CIVIL WAR EXPERIENCES, 1862-1865

CIVIL WAR EXPERIENCES


Enlisted in Capt. John Allen's company June 7th, 1862. Went on board the
steamer "Jennie Whipple" at Dallas City, Sunday morning, June 15th, and
with company went down the Mississippi to Quincy, Ill., place of
rendezvous. On the way an incident occurred which I cannot pass without
mention. When we passed Alexandria, Mo., the river shore was lined with
people and to our ears came the shout, "Hurrah for Jeff Davis!" and to
add to the insult they waved the black flag in our faces, (which
interpreted meant no quarter to Yankees). Passing on down the river the
next town was Canton, where the same greeting was given us, all of which
made us very indignant to think so near home we should be insulted in
such a manner. I have never had a very favorable opinion of those two
towns since, and while I hope there is more loyalty and patriotism now
than then, I feel that their forefathers put a blot on their little
cities that will never be erased.

* * * * *

At Camp Wood on the 1st day of September, was mustered into the U. S.
service, together with nine other companies, forming the 78th Ill. Vol.
Inf. (In casting lots for position in line my company drew the letter
"H" which placed us on the left of the colors, and Company "C" on the
right.) On the 19th day of September we were put on coal cars with
boards laid across for seats, no cover over our heads; on arrival at
destination were put on provost duty for a few days, until Gen. Buell
was equipped for his campaign against Gen. Bragg. October 5th my
regiment was marched to Shepardsville, Ky., and on the 14th was divided
into detachments under Gen. Gilbert to guard railroad bridges on the
Louisville and Nashville railroad. December 26th the guerrilla John
Morgan, captured Companies B and C at Muldrose Hill, two and one-half
miles from Elizabethtown, Ky., and they were paroled. On the same raid
on the morning of Dec. 30th, Morgan attacked Co. H at New Haven, Ky.,
and was driven away without accomplishing his purpose. About the last of
January, 1863, the companies were collected at Louisville and embarked
on the steamer "John H. Grosbeck" for Nashville via the Ohio and
Cumberland rivers, arriving at Fort Donelson February 3, 1863, in time
to relieve the 83rd Ill., which was surrounded by a superior force of
Forest's and Wheeler's cavalry. The enemy retired on our approach and we
passed on to Nashville, Tenn., where the regiment disembarked. The
regiment was in the command of Brigadier Gen. C. C. Gilbert of the Army
of Kentucky, under Major General Gordon Granger, reserve corps
commander.

* * * * *

During our stay in Kentucky there were many social features with the
citizens that made our stay among them quite pleasant, one of which is
worthy of mention. As a few of us wished to avail ourselves of an
opportunity to attend a dance to be given by a planter by the name of
Sphink, who sent in to our lines an invitation for about a half a dozen
to come out on a certain night. Of course we were crazy to go, but how
were we to get outside the lines. We decided to ask the officers for a
pass, but this failed. Our officers claimed this was a plan made up to
get a lot of us out there and take us prisoners, as a lot of Morgan's
men were in that vicinity at that time, and we decided it was all off.
But as the time came near for the event and there was less news of the
Rebel General Morgan's near proximity to us, a few of us Yanks' heels
began to tickle for a dance and a desire to have a chance at the roast
turkey that was promised for the occasion. So we made up our minds that
we would take our chances on getting by the pickets. In the mean time
there came a big snow storm, the heaviest, the natives said, that had
ever been known in Kentucky. It covered the earth to a depth of a little
more than two feet. The night for the party arrived, and not Johnnies,
snow, pickets, nor anything else would have stopped that gang. During
the day we located the guards on picket duty, quite a ways from the main
road, and planned to go as close to them as possible without attracting
their attention, then to drop on our hands and knees and crawl through
the snow to a safe distance on the outside, which we did, and arrived
safely at Mr. Sphink's. We had taken the precaution to take our side
arms with us, for we had seen service enough to be always on the alert
and trust nobody or allow them to get the drop on us.