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diff --git a/old/51552-8.txt b/old/51552-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d186b85..0000000 --- a/old/51552-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5713 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, War Stories for my Grandchildren, by John -Watson Foster - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: War Stories for my Grandchildren - - -Author: John Watson Foster - - - -Release Date: March 25, 2016 [eBook #51552] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN*** - - -E-text prepared by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 51552-h.htm or 51552-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51552/51552-h/51552-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51552/51552-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/warstoriesformyg00fost - - - - - -WAR STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN - - -[Illustration: Major John W. Foster, Mary Parke Foster] - - -WAR STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN - -by - -JOHN W. FOSTER - - -[Illustration: Emblem] - - - - - - - -Washington, D.C. -1918 -Printed for Private Circulation -The Riverside Press Cambridge - -Copyright, 1918, by John Foster Dulles -All Rights Reserved - - - - -PREFACE - - -As they were growing up, I was frequently importuned by my -grandchildren to tell them of my experiences in the Civil War for the -Union; and now as the great-grandchildren are coming on, their parents -are asking that these experiences be put in some permanent form, as -their children may never have the opportunity to hear the narrative -from me. I naturally shrink from giving general publicity to my -personal experiences, especially as the field has been already so fully -covered by comrades in arms; but I have consented to prepare such a -narrative on condition that its circulation be confined to the family -circles. - -In preparing the narrative I have not thought it wise to trust to -my memory of events which happened more than half a century ago; -and fortunately I have at hand my many letters written to my wife, -giving in detail my experiences during my entire service in the army, -and while they are in some respects too intimate and confidential -for general publicity, they have the merit of freedom from studied -preparation and constitute an account of events as they occurred. - -In this preparation I have indulged the hope that through it our -children of this and coming generations may be inspired by a greater -devotion to the American Union, for which their forefathers hazarded -their lives and endured the hardships of war. - - JOHN W. FOSTER - - - - -CONTENTS - - - I. INTRODUCTION 1 - II. THE MISSOURI CAMPAIGN 5 - III. THE BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON 37 - IV. THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 52 - V. ON TO CORINTH AND MEMPHIS 81 - VI. GUERRILLA WARFARE IN KENTUCKY 95 - VII. THE EAST TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN 119 - VIII. WITH THE HUNDRED DAYS MEN 161 - APPENDIX 179 - - - - -WAR STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN - - - - -I -INTRODUCTION - - -After the inauguration of President Lincoln, March 4, 1861, much -discussion followed in Washington and in the North, and plans were -proposed respecting peaceable adjustment of the troubles occasioned -by the secession of the Southern States from the Union. But the first -hostile gun fired at Fort Sumter and the National flag, on April 12, -put an end to all peace proposals, and solidified the North in favor -of restoring and preserving the Union by force of arms. As one of our -statesmen of that day expressed it, yesterday there had been difference -of opinion, to-day there was unity. - -When two days afterwards the President's call for seventy-five thousand -volunteers for three months' service was issued, my first impulse was -to respond to that call; but before any movement for enlistments could -be made in our locality the quota of Indiana was filled to overflowing. -I was content for several reasons to await the progress of events. - -I cherished no desire for military glory, and distrusted my special -fitness for the life of a soldier. In my college days I had contracted -a horror of war and regarded it as the most terrible and futile of -human follies. Shortly before my graduation I had delivered a public -address for my literary society on peace and war, using as its title -Charles Sumner's well-known oration--"The True Grandeur of Nations." I -regarded myself as a peace man. - -I had only recently entered upon the practice of my profession, and was -ambitious to make a reputation as a lawyer. But, most serious of all, I -had just established a modest home with a young wife and our first-born -babe of less than a year old. It would be a terrible strain upon my -affections and hopes to break these dearest of all ties for a life in -the military service. - -I, with the great body of the people of the North, entertained the hope -that the seventy-five thousand men, who constituted the army so quickly -formed, would prove sufficient for the reëstablisment of the Federal -Union. But the battle of Bull Run, July 21, dispelled that delusion, -and the President's call for three hundred thousand afterwards -increased to five hundred thousand volunteers for three years' service -indicated that a long and bloody war was in prospect. I resolved no -longer to delay my entrance into that service. - -Two days after that battle I wrote my wife as follows:-- - -"I intended to have written you a long letter last night in reply to -your good one received yesterday afternoon, but I had no heart to -write. The terrible and disastrous calamity to our army has made me -sick. A thousand times rather would I have given my life and left you -a widow and my darling child fatherless than that this defeat should -have happened. I think I shall go to Indianapolis to-morrow to urge my -immediate appointment in our new regiment. I want to help retrieve our -lost fortune. I have no fear of our ultimate triumph." - -When the President's second call for volunteers was issued, a movement -was at once set on foot to organize a regiment at Evansville, my home, -and the Governor of the State had intimated his intention to appoint -me major of this new regiment. On August 9 my appointment as major was -made. The next day I sent my wife's brother, Alexander, to Glendale, -near Cincinnati, where she was visiting her mother, to notify her of -the event and give her details of the situation. He bore her a letter -in which I wrote: "Zan [Alexander] will explain the cause of his -coming. I want to be with my wife as much as I can before I go, so you -must hurry home _as fast as you can_.... While you are a loving wife, -remember to be a _brave woman_ and your husband will love you the more." - -I had gone to Glendale some time before to talk over with my wife my -intention to enter the army, and she had given her consent; but when -the time came for me to take the final step she seemed to hesitate and -draw back. It was a terrible trial to contemplate, her solitary lot -with her little babe and I away in the army. In answer to her letter -I wrote: "You seem in your last letter to be about to withdraw your -consent to let me go. That was the special reason of my late visit to -Glendale, and I thought it was agreed. I have a very honorable and, to -me, very flattering position, and in some degree removed from danger; -and of course I shall, for the love I bear my wife and child, be as -careful of my life as my duty will permit. The President has called for -four hundred thousand men, and of that number it is my duty to be one. -I regard this as important a war as that of the Revolution, the issue -is the life and maintenance of the Government, and I would be ashamed -of myself, and my children should be ashamed of me in after years, if -I declined so honorable a position as that tendered me. Be of good -courage." - -In response to my call she came at once to Evansville, and soon entered -into the spirit of my work in organizing and outfitting the regiment, -and, as will be seen later in these pages, she remained to the close of -my service my faithful and devoted supporter. - - - - -II -THE MISSOURI CAMPAIGN - - -The organization at Evansville became the Twenty-fifth Indiana -Infantry Regiment of Volunteers. On August 22, thirteen days after its -official staff was appointed, the regiment was ordered to St. Louis, -Missouri. It was a notable farewell the citizens of Evansville and the -surrounding country gave the regiment on its departure. The deportment -of my wife I refer to in one of my first letters to her from St. Louis. -I copy it at some length because it reflects the sentiments of hundreds -of thousands of other soldiers:-- - -"I felt proud of you as my wife and loved you the more for the manner -in which you acted on the departure of our regiment from Evansville. -While I know that no wife loves her husband more than you do me, yet -you could let me go off, for how long you know not, to brave the -dangers of the battlefield, because I thought it my duty, without a -murmur or reproach or entreaty. And now that I am away, I hope you will -be the true woman still. You know that our separation is not harder -for you to bear, surrounded by home and all its comforts, your darling -child and dear mother, than it is for me deprived of all these. You -must be hopeful and cheerful. I am here because duty prompts me, and -you would be ashamed of me if I were not here. - -"I will try to do all I can to preserve my health and so far protect -myself from dangers as my duty and honor will permit. You must remember -that there are tens of thousands of wives who bear the same lot as you -do. It would make me very unhappy to know that you were disheartened -and lamenting my absence and exposure to danger; and, on the contrary, -it would lighten my trials to know that you were bearing it like a -brave, true-hearted woman. I know you are my devoted wife, and I know -you will act your part nobly." - -Our regiment was ordered to St. Louis because the State of Missouri -was in a critical condition and in danger of being swept onto the side -of the rebellion. St. Louis had been placed on the side of the Union -by the daring and promptness of Frank P. Blair and General Lyon, the -commander of the arsenal and barracks, in the seizure of the rebel Camp -Jackson, and dispersion of the State Guards stationed in the city. -But before our arrival the Union forces had met with a disastrous -repulse at Wilson Creek, and General Lyon killed, one of the most -promising of the Union generals. Soon after we reached St. Louis, the -Confederate General Price captured Lexington, took the entire Union -force prisoners, and was overrunning the greater portion of the State. -General Frémont had been assigned to the command of the Department, and -troops were being rushed forward to enable him to clear the State of -rebels. - -The Twenty-fifth Indiana remained at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, for -three weeks, while Frémont was organizing his army to drive General -Price and his forces out of the State. How we occupied our time is in -part shown by my letters. James C. Veatch, the colonel of our regiment, -was appointed largely because of the service he had rendered in the -campaign for the election of Lincoln, but it proved a good appointment. -The lieutenant-colonel, William H. Morgan, had seen some service with -the three months' volunteers and as a member of a military company had -acquired some knowledge of drill and tactics. He was the only person in -our regiment of 1047 officers and men who knew anything about military -affairs. - -After being in camp at Benton Barracks a few days, I wrote:-- - -"Our colonel is doing all he can for the comfort and convenience of -his men. Ever since we arrived, he has been stirring up headquarters -in our behalf. In a day or two he will have us paid off, which will be -decidedly acceptable; and is now bent on having us supplied with good -guns before we leave here, and though good guns are scarce here, he -thinks he will succeed. - -"Colonel Morgan is invaluable as a drill and camp officer. He devotes -three hours each day to the instruction of the officers, and two hours -to battalion drill, besides his other duties. He has the officers -recite to him daily from the Book of Tactics. Our regiment is under -excellent discipline and very orderly, and I am satisfied if they will -give us a few weeks to drill and good guns, that we will do honor to -the State and country." - -In the same letter to my wife, I wrote of myself:-- - -"Although the place of major may be one of ease, if an officer desires -he may keep himself busy and be quite useful in regulating the camp, -seeing that the officers and men do their duty, looking after the -wants of the men, assisting in battalion drill, etc. And I am the more -busy, because in addition I devote from two to five hours in study and -recitation of the tactics. I accepted the position in our regiment, not -as a sinecure, but because I thought my country needed my services, and -I have resolved to leave nothing undone that will fit me to discharge -my duties properly, and so prepare myself that if it should ever happen -that the lives of a thousand men should be placed in my keeping, I -might, as Dr. Daily would say, be competent for an emergency. So that -now the time does not hang heavily on my hands. Personally I am getting -along very well in camp." - -A few days later I report that the regiment has received its first -payment, and I make a remittance to my wife of $130 in gold. - -My father, then in his sixty-second year, was an ardent defender of the -Union, and took great interest in the organization of our regiment, to -which he contributed two of his sons, my brother, next to me in age, -being the quartermaster of our regiment. He had ordered to be made the -flags of the regiment, and as they were not finished before it left -Evansville, they were presented at Benton Barracks, of which I give the -following account to my wife:-- - -"We had the ceremony of the Flags' Presentation yesterday at dress -parade. Colonel Veatch read father's letter and made some very -appropriate remarks, and the thanks of the regiment were unanimously -tendered to him for his appropriate and valuable gift. The National -flag is very fine, but I think the regimental flag is the best and most -elegant I ever saw. There is no regiment from Indiana and I think none -in the West that has as fine a stand of colors as ours. The men are -very proud of them." - -The following extract describes a treat at Benton Barracks, the like -of which we had more than once during the year, as we were on or near -the Mississippi, Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers within easy reach of -Evansville:-- - -"Your box of good things came on Sunday and was opened immediately. -That evening we had what your Cincinnati cousin would call 'a sumptous -tea.' William, our cook, got out all his dishes and I furnished him -with a new tablecloth and he got up a table in fine style with your -dainties, with the aid of the bouquets and fruits our kind neighbors -here had sent. Not only Aleck and I, but all our _mess_ have enjoyed -your treat very highly." - -One of the matters that troubled me about giving up my affairs at -Evansville was the continued maintenance of a large Mission Sunday -School which I had organized and kept up in a flourishing way for some -years. I did not get encouraging news as to its condition, and I wrote -my wife about an efficient superintendent:-- - -"I hardly know whom you can get in my place. There are very few men who -will take the trouble and have the patience and perseverance to keep -the school up through the hot summer and cold winter successfully as -I have done for four years. But it ought not to go down." - -The school was maintained for some time, but it was discontinued long -before the war closed. - -Some of the embarrassments attending my new and untried duties are -described in the following letter:-- - -"I was detailed to-day as field officer of the brigade, and have been -kept busy all day, in the saddle almost continuously from 8 A.M. to -5 P.M., and am tired enough. I went over this morning and reported -myself to the general for duty, and the first thing he said was that -the adjutant-general was away and I would have to mount the brigade -guard. As I had never even mounted a regimental guard, you may be sure -it rather stumped me, but like a soldier I did my best, and in the -presence of the general, the officer of the day, and other officers I -performed the duty and passed the guard in review satisfactorily." - -After three weeks of instruction and comfort at Benton Barracks we -received orders to go to the front, and fearing my wife might be -disturbed by the movement, I wrote her a consolatory letter:-- - -"We have orders to leave to-morrow for Jefferson City. Of course we -are in great hurry and have very little time to write letters, even to -dear and loving ones at home. We left our homes to fight our country's -battles, and naturally we are glad to see a prospect of that kind of -work before us. You must not be unduly solicitous or alarmed. You may -hear reports of the Twenty-fifth being entirely cut to pieces or all -prisoners, even before we are in sight of our enemy. Don't place any -confidence in vague rumors. If anything serious takes place, Aleck or I -will send early word home, or some of our friends will for us, and if -you do not hear, you may be certain we are busy or out of telegraphic -or mail communication, and you need not think we are dead or prisoners. -Be a true, brave woman. Act worthy of a soldier's wife, and put your -trust in God, remembering that He does all things well." - -The trip to Jefferson City was one of many railroad rides the regiment -had, all more or less uncomfortable. I wrote, September 16:-- - -"I have only time to write you a pencil note at the dépôt. We arrived -here safely yesterday at noon, but tired and in bad condition. As -we began our march from Benton Barracks a hard rain set in and so -continued half the day. Reached the dépôt at 3 P.M., but did not get -off till 10 P.M., in crowded cars, little sleep, rain all night, with -leaky cars. It took us fifteen hours to run to this place, one hundred -and twenty-five miles. Just as we reached our camp it commenced to rain -in torrents again and so continued nearly all night. We got the tents -out in the rain. If we get through safely with our first experience in -hardships of soldiering we will do pretty well." - -Our regiment had been ordered to Jefferson City to form part of the -grand army with which Frémont was expected to sweep Price and his -forces out of Missouri, and for the next three months and more we were -engaged in marching and counter-marching with hardly any fighting -worth recording. One of the not unusual experiences of camp life, when -the enemy were supposed to be near, I gave my wife while at Jefferson -City:-- - -"The news here to-day is that Lexington is taken by the secessionists. -If that is so we are going to have some warm work in this part of the -country. Night before last several shots were heard in the direction -of our pickets two or three miles out, which caused the alarm to be -sounded and brought out all the regiments of the brigade into line of -battle. Some of them came out with a great deal of noise and confusion. -Ours came in perfect order and to our full satisfaction; a person fifty -yards from our line would not have known that there was any disturbance -at all going on in our camp.... - -"I get along tolerably well in daytime, as I keep so busy with other -matters I don't have time to get homesick. But last night I had such a -sweet dream about little Alice; and then when I woke and found it only -a dream, how I wanted to be at home just a little while to see you and -her. But let us be of good cheer and hope. I will be with you again." - -This is a frequent topic of my letters. A few weeks later I write:-- - -"The parts of your letters about our Alice were the most interesting to -me. The dear little darling, how I would love to see her walk. Don't -let her forget her papa." - -How my dream recalled one of Campbell's war poems with which I was so -familiar in college, "The Soldier's Dream":-- - - "The bugles sang truce, for the night cloud had lowered." - -In another letter from Jefferson City I write:-- - -"You say in your letter received to-day that you are so glad we did -not go to Kentucky, because they are going to have fighting there. We -were very much disappointed in not being ordered to that very place, -and just because there was to be fighting there, and we might aid -our brethren in Kentucky. If our Government is worth anything it is -worth defending and to maintain it thousands of our lives would be a -cheap price. We must all look at it in this light, and do our duty -fearlessly." - -A further extract from the same letter:-- - -"We have had considerable trouble in having our guards learn their duty -as sentinels. This week one of our sentinels was found asleep on his -post. We sentenced him to be shot, at a court-martial, but recommended -him to clemency; at the same time privately having the colonel -understand it was merely formal to make the soldiers more careful -hereafter. - -"So yesterday at dress parade the regiment was thrown into a hollow -square, the prisoner brought out and sentence pronounced with great -gravity, making to all who did not understand it a very solemn scene. -The prisoner was remanded to confinement to await execution. This -morning the members of the companies all cast lots to decide who should -be in the unfortunate squad to shoot him. The ten men who drew the -_black beans_ were brought up before headquarters this morning and -notified that to-morrow morning at daylight they would have a terrible -duty to discharge, without telling them what it was, they readily -imagining it. - -"To-day the young man was suffering greatly, but he would not tell -where his father or family are, for fear we should write them about -it. He says his father told him if he died in battle he would be -satisfied, but never to disgrace himself. And he promised that if we -would only release him, he would give a good account of himself on the -battlefield. He will be released in the morning, and we won't have any -sleepy sentinels soon again." - -Five days later I write from Georgetown:-- - -"We left Jefferson City Monday morning and came up to Lamine River, -fifty miles, where we joined the Eighth and Twenty-fourth Indiana, -and Colonel Veatch took command. Tuesday morning we heard there were -seven thousand rebels near here [Georgetown]. The colonels of the -other regiments wanted Veatch to stay at Lamine, but Colonel Morgan -and I urged him on, knowing that we were equal to two to one, or -even three, on the prairie with our long-range guns. It was greatly -through our urging that Colonel Veatch decided to go forward. We were -anxious to have a pure _Hoosier_ fight with the rebels, and were glad -of the prospect. We left at 3 P.M., all of us expecting to meet seven -thousand at night or in the morning. It was a race, we supposed, for -the possession of Georgetown, and by ten o'clock at night we passed -over the seventeen miles with our whole force, and entered the town -peaceably, without disturbing a citizen from sleep, and slept in the -court-house yard. It was our first march on foot and a hard one, but -we made it finely. The last two miles were very trying on the men. The -only way we kept them up was by riding down the lines and telling the -men it was only over the hill to the enemy, and we would have them -certain. But no enemy was near, none nearer than Lexington. I don't -know how I will feel on the battlefield, but as yet I have no fear of -going into a fight. - -"We are at last settled after hard marching, rainy weather, and various -hardships. I have been in the saddle nearly all the time for four days. -Yesterday I stationed the picket guards, and it took about forty miles' -riding, but I am standing it well. It is just what I need. I enjoy it -finely, eat largely, and have no dyspepsia [a trouble at home]. - -"Near to our camp is a neat little cottage all furnished with -everything, nice beds, furniture and carpets, dining-room and kitchen -furniture complete. It is the house of a young lawyer, who was married -this spring, was a secessionist, was taken prisoner, took the oath of -loyalty, violated it, and is now in the rebel army, and subject to be -shot if he is ever caught. His wife has fled to her father's. Colonel -Veatch has established his brigade headquarters in his house, and we -are living in style. I am writing at his desk, using his paper." - -While in Georgetown I gave this picture of the country:-- - -"For the first time we are really in the enemy's country, and are -seeing the effects of secession and some of the terrible results of -war. As we passed through the villages on our march here, the houses -were nearly all deserted, the doors closed, and very few persons to be -found. A sign of dreariness rested on everything. And when we arrived -here at Georgetown, the county seat and numbers about a thousand -people, at least one half of the houses were vacant, the stores closed, -and business suspended. - -"Georgetown has seen several reverses since the rebellion broke out, -being several times in possession of both rebel and Federal troops. -When the rebels came in, the Union men fled the country or took to -the woods and slept among the bushes. Many women so exposed on the -cold, damp ground lost their lives by the exposure. I took dinner a -day or two ago with a gentleman, a citizen here, who formerly lived at -Mount Vernon [near Evansville]. He had his store broken open in broad -daylight by a company of the rebel army, and fifteen hundred dollars' -worth of his goods carried away, while he was a refugee in the woods. -Many men have lost their all. - -"Such outrages have naturally enough begotten a spirit of revenge -among Union men, and those of them of more violent passions and lesser -principles have retaliated, until one wrong begetting another has -brought on a spirit of bitterness and enmity among the people which is -truly deplorable. I never want to see such a state of society again. -The dregs of the population are uppermost, and the honest and innocent -suffer. Surely it is a holy mission of ours to give peace, and safety, -and law to this country. This part of the State is the most beautiful -farming country I ever saw, and certainly it needs peace. Here truly -'only man is vile.'" - -In another letter from Georgetown, I report:-- - -"As to the enemy I don't know anything that is definite. We have a -report this evening that they are only twenty-six miles away, but we -have had them right on us so often before, that I hardly believe any -reports we hear about them. But we try to keep prepared, our men sleep -on their arms, and we station our pickets out five or ten miles." - -As already noticed, the first payment to our regiment was made in gold -coin, but the second one is noticed from Georgetown as follows: "I sent -you by the Paymaster to be expressed from St. Louis $150 in _Treasury -Notes_. I suppose the Treasury Notes are good, but when you can get -them changed into gold I would do it, to lay by for later use." - -This suggests that I had early anticipated the coming depreciation of -Government paper currency, and in later remittances I repeated this -injunction, so that when I retired from the army my wife had as her -savings from my pay a considerable sum in gold, which she converted -into "greenbacks" at the rate of two dollars and fifty cents for one -dollar gold. - -In her letters more than once my wife writes of the alarm created among -her neighbors for fear the rebel forces would capture Evansville, our -home. In a letter, October 13, I wrote her:-- - -"You say in some of your letters that the people were packing up to -leave Evansville when the rebels come. I do not believe they will -ever reach there, but if they should come I would not, if I were you, -leave your home or pack up. Your valuables you might put into a place -of security, but they will not injure peaceable and discreet women at -least." - -In a letter of October 15, I report a movement of our brigade to -Otterville:-- - -"We have come here to go into Major-General Pope's division of -Frémont's army in Davis's brigade. How long we will remain here is -uncertain, but I guess only a few days, when we shall go south in -search of Price. - -"The bad weather has made a large number of our men sick, and two or -three hundred were left behind. General Davis put me in charge of them -with orders to get wagons and bring them forward. The sick department -of our army is the most unpleasant, the most troublesome, and the most -neglected in the whole service. I would rather at any time encounter -the dangers of the battlefield than the hospital and receive the -treatment of privates. It is a shame to humanity and our Government -that it is so much neglected, at least here." - -A few days later I wrote:-- - -"I have no time to write you a letter. I am doing most of the business -of the regiment, both of the colonels being sick. All of our brigade -left this morning in the forward movement except our regiment, which -was left behind for three reasons--the brigade took all our wagons, we -had so large a number of sick, and a regiment was to be left to forward -supplies. We will leave as soon as we get transportation. - -"Aleck [my brother, regimental quartermaster] has been promoted to -post quartermaster of General Pope's division, and will be stationed -at Otterville, charged with the duty of drawing from St. Louis and -forwarding supplies to the division, a very responsible position, and -earned by his attention to his duties." - -Three days later I wrote:-- - -"The health of our regiment has been very bad. It is almost unfit for -duty. We could only turn out two hundred for company drill, and could -hardly march five hundred to-morrow. Diarrhoea, chills and fever, and -measles are prevalent. Our officers are almost all laid up. Colonel -Morgan has gone to a private house to recruit for a few days. Aleck and -I have been the only officers at headquarters who have been entirely -fit for duty for several days." - -Notwithstanding the condition of the regiment it became necessary for -me to run down to St. Louis by rail to bring forward our supply of -winter clothing, blankets, etc., and my wife met me there for a day. I -am answering her first letter after her return to Evansville, October -23:-- - -"I am sorry to have you write so despondingly, or rather was sorry to -know you felt so lonely (I always want you to write just as you feel). -But it was natural that you should feel badly after our separation, -for I know what my own feelings were. I trust you are more hopeful and -cheerful now. You must remember it is all for the best. I would be with -you in our comfortable home, enjoying all the happiness which you and -my dear and kind friends could bestow upon me, if I could. But it is -impossible. I should be a miserable coward to stay at home in ease and -luxury at such a time of national calamity and need." - -I wrote again two days later, showing that I had a clear vision of the -result of Frémont's grand march to destroy Price:-- - -"I hardly think we can get off before the first of next week, but it -doesn't make much difference to us. We will hardly have a battle at -any rate, and will only march down into the lower part of the State to -winter, or drag our weary way back again. If this expedition is not a -Moscow defeat, I shall be highly gratified. But you must not be alarmed -about me. The officer who has a horse to ride and comfortably equipped -will be well situated, but it is the poor foot soldier who has to -suffer." - -I at last chronicle our departure:-- - -"I have only a moment to write you that we are just about marching to -the South. I am very busy, both the colonels and quartermaster being -sick. I am colonel, quartermaster, and almost everything else. My -health is very good. I see you are secretary of the Ladies Soldiers' -Aid Society. You can't do too much for the soldiers, but their greatest -need is in the hospitals, good nurses, good cooks, clean shirts, -sheets, and kind treatment. If I am to die in the army, I want it to be -on the battlefield, never in the miserable hospitals." - -The following presents not an unusual phase of soldiering, but new to -me:-- - -"About this hour (3 A.M.) more than two months ago [the day the -regiment left Evansville] my good wife was up to give me a good -breakfast and bid me good-bye, and I ought to be able to write her a -short letter at the same hour. - -"We left Otterville day before yesterday with all our regiment that -could march, with a train of fifty wagons. We had unbroken, balky -horses, and have had a hard time with the train. Our division is fifty -miles below Warsaw, and about out of provisions, and we have to use -great haste to get them forward. To expedite matters I have taken -personal command of the provision train and have been working hard at -it. Sometimes it takes us two hours to get over one hill, then two -hours to get through one mud-hole. I am not much of a wagoner, as you -know, but I have the authority and the knack of getting a good deal -of work out of the men. I have two good wagon-masters along with me. -I take their advice, and then assume to know all about it with the -drivers. You ought to see me preside over the difficulties of a hill or -a mud-hole. When a wagon gets stalled, I just get off my horse and put -my shoulder to it. The men work twice as hard when I help them. We got -along pretty well to-day and reached our camp long before dark. This -morning we have two heavy hills before us, and are up at three o'clock -to have the horses fed and ready for a move as soon as it is light. -Breakfast is announced and we must be ready to be off soon. If I get -through with the provisions in good time it will be equal to a _small -victory_ for our division of the army. I am well and hearty; this kind -of work makes me fat." - -The culmination of this campaign is noted in a letter of November 7:-- - -"I have only time to write you a note to let you know we are safe in -Springfield, without a fight or loss of life. When we reached Warsaw we -received our orders from General Pope to come to Springfield by forced -marches with all possible rapidity, as the enemy were advancing upon us -in force. So for four days we marched twenty miles every day, which was -something unusual for any army, but our men stood it very well, and are -now much better for the exercise. - -"When we arrived here we learned that Price was seventy miles away -from us and that there never was any danger. Officers speak very -disparagingly of Frémont. The indications are that we will march back -again in a few days. 'Up the hill and down again.'" - -Sometime before the next letter was written from Warsaw, November 14, -on the march "down the hill," we had heard of the removal of General -Frémont:-- - -"Our Missouri campaign has been a very barren affair. It may suit a -fellow who likes long walks and heavy marching, but there has not been -much of war in it. The only time there was to my mind any prospect of -a fight was at Georgetown. If Price had ever intended to fight, it was -his best chance. We have been chasing him all through the southern -part of the State on long and forced marches, wearing out our troops, -and spending immense sums of money, and Price keeping fifty miles away -from us all the time, and he is now clear over into Arkansas. The -Springfield campaign is over at least, and Frémont's reputation and our -soldiers' feet have been the sufferers. However popular Frémont may be -his military glory is ended. - -"Our Colonel Veatch I regard as a man of unusual good judgment and has -been an ardent friend of Frémont, and yet says his removal was just -and needed, and such is almost the unanimous opinion of officers here. -Tell father if he has not become reconciled to the removal, a personal -knowledge of matters at St. Louis and here would satisfy him." - -My youngest brother, Willie, was eight years old at this time, and I -make frequent references to him in my letters. From Syracuse I wrote -November 18:-- - -"We arrived here yesterday from our march of two hundred and fifty -miles. We left Otterville on October 29 and arrived here yesterday the -17th, having had only one day of rest during the whole journey. If I -had time I would write Willie a letter (but you can tell him) of our -march, what a long line our division made, troops and trains of near -three miles, what a time the poor soldiers had with sore feet, how we -sat around big blazing camp-fires, how we got up before daylight and -ate our breakfast on a log, and were marching before the sun was up, -and give him a list of all the towns we passed through so he can find -them on the map I sent him. About these I can give him the details when -I come home. But this is only the least exciting of the soldier's life -stories. We can't come home till I can tell him something about our -experience on the battlefield, which we have not yet had." - -A week later I write still from the same place, expressing great -impatience that we are kept in Missouri, and the desire on the part -of myself and the men to be ordered into Kentucky, but I add: "I am -beginning to understand that the army is one vast machine, and the mass -of us need not trouble ourselves about our future, as our generals -will determine that. We have only to do our duty and execute their -commands." But I caution my wife if we are ordered to Kentucky: "You -must not flatter yourself that, if I get nearer home, I will have a -much better opportunity of paying a visit to the dear ones there." - -Then I entered upon a topic which seemed to be a familiar one in my -letters, about home:-- - -"The commanding officers at St. Louis will be very particular about -absence, and when we get into the active field again it will be -worse. And it must be so, if the army is to be kept in any state of -efficiency. How much I would love to come home. No one ever more highly -prized the blessings and comforts of a happy home than I,--a dear, -loving, and noble wife, a sweet, darling little daughter, and so many -kind kindred and friends,--but it must be otherwise. I am called to the -place of duty, away from all these. I would be a craven, a disloyal -citizen, if I did not do what I am doing in this time of peril to our -country. And I rejoice that I have a wife, with a heart so noble, so -patriotic and so brave, as to share this feeling with me, and who -submits to her situation without a murmur. This pleasant home which you -and I both long to enjoy together would be worthless and ruined, if -our once prosperous Government falls to pieces. It is far better that -we endure this separation and that our country suffer this terrible -war for a time now, than that we permit the whole nation to fall to -pieces, and for years and years after to see nothing but civil war and -continued bloodshed between little factious States. We hope and pray -that God will speedily restore the country to its wonted peace, so that -we may all return to our families and friends." - -A little later, in acknowledging receipt of one of my wife's letters, -I say: "I am glad you are reading Washington's letters. You will find -he was a good husband and loved his home, but he _went to war for seven -years_!" - -While waiting in suspense at Syracuse, I tell of another -court-martial:-- - -"I was all day yesterday engaged in a court-martial and until late last -night. A lieutenant in the Eighteenth Indiana was arraigned by his -captain for attacking and slandering him in a newspaper in Indiana, -and the lieutenant came to get me to defend him. I tried to beg out -of it, but he insisted so strongly that I had to undertake it. The -court was presided over by the general commanding, and was composed -of the colonels and other field officers of the division, and I was -somewhat abashed in appearing before it, the practice of the court -being altogether different from our civil law courts, and I being -unacquainted with it; but I thought I might as well learn now as at any -other time. I think I got through with it pretty well. If I keep the -lieutenant from being cashiered it will be fortunate for him." - -The coming on of winter made the generals, as well as the men, think of -winter quarters. In a letter dated November 24, referring to another -of the reports about a threatened attack on us by Price and the -probability of marching again, I write:-- - -"In the meantime we are shivering around our camp-fires in this winter -weather, and stuffing our tents full of straw, blankets, and buffalo -robes to keep warm. Last night I managed to sleep comfortably. I made -my bed right down on the ground. It is warmer than to have my cot up on -its legs. These Missouri prairie winds are such winds as Hoosiers don't -know anything about. - -"You ought to see some of the expedients we resort to for comfortable -camp-fires. At headquarters of the regiment we have a big roaring log -fire built, and have small logs propped up on the forks of saplings -for seats or benches, and then we barricade ourselves from the wind _a -little_ by tents and stretching wagon covers around the saplings.... -But at the best this winter campaigning is not comfortable for officers -or men." - -Notwithstanding the cold weather, I note in my letter of December 3, -that we are keeping up the drills:-- - -"Yesterday and to-day we have been kept quite busy, General Pope -having issued a strict order in reference to regimental and brigade -drills. We are out both morning and afternoon with the regiment, -notwithstanding that the ground has been covered with snow and it is -very cold. It comes a little hard on us, cold fingers and cold feet, -but it is all the better for both officers and men. As for myself I am -in much the best health when I am kept busy, and on the march or move. -This afternoon we had a review of the whole brigade, preparatory to an -anticipated grand review by General Halleck, Department Commander, in -a few days." - -It finally seemed settled that the army was to remain in this part -of Missouri, and we were to go into winter quarters. So our brigade -marched down to Lamine River December 7, preparatory to a permanent -encampment. I report:-- - -"We will have a large city of log huts, probably 15,000 or 20,000 -troops. We are commencing operations to-day by clearing off our camp, -preparatory to building our log huts. I shall be in command of the -working forces of our regiment and shall soon know how to build a log -house in the most approved style. So you see I am having a varied -experience in my army life." - -I seemed to be quite possessed with the project of building our -huts and getting into winter quarters, as I was planning to extend -hospitality to dear friends. I write my wife:-- - -"How would you and little Alice like to come out and live with me in -a log hut for a while this winter? If the little darling will learn -to say 'papa' right sweet and right plain, maybe I will have her come -out and see and talk with her 'papa.' That will depend on how long we -will stay here, and how well I shall be fixed up. But you must not be -certain of it, for a soldier's life is a very uncertain one." - -And sure enough all our plans and anticipations came to an end, as a -letter from Sedalia, December 21, relates:-- - -"After more than a week's silence I have only time to drop you a note. -The newspapers will doubtless tell you of our last expedition. We went -out in a hurry and came back in a hurry. We just missed by three hours' -march a rebel supply train with a guard of three thousand: but we -succeeded in capturing an entire regiment, with a full complement of -officers, and Colonel Magoffin, a notorious secessionist, and a lot of -other prisoners, making altogether about one thousand. - -"There was no fight of any consequence. The cavalry surrounded them and -they surrendered after a short skirmish. The Twenty-fifth was in the -advance of the infantry and would have been in the fight, if needed. -The only one of our regiment killed was Sergeant Ray, of Company G, who -was acting as a mounted scout. Our regiment was assigned as a guard to -the prisoners, and will have the post of honor in conducting them to -St. Louis. We will leave by train in the morning. I am very tired with -guard duty and marching for two days and nights, and must be up early -in the morning." - -This march proved the last of our campaigning in Missouri. Not a -glorious record, but a lot of experience and useful training as -soldiers. The regiment was assigned to quarters at Benton Barracks. I -write:-- - -"It is uncertain how long we shall stay here or what they will do with -us. We may be all winter or possibly only two or three weeks. They -have given the field officers of our regiment a little house just -outside the Barracks, four rooms, a kitchen, cellar, and attic for the -servants, and a stable. If we can arrange things to suit us and it is -agreeable to the other officers, I expect Colonel Veatch and I will be -sending for our wives. What think you of it?" - -A few days later I received her reply on which I made the following -comments:-- - -"You never wrote a more noble letter. I have read it over and over -again. You could have written in a way which might have been more -likely to have brought you over to visit me, but you could not have in -a way more surely to make me love and admire you. I know how much you -love to be with me and how much I would enjoy your presence. I have -been thinking, ever since we came back to St. Louis [seven hours by -rail from Evansville], about the propriety of having you come over to -spend a few days or weeks with me, and had hardly decided what to do -about it. - -"While in many respects it would be pleasant, in others it would not -be. If you took up quarters with me, it would be in a very comfortable -room for a soldier, but not very comfortable or attractive for a -lady--no furniture except stools, plank tables, and bunks with straw -to sleep on, and soldiers' blankets and buffalo robes for covering. -And then it would be in a house filled with officers,--gentlemen, it -is true, but _not at all times_ pleasant companions for a lady. If -you went with me to a hotel, I would have to neglect my duties, which -neither you nor I would desire me to do. And even in my own quarters -I could not pay that attention to you which I would desire without -some, at least apparent, neglect of duty. There are quite a number -of officers' wives here, and I know that they do not in any degree -promote the efficiency of the service. When I decided it to be my duty -to go into the army I anticipated I would have to give up my dear home -comforts and enjoyment, and when you gave your consent to my going you -so regarded it, and though we may both lament the necessity, we should -not complain. I believe under the circumstances you will agree with me -that for the present it is best that you should not come over,--will -you not?" - -When we returned to Benton Barracks we found that gallant soldier -General W. T. Sherman in command. I had only a formal acquaintance with -him then, but years after we were near neighbors in Washington and -became intimate friends. When at the Barracks he was under a cloud of -ridicule, and was known throughout the country as "Crazy Sherman." This -appellative was given him because, a few weeks before, while in command -at Louisville, he had told Mr. Cameron, Secretary of War, he would -require two hundred thousand soldiers to rid the State of Kentucky of -rebel troops. The sequel proved that more than that number had to be -sent into that State before it was free of Confederate troops. Sherman -was at that period one of the few _sane_ men who realized so early -the magnitude of the task before us. His "Memoirs," published years -after the war, show that at the time he was much distressed at the -appellative. - -Our stay at Benton Barracks was prolonged for nearly six weeks, and was -the usual experience of such soldier life. In a letter of January 14, -1862, I write:-- - -"It is now between eleven and twelve o'clock at night, and I am writing -you while you are sleeping with our little darling near you,--if she -hasn't waked you up! You may wonder why I am writing you at this late -hour. Well, I'm 'officer of the day' for the Barracks, and a part -of my duty is to make 'the grand rounds' of the guards at least once -_after twelve o'clock at night_. Rather than get a half sleep and be -waked up, I prefer to sit up and write my wife till the time comes. - -"We were very agreeably surprised this morning to have _Captain_ -Willie [my brother] step in on us, as we were not looking for him. I -am very glad he came. We will try to make it a pleasant visit to him, -and he will be much company for us. As I am 'officer of the day,' I -took him around with me as my 'orderly'! When I visited the different -guard-houses and sentinel-posts, he was very much interested in seeing -the guards 'turn out' and the other military civilities. It has been -very cold to-day, but both the infantry and cavalry were out for the -afternoon drills of battalions and brigades. Willie stood out in the -cold wind to see the maneuvers as long as he could. - -"We have had a very pleasant evening at our quarters to-night. At dress -parade Colonel Morgan invited all the officers over to take supper with -us. They came, about thirty of them, about seven o'clock, and at eight -we had supper. We had oysters fried, oysters stewed, oysters raw, and -oyster patties, with their accompaniments, followed by meats, pickled -pig's-feet and salad, and topped off with pound cake and champagne -wine. You would hardly approve of the wine part, but we could scarcely -do less at a soldiers' supper. Very few would have stopped at that. -Then those who smoked devoted themselves to a plentiful supply of -cigars. - -"In our regimental brass band there is a fine string band. I wish you -could hear it, as I know with your love of music you would enjoy it -very much. It gave us music all the evening. The officers got up a -'stag dance' and enjoyed it greatly. Then we had some first-rate songs, -and wound up the evening by the officers presenting Dr. Walker [our -regimental surgeon], in an _appropriate_(!) _speech by the major_, a -beautiful medical staff sword, belt, gold tassel, and green silk sash, -in token of a most faithful discharge of his onerous duties." - -About this time I reply to a letter from my wife, regarding some -domestic matters, as follows:-- - -"I was somewhat affected and a little amused at the account you give of -your household and financial troubles. You must not let a little gas -bill of fourteen dollars worry your life out of you. It is possible it -was a little exorbitant, but none to hurt. I don't want you to worry -yourself about these business matters. Where there are any troubles you -will find your mother and father safe and willing advisers. I know that -you are careful and prudent in your family expenses. I never thought -you spent a cent unnecessarily. I don't want you to be thinking you are -spending too much money; I just want you to get all you want to eat or -wear. - -"When I left home I got you a good house to live in, and I want you to -live in it in proper style and comfort. If I was at home you know I -would have broiled quails, stewed rabbits, roast turkeys, venison, all -varieties of oysters, and all kinds of good things for the table, and -there is no reason why 'a lone, lorn' wife should starve just because -her husband has gone off to the war. If I was at home I would have two -or three gas burners going to your one, if I wanted the light; and -there is no reason why my wife should grope around in the dark for fear -of a gas bill at the end of the month. I know you are not extravagant -and therefore there is no danger of useless expenditure, and no -occasion for troubling yourself on that account. I have no fear but -that you will save all the money you can conveniently with your family -wants. I am drawing pretty good pay, and therefore can afford to keep -my family in good circumstances." - -Frequent reference in my letters is made to the way in which the -Sabbath is spent in camp. In one of my letters I express the hope that -"I will not lose or forget my Christian standing. I want to come home -as good a Christian at least as when I left, though the temptations to -evil and bad habits are very great." - -Here is a description of one while at Benton Barracks:-- - -"Another Sabbath day has nearly passed, but before I go to sleep I must -write you at least a short letter. To-day has been a quiet and rather -profitable Sabbath, at least more so than most of those which I spend -in camp. In the forenoon Willie and I went to the First Presbyterian -Church, expecting to hear Dr. Nelson, but after we were in and well -seated, who should I see going up into the pulpit with Dr. Nelson but -Mr. ----, the Home Missionary agent who preached at Evansville last -year, you will probably remember him. And he gave us the very same -sermon to-day that he did then _verbatim_. The text was the same--'The -Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hid,' etc. -Having heard it before, I was not much interested in it, so that my -visit to the city through the mud was not a very pleasant or profitable -one. - -"But this afternoon I read the 'Evangelist' [the Presbyterian Church -paper] all through, reading almost every article, and it generally -interests me, occupying most of the afternoon. This evening I read -several chapters in the Bible, the 60th of Isaiah, 1st, 2d, and -3d of John, and my favorite chapters, the 14th, 15th, and 16th of -John, and others. I also read two of the little books you sent us in -the Soldier's Library. So you see the day has not been an entirely -profitless one, but how much more pleasantly I could have spent it at -home with my dear wife and child! But when I come back the Sabbaths -will be the more pleasant and sacred with you, and we shall have an -added pleasure in teaching our little darling holy hymns and holy -truths." - -I had occasion often in my letters to thank the folks at home for the -useful things and dainties they were frequently sending to camp. The -correspondence shows that I was not bashful in making our wants known, -as, for instance, this extract:-- - -"You have written me several times asking what I wanted. Well, really, -we don't want much of anything but our wives and families, as we are -living very comfortably; but if you want to send us a present you might -send us a box or two of eatables. Say you bake us one of your good -jelly cakes, and mother try her hand on one of her first-quality fruit -cakes, and Eliza and Cassie [my sister and sister-in-law] see what they -can do on a lady cake or something of that kind. And then, if you have -in any of the various Foster families any extra supply of fruits, or -preserves, or jellies, or tomatoes, or such like, you might send them -by way of ballast." - -In one of my last letters from Benton Barracks I gave this account of -the Sunday inspection:-- - -"This forenoon I was busy at the Barracks. Every Sunday morning when -it is pleasant weather we have a general inspection. The troops turn -out in the best clothes they have, with shoes cleaned and blacked, -knapsacks packed and on their backs, guns brightened up, and looking -as well as they can. They are inspected by companies. Then the -sleeping-quarters, dining-room, and kitchen are visited to see that -they are kept in good order, etc. This inspection is sometimes made by -the general. When not made by him, it is made by the field officers. -Colonel Veatch and I made the inspection this morning, and it kept us -busy till near noon." - -Our marching orders came finally as recorded in my last letter written -from St. Louis at the Barracks:-- - -"We have been anticipating marching orders for several days, but have -at last received them. Orders came out from General Halleck this -evening that 'The Twenty-fifth Indiana would prepare to march to -Cairo.' The exact date of our departure is not definitely known, but it -may be early to-morrow. It is quite cold, but we can stand it as well -as any of this army. We are very willing to leave the Barracks and -get into the field, and especially as we are going down the river and -most likely will be sent to Paducah or Smithland. Barracks life doesn't -agree with me near so well as active work." - - - - -III -THE BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON - - -Greatly to our relief the Twenty-fifth Indiana was surely out of -Missouri, with the prospect of active campaigning in Kentucky or -Tennessee. Although we had orders to take a steamer for Cairo on January -30, we did not get away from St. Louis till February 2. On the steamer -I wrote my wife in a tone which indicated that I was taking a more -serious view of our future than I had in Missouri:-- - -"It may be that when we get to Cairo we shall find orders sending us -up to Smithland, but wherever we go you will have abundant rumors -of army movements and great battles fought. I trust you will not be -unnecessarily alarmed or solicitous. I will write you as often as I -can, keeping you as well posted as possible, but I expect I shall only -be able to write you at considerable intervals.... We will both pray -our Heavenly Father to be my guard and protector, and return me safely -to my home and dear family again. Let us have faith, and hope for the -best." - -On the 6th of February I write again from Cairo: "We are quartered -here in the barracks, in the muddiest place imaginable. No one who has -not been in Cairo knows what mud is. How long we shall remain here is -altogether uncertain." - -My next letter was written the 9th on a steamer going up the Tennessee -River:-- - -"We seem fated to make or commence all our marches on the Sabbath. How -often do I long for the enjoyment of one of our home Sabbaths. We were -ordered to go aboard the steamboat at nine o'clock Saturday morning, so -we had the men up before day to cook two days' rations and were packed -up all ready to leave. But we did not go until noon to-day and we -should be at Fort Henry to-morrow forenoon. We have six hundred barrels -of powder on board, which makes traveling a little dangerous, but shall -be at Paducah in an hour or two, where it will be unloaded. Our orders -are to 'join General Grant,' so I suppose we will be with the army as -it goes forward into Tennessee and South to victory. - -"I am just in the locality I have been wanting to be all during the -war, and I have only to do my duty like a soldier and a man. You must -not be unduly solicitous about my welfare, or pay much attention to -the rumors by telegraph, as they are at first always uncertain and -generally erroneous. If our regiment is in an engagement, I will see -that a carrier is sent to the first place to get the news home. So that -if you do not hear you can be satisfied that _all is right_. You will -remember me in your thoughts and prayers always, and have faith that -all will be well." - -This was the last letter I was able to write home until after the -battle of Fort Donelson. On the 10th our regiment reached Fort Henry on -the Tennessee River which had been captured by General Grant only four -days before our arrival. On the 12th we marched over to the vicinity of -Fort Donelson with the rest of General Grant's army, eleven miles from -Fort Henry, and situated on the west side of the Cumberland River. We -were a part of the division commanded by General Charles F. Smith, and -which occupied the extreme left of General Grant's army. That army, -when it went into camp on the evening of February 12, covered the -entire front of the Confederate forces. From our encampment the rebel -line of rifle-pits and fortifications could be seen, we occupying one -series of ridges and the enemy those confronting ours. - -The fighting began on the morning of the 13th, our picket lines being -pressed toward the enemy's front, mainly to develop their position. -In view of the eagerness of my own account in my letters, I quote the -part of the official report of Colonel Veatch, which relates to the -operations of the Twenty-fifth Indiana on the 13th:-- - -"At 10 o'clock A.M. we moved forward in line of battle to the top -of the hill which was between us and the enemy's breastworks. Here -I received orders to fix bayonets and charge the rebels, and, if -possible, drive them from their works. The timber was so thick that we -could only see here and there a part of the rebel works, but could form -no idea of their range or extent.... At the foot of the hill the enemy -poured on us a terrible fire of musketry, grape and canister, and a -few shells. The rebel breastworks were now in plain view on the top of -the hill. The heavy timber on the hillside had been felled, proving a -dense mass of brush and logs. Through and over these obstacles our men -advanced against the enemy's fire with perfect coolness and steadiness, -never halting for a moment until they received your order. After a -halt of a few minutes they then advanced within a short distance of the -enemy's breastworks where the fire from a six-pound field-piece and -twelve-pound howitzer on our right was so destructive that it became -necessary to halt and direct the men to lie down to save us from very -heavy loss. - -"After remaining under a very heavy fire for two hours and fifteen -minutes, with no opportunity to return the fire to advantage, the enemy -being almost entirely hid, and seeing no movement indicating a further -advance from any part of the line, I asked permission to withdraw -my regiment. In retiring, owing to the nature of the ground and our -exposed position, the men were thrown into slight confusion, but they -rallied promptly at the foot of the hill, and remained in that position -until night, when we moved back, as directed, to the ground we occupied -in the morning. We lost in this action fourteen killed and sixty-one -wounded." - -On the 14th the battle was continued almost entirely by our naval -forces, the army taking no part except the pickets and sharp-shooters. -It was General Grant's hope that the gunboats would be able to silence -the Confederate water batteries and pass up the Cumberland, and thus -cut off reinforcements to the enemy, but in this they failed and were -forced to retire. - -In view of this situation it was the intention of Grant to establish -a siege of the fortifications and await reinforcements. But on the -morning of the 15th our right wing under General McClernand was -attacked in force, the enemy coming out of their intrenchments -with the apparent intention of cutting their way through our line -and abandoning the fort. McClernand being hard-pressed, General Lew -Wallace's division went to his assistance, and the battle raged in that -direction with great intensity all the forenoon. We lay upon our arms -in line of battle, ready and impatient to take part in the contest, -listening to the roar of battle in the distance. General Smith, our -division commander, about three o'clock in the afternoon received -orders to advance upon the enemy in our front, and immediately our -attacking force was formed by Lauman's brigade, in column of regiments, -consisting of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, and three Iowa regiments, -General Smith himself leading the attack. - -It was a martial sight, this column of regiments advancing down into -the ravine and ascending the hill on which were located the enemy's -fortifications, struggling through the abatis of fallen timber, with -the bullets whistling thick among our ranks. But it was an event of -only a few minutes; our column, never halting, was soon in front of -the intrenchments, when the enemy broke and fled, and the day was -won. Colonel Veatch says in his report that the skirmishers of the -Twenty-fifth Indiana were among the first, if not the very first, to -enter the fortifications. - -General Grant, in his account of this charge, says: "The outer line -of rifle-pits was passed, and the night of the 15th General Smith, -with much of his division, bivouacked within the line of the enemy. -_There was now no doubt but that the Confederates must surrender or -be captured the next day._" It was an inspiring sight for us, as we -ascended the hill, the general on his white horse, hat in hand, waving -us forward into the enemy's lines. He was the hero of the battle. On -the 19th General Halleck telegraphed to Washington: "Smith, by his -coolness and bravery at Fort Donelson, when the battle was against us, -turned the tide and carried the enemy's outworks." General Sherman, -in his "Memoirs," has this to say of the capture of Fort Donelson: -"He [General Charles F. Smith] was a very handsome and soldierly man, -of great experience, and at Donelson had acted with so much personal -bravery that to him may be attributed the success of the assault." - -Although this charge of our brigade, the last fighting of the battle, -was the decisive event which brought about the surrender, it was -attended with little bloodshed. The charge was so rapid and the enemy's -fire so unsteady, that we entered the intrenchments with little loss of -life. More men were killed and wounded in the fight of the Twenty-fifth -on the first day of the battle, as described in Colonel Veatch's -report, than by the entire brigade in this charge so decisive in its -result. - -At dawn on the morning of the 16th white flags were seen along the -whole of the enemy's lines, and the notes of a bugle were heard by us -advancing to the outworks where our brigade had bivouacked during the -night. It announced an officer, who delivered to General Smith a letter -to General Grant from the rebel commander, General Buckner, asking upon -what terms he would receive a surrender. General Grant's famous reply -was: "No terms except an unconditional surrender can be accepted. I -propose to move immediately on your works." The forces engaged as given -by General Grant were twenty-one thousand Confederates and twenty-seven -thousand Federals. - -The only extant account of the battle I sent home was written to my -wife on the day after the surrender, dated the 17th:-- - -"I can write to you to-day with great thankfulness to our Heavenly -Father for the privilege of again addressing my dear wife, and sending -my congratulations to my home. You will have learned before this -reaches you that Fort Donelson has surrendered. I am happy to write -that the Twenty-fifth Indiana bore a worthy part in the conflict and -triumph. We made two charges on the rifle-pits and fortifications, -on the 13th and on the 15th. Yesterday, after the surrender, the -Twenty-fifth Indiana was the second regiment to enter the fort. We are -now occupying huts in the fort lately occupied by the Second (rebel) -Kentucky. This was the regiment which fought us so desperately in the -rifle-pits on the 13th. - -"Our charge on the 13th was desperate, over the steep and rugged hills, -covered with felled timber and under a most terrific fire. The fire of -musketry was thick as hail. The cannon raked us on both flanks and in -front, and the storm of shot, shell, grape, and canister was awful. You -can say to our friends that the Twenty-fifth has been tried in most -perilous positions and has acted like veterans. In the thickest of -the fight the officers and most of the men seemed to lose all sense of -personal danger. - -"We have a host of prisoners and a large amount of stores. I am very -tired and sore from our four days' labor. Four nights we slept on the -wet or frozen ground, without tents or fires, and both day and night -under arms. When I get a little sleep and rest I will write you fully. -In our regiment the total of killed is 14; wounded, 99." - -General Grant's account of the weather, alluded to in this letter, -was: "It was midwinter, and we had rain and snow, thawing and freezing -alternately. It would not do to allow camp-fires except far down the -hill out of sight of the enemy, and it would not do to allow many -of the troops to remain there at the same time. The weather turned -intensely cold on the evening of the 14th." - -Immediately after the battle a representative of the "Evansville -Journal" was sent to Fort Donelson to make a report of the battle and -the situation. I extract the following:-- - -A detailed account of the battle will not be attempted, as you have -already published an excellent one. I will speak more particularly of -our Twenty-fifth, and of the incidents of the battle and the appearance -of the field as seen by us. - -The Twenty-fifth covered themselves all over with glory. Everybody -we talked to gave them credit for the utmost bravery. Exposed to a -terrible cross-fire of artillery and musketry, having to charge through -the difficulties I have described right up in the teeth of the rebel -batteries and into their murderous volleys, they passed through the -fiery ordeal like veterans. On their end of the line the rebels first -proposed to surrender, and to them belongs a large part of the glory of -the victory. This honor is conceded to them. - -It is hard, and would be invidious, to mention particular cases of -gallantry in the Twenty-fifth, where all did their duty so well.... The -field officers all did their duty nobly. For coolness and determination -Major Foster is the theme of general praise.... Quartermaster Foster -and Chaplain Huring made themselves very useful, and showed great -courage in attending to the dead and wounded on the field. - -I have thus given an account of the battle from participants and others -who had seen the field. But there is always another view of every -battle--that to be seen in the faraway homes of the wives and mothers -of the combatants. As representing the thousands who waited at home -through the days of dread anxiety to know the fate of their loved ones, -I give a letter from my wife dated February 20:-- - -"After four days of painful suspense and anxious waiting, when the -news came last night that you were safe, you may be sure there was -one thankful, grateful heart. Such dreary days and sleepless nights I -hope I may never pass again. The first news of the battle reached here -Saturday noon, and not one word did we hear of you till last night. -Such a relief I never before experienced in my life, to know that you -were safe and well. - -"All the accounts say you acted bravely and nobly, and we are all as -proud of you as we can be. Oh, if I could only see you once more, my -own dear husband! No one knows how thankful I am that you were spared, -while exposed to terrible dangers. I began to feel on Tuesday that you -must be safe, or we should have some report of it. I remembered that -you said if I didn't hear, I might know all was right, but I could -not rest until Willie Gwyn dispatched that all was right. I have heard -to-day that on Monday it was reported and believed at first that you -had been mortally wounded, and next that you were killed, but kind -friends did not let those reports reach me. - -"A party went down to the fort from here on Tuesday. I then had heard -nothing from you, and I thought I would hear sooner by staying at home. -Then father was away, and I didn't know what to do. Another boat goes -to-day. If we thought there was any prospect at all of seeing you, -father and I would go, but every one regards it as so uncertain about -your still being there that I guess we won't go. It would only be an -aggravation to go and not see you. I hope it will not be long before -I have something from your own dear self. Mr. Schoenfield [regimental -sutler] was very kind. He dispatched and wrote father that you and Alex -were safe and did bravely. The dispatch came last night (Wednesday) and -the letter by packet this morning. He said you wrote a few lines and he -sent it, but fearing it did not reach us, he wrote himself. We have not -received anything from you at all, and are very thankful to him indeed. -Such kindness, I assure you, we appreciate. - -"The news of the surrender reached here Monday, causing intense -excitement and wild joy; but I could not rejoice till I heard from my -dear one. And, oh, the dead and wounded, how much suffering and grief -has been brought to many, many hearts! When we think of the suffering -it takes away most of the rejoicing. - -"I am proud of you, my dear John. I always knew you would do your duty -nobly, and I thank God your life has been spared. Father and your -mother came back from Cincinnati on Tuesday. I was glad to see father, -for he is so kind to me. Write soon." - -Reference is made in this letter to the steamboats making trips to -Fort Donelson after the battle. The cities and States of the Middle -West vied with each other in dispatching steamers, carrying hospital -supplies and in bringing home the wounded and sick. Governor Morton -of Indiana was a visitor, and immediately after the writing of the -foregoing letter my father brought on one of these boats my wife, my -little daughter, and brother Willie. Their stay was only for one day, -but it brought to us all much joy and consolation. - -On our first day's fighting I had found one of the lieutenants -skulking, having left the ranks, and he was hiding flat down under the -bank of a little stream. I punched him out with my sword and made him -join his company, much to the delight of the men who saw the act. The -story went home in a very exaggerated shape, and I was credited with -using to the lieutenant some very severe and profane language. Willie, -who had heard the story and who entertained a high admiration for me, -was greatly grieved and shocked. As soon as the boat landed at the -fort, Willie rushed up to me, and throwing his arms about me, said: -"Brother John, you did not curse and swear at the soldier, did you?" - -The capture of Fort Donelson was the first important and complete -victory which had been won by the Union armies since the war began, -and it was hailed with great joy throughout the North as the harbinger -of further victories. General Sherman, ten years after the event, -characterized it as "the first real success on our side in the Civil -War. Probably at no time during the war did we feel so heavy a weight -raised from our hearts, or so thankful for a most fruitful series of -victories." - -In a letter of February 23, I acknowledged the receipt of my wife's -letter above quoted, in these terms:-- - -"George [my eldest brother] brought me yesterday the letters by you -and father on the 20th, and they were such good ones I could not help -the tears coming to my eyes. When I read your letters I began fully -to realize how great was my deliverance. During all the war I most -probably never will be in so hot a fire and in so much danger as that -through which I passed during the late battles. Truly we have great -reason to thank God for his kind protection over me. Do you remember -the Psalm Mr. McCarer [our pastor] read the last night at our house, -before I left with the regiment, the ninety-first? I got out my Bible -and read it to-day again. I have read it many times since then. - -"I am proud of you, my dear Parke, for the manner in which you have -acted ever since I have been in the army, but especially during and -since the attack on the fort. You have learned by the experience of -the late battles to put little reliance in the first reports of an -engagement; they are always exaggerated. - -"I was very glad to have a visit from George. I sent home some -_play-things_ for Alice by him. The rebels had fixed them up to shoot -her papa with them. She can make better use of them, some canister and -six-pounder shots. I sent you a letter right after the fight, and sent -father one after the first day's fight. But the mails are so irregular -it may be you did not get them. I would have sent a dispatch, but there -was no telegraph nearer than Cairo. - -"We were greatly exposed during the four nights of the siege, and the -officers had the same exposure as the men, at least all those who stood -by their posts, sleeping on the ground with no tents and no fires, two -nights both rain and snow, the others severely cold. By the time we -got into the fort I was nearly tired out, and during all this week I -have been resting. The exposure did not affect me much, except that it -increased a cold already contracted. But I am 'all right' again and -ready to go into active service. How long we shall remain here I do not -know. It may be for some time, it may be only to-day." - -Under date of the 24th I wrote:-- - -"We are still in the fort, living in the rebel huts. I am getting very -tired of our inactive life of the past week, and the worst of it is -I'm afraid we will be left here for some time to come, as we see no -evidence of preparing for our advance. We would like very much to be -sent forward. I suppose you have no special desire to have me get into -another fight soon, but from present appearances there is not much -probability of more fighting in Tennessee. - -"This is a very poor country around the fort, and had already been -eaten out by the rebel troops before ours came. There is nothing in the -eating line we can buy for our mess, and we have had poorer fare here -than at any time since we have been in the service. I begin to feel -like I could relish a good dinner at home!" - -The following, dated March 1, is a reference to the visit to the fort -of my wife and father already noticed:-- - -"Only day before yesterday my dear wife and darling babe were with -me here. I need not tell you how pleasant was your visit to me, made -doubly so under the circumstances here, and then that I missed you so -sadly after you were gone. But we cannot have pleasures _unalloyed_. I -was glad you made the trip, aside from the pleasure of seeing you, as -the excursion was a pleasant change for you and Alice. - -"I wonder if you will remember to-morrow that it is my birthday, -twenty-six years old. Quite an old man!" - -Under date of March 4 record is made of the expected order:-- - -"We received marching orders yesterday. We are to go from here to -Fort Henry, there to take steamers on the Tennessee River, whether up -or down the river we do not know, but our supposition is that we are -destined for the direction of Florence, Alabama. It may be a movement -on Memphis by the flank. We are all pleased with the prospect of -getting still farther South. - -"Our greatest want now in the way of marching is wagons for -transportation, and that is likely to be the want during all the -marches. I, with quite a number of officers, have concluded to send our -trunks home. We field officers are limited by General Grant's orders -to one hundred pounds of baggage, to include clothing, bedclothes, -mess-chest, and everything personal. And as I think as much of a warm -bed and good rations as I do of good clothes, I have put a change of -underclothes into my saddle valise, and with my carpet-sack can get -along. Then Colonel Morgan and I have gone in partnership in an old -trunk, for our dress uniforms, shirts, etc. I send my shabrack [saddle -cover] in the bottom of the trunk. Have it taken out, well brushed, -and hung up in the attic. It is rather too gay to wear out here in the -woods. It will do for musters and parades at home!" - - - - -IV -THE BATTLE OF SHILOH - - -We were much pleased to turn our backs upon Fort Donelson, as the -movement gave promise of an advance still farther into the South. In my -letter dated Fort Henry, March 7, I write:-- - -"We left Donelson on the 5th. The roads were terribly muddy, and it -took us two days to get here, about twelve miles. Besides, the weather -was quite cold and snowing, being one of the most blustery days of -March, making the march a most uncomfortable one. But we arrived here -in pretty good season yesterday evening, and were fortunate to get into -the same cabins we occupied when here before. - -"The troops here are all embarking on steamboats, and it is understood -that we are to go up the Tennessee River, how far we don't know, -but hope through to Florence, Alabama. It is said (_it is said_, -_reported_, _understood_, _they say_, are unofficial terms, you must -understand) that none of the boats will leave till all the regiments -are embarked, and that the whole fleet will move together. The river is -very high, and on account of backwater we can't get nearer than four -hundred yards of the boats. - -"The Twenty-fourth Indiana went up the river this morning to find a -convenient place to embark. We may have to go up there also to get -aboard. Just as we were marching through the cold and snow last night -I met Uncle Tom going down to the boat on his way home. He told me he -had resigned, had caught a severe cold and had a bad cough. I think he -has taken the best course, as his health can hardly stand the exposure." - -I refer here to my mother's youngest brother, Captain Thomas Johnson, -whose case was that of many other officers in our army. He had been -suffering for some years with tuberculosis, and would not have been -able to pass the physical examination to which the soldiers in the -ranks were subjected, but the examination of the officers was less -strict. He was not fitted for the service and ought not to have entered -it, but his zeal to serve his country in the time of its sore trial -was so great that he could not be persuaded to stay at home. As we -expected, he broke down within a year of his enlistment. We shall -see that he was not content to remain inactive at home after he was -relieved of his attack of cold, and in less than six months he obtained -an appointment in one of the new regiments, only to be again sent home -before another year of campaigning was over. - -As anticipated, the regiment was the next day ordered to go six -miles up the river to get a convenient place of embarkation. The day -following was spent in camp:-- - -"As I listened to our chaplain in his Sunday service to-day, how I -wished I could have enjoyed our own church service at home with my -wife. As I walked out through the woods this pleasant spring evening -with Colonel Morgan, I could not help thinking of the times we enjoyed -together in our many evening walks. I have been reading to-day the -life of General Havelock, that noble Christian soldier. I was very much -interested in the affectionate and touching letters he wrote his wife -and children; they made me think of my absent ones.... - -"Adjutant ---- has resigned, and as he wants to go home immediately, -before his resignation can go to St. Louis, be accepted, and returned, -he has applied for a leave of absence. If he gets it, I will send this -letter by him. He puts his resignation on the ground of _ill-health_, -but the young man is mistaken. A look at his fat jaws and healthy -appearance will tell a different tale. He is in as good health as I am. -The trouble with him is homesickness from _love_. We are out of the -range of regular mails, and he can't get letters from his lady-love -often. He can't endure the situation. We tried to talk him out of it, -but he insists. He has at the best taken a bad time to resign, just on -the eve of an important expedition against the enemy. I told him last -night that no one wanted to be at home more than I did, and that if I -could get out of the service honorably in view of my duty, I would do -so, but this I could not do. He can draw his own inference. I think the -young man is making a mistake personally. Here he is drawing a good -salary, and at home he can do nothing, even if he wasn't too lazy." - -The next letter was written on board a steamboat lying at the town of -Savannah, Tennessee, dated the 12th:-- - -"Here we are away down on the southern border of Tennessee, only a few -miles from Alabama and Mississippi, 'away down in Dixie.' We went on -board the steamboats day before yesterday, the 10th, four companies -on the _Uncle Sam_, and six companies on the _Conewaga_, the latter -under my command. We have had a very pleasant trip up the river, -being comfortably situated on the boat, and plenty of good eating. -The Tennessee is quite a pretty river, but not very thickly settled -immediately on its banks. At the farmhouses the people were collected -in little groups, with waving handkerchiefs by the women, and frequent -cheers for the Union. It was a new sight to the inhabitants, such an -immense fleet of boats, black with troops, and bristling with cannon -and munitions of war. The boats are all lying up here, most of them -having arrived this morning, the river full of them on both sides. -It is stated by officers who ought to know that we now have seventy -steamers in the fleet, and that ten more are on the way.... - -"Remember me to Mr. McCarer and family. Tell him I am afraid we are -persecuting our old-school, southside Presbyterian brethren, as they -have called their General Assembly to meet in Memphis in May. I fear we -shall get in the way of some of them, and scare them away. - -"There is a set of chessmen on the boat, and I have had several -pleasant games, the first for a long time. How I would like to take a -game with my dear wife, as of old. - -"Large numbers of Union men are coming in both to enlist and for refuge -and protection. Some of them came more than a hundred miles and had to -travel at night, fleeing from the persecutions and cruelties of the -rebels." - -Writing on the 16th, I report:-- - -"We are still lying at Savannah. More steamers with troops have -arrived, so that now we have about ninety boats, and I estimate about -sixty thousand soldiers. We are getting tired of staying on the boat, -but it has been raining most of the time, and therefore our quarters -are better than they would be ashore. The river has again risen and -flooded over the banks." - -Two days later I write:-- - -"We are still lying along the shore on the boats 'awaiting orders' -rather impatiently too, the eighth day aboard. Yesterday we left -Savannah and came a few miles up to a farm where we found a good -landing. We turned our men out on the shore to enjoy the exercise -and fresh air (it was a most beautiful day), while we had the boat -thoroughly cleaned. The men had been kept cooped up on the boats for so -long they enjoyed the day very much. - -"We have a rumor of the taking of New Orleans by our forces from the -Gulf, but can hardly credit it. It will be glorious news, if true, and -a rapid step toward the end of the rebellion.... - -"I have no news; mostly write to let you know I am in the best of -health and in safety." - -At last my letter, dated in camp at Pittsburg Landing, gives account of -our having left the boats:-- - -"We are now in camp about a mile from the river in a pleasant forest. -How long we are to remain here we do not know, but as to-morrow is -Sunday we may get our marching orders then! We are ordered to keep in -readiness to march at one hour's notice. We are also ordered to take -with us in each company wagon seven days' rations of provisions and -five days' rations of grain for horses, besides three days' rations in -each man's haversack, making ten days' rations. As the roads are now, -we won't be able to travel very fast. - -"Our force has been increasing every day by the arrival of new -regiments. How large our army is I do not know, but the woods are -perfectly alive with men. Regiments of tents are in every direction -and extending for miles around. We have no doubt of our successful -progress, whether it is to march upon Memphis or farther down South -into the heart of 'Dixie.' You need have no fear for my personal -safety, or for the success of our army. We are only hoping we shall be -sent by rapid marches against Memphis, and when we get there you can -come down and pay me another visit, if I cannot get off home for a few -days." - -March 24 I wrote:-- - -"I have not heard from you for two weeks, but to-day I have three -letters from you and one from Father, and I can assure you your good, -dear letters are most acceptable. I think of you and our dear little -one so much and long for the time speedily to come when I can be with -you again. I trust and believe that God is so ordering events that the -time is not far removed. In the meantime we will hope and pray and be -patient. - -"You need not be the least troubled about me. I am in perfect health, -and General Buell with more than one hundred thousand men is making a -junction with us; so that our combined army of two hundred thousand has -only to _move_ to sweep every vestige of opposition out of the way, I -don't think the enemy will make a stand before us at all." - -The foregoing illustrates how little the subordinate officers know -of an army's strength or its future. It is a common error to make -exaggerated estimates of an army. The figures given above place the -numbers of the joint armies of Grant and Buell at more than double -their actual strength. And so far from sweeping the enemy before them, -within two weeks from the writing of this letter Grant's gallant army -was attacked in its own camp, and barely escaped being swept into the -Tennessee River. - -I wrote on the 27th: "I have been detailed by General Hurlbut as judge -advocate of a general court-martial, and am kept very busy with its -duties. That's what I get for being a lawyer." - -A letter on March 31 has the following:-- - -"We had yesterday our monthly regimental inspection and in the -afternoon we had a grand review of the division by General Hurlbut. -In both these exercises it became necessary for me to command the -regiment. The division review was very fine, the finest we have seen -since we have been in the service. There were twelve regiments, with -artillery and cavalry. Our regiment was highly commended by the general. - -"It has been a week since I have had a letter from you. Probably you -sent a letter by Schoenfield [the sutler], but if you did it has -not come, neither has Schoenfield. He started up the Tennessee River -with his stores, among which was some whiskey. The troops on the boat -discovered the whiskey, broke it open, and got into a general drunk. -The consequence was he was sent back to Paducah with all his stores. -That's what you get for having your letter in company with whiskey! -It reminds me that if you have a chance I would be very glad if you -would send me a pint bottle of the best quality of pure brandy. The -worst I have to fear in the army is diarrhoea, on account of bad -water, especially in the warm weather. St. Paul was sensible when he -recommended 'a little wine for the stomach's sake.' My little wife -won't fear I am going to be a drunkard." - -Some of the minor trials of a soldier's life are recorded in my letter -of the 3d:-- - -"I have not told you that when we left the boats here, old Bill, our -negro cook, left us. I caught him selling whiskey to the soldiers -contrary to orders, and confiscated his whiskey, with a sharp lecture -which he took so seriously as to quit us without notice. Surgeon Walker -has loaned us his boy Frank, and he has been doing the cooking _under -my superintendence_, and we haven't been living so bad either. Frank -and I get up some first-rate meals. I do the plain cooking, such as -frying potatoes and meat, making hash, cooking rice, beans, hominy, -etc., while Frank makes the pies, biscuits, etc. We are not in danger -of starving while Frank and I have charge of matters! We used up the -last can of fruits to-night for supper of the fine lot you and mother -sent us. I can assure you we relished them greatly; they come in very -good place out here in the woods where our mess can't buy anything, -and have to depend on the commissary supplies for all our eatables. -Schoenfield is coming back to the regiment again, but you home-folks -must not rob yourselves of fruits, preserves, apple-butter, catsup, -etc., on our account!" - -On April 2 I write:-- - -"I see by the newspapers that the great Waterloo is to take place up -here in the vicinity of Corinth. Well, it hasn't taken place yet, and -you can rest yourself in the assurance that it will hardly take place -for some time to come. We are resting quietly in camp, except that we -have our daily drills and parades and an occasional review. To-day -Major-General Grant reviewed our entire division; the troops looked -very well." - -In a letter dated the next day, the 3d, I write:-- - -"The weather is very pleasant now. The trees are coming out in full -bloom. I took a long ride out into the country to-day; went as far as -it was safe to go this side of the rebels. The woods are full of wild -flowers; I got quite a bouquet which I would love to have presented to -my wife, but she was not here to get it; maybe I may enclose you some -of the violets I have among them." - -And yet notwithstanding the quietness and confidence prevailing in the -army encamped at Pittsburg Landing, as indicated in these extracts -from my letters, on the 2d of April the entire Confederate army under -General A. S. Johnston had marched from Corinth, and on the 3d, the -day I took my "long ride into the country," it was within striking -distance of our camp, designing to make its united attack on Grant's -army on the 5th. Being unexpectedly delayed one day, the rebel -onslaught broke upon our lines at day-break on Sunday the 6th. Of the -terrible two-days battle which ensued, I was able the night of the -second day to write to my father a pretty full account:-- - -"_Pittsburg Landing, Tenn._, -"_April 7, 1862_. - -"DEAR FATHER:-- - -"Tired, worn out, almost exhausted, I have just brought the remnant -of the noble Twenty-fifth Indiana back into our old camp from the -front of the hardest-fought, most strongly contested, and bloodiest -battlefield upon the American continent. But I cannot lie down without -first preparing a short account of it, to assure you of my own personal -safety, the gallant conduct of our regiment, and the glorious triumph -of our arms. A terrible conflict of two full days of continuous -fighting has this evening left us in possession of the field which was -at one time almost lost. - -"Yesterday (Sunday) morning, about 6.30 o'clock, just after we had -finished breakfast, we were attracted by a continuous roar of musketry, -with occasional discharges of artillery on our extreme left, near the -river. In a few minutes we were in line of battle, and moving forward -to the attack. We had hardly left the camp before we saw the roads -full of our flying men, and all along the route for the two miles we -passed over were strewn guns, knapsacks, and blankets, and we found, -to our dismay, that our front had been completely surprised, one whole -division scattered and retreating in utter confusion, and the enemy in -force already a mile within our camps. - -"We were drawn up in line of battle, our brigade, under command of -Colonel Veatch, in a skirt of timber bordering a large field, on the -outer edge of which our troops were engaging the enemy. But the enemy -pressed on in overwhelming force, and just as the troops in front of -us began to waver, we discovered that the enemy had flanked us on the -right and was rapidly advancing (in what force we knew not, but the -woods were perfectly swarming), to attack our brigade on the right and -rear. So it became necessary for us to change our front to the rear to -meet them. - -"The Fifteenth Illinois was on the right, the Fourteenth Illinois -in the center, and the Twenty-fifth Indiana on the left, the other -regiment, the Forty-sixth Illinois, by the rapid flanking of the enemy -becoming detached from the brigade, was not with us again during -the whole action. This brought the first fire upon the Fifteenth -Illinois, which stood it nobly, but was soon overpowered; likewise, -the Fourteenth. In the meantime the troops in front and on the left -were completely routed by the enemy and came pell-mell right through -our lines, causing some little confusion, and hardly had they passed -through to the rear before the enemy were upon us, and here the fire of -musketry was most terrible. - -"Our men tried to stand up to it, but everything was breaking to -pieces all around us, and it was more than we could do, short of -annihilation. We poured in a few well-directed volleys, and reluctantly -left the field--many of our men firing as they fell back. The loss here -was very heavy. All the field officers of the Twenty-fifth Illinois -were killed instantly, and many commissioned officers; two of our -lieutenants were killed and three wounded, and one of our captains is -either killed or a prisoner. We will make thorough search for him on -the field in the morning. - -"We left dead on this field fifteen men killed almost instantly -on the first fire, and a large number wounded. At the first fire -Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan was wounded in the leg (not seriously), -and was immediately carried off the field. From this time I led the -regiment in person. I did all I could to make the men contest the -ground firmly as they fell back, and on the first favorable ground, -about one hundred yards from the first line of battle, I planted the -colors and mounted a fallen tree, and, waving my hat with all my might, -I cheered and called upon the men to rally on the flag--never to desert -their colors. - -"All of the left wing responded to my call most nobly, and rallied with -considerable alacrity under a most galling and dangerous fire. I did -not see Colonel Morgan fall, and supposed he had charge of the right -wing; but the various captains collected a large number of their men, -and as soon as I got under cover of the regiments on the left and rear, -they brought their men up and joined me, and I thus had still quite -a battalion, notwithstanding the killed and number wounded, and the -straying or lost ones. The men who came to me at this time had been -'tried in the furnace,' and were true men, and during all the trying -scenes of the rest of the day and of to-day, they never faltered in -obeying my commands, and did most bravely. - -"As soon as our brigade was collected, Colonel Veatch moved us over to -the right to support General McClernand's division, which was being -very hard pressed by the enemy, said to be commanded by Beauregard. The -left, so our prisoners report, was commanded by Bragg, and the center -by Johnston. They also report that the column that attacked our brigade -in the morning, of which I have just spoken, numbers twelve thousand, -under Bragg, and that the whole force was near one hundred thousand; -but we do not know, only that it was very large, sufficiently so to -attack the entire line of our extensive camp in heavy force. - -"In the afternoon our pickets reported the enemy advancing against us, -on the left of General McClernand. As soon as we had drawn them well -up by our picket skirmish under Captain Rheinlander, the Fourteenth -Illinois flanked them, and was just beginning to pour upon them a heavy -fire, while we were moving up to the assistance of the Fourteenth in -fine style, when the whole mass of our left, which had, for five or -six hours, been steadily and stubbornly contesting the victorious -advance of the enemy in that direction, gave way in all directions, -about half-past three, and came sweeping by us in utter and total -confusion--cavalry, ambulances, artillery, and thousands of infantry, -all in one mass, while the enemy were following closely in pursuit, at -the same time throwing grape, canister, and shells thick and fast among -them. - -"It was a time of great excitement and dismay--it appeared that all was -lost; but I was unwilling to throw our regiment into the flying mass, -only to be trampled to pieces and thoroughly disorganized and broken. -So I held them back in the wash on the side of the road until the mass -of the rout had passed, when I put my men in the rear of the retreat, -and by this means fell into a heavy cross-fire of the enemy, but I -preferred that to being crushed to pieces by our own army. Here we lost -a number of our men killed, and many wounded. - -"Among those who fell, wounded badly in the leg, was Sergeant-Major -William Jones, who had stood right by me fearlessly through the whole -day. This rout decided that day's work. We were driven back nearly to -the river landing, but the enemy kept pressing us in all the time, -and, if, at this time, they had made a bold and united charge all -along their line, we would have been totally and utterly routed; but -a half-hour's apparent cessation of heavy firing gave our scattered -forces time to rally, while the first two regiments of Buell's -long-expected advance took position on the hill in the rear, and our -forces fell back and formed with them near the landing for a final -stand. - -"About five o'clock in the evening the enemy made a heavy charge and -attempted to carry this position. The contest was most terrible--the -roar of musketry was one continuous peal for near half an hour. All -that saved us was two heavy siege-pieces on the hill and the firmness -of our men on this last stand. Night closed in on us, with almost -the whole of our extensive camps in the hands of the enemy. It was a -gloomy night for us all, and to add to our discomforts we had a heavy -rain with no shelter. But we had saved enough ground to make a stand -upon, and during the night twenty thousand fresh troops from Buell's -army were transported across the river, and Lew Wallace moved up his -division from below on our right. - -"This morning at dawn of day began one of the grandest and most -terrific battles ever fought. Buell moved forward on the left and -center, and Wallace on the right, with their fresh troops, while -Grant's army steadily followed them up and held the ground firmly as -it was gained. From early in the morning until three o'clock in the -afternoon the roar of musketry and artillery was one almost continuous -thunder. It was grand beyond description. I have not time to tell you -of it in this letter, and you will have it fully described in the -newspapers. - -"The enemy fought with great desperation and steadiness, but Wallace -continued to press them on the right, driving them to the left, and -Buell pressing them on the left, driving them to the right, until -they were getting completely outflanked, when at three o'clock our -brigade was ordered up to the front and center, and directed to charge -the retreating enemy, but they traveled too fast for us. Nothing but -cavalry could reach them. We remained on the outposts till evening, -and then came in to get a good night's sleep in the tents of our own -camp after the fatigues of a two days' steady fight. The night is -terribly disagreeable--rainy and chilly--and tens of thousands of -troops are sleeping on the bare ground with no covering, just as we did -last night. - -"Indiana has borne an honorable part in the great battle. I know -that the Ninth, Eleventh, Twenty-fifth, Thirty-first, Thirty-second, -Forty-fourth, and Fifty-seventh Regiments were engaged, and I think the -Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth, with several others, I have no doubt, -though I have been too busy on the field to know much of it--have not -even had time yet to see Colonel Morgan or our wounded officers and -men. The Forty-second was busy here to-day, but I hardly think it was -in the fight, though it may have been. Thomson's Battery is said to -have done noble work. Aleck [brother of the writer] was busy with the -trains and baggage--the enemy came right up to our tents--the camp was -shelled; he had to move wagons and baggage to the landing. Did his duty -well. But we are back again to-night. - -"I tried in this terrible conflict to do my duty well, and I am willing -to leave to my officers and men the judgment. - -"I forgot to mention Colonel Veatch. He acted with great coolness and -courage, always with his brigade in the thickest of the fight. He had -two horses shot under him, but escaped unharmed. - -"I have written this hurried letter to you for the family, not the -public. My deliverance was almost miraculous and I am grateful for it." - -After finishing the foregoing letter, I wrote a short one to my wife:-- - -"_My own dear Wife_:-- - -"Your husband is still safe and unharmed, though he has passed through -a most terrible and deathful battle, the bloodiest ever fought on the -continent. While it was terrible, it was grand. - -"I have just written a long letter to father, which is for you all. -I would write you at length, but it is now past midnight, and after -two days of hard fighting and one rainy night of gloomy and fearful -watching, I need rest. You will excuse me, will you not? - -"My dear Parke, God, our merciful Father, has been my shield and my -protector; let us give Him all the glory. - -"Captain Dudley Smith [a relative of my wife] is badly (not mortally) -wounded. His regiment fought next to us, and I shook hands of -encouragement with him not five minutes before he fell. Both his -lieutenants and first sergeant were shot. - -"I believe, my dear, that God will continue to preserve my life for you -and my dear child. Live in hope and faith. I will write a long letter -soon." - -In the letter to my father, given above, I refer in commendation to -my brother Alexander H. Foster, the regimental quartermaster. He -rendered a most valuable service in saving all our camp and personal -baggage. When during the first day's fighting it became evident that -the battle was going against us, he brought up the wagons and loaded -up all the company and headquarters baggage and outfit, and took them -to the rear. The rebels occupied our tents on Sunday night, and would -have plundered everything but for our quartermaster's thoughtfulness. -He also displayed great daring in keeping us supplied with ammunition -during the first day's heavy fighting. - -Another incident respecting our tents may be noted. When attending -the Harvard Law School, I had formed a very close friendship with a -classmate from Alabama, Walter Bragg. I corresponded with him for some -time, but lost sight of him when the war began. Years after he came to -Washington to fill an important official position. I learned from him -then that on Sunday night of the Shiloh battle his regiment occupied -the camp of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, and he slept in our headquarters -tent. - -General Grant in his "Personal Memoirs" says: "The battle of Shiloh was -the severest battle fought at the West during the war, and but few in -the East equaled it for hard, determined fighting." General Sherman, in -his "Memoirs," characterizes it as "one of the most fiercely contested -of the war." - -The number of the Confederate forces engaged in the battle, as reported -by Beauregard, was 40,955. Grant reports the Federal forces in the -first day's fighting at 33,000, and that on the second day he was -reinforced by General Lew Wallace with 5000 and from Buell's army -with 20,000. The losses of the Federals were, killed 1754, wounded -8408, missing 2934. The Confederate losses were, killed 1728, wounded -8012, and missing 957. In my official report I placed the loss of the -Twenty-fifth Indiana at 149. - -While the battle was recognized as a distinct Union victory, it was -followed in the North by severe criticism of the generalship displayed -on the Federal side. Sherman says that "probably no single battle -of the war gave rise to such wild and damaging reports"; and in his -"Memoirs" Grant writes: "The battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing has -been perhaps less understood, or, to state the case more accurately, -more persistently misunderstood, than any other engagement during the -entire rebellion." - -The main criticisms were three in number: first, that no intrenchments -or fortifications of any kind were made to protect the encampment; -second, that our army was surprised; and, third, that the retreating -enemy was not pursued. It is generally conceded that the encampment was -well located for defense, as three sides were protected by the river -and creeks full of water. Sherman, in discussing the first criticism -in later years, said, "The position was naturally strong; ... we could -have rendered this position impregnable in one night." General Force, -in reviewing the battle after the close of the war, wrote: "The army -had many things to learn, and the use of field fortifications was one -of them." - -The charge that our camp was surprised was indignantly denied by -both Generals Grant and Sherman, and they produce statements of -fact, not generally understood at the time, which seem to sustain -their contention. But a different impression was generally prevalent -in the camp. One of the most intelligent and daring of the Civil -War correspondents was a young man writing under the _nom-de-plume_ -of "Agate," who became afterwards well known throughout the world, -Whitelaw Reid. He was on the battlefield during the two days' fighting -and wrote lengthy reports of the battle. His contention was that it -was a complete surprise. Years afterwards he had a discussion on this -matter with General Sherman, and in the course of it he cited my letter -to my father, above quoted, to sustain his contention. - -Doubtless the rebel army would have been much more demoralized and have -sustained great loss in military equipment and supplies, if it had been -vigorously pursued. The greater part of Grant's army was so reduced -and fatigued as not to be able to make an effective pursuit of the -retreating Confederates, but Buell's army was not in that condition. -Publications made after the war by Grant and Buell make it plain that -there was want of harmony, if not an unfriendly spirit, that prevented -the cordial coöperation which might have made the battle much more -decisive. - -For some months previous to the battle of Shiloh General Halleck had -been commanding the Department of the West, with his headquarters at -St. Louis, from which place he was directing the movements of the -armies. Immediately after this battle he came to Pittsburg Landing, -arriving on April 11, and, assuming personal command, he began the -reorganization and reinforcement of the army in the vicinity, for -a march on Corinth, where it was understood the Confederates were -concentrating. This step on his part had the effect of practically -relieving General Grant from command. - -The news of the battle and heavy losses suffered by the Union forces -awakened throughout the country great interest and sympathy, and from -all the leading cities of the West located on the Ohio and Mississippi -Rivers steamers were chartered and dispatched to the battlefield, -loaded with hospital supplies, volunteer surgeons, and friends of the -soldiers. A boat was sent from Evansville, and among the passengers was -my brother George, bringing letters from home and delicacies for the -wounded soldiers of the Twenty-fifth and our mess. In a letter of the -11th, four days after the battle, I wrote to my wife:-- - -"I can assure you I was glad to see the _Bowen_ with a load of our kind -friends after the terrible experience of the last week, and to know -that the great patriotic heart of the Nation was going out in sympathy -and in acts of mercy to our suffering wounded, who have been so sadly, -cruelly neglected by our army general medical officers. I thank you and -Eliza and Eleanor [my sisters] and our good friends at home for their -presents. In our hard-fought battle of last Sunday the enemy drove us -back clear behind our camp and rascally carried off or devoured all our -eatables, and your delicacies came just in time to be fully appreciated. - -"I haven't seen Captain Smith since he was wounded. I suppose he has -gone down the river in the boats. You remember I wrote you we were on a -court-martial together; I was finally excused from it to take command -of our regiment. I saw Colonel Harlan [afterwards Justice of the United -States Supreme Court; married Miss Shanklin, of Evansville] to-day. He -was in good health. His regiment is lying near us, in the woods without -tents. I meet a large number of acquaintances in the Indiana regiments -of Buell's army. - -"I send by George a copy of my official report of the Twenty-fifth. -Tell father I cannot have it published yet, but I thought he and our -home folks would want to read it, but don't circulate it too freely. -As soon as I can get the necessary consent, I will have both Colonel -Veatch's brigade and my regimental reports sent home for publication. I -am anxious that our regiment should have a fair share of the honor, as -it had of the fighting. - -"Say to father and our friends that our regiment fought bravely and -did itself and the State credit. I had the entire responsibility of -the command. I believe I did my duty well; all assure me of it in -the highest terms. I know I saved the regiment from disgrace and -annihilation by a little daring exposure and vigorous encouragement of -our men. This I write freely, but privately, to you and father. It is a -great consolation to me as a citizen to know I have done my duty, but -it is a further gratification to know that my friends at home give me -credit for it." - -On the 13th I write about the return of the steamer _Bowen_ to -Evansville:-- - -"I was much out of humor because they let the boat be filled up with -slightly wounded of other regiments, and left thirty or forty of our -badly wounded Twenty-fifth in the hospitals at Savannah, to linger and -suffer from neglect and bad treatment, and run the chance of getting -home on the charity of other parts of the State. But I suppose the -committee in charge did what they thought was for the best; still, we -are naturally sensitive and jealous for the comfort of our own men." - -In my letter of the 13th I speak of the difficulty of getting my -letters. Officers and men of the regiment were constantly going and -coming from Evansville on furlough or sick-leave, and they were often -availed of to carry mail matter, as the mail was not regular, but I -note one instance in which my letters by private hand did not reach me -for thirty days. I tell my wife:-- - -"When you can't have opportunities of sending letters to me by private -means, send them by mail; they will get here _afterwhile_, and they are -never old. Your letter of Sunday was seven days in coming. I have just -received your three letters sent by Schoenfield. They were a _little_ -behind time, being dated March 14! but they were still very welcome. I -received by him the 'Evangelist' and 'Independent.' I always like to -get them, especially the 'Evangelist,' as it gives a little variety to -my religious reading. - -"Colonel Morgan's father arrived in camp to-day, expecting to find the -colonel nearly dead, and found he had gone home only slightly wounded. -These newspaper reporters ought to be severely punished for their -wicked and foolish exaggerations. The idea of reporting twenty thousand -of our troops and forty thousand of the rebels killed and wounded -serves only to fearfully excite the country, and is so very grossly -absurd. It was a terrible fight, but not such as was reported in the -first dispatches. These reporters _see_ but little of the fight, hear -a great deal, and tell all they hear and a great deal more. - -"I have nothing new to write, but thought you would love to hear after -this terrible battle. Be cheerful, hopeful and patriotic." - -My letter of the 15th was in the most desponding tone since I had -entered the service. It must be confessed it presented a sorry picture -of the 1046 stalwart men who left Evansville eight months before for -the war:-- - -"I enclose you an extract from a communication addressed to our brigade -commander. You will see from it that our regiment is pretty well used -up, between sickness and the bullets of the enemy, having suffered -more than any other regiment from Indiana in battle. In this condition -of affairs, I feel constrained to ask that the regiment be somewhat -relieved. - -"Aleck has been troubled with camp dysentery, and wants to resign soon -but I have been doing all I can to keep him up and in good spirits, and -to stay with us." - -Col. James C. Veatch, -Commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division. - -_Sir_:-- - -Permit me to call your attention to the present condition of the -Twenty-fifth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. - -In the late action at Fort Donelson we sustained a loss in killed and -wounded of one hundred and fifteen, and in the late battle of Pittsburg -Landing of one hundred and forty-nine, making a total of _two hundred -and sixty-four_. A number of the wounded have since died; a large -number are entirely disabled for any military duty, and nearly all of -the wounded will be unfit for duty for some time. - -There are now absent from the regiment, sick, three hundred and nine -enlisted men, and sick in the regiment one hundred and thirty, making -a total sick of four hundred and thirty-nine. - -I am left in sole command of the regiment, the lieutenant-colonel being -wounded and the adjutant having resigned. Three of our most efficient -officers were killed in the late action, and six of them severely -wounded and disabled. Two of our captains absent; one of them badly -wounded at Fort Donelson, the other sick. Three other of our captains -broken down with continuous sickness and hard service, and are asking -that they may be relieved or resign. We now report only three hundred -and eighty-seven men for duty. - -Under date of the 18th I write:-- - -"It is now nearly two weeks since the battle, and our camp is again -resuming its quiet and accustomed ways, as if no terrible conflict had -taken place over these grounds. All our wounded are gone, and are now -in the hospitals at home. I hope they will be well cared for, as I am -sure they will be. - -"We don't know how long we will stay here, or what are the intentions -of the generals; but I think we shall remain for at least ten days. -General Halleck will hardly move till he has his army so disposed as -to make victory certain. He says, so it is reported, that enough lives -have been lost here, and that he will accomplish the rest without -much fighting. I suppose you all hope this will be the case. General -Hurlbut says he will not take his division into the next battle, if he -can prevent it, owing to its heavy losses in the late battle. In our -regiment and the brigade every third man was either killed or wounded. - -"So you may rest in considerable quiet, as I think the probabilities of -_us_ having much fighting is very remote. But if it becomes necessary -and we are called upon, we will do our duty; you would want us to do -nothing less. I never expect to witness such another battle in my life; -it was most terrible and grand. I could not describe it; it is only to -be seen and heard. I had no conception of what a battle was before. The -Fort Donelson fight was a mere skirmish by the side of it. You will -preserve all things of interest in the papers, especially relating -to our regiment in the battle; but there were so many regiments in -the fight we do not expect to get much notice, especially as we have -no reporters in our employ. I trust, my dear Parke, you will have -confidence in my continued safety and health, wishing for a happy -termination of our troubles and my speedy return, remembering that -I will not expose myself or our regiment more than is essential to -our duty, safety, and honor. I send many kisses to my darling little -daughter." - -My letter of the 20th acknowledges the receipt of the first letter from -my wife after the battle of Shiloh:-- - -"You cannot know how glad I was to receive your letter of the 12th. -I have read it over many, many times during the last two hours since -I received it. When I read your letter and knew with what feelings -of joy you learned of my safety, I could not keep back the tears. -I have something to live for and something to encourage me to do my -duty bravely, when I am assured of so dear and loving a wife and -such good relatives and friends. I was very anxious to hear from you -after the battle, and this was the first letter. I knew there would -be great anxiety at home both for myself and the regiment, so I sent -full particulars and list of the killed and wounded by the first -opportunity." - -I have already given a copy of the letter I wrote my father the night -after the second day's fighting. Although I cautioned him that it was -only for the family, and not for the public, he was so much pleased -with and proud of it that he let the newspaper men take a copy of it. -The "New York Tribune," in publishing it on April 22, headed it with -this comment: "The following account of the great battle, written by -Major John W. Foster, of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, is the most clear -relation we have yet met with." In my letter to my wife of the 20th I -make this comment: "I was very sorry to see my letter to father in the -newspapers. I did not want it published. I so stated to him. I don't -want to blow my own trumpet. If the people at home can't learn of my -exploits in some other way, it is better that they should not hear them -at all. Don't publish any more of my letters unless I give my consent." - -But other accounts than mine were published. I make an extract from one -of them written the day after the battle: "The Twenty-fifth has gained -fresh renown, and can point to their thinned ranks as the record of -their part in that dreadful fray. Colonel Veatch had two horses shot -under him while commanding the brigade. Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan was -wounded in the first fierce charge that brought down so many of his -men. Major Foster was everywhere in the thickest of the fight, leading -the charge or directing the backward movement. The men will follow -those officers anywhere and Indiana may justly be proud of them." - -In my letter of the 20th, I report a proposed movement of our camp:-- - -"Our old camp becoming unpleasant after the great slaughter of men -and animals in the battle, we have been ordered to a new camp four -miles nearer the enemy. We made our preparations, but a heavy rain has -delayed. - -"I think when Colonel Morgan rejoins the regiment, after we have -whipped the rebels at Corinth and our men have a prospect of a little -rest, I will have to manage to get sick!--and by this means get a -sick-leave of a month, and come home to see my little daughter to -keep her from growing entirely out of my knowledge, and to enjoy the -long-desired society of my dear wife and friends. But I won't set my -heart upon it, neither must you, for the probabilities are we will have -to finish up this rebellion before any of us can get home. Then I will -come and make a lifelong visit with you; for it will take a very loud -and patriotic call from my country to make me leave my family again." - -In my letter of the 21st I note an event which led to an important -change in my military service. My wife had two brothers, younger -than herself, Theodore, a student in the senior class at the State -University, and Alexander, then a clerk in the post-office at -Evansville. When the war broke out Alexander (or "Zan") was very -anxious to enlist, but he was only sixteen years old, and we refused -our consent largely on account of his youth, and besides, as I was -about to enter the service, I wanted him to stay at home to look -after my wife and their mother. But after the successive victories at -Donelson and Shiloh, and he heard from the returned soldiers about me, -he became restless to join our regiment. I refer to him in my letter of -the 25th:-- - -"I sent Zan a telegram and also wrote him a letter yesterday, saying if -Theodore could take his place in the post-office, I would have him made -a lieutenant and assign him to duty as regimental commissary. But I do -not want you to be left at home without one of the boys with you, while -I am away, and he is not to come without the approval of father and his -mother. - -"Another reason which has caused me to decide for him to come, on the -above conditions, was that Aleck [my brother] has been a little unwell -for some weeks, is getting tired, insists on going out of the service, -and says he has only stayed on my account. He says if Zan comes he -can act as commissary and he (Aleck) will stay a month until Zan gets -posted in the business; and we can have him appointed regimental -quartermaster. If Aleck goes home, as he seems determined to do, I -would like to have Zan with me, as I don't fancy being here alone." - - - - -V -ON TO CORINTH AND MEMPHIS - - -Evidently General Halleck's efforts to reorganize the army after -the battle of Shiloh were having a salutary effect in the camp, as -indicated in my letter of the 21st of April:-- - -"We are having greater confidence in the army now. We think Halleck -will manage affairs with much system and skill, and will not cause such -needless slaughter of brave soldiers as we had on the 6th. I am glad -to see the public journals exposing the wretched generalship which -permitted a complete surprise of a large army, and its almost complete -annihilation. But matters will go on much better now. System is -beginning to be apparent in every department, and care and foresight. -If we only had a good, full regiment everything would go well with -me, but we are sadly cut up. Sickness has weakened us very much, and -the two last battles have seriously reduced us. Our officers from -sickness, exposure and other causes are resigning; two of them go home -to-morrow. My own health and spirits are very good, but it is a little -discouraging to see the regiment so weakened." - -But I cannot end the extracts without a little glimpse at our home -life, for which I so often express a longing in my letters. The Mr. -Tubbs referred to was the bearer of my wife's letter:-- - -"Mr. Tubbs said he called on you before he left and heard you play, -and praised your music extravagantly. I hope you do not neglect your -practice, as I want you always to be able to play as well as when we -were married. He spoke of what a pleasant home I had; it made me want -to be there. I was much moved at father's last letter in which he said -I was always in the thoughts of the folks at home; that _the little -ones talked about me every day_. How I wish I could be at home with -them again to enjoy the company of the little ones, of my own Alice and -the rest." - -After three weeks of waiting, recuperation, and reinforcement, General -Halleck began the movement of his grand army against Corinth in the -last days of April. General Grant places its number at 120,000. I -reported this movement in my letter of May 3 as having already begun, -and in anticipation of another battle I seek to quiet my wife's fears: - -"I wrote you of our change of camp, going four miles away from the -river beyond Shiloh Church toward Corinth; and we are now under orders -to proceed to Monterey, five miles from this camp, so that to-morrow -night we hope to be thirteen or fourteen miles from the river, and five -or six miles from Corinth. But I think we shall not have a great battle -for some days yet, for I think the enemy will wait for us to attack -them in their intrenchments. - -"You must not be too solicitous if you hear of a great battle, or be -too credulous of telegraphic reports. I will try to do my duty, and we -will leave the result to our Heavenly Father, who has kindly been my -shield and protector thus far through terrible dangers." - -On the 7th of May I write:-- - -"We are all packed up in camp under marching orders to go two miles -farther to the front, and are quietly waiting for the orders to move, -so while we are waiting I will try to pencil you a little note at -least." - -For the first time since I entered the army, with the exception of -temporary colds, I report a slight illness:-- - -"I have been a little unwell for two or three days past, but we are -having very pleasant weather to-day, and I shall soon be well again. I -cannot afford to be sick at this time; I must wait at least till we get -the enemy out of Corinth or wherever we meet them. I see by the papers -that the reporters have got the enemy out of Corinth. It may be so, but -we don't know it here." - -May 8 I note the arrival at the camp of Alexander McFerson:-- - -"Zan arrived at the river night before last, but did not get out here -till this morning. I sent a recommendation to Governor Morton this -morning for his appointment, and he will go at once to work. - -"We are now fourteen miles from Pittsburg Landing, and six miles from -Corinth. We are getting forward gradually; moved one mile to the front -yesterday." - -The letter of May 12 says:-- - -"We have been moving out slowly and by degrees from Pittsburg. We are -now about eighteen miles from the river, and six miles from Corinth. -Our pickets are within three or four miles of Corinth, and can hear -very plainly the locomotives whistle and the drums beat. We have -various rumors of its evacuation, but can tell nothing of their truth. -I think the enemy are still there. - -"I have come very near being quite ill for the last few days with -fever, but fortunately have escaped and am nearly well again. We were -called out in line of battle the other day by a false alarm, and I -thought I _must_ go out with my men, though I had a high fever; and -standing out in the hot sun for two hours (and we have hot sun now) -nearly laid me up permanently. It is the nearest I have come to being -real sick since I have been in the service; but I am pretty well over -it now, thanks to my strong resolution and Dr. Walker's good treatment. -Dr. Walker says I have barely escaped typhoid fever. I have taken -medicine quite freely. I cannot afford to be sick now; the enemy must -first be driven out of Corinth." - -On the 16th I write:-- - -"We move up slowly, and as we go we fortify our camps by a continuous -line of breastworks of logs, brush, and earthwork. The newspaper -reporters have kept you unnecessarily alarmed about the battle '_which -could not be delayed a day longer_,' and yet it has been delayed for -a month. When it is to come off I do not know, or whether it is at -all. We have for more than a week past been right in the face of the -enemy's pickets, the men of our regiment fighting them all the time; -and whenever it becomes necessary for us to move our camp forward, -our pickets make a push on them and drive them back the required -distance, rather obstinately however. The pickets are now about a -mile in advance, and almost any time we can hear the rifles crack, and -frequently they go by volleys. If the enemy are going to fight we can't -go much farther. - -"Zan is in good health and doing well. He is the most anxious man in -the regiment for a fight." - -In a previous letter I noted that Colonel Veatch had received his -commission as brigadier-general, and that Governor Morton was on a -visit to the camps and we might expect our promotions soon. I had -also reported Governor Morton's visit to Fort Donelson after the -battle there. He was one of the most distinguished civilians which -the Civil War brought into public notice, and was especially esteemed -for his services toward the soldiers. Many years after the war one of -our Presidents, in a public address, said: "When history definitely -awards the credit for what was done in the Civil War, she will put the -services of no other civilian, save alone those of Lincoln, ahead of -the services of Governor Morton." - -I reported May 19:-- - -"Governor Morton visited us yesterday and was warmly received by the -boys. He told them he would make Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan colonel and -me lieutenant-colonel for our services in the field, and the captains -have voted for Captain Rheinlander for major. I will get my commission -to-day, and so you can address me as Lieutenant-Colonel Foster -hereafter, and call me _colonel_, not _major_! - -"We are called out into line of battle now every morning at daylight, -and some mornings we are out in line by three o'clock; thus, you see, -we are determined not to be surprised again by the enemy, if early -rising is to have anything to do with it. So I am writing my letter to -you before sunrise!" - -A short letter on the 22d says:-- - -"I write you this note to say I will write you a long letter to-morrow, -to assure you of my increasing health and strength, and to let you know -we are still out of a battle. Since Captain Rheinlander has been made -major, I can be relieved of a portion of the outside heavy work, and -have the responsibility of the command divided. If Colonel Morgan was -back again, I could take things comparatively easy." - -In the letter of the 23d it is stated that the St. Louis, Chicago, and -Cincinnati papers are now regularly on sale by newsboys, showing that -the communication with the rear was well maintained, but I still want -the Evansville papers, the magazines and the "Evangelist." I go more -into detail in the method of our advances:-- - -"We are slowly and safely approaching Corinth, making our way secure as -we go. We have a heavy skirmish with the enemy's pickets; if they are -obstinate we get out the artillery, throw a few shells into the woods, -drive them back over a ridge into a hollow a half mile or so, then -leave our camp equipage behind, and march out with guns, knapsacks, -haversacks, spades, axes, and picks in hand and throw up breastworks on -the ridge. When that is done we move up our camp equipage and remain -in camp here for a day or more. Then we shove up the enemy's pickets -again, and make another camp; and thus we are approaching the enemy's -works. Our generals, I believe, are going to consult the lives of the -soldiers in winning the next battle. The most of the people in the -States seem anxious that the fight should come off _in a hurry_. If -they had to do the fighting it might be different. - -"If Beauregard will really stand, he will surely be defeated, though it -may cost the lives of many brave soldiers; but the life of any of us -is nothing in comparison with the life and safety of the Nation. If it -were not so I would not risk my life in the contest." - -Under date of May 29, I allude to a forward movement of the -Twenty-fifth Indiana, similar to others previously made, but which, -unknown to us at the time, was a general advance of Sherman and -Hurlbut's divisions, and proved to be the last military demonstration -against Corinth, as the enemy was then engaged in the evacuation of the -place:-- - -"We went forward yesterday with our brigade and drove the enemy back -a mile, thus getting room for a new camp. To-morrow we all move up -another mile, getting close neighbors with Corinth. - -"We were all glad to welcome Colonel Morgan back to-day, and I have -been busy talking regimental matters with him. - -"The paymaster has been with us to-day, and I am sending you six -hundred dollars. I want you to be at perfect liberty in using the -money. Make your house and family comfortable, live well and enjoy -yourself. Consult father about the rent of the house, respecting which -you wrote me. Don't let these business affairs worry you. Take the -world easy." - -At last the grand march on the rebel stronghold of Corinth was over. My -letter of June 1 says:-- - -"I suppose there was at least one anxious heart relieved by the -news which ought to have reached home yesterday that the rebels had -evacuated Corinth, and concluded not to give us battle. So you, and -the thousands of wives and relatives of our soldiers, can rest quiet -for some time. After the long preparations and constant and watchful -readiness we had maintained for battle, it was and is now a great -relief for us to relax and take some comfort. For weeks men have been -sleeping with all their accouterments on and their arms by their sides, -and were ordered out in line of battle sometimes at midnight, or any -other hour; but always at early daylight. It is a great relief to us -all to lie down quietly now and sleep without being disturbed by the -'long roll' or hasty orders from the generals. I have enjoyed the -luxury of the good morning naps, waiting for the rays of the sun to -waken me. Until last night I have slept with all my clothes on and in -utmost readiness for a prompt turnout. I am thankful for good sleep -now, and you are thankful that we had no battle. - -"None of our regiment has been killed, but several were wounded on -picket and in the recent skirmishes. I have passed through several -narrow escapes, but then 'a miss is as good as a mile.' In the last -skirmish three days ago, Dr. Walker and I were talking together, on -horseback, discussing the close range the enemy had upon us with their -cannon, while the shot would occasionally rattle through the trees, -when an unwelcome visitor in the shape of a shell came whizzing along, -and went into the ground right between our horses, tearing up the dirt -at a fearful rate. The boys dug it out, and it was found that the -rebels in their hurry had forgot to gouge the fuse, and fortunately it -did not explode. - -"I rode into Corinth yesterday. The fearful ravages of war are visible -on all sides, in the charred walls, solitary chimneys, smoking ruins, -and waste all around. The rebels burned all their storehouses full of -supplies, their magazines, armories, etc. In peaceful times the town -was a very attractive place. - -"General Hurlbut is said to be anxious to get the position of -commandant of Memphis, and to march our division over immediately and -occupy. It is uncertain whether he will succeed. My health, also Zan's, -is good now." - -The escape of the Confederate army from Corinth, and the subsequent -breaking up of Halleck's great army was a disappointment to the people -of the North. Halleck's generalship has been severely criticized by -both Grant and Sherman in their "Memoirs." Grant describes the movement -upon Corinth as "a siege from the start to the close" and says, "I am -satisfied that Corinth could have been captured in a two days' campaign -commenced promptly on the arrival of reinforcements after the battle -of Shiloh." Sherman laments that "the advance on Corinth had occupied -all of the month of May, the most beautiful and valuable month of the -year for campaigning in this latitude"; and he adds that "by the time -we had reached Corinth I believe that army was the best then on this -continent, and could have gone where it pleased." - -While Buell's army was sent toward the east, Sherman and Hurlbut were -sent west toward Memphis. Our regiment was destined to have no rest, as -the day after we entered Corinth, June 1:-- - -"We received orders to support Sherman's division which had gone -forward on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad toward Memphis. In half -an hour we were in line of march, with two days' rations and no tents. -We had a heavy rain that evening. The men marched two hours into the -night, and then lay right down by the roadside on the wet ground and -slept till morning. In the morning we went to work cleaning out and -chopping the fallen timber from the railroad, and then went into camp, -and here we are now, five miles out west from Corinth. Our camp baggage -was not all up for five days. - -"We have a very pleasant camp in a shady forest, everything to make -us comfortable in camp but the _wood-ticks_, which are multitudinous, -pestiferous, and unescapable; they have almost worried the life out of -me by their biting. This country abounds in snakes, lizards, and all -kinds of troublesome insects. - -"I have taken a few rides out into the neighboring country, and find -it tolerably well settled, but the soil is very poor, the people -likewise and very ignorant. Since we have been in this camp we have -managed to get for our mess fresh milk, young chicken, eggs, green -peas, onions, and lettuce, which are great luxuries with us, who had -had nothing but Government supplies and what we could get from the -settlers. - -"We find very little bitter feeling or hostility exhibited toward us -by the country people, and all willing and longing for peace. But the -men are almost all gone, either in the army or afraid to trust us. -They who did not volunteer have been forced into the rebel service by -the conscription system, until there are hardly enough left to gather -the wheat, which is now ready for harvesting. The farmhouses were full -of women and children. They have no money but Confederate scrip and -'shin-plasters.' How it makes their eyes sparkle to see our soldiers' -silver and gold. But what is more desired by them than silver and gold -is _coffee_. It very often happens that we are utterly unable to get -their consent to sell one of the few remaining chickens on the farm -with silver at high prices, but a pound of coffee will get the last old -hen on the place. - -"We don't certainly know what is to be our future destination, but it -is semi-officially stated in camp that W. T. Sherman's and Hurlbut's -divisions are to constitute the branch of the army which is to move on -Memphis. We are anxious to go to that place, but our wish has nothing -to do with it, as we are Government soldiers to be disposed of as our -generals think best. There you see I have filled up the sheet with a -matter-of-fact business-like letter, without assuring you how much I -long to be with you and at home. But I don't allow myself to think too -much of these things or I would get homesick. I long with you for the -war to end, that I may lay aside my emblems of the army, and return to -my dear wife and child, and the comforts and enjoyments of civil life, -but I must be patient." - -Some days later an undated letter says:-- - -"I had thought of writing you a good long letter this morning, but all -human hopes are vain. This morning we have marching orders for the -west, and there is no time for letter-writing. We are not informed as -to our destination, but the general impression among the officers is -that we are bound for Memphis. Will you come down to see me there, or -shall I jump on a boat and come up the Mississippi and Ohio and see -you?" - -My next letter was written from Grand Junction, a station on the -Memphis and Charleston Railroad, midway from Corinth to Memphis. The -marching orders mentioned in the preceding letter were for Memphis, but -on reaching this station our regiment was diverted from its course, as -will be seen from the letter of June 20:-- - -"We arrived here five days ago, but our brigade was sent on an -expedition down to Holly Springs, thirty miles south in Mississippi, -to destroy the Mississippi Central Railroad, which took us till last -night: the rest of the army remaining here to support us in case -of danger. We came back all safe. The march was a very rapid, but -pleasant one, through a beautiful country and to one of the prettiest -towns in the South. We hope to leave for Memphis to-morrow." - -This was the last letter written by me from the Twenty-fifth Indiana. -On my arrival at Grand Junction I learned that Alexander McFerson, my -wife's brother, was ill at Lagrange, a station on the railroad a short -distance from Grand Junction. I at once hastened to his bedside, and -found him suffering from a severe attack of typhoid fever, which was -prevalent in the camps. Notwithstanding he received the most skillful -medical attendance, the virulence of the disease soon placed him beyond -human aid, and he died on June 27. - -I secured a furlough to take his body home. The regiment continued -on its march to Memphis, and I went on my sad journey to Evansville, -bringing the body of the young soldier to his bereaved mother and -sister. The sequel shows that I never returned to the Twenty-fifth -Indiana, with which I had passed through so many dangers and -privations, and with whose men I had formed the deep attachment of -soldier comradeship. - -The following editorial in the "Evansville Journal" of July 2, 1862, -reflects the sentiments of all who knew him:-- - -A telegram last night brought the melancholy news of the death of -Lieutenant Alexander McFerson to his friends in this city. He died at -Lagrange, Tennessee, on the 27th ult. at the age of seventeen. - -When he asked permission to join the army he said that he felt it -his duty to go into the service; that neither of his mother's sons -were there, and he would never feel satisfied unless he did his share -in putting down the rebellion. Less than two months ago he left his -friends and home, buoyant in health, and with high hopes of a pleasant -and useful career in the grand army of the Mississippi, having been -appointed commissary to the Twenty-fifth Indiana Volunteers. But how -soon those hopes are blasted, how soon that health is destroyed by a -fatal disease. In early youth, he is cut off. Young McFerson was a -generous, noble youth, warm-hearted, and highly esteemed by the whole -community, who will warmly sympathize with his bereaved friends in this -hour of their affliction. - - - - -VI -GUERRILLA WARFARE IN KENTUCKY - - -When I arrived at Evansville in July, 1863, on furlough, I found the -border country on both sides of the Ohio River in Indiana and Kentucky -in a state of feverish excitement. The counties of western Kentucky -were overrun with Confederate soldiers, who had secretly and singly -passed through the military lines, and were engaged actively in the -work of securing recruits for the rebel army, and, after mounting them -on horses taken from loyal citizens, sent them back through the lines -to the South. Guerrilla bands were roaming through these counties, -terrorizing the Union men, and threatening to cross the Ohio. In fact, -about the time of my arrival at home a small guerrilla force had -occupied Newburg, a town nine miles above Evansville, and robbed the -stores, striking terror into the inhabitants. - -As no regular forces were available for defense, Governor Morton had -rushed several bodies of Home Guards to Evansville, and was organizing -thirty and sixty days' men for service in various parts of Indiana, to -serve until the Federal Government was able to protect the disturbed -districts by regularly organized and armed troops. General Love, who -had charge of these State forces, with his headquarters at Evansville, -requested me to take command of these irregular levies, and occupy -Henderson, the most important town in that section of Kentucky, ten -miles below Evansville on the Ohio River, as a base for operations -against these marauding rebels. This I consented to do, as a temporary -expedient. - -On the 26th of July, a few days after we had occupied Henderson, -Governor Morton repeated from Indianapolis a telegram from General J. -T. Boyle at Louisville, commanding the United States military forces in -Kentucky as follows: "Give the order to Lieutenant-Colonel Foster in -my name to command at Henderson." As my furlough from the Twenty-fifth -Indiana was about to expire, and neither Governor Morton nor General -Boyle would listen to my intimation that I would have to rejoin my -regiment, estimating highly the value of my military experience in the -absence of other available officers, the Governor secured from General -Grant an order detaching me temporarily from the Twenty-fifth Indiana, -and authorizing me to continue in the service in Kentucky. - -I was clothed by General Boyle with the most drastic authority to put -an end to the troubles in western Kentucky. The order above quoted by -which I was placed in command at Henderson contained also the following -instructions:-- - -Order the officers in my name to kill every armed rebel offering -resistance and all banded as guerrillas. I want none such as prisoners. -Order them to disarm every disloyal man. - -Only a few days after I was put in command by General Boyle. August 2, -he sent the following telegram:-- - -If officers and men do not obey my orders to shoot down the armed -rebels, every bushwhacker, guerrilla, or banded villains, our forces -had better be withdrawn from the field. We can only save the State by -putting them to the sword. I want none of them as prisoners. Take no -oath or bonds. You will shoot down the scoundrels. - -These and other orders from him of like character which I quote -will indicate the bitter spirit which prevailed at that time in -Kentucky between the loyal and disloyal citizens. General Boyle was a -native-born citizen of Kentucky. - -Immediately after I assumed command at Henderson I set to work to -get the irregular and inexperienced forces collected there into such -organized shape as would enable me to go out into the country to attack -and drive out the rebel bands which were infesting that region. While -engaged in that work, I was embarrassed by a civil duty which I had -to face. A short time before my arrival an election had been held in -Kentucky for city, county, and other officials. General Boyle had -issued an order regulating the election to this effect:-- - -No person hostile in opinion to the Government will be allowed to -stand for office in Kentucky. The attempt of such a person to stand -for office will be regarded as in itself sufficient evidence of his -treasonable intent to warrant his arrest. In seeking office he becomes -an active traitor, if he does not become one otherwise, and is liable -both in reason and in law to be treated accordingly. All persons of -this description in offering themselves as candidates for office will -be arrested and sent to these Headquarters. - -The election at Henderson had resulted in the choice of a mayor and -city council, all of whom were sympathizers with the rebellion. On my -arrival the mayor fled from the city. I telegraphed General Boyle: -"The mayor of this city has left town without leave. Been absent a -week. Strongly suspected of being among the guerrillas. The city -council are secessionists in sympathy. Have you any action to direct?" -He replied: "When mayor returns arrest him. If you deem proper arrest -any of the council, and send all to Camp Morton. The men elected to -office in Hopkins County I wish taken and sent in with others. Leniency -and conciliation do no good. The scoundrels must be subjugated or -killed." - -It was soon established that the mayor had fled through the lines and -joined the Confederate forces, whereupon I summoned a meeting of the -council and requested them to declare the office of mayor vacant, and -each of them to take the oath of loyalty exacted of suspected citizens. -Rather than take this action all the members of the council resigned. -The city marshal likewise refused to take the oath of loyalty, and -I declared his office vacant. This left the city without any civil -government. - -I therefore issued a proclamation as military commander of the post, -assuming control of the civil affairs "until the loyal citizens shall -have filled the offices with loyal men," and ordering an election to -be held on a day designated. Meanwhile a citizen of Henderson was -appointed by me provost marshal and furnished with a military guard -to enforce order. My action in the matter was approved by my superior -commanders. Thenceforth during my command in western Kentucky I had no -trouble with the civil authorities of Henderson. - -Having gotten my forces in a fair condition for a campaign against the -guerrilla bands, I was about to make an expedition into the adjoining -counties, when I received a report that the Confederate trooper John -Morgan, with a large force, was just across the line in Tennessee and -learned that one of his subordinates, Adam Johnson, a noted guerrilla -chief, was already in my district. Before moving, I inquired of -General Boyle as to Morgan's whereabouts, and he replied: "Morgan is -near Gallatin. He cannot venture into your section. No danger from -that source. Johnson is a great liar, as all rebels are. You can go -where you please. Act on your own discretion. Shoot down the banded -scoundrels as guerrillas or as recruits for the rebel army." - -I had received reliable information that a considerable band of armed -and organized rebels were quartered at Madisonville, the county -seat of Hopkins County, about forty miles from Henderson, actively -recruiting for their army and levying upon the loyal citizens for -horses and supplies. With several companies of infantry and such force -of cavalry as I could get (a mere handful), I embarked at night on a -steamer, going up the Ohio and Green Rivers to within three miles of -Madisonville, where we disembarked early in the morning, and moved -toward the town, hoping to surprise the enemy. But we found them posted -in a forest, heavily wooded and thick with underbrush, in the suburbs -of the town. I ordered forward our skirmishers, who engaged them with -a brisk fire, but before our line of battle could reach them they -fled precipitately, mounting their horses and scattering in every -direction. The result of the skirmish was a few soldiers wounded and a -number of the rebels as prisoners. - -We went into camp at Madisonville, and scouting parties were sent out -in various directions. A few prisoners were brought in, but no banded -rebels could be met with, as, being mounted on good horses and aided by -resident sympathizers, they were able to get out of the way. During our -stay some of our soldiers on picket duty were shot down, murdered in -the darkness of the night, by persons claiming to be Southern soldiers, -skulking behind rocks and bushes. We were indignant at such warfare, -and I issued a proclamation which was scattered throughout the county, -denouncing this irregular and barbarous warfare as contrary to the -rules of civilized nations, declaring that the firing upon pickets, -when no enemy was near, was cold-blooded murder, and giving notice that -for every picket thereafter murdered one of the captured guerrillas in -our hands would be put to death as a felon. I never had occasion to put -this threat into execution, and probably never would have done so, but -the proclamation had its desired effect, and the killing of our pickets -ceased. - -The expedition to Madisonville was heralded by the papers of Indiana -as a great victory and magnified into a battle, but to me who had so -recently come from Fort Donelson and Shiloh it seemed a mere skirmish -of slight proportions. I soon returned to the post at Henderson, -leaving a small detachment at Madisonville to protect the loyal -citizens from the depredations of the guerrillas. - -On my return I found that a reign of terror existed in the adjoining -county of Union; that the loyal officers recently elected were not -permitted by the secessionists to act; that a returned Union soldier -at home on furlough had been ambushed and murdered; and that unarmed -steamers on the Ohio had been repeatedly fired on from Uniontown. -Reporting these facts to General Boyle, I was authorized to levy on the -secession sympathizers of the locality a fund for the support of the -family of the murdered soldier. As to Uniontown he telegraphed me: "If -the rebels take any town on the river and use it to fire on boats, you -will burn or demolish it. It would be well to burn down Uniontown, if -it is likely to fall into the hands of the rebels." - -I made an expedition into Union County with a view to overawe the rebel -sympathizers and place the loyal officers recently elected in the -exercise of their duties. But it proved of no avail. The guerrillas -easily got out of our way and the rebel residents denied all knowledge -of them or of the parties guilty of the soldier's murder. The loyal -officials were unwilling to attempt to assume their duties unless I -would agree to keep a force of soldiers permanently at the county seat, -and this I could not do with my inadequate command. - -For the first month or six weeks of my Kentucky service I put forth -as much activity as was possible with the forces I had, to destroy or -drive out of my district the guerrillas and Confederate recruiting men, -and I received the repeated thanks of Governor Morton and my commanding -officer, General Boyle, for what I accomplished. But I encountered -considerable embarrassment in the exercise of my command. I was still -lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, then in General Grant's -army on the Lower Mississippi, and the troops sent into my district -might be, and at times were, commanded by officers of higher rank than -mine, and who according to the Army Regulations would displace me. -It was the desire of both Morton and Boyle that I should continue in -charge of the district, and they recognized that I deserved promotion. - -In a letter, dated September 19, Governor Morton wrote me as follows:-- - -"I desire to say frankly that it would be very gratifying to me to -have you remain in command of the forces at and in the vicinity of -Henderson, if in justice to your own feelings and the interest of -your own regiment, you could do so. The ability, energy, and sagacity -you have thus far displayed is sufficient proof of your fitness for -the command. But should you, on any account, feel embarrassed in your -personal position, I cannot insist that you shall remain; and, as to -this, I beg you will exercise your own discretion. - -"It would afford me much pleasure to show my recognition of your -gallant, efficient, and faithful services, by promoting you to a -colonelcy, and I should have done so before this, giving you one of the -new regiments, had not orders from the War Department, a copy of which -is herewith enclosed, prevented me from promoting officers connected -with 'old regiments' to new commands. I regard you as entirely -competent to lead a regiment, and your experience and uniform good -conduct in the field, in my judgment, fairly entitle you to promotion. -The orders alluded to have embarrassed me very much, but the Secretary -of War has announced them as inflexible." - -When it became apparent that I would have to rejoin the Twenty-fifth -Indiana unless I was promoted, a way was found (how I do not know) -whereby I was appointed colonel of the Sixty-fifth Indiana Infantry, -a new regiment which had just been organized at Evansville. The -Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixty-fifth was Thomas Johnson, my uncle, who -six months before had been forced to resign on account of ill-health. -My promotion enabled me to continue in command of the district of -western Kentucky continuously until our forces were transferred to -another field in the following year. - -The action on my part, during my command of the district of western -Kentucky, which attracted the most attention and comment, was the -enforcement of a money levy made upon the disloyal residents of Hopkins -County to reimburse the Union citizens for losses sustained at the -hands of the guerrillas. This action on my part was reported in full -at the time to General Boyle and to Major-General Wright, commanding -the department, and was unreservedly approved by them. General Wright, -in endorsing his approval, added: "A few such exhibitions of zeal and -energy would go far toward breaking up the lawless bands, which have -been so long a terror in that quarter, and restoring peace and quiet in -that section of Kentucky." Efforts were made in vain to the military -commanders to have this levy revoked. Finally Hon. L. W. Powell, -one of the Senators from Kentucky and a citizen of Henderson, after -having failed with the War Department, visited President Lincoln in -person, presented to him a list of the names of individuals assessed -by me and the amount, and asked that in the exercise of his power as -Commander-in-Chief of the Army he disapprove of the levy and order the -money returned. - -The request of Senator Powell, with his list, was sent by President -Lincoln through the military channels calling for a report from me. I -quote the following from my letter to General Boyle, dated February 16, -1863, in reply:-- - -"I am in receipt of the letter of President Lincoln, with your -endorsement thereon, instructing me to report on the names contained in -the paper submitted by Senator Powell. - -"You will remember that I made a full report of all my action in these -matters at the time, giving in detail the condition of the country, -the causes which led to my action, the amount levied, the manner in -which it was distributed, and the effect which it has had upon the -community. This report has been read by yourself and Major-General -Wright, commanding this department, and in all respects fully approved. -I desire that this report be sent to the President. It was made upon my -honor as an officer, and by it I desire that I may be judged. The money -levied had been appropriated and paid out, as stated in my report, to -the citizens of Hopkins County, who were the sufferers by the action of -these very men and their friends, who ask the President for redress. -The money cannot now be refunded by them. I am the only person who -should be held responsible, for if any wrong was committed it was -through the action taken by me as set forth in my report. - -"I know that my action in the matter has had a most salutary effect -upon the people, and Hopkins County is now enjoying a degree of peace -and security which has not heretofore existed since the commencement of -the rebellion. I trust my action may be approved by the President, as -it has so flatteringly been done by yourself and Major-General Wright." - -As I relied entirely upon my previous report to General Boyle for my -vindication, I make some extracts from that document:-- - -"For more than three months previous to this levy, I had been laboring -as earnestly as the force under my command would permit, in efforts to -rid this part of Kentucky of the lawless bands of guerrillas. They had -succeeded in breaking up the civil organization in all the counties -lying between Green and Cumberland Rivers; forcibly preventing the -administration of the laws; stopping the mails; robbing peaceable -citizens on the public highways, causing loyal men to flee from their -families and homes; plundering them of horses, arms, goods, and -anything of value that their comfort required, or fancy demanded; -interrupting the navigation of the rivers by firing into unarmed -steamers; and were engaged in carrying on a warfare, cowardly and -cruel, and entirely unwarranted by the rules of civilized nations. - -"These bands of guerrillas were mounted on the best horses in the -country, stolen from the citizens; they were active and wily, and -thoroughly acquainted with the byways and hiding-places; and were -supported by vigilant friends on every side. I found it very difficult -to drive them out. And one great obstacle to this was the fact that -they were supported, encouraged, and harbored by the friends and -sympathizers of the rebellion, who were enjoying the possession of -their property and their homes under the protection of the Government, -while very many loyal citizens were driven from their families, and -their homes plundered by these armed robbers. The guerrillas possessed -not a single tent, and made no arrangements for a commissariat, -yet they never wanted for a friendly roof to shelter them and were -bountifully supplied with cooked rations. Wherever they went they were -encouraged by hearty welcomes and approving smiles. They never could be -surprised in their hiding-places or overtaken in their flight, because -some sympathizers, enjoying the immunities of the Government, would go -before and warn them of our approach. I had exerted myself to drive out -these bands and restore peace to these counties and had only partially -succeeded. I had time and again warned the secession sympathizers that -if they continued to harbor, feed, and encourage these plunderers and -assassins, I would be compelled to hold them responsible; that Union -men, on account of their patriotic faithfulness to the Government in -this time of public distress, should not be driven from their homes, -their property carried away, and their lives endangered, without some -compensation for their losses. They were daily making their complaints -known to me, some loyal farmers having lost their last horse, not one -being left to gather the corn, or till the soil. Others had their -stores or houses plundered. The secessionists were living in the -peaceful enjoyment of their homes, and the undisturbed possession of -their property. - -"The county of Hopkins was one of the strongholds of the guerrillas and -their friends; they were numerous, active, and bold. After consulting -with the most prominent Union men of the county as to the proper course -to pursue, I organized the expedition, a partial report of which I -gave you, in which I succeeded in scattering, capturing, or driving -away all the organized bands in that county. Then in order to give -peace in future to the county, I determined to carry out the threat -I had so often made to the aiders and harborers of the guerrillas -by holding them responsible for the depredations committed by their -lawless friends. I accordingly made a money levy upon every prominent -harborer or sympathizer of the guerrillas that I could reach, making -the assessment against each individual in proportion to his property -and support or countenance of the traitors. The amount so levied and -collected has reached the sum of thirteen thousand three hundred and -thirty-five ($13,335) dollars. This fund I have caused to be paid over -to an upright, loyal, and responsible citizen of Henderson, Kentucky. I -have appointed a committee consisting of men of acknowledged probity, -influence, and responsibility of Hopkins County, who are thoroughly -acquainted with the people of the county. I have placed the matter -entirely in the hands of citizens, removing it as far as possible from -the control of the military. I have made it the duty of this committee -to investigate the losses sustained by Union citizens of Hopkins County -through the agency of the guerrilla bands, and to compensate them out -of this fund in proportion to their necessities and losses." - -My report was forwarded through the War Department to President Lincoln -and approval of my action was made by the endorsement of the President -in his own handwriting. Nothing further was heard through official -channels of the levy. - -The town of Smithland at the mouth of the Cumberland River was in my -district, and as it was an important dépôt for supplies for the forces -operating at and through Nashville, I was required to maintain a force -there, and I was often called there in discharge of my duties. Under -date of November 1, I received a letter from General Boyle enclosing -two orders from Major-General Wright, one placing under arrest and -ordering a court-martial for the major commanding a detachment of a -Wisconsin regiment stationed at Smithland, and the other ordering the -detachment to be sent away to another army. It appears that the major -enforced very little discipline and that the troops were inflicting all -kinds of outrages and terrorism on the residents. I was directed to -take with me one or more companies of Indiana troops for a garrison. -He added: "I think, if practicable, you had better go down in person -to Smithland. The citizens are apprehensive of an outbreak and great -wrongs to them, on finding that the Wisconsin troops are ordered off -and the major placed under arrest. You will take prompt and decisive -steps to prevent anything of the kind, even if you shall be under the -necessity of using the musket or bayonet for the purpose. Exercise -prudence but firmness." - -I encountered no difficulty in executing my orders. The major quietly -accepted his arrest, the disorderly troops were sent away, and the -garrison of a portion of my Sixty-fifth Regiment gave the citizens -assurance of order. - -Some time after this visit I was again called down to Smithland, but -for a very different reason. The emancipation of the slaves, brought -about by President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, was greatly -resented by many of the Union men of Kentucky. Upon the publication by -President Lincoln of the notice of his intended action on September -22, 1862, quite a number of the officers of Kentucky regiments in -the Federal army resigned their commissions and returned home. -Others, while remaining loyal to the Government, deeply regretted the -President's action, and General Boyle was among them. Large numbers of -slaves escaping through the lines from Tennessee sought refuge within -our encampments. In November, I received the following letter from -General Boyle: "Do not allow negro slaves to come into your lines. All -such must be turned out and kept out. Have nothing to do with negroes. -Let them go. You will see that your command attend to this matter. -I am anxious that Indiana troops especially have nothing to do with -slaves." - -I sought to have this order observed by my command, distasteful as it -was to many, and General Boyle commended me for my action, but called -attention to the non-observance of the order, especially at Smithland, -and asked me to give it my personal attention. I wrote my wife under -date of January 25, 1863: "I shall have to go down to Smithland again -to-morrow. Considerable complaint is made about Major Butterfield -on the negro question; Governor Robinson of Kentucky complaining -to General Boyle and the general referring the matter to me. This -eternal negro question is a perfect nightmare to our loyal Kentucky -patriots. We have to humor them amazingly. I try to act prudently, but -I sometimes get vexed and disgusted." - -I have already noticed various occupations in which I have been engaged -other than of a strictly military service. While in command of the -district of western Kentucky I was ordered to go with a suitable force -to the Cumberland River, midway between Smithland and Nashville, where -the rebels had obstructed navigation by sinking barges loaded with -stone in the channel. With vessels suited for the purpose, I spent -two weeks in cleaning the channel for navigation. I sent my wife a -Christmas greeting by telegraph from this point, reporting my success, -and also that we had captured thirty guerrillas. - -During the greater part of my service in Kentucky I had been much -hampered by the lack of a sufficient force of cavalry to enable me to -pursue and hunt down the guerrillas. After continued efforts in that -direction, I received the following Special Order from General Boyle's -headquarters. "Colonel John W. Foster is hereby authorized to mount the -Sixty-fifth Regiment Indiana Volunteers to be used as mounted infantry. -The Quartermaster's and Ordnance Departments will furnish the necessary -horses and horse equipments upon Colonel Foster's requisition." After -my regiment was mounted and fully equipped, I had little trouble in -clearing the country of guerrillas and giving peace to the Union -citizens. - -I was greatly grieved in January, 1863, to receive a letter from my -wife telling me of my father's failing health. He had always been a -devoted parent to his children, but he had doubly attached me to him at -the opening of the war in patriotically encouraging his boys to enter -the army, with the assurance that he would look after and care for -their families. He wrote me frequent letters, and no day passed without -a visit from him to my house to inquire for the health and needs of my -wife and child. I wrote my wife: "Your letter made me sad when I read -of father's poor health. I wish I was at home to comfort him somewhat -and to aid him in his business. You will do all you can to make his -time pleasant. He thinks much of you. Visit him often, and let Alice go -over to see him whenever he wants her or she wants to go, and teach her -to be affectionate to him. These little acts of kindness will gratify -him in his feeble health and declining years." - -My father's ill-health continued after the date of this letter, but I -was afforded the opportunity of visiting him several times and doing -what I could to comfort him in his last days. On April 13, 1863, he -passed away. An account of the manner in which he met death is recorded -in the "Biography of Matthew Watson Foster," pp. 81-83. - -Fortunately for the human race, our sorrows and our joys follow -each other, often in quick succession. Two weeks after the death of -my father, while on an expedition into the interior of my district -in pursuit of guerrillas, I received intelligence of the birth of -our second child, Edith. She was our "war baby," but she proved the -harbinger of peace. Blessed with a sweet and even temper from her -birth, she has spread peace and sunshine in her path through life. - -Although my field of military service was so near to my home, I did not -cease to long for the time when I might return to my family. Writing to -my wife on a Sabbath day, January 11, I say:-- - -"Oh, when will this terrible war be over, so that we may spend our -Sabbaths together as we have in the past, so peacefully, so pleasantly, -so profitably? It has always been one of my greatest privations in the -army that I was away from my family and Sabbath Church enjoyments. God -in his own good time will give us peace, and return us to our Christian -privileges and our home blessings. I can't help but wish I was at home, -and wish it every day, and that circumstances were such that I might -come with honor. I trust that time may come soon. But I do not want to -dishonor all I have done by leaving at present. I want first to see -the war looking toward its close." - -I wrote the following brief epistle to my wife in a jocose spirit: -"For the love I bear you, I herewith enclose to you the fruits of my -toil, danger, privations, and glory for the past two months, $381.65, -according to the estimate of my services by the paymaster." - -I have referred to the embarrassment and trouble which came to me -soon after I assumed command at Henderson by the condition of the -State elections and the rebel civil officials. Another annual election -occurred just before the close of my service in 1863, and I was -required by General Boyle to see that his orders were enforced. In -addition to the order that no one who was not _in all things_ loyal to -the State and Federal Governments should be allowed to be a candidate, -a further order was issued which made it the duty of the judges of -election to allow no one to vote unless he was known to them to be -an undoubtedly loyal citizen or unless he took the "iron-clad" oath -of loyalty prescribed by the State law. It was made the duty of the -military authorities to see that these orders were enforced. I did not -have a sufficient force to station a detachment at every voting-place, -but I scattered the military election proclamation broadcast, and had -a force at a number of the leading voting-places. - -In one of the Congressional districts within my command I had a -peculiar condition. The regular or State Union candidate was opposed -by a prominent citizen, who had stood by the Federal Government at the -beginning of the rebellion, had raised a Federal regiment, and had -fought gallantly at Donelson and Shiloh. But after the President's -announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, he resigned from the -army and returned to Kentucky to array himself with the peaceful -opponents of the Administration. He was permitted to make a canvass -of his district without any interference by the military, and at the -election none of my command found it necessary to interpose. But the -fact was that many who would have supported him at the polls abstained -from voting because they were unwilling to take the "iron-clad" oath. -Although the State Union candidate received a decided majority of the -votes, his seat was contested by his opponent on the ground, among -others, of military interference with the election, and my name was -freely used in the debates; but the Union candidate was seated by -Congress. In the course of the debate, the Union candidate, referring -to the attacks upon me, said: "Colonel Foster's services protected all -that region of Kentucky, my home, the contestant's home, from rebel and -guerrilla outrage and depredation. Without those services the courts -could not have been held nor the laws administered in a large district -of country. He afterwards led a brigade with brilliant success in East -Tennessee. And the contestant will not forget that day on the banks -of Green River, when he and I waged a bloodless battle of words about -politics in stone's throw of where Foster and his gallant Hoosiers -stood in battle order, expecting John Morgan and his avalanche of -cavalry." - -During my year's service in Kentucky my command was frequently -disturbed and put in battle array by reports from time to time that the -rebel General Forrest or John Morgan was about to enter my district -with a large force of cavalry. These reports were so frequent and -unfounded that we became incredulous, but Morgan finally did come into -Kentucky with quite a formidable force. General Boyle early notified -me of his presence in the State, and that he might seek his way out by -crossing Green River and passing through my district into Tennessee; -and I was ordered to move my entire command to Green River, remove or -destroy all the boats, and give him battle if he came my way. - -But Morgan had other schemes on hand. At noon July 9, 1863, General -Boyle telegraphed me that Morgan had crossed the Ohio River into -Indiana some distance below Louisville with a cavalry force of four -thousand men. I was ordered to secure transports and put my command on -board to move up the river. At 9 P.M. the same night I received the -following from Boyle: "Morgan may deflect west and try Evansville. I -think he will move on New Albany. Gather your men, seize boats, and -come up river. Send out scouts on Indiana side to learn of enemy's -movement. Direct your movements accordingly. Attack and fight Morgan -wherever he can be met." About the same time I had telegraphic advices -from Governor Morton of Morgan's presence in Indiana, and that he was -likely to move toward Evansville. - -When I received these orders and the information that Morgan had -crossed the Ohio River into Indiana, in accordance with previous -instructions I was with my entire command on Green River awaiting an -expected attack from Morgan in that locality. I at once crossed Green -River on the night of the 10th _en route_ for the Ohio, but did not -reach its banks until the night of the 11th, by which time Morgan was -well on his way toward the State of Ohio. I was therefore not to share -in the pursuit of this noted raider. - -I returned with my command to Henderson and redistributed them at -various exposed places in my district. But this proved the end of my -military operations in Kentucky. General Burnside had been ordered -from the East to assume command of the Department of the Ohio, and was -preparing the concentration of his forces for a movement for the relief -of the loyal people of East Tennessee, and I felt sure my regiment -would be included. Hence I was not surprised to receive orders on the -7th of August, 1863, to move the Sixty-fifth Indiana Mounted Infantry -to Glasgow, from which place Burnside's movement was to begin. - -I was quite satisfied at this change. As early as February I had made -a visit to Louisville to ask General Boyle if he could not give me a -more active service. The guerrilla warfare which I was carrying on -was of a very unsatisfactory and unprofitable kind. My troubles with -the disloyal citizens and the civil duties as to officials and the -elections were not to my taste. As a soldier I longed to be relieved -from these unwelcome duties, and to bear my share in the real military -campaigns of the war. During my year's service in the district I had -received the warmest exhibitions of friendship from the Union citizens -of Henderson and that region. Being stationed so near to my home, my -wife often visited me, and these kind-hearted citizens always insisted -on making her their guest. I received various testimonials of their -esteem, among others a beautiful jeweled sword, sash, and belt. When -it became known that my regiment was to be ordered away, an earnest -petition was sent to General Boyle asking our retention, signed by all -the Union citizens, headed by ex-Governor and ex-Senator Dixon. - -Hon. Thomas E. Bramlette, Governor of the State of Kentucky, wrote -President Lincoln, asking that I might "be retained in western Kentucky -in charge of the defenses of that section. I have recently passed all -through western Kentucky and find from personal observation the immense -good which the vigilant and successful military guardianship of Colonel -Foster has done for that section." General Boyle, in a letter to the -Secretary of War, said: "I beg to say that Colonel J. W. Foster is one -of the most vigilant, active, and useful officers in the volunteer -army. He is a man of the first order of ability, with capacity to fill -almost any place in the service, and no man known to me has done better -service than Colonel Foster." - -In an editorial notice of some length the "Evansville Journal," in -noticing the departure of the Sixty-fifth Regiment, said:-- - -While we are glad the gallant boys of this excellent regiment are about -to be afforded an opportunity to engage in more active service, and to -see some of the excitement of war on its grander scale, yet we cannot -help regretting their departure from our vicinity. For a year past the -people along the border have felt that the Sixty-fifth was a wall of -safety, a mountain of rocks between them and the guerrillas. Colonel -Foster during his administration of affairs in the Green River region, -has won not only the admiration of the friends, but also the respect of -the enemies, of the Government. - - - - -VII -THE EAST TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN - - -No portion of the people of our country had shown more devotion to -the Union or suffered greater hardships on account of their loyalty -during the Civil War than the citizens of East Tennessee. Almost the -entire population of military age had fled over the mountains into -Kentucky and enlisted in the Federal army. And those who remained--the -old men, the women and the children--endured many privations and much -persecution. It had long been the desire of the Federal Government to -occupy East Tennessee with troops and free the loyal people from their -oppression, and President Lincoln in 1863 determined that this relief -should no longer be delayed. - -The army under General Burnside numbered approximately twenty thousand -men, a force which it was thought was sufficient for the purpose in -view of the fact that General Rosecrans with a much larger army was -moving from middle Tennessee toward Chattanooga and northern Georgia. -In a letter to my wife from Glasgow, dated the 18th of August, I say:-- - -"We arrived here yesterday. Found marching orders for this morning to -go to Burksville with our brigade. The brigade left this morning, but I -got permission to stay over to-day to shoe horses and more fully equip -the regiment. The indications are that the cavalry division will go -direct to Knoxville, after a few days' delay at Burksville." - -From Ray's Cross Roads, I write on the 20th:-- - -"We reached here yesterday. How many days we will remain I do not know. -We are anxious to move forward, wanting to get into East Tennessee -as soon as possible. I drilled my regiment to-day, had a good dress -parade, and made a very fine appearance. I think there is no regiment -in the corps that will make a better show. It attracts very general -attention. We are stopped here waiting for the supply trains to come -up. If it were not for the stomachs of men and horses an army could -accomplish wonders. Kiss little Edith for me and tell Alice her papa -thinks of her very often and loves her very much." - -A letter the next day from the same place says:-- - -"We leave at 11 A.M., camp to-night at Marrowbone, to-morrow at -Burksville, thence to Albany and Jamestown, Tennessee. I am well and -in good spirits. Do not be uneasy if you do not hear from me very -soon again, as we shall probably draw in our couriers and close our -line of communication to-morrow. The Twenty-third Army Corps has one -cavalry division of three brigades, each brigade consisting of four -regiments and one battery; also one independent brigade of cavalry. The -second brigade is the one in which is our regiment, and is commanded -by Brigadier-General Hobson. You see we have a very strong force of -cavalry, with which we can overrun the whole of East Tennessee and a -good part of North Carolina, if we can ever get through the gaps and -over the mountains, and can manage to take along with us our supply of -forage and rations. - -"General Hobson is absent from the brigade sick. I am the senior -colonel of the brigade, and in the absence of the general, I will be -entitled to command. Before I arrived, Colonel Graham, Fifth Indiana, -was commanding, and as I had even more than I could well attend to, and -as General Hobson was expected soon, I did not ask for the command, and -will not do so unless I learn that General Hobson will not be able to -join us soon. My regiment is the largest (and I think the best) in the -brigade, having eight hundred and fifty fighting men with us." - -On August 28, I wrote:-- - -"We have been here in the vicinity of Jamestown for a few days. We -are out of forage for our horses, and have to get green corn and what -hay, straw, and oats we can find, feeding them also on wheat and rye. -We are up on the top of the mountains, and the soil is very poor, the -farms small, and there is little forage of any kind; consequently, if -we stay here much longer we shall be driven to pretty close straits for -our horses and possibly for rations for ourselves. We are already short -and very little prospect of any soon, but as long as there is green -corn the men will not starve. The route from Glasgow is very hilly and -rugged, and we had great difficulty in getting our wagons over it. We -are now up on the level of the mountains where it is not so hilly. All -the country is very poor, and the only good features about it are that -it is healthy, has good water, and a goodly number of Union people. -I will take command of the brigade to-day, as General Hobson is still -sick at home. When we are so straitened for forage and rations the -responsibility is great and the task not a very desirable one." - -My next letter dated September 2, gave an account of our occupation of -Knoxville, the goal of our long march over the mountains:-- - -"Yesterday was the proudest day of my life. Sunday last Generals -Burnside and Curtis came up and a juncture of the forces was formed at -Montgomery. My brigade arrived at that place on Saturday in advance of -all other. On Sunday afternoon General Burnside sent for me to report, -and I received orders to move my brigade five miles to the front. This -seemed to indicate that I would be permitted to keep the advance and -we were all well pleased. But about daylight the First Cavalry Brigade -marched past us and out to the front on the Kingston road, and we had -no orders to move. At sunrise, the Third Cavalry Brigade (General -Shackelford) passed by and out to the front toward the reported enemy -on the Kingston road. I began to be impatient and somewhat disgusted. I -waited for two hours more very anxiously, but no marching orders came. - -"At nine o'clock Generals Burnside and Curtis, with their staffs and -escorts, came up and I thought then we were to go clear to the rear. -But they halted at my headquarters, came in, and after examining the -organization of my brigade, General Burnside held a private interview -with me, in which he told me he wanted me to take my brigade on the -Knoxville road and force Winter's Gap, which would flank the enemy -on the right and compel them to fall back, when, if matters went on -smoothly, he would give me orders to push right on to Knoxville. -Nothing could have suited me better. I would rather then have had -those orders than to have received the commission of a general. So -at 11 o'clock I formed my brigade, and, leaving every one of our -wagons behind, marched to Winter's Gap, arriving there at sundown and -occupied it, finding that the enemy had fled in the morning. I reported -promptly to General Burnside, and about four o'clock yesterday morning -I received orders to push on into Knoxville and occupy the town, -attacking any force of rebels which might be there. - -"We were in motion within an hour, and all along the road, as -everywhere heretofore in our march through East Tennessee, we were -received with the warmest expressions and demonstrations of joy. In the -morning I expected that I would not be able to take the town without -a fight, but as my brigade had been assigned the post of honor, I was -satisfied it would do its full duty. A few miles before we reached the -town we ascertained that the rebels had all left, the last of them -that morning. The Fifth Tennessee Cavalry, which was in the advance, -surrounded the town, and about four o'clock yesterday afternoon I -rode into town with the staff and escort, and such an ovation as we -received was never before during this war given to any army. The -demonstration beggars all description. Men, women, and children rushed -to the streets,--no camp-meeting shouting ever exceeding the rejoicing -of the women. They ran out into the streets shouting, 'Glory! Glory!' -'The Lord be praised!' 'Our Savior's come!' and all such exclamations. -The men huzzahed and yelled like madmen, and in their profusion of -greetings I was almost pulled from my horse. Flags long concealed were -brought from their hiding-places. As soon as I could get to a hotel -I was waited upon by the mayor (a true Union man) and a large number -of loyal men, prominent citizens, and they received me with heartiest -congratulations and welcome. All afternoon and into the night until the -provost guard sent all citizens to their homes the streets resounded -with yells, and cheers for the 'Union' and 'Lincoln.' A marked feature -of the loyalty of this section (so different from western Kentucky) is -that the people have no scruples about hurrahing for Lincoln,--they -recognize him as the leader and head of the Government. - -"It is stated that last night, after the occupation of the town, the -intelligence was communicated to the people throughout the country -by the firing of guns from place to place and by signal fires on the -mountains. And this morning the streets were crowded with people from -the country far and near, and such rejoicing I never saw before. How -they shouted and stood with uncovered heads beneath the old Stars and -Stripes. With what sincere welcome they met the soldiers. The mayor -of the city brought forth an immense flag, which he had kept, waiting -anxiously for the day when he could unfurl it. This was suspended early -this morning over Main (or Gay) Street, and at the sight of it the -people as they came in from the country yelled with a perfect frenzy -of delight. Early in the day a procession of ladies was formed, and -bearing two American flags, they marched down Main Street and under -the large flag, in order that they might fulfill a vow they made early -in the war that they would in a body march under the first American -flag raised in Knoxville. It does soldiers good to fight for such a -people. It is a labor of love. Every soldier in my brigade has been -paid a hundred times over since we came into East Tennessee for all our -hardships, short rations and exposures, by the hearty welcome of the -people. We can see upon their faces the recognition of the fact that we -have delivered them from a cruel bondage. - -"Although the rebels have for five days been removing their property, -we came upon the town so suddenly yesterday that we captured a large -amount of army property, five locomotives, a number of cars, and saved -the mills, foundry, railroad works, hospitals, and other army buildings -from burning. - -"_September 3._ - -"I went yesterday to visit the prison where the rebels kept the Union -men confined. It is a dirty, filthy, jail, hardly fit for the lowest -criminals. I saw the room in which Parson Brownlow was confined. On -the wall of it in large black letters is written,--'_Death to our -persecutors._' - -"When we came in on Tuesday the gallows was standing near the railroad, -at the edge of the town, where the Union men were dragged from the -jail and, contrary to all law and civilized warfare, hung like felons -for faithfulness to their Government. You will find something of this -in Brownlow's narrative. I rode over to see it as soon as I could on -the morning after we arrived, and to place a guard over it, but some -enraged soldiers and citizens had gone there before me and cut it down -and burnt it. I was sorry, because it was in a prominent place and I -wanted it preserved as a monument of the wickedness and cruelty of the -persecutors of these people. - -"We had this morning a fresh outbreak of patriotism. The news of the -Federal occupation of the town had by last night spread into the -adjoining counties, and the people flocked in from every direction. -A large delegation of men and women of all ages formed in long -procession (from Sevier County) and carrying the American flag, paraded -through the town and out to camp, and the town again ran wild with -patriotic joy. Men who had been hiding among the rocks and caves of -the mountains, and who had not seen each other for years or since the -rebellion broke out, stood grasping each other's hands beneath the -folds of the old flag, while tears streamed down their cheeks. I have -read of 'tears of joy,' but never saw so much of it as here. - -"But General Burnside and the rest of the army will be in town this -evening and I must get ready to receive them, so good-bye for the -present." - -In my letter of the 7th I gave an account of my first expedition out of -Knoxville:-- - -"A day or two after his arrival General Burnside sent for me to say -that he had received information which he thought was reliable to the -effect that the rebels had left the railroad up as far as Bristol, -on the Virginia line one hundred and thirty miles, in good condition -and unguarded; that at Bristol there was a round-house and a great -supply of locomotives and cars; and that it was very desirable to get -possession of this rolling-stock, if possible. He proposed that I make -up a train out of the rolling-stock I had captured on my occupation of -Knoxville and go up the railroad as far as I could do so safely, and -reach Bristol if possible. - -"It was a new business for me to go a-soldiering on a railroad train, -but I cheerfully undertook the expedition. I had to secure the -engineer and brakemen out of my own command, as there were none others -available. Putting three of the companies of the Sixty-fifth dismounted -on the train, we started out early in the afternoon, hoping to get over -a good part of the road before dark, but within ten miles of Knoxville -we encountered a small bridge burnt, but with the tools we had brought -with us some of our expert railroad men were able to arrange a -temporary crossing for the train. It was nearly dark when we reached -Strawberry Plains, only seventeen miles out, and here we stopped the -train, as I had learned that the President of the railroad lived here, -and he would probably be at home, as he had fled from Knoxville before -our arrival. I took a small guard with me to his house, where I found -him. I explained that our general had sent me on an expedition up -his road toward the Virginia line, and as we had no one on the train -who was familiar with the road, I should esteem it a great favor if -he would accompany us. Seeing the situation with my armed guard, he -accepted the invitation with the best grace possible, but as we moved -off the ladies of the household set up a fearful wailing, beseeching -me not to take him, as they felt sure he was going to his death, -notwithstanding I assured them that no harm should come to him. - -"After comfortably seating the President, I took post with the brigade -bugler on top of a pile of wood on the locomotive tender, and the -train moved off at slow speed in the darkness on the strange road, -without a stop until we reached Jonesboro, ninety-eight miles from -Knoxville, after midnight. Here our engineer, not being familiar -with the switches, ran the fore wheels of his locomotive off the -track. While a few of us dismounted to aid in getting on the track -again, I discovered that another train was lying on the track with a -lot of invalid Confederate soldiers, who told us the train had just -arrived that evening from Richmond. About the same time we heard a -great commotion in the town, with loud military commands indicating -the presence of troops. It was very dark and we were strange to the -locality, but I ordered out a platoon of soldiers, who fired a volley -or two in the direction of the noise, which was followed by a great -clatter of horses' hoofs. The next day, as we came back, the citizens -told us that the rebel troopers could be seen in all directions flying -away, some bareback, others without firearms or hats. It proved to be -a detachment of Confederate cavalry stationed in the town. - -"At Jonesboro we learned from the station employees that another train -would be due from Richmond about eight o'clock in the morning. Thirteen -miles above that place the railroad crossed the Watauga River, where -there was a rebel blockhouse or fort protected by artillery, and which -we learned was garrisoned. Our only hope of getting to Bristol was -to capture the incoming train and rush our own train unawares into -the fort and take the garrison by surprise. So after leaving a guard -in charge of the train found at Jonesboro, we moved up quietly about -day-break to the first station this side of the fort, surrounded the -town with orders to allow no one to pass out, and we lay quietly in -ambush waiting for the train. Sure enough, it came along on time and -we were greatly elated. But just before it got within gunshot of -our ambush, it whistled down the brakes, stopped, and instantly ran -backwards at full speed and whistling into the fort. Some one had -given them a warning signal, and the fort was at once notified of our -presence. With that our expedition to Bristol came to an end. General -Burnside had been misinformed. The railroad above Knoxville was not -only guarded but was in use from Richmond. - -"Our return journey was uneventful except that, as we neared Jonesboro, -some of the soldiers we had scattered had quite dexterously loosened -a rail and slightly displaced one end at a sharp curve in the road -on a down grade, which tumbled our locomotive down an embankment and -disabled it. Several of the soldiers were bruised and the railroad -President got a few slight scratches on his face. Fortunately we had -the captured locomotive, and with it we took all the cars back to -Knoxville. Our return was on Sunday, and as the news of our passing up -in the night had got noised about, the whole country turned out in gala -dress and with flags to welcome us." - -My next letter is from Greenville, seventy-four miles above Knoxville -on the railroad, the home of Andrew Johnson, afterwards President of -the United States. It is dated September 12:-- - -"I have my brigade at this place, as also the One Hundred and Third -Ohio Infantry assigned to my command and stationed here as a provost -guard. Generals Burnside and Hartsuff (corps commander) have been -very pleasant and kind and are disposed to do everything they can -for me. They promise to send me on an expedition by way of Bristol -into Virginia to destroy the Salt Works, probably the most important -movement left in East Tennessee. I am in very good health and spirits." - -We were still at Greenville on September 16. My chief trouble seemed -to be with the mails. I had not heard from home for nearly a month. I -write my wife:-- - -"It has been so long since I have heard from you. How I would -appreciate a letter to-day from my dear wife, telling me about our -family affairs, that she was well, that our dear little children were -well, giving me some of the sayings and doings of my little Alice, to -have some news from Evansville and the families there. If it had not -been that I had so very much to do and such great responsibilities -resting upon me that kept me actively employed, I should have been -lonely, indeed. When I go a-soldiering again I want it along a river or -railroad so I can get some communication with the outer world _and my -wife_. - -"I am glad to assure you that in this long interval of suspense I have -been in good health and I think discharging my duties to the entire -satisfaction of my superior officers. I am very well satisfied at being -ordered away from Henderson and placed in active service. It has given -me a very prominent and choice command, and brought me in close contact -with the commanding generals of the army. During the past three weeks -I have been in close and intimate relationship with Generals Burnside -and Hartsuff, and acting directly under their orders. - -"We have been for a week at this place in front of an army of rebels -at Jonesboro twenty miles above here, momentarily expecting an attack. -I think that within a few days we will make a movement that will -completely drive them out of Tennessee. If so you may expect to hear of -the Second Brigade dashing away up onto the sacred soil of Virginia. I -have a very good brigade of near three thousand effective men. For the -present I am holding this position with my brigade and two regiments -of infantry till General Burnside comes up with the army which is on -the way. Several times a day I am called to the telegraph office for -conversations over the wires with General Burnside on the situation at -the front and he freely calls for my views as to movements. He is a -very kind-hearted and pleasant gentleman, and willing to give every -officer his full share of credit. I write thus freely to my wife of -these matters because she will be interested to know them and to her it -will not appear boasting or self-praise. - -"I wish I had time to prepare a letter for the friends at home on -the state of affairs in East Tennessee, and give a simple narrative -of facts as to what the Union men have suffered. Such cruelty, such -oppression, and heartless wrong has no parallel at least on this -continent. It may have been equaled by the barbarians of Europe. No -wonder that the people receive us with tears and perfect ecstasy of -rejoicing and unbounded enthusiasm. The rejoicing and demonstrations I -have witnessed will be probably the brightest of my reminiscences of -the war. No wonder these people have wept tears of joy at the sight -of the old flag, for it has brought to them freedom from a tyrannical -oppression. It was the happiest epoch of my life to first carry that -flag into Knoxville, and to bear it in the advance along up this valley -for more than a hundred miles, and receive the welcome of the loyal -people. And I hope in a few days to have the honor to say that we have -driven the enemy entirely beyond the borders of the State. - -"At our advance men have come to us all bleached and weak, who have -been hiding in the rocks and caves and in pits away from the light -of day for months. Men have been chased through the mountains for -conscription in the rebel service, and a bounty offered for their -arrest or death. Women have been driven from their homes, and their -houses and their all were burnt before them, because their husbands -were in the Union army. The scaffolds were to be seen where loyal -men were hung for suspicion of bridge-burning without any trial -whatever. The tales of cruelty and wrong which I have heard go to make -up a history of tyranny which will be the blackest record of this -slaveholders' rebellion. - -"There is a valley over the line in North Carolina about twenty-five -miles from this place, just under the shadow of the Great Smoky -Mountains, almost shut out from the world. The valley along the -creek is rich and inhabited by a bold but simple race of men. These -men, partaking of the true spirit of the mountains, were true and -unalterably attached to the Government, and no bribes or threats -could induce them to go into the Southern army. There was but a small -community of them and they were unanimous. When the conscripting -officers came to take them into the army by force and the foragers -to carry off their horses and provisions, they met them along the -mountain-sides with their squirrel-rifles and drove them back; it was -almost worth a Confederate officer's life to venture into the valley. -Finally they sent a large force of cavalry and Indians among them and -drove the mountaineers before them. They fled to their hiding-places -and none of the men fit for military duty could be found. The cavalry -gathered up all their horses and cattle. The women and children, old -men and boys, were left at home, thinking them safe from conscription. -The savage traitors drove the families from their houses and burnt -them and everything in them. But this was not all. The old men, the -women, and children were driven out of the valley and made to walk -on foot over the mountains and down to Greenville. Old and prominent -citizens of this place have told me that it was the most pitiable sight -they ever beheld. A stout-hearted and manly citizen in talking to me -about it could not restrain the tears, saying that he never related the -circumstances without tears, because it brought the sight so vividly -before him. Women came carrying children in their arms, with other -little ones barefooted and almost naked clinging to their skirts. -There were women of all ages and children driven like sheep before the -soldiers. There were women in a most delicate situation who were made -to walk with the rest; if the suffering were the greater the punishment -was the more appropriate. They were brought to the railway station -and kept over night, and it was the determination of General (called -'Mudwall' in contradistinction to 'Stonewall') Jackson in command here -to send them over the Cumberland Mountains to Kentucky. Governor Vance -of North Carolina heard of the brutal proceeding in time, and declared -that women and children should not be banished from his State so long -as he was its governor, and they were ordered to be returned. - -"Since then these men of the Laurel Valley have been the wild men of -the mountains. Their homes have been in the caves and cliffs of the -rocks, and woe to the rebel soldier who came within range of their -rifles. The most vigorous measures have been taken to ferret them out, -but few of them have ever been caught, their hiding-places and their -daring were a good protection. A company of them twice attempted to -break through and cross the Cumberland Mountains to join the Union army -in Kentucky, but were driven back before they could get out of East -Tennessee. Day before yesterday a company of over fifty of these brave -men came over from the mountains and asked me for help. An old man, -who was the spokesman and the wise man of the valley, said they were a -poor, ignorant, wild set of 'cusses' who didn't know much but devotion -to the flag of their country and how to shoot. He asked me to give them -a little good advice and _some guns_. I could not refuse the latter, at -least. I gave them the arms and sent them home, and a merciful God will -have to protect the savages who have murdered their fathers, plundered -their farms, burnt their houses, and driven their wives and mothers -from their homes, for these men with their muskets will not remember -mercy. - -"This is no fancy sketch or exaggerated story of the war. It is the -plain, unvarnished truth, to be vouched for by hundreds of citizens of -Greenville. Could you have believed that such atrocity could have been -committed in the land of Washington? This same General Jackson is now -in front of us, and I have been asking General Burnside for days to let -my brigade after him, but he withholds for the present. It will not be -many days before I shall try to capture him or drive him out of East -Tennessee, I hope forever." - -The expedition from which I had so greatly longed to drive out the -rebel General Jackson, and which General Burnside had promised, did -not come off. General Rosecrans had suffered a severe repulse at -Chickamauga, and Burnside was ordered to give him what support he -could. This brought all of Burnside's plans above Knoxville to a dead -halt. Bragg's rebel cavalry was reported to have crossed the Tennessee -River and was threatening Rosecrans's rear, and all of Burnside's -cavalry was ordered to follow up Bragg's movement. My next letter -was written at Knoxville, October 1, to which place I had come with -my brigade. On arrival here I was still without letters from home. I -had attempted to telegraph, but could get no replies. Apparently my -disconsolate condition had worked upon General Burnside's sympathy, -as he sent a telegram in his own name inquiring about the whereabouts -and health of my wife, which soon brought an answer that she was at -Evansville and "all well." How this news was received is told in the -letter:-- - -"You can hardly imagine how gratifying it is to me to know to-night -that my dear wife and children are well, from whom I am so far -separated. I can go to-morrow to execute the orders of the general with -much more alacrity that I now know that you are well and at home. - -"Aside from its inaccessibility for the mails, I find East Tennessee -a very pleasant country to be in. The Union people are very kind and -friendly, the climate is very healthy, and the valley of East Tennessee -one of the most beautiful in America. I tell the people here that if -we can get peace again and they will abolish slavery, I would like -very well to come and live with them. I have been very kindly and -considerately treated by them. Being in the advance all the time, I -have been the first to make their acquaintance, and they consequently -know me better than others. I need not live in camp at all while about -Knoxville. I have been here now four days and have had only one meal in -camp. The society of the Union people of Knoxville is very pleasant and -quite cultivated. - -"But my visits to Knoxville are only pleasant episodes in my military -life. Cavalry must be active. I am off again. The brigade left -to-night for Loudon, starting at dark in a pitiless rain, and it -has been raining ever since. General Burnside had me wait over here -to-night that he might confer with General Shackelford and me as to -my movements, and he will give me a special train in the morning for -myself and staff. He has invited me to come in the morning and take -breakfast with him, when the matter will be definitely settled and I -will be off. Bragg's cavalry has crossed over to the north side of -Tennessee River, threatening Rosecrans's rear and communications, and -we must do something to checkmate them if possible. I have a good -brigade and the general is disposed to give me work to do. General -Shackelford commands our division now, and is very kind and partial to -me." - -My next letter was written from Knoxville October 4:-- - -"I wrote you three nights ago. Then my brigade had been ordered to -Loudon, and I was only remaining behind to get the last and special -instructions of the general before going myself, expecting to be off -in the morning, but I am still here and my brigade at Loudon. Every few -hours I have been expecting definite orders, and something transpires -to prevent it. During the last few days I have been getting a pretty -good insight into the inner workings of our military affairs. I have -been in General Burnside's private room daily and frequently, in -conference with him and other generals, and know something about the -interference of Washington City. - -"The plans were all laid, my guides were selected, the rations were all -issued, my brigade was ready and waiting, and in a short time I was to -be off on a grand raid into Georgia in rear of Bragg's army, tear up -the railroad system of the State, and alarm the rebels generally, when -orders were received from General Halleck that raids into Georgia are -not now contemplated, and all that is stopped. Probably you will thank -General Halleck for that. It may have made me a general. It may have -run me into Libby Prison. But it was a great disappointment to me and -I think to the general. - -"I have seen more of General Burnside than any of our generals, and -I regard him as one of the best of men, a pure patriot, a just man, -and, I hope, a Christian. Let me give you an instance. Yesterday -evening everything was ready for a general movement of his whole -army. I telegraphed my brigade at Loudon to be ready to move at two -o'clock this morning; the forces at Cumberland Gap were notified to be -in readiness; it appeared a matter of importance that we should be -off. I went up to his room last night to get my final instructions. -The general said he believed we would wait a day, as he forgot about -to-morrow being Sunday. He said he always felt a disinclination to -commence a movement on Sunday, and he would not do it, unless he should -learn during the night that it was very urgent. So to-day we have a -quiet Sabbath, the only one since we left Kentucky. It is very pleasant -to me and doubtless is to the whole army." - -It turned out that Bragg's cavalry was not a severe menace to Rosecrans -and my brigade was recalled from Loudon and we moved up into Virginia -as a part of the general movement just indicated. In a fight near -Bristol the Sixty-fifth Regiment lost four killed and thirteen wounded, -and had another fight at Jonesboro, from which place the letter of -October 18 is written:-- - -"We have just returned from a fatiguing march into Virginia. We have -succeeded in driving the enemy away from Zollicoffer, having another -fight at Blountsville, and destroying the Virginia Railroad for ten -miles, but I have no time now to write about it. I have stood the last -two weeks' campaign remarkably well and continue in the best of health. -I enjoy the cavalry service very much, only lately we have had a little -too much of a good thing. During the past five weeks we have been -continuously on the march, with a number of sharp fights. But we have -now a prospect of a few days' rest. If I get it I will improve it to -write you a good long letter, but the enemy may interfere with my plans -any day. This is likely to be our outpost station until Rosecrans and -Bragg settle affairs below. - -"How often and how much I desire to be at home with the dear ones and -families of relations and friends. As we rode along through the mud and -rain to-day I thought of home and what a pleasure it would be for me -to be with you all at home. But I must content myself, believing I am -in the line of duty and pray that a kind Providence may bring me home -at an early day. I have always believed that God is doing his will and -accomplishing his purposes of right and freedom in this war, and if I -can be one of the instruments in his hands of accomplishing a portion -of this work we should be content. Kisses in abundance to my darling -little children. Does my little Alice talk much about her papa? Tell -her he thinks all the time about her." - -Extract from letter of October 25:-- - -"I wrote you a few days ago, just as I was starting on a reconnoissance -toward Bristol. We found no enemy nor heard of any this side of -Abingdon, Virginia, in any force. We had a very disagreeable march, -raining most of the time, very hard on both men and horses. Our -campaigning has been very hard and tiresome, though I have stood it -myself very well, in fact better than if we had less active duty; but -it has tried the mettle of our brigade. We have run our horses nearly -down, a large number of the men are dismounted, and more than half of -the rest have horses that will not stand a march of any length. The -Sixty-fifth came out with eight hundred and fifty men; there are now in -camp about six hundred. The marching, rain storms, short rations, and -especially the whistling of bullets and ball have driven a number of -our officers out of the service. - -"But I fear the worst of our campaigning is yet to come. It is becoming -a serious question how we are to sustain our army in East Tennessee -this winter. There is enough bread and meat, but the men have no winter -clothing, and unless it comes soon it cannot get over the mountains. -Winter will soon be upon us, with muddy roads and swollen rivers. We -have just started a train of wagons from our division over to Kentucky -for clothing and supplies, but I do not expect to see it short of six -weeks, if ever. We had been hoping to get railroad communication open -by way of Chattanooga, but the disaster to Rosecrans has at least -postponed that. Just now I am anxious to get over into North Carolina -with my brigade, but military movements are very uncertain and most -likely I shall be disappointed." - -On the 29th of October I wrote again:-- - -"General Shackelford had a report of the advance on us of an army of -eighteen thousand and out of due precaution ordered us to fall back -eighteen miles, but this morning matters look as if we ran too soon -from an invisible enemy. It will not surprise me if we are ordered back -to our old camp at Jonesboro. It will suit me very well if we are, -for I may then have a chance to make my contemplated raid over the -mountains into North Carolina. I am anxious to get over there to see -the people. The trip would take us through the Blue Ridge." - -I quote from a letter of November 1:-- - -"I wrote in my last how we got down here, how we ran from Sancho -Panza's windmills. We are still here. We had orders to march and were -all ready an hour before daylight yesterday morning, when the orders -came countermanding the marching. We were to go back to Jonesboro. We -are having a delightful day and a very quiet and most welcome Sabbath. -I have been reading 'The Words and Mind of Jesus,' and I got hold of -an 'Independent,' which was quite a treat, as I don't often see any -religious paper here. I went over to the house of Mr. Henderson (the -leading citizen of this place) and found he had quite a good religious -library; plenty of Presbyterian works. I told him he appeared to be -sound religiously, if not politically; he is considerable of a rebel. - -"We have been enjoying our rest of late very much, and if we were not -stirred out every little while with reports of large rebel forces right -upon us, we could get more real enjoyment out of it. This evening a -citizen (a _reliable_ one, of course) reports the enemy advancing in -force. To-morrow an equally reliable and _intelligent_ one will know -that there are none this side of the Holston River. If Willie were out -here he would see a great deal more about soldiering than he used to -see at Henderson." - -In my letter of November 8 I give an account of a bold dash of the -rebels to Rogersville, which routed a Federal force stationed there, -and captured four hundred and four guns:-- - -"General Wilcox, who was in command in upper Tennessee, when he got -the report of the fight from the scared fugitives, became alarmed for -fear the enemy would get in our rear, and he caused a general retreat -of the whole army. Our cavalry and all marched all Friday night and -till late in the morning of Saturday, and abandoned the whole country -for eighteen miles below Greenville, thus giving up all we had gained. -And all without reason, for as it turned out while we were marching all -night one way the rebels were retreating with their booty and prisoners -the other! Where we will go next I do not know, but I hope right back -and occupy the country clear up to the Virginia line. We can do it -without difficulty. - -"The whole cavalry force of Burnside's army has been formed into a -cavalry corps and placed in command of General Shackelford. The corps -is composed of two divisions. Our brigade is in the Second Division. -It would be commanded by Colonel Carter, if present, but he may be -absent for some weeks, and I have been assigned to the command of this -division. It will be a very nice command and quite complimentary to me." - -I may state that I remained in command of this division of cavalry -during the remainder of my service in Tennessee. I extract from my -letter of November 13:-- - -"Major Brown and nine men of the Sixty-fifth are about leaving for a -recruiting service in Indiana, and I send this letter by him. I told -Major Brown that I did not know that I could say I wished (as he) that -I too was going home, but I could say with emphasis that I wished the -war was over and that I was going home to return no more. This going -home to stay a week or two and then come back, tear away from home and -all its dear attachments, is worse than the first departure. I can't -say that when the campaign is pretty well over I may not apply for a -leave of absence; but when I think of the parting from home again and -the long muddy winter ride across the mountains, I begin to balance the -matter. When I come home I want it to be my last 'leave.' When shall -that be? I am too great a lover of my little wife, my darling children, -and my happy home to make a good soldier, at least a professional -soldier. How sweetly you wrote in your last letter of our little -Alice praying her evening prayer for her absent papa. I believe He -who noticeth the fall of a sparrow will hear and answer the prayer of -innocence and childhood, and bring me home in safety that I may be the -guardian of our dear family." - -My letter of November 14 reports an unfavorable change in the situation -in East Tennessee. General Bragg commanding the rebel forces in front -of Chattanooga, feeling that he had Rosecrans's army safely besieged, -dispatched Longstreet, one of the ablest of the Confederate generals, -with his army corps to capture or drive out Burnside. It is to that -situation my letter refers:-- - -"The intelligence this afternoon from Knoxville was rather ominous of -evil to us. General Wilcox telegraphs me that the enemy have forced -the right bank of the river below Loudon, that General Burnside had -gone down to-day, and that if the enemy were too strong for our forces -there we would have to look out for a retreat to the gaps in the -Cumberland Mountains. Our line of march would be to Cumberland Gap, and -I am notified that I with my division will have the important work of -guarding the approaches to this route, down the valleys of the Holston, -Clinch, and Powell Rivers, and also keeping open the communication -with General Burnside on our right to Knoxville. We will know more -definitely to-night or to-morrow. - -"I hope and pray that we may not be driven to that dire necessity. -In proportion as our joy was great in the occupation of this country -would our regrets be deep at being compelled to abandon it. But I have -hope that to-morrow will bring the welcome intelligence that our army -below has driven the enemy back over the river. It would be with a sad -and heavy heart that I turned my back upon the loyal people of East -Tennessee. I have confidence that God does not will it so." - -When my next letter November 22 was written from Tazewell, on the -route to Cumberland Gap, Burnside had been besieged for a week by -Longstreet:-- - -"We are lying quiet here, just out of hearing of the fighting -that is raging at Knoxville. Our messengers from Knoxville report -Burnside holding out heroically. I have little time to write and less -inclination, even to my dear wife. I am heart-sick and gloomy, though -not discouraged. General Burnside, the best man of the generals I know, -and a gallant army have been beleaguered at Knoxville for a week, and -are still fighting manfully. We are almost powerless to do him any -good, but I have asked General Wilcox to let me take my cavalry and -support me at the fords of Clinch River with his infantry, and I would -make at least one vigorous effort to break the rebel lines and raise -the siege. He is at the Gap. General Burnside ordered him to look out -for his line of retreat and at all events to hold Cumberland Gap. This -he is in a position to do." - -I wrote the 26th from Cumberland Gap, where I had come to try to get -horses:-- - -"We have no news from General Burnside direct since the 23d, when -he said he could hold out ten days, that his position was a strong -one, and we are hopeful of his success for Grant at Chattanooga will -push vigorously against Bragg. I will be off in the morning to harass -the enemy. I shall make my headquarters at Tazewell, and send my old -brigade over Clinch River toward Knoxville to stir up the enemy a -little, and try to divert them from Burnside. Our cavalry is in such -wretched condition it is almost impossible to do anything, the horses -worn out, without shoes, and with very little forage. I regret it -exceedingly when so much is expected of us and needed. General Wilcox -is ordered to keep his infantry near the Gap and send my cavalry out -toward the enemy to gather information and annoy them." - -I wrote again on the 29th when we had just heard of Grant's victory at -Chattanooga, but were without information of the gallant defense of -Fort Stevens and the bloody repulse of the rebels at Knoxville:-- - -"We have no news except the glorious victory of Grant's army, and -we are hoping to see its effect in the deliverance of Burnside. The -enemy seek to starve him into a surrender. I sent out yesterday my -old brigade to go down toward Knoxville and feel out the enemy. I am -getting a little anxious about them as there was cannonading heard -below and I have had nothing from them since they left. It would be a -serious affair for me to have my old brigade captured. - -"We are having rather a hard time to live, subsisting entirely upon the -country. Our cavalry get along better than the infantry; the latter -have been for days without flour or meal. Twenty-five cents have been -refused for a cup full of corn. Parched corn is a luxury. But we are -hoping for better times in a few days. The men bear it manfully." - -In my letter of December 4, in acknowledging receipt of a late letter -from my wife, I reply:-- - -"I wish very much I could be at home to enjoy with you the -entertainments you write about, but I shall have to forego all these -pleasures, and live on corn-bread and pork, cold nights, muddy roads, -and occasional skirmishing. I don't know when I can promise you to -come home, but not while the enemy is before us, as now. I think a few -days hence will see them driven away. I mentioned in my last letter -sending the Second Brigade down to the vicinity of Knoxville. They were -attacked by the whole of Longstreet's cavalry and pressed back. They -gave the enemy a severe fight, killing and wounding a considerable -number of them. Our losses were a few taken prisoners, four killed and -thirty wounded. Our men did bravely. My whole division will try it -again to-morrow. We expect Sherman, who was sent up by Grant after his -victory to relieve Burnside, will reach Knoxville to-morrow, when if -Longstreet has not retreated there must be a severe battle. We want to -be near at hand with our cavalry. I would have been there two or three -days ago with my whole division, but have been constantly held back by -General Wilcox." - -Sometime before the siege of Knoxville General Burnside had asked to be -relieved of the command of the department, and General John G. Foster -(of New Hampshire) of the Eastern army had been appointed to succeed -him. He arrived at my headquarters while the siege was in progress. -In this letter writing about a leave to come home, I refer to General -Foster:-- - -"If matters quiet down here there is a probability that I may come -this winter, but nothing certain; a man in the army can't go when he -pleases. If General Burnside had remained, I think I would have had -no difficulty, but it is uncertain as to General Foster, how strict -he will be. I have been with him here for three or four days, being -frequently consulted by him as to movements, the country, etc., and -have been quite intimate at his headquarters. He is quite a Yankee and -not so agreeable in his manners as Burnside, but withal he may make a -good commander. But there is no man like Burnside for this department -with his soldiers. I especially will regret his leaving." - -The day after I wrote my last letter, Longstreet retreated from -Knoxville (December 5) up the valley toward the Virginia line, and the -next day (the 6th) General Sherman reached Knoxville. On December 10 I -wrote:-- - -"Bean Station, where we are now camped, you will find on most maps of -Tennessee. It is ten miles from Morristown on the road to Cumberland -Gap, just at the foot of the Clinch mountains, forty-two miles from -Knoxville. We have followed the enemy this far up from Knoxville. From -Tazewell I joined the Second Brigade near Knoxville. Colonel Graham -of that brigade reported that an encampment of the enemy was over the -mountain about five miles, so I sent him over, had a skirmish, captured -a captain, several prisoners, and seventy-five horses, and drove them -clear over Clinch Mountain. Since then we have followed the enemy in -their retreat, skirmishing with their rear guard all the way. I doubt -whether we shall push the enemy much farther, as it will be difficult -to get supplies." - -The siege of Knoxville was one of the most gallant events on the -Federal side during the Civil War. Burnside with an inferior force -successfully sustained a siege of twenty days, resisting the assaults -of the enemy with comparatively small losses, endured short rations, -and by the heroism of his command saved East Tennessee to the Union. -The result gave great joy to all loyal men, and President Lincoln -issued a proclamation, calling on the people "to render special homage -to Almighty God for this great advancement of the National cause," and -Congress thanked Burnside and his army. General Grant in his "Memoirs" -says: "The safety of Burnside's army and the loyal people of East -Tennessee had been the subject of much anxiety to the President, and he -was telegraphing me daily, almost hourly, to 'remember Burnside,' 'do -something for Burnside,' and other appeals of like tenor." In my letter -of December 10, I say: "Burnside goes out of this Department with the -admiration of the whole army. His defense of Knoxville was glorious, -and his goodness of heart and purity of character endear him to all who -know him." Years after, while Minister to Mexico, I visited Washington -at the time when Burnside was a Senator from his State, and received -from him much social attention in recognition of our army friendship. - -From Bean Station I wrote again on December 13:-- - -"We are still at this place, from which I last wrote you, being -comparatively quiet. We daily send out reconnoissances toward -Rogersville and Morristown. They generally meet the enemy nine and -twelve miles out, have a pretty sharp skirmish, lose a few men killed -and wounded, and then return to camp. The enemy do not appear to be -retreating, or rather appear to have stopped retreating. My health -continues very good, and I am in good spirits, only I get quite -homesick at times. I will get home as soon as I can, but the prospect -for doing so is not very flattering." - -In a hurried visit to Knoxville I wrote on the 23d of December:-- - -"As I got to thinking about home, I said to General Foster that when -my services could be dispensed with, I would like to take a leave of -absence. He says he cannot think of letting me go for ten days or two -weeks, but hopes at the expiration of that time that the exigencies of -the service will permit him to let me go home. That means that I may -probably go home if the enemy will let me. Don't fix your heart on my -coming soon. It will be as soon as I can consistently." - -This is my Christmas letter:-- - -"I can do nothing better to-night than to write you a letter by way of -a Christmas present. We have to-day unexpectedly had a quiet, if not -a Merry Christmas, though it did not appear last night as though it -would be so. About 3 P.M. yesterday I received orders (in camp near -Blain's Cross-Roads) to move over at once and join General Sturgis at -New Market, where the main body of the cavalry are. We got off about -sunset, but did not arrive here till midnight, having to ford the -Holston and travel over a very bad road. How longingly I thought of -what you and the dear ones at home might be doing at that hour as I -marched along in the clear, stinging cold night. - -"After the cold and cheerless ride we fortunately got into comfortable -quarters, and have been quiet to-day, enjoying the rest and comfort. -We improvised a pretty good Christmas dinner. Among the delicacies we -don't get often, we had eggs and butter. We are not living in excellent -Epicurean style just now, as the country is pretty well eaten out. - -"I cannot see any prospect of our getting into winter quarters, such -as the papers report the Army of the Potomac and of the Cumberland are -enjoying. The climate of East Tennessee is very similar to that of -Indiana, and the men are very scantily supplied with 'dog' or shelter -tents and many have not even these to cover them. My commands since we -came into East Tennessee have been on one continuous campaign without -cessation. Up the country, over the mountains, across the rivers, down -the valley, then up again, driving the enemy before us, then falling -back, to drive the enemy up the valley again--thus we have been for -four months, until we have run down our horses and about half of our -men. But we are enduring it very well, still after the rebels with as -much zest as ever. There is a vast deal of excitement in the cavalry -service." - -My last letter to my wife from East Tennessee was written on the last -day of 1863, which I began with a prayer:-- - -"Let us not forget to thank our dear Heavenly Father for all His -mercies of the past year. Oh, how good He has been to us, even with -all our troubles! How little we have done in our lives to repay that -goodness! May He make us more worthy of His mercies and blessing in the -New Year, and may He preserve our lives that we may together meet and -praise Him. To His watchful care I commit my dear wife and little ones. - -"I last wrote you from New Market. I was enjoying a quiet rainy -Sunday there, reading some good book I found at the house where I was -quartered, when about noon I received orders for my division to move -forward and attack the enemy and drive him back from Mossy Creek. It -was an unwelcome order that rainy Sabbath, but we executed it, and -after considerable skirmishing took up a new line two miles beyond -Mossy Creek. Yesterday Colonel Wolford's division and mine were ordered -out at three o'clock in the morning to Dandridge, where it was reported -a division of rebel cavalry was encamped. We went, but found the enemy -had left the night before, and we returned at 4 P.M. just in time -to miss a nice little fight at Mossy Creek. The enemy attacked our -outposts at 11 A.M. and drove our troops back two miles, but ours in -turn drove them back again beyond our lines. It is not often that my -men have the fortune, or misfortune, to miss the fighting, as we did -yesterday. - -"We have here our entire force of cavalry, and one brigade of infantry. -The rest of the army is at Strawberry Plains and Blain's Cross-Roads. -Longstreet is reported at Morristown with the main body of his army. -I suppose General Foster intends to drive him away from there, if -possible, how soon I don't care because I want to come home as soon as -the fighting here is over, and take a little rest with my dear wife and -darling little girls." - -I may venture, before closing my East Tennessee correspondence, to -give in part the last of these letters, as a specimen of letters to a -soldier's child, written on January 1, 1864:-- - -"Why should I not write a letter this New Year's Day to my dear little -Alice? I am so far away I can't give you any nice present; all I can do -is to try to write you a good letter.... - -"What have you and Lillie and the other little children been doing -to-day? And did you have a Christmas tree and a happy time then? Papa -has not had much of a New Year's Day. It has been so cold, oh so very -cold to-day. Was it cold at home? I could tell you a story about the -cold. Would you like papa to tell you a little story in his letter? Do -you still like to hear stories? Well, I can tell you part of it, and -mamma can tell it over to you and _fill it up_. - -"Papa, you know, is away off, out in the mountains, so far away from -home, in the army, and you know there are so many poor soldiers in the -army. Yesterday, the last day of the old year, was such a gloomy day, -it was so muddy and wet and rainy. And then last night it blew so hard -and rained so much; it was like a hurricane (get mamma to tell you what -that is). And the poor soldiers have no houses to live in, like little -Alice, with nice warm beds, and they don't have large tents like you -saw out in the woods near home last summer when Uncle Jimmy and the -rest of the boys and men were out soldiering. They have to live in the -fields and woods, and their tents are like grandma's tablecloth, only -smaller, and they stretch that up over a pole and it is open at both -ends, and at night two or three or four of them get down on their hands -and knees and crawl into it and pull their blankets over them when -they go to bed. The soldiers call them 'dog-tents.' Ask Lillie if she -thinks it would be good enough for her 'Trip.' Well, last night, after -many of the soldiers had been marching in the rain, and when most of -them were wet and their blankets wet, they built large fires, but they -wouldn't burn well because it was too wet, and they crawled into the -'dog-tents,' and were trying to get to sleep when the naughty wind -commenced to blow and it began again to rain, and the rain would blow -on their heads and they would draw them further into their tents, and -then it would rain on their feet, and pretty soon there came up such -a hurricane that it blew all their tents clear off of them, and there -they were lying on the muddy ground, and the cold rain pouring down -on them. And they all had to get up out of bed. It had rained so hard -that it put all their fires nearly out so they couldn't get warm. Poor -soldiers, don't you pity them? - -"Some of the soldiers were out, away off in the dark woods on that -terrible night on _picket_ (get Willie or Uncle Aleck to tell you what -that is). And they had to sit all night on their poor horses away out -by themselves with their guns in their hands and swords by their sides, -watching to keep the wicked rebels from slipping into camp in the dark -night and killing your poor papa and the rest of the soldiers. After a -while the rain stopped, but the wind kept blowing and whistling through -the trees and over the mountains and making such a terrible noise. -You can hear it whistle around the corner of grandmamma's house, but -it moans and whistles so much louder out here over the mountains, it -might frighten little girls if they did not know what it was. Soon the -wind began to change around toward the north where Jack Frost lives and -from where the white snow comes, and the rain began to freeze, and the -ground got hard, and it was so cold, oh bitter cold. The poor soldiers -could sleep no more that night, their blankets were all frozen stiff -as an icicle, and they had to build great big fires to keep their coats -and pants from freezing on them. It was all they could do to keep from -freezing; they could not keep warm. - -"Some of the men, when we went out to drive away the rebels from the -other side of the mountain, were hungry and they stopped behind us at -a farmhouse to get something to eat, and the wicked rebels caught them -and took their overcoats away from them, and took their warm boots off -their feet; and some of the poor fellows got away from them and walked -all the way from the rebel camp over the frozen ground barefooted. -To-day the soldiers have done nothing but build big fires and stand -close up to them and try to keep warm. - -"These poor soldiers and your papa have come away from our homes and -left good mammas and dear little daughters to keep the wicked bad -rebels from making this country a poor, unhappy one, and that when -little Alice and the dear children of the other soldiers grow up they -will have a good and a happy country, and won't have to know about wars -and such terrible things. You must remember about the poor soldiers, -and pray God that He will be very kind to them and make the time soon -come when they and your papa can all of them go home to their dear -little daughters and good mammas. - -"Kiss mamma and little Sister Edith for me, and tell your little -cousins Gwyn and Foster and Johnny that your papa hopes to come home -soon and that he will then come around with you and see them all." - -As intimated in the last letter to my wife, General Foster did make a -forward movement with his entire force, and pushed the enemy toward the -Virginia line, but thereafter there was a lull in army operations for -the rest of the winter on both sides. The time had come for which I -had so long looked when I could without injury to the service ask for -a leave of absence, which General Foster, commanding the Department, -cheerfully granted, and before the last of January, 1864, I was on my -way home, going by way of Chattanooga and Nashville, as the railroad -communication was then well established. - -I have noted the death of my father in April, 1863. He had been -actively engaged in extensive mercantile affairs, and while not wealthy -(as the world estimates wealth now), was possessed of considerable -property, both real and personal. By his will he made me the executor -of his estate and guardian of the two minor children. In August, 1863, -after I was well on the march to East Tennessee, I received a letter -from my brother stating that the court at Evansville had required my -presence in the proceedings for the settlement of my father's estate, -but I obtained a stay until I should be able to get released from my -army duties, with the assurance on my part that I would make as little -delay as possible. - -When I reached home I found the affairs of my father's estate in such -condition that I could not conclude my duties as executor in the time -fixed for my "leave" from my command. There was the widow, two minor -and four adult heirs claiming attention to my duties as executor. -Under the circumstances I felt it proper to tender my resignation -from the army, especially as I had already determined to do so at the -expiration of my three years' term of service, which would be within -four months. - -There was no reason for me to tender my resignation except the -undischarged duty of executor and my earnest desire to be with my -family. During my entire army service I had enjoyed good health and -was pleased with the active life. I had been reasonably successful in -military affairs, and had held large and important commands to the -satisfaction of my superior officers, and there was every prospect of -my early promotion in rank. But I put aside preferment and possible -military distinction for the more immediate call of family duty. The -outlook for the suppression of the rebellion was at that date most -favorable. Grant had been made commander-in-chief, and was organizing -his army for the final march on Richmond; Sherman was preparing for his -advance on Atlanta and his march to the sea; and at no time since the -opening of hostilities had the cause of the Union looked so auspicious. - -General Sturgis, in command of the cavalry corps to which I belonged, -in forwarding my resignation to the Department general made the -following endorsement:-- - -"In approving this resignation, I cannot refrain from expressing my -deep regret in parting with so intelligent, energetic, and brave an -officer. I have for some time been aware of the business and family -interests which I feared would sooner or later deprive the army of -the services of Colonel Foster, yet after so long and faithful service -he should be, I think, relieved under the circumstances. His loss, -however, will be severely felt in this corps and his place hard to -fill." - -When my resignation became known to the Sixty-fifth Regiment the -officers held a meeting in which a series of resolutions were adopted -declaring "that Colonel Foster, since his connection with the regiment -has been unceasing in his labors in, and untiring in his devotion -to, the cause in which we are engaged, and has spared no means to -render his regiment efficient; that he has commanded the regiment -with distinguished honor to himself and to the regiment; that in his -resignation the regiment and the service have lost an efficient and -valuable officer; and that he bears with him to his home our highest -esteem and our best wishes as a citizen." - -An editorial of considerable length appeared in the "Evansville -Journal," from which the following is an extract:-- - -We regret exceedingly to learn that Colonel John W. Foster has felt it -to be his duty to resign his commission as colonel of the Sixty-fifth -Indiana Regiment, and that his resignation has been accepted. We have -known for some time that circumstances--growing out of his father's -death, occasioned an almost absolute necessity for his personal -attention to the settlement of a vast amount of unfinished business -left by the Judge--were conspiring to force Colonel Foster out of the -service, but we were in hope that matters might be so arranged as to -enable him to remain in the field. It seems, however, that this could -not be done, and our Government loses the services of one of its most -gallant, energetic, and experienced officers. Colonel Foster entered -the service of his country in the summer of 1861, as major of the -Twenty-fifth Regiment Indiana Volunteers. He laid aside the profession -of the law, and took upon himself the profession of arms, from a -conscientious belief that his first service was due to his Government. -Without experience, or even a theoretical knowledge of military life -when he entered the service, so close was his application to study, -that but a short time elapsed before he was a thorough master of all -the duties incumbent upon his position as Major of the regiment, or -for that matter with any position connected with the regiment. Colonel -Foster was a rigid disciplinarian, yet he exacted nothing from his men -that was not essential to the efficiency of his regiment, or that he -was unwilling to perform himself. - -After a detailed review of my military service, it adds:-- - -Colonel Foster has proven his patriotism by his actions and in -retiring to private life he will carry with him the assurance that he -has merited the good wishes of his countrymen and secured the great -satisfaction of an approving conscience. - -From an editorial in the "Louisville Journal" the following is -extracted:-- - -The resignation of Colonel John W. Foster of the Sixty-fifth Indiana -Regiment has been accepted. His retirement from the army is to be -regretted, as he was one of the most experienced, efficient and gallant -officers in the service. - -After a sketch of my military career, it says:-- - -Colonel Foster accompanied the expedition of General Burnside in the -movement on East Tennessee, at times commanding brigades and even -divisions. Just before tendering his resignation he was recommended -for a brigadier-general's commission by Generals Burnside and Grant. -Important business relating to his father's estate demanded immediate -attention, and forced his resignation. The army and the country alike -regret his retirement to private life. - - - - -VIII -WITH THE HUNDRED DAYS MEN - - -About three months elapsed after my return home from the East Tennessee -campaign when a new appeal was made to me to reënter the military -service. General Sherman was assembling at and near Chattanooga an -army to make his great drive on Atlanta and into the very heart of -the rebellion. To succeed in his decisive movement he had to draw -his supplies from north of the Ohio River over a single long line of -railroad communication, reaching from Louisville through the States -of Kentucky and Tennessee to Chattanooga, and beyond as his army -advanced. This line of supplies was mainly through hostile territory, -and every part of it had to be guarded by armed soldiers. In order -to give Sherman every possible trained soldier to swell his army so -as to make the movement a success, it was determined to send all the -soldiers then guarding this line of railroad to the front, which would -prove a large addition to the fighting force of Sherman's army, and to -replace them as guards with new recruits, who could be effective behind -intrenchments and when on the defensive. Accordingly the Governors of -the States of the Middle West made a call upon their several States for -regiments of volunteers to serve for one hundred days, the estimated -period of Sherman's campaign to Atlanta. - -The call upon the State of Indiana was responded to with alacrity, -and within a few days several regiments were formed and in a short -time made ready for service. It was the desire of Governor Morton to -have these raw recruits commanded, as far as possible, as colonels and -other staff officers, by men who had already seen service and were -experienced in actual fighting. One of these regiments, largely made -up from Evansville and the adjoining counties, expressed a strong -desire that I might be appointed to command them, and this action was -followed by a telegram from Governor Morton tendering me a commission -as colonel, and making a strong appeal to me to again give my services -to the country in this great emergency. - -I confess the call did not strongly appeal to me from a military -viewpoint, as the contemplated service did not promise any distinction -in warlike operations; but on the other hand, it was a service which -would be just as useful in promoting Sherman's success as if we should -be sent to the front and take part in the actual fighting, for without -this line of communication for supplies being maintained his campaign -must assuredly prove a failure. I recalled the fact in ancient history -that the greatest of Hebrew generals, following the well-recognized -rules of warfare, insisted on giving to those who guarded the camp and -protected the line to the rear the same honor and emoluments as those -who did the fighting. The Scriptural historian has preserved King -David's words: "As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall -his part be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall part alike." So -important did he deem this principle that the historian records that -"from that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel -unto this day." - -I had made much progress in the business of settling my father's -estate, the cause of my previous resignation, and having secured my -wife's consent to my reënlistment, there seemed to be no good reason -for not responding to the call of the Governor and my townsmen and -neighbors, and within three days after tender of my commission I was on -the way to put myself at the head of the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth -Indiana Infantry Volunteers. I have indicated that the character of the -service to which we were to be assigned, the guarding of the railroad, -did not promise any brilliant military exploits, and the extracts -which I shall make from my letters may not be found of much interest, -but they will at least set forth the manner in which we filled up our -Hundred Days' service in the cause of our country. - -The One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Indiana was mustered into service May -23, 1864, at Indianapolis, and passed through Louisville. My letter of -the 31st states:-- - -"We left Louisville on Saturday morning, and I stationed the companies -along the railroad from Shepardsville to Nolin, ten miles below here -(Elizabethtown) on the railroad. I had hardly got the companies -distributed, selected my headquarters here, and got my dinner, before -the train arrived from Nashville bringing an aide to Major-General -Rousseau, who was on the hunt for the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth -Indiana, which should go to his command in Tennessee, but he saw by -the Louisville papers that it had been stopped, and would go along -the railroad. The aide had orders for me to go direct to Nashville at -once, disregarding all orders from all sources but the War Department; -but as General Burbridge had ordered me to come here, and as I was -in his district, and was guarding important bridges which should not -be abandoned, I decided to wait until the generals should get their -conflict in orders adjusted. We have been waiting in doubt as to our -future for two days; meanwhile the generals had been telegraphing with -each other and with me, until last night I received orders to go to -Nashville as soon as transportation was provided. How soon the cars -will be ready to take me down I do not know." - -Within two days we arrived in Nashville whence my letter of June 4 -says:-- - -"I wrote you a note yesterday that we would go to Murfreesboro. I went -down there yesterday and returned this morning. I will be off for that -place again in an hour with three companies. The rest of the regiment -will follow to-night and in the morning. We shall not be quite so well -situated there as we were at Elizabethtown, nor for that matter as -comfortably situated as _at home_, but I think we can get through the -one hundred days there at least tolerably _safely_, which is the great -point with you, is it not? Uncle Tom arrived here yesterday from the -Sixty-fifth in poor health. I have been hunting for him this morning, -but have not as yet been able to find him." - -This last refers to Colonel Johnson, of whom I have made reference -in previous letters. Three times he had been granted furlough on -account of ill-health, but with the grim determination of a martyr, he -persisted in his effort to remain with his command, at that time at the -front with Sherman's army. - -In my letter of June 8, I give an account of our camp and surroundings -at Murfreesboro:-- - -"When we arrived here the general directed me to camp the regiment -in the fortress, a large and very strong series of earthworks and -rifle-pits, built by Rosecrans's army after the battle of Stone River. -The enclosures are large, open spaces, without a particle of shade or -grass, entirely exposed to the sun. The troops already in the fortress -have erected tolerably comfortable barracks, but there was no material -out of which to make any more; and as our men had nothing but shelter -tents, I was afraid if put into such a camp the exposure would bring -on sickness. So I rode all round the vicinity of the town and found -several very good camping-places, and induced the general to let us -camp out of the fortress, in such suitable place as I might select. I -found a very fine camp in a beautiful grove just at the edge of the -town, and adjoining a very fine spring of water, which pleases officers -and men very much. Two companies are stationed below on the railroad, -and we shall have eight companies here, making a very respectable -battalion. - -"How long we will remain here is very uncertain, but we shall be very -well satisfied to stay here during the remainder of our one hundred -days. Since we went into camp I have been putting the regiment through -in drill and duties of soldiers, keeping officers and men quite busy. -Besides these drills, Lieutenant-Colonel Walker drills the officers an -hour, and I have two recitations of officers an hour each in Tactics -and Regulations. In the evenings after supper I give them a lecture -on the Army Regulations, organization, and military customs, which is -quite as profitable to me as to them, as it requires considerable study -and posting on my part. We had our first battalion drill to-day and it -proved quite interesting. At the present rate of daily duties in one -month I shall have the regiment in a condition to compare favorably -with the veteran regiments in drill at least. I want to bring them home -well drilled and thoroughly instructed in the duties of the soldier. -I have the reputation of being a strict disciplinarian, but I think -the officers and the intelligent men appreciate it. The exercises not -only make them better soldiers, but the active service makes them more -healthy than to lie idle in camp. - -"Our camping-ground is on the lawn in front of one of the finest houses -in the State. The surroundings were before the ravages of war very -beautiful. The house was the headquarters of the rebel General Bragg, -before he fell back after the battle of Stone River. The owner was -formerly quite wealthy, the possessor of a large plantation here and -one in Mississippi. He is now keeping a store in town for the support -of his family, reaping the reward of the rebellion of himself and -relatives." - -In my letter of June 13 I give another view of camp life:-- - -"Yesterday was our first real Sabbath in camp, and we spent it very -pleasantly. We had the Sunday morning inspection at eight o'clock, -beginning it with a short religious exercise by the chaplain. The -inspection would have been very creditable to old soldiers. The men -had their arms and accouterments and clothing in fine order and looked -well. These Sunday morning inspections have a fine effect, it causes -the men to clean up themselves and their arms, and makes them feel it -is a real Sabbath, which they are likely to forget in camp. - -"After inspection we were quite liberal in allowing the men more passes -for the day, going out in squads in charge of officers. Some went to -church, but many went to stroll over the battlefield of Stone River, -which is about two miles from town. Major Hynes and I went in town -to church, and heard Dr. Gazeton preach. He has just returned from -the South. The Doctor is (or was) a New School Presbyterian of some -reputation in Tennessee before the rebellion. He is a bitter rebel, -but, of course, did not give any manifestation of it in his services. -There was a strong New School Church here before the war, but they were -all rebels; the church building almost ruined by the armies, and its -members very much scattered. - -"At five we had preaching by our chaplain, a Baptist brother from -Spencer County, a good man but a very poor preacher, an old farmer and -ignorant; is worse than the chaplains of my other two regiments. I -shall go out of the war, I fear, with a poor opinion of chaplains from -personal experience. Although our chaplain's sermon was a poor affair, -the men were attentive and respectful. Altogether the day was very -creditably passed by the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Indiana. But how -much more pleasantly and profitably it would have been spent by me at -home, with my own family and in our own church." - -In a letter of June 15 I refer to the character of the regiment:-- - -"We are getting along very pleasantly in camp; everything passes off -quietly; the men are making a commendable degree of progress in the -drill, and take to soldiering very readily. Thus far I have had no -difficulty in controlling the men. I never saw a regiment more easily -governed. This comes in part from its personnel. Being called upon -for only one hundred days of service, many business and professional -men, who could not well afford to give up their business entirely, can -arrange to go into the army for so short a time; and as a result the -lower officers and the men are many of them among our best citizens. -Besides, the service is easy. We have none of the hard marches and -exposures described by me in the campaigning of the Twenty-fifth and -Sixty-fifth Indiana. As a private in one of the Evansville companies, -was my younger brother James H., who left the senior class at the -Indiana University before graduating to serve his country." - -This letter also relates an event which brings out the terrible -consequences of war in dividing families, especially in the border -State of Kentucky:-- - -"I wrote you some time since that a brother of Major Hynes (of our One -Hundred and Thirty-sixth) was in the rebel army and had been at home -at Bardstown, Kentucky. Hynes received a letter this evening from his -father telling him that his brother had been killed in trying to get -back through our lines to the Southern army. He was shot in the woods -and lay in the bushes two weeks before his father found the body." - -Referring to the rebel cavalry raids which were just then threatening -Washington and Baltimore, I wrote:-- - -"Even if Washington is burnt the rebels can't hold it, and it would -be the means, I hope, of raising up the North to renewed efforts, and -then there would be a good opportunity to remove the Capital to the -West, where it ought to be. We have not suffered enough in the North -yet to make the people see that there is to be no peace with the rebels -except by their complete overthrow. Otherwise we are disgraced, ruined, -forever destroyed as a nation. We must and will in the end put down -this wicked rebellion. The ways of Providence are inscrutable. 'God -moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform,' but He is a God -of Justice and Right, and we will triumph in the end. Had I been an -infidel or a weak believer in the righteousness of God, long since I -would have been discouraged, but I am not. Let us pray for our country, -for the triumph of right, of truth, of freedom, and that God may in His -wisdom hasten the end of this bloody war and the return of peace; and -that we may together live to enjoy our family and Christian privileges -under it." - -On July 16 I report:-- - -"General Van Cleve has been called temporarily to Tullahoma, which -leaves me in command of the post and brigade here, including Fortress -Rosecrans. The change will probably be only for a few days or a week. I -would much rather be with the regiment, as I am interested in the drill -and instruction of the regiment, and can spend the time pleasantly with -them. - -"I am now at headquarters of the post very comfortably situated; have -a room for myself carpeted and well furnished. Captain Otis, General -Van Cleve's adjutant-general, a very competent officer, is left here, -and he has his wife with him. It looks quite homelike to sit down at -a table with a lady to preside, and also to nurse the baby. It was -reported that the rebels were crossing the Tennessee River yesterday -at Claysville, intending to make a raid on the railroad, but I hardly -believe it." - -A bright side of the soldier's life is given in my letter of July 21:-- - -"We have no news of special importance. I don't have very much to do -in my post command, am comfortably situated in quarters, and have -about enough business to keep the time from being dull. Captain Otis -and his wife and I are the only members of our mess, and we have a -very pleasant table. When General Rosecrans was in command here he -established a large hospital garden, worked by the convalescents in the -hospitals. It is now producing large quantities of vegetables, and our -table is very liberally supplied from it with green corn, tomatoes, -beets, cucumbers, potatoes, squashes, etc. We also enjoy plenty of milk -and butter, with ice to cool them. The general left his servant here, -and he has nothing to do but take care of my room, black my boots, and -brush my clothes, etc. There are a number of officers' wives here, and -we have frequent company in our parlor of these and occasionally of -rebel ladies. So you see the hardships of the poor soldier's life at -present being undergone by me are such as I may be able to endure with -safety to my life!" - -In my letter of July 30, I report my return to the regiment:-- - -"General Van Cleve arrived last night and I returned to the command of -the regiment. I think it was needing my attention from appearances. -In the two weeks I have been absent there has been only one battalion -drill. Although this is Saturday afternoon and we are not accustomed -to having drill that afternoon, yet I am going to give them battalion -drill to make up for lost time. I want them to make a fine appearance -when we return to Indiana. We are now drilling in the bayonet exercise, -which interests the men very much." - -A week later I write:-- - -"We are having as usual a quiet Sabbath. My present term of service -is so very different from that which I have heretofore been used to. -Before it was all activity, bustle, battles, pursuits or retreats. -But now it is all the quiet monotony of camp life, broken only by the -routine of drill. Heretofore I seldom had a quiet Sunday. Now I can -read my Bible and religious papers regularly, write to my dear one, -and attend Church services. But with all these privileges there is no -day in which I miss home so much." - -Taking advantage of our quiet camp life, I obtained leave to visit -Knoxville, where I had spent so many pleasant days the year before. My -letter of the 13th of August gives some account of that visit:-- - -"Does it look natural to you to see this letter dated from Knoxville? -I left Murfreesboro day before yesterday, woke up in the morning -and found myself across the Tennessee River and in the midst of the -mountains. The scenery is quite romantic and attractive. I felt at -once that I was in East Tennessee. There is nothing in scenery like -the mountains. In a little while we came in sight of Lookout Mountain, -stretching far away with its range into Georgia, and jutting up with -its bold promontory into the Tennessee River, and far above the mist of -the river rose the spur so celebrated as Hooker's Battle of the Clouds. -Soon we came into Chattanooga, bristling with its many battlements, -and alive with the hurry and bustle of that great army dépôt. It is -astonishing to note what a vast machinery it requires in the rear to -support and keep supplied a large army. - -"The run up to Knoxville was quite pleasant, where we arrived at -half-past five in the evening. On my way up to the hotel I met an old -Tennessee acquaintance who acted as a guide for me in my raids last -autumn. He would listen to nothing but that I must be his guest, so I -went around and stopped with him. I came down in town in the evening, -and called on some of my old friends who showed much pleasure in -seeing me again. To-day I have been busy in calling on other old -friends, and took dinner to-day with Mrs. Locke, who was very glad -to have me again at her house. I am to take supper with General -Tillottson, commanding the post. I have found a number of the old -Sixty-fifth and of my staff here on detailed duty. - -"They are organizing an expedition for a raid into upper East -Tennessee, in my old route of campaigning, and, to be frank, I have -been very much tempted to go up with them, as they are anxious to -have me. But it would detain me beyond my leave, and I might expect a -scolding from my dear little wife. So I will leave in two or three days -and return direct to Murfreesboro." - -As the term of enlistment of our regiment was drawing to a close, a -movement was set on foot to have me continue in the service. The Union -men of western Kentucky were very anxious to have me return to that -district and drive out the guerrillas, who had been very troublesome -after I had left that region. They had been in conference with my -older brother George, who took a great pride in my military career and -was very ambitious for me. The plan was to have me made a brigadier -general, and given a special command of western Kentucky. When this -was made known to me I answered my brother George that if the command -was tendered me without any effort on my part I might take it into -consideration, but only on the express condition that my wife would -consent to it. It is to this plan I refer in some of my letters to her. -In the one of July 31 I say:-- - -"The expiration of our term of enlistment is drawing near and a strong -effort will be made to get our regiment to reënlist for one, two, or -three years. What do you say,--must I go in for it? They are also -writing me from Kentucky urging me to come back there and clear the -guerrillas out of my old field of operations. I must confess the latter -proposition is something of a temptation to me. I would like to spend -three or four weeks there in chasing out the guerrillas, and then I -really do believe I could come home and stay there in peace." - -On August 7 I write my wife:-- - -"I had been back from the army just long enough with my wife and little -darlings to appreciate how much I had missed during the three years -gone, and I do believe when I get home this time I shall be able to -conclude that I have discharged my duty to my country and done my -share of the fighting, and that I have also a duty to discharge to my -family, which I have sadly neglected for the three years past; and I -hope that for the rest of my life I shall devote myself to them. Major -Hynes was saying to me the other day that you had acted so nobly during -my absence he thought I owed it to you and my children when I was out -of the service this time to stay at home. But I take so much interest -in the war and am so thoroughly satisfied with the correctness of the -principles for which it is being prosecuted, that I must confess I do -not like to leave the army, when all of our experienced officers and -men are so badly needed, but I hope I will be able to see my duty clear -to stay at home. I trust my influence and efforts there will not be -entirely useless." - -I wrote fully to my wife of the plans of my Kentucky friends and my -brother, and from my letters it appears they met with her decided -disapproval. On August 20 I wrote: "I was sorry on my return from -Knoxville and read your letters and saw how you felt about my going -into the service again, that I had written George on the subject." And -again I wrote: "I was sorry to know from your letter that my letter -in which I had said something about reëntering the service had given -you any pain or solicitude, as I did not design that it should do so. -I never yet have entered the service or left home except with your -consent or approval, and I will not do it in the future. As I have -written heretofore, I think I have served my country long enough to -serve my family awhile; and I hope nothing will occur to prevent my -early return to my home." - -Some fear was entertained that the efforts of the Confederate cavalry -to break up the railroad connections would detain our regiment in -Tennessee beyond the term of enlistment, but no such untoward event -occurred. The One Hundred and Thirty-sixth left Murfreesboro on -August 25 under my command, passed through Louisville the next day, -and the day following took the cars at New Albany for Indianapolis. -The citizens of Bloomington, the seat of Indiana University where the -"Foster boys" had received their education, having notice that the -regiment would pass their town about noon, entertained them with a -hurried but sumptuous dinner. We found a warm supper awaiting us and -were comfortably quartered at Indianapolis in barracks, where we -spent one week waiting to be paid off and mustered out of the service. -During this time we took part in a review by Governor Morton of six -thousand troops gathered at the Capital of the State, and in this and -our regimental parades we were enabled with much pride to exhibit our -accomplishments in soldiery. - - - - -In the introduction to the compilation of these letters I described -myself in entering the service as a peace man, as having no desire for -military glory, having no special fitness for the life of a soldier, -and entertaining a horror of war. The reader of these letters must -have noted the gradual development of a taste for or satisfaction -with the service. Even at the outset in Missouri, in describing in -glowing colors the exposure to the climate and the hard marching, I -manifest a certain enthusiasm for my success as a wagon-master, or for -my prospective work of an architect of the log-hut winter quarters. -I early mastered the tactics, army regulations, and camp régime, and -often wrote of my interest in the drill and regimental and brigade -exercises. I refer to the gallant charges of our regiment and brigade -at Donelson, and speak of some parts of the bloody battle of Shiloh as -"grand beyond description." I hardly had words sufficient to describe -the deliverance by our army of the Union citizens of East Tennessee. -My intercourse with my comrades, superior and inferior officers and -men, is noticed as in all respects agreeable. When I entered the army -I was not robust, having too long led a student and office life, but -during my entire service I enjoyed almost uninterrupted good health, -the letters constantly speaking of how the outdoor life and the most -active campaigning best agreed with me. So that it has been seen that -while at the end of three years of army service I was rejoiced to go -back to my home, to my wife and little ones, an offer to reënter the -army was quite a temptation to me. - -But my life in the army did not alter the views I had formed in my -college life of the horror and futility of war, but rather strengthened -and confirmed them. I witnessed the sad effects of the conflict in -dividing and embittering brothers of the same blood, the ravages of the -battlefield and the hospital, the valuable lives lost and the widows -and orphans, the enormous expenditure of money, and the great war debt -and pensions to be paid by a coming generation. All these evils might -have been avoided by a peaceful adjustment of the questions which -were settled by the armed conflict. The emancipation of the slaves by -purchase would have been many times less than the cost of the war in -money, without counting the saving of the lives lost, the widows and -orphans, and the bitterness engendered. There is a certain glamour -about warfare which attracts the participant, but it is fictitious and -unchristian. I pray God that our country may be delivered from its -horrors in the future. - - -THE END - -[Illustration: -Copyright by Bass and Woodworth, Indianapolis -SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, INDIANAPOLIS] - - - - -APPENDIX -INDIANA SOLDIERS' MONUMENT - - -Some years after the close of the Civil War the Legislature of Indiana -determined to erect a monument at Indianapolis, "designed to glorify -the heroic epoch of the Republic and to commemorate the valor and -fortitude of Indiana's Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Rebellion -and other wars." - -The corner-stone of this monument was laid in 1887 with appropriate -services, including an oration by President Benjamin Harrison. It was -completed and dedicated in 1902. It stands upon a terrace 110 feet -in diameter, with a foundation of 69 by 53 feet, the height of the -monument from the street level is 284 feet, and is crowned by a Victory -statue of 38 feet. On subordinate pedestals occupying positions in the -four segments are bronze statues of Governor Morton, Governor Whitcomb, -General William Henry Harrison, and General George Rogers Clark. It is -claimed to be the largest and most expensive soldiers' monument in the -United States, and one of the grandest achievements of architectural -and sculptural art in the world. - -The dedication services on the completion of the monument were held -on May 15, 1902, attended by military and civic delegations from -all parts of the State, parades, salutes, dedication exercises, and -illuminations, occupying the entire day and evening. The dedication -address follows. - - -ADDRESS OF JOHN W. FOSTER, DELIVERED AT THE DEDICATION OF SOLDIERS' -MONUMENT, AT INDIANAPOLIS MAY 15, 1902 - -_Mr. Chairman, Governor Durbin, Comrades and Fellow Citizens_: - -We are gathered to-day inspired by mingled feelings of joy and sadness, -of pride and sorrow. To the generation who have come upon the stage -of public life since the scenes were enacted which are glorified in -this noble monument, it may well be an occasion of exultation, for -they see only the blessings conferred upon the State and Nation by the -deeds of the heroic dead whose memory we are assembled to honor. But to -those of us who were their comrades in service, there arises the sad -recollection of the carnage of battle and the wasting experience of the -hospital. While the stirring notes of martial music, the booming of -cannon, and the waving of flags awaken the enthusiasm and the patriotic -pride of the people, there are many mothers and widows to whom this -brilliant scene is but the reopening of the fountain not yet dried up -by twoscore years of weeping. - -It is for no idle purpose I recall the solemn phase of the pageantry of -these dedication exercises, for it cannot fail to impress more deeply -upon us the debt we owe to the men for whom this magnificent memorial -has been raised. - -It commemorates the sacrifice of twenty-five thousand men--Indiana's -contribution to the cause of the Union. A fearful price this Nation -paid for its life. A veritable army is this, larger than any gathered -under Washington or Scott. In those dark days, when our comrades were -pouring out their life's blood on a hundred battlefields, when new -calls were made for more men to fill the depleted ranks, when the -scales hung trembling between success and failure, it seemed sometimes -as if the State could not endure the fearful slaughter. But the triumph -of the right came at last. And time has healed the scars of war. We can -now look back upon the scene as one only of heroic deeds. - -It was highly appropriate that on the apex of this shaft there should -be placed the emblem of Victory. Never in the history of human warfare -has there been a triumph more significant of blessing to mankind. The -Goddess of Victory crowns this monument, but it is not in exultation -over a fallen foe. I thank God that in the dedication services to-day -there is no feeling of bitterness toward the men who fought against our -dead comrades. We rejoice to know that they are loyal citizens with us -of a common country. We must not, however, belittle the sacrifice of -our honored dead. Right, humanity, and progress were on the side of -the Union armies, and it was chiefly for this reason we have reared -this noble pile of bronze and marble. - -What the victory they gained signifies to this Nation, to this -continent, and to all peoples, has been so often, so exhaustively, -and so eloquently told, that I hesitate to even allude to it. But my -observation in foreign lands has so forcibly impressed on me one of -the inestimable blessings which has been secured to us and to future -generations by the triumph of the Union arms, that I deem this a -fitting occasion to call it to mind. - -Scarcely second in importance to the maintenance of republican -government in its purity and vigor and the extirpation of slavery, -are the reign of peace and deliverance from standing armies, which -the unbroken Union guarantees to us and to our children. It requires -no vivid imagination to conceive of some of the results which would -have followed a division of the states--a frontier lined with -fortifications, bristling with cannon and garrisoned by a hostile -soldiery; conscription and taxation such as had never been known -before; constant alarms of war; and political and international -complications which would have put an end to our boasted American -policy and Monroe Doctrine. - -One of the things which most attracts the attention of foreigners who -visit our shores is the absence of soldiers about our public buildings, -in our cities, and along the thoroughfares of commerce. And those who -have never seen our country can scarcely realize that it is possible to -carry on a government of order and stability without a constant show of -military force. In all the nations of Europe it has been for so many -generations the continuous practice to maintain standing armies, that -it is considered a necessary and normal part of the system of political -organizations. The existence of rival and neighboring nations, -constantly on the alert to protect themselves from encroachment on -their territory and to maintain their own integrity, and the recent -advances in military science and warlike equipment, have caused a great -increase in the armies, enormously enlarged the expenditures, and -compelled a rigorous enforcement of the most exacting and burdensome -term of service; until to-day, in this high noon of Christian -civilization, Europe is one vast military camp, and, with such tension -in the international relations, that the slightest incident may set its -armies in battle array--the merest spark light the fires of war and -envelop the continent, if not the whole world, in the conflagration. - -Germany and France maintain an army on a peace footing of about a -half-million of men each, Russia of three quarters of a million, and -other Continental powers armies of relatively large proportions. The -term of military service required in each is from three to four years. -To support these enormous burdens the nations of Europe have imposed -upon their inhabitants the most oppressive taxation, and, besides, have -multiplied their public debts to the utmost extent of their national -credit. But great as these exactions are, they are as nothing compared -to the heavy demands made for the personal military service of the -people. To take from the best energies of every young man's life from -three to four years, just at the time when he is ready to lay the -foundations of his career and establish his domestic relations, is a -tax which can scarcely be estimated in money value, and is a burden -upon the inhabitants so heavy and so irritating that they stagger under -its weight and would rebel against it, did they dare resist the iron -tyranny of military rule. - -Thanks to the soldiers who fought triumphantly for the maintenance of -our Union of States, and that there might continue to be one great and -supreme nation on this continent, we are released from this curse of -a large standing army, we are free from its burdensome taxation and -debt, our young men are permitted to devote the flower of their lives -to useful industry and domestic enjoyment, and our free institutions -are not menaced by military oppression. To conquer a peace such as the -world has not heretofore seen, and to secure a reign of prosperity and -plenty which no other people of the present or the past has enjoyed, -did the men of Indiana fight and die. - -We are here to honor the soldier and the sailor; but it is well to -recall that ours is not a warlike people, and I pray God they never may -be. An event which greatly attracted the attention of Europe was that -when our Civil War was over the vast armies of near two millions of -men quietly laid down their arms and, without outlawry or marauding, -retired to their homes to renew their peaceful avocations. They had not -become professional soldiers. They were citizens of a great republic, -and felt their responsibilities as such. - -In all, our foreign wars have occupied less than five years in a -period of one hundred and twenty of our independence. Our greatest -achievements as a nation have been in the domain of peace. The one -aggressive war in which we have been engaged was that with Mexico, -and it was the unrighteous cause of slavery which led us to depart -from the line of justice in that instance. It is to be hoped that -no evil influence or ambition will ever again lead us into acts of -unjustifiable aggression. In the Spanish War, I think I speak the -sentiment of the great majority of my countrymen when I say, it was a -feeling of humanity which occasioned that conflict. It brought with -it results which we could not anticipate and which many of our people -lament. It has led to the expulsion of Spain and its bad system of -government from this hemisphere, certainly not an untoward event. If it -was a desire to benefit our fellow men that led us into that contest, I -feel sure the same spirit will control our conduct toward the millions -of people on the other side of the globe whom the fortunes of war have -so unexpectedly brought into our dominion. - -We are proud of the record which our country has made in the settlement -of disputes with foreign nations by the peaceful method of arbitration. -It is possible that all matters of difference cannot be adjusted in -that way, but it offers a remedy which commends itself to the lover -of peace and good-will among men, and it is our boast that we have -resorted to it more often than any other nation. - -It is not incumbent on me to give any account of this structure, -so perfect in art, so appropriate in design, embracing all arms of -the military service on land and sea. I must, however, as a comrade -of those whose fame it perpetuates, bear cheerful testimony to the -generosity of a grateful people, who have reared this costly column. -It is in keeping also with the munificence of the Federal Government -in all that relates to the memory and the welfare of those who fought -to secure the Union of these States. In the National Capital and -throughout the land, in every city, and in almost every town, there are -monuments to the Union soldiers, and the important battlefields have -been turned into public parks consecrated to the Nation's dead. - -And no government has been so liberal in its provisions for the -surviving veterans. Listen to a few eloquent figures. At the close of -the War for the Union our national debt amounted to the stupendous sum -of $2,700,000,000. And yet there has been paid out of the National -Treasury, since that date, for pensions an amount equal to that sum. -Before the Spanish War the pension roll amounted to two fifths of the -entire expenses of the Government, and it is even now, with the large -increase of both the civil and military list, one fourth of the total. -The payments on this account for the last year were about $140,000,000. -There are now on the roll, nearly forty years after the war, 997,735 -pensioners. Of the amount paid out, the pensioners from Indiana receive -$10,291,000 every year, and the Indianians on the list number 66,974. -The two great martial nations of Europe are France and Germany, but -their expenditures for military pensions are only one fifth and one -sixth of ours. In addition to these unparalleled disbursements, vast -sums have been expended for the establishment and maintenance of -Soldiers' Homes in various parts of the country. Surely the old soldier -cannot charge his Government with ingratitude. - -This day constitutes the culmination of the history of Indiana. This -imposing monument, peerless of its kind among the nations, the gift -of a rich and prosperous Commonwealth, the testimonial of a grateful -people to the men who gave their lives to save the Union and perpetuate -free institutions, stands to-day, with the quaternion of soldiers -and statesmen about it, a memorial of past achievement, an evidence -of present accomplishment in government, society, and industry, an -assurance of future prosperity and happiness. It was a wise discernment -of the memorable epochs in the history of the State which cause to be -associated with this central monument the statues of the two soldiers -and the two statesmen who adorn this artistic Circle. - -Of all the soldiers who were famous in the War of the Revolution, few -have rendered more imperishable services to the country than General -George Rogers Clark. I have not the time to dwell upon his military -career. You recall the repeated journeys he made across the mountains -from his Kentucky home to implore the Revolutionary authorities to -furnish him the means to save the great Northwest to the new nation. -The story of his voyage down the Ohio with a mere handful of resolute -patriots, his capture of Kaskaskia, his marvelous march in the dead -of winter to the assault and capture of Vincennes, are among the -most thrilling narratives of that heroic struggle; yet history has -failed to give him due credit for his great achievement. But for his -expedition, it is safe to say that the Northwest would have remained -British territory, and Indiana would to-day be a crown colony or a -Canadian province, rather than a free commonwealth of an independent -people. Had the United States been confined in its territorial extent -to the Atlantic seaboard, as our ally France wished it to be, the young -republic might have survived as a shriveled and sickly nation under -the guardianship of France; but the vast expansion to the Northwest, -across the Mississippi, to the Pacific Coast, and to the Islands of -the Orient never could have taken place. As we look upon that dashing -figure, moulded in bronze, let us not forget the great debt we and all -this Nation owe to the intrepid soldier who conquered the Northwest. - -The second period of the history of Indiana is fitly represented -by General William Henry Harrison, the territorial Governor and -the defender of the frontier. He stands for the men who laid the -foundations of our government and society, and freed the territory from -the ruthless savage. - -In Governor Whitcomb we have a typical Indianian of the early period -of statehood. A farmer's son, he had his share, as a boy and young -man, of the privations of frontier life, the Herculean labor of -clearing away the forests, and bringing the land under cultivation. -At the same period of time Indiana was nurturing another young man in -like experience and labors of frontier life--that matchless American, -Abraham Lincoln. In this era of abounding prosperity and luxurious -living, we are too apt to forget that they rest upon the toils and -trials of our fathers. Whitcomb showed the stuff of which he was -made by supporting himself at school and college by his own manual -labor. He filled many public offices with usefulness and honor, and -had the distinction of occupying the gubernatorial chair during the -Mexican War, in which Indiana soldiers did their full share toward the -victories which gained for us the wide domain stretching to the Pacific. - -For the fourth period of the history of Indiana, which records the -contest for the preservation of the Union, there could be but one man -whose statue should be a companion piece to this superb monument. No -soldier, no citizen, no man high or low, could take rank in point -of heroic service, of tireless labors, of commanding influence, of -exposure to dangers, of courage, self-denial and suffering, with Oliver -P. Morton. He was a man endowed with rare intellectuality, and made a -high place for himself in the Nation as a statesman, but to the people -of Indiana, and especially to the old soldiers, he will be remembered -as the Great War Governor. - -It is fitting that the name of another son of Indiana should be -mentioned on this occasion. His statue is not in this Circle, but -will soon adorn another portion of this beautiful capital. When the -corner-stone of this edifice was laid thirteen years ago he took part -in the exercises, and, but for his untimely death, would doubtless -have been called to occupy my place in this day's dedication. Benjamin -Harrison has the distinction of being one of the first to inspire this -great undertaking now so happily consummated. He himself was a gallant -soldier and would have rejoiced to participate in this pageant. In -every department of public and private life he did his work well, and -we are proud to honor him as President and citizen. - -It is a pleasing service to thus recall the names of some of our public -men. I heartily believe in State pride. I believe in local attachments. -The associations which cluster about the home are the dearest and the -best. If we as Indianians have not, in times past, been as conspicuous -as some of our neighbors for our State pride, it was not because we -loved Indiana less, but the Union more; and since we have forever -settled the question of State rights, I see no reason why we should -not on all proper occasions and with the vehemence of domestic loyalty -exalt our State, and boast of its resources, its merits, and its -memories. Among these there are none which constitute a nobler heritage -or awaken more enthusiastic pride than the services and attainments of -our public men. - -I have not dwelt at any length upon the wonderful prosperity which -our country is now enjoying, as one of the direct results of the -preservation of the Union. We all rejoice in our present high and -honorable position among the nations of the earth, and we may well -look forward to a continuance of this era of peace and prosperity. -But in the day of our exaltation we should remember that no people of -the earth have proved to be indestructible as a nation. Every country -may carry within itself the seeds of its own dissolution. We need not -revert to the history of Rome, Greece, Egypt, or Assyria to learn of -the decay and death of empires. The archæologist tells us that in -the territory covered by the State of Indiana there once existed, -at a period so remote that no legend of them remained among the -aborigines at the discovery by Columbus, a great and powerful people -who built populous cities, were possessed of a high grade of military -science, were advanced in the arts, founded dynasties, had an educated -priesthood, and were of a heroic frame. - -I have not time to moralize upon this, but I venture a few practical -suggestions which may appeal to us as citizens of a great nation whose -prosperity and happiness we desire may continue through all time. If -we would realize this expectation we must have an honest government, -Federal, State, and local. I have given the figures which show the -enormous expenditures for pensions. It is common rumor that this sum -has been swelled by perjury and fraud. Every faithful soldier who -receives a pension from the Government justly regards it as a badge of -honor. He should watch with jealous care that no deserter, no skulker, -no unworthy camp-follower, through the cunning of dishonest claim -agents, should have the same badge of honor. So, also, bribery and -corruption in our public and municipal bodies, may soon destroy the -foundations of our national life. All good citizens should denounce -and combine to punish every attempt at corruption. - -As we should have an honest government, so we should have a pure -government. I have spoken of State pride. More than once I have been -made to blush when away from home to hear the charge that the elections -in Indiana were sometimes corrupt. I trust I may entertain the hope -that there is exaggeration in this, and that our errors of the past -no longer exist. It is a sure sign of national decay in a republican -government, when the fountain head of power, the ballot, becomes -corrupt. - -While we must have an honest and pure government to insure the -perpetuation of our institutions, we should also have an efficient -government. And this I think can best be brought about by the universal -application of the system of competitive civil service. I know that -many an Indiana politician has mocked at it as the dream of the -idealist, but it is the only democratic method of filling the offices -where all applicants stand upon a common level, and the only way of -securing the best results in administration. - -I have entered upon a fruitful theme, but must not pursue it -further. I have suggested three points which seem appropriate for -our consideration to-day, when we are gathered to honor the soldiers -who died that our country might live. We owe it to them to so act as -citizens that they shall not have offered up their lives in vain. Let -us cherish their memory, and in our day and generation do what we can -to perpetuate for the people in the ages to come the blessings of free -institutions among men. Should we thus prove true to our trust, this -imposing memorial, so patriotic in design, and so perfect in execution, -will stand in future years as a testimonial, not only to the fallen -heroes of the war, but also to the faithful citizens, who handed down -unimpaired their heritage of republican government to mankind. - - - - -MILITARY SERVICE OF JOHN W. FOSTER - -WAR DEPARTMENT -THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE -STATEMENT OF THE MILITARY SERVICE OF -JOHN W. FOSTER - - _Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer - Infantry, and Colonel, Sixty-fifth and One Hundred and Thirty-sixth - Regiments, Indiana Volunteer Infantry_ - - -The records show that John W. Foster was mustered into service August -19, 1861, as major, Twenty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, to serve -three years. He was subsequently commissioned lieutenant-colonel of -the regiment and is recognized by the War Department as having been -in the military service of the United States as of that grade and -organization from April 30, 1862. He was mustered out of service as -lieutenant-colonel to date August 24, 1862, to accept promotion. He -was mustered into service as colonel, Sixty-fifth Indiana Volunteer -Infantry, to date August 24, 1862, to serve three years. He was in -command of the District of Western Kentucky, Department of Ohio, with -headquarters at Henderson, Kentucky, in October and November, 1862, and -in March, April, and May, 1863, but the records do not show either the -date on which he assumed command or the date on which he was relieved -therefrom. From August 21, 1863, to September 5, 1863, and from -September 7, 1863, to October 18, 1863, he was in command of the Second -Brigade, Fourth Division, Twenty-third Army Corps. The designation of -the brigade was changed to the Fourth Brigade, same division, October -18, 1863, Colonel Foster remaining in command to November 3, 1863. This -brigade was assigned to the Second Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the -Ohio, November 3, 1863, and Colonel Foster commanded the Second Brigade -of that division from November 3 to November --, 1863, and he commanded -the Second Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Ohio, from November ---, 1863, to January --, 1864, exact dates not shown. He was honorably -discharged March 12, 1864, as colonel, upon tender of resignation. - -The records further show that John W. Foster was mustered into service -as colonel, One Hundred Thirty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, -May 23, 1864, to serve one hundred days, and that he was mustered -out of service with the regiment as colonel September 2, 1864, at -Indianapolis, Indiana. - -In the operations February 12-16, 1862, resulting in the capture -of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, Major Foster was commended by his -brigade commander for "the fearless and energetic manner" in which -he discharged his duties. His conduct was said to be "worthy of the -highest commendation." - -At the battle of Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, April 6-7, 1862, the -command of his regiment devolved upon Major Foster on the first day. -The brigade commander, in his official report of that battle, stated -with reference to Major Foster as follows: "The command devolved on -Major Foster, who proved himself every way worthy of it. He was active, -brave, and energetic, inspiring his men with courage and confidence. -His worthy example was felt by all around him." - -Official statement furnished to Hon. John W. Foster, 1323 Eighteenth -Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., October 13, 1915. - -By authority of the Secretary of War: - -P. C. MARTH -_Adjutant-General_ -_In charge of office_ - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - -Obvious errors of punctuation and diacritical markings were corrected. - -Hyphenation was made consistent. - -P. 37: to take steamer for Cairo -> to take a steamer for Cairo. - -P. 156: Brunside's cavalry -> Burnside's cavalry. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN*** - - -******* This file should be named 51552-8.txt or 51552-8.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/5/5/51552 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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