footed recruits. 
 Hauling our daily supply of wood gave them an excel- 
 lent opportunity to practice the ''Mule in the mud." 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 As the Christmas holidays approached a number 
 of married men of the Eighth began to importune 
 Colonel Barnes tor furloughs to visit their fami- 
 lies. Some had enlisted only a few days before the 
 regiment marched from Estill Springs, and had left 
 their domestic affairs in a very bad condition. But 
 the wise old Colonel well knew that if he granted 
 the married men leave of absence the boys would 
 urgently plead to be allowed to go home to see their 
 intended wives, and as it was impossible to furlough 
 all, none were granted. As we had not yet been 
 mustered into the United States service, a good 
 many believed they would risk the terrors of a court 
 martial, and on the morning of the 26th several 
 members of Companies H and F failed to put in an 
 appearance at roll-call. A few days after Lieutenant 
 Cox, of Company H, proceeded to Madison and 
 Estill Counties with orders to bring back the ab- 
 sentees. Several amusing incidents occurred while 
 the Lieutenant was collecting these fond husbands, 
 who afterward proved to be the best and bravest of 
 soldiers. 
 
 Isaac T , the father of several children and the 
 
 husband of a good-looking, shrewd woman, was sup- 
 posed to be enjoying the company of his family 
 during this snowy Christmas night. The Lieutenant 
 cautiously approached the now happy home of the 
 
 T s. A vigilant watch-dog warned the family 
 
 of the approach of an intruder. A rap on the 
 
 door, followed by the inquiry if Mr. T was at 
 
 home, brought the response from a feminine voice 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 33 
 
 within: ''Oh, no sir! he's in Mr. Barnes' regi- 
 ment." After some parleying the Lieutenant was 
 permitted to enter and warm himself. He then be- 
 gan diligent search to see if any lurking husband 
 could be found about the premises. At last the 
 Lieutenant said he was very sorry to have disturbed 
 the lady, and turning to the bed recently occupied 
 by the woman, in which lay a small sleeping speci- 
 men of the T family, he tenderly lifted the lit- 
 tle white-headed infant out, and turning toward Mrs. 
 
 T , said : "You will please take this child." 
 
 ''Oh, sir, I pray you let the dear, sick child lay !" 
 The Lieutenant insisted, and she reluctantly re- 
 lieved him of the precious charge. Then he lifted 
 off the nice feather bed, and behold there lay the 
 missing Isaac, who crawled out laughing, acknowl- 
 edged that the Lieutenant had outwitted his wife, 
 terminated his "French" furlough, and broke up the 
 happiness of his holidays at home ; though not until 
 that cheerful but defeated woman had prepared a hot 
 supper, which Lieutenant Cox and her husband 
 enjoyed together before starting on their return to 
 Lebanon. 
 
 The new year of 1862 began with a warm rain, and 
 the remaining winter months were exceptionally wet 
 and muddj. The number of .our sick increased 
 alarmingly. Dr. John Mills began to find a regi- 
 mental surgeon's position quite a responsible one. 
 He not only had two churches full of sick, but a 
 large number were at private houses in town, where 
 
 they received the best of treatment at the hands of 
 
 3 
 
34 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the loyal men and women of the place. In many 
 instances they not only allowed our sick boys shel- 
 ter, but prepared suitable food with their own hands, 
 and doubtless saved the lives of many of the survi- 
 vors of the Eighth Kentucky. The author, among 
 many others, will never in life forget the kindness of 
 Dr. Mudd, Mr. and Mrs. Speed, Mrs. Milbourn and 
 Mr. Philips, with a host of others. The Misses, 
 Selby, though strong " Southern Rights" women, 
 owners of a large hotel, gave up some of their rooms 
 to our sick, and were very kind to those quartered in 
 the Selby House. These old maids were untiring in 
 their care for Captain Minter, and probably saved 
 his life, as his doctors said nothing but their nursing 
 could have returned to us one of our best young 
 officers, who subsequently lost his life in action at 
 Stone River. Notwithstanding the good citizens of 
 Lebanon and the well portion of the regiment did all 
 they could for our sick, with the attention of several 
 resident physicians, deaths through the latter part of 
 January and first half of February were of almost 
 daily occurrence. 
 
 The 15th of January, by laborious work with us 
 inexperienced officers, we had our muster-in rolls 
 prepared, and were that day mustered into the 
 United States service for three years or during the 
 war. 
 
 Captain Mayhew, with Company A, returned from 
 the Rolling Fork of Salt River, about eight miles 
 distant from Lebanon, where he had been two weeks 
 guarding a bridge, Buckner's rebs, who had made 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 35 
 
 their appearance there and committed some depreda- 
 tions on private individuals, having fallen back to- 
 ward Bowling Green, where the enemy was said to 
 be in large force. 
 
 The 2ist January we received the welcome news 
 of the defeat of the rebels at Mill Springs, Ky., and 
 the death of their General, ZoUicoffer; and his Ad- 
 jutant-General, Payton, by our forces under General 
 Thomas. We made many demonstrations of joy 
 over this great victory, as it was called at the time. 
 We did not then know that such a battle was a mere 
 skirmish compared to some of the bloody engage- 
 ments some of us would participate in before the re- 
 bellion would be whipped into peace. But as 
 anxious as we were to see such a result, we did not 
 desire that other troops should gain all the honor 
 and victories, therefore we were very desirous to leave 
 Lebanon and be in more active service. 
 
 The Fourteenth Kentucky Infantry and the First 
 Kentucky Cavalry had, in December, taken an active 
 part under Colonel Garfield in routing Marshal and 
 his rebel horde out of Southeast Kentucky. Ngw, 
 the Fourth Kentucky, which contained many of our 
 neighbor boys, had been winning bright laurels at 
 Mill Springs, while here we were guarding a few 
 quartermaster stores, nursing our sick, and burying 
 our deceased comrades in numbers almost as great 
 as were slain on our side in gaining this much 
 talked-of victory at Mill Springs. The continuous 
 rains and consequent mud prevented drilling what 
 few men were able for duty, and most of them were 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 daily on duty as guards, nurses, or haulers of wood 
 and other fatigue duty. 
 
 About the first of February we moved our camp 
 down near the depot, and remained there doing gar- 
 rison duty until the loth of March. Before this 
 Forts Henry and Donaldson had fallen into our 
 comrades' hands, Bowling Green had been evacuated 
 without any serious engagement, and Kentucky was 
 nearly cleared of armed bodies of the enemy. We 
 daily chafed at our being held back. 
 
 The 7th of March the Eighth was paid up to the 
 31st December, 1861, having previously received 
 one month's pay from the State. Two of our line 
 officers. Lieutenants Crook and Amy, had resigned, 
 and during the winter forty-three of our men had 
 died, three times that number were yet unable to 
 leave their beds, with about 250 convalescents, most 
 of them quite feeble. 
 
 On the 9th Colonel Barnes called the company 
 officers together and informed them that we would 
 march toward Louisville the next morning. Our 
 men, sick and well, received this order with enthu- 
 siastic cheers. The remainder of the day was a 
 busy time with rank and file. Many had debts to 
 settle with citizens, others letters to write home in- 
 forming dear friends that at last we were " bound for 
 Dixie." Captains Hickman and Winbourn, Lieu- 
 tenants Nickols, Martin and Carson, being reported 
 unable for duty, were ordered to take charge of the 
 convalescents able to leave the hospitals and private 
 houses, where many were quartered, and follow in a 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 37 
 
 few days on the cars to Louisville and join the regi- 
 ment there. 
 
 On the morning of the loth of March, 1862, the 
 camp of the 8th Kentucky was all life, everybody 
 hurrying his comrade in loading up our garrison 
 equipage. A cold, misty rain was falling. At last 
 all the good byes had been said to our kind Lebanon 
 friends^ and the column marched out the Louisville 
 pike. Having learned by sad experience not to let 
 men just out of sick beds to unnecessarily expose 
 themselves, our column did not cover half the space 
 It did when we left Estill Springs. The rain contin- 
 ued to drizzle, and the limestone road became quite 
 sloppy. At four o'clock p. m., we halted in Spring- 
 field, the county seat of Washington, and quartered 
 the men in the court house. Company commanders 
 borrowed several cook stoves of citizens, and the 
 men soon had the town perfumed with frying bacon 
 and boiling coffee. The nth we camped near Bards- 
 town. Here Col. Barnes informed us he had just 
 learned that we were brigaded with the 23d Ken- 
 tucky, Col. Munday, and the 3d Minnesota, Col. 
 Lester, and that he had orders to march directly to 
 Louisville, and probably thence to Tennessee. We 
 passed through Bardstown the 12th, with our colors 
 unfurled, keeping step to the lively music of our 
 martial band. That night we procured abundance 
 of straw for bedding, and the owner of the pasture 
 being a home rebel, talked loudly of private rights, 
 until Maj. Broadhus told him if he said another 
 word he would arrest him and march him to Louis- 
 
3S HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ville before a musket. The 13th we pitched our 
 tents at Hays Springs, on the bluffs of Salt River, 
 where we also found the 23d Kentucky. During the 
 night and next morning a heavy rain fell, making 
 the cooking a difficult task, and marching very disa- 
 greeable. Col. Barnes proceeded to Louisville in 
 company with Col. Munday. 
 
 The night of the 14th we camped within three 
 miles of the city, where we remained several days. 
 The 15th our sick and convalescent arrived at the 
 depot. The officers not knowing where to find the 
 regiment, quartered the men in barracks, where they 
 remained several days. When those able to join the 
 regiment reported they appeared proud to once more 
 take their arms and places in the ranks with their 
 comrades. All the men not able to march were 
 given descriptive rolls and sent to the hospitals in 
 the city, principally to No. 7. 
 
 We exchanged our old army wagons for new ones, 
 cleaned up our guns, prepared five days' cooked ra- 
 tions, and early the morning of the 19th struck tents, 
 and, during the prevalence of a heavy rain storm, 
 marched through the city to the wharf, where the 
 remainder of the day was spent in transferring our 
 camp and garrison equipage, including mules, 
 wagons and horses, to two steamers, the '* Nash- 
 ville" and '* Lady Jackson." The Twenty-third 
 Kentucky was assigned to the '' Jacob Strader,'' and 
 the Third Minnesota, Colonel Lester commanding, 
 to the "Undine" and the ''Denmark.'' Captain 
 Rice, of the Third Minnesota, once a citizen of 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 39 
 
 Estill County, and an old personal and political 
 enemy of Colonel Barnes, met the latter on the 
 wharf. The Captain extended his hand, saying, 
 *' Colonel Barnes, I am happy to see you occupying 
 the position you do." The Colonel clasped the 
 hand, and replied : " I am equally pleased, Ben, to 
 see you enlisted on the side of law, order and good 
 government; henceforth let us be friends." And 
 these two brave men, who, a few years before had, 
 in the heat of passion, engendered by bitter remarks 
 made in a public speech, tried to shoot each other 
 in the court-house at Irvine, Ky., buried there, by the 
 surging waves of the Ohio, all their old differences 
 of Whig and Democrat, henceforth to be brothers in 
 arms against treason and rebellion. At 5 o'clock, 
 p. m., all aboard, the planks were drawn in, and our 
 fleet of five large river steamers rounded out into the 
 swollen current of the river, the excellent band of 
 the Third Minnesota playing "Hail Columbia." 
 The men and officers of the fleet, being principally 
 on the hurricane deck, cheered a long and loud 
 adieu to Louisville. The swift current, aided by 
 the revolving machinery, soon carried us from the 
 view of the large crowd of spectators we left on the 
 wharf. 
 
 The commissioned officers all took cabin passage, 
 and we very soon discovered ourselves to be unwel- 
 come passengers, especially on the "Nashville." 
 Captain Barkley, part owner and captain of this 
 boat, was evidently mad, as his boat had been 
 pressed into the United States service for this trip. 
 
40 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 He complained bitterly about the men being noisy, 
 and objected to a few who were yet feeble occupying 
 the spare berths in the rooms taken by their officers, 
 who agreed to pay for them. While seated at the 
 well-supplied supper table, Captain Banton and my- 
 self were speaking of Colonel Barnes and Captain 
 Rice's mutual reconciliation, when our attention 
 was drawn to the other end of the table by rather 
 loud talk from one of the Eighth's officers and the 
 engineer of the boat. Said the latter : ''I cannot 
 help sympathizing with the South ; the Northern 
 people have persistently for many years done all they 
 could to cripple the interests of the slave-holding 
 States, and their domestic institutions." 
 
 Captain Hickman — "There you are slightly mis- 
 taken, sir. When the Southern people, by the aid 
 of a President favorable to slavery, tried to spread 
 that curse of human rights over our fertile plains of 
 the Northwest, the Northern emigrants there simply 
 out-voted the advocates of negro slavery, and adopted 
 Free-State constitutions." 
 
 To this the engineer only replied: "You've a 
 d — d big job on hand, anyhow." 
 
 Lieutenant Park then said : " Well, sir, if your 
 sympathies are so strong for the South, why don't 
 you go and fight for your principles ?" 
 
 To this the engineer replied : " I was not talking to 
 you, sir, whom I take to be an impertinent puppy !" 
 
 Lieutenant Park, hastily pushing back his chair 
 and raising to his feet, said: " I left home to shoot 
 rebels and Jeff. Davis dogs, and will begin on you !" 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 41 
 
 Had it not been for an officer on each side of the 
 Lieutenant seizing his pistols, no doubt we would 
 have had a dead engineer on board. This same en- 
 gineer hastily left the room, and we did not hear 
 any more Southern gush during the trip, from him 
 or any of the boat's crew. 
 
 On the morning of the 20th our fleet landed at 
 Connelton, Ind., where a good supply of coal was 
 taken on. During our stay a large crowd of citizens 
 of the town, men, women, boys and dogs, collected 
 on the bank, some, apparently, to show their loyalty, 
 the girls their beauty, and the boys and dogs their 
 combativeness. Two of the dogs yoked for a fight. 
 Two boys, evidently the respective owners of the 
 canine combatants, in endeavoring to command the 
 peace, got mad, and with equal ferocity pitched into 
 each other's wool. This animated scene caused loud 
 cheers from the soldiers. Instantly all the bands of 
 the fleet struck up lively music, and the machinery 
 was soon in motion bearing us on down the Ohio. 
 The officers of the Eighth on the ''Nashville" over- 
 ruled Barkley's objections to the men occupying 
 spare berths, and had many of them take their meals 
 at the table. 
 
 The night of the 20th being very dark, and the 
 river out among the trees, with much drift in the 
 center of the stream, our boat ran against a tree and 
 threw every sleeper out of bed. Fortunately no 
 serious injury was done to passengers or boat. 
 
 The evening of the 21st our fleet arrived at Smith- 
 land, situated at the mouth of the Cumberland River, 
 
42 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and turned up that stream at 6 o'clock. We made 
 slow progress against the strong current, and did not 
 attempt to run after dark. A short run on the 2 2d 
 brought us in sight of Fort Donaldson. We landed 
 here, and some of us, understanding that the fleet 
 would lay here several hours, struck out over the 
 hill to view the late battlefield. We had only time 
 to arrive on the rebels' old encampment, when the 
 whistle of the boats gave us warning to return, and 
 we did some tall double-quicking to secure further 
 passage. Very soon we came in sight of the ruins 
 of the once flourishing iron-works owned by the 
 presidential aspirant, John Bell. Here about fifty 
 negroes of both sexes, all ages and colors, had gath- 
 ered themselves together on the river's bank. They 
 made many demonstrations of joy, clapping their 
 hands, swinging their hats and patting and dancing. 
 The cheering of our men appeared to stimulate 
 them to more vigorous bodily exertion. One old 
 white-headed negro broke forth into singing : 
 
 " O, praise and tanks ! de Lord he eome 
 
 To set de people free ; 
 An' massa tink it day ob doom, 
 
 An' we ob jubilee, &c." 
 
 The entire dusky crowd joining in the chorus, viz : 
 
 *' O, neber you fear if neber you hear 
 De driver blow his horn !" 
 
 Our fleet lay by near Clarksville that night, and 
 arrived at Nashville early on the 23d, meeting with 
 no serious accident until early that morning. Pri- 
 vate Frazier, wagoner of Company A, while attend- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 43 
 
 ing to his mules, was by one of them pushed over- 
 board and drowned before assistance could reach 
 him. His body was not recovered, and probably 
 became food for the fish. Thus, another good man 
 was lost to the regiment and his country. Several 
 hours were spent in disembarking and unloading for- 
 age, and at 2 o'clock, p. m., we left the boats. One 
 boat officer at least was not sorry to part company 
 with the ''noisy Eighth," as he called us. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 As we marched through this beautiful Southern 
 city on that pleasant, bright spring afternoon, sol- 
 emn, silent sadness was depicted in the faces of the 
 few white men that appeared on the sidewalks. 
 Doors and windows of stores and dwelling houses 
 were principally closed. Feminine curiosity caused 
 a few ladies to peep from behind window shades. 
 But hundreds of smiling " darkies'^ could be seen 
 peeping around corners, and crowded into the un- 
 frequented alleys, silently making demonstrations of 
 joyous welcome to us. 
 
 We pitched our tents near the Murfreesboro Pike, 
 two miles from Nashville, where our three regiments 
 were joined by Colonel Duffield and the Ninth 
 Michigan Infantry. Colonel Duffield immediately 
 took command of the brigade. He proved to be a 
 strict disciplinarian. During the six days we re- 
 mained here we were not idle. There was vigorous 
 drilling six hours of the day, winding up with dress 
 parade, at which the Adjutants read to their respect- 
 ive regiments lengthy general orders of Major-Gen- 
 eral Buell, one among them being his " Roasting- 
 ear Order," strictly forbidding soldiers entering pri- 
 vate grounds or premises, on any plea whatever, 
 without authority of their officers ; private property 
 on no occasion to be taken for public use without due 
 compensation, &c. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 45 
 
 On the 28th, the Eighth received a new supply of 
 clothing, dress coats and hats taking the place of 
 soldier jackets and caps. 
 
 The 29th, the brigade marched six miles south on 
 the Murfreesboro Pike. The rear guard, commanded 
 by the author, had to wait at our old camp two hours 
 for some wagons. During this time several aristo- 
 cratic-looking slave-owners, followed by a train of 
 little darkies, came to the vacant encampment, and 
 began to gather up the many half-worn garments 
 cast off by our boys. I said to one of the men : "I 
 thought you Tennesseeans hated us Yankees so bit- 
 terly you would disdain to pick up our old clothes." 
 He replied : '^O, they will do for the niggers to 
 wear.^' By my orders the guards soon had every 
 rag heaped upon the fires, deeming it best not to 
 furnish rebel spies suitable uniforms in which to en- 
 ter our lines. 
 
 We pitched our tents that evening on an old rebel 
 encampment. Here we made our first acquaintance 
 with those army pests commonly called ''greybacks." 
 The rebels had, like ourselves, left cast-off garments, 
 which appeared to be too lousy even for " nigger's" 
 clothing. 
 
 Our mode of picketing at this time was to station 
 a platoon out on all the roads leading into camp, 
 and as John Morgan was reported to be scouting 
 around Lebanon, Tenn,, our pickets manifested 
 great watchfulness. 
 
 The 30th, the Twenty-third Kentucky and the 
 Ninth Michigan resumed the march southward. Col- 
 
46 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 onel Barnes being ordered to remain here a few days 
 with the Eighth Kentucky and furnish men and 
 teams to cut and haul timber to rebuild the railroad 
 bridge over Mill Creek, recently burned by the re- 
 treating rebels. The rank and file of the Eighth 
 were much displeased to be left behind and do 
 " drudgery," as some of the officers called it, while 
 other regiments, no more experienced, were ordered 
 on front, where probably fights and fame awaited 
 them, and the Eighth were just '^spoiling" for a 
 battle. Big Bill Moore, Company H, remarked 
 with much bitterness: '' Now, Colonel Munday's 
 regiment and them long-legged Michiganders will 
 jest go ahead and scare out all the secesh, and won't 
 leave a chicken or a pig in the hull country." 
 
 The next day eighty men, with teams and axes, 
 were detailed for fatigue duty, and were early play- 
 ing destruction with a fine grove of oaks. A much- 
 excited Southern gentleman named Whitmore made 
 his appearance, and in angry tones ordered the men 
 to leave his premises. Lieutenant McDaniel pointed 
 to Major Broadhus, who was seated on a log enjoy- 
 ing a quiet smoke, and told the indignant owner 
 " That's the officer for you to consult. " 
 
 Mr. Whitmore to Major Broadhus — "Sir, you ap- 
 pear to be doing me great injustice, taking my prop- 
 erty without my consent." 
 
 Major B. — "Well, sir, what are you going to do 
 about it?" 
 
 Mr. W.— "I don't know.'' 
 
 Major B. — "Well, neither do I know or care. Did 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 47 
 
 you try to persuade the rebels not to burn that 
 bridge?" 
 
 Mr. W. (excitedly) — "No, sir; that was none of 
 my business." 
 
 Major B. — ''Well, neither is this any of your 
 business." 
 
 The Major, pulling out his watch, said : " Now, 
 you infernal rebel, I'll give you just three minutes 
 to get out of sight, and if you don't, I will teach 
 you by whose authority we are here, by trotting you 
 all the way to Nashville about three inches in ad- 
 vance of a bayonet.'" He left instantly, but I have 
 no doubt received in due time compensation for his 
 fine timber. 
 
 Having finished our timber hauling, the 3d of 
 April the regiment marched on the Murfreesboro 
 Pike to Lavergne, there took the cross pike toward 
 Woodbury, and camped on the West Fork of Stone 
 River, near an ancient-looking little village called 
 Old Jefferson. Resumed the march the 4th, and on 
 arriving at the crossing of Stone River, on the Leba- 
 non Pike, the rebels had burned the bridge, and 
 during a hard rain we waded the stream. The stones 
 were slippery and the current very swift, causing a 
 great many self-immersions. Those who fell were 
 about as comfortable as the others, all being thor- 
 oughly wet. We halted long enough to wring our 
 stockings, arriving at Murfreesboro at 4 o'clock, p. 
 m. We marched through town in column by com- 
 panies, our musicians playing ''Yankee Doodle." 
 We saw but few of the inhabitants. They were evi- 
 
48 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 dently not pleased to see this second edition of 
 Yankee troops. 
 
 Here we found Colonel Duffield, with the Ninth 
 Michigan and the Twenty-third Kentucky, en- 
 camped near a large spring southeast of town. Two 
 companies of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry 
 were also here. We remained here nearly one month. 
 Our time was spent in drilling daily all those not re- 
 quired for camp guards and picket duty. The latter 
 required 150 men and four officers from the Eighth, 
 daily. Commissioned officers met two hours each 
 morning in school, and one hour in practice of 
 manual of arms. Lieutenant- Colonel May being a 
 tight ''school-master." Add to this the reviews, 
 dress-parade, cooking, washing, 8zc., gave us but 
 little time to idle. This constant duty and drill 
 probably caused a few men to try feigning sick. At 
 7 o'clock, a. m., the bugle would sound that doleful 
 call, and the sick assembled at the surgeon's tent, where 
 they were excused from duty and prescribed for. 
 Some of the boys concluded that others " were play- 
 ing off" on Dr. Mills. One morning B. Ward, 
 Company F, on being notified by his Orderly to 
 ''get ready for picket," replied: "Sergeant, I'll 
 be blasted if anybody can't get excused that'l go to 
 sick call, an' ef you'l let me, I'll prove it," and 
 Ben's name was put down. At the bugle signal 
 Ben wended his way slowly to the surgeon's tent, 
 assuming a countenance of pain and misery calcula- 
 ted to deceive the "very elect." He awaited his 
 turn. Surgeon Mills, knowing him to be a faithful 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 49 
 
 soldier, asked the usual question : '' What's the 
 matter with you?" *'0, *Doc/ I am wrong every 
 way in my innards." Ben soon had the satisfaction 
 of seeing '' ex" written opposite his name, and the 
 steward gave him his pills, with directions. Ben 
 had a fine day's sleep, and in the evening arose re- 
 freshed, and around the cook fire was engaged in a 
 tight wrestle with one of his comrades. Doctor 
 Mills just then passed, and was astonished to- see 
 such improvement in his late patient. With a vol- 
 ley of oaths he told Ben if he did not explain his 
 evident deception he would have him tied up by the 
 thumbs. Seeing an honest confession the safest way 
 out of the dilemma, he gave the surgeon the cause of 
 his assumed illness. This had the eifect desired, 
 and the surgeon became more careful in the future ; 
 also causing Ward, about a week later, to go on duty 
 a very sick soldier, dismissing him from sick call 
 with the command, "Sergeant, put that d — d hypo- 
 crite on duty ; I don't believe he looks half as sick 
 as he did when up here last." Ward never tried 
 that dodge on Dr. Mills again. 
 
 Our manner of picketing all the roads with fifteen 
 or twenty men and a cavalry vidette was kept up. 
 On the 1 2th April a squad of the Eighth was posted 
 on the Franklin Pike. Private Joe King, Company 
 H, as sentinel, a little distance from the reserve, 
 commanded a citizen to halt. As he was about to 
 pass without paying any attention to the command, 
 it was repeated. This time the man said, with an 
 oath: "I'll not be halted by no d — d abolition 
 
50 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Yankee !" Seeing King raise his gun, the fellow- 
 broke to run, when King fired, killing him instantly. 
 Colonels Duffield and Barnes both rode out to in- 
 vestigate the affair, and decided that the soldier only 
 did his duty, commending him for his faithfulness. 
 The citizens about town complained to Colonel 
 Barnes bitterly of the shooting of a man whom they 
 claimed was crazy. The Colonel told them if that 
 was the case he was sorry, but if they did not want 
 their fools killed they must take better care of them. 
 People passing our pickets after that about Mur- 
 freesboro were careful to halt at the word. 
 
 During the two first weeks of our stay here many 
 slaves came to our pickets, generally after dark. 
 Colonel Daffield's orders were to send them in to 
 the provost-marshal, their owners being allowed to 
 come in and reclaim their slaves on condition of the 
 masters taking an oath of loyalty to the United 
 States Government, which some of them reluctantly 
 did. But the general aversion of masters to comply 
 with the condition very soon had Captain Rouns, 
 provost-marshal, overstocked with this valuable spe- 
 cies of Southern property. Colonel Duffield sug- 
 gested to the officers of the Eighth the propriety of 
 hiring our cooks from among these ''contrabands," 
 but we declined the idea of runaway negro cooks, as 
 did also the Twenty-third Kentucky, we having not 
 yet properly considered the slave a factor in this 
 great war. The dusky sons of toil poured into 
 the picket stations in such numbers we had to stop 
 them from coming in, some of the officers threaten- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 5 I 
 
 ing to punish them if they did not immediately re- 
 turn to their masters. 
 
 In looking back at this soft and easy policy of 
 General Buell, we cannot wonder that the efforts of 
 the first eighteen months to put down the rebellion 
 were a failure. These hundreds of stout, able-bodied 
 men, driven back into rebel corn and wheat-fields, 
 that they might toil to produce subsistence for a 
 large rebel army the next fall and winter, was any- 
 thing but wisdom. But then we were trying to put 
 down insurrection and let slavery alone, notwith- 
 standing we knew the cruel taskmasters of these 
 slaves to be the worst of enemies and rebels at 
 heart. 
 
 On the 15th our brigade made quite a parade in 
 the streets of Murfreesboro, and hoisted the stars 
 and stripes on the court house. Nearly all the in- 
 habitants of the town were silent spectators of what 
 they evidently thought to be an insult to their 
 Southern pride. Lieutenant Colonel Parkhurst, of 
 the Ninth Michigan, made an appropriate and sensi- 
 ble speech to the citizens, in which he admonished 
 them to return to their loyalty, "And," said he, "we 
 will then kill the fatted calf." But as long as we 
 remained there we heard of no fat calf being sac- 
 rificed in welcome to returning rebels, though we 
 have good reason to believe, had a careful search 
 been made in Stone River, quite a number of pig 
 skins could have been found, securely attached to 
 stones to insure their remaining at the bottom. Nor 
 did we hear of any citizen ever being invited to feast 
 
52 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 on the savory pork those same skins once enveloped. 
 Colonel Duffield had profound respect for Buell's 
 orders regarding foraging, holding the officer imme- 
 diately in command responsible for any violation of 
 said orders. The author remembers having to pay 
 three dollars for a sixty-pound shoat some of ray 
 picket guard had killed while I was absent visiting 
 another post under my command. In this instance 
 the old rebel complaining to Colonel Duffield, 
 lyingly alleged the pig to belong to one of his old 
 negro men. On hunting up this much-injured 
 darkey, with the full intention of healing his lacer- 
 ated feelings, and carrying out ''general orders," 
 the old fellow said: " Fo' de good Lord, Mars 
 Cap'n, 'twant no mo' my pig dan dis farm is j ole 
 mars' pig, sho'." On confronting "ole mars'* 
 with his bogus owner of the defunct swine, with much 
 fear and trembling the old darkey lyingly confessed 
 the pig to have been his. I gave the poor old 
 scared nig the money, at the same time telling Mil- 
 ler if he took the money away from the negro we 
 would surely call on him again, and that to his sor- 
 row. Colonel Duffield was satisfied with the manner 
 of my settlement for pork, but no more complaint 
 was heard from Miller of lost pork, though some of 
 the Eighth boys said when we left there that Miller 
 was not overstocked with hogs.* 
 
 On the evening of the 23d April a dress-parade 
 order was read detailing Lieutenant C. Park assist- 
 ant brigade quartermaster. That night we were 
 aroused from sleep by loud cheering and beating of 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 53 
 
 drums in the Ninth's camp. Very soon Colonel 
 Barnes had the Eighth assembled before his tent. 
 He mounted a cracker box and said: "Brother 
 officers and soldiers, we have just received orders to 
 march to-morrow morning for Pittsburg Landing; 
 boys, are you ready to go?" The response was 
 loud and long cheering. At repeated calls Major 
 Broadhus stepped on the box and said : ''Boys, I 
 am no speaker, but if we go. to Pittsburg, I want it 
 understood I'll try to make one in the fight." Or- 
 ders were given to prepare three days' rations and 
 have arms cleaned up. The regiment spent the 
 balance of the night in cooking, washing and letter- 
 writing. 
 
 At 9 o'clock the 24th we were ready formed, wait- 
 ing the order to march, when an order was received 
 countermanding the order of the previous night, 
 John Morgan, with quite a force of rebel cavalry, 
 having made a raid on Wartrace, and still being in 
 the cedars toward Lebanon, being the cause of our 
 detention here. 
 
 The 26th, Companies C, E, D and I, of the 
 Eighth, under command of Major Broadhus, were 
 ordered on the train to Shelbyville, thirty miles fur- 
 ther south, to relieve some troops there. Many 
 flying rumors of Morgan's near approach caused us 
 to be on the qui vive. 
 
 The 28th, Colonel Wolford and Colonel Clay 
 Smith, with two regiments of Kentucky cavalry, suc- 
 ceeded in overtaking Morgan, at Lebanon, Tenn., 
 completely routing the rebels and driving them into 
 
54 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Kentucky. We were rejoiced at the news of the 
 capture of New Orleans. 
 
 Paymaster Hunes paid off the regiment the 29th — 
 two months' pay. 
 
 The 3d day of May, Colonel Barnes, with the 
 balance of the regiment able for duty, except Captain 
 Thomas and Company K, double-quicked to the 
 depot, boarded a train of platform cars, and were 
 soon landed at War trace. Company K, with the 
 baggage wagons, arrived in a few days after. The 
 four companies under Major Broadhus, a few days 
 after, rejoined the regiment. Company C, Captain 
 Wilson commanding, was detached to guard the 
 railroad bridge over Duck River, about one mile 
 south of Wartrace, and Company H, Captain Win- 
 bourn commanding, to the bridge over Carter's 
 Creek, one and a half miles north of the latter place. 
 The eight companies there worked with their usual 
 vigor for more than a week, felling trees and forming 
 abattis, and otherwise fortifying against cavalry. For 
 the first two weeks of our stay here some rebel cav- 
 alry, under Colonel Starnes, hanging around Beech 
 Grove, between us and McMinnville, kept our 
 pickets on the qui vive^ almost nightly expecting an 
 attack. 
 
 Colonel Runkle, with a part of the Fourth Ken- 
 tucky Cavalry, encamped also at Wartrace, suc- 
 ceeded in picking up a few rebel prisoners. Scout- 
 ing parties from the Eighth also occasionally brought 
 in a few prisoners, principally men who had been 
 temporarily connected with or given material aid to 
 
EIGHT H KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 5^ 
 
 the rebel cause. Some of them took the oath of 
 loyalty, and were released. Others, who were evi- 
 dently active enemies, and somewhat saucy, Colonel 
 Barnes put to grubbing out stumps from the Eighth's 
 drill grounds. 
 
 Colored men from the surrounding country, in 
 their well-meant zeal to be of service to us, often 
 came at night to our camp, with alarming reports 
 that a body of rebel cavalry were about to attack us. 
 These reports generally proved to be unfounded, 
 though on one occasion, timely warning by a colored 
 man, who came to Captain Winbourn, at Carter's 
 Creek, and reported that Colonel Dibrell's cavalry 
 were only five miles from us, proved true, and proba- 
 bly saved Company H from attack, as reinforcement 
 of that company by the cavalry at Wartrace, and rebel 
 citizens living near us gave Dibrell this intelligence, 
 and the intended attack was not made. The com- 
 pany lay on their arms behind the railroad embank- 
 ment all that night, however, and rather anxious to 
 be attacked, and our cavalry reinforcement returned 
 to camp also disappointed. 
 
 This Company H, to which the author belonged, 
 kept about one-half on guard at a time during the 
 night, as long as we remained here, with the other 
 half dressed, with accoutrements buckled on, ready 
 for instant action. But the oft-threatened attack 
 never came while we remained. 
 
 At dusk on the evening of the 6th May, Colone^l 
 Barnes sent a squad of the Fourth Cavalry to our 
 company camp, with an order for Lieutenant Wright 
 

 
 6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and a squad of the company to go with the cavalry 
 and assist in capturing a rebel surgeon who had re- 
 mained in the neighborhood since the little fight 
 here two weeks before. The cavalry had twice ran 
 him from his home into a heavy wood near and failed 
 to effect his capture. I selected Sergeant Win- 
 bourn, and privates Dennis, P. Elliot, H. Morris 
 and two others. We proceeded, in company with 
 the cavalry. On the way we met a negro man. I 
 stopped him and inquired if he knew where Dr. 
 Nusen lived. "Yes, sah ; he's ole mars' son-en- 
 law, an' he's de berry debbel on niggers." Said I, 
 "Do you know if he's at home or not?" "Yes, 
 mars, I speck he's dah." We took the negro along 
 for a guide. The cavalry halted half a mile from 
 the doctor's house, which was situated near a new 
 pike road, while the infantry, accompanied by the 
 guide, took a circuitous course through a dense for- 
 est, coming up in the rear of the premises. After 
 we were properly deployed behind the garden fence, 
 the preconcerted signal was given to the cavalry, 
 which charged down the rough pike, making a terri- 
 ble clatter. At the same time we rushed up in the 
 back yard, where a savage-looking dog made a spring 
 at one of the boys, who succeeded in thrusting his 
 bright steel bayonet through the savage beast, and 
 left him howling piteously. As we closed up around 
 the house, I met the object of our search at the back 
 door, dressed in his night clothes, with an overcoat 
 and a quilt on his arm. He was about to jump out 
 into the darkness, when he caught sight of my pistol 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 57 
 
 and heard my command to surrender about the same 
 time. He said : " I suppose I shall have to, as 
 you have the drop on me." Three of us entered the 
 house with the prisoner, where he was allowed to 
 dress. This sudden and somewhat noisy proceed- 
 ing, with continued deafening howls of the dog, had 
 frightened the two women and other gentleman very 
 much. After assuring them no one should be hurt, 
 I asked for all the firearms about the place. They at 
 first denied having any except the pistol taken from 
 the doctor. But when informed that a search would 
 be made, Mrs. N. said she had a little '' lady's pis- 
 tol/' which proved to be a good-sized five-shooter, 
 ready capped and loaded. I informed her that, if 
 that was the kind of jewelry that was fashionable 
 with the Southern ladies, we were decidedly opposed 
 to it, and took the pistols, and placed them and the 
 doctor in charge of the cavalry, who reported to 
 Colonel Barnes. As we left the premises we heard 
 our black guide trying to suppress his laughter, be- 
 ing hid near the road. 
 
 About the 12th May, the small pox broke out 
 among the soldiers of the regiment, but the prompt 
 and judicious management of Surgeon Mills pre- 
 vented it from spreading, and confined it to the five 
 first cases. 
 
 After our fortifications were completed the regi- 
 ment's duty consisted principally of guard duty and 
 drill. Lieutenant Colonel May generally conducted 
 the battalion drills of the eight companies at head- 
 quarters. At the same time Companies C and H, 
 
58 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Stationed at the bridges, improved much in company- 
 drill. But as the author only made a few short 
 visits to headquarters during the six weeks we re- 
 mained at Wartrace, many interesting events of per- 
 sonal adventure by that part of the command cannot 
 be given, and I shall only give a few relating to- 
 Company H. 
 
 Our tents were pitched in the creek bottom, where 
 the land had many years before been cleared of tim- 
 ber and well set in grass. The cows of the entire 
 neighborhood ran at large, and about one-half of 
 them wore bells. At night the noise of the bells on 
 cattle trying to browse on our drill ground annoyed 
 us so much that we notified the citizens to keep them 
 away, or we might be forced to shoot them. Our 
 greatest danger was attack from cavalry, and 
 quietude enables a sentinel to hear the trampling 
 horses a great distance. 
 
 After we suppressed the cows, it seemed that 
 as soon as night spread its shades over earth 
 every worthless cur within five miles (and there 
 were many) tried to make night hideous with 
 barking and howling. Many of these half-starved 
 whelps came nightly to our camp on the hunt 
 for waste grub. Anxious as were the boys to 
 shoot them, it could not be done without causing 
 unnecessary alarm in the regiment, only one and a 
 half miles distant ; therefore, during the day, many 
 little piles of stones were placed convenient for use 
 after dark. In two weeks it was perfectly safe for a 
 stranger to approach residences in that vicinity, as 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 59 
 
 every dog that survived was utterly unable for duty 
 as a watch dog. 
 
 The 29th May, the Union citizens in the neighbor- 
 hood held what was intended to be a Union meet- 
 ing. The principal part of the Eighth Kentucky 
 attended and enjoyed the hospitality of the citizens. 
 Many inhabitants were also there of well-known 
 rebel sentiments. Colonel Barnes made the princi- 
 pal speech, pointing out to his audience the advan- 
 tages to the South, especially Tennessee, to remain 
 in the Union, and the certainty of ultimate defeat 
 of the rebels, and consequent disgrace, and the 
 financial ruin the South would suffer, winding up, in 
 his usual earnest manner, with a warning to the dis- 
 loyal to '* flee from the wrath to come." That night 
 many of the officers and men of the Eighth wound 
 up the meeting with a ball at the hotel, kept by 
 Haley, alias ' ' Pig-tracks. ' ' I was informed by those 
 present that many of the fair damsels of the coun- 
 try attended, and took much pleasure in whirling 
 their high-priced calico in graceful cotillions with 
 the hateful Yankees until daylight. 
 
 Probably every regiment and company in the ser- 
 vice had their slovenly, awkward, but good-natured,, 
 lazy member. Company H certainly had one in 
 Aldrich, whom the boys nick-named " Dobin 
 Spikes." If any member of the company was later 
 getting out at roll-call than "Dobin," he was inva- 
 riably marked "absent." On inspection he was 
 sure to have the rustiest gun, and his knapsack con- 
 tained the dirtiest clothing. The captain had been> 
 
 \ 
 
^O HISTORY OF THE 
 
 mildly reprimanding ''Dobin" for his untidy ap- 
 pearance, but he seemed not to heed the reproof. 
 One Sunday morning, at Carter's Creek, Captain 
 W. was absent, and Lieutenant Cox inspected the 
 company. " Dobin," as usual, had on a dirty shirt, 
 face and neck ditto, and hair longer than usual. 
 Lieutenant Cox gave him a severe scolding, and 
 cautioned him never to appear at inspection again in 
 that condition. The next Sunday morning, Lieu- 
 •tenant Cox being sick, the duty of inspecting the 
 company devolved on the author. '' Dobin's" shirt- 
 collar and neck had no appearance of recent contact 
 with soap and water. His tangled flaxen locks had 
 gained one more week's growth, his gun and accou- 
 trements were in keeping with his neglected person. 
 I passed him by without a single reproof or remark. 
 After dismissing the company, I ordered the sergeant 
 to arrest " Dobin," and bring him to the captain's 
 tent. Sergeant Morris, with a sharp pair of scissors, 
 soon parted ''Dobin" and his cherished, but 
 neglected, golden locks. S. Wood and two other 
 boys were then ordered to take "Dobin" to the 
 creek and wash his neck for him. Feeling certain 
 they would do up a good job, I laid down in my 
 tent. Soon after, hearing much loud laughter at 
 the creek bank, interspersed with terrible oaths from 
 *' Dobin's" well-known voice, I walked down. In 
 the middle of the stream stood the now furious 
 "Dobin," firmly held by two stout men. Wood, 
 with a bar of soap in one hand and two corncobs in 
 ^the other, was rubbing the swearing, struggling vie- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 6l 
 
 tim's neck, which, with rubbing and his anger, had,, 
 chamelion-like, assumed a clean, reddish appear- 
 ance. I told the men to let Mr. Aldrich finish his 
 morning ablution unassisted. After that no more 
 orders had to be given about hair-trimming, and 
 '* Dobin" thereafter paid considerable attention to 
 his Sunday toilet. 
 
 The regiment was again paid the yth of June, by 
 Major Davies, up to the ist of May. On the 9th, a 
 large number of the Eighth were detailed to cut tim- 
 bers for the rebuilding of the railroad bridge over 
 Duck River, and on the evening of the loth the 
 camp was in unusual commotion, with orders to cook 
 two days' rations, and be ready to march early the 
 next morning. At sunrise, the nth, Captain Win- 
 bourn, with Company H, and Captain Wilson and 
 Company C, joined the regiment, leaving the tents 
 and the principal part of the garrison equipage in 
 charge of some convalescents. At 9 o'clock, being 
 joined by the Twenty-first Kentucky, a part of the 
 Fourth Kentucky Cavalry, and a few pieces of artil- 
 lery, marched toward McMinnville, passed through 
 Fairfield, and camped for the night in the hills at the 
 head of McBride's Creek, in Coffee County. The 
 1 2th we camped within six miles of McMinnville, on 
 Collins River, having passed through poor, brushy 
 country. The inhabitants appeared to be still poorer,, 
 and evidently much alarmed at the sight of so many 
 real live Yankees. Early the 13th, we waded Col- 
 lins River, which was waist deep and very swift. A 
 good number of us got our greenbacks wet. We en- 
 
(62 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 tered McMinnville, the county seat of Warren 
 County, about 8 o'clock a. m., ajid bivouacked in 
 the suburbs, near a large cotton factory, working 
 about one hundred women, making cloth for the 
 Confederates. But as we were now carrying on the 
 war under General Buell's policy, i. e. respecting pri- 
 vate property — though we had every reason to be- 
 lieve it would be used to feed or clothe the enemy — 
 the spindles and looms kept on. 
 
 We were here joined by General Dumont, with 
 three or four thousand troops from Murfreesboro, 
 and early the 14th the whole force passed through 
 town and struck out for the Sequatche Valley, over 
 the Cumberland Mountains. We had seven miles of 
 good road to the Barren fork of Collins River. Here 
 the troops were allowed to undress before wading 
 the river. This mode of ferrying was rather enjoyed 
 by the troops than otherwise. But to the great dis- 
 pleasure of our regiment, we were detailed as train 
 guard, and the whole regiment assisted the drivers 
 in getting up the mountain, which, here at Hill's 
 Creek Gap, is two miles from the base to the sum- 
 mit, in many places so steep our men were compelled 
 to push the entire weight of the loaded wagons and 
 artillery, it being all the mules and horses could do 
 to carry up their own weight, the teamsters 
 and men swearing profanely enough to have 
 disgusted the "Army of Flanders." Near sun- 
 set we reached the top of the mountain, weary 
 and foot sore ; every canteen in the regiment empty, 
 'with twelve miles of mountain ridge road before us, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 63 
 
 and not a spring, stream or a human habitation near 
 our road ; at the same time our lank haversacks 
 admonishing us to diet light. The lumbering wagons 
 and profane teamsters rolled ahead while we tramp- 
 ed on nearly famishing with thirst. About one 
 o'clock a. m. the 15th, we came up with our main 
 force, bivouacked at a large mountain spring of good 
 water. We ate the last of our ratians and for two 
 hours enjoyed refreshing sleep, but before sun-rise 
 the whole force were drummed and bugled up, and 
 off again on sore feet and empty stomachs,, Near 
 noon, as we were marching on at the head of the 
 column, bright visions of the fat hens and smoking 
 pones of corn bread just a few miles ahead in the 
 promished land of Sequatche Valley, where we were 
 promised plenty, if not peace. Alas, "there is many 
 a slip between the cup and the lip." General 
 Dumont met a courier with a dispatch from General 
 Mitchell to return with his troops to their former 
 camps. At the command ''counter-march by file 
 right, march," as the head of our column filed 
 around on the back track, some of our boys gave 
 vent to their disgusted feelings. One member of 
 Company D yelled out, " Now, by G — d, I feel like 
 killing something." That afternoon we did kill a 
 few poor cows the Fourth Kentucky Cavalry brought 
 in out of the brush. Late that evening we arrived at 
 the spring we left in the morning. The line officers 
 of the Eighth remonstrated against the order to pro- 
 ceed on to Collins River. We informed Colonel 
 Barnes that our men went no further until we had 
 
64 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 opportunity of cooking and eating some of our scrub 
 beef, which we did there and then,* broiling it on the 
 coals, and, without salt or bread, this tough, stringy, 
 burnt meat was eaten, being washed down with 
 coffee, which our boys were fortunate in having. In 
 spite of Dumont's orders, our regiment slept here 
 until 2 o'clock next morning. Our band awoke us, 
 and by a bright, full moon we made good time to 
 Collins River, keeping our men well in ranks. We 
 passed whole companies of stragglers from other 
 regiments, whose officers had tried to force their men 
 to comply with Dumont's order. On arriving at the 
 river at noon we met wagons with rations of hard 
 bread and good side bacon, and a couple of barrels of 
 whisky for the 6,000 troops. Men who one hour 
 before had been cursing "old Dumont,'^ were now 
 praising him as the best of generals. We arrived at 
 McMinnville near night, and the general compelled 
 citizens to furnish his troops bread. Some of them 
 certainly knew how to make the staff of life palatable. 
 The following day the Eighth and Twenty-first 
 Kentucky marched twenty miles on our road to- 
 ward Wartrace. While at halt that evening a mem- 
 ber of Company K accidentally discharged his gun, 
 severely wounding Jo. Derbin, Company D, in the 
 foot. The night of the i8th we bivouacked near 
 Beach Grove, and arrived at noon, the 19th, at our 
 respective encampments at and near Wartrace, and 
 resumed our regular guard duty and daily drilling. 
 That evening Company H had two of its company 
 mules killed by a locomotive, upsetting the train and 
 killing the engineer. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The 23d June, Adjutant John Clark and Captain 
 Winbourn obtained leave of absence and started to 
 Kentucky. 
 
 The afternoon of the 4th day of July our company 
 drill suddenly stopped by the reception of an order 
 from Colonel Barnes for Company H to get aboard 
 the train that bore us the order and rejoin the regi- 
 ment forthwith. Leaving our tents and garrison 
 equipage in charge of a sergeant and ten men, wear- 
 rived at Wartrace at sun set, where all the regiment 
 except details from each company to guard the tents, 
 &c., boarded our train of platform cars, and, as the 
 whistle sounded and the iron wheels began moving 
 South, the Eighth gave three cheers, and bid War- 
 trace and old "Pig-tracks" farewell; halted two 
 hours at Tullahoma, and as we were settling down 
 to a pleasant nap of sleep, orders were given to " fall 
 in," ''fall in;" "all aboard for Alisona!" The 
 moon shone brightly. A short run of nine miles 
 brought us to Elk River bridge, or where the bridge 
 had been destroyed by the rebels. Near midnight 
 the Eighth left the train, crossed the stream, many 
 getting wet by slipping off the treacherous old dam 
 that once turned the water on to the busy wheels of a 
 flourishing cotton factory, the charred ruins of which 
 made us feel sad. Viewed by'the light of a waning 
 moon, the desolation was doubly solemn. We took 
 
 "w^ 
 
66 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 possession of the score or more of vacated houses 
 that constituted the town where the toiling employes 
 had dwelt, and were soon oblivious to things past 
 and present. 
 
 Early the 5th, a large detail from the Eighth were 
 put to cutting timber to rebuild the railroad bridge. 
 ^Several days were spent in assisting the government 
 employes. The 7th July the Eighth made a general 
 cleaning of arms, and many washed their clothes. 
 A few rebel citizens came into camp, and others, 
 who had been in the confederate service, were 
 brought in by the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. 
 Some of them appeared more eager to trade with 
 '•you ens" than they were to take the oath of loy- 
 alty. One tow-headed fellow swore, " I haint heda 
 chaw uv terbaccer nor a grain uv salt in my house 
 fur four months." 
 
 Our accommodating sutler, R. Keneday, fol- 
 lowed us up the 8th with a fresh supply of army 
 goods, but scarcely had time to unload before we 
 were ordered back to Tullahoma, and the greater 
 part of that night our cooks were busy boiling and 
 frying the two days' rations. 
 
 Early the 9th, one of those hot, sultry, spiritless 
 mornings, our men were ordered to pile their knap- 
 sacks by the railroad track in charge of the orderlies 
 of each company, and thus, freed from some of the 
 weight, the regiment marched northward. The low, 
 distant thunder and ominous, dark clouds came 
 nearer. At 9 o'clock, a. m., the rain began to pour 
 down on us in torrents. Arriving at Tullahoma 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 67 
 
 depot, the regiment stacked arms, and the men 
 sought shelter until the train and the sergeants, with 
 the knapsacks, arrived. The men had neglected 
 marking their property, so as to readily recognize it 
 from that of their comrades, which resulted in much 
 confusion, swearing and overhauling of knapsacks. 
 Meantime Colonel Barnes added to the confusion by 
 hurrying and swearing for the regiment to form. 
 Our camp and garrison equipage having met us here, 
 we pitched our tents half a mile west of town. As 
 the rain continued nearly all night, almost every 
 member of the regiment got thoroughly wet in erect- 
 ing tents. The next day was spent in sunning and 
 drying bedding and clothing. To avoid another 
 knapsack squabble, several of the Eighth officers 
 procured paint and lettered the knapsacks. 
 
 Here the Thirty-fifth Indiana, the Irish regiment, 
 was added to the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky, 
 forming the Twenty-third Brigade, Colonel Barnes 
 temporarily in command. The nth, the First 
 Kentucky Battery and Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, Col- 
 onel Haggard, arrived from Wartrace. The 12th, 
 Companies D and I, of the Eighth, were sent as 
 guard to Elk River, as the enemy's cavalry were 
 menacing several points north and south of us. 
 
 Early Sunday morning, the 13th, while the Eighth 
 were generally engaged in devouring salt pork and 
 crackers, cannonading could be heard north of us. 
 Late that evening we learned that Forrest, with a 
 force of cavalry, had, after a brief fight with Colonel 
 Lester, Third Minnesota and Ninth Michigan, 
 
68 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 taken Murfreesboro and burned the depot, taking a 
 good many of the Ninth prisoners, and among them 
 Lieutenant Park, Sergeant Elkin and private John- 
 son, of our regiment. The latter part of the report 
 proved untrue. Lieutenant Park, by the assistance 
 of the family with whom he was boarding, eluded the 
 rebels by secreting himself in the cellar. The other 
 two played off citizens on the rebels, who only held 
 the town a few hours. 
 
 About this time Bragg's and Kirby Smith's troops 
 in and below Chattanooga began to feel their way 
 northward, which caused a part of Buell's army, 
 under General Smith, to concentrate about 12,000 
 infantry and cavalry here to resist an expected attack 
 from rebel cavalry. About 3,000 of General Wood's 
 command arrived at Elk River, and our two compa- 
 nies rejoined us. The morning of the 15th, we 
 moved -into town, and, with other troops, began for- 
 tifying the place, as later reports confirmed the 
 rumor of a large rebel force from Chattanooga 
 making their way toward this place. A large force 
 felled trees while others threw up a line of earth- 
 works encircling the town. At the same time a large 
 number of wagons were sent out over the country 
 under strong guard, to collect a supply of flour and 
 other provisions. A string of pickets were placed 
 around the place, and artillery placed in good posi- 
 tion. All this began to look like war in earnest. To 
 husband our half rations of beef and flour, Compa- 
 nies C and H of the Eighth, while on picket the 
 1 6th, took the precaution to lay in a good supply 01 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 69 
 
 pork and potatoes, the latter, as S. Wood, remarked, 
 he "jest found growing wild up yonder in a patch of 
 weeds," and Burgess, Company H, said " the rebel 
 hog hadn't the countersign." After all this prepa- 
 ration for a siege, our men appeared somewhat dis- 
 appointed, the evening of the 8th, to learn that the 
 enemy had fallen back, and we were ordered to 
 march back to Murfreesboro, via Shelbyville. Ac- 
 cordingly, the 19th, we loaded our train, and, with 
 the other three regiments of our brigade, marched 
 northwest, over poor country, meeting part of Gen- 
 eral Wood's division. Encamped early, within ten 
 miles of Shelbyville. The 20th, after passing over a 
 very rough road, we arrived at that town at noon, 
 where we cooked and ate dinner. That evening we 
 made a short march of eight miles, and bivouacked 
 on the Murfreesboro Pike, in a fine section of coun- 
 try, large, well cultivated fields of splendid crops of 
 corn and cotton, with occasional stacks of wheat. 
 The slaves were yet generally at home. The face of 
 the country showed no ravages of war, thanks to 
 Buell's orders and the mild manner of the adminis- 
 tration in dealing with these aristocratic slave-own- 
 ers, who were principally in the field fighting to de- 
 stroy the government, while their slaves were raising 
 bountiful supplies to feed the rebel army the coming 
 winter. It mattered not how much our tired, hun- 
 gry soldiers wished a mess of green corn as a change 
 from our hard-tack, not an ear of corn, or peach, or 
 apple could be had without violating general orders. 
 Many staff and line officers had become disgusted 
 
70 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 with enforcing these strict orders and this "concili- 
 atory policy" of putting down the rebellion, and did 
 not see a few green cobs lying about camp fires be- 
 fore the boys had managed to bury or secrete them- 
 The 2ist July, we arrived at Murfreesboro, where 
 we made our first acquamtance with Colonel Stanley 
 Matthews and the Fifty-first Ohio, that regiment 
 here being added to our brigade, formed the Third 
 Brigade of the Third' Division of the Twenty-first 
 Army Corps. Colonel Matthews being sick, Colonel 
 Barnes continued in command. General Nelson, 
 commanding the division, on the morning of the 
 22d, went with all the division except the Third 
 Brigade on a scout toward Manchester, while our 
 four regiments marched back through town, crossed 
 the river near the charred remains of the depot, and 
 laid off a line of rifle pits. A heavy detail from each 
 regiment was put to digging. Colonel Barnes also 
 sent out guards under commissioned officers in every 
 direction, with orders to conscript every able-bodied 
 negro man they could find and bring them in to as- 
 sist in fortifying. By lo o'clock a. m., we had about 
 two hundred stout, well-pleased darkies heaving up 
 the earth. The officers and men that had collected 
 this dusky force related some amusing incidents of 
 the talk and action of some of those '' masters" who 
 remonstrated against having their ^' niggers" do 
 work for the Yankees. Capt. Minter and a squad of 
 the 8th entered the premises of a rich planter, whom 
 with his two sons were in the rebel army, an old 
 negro man named Jim, conducting affairs on the farm 
 
EIGH'IH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 7 I 
 
 for his mistress. Soon the guards had " Boss" Jim 
 and seven or eight other negro men assembled in the 
 road near the fine house. The mistress appeared on 
 the portico, and totally ignoring the presence of the 
 captain and his men, she addressed '' Jim," saying, 
 "I would like to know what you mean by leaving 
 your work and bringing in the other hands ?" Jim, 
 pulling off his hat, replied, '* Missus, we's gwine to 
 town wid dese jemmen to work." Lady — " Now 
 you take the hands right back to that field this 
 minute or you'll have to account for it, certain." 
 " Missus, I can't, Tse bound to 'bey dese sojers. 
 Dese are malicious orders, missus, and I'se bound to 
 'spect dem." The captain with his conscript force 
 moved off, leaving the indignant '• missus" in the 
 porch heaping abuse on the whole Yankee army. 
 The darkies worked zealously — they evidently 
 thought themselves honored by such service and 
 enjoyed their ration of ''hard tack" and coffee 
 very much. By sunset the long line of earthworks 
 were completed. Col. Barnes received a dispatch 
 from General Nelson, stating if we were not attacked 
 before, to march with the 3d Brigade precisely at 
 2 o'clock next morning out on. Lebanon pike, to 
 attack a force of rebel cavalry, then at the river six 
 miles from us. One day's rations were cooked, a few 
 hours for sleep, then all the command able for duty 
 formed column without a loud word or any noise 
 that could possibly be avoided. The measured 
 tramp, tramp of our feet through the silent streets of 
 Murfreesboro by the dim starlight, awoke many of 
 
72 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the slumbering citizens. Heads were thrust out of 
 windows, but no questions asked. We silently but 
 speedily moved on arriving at the ford of Stone 
 River at the first glimmer of dawn, hoping and ex- 
 pecting to be able to dash on to the enemy and try 
 our hand at mortal combat, but the cautious John- 
 nies had mounted their "critters" and left one hour 
 before. Some of our men petulantly remarked, 
 " That's jest our luck." After wading the river, we 
 halted one hour for breakfast. 
 
 Colonel Barnes then ordered us forward on the 
 Lebanon Pike, and to march as fast as we could, and 
 keep the men well in the ranks. The day was op- 
 pressively hot and water scarce. At noon we were 
 within ten miles of Lebanon, and halted for a little 
 rest before proceeding to where we were assured we 
 would have all the fighting we wanted. Just then a 
 courier from Nelson handed Colonel Barnes an order 
 for us to countermarch to Murfreesboro as quick as 
 possible. Nearly every man had sore feet, but at the 
 word of command, knapsacks were slung, arms 
 taken, and, ho! for Murfreesboro again. When 
 within two miles of Stone River, our advance guard 
 fell back and reported a large force of rebel infantry 
 at the ford. Colonel Barnes instantly had skirmish- 
 ers put forward. The brigade trampled down a 
 good-sized field of corn in hastily forming line of 
 battle. We were all ready, and just then in the 
 humor to fight anything, human or devil. A courier 
 came dashing up and informed our colonel that the 
 supposed enemy was General Nelson and the balance 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 73 
 
 of the division. Many of the Eighth swore they 
 had rather it had been the enemy, for, said they, 
 '' Here we've been out soldiering nearly twelve 
 months, and but few of us have seen an armed 
 rebel." The brigade bivouacked at the forks of the 
 Lebanon and Woodbury Pikes. Our men did very 
 little cooking or eating. We were too tired for any- 
 thing except sleep, which we enjoyed with no more 
 preparation of beds than a drove of stock. 
 
 We were bugled up early the 24th, and had hastily 
 marched to within three miles of Murfreesboro, when 
 we were again met by one of General Nelson's orders 
 to countermarch. At this unexpected command. 
 Chandler Branson, Company D, yelled out, " Now, 
 by the blood of Balaam, ef this don't beat all." Some 
 member of Company A, Eighth Kentucky, retorted, 
 " I bet, by G — d, old Nelson or somebody's drunk." 
 Our brigade returned to the cross roads before al- 
 luded to, and were reinforced by a squadron of the 
 Fifth Kentucky Cavalry. We remained here two 
 days, keeping out a strong chain of pickets to pre- 
 vent any force of the enemy passing toward Nash- 
 ville. Several bodies of rebel cavalry were then 
 scouting around through the cedars that skirt the 
 mountains in Middle Tennessee. 
 
 The 25th, General Nelson reviewed the Third 
 Brigade, after which he put us through a " knap- 
 sack" drill, in brigade and battalion movements, 
 cursing the Eighth for some blunders, but praising 
 us for the correct performance of other movements. 
 Wha«:cver may have been his opinion of the Eighth, 
 
74 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 we certainly did not form a favorable one of this 
 swearing, blustering old tar. A month's acquaint- 
 ance did not increase our respect or love for him, 
 though we all became thoroughly convinced of two 
 prominent traits of Nelson's character : First, brave 
 in the face of the foe ; second, overbearing to all 
 subordinates. 
 
 The 26th, a foraging party, commanded by Major 
 Broadhus, of the Eighth Kentucky, and composed of 
 Companies H and C, of the Eighth, and two com- 
 panies of the Twenty-firstj with twenty wagons, pro- 
 ceeded through the cedars, up Stone River, eight 
 miles to a mill owned by a violent rebel named Til- 
 ford, where the soldiers, assisted by a lot of slaves, 
 loaded the wagons with corn. No white man or 
 woman could be seen. Major Broadhus said to a 
 patriarchal darkey: 
 
 "Old man, where are the white people of this 
 place ?" 
 
 "" Missus an de chillen is to her mudder's, an I 
 speck mars is wid dem oder kind ob sojers." 
 
 Major Broadhus — " Did he leave you to manage 
 affairs here ?" 
 
 " Yes, sah ; doh he tole me dis way to do, say he : 
 ' Jake, you keep de mill a grinden de corn, an if you 
 see de Yankees comin wid wagons, you jes set fire to 
 de cribs and burn up de corn.' " 
 
 Major B. — " You don't seem to obey your master. 
 When you saw us, why didn't you burn it ?" 
 
 " Yah, yah, mars, I knowed den it do nobody 
 any good, nor him, neder." 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. • 75 
 
 The wagons returned to the command witliout ac- 
 cident, and while the Eighth were at supper, the 
 bugle sounded the officers' call. Soon we were col- 
 lected around our chief. Colonel Barnes said : 
 ''Officers, I want you to get your men ready to 
 march to Murfreesboro, and that d — d quick, for the 
 General expects to be attacked by 8,000 rebels before 
 dayliglrt." As we had no baggage, we were soon 
 wading the river, being the fourth time within four 
 days. We arrived at Murfreesboro about midnight, 
 and lay on our arms in line of battle near town, on 
 the Woodbury Pike. Our men began to think this 
 very hard soldiering, but it was only the beginning 
 of our hardships. The line of battle was maintained 
 until after sunrise the 27th, but the 8,000 enemy 
 did not appear. 
 
 We received orders from General Nelson to pre- 
 pare for a march in light order, specifying that the 
 men would turn over their knapsacks to the quar- 
 termaster, the officers to be allowed to carry only 
 one trunk or chest to three officers, and two tent- 
 flies to a company of officers. Accordingly, all this 
 extra baggage was marked and stored at Murfrees- 
 boro. This being completed by noon, General Nel- 
 son ordered every regiment out to drill two hours — 
 the first and last time we ever drilled on Sunday. 
 
 We remained here without any further alarms 
 until the morning of the first of August. The whole 
 division, 8,000 strong, marched out on theMcMinn- 
 ville road, all with canteens full, as Nelson never 
 allowed a man to leave ranks. The sun shone down 
 
76 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 on the stone road with powerful heat. We called a 
 halt at noon for two hours, at a creek, then kept our 
 men well in ranks, and arrived at Woodbury, the 
 county town of Cannon County, at dark, having 
 marched twenty-eight miles. As we had bat little 
 cooking to do, those not on guard were soon sleep- 
 ing the sleep of the weary, if not that of the just. 
 
 The 2d, the division was aroused by the bugles- 
 and drums long before daylight, our hasty breakfast 
 over, and the column in motion before the sun had 
 showed his burning face. 
 
 We had correct information that General Forrest, 
 with a brigade of rebel cavalry, was at McMinnville, 
 and our men generally were anxious to bring the en- 
 emy at bay, and try our hand in a battle. General 
 Nelson's threat to catch Forrest or kill the last man in 
 the division, increased our desires to come up with 
 the foe at as early a date as possible, for many of the 
 command believed our general to mean what he said ; 
 and before that month had passed nearly all of the 
 Eighth began to think him to be in dead earnest. 
 
 About 3 o'clock p. m. our advance came on the 
 rebel pickets within a few miles of McMinnville. As 
 they caught sight of our advance cavalry, they fired 
 a few shots and fled toward town. We hastened on, 
 arriving there near night, but no armed enemy could 
 be seen. We stacked arms on the skirts of town 
 and were anxiously expecting a distribution of rations. 
 We had began to get used to disappointments and 
 unpleasant surprises. One was here ready for Com- 
 panies C, D, E and H, of the Eighth — we were or- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 77 
 
 dered out on picket without the desired and much- 
 needed grub. Several hours were spent is estab- 
 lishing the picket line so as to connect with the reg- 
 ular chain around town. 
 
 A few of the officers, including the author, called 
 at some of the suburban residences and succeeded 
 in arousing the not overly pleased inmates and suc- 
 ceeded in procuring some provisions, paying a good 
 round price ; thus our men, on a divide, secured 
 sufficient to abate their gnawing hunger. 
 
 The whole division was kept in suspense all day 
 the 3d, all being held in readiness to "march at a 
 moment's warning." We slept there in line on our 
 arms, and at daylight, the 4th, the whole command 
 marched in quick time toward Sparta, Tenn. Five 
 companies, B, H, G, K and I, of the 8th Kentucky, 
 were detailed as rear guard, a duty all soldiers dis- 
 like, having to march behind the wagon train and 
 artillery. We had not proceeded but a few miles, 
 when, at the ford of Collins river, in a narrow piece 
 of road, one wagon upset, and delayed the whole 
 train for over two hours. This put us a long distance 
 behind our column. Our Quartermasters and wagon- 
 masters having more dread of old Nelson than they 
 had of the enemy, made everything double quick 
 for about ten miles, before the rear was properly 
 closed up. We guards, of course, were compelled 
 to regulate our march to keep pace with the hurrying 
 train. Near night the artillery and wagons began to 
 cross Cany Fork of the Cumberland River. The 
 troops had crossed and climbed the mountain on the 
 
78 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 south side. Some of the teamsters while at a halt 
 had found a house where they procured a supply of 
 Tennessee brandy, and had followed the example of 
 our division general, and imbibed too freely of the 
 exhilarating fluid. On arriving at the stream, these 
 boozy commanders of mules had, without orders, un- 
 hitched their teams. A few of the wagon-masters, 
 no less sober, were powerless to command their 
 trains. At this unpleasant state of affairs, the rain 
 began to pour down in the manner it usually does in 
 this latitude. All teamsters and their superiors that 
 were yet sober, appeared to be like our guards, not 
 in an enviable temper, and had Gen. Nelson been 
 present, and refrained from swearing long enough to 
 have heard the amount of profanity indulged in at 
 that ford, he certainly would have been disgusted with 
 this foolish habit. In the meantime we arrived upon 
 the scene, and Col. Barnes, who could, on slight pro- 
 vocation, swear equal to an army teamster, rode 
 around with a drawn weapon among the boozy team- 
 sters and made them hitch up, and cfnce more put 
 the train in motion. 
 
 Tjie principal part of our five companies worked 
 hard all night by reliefs pushing wagons and artil- 
 lery up the mountain. Every one of us, from col- 
 onel down, had our clothing thoroughly wet. In 
 order to get a few hours' sleep without laying down 
 in mud and water, I lashed my weary body to a tree 
 trunk, using one of the men's gun straps and my 
 own sword belt. While thus suspended, I slept quite 
 sound. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 79 
 
 About sun rise the next morning the last wagon 
 topped the mountain. Without taking time to eat 
 breakfast, we struck out in quick time to overtake the 
 division, and soon came up with the column. After 
 forced march of five miles, the head of the division 
 met a scout. General Nelson had a brief interview 
 with him, then commanded the column to '^ counter 
 march, quick time, march !" This was to us dis- 
 couraging, to say the least. But Nelson had been 
 informed by Buell that we were about to meet the 
 principal part of General Bragg's army, and ihat dis- 
 cretion was in this case, probably, the best. But 
 our men said, ^' Here, we've lost sleep, waded rivers 
 and ran around in the cedars until our shoes are 
 worn out trying to meet the enemy, and now, when 
 we are about to find the armed rebels, to retreat is 
 worse than to fight and get whipped." 
 
 At the crossing of the river, the Eighth refused to 
 go farther until we had time to get some rations out 
 of the trains and get on the outside of that grub, 
 which we did, regardless of friends in front or foes 
 behind. Satisfying our hunger, we resumed the 
 march and arrived at McMinnville a little before mid- 
 night. 
 
 On this nineteen miles of rough road this division 
 of as good men as the United States had in the field 
 left more stragglers than they probably ever did af- 
 terward. They all came up during the next day. 
 
 We pitched our tent flies in a large apple orchard 
 northeast of town. The heavy crop of green fruit 
 of that orchard totally disappeared within twenty- 
 
8o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 four hours — fried, witn plenty of sugar added, 
 making a good dish to a hungry soldier. 
 
 On the evening of the 6th, at dress parade, several 
 of Nelson's troublesome orders were* read ; one of 
 them requiring every regiment in the division to have 
 battalion drill for two hours before breakfast ; that 
 at 7 o'clock, compelled us to be up and in line at 5, 
 and from that until supper no time was lost from drill 
 and other duties, except two hours for dinner. This 
 lively exercise to men whose feet were yet very sore, 
 was anything but pleasaat recreation. 
 
 On the 9th of August, the Eighth escaped the or- 
 deal of a knapsapk drill, by an order sending us one 
 mile out on the Smithville road as pickets. We re- 
 mained there in the brush until the morning of the 
 nth, encountering no worse enemy than innumer- 
 able little insects called "seed ticks." The enemy 
 was reported to have a large force at Smithville, 
 twenty miles distant from us, and our boys were 
 given strict orders. At a late hour on the night of 
 the loth. General Nelson and staff passed outside 
 our pickets and returned by the Smithville route. 
 Leaving the main road they came tearing along the 
 by-road, evidently to try the mettle of our pickets. 
 When within hailing distance, John W. Barnett, 
 Company H, commanded "halt." Nelson and es- 
 cort appeared not to hear, and John, in aloud voice, 
 repeated, "Halt, there! or by Jupiter, I'll put a 
 hole through one of you," at the same time all six 
 of the men's pieces gave that ominous click that gen- 
 erally causes even a brave man to halt, and the Gen- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 8l 
 
 eral did, at the same time he said, '' Who in the 
 hell are you, to presume to halt a general officer and 
 staff?" The 'reply was, "One of you dismount, 
 advance and give the countersign, or we'll show you 
 who we are, and that devilish quick." An aid obeyed 
 this last summons, and Corporal Harris hallowed 
 out, "The General and escort can pass in." 
 
 The moon shone brightly, and the boys knew 
 Nelson before he advanced. His only remark as he 
 passed in was, "By G — d ; these Kentucks won't do 
 to fool with." 
 
 As the force reported at Smithville did not come 
 to attack us, on the morning of the nth our brigade 
 now under command of Col. Matthews, received or- 
 ders to go in search of the Johnnies. The dirt road 
 was rough from the dried mud of recent rains, and 
 the weather continued excessively warm. After a 
 hard march of twenty miles, we arrived late in the 
 evening at the village where we expected to find the 
 much-sought but little-loved rebels. 
 
 The citizens informed us that John Morgan's force 
 of cavalry passed through there the day before, go- 
 ing north. Our command bivouacked there, and 
 resumed the march early the 12th, over rough roads, 
 through the hills northwest, thirteen miles, and we 
 were in the village of Liberty. 
 
 Our brigade remained here until the next evening, 
 living principally on green corn. The citizens here 
 appeared to be more loyal than any we had found in 
 Tennessee^ displaying the stars and stripes as we 
 marched through town. The loyal women here 
 
 6 
 
82 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 came out to our camp, and cheerfully loaned the sol- 
 diers their cooking utensils. This day's rest among 
 these people, and the benefit of a good bath in the 
 clear stream, which most of us enjoyed, greatly re- 
 freshed us in soul and body. 
 
 At 4 o'clock, p. m., the 13th, we again formed 
 column, and, as usual, took the back track. The 
 moon shone bright, and we halted at 10 o'clock at 
 Smithville, and rested until morning. The officers 
 and men of the Eighth about this time became very 
 solicitous to be mounted, so we could have a chance 
 to catch some of the rebel cavalry, for, said our men, 
 we find it impossible to either head them off or catch 
 them on foot. 
 
 We left Smithville at sunrise the 14th, and at 5 
 p. m. re-entered our camp at McMinnville. The 
 following ten days, when not on picket or other duty, 
 the time was spent in vigorous drilling. One even- 
 ing, at dress parade, we were rejoiced to learn that 
 General Nelson was relieved from the command, and 
 would proceed immediately to Kentucky to take 
 command of raw recruits then arriving at Louisville 
 and Cincinnati. We did not envy those same raw 
 recruits their pleasures in obeying the orders of their 
 general. Though, with all Nelson's harsh, over- 
 bearing, and often wanton cruelty to his subordi- 
 nates, he often did a good thing in protecting his 
 soldiers from the grasping greed of sutlers or citi- 
 zens, with whom our boys often traded. One day, 
 before Nelson left us, a crowd of soldiers were col- 
 lected around a lank-looking, long-haired Tennes- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 8^ 
 
 seean, who bore on his arm a basket containing some 
 tough-looking pies. Between the two thick crusts 
 was a darker streak of woolly peaches. General 
 Nelson came along the street, and noticing the citi- 
 zen, stepped up, saying: "Here, my man, what 
 have you there to sell ?" 
 
 Citizen — "Pies, sar ; unly fifty cents apiece, sar. " 
 The general broke one open, and dropped it back 
 in the basket, exclaiming, '' Only fifty cents apiece !" 
 Drawing his sword, he continued: "Now, you in- 
 fernal, lecherous, spindle-shanked devil ! those 
 things wouldn't digest in the stomach of a hyena. 
 How many have you?" 
 
 Citizen tremblingly replied : " Six, I b'leve." 
 General Nelson, raising his sword more threaten- 
 ingly, said : '* Now, eat the last one in short order, 
 or I'll cut your infernal head from your worthless 
 carcass !" The poor, frightened fellow munched 
 and swallowed in painful haste, until his eyes, which 
 continuously watched the uplifted steel, assumed a 
 frog-like prominence. Thus, he worried down over 
 two dollars' worth of his dark, choky pastry. Nel- 
 son then ordered the would-be pie vender outside 
 our pickets, telling him if he should ever see him 
 here again on any pretext, death would certainly be 
 his doom. We saw no more of that enterprising 
 tradesman. 
 
 Brigadier General Amnion assumed command of 
 the troops in and around McMinnville. The 24th 
 August, we were ordered to prepare two days* ra- 
 tions, load the baggage and be ready to march at 
 
84 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 I o'clock, p. m. At that hour we were in column, 
 and the general wish and belief was that we were 
 leaving this "rebel hole" for the last time. The 
 Eighth halted in the town to assist the division quar- 
 termaster to burn some old worn out tents and quar- 
 termaster stores that had been condemned as unser- 
 viceable. We came up with the main force at mid- 
 night, at the forks of the Tullahoma and Altamont 
 roads. The next morning our little army was, by 
 some misunderstanding of the guards and buglemen, 
 permitted to sleep later than the general intended, 
 consequently many of us ate our breakfast while on 
 the march. Before noon we arrived at the foot of 
 the mountain, on the Altamont road. Here the 
 rebels had just passed over, and had obstructed the 
 naturally difficult, narrow road by felling trees, 
 and our artillery and wagons were completely 
 
 blocked. 
 
 Our supply of rations was quite limited. A great 
 deal of musket firing around the neighboring farms 
 began soon after we halted. Officers and men knew 
 there was no enemy on our side of the mountain ex- 
 cept those unarmed, but they were often thought to 
 not be entirely docile. One member of the Eighth 
 came walking into camp, soon after the shooting be- 
 gan, with a quarter of mutton, and apologetically re- 
 marked to his captain : ** Cap'n, I do respect Gen- 
 eral Buell's orders, but darn me ef a rebel sheep 
 shall butt me." Judging from the quantity of roast 
 and fried mutton consumed that evening in the 
 division, especially by the Eighth Kentucky and 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 85 
 
 Thirty-fifth Indiana, people in that locality must 
 have owned a goodly number of belligerent sheep. 
 
 The 26th, the whole division returned to our re- 
 spective camps around McMinnville, drilling and 
 picketing as before. 
 
 Some of the Thirty-fifth Indiana, on the 27th, 
 went outside our picket lines and took possession of 
 Mr. Argoe*s apple and peach brandy distillery, and 
 when found, a few days after, were doing a 
 thriving business working off the tubs of bruised 
 fruit on hand. When these modern '' moon- 
 shiners" were brought up before Colonel Matthews 
 for violation of orders and taking private property, 
 Dennis McLew, the leader, when asked why he did 
 so, replied : '^Plaze yer honor, Colonel, but it wuz 
 too bad, indade ; the cowardly spalpeen ov a ribel 
 had taken himself away, and the paich mash wuz 
 sphoilm intoirely ; an', yer honor, tho' I do say it 
 myself, I'm the boy as can make the rale ould cray- 
 ther as will warrum up the boys' stummicks before 
 atein' the indacent food we get here in this haythen 
 counthry." As some of the "boys" had taken too 
 much of the "crayther," Colonel Matthews had the 
 self-appointed distiller and a few others tied up until 
 their stomachs cooled off a little. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 The 2d day of September, all the troops about 
 McMinnville had orders to prepare to march, and 
 early the 3d everything loyal to the United States 
 was leaving this part of Tennessee. It was now an 
 evident fact that the rebels in large force were in- 
 vading Kentucky. Many of the most loyal citizens 
 with their families joined our column, which was now 
 raising clouds of dust on the Murfreesboro road. 
 We bivouacked at Logan's Plains, where we joined 
 General Wood's division. The 4th of September 
 our column arrived at Bradyville, and the next day 
 at I o'clock p. m. were once more in Murfreesboro. 
 Here all the sick and those unable to march were 
 ordered on the train for Nashville. About half a 
 dozen officers of the Eighth, including myself, with 
 a few of the Twenty-first Kentucky, got aboard the 
 cars. If we were not all of us equally sick we were 
 certainly about on an equality in present cash assets. 
 At the Nashville depot, while we were holding a 
 committee of the whole on our financial standing, 
 the sight of our cheerful and accommodating sutler 
 was a pleasant surprise to us. We instantly sur- 
 rounded "Uncle Bob," and soon relieved him of 
 his surplus cash, and once more were able to face an 
 extortionate landlord or a frowning rebel landlady, 
 and were soon registered on Mrs. Peace's books. 
 
EIGHTH KENIUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 87 
 
 For several days our troops poured through the city 
 northward in a living stream. 
 
 The 7th, late in the day, our command were pass- 
 ing through. Sick and feeble, as some of us were, 
 we had no notion of being left in Dixie while the 
 rebels were invading the '^sacred soil " of Kentucky. 
 Captains Powell and Thomas and the author being 
 scarcely able to walk, had, through the assistance of 
 Chaplain Paul, purchased ahorse of a Union citizen 
 at a very low price intending to try to keep up with 
 our command by riding, each by turn. It was agreed 
 that as I was the most feeble, I should have the first 
 ride, while they with the others joined the column. 
 I spent some time trying to find a saddle for sale 
 cheap — one dollar being all the money we three had 
 left after paying for our steed. I at last concluded 
 to postpone the luxury of a saddle, and gave a grin- 
 ning darkie twenty-five cents for an old bridle, threw 
 my gum blanket and fatigue coat on Carlo's back, 
 and mounted, with sword and pistols balancing my 
 haversack across the withers of the horse. I made 
 better time through the streets of the city than was 
 agreeable to my aching bones. I overtook the regi- 
 ment about 10 p. m. encamped near Edgefield Junc- 
 tion, on the Louisville pike. All the men were cov- 
 ered with dust, and their clothing badly worn, espe- 
 cially shoes and pantaloons. The men had been 
 compelled to wear their underclothing so long without 
 change that many of them had become infested with 
 vermin — in army parlance called '' graybacks." Our 
 requisitions for clothing here were only partially 
 
88 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 filled, and orders were given to company command- 
 ers to issue only to those of their men that were in 
 greatest need, and as about all were eager claimants 
 for pants, the captains generally settled the matter 
 by calling the company into line and passing along 
 in the rear raised each man's coat skirts, and those 
 whose pants had given out worst in the most embar- 
 rassing places, were ordered to step forward and re- 
 ceived a new pair. 
 
 The 8th, our command moved a short distance up 
 the pike and bivouacked for the night. Here Gen. 
 T. L. Crittenden took command of the Twenty-first 
 Army Corps, composed of the First, Second and 
 Third Divisions, to the latter our brigade belonged, 
 still commanded by Ammon. 
 
 The army was all life and bustle early the 9th. 
 Canteens filled with water, and a fresh supply of 
 forty rounds of cartridges in our cartridge boxes, we 
 marched on the pike through Goodlettsville, then 
 Quiet Hill, and halted for the night at Tyre Springs. 
 Here a few more of our ragged boys received another 
 partial supply of clothing. Before dark several of 
 the Fifty- first Ohio and Eighth Kentucky boys had 
 straggled off into the woods to hunt paw-paws, and 
 were captured by a company of rebel cavalry within 
 a half mile of camp. All our boys escaped except 
 John Townsend, and he made his escape a few days 
 after. 
 
 The loth, our column moved on fourteen miles 
 and halted near Mitchellsville at an old rebel rendez- 
 vous they called Camp Trauser. Here our brigade 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 89 
 
 alone slaughtered fifteen beeves and over one hun- 
 dred sheep, also a few porkers and many chickens 
 were taken and dressed in a private manner. Pri- 
 vate Carmoody, ''our Irishman," remarked, " Faith 
 an' we'd not be afther lavin* the State with lank 
 haversacks or empty stomachs aither. " 
 
 At 6 o'clock on the morning of the nth, our 
 columns were again in motion and soon passed the 
 large stone in the road that indicated the State line. 
 As the Eighth passed over the line the boys gave 
 three lusty cheers. We were delayed several hours 
 waiting for our long train of wagons to cross Sharp's 
 Branch — the rebels having torn up the bridge. That 
 evening we passed through the pretty town of Frank- 
 lin, Ky. Here crowds of women had collected on 
 porticos and in front yards and displayed several 
 Union flags, causing loud and long cheering from 
 the troops. We halted for the night within five 
 miles of town. 
 
 On the following morning, orders were given by 
 General Buell that, until further orders, only half 
 rations would be issued to the troops of this com- 
 mand. The Third Division (from cause probably 
 never known only to General Buell himself) was de- 
 tained here two days; during that time the rebels 
 had torn up portions of the L. & N. Railroad. The 
 half ration order caused considerable foraging on an 
 individual scale. Col. Barnes and other officers of the 
 8th remonstrated with the men against foraging in our 
 native State. As the Colonel said, '' setting a bad 
 example for other State's regiments to follow." 
 
90 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 But Other troops did not wait for any bad examples 
 to influence them when their half rations did not 
 half satisfy their keen appetites. A flock of goats 
 and a good-sized sweet potato patch had already con. 
 tributed largely to supply the 35th's lacking half 
 ration, and without following their example, our boys 
 thought the immediate future not very promising for 
 bounteous living, and our camp guards had been 
 standing with their backs toward the aforesaid potato 
 patch and had failed to heed the bleating of more 
 than one goat in the corn near by. At last Chan- 
 dler B., of Co. I, caught the old billy of all the 
 billies in the corn. The old, bearded patriarch 
 proved too stout for Chandler. He not daring to 
 shoot, caught his prey by the horns. The goat, in 
 its frantic efforts to regain freedom, came tearing 
 through the regiment, our heroic forager holding on 
 to the horns with the tenacity of " grim death to a 
 dead African," sometimes on top the goat, at 
 others being dragged on the ground by the mutter- 
 ing goat. The loud cheering of the men, nor the 
 terrible oaths of the colonel did not make him break 
 his hold, nor lose his determination for fresh meat. 
 Thus the two re-entered the high corn where the 
 guards soon found Chandler with a few of his more 
 timid comrades taking off the goat's hide. Qur con- 
 quering hero was marched to colonel's tent. Colonel 
 B. — " Now, sir, give your reasons for this flagrant 
 violations of my recent orders, and be d — d quick 
 about it, too." Chandler — " Colonel, I never 
 meant disrespect to you, but I see'd them durned 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 9 1 
 
 35 Irishers agoen fur the whole flock, and they'd 
 killed all but that old tough devil. He run over 
 to our side and by golly I was 'termined they 
 shouldn't have him, an' I jist went fur 'em." This 
 earnest explanation came near making the colonel 
 relax his assumed sternness. Chandler was put on 
 extra duty, but said extra rations made it all right. 
 
 The 1 2th a considerable skirmish took place one 
 and a half miles east of us, between our cavalry and 
 some of Forrest's rebels. 
 
 The 13th, we resumed the march, and late that 
 evening halted within two miles of Bowling Green, 
 at a large spring, issuing from a cave. In a short 
 time that stream ran dirty soap suds, as thousands 
 availed themselves of the opportunity to bathe and 
 wash dirty shirts. One day's rations were issued, 
 but was barely sufficient for one meal. The corn 
 crop was just sufficiently soft to be easily grated into 
 meal. Our men made graters of half canteens and 
 every piece of old tin or sheetiron that could be 
 found, and these were kept constantly in use while 
 we were at a halt. The varied sounds of these 
 many shapes and sizes of graters throughout a di- 
 vision made a noise that will long be remembered by 
 surviving Union soldiers of this war. We remained 
 here three days. The second day three days' full 
 rations of damaged, wormj flour were issued, and 
 the bacon was worse than the flour. 
 
 The 15th, we heard cannonading north of us, 
 which we soon after learned was at Mumfordsville, 
 Ky. The soldiers of our army, and especially our 
 
92 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Kentucky boys, were impatient at what we conceived 
 to be useless delays, while the enemy were out- 
 stripping us in the race for the city of Louisville, and 
 overrunning the best portion of the State. At 3 
 p. m., the 1 6th, the welcome bugle sounded, and we 
 marched through town, crossed Green River on pon- 
 toons, halted and spent the night in sight of Bowl- 
 ing Green. The following morning the bugle 
 sounded the assembly. At the first dawn of day- 
 light, without breakfast, we formed column and 
 marched quick-step for five miles. We halted half 
 an hour at a filthy pond, where the men were 
 allowed to fill their canteens with what they called 
 ''mule soup," as there were several dead carcasses 
 lying putrifying in the water, probably intentionally 
 placed there by the armed "Southern gentlemen." 
 By 3 o'clock, p. m., we had put eighteen miles more 
 behind us, without anything to eat since the pre- 
 vious night, and the commissary wagons far behind. 
 Our boys were too tired to forage for something to 
 -eat, and it would have been a fruitless search, as we 
 had now struck the recent track of the famishing 
 rebel army. About 2 o'clock next morning the 
 long looked for commissaries arrived, and everybody 
 was aroused, in the midst of a hard shower of rain, 
 to draw and cook one day's rations. Flour was 
 issued, and as pans and other means of cooking 
 were quite limited, we were being hurried into col- 
 umn while a great many of the men's ''cakes were 
 dough." We made a quick march to Bell's Tavern, 
 seven miles north, where we expected to find a 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 93 
 
 force of the enemy. We only found the telegraph 
 wires cut, and some damage done to the railroad. 
 A few miles further, and we made a halt until sunset. 
 We then moved on up two miles to Cave City. The 
 night was very dark, but soon the whole surrounding 
 country was lighted by the blaze of our fence-rail 
 fires. We drew three days' rations, with orders to 
 cook them and be ready to march by early morning. 
 The wormy flour was here cooked in all the known 
 ways, and many ways hitherto unknown — at least to 
 the writer. There were biscuits, slapjacks, pan- 
 cakes, fried dough, and some placed the dough on 
 the cleanest boards or flat pieces of rails, and propped 
 it up johnny-cake style, while a great many roped 
 the dough around sticks, which were kept constantly 
 turning before the fire until cooked. After all, 
 scarcely any of it could have been eaten in daylight 
 by any other than soldiers or Digger Indians, as the 
 numerous long worms one was forced to eat or pick 
 out would not have much suited an epicure. 
 
 After all this night's hurry and worry we were not 
 ordered to move from here for three days. This 
 delay caused the men to swear and fret. Many of 
 the officers now, as well as the men, began to swear 
 that they believed General Buell did not want to 
 press the enemy^hard enough to bring on a general 
 engagement ; and from here on to Louisville, when 
 there was a general halt, there were many such ex- 
 pressions as "What's up now?" ''Nothing, only 
 Bragg's got a wagon broken down, and old Buell's 
 stopped to wait for him to get started." While at 
 
94 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Cave City, our cavalry and that of the enemy skir- 
 mished around ahead a little, which was repeated 
 daily until we neared the Ohio River. 
 
 At last, after we had about disposed of our three 
 days' cooked rations, the evening of the 21st Sep- 
 tember, we again took to the dusty road, and 
 marched by midnight to Mumfordsville, fifteen miles ; 
 waded the river, waist deep, stacked arms and lay 
 down, not feeling much like praising our general-in- 
 chief for the discomforts of our wet clothing. Cap- 
 tains Hickman and Winbourn both had to be left 
 here at a private house, being too sick to be carried in 
 the ambulance further. 
 
 The 2 2d, before forming column, about forty 
 rebel prisoners, picked up by our cavalry, passed 
 south, being paroled. We halted at Bacon Creek 
 for water, where another installment of paroled 
 rebels met us. Our men cheered them, and said to 
 each other: "May be we will get to fight the 
 hungry, dirty rascals yet." 
 
 Late in the evening the whole command halted 
 near Upton Station, having marched hard the most 
 of the previous night and all day in dust, often six 
 inches deep, causing a cloud almost suffocating, ren- 
 dered less endurable by the scarcity of water to 
 quench our famishing thirst. One day's rations 
 were issued, with orders to cook and prepare for the 
 next day. Water and wood both being scarce, or 
 very inconvenient to get, the exhausted men gen- 
 erally fell down to sleep without converting their 
 spoiled flour into bread. Consequently, on the 
 
EIGHIH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 95 
 
 sounding of the assembly the 23d, the majority of 
 our division had only began to prepare breakfast. 
 The most of the men crammed their uncooked 
 dough and bacon into their haversacks, swearing at 
 thus being hurried off. Some in their wrath un- 
 wisely threw away their flour or dough. From 
 Upton Station until we halted in Louisville our com- 
 mand was scarcely given time to eat or sleep, as the 
 main force of the enemy had been forced by our cav- 
 alry to turn off toward Lebanon and Bardstown. 
 
 Now commenced the race between us and the en- 
 emy for Louisville. By 2 o'clock^ p. m., we marched 
 twenty miles to Elizabethtown. Here we halted 
 three hours, and cooked and eat of what little was 
 left of the last night's issue, the majority being too 
 exhausted to go to the fields to forage. At 5 p. m. 
 the bugle's warning notes bid us get into column, 
 and off again. Ten miles further, great numbers 
 gave out with blistered feet, or were overcome from 
 want of sleep, and dropped by the roadside, but be- 
 fore daylight all came up to where the main force 
 had halted. 
 
 The morning of the 24th, we did not require 
 much time to cook, as we had little or nothing left. 
 When we arrived at West Point, at the mouth of 
 Salt River, at one o'clock, p. m., we learned that 
 Bragg's main force was at Bardstown, Ky. We 
 crossed Salt River and stopped, three miles further 
 on, on the southern bank of the Ohio River. ^ 
 
 On the 25th of September, by a severe, march 
 of twenty- seven miles through the dust, which 
 
g6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 was for miles from six to eight inches deep, we ar- 
 rived in the lower edge of the city of Louisville near 
 midnight, our eyes and feet sore from the hot dust, 
 and the hungriest, raggedest, tiredest, dirtiest, lous- 
 iest and sleepiest set of men the hardships of this or 
 any other war ever produced. This was the general 
 condition of all the troops that came through from 
 Tennessee. The 27th, we moved out two miles 
 from the city, on the Nashville pike, where our divis- 
 ion washed up what clothing we had worth that 
 trouble, drew new clothing, some camp equipage, 
 with the promise of again obtaining sight of that 
 important and ever welcome individual, the 
 paymaster. Company commanders went to work, 
 and many of us did not stop to sleep until the pay- 
 rolls were ready for the men's signatures, as all 
 the officers and men were without money. Those 
 who had not spent nor sent their pay home, had 
 been importuned by less prudent or less lucky com- 
 rades, and borrowed and spent about every green- 
 back the regiment could command. 
 
 The 30th, the long looked-for paymaster appeared 
 in our division, and paid off many of the troops. 
 Our men were beginning to feel ''bully," by the 
 little rest, clean, new clothes and prospect of pay ; 
 and, to add to many of their jubilant feelings, some 
 one came in from the city and reported that General 
 Jefif. C. Davis had killed General Nelson for abusive 
 language. No one considered Nelson a coward or 
 friend to the'enemy, but he was pronounced a tyrant 
 of the '' first water." 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 97 
 
 About this time all the oldest regiments in the 
 army were desirous, and many of them clamorous, 
 for General Thomas to supercede General Buell. 
 Apparently all had lost that confidence in our gen- 
 eral-in-chief that is so essential for the efficiency of 
 
 troops. 
 
 We received general orders to leave all trunks, 
 officers' desks, company books and extra baggage at 
 Louisville, and prepare to march in light order at 6 
 o'clock the next morning. The enemy's cavalry 
 had been skirmishing with our advance pickets out 
 ten or twelve miles southwest. Our men said : 
 "Well, we would like to have a few more green- 
 backs, but we want to be led to the enemy." Many 
 of the Eighth said : "That old poke-easy general of 
 ours has allowed the thieving rebels to overrun the 
 best portion of the State, and they are now in full 
 possession of our homes. All we care for now is to 
 be allowed to have a chance to thrash and drive the 
 lousy devils out, or kill or capture the whole army 
 of thieves, with all their long train of stolen goods." 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The morning of the first day of October, 1862, 
 was one of those bright, pleasant days so exhilerating 
 after a few white frosts. With one day's grub and a 
 full supply of cartridges, our brave, hardy boys, 
 without a murmur for pay, cheerfully formed in col- 
 umn, and in quick time marched toward Bardstown, 
 where we understood the main force of Bragg's 
 army were. Now that we had succeeded in placing 
 ourselves between the enemy and our immense 
 stores of supplies, every man appeared eager for 
 battle. After marching eight miles, we heard the 
 lively popping of carbines ahead. We broke into a 
 double-quick, and in three miles further came to 
 where the Fourth Indiana Cavalry and the rebels 
 had a few minutes before been engaged in a skirmish. 
 Our brigade was ordered to halt, front and cap every 
 piece of ordinance. We then marched in line of 
 battle to the brow of a hill as supports to the cav- 
 alry, but the Johnnies kept going on South, and 
 again not an Eighth gun was fired at the enemy. 
 As we filed off to bivouack for the night the men of 
 the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky gave many 
 expressions of disappointment. One of the Eighth 
 shouted to the Twenty-first: '^ The thieving devils 
 always serve us that way. They'll never stop long 
 enough for us to get a shot at 'em.". 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 99 
 
 The Ninth Division (General Woods) passed us and 
 formed the advance of our corps. We camped at Hays 
 Springs, having made a short march. The Ninety- 
 ninth Ohio, a new regiment only two weeks from 
 their homes, was here added to our brigade, the 2d of 
 October. Their new outfit and crowded knapsacks, 
 with two wool blankets and new great coats neatly 
 folded and strapped on top of knapsacks, contrasted 
 strangely with the appearance of our boys, in light 
 marching order, who had learned by sad experience 
 not to make beasts of burden of themselves, carrying 
 weighty articles that would not, probably, be needed 
 for months. 
 
 The advance of General Woods' division con- 
 tinued to skirmish with the rear of the enemy's 
 force, a few miles ahead of us, especial about Mount 
 Washington. On the 3d, skirmishing for an hour 
 was quite spirited. On that night we bivouacked on 
 the south fork of Salt River. Here we drew and 
 cooked three days' rations, expecting to engage in 
 some sanguinary work with the rebels before we ate 
 them, as it was reported the main force would cer- 
 tainly make a stand at Bardstown, eighteen miles 
 southwest of us. Every man in the Eighth, at the 
 sound of the assembly, with loud cheers, took their 
 places in the column, eager to have a trial at short 
 range with the invaders, but the evening of the 4th, 
 on arriving near Bardstown, we learned with some 
 regret that, after a little skirmishing with our ad- 
 vance, the enemy had fled toward Danville and 
 Springfield. We began to think, from the uniform 
 
100 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 distance these two large bodies of belligerents kept 
 apart, that neither commander-in-chief desired a 
 general engagement. 
 
 The 5th and 6th October we made short marches, 
 reaching Springfield, twenty miles, in two days' 
 march. It now became evident to all that General 
 Bragg had abandoned the scene of conflict. By 
 somebody's management, or mismanagement, we 
 were not ordered to march until near noon the 8th. 
 During that forenoon Rousseau's, Gilbert's and 
 Jackson's divisions, of McCook's corps, were hotly 
 engaged with Bragg' s main army, while here lay, 
 scattered around within from two to eight miles, two 
 whole corps of as brave, reliable troops as ever 
 shouldered a musket, lying impatiently awaiting or- 
 ders to move on the enemy. At last we received 
 orders, and were only two hours in double-quicking 
 to within supporting distance of our comrades — 
 McCook's corps — who had by this time all become 
 engaged, as also a part of the Fourth Corps, General 
 Thomas. Up to 2 p. m. many had been slain on 
 both sides. At 3 o'clock, just as we arrived within 
 a mile of the engagement, only the artillery was 
 playing freely. General Bragg led a ferocious charge 
 in person on the center of our lines, where General 
 Rousseau's division maintained its position, and 
 hurled the tumultuous rebels back with complete suc- 
 cess, our artillery plowing avenues of death through 
 their serried columns, while the musketry mowed 
 down whole ranks of '*grey-backs" as they rolled 
 frantically forward toward the federal lines. They 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 10 1 
 
 were compelled to retire from that portion of the 
 field in confusion, leaving the ground strewn with 
 their dead, dying and wounded. But another 
 charge, led by General Buckner, on General Jack- 
 son's division, met with better success, and exceeded 
 in ferocity anything yet exhibited iii the war. The 
 overwhelming numbers of the enemy threw this 
 division into disorder. Generals Jackson and Ter- 
 rill both fell. Then Generals Sheridan and Mitch- 
 ell's commands became engaged, and exhibited that 
 heroism characteristic of western troops. But lean- 
 not enter into further details of this bloody fight, as 
 the author's designs are only to follow the fortunes 
 of the Eighth Kentucky. Thus the battle raged, in- 
 decisively, with only a part of our forces engaged, 
 and our whole corps ready, willing and waiting, 
 within supporting distance, like eager greyhounds 
 straining at the leash, praying and pleading to be led 
 on to support our brave, battling comrades. But no 
 orders came. Brigade and regimental commanders, 
 like their men, were instantly expecting orders and 
 ever ready to spring forward at the word. At sunset 
 the battle merged into an artillery duel, and as dark- 
 ness spread its sable mantle over these sanguinary 
 scenes, the Union army reposed upon their arms. 
 During the night the enemy leisurely resumed his 
 retreat. 
 
 The loss in Rousseau's division alone was nine- 
 teen hundred killed and wounded. In all the 
 other troops the loss was about four thousand killed, 
 wounded and prisoners. The enemy's loss was only 
 
I02 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 a little more than the federal, proving little more 
 than a drawn battle. 
 
 On the morning of the 9th, when it became known 
 that Bragg's whole army had retreated south, with 
 his long train of well loaded wagons, the general 
 feeling of chagrin and disgust was truly great. Said 
 our men, "After all our hard marching and bad liv- 
 ing, we had rather met with defeat in battle than to 
 have let the enemy slip off with their spoils without 
 more severe punishment." Many officers and men 
 openly expressed their doubts of General Buell's 
 fidelity. Some of the men swore if we could not 
 have a better department commander they would 
 send the present one to ** happy Canaan after Nel- 
 son." The intelligent reader will not wonder at 
 the ill feeling of the Kentucky soldiers when he is 
 reminded that Bragg's long train contained fifteen 
 hundred wagon loads of provisions, clothing and 
 other necessaries for his army, together with several 
 thousand horses and beeves, and an immense amount 
 of groceries and goods, gathered from the principal 
 towns of Kentucky, and now, in all probability, they 
 would make a safe retreat in possession of all this 
 plunder. Buell had only engaged the enemy once 
 within five months, and then against his wish. Thus, 
 Bragg had been allowed to traverse the richest por- 
 tions of our native State, almost undisturbed ; to 
 even perpetrate the fraud of inaugurating a governor 
 at Frankfort ; to rob, defraud and terrify the Union 
 citizens and our friends in one of the most populous 
 States in the Union ; and was now about to make 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I03 
 
 his escape, almost without interference. This was 
 more than the furious, patriotic temper of our moun- 
 tain boys could endure. It is not singular, after all 
 this, that the federal government removed General 
 Buell the same month (October), and appointed 
 General Wm. S. Rosecrans in his stead; but not in 
 time for the latter to inflict any of the well-deserved 
 punishment the willing troops desired to give the 
 rebels. 
 
 The 9th we moved up and bivouacked on the east 
 side of Perryville. The loth our brigade moved out 
 near Harrodsburg, and on the morning of the nth 
 some rebel cavalry made a dash at our picket lines, 
 but were sent off in a hurry by a well directed fire. 
 None of our regiment received any wounds. 
 
 The 1 2th, our brigade marched in line of battle 
 towards Dicks River, over some very fine bluegrass 
 farms for miles. We left a number of fences leveled 
 as we advanced by right of companies to the front. 
 Some of the brigade once came in sight of a small 
 detachment of rebel cavalry, with whom a few shots 
 were exchanged. At night we bivouacked near 
 Camp Dick Robison, on Dick's River, where we 
 learned a large body of the enemy had j-usl left. 
 The 13th we marched into Danville, the county seat 
 of Boyle County, near which place we bivouacked. 
 The people generally, being loyal, made many demon- 
 strations of joy at being once more delivered from 
 rebel rule, by waving numerous flags. We were pre- 
 paring our evening meal, when we heard skirmishing 
 ahead. Colonel Wolford's cavalry had stirred up a 
 
I04 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 few of the enemy's rear guard. Our regiment was 
 instantly into column and double-quicked four miles 
 out to support Wolford, and try, as the boys said, 
 *' to get a few shots at them Johnnies." They had 
 cleared out before we arrived. We returned to camp, 
 drew two days' rations, and received orders to be 
 ready to move at 6 o'clock next morning. At that 
 hour we took up our pursuit, with all the division, on 
 the Crab Orchard road. We halted for the night at 
 Stanford. About midnight we were all aroused and 
 into line, and in five minutes were in column double- 
 quicking out toward Crab Orchard, to support the 
 Thirty-fifth Indiana, who, being on advance picket, 
 were fired on by the enemy's rear guard pickets. 
 Three miles from Stanford we found the Thirty-fifth-, 
 who had discovered the enemy's camp fires half a 
 mile from them, at the bridge over Sugar Creek. 
 We had two pieces of artillery, with which we threw 
 a few shells at the fires and then advanced, but the 
 rebels had made a hasty retreat, leaving us sundry 
 skillets and pots, containing their now smoking 
 pones of corn bread and meat, which we relished for 
 our breakfast, notwithstanding it was somewhat over- 
 cooked. Some of the Eighth boys found a sleeping 
 rebel in a barn near by. From him we learned that 
 we were not far behind the rebels' long wagon train, 
 consequently there was skirmishing occasionally all 
 day, and our artillery was constantly shelling the 
 timbered districts ahead. We did not halt for the 
 night until 9 o'clock. The Eighth was placed half 
 a mile in advance of the division on picket near the 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I05 
 
 town of Mount Vernon, but everything was quiet 
 except a lumbering noise to the southward, which 
 proved the enemy felling trees to prevent or impede 
 our pursuit. 
 
 The 1 6th we halted near Rock Castle River, and 
 sent forward heavy details to cut and clear the ob- 
 structions from the Wild "Cat Mountain road. On 
 the i8th, the Eighth Kentucky, under Lieutenant 
 Colonel May, was ordered out on a scout near the 
 "Big Hill/' where the regiment about dark suc- 
 ceeded in surprising and capturing forty of Chen- 
 ault's new rebel cavalry and thirteen good horses. 
 Had it not been for the eagerness of a few of Com- 
 pany A, firing before orders, we would have bagged 
 the principal part of that regiment, who were abou| 
 to dismount and camp for the night. AH those yet 
 on their horses made a precipitate retreat, while those 
 who had tied their horses were left hors de combat^ 
 and surrendered. The Eighth then returned that 
 night with their prisoners to Mount "Wild Cat," 
 where we remained until midnight of the 21st. 
 We returned to near Mt. Vernon, and on the 2 2d 
 passed through that place. There we took the direct 
 road toward Somerset, bivouacked within thirteen 
 miles of the latter, and arrived there the evening of 
 the 23d. 
 
 The Kentucky troops began to think a little pay 
 from Uncle Sam would be in order. We had many 
 married men in the command who had not heard 
 a word from their families for three or four months, 
 and knowing that had the invading rebels left 
 
Io6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 them unmolested, the cold weather was beginning, 
 and admonished them to try and send their anxious, 
 loving wives and children a few dollars, to make 
 them somewhat comfortable for the winter. We had 
 passed by our home (or the majority had), without a 
 murmur ; but now tidings began to reach them by 
 loyal fathers and friends just from home, who, being 
 anxious to see sons or brothers, began to overtake us, 
 that in many instances Union families had been 
 stripped by the invaders of what little some of them 
 had, and in many instances entering their houses and 
 taking all their meat, cutting out and carrying off cloth 
 from the loom, that the frugal soldier's wife had toiled 
 to spin and weave to clothe their dependent little 
 ones. There being in Kentucky no organized relief 
 for poor soldiers' wives and children, as was the case 
 in more Northern States, and in the terror and 
 excitement of the presence of the two great con- 
 tending armies every one at home appeared to think 
 that seeing after the safety and comforts of his own 
 was all that patriotism or selfishness required. These 
 well confirmed rumors made many of the mar- 
 ried men of the Eighth and Twenty-first Ken- 
 tucky consider the probable condition of their 
 dependent families. But on the 28th the column 
 formed without complaint, and many sad faces 
 and anxious hearts were moving on further from 
 the loved ones at home, who needed the long 
 expected pay. The snow had fallen several inches 
 deep, and the young timber bent over our road with 
 the unshed foliage weighted with wet snow. Our 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I07 
 
 supply train had been sent on to Columbus, in Adair 
 county, thirty-six miles from Somerset. We were 
 two days in reaching there. Our rations were there, 
 but the long promised paymaster again disappointed 
 us, and a good many of the men began to complain 
 bitterly about their pay. Col. Barnes called the line 
 officers together and asked us to persuade the men 
 to refrain from any words or actions that might- 
 bring the command into disgrace. The Company 
 commanders collected their faithful soldiers around 
 them and readily admitted their wrongs and griev- 
 ances to be such, but that we now had a commander 
 who would, when appealed to on their behalf, not 
 only have them paid but would, on the colonel's 
 request, grant the men who had families short fur- 
 loughs. After this advice, and Col. B. saying he 
 would use his influence to obtain furloughs for the 
 married men, the ist day of November the boys 
 shouldered their muskets with more cheerfulness, 
 saying : " We will still do our duty and see if this 
 new general will not do us justice, and give us a 
 chance to fight a little instead of wearing our bodies 
 and patience out trotting around after the enemy 
 without getting a chance to fire a gun." 
 
 The brigade marched thirteen miles and bi- 
 vouacked on a large creek. Our sutler overtook us 
 and sold out one load of goods to the men, on credit, 
 of course. 
 
 The evening of the 2d our camp fires lighted up 
 the banks of Beaver creek, within three miles of the 
 town of Glasgow. We passed through that place 
 
Io8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the next morning and camped on the Louisville pike, 
 four miles from town. 
 
 Here we met the balance of our corps, and 
 were paid on the 4th by Major Nunes up to the last 
 of August. 
 
 The principal topic in the Eighth were the mar- 
 ried men's promised furloughs. Col. Barnes ap- 
 pealed to General Crittenden in behalf of his mar- 
 ried soldiers, but without success. When this became 
 known that evening (the 4th), there was some ex- 
 citement, and many unjust imprecations privately 
 heaped on our well-meaning colonel, whose wife, in 
 company with Captain Thomas' wife and Mrs. and 
 Mr. Creed had arrived in camp to see their husbands. 
 The men, in their bitterness and disappointment, 
 swore that the colonel and some of the other officers 
 did not care, so they could see their families, while 
 •theirs were not able to visit them. That night sev- 
 eral companies of the Eighth and Twenty-first did not 
 get quiet before midnight. Next morning there 
 were quite a number out of those regiments absent. 
 Their officers knew very well that those men had not 
 •deserted, but chafing under the circumstances and 
 their real and imaginary wrongs, had determined at 
 all hazards to see their families and leave them some 
 money and return. I will here state that nearly 
 every one did, and by their officers making long and 
 earnest petitions to the corps and division com- 
 manders to have those men reinstated without loss of 
 pay and allowances, succeeded, and after, as before, 
 they were the best of soldiers, many of them only 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. IO9 
 
 remaining at home a few days, others probably two 
 weeks. Fifty men thus absented. 
 
 The 5th of November we resumed the march 
 south. Halted for the night on the barren fork of 
 Green river. On the 6th arrived at Scottsville, the 
 county seat of Allen county, thirty miles from Glas- 
 gow. The 7th we re-crossed the State line and bi- 
 vouacked in Tennessee. As we passed over the sup- 
 posed line our regiment gave three cheers. One man 
 in Company A, at the head of the column, shouted 
 out: ''We buys no more chickens." Some one 
 else replied, " No, not of rich rebels ! but, boys, 
 spare the poor." Many voices were raised, "that's, 
 right ! " " but we guard no more d-m rebel's corn- 
 fields and hen roosts." Three cheers were given for 
 old Kentucky and the Union. We spent a wet^ 
 snowy night, by large log fires. 
 
 The 8th we arrived at Gallatin, Tennessee, and 
 camped two miles south of town, on the bank of 
 the Cumberland river; 
 
 The 9th our men did a big day's washing of 
 clothes, as some of them said, "If it is Sunday." 
 At this time the men absent from the Eighth out- 
 numbered those present for duty, a large percentage 
 having been left sick at Nashville, Louisville, and 
 Danville, Kentucky. With the late absentees made 
 the number of fighting men present less than 300. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 At one o'clock, on the morning of the loth of 
 November, the regiments in the Third Brigade were 
 ■aroused from their slumbers by the adjutants quietly 
 passing around to the company commanders, say- 
 ing : " Captain, get your men ready to march in ten 
 minutes, without noise." Tent flies and blankets 
 were hastily rolled up and piled into wagons, with 
 cooking utensils, and in less than thirty minutes the 
 brigade was silently crossing the Cumberland, on a 
 temporary tressel foot bridge. We were trying to 
 slip up on John Morgan's two thousand rebs at 
 Lebanon. We had learned the importance of keep- 
 ing our movements from the knowledge of the peo- 
 ple of Middle Tennessee, and the only noise made 
 was the unavoidable sound of our feet. We halted 
 at daylight, ate a hastily prepared breakfast and off 
 again, every man in the brigade keeping his place 
 and number with a promptness that would be com- 
 mendable on a holiday drill. 
 
 There were very many very sore feet in the com- 
 mand. But with determination and cheerfulness 
 beaming in every face, we hurried along the dusty 
 stone road. Our advance guard came on to the rebel 
 pickets within a mile of Lebanon. A well directed 
 fire from our men brought one of the Johnnies down, 
 and the others of the squad fired off their pieces into 
 the air as they fled toward town, leaving their wound- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. Ill 
 
 ed comrade. We quickened our pace and entered 
 the deserted town at 9 a. m., the enemy having made 
 a disorderly retreat down the Murfreesboro road. 
 Our men were not idle the six hours we remained 
 here. A large lot of flour, bacon and whisky fell 
 into our hands. As we had no means of transporta- 
 tion, Col. Matthews gave orders to press every wagon, 
 mule, horse and buggy that could be found. All 
 who were not engaged in collecting this novel forage 
 train, were put to cooking the flour into bread. Our 
 men not being very well supplied with utensils, the 
 majority of the Eighth boys paid many of the 
 poorer class of citizens liberally in flour to convert a 
 large portion of that article into bread. All the 
 whisky, except two barrels, the colonel wisely de- 
 stroyed by knocking out the heads and letting the 
 contents flow on the ground. But, by some means, 
 a considerable quantity of the ''precious" fluid 
 leaked into many canteens. Carmoody, '' our Irish- 
 man," said, " 'dade, 'an it's wicked we are, to be 
 wasiin' the pure ould stuff"; but thin, them thavin' 
 gorreelas '1 be dry es a fish when they come stalein' 
 back." 
 
 Having accomplished all we could, at 6 o'clock 
 p. m. our column formed behind our captured com- 
 missaries, drawn by old broken-down horses, that 
 had seen hard service under Morgan's men. Vehicles 
 of all kinds, except good ones, were in the train, 
 driven principally by citizens, whose anxiety for the 
 safe return of the pressed teams prompted them to 
 volunteer their services. The men's haversacks were 
 
112 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 crammed full of smoking bread, and yet we had not 
 room to store the large quanties which remained, 
 but Captain Wilson, on the eve of leaving Leb- 
 anon, spied a buggy that had been overlooked.' 
 This was soon loaded, and the men of Companies C 
 and H drew it along, in the ranks, by turns. All 
 were in jubilant spirits, and marched up briskly on 
 our return toward Nashville. About the middle of 
 the night we came up with the Twenty-first Corps, 
 at Silver Springs, having marched thirty-five miles 
 in the last twelve hours — the last fifteen miles with 
 extra loads, which made all of us enjoy that refresh- 
 ing sleep none but the weary know how to appre- 
 ciate. 
 
 We remained at Silver Springs six days, being the 
 longest halt we had made for near three months. 
 The rain fell in such quantities that drilling had to 
 be dispensed with, and we were allowed to rest and 
 enjoy full rations, with occasionally the luxury of a 
 taste of our captured whisky, for a few mornings. 
 
 On the 13th the Eighth formed the guards to es- 
 cort a forage train into the country, to collect forage 
 while the wagons were being loaded. Our boys did 
 not forget their own creature comforts, for on their 
 return to camp nearly every man brought a little 
 donation for his particular mess, such as a chicken, 
 or a few potatoes; also, a good sized pumpkin 
 graced the bayonet of nearly every gun. 
 
 At noon, the 17th, the regiment formed, and 
 marched as guards to a supply train going to the 
 Fourteenth Brigade, under Col. Hawkins, stationed 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II3 
 
 at Rural Hill, twelve miles southeast of Silver 
 Springs. The camp and garrison of our regiment 
 were left in charge of the few men not able for duty, 
 and after a tedious, muddy march, arrived late in the 
 night and took up quarters on an old Methodist 
 camp meeting ground, situated one-fourth of a mile 
 from the brigade, the old plank shanties affording 
 good protection from the drizzling rain, which had 
 not ceased when we awoke early the morning 
 of the i8th of November. The surrounding country 
 was shrouded in a smoky mist. The 8th boys were 
 within the shanties busily preparing and eating our 
 morning meal, when we were a little surprised to 
 hear a few of the 14th pickets fire and immediately 
 after about two hundred rebel cavalry came charging 
 toward our shanties yelling like savages, evidently 
 unaware of our sheltered position. The officers and 
 men of the 8th did not fool away any time to form 
 in line, but every man seized his gun, choosing each 
 his window or crack, while some knocked off boards 
 for port-holes. On came the yelling Johnnies. 
 When within easy range of the innocent looking 
 shanties. Col. May gave the command, ^' Steady 
 boys, fire." The volley that was poured into those 
 unsuspecting Johnnies emptied so many saddles, they 
 checked up in great confusion, and before they could 
 realize their situation the deadly popping of our 
 guns began again with such telling effect, the enemy 
 were glad to retreat as fast as they came, leaving 
 seven of their comrades dead and wounded on the 
 field. A number of their wounded were carried off 
 
114 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 with the retreating party. In the pockets of a rebel 
 lieutenant were found several ''rat-tail" files, that 
 some of their wounded acknowledged were to be 
 used in spiking the artillery belonging to the Four- 
 teenth Brigade, which were situated rather too far 
 from the infantry for ready support. As soon as the 
 disconcerted rebels were well out of sight and hear- 
 ing our men stacked arms and began hunting up 
 their scattered cooking utensils, and proceeded to 
 finish their breakfast. 
 
 When the firing of the pickets were first heard by 
 
 us, Lieutenant S seized one of the idle guns, at 
 
 the same time was frantically urging his company to 
 get into line. Little Ab. Wiseman, of Company K, 
 
 ran up to Lieutenant S , holding out his cup of 
 
 coffee, saying: "Lieutenant, if you are not going 
 to use my gun, just hold my coffee, and watch me 
 tumble one of them jips." Wiseman made good 
 use of his gun. After the action he asked the lieu- 
 tenant what he had done with his coffee. The lieu- 
 tenant had forgotten. "Well, lieutenant/' said 
 Ab., " you may do to trust in a fight, but you can't 
 hold coffee for me again, sure." 
 
 Colonel Hawkins complimented the Eighth for 
 their timely and efficient services, and, expecting 
 another visit from the enemy, detained the regi. 
 ment here until the next day, the 19th, when the 
 regiment marched toward Nashville, and bivouacked 
 near Stone river, and on the 20th moved two miles 
 down the stream to the crossing of the Lebanon pike, 
 where our convalescents and camp equipage, with the 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II5 
 
 remainder of the brigade, had moved. The next 
 day we crossed to the north side of the river, and 
 laid off a regular camp near the Nashville and Leb- 
 anon pike. 
 
 The quartermaster issued to us some clothing that 
 requisitions had been sent in for at Gallatin. Burnham 
 was a man we all liked, but like many good men, he 
 let strong drink too often get the better of him, and 
 he resigned. Lieutenant Thos. Carson was ap- 
 pointed acting quartermaster. 
 
 Lieutenants W. Park and Jackson, with two men 
 from each company, were here detached and assigned 
 to the Mechanic's Corps. 
 
 The 24th, being a nice day, the Eighth drilled and 
 had dress parade for the first time since the first of 
 September. Colonel May made the regiment one of 
 his interesting speeches. Some of our men that had 
 been left sick in Nashville rejoined the command, 
 and Sergeant Lewis, Company H, was appointed 
 regimental wagonmaster. 
 
 The 25th we loaded up and marched across to the 
 Murfreesboro pike, where we remained until the 
 28th. On that evening we moved near the deaf and 
 dumb asylum, four miles south. 
 
 The regiment, as well as all the brigade, worked 
 hard the 29th, clearing off brush and trying to ar- 
 range our old, leaky tents and flies, so as to protect 
 us from the cold wind, that began to have an icy 
 tinge. Here Captains Winbourn and Hickman re- 
 joined us, both having been sick, and had -been 
 absent nearly two months. 
 
Il6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The ist day of December the Third Division Was 
 reviewed by General Rosecrans^ not merely as a 
 military custom, but to see the actual condition of 
 his army. The men returned to camp much pleased 
 with " Old Rosy." As he slowly passed along the 
 line he was sure to notice any and all unsoldierly 
 appearance. An untied shoe, or a badly adjusted 
 knapsack, was mildly pointed out ; if the fault ap- 
 peared to be the neglect of the soldier, he would 
 stop and administer a short but pointed good-humored 
 lecture, often'saying : " My men have to be clothed 
 and fed if it takes the last dollar the government can 
 raise to do it with. Now, boys, if you need pants, 
 shoes or anything allowed the soldier, get after your 
 captain ; let the captain get after the quartermaster, 
 and let him get after the brigade and division quar- 
 termastersj until the complaint reaches the quarter- 
 master general, and our needs supplied ; then, by 
 the help of God, we will put down this rebellion." 
 The old saying that ''first impressions are lasting 
 ones" proved true in this case. " Old Rosy" was 
 ever after loved and respected by the men of our 
 brigade, and his orders were at all times our law, 
 and obeyed with cheerful alacrity. 
 
 The weather continued cold for several days, and 
 our men suffered for want of overcoats. On the 7th 
 of December Colonel Barnes left for Kentucky on 
 leave of absence, but before he started he did a 
 good act in calling Chaplain Paul to account for 
 speculating off the men, by buying up at a very small 
 per cent, all of the first issue of greenbacks, or demand 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. i i 7 
 
 notes, that were at all times worth their face in gold. 
 He soon after sent in his resignation as chaplain of 
 the Eighth, and it was accepted. '' Timothy " had 
 not proved of much advantage spiritually to the 
 Eighth. But all the fault may not have been his 
 He had preached but few sermons, for the boys gen- 
 erally believed, from his general conduct, that he 
 was not spiritually minded. 
 
 The 9th of December the Third Brigade and fifty 
 wagons went out on Stone river, near Dobbin^s Ferry 
 on a foraging expedition. The rebel cavalry had on 
 several occasions attacked our foraging parties, and 
 Colonel Matthews had two pieces of artillery taken 
 along with us. Passing outside our outer videfetes, we 
 were soon near the ferry, on what we termed neutral 
 ground. The Twenty-first and Eighth Kentucky pro- 
 ceeded to load the wagons from full cribs of corn on 
 two adjoining farms. The Fifty-first Ohio and 
 Thirty-fifth Indiana formed a good chain of pickets. 
 We had been engaged in loading but a short time 
 before a regiment of rebel cavalry made an attack 
 on the Thirty-fifth, and for fifteen minutes the fight- 
 ing was sharp, the Thirty-fifth being reinforced by 
 the Fifty-first and part of the Twenty-first Ken- 
 tucky, caused the Johnnies to fall back, leaving 
 three of their men dead and several badly wounded 
 The Thirty-fifth lost three killed and sixteen 
 wounded, principally slight. Adjutant Mullen bein^ 
 tlie first to fall, with a ball through his fair temple 
 I he train was at last loaded and put in motion. Col- 
 onel Matthews, with the Thirty-fifth and Fifty-first 
 
Il8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 in frontjthe Twenty-first deployed, marched along by 
 the wagons, and the Eighth commanded by Lieuten- 
 ant Colonel May, forming the rear guard. A few 
 stray shots fell among us from a body of mounted 
 rebs on the opposite side of the river ; but we knew 
 that was done to attract our attention while a part of 
 their force endeavored to cut us off from the train. 
 The adjutant being absent, Colonel May asked me to 
 mount a mule and act to him in that capacity. A 
 half mile from the ferry the road ran through a dense 
 growth of low cedars. Here we were attacked by 
 two regiments of rebel cavalry on our left. We 
 halted, fronted and opened a deadly oblique fire, our 
 front rank kneeling to obtain clear range under the 
 cedar boughs and give the rear rank better oppor- 
 tunity to fire low, and thus for twenty minutes we 
 held them in check and did them serious injury. 
 By Colonel May's order I went down the road a 
 short distance and discovered part of the enemy's 
 force were moving toward the rear of the train, evi- 
 dently with the intention of trying to cut us off. I 
 hurried back and reported to Colonel May that fact. 
 He gave the command right face, forward, double 
 quick, march, for one-fourth of a mile, and we came 
 opposite the last named force, who were now dis- 
 mounted. Again we halted, and returned their 
 sharp fire, each man firing about four rounds. See- 
 ing the danger of having our little regiment sur- 
 rounded by such superior number, our brave old 
 colonel's voice again rang out above the rattle of 
 musketry, " Right face, forward, double quick, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II9 
 
 march!" Our column crowded the narrow road, 
 Colonel May and myself being on the side of 
 the column and mounted, were compelled to fall in 
 to the rear of the regiment, and became special 
 targets for the enemy, who came pressing on after 
 us, after the boys cleared the road, the colonel and 
 the author followed on. I was minus a cap, that 
 had been shot from my head. The Colonel's over- 
 coat had two bullet holes in it, and one through old 
 Black's ear. We double-quicked in an oblique di- 
 rection through the woods, and soon came to the 
 other regiments, who had with our two pieces of 
 artillery started back to assist us, while the wagon 
 train went lumbering on .safe into camp. The 
 Eighth took position on the left of the brigade, 
 the solid shot from the rebel battery whizzing un- 
 comfortably near our heads. We lay in line, sup- 
 porting our two pieces, until the last charge in the 
 caissons were fired. The enemy appeared not to de- 
 sire any more close work with small arms, and as 
 night came on they fell back, and we marched back 
 to our encampment. Our loss in the Eighth was 
 two killed, fourteen wounded and five prisoners. Of 
 the wounded were Lieut, McDaniel, slight wound in 
 shoulder ; private Ross, Company G ; Fillpot and 
 Corporal Landrum, Company A ; one of Company 
 C, one of Company I, and private B. Frailey, Com- 
 pany H, badly. Surgeon Mills amputated Lan- 
 drum's arm the morning of the loth. He and Frailey 
 soon after died of their wounds. The enemy's loss was 
 reported by the detail who went with flag of truce to 
 
I20 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 bury our dead, to have been more than twice our loss, 
 where we were first engaged. It would be unjust in me 
 to mention any particular or individual act of brav- 
 ery, when all nobly did their duty. The evening of 
 the loth our whole division moved back two miles 
 nearer Nashville, where all remained until the 25th, 
 the Eighth doing their share of forage and picket duty. 
 
 The 14th the author received an order from Gen- 
 eral VanCleve, now commanding the division, to 
 proceed to Louisville and bring forward all the offi- 
 cers' desks and trunks, belonging to the Eighth, 
 stored there ; also, to collect and bring to the front 
 all men there in hospitals or barracks belonging to 
 the Third Brigade. Lieutenant McDaniel accom- 
 panied me to Nashville. Next morning I took 
 the train for Louisville, where, by the 23d, 
 I had collected twenty-eight men of our brigade, 
 had the officers' baggage carted to the depot and 
 put on the train that was to follow the one myself 
 and men occupied. We arrived at Nashville before 
 daylight, the 24th, that being the last train that 
 passed over the road for several weeks, Morgan's 
 guerrillas having on that night destroyed a portion of 
 the road behind us. 
 
 At 8 o'clock I procured a pass for Sergeant Elkin 
 and the men to get out through the pickets and sent 
 them on to the command. I remained in the city 
 until the next day, waiting for our baggage, when I 
 learned by telegraph that the train containing our 
 trunks was safe at Elizabethtown awaiting repairs to 
 the road. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 By the 26th December, 1862, General Rosecrans 
 had, by incessant labor, accumulated a large supply 
 of quartermaster stores, and put the reorganized 
 Army of the Cumberland in the best possible trim. 
 He did not wait for clear weather, but early that 
 rainy morning had the army all in motion on the 
 several roads leading south from Nashville. The 
 tents and camp and garrison equipage were left be- 
 hind in charge of convalescents. Every soldier and 
 officer, in light marching order, moved on through 
 the incessant rain, which before night thoroughly 
 soaked their clothing ; but, with unabated courage, 
 every man was careful to "keep his powder dry. " 
 On that dark, rainy night I came up with the Eighth, 
 bivouacked in the cedars north of Lavergne. 
 
 A few days previous Captains Powell, Company 
 B, and Wilson, Company C, with Lieutenants Gumm 
 and McDaniel, Company I, had been granted per- 
 mission, and had returned to Kentucky on leave of 
 absence; and Captains Jamison, Company D, and 
 Winbourn, Company H, and Lieutenant Neal, were 
 left sick at Nashville. This reduced our line officers 
 considerably, and, Company D having no commis- 
 sioned officer present, Colonel May, now in com- 
 mand, put the author temporarily in command of 
 that company. The other companies were com- 
 manded as follows : 
 
122- HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Company A — Second Lieutenant Jacob Phips. 
 
 Company B — Second Lieutenant Joseph Blackwell. 
 
 Company C — First Lieutenant Wm. Park. 
 
 Company E— Captain Robert B. Hickman. 
 
 Company F — Captain John B. Banton. 
 
 Company G — Captain Landrum C. Minter. 
 
 Company H — First Lieutenant Wade B. Cox. 
 
 Company I — Lieutenant Newton Hughes. 
 
 Company K — Captain Henry Thomas. 
 
 Skirmishing commenced at early dawn the 27th, 
 and increased into a sharp battle. As we advanced 
 on Lavergne, at 8 o'clock, our shells soon set the 
 town on fire, and two hours after, as our brigade 
 passed through, the majority of the houses were in 
 smoking ruins. The enemy gave way and fell back 
 across Stewart's Creek, within ten miles of Mur- 
 freesboro. Near dark we bivouacked in the cedars 
 just north of Stewart's Creek. The Eighth Ken- 
 tucky did not have time to kindle their fires before 
 we were ordered on picket, one-half the command on 
 the line at a time. The rain had been pouring 
 down all the afternoon, and our clothing, which was 
 wet to the skin, felt anything but comfortable to a 
 supperless man. We were not disturbed by the 
 enemy throughout this disagreeable night, which at 
 last gave way to a bright, pleasant morning. Being 
 Sunday, our good Catholic general did not move his 
 army, and all of us who were not detailed for forage 
 and picket duty had a quiet rest. 
 
 The rebel pickets, though in easy hailing distance 
 of ours, kept very quiet, and, in some instances re- 
 
' EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 23 
 
 laxed their sullenness enough to indulge in a friendly- 
 chat with our pickets. This privates' armistice re- 
 sulted in a squad from each belligerent army laying 
 down their arms and advancing to the creek. Thus 
 separated by the stream, the following conversation 
 ensued : 
 
 Rebel — "What command does you-ens belong to?"^ 
 
 Federal— "The Third Brigade." 
 
 Rebel — " Who commands that ar brigade ?'' 
 
 Federal—" Colonel Matthews. What is your 
 command ?"- 
 
 Rebel — " We ar Wheeler's ; an' I believe you-ens 
 are the fellers we fit at Dobbins' Ferry." 
 
 Federal — " You bet we are ! What did you think 
 of us?" 
 
 Rebel — ''Darned good marksmen; but whar yer 
 fellers tryin' to go ter?" 
 
 Federal — " To Murfreesboro. " 
 
 Rebel — *' Well, you-ens '11 find that ar a mighty 
 bloody job, sho." 
 
 After an exchange of newspapers, thrown over by 
 attaching to them a stone, each party retired to their 
 
 posts. 
 
 During the night the rebels fell back, and early 
 the 29th our division moved over the creek, and 
 thence through farms, meeting no opposition except 
 very tall cedar rail fences. We could hear heavy 
 skirmishing on the Franklin road. At sunset we 
 halted near Stone River, within two miles of Mur- 
 freesboro, where our engineers and mechanics were 
 in a sharp skirmish with rebel sharpshooters. The 
 
124 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 former were trying to construct a bridge over the 
 river near the Nashville Pike. The division formed 
 line of battle in supporting distance of the pickets, 
 who became quiet as darkness spread her sable cur- 
 tain over the earth. We lay on our arms, ready for 
 any night attack. The bare earth in the trampled- 
 •down cornfield was wet and cold, and but few men 
 could feel comfortable enough to sleep. 
 
 The 30th day of December, 1862, passed without 
 -a. general engagement. Both armies appeared to be 
 feeling around with their skirmishers. Occasionally 
 a sharp rattle of musketry would ring out through 
 the cedars, caused by our lines crowding their 
 pickets, especially in the afternoon. As the atmos- 
 phere was heavy with considerable fog and misty 
 rain, the pickets on our right ran against those of 
 the enemy, and a sharp battle for half an hour was 
 the result. Then darkness again covered the two 
 armies that now lay here confronting each other, 
 only awaiting the light of day to enable them to en- 
 gage in a mighty conflict of arms, that was destined 
 to have great influence in deciding the future destiny 
 of this great, free government. 
 
 Our division, after dark, formed column by division, 
 and lay again in the open field. The rain ceased, 
 and the wind shifted around from a cold quarter, 
 making us feel sadly the need of a blanket, but no 
 complaints were made by any one. Each man re- 
 ceived sixty rounds of fresh cartridges, and laid 
 down, expecting to engage in bloody work as soon 
 as morning should appear. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 25 
 
 In order that the reader may better understand 
 subsequent events in this battle, we will give the 
 order in which our army of 47,000 was placed. The 
 Union line of battle extended in the form of an arc. 
 The left of our division rested at a ford on Stone 
 River, one mile west of the NasKville Railroad, and 
 was the left of the line. The right wing lay near the 
 Franklin Pike, and was composed of McCook's 
 corps — Johnson's, Sheridan's and Davis' divisions. 
 General Thomas' corps occupied the center, and 
 consisted of Negley's and Rousseau's divisions, 
 while General T. L. Crittenden's corps, composed of 
 Woods' Palmer's and VanCleve's divisions, formed 
 the left. 
 
 About daylight, the last day of the year 1862, our 
 brigade, now under command of Colonel Price, of 
 the Twenty-first Kentucky, was ordered, and double- 
 quicked to the above named ford on our left. We 
 waded the river, waist deep, the water being cold 
 enough to make one catch his breath as it reached 
 the hips. We hurried into line of battle in sight of 
 the rebel pickets, and advanced on them about one- 
 fourth of a mile. The Johnnies made the bullets 
 sing over our heads as they fell back from our skir- 
 mish line, who gave them back a sharp fire. During 
 this maneuver the firing on the extreme right had in- 
 creased to a heavy battle. The constant roar of 
 artillery and ominous crashing, rattle of small arms, 
 told us plainly that the rebels were making a des- 
 perate attempt to turn our right wing. We were 
 ordered to fall back and re-cross the river. The 
 
126 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Third Brigade, including the Eighth, formed a re- 
 serve line of battle near the ford, while the remain- 
 der of the division was ordered on to support the 
 right, which was now evidently being pushed back 
 by the combined force of three rebel corps — Mc- 
 Coun's, Cheatham's and Claiborne's. Johnson's 
 command had first given way. The exultant rebels, 
 partially intoxicated on whisky and gunpowder, fol- 
 lowed up. Davis' division was next compelled to 
 fall back. This left Sheridan's right exposed, which 
 the rebels soon took advantage of. After standing 
 the shock of the now furious foe for some time, they 
 in turn were hurled back toward the center, where 
 old "Lion-Heart" Thomas was riding back and 
 forth in front of his lines of sturdy heroes, encour- 
 aging them. All the available force that could be 
 taken from the left was concentrated here to rein- 
 force the center, our little brigade being all that was 
 left to watch the left wing. These were terrible mo- 
 ments. The horrible spectacle of thousands of our 
 comrades fleeing before the enemy, a continuous 
 stream of stretchers, bearing bleeding, torn and 
 mangled bodies, coming back through our ranks, 
 made our hearts quiver with sympathy for our bleed- 
 ing comrades. But all interests were centered just 
 then in the right center, and our boys chafed at 
 being compelled to stand inactive and witness the 
 fight and misery. The enemy, in heavy columns, 
 emerged from the cedars, exulting in the belief that 
 victory was theirs. The long line of blue-coats was 
 still. The word of command was at last given. A 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 27 
 
 dazzling sheet of flame burst from the blue ranks, 
 which riddled the thick mass of the enemy. This 
 was quickly followed by the roar of our artillery, 
 shaking the earth and crushing into fragments whole 
 regiments of grey-coats. Then the tide of battle 
 turned, and the enemy was driven back over one 
 mile, leaving the ground covered with their dead 
 and dying. Mixed and mingled was the blood of 
 the slain of both armies. General VanCleve, our 
 division commander, was wounded, and Colonel 
 Sam. Beaty took command of the division. 
 
 During the battle, a regiment of rebel cavalry made 
 a dash at the house near the ford, used as a hospital. 
 Our brigade charged down to the river bank and 
 gave them a volley, and the one battery left with us 
 gave them a few solid shot, that made them scamper 
 back, leaving our doctors and wounded unmolested. 
 
 The battle ceased at 5 p. m., with our army con- 
 siderably worsted. That night, at '' Rosy's " head- 
 quarters, all the corps generals were assembled in 
 council. General Rosecrans asked the starred crowd 
 what he should do. General Crittenden said : '' We 
 may be able yet to whip the enemy here, general." 
 Rosecrans, bringing his fist down on the table with 
 much force, said: '' Yes, and we will, if we have to 
 fight them one week and live on parched corn all 
 that time." 
 
 The Eighth spent this frosty night on the skirmish 
 line near the river bank, above the ford. The rebel 
 pickets showed no disposition to advance, and our 
 orders were not to fire unless they did, the stream 
 
128 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 being between us. The night passed in comparative 
 silence except the groans and shrieks of the wounded 
 laying in the hospitals. 
 
 At 3 o'clock p. m. the heavy booming of the can- 
 non ceased. Then we discovered the immense col- 
 umns of the enemy moving toward us. They made 
 a grand scene, moving over the wide, undulating 
 field, with their numerous bright flags unfurled and 
 fluttering in the wind, their several generals mounted 
 on magnificent chargers, surrounded by their staff 
 officers. This scene presented to my mind one of 
 those sublime spectacles of the pomp of war, which 
 form the bright, delusive side of a picture, in which 
 horror, misery and death sadly predominated. On 
 they came, regiments in close column by division. 
 Our little isolated brigade, that "Old Rosy" had 
 placed out as a bait to lure on the enemy into his well 
 arranged trap, ordered in their skirmishers, but not 
 until the brave and gallant Captain Banton and sev- 
 eral of his men had fallen. For a few minutes our 
 line was as still as the grave, but it was only the calm 
 that preceeds the storm. A small elevation imme- 
 diately in front concealed the mighty host of 
 well disciplined grey coats from view for a few 
 minutes. The gallant old Fifty-first Ohio on our 
 right on higher ground opened their crashing 
 sheet of fire first, then as the heads of the 
 advancing enemy re-appeared within eighty rods 
 of the 8th, our sturdy mountain boys received the 
 anxiously desired order, " fire by file, fire." A blaze 
 of fire and smoke ran along down our ranks, every 
 
After the word " hospitals^'' at end of paragraph on page 
 128, read : 
 
 Early on New Year's morning our brigade waded 
 the river. The water, about hip deep, was very cold 
 to our already chilled legs. We hurried into line 
 and advanced on the enemy's pickets, driving them 
 from the timber into a large field. At the edge of 
 this wood we halted and maintained our position ; 
 but the rebel pickets and sharp-shooters made it 
 risky to stand erect, as the pickets kept up an irreg- 
 ular popping throughout the day, and we were not 
 sorry when darkness permitted us to send details to 
 the rear and prepare coffee. We suffered during the 
 night on our regimental bed of weeds, as our blankets 
 had been cheerfully donated to the wounded. 
 
 The 2d, before the sun appeared from behind the 
 dark-green cedars, picket firing was resumed followed 
 by heavy artillery all along the lines. Our advanced 
 position made us an especial target for their artillery, 
 while the skirmish balls kept up that ominous sing- 
 ing. Before noon several of Companies B and F 
 had fallen on the picket line, and Shepherd, Com- 
 pany C, was killed ; others were wounded by the 
 enemy's shell, and our flag-staff was shivered by a 
 solid shot. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 29 
 
 man taking a deliberate aim. The effect of this mur- 
 derous fire became visible to all our men, which in- 
 fused them with fresh courage. True, our brave lads 
 were falling fast, but the enemy was checked and 
 not a mounted rebel in sight of our line. Company 
 commanders w^ked along behind their men with 
 encouraging words and to " shoot low." The brave 
 old " thirty-fives" on our left were also doing nobly. 
 The ground on top of the ridge in our front was in 
 fifteen minutes covered with dead, dying and wound- 
 ed rebels, and many of our men were falling by the 
 terrible fire of the enemy, who now began to work 
 around to the right of the Fifty-first Ohio with an 
 overwhelming force. At the same time another 
 large force of the enemy were completely flanking 
 the Thirty-fifth Indiana. The enemy were not more 
 than forty steps in. our front when we received the 
 order to fall back, which we were compelled to do, 
 leaving many of our brave comrades cut down by 
 leaden messengers of death. As we reached the 
 north bank of the stream, followed by the wildly 
 cheering rebels, whose bullets came pattering the 
 water like a first-class hail storm, the mass of 
 rebels emerged from the timber into open land. 
 The opportune moment had come for *' Rosy " to 
 spring his well laid trap. On the rocky bluff above 
 us a long mass of cedars, which to a casual observer 
 appeared a natural growth, suddenly became pros- 
 trate. Simultaneously the terrific discharge of sixty 
 pieces of artillery, well charged with grape and 
 
 canister, went crashing over our heads, plowing gaps 
 
 9 
 
130 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of death and destruction in the heavy columns of 
 the enemy. This threw them into disorder. Gen- 
 eral Jeff. C. Davis' division, and the greater part of 
 Negley's division, rushed forward to the bank of the 
 stream. Meanwhile, the scattered members of our 
 brigade fell into line wherever opportunity afforded 
 the best chance to return the enemy's fire. A des- 
 perate close range fight ensued. Our artillery con- 
 tinued to pour a deadly fire over our heads, and be- 
 fore the water ceased to squirt from our boot-legs 
 the greater part of our command that remained alive 
 and not dangerously wounded, re-entered the river, 
 this time the pursuers. The enemy made a desperate 
 and confused resistance, and at first were forced to 
 gradually fall back, but soon were fleeing in a per- 
 fect rout. They continued this until they had 
 reached the timber near Little's Creek. A dozen 
 men, of Companies D and H, of the Eighth, were 
 the first to straddle one piece of the noted Wash- 
 ington Battery, taken here from the enemy. Among 
 them were Coe Howard, H. Harris and Samuel 
 Everman, Company E. A few brave rebels were 
 trying to drag off the piece, having thrown down 
 their arms for that purpose, and the boys succeeded 
 in capturing three of them, also. About this time 
 darkness put a stop to the bloody day's work. The 
 spirit of Bragg's army was broken. As one of the 
 half drunken prisoners expressed it. *'We are 
 whooped, fur our rations and whisky 's about out." 
 
 But we had suffered terribly. Every officer of the 
 Eighth engaged in this battle was either wounded 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I3I 
 
 or killed, except four, Major Broadhus, Lieutenants 
 Blackwell, Phips and myself. All of us had bullet 
 holes in our clothing. The greater part of the un- 
 injured of our boys spent the first half of the 
 night on the field among the dead, dying and 
 wounded of both armies, thickly strewn over 
 the field and woodland pasture, in many places 
 half a dozen men on a square rod of surface. We 
 built up fires, and carried our bleeding comrades to 
 them, and loaded them into ambulances as fast as we 
 could procure them. Major Broadhus, of the 
 Eighth, was indefatigable in procuring conveyances 
 for our wounded comrades, riding from hospital to 
 hospital, urging up the tired, sleepy ambulance 
 drivers. Captain Banton had fallen on the picket line. 
 Captains Minter and Hickman and Lieutenant W. 
 B. Cox were mortally wounded. The other wounded 
 who did not fall into the enemy's hands as pris- 
 oners, whose names will appear hereafter, were 
 Lieutenant Colonel R. May, Lieutenant Wm. Park, 
 Company C; Lieutenant Burley, Company G ; Cap- 
 tain H. Thomas, Company K; Sergeant D. C. Win- 
 bourn, and thirty-seven other non-commissioned 
 officers and privates of the Eighth were found and 
 carried to farm houses in the vicinity of the battle 
 ground. 
 
 Among the dead on the field, were Sergeant Baker, 
 Company I ; Moses Dunaway, Company D ; B. 
 McGuire, Company D ; George Keaton, Company 
 E ; Jasper Collins, Company B ; John Dearbin, 
 Company D ; Henry Sheppard, Company C ; Chas. 
 
132 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Moore, Company B, and several others died of 
 their wounds the next day. Our total loss was, five 
 days after, reported to be seventy-nine killed and 
 wounded, out of less than 300. 
 
 A short account of my own experience on this 
 bloody field on that night will probably assist the 
 reader to form a more correct idea of men, and their 
 feelings and actions immediately after such a san- 
 guinary engagement. 
 
 We turn from the fleeing enemy, flushed with vic- 
 tory, though purchased at, oh ! what a price. We 
 gave three cheers, and return to the timber, with 
 those fluctuating emotions of exultations^ mixed with 
 pity, that often stirs the heart of the soldier. The 
 deadly conflict is over, the fierce bloodthirsty lion 
 of our nature gives way to the better and finer 
 promptings of the human heart. As we tenderly 
 lift the bleeding, mangled forms of our unfortu- 
 nate comrades, four of us to a body> and carry 
 them into prostrate groups around the fires, made 
 to warm alike friends and now helpless foes. Our 
 work of mercy goes on, and ambulance after ambu- 
 lance is loaded with wounded. The cries and groans 
 of familiar voices cause the rough, rude appearing 
 soldiers' hearts to soften, and they become as sym- 
 pathetic as our sisters and mothers. The surgeon 
 had just finished probing and bandaging a mortal 
 wound, and we were urging him to try and do some- 
 thing for the five ominous holes in the body of our 
 brave, and now lamented messmate, Lieutenant Cox, 
 who, with a score of others, was lying in a circle 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 33 
 
 around the fire, on coats and blankets, the 
 flickering fire causing their pale faces to wear 
 a ghastly or unearthly appearance. Many of 
 them were pronounced too far gone to be moved. 
 While the surgeon was attending to his squad, 
 myself and two others, of Company H, made a 
 search for a stretcher, most of them now being at the 
 various houses containing our suffering brethren, 
 which a stream of armless and legless humanity were 
 fast filling up. We went stumbling over the dead, 
 now almost the sole occupants of the field. A man 
 in a sitting position attracted our attention. We 
 went to him, and tightened the bloody handkerchief 
 around his thigh, that had a wound partly severing 
 the main artery of that limb. He wore the uniform 
 of a rebel lieutenant, and said he was from Woodford 
 County, Kentucky. He asked us our State, and, 
 upon being informed, took from his pocket a well 
 worn miniature case, and requested me to send it to 
 Miss M. Nickerson, Versailles, Kentucky. After a 
 long hunt the stretcher was found, and at 3 o'clock 
 a. m. of the 3d, during a hard rain, H. Harris, C. 
 Howard, a soldier of the Fifty first Ohio and my- 
 self, toiled over the slippery path, bearing upon our 
 shoulders the body of our uncomplaining, but suffer- 
 ing comrade, Lieutenant Cox. On our arrival at 
 the house we soon became very sick, the sight and 
 smell of so much human blood, together with the 
 fatigue and our long fast, causing us to leave the 
 shelter and seek out a few comrades, on the river 
 bank, around a struggling fire, where we got a 
 
134 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 cup of hot coffee. At that time Major Broadhus 
 rode up, having just left the field, saying: "Lieu- 
 tenant, I am about as near dead as any man with a 
 whole skin in the army." He drank a cup of coffee, 
 and, with a good blanket over us, we were soon 
 asleep by a log, on a pile of drifted leaves, and for 
 two hours forgot there had been a great battle, or 
 that the rain was pouring down and soaking our leafy 
 bed and clothing. 
 
 At 6 o'clock a. m. the rattle of drums aroused the 
 slumbering troops. Wringing out some of our cloth- 
 ing, and taking some more of the black but invigor- 
 ating coffee, our squad, accompanied by the major, 
 struck out to find the remnant of our brigade. In 
 retracing a part of the battle ground we found our 
 rebel lieutenant still in death, having doubtless bled 
 to death. During the day the Third Brigade col- 
 lected and bivouacked on the north bank of the 
 river. On account of the incessant rain, and 
 having so much hospital work to do, nothing more 
 than picket firing toward Murfreesboro occurred. 
 During a heavy thunder storm, on the night 
 of the 3d, the enemy made a feigned attack 
 upon the center of our army. A short, but severe, 
 skirmish ensued, causing us to £;rouse suddenly from 
 our cozy beds of weeds and corn stalks, and stand 
 in line two hours. We were not very anxious for a 
 renewal of the fight, and, as the firing ceased, were 
 not displeased to resume our peaceful if not luxurious 
 couches. We remained here in the mud and water, 
 with very little to eat, until the 7th, furnishing de- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I35 
 
 tails to bury the dead of both armies, the enemy 
 having made safe their retreat to Tullahoma. The 
 inclement weather had delayed the unpleasant work. 
 Our own dead were cared for first, and buried in 
 single graves. But this mode was abandoned as too 
 tedious, and several of the rebel dead were made to 
 occupy one ditch, their "last." Company H's old 
 Irishman, Tom, being among the fatigue party, was 
 engaged in placing the bodies in the common grave. 
 Some of his co-laborers remonstrated with Tom for 
 tramping on the dead with his feet in order to 
 straighten out their rigid limbs. This rough son of 
 the "Emerald Isle" straightened up and cast a look 
 of contempt at his more feeling comrades and said : 
 "Hot, tot, mon ! and what did ye's come dow*n here 
 for, then, if it weren't to put down the ribbils ? 
 Faith, an' it's more uv thim traithors I'd loik to be 
 puttin' down this same way. May the saints save 
 us, but indade I would. Now, b'ys, hand me in that 
 long yeller-haired one nixt," and the solemn work 
 proceeded. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The rebels evacuated Murfreesboro and their snug 
 winter quarters during the hard rain on the night of 
 the 3d January, and many of the inhabitants also 
 fled from their comfortable homes, taking their 
 slaves with them. 
 
 On the morning of the 7th, the Third Brigade 
 marched from their muddy bivouack on the river 
 bank, and crossed the river on the remains of the 
 railroad bridge. We passed through the once pretty, 
 neat county seat of Rutherford county. Its war- 
 worn and torn, tumble-down appearance, caused 
 some of us to feel sad. All public and many private 
 buildings were full of wounded of both armies. Sur- 
 geons, wearing both the blue and grey, could be seen 
 hurrymg to and fro on the streets. Cavalry horses 
 and ambulance mules were hitched to ornamental 
 and shade trees, the nice fencing having disappeared 
 from many fine suburban residences. Our command 
 halted one mile from town on the Lebanon Pike, 
 and were making preparations for supper, when we 
 were hurried out on picket, Major Broadhus com- 
 manding the Eighth, and were until after dark estab- 
 lishing the lines, with about one-third of the com- 
 mand on duty and the remainder in reserve. Rations 
 were scarce, large quantities of government stores 
 having been destroyed during the battle by rebel 
 cavalry, and the L. & N. Railroad yet unrepaired, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 37 
 
 caused us to economize the half rations we were then 
 subsisting on. Some of the Eighth boys, during the 
 night, were lucky enough to knock over a fat porker, 
 which added materially to the weight of our lank 
 haversacks and stomachs. 
 
 On returning to where the brigade was on the 8th, 
 we were as much pleased as surprised to again see 
 our old, leaky Sibley tents and cooking utensils. 
 We had felt the need of these useful, almost indis- 
 pensable articles for over two weeks. The brigade 
 quartermaster also replaced the boys' blankets and 
 overcoats they had so readily and willingly parted 
 with after the battle, that the wounded might have 
 the benefit of them. 
 
 The 9th, myself and several others of the Eighth 
 went into town to look up wounded friends. In an 
 old vacated store house we found James Moreland 
 and John Wilson, of Company H, John Wise and 
 about half a dozen other boys, all of whom got over 
 their wounds except Wilson, who, though danger- 
 ously wounded, gave a weak little cheer as we en- 
 tered. In another house we found private Waters, 
 Company C, in the same room with one of his 
 brothers, wearing the grey rebel uniform, who also 
 had a serious wound, having received it while in the 
 rebel ranks in our front on the 2d. 
 
 On the 10th, I procured a pass and the loan of 
 Major Broadhus' horse, and rode back across the 
 river to the field hospital, where Captain Hickman, 
 Lieutenant Cox and the principal part of our wounded 
 were. H. English and Wm. Herndon, Company B, 
 
138 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 each had lost a foot ; Ike Thomas, Company H, a 
 leg ] Sergeant Winbourn had a hole through his 
 chest ; and in the next room lay the above named 
 officers, evidently within a few hours of death. They 
 recognized and talked to me. Captain Winbourn 
 had arrived from Nashville, and, being yet feeble in 
 health, was performing the self-imposed task of re- 
 maining -with his two dying comrades. Captain 
 Minter had died the day previous, and the other two 
 officers above named gave up their young, cheerful 
 and promising lives the following day. Their re- 
 mains were sent home to be buried by kind friends 
 and relatives. 
 
 The morning of the 13th we moved camp into a 
 piece of timber midway between the Nashville and 
 Lebanon Pikes and one and a half miles north of 
 town. Major Broadhus appointed a board of offi- 
 cers to survey and condemn our old tents. We re- 
 ceived new ones of the Bell pattern, and men and 
 officers generally turned out to brick masonry, erect- 
 ing chimneys from the same materials the rebels had 
 used for a like purpose. In a few days we were well 
 quartered and drawing full rations once more. 
 
 The i8th, Colonel Barnes returned, and the follow- 
 ing day Lieutenant Smallwood arrived with a few 
 absentees, whom Morgan's raid had prevented from 
 joining us before the battle. 
 
 As soon as we began to get comfortably settled in 
 our new tents, orders for heavy details began to pour 
 in from headquarters for pickets, fatigue and forage 
 duty. A large part of the command worked daily 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 39 
 
 on fortifications. Some days the regiment would 
 guard a long line of empty wagons into the country, 
 and collect corn, oats, fodder or corn blades. On 
 these expeditions the Eighth boys never forgot that 
 men had to be fed as well as army mules, and many 
 little creature comforts were brought in to season 
 and vary our regular rations. The 25th our regiment 
 escorted a train out five miles toward Lebanon, and 
 returned with heavy loads of corn. Again, the 27th, 
 the Eighth and Thirty-fifth Indiana, under Major 
 Broadhus, with fifty teams, proceeded through and 
 three miles beyond the place we had been a few days 
 before, and turned into the plantation owned by a 
 portly old rebel named Atkins. He had a great 
 quantity of corn, and when he saw how many wagons 
 we had, and with what speed the soldiers, with the 
 help of his willing, grinning " niggers," could lower 
 his well filled cedar log cribs, he indulged in con- 
 siderable profanity, until Major Broadhus informed 
 him that he should have a government voucher for 
 his produce. After having explained to him what 
 ''.voucher" meant, and seeing that his blowing 
 threats were not heeded, the old fellow cooled down 
 a little. Meantime some of the boys were trying ta 
 persuade the no less portly and equally indignant 
 landlady to sell them a few chickens. Being refused 
 in not over mild language, some of the Thirty- fifth 
 undertook to help themselves. The major then 
 ordered the writer to take a guard of five men and 
 protect the house and poultry. By this duty I soon, 
 assumed the role of especial protector and friend, and 
 
140 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 succeeded in purchasing from her two nice bacon 
 hams. After weighing them, she ^' 'lowed they'd 
 fetch four dollars." I handed her a V greenback. 
 She scornfully refused the legal tender, saying, '*I 
 won't have nothin' to do with you'ensshinplasters." 
 Then she smilingly gave me change for a confeder- 
 ate "blueback." By this time, the train being 
 loaded and in motion, Major Broadhus and the puff- 
 ing old southerner came in to fill out his voucher. 
 This done, he set out his bottle of " old peach and 
 sugar." After we had tasted and praised his liquor, 
 and were about to leave, the now genial old fellow 
 said: ''Well, me nor the old 'oman nuther kin 
 read, and the gals is off; you jest read that ar 
 voucher fur me." When the major came to the 
 closing sentence, i. e., "to be paid on proof of loy- 
 alty," a sudden change came over our hospitable 
 friend ; his anger and profanity were fearful. As we 
 reached the yard fence we heard him say: "By 
 h— 11 ! ef it depends on that, I know I'll never get a 
 cent." We did not tarry to discuss the probabili- 
 ties of the case. Some of the teams "stalled," as 
 the drivers call it, delaying us so much it was very 
 late when we arrived in camp. 
 
 The 30th, the entire regiment able for duty worked 
 on fortifications. About this time our absent officers 
 returned, and with them came the remainder of our 
 absentees able for duty, a few of them having been 
 absent without leave since November. All these ex- 
 cept one were restored to their proper standing, with 
 loss of pay while absent. The exception was private 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 141 
 
 ''Scabber," who, through the influence of some bad 
 men, enemies to the government, had shunned and 
 tried to evade the officer, to whom he should have 
 reported, and consequendy he had to face a general 
 court martial. 
 
 February ist, at dark, the regiment had orders to 
 be ready at 6 o'clock the next morning to escort an- 
 other forage train. The bugleman overslept him- 
 self, and we just had fifteen minutes to prepare and 
 eat our breakfast. The reader will understand that 
 military orders, like time and tide, wait for no man. 
 Many of us, therefore, ate our hard tack and drank 
 our tin of coffee marching along the Lebanon Pike. 
 This time we went eleven miles before we began to 
 load our wagons. A heavy rain retarded our work. 
 As there were some indications of attack by rebel 
 cavalry, the Eighth formed the rear guard and the 
 Fifty-first Ohio the advance on the return. We saw 
 no armed enemies that day, and arrived in camp 
 near midnight, tired and ravenously hungry. 
 
 The 3d day of February there were several promo- 
 tions in our line to fill vacancies occasioned by 
 death. Several of these commissions from the gov- 
 ernor of Kentucky bore the following clause : " Pro- 
 moted for gallant and meritorious conduct at the 
 battle of Stone River. " 
 
 The loth, the news of the action of Congress, 
 authorizing the employment of "contrabands" as 
 teamsters, laborers and cooks, in the United States 
 service, also that a bill was before congress for the 
 arming and equipping of a certain number of negro 
 
142 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 troops, was received, and became the one great 
 theme of discussion with the soldiers, especially in 
 Kentucky regiments. A few of our officers and quite 
 a number of the men appeared to still favor the idea 
 of putting down the rebellion without seriously mo- 
 lesting the ''divine institution" of slavery, some 
 contending it foolish, as the " nigger wouldn't fight, 
 nohow," while others, with indignation, declared 
 that every white soldier would be disgraced by fight- 
 ing in the ranks along with the colored troops. Two 
 or three officers became so jealous of their " honor, 
 sir," they privately talked of resigning. But a very 
 large majority of the Eighth, rank and file, con- 
 tended that it was plainly the duty of the govern- 
 ment to empower our generals to ''use all and every 
 available means to suppress or put down this wicked 
 and useless rebellion." Captain Smallwood and 
 several other officers immediately took a firm stand 
 favoring the measure, and in a discussion between 
 the former and one of his company, who had be- 
 come very boisterous about "nigger equality," the 
 captain said, in the hearing of his company, "Boys, 
 when we entered the service we each took a solemn 
 oath that we would obey the orders of the president 
 of the United States and other superior officers. 
 We then were desperately in earnest, and meant just 
 what we said, and I have no reason to wish to vio- 
 late that pledge, and by the help of God I intend to 
 keep it to the very best of my ability. Nor do I yet 
 believe that any of you who have done and suffered 
 so much are willing to see this grand old republic 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 43 
 
 Split up into contemptible little provinces, always 
 fighting to destroy each other. No, boys, we must 
 maintain our nationality, whatever becomes of 
 slavery. I know, and you all know, that the south- 
 ern slave-holders have themselves given the first mor- 
 tal wound to slavery. Now we say, let the accursed, 
 barbarous, traitor-breeding institution die. Let no 
 true soldier try to staunch its wound, or care that 
 the consequences of this war gives the poor slave his 
 freedom." Continuing on the subject, he said: 
 *'Boys, havn't you learned that Buell's policy of 
 trying to whip the rebels with a part of our forces 
 and protecting their property with the other part, 
 guarding cornfields and chicken roosts for rich 
 rebels, will no longer do ? I say no ! Let the fet- 
 tered slave loose ; let him flee to our camps to cook; 
 drive mules, dig earthworks ; and if congress and 
 the president see proper to arm them to help crush 
 the rebellion, we should not object. No, I would 
 not object, if it were possible and practicable, to arm 
 a regiment of mules or jackasses and let them charge 
 the enemy ; and, I conclude, if Cuffee is to have his 
 freedom, he should be allowed to place his carcass 
 where it may save the lives of many good white men. 
 Now, Company K, you have my opinion. You all 
 have an equal right to yours^ but I shall do my duty, 
 and expect you all to do the same." Before the 
 close of the war nearly every man of the Eighth 
 began to look at the negro question like the captain. 
 During the month of February a good many of 
 our wounded boys died ; among them George Eng- 
 
144 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 lish, Company B; I. Thomas and John Wilson, 
 Company H. Also, Lieutenant Newton Hughes 
 and Sergeant Combs, Company I, and private Rich- 
 ardson, Company H., died from disease contracted 
 by exposure. I attended a few of these burials. 
 
 The bodies of Hughes, Richardson and Combs 
 were put into rough coffins, which a few of our men 
 constructed out of rough boards taken from a vacant 
 dwelling. It was the best we could do under the 
 circumstances, and much better than the majority of 
 our dead could be treated. We felt our need of a 
 chaplain in this sad duty. But a few remarks and 
 a short prayer, then we laid them away, placing 
 cedar slabs with name, company and regiment, cut 
 in plain letters, at the head of each. The last few 
 days of February the company commanders were 
 very busy preparing pay rolls. 
 
 On the evening of the 3d of March, the Eighth 
 and Fifty-first Ohio had orders to prepare lo march 
 early next morning, consequently preparations were 
 made, and at 7 o'clock a. m. all the Eighth, except 
 a few sick, were marching on the Lebanon pike, 
 commanded by Major Broadhus, Colonel Barnes be- 
 ing again called to Kentucky on official business. 
 We halted at the ford of Stone River and pitched 
 our camp on the south side, for the purpose of re- 
 maining here to guard a pontoon bridge, that the 
 rebel cavalrj had tried twice to destroy. By dark 
 we were tolerably well quartered, but felt sadly the 
 loss of our good fire places and chimneys, it being 
 cold and damp weather, and expecting to remain 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 45 
 
 here some time. The 5th we demolished a large 
 brick smith shop, and at night the majority of us 
 were enjoying the cheerful warmth of fires in our 
 rudely constructed chimneys. 
 
 The morning of the 9th we were ordered to .re- 
 turn to Murfreesboro. On our return the men ap- 
 peared much pleased at the idea of again occupying 
 their original encampment. When opposite that 
 place our wagons, containing camp and garrison 
 equipage, halted, and we were joined by the balance 
 of the brigade, with orders to make reconnoissance 
 or demonstration against the enemy's picket, on the 
 Shelbyville road. Five miles south of town we 
 passed our outer pickets, and two miles further came 
 in sight of their mounted videttes. The brigade 
 formed in line of battle, with a strong line of skirm- 
 ishers in advance. We pressed forward a mile 
 further, the enemy only exchanging a few shots with 
 our skirmish line, and then fell back to Hoover's 
 Gap. We bivouacked in line of battle among the 
 dense growth of cedars, with orders to keep forward 
 a .strong line of pickets, and wait the enemy's at- 
 tack. About midnight our cavalry videttes and the 
 rebels' advance commenced a lively popping of 
 pistols and carbines. The darkness prevented any 
 serious harm. Soon after, the rain began to descend, 
 and continued to fall all day, the loth, on our un- 
 protected bodies. In the afternoon of that day the 
 rain increased into a miniature flood. This ap- 
 peared to keep the Johnnies in our front quite peac- 
 
 able, and as we had no orders to advance, we felt 
 
 10 
 
146 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 satisfied to hover over our smoking cedar rails, more 
 to protect the rain from extinguishing our fires than 
 to derive any comforting warmth therefrom, and to 
 add to our unpleasant situation, our rations were out, 
 or rather, had been left in the wagons on leaving 
 Stone River, the previous day. At last, as the 
 gloomy darkness of this miserable day began to set- 
 tle over the earth, we gladly received the order to 
 form the brigade with as little noise as possible, 
 after which we halted on the pike in column, where 
 we were forced to stand in the cold mud and water 
 for two hours, waiting for two companies of the 
 Twenty-first Kentucky, who had been placed out on 
 picket during the day, in the thick cedars. The 
 night being very dark, and no loud talking per- 
 mitted, the adjutant and brigade picket officer had 
 much difficulty in finding them. The welcome com- 
 mand, ''forward," was at last given, and we soon 
 measured off the seven miles to Murfreesboro. As 
 we marched through that quiet city our boys struck 
 up this song : 
 
 " Sometimes we have to double-quick ; 
 This Dixie mud is mighty slick. 
 The soldier's fare is very rough, 
 The bread is hard, and beef is tough, 
 That's the vi^ay they put us through, 
 I tell you what, it's hard to do. 
 But we'll obey duty's call, 
 To conquer Dixie, that is all ! " 
 
 We entered our old encampment, north of Mur- 
 freesboro, at midnight, and were much pleased to 
 find the wagoners and convalescents had all our tents 
 up for us. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 147 
 
 The i2th of March, 1863, Major Johnson paid 
 the Eighth Kentucky four months' pay. Full pock- 
 ets generally caused smiling faces ; but many of the 
 boys were in debt to the sutler, while others had 
 wives and families at home that needed, and gener- 
 ally received, all the husband could spare. Soon the 
 majority of our men only had left a little '' tobacco 
 
 money." 
 
 The 13th General VanCleve, " grandpap," as the 
 boys called him, returned, healed of his wound, and 
 again took command of the Third Division. 
 
 The 1 8th the Twenty-first Army Corps was re- 
 viewed by General Rosecrans. The next day we 
 moved our camp a half mile further north, in the 
 edge of a cotton field, near Little's Creek, where 
 the other regiments of the Third Brigade were al- 
 ready encamped. 
 
 The 2 2d Colonel Barnes returned from Kentucky 
 and took command of the brigade. Colonel Mat- 
 thews being absent on leave of absence. The same 
 day Captain Winbourn, Company H, and Captain 
 Jamison, Company D, resigned on account of ill 
 health, and returned home. Here all the brigade 
 decorated our well arranged encampment with long 
 avenues of cedar trees, planted to shade and beautify 
 our white tented village. 
 
 The latter part of March we began daily drills. 
 Our stylish, vigilant (and as some of our boys 
 thought, over particular), brigade inspector. Cap- 
 tain Woods, of the Fifty-first Ohio, having reported 
 some of the Eighth boys for a trivial omission, in- 
 
148 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 voked the displeasure of the whole command. 
 From some cause, one morning, the inspector made 
 his morning trip around our pickets rather earlier 
 than usual, and was galloping along near the bank of 
 Little's Creek, where the thick timber and dense 
 fog in the early dawn made objects at a short distance 
 very indistinct, when, from the opposite side of the 
 muddy stream, came in unmistakable distinctness to 
 the captain's ears : 
 
 ^' Halt ! who comes there ? " 
 
 He replied, ''brigade inspector." 
 
 Sentinel — ''I know no man in the dark. Dis- 
 mount, advance, and give the countersign." 
 
 The captain looked at the miry, filthy stream, and 
 began to parley with the obdurate sentinel. 
 
 The repetition of the word '' advance," accom- 
 panied by the ominous click of the gun lock, settled 
 the matter instantly. With hands raised, his pol- 
 ished boots and gold-corded pants reeking with 
 muddy water, that official leaned over the point of 
 Campbell's bayonet, and spoke the password : *' You 
 are too soon, captain." 
 
 April ist we had orders to draw and cook five 
 days' rations, each man with 100 rounds, and be 
 ready to march at sunrise, the 2d. Accordingly, our 
 brigade, now under Colonel Matthews, a battery of 
 light artillery and two regiments of cavalry, all under 
 the command of General Stanley, marched early out 
 the Liberty road. The day was warm for the season, 
 the long rest had refreshed our men, and we tripped 
 along after the cavalry lively, but before night many 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I49 
 
 of the men became much wearied. We bivouacked 
 twenty miles from Murfreesboro, near a village called 
 Auburn. At midnight the troops were all awakened 
 without bugle or drum, and in comparative silence 
 resumed the march toward Liberty, where we ex- 
 pected to find about 5,000 mounted rebels, under 
 Robert Breckinridge. About sunrise we waded 
 Smith's fork of Duck River, halted and ate our 
 breakfast. Here we were joined by some East Ten- 
 nessee cavalry. At 11 o'clock we passed through 
 Liberty, and hurried on up Dry Creek, and found 
 the Johnnies occupying the mount on the south, 
 called Snow Hill. The brigade formed line with 
 two companies from each regiment thrown forward 
 as skirmishers, and the cavalry sent round to flank 
 the enemy, with orders to gain their rear. With 
 quick-step we ascended the steep, rocky mountain. 
 When near the summit the enemy's pickets opened 
 a scattering fire on us, that went harmlessly over our 
 heads. Our advance charged on them before they 
 could reload. They fled down the opposite slope to 
 their second line of dismounted cavalry, who lay 
 protected by a rude breastwork of logs and stone. 
 We engaged them in a short skirmish. By this time 
 our artillery had got in position and began to shell 
 the Johnnies. General Stanley, who, like all the other 
 staff" officers, was on foot, walked down among our 
 boys, and asked, "What regiment is this? " 
 
 " The Eighth Kentucky, was the response. 
 
 "Well, Kentuckians are not afraid! charge on 
 them rascals, and shoot their heads off"." 
 
150 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 With a yell, our skirmishers, Companies A and B, 
 and a score of volunteers from other companies, 
 pitched forward at a double-quick. The rebels fled 
 to where their horses were, over another hill, leaving 
 several dead and six prisoners in our hands. The 
 cavalry now attacked, and ran the enemy off toward 
 Smithville. Our loss was only three wounded. This 
 ended our Snow Hill battle. 
 
 Our infantry force returned to Liberty, where we 
 bivouacked for the night. 
 
 The 4th we started on our return, and reached Al- 
 exandria, county seat of DeKalb County, ten miles 
 west of Liberty. We awaited the return of the cavalry, 
 and near night moved seven miles toward Lebanon. 
 
 The 5th, early in the morning, we resumed 
 the march through Cherry Valley, a beautiful 
 farming district. At Sharp's Springs, a small village, 
 we found a store containing a considerable quantity 
 of Confederate stores. We had no transportation 
 to remove them, and before all the force had passed 
 the store ^*took fire." We then passed through 
 Lebanon and bivouacked seven miles from that place. 
 Our peaceful sleep was interrupted twice during the 
 night by the reports of our cavalry's carbines. They 
 brought in three prisoners the next morning, said to 
 have been bushwhackers. We arrived at our old 
 camp, near Murfreeboro, on the 6th. 
 
 We resumed our usual routine of dailv duty, to wit ; 
 
 Reveille, at 5 a. m. 
 
 First — Regiments form on their respective parade 
 grounds, and stand to arms one hour. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 15I 
 
 Second — Breakfast at 7 o'clock. 
 
 Third — Guard mounting, at 8 o'clock, of thirty- 
 five men and two officers for picket, ten men and 
 one officer for camp guard. 
 
 Fourth — Company drill from 9 to 11 o'clock. 
 
 Fifth — Dinner. 
 
 Sixth — Battalion and brigade drill from 2 to 4 p. m. 
 
 Seventh — Dress parade at 5, supper at 6, and 
 tattoo at 8 o'clock p. m. 
 
 Thus life again begun with us. So constantly 
 was every soldier employed, that one day each week 
 was allowed for " wash day. "" Washing with us was 
 as much of a duty as fighting. Woe unto the un- 
 lucky sloven that appeared at Sunday morning in- 
 spection with dirty clothes, dirty hands, long hair 
 or untrimmed beard. Wash day with the Eighth 
 boys brought its amusements, as well as its vexations. 
 The latter grew less with us as we became thoroughly 
 initiated into the mysteries of washing, rinsing and 
 wringing, and some fastidious boys would worry over 
 an imperfect or badly washed shirt as much as their 
 mothers or sisters ever did over their soiled linen. 
 
 In the House of Representatives of the State of 
 Kentucky, March 2d, 1863, Messrs. Cleveland and 
 Burnham were appointed a committee on the part of 
 the House to receive from the Governor certain flags 
 of Kentucky troops. At the appointed hour the 
 Senate repaired to the House for the purpose indi- 
 cated in a former resolution. At noon Mr. Wick- 
 liff, Secretary of State, appeared with the storm- 
 tossed and war worn flags of the Fifteenth, Seven- 
 
152 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 teenth, Sixth, Ninth, Eighth and Twenty-first Regi- 
 ments of Kentucky volunteer infantry, together with 
 a message from the governor, giving a short history 
 of each flag. In that message, in referring to the 
 flags of the Eighth and Twenty-first, he said : 
 
 ''These mementoes, which I have the honor to 
 place at your disposal, were brought from Tennessee. 
 They are storm- tossed and leaden-tattered flags pre- 
 sented to me for preservation, along with other 
 mementoes of the terrible realities of the existing 
 convulsion. Under these riddled colors many 
 cherished sons of Kentucky have met death in this 
 cruel and unnatural war. We are pleased to have 
 been the bearer to this body of these flags, that were 
 borne amid the storm of battle by our gallant sons. 
 It will be observed that the colors of the Eighth 
 Regiment (Colonel Barnes) is almost completely de- 
 stroyed. It was upheld, amid showers of shot and 
 shell, by Edgar Park, Company C, until the missiles 
 of the foe had pierced again and again its every fold. 
 Finally, the staff was struck and shivered to pieces. 
 The enemy was crowding closely around the un- 
 daunted standard-bearer. The broken staff could 
 no longer be grasped, but he quickly gathered the 
 remnants of the flag and bore them rapidly to those 
 who so nobly defended it, with an intrepidity rarely 
 equaled and never surpassed. These standards, 
 around which cluster so many glorious memories, it 
 is hoped, will be placed in the archives of the State, 
 while others will be furnished to take their places in 
 ihe field.'' 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 The loth of April our encampment was aroused 
 by the report of rebel guerrillas capturing a train near 
 Lavergne, and robbing the passengers of money and 
 other valuables, our jolly musician, P. D. Schull, 
 being among the unfortunate victims. 
 
 As the weather grew warmer our battalion and 
 brigade evening drills became less enjoyable. All 
 the survivors will long remember the amount of toil 
 and sweat these knapsack drills cost them on that 
 old cotton field. On this same old field, the 13th, 
 the brigade formed. The men had all blacked their 
 shoes, and donned their best appearance, and the 
 officers were in dress parade outfit. We passed in 
 review of General VanCleve (" Grand-pap"), who 
 had just returned, with his wound healed. The 
 command then formed square by divisions, closed in 
 mass. Into the center rode Colonel Matthews, 
 seated on his noted yellow horse, and accompanied 
 by his staff. He made us his farewell address, 
 having been elected mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. He 
 had endeared himself to every regiment, and many 
 regretted his having to leave us, though the Eighth 
 boys felt some pride at Colonel Barnes taking his 
 place as commander of the brigade ; and as Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel May had been promoted to colonel 
 of the Seventh Kentucky, Major Broadhus thus took 
 command of the Eighth, but his failing health and 
 
154 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 emaciated looks convinced many of us th^ we would 
 soon lose him too. 
 
 The 2oth April our pleasant faced old paymaster 
 again paid us a visit and our allowance of green- 
 backs for January and February. The last company 
 had received pay by 9 o'clock, p. m., and many had 
 retired to bed, when we were ordered to march im- 
 mediately toward Lebanon. The enemy was reported 
 to be advancing. Our new rolls of greenbacks were 
 hastily left with a few convalescents, fearing the for- 
 tunes of war might place them in the hands of rebels, 
 who were anxious to get some of **you'ens money." 
 With a fresh supply of cartridges and rations, the 
 brigade hurried out past the pickets, who were now 
 on the qui vive. Our blood was up, and a cheerful 
 inclination for fight pervaded the ranks. This san- 
 guinary feeling increased when we came in hearing 
 of a clattering noise in advance of us, supposed to be 
 rebel cavalry on the hard stone road. We hurried 
 from column into line, and, with fixed bayonets, 
 awaited the expected charge of the mounted enemy. 
 A few cavalry videttes of ours returned and reported 
 to Colonel Barnes that the supposed enemy was 
 about a hundred negroes at a vacant house in front 
 of us holding a mammoth jubilee, and their vigorous 
 dancing was so spirited and executed with so much 
 vim that our pickets mistook the sound for advanc- 
 ing foes. Our men received this explanation with 
 loud cheers, and returned to camp, leaving the inno- 
 cent but noisy darkies enjoying themselves over their 
 newly-found freedom. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 55 
 
 April 27th, Major Broadhus resigned. The line 
 officers met and passed resolutions expressing their 
 high esteem for the major. His bravery and cheer- 
 ful company had made him the lasting friend of all 
 of the command, and general regret was felt at the 
 loss of his company. The next day the writer was 
 present when Lieutenant Carson presented the^ major 
 with a copy of the resolutions. He appeared much 
 affected, and expressed his thanks, through an officer, 
 to the regiment, saying his love for all and sorrow at 
 parting admonished him to avoid a public leave- 
 taking. Regret was depicted on every face as he 
 silently took each man by the hand to say farewell. 
 
 Again, the evening of the 8th of May, we were 
 made sad to part with another one of our good 
 officers. Lieutenant Colonel Reuben May, having re- 
 covered from his wound received at Stone River, had 
 returned to the regiment only for the purpose of 
 arranging a few small private affairs and bid us fare- 
 well, having been promoted to colonel of the Seventh 
 Kentucky Infantry, for gallant and meritorious con- 
 duct on the battlefield of Stone River. That even- 
 ing, at dress parade, he made us his farewell address. 
 I can give only an extract of his appropriate little 
 speech : " Boys, we have made many hard marches 
 together. We have met the enemy more than once, 
 and have always driven them. This regiment has 
 the name of being the bravest of the brave, and I 
 have been promoted for my gallantry and bravery, 
 but I do not deserve it. It is you boys who have 
 won for me that honor. I shall ever remember and 
 
156 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 honor every one of you." At the conchision of the 
 lieutenant colonel's remarks, Major Clark proposed 
 three cheers for Colonel May. They were given 
 with a will, but the writer noticed many of the men's 
 voices quivered with emotion. 
 
 The 1 2th May, Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew and 
 Major Clark were '' married " to their late commis- 
 sions, having recently been promoted. As custom 
 required, every officer, when promoted, was expected 
 to give his brother officers in the regiment a wedding 
 supper, and this double wedding, at Keneday's sut- 
 ler tent, will long be remembered by the survivors of 
 the old Eighth. 
 
 In our cheerfulness and banqueting over our 
 recently promoted officers, we did not forget our 
 fallen brave comrades, whose decaying bodies lay 
 within one mile of camp, in their rude bare graves. 
 On Sunday morning, the 17th of May, a squad of 
 officers and men, being provided with a picket pass, 
 and a well lettered cedar board for each one of the 
 dead of the Eighth (bearing the name, rank, com- 
 pany and regiment), and a spade, proceeded to that 
 part of the battlefield where, on the 2d of January, 
 1863, Breckenridge's half-drunken rebels fought our 
 brigade. After a long search among the thousands 
 of unmarked or indifferently marked graves, we found 
 the particular ones sought for. Placing the proper 
 boards well into the earth, the graves were refilled, 
 and a nice mound made over the once brave and 
 cheerful comrade. After paying this last tender 
 tribute to our dead, we took a walk over this mem- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 157 
 
 orable field and woodland, now converted into a vast 
 graveyard. We noticed in many trees not larger 
 than a man's body as many as sixty musket ball 
 holes, and great numbers of trees were shivered and 
 torn to splinters by solid shot. The tiny, delicate 
 flowers, springing fresh from this blood-enriched 
 soil, reminded us of how much, indeed, like the 
 flower or grass are we poor mortals — some, like the 
 aged man, grow to full maturity, and the hoar frosts 
 of winter cause them to wither and die; while 
 others, like those we plucked so fresh, reminded us 
 of our youthful, heroic dead comrades, cut off in the 
 full bloom and vigor of life, both by the index finger 
 of man's hand. The bad odor from many of the 
 shallow graves rendered our stay much shorter than 
 it would otherwise have been. 
 
 About this time Surgeon Morton was assigned to 
 our command. 
 
 The ist of May the officers of the Eighth or- 
 ganized themselves into a class for the study of 
 Casey's Tactics. One hour each day was spent in 
 ''school " recitations, but the various duties of the 
 officers seriously interfered with regular attendance. 
 In about three weeks our studies were, as before^ 
 principally confined to private study. 
 
 The 25th of May our men were much pleased at 
 being ordered to turn in the old Springfield muskets 
 and receive therefor the Enfield rifles, the arms they 
 had long been desiring. Two days later we thought 
 we would soon get to try their efficiency at flesh and 
 blood, as General Rosecrans issued an order for all 
 
iq8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the troops to hav€ five days' rations constantly on 
 hand, especially as " Captain" Bragg' s forces began 
 to show hostile demonstrations about Wartrace and 
 Hoover's Gap. 
 
 During our long stay here we had many reviews 
 and inspections by brigade inspectors, beside our 
 regular Sunday morning company inspection. The 
 third week in May we had no less than three of these, 
 as the boys called them, "troublesome parades," 
 where knapsacks were packed and repacked, the en- 
 tire contents of the soldiers' scant wardrobe, to the 
 smallest article, viewed and reviewed. Some of the 
 men, having overdrawn regulation value of clothing 
 the first year, now began to economize, and many 
 could not parade more than one well worn clean 
 shirt. After the regular Sunday inspection, the first 
 Sunday in May, Sergeant Wood presented himself at 
 my tent and inquired if there would be any issue of 
 clothing soon. He was asked why. "Well, Cap'n, 
 that old shirt of mine has been viewed so often lately, 
 and old Captain Wood looked so infernal contempt- 
 uous the other day when he asked me if that was all 
 the underwear I had, and you were good enough 
 not to say anything this morning, I want to get a 
 new shirt, just to please my namesake, as inspections 
 appear to be increasing. One fellow in Company A 
 got thunder from the division inspector, the other 
 day, just because he had only one pair of socks in his 
 knapsack. Set me down", captain, 'underwear.'" 
 About this time Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew ordered 
 that the man who could show the cleanest gun and 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 59 
 
 equipage at weekly inspection should have a free 
 pass for one week within the picket lines. There 
 was much interest manifested and much labor ex- 
 pended in polishing arms. At dress parade, the 
 13th, the adjutant read the lieutenant colonel's order, 
 " That Corporal Wm. Smith, Company D, be excused 
 from all duty and have a free pass for five days.'' 
 This increased the number of aspirants for the 
 brightest gun, and gave rise to an amusing incident 
 in Company H. " Dobin Spikes," noted for 
 spending the least time and labor on washing clothes 
 and rubbing his gun, now became equally interested 
 in the various materials used in polishing guns. At 
 supper he said: •* Gosh, boys, what does Conner 
 and Smith and these other fellers put on their guns 
 to keep 'em bright?" One of his comrades, with 
 much secresy, informed him that it was nothing else 
 but "bean juice." At the expense of his stomach, 
 '* Dobin" gave his musket a good coat, and, as the 
 inside was not the brightest, he also filled it up and 
 set it away for the night. Early next morning the 
 orderly notified " Dobin" to get ready for picket. 
 In his hurry about breakfast he gathered his gun, 
 hastily rubbed off the thick mixture of dissolved 
 beans, grease and salt, and forgot all about the con. 
 tents of the barrel, until in line, and the adjutant 
 gave the command, "Spring rammers !" '' Dobin," 
 in his great dilemma, exclaimed : " Good God ! 
 mine's full of bean soup!" ''Dobin Spikes" was 
 ordered to be put on extra duty for appearing at 
 guard mounting with his gun unserviceable, and 
 
l6o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 spent the greater part of the day extracting bean 
 soup from the rusty bore of his prize gun. 
 
 The ist day of June, First Lieutenant Gumm, 
 Company D, Lieutenant Ketchins, Company A^ 
 Lieutenant Smallwood, Company K, Lieutenant 
 Martin, Company I, and Lieutenant Wright, Com- 
 pany H, all received commissions as captains of 
 their respective companies, Captains Jamison, 
 Thomas, McDaniel and Winbourn having resigned, 
 and Captain Mayhew having been promoted to the 
 position of lieutenant colonel. The second lieuten- 
 ants and first sergeants of those companies also re- 
 ceived promotions at the same time, to fill vacancies 
 occasioned by these new captains. The marriage 
 supper at our sutler's on this occasion was a lively 
 and expensive, if not an extensive affair. The ma- 
 jority of the Twenty-first Kentucky officers were 
 present. 
 
 The i6th June, General VanCleve's division, in- 
 cluding the Eighth, formed into three sides of a 
 hollow square, and witnessed the execution of a de- 
 serter from the Ninth Kentucky, named Minx. It 
 was a sad and shocking scene, causing a soldier to 
 feel different from witnessing a true, brave comrade 
 falling in battle. This was the first, and, I am proud 
 to say, the last military execution we witnessed. 
 
 The i8th, the division was reviewed by General 
 Rosecrans. The same day Colonel Barnes put our 
 brigade through a two hours' knapsack drill — not a 
 pleasant recreation in hot weather^ at least that was 
 the general verdict of the Eighth boys. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l6l 
 
 The sentence of the court martial that tried 
 " Scabber" was read by Adjutant Park, on dress 
 parade, the i8th, which was, " To wear a ball and 
 chain in and about the camp of the Eighth Regiment 
 Kentucky Volunteer Infantry six months." The 
 command generally felt the shame and disgrace that 
 the good-natured, light-minded offender should have 
 felt, and when the smith fastened on John's "jew- 
 elry/' nearly every man sympathized to some degree 
 with him as being made an example of. 
 
 At last, by great diligence and energy, General 
 Rosecrans succeeded in bringing the Army of the 
 Cumberland up to its best possible condition. 
 
 On the 23d June, our commander ordered a gen- 
 eral forward movement of all the forces about Mur- 
 freesboro, except the Third (our) Division of Crit- 
 tenden's corps. The rebel army occupied a strong 
 position, extending from Shelbyville to Wartrace, 
 about parallel with Duck River, with their base of 
 supplies at TuUahoma. To follow up this victorious 
 army in its respective movements, which resulted in 
 forcing Bragg's army to flee to the south side of the 
 Tennessee River, would increase this volume to 
 greater size than contemplated ; therefore, we will 
 refer the reader to a general history of the war, and 
 follow up the movements of our particular regiment 
 and brigade. While our comrades in front were 
 marching through the rain and mud to dislodge the 
 enemy, our division struck tents and moved inside 
 the earthworks, trying to make ourselves as comfort- 
 able as the circumstances would permit, believing, as 
 
 11 
 
1 62 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 our division general was an old man, that we had 
 been left to garrison the place, and would probably 
 remain here a considerable time. We sympathized 
 with our comrades in front, whose guns we could 
 hear thundering away at the enemy. 
 
 On the 29th we were rejoiced to see 500 rebel 
 prisoners brought back, captured at Shelbyville, 
 where General Stanley's troops had rescued from 
 sentence of death our brave and daring female spy, 
 Miss Major Cushman. 
 
 The 30th day of June the Third Brigade, under 
 command of Colonel Barnes, received orders to 
 march immediately toward McMinnville, with no 
 baggage except shelter tents and blankets ; all tents 
 and officers' desks to be left in care of the convales- 
 cents of each regiment. At that time all the wagons 
 and teams were in constant use dragging supplies 
 through the mud and rain to the front. At 4 o'clock 
 p. m. we formed column and moved out on the 
 Woodbury Pike. The continued rains had made the 
 much used roads very muddy. A march of ten 
 miles brought us to Cripple Creek, where we bivou- 
 acked. 
 
 July ist was one of those still, clear, hot days, 
 that usually succeeds a heavy rain in that climate. 
 The power of the sun on the steaming earth and 
 vegetation caused many of. the boys to give out be- 
 fore noon. At that hour we arrived at Woodbury. 
 Our shelter tents were soon pitched near this rebel- 
 lious town, twenty miles from Murfreesboro. The 
 next morning the Eighth, with a small squad of cav- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 63 
 
 airy, made a scouting party, and went nine nriles to- 
 ward McMinnville, where Robert Breckinridge and 
 a force of rebel cavalry were reported to be. The 
 heat was oppressive, and quite a number of our men 
 "fagged out," really overpowered with heat. The 
 writer, being one of the number, will never forget 
 the kindness of Major Clark, who, always ready to 
 do an act of kindness to a comrade, placed me on his 
 horse, while he footed it back to town. Our cavalry 
 went quite near McMinnville, but found no sign of 
 the enemy. I was told by Surgeon Robison that I 
 had fever. He procured lodging for me in the house 
 of a Mr. Burger, the only Union man of the town. 
 His__ loyalty, and kindness to myself and Captain 
 Millard, of the Twenty-first Kentucky, probably 
 caused him the loss of his house and contents. We 
 will give the reader this one incident of hundreds of 
 similar cases of rebel hate and revenge. On enter- 
 ing the commodious dwelling, my feebleness caused 
 an immediate introduction to a good bed — the first 
 feathers I had reclined my weary limbs on for many 
 •months. I soon discovered that I had fallen into 
 the hands of real Samaritans. Captain Millard and 
 a few other sick occupied other rooms. There were 
 also about twenty Union refugees, women and men, 
 returning to their homes, yet inside the enemy's 
 lines. The next day all our division arrived, bring- 
 ing the good news of " Rosey's" recent victory over 
 Bragg at Tullahoma. Mr. Burger's two daughters 
 and some of the refugees gave vent to their joy by 
 indulging in a few patriotic songs. Soon after one 
 
1 64 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of the daughters of Burger came to my bed with a 
 tempting morsel of supper for me. I asked : ''Do 
 many of your citizens rejoice with you over Union 
 victories?" ''No, indeed, captain; I greatly fear 
 for papa when you all leave. I have seen some of 
 them paying close attention to our house. They are 
 indignant at us for sheltering you and those good 
 Union people.'' About 8 o'clock everything be- 
 came quiet except rhe heavy breathing of some 
 weary sleeping refugees, and at last the extra dose of 
 morphia caused me to drop into a troubled sleep. 
 At length I awoke with a smothering, choking sen- 
 sation. When first I struggled to consciousness 
 smoke and flames were -bursting into my room. I 
 cried ''fire !" as loud as my weakness permitted, and 
 rolled out on to the floor, and gathered my clothing, 
 haversack, sword and pistol from the chair into 
 my arms. Unable to stand, I lay yelling "fire!" 
 and kicking a snoring refugee, who suddenly 
 sprang up, with half a dozen others. One 
 heavy fellow rushing around the room in the blind- 
 ing, hot smoke, hunting for the door, jumped 
 on my chest, and I lost all consciousness un- 
 til I felt myself being dragged through the dewy 
 dog fennel in the yard. Some one had burst open 
 the door just in time to save me from the horrid 
 flames. All the inmates were in the yard, most of 
 them destitute of raiment, except that in which they 
 slept. I still had my effects (except my watch, 
 which was lost,) clutched in my arms. The fine 
 house and its valuable contents were entirely con- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l6c 
 
 sumed, and from where the fire originated, it un- 
 doubtedly was a base act of incendiarism. Surgeon 
 Robison and a soldier of the Eighth assisted me to a 
 place near called ''The Hotel," where I lay until 
 daylight, a prey to the hungry bedbugs. As the am- 
 bulance, which contained myself and another sick 
 man, drove out of town the next morning after our 
 command, we passed an old smith shop, where Mr. 
 Burger's family had taken refuge. I paid my bill 
 and called for Miss Melissa, who had waited on me> 
 and gave her ten dollars, and we left this sad, good 
 man, almost penniless, but, as he said, yet loyal. 
 
 The division marched to within six miles of Mc- 
 Minnville, where the whole command arrived next 
 day, the 7th of July, and formed an encampment 
 half a mile east of town. While erecting shelter 
 tents, a heavy rain was pouring down, I was fortu- 
 nate enough to get quartered with a citizen of the 
 town, where I remained ten days. 
 
 On our arrival at McMinnville the resident union- 
 ists appeared to be overjoyed at their deliverance from 
 the ''tender mercies" of John Morgan and his 
 band, and to again see their friends return from their 
 exile of eleven months. 
 
 The loth of July we received the welcome news of 
 the surrender of Vicksburg. About this time we 
 had favorable reports from the Army of the Potomac. 
 Our artillery was used freely in our rejoicings at the 
 prospect of soon subduing the rebellion. Bright 
 were many of our anticipations of an early return 
 home to friends. But we knew not the manv hard 
 
1 66 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 marches and bloody battles, death and starvation, 
 that awaited many of us before final victory should 
 crown our labors. 
 
 The 14th our wagon train arrived from Murfrees- 
 boro containing our regimental baggage. 
 
 The 1 8th the Eighth moved a few hundred yards, 
 and were soon dwelling in a nicely shaded and dec- 
 orated encampment, which was kept scrupulously 
 clean during our stay here. Nearly every day heavy 
 details from some brigade was sent out foraging, and 
 the men usually returned with something "fresh" 
 for their messmates. 
 
 The 1 8th I had recovered and reported for duty, 
 and the next day took command of a foraging party 
 of one hundred men and twenty wagons. I knew of 
 a rich old rebel, living seven miles from camp, and, 
 arriving there, we found a large field of oats ready 
 for the sickle. The men went to work with a dozen 
 old mowing scythes and traps of cradles, borrowed 
 from farms along our road. It was cloudless and 
 hot, but the thermometer did not stand as near the 
 boiling point as did Mr. Snipe's temper, while his 
 oaths and threats were treated as idle vaporings by 
 his unbidden harvest hands. He received his 
 voucher without comment, and, as the loaded wagons 
 filed out into the road, the high-toned, indignant 
 landlord discovered about a score of his chickens 
 departing with the train. We left him trying to ex- 
 haust his vocabulary of denunciations against 
 Yankees in general, and us in particular. 
 
 The 29th Major Johnston paid the regiment four 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 67 
 
 months' pay, and the 30th Orderly F. P. Wood left 
 for Kentucky on furlough, carrying a considerable 
 sum of money for the soldiers' wives and families 
 living in Madison and Estill Counties. 
 
 The Eighth Regiment went on a foraging expedi- 
 tion the 4th of August. Two men failed to answer 
 at roll call. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew ordered 
 them tied up by the thumbs. On our return to camp 
 the order was obeyed, but with a strong protest from 
 Captain Benton, in whose company the men be- 
 longed. Again, the 6th, a part of the regiment, on 
 returning from a scout, when near town private Bur- 
 gess, of Company H, in his persevering efforts to 
 capture a fat hen, on which he had set his eyes and 
 heart, failed to overtake the command before our ar- 
 rival in camp, as he had promised me he would. 
 Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew remained seated on his 
 horse until the completion of roll call. When Bur- 
 gess failed to answer. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew 
 said, " Captain Wright, I want you to tie that man 
 up by the thumbs two hours, in the morning.'' I 
 made no reply. After guard mounting, the follow- 
 ing morning, the lieutenant colonel sent Adjutant 
 Park with a message to me, requesting an interview 
 at headquarters. I need not recite here, only that 
 I politely, but firmly, refused to tie up Burgess, op- 
 posing the mode of punishment, especially for trivial 
 offenses, and that it was not through any disrespect 
 for the lieutenant colonel, or his authority, that I 
 refused to comply with the order. A few high words 
 followed, but Burgess only went on extra duty. The 
 
I 68 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 conversation between myself and the colonel was 
 without auditors, save a negro cock, who started the 
 report of our high words, which ran through camp 
 like fire in dry stubble. That evening, after dis- 
 missal from dress parade, the boys of Company H 
 caught me up and carried me to my quarters on the 
 shoulders of several stout men, meanwhile cheering 
 lustily. Orders from division headquarters were 
 strict respecting the neat and soldierly appearance of 
 pickets, guns bright, clothing brushed, and shoes 
 blacked. In order to carry out this red-tape order, 
 company commanders purchased blacking. But 
 some of the boys found it difficult work to transform 
 their worn and rusty shoes into anything like re- 
 spectable coverings for the feet. W. Townsend, an 
 excellent soldier, but somewhat eccentric, threw 
 aside his badly worn shoes, and, as a burlesque on 
 the order, took his place with the regular detail, his 
 bare feet nicely blacked and polished to his con- 
 trasting white ankles, a roll or two in the bottom of 
 his pantaloons making the contrast more conspicuous. 
 Many of the men in line smiled, but Bill went 
 through the ceremonies of inspection without any 
 facial or other signs of knowledge of his clownish 
 appearance. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew, who ap- 
 peared to know of no other mode of punish- 
 ment, promptly had Townsend tied up by the thumbs 
 with a guard to stand by him until his time expired. 
 Captain Martin, passing by, saw the guard reach into 
 Bill's pocket, take out his tobacco, and hold it to 
 Townsend's mouth for him to get a chew. The 
 
/ 
 
 EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 69 
 
 captain then walked up, took out his knife, and cut 
 the cord, and that was the last man of the Eighth 
 that was ever tied up. This cruel and unauthorized 
 mode of enforcing discipline would have been a 
 dangerous undertaking in the command after that. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 General Rosecrans, having his mind and heart set 
 on Chattanooga, had by the loth of August, 1863, 
 repaired the Nashville Railroad as far as Stevenson, 
 Alabama. Bragg was well known to be fortifying 
 the " Gate City " of the South, whither he had re- 
 treated. Everything being in readiness for another 
 general advance of the Army of the Cumberland, 
 we received orders the 15th of August to march over 
 the Cumberland Mountains. Accordingly, the Six- 
 teenth (.VanCleve's) Division broke up camp and 
 took the Hill's Creek Gap road to Pikeville. 
 
 Before proceeding to give the details of our march 
 over this rough country, a few words of explanation 
 concerning the topography of this part of Tennessee 
 will better enable the reader to understand our sub- 
 sequent movements. The Cumberland Mountains 
 consist of two ridges, divided for more than sixty 
 miles by the narrow, fertile valley of Sequatchie. 
 The high ridge east of the valley is called Walden's 
 Ridge. This butts off agai-nst the Tennessee River, 
 opposite a continuation of the same on the south 
 side of the river, known as the Sand Mountains, 
 which also abutt with towering cliffs on the south 
 side of the river, leaving no space for a road, except 
 by cutting a space into the sides of the bluff. Along 
 the N. & C. R. R. has been made a rough wagon 
 road, called the "Narrows." The Cumberland 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 17I 
 
 Mountains proper slope from this narrow valley 
 westward in broken bluffs for over forty miles, toward 
 Middle Tennessee. Over these we were about to 
 march. 
 
 The First and Second Brigades of VanCleve's 
 Division (the Second under Colonel Barnes), passed 
 through McMinnville, at noon, in the midst of a 
 fierce rain storm. We only marched six miles and 
 bivouacked at Harrison's Ford, of Collins' River. 
 After wading the much swollen stream, by some 
 error of the commissary all the commissioned offi- 
 cers were without a supply of provisions, taking all 
 on hand to supply the soldiers for three days. Of 
 course, the only alternative was to borrow at a 
 usurious interest. 
 
 Early the 17th, we began the weary task of ascend- 
 ing the mountain, and was until noon in getting up 
 the ammunition wagons, leaving the rear regiments 
 to assist the artillerymen. We proceeded east, over a 
 desperately rough road, twelve miles, to a small 
 mountain stream, called Rock River, and bivouacked 
 in a dense wood. Before dark, no less than six 
 large rattlesnakes were killed by our regiment alone, 
 and several by the Thirty-fifth Indiana and Twenty- 
 first Kentucky. The fear of these poisonous reptiles 
 caused our rest on the bare earth anything but pleas- 
 ant. The men called this place Camp Snake. 
 
 After a hearty breakfast of crackers and coffee, 
 with the luxury of a few potatoes, Captains Wilson, 
 Wright and Dixon were appointed by Lieutenant 
 Colonel Mayhew to search and overhaul the contents 
 
172 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 of our regimental wagons, and throw out all unau- 
 thorized baggage. To the great merriment of the 
 men, the of^cers only found and threw out an old 
 trunk, the property of one Hall, the wagoner whose 
 complaints of overloading had caused the search to 
 be made. 
 
 The i8th we marched to within six miles of the 
 valley. We saw but few signs of civilization, the 
 few houses that we passed being miserable looking 
 cabins. The officers were worse off than the men 
 for rations, but we managed to eke out enough for 
 supper, with promise of some beef for breakfast. 
 
 About lo o'clock the encampment had become 
 comparatively quiet, men and officers lying asleep on 
 the leafy ground, promiscuously. The drove of 
 beeves the division quartermaster had brought over 
 the mountain, from some cause, took fright, and 
 broke from the corral and came crashing and tearing 
 through the brush like a tornado, passing through the 
 left of our regiment, frightening some of the slum- 
 bering soldiers so much, that many of them climbed 
 saplings with the agility of squirrels. 
 
 At 9 o'clock, the 19th, we arrived at the precipi- 
 tous descent to this beautiful, picturesque valley, 
 which lay several thousand feet below us. We de- 
 scended the road, or rather an irregular stone stair- 
 way, to the valley, then six miles up northward. We 
 entered the ancient looking, mountain walled town of 
 Pikeville, the inhabitants of which did not appear 
 to be as proud to see us, as we had expected of Ten- 
 nesseeans. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 73 
 
 The following day was excessively hot, still many 
 of the houses in this old, rusty looking town were 
 closed, an evidence that the inmates were not over- 
 joyed to see this first edition of Yankees. But 
 the excessive heat, combined with female curiosity, 
 overcame some of the inhabitants, and fair faces and 
 well arranged toilets appeared at the front windows. 
 At one sat the pretty Miss K, with rebellious heart 
 and scorning black eyes, contemptuously cast at 
 everything blue. Sergeant Hockersmith, of the 
 Twenty-first, had a fancy for a well cooked mess of 
 beef brains that amounted to 'almost a weakness, and 
 was returning from the slaughter yard with his two 
 brawny hands together, full of bloody brains. In 
 passing the window the sergeant involuntarily turned 
 his head to take a glance at so much beauty, beam- 
 ing with wrath. With the quickness and spiteful- 
 ness of a cat, she spit in the sergeant's face. A sud- 
 den movement, the brains were poised on the broad 
 right palm, and sent flying through the open window 
 at the young lady's face. Fortunately for her care- 
 fully arranged toilet, she had the discretion and 
 activity to dodge the soft missile, v/hich scattered 
 over the nice carpet on to the opposite wall. The 
 now furious sergeant strode on toward headquarters. 
 Just then, an old, fat negro woman, in the brain be- 
 spattered room, exclaimed: '' Dar, I'se tole Miss 
 Sally she'd bring deaf an' destruction to dis here 
 family yet." A short time after, a guard, accom- 
 panied by an officer, called on Miss Sally, and in- 
 formed her that General V requested her pres- 
 
174 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ence at headquarters forthwith. The now frightened 
 lady remonstrated with tears, but the captain of the 
 guard gallanted her to the general's tent, followed 
 by the old, fat darkey, who said : " I's gwine ter see 
 what the great boss '1 do wid de chile." The gen- 
 eral told her she was about as dangerous to the boys 
 as a shell with a short fuse, and for safety to all 
 parties, she had best go to her friends, outside the 
 the pickets. 
 
 We remained at Pikeville until the ist day of Sep- 
 tember, subsisting principally on green corn, sweet 
 potatoes, and various other products, collected from 
 the hitherto unmolested rich farms along the valley. 
 Foraging parties were sent out daily from division 
 headquarters, under command of commissioned offi- 
 cers, and our rudely-constructed tables were bur- 
 dened with the good things of this favored region. 
 In a few days after our arrival, the loyal East Ten- 
 nesseeans began to come into our camp from their 
 caves, dens, and hiding places in the mountains 
 lying east and north of Sequatchie. The account 
 some of these brave men gave of their hardships and 
 hairbreadth escapes, told in their earnest, quaint 
 manner, was indeed heroic and romantic. Some oi 
 them had dwelt principally since the summer of 
 1 86 1 exiles from their homes and families. The 
 most of them wore a haggard and careworn look, 
 but the.sight of the dear, old flag caused some to shed 
 tears of joy. Among the latter was an old gray- 
 haired Methodist preacher named Burkett. When 
 he arrived in camp he was quite an object of pity. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 75 
 
 He and the poor frame of a mule he rode were al- 
 most in a famishing condition. Lieutenant Colonel 
 Mayhew recognized him as an old acquaintance, and 
 made him a welcome guest i^the Eighth. He 
 proved to be a man of consid^ble talent and a 
 pulpit orator equaled by few. He had been an in- 
 timate friend and co-worker of Parson Brownlow. 
 We had him preach for us the night after his arrival, 
 and there are few of the survivors of the Eighth but 
 will remember the ragged old man's first sermon. 
 His zeal for- his Divine Master's cause was warm and 
 earnest, but could not excel his patriotic enthusiasm 
 for our bleeding country. By the time his sermon 
 came to a close every man in the audience was a 
 warm friend of old Brother Burkett, and a sum of 
 money was immediately collected to buy him a suit 
 of clothes. In a few days Colonel Price, of the 
 Twenty-first Kentucky, had him commissioned chap- 
 lain of that regiment. Our newly appointed chap- 
 lain, Kindred, about this time arrived from Ken- 
 tucky, and he and Father Burkett united their efforts 
 for the promotion of the cause of religion in the 
 brigade, and I am proud to record the fact that the 
 able and untiring efforts of these good men did not 
 prove fruitless. 
 
 General Rosecrans was completing his plans and 
 movements for an advance on Chattanooga, the gate 
 city of the Southern Confederacy. On the 21st 
 August Colonels Wilder and Wagoner's cavalry 
 brigades, with some of Wood's division of infantry, 
 crossed over Walden's Ridge, via Poe's Tavern, op- 
 
176 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 posite Thurman, and about the last of August shelled 
 the city, to the great consternation of the inhabi- 
 tants, as well as the rebels in arms, who made but 
 slight resistance. ^The movement had the desired 
 effect, i. e., to caiK the enemy to leave some points 
 below the city unguarded. 
 
 On the ist of September we received orders, and 
 marched down this peculiar valley, which is from 
 two to four miles wide, and near sixty in length 
 from north to south, fenced in by an almost impene- 
 trable wall of mountains on either side. The dust 
 was several inches deep, and the unclouded sun shone 
 into this furnace-like valley with a fiery fierceness that 
 caused our feet to blister, and the bugle call to halt 
 for night was never before more welcome. Thus, for 
 three days, we bore the heat and dust, and at last 
 came in sight of Jasper, the county seat of Marion 
 County, Tennessee. I was much amused at one of 
 the Eighth boys, on coming in view of this irregular 
 and rusty-looking town, saying, " I wonder if the 
 town ain't yonder, among them old houses?" Our 
 division camped here, and on the morning of the 
 4th a detail of one company from each regiment of 
 our brigade was ordered to guard a large supply 
 train, via Bridgeport, Alabama, to cross the Tennes- 
 see at that point. Company H, of the Eighth, in 
 command of the author, composed part of this guard. 
 While the men were preparing their breakfast, I told 
 Scarbro to follow me, and proceeded to the brigade 
 smith, who, with two hammers and cold chisel, fol- 
 lowed the wondering Scarbro and myself to a deep 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 77 
 
 ravine near camp, where the rivet in John's "jew- 
 elry" was quickly severed, and the dishonorable and 
 galling irons were, by my order, cast into the weeds. 
 I told the two men not to say anything about what 
 became of the ball and chain. During the day 
 many asked John where he kept his *' jewelry." He 
 invariably replied, "I lost it, and ain't a going back 
 to hunt fur it." The subsequent good behavior of 
 Scarbro and courage displayed in action by him at 
 Chickamauga probably saved me from a court 
 martial. 
 
 On the morning of the 5th the long train crossed 
 the swaymg pontoon bridge at Bridgeport, Alabama, 
 which had taken the place of the magnificent struc- 
 ture recently burned by the rebels. Company H's 
 rations were about out, but circumstances favored 
 these ever watchful boys of the Eighth, who discov- 
 ered two of the bridge guards stealing each a side of 
 bacon from one of the wagons while crossing the 
 river. On reaching the southern shore they in- 
 formed Captain Wright of the theft. That officer, 
 who generally had an eye to the creature comforts of 
 himself and men, returned with a squad of men, and 
 soon had the coveted " ned" brought to light from 
 one of the boats, and as the wao:ons were trundlino- 
 ahead, I divided the bacon for more convenient 
 transportation. 
 
 We had expected to join the division at Shell 
 
 Mound, but on our arrival there, near sunset the 5th, 
 
 we learned that the command had moved on. Early 
 
 the next morning, Major Hoskins, commanding the 
 
 12 
 
178 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 guards, had the train in motion, but owing to the bad 
 condition of the road up the river, around the foot of 
 Sand Mountain (known as the '* Narrows"), where 
 many a stubborn and heroic army mule gave his life 
 a sacrifice to our bleeding country, we did not come 
 up with the main force until 10 o'clock, p. m., en- 
 camped in the mountains, eight miles from Trenton, 
 Georgia, the county seat of Dallas County. 
 
 This country is very rough and mountainous. Old 
 Carmoody, of Company H, ''our Irishman," re- 
 marked, on the following morning, " Be jabbers, an' 
 they hev so much counthry down here they jist hev 
 to stack it up." What few of the inhabitants of this 
 country we chanced to see were apparently ignorant 
 and poor. 
 
 On the 8th we marched about four miles, over into 
 Lookout Valley, and halted for further orders. Here 
 four rebel deserters came to us and reported that 
 General Bragg was about to evacuate Cliattanooga, 
 which proved to be a true report. 
 
 Quite early on the following morning we were 
 marching on to Chattanooga, each soldier carrying 
 sixty rounds of ammunition, feeling confident of en- 
 gaging the enemy before night. At 9 o'clock we 
 met a courier, with a dispatch stating that the enemy 
 had evacuated. We soon struck the Trenton & 
 Chattanooga Railroad, and with buoyant spirits 
 pushed on down the railroad track and over the base 
 of towering Lookout Mountain, from whence we 
 could look down on the almost deserted little city, 
 for many of the citizens had fled south at the approach 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 79 
 
 of the "hateful Yankees." We passed on south of 
 the city a few miles, and bivouacked at dark, near a 
 few old houses the people called Rossville, having 
 marched seventeen miles over very rugged roads. 
 Weary and footsore, we lay down on the bosom of 
 mother earth, with strong hopes of soon striking a 
 death blow to the rebellion. 
 
 On the loth, the division marched on the road to- 
 ward Ringgold, the county town of Catoosa County, 
 Georgia. Late in the afternoon our advance regi- 
 ments ran into the enemy's pickets. After a short 
 skirmish the enemy retired, and we again bivouacked 
 for the night, with a strong guard thrown out, front 
 and flank. 
 
 Early the nth, our brigade, under command of 
 Colonel Barnes, was put in advance. After passing 
 the outer picket, Colonel Barnes ordered Companies 
 A, B and F, of the Eighth, and three companies of 
 the Fifty-first Ohio, forward as skirmishers, with the 
 remainder of those two regiments forming line of 
 battle on each side of the road, which ran through 
 hills and hollows, heavily timbered, and covered 
 with dense brush and undergrowth. The other three 
 regiments composed the second line of battle. After 
 advancing two miles, our skirmishers encountered 
 the enemy's pickets, and commenced a brisk fire, 
 the rebels gradually retiring. Notwithstanding the 
 uneven country and dense brush, we maintained a 
 good line, keeping close behind our skirmishers, 
 who kept up a rattling fire on the retreating rebels, 
 until they crossed East Chickamauga River, within 
 
l8o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 three-fourths of a mile of Ringgold. They took a 
 position on the east hill, which rises abrupt from the 
 water's edge. The river, though a narrow stream, 
 was in some places over six feet deep, and that, too, 
 in good pistol range of the enemy's line on the hill 
 above. Colonel Barnes said : " Boys, it's pretty 
 steep, but we must make those scoundrels ' git.* By 
 the right of companies, forward, march !" With a 
 loud hurrah we plunged into the cold stream, regard- 
 less of wetting our few greenbacks, only endeavoring 
 to keep our powder dry. The bullets pattered the 
 water somewhat after the fashion at Stone River. 
 We scrambled up the rocky hill under a shower of 
 bullets, but, fortunately for us, the enemy's aim was 
 generally too high in their first volley, and before 
 they could reload our line was within a few yards of 
 them, and they fled down the other side of the hill 
 into Ringgold. Our few pieces of artillery were 
 brought forward and shelled the town, while our line 
 of battle continued to advance on quick time. On 
 arriving in the suburbs, our progress was obstructed 
 by light, paling fences. As each company neared one 
 of these gardens or yards, a shout and simultaneous 
 rush against these fences laid them as flat as if swept 
 by a tornado. The terrified inhabitants were fleeing 
 in every direction for safety from our noisy boys, 
 who continued to fire at the armed rebels, whose 
 flight through the streets was hastened by Colonel 
 Wilder' s mounted infantry, who came charging and 
 yelling down the Knoxville road, trying to cut off" 
 their retreat. But we had pressed them too fast, and 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l8l 
 
 all but a few wounded and prisoners escaped, leaving 
 us in possession of the town. 
 
 Our siKiden and noisy entrance into this little 
 aristocratic town spread great fear and consternation 
 among the women, children and negroes, the prin- 
 cipal inhabitants, as the chivalric gentlemen were in 
 arms against their country. The former, who had 
 never before seen any '' V^ankee vandals," had heard 
 many horrible stories of our wanton cruelty, and no 
 doubt now thought their time had come. An in- 
 stance, witnessed by the writer, will give the reader 
 some idea of many like scenes. 
 
 As Company H had just flattened out a paling 
 fence, and passing in line through a nice yard, in 
 which was a stately brick dwelling, over which our 
 screeching shells were passing, a terrified woman, 
 with five or six children, black and white, holding 
 to her skirts, rushed out into the yard, in front of 
 the advancing line, with her hands thrown up, im- 
 ploringly addressed me thus : ''Oh, what shall I do, 
 sir ! " I was about giving the command, "guide 
 right," and added immediately, for answer to the 
 woman, '' into the cellar, I say." She replied: 
 " Oh, but what will I do when you burn my house." 
 I then added in a loud, imperative voice, and, point- 
 ing to the open cellar door with my drawn sword, 
 " into the cellar, quick." The terrified woman and 
 screaming little ones suddenly disappeared under 
 ground, undoubtedly expecting soon to be roasted by 
 the burning of her home. 
 
 We followed the retreating rebels, pursued by 
 
1 82 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Wilder, about three miles up the east fork of the 
 Chickamauga, near Tunnel Hill, and bivouacked for 
 the night. Before morning we learned that we were 
 in close proximity to a large force of the enemy. 
 We only had one man wounded. Wilder lost three 
 killed. The enem} left several wounded in Ring- 
 gold. We subsisted that night on green corn and 
 potatoes. 
 
 The 1 2th of September our division marched back 
 to Lee & Gordon's Mills, on the west fork of the 
 Chickamauga River. Our brigade was late at night 
 in reaching camp, having to march in rear of a train 
 and some beef cattle, we had captured from the 
 enemy. 
 
 September 13th the sound of the bugle cut short 
 our pleasant dreams. Shaking the cold dew from 
 our gum blankets, we formed line of battle for one 
 hour. Our advance had driven the enemy from this 
 point the nth, and from the wrecked appearance of 
 the scattered rebel pay rolls, old trunks, officers' 
 desks, etc., strewn over the ground, the Johnnies 
 must have left suddenly while we were partaking of a 
 breakfast prepared from the remnants of our previ- 
 ous day's allowance. 
 
 General T. Wood's division, on the opposite side 
 of the river, was attacked by a rebel division. We 
 hastily formed, and double-quicked over to his sup- 
 port. From the rattle of small arms the battle was 
 hot, but was of short duration. Before we arrived 
 Wood's men had run them off, but a rebel battery 
 paid us a few compliments in the shape of some shell, 
 
EIGH'IH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 83 
 
 that came uncomfortably near some of us. At 2 
 o'clock p. m. we re-crossed the river and rejoined 
 the balance of Crittenden's Corps, occupying the 
 same ground as we did the previous night. 
 
 September 14th. Reveille at 4 o'clock a. m., and 
 orders to march at daylight. As usual, on such oc- 
 casions, we had a hurried breakfast. Many were 
 the different opinions expressed as to where and 
 which way we would move next. It was generally 
 known to our men that General Bragg was receiving 
 large reinforcements from Richmond and Jo John- 
 ston's army at Atlanta, and the boys said: ''If we 
 are to cross the river on the east side, there' 1 be 
 some unpleasantness, sure." But at 8 o'clock the 
 various arguments on that subject were unceremoni- 
 ously cut short by General Crittenden marching us, 
 with all the Twenty- first Corps, out on the road 
 toward Chattanooga. After proceeding about five 
 miles we halted in column, and remained there until 
 dark. The men were allowed to sit or lie down, and 
 those who mere fortunate enough to have any 
 ''grub " cooked got away with it. 
 
 When darkness began to spread over our wooded 
 retreat we resumed the march, and moved to within 
 one mile of Lookout Mountain, and bivouacked on 
 a small hill in McLamore's Cove. This move was 
 to form a closer connection with General Thomas, 
 and await the tardy movements of McCook's Corps, 
 having been sent around by Valley Head to cross 
 Lookout Mountain at Stephen's Gap, and join the 
 main army here. 
 
184 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The most of the Eighth lay down under their gum 
 blankets to sleep without supper,- and some were 
 too hungry to sleep, but never too tired to grumble 
 when their haversacks and stomachs were both empty. 
 The writer lay for hours listening to the humorous 
 discussions of the men on the wisdom or foolishness 
 of this mysterious move. We at last slept, leaving 
 the red signal lights still bobbing away on Lookout. 
 
 The ''everlasting bugle," as the boys called it, 
 awoke us at 4 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th. 
 Soon the effects of so much promiscuous firing 
 around the picket line began to come into camp in 
 the shape of skinned hog, sheep, and occasionally a 
 quarter of beef would come wagging in between 
 two soldiers. It was a sweet and savory odor, 
 eminating from hundreds of broiling steaks and fry- 
 ing mutton, whetting our already keen appetites. 
 Soon full stomachs and cheerful faces took the place 
 of sad, hungry men. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 At 8 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th, the 
 bugles sounded the assembly, and put a stop to our 
 cooking and feasting, and at 9 o'clock the Twenty- 
 first Corps was marching on the road to the noted 
 Crawfish Spring, where we halted for one hour and 
 filled our canteens from the fountain that forms the 
 head of West Chickamauga River. Three miles 
 further south we bivouacked near Owens' Mill, on 
 East Chickamauga. Companies H and I were de- 
 tailed from the Eighth for picket. We knew the 
 enemy to be near our front, and great vigilance was 
 therefore necessary, no fire or light being allowed at 
 the reserve. But the night passed very quietly, ex- 
 cept one alarm, caused by Gabbard, Company I» 
 who fired at and badly crippled a cow that he had 
 supposed to be a mounted rebel. 
 
 We remained here for three days, expecting an at- 
 tack. The night of the i6th a reconnoitering party 
 from the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky of six- 
 teen men and two officers (Captains Wilson and 
 Savage), crossed the river and silently crept through 
 brush and thickets until they came near the enemy's 
 cavalry videttes, two of them standing together. 
 Captain Wilson, of the Eighth, heard them convers- 
 ng, and crept near enough to hear them debating 
 the probability of General Bragg and Longstreet's 
 combined forces being able to utterly annihilate the 
 
1 86 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Union army under Rosecrans, in case they suc- 
 ceeded in cutting us off from Chattanooga. 
 
 The 17th, about noon, there was some firing be- 
 tween the enemy and Palmer's division, on our right. 
 The morning of the iSth, two men of the Eighth, 
 privates M. King and A. Logsdon, passed the pickets 
 to go to Owens' Mill, to exchange some confederate 
 scrip for some of the old fellow's black flour. When 
 nearing the stream King discovered a rebel picket 
 perched on the fence near the mill house. King 
 stepped behind a tree and instantly fired, killing the 
 Johnny. This was like stirring up a hornet's nest. 
 The rebel skirmishers immediately commenced ad- 
 vancing, and opened on our line of pickets. In a 
 few minutes a rebel battery from a hill near the mill 
 opened on our camp. Artillery was hurried into 
 position. Our pickets were reinforced and held 
 them in check, but their shells played havoc with 
 our coffee-pots, frying-pans, and a nice lot of beef 
 the boys were jerking, as slowly drying it in strips was 
 called by our negro cooks. One of the negro cooks 
 snatched his coffee-pot from the fire and fled at the 
 first shell. We hastily formed and took a position 
 behind a slight eminence just in the rear of our 
 bivouack fires. The pickets kept up a lively skirmish 
 for several hours, the artillery from both sides throw- 
 ing shells lively, theirs principally passing harm- 
 lessly over our line. At 5 p. m. we were relieved by 
 Palmer's troops, and marched to Lee & Gordon^s 
 Mills, arriving there near 10 o'clock. Lieutenants 
 Williams and Lewis and myself were debating ways 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 87 
 
 and means for supper, as Bristo and Simp, with all 
 the other colored cooks, had decamped, leaving us 
 without supplies, when the white teeth and ebony 
 countenance of Bristo appeared at our fire, still car- 
 rying his rescued coffee-boiler and contents that had 
 been intended for our dinner. Lieutenant Lewis, in 
 his joy at this lucky turn of affairs, said, '' 'Bris,' if 
 this war ever ends, you shall have a pension for 
 heroic conduct." Bristo replied: " Mars lieuten- 
 ant, I's mighty feared dis nigger '11 end afoh de wah, 
 ef I has ter stan' annuder sich a day." 
 
 It was now evident to all that a great battle was 
 inevitable, and we rolled ourselves up in our gunx 
 blankets for a few hours' sleep, not knowing how 
 many of our little regiment would sleep the sleep 
 that knows no waking before the shades of another 
 day closed around us. Hoping to be among those 
 that would soon see the rebellion subdued into a 
 lasting peace, that should be equally a blessing to 
 North and South for many generations to come, we 
 slept (after committing ourselves and our cause to 
 Him who rules the destiny of nations) as sound as if 
 no battle was pending or no danger near. 
 
 BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA. 
 
 The battle commenced about 8 o'clock, a. m., of 
 the 19th, on the extreme left wing of our line. Gen- 
 eral Brannan's division of Thomas' corps, being sta- 
 tioned on the Lafayette road leading to Chattanooga, 
 was first attacked, the firing rapidly increasing, and 
 from that time until sunset was that continuous roar 
 of firearms that speaketh death. 
 
1 88 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 In order that the reader may have a better under- 
 standing of the position of the Eighth Kentucky, I 
 will state the order of our line of battle. Next on 
 the right of Brannan's division was Bird's division 
 of the same corps ; next was General Johnson's 
 division of McCook's corps, and on the right of 
 Johnson's was Palmer's division of Crittenden's 
 corps, and next ours (VanCleve's division), and on 
 our right Reynolds' division of Thomas' corps, which 
 covered the ford at the mills of Lee & Gordon, with 
 Wilder's cavalry guarding the extreme right wing. 
 Our brigade, commanded by Colonel Barnes, was 
 formed in column closed in mass. The colonel 
 made us a short but thrilling speech, which I would 
 reproduce here had I not lost my memoranda. 
 
 Our brigade was held in reserve near the river, be- 
 low the mills, until near 2 o'clock, p. m. The 
 superior numbers of the enemy enabled them to 
 overlap with heavy force each division of ours as 
 they attacked them in succession, and by noon the 
 enemy had gained some advantage. Our right and 
 center were being hard pressed. At i o'clock, p. m., 
 they attacked Palmer's troops, and also overlapped 
 them. Our division (VanCleve's) was then ordered 
 in. Immediately in our front and between our lines 
 and the enemy lay several hundred yards of dense 
 undergrowth. We moved through this brush by the 
 right of companies, then into line through a small 
 cornfield to the edge of the heavy timber in which 
 the enemy was posted. While crossing the field 
 their skirmish line gave us a scattering fire, then 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 89 
 
 hastily withdrew to their main line, not, however, 
 until we captured several of them secreted behind a 
 low rail fence. 
 
 We continued a steady fire on the enemy's line in 
 our front. Our men appeared in the best of spirits, 
 notwithstanding the heavy fire they were pouring on 
 us. This continued for about thirty minutes, and. 
 the enemy's line appeared to be giving back. Sev- 
 eral of our regiment had fallen, badly wounded, 
 among them being B. Tudor, Company C. We were 
 expecting momentarially to . be ordered forward, 
 when, to our surprise, we were completely flanked on 
 our right by a heavy force, who opened an enfilading 
 fire on us, at the same time those on our front opened 
 with renewed vigor, this time with several pieces of 
 artillery. We were ordered to fall back across the 
 field to the thicket above mentioned, which we did 
 in tolerable good order under a terrific storm of shot 
 and shell, leaving many of our wounded comrades in 
 that field. We, however, succeeded in carrying back 
 with us Tudor, Company C, Logsdon and Webb, 
 Company H, and several others. We straightened 
 up our line under cover of the brush, and then by the 
 help of part of Wood's Division succeeded in driving 
 the enemy back to the timber. When night came 
 on the firing ceased, except an occasional picket 
 shot. It was with feelings of pride, blended with 
 sorrow, that we re-formed our short companies of two 
 dozen men each, in that thicket, preparatory to our 
 second advance into the field. It was sad to see 
 these brave boys, with clouded, but determined faces. 
 
190 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the tears coursing down many of their powder-black- 
 ened cheeks, caused more from chagrin at being 
 compelled to fall back than at the loss of comrades. 
 
 At dark, Colonel Barnes ordered Captain Wilson 
 and myself with six men to carry a white flag into 
 the cornfield after some of our wounded. A shower 
 of bullets was the response. But we managed to 
 get all of the Eighth off except those taken prison- 
 ers — Lieutenant-Colonel Mayhew and five men. By 
 this inhumanity, the poor, suffering wounded of 
 friend and foe continued their piteous cries and 
 groans within easy hearing of both lines throughout 
 the cold, frosty night. Never before did the hor- 
 rors of war seem to us so cruel. We could distinctly 
 hear their lamentable cries, '^O, water, water!" 
 and occasionally some poor, half-frantic sufferer call- 
 ing the name of some familiar comrade or friend to 
 come there. Though we heard none of the Eighth 
 wounded that we could recognize, several of our 
 brave boys ventured, after dark, to rescue some of 
 the wounded of the Fifty-first Ohio. Considering 
 the intense cold night, with our great coats and 
 blankets far in the rear, our scant, poor rations, and 
 being so near so much suffering humanity, without 
 the privilege of giving any assistance, this certainly 
 was the most miserable night the Eighth experienced 
 during the war. 
 
 Early in the night. Company I, commanded by 
 Captain Martin, was posted as pickets in an old 
 field to the right of where our late engagement was, 
 and he was relieved at midnight by the author with 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I9I 
 
 Company H, of the Eighth. Two hours later, our 
 entire force fell back two miles further toward Chat- 
 tanooga. With such profound silence was this with- 
 drawal made, that we, on the skirmish line, were 
 not apprised of the move. 
 
 Darkness prevented any hostilities after lo o'clock 
 p. m. The enemy's pickets and ours were in close 
 proximity. Their force in our front were busy chop- 
 ping and felling trees the latter part of the night, 
 making a great noise, and not until 4 o'clock a. m. 
 on the 20th did we learn that the whole Union line 
 had moved back over one and a-half miles, and the 
 officer of the day had not yet notified me to fall 
 back, and I did not intend to vacate without orders 
 or a fight, and the latter event appeared certain as 
 soon as the light of day appeared. I knew I could 
 trust my company against any equal number of men 
 and went along their line and instructed each, in 
 case of being hard pressed, how to retire in line. 
 The cold, frosty night made us shiver for overcoats. 
 We were aware of our perilous condition, without 
 any support, but coolly awaited events. About 
 dawn, a heavy fog arose from the river and spread 
 over the surrounding country. Under cover of this 
 the rebel skirmish line withdrew, probably with the 
 intention of being relieved by fresh pickets. They 
 fell back over a small hill. At this time General 
 Sheridan and staff passed in the rear of our little 
 company of forgotten pickets. I sent Lieutenant 
 Lewis to the road to hail the general. He gave me 
 orders to withdraw my men immediately, adding 
 
192 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 that such gross neglect in a field officer of pickets 
 should be looked into. My company retired in line 
 until we cleared the open land, and then succeeded 
 in joining the regiment, and while trying to boil 
 some coffee for breakfast (our dusky cooks had not 
 put in an appearance), we were ordered into line 
 without the coveted coffee and "ned/' Our brigade 
 was detached from the division, and assigned a posi- 
 tion near the center of the new line of battle, which 
 was generally protected with slight and hastily- 
 formed breastworks, made of rails, logs, stone or 
 anything that could be conveniently had. The 
 enemy's evident intention was to force their way be- 
 tween us and Chattanooga. 
 
 The battle was recommenced about 8 o'clock 
 a. m., and by ten became furious all along the line. 
 Col. Barnes was ordered to go to the support of one 
 of General Thomas' divisions on the left center, who 
 was being hard pressed. Hastily calling in our 
 skirmishers, we double-quicked about one and one-half 
 miles, halted, dressed up our line, and had just time 
 to wipe the dust and sweat from our eyes, when two 
 of our regiments, the 51st Ohio and the 8th Ken- 
 tucky, were placed under command of Col. McLean, 
 commanding the 5 ist, and ordered to go to the support 
 of Gen. Rousseau, one-half mile further to the right. 
 We resumed the double-quick, and passed down the 
 rear of General Reynolds' regulars, who were busily 
 engaged, pouring volley after volley into the rebel 
 ranks, the balls of the latter making lively music 
 about our ears. We entered a corn-field that had 
 
After the words " inemory recurs to it^'' nth line from bot- 
 tom of page igj, the tolloiaing should appear : 
 
 When we were within twenty yards of the enemy 
 they broke into a perfect rout. The Eighth Kentucky 
 and Fifty-first Ohio boys kept up the charge, firing 
 and re-loading as fast as expert hands could. We 
 drove the enemy nearly half a mile, capturing two 
 battle-flags and thirty prisoners. Our two regiments 
 then took a position on the left of General Reynolds, 
 and, during a lull in the continuous roar and rattle 
 of small arms, our men labored hard in erecting a 
 slight breastwork, gathering loose stones and logs. 
 Up to this time neither army had gained any deci- 
 sive advantage. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I93- 
 
 lately been laid waste, we being in column by 
 companies. In our front, at the other side of the 
 field, we saw the 15th Kentucky and two other regi- 
 ments falling back, having exhausted their ammuni- 
 tion. The exulting rebels, under Breckenridge^ were 
 pressing forward, but not in very good order, though 
 their bullets were making the corn-stalks rattle in 
 a very unpleasant manner. Col. McL. gave the 
 order, "On the right, into line, march I" This 
 command was repeated by the clear, ringing voice 
 of our young and gallant Major Clark. We execu- 
 ted this maneuver at the double-quick, with as much 
 precision as we ever did on the drill-field. As soon 
 as Rousseau's men had cleared our front, our boys 
 opened " fire at will." When within sixty yards of 
 the enemy, the order was given and repeated at the 
 top of the' voice of every captain : " Fix bayonets, 
 charge !" The cheer the 8th Kentucky then gave, 
 as we made that charge, will doubtless cause every 
 surviving member's heart to swell with pride as often 
 as memory recurs to it. But by some mistake of one 
 of General Thomas' aids reporting to him that there 
 was a gap in General Brannan's line (one of his 
 brigades being in echelon caused this apparent open- 
 ing), consequently General Wood was ordered to 
 close up on Brannan's right. This move made an actual 
 opening of a brigade's length in the line half a mile 
 to our right. The enemy had, during the lull spoken 
 of, been massing his forces on our right, and they 
 took immediate advantage of the opening, charging 
 into this gap with a powerful force, striking one 
 
 13 
 
194 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 brigade of Wood's division in flank, and sweeping it 
 away, and also driving back the right of Brannan's 
 line. Through this wide breach poured a long line 
 of rebels, taking two batteries and instantly turning 
 them on our right flank and the rear of General Rey- 
 nolds' line, sending a perfect storm of grape and 
 canister shot into our lines. At the same time we 
 were in a brisk skirmish with the enemy in our front. 
 This state of affairs made it impossible for us to hold 
 our position many minutes without certain capture. 
 Many of our noble boys were wounded. Private S. 
 Lynch, Company K, was literally torn to fragments 
 by a shell. Our retreat was necessarily a running 
 the gauntlet between two fires, while the enemy was 
 trying to close on us and cut us off". About twenty 
 of the Eighth were captured, principally wounded. 
 
 Where a whole regiment, without a single excep- 
 tion, does its duty in an action, as our boys did here, 
 individual mention, probably, should not be made ; 
 but the squad that stuck to Sergeant R. Cox and the 
 flag, through the cornstalks, on this occasion, cer- 
 tainly deserve exceptional praise : Ab. Wiseman 
 and W. Townsend, Company K ; J. Tipton, Com- 
 pany C; P. Dennis, " Garl" Conner and C. Webb, 
 •Company H; Barnett and a few others. Tipton, 
 Barnett and King were wounded and taken, but the 
 other boys saved the flag. This coming under my 
 immediate notice must be taken for my apology for 
 especial mention. 
 
 The principal part of the Eighth, except those 
 captured or wounded, rallied to the new line of bat- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 95 
 
 tie, formed about a mile north of our former posi- 
 tion, where we remained until 8 o'clock p. m. ^'^'-tcP 
 
 At twilight on that bloody day a large rocket shot 
 up from the enemy's line, and firing soon ceased. 
 Our loss in this two days' battle was ten killed, 
 forty-six wounded and twenty-four prisoners, most of 
 the latter also wounded. Lieutenant Colonel May- 
 hew was captured the 19th. On the 20th Major 
 Clark lost his horse and hat, and many of us had 
 bullet holes in our clothing. That night all our 
 army except Thomas' corps and the cavalry, made a 
 silent, and, for many of us, a sad march to Rossville, 
 four miles from Chattanooga, arriving there about i 
 o'clock, a. m., the 21st. We threw our weary 
 bodies on the ground, and for a short time became 
 oblivious to the din, roar and clash of arms, but 
 awoke at daylight, most of us feeling sore, with every 
 limb and joint aching. The sad, powder-blackened 
 faces of the men, their clothing torn into rags by the 
 brush, some with pantaloons off at the knees, others 
 without hats — all looking war-worn and brush-torn 
 as they silently grouped around the bivouack fires, 
 preparing our scant remnants for bi'eakfast — would, 
 under other circumstances, have caused mirth among 
 ourselves at our own dilapidated appearance. But 
 we could neither laugh nor ignore the fact, however, 
 that for the first time we had left our helpless, 
 wounded comrades on the bloody field in possession 
 of the enemy. We all knew our army had defeated 
 greatly superior numbers in their main object, i. e., 
 to regain possession of Chattanooga, from which 
 
196 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Bragg' s army had retreated eleven days before. We 
 also knew that the enemy's loss in killed and wounded 
 far exceeded ours, and they had gained only what 
 they had before, and lost their boasted ''gate city of 
 the south." 
 
 i 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 We arrived at Chattanooga at noon, the 21st of 
 September, and were assigned our position on the 
 extreme left wing of the new line near the Tennessee 
 River, half a mile above the city. Though the 
 Eighth boys were somewhat dispirited at our loss of 
 comrades, they were not the kind of men to mope or 
 entertain melanchoUy feelings. Every man in our 
 army knew the great importance of holding the city, 
 and, notwithstanding we had taken but three hours 
 sleep within the last forty-eight hours, our bodies 
 aching with pains from fatigue and hunger, as soon 
 as the line of rifle pits were staked off the Eighth 
 boys siezed picks and spades with eagerness, self- 
 confidence and determination beaming from every 
 face, vowing the rebels should never take the coveted 
 city, and commenced heaving up the red earth, and 
 to stimulate each other the boys assumed their 
 wonted cheerfulness. The company commanders 
 went into the city and each returned with several 
 canteens full of whisky, captured from the enemy. 
 The writer spent eight dollars for his company's 
 spirits, and thought it was a good investment. The 
 picks and shovels were not permitted to be idle a 
 moment, day nor night. The Eighth officers would 
 occasionally jump into the ditch and take some tired 
 soldier's place, and allow him a few minutes rest. 
 
198 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 By dark, the 2 2d, a line of good rifle pits extended 
 for six miles in a semi-circle around the city, from 
 our position to the mouth of the creek below the 
 city. 
 
 The 23d, the enemy made their appearance on Mis- 
 sion Ridge. We expected an attack the next morning. 
 That night the officers and men labored hard, carry- 
 ing small trees and brush from the river bank, form- 
 ing 'an entanglement in front of our works. We 
 also stretched a telegraph wire, about one foot above 
 ground, secured to strong stakes, among the brush 
 in our front, intending to trip up and confuse the 
 attacking rebels, should they charge our works. But 
 the threatened attack was never made. Their line 
 of pickets was established east of Citico Creek, 
 along the foot of Mission Ridge. 
 
 The 25th of September, our pickets being much 
 annoyed by some rebel sharpshooters, concealed in 
 a house east of the creek, one of our batteries at 
 Fort Wood sent a few explosive shells over. One 
 of them went crashing through and fired the build- 
 ing. About twenty Johnnies left there quite sud- 
 denly, and our men could raise their heads above 
 the edge of the picket holes without so much danger. 
 Soon after this, the enemy's pickets lying in hailing 
 distance of ours, agreed to cease hostilities, unless 
 either should advance. This was a private's affair, 
 but was maintained with few exceptions for several 
 weeks. However, the rebels would insist on the fun 
 of shooting at our officers when they came near our 
 line. We often took advantage of them by swapping 
 
%cy 
 
 EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 99 
 
 coats with the men, and carrying a gun, and no 
 sword. On one of these occasions the writer heard 
 the following conversation between a rebel picket 
 and one of the Eighth. 
 
 Rebel Picket. — '* You'ens got plenty of coffee 
 over thar? " 
 
 Eighth Picket. — " You are mighty right, we 
 have." 
 
 R. P. — '' How'll you swap for some Kentucky 
 whisky ? " 
 
 E. P. — '^ Pint for pint ; come over." 
 
 They met each other half way, without arms. Af- 
 ter each had taken a drink and exchanged exhilar- 
 ating stimulants, the Eighth picket said : 
 
 " How many men had Bragg in the fight, last 
 week ? ' ' 
 
 R. P. — '* Some sixty thousand. How many was 
 they of you'ens ? " 
 
 E. P. — "Oh, about thirty thousand." 
 
 R. P. — '•'■ See here, Yank, that's too thin; you'ens 
 wus more'n we'ens." 
 
 Then each returned to his post. 
 
 With the kind reader's permission, we will look at 
 another scene in army life, in strange contrast to the 
 bloody scenes we have just recorded. 
 
 Time, the 28th of September. Darkness is 
 spreading over the camp and surrounding country. 
 The numerous camp fires of the enemy are twink- 
 ling for miles along the west side of Mission Ridge, 
 and the bright full moon is just looming up over 
 the host of the enemy. The last notes of the 
 
200 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 bands of the various headquarters are dying 
 in echoes up the broad Tennessee. The rough, 
 war-worn veterans of the Eighth and Twenty-first are 
 collecting in a circular crowd. Chaplains Kindred 
 and Burkett are about to commence divine worship, 
 some of the men seated on the ground, some on 
 cracker boxes or other hastily improvised seats. In 
 the midst rises an aged, white-haired man with open 
 book in hand. A lighted candle in a bottle, placed 
 on a pile of cracker boxes, complete the pulpit ar- 
 rangements. None in camp are yet asleep, but 
 unusual quiet pervades. The joker has hashed, all 
 profanity ceases. The aged man lines the hymn, 
 ' 'Ashamed of Jesus." The soldier audience join in 
 the song, their clear, rich voices ring far out over 
 the placid river. Then follows an able, earnest 
 petition to the throne of God for fallen humanity 
 and our suffering country. Then the refugee preach- 
 er holds his male auditors in rapt attention for more 
 than an hour, dwelling at some length on the wick- 
 edness of the rebellion. As the old man warmed 
 up on this subject, the peculiar curl of his thin lip 
 grows sharper, his grfy eyes kindle to fiery orbs, his 
 gesticulations grew more animated, and his counten- 
 ance more furious. With arms flung on high, as if 
 grasping after a thunderbolt to hurl at the leaders of 
 the rebellion, he drew a picture of their crimes in 
 appalling colors, describing the dreadful horrors of 
 this useless destruction of young lives. At last the 
 speaker descends from his thunder tones, and his 
 voice wailed out such pathetic sorrow for our dead. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 20I 
 
 and suffering wounded, as to cause the unaccustomed 
 tears to glisten on many bronzed cheeks, winding up 
 with a prayer to God, "if possible, to forgive the 
 very leaders of the rebellion," and to enable our 
 army to save the country and restore the Union. 
 Silence taps is sounding and the grand old song, 
 "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," is sang 
 with a new meaning to many. 
 
 Owing to the difificulty of wagoning supplies over 
 the mountains from Bridgeport, Alabama, the army 
 only received half rations, and that, too, of a very 
 inferior quality. Our boys began to study ways and 
 means to supply the much needed grub. 
 
 Sergeant Hironmus, Company D, a brave and ad- 
 venturous, but quiet and cautious, man, while on 
 picket had observed that the enemy daily drove a 
 large herd of Texas cattle from the corral to the 
 river, near the pickets, for the purpose of watering 
 them. He also observed that the careless, cowardly 
 herders frequently allowed the hungry kine to scatter 
 along the river bank, browsing on the green cane. 
 Frank said nothing, but on the morning of the 7th 
 he ordered out a foraging party''composed of Sergeant 
 Hironmus, commanded by said Sergeant, clad in a 
 rusty, dilapidated suit of butternut jeans. He took 
 his trusty old squirrel rifle, which he had found 
 somewhere in Dixie, and, under cover of the heavy 
 fog, crept along the river bank, protected from the 
 view of the pickets by the heavy growth of cane and 
 weeds, and secreted himself inside the enemy's lines 
 until thirteen head of cattle had passed below him. 
 
202 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 He then managed to give his hat a wave on a stick, 
 poked out from his hiding place. The frightened 
 cattle did not stop until inside our lines, where they 
 were soon converted into beef for our brigade. The 
 next day the Confederacy lost several more nice cat- 
 tle, branded C. S. After that their pickets were 
 strengthened near the river, and we got no more 
 Texas beef. 
 
 The loth of October our encampment was visited 
 by Generals T. L. Crittenden and VanCleve. They 
 both bade us farewell. Our men expressed some 
 surprise, and much regret, at thus giving up our 
 corps and division generals. 
 
 The next evening, at dress parade, the following 
 address was read by the adjutants of each regiment 
 in the Twenty-first Army Corps, which lost its desig- 
 nation as such by being blended with, and became 
 a part of the Fourth Army Corps : 
 
 Chattanooga, October loth, 1863. 
 
 To the Officers and Soldiers of the T%veniy-first Army Corps : 
 
 The general commanding announces with sorrow that the 
 name of this corps has been stricken from the army rolls, and 
 that he has been relieved from duty and ordered to report at 
 Indianapolis, that his conduct in the late battle of Chicka- 
 mauga may be investigated. The general regrets the separa- 
 tion, and not the investigation. The closest scrutiny, hovv^ever 
 it may effect him, can only brighten your future. Your deeds 
 at Chickamauga, as at Stone River, will hand down to posterity 
 your honored names. You have honored me. The mighty 
 hand of the Twenty-first Army Corps has graven the name of 
 its commander on the famous pages of the past, and the slan- 
 derous tongue cannot revoke that past. Further honors await 
 you. May God's blessings attend you. 
 
 T. L. CRITTENDEN, Major General, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 203 
 
 The Third Brigade, to which the Eighth belonged, 
 was assigned to the command of General Wat. Whit- 
 aker, of the Sixth Kentucky, and Colonel Barnes 
 again took command of the regiment. About this 
 time the officers of the regiment made and forwarded 
 a petition to General Thomas, who had superseded 
 General Rosecrans, asking for the consolidation of 
 the Eighth Kentucky into a battalion of five compa- 
 nies. This was done on account of the reduced 
 number of men in each company, not averaging over 
 fifty each. 
 
 On the i8th of October a detachment of one hun- 
 dred and seventeen men and four officers were de- 
 tailed from the brigade, and sent, under command 
 of the writer, to the general field hospital, in Spring 
 Valley, on the north side of the river. Thirty- two 
 of these men were from the Eighth Kentucky. This 
 detail remained there until the ist of November, 
 doing fatigue duty of various kinds, chopping wood, 
 putting up hospital tents, making bunks, gathering 
 forest leaves for beds, digging graves, burying the 
 dead, and caring for the necessities of the wounded. 
 
 The 23d of October the Eighth moved to the 
 north side of the river, into Moccasin Bend, oppo- 
 site Lookout Mountain, were they commenced to 
 prepare winter quarters. The men went to work 
 with their axes, preparing material, trying to be 
 cheerful with the scant half rations. 
 
 About the 27th General Hooker's forces, from 
 the Potomac, arrived in Lookout Valley, and at- 
 tacked the enemy at Wauhatchie on the 28th, and 
 
204 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 after a hot engagement succeeded in driving the 
 €nemy south of Lookout Creek, and made connec- 
 tion with our army by a pontoon bridge, near the 
 foot of Sand Mountain. 
 
 The hospital fatigue party were especially busy 
 when the ambulances conveying Hooker's wounded 
 began to arrive, bearing over two hundred mangled, 
 bleeding and suffering men. A few of them were 
 rebels, who received the same care as our own 
 men. There was a general moving around of 
 the wounded to make room for those coming 
 in, twenty dead to bury, with a prospect for 
 twenty more in a few hours. These hard worked 
 -and poorly fed duty men complained to the 
 writer for more grub or less work. I had used all 
 my pursuasive powers to induce Boughton, the quar- 
 termaster, to increase rations for these duty-men, 
 but without effect. I called up six of the Eighth and 
 four of the Fifty-first boys, and told them and Lieu- 
 tenant Cassidy, of the Thirty-fifth Indiana, that if 
 there was any animal fit for human food within ten 
 miles of camp, I knew they were the men that could 
 find it, and whether it belonged to friend or foe, to 
 have it there before night. Just after dark the 
 foragers returned, each two of the squad bringing in 
 a part of a beef. Before morning the other half was 
 brought in and given to the wounded and waiters. 
 Doctor Perkins, surgeon in charge, thankfully re- 
 ceived a good roast, and commended my course, but 
 had too great fears of red tape to take the responsi- 
 bility of ordering out a foraging party. I told him 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 205 
 
 if the government would not or could not feed my 
 men, they should be allowed to feed themselves. 
 
 We found only one of the Eighth boys in the gen- 
 eral field hospital. Presley Sloan, Company D, had 
 been knocked senseless by a piece of shell on the 
 evening of the 20th of September. The leaves that 
 had drifted where he fell caught fire, and burned the 
 skin from his entire body. He said that he had 
 suffered terribly, but was in a fair way of recovery. 
 A very sad case of destitution, caused by war, was 
 that of Mr. Powell, who, with his wife and six chil- 
 dren, were hovering under a few old pieces of tents 
 and quilts, near our encampment. They had fled 
 from their burning dwelling during the battle of 
 Chickamauga, penniless, roofless, and nearly friend- 
 less. One of his little boys died a few days after 
 our arrival at the hospital, and some of our boys 
 made a rude coffin and buried him for the stricken 
 parents. 
 
 The 31st of October the brigade received orders 
 to march. Our fatigue duty-men were ordered 
 back to their respective regiments, and the ist of 
 November, with some reluctance, we left our half 
 finished cabins. Some of the men said, '*If we're 
 going where we can get full rations once more, it 
 is all right." 
 
 When we arrived at headquarters the ist Novem- 
 ber, tents, camp and garrison equipage, officers' bag- 
 gage, including desks, company books, &c., were 
 packed into a pile, a guard detailed and left to guard 
 them, and the brigade marched to the river, where 
 
206 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 we had to wait three hours for repairs to the pontoon 
 bridge, which had been damaged by large rafts of 
 logs set adrift by the rebels. We then marched 
 single file over the treacherous, swaying bridge, and 
 run the gauntlet up through Lookout Valley, under 
 fire of the enemy's heavy guns stationed on the 
 northwest slope of Lookout Mountain. None of the 
 brigade, however, were hurt. We bivouacked at 
 Wauhatchie, the numerous fires of the enemy twink- 
 ling like stars on frowning Lookout. At dark, Col- 
 onel Barnes received information that the enemy was 
 advancing on us. All our cheerful camp fires were 
 reluctantly extinguished, and we lay in line of battle 
 during the night, ready for any emergency. We were 
 not attacked, but spent a sleepless night. At sun- 
 rise we ate a hasty breakfast, and marched over a 
 spur of Raccoon Mountain and down Clearwater 
 Creek. My company, on duty as train guard, was, 
 at dark, a long way behind the regiment, caused by 
 bad roads and broken down wagons. 
 
 The night of the 2d November, 1863, found us 
 back at Shellmound, Tennessee, where General 
 Whitaker informed Colonel Barnes we would fortify 
 and go into winter quarters. From this time until 
 the 1 2th we suffered much from the inclemency of 
 the weather, having left the remnant of our old tents 
 at Moccasin Bend, and most of the men's overcoats 
 and blankets were still boxed up at Nashville, where 
 they were sent in the spring by general orders. The 
 nights were cold for this climate, but the men of the 
 Eighth were not the men to sit still and freeze or 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 207 
 
 Starve without an effort to remedy the evil. Procur- 
 ing as many axes as could be had, logs were cut and 
 large fires built, around which the men at night col- 
 lected, sung their songs, and joked each other about 
 their ragged appearance, with as much cheerfulness 
 as if we were in the best of barracks. Sergeant 
 Wood remarked : '' I can stand a heap if they will 
 only feed me well." We were kept too busy during 
 these days to feel the cold. Cutting down trees and 
 building fortifications occupied part of our time the 
 first two weeks here. A large part of each regiment 
 was detailed to cut trees and prepare material for our 
 winter quarters. A daily guard of forty men was 
 furnished by our brigade to escort provision trains to 
 Whiteside's Station. The horrible condition of the 
 road through the '' Narrows" made it hard work 
 helping wagons out of mud holes, but supplies for a 
 large army at the front could not be neglected. 
 
 The 9th, Colonel Barnes, Major Clark and Cap- 
 tain Powell laid off our new encampment. Chaplain 
 Kindred, Captain Dixon and myself were appointed 
 by the colonel to take charge of and superintend the 
 building parties. Our men worked under many dis- 
 advantages for want of axes. This was soon reme- 
 died by borrowing from the division quartermaster, 
 and a few old cross-cut saws, gathered up from the 
 surrounding neighborhood. Thus work on our 
 cabins progressed daily. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 About the 15th of November General Sherman's 
 army began to pass up the river road, toward Chat- 
 tanooga, and we all expected more "unpleasantness" 
 with the Johnnies soon. 
 
 The 1 8th our brigade was reviewed by General 
 Whitaker. Our lines were much shorter than twelve 
 months ago, but in marching past old " Wat," he 
 raised his hat, and said : " Colonel Barnes, that reg- 
 iment of yours is an honor to our state. Gad, but 
 they can march without music as well as with it." 
 
 The next day the ever welcome face of the pay- 
 master appeared, and we received our allowance of 
 greenbacks for September and October. That night, 
 after all had retired with full pockets, orders came 
 to prepare to march, but recent rains had rendered 
 the bad road almost impassable, and . the rear of 
 Sherman's force had not cleared the Narrows, there- 
 fore we did not move until the morning of the 23d. 
 
 The 2 2d the colonel and Captain Smallwood had 
 a few short words, resulting in the latter being put 
 under arrest. After a hard day's march, with sixty 
 rounds of cartridges and four day's rations, we halted 
 for the night at the base of Mount Raccoon, oppo- 
 site to and west of frowning Lookout, on whose sum- 
 mit and western side the enemy's numerous camp 
 fires twinkled like stars in the black, distant horizon. 
 Every man in our army, from a private to General 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 209 
 
 Grant, knew it would be a desperate undertaking to 
 drive the Johnnies from that mountain. Its main- 
 tainance was of vital importance to them, therefore 
 they had fortified this naturally strong position, 
 wherever the best of military skill of the rebel offi- 
 cers thought would add to its defense. But the pos- 
 session of Lookout was also of great importance to 
 the Union army, and General Grant said it must be 
 taken. We lay down to rest our weary bodies, for 
 the hazardous undertaking before us. Early on the 
 morning of the 24th our brigade of the Fourth Corps, 
 joined Slocum's troops of Hooker's Corps, and 
 moved up Lookout Valley into a dense forest, south 
 of the Wauhatchie, where the enemy lost sight of us 
 for a few hours. 
 
 Captain Smallwood's company (K) sent a polite 
 request to Colonel Barnes that they desired their 
 captain's release from arrest, and that he be per- 
 mitted to command them in battle. The request 
 was at first refused. Then Smallwood appealed to 
 General Whitaker, who rode up to Colonel Barnes, 
 and said: " Colonel, this captain is only under ar- 
 rest for some petty personal slang you and he have 
 been indulging in ; now, by G — d, he is too brave 
 an officer to miss this engagement. It will be an 
 honor to you to overlook the matter, and restore 
 him his sword and command." It was done, and 
 no more was heard of court martialing Captain 
 Smallwood. 
 
 In this forest we piled our knapsacks, blankets, 
 and part of our rations, and left them under a guard. 
 
 14 
 
2IO HISTORY OF THE 
 
 We filed off to the left, crossed Lookout Creek on an 
 old mill-dam, and commenced the difficult task 
 of ascending the mountain through a thicket of 
 cedars, that skirted the base of the mountain. Up, 
 still up; meeting with no opposition, except inani- 
 mate nature, pulling up by shrubs and projecting rocks. 
 At last we reached the inaccessible wall of lime- 
 stone, a perfect palisade, several hundred feet high. 
 This movement was still unobserved by the enemy, 
 who were expecting us to attack them in front. We 
 faced north, the Eighth Kentucky forming the ex- 
 treme right wing of the line, therefore we were near- 
 est the cliff. A heavy skirmish line was put forward. 
 We moved forward, keeping well up with our skirm- 
 ishers. Thus we swept along the steep, rugged mount- 
 ain side, over huge rocks, fallen trees and deep ra- 
 vines, regardless of the scattering shots sent at us from 
 the mountain top. The labor was severe. Soon every 
 man, including our_ brave, old fat colonel, was wet 
 with perspiration. A heavy fog, that hovered 
 over the mountain, enabled us to take the enemy by 
 surprise, in the flank and rear of their works. Their 
 evident confusion was so great that they made but a 
 feeble, unorganized resistance, their defense being 
 principally Indian fighting, from behind trees and large 
 rocks. We gleaned a rich harvest of prisoners, and 
 several pieces of artillery, principally from Stevison's 
 Division. Those of the enemy that were not cap- 
 tured fled around the nose of the mountain, and 
 took a strong position on the southeastern slope, 
 just under the towering cliff. About this time two 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 211 
 
 of our heav)' seige guns on Moccasin Point opened 
 fire, and were replied to by those of the enemy, on 
 point of Lookout, almost immediately over our 
 heads. By this time, 3 p. m., a dense cloud envel- 
 oped the mountain, and the battle which followed 
 has passed into history as " the battle above the 
 clouds." The enemy made a determined stand, as 
 they were strongly reinforced in their fortified new 
 position. A good many of the Eighth having been 
 sent back to Lookout Valley, in charge of prisoners, 
 we were left in reserve on the "nose" of the 
 mountain, and being near the wall or palisade, the 
 enemy above lis not only shot at us whenever the 
 cloud would lift, so as to enable them to see, but re- 
 sorted to a novel method of warfare, rolling down 
 loose stones at us. Under cover of the fog, a few 
 of our sharpshooters took positions, concealed be- 
 hind trees and large stones, and soon picked off 
 every Johnnie that dared to show his head on top of 
 the cliif. Though their ordinance made a terrific 
 noise, their heavy missiles passed harmlessly over our 
 heads, as their pieces could not be depressed to a 
 sufficient angle to reach us.' During the evening, 
 and to a late hour of the night, a heavy battle was 
 fought, as it were almost under our feet. Our forces 
 succeeded in driving the enemy around the mount- 
 ain to the Summertown road, and at 10 o'clock the 
 struggle ceased, the union forces expecting to renew 
 the conflict at daylight. Four of the Eighth were 
 wounded by balls, and several injured by rocks, 
 rolled at us from above. None were dangerous 
 
212 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 wounds. As usual, every man in the regiment and 
 brigade did his whole duty. B. F. Ward, Com- 
 pany F, an excellent shot, succeeded in silencing a 
 particularly annoying rebel sharpshooter, who had 
 secreted himself in a niche of the irregular crown 
 of the precipice. The rapidity of his shots were 
 only accounted for by his comrades behind loading for 
 him. Ben maneuvered until he obtained a position 
 commanding a view of the annoying rebel's head. 
 As the fog lifted above the mountain, Ben's unerring 
 rifle cracked. The rapid shooter sprang forward, 
 and fell on a ledge of rock twenty feet below. His 
 hat, with a bullet hole in it, came to the base of the 
 cliff. Ben lay there a long while, but no other dar- 
 ing rebel showed his head*at'that point. 
 
 There was a sudden change in the temperature of 
 the atmosphere at the close of this eventful and historic 
 day. Within a few hours the sultry, damp air had 
 lowered to nearly zero. We felt this change more 
 sensibly on account of having exerted ourselves in 
 the charge on the mountain side, heating our blood, 
 and having our clothing wet with perspiration. Thus, 
 in our exalted position, without blankets, great coats 
 or fire, our suffering during the night can better be 
 imagined than described. Sleep was among the im- 
 possibilities. But not a murmur was heard from 
 these brave men. The life or death of the cause of 
 freedom and good government was in the scale, and 
 outweighed any bodily suffering of a few hundreds 
 or thousands of men. In our'silent and shivering 
 vigils of the night, we could occasionally hear a 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 213 
 
 heavy, rumbling noise on the top of Lookout above 
 us, that caused us pickets to suspect some movement 
 of the enemy. In the early dawn of the 25th, Gen. 
 Wat. Whitaker walked up in front of the 8th Ken- 
 tucky, and said, *'Col. Barnes, I want a few volunteers 
 to climb that cliff and see if the enemy are^ still 
 there." The Colonel replied, "Tiiie whole regiment, 
 General, if you wish it.*' Every man sprang to his 
 feet, ready to obey the expected command. But 
 only Capt. Wilson and six picked men were permitted 
 at that time to immolate themselves on this high 
 altar as a sacrifice to our country's cause. These 
 apparently devoted men, carrying the 8th's flag, pro- 
 ceeded to ascend this hundred feet or more of almost 
 perpendicular wall, at a place where there was an 
 irregular kind of a natural stairway, by which hung 
 a large wild grape vine. At the base stood the 8th, 
 and with bated breath we watched this brave little 
 squad, with their guns slung over their backs, climb- 
 ing to where, in all probability, sudden death awaited 
 them. At last they disappear over the top. Hear- 
 ing no noise above us indicating the presence of the 
 enemy, we instantly commenced the toilsome ascent 
 of Lookout in the same manner the squad had just 
 done. 
 
 Just as the king of day came peeping up over Mis- 
 sionary Ridge, Capt. John Wilson stepped out on the 
 projecting brow of Lookout Mountain, and unfurled 
 to the morning breeze that dear old emblem of light 
 and liberty. As the sight of the flag met the up- 
 turned gaze of our vast army below, cheer after cheer 
 
214 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 echoed and re-echoed from camp to camp, from 
 mountain to mountain, until the bosom of the placid, 
 broad Tennessee River and the beautiful valleys ap- 
 peared to shout for very joy. The enemy during the 
 latter part of the night had silently fled from their 
 works, both on top and along the south-east side of 
 Lookout, and joined* the balance of Bragg's army on 
 Mission Ridge, leaving over 200 of their sick and 
 convalescent, with a thin line of pickets surrounding 
 their camp at Summertown, half a mile west of the 
 point of Lookout. 
 
 As soon as the 8th reached the top, we hastily 
 marched out to Summertown, where the scared and 
 sickly looking pickets surrendered to us without 
 even firing a gun. We also captured a large quantity 
 of corn meal, twenty barrels of very dirty sugar, 
 two wagon loads of ''rebel crackers," apparently of 
 a mixture of ground peas, middlings or fine saw-dust, 
 and of adamantine hardness. Also forty large 
 Marquee tents were among the Quartermaster's stores 
 that fell into our hands, and provided us shelter the 
 week we remained on the top of this high, cold 
 mountain. As Gen. Hooker rode up to us (via 
 the Summertown road), Gen. Wat. Whitaker ad- 
 dressed old '' Fighting Joe" thus : "General, as the 
 8th Kentucky had the courage to come up here first, 
 I hope you will let the Regiment remain here and 
 guard these stores and this position." This modest 
 request Gen. Hooker readily granted, remarking, 
 "Sir, these western soldiers will fight anything on 
 earth like rebels, and even climb above the clouds to 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 215 
 
 complete victory and capture the enemy." The 
 96th Illinois, commanded by Col. Champion, was 
 ordered up, and joined the 8th in throwing a line of 
 earthworks near the point or nose of the mountain. 
 
 On this 25th November, 1863, our first day on 
 Lookout, we were eye witnesses of one of the grand- 
 est, most gigantic and exciting battle scenes that 
 took place during this or any other war. From our 
 high position we could overlook the country to a 
 much greater distance than our natural vision could 
 reach. The city of Chattanooga lay almost under 
 us. Our vast army of nearly one hundred and twenty 
 thousand men, stretched away southward, in dark 
 blue lines, in the valley. Parallel to those living 
 lines, stretches this peculiar ridge, where the enemy 
 in strong force were well fortified, with months of 
 incessant and well directed labor, engineered by the 
 best of military skill, was added to this already natu- 
 ral strong position. Behind these with their hun- 
 dreds of heavy guns, we do not wonder the rebels 
 felt confident of repulsing any force that could assail 
 them. When Sherman's forces began to warm up 
 the Johnnies near Fort Buckner into a smart battle, 
 many of the officers and men of our two regiments 
 seated themselves on the crowning rocks of the prec- 
 ipice to view for our first time a great battle at a safe 
 distance. I was the fortunate owner and possessor 
 of a double lens opera glass, with the aid of which I 
 could see the buttons on a man's coat at a distance 
 of five miles. Thus situated the whole panorama of 
 the great battle of Mission Ridge, with all its har- 
 
2l6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 rowing details, passes under our view, except some 
 of the assaults made in the forenoon by Corse's and 
 Lightburn's Brigades on the northern slope of Tun- 
 nel Hill, on which was situated Fort Buckner, on 
 which Sherman's batteries near the river and those 
 near Orchard Knob, were showering their shot and 
 shell with great rapidity and effect. While our bat- 
 teries in Forts Wood and Thomas were lively in their 
 respects to Fort Bragg, situated near the center of 
 the rebel line, about ii a. m., a brigade of Sherman's 
 troops made a charge on the west slope of Tunnel 
 Hill. The enemy being entrenched withstood them 
 for a while, mowing down hundreds of these brave 
 men. The line pushed up, leaving the hill side 
 strewn with dead and wounded. We could see some 
 dragging their mangled bodies back down the slope, 
 while their more fortunate comrades were mounting 
 over the rebel works and the Johnnies fleeing to the 
 shelter of Fort Buckner. At last Sherman had, by 
 persistent pounding on the rebels' right, succeeded 
 in drawing reinforcements from their center, and we 
 could see the head of Hooker's column ascending the 
 slope, away to the right, near Rossville. 
 
 At two o'clock p. m. there had been a slight ces- 
 sation of the contest and roar of artillery. Six of 
 our heavj siege guns, fired at intervals of two sec- 
 onds, the signal for the starting of the Fourth Corps 
 to assault Fort Bragg. The long blue lines sprang 
 at once to their feet, and our vast army made a 
 simultaneous forward movement one and a half miles 
 to the foot of the bridge. The rebel artillery, con- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 21 7 
 
 sisting of hundreds of guns, sent storms of bursting 
 shells far out over the valley, specking the air like 
 mammoth snowflakes, all our heavy artillery return- 
 ing the fire, which made the mountains fairly tremble 
 with their terrific thunder. 
 
 At the foot of the ridge, our troops encountered a 
 rebel earthwork, packed with the enemy, and rim- 
 ming it like a battlement. This was carried almost 
 without a halt. But we could see our men falling 
 thick and fast as they neared these works. And as 
 they cleared them the rebel prisoners came streaming 
 back, unarmed, toward the city, like the tail of a 
 kite, running for their lives to escape the destructive 
 missiles of their friends. While the noble old Fourth 
 Corps struggled on up in the face of shot and shell, 
 Hooker's men, near Rossville, were swinging around 
 to flank the enemy's works. As the long blue lines 
 of the Union forces ascended nearer the top, the 
 sixty guns in the rebels' thirteen batteries concen- 
 trated their fire upon the assaulting lines. But now 
 to reach them, they could not depress their cannon 
 sufficiently. They cut the fuse of their shells shorter 
 and shorter, while their rifle pits were ablaze with 
 fire of small arms. It did not seem possible to us 
 that our men could live to reach the works, for in 
 addition to this murderous fire, the rebels began to 
 roll down huge rocks and shells with lighted fuse. 
 But these heroic men had served too long under 
 *' old Lion Heart " to waver only for a few minutes. 
 As they did so, and we could see behind them the 
 hundreds of prostrate comrades, our hearts appeared 
 
2l8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 to be ready to leap out of our throats. I am confi- 
 dent my hair more than once came near pushing my 
 cap from my head. But onward and upward they 
 clamber, and the brow of the ridge is reached, then 
 the fighting is more like demons than men. Many 
 of the veteran rebels stood at bay like gray wolves. 
 This could not last long. We wiped the briny liquid 
 from our eyes, and could- see the enemy flying over 
 the eastern slope of the ridge, with their own deserted 
 artillery playing upon them. The enemy were routed 
 completely. The men of the Eighth cheered, slung 
 their hats, and gave every expression of joy. Some 
 danced, while the tears of joy rolled down their 
 cheeks. Big Sergeant Bain, of Company A, said to 
 me, after giving me a rib-crushing hug, " Cap., that 
 sight's wuth more'n all my wages ; it's just awful 
 grand, but powerful dangerous work. " 
 
 On the 26th, Colonel Barnes, in compliance with 
 orders from General Thomas, distributed the tents 
 and commissaries captured on the mountain, with 
 General Geary's division of Hooker's corps. We 
 found the C. S. crackers a poor apology for bread — 
 could not be eaten without soaking. Then one 
 cracker would swell to a spongy, tasteless mass of 
 gluey, slimy stuff, revolting both in looks and smell. 
 The meal and sugar, though dirty, were palatable. 
 
 We remained here, with little or nothing to do 
 but eat and digest our poor grub, until the 2d day 
 of December, when we received the welcome order 
 to return to our winter quarters at Shell Mound, Tenn. 
 
 The Eighth arrived at our quarters at Shell Mound, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 219 
 
 the evening of the 3d of December. A general good 
 and cheerful feeling appeared to pervade the entire 
 command. This was augmented by the arrival of 
 our much needed blankets and overcoats. 
 
 ''Now," as one of the boys said, '' we have run old 
 Bragg and his bragging crowd off, I reckon they will 
 let us have time to finish our cabins. " Every officer 
 and man went to work with a will, and we soon com- 
 pleted our little, neat and well laid off town, each 
 cabin containing one mess of six men. 
 
 On the 6th, the brigade was reviewed by General 
 Whitaker, and the 7th he started to his home in Ken- 
 tucky. Colonel Barnes took command of the brigade, 
 and Major Clark command of the Eighth Kentucky. 
 The loth we received the long looked for order to 
 consolidate the regiment into a battalion of five com- 
 panies. General Stanley, division commander, ap- 
 pointed a board of officers to examine and decide 
 upon the commissioned line officers' qualifications^ 
 and decide who should be retained in service. 
 
 The 15th of December this board met, consisting 
 of Colonel Walters, Nintieth Ohio ; Lieutenant Col- 
 onel Cummings, Ninety-ninth Ohio ; Captain Ser- 
 gent, Fifty-first Ohio, and two captains of the 
 Twenty-fourth Ohio. This board proceeded to 
 make a separate examination of one hour, of each 
 of the ten captains, on tactics, regulations, guard 
 and picket duty, and all other military duties in- 
 cumbent on a company commander. On the next 
 day the board convened again, and called for the fol- 
 lowing named captains : Wilson^, Wright, Benton, 
 
2 20 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Ketchins and Smallwood. Colonel Walters ad- 
 dressed us thus : " Well, gentlemen, you are the five 
 captains that we have decided upon as most efficient, 
 and you will therefore remain in command. The 
 board then requested that each of us write down the 
 names of five lieutenants of each rank, as we were 
 acquainted with their circumstances and qualifica- 
 tions, to guide them in their selections. After con- 
 siderable hesitation we each made a list, without con- 
 sulting each other, and handed them to Colonel 
 Walters, and then retired. The board decided that 
 First Lieutenants W. Park, Harklerhodes, Williams, 
 N. Jones and J. Phipps, and Second Lieutenants C. 
 Park, G. W. Lewis, J. S. Tye, J. Pucket and J. 
 McGuire should be retained in service. All the 
 other officers, including Colonel Barnes and Major 
 Clark, were by reason of this consolidation dis- 
 charged, and started for their homes in Kentucky, 
 the 23d of January, 1864. Captain John Wilson 
 and the men that first topped Lookout on the 24th 
 of November, at the same time received a thirty 
 days' furlough, and accompanied the supernumerary 
 officers home. The following are the names of this 
 brave squad : Sergeants Joseph Wages, Charles Witt, 
 Ed. Anderson, privates William Witt and John Gil- 
 bert. We felt sad at parting with these brave and 
 genial brother officers, with whom we had been inti- 
 mately associated for over two years, and in that 
 time had together braved so many dangers, endured 
 so many hardships, and passed so many pleasant 
 hours together, and especially did we regret to lose 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 221 
 
 the ever cheerful company of Major Clark, who, on 
 the evening previous to starting home, attempted to 
 read his farewell address to the regiment at dress 
 parade ; but his emotions overcame his utterance, 
 and the reading of the following farewell address was 
 concluded by Adjutant Park : 
 
 officers and Soldiers of the Eighth Kentucky Volunteers : 
 
 This regiment having been by the casualties of the service 
 reduced to less than half the maximum number prescribed by 
 law, is consolidated to a battalion of five companies, as pro- 
 vided for in General Ordeis No. 86, of the War Department ; 
 therefore my connection with the regiment and army ceases. 
 In parting with you, I tender you all my sincere thanks for the 
 cordial support you have at all times given me, both as an 
 adjutant and, subsequently, major of the regiment. My associa- 
 tion with you in the service for over two years has created 
 within me a brotherly affection for you, which has been prompted 
 and authorized by your uniform courtesy and kindness toward 
 me. Your willingness and readiness at all times to obey lawful 
 orders, have not only excited my admiration, but the admiration 
 of all your officers with whom you have been connected. In the 
 history of this war the first word to your dishonor remains to be 
 written. The coolness and gallantry you evinced at Snow Hill, 
 Dobbin's Ferry, Stone River, Chickamauga, and at Lookout 
 Mountain, do not foretell ought of dishonor that would cloud 
 the bright name the Eighth has won. Those who participated 
 in battles for the Union's restoration, both living and dead, will 
 be remembered and honored by the grateful and patriotic peo- 
 ple as long as the horrors of this accursed rebellion are remem- 
 bered and deplored. In relinquishing the command of the 
 regiment, I hope and believe that you will give Captain Wilson, 
 a good and gallant officer, that co-operation which you have 
 hitherto so generously extended to me. May God watch over 
 and protect you all. 
 
 JOHN S. CLARK, Major Commanding. 
 
 The writer would be glad to insert Colonel Barnes* 
 farewell address, but has been unable to procure a 
 copy. But the Major's farewell will convey to the 
 reader's mind some idea of the warm friendship that 
 existed generally in the command. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 About the 25th of December, 1863, the United 
 States Government offered to all able bodied soldiers 
 who had served two years or more a bounty of four 
 hundred dollars, and a thirty days' furlough to re- 
 enlist as veteran volunteers, and serve three years 
 from re-enlistment, or during the war, the remaining 
 part of the first enlistment to be served out in their 
 present organizations. During the last week in the 
 departing year re-enlisting in the Thirty-fifth Indi- 
 ana and Twenty-first Kentucky was lively, but the 
 Eighth boys only talked and joked each other about 
 becoming "veterans." 
 
 The night of the 24th of December many of the 
 Eighth boys thought to have some old fashioned 
 Christmas guns, having saved a quantity of powder 
 for that purpose. Many beer bottles exploded in 
 their buried security from sight, but not from sound, 
 and the officer of the day, at the urgent command of 
 Colonel Barnes, called out the camp guards to sup- 
 press the Christmas guns, which only partially suc- 
 ceeded. But the next night afforded the boys a 
 chance for some amusement at the expense of a few 
 tony officers. A rebel captain's wife, named Bur- 
 nett, living not far from our picket line, gave a party 
 of United States officers, and about a dozen of the 
 most aristocratic young ladies in that neighborhood, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 223 
 
 a supper. Captain Temple, our brigade commissary, 
 and a few other officers, furnished the material for 
 the principal part of the supper. A party of ser- 
 geants and privates of the Eighth and Twenty-first 
 Kentucky, after dark, obtained the countersign, 
 and slipped out to the house where music and danc- 
 ing, as well as feasting, was the principal programme. 
 The boys succeeded in placing a good many of their 
 yet unexploded bottles of powder under and around 
 the house. As the fuse to each were of good length, 
 the bovs were well concealed before those bottles and 
 that ball exploded. ► In a few minutes not a girl 
 could be found inside the enclosure, but many were 
 seen running through the fields as if the day of doom 
 had surely come. No person was hurt, but many 
 were scared. 
 
 The last it^^ days of December were warm and 
 rainy, especially the 31st, when the rain fell in tor- 
 rents until late in the evening, when the wind sud- 
 denly veered to the north, and grew in cold and 
 power. Our boys on picket, with soaked garments, 
 suffered terribly. Before daylight, January ist, the 
 mud and water which covered the earth had con- 
 gealed to solid ice to the depth of over an inch. 
 The oldest inhabitants there stated that they had 
 never seen ice so thick before, and they verily be- 
 lieved that the Yankies brought dow:n all the cold. 
 
 The Thirty-fifth had re-enlisted, and were about 
 to start for Indiana to enjoy their brief furlough, and 
 for several days this re-enlisting was a fruitful theme 
 for discussion among the men of the Eighth, a good 
 
224 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 many opposing re-enlisting on account of the proba- 
 bility of serving under new and strange officers at 
 the expiration of their first service. Many would 
 say, " If we could only be sure we could keep our 
 present officers with us after our first term, we would 
 not care to fight this infernal rebellion until these 
 fool Southerners will be willing to go home and be- 
 come peaceable, law abiding citizens; and we kind 'o 
 want to see the thing through, anyhow." Col. Moore, 
 commanding the brigade, appointed the author re- 
 cruiting officer for the Eighth, and in less than one 
 week three-fourths of seven of the old companies 
 signed re-enlistment papers, viz : Companies F, I, 
 D, H, E, K and G. I had a laborious task filling out 
 enlistment blanks and muster-in rolls. Several of the 
 company commanders, on the eve of starting for 
 home, gave all their time and attention to invoicing 
 and turning over quartermaster stores, and arranging 
 their vouchers preparatory to settling with the gov- 
 ernment ; therefore they had no time to assist the 
 busy recruiting officers, or any one else. The actual 
 doubling of companies was not effected until the 
 25th of January, and was as follows : 
 
 Companies C and B formed Company A, Captain 
 J. Wilson, commander. 
 
 Companies E and I formed Company B, Captain 
 C. D. Benton, commander. 
 
 Companies H and G formed Company C, Captain 
 Wright, commander. 
 
 Companies D and K formed Company K, Captain 
 W. G. Smallwood, commander. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 225 
 
 Companies A and F formed Company E. Cap- 
 tain Ketchins was assigned to this company, but im- 
 mediatety resigned, and Lieutenant J. S. Tye took 
 command of Company E. 
 
 The officers that were mustered out were : Cap- 
 tains Powell, Gunn, Martin and Dixon ; Lieutenants 
 Neal, Sail, Carson, Hughes, Blackwell, Elliott and 
 McGuire. 
 
 Thus our regiment became the Eighth Battalion 
 Kentucky Volunteers, infantry, numbering only four 
 hundred and eighteen men and fourteen line officers, 
 a major, yet in rebel prison. Quartermaster Kindred, 
 our chaplain. Adjutant E. Park, and Sergeant-Major 
 Mosely. Captain Benton, in Captain Wilson's ab- 
 sence, took command, and the evening of the 25th 
 we received an order to march on the 26th. Fifty 
 non-veterans of the Twenty-first Kentucky were as- 
 signed to our command, Lieutenant G. Lewis com- 
 manding. 
 
 Our mules had been hard worked and badly fed, 
 many of them having died during this uncommon 
 cold weather, and we could only muster eight teams. 
 One of these the Twenty-first boys were allowed to 
 use to carry their baggage until the return of that 
 regiment from Kentucky. Thus we had more bag- 
 gage than transportation. 
 
 Early on the 27th the Eighth moved out of their 
 warm, snug quarters, which they had flattered 
 themselves they would enjoy until the veteran boys 
 would be furloughed and return. Another regiment 
 marched in as we left, and took possession of our 
 
 15 
 
2 26 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 neat little ^pwn of cabins. Tim, our Irishman, said : 
 *' Captain, we are the boys as obaze orthers ; but 
 indade it's bad tratement to have us worrek loik 
 nagers to build thim illigant shanties, as any dacent 
 ommen would feel proud av, and now, bejabbers, 
 thim lazy spalpeens are to have the good quarthers." 
 But the men did not generally make complaint. We 
 had endured too many sudden surprises and disap- 
 pointments to make a fuss, even to leave the " illi- 
 gant shanties" in mid winter. True, the veterans 
 said, " we would much rather have started home on 
 our promised furlough than off down in Dixie, at 
 this time." Sergeant F. P. Wood was left in charge 
 of our extra baggage and a few convalescents. The 
 battalion, under command of Captain Benton, bi- 
 vouacked at the ''Narrows." While some of the 
 men were playfully placing percussion caps on the 
 railroad track for passing trains to pop, one member 
 of Company E had his eye put out by a piece of cap. 
 
 The 28th, with the division, we halted for the 
 night at White Sides, and the following day reached 
 the northern base of Lookout Mountain. 
 
 The 29th the command passed through Chatta- 
 nooga, and camped for the night at the foot of Mis- 
 sion Ridge, on a portion of the recent battle ground. 
 The deserted rebel works, the bullet-riddled trees, 
 with scattered shell and shot, were all that denoted 
 it to have been the recent scene of a terrible conflict. 
 
 The 30th the division moved on up the Knoxville 
 Railroad to Tyner's Station, and went into camp, 
 where we remained a few days. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 227 
 
 The ist day of February I succeeded in mustering 
 into the veteran service one hundred and forty-five 
 men of the Eighth, and, by order of General Stan- 
 ley, I returned to Bridgeport and collected eight of 
 the battalion, that were in the Pioneer Corps, and 
 returned to Ooltevvah Station on the 4th, where I 
 found the battalion. 
 
 The 5th our brigade moved on up the railroad, 
 making short marches and keeping pace with the 
 government employes and construction train, repair- 
 ing the road as we went. The work was being pushed 
 forward in order to reach and re-build the destroyed 
 bridge over the Tennessee, at Charleston, our forces 
 having destroyed it to prevent Longstreet from rein- 
 forcing Bragg during the battle at Mission Ridge. 
 
 On the evening of the 6th we halted within a mile 
 of the pretty town of Cleveland. Colonel Walters, 
 commanding the brigade, made his headquarters in 
 the house of Rebel Congressman Tibbs', and the 
 Eighth Kentucky and Thirty-first Illinois went into 
 camp on a hill near by. If there were ever a set of 
 men in this world gifted with thorough self-reliance, 
 the Eighth boys were the men. It often required 
 great fortitude to bear without murmuring the many 
 little vexations and disappointments incident to the 
 m.arch and camp. We had just left good quarters, 
 and were here on a bare, bleak hill, a cold evening, 
 our old tents full of holes, the principal part of our 
 cooking vessels and extra baggage far behind, but 
 no matter where or when we halted, the Eighth boys 
 were at home. They had learned precisely what to 
 
2 28 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 do first, and they did it here. Fires soon began to 
 twinkle over the bare hill, and our old, leaky tents 
 rose like the work of enchantment. Some had dog 
 tents, that lay snug to the earth, like mushrooms. 
 Soon the fragrant aroma of coffee and tortured bacon 
 suggested creature comforts that were truly animat- 
 ing, under any circumstances. We all knew that the 
 movements of regiments were as blind as fate ; none 
 of us could tell to-night where we would be to-mor- 
 row, yet on the morning of the 7th, at the first glim- 
 mer of daylight, our camp was astir, and prepara- 
 tions began as if every man expected to spend the 
 remainder of the winter here. Bricks were hauled 
 from an old kiln of secession proclivities. Chimneys 
 were built, and some fire places artistically plastered 
 with the inevitable red clay, and by 10 o'clock one 
 mess had found an old crane, on which swung a 
 legless pot, a donation from an old darkey's kitchen ; 
 stools and bedsteads were tumbled together by the 
 the roughest of carpenters, and before night the in- 
 terior of our rude homes began to wear a home look. 
 Here, as elsewhere, our[Kentucky boys did not long 
 remain ignorant of the surrounding country, and its 
 vegetable and animal productions. In less than two 
 days they had tasted water from every spring, knocked 
 persimmons from the best trees, milked some of the 
 neighbors' cows, roasted pigs and picked chickens. 
 Not a few made.the acquaintance of the Cleveland 
 girls, and knew how many were Union and how many 
 were rebels, andl^how many brothers they had in the 
 rebel army. Thus life with us began at this place. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 229 
 
 But we did not neglect our part of the labors, throw- 
 ing up a good line of rifle pits, and contributing our 
 quota for the picket line. 
 
 The loth of February Major Glenn, United States 
 Paymaster, gladdened the eyes of the veterans by 
 unloading at Captain Wright's quarters his heavy 
 money chest. They were all paid up to the 31st of 
 December, 1863, and received their first installment 
 of bounty, ^200 each. In a few days after Major 
 Johnson paid off the non-veterans up to the same 
 time. Now the veteran boys were ready, willing 
 and impatiently waiting to be furloughed, and they 
 expected to start soon. Said they to each other : 
 "Old Grandpap Thomas knows what he's about. 
 He intends for us to go home while we've plenty of 
 money." But these calculations and fond expecta- 
 tions were for the present doomed to disappointment, 
 for on the night of the 2 2d we received orders to 
 march at daylight, the 23d, with only two wagons, 
 one for rations and one for spades and picks, and 
 only perfectly able bodied men to march. Those 
 unable for severe duty to remain in command of a 
 commissioned officer. This order, the boys said, 
 certainly meant business, if not more unpleasantness 
 with the Johnny Rebs. Some of the men that 
 did not re-enlist, who did not expect to be fur- 
 loughed, joked the veterans, tauntingly saying : 
 *' That's the kind of furloughs old Grandpap Thomas 
 gives you — a cartridge box with sixty rounds of fresh 
 cartridges." The veterans would reply: ''Yes, 
 you'll laugh on the other side of your mouths when 
 
230 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 we board the cars for home; it's all right, we will 
 bide our time." Colonel Walters ordered that Cap- 
 tain Wright be left in charge of the camps and con- 
 valescents of the Eighth and Thirty-first Illinois. 
 
 On the morning of the 23d the officers and men, 
 especially the veterans, left their money with me, 
 each man's bounty and pay being enveloped with 
 name endorsed thereon, many of them remarking 
 that they desired that their money should find its 
 way home to their wives or friends, if they never 
 did. Captain Benton, in command of the Eighth, 
 joined our old brigade at Blue Springs, and marched 
 with the division on a reconnoissance against the 
 enemy, near Dalton. 
 
 The 25th and 26th, skirmished with the enemy at 
 Buzzard Roost. At times the firing was fierce. The 
 Eighth displayed the dauntless courage for which 
 Kentucky's sons are noted. Five of the Eighth 
 were slightly wounded. 
 
 On the night of the 26th General Thomas ordered 
 many fires to be made, having the men light long 
 strings of fences, by throwing two pannels together, 
 and making much noise, as if receiving reinforce- 
 ments. This caused the enemy to fall back. Then, 
 at the hour of midnight, our forces silently marched 
 back, arriving at Blue Springs, six miles from Cleve- 
 land, on the 28th of February, when the writer, 
 with the convalescents and baggage wagons, joined 
 the battalion. The same day Captain Wilson, Quar- 
 termaster Kindred, Adjutant Park and the six fur- 
 loughed men returned to the command. We re- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 23 1 
 
 mained one day at Blue Springs, trying to keep dry 
 in our old, leaky tents. 
 
 The first day of March Captain Wilson resumed 
 command, and at the same time we received orders 
 from General Thomas to march immediately to 
 the city of Chattanooga. We loaded up our camp 
 and garrison equipage, in a heavy rain, and had a 
 slippery, muddy, wet day's march. Arrived at 
 Tyner's Station late in the evening, and were pros- 
 pecting for a place to bivouack for the night. There 
 being a freight train about to start for the city, Cap- 
 tain Wilson conceived the idea of giving us a free 
 ride of two hours, and a cold one it was, too, for as 
 night came on the rain ceased, the wind changed 
 to the northwest, and blew cold and fierce. Our 
 garments being thoroughly soaked, made our situation 
 on the top of the boxes very unpleasant. On arriv- 
 ing at the depot, Captain Wilson and myself, after 
 considerable difficulty, found General Steadman, 
 commanding the post, and reported. The general 
 in person conducted us to a small eminence, near to 
 and west of Fort Wood, and informed us that here 
 we would pitch our camp. But here was dilemma — 
 we had nothing to pitch, not even a ration to pitch 
 into our gnawing stomachs. Our wagons, contain- 
 ing all our equipage and rations, was ten miles in the 
 rear. The wind increasing in power and cold, our 
 clothing soon froze stiff, and thus, hungry and cold, 
 we wore out the night hovering over some small, 
 smoky, green wood fires. By much exertion, even 
 more than a ten miles march, we jumped, danced 
 
232 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and burnt our shins alternately; but as every- 
 thing earthly has an end, so at last the king of day 
 came smiling up over Mission Ridge. Some of us 
 officers^ feeling the urgent demands of the ^' inner 
 man," hastened into the city on the hunt for some 
 breakfast. The Central Hotel being the only house 
 open (a place well and long remembered, and noted 
 only for high prices and poor fare), we made ener- 
 getic efforts to get on the outside of one dollar's 
 Worth of grub. As soon as our wagons arrived we 
 put the men to hauling the old bricks and boards 
 from the numerous deserted camps, and the 
 remembrance of our bitter experience of the previous 
 night stimulated us to a lively diligence in prepar- 
 ing quarters. Here we felt sure we would build our 
 last chimney, having enjoyed the luxury of seven 
 different winter quarters since October. The men 
 built small board houses, using the shelter tents as a 
 covering, each with a neat brick chimney, all laid off 
 in regulation style. In a few days the camp of the 
 Eighth again wore a neat and comfortable appear- 
 ance. 
 
 The 5th March, Quartermaster Kindred succeeded 
 in meeting our requisitions for new clothing, many 
 of the men, especially the veterans, receiving entire 
 new outfits. As they expected soon to be permitted 
 to visit home and friends, they not only needed, but 
 deserved, the best Uncle Samuel could furnish. 
 
 The 9th March, Captain Wilson issued his order 
 the boys called the ''chuck-a-luck order." That 
 officer, having a strong prejudice against gambling 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 233 
 
 of anj description, also a wish for the best interests 
 of the men, ordered every man arrested found play- 
 ing cards, chuck-a-luck, or any other game, for 
 money, the officer to seize the money up or "staked" 
 and appropriate the same for the benefit of the sick 
 of the battalion. But little money was ever found 
 as '' staked," the sporting men of the Eighth being 
 a little too cunning for that. But General Stead- 
 man's order was to arrest all men found by the 
 police guards gambling, and confine them in the 
 military prison there for a specified time. Some of 
 our Eighth boys were passing up the railroad cut to 
 the Fifteenth Indiana regiment, and stopped a few 
 minutes where some soldiers of another regiment 
 were '' chuck-a-lucking," when Steadman's guard 
 pounced on them and arrested spectators and all. 
 After much trouble we succeeded in having our in- 
 nocent men released. General Steadman did not 
 like to keep healthy, able-bodied men idle long at a 
 time, consequently he soon had a large squad of 
 would-be gamblers out in the valley burying the car- 
 casses of dead horses and mules, causing no little 
 comment by the soldiers, such as ''Here's your 
 mule. " 
 
 While on picket the night of the loth, the writer 
 heard the following conversation between one of our 
 sentinels and an officer of the Anderson Cavalry. 
 The latter, after giving the countersign, passed in 
 and said : 
 
 " What regiment is yours ?" 
 
 Guard—" The Eighth Kentucky." 
 
234 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Officer — ''Well, see here, I want this flag tale 
 settled. Who first took the flag on Lookout the 
 25th November?" 
 
 Guard — ''The Eighth Kentucky, you bet !" 
 
 Officer — '' When I was at home in Pennsylvania I 
 heard a fellow make a speech, and he lauded the 
 Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania for that honorable feat. 
 I told him and the crowd that it was the Eighth 
 Kentucky, and I came very near having a fight on 
 account of my statement." 
 
 Guard — "Well, captain, you was mighty right, 
 and you kin git a thousand good witnesses to swear 
 
 to It, too. 
 
 > > 
 
 About this time Sergeant Wood, Company C, re- 
 ceived a letter stating that his house and entire con- 
 tents were destroyed by fire. His captain soon cir- 
 culated a subscription list among his company, and 
 got one hundred and fifty dollars in a few hours, 
 which was sent to his houseless wife and children. 
 
 The 2 2d March put on a blustering appearance, 
 and old Boreas let us know what he could do even 
 down in " Dixie" by giving us eight inches of snow. 
 The men enjoyed, or rather endured, some lively 
 snow-ball battles. Blood flowed from a few noses, 
 some phrenological bumps suddenly developed to 
 immense proportions, more than one eye was dis- 
 colored, and a great many were " shot in the neck." 
 After the fight was over general good feeling, even 
 among the lately wounded, prevailed. 
 
 The night after this snow-ball battle the long de- 
 layed and much wished for transportation order 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 235 
 
 came for the Eighth veterans, with the officers of 
 such companies as had three-fourths re-enlisted to 
 have transportation to Lexington, Ky., consequently 
 the 23d was quite a busy day — some of the officers 
 inspecting and turning over old, worn-out quarter- 
 master stores, and the men preparing rations and 
 washing clothing. 
 
 Early the 24th, Captain Benton and Captain 
 Wright went to the depot and made arrangements to 
 get aboard the cars at noon. They returned and 
 had the now exulting veterans to assemble to receive 
 some orders about leaving their extra blankets and 
 clothing with the non-veterans, who would remain 
 with Captain Wilson and a few other officers. I took 
 the opportunity to give my company the following 
 good advice, which I am proud to record was gen- 
 erally heeded by all these veteran soldiers, with only 
 a very few exceptions : 
 
 "Soldiers and comrades: We are about to start 
 to our homes and friends, to enjoy a thirty days' 
 furlough. Now, my desire is that every one of you 
 shall have all the enjoyment possible to be had in one 
 month's time, and I, your captain, who loves you 
 all, feel it my duty to say a few words to you, not as 
 commands, but as advice, respecting your conduct 
 during that time ; not that I doubt that you can and 
 will deport yourselves as become the brave men you 
 are. Boys, I feel proud of you and the bright name 
 you have so justly won on so many battle fields, 
 and my intimate association with you for two and a 
 half years, having with you endured so many priva- 
 
236 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 tions and hardships, and saw your cheerful obedi- 
 ence to all legal orders, under any and all circum- 
 stances, has cemented our friendship, that I hope is 
 second to no other fraternal feeling. Let me earn- 
 estly request that none of you, in your brief 
 holiday, so far forget yourselves and your standing 
 as patriotic gentlemen as to become intoxicated. 
 Let us show our numerous friends that we can appre- 
 ciate and enjoy good society in the peaceful walks of 
 life, as well as brave the terrors and dangers of the 
 field of battle. For this your enemies, if you have 
 any there, will fear and respect you the more, and 
 your friends and sweethearts love you better. And, 
 recollect, boys, we are not free from the restraints of 
 military discipline until we disband ; until then I 
 shall allow no absenting from the command without 
 permission of one of your officers. Now prepare to 
 fall into line at eleven o'clock." 
 
 The conclusion of this advice was greeted by 
 deafening cheers. We will now leave Captain Wil- 
 son and the non-veterans doing regular guard and 
 garrison duty in and around Chattanooga, and, with 
 the reader's permission, follow the veterans home 
 and back again to the ever changing variations of 
 the soldier's life. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE EIGHTH VETERANS ON FURLOUGH AND RETURIi 
 
 TO CHATTANOOGA. 
 
 The noon train for Nashville, the 24th of March, as 
 it wound around the base of towering Lookout, bore 
 the one hundred and sixty-two men of the Eighth, the 
 Eighth officers, and three colored servants. Captain 
 Benton, Captain Wright, Captain Smallwood, and 
 Lieutenants Williams, Harklerhodes, Tye, Lewis and 
 Pucket. It is not strange that many of us passed 
 unnoticed the grand scenery of snow-capped mount- 
 ains, for our minds were busy with cheerful thoughts 
 of loved ones at home. Some of us had wives and 
 children, others sweethearts and kind fathers, 
 mothers and sisters, all of whom had been notified 
 by mail of our expected, but delayed, coming. We 
 arrived at the city of Nashville at noon, the 25th. 
 A recent accident to the railroad caused us to remain 
 at Barracks No. 2 until the morning of the 27th. At 
 6 o'clock we were flying northward, and arrived at 
 Louisville at 5 p. m. We took meals and lodging at 
 the Soldiers' Home, where the fare was superior to 
 many hotels, and was furnished by the government 
 free. 
 
 On the 29th we deposited our arms and equip- 
 ments at the arsenal, made out furloughs for the men 
 and officers, and made arrangements to take the 
 Lexington train early the 30th. We had a few men 
 
23S HISTORY OF THE 
 
 in each company that had offered to re-enlist but 
 were rejected by the examining surgeon on account 
 of physical disability. We officers plead earnestly 
 with Major Sidell to have these men furloughed, but 
 he as earnestly refused, saying: ''It is entirely con- 
 trary to my orders." So we were forced to leave 
 these good, willing and obedient men, to take their 
 thirty days' leave at Park Barracks. 
 
 On our arrival at Lexington, 3 o'clock p. m., we 
 gave the men their furloughs, and formally disbanded, 
 but as the majority of them desired to go the same 
 road, 30 or 40 miles southwest, into, Madison, Estill 
 and adjoining counties, they concluded to go the 
 same evening to Clay's Ferry, some fifteen miles dis- 
 tant. The officers took early supper at the Phoenix. 
 It was thought best that one of the officers proceed 
 immediately to Clay's Ferry to make arrangements 
 for supper and lodging for the men. Procuring a 
 good horse, I proceeded to the ferry and requested 
 Mr. Gilbert, proprietor of the one and only hotel 
 there, to prepare supper for about one hundred men. 
 The astonished landlord replied: ''Why, Captain, 
 that will take everything eatable on the place." I 
 told him that these were soldiers on furlough and 
 were perfect gentlemen, and that I would see that 
 every man paid him, which would enable him to 
 purchase more supplies. Very soon every member 
 of that family were busy preparing and cooking. 
 The clock told the small hours of the night before 
 the last soldier arose from the table, all being lively, 
 but not boisterous. The next morning Gilbert said 
 
 \ 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 239 
 
 to me : '' Well, sir ; I have seen and fed a great 
 many soldiers during this war, but this is the first 
 time I ever saw so many together and not had oc- 
 casion to notice some ill bred behavior, and when 
 you called last night I had no idea of receiving any- 
 thing for feeding soldiers, besides, I expected my 
 house would be ruined. They are the most genteel 
 set of soldiers I have seen." 
 
 The men and officers, early the ist of April, scat- 
 tered to the homes of their respective families and 
 friends, where the time passed pleasantly and rapidly 
 with most of us, visiting friends. The many scenes 
 of tender meetings that took place that night and 
 the next day, between long separated husbands and 
 wives and other dear friends, we will leave the reader 
 to imagine. Suffice to say, every veteran tried to 
 improve the brief holiday to the best advantage, and 
 quite a number of them, during that balmy spring 
 month, found time and opportunity to woo and win 
 the hearts and hands of blushing brides, so that they 
 could have some one with whom to leave their 
 money. However, many of these apparently hasty 
 marriages had been thoroughly discussed through 
 the mails by the contracting parties for many months. 
 
 It would, no doubt, be interesting to follow some 
 of these brave youths of the Veteran Eighth, into 
 some of the many, happy and festive parties, as well 
 as joyous weddings, that took place during this 
 bright, cheerful spring month of April, in Central 
 Kentucky, but these appear to the writer to be too 
 much like trespassing on the private rights or the 
 
240 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 sanctity of home, and the sacred ties that bind in 
 union two or more hearts in a sacred love, too pure 
 and high to drag before the public gaze. So should 
 we not hold up to the reader's view the many tender 
 and really affecting parting scenes that took place in 
 Estill, Madison, Jackson and a few other counties 
 in that part of Kentucky, about the ist of May, 
 1864. But we will throw the charitable mantle of 
 silence over them, and leave the reader to draw his 
 or her own pictures of such scenes. Ah, this re- 
 turning to the war is attended with more anxious 
 solicitude by friends, than when the new recruit first 
 leaves the domestic circle. 
 
 The following incident was related to the author 
 by a friend in Clark County while on furlough : 
 Young Mrs. C, whose love for the confederacy was 
 something like devotion gone to seed, against the 
 wish and advice of her loyal husband, one hot day in 
 July, 1862, continued the preparation of her flaky 
 pies and spicy cakes, with which she declared her in- 
 tention to treat Morgan's soldiers. That sultry 
 afternoon Mrs. C. mounted her fine saddle horse (a 
 gift from her father on her wedding day a few 
 months before). The cumbersome basket prevented 
 her from using her parasol as she rode, under the 
 burning sun, over three miles of the rough country 
 road, contemplating the pleasure she would enjoy in 
 feasting and cheering the " southern braves." With 
 these happy thoughts Maggie neared the long line- 
 like cloud of white limestone dust, that rose and 
 hung over the hot stone pike on which were passing 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 241 
 
 a part of Morgan's dirty, tired and hungry troopers, 
 who cheered the heroic Kttle woman as she alter- 
 nately waved her handkerchief, cheered for Jeff. 
 Davis and handed out the contents of her basket to 
 the ravenous chivalry. When the basket was empty 
 Mrs. C. still sat on her horse by the roadside to cheer 
 and give encouragement to the straggling rear. 
 Many of the latter were on foot, having lost their 
 horses in a recent skirmish on the south side of the 
 Kentucky River. One long-haired, tall Johnnie 
 rebel stepped up to Maggie's side. She began to 
 lament that her cakes were all gone. He inter- 
 rupted her, saying : 
 
 ''Never mind, my little queen; I'm not much a-hun- 
 gry, but I'm d — d tired, and I want this here hoss." 
 
 Mrs. C. replied : " O, sir ! but I am your friend ; 
 I am for southern rights." 
 
 " Wall, now, beauty, if yer'sich a bully friend to 
 the south as yer lets on to be, yer'l hev no 'bjections 
 ter my havin' a good boss to ride and fight Yankees 
 on !" 
 
 Maggie remonstrated, saying she could never let 
 " Coaly" go to war. 
 
 The parley ended by the long-armed rebel reach- 
 ing up and clasping the small waist with his large 
 hands, lifting the little, indignant, screaming woman 
 to the ground. Depositing her saddle by her, the 
 rebel mounted, and, with mock courtesy, bowed, say- 
 ing : "Miss, this ere present does credit ter yer 
 principles, and this ere boss shall put in his best 
 licks fur our cause," and galloped away. 
 
 16 
 
242 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Late that afternoon a very tired and mad little 
 woman, with face sun-burned, her best dress and 
 fine gaiters badly soiled, ?,rrived home, where her 
 anxious, loving husband stood awaiting her return. 
 With fresh tears she sobbed out : 
 
 " O, John ! I want you to get a horse and follow 
 that rotten, thieving gang of men, and take ' Coaly' 
 away from them." 
 
 John replied to his wife : " Now, Maggie, you 
 have had your little romance, and I hope you are 
 satisfied with the loss of one ^300 horse. I am not 
 fool enough to put myself to the trouble to follow 
 your friends to give them another good horse, and 
 probably get a cursing for my pay. No, dear, one 
 horse and one little lesson learned will do for this 
 time." 
 
 Mr. C. said after that day Maggie could not be 
 persuaded to sing " In Dixie's Land I'll take my 
 stand," but that she came over and took her stand 
 by him for the Union, and we have no doubt smil- 
 ingly approved his voting for Garfield in 1880. 
 
 The furloughed officers and our three faithful ser- 
 vants met the 30th at the United States Hotel, in 
 Louisville, and reported at Park Barracks, the ist 
 day of May. In a few days all the men reported ex- 
 cept a few who were sick. Private Ingram, Com- 
 pany D, one of the non-veterans left here, had died. 
 On the 6th, about all our men having reported, we 
 put on our '' war harness" and boarded the evening 
 train, and arrived at Nashville early the 7th, where 
 we met Lieutenant C. Park and twenty of the Eighth, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 243 
 
 having in ch'arge a number of rebel prisoners. We 
 left Nashville at noon and were delayed at VVartrace 
 two hours. Our boys called out our old hotel- 
 keeper, Hailey, alias " Pig-tracks," who said he was 
 ''yit loyal," and he was given three cheers. We 
 awoke early the 8th, at Stevenson, Ala., and all took 
 breakfast at the new Soldiers' Home. From there 
 to the city of Chattanooga we had a hot and unpleas- 
 ant ride in the sun on top of the blistering, painted 
 box cars. On entering our old camp we were hailed 
 with hearty cheering. The familiar valley and sur- 
 rounding mountains were now clothed in beautiful 
 green, decked with a profusion of flowers. Our en- 
 campment also wore a neat and comfortable appear- 
 ance ; and we were not at all displeased to learn that 
 our little battalion would not move on to the front, 
 where General Sherman had just commenced his 
 long and bloody summer campaign, but would re- 
 main as a part of the garrison guards — not that any 
 of the Eighth desired to shirk the sterner duties and 
 brave new dangers, but knowing this duty had to be 
 performed, were quite willing to remain and endure 
 the monotony of settled soldiering, for a while at 
 least, though our various duties were almost as con- 
 stant. We could have our neat quarters to return to, 
 where we could enjoy refreshing sleep, making a 
 much better substitute for a home than our brave 
 comrades could possibly have at the front. General 
 Steadman said he had made a special request of Gen- 
 eral Thomas that he be permitted to retain the 
 Eighth here. 
 
244 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Although the recently returned officers were 
 pleased with our camp and satisfied with our pros- 
 pective duties, a few of us were in a dilemma about 
 those important appendages, the cooks. The colored 
 boys who had returned with us to Nashville, from 
 some cause, failed to get on the train with the sol- 
 diers at that place. At breakfast on the morning of 
 the loth, Captain Wright and Captain Benton were 
 lamenting this grievance, and discussing ways and 
 means to have the absent cooks' places filled with 
 substitutes. Just then Bristo's ebony countenance, 
 with two rows of shining ivory, made its appearance 
 at the open tent door. ''Hello, Bristol come in 
 and give a report of your conduct in deserting the 
 service." *' Dat I will, Cap'n," at the same time 
 taking off his hat and making a clownish salute. 
 " Yer see, I neber tended to lebe yer, cap'n ; it wuz 
 you alls lef dis nigger." ''Well," says Captain 
 Benton, '* but where is Simp ?" "I speck he's dar 
 wid his folks. He say to me, ' Bris, I'se found my 
 mudder an' de odder chilen,' an' we went down dar 
 to see em^ an^ we jist got de best kind o' dinner, an' 
 I say 'Simp, dey'l lebe us, sho — let's be trablin\' 
 Den yer orter seed dat ole yaller 'omen ! She jist 
 cling to Simp, cryin'. At last he guv up, and say 
 ter me : 'Bris, tell Cap'n Wright I's sorry to lebe 
 him, but dat I'll pay him dat ten dollars ef it takes 
 till de day ob judgment.' Den I lays roun' dat de- 
 pot till last night, den I crep in a box car on de grain, 
 an' nobody see me till dis mornin'. Whoop, doh, 
 what a cussin' I got from de guard. I gib him half a 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 245 
 
 dollar, an* he let me crawl back, an* I here, an* 
 gwine to stay, cap'n, ef yer lets me.'* Bristo was, 
 duly restored to his former standing as cook for 
 Captain Wright and his two lieutenants, without loss 
 of pay and allowances, and remained a faithful ser- 
 vant until the command was discharged, 
 
 GARRISON DUTIES — SOMETHING OF THE INHABITANTS 
 
 IN DIXIE. 
 
 Among our other daily duties as garrison guards 
 of Chattanooga, an officer and from twenty to fifty 
 men were called for every few days to guard trains to 
 the front, or trains and prisoners to Nashville. 
 Occasionally an officer and company would be de- 
 tailed to help drive and guard a drove of beeves to 
 the front. Probably at the same time from twenty 
 to thirty men of the Eighth would be ordered to 
 unload grain from the cars. Thus, it was often that 
 we had over half of the battalion on train guard 
 duty, making it close work to furnish our quota for 
 pickets. 
 
 On the 1 8th May, Captain Smallwood and Lieu- 
 tenant Tye and fifty men went to Nashville with six 
 hundred rebel prisoners in charge. On arriving. 
 Captain Goodwin, provost marshal, sent them on to 
 Louisville, Ky., with the Johnnies. They returned 
 the 23d, and again, the 31st, Captain Smallwood 
 and fifty men made a trip to Nashville with prisoners 
 in charge, each officer being detailed for train guard 
 in succession as his name appeared on the roster. 
 
 But, to give a detailed account of all our various 
 duties and expeditions as train guards, (Sec, would 
 
246 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 require a much larger volume than the present one, 
 therefore we shall only be table to take up a few- 
 incidents in their regular order in the next 
 chapter. 
 
 Our picket line on the south side of the river ex- 
 tended in a circuit of about six miles, from the 
 mouth of Citico Creek above to two miles below the 
 city. This line was divided into six different sta- 
 tions or reserve posts. Details from the Eighth gen- 
 erally picketed stations three and four. The latter 
 extended across the Rossville road. The post com- 
 mander ordered that all citizens coming to or return- 
 ing from the city be admitted only at that point, 
 those without passes to be guarded to the provost 
 marshal, where, if Mr. or Mrs. Citizen was " all 
 right," they obtained a pass to return through the 
 lines. This post, therefore, required a special guard of 
 a commissioned officer and eight men. All the sur- 
 viving members of the Eighth Kentucky will doubt- 
 less remember many amusing conversations had at 
 this Rossville Station, No. 4, with some of the droll 
 natives of Tennessee and Upper Georgia, who fre- 
 quently came fifteen or twenty miles, often on foot, 
 to trade in the city. They were generally old men, 
 boys and women. They usually came laden with 
 marketable produce, which they exchanged for gro- 
 ceries. Some came to beg from the government, 
 especially after the war department authorized post 
 commissaries in certain localities to issue rations to 
 loyal women where they had a son or husband in the 
 United States service. 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 247 
 
 Among the many that came to Chattanooga to try 
 Uncle Sam's generosity were really many deserving 
 people, who were no less needy than their disloyal 
 neighbors that often came and gave ludicrous reasons 
 for claiming aid from the government. 
 
 The 7th June, a droll, middle-aged woman and a 
 stout boy came up and were requested by the guard to 
 , take a seat in the shade until our escort guards re- 
 turned. After wiping the perspiration from her 
 tough-looking face with a large red *'bandaner," 
 she addressed me, saying : 
 
 " Mr. Cap'n, can one draw rations in Chatternooga 
 neow?" 
 
 I gave her a short explanation of the order, telling 
 her it depended altogether upon her circumstances. 
 Her face underwent what in some countenances 
 would have been a blush. She again brought the 
 mammoth handkerchief into use, and demurely 
 asked: "Well, Mr. Captain, don't you think that 
 when the seceshers, that us critters back, eat up all 
 our last year's crop, and then you'ens last fall just 
 cleaned out the last sweet tater ; and all this from a 
 lone widder that's got seven children, that's got no 
 daddy, is a sarcumstance enough." I readily ad- 
 mitted that if that was her marvelous condition, she 
 certainly should be entitled to government rations, 
 and she returned in the evening highly pleased, with 
 all she and one of the utterly fatherless boys could 
 carry. 
 
 Another day, soon after, I was on duty at the same 
 station, as captain of the guard. An old lady and 
 
248 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 a boy drove up in a little, rickety old wagon, drawn 
 by a little black scrub ox, very little larger than a 
 good Southdown sheep. The harness was a single 
 yoke, into which the shafts were secured by wooden 
 pins, and a hemp rope around the ox's stubby horns. 
 As they halted, one of the guards remarked : "Well, 
 that rig beats anything I've seen in Dixie." The 
 old lady, with considerable spirit, replied: ^'O, 
 sir, if it's Buck and the wagon you calls a rig, 
 I can tell you it's so much better'n lots of our neigh- 
 bors can do, I kinder feel proud, for it's a sight 
 easier'n walking." On the arrival of this primitive 
 conveyance at Captain Davis' office he politely re- 
 quested the occupants to remain seated in the wagon 
 a few minutes^ and that smiling official hurried into 
 an artist's tent, near by. Very soon the artist was 
 out on the pavement, adjusting his camera. The 
 old lady discovered his maneuvers, and instantly be- 
 gan to scream and make frantic efforts to leave the 
 wagon, saying, " O, for the good Lord's sake, don't 
 kill we'uns." 
 
 The captain, after assuring her that no harm 
 should be done, that they only wished to take her 
 picture, and explaining to her the use of the camera, 
 she exclaimed : '' Well, 'pon my soul and body, 
 and that's what you'ens makes pictures with. I 
 made sure it was some kind of a Yankee gun ; it did 
 look so frightful with that are man a taken sight at 
 me and Johnny. I tell you, I thought our time had 
 come, sure." That evening, as she passed out of 
 the lines, the old lady appeared to take great pleas- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 249 
 
 ure in showing us her picture, saying, "See, there's 
 me a holding the basket of berries, and there's 
 Johnny, the wagon, and old Buck, too; all jest 
 looking natural as life, and all done most as quick 
 as shootn', only I didn't hear anything pop; but I 
 tell you, Mr. Captain, I was scart." We offered 
 five dollars for that picture, but it was evidently not 
 for sale. The country people generally came with their 
 marketables to the city on Saturdays in great num- 
 bers, which compelled our guards to economize time 
 and travel by escorting citizens to the city in squads 
 of a dozen or twenty. The 14th of June, just after 
 the guard had left with one of these squads, there 
 came to the post two delicate, fair haired girls, the 
 eldest probably sixteen and the younger about thir- 
 teen years of age, accompanied by an old negro, 
 who bore on her head a large basket of huckleber- 
 ries. The girls each had a peck basket of this early 
 fruit. They took seats in the shade of our tall hedge 
 fence, to await the return of my guards. In these 
 young ladies' manners and speech I noticed a degree 
 of refinement above the ordinary people. Their 
 dresses, though somewhat worn and faded, were 
 neat fitting and scrupulously clean. I felt interested 
 to know something of their peculiar misfortune, 
 feeling certain that they had seen better and 
 happier days. In compliance to my inquiries, the 
 oldest girl gave a short statement, in substance, 
 as follows: 
 
 At the commencement of the war their father 
 owned one of the best plantations on Chickamauga 
 
250 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 River, and worked about fifty slaves. Their two 
 brothers had early joined the rebel ranks, and one 
 of them fell in battle in 1861. The father died 
 from disease in 1862, leaving their mother, and 
 with a faithful old negro man as boss of the slaves, 
 they got on very well, until the great battle of Chick- 
 amauga. On Sunday the contending armies drew 
 near in furious conflict. The mother, two daughters 
 and the old black woman, for safety, took refuge in 
 the cellar ; but soon a wicked shell exploded in and 
 set fire to their fine house. They then fled to the 
 woods, in the rear of the rebel line, and found shel- 
 ter in the cabin of a poor white woman, whose hus- 
 band was also a rebel soldier. The loss of property, 
 excitement, and over exertion, proved too much for 
 the feeble mother, who, after a few weeks illness, 
 died. The slaves all left the houseless and fenceless 
 plantation, and they were still sharing the humble 
 shelter and coarse, scant fare of the war widow and 
 her children. The kind-hearted old colored woman 
 yet remained true to them, and they had just learned 
 that their only brother was a prisoner in Chatta- 
 nooga. He had taken the oath of allegiance, but 
 would be sent north of the Ohio River, and they 
 desired to see him before he left. 
 
 While she related this sad story, vainly trying to 
 keep back the unbidden tears, our hearts ached in 
 sympathy for these tender girls, reared in a home of 
 luxurious comfort, now homeless and nearly friend- 
 less orphans, toiling with tender hands to gather 
 wild berries and bearing them over ten miles of 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 25 1 
 
 hot, dusty roads, that they might help buy a few- 
 necessaries of life. The old darkey, with tears in 
 her eyes, said: ''Dar, Miss Lilly, don't cry befo* 
 de boss, fur I'se gwine to stick to yo', chile, 
 so lis." 
 
 The next day, after being relieved, I stated to 
 Adjutant General Moe briefly the case of the rebel 
 prisoner and brother. Before night he was employed 
 by the chief of transportation, at Chattanooga, to 
 work in the depot rubbing up locomotives, and his 
 two sisters found friends in the city, with whom they 
 boarded at the expense of the ex-rebel. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The 2 2d June, 1864, by order of General Stead- 
 man, I took command of a guard of forty men — 
 twenty of the Eighth and twenty of the Sixty-eighth 
 Indiana — to guard 370 federal prisoners to the front. 
 They were deserters and bounty jumpers belonging 
 to various commands, gathered up principally from 
 the large cities, and were as dirty, lousy and reckless 
 a set of men as could well have been found on the 
 globe. Some of them boasted that they had received 
 six bounties. At noon I received the rolls and pris- 
 oners, and, with my guards, boarded the top of two 
 long freight trains containing ammunition. The 
 power of the unobstructed rays of the sun on the 
 newly painted boxes was oppressive, and the water 
 in our canteens soon became a few degrees above 
 blood heat. As the rebels were daily tearing up 
 rails, placing torpedoes between the ties, and fre- 
 quently cutting the telegraph wires and firing on 
 passing trains from the brush, we made short halts 
 at all the stations to telegraph front and back. A 
 train had been blown up, near Resaca, the evening 
 before, by a torpedo, evidently the work of disloyal 
 citizens, or emissaries harbored by them. The 
 thought of riding over tons of powder and striking 
 one of these explosive and inflammable magazines 
 was yet more unpleasant than the fear of rebel bullets 
 or the blistering heat. At dark we arrived at Resaca, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 255 
 
 and were telegraphed to lay over until morning. We 
 passed a sleepless night. Some of our " jail birds**" 
 were evidently anxious to give us the slip, but the 
 untiring vigilance of the guards, aided by the light 
 of a bright, full moon, enabled us to keep our priso- 
 ners within prescribed limits, but not until several of 
 them had been touched by the persuasive point of 
 the bayonet. Early the 23d I made requisition on 
 Colonel Moore, commanding the post, and received 
 one day's scant rations, which the bounty jumpers 
 ate for breakfast. At Kingston we met two long 
 trains of hospital cars filled with recently wounded 
 men. The floors were paved with bleeding heroes 
 of the Fourth Corps. I found Colonel Price, Lieu- 
 tenants Brown and Buckley, of the Twenty-first 
 Kentucky, and many others whose faces were 
 familiar, among the wounded. How our hearts 
 warmed toward these brave men who had stood by 
 us so nobly at Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout 
 and other places. Looking through the train for 
 acquaintances, white, ghostly bandages, with here 
 and there a large rusty spot of blood, met our gaze 
 on every side. As the attendants came along with 
 canteens of stimulating coffee, graced only with 
 sugar, tin cups were extended in all sorts of hands 
 except strong ones. The dull, pale faces brightened 
 as the cups were filled, and the ghost of a cheer 
 greeted the coffee man as he entered another car. 
 Standing over Lieutenant Brown, I asked him how 
 he was. He looked up, with a faint smile, and re- 
 plied : *'Why, captain, bully !" Common as was 
 
254 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 this af^y phrase, it sounded from the pale lips of 
 Brown, who was badly wounded, manly and noble. 
 These and two more car loads were wounded in 
 action the 22d at Kulp's House, near Pine Mountain. 
 We did not reach Big Shanty until near dark. This 
 was the terminus of our railroad travel. After de- 
 ploying my guards around the prisoners I went to 
 General Sherman's headquarters, in a house near the 
 station. The adjutant general readily consented to 
 furnish me guides to pilot us to the headquarters of 
 General Thomas, where I was ordered to report. 
 At that moment the great ^' flanking" general came 
 walking in, his heavy sword and spurs clanking over 
 the bare floor. The adjutant addressed him, saying, 
 "General, here is a captain from Chattanooga, with 
 a lot of bounty jumpers and scalawags from our 
 army. I have just sent for one of the boys to pilot 
 him to Thomas' headquarters.'* The general stood 
 meditatively about one minute, then said to me : 
 *' Captain, the road is through swamps and thickets, 
 full of stubs and mud holes, and it is cloudy. You 
 had best form a bull-pen of your guards around your 
 pets and wait until morning, then you shall have an 
 escort." I thanked the tall old hero, and corralled 
 the prisoners for the night. The 24th, our six miles' 
 march was slow, many of the prisoners being bare- 
 footed and quite lazy. At 10 o'clock, a. m., I 
 turned over to Colonel Parkhurst, provost marshal, 
 Department of the Cumberland, our pets. His ad- 
 jutant proceeded to call the roll and pick out the 
 men that belonged to that department. The skirm- 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 255 
 
 ishers near the base of Kenesaw Mountain kept up 
 an incessant popping during the evening, while the 
 cannon of the enemy thundered from their high posi- 
 tion east and south of us. At 2 o'clock, p. m., we 
 again took charge of our pets, except the 130 belong- 
 ing to that department, and proceeded eastward, in 
 the rear of the long lines of our vigilant army, to the 
 head quarters of General McPherson, Department of 
 the Tennessee, situated nearly north of, and near the 
 base of Kenesaw. Here Colonel Wilson, provost 
 marshal, was kind enough to relieve my guards 
 during the night, but said he could not furnish us 
 rations. I then called on General McPherson, who, 
 after hearing the statement of the supperless condi- 
 tion of both guards and prisoners, and the sleepless 
 vigilance that had been required to watch these men, 
 most of whom dreaded the idea of a court marshal, 
 or worse, digging picket holes under fire, approved my 
 requisition, and soon a wagon was dispatched to Big 
 Shanty, and returned about midnight with the much 
 needed grub. The moonlight enabled the pickets to 
 keep up a lively skirmish the latter part of the night, 
 along the side of the mountain. But the loss of 
 sleep for two nights enabled us to sleep regardless of 
 hostilities within artillery range of Adjutant F. 
 Earl's tent, where we reposed. 
 
 On calling the roll, the 25th, we found eighty- 
 eight of our charge belonged to the Tennessee, and in 
 accordance with Sherman's order, we took charge of 
 the remaining prisoners and started to General 
 Scofield's, Department of the Ohio, on the extreme 
 
256 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 right wing. Feeling refreshed, we retraced our 
 steps westward, but soon discovered all the right 
 wing of the army on another flank movement to the 
 right, and it was 4 p. m. before we came up with 
 General Thomas and staff, bivouacked. Colonel 
 Parkhurst sent his provost guards on to Scofield's 
 headquarters with their prisoners, and again we had 
 short relief from the bounty jumpers. But early the 
 26th the provost guards returned to us ninety-eight 
 of our scallawags, that evidently belonged to the 
 Army of the Potomac. At the same time we took 
 charge of one hundred rebel prisoners, some of them 
 captured the evening before. One of them intimated 
 to me that he should take the oath to Uncle Sam, 
 and quit the South forever. Said he : " I'll tell yer 
 ef we couldn't stop your army from flanking us at 
 Resaca or Altoona, 'taint no use to try it south of 
 Kenesaw, and that '11 be abandoned before to-mor- 
 row." I asked him how he knew. " Well, yester- 
 day mornin' we had orders to keep everything packed 
 up, ready for a move, and we've heard that order so* 
 often we all know d— d well it means retreat." Ar- 
 riving at Big Shanty at i p. m, we cooped our pris- 
 oners in empty box cars and arrived in Chattanooga 
 at midnight of the 27th. Escorted our prisoners to 
 a large church, during a heavy rain and thunder 
 storm, and were relieved, wet and hungry. Some of 
 the Eighth boys remarked : ''Train guard duty aint 
 no durned soft thing, after all. 
 
 About the ist of July our senior surgeon, John 
 Mills, was assigned the position of medical director 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 257 
 
 of the large field hospital on Cameron Hill, several 
 hundred recently Wounded patients having arrived 
 from the front, who were wounded in Sherman's un- 
 successful assault on Kenesaw Mountain. 
 
 All the garrison at Chattanooga were up at arms 
 on the morning of the Fourth of July, General 
 Pillow, with a force of the enemy, haviiig been re- 
 ported near Lafayette. 
 
 The 4th, as the sun arose over Mission Ridge, in 
 accordance with General Steadman's order, at the 
 signal gun, a loo pounder, every steam whistle of 
 locomotives, steamboats and shops about the city, 
 simultaneously, rent the still morning air with a 
 roaring, screeching sound, more unearthly than the 
 writer ever expected to hear. Nine salutes and 
 screams were repeated at noon and sunset, making 
 the mountain-walled valley echo, as I then thought 
 and hoped, the death knell of the confederacy and 
 rebellion. The day was celebrated by some officers, 
 soldiers and loyal citizens^ by a pic - nic and 
 dancing fandango at Lookout Mountain. From the 
 picket station I viewed the pleasure seekers with a 
 field glass, joyous groups of shoulder-strapped and 
 blue-coated men, and country maids, tripping their 
 light feet in unison with the lively music, contrasted 
 with the hostile scenes enacted on the same grounds 
 seven months previous, when our boys treated the 
 frowning rebels with cold lead, and now their smil- 
 ing sisters to expensive ice cold lemonade. 
 
 About this time General Steadman issued orders 
 that all male citizens, living between Chattanooga 
 
258 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and Dalton, within three miles of the railroad, 
 should come in and establish their loyalty, or be 
 com})elled to leave the country. This seemingly 
 harsh order was caused by the frequent obstructions 
 found placed on the railroad track, and believed by 
 the general to have been done by citizens, or those 
 harbored by them. These sweeping orders caused 
 the now excited country people to flock into the city 
 by scores. One very hot day in July, our picket 
 guards escorted to headquarters over two hundred. 
 Many of these once slave owning aristocrats, whose 
 love for the *' divine institution " of the South and 
 hatred for Yankees had kept them from the city for 
 many months, now came smiling up to the picket 
 line, their fair daughters availing themselves of this 
 rare opportunity to once more come to the city to do 
 a little shopping, though truth compels me to say that 
 the majority of them came on foot. The reader 
 must remember that even the wealthy farmers here 
 had, by the urgent demands for horses for the waning 
 confederacy, been left without even the proverbial 
 army mule. At the picket station, these would-be 
 aristocratic ladies usually halted under our friendly 
 shade to cool, shake off the dust, and rest. Many 
 were the sighs and wishes made by them for the re- 
 turn of the good, old happy days, before the war, 
 when they could ride in the old family carriage, with 
 the dressed up darkey driver perched on top. But 
 alas, for rebellion's folly, the days of slavery had 
 been numbered, and the mere chattel would come 
 out of all this blood, carnage, and suffering of many 
 
\ 
 
 EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 259 
 
 innocent people, a man with so called equal rights. 
 But few citizens from the country, and seventy from 
 the city, were ordered north. 
 
 On the iSth of July, while a few of the Eighth 
 guards were passing some women and a wagon load 
 of produce into town, some of the Third Wisconsin 
 Battery boys stopped the wagon and began to help 
 themselves. E. Sparks clubbed his gun and knocked 
 two of the battery boys down. Some demonstra- 
 tions of hostility caused the Eighth boys to cock 
 their pieces, while the sergeant informed them they 
 would shoot the first man that came within three feet 
 of the wagon. After considerable blustering and 
 threats by the Third, they retired, and after that the 
 8th boys had no trouble with them robbing wagons. 
 
 Chaplain Kindred, like the faithful soldier, kept 
 watch to thwart, if possible, the enemy, or enemies, 
 of the soul, for there were many, had our regular 
 Sunday sermon, also prayer meeting, and preaching 
 occasionally in the evening. Frequently a preach- 
 ing brother of the Military Christian Commission 
 called and gave us a sermon. To one unacquainted 
 with camp life it would have been a novel, if not an 
 impressive sight, to see on a beautiful moonlight 
 night, at the sound of singing, by a squad of soldiers, 
 some old familiar hymn, the brawny, sun-tanned vet- 
 erans, each with his camp stool in hand, gathering 
 around the singers in the space between the tents, 
 where the sermon would b^ respectfully listened to 
 by all with as much decorum as in our churches at 
 home. 
 
26o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The i8th of July Captain Benton was appointed 
 assistant post inspector, thus leaving us one officer 
 less for daily duty. 
 
 The 2 2d we were rejoiced at the prospect of the 
 fall of Atlanta ; but this news was soon followed 
 with the sad tidings of the death of Gen. McPherson, 
 and for a few days our wounded came back on the 
 cars in fearful numbers ; also, a good many rebel 
 prisoners, whom our command guarded on trains as 
 far north as Nashville. The Fifty-first Indiana In- 
 fantry composed part of our garrison, after the Fif- 
 teenth Indiana were mustered out, in May. 
 
 Colonel Streight, of Libby Tunnel notoriety, 
 
 joined his regiment, the Fifty-first Indiana, the 20th. 
 
 About the ist of August all our non-veterans that 
 
 had been assigned to the pioneer corps, returned 
 
 with Lieutenant W. Park to the command. 
 
 Politics began to be a theme of general discussion 
 with the soldiers, many earnestly desiring now to 
 free the negro, but bitterly opposed allowing him all 
 the rights of a white^Jcitizen. 
 
 The 14th of August we were aroused from the 
 lethargy of our monotonous picket duty, by the rebels 
 making a raid on^Dalton, Georgia, and threatening 
 other points nearer. The now terrified Union citi- 
 zens came flocking [into our lines for protection. 
 Gen. Steadman, with the^Sixty-eighth, Fifty-first and 
 Twenty-ninth Indiana, and one regiment of colored 
 troops (the Fourteenth"), and several pieces of the 
 Wisconsin Battery, hastened out on the train to the 
 rescue, the remainder of the colored brigade here 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 26 1 
 
 supplying the place of the Hoosier boys on picket. 
 This being the first time the Eighth boys had done 
 duty with the darkeys, caused some grumbling at 
 being left behind, when there was a chance, as the 
 boys said, of helping put down the rebellion. But 
 like good soldiers, they did their duty, and only 
 laughed at their novel situation, saying : '' We'll do 
 anything honorable to cripple the enemy." 
 
 Late on the 15th, General Steadman and the four 
 regiments returned, having routed Wheeler's gang. 
 The Indiana boys gave us a good report of the col- 
 ored regiment, who made a gallant charge, coming 
 to close quarters with the enemy, and in several in- 
 stances refused to show quarter, but clubbed their 
 guns and shouted their watchword, "Remember 
 Fort Pillow," and actually beat the brains out of 
 several rebels offering to surrender. 
 
 Again, the 17th of August, General Steadman was 
 telegraphed that about 2,000 rebels had appeared at 
 Grayer's Station, north of Ringgold, and our garri- 
 son was reduced so much, and the reports of threat- 
 ened attack put us all the qui vive. At sunset the 
 Eighth occupied Fort Wood, and lay behind their 
 loaded guns, "a little anxious for a brush," as the 
 boys said, for we felt confident with our fourteen 
 pieces, twelve pound Parrots. The other troops here 
 also occupied the other forts ; but no enemj ap- 
 peared, and at sunrise we returned to our quarters, 
 to endure one of the hottest days of the season. 
 The power of the sun's unobstructed rays upon our 
 thin tents, without the slightest perceptible breeze 
 
262 . HISTORY OF THE 
 
 for hours, made the camp almost unendurable. At 
 the close of this terrible, still, hot day, the white 
 capped clouds slowly loomed up in the western hori- 
 zon, from which played the zigzag streaks of light- 
 ning. The camp was unusually quiet. I lay with 
 the walls of my tent hoisted, trying to get every 
 breath of fresh air. I watched the gathering storm. 
 The thunder's hoarse roar, and the continuous vivid 
 flashes of lightning, playing around the crown of 
 grand old Lookout Mountain, appeared as if nature, 
 in her angry mood, was trying to mimic the sad, his- 
 toric scenes enacted there one last November's 
 night, i. e., ''the battle above the clouds." The 
 nearer approach of the coming storm caused me to 
 cease my fanciful reverie, and assist Bristo tighten 
 down the tent pins. At 8 o'clock, while the terrific 
 storm was raging in majestic fury, sitting on my 
 camp stool, I suddenly found myself lying on my 
 back, with a tingling, numb-sensation through my 
 body. In one corner of the tent knelt Bristo, pray- 
 ing, if not with the spirit and understanding, with 
 lusty utterance, like, " Oh Hebenly Master, I knows 
 I's a bad nigger; de good Lord have mussy on us, 
 fur oh, mars cap'ns dead and, oh my shin — " I in- 
 terrupted his devotional theme by asking, " Bris, 
 are you hurt?" ''De lor bress yer, cap'n, I thot 
 you's dead, an' I skin my shin agin dat pole." At 
 that time I heard some one in camp shout : *'Abe's 
 dead." When the storm had abated a little I 
 learned that the lightning had struck the top pole of 
 Company A's first tent, following down a musket, 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 263 
 
 hanging bayonet downward, near the bank of Abe 
 Henderson, melting off the point of the bayonet and 
 paralyzing Henderson to such a degree that he was 
 unable to move, and not did recover his speech for 
 several days. On the evening of the 24th of August 
 Chaplain Burkett gave us a call, and preached one of 
 his able sermons. I did not get to see the good old 
 man, being sick. I lay in my tent, and had the 
 pleasure of hearing him. From the 25th of August 
 to the 1 2th of September the writer was unable to 
 make any notes of events in the battalion, being 
 confined to his bed at a private residence in the city. 
 The Democratic-Conservative-Peace party met in 
 a national convention on the 29th August, passed a 
 series of resolutions, and then nominated General 
 George B. McClellan for president and George H. 
 Pendleton for vice president. When I returned to 
 camp the 12th September the soldiers appeared to be 
 taking much interest in politics, having now, by an 
 act of the Kentucky Legislature, a right to vote at 
 our respective camps. The following resolution of 
 the Chicago convention was a source of much com- 
 ment and frequent warm discussions between those 
 who expressed their opinions favorable to the peace 
 party and the "Lincoln boys," who then appeared 
 to be about half of the command : 
 
 Resolved^ That this convention does explicitly declare, as the 
 sense of the American people, that, after four years of failure 
 to restore the Union by the experiment of war, under the pre- 
 tense of a military necessity or war power higher than the con- 
 stitution, the constitution itself has been disregarded in every 
 part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down, 
 and the prosperity of the country impaired. Justice, humanity, 
 
264 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 liberty and the public welfare demand that immediate efiforts be 
 made for a cessation of hostilities, with a view to a convention 
 of the states, or other peaceable means, that at the earliest 
 practicable moment peace may be restored on a basis of the 
 union of the states. 
 
 This was the first instance in the history of the 
 nation in which one of the two great political parties 
 composing the voting population had avowed its hos- 
 tility in such bitter terms, not only to the existing 
 administration, but to the conflict in which it was 
 engaged for the maintenance of the nation's life, 
 and had the party gone before the people with this 
 platform, pure and simple, as the only issue between 
 them and the party of the Union, they would have 
 been buried so deep in scorn and contempt of the 
 nation they would never have found a resurrection. 
 Their chief candidate, however, who was yet quite 
 popular with the soldiers, accepted the non\ination, 
 but repudiated the resolutions, especially those that 
 demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities. 
 
 The following short dialogue between one of the 
 men of Company A and Sergeant Campbell, Com- 
 pany C, will give the reader some idea of the inter- 
 est the boys took in the coming election : 
 
 Company A — " I am still for my government, but 
 as for my part I'll support ' Little Mac,' for if we re- 
 elect 'Old Abe' the nigger will not only be free to 
 take arms, but the ballot too, and I'll be d — d if I 
 like the idea of voting by the side of a cucumber- 
 shinned nigger ; and you know there are thousands 
 of ofood soldiers and loval men at home who will 
 support as good a conservative as McClellan." 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 265 
 
 Sergeant — "I readily admit that your party em- 
 braces many good Union men, but it embraces every 
 secessionist, bushwhacker, guerrilla and rebel now 
 in Kentucky, and these really recognized Union men 
 are to screen from the world's view the disloyal 
 hosts that are huzzaing for Mac. When you hear a 
 fellow spouting about tne d — d abolitionists having 
 got up this war, you may set him down as a traitor 
 or a copperhead, and they belong to the very mean- 
 est class of reptiles that crawl ; and I believe, if the 
 case could be fully investigated, we should find that 
 it was one of them that betrayed old Mother Eve in 
 the Garden of Eden. Away with your nonsense 
 about conservatism 1 Do you think our noble con- 
 stitution has no innate power to maintain itself 
 that copperheads must become its conservators ? If 
 you cast your vote for conservatism you will be 
 spending your influence in the conservation of this 
 hellish rebellion. We want no more men to manage 
 public affairs who are so desperately afraid of hurting 
 slavery. We want no more men covering half his 
 face with his country's flag and half with the traitor's 
 flag of rebeldom. I tell you it is all a delusion. 
 After the horrible record of the last three years, 
 slavery is gone. To revive or restore it you may as 
 well call the bodies of the unnumbered dead of this 
 war to come from their graves as to try to infuse life 
 into the dead corpse of American slavery. This is 
 not fanaticism, but the sober, solemn truth, and the 
 sooner we old soldiers realize it, and conform our 
 conduct in accordance, the better, for the sooner our 
 
266 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 army realizes this fact, the sooner will the final exter- 
 minating blow be given to this accursed, disgraceful 
 rebellion." 
 
 The 4th September, 1864, all the troops around 
 Chattanooga rejoiced at the news of the fall of At- 
 lanta, nor were our feelings of joy the less on the 6th, 
 at the news of the death of John Morgan, the guer- 
 rilla chief, who was shot in trying to escape from 
 some of General Gillem's men, in a garden at Green- 
 ville, Tenn. Some of the Eighth boys remarked : 
 
 Johnny rides on his raids no more. 
 And ladies can wear jewelry as before. 
 
 About this time quite a number of our battalion 
 were sick, principally from fever. Alvin Schull, 
 Company A, a fine, promising young man, died in 
 October, much loved and lamented by his comrades. 
 His father, Dr. Schull, of Irvine, Ky., arrived a few 
 days before, and conveyed his remains home. 
 
 During our long stay at Chattanooga, Chaplain 
 Kindred held religious worship regularly in camp 
 twice a week. Some times we had a sermon from a 
 member of the Christian Commission, and several 
 times were interested by the able old refugee, Chap- 
 lain Burkett, of the Twenty-first Kentucky. A 
 marked improvement was noticed by the writer and 
 others in the general morals, speech and conduct of 
 the Eighth within the last year. We heard much 
 less profanity in camp than formerly. Many had be- 
 come disgusted at so much vulgar profanity and quit 
 the habit. Others, whose convictions were deeper 
 seated, had joined our Christian League, instituted in 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 267 
 
 the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky in September, 
 1863. Doubtless many good men, now exemplary 
 Christians, can date their start in agenume reforma- 
 tion in life to some of those interesting meetings 
 held in camp. At least the author is certain that 
 several men have since then made such statements, 
 their manner of life being proof of the same. 
 
 Our comparatively peaceful routine duty at Chat- 
 tanooga was interrupted the 26th September. The 
 rebel General Forrest crossed the Tennessee River 
 at Harpeth Shoals, and made an attack on the gar- 
 rison at Athens, Ala., thus threatening our long 
 ''cracker line," the N. & C. Railroad. At 4 
 o'clock that evening all of the Eighth able for duty 
 marched to the depot, each man with sixty rounds of 
 ammunition and three days' rations, leaving a few 
 convalescents with our camp and equipage. We, in 
 company with the Sixty-eighth Indiana, on board a 
 train of platform cars, halted at Bridgeport and took 
 on a good supply of axes, spades and picks. The 
 night being very dark, the train ran slow, and 
 reached the mouth of the Cumberland tunnel at day- 
 light the 27th. After a hasty breakfast we laid off a 
 line of earthworks and worked faithfully all day. 
 We cut trees and rolled logs and large stones into 
 line, against which the hard earth was piled breast 
 high. At 5 o'clock, p. m., our pickets were called 
 in, we being ordered by General Millroy to mount 
 the first train north and proceed to Elk River bridge. 
 After waiting in the rain until after 9 o'clock, p. m., 
 we left the Sixty-eighth Indiana here. We halted at 
 
268 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Decherd to throw off our tools, and soon landed at 
 the bridge. Lieutenant-Colonel Mayhew and three 
 companies occupied the fort, Company C, Captain 
 Wright, the block-house on the south side, and 
 Lieutenant Tye and Company B that on the north. 
 As soon as daylight appeared everybody about the 
 fort and block-houses was at work. Water tanks 
 were cleaned out and refilled, and every necessary 
 preparation made to stand a protracted attack, which 
 we had good reason to believe the rebel raiders 
 would make that day or night. Within these bomb- 
 proof block-houses, every man with plenty of ammu- 
 nition lying at his port-hole, while the boys at the 
 strong little fort, with its four ominous looking 
 twelve-pounders, we felt rather anxious to have the 
 enemy attack us, as the men said, " Probably it will 
 be our last fight, and we intend to make it a good 
 one." During the early part of the night 
 a part of the enemy had crossed the rail- 
 road within a few miles and cut the telegraph. We 
 grew more impatient waiting to hear the signal fire 
 of our pickets. At i o'clock, a. m., we heard the 
 unmistakable trample of cavalry. Then followed 
 the discharge of several pieces of musketry in quick 
 succession, then all was quiet, except some loud 
 talking on picket. The Fifth Tennessee Federal 
 Cavalry had accidentally, in their co-operative 
 movements, run into our line. Fortunately, no harm 
 resulted beyond the wounding of one horse. Ex- 
 planations were soon made, and our Tennessee 
 friends passed on. We were kept on the qui vive 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 269 
 
 for several days, but had no chance to try our guns 
 at rebels through port-holes. General Rousseau, on 
 the 29th, gave Forrest's raiders a complete drubbing 
 at Athens, Ala., and sent them off southwest again. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 We remained at Elk River until the 20th of Oc- 
 tober, occupying the positions named in the pre- 
 ceeding chapter, except on the 5th, Lieutenant Wil- 
 liams and twenty men, of Companies H and B, were 
 stationed at a stockade and water tank, one mile 
 north of the bridge. We drew rations for the bat- 
 talion from Tullahoma. The first five days' supply 
 were spoiled — old moldy crackers and meat, to- 
 tally unfit for human food. Colonel Mayhew ordered 
 a board of survey, that soon reported back to the 
 commissary at Tullahoma, with the damaged grub. 
 During this unavoidable delay, for two days gur men 
 were forced to resort to the poorly cultivated late 
 corn fields for bread. Some gathered unripe pump- 
 kins, others found a few potatoes and late green 
 beans. But as soon as rations were received the 
 men generously made full restitution to those from 
 whom they had been compelled to take. Our men, 
 generally, exhibited more sympathy with families in 
 needy circumstances in the South, than was usually 
 shown by troops from the northern states. Though 
 all the able bodied males were in arms against us and 
 their country, we considered it wrong to take from 
 helpless women and innocent children their scanty 
 means of subsistence. We here found even those 
 who had good farms, hard run for bare necessaries ; 
 therefore we forbid any foraging. Still the men 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 27 1 
 
 were allowed to trade for or exchange sugar, coffee, 
 etc., for sweet potatoes and other vegetables. 
 
 Captain Wilson returned to Chattanooga, with an 
 order from General Millroy to bring up our camp 
 equipage, as we had no cooking vessels. But the 
 post commander, being equal in rank, refused to let 
 the Eighth and Sixty-eighth Indiana camps be 
 moved, and all the men and officers found much 
 difficulty in cooking rations. Captain Smallwood, 
 Lieutenant Jones and myself furnished goverment 
 rations for a Mrs. Garner, living near the fort, and ^ 
 had her prepare our grub. The fine weather, light 
 duty, and prospects of the early end of the war, 
 made the command cheerful, under all circum- 
 stances. 
 
 The nth, a squad of Company H, with Captain 
 Smallwood and myself, by request of old Mr, Emery, 
 a citizen, attended the funeral and assisted in bury- 
 ing his daughter, the bride of Sergeant Garland, 
 Second Kentucky Battery, who had died suddenly 
 two weeks after her marriage. The scarcity of able 
 bodied citizens in the neighborhood made our assist- 
 ance a matter of necessity. Without our aid the burial 
 would have been a laborious task for the few old 
 men and little boys. The beautiful corpse and im- 
 pressive service by an army chaplain, the grief 
 stricken husband, the moaning parents and sisters, 
 made it indeed a solemn scene. 
 
 That evening the men's knapsacks were thrown 
 off a train in a heap, near the fort. There was some 
 confusion, each trying to be first to secure his indi- 
 
272 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 vidual property. Many mistakes were made, but all 
 were soon rectified without ill-humor. Old soldiers 
 learn to be very patient with comrades. 
 
 The 15th a few of the Eighth were in the neigh- 
 borhood trading, and ran into a squad of bush- 
 whackers. Our boys dropped behind a fence and 
 prepared for an attack, but the Johnnies fled. The 
 same day they stole Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew's 
 horse from a citizen, to whom the colonel had 
 loaned his faithful ''old Dun," the same formerly 
 owned and rode by Colonel Matthews. Many of 
 the battalion beside the lieutenant- colonel regretted 
 his loss. 
 
 On the 16th of Octol5er, some excitement, and 
 much indignation was manifested in camp, at a 
 shocking proposition by one Stout to two of his 
 comrades, that, as the bushwhackers were known to 
 have been lurking about the neighborhood, they 
 three should get one Rice (who had saved about all 
 his wages), out with them foraging, kill and rob him, 
 and report that the bushwhackers had done the deed. 
 But he had evidently chosen upright, honest boys for 
 pals, they believing him to be in dead earnest, di- 
 vulged the wicked proposition to a few officers, who, 
 after thorough investigation, thought it best to place 
 Stout under arrest on a charge of criminal intent to 
 murder. This was done partly for the safety of 
 Stout, for many of his comrades had threatened to 
 shoot him the first suspicious movement he should 
 make. We have ever entertained doubts of his real 
 intentions, and hope he stated facts in saying that he 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 273 
 
 was *' only joking." But the Eighth boys deemed 
 that too serious a matter for jesting. 
 
 The 20th, a part of the i8oth Ohio relieved us 
 about noon. We packed our scant garrison equipage 
 and stacked arms on the side of the railroad, where 
 we remained awaiting the promised train south until 
 2 o'clock p. m., the 21st. The night was cold and 
 frosty, but a good pile of old cedar ties furnished us 
 material for good fires. The night of the 21st we 
 slept in the stock cars on a siding at Crow Creek, 
 took breakfast in Stevenson, and arrived at Bridge- 
 port at noon the 2 2d, and reported to Colonel Tay- 
 lor, Fifteenth Kentucky, commanding the post. 
 Having no tents, we were permitted to occupy a 
 large empty wareroom, and remained there doing 
 picket duty until near dark, the 25th. A train 
 stopped for us to take a night ride to our former camp, 
 at Chattanooga. After much hurry and double- 
 quicking with our traps for half a mile, a position on 
 top of the cars caused our blood to cool rather sud- 
 den for our comfort. But most us of soon gave the 
 guards to understand that we considered it more 
 comfortable inside the boxes on the grain. 
 
 When we returned to our old camp at Chattanooga, 
 the last of October, our requisitions for new cloth- 
 ing were promptly furnished by our quartermaster, 
 as we expected all the non-veterans would be mus- 
 tered out in a few days. These men generally drew 
 new suits complete. 
 
 Calls for pickets and duty men were frequent. On 
 the 2Qth, Lieutenant C. Park and thirty men were 
 
 18 
 
274 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 sent south with a drove of beeves. We were relieved 
 from picket duty occasionally by the Fourteenth U. 
 .S. colored regiment, and notwithstanding they were 
 commanded by intelligent gentlemen (white officers), 
 a few of our McClellan boys held the dusky boys 
 in blue to be rather a disgrace to our uniform, and 
 they thought it a hardship to be compelled to com- 
 ply with the usual military etiquette and regulations, 
 "when being relieved, to make the usual salute by pre- 
 senting arms, as the new guard marched past to take 
 their position. But they consoled themselves with 
 the thoughts of the waning fortunes of the con- 
 federacy, and their soon being again free men in a 
 free country. 
 
 The last days of October, the Fourth Corps, un- 
 der General Stanley, arrived at Chattanooga. Gen- 
 eral Sherman's famous Atlanta citizens' order was 
 being carried out. Hundreds were daily passing 
 north, the overtasked rolling stock on the N. & C. 
 road being unable to transport them. Many of them 
 had to lay over here in the depot buildings. 
 
 November 3d we were ordered by General Stead- 
 man to go to Resaca, Georgia, to relieve the garri- 
 son there, to be absent one week. Now we had con- 
 cluded, as our time would be up the 15th, the Gen- 
 eral should have sent some other regiment, and to 
 comply with this unexpected order was even more 
 unpleasant than remaining here and picketing with 
 the darkeys. Colonel Mayhew sent the author to the 
 adjutant general, with a request that one officer from 
 each company of the Eighth be allowed to stay in 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 275 
 
 our camp to prepare rolls and discharge papers. 
 The request was granted, and five officers, including 
 the author, remained with a few men not able for 
 duty. 
 
 The battalion went on the cars, the 3d, to Resaca, 
 and part of the command remained there, and the 
 balance at Calhoun, as garrison guards, until the 
 13th of November. 
 
 The cold, rainy season had caused us to again 
 hover around our rudely-constructed fireplaces, and 
 we officers were for several days quite busy with our 
 muster-out rolls, as we expected the battalion back 
 the loth. But that and several days passed and we 
 were anxiously expecting them. 
 
 The 13th being Sunday, and camp appearing un- 
 usually dull, I took a walk in the city and called on 
 the good lady that had nursed me so kindly during 
 my illness in September. After partaking of a good 
 dinner, a few of us took a walk about the depot, 
 where hundreds of families were waiting transporta- 
 tion north. General Sherman had decided to make 
 the city of Atlanta strictly a military post, and in 
 September had ordered all families in Atlanta having 
 male representatives in the rebel lines to be sent im- 
 mediately through the lines to their friends, and all 
 other non-combatants in Atlanta to be transported 
 north. The large depot buildings were full, and 
 many families had provided themselves rude shelter 
 by stretching up quilts and blankets, tent-fly fashion. 
 Many of these people bore unmistakable evidences of 
 refinement. Viewed under surrounding circum- 
 
276 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Stances in which they were now placed, more 
 wretched than soldier life, little or no shelter, hover- 
 ing around small smoky fires, on which women were 
 trying to cook some fat pork and boil coffee that had 
 been given them by Uncle Sam, crying and fretting 
 children clinging to not overly clean dress skirts, 
 these southern women certainly did not present an 
 amiable appearance. I could but pity these innocent 
 women and tender children whom the sad circum- 
 stances of this useless and foolish rebellion had 
 caused to be houseless and homeless, most of them 
 unwilling emigrants. I could only say, God pity 
 them ! and return to my quarters pondering on the 
 cruelties of war. 
 
 Late on the night of the 14th our pleasant dreams 
 of home were broken by the old familiar cheering 
 of the Eighth returning. The 15th and i6th were 
 busy days with the officers. The evening of the 
 latter the men were paraded and stacked arms. 
 Ordnance, camp and garrison stores were piled, in- 
 spected, invoiced, and finally turned over to the post 
 inspector, with proper vouchers. We slept as soundly 
 as if no war was devastating our once happy country. 
 The 17th all the Eighth except Lieutenant Pucket 
 and the veterans marched to the tent of Lieutenant 
 Stansbury, mustering officer U. S. A., and were duly 
 mustered out, the company officers retaining the 
 men's discharge papers until we should reach Louis- 
 ville, Ky., where we were to receive our pay. 
 
 The 1 8th we bid Pucket and our veteran brothers 
 farewell, and were soon on board the cars for home 
 
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 277 
 
 We arrived at Nashville, where we were compelled 
 to remain until morning. The 19th, after seeing 
 our baggage safely housed at the Louisville depot, 
 
 the officers put up at the N House. Much good 
 
 feeling was manifested among us, some of the younger 
 officers vieing with each other in conviviality, while 
 a few of us older ones, who made less demonstra- 
 tions of gayety, felt no less happy at the prospect of 
 soon being once more free from military orders, and 
 at home with our dear wives and other friends that 
 were anxiously expecting our return. 
 
 Early the 23d day of November, 1864, the non- 
 veterans of the Eighth assembled and formed in line 
 our last time, marched to the United States Deposi- 
 tory in Louisville, and all, except the officers whose 
 accountability for government stores had not been 
 settled, received final payment, and the men's dis- 
 charge papers were by the company officers given 
 them. Then followed a general farewell hand- 
 shaking, with many earnest vows of eternal friend- 
 ship, and we hastened to our respective homes, feel- 
 ing confident that in a few weeks, or months at most, 
 the cruel war would be over by the complete over- 
 throw of the would-be Southern Confederacy. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 COMPANY ROSTER OF CONSOLIDATED COMPANY C, 
 EIGHTH BATTALION KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER IN- 
 FANTRY (formerly COMPANIES G AND H, EIGHTH 
 REGIMENT KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS). 
 
 NAMES PRESENT AT MUSTER OUT, NOVEMBER 1 8, 1 864. 
 
 Captain T.J. Wright Aged j^ 
 
 First Lieutenant James R. Williams ........ " 
 
 Second Lieutenant George W. Lewis " 
 
 First Sergeant Daniel Campbell " 
 
 Fourth Sergeant William T. Fielder *' 
 
 Fifth Sergeant John F. Clemmons " 
 
 Wagoner, William Pitcher " 
 
 26 
 24 
 
 41 
 21 
 21 
 
 28 
 
 PRIVATES. 
 
 I 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 Abney, Colby . . o 
 Aldrich, William. . 
 Bailey, Alford. . . 
 Dennis, Pleasant. . 
 Elliott, Philip J . . 
 Fritz, INIichael. „ . 
 Gibson, Hughy . . 
 
 8 Gabbard, Greenbury 
 
 9 Hurley, Gilbert . . 
 
 10 Hornsby, William . 
 
 11 Hall, Martin B . . 
 
 12 Harris, William . . 
 
 13 Howard, Francis. . 
 
 14 Hendricks, Elijah . 
 
 15 Jones, Nathaniel. . 
 
 16 Jenkins, Parson . . 
 
 AGE 
 
 39 
 
 35 
 22 
 
 29 
 
 25 
 
 25 
 21 
 
 33 
 28 
 22 
 21 
 
 35 
 
 PRIVATES. 
 
 AGE 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 20 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 26 
 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 
 30 
 31 
 
 King, Francis 23 
 
 King, John 27 
 
 22 
 
 26 
 26 
 
 35 
 
 Laneheart, Sidney Q 
 Lewis, Joseph W. . 
 Moreland, Richard. 
 Moore, William P . 
 
 Rice, John Q 31 
 
 Shackleford,Maundrel E 22 
 
 Stamper, William B 
 Stamper, Marcus D 
 Stephens, Richard 
 Tolson, Isaac . . 
 Turner,* Edward. 
 Whisman, Hiram 
 Wade, George W 
 27 J 32 Webb, Elisha. . 
 
 22 
 21 
 
 27 
 
 23 
 
 25 
 22 
 
 44 
 29 
 
 TRANSFERRED. 
 
 Sergeant James M. Kindred, to staff, March, 1862. 
 Sergeant Henry Morris, to hospital steward, May, 1862. 
 Private Hiram Burris,to marine brigade, April, 1863. 
 Corporal Joshua Bingham, to invalid corps, November, 1863. 
 Corporal Sampson Patton, to invalid corps, November, 1863. 
 
APPENJ3IX. 
 
 279 
 
 PRISONERS OF WAR, 
 
 1 Blevins, Eli A . 
 
 2 Barnett, James A 
 
 27 
 
 3 King, Moses H. . 
 
 4 Morris, William . 
 
 21 
 21 
 
 DISCHARGED. 
 
 Captain Rhodes Winbourn. . 
 Lieut. Winfield S. Spencer. . 
 Lieut. Caleb S. Hughes . . . 
 Private Joseph P. Wright . . 
 Private William Pucket . . . 
 Corporal Francis M. Wilson . 
 Private Dillard Bush .... 
 Private John Lunsford .... 
 Private William Baker. . . . 
 Private Jeremiah Sparks. . . 
 Sergeant Robert Bingham . . 
 Private Jonathan N. Bishop . 
 
 Private John Groves 
 
 Private Alford Blevins., . . . 
 Private Jackson Moore , . . 
 Private Robert M. Marshall . 
 
 Private John Derbin 
 
 Musician Martin V. Hall . . 
 Corporal Shipton Stephens. . 
 Private Joseph Derbin. . . . 
 Private Joseph McPherson . . 
 Corporal James Dixon .... 
 Private Francis M. S:hoolcraft 
 Private Isaac Whitaker . . . 
 Private Henry Gentry. . . . 
 Private Henry M. Judy . . . 
 Private Stephen A Frailey . . 
 Private Robert Henderson . . 
 Sergeant Henry Harris . . . 
 Serg't Carlisle L. Shackleford 
 Sergeant Henry H. Gabbard . 
 Private Ira G. Proffit .... 
 Private George W, Conner. . 
 Private Henry Burris .... 
 Private Milton Smith .... 
 Private Joseph McQueen. . . 
 Sergeant DeWitt C. Winbourn 
 Corporal Simpson Wood. . . 
 Sergeant Fielding P. Wood . 
 Musician Moses Whisman . . 
 
 CAUSE. 
 
 Physical Disalnlity 
 Physical Disability 
 Consolidation . . 
 Physical Disability 
 Physical Disability 
 Physical Disability 
 Physical Disability 
 Physical Disability 
 Physical Disability 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Accidental Wound 
 Physical Disability 
 
 Cert. . 
 
 Cert. . 
 
 Surgeon's 
 Surgeon's 
 Surgeon's 
 Wounds . 
 
 Cert. 
 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Ankle Dislocated 
 Wounds. . . 
 
 Surgeon's 
 Surgeon's 
 Surgeon's 
 
 Cert. 
 Cert . 
 Cert . 
 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Surgeon's Cert. . 
 Physical Disability 
 Wounds .... 
 Surgeon's Cert, . 
 Consolidation . . 
 Physical Disability 
 
 DATE 
 
 March, 
 
 Febr'y, 
 
 Janu'y, 
 
 March, 
 
 March, 
 
 April, 
 
 May, 
 
 May, 
 
 May, 
 
 May, 
 
 May, 
 
 June, 
 
 June, 
 
 Sept'r, 
 
 Sepfr, 
 
 Oct'r, 
 
 Oct'r, 
 
 Oci'r, 
 
 Oct'r, 
 
 Dec'r, 
 
 Dec'r, 
 
 Janu'y 
 
 Janu'y 
 
 Janu'y 
 
 Janu'y 
 
 Janu'y 
 
 Febr'y 
 
 March 
 
 March 
 
 March 
 
 March 
 
 March 
 
 April, 
 
 June, 
 
 June, 
 
 July, 
 
 August, 
 Janu'y, 
 May, 
 May, 
 
 863 
 
 862 
 
 864 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 S62 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 862 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 863 
 
 S63 
 
 863 
 
 864 
 
 863 
 
2;<0 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 RE-ENLISTED AND'-LEFT AT CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, 
 NOVEMBER, iSTH, 1 864. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 Sergeant George F. Edwards . . 
 Sergeant Washington HoUon . . 
 Corporal John W. Harrison . . . 
 Corporal Ambrose W. Logsdon . 
 Corporal William S. Hilton . . . 
 Corporal William R. Coyle . . . 
 Corporal William C. Lutes . . . . 
 
 Corporal John W. Wise 
 
 Corporal Robert G. Ramsey , . . 
 Private James M. Whisman . . . 
 Private Howard N. Burgess. . . 
 Private Calaway Bowman . . . . 
 Private Greenbury Bowman . . . 
 
 Private Elisha Bailey 
 
 Private Garland Conner 
 
 Private Braxton D. Cox 
 
 Private Alexander F. Hays . , . 
 Private John D. Jamison . . . . 
 Private George W. Jewell. . . . 
 
 Private Edward Lynch 
 
 Private Isaac T. Lamb 
 
 Private William C Lamb . . . . 
 Private James McLaughlin. . . . 
 
 Private Harden Moore 
 
 Private Randal M. dinger . . . 
 Private William L . Rice . . . . 
 
 Private John H. Stout 
 
 Private James Smith 
 
 Private Eli A. Sparks 
 
 Private John Selby 
 
 Private Jonathan Scarbraugh. . . 
 
 Private Elliott Turner 
 
 Private Wilbourn Turner . . . . 
 Private Christopher C. Webb . . 
 
 Private James F. Baker 
 
 Private Robert D. Harris ... 
 Private James Spencer 
 
 
 COUNTY FROM 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 22 
 
 24 
 21 
 
 31 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 24 
 20 
 22 
 21 
 27 
 20 
 21 
 
 23 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 38 
 24 
 
 27 
 
 33 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 2j 
 20 
 24 
 
 29 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 19 
 
 25 
 
 Clay County. 
 Clay County. 
 Estill County. 
 Estill County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Estill County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Estill County. 
 Clay County. 
 Clay County. 
 Madison County, 
 Owsley County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Harlin County. 
 Estill County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Knox County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Indiana. 
 Estill County. 
 Madison County. 
 Madison County. 
 Wakesford, Ind. 
 Owsley County. 
 Lee County. 
 Madison County. 
 Clay County. 
 Owsley County. 
 Estill County. 
 Madison County. 
 Madison County. 
 Breathitt County. 
 Breathitt County. 
 Estill County. 
 Clay County. 
 Estill County. 
 Perry County. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 2S1 
 
 DIED. 
 
 NAMFS. 
 
 CAUSE. 
 
 Captain Landon C. Minter 
 Lieut. Wade B. Cox, . . 
 Lieut. Newton J. Hughes 
 Sergt. Nathan C. Wilson . 
 Sergt, Charles F. Culton . 
 Sergt. Hamilton W. Wright 
 Corp'l Alexander J. Baker 
 Corporal John H. Powell 
 Corp'l Franklin J. Hughes 
 Corp'l Isaac H. Anderson 
 Corp'l Abner Q. Logsdon 
 Corporal James C. Tolson 
 Private Joseph King. . . 
 Private Greenbury King . 
 
 Private Jonn D. Williams 
 
 Piivate Wm. Hembree . . 
 
 Private John Roberts . . 
 
 Private Jesse Coomer. . . 
 
 Private Elisha Mayo. . . 
 
 Private William Smith. . 
 
 Musician Richard Poore . 
 
 Private Buford Lutes. . . 
 
 Private Isaac Roberds . . 
 
 Private Uriah King . . . 
 
 Private Ira G, Dixon. . . 
 
 Private Charles N. Burgess 
 
 Private Butler Frailey . . 
 
 Private Fletcher Bowman 
 
 Private Isaac Thomas . . 
 
 Private John R. Wilson . 
 
 Priv. Edward Richardson 
 
 Private Andrew Vaughn , 
 
 Private Alexander Gibson 
 
 Private John W. Barnett . 
 
 PLACE. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 Wounds . 
 Wounds . 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . . 
 Wounds . 
 Fever . , 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . . 
 Diarrhea . 
 Wound . 
 Smallpox 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . • 
 Fever , . 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . . 
 Fever . . . 
 Hemorrh'ge 
 Fever , . . 
 Inf. Lungs. 
 Jaundice . . 
 Fever . . . 
 Typh. Fever 
 
 Fever . . . 
 
 Diarrhea . . 
 
 Wounds . . 
 
 Wound . . 
 
 Wound . . 
 
 Wound . . 
 
 Fever . . . 
 
 Dropsy . . 
 
 Killed. . . 
 
 Varioloid. . 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Lebanon, Ky 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Nashville . . 
 
 Nashville . . 
 
 Chattanooga 
 
 Louisville . . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Lebanon . , 
 
 Lebanon . , 
 
 Lebanon . , 
 
 Lebanon . 
 
 Lebanon . 
 
 Lebanon . 
 
 Lebanon . 
 
 Lebanon . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Lebanon . . 
 
 Richmond,Ky 
 
 Nashville . . 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Murfreesboro 
 Murfreesboro 
 
 Chickamauga 
 Nashville . . 
 
 '63 
 
 '63 
 
 '63 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '63 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '63 
 
 '63 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 '62 
 
 Jan, 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Sept. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Dec 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 April '62 
 
 Dec. '62 
 
 Jan. '63 
 
 Jan. '63 
 
 Feb. '63 
 
 Feb. '63 
 
 May '63 
 
 Sept. '63 
 
 Nov. '6^ 
 
 Note.— The author regrets being unable to obtain copies 
 of muster-out rolls of other companies in time for the publisher. 
 
282 APPENDIX. 
 
 The general readers of history are familiar with 
 Sherman's triumphant march to the sea, with Gen. 
 Hood's defeat before Nashville, the early spring 
 campaign of 1865, With the closing scenes of the 
 war by the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox, 
 Va., in April, immediately followed by the surren- 
 der of Johnson's and Kirby Smith's armies. Thus 
 closed a war which had extended over a period of 
 four years, had caused more lavish expenditure of 
 money, and mustered into the field a larger force 
 than any war of modern times. Hundreds of thou- 
 sands had been slain and died from exposure, sick- 
 ness and bad treatment in southern prisons. Slavery, 
 the boasted chief corner-stone of the defunct confed- 
 eracy had been effectually annihilated, and the south- 
 ern leaders and many of their followers humbled but 
 somewhat sullen. 
 
 The people of the north, and many of the inhabi- 
 tants of the border states, in the midst of their rejoic- 
 ing, were shocked at the news of the assassination of 
 President Lincoln by a tool of the expiring confed- 
 eracy. Then occurred much loud talk in high places 
 of ''punishing traitors and making treason odious," 
 but these vaporings cooled down. Jeff. Davis, the 
 arch-traitor, was set free, 'and the great question 
 that puzzled our president and congress was, what 
 course the government should pursue in regard to 
 the late rebellious states. Andrew Johnson, Lin- 
 coln's successor, ''swung around the circle," and 
 took opposite views to our national legislators ; but 
 no one was punished except a few of the assassin 
 
APPENDIX. 283 
 
 Booth's co-conspirators and Wertz. The bungling 
 reconstruction acts were followed with unsatisfactory 
 results to both north and south. 
 
 The ratification of the fifteenth amendment to the 
 United States constitution, giving the ballot to the 
 colored men, was especially distasteful to the ex- 
 rebels. Ninety-five out of every hundred of these 
 newly made citizens could not read their ballots, the 
 greater number being entirely dependent upon the 
 white land-owners, who, seeing their only chance of 
 regaining any political control in the government 
 was to use this blind power, and, with the help of 
 the Democratic party in the north, these ex-rebels yet 
 hoped to gain by the ballot what they failed to do by 
 the bullet, i. e., control of the government, and how 
 near they came, through their Mississippi plans, and 
 the help of hungry northern Democratic politicians, 
 to making their threat good, are matters of very re- 
 cent date. 
 
 But the recent presidential election has demon- 
 strated conclusively that the Democratic party, 
 though boasting of a '^ Solid South," can never gain 
 a national victory again. The youth of this republic 
 are not democratic, and so long as slavery and the 
 war linger within the memory of our youth, the re- 
 public will continue to grow up republicans, and 
 slavery and the war will be remembered as long as 
 our public school system exists. A pointed editorial 
 in a leading democratic paper of Chicago, just after 
 this last national contest (1880), coincides so nearly 
 with our views on this subject that we give it here? 
 
2J54 APPENDIX. 
 
 in hopes that my old soldier brothers' boys who may 
 chance to read this little volume may reason and re- 
 flect on the truth or falsity of the cause of the Demo- 
 crats' late defeat : 
 
 It is vain for statesmen to declare that there were as many 
 Democrats as Republicans in the Union army. It is vain to 
 affirm that the war for the preservation of the Union could not 
 have been carried to a successful close without the assistance of 
 the Democratic party. It is idle for philanthropy to suggest 
 that the attitude of the party toward the war in the beginning 
 was a humane one ; that it was inspired by the higher and bet- 
 ter wish that the cause of the conflict should be peaceably re- 
 moved, and the spilling of brother's blood by brother's hands 
 avoided. The Democratic party has been ideally identified 
 with slavery and slave-holding. The Republican party is 
 ideally identified with emancipation and the war; therefore is 
 the youth of the country incapable of being Democratic — 
 therefore the Democratic party can never win a national vic- 
 tory. Its old men are dying away; the boys who catch the 
 ballots that fall from their stiff'ened hands are Republicans. 
 The young wife who held the babe up to kiss the father as he 
 hurried to the tap of his departing regiment has not suckled a 
 Democrat. The weary foot of the gray grandmother, who 
 watched the children while the wife was busy, has not rocked 
 the cradle of a Democrat, The chair that the soldier-father 
 never came back to fill has never been climbed upon by Demo- 
 crats. The old blue coat that his comrades carried back was 
 cut up for little jackets, but not one enclosed the heart of a 
 Democrat. The rattled musket that fell from him with his last 
 shot became the thoughtless toy of his boys, but not a hand 
 that played with it was the hand of a Democrat. The babe he 
 kissed crowed and crowed for his return, and its unwitting and 
 unanswered notes were not from the throat of a Democrat. 
 The tear-soiled camp letters which the mother read aloud in 
 the long bitter evenings, while the boys clustered at her knees, 
 did not fall upon Democratic ears. The girls' sobs, blended 
 with the mother's weeping, did not make Democrats of their 
 brothers. Perhaps the father had been a Democrat all his life. 
 The children go to school ; there is not a Democrat on its 
 benches. The First Reader contains the portrait of Abraham 
 Lincoln ; that kind and sturdy face never made a Democrat. 
 On its simple pages, in words of one or two syllables, is told 
 the story of his birth and death ; that story never made a Demo- 
 
APPENDIX. 285 
 
 crat. In the pranks of the play-ground the name silences the 
 frolicsome, and makes the jolliest grave ; that name never made 
 a Democrat. In the pictures that light up the geography are 
 the firing on Fort Sumter and the death of Ellsworth ; those 
 pictures make no Democrats. The first page of the history con- 
 tains a representation of the surrender of Lee at Appomattox ; 
 no boy sets eyes on that and after avows himself a Democrat. 
 In the higher grade the same subtle and irresistible influence is 
 at work. The text books contain extracts from patriot speeches 
 during the war; those speeches make no Democrats. The 
 great battles are briefly described ; the narrative has no Demo- 
 cratic listeners. The strain of martial music runs through the 
 readers, and that music makes no Democrats. Sketches of the 
 great generals are given ; their deeds arouse the enthusiasm of 
 the lads, but there is no Democrat among them. The horrors 
 and sufferings of the slaves are told ; the maddened blood that 
 mounts the boy's cheek is not Democratic blood. The curse 
 of slavery has pursued the Democratic party, and has hounded 
 it to its death ; therefore let it die, and no lip will be found to 
 say a prayer over the grass of its grave. The late defeat need 
 not be attributed to any other cause. Other causes have been 
 at work, but they were only incidental. The tariff was one; 
 sectionalism was a second ; let well-enough alone was a third j 
 the October elections in Indiana was a fourth. But all these 
 are trivial, and together could not have accomplished the result. 
 The result was accomplished because the youth of the republic 
 are not Democratic. That party is therefore without a future 
 and without a hope. The maledictions of the war have 
 falsified its brain ; the curse of slavery has poisoned its blood 
 and rotted its bone. Let it die. 
 
 In looking back twenty years, and noting the un- 
 paralleled development of our great Northwest, and 
 the general prosperity of our common country, the 
 rapid extinguishment of the national debt, the credit 
 and respect other nations of the world have for 
 Americans, and our free institutions, we cannot help 
 but feel proud of our glorious Union of States, and 
 in conclusion, say to all that may have been in arms 
 against the boys in blue, during the bloody days of 
 which this volume treats, or to those whose sympathies 
 
286 APPENDIX. 
 
 were more with the gray than for us, mourn not over 
 the death of slavery, which has been the curse of our 
 country, cease your vain regrets for the 'Most cause," 
 stop your efforts to keep alive the once dangerous 
 but now defunct principles for which Lee and Jack- 
 son fought, and learn again to love and respect the 
 one flag of liberty and the one great country it rep- 
 resents. Unite your energies in helping to develop 
 the vast hidden resources of wealth of the sunny 
 South; declare that labor shall be respected, instead 
 of despised ; discard old time prejudices, abolish 
 class distinction among whites, encourage public 
 schools, where all, however poor or of what race or 
 color, may have free access to the tree of knowledge, 
 that intelligence may wield the ballot. Then strive 
 for a '^ free ballot and a fair count," and with us old 
 boys of the blue rejoice in and be proud of a gov- 
 ernment where the humblest laborer can go to his 
 cabin after his day's labor, and take his little tow- 
 headed boy on his knee and tell him he has the 
 future and the public schools before him, and has 
 just as good chances to be President of the United 
 States as any other boy. Let us throw away section 
 lines and sectionalism, now the curse of slavery is 
 out of the way, and turn our attention to watching 
 our common interests, and guarding against other 
 evils that may be threatening our liberties and 
 our peace, such as the encroachments of powerful 
 monopolies and the fearful increase of vice and in- 
 temperance, that we may be able at no distant day to 
 say that all our labors have not been in vain. 
 
THE END. 
 
i 
 
 J