Reminiscences of the civil war; comp. from the war correspondence of Colonel William P. Lyon and from personal letters and diary by Mrs. Adelia C. Lyon
Lyon, William Penn, 1822-1913 | Lyon, Adelia Caroline Duncotabe, Mrs
^ „ ff oj- I, !• e. a 6 nc <. / <£ -I £ &z REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR Compiled from the War Correspondence of COLONEL WILLIAM P. LYON and from personal letters and diary By MRS. ADELIA C LYON Published by WILLIAM P. LYON, JR. 1907 COPYRIGHTED, 1907, BY ADELIA C. LYON PRESS OF MUIRSON & WRIGHT DEDICATION ALL the brave boys of the Thirteenth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, and of Company K of the Eagle Regiment, who consecrated their lives with patri otic devotion to the cause of their country, this record of some of their labors, perils and sacrifices for the pres ervation of the Union, is dedicated with tender affection and gratitude by one who witnessed their heroic fidelity to duty and who was the grateful recipient of many thoughtful acts of kindness on their part when, for many months, she shared with them the privations and vicissi tudes of army life endured by soldiers in active service. INTRODUCTORY [ERE this publication intended to add an other volume to the long and ever in creasing list of books relating to our civil war of 1861-65, and the actors therein, written for general circulation, some reasonable cause therefor would justly be due a patient public. But such is not the pur pose and intent of the publication. My husband served as an officer in the Union army during the war. The first year he commanded Com pany K of the 8th Regiment, and the three years fol lowing he commanded the 13th Regiment, both of the Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was in active ser vice in the field during the whole time. The matter contained in this publication is taken mostly from his letters to me written while he was doing duty in the South. It was my good fortune to be permitted to visit my husband several times during the war, remaining with him and his command several months at a time in Ten nessee and Alabama, and for a less time in Missouri. I was thus with the army in those states about a year and a half in all. I have compiled in this volume some of my own let ters to relatives and friends written while with the army, and others written by my husband to the same parties; also certain 'entries in my diary made during such visits. Nearly all the letters which furnish material for the following pages were written in camp or on the march, in the hurry and tumult of active military service in the field, under numerous adverse conditions inseparable from such service, and without a thought that their INTRODUCTORY. contents would ever be given to the public. Many of the statements therein were necessarily made upon re ports, the accuracy of which there was no opportunity to verify; and some of the opinions therein expressed may have been the result of imperfect knowledge of the situation. It is too late now to attempt their cor rection or to verify their accuracy. Hence such state ments, when not verified by the writer's personal knowledge, and such opinions, must be taken subject to all infirmities in the evidence upon which they were made or formed. My purpose is to present a copy of this publication to each surviving comrade of my husband who served with him in the war as a member of either of his im mediate commands, who desires to have it. This pur pose will be executed not because the volume has much intrinsic value, but in grateful recognition of the life long affection those veteran comrades have constantly manifested for their old commander; and for their un ceasing kindness to me and solicitude for my personal welfare and comfort when I was with them in the field of service — a witness of their patriotism, courage and fidelity to duty. I trust that this little souvenir will be accepted by them as an evidence that all of their kind ness to us is appreciated and their affection tenderly reciprocated. I have only to add that this publication has been made possible only by the valuable aid given me by our daughter, Mrs. J. O. Hayes (Clara Lyon), of Eden Vale, California, who has done much of the editorial work required in its preparation. Pursuant to a suggestion made by her, some public addresses delivered by her father several years ago are inserted herein as an appendix. ADELIA C. LYON. COLONEL WILLIAM P. LYON Racine, Wisconsin, 1863 REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR The Experiences of William P. Lyon and Wife S SOON as the news of the battle and disaster at Bull Kun was received a pub- lie war meeting of the citizens of Racine, Wisconsin, was held, which was largely attended. The company previously raised at Racine was in the battle and had been seriously crippled by the loss of many of its men. At this meeting a fund was sub scribed to aid in the fitting out of additional troops. Resolutions were adopted, one of which was that it was the duty of the city of Racine to furnish another com pany of volunteers. Mr. McMynn, Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Lyon were appointed a committee to receive enlistments and form a company. The three headed the roll with their own names, which were soon followed by many others. An effort was also being made to form a company in Walworth county. Those who had enlisted there, hearing of the effort to raise a new company in Racine county, came to Racine and joined the local company, and the quota was thus speedily filled. Mr. Lyon was elected Captain of the Company, Hon. Albert E. Smith, of Delavan, First Lieutenant, and Mr. J. O. Bartlett, Second Lieutenant. In the meantime Mr. McMvnn had 2 REMINISCENCES accepted a commission as Major of the 10th Wisconsin, of which regiment he afterwards became Colonel. The company thus recruited and organized tendered its services to the Governor and was accepted; its of ficers thus elected were commissioned as such, and the company was ordered to proceed to Camp Randall at Madison to join the 8th Regiment of Wisconsin Volun teer Infantry, then in process of organization at that place, of which it was to be a part. The company im mediately proceeded to Madison and was mustered into the service of the United States as Company "K" of that regiment. After remaining a few weeks at Camp Randall under instruction in military tactics, the regiment was ordered to St. Louis. Its movements and services thereafter while Captain Lyon remained a member of it are detailed in the following pages : CAPTAIN LYON TO THE RACINE ADVOCATE. "Camp of Instruction, Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 15, 1861. "Messrs. Editors: On Saturday evening last our regiment struck tents at Camp Randall and started for the seat of war. We reached Chicago at 4 o'clock p. m. ; left there at about 8 o'clock p. m. ; arrived at Illinois Town, opposite St. Louis, at 8 o'clock Sunday evening, and the next morning crossed the river; marched some four or five miles through the city in a northwest direc tion, and arrived at this camp a little before noon. "Our journey here was a very pleasant one. The weather was fine, and we were greeted by people along the whole route, and especially for the last one hundred miles of it and in this city, with much enthusiasm. We had what the newspapers call 'a brilliant reception,' in Chicago. It consisted mainly in being stared at by a OF THE CIVIL WAR large number of people, some few of whom cheered us as we marched through the city. "Sunday was a balmy, beautiful day — very beau tiful — and we traversed all day long a magnificent country, and as we gazed upon it and remembered that Illinois has sent, and is sending forth, 50,000 of her sons to do battle in the sacred cause of Liberty and Good Government, we felt that we were in a glorious state — in a state which, when the history of these times is written, will figure conspicuously and honorably upon its pages. "This camp is pleasantly located on high, level ground, embracing several hundred acres, including the grounds of the Missouri State Agricultural Society, in the west part of the city, and, I am told, also including within its limits the celebrated Camp Jackson, where Lyon and Blair captured Claib. Jackson's rebel state troops last spring. "Yesterday was a very warm day, as warm, I think, as the last 4th of July in Kacine, and the men suffered much on the march to camp, burdened as they were with their overcoats, canteens, haversacks, knapsacks and guns ; but they stood it very well, and last evening many of them were dancing in their quarters so briskly that a bystander would scarcely believe that they had on the same day performed a fatiguing march of several miles through the heated, dusty streets of a city, and that, too, at the end of a journey of 400 miles. The mem bers of our company are all well, or nearly so. At least we have none in the hospital, and no case of serious ill- ress. "11 a, in. — We have just received orders to take five days' rations and 20 ball cartridges, and to leave here at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. The right wing of the regiment goes at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Where our destination is, and what we have to do when we get REMINISCENCES there, we know nothing about; but you will hear from us again. The men are delighted with the prospect of immediate service, which they testify by loud shouts and cheers. Busy preparations for departure are going on throughout the regiment, and I must bring this hastily written communication to a close. WM. P. LYON." LETTERS FROM CAPT. LYON TO MRS. LYON. "De Soto— October 17, 1861. "We are forty miles from St. Louis, southwest, and just leaving for Pilot Knob, forty-two miles farther southwest. We are in 'Secessia.' Last night we slept on the ground with our arms by us. We had the whole regi ment in line three times during the. night, by reason of alarms. By reason of this practice we could form the line in three minutes. A bridge on a railroad we traveled on was burned on Monday by the rebels, and they had a little fight there with a small guard from the llth Wis consin, one killed on our side. I do not believe the enemy are near us in force. Where we go there will be four or five thousand troops when we get there." "Pilot Knob, Saturday, Oct. 19, 1861.— We arrived here on Thursday afternoon. This place is ninety miles southwest of St. Louis. Iron ton is only two miles from here. The country is rough, wild and mountainous. Pilot Knob is a conical hill, rising some eight hundred feet above us. There are also extensive lead mines in the vicinity. I wrote you at De Soto, forty miles from here. We came on to where the bridge across Big River was burned, and my company and another were sent on here in advance of the rest of the regiment. Col. Murphy, \vho was with us, had a telegram from here saying the OF THE CIVIL WAR rebels were advancing on this place. We hurried up, the train running with frightful velocity, and when we got here the inhabitants were running from the place to the hills and everybody said a battle was being fought three or four miles out. We expected to be sent right on. It was concluded, however, that we should wait for the balance of the regiment, which had been sent for in great haste. Before they arrived we learned the facts about the fight. It was a mere skirmish, some twenty miles from here, between three hundred Indiana cavalry stationed here and a detachment of cavalry from the rebel army. Five or six men wounded on our side, none killed. Several reported killed on the other side. "There are about four thousand troops here. The men are all anxious to fight. It is impossible to foretell our future movements. Do not be disturbed by any newspaper reports about us. One of the St. Louis papers yesterday puts us in a battle here and has us badly cut up. That is a fair specimen of their accuracy. I was in more danger on the cars Thursday than I shall be in any battle. When I see the misery and suffering which I see this war causes here, I thank God that you are all in peaceful homes and that the trials and perils of the con test, so far as you are concerned, can be borne by me alone." "Pilot Knob, Mo., Oct. 25, 1861.— Were ordered to Frederickstown (25 miles southeast of here). Marched all night through a mountainous country. We were after Jeff Thompson, who had a large force. Our force was nearly 5,000 strong. When we got there we found that Jeff had left the day before and gone south. We Avere joined here by 1,500 Illinois troops from Cape Gir- ardeau. Our regiment was on the left flank, the second post of honor, so on the march would, of course, be in the rear. The head of the column met the rebels about three-quarters of a mile from town, and just as our regi- REMINISCENCES ment was starting. The rebels had gone on ten miles south, were reinforced and returned, and took a position at that point to fight us. They were 5,000 to 7,000 strong. "The fight opened immediately at the head of the column and we started on a double quick for the battle field. When about half way to the scene of action we were ordered to act as a reserve. The firing continued about half an hour where the battle commenced, then gradually receded, showing that the rebels were retreat ing. The battle was fought mostly by artillery and cav alry, but one regiment of infantry being under fire, the 21st Illinois. Our forces pursued the rebels several miles. The grand result of the fight is that we killed at least 300 of them. Our forces found and buried 242, and large numbers were carried off by them. A great many were wounded and taken prisoners. Two pieces of artil lery were also taken. Our loss is eight killed and thirty- three wounded. The defeat was total, breaking up their army and cleaning out this whole section of the state. One of their principal officers, Col. Lowe, was killed. "We moved south 10 miles on Tuesday, but we as certained that there was nobody in this section to fight us, so on Wednesday we returned to Prederickstown, and yesterday returned here. We have slept in tents but two nights since we left St. Louis, yet I never slept better in my life than I have some of these nights in the open air. The days are hot and the nights are cold, yet we do not take cold. "Our regiment is No. 1. The men started for the battle with the utmost enthusiasm and were terribly dis appointed when they found the rebels were retreating without giving us a chance at them. Our position was such that had the force first engaged met a reverse, we should have had the brunt of the fight. The rebels were poorly armed, which accounts for the great difference of loss on our side and theirs. We found a great many OF THE CIVIL WAR bodies on our march on Tuesday, one badly eaten by bogs. Another was shot just as he was getting over a fence, and his body was stiffened in that condition. We buried them. "Our march was through a rugged country, hilly, rocky, and almost mountainous. We have returned here, but don't know how long we shall stay. Our men are footsore, but otherwise well. Today received your first letter. Was overjoyed to get it. "You ask me how I felt when going into battle. It is hard to analyze my feelings. I did not forget the dan ger to myself, but I was cool and self-possessed. The pre dominant thought was that probably many of the brave men who followed me would never return, and I won dered — if I came out alive — over which of them the scald ing tears would fall ere the sun should set. The roar of artillery, the rattling of musketry, and the sight of wounded and dead men was very solemn. It was neces sary, however, and I take my full share of responsibility ; although, of course, none fell by my hand." "Nov. 5, 1861. — We are ordered to march to Green ville. I think there will be no fighting — just to show the Secesh that we are about. I expect that we shall be gone 30 or 12 days." CAPTAIN LYON TO RACINE ADVOCATE. "Greenville, Wayne Co., Mo. Tuesday, Nov. 12, 1861. "Editor Advocate : By looking at the map you will see that this place is about 40 miles south of Pilot Knob, and nearly west of Cairo. In company with a detach ment of some 300 of Col. Baker's 1st Indiana Cavalry, a battery of artillery from Col. Blair's 1st Missouri Regi- REMINISCENCES ment, under command of Capt. Manter, and the 21st Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, Col. Alexander, we left Pilot Knob on the 5th inst. for the purpose of paying our respects to a rebel force reported to have gathered at Bloomfield, the county seat of Stoddard county, dis tant from this place fifty miles in a southeast direction. "We arrived here on the 7th, and on the 8th and 9th (Friday and Saturday) marched to the Indian Ford, 25 miles, in the northeast part of Butler county, on the St. Francis river. On Sunday morning we were ordered to turn back and retrace our steps, and we arrived at this place again at 10 o'clock this morning, having marched ninety miles in a week. It is understood that the com mander of the expedition received reliable intelligence that the rebels had dispersed, which rendered it unneces sary to proceed to Bloomfield. "On our arrival here we met the Illinois 38th, which had been ordered to follow us. We expect to remain here a few days and then return to Pilot Knob, from whence, it is generally believed, we shall soon go to Kentucky. "Our first two days' march was through a rugged, mountainous and sterile country; the last three was through a better country, yet we saw but few farms which a Wisconsin man would consider worth cultivat ing. The surface, except in a few narrow valleys, seems to be underlaid with rock and uncultivable. Timber of all kinds is plentiful. "Everything is perfectly stagnant. The dwellings are the worst kind of log houses, except in the villages, and you see no barns, no carriages, no farming imple ments, even, of any account. I have seen but one barn worthy the name during the whole march. You may travel all day here, probably, without meeting a settler who can read or write. "A resident here, a gentleman of intelligence, con versing on this subject, illustrated the ignorance of the OF THE CIVIL WAR 9 masses by relating to me an anecdote of a member of the Legislature from this county who was asked to state the population of his county. He replied, 'Coonskins and peltry.' 'I do not mean the products of your county/ said his interrogator, <I want to know the census of it.' <Oh, you mean the senses, do you?' replied the Honorable Member, 'why, they are mostly d — d fools P "Greenville is the county seat of Wayne county, and has been such for 35 years. It is very pleasantly situ ated on the St. Francis river, and contains buildings suf ficient for a population of about 100. In common with all the villages in this county, however, it is nearly de serted. Hardee made it his headquarters for several weeks in the summer, when the Union men fled ; and now that we occupy the place, 'Secesh' has to do the same thing. "Most of the people, however, are passive. They are for the Union now, and doubtless when the rebels were here they were on the other side; and after seeing them we think it is of but little consequence which side they are on. "Our troops respect the rights of property, taking comparatively little without compensation. The truth of history compels me to admit, however, that a process which the soldiers call 'jerking' has been indulged in to a trifling extent, when we were in the neighborhood of pigs and chickens, and rations were scarce. "We are having the measles extensively in the 8th. We left three of our company at Pilot Knob just getting over this disease, and have several with us who were at tacked after we left there. It is of a mild type, however. Those who have this disease, or have had it, are Mack, Olp, Lowe, Humphrey, McPherson, Dunham and Oster- lough. Their relatives need not be uneasy about them, as they are well cared for and are not dangerously sick. "The weather is very warm and dry. At Pilot Knob, 10 REMINISCENCES which you know is amongst the mountains, the nights were invariably cold ; but here in a lower region they are comfortably warm. Indeed, it seems more like Septem ber than November. We pitch our tents every night and sleep upon the ground, with nothing but our rubber cloth under us and our blankets over us, and our sleep is sound and refreshing. We eat our Pilot bread or hard tack and pork with a keen relish, and we give up the comforts and luxuries of our homes with much less of regret, and adapt ourselves to our new mode of life much more eas ily than we supposed possible. "I neglected to mention that our camp at Pilot Knob and about 200 of our regiment are left under the com mand of Lieut. Bartlett during our absence. "Dr. Murta takes this to Pilot Knob, where he goes to make arrangements for the accommodation of our sick men. The doctor labors day and night in the discharge of his duties, and his services are invaluable to the regi ment. Respectfully, WM. P. LYON." LETTERS FROM CAPT. LYON TO MRS. LYON. "Pilot Knob, Nov. 15, 1861. — We have just returned from our expedition, making a march of 135 miles in 11 days. We went south to Greenville, the county seat of Wayne county; and then 25 miles farther southeast to the St. James river, only 25 miles from the Arkansas line. We have been here just four weeks, and have marched 16 days, and over 200 miles, in the time. "I assure you that I have an abiding faith that I shall return to you well and sound, our lives made all the happier by the consciousness that I have discharged my duty to my country in the hour of her peril." OF THE CIVIL WAR 11 "Nov. 19. — Nothing of interest today or since I wrote. I celebrated the fourteenth anniversary of our wedding yesterday by going dressed up all day and by smoking the best cigars I could get." EXTRACT PROM LETTER TO THE RACINE ADVOCATE. "Pilot Knob, Mo., Nov. 21, 1861.— On the 5th inst, in company with the 21st Regiment of Illinois Volun teers, the 1st Indiana Cavalry, and Ca.pt. Manter's Bat tery of artillery, we left our camp on an expedition to disperse a body of armed rebels said to have collected in Bloomfield, in Stoddard county, about 100 miles southeast of this place. "We marched through Greenville, Wayne county, to the Indian Ford across the St. Francis river, in the northeast part of Butler county, and about 25 miles west of Bloomfield, where we learned that the rebels had already been dispersed by a force from Cape Girardeau. We accordingly took our our line of march for this place, where we arrived on the 15th inst. "The country through which we passed is very wild and mountainous, and but thinly settled. The majority of the people are very stupid, ignorant, dirty, and, of course, poor. They are probably a fair specimen of the 'poor whites' of the South. It was rarely that we found one outside of the villages who could read and write. Many of them had been made to believe that the Federal troops wherever they went indulged in indiscriminate rapine, violence and murder, and, of course, these de luded people were secessionists; but when they found themselves kindly treated by our troops, their property and all of their rights protected, they straightway be came good Union people. With the exception of a few 12 REMINISCENCES leaders, there is no inveterate hostility to the Govern ment in the minds of the inhabitants here; and when they are disabused in relation to the objects of this war and the purposes of the Government, they return read ily and cheerfully to their allegiance. "We see much discussion in the papers relative to the removal of Major-General Fremont, some of them predicting disaster and ruin to the Union cause as the result of it. It is proper for me to say that, so far as I can judge (and I have some opportunities to learn the feeling of the army in Missouri on that subject) the army acquiesces in the action of the Government without com plaint. We believe here that the success of our cause does not depend upon the rise or fall of any man or set of men, but, under God, upon the justice of our cause and the courage and fortitude of the hundreds of thou sands of men who are now in the field defending that cause. In those we trust, and not in the genius of any one man ; and we are ready to do battle under such com manders as the Administration of our own choice may place over us. "In closing this rather desultory communication, I will only add that the men are in excellent spirits and in good fighting trim, and their most earnest desire is that they be sent where they can do their part towards crush ing out this rebellion. When the record of this war is made up, be assured that it will be found that the 8th Hegiment has done its whole duty. Respectfully yours, WM. P. LYON." OF THE CIVIL WAR 13 TO MRS. LYON. "Nov. 27, 1861. — Good news. Col. Murphy is going to send me home on recruiting service. I shall be with you in a few days." "Sulphur Springs, Mo., Dec. 1, 1861. — The arrange ments are not completed yet, but progressing. There is every reasonable probability that I shall be detailed on this service. The service is very distasteful to me. The prospect of returning home atones for the irksomeness of the service. I see by your letters that you are worry ing about me. Now I tell you that I am perfectly com fortable physically. I have a good boarding place, at $3.00 a week. I sleep in my tent and never slept better. I have a feather bed, given to me at Indian Ford by one of the teamsters, who, I presume, stole it. I have plenty of blankets and straw. I enjoy the company of the of ficers. I have never regretted for one moment that I en tered the service ; and had I not done so, with my present views of duty I would volunteer tomorrow. The idea of personal danger to me, which haunts you so much, does not disturb me at all. You must be brave. You must be a true woman, for remember you are a soldier's wife. Let us both be willing to peril all, if necessary, in the discharge of our duty." "Sulphur Springs, Mo., Dec. 6, 1861.— I fear I shall be unable to come home. General Halleck has issued orders that all officers be with their regiments. See Mrs. Bartlett and tell her to hold herself in readiness to come here with you on two days' notice. The weather is as warm as June." "Dec. 8. — I can not come home. We want you to start on Thursday. Come as soon as you can." 14 REMINISCENCES We started the next week on Tuesday. I had to go to the military headquarters in Chicago to get our trans portation. We stayed in St. Louis all night. We ar rived in Victoria a few days before Christmas and met with a warm reception. The regiment had been sent to Victoria from Sulphur Springs to guard a number of bridges on the Iron Mountain Railroad, after they sent for us. Mrs. Bartlett and I went out and bought chickens and potatoes for a Christmas dinner for Company K. The boys were very happy to be remembered. We were at a pretty fair hotel and had more comforts than we expected to have. Our babies were great pets. John Humphrey would often come and borrow my baby and take him out to the company. He told me that some of the men shed tears when they kissed him. The regiment remained at Victoria until about Jan. 12. Our husbands went to Sulphur Springs with us, and we stayed there a couple of days. They were ordered to Cairo. We left them at Sulphur Springs. The regi ment moved a few days after. The boat they were going on got on a sand bar, so they went by railroad. TO MRS. LYON. "Cairo, Sat., Jan. 18, 1862.— We arrived here last night, slept in the cars, and have this moment taken possession of the barracks. Do not know when we shall go. It rained, thundered and lightened all night. The storms here are terrific. I never saw mud before. It is sublime beyond description. The mud here is ankle deep everywhere off the sidewalks, and you may judge what sort of traveling it is." "Cairo, Sun., Jan. 19, 1862. — Cairo is on a very low OF THE CIVIL WAR 15 peninsula at the junction of two rivers, and has a levee all around it to protect it in high water, the surface being some feet below high water mark. Cairo contains about 2,000 inhabitants I think, but how they live here is more than I can tell. The business of the place is all done on the Ohio river, which appears nearly as large as the Mississippi. "The troops that have already left here are back of Columbus somewhere, and have done no fighting yet. Some of the gunboats have gone down the river and there are seven here, all finished but one, and that is nearly done. I can not tell you anything about what is to be done; and, indeed, we know but little about what is going on all around us. We rely upon Chicago papers for intelligence mainly. "Columbus is only twenty miles from here, and of course is to be taken ; but when, and who is to do it, I do not know. The ragged 8th expects to have a hand in it, however, when the thing is to be done. The companies are in barracks and in the best of spirits. Barracks comfortable." "Cairo, Wednesday p. m., Jan. 22, 1862.— The boys are all in good health and spirits. The mud has dried up so that it is comfortable getting about on foot. A steamer that passed Sulphur Springs the next evening after you left there, with a regiment, the 55th Illinois, on board, has just arrived here. Wouldn't we have had a nice time had we got off on a steamboat? "We are very well situated. The boys have fixed up the barracks (each company has a building by itself) so that they are very comfortable. Our quarters at one end are almost as good as a parlor. We have three coal stoves, one in the quarters and two in the barracks, and have no difficulty in keeping dry and warm. "We are gratified with the victory at Somerset, Ky., over Zollicoffer. It shows how western men fight. We 16 REMINISCENCES shall whip them every time we meet them on anything like equal terms—up west here. Deserters from below say that the rebels fear and dread the Northwestern troops. When the grand expedition starts down the Mississippi the blows will fall thick and fast and most effectually on secession." "Camp Cairo, Cairo, 111., Sunday a. m., Jan. 26, 1862. — The weather is fine, mud all dried up, and we drill every day four hours. The health of the men is good, except some diarrhoea occasioned by drinking the river water. This water looks like weak coffee with milk in it, it is so muddy, but it tastes very well. I do not drink any of it. My drink is almost entirely coffee. I keep out of the night air and take every possible care of my health, and with entire success. When warm weather comes there will be a good deal of ague here." "Feb. 2, 1862. — Large numbers of troops, several regiments of General McClernard's Brigade, leave here today for Smithland, at the mouth of the Cumberland river. It is supposed they will go on an expedition up the Cumberland river. We were attached to this brigade, but I now learn we are to be attached to Gen eral Paine' s Brigade. He is in command at Bird's Point, just across the Mississippi river, in Missouri. "Our fear now is that the fight will come off at Bowling Green before we start, and if the rebels are de feated there they may retreat from Columbus without giving us battle. We really want a turn with them at Columbus," "Cairo, Sunday, Feb. 9, 1862. — Since writing to you there has been a battle and victory at Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river. The battle was fought on our side by the gunboats, our infantry taking no part in It. We are not stationed here permanently. We were only left because we had not our blue uniforms.* We have them * When the soldiers enlisted, gray uniforms were furnished by the OF THE CIVIL WAR IT DOW. But for this we should doubtless have been at Fort Henry. The boys are much disappointed. We may go there yet, as regiments are constantly going up there. I suppose they will have another fight in a few days on the Cumberland river about fourteen miles east of Fort Henry, at Fort Donelson, but we have no orders as yet. "I have been for the last two days acting as Presi dent of a Regimental Court Martial for the trial of minor offenses. There were twelve cases before us. It takes a good deal of evidence in my court to convict." "Mound City, 111., Wed. p. m., Feb. 12, 1862.— Last night an order was received on dress parade that Com pany K proceed to Mound City and take charge of the post. So we went on a steamer this afternoon, and here we are." "Mound City, Feb. 14, 1862. — Here we are, sepa rated from the regiment for reserve duty again. We are to guard a large amount of ammunition. The hospital here contains from 600 to TOO patients, with accommo dations for 1,000. Bartlett and I were all through it yesterday. Saw the men that were scalded on the Essex. They are an awful sight. "We are now almost discouraged about getting into the field. I hate this reserve duty." "Feb. 16, 1862. — We are in a post of honor, and ex cept that it keeps us out of battle would be deemed very desirable, but we want a hand in. I suppose that Fort Donelson is taken, or will be in a day or two, and then the backbone of this rebellion will be broken up west here. A part of our regiment went to Paducah, I hear, as a bodyguard for General Sherman, who I understand has gone up there." "Mound City, Monday noon, Feb. IT, 1862. — The regiment is now all at Cairo except Company K and State. This caused confusion because the Confederates also wore gray uniforms — hence the change. 18 REMINISCENCES about 100 men who, with Col. Murphy, went yesterday to Alton with the prisoners taken at Fort Henry. They are having a desperate fight at Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland river. General Paine came down yester day, bringing intelligence that we have, already lost 2,000 killed and wounded, among whom are several Il linois Colonels and other officers. Several gunboats came down from there last night and this morning; but, not stopping here, we got no news from above. "There has been heavy firing at Cairo within an hour. At first we thought the place had been attacked from Columbus, but as it ceased all at once we have con cluded that they had heard that we had taken Fort Don- elson and were firing a national salute in honor of the victory. The boys chafed like chained lions when they heard the firing at Columbus this morning." "Evening. — It is true that Fort Donelson is taken, and with it 10,000 to 15,000 prisoners. The backbone of this rebellion is broken. Now for Columbus and home ! Our hearts bound as we begin to see the end of this war." "Mound City, 111., Wed. p. m., Feb. 19, 1862.— There has been nothing going on here to break the monotony for a few days past except the arrival of a part of the wounded from Fort Donelson. These, with those that have previously been sent here, make about 400 of them at this hospital. A great many of them are severely wounded. They seem to be in good spirits. Surgeons have flocked in from all about and tendered their serv ices. Some are prisoners. Steamer after steamer heav- iiy laden with prisoners has gone down the river. I really begin to think that the war will be closed in a few months; and that, possibly, without the 8th having a fight, I tell you, when I see our wounded and maimed soldiers it makes me feel as though I wanted one chance at the authors of all this misery and suffering. I don't believe that I have any apprehension of being hurt." OF THE CIVIL WAR 19 "Feb. 26, 1862. — I moved Saturday to my own quar ters. Board with a Mrs. Reyburn, whose husband is a sutler. My bed is in the parlor, and I have white sheets. Everything is as neat as wax and the whole family are so solicitous for my comfort it is almost embarrassing. I can tell in a day or two when you had better come. "I can give you no idea of our future movements. It is supposed that our troops are at Nashville and that Tennessee has caved in. We do not think that there will be any fight at Columbus or Memphis. Both places are expected to surrender soon. Their terrible defeat at Donelson seems to have taken the life out of the rebels. We have given up all idea of seeing any more fighting. The buds and grass are starting and spring is here." "March 2, 1862. — Col. Murphy sent orders for Company K to be ready for marching. He is trying to join an expedition down at New Madrid, which is below Columbus, to cut off communication from that point clown the river. It looks as though they would have a light at Columbus. "We hear that a large force of our troops is also concentrating at Paducah, 50 miles up the Ohio, and everything looks like a movement on Columbus. W7e thought after the fall of Donelson that we should get Columbus without a fight, but the indications now are that the rebels will make a stand there." "Mound City, 111., March 5, 1862.— I was down to Cairo yesterday, and while there the regiment received orders to march to Charlestown, a few miles west of Bird's Point. Company K was not included. You are glad. Columbus is evacuated, no fight there. The boys are hungry for a fight." 20 REMINISCENCES LETTER TO THE RACINE ADVOCATE. "Mound City, 111., March 6, 1862.— I see by your paper of last week (a stray copy of which has just reached us) that you are under a misapprehension in relation to the movement of our regiment. No part of it has been at Fort Donelson. Company K was sent to this place on the 12th ult. Soon afterwards, and before the capture of Donelson, the right wing of the regiment went up the Ohio river as far as Paducah as an escort to General Paine, returning to Cairo in a day or two. Since that time Col. Murphy, with Captains Redfield and Per kins and a detachment of one hundred men from Com panies A and C, escorted the Fort Henry prisoners to Alton. Company E, Captain Young, has been to St. Louis in charge of a large number of rebel officers, cap tured at Donelson. On Sunday, the 23d ult,, a detach ment of three hundred men of the 8th, under command of Col. Murphy, went down the river to Columbus, where they were met by a flag of truce from the rebels, as al ready stated in the newspapers. 