Civil War experiences, 1862-1865: Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Rome, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Averysboro, Bentonville

t568

Civil War Experiences

1862-1865

CHICKAMAUGA

MISSION RIDGE

BUZZARD ROOST

RESACA

ROME

NEW HOPE CHURCH

KENESAW MOUNTAIN

PEACH TREE CREEK

ATLANTA

JONESBORO

AVERYSBORO

BENTONVILLE

(UyL4.2^t^

By

DR. EDWARD M. ROBBINS

Carthage, Illinois, November, 1919

M-UNOBSTATH

Civil War Experiences

1862-1865

CHICKAMAUGA

MISSION RIDGE

BUZZARD ROOST

RESACA

ROME

NEW HOPE CHURCH

KENESAW MOUNTAIN

PEACH TREE CREEK

ATLANTA

JONESBORO

AVERYSBORO

BENTONVILLE

By

DR. EDWARD M. ROBBINS

Carthage, Illinois, November, 1919

>&^^*^D

i7 r '±((i0%j^

DR. EDWARD MOTT ROBBINS

""*[

1568

CIVIL WAR EXPERIENCES

Enlisted in Capt. John Allen's com-
pany June 7th, 1862. Went on board
the steamer "Jennie Whipple" at Dal-
las City, Sunday morning, June 15th.
and with company went down the
Mississippi to Quincy, 111., place of
rendezvous. On the way an incident
occurred which I cannot pass without
mention. When we passed Alexandria,
Mo., the river shore was lined with
people and to our ears came the shout,
"Hurrah for Jeff Davis!" and to add
to the insult they waved the black flag
in our faces, (which interpreted meant
no quarter to Yankees). Passing on
down the river the next town was Can-
ton, where thfe same greeting was giv-
en us, all of which made us very in-
dignant to think so near home w^e
should be insulted in such a manner.
I have never had a very favorable opin-
ion of those two towns since, and
while I hope there is more loyalty
and patriotism now than then, I feel
that their forefathers put a blot on
their little cities that will never be
erased.

At Camp Wood on the 1st day of
September, was mustered into the U.
S. service, together with nine other
companies, forming the 78th 111. Vol.
Inf. (In casting lots for position in
line my company drew the letter "H"
which placed us on the left of the col-
ors, and Company "C" on the right.)
On the 19th day of September we were
put" on coal cars with boards laid
across for seats, no cover over our
heads; on arrival at destination were
put on provost duty for a few days,
until Gen. Buell was equipped for his
campaign against Gen. Bragg. Octo-
ber 5th my regiment was marched to
Shepardsville, Ky., and on the 14th
was divided into detachments under
Gen. Gilbert to guard railroad bridges
on the Louisville and Nashville rail-
road. December 26th the guerrilla
John Morgan, captured Companies B
and C at Muldrose Hill, two and one-

half miles from Elizabethtown, Ky ,
and they were parolled. On the same
raid on the morning of Dec. 30th, Mor-
gan attacked Co. H at New Haven,
Ky., and was driven away without ac-
complishing his purpose. About the
last of January, 1863, the companies
were collected at Louisville and em-
barked on the steamer "John H. Gros-
beck" for Nashville via the Ohio and
Cumberland rivers, arriving at Fort
Donelson February 3, 1863, in time to
relieve the 83rd 111., which was sur-
rounded by a superior force of For-
est's and Wheeler's cavalry. The ene-
my retired on our approach and we
passed on to Nashville, Tenn., where
the regiment disembarked. The regi-
ment was in the command of Briga-
dier Gen. C. C. Gilbert of the Army of
Kentucky, under Major General Gor-
don Granger, reserve corps com-
mander.

During our stay in Kentucky there
were many social features with the
citizens that made our stay among
them quite pleasant, one of which is
worthy of mention. As a few of us
wished to avail ourselves of an oppor-
tunity to attend a dance to be given
by a planter by the name of Sphink,
who sent in to our lines an invitation
for about a half a dozen to come out
on a certain night. Of course we were
crazy to go, but how were we to get
outside the lines. We decided to ask
the officers for a pass, but this failed.
Our officers claimed this was a plan
made up to get a lot of us out there
and take us prisoners, as a lot of
Morgan's men were in that vicinity
at that time, and we decided it was
all off. But as the time came near for
the event and there was less news of
the Rebel General Morgan's near prox-
imity to us, a few of us Yanks' heels
began to tickle for a dance and a de-
sire to have a chance at the roast tur-
key that was promised for the occa-
sioa. So we made up our minds that

974;i0

we would take our chances on get-
ting by the pickets. In the mean time
there came a big snow storm, the
heaviest, the natives said, that had
ever been known in Kentucky. It cov-
ered the earth to a depth of a little
more than two feet. The night for
the party arrived, and not Johnnies,
snow, pickets, nor anj-thing else
would have stopped that gang. Dur- v
ing the day we located the guards on
picket duty, quite a ways from the
main road, and planned to go as close
to them as possible without attracting
their attention, then to drop on our
hands and knees and crawl through
the snow to a safe distance on the
outsdo, which we did, and arrived
safely at Mr. Sphink's. We had taken
the precaution to take our side arms
with us, for we had seen service
enough to be always on the alert and
trust nobody or allow them to get the
drop on us.

When we went into the house al-
most the first persons we met were
men wearing the gray uniform, and
the host introduced them to us as
Confederate soldiers home on fur-
lough. At first we were just a bit
disconcerted until our host assured us
that all was on the square, that we
need not fear any trouble, as they
were home boys and had heard of our
coming and for us to pitch in and
have as good a time as we could, and
we sure did have a fine time, a royal
supper, and not a word was spoken
to mar the peace and comfort of any-
one. When we left for camp we shook
hands with the Confeds the same as
any one else and bid them goodbye.
It was some time before the officers
found out about our going out, in fact
not until we had left Kentucky, con-
sequently we were not disciplined for
having the good time, and leaving the
camp without permission.

February 12th the regiment march-
ed to Franklin, Tenn., where it re-
mained four months. We were dili-
gent in company, battalion and bri-
gade drill, the first good opportunity

we had since enlistment. On April
11th we were threatened by a heavy
force of Van Dorn and Wheeler cav-
alry, but no engagement except skir-
mishing with pickets and outposts,
and on June 4th the enemy made a
similar attack on our outposts with
like result.

On June 9th a very unhappy affair
occurred — two Confederate spies en-
tered camp disguised as federal offi-
cers, claiming to be federal paymas-
ters on their way from Mirrphysboro
via Franklin to Nashville, but when
they were detected they acknowledged
being Confederate officers, but denied
being spies. A court martial was im-
mediately organized, and they were
tried and condemned to death by
hanging. They requested to be shot
instead, but their request was not
granted and they were hung June 10.
They gave their names as Col. Orton
and Lieut. Peters. Col. Orton had
been an officer in the Union army be-
fore the war. The 78th constructed
the gallows and furnished the guard.

On June 23rd marched to Trinne
and Murphysboro. Tenn. The army
had now been leorganized and the 78th
was assigned to the brigade of Col.
John G. Mitchell in General James B.
Stedman's division reserve corps, un-
under Major General Gordon Granger.
We were glad to exchange Gen. Gil-
bert for Col. Mitchell, who ably com-
manded the brigade from that time,
with the exception of a few months,
to the close of the war.

On June 28th moved south from
Murphysboro in the rear of the gen-
eral advance against Bragg's army.
The brigade entered Shelbyville,
Tenn., July 1st., and camped. While
at this place Col. Benison. the first
colonel mustered with the regiment,
resigned and Col. Carter Van Vleck,
then lieutenant colonel, was promoted
to colonel of the regiment, a change
that pleased not only the line officers
but the men as well. Sept. 6th, 1863,
the regiment moved southward. cros«!-
ed the Tennessee river, Sept. 12, pur-

sued its march around Lookout Moun-
tain, and arrived at Rossville, Ga., on
Sept. 14, 1863, and for a few days pre-
vious to the battle of Chickamauga
was kept on the move day and night,
marching, skirmishing, trying to lo-
cate the weak and strong points of the
enemy, all signs of an approaching en-
gagement being visible.

On the 17th of September the divis-
ion made a reconnaisance to Ringold,
Ga., and there discovered that Long-
street's corps from Lee's army was re-
inforcing Bragg. The command was
followed closely on its return from
Ringold and at midnight the enemy
opened upon us with artillery, with no
damage except the briars we incor-
porated in our feet while getting into
out clothes and into line of battle. Un-
fortunately we had camped where
there were some rail fences which we
burned to cook our suppers, and the
fence rows were full of blackberry
briars. (My, but I can feel those briars
yet.) We stood to arms until morn-
ing. During the commencement of the
battle of Chickamauga. the regiment
with the division before Rossville
guarding the road through the gap to
Chattanooga. Before noon on the 20th
of September, General Granger, ap-
prehending that Gen. Thomas needed
assistance, double quicked two bri-
gades of our division to Gen. Thomas'
front, which proved a timely assist-
ance to Gen. Thomas, as Longstreet
was getting around the Federal right
and rear. The two brigades (Mitch-
clip's and Whitaker's) were put into
action at once, made a charge on Long-
street and drove him from the west
and south bends of Snodgrass ridge
with great loss to both sides. A monu-
ment erected to the 78th on the west
end of Snodgrass ridge, bears a tablet
describing the terrible carnage in the
fearful charge. Thirty-sevn per cent
of the command gave themselves as a
sacrifice for Old Glory in just a few
moments. The adjutant general's re-
port gives the per cent as forty in this
awful charge. The Rebels made three

distinct efforts to retake the positions,
but each time were repulsed witn
heavy loss. In one attempt to take a
battery they were so near that mus-
kets were clubbed and men beaten
over the head in order to prevent the
loss of the six-gun battery. We held
the position until after dark, when we
were ordered off the field.

On the march from left to right, 1
ran across a Rebel who was shot
through the bowels. He was just
across the fence, and I did not see
him, until he called and said, "Hello,
Yank. Have you any water?" I said,
"Yes, what's the matter with you
Johnny?" His answer was, "I am
wounded and waiting to die." I went
to him, raked the leaves away from
him (for the whole battlefield was
ablaze), emptied part of the water
from my canteen into his, and Dr.
Githens gave him a dose of morphine
to relieve his suffering, and left him
to die, for he was wounded through
the bowels. This occurred at the
north end of Snodgrass Ridge, just
north of the Snodgrass house. As we
started to leave him we started east.
We could hear voices just ahead of us,
but the smoke from fire arms, cannon
and burning leaves was so dense we
could not see far. But the wounded
soldier I had just befriended called
and said, "Hold on, Yank, don't go •,
that way. Johnnies are thicker than
hell just beyond those bushes." I ask-
ed him if he heard troops pass before
I came and he said they did but they
turned south down the west side of
the ridge. We had gotten behind, min-
istering to a Michigan soldier who was
wounded in the same manner the
Johnny was. I have mentioned this
circumstance to show the feeling
among soldiers when one is put out of
action. I favored the Confederate and
he in turn saved me from walking '
into the Confederate lines, which I
would have done. I went down the
ridge and came up with my command
in time to go into the charge on the
west end of the ridge, which we took

and a. monument marks the place
where we were halted on top of the
ridge.

I spent the night with wounded
comrades, ministering to them as best
I could to relieve their sufferings.
During the afternoon of the last day's
fight, I stepped on Doctor Githens'
spur and tore my shoe in such a man-
ner as to permit small gravel to work
between the sole of my shoe and
foot; after the excitement of battle
was over and wounded comrades cared
for, I realized I had a very sore foot.

I wish here to relate a very pecu-
liar incident which occurred to Dr.
Githens and my horses. When we
started into the fight on the afternoon
of the 20th, we dismounted and turned
the horses, with all of our effects, ex-
cept the medicine case and surgeon's
case of instruments, to the care of a
negro boy we called Jack, and in-
structed him to keep in the rear so as
to avoid getting lost or being cap-
tured by the Rebels; when night came
Jack could not be found, nor did he
show up during the night; morning
came and no Jack, horses, blankets or
provisions. I hunted over all that part
of the army but no Jack of the proper
dimensions or environments could be
found, so the Doctor and I gave up
all hope of finding the outfit. But to
add to the Doctor's discomfort, he had
at noon received orders to report to
division headquarters to take charge
of an ambulance train of wounded
men, over the mountains, to Bridge-
port. We had exhausted every means
we could concieve of, but no Jack, no
horses or anything else could be
found, and Dr. Githens started to take
charge of the train without horse or
anything that might minister to his
personal comfort, not even so much
as a blanket or cracker. Ag I turned
to leave him, to my great astonish-
ment Jack and the horses loomed in
front of me. I turned and called Dr.
Githens, and then said to Jack, "For
heaven's sake, Jack, where did you
come from?" Massa Ed, fo d« Lod,

I done can't tell you, Wh's you alls
been. I done hunt an over dis heah
whole country, been in with the John-
nies." I said, "Why did they not take
the horses from you?" "Don't know,
Sah, dwey done pay no tenshun to me
and I just kep on going until heah I
Is." And I said, "Just in time, too, for
the Doctor wants his horse." I have
often wished I knew what became of
that coon, for he was a dandy.

Rosecrans placed his army around
Chattanooga and expected Bragg
would continue the battle, but he
seemed to have enough, so all he did
was to place Rosecrans army in siege,
thinking it easier to starve us out
than to whip us. So he placed a force
on Lookout Mountain, which cut us off
from our base of supplies and from the
2.?nd of September until the 25th of
November, my regiment, with others
of the division, camped on Stringer's
Ridge, immediately north and across
the Tennessee river from Lookout
Mountain, and directly west and
across the river from Chattanooga. We
occupied this position until the night
of the 24th of November. During the
interim from Sept. 22nd until the 25th
of November, Bragg's siege was so
effective that men suffered for food
and thousands of horses and mules
died for want of forage.

In the early part of October the
brigade went over into Sequatchie
Valley, to help pursue Wheeler, who
was destroying our supply train. Octo-
ber 9th, 1863, Mitchell's brigade was
put into Brigadier General Jeff C. Da-
vis' division, and was called 2nd bri-
gade, 2nd division, 14th army corps,
where we served until the close of the
war. Our corps badge was an acorn —
red one for first, white for second
and blue for third division.

About 2 a. m., October 27th, we in
company with the rest of the brigade,
crossed the Tennessee river below
Lookout Mountain, on a pontoon
bridge, to the assistance of the Poto-
mac troops, who were coming to the
support of the Army of the Cumber-

land, and the enemy were trying to
prevent their advance by assaulting
Gen Gray's division. The darkness
was akin to blackness, and the vol-
leys of musketry, together with the
Foar of cannon, rendered the night
one long to be remembered. This bat-
tle in the night is known as the battle
of Wauhatchie.

On the afternoon of November 24,
1863, our attention was attracted to
Lookout Mountain, which was ablaz.e
with artillery and musketry. The bat-
tle of Lookout Mountain was on, and
we had it in full view without partici-
pating in it, and as the blue advanced
and the gray fell back, leaving their
breast-works, camp, camp equipage,
artillery, in fact everything that goes
to equip an army, the scene being en-
acted filled us so full that we, too, in-
dulged in a hearty, long and loud
cheer, which was all we could do as
the Tennessee river was between
them and us. However, it was soon
over and in a short time we received
orders to break camp, which we did
and left Stringer's Ridge the night of
the 24th, crossed the Tennessee river
north of Chattanooga and near the
north end of Missionary Ridge, on a
pontoon bridge, which we constructed
after relieving tie Rebel pickets. We
went in line of battle, connecting with
the 15th Corps and by the middle of
the day the enemy had been dislodged
from their stronghold (Missionary
Ridge) and were in full retreat, with
us annoying their rear guard. These
two- days, November 24th and 25th,
were red letter days for the U. S.
forces. Lookout Mountain and Mis-
sionary Ridge were ours, besides a
large number of prisoners and many
stand of arms, a large amount of artil-
lery, and the enemy in full retreat.

But our task was not done. Gen.
Burnside was besieged at Knoxville,
Tennessee, his supplies of all kinds
were nearly exhausted, so we were
ordered to his relief by forced march-
es, which was no small task for an
army that had just raised a siege of

its own and as y«t had no opportunity
to draw either rations or clothing.
Many of us were without blankets,
very scant clothing and but few had
shoes and many were compelled while
on that march to cut pieces of green
cow skin and with strings from the
same material sew them on their feet
to protect them from the rough, stony
and frozen roads. But we were or-
dered to go, and went. Early on the
morning of the 26th of November, we
pursued the enemy and before noon
reached Bragg's depot of supplies,
(Chickamauga Station) in time to see
it destroyed by fire. At dark overtook
the enemy and had a sharp skirmish
in which Lieutenant McAndless of Co.
I was killed. We carried him into %
cabin and covered him with his blan-
ket. While we were preparing for the
night, the faithful Jack, spoken of be-
fore .came in with a chicken and we
proceeded to cook it and have a sup-
per out of the general order of things.
But I assure you there was no levity,
for our dead comrade was lying cold
and stiff in our midst. Early in the
morning we dug a hole as best we
could, wrapped our comrade in his
blanket and covered him over, found
a piece of board and marked it as best
we could by carving the letters of his
name, with a pocket-knife. (Since the
war I visited the National Cemetery at
Chattanooga and was gratified to see
his name on file. His remains had been
found and placed in the National Cem-
etery.)

On December 5th, at Maryville, we
learned that Longstreet had raised
the siege and relieved Burnside. De-
cember 7th we countermarched and
returned to Chattanooga, arriving De-
cember 17th, and encamped December
20th with the brigade at Rossville,
Georgia, where the regiment went
into winter quarters.

The Adjutant General's report on
the march to Knoxville, has the fol-
lowing to say: "The march was a very
severe one, as the men were poorly
clad, having just emerged from the

J)attle of Miasioflary Ridge, and many
being without shoes or proper cloth-
ing. They were also without rations
and were obliged to subsist on the
country which already had been near-
ly devastated, hence many suffered
from hunger as well as exposure."

Sherman complimented Davis' Divis-
ion on its good behavior on this
march. (The 78th was in the above
Division.)

We remained in camp at Rossville
until the commencement of the At-
lanta campaign. On the 2nd day of
May, 1864, we broke camp and tho
battle was on again and the enemy
were forced into their works at Buz-
zard Roost and Dalton. They were
flanked out of Dalton and May 13th,
finds the regiment in line of battle in
front of Resacca. From now on we
were scarcely out of hearing of gun
shot or cannon. Resacca and Rome,
Georgia, were taken and the Rebel
line was constantly being driven back,
until the 27th of June, when Gen.
Sherman determined to make a grand
assault on Kennesaw Mountain. The
brigade to which we belonged was
massed in front of the Rebel entrench-
ments and at 9 a. m., on the 27th of
June, the command jumped the works
on a charge to capture the enemy's
entrenchments. The brigade was re-
ceived with a rattling fire of both
musketry and artillery, which was
deadly. The assault was a failure,
because of the entrenchments being
deep and wide and the dirt being
thrown upon the Rebel side of the
ditch, and a head log on top, which
made it impossible to scale in face of
the deadly fire; the enemy were
pouring into us, but the brigade main-
tained a position within seventy or one
hundred feet of the enemy's works,
and that night entrenched itself. The
loss in the charge was very great. A
day or two after, by common consent,
hostilities ceased, and details from
each side buried the dead between the
lines. On the morning of July 4th it
was discovered that the enemy had

abandoned their works the night be-
fore, and we immediately followed
them, skirmishing with them con-
stantly until July 17th, when we
crossed the Chattahowchee river and
at Peachtree creek had quite an en-
gagement just at sundown. Comrade
Samuel Naylor of Co. E of my regi-
ment, was wounded. From this wound
he suffered all the rest of his life, and
still many begrudged him the insig-
niflcent pension he got. Samuel Nay-
lor, attorney, of Carthage, is his son.
There were many more casualties in
my regiment, as we were on the skir-
mish line. After heavy skirmishing
we forced the Rebels into their Aa-
lanta intrenchments.

On the morning of the 22nd of July
the battle of Atlanta was fought which
was a peculiar and unfortunate affair
for both armies as nothing was accom-
plished by either army that benefited
them in the least. It was brought
about by a strategic movement on the
part of the Rebel forces. They evacu-
ated their works in the night, deceiv-
ing the Federal forces, causing them
to think that they had evacuated At-
lanta, which was not the case, as the
Confederates marched east around the
left flank of the Federal forces and
attacked the Federal forces In the
rear. When skirmishing first com-
menced Major General McPherson,
with his staff rode back in the direc-
tion of the firing and rode into an am-
bush of Confederates which arose as
one man and demanded him to sur-
render, which he refused to do, and
was shot off his horse; his staff were
take prisoners, but in twenty minutes
we retook the staff and put their cap-
tors under guard. Four 20-lb. Parot
guns with muzzles planted in the
ground, mark the spot where General
McPherson fell.

July 28th the command was ordered
to assist Gen. Howard and we kept
moving to the right round Atlanta,
skirmishing, fighting and building
works until August 25th. Aug. 23rd
our colonel. Carter VanVlick, die4

from wounds received in front of At-
lanta. He waa mucli beloved by u»
all. Aug. 26th, abandoned the works
in front of Atlanta and struck south,
skirmishing as usual. On Sept. 1st,
assaulted the enemy's works at Jones-
boro, Georgia, and after a desperate
resistance, mounted their works, cap-
turing men, cannon and battle flags,
performing a feat that was not often
equalled on either side during the war.
The regiment did not lose more men
than at Kennesaw but the result was
far more gratifying.

I must not pass without mentioning
some circumstances which occurred
during this battle. Soon after we
crossed the fence and entered the
open field, Capt. Black of Co. D of the
78th, was shot and instantly killed.
Capt. Black was from Carthage, 111.
Lieutenant John B. Worrell took com-
mand of the company and was after-
wards promoted to captain. He was
father of Bertha Worrell, now Mrs.
Bertha Seger, and was as brave a
man as ever faced the enemy, and was
loved by his men and all who knew
him. With him it was never go, but
come on, boys. He was wounded at
Chickamauga. When we had charged
about half way across the field, the
officers saw that owing to the enemy's
line of works, the charging line would
not all get to the enemy's line at the
same time, so a halt was ordered,
guides thrown out and the charging
line ordered to dress on the guides.
This movement was executed under a
galling fire from the Rebel line. The
coolness with which this maneuver
was executed, I have heard comment-
ed on, many times since the war. But
I think it was the most trying ordeal
I ever experienced during my three
years of service. When the battle
line was properly dressed, the com-
mand forward came and we went for-
ward with a yell that sent terror to
our opponents and we carried the line,
taking a battery of six guns and many
prisoners, among whom was a general
and staff officers, taken by Thos.

Erodes of Co. I. After he had relieved
them of their arms he addressed the
general and said, "General, I took a
good many chances on your arrest
with your staff." The general said, "I
don't know, why do you say that?"
"Because my gun was empty. I fired
my last shot as I entered your works."
This private, Tom Brodes, was the son
of Major Wm. L. Brodes, who was
killed at Chickamaugee, almost a year
before. Among the killed was a young
man who belonged to Co. K, Perry
Lashore. His death was a willing and
willful sacrifice for his country. He
was visiting friends in Quincy when
he enlisted and he being the only son
of aged parents, they at once set about
to get him discharged. He enlisted in
June, 1862, and the battle of Jones-
boro was fought the first of Septem-
ber, 1864. His discharge came in the
morning and was handed to him by
his captain, and he said, "Captain,
what would you do if you were in my
place, go into this fight or not?" The
captains' reply was, "You don't have
to go, you have always been a good
soldier, and we all know the circum-
stances under which your discharge
was obtained, and it is "for your fath-
er's and mother's sake. This will un-
doubtedly be a hard battle, apd were I
in your place I would turn in my mus-
ket and take no chances." The mem-
bers of his company by this time had
gathered around him and all urged
him not to take the chance. But his
answer was, "I have been lucky for
two years, never had a wound, and I
believe I will be now, and I am going
with you." Which he did, but never
reached the enemy's works.

Atlanta was evacuated on the 2nd
of September, 1864, and our regiment
camped on the outskirts of the city.
On this (known as the Atlanta cam-
paign) the regiment was hardly out
of the sound of guns any day during
the entire period from May 2nd, 1964,
to the fall of Atlanta, Sept. 1st, 1864.

During the Atlanta campaign there
were a good many things happened of

mucti interest to the Federal forces,
also to the Confederate forces. The
time weighed heavy on our hands at
times, and we as well as our enemies
were alire to create something to re-
liere the monotony. So we conceived
the idea of creating an armistice and
visiting the Rebel outposts. In order
that you may more fully understand
what I am going to relate, I will state
that the Confederate commissary is-
sued their men tobacco in quite lib-
eral quantities, while the Federal
army did not have it to issue and there
was a demand above the supply and
it was expensive; while on the other
hand the Federal army had an abun-
dant ration of coffee and the Confed-
erates had absolutely none. So when
our armistice was arranged we con-
ceived the idea of trading coffee for
tobacco, and this arrangement lasted
all thru the Atlanta campaign. We had
an agreement by which should an ad-
vance be ordered we were to let the
other side know and that condition
was never violated by either side. The
officers forbid the arrangement, but
nevertheless it was not abandoned for
the Yanks liked the Johnnys' tobacco
and the Johnnies liked the Yankee cof-
fee. So we were both naughty about
disobeying orders. On one occasion an
officer was visiting the Rebel picket
post and the Rebel officer of the day
was making a tour of the many picket
posts and one of our host heard more
than a usual commotion and looked
up and at quite a little distance saw
the officer of the day and his escort
approaching and said, "For God sake
there comes the officer of the day.
You Yanks better git and that P, D. Q."
The picket post said when the officers
came up they inquired what that
meant, Yanks visiting outposts. The
boys said they did not answer for a
time for tliey were fairly caught, but
after the officers had sworn around
for a while he stepped over by the
end of a log to inspect something he
thot did not belong on a picket post.
After kicking a couple of bundles

around, he asked what was "in that
sack." The reply was: "It's Yankee
coffee." "How did you come by it?'
"The Yanks brought it over to trade
for tobacco." "Whose tobacco is that?"
"By rights it belongs to the Yanks."
"Why didn't they take it with themr'

"Don't know, Captain, without you-
all were too close for them to think
about more than one thing and that
was the quickest and shortest way to
their own post."

"Why didn't you shoot them as they
ran?" "Because we could not on our
honor as gentlemen. Those are a
mighty fine lot of Yanks and we are
having some very pleasant times witk
them. Why, Captain, one of those
Yanks is a cousin to Bill Harrison,
and they were both born and raised
in Tennessee."

"The hell you say?"

"Yessir."

"Well, you boys seem to be ahead,
as you have both tobacco and coffee."

Charles Henderson was sergeant in
command of the post and had acted as
spokesman. He told us that when the
Captain had mellowed down and be-
come more sociable, he said to him:

"Captain, you have asked me quite
a few questions and you expected me
to answer them truthfully, didn't
you?"

"Yes."

"Now may I ask you one and will
you be as frank with me as I have
with you?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to have some coffee
for your breakfast?"

"Yes."

So the Johnny fixed up a good lib-
eral ration and handed it to him, and
when the Captain started away, he
said:

"Charley, you ree that the Yanks get
their tobacco."

There were hundreds of similar
places along the line where similar
exchanges were made, and as far as
I ever knew there never was any ar-
mistice abused or violated.

Casualties were of almost daily oc-
currence. More than two hundred
and fifty comrades are buried from the
78th between Chattanooga and At-
lanta.

On September 29th, the regiment
and division were moved by rail to
Athens Alabama, and then marched to
Florence in pursuit of Forest's cavalry
who were in the rear and doing a
great deal of damage; the division
had a skirmish with him and drove
him across the Tennessee river near
Florence, Alabama. The division re-
turned to Athens and to Chattanooga
by rail. After we had drawn cloth-
ing and rations, we took up our line
of march for Atlanta via Gaylsville,
Rome and Kingston to Atlanta, as the
R. R. had been torn up between Chat-
tanooga and Atlanta, arriving at the
last named place November 14th. The
grand march to the sea commenced
November 16th, when the command
moved from Atlanta after the city "was
burned. We reached Milledgeville
about November 23rd. About Novem-
ber 26th, 1864, passed through San-
dersville and thence to Louisville and
on to Savannah.

At Louisville we camped a few days
in order that the several commands
might adjust their lines of march so
that the generals could proceed to the
best advantage, for we were on a per-
ilous trip, no one knew where we
would show up, not even ourselves.
But we were bound to be heard from
somewhere. While we were camp-
ing at Louisville we had to be doing
something, and as we had been com-
pelled to forage off the country some
of the forage squads had picked up
some race horses, and there was a
difference of opinion as to who had
the best one, so we took this oppor-
tunity to test them. We had to go
some little distance from camp in or-
der to find a suitable piece of road
that would make a race track, but
just as we were in the zenith of our
expectations of seeing a horse race,
Wheeler's Rebel cavalry showed up

and we had to form a skirmish line
in order to protect ourselves from "be-
irg captured. Needless to say, our
ardor for a horse race was cooled to
the extent that we did not care who
had the best horse.

Our march was conducted in a very
systematic manner. The brigade or
regiment that was in the advance to-
day was put in the rear tomorrow.

We marched fifty minutes and rest-
ed ten. On the occasion of one ot
these rest periods our regiment stop-
ped in front of one of those beautiful
southern mansions. It had been rain-
ing all day and was still raining. We
had only stopped for a few minutes,
when an old man came to us from the
mansion and asked to see the flag. It
was taken from its cover and un-
furled. The old man took its folds in
his hands and said, "Beautiful emblem
flag of our coimtry," and tears came
to his eyes, and then he walked away.
About fifteen miles from Savannah.
we were confronted by earthworks
and artillery and on December 10th
the enemy retired to their intrench-
ments at Savannah, Georgia. On Dec.
21st, the enemy abandoned the city,
but we skirmished with them quite a
little before the evacuation.

We spent the holidays in and around
Savannah, putting in the most of our
time trying to get something to eat,
as our supplies were exhausted and
we had to rely on the rice planta-
tions. We went into the planters'
fields, hauled, threshed and hulled the
rice in order to subsist while we were
getting into communication with our
fleet, which had been sent there to
meet us, but knew not where. I
thought it was the best rice I ever
tasted but since coming home can't
say that I am partial to rice. After
getting supplies we broke camp about
Jan. 20th, 1865, and marched north-
ward through the Carolinas. This
march was a very hard march, be-
cause of the swamps which were cov-
ered with water in many places and
in many instances there was ice froz-

en over the water, which the officers
broke by riding their horses through.
The soldiers were then ordered to
take off shoes, stockings and panta-
loons, and wade this icy water, some-
times for more than a quarter of a
mile, coming out so numb with cold
that their legs were almost void of
feeling. Our line of march was via
Boonville and Lexington, passing to
the west of Columbia. February 17th,
we proceeded to Winnsboro and arriv-
ed there February 21st. On our march
we were to destroy railroads and other
property of value to the enemy. While
on the march we were annoyed with
hundreds of negroes who followed us,
and at Broad river we were obliged
to take up the pontoon bridge and
leave them behind. It is hard to im-
agine the hardships these poor people
endured.

On March 9th we arrived on the field
in time to help Gen. Kilpatrick regain
his camp from Rebel Gen. Hampton.
March 11th we reached Fayetteville,
North Carolina, skirmishing with Gen.
Hampton's cavalry. The march thru
South Carolina could be easily traced,
for it was a track of desolation and
devastation. The regiment proceeded
in a northeasterly direction towards
Averyboro, South Carolina, and at
this point the Rebels made their first
positive resistance. Since leaving
Savannah, Georgia, on March 16th, we
had quite lively engagements with
some loss.

On the morning of March 19th, near
Bentonville, North Carolina, we found
the Rebels in force across our line of
inarch. The brigade formed line and
the 78th was put out as skirmishers,
which soon developed a heavy rebel
force, which completely surrounded
onr brigade and we had to fight from
both front and rear. The enemy was
repulsed several times and soon our
entire division was engaged. The en-
emy did not fall back until other
troops came to the assistance of the
division. We lost very heavily in this
engagement. The last commissioned

officer of my company, Lieut. Burr,
was killed in this battle.

On the morning of the 2l8t in a
skirmish the Rebels seemed to want
to give us a parting shot and fired two
cannon shots before retiring, the last
one taking the head off of Capt. Sum-
mers of Co. K. This was the last man
lost by Sherman in battle, during his
march to the sea and through the Car-
olinaa. From Bentonville we marched
to Goldsboro, North Carolina .and en-
camped until we were supplied with
clothing, rations and ammunition. On
April 10th, we advanced on Raleigh,
North Carolina, and on to the Cape-
fear river, where we went into camp.
In a few days we heard of Lee's sur-
render and a few days later heard of
Lincoln's assassination. On April 26,
Johnson surrendered to Sherman and
the war was over, and we poor weary
soldiers a long v/ays from home, but
flushed with victory and hearts filled
with gratitude that the end had finally
come, and that Old Glory still waved
over an undivided country, we started
north via Richmond, Va., where we
camped for three days taking in the
sights around this historic city, then
took up our march for Washington,
arriving at Washington, D. C, May 19,
and participated in the Grand Review,
June 4, 1865.

Sherman's command went on in this
review just as we had been on the
march, for we had no Sunday clothes,
and for that matter, wanted none. I
think, hov/ever, the vast crowd that
greeted and cheerd us had rather see
us as they did than otherwise, for I
don't believe a finer body of men ever
marched down Pennsylvania avenue
than those of Sherman's array, for
when we left Chattanooga every weak-
ling was culled out, and when we got
to Savannah, Georgia, the sick or
march worn were culled out again,
and at Oldsboro, North Carolina, all
disabled men were sent to the coast
and we were all down to fighting
weight. One feature of our parade in
the Grand Review that seemed to

please the onlookers was our pack
mules that carried officers' equippage,
camp equippage, such as tent flies,
headquarters clerical supplies, medi-
cal supplies, etc. These mules were
led by negroes and during the march
these negroes had picked up a good
many fighting cocks, in order to have
something to amuse themselves; while
in camp they would have cock fights
and many a negro and soldier for that
matter, would stake their money on
the result of these fights, and when
on the march, these cocks were fas-
tened on top of these pack mules, and
they were on this Grand Review just
as on march.

On June 7th, 1865, was mustered out
and sent to Chicago, where the 78tii
was paid off and discharged.

The regiment participated in the
battles of Chickamauga, Mission
Ridge, Buzzard Roost, Resacca, Romt,
New Hope Church, Kennesaw Moun-
tain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta,
Jonesboro, Averysboro and Benton-
ville. The regiment mustered in 9ti2
men, recruited 140 men, mustered out
393 men, lost in killed and wounded
42o men and 24 died in Rebel pris-
ons.

The 78th was in active service from
the time it was mustered in until mus-
tered out.

Owing to the late writing of these
incidents of army life many things
worthy of mention have been left out
of their proper place. A few of which
I believe will be of interest to those
who care to read them.

On the second day of our advance
from Rossville on the Atlanta cam-
paign, after passing through Ringold
Gap in the mountains, our cavalry
was skirmishing with the Rebel cav-
alry, but as the invantry advanced the
Rebel cavalry gradually fell back to
the west foothills of Buzzard Roost
mountain. We saw in advance of us
what we supposed was an intrenched
line, but owing to the lay of the sur-
rounding country we advanced very
cautiously. We also saw what we

supposed to be a masked battery which
made us all the more cautious. But
as we neared the supposed line to our
surprise the battery was nothing more
than the front wheels of a wagon
with a small log mountd on them to
represent a piece of artillery, covered
with bushes in order to disguise it.
That and the fact we were looking for
trouble and a strong picket force in
near proximity made the deception
more easy. We did not experience
much difficulty in taking that particu-
lar piece of ordinance. But as we ad-
vanced a number of the Rebel rear
guard threw down their guns and
came running towards us with hands
up and a white cloth indicating they
wanted to surrender, and they were
permitted to enter our lines.

There were many instances of this
kind during our campaigning in east
Tennessee, owing to the fact that
there were a great many Union people
in that section of Tennessee. Colonel
Brownlow's 1st East Tennessee cav-
alry was made up of the loyal men of
that district and joined the Union
army, and they were a brave and
fearless lot of men. They never al-
lowed themselves to be taken prisoner
from the fact that if they were de-
tected as southern men they said
there v^ould be no mercy shown them,
from the fact they thought they should
be fighting for the South. During
our advance on Chattanooga, Tenn.^
during the sum.mer of 1863 there were
several men from this Tennessee
country joined Co. F of my regiment,
one of whom was killed at Chicka-
mauga and another wounded. The
wounded man recovered and came
back to us just before starting on the
Atlanta campaign, and as stated be-
fore, there were many times when the
two army lines were in close proxim-
ity, times when a man's head above
ground was an inviting target. On one
of these occasions the skirmishing fire
became so annoying that one of these
Tennessee recruits jumped up on the
front of the works with his gun and

told tlie re3t of his comrade* to load
their guns and hand them to him. The
boys begged him to come down as it
"was simply suicide for him to stay up
there, but he stayed until wounded
twice. The second wound proved quite
severe and he was sent back to hos-
pital, which was the last I ever knew
of him.

Before closing I wish briefly to note
something of camp life, camp equip-
ment, both in the early part of our
term of service and at the last end.
When we went to Quincy there was
no camp equipage and for a time we
were placed around the city at the
different hotels until such time as we
could secure tents and other neces-
sary articles which would enable us
to take care of ourselves. We knew
absolutely nothing about camp life.
When we got our tents there was is-
sued us what was called Sibley tents,
five to the company. They were round
with pole in the center to hold them
up, and guy ropes to hold them from
blowing over. When v,e lay down at
night heads to the outside, feet to the
center. It was some time before we
got used to those guy ropes, for we
were constantly getting too near and
falling over them. What was said on
those occasions would hardly bear re-
peating here. Each man drew a tin
plate, tin cup, knife, fork and spoon.
The company drew five camp kettles,
all of different sizes, to be used in
cooking different kinds of food. The
greatest trouble we had for a time
was how much rice to put in the ket-
tle. The first time cooking before we
had it cooked done we had everything
around camp filled with rice. It kept
swelling beyond what we had any
conception of. At first the company
was formed into one big mess and a
couple of men did the cooking. It
was some experience. When we left
Quincy we went to Louisville, Ky.,
where we drew arms and accoutre-
ments, also our quota of six mule
teams, which was one mule team to
•each company, and three for head-

quarters, which made thirteen to
transport regimental supplies, with
the addition of two ambulances to our
outfit of teams to transport regimental
medical supplies and care for the sick
and march worn. When we got to
Louisville a detail of men was made
to go to the stock yards and get the
teams. I don't think there was one
mule in ten in those yards that had
ever had a halter on, and to see those
men catch those mules, harness and
hitch six of those unbroken mules to
one wagon and start out of those
yards was a sight long to be remem-
bered. Most of the time was spent by
those men in untangling those teams,
all piled up and tangled to the extent
of having to unhitch and unharness in
order to get straightened out. But
it was astonishing how soon those
teams were brought into subjection. It
was not long, however, before orders
came for us to turn over our Sibley
tentS; and instead we were issued
what we called dog tents. Each man
drew a piece of canvas cloth 4x6 feet,
buttons on one end, so that two men
could button their respective pieces
together and sleep together. At this
particular time there was a general
move toward a decrease along the line
of things that had to be cared for in
the way of forage and what it took to
transport supplies for teams and what
was considered unnecessary appur-
tenances for the use of the army, for
each day we were getting further from
our base of supplies and it became a
necessity to do away with everything
that could be dispensed with. So our
regimental teams were reduced from
thirteen to three for a time. Then all
teams except one to a regiment and
the ambulances were reduced in num-
bers and put into a brigade ambulance
train.

On the march each man had to car-
ry three days' rations, gun, accoutre-
ments, forty rounds of ammunition,
haversack, canteen, blanket, if in win-
ter, overcoats and change of under-
wear. Of necessity our company

messes were broken up and messes
were composed of two to four men
except in some instances some mean
cuss no one cared to be with, then
his mess was confined to one.

A few facts and figures clipped from
the Blandinsville Star will not be out
of place here and will enable the read-
er to form a better idea of what the
Civil war meant to our nation.

Dont Belittle the CItII War.

Blandinsville Star: We think of the
present war as the most terrible ex-
perience of humanity, and are apt to
think of our present sacrifices as
something unheard of before. But any
of our old veterans who went through
the civil war know that measured by
any standpoint — cost, men engaged,
casualties, property loss, or general
awfulness the civil war was enor-
mously more costly and terrible to
America than this war was or could
have become if it had lasted for sev-
eral years.

In fact we have only had a mere
taste, a faint suggestion of what the
men and women of the '60s went
through.

The world war has cost us eighteen
billion dollars. The civil war cost us
$5,160,000,000. The amount of wealth
now in the country is fifteen times
what it was in 1860. Had the cost
mounted up to 77 billion we might be-
gin to feel it pinch as they did. We
should have to spend sixty billion
mpre before we should make the mon-
ey, sacrifice they did.

The lives lost in the civil war was
in round numbers 600,000. The popu-
lation was then 27,400,000 — about one-
fourth of what it is now. Four times
600,000 is 2,400,000. If every soldier
sent over seas were killed we should
have a smaller proportion of gold
stars by a quarter of a million than
they did.

Out of a population of 27,400,000
there were mustered in during the '60s
3,730,000. Multiplying again by four
we get 14,920,000. If we had kept on

sending two million a year to France
for six more years to come we would
begin to feel the drain on our male
population here at home as they did
in 1865. And this takes no account of
the billions of dollars' worth of prop-
erty destroyed and the disruption of
business in nearly half our territory.
In this war we have faced nothing of
this kind.

Nor has the fighting been anything
like so savage and terrible as when
both sides were Americans, the best
soldiers in the world. Phil Sheridan
sat on his horse beside Prince Charles
when Metz was taken from the French
in 1870. Looking at the serried lines
of Germany's best soldiers he said to
the Prince, "Give me two divisions of
the Sedgwick sixth corps of the Union
army and I could cut my way through
your army of Prussians."

In the last hundred years the world
has seen no other such fighting as waa
done by the Blue and Gray. The three
most destructive battles in the last
century outside the civil war were the
battle of Waterloo in 1815, where the
victors last 20 per cent of their men;
Vioville, between the Germans and the
French in 1870, where the casualties
were 20 per cent, and the battle of
Plevno in 1870 where the Prussians
lost 8 per cent in their battle with the
Turks. But in the battle of Antietam
the casualties of the victors were 23
per cent, at Gettysburg 20 and at
Chickamauga 27 per cent.

Germany boasts of her "shock
troops." In the civil war our boys
were all "shock troops." And they
were only boys. We see the few gray
haired veterans with us today and for-
get that of those wonderful boys of
1860, 1,151,438 of them were mere
striplings under 18 years old. But
what terrible fighters they became!
They were shock troops, for they knew
but one way to fight. That was at
close quarters after the roar of mus-
ketry, with bayonets and clubbed
rifles.

The present method of long range

ILLINOIS STATE
HISTORICAL LfBRARy

shooting and trench fighting ehows no
Buch savage intensity of fighting or
terrible slaughter as these men faced,
and it knows no such losses.

At Gettysburg the First Minnesota
lost 82 per cent of its men in fifteen
minutes of the second day. At Peters-
burg the First Maine lost 70 per cent
of its men in seven minutes. At Get-
tysburg the 141st Pennsylvania lost
76 per cent. And remember, these
were killed or wounded and not a man
"missing," as they didn't surrender.

And how about the Gray? First
Texas at Antietam 82 per cent, 21st
Georgia at Manassas 78 per cent, 26th
North Carolina at Gettysburg 72 per
cent, 6th Mississippi at Shiloh 71 per
cent. They printed no casualty lists
then. The day after one of these bat-
tles the whole Chicago Tribune would
not have been big enough to hold the
names.

. An eminent British officer recently
said, "The Americans still hold the

record for hard fighting." And novr
the sons and grandsons of the men
who shook hands at Appomatox, lineal
descendants of the best infantry that
ever marched on the globe, have had
a chance to send the shivers of fear
down the spine of the hun and Amer-
ica has repeated itself under the
Stars and Stripes. But let us not
forget the deeds of their heroic fath-
ers who set a world record for terrific
fighting that is not likely to ever be
broken.

The author of this enlisted June 7,
1862, returned home July 3rd, 1865.
Never asked for furlough. Was not
absent from his regiment during term
of service, except two days and three
night, absence caused by the enemy
being between him and the Union
forces. The 78th Illinois was in ac-
tive service from beginning to end of
service, always at the front.

r^