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LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 
 STEWART S. HOWE 
 
 JOURNALISM CLASS OF 1928 
 
 STEWART S. HOWE FOUNDATION 
 
 973.781 
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 c op . 2 
 
 I .H.S. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
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 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://archive.org/details/privatesmithsjouOOsmit 
 
Private Smith's Journal 
 
GENERAL WILLIAM T. SHERMAN 
 
TOje llafeesitie Classics 
 
 PRIVATE SMITH'S 
 JOURNAL 
 
 Recollections of the Late War 
 
 EDITED BY 
 CLYDE C. WALTON 
 
 £&*&*: 
 
 Oy/cAo^ 
 
 ^Eije llakcsibt Press 
 R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY 
 CHICAGO 
 
 Christmas, 1963 
 
Copyright 1963, by R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company 
 

 ' PUBLISHERS' PREFACE 
 
 DURING the centennial commemoration of the 
 American Civil War it has been the Pub- 
 lishers' purpose to select for The Lakeside Classics 
 eye-witness accounts of that great historical drama 
 portraying several theaters of operation seen from 
 differing points of view. So far, we have included 
 books dealing with the Army of the Potomac, the 
 Army of Northern Virginia, and the little known 
 New Mexico campaign of 1861 and 1862 in the West. 
 This year we turn to a hitherto unpublished manu- 
 script that describes the fighting in the central West, 
 including the battles around Atlanta; quite likely 
 the decisive theater of the war. 
 
 We have chosen the diary of a young resident of 
 Kankakee, Illinois, who enlisted early in the war 
 and served out two enlistments in the Union Army 
 of the Cumberland. He was involved in most of the 
 great battles of this area, except for Shiloh, Stones 
 River, and Grant's campaigns around Vicksburg. 
 He was present at Corinth, Murfreesboro, Chicka- 
 mauga; marched to Knoxville, participated in the 
 battles of Sherman's campaign to Atlanta, and re- 
 turned finally to Nashville with Thomas' army in 
 pursuit of Hood. To bring each part of Smith's 
 personal narrative into perspective with the overall 
 campaign, we requested the Editor, Mr. Clyde C. 
 Walton, to precede each chapter with a brief intro- 
 
vi Publishers' Preface 
 
 duction that outlines for the reader the significance 
 of the action described. 
 
 The Company is pleased to report another suc- 
 cessful year for the business. Our new plants 
 mentioned in previous volumes have matured, and 
 are making satisfactory contributions to the busi- 
 ness. Our expansion program is on schedule. The 
 installation of four large new presses in Chicago, 
 designed for the production of Tlie New Yorker 
 magazine which begins in the spring of 1964, has 
 been completed. Thus another material addition to 
 our Chicago operation is added to the many others 
 made since the war. Other large new presses have 
 been placed in operation in several of our other 
 plants this year, and more press capacity is being 
 installed for initial operation in 1964. 
 
 We wish to express our gratitude once again to 
 our customers old and new, and to our suppliers 
 and many other friends for their confidence in us, 
 and for their fine cooperation in our mutual under- 
 takings ; and to our employees we express our warm 
 thanks for the loyal and fine performance that has 
 contributed so greatly toward winning and holding 
 the favorable regard of those who have entrusted us 
 with their printing requirements. 
 
 To all, a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous and 
 Happy New Year! 
 
 The Publishers 
 
 Christmas, 1963 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Historical Introduction . 
 
 ix 
 
 A Bibliographical Note . 
 
 . lix 
 
 Chapter I 
 
 3 
 
 October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 
 
 
 Chapter II 
 
 19 
 
 February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1 
 
 862 
 
 Chapter III 
 
 • 46 
 
 October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 
 
 
 Chapter IV 
 
 73 
 
 May 27, 1863 to September 19, 1863 
 
 Chapter V 
 
 93 
 
 September 20, 1863 to November 24, 
 
 1863 
 
 
 . 118 
 
 November 25, 1863 to March 31, 186, 
 
 4 
 
 Chapter VII 
 
 141 
 
 April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 
 
 
 Chapter VIII 
 
 . 164 
 
 July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 
 
 
 Chapter IX 
 
 • 189 
 
 December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 
 
 
 Chapter X 
 
 211 
 
 April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 
 
 
 Index 
 
 . 233 
 
 List of the Lakeside Classics . 
 
 • 251 
 
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 
 
 THE Civil War journal of BenjamiiiT. Smith is the 
 record kept by an unsophisticated 18-year-old of 
 his services in the Civil War, from October, 1861, to 
 November, 1865. Smith's journal differs from most 
 journals kept by privates because he saw the war 
 from two different levels — as a simple soldier who 
 endured the rough discomforts, the miserable food, 
 the occasional moments of great danger, and the 
 fleeting times of fellowship around the fire, and as a 
 member of a division headquarters, carrying impor- 
 tant messages, acting as a mounted scout, serving as 
 General Phil Sheridan's orderly. 
 
 Benjamin T. Smith's journal is one of the more 
 than 250,000 Civil War manuscripts in the Illinois 
 State Historical Library. The journal was presented 
 to the Library by Mr. Joseph R. Wood, who is a 
 great-nephew of Smith's; and we are deeply in- 
 debted to him for preserving this remarkably human 
 document. Unfortunately, Private Smith is like so 
 many other Americans who left civilian life, joined 
 the Union Army — in every case serving to the best 
 of their ability, and then returned to the anonymity 
 of civilian life. This is to say, not much is known 
 about Benjamin T. Smith. 
 
 We do know that he was born on February 27, 
 1844, in Providence, Rhode Island, to Benjamin K. 
 and Sarah Smith. His father was a shoemaker by 
 
x Historical Introduction 
 
 trade, and the family lived in Providence until per- 
 haps 1856, then moved to Haverhill, Massachusetts, 
 and later to Kankakee, Illinois. Whether his father 
 died or was separated from his wife before the family 
 came to Illinois we do not know; Benjamin does not 
 ever mention his father in his journal. There were 
 six children in the family; and at the time Benjamin 
 enlisted, Mary S. was twenty -five ; Joseph F., twenty- 
 one; Calvin R., fifteen; Julia E., twelve; Walter E., 
 seven. Their mother was forty-three. 
 
 When he enrolled for service on September 20, 
 1861, Smith described himself as being a resident of 
 Kankakee, Illinois; a student and painter by occu- 
 pation; 5 feet 6 x /2 inches in height, with blue eyes, 
 dark hair, and a fair complexion (in 1903 he de- 
 scribed himself as being an inch taller, weighing 160 
 pounds, with dark hazel eyes, gray hair, a florid 
 complexion, and a scar over his left eye). He en- 
 listed in the small town of Watseka. The 51st Regi- 
 ment, of which his company became a part, was ac- 
 cepted into federal service December 24, 1861, at 
 Camp Douglas, Chicago. But for about eight months 
 in 1862-1863 Smith was in an irregular mounted in- 
 fantry unit and he mentions being elected 8th cor- 
 poral and later 3rd corporal — as far as all official 
 records are concerned, he enlisted as a private, 
 served the whole war as a private, and was dis- 
 charged a private. There are no surviving records, 
 however, for "Powell's Scouts," the irregular unit 
 with which he served — so why doubt his promotions ? 
 
Historical Introduction xi 
 
 The regimental records in the Illinois State Archives 
 are also silent concerning Smith's later service, 
 showing him only as detached to division head- 
 quarters. But he was mustered out, with Company C 
 of the 51st, at Camp Butler in Springfield, Illinois, 
 on September 25, 1865. 
 
 Apparently he lived in Chicago in 1866, then 
 went to Providence, Rhode Island, for a time, return- 
 ing to Chicago in 1867; in 1868 he lived at 572 Ful- 
 ton Street and was a partner in the firm of Barger 8c 
 Smith, "trunks, valises and traveling bags, 124 E. 
 Randolph." In 1869 the company expanded to in- 
 clude manufacturing as well as sales, operating from 
 85 Clark Street as well as the Randolph Street ad- 
 dress. In 1870 Smith had his own company, B. T. 
 Smith and Company, in conjunction with a C. S. 
 Brown; they were located at the old Randolph Street 
 address and at 137 West Adams, and seem to have 
 been trunk manufacturers only. In 1872 the direc- 
 tories show him still in the same business, but with- 
 out a firm name, and with a new address on State 
 Street; in 1873 he was located on Madison Street. 
 In 1874, his last year in Chicago, he apparently had 
 left the trunk manufacturing business and was work- 
 ing for the Chicago Omnibus Company. Some time 
 in 1874 or early in 1875 he moved to St. Louis, 
 where he spent the rest of his life. 
 
 On May 2, 1868, he was married in St. Mary's 
 Church, Chicago, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Doyle; his 
 journal at no point indicates any formal church affil- 
 
xii Historical Introduction 
 
 iation, although it does demonstrate his belief in 
 God; in view of what evidence exists, we must as- 
 sume that he was, or in 1868 became, a Catholic. His 
 wife was some four years younger than he, and their 
 union was blessed by three children: Francis Albert, 
 born in 1878; Will Leon, born in 1881 ; a daughter 
 Lulu, whose date of birth is not known and who pre- 
 ceded Smith in death. 
 
 In St. Louis, Smith was once again involved in 
 both the manufacture and sale of trunks; the St. 
 Louis directory of 1876 lists him as foreman for the 
 B. A. Hickman Company (they were trunk manu- 
 facturers), and in 1886 he was listed as a salesman 
 for the P. C. Murphy Trunk Company. In 1908 he 
 was in the directory as a traveling salesman. He 
 died on January 20 of that year and was buried 
 from St. Teresa's Church in Calvary Cemetery, 
 being survived by his wife Mary. He seems to have 
 been a man of unremarkable attainments, but, 
 withal, a man who lived a simple, useful life. Per- 
 haps the high point in his life (we will never really 
 know) was his diligent but unspectacular Civil War 
 army career. 
 
 Smith's army service took him from rural Wat- 
 seka to Chicago and then to the great depot and 
 staging area of Cairo, Illinois; to New Madrid and 
 Island No. 10 in Missouri; to Shiloh; to Corinth, 
 Mississippi; to northern Alabama, Georgia, and 
 Tennessee. In Tennessee, Smith was quartered 
 in Nashville and scouted its surrounding territory; 
 
Historical Introduction xiii 
 
 he knew Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and Chatta- 
 nooga; and he would march to Knoxville in east 
 Tennessee. Next he moved south with Sherman to 
 Atlanta, via Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost, Rocky 
 Face Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, Acworth, 
 Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, and Love- 
 joy's Station. Finally, back to Nashville after Hood: 
 Lynnville, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin, and 
 Nashville. 
 
 Most of Smith's two enlistments were served out 
 in the Army of the Cumberland; he arrived too late 
 to fight at Shiloh, although he did inch along with 
 Halleck's command in the investiture of Corinth. 
 Except for the Battle of Stone's River (and Grant's 
 campaigns around Vicksburg) he was involved in all 
 the great battles in the West: Chickamauga, Chat- 
 tanooga, the advance to Atlanta, and return to Ten- 
 nessee after Hood's army. 
 
 Benjamin T. Smith's war was like no war that had 
 been fought before and was like no war that would 
 be fought in the future. But then no war is ever like 
 any other war except that all are created by men and 
 fought and won, or fought and lost, by men. The 
 men are the same. The form of war changes: the uni- 
 forms, the drills, the food (never more than ade- 
 quate, and often less), the weapons, the modes of 
 transportation, all of the physical accoutrements of 
 war change. But in the end, the single most impor- 
 tant factor is the character of the men involved, par- 
 ticularly the character of the men who lead. War is 
 
xiv Historical Introduction 
 
 the great test of the character of man; the Civil War 
 — Smith's war — is no exception. 
 
 One of the greatest mistakes we can make today in 
 studying the Civil War is to attempt to understand 
 it in terms of our contemporary society and our con- 
 temporary military knowledge. It is hardly possible 
 to compare our organized twentieth-century society 
 with its instantaneous communications; its national 
 organizations for business, commerce, education, 
 politics, philanthropy, entertainment; and its indis- 
 putably formalized national government with the 
 unorganized, slower-moving society of a century 
 ago, less formal in structure, but more formal in so- 
 cial intercourse; with a federal government clearly 
 disputable as to basic authority and function; and 
 with almost no concept of national organization in 
 other areas of human endeavor. 
 
 Less comparable yet is the Army of the Cumber- 
 land with any of its modern counterparts. The dif- 
 ference clearly reflects our increased organization at 
 every level of the army. The soldier in our modern 
 infantry division has more formal education and a 
 greater knowledge (but not awareness) of his coun- 
 try and the world; he is enlisted (or perhaps drafted) 
 by the national, not the state, government; the rais- 
 ing and recruiting of armies is now unquestionably a 
 federal prerogative. Our diarist Benjamin T. Smith, 
 however, was enlisted in his home community by 
 the state of Illinois; his unit was later accepted for 
 federal service by the federal government and only 
 
Historical Introduction xv 
 
 then became a part of the Union Army. In the Civil 
 War, recruiting was handled by the states at the re- 
 quest of the federal government: the federal govern- 
 ment assigned quotas, and it was the responsibility 
 of the state to find the required number of men. 
 
 Smith's officers at the company level were origi- 
 nally elected by the members of their company (this 
 practice was generally followed at the beginning of 
 the war but was often abandoned as the war pro- 
 gressed) ; our modern officers are the product of 
 substantial and prolonged military training. Smith's 
 equipment was rudimentary, frequently of poor qual- 
 ity ; his housing was equally poor; his rifle was a for- 
 eign import, heavy, awkward, and unreliable; his 
 food was issued directly to him and he was his own 
 cook (as a consequence, small groups of men — very 
 descriptively called a ff mess" — cooked together). 
 The food he received was highly salted, most often 
 fried or roasted — from the standpoint of nutrition 
 completely out of balance. Much of the time in ene- 
 my territory he took what food he could find — from 
 farm, field, or larder. In contrast, our soldier today 
 has a rifle identical with that used by all other U.S. 
 soldiers; he has well-designed and well-manufac- 
 tured clothing; he uses central mess facilities, serv- 
 ing wholesome, balanced meals, and in the field 
 equally balanced rations are issued to him. 
 
 The basic military unit in the Civil War was the 
 infantry regiment. The word regiment suggests a 
 splendid and exciting martial picture: a mass of 
 
xvi Historical Introduction 
 
 men in bright uniforms, arrayed in long straight 
 lines, with flags bravely flying, their faces to the 
 enemy. Smith's regiment was the 51st Illinois In- 
 fantry, and he was in Company C; the regiment had 
 several nicknames — the "Ryan Life Guard" and 
 the "Chicago Legion" (although only one of the 
 companies was from Cook County). C company was 
 from Iroquois County, and the men in the other 
 companies were drawn from twelve additional Illi- 
 nois counties. Like all Union infantry regiments, the 
 51st Illinois when at maximum strength had 1,025 
 officers and men. The ten companies of 101 men 
 each were numbered A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and 
 K. Actually Smith's regiment was formed from a 
 number of independent small companies which the 
 governor of Illinois ordered combined to form the 
 51st. For example, the "Union Railroad Guard" be- 
 came Company A, the "Tucker Light Guard" became 
 Company B, Smith's Iroquois County unit became 
 Company C, the "Fremont Fencibles" became Com- 
 pany K, and the "Sturgis Light Guard" became 
 Company E. At full strength, each company had one 
 captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, 
 one first sergeant, four sergeants, eight corporals, 
 two musicians, a wagoner, and eighty-two privates. 
 The regiment was commanded by a colonel; the staff 
 upon which he could call for advice and assistance 
 in handling his men consisted of two musicians, a 
 hospital steward, a commissary sergeant, a quarter- 
 master sergeant, a sergeant major, a chaplain, two 
 
Historical Introduction xvii 
 
 assistant surgeons, a surgeon who ranked as a major, 
 a quartermaster, an adjutant, a major, and a lieuten- 
 ant colonel. In practice, privates from the companies 
 were assigned to regimental headquarters for order- 
 ly, scout, messenger, and housekeeping duties; 
 higher headquarters also drew their personnel from 
 the infantry regiments. As a matter of fact, it was 
 unusual to find a regiment on active duty with any- 
 thing like 1,025 men. Indeed, a unit would be ac- 
 cepted into U.S. service with as few as 845 officers 
 and men (in such cases the number of privates was 
 reduced from 82 to 64 per company). Smith's Com- 
 pany C had 93 officers and men when mustered into 
 federal service: of these 93, 74 were privates. For 
 comparison, on June 1, 1945, an infantry company 
 totaled 235 enlisted men, and a full regiment had 
 more than 3,500 enlisted men. 
 
 Just as it took ten companies to make a regiment, 
 it took two or more regiments to make a brigade (in 
 1862, General Sheridan commanded a brigade in 
 Missouri, composed of a regiment from Michigan 
 and a regiment from Iowa, with a total strength of 
 827 men; a few months later he commanded another 
 brigade composed of four regiments, the 2nd and 
 15th Missouri and the 36th and 44th Illinois). The 
 next higher unit was the division, which was com- 
 posed of a number of brigades; Sheridan's first di- 
 visional command was the 11th. It had three bri- 
 gades, each with four regiments, plus two attached 
 batteries of artillery : the 35th Brigade (the 44th and 
 
xviii Historical Introduction 
 
 73rd Illinois and the 2nd and 15th Missouri), the 
 36th Brigade (the 85th, 86th, and 125th Illinois and 
 the 52nd Ohio), the 37th Brigade (the 36th and 
 88th Illinois, the 21st Michigan, and the 24th Wis- 
 consin), the 2nd Illinois Light Battery I, and the 1st 
 Missouri Light Battery G. One more step up the 
 hierarchy is to corps (two or more divisions) and 
 then to army (two or more corps) . In practice, how- 
 ever, the Union Army was informal in organization 
 as well as in discipline. 
 
 At different periods of the war, a man could en- 
 list for 3 months, for 6 months, for 9 months, for 1 
 year, 2 years, or 3 years. There was no social stigma 
 attached to serving out one's enlistment and then 
 going home to resume civilian life even though the 
 war was still being fought. If a regiment (or a high 
 percentage of its members) re-enlisted en masse, its 
 men were entitled to call themselves veteran volun- 
 teers. Thus, in January and February of 1864, when 
 the 51st Illinois generally re-enlisted, Smith and his 
 friends became veteran volunteers. In fact, the Army 
 of the Cumberland was handicapped at that time and 
 again in June of 1864 because its officers had to 
 spend so much time in urging regiments to re-enlist; 
 if they were successful, the men had to be given re- 
 enlistment furloughs and those who did not re-enlist 
 had to be provided with transportation home. This 
 ill-conceived system of enlistments, the later con- 
 scription with its discriminatory arrangement for the 
 use of paid substitutes, and the raising of new regi- 
 
Historical Introduction xix 
 
 ments rather than filling the gaps caused by disease 
 and battle casualties in old regiments, are all incom- 
 prehensible today. Together they constitute a strong 
 indictment for inadequate planning and for mis- 
 management against both the Congress and Lin- 
 coln's administration. 
 
 If it is a mistake to study the Civil War in terms of 
 our contemporary organized civilization, it is also a 
 mistake to study Civil War army operations from 
 maps alone. When we look at war on a map, every- 
 thing is neat and orderly. The little rectangles mark 
 the locations of regiments, brigades, corps, and ar- 
 mies; arrows show where the units moved and 
 marched; at places where an arrow runs into a rec- 
 tangle, fighting took place; the arrows trace the bat- 
 tle movements and finally show which units retired 
 and the direction they followed. Perhaps this rather 
 tidy paper war is useful in helping us understand 
 the larger movements of great armies, but the maps 
 somehow emasculate war and so never reveal the 
 whole story. 
 
 Wars are not fought on a flat, card-table surface 
 but on the ground; and whatever the configuration 
 of terrain, it is never dead level or absolutely clear of 
 obstructions. Battles, in fact, seem to have an affinity 
 for places that abound in swamps, fast rivers, rough 
 hills, narrow passes, dense woods; with weather that 
 is stifling hot or mercilessly cold, where it rains too 
 often or where sleet and snow coat the ground, 
 where insect pests make an already miserable exist- 
 
xx Historical Introduction 
 
 ence almost unendurable. The map cannot show the 
 wretchedness of the private soldier, dirty, soaked to 
 the skin, shivering over a smoky fire deep in the 
 woods, trying to keep dry, warm; a piece of salt 
 pork on the end of his ramrod held over the flame 
 and a biscuit of hardtack out of the rain under his 
 shirt. This soldier and hundreds of others, equally 
 miserable, appear on the map only as a neat geo- 
 metrical figure. The map, however, does demon- 
 strate what did happen at a particular place. 
 
 It is worth remembering that the officers on both 
 sides in the Civil War employed the same tactics, 
 for many of them were trained at the same school — 
 West Point — and many of them had fought together 
 in the war with Mexico. It is not surprising, there- 
 fore, that they had the same idea about how best to 
 defeat an opposing army. The basic maneuvers were 
 quite simple: both sides formed battle lines when 
 a major engagement seemed near. The lines were 
 not straight because of the nature of the terrain; 
 either they bent around in front of or over the crest 
 of a hill; they bent around behind a swamp; they 
 bent around a cleared field in a forest; they bent 
 forward, perhaps, to include a road junction or 
 crossroads. The lines were never absolutely contin- 
 uous. That is, the last soldier on the far right (or 
 right flank) of Regiment X might or might not be 
 within sight or sound of the left flank of Regiment 
 Y, the next regiment in line. In front of the main line 
 were outposts and pickets whose principal function 
 
Historical Introduction xxi 
 
 was to guard against surprise attack; behind the line 
 was the reserve, to be used to bolster a weak part of 
 the line or to push back a momentarily successful 
 attack that had broken through the line; because of 
 its mobility its presence was a constant threat to the 
 enemy. Also behind the line were all the house- 
 keeping and supply services — the engineers, the 
 medics, the long wagon trains, various headquarters, 
 the mobile telegraph equipment, the supply dumps. 
 
 Supplies (which mean everything the soldier 
 needed to keep alive and fighting) were brought by 
 railroad to the rear of the army. Ammunition, food, 
 clothing, spare parts, or what have you, were loaded 
 on wagons and taken right to the army from the 
 nearest point on the railroad. If no railroad was near, 
 supplies were brought by steamboat and then by 
 wagon. In bad weather and through the winter the 
 condition of the roads was all important; they had to 
 be kept open if the army was not to starve and go 
 naked. Reinforcements came over the same route, 
 as did the telegraph lines and all communications. 
 Thousands of men were involved in keeping the 
 supply routes open. These included men from the 
 quartermaster corps as well as many others from the 
 fighting regiments who acted not only as guards but 
 as porters and construction crews. 
 
 It is obvious why military men have always been 
 preoccupied with the idea of getting to the rear of 
 the opposing army. If a really large force can be put 
 behind the enemy, he is immediately deprived of all 
 
xxii Historical Introduction 
 
 food and ammunition supplies, he loses all commu- 
 nications with his superiors, and he has to face an 
 enemy coming from a direction other than that his 
 fortifications were built to command. Since the ene- 
 my is well aware of how bad things will be if you get 
 behind him (and he probably has been scheming to 
 get behind you), he particularly guards against such 
 a threat. Rarely did large infantry forces get in the 
 enemy rear during the Civil War. Instead, fast-mov- 
 ing cavalry forces raided around the extreme ends 
 (flanks) of the line, harassing and burning wagon 
 trains, destroying bridges, indulging in the great 
 Civil War sport of tearing up the railroad tracks. 
 
 These raiding cavalry forces were organized into 
 regiments and corps and generally — although not 
 always — assigned to an army commander. The Un- 
 ion cavalry regiment was a little larger than an in- 
 fantry regiment; usually it had twelve companies of 
 100 men each, but like the infantry regiment it was 
 almost never at full strength. The Union cavalry 
 was generally inferior to Confederate cavalry until 
 late in 1864, when several remarkable cavalry units 
 were organized — led by Generals Phil Sheridan, 
 James Harrison Wilson, and Alfred Pleasonton. 
 Throughout Smith's tour of duty the Army of the 
 Cumberland had to cope with Confederate cavalry 
 led by the superior Nathan B. Forrest, the romantic 
 John Hunt Morgan, and the hard-hitting Joe Wheel- 
 er. In addition to serving as a highly mobile striking 
 force, cavalry troops were used for scouting, for 
 
Historical Introduction xxiii 
 
 screening troop movements, and for courier duty. 
 Large-scale engagements of cavalry against cavalry 
 were rare; the largest was in the Gettysburg cam- 
 paign at Brandy Station, June 9, 1863; the other 
 important clash was at Yellow Tavern, May 11, 1864, 
 near Richmond, Virginia. Large cavalry units al- 
 most never lined up and charged in one long line 
 with sabers drawn; most cavalrymen never used a 
 saber for any purpose more dangerous than chop- 
 ping kindling or opening an ammunition box; in- 
 deed, many cavalrymen were never issued sabers. 
 In action, cavalry moved quickly to their objective, 
 where they dismounted and fought on foot, using 
 their short-barreled carbines. 
 
 The other important fighting unit was the ar- 
 tillery. The light artillery regiment, when at full 
 strength, consisted of twelve batteries (companies) 
 of 150 men and six guns, but usually a battery had 
 four guns. The batteries almost always operated as 
 independent commands — which is to say, the artil- 
 lery regiment never fought as a regiment. Rather, 
 its batteries were attached to regiments or higher 
 commands. There were many kinds and makes of ar- 
 tillery weapons and many types of ammunition; 
 range was limited and (except for mortars) artillery 
 fired directly at a target that the gunners could see. 
 In fact, artillery was often right up with the infantry 
 rifle companies and sometimes in front of them. 
 Duels between individual guns or batteries were 
 common, and since light artillery could be moved 
 
xxiv Historical Introduction 
 
 with good speed in fair weather, units often accom- 
 panied cavalry columns on raids. Today the artil- 
 leryman rarely sees what he is shooting at; using 
 mathematical calculations, he fires on a crossroads 
 miles away or at enemy emplacements far out of his 
 sight; the Civil War artilleryman actually saw his 
 target, sighted his gun, and let fly. 
 
 The artillery could be horribly effective when us- 
 ing grape or canister at close range (in effect turning 
 the cannon into a huge shotgun) ; or, when using 
 solid shot or shells, for destroying or forcing an ene- 
 my battery out of action (counter battery fire), firing 
 upon and destroying (reducing) fortifications, or 
 shelling infantry or cavalry in the open. With the ar- 
 tillery in the open, right up on the line with the infan- 
 try, and exposed to heavy enemy rifle fire, casualties 
 were generally higher than those expected today. 
 
 All through the Civil War, surprise was a tactic 
 both sides tried to use, but like many military ma- 
 neuvers, it was easy to plan on a map under the yel- 
 low lantern light in the general's tent, but difficult 
 to achieve in practice. Rarely was planned surprise 
 using large forces achieved in a major battle, but with 
 the rigidity of purpose demonstrated by the oriental 
 mystic who spends years in contemplation of his 
 navel, generals on both sides kept hoping, and their 
 determination produced results occasionally enough 
 to keep everyone trying. But the successes usually 
 came only in scouting, patrolling, raiding, and other 
 small actions. One reason surprise attacks were dif- 
 
Historical Introduction xxv 
 
 ficult to effect in major battles was that it was almost 
 impossible to keep major troop movements secret. 
 Before a planned attack, sufficient forces were con- 
 centrated so as to outnumber the enemy greatly at 
 the point where the attack would begin. In dry 
 weather concentrating troops raised great clouds of 
 dust which hung over the moving columns like ar- 
 rows pointing from the sky. In bad weather every- 
 thing — men, animals, wagons — bogged down, and 
 the whole maneuver took so long that it was certain 
 to be discovered. And in any weather there were 
 always spies, scouts, deserters, and cavalry patrols, 
 all hazards to large-scale troop maneuvers. 
 
 There are many ways to make an attack, and many 
 were used in the Civil War. If the enemy army was 
 concentrated into one long line, the whole line could 
 be assaulted at once and the reserve rushed through 
 any weak spot that might be found, being turned 
 to the right or left (or both) and attacking the 
 rest of the line from the rear and side. The enemy 
 reserve, of course, was rushed to the point where the 
 breakthrough occurred, but the attack might con- 
 tinue if they were slow in arriving or insufficient in 
 numbers. A second standard attack plan was to con- 
 centrate heavily at one end of the line — let us, for 
 the sake of example, say the right — and have either 
 a weak or fake attack take place on the left, hoping to 
 lure the enemy reserves to that end. The major at- 
 tack was then ordered in on the right and if it broke 
 the defense line, it would turn to the left and attack 
 
xxvi Historical Introduction 
 
 down and behind the length of the enemy line. At 
 this time a general assault would be ordered all 
 along the front. In outline, this is the attack planned 
 by General Thomas at the Battle of Nashville in 
 which Private Smith participated. Many times dur- 
 ing the Civil War one side outnumbered the other 
 but for a variety of reasons was not able to make use 
 of its numerical superiority in launching a success- 
 ful attack: orders did not reach the proper officer, 
 or were slow in arriving or were misunderstood; 
 troops did not arrive on time or where expected; 
 indecision or timidity made the commander hold 
 back an unreasonably large number of reserves. Not 
 bringing all available fighting forces to bear at the 
 time of attack was responsible during the war for 
 more "lost victories" than any other tactical flaw. 
 
 A third favored tactic was to defeat the enemy in 
 detail. To explain, let us suppose that the outnum- 
 bered enemy, which we will call "A," is retreating, 
 or appearing to retreat, through the mountains ; the 
 pursuing army, which we will call ff B," splits its 
 forces and gives chase through three different 
 passes. But A has concentrated its forces in a valley 
 behind the first ranges of hills and plans to attack 
 the pursuing columns of B one at a time, where A's 
 concentrated force outnumbers any single one of B's 
 three columns. If A can overwhelm B's center col- 
 umn, he can then turn and attack either the left or 
 right column of B's army and defeat it, too. At the 
 very least, by defeating one of B's columns, he has 
 
Historical Introduction xxvii 
 
 cut down B's advantage of numerical superiority. 
 General Bragg planned this kind of attack on Rose- 
 crans' Union army for what turned into the Battle of 
 Chickamauga. 
 
 A fourth plan of attack was often used when the 
 principal objective was a terrain feature or city rather 
 than the enemy army. With this strategy it is pos- 
 sible to capture the objective without fighting a 
 major battle. Assume that the enemy (A) is defend- 
 ing a city by trying to bring on a battle under his 
 terms at a site far from the city. If the attacking army 
 (B) has numerical superiority, B moves forward un- 
 til the enemy (A) is located, well entrenched in a 
 chain of low hills. B can then follow one of two lines 
 of action. He can march his army far around one 
 flank or the other, and if successful force A to leave 
 his prepared positions and withdraw to avoid having 
 his communications cut (the attacking army of B 
 must be careful on the march not to present any 
 opportunity for A to attack him). The other line of 
 action is for B to approach the entrenched positions 
 of A and demonstrate against them. Using his 
 superior numbers, B then begins to extend, let us 
 say for the sake of example, his left flank, continuing 
 to add units to the left, stretching his line farther and 
 farther until it goes beyond A's prepared defenses. 
 If A extends his flank to parallel that of the attacking 
 army, he is spreading himself so thin that weak 
 spots will develop quickly. Rather than continuing 
 to match B's extension to the left (a game which A 
 
xxviii Historical Introduction 
 
 cannot win), A must either attack or withdraw. 
 Since his opponent B has more men, as well as a 
 solid line without weak spots, and can quickly draw 
 in his extended flank if an attack develops, the de- 
 fender A has little choice but to withdraw. As A 
 withdraws to another good defensive position, how- 
 ever, he hopes his attacker B will pursue rashly and 
 offer his army the opportunity to turn and attack. 
 General Sherman as the attacker used both these 
 tactics in his summer of 1864 campaign towards 
 Atlanta, maneuvering General Johnston out of his 
 prepared positions and forcing him to continue to 
 fall back towards the city. 
 
 Obviously many factors enter into either a suc- 
 cessful attack or defense. At the Battle of Chicka- 
 mauga, for example, the railroad was used to bring 
 General Longstreet's men from the eastern theatre 
 to Georgia, so that the Confederates suddenly had 
 more men in their army than the Union command- 
 er had. The nature of enemy entrenchments also 
 affects the outcome of battles. At the beginning of 
 the war a few military men believed that entrench- 
 ing was somehow not sporting, perhaps even cow- 
 ardly, but this nonsense disappeared in the stern 
 test of battle. Unbelievably high casualties resulted 
 from attacks made frontally on well-dug-in troops 
 who had plenty of ammunition and artillery sup- 
 port. So, for example, Sherman found out when he 
 attacked the Confederate Kenesaw Mountain posi- 
 tions in his Atlanta campaign — the one time before 
 
Historical Introduction xxix 
 
 the city was reached that he substituted frontal 
 attack for maneuver. 
 
 The operations in which our diarist Benjamin T. 
 Smith found himself engaged are hard to under- 
 stand unless we know what the other Union and 
 Confederate armies were doing at the same time. 
 Why did Smith have to leave his pleasant job of 
 guarding the railroad in northern Alabama and go 
 north? Because a Confederate army was invading 
 Kentucky. Why leave hard-won Chattanooga and go 
 to Knoxville in eastTennessee ? Because.a strong Con- 
 federate force led by General Longstreet was attack- 
 ing General Burnside's Union army in that place. 
 So that the reader may better understand where 
 Smith was and why his army did what it did, some 
 review of operations in the West may prove helpful. 
 
 It is important to remember that there was no 
 "Berlin wall" across the United States during the 
 Civil War, no fortified line from east to west across 
 the nation behind which the opposing armies could 
 crouch, ready to spring out and attack when an op- 
 portunity offered a chance of success. Rather, the 
 Civil War was a war in which a number of armies op- 
 posed each other; if the Confederates had an army in 
 Kentucky, the Union quickly put an army in Ken- 
 tucky to oppose them; if the Confederates threatened 
 east Tennessee, the Union put together an army and 
 hurried it to that area. But there were large areas of 
 the country not occupied in force by either side, or 
 at most by small troop units or fast-moving cavalry 
 
xxx Historical Introduction 
 
 patrols. Where armies confronted each other di- 
 rectly, there were trenches, fortifications, artillery 
 emplacements, and the other standard trappings of 
 conventional war, but elsewhere there were thou- 
 sands of small nameless clashes ; neither side could 
 be absolutely certain who controlled what part of 
 this open territory at any specific moment. 
 
 The part of the war covered by Smith's journal is 
 the West, and to avoid total confusion the reader 
 must bear in mind (l) the geography of Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, northern Alabama, and Georgia, because 
 the different armies fought over this ground several 
 times; (2) the frequent changes of high command 
 and the shuffling and regrouping of armies on both 
 sides ; and (3) the relationship of these armies to each 
 other as well as to other campaigns being fought 
 in the other theatres of war. 
 
 The war in the West began in September of 1861 
 when the Confederate command, ill advised, breached 
 Kentucky neutrality by fortifying Columbus, Ken- 
 tucky, some eighteen miles down the Mississippi 
 River from Cairo, Illinois. At that time the Confed- 
 erate command structure was this: General Albert 
 Sidney Johnston was in charge of Confederate forces 
 in the area covered by this journal, with his right at 
 Knoxville, Tennessee, and Cumberland Gap — under 
 Brigadier General Felix K. Zollicoffer; his center at 
 Bowling Green, Kentucky — under Major General 
 William J. Hardee and Brigadier General Simon 
 Bolivar Buckner; and his left anchored on the Ten- 
 
Historical Introduction xxxi 
 
 nessee, Cumberland, and Mississippi rivers. Major 
 General Leonidas Polk was at Columbus, Ken- 
 tucky, and additional troops were at Fort Henry on 
 the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the 
 Cumberland River; and at New Madrid, Missouri, 
 Island No. 10, and Fort Pillow (in Tennessee), all 
 on the Mississippi River. 
 
 On the Union side the overall command was 
 vested in General Winfield Scott in Washington, 
 who was succeeded November l, 1861, by Major 
 General George B. McClellan. In the West, the first 
 commander had been Major General John C. Fre- 
 mont, who was succeeded by Major General David 
 Hunter, and then, on November 19, 1861, by General 
 Henry W. Halleck. Brigadier General Grant was 
 commanding at Cairo, Illinois; Brigadier General 
 William T. Sherman's Army of the Ohio was lined up 
 against Hardee's troops at Bowling Green ; Brigadier 
 General George H. Thomas was watching Zollicoffer 
 in east Tennessee. After the useless Battle of Belmont 
 (November 7, 1861) fought by Grant in Missouri 
 (across the Mississippi River from Columbus, Ken- 
 tucky) and after the more important battle between 
 Crittenden and Thomas at Mill Springs, Kentucky 
 (January 19, 1862), which resulted in a Confederate 
 retreat out of east Tennessee and Zollicoffer's death, 
 several command changes took place. Brigadier Gen- 
 eral Don Carlos Buell replaced Sherman, and Con- 
 federate General P. G. T. Beauregard came from 
 the East to be second in command to Johnston. 
 
xxxii Historical Introduction 
 
 The first significant Union military advance in the 
 West took place in February, 1 862 ; Grant moved to at- 
 tack Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. The fort sur- 
 rendered on February 6 to Commodore Andrew H. 
 Foote's gunboats before Grant's infantry could make 
 an assault, but Grant moved on to Fort Donelson on 
 the Cumberland River. After a nasty, hard fight, the 
 fort capitulated, on February 16, 1862, to his "un- 
 conditional surrender" ultimatum. These two actions 
 began a career for Grant that would take him to the 
 White House. (No one paid much attention then, but 
 at the Fort Donelson surrender an obscure Confeder- 
 ate cavalry colonel led his men out of the fort in time 
 to evade capture. His name was Nathan Bedford For- 
 rest, and he would be a constant thorn in the side 
 to Union commanders for the rest of the war. There 
 is no question that he is the best cavalry leader 
 ever produced on the North American continent.) 
 
 With the fall of Fort Henry, the Tennessee River 
 was opened to Northern gunboats all the way to 
 Nashville, and so Hardee retired slowly from Bowl- 
 ing Green, Kentucky, through Nashville to Mur- 
 freesboro, Tennessee, followed all the way by Gen- 
 eral Buell, who occupied unfortified Nashville on 
 February 24-25. 
 
 The next successful Union attack was launched 
 against the Confederate position on the Mississippi 
 River at New Madrid, Missouri, and Island No. 10, 
 which Halleck ordered Brigadier General John Pope 
 to take. Private Smith's 51st Illinois was a part of 
 
Historical Introduction xxxiii 
 
 Pope's force — in Colonel Gilbert W. Cumming's 
 2nd Brigade of Brigadier General E. A. Paine's 4th 
 Division. The Union troops saw little action, how- 
 ever, since New Madrid was evacuated on the 14th 
 of March and Island No. 10 — being upstream of New 
 Madrid (even though it was south of the city) and 
 caught between federal gunboats above and Union 
 artillery at New Madrid below — capitulated on 
 April 7. Smith's regiment pursued the Confeder- 
 ates along their only escape route, the road to Tip- 
 tonville, Tennessee. 
 
 General Johnston, meanwhile, had concentrated 
 his troops at Corinth, Mississippi, abandoning Co- 
 lumbus, Kentucky, and being reinforced by troops 
 under Major General Braxton Bragg. At the same 
 time, Grant was moving up the Tennessee River to 
 Pittsburg Landing. Now, with Buell's army march- 
 ing west across Tennessee to join Grant, Johnston 
 attacked Grant at Pittsburg Landing; the battle 
 took its name from a small church near the landing: 
 Shiloh. The argument still rages as to why Grant had 
 not fortified his positions and as to the degree he 
 had been caught off guard. On April 6, 1 862, the first 
 day of battle, the Union troops were almost driven in- 
 to the river, but they rallied, and at dusk were still 
 holding on. Buell's army crossed the river during the 
 night, and the combined Union forces attacked the 
 next day (April 7), finally forcing the Confederates 
 (now commanded by Beauregard because Johnston 
 had been killed on the first day) from the field. 
 
xxxiv Historical Introduction 
 
 The Battle of Shiloh was the largest engagement 
 fought on the continent up to that time; the Con- 
 federates lost something over 10,000 men killed, 
 wounded, and missing, the Union about 13,000. 
 
 The Southern troops withdrew behind the de- 
 fenses of Corinth, where they were joined by troops 
 under Generals Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price. 
 At this point in the campaign there were about 50,- 
 000 Confederate soldiers at Corinth. The Union 
 forces were now directly commanded by Halleck, 
 with Grant as second in command; Thomas led the 
 right, and his troops were designated the Army ol 
 the Tennessee; Buell led the center, designated the 
 Army of the Ohio; and Pope the left, designated 
 the Army of the Mississippi. The Union troops 
 totaled perhaps 125,000. 
 
 Smith and the 51st Illinois arrived at Pittsburg 
 Landing on April 21 and took part in the advance 
 towards Corinth; during this march they were at 
 Farmington, Mississippi, on the two occasions when 
 Beauregard lashed out at Pope's advanced position 
 there. Beauregard had little real hope, however, of 
 holding back the Union might; and when Halleck's 
 tediously slow, over-cautious advance threatened to 
 become an all-out attack against Corinth, the Con- 
 federates, on May 29, skillfully began to retire to 
 Tupelo, Mississippi, some fifty miles away. Two new 
 cavalry leaders emerged from the Shiloh-Corinth 
 campaign: Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan 
 was promoted brigadier general in December and 
 
Historical Introduction xxxv 
 
 Union Colonel Phil Sheridan became a brigade 
 commander, and would soon be promoted brigadier 
 general. 
 
 After the Shiloh-Corinth campaign General Bragg 
 replaced Beauregard, and decided to move to the 
 north and "invade" Kentucky, using not only the 
 army at Tupelo but Major General Edmund Kirby 
 Smith's troops in east Tennessee. The great Union 
 Army at Corinth was separated into several inde- 
 pendent commands: Grant and Buell stayed in the 
 west throughout the summer, but Major General 
 Pope was sent east to lead the Army of Virginia, 
 and Halleck went east in July to take overall com- 
 mand of Union forces. Early in the summer Buell 
 was ordered to inarch from Corinth, Mississippi, to 
 east Tennessee and to repair the vital Memphis 
 and Charleston Railroad on the route. Smith and 
 the 51st Illinois were with Buell, and from July 26 
 to September 27 their duty consisted of guarding 
 the rebuilt railroad in the Trinity Station-Decatur, 
 Alabama, area; Buell's main force was then halted at 
 Stevenson, Alabama. When Bragg launched his 
 Kentucky campaign, he ordered General Hardee 
 to take the army from Tupelo to Chattanooga; 
 Major General Sterling Price would stay in Missis- 
 sippi to oppose Grant's army. (Confederate cavalry 
 was particularly effective in the last six months of 
 1862 ; led by Generals Morgan, Forrest, and Joseph 
 Wheeler, the fast-moving cavalrymen raided all 
 through Tennessee and Kentucky.) 
 
xxxvi Historical Introduction 
 
 As Bragg' s plan unfolded, General Smith moved 
 north from Knoxville and on August 30, 1862, won 
 the hard-fought battle of Richmond, Kentucky, prac- 
 tically destroying Major General William Nelson's 
 command. Smith then occupied Frankfort and Lex- 
 ington, Kentucky, and threatened Louisville and 
 Cincinnati, Ohio. On August 28 Bragg started north 
 from Chattanooga with an army of two wings, one 
 led by Hardee (with Major General Simon Bolivar 
 Buckner as second in command), the other by Polk. 
 Buell made his countermoves carefully, first to Mur- 
 freesboro, Tennessee, and then to Nashville, which 
 was already strongly fortified. There he left only a 
 division under Brigadier General James S. Negley 
 and then followed Bragg north into Kentucky. 
 
 Smith and the 51st, ordered to rejoin Buell, left 
 Decatur, Alabama, on September 27. During the 
 march to Nashville, Smith was somehow absorbed 
 into an impromptu, irregular unit of mounted in- 
 fantrymen called "Powell's Scouts,*' and he served 
 with them for the next eight months, scouting, pa- 
 trolling, and doing escort duty around Nashville. 
 There "Powell's Scouts" often ran into Confederate 
 pickets and cavalry detachments, sometimes pre- 
 cipitating small but nonetheless deadly actions at 
 such places as Stewart's Ferry at Stone's River. 
 
 Smith, then, was not further involved in the cam- 
 paign in Kentucky, but a word about this campaign is 
 necessary because it provides the background for all of 
 the actions he would be in during the rest of the war. 
 
Historical Introduction xxxvii 
 
 Bragg wasted his time in Kentucky, issuing proc- 
 lamations and installing a Confederate governor at 
 Frankfort but never concentrating his forces for an 
 effective military move. Buell meanwhile was getting 
 reinforcements from Grant's army in Mississippi (by 
 river, through Louisville), including Brigadier Gen- 
 eral Sheridan, whose star was rising; he would com- 
 mand a division from now on. 
 
 Neither Grant nor Sherman, however, figured in 
 the Tennessee campaigns until after the fall of 
 Vicksburg in July, 1863. In June, 1862, when Fort 
 Pillow was evacuated by the Confederates and Mem- 
 phis was occupied by Union troops, Vicksburg re- 
 mained the only Confederate barrier along the en- 
 tire length of the Mississippi River ; Vicksburg would 
 therefore be their target. During the difficult fight- 
 ing in Tennessee, Grant and Sherman were trying 
 to crack the hard nut of Vicksburg. But prior to 
 the Vicksburg campaign two important actions were 
 fought in Mississippi, at Iuka and Corinth. There- 
 after Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton was as- 
 signed to the command at Vicksburg, with Van Dorn 
 in charge of his cavalry ; in December Van Dorn's 
 raid against Grant's supply lines and depot at Holly 
 Springs, Mississippi, helped stop the 1862 overland 
 movement by Grant towards Vicksburg. 
 
 Back in Kentucky, Buell fought at Perryville on 
 October 8 with a part of Bragg's army led by Polk, 
 and the result was a Confederate victory. Bragg, 
 curiously, did not attempt to exploit the victory (as 
 
xxxviii Historical Introduction 
 
 he had likewise failed to do after another, earlier 
 victory at Munfordville) and began a withdrawal 
 toward Cumberland Gap to Knoxville in east Ten- 
 nessee. General Smith's forces stayed at Knoxville, 
 while the rest of Bragg' s army concentrated at Mur- 
 freesboro, where it was joined by men under Generals 
 Forrest and John C. Breckinridge ; Buell had followed 
 the retreat but was constantly frustrated by Wheel- 
 er's well-directed cavalry, and finally concentrated 
 his army at Nashville. As so often happened after 
 battle action, there were more command changes. 
 Confederate General Smith ended up in charge of 
 things west of the Mississippi River, and the ex- 
 tremely able General Joseph Eggleston Johnston 
 was put in charge not only of the Tennessee troops 
 but also of Pemberton's in and around Vicksburg. 
 The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, visited 
 the army in Murfreesboro and Chattanooga in De- 
 cember and forced Johnston to send about 10,000 of 
 his troops to Pemberton at Vicksburg. The major 
 Confederate units left in Tennessee under Bragg at 
 Murfreesboro were two corps under Polk and Hardee. 
 The cavalry under Wheeler was responsible to Har- 
 dee, and it was units of Wheeler's cavalry that Smith 
 ran into from time to time. On the Union side, Buell 
 was replaced by Rosecrans, and the Army of the Cum- 
 berland was formed into three corps, commanded by 
 Generals Thomas, Thomas L. Crittenden, and Alex- 
 ander M. McCook. Rosecrans was given to understand 
 that he was expected to attack as soon as he could. 
 
Historical Introduction xxxix 
 
 And he did attack, beginning his movement 
 towards Murfreesboro on December 26, arriving at 
 Stone's River near the city on the 30th. Both sides 
 decided to attack, and each decided to attack his 
 opponent's right; the Confederates moved first, and, 
 in the Battle of Murfreesboro (or Stone's River) on 
 the 31st, were able to punish and push back several 
 of Rosecrans' divisions, radically bending the 
 Union line, but they could not follow up their initial 
 success. No action of major significance took place 
 on New Year's Day of 1863, and after inconclusive 
 action on the 2nd of January, Bragg once again 
 adopted his favorite tactic and began to retreat 
 late on the 3rd. The Confederate cavalry contin- 
 ued to be active and Rosecrans did not pursue; 
 Bragg got his troops back some twenty miles to Tul- 
 lahoma (Hardee) and Shelbyville (Polk), and con- 
 siderable discussion among his higher officers fol- 
 lowed — a discussion concerning their total lack of 
 confidence in their general's military ability. Presi- 
 dent Davis, however, would not remove him, and 
 Bragg retained his command. Our journalist, Ben- 
 jamin T. Smith, was not in this battle since "Powell's 
 Scouts" were still patrolling the vicinity of Nashville. 
 
 From the Battle of Murfreesboro until the end of 
 June all was quiet in Tennessee, except for cavalry 
 actions. "Powell's Scouts" were disbanded, and 
 Smith returned to Company C of the 51st Illinois. 
 He stayed only a few days, however, and then was 
 assigned as an orderly at Major General Philip Sher- 
 
xl Historical Introduction 
 
 idan's division headquarters. By this time Sheridan 
 had attracted favorable attention; his strong defense 
 during the Confederate attack at Murfreesboro helped 
 save the Union lines from disintegrating, and he was 
 now marked for more responsibility. Not long before 
 Rosecrans had begun to move toward Murfreesboro 
 in December, Brigadier General John H. Morgan 
 moved into Kentucky to interrupt Rosecrans' 
 communications. This raid should not be confused 
 with the dashing General's great Ohio raid of July, 
 1863, when his troops crossed the Ohio below 
 Louisville and raced through southern Indiana and 
 Ohio. The Ohio raid was spectacular and created 
 considerable apprehension in the North, but was 
 lacking in any appreciable military effect. Morgan and 
 his men were finally captured and confined in the 
 Ohio State Penitentiary at Columbus; although 
 Morgan later escaped, he was never again to play a 
 really important role in the war. 
 
 Rosecrans — after a long period of inactivity — 
 marched out of Nashville on June 23, 1863, and very 
 cleverly maneuvered so that Bragg had to retreat 
 from his heavily fortified position at Tullahoma. 
 What Rosecrans did was to fake an attack on Polk 
 at Shelbyville, while the real advance was made 
 around Hardee's right, to Manchester and Decherd. 
 The maneuver went as planned, and Bragg had to 
 draw back to Tullahoma. When the Union cut the 
 railroad at Decherd, Bragg had to fall back again, to 
 Decherd and Winchester; still again the Confeder- 
 
Historical Introduction xli 
 
 ate Army went back, this time to Cowan and finally 
 over the mountain to Chattanooga. 
 
 Rosecrans' army was now divided into three 
 corps: the 20th, commanded by Major General 
 Alexander M. McCook; the 14th, by Major General 
 George H. Thomas; and the 21st, by Major General 
 Thomas L. Crittenden. Sheridan's 3rd Division 
 (with Smith at division headquarters) participated 
 in the "Tullahoma" campaign as a part of the 20th 
 Corps. A fourth unit, called the Reserve Corps, was 
 commanded by Major General Gordon Granger. 
 
 The Confederates began to make command changes 
 when their army reached safety at Chattanooga. 
 Hardee was sent to Mississippi, and his place was 
 taken by Lieutenant General Daniel H. Hill, trans- 
 ferred from the Army of Northern Virginia. Bragg 
 was removed from Johnston's control and given re- 
 sponsibility for east Tennessee, until then under the 
 control of Buckner. It had been decided by the Con- 
 federate high command in the East to send Lieuten- 
 ant General James Longstreet (with two divisions, 
 commanded by Generals John B. Hood and Lafay- 
 ette McLaws, plus the artillery commanded by Brig- 
 adier General Edward Porter Alexander) by railroad 
 to Tennessee. But the direct railroad connection 
 was broken when Major General Ambrose E. Burn- 
 side advanced with the Army of the Ohio from 
 Louisville and occupied Knoxville. Burnside had no 
 trouble at Knoxville because General Buckner had 
 been ordered to leave the city and fall back to a 
 
xlii Historical Introduction 
 
 position north of Chattanooga. With the railroad 
 broken at Knoxville, Longstreet's men would have 
 to go through North Carolina to Atlanta and then 
 north to Chattanooga to join Bragg, and conse- 
 quently they were slow in arriving in Georgia. 
 
 The country over which the armies would fight is 
 rough and mountainous, with the mountains run- 
 ning in parallel ridges from northeast to southwest. 
 The creeks are fast and deep, and the Tennessee 
 River is an even more impassable barrier. Chatta- 
 nooga itself is dominated by this fast river at its 
 north and west, and by the formidable mountains to 
 the south; only to the northeast is there any reason- 
 able approach to the town. It was this complex 
 mountainous terrain with which both commanders 
 would have to cope. To further confuse the picture, 
 three states meet southwest of Chattanooga: Ala- 
 bama, Georgia, and Tennessee. 
 
 What Rosecrans hoped to accomplish was to get 
 around behind Bragg's army to the Resaca-Dalton 
 area in Georgia, and cut the railroad to Atlanta. To 
 do this he would have to get his army through the 
 mountains, a hard job at best, but he seemed very 
 sure of himself, partly because he believed the de- 
 liberately spread Confederate rumors that Bragg 
 was in full retreat from Chattanooga to the south. 
 Rosecrans therefore sent each of his three corps on 
 a separate route through the mountains, the 2 1st on 
 the left toward Chattanooga, the 14th in the center 
 through the mountains toward Lafayette, Georgia, 
 
Histo rica I In troduction 
 
 xlm 
 
 and the 20th on the right to the south and west 
 toward Alpine, Georgia. Although Bragg had aban- 
 doned Chattanooga, he was not retreating but con- 
 centrating his army at Lafayette, behind Chicka- 
 mauga Creek. From that point he hoped to throw 
 the whole weight of his army against just one corps 
 of the Army of the Cumberland. This was sound 
 strategy, but somehow his attack did not come off as 
 planned; the Union corps he selected to hit was 
 Thomas's 14th, which was to be attacked when it 
 came out of the mountains into a natural cul-de-sac 
 called McLemore's Cove. But orders were not de- 
 livered on time, commanders were slow to move, 
 mixups occurred, and Thomas saw the danger ahead 
 in time to stop the advance of the 14th Corps and 
 back it up into the mountains at Stevens Gap. Bragg 
 then decided to attack Crittenden's 21st Corps, 
 which was at Lee and Gordon's Mill on the Chicka- 
 mauga, but there was confusion on the Confederate 
 side as to just where Crittenden was, and after some 
 fumbling around, the attack failed to materialize. 
 On the 13th of September, Rosecrans suddenly re- 
 alized that his army was in trouble, McCook's 20th 
 Corps was 57 miles marching distance through the 
 mountains from Thomas's 14th Corps. Consequent- 
 ly, he ordered a hurried concentration of the army at 
 Thomas's position; Smith was with Sheridan's divi- 
 sion at Alpine, having come through Bridgeport, 
 Alabama, and Trenton, Georgia, and as the Union 
 Army concentrated, he was marched to Chicka- 
 
xliv Historical Introduction 
 
 mauga Valley through Stevens Gap. Bragg had 
 brought Buckner's command into his army; Rose- 
 crans had moved Granger's reserve to Rossville, 
 south of Chattanooga. 
 
 Bragg's plan was to attack Crittenden on the 
 Union left, but Rosecrans was worried about the 
 left and kept extending it farther, so that the left 
 was not quite where Bragg thought it would be. 
 Thomas, too, had been extended somewhat to the 
 left. In the afternoon of the 18th Major General 
 John B. Hood arrived via railway with a number of 
 Longstreet's eastern troops, and the battle was 
 ready to begin. On the 19th fighting ranged up and 
 down the line, with no particular advantage to either 
 side. That night Longstreet arrived with more Con- 
 federate troops, and the plan was still to smash the 
 Union left. The attack on the 20th would proceed 
 with each division attacking in turn, beginning on 
 the Union left; Rosecrans had strengthened his 
 left, however, and drawn Granger in closer to the 
 battlefield. When troops were shifted on the Union 
 right during the battle, a gap developed, and Hood's 
 men went right through the hole. Longstreet had 
 them turn to the right and continue their attack. 
 Those units of Rosecrans' army that tried to plug 
 this hole — including Sheridan's division — were 
 smashed aside, and soon all was confusion in the 
 Union right and center. Smith was in the gap and 
 was lucky enough to survive. As soon as he could, he 
 retreated toward Chattanooga on the McFarland's 
 
Historical Introduction xlv 
 
 Gap Road, but he returned near the end of the day 
 to the rear of Thomas's position at Horseshoe 
 Ridge. In this position Thomas had repulsed every 
 assault thrown at him by the Confederates (in addition 
 to his own men, he had been reinforced by Granger 
 and had also gathered together all the troops he 
 could lay his hands on). Thomas's unyielding de- 
 fense at Chickamauga saved Rosecrans' army from 
 destruction and earned for him the sobriquet ff Rock 
 of Chickamauga." About 4:30 Thomas began to 
 withdraw, and by 5 130 his men were off the field. 
 The Battle of Chickamauga was over, and it was a 
 Union disaster. But as before, Bragg did not follow 
 up his victory, and the Army of the Cumberland 
 fled into Chattanooga, where it rapidly built up the 
 city's defenses, until it felt safe from attack. Bragg 
 decided to surround the town and starve Rosecrans' 
 troops into surrender; he could do this because of 
 the unusual configuration of the terrain. 
 
 Chattanooga rests in a valley with the fast, deep 
 Tennessee River at its north; west of the city the 
 river swings south as far as the base of Lookout 
 Mountain. South of the city Confederates held the 
 mountains. From Lookout Mountain they could 
 control the railroad, the river, and the road; and the 
 besieged Union troops had to depend on supplies 
 coming from the railroad at Stevenson, Alabama, 
 some sixty miles away on the north side of the river. 
 Smith carried a message for Sheridan along this 
 route, going east out of Chattanooga, over the river, 
 
xlvi Historical Introduction 
 
 up over the long, difficult Walden's Ridge, thence 
 down the Sequatchie valley, through Jasper to 
 Bridgeport. Supplies grew very short in Chatta- 
 nooga, and the men were on half rations, but great 
 plans were being made, and once again the command 
 setup was revamped. 
 
 It was obvious that Bragg's ranking officers had 
 completely lost confidence in him; in fact, President 
 Davis came to the Army of Tennessee to investigate, 
 arriving on October 9. After much discussion, re- 
 plete with recriminations, charges, and counter- 
 charges, Davis decided to retain Bragg in command, 
 but as an aftermath to the Battle of Chickamauga, 
 D. H. Hill was suspended, Polk was sent to Missis- 
 sippi and Hardee brought to Tennessee to replace 
 him; Forrest was so angry he charged into Bragg's 
 headquarters and threatened to "slap" his jaws. De- 
 spite the heavy Union reinforcements coming in to 
 Chattanooga, Bragg materially reduced the strength 
 of his army by sending Longstreet off with his two 
 divisions, and Alexander's artillery and Wheeler's 
 cavalry, to drive Burnside out of east Tennessee; 
 later Buckner was sent with additional troops to aid 
 Longstreet. On the Union side, Thomas replaced 
 Rosecrans; Grant was put in command of a newly 
 formed Division of the Mississippi; Sherman was 
 brought up from Mississippi with two corps, the 
 15th and 17th; and Major General Joseph Hooker 
 was brought west with the 11th and 12th Corps from 
 the Army of the Potomac. 
 
Historical Introduction xlvii 
 
 Grant arrived in Chattanooga on October 23 and 
 wasted no time in getting things moving. First he 
 had to open a supply route : this he did by marching 
 Hooker up the south side of the river from Bridge- 
 port to the base of Lookout Mountain; Brigadier 
 General John B. Turchin's brigade cleared a path to 
 Brown's Ferry, where a bridge was built on pontoons 
 that had been floated down the river, and supplies 
 could be brought in on the route that came to be 
 known as the cracker line. Next Grant proposed to 
 have Sherman take his troops behind the hills on the 
 north side of the river, march them out of sight to 
 the north end of Missionary Ridge, recross the river 
 and attack the ridge. Thomas was to attack to his 
 front and Hooker was to attack Lookout Mountain. 
 On the 23rd Thomas moved forward and captured 
 Orchard Knob, which was used by high-ranking 
 officers as headquarters and an observation post. On 
 the 24th Sherman attacked; he was fooled by the 
 terrain, however, and attacked not Missionary Ridge 
 but a hill near the end of the ridge. Hooker, though, 
 did get up Lookout Mountain in the battle often 
 called "the Battle Above the Clouds." As a matter of 
 fact, there were no clouds, only mist and fog, and 
 the tough fighting took place lower down on the 
 mountain, not at the top. On the 25th Sherman 
 attacked the true north end of Missionary Ridge and 
 had a rough time of it; unable to break the Confed- 
 erate line, Thomas's men were ordered to advance 
 straight up the ridge and capture the lowest of three 
 
xlviii Historical Introduction 
 
 lines of rifle pits. This they did, and after a brief 
 halt, fought on up the ridge, an irresistible attack 
 which was made without orders; the Confederate 
 lines broke and their men ran, and Missionary Ridge 
 belonged to the Union. The troops which had held 
 Sherman at bay had to evacuate, and the whole Con- 
 federate Army pulled back, first to the Chicka- 
 mauga and then to Dalton, Georgia. Smith had been 
 with General Sheridan during the runaway assault 
 on Missionary Ridge, and there is evidence which 
 indicates that he was the only member of the staff to 
 go all the way to the top with the General. 
 
 The armies would now be inactive until spring of 
 1864, except for a movement into east Tennessee. In 
 September, Burnside had moved into east Tennes- 
 see and his opponent Buckner had been ordered to 
 pull out of east Tennessee and march to a position 
 near Chattanooga; Buckner was then absorbed into 
 Bragg' s army. On November 4, Bragg had made the 
 bad mistake of splitting his forces, ordering Long- 
 street to east Tennessee to drive out Burnside and 
 reclaim the area for the Confederacy. Burnside was 
 able to pull his men back into heavily fortified 
 Knoxville in spite of Longstreet's advance, and 
 when Longstreet finally assaulted the city's defenses 
 at Fort Sanders, he was easily repulsed. After the 
 Chattanooga battles Grant sent Sherman with the 
 15th Corps and Granger with the 4th to east Ten- 
 nessee to relieve Burnside. As they drew near, Long- 
 street left Knoxville and moved east, eventually re- 
 
Historical Introduction xlix 
 
 turning to Lee's army; he was seen no more in the 
 West. Smith went to Knoxville with Sheridan, re- 
 enlisted, and received a furlough. 
 
 As an aftermath to the Chattanooga battle, there 
 were again the inevitable changes in command. On 
 December 16 General Joseph E. Johnston replaced 
 Bragg as commander of the Army of Tennessee; 
 Hood, recovered from the loss of a leg at Chicka- 
 mauga, rejoined the army. On the Union side, Grant, 
 on March 12, 1864, was put in charge of all Union 
 forces, and he left for the East to coordinate the 
 actions of all the armies; in a month he would call 
 Sheridan to come East to take over the cavalry of the 
 Army of the Potomac. Sherman was now to command 
 in the West, with Major General John M. Schofield 
 replacing Major General John G. Foster (who had 
 replaced Burnside in east Tennessee), Major Gen- 
 eral James B. McPherson, and Thomas as his prin- 
 cipal subordinates. Sherman had made an abortive 
 campaign east of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in Feb- 
 ruary, and Thomas advanced toward the Confed- 
 erate position at Rocky Face Ridge near Dalton, 
 Georgia, but fell back when it became apparent how 
 strongly defended the position was. By the time 
 Smith returned from his re-enlistment furlough, 
 Sherman was ready to march on Atlanta. 
 
 Sherman's three armies were more than double 
 the size of Johnston's force (although Johnston was 
 reinforced by Polk's troops from Mississippi), but 
 once again the terrain dictated the movements of 
 
1 Historical Introduction 
 
 the army. The Western and Atlantic Railroad from 
 Chattanooga to Atlanta was the Confederate supply 
 line, and the closer their forces were to Atlanta, the 
 easier it was for them to get supplies. If Sherman 
 could get behind the Confederate Army and cut this 
 railroad, or if he could use his superior force to fight 
 a battle in the open, Atlanta would be his. The 
 country Sherman started into was rough indeed, al- 
 though not so wildly spectacular as the area around 
 Chattanooga. The army moved out on May 4. The 
 plan was to have Thomas and Schofield attract the 
 full attention of the Confederates along Rocky Face 
 Ridge while McPherson slipped around the Con- 
 federate left and into their rear at Resaca. This ma- 
 neuver went well until Resaca was reached, but 
 there the Confederates held up McPherson's army. 
 Sherman therefore sent the whole army around to 
 Resaca. Johnston was not fooled, however, and 
 moved his forces back to Resaca, where he was en- 
 trenched and ready to meet Sherman by the 13th. 
 There was hard fighting for two days before Sherman 
 got some troops around the Confederate left flank 
 to Calhoun, on the south side of the Oostenaula 
 River, and Johnston fell back. Obviously Johnston 
 wanted to avoid a pitched battle while he was so 
 badly outnumbered. Every position he occupied in 
 his tactically excellent withdrawal was entrenched, 
 and Sherman was not eager to attack an army hid- 
 den behind earthworks. The sparring between the 
 armies continued back to Allatoona, a particularly 
 
Historical Introduction li 
 
 strong, well-chosen position. There Sherman left 
 the railroad and swung out to the Confederate left 
 and marched south, but when he arrived in the 
 Dallas-New Hope Church area, he found that 
 Johnston had anticipated him and was once more in 
 his way, well dug in. The fighting there was so hard 
 that Sherman pushed out to his left and finally 
 headed back to the railroad, concentrating at Ac- 
 worth. Johnston had good positions there before 
 Marietta, even though he had to back out of the first 
 one and occupy the second one at Kenesaw Moun- 
 tain. Lieutenant General Polk was killed by an ar- 
 tillery shell on June 14 at Pine Mountain and his 
 place was assigned to Lieutenant General Alexander 
 P. Stewart. Sherman now abandoned his unspec- 
 tacular but successful flanking tactics and made a 
 frontal attack on Kenesaw Mountain; the position 
 was invulnerable, and the Union force paid a heavy 
 price in casualties for the rash assault. Having 
 learned a bitter lesson, Sherman sent McPherson 
 around to the right and Johnston had to leave Kene- 
 saw and Marietta. The next Confederate defense line 
 was in front of the Chattahoochee River, and there 
 Sherman went far around to his own left with Scho- 
 field, while keeping pressure all along Johnston's 
 line. Schofield got across the river easily and John- 
 ston on July 9 had to fall back to keep Schofield from 
 moving directly into Atlanta; the new Confederate 
 positions were on the south side of Peach Tree 
 Creek. 
 
Hi Historical Introduction 
 
 On the 17th of July, Johnston was informed that 
 he was replaced by General Hood, and the Confed- 
 erate Army now had a rash, impetuous leader in- 
 stead of the sagacious, careful "Joe" Johnston. Gen- 
 eral Benjamin Franklin Cheatham took Hood's old 
 corps, and Stewart and Hardee commanded the 
 other two. Hood planned to attack Thomas when 
 Thomas crossed the Peach Tree Creek, utilizing 
 the usual Sherman tactic, but by the time Stewart 
 and Hardee attacked, Thomas was able to throw 
 them back with substantial losses. McPherson mean- 
 while was moving on the Confederate right; troops 
 had to be shifted immediately in that direction and 
 the Peach Tree Creek battle ended. Hood then de- 
 cided to attack McPherson, who was east of Atlanta 
 near Decatur; first he withdrew to the final Atlanta 
 defense line, then sent Hardee to outflank McPher- 
 son. On July 22 Hardee struck the Union left a 
 severe blow ; his attack came as a great surprise to the 
 Union officers. Casualties were heavy on both sides 
 (McPherson himself was killed), but the attack was 
 repulsed. Major General Oliver O. Howard took over 
 McPherson's army after it was briefly commanded 
 by Major General John A. Logan. By the 22nd Sher- 
 man was shelling Atlanta and, using Howard's 
 troops, moving around to the west of the city. At 
 Ezra Church, on July 28, Hood attacked Howard, 
 but the Union men dug in and could not be over- 
 whelmed. Now Sherman's cavalry moved clear 
 around Atlanta to Lovejoy's Station, due south 
 
Historical Introduction liii 
 
 of the city, cutting the Macon and Western Rail- 
 road; but they could not hold their position. As 
 usual, those excellent cavalrymen Wheeler and 
 Forrest were tearing things up behind the federal 
 army, as far back as Nashville and Chattanooga. But 
 even their destructive work could not save Atlanta 
 from the persistent Sherman, who sent Schofield 
 around to the west to Rough and Ready, and Howard 
 to Jonesboro. On August 31 Hood ordered Hardee 
 to attack Howard at Jonesboro, but the attack 
 failed. It was clear then even to Hood that he had 
 to get out of Atlanta. Hardee, under heavy fire, 
 moved first, entrenching at Lovejoy's Station. The 
 Confederate troops still in Atlanta then left the city 
 for Hardee's strong position, and Brigadier General 
 Henry W. Slocum's Union forces entered the city 
 from the north. 
 
 It is difficult to understand why Sherman did not 
 crush Hood at Lovejoy's Station, but he did not; 
 instead, he moved most of his troops into the city 
 and left Hood in his fortifications. Our Private Smith 
 entered Atlanta with his division and enjoyed a 
 long rest, over to the east of the city. Although Sher- 
 man was resting, Hood was not; on September 21 he 
 moved west to Palmetto, and four days later Jeffer- 
 son Davis visited his army. Again there were com- 
 mand changes, with Hardee sent east and Cheatham 
 taking his place; the corps commanders were now 
 Cheatham, Stewart, and Lieutenant General Stephen 
 D. Lee. General Beauregard was brought back to 
 
liv Historical Introduction 
 
 this theatre, nominally to be Hood's immediate su- 
 perior. Once again the Confederate cavalry was busy 
 behind Sherman; to protect against them, Sherman 
 sent two divisions to Tennessee : Thomas to Nashville 
 and Schofield to east Tennessee; other troops were 
 sent to Missouri to help subdue the troublesome Price. 
 When Hood and Beauregard began to move at 
 the end of September of 1864, they moved north, 
 hoping to so interrupt Sherman's supply lines that 
 he would come out of Atlanta and fight; if he did not 
 do so, then Hood would go where Sherman went. 
 When Hood marched back over the same area 
 through which Johnston and Sherman had recently 
 fought, Sherman did come after him. The Confed- 
 erates gobbled up small units of the Union Army 
 along the railroad, although they did not succeed 
 in capturing Allatoona. They bypassed Rome, and 
 on October 12 were at Resaca. They went through 
 Dalton, finally stopping along the Chickamauga, 
 where the battle had been fought more than a 
 year earlier. Hood then marched west into Alabama 
 to Decatur and Tuscumbia; Sherman abandoned 
 the chase after reaching northern Alabama and 
 turned back to Atlanta, already planning his famous 
 march to the sea. He did send two corps, the 4th 
 and 23rd, to Thomas, before starting for Savannah, 
 confident that Thomas could handle Hood. By now, 
 Private Smith was with his division back in Ten- 
 nessee, and Thomas and the Army of the Cumber- 
 land will be the final focus of our attention. 
 
Historical Introduction lv 
 
 After crossing the Tennessee at Tuscumbia, Hood 
 went to Florence, then struck out for Columbia, on 
 the Duck River. He was trying to get around Pu- 
 laski, Tennessee, where Schofield (in whose army 
 Smith was serving) was located, thus cutting him 
 off from Nashville. Schofield reacted promptly, how- 
 ever, and rushed his army north, beating Hood to 
 Columbia. He fortified the town so that Hood, who 
 was there in strength by November 27, decided not 
 to attack but rather to hold Schofield in place through 
 dummy attacks while he crossed the river above the 
 town, and raced north to Spring Hill, there to cut 
 the road and trap Schofield neatly between two 
 forces. The plan almost worked : the river was crossed, 
 and the Confederates came up to Spring Hill, but 
 for reasons not entirely clear even today the vital 
 road was not blocked. Schofield meanwhile turned 
 his army around and, while the road was still open, 
 passed his troops along the road within sight of 
 the Confederates at Spring Hill and on into the 
 next town north: Franklin. A great Confederate 
 opportunity had been lost. Smith marched safely 
 through Spring Hill and into Franklin with his 
 division. 
 
 At Franklin, Schofield put his men behind un- 
 usually strong defenses and waited for Hood; he did 
 not have to wait long, for Hood ordered a frontal 
 assault. The Battle of Franklin on November 30 
 demonstrated the courage of the Confederates, who 
 repeatedly attacked — over open ground and through 
 
lvi Historical Introduction 
 
 murderous fire — Union forces that were fully pro- 
 tected by entrenchments. Schofield's army, com- 
 manded during the battle by Major General Jacob 
 D. Cox, had positions too strong to be taken. Losses 
 by the Confederates were very high, certainly more 
 than 6,000 dead and wounded. Nevertheless, Scho- 
 field pulled his troops out of Franklin and marched 
 them north into strongly fortified Nashville; Hood 
 followed and laid siege to the city. 
 
 Nashville rests in a bend of the Cumberland 
 River, and with the river as a barrier to the north, 
 Hood had only to place troops to the southeast, 
 south, and southwest to encircle the city. Since his 
 troops were not sufficient in number to spread them 
 in force throughout this arc, he concentrated them 
 to the south and southeast and bent his open left 
 flank around to the south to provide some slight 
 protection to his main concentration. In the five- 
 mile gap between this bent left flank and the river he 
 relied on one small infantry unit and cavalry pa- 
 trols. The Union troops in superior numbers were 
 behind the carefully planned, exceedingly strong 
 defenses of the city; Thomas meanwhile was pre- 
 paring to attack Hood as soon as his cavalry was 
 ready. But his superiors in the East wanted him to 
 attack without delay; Grant, reflecting the wishes of 
 Stanton and Lincoln, ordered him to attack at once. 
 Thomas replied that as soon as he could get horses 
 for his cavalry, he would advance. His inactivity was 
 misinterpreted as procrastination — or worse — and 
 
Historical Introduction Ivii 
 
 Grant ordered him replaced, only to delay the order 
 when he learned that freezing rain on December 8- 
 9 made all movement impossible. A few days later 
 Grant ordered Major General John A. Logan of 
 Illinois to go to Nashville and take command, but he 
 soon decided the situation needed his personal 
 attention and he left Virginia for Tennessee. There 
 is some evidence that Schofield was scheming to get 
 Thomas's job, but before a change of any kind could 
 be made, the ice melted and on December 15, 
 Thomas attacked. His plan was simple: an attack on 
 the Confederate right (southeast) and a major attack 
 into the open Confederate left flank to the west. On 
 the 15th the attack on the right did not make much 
 headway; but on the left the outnumbered Confed- 
 erates had to give way, and the Union troops were 
 rolling through the Confederate line as darkness 
 fell. Hood did not retreat that night, although he 
 did move back a short distance and form a new 
 line. On the 16th Thomas repeated his pattern of 
 attack, and the result was a complete Union victory; 
 what was left of Hood's army retreated back through 
 Franklin to Columbia, where Forrest's cavalry joined 
 them and effectively screened the rest of the retreat. 
 Forrest had been ordered by Hood to Murfreesboro 
 and had won a battle outside that town on Decem- 
 ber 7, but he could not pierce its defenses and effect 
 its capture. The Confederates kept going south, 
 pursued by the cavalry of Major General James H. 
 Wilson as far as the Tennessee River. After this re- 
 
lviii Historical Introduction 
 
 treat the Army of Tennessee was no longer a major 
 factor in the war. 
 
 Benjamin T. Smith was in the pursuit of Hood to 
 the Tennessee River, and this was his last exposure 
 to enemy action. Although he would remain in the 
 army for almost another year, his duty would be in 
 the army of occupation — when he was not on fur- 
 lough. Altogether, Smith was a good soldier who 
 did his job with intelligence and application. His 
 contribution to the Northern war effort was not par- 
 ticularly outstanding, but multiplied by a million, 
 Smith's army service makes it easier for us to under- 
 stand how the Union was preserved. 
 
 Clyde C. Walton 
 
 March 4, 1963 
 
A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 
 
 THE Benjamin T. Smith journal is written on 
 232 lined pages of a book which measures eight 
 by eleven inches; it is one of more than 250,000 
 Civil War manuscripts in the Illinois State Histori- 
 cal Library. Many of these manuscripts were present- 
 ed to the Library and the people of Illinois by their 
 owners ; the Smith journal was the gift of Smith's 
 grand-nephew, Mr. Joseph R. Wood. 
 
 Smith's handwriting is quite legible, and the origi- 
 nal journal is easy to read. But if Smith's letters are 
 clearly formed, his sentences and paragraphs are 
 not. He was addicted to interminably long sentences 
 — sentences that were often a page in length — and 
 each sentence was heavily punctuated with commas. 
 Although he did not intend to obfuscate meaning, 
 his inevitable habit of capitalizing the letters "A" 
 and f f S," when these began a word, certainly does so. 
 And his spelling, while not particularly bad, was not 
 good enough for him to be the last one standing at 
 an old-fashioned spell-down. 
 
 There is internal evidence sufficient to demon- 
 strate that the manuscript was written after the war 
 ended. From beginning to end, the writing is in the 
 same ink and uniform in style. The writing and the 
 paper itself (which is bright and smooth) show none 
 lix 
 
lx A Bibliographical Note 
 
 of the marks of hard campaigning — the unmistak- 
 able evidence of rain and snow, the cramped entries 
 written by flickering camp fire, the wear and tear of 
 a book carried for years in a soldier's pack. Almost 
 all of the surviving diaries and journals actually kept 
 in the field during the war are of the pocket-size var- 
 iety, measuring generally either 3" x 5" or 4" x 6"; 
 this journal is written in the much more unwieldy 
 8" x 11". 
 
 One suspects that Smith kept one or more of 
 smaller journals during the war, beginning probably 
 when he arrived at Camp Douglas, and at war's end 
 recopied these journals into the Library's volume. 
 Very little hindsight in the way of postwar remi- 
 niscence has crept into this manuscript; Smith's en- 
 try for Spring Hill, as an example, could have been 
 written a day or two after the event when he was 
 safe in Nashville and realized how narrow an escape 
 the Union Army had experienced. This entry could 
 have been written after the war, but if it was, Smith 
 ignored what must have been an overpowering urge 
 to expand upon the Union escape at Spring Hill. 
 Then, too, Smith resists the temptation to make him- 
 self occupy a larger role than he actually filled; he 
 does not try to make himself something that he 
 never was. 
 
 All in all, Smith's manuscript seems to have been 
 copied into its present form from a day by day diary- 
 journal kept during the war. It seems logical to as- 
 
A Bibliographical Note lxi 
 
 sume that this manuscript was copied shortly after 
 the war was over. And, finally, it is a matter of 
 equal logic that very little was added to the manu- 
 script when it was copied. 
 
 The manuscript as published here is generally as 
 Smith wrote it, except that a number of his longer 
 sentences have been broken up or repunctuated when 
 it seemed necessary for ease of reading or to make 
 Smith's meaning clear. His persistent capitalization 
 of ff A" and ff S" has not been followed; periods have 
 been added to his abbreviations as in ff bro."; where 
 placenames are misspelled, correct spellings have 
 been inserted in brackets; at the first occurrence of 
 the name of an officer important to the narrative, his 
 first name and middle initial have been supplied in 
 brackets. Other than these additions and small 
 changes, the manuscript is as Smith wrote it. 
 
 I acknowledge with thanks the assistance of Clark- 
 son A. Collins III, Librarian, Rhode Island Histori- 
 cal Society; David Jonah, Director of Libraries, 
 Brown University; Mrs. Lenore Harrington, Refer- 
 ence Librarian, Missouri Historical Society; and the 
 National Archives. Particularly am I grateful for the 
 resourcefulness of Miss Margaret A. Flint of the 
 Illinois State Historical Library in answering my 
 questions; of Mrs. Ellen Whitney of the Illinois 
 State Historical Library for her tireless pursuit of 
 essential detail; of Mrs. Helene Levene of the Civil 
 War Centennial Commission of Illinois for her re- 
 
lxii A Bibliographical Note 
 
 search into the history of the 51st Illinois; and to 
 Mrs. Norma J. Darovec of the Illinois State Histor- 
 ical Library for her patient and careful typing of the 
 manuscript. 
 
 A special word of thanks goes to my good friend 
 E. B. "Pete" Long for his valuable assistance, and 
 to his wife, Barbara, who drew the excellent maps 
 which accompany the text of the journal. 
 
 Clyde C. Walton 
 
 Springfield, Illinois 
 March 4, 1963 
 
Private Smith's Journal 
 
Recollections of the Late War 
 
 By B. T. Smith 
 Chapter I 
 
 Wherein Benjamin T. Smith, an 18-year-old Illi- 
 nois farmhand and general laborer, bored with his 
 life, decides to join the army. After a hazardous 
 freight train ride to Kankakee, Illinois, to visit his 
 mother, he enlists on October 8, 1861. He trains in 
 his own unusual way for army life and soon is sent 
 to Camp Douglas in Chicago, where he is mustered 
 into Company C, 51st Illinois Volunteer Infantry. 
 The monotony of training is broken by a recruiting 
 trip to Kankakee; he then serves as assistant camp 
 postmaster; observes a riot in camp, grieves over a 
 friend 's untimely death, and goes again to Kanka- 
 kee to recruit, this time enlisting, among others, his 
 brother Calvin. After being promoted camp post- 
 master he resigns the position so he can go south to 
 fight with his regiment. 
 
 1861 In the year of our Lord, just as the summer 
 months are nearly spent, and the fall is about to 
 come, and paint the forest leaves, in their various 
 tints and shades, I find my self domesticated with 
 
 3 
 
4 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Bro. Joe, and his partner Jonas, at a small Hamlet 
 called Watseka in Illinois. We were engaged in 
 building a two story frame house, or rather they 
 were, while I was helping to the best of my poor 
 ability. Our home is at Kankakee, a thriving town 
 some thirty five miles away, wherein we left our 
 Mother, Bros. Cal as we called him for short, and 
 Walter the youngest with Julia the next oldest, of 
 the family group after Walter. It was a scorching hot 
 summer just past and I had worked a part of the 
 time in the harvest field near by, work not altogether 
 congenial to my taste, I must confess. Harvest being 
 over, my time is occupied with the building, which 
 is under roof, but without doors or windows as yet. 
 After supper each evening, I manage to get hold of 
 some paper or other and scan its columns for the 
 daily budget of war news. One evening, the paper 
 had a full account of the first battle of the war, and 
 I read, with a good deal of interest, all about the de- 
 tails of the engagement, and how our boys in blue 
 scampered off the field stampeded by the rebels; 
 how some of them did not stop their flight until they 
 reached Washington. Heretofore it had not entered 
 my head that I might don the blue, myself, but this 
 news from the front, fired my boyish feelings, and 
 upon reading further on, that the President had 
 issued a call for three hundred thousand men 1 , I 
 
 1 This statement of Smith's is puzzling because President 
 Lincoln's proclamation calling for 300,000 troops was not 
 issued until July 1, 1862. The first call for troops (on April 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 5 
 
 made up my mind to enlist, A company I learn is 
 organizing, over at the county seat about a mile from 
 here. Tomorrow I will go over and see if they have 
 any use for a boy of seventeen. At bed time we go 
 aloft to the upper regions where we sleep, since the 
 roof has been finished, and, after the sputtering 
 candle has been carefully extinguished, and we have 
 got into our respective positions for sleep, I begin to 
 rack my brain as to the best way in which to ap- 
 proach the subject, which is agitating my mind, to 
 Joe, who is in a manner the head of the family. After 
 much thinking over many plans to throw out some 
 hints by way of feelers, and when Joe is about to drop 
 off into the embrace of morpheus, I bring his senses 
 back to mundane things by saying, Joe!! I am going 
 for a "sojer." Without giving him time to dijest this 
 piece of news, I continue; I am going over to Old- 
 town tomorrow and enlist. Then I subsided. Oh are 
 we? said he, and ha! ha! ho- ho- he laughed. You'd 
 make a fine soldier wouldent you? And he turned 
 over with a bounce and went to sleep, while Jonas 
 snored in unison, and I lay awake thinking of the 
 matter for hours. He might look at it as a joke, but 
 it was no joke to me, as I would show him. I could 
 see our boys in my mind as they scattered helter 
 
 15, 1861) was for a total of 75,000 militia; the second call 
 (on May 3, 1861) was for 42,034 volunteers for three years 
 of service, for 22,714 regulars and 18,000 seamen. Perhaps 
 Smith confuses Lincoln's call for 300,000 men with the ac- 
 tion of Congress, on July 22, 1861, authorizing an army with 
 a strength of 500,000. 
 
6 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 skelter off the field of Bulls Run, and the old saw 
 ran through my mind. 
 
 He who fights, and runs away 
 
 May live to fight another day. 
 
 And the Kings men marched up the hill 
 
 And then marched down again, 
 
 As they did at Bunker Hill. 
 
 Then I thought of my younger days, when I was 
 a young shaver, in Providence when there was two 
 factions among us school boys. How often we met 
 down near the head of the Basin 2 and armed with 
 clods and turfs would engage in a battle royal charg- 
 ing each other until our ammunition was exhausted, 
 then retire to load up again. Some of us would get a 
 black eye or bloody nose now and then, which we 
 did not mind much. We are up with the sun, and as 
 Joe seems to ignore the subject of last nights an- 
 nouncement, I told him I was going home to see 
 Mother. I spent the day as usual, and after night had 
 set in, a freight train came along, bound for Gilman. 
 Joe and Jonas helped me into an empty box car, 
 with a big satchel stuffed full of clothes to be taken 
 home for the wash. I hadent bargained for this, and 
 it was a big load to carry as well, but I threw it in a 
 corner and sat down on it as the train started. I had 
 five dollars in my pocket which I had earned, but 
 concluded to hold on to it, if I could get through 
 
 2 A body of water formed by the confluence of the Woona- 
 squatucket and Moshassuck rivers, called Providence Cove; 
 in Smith's youth it was enclosed in a circular basin. 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 7 
 
 without using it. I reached Gilman about eleven 
 o'clock; here it was necessary to change on to the 
 111. Central, so I got out on the dark side of the 
 train, and found it was sleeting and freezing, which 
 made things awful slippery under foot, and the night 
 was as dark as Egypt. I waited around until a freight 
 came along going my way, and just as it was pulling 
 out I placed the satchel on a narrow projection of 
 one of the cars and left it there, while I went up the 
 side of the car by the foot holds like a squirrel. I 
 found the tops of the cars covered with the fast fall- 
 ing rain which froze as it fell, making them as slip- 
 pery as glass. The night being so bad was a for- 
 tunate circumstance perhaps, as it drove all the 
 breakmen back into the caboose, to warm their shins 
 around the stove. I went over the tops of several 
 cars using a great deal of caution, as was necessary 
 under the circumstances, until I found a car with 
 an end door open, a small square opening big 
 enough to get through. Then I went back to where 
 I had left the satchel, and while the train was then 
 fully under way, going at least fifteen miles an hour, 
 I climbed down the side and got my grip, took it to 
 the top of the car, and forward again to the car with 
 the end opening; crawling through I dropped on 
 the top of some barrels of flour with which the car 
 was loaded. I was all tired out with the exertion I 
 had made, and was glad of a rest. And then I had 
 time to reflect on the foolhardy thing I had done, 
 and vow I wouldn't go through such a thing again. 
 
8 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 About five o'clock in the morning the train crossed 
 the bridge over the Kankakee river and slowed up; 
 taking advantage of this, I clambered out, and off the 
 train and struck a bee line for home. But I took 
 care to say nothing of my mode of travel to any 
 one. I spent two days at home, and having secured 
 a reluctant consent from Mother, returned to Wat- 
 seka, this time by the regular mode of travel, by pas- 
 senger train. 
 
 Oct 8th Reach here early this morning. During 
 the day I put in the time around the house. After 
 supper I walk over to the Court House, and find 
 quite a concourse of the people of the town gathered 
 around the court room. I listen to a speech then 
 going on, the speaker calling for volunteers to come 
 up and join the company being formed. I went up to 
 the table surrounded by busy signers and at the first 
 chance that offered put my name on the roll. When 
 all those present that wished to had signed, the roll 
 was called, and some sixty odd answered. Then a 
 motion was made to elect officers. It was carried. 
 Mr N B Petts was elected Captain, a Mr Tilton 3 1st 
 
 3 These two men are Nathaniel B. Petts, a 27-year-old 
 nurseryman from Micldleport, Illinois, and Albert M. Tilton, 
 a 26-year-old railroad agent from the same city. So that the 
 reader will not be interrupted constantly by identifications 
 of individuals whose presence was not a major factor in Smith's 
 army career, only those whose identification is necessary to 
 a further understanding of the narrative will be identified 
 in footnotes. All of Smith's friends in the 51st Illinois can be 
 identified through the surviving muster rolls in the Illinois 
 State Archives. 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 9 
 
 Lieutenant. It being late we were dismissed, to re- 
 convene at the call of the Capt. I started for home 
 with regular military step, chin up, chest forward, 
 as suited the importance of the occasion. Joe and 
 Jonas had gone to bed. Instead of turning in myself 
 I concluded to take a quilt, and deposit my would be 
 military form on the hard floor, and thus go into 
 training for future emergencies. The first half hour 
 I spent in running over in my mind, the probable 
 features of what my future experience would be. I 
 had mentally got through the first day's march, 
 with sore feet and tired limbs, when it dawned in 
 upon me that the floor was not quite as soft a bed 
 as the one I usually occupied. The side I lay on was 
 kicking to be relieved, so I turned over and gave the 
 other side a chance, in fact I changed sides fre- 
 quently for the next hour or two, first one side, then 
 the other; then I tried my back with no better suc- 
 cess. I soon felt as though I had been pounded all 
 over, and concluded to give it up as a bad job, so I 
 crawled into bed, as carefully as I could, so as not to 
 disturb the sleepers. But I had only just got settled 
 with a sigh of great relief, when a couple of giggles, 
 followed by a loud laugh from both of them, and a 
 voice spake in the darkness, saying wont you make a 
 fine soldier, and a lot of chaff in the same strain. I 
 maintained a dignified silence. In fact I was like the 
 darkey that was caught stealing a chicken, had 
 nothing to say. So the chaffing fell flat, as I continued 
 to keep mum. 
 
10 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 gth I was up bright and early. Feeling none the 
 worse for my last nights experience so I made up 
 my mind to try it again, as we can get used to any 
 thing, if well persisted in, so I have heard. Word 
 came that we will meet tomorrow. I am pleased at 
 this, as I am anxious to be off. 
 
 Oct 10th Last night I had little or no trouble with 
 my bed on the floor; its true I used a comfort in- 
 stead of a quilt, which had the advantage of being 
 a trifle thicker. If any body lay awake to get the 
 laugh on me, they must have been some what dis- 
 appointed, for I slept like a top. At sunrise I was up, 
 and busy with breakfast. At about 11 o'clock I walk 
 over to the Old Town 4 , and find the boys all on hand. 
 We form in line and are sized up, with the tallest 
 on the right; my five feet, seven and a half inches, 
 brings me a little to the right of the center of the 
 line. Counting off by two's, we right face, and march 
 to New town (W T atseka) passing near our house. I 
 looked neither to the right or left but from the cor- 
 ner of my eye, I see Joe and Jonas watching us file 
 by. Reaching the Stanley House, we break ranks and 
 go in to dinner, which proves to be quite a fine 
 
 4 "Old Town" was Middleport, Illinois; "New town" was 
 south Middleport. In 1861 Middleport was the county seat 
 of Iroquois County; on September 17, 1863, south Middle- 
 port was renamed Watseka. A legislative act approved Febru- 
 ary 7, 1865, removed the county seat to Watseka, where it 
 has since remained. Although legally there was no Watseka 
 in 1861, doubtless the name was then in common use in the 
 area. 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 11 
 
 spread, ending up with ice cream, which sets me 
 to wondering, if we will get any ice cream down in 
 Dixie. We may get a chill or two, not flavored with 
 strawberry however. After dinner we inarch to the 
 train waiting for us in which we are to be transported 
 to Chicago. The towns people all turn out to see 
 us off. Among them are Mothers, Fathers, sisters 
 and brothers to many of the members of our com- 
 pany. The bell rings, and the train starts slowly 
 along, while the people cheered and waved their 
 hands and handkerchiefs; some of them are in tears, 
 and no doubt send a silent prayer after us, hoping 
 we may return, when the war is over. How many 
 of our cheerful band indeed will return. No one can 
 tell what the fates may have in store for us. We heed 
 not what tomorrow may bring forth, as we move 
 cheerfully along on our way. 
 
 We arrive in Chicago at 9:30 p.m. March to the 
 Lloyd House where supper is awaiting us, to which 
 we do full justice. After our meal, we march to the 
 old Republican WigWam 5 . Army blankets, one to 
 each of us, was issued, most of us paired off into 
 couples, spreading one blanket on the floor, and the 
 other over us. Charley Miller and I bunk down to- 
 
 5 The Wigwam was a wooden building, 180' by ioo', lo- 
 cated on the southeast corner of present Lake Street and 
 Wacker Drive in Chicago. It cost between $5,000 and $6,000 
 and was built to house the Republican Convention of i860 — 
 the convention that nominated Lincoln for President. In 1861 
 the building was sold for $950 and converted to commercial 
 use; it was destroyed by fire after the Civil War ended. 
 
12 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 gether. I soon learn he has been a clerk in a drug 
 store. Alsoby the frequency with which he changes his 
 position, that he lacks the veteran experience I have 
 had, with the floor for a bed. Said experience, though 
 limited to a couple of nights, stands me in good stead. 
 nth I woke up at day break, and find many of 
 the boys, with their blankets wrapped around them, 
 trying to snatch a wink of sleep, in a sitting position, 
 braced up in a corner or against the wall, after the 
 terrors of an unyielding floor. After a wash up all 
 round, with tin basins and towels, furnished by 
 some kindly souls for our use, marched to the Lloyd 
 House again for breakfast, after which, we boarded 
 some street cars, which convey us to Camp Doug- 
 lass 6 , out in the suburbs on Cottage Grove Ave. 
 Here we find a large tract of ground enclosed by a 
 high fence and long lines of barracks newly con- 
 structed; we took possession of one which we find 
 clean and comfortable. Two story bunks are ar- 
 ranged along one side, each built double, for two to 
 occupy. In the rear of each company quarters is a 
 kitchen with a long table and benches for one hun- 
 dred men. After Roll call, we are assigned as Co ff C" 
 51st 111 "Vol". The 51st is one of four regiments, 
 which is to comprise the Douglass Brigade; the 
 other three are the 22d 27th and 42d. Ill Regiments. 
 
 6 The best study of Camp Douglas is by Joseph L. Eisen- 
 drath, "Chicago's Camp Douglas, 1861-1865," in the 
 Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Volume 53, 
 Number 1 (Spring, i960), pages 37-63. 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 13 
 
 I learn that our name as the Douglass brigade is 
 given us by Stephen A Douglass, who after his de- 
 feat by Abe Lincoln for the Presidency, turned his 
 patriotic energies to raising troops, for the army. 
 
 Oct 12th Last night, our first in camp, I was put 
 on guard duty, with a stick in lieu of a gun. For two 
 hours I tramp along my beat with deliberate circum- 
 spection, but the time seemed mortal long before I 
 was relieved, and allowed to turn in for four hours 
 sleep. Then two more hours tramping again. 
 
 Charley Miller and I become chums, and bunk 
 mates. He is a year or so older than myself, and 
 seems to be a boy of good morals, so we become 
 firm friends at once. 
 
 13th The Company march over to the Quarter 
 Masters quarters, and each is supplied with a uni- 
 form. Returning, we doff our civilian suits, and put 
 on the blue, and discover a grotesque lot of misfits. 
 Our good Quarter Master must have had a mistaken 
 idea that he was clothing a company of giants; we 
 rolled the pants up at the bottom and lapped them 
 over at the top, and still the legs looked like a col- 
 lapsed balloon. 
 
 We were told that was the best he could do for 
 the present, until another supply came, when an ex- 
 change for better fits would be furnished; with this 
 we had to be content. 
 
 Oct 22d Our days are spent in routine duties, 
 with drilling by squads, companies, Battalions and 
 regimental, also the manual of arms, some old mus- 
 
14 
 
 Private Smith '5 Journal 
 
 Civil War Awkward Squad 
 
 kets being furnished for that purpose. I with a few 
 others are learning the broad sword exercise, using 
 ash sticks with basket hilts, and are taught by Sergt. 
 Exstrand [John H. E. Kestrand], who has served 
 seven years in the Swedish Army. 
 
 Capt. Petts asked me this morning if I thought I 
 could get any recruits in my home town Kankakee. 
 I answered yes. 
 
 Report to me about 5 p.m. I did so and was given a 
 weeks furlough, and transportation for myself and 
 any number of men I might return with. I arrive at 
 home about 10:30 p.m. and find them all well except 
 Mother who is not feeling altogether well. 
 
 Oct 28 I am again in camp, having secured from 
 among my old school mates, eight recruits, whom I 
 turned over to the Captain, who expressed him self 
 as well pleased. I am detailed by Col [Joseph K.] 
 Tucker Commander of the Post, as assistant Post 
 Master of the Camp. Wm Monroe is P.M. There are 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 15 
 
 jome twelve to fifteen thousand troops within the 
 Hamp, so the semi daily mails are of considerable 
 mportance. Mother, Julia and Walter, are to arive 
 ;his evening on their way East; after supper I hasten 
 lown town again, and go to the Lake Shore Depot 
 ind find them on the train and stay with them until 
 he train starts. Then bidding them good by, return 
 o Camp. Bro. Cal is still in KKK. 
 
 Oct 29th The building used as the Post Office is 
 leparate from any of the others, and fitted up for 
 exclusive mail purposes. I enter upon my duties at 
 >nce, which are to carry the mail to the office down 
 own and return with the mail for camp. Both morn- 
 ng and evening, a crowd of expectants await around 
 he delivery window until the mail is destributed, 
 nto their several initial pigeon holes, and then de- 
 ivered to their several owners. 
 
 Dec 23 The orderly condition of our camp has 
 :ontinued for the past two months; only once dur- 
 ng that time has the peace and unity been dis- 
 urbed. A Regiment of Sappers and miners, partially 
 >rganized, was ordered to disband. A number of the 
 nen enlisted in other regiments, but some of them 
 vhile unassigned, smuggled a lot of whiskey into 
 :amp, and getting uncomfortably full, about 9:30 
 '.M. got into a row with some of the members of the 
 [5th Lead Mine Boys 7 , and very soon a small sized 
 
 7 Camp Douglas was then full of small companies of men, 
 s yet unassigned to regiments. The state government was 
 loing its best to form regiments from these companies, but 
 
16 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 riot commenced. Sticks as well as fists were freely 
 used, some of them taking advantage of the row, 
 attacked the sutler store, and cleaned out the whole 
 stock, and ended by pulling the building to pieces. 
 Col Tucker 8 buckled on his sword and called out 
 our regiment to suppress the riot, which was done 
 in short order. The Col however was pretty roughly 
 handled, but escaped with some scratches and a 
 torn uniform. The Guard house was filled with the 
 rioters that were arrested. The Col. belongs to the 
 
 organization proceeded slowly. The 45th Regiment of Il- 
 linois Volunteer Infantry had been raised in the far north- 
 western corner of Illinois, where lead mining was a major 
 industry. The Chicago Tribune of December 24, 1861, re- 
 ported a different version of this disturbance: 
 Rumored Affray at Camp Douglas 
 
 There were rumors in the city yesterday that on Sunday 
 night, while attempting to break out of the guard house, three 
 soldiers had been wounded, one of them severly. As near as 
 we could learn, the men pulled off a board from the side of 
 the building, and obtained possession of some muskets be- 
 longing to the sentry. Thus armed, the prisoners became 
 turbulent and made known their intention of leaving their 
 uncomfortable quarters. In using the force necessary to pre- 
 vent this, three of the contestants received ugly wounds from 
 sabre -bayonets. We give this as the general terror of the 
 story spread about the streets yesterday, trusting that it may 
 upon examination prove without proper foundation in fact. 
 
 8 Colonel Joseph H. Tucker was not a regular army officer. 
 He was appointed by Governor Yates in 1861 to command 
 the northern district of Illinois and to construct barracks to 
 house newly recruited soldiers. He left Camp Douglas in 
 February, 1862, but returned in June, 1862, as commander of 
 the 69th Illinois Infantry and of Camp Douglas, and ran the 
 camp until January, 1863. 
 
October 8, 1861 to February 12, 1862 17 
 
 regular army, and is an officer of determination and 
 strict discipline and very dressy. It must have taken 
 him some time to recover his "infra dig." 
 
 Jany 18th 1862 My chum Charley Miller, who 
 was sent to the Post Hospital a few days ago, having 
 caught a severe cold, which developed into a raging 
 fever died last night 9 unexpectedly, which caused me 
 much sorrow, as we had become very much attached 
 to each other. The funeral took place this afternoon, 
 he was buried with military honors, a salute being 
 fired over his grave, and the regimental band playing 
 a dead march. He is the first member from our com- 
 pany to cross the line over into the great beyond. 
 
 Jany 22d I am again sent on recruiting service to 
 Kankakee. Mrs. Sutcliffe and Will insisted upon my 
 staying with them while in town. Skirmishing around 
 among the boys I secure a batch of recruits, and as 
 Calvin 10 wants to go too He is taken with the rest. 
 
 28th We all return to Camp, my papers furnish- 
 ing transportation for the lot. I turn them all over to 
 Capt Petts, and find that during my absence, Mon- 
 roe the P.M. has resigned, and I am promoted in his 
 place. 
 
 9 Charles W. Miller was a 20-year-old clerk from Middle- 
 port, Illinois, who died of pneumonia at Camp Douglas on 
 January 7, 1862, according to the muster roll in Illinois 
 State Archives. 
 
 10 Calvin R. Smith, according to the muster roll in the 
 Illinois State Archives, was enlisted in Chicago on February 
 8, 1861. He is described as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with brown 
 hair and dark eyes, being by profession a "painter." 
 
18 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Feb 12th News came that Genl [Ulysses S.] Grant 
 is besieging Ft Donaldson [Donelson], on the Tenn. 11 
 River, and our brigade is to join him at once. Our 
 regiment has only eight companies, and is only 600 
 strong, 400 short of a full compliment. I tender my 
 resignation as P.M. Col. Tucker informed me, my 
 services had proved very satisfactory, and he would 
 make my detail permanent if I wished to stay. I 
 respectfully declined, as I had not enlisted for that 
 purpose, so I rejoined my Company. 
 
 11 Fort Donelson is on the Cumberland, not the Tennessee 
 River. 
 
Chapter II 
 
 Wherein Benjamin T. Smith and the 51st Illinois 
 arrive in Cairo, February 15, 1862, and here re- 
 ceive additional training and equipment. Smith 
 and the 51st march to New Madrid, Missouri, but 
 participate only in a demonstration; they then pur- 
 sue the troops that have evacuated Island Number 
 10, in the Mississippi River, eventually capturing 
 some of them near Tiptonville, Tennessee. The regi- 
 ment arrives at Shiloh too late to enter the battle, 
 but takes part in the slow advance towards Corinth, 
 Mississippi. Here Smith participates in a series of 
 inconclusive skirmishes prior to the city's evacua- 
 tion. On July 21 the regiment leaves Corinth and 
 marches south and east into northern Alabama, 
 where a peaceful month is spent guarding the 
 Memphis and Charleston Railroad near Decatur. 
 When Confederate General Braxton Bragg moves 
 north on his ( f invasion ' ' of Kentucky, Smith and the 
 51st Illinois are a part of the Union force sent to 
 help get him out of that state. 
 
 Feby 14th We are enroute for Cairo 111. Arriving 
 
 on the 15th and go into barracks to await for our 
 
 equipments. Guns and ammunition are issued to us. 
 
 It is the old Belgium musket 1 . They are a heavy un- 
 
 1 General Ulysses S. Grant described these imported weap- 
 ons as being "almost as dangerous to the person firing it as 
 the one aimed at." 
 
 19 
 
20 
 
 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 Wharf-boat at Cairo, Illinois 
 
 gainly looking arm, and we are not at all pleased 
 with them. 
 
 16th A squad of our company under Sergt [Ivan 
 L.] Bailey go out on the flats back of town to try our 
 guns, target shooting. We gave them a fair trial, but 
 found them wanting. After a few rounds, they 
 choked up so badly that it was impossible to shoot 
 straight, and they kicked like the business end of a 
 mule. Going back to quarters, we reported results, 
 and the regiment decided they did not want them. 
 When we were called out at 5:30 p.m. for the usual 
 dress parade, drawn up in line behind the row of 
 stacked guns, when the order came from the Adju- 
 tant to take arms. Not a hand moved. Thinking the 
 order was not understood, it was repeated, with a 
 like result. So there was meeting in Camp, the line 
 officers were called up, explanations followed. After 
 the officers returned to their respective places in the 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 21 
 
 ranks, the Adjutant ([Charles W.] Davis) said the 
 orders would have to be obeyed, or another armed 
 regiment would confront us and compel us, so he 
 repeated again the order, but no heed was taken of 
 it, and so we were ordered back to barracks, and the 
 guns remained in stack. Better arms were promised 
 us next day. 
 
 17th It has rained all night and the guns have 
 remained out so most of them are full of water. New 
 arms were issued today. The Harpers Ferry mus- 
 ket 2 , rifled, a much lighter and neater gun, with 
 which we are better pleased. 
 
 News came that Ft. Donaldson has surrendered 
 to Grant so we will not be obliged to go there, tis 
 said that several thousand prisoners fell into his 
 bands. 
 
 Feb 27th To day is my birth day, but nothing is 
 aeing done to celebrate the august event, no banquet 
 is spread, so I make the most of it by feasting on hard 
 tack and sowbelly. Well I am eighteen, and that is 
 not to be sneezed at. 
 
 The past ten days have gone quickly enough, 
 illed in with drilling, practice at shooting at a mark, 
 until I have become quite expert. Orders have just 
 :ome to be ready in marching order in ten minutes; 
 3ur knapsacks are packed, equipments in order and 
 we are in line before the ten minutes have expired. 
 
 2 This was a rifle musket, made at the U.S. Arsenal at 
 harper's Ferry; it was a .58 caliber weapon, first perfected 
 n 1855, and it was in common use during the war. 
 
22 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Marching down on the levee we board a steamboat 
 which conveys us over the Ohio river and we land 
 upon Kentucky soil; our tents accompany us and 
 are soon erected in company line, and we are experi- 
 encing camp life for the first time. 
 
 March 2d A good deal of rain has fallen in the 
 past few days, consequently the Ohio is slowly but 
 surely rising; and will inundate our camp, orders 
 issued to strike tents. A steamboat is ready to con- 
 vey us, and our worldly effects, across the Missis- 
 sippi and we land at Birds Point, and start on a 
 march into the interior. At night fall we reach Ber- 
 tran [Bertrand] and go into camp, tired and hungry, 
 and turn in to rest on the hard ground, after this our 
 first days' march. 
 
 Our surgeon told us that when on a march a stop 
 is made for rest, to lay on our backs and in that 
 position we would get more rested in three minutes, 
 then ten in any other position, which proved to be 
 the case. 
 
 Mch 3d We have marched all day, and go into 
 camp- while the rain is coming down in torrents, a 
 bunch of us find a barn, and get under its friendly 
 shelter. It is pitch dark and we are soaked through, 
 but we find some hay from which we drive some 
 stray pigs, who resent our intrusion with grunts of 
 dissatisfaction, to which we pay not the slightest 
 heed, but dump our miserable frames on the hay and 
 I am asleep in no time. 
 
 Mch 4th We are up at day break, I am feeling none 
 
'St. Louis 
 
 1 LLIN01S 
 
 INDIANA 
 ■Evansvillc 
 
 MISSOURI 
 
 <# KENTUCKY 
 
 Paducato 
 
 \Cairo 
 
 Bcrtrand 
 -^Bird's PointAColumbus 
 
 SYlew Madrid*. A^Hickman 
 
 \ Point/(M- I Fort Henry 
 
 '?Leasant)l A Island No. 10 
 y Jj Tiptonville 
 
 / 
 / 
 
 A R KAN SAS 
 
 I* xV^ort Ponel: 
 
 Nasfv 
 
 ^^>ort Pillow^ 
 S^ T E N N E/S\S E E J 
 
 C?rt 
 
 t^^pKis ShUoh*/* tt9bur g ^ding 
 
 inth 
 Danville" 
 
 M 
 
 Holly 
 
 Springs 
 
 XBurnsville/^^^^^, 
 luka, 
 Boonevillcii . Tuscumbia 
 
 S S 1 P P 1 / Decatur 
 
 / ALABAMA 
 
 Tupelo 
 
 1862 In The West 
 
24 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 the worse from sleeping in my wet clothes, get a fire 
 going and soon have a tin cup of streaming hot 
 coffee, minus the sugar or milk, but it tastes like 
 nectar just the same. Have marched all day. and go 
 into camp in front of New Madrid 3 . Near here is 
 where the great earth quake of 1811 4 took place, the 
 ground for acres around sinking, some fifty feet, the 
 effect of which is still plainly to be seen. Our camp 
 is laid out and tents erected; our canvas houses are 
 called the Sibley tent, and is shaped like an indian 
 tepee, circular in form, running to a point at the top, 
 and capable of holding eight or ten men, sleeping 
 with their feet towards the center pole, the lower 
 end of the pole ends in an iron tri pod, so that a fire 
 can be built in the center. 
 
 Maj. Genl Jno Pope is our corps commander 
 
 3 Smith loses track of his time here, skipping the month 
 of April. The 51st Illinois was assigned on March 10 to 
 Paine's Division: on the 14th of March New Madrid was 
 evacuated. It was on April 8-9, not March, that the Con- 
 federates surrendered near Tiptonville, Tennessee; it was 
 the 11-12 of April that the troops moved to Ft. Pillow. It 
 was April 21-22, not March 21-22, when the Regiment 
 reached the Shiloh battlefield, and of course the action 
 around Farmington took place at the end of April, not March. 
 Beginning with the May 9 entry, Smith is again right with 
 time. 
 
 4 The first shocks of one of the greatest earthquakes ever 
 recorded occurred on November 16, 1811, and were centered 
 on New Madrid, Missouri. Some thirty thousand square miles 
 were affected, sinking as much as fifteen feet; the course of 
 the Mississippi River was changed in several places, and the 
 "American Bottom" area of Illinois experienced severe 
 damage. 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 25 
 
 and Brig Genl [Eleazer A. Paine] Payne commands 
 our Brigade 5 . 
 
 Our Colonel (Cummings [Gilbert W. dimming]) 
 is not with us, so the regiment is in charge of Lt Col 
 Bradley (L[uther] P.). Some miles east of us is 
 Island #10 in the Miss. River, and is fortified and 
 held by the rebels. Adml. Porter is besieging it with 
 a fleet of mortar boats; we can hear the reports of 
 each mortar as it is fired, and in the darkness, we 
 can see the fuse of the shells, as they circle above 
 the tree tops, and hear them explode. 
 
 Mch 6th our brigade is ordered out, and march 
 down in the vicinity of the town which is held by the 
 rebels who are well fortified, besides two of their gun 
 boats are in the river. We have two enormous siege 
 guns down in the swamp, which are pounding away 
 at the fort and town; we have also some of Berdans 
 sharp shooters, armed with telescop rifles, &. posted 
 in the tops of some tall trees, aiming to pick off any 
 of the enemy that come within range. We are drawn- 
 up in line, and ordered to load our guns, our ammu- 
 nition consists of three buck shot and a ball, which 
 
 6 The Union Army at New Madrid and Island No. 10 was 
 led by Major General John Pope. The 51st Illinois was com- 
 manded by Lieutenant Colonel Luther P. Bradley, since 
 Colonel Gilbert W. Cumming was leading the 2nd Brigade 
 of Brigadier General Eleazer A. Paine's 4th Division. Ad- 
 miral Porter was not at Island No. 10; the naval forces were 
 commanded by Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote. The sharp- 
 shooters were not those of Colonel Hiram Berdan, but a spe- 
 cial group from the 64th Illinois Infantry, led by Major F. W. 
 Matteson. 
 
26 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 would prove very effective at close range. We are 
 cautioned not to fire until ordered, and then to load 
 and fire at will. Getting into a closer position, we 
 draw the fire from one of the gunboats, they had our 
 range, but the gun was aimed to low, so the shot 
 buried itself in the ground, twenty feet in our front. 
 Then we were ordered to lay down, and just in time 
 to escape the next shot which went whizzing just 
 above us. One of their shots aimed at our siege 
 battery, hit one of the guns on the side of its muz- 
 zle, and knocked out a big chunk a foot long. From 
 our position we can see how well the town is forti- 
 fied. High earth works all around it, with a wide 
 deep ditch, full of water, and out side of that, is 
 piled small trees ten feet high with their limbs all 
 sharpened to points and facing outward. We con- 
 template all this with a good deal of apprehension, 
 if we should be ordered to charge it, and do not feel 
 over confident as to the results. 
 
 All ready the rebs are pegging away at us, as the 
 bullets whiz with a sharp hiss over our prostrate 
 position. The order to retire beyond range, is a 
 welcome one, and we march back to camp, and learn 
 that this was only a demonstration to try us under 
 fire. This being our first experience gave us a queer 
 feeling, to state a fact. 
 
 Mch 7th we march out by companies to fire the 
 loads from our guns, and it is discovered that two 
 or three of the boys had put their ball down first and 
 the powder on top; needless to say this would have 
 
I 
 
28 Private Smith } s Journal 
 
 made their guns useless for firing. They were guied 
 by the rest of us and reprimanded by the Captain. 
 
 Returning to Camp it is learned that New Madrid 
 was evacuated during the night, also Island #10, 
 so our demonstration had some effect; we learn also 
 that a stiff piece of engineering work had been all 
 but accomplished by our sappers and miners. The 
 over flow of the river, extended some miles back into 
 a bayou which was covered with a thick growth of 
 timber. A flat bottom steamer was steamed up to the 
 timber line above the island, a machine was rigged 
 up at its bow, and the trees were cut low enough un- 
 der the water to enable it (the boat) to float above 
 the stumps, and a pathway was thus made for the 
 passage of our boats around the island; but the 
 timely evacuation of the enemy made it unnecessary 
 to finish the job. One of our gun boats, during the 
 dark night stole its way by the island, without at- 
 tracting the enemys attention. The retreating rebels 
 are expected to join forces, and move southward; 
 orders to strike tents at once, but almost immediately 
 counter manded, with orders to march leaving the 
 tents standing. Getting into light marching order, 
 carrying only a blanket, and of course arms and ra- 
 tions, we are soon on our way, and reach Point 
 Pleasant on the river at dusk. Owing to the position 
 occupied by the brigade, our regiment line up in a 
 corn field. The soil is soft and muddy owing to the 
 recent rains; here we are expected to stay all night, 
 so we look about us for means to make it possible to 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 29 
 
 Every Rail a ff Top Rail" 
 
 rest and sleep without standing in the soft soil 
 ankle deep. Espying a rail fence, we make a raid upon 
 it, but are told we could take only the top rail; well 
 we needed them all, so as fast as the top rail was re- 
 moved the next one was then the top one, so we 
 continued to take the top one until there was no 
 
30 Private Smith } s Journal 
 
 fence left. By this means we managed to secure 
 enough to keep us out of the mud; by laying a num- 
 ber of them one way and each man laying two rails 
 close together, one end on the pile, the lower end 
 in the mud, by careful management I lay on this 
 narrow bed and slept the night through without a 
 motion. The least movement to either side would 
 tumble me into the mud. One may do most any 
 thing by trying hard enough. 
 
 Mch 8th our regiment and the 42d embark on a 
 steamboat, the 22d 8c 27th follow on another. We 
 lay out in mid-stream, while just below is one of our 
 gun boats pounding away at a shore battery, which 
 must be silenced before our boats can pass down the 
 river. The fire from our gun boat is very rapid, and 
 soon the rebels spike their guns and retreat, thus 
 leaving the way open for our advance. We are landed 
 below the rebel fort and start on a march eastward; 
 taking a quick route step, our mission is to inter- 
 cept the retreat of the rebel forces that recently oc- 
 cupied Island #10 and New Madrid. There is a big 
 bend in the river making a curve of about seventy 
 miles, while across country the two points meet 
 within fifteen miles. The boats had conveyed us to 
 the nearest point across this neck. So while the enemy 
 had a day the start of us, the distance they would 
 have to march, would enable us to head them off, so 
 there was a prospect that we would have a brush 
 with them before another day would end. Passing 
 through Tiptonville Tenn, we continue our rapid 
 

 
32 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 march until about 10 p.m. when we come up with the 
 
 enemy, who are located in some thick timber. The 
 
 22cl and 27th march around them and take position 
 
 along the river, while our two regiments lay down in 
 
 line along the main road. It is a clear frosty night. 
 
 I lay on my back without undoing my blanket, only 
 
 cover my throat, and immediately fall fast asleep, as 
 
 did every body else that could, nor did I awake until 
 
 just before day. When we were silently aroused, I 
 
 felt as warm and comfortable as though I had slept 
 
 upon a bed, but some of the boys were shaking with 
 
 chills ; we marched through the woods and joined 
 
 the rest of the command. We found all the rebel 
 
 guns corded up between the trees, and then we 
 
 knew the enemy has surrendered during the night; 
 
 forming a half hollow square, we stood on our arms, 
 
 while the prisoners marched in with Genl. Stevens 6 
 
 at their head. Our whole force there present did not 
 
 exceed 2,600 men while the prisoners numbered 
 
 over 5,000. Genl. Stevens supposed our whole force 
 
 6 Smith is confused here about the general officer who sur- 
 rendered at Tiptonville; the officer was Major General Wil- 
 liam W. Mackall, not Stevens, (Brigadier General Edward W. 
 Gantt also surrendered at Tiptonville). General Paine's re- 
 port of the expedition to Tiptonville states that on the 8th 
 ff . . . was surrendered about 3,900 men, besides the prisoners 
 taken the day before and straggling parties picked up by 
 scouts. The whole force captured exceeded 5,000 men." 
 See: War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official 
 Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (Washington: 
 1880-1901), Series I, Volume 8, pages 109-13. Hereafter 
 cited as O.i?., followed by the series and volume numbers, 
 part number (if any), and the page reference. 
 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 33 
 
 was on hand some 16,000, but our rapid march had 
 left the rest of our troops a few hours behind us; 
 having only two boats to convey them across the 
 river it took many hours to land them all. If Stevens 
 had been aware of this, he no doubt would not have 
 surrendered without firing a shot. 
 
 However we were entirely satisfied with the turn 
 the affair had taken, enabling us to obtain a blood- 
 less victory. About 11 o'clock a.m. our forces came 
 up, and relived us, and we set to at once to get 
 something to eat. The boats have come, and they 
 transport us back to New Madrid, and again we are 
 in camp, a very short but also a very successfull 
 Campaign. We feel much elated at our safe return, 
 from that we expected would be a fight at least of 
 serious dimensions. 
 
 Mch 12th Strike tents, three days rations are 
 issued, our ammunition inspected to see if each 
 man has fourty rounds. March to the river and go 
 on board the steamer Genl Taylor. There are a 
 dozen or more steam boats in the fleet, which is to 
 convey our whole corps down the river to Ft Pillow 7 , 
 which is being besieged by our fleet of gun boats, 
 and mortar boats. 
 
 Mch 14th Our boat steamed over to the Arkansas 
 shore, and we all land for exercise, while the boat is 
 undergoing a thorough cleaning. One of the men 
 
 7 This movement was meant to be a full-scale attack on 
 Fort Pillow, Tennessee; but before the assault began, General 
 Pope's army was ordered to Shiloh. 
 
34 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 belonging to another Co. got hold of a can of cher- 
 ries, sitting under the shade of a tree, he proceded 
 to devour them, seeds and all; some of his comrades 
 wanted a taste, but he got away with the whole lot. 
 But sad to relate, his greed proved his distruction. 
 In two hours he was a dead man; I suppose the 
 cherry stones he swallowed caused his death. 
 
 Mch iyth Our whole fleet is ordered to Pittsburg 
 Landing, which is on the Tennessee River. We are 
 soon moving up stream. 
 
 lQth We have passed New Madrid, and Island 
 #10, Hickman and Columbus Ky. and tie up at 
 Cairo 111. long enough to take on board all the ac- 
 cumulated mail for the army, also some supplies. 
 Cal and I receive a batch of letters and I receive two 
 boxes by express, one from Will SutclhTe containing 
 a lot of one and two ounce vials of cholera medicine, 
 a sure shot on stomach troubles. The other box is 
 from Sister Mary, at Providence R.I. and contained 
 some linen shirts for Calvin and myself, just what 
 we need, and they fill a long felt want. The medicine 
 I sell to the boys of our company at 25c and 50c re- 
 taining only enough for my own use and Cals. in 
 case of emergency. The fleet again gets under way 
 while Cal and I get off in a corner to enjoy our letters 
 in peace and quiet. 
 
 2ist We have passed up the Ohio, and into the 
 Tennessee river at Paduca, landing at Shiloh. A 
 great battle has been fought here with our side the 
 victors after a hot struggle. 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 35 
 
 Traffic to and from Shiloh 
 
 At first our army was beaten, by the enemy under 
 Genl [Albert Sidney Johnston] Johnson, later they 
 were victorious. 
 
 Our corps arrives too late to participate. 
 
 Mch 23d It has been raining with great regularity, 
 mud is the predominant feature of the landscape. 
 Never the less we are tramping along towards Cor- 
 inth Miss. The road is just horrible, mud puddles, 
 and mud without puddles, we soon leave the wagon 
 train far behind; dividing our lines, we march on 
 either side of the road among the dripping trees, 
 
$6 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 they, the trees are all weeping copiously at the dis- 
 mal prospect, and their over flowing moisture 
 drenches us, but its better than tramping in the 
 mud. Late in the afternoon we halt near Farming- 
 ton, and pitch our tents in the woods. The rain is 
 still coming down with increased volume. The mail 
 wagon is here; a letter from Providence for me from 
 sister Mary. It contains the saddest news, that of 
 the death of our dear Mother; after reading it 
 through, I silently pass it to Calvin, and go off into 
 the woods, to brood over the sad news. I think over 
 the past, when we were all at home together, before 
 the war came on, and separated us; then I was care- 
 less, like many another boy. How I wished that the 
 old times were with us again, we would show her 
 how her boys would appreciate such a good Mother; 
 vain regrets now, it is to late. The letter said she was 
 in no pain when passing away, but how she must 
 have longed to see her boys who were so far away. 
 We may not see her last resting place until this war 
 is over, if by chance we are spared until then. 
 
 I lay down in our tent, and the monotonous sound 
 of the down poor of the rain on its slanting sides, 
 together with my tired condition after the weary 
 days march, I fell asleep. About two o'clock, I woke 
 up with a curious sensation which I did not fully 
 comprehend, until by the aid of a consumtive look- 
 ing candle stuck in the end of a bayonet, I saw the 
 other boys sitting upon their knap sacks. I realized 
 I was laying in about three inches of water, which 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 37 
 
 the heavy down poor of rain had deluged the grassy 
 floor of our tent. I do not know how long I slept 
 laying in the water, it being a warm night and the 
 water being warm also, together with the fact I was 
 dead tired when I lay down must have kept me ob- 
 livious of the flood for some time. However I set up 
 with the rest, for the balance of the night. I was 
 pretty well used to wet clothes both waking and 
 sleeping, so that was of little or no consequence. 
 The elements continued their mighty revelry. The 
 sharp crack of the thunder sounded like the dis- 
 charge of artillery, while the almost constant play of 
 lightning looked like the flashes of a thousands guns. 
 Mch 27th Our position is near Farmington which 
 is occupied by the enemys out posts from Corinth 
 Miss, some four or five miles away. The swampy 
 
 Corduroy Road — All Hand-labor 
 
38 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 nature of the land, makes it impassable for artillery, 
 so the engineer corps have cut a path through the 
 timber, using the trees to make a corduroy road, 
 which will enable us to advance. This morning a 
 force of rebel infantry and artillery came from 
 Corinth, to feel of our position; we were ordered 
 out to meet them, a stiff skirmish took place, with 
 some loss on both sides in wounded. A battalion of 
 our cavalry charged the enemy, and many saddles 
 were emptied, but the rebs. retreated and while 
 the artillery engaged in a duel with the enemys 
 batteries, we were ordered back to camp, about 
 dusk. 
 
 Mch 28th Owing to the fact that the roads be- 
 tween here and our base of supplies at the river [are 
 almost impassable] our supply wagons are greatly 
 delayed, and our rations have given out, we have 
 had nothing to eat all day, and we are feeling the 
 pangs of semi starvation. The Hospital department 
 having several barrels of whiskey on hand, a lot of 
 quinine is dumped into it and a gill issued to each 
 man. As a sanitary measure no doubt its a good 
 thing, but as a substitute for food, its a failure. After 
 night had fallen, some wagons came up, and we got 
 a supply of hard tack, bacon and coffee, with which 
 the inner man was soon supplied, to our great 
 satisfaction. 
 
 May gth The sappers and miners have been busy 
 as bees for the last ten days making roads through 
 the swamp. In order that several divisions may ad- 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 39 
 
 vance in concert, our division march to Fannington 8 , 
 and when through the swamp on to higher ground. 
 A strong skirmish line is thrown forward, several 
 batteries and a regiment of cavalry is on our right. 
 Our skirmish line soon ran against the enemys posi- 
 tion; finding them in force, our batteries getting 
 into commanding positions, open up with rapid fir- 
 ing, which is returned with interest by the rebel bat- 
 teries. Their shells passing just over us, we are soon 
 ordered to lay down in line of battle, which the 
 skirmishers have already done. The rifle balls cut 
 the air all around us, with a zip! zip! sound, that 
 makes ones flesh creep. Our cavalry made a gallant 
 charge, which the enemy repulsed, and many rider- 
 less horses returned. These maneuvers only intended 
 as a demonstration, and with no intention of bringing 
 on a general engagement, we were ordered back, to 
 camp. Our regiment only met with a slight loss, only 
 two wounded. The second Lieutenant of our Co. 
 was sun struck, and was brought in unconscious, 
 and sent to the hospital. 
 
 May 15th Marched around to the right of Corinth, 
 driving in the rebel out posts, and find the town 
 strongly fortified, with batteries posted at short in- 
 tervals within their works. Returned to our camp 
 after night fall. 
 
 8 By far the best book which covers the campaigns in which 
 Smith will be engaged from now on is Stanley F. Horn's The 
 Army of Tennessee (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Okla- 
 homa Press, 1955). 
 
40 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 May 18th Late last night our division march out 
 beyond Farmington, form a line, and procede to for- 
 tify the position. Our regiments line ran through a 
 grave yard; we did not like the ghastly idea of dig- 
 ging among the graves, but an invading army has no 
 respect for the rights of property or person, alive or 
 dead. The ditch however was dug broader than 
 usual, and shallow enough to not disturb the deni- 
 sons of the silent city, and by day light, our breast- 
 works were about finished, and the batteries placed 
 in position. 
 
 May 20th One of our regimental mules, took it 
 into his long eared pate to get a bad case of glanders, 
 and in order to prevent the disease from spreading 
 to his mulish comrades, Col Bradley ordered our 
 ordinance sergeant Extrand to drive him to the 
 rear and shoot him. Extrand invited me to go along 
 and take a shot at his mule-ship, if a second shot 
 was found necessary. I assisted in driving the animal 
 to a proper distance to the rear of camp. Taking a 
 stand some fifty yards distant, Extrand fired at the 
 mules head but missed his aim, causing the mule to 
 shake his head and look at us. Reloading his en- 
 field, I took careful aim just below the butt of the 
 animals ear and fired, and his muleship droped 
 with a ball through his brain. I was just congratulat- 
 ing myself on the good shot I had made, when a 
 mounted orderly rode up and arrested me for firing 
 a gun in the rear of camp, against postive orders to 
 the contrary from headquarters, said orders of which 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 41 
 
 I knew nothing about. Being found with the gun in 
 my hands, caught red handed, as it were, I had no 
 choice but to accompany my captor to Genl Popes 
 Quarters ; finding him engaged with several officers 
 in consultation, he ordered me to be taken to the 
 provoguards, and to be tied to a tree until he had 
 time to investigate the matter. I had already ex- 
 plained to the guard, that Col. Bradley was the 
 responsible party and as Extrand had returned to 
 camp I supposed my detention would last only a 
 short time. It was about eleven a.m. when we reached 
 the tree, and I was tied to its massive trunk in the 
 loosest manner by my sympathising guard, who 
 had no sooner turned his back than I slipped the 
 rope, and lay down in the shade of the friendly tree. 
 The day being warm I soon fell asleep. About noon, 
 the same orderly came and woke me up, having 
 brought me my dinner, which consisted of a plate 
 of chicken soup, some hard tack and stewd chicken. 
 To say I enjoyed this sumptuous repast would be 
 drawing it mildly, and I told my guard if he would 
 arrest me again I would not object, if he would con- 
 tinue to feast me in like manner. He remarked that 
 chickens did not grow on every bush, in fact was a 
 scarce article. Later on I was relieved. Our Quarter 
 Master Capt [Henry] Howland, was sent by Col 
 Bradley to explain matters to the Genl. Returning 
 to Camp, I told the boys, about my dinner, and it 
 made their mouths water, and wish for a like ex- 
 perience. 
 
42 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 May 28th With three days rations in our haver 
 sacks, a canteen full of water, sixty rounds of am- 
 munition, our knapsacks on our backs, we break 
 camp, and advance forcing the rebel picket line back 
 into their works. We take up a position by fours, 
 front, ready to wheel into line of battle in a moment. 
 
 A battery of six guns, drove up just to our right, 
 was unlimbered and planted, then double shotted, 
 while the caisons were driven off over rising ground 
 and out of sight, and the gunners lay down with 
 their lanyards in hand, and awaited the expected 
 charge of the enemy. Nor had we long to wait, for 
 soon the woods was filled with their yells as they 
 came, with the evident intention of capturing that 
 Yankee battery which to all appearance was inno- 
 cent of support, our line being formed just behind 
 the timber. On they came in swift advance, yelling 
 like bedlamites let loose; when they had reached a 
 proper distance, up rose the gunners, and fired 
 death and distruction into their ranks. At point 
 blank range wide swaths were cut through the rebel 
 ranks ; they staggered and stoped. Another discharge 
 followed and the enemy turned and ran for dear life, 
 back to their works, while shot and shell followed 
 them, leaving their dead and wounded upon the 
 field. We threw up a line of breastworks where we 
 stood, thus gaining a position much nearer to 
 Corinth. 
 
 May 29th All day long have the enemy been 
 pounding our works with their artillery but as we 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 43 
 
 lay close behind our works, no one was hit as far 
 as I can learn. When darkness settles over the scene 
 their firing ceases, and we suspect they are prepar- 
 ing to vacate their works. 
 
 May 30th At day light our pickets move up cau- 
 tiously, and discover the empty works; the enemy 
 having evacuated them during the night, our troops 
 advance and occupy the town. A force is started on 
 their track which follow as far as Boonville [Boone- 
 ville] Miss, capturing numbers of stragglers. 
 
 June 3d Returning to Corinth and go into camp 
 out east of town. 
 
 July 2d We have remained inactive for the past 
 month, except drilling once each day, living on full 
 rations. A force marched to Danville one day, but 
 found no enemy. 
 
 July 4th Spent the day in looking over my cor- 
 respondence, and writing letters. 
 
 July 20th New arms were issued to our regiment 
 today; they are called the Austrian rifles 9 , are brand 
 new. 
 
 July 2lst Break camp, and march eastward along 
 the Memphis and Charleston R R. 
 
 July 22nd Pass through Burnshill [Burnsville] 
 and Iuka springs, reaching Tuscumbia Alabama, 
 and go into camp. Here is one of the largest springs 
 I ever saw; the water conies from the base of a small 
 
 9 There were a variety of Austrian rifles imported during 
 the Civil War in a variety of calibers but they were all of one 
 basic design and were all rifle muskets. 
 
44 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 mountain, forming a pool deep and wide enough to 
 float a small ship; quite a deep and broad stream is 
 formed from the great volume of water. 
 
 July 25th Strike tents at midnight and continue 
 our eastward march, reaching Courtland on the 
 26th. Here Co's H and K are detached and left be- 
 hind to guard the R R. About three miles further on 
 Co's E and G go into camp, while our Co. drop out 
 at Trinity station, and the other co's continue on to 
 Decatur. A strong stockade is erected, our tents 
 pitched within the enclosure, loopholes are cut be- 
 tween the standing logs, and we settle down for a 
 rest. 
 
 Aug 10th Corp [Benjamin F.] James with nine 
 men started out on a scout, Marching into a deep 
 cut on the R.R. They were ambuscaded, and cap- 
 tured, by a force of rebels. 
 
 Aug 12th While one of the men was cleaning his 
 gun it was accidently discharged, the ball passed 
 through the wall of his tent and into the next one 
 severely wounding one of our men. It being purely 
 an accident, although a piece of carelessness, noth- 
 ing was done. 
 
 Aug 24th Two co's of the 27th 111 came up and 
 relieved us, and we marched to Decatur, and found 
 the rest of the regiment, going into camp in the 
 suburbs of the town. 
 
 Aug 30th Co's C. G. H and K, went on an ex- 
 pedition into the mountains. Arrived at, and sur- 
 rounded a house, supposed to contain a squad of 
 
February 14, 1862 to September 27, 1862 45 
 
 rebels. I was placed on post with the picket line, and 
 we watched until the dawn of day. A party of horse- 
 man rode up, and being challanged opened fire 
 upon us which we returned, when they fled. We 
 picked up a double barrel shot gun and two hats; 
 we could not tell if any of our shots took effect, as it 
 was not light enough to see. They were the people 
 we came for, but evidently they had been on an ex- 
 pedition of their own, and so were out side our lines, 
 and escaped. 
 
 Sept 25th It is reported that the Rebel Genl 
 [Braxton] Bragg is in Ky. with a large force, threat- 
 ening Nashville, Tenn. 
 
 Sept 27th At daylight we are up, get a hasty 
 breakfast, strike tents and heap them up in piles, 
 set them on fire; orders came to make a forced 
 march to Nashville, which is about 200 miles dis- 
 tant. Everything is destroyed that will impede our 
 march, nothing is left to fall into the hands of the 
 rebels. We cross the Tenn. River on a pontoon 
 bridge formed of canvas covered boats; when the 
 whole force is over the pontoons are burnt also, and 
 then we strike out for our destination. 
 
Chapter III 
 
 Wherein Smith and his Illinois regiment move 
 straight north from Athens, Alabama, to Colum- 
 bia, Tennessee, and Smith becomes a member of a 
 hastily formed irregular company of mounted in- 
 fantry called "PowelPs Scouts." The march con- 
 tinues north to Nashville, where Smith chivalrously 
 recovers a colt he had sold to a blind man and his 
 blue-eyed daughter {the colt had been stolen from 
 them by a rascal named Sweeney) . fr PowelVs Scouts ' ' 
 patrol the countryside around Nashville, occa- 
 sionally meeting and skirmishing with small Con- 
 federate units. He visits the Hermitage and con- 
 tinues scouting the roads around Nashville, several 
 times running into Confederates at Stewards Ferry 
 on Stone^s River. As Smith continues on this duty, 
 Bragg*s invasion into Kentucky is thwarted and 
 he moves south to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, taking 
 up a position northwest of the city along Stone' 's 
 River. General William S. Rosecrans {who replaced 
 Buell) moves after careful preparation on Bragg^s 
 position, bringing on the Battle of Murfreesboro 
 {or Stone^s River) December 31, 1862-January 2, 
 1863. The Union suffers a defeat, although it does 
 capture Murfreesboro and forces Bragg to retreat 
 to the south. The 51st Illinois is in the battle but 
 46 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 47 
 
 Smith is not, for " PowelPs Scouts" continue patrol- 
 ling near Nashville, once encountering some of 
 John Hunt Morgan's Confederate cavalry at Stew- 
 ards Ferry. After continued scouting duty, Smith 
 escorts Confederate sympathizers out of Union lines 
 and then escorts a convicted bounty jumper to his 
 place of execution. 
 
 Oct 6th This is the first opportunity I have found 
 to write up my journal of events, since leaving De- 
 catur, and bidding good by to old Alabama. We 
 have made rapid progress, have passed through 
 Athens Ala, Elkton and Pulaski Tenn, and are now 
 at Columbia, in camp on Duck River. Our rear 
 guards and column en-march have been harassed 
 continually by mounted guerillas and bushwhackers, 
 who would ride within range, fire at us and ride 
 away, repeating the operation further on. There is 
 only a small squad of cavalry with us, some dozen or 
 so, belonging to the 7th 111 Cav, and are used as an 
 advance guard, so we have been at the mercy of the 
 rebels. 
 
 Two days ago, our Genl, growing very tired of 
 this one sided business, gave orders, that if any of 
 our men should happen to find a horse to mount 
 him. Heretofore strict orders were given, that no 
 one should leave the ranks but when the latter or- 
 ders came notwithstanding the fact that the country 
 seemed to be entirely unpeopled with any sort of 
 
Munrordvillei 
 
 KENTU C KY 
 Bowling Green 
 
 TEN N\E S S E E 
 
 Edge4ield/^ B "Silver Spr'v 
 Nashville^ ^>ienriitage 
 Fort'Negle^-yv^io^Stewa-rts Ferr\j 
 Brentwoody 
 
 ("FranklinN 
 xP^ck * /N ^ Murfreesboro 
 
 V„ /Spring Hill/ 
 
 Columbia 
 
 Lijnnvill* 
 
 iM c Minnville 
 
 ShelbuviUej 
 
 'Manchester 
 'Tutlahoma 
 
 Pulask 
 
 x \ Faijetteville 
 Elkron 
 
 N_Decherd 
 Winchester .XL c 0W an 
 
 i/Mhens 
 
 .Courtland 
 
 Huntsville 
 
 fTantelon 
 Anderson^ 
 
 Bridgeport^ Chattanooga 
 Stevenson) 
 
 GEORGI 
 
 a-*\ 
 
 f <P 
 
 ALA B A M A 
 
 Middle Tennessee 
 
 !\? 
 
 Alpi 
 
 Rome i 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 49 
 
 four footed animals, how fast the said quadrupeds 
 materialized. The day had only half gone, when a 
 hundred had been discovered, each one was mounted 
 by a soldier astride his back. In fact saddles and 
 bridles were much scarcer than animals, for only 
 about half the number had them. I secured a fine 
 black mare, without even leaving the ranks. As our 
 co was passing a plantation, an old darky rode out of 
 the gate with the intention of following the yankeys 
 to freedom. He was leading another animal upon 
 which was perched his little boy. There was a chance 
 which I grasped in a moment. I said to the darkey, 
 here you Sambo can't you ride double. Take your 
 boy up behind you, All right Massa. All right sar, 
 while I put the boy behind him and putting my 
 blanket upon the mare's back, was mounted in a 
 jiffy. So I became one of the famous one-hundred. 
 About half of us were sent to the rear as a guard, 
 while the rest covered the flanks, and when the 
 bush-whackers opened fire after that we gave chase 
 as best we could, but carrying a long rifle while rid- 
 ing at full speed, was no Joke. While we could not 
 come up with the rebs, we sent some bullets after 
 them, which finally had the desired effect, of causing 
 them to quit fooling around in our vicinity. But we 
 were truly an awkward squad. Some of the boys, 
 were mounted on mules, and they as well as many of 
 the horses objected to our firing over their heads, 
 and while they kicked and thrashed around, a few 
 of the riders were dumped in the road, but for- 
 
50 Private Smith } s Journal 
 
 tunately no body was hurt, but it was a wonder we 
 did not shoot each other, accidently of course, 
 though no such unlucky thing took place. 
 
 Oct 10th Continuing our march, pass through 
 Franklin and Brentwood reach the outskirts of 
 Nashville, and go into camp, Our mounted co. 
 still together. 
 
 Oct 15th Our troops marched into town, and 
 being supplied with tents, formed a camp. Those of 
 us who were mounted, rode down to the foot of 
 Cherry street, with Capt [Frank] Powell in charge, 
 and took possession of an old deserted powder mill. 
 While the 19th 111 was on their way, and passing a 
 house, some one fired a shot at them from an upper 
 window. A Co. surrounded the house, and in search- 
 ing it, found a man and woman, whom they arrested, 
 then burned the house down. 
 
 Oct 16th Our Company was disbanded, sixty 
 five of our number remained (I was one of the lucky 
 ones), and reorganized into a company of mounted 
 scouts, and were regularly detailed by order of 
 Genl [John M.] Palmer, Capt Powell 1 in command, 
 with Lieut Grow 1st Lieut. Sergeants and Corpo- 
 rals were elected by the Co, orderly Sergt Parks, 
 Wyman 2d Sergt, while I was elected 8th Corporal; 
 
 ir The commander of this impromptu and irregular group 
 of mounted men was Frank Powell, who enlisted as the First 
 Sergeant of Company H, 7th Michigan Infantry. He was dis- 
 charged on Nov. 11, 1861 and reentered service a week later 
 as Captain of Company I, 14th Michigan Infantry. He was 
 discharged February 25, 1865. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May is, 1863 51 
 
 we procured some gold braid and sewed it upon our 
 sleeves according to rank. 
 
 Oct lyth I purchased a young horse of a citizen, 
 who recommended the animal for speed. Well he 
 proved to be speedy enough, but proved to be too 
 young to stand much hardship, so Luke (my bunk 
 mate) and I rode up town leading the colt and with- 
 out much trouble found a purchaser. The man was 
 blind, so he judged the animal by the sence of touch, 
 feeling him pretty much all over. He also used his 
 eighteen year old daughter's judgment — whose eyes 
 were not blind, but they were a handsome pair, (the 
 eyes I mean), blue as the sky. I disposed of the colt 
 to them, he paying me part down and later in the 
 day I was to call for the balance. 
 
 So late in the afternoon Luke and I rode over to 
 the place, and found the poor old blind fellow in a 
 terrible way, while the pretty daughter was drownded 
 in tears. I enquired as to their troubles and learned 
 that shortly before we arrived, a citizen, one S.S. 
 Sweeney they said, claimed the colt, they asked him 
 to wait until I came, but that was not his ticket, so 
 in spite of their protests he led the colt off. I got a 
 discription of the gent, together with the fact they 
 knew him to be a tough character. I told the old fel- 
 low I would try and find the thief, and bring the 
 horse back if possible, so we rode over to Cherry St, 
 not knowing which way to go. Turning down towards 
 camp, about the first man we met was the one I was 
 looking for; he was riding the colt and leading 
 
52 
 
 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 another horse. He was a big burly fellow, with his 
 bad character written all over him; we halted him, 
 and I told him to get off that horse instanter. I 
 could see he knew what I meant, but he was, or pre- 
 tended to be half full, and commenced to tell a 
 rambling story about how he bought the animal of a 
 soldier, which I cut short by pulling my revolver on 
 him, and gave him ten seconds to give up the horse. 
 He looked down the barrel of my gun an instant, 
 and the way he slid off that horse made Luke laugh, 
 and it was comical, but I was'nt in any humor to 
 laugh just then. In less time than it takes to tell 
 about it, he transferred his saddle to the other horse 
 and gave Luke the end of the halter. Still covering 
 him, I told him to git, which he made haste to do, 
 but turned round when at some distance and shook 
 his fist at me, with curses on his lips and vengance 
 
 Cavalry on Patrol 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 53 
 
 in his eye. I led the colt back to his owner who re- 
 ceived him with many thanks, and I received the 
 balance of the money from the pretty daughter, also 
 her grateful thanks, which was gracefully given and 
 so my first horse trading was done. 
 
 Oct 18th We receive orders to turn over all our 
 long guns, and such horses as are not suitable to 
 our work. Suitable horses are issued to us, and full 
 trappings, such as the regular Cavalry use, also the 
 Burnsides breech loading carbines 2 , a nine inch navy 
 revolver 3 , and cavalry saber. Being now thoroughly 
 organized, all through the orders of Genl Jno M 
 Palmer, we are named the Powells Scouts. The com- 
 pany is composed mainly of young men, with my- 
 self the youngest of the lot, with a few gray heads. 
 Two of our members are quarter breed Indians, 
 Bill Chatfield and Bill Westbrook from Michigan. 
 
 Oct 25th Sergeant Parks having posted himself in 
 cavalry tactics, is drilling the Co. daily, which we 
 all take to with much interest, and our horses most 
 of them, seem to take kindly to the training, also. 
 My horse is a remarkably intelligent animal, he is 
 about six years old and a swift runner ; we go through 
 
 2 The Burnside carbine had been invented by Ambrose E. 
 Burnside before the war. In 1861 it was 7!4 pounds in weight, 
 54 caliber, with a 21 inch barrel, and was loaded at the 
 breech with either a brass or wrapped foil cartridge. 
 
 3 This was presumably the Colt .36 caliber single action 
 navy revolver, a very popular Civil War hand gun. The 9" 
 barrel is unusual, the more common lengths were from one 
 to three inches shorter. 
 
54 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 the Evolutions, such as riding in all gates, jumping 
 logs and ditches, firing from their backs, over their 
 heads, charging with sabers drawn, standing on the 
 ground and firing over the saddle &c. A few of the 
 horses, learn as easy as a boy his A.B.C's, while 
 others, do not learn nearly so quick. 
 
 Oct 26th I am ordered to take one man and ride 
 out on the Murphysboro [Murfreesboro] pike, pa- 
 trolling for four hours before midnight. I take Bill 
 Chatfield with me. After receiving the countersign 
 from the Captain, I give it to Bill, and we pass 
 through our outer picket line, ride a few miles 
 beyond them; without encountering any thing of a 
 suspicious nature, we return within the lines about 
 midnight, spread our blankets under a tree, and 
 turn in, sleep until day break. We find an inch of 
 snow covering our rubber blankets, but I was ob- 
 livious of any cold. Saddled our horses, and took a 
 run of about two miles out and back, and returned 
 to camp and breakfast. 
 
 Oct 29th A party of mounted rebels, made a dash 
 at our picket line, and firing a volley, rode away. 
 Word was brought to Capt Powell, he hastily 
 mounted nineteen of us, and we rode with all speed 
 to the scene of action. Lear[n]ing the direction the 
 rebs had gone, we started at top speed, about a mile 
 out we ran on to them, taking them by surprise, 
 most of them were dismounted and we fired into 
 them while going at a galop; about twenty were in 
 sight, and they returned our fire and fled, all except 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 55 
 
 three whom we cut off from their horses, and cap- 
 tured. No one was hit except Billy [Marion] Maron, 
 who caught a glancing bullet on his scabbard which 
 left a dent in the steel. We took our prisoners into 
 town and turned them over to the guards at Genl. 
 Palmers HeadQuarters. 
 
 Oct 30th Genl P, rode down to our camp accom- 
 panied by a company of the 7th 111. Cav., gave order 
 to the Capt. to mount the full company and go as 
 advance guard on a reconnoitering expedition. 
 About five miles out on the Murphysboro pike, we dis- 
 covered a nest of rebels. The Capt ordered us to de- 
 ploy as skirmishers; getting close on to the enemy, 
 we drop in a volley, which is returned, without effect 
 as we were in skirmishing line, with a wide space be- 
 tween each four men. The 7th came up with a rush, 
 and we all charged with a yell. The rebs seeing our re- 
 inforcements waited not upon the order of their going 
 but went at once. They left one killed, and six pris- 
 oners fell into our hands, which we took into town. 
 The most of these rebs we run across are roving bands, 
 of tough cases banded together, for mutual strength ; 
 while they are Confederates, they belong to no part 
 of the rebel army, and rob friend and foe alike. In 
 breaking up these squads of freebooters, for our own 
 safety, we incidently are protecting the families 
 of confederate soldiers, whom these guerillas rob. 
 
 Nov 5th This morning a large force of the enemy, 
 made a demonstration all along our front. They 
 placed a battery on an elevation near the Chicken 
 
56 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 Pike and shelled the town and Fort Neglie [Negley] ; 
 Our camp being near the Fort, many of the shells 
 falling short, droped into our camp and exploded. 
 The Capt. had the bugler sound the call to saddle, 
 and we mounted, riding out of range. It was soon 
 discovered that the intention of the rebels, was merely 
 to keep our attention, while the Rebel Genl [John 
 H.] Morgan was making a raid over the Cumberland 
 River in Edgefield, with a view to burning the R R 
 Bridge which spanned it. But the raid was not a suc- 
 cess, owing to the stubborn resistance of the 10th 111 
 which held a position on the Gallatin Pike; Morgan 
 finding his forces repulsed, gave it up for a bad job, 
 and retreated. About 4. p.m. our Co. rode out on the 
 Chicken Pike, but we discovered no enemy. 
 
 Nov 7th A squad of our Co. scouted the Granny 
 White pike, discovered a rebel officer and one pri- 
 vate, attempting to go southward we ran them down, 
 and captured them after a hard chase. 
 
 Nov 12th We have had no mail from the North for 
 some time; Genl Bragg holds the R R in Ky, tear- 
 ing up miles of rails and burning bridges. Today the 
 mail came by boat; I received ten letters, which I 
 proceed to inspect with great interest. 
 
 Nov 13th A Brigade of infantry ordered to march 
 out on the Lebanon pike to stone bridge, our Co. go 
 as advance guard. Reaching the bridge we learn that 
 nineteen of the 4th Mich Cavalry were surprised 
 and captured here by a force of rebel Cavalry. The 
 brigade go into camp, and we return to town. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 57 
 
 Nov 14th Under charge of Lieut. Grow twenty 
 five of our Co. go out scouting, as far as the Herma- 
 tige [Hermitage]. This is the former home and pres- 
 ent burial place of Genl Andrew Jackson who was 
 president in 1832. The present owner is an adopted 
 son, who is said to be a violent secessionist. The 
 place must have been a fine one in its palmy days, but 
 now through neglect its pretty well run to weeds. 
 The drive way is flanked on either side by stately 
 elms, with their overarching bows intermingling. 
 This leads up to the front of the fine old brick man- 
 sion. An old decript negress here spends her declin- 
 ing days, basking in the rays of the sun, nursing 
 her crooked fingers, and bent and aged limbs and 
 rheumatic joints. I asked her some questions, as to 
 age, and if she knew the Genl in life. De Lord bless 
 you massa, she replied, I don holl him in dese here 
 arms, when he were only so high, streatching forth 
 her withered hand knee high. Bressed Old Massa, 
 I done nurse him many times, and she turned her 
 toothless visage up to the sun. I all most believed 
 her as her wrinkled face bore the stamp of great age, 
 and if she had said she was the mother of Matheusi- 
 ler [Methuselah], I was not prepared to contradict 
 her. The tomb of Jackson is situated in one corner 
 of the garden, and is quite well preserved, stone 
 pillars, supporting a canopied roof, the floor ce- 
 mented, under which the remains are deposited. 
 After inspecting every thing of interest we return to 
 Camp, our visit recalled to mind, how Jackson 
 
58 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 fought at New Orleans, the british in the war of 
 1812 to 15, and how in 32, when South Carolina at- 
 tempted to secede trom the union, as it did do last 
 year, and how he sent a war vessel into Charleston 
 Harbor, and threatened to blow the city out of exis- 
 tance if they persisted. This time we had not a Jack- 
 son as president, but a Beauchanen [Buchanan], 
 and there's the diference. 
 
 Nov 16th Full co escort two wagon loads of mail 
 for Genl Crittendons [Thomas L. Crittenden] camp 
 at Silver Springs. 
 
 Nov 18th I am ordered to take charge of a squad 
 of the Co. and scout one of the pikes, decided to try 
 the Granny White pike, we ran across two rebels, 
 home on leave from their army. After a short hot 
 chase, we capture both. While returning to town, 
 discover a small drove of turkeys ; while these birds 
 do not hold quite as an exalted a position as our 
 american eagle, yet we know they make much finer 
 eating, and so we gather in a few of them. Turn 
 over our prisoners to Hdqrs. the two without feath- 
 ers, but the turkeys are destined to feed the hungry 
 scouts. 
 
 Nov 23d I am promoted from 8th to 3d Corporal, 
 and carry some important dispatches from Genl 
 [James D.] Morgan to Genl Palmer. 
 
 25th Orderly Sergt Parks is ordered out with 
 twenty of the Co in a beef foraging expedition; we 
 capture a small drove, for which vouchers are given 
 on Unkle Sam. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 59 
 
 27th I go on a scout accompanied by Luke and 
 Marion. About noon, we came to a promising look- 
 ing house, and on motion of Luke, seconded by 
 Marion, and unanimously carried, that we apply 
 for dinner. Leaving Marion on guard without the 
 gate, where he could get a good view of the road in 
 both directions Luke and I make an advance upon 
 the citadel; we found the head of the house a widow, 
 or so she claims to be, although I imagine her better 
 half is in the rebel Army. She has a daughter who is 
 about 18 and who frankly states she has a sweet heart 
 in the rebel army. Stating our mission to be in 
 search of the wherewithal to replenish the inner 
 man, the lady invites us in and gets up a dinner for 
 us in good shape, then Luke relieves Marion while 
 he comes in for his share, after which I liquidate 
 with a ten dollar confederate bill, which is about the 
 figure in that kind of money, and with which we are 
 generally well supplied. Return to town without 
 having seen any thing that looked like a Jonny reb. 
 
 Nov 2gtk Sergt Parks with about twenty five of 
 us out on a scout. We soon left the pike and, rode 
 in a south westerly direction into a thickly wooded 
 part of the country, which was new to us. After rid- 
 ing many miles, following a cowpath, which nar- 
 rowed to such an extent that we were compelled to 
 go in single file, like Indians on a lost trail. Keeping 
 on, we discovered a small clearing in the midst 
 of thick surrounding timber. In the center of the 
 clearing was a log house, delapidated in appearance. 
 
60 Private Smith } s Journal 
 
 On our approach there issued from the hingeless 
 doorway, an old gray headed man whose long hair 
 and longer gray beard gave him the appearance of 
 a much self neglected mortal; following upon his 
 heels there came six women of various ages ranging 
 from twenty to fifty. While we drew up in line watch- 
 ing the procession, a stream of shock headed, and 
 barefooted children filed out into view, numbering 
 nearly a score. I wondered if we had not discovered 
 an isolated old morman who had fallen out of the 
 ranks and came here in these wilds, and started a 
 colony of his own. Judging from their concentrated 
 gaze which they leveled upon us in a body, they 
 must have been greatly interested in the first lot 
 of genuine Yankees they had ever beheld. The old 
 fellow must have had a private still of his own, for 
 after he had sized us up, he brought out a mammoth 
 jug of moon shine whiskey, and a gourd, which he 
 offered to us. Many of the Co partook of the bever- 
 age, and said it was the genuine stuff; about forty 
 dollars of confederate money was tendered and ac- 
 cepted for the treat. 
 
 On the enquiry of Sergt Parks as to whether any 
 rebs came around that section, the old fellow replied 
 in the negative, and certainly from the general ap- 
 pearance of poverty which pervaded the surround- 
 ings, no one would ever return for booty a second 
 time; and how in the world he managed to feed so 
 many mouths was a mystery, one we did not care to 
 investigate so we left them and returned to town. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 61 
 
 Nov 30th Capt. Powell headed a squad of twenty 
 two of us, riding out on the chicken pike, one of our 
 almost daily scouts. Crossing the ford at Stewarts 
 ferry rode up the hill by fours front with Corp. Lakey 
 and three men a few yards in advance. They gained 
 the brow of the hill, when, bang! bang! they re- 
 ceived a volley. Capt Powell ordered us into line, we 
 put the spurs to our horses, and dashed up the hill 
 at full speed, getting into two lines, at once, on ris- 
 ing the brow of the hill, we discovered a squad of 
 the enemy charging us up their side of the hill. 
 Yelling like fiends, and firing at us, a volley was sent 
 at them, and we loaded up again, they checked up, 
 and a second volley followed and drawing our six 
 shooters, the capt ordered a charge at the top of his 
 lungs. The rebs fled for all they were worth, and we 
 after them, down hill over the roughest road we 
 ever traveled at a break neck speed. In fact it was as 
 rough as the celebrated road to Jordon, but at the 
 risk of breaking some of our necks, we pushed after 
 our game. They were mounted on the best horse 
 flesh the country afforded, and so they out ran us, 
 and we returned to the scene of action. Lakeys horse 
 being stiff in the fore shoulders could not be turned 
 quick enough to suit him, so he slid off* his back and 
 made a dive over a fence into a field. As the rebs 
 were charging the other three joined us as we rode 
 up, we found a loose rebel horse with all his equip- 
 ments, but his rider had disappeared among the 
 thick cedars that lined one side of the road, whether 
 
62 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 wounded or not we did not know. The captured 
 horse we took with us ; on riding back to the ferry, 
 stoped at a citizens house, who told the Capt, the 
 rebs was some of Dick McCann's 4 men, and there 
 was twenty eight of them, mostly armed with double 
 barreled shot guns. Dick is the leader of about fifty 
 of the most notorious guerrillas and freebooters. 
 Rode back to camp. After supper I took eleven men 
 and rode back to Stewarts ferry to watch the ford all 
 night. I placed two men on each side of the road 
 leading down to the river, retiring about a hundred 
 yards in reserve, posting a relief about every two 
 hours, taking mv turn with the men. Nothing of a 
 suspicious nature occurred during the night, and at 
 dawn we retired to camp. 
 
 Dec 1st The whole Company receive orders to go 
 out to Stone bridge and camp, so as to be near to, 
 and guard Stewarts Ferry. 
 
 4 Richard McCann was Major of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry, 
 active in the Murfreesboro-Chattanooga-McMinnville area 
 from the fall of 1862 until captured on August 19, 1863. He 
 was considered by most Union soldiers to be a notorious guer- 
 rilla raider. McCann was not released from a Union prisoner 
 of war camp until January 20, 1865. The official report of 
 this affair is as follows : 
 
 "A scouting party of 25 mounted infantry, under the 
 command of Captain Powell, was sent out on the Statesville 
 road yesterday. They met a party of guerrillas about 7 miles 
 out, drove in their advance, taking 2 rifles and 1 horse. The 
 main body was found strongly posted on the opposite side of 
 a creek, and in number three or four to one. The captain 
 thought it advisable not to attack them, his command being 
 poorly armed." 
 O.R., I, 20, pt. 1, p. 27. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May is, 1863 63 
 
 Dec 3d Corp. Coppage and I with sixteen men 
 are detailed to videt the ford for twenty four hours, 
 trouble being expected from that quarter. On the 
 morning of the 4th nine men come out and relieve 
 us. During the night we were aroused by hearing 
 shots in the direction of the ferry. The Co. saddled 
 up at once, and galloped out to the ferry. Meeting 
 the reserve, it is learned, that they had been fired 
 into while laying around a fire. The rebs had come 
 up in the darkness, and attacked without warning 5 ; 
 the corporal had made the mistake of not posting a 
 man to guard the reserve, as well as the ferry. The 
 rebs escaped in the darkness of the timber. We found 
 one man wounded with two buck shot, (Smith) and 
 poor Gorman was riddled with seven. Gorman died 
 
 5 The official report of that affair by Brigadier James D. 
 Morgan reads: 
 
 "This morning about 3 o'clock a sergeant and 9 men of 
 Captain Powell's company mounted scouts, stationed at 
 Stewart's Ford, 2V2 miles on our right, were attacked by a 
 mounted force of the enemy of about 60 men. All of our men 
 succeeded in making their escape, with their arms and 
 accouterments, but with the loss of their horses. Two were 
 wounded, 1 severely. The enemy made their approach upon 
 our right from the direction of the Murfreesborough pike. I 
 have no cavalry to cover my flank in that direction. I had 
 supposed that vedettes were stationed from the Murfrees- 
 borough pike toward my right. 
 
 I sent out yesterday a foraging party about 4 miles to the 
 front, on the Lebanon pike; 2 men were taken, 1 a mounted 
 scout of Captain Powell's Company, and a teamster; they 
 were paroled and returned to camp almost as soon as the 
 train. I returned them to duty, ignoring the paroles, and 
 with orders that they be charged with the arms lost." 
 O.R., I, 20, pt. 1, p. 30. 
 
64 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 at day light and his body we conveyed to town; 
 Smith's wounds were slight, one horse was killed, 
 and five were wounded. The buck shot indicated 
 that the rebs were armed with shot guns. Perhaps 
 they were some of McCann's men bent on revenge. 
 
 Dec 8th Genl Jas Morgan came out to inspect 
 Stewards ferry, and we were ordered to return to 
 town as advance to a brigade of infantry that had 
 come out. Reaching our old camp, tents were struck, 
 and we pitched them on a vacant piece of ground at 
 the corner of summer and oak Sts. Raised bunks are 
 constructed, and a long shed on the premises is 
 utilized for our horses. 
 
 Dec loth A rumor has reached us that we will 
 disband and return to our respective commands. 
 We are considerably put out at this, until later orders 
 came from Genl [William S.] Rosecrans, that in as 
 much as our services during our organization had 
 proved very satisfactory, we will continue the same, 
 as scouts, videts, escorts &:c as heretofore, and 
 placed under the immediate command of Genl Jas 
 Morgan. All the old horses are exchanged for better 
 ones, and, "Richard is himself again." 
 
 Dec 31st Have, in the past ten days, made several 
 scouts, acted as videts, escort &c; we captured two 
 prisoners near stone bridge, who were at Murphys- 
 boro, and we learn that a great battle is going on at 
 Stone River, some twenty miles south. The old 51st 
 is out there, and Calvin with Co ff C". I shall look 
 anxiously for more news, until I learn he is safe. 
 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 65 
 
 Jany 1st 1863 Another year has passed away and 
 the war seems as far from ending as a year ago. The 
 old year was ushered out and the new year comes in, 
 while the great battle goes on. Curriers are coming 
 in with news of the strife; the Division occupying 
 the right of our army, was fiercely attacked by the 
 enemy, and becoming some what demoralized, re- 
 treated. Genl. Rosecrans Commanding all of our 
 forces, personally rallied our men, and by a vigorous 
 attack drove the enemy back and saved the day; and 
 there is one more victory marked upon our banners. 
 
 Jany 5th I heard from Cal today, and he is all 
 right. Co. "C" lost some killed and wounded. A 
 portion of the Co. captured a lot of prisoners. 
 
 12th Our Co is ordered out on the Franklin 
 Pike; we met a young lady in a buggy, who gave 
 Capt Powell some secret information which must 
 have been of considerable importance, as we rode 
 back to town at once, and the Capt reported to Genl 
 Morgan. 
 
 15 & 16th A blizzard is upon us accompanied by 
 a heavy fall of snow. We stick close to our camp fires, 
 while it lasts. 
 
 23d Our tent mess consists of Corps Culkin and 
 myself, and privates Morse, Luke and Marion. We 
 went out on a scout today, and surprised three 
 rebels, who surrendered on demand, and we took 
 them to Gen Morgan. 
 
 Jany 30th Capt Powell headed twenty four of us, 
 and we rode to Stewarts Ferry. On arriving in its 
 
66 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 vicinity, Sergt Wyman took charge, while the Capt 
 took five men, and rode down around the bluff which 
 faces the ferry. They had passed from our sight 
 hardly three minutes, when several shots were 
 fired. We rode forward to investigate, and formed 
 line on the brow of the bluff over looking the ferry. 
 We discovered the flat boat which is used to cross 
 the ferry just about to land on the opposite bank 
 with some thirty or more men, and upon the bank 
 was some fifty or more mostly mounted, but they 
 were all dressed in blue uniform. Capt Powell and 
 four of our men were on the boat just landing. For 
 one instant we thought these troops belonged to 
 our army, as they wore Unkle Sams blue, but the 
 next moment we knew they were Confederates, and 
 were about to open fire on them, when Sergt Wyman 
 said no. You might hit the capt. or our own men. 
 Why they did not open fire upon us at once seemed 
 strange as we sat upon our horses in plain view of 
 the rebs. All this took place within a moment or 
 two, while hesitating undecided what course to 
 pursue, we saw about half of them gallop off down 
 the opposite bank of the river on the main pike at 
 stone bridge, with a view to cut off our retreat to 
 town. Then we started back in the same direction, 
 and met Bill Westbrook who had accompanied the 
 capt. he was riding his horse as stiff as a ram rod, 
 with his hand pressed tightly upon his right breast, 
 where he was shot clear through his lungs and body. 
 Two of us rode on each side to keep him on his 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 67 
 
 horse and resumed our retreat. At the first house, 
 we left Bill, in charge of the people who promised 
 to put him to bed at once, and take care of him until 
 we sent out a surgeon from town. 
 
 Then we rode for all the horses could go, and 
 reached the main pike, seeing nothing more of the 
 rebs, whom we knew had some distance further to 
 ride on their side of the river. After riding a mile or 
 so, we slowed down to a more leisurely gate, so if 
 the rebs continued to follow us, we might get them 
 to chase us near enough to our picket line to get 
 them into trouble, but evidently they had given up 
 the chase. So we reported the affair to Genl Morgan, 
 and then sent an ambulence and surgeon out to 
 poor Bill. Westbrook is a quarter breed indian with 
 a constitution like a bronco so we did not give him 
 up altogether. 
 
 31st He was brought in this evening and placed 
 in the hospital. In comparing notes about the days 
 adventure, several of us noticed a singular thing 
 while inspecting the rebels. It was noticed that a 
 great many of their horses had two nose bags attached 
 to either their saddles or straped on their necks, all 
 of which seemed to be full of something. An unusual 
 thing for mounted men to carry more than one, if 
 any at all. Here was a mystery; they must have been 
 bent upon some raid of importance, and their meet- 
 ing with us may have caused them to post pone it. 
 
 Jany 31st Capt Powell being a prisoner Lieut 
 Grow takes command of our Co. I visit the Hospital, 
 
68 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 and find Westbrook as comfortable as his condition 
 will admit. He said it did not hurt him much to 
 talk. The Dr. when he got to him at the citizens 
 house, proceeded to dress his wound, and the first 
 operation was probing a silk handkerchief clear 
 through his body, following the straight course the 
 ball had made. He informed me, that when the Capt 
 and four men started for the ferry, he followed 
 them. Coming in sight of the river, they saw some 
 twenty men just landing, and they being in blue 
 uniform, supposed they belonged to our army, but 
 took the precaution to challenge them; they an- 
 swered they belonged to the 5th Tenn. Cavalry. 
 This being a union regiment, all suspicion, If the 
 Capt had any was dismissed, and they rode up to 
 them, when they were immediately surrounded by 
 the enemy with drawn revolvers. As soon as Bill 
 took in the situation, as quick as a flash he wheeled 
 his horse, and dashed up the hilly road; a dozen 
 shots followed him, only one hit him, which he 
 said nearly knocked him off his horse. He said he 
 held on by his knees and the horses neck. Brave old 
 Bill. 
 
 Feb 5th Genl Morgans head quarters, burned to 
 the ground today. He occupied a private house to- 
 gether with his staff. Fire supposed to have origi- 
 nated from a defective flue. 
 
 March 8th Our force at Franklin were attacked. 
 It is eighteen miles south of Nashville; the attack 
 was merely a brush, a sort of feeler by the enemy. 
 
October 6, 1862 to May is, 1863 69 
 
 Mch 11th The Co. go out to a place called Slip- 
 up, and continue on towards Stewarts ferry. It is a 
 standing question among us, when we start for that 
 place, as to what we will find. It seems to be a fatal 
 spot for the scouts, nearly all our losses, have oc- 
 curred there, and whose turn will come next. To 
 day we were agreeably surprised to find it, bathed in 
 sunshine, and peaceful as a summer day, where at 
 some of the boys expressed disappointment, at its 
 deserted appearance. 
 
 Mch 25th A detachment of infantry, located at 
 Brentwood, nine miles out on the Franklin Pike. 
 They numbered about four hundred; were attacked 
 by a force of the enemy and after a sharp skirmish, 
 were surrounded and captured. We receive orders 
 to saddle up, and make a run for the place, and in 
 about one hour and a half arrive there only to find 
 the smoldering ruins of the late camp. 
 
 April 8th Ordered out as advance for a Division 
 of infantry, and locate with them at Brentwood. 
 
 20th Are still located here, at B — we all rode into 
 Nashville to draw our pay, returning again to camp. 
 
 2ist A part of our Co. take a scout towards 
 Franklin, turning off to the left, we follow a cow path 
 through the woods for several miles, reach a clearing 
 where in is located a fort occupied by a regiment of 
 our troops, returning to camp in time for supper. 
 
 At the usual time for retireing I roll my self in my 
 blanket expecting to enjoy a good sleep. At mid- 
 night I was called up with orders to carry some dis- 
 
70 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 patches to the fort we had visited during the after- 
 noon. There being no moon, nor stars visible, as it 
 was a cloudy night; it was about as dark as Egypt. 
 
 As I rode along the pike, the question very natu- 
 rally came up as to knowing when to turn off into 
 the woods, however judging the distance as best I 
 could, I trusted the instinct of my horse to find it. 
 Nor was I mistaken in so doing; going along at a 
 swinging gallop, she made a dive into the woods. It 
 was dark enough on the road, but among the timber 
 it was ten fold darker if that were possible, so I gave 
 up the idea of trying to guide the animal and let her 
 have her head. She continued still at a sharp canter 
 winding in and out among the trees, always keep- 
 ing in the path as I knew by the sound of her hoofs 
 coming in contact with the soft earth ; laying low on 
 her neck to avoid over-hanging limbs, the five miles 
 was quickly covered without a mishap. Drawing 
 rein near the clearing, I was challenged by one of the 
 pickets, ordered to dismount and give the counter- 
 sign; advancing on foot I leaned over the point of 
 the guards bayonet and gave it, and mounting 
 again rode to the fort. Delivering my dispatches to 
 the Commander, I turned into one of the tents, for 
 a rest and sleep; after rubbing my horse down with 
 a wisp of hay, I patted her on the neck for her good 
 behavior, and she rubbed her nose against me as 
 much as to say I am your friend, a fact I well knew, 
 and I was greatly attached to her, as she was always 
 ready and willing to do my bidding. At day break I 
 
 
October 6, 1862 to May 15, 1863 71 
 
 was up, and gave her a good feed, and breakfasted 
 with the boys, then leisurely rode back to camp. 
 
 22d Our Co. is ordered back to our old camp in 
 Nashville. 
 
 April 27II1 We saddle up at midnight and go out 
 on the Granny White pike. After riding for about 
 two hours, we silently surround a house, and await 
 daylight; said house was supposed to contain a 
 squad of rebels who had rendezvous there. At the 
 first dawn of day we close in, and capture the house, 
 but find no enemy. The house was deserted, so we 
 beat a retreat back to town, empty handed. 
 
 May 6th For the past few days, we have been en- 
 gaged in acting as escort to families and persons 
 whose proclivities are all southern; while residing 
 within our lines, they have rendered their sympathy 
 and aid when opportunity offered to the confeder- 
 ates. In consequence of this, the rebel forces have 
 been well informed as to the disposition of our 
 troops and defenses. So by order of the commander, 
 they were given a few days notice each, and then 
 we would escort them beyond our lines and well 
 on their way south 6 , and thus we got rid of a danger- 
 
 6 General Orders No. 43, Headquarters Department of the 
 Cumberland, March 8, 1863 ordered southern sympathizers 
 who did not "acknowledge their obligations as citizens of the 
 United States" and who did not give the non-combatants 
 oath and bond would be sent south of Union lines within ten 
 days. General Orders No. 74, April 8, 1863, listed 41 indi- 
 viduals or families by name that were "citizens of Nashville 
 and vicinity" and were to be sent south outside Union lines. 
 
72 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 ous element. The majority of them belong to upper 
 tendom, who ride in their own conveyances or 
 mounted. 
 
 May 15th We are called upon to perform an un- 
 pleasant duty today, no less then to guard a prisoner, 
 from the jail to the place where he was executed. 
 He was a foreigner and had practiced bounty jump- 
 ing, enlisting as a substitute, for as large a bounty 
 as he could get, he at the first opportunity would de- 
 sert, make his way north, and repeat the same pro- 
 gram. He was tried and convicted. The grave was 
 dug, the box in which he was to be buried, placed 
 near it; seated upon his coffin blind-folded, his 
 hand tied behind his back, twelve soldiers, chosen 
 by lot, from the infantry, drew up in line ten paces 
 distant, six of their guns loaded with ball, and six 
 with blanks. The guns being loaded by others, they 
 none of them knew which had the fatal balls. At the 
 word they took aim and fired. The victim fell back 
 with four bullets in his breast and was buried at 
 once 7 . 
 
 7 This was apparently Private Julius Mileka of Company E, 
 10th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He deserted from Com- 
 pany E September 14, 1862 and re-enlisted in Company K, 
 1st Tennessee Infantry on November 6; he seems to have 
 been guilty of a similar pattern of bounty jumping prior to 
 September, 1862. General Orders 100, Headquarters De- 
 partment of the Cumberland, May 4, 1863, order him shot at 
 noon, May 15, 1863. 
 
Chapter IV 
 
 Wherein ^PoweWs Scouts" are disbanded and, 
 on May 29, 1863, Smith is assigned back to Com- 
 pany C, 51st Illinois, at Murfreesboro; three days 
 later he is reassigned to his division headquarters, 
 then commanded by General Philip H. Sheridan, 
 to serve as escort and orderly. Smith moves south 
 with the Army of the Cumberland as Rosecrans 
 in what is called the Tullahoma campaign, 
 begins to manuever Bragg out of Tennessee. 
 Shelbyville and Manchester fall, and Bragg re- 
 treats to Chattanooga; Sheridan's division is held 
 near Winchester for a while and then marches 
 southeast to Stevenson, Alabama, on the north side 
 of the Tennessee River. Near here Smith talks 
 with a Confederate picket, visits the large Anderson 
 plantation, moves with his headquarters to Bridge- 
 port, Tennessee, and crosses the river on September 
 2. Marching over Raccoon Mountain to Trenton, 
 Georgia, thence over Lookout Mountain and turn- 
 ing southwest and away from Chattanooga, Sheri- 
 dan's Division arrives at Alpine, Georgia, on 
 September 11. Meanwhile Bragg evacuates Chat- 
 tanooga and concentrates his army behind Chicka- 
 mauga Creek near Lafayette, Georgia. Rosecrans 
 believing Bragg* s evacuation of Chattanooga is a 
 headlong retreat, splits his pursuing army into 
 
 13 
 
74 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 three segments, separated by many miles of moun- 
 tainous country. The Union Army is thus split so 
 that General Crittenden is with the 21 st Corps to 
 the north near Chattanooga, General Thomas with 
 the 14th Corps is in the middle at Stevens Gap near 
 Trenton, Georgia, and General McCook {whose 
 20th corps includes Sheridan's division) is farthest 
 south at Alpine, Georgia. Bragg *s plan is to defeat 
 Rosecrans by attacking his widely separated units 
 one at a time (Bragg is about to be re-info reed by 
 Longstree? s units from the east) . Rosecrans, now 
 awake to his danger, hurriedly concentrates his 
 forces by moving his southern units north to the 
 Stevens Gap area, extending his center units north- 
 ward and moving Crittenden from the north down 
 towards the center. And so the stage is set for the 
 bloody Battle of Chickamauga. 
 
 May 27th Orders received this morning for our 
 Company to disband, and each member to report 
 to the division Head Quarters, in which his regi- 
 ment is located. Although we were some what pre- 
 pared for something of this kind, yet it caused con- 
 siderable regret at the separation about to take 
 place. A close brotherly feeling had sprang up 
 among most of us, engendered by our being an in- 
 dependent command, and by the fact that we were 
 always associated together in our daily scouts, and 
 
May 27, 1863 to September 1Q, 1863 75 
 
 duties of every nature pertaining thereto, encoun- 
 tering many dangers. All this tended to cement a 
 lasting friendship among us. All our horses, tents 
 &.c also our arms, were turned over to the Quarter 
 Master. 
 
 May 29 Transportation being furnished, those 
 of us that belong to Genl [Philip H.] Sheridans 
 division 1 , after a general farewell all around, we take 
 the train for Murphysboro. On arriving at HdQrs. 
 and reporting, we are returned to our several Com- 
 panies. I find old Co ff C" in camp and report to 
 Lieut Tilton for duty, am welcomed back by Bro 
 Cal and the rest of the boys, and find myself once 
 more at home in the infantry. 
 
 June 1st Lieut Tilton received an order from 
 Capt [George] Lee the AAG to Sheridan, for me 
 to report at HdQrs. at once, for duty. This was a 
 surprise to me, an agreeable one though. Upon 
 reaching there I found Wm Morse had also been 
 detailed, with several others including old Mitchel, 
 all ex members of the scouts. Morse belonged to the 
 42d 111. 
 
 Each of us receive a horse and equipments, a 
 saber and revolver, and are informed that our duties 
 are to consist, of acting as escort and orderlies to 
 Genl Sheridan. 
 
 1 Major General Philip H. Sheridan's command was the 
 3rd Division of the 20th Army Corps (Major General 
 Alexander McD. McCook) of Major General William S. Rose- 
 crans' Army of the Cumberland. 
 
j6 Priva te Sm ith 's Journa I 
 
 2 1st There is general activity going on in the 
 whole army of the Cumberland, getting ready for a 
 grand campaign, a forward movement is looked for 
 shortly. 
 
 June 24th At the first streaks of the coming day, 
 the Army of the Cumberland is roused up, and set 
 to for an early breakfast. After a long period of fine 
 weather, it has changed suddenly and a fine pene- 
 trating rain has set in, and this is the appointed day 
 for the opening of the campaign. After the thorough 
 preparation which has been gone through, the mere 
 incident of adverse weather is no consideration. 
 After breakfast, the camp is broken up, and the army 
 is put in motion; Division after Division march out, 
 and take the different roads assigned to them, all 
 verging southward. Our Division marches out on 
 the Shelbyville pike. At about seven miles out, we 
 find a force of the enemy who retreat after a short 
 sharp skirmish. Forward again and go into camp 
 in some timber. A drizzling rain has fallen all day. 
 
 25th Still raining, and we are again on the march. 
 The roads are in fearful condition, dry creeks are 
 now swollen streams. Capt Powell of the old scouts, 
 has come up, having been exchanged together with 
 the four men. We learn the particulars of his cap- 
 ture which is as Bill Westbrook told it to me while 
 he was in the hospital; but we learn further that the 
 scout we made on that day, turned out of vast im- 
 portance to the Goverment, although we were ig- 
 norant of its import then. It seems that the force 
 
May 27, 1863 to September ig, 1863 77 
 
 Cavalry Band with Sheridan 
 
 that captured the Capt was a lot of eighty picked 
 men with rebel Genl John Morgan leading them. 
 They were all disguised in blue uniforms, which 
 had been captured from some federal wagon train. 
 At the time spoken of, a large fleet of steam boats 
 had come up the Cumberland river, and were lying 
 at the levee, loaded down with rations, ammunition 
 and clothing, supplies for the army of the Cumber- 
 land, for the campaign just started. Genl Morgans 
 plan, was to pass through our picket line after dark 
 ostensively as a body of Union Cavalry from some 
 out laying force, not a very difficult matter in their 
 yankee blue clothes. Once within the lines, they 
 would meet no more pickets, and, riding into town 
 to the levee where the loaded transports lay, sepa- 
 rate into squads of a dozen men each, go on board 
 
78 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the boats and set fire to them, with cedar shavings 
 and balls of candle wick well saturated with oil, 
 which they carried in their horses nose bags, which 
 we noticed they had with them on that day. All this 
 could have been easily done, and in the confusion 
 which would naturally follow incident to the excite- 
 ment caused by the burning boats, they could ride 
 back to the picket line and make a dash through it, 
 with not much danger of being shot in the uncer- 
 tainty of the darkness, a bold exploit certainly, but 
 one worthy of the man who planed it, to be as 
 boldly carried out by a man like Genl John Morgan. 
 But the whole thing fell through, when our Co of 
 scouts met them at Stewarts ferry, as their presence, 
 we would be sure to report, on our return to town, 
 and they had to content themselves with the Capt 
 and four men as prisoners. Thus what would have 
 been, if successfully accomplished; a celebrated raid, 
 a chapter of history added to the war records. It was 
 turned to naught, and the government saved a heavy 
 loss. And perhaps this Campaign would have been 
 delayed, until a new supply fleet could bring us sup- 
 plies. The Capt said, that while they were held as 
 prisoners, they were well treated. Morgan would al- 
 low none of his men to abuse them in any manner; 
 he spoke very highly of his (Morgans) gentlemanly 
 qualities. 
 
 26th We are still going southward, and the rain 
 which continues in spasmodict spurts is loath to 
 leave us. Our progress is some what retarded by the 
 
May 27, 1863 to September ig, 1863 79 
 
 bad roads, our long line of wagon trains move very 
 slowly. 
 
 27th We made a hard days march, some light 
 skirmishes occurred. The rebels are governing their 
 retreat by our movements. 
 
 28th Captured Shelbyville today with a few pris- 
 oners. 
 
 29th Pass through Manchester Tenn. The enemy 
 reported strongly intrenched in our front. 
 
 July 1st Genl Sheridan accompanied by our Co. 
 scout out in front towards the enemy. Meeting a 
 citizen he informs us that Tullahoma has been evac- 
 uated; approaching it we find the town deserted of 
 rebel troops. It is well fortified, but not a good situa- 
 tion for a stand, as it could be easily flanked; some 
 stragglers gave themselves up. Our Division arriving 
 inarch through the town. 
 
 July 3d Genl Sheridan orders the Capt to take 
 our full escort and ride into Winchester ahead of 
 the skirmish line. Reaching the town, we made a 
 dash through its streets. An orderly was sent to 
 recall us, but we were to swift for him and had cap- 
 tured some prisoners. When he reached us, a force 
 of rebel cavalry attempted to cut off our retreat, and 
 might have succeeded if our infantry had not come 
 up just in time to fight them off. Lieut Grow and 
 four of us, separated from the rest and went to the 
 town jail, which was in charge of an old couple, who 
 invited us to dinner, which was then ready; we ac- 
 cepted, and dined with them, for which they re- 
 
80 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 fused pay, saying the sight of the stars and stripes 
 was pay enough for them. 
 
 July 4th Have gone into camp at Cowan Station, 
 situated near the foot of Cumberland Mountain 
 range; expect to remain here until the rest of the 
 Army comes up, and cross the mountains with 
 forces well in hand. The day has been clear and 
 fine, and it being independence day, a salute was 
 ordered with one of the batteries just before sun 
 down. The guns were fired en battery and they sent 
 forth their terrific music, which echoed and re- 
 echoed from the ravines and mountain sides ; clouds 
 gathered in the clear sky. And a terrific clap of thun- 
 der sounded over head, and the lightning flashed 
 with the flash of the guns. Down came the rain in a 
 perfect deluge; the storm was precipitated no doubt 
 by the cannonade in a humid atmosphere. The gun- 
 ners continued to load and fire to the finish the 
 twenty one guns in honor of the day. Exposed to the 
 raging elements and the fearful downpour, which 
 was so unusually heavy, we could but dimly see the 
 battery, though it was but a short distance from our 
 tent. 
 
 It seemed as though a contest was raging between 
 the artillery in the clouds and that of our mundane 
 battery. A flash from each gun is followed by flashes 
 of lightning. The roar of our guns is answered by the 
 thunders above, while the echoes from the moun- 
 tains side, furnished a scene no one could forget: 
 The lightning flashed; the thunder rolled. 
 
May 27, 1863 to September 19, 1863 81 
 
 The Heavens seemed rent in twain 
 
 The guns belched forth their fire and flame, 
 
 The thunder roar'd again 
 
 Flash after flash from earth and sky; 
 
 Nor quenced they them the rain. 
 
 Soon after the guns became silent the storm 
 ceased, and the sun went down in a red glory. An 
 officer of the 15th Missouri shot one of his men for 
 some insubordination. The officer was placed under 
 arrest by his Colonel. 
 
 July 6th Bridgeport, situated on the Tennessee 
 River, is evacuated by the enemy. 
 
 July yth News has reached us that Vicksburg on the 
 Mississippi River has surrendered to Grant. Another 
 stronghold of the enemy is in our hands. Thus they 
 fall one by one. The news is cheering to our army. 
 
 July 12th Five of our orderlies ride outside our 
 picket line in search of blackberries. They got no 
 blackberries, but did get a chase by some rebel 
 cavalry whom they ran on to unexpectedly. 
 
 July 14th A squad of our escort accompany 
 A.D.C. Capt [ William L.] Mallory into Winchester; 
 after looking the town over, we ride to Deckard 
 [Decherd] Station where our supply of live cattle 
 are hurded, some several thousand in number. The 
 Captain having a requisition for a good bunch of 
 them, we start them out on the road and drive them 
 to our camp at Cowan Station. 
 
 July 19th Wm Morse and I, get leave of absence 
 and start on a trip for the top of Cumberland Moun- 
 
82 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 tain, the 3d Brigade being camped on a plateau on 
 its top, His Regiment the 426. 111. and my regt with 
 them. After a pleasant ride and long climb, we 
 reach their camp and take pot luck with our respec- 
 tive Companies, after which we join forces and start 
 back. Thinking to shorten our ride by taking a 
 short cut, instead of following the devious windings 
 of the main road, we turned into the timber. After 
 riding quite a distance we found ourselves in a deep 
 ravine, and completely off our bearings, in fact we 
 were lost. To our right towering up to a great height 
 was a wall reaching to the mountain top; this could 
 be scaled only by wings, and as ours had not yet suf- 
 ficiently grown, we concluded to pass it by. The sun 
 was nearly at its diernal end and the shaddows 
 swiftly thickening about us in this deep declevity, I 
 suggested that, unless we wanted to play the babies 
 in the wood, we had better make for the nearest high 
 point, and take observations from the western sky, 
 and get our bearings. Dismounting, we led our 
 animals up a steep path, so steep in some places 
 that, our horses all but gave up the struggle. Reach- 
 ing the top, a good deal fagged, after resting our 
 horses we rode forward to a clearing which gave us 
 a fair view of the western sky just in time to catch 
 the last gleams and take a general course by its un- 
 certain light. We soon found the right road, and at 
 9 p.m. reached camp. 
 
 20th A squad of escort, accompanied Capt [Hen- 
 ry] Hescock (of Hescocks battery [Battery G, 1st 
 
May 27, 1863 to Septe?nber 19, 1863 83 
 
 Missouri Light Artillery]) and the Major our topo- 
 graphical engineer [Francis Mohrhardt] on a tour 
 of inspection up the mountain. Saw the RR tunnel, 
 engraved over the rocky arch: Length 2280 feet, 
 under construction five years, is solid rock through- 
 out its length, at sundown return again. 
 
 2 1st Lakey and I guard some prisoners to Deck- 
 ard; among them is a young couple, with a ten days 
 old infant, the mother being about eighteen. 
 
 23d A rebel spy is captured while trying to get by 
 our picket lines. Balcom and I are detailed to guard 
 him to Winchester and deliver him to Col [William 
 Truesdail] Truesdale, who is at the head of our 
 secret service division. We reach there about one 
 o'clock a.m. and told the sentinal to call up the 
 Colonel ; to him we turned over our prisoner. To our 
 surprise the Col shook the spies hand heartily, as 
 an old friend. We learn he is one of our spies and is 
 loaded with important information. We were given 
 quarters for the rest of the night and after breakfast 
 returned to Camp. 
 
 Aug 4th I carry a dispatch to Col. Bradley who 
 commands the brigade on top of the Mountain, then 
 rode over to Co. C. to see Cal and the boys, who 
 invite me to supper. A storm was threatening so I 
 hasten my departure, but before I had rode far, the 
 clouds settled all around me, and I was riding in the 
 midst of the storm clouds, and although the sun was 
 not yet gone down, it became as dark as a "stack of 
 black cats," as the saying is. The lightning zig- 
 
84 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 zagged all through the clouds, on both sides of the 
 road, and the claps of thunder almost split the 
 drum of my ears, such an experience, while it was a 
 great novelty, to be sure, I felt any thing but easy. 
 My steel saber and spurs I was sure would attract 
 the lightning. My horse seemed to partake of my 
 uneasiness, as he trembled at every clap of thunder, 
 I let him have his head, and he went at a sharp gal- 
 lop. The constant flashes, lit up the misty way. 
 Reaching the brow of the mountain, we were soon 
 below the clouds, and in a drenching rain, which 
 soon penetrated clear to my skin. 
 
 However when I struck the level plain, I rode at 
 a sharp run, and soon got to my tent, soaking wet, 
 but glad we were alive. I soon got into a dry suit, 
 and felt none the worse for the drenching. 
 
 Aug 5th The camp is broken up, and the army 
 march over the mountain, passing through Tan- 
 talon and Anderson. Go into camp at Stevenson 
 Ala. 
 
 Aug yth Capt [A.F.] Stevenson A.D.C. Myself 
 and two others of the escort ride down to the bank of 
 the Tennessee River. By direction I go down to the 
 waters edge, use my hands for a trumpet, call over 
 to the rebel picket line which are on the opposite 
 bank, asking one of them to come over and visit us. 
 Upon my promise that he might return unmolested 
 when he wished, one of them got into a dug-out and 
 paddled over to us. After landing we all sat upon a 
 log for a confab. He informed us his name was Crow, 
 
May 27, 1863 to Septe?tiber 19, 1863 85 
 
 and was a member of the 3d Confederate Cavalry. 
 After a short chat with our enemy, he departed back 
 to the confederate side of the river, and we rode 
 back to Camp. 
 
 Aug 12th Morse and I rode over to Anderson to 
 pay a visit to the original Mr Anderson after whom 
 the town was named. The old gentleman was quite 
 talkative, describing to us his large domain. It is so 
 extensive that one can gaze up and down the valley, 
 from his front yard, and the eye can not see the 
 border of his possessions in either direction, while 
 across from mountain to mountain, fading away in 
 the misty distance, does it extend. He can stand 
 upon his door step and exclaim I am monarch of all 
 I survey. It is said to be the largest plantation in the 
 south, and he remarked it would take three days to 
 ride around it. 
 
 Sept 1st HeadQuarters moved forward twelve 
 miles to Bridgeport; I rode over to my regiment and 
 took pot luck with bro. Cal. 
 
 2d A pontoon bridge, constructed with boats 
 made of frames with canvass drawn over them, 
 planks and stringers formed the flooring; on this we 
 crossed the Tenn. River, and marching ford, five 
 miles, went into camp. But before our teams could 
 cross, the swift current broke the bridge up, and as 
 all our provisions were in the wagons, we made our 
 following three meals on corn taken from the fields 
 and roasted over the fire, our horses feeding on the 
 same, raw however. 
 
86 
 
 Priva te Sm ith 's Journal 
 
 Artillery Moves Up 
 
 Sept 4th Our Corps march to Racoon, or Sand 
 Mountain, as some call it, and climb its steep road 
 to the top of the range. The climb is so steep, the 
 artillery are compelled to double their teams, that is, 
 use twelve horses to each gun. A long rope is also 
 strung out and a regiment of infantry assist the 
 horses. On reaching the top, I ride over to the 
 brow to take a look at the land scape. The view is a 
 magnificent one. One can see to the north and west 
 miles upon miles of country, streaching out until 
 it is lost in the blue misty atmosphere. Here and 
 there you can see a plantation with its houses and 
 out buildings, which look like toy houses, while a 
 man or animal dwindles down to only a moving 
 object dwarfed by the distance. The river, as it 
 winds along in its serpentine course, looks like a 
 
May 27, 1863 to Septanber 19, 1863 87 
 
 silver thread reflecting the warm rays of the sun, a 
 thing of beauty in the distance. The valley below is 
 full of marching troops, babys in blue they look, 
 with a long bright needle resting upon each one, as 
 the sun reflects from the polished barrel of each gun. 
 Interspersed among the marching pigmies is long 
 lines of army wagons, each with its canvas cover, 
 stretching afar off in the distance, like moving white 
 spots, each drawn by six Jack Rabbits, their long 
 ears and heads look like exclamation points. What 
 a living, moving, picture for some artist to transfer 
 to canvas, with its many colored features. It would 
 take a master hand to do it small justice. 
 
 Sept 5th The troops having all gained the sum- 
 mit, we move forward across its level stretch, and 
 down its eastern slope into the valley; reaching 
 Trenton Ga, go into camp. We are now about eigh- 
 teen miles south of Chattanooga, (the objective 
 point of this campaign) which is in possession of 
 the enemy. An amusing incident occurred today 
 while the Genl. and staff and we orderlies were 
 grouped together on the top of the mountain, sit- 
 ting on our horses. An artist and reporter who is an 
 attache of our HdQrs. and represents some il- 
 lustrated paper in the East, rode out a little distance 
 to the brow of the mountain, to get a view of the 
 scenes. He unfortunately stoped his horse directly 
 over a yellow Jackets nest; one of them resenting 
 this, flew up and stung his horse, which made him 
 kick, and bringing his foot down in the middle of 
 
88 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 the nest stirred up the whole colony, and they 
 swarmed all over the animal, and the A 8c R. Such 
 a stamping, and kicking, and bucking, as that poor 
 animal went through, snorting, and lashing his tail, 
 until the A 8c R was pitched off his back landing in 
 the grass. He sprang up, and started on a dead run 
 swinging his arms like a wind mill in a hurry cane, 
 while his horse lay down and tried to roll over to 
 crush his tormentors; the saddle hindered this 
 maneuver, so he got up and took after his master. 
 The General and staff roared with laughter and we 
 joined in the chorus, and it was some time before 
 we recovered. I just imagined if the artist had taken 
 his own picture on the spot, and sent a description 
 to his paper, his fortune would be made. 
 
 Sept yth March through Look-out valley. It is 
 reported that Chattanooga is evacuated. 
 
 Sept loth The army crosses Lookout Valley and 
 ascends Look out Mountain range. Another steep 
 climb. On reaching the top, I rode into some timber 
 and discovered a deep chasm, or depression in the 
 mountain top. An enormous hole with walls of solid 
 rock, oblong in shape, about two hundred yards 
 across its top, and an eighth of a mile long, the 
 walls descend abruptly about sixty or eighty feet 
 down to a smooth sheet of water of unknown 
 depth. The surface as still as death, except at its 
 upper end, where a thin thread of water is runing 
 over an over hanging ledge, breaking into a fine 
 spray before it reaches the surface of the lake; at the 
 
May 27, 1863 to Septe?nber 19, 1863 89 
 
 lower end I can see a narrow opening between walls 
 of rock, which is no doubt an out let for the lake, 
 when it rises high enough to flow over; a beautiful 
 sheet of water, as the sun shines upon its still sur- 
 face, its rays penetrating far beneath, until lost in 
 its inky darkness. Altogether it forms a wild scene 
 in nature, and one I shall not soon forget. 
 
 Sept 11th Reach Alpine Ga. and camp. 
 
 Sept 13th We receive orders to make a retrograde 
 movement to the Northward. It is discovered that 
 Braggs Army is concentrating on the Chickamauga, 
 while our army is fearfully scattered, with long 
 stretches intervening between divisions. If Bragg 
 should attack us now, he could whip us in detail 
 perhaps, if he knows our scattered condition. If he 
 will keep his hands off for a few days, we will be in 
 better condition to cope with him. 
 
 Sept 15th The Army is rapidly marching; I am 
 directed by the Genl. to guard the premices of a 
 union family against stragglers. They are making all 
 haste to go north bag and baggage. After our divi- 
 sion have passed, I ride forward again. 
 
 Sept 16th Reaching the valley through Stevens 
 Gap, a line of battle is formed, expecting an attack, 
 but we were agreeably disappointed as none oc- 
 curred. 
 
 Sept 18th Our division have taken an excellent 
 position, with [Thomas J.] Woods division on our 
 left, and Genl Thomas'es [George H. Thomas] 
 Corps further on but too far away to form an im- 
 
90 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 mediate junction. [David S.] Stanleys division is 
 away south of us, but rapidly marching northward. 
 Our army faces east, that is the right wing; the left 
 wing bending round facing more southward. 
 
 Sept lgth The morning dawned bright and clear, 
 and our skirmishers were soon engaged with the 
 enemy . . slowly our outer lines fall back and take 
 their places in the line of battle and the main line 
 on our left become heavily engaged. The roll of 
 musketry is continuous, gradually coming along our 
 front, until our (Sheridans) division opens up its 
 fire. The battle becomes general, as Brigade after 
 brigade marches up in line of battle, and sends in 
 their deadly volleys. Battery after battery of artil- 
 lery, opens up from their elevations in the rear of 
 the infantry, firing over their heads, into the enemys 
 ranks. The rebel batteries respond in like manner, 
 and soon the air is full of flying shells, some passing 
 beyond our rear, and some bursting over head, 
 scattering their fragments in every direction. 
 
 The wounded are being carried off the field and 
 down to Craw fish spring, where our field hospital is 
 located. The Surgeons have their hands fully oc- 
 cupied. Many of our batteries had to change position 
 or cease firing, their shells cut off many limbs from 
 the trees, which endangered our own men. The 
 fighting is mostly in the open timber. The roll of 
 musketry is incessant, as our lines change position 
 for a more advantageous one, pressing the rebels 
 back, as we push gradually forward. Bradleys bri- 
 
 
May 27, 1863 to September 1Q, 1863 9 1 
 
 gade drive the rebels in a charge, and gain a slight 
 elevation, about 4. p.m. and hold it. But were obliged 
 to lay down, to escape a sweeping fire from a rebel 
 battery and a strong force of infantry. To the north- 
 ward of our position could be heard the steady roll 
 of musketry, and the play of batteries, which indi- 
 cated a heavy engagement going on there. From the 
 prisoners we captured, it is learned, that Bragg is 
 expecting some heavy reinforcements at any mo- 
 ment, said to be [James] Longstreets corps from the 
 rebel army in the east, which news has a depressing 
 effect on our men. So far, neither side could claim 
 any decided advantage, as night came on the firing 
 gradually ceased. The losses on both sides are 
 heavy. No camp fires are lighted, as that would 
 expose our position to the enemy. They also take 
 the same precaution. Soon after night spread its 
 mantle over the scene, hiding from view the worst 
 features of the bloody strife. It set in cold and 
 frosty. Fires would have added some comfort to the 
 weary soldiers, as they lay down upon the cold 
 ground to seek much needed rest. Four of us lay 
 under the friendly branches of a large tree, lying 
 close together for mutual warmth. I looked up at 
 the clear blue sky, thinking over the events of the 
 day, and watched the bright stars, and the queen of 
 night, the round silver moon, resting in peace up 
 there in the blue vault, of Heaven, while its light re- 
 flects down upon the upturned white cold faces, of 
 hundreds of the dead, motionless they lay all over 
 
92 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 the field; they are at peace. At the roll of the drum, 
 in the morning, calling to arms again, to renew the 
 strife, they will not respond, but sleep peacefully 
 on through the deadly strife to follow. No doubt the 
 wires have flashed the news to the north of the great 
 battle being fought, down here in Georgia, and 
 mothers, wives and sweet hearts, are praying for the 
 safety of their loved ones. Of those who escaped 
 today, how many will face tomorrow. Thinking of 
 these things I fall a sleep; some time after midnight 
 I was awakened by a noise over in the enemys lines. 
 Listening I could hear the rumbling of a moveing 
 train; Longstreet with his corps of twenty or more 
 thousand men are come. Many a heart will sink at 
 this unwelcome sound. The disembarking of the 
 troops can be plainly heard in the clear silent air. I 
 soon fall asleep again and finish the night. At the 
 first dawn of light in the east the whole army is up, 
 and breaking their fast, expecting every moment 
 the enemy's attack. 
 
Chapter V 
 
 The first day of fighting at Chickamauga follows 
 a day of marching and countermarching by both 
 armies. By first light of September 19, a large part 
 of Bragg 's army is west of Chickamauga Creek. 
 And on the 18th, Longstreet's first three brigades 
 (commanded by JohnB. Hood) arrive from Virgin- 
 ia. Bragg first plans to attack Crittenden — the 
 Union left — but finds that Rosecrans has been able 
 to move Thomas's corps behind Crittenden. The 
 fighting on the 19th has been called "bitter, pro- 
 longed, and inconclusive, " with Thomas repulsing 
 the major Confederate attacks. Longstreet arrives 
 in person that night, and it is decided to continue 
 against the Union left in the morning. Thomas 
 holds firm, but because of a misunderstanding a 
 gap is opened on the Union right and as Union 
 troops (including Sheridan's men) move into the 
 gap they are irresistibly attacked by Longstreet. 
 Shattered by this attack, Sheridan retreats from the 
 field through McFarland 's Gap; Rosecrans, along 
 with McCook and Crittenden, also move off, leaving 
 Thomas in command with orders to withdraw. 
 But supported by Brigadier General James B. 
 Steedman 's troops from General Granger 's re- 
 serve corps, Thomas holds against all Confederate 
 
 93 
 
94 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 attacks, earning the nickname "Rock of Chicka- 
 mauga. " That evening, with the help of Sheridan 
 and others who have returned to the field, Thomas 
 withdraws to Rossville. Private Smith is in the gap 
 during LongstreeVs attack and helps ambush a 
 column of the 24th Alabama; he then makes his 
 way to the rear of Thomas's position and finally 
 to Chattanooga. 
 
 Meanwhile, Bragg closes in on Chattanooga, oc- 
 cupying Missionary Ridge, the valley between that 
 ridge and Lookout Mountain, and the mountain 
 itself From these positions the Confederates can 
 prevent supplies from entering the town either by 
 water or over the main road from the west. Rose- 
 crans is thus forced to depend upon a roundabout 
 route from the railroad at Stevenson, Alabama. 
 And so the Confederates sit down to starve out the 
 Union troops. 
 
 Smith is sent by General Sheridan on a danger- 
 ous mission to Bridgeport, Alabama, and after a 
 long and circuitous ride arrives safely. Later, fol- 
 lowing orders from Sheridan, Smith asks rebel 
 pickets to cease firing, and tells them that the Union 
 pickets will follow suit; both sides comply. 
 
 Meanwhile, command changes are made and 
 plans are being worked out to break out of the city. 
 General Ulysses S. Grant assumes command of the 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 95 
 
 troops in the West; strong reinforcements, includ- 
 ing General Hooker with two corps — the 11th and 
 the 12th — arrive from Meade's army in the East 
 and from Vicksburg comes General Sherman with 
 the 15th and 17th corps. 
 
 On the 23rd of October, General Grant arrives 
 and, on the 2Jth Generals Turchin and Hazen cap- 
 ture Brown 's Ferry, while Hooker moves from 
 Bridgeport straight east until he reaches the ferry. 
 As a result of this maneuver, a new and shorter 
 route of supply is opened, but it is a rough, man- 
 killing route over Raccoon Mountain, quickly named 
 the fr cracker line. " 
 
 November 23rd sees Orchard Knob captured by 
 Wood and Sheridan; Sherman begins to attack the 
 north end of Missionary Ridge as Grant opens his 
 offensive; on the 24th Hooker attacks and captures 
 Lookout Mountain, the so-called "Battle Above the 
 Clouds, "even though the battle is fought far down 
 the mountainside, and the clouds are a combination 
 of gun smoke and mist. 
 
 20th This is the Sabbath day, and is bright and 
 clear. Each and every one devours his meal in haste, 
 anticipating trouble at any moment, knowing that 
 the enemy has received an army of reinforcements 
 during the past night. It is with great surprise, that 
 moment after moment passes away and not a shot 
 
9 6 Private S?nith 9 s Journal 
 
 from either side, breakes the silence. An hour, twc 
 hours have come and gone, still no sign is mani- 
 fested, what does it mean? Col. Bradley of our 51s! 
 while commanding the brigade yesterday was badly 
 wounded ; there is no braver officer then he. If he 
 recovers, he is entitled to a star. We are all in the 
 Saddle at HdQrs. Genls. Sheridan, [Alexandei 
 McDowell] McCook and Rosecrans are togethei 
 discussing the situation. Feeling thirsty I rode for- 
 ward, down to a spring, dismounted and laying flat, 
 drink there from. My horse doing like wise, just then 
 the ball opened; just to our left the rifles began 
 to crack. I sprang up and mounted, and found oui 
 skirmishing line retreating, while the enemy were 
 rapidly advancing and their bullets cutting the 
 brush all around me. I rode back to where I had lefi 
 the Genls and escort, but they had disappeared 
 The battle was on in earnest now; the continous rol 
 of musketry, and boom of cannons was enough tc 
 break the crack of doom. Our division moves to the 
 left and swing towards the rear leaving a gap, which 
 is hastily filled, with [John T.] Wilders mounted in- 
 fantry on foot, who with their spencer rifles, sever 
 shooters, play havoc in the ranks of the rebel lines, 
 and cause them to swing to their right. Wilders 
 men are short of ammunition, and are compelled tc 
 pull out Northward also. All this is accomplished in 
 a few moments ; the rapid retreat of our forces towards 
 the left, leaves me cut off from them with the rebel 
 army between us. On the knoll where I am, is twc 
 
TENNESSEE 
 
 Lafayette 
 
 Chickamauga- Chattanooga 
 
9 8 Private Smith ! s Journal 
 
 guns of a battery, with no ammunition except one 
 charge, a shell; coming out of the woods is man) 
 stragglers, who without any officers, are in a demor- 
 alized condition. Not knowing which way to go. 
 Lieut [James] Boyd of Co D of the 51st came up 
 with a few men in charge. I rode down to the road 
 and directed the men to where Boyd was on top ol 
 the knoll. Most of them went up, a few went on 
 southward, paying no heed to me. And no doubt 
 they were captured. A force of two hundred was 
 then collected on the knoll, and put themselves 
 under Boyd, who directed them all to lay low and 
 await events. If they would stay together there was 
 a fighting chance to escape. The battle was raging 
 fiercer than ever North of us. The whole forces on 
 both sides were in the struggle. Having our little 
 force in hand none to soon, for we had caught sight 
 of a rebel force coming from their main army no 
 doubt sent back to gather the many stragglers from 
 our army; they were about equal in force to ours. 
 Marching towards our knoll, they could see only 
 our two cannon and the men who were in charge, 
 the artillerymen, and myself, I being mounted, and 
 just back of the infantry who were all concealed by 
 laying down. Boyd passed the word among them, to 
 keep down until he gave the word. On the rebels 
 came, and letting off a yell, they charged on a run; 
 reaching the foot of the rising ground, they fired a 
 volley. Sitting on my horse side ways to them, my 
 horse dancing a jig in his excitement, the bullets 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 99 
 
 **5ls^ 
 
 Wet Going for the Horse Artillery 
 
 flew all around me, one passing through my hair on 
 the back of my neck. The artillerymen wheeled the 
 gun around, and fired their last shot. Boyd sprang 
 up with his two hundred men, who sent in a volley 
 at short range, and ordered a charge; the rebs were 
 taken by surprise, and scattered in all directions. 
 Down the hill we went, and so close to us were they, 
 that we captured a squad of prisoners, including 
 their color guard and flag. They proved to be a part 
 of the 24th Alabama regiment. Boyd tore the flag 
 from its staff and folding it up, put it inside his 
 blouse. Thus was the over confident enemy defeated 1 . 
 
 J The report of Colonel N. N. Davis, commanding the 24th 
 Alabama Infantry, has a slightly different version of this 
 incident (O.R., I, 30, part 2, p. 346) : "After moving forward 
 about 400 or 500 yards through the woods, the regiment 
 entered an open field, through which it continued to advance 
 briskly for some distance up a gentle slope, and immediately 
 upon arriving upon the crest of the hill the enemy opened 
 
100 Priva te Sm ith 's Jou mat 
 
 Such incidents are liable to occur, during any great 
 battle. My revolver being empty I reloaded, and 
 shortly after turned towards the west, to Look-out 
 range, as my only hope of escape was to circumvent 
 the left flank of the rebel Army. Boyd with his men 
 started also, and the two cannon followed, as no 
 doubt another force of rebels might come, and a 
 
 upon us a heavy fire of musketry and artillery. The order 
 having been previously given to guide upon the regiment on 
 the right, in order to do this the regiment was compelled to 
 oblique to the right, which threw the right wing into the 
 woods skirting the field. After moving forward a short dis- 
 tance, the regiment came under a heavy cross-fire from the 
 left besides a severe fire from the front. It being discovered 
 that we were being flanked on our left, the order was given to 
 fall back, which was immediately obeyed. 
 
 In this charge the regiment suffered severely, both in 
 killed and wounded. Capt. W. J. O'Brien was mortally 
 wounded while gallantly leading his company forward, and 
 Capt. B. S. Chamberlain severely wounded while leading on 
 his men. Lieutenant Cooper was dangerously wounded while 
 some distance in advance of his regiment. The color bearer, 
 Sergt. George W. Moody, receiving a severe wound, dropped 
 the colors, which was not discovered until after the regiment 
 was rallied. Lieutenant Young, with 4 men, immediately 
 volunteered to bring them off the field, but they could not be 
 found. It is reported that Sergt. George B. Ackerman, of 
 Company G, was seen with the colors in hand going toward 
 the enemy's lines, and it is supposed he deserted, as he has 
 not been heard from since." 
 
 Lt. Colonel Samuel B. Raymond, then commanding the 
 51st Illinois, credits the capture of this battle flag to a dif- 
 ferent officer: "During the engagement of this day Lieutenant 
 [Thomas H.] Cummings, of Company D, assisted by a squad 
 of men representing several other regiments, captured the 
 battleflag of the Twenty-fourth Alabama Regiment." O.R., 
 I, 30, part 1, p. 1057. 
 
Septe?nber 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 101 
 
 larger one too, perhaps. I soon came to the road, 
 leading to Chattanooga. Before I left the field, which 
 was strewn with the dead, both blue and gray, I saw 
 a dead comrade, with a full haversack beside him; 
 having no provisions of my own, and knowing he 
 had no further use for rations, I took it with me, not 
 knowing when I would be able to get where our pro- 
 visions were. The road was lined with our wagon 
 trains, for miles, all hastening towards Chattanooga 
 and safety, with no guards to protect them. I thought 
 how easy it would be for the rebs to capture and de- 
 stroy the whole outfit. About dusk I came to a field 
 of ripe corn, my horse being as nearly famished as 
 myself. Neither of us having had a bite since early 
 morning, I conclude to rest a bit, gathering an arm- 
 ful of corn for my horse, and while he is refreshing 
 the inner horse, I investigate my haversack with a 
 view to refreshing the inner man. I find some bacon 
 and hard tack, also some new potatoes. The poor 
 fellow back there on the field, of death, dreamed not 
 that he was providing for a comrade when he filled 
 his sack. The fighting is still going on east of where 
 I sit, but will cease when night sets fairly in. When 
 our meal was over, I again started forward guided 
 by the sounds of battle and soon got to the rear of 
 our army and find them holding a line in conjunc- 
 tion with Genl. Thomas troops, who are behind 
 breastworks, which with flanks turning back on 
 either side form a sort of horse shoe shape. I reach 
 our division or what is left of it about midnight and 
 
102 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 soon find the General, some of the escort and officers, 
 several of the escort are missing. My bunk mate Wra 
 Morse among them, Brig Genl [William H.] Lytle is 
 killed and many line officers. Thomas has held his 
 position all the after noon, against repeated assaults 
 from the enemy. Every charge they made they were 
 hurled back again, only to attack again. This is the 
 rallying point of the rest of our army. The second 
 days battle is over, and while the enemy may look 
 upon it as a victory, or partially so it has been a dear 
 one, costing thousands of lives, and we still hold the 
 fort. If Thomas, with his great determination of 
 character, had not held his position against the 
 great odds hurled against him, time after time, sav- 
 ing thus a rallying point for our shattered divisions, 
 the day would have been lost and the enemy victo- 
 rious. And the disaster to our army would have ended 
 in a rout, with perhaps thousands of our men be- 
 coming prisoners. The enemy's loss must be greater 
 than ours, they being the attacking party through- 
 out the day, every repulse cost them dearly. 
 
 Sept 22d By a masterly retreat, the army is within 
 the defences around Chattanooga, and the lines of 
 defence are being strengthened at every point, with 
 the Tennessee River forming a curve northward 
 from Lookout Mountain, forming a natural protec- 
 tion for our rear, our position is safe. The enemy 
 have taken position upon the heights of Mission 
 Ridge and Lookout Mountain, facing us. And in the 
 valley below. 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 103 
 
 Sept 26th During the night just past, a company 
 of the 3d Inch Cav. rode out-side our picket lines, 
 and when they came up to the rebel pickets, made a 
 dash into their camp, creating a small panic among 
 the surprised enemy. Makeing a wide circle, they 
 came back, and coming up to a diferent part of our 
 picket line, were fired on as they aproached, but 
 were identified before any one was hit, or hurt. 
 
 Oct 4th Procuring a pass, I cross the river, and 
 pay a visit to our field hospital. Many of my regi- 
 ment 2 are here wounded, some have died from their 
 wounds, I find Geo Yonker, a member of G. Co. 
 from my old town Kankakee. He has several wounds, 
 but is slowly recovering. [James C.] Bowen of my 
 Co. has a fearful hip wound, and can not recover. 
 The tents are full of wounded men. They seem to be 
 receiving the best of care. It is a sad sight, these 
 helpless men laid low, by the relentless fate of war. 
 
 Octgth Capt Powell and a squad of us, ride to the 
 top of Andersons Ridge, and visit Capt Card 3 , who 
 has organized a Co. of East Tennesseans, with whom 
 we take pot luck, and return to camp after midnight. 
 
 Oct llth Our rations are growing uncomfortably 
 short, our nearest supply station is Stevenson Ala, 
 
 2 The 51st Illinois lost 149 men at the battle of Chicka- 
 mauga : 2 officers, 1 6 men killed ; 4 officers, 89 men wounded ; 
 
 1 officer and 37 men captured or missing. 
 
 3 This was doubtless James Card, a civilian who acted as 
 a spy for General Sheridan. See P. H. Sheridan, Personal 
 Memoirs (New York: Charles L. Webster & Company, 1888, 
 
 2 volumes), Volume I, pp. 206-7, 212-13, 251-52. 
 
1 04 Priva te Sm ith 9 s Jou rnal 
 
 some eighty miles distant by the only route open to 
 us, via Sequachee [Sequatchie] Valley. Our foraging 
 parties are bringing in corn from the nearest point 
 in the valley some thirty miles over the Mountains. 
 This is issued to us, for breakfast dinner and sup- 
 per, also for our horses, with whom we divide. We 
 manage our share after this fashion : with a nail we 
 punch our tin plates full of holes and used the rough 
 side for a grater; after a good deal of patience and 
 hard work, the corn is grated into coarse meal, then 
 mixed with water and salt, is baked over hot coals in 
 other tin plates. This we relish with a diminutive 
 piece of bacon and parched corn coffee, when regu- 
 lar coffee is not forth coming. The rebel cavalry are 
 raiding the valley and cutting off our supplies, burn- 
 ing our wagons with both rations and ammunition. 
 
 Oct 13th I receive orders to report to Genl. Sheri- 
 dan, who directs me to proceed to Stevenson Ala, 
 and order all our division teams, together with those 
 belonging to HdQrs. to pack on all the supplies the 
 wagons will hold and start them to the front. I must 
 make the trip alone, and with the best dispatch con- 
 sistant with safety &c; I dont relish this trip of 
 eighty miles, over a strange route, and through the 
 valley where the enemy are making their raids, but 
 to receive an order, the only thing to do is to obey it. 
 
 Oct 14th I am up at day break, and while one of 
 our mess is getting my breakfast, I give my faithful 
 horse a good feed and rubbing down. After break- 
 fast strap my blanket and rubber poncho to my 
 
Septe?nber 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 10 5 
 
 Saddle, bid the boys good by, while they wish me a 
 safe journey, for there is a chance of my not getting 
 through without some trouble, and some risk of 
 meeting enemys who may cut my trip short. And 
 the boys are depending on my success for their fu- 
 ture grub. With a piece of hoe cake and a slice of 
 bacon in my haversack, I mount my steed and begin 
 my long ride. Crossing the river, I strike the road 
 northward at an easy canter, armed only with my 
 revolver and saber. My revolver is a long navy, and 
 will shoot as accurate and as far as a carbine. About 
 noon it commenced to rain; without stopping I un- 
 sling my poncho, and putting my head through the 
 opening in the middle, let the ends fall over my sad- 
 dle, blanket and tops of my boots, thus I kept com- 
 paratively dry. About 4 p.m. or shortly after, it com- 
 menced to grow dark, and I reached the foot of 
 Andersons Ridge, and knowing where Captain Card 
 was encamped, on its top, I made all haste to reach 
 it, and arrived none to soon, for it was dark as pitch. 
 But the light from his fires guided me, and after a 
 challenge from the picket I was welcomed and a hot 
 supper set before me, my horse sheltered and fed in 
 one of the shanties. Capt Card and his men seemed 
 to be well supplied with fresh meat and corn bread 
 &cc. which I relished very much. And after my all days 
 ride waited for no second invitation to turn into one 
 of their bunks and was soon in the land of dreams. 
 Oct 15th At daybreak I got out of my comfortable 
 berth, and attending to my horse, had breakfast with 
 
106 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the Captain, who gave me some particulars as to my 
 route up the valley. As he knew the country all over 
 that section, it stood me well in hand. Said he did 
 not think that any of [Joseph] Wheelers Cavalry was 
 in the valley as they had just made a raid and would 
 likely not linger there for fear troops would be sent 
 after him; this was encouraging news if true. So I 
 mounted and sped away on my way feeling no ap- 
 prehension. Crossing the crown of the ridge, I rode 
 down into the valley and turned westward; the 
 roads were heavy and muddy from the rain, that 
 still came down now and then, in showers. The soli- 
 tude was unbroken as I rode along hour after hour 
 covering the miles as fast as the nature of the road 
 would admit, thinking over many things but always 
 with a sharp eye to the front. Late in the afternoon, 
 I came to a dwelling which set back from the road a 
 short distance, and looked some what promising, 
 and as the houses along my route were many miles 
 apart, and the night coming on with a promise of 
 heavy rain, I concluded to make a halt, and put up 
 for the night, if the people would keep me. Dis- 
 mounting I hitched my tired animal to the fence, 
 and went up to the door which stood invitingly open 
 under the porch, And I could smell preparations 
 for supper. A man came out to meet me, I asked him 
 if he would shelter me and my horse for the night, 
 and he answered without hesitation "yes," and 
 showed me the way to the log barn in the rear, 
 where I led my horse. Stripping the animal of his 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 10 7 
 
 saddle and bridle, I turned him into an empty stall, 
 and gave him a good grooming, then fed and watered 
 him. My host led the way into the house, and with a 
 basin of well water I gave myself a good wash, using 
 home made soft soap, which was hardened into 
 cakes, by some process known to the female portion 
 of the family. Supper being ready I was invited to 
 partake. Gathered about the board was mine host 
 (whose name I learn is Holloway) his wife and two 
 grown up daughters, both good looking damsels. 
 Mr Hollaway is past middle age, and said he was a 
 Union man, and had a son in the federal Army, but 
 I judged from his conversation, he was like many 
 others of the natives, astride the fence, he was union 
 to Union men and confederate to the rebels as occa- 
 sion required, for which I did not blame him if he 
 wants to remain in peace by his fire side. Being tired 
 and sleepy I did not linger long after supper, but 
 requested to be shown to my bed. He took me out on 
 the front poarch and into a small room which was a 
 shed like affair with a low slanting roof, a sort of 
 lean-to as it is called. There was a high bed which 
 nearly filled the whole space, a chair, and small 
 stand upon which he deposited a very diminutive 
 candle, and left me. I examined the door and found 
 no sort of fastening, so placed the chair against it, 
 and got my clothes off. Placing my revolver under 
 my pillow, doused the glim and got into bed, which 
 proved to be an old fashioned feather affair into 
 which I sank with every prospect of enjoying the un- 
 
io 8 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 usual luxury, and the music of the patter of the 
 rain falling upon the shingles soon put me to sleep. 
 Some time during the night I woke up with a feeling 
 of something pressing the clothes against me, and 
 putting my hand out to feel what it might be, put it 
 into a small lake of water; the rain was coming down 
 on the roof in a deluge, and every hollow in the top 
 of the bed was full it having leaked through the 
 crevices in the shingles. Raising the covering, it 
 went off on the floor, buckets full of it; turning over 
 I was off to sleep again. There being no window in 
 this shanty to let in the morning light, I did not 
 awake until I was called. Getting into my clothes, 
 which were not any too dry from the leaky roof, I 
 attended to my horse, and went in to breakfast, 
 after which I thanked my host for his hospitality, 
 that being the only coin I possessed (as I had drawn 
 no pay for months), I mounted and resumed my 
 way. I reached the place where the rebs had cap- 
 tured a long wagon train that was on its way to 
 Chattanooga loaded with supplies; every wagon had 
 been set on fire, and totaly consumed nothing re- 
 mained but a heap of black ashes and the iron, and I 
 counted ninety of these, which indicated the num- 
 ber destroyed. Reaching the big Sequachee [Se- 
 quatchie] River I found it nearly out of its banks and 
 entirely impassable; usually it is fordable, but the 
 recent rain had made it a raging torrent. Some dis- 
 tance to my left on a piece of rising ground I saw a 
 double log house, and rode to it. I met its owner 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 109 
 
 who greeted me with a pleasant smile and a how-da. 
 I told him I was going to Stevenson, and asked if 
 there was any way to cross the river. He said there 
 was no way, as all the fords were in the same condi- 
 tion as this one, but if it cleared up and stopped 
 raining, it would subside as quickly as it had risen, 
 by tomorrow perhaps I could cross it. In the mean- 
 time I was welcome to stay with him and wait. 
 Thinking of the boys in camp, waiting for their ra- 
 tions, I was loath to delay my journey, but seeing no 
 other alternative, concluded to wait. He said his 
 name was Rogers, and was ex sheriff of that County, 
 and a sound Union man. He had a good sized crib 
 of corn on the place and all the surroundings looked 
 encouraging towards feed for man and beast. I was 
 introduced to Mrs Rogers, a portly old lady, and all 
 the rest of the family from the four year old, up the 
 graduated steps in ages to about eighteen, the eldest 
 being a boy whose physical structure was very 
 slim and mostly pointed Heavenward. All the inter- 
 mediate steps being girls from seventeen down, the 
 two oldest girls looked robust and rosy. I was invited 
 to make myself at home; being ushered into the 
 family room (There being only two in the dwelling) 
 I found it contained mostly beds four of them, in- 
 cluding one which slid under a high one, after the 
 fashion of the one I and Cal. occupied when we 
 were youngsters; there was a long bench in front of 
 an enormous old fashioned fire place, and a couple 
 of raw hide bottom chairs. Every thing was neat and 
 
no Private Smith's Journal 
 
 clean. Mr R and myself talked war, until supper 
 time, when we all repaired to the kitchen, crossing 
 an open gallery covered by the peak roof which 
 joined the two log houses together. I was hungry, 
 and did full justice to the fried ham, bacon biscuit 
 and corn bread and black coffee, no milk or sugar. 
 The good wife's apologized for the absence of these; 
 I told her, that a soldier seldom had any sugar, and 
 milk was always a stranger. 
 
 After supper we gathered around the cheerful fire 
 of blazing logs in the family room. I was a matter of 
 great curiosity to the younger fry, and the older 
 ones, especially the girls, seemed to regard me as a 
 specimen from yankee dom ; during the lapses in the 
 conversation I was pondering the question of the 
 sleeping arrangements with some diffidence, but 
 conclude to await developments, and take things 
 easy. The only light in the room was that of the fire, 
 and when I began to nod a little, Mr R suggested I 
 could retire to the corner bed. I proceeded to do so, 
 But with some embarressment, as I was not used to 
 disrobing before a whole family, or rather behind 
 them; however I finally got between the sheets, and 
 the young man followed suit, getting in behind me. 
 Then the old lady banked up the fire, covering it 
 with the ashes, and the room became dark as Egypt. 
 The rest of the family were soon settled for the 
 night, and I retired to the land of dreams. At the 
 first dawn of day I awoke, and found the room de- 
 serted, every body was up and gone except the two 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 1 1 1 
 
 youngsters in the trundle bed, so I soon got into 
 my wardrobe and joined them. It had rained nearly 
 all night, and a glance at the river, showed it was 
 still higher than the day previous. I enquired of Mr 
 R if there was such a thing as a boat so I might cross 
 and swim my horse; he said there was none any 
 where that he knew of, and if there was, it would be 
 risky to use it, and said I might as well stay another 
 day. Regreting the delay, I concluded his advice 
 was sound; every meal I sat down to made me think 
 of the boys in camp, who were grating their corn, 
 and feeding on hoe cake. 
 
 Oct iyth The river is still on a boom, with poor 
 prospects of its getting lower or back to its normal 
 condition; chafing under my enforced inactivity, 
 about noon I espied a force of engineers on the op- 
 posite bank, with a train of wagons, loaded with 
 pontoon boats, composed of wooden ribs and canvas 
 covers, and I rejoiced at the sight, knowing that in two 
 or three hours, they would have a pontoon bridge 
 built. Getting my horse ready I thanked my host for 
 his hospitality and hardly waiting for the last plank 
 to be laid, I crossed over and rode upon my way re- 
 joicing, passing through Jasper at a gallop, and 
 at dusk reached battle creek, and was greatly sur- 
 prised and pleased to find here encamped, the 
 other half of the old scouts, from whom we had separa- 
 ted in Nashville, just before theTenn. campaign. The 
 boys gave me a welcome and supper, and I staid over 
 night with them, pleasantly talking over old times. 
 
112 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Oct 18th I got up before day light, and fed my 
 horse and had breakfast, and was on the road just as 
 the light began to show in the east, And soon reached 
 Stevenson, and among the wilderness of wagons 
 found our Hdqr wagon master, and delivered my 
 orders. He said all his teams were loaded to the 
 bows, and only waiting for orders. He gave the 
 order to his teamsters at once, and soon the whole 
 line was en-route for Chattanooga with a force of 
 guards sufficient to protect them from all raids from 
 the enemy. 
 
 I listened to the farewell address of Genl Rose- 
 crans, which he gave in front of his HdQrs, and also 
 some remarks made by Genl [Joseph] Hooker. He 
 having recently came from the army of the Potomac, 
 was listened to with much attention by the troops. 
 Personally, Rosecrans or old Rosa as the boys call 
 him, is well liked, but having in mind the misman- 
 agement of the recent campaign, or the latter part 
 of it, together with the disastrous battle of Chicka- 
 mauga, which was all but lost, they do not feel al- 
 together kindly disposed toward him. But the en- 
 couraging report that Genl Grant is coming to take 
 charge of affairs, makes the army feel more hopeful 
 for the future. 
 
 Oct 24th After breakfast I mount my faithful steed 
 and turn our faces towards Chattanooga. There has 
 been established a line of Currier posts, within 
 short riding distances of each other on a shorter line 
 to Chattanooga, so I conclude to follow this, from 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 113 
 
 post to post, but find it a rough road to travel, up 
 hill and down dale, over mountains and through 
 valleys; at night fall I put up at one of the posts. 
 
 Oct 27th I arrived in "C" early this morning, 
 without incident, and find the Genl has moved into 
 town and occupies one of the large houses for 
 HdQrs. I report myself, and told him the teams 
 would arrive in a short time; he thanked me, and I 
 go and find the boys who are housed in a wing of the 
 house, taking things easy. The Rebels have not been 
 idle. They are planting a siege battery of heavy guns, 
 on the extreme northern point of Lookout Mountain, 
 and our HdQrs is in a straight line from the muzzles 
 of their guns, about three miles intervening. We 
 may look for some music from them when they are 
 ready to sing; they can drop their big shells right 
 down upon us. 
 
 Oct 28th Our mess cook has erected an out door 
 table, using four forked sticks for standards, drove 
 in the ground with cross poles on top, and planks 
 laid on, to which we stand up and eat our rations, 
 which are plentiful in quantity and variety, since 
 our wagon trains have come in. Today, while we 
 were eating our dinner, a cloud of smoke puffed up 
 from the crown of Point Look out, followed by a re- 
 port, and presently the screech of a big shell as big 
 as a water bucket came over our heads and struck 
 over near the river at the north end of town. Then 
 another followed and exploded in town on the hill, 
 with a tremendous roar. The rebs are getting their 
 
114 
 
 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 range. This is continued at intervals of every half 
 hour, and one or two of the monsters fell and ex- 
 ploded uncomfortably near our head quarters. After 
 a time we became used to it, and hardly noticed 
 them. Its a good thing for us, they have only two of 
 these guns ; with a dozen of such like pieces they 
 would soon lay the town in ashes or splinters. We 
 are unable to respond, for the want of guns of heavy 
 calibre, or an elevation high enough to reach them. 
 
 Oct 29th A sharp skirmish took place up Look 
 out valley. Hooker is over there, no particulars have 
 come. 
 
 Nov 1st Out beyond our defence line of works, a 
 short distance have been dug a chain of rifle pits, 
 which are occupied during day time by pickets, fac- 
 
 River Picket Becomes Gunboat Target 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 115 
 
 ing a belt of timber occupied by the enemy picket 
 line. They use convenient trees for shelter, shots 
 are exchanged when either side show any part of 
 their anatomy for a mark, and during the past few 
 days several of our men have been hit. During the 
 forenoon Genl Sheridan with three of his staff of- 
 ficers and a dozen orderlies, rode out side our breast- 
 works, and near the rifle pits. The General turned 
 to me (I happened to be near him, though not the 
 nearest) and said "Smith, you dismount and go out 
 between the lines within talking distance of the 
 rebels, and tell them If they will cease firing our 
 pickets will be ordered to stop also, as it accom- 
 plished nothing to murder each other." I dis- 
 mounted, one of the boys held my horse, and as I 
 started on my errand, the firing ceased on both 
 sides. I did not relish my Job just then, for perhaps 
 I might become a target for some smart aleck among 
 the rebs, at close range. However I advanced until 
 some one of the staff cried halt, and then I said my 
 little speech to the rebel pickets. It wasent very long 
 to be sure, but under the circumstances, it seemed 
 an age, to me, and when I got back to our lines I 
 felt greatly relieved. The Genl smiled a little as I 
 mounted again, and we rode back to quarters, but 
 it had served its purpose. The pickets quit firing at 
 each other from thence forward. Thinking of the 
 matter later I was surprised that no Jonny reb took 
 a shot at me, for previously, they had shot at every 
 thing in blue. 
 
n6 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Nov 13th I witnessed the execution of two men 
 today. They had been courtmarshalled for bounty 
 jumping and desertion; there cases must have been 
 of an aggravating nature. Mr Lincoln did not use 
 his prerogative of clemency and commute their sen- 
 tence to imprisonment. They were both shot in the 
 head, and died instantly. 
 
 22d Sergt Parks and Darling went foraging over 
 in Sequachee Valley, and returned with turkeys and 
 chickens for our thanksgiving dinner. 
 
 23d Genl 0[liver] O Howard (the one armed 
 Genl) passed through our lines with the 11th Corps, 
 drove the enemy from our front back towards Mis- 
 sion Ridge and intrenched themselves well into the 
 former line occupied by the enemy. 
 
 24th Genl Hookers Army attacked Look Out 
 Mountain from his side of the western valley. The 
 enemy fell back, retreating up the slope and around 
 the face of the mountain under point-Look-out. 
 From our camp we could see the battle as it pro- 
 gressed. A battery was situated on Moccasin point 
 just across the river from the Mountain, sent some 
 shells among the rebs, but could not elevate the 
 guns enough to do much execution. The battle con- 
 tinued until a large force on both sides were en- 
 gaged. The smoke from their guns formed great 
 clouds, which settled upon the combatants, and 
 hid them from our view, a virtual battle among the 
 clouds. The engagement continued long after night 
 fall, and we could see the flash of the rifles from both 
 
September 20, 1863 to November 24, 1863 117 
 
 friend and foe, which looked like a swarm of fire flys 
 in the distant darkness. Word has come in that the 
 rebs have spiked their big guns on point lookout, 
 and retreated, so Hookers movements were suc- 
 cessful. 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 Wherein Smith watches the Battle of Missionary 
 Ridge with General Sheridan. When Sherman 's 
 troops attack the north end of Missionary Ridge but 
 make no headway and Hooker fails to reach his ob- 
 jective as scheduled, Grant orders Thomas to cap- 
 ture the Confederate works lowest down on the ridge, 
 and then halt. In a straight frontal assault the 
 first line is captured, but the troops do not halt; 
 instead they stream upward, carrying all before 
 them, out of the control of their officers. During the 
 march towards the first line of trenches, Smith gets 
 afresh horse for Sheridan, and then is the only one 
 of the staff to go on to the top of the ridge with the 
 General. Returning to Chattanooga, Smith leaves 
 for Knoxville and east Tennessee, where Longstreet 
 is besieging Burnside } s soldiers. Longstreet has been 
 sent from Chattanooga on November 4 to attack 
 Burnside, but Burnside successfully withdraws into 
 Knoxville; on the 29th, after waiting more than 
 a week for additional cavalry, Longstreet launches 
 his attack on Knoxville by assaulting Fort Sanders, 
 and is repulsed. Meanwhile (November 26, 1863) 
 Grant has ordered Sherman (15th Corps) and 
 Granger (4th Corps) to relieve Knoxville, but as 
 they approach, Longstreet lifts the siege and moves 
 118 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 119 
 
 off to the east. Sherman then returns to Chattanooga 
 and Granger enters Knoxville. 
 
 Burnside is relieved by General John G. Foster 
 on December 11; Smith marches with several 
 friends to Knoxville, and near here serves as Sheri- 
 dan's messenger. Here, too, Smith re-enlists and is 
 now entitled to be called a rr veteran volunteer. " As 
 a reward for re-enlistment he is given a thirty-day 
 furlough; after a slow trip to Chattanooga and an 
 exploring session in the mountains near the town, 
 he is mustered in again and starts for Illinois. 
 After spending time in Chicago and Kankakee, he 
 leaves for Providence, Rhode Island. After ten days 
 with his sister Mary 's friends he starts back for the 
 Army of the Cumberland. 
 
 Nov 25th I am on duty with the General! The day 
 is bright and clear. Several corps and Division com- 
 manders ride out together to an elevation which gives 
 a good view of Mission Ridge for miles up and 
 down our front. The line of breastworks with their 
 head logs strung along its top, and bristling with 
 numerous black mouthed cannon, the steep sides of 
 the ridge, with another line of works strung along its 
 base, would seem to make the rebel defenses all but 
 impregnable, to a direct attack. Yet this is what is 
 contemplated. Genl [William T.] Sherman with the 
 15th 8c 17th Corps on our left has already begun an 
 
120 
 
 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 attack, and is pounding away on our extreme left. 
 In front of the center where we are, there is an open 
 field some half to three quarters of a mile leading up 
 to the ridge, bordered just in our front by a belt of 
 timber, in front of which, in plain view of the enemy 
 our troops are marching to the left, seeming with a 
 view to reinforce Sherman. But this maneuver is 
 only to deceive the enemy, for after marching some 
 distance, the troops go into the timber, and counter 
 march back to their old position; we can see the 
 
 A Field Gun Changes Hands 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 121 
 
 rebels are moving some of their forces to their right 
 as they march along within their works. When all is 
 ready the order is given to advance. Moving out in 
 regimental or semi brigade front, with intervals, and 
 lapping each other, when our lines are well on their 
 way, the enemy open up their artillery all along 
 their line, and the shot and shell is rained down 
 upon the field. As our division is crossing through 
 this hail of shot and shell, I ride out with the Genl 
 who has only one staff officer, Capt [J.S.] Ransom 
 and two or three orderlies. I can see up and down 
 the field as far as it extends, and owing to the forma- 
 tion of the troops, it seems literally covered with 
 them; the army appears much greater than it is. Its 
 a most beautiful sight, but one can not contemplate 
 it long, as the troops finding the rebel shot are fall- 
 ing among them they break into a double quick to 
 the sooner gain the base of the ridge, as the enemy 
 can not depress their guns enough for a direct fire. 
 In crossing the field many of the rebel shots made 
 gaps in some of the regiments. The lower line of 
 works are captured with a rush, and all who occupy 
 them are captured. If they tried to climb the ridge 
 they were sure of being shot so they stayed in their 
 trenches and surrendered. Genl Sheridans horse 
 was wounded in his forefoot and he told me to bring 
 up his big black horse. I made a dash across the 
 field, and returned with his horse, which I rode, as 
 mine was nearly blowed. I exchanged again, and he 
 sent one of the other orderlies back with the wounded 
 
122 Priva te Sm ith 9 s Jou mat 
 
 animal. The troops having rested, started to climb 
 the steep sides of the ridge. An aide having been 
 sent to Genl [Gordon] Granger for further orders, 
 came back with a suggestion that the troops be re- 
 called if it was judged expedient. By this time they 
 were halfway up the ridge, every regiment had lost 
 its organization, and were all massed in a sort of 
 triangle with the point upwards, about every flag of 
 our division was struggling to reach the top first, 
 every man for himself. Now and then a flag would 
 fall, its bearer being shot, but it appeared in an in- 
 stant held by the next soldier. The Genl said, let 
 them go, they will be over in five minutes, and so it 
 proved, a dozen flags went over the works. The men 
 following nothing could stop their rush, the rebels 
 deserted their guns and fled; hundreds of them, 
 staying a moment too long were captured. An old 
 log hut standing just to the left to where our division 
 went over, was occupied by Genl Bragg and his staff; 
 they had barely time to mount and ride away. Some 
 of the rebel guns were turned upon their retreating 
 ranks, and shots sent after them. More than fifty 
 guns were captured ; when we reached the top of the 
 ridge, my horse was about ready to drop from the 
 unusual hard work he had done, So I took the har- 
 ness off of a big white horse that had belonged to one 
 of the rebel batteries, and put my saddle on him, 
 turning mine loose to shift for himself, and that was 
 the last I ever saw of my good old friend. But this 
 animal is the tallest piece of horse flesh in four 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 123 
 
 counties. I must look like a fly on a ridge pole, and 
 feel as though I am astride of a small mountain, 
 but there is no time for comments, our troops are in 
 full cry after the retreating enemy and it is growing 
 dark. Lieut Wyman is killed; he was a Sergt in the 
 old Powells Scouts, but had recently reed, a com- 
 mission; he lay half way up the ridge with his 
 sword still grasped in his dead hand. The wounded 
 are being conveyed to Chattanooga. I ride back to 
 head quarters on my big white horse. He gets over 
 the ground in great shape with his long legs, but he 
 wont do for my service. I took him to the Quarter- 
 Master who was glad to get the animal for artillery 
 service, and he gave me one in exchange, one more 
 suited for my work. 
 
 Nov 27th Sergt. L L Parks who has been my bunk 
 mate for some time past, in fact since Wm Morse 
 was made a prisoner at Chickamauga, Rec'd a 
 Lieutenant's commission today, and is assigned to a 
 Co in the 13th US colored troops, and is ordered to 
 report to Nashville at once to join his troop. 
 
 28th Four days rations issued to our corps and 
 orders to march with all haste to the relief of Knox- 
 ville East Tenn. Reb Genl Longstreet with his corps 
 is making for that point. Gen [Ambrose E. Burnside] 
 Burnsides is located there with a force rather slim 
 for such an emergency. When I had rode a few miles 
 on our way, the horse, which our div. Sergeon Maj 
 [David J. Griffith] Griffith rode, went lame. By re- 
 quest I exchanged animals with him, and returned 
 

 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 12 -5 
 
 to Chattanooga to await orders. Balcom, Dink, and 
 two others of the escort having been left behind in 
 charge of HdQrs. I joined them; our black smith 
 Frazier is also there. I conclude to take life easy, and 
 put in my time writing up my diary and correspon- 
 dence to date. 
 
 Dec 2d Reed orders to follow and join our com- 
 mand. I received a new horse from the Post Qr 
 master. Balcom, Dink, Stull, Frazier and myself set 
 out after breakfast, cross the river and strike the 
 Loudon road. Frazier is a Dutchman of the most 
 pronounced type and is mounted on a sorry speci- 
 men of the Army mule. Said mule evidently has a 
 charactor of his own, which taken together with 
 his excentric master, affords us considerable amuse- 
 ment. For instance his muleship is a very small 
 specimen as mules go, while Frazier is built upon a 
 long lank pattern; in consequence his feet all but 
 touch the ground. The animal having seen his best 
 days, is not in condition to do any great amount of 
 marching. So when an idea enters his mule head 
 that he wants a rest, he just stops dead short in his 
 tracks, and no amount of persuasion can move him 
 therefrom. And Frazier has to dismount and lead 
 him, and so there is an under standing established 
 between them! After a time when he thinks the mule 
 has forgotten he was tired, he again mounts and 
 this operation is repeated every few miles. We throw 
 chaff at him, which he takes good naturedly. Balcom 
 called out to him, "Frazier your mule is tired." he 
 
126 Priva te Sm ith 's Journal 
 
 looked at us in all earnestness, and said, ff Dont say 
 dot poys, der 'tarn mule vil hear you, und I haf to 
 valk," which made us roar at him. ff Dont laugh 
 poys, tis mule he gets mat." At night fall we put up 
 at a citizens house, by the roadside. Supper was got- 
 ten for us, and we enjoyed some feather beds for the 
 night, except Frazier who curled himself up in his 
 blanket and lay on the floor in front of the fire place, 
 and he was soon snoring with tuneful regularity. 
 
 Dec 3d We are up at break of day, and after at- 
 tending to our horses, had breakfast. We were soon 
 on the road again. Fraziers mule soon demonstrated 
 that his memory was good, for he insisted upon 
 being led when his tired spell came on. Frazier is 
 a man of patience as we can testify, but by and by 
 he concluded that patience had ceased to be a vir- 
 tue. About noon we stoped at a house for dinner. 
 Frazier asked our host if he had any thing on four 
 feet to trade for a fine mule. He looked the mule 
 over, and said he had a horse to trade. Said he was 
 a little thin, but would improve with plenty of corn. 
 "Shust you trot dot horse out" said F. So the horse 
 was produced at once, he was a sorry looking frame, 
 and as much flesh on his ribs, as a rail fence could 
 show; looked to be at least a quarter of a hundred 
 in age; his points were many and stuck out in all 
 directions. F. was too delighted to note these things, 
 a horse was a horse to him, and he winked at us as 
 he transferred his saddle, "He ist your mule Mr." 
 at the same time he gave the animal a kick in the 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 *27 
 
 ribs by way of parting salute. "Now poys I am wid 
 you," and he mounted. The horse did show more 
 vigor than we expected. We made about thirty two 
 miles during the day; at night fall, we stoped with 
 an old lady named Jones, a very pleasant woman. 
 We rode through Hamilton Co. 
 
 Dec 4th Made about twenty seven miles through 
 Ray Co, and put up for the night at a Mr. Roddie's 
 place, that is, all but Frazier; he stopped farther 
 back at another house. 
 
 Dec 5th We turned out at day light, and while we 
 were washing up for breakfast here came F, trudging 
 along on foot with his saddle, bridle and blanket on 
 his back; looking the picture of forlorn troubles, I 
 asked him in a sympathizing tone, ff Whats the 
 trouble, and where is your steed." "I shust found 
 dot horse gone and tied." So poor old raw bones 
 had given up the ghost during the night. His mule 
 gone, his horse dead, after breakfast, we started 
 again. F. hid his saddle in some bushes, but re- 
 tained his bridle, and tramped on foot. After a few 
 miles F. picked up a stray horse. He looked as 
 though he had been turned out to die a natural 
 death, was blind of one eye and string halted; how- 
 ever every thing is meat that comes to F's basket, so 
 without trouble, he caught and bridled the animal, 
 and mounted bare back except his blanket was 
 strapped on him. F. was in high glee at his find ; How 
 that beast did churn the ground with his hind 
 feet at every step, first one leg would be elevated as 
 
128 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 high as possible, and thumped down on the hard 
 ground, then the other would follow suit, until F. 
 was rattled and jarred all up and down his spinal 
 column. "Poys vots der matter mit dis old cow, any 
 how," he exclaimed, and then we roared again, at 
 the comical picture. We rode about twenty-eight 
 miles, F stood it like a major, considering his anatamy 
 must have been in the last stages of dislocation. 
 We passed Loudon which is to the right of our route 
 and put up at Mr Hayes place in Roane Co. 
 
 Dec 6th Nothing occurred to disturb the monotony 
 of our journey today, except we lost Frazier he not 
 being able to keep up. Passed through Kingston, and 
 put up at Mr Boyds place. 
 
 Dec yth Arrive at Knoxville, but did not stop, 
 passed on through the town, and crossing the 
 Holston River, found our troops encamped and re- 
 ported at HdQrs. 
 
 Dec 8th On duty with the General. Rode into 
 Knoxville. Genl Granger joined the party, and we 
 all rode out to Ft Saunders [Sanders], 1 to look over 
 the ground where Longstreet's men made unsuc- 
 cessful efforts to capture the fort. It is situated upon 
 a rise of ground. The breast works are heavy, and a 
 deep ditch surrounds them. All the trees in front 
 had been cut down, the stumps left standing knee 
 high. A net-work of telegraph wire stretched from 
 
 x The attack on Ft. Sanders (not Saunders) took place on 
 November 29th. The fort was named in honor of Brigadier 
 General William P. Sanders. 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 129 
 
 stump to stump. An attacking force would not 
 notice this, until right upon it. The men in the fort 
 reserved their fire until the enemy fell over the 
 wires, which threw them into confusion. Then our 
 men opened up with musket and cannon, poring in 
 at short range, a most galling fire. This demoralized 
 the enemy and they retreated back into a ravine, 
 which sheltered them. Reforming their lines, they 
 made another brave attempt, this time they jumped 
 over the wires, and in the face of a deadly shower of 
 shot and shell, reached the ditch, jumping into this, 
 a shower of hand grenades was launched upon them, 
 which must have played sad havac among them. 
 But they kept on and attempted to climb through 
 the embrasiors, through which the black muzzles 
 of the cannon pointed, with these spaces full of 
 struggleing humanity the guns were fired, and the 
 enemy shot all to pieces, and each space was 
 cleared; this was too much for any one to endure. 
 They gave up the struggle and departed, so ended 
 the strife. Longstreet withdrew his men and circling 
 the town, went through East Tenn into West Vir- 
 ginia. Counting his losses, at Chickamauga and here 
 at Knoxville, the killed, wounded and prisoners, 
 it is safe to estimate he is returning to Richmond 
 with not more than half the force which he brought 
 with him, and with a firm conviction that the western 
 troops know how to fight. 
 
 Dec nth Our H'dQrs move into town,Genl [John 
 G.] Foster supersedes Burnsides, who is going East. 
 
130 Priva te Sm ith 's Jou ma I 
 
 Dec 15th Our Division march to Blains Cross 
 Roads at Strawberry plains and go into Camp. 
 
 Dec 25th I am called up at 11 o'clock p.m. and 
 went over to Genl Sheridans tent for orders. He was 
 in bed on his cot and wrote his dispatch without 
 getting up. Told me to make all haste to the depot 
 five miles away and see that the dispatch was sent 
 over the wires at once. It being a chilly night, he 
 invited me to have a drop to warm me up; I ac- 
 cepted, and mounted and went off at a gallop. 
 Knowing about the right direction only, not having 
 been there before, fortunately I found the place 
 without trouble, left the dispatch with the operator, 
 and he informed me I could save some two miles re- 
 turning by taking a shorter cut through the woods. 
 I took his advice and to my regret. There was a hazy 
 moonlight which served well enough on the main 
 road, but in the woods, it was dark. However I 
 struck the trail or cow path, and swung along at a 
 good gait. When through the woods I came to a 
 strange road, which knocked me out of my reckon- 
 ing, keeping on I came to a creek, and an old mill, 
 with a house attached. It was about 1 a.m. but I 
 roused up the house, and enquired my way; I got it 
 with a growl from the man, for being disturbed at 
 this unearthly hour for which I did not blame him; 
 I was two miles out of my way, so the short cut 
 proved a long one. I reached camp just before day. 
 
 Dec 31st At midnight a blizzard came on, and we 
 shivered under our blankets until morning, when 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 131 
 
 the storm abated, the sun came clear and bright 
 again. 
 
 J any 1st, 1864 New Years day. Our mess regale 
 themselves on stewed chicken for dinner, barring 
 the fact they were foraged by some of the boys, we 
 relished the dish hugely. 
 
 Jany 2d The Genl. requested me to execute a 
 mission for him, to go to Mrs. Nancie's Plantation, 
 some miles from camp, and across the Holston 
 River, and incidently present her with a canteen of 
 fine, spirits-fermenti. I started early, and riding up 
 the left bank of the river until reaching the point 
 where I was to cross. Owing to recent rains, the 
 river was raging high in its banks, and swiftly run- 
 ning. Reaching an old blacksmiths forge, with a log 
 house attached; dwelling within this palace of logs, I 
 found an old man of sickly hue, a young man with a 
 cough and consumptive appearance, an old lady 
 and two grown girls about 16 8c 18 respectively. I 
 asked the old fellow if he would put me over the 
 river. He answered yes, and told the two girls to 
 ferry me over. I was a little non plused at this, but 
 concluded they must be used to the business, as 
 they seemed to include in their slim persons about 
 all the good health the family possessed. They 
 shouldered their double end paddles, while I tied 
 my horse to a tree near by, and led me down to the 
 water; here was a dug out canoe, made from a single 
 log. Of course it was perfectly round on the bottom 
 and would roll over at the slightest inclination. It 
 
132 Private Srnith's Journal 
 
 was a doubtful concern, and my hair does not part 
 in the middle, in view of the fact, the river was a 
 third of a mile wide in its present condition and on 
 the rampage as well; the out look was dubious. I 
 got in however very carefully, and sat on the bow; 
 the girls got into their places, with such apparent 
 confidence, that I thought they could either swim, 
 or were old veterans at the business. I offered to do 
 some of the paddling myself, but they said I had 
 better set still, which I did with a good deal of 
 mental activity. They managed the clumsy affair 
 with neatness and dispatch, that would put to 
 shame a Modoc Indian, and landed me in good 
 shape, telling me to hollo over for them when I re- 
 turned. I found Mrs. N's place without difficulty, 
 and delivered my message together with the spirits. 
 She insisted on my having dinner with them, as it 
 was just on the table; I was not at all backward in 
 coming forward, with thanks I accepted, and did full 
 justice to the spread. After dinner I was charged 
 with many polite messages to the General and re- 
 turned to the river. My ferrymen or more properly 
 speaking ferry women, were on the look out for my 
 return, and came over, returning me to their side 
 of the water safely. I paid them for their services in 
 Uncle Sam's currency, and returned to camp. 
 
 Jany yth During the night some thief or thieves 
 stole two of our horses, Mine and Lakey's. This is 
 the second theft in our camp. On the night of the 
 blizzard Dec 31st There was a fine double white 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 133 
 
 blanket stolen from each of the Genl's three horses. 
 We hunted through the camp for our stock, without 
 discovering any trace of them, So our Quartermaster 
 was ordered to replace them with others. 
 
 Jany 14th Nearly all of the 51st have veteranized, 
 and as I had made up my mind to see the war 
 through to its termination, I rode over to sign the 
 rolls; Lakey accompanied me and re -enlisted in his 
 regiment. The roll is dated Dec 24th. Each veteran 
 is to receive a thirty days furlough. 
 
 Jany 15th The Div. broke camp and started for 
 New Market; all those who re-enlisted, march over 
 land for Chattanooga. The Genl kindly gave me 
 transportation by rail and boat. Accompanied by 
 Marion, Phelps and two other HdQr boys, we walk 
 to Strawberry plains Station, on the 16th there to 
 await the arrival of a train bound for Knoxville. 
 There being no regular schedule time, upon which 
 the trains operate, the time is uncertain and we take 
 quarters in a house with the provost guards. 
 
 lyth We are up with the sun, and go down to the 
 depot, only to learn there»will be no train today. 
 Disappointment perched upon our banner, and we 
 returned to our temporary quarters. The day is 
 spent in such time-killing, as our limited resources 
 permit. We go to our bunks at 9 p.m. I had just got 
 into the borders of the land of nod, when two of the 
 guards, Jack Boston and Charley Allen started a 
 row, which soon assumed the proportions of a prize 
 fight, Sans any rules that are supposed to govern 
 
134 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the London prize ring. The Sergt of the guards, 
 hearing the racket came in; not being able to pacify 
 them, he placed them both under arrest and mar- 
 shalled them below to the guard room and left them 
 to cool off at their leisure, and we slept in peace. 
 
 18th A train has come in, and at 2 p.m. we start 
 for Loudon; passing through Knoxville. Reach L, 
 after dark, disembarking, we tramp around in the 
 mud and Egyptian darkness; finding an unoccupied 
 shanty, we take possession, and start a fire in the 
 fire place, basking in its cheerful influence, we take 
 a snack from our haversacks, then spreading our 
 blankets, turn in. 
 
 20th Spent a day here waiting for a boat, some 
 natives brought in some heavy-light bread and corn- 
 dodgers which we bought; the boat came up and 
 after discharging its freight, we started down the 
 river. At night fall the boat was tied up to await day 
 light as the pilot was not familiar with the channel. 
 
 2 1st After an all day's sail we land in Chattanooga, 
 and hunting up our old HdQrs, take possession, to 
 await the arrival of our rfspective regiments. 
 
 24th The troops arrived, but must await the ad- 
 vent of the mustering officer, who is engaged els- 
 where; we are taking time easily, with plenty of 
 grub, and are not worrying. 
 
 29th I conclude to explore the summit of look 
 out mountain, procuring a mule of a very diminu- 
 tive pattern, but having a record as a climber, I set 
 out with my toes nearly scraping the ground. As 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 135 
 
 small as he is, I find his staying qualities surprise 
 his proportions, and would do honor to a much 
 larger specimin of his ilk — climbing to the top of the 
 mountain with all ease. Here I find a cluster of 
 clean looking houses, in a village called Summerville. 
 The place is being used as hospitals. Owing to the 
 high altitude, the air is clear and bracing, which is 
 greatly to the benefit of the invalids. Turning north- 
 ward, I ride to the extreme point; there is a huge 
 flat rock which projects over the point, which caps 
 or roofs the straight face of a perpendicular ledge. 
 Dismounting from my mule, as it were, I sit upon 
 the extreme edge of the rock; my feet swinging in 
 mid air, I prepared to enjoy the scene. An un- 
 obstructed view, north, east and west, a panoramic 
 view is spread out before my sight, such as no canvas 
 can depict, and is well worth a days journey to see. 
 Lying nearly North is Chattanooga, quite three 
 miles, as the crow flies, but it seems only half that 
 distance, owing to the clear atmosphere. The Ten- 
 nessee River running partly around the town, 
 circling due south, it comes to the foot of the moun- 
 tain then gracefully bends due west in many curves, 
 playing hide and seek, in and out, among the woods, 
 until it dwindles into a silver thread, losing itself in 
 the blue distant haze. Directly below me in the river 
 is an island, rising sugar loaf shaped, from the water, 
 and so near under the brow of the mountain that it 
 is over-shadowed by it. This is called Moccasin 
 Point; upon its crown was placed a battery to assist 
 
136 Priva te Sm ith 's Jou rnal 
 
 Hooker in his attack upon the mountain. Beyond 
 this point and North of the river for twenty five 
 miles or more, Anderson's Ridge is in view as far as 
 the eye can reach until the misty green merges into 
 the misty blue of the Heavens. To the right lies the 
 Chattanooga Valley, spreading out in undulating 
 waves of green, with a creek dividing its broad fields. 
 This ideal picture is bordered or framed in on the 
 south, by the irregular line of Mission Ridge extend- 
 ing eastward until it meets the curve of the river. 
 The Ridge so recently bristling with all the destruc- 
 tive implements of war and which witnessed the 
 sanguinary conflict, ending in a great victory for us 
 and confusion to the enemy. A few steps from where 
 I sit, stands the earth works within which were 
 planted the two long siege guns, old long Toms, which 
 sent their big shells into our camp, and town, and 
 which done comparatively little harm as compared 
 with their destructive powers,when properly handled. 
 In the now peaceful valley, carpeted with green and 
 yellow, I can see Fort Granger, which rising like an 
 island from the surrounding fields, and where in 
 stood GenPs Grant and Granger watching the 
 assault upon Mission Ridge, overlooking the boys 
 in blue, while they carried out to a successful issue 
 the well laid plans of the Commander in Chief. It is 
 said that from this point of the mountain, on a clear 
 day and with a good glass, one can view the land 
 within the borders of five states, to wit: the southern 
 boundry of West Va. and North Carolina; east- 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 137 
 
 wardly, across the northern boundry of Georgia, 
 standing above Tennessee and looking westward 
 into Alabama. After enjoying the beautiful scene, to 
 my hearts content, and again, mounted my little 
 mule, we made our way back to camp. I was well 
 satisfied with my trip. 
 
 Feb 8th The regiment having been placed in line, 
 we were duly mustered into the service for a second 
 term of three years or during the war, as veterans. 
 And are ready to receive the furlough promised us. 
 
 12th By a special train we left Chattanooga, pass- 
 ing through Nashville, and disembark at Louisville 
 Ky. and are quartered at the Soldiers Home. A party 
 of us getting leave went down town and visited 
 Woods Theatre; witnessed the play "Mazeppa". It 
 did not interest me much, except the principal part, 
 where a real horse, a firey untamed steed, as it were, 
 was led prancing upon the stage. The Prince was 
 tied upon his back with his head hanging over 
 behind. The animal being released, rushed up an 
 encline representing a mountain, passing out of 
 sight and shortly after, he staggered in from the flys, 
 and fell apparently exhausted, and gave up the ghost 
 most naturally, while the Prince was released almost 
 dead after his wild race. 
 
 15th Passed through Indianapolis, reaching Chi- 
 cago on the 16th, Going into quarters at the Soldiers 
 Rest. Here we receive our back pay and furlough 
 for thirty days, and are turned loose to shift for our- 
 selves. 
 
138 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Feby lgth My Brother and I conclude to visit our 
 old home town Kankakee. We stand not upon the 
 order of our going, but go at once; on our arival we 
 are welcomed with open arms by our old friends, 
 who forthwith inaugurate social gatherings, and 
 evening parties in honor of our return. That we 
 enjoyed all this, goes without saying. We remain 
 until Mch 4th, when we return to Chicago each one 
 hundred dollars richer. Kankakee County paying 
 this bounty for all re-enlistments, we conclude to go 
 East, to Providence, R.I., the place of our nativity. 
 Securing our tickets via the P Ft W & C R R. we 
 land in N.Y. on the 7th, Hungry as hunters; getting 
 a lunch we take a stroll up Broadway, visit Barnums 
 Museum, and go to the theatre in the evening. 
 
 Mch 8th Spend the day seeing the sights of N.Y. 
 and about 5 p.m. go to the north pier. Take a 
 Sound Steamer for Groton on the Stoneington Line. 
 
 gth At early dawn, reach G. and transfer to a 
 train which in due time lands us at our destination, 
 Providence. We go at once to Sister Marys home, 
 and are heartily welcomed. As soon as we were 
 fairly settled She forth with set to planing ways and 
 means to make our short visit as pleasant as possible. 
 She having a large circle of friends and acquaint- 
 ances, the plan of campaign was soon inaugurated, 
 subject to such changes as circumstances should 
 determine. 
 
 18th The past ten days, have slipped away with 
 such rapidity that we can hardly realize that it 
 
November 25, 1863 to March 31, 1864 139 
 
 is time for us to depart. What with the social evening 
 gatherings, with Music and impromptu dances, a 
 party on the shores of Narragansett bay, together 
 with a clam bake of "ye olden time," boating, bath- 
 ing, and sailing upon the broad bosom of the beauti- 
 ful bay, Taking all together, it has been a most 
 pleasurable time for "we exiles," a period we shall 
 long remember, and con over its details when we 
 are again at the front, at the seat of war. Molly, Cal 
 and I make our rounds among our friends, bidding 
 them good by, and take our departure, turning our 
 faces again westward. 
 
 20th Reaching N.Y. we continue on through 
 without stopping, cross over to Jersey City and take 
 the Erie Road. Upon reaching Buffalo we conclude 
 to stay a day, it being Sunday. After breakfast we 
 take a stroll, go down to the docks, and view the ship- 
 ping on Lake Erie, where-on was fought the great 
 naval battle by Com. Perry in the early years, when 
 the Republic struggled to perpetuate its liberties. 
 
 21st Took train on L S 8c M I Road for Chicago, 
 arriving in due time, and in good order. 
 
 27th The past five days, we have visited our many 
 friends, and acquantances enjoying our selves 
 merrily. At 5 p.m. we are again on the cars, on our 
 way South. Settling into my seat as comfortably as 
 circumstances will permit I fall to thinking over our 
 experiences of the past month. Regretting that it is 
 all over, that the time has passed so swiftly away, 
 yet it seems long, so much has been crowded into 
 
140 Priva te Sm ith 's Journal 
 
 the few fleeting days. The clack; clack; of the swiftly 
 revolving wheels, as they pass over the joints of the 
 rails, makes a sort of a rythmical music, lulling to 
 ones senses. With closed eyes, my mental vision 
 pictures the various scenes through which we have 
 passed. Turning to the future also and wondering if 
 we may again return to these scenes, when the war 
 is done. If we may be among the lucky ones that 
 shall pass safely through the dangers, and trials that 
 await us, when we are again facing the enemy. This 
 short term of pleasures, sandwiched in between the 
 two years passed and the years before us, will long 
 dwell in our memories, and help to lighten the many 
 tedious hours, in camp and field, in the land of trib- 
 ulations and trouble, down South. 
 
 31st Mch We reach Nashville Tenn. and find 
 nearly all of the 51st had reported, and were quar- 
 tered in the Zollicoffer building, awaiting the return 
 of a few laggards, when they would start for the 
 front. Orders came for the regiment to move at once ; 
 I bid Cal good by, and the rest of the boys in the Co. 
 as they march off to the depot. I being on detached 
 service, remain. 
 
Chapter VII 
 
 Wherein Smith, returning from his furlough, 
 catches up with the headquarters of his division at 
 Loudon, Tennessee. In March Grant has been pro- 
 moted general in chief of all the Union armies and 
 is now in the East; in April, Grant brings Sheri- 
 dan east to head the cavalry of the Army of the 
 Potomac. Brigadier General George D. Wagner 
 now commands Smith 's division, but he is soon 
 succeeded by Brigadier General John Newton. Sher- 
 man is now in overall command of the Military 
 Division of the Mississippi, with Thomas leading 
 the Army of the Cumberland, McPherson the Army 
 of the Tennessee, and Schofield the Army of the 
 Ohio; Sherman 's objectives are the Confederate forces 
 of General Joseph E. Johnston and the city of At- 
 lanta. General Johnston, who has succeeded Bragg 
 after the Chattanooga battles, will oppose Sherman 
 with both the Army of Tennessee, which consists of 
 two corps {commanded by Hardee and Hood) and 
 the Army of Mississippi {commanded by Polk). 
 
 Smith becomes General Newton 's orderly and 
 moves with his division — the 2nd of the 4th Corps — 
 toward Atlanta through the actions of Tunnel Hill, 
 Buzzard's Roost, Dalton, Resaca, Kingston, and 
 New Hope Church. The campaign is basically one 
 141 
 
142 Priva te Sm ith 's Journal 
 
 of maneuver through the rough Georgia terrain, 
 Sherman outflanking rather than making frontal 
 attacks, Johnston biding his time, waiting for Sher- 
 man to make a mistake. The maneuvering contin- 
 ues, and Smith marches through Acworth and to 
 Kenesaw Mountain, where he sees General Charles 
 G. Marker killed in action; the frontal assault on 
 Kenesaw is an unhappy failure, but Sherman, by 
 maneuver, again forces Johnston to retreat. Smith 
 finds a free dinner in Marietta and there fixes an 
 ailing clock. 
 
 April yth Securing my transportation papers, I 
 start for Chattanooga; arriving in due time, learn 
 that Head Qrs is established at Loudon. Boarding 
 an out going train on East Tenn RR. Reach L, and 
 camp, report for duty. The boys welcome me back, 
 from my brief experience of civil life. I find some 
 changes have occurred since I left them. Grant has 
 gone to Washington, And our Genl Sheridan has 
 also gone to the Eastern army and placed in com- 
 mand of a larger force than his old division, where 
 his ability will have a larger scope. He is a man, and 
 commander whom all respect, that come in personal 
 contact with him; we all felt that he deserved a 
 much broader field to display his higher ability. It 
 remained for Grant to find this out. Brig Genl 
 [George D.] Wagner of the 1st brigade is in charge 
 of our division. 
 
April y, 1864 to July 3, 1864 143 
 
 18th Orders to move to Cleveland Tenn. Tents 
 are struck, the camp broken up, and the line of 
 march taken up. Passing through Sweet water, Phil- 
 adelphia and Athens; cross the Highwasa [Hiawas- 
 see] River and go into camp on the 21st. 
 
 Preparations are on foot for an extended cam- 
 paign. All needed supplies are coming in daily, such 
 as ammunition, large and small; Hard tack, sow- 
 belly, beans and coffee for the inner man, corn, oats, 
 and hay, for the beasts of burden. Genl Wm T Sher- 
 man is commander in chief; Genl G H Thomas, 
 "Pap" Thomas the reliable, as we call him is com- 
 mander of the Army of the Cumberland. 
 
 May 3d At day break, the whole army is astir 
 getting breakfast, after which, tents are struck, and 
 all movables packed in the wagon train. The long 
 roll is sounded, the bugles sound their shrill music, 
 the lines are formed, forward, march, and the cam- 
 paign is opened. On to Atlanta is the word. 
 
 After the long rest the army have enjoyed, with 
 the rank and file strengthened, the army comprised 
 of soldiers, who have experienced many campaigns, 
 fought many battles, with experienced officers, tried 
 and able commanders. The army starts out with 
 every confidence in themselves, confidence in their 
 officers and above all, confidence in the just cause 
 which brought them here. These two splendid Ar- 
 mies, under Sherman and Thomas, with corps com- 
 manders, Joe Hooker, [James B.] McPherson, [John 
 A.] Logan and Howard (the one armed preacher), 
 
E N N E 
 
 S S E E 
 
 Blarins Cross Roads ■ 
 
 Strawberry Plains 
 Fort Sanders x 
 k'ingsron. KnOXVillc^J 
 
 / NORTH 
 CAROLINA 
 
 y Ringgold „\ 
 ^Stevenson />^J ■ ■■, ^ "j^atoosa Springs 
 
 //r A M^^^lpocky Face R.doe 
 
 / // ''-■■ r§i$ si I i ?• P^l ton 
 
 Atlanta Campaign 
 
 Palmetto vonesboro 
 
 Lovejoij's Stati 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 145 
 
 Genl. Smith A [ndrew] J. and others, equally brave, 
 and able, one may believe that this may be the begin- 
 ning of the end of this great struggle, that we may 
 sweep this whole western country from the Tenn. 
 river to the Gulf of Mexico, free of all hostile enemys, 
 leaving no foot of soil for them to camp upon. 
 
 Many are the perils we must encounter, many 
 skirmishes, and battles must be fought and victories 
 won; many hundreds, perhaps thousands of good 
 and true men, may fall, and find a grave by the way 
 side. This splendid army, nine tenths of whom are 
 veterans, must go on to victory. 
 
 4th Genl Wagner is relieved, and returns to his 
 brigade, Genl [John] Newton (Maj Genl Vols.) as- 
 sumes command of the division. He is an F. F. V. 
 and west pointer. He has done me the honor, to 
 appoint me as personal orderly, which prospectively 
 keeps me in the saddle when he is mounted. We 
 ride to Genl O O Howards HdQurs. (our Corps 
 Commander), and we all go to Catoosa Springs, Ga. 
 This was a famous health resort before the war, a 
 sort of Saratoga in the South (barring the lake). But 
 the place is supplied with numerous springs, some 
 twenty seven of them, and what is most remarkable, 
 each one flows a different water, and christened ac- 
 cordingly. The original sponcers must have searched 
 deeply the medico encyclopedia. Here is a few of 
 them, Charlybate, Buffalo, Emetic, Choutnabosqua, 
 Red-Black-Blue and White Sulphur, Healing, Bed- 
 ford, Coffee, Epsom and Congress. I must not forget 
 
146 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 to mention the Sand Stone, the only one among 
 the lot, that is pure and tasteless. And after we had 
 tested a dozen or so, each worse than the other, we 
 had to fumigate our systems, as it were, by drinking 
 freely of the latter. The Black Sulphur is the nasti- 
 est of the lot; one would suppose the water must 
 flow through a whole cartload of ancient eggs. If 
 there be any virtue in the great variety of these 
 waters, and their healing qualities equel their nu- 
 merosity, then indeed here is a spot on earth, a 
 mecca for all the ills man is heir to. The large brick 
 buildings must have been Hotels, but in their pres- 
 ent delapidated condition, they are only fit to house 
 familiar ghosts. 
 
 yth A sharp skirmish took place at Tunnel Hill. 
 The enemy was promptly out flanked, and retreated. 
 
 8th The Genl ordered our Capt. and fifteen of 
 us escort to reconnoiter an old road; we had not 
 advanced far, when we ran against a rebel skirmish 
 line, exchanging a few shots with them to develope 
 their strength, returned to HdQrs and reported the 
 situation. 
 
 gth Our advance found the enemy well posted on 
 Rocky face Ridge, and Buzzards Roost. The 3d Bri- 
 gade ([Charles G.] Harkers) became engaged sharp- 
 ly. The place is well named, it being a rock ribbed 
 ridge, with a few scattering trees. The top is covered 
 with projecting rocks, from one to eight feet high, 
 forming a natural protection for the enemy; our men 
 scaled its side driving the rebs from piller to post 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 147 
 
 Sad Search for a Missing Soldier 
 
 with loss on both sides. Sitting on my horse on top 
 of the ridge I can look down into the valley to the 
 left, and see the 23d corps advancing against the 
 enemy there. Also have a good view of the enemys 
 position, while our 3d Brigade is well occupied, a 
 force of rebels are seen advancing below with a view 
 to flanking the ridge, and get a cross fire on us. Or- 
 ders are sent to retreat slowly, far enough to prevent 
 this, which is done, while another force is sent to 
 out flank them, when the rebs fall back and retreat 
 southward. 
 
 13th Dalton evacuated, and is occupied by our 
 troops. Moss and I rode back to take a look at the 
 scene of the fight on the 9th. It is as wild a place as 
 
148 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 it is possible to imagine the huge rocks sticking up 
 on every side like pointed monuments in a grave 
 yard. Our dead are still unburied, and lay where 
 they had fallen, stripped of every vestige of clothing, 
 their nude forms exposed to the hot blistering sun; 
 one dead rebel lay near one of our own, who per- 
 haps was fatally wounded but with life enough to 
 shoot this robber of the dead, while he was engaged 
 in his nefarious work. It is the usual practice of the 
 enemy to strip our dead, when they fall into their 
 hands; I suppose they think, to the victor belong 
 the spoils. 
 
 15th Advancing near Resaca, find the enemy 
 strongly intrenched. The 3d brigade made a charge 
 driving the enemy back into their trenches, and 
 form in line with the rest of the division; a line of 
 breastworks is being thrown up. The 51st being in 
 the charge, I ride over to see if Calvin is all right. 
 [Robert F.] Crawford said the last he saw of him he 
 fell while they were advancing double quick. With 
 much anxiety I rode back over the field, and searched 
 among the dead and wounded, but found no trace 
 of him. It was now growing dark, and I went back to 
 the regiment, and was greatly relieved to find he had 
 turned up all right. He said that while running, his 
 foot caught in a root and he floped over in great 
 shape, just as they right obliqued; when he caught 
 up to the line, he found himself with another regi- 
 ment, and after the charge ended, he hunted up his 
 company. 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 149 
 
 This afternoon, while a Pennsylvania battery was 
 firing shells at the enemy's works, three officers were 
 observed riding up to the rear, of them, sittingon their 
 horses, they examined our position through a field 
 glass, one of our gunners sighted his steel gun at them 
 and fired, knocking the middle one from his horse. 
 
 16th A force was sent to out flank the enemy's 
 position. They quickly abandon their works, we 
 quickly follow them up and crowded them so closely 
 they could not destroy the bridge, which spans the 
 river. So we are enabled to use it. 
 
 18th Skirmishing is the order of the day, steadily 
 advancing, the rebs retreating. If they attempt to 
 make a stand, we speedily flank them, and force 
 their retreat. And so it goes on, we give them no 
 rest. Some prisoners falling into our hands say, 
 "The officer killed by one of our batteries, is Lieut 
 Genl [Leonidas] Polk." Passing through Kingston, 
 we form camp about five miles south, for a short rest, 
 and to enable our army to close up the gaps. 
 
 22d A number of men, who did not re-enlist in 
 December, and whose three years time has expired, 
 are sent to the rear, and will go home, pleased no 
 doubt that they will see their people once more, 
 after seeing so much of the war. Many of them no 
 doubt will come marching back again, after a short 
 period at home, accepting the big sums that drafted 
 men are willing to pay for substitutes. 
 
 23d Promptly at noon, camp is broken up, and 
 the army moves forward again, crossing the Etowah 
 
150 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 river. We pass the smoking ruins of an old powder 
 mill, which has been used to manufacture that arti- 
 cle for the Confederacy. Continue on far into the 
 night before coming to a halt. 
 
 May 25th Genl Hookers corps in front today, 
 heavy skirmishing near New Hope Church. It has 
 been drizzling fine rain all day. Our movements 
 have been so rapid, our teams are far in the rear, so 
 we have not tents to shelter us from the elements. I 
 have had little or no rest or sleep for the past forty 
 eight hours, and my horse is about done up. Our 
 division go to the front which we reach about 9 p.m. 
 and relieve one of Hookers divs. who retire to the 
 rear. The troops set to work digging trenches, and 
 throw up breastworks. They work like beavers, re- 
 lieving each other. Soon after our arrival, our corps 
 commander Genl Howard borrowed my services of 
 Newton, his staff being all engaged. He sent me to 
 hunt up Genl Stanleys division, and lead them to 
 the place alloted them on the line. 
 
 It is so dark I can not distinguish one man from 
 another, three feet away. I only know they are some 
 where on the road coming up ; riding back over the 
 ground Hookers troops had fought over, I en- 
 countered many a dead soldier. I could not see them 
 for the pitchy darkness, but my horse when he 
 came to one would shy and go round them; he 
 could either see or smell them, but would not step 
 over them. The road was filled with troops coming 
 to the front; by continual enquiry, as to what div. 
 
April J, 1864 to July 3, 1864 151 
 
 they belonged to, I soon found Genl Stanley at the 
 head of his troops. I made myself known to him, 
 and delivered my order, a verbal one, and directed 
 him where to form his line, in conjunction with our 
 division. I then rode back to Genl Howard, who 
 thanked me, and I returned to our Hd Qrs which 
 was just in the rear of our works. I was ready to 
 drop off my horse, for the want of sleep; my poor 
 horse was as badly off, I gave him a good rubbing 
 down, hitched him to a tree, and took a look around 
 for a place to dump my weary bones. Morse and I 
 found a couple of logs. We roll them just far enough 
 apart to admit of our lying between them, using our 
 saddles for a pillow, the logs were placed broad side 
 to the enemy. Wrapping our blankets around us we 
 embraced the bosom of mother earth, with a sigh of 
 satisfaction. Just as we were falling into the land of 
 nod, the ball opened. The lay of the ground was 
 such, that there was a gradual rise from the breast- 
 works to where we lay, so that we were as high as the 
 top of the works, though fifty yards in their rear; 
 any bullets that just grazed them would hit the 
 ground we lay on. The front log was about as thick 
 as our bodies. About the time we had settled down, 
 one of our pickets posted only a short distance in 
 front of our works, thought he saw something sus- 
 picious moving in front of his vision, and fired his 
 gun off at it; a dozen shots followed. The rebels 
 thinking a night attack was on foot opened fire from 
 behind their works all along our front, not five hun- 
 
152 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 dred yards distant from our line. The way their shot 
 and shell came tearing over was a caution, our 
 men thinking the rebs were coming, opened fire from 
 the batteries, and the infantry pored in their lead; 
 all the rattle of ten thousand rifles and fifty cannon, 
 made a pandemonium of sound and awoke the 
 echoes of the more than Egyptian darkness. All the 
 boys ran down to get behind the works, yelling to 
 Morse and I to hurry up. But we just lowered our 
 heads from off the saddles and lay still, by mutual 
 agreement; Mitchell commenced to utter a long 
 string of curses, as he usually does when excited, 
 but we paid no heed to him, we concluded we were 
 as safe there as any where. We could hear the bullets 
 sing over us, and now and then "zip" one would 
 bury it self in our logs, or glance over its top; the 
 shells all passed over too high to hit anything but 
 the trees, or sail through their branches. 
 
 For the thirty minutes it lasted the air was pretty 
 well filled with flying lead and iron. It finally dawned 
 upon the enemy, and our men, that there was not 
 going to be any assault from either side ; firing ceased, 
 almost as suddenly as it had commenced, when 
 quiet reigned again. The contrast, of the stillness was 
 so great, from the thunderous roar, that one could al- 
 most hear a pin drop, but the air seemed to quiver 
 or vibrate, or the drums of our ears caused the feel- 
 ing. The boys all returned to their evacuated posi- 
 tions, and finding us all safe, turning in I went to 
 sleep in no time. 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 153 
 
 May 26th It is learned, the cause of the racket 
 last night, came about in this wise: our picket lines 
 were stationed while the works were being thrown 
 up ; just beyond them, when our works were finished 
 the pickets were advanced, and in the Egyptian 
 darkness, they came in contact with the enemys 
 pickets. The mutual discovery caused one of our 
 men to lire, he supposing an attack was contem- 
 plated. 
 
 The other pickets followed suit, and thus the bat- 
 tle was opened; our picket line laid down and es- 
 caped the showers of lead and iron that came from 
 our works and the enemy's, and escaped total de- 
 struction. The near position of the rebel works was 
 discovered by the flash of their guns, so when the 
 air battle was done, our pickets fell back nearer our 
 works, as did the rebels to theirs. 
 
 June 5th We are still holding our position, and 
 some exciting event transpires now and then, owing 
 to the short distance intervening between our lines 
 and the enemy's. The rising ground to our rear 
 makes it an exposed position, while most of the men 
 hug the works for protection, some are careless, and 
 walk around there. The rebs take advantage of this, 
 and open fire at unexpected times, and every now 
 and then one is killed or wounded. One poor fellow 
 having received a letter from home, strolled back to 
 the rear and sat down by a tree, large enough to pro- 
 tect him if he had placed him self back of it, but 
 instead, he was foolish enough to sit in front of it 
 
154 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 facing the enemy. While engaged in reading, some 
 reb sent a messenger of death into him, so the poor 
 man never finished his letter. This morning, when 
 day light broke, it was discovered the enemy had 
 flown during the night, their works were empty. 
 
 June 6th Camp is broken up, and we march to 
 Acworth and camp. A heavy rain is poring down 
 upon us, as though we had not been treated almost 
 continually with moisture too numerous to men- 
 tion. Old Sol seems backward about coming for- 
 ward from behind his bank of clouds ; its very de- 
 pressing to the mind, and extremely uncomfortable 
 to the human body. 
 
 June 15th Since my last entry of the 6th each day 
 has been marked by stirring events, almost continuous 
 marches, and shifting positions. Daily skirmishes 
 occur, with more or less loss in killed or wounded. 
 We are steadily pushing the enemy back from pil- 
 low to post ; while our line of communications is being 
 gradually lengthened, that of the enemy is shorten- 
 ing up, as they near their base of supplies, Atlanta. 
 
 There are a couple of men belonging to our es- 
 cort, who seem to have a mutual understanding. 
 They noticeably avoid every danger. This has be- 
 come so pronounced that the rest of us have dis- 
 covered their game; when the bullets are flying, 
 they are conspicuous by their absence. They are 
 notorious of boasting, of their hair-breadth escapes, 
 before they joined the escort, so the rest of the boys 
 never let slip an opportunity to nag them, chaffing 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 155 
 
 them without stint, especially old man Mitchell, who 
 is not afraid of old nick himself. He gives it to them 
 right and left, to the amusement of the rest of us. 
 They never wink a wink, but go off and flock to- 
 gether, when it gets too hot for them. 
 
 June lgth Several of us, saddle up, and accom- 
 pany the Genl upon a tour of inspection along the 
 works. Two of the staff officers are with us, riding 
 along in plain view of the enemy, who take the op- 
 portunity to train one of their guns on us, and send 
 a shell into us, as we were bunched together; the 
 gun was well aimed. The shell came along with its 
 usual infernal shriek, and landed square on the 
 side of one of our escort horses, just behind the 
 riders right leg and passed diagonally through the 
 animal, and out just in front of his left leg, striking 
 the bones of the horses shoulder, exploded, sending 
 fragments of the iron in all directions. The horse 
 was dead in an instant, but strange to say, none of 
 us got a scratch. The horses nearest were staggered, 
 and Genl Newtons fat old yellow "cob" came very 
 near tumbling over. 
 
 June 22 The Genl and I ride out among the 
 pickets; I have to keep an eye on him, when he 
 starts upon these trips, as he is prone to fall into the 
 deepest kind of a brown study, when mounted 
 upon his favorite "cob," whose gait is well calcu- 
 lated to put his rider to sleep. It is between a dog 
 trot, and a side to side motion pace, as easy as a 
 rocking chair. About the time I get ready to call 
 
156 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 his attention to the fact that he is out side our 
 picket line, and may soon reach the enemys lines, 
 some reb will send a bullet whizzing our way, and 
 disturb his reveries and then being anxious about 
 my own skin, I am pleased to see him wake up in 
 time to return to our lines. Fortunately so far I 
 havent had to suggest, that if he is going to attack 
 the enemy he had better take some troops along; I 
 expect I shall have to do it some time if he does not 
 mend his ways. 
 
 26th The Genl sent me orders to saddle up, and 
 accompany him. As he has selected me as personal 
 orderly, I am in the saddle more frequently than the 
 others of the escort. We meet Genls. Hooker Palm- 
 er, Howard, Gairy [John W. Geary] and Stanley, 
 all major Generals. They ride to the front, and along 
 the line of breastworks. The rebels spy us, and fire 
 at us from their rifle pits ; such a cluster of stars is 
 seldom seen in such close proximity to the enemy. 
 They all have two stars on each shoulder, except 
 Newton, who never wears his, or very seldom; he 
 leaves them hanging in his tent and wears an old 
 army blouse, that together with a pair of kid gloves 
 with the fingers worn off, down to the first joint, are 
 his constant undress uniform. When a reb would 
 poke up his head to take aim at us, some of our men 
 in their rifle pits, would bob up and fire at him; 
 some of the rebs must be quick aimers, for they had 
 to take snap shots at us, then duck their heads, to 
 avoid being shot by our men. Some of the bullets 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 157 
 
 came uncomfortably close to us. The Genls. con- 
 cluded that discretion was the better part of valor in 
 this case; they concluded to retreat, to a safe dis- 
 tance. 
 
 27th The line of defences, in our present position, 
 are facing Kenesaw Mountain, which is occupied 
 by the enemy, behind the strongest line of defences, 
 we have yet encountered. The lower line of works 
 run along the base of the mountain, while the sec- 
 ond or upper line, runs up and over the crown; our 
 works were built at night, and are so close to the 
 enemys, that neither side can advance a picket line 
 during day light. But after night fall, the pickets are 
 posted a short distance in front. This is the position 
 of our corps front, which occupies about the center 
 of the army. Orders came for a part of our division 
 to attack the enemys works. The third brigade (Col 
 Harkers) is selected. They form in line of battle 
 behind the works. When all is ready, the signal is 
 given, and they file out through a gap and form 
 brigade front, under a galling fire from the enemys 
 works. They charge at the double quick and in two 
 moments, they reach the cheval-do-frise (a line of 
 sharpened stakes driven into the ground at an angle 
 of forty five degrees) . These are removed under a 
 close range fire, also a line of brush in front of the 
 ditch; these are also sharpened and pointed out- 
 ward. All this is quickly accomplished, while the 
 enemy is pouring in a front and cross fire which is 
 most destructive. With an opening cleared the ditch 
 
158 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 is crossed by one flag bearer who plants his standard 
 upon the enemy s works, only to receive a bayonet 
 thrust, and he drops back leaving the flag within 
 easy reach of the rebs, but every attempt on their 
 part to snatch it, is frustrated, by a concentrated 
 fire at every head that shows above the works. Then 
 a handful of our men made a rush, and rescued the 
 stars and stripes. The cross fire was terrible; a rebel 
 bullet was liable to go through three men in line. It 
 was a veritable death trap, like the famous charge of 
 the six hundred at Balaclava in the Crimearean war. 
 Our men were ordered to lie down to escape the 
 deadly cross fire, continuing to load and fire in that 
 position. Col Harker with only one orderly in at- 
 tendance (he declined to take any of his staff), sat 
 on his white horse, a fair mark for hundreds of rebel 
 bullets. There he sat as immovable as a rock, while 
 the bullets flew all around him. He must have known 
 that nothing but a miracle could save his life, yet he 
 never flinched; at last horse and rider fell together 
 both mortally wounded. Several of the men nearest 
 him, sprang up to carry him off the field; of these 
 some were struck down at once, but others filled 
 their places, to be in turn stricken down. With the 
 assistance of the orderly, who had miraculously 
 escaped being killed though his clothes were torn 
 with bullets, they carried the brave officer back to 
 our works. He was still alive, a surgeon took him in 
 charge, and on examination, his wound was pro- 
 nounced mortal; word was passed along the line of 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 159 
 
 the men in front, and they all sprang up together 
 and beat a retreat to our works. And now the cu- 
 rious fact is learned, that while our loss is heavy, it 
 is not one half as much as we feared; most of our 
 loss occurred while the men were charging, and 
 pulling up the stakes; after they lay down, little 
 damage was done, as the rebs laid their loaded guns 
 on top of their works and fired without exposing 
 their person. After night came on, those of our 
 wounded, who were able, made their way back, and 
 a searching party under cover of the friendly dark- 
 ness, brought in those whom they found alive. 
 
 29th During a charge by the rebs, which was re- 
 pulsed, a rebel captain got bewildered, and fell into 
 our hands. Seeing no chance to escape he drew him- 
 self up to his full height, some five feet six or there- 
 abouts, struck his expanded chest with his hand, 
 and exclaimed, :f I would rather be shot than sur- 
 render, a disgrace I can not tolerate." A sergeant 
 stepped up to him, and said, as he placed the cold 
 muzzle of his revolver in his face, "All right Captain, 
 I will save your honor," The gallant captain turned 
 white, when he looked down the black tube, and 
 changed his mind instanter, and said "I surrender." 
 His arms was taken from him, and he was sent back 
 to the rear, with his head hanging. 
 
 The enemy have been flanked out of their strong 
 position, and we are again pushing them back. 
 
 July 3d Not being on duty today, I rode out in 
 front of our advancing column, and got in with the 
 
160 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 skirmish line, entering Marietta with them. The 
 enemy retreating as we advance, exchanging shots; 
 when they were clear of the town, I looked around, 
 with a view to hunt up a dinner. I found a house 
 with a vegatable garden in the rear, which looked 
 promising; concluding to try my luck, I dismounted, 
 and hitched my horse to the front fence, marched 
 up to a fine looking old lady who stood on the porch, 
 watching my proceedings. I politely made known my 
 wants, at the same time, I told her I would act as 
 guard to the premises while the army was passing 
 through the town; no stragglers would be allowed 
 to molest her. She looked me over with evident cu- 
 riousity. No doubt she was wondering if I might be 
 an average specimen of the yankee, of whom, — she 
 had heard tell about — but had not seen any of them 
 before. She replied, pleasantly she would get me a 
 dinner, if I would wait for it to be cooked. Wait!! of 
 course I would; she set about it at once. She did not 
 display any anxiety, be cause of the retreat of the 
 rebel army, and the yankees coming in; she seemed 
 to be surprised that there was so little difference, 
 between us and her own people. I did not question 
 her as to what ideas she had harbored upon the sub- 
 ject, but I could see she had labored under the mis- 
 taken impression, that we of the North were of a 
 different specie, of the human family. Many of the 
 women in the south had some queer ideas about us, 
 and even some of the men had formed queer ideas, 
 as to our size, shape and manners, 8cc. The old lady 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 161 
 
 was tall and spare, with abundant hair, which was as 
 white as snow. She led me into the dining room to 
 await the advent of dinner. 
 
 Glancing around the room I take in its details. 
 What struck me most at first, was its great size, for a 
 dining room for a private residence; large enough to 
 accommodate several quadrille dancers; the table at 
 which I sat, was long enough for a big boarding 
 house, would seat fifteen or twenty persons. The 
 floor, while scrupulously clean, was innocent of car- 
 pet except, an oblong rag mat such as mother used 
 to make, laid in front of an old-fashioned fire place, 
 which was broad and deep. A dozen primative 
 chairs, with hickory strips interlaced for seats, giv- 
 ing them a decided home-spun look, a high mantel- 
 shelf over the fire place contained two or three tin 
 candle sticks with half consumed candles stuck in 
 them, a pair of snuffers of our Grand father's days, 
 and last, but not least, an old, old clock, high and 
 broad, with its veneered front, patches of the veneer 
 missing, the lower part of the door with the usual 
 daub, a landscape, with impossible trees, on the 
 banks of a lake of very blue water, where it had not 
 been scratched off, a veritable curiosity shop of old 
 relics. The clock looked old enough to be gray 
 headed, and was dumb as an oyster; not a single 
 tick left in this time honored structure. Curiosity 
 led me to examine the interior of the old machine. 
 As my hostess was busy in the next room, with the 
 door closed between, I opened the door of the clock, 
 
162 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 and gazed into its dusty depths. The dust of ages 
 has accumulated within its interior; the works were 
 made of wood, which precluded its age being at less 
 than a century; the two iron weights rested upon the 
 dust covered floor, as did the pendulum, where it 
 had fallen, no knowing how long ago. I examined it 
 and, discovered the trouble at once, and determined 
 to fix it. If the old lady would kindly stay away a 
 few moments longer, I would give her a surprise. 
 The top of the pendulum, had broken off where it 
 was flattened, and at the hole through which the pin 
 goes that should hold it in position. With a fork I 
 easily punch a new hole. With my knife blade I take 
 the screws out, that fasten the square dial with its 
 queer circle of pointed figures, slip the pendulum 
 into place, putting a pin through, bending it down 
 on each side, replace the dial, fish the key out of the 
 dust; said key is not quite large enough for a well 
 crank, wind up each weight carefully, for fear the 
 cords might give way, turn the hand to the proper 
 time, five minutes to two, start the pendulum swing- 
 ing close the door, and resume my seat, and now the 
 room echos with the solumn tick-tack, and the res- 
 urrection is complete. It goes along without hesita- 
 tion, as though it was pleased to be in motion once 
 more, and I imagine it is saying with its tick-tack, 
 thanks-thanks. Chuckling over my successful Job, 
 I just have time to draw a long face, as the kitchen 
 door openes to admit my old lady, with her hands 
 full of dishes. The tick-tack struck her at once, and 
 
 
April 7, 1864 to July 3, 1864 163 
 
 I thought she was going to spill all the dishes, in her 
 shock ofamasement;just then, the old wheels started 
 to whirr, the sound resembled a saw mill in the dis- 
 tance, with a long wheeze, it finally struck one- two-. 
 As solumn as an owl, I watched the old lady, as she 
 set the dishes on the table, and walked over to the 
 clock, and opened its door. Seeing the pendulum as 
 it swung merrily to and fro, she heaved a deep sigh 
 of relief and recovered, "Well I never, did you do 
 that?" she exclaimed. tf Yes-m" "Well I never, you 
 must be handy," she remarked, as pleasant as a bas- 
 ket of chips, if I may be allowed the expression. She 
 said it had not run, for more than a year and she had 
 missed its noisy sound greatly, like an old friend 
 gone from her; it was an old family relic, her father 
 owned it before she was born. She bustled around 
 and soon had my dinner spread before me, a nice 
 one to, and I enjoyed it with a good deal of relish, 
 and with a tranquil mind, as I had done a good deed. 
 She seemed pleased at my appreciation of her 
 cooking; when I had satisfied the inner man, hav- 
 ing cleaned up most of the dishes set before me, I 
 handed her a fifty cent piece, paper money, one of 
 uncle Sams shin plasters. She hesitated about taking 
 it, as I had doctored her clock, and there by had 
 risen many degrees in her estimation of yankees in 
 general, myself in particular. Bidding her good by, I 
 mount my horse, and hunt up my division. I think the 
 old lady will have a kindly remembrance for one yank, 
 every time she winds up her venerable time piece. 
 
Chapter VIII 
 
 Wherein Sherman's army continues toward At- 
 lanta {with Smith still attached to division head- 
 quarters) and, after pausing to bring up supplies 
 at Chattahoochee River, fights the Battle of Peach 
 Tree Creek on July 20, which forces the Confederates 
 into strongly fortified defense positions in the city. 
 (On the 17th, Jefferson Davis, displeased with 
 Johnston } s delaying tactics, replaced him with the 
 impetuous General John B. Hood, and it was Hood 
 who started the Battle of Peach Tree Creek.) On 
 the 22nd, Hardee vigorously attacks the forces of 
 McPherson but is repulsed; General McPherson 
 is killed in the fight, and with his death the Union 
 loses one of its most promising officers. Sherman 
 next moves to his right, and on the 28th General 0. 
 0. Howard, who has replaced McPherson, fights the 
 battle of Ezra Church, southwest of the city. For 
 a month, siege conditions prevail, and Smith does 
 not enjoy the harassing Confederate artillery fire. 
 Sherman keeps extending to his right (west and 
 south of the city), cutting the railroads. The climax 
 comes at Jonesboro, south of the city, on 
 August 31, when Hardee attacks General How- 
 ard's troops but is repulsed. Hood begins the evacu- 
 ation of Atlanta the next day while Hardee holds 
 164 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 165 
 
 his positions at Lovejoy 's Station to cover the evacua- 
 tion. Sherman 's troops enter Atlanta on the 2nd of 
 September, leaving Hood entrenched at Lovejoy's 
 Station. 
 
 Meanwhile, the Confederate cavalry leaders, 
 Wheeler and Forrest, have been operating in Sher- 
 man 's rear, and on the 24th Sherman orders one 
 division to Rome, Georgia, and Smith 9 s division to 
 Chattanooga; five days later, concerned that Hood 
 may move north, he sends Thomas to Nashville and 
 General Morgan's division to Chattanooga. But 
 Hood first moves west, to Palmetto, and then after 
 conferring with Jefferson Davis begins to move 
 north towards Tennessee, intending to cut Sher- 
 man's line of communication. If Sherman follows, 
 Hood will look for an opportune moment to turn 
 and attack; Sherman does follow but never quite 
 catches Hood, finally abandoning the chase and re- 
 turning to Atlanta. He re-inforces Thomas with the 
 4th and 23rd corps, plus cavalry, and gives Thomas 
 the responsibility for handling Hood; on November 
 IS Sherman leaves Atlanta on his famous ' 'March 
 to the Sea. " 
 
 Smith goes to Chattanooga with his division, is 
 assigned to the adjutant general 's office and sent for 
 a few days to Nashville. He joins his division at 
 Pulaski, Tennessee, close to the Tennessee- Alabama 
 
166 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 border, where he secures fresh meat through ^moon- 
 light requisition" and enjoys letters received from 
 young ladies in response to a f 'personal" ad in the 
 Chicago Tribune. But on November 22 Pulaski is 
 evacuated to prevent its being cut off. The Union 
 forces escape the trap Hood has planned for them 
 and through a remarkable series of Confederate 
 blunders escape again farther north at Spring 
 Hill. At Franklin, the next town north, the Union 
 forces dig in and repulse a Confederate frontal 
 attack on November 30 in a battle that is remark- 
 able for the frightfully high Confederate casualties. 
 The Union troops then hastily withdraw and suc- 
 ceed in getting in behind the fortifications of Nash- 
 ville. Smith is with the army all through this retreat 
 and though General Wagner is replaced as division 
 commander on December 2 by General Washington 
 L. Elliot, Smith continues as an orderly with divi- 
 sion headquarters. 
 
 July 5th Crowding the enemys flank and center, 
 they are forced to retreat beyond the Chattahoochee 
 River. They attempted to burn a large corn starch 
 factory, but failed, in their haste to get away. It fell 
 into our hand, together with an immense quantity 
 of corn starch, ready for use. The Quarter Master 
 took it in charge, and issued it out to the army in its 
 immediate vicinity, and we enjoyed the luxury of 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 167 
 
 boiled corn starch pudding for supper. I accompany 
 Genl Newton to Genl Howards HdQrs. The boys 
 have dubbed Howard, the preacher Genl, as he 
 preaches some times on Sundays. He is said to be 
 strictly temperate, and swears not at all, an example 
 many of the other Genls might follow with profit. 
 
 July gth Our division moved up the left bank of 
 the river to the vicinity of the late starch factory. 
 The ravages of war have visited it, and it has been 
 destroyed by order of some one, its blackened walls 
 a testimony of the ravages of war. It is said seven 
 hundred people, mostly girls some old women and 
 super numerated old men, found occupation here; 
 grim war has turned them out to the tender mercies 
 of a cold world. If the rebels had had time, they would 
 have anticipated the act and saved us the deed. 
 
 13th We are relieved by troops from the 13th 
 Corps, and cross the river at Howell's Ferry, camping 
 on the Atlanta road, about thirteen miles there from. 
 Wise acres and old women say the number 13 is un- 
 lucky. Here it is repeated three times: the 13th day 
 of the month, the 13th Corps relieves us, and we 
 camp 13 miles from Atlanta. The evil of it should be 
 inoperative, it being repeated in three incidents, or 
 is it cumulative? Who knows. 
 
 18th Army in motion again, our div. in front. 
 Reaching Nancys Creek, the rebel skirmishers dis- 
 pute every step of the way across the valley; on the 
 opposite hill we can see the enemys works. While I 
 was riding down the road which was filled with our 
 
i68 
 
 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 advancing div. I saw the rebs bring forward a cannon 
 unlimber and place it in position to rake the road. 
 They opened up with a six pounder shell, which 
 came tearing along in a bee line down the center of 
 the road, but passed twenty feet over our heads. I 
 could see the shell as it left the mouth of the gun, 
 and followed it with my eye, through its whole 
 course. They had the range but not the proper ele- 
 vation; our troops took the hint, and marched into 
 the timber to the left. I rode forward, and took posi- 
 tion a rod or two from the road, where I had a clear 
 
 
 
 Sherman 's Headquarters near Atlanta 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 169 
 
 view of the rebel lines ; some one of them took me 
 for a target, and fired at me. Sitting perfectly still on 
 my horse for if I moved, I might improve his aim, 
 the ball came singing over, passing under my chin, 
 tapping me upon the left shoulder; it was nearly 
 spent, and struck the ground just beyond me. Get- 
 ting off my horse, I tried to find it. Just then Col. 
 [Emerson] Opdycke's horse was shot under him, 
 just back of me on the road side. The Col. was un- 
 seated, and the horse killed; our troops out flanked 
 the rebs and they retreated, leaving us a free passage 
 across the valley and creek. 
 
 July 20th The third brigade of our div. in front 
 as we get nearer to Atlanta day by day; the more 
 frequent and stubborn are the skirmishes. Crossing 
 Peach tree creek a line is formed on the rising 
 ground beyond. As we were in plain view of a rebel 
 line of works, and our right support has not yet 
 come up, owing perhaps to the fact they had a more 
 difficult route. The brigade commenced to dig a 
 trench every other man having a spade. Genl [John 
 B.] Hood seeing the unprotected condition of our 
 right siezed the advantage without delay; quickly 
 forming his men, he sent a force, who charged with 
 the usual rebel yell. Our old third brigade were too 
 old hands at this business, to give way; seizing their 
 guns, they pored in volley after volley, thinning the 
 rebel ranks. This at very short range, the enemy in 
 their front gave way, but those that over lapped our 
 right had only a line of skirmishers confronting 
 

 170 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 them, and these were quickly eaten up. It looked 
 pretty serious for our brigade, if their support did 
 not show up quickly, with the rebel force a hundred 
 yards in their rear right flank; just then a division 
 of Hookers troops came up at the double quick, and 
 not a moment too soon. They drove the rebels back 
 with a rush leaving their dead and wounded behind. 
 The rebels that made the charge at the brigade was 
 led by Genl [Clement H.] Stevens 1 and he and his 
 horse lay dead together within fifty feet of our line, 
 with a lot of his men heaped up around him. This is 
 the second time this Genl. has tried issues with our 
 third brigade. He was in command of the forces at 
 New madrid Mo, in sixty two; on his retreating 
 from there, the third brigade under Genl Payne 
 chased him for a half a day and well on into the 
 night. Coming up with him our force divided, two 
 regiments on each side of the woods in which he 
 was camped, he surrendered before day light, with 
 his five thousand men to our less than three thou- 
 sand. And now at his second defeat, he has sur- 
 rendered to a mightier foe then yankee hosts; death 
 has claimed him for its own. During the fight, and 
 while I was riding after Genl Wagner, a bullet struck 
 me on the right hand, as it hung by my side; for- 
 
 1 Smith persists in believing that Brigadier Clement H. 
 Stevens commanded the Confederate troops at New Madrid, 
 when Stevens was not even in Missouri at the time. General 
 Stevens was wounded on July 20 at Peach Tree Creek but did 
 not die until the 25th. 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 171 
 
 tunately my blouse hung in several folds loosely in 
 front of my hand, and the ball was a glancing one, 
 my fingers went to sleep for a while, but in the 
 excitement I soon forgot it. We learn from some 
 prisoners that Hood has just succeeded Johnson 
 [Joseph E. Johnston]. If this is a specimen of his 
 work, we may look for lively times before we reach 
 Atlanta. Although Hood has a cork leg, he can fight 
 like a veteran. 
 
 22 Genl McPhersons forces, moved up on the left 
 of, and within two miles of Atlanta near the Augusta 
 R R. The enemy met him with a large force, using a 
 shallow cut in the R R. and all the houses in the 
 vicinity for shelter, from which vantage ground they 
 fought with desperation. After a hard contest, they 
 were dislodged, and beat a retreat back into their 
 defenses around the town; our loss was very heavy, 
 and Genl McPherson, who was one of our most able 
 Genls, was killed. His loss will be greatly felt both by 
 the men under his immediate command, and the rest 
 of our army. His death will be mourned by thou- 
 sands, for his personal worth, and soldierly qualities. 
 
 In him our Commanding General will miss one of 
 his ablest Lieutenants. Our division move up in line 
 and throw up a strong line of works, overlooking the 
 enemys defenses. We have now reached, and can 
 see Atlanta, the objective point of this Campaign. 
 The enemy with their full strength, are concentrated 
 within the city. They are strongly fortified, and 
 their works well manned with artillery, some of 
 
172 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 which are of heavy caliber — as we have already been 
 introduced to some of their big shells. 
 
 25th Our army have settled down for a regular 
 siege. And after nearly three months of marching, 
 over some pretty rough country, the rest, is most 
 welcome. It has been a campaign that will long be 
 remembered by those engaged in it, the enemy leav- 
 ing no stone unturned to retard our progress. In- 
 numerable skirmishes, and many battles have been 
 fought. They selected their ground, where ever 
 nature could aid them, and only retreated, when in 
 danger of being out flanked, or to prevent a gen- 
 eral engagement; when we confronted them in their 
 strongest position, at Kenesaw Mountain, it was 
 said by them, that Sherman was afraid to make a 
 direct attack upon them, always preferring to use 
 his superior forces in flank movements. Whether 
 this was true or not that they (the rebels) had made 
 use of this taunt, in order to cause an attack to be 
 made, or whether the attack was ordered for another 
 purpose, is a question. The facts remain that we did 
 make a fruitless effort upon them, in the strongest 
 position they held during the whole of the cam- 
 paign; true they evacuated, directly after, but this 
 was the result not so much from our threatening 
 front, as from our threatening their rear. The aggre- 
 gate loss to both armies must be considerable. It is 
 true that while the enemy could less afford their 
 losses; it is also true perhaps, that many of our own 
 losses might have been avoided, to some extent. 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 173 
 
 Over in Atlanta, they have planted one of their 
 heaviest guns. It being on a slight elevation, we can 
 see it without the aid of a glass; with out looks 
 stationed on the top of a high building they signal 
 to their gunner, how to point the gun, so as to do 
 the most damage, aiming at the diferent groups of 
 Head Quarter tents, with a view to sending some of 
 our general officers to kingdom come. They had our 
 headquarters dead to rights. While one of the boys 
 and my self stood talking together, just as our 
 darkey calls dinner, a big camp kettle from this gun 
 came along, and passed a few feet above our heads, 
 making the most infernal noise, as it cut the air. 
 We felt the wind from its swift rush as it passed; 
 turning our eyes, we saw it strike the side of a tree 
 just below us, taking out a chunk half its size ; ex- 
 ploding, it smashed the rear end of one of our 
 wagons, and killed a mule, that was tied to it. It 
 raised a smoke big enough to hide its work of 
 destruction for a moment. We went to our dinner, 
 where our darkey cook stood with his eyes as big as 
 saucers, "golly but dat was a tight shave," he said, 
 as soon as he recovered enough to talk. While we all 
 stood around the board, bang went the old gun 
 again, and pretty soon came another shell, directly 
 in the path of the last, and although it seemed in- 
 credible, we saw it strike the self same tree, in the 
 same groove its predecessor had made, making it 
 only a trifle broader. We could hardly believe our 
 eyes, and so went down, and examined the tree, 
 
174 
 
 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 Tliis Fifteen-incher Spoke Loud 
 
 sure enough the evidence was indisputable. The two 
 shells had traversed exactly the same route varying 
 only a few inches; the distance from the gun to the 
 tree is not less than two miles. 
 
 They kept up their fire at intervals the rest of the 
 day and all night; by bed time we had become so 
 familiar with the noise, that we did not mind it. The 
 infernal music of the shells, varied through a whole 
 octave; if it was traveling very fast, it sounded in a 
 high key; if it came more leisurely, we dubbed it a 
 base note, and so the tune went on all night, from 
 do-to ra- with sharps and flats now and then. We 
 felt no apprehension when they played on the upper 
 notes, as that indicated the shell would go far be- 
 yond our resting place, but the base notes might 
 mean it was going to fall short of, or in among us. 
 
 
July 5, 1864 t<> Dece?nber 3, 1864 175 
 
 At the works just in front of our division a battery 
 of siege guns were placed. This after noon, while 
 our gunners were working them, driving some of 
 the longest rifled shells, over into the rebel works I 
 walked over, and got on top of our works, and stood 
 along side one of these long guns. Just beside the 
 embrasure, about midway the gun, when the gun 
 went off, I could catch the flight of the shell the 
 instant it left the muzzle, and follow its whole 
 course, see it strike, and explode, showing how 
 quick is the human eye. When a puff of smoke from 
 the rebel works, would indicate they had returned 
 our fire, I could drop down behind our works before 
 their shell could reach us. 
 
 July 26th to 3d Aug 2 At or just after midnight we 
 were roused up from our peaceful slumbers, orders 
 having come to leave the camp standing and march, 
 strict orders to make the least noise possible. Mov- 
 ing some distance to the rear, we took a westerly 
 course, and circled around Atlanta. The march was 
 continued until Atlanta was left in our rear and we 
 reached the vicinity of Lovejoy station, attacking 
 the garrison there stationed, and soon cleaned it 
 out. Meantime the rebs sent a force to investigate 
 
 2 Here Smith is again off on his dates. The Ezra Church 
 fight was on July 28 and the action at Jonesboro on August 
 31 — not July 31. Atlanta fell during the night of September 
 1-2 when Hood pulled his troops out of the city and down 
 to Lovejoy Station; Union troops entered the city beginning 
 September 2nd. The entry beginning September 25th is 
 accurate. 
 
176 
 
 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Wrecking Railroads Becomes Fine Art 
 
 Rail-Twisting Tool Used by Sherman's Army 
 
 the cause of our empty works, but soon discovered 
 where we had gone, made haste to pick up all their 
 movables, burning all else, to prevent them falling 
 into our hands. The 19th regulars had destroyed the 
 rail road south of Atlanta, so the rebs could not 
 move any cars, so they set fire to them, burning a 
 good deal of ammunition, shells &:c. 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 177 
 
 Aug 8th Genl Slocums troops were the first to 
 enter Atlanta, after the evacuation. At midnight we 
 took up the line of march towards the late besieged 
 city. A fearful rain storm came up, we all mounted, 
 and sat in our saddles, with our rubber ponchos 
 around us; we were surrounded by more than 
 Egyptian darkness, while we waited for our place in 
 the marching column, one of the staff broke out 
 singing- Mary had a little lamb- with all the varia- 
 tions, and we all joined in the chorus, with the 
 wet accompaniment of the falling rain as it pattered 
 among the tree leaves above our heads. Marching 
 until the morning light we passed through Atlanta, 
 and went into camp on the Decatur R R. In the 
 afternoon Perv, Lakey and myself rode into town, 
 to take a survey of the city. The effects of our siege 
 was manifest upon all sides. Many of the buildings 
 were partly or wholly destroyed by our shells. The 
 depot and some houses which the rebels burned, 
 did not add to the beauty of the desolate place, the 
 ravages of war illustrated. 
 
 Sept 25th The army has enjoyed a good long and 
 much needed rest. Have had plenty to eat, and only 
 exercised in the usual routine of camp duties. On 
 Sundays, our preachers have held services, as usual, 
 incident while quietly in camp. This is Sunday, and 
 the weather is all one can desire. 
 
 The peace that reigns, is broken. An orderly from 
 Corps HdQrs. rides up to the Genls tent, salutes 
 the guard, who announces his arrival to the Genl — 
 
178 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 entering with his dispatch. Now then whats up; we 
 soon learn. Three of us orderlies, are called to boots 
 and spurs, and we each ride with our orders to each 
 brigade, and the quiet peacefullness gives place to 
 bustle and preparation. Tents come down, camp is 
 broken up in haste, as though the enemy were upon 
 us. A long train of cars is in waiting, and we are 
 soon on board bag and baggage; our horses occupy 
 one of the cars, and we are soon sailing northward 
 for Chattanooga. Thus it is ever in a soldiers life; 
 one hour we are surrounded by peaceful comfort, 
 the next finds us in uproar and action. 
 
 26th We arrive in Chattanooga in due time, the 
 journey accomplished in a few hours, while four 
 months was consumed campaigning over the same 
 territory. The third brigade remained on the train, 
 and continued on to Bridgeport, Ala. 
 
 Genl Newton is relieved as division commander 
 and I hear he is ordered to Dry-Tor-Tugas, 3 among 
 the Floridy Keys. Brig. Genl Wagner is in charge 
 in his place. 
 
 Oct 12th I receive orders to report to the A. A. G. 
 and am assigned to a desk in his office, and join the 
 clerical force and mess. 
 
 Oct 27th Our official records and books, are 
 stored at Nashville. The A A G requiring some of 
 
 3 Smith makes it sound as if Major General John Newton 
 was sent to the infamous Dry Tortugas Prison in disgrace, 
 when in reality he was sent in October to command the 
 District of Key West in the Department of the Gulf. 
 
July 5, 1 864 to December 3, 1864 179 
 
 them, I am ordered to go for them, transportation 
 papers are furnished, and a requisition, and a weeks 
 leave of absence. I board the train for N. 
 
 29th Reach my destination, go to the Kossuth 
 House, secure a room and get breakfast, after which, 
 I call upon the Post Q.M. with the aide of his assis- 
 tant in charge I secure from the warehouse our 
 HeadQuarter boxes, which we dug out from the 
 thousand and one belonging to the Army. Selecting 
 the papers and books required, I boxed them up, 
 and sent them by the next train. This duty accom- 
 plished, my time is now my own for a day or two, I 
 conclude to take in the town. About the first person 
 I met, was Moore, also a clerk in our office and who 
 was up here on a short leave of absence. We joined 
 issues, visiting Duffields theatre in the evening and 
 witnessed the Flying Dutchman; a mystic ship 
 sailed across the stage over a storm beaten sea, ac- 
 companied by thunder and lightning, quite a realis- 
 tic scene. After the play I took Moore to my hotel, 
 and we bunked together. Some time ago we had 
 jointly gotten up a personal, which we sent to the 
 Chicago Tribune, asking for correspondence from 
 the young ladies in the North, from those who could 
 sympathize with two lonesome soldier boys. I as- 
 sumed the nom-de-plume- of Charlie Morton, while 
 he was Harry Wilson. 4 
 
 4 The "Personal" advertisement which provoked these 
 letters appeared in the Chicago Tribune on October 26, 1864, 
 and read like this: 
 Wanted — Correspondence 
 
180 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 30th Received a telegram from our Assistant Ad- 
 jutant General to secure additional papers 8cc and 
 return with them at once. 
 
 Nov 1st Not greatly pleased at the curtailment of 
 my liberty, I get the required documents, and ac- 
 companied by Moore, we are enroute, as orders is 
 orders, and we must obey our superiors. 
 
 2d We reach Chattanooga only to learn the Divi- 
 sion had departed, having received hasty orders to 
 go to Athens Ala. So we take a return train back to 
 Nashville, according to the orders they left for me, 
 and take the western branch for Pulaski Tenn, and 
 there await the arrival of our troops which were 
 coming over land. We put up at the Tenn House. 
 
 Nov 5th The Division arrive and go into camp in 
 the outskirts of town. Our HdQrs are established in 
 a large mansion, the family move into one wing, 
 while we occupy the rest of the rooms. Our AAG's 
 office settles in the library, it being the best lighted, 
 and best suited for our purpose. The house is 
 situated within a fenced enclosure of several acres, 
 with fine open timber just beyond. A large planta- 
 
 Two young gentlemen, highly respectable, of good moral 
 character, are desirous of opening correspondence with as 
 many loyal ladies as see fit to respond to this, with a view to 
 friendship and mutual improvement. Ladies, do you 
 desire a friend, would you like to be a friend? If you can 
 with truth answer yes, then write to us, and our cor- 
 respondence and time will prove that we can appreciate a 
 friend. Particular attention paid those containing photos. 
 Address Harry Wilson or Charlie Morton, Headquarters 
 2d Div., — C, Chattanooga, Tenn. 
 
July 5, 1 864 to December 3, 1864 181 
 
 tion belongs to the place, mostly turned out to grass 
 and weeds. Private Sam Wheaton of the 88th 111 is 
 detailed to cook for our mess, and is an excellent 
 one; every thing edible that comes to his hand, is 
 sure to be cooked to the kings taste. 
 
 gth J M Arnold our chief clerk, Stull and my self 
 went to town, and did not return until the witching 
 hour of midnight. The moon shown through a misty 
 cloud bank, giving an uncertain light. As we arrived 
 at the gate leading into the grounds by a side en- 
 trance, we discovered a fat calf brousing about 
 among the furrows in the garden. An idea seemed 
 to strike us all three at once ; upon comparing notes, 
 we found it unanimous, to wit- the last fresh meat 
 we had, caused a discusion, as we were gathered 
 about the festive board, as to the genealagy, and age 
 of the animal from which it came. It was decided 
 that the said animal was too thin to cast much of a 
 shadow, and the butcher had to prop it up against 
 the fence in order to knock him down in regular 
 style, 8cc Sec, all this passing through our minds as 
 we looked upon his-calf ship with longing eyes. 
 Shaking hands all round, we decided then and 
 there, that his carcass should grace the walls of our 
 cook house before the rising of another sun. The 
 moon still hid her face behind the friendly clouds, 
 every body in the house, in the land of dreams. In 
 front of the house was the usual sentinel on his beat, 
 but if he should by accident discover our fell pur- 
 pose, we could bribe him to silence with a good slise 
 
182 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 of cutlets. Arnold planed our mode of attack; we 
 entered the enclosure, and made a circuit around 
 our victim, getting him into a far corner of the 
 Fence. This was done so quietly and silently, that it 
 would have done honor to a modoc indian, upon the 
 trail of a white man. With convenient stone in hand 
 we closed in on mr calf, who began to sniff trouble, 
 and made a dive for liberty. Stull siezed him by the 
 nose, and was almost upset, by the shock; the stone 
 came down between the eyes of the infant bovine, 
 and down he tumbled, a knife severed his jugular, 
 and in a moment his career was ended. Three Jack 
 knives, were put in opperation, and we soon had the 
 carcass properly skinned, and dressed; kicking a 
 hole in the soft soil, the hide, feet and head were 
 buried. Then taking up the remains, we transported 
 them to our kitchen, and hung them up, then re- 
 tired to our cots, chuckling at the surprise in store 
 for Sam and the boys in the morning; we swore to 
 eternal secrecy, and were soon in the land of nod. 
 loth Promptly we answered the call to breakfast, 
 and in silence enjoyed the look of suspicion that 
 greeted us, as we gathered about the board, and our 
 olfactories took in the flavor of the pyramid of juicy 
 cutlets piled up on the tin plate, that graced the 
 center of the table. Bantering remarks were freely 
 tossed about as feelers, but not a ghost of a smile did 
 we three crack; we could see that Sam was dying to 
 know how it came about, but we never let on. After 
 breakfast, Arnold suggested that Sam be delegated 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 183 
 
 to present the family of the house with a quarter of 
 the veal, intimating to them that it came from the 
 commissary department, which he did, and they ac- 
 cepted it with thanks. If they ever suspected it was 
 a part of their own property, we never heard about 
 it, so our conscience was relieved. 
 
 13th Since the advent of that veal, Sam has re- 
 gailed us with it through the whole gambet of 
 possibilities in cooking, cutlets, roast veal, veal 
 stew, 8cc winding up with veal hash. 
 
 News has reached us that Mr. Lincoln (honest old 
 Abe), has been re-elected president, and there is 
 great rejoicing by all the troops. I also get twelve 
 letters in the mail, answers to my add in the Chicago 
 Tribune. Their post marks would indicate that the 
 paper must have a broad circulation ; they range from 
 Nebraska to Connecticut and from Minnesota to 
 the Mason and Dickson [Dixon] line. I wade through 
 all of them, and find some of them interesting, and 
 some otherwise; some are long as the moral law, 
 others short and modest as though the writer did 
 not wish to be too familiar on short acquaintance, 
 or no acquaintance at all. Selecting the most prom- 
 ising, I put in some time answering; Moore received 
 a bunch also, and we read each others. 
 
 22d Nov Our peace and quiet is again disrupted, 
 by an order to move. We pack up all the office goods 
 and chattels in our charge, and place them in the 
 wagons. It is said Genl Hood with sixty five thou- 
 sand men is trying to get on our flank, and be- 
 
184 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 tween us and Nashville. Our Genl Thomas is too 
 wide awake to admit of any thing of that nature. 
 Hood may be, and undoubtedly is a good fighter, 
 but when he knocks against the rock of Chicamauga 
 (Pap Thomas) he will knock in vain. It is also re- 
 ported that Hood has boasted, he and his army will 
 eat their Christmas dinner in Nashville; lots of 
 events may occur in the coming month to alter his 
 opinions. We march to Lynnville and camp. 
 
 24th Two hours past midnight we are up and on 
 the road again, continuing on through the silent 
 night, and reach Columbia Tenn; today the rebel 
 Cavalry attacked our wagon train. The raiders ac- 
 complished nothing, as our infantry came up in 
 time and drove them off after a small engagement. 
 
 Learning that the 72d Ills is some where in these 
 parts, Will Sutcliffe is a member of that regiment, 
 one of my oldest and best friends, from the town of 
 three K's. After the fight was concluded, I rode 
 over to where he is located, and spent an hour with 
 him. They are holding a line of works, expecting an 
 attack; we sat down in the ditch and chatted over 
 old times. He is looking well, and takes things as 
 they come philosophically. When I got back to 
 HdQrs I found the tents pitched. 
 
 27th Still marching northward, cross Duck river, 
 and throw up a line of breastworks. The enemy is 
 close in our rear; our rear guard has fought all day 
 with their advance. Hoods Army out numbers ours 
 and he knows the fact, and is pressing us closely; 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 185 
 
 so far our retreat has been a masterly one, and is 
 directed by a wise head in whom our army have the 
 greatest confidence. 
 
 29th We reach Spring Hill. 5 The enemy have a 
 strong force of Cavalry and some infantry on our 
 flank. Our wagon train is so numerous, in order to 
 protect it, we are necessarily retarded in our move- 
 ments. If Hood knew our situation just at this 
 moment, and had his forces well in hand, I think he 
 could bring on a general engagement if he chose, 
 with what final results, no one could foretell. There 
 are many Generals, if they were in Thomases place, 
 would no doubt push forward for Nashville regard- 
 less of protecting our wagon train as a whole, know- 
 ing the enemy is too strong to risk a general engage- 
 ment; knowing too the rebs have had as much 
 experience, as the army of the Cumberland, having 
 seen as much service as our own men. In an en- 
 gagement today Genl Bradley late Col of the 51st 
 was wounded severely. 
 
 30th Our army marched all night, in order to get 
 into Franklin before the enemy reached there. Lying 
 in a curve of the Harpeth river, whose banks are 
 high and steep, with a bridge spaning the stream over 
 which all our trains and forces must pass, it is 
 necessary to make a stand here until the army has 
 got safely over. A part of our forces fall in behind 
 
 5 A good discussion of the Confederate difficulty at Spring 
 Hills is William T. Crawford's ff The Mystery of Spring Hill," 
 Civil War History, Vol. I, No. 2 (June, 1955), pp. 101-126. 
 
186 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 some earth works, about noon. The enemys Cavalry 
 were on our flanks all night long, but did no serious 
 damage, to our wagon trains ; we kept a good force 
 of infantry with them. Our troops are glad to take a 
 rest behind these works, after their long and weary 
 inarch ; the main body of our troops have already 
 crossed, and are well on their way to Nashville, 
 which is only eighteen miles distant. By 4 P.M. all our 
 wagons were inside our lines and crossing the bridge 
 as fast as possible. Most of the artillery has gone also, 
 just a few pieces here and there along the works. 
 The infantry left to guard the works, are strung out in 
 a pretty thin line in some places, with a brigade in 
 reserve to reinforce any point that might need them. 
 Between four and five o'clock the enemy opened 
 up a terrific fire from their batteries. The shot and 
 shell tore up the ground about the works in great 
 shape, and made big holes in the houses just back 
 of the line. Our skirmish line out in front lay down, 
 and our men lay close up to the works, knowing 
 full well what to expect next: a charge by the enemy. 
 My horse having been turned over to one of the 
 staff, his having gone lame it left me on foot, waiting 
 for our HdQr teams to cross in their turn. When the 
 Canonade opened, the shells flew in all directions, 
 and hastened the movements of the mule drivers; 
 our batteries opened up. A division of the enemy 
 came into view across the field, our skirmish line 
 retreating, as they advance. Our gunners worked 
 the few guns they had for all they were worth, 
 
July 5, 1864 to December 3, 1864 187 
 
 sending their shells through the ranks of the ad- 
 vancing enemy, making big gaps, which would close 
 up at once. They started on the double quick at 
 once, with yells from thousands of throats ; our in- 
 fantry opened fire, all along the line. The approach 
 to the bridge being some what higher than our 
 works, I could see every movement the enemy made, 
 until the smoke hid them. Their main attack was 
 against our right, where we had only a single line of 
 men, although our fire reached them from every 
 part of our line while they were crossing the field. 
 Where the 72d 111 was, the enemy came right over 
 the works, capturing some of them. Our reserve 
 came up and drove them out again. The rebel Genl 
 who rode a white horse, came right up to the breast- 
 works; he was brave but fool hardy, for with his 
 horses fore feet planted against the works, he was 
 shot and killed, both horse and rider was riddled 
 with bullets. Hundreds of the rebels were killed in 
 that desperate charge; the rest lay down in front of 
 the works while our men held the trenches. When 
 the sun went down, and the shades of night drew 
 its dark mantle over the bloody field, the enemy 
 retreated and our troops crossed the bridge and 
 took up their line of march for Nashville, burning 
 the bridge behind them. I got into one of our wagons 
 and rode to town. Many of the 51st were killed and 
 wounded, those too badly hurt to be moved were 
 left in charge of our Surgeons, who are left behind 
 to attend them. 
 
188 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Dec 1st Reach Nashville early this morning. Our 
 division take position on right of center near the 
 Granny White Pike. The past ten days have been 
 marked by trials and tribulations, almost constantly 
 on the march, with skirmishing daily, all culminating 
 in the fierce and bloody battle at Franklin last evening. 
 
 Dec 3d Genl [Washington L.] Elliott assumes 
 command of our division; Capt J [esse] E Jacobs his 
 brother-in-law is appointed A.A.G; Genl Wagner 
 again returns to his brigade. Our HdQrs are es- 
 tablished in a large house, belonging to a Mr Gor- 
 don. We clerks move our traps into the library, a 
 large commodious room, containing a large collec- 
 tion of books, which I determine to investigate as 
 soon as I have leisure time. 
 
 Our army is being rapidly placed upon a better 
 footing, as to numbers, Supplies, ammunition &c. 
 The fortifications, and forts are being strengthened 
 on all sides; we have some heavy ordinance in the 
 forts, and our field batteries are placed where they 
 will do the most good. 
 
 Union Soldier's Candlestick 
 
Chapter IX 
 
 Wherein Private Smith is in Nashville waiting for 
 Thomas to burst out of the city and attack Hood. He 
 is still with headquarters of the 2nd Division, com- 
 manded by Brigadier General Washington L. El- 
 liott, one of three infantry divisions in the 4th Corps 
 of Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood. 
 
 When the federal troops retire behind the well- 
 developed defenses of Nashville, Hood does not have 
 enough strength to attack, so he lays siege to the city. 
 Thomas prepares a comprehensive plan for attack- 
 ing Hood in what he hopes will be one of the decisive 
 battles of the war. But before he attacks, he wants to 
 equip his cavalry, now commanded by General 
 James H. Wilson; he is, however, under the strong- 
 est possible pressure from Grant to attack imme- 
 diately. But on December 8-Q freezing rain coats the 
 ground and Thomas is unable to attack until the ice 
 melts. Grant meanwhile prepares orders reliev- 
 ing Thomas and giving the command to Schofield, 
 but the orders are never sent; Grant then orders 
 General John A. Logan to take command but again 
 changes his mind and starts for Nashville himself. 
 The ice begins to melt on the 14th, and on the next 
 day the attack begins {and Thomas is never re- 
 lieved) . Thomas first hits the Confederate right, but 
 189 
 
190 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the main attack is on the Confederate left as an en- 
 veloping movement. Hood is in serious trouble by 
 the end of the day, but does not retreat; on the 16th 
 Thomas repeats his attack, and the Confederates 
 are badly defeated; they begin their retreat that 
 evening, effectively pursued by Wilson's cavalry. 
 This is the end of Hood's army as a major and ef- 
 fective military force. 
 
 Smith visits a surgeon's tent the evening of the 
 first day of battle, and on the second day sees Thomas 
 deep in thought, seated on a log, his staff within call; 
 later he witnesses an attack by Negro troops. Smith 's 
 division follows Hood, but when the Confederates 
 cross the Tennessee River, the pursuit is halted and 
 Smith goes to Huntsville, Alabama. Here Smith 
 attends a rural wedding, helps put out a fire in 
 headquarters, enjoys a reunion with his old friend 
 Morse, and applies for a furlough; he visits Nash- 
 ville, is ordered to Knoxville, Tennessee, and finally 
 arrives in Bull Gap, where his furlough orders 
 catch up with him. He reaches Chicago on April 8 
 and meets an old friend. 
 
 Dec 13th It seems, that the people at Washington 
 are getting restless, because Thomas does not pitch 
 into Hood at once. The wire pullers at our capitol, 
 are after his scalp. If Grant were in charge here, he 
 would politely, but forcibly tell them to — Go to — 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 l 9 l 
 
 he would open the fight when he was ripe and ready 
 and would not worry over their importunities. While 
 Thomas is next to Grant, in my humble opinion, as 
 a fighter, he is more modest and conscientious about 
 the destruction of his men. It is rumored that Thomas 
 is to be superceeded by Logan or some other General ; 
 I do not think the army will take kindly to this if it 
 be true. No one can be held in higher esteem as a 
 Commander than our "Pap Thomas" is accorded by 
 the Army of the Cumberland; they know his sterling 
 character, and have the greatest faith in his abilities. 
 
 Dec 14th The die is cast, ready or not, Thomas 
 must strike on the morrow. Orders are out that every 
 thing must be ready to attack in the morning; or- 
 ders of instruction for each division and brigade 
 are being sent, and the rank and file are notified. 
 Many of the men set themselves down to write to 
 their homes in the north, some to their families, 
 some to their sweet hearts, knowing that perhaps 
 ere the setting of another sun, the hands that are 
 tracing the lines to some loved one, may be stilled 
 in death; no one knows who shall be taken, or who 
 shall be left. Hood has made his boasts, that he will 
 quarter his army within the city, and eat his Christ- 
 mas dinner here. But he is counting his chickens 
 (or Turkeys) before they are hatched, as it were. In 
 case he makes his boast good, where oh? where will 
 the Army of the Cumberland eat theirs. 
 
 Dec 15th The friendly shades of night, has thrown 
 its dark mantle over us, covering both friend and 
 
192 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 foe. Hoods Army are still beyond our outer walls, 
 but the day has been marked by a most desperate 
 battle, resulting in no especial advantage upon ei- 
 ther side. Since early dawn, when the order was 
 given to advance to the attack, after a tremendous 
 bombardment of the enemys position, by all our 
 batteries from forts and works, after tons of iron, 
 shot and shell had been hurled into the enemys 
 works, the infantry started forward. Ceaseless has 
 the battle raged all day long; charges and repulses, 
 with counter charges by the enemy, which were re- 
 pulsed at each endeavor; encounters, between the 
 works in open field each side charging the other in 
 desperate action. Men have been slaughtered by 
 hundreds, in some instances, the line officers of 
 regiments have been all killed or disabled, leaving 
 the non commissioned officer in command of com- 
 panies. A large number of the enemys wounded 
 are within our lines at this hour, but as the same 
 ground has been fought over many times during the 
 day, so many of our dead and wounded remain with 
 the enemy. As darkness settled upon the field, the 
 fighting gradually ceased, and as the army rested on 
 their arms, the cooks came up, with great pails of 
 steaming hot coffee, and cooked meat which each 
 company receives. The reinforcement to the inner 
 man, is much needed after the exhaustive struggle 
 of the day. The ambulance corps are busily engaged, 
 searching for the wounded, whether friend or foe. 
 They are taken up, and conveyed to the surgeons 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 193 
 
 tents ; here they are laid upon a table, and examined, 
 bullets are probed for, wounds stitched up and 
 dressed, arms or legs cut off if too badly shattered to 
 be saved. Indiscriminately, blue or gray, are attended 
 to in turn as they are brought in; after the surgeon 
 is done with them, they are sent to the general Hos- 
 pital. Visiting one of these tents, used by our Hd 
 Qr surgeon, I find him with his assistants, up to 
 their elbows in gore; in one corner is a pile of mem- 
 bers of the human system, arms and legs, hands and 
 feet. A confederate is streached on the table, a long 
 lank six footer, with a sponge held to his nose; he is 
 unconscious that his right limb is being sawed off 
 just below the knee. In ten minutes the limb is on 
 the pile in the corner, the arteries taken up, the 
 flaps of flesh are lapped over, and strips of adhesive 
 plaster fastened over them, the bandages applied, 
 and the thing is done with neatness and dispatch. 
 In a few moments, he is revived, and holding up his 
 stump, regards it with sorrow, and is carted away to 
 make room for — next — who is a boy in blue, with a 
 bullet through his arm, and one in his breast, and so 
 the ghastly work goes on all night long. I turn in at 
 a late hour, tired of seeing the victims under the 
 surgeons knife. 
 
 Dec 16th While yet the sun lingers below his 
 eastern hills, all is activity within our lines, while 
 darkness still enshrouds the land. The cooks have 
 brought forward and distributed hot coffee and 
 cooked rations to the boys in front. All needed am- 
 
194 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 munition has been doled out, and as the first rays of 
 the rising sun begins to streak the eastern sky, our 
 batteries belch forth a rain of iron, at the enemy. 
 The thunderous racket these engines of war create, 
 as they send death and destruction into the enemys 
 ranks, must be witnessed to be appreciated. The 
 enemy open up their batteries in reply, as though 
 bidding defiance to any attack. The air is filled with 
 solid shot and shells, crossing each other, and it 
 behoves one to lay low, for the hour it lasts; then a 
 short lull. And now the real battle commences as 
 our lines raise up and advance, upon the enemys 
 lines. A large body of our forces become engaged, 
 some parts of the enemys lines are penetrated, and 
 many prisoners fall into our hands, officers and 
 men. A determined charge by a force of the enemy, 
 forces a portion of our line to give way. All the fore- 
 noon, the desperate struggle continues with some 
 advantage to us as the rebels are forced into new 
 lines. The rain of lead fills the air, and great num- 
 bers of wounded men are going, or being carried 
 to the rear. As I am passing to the left of our divi- 
 sion, I meet Genl Thomas, who is sitting upon the 
 end of a log, his right elbow resting on his knee, 
 with his hand nursing his stubby whiskers. He is 
 alone, his staff standing by their horses within call 
 in a slight depression below him, the bullets are 
 kicking up the dust all around his vicinity; they 
 seem not to be a disturbing element to his motion- 
 less figure. 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 195 
 
 It may be a fateful day with him, for today will 
 decide for him; in success his promotion, in defeat, 
 he is undone. The hissing of the bullets, nor the 
 screech of the passing shells disturb him not; he is 
 as motion less as the log upon which he sits. A 
 fresh brigade of troops (negroes) l pass to the front. 
 (Lieut Parks my old bunk mate before he was pro- 
 moted) is in one of the regiments. They have not yet 
 participated in the battle, but are now going in, 
 charging with a yell that sounds above the rattle of 
 musketry, and attracts the attention of the wavering 
 rebels, who seeing the black faces of their foe, get 
 into a frenzy, and fight like demons slaughtering 
 the poor blacks fearfully. A brigade of rebels, came 
 up to reinforce their decimated lines, and yelling, 
 no quarter — to niggers, fiercely attacked them. And 
 they had to give way, but brought some rebel pris- 
 oners back with them, and left behind a most un- 
 merciful number of their dead. Poor Parks was shot 
 all to pieces, among them. The rebels who were cap- 
 
 ^here were two brigades of Negro troops in the Union 
 army at the battle of Nashville. They were in a Provisional 
 Detachment commanded by Major General James B. Steed- 
 man and constituted the 1st Colored Brigade commanded 
 by Colonel Thomas J. Morgan (14th United States Colored 
 Troops, 16th U.S.C.T., 17th U.S.C.T., 18th U.S.C.T. and 
 44th U.S.C.T.) and the 2nd Colored Brigade commanded 
 by Colonel Charles R. Thompson (12th U.S.C.T., 13th 
 U.S.C.T., 100th U.S.C.T, plus two batteries of artillery). 
 Battery A, 2nd U.S.C. Light artillery was also in the battle. 
 These troops were on the extreme Union left and made 
 several determined attacks on Peach Orchard Hill, where 
 they were repulsed with very heavy casualties. 
 
196 
 
 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 
 Last Charge Brings Victory 
 
 tured by the colored troops, gave up with a very 
 bad grace; the officers especially, thinking it a dis- 
 grace to be captured by niggers, who, perhaps were 
 their former slaves, and whom may be, they had laid 
 the lash over their black backs before the war. One 
 rebel captain who was marching to the rear, siezed 
 the gun from the hands of one of his guards and shot 
 the negro down, but was promptly run through the 
 body by a sword in the hands of a white officer, 
 who was just behind him. Late in the after-noon our 
 forces make a concentrated effort, and vigorous 
 attack on all sides of the depleted ranks of the 
 enemy. A last charge with all our troops, and it is 
 successful, of most happy results. The discouraged 
 rebels throw down their arms by hundreds, or scat- 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 197 
 
 ter in every direction, except a few thousand who re- 
 treat in a body; the rest are routed, and the day is 
 ours. Hood with the remnant of his Army are in full 
 retreat. Most of their batteries, thousands of guns, 
 wagons, tents and supplies fall into our victorious 
 hands. The sun sets upon the sanguinary scene. 
 Misery, woe, and destruction upon all sides; every 
 part of the blood stained field holds its wounded 
 victims, and the dead, both blue and gray, inter- 
 mingled, everywhere. The field is filled with am- 
 bulances, and its corps of helpers, picking up the 
 wounded, black and white, blue and gray. The past 
 two days of mighty struggle, shows the courage and 
 endurance of our rebel foes, a courage worthy of a 
 better cause; and they were only whipped because 
 our troops were more determined to succeed, and 
 perhaps directed by a more masterly hand, than 
 Hood possessed. It seems that Mr Hood has changed 
 his mind, that the hospitality of his friends, among 
 the citizens of Nashville will be postponed indefi- 
 nitely. 
 
 Dec iyth Our division is on the road following 
 Hoods tracks. He is making for Mussel Shoals to 
 cross the Tenn. River. A storm of rain came up dur- 
 ing last night, and it is still raining; the roads are 
 muddy, but the troops accept the mud with cheer- 
 fulness. Rebel stragglers are turning up singly and 
 in squads; they are hungry, foot-sore and weary, 
 and wet with the rain, and most thoroughly dis- 
 couraged. Reaching the river, we learn that Hood 
 
198 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 has crossed with not more than three thousand 
 men; what a clear victory does this indicate. A few 
 days ago, with a confident army of sixty five thou- 
 sand men, which he is said to have had, reduced to 
 this pitiful remnant; it means that it will be impos- 
 sible to raise another army, in the west. With Hoods 
 Army destroyed, the rebellion is crushed, or so 
 much of it as relates to the west. Now let Grant and 
 Sherman in the east, go and do likewise, and soon 
 the banner of peace will wave over the again United 
 Nation. We receive orders to march to Huntsville 
 Ala. and go into camp. 
 
 J any 5 th The several divisions of the Army have 
 settled down, each at its designated point, for the 
 winter. Our Hd Qrs are located in a Plantation 
 Mansion, about one and a half miles from H. The 
 A. A. G's office as usual occupy the largest and best 
 lighted room in the place; a Mr McCawley is the 
 owner. 
 
 Jany 14th J M Baugher our fellow clerk has made 
 a discovery. While we were enroute to our present 
 quarters he fell in with a certain native ; a little pump- 
 ing on each side disclosed the fact that they were 
 related. The said native's wife's cousin had an aunt 
 by marriage, whose maiden name (before she mar- 
 ried her first husband) was Baugher. They were 
 delighted, especially the native. This forty second 
 cousinship led to a confidential chat, in which the 
 native said he had a daughter (Baugher beamed, and 
 pulled up his collar) ; it got limp again at once, 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 199 
 
 when he was told the young lady had a lover, and 
 they were to be spliced on the evening of the 14th, 
 today. John got an invite to the house, with permis- 
 sion to bring his friends, to witness the ceremony 
 and dance with the bride, so we sleeked ourselves 
 up, and after disposing of an early supper which our 
 cook kindly hastened for us, we mounted our steeds, 
 and started, fifteen strong, for the scene of action, 
 ten miles away. 
 
 Baugher assumed command, none of our party 
 being exactly certain of our route. After we had 
 gone a few miles we made enquiry of a native whom 
 we met. He said it was a right smart piece yet, but 
 if u-ons want to take a short cut u-ons can go over 
 the rise yonder, and turn off into the timber, and 
 when you come to a clearing, turn to the left, and 
 when you hit a road follow it to the place. Rather 
 indefinite, but as we wished to arrive early, con- 
 cluded to follow his advice. The sun had set and left 
 a hazy moon light, which gave us an uncertain light 
 through the trees; we found the clearing all right, 
 but unfortunately took the wrong way out of it, got 
 into a cow path, which we followed in indian file, and 
 were landed up against a high rail fence surround- 
 ing a small enclosure in which stood a log house. 
 
 About seven dogs, of seven varieties greeted our 
 approach with a combination of howls and yelps, 
 which brought their owner to his door, to see what 
 his hunters had treed. When he discovered us, a 
 squad of mounted yanks, he kicked and cuffed his 
 
200 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 Canines into silence. Then we asked him where we 
 were at, and were very muched ^pleased" to learn, 
 we were about three miles out of our way, which re- 
 minded me, of the old saying, that short cuts on a 
 strange country are generally a long way round. 
 However he told us of a short cut by which we could 
 reach our destination. We are dubious of short cuts, 
 but it was now far into the night, so we concluded to 
 give it a trial. A heavy frost was on the ground and 
 the moon was well up over head. This time we came 
 out all right, but were rather uncertain as to whether 
 we would find any body up, as it was about eleven 
 o'clock. 
 
 There was a dim light struggling through a cur- 
 tain, which was over the single front window of the 
 log house; quiet reigned about the lonesome place 
 until we were discovered by the usual number of 
 cur dogs that seem to be always in force at these 
 country abodes. They greeted us with some yelps in 
 do, ra, me, tones, which brought our host to the 
 door. Baugher made himself known to his "relative" 
 who then invited us to dismount and enter; we ex- 
 plained why were were so late. He said he had given 
 us up. The ceremony had come off about nine o'clock. 
 Most of the guests had gone home, also the fiddler; 
 some young ladies still lingered, and the bride and 
 groom regarded us bashfully. The ceremony of in- 
 troductions was gone through in a hap hazzard man- 
 ner. The bride is seventeen, while the groom is 
 about two years older. 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 201 
 
 Some one suggested that we go and get the band 
 and have a dance, which seemed to be favorably 
 received by every one, so I volunteerd and took 
 two of the boys. He lived only a mile off, and we cov- 
 ered the distance in quick time, found the place, a 
 cabin in the woods, with not a sign of life about it, 
 not even a dog to give us a welcome bark. Nothing 
 daunted we thumped on the door. A voice from 
 within wants to know, whose there. Telling him 
 where we were from, he unbolted the door and in- 
 vited us in. The place was in darkness, the wood 
 fire in the fire place being banked up with ashes. He 
 raked the ashes aside, and the fire blazed up, dis- 
 closing him in undress uniform just as he had got 
 out of bed. The house had only the one room, and 
 by the dim light of the fire, we discovered a couple 
 of beds, one occupied by his wife. In the other was 
 visible two black heads belonging to his grown up 
 daughters; none of the quartet seemed to be at all 
 embarrassed at our midnight intrusion. Mean time 
 the old man was getting into his clothes while we 
 explained matters. He did not at all object to go back 
 with us, especially after it was suggested, his time 
 would be liquidated with some of the present coin 
 of the relm. He also said the girls might go too if 
 they liked, and we were just about to beat a hasty 
 retreat, thinking they might refuse to arise in our 
 presence, but they declined, saying they were too 
 tired. The old gent said he had a mule in the lean-to 
 out side, and if we would saddle him, while he was 
 
202 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 getting ready, it would expedite matters; so we 
 acted as groom for once, and brought the unwilling 
 steed around. He dident seem to enter into the 
 spirit of the occasion at all; we took care not to be to 
 familliar with his mule ship, especially his business 
 end; mules in general have a knack of introducing 
 themselves to strangers by the back action of their 
 heels. However our band was soon mounted with 
 his instrament in a cottan bag tucked under his arm, 
 and we rode back from whence we came, and ush- 
 ered him in triumph within the waiting circle. The 
 fun is about to commence, let joy be unrestrained. 
 
 Our band commenced to tune up. And we stood 
 up in a double row, Baugher being master of cere- 
 monies, with his fifty second cousin (the bride) for 
 a partner. The groom stood with his back to the 
 mantel, and dident seem to partake of the general 
 joy, looked rather gloomy; in fact, I guess he wished 
 we had stayed away. If he had the least bit of humor 
 about him, he would soon have had the laugh on 
 us. Allready, and the band began to play, and we 
 started in to shake the light fantastic toe, as it were. 
 But the tune and time, that greeted our ears, was as 
 greek to the Egyptians, and we were in confusion 
 in no time. There wasent a dragoon among us that 
 knew what to do; the band paused to enquire whats 
 the matter; we asked him to play something famil- 
 liar, naming several dances, but we found he dident 
 know a thing but the wheezy old dead and gone tune 
 he was playing. He was as bad as the old Coon Skin 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 203 
 
 in Arkansas, who could only play the first half of the 
 Arkansas traveler. One of the boys said he could 
 play a square dance, but after snapping two of the 
 strings trying to get the thing up to the proper key, 
 he gave it up in disgust. And so ended our antici- 
 pated frolic in a decided fizzle, and we chewed the 
 cud of bitter disappointment, as there seemed to be 
 nothing else in sight to chew in the way of edibles, 
 or nothing to wet our whistles with either, we paid 
 the band for his broken strings and time, and as 
 there seemed to be nothing further to amuse us, we 
 bid the host and the rest good by. We straddled our 
 impatient animals and departed, about the sma' hour 
 of one. 
 
 We enlivened the homeward gallop, by poking 
 fun at Baugher; asked him about his uncles Aunts 
 and Cousins, and other relatives, which he took in 
 good part. We reached quarters tired and sleepy, 
 after our more than twenty miles ride just as day 
 began to lighten up the eastern sky. 
 
 24th I have been thinking of my poor old Will 
 today. Will Sutcliffe, who was captured at the battle 
 of Franklin; he was yanked from behind the breast- 
 works, by the rebels; he stuck to his post a moment 
 too long, and was taken prisoner. Our rallying force 
 which drove the rebels out again, came a moment too 
 late to save him. I suppose he is languishing in that 
 death trap, Andersonville, where it is said, many a 
 man who was unable to stand the torture and starva- 
 tion inflicted upon them, had deliberately crossed 
 
204 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the dead line, knowing it was instant death; know- 
 ing that his brutal guards would shoot him down 
 at once; preferring a quick death, to lingering tor- 
 ture and final ending. 
 
 If all the stories told of this terrible place are only 
 half true, it is small wonder that many of the pris- 
 oners loose their reason, and seek a quick death at 
 the hands of their guards, thus ending their misery. 
 With no shelter from the hot broiling sun at mid- 
 day, or from the down pour of storms, with hardly 
 enough to eat to keep body and soul together, I sin- 
 cerely hope my friend Will, will escape with his life. 
 
 25th We had quite an exciting time today. Fire 
 was discovered on the second floor, over our office. 
 The family who occupy the east wing, got into a 
 frantic state thinking they would be burned out of 
 house and home. 
 
 Our office force turned ourselves into an im- 
 promtu fire brigade at once, calling for all the buck- 
 ets about the premises, filling them from the cistern. 
 I got an ax and pryed up the flooring and the fire 
 was quickly drowned out with slight damage. The 
 female portion of the family were very profuse in 
 their thanks, which we took in with proper modesty, 
 but the truth was we were as anxious as they, not 
 to be turned out of our comfortable quarters. 
 
 Feb 3d My old chum and bunk mate turned up 
 today, after an absence of about fourteen months, 
 in several rebel prisons. He was captured during 
 the second day's battle of Chickamauga 20th Sept 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 205 
 
 1863, when I came so near falling into the hands of 
 the enemy, together with a couple hundred others, 
 we being cut off from our lines. Fortunately for us, 
 we defeated the force sent to take us in, turning the 
 tables on them, by capturing many of them, whom 
 we could only disarm and turn loose again, as we 
 were several miles south of the enemys lines. Morse 
 entertained us with a vivid description of his ex- 
 perience; had been taken from one prison to an- 
 other, each worse than the last, and was half starved 
 in all of them. He was nearly eaten up in all of them 
 by the vermin that swarm in all the prison holes. In- 
 deed his frame gave evidence of great shrinkage. He 
 looked like the famous skeleton that was said, was 
 drawn through a knot hole. 
 
 We promised to feed him up, and get his consti- 
 tution into its old time condition, but he said he 
 only came to get his furlough, which is granted to 
 all returned prisoners in his condition. 
 
 He said his principal diet was stale corn bread 
 and hope, the latter he had to supply himself; many 
 a poor fellow had succumbed when his supply of 
 hope had given out. 
 
 Morse said, he had about become ripe for a south- 
 ern grave, and was getting ready to wrap the mantle 
 of despair about his shakey frame, and give up the 
 ghost, when one day he had the luck to be called, 
 and join a batch of prisoners for exchange. He said 
 he was as weak as a starved cat, the joyful news 
 nearly upset him. 
 
206 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 6th Lakey, Perviance, Baugher and myself are no- 
 tified that we may be called as witnesses in a case to 
 come up before a sitting Court Marshall at Decatur 
 Ala, but are left in the dark as to the nature of the 
 trial, and can not imagine what we know about it, 
 what ever it is. 
 
 Mch 8th I have decided to apply for a furlough, 
 and take a trip north; if I can get our Genl Elliotts 
 endorsement, it will go through. Ordinarily the 
 course of an application, is through the A A G's office, 
 that is our office to Capt Jacobs 2 , our A.A.G. But as 
 none of us care to ask a favor of him, he being un- 
 popular among his subordinates, I take my written 
 application to Capt Sibley, who readily endorses it 
 with his approval. Then I present it personally to 
 the Genl. who takes charge of it with a promise to 
 send it forward approved, so half the battle is won 
 at the start. And as the fate of such a request gen- 
 erally depends upon the first two or three endorse- 
 ments, it is pretty sure to come back granted, after 
 ascending step by step through the various degrees 
 to Department Hd Qrs. Why do I want a furlough? 
 Why I want to get back to civilized life again if only 
 for a limited time. The war is virtually over, here in 
 the west at least, and will soon end in the east, with 
 
 2 This captain was Jesse Elliott Jacobs of Pennsylvania. 
 He became a captain in July of 1862, was breveted Major and 
 Lt. Colonel in March, 1865, and on the same day Colonel, 
 for faithful and meritorious service during the war. Each 
 reader may decide for himself the degree to which captain 
 Jacobs persecuted private Smith. 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 207 
 
 Sherman on the south of Richmond and Grant on 
 the north it's only a matter of time when Lee and 
 Johnson will capitulate; and then, peace once more. 
 
 20th I receive orders to go to Nashville and bring 
 back some books and records belonging to our Hd- 
 Qrs. Procuring transportation 8cc. I board an out 
 going train. The R R is in horrible condition, the 
 rails are bent into hills and hollows, and we bump 
 along over them in momentary expectation of being 
 dumped in the ditch. 
 
 2ist Reach my destination, and climb out of the 
 freight car, pulling myself together to be sure my 
 bones are all intact and no joints dislocated, or shook 
 loose. I present my credentials to the Post Q.M. and 
 secure the desired articles. 
 
 23d Am back again once more, and feel as though 
 I had gone through a campaign; I think it will take 
 a week to get my anatomy into its normal condition, 
 one of the cars, caught fire from a hot box on the 
 forward part of the train, and was well under way 
 before it was discovered. S toping near a ditch with 
 water in it, the crew soon had the fire out. 
 
 25th Mch Orders reed, to break up camp and 
 move to East Tenn. and perhaps on through West 
 Virginia; sufficient cars are provided to convey our 
 division, bag and baggage, and we are soon en route 
 for Chattanooga. 
 
 29th We have passed through C- via Stevenson 
 Ala. 8c Loudon Tenn. and arrive at Knoxville, 
 where we disembark. A curious freak of nature, or the 
 
208 Private S?nith's Journal 
 
 elements, transpired, a puzzler for the gray heads 
 of science; Robt Smith, Dink and myself, were 
 standing near the head car of our train, the engine 
 having left us, when of a sudden, one of the most 
 terrific thunder storms came up, or down more prop- 
 erly speaking. We three sought shelter beneath the 
 car, to await its passing. Brilliant flashes of light- 
 ning, and most deafening peals of thunder followed. 
 While we sat with our knees under our chins gazing 
 up the track, a terrific crack of thunder, occurred, 
 accompanied by a flash that lit up the universe, it 
 struck between the rails some distance up the track, 
 and a ball of fire, or bolt of lightning or what ever it 
 was, about the size of a bullet, came down the track, 
 like a shot from a rifle, passing lengthwise under the 
 car where we sat; in fact it passed between us, and 
 we felt the heat on our faces, as it passed with a hiss 
 like the sound of a bullet. It exploded just beyond 
 us, making a sound like the firing of a musket. The 
 air was filled with a sulphorous smell; our first im- 
 pulse was to dodge and dive out into the deluge, but 
 we were paralized as by an electric shock, to say we 
 were startled, would poorly express our sensations; 
 we were scared, and no mistake, and decided unani- 
 mously we had had the closest shave of the war, 
 from being totally annihilated. I was forceably re- 
 minded of my experience upon the Cumberland 
 Mountains in the clouds. 
 
 April 1st Following the line of R R. by easy 
 marches we arrive at Bulls Gap, in the mountains 
 
December 13, 1864 to April 8, 1865 209 
 
 near West Virginia. In the mail which was received 
 this evening, my furlough came to me approved, 
 Amen. Perviance also reed, one for twenty days, and 
 we conclude to travel to civilization in company. 
 
 April 3d We bid good by to the mess, and take 
 the cars for Chattanooga. On arriving we are greet- 
 ed by the glorious news, that Richmond had fallen, 
 with no particulars however. But this much was 
 enough to send us on our way rejoicing, for was it 
 not a presage of the end of the war, and another vic- 
 tory for Grant, and the army of the Potomac. The 
 troops in the east have been battering away at the 
 portals of the Capital City of the Confederacy for 
 more than four long years. 
 
 6th Perviance and I, land in Louisville Ky. and 
 here we part company, he going on to his home, 
 and I continue on towards Chicago. 
 
 8th Reaching my destination as hungry as a 
 hunter, I hunt up Andersons restaurant on Clark 
 near Randolph St determined to get out side of a 
 good square breakfast. Entering the open portals of 
 the palace of porter house steaks Sec, I ran up against 
 a great and pleasurable surprise, in the form of an 
 old and valued friend, none other then Chas R 
 Sanders, (Cal) 3 . I was struck all of a heap as the say- 
 ing is, having lost sight of him for many moons, and 
 
 3 It is hard to know just what Smith means here. The official 
 records of the Illinois Adjutant General report that Calvin 
 Smith deserted October 19, 1864. Whether Private Smith is, 
 with his tongue in his cheek, describing a meeting with his 
 
210 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 did not know whether he was in the land of the liv- 
 ing or not. The pleasure of our unexpected en- 
 counter, I dare say was mutual; I enjoyed my break- 
 fast with great relish, while mutual explanations fol- 
 lowed. His regiment was stationed here and making 
 preparations to depart for the Western plains, to 
 take care of the restless indians. After my breakfast 
 we went over to the Central Hotel, I engaged a 
 room, and then we took a stroll about town, and 
 down to the lake front. At the noon hour we went 
 back to my hotel and had dinner, after which he 
 returned to his camp. 
 
 April 10th Confirmation and particulars of the 
 capture of Richmond continue to arrive. Lee evac- 
 uated, and our troops took possession. This means 
 that the cruel war is nearing its end, for Lees army 
 out side of their citadel will soon be compelled to 
 capitulate. General rejoicing is the order of the day; 
 rejoicing is not unmixed with sadness, when one re- 
 members the thousands of stout hearts and willing 
 hands, that marched away from home and friends; 
 that went away to fight for the liberties of the free'st 
 country on earth; that sacrificed their lives for free- 
 doms cause, whose bones now lie burried in the 
 far off south, on the battle field and plain, with 
 scarce a mound to mark the spot where they fell. 
 
 brother, or whether there was a real "Charles R. Sanders 
 (Cal)," is now impossible to determine. If this is brother 
 Calvin, perhaps after his defection, he did enlist in a different 
 regiment, one destined to go west and fight Indians. 
 
Chapter X 
 
 Wherein Smith is on furlough in Chicago; it is here 
 he learns the shocking news of Lincoln 's assassina- 
 tion. After a visit to Kankakee, Smith goes boating 
 on Lake Michigan and barely reaches shore safely 
 when a storm comes up. On May l he joins the 
 long, silent line that passes before Lincoln 9 s body 
 lying in state at City Hall. When his furlough ends, 
 he reports to division headquarters near Nashville; 
 after several serious disagreements with Assistant 
 Adjutant General Jacobs, he is relieved from head- 
 quarters duty and ordered to return to Company C 
 of the 51st Illinois Infantry. The next day, however, 
 in spite of Captain Jacobs, he is assigned to depart- 
 ment headquarters in Nashville. In Nashville he 
 enjoys an easy, pleasant life, and is often able to go 
 to the theatre; once he falls down a roof while fight- 
 ing a fire, but he lands without injury; later he 
 succumbs to the craze of autograph collecting. 
 Granted another furlough, Smith reaches Chicago 
 on August 3 but decides to go East. After seeing 
 the sights in New York, he goes on to Providence, 
 Rhode Island. Here he finds life a steady round of 
 parties and excursions, and overstays his leave. After 
 visiting Bunker Hill he heads back to Nashville 
 and more easy occupation duty, interrupted by 
 211 
 
212 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 the execution of the guerilla Champ Ferguson. 
 On November 3, learning that his regiment is being 
 mustered out, Smith applies for a discharge, is 
 ordered to Springfield, Illinois, and is mustered out 
 of the army on November 7, 1865; his journal 
 ends in Chicago on the next day. 
 
 April 15th The city is in a ferment of excitement. 
 Groops of citizens are congregated upon every street 
 corner discussing the all absorbing topic of news. 
 The telegraph reports that our President Lincoln 
 has been shot, assassinated while sitting in a box at 
 Fords Theatre in Washington. Expressions of anger, 
 and horror, mingled with sorrow are heard upon all 
 sides. Indignation in deepest terms is heard from 
 every one. To think that just as the angel of peace 
 was about to spread its white wings over our coun- 
 try, the Angel of death steps in and cuts short the 
 life of our nations best friend. Just as the light of 
 day is about to dawn upon, the close of the long 
 struggle, death should claim our Noble President 
 for its victim, just as he was prepared to enjoy the 
 fruits of a noble and unselfish career. The saving of 
 a nation, and striking off the chains that bound the 
 lives of millions of slaves, making them free: "Oh! 
 justice where art thou, that you have been blinded, 
 and allowed this thing to be, Justice!, go and hide 
 your face for very shame. Why did you let this 
 monster to be begot, why allow him to be fostered 
 
April is, 1865 to November 8, 1865 213 
 
 among men, that it was not strangled at its birth, 
 did you not know that it would fasten its villainous 
 clutch upon the throat of an innocent victim, and 
 destroy a man as far above him, as a white winged 
 angel of Heaven, is above a black winged demon of 
 the Nether regions ?["] 
 
 But right here in our midst is three of the villains 
 deciples. They walk the streets, shouting for joy 
 that the innocent is slain. They cry 'tis good enough 
 for him. The words falling upon the ears of excited 
 citizens, is like unto burning tow applied to a barrel 
 of gunpowder. They shoot 1 the villains so quickly, 
 that the cry dies in their throats mingled with the 
 death rattle. All three drop in their tracks, shot by 
 men who love justice; the bodies lay there for some 
 time, as a warning to those who may entertain like 
 centiments. No one attempts to molest the slayers; 
 the law takes no heed; the swift Justice is approved 
 by all good citizens. 
 
 lyth I take a run down to Kankakee, to see my 
 old friends and neighbors, stay until the 22d and 
 wished to remain longer, for all the young people, old 
 friends, have entertained me royally. Upon reaching 
 Chicago, Sanders met me and we take pot luck to- 
 gether, and stroll about town the rest of the day. 
 
 April 25th In a fit of lonesomeness a sort of 
 
 1 None of the surviving Chicago newspapers mention these 
 murders. This sounds like the kind of rumors that could 
 have been current in Chicago on April 15th. Smith does not 
 say that he either saw the shooting or the bodies. 
 
214 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 dontknow what to doativeness comes over me; 
 mechanically I saunter down to the lake front, hire 
 a boat, and rowing out a mile or more from shore, 
 and rest upon my oars. The warm sun spreads its 
 rays over the bosom of the lake. Surrounded by the 
 calm waters no breath of air ripples its surface only 
 an easy long swell, like an incoming tide on the 
 ocean. Far away from the noise and turmoil of the 
 city, it is a place to rest and dream day dreams. 
 Looking northward over the vast expanse of this 
 inland sea, it is dotted here and there with black 
 hulls and white sails, of many ships; farther, as far 
 as the eye can reach, where the blue sky and blue 
 waters meet, the little black lines seemingly emerg- 
 ing from the water, with long black streamers of 
 smoke issuing from them, indicate steamers, while 
 issuing from the mouth of the river, are the swift 
 gray hounds of the lake, the pilot tug boats, darting 
 swiftly after their prey, the vessels they tow into 
 port. Taking no heed to the passage of time, I am 
 suddenly brought to realize that the wind is rising, 
 by the sound of the little choppy ripples that knock 
 against the sides of my boat. Looking towards the 
 east I discover a low bank of clouds capped with 
 black heads, which means, a squall is coming up if 
 no worse, and being aware its no joke to be caught 
 out on the lake in a storm, in a small row boat, I 
 conclude to make tracks for terra-firma. As my boat 
 raced over the water under a long steady pull, I 
 could see the long rolling swells coming towards me 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 215 
 
 showing their teeth, of white foam, as though the 
 mighty waters were taking deep breath, as if pre- 
 paring itself for the mighty struggle with the storm 
 king. How like unto the human race, is the warring 
 of the elements; how like an army of soldiers, 
 calmly marching forward, with no disturbing ele- 
 ment in sight, carelessly they move along, when 
 suddenly, perhaps unexpectedly, the enemy turns 
 up. Then every one is on the alert; the preliminary 
 commotion is started, the excitement of anticipation 
 prevails. The first volley is fired, and the human 
 strife begins; one body of men will charge, as 
 though they would fly at the throats of the enemy, 
 with a chorus of yells that awaken the echoes. The 
 keel of my boat grates upon the shore, and none too 
 soon ; the big drops of rain commence to fall, and 
 the wind is lashing the waves into foaming crests. 
 
 May 1st The remains of our late President ar- 
 rived today and was escorted by a vast number of 
 citizens from the funeral train to the corridor of the 
 City Hall, where lying in state, it was viewed by 
 thousands, who slowly file by the bier. Getting into 
 the line, I look upon the still form and calm features 
 of our Lincoln, lying in his narrow bed. There 
 passed through my mind, thoughts of the greatness 
 which so recently animated that silent form; the 
 grand achievements so nearly completed, the lasting 
 results of which will embalm his memory in the 
 hearts of his fellow men. 
 
 As I gaze upon the homely features, so still and 
 
216 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 motionless, homely in life, beautiful in death, I 
 think of the honest old Abe whom the soldiers 
 loved so well. Soon he will be laid away in his 
 silent tomb, there to await his final reward at the 
 hands of his Master, f 'May his soul rest in peace." 
 
 May 5th My furlough is about to expire, and I 
 must turn my face towards the sunny south, once 
 more. Thanks to the powers that be, it is not likely 
 to be for long. Friend Sanders accompanies me to 
 the depot, and I depart on the evening train. 
 
 yth Reach Nashville without incident, and learn 
 our division has returned from East Tenn. and 
 gone into camp near town; ascertaining their where- 
 abouts, I hasten to report for duty, reaching Head 
 Quarters in the midst of a severe rain storm. The 
 boys welcome me back among them; by the time 
 they all got through shaking my hand, I thought I 
 should have to send my arm to the hospital for 
 general repairs. They also gave me a friendly warn- 
 ing to be very circumspect in the presence of our 
 noble A A G. Capt Jacobs, whom it seems has 
 developed into tyrannical ways, with those im- 
 mediately under his supervision. 
 
 May i6lh I am in correspondence with J Middle- 
 ton Arnold formerly of this office, who was pro- 
 moted to Capt Porters office, at Hd. Qrs. Mil. 
 Div. of the Tenn., Genl Geo H Thomas Command- 
 ing, with a view to succeed him there, as he has 
 been commissioned as Major, and appointed A A G 
 of the State of Tenn, Parson Brownlow Governer; 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 217 
 
 Our J. E. J. is becoming more aggressive day by day. 
 
 25th The climax was reached today, when with 
 no just provocation from my point of view, The 
 Great Captain opened up the batteries of his wrath 
 upon me, before the whole office. Without thinking 
 of the consequences, I sent it back to him in equal 
 force, greatly to the amazement of the rest of the 
 boys, and did not show the best of good sense on 
 my part, considering our difference in rank, but 
 only put the Captain in a white heat, and I was 
 immediately placed under arrest. 2 And one of the 
 boys was directed to make an official order which 
 he signed, ordering me to report at once to my 
 company, in the old 51st. I might have made an 
 appeal personally to Genl Elliott, being well satis- 
 fied he would reverse his Capt. judgement, but as 
 my application to Department Hd Qurs was pend- 
 ing, I concluded not to force the matter into more 
 importance. I bid the boys good by and departed, 
 for my regiment. Explaining matters to Capt Tilton, 
 he told me to take it easy pending events. 
 
 26th My official documents arrived from Nash- 
 ville today. I am ordered to report forthwith for 
 duty; taking in Div. Hd Qrs on my way, the boys 
 congratulate me on my promotion, also said that 
 after I had departed the day before, a paper had 
 
 2 There is no mention in the Illinois Adjutant General's 
 records concerning his arrest and return to the 51st. But 
 Civil War records leave much to be desired, and there is no 
 good reason to doubt Smith's story. 
 
218 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 reached there for indorsement, as to my charactor, 
 ability 8cc. The Captains province was to endorse, 
 and return it, which he did with a vengeance, as he 
 was still in his wrath towards me. The boys said the 
 paper was returned with an endorsement covering 
 all the available space, and gave me a charactor, 
 stubbornness, insubordination Sec too numerous to 
 mention. They thought my case was surely settled, 
 but my Major out ranked the Captain; besides he 
 knew me thoroughly, in fact we were old chums, so 
 the endorsement of our doughty Capt. was ignored, 
 and the order sent at once. Of course it went through 
 Div Hd Qrs, and through Jacobs hands; imagine 
 his feelings, at the impotancy of his wrath. I went 
 to Nashville and reported at once. After being 
 introduced to Capt L L Porter, in charge, the Major 
 initiated me into his late position, placing me in 
 charge of the furlough records. 
 
 The Major had a laugh over Capt Jacobs un- 
 worthy endeavor and we smiled as we recalled the 
 episode of the calf one certain midnight not so 
 many moons past. Then we walked down to the 
 Hotel-de-Cumberland, introduced me to his old 
 mess. This is a convenient building erected by order 
 of Genl Thomas for the accomidation of all Hd Qur. 
 clerks. My duties are of a much more responsible 
 character than at Div Hd Qrs, but the pay is three 
 times as much; the office hours are from 9 to 12, 
 and 1 130 to 4 p.m. The rest of the time is our own to 
 use or abuse as we see fit. 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 219 
 
 June 1st After office hours, I straddle a horse, and 
 take a run out to my old Div. Hd. Qrs. and call upon 
 the boys, who insist upon my taking pot luck with 
 them; spent a pleasant evening, and gave them a 
 general invite to take supper with me at the Hotel- 
 de-Cumberland. 
 
 June Qth A Fire started in our block at the upper 
 end, about one o'clock p.m. today, in Taylors Depot 
 of supplies. We all turned out to see it. Finding it 
 under such head way, that our office was in serious 
 danger, several of us got upon the roof of the next 
 building, which was a three story dwelling, with a 
 sharp steep roof; there was another roof about a 
 story lower in the back yard with only one long slant 
 towards the inner yard. Buckets of water were 
 drawn up by ropes, and we wet down the smoking 
 shingles, until the roof was as slippery as glass; 
 while changing position on the comb of my high 
 perch, I made a misstep, and shot down the roof 
 at a 2.40 gait. With nothing to stay my progress I 
 shot over the eves down on to the lower roof, with 
 presence of mind enough to light on my toes, and 
 thus break the shock a little; a big fellow made a 
 grab for me, but miscalculated the force of my fall; 
 he was tripped up, and we both sat down with more 
 force than elegance. This roof being as slippery as 
 the other, we stopped not upon the order of our 
 going, but went at once; down we slid, over the eves 
 we shot, and landed upon the hard ground; again 
 I break the jar by striking upon my toes first, and 
 
220 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 so sustained only a good shaking up, while my 
 would be preserver being a two hundred pounder, 
 landed much heavier, and flat footed. Dont think he 
 was much hurt, as he was able to rip out a few short 
 ejaculations, more forcible than choice. I took in the 
 rest of the show from the spectators stand point, 
 while I reflected upon the lucky fact, that my slip 
 occurred on the inner slant of the upper roof in- 
 stead of the outer, in which case I would have fallen 
 three stories, and landed on a stone pavement, and 
 no doubt my career as a fireman and soldier would 
 have come to an abrupt end. My epitaph might 
 have read something like this: he took a toboggan 
 slide, into eternity. The fire was quenched after it 
 had consumed Taylors place and five dwellings: a 
 few more and we would have been turned out of our 
 Hd Qrs. 
 
 June nth Another fire occurred today a greater 
 one than that of the 9th. The fire department is in 
 better shape now: I with several of the boys, stood 
 in the usual crowd of spectators. The pipe man in- 
 cidently turned his nozzle our way, and we got a 
 ducking, in fact a good soaking, so we had to go to 
 our abode and change clothing throughout. 
 
 20th An alarm of fire sounded after dark, several 
 of us started for the scene of action, and found an 
 officer lying insensible in the gutter, where he had 
 fallen from his horse. A hook and ladder co had col- 
 lided with him. We picked him up and took him 
 into the nearest house, while one of the bovs ran to 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 221 
 
 HdQrs for the surgeon, who came at once, and soon 
 brought the victim back to his senses, but he had to 
 be sent to the hospital. 
 
 July 4th This is the 89th anniversary of the 
 Declaration of Independence. At day light the forts 
 around the outskirts of the city awoke the echos, 
 by firing a national salute. It reminded me forcibly 
 of the 15th of last December, the racket and roar of 
 the big guns, only now they are all blanks that are 
 fired. 
 
 27th The daily routine of my office, while it is 
 not of an exacting nature, except as to promptness 
 in its hours. At 4 p.m. we quit for the day, and I 
 spend a good deal of my spare time in reading. I 
 am deeply interested in a book now, entitled The 
 Prince of the House of David. 3 A young Jewess goes 
 to Jerusalem on a visit to some relatives; she writes 
 letters to her father, relating passing events, it being 
 at the time of the advent of Christ. The letters take 
 the form of a narative, and gives one an interesting 
 history of passing events in and around Jerusalem. 
 
 A craze has broken out among the boys in the 
 several offices of the Department, that is to secure 
 the autographs of all the great men, and big guns 
 generally that occupy commanding stations around 
 us. I secure a lot, headed by the most illustrous 
 among them, Genl Geo. H Thomas Comdg. Dep. of 
 
 3 J. H. Ingraham, The Prince of the House of David; or, 
 Three Years in the Holy City (New York: Pudney and Russell, 
 1857). 
 
222 Private Smith 9 s Journal 
 
 the Tenn., Parson Brownlow Gov. of Tenn, and 
 state Treasurer Stanford and many others too numer- 
 ous to mention. I conclude to apply for a leave of 
 absence for thirty days, so I lay the matter before 
 our worthy Capt. Porter, charge -de -affairs of our 
 office; he being of a most kindly nature undertakes 
 to put it through for me. 
 
 31st The Capt. handed me my furlough, duly 
 signed by the commander in chief. Making an entry 
 of it in my big folio, the last until my return, I turn 
 my desk and duties over to Armstrong, pack my 
 grip and after bidding the boys good by, start on my 
 way to Chicago once more. 
 
 Aug 3d Making a quick trip, without a stop or 
 lay over, I reached Chicago this morning and put 
 up at the Central House. 
 
 yth I have paid a round of visits to all my friends, 
 and conclude to make a flying visit to Providence 
 R.I., securing a birth in a sleeping car through to 
 NY. 
 
 Qth Arrive at the great metropolis this morning, 
 and spend the day sight-seeing. Visit Central Park, 
 Barnums Museum and the Broadway museum of 
 anatamy. At 5 p.m. I get aboard a sound steamer of 
 the Neptune Line. After supper, with my cigar, I 
 promenade the deck, enjoying the salt sea breeze, 
 and watch the lights of the fast receeding City, as 
 we steam along Long Island Sound. Growing tired 
 of this I seek my birth and turn in, and soon fall 
 into the arms of Morpheous. 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 223 
 
 10th The Steamer made her wharf about six 
 a.m. Landing I hunted up a restaurant and ordered 
 breakfast principally oysters this being a favorite 
 dish of mine. Then boarding a street car, I soon 
 landed in Cranston, and make my appearance before 
 the astonished gaze of Sister Mary, who exclaims in 
 the first breath, Benshe-li-am a name associated with 
 me while in short frocks, curly hair and Juvenility. 
 
 20th The past ten days, have been red letter days 
 of enjoyment. All whom I have come in contact 
 seem to have tried to make my stay among them, as 
 pleasant as possible. Social gatherings at the house 
 music and mirth, the rides through the moonlight 
 delivering our load of Jolly couples to their several 
 homes in the City, a day on the beach, with an old 
 fashioned clambake, boating and bathing. Each 
 gathering marked by its own amusements, Crowding 
 in a months pleasures into ten days; variety is the 
 spice of life, they say. There has been all the variety 
 one could desire. The weather has been all that we 
 could wish for. 
 
 23d Joe, his better half, and myself, made a trip 
 to Boston, visiting the Museum. The large building 
 contains as great a variety of curiosities as it has been 
 my good fortune to see. We spent several hours 
 inspecting its several departments. Its great variety 
 of curios is both instructive and amusing. Its cases 
 are filled with hundreds of skeletons, of birds and 
 beasts and also of the human family, from many 
 climes; specimins of minerals from every where on 
 
224 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 the globe. The vegitable and floral exhibit, is not 
 one of the least. A specimen of the Mermaid with a 
 head about the size and shape of a sun dried monkey 
 of the ugliest type, with the body swallowed by the 
 latter part of a fish; Joe said it was manufactured to 
 order, no doubt of that, Nature would blush to 
 produce any thing so ugly. At noon tide, we all 
 agreed we were hungry. Turning our backs upon 
 the representations of a pre-historic age, we hunted 
 up a place very much of the present age, ordered 
 dinner for three. After dinner, we separated to meet 
 again at the depot at train time. I took a street car 
 for Charleston, getting off at the street leading up to 
 Bunker Hill monument. Reaching the entrance, I 
 was met by the custodion, who politely requested 
 me to register which I did, in a huge volume, think- 
 ing my name would be swallowed up instantly 
 among the ten thousand preceding me. Twenty 
 cents please, said my worthy janitor, and I went 
 down into my pocket, and tendered the shekels. 
 
 Within the central space at the base of the granite 
 pile, is a life sized statue of General Warren, in 
 white marble, representing one of the heroes that 
 defended the hill from the repeated attacks of the 
 red coats, in that time that tried men's souls. Climb- 
 ing the granite circular stairway to the top, count- 
 ing two hundred and ninety seven steps; this Cham- 
 ber will hold a number of people. The view from 
 each of the four openings is truly magnificent and 
 one is well repaid after his hard climb. Leisurely 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 225 
 
 enjoying the great panorama which covers a mighty 
 distance, in all directions, full of life and teeming 
 humanity; to describe its beauties is far beyond my 
 power, while I fully appreciated the scene. But time 
 and tide waits for no man, so I descend and make 
 my way to the B 8c M depot, and find Joe and his 
 wife waiting for me. Boarding the train, in one and a 
 half hours we are crossing the bridge spanning the 
 old Merrimac River at Haverhill, the old river where 
 in I have so often sported and where my early career 
 came very near being cut short one time by breaking 
 through the ice, near the mouth of Little River. On 
 a certain Saturday afternoon, a crowd of us boys was 
 on the ice, just below Little River bridge. There was 
 a rotten place in the ice which none of the boys 
 dare cross. I with no judgment, and less wisdom, 
 made a dash, and down I went, through the ice. As 
 the river was ten or more feet deep, at that place, I 
 went in up to my neck, over coat and boots on; 
 being an expert swimmer for a boy it did not scare 
 me a bit, but the boys danced around there, doing 
 nothing, to help me, so I tried to get back on the 
 ice, which would break through, and let me in 
 again; this continued for quite a distance, until I 
 hit some ice that the bridge shaded, and was thick 
 enough to hold my weight. Then the boys helped 
 me out. They took me under the arch of the bridge 
 on to an old flat boat and with the thermometer 
 ranging near zero, they stripped me to the skin, and 
 wrung all the water out of every piece, and helped 
 
226 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 me on with them; then they hustled me on a run 
 up and down until my blood was dancing. No bad 
 effects followed. I did not even catch cold, but the 
 next morning I did catch the whip on my bare legs. 
 
 31st Cousin Lucy and all her friends, have 
 clubbed together to make our visit a pleasurable one. 
 Pic-nic to Kinoza Lake, and Black Rock, excursions 
 down the river to Plum Island below Newberry port 
 Bay, a bathing party on the sandy shores of the old 
 Atlantic; the Parties, composed of Lucy, Joe and 
 his wife, sister Julia together with lots of the young 
 people; we have all had a jolly time. 
 
 Sept 1st Back again in Providence and decide to 
 stay another week. 
 
 jth I have overstayed my furlough, but the time 
 has passed so swiftly, that it is hard to realize it. 
 However I pull myself up short and decide to get back 
 to my duties, as fast as steam will carry me. Bidding 
 the good people farewell, at 5 p.m. I board a steamer 
 for NY. While we were rounding Point Judith there 
 was a fierce storm, and the waves rolled so high the 
 Steamer pitched every which way. I had to brace 
 myself in my birth or be pitched out on the floor. 
 
 gth Take the train for Cincinnati, passing through 
 Albany, Rochester, Cleveland and Columbus, O. 
 
 11th At 12 M. take Steamer for Louisville, arriv- 
 ing on the 12th, at 6 a.m. Transfer to the L & N 
 RR. Reach Nashville without incident and am once 
 more within the walls of the Hotel-de-Cumberland, 
 in good order. 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 227 
 
 Sept 13th Report my self to Capt Porter, who 
 shook hands, and thats all he said about my being 
 over due. I relieve Armstrong, and resume my old 
 desk. 
 
 27th By a mutual friend, I am introduced to 
 Capt Swisher, whose sister (Mrs Wright) is starring 
 upon the boards of Duffield's Theatre. He becomes 
 quite friendly, and gave me a general invitation to 
 let him know when I want to visit the theatre, and 
 passes for myself and any one of my friends will be 
 forth coming. 
 
 Oct 11th Have attended the play frequently, in 
 fact, have the run of the house, and my friend and 
 chum, Congdon likewise. Waldron and I while tak- 
 ing a stroll this evening, met a friend, who invited 
 us to go with him and witness a prize fight between 
 two Buffalo experts. Neither of us having seen one 
 fought by rules, conclude to go. The crowd we 
 found congregated, was a pretty mixed one, some 
 of them, had, ff tough" written all over their features, 
 and were easy to distinguish from the more respect- 
 able element. When time was called, the principals 
 faced each other, striped to the waist. They were 
 both fine specimens of muscular development. They 
 fought a good many rounds, until one was knocked 
 out, and failed to come up to the scratch when time 
 was called; both their faces was a sight; resembled 
 raw beefsteaks, well hammered; not an inviting sight 
 by any means. But the general crowd seemed to ap- 
 preciate the brutal sight, for they yelled themselves 
 
228 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 hoarse every time, a good blow was landed. For my 
 part, this one experience, satisfied me. 
 
 20th Through the influence of Col Ramsey a 
 party of us receive tickets of admission to the Yard 
 of the penitentiary, to witness the execution by 
 hanging, of the notorious guerilla and murderer 
 Champ Ferguson. He has been convicted of all the 
 worst crimes in the calendar, besides a score of cold 
 blooded murders. At the appointed time, we go 
 over to the prison, presenting our tickets, are as- 
 signed a position, just behind a single line of in- 
 fantry, formed in a half hollow square around the 
 scaffold. At the stroke of noon, the door of the jail 
 was opened, the prisoner came out with a deputy 
 on either side, a priest following with an open bible 
 in hand. They moved forward with slow steps, the 
 prisoner having his arms tied behind at the elbows. 
 He is dressed in a new suit of black. Amid the per- 
 fect silence of the spectators, he mounted the steps, 
 to the platform, seemingly with as much unconcern, 
 as any one present, except his face was very white. 
 He was placed upon the trap, the sheriff asked him 
 if he had any thing to say ; he answered so low we 
 could not hear it. The rope was placed around his 
 neck with the knot under his left ear. A black cap 
 was then drawn over his head and face down to his 
 chin, his feet tied together. The priest said a short 
 prayer, Col Shafer read the sentence, and stepped 
 aside. The sheriff took up a sharp hatchet, and 
 delivered one blow on the rope that held the trap, 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 229 
 
 which dropped; it, and the prisoner dropped about 
 six feet, with a sickening thug, with his feet within a 
 foot of the ground, the knees were slightly drawn 
 up once and then fell. The Physician with his fingers 
 on the pulse, in seven minutes, pronounced him 
 dead. The body was cut down, the prison gates 
 swing open, a wagon backed up, the remains was 
 placed in a pine coffin, and the wagon drove away. 
 Thus we saw the last of one of the worst desperadoes 
 that Tenn. has produced. 
 
 23d The good people of this vicinity are greatly 
 worked up, over a newspaper item, recently pub- 
 lished. It came out in starding head lines, giving an 
 account of the discovery of a hitherto unknown 
 cave, situated under a portion of the city. It goes on 
 to state that said cave is the rendezvoux of a band 
 of robbers, which have been terrorizing belated 
 people and stray soldiers, for the past several months. 
 It is said the entrance or, open se-same of this 
 robbers roost, is within the ghostly walls of one of 
 the many old tombs in the cemetery. A wild and 
 wooly romance eminating from the active brain of 
 some penny a liner, no doubt, who is connected 
 with the enter prising sheet. It is true however that 
 a great many highway robbers are in active business 
 in and around the City. They frequently maltreat 
 their victims; now and then they encounter a be- 
 lated soldier, and come out second best. 
 
 Nov 3d I learn through official sources that my 
 regiment, that was sent with the brigade to Texas 
 
230 Private Smith 's Journal 
 
 some time ago, have gone to Springfield, 111, and 
 been mustered out of the service, so I make applica- 
 tion to be discharged. Transportation papers are 
 promptly furnished; I also receive several letters of 
 recommendation, as to habits, charactor and ability, 
 and the kindly feeling of the donors; one from Maj. 
 Genl. Geo. H. Thomas, Brig. Genl. Win. B. Whip- 
 ple, his Chief of Staff; also one from Capt. L. L. 
 Porter, our office Chief. It being a spontaneous ac- 
 tion on their part, I duly appreciate it. This being 
 the eve of my departure, the boys get up an informal 
 supper at the Hotel-de -Cumberland. Gathered about 
 the festive board, we have nothing but excellent 
 good feeling for each other; many are the good 
 wishes expressed for our mutual prosperity, when 
 we lay aside the blue, and assume the garb of the 
 citizen. I am the youngest member of our mess, 
 though none of the rest are much older, so we feel 
 like a band of brothers. With a hand shake all round, 
 not forgetting the ebony hued cook and his portly 
 better half, or the small fry, who have kept our boots 
 in proper shine, my grip being already packed, I 
 hasten to the depot, and board the L 8c N train, and 
 we are soon speeding Northward. 
 
 5th Reaching Springfield, the Capitol of the 
 prairie state, register at the American House. After 
 breakfast, I hired a buggy and drove out, to the 
 sight of Lincolns tomb, at Oak Ridge. The body lies 
 within a metalic case; within the tomb, a strong door 
 of iron bars, guards the entrance, which is securly 
 
April 15, 1865 to November 8, 1865 231 
 
 locked. The inner door is open, so one can see the 
 interior and the casket. A soldier paces to and fro, 
 guarding the place. He told me it is guarded day 
 and night to prevent relic hunters from carrying 
 off the whole thing piece meal. The tomb is built 
 with large massive stones, which serve as a founda- 
 tion for the large shaft that is being erected im- 
 mediately over it; the sight is a beautiful one for 
 the purpose. 
 
 ylh Today I am a soldier no more. 4 1 have crossed 
 my last ditch, and entered the ranks of civil life. 
 The Adjutant of the State presented me with my 
 discharge papers, together with the sum that Uncle 
 Sam owed me, and I turn my back upon the past. 
 Four years and a month have I worn the blue, from 
 seventeen to twenty one. 
 
 8th Again I am in Chicago, and for the last time 
 I will scribble a line or two in my faithful journal, 
 and then bid you farewell. You have been my con- 
 stant companion for the past four years. I have 
 guarded you as the apple of my eye, not knowing 
 whether you would some day be finished completely 
 or if per chance your career might be brought to a 
 sudden end through the mishaps of war. My one 
 
 4 According to the Illinois Adjutant General's records, 
 Smith was mustered out of the army, being on detached 
 service, September 25, 1865. The 51st Illinois had been sent 
 to Texas in July, 1865 and was mustered out at Camp Irwin 
 in that state September 25; the regiment arrived in Camp 
 Butler at Springfield, Illinois on October 15 for final payment 
 and discharge. 
 
232 Private Smith's Journal 
 
 constant companion through out the struggle, in 
 the peaceful camp, or on the silent picket line, tramp- 
 ing on foot or in the saddle, through sunshine and 
 storm, you have stayed with me, when rations were 
 short and when the Commissary was full to over 
 flowing. On the field of battle when the deadly bul- 
 lets flew too thick for comfort, or the screeching 
 shell burst and scattered their ragged fragments 
 around us, you were there too. And those times 
 when you barely escaped with me, from falling into 
 the hands of the enemy, in which case if I had sur- 
 vived the rebel prisons, you would no doubt have 
 come to grief, as the rebs would have robbed me of 
 your presence. Holding between your covers, a true 
 history of passing events, if in future years I turn 
 to your pages, seeking to refresh my memory, I will 
 know your record is reliable. 
 
 B T Smith 
 
Inde: 
 
INDEX 
 
 Ackerman, Sgt. George B., 100 
 
 Acworth (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, li, 142, 154 
 
 Alabama, xii, xxix, xxx, xlii, liv, 19, 137, 165 
 
 Alexander, Gen. Edward P., xli, xlvi 
 
 Allatoona (Ga.), 1, liv 
 
 Allen, Charley, 133 
 
 Alpine (Ga.), xliii, 73, 74, 89 
 
 American House (Springfield, 111.), 230 
 
 Anderson, , 85 
 
 Anderson plantation (Tenn.), 73, 85 
 
 Anderson (Tenn.), 84, 85 
 
 Anderson's Ridge, 103, 105, 136 
 
 Andersonville Prison (Ga.), 203, 204 
 
 Arkansas, $3 
 
 Armstrong, 222 
 
 Army of Northern Virginia, xli 
 
 Army of Virginia, xxxv 
 
 Army of the Cumberland, xiii, xiv, xviii, xxii, xxxviii, xliii, 
 
 xlv, liv, 73, 75, 76, 119, Mi, 143, 185, 191- 
 Army of the Mississippi, xxxiv, 141 
 Army of the Ohio, xxxi, xxxiv, xli, 141 
 Army of the Potomac, xlvi, xlix, 112, 141, 209 
 Army of the Tennessee, xxxiv, xlvi, xlix, lviii, 141 
 Arnold, J. M., 181, 182, 216 
 Athens (Ala.), 46, 47, 180 
 Athens (Tenn.), 143 
 Atlanta (Ga.), xiii, xxviii, xlii, xlix, 1, li, lii, liii, liv, 141, 143, 
 
 164, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 176, 177 
 Augusta Railroad, 171 
 Austrian rifles, 43 
 
 Bailey, Sgt. Ivan L., 20 
 
 Balcom, , 83, 125 
 
 Barger 8c Smith, xi 
 
 Barnum's Museum (New York, N.Y.), 138, 222 
 
 Battle Above the Clouds, xlvii, 95 
 
 235 
 
236 Index 
 
 Baugher, J. M., 198, 206 
 
 Beauregard, Gen. P. G. T., xxxi, xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv, liii, liv 
 
 Belgium musket, 19 
 
 Belmont (Mo.), Battle of, xxxi 
 
 Berdan, Col. Hiram, 25 
 
 Berdan's sharpshooters, 25 
 
 Bertrand (Mo.), 22 
 
 Bird's Point (Mo.), 22 
 
 Blain's Cross Roads, 130 
 
 Booneville (Miss.), 43 
 
 Boston, Jack, 133 
 
 Boston (Mass.), 223 
 
 Bowen, James C, 103 
 
 Bowling Green (Ky.), xxx, xxxii 
 
 Boyd, , 128 
 
 Boyd, Lt. James, 98, 99, 100 
 
 Bradley, Col. Luther P., 25, 40, 41, 83, 90, 96, 185 
 
 Bragg, Gen. Braxton, xxvii, xxxiii, xxxv, xxxvi, xxxvii, 
 
 xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli, xlii, xliv, xlv, xlvi, xlviii, 19, 45, 46, 
 
 56, 73, 74, 89, 91, 93, 94, 122, 141 
 Brandy Station (Va.), Battle of, xxiii 
 Breckinridge, Gen. John C, xxxviii 
 Brentwood (Tenn.), 50, 69 
 
 Bridgeport (Ala.), xliii, xlvi, xlvii, 73, 81, 85, 94, 95, 178 
 Brownlow, Parson, 217, 222 
 Brown's Ferry (Tenn.), xlvii, 95 
 Buchanan, James, 58 
 
 Buckner, Gen. Simon B., xxx, xxxvi, xli, xliv, xlvi, xlviii 
 Buell, Gen. Don Carlos, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv, 
 
 xxxvi, xxxvii, xxxviii, 46 
 Bull Gap (W. Va.), 190,208 
 Bull Run (Va.), Battle of, 6 
 Bunker Hill monument (Mass.), 211, 224 
 Burnside, Gen. Ambrose E., xxix, xli, xlvi, xlviii, xlix, 53, 
 
 118, 119, 123, 129 
 Burnside's breech-loading carbine, 53 
 Burnsville (Miss.), 43 
 Buzzard's Roost Gap (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, 141, 146 
 
 Cairo (111.), xii, xxx, xxxi, 19 
 
Index 237 
 
 Calhoun (Ga.), 1 
 
 Calvary Cemetery (St. Louis, Mo.), xii 
 
 Camp Butler (Springfield, 111.), xi, 231 
 
 Camp Douglas (Chicago, 111.), x, lx, 3, 11, 15, 16 
 
 Camp Irwin (Tex.), 231 
 
 Card, Capt. James, 103, 105, 106 
 
 Catoosa Springs (Ga.), 145 
 
 Central Hotel (Chicago, 111.), 210, 222 
 
 Chamberlain, Capt. B. S., 100 
 
 Chatfield, Bill, 53, 54 
 
 Chattahoochee River, li, 164, 166 
 
 Chattanooga (Tenn.), xiii, xxix, xxxv, xxxvi, xxxviii, xli, 
 
 xlii, xliii, xliv, xlv, xlvi, xlvii, xlviii, xlix, 1, liii, 73, 86, 88, 
 
 94, 101, 102, 108, 112, 118, 119, 123, 125, 133, 134, 135, 
 
 137, 142, 165, 178, 180, 207, 209 
 Chattanooga Valley, 136 
 Cheatham, Gen. Benjamin F., hi, liii 
 Chicago (111.), xi, xii, 3, 11, 119, 137, 138, 139, 190, 209, 
 
 211, 222, 231 
 Chicago Legion, xvi 
 Chicago Omnibus Co., xi 
 Chicago Tribune, 166, 179, 183 
 Chickamauga (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, xxvii, xxviii, xliii, xliv, 
 
 xlv, xlvi, xlviii, xlix, liv, 74, 86, 90-102, 112, 123, 129, 204 
 Chicken Pike (Tenn.), 56, 61 
 Cincinnati (Ohio), xxxvi, 226 
 Cleveland (Tenn.), 143 
 Columbia (Tenn.), xiii, lv, lvii, 46, 47, 184 
 Columbus (Ky.), xxx, xxxi, xxxiii, 34 
 Columbus (Ohio), xl 
 
 Congdon, , 227 
 
 Cook County (111.), xvi 
 
 Cooper, Lt. , 100 
 
 Coppage, Cpl — >.63 
 
 Corinth (Miss.), xii, xiii, xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv, xxxvii, 19, 35, 
 
 37, 38, 39, 42, 43 
 Courtland (Ala.), 44 
 Cowan Station (Tenn.), xli, 80, 81 
 Cox, Gen. Jacob D., lvi 
 Cracker line, 95 
 
238 Index 
 
 Crawfish Spring (Ga.), 90 
 Crawford, Robert F., 148 
 
 Crittenden, Gen. Thomas L., xxxi, xxxviii, xli, xliii, xliv, 
 58, 74, 93 
 
 Crow, , 84 
 
 Culkin, Cpl. _, 65 
 
 Cumberland Gap, xxx, xxxviii 
 Cumberland Mountains, 80, 81, 208 
 Cumberland River, xxxi, xxxii, lvi, 18, 56, 77 
 Cumming, Col. Gilbert W., xxxiii, 25 
 Cummings, Lt. Thomas H., 100 
 
 Dallas (Ga.),li 
 
 Dalton (Ga.), xlii, xlviii, xlix, liv, 141, 147 
 
 Danville (Miss.), 43 
 
 Darling, , 116 
 
 Davis, Adj. Gen. Charles W., 20, 21 
 
 Davis, Jefferson, xxxviii, xxxix, xlvi, liii, 164, 165 
 
 Davis, Col. N. N., 99 
 
 Decatur (Ala.), xxxv, xxxvi, 19, 44, 47, 206 
 
 Decatur (Ga.), Hi 
 
 Decatur Railroad, 177 
 
 Decherd (Tenn.), xl, 81, 83 
 
 Dink, , 125, 208 
 
 District of Key West (Fla.), 178 
 
 Division of the Mississippi, xlvi 
 
 Douglas, Stephen A., 13 
 
 Douglas Brigade, 11 
 
 Doyle, Mary Elizabeth, xi 
 
 Dry Tortugas Prison (Fla.), 178 
 
 Duck River, lv, 47, 184 
 
 Dufneld's Theater (Nashville, Tenn.), 179, 227 
 
 Earthquake of 181 1, 24 
 
 East Tennessee Railroad, 142 
 
 Edgefield (Tenn.), 56 
 
 Elkton (Tenn.), 47 
 
 Elliot, Gen. Washington L., 166., 188, 189, 206, 217 
 
 Etowah River, 149 
 
 Ezra Church (Ga.), Hi, 164, 175 
 
Index 239 
 
 Farmington (Miss.), xxxiv, 24, 36, 37, 39, 40 
 
 Ferguson, Champ, 212, 228 
 
 Florence (Ala.), lv 
 
 Flying Dutchman (play), 179 
 
 Foote, Com. Andrew H., xxxii, 25 
 
 Forrest, Gen. Nathan B., xxii, xxxii, xxxv, xxxviii, xlvi, liii, 
 
 lvii, 165 
 Fort Donelson (Tenn.), xxxi, xxxii, 18, 21 
 Fort Granger (Tenn.), 136 
 Fort Henry (Tenn.), xxxi, xxxii 
 Fort Negley (Tenn.), 56 
 Fort Pillow (Tenn.), xxxi, xxxvii, 24, 33 
 Fort Sanders (Tenn.), xlviii, 118, 128 
 Foster, Gen. John C, xlix, 119, 129 
 Frankfort (Ky.), xxxvi, xxxvii 
 Franklin (Tenn.), Battle of, xiii, lv, lvi, lvii, 50, 68, 166, 
 
 185-187, 203 
 Franklin Pike (Tenn.), 65, 69 
 
 Frazier, , 125, 126, 127, 128 
 
 Fremont, Gen. John C, xxxi 
 Fremont Fencibles, xvi 
 
 Gallatin Pike (Tenn.), 56 
 Gantt, Gen. Edward W., 32 
 Geary, Gen. John W., 156 
 General Taylor (ship), 33 
 Georgia, xii, xxviii, xxx, xlii, 92, 
 
 137, 142 
 Gettysburg (Pa.), Battle of, xxiii 
 Gilman (111.), 6, 7 
 
 Gordon, ., 188 
 
 Gorman, , 63 
 
 Granger, Gen. Gordon, xli, xliv, xlv, xlviii, 93, 118, 121, 
 
 128, 136 
 Granny White Pike (Tenn.), 56, 58, 71, 188 
 Grant, Gen. Ulysses S., xiii, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv, 
 
 xxxvii, xlvi, xlvii, xlviii, xlix, lvi, lvii, 18, 21, 81, 94, 95, 
 
 112, 118, 136, 141, 142, 191, 198, 207, 209 
 Griffith, Surg. David J., 123 
 Grow, Lt , 50, 57, 67, 79 
 
240 Index 
 
 Halleck, Gen. Henry W., xiii, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiv, xxxv 
 
 Hamilton County (Tenn.), 127 
 
 Hardee, Gen. William J., xxx, xxxi, xxxii, xxxv, xxxvi, 
 
 xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli, xlvi, lii, 141, 164 
 Harker, Gen. Charles G., 142, 146, 157, 158 
 Harper's Ferry musket, 21 
 Harpeth River, 185 
 Haverhill (Mass.), x 
 
 Hayes, , 128 
 
 Hazen, Gen. William B., 95 
 Hermitage, The (Tenn.), 46, 57 
 Hescock, Capt. Henry, 82 
 Hescock's Battery, 82 
 Hiawassee River, 143 
 Hickman, B. A., Co., xii 
 Hickman (Ky.), 34 
 Hill, Gen. Daniel H., xli, xlvi 
 
 Holloway, , 107 
 
 Holly Springs (Miss.), xxxvii 
 
 Holston River, 128, 131 
 
 Hood, Gen. John B., xiii, xli, xliv, xlix, lii, liv, lv, lvi, lvii, 
 
 lviii, 93, 141, 164, 165, 166, 169, 171, 175, 183, 184, 185, 
 
 189, 190, 191, 192, 197, 198 
 Hooker, Gen. Joseph, xlvi, xlvii, 95, 112, 114, 116, 117, 118, 
 
 136, 143, 150, 156, 170 
 Horseshoe Ridge (Ga.), xlv 
 
 Hotel-de-Cumberland (Nashville, Tenn.), 218, 219, 226, 230 
 Howard, Gen. Oliver O., lii, liii, 116, 143, 145, 150, 151, 
 
 156, 164, 167 
 Howell's Ferry (Ga.), 167 
 Howland, Capt. Henry, 41 
 Hunter, Gen. David, xxxi 
 Huntsville (Ala.), 190, 198 
 
 Illinois, 119 
 
 Illinois Central Railroad, 7 
 
 Illinois State Archives, xi, 17 
 
 Illinois State Historical Library, ix, lix, lx 
 
 Indiana, xl 
 
 Indianapolis (Ind.), 137 
 
Index 241 
 
 Iroquois County (111.)* xvi, 10 
 
 Island No. 10 (Mo.), xii, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii, 
 
 19, 25, 28, 30, 34 
 Iuka (Miss.), xxxvii, 43 
 
 Jackson, Andrew, 57, 58 
 
 Jacobs, Capt. Jesse E., 188, 206, 211, 216, 218 
 Jasper (Tenn.), xlvi, 111 
 
 Johnston, Gen. Albert S., xxx, xxxi, xxxiii, 35 
 Johnston, Gen. Joseph E., xxviii, xxxviii, xli, xlix, li, lii, liv, 
 141, 142, 164, 171,207,217 
 
 Jonas, , 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 
 
 Jonesboro (Ga.), liii, 164, 175 
 
 Kankakee (111.), x, 3, 4, 14, 15, 17, 103, 119, 138, 184, 211, 
 
 213 
 Kankakee County (111.), 138 
 Kenesaw Mountain (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, xxviii, li, 142, 157, 
 
 172 
 Kentucky, xxix, xxx, xxxv, xxxvi, xxxvii, 22, 45, 56 
 Kestrand, John H. E., 14, 40, 41 
 Kingston (Tenn.), 128, 141, 149 
 Knoxville (Tenn.), xiii, xxix, xxx, xxxvi, xxxviii, xli, xlii, 
 
 xlviii, xlix, 118, 123, 128, 129, 133, 134, 190, 207 
 Kossuth House (Nashville, Tenn.), 179 
 
 Lafayette (Ga.), xlii, xliii, 73 
 
 Lakey, Cpl. , 61, 83, 132, 133, 177, 206 
 
 Lebanon Pike (Tenn.), 56, 63 
 
 Lee, Capt. George, 75 
 
 Lee, Gen. Robert E., xlix, 207, 210 
 
 Lee, Gen. Stephen D., liii 
 
 Lee and Gordon's Mill (Ga.), xliii 
 
 Lexington (Ky.), xxxvi 
 
 Lincoln, Abraham, lvi, 4, 5, 116, 183, 211, 212, 215, 216 
 
 Lloyd House (Chicago, 111.), 11, 12 
 
 Logan, Gen. John A., lii, lvii, 143, 189, 191 
 
 Lookout Mountain, xlv, xlvii, 73, 88, 94, 95, 100, 102, 113, 
 
 116 
 Lookout Valley, 88, 114 
 
242 Index 
 
 Longstreet, Gen. James, xxviii, xxix, xK, xlii, xliv, xlvi, 
 
 xlviii, 74, 91, 92, 93, 118, 123, 128, 129 
 Loudon (Tenn.), 128, 133, 141, 142, 207 
 Louisville (Ky.), xxxvi, xxxvii, xl, xli, 137, 209, 226 
 Lovejoy's Station (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, Hi, liii, 165, 175 
 Lincoln's Tomb (Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, 111.), 230 
 
 Luke, Pvt. , 51, 52, 59, 65 
 
 Lynnville (Tenn.), xiii, 184 
 Lytle, Gen. William H., 102 
 
 McCann, Maj. Richard, 62, 64 
 
 McCawley, , 198 
 
 McClellan, Gen. George B., xxxi 
 
 McCook, Gen. Alexander M., xxxviii, xli, 74, 75, 93, 96 
 
 McFarland's Gap Road (Ga.), xliv, 93 
 
 Mackall, Gen. William W., 32 
 
 McLaws, Gen. Lafayette, xli 
 
 McLemore's Cove (Ga.), xliii 
 
 Macon and Western Railroad, liii 
 
 McPherson, Gen. James P., xlix, 1, li, lii, 141, 143, 164, 171 
 
 Mallory, Capt. William L., 81 
 
 Manchester (Tenn.), xl, 73, 79 
 
 Marietta (Ga.), li, 142, 160 
 
 Marion, Pvt. Billy, 55, 59, 65, 133 
 
 Matteson, Maj. F. W., 25 
 
 Mazeppa (play), 137 
 
 Meade's army, 95 
 
 Memphis (Tenn.), xxxvii 
 
 Memphis and Charleston Railroad, xxxv, 19, 43 
 
 Middleport (111.), 10 
 
 Mileka, Pvt. Julius, 72 
 
 Military Division of the Mississippi, 141 
 
 Military Division of the Tennessee, 216 
 
 Mill Springs (Ky.), xxxi 
 
 Miller, Charley, 11, 13, 17 
 
 Missionary Ridge, xlvii, xlviii, 94, 95, 102, 116, 118, 136 
 
 Mississippi, xxxvii, xli, xlvi, xlix 
 
 Mississippi River, xxx, xxxi, xxxii, xxxvii, 19, 22, 25, 81 
 
 Missouri, xvii, xxxi, liv 
 
 Mitchell, _, 75, 152, 155 
 
Index 243 
 
 Moccasin Point (Tenn.), 116, 135 
 Mohrhardt, Maj. Francis, 83 
 Monroe, William, 14 
 Moody, Sgt. George W., 100 
 
 Moore, ., 179, 180, 183 
 
 Morgan, Gen. James D., 58, 63, 64, 65, 68, 165 
 
 Morgan, Gen. John H., xxii, xxxiv, xxxv, xl, 47, 56, 67, 77, 78 
 
 Morse, Pvt. William, 65, 75, 81, 85, 102, 123, 151, 152, 190, 
 
 204, 205 
 Morton, Charlie, 179 
 
 Moss, , 147 
 
 Munfordville (Ky.), xxxviii 
 
 Murfreesboro (Tenn.), xiii, xxxii, xxxvi, xxxviii, xxxix, xl, 
 
 lvii, 46, 64, 73, 75 
 Murfreesboro Pike (Tenn.), 54, 55, 63 
 Murphy, P. C., Trunk Co., xii 
 Muscle Shoals of the Tennessee River, 197 
 
 Nancie's plantation (Tenn.), 131, 132 
 
 Nancy's Creek, 167 
 
 Nashville (Tenn.), xii, xiii, xxxii, xxxvi, xxxviii, xxxix, xl, 
 
 liii, liv, lv, lvi, lvii, Ix, 45, 46, 47, 68, 69, 71, 111, 123, 
 
 137, 140, 165, 178, 179, 180, 184, 185, 186, 188, 189, 190, 
 
 197, 207, 211, 216, 217, 218, 226 
 Nashville (Tenn.), Battle of, xxvi, 166 
 Navy revolver, 53, 105 
 Negley, Gen. James S., xxxvi 
 Negro troops: mentioned, 190, 196; 1st Colored Brigade 
 
 (14th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 44th), 195; 2nd Colored Brigade 
 
 (12th, 13th, 100th, Battery A, 2nd U.S. Colored Lt. Art.), 
 
 195; 13th U.S. Colored Troops, 123, 195 
 Nelson, Gen. William, xxxvi 
 
 New Hope Church (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, li, 141, 150 
 New Madrid (Mo.), xii, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii, 19, 24, 25, 28, 30, 
 
 33, 34, 170 
 New Market (Va.), 133 
 New Town. See Middleport (111.) 
 New York (N.Y.), 138, 139 
 
 Newton, Gen. John, 141, 145, 146, 150, 155, 156, 167, 178 
 North Carolina, xiii, 136 
 
244 Index 
 
 O'Brien, Capt. W. J., 100 
 
 Ohio, xl 
 
 Ohio River, 22, 34 
 
 Ohio State Penitentiary (Columbus), xl 
 
 Old Town. See Middleport (111.) 
 
 Oostenaula River, 1 
 
 Opdycke, Col. Emerson, 169 
 
 Orchard Knob (Tenn.), xlvii, 95 
 
 Paducah (Ky.), 34 
 
 Paine, Gen. E. A., xxxiii, 25, 32, 170 
 
 Palmer, Gen. John M., 50, 53, 55, 58, 156 
 
 Palmetto (Ga.), liii, 165 
 
 Parks, Sgt. L. L., 50, 53, 58, 59, 60, 116, 123, 195 
 
 Peach Orchard Hill (Tenn.), 195 
 
 Peach Tree Creek (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, li, lii, 164, 169 
 
 Pemberton, Gen. John C, xxxvii, xxxviii 
 
 Perry ville (Ky.), xxxvii 
 
 Perviance, , 177, 206, 209 
 
 Petts, Capt. N. B., 8, 14, 17 
 
 Phelps, . , 133 
 
 Philadelphia (Tenn.), 143 
 
 Pine Mountain (Ga.), li 
 
 Pittsburg Landing (Tenn.). See Shiloh, Battle of 
 
 Pleasanton, Gen. Alfred, xxii 
 
 Point Lookout (Tenn.), 113, 116, 117 
 
 Point Pleasant (Mo.), 28 
 
 Polk, Gen. Leonidas, xxxi, xxxvi, xxxvii, xxxviii, xxxix, xl, 
 
 xlvi, xlix, li, 141, 149 
 Pope, Gen. John, xxxii, xxxiv, xxxv, 24, 33, 41 
 Porter, Adm. David Dixon, 25 
 Porter, Capt. L. L., 216, 218, 222, 227, 230 
 Powell, Capt. Frank, 50, 54, 56, 61, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 76, 
 
 78, 79, 103 
 Powell's Scouts, x, xxxvi, xxxix, 46, 47, 53, 63, 
 
 73, in, 123 
 Price, Gen. Sterling, xxxiv, xxxv, liv 
 Prince of the House of David, The, 221 
 
 Providence (R.I.), ix, x, xi, 6, 34, 36, 119, 138, 211, 222, 226 
 Pulaski (Tenn.), lv, 47, 165, 166, 180 
 
Index 245 
 
 Raccoon Mountain, 73, 86, 95 
 
 Ramsey, Col. , 228 
 
 Ransom, Capt. J. S., 121 
 
 Ray County (Tenn.), 127 
 
 Raymond, Col. Samuel B., 100 
 
 Resaca (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, xlii, 1, liv, 141, 148 
 
 Richmond (Ky.), xxxvi 
 
 Richmond (Va.), xxiii, 207, 209, 210 
 
 Roane County (Tenn.), 128 
 
 Rocky Face Ridge (Ga.), Battle of, xiii, xlix, 146 
 
 Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. , 109, 110, 111 
 
 Rome (Ga.), liv, 165 
 
 Rosecrans, Gen. William S., xxvii, xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli, xlii, 
 xliii, xliv, xlv, xlvi, 46, 64, 65, 73, 74, 75, 93, 94, 96, 112 
 Rossville (Ga.), xliv, 94 
 Rough and Ready (Ga.), liii 
 Ryan Life Guard, xvi 
 
 St. Louis (Mo.), xi, xii 
 
 St. Mary's Church (Chicago, 111.), xi 
 
 St. Teresa's Church (St. Louis, Mo.), xii 
 
 Sand Mountain (Ala.), 86 
 
 Sanders, Charles R. See Smith, Calvin R. 
 
 Sanders, Gen. William P., 128 
 
 Savannah (Ga.), liv 
 
 Schofield, Gen. John M., xlix, 1, li, liii, liv, lv, lvi, Ivii, 141, 
 
 189 
 Scott, Gen. Winfield, xxxi 
 Sequatchie River, 108 
 Sequatchie Valley, xlvi, 104, 111, 116 
 
 Shafer, Col , 228 
 
 Shelbyville (Tenn.), xxxix, xl, 73, 79 
 
 Shelby ville Pike (Tenn.), 75 
 
 Sheridan, Gen. Philip H., ix, xvii, xxii, xxxiv, xxxvii, xxxix, 
 
 xl, xli, xliii, xliv, xlv, xlviii, xlix, 73, 75, 79, 89, 90, 93, 94, 
 
 95, 96, 102, 104, 113, 115, 118, 119, 120, 128, 131, 132, 
 
 133, 141, 142 
 Sherman, Gen. William T., xiii, xxviii, xxxi, xxxvii, xlvii, 
 
 xlviii, xlix, 1, li, lii, liii, liv, 95, 118, 119, 120, 141, 142, 
 
 143, 164, 165, 172, 198, 207 
 
246 Index 
 
 Shiloh (Term.), Battle of, xii, xxxiii, xxxiv, xxxv, 19, 24, S3-, 34 
 
 Sibley, Capt. , 206 
 
 Sibley tent, 24 
 
 Silver Spring (Tenn.), 58 
 
 Slip-up (Tenn.), 69 
 
 Slocum, Gen. Henry W., liii, 177 
 
 Smith, , Q3, 64 
 
 Smith, Gen. Andrew J., 145 
 
 Smith, Benjamin K., ix 
 
 Smith, Benjamin T. : children of, xii; death of, xii; descrip- 
 tion of, x; enlistments of, 8, 119, 133; equipment, 13, 19, 
 49, 53? 75? 10 5? escorts civilians outside lines, 71-72; at 
 executions, 72, 115-116, 228-229; family of, ix-x; on 
 furlough, xlix, 133, 137-140, 190, 209-216, 222-227; 
 journal of, ix, lix-lxi, 231-232; marriage, xi-xii; military 
 training, 9, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 53, 54; as postman, 14, 15, 
 17, 18; promotions, x, 50-51, 58; religion of, xi, xii; seeks 
 correspondents, 166, 179-180, 183; spelling and punctua- 
 tion of, lix, lxi; under fire, 26, 38, 39, 42, 43, 45, 49, 54- 
 55, 61, 96-99, 113-114, 152, 156-157, 168-169, 170, 173- 
 175 
 
 Smith, B(enjamin). T., and Co., xi 
 
 Smith, Calvin R. ("Cal"), x, 3, 4, 15, 17, I7n, 34, 36, 64, 
 65, 75, 83, 85, 109, 138, 139, 140, 148, 209-210, 213, 216 
 
 Smith, Gen. Edmund K., xxxv, xxxvi, xxxviii 
 
 Smith, Francis Albert, xii 
 
 Smith, Joseph F., x, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 223, 224, 225, 226 
 
 Smith, Julia E., x, 4, 15, 226 
 
 Smith, Lulu, xii 
 
 Smith, Mary S., x, 34, 36, 119, 138, 139, 223 
 
 Smith, Robert, 208 
 
 Smith, Sarah, x, 4, 6, 8, 14, 15, 36 
 
 Smith, Walter E., x, 4, 15 
 
 Smith, Will Leon, xii 
 
 Soldiers. See Troops 
 
 Soldiers' Home (Louisville, Ky.), 137 
 
 Soldiers' Rest (Chicago, 111.), 137 
 
 Spring Hill (Tenn.), Battle of, xiii, lv, lx, 166, 185 
 
 Springfield (111.), 212, 230 
 
 Stanford, , 222 
 
Index 247 
 
 Stanley, Gen. David S., 90, 150, 151, 156 
 
 Stanley House (Watseka, 111.), 10 
 
 Stanton, Edwin M., lvi 
 
 Steedman, Gen. James B., 93, 195 
 
 Stevens, Gen. Clement H., 32, 170 
 
 Stevens Gap (Ga.), xliii, xliv, 74, 89 
 
 Stevenson, Capt. A. F., 84 
 
 Stevenson (Ala.), xxxv, xlv, 73, 84, 94, 103, 104, 109, 112, 
 
 207 
 Stewart, Gen. Alexander P., li, lii, liii 
 
 Stewart's Ferry (Tenn.), xxxvi, 46, 47, 61, 62, 64, 65, 69, 78 
 Stone's River, xxxvi, xxxix, 46. See also Murfreesboro 
 
 (Tenn.), Battle of 
 Strawberry Plains (Tenn.), 130, 133 
 
 Stull, , 181, 182 
 
 Sturgis Light Guard, xvi 
 Summerville (Tenn.), 135 
 
 Sutcliffe, Mrs. , 17 
 
 Sutcliffe, Will, 17, 34, 185, 203, 204 
 Sweeney, S. S., 46, 51 
 Sweetwater (Tenn.), 143 
 Swisher, Capt. , 227 
 
 Tantelon (Tenn.), 84 
 
 Taylor, , 219, 220 
 
 Tennessee: military actions in, xii, xxx, xxxiii, xxxv, xxxvii, 
 
 xxxix, xli, xlii, xlvi, liv, lvii, 73, 137, 165 
 Tennessee, east: military actions in, xiii, xxix, xxxi, xxxv, 
 
 xxxvii, xli, xlvi, xlviii, xlix, liv, 118, 123, 129, 207, 216 
 Tennessee House (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 180 
 Tennessee River, xxx, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii, xlii, xlv, lv, lvii, 
 
 lviii, 18, 34, 45, 73, 81, 84, 85, 102, 135, 145, 190, 197 
 Thomas, Gen. George H., xxvi, xxxi, xxxiv, xxxviii, xli, 
 
 xliii, xliv, xlv, xlvi, xlvii, xlix, 1, lii, liv, lvi, lvii, 74, 89, 93, 
 
 94, 101, 102, 118, 141, 143, 165, 184, 185, 189, 190, 191, 
 
 194, 216, 218, 221, 230 
 
 Tilton, Lt. , 8, 75, 217 
 
 Tiptonville (Tenn.), xxxiii, 19, 24, 30, 32 
 Trenton (Ga.), xliii, 73, 74, 87 
 Trinity Station (Ala.), xxxv, 44 
 
248 Index 
 
 Troops : 
 Corps 
 2nd, 141 
 
 4th, xlviii, liv, 118, 141, 165, 189 
 11th, xlvi, 95, 116 
 12th, xlvi, 95 
 13th, 167 
 
 14th, xli, xlii, xliii, 74 
 15th, xlvi, xlviii, 95, 118, 119 
 17th, xlvi, 95, 119 
 20th, xli, xliii, 74, 86 
 2lst, xli, xlii, xliii, 74 
 23rd, liv, 147, 165 
 Reserve, xli 
 Divisions 
 2nd, 189 
 3rcf, xli 
 
 4/A. XXXlll 
 
 11th, xvii 
 Brigades 
 
 3rd, 82, 146, 147, 170 
 
 35th, xvii 
 
 36th, xviii 
 
 37^, xviii 
 Regiments 
 
 24th Ala. Inf., 94, 99, 100 
 
 7th III. Cav., 47, 55 
 
 10th III. Inf., 56 
 
 io^A III. Inf., 50 
 
 22nd III. Inf., 12, 30, 32, 118 
 
 27M III. Inf., 12, 30, 32 
 
 36th III. Inf., xvii, xviii 
 
 42nd III. Inf., 12, 30, 75, 82 
 
 44th III. Inf., xvii 
 
 45th III. Inf. (Lead Mine Boys), 15 
 
 51st III. Inf.: mentioned, x, xvi, xviii, xxxii, xxxiv, xxxv, 
 xxxvi, 19, 24, 25, 46, 82, 96, 100, 103, 133, 140, 148, 
 185, 187, 217, 229, 231 ; Co. A, xvi; Co. B, xvi; Co. C, 
 xi, xvi, xvii, xxxix, 3, 11, 44, 64, 65, 73, 74, 75, 83, 
 113, 211; Co. D, 98, 100; Co. E, xvi, 44; Co. G, 44, 
 103; Co. H, 44; Co. K, xvi, 44 
 
Index 249 
 
 Troops : 
 
 Regiments (Cont'd) 
 
 64th III. Inf., 25 
 
 72nd III. Inf., 184, 187 
 
 73rd III. Inf., xviii 
 
 85th III. Inf., xviii 
 
 86th III. Inf., xviii 
 
 88th III. Inf., xviii, 181 
 
 125th III. Inf., xviii 
 
 3rd Ind. Cav., 103 
 
 4th Mich. Cav., 56 
 
 10th Mich. Inf. (Co. E), 72 
 
 2lst Mich. Inf., xviii 
 
 2nd Mo. Inf., xvii, xviii 
 
 15th Mo. Inf., xvii, xviii, 81 
 
 52nd Ohio Inf., xviii 
 
 5th Tenn. Cav., 68 
 
 Qth Tenn. Cav., 62 
 
 1st Tenn. Inf. (Co. K), 72 
 
 24th Wis. Inf., xviii 
 
 3rd Confederate Cav., 85 
 Other units 
 
 2nd III. Light Battery I, xviii 
 
 1st Mo. Light Battery G, xviii, 82 
 See also Negro troops. 
 Truesdail, CoJ. William, 83 
 Tucker, Col. Joseph K., 14, 16, 18 
 Tucker Light Guard, xvi 
 
 Tullahoma (Tenn.) Campaign, xxxix, xl, xli, 73, 79 
 Tunnel Hill (Ga.), 141, 146 
 Tunnel Hill (Ga.), Battle of, xiii 
 Tupelo (Miss.), xxxiv, xxxv 
 Turchin, Gen. John B., xlvii, 95 
 Tuscumbia (Ala.), lv, 43 
 
 Union Railroad Guard, xvi 
 
 Van Dorn, Gen. Earl, xxxiv, xxxvii 
 Vicksburg (Miss.), 95 
 Vicksburg (Miss.), Battle of, xiii, xxxvii, 
 xxxviii, xlix, 81 
 
250 Index 
 
 Wagner, Gen. George D., 141, 142, 145, 166^ 170, 178, 188 
 Walden's Ridge (Tenn.), xlvi 
 
 Waldron, , 227 
 
 Washington (D.C.), xxxi, 4, 190, 212 
 
 Watseka (111.), x, xii, 4, 8, 10 
 
 West Virginia, 129, 136, 207, 209 
 
 Westbrook, Bill, 53, 66, 67, 68, 76 
 
 Western and Atlantic Railroad, 1 
 
 Wheaton, Pvt. Sam, 181, 182, 183 
 
 Wheeler, Gen. Joseph, xxii, xxxv, xxxviii, xlvi, liii, 106, 165 
 
 Whipple, Gen. William B., 230 
 
 Wigwam (Chicago, 111.), 11 
 
 Wilders, John T., 96 
 
 Wilson, Harry, 179 
 
 Wilson, Gen. James H., xxii, lvii, 189, 190 
 
 Winchester (Tenn.), xl, 73, 79, 81 
 
 Wood, Joseph R., ix, lix 
 
 Wood, Gen. Thomas J., 89, 189 
 
 Wood's Theater (Louisville, Ky.), 137 
 
 Wright, Mrs. , 227 
 
 Wyman, Sgt. , 50, 66, 123 
 
 Yates, Richard, 16 
 
 Yellow Tavern (Va.), Battle of, xxiii 
 
 Yonker, George, 103 
 
 Young, Lt. ., 100 
 
 Zollicoffer, Gen. Felix K., xxx, xxxi 
 Zollicoffer Building (Nashville, Tenn.), 140 
 
Gnfje Hafeeatbe Claries; 
 
 Number Title Tear 
 
 1. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . . . 1903 
 
 2. Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the 
 
 United States from Washington to Lincoln . 1904 
 
 3. Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the 
 
 United States from Johnson to Roosevelt . . 1905 
 
 4. Fruits of Solitude by William Penn 1906 
 
 5. Memorable American Speeches 
 
 I. The Colonial Period 1907 
 
 6. Memorable American Speeches 
 
 II. Democracy and Nationality 1908 
 
 7. Memorable American Speeches 
 
 III. Slavery 1909 
 
 8. Memorable American Speeches 
 
 IV. Secession, War, Reconstruction .... 1910 
 
 9. The Autobiography of Gurdon Saltonstall 
 
 Hubbard 1911 
 
 10. Reminiscences of Early Chicago 1912 
 
 11. Reminiscences of Chicago During the Forties and 
 
 Fifties 1913 
 
 12. Reminiscences of Chicago During the Civil War . 1914 
 
 13. Reminiscences of Chicago During the Great Fire . 1915 
 
 14. Life of Black Hawk 1916 
 
 15. The Indian Captivity of O. M. Spencer .... 1917 
 
 16. Pictures of Illinois One Hundred Years Ago . 1918 
 
 17. A Woman's Story of Pioneer Illinois by Chris- 
 
 tiana Holmes Tillson 1919 
 
 18. The Conquest of the Illinois by George Rogers 
 
 Clark 1920 
 
 19. Alexander Henry's Travels and Adventures in 
 
 the Years 1760-1776 1921 
 
 20. John Long's Voyages and Travels in the Years 
 
 1768-1788 1922 
 
 21. Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or 
 
 Columbia River by Alexander Ross .... 1923 
 
 251 
 
252 The Lakeside Classics 
 
 Number Title Tear 
 
 22. The Fur Hunters of the Far West by Alexander 
 
 Ross 1924 
 
 23. The Southwestern Expedition of Zebulon M. Pike 1925 
 
 24. Commerce of the Prairies by Josiah Gregg . . 1926 
 
 25. Death Valley in '49 by William L. Manly . . . 1927 
 
 26. Bidwell's Echoes of the Past — Steele's In Camp 
 
 and Cabin 1928 
 
 27. Kendall's Texan Santa Fe Expedition 1929 
 
 28. Pattie's Personal Narrative 1930 
 
 29. Alexander Mackenzie's Voyage to the Pacific 
 
 Ocean in 1793 1931 
 
 30. Wau-Bun, The "Early Day" in the Northwest by 
 
 Mrs. John H. Kinzie 1932 
 
 31. Forty Years a Fur Trader by Charles Larpenteur 1933 
 
 32. Narrative of the Adventures of Zenas Leonard . 1934 
 ^. Kit Carson's Autobiography 1935 
 
 34. A True Picture of Emigration by Rebecca Burlend 1936 
 
 35. The Bark Covered House by William Nowlin . 1937 
 
 36. The Border and the Buffalo by John R. Cook 1938 
 
 37. Vanished Arizona by Martha Summerhayes . . 1939 
 
 38. W T ar on the Detroit by Thomas Verch&res de 
 
 Boucherville and James Foster 1940 
 
 39. Army Life in Dakota by De Trobriand .... 1941 
 
 40. The Early Day of Rock Island and Davenport by 
 
 J. W. Spencer and J. M. D. Burrows .... 1942 
 
 41. Six Years with the Texas Rangers by James B. 
 
 Gillett 1943 
 
 42. Growing Up with Southern Illinois by Daniel 
 
 Harmon Brush 1944 
 
 43. A History of Illinois, Vol. I, by Gov. Thomas Ford 1945 
 
 44. A History of Illinois, Vol. II, by Gov. Thomas 
 
 Ford 1946 
 
 45. The Western Country in the 17th Century by 
 
 Lamothe Cadillac and Pierre Liette .... 1947 
 
 46. Across the Plains in Forty-nine by Reuben Cole 
 
 Shaw 1948 
 
 47. Pictures of Gold Rush California 1949 
 
 48. Absaraka by Mrs. Margaret I. Carrington . . . 1950 
 
 49. The Truth about Geronimo by Britton Davis 1951 
 
TJie Lakeside Classics 253 
 
 Number Title Tear 
 
 50. My Life on the Plains by General George A. 
 
 Custer 1952 
 
 51. Three Years Among the Indians and Mexicans 
 
 by General Thomas James 1953 
 
 52. Narrative of a Voyage to the Northwest Coast 
 
 of America by Gabrie] Franch&re 1954 
 
 53. War-Path and Bivouac by John F. Finerty . . . 1955 
 
 54. Milford's Memoir by Louis Leclerc de Milford . 1956 
 
 55. Uncle Dick Wootton by Howard Louis Conard. 1957 
 
 56. The Siege of Detroit in 1763 1958 
 
 57. Among the Indians by Henry A. Boiler .... 1959 
 
 58. Hardtack and Coffee by John D. Billings . . . i960 
 
 59. Outlines from the Outpost by John Esten Cooke . 1961 
 
 60. Colorado Volunteers in New Mexico, 1862. . . 1962 
 
 61. Private Smith's Journal 1963