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THE 
 
 HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES 
 
 AND 
 
 HUMEROUS ADYENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 A Tolunteer in the Cavalry Service. 
 
 B-Sr OnSTE OF THEIS/E 
 
 WHO HAS DEEN UNDEK GENERALS GRANT, LEW. WALLACE, SQEEMAN, HALLECK, E0U8SKA0 
 TBOMAS, AND KILPATEICK. 
 
 > 
 
 CINCINNATI: 
 
 F. C. BROWNE, PRT., 8. E. COR. THIRD AND SYCAMORE ST8. 
 
 1865. 
 
a; IT 
 
 Eutered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865, 
 
 Br THOMAS W. FANNING, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. 
 
 EUo| 
 
 P^7 \ 
 
HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES 
 
 AND 
 
 HUMEROUS ADVENTURES. 
 
 Doing a confectionary business #1^ in Cincinnati I found 
 would not be as productive in the winter as was necessary 
 to a person of family, and being- anxious to do something for 
 my country, I was induced to join the 5th Ohio cavalry, at 
 Camp Dick Corwin, on the 17th day of September, 1861. I 
 joined company H, of Captain John C, who was shortly after 
 displaced, when, like the balance of his company, I went with 
 forty-five of them to Lexington, Kentucky, where we would 
 have joined a regiment of cavalry, under our former captain, 
 but that Colonel Taylor, of our first regiment, sent for us, and 
 we returned in a few days thereafter, having been ordered to 
 do so by some prominent persons in Frankfort. After our re- 
 turn, we were placed under command of Captain P., a mer- 
 chant of Cincinnati, who only remained a short time ere he 
 
 resigned. Our first lieutenant, B. W. T n, was formerly a 
 
 railroad conductor, and did, and still continues to do his busi- 
 ness in a prompt and orderly manner. May all shoulder-strap 
 men be of a similar disposition. In October we were ordered 
 out to Camp Dennison, to which place we all ro5e, and fixed 
 up our tents within a few hun-dred yards of the depot. A few 
 weeks thereafter two of our companies got into houses built 
 
4 HUMEEOUS ADVENTUKES OF A TOLUNTEEK. 
 
 there by carpenters, and there we were comfortably situated 
 while we remained. Being a sergeant in company H previous 
 to our departure to Lexington, I was appointed to Quarter 
 Master McFarland's department, and issued, on order, all the 
 clothing, blankets, and horse materials as long as we remained 
 there. Assistant Quarter Master Robinson, who principally did 
 all the writing, was a gentlemanly officer of immense knowl- 
 edge, and remained with us a long time. He was with us 
 through Tennessee and Mississippi^ and was always loved and 
 respected by the whole regiment. May he always do well in 
 this world and the next, we hope and pray. Camp Dennison 
 is sometimes a pleasant place to reside in, but many of our 
 boys were dissatisfied because there were several articles which 
 they wanted and could not procure there. Consequently some 
 of them were taken of " French furlouglis" to the city, and 
 were sometimes guard-housed on their return, but were shortly 
 afterward let loose by the colonel, who was very kind to his 
 men, and hated very much to see them remain any length of 
 time inside prison door#>WLt Camp Dennison we had plenty to 
 eat, drink, and wear, and were only muddy in winter when 
 walking around. Consequently we, as soldiers in camp, did 
 excellently well. There are several groceries here, which 
 places sell things very high, and therefore are not very well 
 patronized. The owners are not as wealthy as they might be 
 in other places. About this period, newspapers were scarce 
 very frequently, and in order to obtain one, much loved and 
 respected by all the boys of our regiment, I wrote the follow- 
 ing piece of poetry and sent it to tlie Times, which published 
 it on the afternoon of December 25th, 1801 : 
 
 VOLUNTEER POETRY. 
 
 Camp Dxnsisom, December 21, 1861. 
 E'lUnrs Cincinnati Times: 
 
 Gkntlemkn: As we have not seen mucb notice of ourselves, or our regiment, in 
 your well-read and soldierly sheet, lately, we would humbly call your kind attention 
 to the following scandalous productiou, perpetrated by a "sargint" in our company, 
 who, though he strikes kernlij and with point at our failings, is, nevertheless, rather 
 blunt in his opinions. We desire, however, kind sirs, that you will bless him with 
 print, though he be d — d by the printers. 
 
 Respectfully, gentlemen, 
 
 CoiiPAKY H, 5th 0. V. C, U. S. A. 
 
HDMEKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 5 
 
 A FEW LINES TO COMPANY H, FIFTH 0. Y. C, U. S. A. 
 
 BT THE "3ABGIXT. ' 
 
 Since sojers are noted, wherever they go, 
 For frolic or fighting, are fast or are slow, 
 And each individual s able to teach 
 The gum or the grab game, within or 'thout reach; 
 Can stock a canteen at a stand or a run. 
 And prime, load, and fire, like a son-of a-gun; 
 To pull from the sutler or henroost is willing; 
 With/oemen or toomen is equally killing; 
 Who's quick on the draw when he aims at an inn. 
 But slow in presenting when asked for the tin; 
 Who's fame, like small change, lies loosely about him, 
 (The wag knows the world could wa^'- on without him;) 
 Who pants for a breech in observance of law, 
 Tho' d — d are the breeches he's pant-ing to draw. 
 In ev'ry mad antic, the top, branch, and root. 
 Hail! hail! fellow-sojer, we meet and salute. 
 Whom first have we here? What, our orderly? Pond? 
 The lines, my dear officer, you are beyond. 
 What's out? Is the company on the " French" march? 
 The laundress, Sam Howell, is she out of starch? 
 The regiment's dead, if Dame Truth holds my fears. 
 That Scofield and Allen are — drunk pioneers. 
 Where's Oldiug and Munay? Both missing, you say? 
 Then, bottles, I pity your bellies to-day! 
 O, Davis, friend Sam, and Pat Dignan, so true. 
 Are ye stagg'ring off 'thout a "feller ye knew? " 
 And happy George Ludlam I always thought that 
 You'd break me the brick you had whole in your hat. 
 Farewell, John McCracken and Jim and Mike Mee, 
 My spirits are gone with your spirited spree ! 
 Not a Rum go is this — Jim left in the lurch 
 By the Wansbros, Gin-u-wine members of church. 
 This day sees me ylZe-ing since Adam forgot, 
 And Webster, to bring me where they went — to pot ! 
 And Overturf, Rice, and our bully dragoon, 
 Ed. Brinkley, are now in some lager saloon, 
 Mit swei hoondert lager mine stoomak to slake ! 
 Oh, Smith, Olley Smith, bring back something to take. 
 And King, our great blow-hard, our blacksmith, where's he? 
 In scratching for whisky, he's itching to flea 
 To Bacchus' blind court has our Cottman withdrew? 
 Then Mars has but given the devil bis due. 
 Let Venus preside where our Lawrence has fled, 
 He'd rise from his grave being "seven weeks dead ! " 
 
nUMEKOUS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 Where's DoUiu, the Bowl'd Sojer-Boy? Is he gone. 
 
 With his army of guards? Ochone ! and ochone ! 
 
 And Brennun, our John*" JF'arc the d'lmlis he? 
 
 Blur-an-ouns ! 't wasn't poteen he wint for, d'ye see? 
 
 The devil, Lord save us, 't was prompted the tramp — 
 
 For scamp'ring off, John, ye'r the divil's own schampF 
 
 There's Appleby, too, he should be an instructor; 
 
 Such conduct becomes not a railroad conduct-or." 
 
 And Caldwell's called ill, at this juncture, I'd say, 
 
 For tho' "there's no pitch hot, Old Satan's to pay." 
 
 Where's Higgins' horse? He's not gone! have a carel 
 
 Where Higgins' horse is, his master is there. 
 
 And Johnson and Mayhugh, I'd take my best oath. 
 
 No mudhole is curtained and spread over holh! 
 
 Oh, Orderly, what's your advice that we do? 
 
 Invoke the red spirits, the gray, white, and blue? 
 
 Call out to the gods, with a Roman despair. 
 
 And ask how our comrades are roamin', and where? 
 
 The adjutant's coming! we'll tell him the story. 
 
 And die like true martyrs, iu flame covered glory. 
 
 Excuse me, good Orderly, but have you got 
 
 A chew of tobacco? You say that you've not! 
 
 Or whisper — come nearer — pray give me a dose 
 
 Of that same liquid dye which painted your nose. 
 
 All gone, you've remarked. Then why stand prating thus? 
 
 The men are — abed, you inelegant "cuss," 
 
 " They have not deserted then, Tom, as it seems?" 
 
 Yes, they have departed, friend Pond, to their dreams. 
 
 What, anger 'd! good sir; it was in mere sport 
 
 I made this addenda to your "morning report." 
 
 If first when we'd met you'd "presented " your flask, 
 
 And "ordered" your quid, there had not been such mask. 
 
 But frolic is ours, as I said at the first. 
 
 And you're not of orderly sergeants the worst. 
 
 Excuse, pray, the hand which invented this tail. 
 
 And call me a. fence post whenever you rail. 
 
 And so fair good night, sweetest dreams and repo.se. 
 
 In seeking our couch we'll each follow — his nose; 
 
 Yet, fearing the colonel might hear of the trick, 
 
 I'll otr to the doctor, pretending I'm sick, 
 
 And say our lieutenants, both gentlemen civil. 
 
 Have ordered my physical ills to the devil. 
 
 Or else to my captain, McFarland, I'll hie. 
 
 And if there's small wool why there'll be but small cry. 
 
 All's well; I've eichungod my old hoots for a blanket. 
 
 Each covers a calf, fur which, Heaven, I thank it. 
 
HUMEBOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 7 
 
 About the end of February we were ordered off, and there- 
 fore departed to Cincinnati, getting on board steamers for Ten- 
 nessee river, which we immediately accomplished, at the same 
 time bidding farewell to all our friends and relatives who resided 
 near by. Then we left the City of Cincinnati on six or seven 
 steamers. Major Scherer, our hero in all military matters, com- 
 manding the first battallion, Major Kicker the second, and 
 Major Hayes the third. 
 
 Our boat, the Bostona No. 2, not getting away until one day 
 after the balance had left, on account of the lot of goods and 
 horses we had to place on board ; we, however, managed to 
 get everything fixed on her, and away she went down stream 
 toward Dixie, like a good traveler, and we bade good-bye to our 
 homes until we ended the war, which we expected to do very 
 soon, but which we have not yet accomplished, as we expected 
 to do at farthest in a month or two. 
 
 Quarter Master McFarland was on board this steamer, and 
 obtained cabin fare for "One of Them" clear through to Crump 
 landing, where a portion of us, the third battallion, got off, as 
 we were ordered to do by General Grant, and were placed under 
 General Lew. Wallace, whose division was placed at this point, 
 four miles below Pittsburg landing. 
 
 General Grant is at Savanna, some five miles below Crump's 
 landing, and from thence orders our men to certain positions 
 on the river above him. Previous to getting this far up the 
 Tennessee we stopped at a destroyed railroad bridge, and 
 viewed it as a handsome place to remain at for a few days. 
 We discovered, amongst half a dozen houses, one belonging to 
 a rebel doctor, which was filled with medicine and books, and 
 which the boys destroyed. For what other reason than that he 
 caused the trying by a jury there of a Union man, and endeav- 
 ored to have him hung because he was in favor, previous to 
 our arrival, of the American flag and Government feeling, and 
 was born and bred in the North. This doctor was said to be a 
 poisoner and villain in every respect, and we found and im- 
 prisoned him on board a gunboat, until wo could send him off 
 to sotoe United States prison, as a rebel villain. We did so, 
 and then proceeded on our way up stream, I feeling so good on 
 
6 5UMEEOI7B ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 account of one rebel capture, that I immediately wrote to the 
 Cinciunati Times newspaper an account of our present pro- 
 ceedings, and expecting the kind permission of permittal to 
 write all the news I could to that friendly and accomplished 
 paper whenever I could do so. 
 
 The paymaster, Major McDowell, was on board our boats, 
 and paid us off between the bridge and where we landed, which 
 made the boys feel fine, because they could send by a United 
 States Agent, who was at that time in company with Major 
 McDowell, all their money home, if necessary. Many an one 
 of us did so very gladly, and a better cash business never hap- 
 pened us while we have been in the service as soldiers. Not 
 once. 
 
 March 10, 1862. — To-day we passed an elegant farm house, 
 on the Tennessee river, at which all the darkies in the peighboi- 
 hood seemed congregated, who spread their ivories, and what- 
 ever rag of a hadkerchief or other thing they could raise as a 
 token of welcome to us to Dixie, as it existed here. Just below 
 there is a site [for a fortification, which seems a far more eli- 
 gible position than Fort Donelson or Fort Henry, and, if ap- 
 pearances do not always deceive, the rebels might have made 
 a stand with far greater prospect of success than at the former 
 positions. The woods along the river are very attractive here, 
 not only in appearance, but because they shelter fat animals 
 known in Porkopolis, and fowls, which seem to enjoy the grat- 
 iMcation of shade and solitude in, this most critical period of 
 their existence. 
 
 . Near the river hills we see, as we advance, scouts of rebel 
 cavalry calmly looking at our formidable appearance, and 
 wondering, no doubt, at Yankee impudence in thus desecrating 
 the sacred southern soil. Passed Brownsville landing at 9 
 o'clock A. M. Kiverb anks low all along this morning. Some 
 iifteen miles above here a bold rocky cliff, directly facing us as 
 we advance, varies all the appearances considerably, it being 
 the most prominent position we have seen along this river. The 
 chain of hills here are large, and bear north and south, and 
 these, nature's fortifications, principally composed of stonQ, 
 completely command the river, up and down, for miles, ^ft^ 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTUKES OL A VOLUNl'EEB. 9 
 
 why they are not now bristling with rebel cannon is one of 
 the singularities of this war.*" No force, no matter how su- 
 perior in point of numbers, could have been brought success- 
 fully against this stronghold, and our bravery would, I feat, 
 have failed to overcome a tolerable resistance of the enemy 
 here. 
 
 Our band is now playing the "Mocking Bird " on the hurri- 
 cane roof of the boat, and as we pass along upwards the ne- 
 groes, men, women, and children, hurrah for us, provided there 
 are no white persons near them ; in fact, on both shores the 
 blackbirds greet the music playing mocking birds and their 
 companions with a hearty approbation, and we slide past in 
 good feeling of mind and body, and think ourselves complete 
 masters in every situation we have now, or shall hereafter ar- 
 rive at in any slave position of this Union. 
 
 Obtained a rebel bullet to-day from a sailor on one of our 
 gunboats, who stopped at the same landing, and which was 
 flattened against our gunboat at Pittsburg landing, and am very 
 much obliged for the present, I am sure. 
 
 Major McDowell is on board another boat going up, and has 
 paid off the greater portion of our regiment. Colonel Taylor 
 is indeed a generous man, who endears himself to all by every 
 good impulse. His kindly nature overflows with honorable 
 liberality. Just now he has made a soldier happy, who was 
 unfortunately overlooked on the pay roll, and who, but for the 
 colonel, would have had no funds to send his suffering family. 
 The colonel presented liim with twenty dollars in specie, in 
 order that he would send it with gladness to his wife and family. 
 May God reward him! 
 
 We saw General Sherman this afternoon, on the steamer 
 Continental ; he is a noble looking soldier and a determined 
 one, who will not belie his looks, or we are all much deceived ; 
 the men with him seem to think very highly of his talents as 
 a soldier, and his kindness as a man. May he ever remain eo, 
 is all our hopes. 
 
 4 o^ clock P. M. — We have just arrived at Savanna, which is 
 a small-sized place on the left bank of the Tennessee river, 
 and seemingly of very little importance in a strategic or other 
 
10 HUMEROUS ADVENTUSES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 
 
 point of view. Twenty-ei^'ht steamers, filled with troops, and 
 two gnnboats, have arrived here before us. Just previous to 
 -a view ol' this place, we stopped at a secesh corn crib, and 
 profited our liorses thereby^ 
 
 We have lauded with several other steamers opposite to Sa- 
 vanna, and our Zouaves are running round with cackling hens 
 ^nd uncrowing roosters undertheir arms, and one fellow is un- 
 dressing a cock under its owners very window. This is not as 
 it should be, but men are, some of them, untameable. The 
 negroes seem well contented with their masters, and are prob- 
 ah'y satisfied^ or seemingly so, at the present time, but they do 
 ;not care about mingling with some of us ; their good behavior, 
 however, is possibly owing to the presence of several of their 
 masters and our general orders for the time being. 
 
 One of our gunboats started up the river this evening, to re- 
 connoitre, and she only proceeded some five or six miles when 
 she had a skirmish with a thousand or two of the enemy. She 
 has returned to us unscathed, and we move up to attend to the 
 gentlemen in the morning. 
 
 March 12, 1S62.— We are here still, and, contra omnium ex- 
 pectationem, hear no notes of preparation to-day, so far. Boats 
 full of soldiers continue to arrive here, however, and we must 
 now be at least fifty thousand strong. 
 
 We laughed heartily to-day at the escapede of two infantry 
 soldiers, who, influenced to possess a secesh chicken, addressed 
 a slave woman, as black as Erebus, off"eriiig to purchase from 
 her. The woman's "eh, eh," however, was a very energetic and 
 .final negative, and the rebuked twain drew ofi" a sliort distance 
 to consider the chances, while the slave entered the house 
 to attend to three fine corn cakes browning beautifully before 
 the fire. After the council of war, the two outsiders separated, 
 one sneaking round to the back door, the other advancing boldly 
 to tlie front; he again made proposals to buy from tlie wench, 
 but again received decided refusals from Miss Dinah, who did 
 not seem to be in M-ant of money at that time, -or from any such 
 persons. Cunningly displaying the money, he seemed at least 
 to excite the woman's cupidity to such a degree, that she paid 
 but small attention to the cakes inside. At this moment tU© 
 
HUMEE0U8 ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 11 
 
 other soldier entered the "back door, which was also open, and 
 seizing upon the pones, he made tracks. The cakes, however, 
 were warmer than he supposed, which led to his detection as 
 the colored lady heard the noise he made in letting them drop, 
 and so she ran to recover her lost property. The sojer was too 
 quick on the grab for her, seized them again and got to the 
 fence, pursued by the negress with her club in hand, until the 
 fire in his rear becoming too hot, he was forced to jump sud- 
 denly into the road, losing, by dropping, two and retaining one 
 of the stolen cakes, with which he successfully made off as 
 rapidly as possible. 
 
 The other rascally partner, the front door talking man, swore 
 at his friend, calling him thief, rascal, and all other obnoxious 
 epithets he could think of, and finislied by advising the slave 
 to run and catch the villain who took her cakes, and he would 
 assist her in so doing. This she was foolish enough to do, when 
 her adviser, strongly tempted, no doubt, by the chance offered 
 to him, picked up the two corn cakes lying so very invitingly 
 within his grasp, when he too made tracks and of course got 
 away with his eatable plunder; 
 
 We who were present were sorry for the poor woman, and 
 yet we failed to restrain our laughter, when she returned and 
 we observed her astonishment when she discovered the trick 
 played upon her by the partner of the fellow who had entered 
 the house and stole the cakes. Raising, (on discovery of the 
 other one's absence,) her hands to heaven, she exclaimed: 
 
 " Wal, dere ! ef dat oder Linkun man isn't gone and stole too ! 
 Jes' as I spected he'd do, jes' as I spected ! Guess dey'd better 
 come and take old nigger too, 'kase we might as well go now 
 as any time. Dey'll take all any how." 
 
 "Go 'long, white man," she said excite.dly to another United 
 States soldier who pretended to condole with her. " You jes' 
 as bad's de res', an' ef you kin fight de secesli same's you kin 
 steal from de darkies, you'll need as many stearaboatis apiece 
 as you all got here now, to convey to de Norf all do plunder 
 you take off de niggas." » 
 
 12 o'clock M. — Our regiment has received orders to mount, 
 and all are busy in preparation. Sabres are hastily buckled on, 
 
12 HDMER0U8 ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 pistols and carbines are examined, horses saddled, and every 
 thing- betokens war in reality. The Fifth O. V. 0. will see ser- 
 vice now, as they are the vanguard of this imoaense army, and 
 they will of course be the first to encounter the enemy, who are 
 eaid to be in immense force a few miles distant from us here. 
 Five Union, but Tennessee farmers have just come in and report 
 the enemy but a short distance in the interior. These farmers 
 have just escaped being pressed into the Confederate service, 
 by running away and seeking our protection. One of these 
 fellows who seems rather a young person, and is of tolerable 
 good looks, seems to take it hard about the situation in which 
 he left his wife and small family, and he talks as though jealousy 
 existed in his thoughts to a large extent at the present time. 
 His ideas of rebel actions are not very good, and his thoughts 
 of a wife's treatment and her own conduct are not as good as 
 a wise man would publicly express. 
 
 4 o'clock P. M. — The whole of our force is ordered to ad- 
 Tance in the steamers, and as I write this, a portion of us are 
 moving up stream. 
 
 8 a'' clock P. M. — General Lew. Wallace's brigade, accompa- 
 nied by the third battalion of the Fifth O. V. C, started up the 
 river, led by a gunboat, in order to reconnoitre for a fort held 
 by the rebels, five miles above Savanna, at Crump's landing. 
 We are almost certain of a brush, but go armed in a just caus0 
 and fearless of consequences. We have arrived at our desti- 
 nation, where we are to remain permanently with Wallace's 
 division, the right wing of General Grant's army, while the 
 main body is to go four miles farther, to a place called Pitts- 
 burg landing. All are to await events in their encampments. 
 May the enemy soon be here ; we wish to meet them and whale 
 them as they deserve. 
 
 Wallace's brigade is composed of the Eighth Missouri in- 
 fantry, Eleventh and Twenty-fourth Indiana, Forty-fourth Illi- 
 nois, and our third battalion of cavalry, beside other regiments* 
 These J^re all good soldiers and are anxious for fighting and 
 whippitig, wliicli we hope soon to accomplish. Our tents are 
 up and we feel all right here, as this seems a nice place though 
 nearly houseless. 
 
nUMEROUS ADVENTURES , OF A VOLUNTEER. 19t 
 
 March IWi^ 1862. — Our battallion is already ordered out to 
 service ; we are to burn two railroad bridges, twenty miles 
 distant, on the Memphis and Charleston railroad, near Bethel, 
 Tennessee. 
 
 The boys started at 12 o'clodk last night, shown the way by 
 Major Hurst, formerly a storekeeper in Furdy, Mississippi, and 
 a born southern man ; but a Union person who has been badly 
 treated by the secesh because his feelings were in favor of 
 Unionism all the time. His store was taken from him, and. 
 his family made prisoners until they retired to, and lived with, 
 their relatives near by ; but Hurst fled in time and got to us 
 soon enough. So he is safe enough though bold as a lion and 
 brave as a bull-dog. 
 
 11 o'clock P. M. — Our boys have started on horseback to 
 
 destroy these bridges, company H, Captain T n, leading 
 
 tlie van; but the weather is rainy and dark, and they have to 
 go private ways to be successful in reaching the place and doing 
 the duty they are ordered to do. Major Hayes commands them. 
 The soldiers lost their.way in the woods as they advanced, and 
 it took them about ten hours to reach the rebel scouts guarding 
 the bridges, whom they immediately attacked and routed, cap- 
 turing some nine or ten prisoners and thereafter destroying the 
 bridges. While they were cutting away the second and last, a- 
 train filled with rebel soldiers came along ; but the engiuecry 
 seeing the 'danger of this locality, immediately stopped, and 
 our soldiers had to get away soon, which they did without ios-i 
 ing a man ; getting to camp by 4 P. M. next day.' ■ -..ui 
 
 It was a good idea to destroy the transportation routes of the' 
 secesh rascals, as they were in several places at that time, and 
 the idea of keeping them where they were was a very good ono 
 on our general's part. 
 
 March 15, 18U2. — Our boys have again departed to finish the 
 bridge-burning duties they have to perform, and went a distance 
 of tl}irty miles from here, near where the enemy has, it is re- 
 ported, a force of about eight thousand infantry and seven 
 hundred cavalry. The remarks of our infantry upon the setting 
 out of oiar boys that "th,ere goes i\\e green cavalry on a scout," 
 was rather uncalled for ; and the result of «>ui' going away 
 
14 HUMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 Bhowcd very plainly that soraetimes the gentlemen on foot are 
 neither "prophets nor sons of prophets." We retnrned after 
 performances of duties whicli we, as well as the infantry, en- 
 joyed on our return quite well indeed. General Smith highly 
 complimented us, and in general order No. 4, gave the thanks 
 of the whole division to ns, officers and men, for gallant and 
 meritorious conduct. 
 
 March 17. — The infantry are raising their tents on shore this 
 morning, which is a good idea, sinbe the steamers have become 
 dirty because of being overcrowded, and consequently are un- 
 healthy. The water is also bad, as we have to make use of 
 the Tennessee river as a spring to drink from, and it is loo muddy 
 at present for any such business. In consequence of having to 
 drink this water a great many of our soldiers have taken the 
 diarrhoea, which was at first seemjngly of a mild type, but has 
 become fatal in some instances here recently. We trust not to 
 remain here a great length of time, to get rusty, like unused 
 blades, for want of proper handling. 
 
 What magnificent weather we are having the last two days. 
 The birds arc entertaining themselves and us with sweet songs ; 
 the trees are in bud and blossom, and in fact all animated na- 
 ture except man alone is enjoying that peace, happiness, and 
 Bwect repose their Lord and Maker intended them for here on 
 earth. 
 
 March 19. — What a mournful sight is a soldier's funeral ! 
 Some poor fellow is being carried to his 'last resting place this 
 morning by his comrades, witli reversed arms, slowly marching 
 to solemn music, with grief depicted on their countenances! 
 Alas! how many of tiiese brave fellows now full of life and 
 health, may fill a grave on the banks of the Tennessee ere they 
 leave it! The remark of Captain Carroll, of the steamer J. B. 
 Ford, on observing the procession, that "the water of this river 
 would send many more of us the same road, if we stayed here 
 much longer," strikes us, like one of Cicero's orations, as being 
 forcible, and much to the ])oint. Why are we kept here idle? 
 The general commanding this brigade has ordered the men on 
 Bhorc, in order to give them the benefit of pure air and spring' 
 water, wliich, if accomplished, will certainly lessen the tendency 
 
HUMEKOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 15 
 
 to disease amongst ns, and probably induce this Tennessee 
 looseness to relieve us of its presence. A portion of our bri- 
 gade, composed of a few companies of infantry, completely 
 surrounded one hundred rebel soldiers last night and tookthera 
 all prisoners. We are to go out scouting again shortly after 
 dinner. Eight hundred additional rebel prisoners parsed us 
 here to-day j they were taken by Smith's division some miles 
 beyond us. Immediately thereafter we went out scouting, com- 
 manded by Major Hayes. 
 
 8 o'clock P. M. — We have just returned from our foray, and 
 a glorious one it was, not so much from its benefit to the cause 
 perhaps as to our personal gratification. We left our camp, at 
 Crump's landing, at 1 o'clock P. M., and along an excellent 
 road to Adamsville, five miles from the river, where the rebel 
 cavalry reported four hundred strong, (fifty more than ours,) 
 had told the denizens in a boastful manner, that they would meet 
 us to-day and drive us to h — 1, or some other sea-poit; but the 
 lads of the South took good care to be out of the way when we 
 arrived ; consequently we thought we would pay them a home 
 visit in a civil sort of a way, and so kept on close to Purdy, 
 where five regiments of rebel infantry divide their quarters 
 with those boastfully chivalric riders who failed to meet us 
 where they represented they ^^ould. Three miles this side of 
 Purdy we met the first armed rebel pickets, whom wo drove 
 in in company with their confreres, and captured some of them 
 in sight of their whole army. We halted on top of a hill in 
 full view, and within a mile of Purdy, which latter seems to be 
 a place of some consequence. It is well situated in a valley, 
 and excellently built for a small Tennessee town. Here we 
 beheld the whole rebel army as they came on toward us in a 
 double-quick; and a fine sight it was. They were apparently 
 well armed and drilled, and were headed by a gallant looking 
 general officer who seemed quite in earnest, until he saw the 
 buckeye eye-balls, which had the efiect to cove his present 
 ardor, and he therefore ordered a halt, while we, too few to 
 face so iriimense a force, after firing a couple of rounds, slowly 
 and in good order retired unmolested ; never even going as fast 
 as a trot until we reached our camp again. The only loss we 
 
16 nUMEKOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTKEE. 
 
 met with was in horse flesh, Lieutenant Murray's animal, a 
 noble brute, being- killed in the picket fight. Our gallant fel- 
 lows seemed soldiers born, and knew not their present vocation 
 until they saw and encountered the enemy. 
 
 The inhabitants of the country we passed through yesterday 
 are much divided in opinion on this war. The greater number 
 strongly avow Union principles and wish for peace and frater- 
 nity again. The few opposed to these sentiments are bitterly 
 prominent, and take every way to injure those whom they 
 suspect to favor peace on any conditions whatever. 
 
 One poor old man whom Ave met yesterday at Adamsville,; 
 told us that his only son, a youth eighteen years of age, had 
 been forced, on pain of death, to join the rebel Captain Piatt's 
 Company of cavalry, and made to assist in the robbery of his 
 own father and his neighbors of their corn, fodder, and pro- 
 visions. He (the old man) begged us, with tears in his eyes, 
 to inform him if Piatt's whole company was not captured at 
 Savanna yesterday by a portion of our army. We told him 
 we believed they were, and that if his son was amongst them, 
 he, the father, could get to see him by an application to the 
 commanding officer, which gratified the old man intensely, and 
 he limped away, (for he was lame, poor soul,) after distributing 
 all the tobacco he had with him amongst us, at the same time 
 blessing our noble cause, and all concerned in upholding it. 
 lie was only too happy to know that his son was safe in our 
 hands, and he said he would make his little household happy 
 when he got heme witii the intelligence he had received from 
 us. 
 
 The country along our route was composed of a sandy, but 
 in some places a well watered soil, which must, if well culti- 
 vated, be productive in corn, potatoes, and fruit, which we had 
 some strong evidences of as we went along. The people seem 
 well to do, and would be undoubtedly happy in peaceful" times, 
 as they are comfortably housed, cleanly, and healthy at this 
 date. 
 
 When Peace smiles upon a bountiful land how happy are 
 its people ! how much to be envied, and how great our Father 
 iu Heaven should be glorified I But when a nation, against 
 
HIIMER0U8 aDVENTlTBES OP A VOLUlTrKEai IT 
 
 the dictates of humanity and the commands of the Supreme 
 Being, engages in war against each othei^,' brother against 
 brother and father against son, then the lessons of life can 
 be gathered from every hill top and valley in the land. 
 May this soon end, and southern men again acknowledge thei* 
 duty to the flag of our whole country. 
 
 General Smith has just issued an order making it death to 
 steal, or carry away unpaid for, the property of any person! 
 whatever, and intends enforcing it strictly. This is as it should 
 be. What right have we to take and carry away the goods of 
 otliers? One of the beneficial effects resulting from this order 
 was apparent the other day, and saved the innocent females 
 in an elegant mansion near our camp. The matter was this : 
 A doctor of seccsh proclivities, on the approach of our troops, 
 fled to the rebel camp, leaving everything behind him, evea 
 his wife and daughter, (the latter a beautiful young lady of sev- 
 enteen, highly educated and accomplished,) to the mercy of 
 the invaders. Our force pitched their tents in close vicinity to 
 their residence, and hearing of this shortly after, a parly con- 
 sisting of twenty or thirty soldiers, proceeded at once toward 
 the place, in order to raze the house to the ground and plunder 
 it of its contents. 
 
 ''On the first appearance of our fleets, the ladies, being de- 
 serted by the husband and father as before state<;l, made prep- 
 arations fur immediate departure, and had packed some portion 
 of the household goods when the noisy, riotous crew arrived, 
 intent on the work of destruction. They commenced operations 
 by breaking in the front door to the extreme fright of the 
 women and their colored people, and seizing the piano and 
 other elegant articles of furniture, with loud shouts and despite 
 the tears of the trembling ladles, carried them off toward the 
 door, intending to deliver them to the tender mercies of that 
 portion of their party remaining outside. At this moment one 
 of our cavalry teamsters, named' Perkins, attracted thither by 
 the noise, now stood at the door, and, remonstrating with the 
 ruffians, begged them, for the sake of their own mothers and 
 sisters at home, to desist. This gallant fellow would then have 
 met with harsh treatment, but that an oflicer casually passing 
 
X$ HUMEEOU8 ADVENTDKE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 the house ft( this time, came to Perkins's assistance, and com- 
 manded the felli/ws to disperse, which they did \cry grnm- 
 bliugly; and a guard being placed at the door relieved the 
 inmates from farther molestation. The order of our general 
 inflicting the death penalty lor any similar outrage in future, 
 has frightened the rowdy portion of our men into quiescence, 
 and has placed a wholesome restraint upon all evil-disposed 
 pnes we are cursed with. This looks like civilized warfare, 
 and fanatical pulpit thumpers and bigoted men will discover 
 that brave men enlist to tight the battles of their country and 
 no^. to rob, plunder, and destroy. 
 
 March 22. — One of 6ur lientenar|^8 shot a colored servant 
 yesterday, by accident. These frequently recurring accidents 
 are uncalled for. There are too many gentlemen in tliis army, 
 and too few poor individuals. The fir&t draw extremely liberal 
 pay, and commit accidents often and criminally; the latter 
 small wages, considering they are often the head and ahvays 
 the arm of a squad, company, or, perhaps, even a battallion. 
 The killed servant's name was John Curtis. He formerly kept' 
 a barber shop next door to Reinlein's drug store, on the corner 
 of Eighth and Freeman streets, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 March 23. — We have had large, additipns made to onr forces 
 here, until we are now nearly, or quite, seventy thousand strong. 
 General Smith commands. He is a fine, genial looking man, 
 and is as Ifriendly arid conversable as any shoulder-gilt gentle- 
 hian in the army, and is undoubtedly the idol of his men, who 
 leave all knotty issues to their general, and his decision is al- 
 )vays satisfactory, justifying the appeals they often make to 
 iiim. His affability is never at fault, and proclaims mote for 
 him. than his compeers (many of them) can boast, so i'ar. 
 
 ,! liebel armed and unarmed men are coming into this camp 
 every day ill squads as many as twenty, but more frequently 
 (rem four to teu, and claim onj"! protection, or join our army at 
 pnce; In fact tliey nearly, or quite, all join at once. They are 
 pertainly welcome. This proves how true is the principle up* 
 Jield by those in power, that the Constitution should remain 
 unaltered, and all men have their just rights as heretofore, in 
 
HUMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEKBi 1ft 
 
 property of ^all kinds, held as well inl ithe/Saa^h as in the 
 North. no iQiiir.Dob a i<. d 
 
 * Two of our boys were speaking td-day about politics. One 
 was a democrat and. the other a republican. They were 
 arguing strongly on political matters, and finally came to blows, 
 because the democrat tliou'glit the Pi'esideht of the United States 
 wise in appointing Scott, Stanton, and Bates as council friends, 
 and put-ting out of oflice friend Simon Cimeron, for good rea- 
 sons and. excellent judgement, , 'Tile figiit! W'a,s,''h6H\^M6r,' shol-^, 
 and ' one oif tlie sutlers'' sliopV'closed,' by e'ntertdimneht, tH6' 
 wor4s and blows of both democrat and republican. They 
 Irusited tp end the figl.t ahortty wh*6ri ttiey 'cornmenced it, as 
 til ey will the w:ar,now going on 1)etw'ech No'rlh arid South 
 We all hope they are a^ true in the latter wish as they were in 
 the former '*"' ''^'' >'< X.n« jlduotj ixll lIji>,Bw ahlT .ebiight 
 
 I am ordered this afternoon to Pittsburgh lartding, which is 
 foitr miles up the river from here, in. order to obtain clothing, 
 fi-om ona- quartermaster there, fur the Teflii^e,<;ai«$iWUftn^ils^^ 
 have lately obtained here as recruits. ,; iDin loc^jtf;-?) yi^-. ;n;j 
 
 ^'4 P. J/!— Have'ki-i-^v;ed, aWd'arri takeVi i^ si^w^gon to Shiloh 
 (Cnnnch, near which place are the principal quartei-s of our reg- 
 iment. Troops are encaniped. all along on both sides of this 
 rough road, and se'era quite a.t home enjoying themselves gaily 
 in all sorts of innocent amusements.' They look in fur better 
 health than our poor boys below. Wiiether they will, in con- 
 ^C^quenCe, ^^A^ better, remains 'to be jJroved.' They did quite 
 well yesterday, however, on a scout. They had been 'Ordered 
 to examine the road tOwarcI Corinth, and Hvent so close to the 
 enemy's pickets, unexpectedly, as to capture General Menks 
 ^nd iiig otderly sergeant, whb Wicr6 both ' 'i^hngTy bhfecohsed afr 
 t^ie' house of the former, they not having the' slightest id^tl- 
 tliat the 5th O. Y. C. were so close and so impudent as to lay 
 theiV sa'criltgious ^iand8"ori'fhe sk'eted perseft of d'^^fi^at 'r^fe^ 
 general. They alsc*) obtaihed soine forty-fiVe bales of cottob^ 
 one ton of powder, some valuable fodder and grain; also a su-'' 
 perb horse, owned -by fhie afdresEtssid geti^i-al. Who WiTTidehial 
 JkMy now in close' quarters, rather than cdrifiriem^nt to horse 
 
20 BUMKEOUS ADVENTUEEar )&ff A; aT^LUNTEEB* 
 
 flesh at large. Wonder whether hiB prefers a canter now (Wj 
 horseback or a decanter on foot. ,/^ 
 
 The rebel general's house is a very iine looking domicile, 
 and is well situated here ip. rebeldora. There are some fine 
 looking females about the premises who seem to think too 
 much of the position now occupied by them. One of the 
 ladies was rather talkative at the time of our appearance; and 
 very demonstratiyj^ ip ,regard. to morals possessed just then. 
 One of our men seemed dry, and asking her, as she stood in a 
 door, to please give him a drink of water, she, using chewing 
 tobacco in manly style, sent a spit at him which struck his face 
 80 evenly and nicely that he tlianked her for so much kindness 
 in furnishing him a drink that she used herself, and went oflt 
 amid the laughter of his companions and the jokes of hi^ 
 friends. This was all the trouble any of our boys had, however, 
 in this scout, and they returned to their camp, shortly afterward, 
 in great good humor. • uai-y([v, >ai\ 
 
 ' Generals Grant and Sherman are both here, near to Shiloh 
 church. The former is in command of ns all, who amount to 
 seventy thousand men now, and probably more. The steamer 
 Tigress is the m^il boa^ frop Savannq, to Pittsburg landing, and 
 is now waiting at the latter place to bring General Grant back 
 to the former place, where many pretty girls reside, some of 
 whom made acq^uaintauce, with our leading officer when wo first 
 arrived. These pretty maids are sisters to a rebel officer, and, 
 though they talk, very well to pur generals and their aides-de- 
 camp, they bedieve in , sputhern views, , n^ore, f trongly t,ha,a v^ 
 Northern matters. 
 
 March 25.— To day wrote to the Cincinnati Times, a good, a 
 tro^, andweUvliked paper. General Smith, reviewed several 
 regiments this morning, and seemed greatly pleased with theii^ 
 appearance and performfinces. They were a splendid body o| 
 men truly, and he who can. not view them with a glow of pat- 
 riotic emotion filling his breast, must be either an imbecile or^ 
 a traitor. Sa^y two or three pencil scratchers,on horses, taking 
 notes. Tliey seemed like crows in a spring cornfield — ready tQ> 
 peck but uuable to find sufficient to feed on. ly/o' o-io f dioa 
 Returned by steamer to Crump's landing, which isbecomingi 
 
HUMEBOUS AbVENTUEES OE A VOLUNTEEB. M 
 
 tihlie^lth}^ as a day scat-fcfe^y passes without lessenini^ this nhtii- 
 ber of our poor fellows. To-daj I met a soldier, bareheaded 
 and barefooted, weeping violefltly and wringing his hands ia 
 beeming despair. His only brother had just died in the pest- 
 nouse, of small pox, and this devoted- relative, who had waited 
 bews oi him daily at the hospdt)^! door, had biit now rbeen told 
 of his death. He seemed almost crazed, and his heart wrung 
 goaus and piteous exclamations would have drawn tears from 
 the hardest hearted. We are tnakiog a gi^Ve yard in sight of 
 the river, at the top of the landing, which is fast becoming of 
 large extent. It was hdre the body of this young mart's brother 
 was plEkied?'<^''^''4f'' ' ^^^''" h'lM'i; 'nI ■',^u<I ,lliil a inntb oUi^'irfia 
 To day three members of' out battalMon^ w^re captured neat 
 Adamsville, where they were standing guard, and the balance 
 were compelled to retreat a short distance ks the rebels wei^ 
 six to one of our cavalry; and they retreated, too, in a short 
 time, as all oiir force Weiit to 'hunt them tip- J)ri6tty ^B«on -ftftep- 
 ^ard, ii:ut yiiih.'hii 'to -i /h ihtiii;,' vii-,. .■.>'."■:! 
 
 We have some geniiises in our company who are worthy of 
 notice, and I shall treat' of their pe^i^liliarities frequently. One 
 of them, Patrick D— — ^n by name, by birth a native of Con- 
 naught, is one of the hnrrierous souls in our (^rO-Wd,' and creates 
 many a laugh by his knave expressions and droll stories His 
 futid is never exhausted, and he rains the hot shot of wit upon 
 lis odntinuallyi He ite a brave fe'How,''6od,'and e6ld as an ice- 
 berg under fire. Instance the other day When we had chased 
 the rebel pickets intd their camp, and there we stood upon the 
 hill top watching thei'i- whole army as th-ey came on at us in & 
 double quick. Pat, whos6 horse is rather sh'^^ 'iri' the fbr^ 
 legs, cried out as we started back: ; ; . > , i 
 
 " Well, boys, divil a day's luck iver I'll have after losing- thife 
 JBlie chance at that rebel gineral there beloAV.'' ■• "'-'ii" i"'2 uu 
 - '^ What chance ?" asked one of us who "did n't¥e^'it>' '^'•' 
 ii it. vVhat chance, do ye ax me, is it," he exclaimed turning a 
 laughing eje at all the company about him.'' " What chan6e^ 
 ye loprehauns; 'why thin I'll tell ye sifice ye are sich blind 
 divils as not to see ityerselves. You obsarve that rebel ginoral 
 coming up atug thin,'do'yo^ti?' Very Well! bow look you ado wn 
 
^ HUMEROUS ADVENTD;:RES, JOF. A yOLUNTEEB. 
 
 on this baste annuntlier me ; tjp ye see tliim both ? You .dp ? 
 Very well. Now if my horse, instead of being a half coueirj 
 or so, wiis alfiill blooded kangaroo, and 5I was down behind 
 that cocked iiat rebel villain, could n't I bate him siventy-iive 
 yards in a liundred up any hill in America ; an' take him, an' 
 his soord, an', ail that he has on him, as gay as he looks? tell 
 me that now." ,: . : i .!• ,1 . -i ; j 
 
 And Fat looked triumphantly around him, as if to cl^alJengQ 
 a contradiction to his as^ertion^JV-hich no one venturing to ofler^ 
 3r*at clinched his argument by remarking: 
 
 -"Fjomthe lingth ol^ a.kapg^roo'^ hind legs he'd be hard to 
 navigate down a hill, but," he added with emphasis, "I'd d-ciy 
 ■the divil himself to a fair racfe m;? onei" »,;. - ., 
 • , We have just had another grand review; this time the whol^ 
 idivision is out^ and a magnificent sight it is. What a fine array 
 our one battallion of four hundred horsemen make at the head 
 £tt thisiiue looking body of meiji. Tl^en comes two batteries of 
 guns, alter which six regiments of infantry march around and 
 
 ido permanent duty to all. ijeceived;Order$»o_' grno?, o^&d -iV/ 
 
 March '2'd. — Five hundf;.d cavalry, called' the Curtis horse^ 
 arrived yesterday from' St. Louis, pn the A. M. McDowell, 
 IjLhey have b,^'e<i a short time at Fort Henry, and arc well drilled 
 flien seemingly. Oqe ol them, a private soldier who seemed 
 jovial over his acjlvance into Rebeldom, so much so that _he 
 .wrot|e;home;,tq the effect th?iit when he next wrote homCjjhi? 
 friends and neighbors had better be ready to remove to Dixie, 
 as he already had a plantatioij, >vith a big stock of . negroes^ 
 .picked out for /Qach/ofithepi; ^that the unmarried young nien 
 had better remain so awhile, as the young seccsh girls were Ht 
 to tie to and anxious to solve such knotty questions, and were 
 vTyi^Vijng tO; tie ,<pbedient to :apy,pf,itl»e mudsill fellows who came 
 on and offered themselves up without loss of time; some, of 
 the belles, are seemingly q.uite willing tp be wrung in^token of 
 joy at , our approach, in BOpae instances; and in such cases, if 
 true, if feinalcH were fortresses, a short siege and plenty of 
 amunition would be all the articles required to render them 
 defpnce|le,^s„ and willing to, immediately come to proper terms, 
 So,muc|).(oi; the Curtis horseman, ,>vho may be a logician or 
 
HTJMEEOrS ADVEXTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 23 
 
 otherwise ; but " if so, why so ? " as Captain Cuttle says in a 
 wise way or remarkable manner. :: 
 
 Transportation here has become hard to obtain unless to par- 
 ticular persons; and those having control of these matters dis- 
 play considerable favoritism in many cases where it is neither 
 requisite or desirable. It is sometimes called military necessity, 
 etc. Bully for the necessities with shoulder straps ; they some- 
 times talk as if becoming impoverished in the prosecution of 
 this war. A special law for their benefit, and to secure their 
 creditors, ouglit to pass both Houses without a dissenting voice, 
 for their sure future and immediate good. "Let her rip; who's 
 afeard!" i) ov/l .fjmt oliv/ «niT>Ttrte aUi h; >e blnoo od ffon 
 
 March 30. — Our boys are on picket dnty every night, and are 
 pretty severely tasked, having camp duty also to perform. The 
 general routine is included in the following: b o'clock A. M. — 
 We rise, wash, and prepare for roll call. 5.30. — Koli call, feed 
 and curr}' horses. 6. — Breakfast, dean sabres, guns, pistols, 
 accoutrements, etc. 10. — Drill on foot till 12, 2 F. M. — Com- 
 pany drill on horses until 4. 4. — Battallion drill. 5:30. — Dress 
 parade, after which supper. These, together with other duties 
 such as acting orderlies for general officers, obtaining provisions 
 for the men &,nd forage for the horses, keep us pretty busy, 
 and If^ave us very little time we can call our own. We manage', 
 however, to get through very well, and often with a degree of 
 alacrity very commendable in newly raised troops. .Yfiv/« Jo^ 
 
 April 4, 1862. — On account of illness my journal skips over 
 the intervening week, nothing worthy of record has transpired, 
 except a few slight skirmishes in which we have been but 
 partially engaged. The recent boldness of the enemy seems 
 to predict a warm future for us, and a strong determination on 
 the part of the foe to contest our farther advance into the inte- 
 rior. 
 
 Our battallion is camped close to two great fighting regi- 
 ments, the Eighth Missouri and the Eleventh Indiana, whose 
 morals are, by many said to be none of the best although their 
 bravery is undoubted. The Eighth Missouri, especially, arer, 
 without doubt, as a body, pretty hard customers to deal witk 
 any way you take them ; and are in no way tender in regard to 
 
24 HDMEROUS ADVENTDBE3 OF A VOLUNTEEB. 
 
 the feelings of others. They play poker with curious success 
 all over the camp, and deplete the pockets of outsiders who 
 engage tliem with cards or dice in short meter. A fellow be- 
 longing to the Eighth Missouri, a private, known among his 
 comrades as *'Eed," (probably from the color of his hair,) was 
 guilty of rather a mean trick to day in the presence of a crowd 
 gathered around a chuckaluck board — and chuckled finely at 
 his own meanness. A sick soldier, injQuenced b}' the pretended 
 good luck of the "ropers in" around him, was induced to stake 
 his little means on the figure six, and he won. Placing the 
 whole amount in his vest pocket, he started away saying that 
 now he could send his suffering wife and. two children at home 
 enough to keep them from starvation until next pay day. He 
 was accosted hy Red, who, failing to induce him to " try his 
 luck again," deliberately robbed the poor fellow by picking his 
 pockets and running off with his ill gotten booty ; and this, 
 too, in plain view of the congregated gamblers and lookers on 
 present at the time and place. 'Ihe plundered man immediately 
 ■discovered his loss, and pursued the thief, who dodged behind 
 a large sutler's tent, but was pointed out and stopped, when he 
 boldly denied the theft, and pulling off his coat offered tight to 
 Ihis weak man, who was wholly unable to defend himself. Red 
 being a sort of shoulder hitter by profession, and well known 
 as such by all our array, of course bantered in vain, and so he 
 got away. We never heard if the offender was brought to any 
 account for this action, but do not think he was. 
 
 There are some gentlemen in the Eiglith Missouri, who are 
 much disgraced by having villains of this fellow'^s stamp in 
 any way connected with ihem, and who would undoubtedly use 
 every endeavor to bring to merited justice so mean a 'scamp, 
 wore the matter properly made known to them. 
 
 April 5, — There is a report current in camp to-day, that the 
 flecosh are in strong force between us and Corinth, and that 
 our skirmishei's have had several small lights in the last ten or 
 twelve hours with the rebel advance guard. We wonder if 
 it is possible they daro advance and attack us in force sufficient 
 to give us all a ciianco fi)r glory., We hope they will dare it, 
 ftud receive their just desserts at our hands. We will grant 
 
HUMEKOUS ALVENTDRES OF A VOLUNTKEB. 85 
 
 them the earliest opportunity they desire to try the "mudsills" 
 on. The boast that one fire eater can whip five Yankees in a 
 fair fight, includes, of course, all the men from the free States. 
 We westerners, poor devils, being too insignificant in their 
 estimation as soldiers, are not, of course, taken into any con- 
 sideration by these heroes of the South ; and the only reason 
 why we have been so long permitted to desecrate the "sacred 
 soil " with our hated ])resence, is probably because the chiv- 
 alry, being baturaliy the politest, bravest, ga3'est, most h.eroic, 
 generous, lively, whole-souled, truthful modest, and generally 
 and promiscuously tremendous humorists a wondering, admir- 
 ing world has (iter humbly looked at from alar, are only wait- 
 ing to send their Beau-regards to us ere they feast us on their 
 butternuts. Their hospitality shall be reciprocated ; let them 
 supply the meal and we will furnish the dessert to them, ^«ot 
 to be outdone in politeness, we agree to accompany the gen- 
 tlemen back to the place they came from, and attend to some 
 of their aff"airs gratis. Let them come when they will, the 
 sooner the. better. The mudsills are quite anxious to tender 
 thera a grand reception, the warmth of which will probably 
 surprise them, whether agreeably or otherwise this deponent 
 eayeth not. 
 
 We were separated permanently from the first and second 
 battallions of our regiment some time since, and we, the third 
 battallion, are now with the brigade of General Lew. Wallace, 
 with Avhom we have considerable duty to do. The men here 
 continue to suffer from diarrhoea and fever, and are dying quite 
 fast. We have not a sulficient force of doctors to attend to 
 them, and no regular hospitals. Stores for the sick are likewise 
 very scarce. If all the army is similarly fixed then our wonder 
 will cease at so many fatal kormihations to diseases which, 
 under ordinary circumstances, are of easy cure. We should be 
 supplied, by every loyal State, with a corps of nurses and 
 such other necessaries as the sick require. It will be a sad 
 hour to many a poor fellow who falls wounded on the field, 
 unless we are supplied with these desirable articles. But no 
 matter. We will leave our destinies to fate, and say no more 
 in regard to this matter.^ 
 
26 HDMEEOUS ADVENTDKES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 We sta^^ed out this afternoon, and arrived at Adamsville, 
 where, for the Jirst time, we saw two or three pretty girls who 
 reside in the place. They, on the occasion of our previous 
 visit, being so shy or Unionistic that they would not show us 
 how sweet and good looking they were. Now with the sweet 
 1 — bitter also — predominating in tlieir faces we escaped heart- 
 whole. 
 
 The very handsomest girl, however, in this neighborhood is, 
 I am happy to say, as strongly in favor of our noble cause as 
 lier female neighbors are opposed to it. Her brother joined 
 our company some days since, and is as good a member as is 
 in the company. His name is McQuirter. He has unfortu- 
 nately been somewhat ill recently. To-day he was visited by 
 his aister. Miss Mary, the young lady I speak of, which resulted 
 in the unconditional surrender of all the unmarried young men's 
 hearts who saw her. Wliat a small thing will sometimes 
 change a man's opinion. Yesterday our boys thought this 
 paat of Tennessee the vilest portion of the world, and swore 
 tiiey would not be compelled to live in it for the wealth of the 
 Indies. Today, since they saw one of the faries of this wil- 
 derness, (Miss Mary,) they all, to a man, vow that a hut even 
 here, with Miss Mary as the presiding deity, would be happi- 
 ness beyond comparison, and an abode fit for nothing less than 
 the gods. 
 
 Speaking of Miss McQuirter reminds us of the story of Kin- 
 caid's loss. lie is a near neighbor to the father of the lass, 
 and is the owner of a large flour mill in close vicinity. Kincaid 
 htas been badly treated by his rebel friends, and he determined 
 shortly to cut his military acquaintances, one of whom, General 
 Cheat luim, (who seems, in this instance,,to have been a cheat 
 'em by nature as well as by name,) certainly deserves this de- 
 sertion by Kincaid. The facts in regard to the case are the 
 following: 
 
 Kincaid, who was wealthy previous to the rebellion, used to 
 be an intense lire eater. Since, and probably before, the war 
 broke out, he not only voted for the ordinance of secession 
 himself, but influenced others by every means in his power to 
 do the same, and to swear to use all the means and money ia 
 
HUMEKOUS ADTENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEEE, 87 
 
 their command if necessary tq support the cause. For this 
 Kincaid recieved much praise t^ud conimendation at the time, 
 and of course became a very distinguished person in the esti- 
 mation of his fellow traitors. " Talk then was cheap," but 
 Jack found out very soon that "it always takes money to buy 
 whisky." The war first being off at a distance, he could talk 
 and swagger away to his heart's content. Bye-and-byc, how- 
 ever, along comes General Grant and his patriotic Ibrces to 
 Pittsburg landing, and so, too, comes the rebel force under 
 Cheatham, who encamped at a proper and safe distance from 
 us, and in Jack Kincaid's close vicinity, which led to the thing 
 about to be narrated here. , 
 
 The rebels, it seems, fell somewhat short of flour and other 
 necessaries of army life, shortly after their arrival, and so a 
 couple of hundred of them paid jthe mill a visit in the absence 
 of its owner, who was even then on his way to pay his respects 
 to General Cheatham. The rebels, of course, thinking it all 
 right, proceeded to luad tlieir teaois and horses with as much 
 of so noble an adherant's flour, corn, and fodder as they could 
 possibly carry away. With their forage they made off leisurely 
 to their camps, exultant lat the near prospect of so glorious a 
 feed for man and beast, and gratified that they were the first 
 recipients of the notable generosity of the amiable and devoted 
 Jack. They were met on the road, however, by the owner, who, 
 all unconscious of the wrong they had done him, and being 
 highly pleased with the very favorable reception he had n,^ei 
 with from their general, greeted them with a smile, and wished 
 them every success in all their undertakings and passed on 
 unsuspiciously towards home, singing Dixie as he went. Tho 
 tune was quickly changed when he arrived and was informed 
 of what had happened during his absence. Jack, who was 
 anything but piotis, was said to be awful in his anger, and he 
 fully sustained his reputation in this instance, a3 he was the 
 author now of some twenty odd, and herctofore.unheard, ciaths, 
 with unmentionable maledictions in his paroxysm, of rage an(i 
 despair. i 
 
 Be this as it jna^^. Jack, foaming with .wrath, remounted his 
 steed and bade his astonished friends prepitre to hear of the 
 
28 nUMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER; 
 
 Complete destruction of the whole plundering party on his re- 
 turn. He s^t spurs to his horse then, and never slackened liis 
 pace until he was ao-ain in front of Cheatham's headquarters 
 and ordered to halt by the guard. Kincaid liad no other idea 
 but that this functionary, on being placed in "possession of all 
 the circumstances of the robbery, would order out all the of- 
 fending party for immediate execution, and already saw, in 
 imagination, the guilty scoundrels swept from the earth by the 
 deadly volleys of 'their executioners. ' 'oafjii 
 
 Being politely invited into the presence of the general, li^ 
 stated his grievance, interspersing his narrative with many of 
 his irreverent coinages, and concluded by requiring immediat*^ 
 redress of his wrongs. ThiiS was promised him on the morrow 
 by Cheatham, who pretended great and virtuous indignation, 
 and declared the perpetratOrfe unfit to exist, coveied as they 
 were with eternal, indellible infamy and shame in the eyes of 
 the whole civilized world. 
 
 "To-morrow, my ^liend, to morrow," said the general, arid 
 his eyes were trying to till with ^sympathetic tears aS he sptke'. 
 "Public and important busine6s''Wing less imitietit to-morro\\i, 
 I shall thoroughly sift this matter, and you shall have justice 
 done you, though the heavens fall. Bring with you an estimate 
 of your loss, and I shall feel only too much honored in covering 
 it with Confederate bonds at six per cent. No thanks, my dear 
 friend, and farewell until to-morrow."" '^^'^ 'i'» tno'i'dSiuimus Us 
 
 Jack bowed gladly to this news, and, biJcIirig the gerieirara 
 short farewell, mounted the old mare, highly elated at thes6 
 promises and determined to swell the estimate to enormoui 
 proportlotjs, in order to cover all after losses, and thus coni^ 
 pletely secure himself in any event. '^ 
 
 Wonder if there are any patriotic gentlemen of this stanlj) 
 on our side. We hope not. '^• 
 
 While Kincaid was being congratulated on his return horti^ 
 by his friends, the oliject of his errand to Cheatham was being 
 noised about the rebel c%mp; and had Jack known what waS 
 intended by them, if he kept his next day's appointment, h^e 
 would scarcely have wasted the amount of paper and time he 
 did that night on th$ estimate. ■ ^^^i -'^^** *'"*! boois 
 
HUMEROU8 APVENTDKEft OF A VOLUl^TEEB, ^H 
 
 Next day, Kincaid taking with him a few friends whom he 
 desired to have witness his triumph, proceeded gaily to hia 
 destination, and arrived as the reb^l general was about to enjoy 
 the noon meal. The grini chief seemed wholly taken by sur- 
 prise at the uncalled for intrusion of his yesterday's friend, an(^ 
 asked in no very pleasant tone if it was expected by every one 
 in general, and John Kincaid in particular, that he should deny 
 himself the proper occasion of food, in order to hear the petty, 
 complaints of iever])f.'(rij4g'^.vand tramper through the entire 
 country. r,- ; / • ; • 
 
 ctfack was thunderstruck, and made a meek reply, supposing 
 it best under the circumstances; and so he handed to^the scar- 
 less hero a formidable looking bundle of papers, muttering 
 something abo^t yesterday and. the estimate. jj. '..nriu.vja 
 
 " What estimate, and be d — d to you ? Oh, I see. You are 
 the same fellow who came to me yesterday with a, long string 
 of lies about bei^g robbed pf property, which, acic^ording tOr 
 yourprevious boasting, belonged to the Confederate govern- 
 ment. You gave it, as you §aid, freely, ai^d now you come to 
 me with a whine about property Away with you, sir, and, 
 think yourself fortunate that I allow you to depart unscathed 
 Do jou think because you are a knave that I am consequently 
 a fool ? Guard, see these individuals beyond the lines. Mark 
 this ruffian well, and, should he {igain enter them, ]iang him to,- 
 the first tree without any ceremony, whatever." 
 
 Jack's woful appearance, may be better imagined than,, de- 
 scribed, as he was dragged, rather than; led, th3;ougk the, rebel 
 camp. He had not a word to repel the upbraidings of the: 
 friends who came with him, and were as unceremoniously treated 
 as himself by the chivalry of QampCheat-'em. The Knight of 
 the Dolorous Countenance never looked more chapfallen than 
 did the owner of the mill on this occasion. He had learned ^, 
 lesson, however, which he intended to profit by immediately,j 
 and thus partially consoling himself, he reached home a wiser 
 if not a better man. r 
 
 John was not destined by fate to escape thus easily. lie had. 
 left home with the estimate but a short time, when a larger and, 
 ipore noisy bodj^ of soldiers than the first, arrived at his house, 
 
99 HUMEROUS 'ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 which tlicy ransacked of everythmgthby could lay their hands 
 on, and then departed leisurely, taking with them a splendid 
 lot of cattle which the ownei^ had, a short time previous refused 
 a round sum for. The mill was also robbed of everything about 
 it of any value, and' Kihcaid, on discovery of this heavy loss> 
 was nearly crazed, and determined on a positive revenge whicb 
 he is now accomplishing secretly, but through others who fre-i 
 quently give us good intelligencfe of every important matter 
 they find out. Kincaid is no iotigei" a favorer of secfessiori, and 
 has found out, when it is too late, which party respects men'* 
 right's. . He knows now what a traitor has to expect from his 
 fellow traitors. '•'''• ; ao->nn:.i(ii(:.ii > o>i: -i H.a.r iajd ii 
 
 ; We'still remain at Crumfi's'la'ri'di'fl'g, ahd^'e'x^cfe'pt cotisidoi-atrle^ 
 scouting and two or three skirmishes, we have lain dormant, so 
 far. 'The days move slowly, and our movements are, to use a 
 railroad phras^, " behind time." Our hopes of ending this war 
 in two or three months are not so flattering as we were led to' 
 bfelieVe^, and this- l^enders sbm6 of the home loving among us af, 
 little ■despondent; not of the eventual result, not through fear' 
 of an}'' force the enemy may bring against us, but because' 
 everything seems to move along at a snail's pace; as if our 
 leaders were anxious, for their own benefit, to prolong the strife 
 until the nation demands action or the army becomes disgusted 
 with the service. We do' hot eXplcct to advance upon the fo^' 
 for weeks to come, and "unless Mahomet comes to the mountain* 
 tlie mountain will not come to Mahoiiiet." There may be strong 
 i^easo^is, however, for this inertness, and 'all may yet turn out 
 i^ghtt^ Men of humble positions in the army are not so' situated' 
 aS'to^be able to judge correctly of militaiy necessities, and' 
 therefore look mol'e to effects (lian causes. 
 * 'THet'e arc some happj' fello\ts 'id'camp to-day, notwithstand-- 
 ih^ it^ dull sanKiiiess, and we all tnanage in this way when we' 
 receive letters, as we have to-day, from our dear loved ones at 
 honi^. • ' • I'll J Imn 
 
 My dear wife and child are both enjoying good health J ah^' 
 thinlv of the weary soldier afiir in the enemy's land, surrounded 
 with dtingers, which their lOve to^'^niiieS ifito aWful peril'. 'Ah;' 
 who-dkn tell what a thrill of joy swtd Is through thd brdasit of 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 31 
 
 the absent volunteer on the receipt of this sweet token of love 
 from the beings most dear to him on this broad earth, and whom 
 he may never be permitted to clasp in his fond embraces again. 
 Oh, may He who rules the universe be propitious to them, and 
 guard them from all harm. ''> ''^ '5'' '''';•' 
 
 How lovingly a fond wife writes! Ho1v> naturally, ho\^ 
 sweetl}'- her afiection breaks out when she says she is teaching 
 our baby to say "papa ;" when she desires, should I be taken 
 ill, to have permission to come and nurse me back to health. 
 Would this were according to our regulations, it would be the 
 means of saving many lives. Ah, immortal and ever blessed 
 Florence Nightinale, would that others could appreciate th^ 
 value of your sweet ministrations in the Crimea, and form an 
 idea of the sacrifice you made in exchanging home and home 
 comforts for the disagreeable, the miserable accommodations 
 of camp life. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shailhave 
 their reward. :.iJi->o-iq ihuhr 
 
 7 o'clock P. 3/.— Some of our scouts report the enemy ap- 
 proaching our lines in force. It is generally disbelieved, and 
 a feeling of security prevails in our whole army. The tatoo is 
 warning us that the hour of retiring to rest is at hand, and we 
 all seek repose to dream of home and happiness. 
 
 Previous to blowing out our lights some of the boys were 
 engaged in fortune telling, and Corporal K. seemed the most 
 fortunate hearer of all engaged. A young lady was described 
 as being lovely and in love with some one in the army. In 
 consequence of this he sat down and wrote her a letter imme- 
 diately, pretending fascination on his part, and desiring to know 
 if he was not the most fascinating fellow living; and whether 
 or not he was the person whom she lAost desired for a com- 
 panion in this life, and if she would not have himself alone as 
 soon as the war is ended. Having finished this love letter, the 
 light was put out^ and the corporal had to retire immediately 
 too. 
 
 Sunday^ 7 o'clock A. M. — The scouts were right. The enemy 
 have approached this morn'ing, and attacked our left and cerif^i* 
 at Pittsburg landing, five miles above here. We see the smoke 
 of battle, and have heard the roar of artillery, and the crack of 
 
32 nUMEROUS -APTENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER* 
 
 musketry, which for the Jast hour have been almost countinnons. 
 Our boys are urged to a hasty breakfast, as the order to advance 
 may be given at any moment. There is great excitement and 
 strong anxiety to take part in the fight manifested by the troops, 
 who will move on with alacrity the moment the order is given. 
 May they win honor to themselves and glory to the country, 
 we solemnly pray the Euler of all things. The firing ia now 
 warmer than ever, report following report in rapid succession, 
 and the fight seems gradually tending toward this point. 
 
 11. oi^clock A. M. — The firing has ^ever slackened sinbo we 
 heard it first this morning, and it is now one eontinuoua roar 
 y^'ithout cessation or interval, approaching here slowly but 
 surely. Our division has ju^t received ojders, and is being 
 formed into line as quickly as possible^,-.) 7 ai>iii-i.0J5'4 oil) to jiobi 
 
 General Lew. Walace is everywhere, ofersfe'ein'g, giving* 
 orders, and urging haste with that calmness and self-possession 
 which proclaims the energetic, able commander, The men, 
 relying on their own courage and the capacity of their leader, 
 "fall in" with great alacrity. General Grant passed up to thcf 
 scene, of conflict half an hour since on the flag ship, the steamer 
 l^igress. 
 
 Straggling pnrties of our men are now coming in here at 
 Crump's landing,, where none but our sick have been since 
 Wallace dcparte^l, half an hour ago These last arrivals say 
 they have just been driven from the battle-field by the enemy, 
 who are represented as being one hundred thousand strong, 
 headed by Johnson, Beauregard, Price, Bragg, Cheatham, Polk, 
 and others. These men who fled from tbie battle arc generally 
 bareheaded, barefooted, and without arms of any kind, having' 
 lost them in swimmingt^nake creek, which is between here and 
 Shiloh church. • : 
 
 2 o^Jack P, M. — There are representatives of a dozen regi* 
 ments engaged in the terrific cor^ibat going on so near us, no\vl 
 here, who number at least one thousand five hundred men.i 
 Ohio, Illinois, indiana, Iowa, and Missouri are represented by 
 these flceiag cowards, who assert with greali positivenoss thatf 
 all our troops aro nearly cut to pieces, and therefore incapable; 
 «f much longer withstanding the terific assaults of so large a> 
 
HUMEROUS ADVENTUEES OF A TOLUNTEER. 33 
 
 force of the enemy. Some of them assure us that they are the 
 last and only living members of their regiments which were so 
 well filled lately. All declare themselves completely taken by 
 surprise while engaged at breakfast, only escaping capture by 
 flying when their amunition was all expended, i^:,, .; ,'t ' •- . 
 
 4 P. M. — The fury of the tremendous conflict is still unabated, 
 and seems to be changing its location towards the river, where 
 but one of our regiments is stationed with the tents. Now our 
 two gunboats, the Tyler and Lexington, seem also to have be- 
 come engaged. They have been firing for an hour. So the 
 rebels must have driven us from our camps towards Pittsburg 
 landing. Can it be possible that they have done so, and nearly 
 whipped .us? No! let us never believe a traitor horde capable 
 of even partially defeating us in a fair field. The wounded 
 are now coming in here in large numbers, the ambulances cou- 
 vejang those who are unable to walk. Some can hobble along 
 alone, while others require the assistance of their comrades. 
 They all represent the rebels as being masters of the principal 
 portion of our camp, and, of course, having the best of the 
 battle so far. 
 
 We have a very nicely built hospital boat here, which is be- 
 coming crowded with our wounded. Two excellent surgeons 
 arc on board, engaged in the faithful discharge of all those 
 duties which the condition of their patients devolve upon them. 
 All of the transports and boats with provisions, which, since 
 our arrival, have been at Pittsburg, are now moving down to- 
 wards Savanna, some of them carrying large numbers of our 
 wounded. They do not stop here, but inform us that reinforce- 
 ments are arriving where they are moving to ; that Bucll's 
 army will be up very soon, and that Nelson's men will bo first 
 on the battle field. AVe see on the opposite side of the river a 
 cavalry force going down, who belong to Ohio, and are going 
 to Savanna in order to come over to the fight immediately. 
 We trust soon to be in sight of Bucll's whole army, and drive 
 then the enemy before us. 
 
 Buell's arrival has saved us, certainly; for otherwise the 
 
 rebel army had been stronger and much more healthy than 
 
 ours. 
 
 3 
 
8$ HUMEKOUS ADVENTURHS OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 General Grant "was with his aids at a secesli house, ton miles 
 from his army, when the fight commenced. There are said to 
 "be some handsome dam(n)sel(l)s there, whose brother is a rebel 
 officer, and who are, and liave been, apparently snch good 
 sound Unionists that our general thought them all right. But 
 they probably sent what news they heard to their brother, and 
 it was thus, mayhap, the secesh army moved toward as and 
 came so near whipping us. 
 
 I was this afternoon put in possession of a romance which 
 this war has already developed to within a singl#' act of itiS 
 denouement. AVhen James C, T2d Ohio, reached the barge he 
 pointed out to me Henry M., one of his comrades in his own 
 company, and then proceeded to tell me "the stot^v of their 
 love." It seems that these two young men had for some time 
 been rivals for the affections of an angel in calico who resided 
 in their neighborhood. The young lady in question was a sound 
 "Unionist," but had declared for "secession" unless the other 
 "sovrcign" had proved his courage and his patriotism on his 
 country's battle fields; that, hereafter, no home-staying suitor 
 need trouble her with his presence ; cowards were more hateful 
 to her than crawling reptiles ; our country in this, her hour of 
 cxtrcmest peril, needed every brave heart and strong arm to 
 meet and drive back the most dangerous foe who had ever at- 
 tempted her destruction, and finished by saying: 
 
 " Who defends America defends America's daughters ; who 
 fights for one fights for both. If both are not wortli fighting 
 for neither is worth having*" 
 
 James and Henry, both of whom were postponing their en- 
 listment only to urge, each for himself, that she would permit 
 him to carry to the tented field, througli all his duties as a sol- 
 dier, on his lonely guard-beat, in the hour of battle, the happy 
 consciousness that one heart beat quicker, one face shone 
 brighter, one eye looked clearer, when /^/s name was mentioned 
 by the furloughed comrade or the army correspondent of the 
 home paper, immediately joined the 72d Ohio. They arrived" 
 here about as good friends as men usually are, under such cir- 
 cumstances. Both entered the battle to-day, and, with the first 
 order, each solemnly vowed to do his whole duty, to outdo the- 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUlSrTEEE. 35 
 
 other in bravery, and "to win tlie lady or the grave." They were 
 placed conspicuously, and fought like heroes, until Ilenr}'- was 
 struck down by a ball in the hip, when James, forgetful of self, 
 forgetful of past rivalry'-, penetrated by that generous emotion 
 which is always a distinguishing characteristic of the true 
 soldier, sprang to the assistance of his now friend, raised him 
 in his arms, and was in the act of carrying him to the shelter 
 of a neighboring tree, when he was himself the recipient of a 
 rebel bullet which rendered his left arm powerless. Still he 
 struggled on, carrying his friend on his back and supporting 
 him there with his right arm, a noble example of heroic forti- 
 tude. As if to increase his difficulties their brigade was com- 
 l^elled to fall back before the wounded heroes reached the 
 friendly tree. With renewed efforts James cheerfully bent to 
 his difficiilt task, and triumphantly bore his comrade from the 
 field of carnage, safely arriving here an hour or two ago, and 
 both are now on the hospital boat, from whence, it is to be 
 hoped, they will be sent home on a furlough to remain until they 
 recover. In this eventful little drama there is but one more act 
 in two scenes : Scene lirst : The Choice. Scene second : The 
 Marriage. Which of the two heroes will be "the choice" it is 
 hard to say. One thing, however, we wish we could wliispcr 
 into the ear of the fair cause of their trouble ; either of tliera 
 is worthy to mate with the fairest, the wisest, the best of the 
 daughters of the land. 
 
 Our division under Wallace, which left here about 1 P. M., 
 are not yet engaged. It is to be hoped they will get into the 
 action pretty soon, and then give the enemy harder worlv for 
 their impatient delay. The heroic 11th and 24th Indiana; the 
 8th Missouri, whose fame is world-wide, and the 5Sth Oiiio, 
 which has already made a proud record, form part of tliis 
 force. If they can not whip double their number of rebels 
 I am laboring under the greatest mistake I ever made in all my 
 life. 
 
 We unfortunates on the sick list are compelled to guard 
 the company stores while our more fortunate comrades win 
 glory on the bloody field. Were we permitted we are anxious 
 to be with them, but, as this is against orders, we must rcfc^igu 
 
36 HUMERDUS ADVENTUKE3 OF A YOLUNTEEE. 
 
 ourselves to submit and obey. Some of us have asked our first 
 lieutenant to let us go, but he, under the circumstances, thinks 
 the few well men remaining with the sick are at their proper 
 posts. Our battalion, commanded by Major Hayes, is out 
 guarding a number of wagons which left hero to bring in 
 forage and provisions to our departed division. They will do 
 their whole duty to their country, although they are only armed; 
 with sabres. The few pistols we have, Josselyn's patent, are 
 patently worthless, and refuse to fire at a foe; they are conse- 
 quently only dangerous to their owners. Who is to blame for. 
 this? No one, of course. But feeling ourselves fighting in a 
 just cause, we will permit none to exceed us in the faithful 
 discharge of our whole duty under all circumstances. 
 
 6 o'clock P. M. — The fire has somewhat slackened in the last 
 half hour, and, except the discharge of heavy guns from our 
 gunboats, has nearly ceased altogether. Buell has arrived with 
 a large portion of his force, and has crossed over to the scene 
 of action. A large portion of them is visible going, on the 
 opposite side of the river, to Savanna to obtain transportation. 
 A number of transports wdiich passed down to-day, some of 
 them nearly empty, are now returning, filled to their utmost 
 capacity with glorious soldiers, who rend the sky with cheers 
 as they pass up to their destination. 
 
 Tliai does not look as if we were beaten yet awhile, although 
 some of the steamers stopping their engines at our hail, report 
 our being driven clear to the river, where the gunboats are 
 even now protecting our retreat. From all we can see and hear, 
 here can be no doubt that the gunboats have saved our out 
 numbered, wearied army from annihilation. A, grateful country 
 •will reward their services, we all firmly trust and believe. 
 
 The rebels seem to have advanced last night to within two 
 miles of our pickets so silently that our sleeping sentinels knew 
 nothing of the matter, until they were cut down or captured by 
 the enemy in the morning, who followed the advantage so 
 quickly that a part of our forces, especially the brigades of 
 Generals Prentiss and Sherman, were cut up or captured before 
 they had a chance to defend themselves. General Prentiss 
 was particularly unfortunate, as ho and nearly his entire com- 
 
HUMEKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 37 
 
 mand were captured in the very first onset. Under these cir- 
 cumstances, thou oh tlicre is much fanlt somewliere, the men 
 are not so much to bhime as v^s at first supposed. Oppose 
 any body of men to a fully accoutred army of disciplined 
 troops, let them be taken by surprise, and they will do no better 
 than tliis army, many of whom have l^een spoken of so slioht- 
 ingl}'. The fault lies not with the men, but with those having 
 command of them. The oflicers who ordered the men to save 
 themselves as best tliey could, soon after the lirst charge was 
 made upon them, were far more cowardly than words can tell. 
 The idea of permitting guards to sleep at improper periods is 
 a manifest injustice, both to themselves and those over whose 
 safety they are su])posed to watch. It has been said, and 
 somewha^ truly too, that a greater coward or scoundrel never 
 existed, than he who permits others to do as much infamy as 
 he is guilty of himself at all times. To allow guards to sleep 
 at such a time was attributable to some of their officers; and 
 that such fcdlows are permitted to remain in the service is 
 reprehensible in the extreme. Yet some of them will retain 
 their commissions, and, cowards as they are and always will be? 
 will feel themselves forgotten and neglected if they are not 
 promoted. Major Ricker, in command of our first battalion, 
 must know several of them, because when he drove the cow- 
 ards of our army from the river whither tiiey liad fled this 
 afternoon, the ofiicers there pretended that it was sickness that 
 affected them, and rcpresente.l themselves as unfit for further 
 service at the present time. The next fight we engage in we 
 will dress part of the shoulder strap gentry in petticoats, and 
 leave them in camp to wash the linen for the high privates, 
 while the latter will do a great deal better fighting without 
 them. 
 
 8 o'clock P. M. — ^It is thought that the enemy, if they have 
 reliable intelligence of our numbers, and the large amount 
 of commissary stores remaining here, may send a brigade in 
 this direction before morning. We scarcely believe this, how- 
 ever, since they must be aware of the large reinforcements we 
 are still receiving at Pittsburg. Tlieir generals are too well 
 skilled to divide their forces now to accomplish such an object. 
 
88 nUMEKOUS ADTENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 for, if tliey beat ns ngain to morrow, tliey will capture tlietn 
 williout anj additioual risk to themselves. Yes, if thev whip 
 ns ai^ain to-morrow they caW^liave them. But, \A^allace and 
 IJucU will have something to i^ay and do to them that Avill make 
 their hearts ache. If thirty- live thousand taken by surprise 
 can contest the Held with eigty or one linudred thousand re])els 
 for twelve hours, what will not our tried heroes do witli them 
 to-morrow, nnder the leadership, of such men as Eousseau, 
 AVallace, Nelson, and Sherman. Ah, if they only remain on 
 the held till to-raorrow the Republic is safe and the war will be 
 much sooner ended. 
 
 April- 7. — Glory to God ! the enemy is still on the ground, 
 and the contest is renewed. Now, gallant patriots, to your 
 posts, and show them that you will not only "scotch the snake 
 of ]obellion," but crush it. Be your arn^s nerved and your 
 liearts determined this day by the justness of your cause. 
 Let ever}' man but do his duty, and victory, glorious victory, 
 can not fail to perch upon our standard. 
 
 Generals Nelson, McCook, and Crittenden, of Buell's army, 
 commanding the second, fourth, and fifth divisions thereof, are 
 going to do good service now. They enter this morning's en- 
 gagement first. 
 
 Five of our divisions, under Mc'Clernand, W. 11. L. Wallace, 
 ilurlbuit, Sherman, and Prentiss, were pretty badly used yes- 
 terday. The sixth, under Prentiss, is about gone, and those 
 under vSherman and Hurlburt have lost a great many. McCler- 
 .nand and W. H. L. Wallace are also severe losers, the number? 
 in killed, wounded, and missing being about two thousand 
 each. 
 
 Having ascertained our plans, the secesh generals struck at 
 a time when such a blow was not expected. They thought tp 
 surprise us with an overwhelming force, and, by creating a 
 sudden panic among our divisions, drive us into tlie river. That 
 this was their great design, their silent advance night before 
 last, and their sudden attack yesterday morning, clearly proves. 
 Slierman's and Ilurlburt's divisions were attacked near Shiloh 
 church, they being the left wing, and the first engaged ; their 
 losses were consequently severe. It was here that Water- 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 39 
 
 house's and Taylor's batteries opened ou the rebel forces, and 
 their fii-e across an open Held became general. Tlie enemy- 
 then left flanked Sherman, and drove Prentiss partly to tlie 
 rear. He fell back about 9 o'clock A. M. Appier's and Alnn- 
 ger's regiments, under Colonel Ilildebrand, then left the bat- 
 teries of Waterhouse and Taylor and also retreated, Waterhouse 
 losing three of his guns. Taylor's battery, still at Shiloh, was 
 ordered to fall back on the Hamburgh road, which it did safely, 
 accompanied by McDowell's and Buckland's forces. Captain 
 Behr's battery was all lost near by, the men flying from tlieir 
 guns on the approach of the enemy. McDowell and Buckland 
 joined McClernand on the right, by orders, at about, 10 A. M.; 
 and all our camps on the left were soon after taken possession 
 of by the enemy. Previous to this, General Hurlburt had re- 
 ceived orders, and advanced the second brigade, under Colonel 
 Veatch, to the left of Sherman, which went into action imme- 
 diately on its arrival, and fought as well and hard as any force 
 on earth could do. They were the 25th Indiana, and the lith, 
 15th, and 4Gth Illinois. 
 
 t These men formerl in line of battle, and, moving on to the 
 attack, met Sherman's flying men on the roads along the routes 
 lor miles. Tliey had been com]3letely surprised by the enemj^'s 
 attack, and strewed their blankets, knapsacks, and guns along 
 the route as they fled. The men in the second brigade tried 
 hard to stem the tide of battle, but, as everything -was breaking 
 lip around them, they could not stand the destructive fire of the 
 rebels for any length of time unless at the expense of tot?l 
 annihilation. They poured in a few well directed volleys, and 
 then reluctently retreated, firing as they fell back. Their loss 
 was quite heavy, as nearly all their field officers were killed or 
 wounded. 
 
 Hildebrand'e forces were evidently poor figliters in this inj 
 stance, as they flinched in a short time under the appalling fire 
 sent into them. It is said of them by a writer that "they had 
 no stomach for a fight, since no command or entreaty of ofliccrs 
 —no appeal to their patriotism or to their sense of shame — 
 no taunts of cowardice or threats of disgrace could call them 
 again into action." They drifted through the lines of Hurlburt; 
 
•40 nuMEEors advektcees of a volunteer. 
 
 and McClernand, and for the remainder of the day songht and 
 found safety and repose under the river bank, some talcing logs 
 and drowning in the attempt to swim the river; the balance 
 only waiting an opportune moment to seize the transports 'which 
 had gone do-wn to Savanna. 
 
 About 10:30 A. M., the enemy made a furious attack upon 
 General McClernand's whole line ; but a brigade under Mc- 
 Dowell came up, and, attacking the left flank of the secession 
 army, forced them back some distance for a time, probably 
 four or five hours ; and then our men, taking cover of a wooded 
 valley and some fallen timber in the rear, sometimes gaining 
 and sometimes losing ground, were finally compelled to retreat. 
 The almost deafening roar of artillery, the rattle of musketry, 
 the bursting of shells, the whirr-r r of cannon balls, and the 
 zip, zip, zi-i ip of bullets were all that could be heard at the 
 lime, and plainly showed that the contest on both sides was for 
 victory or death. 
 
 In extenuation of the conduct of Sherman's men, he has said 
 that his division Avas made up of new regiments, nearly all of 
 whom received their arms at Paducah, Kentucky. None of 
 them had ever been under fire before, or beheld heavy columns 
 of an enemy bearing down npon them, as tliey did yesterday. 
 The general did not expect the coolness or steadiness of older 
 troops, under the circumstances, nor did other persons ; and 
 they would be all right Avith a little experience. Hurlburt's 
 division, which was in reserve, saved Sherman and Prentiss by 
 solidly keeping the ranks of his first and third brigades in front, 
 after he received the request to assist them; which he did with 
 the 41 St, 28th, and 32d Illinois, and 3d Iowa. The 31st and 
 4:4th Indiana, and the 17th and 25th Kentucky regiments, and 
 the first and second battalions of the 5th Ohio volunteer cav- 
 alry, together with the batteries of Matm and Ross, the 2nd 
 Michigan, and Myers's 13th Ohio battery, drew near the left 
 of Prentiss ; but his regiments drifted through our advance. 
 Prentiss made strong efforts to stop their retreat, and at last 
 succeeded in rallying a large portion of his men. They re- 
 deemed their honor by maintaining the line they now formed, 
 and remained near Hurlburt's third and fighting brigade. 
 
HUMER0U8 AD^'ENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER-. 41 
 
 Shortly before this, however, ]\ryers's 13th Ohio 'battery was 
 deserted by the oflficers and men belorio^inf^ to it. It is to be 
 hoped that for this contemptible piece of cowardice, they will 
 at the earliest practicable moment after the close of this battle, 
 be tried and receive the death penalty so richly merited by 
 them. 
 
 Eoss's battery lost manj'- men here, and was ordered to the 
 rear, when Mann's battery, maintaining its fire very steadily, 
 sent shot and shell into the enemy's ranks, and kept its position 
 with great lirmness until all were compelled to retreat to the 
 river. 
 
 The correspondent of the Cincinnati Times, Mr. Spencer, 
 wrote a full account of yesterday's battle, and, for the purpose 
 of telling more than I, or any other paticipant, can know about 
 it, and, at the same time, to place one of his highly inter- 
 esting letters here, I have left this place open in my diary. 
 I have seen the writer frequently. He is a gentleman well 
 liked by us all, and is the correspondent of a paper we highly 
 prize : 
 
 "AViththe first demonstration of the enemy upon the left 
 wing, it was to be seen that all the fury was being poured out 
 upon it, with the determination that it should give way. For 
 nearly two hours a sheet of fire blazed from both columns, and 
 I could liken the explosion of the small arms to nothing save 
 a canebrake in a conflagration. The Mississippi riflemen, a 
 large and well organized body of good marksmen and desperate 
 men, fought with a valor that was only equalled by those who 
 received their unerring fire, and returned it with an energy 
 which assured them that many of those Avho had received the 
 fire at Fort Donelson were in the ranks before them. 
 
 "In this cjuarter it seemed, for the period of nearly an hour, 
 that the enemy would succeed in driving our forces. Three 
 different times they drove our men slowly before them until 
 they came in sight of the river, and were plainly visible to all 
 on the main landing below. Up to 3 o'clock, it will bo remem- 
 bered, the battle raged with a fury which defies description. 
 At all poiiits the rebels found every effort to break our lines 
 unavailing. They had striven to drive in our main columnSj 
 
42 HUMEROUS ADYENTUEE8 OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 and, finding that impossible, had turned all their strength upon 
 the left wing. Foiled in that quarter, they now made another 
 attack upon the center and fought like tigers. They found our 
 lines well prepared for, and in anticipation of their coming; 
 every man at his post, and all waiting to bring the contest to a 
 definite conclusion. 
 
 "In hourly expectation of the arrival of the forces under 
 Generals Nelson and Thomas, who were at Savanna and I o whom 
 messages had been sent, (a fact as well known to the secession- 
 ists as to ourselves,) they made every effort to route our forces 
 before these reinforcements could come forward. Th(\y were, 
 however, fighting against a wall of fire and steel, manned by 
 as brave hearts as ever smelled gunpowder. Volley answered 
 to volley, and for a time the battle of the morning was, re-en- 
 acted over the same ground, and with the same vigor on both 
 eides. 
 
 "At five o'clock there was a short cessation in the firing of 
 enemy, their lines failing back in the center for tiie distance, 
 perhaps, of nearly a mile. They then suddenly wheeled, and 
 again threw their whole force upon the left wing, determined 
 to make the final struggle of the day in that quarter. The gun- 
 boat Lexington, in the meantime, had arrived from Savanna, 
 and after sending a messenger to General Grant to ascertain in 
 which direction the enemy then lay from the river, the two 
 boats took position about half a mile above the landing and 
 poured their shell up a deep ravine, reaching the river to the 
 right. The shots were thick and fast, and told with thrilling 
 effect. 
 
 " In the meantime. General Wallace had taken a circuitous 
 route from Crump's landing, and appeared suddenly on the 
 right wing of the enemy. In face of this combination of cir- 
 cumstances, tlie rebels felt that their enterprise was, for the day, 
 a failure, and, as night was about at hand, fell back, fighting as 
 "they went, until they reached an advantageous position some- 
 what in the rear, and yet occupying the main road to Corinth- 
 
 "The gunboats continued to send their shell after them until 
 they were entirely out of reach. Thus ends an outline of the 
 battle of the first day." 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 43 
 
 Mr. Spencer made but one mistake in tliis letter, which was 
 in regard to the arrival of General "Wallace. His guide lost 
 the way and he did not arrive until after dark. But to-day he 
 ■ is there, and has just gone into the fracas. We have full intel- 
 'ligence of the battle from wounded officers who are constantly 
 coming in to the now over-crowded hospitals. This morning, 
 if permitted, we design going to the immediate scene of action. 
 It was General W. H. L. Wallace whose division had arrived ; 
 so, after all, the only error of the correspondent was in omitting 
 the innitials which distinguish the two Wallaces. Generals 
 W. H. L. Wallace and McArthur were mortally wounded in 
 their attack on the enemy's right, but they succeeded in keep- 
 ing the enemy at bay until the day's battle was over. When 
 they fell Colonel Tattle took the command. JVJcClernand's 
 forces distinguished themselves by the brilliant part they took 
 in the engagement. In fact, ncai'ly all our men fought nobly 
 throughout the battle. The Illinois regiments, especially the 
 14th, and the 25tli Indiana and .5th 0. V. C. partly saved us 
 from destruction yesterday. The skill of the rebel generals 
 had nearly defeated us, driving us toward the river, at about 4 
 P. M. Ic was now that McCleruand did so well, causing charges 
 by noble western soldiers which kept at bay the secesh Tigers, 
 Avalanches, Zouaves, Gladiators, and Invincibles, who attacked 
 us, and caused the bloodiest battlefield the Union ever had 
 since it was formed. 
 
 An observer of the contest thus writes in regard to this ter- 
 rible battle : 
 
 " Each man fought as if success or defeat depended on liis 
 own right, arm; and charge after charge was made upon the 
 rebels to regain the ground we had lost. They stood firm as a 
 rock; and though our artillery often swept down their ranks 
 and left fearful gaps in their columns, they manifested no trep- 
 idation, nor did they waver for a moment. The living supplied 
 the place of the dead ; the musket that had fallen from a life- 
 less hand was seized at once, and ihe horrid strife swept on as 
 before. The force of the enemy appeared increasing, and 
 .where the greatest havoc was made, there the strongest oppo- 
 sition was shown. Hand to hand to hand contests were iuuiV" 
 
'44 HUMER0U8 ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 merable. Eveiy struggle was for life. Quarter was asked on 
 neither side, and -the ground drank np the blood of hundreds 
 of brave fellows every hour. Men lost their semblance of hu- 
 manity, and the spirit of the demon shone in their faces; there, 
 was but one desire, and that was tu destroy ; there was littllEf 
 shouting; the warriors M^ere too much in earnest; they set 
 their teeth firm, and strained every nerve to its utmost tension. 
 Death lost all its terrors, and men seemed to feast upon the 
 sight of blood." 
 
 On the next day, our reinforcements having come up, as I 
 stated before, we shortly affer daylight re-commenced the fight; 
 our division, under Lew. Wallace, taking the right, and form- 
 ing the right wing. Buell's division took the left, upon which 
 the rebel artillery first opened fire. Both sides were soon en- 
 gaged here; but the advantage was with us. The greatest 
 number of rebel infantry were, however, gathered in strong 
 force upon our right wing, in order to fall upon that and drive 
 "Wallace from his position. He drove back tlie rebels, using 
 Thompson's and Tiiirbcr's batteries, and halting on a bluff to 
 await the appearance of Sherman for a co-operation to recap- 
 ture our camp that was taken yesterday. Sherman had gone 
 to McOlernand, however, and soon Wallace changed front, and, 
 being protected by Snake creek, half-wheeled the whole di- 
 vision, the first brigade occupying the strip of woods near the 
 battery commanded b}^ Tliirber, and which Thompson had oc- 
 cupied while his amunition lasted. 
 
 The rebels now made an attack, but were quickly driven back 
 by the 8th Missouri, who sent afire at them, which caused their 
 immediate flight, our regiment sufl'ering but little. The rebels 
 were in the woods principall}', having been driven there by our 
 first and second brigades, who held for some time all of their 
 positions in front of the woods. Our left, then under General 
 Sherman, advanced, covered by Lieutenant Wood's Chicago 
 light artillery, and gained McClernand's old camp on the road 
 to Corinth. It was here that Bnell's veterans were met by 
 them, and gave them a confidence previously unpossessed, and 
 they entered the hitherto dreaded woods, a portion under Mc- 
 Cook and Rousseau, and soon sent the eneni}'-, under Beaure- 
 
nUMEEOUS ADVENTDEES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 45 
 
 gard, Polk, Bragg, and Breckinridge, flying. This was about 
 the center, and it was here that McCook's division did its best 
 fighting, driving the enemy back the way they came, from the 
 center of the fieId_o£ battle which they stole along to on yester- 
 day. :on .V,;; 
 
 Ilnrlburt, on the left, was also doing good service at this 
 time near McClernand, and while successfally engaged in stop- 
 ping a flank movement of the enemy, held their ground until 
 all the firing ceased. Lew. Wallace, having forced the enemy 
 on the rigjit, pushed on his columns until the rebel cavalry, in 
 strong force, tried to cut our right flank, but were soon driven 
 ofl' by a part of the 1st Nebraka, 23d and 11th Indiana, and 
 the 20th, 2Sth, 5Sth, TGth, and TSth Ohio. 
 
 When we entered the woods we did not stop, but drove them 
 on, while Beauregard was trying, by all the eloquence of which 
 he was master, to stop the retreat of his flying troops, but all 
 in vain. 
 
 At 4 P. M. the contest w^as raging in every direction, until at 
 last the enemy, being driven at all points, were routed; and 
 oiir men rent the sky with their cheers, making the welkin ring 
 again as they joyously engaged in the eager pursuit. Buell 
 drove the enemy's right wing. While our division were driving 
 the left the secesh fled to their camps, which were two miles 
 beyond ours, and were, previous to yesterday's fight, occupied 
 by General Sherman. Terrill's and Mendenhall's batteries at- 
 tacked them near this camp, taking many pieces of their artil- 
 lery and partially causing their final defeat. Their resistance 
 here was determined and obstinate, until they were broken by 
 Rousseau's brigade. They were then completely repulsed on 
 our center and I'ight, and General McClernand*'s headquarters 
 retaken by his forces. The enemy fled through the open fields 
 and only refoi-med when they reached the woods bc3^ond. They 
 had been fighting desperately all along our lines, and many of 
 our boys having discharged all their amunition we spent quite 
 a while in completely exhausting and driving the enemy before 
 us. The rebels tried to increase the vigor of their resistance 
 then, but to no purpose; for, Rousseau's brigade being again 
 supplied _with amunition, our whole force advanced, and the 
 
46 HUMEROUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 result was a quick retreat of the enemy in every direction. 
 Beauregard made every endeavor, by appeal, by command, by 
 the most reckless exposure of his person along the entire line, 
 to stay the retreat of his troops ; but every effort was in vain, 
 and his men all fled hastily and in dire confusion along the 
 Corinth roads. 
 
 The nature of our pursuit was feeble, as the direction to 
 move was poor, and our cavalry movements were feeble, and 
 our harrassing for a tinae somewhat restrained ; our pursuit, 
 therefore, for a mile or two was comparatively useless. The 
 topography of the country was so little known that it was con- 
 sidered hazardous to penetrate into the enemj's ranks. The 
 neglect of our generals in not acquainting themselves with the 
 nature and character of the ground over which the retreat and 
 pursuit was to take place was, to say the least, unfortunate in 
 the extreme. But for this act of carelessness our great triumph 
 would have been greater still, resulting, instead of in a mere 
 route, in a complete surrenaer of the entire rebel arm}^ and the 
 immediate capture of Corinth with the immense stores of sup- 
 plies that were there. 
 
 Many have written home about this battle, who say that pre- 
 vious to this day's fight, tliey expected failures in regard to 
 conquest, as we were far from being as numerous or as well 
 posted as the enemy. This, however, has proved a grand mis- 
 take, although we were not, like some of the enemy, residents 
 near the place where we fought at. We trust to meet the rebel 
 scoundrels soon, and give them all they deserve. May they 
 never gain a success. 
 
 April 8. — On this eventful morn, I, in company with two 
 others, started, with our lieutenant's consent, from Crump's 
 landing to the field of battle, in order to find our third battalion 
 which was reported near or beyond Shiloh church. An hour's 
 hasty riding brought us to the field near Pittsburgh landing. 
 All along the roa^l two-thirds of the houses have raised a white 
 flag to show their peaceful intentions toward the victors on 
 either side; whether or not they were Unionists we care but 
 very little. 
 
 The battle field is some four or five miles in length, and, in 
 
HUMEK0U3 ADVENTUKE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 47 
 
 many places, over a mile in width. This is nearly all covered 
 with dead, the rebels being as many as five to one. There are 
 articles of many kinds, such as carbines, guns, amunition, ar- 
 tillery, wagons, and horses, laying all around through the field, 
 some of which have been picked up by many of our own men 
 of small regiments, and taken by various quartermasters. 
 
 The unfaltering heroism of a great many of our Ohio, Indi- 
 ana, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, and Michigan boys, was very 
 remarkable yesterday, and their losses very severe, for which 
 we all trust their country will do them honor; and remember 
 that they fought the same ground over several times, against 
 maiurities of the enemy, who, enthusiastic as they often are, 
 were finally compelled to retreat, and left everything in our 
 hands. 
 
 The field was covered with bodies lying dead all over it. In 
 digging the graves there were frequently over one hundred 
 bodies, piiucipally rebels, placed m one hole, their dead being 
 at least three to one of ours. There "was scarcely i place upon 
 the whole field upon which many dead were not lying and our 
 men digging their graves ; in one of which nearly two hundred 
 bodies were placed. Near this, on the limb of a large tree, 
 was a portion of the leg of an artillerist, which was taken 
 down and interred. This was close to the place wh^^e General 
 Grant sat upon his horse about 4 P. M. on Sunday, and where 
 Captain Carson, our scout, was killed, and several others were 
 wounded ; and to the left of where Sherman, had his head not 
 been somewhat lowered, would also have received a fatal 
 wound. There was scarcely a tree about here M'hich had not 
 from one to twenty holes in it, most of them made by cannon 
 balls and many of them by large shot. To the left of this also 
 Hurlburt came near having his life terminated by a rebel bul- 
 let. 
 
 Here my two companions separated from me, and I made 
 off for Shiloh church, where it was represented our battalion 
 had gone, in order to do more service, if necessary. As I went 
 along I saw rebel wagons, caisons, and dead horses in lai-ge 
 numbers, lying, with tents and sutler's boxes, in all directions. 
 I hastened on, until at last I found our men formed in line of 
 
48 HUMEEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 battle in frpnt of Sherman's division. Shortly after my arrival 
 we were ordered, to advance, and just then the 71st Ohio was 
 attacked by rebel cavalry, and were compelled, with many 
 killed and wounded, to retreat. Then we received orders to 
 advance, with the third battalion of the 11th Illinois cavalry a 
 mile or so behind us, in order to prevent the enemy from mak- 
 ing an attack on our rear; and if tliey were near us to fight 
 them and capture all we could. 
 
 We started along, the main Corinth road. Instead of going 
 one mile we went out six, without discovering, until we reached 
 a creek, the cavalry we were after. Here they had burned the 
 bridge and we could go no further. AVe formed a line of battle 
 in order to cause a melee, to no purpose, however, as we .only 
 captured a black servant, with the horse of a rebel captain, at 
 the ])lace. We went far beyond where we were ordered to, 
 contrary to the vehemently expressed Vvishes of the commander 
 of the 31th Illinois, who was with us. But Major Hayes of 
 ours was determined on a fracas and promotion, if possible j 
 and so all had to follow and do as he deemed best. We liked 
 it finel}^, but we unexpectedly returned without a battle, as we 
 were sure we would have before we reached our camps once 
 more. 
 
 Along our course there were many small rebel camps on 
 either side of the road, and some four miles out was a large 
 hospital full of rebel wounded, and several physicians attending 
 on them. These we did not trouble. I notice and record all 
 these little facts, because I am corresponding with a paper, and 
 have engaged to write one letter a week while I am in the ser- 
 vice. 
 
 After returning I was compelled to go back to Crump's land- 
 ing, where I arrived about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. There I 
 was compelled, by orders, to remain with our sick, a largo 
 number of whom were in bed in their tents. The men who left 
 the battle field on Sunday and came here flying, were compelled 
 to return by their ollicers. There were 5,000 of them, most 
 of whom were arrant cowards, well deserving the halter. Not 
 satisfied with derscrting their comrades in the hour of danger, 
 thvy hid in the woods when they were sought for. 
 
HtJMEROUS AI/TENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 49 
 
 April 10. — Major Hurst is raising a regiment of his neigh- 
 bors and friends, and has some two hundred men, \vho are in 
 tents, and receive clothing and provisions from us, but, as 3'et, 
 no horses, as these animals are scarce at present. Tliey seem 
 resolved to be iirmlj- in favor of our Union cause, and are, 
 generally, large, stout men. 
 
 The weather is quite good now; the sun shines pleasantly, 
 and birds and suaikes are plentiful. A good many deaths are 
 taking place at this period, and our graveyard, on top of the 
 hill near the river, is becoming quite large. Colonel Canbry, 
 of the 72d Ohio, and others who were brought here wounded, 
 have expired. Colonel Canbry was shot through the breast. 
 His wife, on a visit to him, only arrived after he died. We 
 have many wounded in hospital from this T2d Ohio, also of 
 the 4St]i, 5:ith and 57th Ohio; the 11th, ] 5th, 40th, and 61st 
 Illinois, Colonel Moore, of the Cist,. is killed and the major 
 wounded. The Gth Iowa, the 21st and 25th Missouri have also 
 some of their wounded here. Boats filled with soldiers keep 
 coming up the river and pass us here, cheered and wislied ail 
 kinds of good hick after their arrival at Pittsburg landing. 
 
 April 13. — This morning a colonel of our army commanding 
 two regiments near Adamsville, four miles from here, has sent 
 in asking us to bring out one hundred cavalry, in order to cap- 
 ture sevei-al rebel ollicers, who are now at home, between him 
 and Purdy, and ol)tain all the news for him we can. This we 
 can not do, as our battalion has been gone several da3^s to the 
 advance of Grant's forces. We raised ten men, however, and, 
 although our first lieutenant Avas at first opposed to so few of 
 ns going to do suoh perilous work, he at last consented, and out 
 we went to the colonel who sent for a hundred of us, and from 
 him received the loan of guns and the order not to go very 
 far with so few men. We started on the Purdy road, and at 
 Adamsville captured John Combs, a rebel adjutant, whom I 
 sent by one of our men back to the colonel under whose orders 
 Ave were acting. We immediatel}' started on again, and searched 
 some of the houses as we went along, in order to find rebels or 
 arms. In a house about three miles beyond Adamsville we 
 found a dying rebel soldier, who began to weep as we ent-cred ;; 
 
50 nUMEROUS ADVENTUKE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 seeing tliat lie was nearly gone, we left there, and again start- 
 ino- out, we saw some three or four men riduig r.p the way we 
 were going, and we halti^d in order to attack and destroy them 
 provided they were secessionists. They proved to be Major 
 Hurst, Mr. Browning, and members of our regiment; and as 
 they advised, we started to Purdy, in order to capture all the 
 rebel officers, residents of the place, who were at home. The 
 principal portion of the secesli army had gope to Corinth, in 
 fear that we would attack this place as soon as we conld. In 
 o'iving this advice and proffering his assistance to carry it out, 
 Major Hurst proved himself to be a very daring person ; for, 
 it will be remembered, Purdy is the town whence he had been 
 driven shortly after the beginning of the war. He knew 
 what to do and when to do it, and we gladly went through tho 
 woods and creeks, with bridges destroyed, until we ariived at 
 the top of the hill, a mile from the to'\vn.= There we halted to 
 observe all we could, in every diiection, and to obtain Major 
 Hurst's order how to proceed. We asked the men with us if 
 they were willing to enter the place, and they all decided on 
 goino' if Hurst wished them to do so. 
 
 One half were ordered to a colonel's residence, at the left 
 end of Main street, and the rest, seven of us, to enter at the 
 other end of the same street, and capture another rebel oiliccr 
 who lived in a beautiful large white house. Mr. Browning for- 
 merly resided near this house, and, under his guidance, we soon 
 came to it. Our search proved unavailing, however, for we found 
 only women there, one of whom, the wife of the owner, stated 
 that her husband had gone to Corinth, under orders from Gen- 
 eral B(fauregard, and adding an expression of pretended regret 
 that Americans were now ilghling each other and destroying 
 the whole nation. The colonel at the other end of the street 
 was gone also, and we went where we had. agreed to meet, out 
 toward Betiiel, four miles from Purdy, to search another rebel 
 officer's house. On the way we saw a horeseman, mounted on a 
 mule, who dismounted on seeing us and endeavored to esca])e 
 by taking to the woods. We outran him, however, and had a 
 good hiugli at our own and his expense, for he proved to be a 
 good ieUow and a neighbor of Hurst's, at Purdy. He gaye us 
 
HUMEKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 51 
 
 some good intelligence, and pointed out a place where, by re- 
 maining a few minutes, we captured a covered wagon contain- 
 ing two men, one of whom, Boyle, a rebel bridge burner, wo 
 made a prisoner. 
 
 Shortly after this we started back to our camp, now forty 
 miles distant, by another route, for the purpose of collecting 
 any information that might be of value to our forces, and, at 
 the same time, capture Colonel Massingill and others, who were 
 then said to be at home, and were supposed to have a few men 
 with tiiem, all of whom we could take as prisoners as soon as 
 we arrived. A few miles brought us near Massingill's liouse, 
 which stood on top of a hill. At th(3 foot of this, in obedience 
 to Hurst's "Column, gallop ! March ! " v/e dashed forward and, 
 in a very few minutes, ten of us entered the Jjouse. While I, 
 assisted by one of the men, was searching the rooms, upstairs 
 and down, I heard the report of a pistol outride. I immediately 
 left searching, and heard the crying of Massingill's wife and 
 children as I went out to ascertain the cause of the shooting. 
 When T got beyond the door, I saw a negro woman, who told 
 me that she had informed my men that her master was hid in 
 a corn crib, and that he had been shot because he would not 
 come out when ordered to do so. I proceeded to the corn cri!>, 
 wliere I found Massingill, who was shot near and below the 
 elbow. The shot had been fired by order of JMnjor Hurst. 
 It was hard to do, yet it could not be avoided, for the colonel 
 should have come out when twice ordered to do so. Taking 
 one of his horses out of the stable, and fixing up his arm as 
 M^ell as possible, we mounted him and brought him along as a 
 prisoner. 
 
 Shortly after tlsis, we entered another rebel domicile, and 
 there found Hatcher, a rebel soldier, wdiom we also took with 
 us to camp. 
 
 It now began to rain heavily, and we returned to camp, giving 
 up our arms and prisoners to the colonel near Adamsville. He 
 thanked us very much for our services, and took our names in 
 order to do us some farther service as soon as he possibly 
 could. He seemed a very good man, and a true soldier; and 
 it is our wish that he may some day bo promoted to a general. 
 
52 nuMEKors adyentdkes of a volunteer. 
 
 April 25. — The sutlers here are now doing a heavj' l3usiness ; 
 they have opened a large amount of eatables, and some of them 
 drinking matter of rather a strong description. There is one ol 
 them near tlie river, belonging to the 5Sth Ohio, who sells by 
 the drink out of open barrels, and makes a great deal of money 
 by it. Whether or not this permission is granted him is hard 
 to say; but one thing is certain — he ought not to be allowed to 
 do so by the military authorities. If any such permission is 
 granted so close to soldiers' camps, then ought every soldier 
 desiring it receive a furlough immediately. 
 
 One of the sergeants in this regiment has had his wife with 
 liim from the time he Icit home. She is a washer-woman in 
 the camp, and makes considerable money through her employ- 
 ment. She has a hard bunk, however, being compelled to sleep 
 in her husband's tent, and cook his meals there continually. 
 Ed. B., one of our boys, discovered her presence, and became 
 so much in love with lier, because of her great beauty, that he 
 brought her some washing, and soon after tendered her in pay- 
 ment a one dollar bill on the State Bank of Indiana; this she, 
 being a German and stranger to that State,;did not know, and 
 asked for other money. Ed. Stated that it was perfectly good 
 and that it was, at present, all the kind he had. Upon this as- 
 sertion she became angry, and, calling her husband, desired 
 the immediate whipping of so impudent a fellow; wliich the 
 husband would have done, if he could, had not one of Ed.'s 
 friends, who came along, having the change, lent him a sum 
 suflicient to pay the lady's charge. The friend then marched 
 his coi-poral off with him to camp, inforniing him, on the way, 
 of the marriage of his Dulcina del Washtub to the sergeant 
 who was going to strike him. As soon as Ed. was put in pos- 
 session of tliis necessary but unwelcome intelligence, his gal- 
 lantry on the occasion was gone, and ever after he talked of 
 her without any admiration whatever. 
 
 Tiiere arc a great many steamers here just now, loaded with 
 provisions and forage. The hands, except the officers, on these 
 steamers care very little for soldiers, although they buy from 
 and sell to them on all occasions. They have many rebel ar- 
 ticles, such as arms and clulhing, which they probably have 
 
nCMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 53 
 
 use for at home ; if not, these things should be, in many cases, 
 returned or delivered to the government. 
 
 AVe have moved dut some four or fire miles from the landing; 
 and, having pitched our tents, we are told to remain till further 
 orders. 
 
 April 19. — Storm and rain deters our cavalrymen from scout- 
 ing out very far, or advancing toward the rebel stronghold at 
 Corinth, Mississippi. 
 
 April 23. — The weatlier has become a great deal better, and 
 the sun sliines out beautifully, making glad the face of nature. 
 To-day wc all make more proper appearances publicly, than 
 we were at all able to do during^^the recent stormy and tent 
 filling weather. 
 
 Lomax, a stout Tcnnesseeau, has joined us. He is much ac- 
 quainted around this neighborhood, and is desirous of showing 
 ns some fine positions and roads, that may hereafter do us good 
 service. 
 
 This morning our battalion was transferred to another com- 
 mand, which was caused by our want of proper weapons. My 
 letter to the Times explains the whole matter. It reads as fol- 
 .lows: 
 
 Messrs Editors: Owing to a deficiency of arms, we, to our 
 lasting regret, are detached from the division of General Lew. 
 Wallace, and are })laced in his rear, with Geneial Davis, of the 
 second division. This, we trust, is but a temporary arrange- 
 ment, and is the first step toward fnrnishitig us with proper 
 arms, and rendering our elBciency more complete. What leads 
 me to this belief is the fact, that on last evening we complied 
 with an order Irom the commanding- general to return to the 
 -proper quarter all our worthless firearms, which includes every 
 pistol in our pt^ssession. It is said vre will receive Colt's re- 
 volver's, which, I trust, is true, as they are the best weapon of 
 the kind for army use, being the least liable of any to get out 
 of order. 
 
 AV^e are encamped a mile and a half from the landing, close 
 to the ground the rebels lay on, under arms, the night of Sun- 
 day, the memorable 6th of April last. The Slst Ohio is within 
 a hundred yards of us, and the graves of Captain Armstrong 
 
54 nuMEKors adventuezs of a volunteer. 
 
 and Lieutenant Post, of tliat regiment, are within tliirty feet of 
 my tent. The bodies repose on top of one of the slight emi- 
 Ecnces around us, on a spot marked out to his men, on the 
 inorning of the battle, by Captain Armstrong, who told them 
 that, in case he fell, he desired them to lay him there, with no 
 more ceremony than that with which tlie commonest privates 
 are interred. Noble, gallant soldier! how few you left behind 
 you are lit to compare with you in all the excellent qualities 
 which go to make up the man of honor. Alas, that all our of- 
 ficers are not as you were. 
 
 We have received intelligence that the enemy are about 
 evacuating Corinth, and are falling back on Jackson, Missis- 
 sippi — and "if so why so?'' We are not following them as 
 closely as a hound would a hare. 
 
 We have endured a four days' almost continual rain, and are 
 nearly drowned out. The God of battle, intending to wash out 
 the stain of human blood from the bosom of the earth, has sent 
 this upon us for our sins; and so taking it, we " weathered the 
 pelting of the pitiless storm " like Franzans : " Shine out, bright 
 sun," etc. 
 
 Captain Armstrong's father and brotlier have just arrived 
 and are now engaged in raising the body of the late commander 
 of company B, 8lst Ohio, in order to take it home. They seem 
 much afl'ected'at their loss; yet, while they shed manly tears, 
 find words to encourage the soldiers around them to the per- 
 formance of their duties as men and as patriots. Brave hearts ! 
 They are truly of the blood of the hero lying stark and stiff 
 before them. 
 
 We, the third battalion, expect to rejoin our other two bat- 
 talions after receiving our new arms, which will be very grati- 
 fying to the whole regiment, as, in that case, we will be under 
 the eye of Colonel Taylor, and be battling in the van once 
 more. Major Hayes is well liked by his men, and sees to their 
 comfort as much as possilde. lie is veiy anxious to be again 
 on duty, and leading his men against the foe. There is no dis- 
 count on Major Hayes. The boys are all well again, or, as 
 Pat Dignan says, "They could ait a cart horse and pull his 
 load." They join me in sending their best respects to the Times. 
 
ETJMEKOUS ADYENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 55 
 
 April 28, — This day has been somewhat nnfortunato to our 
 company, as George Wansborougli Jias jnst died, and was 
 ^lioirly airer l>nried. lie was a most excellent young man, one 
 who was well liked by all who knew him. His brother Arthur 
 still remains with us. 
 
 Lew. Wallace's division advanced to-day to Pea Kidge. There 
 is very heavy firing this evening in that direction. Our regi- 
 ment, and the 4th and lltli Illinois cavalry, is with his infantry 
 and artillery. His advance is toward Purdy, near which we 
 have burned three railroad bridges and captured and destroyed 
 a locomotive, taking its engineer and four other persons on it 
 prisoners. We have also driven the secesh cavalry and infantry, 
 posted near Purdy, into the woods near by, killing eight and 
 taking some thirty prisoners. 
 
 A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial w^ent with 
 
 our regiment to know all about its transactions, and publish 
 
 them, and his letter in regard to the matter, being better and 
 
 fuller than I could write it, may describe what was accomplished 
 
 in this expedition : 
 
 "Camp Shiloh, Fivk Milks from PiTTSBfRG Landing,^ 
 Weoiiesdav, April 3Uth, 18(52. \ 
 
 "They pretty greatly err who calculate the amount of good 
 
 accomplished and the amount of suffering and privation under- 
 gone by the soldier in the present war, from the number of 
 great battles in which he has been engaged, or the number of 
 severe contests, hand to hand through which he has passed; 
 and in civil life the remark is too frecjuently made, that such a 
 regiment or such a company has done no service, because its 
 name occupies no place in the long list of those who faced the 
 rebel fire at a Donelson or Shiloh. People are slow to believe 
 that in war especially, great results are often traceable to ap- 
 parently trivial sources. The destruction of a railroad bridge 
 lias been in many cases more detrimental to the "southern" 
 cause, than the loss of a thousand men on the battle field; yet 
 the former would n<;t justify, according to the views of ordinaiy 
 newspaper readers, one tenth of the head lines and exclama- 
 tions necessary to give the latter its due piominence in the 
 columns of the daily papers. So mucli by way of intruduC' 
 tiou. 
 
56 HUMEEOUS ADVENTUEE8 OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 "On Sunday morning, 28th, General Grant ordered General 
 "Wallace to make a demonstration in ihe direction of Turdy, a 
 town of about about eiolit hundred inh.abitants, twenty-.two 
 miles distant from our camp; deriving a small degree of im- 
 portance frrom its location on the Mobile and Ohio railroad. 
 It is about twenty miles from Corinth on a direct railroad line. 
 It was not known, when thl; expedition started, what force the 
 rebels had at that point; but it was supposed they had a pretty 
 strong garrison there, and were prepared to repel such a cavalry 
 "dash" as is ordinarl)'- made for the destruction of railroad 
 bridges. Accordingly it was determined to send a large force, 
 a!id to make the attack partake of the nature of a surprise. 
 Seven regiments of infantiy from General Wallace's division, 
 including tlie 7Sth and SOtli Ohio, two batteries of artilier}^, 
 and the -llh and 11th Illinois and 5th Ohio cavalry were ordered 
 to be in readiness by noon, with three daj^'s cooked rations. 
 The pre]:)erations in the camp in which I chanced to be at the 
 time the order Avas received, (the destination was of course not 
 stated,) were of such an extensive scale that I thought the lon^ 
 expected meve against Corinth was about to be made, and 
 without further deliberation resolved to proceed with Colonel 
 Tay lot's regiment. 
 
 We started at 2 o'clock P. M.; Wallace with the artillery and 
 infantry in advance. Our road lay through the woods, swamps, 
 and ravines, over "corduroy" bridges and swollen creeks, and 
 through mud and water of every variety of depth and thickness. 
 The weatlier, wlien we left camp, Avas very line, though very 
 warm ; the sun, pouring his rays down on us with tropical vigor, 
 made it uncomfortable to ride and latigueing to march ;~ and 
 we luad proceeded but a few miles when the effect became 
 visible in the many returning stragglers from the infantry regi- 
 ments wiio lazily dragged their muskets and themselves in a 
 homeward direction. 
 
 y- "We passed a number of very respectable residences, the 
 iirst of the kind seen by this army since its occupation of Titts- 
 bnrg. They are all owned by woalthy men, every one of whom, 
 we learnetl, are more or less identilied with the rebel cause ; 
 sumo are in the Goufodcrate army; others contributed of theiv 
 
HUMEEOU3 ADVENTCEE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 57 
 
 means to its support. A couple of officers stopped at one of 
 the houses to ask for a drink of water. The inmates, an eldej-ly 
 woman, two handsome daughters, and a few young- contrabands, 
 appeared very much excited at the approach of the Federal 
 warriors. Before the officers had time to state the peaceful ob- 
 ject of their visit to the domicile, the elder lady eagerly ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 "He did n't mean to go, but they told him he must, or he 'd 
 be took prisoner." 
 
 "We would like to get a drink of water, if you please," said 
 Captain H . " We are very thirsty." 
 
 "Oh, yes ; certainly," replied the agreeably astonished mat- 
 ron. " I thought as how ye had come after my son, because he 
 was in the southern army." 
 
 A conversation followed which resulted in the revelation that 
 a son of the hostess had been drafted for Beauregard's army ; 
 that he had fought at Pittsburg landing and was dangerously 
 wounded in the lirst dciy's battle, lie was conveyed to Corinth. 
 His mother became apprised of his condition, and immediately 
 sought the Confederate militaiy authorities, of whom slie ob- 
 tained a sick furlough for hiin. He is nov^ under the maternal 
 roof but can not survive his injuries. 
 
 At about C o'clock we halted in the woods, midway between 
 Pittsburg and Purdy. After an hour's delay General Wallace 
 ordered the infantry and artillery to bivouac for the niglit, and 
 the cavalry to proceed to Purdy. The general himself made 
 his headquarters for the night at a neat frame house in the 
 neighboiliood. The woods were soon illuminated with the 
 great fires the soldiers built, and around which they gathered 
 to pass away the night. Strong picket guards were pctsted in 
 every direction, so that the improvised Federal city in the wil- 
 derness of Tennessee felt secure from a rebel surprise. 
 
 "The cavalry, nuriiberiug in all about two thousand, continued 
 its road to Purdy. Colonel Dickey,/d" the 4th Illinois, was in 
 command. AVe had enjoyed a few hours of pleasant riding 
 since 5 o'clock, but now our prospects changed, but not for the 
 better. As evening changed into night, the sky became thickly 
 clouded, and, in less than an hour after our second start, tho 
 
58 HUMEKOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUKTEEE. 
 
 rain brgr.n to. fall in torrents. The road grew, worse and worse, 
 as we advanced, and the night darker every hour. We pro- 
 ceeded, however, making our way by the dim outlines of the 
 forest on either side of us. • AVe had a guide, but he was a poor 
 one, and had less confidence in himself than we had in him. 
 The rain continnod ; at times it was fiirioue. A great many of 
 the men Avere unprovided with overcoats or water-proof blank- 
 ets, but the word was, ' Forward to Purdy.' 
 
 "What was hitherto darkness became impenetrable black- 
 ness until we could not discern an object three feet ahead of 
 us. Consider two thousand men now galloping along a narrow 
 road, now wading through a black swamp, and once or twice 
 almost swimming a swiftly running creek, and all this in- the 
 darkest nj,ght that any of the tw^o thousand men ever saw. 
 The 'clashing of arms' was for once a welcome noise, and it 
 formed the only guide by which we were enabled to keep to- 
 gether. 
 
 "At about 12 o\dock we came to a halt about two miles from 
 Purdy, Colonel Dickey fearing, and very properly, that the 
 whole party would get lost before morning. As it was, a num- 
 ber of the men abandoned tlie hope of being able to keep up 
 with us, and had remained along the road beliind us. A whole 
 company at one time declared their inability to proceed ; and 
 still it rained harder tiian ever. 
 
 "After standing still an hour, under the 'pelting of the pitiless 
 storm,' 'About face' was ordeied, and we started for the point 
 where we loft the infantry, arriving tlicre just at dayh'ght. Here 
 the men were ordered to dismount and feed their horses. Tlie 
 effect of the night's 'tram]-)' Avns visible in eveiy countenance. 
 ]V[any of onr stoutest and hardiest men gave out altogether, arjd 
 were conij)elh'd to return to camp. Some of them laid down 
 on the roadside, glad to seize this opporlnnit}' of nn hour's 
 'rest,' even though the rain beat heavilv on their closed eye- 
 lids. 
 
 "At 5 o'clock .the order was given for the cavalry to return — 
 not to camp, but to Purdy. Many of us received the order 
 with dissatisfaction, and some obej'ed it with reluctance. Col- 
 onel Taylor, of the 5th 0. V. C, was taken seriously ill, (he 
 
nUMEROUS ADYENTCKE3 OF A VOLUNTEEB. 51) 
 
 was quite unwell wlien we left camp,) and could not command 
 his regiment. The lieutenant colonel, also, was compelled from 
 sickness to abandon his intention of returning ; so the command 
 devolved upon the senior major, E. G. Eicker, an oihcer who 
 has given Irequent proofs of his efficiency and valor. The 
 entire cavalry force started back, and in a couple of hours were 
 in Piu'dy. They were disappointed to learn that about one 
 hundred rebels, who had garrisoned the place, had left just in 
 time to save themselves. 
 
 "Colonel -Dickey sent a small force to skirmish two miles be- 
 low Purdj'-, (there were three thousand rebels at Bethel, four 
 miles below,) while another force destroyed the railroad bridge, 
 two mihjs above it. The work was soon accomplished; the 
 bridge was torn up, and the connection between Purdy and 
 Corinth completely destroyed. AVhile the men were at work, 
 a locomotive with four men — two olhcers, one engineer, and a 
 firen^an — came from Bethel to ascertain what was the matter. 
 I should have said that our men had cut their telegraph wires 
 also; this caused the alarm at Bethel. Our skirmisheis with- 
 drew, let the locomotive pass by to where the road was torn 
 up, and then issued forth to demand a surrender. The four 
 men were taken prisoneis, the locomotive destro^'ed, and thus 
 ended the expedition. None of our men were killed by the 
 enemy, but I fear tliat many of them will die fron: exposure to 
 the inclement weather, and the fatigue of the trip experienced 
 by all. 
 
 "The cavalry returned to camp last night, the infantry and 
 artillery this morning. After what we had gone through, our 
 leaky tents appeared to us like metropolitan hotels. I will 
 speak for myself, and say I want no more expeditions for several 
 days to come." 
 
 The above letter is from " Mack," and a very good one it is, 
 indeed. May he never make one of a party in such leakiness 
 hereafter. 
 
 April 20.— There is heavy firing heard to-day in the direction 
 of Corinth, toward which place several of our regiments have 
 gone. A large number of our men have permanentl}'^ moved 
 in that direction to day. Sixty or eighty rebel prisoners have 
 
60 nUMEROUS ADVEKTUEES OF A VOLUNTSEE. 
 
 been cfiptnrcd and bronglit in here. One of tlienv is a serious 
 minded soutlierner, and has attempted to cut one of Ids guardsi, 
 an officer, who sat near him at dinner, on a steamer which has 
 several secessionists, as prisoners, on board. This kind of work 
 will do him as little good here as all his fighting did in better 
 and easier points. 
 
 Aj'Til 30. — Our battalion is ordered out again to-day under 
 General Davis. Our supposed destination is near Corinth. We 
 have just received news of the capture of Yoi'ktown, A^irginia., 
 and our boys feel very joyous over such good intelligence. 
 Many of us are seeking newsjiapers, but they seem so scarce 
 at present tliat it is an extremely difficult matter to obtaiti the 
 sight of one. 
 
 Our worthless pistols are returned to us. Colt's revolvers not 
 to be had. This we dislike; as the pistols we left Camp Den^ 
 nison with are nearly all worthless. Our gallant officer, Major 
 Scherer, who has taught all of us sabre exercise, and is loved 
 by all of us, is here. 
 
 May 1. — We have advanced six miles on the Corinth road, 
 and encamped for the night. 
 
 May 2. — We were to-day attached to the second division, 
 under General Davis. About 2 o'clock P. M. we arrived at 
 Monterey, some ten miles from Shiloh church, meeting many 
 sick soldiers on the route, who generally complain of our want 
 of a sufficient number of surgeons and hospitals. Some of 
 them seem c]uite uncared for, and suffer very much under the 
 circumstauces. 
 
 General Ilalleck has arrived. He is well thought of here. 
 lie is a proper commander-in-chief, and his orders M'ill be 
 obej'-ed with joyous alacrity always. May his sh^idow never be 
 less. 
 
 31ai/ 4. — To-day I have been attending to the discharge of 
 our sick men, four in number. There seems great trouble in 
 obtaining their ceitilicates. The doctor here seems to love 
 brandy too well to examine them promptly ; therefore, they 
 will be compelled to remain here a while longer. 
 
 Captain John Crawford, our old eommander, has just arrived 
 by steamer from Cincinnati, determined to serve his country 
 
nUMEROUS ADVEKTCKES OF A VOLUNTEER. Gl 
 
 99 a Tolnntecr and sharp sliooter as long as possible. He met 
 with a great reception ironi his oM friends, to whom lie brought 
 many necessary articles. Ilis kind and gentlemanly qualities 
 have always been noticeable, and will forever be respected. 
 He left his six shooter gun and all his clothing on the steamer, 
 and, on his order, I procured them all from the mate, and de- 
 livered them all to the captain. The mate seemed to know that 
 Captain Crawford was a soldier all through the Mexican wai-, 
 and would not receive any payment from me for keeping these 
 things safely. 
 
 The roads are horrid as we move along, there having been 
 a rain storm for two days past. There is great destruction of 
 government property all along the route, such as wagons, har- 
 ness, mules, and horses. Horrid smells from half- buried ani- 
 mals constantly greet our olfactories. Futrifying bodies of 
 horses still remain above ground, causing many cases of sick- 
 ness. 
 
 We still remain unarmed, except with sabres. The enemy 
 are reported to have formed in double line of battle three miles 
 this si<le of Corinth. The rebels are supposed to number very 
 nearly one hundred thousand in that vicinity. 
 
 All our wagon trains are mov'ing forward now without any 
 gpards, as there can be little or no danger in this neigborhood. 
 We move along slowly but securely, the mud being the greatest 
 obstacle to our progress. The rebel force is no longer scattered 
 about this neigl)orhood as it used to be, but has concentrated 
 in and around Corinth. 
 
 May h. — General' Davis has ordered our major to send an 
 account of our arms and amunition to him immediately, as we 
 are to move on very soon. The major reports fifteen rounds of 
 cartridges for each sabre, we not having firearms to shoot cart- 
 ridges from. Bully for the sabres. 
 
 Yesterday, Pope's division, moving on the left from Ham- 
 burg toward Corinth, through a swampy road and over high 
 hills, came towards Farmington, a small place, highly situated 
 beyond an almost impassible ravine. Generals Faine and 
 Falmer did the greatest part of the work here about 10 o'clock 
 A. M. They commanded the 10th, IGth, 22d, 27th, 42d, and 
 
63 nUMEROUS ABVENTUKES 07 A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 51st Illinois ; the 10th and lOth Michio-an, with Yates's sharp- 
 shooters ; Iloughtailing's Illinois, and Hazcock's Ohio batteries, 
 with the 2d Michigan cavalry. They, after proceeding four or 
 five miles, encountered the enemy's pickets, whom they soon 
 drove off from behind trees and in thickets. All the bridges 
 which had been destroyed were rebuilt by Colonel Bissell'a 
 sappers and minors. 
 
 At 3 o'clock P. M. the fight commenced in earnest, the enemy 
 commanding the road ; and we would not have gained the hill 
 side where the rebels had placed four pieces of cannon and 
 were now firing them at us, but the 10th Illinois, under Colonel 
 Morgan, and Yates's sharpsliooters detoured to the right and 
 left, and poured such fires of musketry upon the enemy as sent 
 their gunners in great confusion over the hill top to their second 
 position, where they formed their second line of battle. This 
 was to the right of the Farmington road, and near a thickly 
 wooded country, and was close to an old cotton gin where a 
 strong artillery duel took place, and great chivalry was shown 
 on both sides, until some of our infantry, gaining their left flank, 
 sent such a terrible fire at them, that they ran into the woods 
 as though his Satanic majesty were after them. They fled in 
 the direction of Corinth, pursued by our cavalry, Avliile the in- 
 fantry entered the three-housed and noble southern city of 
 Farmington. Near here we began intrenching along our whole 
 front, as all our positions Avere lound tenable; and it was done 
 very c|uickly, especially by Pope's men, who can throw up and 
 manage the soil as well as they can fight. These works are 
 made strongly and soon settle, and arc all constructed with em- 
 brassures for field pieces. The telegraph to the commander's 
 tent is also in operation, and we have complete possession of 
 all our positions. 
 
 'JIai/ 1-. — The weather continues warm and drj'-, and favors 
 our advance which we have accomplished today, having moved 
 four miles on our left flank. Captain Crawford is out in front 
 skirmisliing, whiclj he has so often bravely done, that to-day 
 General Sherman offered him a position on his staff; but our 
 captain rcsjiectfully declined it, because ho docs not want to 
 leave us, even as aid to so great a general. 
 
HUMEROCS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 63 
 
 ^ May IT). — AVe have advanced again, after much skirmishing 
 with the enemy's pickets. 
 
 Our battalion quartermaster has left the service because he 
 held no position as an officer. Captain Crawford has received 
 orders from our major to leave camp, on account of jealousy 
 between some of the officers. This the men will not stand, if 
 they can avoid it, and we have written a petition to Major Gen- 
 eral Hallcek stating all he has done for us, that he recruited 
 the company, wliy he cam.e out here, and that he is doing great 
 service since his arrival. Our old, gentlemanly', soldierly cap- 
 tain has returned, having received papers of coui])linicnt, and 
 made captain of scouting ])arties by General Ilalleck ; and 
 ordered to report himself to General Davis, and remain where 
 he is as long as he thinks proper. lie is now doing strong 
 duty from 7 o'clock A.. M. to G P. M. He is doing splendid 
 service every day, and as we are now but seventeen hundred 
 yards from the enemy's outer works, and have sharp skirmish- 
 ing, the attempts to shoot him are numerous, and liis heroism 
 has become well known all along the front. To-day a red- 
 shirted rebel, armed with a sort of a mule cannon, which dis- 
 charges shots of about one pound weight, is firing from a top 
 fence rail near a rebel house on an eminence where are somo 
 two companies of secessionists, who occasionally dodge to the 
 corners in order tcf tire with security at our pickets and scouts. 
 This house affording shelter to the enemy, and therefore deter- 
 ing our men from an advance, is an eyesore to us. The several 
 attempts which Captain Crawford has made to take it, has given 
 him an introduction to Redshirt, who, for the purj^ose of rec- 
 ognizing the acquaintance, proving his social qualities, and at 
 the same time testifying his respect for the captain, gives him 
 an occasional salute with his one pounder. This the haughty 
 captain refuses to acknowledge by so much as a bow. To the 
 first salute he responded by touching his hat, and now he has 
 commenced to return salute for salute. The third resi)onse of 
 the gallant captain seems to have mightily pleased Redshirt. 
 He throws out his hands, springs into the air, drops to the earth, 
 rolls and tumbles on the ground like a circus performer, and 
 finally stretches himself out stiff, cold, dead, possibly from pure 
 
64 HUMEE0U8 ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 excess of joy. Kow follows a clash from onr lines and our 
 skirmishers have captured both the position and the mule can- 
 non. 
 
 On the trees were manj^ Indians bclono-ing to Price's troops, 
 who, safely planted on limbs, had fired at us. Several of these 
 we killed, tlie balance, like their rebel friends, beat a hasty re- 
 treat as we advanced. 
 
 A dashing aide de camp endeavored to send two of us across 
 a creek we came to this afternoon, but failing to do so, in he 
 went himself; but was washed off immediately, as it was some- 
 what deeper and swifter than he imagined. lie only saved 
 himself by clinging to his horse's tail and getting across to the 
 other bank. 
 
 Mot/ 10. — The weather here is changeable. It rained all 
 last night. We were all in line of liattle, except some builders 
 of breastworks who are engaged in the advance. Tlie rebels 
 advanced here to-day with heavy firing ; but were shelled out 
 quickly. Our musketry has felled at least a dozen of them, 
 whose bodies are on the ground in what is now our rear. Two 
 of our cavalry boys were shot, one of whom was killed almost 
 instantly. 
 
 Our men were sixty hours on the last picket duty. There 
 was a hot spot, near the enemy, to which our battalion was led 
 without any orders except those of the majo'r. Here Sergeant 
 Alexander Howe, of company E, was shot through the upper 
 part of the arm, the same bullet passing through the body of 
 an infantry soldier, killing him instantly. Sergeant Brawley, 
 also of E company, was killed at the same time. Is it possible, 
 as is said, that some officers would gladly tramp over the bodies 
 of their own men in order to secure rank? If such is the case 
 it surely "smells rank to Heaven." 
 
 3Iai/ I'l. — ^To-day our picket lines have been advanced five 
 hundred yar.ls, and our breastworks extend along the entire 
 ii'ont in parallels. Everything around us indicates a good con- 
 dition, and if we do not push seeossionism to the wall in the 
 coming battle, it will be no fault uf General Ilalleck's. To-day 
 we are raising observations by rigging mast fashion a large 
 tree that stands about twenty-five feet inside our intreuchments ; 
 
HDMEROUS ADVENTORES OF A VOLUNTEER. G5 
 
 and the -workmen assert that from the top they can sec already 
 a steeple in Corinth. When they have added the step to the 
 tree trunk already cradled, they will have the point of observ- 
 ation at an altitude of one hundred and twenty or one hundred 
 and thirty feet, and can command a perfect view of the sur- 
 rounding country. I wonder if it can be here a mere step to 
 the top of a steeple ; or, only a step from the cradle to the pul- 
 
 p"- . . -J 
 
 May 23. — The. weather is warm and dry again. We had 
 considerable sklrmishiug along our left and center last night. 
 " Nobody hurt." '_ 
 
 Pat D., while on picket duty last night, gave chase to a sil- 
 . ver tailed squirrel which he had no chance to capture. -; On his 
 return he told a story about "a heifer at home wid a hundred 
 pounds cash, had left him, like an ass, because of a ruction he 
 had." Here his story was interruped by an infantryman on 
 guard'near him exclaiming: "Ah, look out for the rebel fire." 
 Pat nimbly dodged behind a tree, and looking through the un- 
 dergrowth saw what he took to be a rebel rifle pointed straight 
 at him ; but which proved to be only the horn of an innocent 
 cow grazing in the woods. 
 
 May 24. — There are all kinds of rumors in regard to our de- 
 lay. Birds are in song and drums are constantly beating. 
 Soldiers just now are about the quietest animals living. One 
 among us, however is not as quiet as his comrades, and he, by 
 his appearance, words, and actions, is some pumpkins certainly. 
 He is as proud of himself as a peacock, and imagines he is 
 not only an object of great interest here, but will be regarded 
 by all his friends, male and female, on his return home, as the 
 hero of H company. His little coquetries with himself, and 
 their air of importance, the self complacency of his strut, and 
 his general good opinion of himself, publicly expre'ssed on all 
 occasions, greatly contribute to relieve the monotony consequent 
 upon a state of inaction in the arm3^ " He who dotli my 
 words misplace shall meet Bombastes face to face." His stories 
 of conquest of the female race are enormous, and, if true, give 
 him a place far beyond the gallants of France or England, in 
 the times of the Grand Monarch of one, or the Merry Monarch 
 5 
 
06 HUMEEOUS ADVENTUKE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 of the other. The sobriquet of the Ljttle Corporal ticldes him 
 immensely, since tie knows that such was the title conferred 
 upon Napoleon by his soldiers after one of his daring feats of 
 bravery. When the generals call upon us for ordierlies, K. is 
 the readiest volunteer in the battalion for that duty, and feels 
 greatly depressed when reminded that his diminutive stature 
 renders 1dm ineligible. He is engaged, on this account, for 
 twenty duels, to be fought as soon as the war is over. He will 
 doubtless fight them if we are in luck as we expect to be. 
 Sergeant C. is devoted to the infernal gods for refusing the cor- 
 2>oral's tender of himself on one of these occasions, when a 
 taller young fellow was preferred. 
 
 The pockets of our little friend are literally crammed with ' 
 photographs of female friends, who were so overcome at the 
 corporal's departure for the seat of war, that the least favor any 
 of them granted was her limned likeness to carry to the tented 
 Held. The corporal's acquaintances say that he took two of 
 these pictures without the consent of the fair originals. He 
 attributes these "tales of a friend" to envy, however, and so the 
 matter rests. 
 
 Our first and second battalions received five hundred of 
 Colt's revolvers to-day. It is to be hoped that all will be armed 
 with these excellent weapons soon. 
 
 Major Ricker is now in command, both of our colonels being 
 absent on furlouo-h. 
 
 o 
 
 During the past two hours there has been heavy firing on 
 our left. Seven hundred rebels have deserted and come inr to 
 us. One of their cavalry regiments also started to come in, 
 but our pickets fired upon them and caused them to beat a 
 hasty retreat. 
 
 The weather is so dry that we have to drink swamp water, 
 which we find decidedly unpleasant. Our pickets find great 
 difficulty in procuring their meals at a proper time. Tobacco 
 is in great demand, and its scarcity causes an occasional diy 
 joke. 
 
 "Give us a chaw of tobaker, comrade," said one soldier to 
 another. 
 
 . " What kind '11 ye have,^' asked his friend, at the same time 
 
HUMER0U8 ADVENTUKE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 67 
 
 coolly biting a large cud out of a chunk lie had in his hand. 
 " Mine's dimmjcratic terbacker, and therefore bound to be the 
 best." 
 
 " Mine's republican — when I have it, and it is therefore well 
 mouthed by friend and foe," answered No. 1, looking wistfully 
 at No. 2's plug as it descended into the depths of the owner's 
 otherwise empty pockets. 
 
 "Oh ho, republican, hey ?" responded No. 2. "Well, then, 
 you'd better apply to our friends, the secesh yonder, who are. 
 even noM- plugging away at us. They'll supply you with as 
 much nigger head as you want." 
 
 May 28. — There has been heavy and almost continuous firing 
 on our left wing since 11 o'clock last night. Pope and Nelson 
 are engaged. 
 
 2 P. M. — Hurlburt, on our right is now at it with his artil- 
 lery and musketry. Captain Crawford has been engaged with 
 him, and has now come in with orders for our division, under 
 General Davis, to advance, and plant some pieces so as to rake 
 a field in the immediate front of our position, where the lines 
 of the enemy seem the strongest, and behind which are his 
 breastworks. 
 
 The right and center are both at work, and the way the shot 
 and shell "spread" themselves is astonishing to a pacific indi- 
 vidual. Captain Crawford in leading to show General Davis 
 tiie position for his guns, narrowly escaped death. AVhile in 
 the act of firing from his horse, (which I loaned him,) one of a 
 shower of balls from the enemy, struck and went through the 
 horn of his saddle. The position of his body alone saved his 
 life ; for, had he been sitting straight upon the animal at the 
 time, he could not have escaped being struck in a vital part. 
 General Davis's artillery rakes the enemy with such across 
 fire, that they stand not npon the order of their going, but go 
 at once, belter, skelter, across the field, into the woods and over 
 their breastworks. 
 
 May 20. — The weather is extrcmelj^ warm yet, and there is 
 but little air stirring. Yesterday was a glorious day for us. 
 We'drove the rebels back along the whole line for over a mile, 
 capturing, it is said, a large number of prisoners, ox-Governor 
 
68 nUMEROUS ADVENTDRES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 Beriali Magofiin, of Kentucky, among them. Onr men were 
 eno-ao-ed in building new breastworks last night, and have them 
 fully completed this morning. We have heard the drums beat- 
 ing in Corinth for several days, but this evening they seem few 
 and far between. General Halleck has moved his camp for- 
 ward gome two or three miles. Yesterday he ordered out re- 
 connoitering columns on the right, left, and center, to unmask 
 the enemy's batteries; but they encountered strong opposition, 
 the ground being so hotly contested as to compel them to fall 
 back again. Our loss in killed and wounded was about fifty. 
 The woods in all directions are so bad that we have to feel our 
 way as we move along. 
 
 There is great noise heard to-night on the railroad at Corinth, 
 as though the enemy was moving off in large nuui^l^ers, and 
 that place was being evacuated. General Pope has requested 
 permission to take his division and capture the place and the 
 troops and stores yet remaining there. The commanding gen- 
 eral refuses permission because he has no official intelligence 
 of the movements of the rebels. 
 
 May oQ. — ^This morning with a letter from Captain Thompson 
 to a regiment in Sherman's divison, I mounted my horse at 6 
 o'clock and was about to gallop off, when we heard the noise 
 and saw the smoke occasioned by several loud explosions in 
 the direction of Corinth. A few minutes later and we had the 
 official report that the rebels had certainly evacuated the place. 
 T started off in that direction, and passed the greater part of 
 M. L. Smith's brigade, which was rapidly moving in the direc- 
 tion of Corinth. The town was almost entirely deserted, most 
 of the citizens having left with Beauregard's'^rmy the night 
 previous. The enemy had fired a large hotel near the depot, 
 and several commissary and quartermaster stores, together 
 with arms, arnunition, M'agons and harness. These were all 
 more numerous than we had supposed. There were many 
 abandoned rebel camps, from some of which but few articles 
 had been l*emoved. In these molasses, rice, bacon, and cooking 
 utensils were scattered around in great profusion. There-^vero 
 several houses still burning when we arrived, near some of 
 which w<ere cannon balls, shot, and shells. There was also cod- 
 
HUMEROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEES. 69 
 
 siderable other property which was neither carried olT nor de- 
 stroyed.. It seems that the enemy has for some time been 
 engaged in removing their valuable stores, sick, and a portion 
 of their effective forces, on the railroad. Most of the latter, 
 however, marched oJS* toward Okalona, a place on the Mobile 
 and Ohio railroad, and upwards of one hundred miles from 
 here. They went by the road towards Rienzi and Danville,, to 
 which places the greater part of our army has followed them, 
 capturing some three hundred of their men. General Pope's 
 division, having been the first to take the intrenchments here, 
 is in the advance. Had this general been permitted to break 
 the railroad in the rebel rear, as he desired to do a few days 
 ago, the forces of Beauregard never would have escaped as 
 they have done, ► 
 
 Strong breastworks had been thrown up between all the roads 
 and along the front of a ridge about a mile from Corinth. The 
 great strength of these defences would have offered an almost 
 insurmountable obstacle to our occupation of the place, if the 
 rebels had determined to hold it. Corinth is a finel}- built little 
 town. It has a strength of position beyond what we imagined, 
 and a stubborn defense on the part of the Confederates, if it 
 had not kept us out of the place entirely, would at least have 
 given us more trouble and cost more blood than its strategic 
 importance demands, . 
 
 May 31. — General Pope's division is meeting 'with great 
 success in its pursuit of the rebels, having arrived at Boonville 
 before daylight this morning. Two thousand rebel soldiers with 
 their arms and amunition have been captured. They have also 
 blowm up a culvert, destroyed the railroad track, and taken a 
 railroad locomotive and train of thirty cars loaded with supplies 
 of all kinds. They took at the ssme place about ten thousand 
 stand of arms, and a great supply of quartermaster and ord- 
 nance stores. 
 
 The roads are filled with flying rebel pickets, many of whom 
 are captured by our cavalry. There are three captured loco- 
 motives here at Corinth, two of wdiich are in running order. 
 A bridge over the Tuscumbia river was to-day destroyed by the 
 enemy. Another one not far off was set fire to, but was saved 
 
70 nUMEUOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLDNTEER. 
 
 by Oaptuiu Crawford, who tied a bucket to a long pole and 
 dipped sufficient water from the river for that purpose. . 
 
 Captain Crawford was among the very first of our men who 
 entered Danville. He was shot at several times by guerrillas, 
 six of whom he and another man captured at the time. 
 
 /w«g 2, 186*2.— Our woik being nearl}"- completed here now 
 by the capture of Corinth, Captain Crawford, after a long search, 
 has succeeded in finding General Halleck's headquartes, where 
 lie has had his papers signed and, to-morrow he leaves us for 
 home. , 
 
 June 3. — Captain Crawford, McC, and myself have started 
 for Pittsburg landing, the former to obtain passage on a steamer 
 to Cincinnati, McC. and myself to bid our friend good bye, and 
 assist him with his luggage. We-passed Monterey after break- 
 fast time,' where there are a thousand sick soldiers slioltered 
 only by tents. The most plentiful production of this section of 
 country, judging by the present state of the roads, is mud. 
 There would have been much hunger in our party, but that v/e 
 happened to see a good Samaritan, who keeps a bake shop by 
 the road side, and, for the money, supplied all our wants. There 
 were but few steamers nearthe landing wlieii we arrived, and 
 it required two hours' hard work for 'the captain to secure, a 
 passage. All things at last being ready for his departure, we 
 sorrowfully bade him farewell and returned to camp. The 
 relics of several fields, together with the letters from our boys, 
 which he takes home with him, would almost load a good sized 
 w^agon. 
 
 June 4. — Pope has advanced beyond Danville with Nelson's, 
 McCook's, Davis's, and Buell's commands, all being in pursuit 
 of the lining rebels ; while Sherman, Hurlburt, and others have 
 gone some twenty miles out on the Memphis and Charleston 
 railroad, in the direction of the former place. The 1st Ohio 
 cavalry captured a whole company of Louisiana Tigers yester- 
 day. They are nearly all' foreigners, and a very hard looking 
 set. 
 
 June 6. — Our battalion is encamped two miles beyond Cor- 
 inth, near the plantation and Blue Sulphur springs of a southern 
 Bkedaddler, who, taking liis negroes with him, left the place as 
 
HUMEROCS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 71 
 
 a hospital, where three southern wounded soldiers remain, with 
 three Memphis ladies as nurses, and a widow with her son-in- 
 law and daughter, who have possession of the premises. This 
 place is situated near a swamp, and the idea of making a 
 pleasure ground and erecting a ten-pin alley here is rather re- 
 markable, as the place is unfit for any sort of pleasure what- 
 ever. 
 
 Jane 7. — The; houses at Corinth are being cleaned out, some 
 of them for hospitals ; and the filth accumulated here by un- 
 clean persons, together with a large amount of stores, and dead 
 bodies of horses, are being taken away or burned up by our 
 men. 
 
 June 8. — The rebels are supposed to be in some force across 
 the Tuscumbia river, under Beauregard. Price's army is almost 
 entirely broken up, as one of his men who has deserted to us 
 reports. The deserter is an Ohioan, and informs us of the total 
 demoralization of the rebel army. ..' T ' ' *", 
 
 I have just been over to Hurlburt's [division, the tents of 
 which are rather empty just now, tlie greater number of the 
 men being still engaged in the grand rebel hunt. There are 
 several empty secesh tents on th,e ten miles of road, ,between 
 here and Hurlburt's camps, in and around which I have picked 
 up quite a variety of weapons, principally large knives which 
 look like small sabres. Forage is very scarce. We receive 
 but one sack of corn or oats for thirty-five horses, and no hay 
 whatever. 
 
 Jane 10. — On my return to Corinth to-day I met Colonel 
 Taylor, Major Scherer, Adjutant Schultz, Adjutant Harrison, 
 and a sutler, all of our regiment, and are seeking our first and 
 second battalions, wliicli are attaclied to Hurlburt's division. 
 This division has moved out on the Memphis and Charleston 
 railroad twelve miles farther. My meeting with these officers 
 was glad and joyous, as they are all true gentlemen." The 
 paymaster. Major McDowell, has liquidated all debts of the 
 government to this division, except our unfortunate regiment. 
 Our continued absence is the cause of his apparent neglect of 
 us. 
 
 June 11. — Buell's whole covps (Varmce has returned. The 
 
72 nUMEEOUS AD^TENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 rebels have oiftrun us and got beyond sight and hearing in as 
 masterly a manner as they evacuated Corinth and Danville, the 
 latter place being a town of a dozen houses inhabited by pre- 
 tended Unionists. There is a soldier in the 10th Kentucky 
 who seems to be a great architectural genius. He has built a 
 shelter for himself, out of cane, (which is plenty where they 
 were camped, near Rienzi,) which has regular arcades, windoAvs, 
 and doors. In fact it is an elegant summer residence, and is 
 .kept in as good order by the men as though its occupants were 
 lady housekeepers Avhose greatest pride was to excel every one 
 else in neatness. 
 
 Dewberries and blackberries are now very plentiful here. 
 Pigs and cows are by no means scarce. Whose are they? 
 We have been unable to make the personal acquaintance of 
 their owners, but the property has been left in our care, and — 
 we are caring for it the best we know how. Pies of the ber- 
 ries, made almost daily, lard and fresh pork from the pigs, and 
 milk from the cows, make np a dinner too good for the service 
 but bully for the sojers. 
 
 June 12. — Tlie weather is very warm. Mosquitoes have "ar- 
 riv." There are thousands of ants that seem -to be a thousand 
 years old. Oak bottoms and running streams, (the latter nu- 
 merous, but nearly all in the process of obeyingthe oftrepeated 
 injunction to "dry up,") are extremely beautiful in this neigh- 
 borhood. 
 
 Our new quartermaster, Lieutenant Owens, feeds us well at 
 present. A new broom sweeps clean. Blackberry patches 
 are plenty about here; but our neighbors pretend great ignor- 
 ance in regard to their whereabouts, even when they can be 
 seen from their own doors. They hate to enlighten us on any 
 subject, we suppose, which has the black connected with it. 
 We hope they '11 soon hury the hatchet and jpaich their con- 
 sciences. 
 
 McCook's brigade has just passed b}- here on its way to 
 Corinth. The men seem in high spirits, being under the im- 
 pression they are leaving forever this barren, sickly soil. Their 
 supposed destination is Memphis, by the river. 
 
 Boonville, ten miles south of us, is a gay place, of about the 
 
HUMEKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 73 
 
 dimensions of a pocket map, and as variegated. None of the 
 citizens of this phice have made boon companions of our boy's 
 yet, by means of correct scientific observations, we arc enabled 
 to calculate, with a groat degree of accuracy, the strength of 
 their stomachs, and their immense capacity for forty-rod tangle 
 foot. 
 
 Our privates, sitting in private judgement on their superiors, 
 and listening to each other's arguments pro and con, are trying 
 to settle the question whether Grant's surprise at Shiloh, or 
 Halleck's at Corinth, was the greater. They seem to put it 
 down as a fact, that " we were surprised at Shiloh; but that 
 being granted^ they say that the enemy's evacuation of Corinth 
 is a h — / {of a) lick on us. Pat Dignan has added our com- 
 mander-in-chief to the long list of illustrious Irishmen, because 
 he clothes even the roads in corduroy^ and strews them witli 
 shilelalP 
 
 June 14. — Our battalion got back last night about 7 o'clock, 
 from beyond Rienzi, a place near Baldwin, which is on the 
 railroad, of imposing appearauce, but nearly depopulated from 
 fear at our approach. It is nearly as large as Corinth, and seems 
 to have been quite a business place in days lately passed. We 
 do n't lament the departure of frightened citizens, who must 
 have been a barefaced set to strip the town so naked on the 
 approach of us inquisitive strangers. 
 
 A member of our battalion whose skill since he has been in 
 the army, has been excercised principally in a successful search 
 after whisky, is accused by his mess of having vermin, and to 
 definitely settle this vexing question, they unavaillngly search 
 him. At the conclusion of the ceremony he, with a show of 
 anger, said : 
 
 " I can hear a louse walk. It is therefore useless for vermin 
 to make a race course over my body." 
 
 There is some doubt as to the " hear him comin'" part of the 
 remark. 
 
 4 o'clock P, M.' — "NYeare ordered to report to Colonel Hickey, 
 being transferred to his brigade, which is just formed, and is 
 composed of the 5th Ohio cavalry, the dth and ITth Illinois 
 cavalry, and another regiment not yet designated. We are to 
 
74 HUMEK0U8 ADVENTUSE8 OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 advance along the Memphis railroad to look after the enemy 
 and his guerrillas. 
 
 No pay yet for us. All the other Ohio troops have received 
 their pay from Major McDowell j why are we made the excep- 
 tion. There is six months pay due us, and our families need 
 funds very much. 
 
 The drums are beating the tattoo. " Lights out." But I 
 must steal a moment from military authority and the darkness, 
 to record the fact that, among the innumerable frogs about us, 
 and now engaged in a rivalry of song, we have one regular 
 Brignoli of a fellow; wdiose mellow notes, under a proper cul- 
 tivation, would more than ' equal those of the rotund tenor in 
 whose honor we have named him, Brignoli, second, is, just 
 now, engaged in the " Miserere," and will probably soon give 
 us his "Non ti scordar di me." It must be in honor of this 
 'melodist that some of our officers wear frogged coats. Were 
 our prodigy to be heard in some of our large cities, we would 
 doubtless have the "frog tie," the "frog, hop," and possibly 
 several old f(r)ogies would meet him with "the grandest recep- 
 tion ever tendered to any one, in this city, or;, it is believed, 
 the West." 
 
 How delightfully the moon, with its calm, glowing face, shines 
 down upon these warlike scenes, seeming to throw rebuking 
 glances at the elements of strife surrounding us. Our tents, 
 coming up like so many ghostly shadows in the foreground of 
 the wood, remind one of the lost spirits wandering about in the 
 'darkest gloom of Pluto's regions ; and the stillness of. the lately 
 so merry camp, now sunk in a secure repose, ;vvhich,' may, at 
 any moment, have a terrible awakening, lead to reflections 
 that one would well wish to avoid. 
 
 " But see! the clouds are floating fast and far, 
 Each by the moon tipped with a silver hue; 
 But here and there we note a gleaming star, 
 Like angels smiling through the opening blue." 
 
 June 15. — Sunday is t6 all, except soldiers, a day of rest, 
 and the peals of church bells direct the thoughts, or rather the 
 imagination, to Ilim who has proclaimed " Peace and good 
 ■will upon, earth." Alas! no silver toned Sabbath music sounds 
 for the occupant of the canip ; the shrill fife and rattling drum 
 
HDMEEOUS ADVEjS'TURES OF A VOLUNTEEH. j 5 
 
 proclaim far different duties. The weatlier to-day is exceed- 
 ingly warm, creating a drowsy sort of laziness, which soldiers 
 are rather noted for. Those of us who can force locomotion 
 for a hundred yards, have a good antidote against this in the 
 creek ; which has, at one place, a sufficient depth of wj[iter to 
 afford good bathing, of which many take advantage to their 
 their physical and mental comfort. The Sulphur spring is in 
 close proximity, and soldiers far and near come to obtain a 
 drink or ifill their canteens. This water is highly impregnated 
 with iron and sulphur, and is an excellent tonic, for which ^11 
 of us can vouch, many of us having been, relieved of debility 
 through its frequent use. This water springs up through; a 
 perforated marble basin, at the rate of twenty gallons orinore 
 per hour. It is very cool, and is also very delicious to the 
 taste. The proprietor of this place, a doctor of secesh procliv- 
 ities, ran away with his, negroes on our approach, leaving the 
 house in care of a widow, who still remains there, and with 
 whom are half a dozen w'ounded rebel soldiers. These are 
 attended by two rebel nurses of the female persuasion. One 
 of the men has just died of fever, ancj two others ran away as 
 sooti' as they were able to get off'. There is now but one of them 
 -remaining. He desires to take the oath of -us, and return lo his 
 friends in Arkansas. He is very intelligent, and desires heartily 
 -that the war will sooivhave an end. . As to the nurses, they are 
 .fire-eaterstoan intense degree; but their heated words are of 
 far, more inflamable material than the modicum of chajcp:^ ^a 
 ture has provided them with. / , .r- "; ; 
 
 Our quartermaster, Lieutenant Owens, is drawing very well 
 on the commissary department at Pittsburg landing, and tiie 
 subaistance w^ill, in the future, bo abundant. We, of II com- 
 pany, haves, at present, but two boxes of army crackers, and 
 four days rations of coff"ee. This is very short, as we es,pect 
 orders to move to-day. 
 
 We have picked up many loose secesh articles, Jately,, in 
 southern camps, not far from us. Pat D'ignau has just returned 
 from one, bringing two emblems ; one of war, the other ol 
 peace; in the shape 6f a ^ pipe aod a shorts sword, the latter 
 about two feeV long and- half as, broad. It is a trcmouduus 
 
TG HUMEKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 ■weapon, seemingly well calculated for close quarters, and used 
 originally, it is presumed, as a cane cutter on some sugar plant- 
 ation in the South. , The chivalry, finding them less, useful in 
 chopping up Yankees than in chopping down sugar crops, leave 
 them jn disgust all over the country wherever they happen to 
 camp. 
 
 June 15. — We are ordered to Corinth by companies, this 
 afternoon, to receive four months pay. We need it, and will 
 make the best possible use of it, by sending it to our families 
 instanter. 
 
 June 16.-r^I felt very ill to-day with the debility which has 
 strongly afi'ected me since I contracted disease at Crump's 
 landing; and I have got a furlough, which has beeu signed by 
 our captain and Dr. Davies, for twenty days. I feel grateful 
 for this, as dyspepsia has taken up its terrible abode in my 
 stomach, which I had hoped I was rid of; but hard fare and 
 the really necessary exposure of camp life, have somewhat 
 dashed my hopes in this respect, and I suffer very much in 
 consequence. :\>:.ii^i uij . 
 
 1 reached Pittsburg'lafl'dirig this evening, and departed before 
 dark, on board the good steamer Horizon, for home. There 
 are a large number of officers on board, from the artillery, in- 
 fantry, and cavalry arms of the service, who do not seem to be 
 very great sufferers from disease, but who obtain leaves of ab- 
 sence much oftener than the privates. So it goes through life. 
 Men in liigh position, whether entitled to them or not, very 
 often obtain indulgences not awarded to those really more 
 worthy. i/oiJ \-i 
 
 Samuel Bard, Captain Thompson's cook, came on board this 
 steamer at Pittsburg landing, he having obtained a twenty days' 
 furlough to visit his wife, near Cincinnati, on, as he said, very 
 particular private business. Several 11 company men, desirous 
 of sending the greater part of their money home, foolishly 
 trusted this same Bard with nearly all their __four months' pay, 
 amounting to about two thousand dollars. This proved to be 
 too niucli to trust with this club footed mail carrier. Bard, in- 
 stead of going to Cincinnati on this ste'amer, as he promised, 
 evacuated her at Evansville, Indiana, took th^ cars, and reached 
 
 I 
 
HDMEE0U9 AdyENTCEES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 77 
 
 Canada, as a Cincinnati detective learned through the chief of 
 police of Cleveland, after I informed him of this dirty action 
 of the club footed cook. The description of Bard, as near as 
 I can come at it, is as follows: He is about thirty-five years of 
 age, live feet two inches high, dark complexion, and clubbed, 
 as it is termed, in both feet. He is also freckled in the face. 
 I hope this fellow Tvill be found some day, and, made to suffer 
 the imprisonment he so richly deserves. 
 
 July 3. — Saw in the Commercial to-day a call from the ad- 
 jutant general, which said that every Ohio soldier absent from 
 his regiment, with or without leave, must report at once at 
 Camp Chase. George O. Ludlum, a fellow member of H com- 
 pany, 5th 0. V. C, and myself, iif obedience to this order, re- 
 ported at Camp Chase, July G, and nest day, after an examin- 
 ation by the medical director, were sent, with one hundred and 
 ninety other sick soldiers, to Camp Dennison. George Ludlum 
 and I were hero again examined. George was discharged, and 
 I was ordered to remain until the next examination took place. 
 Dr. Baxter, an excellent physician, had charge of our ward, 
 and would soon have cured me, had I not, in August, walked 
 over to the depot to cheer two hundred soldiers departing for 
 the front on the Little Miami railroad. Standing on the Mari- 
 etta railroad, four feet from the Little Miami, I was struck by 
 an advancing freight train, and rendered senseless for six weeks. 
 In consequence of this I was discharged from service for disa- 
 bilities, by Dr. Carpenter, the examining surgeon, in Decem- 
 ber, 1862. 
 
■+f-,- 
 
PART II. 
 
 IlsT THIE SEE."^IOE -A.C3-.^Ilsr. 
 
 ..',i.. 
 
 March 12, 1863. — Had my first volume published, and re- 
 ceived them to-day, when I immediately sent the first copy of 
 the first thousand to President Lincoln, and the second copy to 
 Governor Todd, two of the best friends living of United States 
 soldiers. I soon disposed of the balance ©f my humble work, 
 "The Adventures of a Volunteer." 
 
 May 27.— I was given a recruiting commission to-day, by 
 Major Joseph AVheeler, as captain of C company, provided I 
 raised a sulficient number of men to entitle me to the captaincy., 
 Feeling much better in renewed health than I had for months 
 I went vigorously to work, and in three, weeks I enlisted seventy - 
 nine men, whom I had 'sworn in for six months, by Esquire 
 Aldrich, of Third Street; examined and passed by Dr. Norton, 
 of Central Avenue ; and then I sent them in squads to Camp 
 Dennison, whore these very men of mine were picked up by 
 pretended oflicers as soon as they arrived, and mustered into 
 service as Y/ia'r recruits. Through my own. ignoran'co of the' 
 fact that any other person than their proper officer could do 
 this, I lost vdy C coiiipany of Todd's independent scouts, and all 
 
80 nUMEKODS ADVENTDEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 my efforfs to raise a larger body of recruits than any other of- 
 ficer proved of no avail. ^ 
 
 " The stranger who thns sUaU an honr. 
 To trace thy w.ilks from bower tn bower, ' 
 Can ne'er, with dull, unconscious eye. 
 Leave them behind without a sigh." 
 
 After many days of hard labor in informing the proper au- 
 thorities of this swindling matter, and finding that I had lost 
 my men through my own ignorance, I was about to give up ia 
 despair, when I thought that when northwest winds strike a 
 ship near dangerous breakers, dismantling and almost wrecking 
 her, she may be, and frequently is, saved by putting forth a 
 sufficient effort. 
 
 •' His soul with thirst of genuine glory fraught. 
 Scorned the false lustre of licentious thought." 
 
 August G. — This day I received notice that by proceeding to 
 Columbus I would receive a recruiting, commission from Gov- 
 ernor Todd, as he was aware of the manner in which I had 
 been treated in my first attempt at recruiting. I did so and at 
 once received the promised commission, dated August 7, 1863. 
 I immediately returned to Cincinnati and commenced raising 
 men for the volunteer cavalry service, reporting twice a week 
 to the adjutant general of the State, stating each time the num- 
 ber of men I had obtained. 
 
 Boarded my men at Langerbein's Union Exchange, on Fifth 
 street. Captain Stanhope, the disbursing officer at this post, 
 mustered in my recruits, thirty-six in number, on the 31st day 
 of August. On the 5th of September I wrote to Adjutant Gen- 
 eral Ilill, astcing another month for recruiting, as I expected at 
 the end of that period to have at least fifty nlen. I kept on as 
 hard as I could until the Gth of October, when Major Cook 
 ordered me to Camp Dennison td' consolidate my forty-nine 
 men with Captain I. N. Iletzler, I obeyed orders, and was first 
 lieutenant of G company, 9th 0. V. C. There were seven men 
 lacking to fill this company, and they were obtained by Major 
 Cook, one of whom, his brother, was immediately made first 
 duty sergeant, to the evident dissatisfaction of the entire com- 
 pany. 
 
 A few days before this consolidation, my commission was 
 sent me from Columbus, by the adjutant general, who placed 
 
HUMER0U8 ALVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 81 
 
 it in the hands of Major Cook with instructions to deliver it to 
 me, which he neglected to do. Being informed of this, I went 
 to Columbus and obtained a new commission of the same style 
 and date, which caused such anger on the part of Cook as I 
 shall never forget. 
 
 Lieutenant Lord mustered me into service as first lieutenant 
 of G company, 9th 0. V. C, which made me feel so happy 
 that I fell down on my knees and thanked my Great Creator 
 for this act of justice ; and I always will thank my Maker for 
 every benefit arising from His great kindness to a sufieriug 
 human being like myself. 
 
 Having no second lieutenant of G company, a person named 
 Knapp, who was acting sergeant-major of Camp Dennison, 
 came to my quarters about two days previous to the consolida- 
 tion, and desired a private interview with me, which I granted. 
 He told me that reports were current in camp to the efiect that 
 all my recruits were going to desert because I was not, as I 
 ought to be, their captain. I was not aware at this time that 
 this proceeding was a bold strategical manouvre on his part, 
 but, as the sequel will show, made the discovery just in the nick 
 of time, 
 
 " For heartfelt wrongs thy btimuhited force 
 Oft wakens vengeance, and Impels its course; 
 Thy feverish hand lays bare each wound to view. 
 That it may throb, and rage, and bleed nnew; 
 While all, perhaps, the injured can acquire. 
 Is, not to pardon — but forget its ire-" 
 
 In close vicinity to general headquarters was a small frame 
 house occupied by a laundress, the wife of a sergeant absent 
 with his regiment, with whom this Knapp was familiar. Ho 
 invited me into the inner room, closed the door, and, sitting- 
 down by my side, opened the conversation by saying : 
 
 "I know' a large number of your men will desert when this 
 consolidation takes place, as I have seen such things occur be- 
 fore. I know it is hard on your tender feelings ; and considering 
 your hard labor, and the amount of money you expended in 
 procuring so many men, my best advice to you is that yen sign 
 a recommendation for me to Governor Todd, stating that you, 
 as yet, have no second lieutenant in your company : and that 
 6 
 
82 HDMEKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUKTEEB. 
 
 knowing" me to be an excellent soldier, as 3'on do, you are 
 certain that I will always faithfully discharge every duty de- 
 volving on me." 
 
 I foolishly consented to do this, when he wrote what he called 
 a recommendation, which, in the state of excitement I was, I 
 signed, and then returned to my cjuarters, glad to think I had 
 so kind a military friend as Mister F. H. Knapp. Next day I 
 was to meet him at Lieutenant Lord's office, as he had special 
 "business with me, and. Lieutenant Lord being absent, no person 
 would there interrupt us except a particular friend of Knapp's, 
 Lieutenant Lord's head clerk. In the presence of this clerk he 
 offered me the loan of five dollars to get our dinner at Mr. 
 Zumstein's. I refused the loan as I then discovered something 
 of the efiorts he was making to obtain a position he knew he 
 was not entitled to, he never having obtained a single recruit 
 Tor any service. I immediately demanded the recommendation 
 papers I had signed, which he said he -would give me, biit he 
 quickly left the office and I could not then discover where he 
 went. I informed Lieutenant Colonel Cook and Captain Hetz- 
 ler of the matter, and they told me I had better seek this man 
 and compel him to return the papers. I did so; finally found 
 him, and when he returned them I found they were not papers 
 of recommendation, but one of them was a blank, and the other 
 a statement to Governor Todd that Knapp had paid me my 
 expenses, and I hoped, therefore, that he would obtain my 
 present position as first lieutenant. 
 
 I was then well satisfied what kind of a man he was, yet I 
 foolishly made no effort to show his principles, or restrain his 
 farther ill work. Enough of the fellow who kept a prostitute 
 at Milford, passed her ofi" as his wife, and swindled himself 
 into a commission. 
 
 " Build mc a shrine am] I conld kneel 
 To rural gods, or prostrate fall; 
 Did I not see, did I not feel. 
 That one Great Spirit governs all." 
 
 November^ 1863. — I met, for the first lime, Colonel Hamilton, 
 who commands the 9th 0. Y. C. lie seems to be a gentleman 
 and a brave soldier, which I hope ho will prove himself to be, 
 in every particular. 
 
 J 
 
HUMEROUS ADVENTDEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 83 
 
 Dcconiber came and went here in old style. Good and bad 
 plotters have beer^and still ai-e at work,- and to feel myself as 
 low as most of these degraded scamps is not my mental style. 
 I feel myself more worth}'' every way, and hope every good 
 man I meet thinks the same. Christmas day came and I wrote 
 the following humble lines : 
 
 O, for the tongue of some poetic ?cer, 
 
 Who'd reach the sublime on the Christmas cheer, 
 
 The glorious holiday revelry: 
 The cheer that rang up to the blue vr.ults of heaven, 
 For friends who so nobly and gladly had given 
 The spread to the Ninth 0. V. cavalry. 
 
 'T was published, how truly let bards ever tell. 
 
 With flourish of trumpets and symphonic swell, 
 That maidens chivalric and demoiselles gay, 
 The soft hearts of Hamilton's troopers to wile, 
 Determined a feast in the highest old style, 
 Served by their sweet selves on this home loving day. 
 
 Miss Todkins brought tongue, a smile, and a caper; 
 Miss Smallgood a leg (fresh veal) very taper; 
 Jane Junkel a bonnie new (s)cent for a salad, 
 And — what the rest gave you shall know in my ballad. 
 There were parings of cheese with never a mite. 
 And crumbs of great comfort for soldiers to bite; 
 Faint smellings of pork to the bones yet attached, 
 And blue monkeys' tails, such as never were matched; 
 With fricaseed turnip-tops trimmed a la mode, 
 And choice leather- chips was the table well stowed. 
 The shell of an egg, long the thief of the nest. 
 With the comb of a rooster deliciously dress'd. 
 Were flanked by two tumble-bugs, juicy and green; 
 A grasshopper, roasted, stood grandly between. 
 A crocodile's tooth, which was shipped from the Nile, 
 Was stewed vrith a bird's nest, from China, in style. 
 A chowder of cotton balls mingled with lard, 
 And a hot Texas pudding to take was n't hard. 
 A codfish's gills, too, embellished the scene. 
 With elegant soup from a real castor bean. 
 The wings of a woodpecker, hoofs of a fawn, 
 Soup-congo, soup-pongo, soup-erb and soup-awn. 
 This sumptuous feast of the fiir-fetchcd and rare. 
 Too good was for soldiers, I humbly declare. 
 Yet in would they pitch, like a fl(jck of wild geese. 
 Or doughnuts in batches thrown into boiled grease. 
 Such crowding, such pushing, suchdevil-maj'-care, 
 Was never yet equalled at Donnj brock Fair. 
 
84: HUMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 Jim Jones he cried, " Turkey," when tramped on the toes, 
 
 Tom Cronin, no chicken, was rapped on the nose. 
 
 John Johnson struck out with a vigor and viitn, 
 
 And twenty great troopers then pitched into him. 
 
 Young Hendry he tackled a giant. The boy 
 
 Came off hke Achilles. o'er Hector of Troy, 
 
 While E-over, quick dodging a threafning boulder. 
 
 Straightened a dozen with straight from the shoulder. 
 
 The word was, "Go in, boys! Hurrah! A free blow! 
 
 From dinner to dessert like nabobs we '11 go! " 
 
 Then fists, quick as bullets at Shiloh, did fly, 
 
 Till noses were rubied and black was each eve; 
 
 Till battered lads, bruised lads lay strewn o'er the ground, 
 
 "Who fell, (vide old Homer,) " with thundering sound." 
 
 No uproar's more hideous since archangels fell. 
 
 And how it sprung up there what prophet can tell? 
 
 When sudden, 'mid shouts, imprecations, and cries, 
 
 " The curnel," some frightened one yells in surprise. 
 
 The rout then began, and to add to its fun, 
 
 This battle shall ever be known as a "run." 
 
 I ran with the rest, I acknowledge the corn, 
 
 I ne'er was so bothered since first I was born. 
 
 Miss Goforth and I had gone forth in a reel. 
 
 The music just suiting the toe and the heel. 
 
 When rumbled like thunder the alarm as I've said 
 
 Alas, the fair G. tumbled heels over head. 
 
 And then — a loud thumping, with oaths quick and hard. 
 
 And " Hang it; wake, sergeants, the third relief guard. 
 
 You sluggards, is here." 1 had but been dreaming, 
 
 And feast, fight, and ladies were only in seeming. 
 
 The certain realities were that my door 
 
 Was breeched by a corporal's squad(ron) of four. 
 
 A thriftless proceeding — I'd little, I swear. 
 
 Like Flora McFlimsey, I'd little to wear. 
 
 But scud like a ship under sail in a storm* 
 
 My jib-sheet close reefed, just to keep me inform, 
 
 Till " Port! hard a port!" brought me up in a run. 
 
 And there stood Frank Goodwin, sir, choking with fun. 
 
 He promised, e'er parting, howe'erto refrain. 
 
 From telling our Cap.; so I'm " Ilichar-r-r-d again!" 
 
 The curtain's rang down, here's the peice at a close, 
 
 And who it was written for, sure somebody knows. 
 
 Dr. Baxter is chief of police at this post, and John Zumstein, 
 the kind liearted sutler of the 5th Ohio cavahy, is now post 
 sutler at Camp Dennison. Ue is of the right stripe, for he 
 always treats men well, and never asks three times the value 
 
HDMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 85 
 
 of anything lie sells soldiers, as some other men do. Mr. Zum- 
 fitein credited certain parties, and thinks as I do, that he will 
 never be paid. 
 
 We have, I am happy to say, some \cry excellent officers in 
 tliis 9th 0. V. C. Captains Breyfogle, McCutchen, Stough, 
 Bowles, and Gatz; and Lieutenants Cole, Fechner, Schronig, 
 Brown, Adjutant Arthur Hamilton, and some others. 
 
 Jamiary 15. — This has been a hard month, so far as weather 
 is concerned, and what is worse on me is that I have received 
 notice that my wife and two children are very unwelL I should 
 love to be with them as often as possible, t>ut as I am needed 
 liere in camp, I cannot expect leave again very soon to visit 
 them. 
 
 Received all our horses. G company's are light colored, and 
 ■will be somewhat dangerously conspicuous during the time of 
 action. 
 
 February 4, 1804. — Received marching orders to-day. Leave 
 to-morrow. 
 
 Fehrxiary 5, 10 o'clock A. M. — We are now on horseback, 
 marching to Cincinnati. Arrived at 4 P. M. and placed our 
 horses, baggage, etc., all on board of four transports, which 
 are waiting here to carry us on to the front. At 5 o'clock 
 Captain Stetson sent me orders, through Captain Hetzler, to 
 meet ]\lr. Coleman, his head clerk, at the Spencer House, to in- 
 form him how long I boarded my recruits at Langenbein's 
 Union Exchange. Saw Mr. Coleman ; stated the whole par 
 ticulars to him, and, returning to the steamer, found no officer 
 on board until 
 
 February 6, ^4. M. — Lieutenant Colonel Cook and Captain 
 Hetzler came on board, and Cook insulted not only myself, but 
 Captain Stetson and Mr. Coleman, by placing me under arrest 
 for the only absence with leave that has occurred since we were 
 on board. All the rest of the absent officers, Major C, Captain 
 Hetzler, and Second Lieutenant Frank Knapp, were absent 
 without leave, to visit the house of Mrs. Stewart, on West Fifth 
 street. 
 
 Left Cincinnati, at 10 o'clock A. M., on the Young America. 
 Arrived at Louisville February 7, at A. M., and marched to 
 
86 HUMEEOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 Camp Spring Garden, when, to my utter astonishment, I found 
 myself still under arrest, and informed Colonel Hamilton of 
 the whole ajffair, which he said should be attended to as soon 
 as possible. Shame, where is thy head ? 
 
 i'ehruary 9. — To-day Colonel Hamilton received au order 
 from General Burnside, to detacli Lieutenants Fechner, Cole, 
 and myself as witnesses for the government in United States 
 vs. Langenbein. In obedience to orders, we returned to Cin- 
 cinnati, where court martial was held against Langenbein and 
 others. This proves my arrest a contemptible, dastardly out- 
 rage. 
 
 February 10. — Reported at the judge advocate's ofHce, and 
 my coming as a witness in this case was approved by the proper 
 officer.' 
 
 March 8. — Met two clerks of the adjutant general, at Camp 
 Dennison, who informed me m}^ old particular enemy, Knapp, 
 is a deserter from D company, I'd 0. V. C, and has been sent 
 lUr by his captain, Llenry Clay Pike, a gentlemanly, noble 
 minded soldier, whom I met on Fourth street, near Pike's opera 
 house, which his uncle, S. N. Pike, Esq., is owner of. Knapp, 
 he says, is one of the very lowLSt privates in any Ohio regi- 
 ment, and is known' to every man, soldier or servant, in the 2d 
 O. V. C. as a very degTa,ded knave. He lied to his captain 
 about a sergeant in his company in order to obtain his position, 
 and he succeeded for a very short time. He was appointed 
 sergeant, but being discovered trampling on better men, and 
 plotting against officers, he was immediately reduced to the 
 ranks. A pretended sickness brought him to Camp Dennison, 
 where, as acting sergeant major, he laid and attempted to exe- 
 cyite all sorts of evil plots, until, meeting my unfortunate self, 
 he obtained a position he nor any one like him is fit for. We 
 liave learned. to know that such conduct, sooner or later, meets 
 its just punishment, and hope that this case will not be an ex- 
 ception. 
 
 " Momentous triumpli — fiend thy race is o'er; 
 Thou, whose blind rage has ravaged every shore. 
 Whose name denotes destruction, whose foul 'oreutli, 
 Forevea hoveling round tlie dart of death. 
 Fells, mercilessly fells, the bravo and base. 
 Through all the kiiidr.'d of the humau race." 
 
HCMEKODS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 8T 
 
 March 23. — Sent Corporal 11. Stalil, Priv^atcs C. Koch aud 
 Thomas MaJderu to rejoin the regiment to-day. 
 
 I became acquainted with a circumstance this day whicii 
 strikes me very forcibly. A certain doctor, residing near a 
 certain city is a bachelor of forty years and upwards, who fre- 
 quentl}^ makes the acquaintance of young ladies through street 
 talk, and politeness displayed on all occasions ; especially when 
 in close proximity to young maids of handsome appearance. 
 He is very affable and persuasive, it seems, as he causes many 
 of these foolish young girls to lose their moral character and 
 become mothers while yet unmarried. As an instance of this 
 method of his, I inform the public of a proceeding which camo 
 
 to my certain knowledge , as 1 resided close to Mrs. V. K , 
 
 No. — West — th street, where, on or about the last of Janu- 
 arj^, 1SG4:, he brought a young lady from Kentucky to board. 
 
 Here she was called Mrs. F , and to show that the term 
 
 '• Mrs." was, or should have been correct, she, three weeks after 
 her arrival, was brought to bed and had a child that has not 
 been christened yet. This new mother is very handsome, as 
 foolish as she is, and is the daughter of very wealthy parents, 
 who move in first class societ}'. They are__not aware of their 
 only and petted daughter's indiscretion, or, no doubt, she would 
 be homeless to-day. I have seen tliis erring girl frequently, 
 but was not aware of her guilt until to-day. I saw the child 
 carried off secretly to a nurse in the country, and the young 
 mother shedding tears of grief at the bitter necessity that thus 
 early deprived her of her little one. 
 
 There is now^ another victim of seduction boarding at the 
 same place. The name given this erring girl is Mrs. E — th. 
 Alas! some young girls are led astray to their injury very 
 easily. 
 
 March 25. — Met the first and second lieutenants of C com- 
 pany, 2d 0. V. C, on the corner of Fifth and Elm streets, who 
 seeing the figure "U'' on my hat, asked me if I belonged to the 
 itth 0. V. C. I told them I did, when they asked mo if Frank 
 Kuapp was not in that regiment. I told them I thought he was, 
 and asked them if they knew him. They both answered by 
 saying, in the presence of five or six persons, that not only 
 
88 irUMEROUS ADVENTUKliS OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 did they know him as a cowardly, plottinn; poltroon, but every 
 member of their regiment knew him as the same. Enough of 
 him forever; I shall not mention his name again if I can help 
 it. 
 
 April 18. — Major General Sherman, the noble commander 
 of the division to which were attached our first and second 
 battalions of the 5th 0. V. C, at and before the battle of Shiloh, 
 now commands the army of the Cumberland, and hasliis head- 
 quarters in the field, I hear. 1 hope it is true, as he is a gen- 
 eral officer we all believe in. At Shiloh he was one of General 
 Grant's main props, on Sunday, April 6, 18G2. May his shadow 
 never be less. 
 
 April 21. — Have just received a letter from one of my men, 
 ^rank Hurff, which informs me that on Wednesday, April 13, 
 Captain Helzler, Second Lieutenant Frank Knapp, and thirty- 
 nine of my G company men, were captured near Florence, Al- 
 abama, and two men, James Jones and Vanmctre were 
 
 killed. I saw Lieutenant Cole receive a letter telling all about 
 this. It was published in the Times, und I here reproduce it 
 as it was : 
 
 FROM THE NINTH 0. V. C— CAPTURE OF OHIO CAVALRY. 
 
 A letter from Major 11. Plessner, to Lieutenant S. H. Cole, 
 gives the following particulars ol the capture of a portion of 
 the Otli Ohio cavalry. It is dated from Athens, Alabama, 
 April 15: 
 
 " About ten days since Lieutenant Colonel Cook was sent on 
 a foraging expedition with seven companies of the Otli Ohio 
 cavalry, when through some mistake, he allowed three compa- 
 nies to leave his command and proceed in different directions, 
 to return in three or four days. Companies G, E, and I were 
 out. G company was encamped near the river, in a barnyard. 
 Captain Iletzler and Lieutenant Kna]:»p went to the planter's 
 house to sleep, having previously thrown out fM;o pickets. Tiie 
 men were surprised about 3 o'clock in the morning. C-orporal 
 Vanmetre and Private Jones were instantly killed, the rest were 
 all taken prisoners. After they had secured the privates, un- 
 known to these very officers, they sent a guard after the oilicera 
 and hurried tlie entire crowd across the river. 
 
HUMEEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 89 
 
 "Private Jones, who was killed, was enlisted from the Four- 
 teenth ward." 
 
 Poor fellow ! I enlisted him. 
 
 Another statement of the Times is as follows: . 
 
 "The following are the names of the soldiers captured near 
 Florence, Alabama. They were members of G company. 
 Lieutenant Fanning, their commander, is now here, having been 
 summoned as a witness on a court martial. Tiie captured 
 were : 
 
 " Sergeants Kennedy, Coo-k, Winks, Smeltzer, Snyder, Shid- 
 ler, and Gamble. 
 
 Corporals Lightfoot, Bryant, Hover and Connor. 
 
 Privates I. W. F. Johnson, Gillen, two Foss brothers. Brock, 
 Koch, Edson, two Smith brothers, Ilewell, Addlesberger, Mc- 
 Nainee, AVorman, Mannson, Balston, Niblick, Powell, Shanlslin, 
 Bryan, and several others. In all, captured and killed forty- 
 one." 
 
 This evil accident happened, I am told, through the negli- 
 gence of the officers who commanded the company ; th.ey being 
 absent at the time it occurred. There were only ^^«o picket 
 guards placed out, and both were killed on this sad occasion. 
 Both these men were meritorious soldiers, one of whom, James 
 Jones, I enlisted as a recruit in the Fourteenth ward of Cin- 
 cinnati. 
 
 May C. — This day ended the case of Langenbein,'the govern- 
 ment defrauder, against whom I have been kept here as a wit- 
 ness nearl}^ three months. His punishment will be severe, for 
 he has swindled the United States government out of sixty-live 
 thousand dollars, charging that sum for boarding recruits less 
 than one year. 
 
 3fay 8. — Left Cincinnati for the front, on the General Lj'tle, 
 and arrived at Louisville at 1 A. M. of 
 
 M.iy 9. — Departed for Nashville at 7 A.M., and arrived there 
 
 at 4 P. M. 
 
 Hay 10. — Stopped at the St. Cloud IIolcl, a very sumptuous 
 house — if the bill of fare was only equal to the bill cliarged. 
 
 Maij IL— Started on the morning train for Athens, Alabama, 
 where my company is now stationed. 
 
90 HUMEROUS ADVENTUSES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 May VI. — Arrived at Athens at 4 F. M., and found compa- 
 nies I and G here. 
 
 May 13. — I lind Athens a small place, yet it ought to be 
 flourishing, since Federal troops hold it, and several pretended 
 Unionists are residents of this seemingly good locality. Lieu- 
 tenant Cole and myself remain here to take command of our 
 respective companies, sending letters to Colonel Hamilton, at 
 Decatur, Alabama, informing him of our arrival. Lieutenant 
 Fcchner left us to rejoin E company at Decatur, and kindly 
 carried our letters to the colonel. • 
 
 I iind my fragmental company all well, and, so they say, 
 happy to see me. I hope this happiness is true, as I look upon 
 all good men as my equals, if not my superiors. Major Wil- 
 liamson, commanding our second battalion, is here, and seems 
 a gentleman in every shape. An indefatigable ofiiccr, ready 
 always to perform any hazzardous duty, he is, and I am happy 
 to be under a gentleman who is so noted |'or courage, gallantry^ 
 and everything else tliat is creditable in a soldier. That he 
 may raise in his military profession, as he deserves to, is my 
 heartfelt prayer. 
 
 Entering a grocery here to buy tobacco, I saw a southern 
 doctor of divinity in the back room, (where beer is sold,) go 
 out of the back, door, wiping his mouth. He seemed to feel 
 uneasy as I looked at his side movements. The fact is he 
 evacuated the premises because he thought some of the broth- 
 erhood-might hear of his unclerical habit-of indulging in strong 
 drink. 
 
 Friday.^ May 13, — Started out at 4 P. M., fully armed and 
 equipped, on an expedition to Florence, and were joined by the 
 7lh Illinois mounted infancy, commanded by Colonel Tlowett, 
 and the first battalion of our own regiment, under Major Sims, 
 an ollicer well liked by his men. I am proud to know that I 
 am under two good field oflicers. Our first battalion came 
 from Fulaski, Tennessee, where it is stationed. This raid is in 
 consequence of intelligence received by Brigadier General 
 Matthias, commanding at Decatur, Alabama, that Florence, a 
 rebel hole, is at present occupied by a brigade under General 
 Ilhoddy, and a few bushwhackers under Brigadier General 
 
HUMEROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 91 
 
 Wheeler, Advanced tliirly miles and camped for the night at 
 11 R M. 
 
 May 14. — Started again at 4 A. M. and advanced six miles, 
 when we heard iiring in front. Tliis was between our advance 
 guard and the rebel picket. Soon after hearing the firing E 
 ccimpany, Caj^tain oreyibglo, and a part of il company dis- 
 mounted and deployed as skirmishers, advancing into the thick 
 woods on our right, where the heaviest firing came from, in 
 order to ascertain the precise locality of the main body of the 
 rebels. Captain Breyfogle was the oflicer to send on such a 
 duty, for I do not know a braver or better one. Two compa- 
 nies of the 7tl,i Illinois also promptly advanced to scour the 
 woods, and, at the same time to reconnoitre the enemy's posi- 
 tion, and compete with the 9th 0. V. C. in fighting qualities. 
 " Vive le gentilhommeP 
 
 G company was sent to guard the road a half mile distant 
 from the main body, and remained until the second battalion, 
 Major Williamson, was sent to the left for the purpose of right 
 and left flanking the rebel force, as well as to keep a rearguard 
 to intercept and capture all the chivalry who asserted, some 
 time since, that " it would take five Yankees to light one Con- 
 federate." 
 
 Company I, Lieutenant Cole, advanced to the river, led by 
 Colonel Hamilton, to prevent the rebels crossing the Tennessee 
 and escaping; but to our grief he was too late, as a number of 
 large flatboats tiiey had there carried them over to an island, 
 near the south bank, lives minutes before he arrived. There 
 the rebels must be in force, as a large number of cannons are 
 planted there, and several balls and shells were lired at us very 
 rapidly. We captured several of the rebels before they escaped, 
 however, and taught them that the Yankees, as they term aj.1 
 Federal soldiers, can light when southerners dare not. 
 
 Our regiment lost one man killed. Private Mellone, of I com- 
 pany. Several horses were killed, and others so badly wounded 
 that they were abandoned as no longer serviceable. A\ c are 
 all sorry that any delay occurred on ou-r part, permitting the 
 safe retreat of the enemy. At ^ V. M. we rested at a planter's 
 house for dinncr.l, 
 
92 HUMEROUS ADVENTUKE8 OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 May 15. — Started at ^:30 P. M. for riorcnce, and crossed 
 througli some cornfields six miles I'rom lliat place, as we heard 
 from scouts that a strong rebel force was ambushed on our left 
 in the woods. 
 
 May IG. — Heard firing by onr skirmishers at 8:30 A. M., 
 and, advancing near the woods, formed a line, expecting a 
 battle. No rebs appearing, and onr scouts not finding ai.y, we 
 started slowly again, and, at 11 A. M., entered Florence, from 
 W'hich place twelve hundred rebels had fled iDrecipitately the 
 night before. 
 
 The news of onr approach reached them throngh contempt- 
 ible citizens, who pretend Unionism to ns yet are not believed 
 in any of their assertions. 
 
 Three deserters from lihoddy came in here and gladly gave 
 themselves up to us. They are Tennesseeans, and desire once 
 more to see their deserted homes. Florence is a nicely located 
 town, with beautiful residences, and — I w-on't say — handsome 
 feminincs. I sent the Times a full account of this expedition 
 and its results. Stayed over night at Cypress creek, three 
 miles from Florence. 
 
 May IG. — Scoured all the neighborhood, including Peters's 
 plantation, where Rhoddy captured a portion of G company, 
 April 13th. Crossed shoal creek, near which small stream w^e. 
 camped. 
 
 May 17. — Heard firing- by rebel scouts at some distance, but 
 soon discovered that, as soon as they fired, these military he- 
 roes skedaddled, getting beyond our reach, fortunately for 
 them. 
 
 Left Florence for Athens at 10 A. M. Marched twelve miles 
 and rested. It is very warm here. It is too hot for horseflesh, 
 let alone humanity. 
 
 An ofilcer is under arrest, I hear, for cowardice shown in a 
 picket fight this morning. He is said to have run away when 
 he heard three shots fired, leaving the guards to defend them- 
 selves, and fight under their own orders. I hope the above is 
 untrue, as I never thought this of our ranking first lieutenant. 
 Sergeant Hedges, of K company, was wounded by these bush- 
 whackers who fired at our guard and then fled. 
 
HUMEEOUS AdvENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 93 
 
 A Confederate soldier, who gladly surrendered here, related 
 a portion of bis family history with tears in his eyes. It is as 
 follows: 
 
 " I am the only surviving son of a poor father, who was a 
 farmer in good circumstances when the war broke out, but was 
 stricken with poverty soon afterward. Having three sons he 
 needed to hire no help in raising his crops of corn and cotton, 
 and very easily sold all his family did not need, to good pur- 
 chasers, for gold and silver. Sliortly after the war commenced 
 my two brothers, much against their own and my father's will, 
 were forced into the Confederate infantry. Father gave all the 
 mono}"^ he possessed, to the provost marshal of his district, to 
 buy them out of the service. All to no avail. He could not 
 obtain their release, but lost all his money, because the provost 
 marshal would not return it, saying that it was given to support 
 the Confederate government. 
 
 " My tv/o poor brothers, John and James Oakley, were killed 
 near Corinth, while they were under General Cheatham ; and 
 father sold out the best part of his farm, to bring their bodies 
 back home and bury them opposite our front door. This money 
 he lost too, as it was inhumanly taken from him by an officer, 
 who said the bodies were of no further earthly use, and the 
 money was of more value to the army than the men would be 
 if yet living. This stroke affected my poor father's senses so 
 much that he never had a sound mind again until the day he 
 died, nearly two years ago ; when he called me to him, and 
 said : 
 
 '"Edv/ard, my poor, suflering son, I called you here now, 
 not only because I am sure this will be our last conversation on 
 this eaith, but because I wish to tell you what will be beneficial 
 to you ever afterward. You do n't know, Edward, that I leave 
 you nothing now to depend upon for a living. Yet so it is. 
 All my remaining property is mortgaged to a man from whom 
 I have begged support this last year. Ho only sent me one 
 bushel of corn meal and four pounds of salt meat each month, 
 but for that he charged me at the rate of twenty-live dolhira 
 per month. For this he now claims all that we possess. How 
 a young boy of fifteen, like you^ with no relative near him on 
 
^t nUMEROrS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 \\-liom he can depend, is to live in tins bleak world, and stem 
 the tide of adversity, I can not say. But I advise yon, my son, 
 if ever you get to Knoxville, and see Parson Brownlow, to in- 
 form him of it all, and tell him it was by my advice you did 
 
 so.' ': 
 
 " Saying this my poor father died, and I was left alone in the 
 world. After being two days and nights without a mouthful 
 to eat or a shelter to cover me, I was picked up in a famishing 
 condition, close to our old barn, by a squad of Confederate sol- 
 diers, who forced me to enlist. I refused this in the first place, 
 wlien they tied me up to a tree, took aim at me by order of 
 the officer commanding them, and then, through fear of death, 
 I enlisted." 
 
 Edward Oakley was paroled and set at liberty. 
 
 Camped twelve miles from Florence on the Athens road, and 
 I was there appointed officer of the guard. Remained at ene 
 of the front posts until 11 P. M., when I was ordered to return 
 to the regiment, and bring the f:ciiaJ'ds with me, as the 9th Ohio 
 cavalry was moving on toward Athens. Obeyed orders, and in 
 doing so very narrowly escaped death, as some of the pickets 
 I was seeking thought me a rebel soldier, and, but for Sergeant 
 Farnham, of E company, they would certainly have forever 
 stopped my forward movements on this earth, as they all took 
 aim at me previous to my seeing them. 
 
 May 18. — Crossed Elk river at 11 o'clock A. M. This stream 
 is four feet deep, half a mile wide, and is rather hard to cross, 
 as there is a strong current to contend with. All our regiment 
 came over safely. Arrived at Athens at G o'clock P. M., having 
 lost not a single G compau}^ man throughout this entire expe- 
 dition. 
 
 May 19. — Left Athens for Decatur at 7 A. M., and passing 
 through swampy roads, arrived at Decatur at 3 P. M. There 
 is a line government ])lantation four miles this side of Decatur, 
 which is filled Avith negroes of every age, who seem healthy, 
 well fed, and proud of having t])e blessings of freedom as well 
 they may be. 
 
 May 20.— Left Decatur at o'clock A. M. for our new sta- 
 tion, which is asmall village at a railroad junction, about three 
 
nUMEROUS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 95 
 
 miles from Decatur. Our dut}^ there will be to guard the rail- 
 road. 
 
 Two thirds of the town of Decatur had been destroyed by 
 gunbo; ts previous to our arrival ; and taking into consideration 
 the fact tint the destroyed houses were occupied by rebel 
 nuisances at that time I think it was only right to punish by 
 batteries felling the houses which sheltered such beings. The 
 Oth O. V. C. lias an excellent name here. They have shown 
 themselves fighting men, and are M^orthy of applause frorii all 
 men in favor of ending this ignominious civil war ; and prov- 
 ing Ohio can show features of bravery in every regiment that 
 has 3'ct been sent out by that noble State. Gloria ad O Re- 
 mit si 
 
 May 21. — Moved our camp to Mooresville, Alabama, which 
 we find is a very pleasant looking village, seven miles from 
 Decatur. 
 
 May 22. — Officers' call was sounded at 7 A. M., by the regi- 
 mental bugler, James Doran, and after we were all seated, the 
 colonel spoke of what happened at Mills's point, five or six 
 days since, when a certain ofllcer left his post and galloped to 
 camp, instead of sending a sergeant, as he should have done, 
 to give information of the approach of the enemy. It is a 
 great disaster when any officer purposely fails to discharge his 
 duty. 
 
 " Every guard officer's duty is to make tlie grand rounds 
 twice or three times each night, and see that every sentinel is 
 in his proper place," said the colonel, "and see that all his or- 
 ders are strictly obeyed. If this is not adhered to men will 
 become demoralized by thinking their commanding officers ig- 
 norant of military duties, and unlit to command their obedience 
 to proper orders." 
 
 This was a reprimand to the repentant officer I spoke of be- 
 fore, and he was tiicn and there fully pardoned for his first of- 
 fense. 
 
 We are favored with a band of good musicians, wdio lay 
 their musical instruments aside when the regiment goes out on 
 a foraging expedition, a raid, a scout, or any other duty, arm 
 themselves with carbines and sabres, and partake of all impend- 
 
96 HDMEROus advp:ntures of a volunteer. 
 
 ino- danger with as much spirit as any brave soldier. Hurrah 
 fur sucii a bands. 
 
 M<ty 26. — The seventeenth army corps, commanded by Ma- 
 jor General F. P. Bhiir, jr., passed through Mooresville to day. 
 The lirst, second and third brigades are respectively commanded 
 by Brigadier Generals Force, Gresham, and Malloy. The -iOth, 
 CSth, and 78th Ohio infantry, and the 1st, 3d, and 4th Ohio 
 cavalry are in this corps. They marched to Decatur, Alabama, 
 whore the ITth New York Zouaves are now stationed. These 
 Zouaves had a heavy fight with a strong rebel force, seven miles 
 south of Decatur, to-day, killing fifteen, wounding twenty- 
 eight, and capturing thirty- seven secesh soldiers, and taking 
 the secesh camp, seventeen army wagons, and several stragglers 
 who, unlilte the balance of Rhoddy's men who were engaged 
 here, did not leave on the double quick. The ITth Zouaves 
 had to fall back in the early part of the day, but being rein- 
 forced by the 3d Ohio cavalry, they drove the Johnnies pell* 
 mell, and would have taken them all if the place had been less 
 swam.py. and not so much covered with a thick undergrowth of 
 what may be termed screening trees, which secure a safe re- 
 treat to all forces that are falling back to seek safety for them- 
 selves. 
 
 3fay 27. — Soluiion of a mystery. I have discovered to day 
 several plotters, and lay them aside as fellows not worth notic- 
 ing. These thoughts came to me, and I abide by them. Those 
 who slowly and gradualy rise to those positions wliich they 
 are worthy to fill, like good rivers in spring and autumn, leave 
 behind them a sediment, which, on slowly retiring, convert a 
 region, which would otherwise, have been a desert, into a gar- 
 den of the world. 
 
 We have, fortunately, one of the most efficient, worthy regi- 
 mental surgeons in the service. Major Finch, of whom 1 speak, 
 attends to every sick call, and causes every member of this 
 regiment to regard his health by cleanliness, adopting a proper 
 manner of cooking, and eating only what is nutricious and 
 what is easy of digestion. Such a surgeon as the major, de- 
 serves, and 1 hope will soon obtain, his reward by a merited 
 promotion. 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 97 
 
 May 29. — To-day a man named Conway, who belongs to Al- 
 abama, and M'as forcibly conscripted by the rebel General 
 Rhodd}'", took the favorable chance offered him by our pickets, 
 and escaped to us by crossing the Tennessee river in a canoe. 
 lie says General Rhoddy's brigade, 3,000 strong, escaped to 
 join General Joe. Johnston, through intelligence received from 
 certain southern chivalric citizens who very plainly show their 
 duplicity whenever a favorable opportunity offers itself to 
 them. 
 
 j\Iay 30. — A planter named Gamble, residing one mile south 
 of Mooresville, lost a fine gray horse to-day, by low means, as 
 the fellow who took it was a native of the State of Alal>ania, 
 like Mr. Gamble. The rascal not only took this horse, but also 
 took a good mule from a widow neighbor of Mr. Gamble, and 
 said he belonged to the 9th Ohio cavalry. As I was the officer 
 of the day, Mr. Gamble informed me of this, and I rude with 
 him in his buggy, chasing the scamp closely to Decatur, where 
 we learned he had taken a by-road to Limestone, fourteen 
 miles distant, which we made in one hour, but too late to catch 
 him as he crossed the creek on horseback and hid in the woods 
 beyond. The perpetrator of this daring offence was a well 
 known rebel spy. 
 
 Eeturning to camp we stopped at the house of Mr. Ilurte for 
 a drink of water, which Mr. Ilurte brought out to us, and spoke 
 kindly, bidding us good day, when his v.'ife, Mrs. Ilurte, a wo- 
 man of a very bad temper, came out, caught him by the arm, 
 and said : 
 
 "You always make free with every Yankee dog you meet; 
 the filthy pups. Will you never know a gentleman's feelings 
 toward such curs? Come in the house here, or I will leave it 
 forever." 
 
 This is only part of the vile language she made use of forno 
 reason whatever. She showed her authority by her 'husband 
 quickly obeying her orders. Thus it is with some husbands. 
 They, oftentimes to their sorrow, are led to many a low and 
 vicious belief, through the foolishly false statements and 
 wicked misrepresentations, combined with fear, of their letter 
 halves. 
 
 7 
 
9'8 HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 There's fun in love, they say, on mounted steeds, 
 
 And fost skeduddlhig done on hunting tours-, 
 
 If love comes forth to burnish ancient beads. 
 
 Then quick recruiting calls skedaddlers yours. 
 
 All truth dissembling, couching like a slave 
 
 We bend to truth though thistles fill our grave. 
 
 This then is it — a cruel jest has sprung 
 
 'Tween Jack, the groom, and Chieftain Bully Young. 
 
 The latterspeaks; the former must obey 
 
 Though want proclaims a loss in oats and hay. 
 
 "Step out," says Bull, "there's crust, though but in crumbs. 
 
 For all my steeds with devastating gums. 
 
 See appetites in tune with joyous glee; 
 
 Fall in, then, Jackass, and kick not at me. 
 
 These beasts of burden, then, of thine are full. 
 
 So, Jackass, kick; you 're fighting 'gainst a Bull." 
 
 Let truth, like love, here list to live or die. 
 
 And pity fools a knave can sell or buy. 
 
 June 1, 186-i. — This day opens a new month, and the men 
 hope it opens the door to paymasters, who have been looked 
 for anxiously, but have not yet made their appearance. This 
 morning it was rumored that they were expected, and the men 
 felt very happy over this good news, as a number of them have 
 families at home who need money for their support. At din- 
 ner, wliere a crowd was together, Charles Hanna humorously 
 said: 
 
 "Bo3'S, since a Brvwn individual entered Virginia some 
 years back, to better his color ^ and charm all raven lined friends,^ 
 north and south, why are persons of all shades, white or black, 
 anxious to retain any number of green backs, which visit them 
 as note(\ prisoners of war ?" 
 
 The only answer was : 
 
 "Summer is close by, so we welcome our colored visitors 
 because that would be like the colored question I would ask, 
 which is: Why is colored burying supposed to be coming on 
 extensively now-a-days?" 
 
 " Because black berries are becoming prominent and lead to 
 jams." 
 
 " Thinking of our folks at home," said another, "reminds me 
 of a late conundrum, which is: ' Why should a wife be like a 
 roasted lamb, teuder and nicely dressed?' To which 1 should 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 99 
 
 answer: Ladies are juicy whenever they .meet a wooly head, 
 limbless and jarring/' 
 
 Here a son of the Emerald Isle said.: 
 
 " Now thin, byes, since yez are axing questions among je^ 
 here's one. AVot faj^male ship is like a manly' soger ? Kin 
 nun of yez tell me ? Well thin, the rayson a good fayraale 
 ship is like a manly soger is becase they are both of them brig- 
 a-dears," 
 
 This called out the following as a response to the Emerald- 
 er's : 
 
 " Why arc our soldiers, in some positions, supposed to be 
 all Irishmen ? D' ye give it ^up ? Because we take our turns 
 in Pat-rolling.'''' 
 
 " Now," asked another, " what mechanic is supposed to be 
 tlie most holy in his daily actions ?" 
 
 "A boiler n.iaker, since he punches in holes more than any 
 mechanic I know," answered a Cincinnatian. Another mem- 
 ber of G company, after fully enjoying this, asked the last 
 yarn heaver: 
 
 " What is meat in found-ry(e) fields near Porkopolis, now-a- 
 days V 
 
 Receiving no satisfactory answer the questioner himself re- 
 plied: 
 
 "A Aam-mer, of course." 
 
 June 4. — Being officer of the guard to-day, I found the guards 
 well stationed, and on the alert; consequently there is no dan- 
 ger of a secret rebel advance, similar to the Shiloh affair. As 
 I was returning to camp from the posts, it commenced to rain 
 heavily, to escape which I dismounted, tied my horse to the 
 limb of a large shady tree, and sat down to await a lull of the 
 storm. Ere the rain ceased to wet Mother Earth, two members 
 of the 9th Ohio cavalry came near me, and sat down without 
 seeing me ; one to finish, the other to listen to, the following 
 story : 
 
 " Yes, she of whom I was telling j'^ou was a very handsome 
 girl ; while the railroad clerk was a passably good looking man. 
 She, as I told you, used to pass by the office he was engage'd 
 in very frequently, as she lived not far off. She always walked 
 
100 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 slowlj and loolred in ns she passed, in order, I suppose to ob- 
 tain a glance at the clerk, whom she seemed to admire. The 
 clerk was kept pretty busy, and generally had his back toward 
 the, front entrance, and consequently did not, at first, notice the 
 young lady. One day, however, made a vast difference in the 
 programme, for it being very cold in winter, the young damsel, 
 when just in front of the office, slipped on the icy pavement, 
 and would have fallen but the clerk, seeing her, rushed out and 
 caught her by the waist ere she fell down. From that day he 
 became intimately acquainted — in fact, since then he has not 
 shown a waste of time, although the young lady was ivaisted 
 by the manly hero of this new pair of slippersy 
 
 Seeing me, after this story was finished, they left for camp, 
 and then I thought : 
 
 Since love it; is of ivy green. 
 
 Sweet innocence the flower; 
 
 And ev'ry youth soon seeks the screen 
 
 And wanders through the bower; 
 
 Oh, let the arbor turn its hue. 
 
 And sleeping flowers dally, 
 
 No golden roses turning blue 
 
 Shall green be, like our Sallie- 
 
 Jime 7. — This is the hottest day felt by many of us this year, 
 and it compels an idle person to sweat as indiscriminately as 
 one at hard labor. The heat reminds me of a conundrum pro- 
 pounded, nearly a year ago, by a friend of mine who perspired 
 freely while "popping the corn." The question was as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 " Why is a non-breezy discourse at bed time now like a ban- 
 ner?" 
 
 The answer, which was followed by a full chorus of sleepy 
 snores, was: 
 
 " Because it soon begins to fla<r." 
 
 Captain Breyfogle, of E company went to Decatur this morn- 
 ing to escort the paymaster up here, but the captain returned 
 with the very important information that veterans only, and not 
 raw recruits, are entitled to bounty. This renders it necessary 
 for every company officer to make out new pay rolls, except 
 
HUMOEOUS ADVENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 101 
 
 G company, whose rolls are, like its deportment, correct, I am 
 proud to say. 
 
 June 9. — Days pass here with remarkable similarity, consid- 
 ering- the war times, and we all think it is occasioned by rebel 
 fear of the 9th Ohio cavalry, which creates much lassitude on 
 our side. On this account I can only imagine the correctness 
 of the French bull, painted over the gate of a cemetery in the 
 land of wine and frogs: 
 
 "/ci on ii'enterre que les morts qui vivent dans la commune." 
 (Here we inter only the dead who live in the parish.) 
 
 June 10. — Major AV. P. Stoms, the paymaster, arrived here 
 yesterday evening, and paid the men four months, including 
 April 30, 1864. 
 
 June 11. — Last night we were ordered to Decatur and the 
 second battalion left Mooresville at 11 P. M., arriving at Deca- 
 tur at 2 this A. M. Left Decatur at -1 A. M. for a place twenty 
 miles distant where Ehoddy was stationed, but he, having heard 
 of our movements towards him, left for some other point. After 
 thoroughly searching the woods, swamps, and open plains, all 
 of which proved of no avail, we returned to Mooresville, where 
 we found the 73d Indiana veteran infantry camped a hundred 
 yards from us. 
 
 June V2. — ^The second battalion is ordered to Athens again. 
 Broke camp and started at 7 o'clock A. M. Met General Gran- 
 ger's brigade three miles from Athens, on its way to Decatur. 
 Samuel G. Abstain, a noted scoundrel, forced a soldier's wife 
 last night, and deserted. If the villain is caught he will get 
 the punishment he deserves. 
 
 . June 16. — The 7th Illinois mounted infantry have been per- 
 manently dismounted, and the 9th O. V. C. is ordered to take 
 possession of their well used horses. We need the beasts very 
 much, as we are continually on duty, and numbers of our ani- 
 mals are rendered unserviceable by hard riding. The lirst 
 battalion, Major Sims, came from Pulaski here to get horses, 
 and, obtaining the needed supplies, returned, leaving our second 
 battalion to discharge all cavalry duty in this section of the 
 country. 
 
 June 17. — A report is brought to Major Williamson, that For- 
 
102 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 est, with a large body of rebels, is advancing direct to Athens. 
 One hundred men of our battalion have been ordered out in 
 the direction vi'hence Forest is reported to be coming, for the 
 purpose of ascertaining how reliable this intelligence may prove 
 to be. 
 
 Jvine 19. — The one hundred men who went to look for For- 
 est, reached Sugar creek, thirty-seven miles distant, and there 
 dismounted and prepared to cook a meal after their long ride. 
 Captain Stough, their commander, was sitting on the verandah 
 of a planter's house, which was on a hill side, shortly after giv- 
 ing the order to unsaddle, when a rebel squad advanced and 
 called upon him to surrender. To this he made no answer, but 
 ordered his men to mount. Seeing a body of cavalry at hand, 
 some of whom had not yet unsaddled, this Morgan squad of 
 rebels wheeled their horses as quickly as ])ossible, and escaped, 
 though chased through several miles of intricate woods and 
 branching roads. So it is ; sometimes rebels will escape when 
 pursued. In this they are fortunate. 
 
 Making the grand rounds to-night I lost my way in the woods 
 and wandered around for at least an hour, when I discovered 
 three men near the creek, beyond our camp, and, thinking they 
 were some of our cavalrymen, I dismounted and was leading 
 my liorse toward them, when one of them jumped to his feet 
 and angrily yelled out : 
 
 " D — n you, you bugger, you can 't fool me that way. Come 
 on here, and Avhip me like a dirty Yank, if you can." 
 
 Seeing and hearing all this, I stepjK'd behind some large 
 bushes which screened me from their sight, and saw the ban- 
 tered hero arise, throw part of a deck of cards in the stream, 
 and bring his musket to his slioulder, coolly saying: 
 
 " Now, you jest say once that I cheated ye, and durn ye, I 'II 
 soon put an end to yer." 
 
 Here the third man came toward me as if frightened at the 
 sight of the actions of his comrades. My horse happening to 
 neigh just then, the man stopped short, and seeing him dressed 
 in rebel gray, I quickly mounted, drew my sabre, and called 
 out: "Come on here, boys; I see a lot of guerrillas. Charge 
 them, and see that none escape," 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 103 
 
 Hearing tbis order they fled through the woods, thinking, no 
 doubt, that a large party of cavalry soldiers were near, as I 
 made all tlie noise I could by rattling my sabre against the 
 scabbard. Soon after this I found one of our posts, where the 
 men were on the alert, carefully attending to their duties. The 
 guard said he had heard noise off to the right, but as I came 
 from that direction he supposed it was me. I staid all night at 
 the various posts, but saw or heard nothing more of rebel gu- 
 errillas. 
 
 The Sth Missouri Zouaves passed through here to-day, on 
 their wa^ home, their time being out. This regiment was for- 
 merly under General Lew. Wallace, and was in the battle on 
 Monday and Tuesday, April 7th and 8th, 1862, at Shiloh. 
 
 Two rebel deserters, belonging to Colonel Malone's Tth Ala- 
 bama Confederate cavalry, came into camp to-day, guided by 
 two of our pickets. They borrowed horses from their neigh- 
 borly acquaintances, and rode to Major Williamson's quarters, 
 from whence they were sent to the post commander, Colonel 
 Campbell. 
 
 I placed a drunken fellow, named Chap Davis, who is always 
 absent on drunken sprees, and insulting everybody, in the guard 
 house at Athens, where, if I am not mistaken, he will remain 
 a short time. 
 
 June 22. — A lieutenant of the 2d Alabama Confederate cav- 
 alry was captured to-day, twelve miles from Athens. Ilis name 
 is Jones. He is a doctor who can heal all diseases, he says, 
 except this civil disruption, and he would die himself before 
 he would try to cure it by even an oath of amnesty. 
 
 The second battalion is ordered out to Elk river. 
 
 June 23. — We lel't camp at 1 and arrived at Elk river at 7 
 A. M. Thirty scouts are sent out. E company, now under 
 command of Lieutenant Fechner, has gone in the direction of 
 Florence. Captain IMcCutcheon is, at present, in command of 
 this battalion, Major Williamson being sick at Athens. News 
 vras brought to Ca{>tain McCutcheon at 10 P. M. tliat a large 
 force, under Khoddy, was at a plantation three miles from us. 
 I was sent out with seven men to see if this was true, but, after 
 thoroughly searching all the plantations in the reported neigh- 
 
104 nUMOKOUS ADVENTUSES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 borhood, was unable to discover any signs of being in the vi- 
 cinity of a rebel camp. The fact is that a darkey had told one 
 of F company's scouts that three thousand of llhoddy's men 
 had crossed the Tennessee liver in a canoe. We soon found this 
 report perfectly true — so far as the size of the vessel used as a 
 transport was concerned. 
 
 June 23. — Reached camp, after my fruitless search forRhod- 
 dy, at 6 A. M. 
 
 Jum 25. — E company returned from Florence at 10 A. M., 
 bringing several prisoners with them, one of whom was in 
 possession of thousands of dollars of Confederate alid United. 
 States bank notes. 
 
 June 27. — I am ordered out to Lamb's ferry with a squad of 
 twelve men, and arrived there in live hours. There was a tea 
 party at Weaver's plantation, three miles from the ferry, this 
 evening, on passing which we saw thirteen females of strong 
 secesh sympathies, waiting for their male friends, who failed to 
 come to them at the appointed time, because the Yanks were 
 near at hand, and fear swept love away and kept the male geese 
 and. female ducks apart. 
 
 There was loud talk among these fair maidens as we passed, 
 one of them saying: 
 
 " Who asked these durned Yanks to come here. They ain't 
 worth minding, and never will be," and much more of the same 
 kind. 
 
 June 28.— Returned to camp at 3 A. M., and am again or- 
 dered out, with eight men, to patrol from Rogcrsville to Bain- 
 bridge ferry, forty- h've miles from Athens, and thirty miles from 
 Elk river. This is tlie ferry the rebels use in carrying forage 
 to Rhoddy's brigade, and near which a rebel wagon train is 
 reported to be, and 1 am sent out to ca})tnre it. Sergeant 
 Oviett, of F company, is ordered by Captain McCutchcon to 
 cooperate with me, lie having twelve men. I advanced with 
 my small squad to Phillip's plantation, fourteen miles from our 
 camp. 
 
 June 21), — Sergeant Oviett having failed to report at 1 A. M., 
 I advanced with my small squad, intending to do all in my 
 power to capture the train, and also report this bravo sergeant 
 
HUMOKOUS ADYENTUKES OF A TOLUNTEER, 105 
 
 • 
 
 who purposely failed to report to me, althongh ordered to do 
 so, as above mentioned. We left Rogersville at 1 o'clock 
 P.M. 
 
 June 30. — Arrived at Bainbridge ferry at G o'clock A. M. 
 but were one hour too late, as a rebel wagon train crossed at 5 
 o'clock. Captured I. Wise, Tompkins, and Showier ; shot one 
 rebel cavalryman who was endeavoring to escape by swimming 
 his horse across the Tennessee river : destroyed five boats kept 
 here for rebel use, and started back to Rogersville at 10 o'clock 
 A.M. 
 
 Our horses being much in need of feed, we stopped at the 
 house of Mrs. Barre, eight miles from the ferry, where, by pay- 
 ing rations of coffee and sugar, the men liad dinner cooked for 
 them b}'' Mrs. Barre and her two handsome sisters-in law, who 
 reside with her, and who seemed anxious to please us Yankees. 
 Mrs. Barre's husband belonged to the rebel army until he was 
 captured, a year ago, near Stevenson, Alabama. Mrs. Barre 
 and her sisters in-law are very much opposed to this war, and 
 have procured protection papers from General Dodge, which 
 they certainly deserve. The sisters-in-law both say they would 
 as soon have a good live Yankee for a husband as " an}' other 
 man." 
 
 Moved on at' 3' P, M. and stopped again at Jack Phillips's 
 plantation, where we fed our horses. Mr. Phillips is a strong 
 southern man, but he is much opposed, he says, to this war, 
 as it not only injures American repute in foreign nations, but 
 it injures the people here at home to a great extent. The rebel 
 General Forest has a great military reputation here. He is 
 considered the cavalry hero of the age. So Mr. Jack Phillips 
 saj'S. 
 
 Arrived at Rogersville at 9 o'clock P. M., and there found 
 Lieutenant Brown, of F company, with nine men. His hcad- 
 cpiarters are at the fine residence of Mr. Young, where he (Mr. 
 Young) has two adojjted daughters, tlie Misses Jane and Sarah. 
 These j'oung ladies are very polite. They are opposed to this 
 war also, because they think it will make husbands, " like an- 
 gels' visits, few and far between." " Wives will be widows and 
 girls old maids," they truly say. All female religion iu tho 
 
106 HUMOEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 South will apparenll}' end in Mormonism, and every man re- 
 mainino- alive after the war closes can take to himself a batch 
 of wives. 
 
 July 1, 1804.— Left Eogersville at 5 o'clock A. M., for Elk 
 river, seven miles distant, and arrived there at 8 P. M., to find 
 our, second battalion relieved by portions of the 2d and 3d 
 Tennessee cavalry. This is necessary, as we have been on duty 
 alone the last fifteen days. Arrived at Athens, Alabama, at 2 
 P.M. 
 
 Juh/ 4. — This glorious day is met with joy by the 9th O. V. C.^ 
 and all our men are having "a feast of pleasure and a flow of 
 the spirit P 
 
 Invited to an officers' meeting at the Depot Hotel, but could 
 not attend as I was kept busy writing. There was a fine speech 
 made there by Captain Stough, who. seemed to electrify all his 
 hearers by his unexpected grandeur of oratory and the noble- 
 ness with which he expressed himself. 
 
 July 6. — The second battalion is ordered to Decatur, and 
 has moved as far out as Mooresville, where it is again sta- 
 tioned. 
 
 Have heard charges made against Colonel Hamilton, which 
 were read to the ofilcers by order of Major Williamson. They 
 amount to very little, and make me think ournoble commander. 
 General Sherman, observes too much for any pretender to mil- 
 itary merit to pass reconnoisances in circles where he holds 
 supreme sway. 
 
 JiiJy 0. — The whole regiment received orders to move imme- 
 diately to Decatur, and join General Eousscau, who is there 
 with two brigades of cavalry, and two 10-pound Parrott guns. 
 Arrived there at 11 P. M. 
 
 Juhj 10. — Drew twelve days' i-ations of cofl'ec and sugar, and 
 four days rations of hard tack and "sow-belly," as salt pork is 
 called. Each man took one hundred and twenty rounds of 
 cartridges. At 1 P. M. the order was given: "Column! for- 
 ward, march!" and we left Decatur, the 9th Ohio, 2d Ktutuck}', 
 and 4th Tenucssee cavalry forming the first brigade, commanded 
 by Colonel Hamilton; the second brigade was composed of 
 the 5lh Iowa, 3d Tennessee, and 7th Indiana cavalry regiments, 
 
, HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 107 
 
 under command of Colonel Harrison ; the whole commanded 
 by Major General Rousseau. The general's body guard was- 
 companies E and K, 2d Kentuck}^ cavalry. 
 
 Marched twenty miles over a rock}', undulating road, and 
 rested at 9 P. M, Placed out picl<ets, who, shortly after going 
 out to their posts captured a squad of thirty three rebel scouts, 
 wlio had come from Mumfordsville, Alabama, through the 
 darkness, expecting to achieve great things in the bushwhack- 
 ing line before they returned, but found their "great expecta- 
 tions" suddenly disolved by their capture. 
 
 July 11. — Left Mumfordsville at G o'clock A. M., and took 
 Somersville. Ascended Summit mountain, eight miles south of 
 Sumersville, a'nd captured a rebel chaplain and seven soldiers, 
 one of whom, a red headed fellow, was about to be married to 
 a girl near here, and he wept like a chi4d when we "tuk" him. 
 In consequence of this postponement of his marriage festivi- 
 ties, he showed his animosity toward us by uttering all the 
 oaths he knew. Such men do not deserve virtuous wives. We 
 passed a rebel camp soon after this, which had tents for at least 
 two thousand men, and which had very recently been vacated. 
 Encamped on another summit, ten miles distant, where we re- 
 mained three hours. 
 
 July 12. — Started in the rear of tlie 1st Michigan artillery, 
 at 5 o'clock A. M., and shortly afterward captured a rebel quar- 
 termaster, four wagons, and eighteen men, near Bloomingville, 
 which place we entered at 2 o'clock. This place* is a county 
 seat, sixty miles from Decatur. The -I'Uh Alabama infantry was 
 stationed here, but when they heard of our near appi'oach they 
 quickly skedaddled and secreted themselves in the neighboring 
 mountains. 
 
 July 13. — Started south again at 5 o'clock A. M., and moved 
 rapidly over very rocky, mountain roads, injuring horses to 
 such a degree that quite large numbejs of them died every 
 hour. 
 
 July 14. — Started again at 5 A. M., and got into a lengtliy 
 gap, near the end of which we stopped to rest. Tlicre is one 
 Union woman along this route so far, who hurrahed lor Abo 
 Lincoln, our patriotic Union President, as we passed her house. 
 
108 HUMOROUS ADVEyXUKES OF A YOLUNTEEE. • . 
 
 ; » 4 .« , t . / ' ■ " , t 
 
 Arrived at Ashville, a luxurious small town, one hundred m 
 from Decatur, at 1 P. M. Here we took the road to Montgom- 
 ery, which is yet one hundred and twenty-seven miles distant. 
 
 Jvly 15. — Arrived at Greenupsport, on the Coosa river, at 6 
 A. M., where E company, under Lieutenant Fechner, and G 
 company, under Lieutenant Fanning, went out after ninety rebs 
 who were retreating that way; but they were too fast for us, 
 and all got aM'ay, with the exception of three rebel officers and 
 a railroad contractor. 
 
 We have crossed seventeen mountains since we left Decatur. 
 Like all other mountains they aftbrd excellent hiding places 
 for guerrillas, bushwhackers, etc. Shortl}^ after leaving this 
 place some of these hiding soldiers shot at and killed a captain 
 and lieutenant of the 5th Iowa cavalry, who were in the rear 
 guarding a wagon train. Mountains and creeks all have simi- 
 lar names here : There is Coosa river and Coosa mountain, 
 Beaver creek and Beaver mountain, Summit creek and Summit 
 mountain, etc. 
 
 Left Blountsville at 8 A. M., two miles in front of which we 
 hear General Clantou is, with a rebel division. His largest 
 force is across Coosa river. They are placed there to thwart 
 our advance, by killing, capturing, or wounding, our whole 
 force, which is one thousand seven hundred strong. 
 
 " Let them try it on," as General Eousseau says, "any time 
 they please, and the sooner the better." 
 
 These remarks of the bravest, and one of the very best, mil- 
 itary men in our whole Federal army, show what kind of a raid- 
 ing leader he is. Hurrah for Major General Kousseau ! we all 
 say. 
 
 Crossed Coosa river at A. M. The first brigade went to a 
 place six miles east of here to engage the enemy's attention, 
 while the second brigade crossed the river a mile below here 
 in order to flank the enemy. This we soon accomplished, cap- 
 turing two colonels, one major, three captains, and fifty-seven 
 men; killing nineteen, and wounding forty. 
 
 Re-crossed Coosa river a 2 P. M. This river is very wide 
 here, being a mile and a half from bank to bank. It is three 
 feet and a half deep, wilh a rapid current, and takes two hours 
 
^\,,«.* HUMOk5u8 ADVENTURES OF A .VOLUNTEER. lOfl 
 
 to cross it on horseback. Here we had another fight. Killed 
 Captain Moore and eighteen of his men ; wounded one lieuten- 
 ant colonel and two majors, and captured seventy-three men, 
 whom we paroled as we had no way of carrying our prisoners 
 along with us. Captain Moore, and nearly all our prisoners, 
 belonged to the 42d and -iOth Alabama infantry. I found a 
 Masonic badge in the coat pocket of Captain Moore, which I 
 wrapped up to send to Governor Brough, the noble, patriotic 
 governor of Ohio. Near here we burned 1,000 bales of cotton, 
 two cotton gins, and a very large steam iron mill, the last ot 
 which is on Cane river, six miles from Talladega. 
 
 Captured Talladega, a good sized town, where the Gtli and 
 8th Alabama infantry were stationed before our arrival, but 
 they, like other Confed. chivalric heroes, fled before we entered 
 and escaped before we took the place. There is a large rebel 
 hospital here, which now contains 1,700 sick and wounded sol- 
 diers. Colonel Wadsworth and Major St. John among the rest, 
 all of whom we left here on parole. The male denizens of the 
 town left their female friends and relatives, who pretend to look 
 on US Yanks with great favor. 
 
 Departed at ten o'clock A. M., and arrived at Martiusbnrg 
 at 7 P. M., wdiere another rebel regiment was stationed, but we 
 had a long bridge to cross, and they "vamoosed the ranch" 
 before we got to them. 
 
 July 16. — We marched all night last night. At 3 o'clock 
 this A. M. one hour's rest was given us. At 5 o'clock we struck 
 the Selma railroad, ten miles of the track of which we soon 
 destroyed. 
 
 Still on the Mongomcry road, which is a rocky, mountain 
 track. The climate produces thousands of lizzards, snakes and 
 other poisonous reptiles, with bad insects of all sorts. Here 
 we set two ants of different colors fighting. The black one we 
 called Jeff. Davis, the light' colored one Abe Lincoln. In a few 
 minutes Abe got the better of Jeff., when we again took up 
 the line of march. 
 
 Near here is the plantation of Mr. Moore, where two F com- 
 pany boys stopped as we were passing to obtain a canteen full 
 of drinking water, when Mr, Moore come to his gate and invited 
 
RQJDSyiC>VE]SyURES GFU VOLrlfTEER. /W ^ A 1/ ^ 
 
 10 nuMo RC*»^,^^ . ..^ - ^.^^ ^. ^., ^^.,.^^^.. „.^«^^ 
 
 them in to dinner. This they could fiot accept without leave, 
 and told the planter so, when he, seeing our battalion flag as it 
 then was passing his door, wept bitterly, and exclaimed : 
 
 "Thank God ! I see once more the glorious stars and stripes 
 waving near my door. This was the idolatry of my former 
 days, and remains so yet. Father in Heaven, look with pity 
 upon deluded nations led astray by voracious, snake-like leaders. 
 Do so, I humbly pray you." 
 
 Reached Tallipoosa river at 10 P. M., and crossed this rapid 
 running, wide stream at 1 A. M. of 
 
 July l7. — Lost three men and seven horses, by drowning, as 
 we were crossing the Tallipoosa. This is the greatest raid we 
 ever heard of, in ancient or modern warfare, and is led by a 
 general as worthy of promotion as any other we know who has 
 not received it. 
 
 Started at 3 A. M., arriving at Dadesville in seven hours. 
 Here we rested one hour, and another hard ride of seven hours 
 brought us to Logopoca, which contains one of the largest 
 depots on the Montgomery and Atlanta railroad. In this depot 
 were stored thousands of barrels of flour, sugar, any amount 
 of coflee in sacks, saddles, bridles, hard tack, and all the other 
 necessary articles of war. These Ave soon destroyed, burning 
 the depot with all its contents, and then went to work at the 
 railroad, which we demolished for twenty-eight miles, burning 
 nine cotton gins as we slowly moved along. Logopoca should 
 have been defended to the last by the rebel soldiers, containing 
 as it did the largest amount of cjuarterraaster and commissary 
 stores any of us ever saw gathered at any depot. The sky is 
 well illuminated by fire just now. 
 
 July IS.— Left Logopoca at 6 A. M. Two hundred bush- 
 whackers moved into tlie town after we left, thinking us out of 
 sight and hearing. But they soon discovered their mistake, as 
 the nth O. V. C. was onlj a mile distant, tearing up the railroad 
 track, when we received news of their movement. Quickly 
 forming in line, we charged upon them, when they fled indis- 
 criminately, only llnding safety in the speed of their horses 
 while being pursued by our worn out animals. 
 
 David tJerrouse, acting quartermaster sergeant of G company, 
 
HUMOROUS ALTENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. Ill 
 
 led, by my orders, seven skirmisliers of this company toward 
 General Clanton's force. The rebels being in the woods, my 
 skirmisliers were allowed to come within a hundred yards of 
 ihem before they fired. The skirmishers quickly returned the 
 volley, killing one and wounding another of General Clanton's 
 staff officers. David Gerrouse received a slight ilesh wound 
 in the upper part of the arm, which was all the calamity that 
 happened to my skirmishers. The rebels fled after this, and 
 we returned and destroyed ten miles more of the Montgomery 
 and Atlanta railroad. 
 
 After accomplishing all our railroad work, we went out the 
 Marietta turnpike and took Auburn, driving Clanton and his 
 forces into the woods again. Mr. Saunders, formerly a member 
 of the State legislature, lives here. He spoke highly of our 
 valor, and told me he had opposed this war from tlie first, by 
 making a speech to that effect at its beginning, in Montgomery, 
 Alabama. How true this is I do not know, but he seemed to 
 tell truth, and feel it too, at this time. Ho accepted and thanked 
 us for a broken down horse we gave him. 
 
 Jidy 18. — The second'brigade, while we were destroj'ing the 
 railroad, moved to our left, where a rebel brigade was posted, 
 and cliarged them, killing sixteen, wounding twenty, and cap- 
 turing two hundred and eighty, whom General Rousseau pa- 
 roled, like all the 'other prisoners, because he could not cany 
 them safely along with us. 
 
 July 19. — Left Auburn at 4 o'clock A. M., thankful for this 
 first night's rest since we left Decatur, on this famons Rousseau 
 raid. Five hours' marching brought us to Opelika, between 
 which place and Auburn we destroyed all the railroad, The 
 large depot here was also filled with commissary and quarter- 
 master stores to an enormous amount. Captured a spy loco- 
 motive, with a freight train in its rear, at 10 A. M. Rebel 
 government stores will now be scarce along our present route. 
 We ate our breakfast at 10:30, which we consider a magnificent 
 treat, as we regard one meal a day as a luxur}' beyond anything 
 known to sultans in Asia, leaving European kings and emperors 
 aside. 
 
 Changed our course again toward Montgomery. Saw very 
 
112 HUM0K0U8 ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 large fields of sugar cane ten miles south of Opeliks?, where 
 there were rebel quarters too, but the occuijauts suddenly left. 
 Poor fellows. 
 
 Jnly 20; — Arrived at Lafayette at 7 P. M., where we expected 
 a strong fight, but found ourselves mistaken, as no fighting men 
 confronted us. We captured six ofiicers who were secreted in 
 houses here, and then paroled them, much to their gratification 
 and that of their courtseying, hoop skirted friends. Posted at 
 11 P. M. 
 
 July 21. — Started again at 4 A. M., when company E and 
 company G, my gray horse Cincinnati company, were the grand 
 escort of General Rousseau, who was then resting himself by 
 riding in a captured, buggy. Shortly after starting our brave 
 General Pousseau heard the enemy was massing his forces at 
 Fredonia, and there we went to engage him, but found no enemy 
 at all. 
 
 Arrived at the Georgia State line at 2 o'clock, entered Car- 
 rolton at 4, and moved on toward Marietta. Crossed Coosa 
 once more, and entered A'^illaricca, thirty seven miles from 
 Marietta, Georgia, at 6 P. M. 
 
 July 22. — Left \'illaricca at 5 A. M., and destroyed a large 
 turntable six miles from tliere. Arrived at Powder springs at 
 1 P. M., which is only twelve miles from Marietta. Here we 
 met General Sherman's pickets, the first Unioa soldiers we have 
 seen on this raid. 
 
 Arrived at Marietta at 6 P. M., where we were told of the 
 capture of wtrks of the enemy close up to Atlanta, but were 
 grieved to hear of tlie death of General McPherson, one of 
 Ohio's noblest sons, who was killed in the front by the enemy's 
 sharpshooters. On this whole raid our regiment has only lost 
 twenty-seven men, who were captured by their own straggling 
 without leave. I am happy to say that G company did not 
 lose a single man, as»I obeyed General Rousseau's orders to 
 march in the rear of the company and not allow one of them 
 to leave the ranks, unless to dismount, give his reins to his 
 partner in file, walk to a well, return, mount his horse, and keep 
 in ranks. 
 
 On rcachirg Marietta -^ve received three hearty cheers from 
 
HUM0R0U3 AD^':ENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 113 
 
 troops there who were aware of the splendid duty we had 
 performed under our leader, General Rousseau, Kentucky's 
 noble son. 
 
 July 23. — "We had a very poor night's rest, as it rained all 
 night, and we had nothing to keep us out of the wet. Blankets 
 and tents we left, according to orders, at Mooresville, when we 
 started on the celebrated Rousseau raid. 
 
 We are again ordered out, at 9 A. M., to go on another raid^ 
 under General McCook, and started on our fagged horses. At 
 Marietta, oii our way to the Chatahoochee river, we passed a 
 very large rebel graveyard. Arrived at a bridge fifteen miles 
 from Marietta, which is on Sherman's right. Along the route 
 we passed many elegant mansions, all unoccupied. Log huts 
 and houses, like Indian wigwams, are also abundant on this 
 road. Southern chivahy abodes indeed. Such is alwaj's tlie 
 result of war. 
 
 July 25. — Have had one good night"'s rest, and believe, in this 
 case, "fortune favors tlie brave." We are guarding a pontoon 
 bridge of rebel construction. Guards were firing across this 
 river rapidly at each other, but it has been stopped, as random 
 shooting is considered worthless. There is a large number of 
 rebel soldiers on the opposite bai:k. 
 
 Jnly 26. — We are reliefs to General Stoneman's division, who 
 were here before us. General Stoncman crossed here 3'ester- 
 day and returned for reinforcements. The 9th Ohio cavalry is 
 ordered out again, and moved onward at 3 P. M., reaching a 
 junction twelve miles distant at 7 P. M. Rested one hour, and 
 moved through a bad mountain road, ourselves and horses be- 
 ing jaded and almost worn out. This is the darkest night we 
 have yet passed through. Talk about hard work. If this is 
 not something of that kind I am ignorant of all laborious em- 
 ployment. 
 
 July 27. — Rested from 3 to 7 A. M., the rain pouring down 
 on us very heavily ; which reminds me of the old saying, "No 
 rest for the weary." Started forward, the rain still falling in 
 torrents. We traveled by a new route, which seemed belter 
 than any we yet passed over. Reached a place eighteen miles 
 from our late camp ground, where we saw a -board nailed to a 
 8 
 
114: HUMOEOUS ADTENTUKES OF A TOLUNTEEB. 
 
 tree, on wbicli was painted, in Eoman letters, the following 
 •words : 
 
 " TO HELL FlYE MILES ! ! ! COME OX YANKS ! ! ! " 
 
 Notwithstanding this threat of chivalric fellows, we moved 
 forward without hesitation, when, shortly after, a German ofH- 
 cer being near me, I said : 
 
 "Lieutenant, can you tell me when hops are of stouter Ger- 
 man matter than jumps?" 
 
 His answer to my stomachic allusive question was : " "When 
 leading to beer (bier) vaults." 
 
 "Ah," said the lieutenant again, "there indeed would be a 
 move, as going that way we would be bowl-ers and batt-ers in 
 a cricket lield, winning by scores this hot da}'." 
 
 I took a chew of tobacco and said : 
 
 " Lieutenant, when are ladies like fast horses?" 
 
 Which he answered by saying: 
 
 " When rushing on with racy veins of sarcasm." 
 
 "AVomen, wqmen," he added, "are often fast leaders; but in 
 this they cannot excel what Fritz says, in broken English, about 
 some certain military officers. About these Fritz discourseth 
 thus : 
 
 " Von kurnel mit law sits in s^ate, meinheer, ». 
 
 (Der chief vos der recruits create, dat's clear ) 
 For reasons I here, a goot deutscher, sail dell — 
 Der teufel makes up petti-foggers in h — 1, 
 Who '11 live as dey die, demi-johns on a swell !" 
 
 And he then added : 
 
 " To toil and fret, 
 
 And calmly set 
 Upon a stool while lunching, 
 
 Is all the lot 
 
 That Sallie 's got 
 When Sam goes out a punching." 
 
 "When is an eye like a barrel, Lieutenant?" I asked, fixing 
 my reins and preparing to trot off to my company. 
 
 " You ask me, 'when is an eye like a barrel?' I can tell you 
 that. It is wlicn it is bunged up, sir." 
 
 Hearing this plain answer to my open question, away I went 
 
HCMOKOUS ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUKTEEK. 115 
 
 and rejoined my company without receiving any other bnug. 
 
 Julij 28. — Arrived opposite Cambleton at 8 A. M., and the 
 9th O. V. C. was placed as guard over a pontoon bridge and 
 two 10-pound Parrott guns. The 3d Confederate infantry and 
 a regiment of Texas rangers occupy Cambleton, and have strong 
 breastworks on the river bank. Firing .commenced when we 
 got here, but it was stopped by the Oth Ohio cavahy. Five 
 regiments, under General McCook, are two miles below us 
 erecting a pontoon 1)ridge. Our second battalion is here, com- 
 manded by Captain Bowles. The captain's quarters are at the 
 house of Hon. T. Bidlard, a secesh chief who vacated his prem- 
 ises, taking sixty slaves with him, the evening before we arrived. 
 At 10 A. M. Major Payne, of the first AVisconsiu cavalry, com- 
 manding one of his battalions, entered Cambleton, killing and 
 wounding fifry-three rebel soldiers. While making this charge 
 the major fell, shot through the breast, at the head of his men. 
 His last words, spoken just before he reached the ground and 
 his voice had been forever hushed in death, were : 
 
 "Charge, men, charge!" • 
 
 Ten rebel regiments reinforced the Texas rangers, and the 
 1st "\Viscousin cavalry fell back, losing ten men^ Thej^ joined 
 the 9th 0. V. C. and remained with us. 
 
 July 20. — General McCook's division, independent of Gen- 
 eral Stuneman's, 2,300 strong, reached the Macon and Atlanta 
 railroad, near Noonan, and destroyed seventeen miles of the 
 track, on both sides of Lovejoy's station; burned one thousand 
 five hundred bales of cotton, and two railroad de])ots full of 
 c[uartermaster, commissar}-, and ordnance stores. Proceeding 
 on towards Macon he captured and burned one thousanc^ two 
 hundred wagons and six bridges, making illuminations whicli 
 shed so bright a light that we could plainly see the fires at a 
 distance of twelve miles. 
 
 We sent a flag of truce to Cambleton, in order to obtain the 
 body of the lamented Major Payne, but the rebel leader stated 
 that it had been buried, whicli was all the answer we received. 
 Ordered to return at 7 P. M., and obeyed orders, taking the 
 pontoon bridges and two Parrott guns with us in the direction 
 of Marietta. 
 
116 HUMOROUS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 July 30.— Kestcd at 2 A. M., moved on at 5, and at 7 A. M, 
 captured sevent_y-tliree guerrillas. We were on this raid sixty- 
 five miles south of Atlanta, destroying more railroads. "VYe 
 are oystermen in some respects, goino: slap dash into deep 
 water, seeking shoals to obtain shell-fish for longing shell iisli- 
 ites and Union lovers.' Reached Yining's station, nine miles 
 from Marietta, at 9 P. M., where we camped. 
 
 July 31, — Received our mail here to-day, Avhich makes us 
 soldiers very happy. My family are all well, for whicli 1 humbly 
 thank my great Creator. 
 
 August 1, 18G4. — It is very foggy here this morning. What 
 a barren soil lies under our feet in this part of Georgia. It 
 seeriis a wilderness. Talk about cannibals in stones. Here 
 they should live in nature. Got leave to go to Marietta, and 
 there I saw Colonel Brownlow, who had just arrived bareheaded 
 and barefooted, bringing a part of his regiment, the 4th Tenn- 
 essee cavalry, with him. He reports the greater part of Mc- 
 Cook's division surrounded, but nearly all of them cut their 
 wa}' through the rebel ranks, and succeeded in making their 
 escape. 
 
 Au'j;ust 2. — Ten thousand head of captured cattle are passing 
 here for Sherman's front. AVent to the Soldiers' Home here, 
 which is well conducted, and in charge of' Mr. Charles Fitch, of 
 Columbus, Ohio. Captain Todd, a cousin of President Lincoln, 
 lias the whole charge of this splendid editice. Returned to 
 Yining's station and saw two hundred and eight}' rebel priso- 
 ners at the depot. They were captured near Atlanta, and be- 
 longed to a dozen different regiments. Among these prisoners 
 was if Lieutenant Saunders, who had married a southern lady 
 of means at Marietta last May, nearly two months before we 
 took it, and was with his young wife at the time of its capture. 
 Soon after the fall of the place suspicion was attracted to their 
 house, and a squad of guards were sent to search it. When 
 they entered the premises the young husband was snugly en- 
 sconsed between the mattrasscs of his bed, and his wife was 
 on top of the coverlid, pretending great sickness. The pro- 
 verbial gallantry of the American soldier prevented any farther 
 molcbtation of the sick lady and secured the escape of her 
 
HDMOEOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLTTNTEEK. 117 
 
 husband. The only advantage that resulted from this manouvre 
 was that Lieutenant Saunders was honorably captured in the 
 field, instead of being; taken at home when his friends stood so 
 fearfully in need of his services. This instance is anotherillus- 
 tration of the angelic qualities of femininity, when possessed 
 of a moral mind. 
 
 August Z. — There is a signal corps here at Yiniug's station, 
 and an extensive hospital which now contains' 2,000 sick and 
 wounded men. 
 
 August 3. — Ordered to report all servicable horses to the 
 adjutant. Found three servicable horses in my Cincinnati com 
 pany. 
 
 August 5. — General McCook arrived at Marietta to-day. He 
 destroyed twenty-five miles of the Macon and Cohimbia rail- 
 road, and went to the suburbs of Macon before he returned. A 
 new bridge is completed across the Chatahoochee river, two 
 miles south of Vining's station, where we dismounted members 
 of the 9th Ohio volunteer cavahy are, at present, posted on 
 guard duty. : 
 
 August 6. — h. number of poor southern women are here to- 
 day with blackberries to sell for coffee and sugar. Anxious to 
 obtain some of my favorite and healthy berries, I addressed 
 one of the best looking women, who had but very few berries 
 left. 
 
 " My good woman," said I, looking lovingly at her, 
 
 " 'A "sweet face haunts my lonely way; 
 
 Deep mournful eyes and thoughtful brow, 
 On which the grave mold lieth now, 
 Half veiled in shadows cold and gray. 
 
 The twilight died and I alone 
 
 Stood gazing on that senseless clay. 
 
 In awful beauty all its own. 
 
 Oh, fortune, fame, and friends, aro gone; 
 
 I did not mourn them when they fled, 
 
 For, from their ashes cold and dead, 
 
 A sweet one rose and drives me on.' " 
 
 The young lady I here poetically addressed, listened, and 
 seeming of a literary turn, asked me laughingly if I did not want 
 
118 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 to buy her last quart or berries. I told her certainly, and with- 
 out more words she gave them to me and I paid her in coffee 
 and sngar, 
 
 August 8. — Portions of General Stoneman's regiments, who 
 were out with him on his raid, got here to day. I saw parts of 
 the 1st, 4th, and 11th Kentucky cavalry ; the 14th and 16th 
 Illinois cavalry, and the 9th Michigan cavalry. They report 
 that they were surrounded by rebel infantry and cavalry, who 
 numbered ten to their one ; that General Stoneman being com- 
 pelled to surrender, ordered his men to do so, or cut their way 
 out, whichever they thought best. These men adopted the cut- 
 ting out method, as they preferred death to a surrender, and 
 lost forty men each. Glory to such bravery. These men did 
 not care if the enemy's force was 12,000 strong ; they had 1,700 
 and succeeded in getting back to Marietta. General Stoneman 
 and live hundred men were captured. 
 
 Viewed Kenesaw mountain from Yining's hill, where a signal 
 corps is stationed, and saw a correct copy of the scene in 
 Frank, Leslie's Illustrated News, for August Gth, 1864. Old 
 Sol brings perspiration from every pore, at the foot of this 
 hill ; yet he might lead to shuddering if we Yanks' were near 
 soda fountains, submerged in icy particles, indulging in a taste 
 of this cooling beverage. 
 
 August 10. — The twenty-third army corps, under General 
 Schofield, moved three miles to the right. Co.mpanies E and 
 F, 9th Ohio volunteer cavalry, have been sent .to guard wagon 
 trains. Ours is the only Rousseau raid regiment now left here 
 all the others having gone back to obtain servicable horses and 
 retain possession of their former posts. Those members of 
 our regiment who are fortunate enough to be n:ounted, arc 
 now stationed two miles from East Point, and one mile from 
 the railroad. 
 
 Auqttst 11. — Generals Dodge and Schofield have both sent 
 for all the serviceable men and horses of our regiment. The 
 farrier, nfter a full inf;pection, pronounced eighty-three horses 
 of the whole regiment serviceable, yet five hundred men of the 
 9th O. Y. C. have joined the twenty third army corps on the 
 extreme right. The dismounted men, three hundred and eighty 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 119 
 
 in number, are to remain on duty Iiere until the receipt of fur- 
 tlier orders. 
 
 August 12. — We are guarding the large field hospital here, 
 which now contains one thousand one hundred wounded and 
 sick men. The balance of the regiment got here on a train 
 from Mooresville to-da/. The twenty-third army corps advanced 
 six miles farther to the right. All company horse equipments 
 were turned over to Captain Stough ty-day. 
 
 August 13. — The 20th Indiana light battery moved past here 
 to day, going to the right wing. Heard of Doran, our regi- 
 mental bugler. He is in prison at Macon, Georgia. He was 
 captured near Talladega, on our Rousseau raid. Doran is a 
 fighting man when he drinks, which he did at Talladega, and 
 takes no insulting word from any one then. As an instance of 
 this : 
 
 "When we left Talledega General Rousseau's adjutant general 
 ordered Doran out of his road, as he wanted to pass without 
 hindrance from such a fellow. Doran's muscles were excited 
 by this language and he said: 
 
 " I '11 be d — d if I 'ra any more of a fellow than 3''ou, and I 
 can prove this to you mighty soon, if you think it needs to be 
 l^roved." 
 
 This speech aroused the adjutant's ire, and he and Doran had 
 a list fight, Doran coining out winner. Intelligence of this 
 coming to General Rousseau he- threw his dignity aside; told 
 Doran to strip and fight him as his equal, and leave shoulder 
 straps aside ; which Doran agreed to, went in, and got whipped. 
 The general must be a fighting man every waj^, as Doran, whom 
 he whipped so easily, is equal in the science of fisticuffs to any 
 prize fighter of his weight and size in the Amer ican ro ped 
 arena. 
 
 Aujust 11 — Went to the top of Vining's hill to-day, where 
 Lieutenant Brent is stationed with the signal corps, and there 
 saw Atlanta's church steeples, and some of its breastworks in 
 our front, Avith Kenesaw, Stone, and Pine mountains, in our 
 rear. These seem to be triplicate productiuns of nature, about 
 equal distances apart. Stone mountain is nearest Atlanta, then 
 Kenesaw, and then Pine mountain. We are ordered to build 
 
120 HUMOEOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 entrenchments near the Chatahoochee river, half a mile distant, 
 and have begnn work there. 
 
 August 15. — The dismounted 9th Ohio cavalrymen are still 
 at Vining's station. Heard at 10 A- ]\r. that the enemy under 
 Wlieeler M^as advancing, and was within three miles of us. 
 "We formed in line of battle, one mile m front, commanded by 
 Captain Stougli. Sent out scouts and in two hours found that 
 the enemy was not coming to Vining's station. The 4th Ohio 
 heavy artillery fell in with us. They are sixty- three strong, 
 under Captain Hoffman, and are going home to be mustered out 
 of service. AVe hear the rebels destroyed six miles of our 
 railroad, near Dalton, 3^esterday before the Federal force came 
 upon them. They were overtaken to-day and lost ninety-eight 
 in killed and woun4ed, and two hundred and seventeen in cap- 
 tured. 
 
 August 16. — AVent to Marietta on a leave, and saw the lOtli 
 Indiana infantry going home on a train, their time being out. 
 Heard the following poetry recited by a disabled soldier at the- 
 Soldiers' Home to-day : 
 
 "A soldier who 'd been heaving yarns 
 
 About his tent ere roll call. 
 
 Who 'd soaked liis mess in foolish darns. 
 
 From Love's bright vista stole all, 
 ' 1 've been,' said he, 'a foolish chap, 
 A mirthful, gay like lover 
 In days of yOre, when on my lap 
 Sate Nell and Kate, in clover; 
 In forward march I then quick stepped 
 Commanded but by beauty. 
 Then charged through lot3 o-f love, and cr&pi 
 To military duty. 
 
 *■ Halt! ' cries a sergeant, 'that 's enough; 
 Tou 're regularly mustered.* 
 I 'm what? No pepper stripes can bluS 
 A well made can of castaixi. 
 'Fall in;' 'retreat;' 'thy cannonade- 
 Beyond my flanks are tlying.' 
 ' Reserves, advance!. Let every maid 
 Unlimbersei^eants Ijnng^.*" 
 
 So uniform has been this thetue 
 
 Of yoking perfumed flowers, 
 
 That .shadows on man's future, seem 
 
 To glow like sunset hours.'* 
 
HUMOROUS ADTENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEK. 121 
 
 August 17. — One Imndred and seventeen horses were bronglit 
 here and mounted by that number of our men, wlio have ioined 
 the regiment and gone on another raid under General Kilpat- 
 rick.. 
 
 A^igtist 18. — Very foggy here this morning. Heard heavy 
 cannonading on our right to-day. A rebel deserter named Ka- 
 heely, a private in the 42d Georgia infantry, swam across the 
 river and gave himself up. He lives fifteen miles south of 
 Marietta. He says false stories have been widely circulated 
 by Janes, one of Hood's scouting spies. Janes is despised by 
 all who know him, as a lying, worthless scamp. Kilpatrick has 
 gone towards Macon. 
 
 August 19. — Thirty-seven captured officers were sent through 
 here to Marietta to-day. The greater portion of these men are 
 disguised, and are openly tyranical in principle, saying we Feds 
 ought to be taught what we will soon know, that southern men 
 are obly fighting for liberty in their own native land, where no 
 others can come armed without their leave. They also say we 
 never can take Atlanta ; and to our, not their, loss we will 
 soon discover that fact. The last speaking chivalric hero was 
 a very large man, and had a heavy voice, which reminded me of 
 a certain class of opera singers, whose deep toned voices might 
 be likened to a certain kind of fish and called bass. I felt a 
 virtue in my quick thought that m-vestid citizens should take 
 tlftngs coolly in the South, because nothing should unbosom 
 their equanimity, or rufUe their composure, Avhile soldiers are 
 muzzle in' their Long-streets or Hardies in de-la(i)nes. 
 
 Heat in expression here may make an inveterate toper 
 and water-hater finish his life by vindictively " kicking the 
 bucket." 
 
 Our artillery on the right and center is throwing sliot and 
 shell into Atlanta very rapidly to-day. The right wing, under 
 General Schofield, is now nearest the town. The twenty-third 
 corps moved six miles farther to the right. Two hundred and 
 forty rebel prisoners were brought in here to-day. One hun- 
 dred and seventy of them aic Alabamians, mIio deserted, tlioy 
 gay, because they find it useless to fight us brave western men 
 any longer. 
 
122 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 August 22. — Firing in front all night. A woman near here 
 was conlined last night ; previous to which I took her daughter- 
 in-law past our pickets to obtain a physician for her. Caught 
 a bad cold in the rain. 
 
 August 23. — Tlie mounted portion of our regiment is now 
 camped at Sandtown, on our extreme right, near the camp 
 meeting ground known as Mount Gilead. Saw Dr. McMillan, 
 our assistant regimental surgeon, who tells me to go to the 
 twenty-third corps hospital at Marietta, as he has not the med- 
 icine I need. 
 
 Started on a train at 1 o'clock P. M., and was placed in the 
 twenty-third army corps officers' hospital. Major Finch and 
 Colonel Hamilton are both here sick. 
 
 Axigunt 24. — Have the intermittant billions fever, for which I 
 am under treatment. 
 
 August 25. — The chaplain of the 50th Ohio infantry is sick 
 in the next bed. He has singular whims in regard to both war 
 and peace. His most fiequent remarks are about our want of 
 men in front, ricli men instead of poor, and our great need of 
 pious feelings everywhere. While making a pious exhortation 
 he saw a number of ladies slowl}' passing our sick tents, who 
 gazed Avith pity on us, and he concluded his conversation by 
 walking out towards tliem and saying: 
 
 "Oh, gentlemen, look out. There go our towers of great 
 strength." # 
 
 Avgust 25. — Heard an excellent sermon preached to-day over 
 the corpse of Captain Dudley A. King, of New York, who died 
 yesterday evening of wounds received in front of Atlanta, July 
 28, 1864-. He was the son of Eeverend T. Starr King, who left 
 New York for California, some time since, on account of perse- 
 cution by some of his church members. 
 
 • Lieutenant Colonel Slevins of the 100th Ohio infantry isdiere, 
 wounded in the left arm'. This gallant colonel is a gentleman 
 of considerable humor, and showed it this morning by quietly 
 asking: 
 
 /Oii," Where is Lieutenant 2" • 
 
 ; And the answer came: 
 
 "Here, Colonel." 
 
HUMOROUS ADYENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 123 
 
 But the colonel pretended not to hear it, and continued by 
 saying-: 
 
 " Well, if the lieutenant is not here now I '11 bet he soon will 
 be, because he always presents his flask of divine liquidity to 
 his friends, saying as he offers it: 'Here, gentleman, indulge to 
 a slight extent in this costly, very costlj', article of strong drink.' 
 I always believed in a gentlemanly kindness, and here 's this 
 lieutenant as an instance of this. Yes, gentlemen ; he 's the 
 most generous, kind, humane, nobly gifted, indulgent, open 
 hearted, patriotic being among us. Moreover, he is the much 
 beloved and liighly respected possessor of the very necessary 
 strengthening material which, according to custom, is confined 
 in a flask." 
 
 Here the lieutenant showed the empty flask, when the colonel 
 sighed, lay down quietly, and ended his eulogy of the lieutenant 
 and his flask by depositing himself in the arms of his friend 
 Morpheus. 
 
 General Kilpatrick has just returned from a successful raid. 
 He destroyed nineteen miles of the Macon railroad, captured 
 five cannon and three hundred prisoners, who have arrived at 
 Marietta, killed and wounded one hundred and thirty-seven men, 
 captured one thousand two hundi-ed mules, destroyed two de- 
 pots and five bridges, the former filled with rebel commissary 
 and quartermaster stores. He lost in killed, wounded, and cap- 
 tured, one hundred and thirteen men altogether. Glorious for 
 Ivilpatrick. 
 
 August 26. — The dismounted members of our regiment arc 
 ordered to Nashville to procure horses, and staited by railroad 
 at 10 P. M. . 
 
 August 27. — Ean sLwly until 1 A. M., when a crash in front 
 indicated that something was wrong, and we soon found that 
 the locomotive and first four cars were thrown from the track. 
 This was thirteen miles from Marie tfa and six miles from Big 
 Shanty, at the latter of which places two of our regiments are 
 stationed. The crash- was immediately followed by a volley 
 from one hundred and fifty of Wheeler's cavalry, wlio were 
 ambushed he/e. The 9th Ohio cavalry, quickly forming in line, 
 returned the fire and then charged, compelling these demons 
 
124 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 to retreat on their fast liorses, when they found who they had 
 to deal with. Our losses were : Killed, Corporal Griffin, of M 
 company, and Private H. Hodge, of K company. Wounded, 
 Sergeant Carnahan, M company ; Privates Israel Hull and S. G« 
 Martin, and a teamster named I. Morgan. The ambushing house 
 opposite is Bayard Eauney's. This fellow is a lieutenant in 
 Wheeler's cavalry, as his lirrle neice, five years old, told us as 
 I picked her up from a fall she received in front of her door. 
 She said : 
 
 " Untie Bay, he now don' to cotch de Yanks, and kill 'em ; 
 an' he done dat ; an' he now gone away, so glad, Uncle Bay 
 is." 
 
 Captain and left last night, jumping from the cars, 
 
 and took the woods for it, bareheaded and barefooted, if truth 
 is told. ]f such is the case, I should be ashamed ever to come 
 back, if I were one of them. 
 
 There is a large nulitary graveyard at BigShantj^ The best 
 made grave there is that of Adjutant David A. Ileese, 54th 0, 
 Y. I.; next is that of M. Waterhouse, 8th Missouri infantry; 
 and opposite is the well made grave of James McCausland, 
 3:2d Illinois infantry. 
 
 The repairs of cars and railroad finished, we again started 
 for Nashville at 4 P. M. 
 
 August 28. — Peached Tunnel hill at 5 A. M., which once was 
 and still might have been a rebel stronghold, iiad they not been 
 attacked and forced to retreat by the very noblest general in 
 tlie whole United States service, I mean Major General Sher- 
 man. 
 
 There are furt^^-one rcfngee women on this train, all pioperly 
 cared for. 
 
 August 29. — Left Taiitallon at C A. M., arriving at Murfrees- 
 boro at 5 P. M., where a crowd ol srrung sece.sh women were 
 gathered at the depot with a large lot of eatables, which was 
 bought for three hundred and fifty rebel prisoners known to be 
 on the train behind us. Arrived in Nashville, and moved to 
 Camp Smith, three miles south of the city. 
 
 August clU. — Took medicine given me by Major Finch, our 
 surgeon. 
 
HUMOROUS ALVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER, 1-0 
 
 August 31. — Stayed all night, sick as I am, tcntlcss and with 
 no other covering than the sky. Hear firing hj our skirmishers 
 live miles south of us, where it is reported that two divisions 
 of Wheeler's cavalry are now advancing toward Mashville. We 
 are ordered to be in readinessin one hour. In less time than 
 that we are awaiting orders, dismounted though we are. 
 
 Septemher> 1. — Ordered to take three days rations andsixty 
 rounds of amunition. 
 
 September 2. — The available 9th Ohio cavalry started out 
 mounted, having obtained horses at the corral this the hottest 
 day of this year. Sent to the olFicers' hospital at 10 A. M., and 
 was taken with congestive chills at 5 P. M. My life was saved 
 by Dr. Green, who sat up with me till past midniglit. I hear 
 Atlanta is ours. Our men are again under Genei-al Eousscan, 
 pursuing Wliceler south of Duck river. In a charge on them 
 near here, our troops captured fifry-seven men and live hundred 
 and thirty one horses. "Fight or fly," is General Rousseau's 
 motto, and the robs agree to the latter part of his programme, 
 taking flj^ days into consideration, they exert themselves to 
 escape contagion by being adroit Wheel ers on a?ii-mules, every 
 chance oflfered tliem. The limes says : 
 
 "Wheeler may be classed among the ]'layed out, used up, 
 extinguished generals of the rebellion. If he were captured 
 and brought t« Nashville, he could not raise a broiled chicken 
 or a plate of ice cream among his late female admirers. Gen- 
 eral Rousseau, in taking five hundred of Wheeler's horses, lays 
 himself liable to the grave charge of putting a treasonable ex- 
 pedition on footy 
 
 Scpte/nbtr 0. — Received a twenty days leave of absence to- 
 day. 
 
 September 12, — Reached Cincinnati and found m^- family all 
 well. 
 
 September 18. — There was a McClclIan torch! iglit procession 
 to-night, which was led by a grand landlord who pushes poor 
 people out of his houses whenever they fail to pay a month's' 
 rent in advance. 
 
 " Xow by my sword," spake that gallant lord, 
 " We will meet them in the (ield. 
 
126 HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 
 
 Let each gtilhint knight equip for the fight, 
 And traitors be they who yield." 
 
 HOUSE RENT. 
 
 A landlord quite we:ilthy, a short time ago, 
 Left home to procure monthly wnges. 
 Where soldiers' wives dwelt he presented as beau, 
 The miser who owned those bird-cages. 
 Re asked for his rents ere the government paid 
 The sums that his tenants so nobly had made. 
 "0, fie, sir; 0, fie," said a lady he jawed. 
 Who hoped to awake his true feeling; 
 " I 'm durned if I do, you shall out or be lawed," 
 And he jerked up his hat to the ceiling. 
 But this was soon over. A neighboring cane 
 • Most properly lashed out an Able again. 
 " Hurrah ! " says myself, a poor soldier spectator, - 
 " This fellow 's well thrashed, like a gold speculator. 
 Mny pure palmy days come, when war 's at an end. 
 And miserly landlords and brokers must bend." 
 
 Ssptcmbcr 24-. — There is a o-rand Union torch ligiit procession 
 here to-night, which is tlie largest I ever saw. Besides the 
 thousands on foot there are thousands on horses, in buggies, 
 carria-^'es, and wagons, who all cheer for Abraham Lincoln and 
 Andrew Johnson, as the)^ move on through the streets, led by 
 the dozens of splendid bands of music. Hurrah for such an 
 elegant display of patriotic principles. 
 
 Sep!€m.her'2d. — Left Cincinnati for Louisville on my return to 
 the front. 
 
 Septnnher 30. — Arrived at Nashville. 
 
 Octoler 11. — Tiie vote of Ohio soldiers was taken here to- 
 day, resulting as follows : 
 
 Lincoln, ....--. 137 
 
 McClellan, 000 
 
 Fremont, 000 
 
 Union majorIt_y, ..... 137 
 October 18. — Tlie Dth Ohio volunteer cavalry isnowatCliat- 
 tanooga, Tennessee, under General Scholield, and supj)lied with 
 
HUM0K0U3 AD VENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 127 
 
 fresh horses. Hood rapidly retreated from Dalten with Sherman 
 after him. 
 
 ISovcmhcr IG. — Reported for duty to-day to Colonel Lowe, at 
 Camp Webster, where 1 was informed that the mounted men 
 of the Uth Ohio cavalry had departed under General Sherman, 
 leaving the dismounted men behind. The disnKiunted caval- 
 rymen now here number three thousand. Major Lnper, of the 
 7th Ohio cavalry, commanding the Mississippi cavalry di- 
 vision. 
 
 JSovemherld. — Ordered to attend to equipments for thelStli 
 Kentucky cavalry. I did so, and to my surprise saw Major 
 Simmes, who resigned at Fulaski, four months since, at Captain 
 Cox's (quartermaster) ofBce as chief clerk. Major iSimmes was 
 a fine field ofiicer, liked by all his men, and when he resigned 
 was in command of the first battalion of the 0th Ohio cav- 
 alry. 
 
 JS'ovember'H. — Brought four hundred and twenty-five men of 
 the 10th and 12th Tennessee cavalry to camp. Saw Captain 
 Irviu, of M company, 9th Ohio cavalry, at Nashville. There 
 is an Irishman named O'Conner in the barracks here. lie be- 
 longs to a Missouri cavalry regiment. lie absents himself on 
 whisky drinking exploits frequently. A good story of this fel- 
 low is current here. 
 
 A countrywoman of his keeps a whisky sliop at Nashville, 
 and she induces him, poor fool, to act bar keeper for her ; not 
 merely because he can obtain customers, but because he is a 
 good one himself, being possessed of six hundred dollars which 
 he obtained by going substitute for a drafted man in St. Louis 
 This Biddy is one of them sure. She represents herself as a 
 widow, anxious to obtain a good second husband, and tries to 
 make every customer believe himself the best loved one of all^ 
 her visitors. Some men, thinking this true, treat all hands, and 
 this frequently leads to fights, one of which occuried tliere 
 yesterday, when, to stop the fracas and make peace, she cried 
 out: 
 
 "Ochone! Ochonc ! Sure yccs all know how I like yez, and 
 yees all ought to be quiet when yees are with me in me own 
 house. Share the police might come after yez all, an' take you, 
 
128 HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEK. ' 
 
 agrah," (looking at one,) "or you, asthore," (to another,) "or 
 you, arrouchal," (to a third,) "and thin fhat could I do ? Fhere's 
 the mon can say any other ways nor this? Faix, thin, it's me- 
 self would like to be looking upon his ugly mug whin he'd say 
 it." 
 
 These entreaties quelled the men, and they again indulged in 
 her strong drinks. 
 
 Conner, in this, reminds me of a poor fellow whose whisky 
 drinking propensities were led on by a female he met in New 
 Orleans some years ago. She was very handsome, and leading 
 her child, who was about four years old, along the upper part 
 of Canal street, looking for rooms which she desired to rent. 
 Being a stranger in the citj', and an elegant dress maker, short 
 of funds, she was looking for a small convenient place of bus- 
 iness, where, by virtuous means, she could rej)lenish her purse. 
 The man I here allude to was a good mechanic, tolerably well 
 to do. in the world, was also passing up Canal street wlien he 
 saw this lady looking at all the houses which had rent bills on 
 them. This saticsfied him that she was looking for something 
 of the kind, and he stopped and asked her if she was looking 
 for rooms to rent. 
 
 She said she was, but, being an entire stranger, she thought 
 it would be hard to find a proper small business place for a 
 poor dress maker, like herself, who could not afford to pay high 
 rent. 
 
 Mr. B h told her he was glad to hear tjiis, as he owned a 
 
 vacant cottage near by that would just suit her, which he would 
 show her if she would accompany him. 
 
 To this she consented, and soon found a place such as she 
 wanted. The next day she moved in ; and one night not long 
 
 afterward, Mr. B h brought a sign marked: 
 
 " Mrs. C , Fashionable Dress Maker." 
 
 Mrs. C hrst saw this in the morning after it had been 
 
 fastened up in iront of the entrance. She was surprised and 
 pleased, yet anxious to know who had porfoinicd so friendly 
 an action for so complete a stranger. Seeing her landlord pass- 
 ing, and believing that he it was who had done this kindness, 
 she asked him if it was not so. Being closely questioned he 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 129 
 
 finally acknowledged the fact, when she said she accepted the 
 favor provided he permitted a return. To this lie consented, 
 and in about a week she gave him six well made linen shirts 
 which she manufactured herself. This brought on an intimate 
 acquaintance between the widowed dressmaker and bachelor 
 landlord, resuUing in love on his part and strong friendly feel- 
 ings on her side. 
 
 " I was fully in hopes," said he, "that she loved me as I did 
 her. I drew freely on my imagination in order to convince 
 myself that such was really the case, and sought many occa- 
 sions to bring the reality of these happy feelings home to my 
 heart. I had a sanguine, impressionable nature, in every sense, 
 and being unconscious of any defects in my feelings I resolved 
 to tell Mrs. C. how I adored her, and ask her to become my 
 wife. These feelings gave me a feverish strength, which, in- 
 stead of prostrating my energies, led me rapidly to a denoue- 
 ment fatal to my hopes and blasting to my future happiness 
 forever. I, five months after our first acquaintance, on my 
 knees, asked her to become my wife, telling her I loved her to 
 distraction. She refused me, however, saying she loved another 
 person, v;ho was as great a stranger as myself, and, conse- 
 quently, under such circumstances, she could not accej)t me as 
 her expected husband. The coolness with which the refusal 
 was made forever destroyed my fond hopes, and Heft her with- 
 out uttei'ing one word more, went to a drinking saloon, became 
 intoxicated, and have continued so ever since. 1 am now nearly 
 penniless, and care not how soon Dame Nature calls me home 
 finds me a bed in the lap of Mother Earth, and stills forever 
 the warm pulsations with which my breakiiig heart yet throbs." 
 
 Although apparently romantic, this is no made up story. Jt 
 is true ; as is everything else that is put down in this humble 
 diary. 
 
 JSovemher 24:. — x\ rebel brigade attacked eight hundred Union 
 soldiers, on a railroad train, near Pulaski, Tennessee, this 
 morning, thinking to captuie all of them; but the United Statos 
 troops took one hundred prisoners, including their brigade 
 band. The balance succeeded in making their escape, much 
 to our sorrow. 
 
e 
 
 130 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEE, 
 
 'November 25. — Hood's army is approaclnng, and is reported 
 thirty-live miles from Nashville. The 10th Tennessee cavalry 
 has received horses and gone to the front, accompanied hy a 
 part of the 7th Ohio cavalry. Hood's advance is reported 
 near Franklin, Tennessee, which is on the south bank of Little 
 Harpeth river. 
 
 ISovcinber 26. — Camp Webster is a very polite place to th 
 god of rain, as it permits him to enter crevices in the barracks, 
 and baptize all the occupants of these buildings. It is raining 
 heavily. 
 
 fiovcmher 27. — Had the founders of Nashville named it at 
 this time of year, it would have been termed Mud City instead 
 of Rock City. Forrest tried to cross Dock liver to day, live 
 miles below Columbia, Tennessee, but did not accomjlish his 
 object. The twenty-third army corps, under General Schcheld, 
 is now at Columbia. Hood is reported 49,000 strong, in the 
 rear of Forrest. 
 
 JS'ovemher 20. — Appointed commander of one hundred Otli 
 Ohio cavalrymen to-day, and drew one hundred and live horses, 
 seventy-iive sabres, and forty-six carbines to fully equip them. 
 Great excitement prevails at Nashville. Our three thousand 
 cavalrymen are ordered, by Colonel Minor, commanding Camp 
 Webster, to be ready for action immediately. Wagons loaded 
 with commissary and quartermaster stares are moving to Nasli- 
 ville. Every preparation is made to meet the enenl3^ The 
 Captain and forty men of A company, 7th Ohio cavahy, were 
 taken prisoners yesterday, near Franklin, Tennessee, on Duck 
 river. 
 
 November 30. — Captain J. Irwin, of M company, 9th Ohio 
 cavalry, my senior officer, arrived here to-day, and took com- 
 mand of my one hundred detached men. He thus becomes 
 the responsible person for all the ordnance and quartermaster 
 stores I have drawn for these men. Two companies of the 2d 
 Michigan cavalry, it is reported, Mere captured yesterday eve- 
 iifng near Franklin, previous to the great battle which came off" 
 there to-day at 3 F. M., resulting in the disastrous defeat of 
 Hood's whole army. Before the enemy's attack wc constructed 
 rille pits, and made breast works in crescent shape, both ends 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 131 
 
 resting on the river. This gave us a line completely covering 
 the town. Our army, under General Schotiekl, had scarcely 
 taken its position when the rebel column approached, planted 
 batteries on all the roails leading into Franklin, and in a grove 
 near our left. All these batteries soon opened on our works, 
 and were responded to by our batteries and large fort pieces. 
 Cannister and grape was poured into their solid columns as they 
 advanced, cutting them down by scores ; yet the}^ never halted, 
 but, yelling like tigers, came steadily on untilthey got within 
 musket range, when our infantry poured Minnies by the bnshel 
 into their ranks, mowing them down by the hundreds, nay, thou- 
 sands, until they were checked. Four times Cleburne's and 
 Cheatham's divisions charged our works in front of the second 
 division, twenty third corps, trying to pierce our lines at this 
 point and get possession of the pontoon bridge across the river; 
 but they were repulsed with terrible slaughter each time. The 
 fighting soon became a hand to hand conflict, they trying to 
 penetrate our lines, and at one place succeeded in obtaining 
 entrance, but those who entered never came out again, as they 
 were all killed, wounded, or captured. Notwithstanding all 
 these repulses the enemy continued their desperate charges 
 against our lines until 9 P. M., when, knowing they were dis- 
 astrously defeated, they withdrew, leaving 5,700 prisoners in 
 our hands. Our loss in this gallantly fought battle will not ex- 
 ceed seven hundied in killed, wounded, and missing. They 
 lost Generals Cleburne, Scott, Adams, and Gordon, and seventy- 
 nine held and line ofhcers, killed ; and we now hold one hun- 
 dred and seventeen officers, of difl'erent grades, prisoners. Gen- 
 eral Stanly, commanding our fourth corps, received a slight 
 wound, and had a horse killed under him. Our loss in oflicers 
 is large, considering -the number of men we lost. This was on 
 account of the men being behind breastworks and the officers 
 in open view. Among the officers killed are Colonel Lowry, 
 107th Illinois; Captains Bissell and Staley, 128th Indiana, and 
 Captain Steele, of General Cox's staff. 
 
 December 1, 1804. — The forces engaged at Franklin yesterday 
 and part of last night withdrew, and are now in position three 
 miles in front of Nashville. The newly mounted one hundred 
 
132 HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A TOLUKTEES, 
 
 men of our res^iment were ordered ont at 11 P. M., obtained 
 sixty rounds of amunition, and moved out five miles south of 
 Nashville, on the Hardin Pike, to do duty there as outposts in 
 front of General Smith. 
 
 iJecember 2. — We barricaded the road with fence rails to-day, 
 the enemy being within less than five hundred yards of our 
 position. 
 
 December 3. — -Sent out fourteen men and a sergeant three 
 hundred yards in front of our new position, near where a body 
 of the enemy was ambushed. They attacked our men, com- 
 pelling them to fall back slowly until we advanced and drove 
 the attacking party through the woods. The only loss we met 
 with here was the capture of one of our new men, named 
 Blackstone, whom they murdered in cold blood as soon as he 
 was taken. 
 
 At 7 A. M. the enemy fired on our main outpost, but we re- 
 tained our position for an hour, w^en I advanced, with ten men, 
 to a vacated brick house on the left of Hardin pike, which led 
 to rapid firing with but little efi"ect on either side. At 4 P. M. 
 twenty-five men of the 4th Tennessee cavaliy charged two 
 hundred rebels , half a mile to the left, and brought in four 
 prisoners. The Nolan and Granny White })ikcs were barricaded 
 to-day. At 6 P. M. we received an order from General Smith 
 to move back one mile. This placed us half a mile in front of 
 our artillery. 
 
 December 4i. — The enemy planted two batteries, under Colonel 
 Kelly, at Bell's mills, on the Cumberland, twelve miles below 
 Nashville, under cover of which they hoped to be able to form 
 pontoon bridges for their safe crossing ; but the gunboats under 
 Lieutenant L. Fitch, soon destroyed this great rebel calculation 
 by pouring a destructive fire into the very mouths of the rebel 
 guns in the upper battery, then steaming down two miles and 
 destroying the other one, Forrest's cavalry battery. Colonel 
 Kelley liad sworn that lie would blow every gunboat out of the 
 river to hell, whenever an opportnnity ofiered ; but lie was 
 compelled to change his tnne when he came to face the " big 
 guns." He has been taught a lesson by our gunboats he did 
 not quite expect. Our western river gunboats have nobly earned 
 
HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLDNTEEa. 133 
 
 the praises bestowed on them, being celebrated for their prompt- 
 ness, skill, and bravery iu always performing the duty assigned 
 them. 
 
 We feel indignant, some of us, when we see an officer, or 
 ^lan^ under the inlkience of liquor, and think that any person 
 indulging freely in alcoholic drinks should, if a private or non- 
 commissioned officer, be placed in a guard house; and if a 
 commissioned officer, be summarily, disgracefully dismissed 
 the glorious United States service. 
 
 Ordered out on the Hardin pike to examine the rebel lines, 
 I did so, with twelve volunteer skirmishers, principally Cincin- 
 natians, who showed their bravery by driving the rebel pickets 
 into the woods. General Rucker, the noted white hoi-§eman, we 
 see continually riding along his whole line, every hour during 
 the day. This general left with his men, and dropped his gloves, 
 with which one of my men presented me. The -ith Tennessee, 
 Colonel Blackburn, charged General Bedford's brigade, next to 
 liucker's, and brought in two prisoners, who report Hood sixty 
 thousand strong, and Forrest's cavalry twenty thousand- Heavy 
 skirmishing to-day. 
 
 December 5. — Tlie 16th United States colored infantry, four 
 hundred strong, yesterday charged a rebel breastwork on a hill 
 not far from Camp Webster, captured sixty rebels, and then 
 fell back to their former lines. It was discovered to-daj' that 
 these same breastworks were re-occupied by Hood's men, when 
 the colored troops again charged, killed nineteen, wounded 
 twenty-eight men, and brought forty-three prisoners into our 
 lines. This shows colored soldiers "some pumpkins" when 
 under good leaders. 
 
 Dr. Buckley's residence, on Franklin pike, was the great re- 
 sort for rebel sharpshooters until it was shelled and torn down 
 to-day. A shell dropped into a private residence occupied by 
 females, on the Hillsboro pike, which fortunately injured none 
 of the occupants. They vacated at once, however, and came 
 to the city where tliey are secure. 
 
 The 1st Ohio light artillery opened on the residence of Mr. 
 -Joseph Vaux, on the Franklin pike, where theysavi^ a masse of 
 rebels collected, and made that point so hot that these gallant(?) 
 
134: HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 rebs were glad to escape. Geuerals Cheatham and Lowry had 
 a narrow escape, when the 14th and 16th colored troops made 
 a reconnoisauce between the Chicken and Murfreesboro pikes. 
 The colored troops were under Colonel Morgan, and were ac- 
 companied by the 16th Indiana cavalry dismounted, and the 
 68th Indiana infantry, Colonel Biddle. They advanced across 
 a hill near the residence of Mr. F. R. Rains, drove the enemy 
 from their entrenchments, and captured a lieutenant and sixteen 
 men of the 5th Mississippi regiment. This was by order of 
 General Steedman. 
 
 The rebels have many sympathizers in Nashville, I am sorry 
 to say. There are many Union citizens here, however, who 
 stand firm for the government. Their confidence in our troops 
 is implicit, and they show a deportment of exultation not wit- 
 nessed in any other new Union city in the United States. They 
 know what an able leader General Thomas is, and although 
 Foolhardy Hood outnumbers him in forces, yet there is not a 
 possibility that he can at all compare with this antagonistic 
 commander. 
 
 Decemler 6. — We are not yet relieved like other detachments 
 on outpost duty. Rations and forage are scanty, on account of 
 our being so far out in front. 
 
 The rebels attacked our right wing with six pieces of artil- 
 lery, at 9 A. M., without avail, as all our men stood to their 
 posts without flinching. At 10 P. M. the 9th Ohio cavalry vi- 
 dettes on the right, whom I commanded, saw a squadron of 
 the enemy's scouts advancing through the fields, crouched on 
 their horses in Indian style. Seeing one of their ofiicers raise 
 his head from the side of his horse, the first vidette fired, when 
 all the rest fuUowed liis example, and drove them rapidly back, 
 after which our reserves came up under Captain Irwin and 
 Lieutenant Cochran, and learning the extent of our success in 
 this affair, they again fell back to their proper posts, leaving 
 the videtts to keep a sharp lookout, which they did, like good 
 soldiers. 
 
 Beccmher 7. — xVt 5 A. M. received orders to fall in line, as a 
 charge was expccetd from the gray horse rider. General Rucker. 
 No charge was made, however, and we were relieved at 10 A. M. 
 
HUM0E0U8 ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 135 
 
 Colonel Minor, 7tli Ohio cavalry, an able officer who commands 
 Fort Webster, glories in our detachment, which has done such 
 excellent outpost duty under General Smitli, on the Hardin 
 pike. We were glad to obtain this relief, as our horses were 
 pretty well used up and tlie men needed rest, having been on 
 duty seven days and eight nights. 
 
 Decemher "^ — Our quarters are near Major Lieper's, com- 
 manding the Mississippi cavalry division, near Colonel Miner's 
 headquarters. Our buglar, a humorous fellow, says in case he 
 was not a blower on the bugle, he would now rank commanding 
 officer of all the 9tli 0. V. C, because he has a sheep's head 
 in his haversack, and "two heads are better than one," all the 
 time. 
 
 December 9. — There was a fight at Murfreesboro yesterday 
 between General Milroy's United States forces, and the rebels 
 under General Bates. General Milroy attacked the rebel po- 
 sition, and took it after a fierce struggle. Our loss in killed and 
 wounded was one hundred. The enemy's loss in killed and 
 wounded was double that number. We captured nineteen com- 
 missioned officers, one hundred and ninety privates, two can- 
 nons, and three hundred muskets. General Milroy led the 
 assault with skill, and returned to the fortifications at Murfrees- 
 boro. This adds very much to (he credit of General Milroy, 
 and the troops engaged in the daring chastisement they gave 
 the enemy. 
 
 December 11. — Captain Irwin is ordered to turn over the 
 horses and ordnance I drew, and he has not yet receipted' to me 
 for them, and yet he should be held responsible to the govern- 
 ment fur all these things. 
 
 December VI. — Five rebel soldiers were found frozen to death 
 early this morning on the Hardin pike, three miles out from 
 Nashville. 
 
 December 13. — Heavy firing on the Franklin pike. A colored 
 regiment skirmishing on this pike captured seventy-eight rebels 
 whom they would have shot in retaliation for their cold blooded 
 murders at Fort Pillow but for the interference of their white 
 officers, who withheld them, and these prisoners were brought * 
 safely into our lines after dark, ^j 
 
136 HUMOEOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 December 14. — Heavy skirmishing has been kept up all day. 
 The heaviest firing was between the hours of 6 and 10 o'clock 
 P.M. 
 
 Deccmher 15. — Ordered out on the extreme left to guard the 
 1st Oliio light artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Reckard, 
 battery E. Drew one hundred rounds of cartridges. Marched 
 at daylight to the left wing on the Lebanon pike, where all 
 were in line of battle. The corps commanded by General 
 Steedman was on the left, the fourth corps next, then General 
 A. J. Smith's corps, the cavalry, under General Wilson, on the 
 extreme right, while General Schoficld's twenty third corps was 
 held in reserve. 
 
 About 1 P. M. the order came from General Thomas to ad- 
 vance, and then our whole column moved forward. When the 
 advance sounded our right wing, (instead of our left, as they 
 .thought,) was rapidly advancing to crush the rebel left. This 
 doubled up a rebel division which had been posted near the 
 I'iver to protect a battery blockading the river about two miles 
 below Nashville. This battery, containing four guns, was soou 
 captured by the cavalry, under General Wilson, and sent to the 
 rear. This showed Hood that his idea of an attack on his right 
 was illusive, and he attempted to repair his blunder, but found 
 it too late. Our right gained a firm foothold on the river bank, 
 the twenty-third corps took a position on the extreme right, and 
 General Smith executed a half wheel, driving the rebels with 
 ease, hill after hill being taken with a small k»ss of our men. 
 Another diversion on the left was made to enable our men on 
 the right wing to strengthen themselves in position and make 
 ready for a charge. On the left of the fourth corps a strong 
 line of breastworks, defended by a heavy body of rebel skir- 
 mishers, was seen to by General Wood, who, riding along the 
 lines, seeing everything ready, gave the command, " ForAvard !" 
 Hearing this our men with alacrity quick stepped until they 
 reached the breastworks; leaping over which they pushed for- 
 ward until the banners of the fourth corps waved proudly over 
 the captured entrenchments, yet they still moved on, without 
 ordersi, nearly to the second line of rebel works, w'hen, with the 
 greatest dilliculty, their advance was stayed by order of the 
 
HUMOROUS ADVEA^TURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 137 
 
 commauding general. When, accorJing to orders, they did 
 fall back, they brought with them seventy prisoners, which, 
 with those captured in the works, made hundreds. The main 
 rebel line of works w'as now in full view on a range of hills. 
 They had been constructed with great care. While the men 
 w^ere being again placed in position, the cavalry, under General 
 Wilson, advanced until its right rested on the range of high 
 lands live miles from the city, and far enough from the river 
 to give it room to manouvre without difiicnlty, facing to the 
 south; the corps of Generals Schoheld and Smith parallel to 
 the left ; the skirmishers having advanced to the Hillsboro pike, 
 and finding refuge behind a stone fence ; the fourth corps was 
 foinned at right angles wdth the first division, directly across 
 the Hillsboro road ; and the other divisions to the left of that 
 one. 
 
 While our lines were forming and our batteries being placed 
 in position the rebels could be seen moving by the left flank 
 toward the Hillsboro road, thus throwing their entire reserve 
 in front of our right and center. Our commanders were not 
 idle, for reinforcements equally strong were sent to these threat- 
 ened points to conlront them. 
 
 About 3 o'clock all was ready for a charge on the second 
 line of works, which was very strong, as it lay on hills and we 
 had to advance through open fields which afforded no protec- 
 tion. No throw^ing in of a division at a time. Massing Avas 
 practiced, and our irresistable columns moved forward with a 
 force beyond the rebel, or any other, power to check. 
 
 About 4 o clock the charge was made. Tlie first and second 
 divisions of the fourth corps moved west, and the third division 
 at right angles ; on the right of which was the corps of General 
 Smith. The first and second divisions of the fourtli corps had 
 the most exposed positions in the whole line, as the rebel works 
 in their front were much stronger tlian elsewhere, although 
 there were many very strong points along the entire Confederate 
 line. 
 
 The men moved forward steadily under a shower of grape, 
 cannister, and musketry which would have been terrific but for 
 the fact that we", by moving up hill, were not in one tcntli part 
 
138 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 of the danger we would have been had we charged across a 
 level field, as the shot, in the former case, went nearly all too 
 high. When within a hundred and fifty yards of the rebel 
 works, the fire was terrible, but as there was no turning back, 
 a shout was raised, and, our long lines closing up, all pushed 
 forward. Upon reaching the works our men applied the bay- 
 onet, although volley after volley met them before the open 
 space was gained. After this the rebels could be seen flying 
 in the wildest confusion, until they all broke, and we captured 
 four 12-pound Napoleon guns and four hundred prisoners, with 
 a large quantity of small arms. Some of these prisoners said 
 that Hood looked upon this point as inaccessible to any number 
 of men that could be brought against it, and expected an easy 
 repulse to tlie Yankees. Simultaneously with this capture Gen- 
 erals Schofield and Smith advanced south of the Hillsboro pike, 
 and captured an entire battery, and seven hundred prisoners ; 
 which made twelve hundred prisoners and eighteen cannon, 
 while we did not lose three hundred in kilh^l and wounded. 
 The 15th Ohio infantry, Colonel Askew, of Colonel Straight's 
 brigade, captured a battery of five guns on the Granny White 
 pike. 
 
 Our gunboats shelled the rebels all day, and drove them from 
 the river. The colored regiments, under General Steedman, 
 charged on Rains's bluff, and utterly routed the rebel line there. 
 Colonel Shafter's regiment lost nearly all its officers, killed and 
 wounded. Fort Negly did excellent service, and killed and 
 wounded many of Hood's men. Our 9th Ohio cavalry breast- 
 works are on the Lebanon pike, directly opposite the residence 
 of Mr. Taylor, an old man, formeily the close neighbor and 
 friend of General Andrew Jackson. This old man is a strong 
 Unionist, and told the rebel leaders so three years ago. 
 
 " If General Jackson were living now he would hang Jeff. 
 Davis higher than Haman," said this truthful old gentleman to 
 a rebel olliccr. 
 
 The 1st Ohio light artillery takes excellent aim at the rebel 
 entrencliments, the bulls striking their rifle |)its every time they 
 fire. We all reel ])r()iid to be aware of the fact that Ohioans 
 make good soldiers wherever they are placetl, no matter how 
 
HDMOEOUS ADVENTUEE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 139 
 
 dangerous a position tlicy may occupy. The rebel defeat was 
 crushing to-day. 
 
 December 16. — Hood fell back four miles last night to a 
 strong position on a range of hills ; his right on a hill which 
 covered Franklin pike ; his center nearly opposite an open corn 
 field, through which our men would have to charge, with a 
 a strong line of double breastworks, strongly defended by in- 
 fantry and artillery, on his left ; leaving a space open by which 
 to retreat toward Franklin, if necessary. 
 
 About 8 A. M. our troops advanced, General Smith's corps 
 on the right, covering Granny AVhite pike ; next General Wood's 
 4th corps, the first division in the center, commanded by Gen- 
 eral Kimball, the second division. General Elliot, on the left, 
 and the third division, General Beatty, .on the right. General 
 Steedman's corps was instructed to join the fourth corps. The 
 tw^enty-third corps was to join the reserves near the right of 
 General Smith, to be brought into use for flanking purposes. 
 The cavalry was sent to Ilillsboro pike, to intercept the rebel 
 retreat, and worry the enemy's flanks. The Confederate lines 
 did not extend over a mile and a half, as, the ground favoring 
 them, they had contracted their wings. Their wagon train was 
 on the Franklin road. 
 
 Throwing out a heavy line of skirmishers our men passed 
 out beyond the Thompson place, when the rebel skirmish line 
 came into full view, six miles from Nashville. Here a halt was 
 ordered, and all our batteries needed were brought to the front 
 and began shelling, to which military summons the enemy an- 
 swered feebly, not from a lack of artillery, but to keep the po- 
 sitions of their guns concealed, and to save amunition. The 
 twenty-third corps moved out on the Granny White jtike, and 
 remained cpiiet until secret signals were g-iven, when they were 
 to move forward on the Confederates with all the vigor in their 
 powc:r. 
 
 General Steedman moved on the Murfreesboro pike until he 
 was satisfied no rebel force impeded that maich, when he lialf 
 wheeled his column, and moved in tlie direction of the Fiankiin 
 road, to tuiti Hood's right, and form a junction with tiio lourlh 
 corps. He met but little resistance until ho formed a juuetiuij> 
 
14:0 HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 at about half past 2 P. M., when he was confronted by Lee's 
 corps, every man of which was ready to fight as long as he \ 
 conld. 
 
 While these flanking movements were in progress the first 
 division of the fourth corps advanced to capture the first line 
 of rebel works. This division charged through a wood, which 
 was a poor shelter for assailants, over an ascent of ten degrees, 
 and very strong fortifications. These gallant men moved on 
 with shouts, fired a volley, fixed their bayonets, slightly halted 
 when half way, J^re-loaded, fired another volley, and charged. 
 There was no more halting until our men were close on to the 
 'rebel works, when the storm of bullets was apalling. Our men 
 halted until the rebels raised a shout of triumph, which mad- 
 dened the assailants, who now rushed^up to the worlds, planted 
 their standards on thera, and the flying rebels got a discharge 
 fjom two of their own loaded cannons which sent man}' more 
 of them to the earth never to rise again. This hot work cost 
 us nearly two hundred men. 
 
 About 3 o'clock Generals Schofield and ^teedman reported 
 that they were ready, the signal was given, and the twenty- 
 third corps greeted Hood's left wing with a volley which called 
 out all their artillerj^ and musketry that could be brought to 
 bear. One rebel battery, the 2d Maryland, which had been 
 concealed not farther than three hundred yards from General 
 Thomas's headquarters, was managed with cousuraate skill, but 
 seeing this secrecy useless, it became publicly vigorous. There 
 were four pieces in front, so placed as to play on- either Gen- 
 eral Schofield's advancing columns or the headquarters of Gen- 
 eral Thomas, two pieces being pointed in each direction and 
 worked ra|)idly. 
 
 General Schofield was gaining ground rapidly, when Smith's 
 corps, laying at right angles, was ordered forward, and both 
 corps assailed three or four batteries at once, with Cheatham's 
 and Stewart's Corps supporting and bearing the brunt of Scho- 
 field's and Smith's veteians. Our brave men captured every 
 cannon in the hands of these rebel generals, six hundred of . 
 their men, ten battle flags, and broke their center and left, be- 
 fore the general pursuit began. General Steedman, on our left, 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUBE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 141 
 
 wIuIg the above fighting was progressing^successfully charged 
 Lee's corps, (the euemy's riglit,) and drove tlieni in every direc- 
 tion. 
 
 All the reserves were brought into action about- 5 P. M., a 
 little- before which General Whittaker's iron brigade struck tiie 
 only part of the rebel line which had not been brc^kcn yet, cap • 
 turing four guns and 400 prisoners. The iron brigade is one of 
 them, sure. 
 
 After this the rebel retreat became a route, ^[any of them 
 threw down their arms and surrendered. Our men pursued 
 with a will, fatigued as they Avere, gatliering up prisoners by 
 thousands, and pouring volley after volley into Hood's miscel- 
 laneous disorderly crew, who were iiying like kites, yet very 
 liable to a downfall from the swift northwestern winds pursuing 
 them on a stormy errand. Generals Smith, Johnson, Eiicker, 
 Jackson, and Stewart surrendered, with r.early hve thousand 
 privates and five hundred and forty-one commissioned ohicers, 
 of all grades, and forty-eight pieces of artillery. Our entire 
 loss will not reach one thousand, while the rebel loss in killed 
 alone will nearly, if not quite reach tluit number, beside their 
 other losses. 
 
 Previous to this complete route of the enemy, our cavalry, 
 ten wellmonnted regiments underGeneialKnipe,passcd through 
 the gaps on the Ilillsboro pike where they went to cut off the 
 rebel retreat. General Hatch's cavalry division, ten regiments, 
 held the passes of the hills until they licard the charge we 
 made, when they moved rapidly on, captured one hundred and 
 seventy-nine Tith Tennessee Confederate cavalrymen, and three 
 hundred and seventeen other rebels befoie they joined General 
 Knipe, near Brentwood. All our mounted cavalry, under Gen- 
 eral Wilson, are now doAvn in that region to cut olf Hood's re- 
 treat. 
 
 Cheatham promised his men a sjilondld Christmas day in 
 Nashville, and nearly live thousand of his men will realize his 
 promise ; they will spend Christmas in Nashville — under guard 
 as prisoners. 
 
 December 17. — AVent toward Quartermaster Wilson's, but 
 found the pontoon bridges were ordered away ; when, returning 
 
142 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 to Camp Webster, I overtook a large squad of 3''ouug darkiea 
 returning to their homes on the Lebanon pike, led by an old 
 negro who had been Hood winked by the rebels a few days 
 since, and "now," he said, " was mity glad dat de Yanks had 
 done Clieat-'em all 'bont carr'in' de poor old nigs off, in dar 
 Brag-a-doo sail stvle, 'way from dis ere Nash-ional-ville city 
 massa^ keah, heah, heah." 
 
 I could not help being pleased at these dark clouds escaping" 
 from slavery, and their knowledge of the thrashing we gave 
 Hood's army yesterday and the day before. Our cavalry cap- 
 tured two thousand seven hundred skedaddling rebels last night 
 near Franklin, and sent a lot, four hundred and seventeen strong, 
 who arrived here to-day, in charge of a lieutenant and sixty 
 men. 
 
 Colonel Minor sent out forty six men to tear down the bar- 
 racks at Camp Webster. Saw General Rucker, wlio made 
 himself so conspicious when we were on the Hardin pike by 
 his riding a giay horse continually up and down his lines in 
 
 our front. 
 
 Let Rucker, the sucker 
 
 Of southern dishes, 
 While in the vile East awhile, . 
 
 Just suck at our fishes; 
 
 So 't is quite a " biz" 
 
 For tables unvarnished 
 
 To seem a bright beam, 
 .In a kitchen that 's tarnished. 
 
 December 18. — Raining heavily. It afi'ords a good chance to 
 a retreating army who has no bridges to cross, as the pursuers 
 have to be drawn up in line of liattle frec(uently, and as tlie 
 roads arc almost impassible, the iields and hills give the enemy 
 a facility to escape which they would not have if the weather 
 only ^continued clear and sunshine prevailed. Our cavalry can 
 only annoy its flanks by trotting or galloping along the roads 
 in a line parallel with that followed by the hurriedly retreating 
 enemy. 
 
 Our cavalry has blockaded nearlj^ all the roads, capturing 
 eleven hundred prisoners, yesterday, who would have escaped 
 had they not been so sevcrtdj^ handled by our mounted men. 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUKTEEB. 143 
 
 Hatcher's division attacked General Clialmcr's command, of 
 Forrest's cavalry, yesterday, and captnred Generals Rucker, 
 Johnson, and Smith, with hundreds of their officers and men 
 so it is impossible to overrate the operations of onr monnted 
 men. 
 
 The direct pursnit, by General Thomas, Avas kept up until 
 midnight last Friday, when our men bivouacked after cui)turin;^' 
 an entire brigade of Stewart's corps. At daylight yesterday 
 morning the cavalry was out, and the infantry moved forward 
 through rain and mud as fast as they could under the circum- 
 stances. The Johnnies are captured by scores, and droves of 
 them, under guard, arrive at Nashville hourly. 
 
 Hood some time since declared he would redeem Tennessee 
 from Federal bondage. The only method he has left is to stand 
 once more, dispute General Thomas's advance, and try it at 
 Hollow Tree gap, near Franklin, the strongest position left his 
 retreating forces in the State. 
 
 December 20. — Rain has changed to snow, mud to ice, and 
 the 9th Ohio cavalry their quarters across the Cumberland river, 
 close to the dismounted 2d Tennessee cavalry. It is God's 
 providence that children visiting newly vacatad cavah-y camps 
 are not often killed, as some of the men may, through negli- 
 gence, leave some cartridges behind them, which the children 
 finding near still burning fires, throw them into the flames and 
 run nearly as much danger as if they were lired at by parties 
 two hundred yards distant. 
 
 A report comes here that the rebels attacked General Rous- 
 seau at Murfreesboro, last Thm-sday, and got from that gallant 
 general and his forces as good a whipping as they deserved in 
 making so brave an effort. 
 
 Dccevihtr 22. — General Thomas had his headquarters at Co- 
 lumbia, yesterday, following Hood, who is getting away as fast 
 as he can. 
 
 Captain Irwin received orders to rejoin General Sherman, 
 and obtained transportation. 
 
 December 23. — Stopped at a house in Nashville where I saw 
 Mr. Julius Peterson, of Rochester, New York, who told me a 
 story, which, if true, condemns all parties concerned, except 
 
144 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUEES OF A TOLUNTEEB. 
 
 the sergeant ayplied to. Brigadier General G u, New York 
 
 State Militia, offered a sergeant in his brigade a pass of south- 
 ern Jetr. Davis's certain manufacture, and five hundred dollars, 
 if he would act as a spy for Jeff. Davis. The raan this pro- 
 posal was made to is Richard Booth, orderly sergeant of Cap- 
 tain Brewer's company, 12th New York State JNIilitia, who is 
 from Syracuse, and enlisted for three months. This general is 
 said to have ])resented his revolver at the head of his pretended 
 partner in California, and by this means forced a settlement in 
 his own favor. Such a follow deserves hanging or a similar 
 punishment, if all this is true. 
 
 Decemher 2-i. — Started on the Louisville and Nashville rail- 
 road for Louisville at 5 o'clock A. M., and stopped at Bowling 
 Green, as General Lyon destroyed the railroad bridge near 
 Sonora, ten miles from Elilzabethtown, Kentucky, and, this de- 
 tained all trains on the road, whether they were going north or 
 south. 
 
 December 25. — Bowling Green is "one of them," in regard to 
 different opinions about war or peace. Here are secesh and 
 Union men and women, good q.nd bad. Among the latter class 
 is a peranibulat'ug lady, who carries thirty bottles of whisky 
 between her dross and crinoline equipment, which dress has 
 thirty holes made secretly in it, in order to make it easy to get 
 at the aforesaid whisky. Any soldier slie meets who wishes to 
 purchase one of the bottles with its contents does so. She 
 sells ra})idly, and makes lai-ge profits, as she has never been 
 caught in this act against military law, which reads as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 " No soldier is allowed to buy or sell whisky in any sluipe, 
 and if any soldier is caught in this act he will receive a well 
 merited punishment." 
 
 Deceinher 26. — There was some fighting, yestetda}^, near 
 Elizabethtown, between Lyon's rebel forces and General Mc- 
 Cook's men, whicii resulted in a heavy loss to Lyon and caused 
 a quick retreat. A rebel mnjor, one captain, one lieutenant, 
 and seventy men of Lyon's force were capturedby sixty of the 
 Mumfordsville cavalry guards, and were brought in here to- 
 day. 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUBE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 145 
 
 Tills morning while waiting for breakfast, with several others, 
 at the Depot Tavern, a tall, well dressed man, named Mr. Mc- 
 Cullough entered the apartment, saying : 
 
 "Good morning, gentlemen ; the bad weather seems chano"- 
 ing for the better this Christmas day, which many of ns, who 
 are near home, are glad to see." 
 
 " Yes, yes ; no doubt some of us seem exalted over more 
 changes than the weather," answered an old Kentucky gentle- 
 man passenger, with acrimony, which brought our e3^es on the 
 parties speaking. The result of this little cross firing was the 
 exit of Mr. McCullough, who opened the front door and walked 
 out, after which the old gentleman said: 
 
 " I thought so at first. Tiiis man is a butternut, and I cracked 
 a shell near him to let him know my feelings about eatables in 
 war times. That dodger is a spy, or I am no judge of human 
 nature." 
 
 Being the only officer present I could not hear this without 
 seeing what my duty was, so I followed Mr. McCnllough, ar- 
 rested him, and made him prove who and what he was. He 
 soon did this by immediately obtaining military and civil evi- 
 dence of his true Unionism. 
 
 December 27. — Laid over last night at Bacon creek station, 
 fifteen miles from Murfreesboro. Crossed the burned bridge at 
 9 A. M., where one hundred and ninety of pur men were cap- 
 tured last Friday. Arrived at Louisville, Kentucky, at 5 o'clock 
 P.M. 
 
 Decemhe.r 28. — Obtained transportation to New York via 
 Cincinnati. 
 
 December 29. — Arrived in Cincinnati at 4 A. M, 
 
 Jinuary 1, 1865. — Spent a happy New Year at home in Cin- 
 cinnati. How I wish all our noble men could enjoy such a 
 treat, but this can not be while war lasts. 
 
 January 2. — Started with ten men on the Little Miami rail- 
 road at 4 o'clock P. M. Arrived at Columbus, Ohio, during the 
 night. 
 
 January 3. — Saw Captain White, acting assisstant adjutant 
 general at the capitol building, one of the most reliable gentle- 
 nien I have had the good fortune to become sliglitly acquainted 
 10 
 
146 HUMOROUS ADYENTUEES OF A TOLUNTEEK. 
 
 with. Left Columbus at 2:10 P. M., and reached New York 
 city 
 
 Janurry 5. — Got transportation to Hilton Head on the steam 
 ship Fulton. 
 
 January 9. — Departed at 4 o'clock P. M. for Hilton Head 
 South Carolina. 
 
 January 10. — There is twelve hundred men' and forty-three 
 officers on this vessel, including Brigadier General Vancleveer, 
 formerly Colonel of the 9th Iowa, and Brigadier General Hanon, 
 of Indiana. These are both good commanders, kind to all the 
 men, and humane in every sense of the word. The- 9th O. "V". 
 C. has one hundred and forty-three men outboard. We have 
 several bounty-jumpers here whose stealing proclivities lead 
 all men to despise them as they ought to do. Heavy seas pre-- 
 vail to-day and cause considerable sea-sickness. 
 
 January 11. — Raining at sea keeps the boisterous waves 
 from covering the ship. We have a three masted schooner in 
 tow, which makes the Fulton run much slower than usual as 
 she is noted for her speed. The sun came out at 10 o'clock A. 
 M., which reminded some of us of Shakspeare when he placed 
 the following words in the mouth of Kichard III. 
 
 " Now is the winter of our discontent, 
 
 Made glorious summer by this son of York, 
 And all the clouds that hover o'er our house, - 
 Are in the deep bosom of the ocean buried." 
 
 The ignorance of many of us on board on naval affairs is 
 clearly shown in the following true story: 
 
 The ship's bell had just struck wlicn a sailor near a crowd of 
 soldiers called out, "six bells, mon," whereupon a certain gent 
 near him said, " Hello ! is there Belles on board here ? I didn't 
 know thai before ! I thought ladies didn't go to sea at this 
 time of year. They are intimate friends of sailors alone. Say, 
 sailor, aint that so? If not I should like an immediate intro- 
 duction to them. Cant I, sailor?" The sailor addressed here 
 answered, " Why, sir, the bells are intimate acquaintances of 
 sailors, as you say; but, to obtain an introduction I advise you 
 to go forward to the Mate, tell him so and he will introduce 
 you in a straight forward manner, and keep you strictly attached 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 117 
 
 to each other until we reach our port." Loud hiughtcr ensued 
 after this conversation terminated, and Jack, the sailor, moved 
 off with a big supply of new quids of tobacco to freshen his 
 appetite. 
 
 Janxiary VI. — A Major and Surgeon had quite a beneficial 
 conversation this evening in the cabin about poor deluded 
 females being led astray by smooth-tongued fellows, who cause 
 more trouble and sorrow in families than any other class of 
 men. " Fathers," said the Major, " who have daughters should 
 see that tlicy associate with no other persons than those who 
 are well known, respectable gentlemen ; who move in good 
 society, not because they are wealth}^, but, because thej- are 
 known to be high minded men of moral worth. These men 
 are of the right stripe, and if no introductions were made of 
 any others then illicit intercourse between the male and female 
 sex would be ended forever. This now prevails to a horrid 
 extent among tlie codfish aristocracy; and, unfortunately, poor 
 people are often led astray by belief in the sayings and doings 
 of these very suddenly-made rich-by-spcculation-pcople." 
 
 These sayings were correct to a great extent, and proved the 
 Major an intellectual, moral minded man, whom all should 
 respect. 
 
 January 13. — Got to Hilton Head at 1 o'clock P. M., and 
 were immediately transferred t© a tug which carried us to Fort 
 Thunderbolt four miles from Savannah, in four hours. On our 
 way we met three steamships loaded with troops for Beaufort, 
 S. 0. Got into Savannah river were rice fields occup}^ each 
 bank for miles. Fort Thunderbolt is a vciy ju-oper name for 
 the place v.'e landed, as it is a thundering locality for oysters.^ 
 the men living Avell on bivalves, which they can obtain in largo 
 numbers when the tide ebbs. 
 
 January 11. — AA"e have just heard of some more of Wheeler's 
 rascally operations — nothing less must be expected of them, 
 however. He, the vaunted rebel general, made his prisoners 
 (few in number) dig their own graves, so that his own pup])ies 
 will have no more trouble after their cold-blooded murder than 
 covering up his victims with loose earth. 
 
 Arrived at Savannah, four miles fiom Fort Thuuderbolt, and 
 
148 HUMOKOUS ADVENTDKES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 there I saw our cavalry hero, Gen. Kilpatrick,-who immediately 
 obtained a railroad train and had us taken out to his head- 
 quarters, from which we walked four miles to our regiment, on 
 the King's bridge road nine miles from Savannah, where we 
 arrived at 6 o'clock P. M. 
 
 January 15. — Found my old regiment, the 5th O. V. C, two 
 hundred yards from the 9th 0. V. C, and saw Pat Dignan, 
 Teddy Saunders, Mike Conelly, Sam. Howell, First Lieutenant 
 Overturf, and hospital steward Smiley, who had all becoiiie_ 
 veterans. Pat sent a handsome present to my soldier boy 
 Johnny. Saw Colonel Hamilton, commanding the 9tli 0. V. 
 C, and found what had been told me at Columbus was true. 
 This reminded me ol a dreamish thought 1 had there which 
 proved correct. It was seemingly between two individuals, 
 one of whom was nearly always in the front, and the other, 
 ■promoted one^ was scarcely, if ever, there. 
 
 There's a lieutenant here, 
 A shrewd one I think. 
 
 Whose want of promotion arises from drink. 
 From drink, sir, didst say? Then surely such means 
 Eeminds me of strictness of age over teens. 
 Display then no anger o'er juniors, to-day, 
 They 've grown from green grass, sir, to newly mown hay. 
 Let wisdom preside near by Mars in a gale. 
 The ship which is safest is undej close sail. 
 Remember, Lieutenant, bye players at cards. 
 Can lead hands well trumped, sir, by hundreds of yards. 
 And now I '11 no more, so farewell, sir, till time 
 Improves us in person, in prose, and in rhyme. 
 
 JTeard a strong lecture by the Rev. Mr. Clark, Chaplain of 
 the 10th O. V. C, spoken near headquarters of the 9l^d Illinois 
 Infantry, which regiment is with the 9tli and 5th O. V. C. in 
 the third brigade, third cavalry corps, under Gen. Kilpatrick. 
 This Chaplain was a prisoner for five months at Anderson ville, 
 Ga., under the stars and bars, viz: Confederate flag. 
 
 I have now been in the cavalry service since Sept. 17, 1861, 
 and never saw stronger breastworks than the rebels built near 
 Savannah on the King's bridge road previous to their evacua- 
 tion of that city. Saw a large lot of poles rolled into hoops, 
 six feet long, two hundred yards south of the works above men- 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 149 
 
 tioned works. These hoops were strongly braced by inter- 
 mixing- them, and they were rolled on towards the breastworks 
 by Gen. Sherman's men, until Messieurs Chivalreaux evacuated 
 their strong premises at night, and took to hoop-rolling them- 
 selv.es by good running. They even left their cannon service- 
 able es they rapidly departed, to avoid Yankee fighting pro- 
 clivities. Here they thought truly of Solomon's saying: "Much 
 stud}' is a weariness to the flesh." 
 
 ^'January 17. — Mr. Collins (not Wilkie) gave us a humorous 
 war speech, which kept his hearers in laughter while he de- 
 livered this " laugh and grow fat " oiatoin. After telling his 
 happy escape from rebeldom, his treatment and that of others 
 there, near him, he spoke of some people at home and said : 
 "Copperheads, like river ducks, go down openly, but it is 
 impossible to tell where or when they will raise to view again. 
 See the Vallandighamites ! what do look like ? I can tell you. 
 They seem to me like the buzzards that flock around the car- 
 cass pulling away -until gorged, and are never satisfied, and as 
 " birds of a feather flock together," they are known by the 
 company they keep. 
 
 " Cyrus was beloved, because he himself had a love for 
 others: for, has a man any friends, or does he deserve to have 
 any, when he himself is void of friendship?" 
 
 '• Consilii quainvis egregii quod ipse non aff'errett inimicusP 
 
 After several other humorous stories he gravely related the 
 hardships he underwent in the rebel prison for months after 
 his capture at Dalton, Ga., and how Southern women seemed 
 alarmed at some, so called, Yankee proceedings in Dixie. He 
 said: 
 
 "A M'oman living near Atlanta, before we took it, had a 
 handsome daughter of 'sweet sixteen,' whom we often heard 
 saying: 
 
 "'Oh, ma, when are the Yankees coming to ravish us all? 
 We hear of their coming nearer here every day, and all of us 
 girls are waiting impatiently to know all about it, and find out if 
 tiie Yanlgccs really will dp as much badness to us as people say 
 they will.' " 
 
 Here this gentleman finished amid loud laughter, by saying 
 
150 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 
 
 he had written a book which contained more hiughable incidents 
 than he had here related, and, having a number of them close 
 at hand, if any of his hearers desired to purchase the book, 
 all they would be expected to do would be to pay $1 20 for 
 it. ^ 
 
 January 17. — Heard this evening of the capture' of^ I'ort 
 Fisher, on the 15th inst., by General Terry's force, assisted by 
 Admiral Porter's fleet. The assault was led by General Ames's 
 division, and the second brigade of the lirst division of the 
 twenty fourth army corps. General Ourtis's first brigade of 
 Ames's division efiected the first lodgement on the parapet, and 
 had full possession at 10 P.M., after the severest lighting under 
 disadvantages of j)Osition that would make lookers on consider 
 this one of the most heroic achievements this great war has 
 yet broug-lit into view. Federal Point is also captured and is 
 now in the hands of the brave soldiers of the United States. 
 General Terry captured the rebel Generals Whiting and Lamb, 
 two thousand Wvq hundred prisoners, and seventy-two guns. 
 How tlie rebels can stand all tiie whiijpiugs we have given them 
 I can not see, indeed. 
 
 Again saw Colonel Hamilton, who again spoke of some tales 
 le had heard of my easy way with my company, and their 
 abusive language in my absence. I immediately tendered ray 
 resignation. As a matter of course I said no more, but thought: 
 "^ quoi cela sert-iW 
 
 January 19. — Sorrow clouds ray brow continually as I think 
 day and night of my tendered resignation. I have been easy 
 with my men I admit; yet not too easy,'because a better fight- 
 ing or more obedient company than my "Cincinnati bummers" 
 I never saw 3^et as long as 1 have been in tiie service. When 
 any chaugcrous detached service is ordered, G company is oftener 
 called on than anj^ other conipan}'- in this regiment. I like my 
 men too well to part, and I would not do so under any other 
 circumstances if 1 could avoid it. Preparations are making to 
 move by order of General Sherman. Lucky are all men who 
 arc under this general, for he is one of the most gifted, well 
 beloved, model generals of this age. May he ever lead his 
 men to glorious victories and soon end this execrable war, I 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEK. 151 
 
 liiimbl}' pray my Heavenly Father. The capture of Fort Fisher 
 makes Wihnington ours, and places blockade runners all in a 
 small box, leaving foreign and native speculators ashore instead 
 of afloat. 
 
 January 20. — liained all night, and considering the swampy 
 nature of the ground, and muddy state of all the roads near 
 here, it will be impossible to move our forces for a few days to 
 come. 
 
 January 21. — Went to Savannah, and found the roads in 
 
 very bad order, yet the twentieth corps is now moving. Some 
 
 more of my Cincinnati recruits have arrived here, which shows 
 
 that Cincinnati " bummers" are on hand as soon as others, when 
 
 ^needed. 
 
 Met several old and young, male and female refugees on my 
 way to camp, who all seemed very need}^, 3xt joyful at their 
 fortunes in being once more under the stars and stripes, in 
 Union hands. 
 
 Obtained my resignation papers to-day, and leave my men 
 to-morrow with profound regret. I love my good soldierly 
 buys too well -to part with them easily ; and, also, ray country's 
 service I adore to such a degree that I am determined to enter 
 the cavalry again as a private, in an Ohio regiment, whenever 
 an opportunity offers itself after I get to Cincinnati. 
 
 January '^'i. — Bade all my men farewell; told them I had 
 resigned, and they expresed their sorrow, not only in words, 
 but in compelling me to accept remembrance gifts in Confed- 
 erate notes, Planters' bank of Savannah checks, a captured 
 double barreled gun, a southern officer's sabre, and various 
 other things I felt compelled through my feelings to accept 
 with heartfelt thanks. Farewell, my boys; may God reward 
 you wherever you are. May you always prove yourselves 
 worthy the consideration of your native State, and receive the 
 Mud treatment of the officers appointed over you as you de- 
 serve. 
 
 Here I give the names of my best living members of com- 
 pany G, 9th Ohio cavalry: 
 
 Orderly Sergeant D. Kennedy. ^' 
 
 Privates. — Austin ,E. Wight, T. Croniu, John Curliss, J. P. 
 
152 HUMOEOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 Barrington, G. W. Davis, W. Traxe]],J. A. Mfice, J. Kiitter, 
 H. Stall], M. Baker, Frank Goodwin, Thomas Ilurtt, J. W. F. 
 Johnson, F. Flarfi', and Adolph St. Clair. 
 
 I hope they will never quit the service until their time ex- 
 pires, although, against my own desire, I have resigned. T"a- 
 t-il rien de si atnerl 
 
 January 23. — Left Savannah at 1 P. M., on the short screw 
 steamship Perrit, for New York ciry. There were seventeen 
 steamships, six river steamers, and thirty-seven sea vessels lying 
 at Savannah wharf w^iien we left. The river here reminds one 
 of the Mississippi, the color of the water looking alike, and 
 its width generally about the same. Fort Jackson, three miles 
 below Savannah, is on the right bank, and must be a strong- 
 place. It has now twenty guns, and is held by Union forces. 
 The river is blocked below here, and torpedoes were s© placed 
 that unless all these obstacles were removed not even a well 
 laden skifl' could pass with safety. These obstructions being 
 all taken away now, it is easy for vessels of ail sizes to pass 
 unmolested. 
 
 January 24. — A heavy wind blows N, W. to-day, and causes 
 this short ship to tumble from side to side like a heavily rocked 
 cradle, and fore and aft also, like a kangaroo running on a wide 
 plain. 
 
 A handsome young lady, placed in care of a resigned major, 
 is on board going to New York. Her mother, Mrs. Meeker is 
 at Athens, Georgia, staying there until her daughter. Miss Ro- 
 salia, gets safely to her family home in New York city. Miss 
 Rosalia is a young lady of talent. She speaks grammatically, 
 and is well posted in many things which have transpired at 
 home and abroad for several years. This young Ij^dy is a strong 
 Unionist, which we are all glad to know, as she is worthy of a 
 " Union" with any gentleman wearing stars on his shoulders. 
 
 " This is a queen by full and free cotisent; 
 Firm, self-reliant, haughty if slie please. 
 Among her compeers moving with such ease 
 That nameless grace to every step seems lent." 
 
 IIow monotonous a sea voyage sometimes is to homesick 
 
HUM0E0U3 Adventures of a volunteer. 153 
 
 persons on board a slow moving vessel. " Nothing to view but 
 sea and sky." No one must think my loneliness is brought 
 about by Miss Rosalia being confiened to her stateroom by mat 
 de mere or stomachic sea sickness. O, nro. I am a married 
 man and can not lovingly think of any other lady while apart 
 from my own wife. 
 
 January 25. — We are now in the Gulf Stream, under a strong 
 north wind, and now this vessel adds large supplies to her roll- 
 ing stock capacity, and seems the most obedient vassal the 
 wind and waves possess, as she turns to shownearly every part 
 of her body alternately to each, and never fails to show her 
 exhibitions of obedience on both sides when other vessels are 
 non-obeying in that style. A supercargo on -board this ship 
 says he has made fifty voyages on both steam and sailing ves- 
 sels, and he never experienced such rolling at sea as he now 
 does on board the Perrit. 
 
 Left the Gulf Stream to-day at 1 P. M. Any person observ- 
 ing the vapor arising from this Gulf Stream alone, and none 
 from the part we have just entered, will think it very strange, 
 as the Gulf Stream, now one mile off from us, looks like a sea 
 covered with ice. The cause of this is a fog arises from the 
 Gulf Stream because it is warmer than the temperature of the 
 air, and all the other parts of the Atlantic Ocean that are near 
 it. 
 
 This scene makes an impression on some miuds that will not 
 soon be obliterated. 
 
 January -6. — Change of wind again. It is now blowing a 
 northeast gale, which is against us. JMet the steamships Illi- 
 nois and Fulton ; the latter bound for Hilton Head, the former 
 for New York. Miss Rosalia is up this morning ; health re- 
 turning like bloom to roses in early spring. Wishing to borrow 
 something to read. Captain Delanay, commander of thePeriit, 
 obtained a book for her. This captain is a thoroughbred gen- 
 tleman, and is worthy of all praise on shore as well as at sea. 
 He was telling us passengers in the cabin, to-night, how he 
 used to go to Sunday school when he was a boy, and often to 
 camp meetings. At one of these camp meetings, a large num- 
 ber of pretty girls being there, a parson present sceiug them, 
 
154 HUMOEOUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEfi. 
 
 said smilingly, and with a great degree of wliat the captain 
 called worldliness : 
 
 " Here men are pure angels, worship them like this ;" and he 
 kissed one of these, girls saying : " Here, Miss, is yom- pres- 
 ent." 
 
 After this the parson mounted the rostrum, said a prayer, and 
 then commenced a sermon, which having ended, he gruffly 
 said : 
 
 "Hearers, there is a d — d, double jointed, unmistakal}^ mis- 
 erable hypocrite as ever laid a prayer before his Maker, now 
 near you all here, who used to take up the cross at revivals be- 
 cause he was paid $1,800 a year for his telegraph wires from 
 Norfolk to hellto bespeak the devil's aid in his exhortations. 
 One Sunday his church being crowded, when I entered to hear 
 this reverend parson, I had not room to sit down. So standing 
 awhile, and listening in a place close to the pulpit, the parson, 
 gazing at me two or three times, with an over excited will ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 " 'Here is one devil from hell who thinks his breeches are so 
 very clean that he is afraid his master in the hot furnace below 
 will completely clean him out if he only attempts to dirty them 
 by kneeling before his great Maker.' 
 
 " Hearing this plainlj^, and seeing many an cj'e cast toward 
 me, I left the church amid the loud titters of the congregation, 
 thinking mj'self like one of the convulsionists of St. Medard, 
 who just had heavy blows performed upon his physical system 
 by an assistant who employed blunt or rounded weapons, which 
 can not compare, in regard to danger, with thongs, switches, 
 etc." 
 
 January 27. — Reached Highland Lights at 10 A. M. and 
 New York city at 5 P. M. 
 
 Vihruary 1. — Arrived at my home in Cincinnati, at 1:2 M. 
 
 luhmaiy 7. — Gave my papers to Metzger, Striblen & Co., to 
 collect my pay from government, with a full determination to 
 enter the cavalry service again as soon as my vouchers and 
 certificates, sent to Washington city, clear me of all indebted- 
 ness to the government, and leave me free once more to act for 
 myself. ^ 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A'TOLUNTEER. 155 
 
 t 
 
 March 20, 1S65. — Saw Pat Dignan, of H company, 5tli Ohio 
 cavalry, who informs me that he was captured near Edisto 
 riv.er, tha27th of February, three weeks after Lieutenant Grif- 
 fin, chief of Kilpatrick's scouts," was killed near Wallesboro, 
 South Carolina, after capturing that place and driving Wade 
 Hampton's cavalry company of eighty men through a pine 
 woods before them. Lieutenant Griffin was an able man, deeply 
 regretted, and was carried into camp and buried with the hon- 
 ors of war. His sudden death was deeply felt by the entire 
 command, as they all knew him to be one of the bravest and 
 best scout leaders with the whole western army. Three of the 
 enemy were killed, six wounded, and twenty captured in the 
 skirmish previous to the mortal wound received by Lieutenant 
 Griffin. 
 
 I also saw two men of mine, named James P. Barrington 
 and J. McDonald, who were captured last February, near Sis- 
 ter's Ferry, South Carolina. Barrington and Corporal Wight, 
 of G compan}'', and four other men, were taken prisoners at the 
 same time, by Captain Masdon, of the 53d Alabama, and they 
 were brought through the Avoods by this execrable Masdon's 
 company of rebels, until secure from sight, as they thought, 
 Masdon ordered Wight to dismount, but only giving this order 
 from pretense, the scoundrel shot Wight through the kead, 
 killing him instantly, then searched the dead man's pockets, 
 mounted his horse, and ordered his men to put any Yankee 
 prisoner to immediate death if he uttered one word against 
 Confederate principles, or showed a sign of escaping movements 
 •while on the march. This grand rebel feat of chivalry occurred 
 eleven miles south of Sister's ferry. Such a villain as Masdon 
 murdering in cold blood so able a. soldier as Austin E. Wight, 
 for no reason whatever, deserves to die the death of a mad dog 
 wherever met. 
 
 Corporal. Wig^it should have been first duty sergeant of G 
 company long since, and would have been so, had I the au- 
 thority to raise him in rank, six months ago. Like Trollope 
 contributing to the literature of England by familiarizing the 
 Anglo-Saxon mind with the genius and aspirations of Italy, 
 Wight contributed to the knowledge of cavalry soldiers by 
 
156 HUMOROUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 layinf;: clown the duties and needed principles of obedience to 
 orders and knowledge of cavalry tactics. May he rest in 
 peace. 
 
 April 2, 1865. — In addition to my humble diary, I hereafter 
 add the true statements of reliable correspondents concerning 
 what transpired in the western army after my resignation at 
 Savannah. 
 
 A Goldsboro correspondent nnder date of March -25, 1S65, 
 says : 
 
 " The rebels have about twelve thousand cavalrymen, under 
 Wheeler and Hampton, in our front. Yesterday they hanged 
 three of our foragers within less than tAvo miles of our out- 
 posrs. 
 
 " Kilpatrich engaged part of this force yesterday, but the re- 
 sult is not known." 
 
 The Herald's correspondent- gives full details of the battle of 
 Bentonville : 
 
 "Our line, at 2 P. M., was two miles long. During the day 
 the enemy made five grand attempts to pierce this line, at dif- 
 ferent points. 
 
 " The first attempt was made upon the point held by Cogges- 
 *^ well's brigade, and Hardee and Hoke led the charge. The 
 reblels moved forward gallantly, firing but little, as if determ- 
 ined to crush our line by mere weight. They were received 
 with a furious fire, but bowed their heads and came on, and 
 penetrated between Cogge^well and Mitchell, and got to the 
 rear of General Mitchell's brigade, but neither of them gave 
 way. 
 
 "The fighting was terrific. Mitchell put his brigade in the 
 form of a parallelogram, fighting on all sides. Coggeswell's 
 men lay in the water, firing on the rebels whenever they could 
 be seen. The enemy passed around Mitchell, and struck Van- 
 dorvecr's and Fearing's brigades in the rear, pressing them so 
 hard they were compelled to jump their breastworks to repel 
 the assault." 
 
 Another correspondent under date of Newborn, N. C, March 
 28, says: 
 
 "Sherman's armies are now taking a brief repose. They are 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 157 
 
 mucli in need of clothing, shoes, and other necessaries prior 
 to striking the finishing blow to the rebelion and the Confeder- 
 acy. 
 
 "Another batch of five hundred Confederate prisoners arrived 
 here from Goldsboro on Sunday, nearly all of whom desire to 
 take the oath. 
 
 "Sherman's men v/ent into camp here with an abundance of 
 fresh pork,sweet potatoes,'etc., which they had confiscated freely 
 along the route." 
 
 INTERVIEW BETWEEN GENERALS KILPATRICK AND WHEELER. 
 
 " Nothing of interest occurred until the 27th instant, save 
 crossing the north fork of the Edisto river and the Salnda river. 
 On that day, owing to the many reports concerning the capture 
 and murder of men belonging to his command, General Kil 
 patrick arranged for an interview witli General Wheeler, at 
 Lancaster, in regard to an order from General Sherman that 
 prisoners in our possession should be shot in retalliation for 
 the murder of our men by Wheeler. 
 
 " This answered a double purpose : first, giving an opportu- 
 nity for a more perfect understanding relative to the alleged 
 atrocities; and, second, causing the enemy to believe ouripoint 
 of attack to be Charleston. 
 
 "The interview was very pleasant, considering the circum- 
 stances, and had the desired efiect. Wheeler positively asserted 
 his total ignorance of cold blooded 'atrocities, and he scarcely 
 believed any organization under his command would be guilty 
 of such henious ofienses, and would endeavor to learn if there 
 was any truth in it. 
 
 "Owing to the bad condition of the roads, the command did 
 not move until about noon. 
 
 "General Atkins, on the right, while preparing, was attacked 
 by the enemy in considerable force. The attack spread to the 
 first brigade, Colonel Jtaxlan, and for a time it was liardlj known 
 what was the real intention of tlie enemy. It turned out, how- 
 ever, to be a mere feint or feeling of our lines, in order to find 
 Kilpatrick's true position. They drew off without making any 
 further demonstrations." 
 
158 HUMOKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 CATALRT BATTLE NEAR FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 "Nothing of importance occurred from this point save the 
 grand advance of our army upon Fayetteville, in which oc- 
 curred one of the most stubbornl}?- contested battles of the war, 
 and in which tw'o brigades of our cavahy held, and finally drove 
 from their camp in confusion, Wade Hampton's entire cavalry 
 corps. 
 
 It was discovered on the 9th instant, that Hardee was making 
 forced marches to reach Fayetteville in advance of the infantry 
 of General Sherman. General Kilpatrick at once put his col- 
 umn in motion to strike Hardee in flank, or intercept Wade 
 Hampton, who was following in tlie rear with his cavalry. 
 General Kilpatrick reached Coleman's grove just after Hardee's 
 rear had passed. General Wade Hampton was a few hours 
 behind. 
 
 "Our cavalry had not all come up yet, owing to the bad 
 state of the roads ; Colonel Spencer's brigade, and Colonel 
 Way's command, were at once placed in position and waited 
 the attack of the rebel cavaliy. Just before daybreak on tlie 
 morning of the 10th instant, and before the brigades of Colo- 
 nel Aridns Colonel Jordon had arrived, Hampton came in front 
 of Kilpatrick's position and massed his troops, consisting of 
 three divisions, under Hume, Allen, and Butler. The attack 
 was made in three columns. Wheeler led the right, Hampton 
 the center, and Butler the left, and was perfectly irresistable. 
 Kilpatrick's first line, under Lieutenant Colonel Way, was act- 
 ually ridden over, headquarters and artillery captured, and at 
 one time, the entire camp, including the entire staff, and Colo- 
 nel Spencer, commanding the third brigade, were in the pos- 
 session of the enemy. But General Kilpatrick made his escape? 
 joined the brigade of Colonel Spencer, which was falling back 
 on foot, stubbornly disputing every inch of ground. A large 
 portion of the enemy halted in and about the camp, for a mo- 
 ment, to plunder. This was fatal to him. Little Kilpatrick's 
 brave cavalrymen rallied under the leadership of their tried 
 commander, retook the hills upon the left, and then, with one 
 wild shout, swept down upon the rebels, M'ho were swarming 
 
HUM0K0U8 ADVENTURES OF A VOLrNTEER. 159 
 
 about the captured artillery and Kilpatricks former headquar- 
 ters. 
 
 " In a moment the artillery was in their possession and turned 
 upon the enemy. At this moment the general's red battle flag-, 
 recaptured from the enemy, floated out in presence of friend 
 and foe. The men were now perfectly wild with excitement, 
 and when their commander rode along the line and shouted to 
 them that the day was theirs, they could not be restrained, but 
 dashed forward, drove the enemy from every quarter, and 
 eventually from the held. Our total loss did not exceed one 
 hundred. 
 
 "The enemy left upon the field a large number of ofBcers, 
 and seventy six soldiers, dead, besides many wounded, and at 
 the lowest estimate could not have lost less than six hundred 
 killed and wounded. The whole affair was brilliant, and reflects 
 credit on the cavalry, and adds yet another laurel to the many 
 won by them since leaving the hills of Georgia."' 
 
 PRESIDENT LINCOLN ON THE MILITARY SITUATION. 
 
 Some western friends of the President were recently talking 
 with him about Sherman's grand march. The conversation 
 turned upon the danger which Sherman's troops would encoun- 
 ter from the rebels M-hen the}' approached near enough to 
 Richmond to enable Lee suddenly to reinforce Johnston. One 
 of the interlocutors said : 
 
 " Mr. Lincoln, as Sherman's army advances the rebel forces 
 necessaiily concentrate and increase in numbers. Before long 
 Sherman will drive the columns of Johnston, Bragg, Hoke, and 
 others, within a few day's march of Lee's main army. May not 
 Lee suddenly march south with the larger portion of his arm}', 
 form a junction with Johnston's troops, and before Grant can 
 follow any considerable distance, strike Sherman's column with 
 a superior force, cut his lines, defeat his aimy, drive its frag- 
 ments toward the coast, and, with his whole army, give battle 
 to Grant, and perhaps defeat him?"' 
 
 "And perhaps not," replied the T*resid*ntJ " Napoleon tried 
 the same game on the British and Prussians in 1815. He con 
 centrated his forces, fell suddenly on Bluchcr, and won an in- 
 
 k 
 
IGO HUMOROUS ADVENTUSE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 decisive victory. He then whirled around, attacked tlie British, 
 and met his Waterloo. Bonaparte was hardly inferior to Lee in 
 military talent or experience. But are you sure that Lee's 
 forces united with Johnston's could heat Sherman's army? 
 Cuuld he p;ain his Ligney before meeting his Waterloo? I tell 
 you, gentlemen, there is a heap of fight in a hundred thousand 
 western veterans. They are a good deal like old Zach Taylor 
 at Buena Vista — they do'nt know when they are whipped." 
 
 We partake of the President's faith, and with liin\ believe 
 there is a heap of fight in a hundred thousand western veter- 
 ans. 
 
 LINCOLN ON THE BATTLE FIELD. 
 
 We learn from an officer just arrived from the front, tliat on 
 Saturday, shortly after the battle commenced, w^hich resulted so 
 glorionsly for the Union arms in front of Petersburg, President 
 Lincoln, accompanied by General Grant and stafl', started for 
 the battle field, and reached there in time to witness the close 
 of the contest, and the bringing in of prisoners. His presence 
 recognized created intense enthusiasm. He rode over the field, 
 listened to the report to General Grant of General Parke, of, 
 the ninth corps, and added his thanks to this gallant general 
 for the great service he had rendered in staying the fierce on-; 
 slaught of the rebels, and capturing so many of their number." 
 
 EULOGY ON SHERMAN. 
 
 The Opinione Aaiiotiulc^ Paris, Prince Napoleon's organ, 
 eulogizes General Sherman's operations and tactics in the high- 
 est terms, and accuses the rebels of having fired Charleston. It 
 adds : 
 
 "They never have been anything but rebels against a just 
 government, having for their watchword, 'slavery.'" 
 
 That is exactly true. 
 
 BATTLE OF BENTONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 The Tribune's Goldaboro correspondent gives the following 
 account of the movements of those gallant officers, Sherman 
 and Schofield: 
 
HUMOBOUa ADVElsTTUSEa OF. A yOJLUNTEEB,, l&V 
 
 ■ General Cox advanced from Kingston toward Goldsboro on 
 Sunday morning. The remainder of the corps followed oQ; 
 Monday morning. The enemy had already fallen back, leaving 
 the road clear, but destroying bridges and culverts. A body 
 of the enemy's cavalry disputed our advance. On Sunday 
 communicatiun was opened with Sherman. General Scholield 
 sent Captain Twining, with an escort, who succeeded in reaching 
 his headquarters. Meantime Sherman's scouts arrived at 
 Schofield's headquarters, bringing word tliat his advance waa- 
 within fifteen miles of Smithfield. Sherman had encountered, 
 but slight opposition, Hamptou's and Wheeler's cavalry, occai 
 sionally trying to check his advance. ., ,i 
 
 "On Sunday afternoon the enemy made a stand about fifteen' 
 miles southeast from Smithfield, wliere a line of strongly in- 
 trenched fieldworks had beeff thrown up, and, with batteries in 
 position, opened upoa General Sherman. The twentieth corps, 
 forming the center, was first engaged; the fourteenth corps, 
 constituting the right, and the seventeenth corps, the left, were 
 advanced and a brisk engagement followed, in which, although 
 the rebel army was heavily engaged, our own loss was quite 
 small. ., 
 
 " Meantime General Scholield pushed forward rapidly. The 
 advance of General Sherman on the enemy's right, in the 
 direction of Smithfield and Raleigh, made it necessary for the 
 enemy to fall rapidly back to cover. At these points General, 
 Schofield continued to press them throughout Alouday, and on 
 Tuesday he entered Goldsboro. On Tuesday General Sherman 
 advanced again, and skirmished with the rebel rear guard until 
 reaching. Beutonvillc. Here^.tl^.e enemy had .|ntr^nched,,tbe 
 other side of Mill creek. ,. ,-j 
 
 "The twentieth corps was the first engaged.. At noon a sharp, 
 battle was progressing along the whole line«-j [,.[r,.To;) y. \'ff 
 
 " Kilpatrick's cavalry was actively occupied on the left ilank.^ 
 The twentieth corps suffered a temppravy check, but the fou^r-^ 
 teenth corps, coming up ip ,gQ9^.time, Ue.U the ground. Tlj^^ 
 seventeenth corps was advanced to the support of the four- 
 teenth and twentieth corps, and succeeded in turning tlie rigbt;,^ 
 of the enemy, cpmpellipg him to gi:^o way. Th(S eovmy alan- 
 11 
 
162 HUMOEOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEfi.' 
 
 doned his works, passed through Smithfield, retiring toward 
 Raleigh. Sherman followed up the retreating army, and entered 
 Smithfield without further opposition. Sherman's cavalry was 
 in Troy, North Carolina, a few days since, and one wing of his 
 army was moving on Fayettevillc, one on Goldsboro, and the 
 other on Raleigh. Yesterday afternoon the mayor of Kinston 
 surrendered the city to our forces. 
 
 "The bridge being burned prevented our forces from cross- 
 ing, but pontoons were soon sent up for that purpose. The 
 enemy retreated rapidly from Kinston to Goldsboro. A report 
 states Sherman to be in possession of Goldsboro. The enemy 
 left seven hundred of their dead on the field before crossing 
 the river. 
 
 A BULL FROM GENEEAL LEE. 
 
 In his report of Hampton's alleged victory of the 10th of 
 March, 18G5, General Lee sa3'8 : ''^ '-.'"•' 
 
 '■'General Hampton attacked General Kilpatrick this morning 
 at daylight, and drove him from his camps, taking his guns 
 wagons, many horses, etc.," and adds, "the guns and wagons 
 could not be brought off for want of horses." 
 
 Tliis is the old story of the Arkansas lawyer and the' iron 
 pot: 
 
 " May it please your honor, I submit, in defense of my client, 
 first, that when she borrowed the pot in question, it was broken ; 
 secondly, that when she returned the pot it was sound ; arid 
 thirdly, that she never had the pot at'all." 
 
 The Richmond Sentinel of the 23d says: 
 
 " When Sherman's army captured Columbia, the reason the 
 State house was not burned was because Sherman could not 
 spare the powder." 
 
 When General Sherman was encamped at Fayetteville he 
 had a long conversation with a prominent arid wealthy citizeo, 
 who has two sons in high command in the rebel army. The 
 old gentlemen said many true and sensible things. 
 
 " Sir," said he, embodying the gist of his conversation in a 
 nutshell, "every life that is hereafter lost in the conflict is 
 murder. We have fought- you bravely, but our strength is 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUEE8 OF A VOLUNTEER. 163 
 
 exhausted. We have no resources. We have no more men. 
 The contest was unequal. You have conquered us. It is best 
 to submit and make wise use of the future. We would have 
 peace were it not for that vain, obstinate, ambitious man, Jefl'. 
 Davis. I am not in excitement, nor anger, when I assure you 
 that a large number of our people curse him, not only with 
 their hearts, but with their lips. His haughty ambition has 
 been our ruin." 
 
 Goldsboro, the scene of Sherman's last operation, is on Neuse 
 river, and is the terminus of the North Carolina railroad to 
 Raleigh. Before the war broke out it was a very flourishing 
 town of three thousand inhabitants. Since the outbreak it has 
 been strongly fortified and held by the rebels as an important 
 point. 
 
 The Charlotte South Carolinian says : 
 
 In the light at Bentonville, two corps, under Slocum, and 
 Kilpatrick's cavalry, were held in check, by a brigade under 
 command of Colonel Albert Rhett, for five hours, when, being 
 reinforced by another brigade, the Yankees were repulsed. 
 Colonel Rhett was missing, and their loss was about five hun- 
 dred, while ours was fully three thousand. 
 
 The Newbern Dispatch of the 20th says : 
 
 Supplies are being rapidly forwarded to Sherman's army. 
 Transportation is abundant. The Sanitary Commission agents 
 are also actively at work. The number of refugees attaching 
 themselves to- this army is enormous. 
 
 It appears that the evacuation of Kinston by the rebels was 
 a grand mistake, as Bragg denies having ordered it, but Iloko 
 produced a telegram sustaining his action. An entire rebel 
 brigade attempted to desert between Kinston and Raleigh, in 
 consequence of which they had a fight with other rebel troops. 
 
 The advance of General Sherman towards Columbia, South 
 Carolina, caused the rebels to remove prisoners confined there 
 to Charlotte. 
 
 Sherman's operations. 
 
 City Point, March 29, 18G5. 
 
 \SonorabU E. M, Stanton^ Secretary of War : I am in receipt 
 
IM' HFMOEOtrS ADVENTUEE8 OF A VOLUNTlKEB^^ 
 
 of Sherman's report from the time he leftFayettevilleuptoth^ 
 22d instant. iojjjmjo.) ov^tl moY. Av.v- Ja'tlnco od'l' 
 
 It shows hard fighting, resulting in very heavy losses to the' 
 enemy in killed and wounded, and over three thousand prisoners 
 in our hands. His own loss, he says, will be covered by two 
 thousand five hundred men, since he left Savannah. Many of 
 these are but slightly wounded, 
 
 (Signed) U. S. GRANT, 
 
 Lieutenant General;' 
 
 Johnston's entire force confronted Sherman at Smithfield, yet 
 they could not withstand our fighting proclivities in an open 
 field ; and to secure their own lives, as many of them thought, 
 they coolly murdered many, very many, of our men. On the 
 line of march here to-day, we foiind thirteen of our foragers 
 murdered. Seven of them were Ijying beside of the road, all 
 shot in the breast, and a placard pinned to each, on which waft 
 written t 
 
 "This is the way we treat Kilpatrick's thieves." 
 Three others were found in a hou&e, murdered, having been 
 shot down after they surrendered. The other three were found 
 lying by the road side, their throats cut from ear to ear. On 
 each of these was also pinned a placard ob which wa& written 
 in pencil: .lihfujji: al'ioiJeJ-iO'iKajnT 
 
 "South' Caralina's greeting to Yankee vandals." 
 March 30. — Saw Orderly Sergeant Kennedy, J. W. F. John- 
 son, and John Rover, all of G company, 9th Ohio cavalry, who 
 were captured near Florence, Alabama, and have miraculously- 
 escaped death by starvation and merciless treatment in the 
 military pen at Anderson ville, Georgia, where they were con- 
 fined over a year. They state that their capture was owing to= 
 the absence of Captain Ilctzler, and the cowardice of Second 
 Lieutenant Frank II. Knapp, who, instead of giving the nnfor--' 
 tunate men orders to form in line, and defend themselves by^ 
 performing their proper duty, ran witli dastardly haste from the 
 barn then occupied by the men to seek a secure hiding placo 
 for hittis^HV Failing in this, and afraid to proceed alone in any 
 direction, Knapp sped back to the top of a sftbd hearthe baru 
 
HCMOBODS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 165 
 
 where John Rover was stowed away. Attempting to climb tlie 
 dilapidated chimney of which, Knapp was twice kicked to the 
 ground by Rover. Crying and begging to be allowed to secure 
 himself.;Rover at last consented, and there they both remained 
 until shortly afterward they were captured by Rhoddy's men. 
 Rover saj's a greater coward never existed than this fellow, 
 Knapp. 
 
 The secesh scoundrels who supervised this " Black Ilole of 
 Calcutta," or, secesh den at Andersonville, were ruffians who 
 purposely deprived men there of life, calling them " Yankees, 
 unfit to live," and thinking the sooner they were rid of exist- 
 ence the more beneficial it would be to themselves and their 
 treacherous southern cause. A secesh general named Winder, 
 and a villain named Wirz, his happy subordinate officer, had 
 control here, and should never be allowed to exist, except 
 in prison, one day after their arrest, if they are ever taken prig- 
 oners. Rover says that at least ten thousand prisoners died 
 from starvation alone at Andersonville during two months of 
 ,the summer of 1864, besides hundreds of others who were shot 
 by the guards for no reason wliatever ; in fact, it was upheld 
 through *he merest pretext by General Winder and Captain 
 Wirz. 
 
 The hats, caps, boots, shoes, even the only pair of pants which 
 Avere owned by some of the prisoners were taken from, them by 
 the guards. .j. .i^j. ^,..^^^^ .rr -^...-.-.^t ^j-, .' 
 
 The burning of Columbia, South Carolina, by General Wade 
 Hampton, turned eight thousand people upon the commons. 
 It was a sad business, and before General Sherman left that 
 part of the country he had a talk with the mayor. 
 
 " What," said that personage, " is to .^ecome of me and these 
 people?" ,, : ■ , •,, 
 
 "Go," replied General Sherman, "to your friend, General 
 Hampton." 
 
 " ric'" said the mayor, " is our worst enemy." 
 
 " Well, then you must live off of the country as I have been. 
 doing." 
 ,. ' " But," said his honor, "there is nothing left in the country, 
 and Lean 't see how these people arc to live." 
 
16^ HUMOROUS ADVENTUBES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 '^ Well," said the general, " if you really want my advice, I 
 will give it to you. First, I will tell yon a great secret. I am 
 not going to Augusta. There is a tract of country that my 
 foragers have not touched yet. I forbade them going there 
 that the people might think 1 was saving that to live oif of in 
 my march on that city. Now, you can forage out of that coun- 
 try." 
 
 " Well," said his honor, " that might do, but these people 
 will resist us, and we have no arms." 
 
 " 1 will give you arms," said the general, and forthwith issued 
 forty stand of arms. 
 
 The lightning, when it strikes the oak and rends it, does not 
 kill it at once, though its blight is sure. Whilst the trunk chars 
 and crumbles away, the limbs drop off with every breath of 
 wind, and gradually the whole disappears from view. So it will 
 be with the insurrectionary force. The lightning has at last 
 struck it at the base and rent it to the topmost bough. Day by 
 day the consuming fire will creep lower into its roots, and it 
 will sink beneath the mould never to shoot upward, or be seen 
 again. 
 
 APOCEYPHAL STOKY OF GENERAL SHERMAN. 
 
 The Richmond Whig of March 29, is responsible for thefol- 
 lowing: 
 
 While in Fayetteville General Sherman liad an interview 
 with a lady, the mother of a Confederate officer, in which he 
 told her that he came through the South with moderation, dis- 
 posed to burn no private property and to respect individual 
 rights ; but if that course did not have the effect to subdue the 
 rebellious spirit of our people, he would come again with the 
 knife unsheathed, and would put to death, without regard to age 
 or sex, the inhabitants of the country. Ilis language, to use 
 his own expressive words, was that he would come again with 
 the torch. 
 
 APPEARANCE OF SIIEKMAn's ARMY. 
 
 The army of General Sherman, whose long experience has 
 made them the best foragers as well as fighters, have brought 
 
\ 
 
 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 167 
 
 with them largo quantities of provisions and camp supplies.* 
 The arrival at Goldsboro, and grand entree into the place, will 
 forever remain one of the must interesting episodes of this 
 war. 
 
 In the rear of each division followed the foragers, or " bum- 
 mers," as they were called by the soldiers, constituting a most 
 motley group which strongly recalls the memory of Fallstaff 's 
 ragged army, tliough they are by no means in buckram. The 
 men having worn out all their clotliing and shoes during the 
 march, were obliged to furnish themselves as best they could 
 as they moved along- 
 
 Here came men strutting in mimic dignity, in the old swal- 
 low tailed coats, with plug hats, the tops knocked in ; there a 
 group in seedy coats and pants of rebel gray, wilh arms and 
 legs protruding beyond all semblance of fit or fashion ; short 
 jackets, long tailed surtouts, and coats of every cast, with broad 
 tails, narrow tails, and no tails at all — all of the most antiquated 
 styles. Some wore womens' bonnets, or young ladies' hats 
 with streamers of faded ribbons floating fantastically in t^e 
 wind- The procession of vehicles and animals was of the 
 most grotesque description. There were donkeys large and 
 small, almost smothered under burdens of turkeys, geese, and 
 other kinds of poultry, ox carts, skinny liorses pulling in the 
 thills of some parish doctor's old sulky, farm wagons and bug- 
 gies, hacks, chaises, rockaways, aristocratic and family carriages, 
 all filled with plunder and provisions. ^^ 
 
 There was bacon, hams, potatoes, flour, pork, sorghum, and 
 freshly slaughtered pigs, sheep, and poultry dangling from 
 saddle tree and wagon, sufficient, one would suppose, to supply 
 the army for a month. 
 
 All this provender was turned over to the chief commissary 
 of each division, and was regularly issued to the troops as ra- 
 tions. 
 
 The men found abundance of eatables during the march in 
 North Carolina, but no incendiarism was tolerated, and in many 
 cases something was left the families 'who remained at their 
 homes.] 
 
 Refugees, white aud black, followed in mournful procession, 
 
1^8 'humokoits ADVENbruiiES'OF 1 yolunteeS. 
 
 in the rear of the army, apd cheerfully shared with the soldiers 
 
 tiie food they had taken from their own homes and farms. There 
 
 was little murmuring or complaining, and hut little exhibition 
 
 of bitter feeling against the troops. 
 -iiiuJ '- -10 ,>...'...*' " . ■, . IK.; :,::■ 
 
 ;*:t*Vfri )! •'piGH't'WITH GUEKKILlAB-i-^TWO Mi:N EOAgTED ALITE. 
 
 .^^,0n Friday last, a scout of Federal troops, sent out from Fort 
 
 I)6nclson, in conimand of Lieutenant Colonel Brott^ met a squad 
 
 of guerrillas in the vicinity of the Cumberland river, between 
 
 Clarksville and the fort, and a brisk engagement ensued. A 
 
 number of the outlaws took refuge in an old mill, and, thus 
 
 sheltered, kept our troops at bay. One of the rebels, Horace 
 
 , Wildey, was shot and killed. Two other members of the band 
 
 "refused to surrender, when the mill was fired for the purpose 
 
 of driving them from their shelter. The outlaws were firm, and 
 
 stood their ground boldly. The building burned rapidly, and 
 
 the two men were consumed in the flames. It was a horrible 
 
 ^eatb, and the heroism with which they met their fate was 
 
 Worthy of a better cause. In this affair we lost one man killed 
 
 and one wounded. 
 
 A KAID INTO GEORGIA. 
 
 March 31. — The 2d Missouri cavalry and a detachment of 
 the 6th Tennessee cavalry, left Chattanooga on a scout into the 
 counties of South Georgia. As their scout was intended to 
 
 . familiarize them with tlie topography of that country, so that 
 in case of need they could move quickly, they proceeded with 
 
 " 'much leisure, from time to time paying attention to the bush- 
 whackers who infested that country. These squads annoyed 
 them at every mile, hanging on their flank, attacking the rear, 
 and often seen by the advance. Several traps were laid for 
 them by Colonel Merrill. The Federals camped at Summcrvile 
 one night, and were pegtered more than usual by these outlaws, 
 who would attack the videttes and endeavor to capture them. 
 To stop this a vidette was stationed on the Alpine road, and 
 between him and (he reserve a squad was placed in ambush. 
 In a short time six of the devils came down the road, drove the 
 vidette back, and followed him past the squad in ambush. Tho 
 
HUMOKOU8 Adventures of a voluntkee. 169 
 
 latter rose and fired a volley that caused the rebels toyeU"^ith 
 ' fear and pain. Three of them were hit, one of whom fell from 
 his horse, but the rest actually stopped, placed him on his 
 horse, and dashed away before our mounted men could come 
 ^up- 
 on the same night another band made an attack on the pickets 
 on the railroad. 
 
 Here a company was placed in ambush, and the rest of the 
 regiment withdrawn into Siimmerville. Guerrillas, thirty in 
 number, charged up the road, the pickets fell back until pass- 
 ing the party in ambush, they wheeled for them, and killed and 
 captured one half of these desperadoes. Advancing to Dug 
 gap another little battle took place, the guerrillas numbering 
 seventy. ;:l*'} )iov/ 
 
 The most inhuman deed of all has yet to'bc recorded. While 
 the regiment was at Alpine, last Friday night, four of the men 
 were placed on picket half a mile from camp, near the house 
 of a man named H. M. Knox. In the morning Knox came out 
 to the post and invited the men in to breakfast. Believing him 
 an honest man, and not thinking of danger, they went with him. 
 They took seats on the porch and entered into conversation with 
 Knox and his wife. While talking a negro woman came to the 
 porch and wanted to speak to the soldiers, but both Knox and 
 his wife ordered her into the house. A few minutes afterward 
 six gucrrilas dashed around into ' the road from behind the 
 house, presented their pistols at the soldiers, and ordered them 
 to surrender. Being unarmed they complied, when the guer- 
 rillas took them into the road, made them stand in a row, and 
 shot at them. One was shot through the right lung, two through 
 the neck, while the fourth one escaped. 
 '' Colonel Merrill arrested Knox and his wife, and some of the 
 *^'^arty Knox had with him, and lodged them in prison, whence 
 should soon go to the gallows. Major General Steedman hear- 
 ing of the affair, and that the woman was in Chattanooga, 
 promptly sent her north as a prisoner of war, and intends that 
 the male portion of the munlerous crew shall publicly exhibit 
 themsrlves as lofty swinging- cbcmbers of the vile portion of 
 humanity. • i 
 
170 • HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 
 
 GENERAL FOEEESt's CHALLENGE TO GENEKAL "WILSON ACCEPTED. 
 
 The Nashville Dispatch has the following : 
 
 Our readers, will recollect a correspondence from Eastport in 
 which it was stated that the rebel General Forrest sent a chal- 
 lenge to General Wilson, proposing a fair, open field fight, e:f- 
 pressing his convictions of success in any such engagement. 
 General Wilson gratified Forrest in this desire, the result being 
 contrary to his braggadocia. General Wilson met the rebel 
 Generals Forrest and Taylor, on the 28th, at a point between 
 Selma and Montgomery, Alabama. It was a desperate eagage- 
 ment,and called into requisition all the military skill and bravery 
 of both commands. Tiie forces under both these rebel officers 
 were totally defeated, and a large number of men captured by 
 General Wilson's cavalry, for his force consists of cavalry al- 
 together. Beside the route of the enemy General Wilson de- 
 stroyed sixteen cars, containing amunition, commissary stores, 
 etc., and four locomotives. 
 
 This Forrest trapeze movment caused some excitement in 
 military circles, and his rout was discussed with some interest, 
 in East Tennessee. The news caused General Thomas to accel- 
 erate the movements of some of the troops. It is thought the 
 track of the rebel army will be along the. Danville railroad into 
 North Carolina. 
 
 Rebel sympathizers who imagine Forrest equal, or superior, 
 to Ney, Murratt, or any other great cavalr^^^ leader of modern 
 times, received the startling intelligence of his defeat with grim 
 smiles of unbelief Their temper, however, was sadly ruffled 
 by the joy which the news called forth from the Unionists all 
 around them. 
 
 April 2. — An amusing incident occurred not long since at 
 General Howard's headquarters, where- General Sherman was 
 dining. 
 
 There was a prosy chaplain present who was the terror of 
 hungry campaigners. Sherman was discussing, with one of 
 Howard's stalf, the conduct of a particular otlicer whose habits 
 had given hini-some trouble, Durijig the conversation the 
 parties took their seats at the table, and Sherman continued his 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTDEES OF A VOLUKTEEB. 17 1 
 
 conversation with the officer without noticing that the parson 
 had launched out into one of his long-winded thankso^ivino-s 
 Sherman wound ftp his conversation about th6 delinquent with 
 the energetic exclamation : ' " " 
 
 " D — n the fellow ! will he ever restrain himself? " 
 
 The horrified parson here came to a dead halt, thinking the 
 question applied to him, and the company irreverently burst 
 into a roar of laughter. Sherman looked as puzzled as the 
 chaplain, but enjoyed the fun as soon as it was explained to 
 him. 
 
 " Parson," he said, " the befit apology I can make you, is to 
 
 say that if Colonel D-^ had but half your earnestness and 
 
 control, he would make a better oflicer." 
 
 Petersburg, Virginia, is ours, with 12,000 prisoners, fifty 
 peioes of artillery, and thousands of small arms. 
 
 now TO CHEAT SUTLERS. 
 
 Some of the boys of an Ohio Battery wished to celebrate a 
 recent victory in a spirited manner, but the Paymaster had 
 not been around recently, and the sutler would not trust them 
 for whiskey. So they rigged out one of their number with two 
 canteens, one of which was filled with water so "doctered" 
 with coffee as to resemble, in color, the desired liquor. He 
 went to the sutler, had the empty canteen filled, and then asked 
 to be trusted. This the sutler refused, when the soldier passed 
 to him the other canteen, telling him to keep his bad whiskey, 
 and the sutler, glad to get rid of so ugly a customer, without 
 money, poured the water into his whiskey barrel, and bid him 
 begone. The boys had a fine spree that niglit, and not the 
 least of this pleasure arose from the manner in which the 
 sutler was sold. 
 
 April 3, 18C5. — This day Kichmond is ours- 
 Major General Dix : 
 
 From a dispatch of General Weitzel, just received at this 
 department, 1 learn that our forces under his command are in 
 Richmond, having taken it at 8:15 this morning. 
 
 ^E. M. STANTON, 
 
 Secretary of War. 
 
Oifi iLiii '^.li: OFFICIAL WAR BUttE-rtl^ '^^"^^ ^<jit::^'>'''^'''-> 
 
 -General Sheridan attacked and routed :Le«'s army,, capturing j 
 Gerierals Ewell, Kershaw, Button, and po^ft^ anji driving, tlje 
 enemy across Sailor's creek, Virginia. , ; ;,,,!; i-; .{ -; j -- 
 qJj y,f(Signed) E. MySTANTON, .^r;- 
 
 Ja-J-ud (,i)ii^i'/.ji-ii yL'ii*^ujo.'j iulj ixiJi .Uiiiferpt^ry of Wsr-.^jp j 
 ojfl f.i; ri-.fwr-f; pft bajluul ar.f.'r >ifS .-;'•!'•'. i 'i«i .•.• Ji-f 
 
 o-i hoi:' :i8iJnoc CityiIPqiot.; April -7-1^7^:35, A. Mm 
 
 Honorable Secretaky of War : 
 
 At 11:15 P, M., yesterday, at Burkesville station, Qpnera 
 Grant.sendS;,aie the following from -General $keridan : 
 
 ■ A. LI^OOLN. 
 
 .smifi liwnta'io Rhnfianodi lApril O-^ 1,1:15 P. M»- 
 Lieutenant General Grant: 
 
 I have the honor to report that the enemy made a stand at 
 the intersection of the Burke's station road, with the road «pon 
 .:,jwhich they were retreating. I attacked them with two divi^oii. 
 of the sixth army corpus, and routed them handsomely, makin;.' 
 a connection with the cavalry., I am still, pressing on with 
 both cavalry and infantry.bQlJit euw tbiilv/ lo eao ,i^no^iiisi) 
 • Up to the present time 'we havd, 'captured Generals. Ewell, 
 ■Kershaw, Button, Corse, Dubarry,;and Custis Lee, seveiiai thou 
 sand prisoners, fourteen: pieces of artillery with caisspfls, and a 
 ,vlarge number of wagons. .;;ijl ,n . 
 
 If pressed Lee will surrendeijJ i- ■> • 
 
 P. H. SHERIDAN, 
 cilj ioi. 1 . ' j;>iiJ jui^d ;.um ii bijil < Major General. 
 
 lee's surrender. 
 
 General Lee became a member of the peace party at a late 
 day. His conversion was wrought through great tribulatipn. 
 p.i*'To befrank,'^ he 4id not thirik tlie iemergency had arriveid for 
 the shrronder of his army, but "as > the restoration of peace 
 should be the sole object of all," he wanted. to know whether 
 Grant's pfo|) OS al to xiccept the surrender of the army of North- 
 era- ViVgiui^ " would tend to that end." Therefore, while h( 
 
HeMOROIJS' ADVENTlJBfiS OF' A'tOLUNlEESJt 173t 
 
 ^Villd" fibt meet' Griant with a view to surrender the army under 
 is immediate command, lie ivould be pleased to meet him with, 
 .1 view' to feeJ§ h&w h,v ttve ' ^opogition made to ioc«ive' thd r 
 army of Northern Virginia as prisoners of war might ajSect > 
 the Confederate' States forced "under my command," (that is, 
 aft the armie^' Of the Confeideracy, Lie-utenaot Oeneral Lee) 
 being general-i'A-chief,) abd tend^o.t:h6'fnllirei^oratiou of needed 
 peace." ' ' ■ '■■^-■' ' , '■'->' ■ ■'■''•■>■'. ,,.,•,,. 
 
 ''©fefbr^GpeiietalOrant arrived GerMjral Meade, in command 
 of *he army Of the JPotomaO above, had ordered an advance of 
 the second and sixth corps against the enemy. General i Lee, 
 waiting a reply from General Grant to a rtlessage^'he had sent 
 him, asked a truce from General Meade until he considered the 
 terms of surrender. -Meade- ^fcoBsented to- Suspend bostilitie&i 
 until 2 P. M. :iy;^-iij',6 ■■o fet-CMui aljivrxr il-uH i'.n .-•( >'Mn.'. 
 
 iAt half past I'^.M., General Grant arrived' at Sheridan's 
 hca'dqharters, and sent General Bawlings, his cliief- of- staff, and • 
 Colonel Babcock, his aide, to General Lee's headquarters. On 
 their arrival it was as'certained that General Meade-^tbe limit 
 set by him for the mispension of Ms advance having passed — 
 had again ordered the second and sixth corps against the rebeU 
 rear from 'abo*tes^ .lor^jRiif/ meiij ol iaoaHW on boaaonqxD oil 
 
 Colonel Babcocf,- tifi&bi^ U' flag' bf twce ' frmii ©eriefalit^'a.T 
 lloegj proceeded to Meade's headquarters, and requested that 
 officer to delay bis attdckuhtilthe impending meeting between' 
 Lee arid Grant was over. ' '■'. ' ' • '■' 
 
 Returning to Lee's headqimrters, he thenf ih'Oompairy with 
 Genferal Rjiwlirigs^ e^o^irted the southern chieftan through his ^ 
 own and Sheridaft-^s line» to Grant's headquarters'^ at A])pomat- ' 
 tox Court house. At 2:30> P. M. the party reached Appomattox 
 Coart house, where Grant awaited his visitor' at the house of a 
 citizen named Wilmer McLaUe. Grant received his guest with 
 the simple soldierly franknesi^ that is part of his nature. As 
 Lee advanced into the room Grant aroscy. and both clasped 
 hands. The rebel chief sank iiito a chair, and within a few 
 minutes both were earnestly discussing the terms of capitula-; 
 tion. General Let wished to know distinctly what General 
 Grant had to propose. O^ a 
 
Iffir 5UM0K0U8 ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 General Grant assured him that the language of his previous 
 dispatch explained his wishes. He desired the surrender of 
 the army of Northern Virginia on the following conditions 
 only: , / ; .,: 
 
 "1. Rolls of all officers to be made in duplicate, one copy 
 to be given to an officet to be designated by me, the other to 
 be retained by such officers as you may designate. 
 
 "2. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take 
 arms against thq United States -until properly exchanged, and 
 each company, Or regimental officer sign a like. parole for mono 
 of their commands. [j 
 
 "3. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked, r 
 and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me 
 to receive them. This will not embrace the side arms of the 
 officers, nor their private horses or baggage. 
 
 "■4:. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to 
 return to their , homes, not to be disturbed by United States! 
 authority, so long as they observe their .parole and the laws in) 
 force where they reside." iioogi; ^ l) 
 
 Being completely at the mercy of the conquerer. General 
 Lee was evidently pleased with , the liberality of these, terms,, 
 He expressed no dissent to them whatever. After enquiringf 
 as to the private baggage and horses of his officers, he requested 
 to know whether General Grant would permit those among 
 his men who owned private horses to jetain them. 
 
 General Grant responded that although he disliked to put 
 such a condition into the terms of surrender, he would instruct 
 his officers who would have charge of such matters to see that» 
 General Lee'^ wish was complied with. : Whereat Lee ex- > 
 pressed his satisfaction. Lee then remarked upon the extreme 
 destitution of his troops. They had no supplies of any conse- 
 quence for two days, he said. "Even the prisoners I have 
 taken from you. General, have suffered from lack of food. I 
 could not help it. My own men have been almost starving.'" 
 
 Grant promptly ofiered to divide with him and fulfilled his 
 promise before nighfall by ordering rations of beef and cofiee 
 for twenty five thousand men to be sent to the rebeL commis- 
 sary, .-jeo'joiq oj I)fiif Iniii' 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OP A VOLUNTEEE. 175 
 
 The Lieutenant General then wrote a dispatch addressed to 
 General Lee containing the terms he proposed to receive the 
 surrender as quoted above. General Lee, after reading it, 
 drew his chair up to the table and wrote his acceptance of the 
 proposal, as follows : 
 
 Headquarters Army or Northern Vibqinia,") 
 
 April 9th, 1865. | ,„ 
 
 Lieut. Gen. U.S. Grant., Cofnmanding U. S. A.: — General: 
 I have received your letter of this date, containing the terms 
 of surrender of the army of Northern Virginia, as proposed by, 
 you. As they are substantially the same as those expressed in 
 your letter of the 8th inst., they are accepted. I will proceed 
 to designate the proper officers to carry the stipulations into 
 •feffect. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 R. E. LEE, General. 
 
 After short desultary conversation. General Lee took his de- 
 parture, General Grant attending him to the door, and taking 
 his hand at the threshold. The interview was conducted on 
 the part of General Lee with the manly but conscious bearing 
 of a soldier beaten but not cowed : on the part of General Grant 
 with the generous spirit of a conqueror who could afford to 
 admit the ability, the courage, and the deserts of a noble foe. 
 10 TRIUMPE. 
 
 By 4 o'clock P. M. the two armies, which had been impa- 
 tiently waiting the result of the conference, knew that the 
 articles had been signed. The discipline ordered by both 
 commanders did not prevent men and officers intermingling, 
 congratulating each other, thanking God, Grant and Lee, in 
 unison, that the long agony of fight and pursuit was over. 
 Every band in the army became inspired with melodious fervor 
 The " Marsellaise," the " Star Spangled Banner," the " Flag ot 
 our Union," were played and sang. Officers from the Lieuten- 
 ant General down to Colonels, were greeted with an uprorious 
 tumult of delight. All gave signs of gladness. 
 
 April 6. — The Herald's correspondent from the late mansion 
 of Jeff Davis in Richmond, Va., says: The avacuation of this 
 city was contemplated several days before it took place, but. 
 
l?!' HUMOildtTS ADViJNTlffiES OP A VOLUinEER. 
 
 that decision was not arrived at until Sunday afternooin, when 
 Lee telegraphed Davis that Grant had rendered the holding oi 
 the city impossible. This telegram was read m the churches, 
 and the leading rebels left at once. Jefi' Davis at 8 o'clock P. 
 M., for Dativille. The city was fired by General Ewell, and, 
 although General Weitzell endeavored to subdue the flames, 
 one third of the city Was destroyed. 
 
 It was understood to have been Lee's design to reach Dan- 
 ville, Va., and then fortify and make another stand there. This 
 plan Sheridan's movements frustrated, and then Lee endeavored 
 to get to Lynchburg. Davis received Lee's^dcspatch to evac- 
 uee at church. He escaped on the first train, taking his liorses. 
 and carriage, so as to take the road in case the track was in- 
 terrupted. Axtra Billy Smith did not leave till after midnight. " 
 He left his wife behind^ as did also'General Lee. News of the 
 death of her son, W. H. F. Lee, in the battle, was received. 
 Br'6t'ken ridge left the city as late as half past six Monday 
 morning. A large number of rebel officers were captured an<ll 
 p^jiroled. ' 
 
 o: Judge Campbell tendered his services to President Lincoln 
 to^'visit Jeff Davis and urge him to peace. The President said 
 h<i would receive communications, but would send n^ne. 
 
 Tlie rebel gdvernment carried off government archives and 
 three millions of gold coin. Their destination was supposed 
 to be Charlotte, N. C. Richmond is now in a state of famine. 
 Provisions being nearly all consumed. The population is 
 nearly all there, very few having left. 
 
 Breckenridge superintended the destruction of the city, and 
 directed the firing of the buildings. The original secessionists 
 here now are willing to take the oath, and proclaim their readi- 
 neaa for unconditional submission 1 ^SGoiit ye loafers," &c. 
 
 ., NEWS FKOM SnERMAN. I'JlOO 
 
 • A preconcerted plan to fire Newbern, N. C, was dcvelo|3ed 
 April Glh, at 8 o'clock A. M. Several large buildings contain- 
 ing forage, 'ordnance, and commissary stores^ were set entire 
 simultaneonsly with the aid of phosphorus. The alarm was 
 given and signalled at once, when the lire department and 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 177 
 
 population turned out, and the flames were subdued without 
 much damage. Kebel ofBcers were discovered who, with other 
 suspicious characters, are in confinemetat. Double guards 
 patrol the city to prevent a like occurrence and arrest all sus- 
 picious characters. 
 
 The Steamers Ajax and United States arrived at Fortress 
 Monroe from Newbern, N. C, with a large number of prisoners 
 captured by General Sherman. 
 
 April 7. — General Sherman has resumed his march and left 
 Goldsboro in his rear. 
 
 A portion of Stoneman's cavalry w^ere in Marion, Tcnn., and 
 in Smyth county on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad; 
 while another portion have gone through Carter county, Tenn., 
 towards Salisbury, N. C, on a feint, it is supposed, to distract 
 the attention of the rebel commander, while the real advance 
 will be in another direction. Some skirmishing took place 
 between the rebel cavalry and ours west of Bristol, Va., result- 
 ing in the capture of a squandron. General Stoneman occupied 
 Salisbury April 10th. , 
 
 Jeff Davis at latest accounts had arrived at Charlotte, N. C, 
 with three delapidated trunks. There is not a man living in 
 this country to-day who would exchange places with him. 
 Despised for his treason, hated for his cruel exercise of power, 
 a fugitive and a vagabond, tlie wretched author of innumerable 
 woes, he might decide for himself the question of Hamlet, "to 
 be, or not to be'' in the negative, were it not for fear of some- 
 thing hereafter ; and compared with which " the sour apple 
 tree," to which he has been condemed so often, would be as 
 rose water to aqua fortis. 
 
 A Colonel lately released from Libby prison, says that, while 
 there, the party he was with was visited by Mrs. Scddon, wife 
 of the late rebel Secretary of War, she denounced them in the 
 most bitter terms, calling them "inhuman monsters," "hell 
 hounds," and "vipers." At her suggestion they were then 
 thrown into a miserable dungeon, almost destitute of light and 
 air, where their sufferings were terrible. What should be done 
 to this demoniacal female fury? 
 
 The United States Government has all to say about that. 
 12 
 
178 nuMOEOus adventuees of a tolunteee. 
 
 CAriLLAKY COMMEKCE. 
 
 "A neice of James Madison" suggested through tlie Rich- 
 mond Whig, a few dajs before it became "loyal," a new way 
 to pay off the confederate debt. She writes: "There are two 
 million women over twelve years of age in the confederacy; 
 some heads have one and some three or four braids of hair ; 
 say they will average two; therefore there are about four 
 million braids, worth in Europe ten dollars each in gold, and 
 in confederate Qipney two billions, nearly double our present 
 indebtedness. A ship loaded with this precious traffic might 
 make hair-breadth escapes, but angels would guard it (by 
 General Maury's permission), and land it safely at Havre. All 
 Europe would purchase at a speculative price. Many braids, 
 offerings on the altar of liberty, would bring in Paris, labelled 
 with the name of the donors, thousands at auction! Our debt 
 would be a mere circumstance to the amount realized: and I 
 propose that every loyal woman in the South send, forthwith, 
 her hair, tied with a ribbon and labelled with her name, to 
 Madame Levert, in Mobile. Here's mine, and two braids." 
 
 Some wag in Van Wert county fixed up a hen's egg so that 
 the words "PEACE, 18GG," appeared legibly on the shell, and 
 found a dunce who paid $150 for the curiosity. Since then 
 the boys of Van Wert have gone largely into speculations with 
 prophetic eggs. Will Madame Levert follow that example ? 
 Time will develope this. 
 
 April 9. — Our forces captured Mobile to-day and five thou- 
 sand seven hundred prisoners in or near the city. Spanish Fort 
 with one thousand men also fell into onr hands, where General 
 Maury's chief of staff ended his life by being shot through the 
 left eye by one of our sharpshooters. He was a classmate with 
 General Anderson at West Point in 18-17. Take all this to your 
 soul, Jeff Davis, and look out for your life.. 
 
 Ajpril 15. — Cincinnati's truly loyal citizens were proudly 
 rejoicing over all our glorious victories, the surrender of Lee 
 and his vain-glorious rebel troops, yesterday, and were retiring 
 gladly to repose when the following heart-rendering news 
 came here by telegraph at 11 o'clock P. M. 
 
HTJMOEO S ADVENTUKE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 179 
 
 ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT — HE IS SHOT IN THE THEATER — A 
 NATIONAL CALAMITY. 
 
 About half past ten o'clock this evening a desperado, well 
 dressed, appeared at the house of Secretarj^ Seward and asked 
 to see him, a servant informed him he could not, upon which 
 he said he had a prescription from Surgeon General Barnes, he 
 was ordered to deliver in person. The servant referred him to 
 Fred. Seward, who, being present, told the stranger he would 
 take charge of the medicine, but the desperado refused to de- 
 liver it, rushed past Fred. Seward, and struck Secretary Seward 
 with a dagger in the throat and breast. The wounds, upon 
 examination by the surgeon general, are pronounced not fatal. 
 Major Seward, son of the secretary and paymaster in the army 
 of the United States, was also badly cut in his efforts to defend 
 his father. 
 
 • Simultaneously with this, John Wilkes Booth, another vil- 
 lainous desperado, (who being in Cleveland, Ohio, a year and 
 a half previous to this, told a prominent citizen there, that 
 "the man who killed Abraham Lincoln would occupy a higher 
 niche of fame than George Washington,") appeared at Ford's 
 theater and obtained admission to the box occupied by Presi- 
 dent Lincoln, his wife. Miss Harris, and Major Rathbone. 
 
 The following statement, entirely reliable, is from Mr. James 
 Ferguson, each part of which is corroborated by Miss Harris, 
 and it therefore assumes a serious and important character, as 
 it establishes the proof of a series of preparations by the mur- 
 derer .to secure himself from interference, while in the box< 
 from any person in the dress circle ; and also, and more serious 
 still, calls up the suspicion that he had confederates having as 
 easy access to the theater as he had, and that part of his prep- 
 arations were made in the daytime: 
 
 Mr. James P. Ferguson went to the theater on Friday night 
 for the express purpose of seeing General Grant, who was an- 
 nounced to be present. Mr. Ferguson saw the presidential 
 party enter the box, but of course, did not see the general. He 
 however, continued to watch the box, thinking the general 
 
180 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEK. 
 
 would slip quietly in to avoid the demonstrations that would 
 attend his recognition. 
 
 When the second scene of the third act of the play was 
 reached, Mr. Ferguson saw, and recognized, John Wilkes 
 Booth making his way along the dress circle to the President's 
 box. Of this box Mr, Ferguson had an excellent view, being 
 seated in the dress circle just opposite to it, next to tlie private 
 boxes on the other side of the circle. This seat he had chosen 
 to afford his companions a good view of tlie lieutenant general, 
 and, for the reason already stated was narrowly watching the 
 entrance to it. 
 
 Mr. Ferguson watched for his appearance in the box, desiring 
 to see who in that party the actor could be on such intimate 
 terms with, as to feel warranted in taking such a liberty. 
 Whether Booth shut the door of the little corridor, or left it 
 open behind him, Mr. Ferguson fears to state positively ; but 
 from what he observed of the door he believes it was shut. 
 
 The shot was the next thing Mr. Ferguson remembers. He 
 saw the smoke, then perceived Booth standing upright, with 
 both hands raised, but, at that moment, saw no weapon or any 
 thing else in either. Booth then sprang to the front of the box, 
 laid his left hand on the railing in front, was checked an instant, 
 evidently by his coat or pants being caught by something or 
 held back by somebody. (It was by Major Kathbone.) Mr. 
 Ferguson and Booth had met in the afternoon, and conversed, 
 being well acquainted with each other, so that the former im- 
 mediately recognized him. Booth took off his hat, and holding 
 it in his left hand, leaned against the wall behind him. In this 
 attitude he remained for half a minute; then, adds Mr^ Fer- 
 guson, he stepped down one step, put liis hand on the door of 
 the little corridor leading to the box, bent his knee against it, 
 tlie door opened, and Booth entered the corridor, and was, for 
 a few moments hidden entirely from Mr. Ferguson's sight. 
 
 A post in front obstructed the view of Mr. Ferguson, but 
 Booth soon changed his position, and again was clearly seen 
 by Mr. Ferguson. He now had a knife in his right hand, which 
 he also laid on the railing, as he already had his left, and vaulted 
 out. As his legs passed between the folds of the flags deco- 
 
HUM0KOD8 ADVENTURES OF A TOLUNTEEE. 181 
 
 rating the box, his spur, which he wore on the right heel, caught 
 the drapery, and brouo-ht it down, tearing a strip with it. "When 
 he let go the railing, he still clutched the shining knife. Booth 
 crouched as he fell, falling on one knee, and putting forth both 
 hands to help himself recover an erect position, which he did 
 with the rapidity and easy agility of a practiced and accom- 
 plished athlete. 
 
 Having recovered his equilibrium Booth strode across the 
 stage to the first entrance, passing behind the actor on the stage, 
 (Harry Hawk.) When he reached the other side of the stage, 
 just before he became invisible by passing into the entrance, 
 he looked up, and Mr. Ferguson heard him say: " I have done 
 it," and then lost sight of him. 
 
 It appears from the Herald's account that jMajor Rathbone 
 was not aware of the presence of the assassin in the box until 
 he heard the pistol, when, turning, he saw the man within six 
 feet of the President. The major sprang to seize him, the 
 man struggled, made a thrust at the major's breast with a knife, 
 which the major received on his left arm near the shoulder, 
 when the assassin sprang from the box. The major cried out: 
 "Stop him ! " and thinking it impossible for him to escape from 
 the crowd below, turned to give the neccessary attention to the 
 President. 
 
 The President had not changed his position, except that his 
 eyes were closed and his head slightly bent forward. The whole 
 time consumed by the assassin in entering the box, shooting 
 the President through the head, and disappearing, was less than 
 thirty seconds. 
 
 Booth had a horse at the back door of the theater, which he 
 mounted, pronouncing, as he rode away, the motto of the State 
 of Virginia : 
 
 " Sic semper tyrannusP (Perish all tyrants.) 
 The parting of his family with the dying Prcsiocnt is too sad 
 for description, The blood oozed out from the wound at the 
 back of his head, he was in a state of syncope, totally insens- 
 ible until he expired. The ball entered the head of tlie Pres- 
 ident in the back part, near the base of the brain, took a direct 
 course toward the right eye, struck the orbinal bone, rebounded 
 
182 HUMOEOUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 and lodged several inches from the surface. The ball was flat- 
 tened. 
 
 It is ascertained that some weeks ago the President had re- 
 ceived several letters warning him that an attempt would be 
 made upon his life, but to these he attached very little import- 
 ance. It was alwaj's thought he Avas not sufficiently careful of 
 his individual safety on his last visit to the armies in Virginia. 
 
 April 18. — The pickets encircling Washington city, Friday 
 night, to prevent the escape of the parties who murdered the 
 President and attempted the assassination of Secretary Seward 
 and his sons, were fired upon at several points by concealed 
 foes. 
 
 Payne, the assassin who attempted the life of Mr. Seward, 
 was taken last night, in disguise, at the house of Mrs. Surratt, 
 another accomplice, in Washington. 
 
 Charleston, South Carolina, was taken March 1-4, through 
 Sherman"s movements. 
 
 Major General Sherman has concluded a treaty with General 
 Joe. Johnston, which is not ratitied. He is ordered to resume 
 hostilities. 
 
 Reverend Mr. Adams, of Philadelphia, in a recent discourse, 
 speaking of an early morning call upon Mr. Lincoln, made the 
 following statement : 
 
 ''-^'i Morning came. 4I hastened my toilet, and at a quarter to 5, 
 found myself in the waitiftg room of the President. I asked 
 the usher if I could see Mr. Lincoln. He informed me that I 
 could not. 
 
 " But I have engaged to meet him this morning." 
 
 "At what hour?" 
 
 "At 6 o'clock." 
 
 " Well, sir, he will see you at 5." 
 
 I then heard a voice, as if in conversation, and asked the 
 servant : 
 
 " Who is talking in the next room?" 
 
 " It is the President, sir." 
 
 " Is anybody with him ? " 
 
 "No, sir; he is reading the bible." 
 
 " Is that his habit so early in the morning?** 
 
HrMOROrS ADTENTUKES OF A VOLCTST-jfeElfe. 1?3 
 
 " Yes, sir ; he spends every mornincr from 4 o'clock to 5, in 
 reading- the scriptures and praying." 
 
 The last writing done by President Lincoln, was the follow- 
 ing : 
 
 "Allow Mr. Ashmead and friend to come to me at 9 A. M., 
 to-morrow, April 15, 1865." 
 
 The body is embalmed, in a coffin of mahogany, covered 
 with black cloth, and lined with lead, covered with white satin. 
 A silver plate on the coffin over the breast, bears the following 
 inscription : 
 
 ABRAHAM LINCOLnT 
 
 SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES. 
 BoRx JuLT 12, 1S09. DiEu April 15, I8(J5. 
 
 BE 
 
 Atzeroth, one of the principal assassins, is captured, and. 
 Booth has been traced to Port Tobacco, Charles county, Mary- 
 land. 
 
 An advertisement was inserted in the Selma (Alabama) Dis- 
 patch, offering "to take the lives of President Lincoln, Vice 
 President Johnson, and Secretary Seward for one million of 
 dollars in Confederate money." I hope that advertising ruffian 
 will be cauo'ht and dealt with according to what his crime de- 
 serves. ■" 
 
 Jeff. Davis is now with Johnston's army, ordering a battle- 
 Johnston refuses to risk this, as he knows it to be a desperate' 
 useless, wanton resistance to the invincible legions of Sherman ; 
 led, as they are, by one of the best generals living. A man 
 like Jeff. Davis, who could consign innocent prisoners of war 
 to the barbarities of Andersonville, Salisbnry, and the Libby, 
 can not be expected to practice any humanity toward his own 
 soldiery. 
 
 The President's remains are to be forwarded in a funeral traia 
 from Washington, District of Columbia, to Springhold, Illinois, 
 where our late lamented President will be interred according to 
 the wishes of his family and the arrangements of the State 
 authorities. 
 
184: nuMOKOus adventukes of a volunteer. 
 
 A committee was appointed at the opera house, in Cincin- 
 nati, to use every effort to secure to Cincinnati the privilege of 
 participating in the faneral honors to our late Chief Magistrate. 
 The following dispatch indicates their failure : 
 
 "Washington, April 19. 
 «A. C. Sands : 
 
 " The published programme is changed. In the new arrange- 
 ment Cincinnati can not possibly be included, 
 
 " JOHN BROUGH." 
 
 "Washington, April 10. 
 "A. C. Sands : 
 
 "The committee having charge of the remains of the Presi- 
 dent have decided that they can not take them via Cincinnati, 
 
 which I much regret. 
 
 " W. DENNISON." 
 
 Disappointed in this effort, the committee endeavored to pro- 
 cure a special train to Columbus, in order that a delegation from 
 Cincinnati might join in the ceremonies at the State capital. 
 But the railroads were unal)le to furnish a sufficient number of 
 cars, and all that could be done was to arrange with the Little 
 Miami railroad to furnish accommodations on a morning train 
 for a few hundred persons. 
 
 The names of these honorable gentlemen are worthy of 
 record in this connection, and I hereTespectfully give them to 
 the public : i •-, 
 
 Colonel L. A. Harris, 
 
 A. C. Sands, 
 
 Thomas II. Weasner, 
 
 Benjamin Eggleston, 
 
 Miles Greenwood, 
 
 George F. Davis. 
 Manuel B. .'Field, Esq., who was present at Mr. Lincoln's 
 death bed, says: 
 
 "The President's eyes, after death, were not closed. I closed 
 them myself with my fingers, and a surgeon brought pennies 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 185 
 
 21 
 
 and placed tliem on the eyes, but suusequently substituted for 
 them silver half dollars. In a very short time, tlie jaw com- 
 menced slightly falling, although the body was still warm. I 
 called attention to this, and had it immediately tied up with a 
 handkerchief. 
 
 " The expression immediately after death was purely negative, 
 but in fifteen minutes there came over the mouth, the nostrils, 
 and the chin, a smile that seemed almost an eilbrt of life. I 
 had never seen upon the President's face an expression more 
 genial and pleasing. 
 
 The following incidents of the last day of his life have been 
 obtained from several sources. His son. Captain Lincoln, 
 breakfasted with him on Friday morning; having just returned 
 from the capitulation of Lee, and the President passed a happy 
 hour listening to all the details while at breakfast. He heard 
 that Speaker Colfax was in the house, and sent word that he 
 wished to see him immediately. He conversed with him 
 nearly an hour about his future policy as to the rebellion, 
 which he was about to submit to the cabinet. 
 
 A2}ril 20.— A reward of ^100,000 is oflered ior the arrest of 
 • John Wilkes Booth to-day at Washington, and $25,000 for his 
 accomplices. 
 
 Wrote a letter to President Johnson, and one to Secretary 
 Stanton to-day asking, begging, praying them to place me on 
 any hazardous duty they deemed necessary, in order to act as 
 spy, or go boldly forth in assisting to capture Booth and his 
 accomplices ; that in performing any duty they deemed neces- 
 say, I, poor in funds and property, as I am, asked no pay 
 whatever from the United States Government, whose humble 
 and obedient servant I will remain while life lasts. 
 
 The feelings manifested by our soldiers against southern 
 people in Richmond and Petersburg, Va., on receipt of the 
 news of President Lincoln's assassination has beenj^somewhat 
 allayed, as they proved themselves innocent of any complicity 
 in this horrid deed. In conseciuonce of which the soldiers 
 fraternize better than at first with the citizens. Koger A. 
 Prior stated in Petersburg that " he believed Mr. Lincoln ii.- 
 dispensible to the restoration of peace, and regretted the death 
 
186 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 more than any military mishap of the South." He and the 
 Mayor placed themseves at the head of a movement for a town 
 meeting to " deplore the loss on both private and public 
 grounds." Both Petersburg and Richmond are draped in 
 mourning. 
 
 - The only death of occupants of the Presidental Chair prior 
 ■to the great tradegy of Good Friday, 1865, were those of Wil- 
 
 - liam H. Harrison, who died a month after being sworn into 
 ■ office, and was succeeded by John Tyler; and Zachary Taylor, 
 
 who died one year and five months after his inauguration, and 
 was succeeded by Millard Fillmore. 
 
 The exodus of the rebellion leaders from Richmond, and the 
 
 J introduction of greenbacks, brought down eggs from twenty- 
 
 ' five dollars to thirty cents per dozen, and other things in like 
 
 proportion. The change of base on the part of the confederate 
 
 government, gave the southern people something on which to 
 
 change their base. 
 
 April 25. — Our capture of rebel artillery since December 
 1st, 1864, is as follows: :' ■■ •/ 
 
 Capture by General Thomas from Hood on his Nashville 
 campaign, 72 ; General Sherman at Savannah, 160 ; General 
 Terry, General Schofield and Admiral Porter from Fort Fisher 
 to Wilmington, inclusive, 180 ; General Gilmore at Charleston 
 from General Sherman's fl^ank movement, 450 ; Sherman en 
 route through South and North Carolina, 85; Sheridan in the 
 Charlotteville raid, 17 ; General Grant around Petersburg, 75 ; 
 around and in Richmond, 500 ; Canby at Mobile, Ala., 75 ; 
 Stoneman at Salisbury, 19; Wilson at Selman, 22; grand total, 
 1,665. ' 
 
 It is very evident that in these days of danger to the arro- 
 gant leaders of the South, (men who deserve no leniency from 
 the United States Government,) Lee, Beauregard and Hardee, 
 have little regard for their wives. Each of these gentlemea 
 proclaimed in speeches published by the press that '• no lady 
 would be safe if the Yankees got possession of their 'sunny 
 clime of beauty.'" Notwithstanding all this grand palaver 
 
 - Beauregard lelt hie sweet one in New Orleans when General 
 Butler took possession of that city; Hardee left his better half 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 187 
 
 in Savannah General Sherman occupied it, and General Lee 
 followed suit when General Grant's forces captured that pala- 
 tial abode of confederate chivalry. 
 
 Secretary Stanton has promulgated General Canby's official 
 report of the occupation of Mobile and the capture of prisoners, 
 guns, ammunition, and cotton dated April 21st, 1S(j5. 
 
 Nearly all of Mosby's command (guerrillas and bushwhack- 
 ers,) have surrendered to General Hancock, who commands 
 the Veteran Reserve Corps. 
 
 Reliable information is received of the rapid decrease of 
 •Johnson's force by desertion. The majority of those who cjuit 
 the rebel service so summarily, go to their homes, especially 
 those from North Carolina and Virginia, who have not a great 
 distance to travel.^ If they would only -stand and fight against 
 General Sherman and his force, the General's occupation would 
 soon be gone. 
 
 " Mack" says : '• 'Sherman's bummers' have received full 
 justice at the hands of the historians of the late campaign 
 through the Carolinas." 
 
 As good a Avriter and truthful a gentleman as " Mack" is 
 known to be, speaks plainly and awards them the merit they 
 deserve : 
 
 "Thoy have generally been spoken of as having rendered 
 more service to themselves than to the army — as having been 
 actuated solely by a desire to '^plunder, in all their operations. 
 Whatever may have been their object on starting out in the 
 morning, they frequently proved themselves of great value to 
 the cause before they went into camp at night, and the confes- 
 sions of many an officer of rank go to prove that the army 
 would have gone to bed hungry a great many times but for 
 these identical men, to whom rather a contemptuous name has 
 been applied. 
 
 " The title of ' bummers' was given at a very early stage of 
 the late campaign to such men as were in the habit of foraging 
 on their own account, independent of the regular details made 
 for foraging on every day's march. They generally lagged be- 
 hind in the camps, until their commands got started on the 
 road, when they would go off to the right and le/t, taking by- 
 
188 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEB. 
 
 ways and cow paths, and leaving the main road to the main 
 array. They generally managed to 'concentrate' before going 
 very far, and by the time all the 'detachments' were up, there 
 was frequently a very respectable regiment of them. 
 
 " Their first object was to get transportation for their plunder, 
 and the first half dozen farm houses they passed were laid under 
 contribution for rolling stock and motive power. Not disposed 
 to stand on ceremony in such matters, they would willingly 
 compromise on a buggy or four horse carriage if no draught 
 wagon was at hand ; and would accept of oxen if more lieet- 
 footed animals were not attainable. ' They generally managed 
 to load their vehicles in a very short time, with a miscellaneous 
 cargo of looking glasses, silver spoons, china cups, live pigs 
 and chickens, bacon, .corn, butter, eggs, hams, pickled beef, 
 and fruit. 
 
 " It must be admitted that they seldom stopped at legitimate 
 'forage' for man and beast, and often appropriated what they 
 could not use and did not want. 
 
 "On several occasions the ' bummers' found grist mills on 
 their route, aftd ran them for a whole day, making cornmeal 
 and flour, for want of which the army would otherwise have 
 suffered. It was not uncommon for a divison commander to 
 receive an 'official dispatch' from a ' bummer' to the effect that 
 if he would send wagons to sucli and such a mill, he would 
 receive so many hundred weight of cornmeal or flour, and this, 
 too, at a time when prospects of a dearth of the article so 
 generously proffered were looming up entirely too close for 
 comfort. 
 
 "The 'bummers' utterly refuted, by their conduct, the oft 
 repeated maxim that soldiers who steal won't fight. Very often 
 after wandering fifteen or twenty miles from the main column, 
 they foiind themselves confronted by a rebel force more than 
 their equals in numerical strength. Instead of beating a hasty 
 retreat, as it is commonly supposed such men would do under 
 such circumstances, they would immediately choose one of the 
 number as their commander, and 'go for the Johnnies' to the 
 best of their abilities. If unable to defeat them they would 
 erect rude fortifications of rails and logs, and behind these hold 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEH. ISO 
 
 the enemy in check until they were reinforced by General 
 Sherman. 
 
 " Not a few of the towns along the march were captnredby 
 the 'bummers,' and formally surrendered to .them. On one 
 occasion General Howard actually received a dispatch from the 
 ' bummers' stating that they had captured a town and request- 
 ing that a division be sent to occupy it, that they (the bummers) 
 might pass on ! Rather cool, to be sure, for the ' bummers' to 
 call for a division to take the place of a few hundred scallywags 
 like themselves, in order that they might go on conquering and 
 to conquer. 
 
 " The ' bummers' proved themselves more valuable in finding 
 out the strength and position of the enemy than an}' scouts or 
 cavalry ever used for that purpose. They covered both flanks 
 of the army, sometimes for a distance of twenty-five miles, and, 
 between what they found out from actual observation and what 
 they learned from citizens, very few facts connected with the 
 strength or position of the enemy could possibly escape their 
 knowledge. 
 
 The results of ' bumming' are apparent in every company, 
 regiment, brigade, division, and corps in the army. I was im- 
 pressed with this fact in a visit to some of the boys in their 
 improved dwellings behind the fortifications. At one comfort- 
 able little shantv, occupied by ten or twelve privates, I asked 
 for a drink of water, and the aqueous fluid was poured from a 
 silver pitcher into as fine a wine goblet as ever we need wish 
 to use, and which, a few weeks since, was considered good 
 enough to grace the lips of South Carolina aristocrats. In an- 
 other I found a corporal scanning the pages of 'Shakespeare's 
 Heroines,' a costly volume, full of beautiful portraits of the 
 eminent 'female characters of English drama. Pie did n't quite 
 like the appearance of Cleopatra, and was, as he thought, im- 
 proving it by the addition of a moustache from a lead pencil. 
 There is scarcely a regiment m the whole army that has not 
 horses and buggies, and most of the division and corps head- 
 quarters sport barouches and carriages fine enough to elicit 
 admiration in front of A. T. Stewart's, on "Broadway. As for 
 fine saddle horses, the colonel or general who rides an animal 
 
190 : HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 without a historical pedigree, and a name intimately connected 
 with southern race courses, must be regarded as unpopular, and 
 uijder the bann of the bummers, who would scorn to see one 
 of their favorites on a common steed. General Blair rides a 
 horse that has carried off the premium at half a dozen trotting 
 matches, and so of nearly every other commanding officer here. 
 A people less disloyal than the citizens of Goklsboro would 
 have prepared a race track for the accommodation of the army 
 before its arrival here." 
 
 This statement of "Mack" is true in every sense of the word. 
 There were as brave men in this consolidation of so-called 
 " bummers" as could generally be found in any other body of 
 men. I myself am aware that they were called " bummers" 
 by a certain officer who was unpopular with the regiment he 
 commanded, and so far as I know remains so to this day. 
 
 April 26. — A party in pursuit of the assassin Booth, and his 
 accomplices, arrived at the house of Dr. Mudd, on the 18th of 
 this mouth, and asked if any strangers had been there, and he 
 said no. He denied that two men had been there, one with a 
 broken leg. Was informed of the assassination in church, on 
 Sunday morning, and appeared uneasy. lie was arrested on 
 the 21st, when a boot marked "J. Wilkes Bootli" was found in 
 his house. Mrs. Mudd said that the doctor had set the leg of 
 its owner at 1 P. M. Dr. Mudd said they came on horseback. 
 Mrs. Mudd said they left on foot. 
 
 Jett and two other southerners met Harold and Booth in a 
 wagon, near Fauquier, when Harold, thinking they were raising 
 a command to go south, said : 
 
 " I would like to go with you. We are the assassins of the 
 President." 
 
 These men were shocked to hear this plain confession, yet 
 one of them. Lieutenant Ruggles, allowed Booth to ride his 
 horse. Booth said he wanted to pass under the name of Boyd. 
 They then all went to the house of Mr. Garrett, where Booth 
 was left. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Conger, Lieutenants Baker and Dougherty 
 with a squad of cavalry in pursuit of the assassins, met Jett 
 at a hotel, in Bowling Green, and arrested him, as they heard 
 
HrjMOEOUS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEER. 191 
 
 lie liackcrossed the river -with Booth, which he confessed. lie 
 said : 
 
 " I can show you where they are now. They are at Garrett's 
 house." 
 
 Garrett's house, three miles from Port Royal, was surrounded/" 
 and Lieutenant Baker ordered a light struck in the house, and 
 asked Mr. Garrett where the men were who had stopped at his 
 house. 
 
 "They have gone in the woods," he answered. 
 
 ""^hereabouts in the woods? - I want no stories. Tell me 
 where they are." 
 
 ^Garrett commenced to repeat the same tale, when Lieutenant 
 Baker.,ordered one of the men to bring him a lariat, threatening 
 to hang Garrett to a tree, when one of his sons said they were 
 in the barn. The barn was surrounded and men were heard 
 talking inside of it. Lieutenant Baker ordered them to sur- 
 render or the barn would be fired in 'five minutes. Booth 
 wanted to know who they were. Lieutenant Colonel Conger 
 told Baker not to let him know, as Booth might take them for 
 rebels, and they, would take advantage of it,, , Lieutenant Baker 
 said: -, , ., _. , ! . ;>^fji "> 
 
 " It makes no difference who we are. You had better come 
 out." 
 
 " Here is a man who had nothing to do with it," Booth said, ■ 
 and Harold came out. 
 
 Booth not obeying orders used every endeavor to kill as 
 many of the party as he possibly could, and would have suc- 
 ceeded in taking one or two lives had not Sergeant Boston 
 Corbett through a crack in the barn taken aim at Booth, and 
 shot him through the head. The assassin only lived a few 
 minutes after in the agonies of death, when he ought to have 
 suilered days or weeks ere he sank to the fiery abode Satan is 
 ruler of. 
 
 Ajon7 26.— This noticable day General Joe Sohnson, of con- 
 federate notoriety, discovered the uselessness of prolonging this 
 nearly extinguished civil warfare, against Major General Sher- 
 man, and surrendered to his "Union army with all the con- 
 federates in his, Johnson's, department. 
 
192 HUMOROUS ADVENT*UBi§ OF A f OtUNlTEEE. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fact that Bragg, Hardee, Rhoddy,'Lyons, 
 Forrest, and other rebel leaders had joined Johnston in North 
 Carolina, yet he been badly beaten five miles from Fayette- 
 ville by Kilpatrick and two divisions under General Slocum at 
 Moore's Cross Roads, where they held a strong position between 
 Cape Fear and Black rivers; and Averysborough, Goldboro, 
 Bentonville, South Edisto, Columbia, Raleigh, Charleston, Sal- 
 kehatchie, Selma, and dozens of other places, he held on until 
 he saw it was useless to contend any farther against Western 
 soldies, who could whip his forces even were they thret' to 
 th6ir one in numerical strength, and so he surrendered. 
 
 Jeff Davis was with Johnson previous to this, but just before 
 it happened, he secretly left his quarters, and with the princi- 
 pals of the secesh government skedaddled. 
 
 "Ye Southern heroes wake to glory, 
 Hark, hark, Jeff Davis bids you rise; 
 Your dames and grfi«d dames hoary. 
 Behold their petty-coat-ed sighs," &c., &c. 
 
 General Sherman's military skill, combined with his accu- 
 racy of detailed movements and knowledge of forthcoming 
 events, w^ould almost lead one to believe him a real military 
 prophet. To show a portion of his accuracy : On the day be- 
 fore Sherman moved from Dalton, upon his march through 
 Georgia, a member of his staff at headquarters wrote to a 
 friend : 
 
 " We go to-morrow. You will hear of us on the coast at 
 Christmas." 
 
 He ate his Christmas dinner at Savannah, Georgia. On the 
 31st of January, 1865, the same officer wrote to his friend once 
 more :. 
 
 " You will hear of us in three weeks on the coast of North 
 Carolina." 
 
 On the 22d of February Wilmington was evacuated by the 
 rebels, and Sherman's base was established on the coast of 
 Carolina. 
 
 In consequence of these national successes the newspapers 
 at Richmond represented them all as "blessings in disguise ; " 
 and a fortunate event for the rebellion. Granting this, how 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER, 193 
 
 could the secesli obtain their full supplies of arms as hereto- 
 fore ? How dispose of cotton from the land where "cotton is 
 king?" How pay their internal revenue? But enough it is 
 to say, as a gentleman did, not long since : 
 
 " It is not the sword alone that ends every war; it is the 
 sense of the power of the sword. That consciousness conquers 
 the mind and then the mere muscle relaxes." 
 
 The glorious progress of Sherman led the rebel papers to 
 assert that the states through which he passed were abandoned 
 to women and children, therefore Sherman's progress was un- 
 opposed. Discrepancy betrays falsehood. Johnston, Rhoddy, 
 Beauregard, Hardee, Hampton, Lyons, Forrest, and several 
 other rebel leaders, with seemingly ample forces to contest tlie 
 advance movements of General Sherman, and having a full 
 knowledge of the topography of the then war path, failed to 
 impede the progress of General Sherman's braves, and no 
 wonder these foxes fled when they found a lion in their chosen 
 path. 
 
 * 
 
 CAPTURE OF JEFF. DAVIS. 
 
 A brief dispatch from General Wilson, commander of the 
 Union cavalry in Georgia, dated May 10, announces the capture 
 of Jeff. Davis, with all his private and military family, includ- 
 ing Postmaster General Keagan, that day. Other confirmatory 
 dispatches followed, among which was the following, giving 
 details : 
 
 Macon, Georgia, May 13—9:30 A. M. 
 Honorable E. 31. Stanton, Secretary of War : 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Hardin, commanding the 1st Wisconsin 
 cavah-y, has just arrived from Irwinsville. He struck the trail 
 of Davis at Dublin, Lawrence county, on the evening of the 
 7th, and followed him closely, night and day, tlirougli tlie pine 
 wilderness of Alligator creek and Green swamp, via Cumber- 
 land, to Irwinsville. At Cumberlandsvillc Colonel Harding 
 met Colonel Pritchard with one hundred and fifty picked men 
 of the 4th Michigan cavalry. Hardin followed the trail directly 
 south, while Pritchard, having fresh liorscs, pushed down the 
 Ocmulgce towards Plopewell, and thence, by House creek, to 
 13 
 
104 HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A YOLUNTEEE. 
 
 Irwinsville, arriving there at midnight on the 9th. Davis had 
 not arrived. 
 
 From a citizen Pritchard learned that the fugitives were 
 camped two miles oat of the town. lie made disposition of 
 his men, and surrounded the camp of the rebel chief before 
 day. 
 
 Hardin had camped, at 9 P. M., within two miles, as he after- 
 ward learned, of Davis and his party. The trail being too in- 
 distinct to follow he pushed on at 3 o'clock, and went but little 
 more than a mile when his advance was fired on by the 4ih 
 Michigan. 
 
 A fight ensued, both parties exhibiting the greatest determ- 
 ination. Fifteen minutes elapsed before the mistake was dis- 
 covered. The firing in the skirmish was the first warning Jefi". 
 Davis received. The captors report that he hastily put on one 
 of his wife's dresses and started for the woods closely followed 
 by our men, who at first thought him a woman, but seeing his 
 boots while he was running, they immediately suspected his 
 sex. 
 
 The race was a short one, and the rebel President was soon 
 brought to bay. He brandished a bowie knife, and showed 
 signs of battle, but yielded promptly to the persuasion of Colt's 
 revolvers, evidently preferring not to compel the men to use 
 them. 
 
 He expressed great indignation at the energy with which he 
 was pursued,. saying that he had thought our government more 
 magnanimous than to hunt down women and children. Mrs. 
 Davis remarked to Colonel Hardin, after the excitement was 
 over, that the men had better not provoke the President, as he 
 might hurt somebody. 
 
 Reagan conducted himself with a great deal of dignity and 
 resignation. 
 
 Tiie party was evidently making for the coast. 
 
 J. H. WHSON, 
 Brevet Major General. 
 
 The history of the world does not record an instance where 
 a rebellion of such gigantic proportions, undertaken under 
 
HUMOKOUS ADVENTUKES OF A VOLUNTEER. 105 
 
 circumstances so favoraljle, witli snch high promise of success 
 by vigorous prosecution, with such lofty pretensions to exclu- 
 sive military skill of the chivalric order, that so infjloriouBly 
 ended as this great southern insurrection. The last act of this 
 drama reduces it to an insignilicant farce. Jeff. Davis, M'hose 
 boastings have obtained a world-wide renown, and who, eyery 
 one thought, would, in any emergenc}', assert the dignity and 
 vindicate the chivalric claims of tiie South, when overtaken in 
 his flight, literally "melted down in his boots," and endeavored 
 to skulk away in petticoats. An act so cowardly has lowered 
 him in the estimation of every honorable man so much that 
 few, if any, can be fonnd who will speak of him otherwise than 
 as one beneath contempt. Now, even his foreign aiders and 
 abettors will scorn him, and there will be found none in this 
 whole world so poor as to do reverence to this boasting, 
 blustering coward. 
 
 He stands forth, a beacon light to warn others of the folly of 
 crime, even though the chief actor be, for a time, clothed with 
 power, lords it over his fellow men, and lives sumptuously every 
 day. Had he loved his country' as a United States senator and 
 secretary of war should always do ; had he revered the noble 
 constitution which gave him a name witli half the ardor with 
 which he sought to trample it in the dust, he would now stand 
 as one of the first men in the land. He commenced a glorious 
 career which an unholy ambition has brought to an inglorious 
 termination. 
 
 JeffeVson Davis was chosen Provisional President of the 
 Confederate States February 4, ISGl^ and re-elected in 18G2 for 
 the term of six years, not much more than one-half of which 
 time he had the power to act. He has been the marplot of 
 almost every one of the rebel campaigns, and has done more 
 by his obstinacy, envy, jealousy, and malice to destroy the unity 
 and effectiveness of his government and its armies than any 
 other of its leaders. 
 
 If the Confederacy had possessed a leader less obstinate in 
 the pursuit of bad plans, less envious of the fame of his sub- 
 ordinates, and less quarrelsome generally, it might have existed 
 for a short time longer. 
 
196 HUMOKOUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 The first wife of the arch traitor was the daughter of Zaehary 
 Taylor. His present wife is Verina Howell, daughter of Gen- 
 eral Howell, of New Jersej^ She is still a young woman with 
 a family of four children. 
 
 Major General Wilson was born in Illinois in 1840, entered 
 West Point as cadet in 1856, graduated fifth in his class June 
 oO, 1860, and was appointed brevet second lieutenant topograph- 
 ical engineers, and made first lieutenant of his corps in Sep- 
 tember of the following year ; conducted reconnoisances up 
 Savannah river, and discovered a passage for gunboats drawing 
 ten feet, clear of the guns of Fort Pulaski. November 2, 1862, 
 was appointed inspector general, and ordered to report to Gen- 
 eral Grant, by whom he was assigned to General McPhersou 
 as chief ofstafi". Showed skill before Vicksburg and Chatta- 
 nooga to such an extent that he was nominated brigadier gen- 
 eral of volunteers, to date from October 30, 1863, upon the 
 recommendation of Lieutenant General Grant. 
 
 Served under General Sheridan in command of a cavalry 
 corps, operating in the vicinity of Pichmond aud Petersburg, 
 and was promoted to major general for distinguished services, 
 to date from October 5, 1864:. Shortly afterward he was trans- 
 ferred to the army of the Cumberland, and was placed in com- 
 mand of the cavalry corps. His gallant services at the battle 
 of Nashville, and in the routing of Hood's army, will be long 
 remembered. Routing Phoddy, Forrest, Lyon, and Chalmers, 
 with their combined forces, capturing Selma and Montgomery, 
 Alabama, sweeping across Georgia until he reached Savannah, 
 all these things will also be remembered by every one knowing- 
 it was a portion of his cavalry corps which had the honor of 
 putting a climax to the downfall of the rebellion, by capturing 
 its prime mover and leader. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel B. J. Pritchard, commanding the 4th 
 Michigan cavaby, has the glory of this crowning act. It is 
 unnecessary to repeat here the series of skillful and quickly 
 executed movements, under the immediate control of Colonel 
 Pritchard, which resulted in Davis's capture. It is hoped this 
 satifactory success is but the forerunner of a more definite ter- 
 mination of the rebel ex-Presideut's career. 
 
HUMOEO S ADVENTURES OF A TOLU .i-ER. 197 
 
 In contradiction to all tlicse trnths, an Englisli paper, (the 
 London Standard, nsually called "Sairy Gamp," by Punch,) 
 lat«]y had an article on the rebellion and Jeff. Davis that was 
 quite refreshing. We learn from this that ''the civil war is not 
 yet over ;" that "the southerners continue defiant ;" that 'Hlie 
 male southerners with blood in their eyes, disdain to take the 
 oath of allegiance ;" that "the North is already exhausted and 
 unable to continue the war with the Texas rebels;" and that 
 "as soon as the military forces are withdrawn the independent 
 State governments will spring up, elastic and defiant." There 
 is much more to the same effect, and the good Mrs. Gamp re- 
 joices at the "disagreeable surprise" its "announcements" will 
 cause among " Federal sympathizers." 
 
 The Standard then turns to Mr. Jefferson Davis, and draws 
 a glowing picture of the petticoat traitor, in the course of which 
 it says : 
 
 " President Davis, we are happy to say, has not yet fallen 
 into the hands of the sleuth hounds who have been set npon 
 his track. If the worst should befall him, and his escape be 
 found impossible, it i>s supposed that he will die fighting, rather 
 than»fall into their hands. Such a death of such a man would 
 enlist the sympathy of all Europe in the cause of a suffering 
 people ; but his life and leadership would be preferred by that 
 people to his martyrdom. The spectacle of this heroic leader 
 at bay, with his two tliousand followers among the myriads of 
 the North, disdaining, while living, to surrender the cause for 
 which he has struggled during those terrible four years, is of 
 such absorbing interest to the whole civilized world, that all 
 political topics pale into insignificance beside it, and the atten- 
 tion of mankind is fascinated by it in a long drawn agony of 
 mingled hopes and fears." 
 
 One can imagine the mortification t>f the Standard when the 
 pittiable condition of the chief, "disdaining to surrender," is 
 contrasted with its highly wrought fancies. 
 
 The London Times, another sccesh sympathizing sheet, is m 
 the same predicament with the Standard, in regard to mortili- 
 cation. 
 
 Just before the fall of Charleston, South Carolina, an English 
 
188 HUM0E0U8 ADVENTUEES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 correspondent of the Times, writing to London of the condition 
 of afiairs, described in glowing colors the real state of the 
 public mind. 
 
 " There is," said he, "croaking and dismay, decrepitude and 
 infirmity of purpose and irresolution. Many of the original 
 secessionists — the fire-eaters of the New York Tribune — who 
 once mocked at Old A^irginia because she was so slow to tread 
 the thorny path to which South Carolina lured heron, but who, 
 now faint by the way, prattle of 'the best terms that can be ob- 
 tained of a magnanimous foe;' while by some lips the ominous 
 and once called traitorous word, 'reconstruction,' is audibly 
 pronounced." 
 
 On the heels of this our troops entered the city. They found 
 a curious confirmation. The result was a feeling in favor of 
 peace at any price. 
 
 May 20, 18G5.— Payne, Harold, Atzeroth, Mrs. Surratt, Dr. 
 Mudd, Arnold, O'Laughlin, and Spangler, with others of the 
 murderous crew who assassinated our noble President and at- 
 tempted to kill the secretary of state, are on trial, and will meet 
 the fate due all villains who were engaged in this cold blooded 
 atrocity. 
 
 Jeff. Davis is safe and secure in Fortress Monroe, where he, 
 too, will, sooner or later, meet the fate he so richly deserves — • 
 hnprisonment or transportation for life. 
 
 Alexander 11. Stephens, Confederate ex-Vice President, is 
 in a similar "fix," but as he is not one-third part as guilty as 
 Jeff., it is hoped he will not suffer so lengthy an imprisonment 
 as his leader, nor be held in the worthy contempt of every 
 honorable minded Union man, as said Jeff. Davis ever ought 
 to be while he lives. To Stephens's credit, be it said, he was 
 captured honorably, at his own home, in manly attire, and feels 
 that Kirby Smith, Wigfall, Flournoy, Marmadukc, Magruder, 
 Shelby, Ilindman, and others of sccesh notoriety, at present in 
 Mexico, are not in as safe a condition, or as secure an one, as 
 himself this day, even in his prison. Why should they feel so ? 
 Are not many of them Neroitcs Avho often assisted in the cold 
 bleoded murders of captured Union soldiers, and drained our 
 noble nation of some of its best blood. Let such tyrants per- 
 
HUMOROUS ADVENTUEE3 OF A VOLUNTEEE. 190 
 
 isli, as all such inhuman beasts should, in a foreign land where 
 no freedom exists. Look out, Maximilian ! We want no new 
 majesties in our republican land, for, thanks to our great Cre- 
 ator, peace and Union now joins the goddess of liberty, and 
 freely illustrates Yankee character on both sides of Mason and 
 Dixon's line. 
 
 We have fought "many good fights," and won the largest 
 number of victories of any nation on this broad earth. The 
 dews of heaven are hardly more plentiful, and wet the soil of 
 our land from the northern lakes to the southern gulf, from 
 ocean to ocean, with scarcely more verdure than the dews of 
 blood drained from the veins of our best beloved. Thousands 
 of little mounds mark where they lie, and thousands of unknown 
 graves tell the story of their valor and noble sacrifice to their 
 country. "All point, like loadstones to the polar star, to the 
 nation's progress." 
 
 July 7, 1865. — Yesterday the accomplices of Booth, namely, 
 Payne alias Powell, Harold, Atzeroth, and Mrs. Surratt, paid 
 the penalty of their deeds in being executed by hanging at 
 Washington, District of Columbia, while Arnold, Spangler, 
 O'Laughlin, and, last but not least, Dr. Mudd, were sent to the 
 Dry Tortugas to spend, as they well deserve, a portion of their 
 lives, as accomplices not so deep in crime as the former, yet 
 fully deserving the penalties inflicted upon them. 
 
 Mrs. Surratt may not have beea as guilty as is supposed by 
 some, but the evidence being so conclusive against her, by re- 
 liable witnesses, it was out of the power of tlie military com- 
 mission which tried and sentenced her, to do otherwise. If she 
 was innocent, as Payne declared before his death, may she rest 
 in peace. 
 
 July 31. — The 9th Ohio volunteer cavalry having been or- 
 dered to disband, were mustered out of service at Lexington, 
 North Carolina, July 20, 18G5, and arrived at Columbus, Ohio, 
 where they were to be paid off j^esterday. 
 
 Let the United States ever Xeel proud of such military gen- 
 iouses as General U. S. Grant, General W.T. Slierman, General 
 Philip Sheridan, General Thomas, General Kilpatrick, General 
 Rousseau, General Wilson, General Rosecranse, Generals Pope, 
 
200 
 
 HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF A VOLUNTEEE. 
 
 McPherson, Lew. Wallace^ McCook, Stoneman, Cox, Dodge 
 Schofield, Meade, Terry, Canbj, Logan, and Steadman. 
 
 Add to them the government functionaries who have ably, 
 honorably, and successfully used their best exertions to close 
 the great rebellion, and my humble work is ended : President 
 Abraham Lincoln, President Andrew Johnson, Secretary W. H. 
 Seward, Judge Chase, and. several other liigh minded public 
 se^-vants not named here. 
 
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