HISTORY
OF THE
EIGHTH REGIMENT
KENTUCKY VOL. INF.,
DURING ITS '
THREE YEARS CAMPAIGNS
EMBRACING
Organization, Marches, Skirmishes,
AND
Battles of the Command,
WITH
MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE OLD RELIABLE THIRD
BRIGADE, COMMANDED BY HON. STANLEY MAT-
THEWS, AND CONTAINING MANY
INTERESTING AND AMUSING INCIDENTS OF
ARMY LIFE.
By CAPT. T. J. WRIGH
ST. JOSEPH, MO.:
St. Joseph Steam Printing Company
1880.
.S
Cot>y iLi
Entered recording to Act of Congress in the year 1880 by
Capt. T. J. Wright.
TO THE
MEMORY OF MY FORMER COMRADES,
WHO DEFENDED OUR GLORIOUS UNION,
IN THE
WAR AGAINST REBELLION,
WHETHER THEY FELL UPON THE BATTLEFIELD,
OR WASTED AWAY
FROM WOUNDS AND DISEASE in HOSPITALS AND PRISONS
WHETHER THEY LIE
BURIED IN LONELY SOUTHERN GRAVES,
OR
RETURNED HOME WITH SHATTERED CONSTITUTIONS,
TO SUFFER AND
SINK INTO UNTIMELY GRAVES,
THIS VOLUME
IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE,
In placing this History before the public, the author takes
pleasure in assuring his readers that this work is not fiction,
but a chronological order of facts, wherein runs along the wild
tide of war and great events ; of fields of blood ; the compara-
tive succeeding calm ; of the soldier's daily toils, camp duties
and privations; their many hardships, marches, skirmishes and
battles; detailing modes of cooking, with many amusing epi-
sodes of foraging expeditions, being truly the true inwardness
of the private soldier's life. Written from the author's daily
journal, kept by him throughout this Veteran Regiment's long
and eventful service, embracing much of the history of the re-
nowned Third Brigade, commanded by Hon. Stanley Mathews.
The author having promised many of his former comrades,
on taking leave of them when the regiment disbanded, to pub
lish this work, has this apology to offer for the long delay in
placing the work before the publie : First — For several years
immediately succeeding the rebellion, the country was flooded
with wild, romantic and fictitious story books of the sanguinary
struggle, written principally by men and women whose sources
of. information were vague newspaper reports, lavishly colored
by their own fruitful imaginations, causing the reading public
to tire of literature relating to the late war. Second — The au-
thor's unsettled affairs, in making a new home in the West ;
and, thirdly, the scattered condition of the survivors, making
it difficult to obtain from brother officers certain statistical mat-
ters material to the work.
Hoping the true and moral character of this work, free from
any of that bitter sectional feeling usually found in such books,
will make the following pages a welcome and interesting visitor
in every home, and especially to all old soldiers and their nu-
merous friends.
THE AUTHOR.
contp:nts.
HISTORY EIGHTH KENTUCKY.
CHAPTER I.
The Clouds of War. Kentucky's Neutrality. Union Home
Guards. Invasion. Enlisting. Recruits Arming themselves
with Rifles and Shot guns. Rendezvousing at Estill Springs.
Awkward Drilling. Organizing the Regiment. Flag Pre-
sentation by Loyal Ladies. Response of the Eighth.
CHAPTER H.
Marching Orders. Taking Leave of Friends. A Rainy March.
Loyalty in Richmond, Ky. A Snow Storm. Officers Pay-
ing for Chickens. Arrive at Lebanon. Putting on Style.
Drilling. Serious Sickness. Moving Camp and Making
Beds. Married Soldiers Desirous to be Furloughed. A
Shrewd Woman and a Sharp Lieutenant. Kindness of Cit-
izens. Our Death Roll Increases. Pay Day, Marching to
Louisville. Boat Ride. An Indignant Boat Crew. Excited
Negroes.
CHAPTER III.
A Silent Southern City. Buell's Unpleasant Orders. Cutting
ReJjels' Timber. Moving South. Wading Stone River.
Heavy Camp and Picket Duty. Ward fools the Doctor and
is caught. Shooting a Rebel fool. Pig Skins. The Eighth
at Wartrace. Catching a Rebel Surgeon. Fortifying. Cut-
8 CONTENTS.
ling Railroad Timbers and Guarding Bridges. On the
Mountains under Gen. Dumont. Hard Living. Returning
to Camp at Wartrace. A detail wash ''Dobins" neck.
Fourth of July.
CHAPTER IV.
Night Ride to Elk River Bridge. Marching in a Rain Storm.
A Knapsack Squabble. Fortifying TuUahoma. The 35th
Indiana joins the Brigade. Picketing and Foraging. March
to Murfreesboro. Putting the Darkies to Digging Rifle-pits.
A silent Night Move ends in Hard Marching. Nelson ex-
pecting Attack at Murfreesboro. A hot March to McMinn-
ville. Morgan Evacuates. Expedition over Cany Fork,
A hard set of Teamsters. Rain. Hard work, wet clothes
and no grub. Counter-march. Green Apples. Nelson's
Drills. Expedition to Liberty. Nelson and the pie vender.
" Thirty-fives " run a Distillery.
CHAPTER V.
Loyalty leaving McMinnville. March back to Murfreesboro.
Scarcity of Greenbacks. An Accommodating Sutler. Troops
passing through Nashville. On to Kentucky. Pants only
for the ragged Gray-backs in camp. Leaving Tennessee with
full Stomachs. The Flag and Loyalty in Kentucky. Bran-
son and the Goat. On half Rations. Grating Corn Hard
Marching. Drinking Mule Soup. Skirmishing ahead. Ar-
rive at Cave City. Novel Cooking. Wormy Flour. Soldiers
Distrusting Buell. Sleeping with wet garments, A Race
for the Ohio. Famishing with Thirst. Midnight Entrance
into Louisville. Condition of the Troops,
CHAPTER VI.
Expecting Pay, but Double-quick after the Johnnies. Skirmish-
ing. Scarcity of Water. Battle of Peiryville. Rebels
Retreating. Indignant Kentucky Soldiers. Hunting a fight
at Danville. On toward Crab Orchard. Night attack on
CONTENTS. 9
the Johnnies. They leave a hot Breakfast, Rebels Blocka-
ding the R.oad near Wildcat. The Sth Surprise and Capture
a Camp of Rebel Recruits. On to Somerset. Early Snow.
March to Columbus. Sad Reports from Home. The 8lh
and 2 1st desire a few Greenbacks. Married Men wanting
Furloughs. Pay day at Glasgow. Moving on to Tennessee,
A big day's Washing at Galatin.
CHAPTER VII.
Slipping on to Morgan at Lebanon. Heavy Rations of Flour,
Bacon and Whisky. A novel Supply Train. Foraging at
Silver Springs, Guarding Supplies to Rural Hill. Attack
at Breakfast. Discomfitted Rebels leave seven dead. Wise-
man tumbling a " Jip." Col, Hawkins Compliments the
Eighth. Camp nearer Nashville, Changes in the Command,
Move to the Murfreesboro Pike. Rosecrans Inspects the
Army. Foraging and Battle at Dobins' Ferry. Our Dead
and Wounded. Another move. After Absentees in Louis-
ville
CHAPTER VIII.
The Army moves on the Enemy, The Eighth's Company
Commanders, Skirmishing in the rain, A Sunday in Bi-
vouac. Pickets' Armistice. Arrival at Stone River, Two
Armies Facing. Heavy Skirmishing. Terrible Battle the
last day of 1862. Wading cold water. Third Brigade a
Bait to Rosy's Trap, Magnificent War Picture, A gallant
Resistance by the Third Brigade, Breckenridge falls into
the trap. Terrible Slaughter. Murfreesboro ours. Burying
Dead. Bad Weather. Loss of Comrades. Irishman's No-
tion of Putting Down Rebels.
CHAPTER IX.
Torn Battle Flags in Kentucky Legislature. A Hospital
Town. Picketing and practicing Economy. Death of three
gallant Officers, Foraging on a large scale, A Rebel dis-
lO CONTENTS.
likes his Voucher. Fortifying M, The Status of the Slaves
discussed. More Deaths from Wounds. Guarding Pontoons.
On a Reconnoissance. Rain, mud and songs. Camp on
Lytle's Creek. A stylish Inspector Wets his Pants. Off to
Snow Hill with one hundred rounds. Charging the Enemy.
Victory. Return to Camp.
CHAPTER X.
Heavy Drills and Picket Duty. Col. Matthews' Farewell. A
Mammoth "Nigger" Dance causes Alarm. Maj. Broadhus'
and Col. May's Departure. Capt. Mayhew and Adjt. Clark
Promoted. Officers being Married to Commissions. Mark-
ing Comrades' Graves. Swap for Enfield Rifles. Smith's
Gun the Brightest. Dobin Spikes tries Bean Juice. Wit-
nessing the Shooting of a Deserter. Army moves Forward.
Marching and Scouting. Union Songs and Rebel Hate.
At Woodbury. At McMinnville again. Ornamenting Camp.
Unwelcome Harvesters. The last Man ever Tied up.
CHAPTER XI.
Over the Mountains. Topography of Sequatchie. Rattlesnakes.
Pikeville. Brains Hockersmith and the Rebel Beauty. Liv-
ing on Produce. The Loyal Refugee Preacher. A good
Work begins. Down the Valley. Crossing the Tennessee.
Wet Men. Guarding Supply Train. A piled up Country.
Passing the Gate City. Three Miles of Fight. Entering
Ringold, Ga. Frightened Women. Back to Gordon's Mills
and McLamore's Cave. A Sweet Incense of Frying Mutton.
CHAPTER XII. ^
Reconnoitering and Skirmishing at Chicamauga. A Cold
Night and Piteous Cries of the Wounded. Description of
the. Two Days' Battle. Gallant Charge by the 51st Ohio and
8th Kentucky. Return to the city, war worn and brush torn .
Loss of Comrades.
CONTENTS. I I
CHAPTER XIII.
Siege of Chattanooga. Digging Day and Night. Under Fire.
On Quarter Rations. Picket Repartee. Another Picture of
War. Religious Worship. Frank Captures Rebel Beeves.
Rosecrans and Crittenden Farewell. The Command Changed
to the 4th Corps. A Detail of the Brigade at Field Hospital.
Forage for a Living. At Moccasin Point. Wauhatchie and
Shell Mound. Dilapidated Clothing. Building Winter
Quarters.
CHAPTER XIV.
Over Bad Roads with three days' Rations and Sixty Rounds.
Facing Frowning Lookout, Pile Knapsacks and Climbing.
Surprising the Enemy in day-light. A Rich Harvest of
Prisoners. Novel Missiles. Ward Silencing a Sharpshooter.
Battle above the Clouds. Carrying the Flag on Point Look-
out. Capturing Camp and Commissaries. An exciting Battle
Scene. Finishing Winter Quarters. Consolidation of the
Regiment at Shell Mound, Parting with Brother Officers.
Maj. Clark's Farewell.
CHAPTER XV.
Re-enlisting. Manner of Doubling Companies. Leaving the
'' Illegant" Shanties. Incidents of the March to Cleveland,
Tenn. Self Reliance of the Soldiers. Form new Camp and
Acquaintances. Veterans get Pay, and an Expedition to
Buzzard's Roost. In Leaky Tents at Blue Springs. A
Rainy March and Miserable Night Ride. A Supperless Set.
Camp at Chattanooga. Chuck-a-luckers Burying Mules.
Snow-balling. Veterans Dressing up. An Officer's Advice
to his Men.
CHAPTER XVI.
Veterans take a Thirty Days' Furlough, Soldiers' Home. In
Louisville. Leaving Lexington. Cleaning out a Hotel.
Good Behavior. Home and Friends. How a Southern.
1 2 CONTENTS.
Rights Woman became Union. Returning to the War. A
Reinstated Cook. Garrison and Picket Duties around the
" Gate City." Some Characteristic Citizens. Afraid of a
Yankee Gun. A sad case of Sudden Poverty.
CHAPTER XVII.
•
Guarding Trains Front and Rear. A hard lot of Bounty
Jumpers. The Fourth of July. Steadman's hard Orders to
Citizens. Rebel Raid on Dalton increases our Duty. A
Hot Valley. Fanciful Reverie of a Thunder Storm. Soldiers
taking Interest in Religion and Politics. A Characteristic
Debate. Model Worship. Forest's Raid on our Cracker
Line. Platform Cars to Cumberland Tunnel. Waiting for
Attack at Block Houses.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Life Tvi^enty Days at Elk River. A Destitute Country. An
Impressive Funeral. Night Ride to Bridgeport. Returning
to Chattanooga. Picketing with Colored Troops. New
Clothing. Arrival of the Fourth Corps. A Camp of Dis-
couraged Atlanta Citizens. The Eighth sent to Reseca and
Calhoun. Turning over Government Property. Making
Muster out Rolls. Bidding good-bye to Lieut. Pucket and
the Veterans. All aboard for Nashville. Receiving Pay at
Louisville. Disbanding.
CHAPTER XIX.
Appendix.
HISTORY
OF THE
Eighth Kentucky Volunteers.
CHAPTER L
In the month of December, i860, the State of
South Carolina passed the rash and fatal Ordinance
of Secession. This dark, ominous cloud of civil dis-
cord that arose in the South and gathered strength
and blackness as it rolled northward, threatening soon
to burst in a terrific storm of civil war, blood and
carnage, and convulse this mighty Government from
center to circumference — a war that was soon to
stain hundreds of battlefields with the blood of many
thousands of brave and good men from every part
of our glorious Union. Early in the winter of 1861
all classes of our citizens in Central Kentucky be-
came intensely interested in the question of the pro-
priety of Kentucky's seceding and casting her for-
tune with the other Slave States, which had been,
by excitement and forced elections, hurled out of
14 HISTORY OF THE
the Union into the so called Southern Confederacy,
where slavery instead of freedom was to become the
chief corner-stone of this new national edifice.
In Central Kentucky, and especially in those coun-
ties bordering on the southern part of the '^ Blue-
grass region," debates became decidedly warm and
spirited. A small majority of the best citizens im-
mediately took a firm and decided stand against
secession and rebellion, while many whose love for
the " divine" institution of African slavery assumed
that peculiar cloak for treason called neutrality, and
loudly demanded compromises instead of coercion ;
and many were from the first rebels at heart, who
openly proclaimed on the streets of our towns their
wicked and treasonable designs to destroy or divide
this Union of States.
The winter passed. The mad fire of secession
continued to rage. Active preparations for war were
carried on in the seceded States. Union men were
astonished at the inactivity of Buchanan's weak Ad-
ministration ; while rebels rejoiced and exulted over
the surrender of that brave and good man, Major
Anderson, and his gallant little band of heroes at
Fort Sumter. Rebel companies were drilling in
Central and Southern Kentucky, and open, out-
spoken Union men were threatened with hanging or
banishment. We began to think the time had come
when we should rub up our old shot-guns and trusty
rifles, and instead of discussing secession meetings
were called to consult as to the best methods of self-
protection.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 5
The legerdemain by which the extreme Southern
States were juggled out of the Union had so far
proved a success. Only let it be granted that where
thirteen or more parties have entered into a solemn
contract with each other either of the parties can
rightfully withdraw from the arrangement when he
pleases without the consent of the others, and you
can prove anything. Any man whose mind can be
taught that, could be made believe anything, and the
Southern people were carefully taught to believe it.
They contended that while the States which chose to
secede could not be rightfully coerced to remain in
the Union, those States which chose to remain must
be forced to secede. But the Confederate logicians
in Kentucky hatched a new lie called neutrality, and
declared that Kentucky should be neutral until the
rebellion should become strong enough to swallow
her at a mouthful. Governor Magofifm, whose sym-
pathies were strong for the South, issued a procla-
mation calling for the organization of the State
Militia, and also convening the Legislature to con-
sider the crisis. The 226. of May, 1861, the Senate
passed a resolution declaring '' that Kentucky will
never sever her connection with the National Gov-
ernment, nor take up arms for either belligerent."
This resolution was lost in the House of Represent-
atives by a large vote. The secessionists of Ken-
tucky began to be alarmed, and their fears were not
diminished when the result of the election held the
first of July showed a majority for the Union candi-
dates of more than fifty-five thousand votes ; and
I 6 HISTORY OF THE
Kentucky Union men began to take courage at the
action of the President, and the hearty response by
troops from the Northern States to his call for
75,000 three-months' men to meet the rebel army
then gathered in Northeastern Virginia. And many
believed the " sectional troubles'" would soon blow
over without the loss of much blood. Union home
guards were organized in most counties along the
Kentucky River and throughout the north part of
the State — probably the best move that could have
been made at that time. But, as subsequent events
proved, to have attempted to put down the rebellion
with home guards and three months' men was about
as wise as to try to put out the flames of a burniifg
building with a squirt-gun. The writer had the
honor to command one of these home guard com-
panies in Estill County. We met twice a week,
every man with rifle or shot-gun ready for any
emergency, but principally to drill. The military
display and general awkwardness of both rank and
file on these occasions would have excited the pro-
fanity of a West Point general. But we had the
best of raw material of which to make soldiers.
These undisciplined companies contained brave and
fearless men, accustomed to handling firearms from
early boyhood. They were excellent marksmen^
and only needed schooling and discipline to make
them what most of them afterward proved, the best
of soldiers.
Before the first of August, 1861, so many of these
home guards were organized throughout the coun-
■ EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 7
try, those would-be Confederate soldiers who had be-
gun to drill and bluster in our midst, began to think
it would be more healthy a little further south, and
in their attempt to join ZoUicoffer's forces (then in-
vading the State) many were gobbled up as prisoners
by these undisciplined home guards, among them
James B. Clay, son of the great statesman, who,
with a large number of followers, were sent under
guard to Louisville. Most of them took the oath of
loyalty and were released. This invading army of
rebels caused many of us to doubt the efficiency of
our home organizations, lacking combined co-opera-
tion and discipline.
In August, 1861, Sidney M. Barnes, a lawyer
gifted with more than ordinary talent as a speaker,
and proprietor of the noted watering place ''Estill
Springs," near Irvine, Ky., addressed the citizens of
Madison, Estill and some of the adjoining counties,
at a series of meetings, principally held at the times
and places where the home guards met to drill. He
ably pointed out the many disadvantages under which
we would labor, and the danger of the State being over-
run by the rebel army, the necessity of being armed
with guns of the same caliber, of uniform clothings
and of a more perfect organization, with some assur-
ance of remuneration for our services. The Colonel
humorously remarked: "Notwithstanding your
bravery, which is undoubted, should the rebel army
succeed in advancing this far, all you married men
in the home guards will be sure to want to go home
and see after Sally and the children."
l8 HISTORY OF THE
On the 14th of September, 1861, a battalion mus-
ter of half a score of home guard companies met at
Texas, in Madison County. The loyal citizens of
the surrounding country came with well-filled baskets
of the choicest provisions the country could afford.
A picnic of mammoth proportions was the result to
which everybody was welcomed by the loyal, kind-
hearted women, who formed a large part of the great
throng of people. Captains Powell and Wilson, who
had partially formed two companies of three years'
volunteers, were present with their new recruits
beating up for volunteers, and no less than four
other parts of companies were represented by as
many flags, followed by drums and fife, appealing to
the patriotism of the young men to take arms in de-
fense of the best Government ever vouchsafed to
man on earth. There are many ' survivors of the
Eighth that dated their enrollment from that bright
14th of September, 1861, and became members of
Companies B, C and H. The two former compa-
nies, under Powell and Wilson, had obtained their
full quotas by the 22d, and on that day were given a
bountiful feast by the good, old, loyal fathers and
mothers of Station Camp, in Estill County, as a
farewell token of their love to the " boys" and de-
votion to the cause of union and liberty. That long
table extending half across Uncle Eb. Wilson's pas-
ture, loaded with rich and savory food, surrounded
by kind mothers, sisters and sweethearts, insisting on
us partaking of more when we had eat to repletion,
was a scene and pleasure we often recalled to mind
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 9
when on quarter rations '' Away down south in
Dixie." These two companies rendezvoused the
23d at Estill Springs, carrying with them many good
shot-guns and rifles " borrowed" from reluctant
rebel owners. The new encampment was armed
principally by " loaned guns" of all kinds and
calibers.
The 26th September, Capt. R. Winbourn and
myself left Estill Springs on a recruiting tour, each
of us taking different routes, he going up the Ken-
tucky River into Owsley County, and myself with a
few recruits rode to the farm of Mr. Wills, where
our first appointment to beat up for volunteers had
been previously announced. The surrounding hills
re-echoed the sound of our martial band, the music
of which was not of the best, but the patriotic ardor
being augmented by the rumored invasion of the
State by the rebels under Zollicoffer, caused men,
women and children to collect from all directions,
some bearing large baskets filled with provisions, all
with hearts full of love for our old flag and freedom.
At 10 o'clock a. m. several hundreds of eager, ex-
pectant persons had assembled. The poor music
was followed by an equally poor speech from the
writer, and this was followed by loud and boisterous
cheering. We hoisted our flag, headed by our three
amateur musicians^ playing their one and only tune,
''Sally is the gal for me." As each recruit fell into
the moving line loud cheers rent the air. In a short
time we had about eighteen recruits, among them the
brave and lamented Lieut. W. B. Cox, who gave his
20 HISTORY OF THE
life's blood as a sacrifice for human liberty on the
battle-field of Stone River. After partaking of a
bountiful dinner, a la pic nic, we agreed to meet
within two days, the 28th, at one Mr. Berryman's,
where the bad speaking and music were again fol-
lowed by a call for recruits. Several handsome young
women took the flag and marched after the music,
appealing to the young men to fall in and go fight
for the best government on earth. These appeals
were not in vain, as one boy said "none but traitors
or cowards could stand back now." Nor did the
tearful, pleading eyes of fond and affectionate wives
restrain husbands from enlisting. Here our numbers
were increased to upwards of thirty. According to
instructions from Col. Barnes, we proceeded to col-
lect a sufficient number of guns from rebels and rebel
sympathizers to arm each new recruit. Many laugh-
able incidents occurred in thus collecting arms. I
will recite only one of the many : One T , near
the Spout Spring, had openly and publicly swore that
'' no Lincolnite should ever take his rifle to Estill
Springs unless he first received the one charge it
contained. Knowing the truth of the old saying
that "a barking dog doesn't bite," I went alone to
his cabin door and demanded the loan of his gun.
He first denied having one — with trembling limbs
and husky voice he declared his brother in Clark had
it. When told that was "too thin," and that no
fooling would be permitted, he acknowledged that it
was behind a wide board over the door, and told me
to take it down, which I declined to do, telling him
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 21
of his previous threat, and to hand it to me himself.
This he did. With tears in his eyes he said, "Capt.,
take care of her, fur she cost me twenty-five dollars,
and I split rails at fifty cents a hundred to pay most
ov it." He was told if he conducted himself as a
good, loyal citizen, he would receive his gun again.
In justice to many of these men of whom guns were
taken, be it said that they, like Mr. T , proved
to become Union men, and regained their reluctantly
loaned property.
On the 3d October, in company with Lieut. Cox
and twenty more of the recruits, we returned to Es-
till Springs, and were sworn into the U. S. service
for three years or during the war, unless sooner dis-
charged by proper authority.
Recruiting parties with squads were daily arriving.
The Colonel's long rows of neat cottage buildings
were full, and a large quantity of lumber procured
to build quarters. We were bountifully supplied with
excellent beef and bacon. The services of an expe-
rienced baker was secured, who furnished us good
bread, full rations of coffee and sugar, and often a
wagon load of potatoes were dumped into camp as a
donation from some good old farmer. But the in-
sufficient number of skillets, frying-pans and coffee
pots, promiscuously gathered up and brought in by
thoughtful recruits, and the great num.ber of self-ap-
pointed, inexperienced cooks, caused confusion and
no little discord. To avoid this a certain number of
cooks were selected for each company or part of
company, to attend to culinary affairs alone. After
2 2 HISTORY OF THE
this judicious arrangement we lived well for soldiers,
and many of those company cooks were there given
" nick names" that they carried throughout the war.
One Harris, of Company H, for his scrupulous
cleanliness and dexterity in handling the dish-cloth,
received the affectionate name of ** mother." I.
Ward, Company F, kindly answered to the name of
"Aunt Sally," &c.
The 4th October, Capt. Jamison arrived with a
full company from about the three forks of the Ken-
tucky River. A i'ew days later, Capt. Winbourn
with another squad arrived and joined us, thus aug-
menting our company, H, to about sixty. Lieut. C.
Benton soon after came in with a large squad, that
subsequently became Company E. By the i8th
October there were no less than fifteen parts of com-
panies and full companies in camp. Col. Barnes
informed us that companies could have only until the
loth November to complete their organizations.
Then considerable splicing of squads took place, and
parts of squads bolting to other parts of companies,
the men not being pleased with tne selfish arrange-
ments their recognized leaders were trying to make
with others, securing to themselves a lieutenantcy.
and making no provision for even a non-commissioned
officer for any of their devoted followers. Thus men
were, after being sworn in, allowed to leave any
company not full and join what company he chose,
and then have a choice in the selection of company
officers, even down to 8th corporal.
The 23d October our encampment was thrown into
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 2^
a furor of excitement on the receipt of the news of
Gen. Zollicoffer and his rebel horde being defeated
in the spirited little fighi at Wild Cat Mountain, by
a few regiments of Indianians and a few raw Ken-
tucky recruits. About the 28th October, Captains
Mayhew, McDaniel and J. B. Banton's companies
from Barbourville and Manchester arrived at the
Springs. Our reception of this important addition
to our command was enthusiastically warm and noisy.
These companies had smelt powder at Wild Cat, and
we met them in the town of Irvine with music and
much cheering, and escorted them as conquering
heroes to our camp.
The measles had broken out among us, and not-
withstanding good medical aid was secured, several
hundred of the 8th boys went through this sickening
contagion. Though none died immediately from
the disease, it no doubt subsequently caused the
death of a large number.
Several hours each day was spent in an awkward
attempt at drill. Progress was unavoidably slow, as
nearly all the self-appointed officers and drill ser-
geants were as little skilled in tactics as the men,
who found it difficult to habituate themselves to be-
ing discipUned by such awkward superiors. Lieu-
tenant-Colonel May, Major G. B. Broadhus and
Captain Powell had served in the Mexican war as
Lieutenants, and Captain R. B. Hickman had at-
tended a military school a few months previous to
joining the Eighth. All the other officers were
novices in tactics and regulations.
24 HISTORY OF THE
From the ist to the loth of November the prin-
cipal excitement in camp was the splicing of squads
into companies and the election of officers. With
so much electioneering, discipline existed only in
name. Some exciting and uncomfortably close
races, but the best of humor prevailed, defeated as-
pirants cheerfully acquiescing in the choice of the
majority.
The 13th November, ten companies being organ-
ized, with maximum number, making an aggregate of
a few over nine hundred. The newly elected com-
pany officers met and decided upon the letter and
rank of each company, as follows :
Co. A — Captain, J. D. Mayhew.
I St Lieut., Wm. Ketchen.
Co. B — Captain, A. D. Powell.
ist Lieut., L Neal.
2d Lieut., J. Blackwell.
Co. C — Captain, John Wilson.
ist Lieut., Wm. Park.
2d Lieut., Cassius Park.
Co. D — Captain, R. B. Jamison.
ist Lieut., J. P. Gumm.
2d Lieut., T. Carson.
Co. E — Captain, R. B. Hickman.
1st Lieut., C. D. Benton.
2d Lieut., Perry Nickolls.
Co. F— Captain, John B. Banton.
ist Lieut., Barton Dixon.
2d Lieut., Newton Hughes.
Co. G — Captain, L. C. Minter.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 2
J
ist Lieut., Caleb Hughes.
2d Lieut., Winfield S. Spencer.
Co. H — Captain, Rhodes Winbourn.
ist Lieut., Wade B. Cox.
2d Lieut., T. J. Wright.
Co. I — Captain, Wm. McDaniel.
ist Lieut., Crooks.
2d Lieut., -Amy.
Co. K — Captain, Henry Thomas.
ist Lieut., Wesley Stewart.
2d Lieut., Wm. Smalhvood.
Co). S. M. Barnes chosen Colonel ; Reuben Mav,
of Clay county, Lieut. Colonel ; Green B. Broadhus,
of Madison, Major ; John S. Clark, of Irvine, Adju-
tant, and Timothy Paul, of Clay, Chaplain.
Three days after, we received an entire outfit of
camp and garrison equipage, except tents. The
arms were the old altered muskets. With our new
clothing the Eighth began to assume quite a martial
appearance, and the officers were becoming indefati-
gable in study and drill.
By the 26th November the majority of our
measles-stricken comrades had become convalescent.
About this time the Colonel received orders from
General Thomas to break up camp and march to
Lebanon. The evening of the 27th November a
delegation of loyal ladies from the town of Irvine
and vicinity assembled on the long veranda of the
principal Springs building, one of them bearing
above her a large and beautiful silk flag, made by
them expressly for gift to the Eighth Kentucky.
26 HISTORY OF THE
The regiment formed dress parade, though the offi-
cers' uniforms were as varied as the habiliments of
any thirty or forty citizens usually are. The proper
salutation had to be made with the hand, as none of
us had purchased swords or uniforms. We closed
column by division, when Joseph Clark, Jr., made
the presentation speech for the ladies, winding up
with the admonition to " Carry that flag to victory;
never let it be deserted or dishonored by brave
Kentuckians I" The throbbing hearts and quivering
lips of our brave mountain boys responded, "Never!"
" Never !" then gave three cheers for the loyal ladies
of old Estill.
CHAPTER II.
The morning of the 28th November, long
before the light of day made its appearance, the
echoes from " Sweet Lick Nob" resounded the
music from our drums. Instantly all became astir.
Much bluster, loud talking and hasty cooking,
mixed with considerable profanity, was indulged in,
something not unusual with new troops preparing to
march. Acting Quartermaster Curtis had procured
the services of a few citizens with teams and wagons
for this especial march. About sunrise the regiment
formed, amid music and some cheering. Every man
appeared eager to be moving, as if the suppression of
the rebellion mainly depended on their individual
exertions. Many of those scarcely recovered from
measles were in the ranks with well-filled knapsacks,
arms and accoutrements buckled on, scorning to be
left behind. Many were bidding hasty farewells to
near and dear friends, not thinking it would be the
last with ah, so many manly, ruddy boys, in the
bloom of youth. Some time was spent in ferrying
the command over the Kentucky River, at White's
Ferry, where many good, old loyal fathers and tear-
ful mothers and sisters had collected to take, per-
haps, the last look at son or brother.
" 'Neath war's dark clouds, the sturdy volunteer,
By Freedom taught, his country to revere ;
Bids home and friends a hasty, sad adieu,
And treads where dangers all his steps pursue."
28 HISTORY OF THE
The threatening clouds began to shed their tor-
rents of water on us about ten o'clock a. m., and
continued to pour all day. The road, principally a
mud pike, soon became a loblolly of mud and water.
At four p. m. we entered Richmond, Ky. The loyal
citizens there, not only welcomed us to the spacious
Court House and two large churches, but gratui-
tously furnished victuals to both men and officers.
The 29th the rain continued to fall. Every sol-
dier who drank whisky was allowed to purchase his
canteen full before starting on the march, to counter-
act the unhealthy effects of the inclement weather.
This well-meant kindness on the part of the Colonel
and some other officers proved in most cases an in-
jury to the men, as quite a number through the day
used this precautionary beverage too freely while
marching the thirteen miles on the Lancaster Pike.
We camped near Miller's Mills, and soon had the
Woodland pasture of T. Burnham dotted with blaz-
ing log fires, drying our thoroughly soaked raiments.
The wagons containing our Company tents met us
here. The rain ceased and the thermometer went
down very fast. Tents were pitched amidst a first class
snow-storm. Here we eat our first "hard-tack,"
The commissioned officers held a consultation and
chose from among several aspirants T. Burnham
as Quartermaster, and he was soon after commis-
sioned. The morning of the 30th, Colonel B
did considerable swearing at some of the men, whose
whisky had proved a hindrance to their alacrity in
loading camp and garrison equipage. That evening,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 29
the 8th, we marched through Lancaster, county seat
of Gerrard County, and camped within one and a half
miles of that place. A good supply of straw made
our tents quite comfortable. After dark a disturb-
ance among Mr. Robinson's chickens caused the
Colonel to detail a guard, as the boys said to prevent
the minks from feasting on poultry. The first day
of December we passed through Danville and en-
camped within two miles of town. Before dark a
report was circulated through camp that the citizens
of that vicinity were rebel sympathizers, conse-
quently next morning the ground about camp was
covered with feathers and occasionally spots of hog
hair, indicating that the men had devoured the
poultry and made a fair beginning on pork. In jus-
tice to the neighborhood I will state that we after-
ward learned that the people were generally good
Union citizens, and proved it by their conduct to-
ward us the next October, after the rebels had been
eating their chickens.
Snow began to fall early the 2d, and before we
halted in camp, in the neighborhood of Perryville,
five or six inches of snow covered the earth. We
suffered much with cold feet and fingers in pitching
tents and building fires. The following morning
the company officers, upon learning that old Mr.
Bloomfield was a staunch Unionist, made up money
and paid him for the chickens that had found their
way into camp from his premises.
The 3d day of December ended our first march.
On arriving within one and a half miles of Lebanon
30 HISTORY OF THE
we were met by Colonel Fry, in command of the
Fourth Kentucky, with colors and music. We were
conducted to a piece of woodland, south of the
Danville Pike, near the quarters of the latter regi-
ment. The deep snow was scraped away, and tents
erected in regular order. Marquees were issued to
the officers, two to a company. The next day the
men were organized into messes of eight men each.
Officers' messes were also established, with regular
cooks. Thus we began to live quite in military
style. The officers' commissary bills were light.
The men drew more rations than they could con-
sume, but instead of this surplus being accounted
for as company savings, the men cheerfully gave it to
their Captains and Lieutenants. But the reader will
remember that the science of war has to be learned
before it is practised. We remained here at " Camp
Swamp" seventeen days, drilling vigorously whenever
the weather would permit. About ten days after our
arrival here some of the men began to sicken with a
kind of fever — afterward called camp fever — which
proved fatal to many of the Eighth during the win-
ter, especially those who had recently recovered
from the measles. Our first death occurred the
1 8th — Granville Lady, Company C. We buried him
according to regulations. The convalescents arrived
from Irvine the 15th, the men continuing to increase
the sick list. Colonel Barnes decided to move camp
to a higher and dryer place.
The 20th we moved camp half mile east of Leba-
non, and pitched tents in Spaulding's apple
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 3I
orchard — a high piece of ground, but unprotected
from the cold winds. Our Quartermaster appeared
to experience much difficulty in procuring sufficient
straw for bedding. The few teams of citizens which
came from Estill County with the regiment were
kept busy all day in transferring the camp and garri-
son. A large number of the men were sick, and the
company officers began to look more closely after
the health and comfort of the men. Details were
sent into adjacent cornfields to gather dead grass.
Captain Powell gave Company B permission to take
hay from a stack near camp, but Colonel Barnes soon
stopped them, when the Captain and the Colonel
indulged in some short words about unauthorized
and promiscuous foraging. The men gathered up
old boards and placed under the straw on the ground
for bunks. Neither surgeons, officers nor men ap-
peared to realize the importance of having the bunks
raised off the ground, where the straw soon absorbed
moisture enough to kill a healthy man in two weeks.
But the line officers were anxious to do all they could
for their men, and money was made up by them and
sheet-iron stoves purchased for each tent. Still the
sickness increased at a fearful rate.
The last of December our Quartermaster received
our transportation outfit — twelve old army wagons
and a number of unbroke mules. Our newly-ap-
pointed teamsters had some lively times drilling their
awkward squads of drafted four-footed recruits.
Hauling our daily supply of wood gave them an excel-
lent opportunity to practice the ''Mule in the mud."
32 HISTORY OF THE
As the Christmas holidays approached a number
of married men of the Eighth began to importune
Colonel Barnes tor furloughs to visit their fami-
lies. Some had enlisted only a few days before the
regiment marched from Estill Springs, and had left
their domestic affairs in a very bad condition. But
the wise old Colonel well knew that if he granted
the married men leave of absence the boys would
urgently plead to be allowed to go home to see their
intended wives, and as it was impossible to furlough
all, none were granted. As we had not yet been
mustered into the United States service, a good
many believed they would risk the terrors of a court
martial, and on the morning of the 26th several
members of Companies H and F failed to put in an
appearance at roll-call. A few days after Lieutenant
Cox, of Company H, proceeded to Madison and
Estill Counties with orders to bring back the ab-
sentees. Several amusing incidents occurred while
the Lieutenant was collecting these fond husbands,
who afterward proved to be the best and bravest of
soldiers.
Isaac T , the father of several children and the
husband of a good-looking, shrewd woman, was sup-
posed to be enjoying the company of his family
during this snowy Christmas night. The Lieutenant
cautiously approached the now happy home of the
T s. A vigilant watch-dog warned the family
of the approach of an intruder. A rap on the
door, followed by the inquiry if Mr. T was at
home, brought the response from a feminine voice
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 33
within: ''Oh, no sir! he's in Mr. Barnes' regi-
ment." After some parleying the Lieutenant was
permitted to enter and warm himself. He then be-
gan diligent search to see if any lurking husband
could be found about the premises. At last the
Lieutenant said he was very sorry to have disturbed
the lady, and turning to the bed recently occupied
by the woman, in which lay a small sleeping speci-
men of the T family, he tenderly lifted the lit-
tle white-headed infant out, and turning toward Mrs.
T , said : "You will please take this child."
''Oh, sir, I pray you let the dear, sick child lay !"
The Lieutenant insisted, and she reluctantly re-
lieved him of the precious charge. Then he lifted
off the nice feather bed, and behold there lay the
missing Isaac, who crawled out laughing, acknowl-
edged that the Lieutenant had outwitted his wife,
terminated his "French" furlough, and broke up the
happiness of his holidays at home ; though not until
that cheerful but defeated woman had prepared a hot
supper, which Lieutenant Cox and her husband
enjoyed together before starting on their return to
Lebanon.
The new year of 1862 began with a warm rain, and
the remaining winter months were exceptionally wet
and muddj. The number of .our sick increased
alarmingly. Dr. John Mills began to find a regi-
mental surgeon's position quite a responsible one.
He not only had two churches full of sick, but a
large number were at private houses in town, where
they received the best of treatment at the hands of
3
34 HISTORY OF THE
the loyal men and women of the place. In many
instances they not only allowed our sick boys shel-
ter, but prepared suitable food with their own hands,
and doubtless saved the lives of many of the survi-
vors of the Eighth Kentucky. The author, among
many others, will never in life forget the kindness of
Dr. Mudd, Mr. and Mrs. Speed, Mrs. Milbourn and
Mr. Philips, with a host of others. The Misses,
Selby, though strong " Southern Rights" women,
owners of a large hotel, gave up some of their rooms
to our sick, and were very kind to those quartered in
the Selby House. These old maids were untiring in
their care for Captain Minter, and probably saved
his life, as his doctors said nothing but their nursing
could have returned to us one of our best young
officers, who subsequently lost his life in action at
Stone River. Notwithstanding the good citizens of
Lebanon and the well portion of the regiment did all
they could for our sick, with the attention of several
resident physicians, deaths through the latter part of
January and first half of February were of almost
daily occurrence.
The 15th of January, by laborious work with us
inexperienced officers, we had our muster-in rolls
prepared, and were that day mustered into the
United States service for three years or during the
war.
Captain Mayhew, with Company A, returned from
the Rolling Fork of Salt River, about eight miles
distant from Lebanon, where he had been two weeks
guarding a bridge, Buckner's rebs, who had made
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 35
their appearance there and committed some depreda-
tions on private individuals, having fallen back to-
ward Bowling Green, where the enemy was said to
be in large force.
The 2ist January we received the welcome news
of the defeat of the rebels at Mill Springs, Ky., and
the death of their General, ZoUicoffer; and his Ad-
jutant-General, Payton, by our forces under General
Thomas. We made many demonstrations of joy
over this great victory, as it was called at the time.
We did not then know that such a battle was a mere
skirmish compared to some of the bloody engage-
ments some of us would participate in before the re-
bellion would be whipped into peace. But as
anxious as we were to see such a result, we did not
desire that other troops should gain all the honor
and victories, therefore we were very desirous to leave
Lebanon and be in more active service.
The Fourteenth Kentucky Infantry and the First
Kentucky Cavalry had, in December, taken an active
part under Colonel Garfield in routing Marshal and
his rebel horde out of Southeast Kentucky. Ngw,
the Fourth Kentucky, which contained many of our
neighbor boys, had been winning bright laurels at
Mill Springs, while here we were guarding a few
quartermaster stores, nursing our sick, and burying
our deceased comrades in numbers almost as great
as were slain on our side in gaining this much
talked-of victory at Mill Springs. The continuous
rains and consequent mud prevented drilling what
few men were able for duty, and most of them were
36 HISTORY OF THE
daily on duty as guards, nurses, or haulers of wood
and other fatigue duty.
About the first of February we moved our camp
down near the depot, and remained there doing gar-
rison duty until the loth of March. Before this
Forts Henry and Donaldson had fallen into our
comrades' hands, Bowling Green had been evacuated
without any serious engagement, and Kentucky was
nearly cleared of armed bodies of the enemy. We
daily chafed at our being held back.
The 7th of March the Eighth was paid up to the
31st December, 1861, having previously received
one month's pay from the State. Two of our line
officers. Lieutenants Crook and Amy, had resigned,
and during the winter forty-three of our men had
died, three times that number were yet unable to
leave their beds, with about 250 convalescents, most
of them quite feeble.
On the 9th Colonel Barnes called the company
officers together and informed them that we would
march toward Louisville the next morning. Our
men, sick and well, received this order with enthu-
siastic cheers. The remainder of the day was a
busy time with rank and file. Many had debts to
settle with citizens, others letters to write home in-
forming dear friends that at last we were " bound for
Dixie." Captains Hickman and Winbourn, Lieu-
tenants Nickols, Martin and Carson, being reported
unable for duty, were ordered to take charge of the
convalescents able to leave the hospitals and private
houses, where many were quartered, and follow in a
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 37
few days on the cars to Louisville and join the regi-
ment there.
On the morning of the loth of March, 1862, the
camp of the 8th Kentucky was all life, everybody
hurrying his comrade in loading up our garrison
equipage. A cold, misty rain was falling. At last
all the good byes had been said to our kind Lebanon
friends^ and the column marched out the Louisville
pike. Having learned by sad experience not to let
men just out of sick beds to unnecessarily expose
themselves, our column did not cover half the space
It did when we left Estill Springs. The rain contin-
ued to drizzle, and the limestone road became quite
sloppy. At four o'clock p. m., we halted in Spring-
field, the county seat of Washington, and quartered
the men in the court house. Company commanders
borrowed several cook stoves of citizens, and the
men soon had the town perfumed with frying bacon
and boiling coffee. The nth we camped near Bards-
town. Here Col. Barnes informed us he had just
learned that we were brigaded with the 23d Ken-
tucky, Col. Munday, and the 3d Minnesota, Col.
Lester, and that he had orders to march directly to
Louisville, and probably thence to Tennessee. We
passed through Bardstown the 12th, with our colors
unfurled, keeping step to the lively music of our
martial band. That night we procured abundance
of straw for bedding, and the owner of the pasture
being a home rebel, talked loudly of private rights,
until Maj. Broadhus told him if he said another
word he would arrest him and march him to Louis-
3S HISTORY OF THE
ville before a musket. The 13th we pitched our
tents at Hays Springs, on the bluffs of Salt River,
where we also found the 23d Kentucky. During the
night and next morning a heavy rain fell, making
the cooking a difficult task, and marching very disa-
greeable. Col. Barnes proceeded to Louisville in
company with Col. Munday.
The night of the 14th we camped within three
miles of the city, where we remained several days.
The 15th our sick and convalescent arrived at the
depot. The officers not knowing where to find the
regiment, quartered the men in barracks, where they
remained several days. When those able to join the
regiment reported they appeared proud to once more
take their arms and places in the ranks with their
comrades. All the men not able to march were
given descriptive rolls and sent to the hospitals in
the city, principally to No. 7.
We exchanged our old army wagons for new ones,
cleaned up our guns, prepared five days' cooked ra-
tions, and early the morning of the 19th struck tents,
and, during the prevalence of a heavy rain storm,
marched through the city to the wharf, where the
remainder of the day was spent in transferring our
camp and garrison equipage, including mules,
wagons and horses, to two steamers, the '* Nash-
ville" and '* Lady Jackson." The Twenty-third
Kentucky was assigned to the '' Jacob Strader,'' and
the Third Minnesota, Colonel Lester commanding,
to the "Undine" and the ''Denmark.'' Captain
Rice, of the Third Minnesota, once a citizen of
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 39
Estill County, and an old personal and political
enemy of Colonel Barnes, met the latter on the
wharf. The Captain extended his hand, saying,
*' Colonel Barnes, I am happy to see you occupying
the position you do." The Colonel clasped the
hand, and replied : " I am equally pleased, Ben, to
see you enlisted on the side of law, order and good
government; henceforth let us be friends." And
these two brave men, who, a few years before had,
in the heat of passion, engendered by bitter remarks
made in a public speech, tried to shoot each other
in the court-house at Irvine, Ky., buried there, by the
surging waves of the Ohio, all their old differences
of Whig and Democrat, henceforth to be brothers in
arms against treason and rebellion. At 5 o'clock,
p. m., all aboard, the planks were drawn in, and our
fleet of five large river steamers rounded out into the
swollen current of the river, the excellent band of
the Third Minnesota playing "Hail Columbia."
The men and officers of the fleet, being principally
on the hurricane deck, cheered a long and loud
adieu to Louisville. The swift current, aided by
the revolving machinery, soon carried us from the
view of the large crowd of spectators we left on the
wharf.
The commissioned officers all took cabin passage,
and we very soon discovered ourselves to be unwel-
come passengers, especially on the "Nashville."
Captain Barkley, part owner and captain of this
boat, was evidently mad, as his boat had been
pressed into the United States service for this trip.
40 HISTORY OF THE
He complained bitterly about the men being noisy,
and objected to a few who were yet feeble occupying
the spare berths in the rooms taken by their officers,
who agreed to pay for them. While seated at the
well-supplied supper table, Captain Banton and my-
self were speaking of Colonel Barnes and Captain
Rice's mutual reconciliation, when our attention
was drawn to the other end of the table by rather
loud talk from one of the Eighth's officers and the
engineer of the boat. Said the latter : ''I cannot
help sympathizing with the South ; the Northern
people have persistently for many years done all they
could to cripple the interests of the slave-holding
States, and their domestic institutions."
Captain Hickman — "There you are slightly mis-
taken, sir. When the Southern people, by the aid
of a President favorable to slavery, tried to spread
that curse of human rights over our fertile plains of
the Northwest, the Northern emigrants there simply
out-voted the advocates of negro slavery, and adopted
Free-State constitutions."
To this the engineer only replied: "You've a
d — d big job on hand, anyhow."
Lieutenant Park then said : " Well, sir, if your
sympathies are so strong for the South, why don't
you go and fight for your principles ?"
To this the engineer replied : " I was not talking to
you, sir, whom I take to be an impertinent puppy !"
Lieutenant Park, hastily pushing back his chair
and raising to his feet, said: " I left home to shoot
rebels and Jeff. Davis dogs, and will begin on you !"
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 41
Had it not been for an officer on each side of the
Lieutenant seizing his pistols, no doubt we would
have had a dead engineer on board. This same en-
gineer hastily left the room, and we did not hear
any more Southern gush during the trip, from him
or any of the boat's crew.
On the morning of the 20th our fleet landed at
Connelton, Ind., where a good supply of coal was
taken on. During our stay a large crowd of citizens
of the town, men, women, boys and dogs, collected
on the bank, some, apparently, to show their loyalty,
the girls their beauty, and the boys and dogs their
combativeness. Two of the dogs yoked for a fight.
Two boys, evidently the respective owners of the
canine combatants, in endeavoring to command the
peace, got mad, and with equal ferocity pitched into
each other's wool. This animated scene caused loud
cheers from the soldiers. Instantly all the bands of
the fleet struck up lively music, and the machinery
was soon in motion bearing us on down the Ohio.
The officers of the Eighth on the ''Nashville" over-
ruled Barkley's objections to the men occupying
spare berths, and had many of them take their meals
at the table.
The night of the 20th being very dark, and the
river out among the trees, with much drift in the
center of the stream, our boat ran against a tree and
threw every sleeper out of bed. Fortunately no
serious injury was done to passengers or boat.
The evening of the 21st our fleet arrived at Smith-
land, situated at the mouth of the Cumberland River,
42 HISTORY OF THE
and turned up that stream at 6 o'clock. We made
slow progress against the strong current, and did not
attempt to run after dark. A short run on the 2 2d
brought us in sight of Fort Donaldson. We landed
here, and some of us, understanding that the fleet
would lay here several hours, struck out over the
hill to view the late battlefield. We had only time
to arrive on the rebels' old encampment, when the
whistle of the boats gave us warning to return, and
we did some tall double-quicking to secure further
passage. Very soon we came in sight of the ruins
of the once flourishing iron-works owned by the
presidential aspirant, John Bell. Here about fifty
negroes of both sexes, all ages and colors, had gath-
ered themselves together on the river's bank. They
made many demonstrations of joy, clapping their
hands, swinging their hats and patting and dancing.
The cheering of our men appeared to stimulate
them to more vigorous bodily exertion. One old
white-headed negro broke forth into singing :
" O, praise and tanks ! de Lord he eome
To set de people free ;
An' massa tink it day ob doom,
An' we ob jubilee, &c."
The entire dusky crowd joining in the chorus, viz :
*' O, neber you fear if neber you hear
De driver blow his horn !"
Our fleet lay by near Clarksville that night, and
arrived at Nashville early on the 23d, meeting with
no serious accident until early that morning. Pri-
vate Frazier, wagoner of Company A, while attend-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 43
ing to his mules, was by one of them pushed over-
board and drowned before assistance could reach
him. His body was not recovered, and probably
became food for the fish. Thus, another good man
was lost to the regiment and his country. Several
hours were spent in disembarking and unloading for-
age, and at 2 o'clock, p. m., we left the boats. One
boat officer at least was not sorry to part company
with the ''noisy Eighth," as he called us.
CHAPTER III.
As we marched through this beautiful Southern
city on that pleasant, bright spring afternoon, sol-
emn, silent sadness was depicted in the faces of the
few white men that appeared on the sidewalks.
Doors and windows of stores and dwelling houses
were principally closed. Feminine curiosity caused
a few ladies to peep from behind window shades.
But hundreds of smiling " darkies'^ could be seen
peeping around corners, and crowded into the un-
frequented alleys, silently making demonstrations of
joyous welcome to us.
We pitched our tents near the Murfreesboro Pike,
two miles from Nashville, where our three regiments
were joined by Colonel Duffield and the Ninth
Michigan Infantry. Colonel Duffield immediately
took command of the brigade. He proved to be a
strict disciplinarian. During the six days we re-
mained here we were not idle. There was vigorous
drilling six hours of the day, winding up with dress
parade, at which the Adjutants read to their respect-
ive regiments lengthy general orders of Major-Gen-
eral Buell, one among them being his " Roasting-
ear Order," strictly forbidding soldiers entering pri-
vate grounds or premises, on any plea whatever,
without authority of their officers ; private property
on no occasion to be taken for public use without due
compensation, &c.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 45
On the 28th, the Eighth received a new supply of
clothing, dress coats and hats taking the place of
soldier jackets and caps.
The 29th, the brigade marched six miles south on
the Murfreesboro Pike. The rear guard, commanded
by the author, had to wait at our old camp two hours
for some wagons. During this time several aristo-
cratic-looking slave-owners, followed by a train of
little darkies, came to the vacant encampment, and
began to gather up the many half-worn garments
cast off by our boys. I said to one of the men : "I
thought you Tennesseeans hated us Yankees so bit-
terly you would disdain to pick up our old clothes."
He replied : '^O, they will do for the niggers to
wear.^' By my orders the guards soon had every
rag heaped upon the fires, deeming it best not to
furnish rebel spies suitable uniforms in which to en-
ter our lines.
We pitched our tents that evening on an old rebel
encampment. Here we made our first acquaintance
with those army pests commonly called ''greybacks."
The rebels had, like ourselves, left cast-off garments,
which appeared to be too lousy even for " nigger's"
clothing.
Our mode of picketing at this time was to station
a platoon out on all the roads leading into camp,
and as John Morgan was reported to be scouting
around Lebanon, Tenn,, our pickets manifested
great watchfulness.
The 30th, the Twenty-third Kentucky and the
Ninth Michigan resumed the march southward. Col-
46 HISTORY OF THE
onel Barnes being ordered to remain here a few days
with the Eighth Kentucky and furnish men and
teams to cut and haul timber to rebuild the railroad
bridge over Mill Creek, recently burned by the re-
treating rebels. The rank and file of the Eighth
were much displeased to be left behind and do
" drudgery," as some of the officers called it, while
other regiments, no more experienced, were ordered
on front, where probably fights and fame awaited
them, and the Eighth were just '^spoiling" for a
battle. Big Bill Moore, Company H, remarked
with much bitterness: '' Now, Colonel Munday's
regiment and them long-legged Michiganders will
jest go ahead and scare out all the secesh, and won't
leave a chicken or a pig in the hull country."
The next day eighty men, with teams and axes,
were detailed for fatigue duty, and were early play-
ing destruction with a fine grove of oaks. A much-
excited Southern gentleman named Whitmore made
his appearance, and in angry tones ordered the men
to leave his premises. Lieutenant McDaniel pointed
to Major Broadhus, who was seated on a log enjoy-
ing a quiet smoke, and told the indignant owner
" That's the officer for you to consult. "
Mr. Whitmore to Major Broadhus — "Sir, you ap-
pear to be doing me great injustice, taking my prop-
erty without my consent."
Major B. — "Well, sir, what are you going to do
about it?"
Mr. W.— "I don't know.''
Major B. — "Well, neither do I know or care. Did
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 47
you try to persuade the rebels not to burn that
bridge?"
Mr. W. (excitedly) — "No, sir; that was none of
my business."
Major B. — ''Well, neither is this any of your
business."
The Major, pulling out his watch, said : " Now,
you infernal rebel, I'll give you just three minutes
to get out of sight, and if you don't, I will teach
you by whose authority we are here, by trotting you
all the way to Nashville about three inches in ad-
vance of a bayonet.'" He left instantly, but I have
no doubt received in due time compensation for his
fine timber.
Having finished our timber hauling, the 3d of
April the regiment marched on the Murfreesboro
Pike to Lavergne, there took the cross pike toward
Woodbury, and camped on the West Fork of Stone
River, near an ancient-looking little village called
Old Jefferson. Resumed the march the 4th, and on
arriving at the crossing of Stone River, on the Leba-
non Pike, the rebels had burned the bridge, and
during a hard rain we waded the stream. The stones
were slippery and the current very swift, causing a
great many self-immersions. Those who fell were
about as comfortable as the others, all being thor-
oughly wet. We halted long enough to wring our
stockings, arriving at Murfreesboro at 4 o'clock, p.
m. We marched through town in column by com-
panies, our musicians playing ''Yankee Doodle."
We saw but few of the inhabitants. They were evi-
48 HISTORY OF THE
dently not pleased to see this second edition of
Yankee troops.
Here we found Colonel Duffield, with the Ninth
Michigan and the Twenty-third Kentucky, en-
camped near a large spring southeast of town. Two
companies of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry
were also here. We remained here nearly one month.
Our time was spent in drilling daily all those not re-
quired for camp guards and picket duty. The latter
required 150 men and four officers from the Eighth,
daily. Commissioned officers met two hours each
morning in school, and one hour in practice of
manual of arms. Lieutenant- Colonel May being a
tight ''school-master." Add to this the reviews,
dress-parade, cooking, washing, 8zc., gave us but
little time to idle. This constant duty and drill
probably caused a few men to try feigning sick. At
7 o'clock, a. m., the bugle would sound that doleful
call, and the sick assembled at the surgeon's tent, where
they were excused from duty and prescribed for.
Some of the boys concluded that others " were play-
ing off" on Dr. Mills. One morning B. Ward,
Company F, on being notified by his Orderly to
''get ready for picket," replied: "Sergeant, I'll
be blasted if anybody can't get excused that'l go to
sick call, an' ef you'l let me, I'll prove it," and
Ben's name was put down. At the bugle signal
Ben wended his way slowly to the surgeon's tent,
assuming a countenance of pain and misery calcula-
ted to deceive the "very elect." He awaited his
turn. Surgeon Mills, knowing him to be a faithful
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 49
soldier, asked the usual question : '' What's the
matter with you?" *'0, *Doc/ I am wrong every
way in my innards." Ben soon had the satisfaction
of seeing '' ex" written opposite his name, and the
steward gave him his pills, with directions. Ben
had a fine day's sleep, and in the evening arose re-
freshed, and around the cook fire was engaged in a
tight wrestle with one of his comrades. Doctor
Mills just then passed, and was astonished to- see
such improvement in his late patient. With a vol-
ley of oaths he told Ben if he did not explain his
evident deception he would have him tied up by the
thumbs. Seeing an honest confession the safest way
out of the dilemma, he gave the surgeon the cause of
his assumed illness. This had the eifect desired,
and the surgeon became more careful in the future ;
also causing Ward, about a week later, to go on duty
a very sick soldier, dismissing him from sick call
with the command, "Sergeant, put that d — d hypo-
crite on duty ; I don't believe he looks half as sick
as he did when up here last." Ward never tried
that dodge on Dr. Mills again.
Our manner of picketing all the roads with fifteen
or twenty men and a cavalry vidette was kept up.
On the 1 2th April a squad of the Eighth was posted
on the Franklin Pike. Private Joe King, Company
H, as sentinel, a little distance from the reserve,
commanded a citizen to halt. As he was about to
pass without paying any attention to the command,
it was repeated. This time the man said, with an
oath: "I'll not be halted by no d — d abolition
50 HISTORY OF THE
Yankee !" Seeing King raise his gun, the fellow-
broke to run, when King fired, killing him instantly.
Colonels Duffield and Barnes both rode out to in-
vestigate the affair, and decided that the soldier only
did his duty, commending him for his faithfulness.
The citizens about town complained to Colonel
Barnes bitterly of the shooting of a man whom they
claimed was crazy. The Colonel told them if that
was the case he was sorry, but if they did not want
their fools killed they must take better care of them.
People passing our pickets after that about Mur-
freesboro were careful to halt at the word.
During the two first weeks of our stay here many
slaves came to our pickets, generally after dark.
Colonel Daffield's orders were to send them in to
the provost-marshal, their owners being allowed to
come in and reclaim their slaves on condition of the
masters taking an oath of loyalty to the United
States Government, which some of them reluctantly
did. But the general aversion of masters to comply
with the condition very soon had Captain Rouns,
provost-marshal, overstocked with this valuable spe-
cies of Southern property. Colonel Duffield sug-
gested to the officers of the Eighth the propriety of
hiring our cooks from among these ''contrabands,"
but we declined the idea of runaway negro cooks, as
did also the Twenty-third Kentucky, we having not
yet properly considered the slave a factor in this
great war. The dusky sons of toil poured into
the picket stations in such numbers we had to stop
them from coming in, some of the officers threaten-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 5 I
ing to punish them if they did not immediately re-
turn to their masters.
In looking back at this soft and easy policy of
General Buell, we cannot wonder that the efforts of
the first eighteen months to put down the rebellion
were a failure. These hundreds of stout, able-bodied
men, driven back into rebel corn and wheat-fields,
that they might toil to produce subsistence for a
large rebel army the next fall and winter, was any-
thing but wisdom. But then we were trying to put
down insurrection and let slavery alone, notwith-
standing we knew the cruel taskmasters of these
slaves to be the worst of enemies and rebels at
heart.
On the 15th our brigade made quite a parade in
the streets of Murfreesboro, and hoisted the stars
and stripes on the court house. Nearly all the in-
habitants of the town were silent spectators of what
they evidently thought to be an insult to their
Southern pride. Lieutenant Colonel Parkhurst, of
the Ninth Michigan, made an appropriate and sensi-
ble speech to the citizens, in which he admonished
them to return to their loyalty, "And," said he, "we
will then kill the fatted calf." But as long as we
remained there we heard of no fat calf being sac-
rificed in welcome to returning rebels, though we
have good reason to believe, had a careful search
been made in Stone River, quite a number of pig
skins could have been found, securely attached to
stones to insure their remaining at the bottom. Nor
did we hear of any citizen ever being invited to feast
52
HISTORY OF THE
on the savory pork those same skins once enveloped.
Colonel Duffield had profound respect for Buell's
orders regarding foraging, holding the officer imme-
diately in command responsible for any violation of
said orders. The author remembers having to pay
three dollars for a sixty-pound shoat some of ray
picket guard had killed while I was absent visiting
another post under my command. In this instance
the old rebel complaining to Colonel Duffield,
lyingly alleged the pig to belong to one of his old
negro men. On hunting up this much-injured
darkey, with the full intention of healing his lacer-
ated feelings, and carrying out ''general orders,"
the old fellow said: " Fo' de good Lord, Mars
Cap'n, 'twant no mo' my pig dan dis farm is j ole
mars' pig, sho'." On confronting "ole mars'*
with his bogus owner of the defunct swine, with much
fear and trembling the old darkey lyingly confessed
the pig to have been his. I gave the poor old
scared nig the money, at the same time telling Mil-
ler if he took the money away from the negro we
would surely call on him again, and that to his sor-
row. Colonel Duffield was satisfied with the manner
of my settlement for pork, but no more complaint
was heard from Miller of lost pork, though some of
the Eighth boys said when we left there that Miller
was not overstocked with hogs.*
On the evening of the 23d April a dress-parade
order was read detailing Lieutenant C. Park assist-
ant brigade quartermaster. That night we were
aroused from sleep by loud cheering and beating of
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 53
drums in the Ninth's camp. Very soon Colonel
Barnes had the Eighth assembled before his tent.
He mounted a cracker box and said: "Brother
officers and soldiers, we have just received orders to
march to-morrow morning for Pittsburg Landing;
boys, are you ready to go?" The response was
loud and long cheering. At repeated calls Major
Broadhus stepped on the box and said : ''Boys, I
am no speaker, but if we go. to Pittsburg, I want it
understood I'll try to make one in the fight." Or-
ders were given to prepare three days' rations and
have arms cleaned up. The regiment spent the
balance of the night in cooking, washing and letter-
writing.
At 9 o'clock the 24th we were ready formed, wait-
ing the order to march, when an order was received
countermanding the order of the previous night,
John Morgan, with quite a force of rebel cavalry,
having made a raid on Wartrace, and still being in
the cedars toward Lebanon, being the cause of our
detention here.
The 26th, Companies C, E, D and I, of the
Eighth, under command of Major Broadhus, were
ordered on the train to Shelbyville, thirty miles fur-
ther south, to relieve some troops there. Many
flying rumors of Morgan's near approach caused us
to be on the qui vive.
The 28th, Colonel Wolford and Colonel Clay
Smith, with two regiments of Kentucky cavalry, suc-
ceeded in overtaking Morgan, at Lebanon, Tenn.,
completely routing the rebels and driving them into
54 HISTORY OF THE
Kentucky. We were rejoiced at the news of the
capture of New Orleans.
Paymaster Hunes paid off the regiment the 29th —
two months' pay.
The 3d day of May, Colonel Barnes, with the
balance of the regiment able for duty, except Captain
Thomas and Company K, double-quicked to the
depot, boarded a train of platform cars, and were
soon landed at War trace. Company K, with the
baggage wagons, arrived in a few days after. The
four companies under Major Broadhus, a few days
after, rejoined the regiment. Company C, Captain
Wilson commanding, was detached to guard the
railroad bridge over Duck River, about one mile
south of Wartrace, and Company H, Captain Win-
bourn commanding, to the bridge over Carter's
Creek, one and a half miles north of the latter place.
The eight companies there worked with their usual
vigor for more than a week, felling trees and forming
abattis, and otherwise fortifying against cavalry. For
the first two weeks of our stay here some rebel cav-
alry, under Colonel Starnes, hanging around Beech
Grove, between us and McMinnville, kept our
pickets on the qui vive^ almost nightly expecting an
attack.
Colonel Runkle, with a part of the Fourth Ken-
tucky Cavalry, encamped also at Wartrace, suc-
ceeded in picking up a few rebel prisoners. Scout-
ing parties from the Eighth also occasionally brought
in a few prisoners, principally men who had been
temporarily connected with or given material aid to
EIGHT H KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 5^
the rebel cause. Some of them took the oath of
loyalty, and were released. Others, who were evi-
dently active enemies, and somewhat saucy, Colonel
Barnes put to grubbing out stumps from the Eighth's
drill grounds.
Colored men from the surrounding country, in
their well-meant zeal to be of service to us, often
came at night to our camp, with alarming reports
that a body of rebel cavalry were about to attack us.
These reports generally proved to be unfounded,
though on one occasion, timely warning by a colored
man, who came to Captain Winbourn, at Carter's
Creek, and reported that Colonel Dibrell's cavalry
were only five miles from us, proved true, and proba-
bly saved Company H from attack, as reinforcement
of that company by the cavalry at Wartrace, and rebel
citizens living near us gave Dibrell this intelligence,
and the intended attack was not made. The com-
pany lay on their arms behind the railroad embank-
ment all that night, however, and rather anxious to
be attacked, and our cavalry reinforcement returned
to camp also disappointed.
This Company H, to which the author belonged,
kept about one-half on guard at a time during the
night, as long as we remained here, with the other
half dressed, with accoutrements buckled on, ready
for instant action. But the oft-threatened attack
never came while we remained.
At dusk on the evening of the 6th May, Colone^l
Barnes sent a squad of the Fourth Cavalry to our
company camp, with an order for Lieutenant Wright
6 HISTORY OF THE
and a squad of the company to go with the cavalry
and assist in capturing a rebel surgeon who had re-
mained in the neighborhood since the little fight
here two weeks before. The cavalry had twice ran
him from his home into a heavy wood near and failed
to effect his capture. I selected Sergeant Win-
bourn, and privates Dennis, P. Elliot, H. Morris
and two others. We proceeded, in company with
the cavalry. On the way we met a negro man. I
stopped him and inquired if he knew where Dr.
Nusen lived. "Yes, sah ; he's ole mars' son-en-
law, an' he's de berry debbel on niggers." Said I,
"Do you know if he's at home or not?" "Yes,
mars, I speck he's dah." We took the negro along
for a guide. The cavalry halted half a mile from
the doctor's house, which was situated near a new
pike road, while the infantry, accompanied by the
guide, took a circuitous course through a dense for-
est, coming up in the rear of the premises. After
we were properly deployed behind the garden fence,
the preconcerted signal was given to the cavalry,
which charged down the rough pike, making a terri-
ble clatter. At the same time we rushed up in the
back yard, where a savage-looking dog made a spring
at one of the boys, who succeeded in thrusting his
bright steel bayonet through the savage beast, and
left him howling piteously. As we closed up around
the house, I met the object of our search at the back
door, dressed in his night clothes, with an overcoat
and a quilt on his arm. He was about to jump out
into the darkness, when he caught sight of my pistol
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 57
and heard my command to surrender about the same
time. He said : " I suppose I shall have to, as
you have the drop on me." Three of us entered the
house with the prisoner, where he was allowed to
dress. This sudden and somewhat noisy proceed-
ing, with continued deafening howls of the dog, had
frightened the two women and other gentleman very
much. After assuring them no one should be hurt,
I asked for all the firearms about the place. They at
first denied having any except the pistol taken from
the doctor. But when informed that a search would
be made, Mrs. N. said she had a little '' lady's pis-
tol/' which proved to be a good-sized five-shooter,
ready capped and loaded. I informed her that, if
that was the kind of jewelry that was fashionable
with the Southern ladies, we were decidedly opposed
to it, and took the pistols, and placed them and the
doctor in charge of the cavalry, who reported to
Colonel Barnes. As we left the premises we heard
our black guide trying to suppress his laughter, be-
ing hid near the road.
About the 12th May, the small pox broke out
among the soldiers of the regiment, but the prompt
and judicious management of Surgeon Mills pre-
vented it from spreading, and confined it to the five
first cases.
After our fortifications were completed the regi-
ment's duty consisted principally of guard duty and
drill. Lieutenant Colonel May generally conducted
the battalion drills of the eight companies at head-
quarters. At the same time Companies C and H,
58 HISTORY OF THE
Stationed at the bridges, improved much in company-
drill. But as the author only made a few short
visits to headquarters during the six weeks we re-
mained at Wartrace, many interesting events of per-
sonal adventure by that part of the command cannot
be given, and I shall only give a few relating to-
Company H.
Our tents were pitched in the creek bottom, where
the land had many years before been cleared of tim-
ber and well set in grass. The cows of the entire
neighborhood ran at large, and about one-half of
them wore bells. At night the noise of the bells on
cattle trying to browse on our drill ground annoyed
us so much that we notified the citizens to keep them
away, or we might be forced to shoot them. Our
greatest danger was attack from cavalry, and
quietude enables a sentinel to hear the trampling
horses a great distance.
After we suppressed the cows, it seemed that
as soon as night spread its shades over earth
every worthless cur within five miles (and there
were many) tried to make night hideous with
barking and howling. Many of these half-starved
whelps came nightly to our camp on the hunt
for waste grub. Anxious as were the boys to
shoot them, it could not be done without causing
unnecessary alarm in the regiment, only one and a
half miles distant ; therefore, during the day, many
little piles of stones were placed convenient for use
after dark. In two weeks it was perfectly safe for a
stranger to approach residences in that vicinity, as
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 59
every dog that survived was utterly unable for duty
as a watch dog.
The 29th May, the Union citizens in the neighbor-
hood held what was intended to be a Union meet-
ing. The principal part of the Eighth Kentucky
attended and enjoyed the hospitality of the citizens.
Many inhabitants were also there of well-known
rebel sentiments. Colonel Barnes made the princi-
pal speech, pointing out to his audience the advan-
tages to the South, especially Tennessee, to remain
in the Union, and the certainty of ultimate defeat
of the rebels, and consequent disgrace, and the
financial ruin the South would suffer, winding up, in
his usual earnest manner, with a warning to the dis-
loyal to '* flee from the wrath to come." That night
many of the officers and men of the Eighth wound
up the meeting with a ball at the hotel, kept by
Haley, alias ' ' Pig-tracks. ' ' I was informed by those
present that many of the fair damsels of the coun-
try attended, and took much pleasure in whirling
their high-priced calico in graceful cotillions with
the hateful Yankees until daylight.
Probably every regiment and company in the ser-
vice had their slovenly, awkward, but good-natured,,
lazy member. Company H certainly had one in
Aldrich, whom the boys nick-named " Dobin
Spikes." If any member of the company was later
getting out at roll-call than "Dobin," he was inva-
riably marked "absent." On inspection he was
sure to have the rustiest gun, and his knapsack con-
tained the dirtiest clothing. The captain had been>
\
^O HISTORY OF THE
mildly reprimanding ''Dobin" for his untidy ap-
pearance, but he seemed not to heed the reproof.
One Sunday morning, at Carter's Creek, Captain
W. was absent, and Lieutenant Cox inspected the
company. " Dobin," as usual, had on a dirty shirt,
face and neck ditto, and hair longer than usual.
Lieutenant Cox gave him a severe scolding, and
cautioned him never to appear at inspection again in
that condition. The next Sunday morning, Lieu-
•tenant Cox being sick, the duty of inspecting the
company devolved on the author. '' Dobin's" shirt-
collar and neck had no appearance of recent contact
with soap and water. His tangled flaxen locks had
gained one more week's growth, his gun and accou-
trements were in keeping with his neglected person.
I passed him by without a single reproof or remark.
After dismissing the company, I ordered the sergeant
to arrest " Dobin," and bring him to the captain's
tent. Sergeant Morris, with a sharp pair of scissors,
soon parted ''Dobin" and his cherished, but
neglected, golden locks. S. Wood and two other
boys were then ordered to take "Dobin" to the
creek and wash his neck for him. Feeling certain
they would do up a good job, I laid down in my
tent. Soon after, hearing much loud laughter at
the creek bank, interspersed with terrible oaths from
*' Dobin's" well-known voice, I walked down. In
the middle of the stream stood the now furious
"Dobin," firmly held by two stout men. Wood,
with a bar of soap in one hand and two corncobs in
^the other, was rubbing the swearing, struggling vie-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 6l
tim's neck, which, with rubbing and his anger, had,,
chamelion-like, assumed a clean, reddish appear-
ance. I told the men to let Mr. Aldrich finish his
morning ablution unassisted. After that no more
orders had to be given about hair-trimming, and
'* Dobin" thereafter paid considerable attention to
his Sunday toilet.
The regiment was again paid the yth of June, by
Major Davies, up to the ist of May. On the 9th, a
large number of the Eighth were detailed to cut tim-
bers for the rebuilding of the railroad bridge over
Duck River, and on the evening of the loth the
camp was in unusual commotion, with orders to cook
two days' rations, and be ready to march early the
next morning. At sunrise, the nth, Captain Win-
bourn, with Company H, and Captain Wilson and
Company C, joined the regiment, leaving the tents
and the principal part of the garrison equipage in
charge of some convalescents. At 9 o'clock, being
joined by the Twenty-first Kentucky, a part of the
Fourth Kentucky Cavalry, and a few pieces of artil-
lery, marched toward McMinnville, passed through
Fairfield, and camped for the night in the hills at the
head of McBride's Creek, in Coffee County. The
1 2th we camped within six miles of McMinnville, on
Collins River, having passed through poor, brushy
country. The inhabitants appeared to be still poorer,,
and evidently much alarmed at the sight of so many
real live Yankees. Early the 13th, we waded Col-
lins River, which was waist deep and very swift. A
good number of us got our greenbacks wet. We en-
(62 HISTORY OF THE
tered McMinnville, the county seat of Warren
County, about 8 o'clock a. m., ajid bivouacked in
the suburbs, near a large cotton factory, working
about one hundred women, making cloth for the
Confederates. But as we were now carrying on the
war under General Buell's policy, i. e. respecting pri-
vate property — though we had every reason to be-
lieve it would be used to feed or clothe the enemy —
the spindles and looms kept on.
We were here joined by General Dumont, with
three or four thousand troops from Murfreesboro,
and early the 14th the whole force passed through
town and struck out for the Sequatche Valley, over
the Cumberland Mountains. We had seven miles of
good road to the Barren fork of Collins River. Here
the troops were allowed to undress before wading
the river. This mode of ferrying was rather enjoyed
by the troops than otherwise. But to the great dis-
pleasure of our regiment, we were detailed as train
guard, and the whole regiment assisted the drivers
in getting up the mountain, which, here at Hill's
Creek Gap, is two miles from the base to the sum-
mit, in many places so steep our men were compelled
to push the entire weight of the loaded wagons and
artillery, it being all the mules and horses could do
to carry up their own weight, the teamsters
and men swearing profanely enough to have
disgusted the "Army of Flanders." Near sun-
set we reached the top of the mountain, weary
and foot sore ; every canteen in the regiment empty,
'with twelve miles of mountain ridge road before us,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 63
and not a spring, stream or a human habitation near
our road ; at the same time our lank haversacks
admonishing us to diet light. The lumbering wagons
and profane teamsters rolled ahead while we tramp-
ed on nearly famishing with thirst. About one
o'clock a. m. the 15th, we came up with our main
force, bivouacked at a large mountain spring of good
water. We ate the last of our ratians and for two
hours enjoyed refreshing sleep, but before sun-rise
the whole force were drummed and bugled up, and
off again on sore feet and empty stomachs,, Near
noon, as we were marching on at the head of the
column, bright visions of the fat hens and smoking
pones of corn bread just a few miles ahead in the
promished land of Sequatche Valley, where we were
promised plenty, if not peace. Alas, "there is many
a slip between the cup and the lip." General
Dumont met a courier with a dispatch from General
Mitchell to return with his troops to their former
camps. At the command ''counter-march by file
right, march," as the head of our column filed
around on the back track, some of our boys gave
vent to their disgusted feelings. One member of
Company D yelled out, " Now, by G — d, I feel like
killing something." That afternoon we did kill a
few poor cows the Fourth Kentucky Cavalry brought
in out of the brush. Late that evening we arrived at
the spring we left in the morning. The line officers
of the Eighth remonstrated against the order to pro-
ceed on to Collins River. We informed Colonel
Barnes that our men went no further until we had
64 HISTORY OF THE
opportunity of cooking and eating some of our scrub
beef, which we did there and then,* broiling it on the
coals, and, without salt or bread, this tough, stringy,
burnt meat was eaten, being washed down with
coffee, which our boys were fortunate in having. In
spite of Dumont's orders, our regiment slept here
until 2 o'clock next morning. Our band awoke us,
and by a bright, full moon we made good time to
Collins River, keeping our men well in ranks. We
passed whole companies of stragglers from other
regiments, whose officers had tried to force their men
to comply with Dumont's order. On arriving at the
river at noon we met wagons with rations of hard
bread and good side bacon, and a couple of barrels of
whisky for the 6,000 troops. Men who one hour
before had been cursing "old Dumont,'^ were now
praising him as the best of generals. We arrived at
McMinnville near night, and the general compelled
citizens to furnish his troops bread. Some of them
certainly knew how to make the staff of life palatable.
The following day the Eighth and Twenty-first
Kentucky marched twenty miles on our road to-
ward Wartrace. While at halt that evening a mem-
ber of Company K accidentally discharged his gun,
severely wounding Jo. Derbin, Company D, in the
foot. The night of the i8th we bivouacked near
Beach Grove, and arrived at noon, the 19th, at our
respective encampments at and near Wartrace, and
resumed our regular guard duty and daily drilling.
That evening Company H had two of its company
mules killed by a locomotive, upsetting the train and
killing the engineer.
CHAPTER IV.
The 23d June, Adjutant John Clark and Captain
Winbourn obtained leave of absence and started to
Kentucky.
The afternoon of the 4th day of July our company
drill suddenly stopped by the reception of an order
from Colonel Barnes for Company H to get aboard
the train that bore us the order and rejoin the regi-
ment forthwith. Leaving our tents and garrison
equipage in charge of a sergeant and ten men, wear-
rived at Wartrace at sun set, where all the regiment
except details from each company to guard the tents,
&c., boarded our train of platform cars, and, as the
whistle sounded and the iron wheels began moving
South, the Eighth gave three cheers, and bid War-
trace and old "Pig-tracks" farewell; halted two
hours at Tullahoma, and as we were settling down
to a pleasant nap of sleep, orders were given to " fall
in," ''fall in;" "all aboard for Alisona!" The
moon shone brightly. A short run of nine miles
brought us to Elk River bridge, or where the bridge
had been destroyed by the rebels. Near midnight
the Eighth left the train, crossed the stream, many
getting wet by slipping off the treacherous old dam
that once turned the water on to the busy wheels of a
flourishing cotton factory, the charred ruins of which
made us feel sad. Viewed by'the light of a waning
moon, the desolation was doubly solemn. We took
"w^
66 HISTORY OF THE
possession of the score or more of vacated houses
that constituted the town where the toiling employes
had dwelt, and were soon oblivious to things past
and present.
Early the 5th, a large detail from the Eighth were
put to cutting timber to rebuild the railroad bridge.
^Several days were spent in assisting the government
employes. The 7th July the Eighth made a general
cleaning of arms, and many washed their clothes.
A few rebel citizens came into camp, and others,
who had been in the confederate service, were
brought in by the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Some of them appeared more eager to trade with
'•you ens" than they were to take the oath of loy-
alty. One tow-headed fellow swore, " I haint heda
chaw uv terbaccer nor a grain uv salt in my house
fur four months."
Our accommodating sutler, R. Keneday, fol-
lowed us up the 8th with a fresh supply of army
goods, but scarcely had time to unload before we
were ordered back to Tullahoma, and the greater
part of that night our cooks were busy boiling and
frying the two days' rations.
Early the 9th, one of those hot, sultry, spiritless
mornings, our men were ordered to pile their knap-
sacks by the railroad track in charge of the orderlies
of each company, and thus, freed from some of the
weight, the regiment marched northward. The low,
distant thunder and ominous, dark clouds came
nearer. At 9 o'clock, a. m., the rain began to pour
down on us in torrents. Arriving at Tullahoma
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 67
depot, the regiment stacked arms, and the men
sought shelter until the train and the sergeants, with
the knapsacks, arrived. The men had neglected
marking their property, so as to readily recognize it
from that of their comrades, which resulted in much
confusion, swearing and overhauling of knapsacks.
Meantime Colonel Barnes added to the confusion by
hurrying and swearing for the regiment to form.
Our camp and garrison equipage having met us here,
we pitched our tents half a mile west of town. As
the rain continued nearly all night, almost every
member of the regiment got thoroughly wet in erect-
ing tents. The next day was spent in sunning and
drying bedding and clothing. To avoid another
knapsack squabble, several of the Eighth officers
procured paint and lettered the knapsacks.
Here the Thirty-fifth Indiana, the Irish regiment,
was added to the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky,
forming the Twenty-third Brigade, Colonel Barnes
temporarily in command. The nth, the First
Kentucky Battery and Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, Col-
onel Haggard, arrived from Wartrace. The 12th,
Companies D and I, of the Eighth, were sent as
guard to Elk River, as the enemy's cavalry were
menacing several points north and south of us.
Early Sunday morning, the 13th, while the Eighth
were generally engaged in devouring salt pork and
crackers, cannonading could be heard north of us.
Late that evening we learned that Forrest, with a
force of cavalry, had, after a brief fight with Colonel
Lester, Third Minnesota and Ninth Michigan,
68 HISTORY OF THE
taken Murfreesboro and burned the depot, taking a
good many of the Ninth prisoners, and among them
Lieutenant Park, Sergeant Elkin and private John-
son, of our regiment. The latter part of the report
proved untrue. Lieutenant Park, by the assistance
of the family with whom he was boarding, eluded the
rebels by secreting himself in the cellar. The other
two played off citizens on the rebels, who only held
the town a few hours.
About this time Bragg's and Kirby Smith's troops
in and below Chattanooga began to feel their way
northward, which caused a part of Buell's army,
under General Smith, to concentrate about 12,000
infantry and cavalry here to resist an expected attack
from rebel cavalry. About 3,000 of General Wood's
command arrived at Elk River, and our two compa-
nies rejoined us. The morning of the 15th, we
moved -into town, and, with other troops, began for-
tifying the place, as later reports confirmed the
rumor of a large rebel force from Chattanooga
making their way toward this place. A large force
felled trees while others threw up a line of earth-
works encircling the town. At the same time a large
number of wagons were sent out over the country
under strong guard, to collect a supply of flour and
other provisions. A string of pickets were placed
around the place, and artillery placed in good posi-
tion. All this began to look like war in earnest. To
husband our half rations of beef and flour, Compa-
nies C and H of the Eighth, while on picket the
1 6th, took the precaution to lay in a good supply 01
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 69
pork and potatoes, the latter, as S. Wood, remarked,
he "jest found growing wild up yonder in a patch of
weeds," and Burgess, Company H, said " the rebel
hog hadn't the countersign." After all this prepa-
ration for a siege, our men appeared somewhat dis-
appointed, the evening of the 8th, to learn that the
enemy had fallen back, and we were ordered to
march back to Murfreesboro, via Shelbyville. Ac-
cordingly, the 19th, we loaded our train, and, with
the other three regiments of our brigade, marched
northwest, over poor country, meeting part of Gen-
eral Wood's division. Encamped early, within ten
miles of Shelbyville. The 20th, after passing over a
very rough road, we arrived at that town at noon,
where we cooked and ate dinner. That evening we
made a short march of eight miles, and bivouacked
on the Murfreesboro Pike, in a fine section of coun-
try, large, well cultivated fields of splendid crops of
corn and cotton, with occasional stacks of wheat.
The slaves were yet generally at home. The face of
the country showed no ravages of war, thanks to
Buell's orders and the mild manner of the adminis-
tration in dealing with these aristocratic slave-own-
ers, who were principally in the field fighting to de-
stroy the government, while their slaves were raising
bountiful supplies to feed the rebel army the coming
winter. It mattered not how much our tired, hun-
gry soldiers wished a mess of green corn as a change
from our hard-tack, not an ear of corn, or peach, or
apple could be had without violating general orders.
Many staff and line officers had become disgusted
70 HISTORY OF THE
with enforcing these strict orders and this "concili-
atory policy" of putting down the rebellion, and did
not see a few green cobs lying about camp fires be-
fore the boys had managed to bury or secrete them-
The 2ist July, we arrived at Murfreesboro, where
we made our first acquamtance with Colonel Stanley
Matthews and the Fifty-first Ohio, that regiment
here being added to our brigade, formed the Third
Brigade of the Third' Division of the Twenty-first
Army Corps. Colonel Matthews being sick, Colonel
Barnes continued in command. General Nelson,
commanding the division, on the morning of the
22d, went with all the division except the Third
Brigade on a scout toward Manchester, while our
four regiments marched back through town, crossed
the river near the charred remains of the depot, and
laid off a line of rifle pits. A heavy detail from each
regiment was put to digging. Colonel Barnes also
sent out guards under commissioned officers in every
direction, with orders to conscript every able-bodied
negro man they could find and bring them in to as-
sist in fortifying. By lo o'clock a. m., we had about
two hundred stout, well-pleased darkies heaving up
the earth. The officers and men that had collected
this dusky force related some amusing incidents of
the talk and action of some of those '' masters" who
remonstrated against having their ^' niggers" do
work for the Yankees. Capt. Minter and a squad of
the 8th entered the premises of a rich planter, whom
with his two sons were in the rebel army, an old
negro man named Jim, conducting affairs on the farm
EIGH'IH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 7 I
for his mistress. Soon the guards had " Boss" Jim
and seven or eight other negro men assembled in the
road near the fine house. The mistress appeared on
the portico, and totally ignoring the presence of the
captain and his men, she addressed '' Jim," saying,
"I would like to know what you mean by leaving
your work and bringing in the other hands ?" Jim,
pulling off his hat, replied, '* Missus, we's gwine to
town wid dese jemmen to work." Lady — " Now
you take the hands right back to that field this
minute or you'll have to account for it, certain."
" Missus, I can't, Tse bound to 'bey dese sojers.
Dese are malicious orders, missus, and I'se bound to
'spect dem." The captain with his conscript force
moved off, leaving the indignant '• missus" in the
porch heaping abuse on the whole Yankee army.
The darkies worked zealously — they evidently
thought themselves honored by such service and
enjoyed their ration of ''hard tack" and coffee
very much. By sunset the long line of earthworks
were completed. Col. Barnes received a dispatch
from General Nelson, stating if we were not attacked
before, to march with the 3d Brigade precisely at
2 o'clock next morning out on. Lebanon pike, to
attack a force of rebel cavalry, then at the river six
miles from us. One day's rations were cooked, a few
hours for sleep, then all the command able for duty
formed column without a loud word or any noise
that could possibly be avoided. The measured
tramp, tramp of our feet through the silent streets of
Murfreesboro by the dim starlight, awoke many of
72 HISTORY OF THE
the slumbering citizens. Heads were thrust out of
windows, but no questions asked. We silently but
speedily moved on arriving at the ford of Stone
River at the first glimmer of dawn, hoping and ex-
pecting to be able to dash on to the enemy and try
our hand at mortal combat, but the cautious John-
nies had mounted their "critters" and left one hour
before. Some of our men petulantly remarked,
" That's jest our luck." After wading the river, we
halted one hour for breakfast.
Colonel Barnes then ordered us forward on the
Lebanon Pike, and to march as fast as we could, and
keep the men well in the ranks. The day was op-
pressively hot and water scarce. At noon we were
within ten miles of Lebanon, and halted for a little
rest before proceeding to where we were assured we
would have all the fighting we wanted. Just then a
courier from Nelson handed Colonel Barnes an order
for us to countermarch to Murfreesboro as quick as
possible. Nearly every man had sore feet, but at the
word of command, knapsacks were slung, arms
taken, and, ho! for Murfreesboro again. When
within two miles of Stone River, our advance guard
fell back and reported a large force of rebel infantry
at the ford. Colonel Barnes instantly had skirmish-
ers put forward. The brigade trampled down a
good-sized field of corn in hastily forming line of
battle. We were all ready, and just then in the
humor to fight anything, human or devil. A courier
came dashing up and informed our colonel that the
supposed enemy was General Nelson and the balance
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 73
of the division. Many of the Eighth swore they
had rather it had been the enemy, for, said they,
'' Here we've been out soldiering nearly twelve
months, and but few of us have seen an armed
rebel." The brigade bivouacked at the forks of the
Lebanon and Woodbury Pikes. Our men did very
little cooking or eating. We were too tired for any-
thing except sleep, which we enjoyed with no more
preparation of beds than a drove of stock.
We were bugled up early the 24th, and had hastily
marched to within three miles of Murfreesboro, when
we were again met by one of General Nelson's orders
to countermarch. At this unexpected command.
Chandler Branson, Company D, yelled out, " Now,
by the blood of Balaam, ef this don't beat all." Some
member of Company A, Eighth Kentucky, retorted,
" I bet, by G — d, old Nelson or somebody's drunk."
Our brigade returned to the cross roads before al-
luded to, and were reinforced by a squadron of the
Fifth Kentucky Cavalry. We remained here two
days, keeping out a strong chain of pickets to pre-
vent any force of the enemy passing toward Nash-
ville. Several bodies of rebel cavalry were then
scouting around through the cedars that skirt the
mountains in Middle Tennessee.
The 25th, General Nelson reviewed the Third
Brigade, after which he put us through a " knap-
sack" drill, in brigade and battalion movements,
cursing the Eighth for some blunders, but praising
us for the correct performance of other movements.
Wha«:cver may have been his opinion of the Eighth,
74 HISTORY OF THE
we certainly did not form a favorable one of this
swearing, blustering old tar. A month's acquaint-
ance did not increase our respect or love for him,
though we all became thoroughly convinced of two
prominent traits of Nelson's character : First, brave
in the face of the foe ; second, overbearing to all
subordinates.
The 26th, a foraging party, commanded by Major
Broadhus, of the Eighth Kentucky, and composed of
Companies H and C, of the Eighth, and two com-
panies of the Twenty-firstj with twenty wagons, pro-
ceeded through the cedars, up Stone River, eight
miles to a mill owned by a violent rebel named Til-
ford, where the soldiers, assisted by a lot of slaves,
loaded the wagons with corn. No white man or
woman could be seen. Major Broadhus said to a
patriarchal darkey:
"Old man, where are the white people of this
place ?"
"" Missus an de chillen is to her mudder's, an I
speck mars is wid dem oder kind ob sojers."
Major Broadhus — " Did he leave you to manage
affairs here ?"
" Yes, sah ; doh he tole me dis way to do, say he :
' Jake, you keep de mill a grinden de corn, an if you
see de Yankees comin wid wagons, you jes set fire to
de cribs and burn up de corn.' "
Major B. — " You don't seem to obey your master.
When you saw us, why didn't you burn it ?"
" Yah, yah, mars, I knowed den it do nobody
any good, nor him, neder."
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. • 75
The wagons returned to the command witliout ac-
cident, and while the Eighth were at supper, the
bugle sounded the officers' call. Soon we were col-
lected around our chief. Colonel Barnes said :
''Officers, I want you to get your men ready to
march to Murfreesboro, and that d — d quick, for the
General expects to be attacked by 8,000 rebels before
dayliglrt." As we had no baggage, we were soon
wading the river, being the fourth time within four
days. We arrived at Murfreesboro about midnight,
and lay on our arms in line of battle near town, on
the Woodbury Pike. Our men began to think this
very hard soldiering, but it was only the beginning
of our hardships. The line of battle was maintained
until after sunrise the 27th, but the 8,000 enemy
did not appear.
We received orders from General Nelson to pre-
pare for a march in light order, specifying that the
men would turn over their knapsacks to the quar-
termaster, the officers to be allowed to carry only
one trunk or chest to three officers, and two tent-
flies to a company of officers. Accordingly, all this
extra baggage was marked and stored at Murfrees-
boro. This being completed by noon, General Nel-
son ordered every regiment out to drill two hours —
the first and last time we ever drilled on Sunday.
We remained here without any further alarms
until the morning of the first of August. The whole
division, 8,000 strong, marched out on theMcMinn-
ville road, all with canteens full, as Nelson never
allowed a man to leave ranks. The sun shone down
76 HISTORY OF THE
on the stone road with powerful heat. We called a
halt at noon for two hours, at a creek, then kept our
men well in ranks, and arrived at Woodbury, the
county town of Cannon County, at dark, having
marched twenty-eight miles. As we had bat little
cooking to do, those not on guard were soon sleep-
ing the sleep of the weary, if not that of the just.
The 2d, the division was aroused by the bugles-
and drums long before daylight, our hasty breakfast
over, and the column in motion before the sun had
showed his burning face.
We had correct information that General Forrest,
with a brigade of rebel cavalry, was at McMinnville,
and our men generally were anxious to bring the en-
emy at bay, and try our hand in a battle. General
Nelson's threat to catch Forrest or kill the last man in
the division, increased our desires to come up with
the foe at as early a date as possible, for many of the
command believed our general to mean what he said ;
and before that month had passed nearly all of the
Eighth began to think him to be in dead earnest.
About 3 o'clock p. m. our advance came on the
rebel pickets within a few miles of McMinnville. As
they caught sight of our advance cavalry, they fired
a few shots and fled toward town. We hastened on,
arriving there near night, but no armed enemy could
be seen. We stacked arms on the skirts of town
and were anxiously expecting a distribution of rations.
We had began to get used to disappointments and
unpleasant surprises. One was here ready for Com-
panies C, D, E and H, of the Eighth — we were or-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 77
dered out on picket without the desired and much-
needed grub. Several hours were spent is estab-
lishing the picket line so as to connect with the reg-
ular chain around town.
A few of the officers, including the author, called
at some of the suburban residences and succeeded
in arousing the not overly pleased inmates and suc-
ceeded in procuring some provisions, paying a good
round price ; thus our men, on a divide, secured
sufficient to abate their gnawing hunger.
The whole division was kept in suspense all day
the 3d, all being held in readiness to "march at a
moment's warning." We slept there in line on our
arms, and at daylight, the 4th, the whole command
marched in quick time toward Sparta, Tenn. Five
companies, B, H, G, K and I, of the 8th Kentucky,
were detailed as rear guard, a duty all soldiers dis-
like, having to march behind the wagon train and
artillery. We had not proceeded but a few miles,
when, at the ford of Collins river, in a narrow piece
of road, one wagon upset, and delayed the whole
train for over two hours. This put us a long distance
behind our column. Our Quartermasters and wagon-
masters having more dread of old Nelson than they
had of the enemy, made everything double quick
for about ten miles, before the rear was properly
closed up. We guards, of course, were compelled
to regulate our march to keep pace with the hurrying
train. Near night the artillery and wagons began to
cross Cany Fork of the Cumberland River. The
troops had crossed and climbed the mountain on the
78 HISTORY OF THE
south side. Some of the teamsters while at a halt
had found a house where they procured a supply of
Tennessee brandy, and had followed the example of
our division general, and imbibed too freely of the
exhilarating fluid. On arriving at the stream, these
boozy commanders of mules had, without orders, un-
hitched their teams. A few of the wagon-masters,
no less sober, were powerless to command their
trains. At this unpleasant state of affairs, the rain
began to pour down in the manner it usually does in
this latitude. All teamsters and their superiors that
were yet sober, appeared to be like our guards, not
in an enviable temper, and had Gen. Nelson been
present, and refrained from swearing long enough to
have heard the amount of profanity indulged in at
that ford, he certainly would have been disgusted with
this foolish habit. In the meantime we arrived upon
the scene, and Col. Barnes, who could, on slight pro-
vocation, swear equal to an army teamster, rode
around with a drawn weapon among the boozy team-
sters and made them hitch up, and cfnce more put
the train in motion.
Tjie principal part of our five companies worked
hard all night by reliefs pushing wagons and artil-
lery up the mountain. Every one of us, from col-
onel down, had our clothing thoroughly wet. In
order to get a few hours' sleep without laying down
in mud and water, I lashed my weary body to a tree
trunk, using one of the men's gun straps and my
own sword belt. While thus suspended, I slept quite
sound.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 79
About sun rise the next morning the last wagon
topped the mountain. Without taking time to eat
breakfast, we struck out in quick time to overtake the
division, and soon came up with the column. After
forced march of five miles, the head of the division
met a scout. General Nelson had a brief interview
with him, then commanded the column to '^ counter
march, quick time, march !" This was to us dis-
couraging, to say the least. But Nelson had been
informed by Buell that we were about to meet the
principal part of General Bragg's army, and ihat dis-
cretion was in this case, probably, the best. But
our men said, ^' Here, we've lost sleep, waded rivers
and ran around in the cedars until our shoes are
worn out trying to meet the enemy, and now, when
we are about to find the armed rebels, to retreat is
worse than to fight and get whipped."
At the crossing of the river, the Eighth refused to
go farther until we had time to get some rations out
of the trains and get on the outside of that grub,
which we did, regardless of friends in front or foes
behind. Satisfying our hunger, we resumed the
march and arrived at McMinnville a little before mid-
night.
On this nineteen miles of rough road this division
of as good men as the United States had in the field
left more stragglers than they probably ever did af-
terward. They all came up during the next day.
We pitched our tent flies in a large apple orchard
northeast of town. The heavy crop of green fruit
of that orchard totally disappeared within twenty-
8o HISTORY OF THE
four hours — fried, witn plenty of sugar added,
making a good dish to a hungry soldier.
On the evening of the 6th, at dress parade, several
of Nelson's troublesome orders were* read ; one of
them requiring every regiment in the division to have
battalion drill for two hours before breakfast ; that
at 7 o'clock, compelled us to be up and in line at 5,
and from that until supper no time was lost from drill
and other duties, except two hours for dinner. This
lively exercise to men whose feet were yet very sore,
was anything but pleasaat recreation.
On the 9th of August, the Eighth escaped the or-
deal of a knapsapk drill, by an order sending us one
mile out on the Smithville road as pickets. We re-
mained there in the brush until the morning of the
nth, encountering no worse enemy than innumer-
able little insects called "seed ticks." The enemy
was reported to have a large force at Smithville,
twenty miles distant from us, and our boys were
given strict orders. At a late hour on the night of
the loth. General Nelson and staff passed outside
our pickets and returned by the Smithville route.
Leaving the main road they came tearing along the
by-road, evidently to try the mettle of our pickets.
When within hailing distance, John W. Barnett,
Company H, commanded "halt." Nelson and es-
cort appeared not to hear, and John, in aloud voice,
repeated, "Halt, there! or by Jupiter, I'll put a
hole through one of you," at the same time all six
of the men's pieces gave that ominous click that gen-
erally causes even a brave man to halt, and the Gen-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 8l
eral did, at the same time he said, '' Who in the
hell are you, to presume to halt a general officer and
staff?" The 'reply was, "One of you dismount,
advance and give the countersign, or we'll show you
who we are, and that devilish quick." An aid obeyed
this last summons, and Corporal Harris hallowed
out, "The General and escort can pass in."
The moon shone brightly, and the boys knew
Nelson before he advanced. His only remark as he
passed in was, "By G — d ; these Kentucks won't do
to fool with."
As the force reported at Smithville did not come
to attack us, on the morning of the nth our brigade
now under command of Col. Matthews, received or-
ders to go in search of the Johnnies. The dirt road
was rough from the dried mud of recent rains, and
the weather continued excessively warm. After a
hard march of twenty miles, we arrived late in the
evening at the village where we expected to find the
much-sought but little-loved rebels.
The citizens informed us that John Morgan's force
of cavalry passed through there the day before, go-
ing north. Our command bivouacked there, and
resumed the march early the 12th, over rough roads,
through the hills northwest, thirteen miles, and we
were in the village of Liberty.
Our brigade remained here until the next evening,
living principally on green corn. The citizens here
appeared to be more loyal than any we had found in
Tennessee^ displaying the stars and stripes as we
marched through town. The loyal women here
6
82 HISTORY OF THE
came out to our camp, and cheerfully loaned the sol-
diers their cooking utensils. This day's rest among
these people, and the benefit of a good bath in the
clear stream, which most of us enjoyed, greatly re-
freshed us in soul and body.
At 4 o'clock, p. m., the 13th, we again formed
column, and, as usual, took the back track. The
moon shone bright, and we halted at 10 o'clock at
Smithville, and rested until morning. The officers
and men of the Eighth about this time became very
solicitous to be mounted, so we could have a chance
to catch some of the rebel cavalry, for, said our men,
we find it impossible to either head them off or catch
them on foot.
We left Smithville at sunrise the 14th, and at 5
p. m. re-entered our camp at McMinnville. The
following ten days, when not on picket or other duty,
the time was spent in vigorous drilling. One even-
ing, at dress parade, we were rejoiced to learn that
General Nelson was relieved from the command, and
would proceed immediately to Kentucky to take
command of raw recruits then arriving at Louisville
and Cincinnati. We did not envy those same raw
recruits their pleasures in obeying the orders of their
general. Though, with all Nelson's harsh, over-
bearing, and often wanton cruelty to his subordi-
nates, he often did a good thing in protecting his
soldiers from the grasping greed of sutlers or citi-
zens, with whom our boys often traded. One day,
before Nelson left us, a crowd of soldiers were col-
lected around a lank-looking, long-haired Tennes-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 8^
seean, who bore on his arm a basket containing some
tough-looking pies. Between the two thick crusts
was a darker streak of woolly peaches. General
Nelson came along the street, and noticing the citi-
zen, stepped up, saying: "Here, my man, what
have you there to sell ?"
Citizen — "Pies, sar ; unly fifty cents apiece, sar. "
The general broke one open, and dropped it back
in the basket, exclaiming, '' Only fifty cents apiece !"
Drawing his sword, he continued: "Now, you in-
fernal, lecherous, spindle-shanked devil ! those
things wouldn't digest in the stomach of a hyena.
How many have you?"
Citizen tremblingly replied : " Six, I b'leve."
General Nelson, raising his sword more threaten-
ingly, said : '* Now, eat the last one in short order,
or I'll cut your infernal head from your worthless
carcass !" The poor, frightened fellow munched
and swallowed in painful haste, until his eyes, which
continuously watched the uplifted steel, assumed a
frog-like prominence. Thus, he worried down over
two dollars' worth of his dark, choky pastry. Nel-
son then ordered the would-be pie vender outside
our pickets, telling him if he should ever see him
here again on any pretext, death would certainly be
his doom. We saw no more of that enterprising
tradesman.
Brigadier General Amnion assumed command of
the troops in and around McMinnville. The 24th
August, we were ordered to prepare two days* ra-
tions, load the baggage and be ready to march at
84 HISTORY OF THE
I o'clock, p. m. At that hour we were in column,
and the general wish and belief was that we were
leaving this "rebel hole" for the last time. The
Eighth halted in the town to assist the division quar-
termaster to burn some old worn out tents and quar-
termaster stores that had been condemned as unser-
viceable. We came up with the main force at mid-
night, at the forks of the Tullahoma and Altamont
roads. The next morning our little army was, by
some misunderstanding of the guards and buglemen,
permitted to sleep later than the general intended,
consequently many of us ate our breakfast while on
the march. Before noon we arrived at the foot of
the mountain, on the Altamont road. Here the
rebels had just passed over, and had obstructed the
naturally difficult, narrow road by felling trees,
and our artillery and wagons were completely
blocked.
Our supply of rations was quite limited. A great
deal of musket firing around the neighboring farms
began soon after we halted. Officers and men knew
there was no enemy on our side of the mountain ex-
cept those unarmed, but they were often thought to
not be entirely docile. One member of the Eighth
came walking into camp, soon after the shooting be-
gan, with a quarter of mutton, and apologetically re-
marked to his captain : ** Cap'n, I do respect Gen-
eral Buell's orders, but darn me ef a rebel sheep
shall butt me." Judging from the quantity of roast
and fried mutton consumed that evening in the
division, especially by the Eighth Kentucky and
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 85
Thirty-fifth Indiana, people in that locality must
have owned a goodly number of belligerent sheep.
The 26th, the whole division returned to our re-
spective camps around McMinnville, drilling and
picketing as before.
Some of the Thirty-fifth Indiana, on the 27th,
went outside our picket lines and took possession of
Mr. Argoe*s apple and peach brandy distillery, and
when found, a few days after, were doing a
thriving business working off the tubs of bruised
fruit on hand. When these modern '' moon-
shiners" were brought up before Colonel Matthews
for violation of orders and taking private property,
Dennis McLew, the leader, when asked why he did
so, replied : '^Plaze yer honor, Colonel, but it wuz
too bad, indade ; the cowardly spalpeen ov a ribel
had taken himself away, and the paich mash wuz
sphoilm intoirely ; an', yer honor, tho' I do say it
myself, I'm the boy as can make the rale ould cray-
ther as will warrum up the boys' stummicks before
atein' the indacent food we get here in this haythen
counthry." As some of the "boys" had taken too
much of the "crayther," Colonel Matthews had the
self-appointed distiller and a few others tied up until
their stomachs cooled off a little.
CHAPTER V.
The 2d day of September, all the troops about
McMinnville had orders to prepare to march, and
early the 3d everything loyal to the United States
was leaving this part of Tennessee. It was now an
evident fact that the rebels in large force were in-
vading Kentucky. Many of the most loyal citizens
with their families joined our column, which was now
raising clouds of dust on the Murfreesboro road.
We bivouacked at Logan's Plains, where we joined
General Wood's division. The 4th of September
our column arrived at Bradyville, and the next day
at I o'clock p. m. were once more in Murfreesboro.
Here all the sick and those unable to march were
ordered on the train for Nashville. About half a
dozen officers of the Eighth, including myself, with
a few of the Twenty-first Kentucky, got aboard the
cars. If we were not all of us equally sick we were
certainly about on an equality in present cash assets.
At the Nashville depot, while we were holding a
committee of the whole on our financial standing,
the sight of our cheerful and accommodating sutler
was a pleasant surprise to us. We instantly sur-
rounded "Uncle Bob," and soon relieved him of
his surplus cash, and once more were able to face an
extortionate landlord or a frowning rebel landlady,
and were soon registered on Mrs. Peace's books.
EIGHTH KENIUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 87
For several days our troops poured through the city
northward in a living stream.
The 7th, late in the day, our command were pass-
ing through. Sick and feeble, as some of us were,
we had no notion of being left in Dixie while the
rebels were invading the '^sacred soil " of Kentucky.
Captains Powell and Thomas and the author being
scarcely able to walk, had, through the assistance of
Chaplain Paul, purchased ahorse of a Union citizen
at a very low price intending to try to keep up with
our command by riding, each by turn. It was agreed
that as I was the most feeble, I should have the first
ride, while they with the others joined the column.
I spent some time trying to find a saddle for sale
cheap — one dollar being all the money we three had
left after paying for our steed. I at last concluded
to postpone the luxury of a saddle, and gave a grin-
ning darkie twenty-five cents for an old bridle, threw
my gum blanket and fatigue coat on Carlo's back,
and mounted, with sword and pistols balancing my
haversack across the withers of the horse. I made
better time through the streets of the city than was
agreeable to my aching bones. I overtook the regi-
ment about 10 p. m. encamped near Edgefield Junc-
tion, on the Louisville pike. All the men were cov-
ered with dust, and their clothing badly worn, espe-
cially shoes and pantaloons. The men had been
compelled to wear their underclothing so long without
change that many of them had become infested with
vermin — in army parlance called '' graybacks." Our
requisitions for clothing here were only partially
88 HISTORY OF THE
filled, and orders were given to company command-
ers to issue only to those of their men that were in
greatest need, and as about all were eager claimants
for pants, the captains generally settled the matter
by calling the company into line and passing along
in the rear raised each man's coat skirts, and those
whose pants had given out worst in the most embar-
rassing places, were ordered to step forward and re-
ceived a new pair.
The 8th, our command moved a short distance up
the pike and bivouacked for the night. Here Gen.
T. L. Crittenden took command of the Twenty-first
Army Corps, composed of the First, Second and
Third Divisions, to the latter our brigade belonged,
still commanded by Ammon.
The army was all life and bustle early the 9th.
Canteens filled with water, and a fresh supply of
forty rounds of cartridges in our cartridge boxes, we
marched on the pike through Goodlettsville, then
Quiet Hill, and halted for the night at Tyre Springs.
Here a few more of our ragged boys received another
partial supply of clothing. Before dark several of
the Fifty- first Ohio and Eighth Kentucky boys had
straggled off into the woods to hunt paw-paws, and
were captured by a company of rebel cavalry within
a half mile of camp. All our boys escaped except
John Townsend, and he made his escape a few days
after.
The loth, our column moved on fourteen miles
and halted near Mitchellsville at an old rebel rendez-
vous they called Camp Trauser. Here our brigade
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 89
alone slaughtered fifteen beeves and over one hun-
dred sheep, also a few porkers and many chickens
were taken and dressed in a private manner. Pri-
vate Carmoody, ''our Irishman," remarked, " Faith
an' we'd not be afther lavin* the State with lank
haversacks or empty stomachs aither. "
At 6 o'clock on the morning of the nth, our
columns were again in motion and soon passed the
large stone in the road that indicated the State line.
As the Eighth passed over the line the boys gave
three lusty cheers. We were delayed several hours
waiting for our long train of wagons to cross Sharp's
Branch — the rebels having torn up the bridge. That
evening we passed through the pretty town of Frank-
lin, Ky. Here crowds of women had collected on
porticos and in front yards and displayed several
Union flags, causing loud and long cheering from
the troops. We halted for the night within five
miles of town.
On the following morning, orders were given by
General Buell that, until further orders, only half
rations would be issued to the troops of this com-
mand. The Third Division (from cause probably
never known only to General Buell himself) was de-
tained here two days; during that time the rebels
had torn up portions of the L. & N. Railroad. The
half ration order caused considerable foraging on an
individual scale. Col. Barnes and other officers of the
8th remonstrated with the men against foraging in our
native State. As the Colonel said, '' setting a bad
example for other State's regiments to follow."
90 HISTORY OF THE
But Other troops did not wait for any bad examples
to influence them when their half rations did not
half satisfy their keen appetites. A flock of goats
and a good-sized sweet potato patch had already con.
tributed largely to supply the 35th's lacking half
ration, and without following their example, our boys
thought the immediate future not very promising for
bounteous living, and our camp guards had been
standing with their backs toward the aforesaid potato
patch and had failed to heed the bleating of more
than one goat in the corn near by. At last Chan-
dler B., of Co. I, caught the old billy of all the
billies in the corn. The old, bearded patriarch
proved too stout for Chandler. He not daring to
shoot, caught his prey by the horns. The goat, in
its frantic efforts to regain freedom, came tearing
through the regiment, our heroic forager holding on
to the horns with the tenacity of " grim death to a
dead African," sometimes on top the goat, at
others being dragged on the ground by the mutter-
ing goat. The loud cheering of the men, nor the
terrible oaths of the colonel did not make him break
his hold, nor lose his determination for fresh meat.
Thus the two re-entered the high corn where the
guards soon found Chandler with a few of his more
timid comrades taking off the goat's hide. Qur con-
quering hero was marched to colonel's tent. Colonel
B. — " Now, sir, give your reasons for this flagrant
violations of my recent orders, and be d — d quick
about it, too." Chandler — " Colonel, I never
meant disrespect to you, but I see'd them durned
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 9 1
35 Irishers agoen fur the whole flock, and they'd
killed all but that old tough devil. He run over
to our side and by golly I was 'termined they
shouldn't have him, an' I jist went fur 'em." This
earnest explanation came near making the colonel
relax his assumed sternness. Chandler was put on
extra duty, but said extra rations made it all right.
The 1 2th a considerable skirmish took place one
and a half miles east of us, between our cavalry and
some of Forrest's rebels.
The 13th, we resumed the march, and late that
evening halted within two miles of Bowling Green,
at a large spring, issuing from a cave. In a short
time that stream ran dirty soap suds, as thousands
availed themselves of the opportunity to bathe and
wash dirty shirts. One day's rations were issued,
but was barely sufficient for one meal. The corn
crop was just sufficiently soft to be easily grated into
meal. Our men made graters of half canteens and
every piece of old tin or sheetiron that could be
found, and these were kept constantly in use while
we were at a halt. The varied sounds of these
many shapes and sizes of graters throughout a di-
vision made a noise that will long be remembered by
surviving Union soldiers of this war. We remained
here three days. The second day three days' full
rations of damaged, wormj flour were issued, and
the bacon was worse than the flour.
The 15th, we heard cannonading north of us,
which we soon after learned was at Mumfordsville,
Ky. The soldiers of our army, and especially our
92 HISTORY OF THE
Kentucky boys, were impatient at what we conceived
to be useless delays, while the enemy were out-
stripping us in the race for the city of Louisville, and
overrunning the best portion of the State. At 3
p. m., the 1 6th, the welcome bugle sounded, and we
marched through town, crossed Green River on pon-
toons, halted and spent the night in sight of Bowl-
ing Green. The following morning the bugle
sounded the assembly. At the first dawn of day-
light, without breakfast, we formed column and
marched quick-step for five miles. We halted half
an hour at a filthy pond, where the men were
allowed to fill their canteens with what they called
''mule soup," as there were several dead carcasses
lying putrifying in the water, probably intentionally
placed there by the armed "Southern gentlemen."
By 3 o'clock, p. m., we had put eighteen miles more
behind us, without anything to eat since the pre-
vious night, and the commissary wagons far behind.
Our boys were too tired to forage for something to
-eat, and it would have been a fruitless search, as we
had now struck the recent track of the famishing
rebel army. About 2 o'clock next morning the
long looked for commissaries arrived, and everybody
was aroused, in the midst of a hard shower of rain,
to draw and cook one day's rations. Flour was
issued, and as pans and other means of cooking
were quite limited, we were being hurried into col-
umn while a great many of the men's ''cakes were
dough." We made a quick march to Bell's Tavern,
seven miles north, where we expected to find a
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 93
force of the enemy. We only found the telegraph
wires cut, and some damage done to the railroad.
A few miles further, and we made a halt until sunset.
We then moved on up two miles to Cave City. The
night was very dark, but soon the whole surrounding
country was lighted by the blaze of our fence-rail
fires. We drew three days' rations, with orders to
cook them and be ready to march by early morning.
The wormy flour was here cooked in all the known
ways, and many ways hitherto unknown — at least to
the writer. There were biscuits, slapjacks, pan-
cakes, fried dough, and some placed the dough on
the cleanest boards or flat pieces of rails, and propped
it up johnny-cake style, while a great many roped
the dough around sticks, which were kept constantly
turning before the fire until cooked. After all,
scarcely any of it could have been eaten in daylight
by any other than soldiers or Digger Indians, as the
numerous long worms one was forced to eat or pick
out would not have much suited an epicure.
After all this night's hurry and worry we were not
ordered to move from here for three days. This
delay caused the men to swear and fret. Many of
the officers now, as well as the men, began to swear
that they believed General Buell did not want to
press the enemy^hard enough to bring on a general
engagement ; and from here on to Louisville, when
there was a general halt, there were many such ex-
pressions as "What's up now?" ''Nothing, only
Bragg's got a wagon broken down, and old Buell's
stopped to wait for him to get started." While at
94 HISTORY OF THE
Cave City, our cavalry and that of the enemy skir-
mished around ahead a little, which was repeated
daily until we neared the Ohio River.
At last, after we had about disposed of our three
days' cooked rations, the evening of the 21st Sep-
tember, we again took to the dusty road, and
marched by midnight to Mumfordsville, fifteen miles ;
waded the river, waist deep, stacked arms and lay
down, not feeling much like praising our general-in-
chief for the discomforts of our wet clothing. Cap-
tains Hickman and Winbourn both had to be left
here at a private house, being too sick to be carried in
the ambulance further.
The 2 2d, before forming column, about forty
rebel prisoners, picked up by our cavalry, passed
south, being paroled. We halted at Bacon Creek
for water, where another installment of paroled
rebels met us. Our men cheered them, and said to
each other: "May be we will get to fight the
hungry, dirty rascals yet."
Late in the evening the whole command halted
near Upton Station, having marched hard the most
of the previous night and all day in dust, often six
inches deep, causing a cloud almost suffocating, ren-
dered less endurable by the scarcity of water to
quench our famishing thirst. One day's rations
were issued, with orders to cook and prepare for the
next day. Water and wood both being scarce, or
very inconvenient to get, the exhausted men gen-
erally fell down to sleep without converting their
spoiled flour into bread. Consequently, on the
EIGHIH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 95
sounding of the assembly the 23d, the majority of
our division had only began to prepare breakfast.
The most of the men crammed their uncooked
dough and bacon into their haversacks, swearing at
thus being hurried off. Some in their wrath un-
wisely threw away their flour or dough. From
Upton Station until we halted in Louisville our com-
mand was scarcely given time to eat or sleep, as the
main force of the enemy had been forced by our cav-
alry to turn off toward Lebanon and Bardstown.
Now commenced the race between us and the en-
emy for Louisville. By 2 o'clock^ p. m., we marched
twenty miles to Elizabethtown. Here we halted
three hours, and cooked and eat of what little was
left of the last night's issue, the majority being too
exhausted to go to the fields to forage. At 5 p. m.
the bugle's warning notes bid us get into column,
and off again. Ten miles further, great numbers
gave out with blistered feet, or were overcome from
want of sleep, and dropped by the roadside, but be-
fore daylight all came up to where the main force
had halted.
The morning of the 24th, we did not require
much time to cook, as we had little or nothing left.
When we arrived at West Point, at the mouth of
Salt River, at one o'clock, p. m., we learned that
Bragg's main force was at Bardstown, Ky. We
crossed Salt River and stopped, three miles further
on, on the southern bank of the Ohio River. ^
On the 25th of September, by a severe, march
of twenty- seven miles through the dust, which
g6 HISTORY OF THE
was for miles from six to eight inches deep, we ar-
rived in the lower edge of the city of Louisville near
midnight, our eyes and feet sore from the hot dust,
and the hungriest, raggedest, tiredest, dirtiest, lous-
iest and sleepiest set of men the hardships of this or
any other war ever produced. This was the general
condition of all the troops that came through from
Tennessee. The 27th, we moved out two miles
from the city, on the Nashville pike, where our divis-
ion washed up what clothing we had worth that
trouble, drew new clothing, some camp equipage,
with the promise of again obtaining sight of that
important and ever welcome individual, the
paymaster. Company commanders went to work,
and many of us did not stop to sleep until the pay-
rolls were ready for the men's signatures, as all
the officers and men were without money. Those
who had not spent nor sent their pay home, had
been importuned by less prudent or less lucky com-
rades, and borrowed and spent about every green-
back the regiment could command.
The 30th, the long looked-for paymaster appeared
in our division, and paid off many of the troops.
Our men were beginning to feel ''bully," by the
little rest, clean, new clothes and prospect of pay ;
and, to add to many of their jubilant feelings, some
one came in from the city and reported that General
Jefif. C. Davis had killed General Nelson for abusive
language. No one considered Nelson a coward or
friend to the'enemy, but he was pronounced a tyrant
of the '' first water."
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 97
About this time all the oldest regiments in the
army were desirous, and many of them clamorous,
for General Thomas to supercede General Buell.
Apparently all had lost that confidence in our gen-
eral-in-chief that is so essential for the efficiency of
troops.
We received general orders to leave all trunks,
officers' desks, company books and extra baggage at
Louisville, and prepare to march in light order at 6
o'clock the next morning. The enemy's cavalry
had been skirmishing with our advance pickets out
ten or twelve miles southwest. Our men said :
"Well, we would like to have a few more green-
backs, but we want to be led to the enemy." Many
of the Eighth said : "That old poke-easy general of
ours has allowed the thieving rebels to overrun the
best portion of the State, and they are now in full
possession of our homes. All we care for now is to
be allowed to have a chance to thrash and drive the
lousy devils out, or kill or capture the whole army
of thieves, with all their long train of stolen goods."
CHAPTER VI.
The morning of the first day of October, 1862,
was one of those bright, pleasant days so exhilerating
after a few white frosts. With one day's grub and a
full supply of cartridges, our brave, hardy boys,
without a murmur for pay, cheerfully formed in col-
umn, and in quick time marched toward Bardstown,
where we understood the main force of Bragg's
army were. Now that we had succeeded in placing
ourselves between the enemy and our immense
stores of supplies, every man appeared eager for
battle. After marching eight miles, we heard the
lively popping of carbines ahead. We broke into a
double-quick, and in three miles further came to
where the Fourth Indiana Cavalry and the rebels
had a few minutes before been engaged in a skirmish.
Our brigade was ordered to halt, front and cap every
piece of ordinance. We then marched in line of
battle to the brow of a hill as supports to the cav-
alry, but the Johnnies kept going on South, and
again not an Eighth gun was fired at the enemy.
As we filed off to bivouack for the night the men of
the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky gave many
expressions of disappointment. One of the Eighth
shouted to the Twenty-first: '^ The thieving devils
always serve us that way. They'll never stop long
enough for us to get a shot at 'em.".
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 99
The Ninth Division (General Woods) passed us and
formed the advance of our corps. We camped at Hays
Springs, having made a short march. The Ninety-
ninth Ohio, a new regiment only two weeks from
their homes, was here added to our brigade, the 2d of
October. Their new outfit and crowded knapsacks,
with two wool blankets and new great coats neatly
folded and strapped on top of knapsacks, contrasted
strangely with the appearance of our boys, in light
marching order, who had learned by sad experience
not to make beasts of burden of themselves, carrying
weighty articles that would not, probably, be needed
for months.
The advance of General Woods' division con-
tinued to skirmish with the rear of the enemy's
force, a few miles ahead of us, especial about Mount
Washington. On the 3d, skirmishing for an hour
was quite spirited. On that night we bivouacked on
the south fork of Salt River. Here we drew and
cooked three days' rations, expecting to engage in
some sanguinary work with the rebels before we ate
them, as it was reported the main force would cer-
tainly make a stand at Bardstown, eighteen miles
southwest of us. Every man in the Eighth, at the
sound of the assembly, with loud cheers, took their
places in the column, eager to have a trial at short
range with the invaders, but the evening of the 4th,
on arriving near Bardstown, we learned with some
regret that, after a little skirmishing with our ad-
vance, the enemy had fled toward Danville and
Springfield. We began to think, from the uniform
100 HISTORY OF THE
distance these two large bodies of belligerents kept
apart, that neither commander-in-chief desired a
general engagement.
The 5th and 6th October we made short marches,
reaching Springfield, twenty miles, in two days'
march. It now became evident to all that General
Bragg had abandoned the scene of conflict. By
somebody's management, or mismanagement, we
were not ordered to march until near noon the 8th.
During that forenoon Rousseau's, Gilbert's and
Jackson's divisions, of McCook's corps, were hotly
engaged with Bragg' s main army, while here lay,
scattered around within from two to eight miles, two
whole corps of as brave, reliable troops as ever
shouldered a musket, lying impatiently awaiting or-
ders to move on the enemy. At last we received
orders, and were only two hours in double-quicking
to within supporting distance of our comrades —
McCook's corps — who had by this time all become
engaged, as also a part of the Fourth Corps, General
Thomas. Up to 2 p. m. many had been slain on
both sides. At 3 o'clock, just as we arrived within
a mile of the engagement, only the artillery was
playing freely. General Bragg led a ferocious charge
in person on the center of our lines, where General
Rousseau's division maintained its position, and
hurled the tumultuous rebels back with complete suc-
cess, our artillery plowing avenues of death through
their serried columns, while the musketry mowed
down whole ranks of '*grey-backs" as they rolled
frantically forward toward the federal lines. They
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 10 1
were compelled to retire from that portion of the
field in confusion, leaving the ground strewn with
their dead, dying and wounded. But another
charge, led by General Buckner, on General Jack-
son's division, met with better success, and exceeded
in ferocity anything yet exhibited iii the war. The
overwhelming numbers of the enemy threw this
division into disorder. Generals Jackson and Ter-
rill both fell. Then Generals Sheridan and Mitch-
ell's commands became engaged, and exhibited that
heroism characteristic of western troops. But lean-
not enter into further details of this bloody fight, as
the author's designs are only to follow the fortunes
of the Eighth Kentucky. Thus the battle raged, in-
decisively, with only a part of our forces engaged,
and our whole corps ready, willing and waiting,
within supporting distance, like eager greyhounds
straining at the leash, praying and pleading to be led
on to support our brave, battling comrades. But no
orders came. Brigade and regimental commanders,
like their men, were instantly expecting orders and
ever ready to spring forward at the word. At sunset
the battle merged into an artillery duel, and as dark-
ness spread its sable mantle over these sanguinary
scenes, the Union army reposed upon their arms.
During the night the enemy leisurely resumed his
retreat.
The loss in Rousseau's division alone was nine-
teen hundred killed and wounded. In all the
other troops the loss was about four thousand killed,
wounded and prisoners. The enemy's loss was only
I02 HISTORY OF THE
a little more than the federal, proving little more
than a drawn battle.
On the morning of the 9th, when it became known
that Bragg's whole army had retreated south, with
his long train of well loaded wagons, the general
feeling of chagrin and disgust was truly great. Said
our men, "After all our hard marching and bad liv-
ing, we had rather met with defeat in battle than to
have let the enemy slip off with their spoils without
more severe punishment." Many officers and men
openly expressed their doubts of General Buell's
fidelity. Some of the men swore if we could not
have a better department commander they would
send the present one to ** happy Canaan after Nel-
son." The intelligent reader will not wonder at
the ill feeling of the Kentucky soldiers when he is
reminded that Bragg's long train contained fifteen
hundred wagon loads of provisions, clothing and
other necessaries for his army, together with several
thousand horses and beeves, and an immense amount
of groceries and goods, gathered from the principal
towns of Kentucky, and now, in all probability, they
would make a safe retreat in possession of all this
plunder. Buell had only engaged the enemy once
within five months, and then against his wish. Thus,
Bragg had been allowed to traverse the richest por-
tions of our native State, almost undisturbed ; to
even perpetrate the fraud of inaugurating a governor
at Frankfort ; to rob, defraud and terrify the Union
citizens and our friends in one of the most populous
States in the Union ; and was now about to make
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I03
his escape, almost without interference. This was
more than the furious, patriotic temper of our moun-
tain boys could endure. It is not singular, after all
this, that the federal government removed General
Buell the same month (October), and appointed
General Wm. S. Rosecrans in his stead; but not in
time for the latter to inflict any of the well-deserved
punishment the willing troops desired to give the
rebels.
The 9th we moved up and bivouacked on the east
side of Perryville. The loth our brigade moved out
near Harrodsburg, and on the morning of the nth
some rebel cavalry made a dash at our picket lines,
but were sent off in a hurry by a well directed fire.
None of our regiment received any wounds.
The 1 2th, our brigade marched in line of battle
towards Dicks River, over some very fine bluegrass
farms for miles. We left a number of fences leveled
as we advanced by right of companies to the front.
Some of the brigade once came in sight of a small
detachment of rebel cavalry, with whom a few shots
were exchanged. At night we bivouacked near
Camp Dick Robison, on Dick's River, where we
learned a large body of the enemy had j-usl left.
The 13th we marched into Danville, the county seat
of Boyle County, near which place we bivouacked.
The people generally, being loyal, made many demon-
strations of joy at being once more delivered from
rebel rule, by waving numerous flags. We were pre-
paring our evening meal, when we heard skirmishing
ahead. Colonel Wolford's cavalry had stirred up a
I04 HISTORY OF THE
few of the enemy's rear guard. Our regiment was
instantly into column and double-quicked four miles
out to support Wolford, and try, as the boys said,
*' to get a few shots at them Johnnies." They had
cleared out before we arrived. We returned to camp,
drew two days' rations, and received orders to be
ready to move at 6 o'clock next morning. At that
hour we took up our pursuit, with all the division, on
the Crab Orchard road. We halted for the night at
Stanford. About midnight we were all aroused and
into line, and in five minutes were in column double-
quicking out toward Crab Orchard, to support the
Thirty-fifth Indiana, who, being on advance picket,
were fired on by the enemy's rear guard pickets.
Three miles from Stanford we found the Thirty-fifth-,
who had discovered the enemy's camp fires half a
mile from them, at the bridge over Sugar Creek.
We had two pieces of artillery, with which we threw
a few shells at the fires and then advanced, but the
rebels had made a hasty retreat, leaving us sundry
skillets and pots, containing their now smoking
pones of corn bread and meat, which we relished for
our breakfast, notwithstanding it was somewhat over-
cooked. Some of the Eighth boys found a sleeping
rebel in a barn near by. From him we learned that
we were not far behind the rebels' long wagon train,
consequently there was skirmishing occasionally all
day, and our artillery was constantly shelling the
timbered districts ahead. We did not halt for the
night until 9 o'clock. The Eighth was placed half
a mile in advance of the division on picket near the
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I05
town of Mount Vernon, but everything was quiet
except a lumbering noise to the southward, which
proved the enemy felling trees to prevent or impede
our pursuit.
The 1 6th we halted near Rock Castle River, and
sent forward heavy details to cut and clear the ob-
structions from the Wild "Cat Mountain road. On
the i8th, the Eighth Kentucky, under Lieutenant
Colonel May, was ordered out on a scout near the
"Big Hill/' where the regiment about dark suc-
ceeded in surprising and capturing forty of Chen-
ault's new rebel cavalry and thirteen good horses.
Had it not been for the eagerness of a few of Com-
pany A, firing before orders, we would have bagged
the principal part of that regiment, who were abou|
to dismount and camp for the night. AH those yet
on their horses made a precipitate retreat, while those
who had tied their horses were left hors de combat^
and surrendered. The Eighth then returned that
night with their prisoners to Mount "Wild Cat,"
where we remained until midnight of the 21st.
We returned to near Mt. Vernon, and on the 2 2d
passed through that place. There we took the direct
road toward Somerset, bivouacked within thirteen
miles of the latter, and arrived there the evening of
the 23d.
The Kentucky troops began to think a little pay
from Uncle Sam would be in order. We had many
married men in the command who had not heard
a word from their families for three or four months,
and knowing that had the invading rebels left
Io6 HISTORY OF THE
them unmolested, the cold weather was beginning,
and admonished them to try and send their anxious,
loving wives and children a few dollars, to make
them somewhat comfortable for the winter. We had
passed by our home (or the majority had), without a
murmur ; but now tidings began to reach them by
loyal fathers and friends just from home, who, being
anxious to see sons or brothers, began to overtake us,
that in many instances Union families had been
stripped by the invaders of what little some of them
had, and in many instances entering their houses and
taking all their meat, cutting out and carrying off cloth
from the loom, that the frugal soldier's wife had toiled
to spin and weave to clothe their dependent little
ones. There being in Kentucky no organized relief
for poor soldiers' wives and children, as was the case
in more Northern States, and in the terror and
excitement of the presence of the two great con-
tending armies every one at home appeared to think
that seeing after the safety and comforts of his own
was all that patriotism or selfishness required. These
well confirmed rumors made many of the mar-
ried men of the Eighth and Twenty-first Ken-
tucky consider the probable condition of their
dependent families. But on the 28th the column
formed without complaint, and many sad faces
and anxious hearts were moving on further from
the loved ones at home, who needed the long
expected pay. The snow had fallen several inches
deep, and the young timber bent over our road with
the unshed foliage weighted with wet snow. Our
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I07
supply train had been sent on to Columbus, in Adair
county, thirty-six miles from Somerset. We were
two days in reaching there. Our rations were there,
but the long promised paymaster again disappointed
us, and a good many of the men began to complain
bitterly about their pay. Col. Barnes called the line
officers together and asked us to persuade the men
to refrain from any words or actions that might-
bring the command into disgrace. The Company
commanders collected their faithful soldiers around
them and readily admitted their wrongs and griev-
ances to be such, but that we now had a commander
who would, when appealed to on their behalf, not
only have them paid but would, on the colonel's
request, grant the men who had families short fur-
loughs. After this advice, and Col. B. saying he
would use his influence to obtain furloughs for the
married men, the ist day of November the boys
shouldered their muskets with more cheerfulness,
saying : " We will still do our duty and see if this
new general will not do us justice, and give us a
chance to fight a little instead of wearing our bodies
and patience out trotting around after the enemy
without getting a chance to fire a gun."
The brigade marched thirteen miles and bi-
vouacked on a large creek. Our sutler overtook us
and sold out one load of goods to the men, on credit,
of course.
The evening of the 2d our camp fires lighted up
the banks of Beaver creek, within three miles of the
town of Glasgow. We passed through that place
Io8 HISTORY OF THE
the next morning and camped on the Louisville pike,
four miles from town.
Here we met the balance of our corps, and
were paid on the 4th by Major Nunes up to the last
of August.
The principal topic in the Eighth were the mar-
ried men's promised furloughs. Col. Barnes ap-
pealed to General Crittenden in behalf of his mar-
ried soldiers, but without success. When this became
known that evening (the 4th), there was some ex-
citement, and many unjust imprecations privately
heaped on our well-meaning colonel, whose wife, in
company with Captain Thomas' wife and Mrs. and
Mr. Creed had arrived in camp to see their husbands.
The men, in their bitterness and disappointment,
swore that the colonel and some of the other officers
did not care, so they could see their families, while
•theirs were not able to visit them. That night sev-
eral companies of the Eighth and Twenty-first did not
get quiet before midnight. Next morning there
were quite a number out of those regiments absent.
Their officers knew very well that those men had not
•deserted, but chafing under the circumstances and
their real and imaginary wrongs, had determined at
all hazards to see their families and leave them some
money and return. I will here state that nearly
every one did, and by their officers making long and
earnest petitions to the corps and division com-
manders to have those men reinstated without loss of
pay and allowances, succeeded, and after, as before,
they were the best of soldiers, many of them only
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. IO9
remaining at home a few days, others probably two
weeks. Fifty men thus absented.
The 5th of November we resumed the march
south. Halted for the night on the barren fork of
Green river. On the 6th arrived at Scottsville, the
county seat of Allen county, thirty miles from Glas-
gow. The 7th we re-crossed the State line and bi-
vouacked in Tennessee. As we passed over the sup-
posed line our regiment gave three cheers. One man
in Company A, at the head of the column, shouted
out: ''We buys no more chickens." Some one
else replied, " No, not of rich rebels ! but, boys,
spare the poor." Many voices were raised, "that's,
right ! " " but we guard no more d-m rebel's corn-
fields and hen roosts." Three cheers were given for
old Kentucky and the Union. We spent a wet^
snowy night, by large log fires.
The 8th we arrived at Gallatin, Tennessee, and
camped two miles south of town, on the bank of
the Cumberland river;
The 9th our men did a big day's washing of
clothes, as some of them said, "If it is Sunday."
At this time the men absent from the Eighth out-
numbered those present for duty, a large percentage
having been left sick at Nashville, Louisville, and
Danville, Kentucky. With the late absentees made
the number of fighting men present less than 300.
CHAPTER VII.
At one o'clock, on the morning of the loth of
November, the regiments in the Third Brigade were
■aroused from their slumbers by the adjutants quietly
passing around to the company commanders, say-
ing : " Captain, get your men ready to march in ten
minutes, without noise." Tent flies and blankets
were hastily rolled up and piled into wagons, with
cooking utensils, and in less than thirty minutes the
brigade was silently crossing the Cumberland, on a
temporary tressel foot bridge. We were trying to
slip up on John Morgan's two thousand rebs at
Lebanon. We had learned the importance of keep-
ing our movements from the knowledge of the peo-
ple of Middle Tennessee, and the only noise made
was the unavoidable sound of our feet. We halted
at daylight, ate a hastily prepared breakfast and off
again, every man in the brigade keeping his place
and number with a promptness that would be com-
mendable on a holiday drill.
There were very many very sore feet in the com-
mand. But with determination and cheerfulness
beaming in every face, we hurried along the dusty
stone road. Our advance guard came on to the rebel
pickets within a mile of Lebanon. A well directed
fire from our men brought one of the Johnnies down,
and the others of the squad fired off their pieces into
the air as they fled toward town, leaving their wound-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. Ill
ed comrade. We quickened our pace and entered
the deserted town at 9 a. m., the enemy having made
a disorderly retreat down the Murfreesboro road.
Our men were not idle the six hours we remained
here. A large lot of flour, bacon and whisky fell
into our hands. As we had no means of transporta-
tion, Col. Matthews gave orders to press every wagon,
mule, horse and buggy that could be found. All
who were not engaged in collecting this novel forage
train, were put to cooking the flour into bread. Our
men not being very well supplied with utensils, the
majority of the Eighth boys paid many of the
poorer class of citizens liberally in flour to convert a
large portion of that article into bread. All the
whisky, except two barrels, the colonel wisely de-
stroyed by knocking out the heads and letting the
contents flow on the ground. But, by some means,
a considerable quantity of the ''precious" fluid
leaked into many canteens. Carmoody, '' our Irish-
man," said, " 'dade, 'an it's wicked we are, to be
wasiin' the pure ould stuff"; but thin, them thavin'
gorreelas '1 be dry es a fish when they come stalein'
back."
Having accomplished all we could, at 6 o'clock
p. m. our column formed behind our captured com-
missaries, drawn by old broken-down horses, that
had seen hard service under Morgan's men. Vehicles
of all kinds, except good ones, were in the train,
driven principally by citizens, whose anxiety for the
safe return of the pressed teams prompted them to
volunteer their services. The men's haversacks were
112 HISTORY OF THE
crammed full of smoking bread, and yet we had not
room to store the large quanties which remained,
but Captain Wilson, on the eve of leaving Leb-
anon, spied a buggy that had been overlooked.'
This was soon loaded, and the men of Companies C
and H drew it along, in the ranks, by turns. All
were in jubilant spirits, and marched up briskly on
our return toward Nashville. About the middle of
the night we came up with the Twenty-first Corps,
at Silver Springs, having marched thirty-five miles
in the last twelve hours — the last fifteen miles with
extra loads, which made all of us enjoy that refresh-
ing sleep none but the weary know how to appre-
ciate.
We remained at Silver Springs six days, being the
longest halt we had made for near three months.
The rain fell in such quantities that drilling had to
be dispensed with, and we were allowed to rest and
enjoy full rations, with occasionally the luxury of a
taste of our captured whisky, for a few mornings.
On the 13th the Eighth formed the guards to es-
cort a forage train into the country, to collect forage
while the wagons were being loaded. Our boys did
not forget their own creature comforts, for on their
return to camp nearly every man brought a little
donation for his particular mess, such as a chicken,
or a few potatoes; also, a good sized pumpkin
graced the bayonet of nearly every gun.
At noon, the 17th, the regiment formed, and
marched as guards to a supply train going to the
Fourteenth Brigade, under Col. Hawkins, stationed
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II3
at Rural Hill, twelve miles southeast of Silver
Springs. The camp and garrison of our regiment
were left in charge of the few men not able for duty,
and after a tedious, muddy march, arrived late in the
night and took up quarters on an old Methodist
camp meeting ground, situated one-fourth of a mile
from the brigade, the old plank shanties affording
good protection from the drizzling rain, which had
not ceased when we awoke early the morning
of the i8th of November. The surrounding country
was shrouded in a smoky mist. The 8th boys were
within the shanties busily preparing and eating our
morning meal, when we were a little surprised to
hear a few of the 14th pickets fire and immediately
after about two hundred rebel cavalry came charging
toward our shanties yelling like savages, evidently
unaware of our sheltered position. The officers and
men of the 8th did not fool away any time to form
in line, but every man seized his gun, choosing each
his window or crack, while some knocked off boards
for port-holes. On came the yelling Johnnies.
When within easy range of the innocent looking
shanties. Col. May gave the command, ^' Steady
boys, fire." The volley that was poured into those
unsuspecting Johnnies emptied so many saddles, they
checked up in great confusion, and before they could
realize their situation the deadly popping of our
guns began again with such telling effect, the enemy
were glad to retreat as fast as they came, leaving
seven of their comrades dead and wounded on the
field. A number of their wounded were carried off
114
HISTORY OF THE
with the retreating party. In the pockets of a rebel
lieutenant were found several ''rat-tail" files, that
some of their wounded acknowledged were to be
used in spiking the artillery belonging to the Four-
teenth Brigade, which were situated rather too far
from the infantry for ready support. As soon as the
disconcerted rebels were well out of sight and hear-
ing our men stacked arms and began hunting up
their scattered cooking utensils, and proceeded to
finish their breakfast.
When the firing of the pickets were first heard by
us, Lieutenant S seized one of the idle guns, at
the same time was frantically urging his company to
get into line. Little Ab. Wiseman, of Company K,
ran up to Lieutenant S , holding out his cup of
coffee, saying: "Lieutenant, if you are not going
to use my gun, just hold my coffee, and watch me
tumble one of them jips." Wiseman made good
use of his gun. After the action he asked the lieu-
tenant what he had done with his coffee. The lieu-
tenant had forgotten. "Well, lieutenant/' said
Ab., " you may do to trust in a fight, but you can't
hold coffee for me again, sure."
Colonel Hawkins complimented the Eighth for
their timely and efficient services, and, expecting
another visit from the enemy, detained the regi.
ment here until the next day, the 19th, when the
regiment marched toward Nashville, and bivouacked
near Stone river, and on the 20th moved two miles
down the stream to the crossing of the Lebanon pike,
where our convalescents and camp equipage, with the
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II5
remainder of the brigade, had moved. The next
day we crossed to the north side of the river, and
laid off a regular camp near the Nashville and Leb-
anon pike.
The quartermaster issued to us some clothing that
requisitions had been sent in for at Gallatin. Burnham
was a man we all liked, but like many good men, he
let strong drink too often get the better of him, and
he resigned. Lieutenant Thos. Carson was ap-
pointed acting quartermaster.
Lieutenants W. Park and Jackson, with two men
from each company, were here detached and assigned
to the Mechanic's Corps.
The 24th, being a nice day, the Eighth drilled and
had dress parade for the first time since the first of
September. Colonel May made the regiment one of
his interesting speeches. Some of our men that had
been left sick in Nashville rejoined the command,
and Sergeant Lewis, Company H, was appointed
regimental wagonmaster.
The 25th we loaded up and marched across to the
Murfreesboro pike, where we remained until the
28th. On that evening we moved near the deaf and
dumb asylum, four miles south.
The regiment, as well as all the brigade, worked
hard the 29th, clearing off brush and trying to ar-
range our old, leaky tents and flies, so as to protect
us from the cold wind, that began to have an icy
tinge. Here Captains Winbourn and Hickman re-
joined us, both having been sick, and had -been
absent nearly two months.
Il6 HISTORY OF THE
The ist day of December the Third Division Was
reviewed by General Rosecrans^ not merely as a
military custom, but to see the actual condition of
his army. The men returned to camp much pleased
with " Old Rosy." As he slowly passed along the
line he was sure to notice any and all unsoldierly
appearance. An untied shoe, or a badly adjusted
knapsack, was mildly pointed out ; if the fault ap-
peared to be the neglect of the soldier, he would
stop and administer a short but pointed good-humored
lecture, often'saying : " My men have to be clothed
and fed if it takes the last dollar the government can
raise to do it with. Now, boys, if you need pants,
shoes or anything allowed the soldier, get after your
captain ; let the captain get after the quartermaster,
and let him get after the brigade and division quar-
termastersj until the complaint reaches the quarter-
master general, and our needs supplied ; then, by
the help of God, we will put down this rebellion."
The old saying that ''first impressions are lasting
ones" proved true in this case. " Old Rosy" was
ever after loved and respected by the men of our
brigade, and his orders were at all times our law,
and obeyed with cheerful alacrity.
The weather continued cold for several days, and
our men suffered for want of overcoats. On the 7th
of December Colonel Barnes left for Kentucky on
leave of absence, but before he started he did a
good act in calling Chaplain Paul to account for
speculating off the men, by buying up at a very small
per cent, all of the first issue of greenbacks, or demand
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. i i 7
notes, that were at all times worth their face in gold.
He soon after sent in his resignation as chaplain of
the Eighth, and it was accepted. '' Timothy " had
not proved of much advantage spiritually to the
Eighth. But all the fault may not have been his
He had preached but few sermons, for the boys gen-
erally believed, from his general conduct, that he
was not spiritually minded.
The 9th of December the Third Brigade and fifty
wagons went out on Stone river, near Dobbin^s Ferry
on a foraging expedition. The rebel cavalry had on
several occasions attacked our foraging parties, and
Colonel Matthews had two pieces of artillery taken
along with us. Passing outside our outer videfetes, we
were soon near the ferry, on what we termed neutral
ground. The Twenty-first and Eighth Kentucky pro-
ceeded to load the wagons from full cribs of corn on
two adjoining farms. The Fifty-first Ohio and
Thirty-fifth Indiana formed a good chain of pickets.
We had been engaged in loading but a short time
before a regiment of rebel cavalry made an attack
on the Thirty-fifth, and for fifteen minutes the fight-
ing was sharp, the Thirty-fifth being reinforced by
the Fifty-first and part of the Twenty-first Ken-
tucky, caused the Johnnies to fall back, leaving
three of their men dead and several badly wounded
The Thirty-fifth lost three killed and sixteen
wounded, principally slight. Adjutant Mullen bein^
tlie first to fall, with a ball through his fair temple
I he train was at last loaded and put in motion. Col-
onel Matthews, with the Thirty-fifth and Fifty-first
Il8 HISTORY OF THE
in frontjthe Twenty-first deployed, marched along by
the wagons, and the Eighth commanded by Lieuten-
ant Colonel May, forming the rear guard. A few
stray shots fell among us from a body of mounted
rebs on the opposite side of the river ; but we knew
that was done to attract our attention while a part of
their force endeavored to cut us off from the train.
The adjutant being absent, Colonel May asked me to
mount a mule and act to him in that capacity. A
half mile from the ferry the road ran through a dense
growth of low cedars. Here we were attacked by
two regiments of rebel cavalry on our left. We
halted, fronted and opened a deadly oblique fire, our
front rank kneeling to obtain clear range under the
cedar boughs and give the rear rank better oppor-
tunity to fire low, and thus for twenty minutes we
held them in check and did them serious injury.
By Colonel May's order I went down the road a
short distance and discovered part of the enemy's
force were moving toward the rear of the train, evi-
dently with the intention of trying to cut us off. I
hurried back and reported to Colonel May that fact.
He gave the command right face, forward, double
quick, march, for one-fourth of a mile, and we came
opposite the last named force, who were now dis-
mounted. Again we halted, and returned their
sharp fire, each man firing about four rounds. See-
ing the danger of having our little regiment sur-
rounded by such superior number, our brave old
colonel's voice again rang out above the rattle of
musketry, " Right face, forward, double quick,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. II9
march!" Our column crowded the narrow road,
Colonel May and myself being on the side of
the column and mounted, were compelled to fall in
to the rear of the regiment, and became special
targets for the enemy, who came pressing on after
us, after the boys cleared the road, the colonel and
the author followed on. I was minus a cap, that
had been shot from my head. The Colonel's over-
coat had two bullet holes in it, and one through old
Black's ear. We double-quicked in an oblique di-
rection through the woods, and soon came to the
other regiments, who had with our two pieces of
artillery started back to assist us, while the wagon
train went lumbering on .safe into camp. The
Eighth took position on the left of the brigade,
the solid shot from the rebel battery whizzing un-
comfortably near our heads. We lay in line, sup-
porting our two pieces, until the last charge in the
caissons were fired. The enemy appeared not to de-
sire any more close work with small arms, and as
night came on they fell back, and we marched back
to our encampment. Our loss in the Eighth was
two killed, fourteen wounded and five prisoners. Of
the wounded were Lieut, McDaniel, slight wound in
shoulder ; private Ross, Company G ; Fillpot and
Corporal Landrum, Company A ; one of Company
C, one of Company I, and private B. Frailey, Com-
pany H, badly. Surgeon Mills amputated Lan-
drum's arm the morning of the loth. He and Frailey
soon after died of their wounds. The enemy's loss was
reported by the detail who went with flag of truce to
I20 HISTORY OF THE
bury our dead, to have been more than twice our loss,
where we were first engaged. It would be unjust in me
to mention any particular or individual act of brav-
ery, when all nobly did their duty. The evening of
the loth our whole division moved back two miles
nearer Nashville, where all remained until the 25th,
the Eighth doing their share of forage and picket duty.
The 14th the author received an order from Gen-
eral VanCleve, now commanding the division, to
proceed to Louisville and bring forward all the offi-
cers' desks and trunks, belonging to the Eighth,
stored there ; also, to collect and bring to the front
all men there in hospitals or barracks belonging to
the Third Brigade. Lieutenant McDaniel accom-
panied me to Nashville. Next morning I took
the train for Louisville, where, by the 23d,
I had collected twenty-eight men of our brigade,
had the officers' baggage carted to the depot and
put on the train that was to follow the one myself
and men occupied. We arrived at Nashville before
daylight, the 24th, that being the last train that
passed over the road for several weeks, Morgan's
guerrillas having on that night destroyed a portion of
the road behind us.
At 8 o'clock I procured a pass for Sergeant Elkin
and the men to get out through the pickets and sent
them on to the command. I remained in the city
until the next day, waiting for our baggage, when I
learned by telegraph that the train containing our
trunks was safe at Elizabethtown awaiting repairs to
the road.
CHAPTER VIII.
By the 26th December, 1862, General Rosecrans
had, by incessant labor, accumulated a large supply
of quartermaster stores, and put the reorganized
Army of the Cumberland in the best possible trim.
He did not wait for clear weather, but early that
rainy morning had the army all in motion on the
several roads leading south from Nashville. The
tents and camp and garrison equipage were left be-
hind in charge of convalescents. Every soldier and
officer, in light marching order, moved on through
the incessant rain, which before night thoroughly
soaked their clothing ; but, with unabated courage,
every man was careful to "keep his powder dry. "
On that dark, rainy night I came up with the Eighth,
bivouacked in the cedars north of Lavergne.
A few days previous Captains Powell, Company
B, and Wilson, Company C, with Lieutenants Gumm
and McDaniel, Company I, had been granted per-
mission, and had returned to Kentucky on leave of
absence; and Captains Jamison, Company D, and
Winbourn, Company H, and Lieutenant Neal, were
left sick at Nashville. This reduced our line officers
considerably, and, Company D having no commis-
sioned officer present, Colonel May, now in com-
mand, put the author temporarily in command of
that company. The other companies were com-
manded as follows :
122- HISTORY OF THE
Company A — Second Lieutenant Jacob Phips.
Company B — Second Lieutenant Joseph Blackwell.
Company C — First Lieutenant Wm. Park.
Company E— Captain Robert B. Hickman.
Company F — Captain John B. Banton.
Company G — Captain Landrum C. Minter.
Company H — First Lieutenant Wade B. Cox.
Company I — Lieutenant Newton Hughes.
Company K — Captain Henry Thomas.
Skirmishing commenced at early dawn the 27th,
and increased into a sharp battle. As we advanced
on Lavergne, at 8 o'clock, our shells soon set the
town on fire, and two hours after, as our brigade
passed through, the majority of the houses were in
smoking ruins. The enemy gave way and fell back
across Stewart's Creek, within ten miles of Mur-
freesboro. Near dark we bivouacked in the cedars
just north of Stewart's Creek. The Eighth Ken-
tucky did not have time to kindle their fires before
we were ordered on picket, one-half the command on
the line at a time. The rain had been pouring
down all the afternoon, and our clothing, which was
wet to the skin, felt anything but comfortable to a
supperless man. We were not disturbed by the
enemy throughout this disagreeable night, which at
last gave way to a bright, pleasant morning. Being
Sunday, our good Catholic general did not move his
army, and all of us who were not detailed for forage
and picket duty had a quiet rest.
The rebel pickets, though in easy hailing distance
of ours, kept very quiet, and, in some instances re-
' EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 23
laxed their sullenness enough to indulge in a friendly-
chat with our pickets. This privates' armistice re-
sulted in a squad from each belligerent army laying
down their arms and advancing to the creek. Thus
separated by the stream, the following conversation
ensued :
Rebel — "What command does you-ens belong to?"^
Federal— "The Third Brigade."
Rebel — " Who commands that ar brigade ?''
Federal—" Colonel Matthews. What is your
command ?"-
Rebel — " We ar Wheeler's ; an' I believe you-ens
are the fellers we fit at Dobbins' Ferry."
Federal — " You bet we are ! What did you think
of us?"
Rebel — ''Darned good marksmen; but whar yer
fellers tryin' to go ter?"
Federal — " To Murfreesboro. "
Rebel — *' Well, you-ens '11 find that ar a mighty
bloody job, sho."
After an exchange of newspapers, thrown over by
attaching to them a stone, each party retired to their
posts.
During the night the rebels fell back, and early
the 29th our division moved over the creek, and
thence through farms, meeting no opposition except
very tall cedar rail fences. We could hear heavy
skirmishing on the Franklin road. At sunset we
halted near Stone River, within two miles of Mur-
freesboro, where our engineers and mechanics were
in a sharp skirmish with rebel sharpshooters. The
124 HISTORY OF THE
former were trying to construct a bridge over the
river near the Nashville Pike. The division formed
line of battle in supporting distance of the pickets,
who became quiet as darkness spread her sable cur-
tain over the earth. We lay on our arms, ready for
any night attack. The bare earth in the trampled-
•down cornfield was wet and cold, and but few men
could feel comfortable enough to sleep.
The 30th day of December, 1862, passed without
-a. general engagement. Both armies appeared to be
feeling around with their skirmishers. Occasionally
a sharp rattle of musketry would ring out through
the cedars, caused by our lines crowding their
pickets, especially in the afternoon. As the atmos-
phere was heavy with considerable fog and misty
rain, the pickets on our right ran against those of
the enemy, and a sharp battle for half an hour was
the result. Then darkness again covered the two
armies that now lay here confronting each other,
only awaiting the light of day to enable them to en-
gage in a mighty conflict of arms, that was destined
to have great influence in deciding the future destiny
of this great, free government.
Our division, after dark, formed column by division,
and lay again in the open field. The rain ceased,
and the wind shifted around from a cold quarter,
making us feel sadly the need of a blanket, but no
complaints were made by any one. Each man re-
ceived sixty rounds of fresh cartridges, and laid
down, expecting to engage in bloody work as soon
as morning should appear.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 25
In order that the reader may better understand
subsequent events in this battle, we will give the
order in which our army of 47,000 was placed. The
Union line of battle extended in the form of an arc.
The left of our division rested at a ford on Stone
River, one mile west of the NasKville Railroad, and
was the left of the line. The right wing lay near the
Franklin Pike, and was composed of McCook's
corps — Johnson's, Sheridan's and Davis' divisions.
General Thomas' corps occupied the center, and
consisted of Negley's and Rousseau's divisions,
while General T. L. Crittenden's corps, composed of
Woods' Palmer's and VanCleve's divisions, formed
the left.
About daylight, the last day of the year 1862, our
brigade, now under command of Colonel Price, of
the Twenty-first Kentucky, was ordered, and double-
quicked to the above named ford on our left. We
waded the river, waist deep, the water being cold
enough to make one catch his breath as it reached
the hips. We hurried into line of battle in sight of
the rebel pickets, and advanced on them about one-
fourth of a mile. The Johnnies made the bullets
sing over our heads as they fell back from our skir-
mish line, who gave them back a sharp fire. During
this maneuver the firing on the extreme right had in-
creased to a heavy battle. The constant roar of
artillery and ominous crashing, rattle of small arms,
told us plainly that the rebels were making a des-
perate attempt to turn our right wing. We were
ordered to fall back and re-cross the river. The
126 HISTORY OF THE
Third Brigade, including the Eighth, formed a re-
serve line of battle near the ford, while the remain-
der of the division was ordered on to support the
right, which was now evidently being pushed back
by the combined force of three rebel corps — Mc-
Coun's, Cheatham's and Claiborne's. Johnson's
command had first given way. The exultant rebels,
partially intoxicated on whisky and gunpowder, fol-
lowed up. Davis' division was next compelled to
fall back. This left Sheridan's right exposed, which
the rebels soon took advantage of. After standing
the shock of the now furious foe for some time, they
in turn were hurled back toward the center, where
old "Lion-Heart" Thomas was riding back and
forth in front of his lines of sturdy heroes, encour-
aging them. All the available force that could be
taken from the left was concentrated here to rein-
force the center, our little brigade being all that was
left to watch the left wing. These were terrible mo-
ments. The horrible spectacle of thousands of our
comrades fleeing before the enemy, a continuous
stream of stretchers, bearing bleeding, torn and
mangled bodies, coming back through our ranks,
made our hearts quiver with sympathy for our bleed-
ing comrades. But all interests were centered just
then in the right center, and our boys chafed at
being compelled to stand inactive and witness the
fight and misery. The enemy, in heavy columns,
emerged from the cedars, exulting in the belief that
victory was theirs. The long line of blue-coats was
still. The word of command was at last given. A
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 27
dazzling sheet of flame burst from the blue ranks,
which riddled the thick mass of the enemy. This
was quickly followed by the roar of our artillery,
shaking the earth and crushing into fragments whole
regiments of grey-coats. Then the tide of battle
turned, and the enemy was driven back over one
mile, leaving the ground covered with their dead
and dying. Mixed and mingled was the blood of
the slain of both armies. General VanCleve, our
division commander, was wounded, and Colonel
Sam. Beaty took command of the division.
During the battle, a regiment of rebel cavalry made
a dash at the house near the ford, used as a hospital.
Our brigade charged down to the river bank and
gave them a volley, and the one battery left with us
gave them a few solid shot, that made them scamper
back, leaving our doctors and wounded unmolested.
The battle ceased at 5 p. m., with our army con-
siderably worsted. That night, at '' Rosy's " head-
quarters, all the corps generals were assembled in
council. General Rosecrans asked the starred crowd
what he should do. General Crittenden said : '' We
may be able yet to whip the enemy here, general."
Rosecrans, bringing his fist down on the table with
much force, said: '' Yes, and we will, if we have to
fight them one week and live on parched corn all
that time."
The Eighth spent this frosty night on the skirmish
line near the river bank, above the ford. The rebel
pickets showed no disposition to advance, and our
orders were not to fire unless they did, the stream
128 HISTORY OF THE
being between us. The night passed in comparative
silence except the groans and shrieks of the wounded
laying in the hospitals.
At 3 o'clock p. m. the heavy booming of the can-
non ceased. Then we discovered the immense col-
umns of the enemy moving toward us. They made
a grand scene, moving over the wide, undulating
field, with their numerous bright flags unfurled and
fluttering in the wind, their several generals mounted
on magnificent chargers, surrounded by their staff
officers. This scene presented to my mind one of
those sublime spectacles of the pomp of war, which
form the bright, delusive side of a picture, in which
horror, misery and death sadly predominated. On
they came, regiments in close column by division.
Our little isolated brigade, that "Old Rosy" had
placed out as a bait to lure on the enemy into his well
arranged trap, ordered in their skirmishers, but not
until the brave and gallant Captain Banton and sev-
eral of his men had fallen. For a few minutes our
line was as still as the grave, but it was only the calm
that preceeds the storm. A small elevation imme-
diately in front concealed the mighty host of
well disciplined grey coats from view for a few
minutes. The gallant old Fifty-first Ohio on our
right on higher ground opened their crashing
sheet of fire first, then as the heads of the
advancing enemy re-appeared within eighty rods
of the 8th, our sturdy mountain boys received the
anxiously desired order, " fire by file, fire." A blaze
of fire and smoke ran along down our ranks, every
After the word " hospitals^'' at end of paragraph on page
128, read :
Early on New Year's morning our brigade waded
the river. The water, about hip deep, was very cold
to our already chilled legs. We hurried into line
and advanced on the enemy's pickets, driving them
from the timber into a large field. At the edge of
this wood we halted and maintained our position ;
but the rebel pickets and sharp-shooters made it
risky to stand erect, as the pickets kept up an irreg-
ular popping throughout the day, and we were not
sorry when darkness permitted us to send details to
the rear and prepare coffee. We suffered during the
night on our regimental bed of weeds, as our blankets
had been cheerfully donated to the wounded.
The 2d, before the sun appeared from behind the
dark-green cedars, picket firing was resumed followed
by heavy artillery all along the lines. Our advanced
position made us an especial target for their artillery,
while the skirmish balls kept up that ominous sing-
ing. Before noon several of Companies B and F
had fallen on the picket line, and Shepherd, Com-
pany C, was killed ; others were wounded by the
enemy's shell, and our flag-staff was shivered by a
solid shot.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 29
man taking a deliberate aim. The effect of this mur-
derous fire became visible to all our men, which in-
fused them with fresh courage. True, our brave lads
were falling fast, but the enemy was checked and
not a mounted rebel in sight of our line. Company
commanders w^ked along behind their men with
encouraging words and to " shoot low." The brave
old " thirty-fives" on our left were also doing nobly.
The ground on top of the ridge in our front was in
fifteen minutes covered with dead, dying and wound-
ed rebels, and many of our men were falling by the
terrible fire of the enemy, who now began to work
around to the right of the Fifty-first Ohio with an
overwhelming force. At the same time another
large force of the enemy were completely flanking
the Thirty-fifth Indiana. The enemy were not more
than forty steps in. our front when we received the
order to fall back, which we were compelled to do,
leaving many of our brave comrades cut down by
leaden messengers of death. As we reached the
north bank of the stream, followed by the wildly
cheering rebels, whose bullets came pattering the
water like a first-class hail storm, the mass of
rebels emerged from the timber into open land.
The opportune moment had come for *' Rosy " to
spring his well laid trap. On the rocky bluff above
us a long mass of cedars, which to a casual observer
appeared a natural growth, suddenly became pros-
trate. Simultaneously the terrific discharge of sixty
pieces of artillery, well charged with grape and
canister, went crashing over our heads, plowing gaps
9
130 HISTORY OF THE
of death and destruction in the heavy columns of
the enemy. This threw them into disorder. Gen-
eral Jeff. C. Davis' division, and the greater part of
Negley's division, rushed forward to the bank of the
stream. Meanwhile, the scattered members of our
brigade fell into line wherever opportunity afforded
the best chance to return the enemy's fire. A des-
perate close range fight ensued. Our artillery con-
tinued to pour a deadly fire over our heads, and be-
fore the water ceased to squirt from our boot-legs
the greater part of our command that remained alive
and not dangerously wounded, re-entered the river,
this time the pursuers. The enemy made a desperate
and confused resistance, and at first were forced to
gradually fall back, but soon were fleeing in a per-
fect rout. They continued this until they had
reached the timber near Little's Creek. A dozen
men, of Companies D and H, of the Eighth, were
the first to straddle one piece of the noted Wash-
ington Battery, taken here from the enemy. Among
them were Coe Howard, H. Harris and Samuel
Everman, Company E. A few brave rebels were
trying to drag off the piece, having thrown down
their arms for that purpose, and the boys succeeded
in capturing three of them, also. About this time
darkness put a stop to the bloody day's work. The
spirit of Bragg's army was broken. As one of the
half drunken prisoners expressed it. *'We are
whooped, fur our rations and whisky 's about out."
But we had suffered terribly. Every officer of the
Eighth engaged in this battle was either wounded
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I3I
or killed, except four, Major Broadhus, Lieutenants
Blackwell, Phips and myself. All of us had bullet
holes in our clothing. The greater part of the un-
injured of our boys spent the first half of the
night on the field among the dead, dying and
wounded of both armies, thickly strewn over
the field and woodland pasture, in many places
half a dozen men on a square rod of surface. We
built up fires, and carried our bleeding comrades to
them, and loaded them into ambulances as fast as we
could procure them. Major Broadhus, of the
Eighth, was indefatigable in procuring conveyances
for our wounded comrades, riding from hospital to
hospital, urging up the tired, sleepy ambulance
drivers. Captain Banton had fallen on the picket line.
Captains Minter and Hickman and Lieutenant W.
B. Cox were mortally wounded. The other wounded
who did not fall into the enemy's hands as pris-
oners, whose names will appear hereafter, were
Lieutenant Colonel R. May, Lieutenant Wm. Park,
Company C; Lieutenant Burley, Company G ; Cap-
tain H. Thomas, Company K; Sergeant D. C. Win-
bourn, and thirty-seven other non-commissioned
officers and privates of the Eighth were found and
carried to farm houses in the vicinity of the battle
ground.
Among the dead on the field, were Sergeant Baker,
Company I ; Moses Dunaway, Company D ; B.
McGuire, Company D ; George Keaton, Company
E ; Jasper Collins, Company B ; John Dearbin,
Company D ; Henry Sheppard, Company C ; Chas.
132 HISTORY OF THE
Moore, Company B, and several others died of
their wounds the next day. Our total loss was, five
days after, reported to be seventy-nine killed and
wounded, out of less than 300.
A short account of my own experience on this
bloody field on that night will probably assist the
reader to form a more correct idea of men, and their
feelings and actions immediately after such a san-
guinary engagement.
We turn from the fleeing enemy, flushed with vic-
tory, though purchased at, oh ! what a price. We
gave three cheers, and return to the timber, with
those fluctuating emotions of exultations^ mixed with
pity, that often stirs the heart of the soldier. The
deadly conflict is over, the fierce bloodthirsty lion
of our nature gives way to the better and finer
promptings of the human heart. As we tenderly
lift the bleeding, mangled forms of our unfortu-
nate comrades, four of us to a body> and carry
them into prostrate groups around the fires, made
to warm alike friends and now helpless foes. Our
work of mercy goes on, and ambulance after ambu-
lance is loaded with wounded. The cries and groans
of familiar voices cause the rough, rude appearing
soldiers' hearts to soften, and they become as sym-
pathetic as our sisters and mothers. The surgeon
had just finished probing and bandaging a mortal
wound, and we were urging him to try and do some-
thing for the five ominous holes in the body of our
brave, and now lamented messmate, Lieutenant Cox,
who, with a score of others, was lying in a circle
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 33
around the fire, on coats and blankets, the
flickering fire causing their pale faces to wear
a ghastly or unearthly appearance. Many of
them were pronounced too far gone to be moved.
While the surgeon was attending to his squad,
myself and two others, of Company H, made a
search for a stretcher, most of them now being at the
various houses containing our suffering brethren,
which a stream of armless and legless humanity were
fast filling up. We went stumbling over the dead,
now almost the sole occupants of the field. A man
in a sitting position attracted our attention. We
went to him, and tightened the bloody handkerchief
around his thigh, that had a wound partly severing
the main artery of that limb. He wore the uniform
of a rebel lieutenant, and said he was from Woodford
County, Kentucky. He asked us our State, and,
upon being informed, took from his pocket a well
worn miniature case, and requested me to send it to
Miss M. Nickerson, Versailles, Kentucky. After a
long hunt the stretcher was found, and at 3 o'clock
a. m. of the 3d, during a hard rain, H. Harris, C.
Howard, a soldier of the Fifty first Ohio and my-
self, toiled over the slippery path, bearing upon our
shoulders the body of our uncomplaining, but suffer-
ing comrade, Lieutenant Cox. On our arrival at
the house we soon became very sick, the sight and
smell of so much human blood, together with the
fatigue and our long fast, causing us to leave the
shelter and seek out a few comrades, on the river
bank, around a struggling fire, where we got a
134 HISTORY OF THE
cup of hot coffee. At that time Major Broadhus
rode up, having just left the field, saying: "Lieu-
tenant, I am about as near dead as any man with a
whole skin in the army." He drank a cup of coffee,
and, with a good blanket over us, we were soon
asleep by a log, on a pile of drifted leaves, and for
two hours forgot there had been a great battle, or
that the rain was pouring down and soaking our leafy
bed and clothing.
At 6 o'clock a. m. the rattle of drums aroused the
slumbering troops. Wringing out some of our cloth-
ing, and taking some more of the black but invigor-
ating coffee, our squad, accompanied by the major,
struck out to find the remnant of our brigade. In
retracing a part of the battle ground we found our
rebel lieutenant still in death, having doubtless bled
to death. During the day the Third Brigade col-
lected and bivouacked on the north bank of the
river. On account of the incessant rain, and
having so much hospital work to do, nothing more
than picket firing toward Murfreesboro occurred.
During a heavy thunder storm, on the night
of the 3d, the enemy made a feigned attack
upon the center of our army. A short, but severe,
skirmish ensued, causing us to £;rouse suddenly from
our cozy beds of weeds and corn stalks, and stand
in line two hours. We were not very anxious for a
renewal of the fight, and, as the firing ceased, were
not displeased to resume our peaceful if not luxurious
couches. We remained here in the mud and water,
with very little to eat, until the 7th, furnishing de-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I35
tails to bury the dead of both armies, the enemy
having made safe their retreat to Tullahoma. The
inclement weather had delayed the unpleasant work.
Our own dead were cared for first, and buried in
single graves. But this mode was abandoned as too
tedious, and several of the rebel dead were made to
occupy one ditch, their "last." Company H's old
Irishman, Tom, being among the fatigue party, was
engaged in placing the bodies in the common grave.
Some of his co-laborers remonstrated with Tom for
tramping on the dead with his feet in order to
straighten out their rigid limbs. This rough son of
the "Emerald Isle" straightened up and cast a look
of contempt at his more feeling comrades and said :
"Hot, tot, mon ! and what did ye's come dow*n here
for, then, if it weren't to put down the ribbils ?
Faith, an' it's more uv thim traithors I'd loik to be
puttin' down this same way. May the saints save
us, but indade I would. Now, b'ys, hand me in that
long yeller-haired one nixt," and the solemn work
proceeded.
CHAPTER IX.
The rebels evacuated Murfreesboro and their snug
winter quarters during the hard rain on the night of
the 3d January, and many of the inhabitants also
fled from their comfortable homes, taking their
slaves with them.
On the morning of the 7th, the Third Brigade
marched from their muddy bivouack on the river
bank, and crossed the river on the remains of the
railroad bridge. We passed through the once pretty,
neat county seat of Rutherford county. Its war-
worn and torn, tumble-down appearance, caused
some of us to feel sad. All public and many private
buildings were full of wounded of both armies. Sur-
geons, wearing both the blue and grey, could be seen
hurrymg to and fro on the streets. Cavalry horses
and ambulance mules were hitched to ornamental
and shade trees, the nice fencing having disappeared
from many fine suburban residences. Our command
halted one mile from town on the Lebanon Pike,
and were making preparations for supper, when we
were hurried out on picket, Major Broadhus com-
manding the Eighth, and were until after dark estab-
lishing the lines, with about one-third of the com-
mand on duty and the remainder in reserve. Rations
were scarce, large quantities of government stores
having been destroyed during the battle by rebel
cavalry, and the L. & N. Railroad yet unrepaired,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 37
caused us to economize the half rations we were then
subsisting on. Some of the Eighth boys, during the
night, were lucky enough to knock over a fat porker,
which added materially to the weight of our lank
haversacks and stomachs.
On returning to where the brigade was on the 8th,
we were as much pleased as surprised to again see
our old, leaky Sibley tents and cooking utensils.
We had felt the need of these useful, almost indis-
pensable articles for over two weeks. The brigade
quartermaster also replaced the boys' blankets and
overcoats they had so readily and willingly parted
with after the battle, that the wounded might have
the benefit of them.
The 9th, myself and several others of the Eighth
went into town to look up wounded friends. In an
old vacated store house we found James Moreland
and John Wilson, of Company H, John Wise and
about half a dozen other boys, all of whom got over
their wounds except Wilson, who, though danger-
ously wounded, gave a weak little cheer as we en-
tered. In another house we found private Waters,
Company C, in the same room with one of his
brothers, wearing the grey rebel uniform, who also
had a serious wound, having received it while in the
rebel ranks in our front on the 2d.
On the 10th, I procured a pass and the loan of
Major Broadhus' horse, and rode back across the
river to the field hospital, where Captain Hickman,
Lieutenant Cox and the principal part of our wounded
were. H. English and Wm. Herndon, Company B,
138 HISTORY OF THE
each had lost a foot ; Ike Thomas, Company H, a
leg ] Sergeant Winbourn had a hole through his
chest ; and in the next room lay the above named
officers, evidently within a few hours of death. They
recognized and talked to me. Captain Winbourn
had arrived from Nashville, and, being yet feeble in
health, was performing the self-imposed task of re-
maining -with his two dying comrades. Captain
Minter had died the day previous, and the other two
officers above named gave up their young, cheerful
and promising lives the following day. Their re-
mains were sent home to be buried by kind friends
and relatives.
The morning of the 13th we moved camp into a
piece of timber midway between the Nashville and
Lebanon Pikes and one and a half miles north of
town. Major Broadhus appointed a board of offi-
cers to survey and condemn our old tents. We re-
ceived new ones of the Bell pattern, and men and
officers generally turned out to brick masonry, erect-
ing chimneys from the same materials the rebels had
used for a like purpose. In a few days we were well
quartered and drawing full rations once more.
The i8th, Colonel Barnes returned, and the follow-
ing day Lieutenant Smallwood arrived with a few
absentees, whom Morgan's raid had prevented from
joining us before the battle.
As soon as we began to get comfortably settled in
our new tents, orders for heavy details began to pour
in from headquarters for pickets, fatigue and forage
duty. A large part of the command worked daily
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 39
on fortifications. Some days the regiment would
guard a long line of empty wagons into the country,
and collect corn, oats, fodder or corn blades. On
these expeditions the Eighth boys never forgot that
men had to be fed as well as army mules, and many
little creature comforts were brought in to season
and vary our regular rations. The 25th our regiment
escorted a train out five miles toward Lebanon, and
returned with heavy loads of corn. Again, the 27th,
the Eighth and Thirty-fifth Indiana, under Major
Broadhus, with fifty teams, proceeded through and
three miles beyond the place we had been a few days
before, and turned into the plantation owned by a
portly old rebel named Atkins. He had a great
quantity of corn, and when he saw how many wagons
we had, and with what speed the soldiers, with the
help of his willing, grinning " niggers," could lower
his well filled cedar log cribs, he indulged in con-
siderable profanity, until Major Broadhus informed
him that he should have a government voucher for
his produce. After having explained to him what
''.voucher" meant, and seeing that his blowing
threats were not heeded, the old fellow cooled down
a little. Meantime some of the boys were trying ta
persuade the no less portly and equally indignant
landlady to sell them a few chickens. Being refused
in not over mild language, some of the Thirty- fifth
undertook to help themselves. The major then
ordered the writer to take a guard of five men and
protect the house and poultry. By this duty I soon,
assumed the role of especial protector and friend, and
140
HISTORY OF THE
succeeded in purchasing from her two nice bacon
hams. After weighing them, she ^' 'lowed they'd
fetch four dollars." I handed her a V greenback.
She scornfully refused the legal tender, saying, '*I
won't have nothin' to do with you'ensshinplasters."
Then she smilingly gave me change for a confeder-
ate "blueback." By this time, the train being
loaded and in motion, Major Broadhus and the puff-
ing old southerner came in to fill out his voucher.
This done, he set out his bottle of " old peach and
sugar." After we had tasted and praised his liquor,
and were about to leave, the now genial old fellow
said: ''Well, me nor the old 'oman nuther kin
read, and the gals is off; you jest read that ar
voucher fur me." When the major came to the
closing sentence, i. e., "to be paid on proof of loy-
alty," a sudden change came over our hospitable
friend ; his anger and profanity were fearful. As we
reached the yard fence we heard him say: "By
h— 11 ! ef it depends on that, I know I'll never get a
cent." We did not tarry to discuss the probabili-
ties of the case. Some of the teams "stalled," as
the drivers call it, delaying us so much it was very
late when we arrived in camp.
The 30th, the entire regiment able for duty worked
on fortifications. About this time our absent officers
returned, and with them came the remainder of our
absentees able for duty, a few of them having been
absent without leave since November. All these ex-
cept one were restored to their proper standing, with
loss of pay while absent. The exception was private
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 141
''Scabber," who, through the influence of some bad
men, enemies to the government, had shunned and
tried to evade the officer, to whom he should have
reported, and consequendy he had to face a general
court martial.
February ist, at dark, the regiment had orders to
be ready at 6 o'clock the next morning to escort an-
other forage train. The bugleman overslept him-
self, and we just had fifteen minutes to prepare and
eat our breakfast. The reader will understand that
military orders, like time and tide, wait for no man.
Many of us, therefore, ate our hard tack and drank
our tin of coffee marching along the Lebanon Pike.
This time we went eleven miles before we began to
load our wagons. A heavy rain retarded our work.
As there were some indications of attack by rebel
cavalry, the Eighth formed the rear guard and the
Fifty-first Ohio the advance on the return. We saw
no armed enemies that day, and arrived in camp
near midnight, tired and ravenously hungry.
The 3d day of February there were several promo-
tions in our line to fill vacancies occasioned by
death. Several of these commissions from the gov-
ernor of Kentucky bore the following clause : " Pro-
moted for gallant and meritorious conduct at the
battle of Stone River. "
The loth, the news of the action of Congress,
authorizing the employment of "contrabands" as
teamsters, laborers and cooks, in the United States
service, also that a bill was before congress for the
arming and equipping of a certain number of negro
142 HISTORY OF THE
troops, was received, and became the one great
theme of discussion with the soldiers, especially in
Kentucky regiments. A few of our officers and quite
a number of the men appeared to still favor the idea
of putting down the rebellion without seriously mo-
lesting the ''divine institution" of slavery, some
contending it foolish, as the " nigger wouldn't fight,
nohow," while others, with indignation, declared
that every white soldier would be disgraced by fight-
ing in the ranks along with the colored troops. Two
or three officers became so jealous of their " honor,
sir," they privately talked of resigning. But a very
large majority of the Eighth, rank and file, con-
tended that it was plainly the duty of the govern-
ment to empower our generals to ''use all and every
available means to suppress or put down this wicked
and useless rebellion." Captain Smallwood and
several other officers immediately took a firm stand
favoring the measure, and in a discussion between
the former and one of his company, who had be-
come very boisterous about "nigger equality," the
captain said, in the hearing of his company, "Boys,
when we entered the service we each took a solemn
oath that we would obey the orders of the president
of the United States and other superior officers.
We then were desperately in earnest, and meant just
what we said, and I have no reason to wish to vio-
late that pledge, and by the help of God I intend to
keep it to the very best of my ability. Nor do I yet
believe that any of you who have done and suffered
so much are willing to see this grand old republic
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 43
Split up into contemptible little provinces, always
fighting to destroy each other. No, boys, we must
maintain our nationality, whatever becomes of
slavery. I know, and you all know, that the south-
ern slave-holders have themselves given the first mor-
tal wound to slavery. Now we say, let the accursed,
barbarous, traitor-breeding institution die. Let no
true soldier try to staunch its wound, or care that
the consequences of this war gives the poor slave his
freedom." Continuing on the subject, he said:
*'Boys, havn't you learned that Buell's policy of
trying to whip the rebels with a part of our forces
and protecting their property with the other part,
guarding cornfields and chicken roosts for rich
rebels, will no longer do ? I say no ! Let the fet-
tered slave loose ; let him flee to our camps to cook;
drive mules, dig earthworks ; and if congress and
the president see proper to arm them to help crush
the rebellion, we should not object. No, I would
not object, if it were possible and practicable, to arm
a regiment of mules or jackasses and let them charge
the enemy ; and, I conclude, if Cuffee is to have his
freedom, he should be allowed to place his carcass
where it may save the lives of many good white men.
Now, Company K, you have my opinion. You all
have an equal right to yours^ but I shall do my duty,
and expect you all to do the same." Before the
close of the war nearly every man of the Eighth
began to look at the negro question like the captain.
During the month of February a good many of
our wounded boys died ; among them George Eng-
144 HISTORY OF THE
lish, Company B; I. Thomas and John Wilson,
Company H. Also, Lieutenant Newton Hughes
and Sergeant Combs, Company I, and private Rich-
ardson, Company H., died from disease contracted
by exposure. I attended a few of these burials.
The bodies of Hughes, Richardson and Combs
were put into rough coffins, which a few of our men
constructed out of rough boards taken from a vacant
dwelling. It was the best we could do under the
circumstances, and much better than the majority of
our dead could be treated. We felt our need of a
chaplain in this sad duty. But a few remarks and
a short prayer, then we laid them away, placing
cedar slabs with name, company and regiment, cut
in plain letters, at the head of each. The last few
days of February the company commanders were
very busy preparing pay rolls.
On the evening of the 3d of March, the Eighth
and Fifty-first Ohio had orders to prepare lo march
early next morning, consequently preparations were
made, and at 7 o'clock a. m. all the Eighth, except
a few sick, were marching on the Lebanon pike,
commanded by Major Broadhus, Colonel Barnes be-
ing again called to Kentucky on official business.
We halted at the ford of Stone River and pitched
our camp on the south side, for the purpose of re-
maining here to guard a pontoon bridge, that the
rebel cavalrj had tried twice to destroy. By dark
we were tolerably well quartered, but felt sadly the
loss of our good fire places and chimneys, it being
cold and damp weather, and expecting to remain
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 45
here some time. The 5th we demolished a large
brick smith shop, and at night the majority of us
were enjoying the cheerful warmth of fires in our
rudely constructed chimneys.
The morning of the 9th we were ordered to .re-
turn to Murfreesboro. On our return the men ap-
peared much pleased at the idea of again occupying
their original encampment. When opposite that
place our wagons, containing camp and garrison
equipage, halted, and we were joined by the balance
of the brigade, with orders to make reconnoissance
or demonstration against the enemy's picket, on the
Shelbyville road. Five miles south of town we
passed our outer pickets, and two miles further came
in sight of their mounted videttes. The brigade
formed in line of battle, with a strong line of skirm-
ishers in advance. We pressed forward a mile
further, the enemy only exchanging a few shots with
our skirmish line, and then fell back to Hoover's
Gap. We bivouacked in line of battle among the
dense growth of cedars, with orders to keep forward
a .strong line of pickets, and wait the enemy's at-
tack. About midnight our cavalry videttes and the
rebels' advance commenced a lively popping of
pistols and carbines. The darkness prevented any
serious harm. Soon after, the rain began to descend,
and continued to fall all day, the loth, on our un-
protected bodies. In the afternoon of that day the
rain increased into a miniature flood. This ap-
peared to keep the Johnnies in our front quite peac-
able, and as we had no orders to advance, we felt
10
146 HISTORY OF THE
satisfied to hover over our smoking cedar rails, more
to protect the rain from extinguishing our fires than
to derive any comforting warmth therefrom, and to
add to our unpleasant situation, our rations were out,
or rather, had been left in the wagons on leaving
Stone River, the previous day. At last, as the
gloomy darkness of this miserable day began to set-
tle over the earth, we gladly received the order to
form the brigade with as little noise as possible,
after which we halted on the pike in column, where
we were forced to stand in the cold mud and water
for two hours, waiting for two companies of the
Twenty-first Kentucky, who had been placed out on
picket during the day, in the thick cedars. The
night being very dark, and no loud talking per-
mitted, the adjutant and brigade picket officer had
much difficulty in finding them. The welcome com-
mand, ''forward," was at last given, and we soon
measured off the seven miles to Murfreesboro. As
we marched through that quiet city our boys struck
up this song :
" Sometimes we have to double-quick ;
This Dixie mud is mighty slick.
The soldier's fare is very rough,
The bread is hard, and beef is tough,
That's the vi^ay they put us through,
I tell you what, it's hard to do.
But we'll obey duty's call,
To conquer Dixie, that is all ! "
We entered our old encampment, north of Mur-
freesboro, at midnight, and were much pleased to
find the wagoners and convalescents had all our tents
up for us.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 147
The i2th of March, 1863, Major Johnson paid
the Eighth Kentucky four months' pay. Full pock-
ets generally caused smiling faces ; but many of the
boys were in debt to the sutler, while others had
wives and families at home that needed, and gener-
ally received, all the husband could spare. Soon the
majority of our men only had left a little '' tobacco
money."
The 13th General VanCleve, " grandpap," as the
boys called him, returned, healed of his wound, and
again took command of the Third Division.
The 1 8th the Twenty-first Army Corps was re-
viewed by General Rosecrans. The next day we
moved our camp a half mile further north, in the
edge of a cotton field, near Little's Creek, where
the other regiments of the Third Brigade were al-
ready encamped.
The 2 2d Colonel Barnes returned from Kentucky
and took command of the brigade. Colonel Mat-
thews being absent on leave of absence. The same
day Captain Winbourn, Company H, and Captain
Jamison, Company D, resigned on account of ill
health, and returned home. Here all the brigade
decorated our well arranged encampment with long
avenues of cedar trees, planted to shade and beautify
our white tented village.
The latter part of March we began daily drills.
Our stylish, vigilant (and as some of our boys
thought, over particular), brigade inspector. Cap-
tain Woods, of the Fifty-first Ohio, having reported
some of the Eighth boys for a trivial omission, in-
148 HISTORY OF THE
voked the displeasure of the whole command.
From some cause, one morning, the inspector made
his morning trip around our pickets rather earlier
than usual, and was galloping along near the bank of
Little's Creek, where the thick timber and dense
fog in the early dawn made objects at a short distance
very indistinct, when, from the opposite side of the
muddy stream, came in unmistakable distinctness to
the captain's ears :
^' Halt ! who comes there ? "
He replied, ''brigade inspector."
Sentinel — ''I know no man in the dark. Dis-
mount, advance, and give the countersign."
The captain looked at the miry, filthy stream, and
began to parley with the obdurate sentinel.
The repetition of the word '' advance," accom-
panied by the ominous click of the gun lock, settled
the matter instantly. With hands raised, his pol-
ished boots and gold-corded pants reeking with
muddy water, that official leaned over the point of
Campbell's bayonet, and spoke the password : *' You
are too soon, captain."
April ist we had orders to draw and cook five
days' rations, each man with 100 rounds, and be
ready to march at sunrise, the 2d. Accordingly, our
brigade, now under Colonel Matthews, a battery of
light artillery and two regiments of cavalry, all under
the command of General Stanley, marched early out
the Liberty road. The day was warm for the season,
the long rest had refreshed our men, and we tripped
along after the cavalry lively, but before night many
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I49
of the men became much wearied. We bivouacked
twenty miles from Murfreesboro, near a village called
Auburn. At midnight the troops were all awakened
without bugle or drum, and in comparative silence
resumed the march toward Liberty, where we ex-
pected to find about 5,000 mounted rebels, under
Robert Breckinridge. About sunrise we waded
Smith's fork of Duck River, halted and ate our
breakfast. Here we were joined by some East Ten-
nessee cavalry. At 11 o'clock we passed through
Liberty, and hurried on up Dry Creek, and found
the Johnnies occupying the mount on the south,
called Snow Hill. The brigade formed line with
two companies from each regiment thrown forward
as skirmishers, and the cavalry sent round to flank
the enemy, with orders to gain their rear. With
quick-step we ascended the steep, rocky mountain.
When near the summit the enemy's pickets opened
a scattering fire on us, that went harmlessly over our
heads. Our advance charged on them before they
could reload. They fled down the opposite slope to
their second line of dismounted cavalry, who lay
protected by a rude breastwork of logs and stone.
We engaged them in a short skirmish. By this time
our artillery had got in position and began to shell
the Johnnies. General Stanley, who, like all the other
staff" officers, was on foot, walked down among our
boys, and asked, "What regiment is this? "
" The Eighth Kentucky, was the response.
"Well, Kentuckians are not afraid! charge on
them rascals, and shoot their heads off"."
150 HISTORY OF THE
With a yell, our skirmishers, Companies A and B,
and a score of volunteers from other companies,
pitched forward at a double-quick. The rebels fled
to where their horses were, over another hill, leaving
several dead and six prisoners in our hands. The
cavalry now attacked, and ran the enemy off toward
Smithville. Our loss was only three wounded. This
ended our Snow Hill battle.
Our infantry force returned to Liberty, where we
bivouacked for the night.
The 4th we started on our return, and reached Al-
exandria, county seat of DeKalb County, ten miles
west of Liberty. We awaited the return of the cavalry,
and near night moved seven miles toward Lebanon.
The 5th, early in the morning, we resumed
the march through Cherry Valley, a beautiful
farming district. At Sharp's Springs, a small village,
we found a store containing a considerable quantity
of Confederate stores. We had no transportation
to remove them, and before all the force had passed
the store ^*took fire." We then passed through
Lebanon and bivouacked seven miles from that place.
Our peaceful sleep was interrupted twice during the
night by the reports of our cavalry's carbines. They
brought in three prisoners the next morning, said to
have been bushwhackers. We arrived at our old
camp, near Murfreeboro, on the 6th.
We resumed our usual routine of dailv duty, to wit ;
Reveille, at 5 a. m.
First — Regiments form on their respective parade
grounds, and stand to arms one hour.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 15I
Second — Breakfast at 7 o'clock.
Third — Guard mounting, at 8 o'clock, of thirty-
five men and two officers for picket, ten men and
one officer for camp guard.
Fourth — Company drill from 9 to 11 o'clock.
Fifth — Dinner.
Sixth — Battalion and brigade drill from 2 to 4 p. m.
Seventh — Dress parade at 5, supper at 6, and
tattoo at 8 o'clock p. m.
Thus life again begun with us. So constantly
was every soldier employed, that one day each week
was allowed for " wash day. "" Washing with us was
as much of a duty as fighting. Woe unto the un-
lucky sloven that appeared at Sunday morning in-
spection with dirty clothes, dirty hands, long hair
or untrimmed beard. Wash day with the Eighth
boys brought its amusements, as well as its vexations.
The latter grew less with us as we became thoroughly
initiated into the mysteries of washing, rinsing and
wringing, and some fastidious boys would worry over
an imperfect or badly washed shirt as much as their
mothers or sisters ever did over their soiled linen.
In the House of Representatives of the State of
Kentucky, March 2d, 1863, Messrs. Cleveland and
Burnham were appointed a committee on the part of
the House to receive from the Governor certain flags
of Kentucky troops. At the appointed hour the
Senate repaired to the House for the purpose indi-
cated in a former resolution. At noon Mr. Wick-
liff, Secretary of State, appeared with the storm-
tossed and war worn flags of the Fifteenth, Seven-
152 HISTORY OF THE
teenth, Sixth, Ninth, Eighth and Twenty-first Regi-
ments of Kentucky volunteer infantry, together with
a message from the governor, giving a short history
of each flag. In that message, in referring to the
flags of the Eighth and Twenty-first, he said :
''These mementoes, which I have the honor to
place at your disposal, were brought from Tennessee.
They are storm- tossed and leaden-tattered flags pre-
sented to me for preservation, along with other
mementoes of the terrible realities of the existing
convulsion. Under these riddled colors many
cherished sons of Kentucky have met death in this
cruel and unnatural war. We are pleased to have
been the bearer to this body of these flags, that were
borne amid the storm of battle by our gallant sons.
It will be observed that the colors of the Eighth
Regiment (Colonel Barnes) is almost completely de-
stroyed. It was upheld, amid showers of shot and
shell, by Edgar Park, Company C, until the missiles
of the foe had pierced again and again its every fold.
Finally, the staff was struck and shivered to pieces.
The enemy was crowding closely around the un-
daunted standard-bearer. The broken staff could
no longer be grasped, but he quickly gathered the
remnants of the flag and bore them rapidly to those
who so nobly defended it, with an intrepidity rarely
equaled and never surpassed. These standards,
around which cluster so many glorious memories, it
is hoped, will be placed in the archives of the State,
while others will be furnished to take their places in
ihe field.''
CHAPTER X.
The loth of April our encampment was aroused
by the report of rebel guerrillas capturing a train near
Lavergne, and robbing the passengers of money and
other valuables, our jolly musician, P. D. Schull,
being among the unfortunate victims.
As the weather grew warmer our battalion and
brigade evening drills became less enjoyable. All
the survivors will long remember the amount of toil
and sweat these knapsack drills cost them on that
old cotton field. On this same old field, the 13th,
the brigade formed. The men had all blacked their
shoes, and donned their best appearance, and the
officers were in dress parade outfit. We passed in
review of General VanCleve (" Grand-pap"), who
had just returned, with his wound healed. The
command then formed square by divisions, closed in
mass. Into the center rode Colonel Matthews,
seated on his noted yellow horse, and accompanied
by his staff. He made us his farewell address,
having been elected mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. He
had endeared himself to every regiment, and many
regretted his having to leave us, though the Eighth
boys felt some pride at Colonel Barnes taking his
place as commander of the brigade ; and as Lieu-
tenant Colonel May had been promoted to colonel
of the Seventh Kentucky, Major Broadhus thus took
command of the Eighth, but his failing health and
154 HISTORY OF THE
emaciated looks convinced many of us th^ we would
soon lose him too.
The 2oth April our pleasant faced old paymaster
again paid us a visit and our allowance of green-
backs for January and February. The last company
had received pay by 9 o'clock, p. m., and many had
retired to bed, when we were ordered to march im-
mediately toward Lebanon. The enemy was reported
to be advancing. Our new rolls of greenbacks were
hastily left with a few convalescents, fearing the for-
tunes of war might place them in the hands of rebels,
who were anxious to get some of **you'ens money."
With a fresh supply of cartridges and rations, the
brigade hurried out past the pickets, who were now
on the qui vive. Our blood was up, and a cheerful
inclination for fight pervaded the ranks. This san-
guinary feeling increased when we came in hearing
of a clattering noise in advance of us, supposed to be
rebel cavalry on the hard stone road. We hurried
from column into line, and, with fixed bayonets,
awaited the expected charge of the mounted enemy.
A few cavalry videttes of ours returned and reported
to Colonel Barnes that the supposed enemy was
about a hundred negroes at a vacant house in front
of us holding a mammoth jubilee, and their vigorous
dancing was so spirited and executed with so much
vim that our pickets mistook the sound for advanc-
ing foes. Our men received this explanation with
loud cheers, and returned to camp, leaving the inno-
cent but noisy darkies enjoying themselves over their
newly-found freedom.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 55
April 27th, Major Broadhus resigned. The line
officers met and passed resolutions expressing their
high esteem for the major. His bravery and cheer-
ful company had made him the lasting friend of all
of the command, and general regret was felt at the
loss of his company. The next day the writer was
present when Lieutenant Carson presented the^ major
with a copy of the resolutions. He appeared much
affected, and expressed his thanks, through an officer,
to the regiment, saying his love for all and sorrow at
parting admonished him to avoid a public leave-
taking. Regret was depicted on every face as he
silently took each man by the hand to say farewell.
Again, the evening of the 8th of May, we were
made sad to part with another one of our good
officers. Lieutenant Colonel Reuben May, having re-
covered from his wound received at Stone River, had
returned to the regiment only for the purpose of
arranging a few small private affairs and bid us fare-
well, having been promoted to colonel of the Seventh
Kentucky Infantry, for gallant and meritorious con-
duct on the battlefield of Stone River. That even-
ing, at dress parade, he made us his farewell address.
I can give only an extract of his appropriate little
speech : " Boys, we have made many hard marches
together. We have met the enemy more than once,
and have always driven them. This regiment has
the name of being the bravest of the brave, and I
have been promoted for my gallantry and bravery,
but I do not deserve it. It is you boys who have
won for me that honor. I shall ever remember and
156 HISTORY OF THE
honor every one of you." At the conchision of the
lieutenant colonel's remarks, Major Clark proposed
three cheers for Colonel May. They were given
with a will, but the writer noticed many of the men's
voices quivered with emotion.
The 1 2th May, Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew and
Major Clark were '' married " to their late commis-
sions, having recently been promoted. As custom
required, every officer, when promoted, was expected
to give his brother officers in the regiment a wedding
supper, and this double wedding, at Keneday's sut-
ler tent, will long be remembered by the survivors of
the old Eighth.
In our cheerfulness and banqueting over our
recently promoted officers, we did not forget our
fallen brave comrades, whose decaying bodies lay
within one mile of camp, in their rude bare graves.
On Sunday morning, the 17th of May, a squad of
officers and men, being provided with a picket pass,
and a well lettered cedar board for each one of the
dead of the Eighth (bearing the name, rank, com-
pany and regiment), and a spade, proceeded to that
part of the battlefield where, on the 2d of January,
1863, Breckenridge's half-drunken rebels fought our
brigade. After a long search among the thousands
of unmarked or indifferently marked graves, we found
the particular ones sought for. Placing the proper
boards well into the earth, the graves were refilled,
and a nice mound made over the once brave and
cheerful comrade. After paying this last tender
tribute to our dead, we took a walk over this mem-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 157
orable field and woodland, now converted into a vast
graveyard. We noticed in many trees not larger
than a man's body as many as sixty musket ball
holes, and great numbers of trees were shivered and
torn to splinters by solid shot. The tiny, delicate
flowers, springing fresh from this blood-enriched
soil, reminded us of how much, indeed, like the
flower or grass are we poor mortals — some, like the
aged man, grow to full maturity, and the hoar frosts
of winter cause them to wither and die; while
others, like those we plucked so fresh, reminded us
of our youthful, heroic dead comrades, cut off in the
full bloom and vigor of life, both by the index finger
of man's hand. The bad odor from many of the
shallow graves rendered our stay much shorter than
it would otherwise have been.
About this time Surgeon Morton was assigned to
our command.
The ist of May the officers of the Eighth or-
ganized themselves into a class for the study of
Casey's Tactics. One hour each day was spent in
''school " recitations, but the various duties of the
officers seriously interfered with regular attendance.
In about three weeks our studies were, as before^
principally confined to private study.
The 25th of May our men were much pleased at
being ordered to turn in the old Springfield muskets
and receive therefor the Enfield rifles, the arms they
had long been desiring. Two days later we thought
we would soon get to try their efficiency at flesh and
blood, as General Rosecrans issued an order for all
iq8 HISTORY OF THE
the troops to hav€ five days' rations constantly on
hand, especially as " Captain" Bragg' s forces began
to show hostile demonstrations about Wartrace and
Hoover's Gap.
During our long stay here we had many reviews
and inspections by brigade inspectors, beside our
regular Sunday morning company inspection. The
third week in May we had no less than three of these,
as the boys called them, "troublesome parades,"
where knapsacks were packed and repacked, the en-
tire contents of the soldiers' scant wardrobe, to the
smallest article, viewed and reviewed. Some of the
men, having overdrawn regulation value of clothing
the first year, now began to economize, and many
could not parade more than one well worn clean
shirt. After the regular Sunday inspection, the first
Sunday in May, Sergeant Wood presented himself at
my tent and inquired if there would be any issue of
clothing soon. He was asked why. "Well, Cap'n,
that old shirt of mine has been viewed so often lately,
and old Captain Wood looked so infernal contempt-
uous the other day when he asked me if that was all
the underwear I had, and you were good enough
not to say anything this morning, I want to get a
new shirt, just to please my namesake, as inspections
appear to be increasing. One fellow in Company A
got thunder from the division inspector, the other
day, just because he had only one pair of socks in his
knapsack. Set me down", captain, 'underwear.'"
About this time Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew ordered
that the man who could show the cleanest gun and
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 59
equipage at weekly inspection should have a free
pass for one week within the picket lines. There
was much interest manifested and much labor ex-
pended in polishing arms. At dress parade, the
13th, the adjutant read the lieutenant colonel's order,
" That Corporal Wm. Smith, Company D, be excused
from all duty and have a free pass for five days.''
This increased the number of aspirants for the
brightest gun, and gave rise to an amusing incident
in Company H. " Dobin Spikes," noted for
spending the least time and labor on washing clothes
and rubbing his gun, now became equally interested
in the various materials used in polishing guns. At
supper he said: •* Gosh, boys, what does Conner
and Smith and these other fellers put on their guns
to keep 'em bright?" One of his comrades, with
much secresy, informed him that it was nothing else
but "bean juice." At the expense of his stomach,
'* Dobin" gave his musket a good coat, and, as the
inside was not the brightest, he also filled it up and
set it away for the night. Early next morning the
orderly notified " Dobin" to get ready for picket.
In his hurry about breakfast he gathered his gun,
hastily rubbed off the thick mixture of dissolved
beans, grease and salt, and forgot all about the con.
tents of the barrel, until in line, and the adjutant
gave the command, "Spring rammers !" '' Dobin,"
in his great dilemma, exclaimed : " Good God !
mine's full of bean soup!" ''Dobin Spikes" was
ordered to be put on extra duty for appearing at
guard mounting with his gun unserviceable, and
l6o HISTORY OF THE
spent the greater part of the day extracting bean
soup from the rusty bore of his prize gun.
The ist day of June, First Lieutenant Gumm,
Company D, Lieutenant Ketchins, Company A^
Lieutenant Smallwood, Company K, Lieutenant
Martin, Company I, and Lieutenant Wright, Com-
pany H, all received commissions as captains of
their respective companies, Captains Jamison,
Thomas, McDaniel and Winbourn having resigned,
and Captain Mayhew having been promoted to the
position of lieutenant colonel. The second lieuten-
ants and first sergeants of those companies also re-
ceived promotions at the same time, to fill vacancies
occasioned by these new captains. The marriage
supper at our sutler's on this occasion was a lively
and expensive, if not an extensive affair. The ma-
jority of the Twenty-first Kentucky officers were
present.
The i6th June, General VanCleve's division, in-
cluding the Eighth, formed into three sides of a
hollow square, and witnessed the execution of a de-
serter from the Ninth Kentucky, named Minx. It
was a sad and shocking scene, causing a soldier to
feel different from witnessing a true, brave comrade
falling in battle. This was the first, and, I am proud
to say, the last military execution we witnessed.
The i8th, the division was reviewed by General
Rosecrans. The same day Colonel Barnes put our
brigade through a two hours' knapsack drill — not a
pleasant recreation in hot weather^ at least that was
the general verdict of the Eighth boys.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l6l
The sentence of the court martial that tried
" Scabber" was read by Adjutant Park, on dress
parade, the i8th, which was, " To wear a ball and
chain in and about the camp of the Eighth Regiment
Kentucky Volunteer Infantry six months." The
command generally felt the shame and disgrace that
the good-natured, light-minded offender should have
felt, and when the smith fastened on John's "jew-
elry/' nearly every man sympathized to some degree
with him as being made an example of.
At last, by great diligence and energy, General
Rosecrans succeeded in bringing the Army of the
Cumberland up to its best possible condition.
On the 23d June, our commander ordered a gen-
eral forward movement of all the forces about Mur-
freesboro, except the Third (our) Division of Crit-
tenden's corps. The rebel army occupied a strong
position, extending from Shelbyville to Wartrace,
about parallel with Duck River, with their base of
supplies at TuUahoma. To follow up this victorious
army in its respective movements, which resulted in
forcing Bragg's army to flee to the south side of the
Tennessee River, would increase this volume to
greater size than contemplated ; therefore, we will
refer the reader to a general history of the war, and
follow up the movements of our particular regiment
and brigade. While our comrades in front were
marching through the rain and mud to dislodge the
enemy, our division struck tents and moved inside
the earthworks, trying to make ourselves as comfort-
able as the circumstances would permit, believing, as
11
1 62 HISTORY OF THE
our division general was an old man, that we had
been left to garrison the place, and would probably
remain here a considerable time. We sympathized
with our comrades in front, whose guns we could
hear thundering away at the enemy.
On the 29th we were rejoiced to see 500 rebel
prisoners brought back, captured at Shelbyville,
where General Stanley's troops had rescued from
sentence of death our brave and daring female spy,
Miss Major Cushman.
The 30th day of June the Third Brigade, under
command of Colonel Barnes, received orders to
march immediately toward McMinnville, with no
baggage except shelter tents and blankets ; all tents
and officers' desks to be left in care of the convales-
cents of each regiment. At that time all the wagons
and teams were in constant use dragging supplies
through the mud and rain to the front. At 4 o'clock
p. m. we formed column and moved out on the
Woodbury Pike. The continued rains had made the
much used roads very muddy. A march of ten
miles brought us to Cripple Creek, where we bivou-
acked.
July ist was one of those still, clear, hot days,
that usually succeeds a heavy rain in that climate.
The power of the sun on the steaming earth and
vegetation caused many of. the boys to give out be-
fore noon. At that hour we arrived at Woodbury.
Our shelter tents were soon pitched near this rebel-
lious town, twenty miles from Murfreesboro. The
next morning the Eighth, with a small squad of cav-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 63
airy, made a scouting party, and went nine nriles to-
ward McMinnville, where Robert Breckinridge and
a force of rebel cavalry were reported to be. The
heat was oppressive, and quite a number of our men
"fagged out," really overpowered with heat. The
writer, being one of the number, will never forget
the kindness of Major Clark, who, always ready to
do an act of kindness to a comrade, placed me on his
horse, while he footed it back to town. Our cavalry
went quite near McMinnville, but found no sign of
the enemy. I was told by Surgeon Robison that I
had fever. He procured lodging for me in the house
of a Mr. Burger, the only Union man of the town.
His__ loyalty, and kindness to myself and Captain
Millard, of the Twenty-first Kentucky, probably
caused him the loss of his house and contents. We
will give the reader this one incident of hundreds of
similar cases of rebel hate and revenge. On enter-
ing the commodious dwelling, my feebleness caused
an immediate introduction to a good bed — the first
feathers I had reclined my weary limbs on for many
•months. I soon discovered that I had fallen into
the hands of real Samaritans. Captain Millard and
a few other sick occupied other rooms. There were
also about twenty Union refugees, women and men,
returning to their homes, yet inside the enemy's
lines. The next day all our division arrived, bring-
ing the good news of " Rosey's" recent victory over
Bragg at Tullahoma. Mr. Burger's two daughters
and some of the refugees gave vent to their joy by
indulging in a few patriotic songs. Soon after one
1 64 HISTORY OF THE
of the daughters of Burger came to my bed with a
tempting morsel of supper for me. I asked : ''Do
many of your citizens rejoice with you over Union
victories?" ''No, indeed, captain; I greatly fear
for papa when you all leave. I have seen some of
them paying close attention to our house. They are
indignant at us for sheltering you and those good
Union people.'' About 8 o'clock everything be-
came quiet except rhe heavy breathing of some
weary sleeping refugees, and at last the extra dose of
morphia caused me to drop into a troubled sleep.
At length I awoke with a smothering, choking sen-
sation. When first I struggled to consciousness
smoke and flames were -bursting into my room. I
cried ''fire !" as loud as my weakness permitted, and
rolled out on to the floor, and gathered my clothing,
haversack, sword and pistol from the chair into
my arms. Unable to stand, I lay yelling "fire!"
and kicking a snoring refugee, who suddenly
sprang up, with half a dozen others. One
heavy fellow rushing around the room in the blind-
ing, hot smoke, hunting for the door, jumped
on my chest, and I lost all consciousness un-
til I felt myself being dragged through the dewy
dog fennel in the yard. Some one had burst open
the door just in time to save me from the horrid
flames. All the inmates were in the yard, most of
them destitute of raiment, except that in which they
slept. I still had my effects (except my watch,
which was lost,) clutched in my arms. The fine
house and its valuable contents were entirely con-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l6c
sumed, and from where the fire originated, it un-
doubtedly was a base act of incendiarism. Surgeon
Robison and a soldier of the Eighth assisted me to a
place near called ''The Hotel," where I lay until
daylight, a prey to the hungry bedbugs. As the am-
bulance, which contained myself and another sick
man, drove out of town the next morning after our
command, we passed an old smith shop, where Mr.
Burger's family had taken refuge. I paid my bill
and called for Miss Melissa, who had waited on me>
and gave her ten dollars, and we left this sad, good
man, almost penniless, but, as he said, yet loyal.
The division marched to within six miles of Mc-
Minnville, where the whole command arrived next
day, the 7th of July, and formed an encampment
half a mile east of town. While erecting shelter
tents, a heavy rain was pouring down, I was fortu-
nate enough to get quartered with a citizen of the
town, where I remained ten days.
On our arrival at McMinnville the resident union-
ists appeared to be overjoyed at their deliverance from
the ''tender mercies" of John Morgan and his
band, and to again see their friends return from their
exile of eleven months.
The loth of July we received the welcome news of
the surrender of Vicksburg. About this time we
had favorable reports from the Army of the Potomac.
Our artillery was used freely in our rejoicings at the
prospect of soon subduing the rebellion. Bright
were many of our anticipations of an early return
home to friends. But we knew not the manv hard
1 66 HISTORY OF THE
marches and bloody battles, death and starvation,
that awaited many of us before final victory should
crown our labors.
The 14th our wagon train arrived from Murfrees-
boro containing our regimental baggage.
The 1 8th the Eighth moved a few hundred yards,
and were soon dwelling in a nicely shaded and dec-
orated encampment, which was kept scrupulously
clean during our stay here. Nearly every day heavy
details from some brigade was sent out foraging, and
the men usually returned with something "fresh"
for their messmates.
The 1 8th I had recovered and reported for duty,
and the next day took command of a foraging party
of one hundred men and twenty wagons. I knew of
a rich old rebel, living seven miles from camp, and,
arriving there, we found a large field of oats ready
for the sickle. The men went to work with a dozen
old mowing scythes and traps of cradles, borrowed
from farms along our road. It was cloudless and
hot, but the thermometer did not stand as near the
boiling point as did Mr. Snipe's temper, while his
oaths and threats were treated as idle vaporings by
his unbidden harvest hands. He received his
voucher without comment, and, as the loaded wagons
filed out into the road, the high-toned, indignant
landlord discovered about a score of his chickens
departing with the train. We left him trying to ex-
haust his vocabulary of denunciations against
Yankees in general, and us in particular.
The 29th Major Johnston paid the regiment four
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 67
months' pay, and the 30th Orderly F. P. Wood left
for Kentucky on furlough, carrying a considerable
sum of money for the soldiers' wives and families
living in Madison and Estill Counties.
The Eighth Regiment went on a foraging expedi-
tion the 4th of August. Two men failed to answer
at roll call. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew ordered
them tied up by the thumbs. On our return to camp
the order was obeyed, but with a strong protest from
Captain Benton, in whose company the men be-
longed. Again, the 6th, a part of the regiment, on
returning from a scout, when near town private Bur-
gess, of Company H, in his persevering efforts to
capture a fat hen, on which he had set his eyes and
heart, failed to overtake the command before our ar-
rival in camp, as he had promised me he would.
Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew remained seated on his
horse until the completion of roll call. When Bur-
gess failed to answer. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew
said, " Captain Wright, I want you to tie that man
up by the thumbs two hours, in the morning.'' I
made no reply. After guard mounting, the follow-
ing morning, the lieutenant colonel sent Adjutant
Park with a message to me, requesting an interview
at headquarters. I need not recite here, only that
I politely, but firmly, refused to tie up Burgess, op-
posing the mode of punishment, especially for trivial
offenses, and that it was not through any disrespect
for the lieutenant colonel, or his authority, that I
refused to comply with the order. A few high words
followed, but Burgess only went on extra duty. The
I 68 HISTORY OF THE
conversation between myself and the colonel was
without auditors, save a negro cock, who started the
report of our high words, which ran through camp
like fire in dry stubble. That evening, after dis-
missal from dress parade, the boys of Company H
caught me up and carried me to my quarters on the
shoulders of several stout men, meanwhile cheering
lustily. Orders from division headquarters were
strict respecting the neat and soldierly appearance of
pickets, guns bright, clothing brushed, and shoes
blacked. In order to carry out this red-tape order,
company commanders purchased blacking. But
some of the boys found it difficult work to transform
their worn and rusty shoes into anything like re-
spectable coverings for the feet. W. Townsend, an
excellent soldier, but somewhat eccentric, threw
aside his badly worn shoes, and, as a burlesque on
the order, took his place with the regular detail, his
bare feet nicely blacked and polished to his con-
trasting white ankles, a roll or two in the bottom of
his pantaloons making the contrast more conspicuous.
Many of the men in line smiled, but Bill went
through the ceremonies of inspection without any
facial or other signs of knowledge of his clownish
appearance. Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew, who ap-
peared to know of no other mode of punish-
ment, promptly had Townsend tied up by the thumbs
with a guard to stand by him until his time expired.
Captain Martin, passing by, saw the guard reach into
Bill's pocket, take out his tobacco, and hold it to
Townsend's mouth for him to get a chew. The
/
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 69
captain then walked up, took out his knife, and cut
the cord, and that was the last man of the Eighth
that was ever tied up. This cruel and unauthorized
mode of enforcing discipline would have been a
dangerous undertaking in the command after that.
CHAPTER XI.
General Rosecrans, having his mind and heart set
on Chattanooga, had by the loth of August, 1863,
repaired the Nashville Railroad as far as Stevenson,
Alabama. Bragg was well known to be fortifying
the " Gate City " of the South, whither he had re-
treated. Everything being in readiness for another
general advance of the Army of the Cumberland,
we received orders the 15th of August to march over
the Cumberland Mountains. Accordingly, the Six-
teenth (.VanCleve's) Division broke up camp and
took the Hill's Creek Gap road to Pikeville.
Before proceeding to give the details of our march
over this rough country, a few words of explanation
concerning the topography of this part of Tennessee
will better enable the reader to understand our sub-
sequent movements. The Cumberland Mountains
consist of two ridges, divided for more than sixty
miles by the narrow, fertile valley of Sequatchie.
The high ridge east of the valley is called Walden's
Ridge. This butts off agai-nst the Tennessee River,
opposite a continuation of the same on the south
side of the river, known as the Sand Mountains,
which also abutt with towering cliffs on the south
side of the river, leaving no space for a road, except
by cutting a space into the sides of the bluff. Along
the N. & C. R. R. has been made a rough wagon
road, called the "Narrows." The Cumberland
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 17I
Mountains proper slope from this narrow valley
westward in broken bluffs for over forty miles, toward
Middle Tennessee. Over these we were about to
march.
The First and Second Brigades of VanCleve's
Division (the Second under Colonel Barnes), passed
through McMinnville, at noon, in the midst of a
fierce rain storm. We only marched six miles and
bivouacked at Harrison's Ford, of Collins' River.
After wading the much swollen stream, by some
error of the commissary all the commissioned offi-
cers were without a supply of provisions, taking all
on hand to supply the soldiers for three days. Of
course, the only alternative was to borrow at a
usurious interest.
Early the 17th, we began the weary task of ascend-
ing the mountain, and was until noon in getting up
the ammunition wagons, leaving the rear regiments
to assist the artillerymen. We proceeded east, over a
desperately rough road, twelve miles, to a small
mountain stream, called Rock River, and bivouacked
in a dense wood. Before dark, no less than six
large rattlesnakes were killed by our regiment alone,
and several by the Thirty-fifth Indiana and Twenty-
first Kentucky. The fear of these poisonous reptiles
caused our rest on the bare earth anything but pleas-
ant. The men called this place Camp Snake.
After a hearty breakfast of crackers and coffee,
with the luxury of a few potatoes, Captains Wilson,
Wright and Dixon were appointed by Lieutenant
Colonel Mayhew to search and overhaul the contents
172 HISTORY OF THE
of our regimental wagons, and throw out all unau-
thorized baggage. To the great merriment of the
men, the of^cers only found and threw out an old
trunk, the property of one Hall, the wagoner whose
complaints of overloading had caused the search to
be made.
The i8th we marched to within six miles of the
valley. We saw but few signs of civilization, the
few houses that we passed being miserable looking
cabins. The officers were worse off than the men
for rations, but we managed to eke out enough for
supper, with promise of some beef for breakfast.
About lo o'clock the encampment had become
comparatively quiet, men and officers lying asleep on
the leafy ground, promiscuously. The drove of
beeves the division quartermaster had brought over
the mountain, from some cause, took fright, and
broke from the corral and came crashing and tearing
through the brush like a tornado, passing through the
left of our regiment, frightening some of the slum-
bering soldiers so much, that many of them climbed
saplings with the agility of squirrels.
At 9 o'clock, the 19th, we arrived at the precipi-
tous descent to this beautiful, picturesque valley,
which lay several thousand feet below us. We de-
scended the road, or rather an irregular stone stair-
way, to the valley, then six miles up northward. We
entered the ancient looking, mountain walled town of
Pikeville, the inhabitants of which did not appear
to be as proud to see us, as we had expected of Ten-
nesseeans.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 73
The following day was excessively hot, still many
of the houses in this old, rusty looking town were
closed, an evidence that the inmates were not over-
joyed to see this first edition of Yankees. But
the excessive heat, combined with female curiosity,
overcame some of the inhabitants, and fair faces and
well arranged toilets appeared at the front windows.
At one sat the pretty Miss K, with rebellious heart
and scorning black eyes, contemptuously cast at
everything blue. Sergeant Hockersmith, of the
Twenty-first, had a fancy for a well cooked mess of
beef brains that amounted to 'almost a weakness, and
was returning from the slaughter yard with his two
brawny hands together, full of bloody brains. In
passing the window the sergeant involuntarily turned
his head to take a glance at so much beauty, beam-
ing with wrath. With the quickness and spiteful-
ness of a cat, she spit in the sergeant's face. A sud-
den movement, the brains were poised on the broad
right palm, and sent flying through the open window
at the young lady's face. Fortunately for her care-
fully arranged toilet, she had the discretion and
activity to dodge the soft missile, v/hich scattered
over the nice carpet on to the opposite wall. The
now furious sergeant strode on toward headquarters.
Just then, an old, fat negro woman, in the brain be-
spattered room, exclaimed: '' Dar, I'se tole Miss
Sally she'd bring deaf an' destruction to dis here
family yet." A short time after, a guard, accom-
panied by an officer, called on Miss Sally, and in-
formed her that General V requested her pres-
174 HISTORY OF THE
ence at headquarters forthwith. The now frightened
lady remonstrated with tears, but the captain of the
guard gallanted her to the general's tent, followed
by the old, fat darkey, who said : " I's gwine ter see
what the great boss '1 do wid de chile." The gen-
eral told her she was about as dangerous to the boys
as a shell with a short fuse, and for safety to all
parties, she had best go to her friends, outside the
the pickets.
We remained at Pikeville until the ist day of Sep-
tember, subsisting principally on green corn, sweet
potatoes, and various other products, collected from
the hitherto unmolested rich farms along the valley.
Foraging parties were sent out daily from division
headquarters, under command of commissioned offi-
cers, and our rudely-constructed tables were bur-
dened with the good things of this favored region.
In a few days after our arrival, the loyal East Ten-
nesseeans began to come into our camp from their
caves, dens, and hiding places in the mountains
lying east and north of Sequatchie. The account
some of these brave men gave of their hardships and
hairbreadth escapes, told in their earnest, quaint
manner, was indeed heroic and romantic. Some oi
them had dwelt principally since the summer of
1 86 1 exiles from their homes and families. The
most of them wore a haggard and careworn look,
but the.sight of the dear, old flag caused some to shed
tears of joy. Among the latter was an old gray-
haired Methodist preacher named Burkett. When
he arrived in camp he was quite an object of pity.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 75
He and the poor frame of a mule he rode were al-
most in a famishing condition. Lieutenant Colonel
Mayhew recognized him as an old acquaintance, and
made him a welcome guest i^the Eighth. He
proved to be a man of consid^ble talent and a
pulpit orator equaled by few. He had been an in-
timate friend and co-worker of Parson Brownlow.
We had him preach for us the night after his arrival,
and there are few of the survivors of the Eighth but
will remember the ragged old man's first sermon.
His zeal for- his Divine Master's cause was warm and
earnest, but could not excel his patriotic enthusiasm
for our bleeding country. By the time his sermon
came to a close every man in the audience was a
warm friend of old Brother Burkett, and a sum of
money was immediately collected to buy him a suit
of clothes. In a few days Colonel Price, of the
Twenty-first Kentucky, had him commissioned chap-
lain of that regiment. Our newly appointed chap-
lain, Kindred, about this time arrived from Ken-
tucky, and he and Father Burkett united their efforts
for the promotion of the cause of religion in the
brigade, and I am proud to record the fact that the
able and untiring efforts of these good men did not
prove fruitless.
General Rosecrans was completing his plans and
movements for an advance on Chattanooga, the gate
city of the Southern Confederacy. On the 21st
August Colonels Wilder and Wagoner's cavalry
brigades, with some of Wood's division of infantry,
crossed over Walden's Ridge, via Poe's Tavern, op-
176 HISTORY OF THE
posite Thurman, and about the last of August shelled
the city, to the great consternation of the inhabi-
tants, as well as the rebels in arms, who made but
slight resistance. ^The movement had the desired
effect, i. e., to caiK the enemy to leave some points
below the city unguarded.
On the ist of September we received orders, and
marched down this peculiar valley, which is from
two to four miles wide, and near sixty in length
from north to south, fenced in by an almost impene-
trable wall of mountains on either side. The dust
was several inches deep, and the unclouded sun shone
into this furnace-like valley with a fiery fierceness that
caused our feet to blister, and the bugle call to halt
for night was never before more welcome. Thus, for
three days, we bore the heat and dust, and at last
came in sight of Jasper, the county seat of Marion
County, Tennessee. I was much amused at one of
the Eighth boys, on coming in view of this irregular
and rusty-looking town, saying, " I wonder if the
town ain't yonder, among them old houses?" Our
division camped here, and on the morning of the
4th a detail of one company from each regiment of
our brigade was ordered to guard a large supply
train, via Bridgeport, Alabama, to cross the Tennes-
see at that point. Company H, of the Eighth, in
command of the author, composed part of this guard.
While the men were preparing their breakfast, I told
Scarbro to follow me, and proceeded to the brigade
smith, who, with two hammers and cold chisel, fol-
lowed the wondering Scarbro and myself to a deep
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 77
ravine near camp, where the rivet in John's "jew-
elry" was quickly severed, and the dishonorable and
galling irons were, by my order, cast into the weeds.
I told the two men not to say anything about what
became of the ball and chain. During the day
many asked John where he kept his *' jewelry." He
invariably replied, "I lost it, and ain't a going back
to hunt fur it." The subsequent good behavior of
Scarbro and courage displayed in action by him at
Chickamauga probably saved me from a court
martial.
On the morning of the 5th the long train crossed
the swaymg pontoon bridge at Bridgeport, Alabama,
which had taken the place of the magnificent struc-
ture recently burned by the rebels. Company H's
rations were about out, but circumstances favored
these ever watchful boys of the Eighth, who discov-
ered two of the bridge guards stealing each a side of
bacon from one of the wagons while crossing the
river. On reaching the southern shore they in-
formed Captain Wright of the theft. That officer,
who generally had an eye to the creature comforts of
himself and men, returned with a squad of men, and
soon had the coveted " ned" brought to light from
one of the boats, and as the wao:ons were trundlino-
ahead, I divided the bacon for more convenient
transportation.
We had expected to join the division at Shell
Mound, but on our arrival there, near sunset the 5th,
we learned that the command had moved on. Early
the next morning, Major Hoskins, commanding the
12
178 HISTORY OF THE
guards, had the train in motion, but owing to the bad
condition of the road up the river, around the foot of
Sand Mountain (known as the '* Narrows"), where
many a stubborn and heroic army mule gave his life
a sacrifice to our bleeding country, we did not come
up with the main force until 10 o'clock, p. m., en-
camped in the mountains, eight miles from Trenton,
Georgia, the county seat of Dallas County.
This country is very rough and mountainous. Old
Carmoody, of Company H, ''our Irishman," re-
marked, on the following morning, " Be jabbers, an'
they hev so much counthry down here they jist hev
to stack it up." What few of the inhabitants of this
country we chanced to see were apparently ignorant
and poor.
On the 8th we marched about four miles, over into
Lookout Valley, and halted for further orders. Here
four rebel deserters came to us and reported that
General Bragg was about to evacuate Cliattanooga,
which proved to be a true report.
Quite early on the following morning we were
marching on to Chattanooga, each soldier carrying
sixty rounds of ammunition, feeling confident of en-
gaging the enemy before night. At 9 o'clock we
met a courier, with a dispatch stating that the enemy
had evacuated. We soon struck the Trenton &
Chattanooga Railroad, and with buoyant spirits
pushed on down the railroad track and over the base
of towering Lookout Mountain, from whence we
could look down on the almost deserted little city,
for many of the citizens had fled south at the approach
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I 79
of the "hateful Yankees." We passed on south of
the city a few miles, and bivouacked at dark, near a
few old houses the people called Rossville, having
marched seventeen miles over very rugged roads.
Weary and footsore, we lay down on the bosom of
mother earth, with strong hopes of soon striking a
death blow to the rebellion.
On the loth, the division marched on the road to-
ward Ringgold, the county town of Catoosa County,
Georgia. Late in the afternoon our advance regi-
ments ran into the enemy's pickets. After a short
skirmish the enemy retired, and we again bivouacked
for the night, with a strong guard thrown out, front
and flank.
Early the nth, our brigade, under command of
Colonel Barnes, was put in advance. After passing
the outer picket, Colonel Barnes ordered Companies
A, B and F, of the Eighth, and three companies of
the Fifty-first Ohio, forward as skirmishers, with the
remainder of those two regiments forming line of
battle on each side of the road, which ran through
hills and hollows, heavily timbered, and covered
with dense brush and undergrowth. The other three
regiments composed the second line of battle. After
advancing two miles, our skirmishers encountered
the enemy's pickets, and commenced a brisk fire,
the rebels gradually retiring. Notwithstanding the
uneven country and dense brush, we maintained a
good line, keeping close behind our skirmishers,
who kept up a rattling fire on the retreating rebels,
until they crossed East Chickamauga River, within
l8o HISTORY OF THE
three-fourths of a mile of Ringgold. They took a
position on the east hill, which rises abrupt from the
water's edge. The river, though a narrow stream,
was in some places over six feet deep, and that, too,
in good pistol range of the enemy's line on the hill
above. Colonel Barnes said : " Boys, it's pretty
steep, but we must make those scoundrels ' git.* By
the right of companies, forward, march !" With a
loud hurrah we plunged into the cold stream, regard-
less of wetting our few greenbacks, only endeavoring
to keep our powder dry. The bullets pattered the
water somewhat after the fashion at Stone River.
We scrambled up the rocky hill under a shower of
bullets, but, fortunately for us, the enemy's aim was
generally too high in their first volley, and before
they could reload our line was within a few yards of
them, and they fled down the other side of the hill
into Ringgold. Our few pieces of artillery were
brought forward and shelled the town, while our line
of battle continued to advance on quick time. On
arriving in the suburbs, our progress was obstructed
by light, paling fences. As each company neared one
of these gardens or yards, a shout and simultaneous
rush against these fences laid them as flat as if swept
by a tornado. The terrified inhabitants were fleeing
in every direction for safety from our noisy boys,
who continued to fire at the armed rebels, whose
flight through the streets was hastened by Colonel
Wilder' s mounted infantry, who came charging and
yelling down the Knoxville road, trying to cut off"
their retreat. But we had pressed them too fast, and
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. l8l
all but a few wounded and prisoners escaped, leaving
us in possession of the town.
Our siKiden and noisy entrance into this little
aristocratic town spread great fear and consternation
among the women, children and negroes, the prin-
cipal inhabitants, as the chivalric gentlemen were in
arms against their country. The former, who had
never before seen any '' V^ankee vandals," had heard
many horrible stories of our wanton cruelty, and no
doubt now thought their time had come. An in-
stance, witnessed by the writer, will give the reader
some idea of many like scenes.
As Company H had just flattened out a paling
fence, and passing in line through a nice yard, in
which was a stately brick dwelling, over which our
screeching shells were passing, a terrified woman,
with five or six children, black and white, holding
to her skirts, rushed out into the yard, in front of
the advancing line, with her hands thrown up, im-
ploringly addressed me thus : ''Oh, what shall I do,
sir ! " I was about giving the command, "guide
right," and added immediately, for answer to the
woman, '' into the cellar, I say." She replied:
" Oh, but what will I do when you burn my house."
I then added in a loud, imperative voice, and, point-
ing to the open cellar door with my drawn sword,
" into the cellar, quick." The terrified woman and
screaming little ones suddenly disappeared under
ground, undoubtedly expecting soon to be roasted by
the burning of her home.
We followed the retreating rebels, pursued by
1 82 HISTORY OF THE
Wilder, about three miles up the east fork of the
Chickamauga, near Tunnel Hill, and bivouacked for
the night. Before morning we learned that we were
in close proximity to a large force of the enemy.
We only had one man wounded. Wilder lost three
killed. The enem} left several wounded in Ring-
gold. We subsisted that night on green corn and
potatoes.
The 1 2th of September our division marched back
to Lee & Gordon's Mills, on the west fork of the
Chickamauga River. Our brigade was late at night
in reaching camp, having to march in rear of a train
and some beef cattle, we had captured from the
enemy.
September 13th the sound of the bugle cut short
our pleasant dreams. Shaking the cold dew from
our gum blankets, we formed line of battle for one
hour. Our advance had driven the enemy from this
point the nth, and from the wrecked appearance of
the scattered rebel pay rolls, old trunks, officers'
desks, etc., strewn over the ground, the Johnnies
must have left suddenly while we were partaking of a
breakfast prepared from the remnants of our previ-
ous day's allowance.
General T. Wood's division, on the opposite side
of the river, was attacked by a rebel division. We
hastily formed, and double-quicked over to his sup-
port. From the rattle of small arms the battle was
hot, but was of short duration. Before we arrived
Wood's men had run them off, but a rebel battery
paid us a few compliments in the shape of some shell,
EIGH'IH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 83
that came uncomfortably near some of us. At 2
o'clock p. m. we re-crossed the river and rejoined
the balance of Crittenden's Corps, occupying the
same ground as we did the previous night.
September 14th. Reveille at 4 o'clock a. m., and
orders to march at daylight. As usual, on such oc-
casions, we had a hurried breakfast. Many were
the different opinions expressed as to where and
which way we would move next. It was generally
known to our men that General Bragg was receiving
large reinforcements from Richmond and Jo John-
ston's army at Atlanta, and the boys said: ''If we
are to cross the river on the east side, there' 1 be
some unpleasantness, sure." But at 8 o'clock the
various arguments on that subject were unceremoni-
ously cut short by General Crittenden marching us,
with all the Twenty- first Corps, out on the road
toward Chattanooga. After proceeding about five
miles we halted in column, and remained there until
dark. The men were allowed to sit or lie down, and
those who mere fortunate enough to have any
''grub " cooked got away with it.
When darkness began to spread over our wooded
retreat we resumed the march, and moved to within
one mile of Lookout Mountain, and bivouacked on
a small hill in McLamore's Cove. This move was
to form a closer connection with General Thomas,
and await the tardy movements of McCook's Corps,
having been sent around by Valley Head to cross
Lookout Mountain at Stephen's Gap, and join the
main army here.
184 HISTORY OF THE
The most of the Eighth lay down under their gum
blankets to sleep without supper,- and some were
too hungry to sleep, but never too tired to grumble
when their haversacks and stomachs were both empty.
The writer lay for hours listening to the humorous
discussions of the men on the wisdom or foolishness
of this mysterious move. We at last slept, leaving
the red signal lights still bobbing away on Lookout.
The ''everlasting bugle," as the boys called it,
awoke us at 4 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th.
Soon the effects of so much promiscuous firing
around the picket line began to come into camp in
the shape of skinned hog, sheep, and occasionally a
quarter of beef would come wagging in between
two soldiers. It was a sweet and savory odor,
eminating from hundreds of broiling steaks and fry-
ing mutton, whetting our already keen appetites.
Soon full stomachs and cheerful faces took the place
of sad, hungry men.
CHAPTER XII.
At 8 o'clock, on the morning of the 15th, the
bugles sounded the assembly, and put a stop to our
cooking and feasting, and at 9 o'clock the Twenty-
first Corps was marching on the road to the noted
Crawfish Spring, where we halted for one hour and
filled our canteens from the fountain that forms the
head of West Chickamauga River. Three miles
further south we bivouacked near Owens' Mill, on
East Chickamauga. Companies H and I were de-
tailed from the Eighth for picket. We knew the
enemy to be near our front, and great vigilance was
therefore necessary, no fire or light being allowed at
the reserve. But the night passed very quietly, ex-
cept one alarm, caused by Gabbard, Company I»
who fired at and badly crippled a cow that he had
supposed to be a mounted rebel.
We remained here for three days, expecting an at-
tack. The night of the i6th a reconnoitering party
from the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky of six-
teen men and two officers (Captains Wilson and
Savage), crossed the river and silently crept through
brush and thickets until they came near the enemy's
cavalry videttes, two of them standing together.
Captain Wilson, of the Eighth, heard them convers-
ng, and crept near enough to hear them debating
the probability of General Bragg and Longstreet's
combined forces being able to utterly annihilate the
1 86 HISTORY OF THE
Union army under Rosecrans, in case they suc-
ceeded in cutting us off from Chattanooga.
The 17th, about noon, there was some firing be-
tween the enemy and Palmer's division, on our right.
The morning of the iSth, two men of the Eighth,
privates M. King and A. Logsdon, passed the pickets
to go to Owens' Mill, to exchange some confederate
scrip for some of the old fellow's black flour. When
nearing the stream King discovered a rebel picket
perched on the fence near the mill house. King
stepped behind a tree and instantly fired, killing the
Johnny. This was like stirring up a hornet's nest.
The rebel skirmishers immediately commenced ad-
vancing, and opened on our line of pickets. In a
few minutes a rebel battery from a hill near the mill
opened on our camp. Artillery was hurried into
position. Our pickets were reinforced and held
them in check, but their shells played havoc with
our coffee-pots, frying-pans, and a nice lot of beef
the boys were jerking, as slowly drying it in strips was
called by our negro cooks. One of the negro cooks
snatched his coffee-pot from the fire and fled at the
first shell. We hastily formed and took a position
behind a slight eminence just in the rear of our
bivouack fires. The pickets kept up a lively skirmish
for several hours, the artillery from both sides throw-
ing shells lively, theirs principally passing harm-
lessly over our line. At 5 p. m. we were relieved by
Palmer's troops, and marched to Lee & Gordon^s
Mills, arriving there near 10 o'clock. Lieutenants
Williams and Lewis and myself were debating ways
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 87
and means for supper, as Bristo and Simp, with all
the other colored cooks, had decamped, leaving us
without supplies, when the white teeth and ebony
countenance of Bristo appeared at our fire, still car-
rying his rescued coffee-boiler and contents that had
been intended for our dinner. Lieutenant Lewis, in
his joy at this lucky turn of affairs, said, '' 'Bris,' if
this war ever ends, you shall have a pension for
heroic conduct." Bristo replied: " Mars lieuten-
ant, I's mighty feared dis nigger '11 end afoh de wah,
ef I has ter stan' annuder sich a day."
It was now evident to all that a great battle was
inevitable, and we rolled ourselves up in our gunx
blankets for a few hours' sleep, not knowing how
many of our little regiment would sleep the sleep
that knows no waking before the shades of another
day closed around us. Hoping to be among those
that would soon see the rebellion subdued into a
lasting peace, that should be equally a blessing to
North and South for many generations to come, we
slept (after committing ourselves and our cause to
Him who rules the destiny of nations) as sound as if
no battle was pending or no danger near.
BATTLE OF CHICKAMAUGA.
The battle commenced about 8 o'clock, a. m., of
the 19th, on the extreme left wing of our line. Gen-
eral Brannan's division of Thomas' corps, being sta-
tioned on the Lafayette road leading to Chattanooga,
was first attacked, the firing rapidly increasing, and
from that time until sunset was that continuous roar
of firearms that speaketh death.
1 88 HISTORY OF THE
In order that the reader may have a better under-
standing of the position of the Eighth Kentucky, I
will state the order of our line of battle. Next on
the right of Brannan's division was Bird's division
of the same corps ; next was General Johnson's
division of McCook's corps, and on the right of
Johnson's was Palmer's division of Crittenden's
corps, and next ours (VanCleve's division), and on
our right Reynolds' division of Thomas' corps, which
covered the ford at the mills of Lee & Gordon, with
Wilder's cavalry guarding the extreme right wing.
Our brigade, commanded by Colonel Barnes, was
formed in column closed in mass. The colonel
made us a short but thrilling speech, which I would
reproduce here had I not lost my memoranda.
Our brigade was held in reserve near the river, be-
low the mills, until near 2 o'clock, p. m. The
superior numbers of the enemy enabled them to
overlap with heavy force each division of ours as
they attacked them in succession, and by noon the
enemy had gained some advantage. Our right and
center were being hard pressed. At i o'clock, p. m.,
they attacked Palmer's troops, and also overlapped
them. Our division (VanCleve's) was then ordered
in. Immediately in our front and between our lines
and the enemy lay several hundred yards of dense
undergrowth. We moved through this brush by the
right of companies, then into line through a small
cornfield to the edge of the heavy timber in which
the enemy was posted. While crossing the field
their skirmish line gave us a scattering fire, then
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 89
hastily withdrew to their main line, not, however,
until we captured several of them secreted behind a
low rail fence.
We continued a steady fire on the enemy's line in
our front. Our men appeared in the best of spirits,
notwithstanding the heavy fire they were pouring on
us. This continued for about thirty minutes, and.
the enemy's line appeared to be giving back. Sev-
eral of our regiment had fallen, badly wounded,
among them being B. Tudor, Company C. We were
expecting momentarially to . be ordered forward,
when, to our surprise, we were completely flanked on
our right by a heavy force, who opened an enfilading
fire on us, at the same time those on our front opened
with renewed vigor, this time with several pieces of
artillery. We were ordered to fall back across the
field to the thicket above mentioned, which we did
in tolerable good order under a terrific storm of shot
and shell, leaving many of our wounded comrades in
that field. We, however, succeeded in carrying back
with us Tudor, Company C, Logsdon and Webb,
Company H, and several others. We straightened
up our line under cover of the brush, and then by the
help of part of Wood's Division succeeded in driving
the enemy back to the timber. When night came
on the firing ceased, except an occasional picket
shot. It was with feelings of pride, blended with
sorrow, that we re-formed our short companies of two
dozen men each, in that thicket, preparatory to our
second advance into the field. It was sad to see
these brave boys, with clouded, but determined faces.
190 HISTORY OF THE
the tears coursing down many of their powder-black-
ened cheeks, caused more from chagrin at being
compelled to fall back than at the loss of comrades.
At dark, Colonel Barnes ordered Captain Wilson
and myself with six men to carry a white flag into
the cornfield after some of our wounded. A shower
of bullets was the response. But we managed to
get all of the Eighth off except those taken prison-
ers — Lieutenant-Colonel Mayhew and five men. By
this inhumanity, the poor, suffering wounded of
friend and foe continued their piteous cries and
groans within easy hearing of both lines throughout
the cold, frosty night. Never before did the hor-
rors of war seem to us so cruel. We could distinctly
hear their lamentable cries, '^O, water, water!"
and occasionally some poor, half-frantic sufferer call-
ing the name of some familiar comrade or friend to
come there. Though we heard none of the Eighth
wounded that we could recognize, several of our
brave boys ventured, after dark, to rescue some of
the wounded of the Fifty-first Ohio. Considering
the intense cold night, with our great coats and
blankets far in the rear, our scant, poor rations, and
being so near so much suffering humanity, without
the privilege of giving any assistance, this certainly
was the most miserable night the Eighth experienced
during the war.
Early in the night. Company I, commanded by
Captain Martin, was posted as pickets in an old
field to the right of where our late engagement was,
and he was relieved at midnight by the author with
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I9I
Company H, of the Eighth. Two hours later, our
entire force fell back two miles further toward Chat-
tanooga. With such profound silence was this with-
drawal made, that we, on the skirmish line, were
not apprised of the move.
Darkness prevented any hostilities after lo o'clock
p. m. The enemy's pickets and ours were in close
proximity. Their force in our front were busy chop-
ping and felling trees the latter part of the night,
making a great noise, and not until 4 o'clock a. m.
on the 20th did we learn that the whole Union line
had moved back over one and a-half miles, and the
officer of the day had not yet notified me to fall
back, and I did not intend to vacate without orders
or a fight, and the latter event appeared certain as
soon as the light of day appeared. I knew I could
trust my company against any equal number of men
and went along their line and instructed each, in
case of being hard pressed, how to retire in line.
The cold, frosty night made us shiver for overcoats.
We were aware of our perilous condition, without
any support, but coolly awaited events. About
dawn, a heavy fog arose from the river and spread
over the surrounding country. Under cover of this
the rebel skirmish line withdrew, probably with the
intention of being relieved by fresh pickets. They
fell back over a small hill. At this time General
Sheridan and staff passed in the rear of our little
company of forgotten pickets. I sent Lieutenant
Lewis to the road to hail the general. He gave me
orders to withdraw my men immediately, adding
192 HISTORY OF THE
that such gross neglect in a field officer of pickets
should be looked into. My company retired in line
until we cleared the open land, and then succeeded
in joining the regiment, and while trying to boil
some coffee for breakfast (our dusky cooks had not
put in an appearance), we were ordered into line
without the coveted coffee and "ned/' Our brigade
was detached from the division, and assigned a posi-
tion near the center of the new line of battle, which
was generally protected with slight and hastily-
formed breastworks, made of rails, logs, stone or
anything that could be conveniently had. The
enemy's evident intention was to force their way be-
tween us and Chattanooga.
The battle was recommenced about 8 o'clock
a. m., and by ten became furious all along the line.
Col. Barnes was ordered to go to the support of one
of General Thomas' divisions on the left center, who
was being hard pressed. Hastily calling in our
skirmishers, we double-quicked about one and one-half
miles, halted, dressed up our line, and had just time
to wipe the dust and sweat from our eyes, when two
of our regiments, the 51st Ohio and the 8th Ken-
tucky, were placed under command of Col. McLean,
commanding the 5 ist, and ordered to go to the support
of Gen. Rousseau, one-half mile further to the right.
We resumed the double-quick, and passed down the
rear of General Reynolds' regulars, who were busily
engaged, pouring volley after volley into the rebel
ranks, the balls of the latter making lively music
about our ears. We entered a corn-field that had
After the words " inemory recurs to it^'' nth line from bot-
tom of page igj, the tolloiaing should appear :
When we were within twenty yards of the enemy
they broke into a perfect rout. The Eighth Kentucky
and Fifty-first Ohio boys kept up the charge, firing
and re-loading as fast as expert hands could. We
drove the enemy nearly half a mile, capturing two
battle-flags and thirty prisoners. Our two regiments
then took a position on the left of General Reynolds,
and, during a lull in the continuous roar and rattle
of small arms, our men labored hard in erecting a
slight breastwork, gathering loose stones and logs.
Up to this time neither army had gained any deci-
sive advantage.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. I93-
lately been laid waste, we being in column by
companies. In our front, at the other side of the
field, we saw the 15th Kentucky and two other regi-
ments falling back, having exhausted their ammuni-
tion. The exulting rebels, under Breckenridge^ were
pressing forward, but not in very good order, though
their bullets were making the corn-stalks rattle in
a very unpleasant manner. Col. McL. gave the
order, "On the right, into line, march I" This
command was repeated by the clear, ringing voice
of our young and gallant Major Clark. We execu-
ted this maneuver at the double-quick, with as much
precision as we ever did on the drill-field. As soon
as Rousseau's men had cleared our front, our boys
opened " fire at will." When within sixty yards of
the enemy, the order was given and repeated at the
top of the' voice of every captain : " Fix bayonets,
charge !" The cheer the 8th Kentucky then gave,
as we made that charge, will doubtless cause every
surviving member's heart to swell with pride as often
as memory recurs to it. But by some mistake of one
of General Thomas' aids reporting to him that there
was a gap in General Brannan's line (one of his
brigades being in echelon caused this apparent open-
ing), consequently General Wood was ordered to
close up on Brannan's right. This move made an actual
opening of a brigade's length in the line half a mile
to our right. The enemy had, during the lull spoken
of, been massing his forces on our right, and they
took immediate advantage of the opening, charging
into this gap with a powerful force, striking one
13
194
HISTORY OF THE
brigade of Wood's division in flank, and sweeping it
away, and also driving back the right of Brannan's
line. Through this wide breach poured a long line
of rebels, taking two batteries and instantly turning
them on our right flank and the rear of General Rey-
nolds' line, sending a perfect storm of grape and
canister shot into our lines. At the same time we
were in a brisk skirmish with the enemy in our front.
This state of affairs made it impossible for us to hold
our position many minutes without certain capture.
Many of our noble boys were wounded. Private S.
Lynch, Company K, was literally torn to fragments
by a shell. Our retreat was necessarily a running
the gauntlet between two fires, while the enemy was
trying to close on us and cut us off". About twenty
of the Eighth were captured, principally wounded.
Where a whole regiment, without a single excep-
tion, does its duty in an action, as our boys did here,
individual mention, probably, should not be made ;
but the squad that stuck to Sergeant R. Cox and the
flag, through the cornstalks, on this occasion, cer-
tainly deserve exceptional praise : Ab. Wiseman
and W. Townsend, Company K ; J. Tipton, Com-
pany C; P. Dennis, " Garl" Conner and C. Webb,
•Company H; Barnett and a few others. Tipton,
Barnett and King were wounded and taken, but the
other boys saved the flag. This coming under my
immediate notice must be taken for my apology for
especial mention.
The principal part of the Eighth, except those
captured or wounded, rallied to the new line of bat-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 95
tie, formed about a mile north of our former posi-
tion, where we remained until 8 o'clock p. m. ^'^'-tcP
At twilight on that bloody day a large rocket shot
up from the enemy's line, and firing soon ceased.
Our loss in this two days' battle was ten killed,
forty-six wounded and twenty-four prisoners, most of
the latter also wounded. Lieutenant Colonel May-
hew was captured the 19th. On the 20th Major
Clark lost his horse and hat, and many of us had
bullet holes in our clothing. That night all our
army except Thomas' corps and the cavalry, made a
silent, and, for many of us, a sad march to Rossville,
four miles from Chattanooga, arriving there about i
o'clock, a. m., the 21st. We threw our weary
bodies on the ground, and for a short time became
oblivious to the din, roar and clash of arms, but
awoke at daylight, most of us feeling sore, with every
limb and joint aching. The sad, powder-blackened
faces of the men, their clothing torn into rags by the
brush, some with pantaloons off at the knees, others
without hats — all looking war-worn and brush-torn
as they silently grouped around the bivouack fires,
preparing our scant remnants for bi'eakfast — would,
under other circumstances, have caused mirth among
ourselves at our own dilapidated appearance. But
we could neither laugh nor ignore the fact, however,
that for the first time we had left our helpless,
wounded comrades on the bloody field in possession
of the enemy. We all knew our army had defeated
greatly superior numbers in their main object, i. e.,
to regain possession of Chattanooga, from which
196 HISTORY OF THE
Bragg' s army had retreated eleven days before. We
also knew that the enemy's loss in killed and wounded
far exceeded ours, and they had gained only what
they had before, and lost their boasted ''gate city of
the south."
i
CHAPTER XIII.
We arrived at Chattanooga at noon, the 21st of
September, and were assigned our position on the
extreme left wing of the new line near the Tennessee
River, half a mile above the city. Though the
Eighth boys were somewhat dispirited at our loss of
comrades, they were not the kind of men to mope or
entertain melanchoUy feelings. Every man in our
army knew the great importance of holding the city,
and, notwithstanding we had taken but three hours
sleep within the last forty-eight hours, our bodies
aching with pains from fatigue and hunger, as soon
as the line of rifle pits were staked off the Eighth
boys siezed picks and spades with eagerness, self-
confidence and determination beaming from every
face, vowing the rebels should never take the coveted
city, and commenced heaving up the red earth, and
to stimulate each other the boys assumed their
wonted cheerfulness. The company commanders
went into the city and each returned with several
canteens full of whisky, captured from the enemy.
The writer spent eight dollars for his company's
spirits, and thought it was a good investment. The
picks and shovels were not permitted to be idle a
moment, day nor night. The Eighth officers would
occasionally jump into the ditch and take some tired
soldier's place, and allow him a few minutes rest.
198 HISTORY OF THE
By dark, the 2 2d, a line of good rifle pits extended
for six miles in a semi-circle around the city, from
our position to the mouth of the creek below the
city.
The 23d, the enemy made their appearance on Mis-
sion Ridge. We expected an attack the next morning.
That night the officers and men labored hard, carry-
ing small trees and brush from the river bank, form-
ing 'an entanglement in front of our works. We
also stretched a telegraph wire, about one foot above
ground, secured to strong stakes, among the brush
in our front, intending to trip up and confuse the
attacking rebels, should they charge our works. But
the threatened attack was never made. Their line
of pickets was established east of Citico Creek,
along the foot of Mission Ridge.
The 25th of September, our pickets being much
annoyed by some rebel sharpshooters, concealed in
a house east of the creek, one of our batteries at
Fort Wood sent a few explosive shells over. One
of them went crashing through and fired the build-
ing. About twenty Johnnies left there quite sud-
denly, and our men could raise their heads above
the edge of the picket holes without so much danger.
Soon after this, the enemy's pickets lying in hailing
distance of ours, agreed to cease hostilities, unless
either should advance. This was a private's affair,
but was maintained with few exceptions for several
weeks. However, the rebels would insist on the fun
of shooting at our officers when they came near our
line. We often took advantage of them by swapping
%cy
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 1 99
coats with the men, and carrying a gun, and no
sword. On one of these occasions the writer heard
the following conversation between a rebel picket
and one of the Eighth.
Rebel Picket. — '* You'ens got plenty of coffee
over thar? "
Eighth Picket. — " You are mighty right, we
have."
R. P. — '' How'll you swap for some Kentucky
whisky ? "
E. P. — '^ Pint for pint ; come over."
They met each other half way, without arms. Af-
ter each had taken a drink and exchanged exhilar-
ating stimulants, the Eighth picket said :
" How many men had Bragg in the fight, last
week ? ' '
R. P. — '* Some sixty thousand. How many was
they of you'ens ? "
E. P. — "Oh, about thirty thousand."
R. P. — '•'■ See here, Yank, that's too thin; you'ens
wus more'n we'ens."
Then each returned to his post.
With the kind reader's permission, we will look at
another scene in army life, in strange contrast to the
bloody scenes we have just recorded.
Time, the 28th of September. Darkness is
spreading over the camp and surrounding country.
The numerous camp fires of the enemy are twink-
ling for miles along the west side of Mission Ridge,
and the bright full moon is just looming up over
the host of the enemy. The last notes of the
200 HISTORY OF THE
bands of the various headquarters are dying
in echoes up the broad Tennessee. The rough,
war-worn veterans of the Eighth and Twenty-first are
collecting in a circular crowd. Chaplains Kindred
and Burkett are about to commence divine worship,
some of the men seated on the ground, some on
cracker boxes or other hastily improvised seats. In
the midst rises an aged, white-haired man with open
book in hand. A lighted candle in a bottle, placed
on a pile of cracker boxes, complete the pulpit ar-
rangements. None in camp are yet asleep, but
unusual quiet pervades. The joker has hashed, all
profanity ceases. The aged man lines the hymn,
' 'Ashamed of Jesus." The soldier audience join in
the song, their clear, rich voices ring far out over
the placid river. Then follows an able, earnest
petition to the throne of God for fallen humanity
and our suffering country. Then the refugee preach-
er holds his male auditors in rapt attention for more
than an hour, dwelling at some length on the wick-
edness of the rebellion. As the old man warmed
up on this subject, the peculiar curl of his thin lip
grows sharper, his grfy eyes kindle to fiery orbs, his
gesticulations grew more animated, and his counten-
ance more furious. With arms flung on high, as if
grasping after a thunderbolt to hurl at the leaders of
the rebellion, he drew a picture of their crimes in
appalling colors, describing the dreadful horrors of
this useless destruction of young lives. At last the
speaker descends from his thunder tones, and his
voice wailed out such pathetic sorrow for our dead.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 20I
and suffering wounded, as to cause the unaccustomed
tears to glisten on many bronzed cheeks, winding up
with a prayer to God, "if possible, to forgive the
very leaders of the rebellion," and to enable our
army to save the country and restore the Union.
Silence taps is sounding and the grand old song,
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow," is sang
with a new meaning to many.
Owing to the difificulty of wagoning supplies over
the mountains from Bridgeport, Alabama, the army
only received half rations, and that, too, of a very
inferior quality. Our boys began to study ways and
means to supply the much needed grub.
Sergeant Hironmus, Company D, a brave and ad-
venturous, but quiet and cautious, man, while on
picket had observed that the enemy daily drove a
large herd of Texas cattle from the corral to the
river, near the pickets, for the purpose of watering
them. He also observed that the careless, cowardly
herders frequently allowed the hungry kine to scatter
along the river bank, browsing on the green cane.
Frank said nothing, but on the morning of the 7th
he ordered out a foraging party''composed of Sergeant
Hironmus, commanded by said Sergeant, clad in a
rusty, dilapidated suit of butternut jeans. He took
his trusty old squirrel rifle, which he had found
somewhere in Dixie, and, under cover of the heavy
fog, crept along the river bank, protected from the
view of the pickets by the heavy growth of cane and
weeds, and secreted himself inside the enemy's lines
until thirteen head of cattle had passed below him.
202 HISTORY OF THE
He then managed to give his hat a wave on a stick,
poked out from his hiding place. The frightened
cattle did not stop until inside our lines, where they
were soon converted into beef for our brigade. The
next day the Confederacy lost several more nice cat-
tle, branded C. S. After that their pickets were
strengthened near the river, and we got no more
Texas beef.
The loth of October our encampment was visited
by Generals T. L. Crittenden and VanCleve. They
both bade us farewell. Our men expressed some
surprise, and much regret, at thus giving up our
corps and division generals.
The next evening, at dress parade, the following
address was read by the adjutants of each regiment
in the Twenty-first Army Corps, which lost its desig-
nation as such by being blended with, and became
a part of the Fourth Army Corps :
Chattanooga, October loth, 1863.
To the Officers and Soldiers of the T%veniy-first Army Corps :
The general commanding announces with sorrow that the
name of this corps has been stricken from the army rolls, and
that he has been relieved from duty and ordered to report at
Indianapolis, that his conduct in the late battle of Chicka-
mauga may be investigated. The general regrets the separa-
tion, and not the investigation. The closest scrutiny, hovv^ever
it may effect him, can only brighten your future. Your deeds
at Chickamauga, as at Stone River, will hand down to posterity
your honored names. You have honored me. The mighty
hand of the Twenty-first Army Corps has graven the name of
its commander on the famous pages of the past, and the slan-
derous tongue cannot revoke that past. Further honors await
you. May God's blessings attend you.
T. L. CRITTENDEN, Major General,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 203
The Third Brigade, to which the Eighth belonged,
was assigned to the command of General Wat. Whit-
aker, of the Sixth Kentucky, and Colonel Barnes
again took command of the regiment. About this
time the officers of the regiment made and forwarded
a petition to General Thomas, who had superseded
General Rosecrans, asking for the consolidation of
the Eighth Kentucky into a battalion of five compa-
nies. This was done on account of the reduced
number of men in each company, not averaging over
fifty each.
On the i8th of October a detachment of one hun-
dred and seventeen men and four officers were de-
tailed from the brigade, and sent, under command
of the writer, to the general field hospital, in Spring
Valley, on the north side of the river. Thirty- two
of these men were from the Eighth Kentucky. This
detail remained there until the ist of November,
doing fatigue duty of various kinds, chopping wood,
putting up hospital tents, making bunks, gathering
forest leaves for beds, digging graves, burying the
dead, and caring for the necessities of the wounded.
The 23d of October the Eighth moved to the
north side of the river, into Moccasin Bend, oppo-
site Lookout Mountain, were they commenced to
prepare winter quarters. The men went to work
with their axes, preparing material, trying to be
cheerful with the scant half rations.
About the 27th General Hooker's forces, from
the Potomac, arrived in Lookout Valley, and at-
tacked the enemy at Wauhatchie on the 28th, and
204 HISTORY OF THE
after a hot engagement succeeded in driving the
€nemy south of Lookout Creek, and made connec-
tion with our army by a pontoon bridge, near the
foot of Sand Mountain.
The hospital fatigue party were especially busy
when the ambulances conveying Hooker's wounded
began to arrive, bearing over two hundred mangled,
bleeding and suffering men. A few of them were
rebels, who received the same care as our own
men. There was a general moving around of
the wounded to make room for those coming
in, twenty dead to bury, with a prospect for
twenty more in a few hours. These hard worked
-and poorly fed duty men complained to the
writer for more grub or less work. I had used all
my pursuasive powers to induce Boughton, the quar-
termaster, to increase rations for these duty-men,
but without effect. I called up six of the Eighth and
four of the Fifty-first boys, and told them and Lieu-
tenant Cassidy, of the Thirty-fifth Indiana, that if
there was any animal fit for human food within ten
miles of camp, I knew they were the men that could
find it, and whether it belonged to friend or foe, to
have it there before night. Just after dark the
foragers returned, each two of the squad bringing in
a part of a beef. Before morning the other half was
brought in and given to the wounded and waiters.
Doctor Perkins, surgeon in charge, thankfully re-
ceived a good roast, and commended my course, but
had too great fears of red tape to take the responsi-
bility of ordering out a foraging party. I told him
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 205
if the government would not or could not feed my
men, they should be allowed to feed themselves.
We found only one of the Eighth boys in the gen-
eral field hospital. Presley Sloan, Company D, had
been knocked senseless by a piece of shell on the
evening of the 20th of September. The leaves that
had drifted where he fell caught fire, and burned the
skin from his entire body. He said that he had
suffered terribly, but was in a fair way of recovery.
A very sad case of destitution, caused by war, was
that of Mr. Powell, who, with his wife and six chil-
dren, were hovering under a few old pieces of tents
and quilts, near our encampment. They had fled
from their burning dwelling during the battle of
Chickamauga, penniless, roofless, and nearly friend-
less. One of his little boys died a few days after
our arrival at the hospital, and some of our boys
made a rude coffin and buried him for the stricken
parents.
The 31st of October the brigade received orders
to march. Our fatigue duty-men were ordered
back to their respective regiments, and the ist of
November, with some reluctance, we left our half
finished cabins. Some of the men said, '*If we're
going where we can get full rations once more, it
is all right."
When we arrived at headquarters the ist Novem-
ber, tents, camp and garrison equipage, officers' bag-
gage, including desks, company books, &c., were
packed into a pile, a guard detailed and left to guard
them, and the brigade marched to the river, where
206 HISTORY OF THE
we had to wait three hours for repairs to the pontoon
bridge, which had been damaged by large rafts of
logs set adrift by the rebels. We then marched
single file over the treacherous, swaying bridge, and
run the gauntlet up through Lookout Valley, under
fire of the enemy's heavy guns stationed on the
northwest slope of Lookout Mountain. None of the
brigade, however, were hurt. We bivouacked at
Wauhatchie, the numerous fires of the enemy twink-
ling like stars on frowning Lookout. At dark, Col-
onel Barnes received information that the enemy was
advancing on us. All our cheerful camp fires were
reluctantly extinguished, and we lay in line of battle
during the night, ready for any emergency. We were
not attacked, but spent a sleepless night. At sun-
rise we ate a hasty breakfast, and marched over a
spur of Raccoon Mountain and down Clearwater
Creek. My company, on duty as train guard, was,
at dark, a long way behind the regiment, caused by
bad roads and broken down wagons.
The night of the 2d November, 1863, found us
back at Shellmound, Tennessee, where General
Whitaker informed Colonel Barnes we would fortify
and go into winter quarters. From this time until
the 1 2th we suffered much from the inclemency of
the weather, having left the remnant of our old tents
at Moccasin Bend, and most of the men's overcoats
and blankets were still boxed up at Nashville, where
they were sent in the spring by general orders. The
nights were cold for this climate, but the men of the
Eighth were not the men to sit still and freeze or
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 207
Starve without an effort to remedy the evil. Procur-
ing as many axes as could be had, logs were cut and
large fires built, around which the men at night col-
lected, sung their songs, and joked each other about
their ragged appearance, with as much cheerfulness
as if we were in the best of barracks. Sergeant
Wood remarked : '' I can stand a heap if they will
only feed me well." We were kept too busy during
these days to feel the cold. Cutting down trees and
building fortifications occupied part of our time the
first two weeks here. A large part of each regiment
was detailed to cut trees and prepare material for our
winter quarters. A daily guard of forty men was
furnished by our brigade to escort provision trains to
Whiteside's Station. The horrible condition of the
road through the '' Narrows" made it hard work
helping wagons out of mud holes, but supplies for a
large army at the front could not be neglected.
The 9th, Colonel Barnes, Major Clark and Cap-
tain Powell laid off our new encampment. Chaplain
Kindred, Captain Dixon and myself were appointed
by the colonel to take charge of and superintend the
building parties. Our men worked under many dis-
advantages for want of axes. This was soon reme-
died by borrowing from the division quartermaster,
and a few old cross-cut saws, gathered up from the
surrounding neighborhood. Thus work on our
cabins progressed daily.
CHAPTER XIV.
About the 15th of November General Sherman's
army began to pass up the river road, toward Chat-
tanooga, and we all expected more "unpleasantness"
with the Johnnies soon.
The 1 8th our brigade was reviewed by General
Whitaker. Our lines were much shorter than twelve
months ago, but in marching past old " Wat," he
raised his hat, and said : " Colonel Barnes, that reg-
iment of yours is an honor to our state. Gad, but
they can march without music as well as with it."
The next day the ever welcome face of the pay-
master appeared, and we received our allowance of
greenbacks for September and October. That night,
after all had retired with full pockets, orders came
to prepare to march, but recent rains had rendered
the bad road almost impassable, and . the rear of
Sherman's force had not cleared the Narrows, there-
fore we did not move until the morning of the 23d.
The 2 2d the colonel and Captain Smallwood had
a few short words, resulting in the latter being put
under arrest. After a hard day's march, with sixty
rounds of cartridges and four day's rations, we halted
for the night at the base of Mount Raccoon, oppo-
site to and west of frowning Lookout, on whose sum-
mit and western side the enemy's numerous camp
fires twinkled like stars in the black, distant horizon.
Every man in our army, from a private to General
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 209
Grant, knew it would be a desperate undertaking to
drive the Johnnies from that mountain. Its main-
tainance was of vital importance to them, therefore
they had fortified this naturally strong position,
wherever the best of military skill of the rebel offi-
cers thought would add to its defense. But the pos-
session of Lookout was also of great importance to
the Union army, and General Grant said it must be
taken. We lay down to rest our weary bodies, for
the hazardous undertaking before us. Early on the
morning of the 24th our brigade of the Fourth Corps,
joined Slocum's troops of Hooker's Corps, and
moved up Lookout Valley into a dense forest, south
of the Wauhatchie, where the enemy lost sight of us
for a few hours.
Captain Smallwood's company (K) sent a polite
request to Colonel Barnes that they desired their
captain's release from arrest, and that he be per-
mitted to command them in battle. The request
was at first refused. Then Smallwood appealed to
General Whitaker, who rode up to Colonel Barnes,
and said: " Colonel, this captain is only under ar-
rest for some petty personal slang you and he have
been indulging in ; now, by G — d, he is too brave
an officer to miss this engagement. It will be an
honor to you to overlook the matter, and restore
him his sword and command." It was done, and
no more was heard of court martialing Captain
Smallwood.
In this forest we piled our knapsacks, blankets,
and part of our rations, and left them under a guard.
14
2IO HISTORY OF THE
We filed off to the left, crossed Lookout Creek on an
old mill-dam, and commenced the difficult task
of ascending the mountain through a thicket of
cedars, that skirted the base of the mountain. Up,
still up; meeting with no opposition, except inani-
mate nature, pulling up by shrubs and projecting rocks.
At last we reached the inaccessible wall of lime-
stone, a perfect palisade, several hundred feet high.
This movement was still unobserved by the enemy,
who were expecting us to attack them in front. We
faced north, the Eighth Kentucky forming the ex-
treme right wing of the line, therefore we were near-
est the cliff. A heavy skirmish line was put forward.
We moved forward, keeping well up with our skirm-
ishers. Thus we swept along the steep, rugged mount-
ain side, over huge rocks, fallen trees and deep ra-
vines, regardless of the scattering shots sent at us from
the mountain top. The labor was severe. Soon every
man, including our_ brave, old fat colonel, was wet
with perspiration. A heavy fog, that hovered
over the mountain, enabled us to take the enemy by
surprise, in the flank and rear of their works. Their
evident confusion was so great that they made but a
feeble, unorganized resistance, their defense being
principally Indian fighting, from behind trees and large
rocks. We gleaned a rich harvest of prisoners, and
several pieces of artillery, principally from Stevison's
Division. Those of the enemy that were not cap-
tured fled around the nose of the mountain, and
took a strong position on the southeastern slope,
just under the towering cliff. About this time two
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 211
of our heav)' seige guns on Moccasin Point opened
fire, and were replied to by those of the enemy, on
point of Lookout, almost immediately over our
heads. By this time, 3 p. m., a dense cloud envel-
oped the mountain, and the battle which followed
has passed into history as " the battle above the
clouds." The enemy made a determined stand, as
they were strongly reinforced in their fortified new
position. A good many of the Eighth having been
sent back to Lookout Valley, in charge of prisoners,
we were left in reserve on the "nose" of the
mountain, and being near the wall or palisade, the
enemy above lis not only shot at us whenever the
cloud would lift, so as to enable them to see, but re-
sorted to a novel method of warfare, rolling down
loose stones at us. Under cover of the fog, a few
of our sharpshooters took positions, concealed be-
hind trees and large stones, and soon picked off
every Johnnie that dared to show his head on top of
the cliif. Though their ordinance made a terrific
noise, their heavy missiles passed harmlessly over our
heads, as their pieces could not be depressed to a
sufficient angle to reach us.' During the evening,
and to a late hour of the night, a heavy battle was
fought, as it were almost under our feet. Our forces
succeeded in driving the enemy around the mount-
ain to the Summertown road, and at 10 o'clock the
struggle ceased, the union forces expecting to renew
the conflict at daylight. Four of the Eighth were
wounded by balls, and several injured by rocks,
rolled at us from above. None were dangerous
212 HISTORY OF THE
wounds. As usual, every man in the regiment and
brigade did his whole duty. B. F. Ward, Com-
pany F, an excellent shot, succeeded in silencing a
particularly annoying rebel sharpshooter, who had
secreted himself in a niche of the irregular crown
of the precipice. The rapidity of his shots were
only accounted for by his comrades behind loading for
him. Ben maneuvered until he obtained a position
commanding a view of the annoying rebel's head.
As the fog lifted above the mountain, Ben's unerring
rifle cracked. The rapid shooter sprang forward,
and fell on a ledge of rock twenty feet below. His
hat, with a bullet hole in it, came to the base of the
cliff. Ben lay there a long while, but no other dar-
ing rebel showed his head*at'that point.
There was a sudden change in the temperature of
the atmosphere at the close of this eventful and historic
day. Within a few hours the sultry, damp air had
lowered to nearly zero. We felt this change more
sensibly on account of having exerted ourselves in
the charge on the mountain side, heating our blood,
and having our clothing wet with perspiration. Thus,
in our exalted position, without blankets, great coats
or fire, our suffering during the night can better be
imagined than described. Sleep was among the im-
possibilities. But not a murmur was heard from
these brave men. The life or death of the cause of
freedom and good government was in the scale, and
outweighed any bodily suffering of a few hundreds
or thousands of men. In our'silent and shivering
vigils of the night, we could occasionally hear a
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 213
heavy, rumbling noise on the top of Lookout above
us, that caused us pickets to suspect some movement
of the enemy. In the early dawn of the 25th, Gen.
Wat. Whitaker walked up in front of the 8th Ken-
tucky, and said, *'Col. Barnes, I want a few volunteers
to climb that cliff and see if the enemy are^ still
there." The Colonel replied, "Tiiie whole regiment,
General, if you wish it.*' Every man sprang to his
feet, ready to obey the expected command. But
only Capt. Wilson and six picked men were permitted
at that time to immolate themselves on this high
altar as a sacrifice to our country's cause. These
apparently devoted men, carrying the 8th's flag, pro-
ceeded to ascend this hundred feet or more of almost
perpendicular wall, at a place where there was an
irregular kind of a natural stairway, by which hung
a large wild grape vine. At the base stood the 8th,
and with bated breath we watched this brave little
squad, with their guns slung over their backs, climb-
ing to where, in all probability, sudden death awaited
them. At last they disappear over the top. Hear-
ing no noise above us indicating the presence of the
enemy, we instantly commenced the toilsome ascent
of Lookout in the same manner the squad had just
done.
Just as the king of day came peeping up over Mis-
sionary Ridge, Capt. John Wilson stepped out on the
projecting brow of Lookout Mountain, and unfurled
to the morning breeze that dear old emblem of light
and liberty. As the sight of the flag met the up-
turned gaze of our vast army below, cheer after cheer
214 HISTORY OF THE
echoed and re-echoed from camp to camp, from
mountain to mountain, until the bosom of the placid,
broad Tennessee River and the beautiful valleys ap-
peared to shout for very joy. The enemy during the
latter part of the night had silently fled from their
works, both on top and along the south-east side of
Lookout, and joined* the balance of Bragg's army on
Mission Ridge, leaving over 200 of their sick and
convalescent, with a thin line of pickets surrounding
their camp at Summertown, half a mile west of the
point of Lookout.
As soon as the 8th reached the top, we hastily
marched out to Summertown, where the scared and
sickly looking pickets surrendered to us without
even firing a gun. We also captured a large quantity
of corn meal, twenty barrels of very dirty sugar,
two wagon loads of ''rebel crackers," apparently of
a mixture of ground peas, middlings or fine saw-dust,
and of adamantine hardness. Also forty large
Marquee tents were among the Quartermaster's stores
that fell into our hands, and provided us shelter the
week we remained on the top of this high, cold
mountain. As Gen. Hooker rode up to us (via
the Summertown road), Gen. Wat. Whitaker ad-
dressed old '' Fighting Joe" thus : "General, as the
8th Kentucky had the courage to come up here first,
I hope you will let the Regiment remain here and
guard these stores and this position." This modest
request Gen. Hooker readily granted, remarking,
"Sir, these western soldiers will fight anything on
earth like rebels, and even climb above the clouds to
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 215
complete victory and capture the enemy." The
96th Illinois, commanded by Col. Champion, was
ordered up, and joined the 8th in throwing a line of
earthworks near the point or nose of the mountain.
On this 25th November, 1863, our first day on
Lookout, we were eye witnesses of one of the grand-
est, most gigantic and exciting battle scenes that
took place during this or any other war. From our
high position we could overlook the country to a
much greater distance than our natural vision could
reach. The city of Chattanooga lay almost under
us. Our vast army of nearly one hundred and twenty
thousand men, stretched away southward, in dark
blue lines, in the valley. Parallel to those living
lines, stretches this peculiar ridge, where the enemy
in strong force were well fortified, with months of
incessant and well directed labor, engineered by the
best of military skill, was added to this already natu-
ral strong position. Behind these with their hun-
dreds of heavy guns, we do not wonder the rebels
felt confident of repulsing any force that could assail
them. When Sherman's forces began to warm up
the Johnnies near Fort Buckner into a smart battle,
many of the officers and men of our two regiments
seated themselves on the crowning rocks of the prec-
ipice to view for our first time a great battle at a safe
distance. I was the fortunate owner and possessor
of a double lens opera glass, with the aid of which I
could see the buttons on a man's coat at a distance
of five miles. Thus situated the whole panorama of
the great battle of Mission Ridge, with all its har-
2l6 HISTORY OF THE
rowing details, passes under our view, except some
of the assaults made in the forenoon by Corse's and
Lightburn's Brigades on the northern slope of Tun-
nel Hill, on which was situated Fort Buckner, on
which Sherman's batteries near the river and those
near Orchard Knob, were showering their shot and
shell with great rapidity and effect. While our bat-
teries in Forts Wood and Thomas were lively in their
respects to Fort Bragg, situated near the center of
the rebel line, about ii a. m., a brigade of Sherman's
troops made a charge on the west slope of Tunnel
Hill. The enemy being entrenched withstood them
for a while, mowing down hundreds of these brave
men. The line pushed up, leaving the hill side
strewn with dead and wounded. We could see some
dragging their mangled bodies back down the slope,
while their more fortunate comrades were mounting
over the rebel works and the Johnnies fleeing to the
shelter of Fort Buckner. At last Sherman had, by
persistent pounding on the rebels' right, succeeded
in drawing reinforcements from their center, and we
could see the head of Hooker's column ascending the
slope, away to the right, near Rossville.
At two o'clock p. m. there had been a slight ces-
sation of the contest and roar of artillery. Six of
our heavj siege guns, fired at intervals of two sec-
onds, the signal for the starting of the Fourth Corps
to assault Fort Bragg. The long blue lines sprang
at once to their feet, and our vast army made a
simultaneous forward movement one and a half miles
to the foot of the bridge. The rebel artillery, con-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 21 7
sisting of hundreds of guns, sent storms of bursting
shells far out over the valley, specking the air like
mammoth snowflakes, all our heavy artillery return-
ing the fire, which made the mountains fairly tremble
with their terrific thunder.
At the foot of the ridge, our troops encountered a
rebel earthwork, packed with the enemy, and rim-
ming it like a battlement. This was carried almost
without a halt. But we could see our men falling
thick and fast as they neared these works. And as
they cleared them the rebel prisoners came streaming
back, unarmed, toward the city, like the tail of a
kite, running for their lives to escape the destructive
missiles of their friends. While the noble old Fourth
Corps struggled on up in the face of shot and shell,
Hooker's men, near Rossville, were swinging around
to flank the enemy's works. As the long blue lines
of the Union forces ascended nearer the top, the
sixty guns in the rebels' thirteen batteries concen-
trated their fire upon the assaulting lines. But now
to reach them, they could not depress their cannon
sufficiently. They cut the fuse of their shells shorter
and shorter, while their rifle pits were ablaze with
fire of small arms. It did not seem possible to us
that our men could live to reach the works, for in
addition to this murderous fire, the rebels began to
roll down huge rocks and shells with lighted fuse.
But these heroic men had served too long under
*' old Lion Heart " to waver only for a few minutes.
As they did so, and we could see behind them the
hundreds of prostrate comrades, our hearts appeared
2l8 HISTORY OF THE
to be ready to leap out of our throats. I am confi-
dent my hair more than once came near pushing my
cap from my head. But onward and upward they
clamber, and the brow of the ridge is reached, then
the fighting is more like demons than men. Many
of the veteran rebels stood at bay like gray wolves.
This could not last long. We wiped the briny liquid
from our eyes, and could- see the enemy flying over
the eastern slope of the ridge, with their own deserted
artillery playing upon them. The enemy were routed
completely. The men of the Eighth cheered, slung
their hats, and gave every expression of joy. Some
danced, while the tears of joy rolled down their
cheeks. Big Sergeant Bain, of Company A, said to
me, after giving me a rib-crushing hug, " Cap., that
sight's wuth more'n all my wages ; it's just awful
grand, but powerful dangerous work. "
On the 26th, Colonel Barnes, in compliance with
orders from General Thomas, distributed the tents
and commissaries captured on the mountain, with
General Geary's division of Hooker's corps. We
found the C. S. crackers a poor apology for bread —
could not be eaten without soaking. Then one
cracker would swell to a spongy, tasteless mass of
gluey, slimy stuff, revolting both in looks and smell.
The meal and sugar, though dirty, were palatable.
We remained here, with little or nothing to do
but eat and digest our poor grub, until the 2d day
of December, when we received the welcome order
to return to our winter quarters at Shell Mound, Tenn.
The Eighth arrived at our quarters at Shell Mound,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 219
the evening of the 3d of December. A general good
and cheerful feeling appeared to pervade the entire
command. This was augmented by the arrival of
our much needed blankets and overcoats.
''Now," as one of the boys said, '' we have run old
Bragg and his bragging crowd off, I reckon they will
let us have time to finish our cabins. " Every officer
and man went to work with a will, and we soon com-
pleted our little, neat and well laid off town, each
cabin containing one mess of six men.
On the 6th, the brigade was reviewed by General
Whitaker, and the 7th he started to his home in Ken-
tucky. Colonel Barnes took command of the brigade,
and Major Clark command of the Eighth Kentucky.
The loth we received the long looked for order to
consolidate the regiment into a battalion of five com-
panies. General Stanley, division commander, ap-
pointed a board of officers to examine and decide
upon the commissioned line officers' qualifications^
and decide who should be retained in service.
The 15th of December this board met, consisting
of Colonel Walters, Nintieth Ohio ; Lieutenant Col-
onel Cummings, Ninety-ninth Ohio ; Captain Ser-
gent, Fifty-first Ohio, and two captains of the
Twenty-fourth Ohio. This board proceeded to
make a separate examination of one hour, of each
of the ten captains, on tactics, regulations, guard
and picket duty, and all other military duties in-
cumbent on a company commander. On the next
day the board convened again, and called for the fol-
lowing named captains : Wilson^, Wright, Benton,
2 20 HISTORY OF THE
Ketchins and Smallwood. Colonel Walters ad-
dressed us thus : " Well, gentlemen, you are the five
captains that we have decided upon as most efficient,
and you will therefore remain in command. The
board then requested that each of us write down the
names of five lieutenants of each rank, as we were
acquainted with their circumstances and qualifica-
tions, to guide them in their selections. After con-
siderable hesitation we each made a list, without con-
sulting each other, and handed them to Colonel
Walters, and then retired. The board decided that
First Lieutenants W. Park, Harklerhodes, Williams,
N. Jones and J. Phipps, and Second Lieutenants C.
Park, G. W. Lewis, J. S. Tye, J. Pucket and J.
McGuire should be retained in service. All the
other officers, including Colonel Barnes and Major
Clark, were by reason of this consolidation dis-
charged, and started for their homes in Kentucky,
the 23d of January, 1864. Captain John Wilson
and the men that first topped Lookout on the 24th
of November, at the same time received a thirty
days' furlough, and accompanied the supernumerary
officers home. The following are the names of this
brave squad : Sergeants Joseph Wages, Charles Witt,
Ed. Anderson, privates William Witt and John Gil-
bert. We felt sad at parting with these brave and
genial brother officers, with whom we had been inti-
mately associated for over two years, and in that
time had together braved so many dangers, endured
so many hardships, and passed so many pleasant
hours together, and especially did we regret to lose
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 221
the ever cheerful company of Major Clark, who, on
the evening previous to starting home, attempted to
read his farewell address to the regiment at dress
parade ; but his emotions overcame his utterance,
and the reading of the following farewell address was
concluded by Adjutant Park :
officers and Soldiers of the Eighth Kentucky Volunteers :
This regiment having been by the casualties of the service
reduced to less than half the maximum number prescribed by
law, is consolidated to a battalion of five companies, as pro-
vided for in General Ordeis No. 86, of the War Department ;
therefore my connection with the regiment and army ceases.
In parting with you, I tender you all my sincere thanks for the
cordial support you have at all times given me, both as an
adjutant and, subsequently, major of the regiment. My associa-
tion with you in the service for over two years has created
within me a brotherly affection for you, which has been prompted
and authorized by your uniform courtesy and kindness toward
me. Your willingness and readiness at all times to obey lawful
orders, have not only excited my admiration, but the admiration
of all your officers with whom you have been connected. In the
history of this war the first word to your dishonor remains to be
written. The coolness and gallantry you evinced at Snow Hill,
Dobbin's Ferry, Stone River, Chickamauga, and at Lookout
Mountain, do not foretell ought of dishonor that would cloud
the bright name the Eighth has won. Those who participated
in battles for the Union's restoration, both living and dead, will
be remembered and honored by the grateful and patriotic peo-
ple as long as the horrors of this accursed rebellion are remem-
bered and deplored. In relinquishing the command of the
regiment, I hope and believe that you will give Captain Wilson,
a good and gallant officer, that co-operation which you have
hitherto so generously extended to me. May God watch over
and protect you all.
JOHN S. CLARK, Major Commanding.
The writer would be glad to insert Colonel Barnes*
farewell address, but has been unable to procure a
copy. But the Major's farewell will convey to the
reader's mind some idea of the warm friendship that
existed generally in the command.
CHAPTER XV.
About the 25th of December, 1863, the United
States Government offered to all able bodied soldiers
who had served two years or more a bounty of four
hundred dollars, and a thirty days' furlough to re-
enlist as veteran volunteers, and serve three years
from re-enlistment, or during the war, the remaining
part of the first enlistment to be served out in their
present organizations. During the last week in the
departing year re-enlisting in the Thirty-fifth Indi-
ana and Twenty-first Kentucky was lively, but the
Eighth boys only talked and joked each other about
becoming "veterans."
The night of the 24th of December many of the
Eighth boys thought to have some old fashioned
Christmas guns, having saved a quantity of powder
for that purpose. Many beer bottles exploded in
their buried security from sight, but not from sound,
and the officer of the day, at the urgent command of
Colonel Barnes, called out the camp guards to sup-
press the Christmas guns, which only partially suc-
ceeded. But the next night afforded the boys a
chance for some amusement at the expense of a few
tony officers. A rebel captain's wife, named Bur-
nett, living not far from our picket line, gave a party
of United States officers, and about a dozen of the
most aristocratic young ladies in that neighborhood,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 223
a supper. Captain Temple, our brigade commissary,
and a few other officers, furnished the material for
the principal part of the supper. A party of ser-
geants and privates of the Eighth and Twenty-first
Kentucky, after dark, obtained the countersign,
and slipped out to the house where music and danc-
ing, as well as feasting, was the principal programme.
The boys succeeded in placing a good many of their
yet unexploded bottles of powder under and around
the house. As the fuse to each were of good length,
the bovs were well concealed before those bottles and
that ball exploded. ► In a few minutes not a girl
could be found inside the enclosure, but many were
seen running through the fields as if the day of doom
had surely come. No person was hurt, but many
were scared.
The last it^^ days of December were warm and
rainy, especially the 31st, when the rain fell in tor-
rents until late in the evening, when the wind sud-
denly veered to the north, and grew in cold and
power. Our boys on picket, with soaked garments,
suffered terribly. Before daylight, January ist, the
mud and water which covered the earth had con-
gealed to solid ice to the depth of over an inch.
The oldest inhabitants there stated that they had
never seen ice so thick before, and they verily be-
lieved that the Yankies brought dow:n all the cold.
The Thirty-fifth had re-enlisted, and were about
to start for Indiana to enjoy their brief furlough, and
for several days this re-enlisting was a fruitful theme
for discussion among the men of the Eighth, a good
224 HISTORY OF THE
many opposing re-enlisting on account of the proba-
bility of serving under new and strange officers at
the expiration of their first service. Many would
say, " If we could only be sure we could keep our
present officers with us after our first term, we would
not care to fight this infernal rebellion until these
fool Southerners will be willing to go home and be-
come peaceable, law abiding citizens; and we kind 'o
want to see the thing through, anyhow." Col. Moore,
commanding the brigade, appointed the author re-
cruiting officer for the Eighth, and in less than one
week three-fourths of seven of the old companies
signed re-enlistment papers, viz : Companies F, I,
D, H, E, K and G. I had a laborious task filling out
enlistment blanks and muster-in rolls. Several of the
company commanders, on the eve of starting for
home, gave all their time and attention to invoicing
and turning over quartermaster stores, and arranging
their vouchers preparatory to settling with the gov-
ernment ; therefore they had no time to assist the
busy recruiting officers, or any one else. The actual
doubling of companies was not effected until the
25th of January, and was as follows :
Companies C and B formed Company A, Captain
J. Wilson, commander.
Companies E and I formed Company B, Captain
C. D. Benton, commander.
Companies H and G formed Company C, Captain
Wright, commander.
Companies D and K formed Company K, Captain
W. G. Smallwood, commander.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 225
Companies A and F formed Company E. Cap-
tain Ketchins was assigned to this company, but im-
mediatety resigned, and Lieutenant J. S. Tye took
command of Company E.
The officers that were mustered out were : Cap-
tains Powell, Gunn, Martin and Dixon ; Lieutenants
Neal, Sail, Carson, Hughes, Blackwell, Elliott and
McGuire.
Thus our regiment became the Eighth Battalion
Kentucky Volunteers, infantry, numbering only four
hundred and eighteen men and fourteen line officers,
a major, yet in rebel prison. Quartermaster Kindred,
our chaplain. Adjutant E. Park, and Sergeant-Major
Mosely. Captain Benton, in Captain Wilson's ab-
sence, took command, and the evening of the 25th
we received an order to march on the 26th. Fifty
non-veterans of the Twenty-first Kentucky were as-
signed to our command, Lieutenant G. Lewis com-
manding.
Our mules had been hard worked and badly fed,
many of them having died during this uncommon
cold weather, and we could only muster eight teams.
One of these the Twenty-first boys were allowed to
use to carry their baggage until the return of that
regiment from Kentucky. Thus we had more bag-
gage than transportation.
Early on the 27th the Eighth moved out of their
warm, snug quarters, which they had flattered
themselves they would enjoy until the veteran boys
would be furloughed and return. Another regiment
marched in as we left, and took possession of our
15
2 26 HISTORY OF THE
neat little ^pwn of cabins. Tim, our Irishman, said :
*' Captain, we are the boys as obaze orthers ; but
indade it's bad tratement to have us worrek loik
nagers to build thim illigant shanties, as any dacent
ommen would feel proud av, and now, bejabbers,
thim lazy spalpeens are to have the good quarthers."
But the men did not generally make complaint. We
had endured too many sudden surprises and disap-
pointments to make a fuss, even to leave the " illi-
gant shanties" in mid winter. True, the veterans
said, " we would much rather have started home on
our promised furlough than off down in Dixie, at
this time." Sergeant F. P. Wood was left in charge
of our extra baggage and a few convalescents. The
battalion, under command of Captain Benton, bi-
vouacked at the ''Narrows." While some of the
men were playfully placing percussion caps on the
railroad track for passing trains to pop, one member
of Company E had his eye put out by a piece of cap.
The 28th, with the division, we halted for the
night at White Sides, and the following day reached
the northern base of Lookout Mountain.
The 29th the command passed through Chatta-
nooga, and camped for the night at the foot of Mis-
sion Ridge, on a portion of the recent battle ground.
The deserted rebel works, the bullet-riddled trees,
with scattered shell and shot, were all that denoted
it to have been the recent scene of a terrible conflict.
The 30th the division moved on up the Knoxville
Railroad to Tyner's Station, and went into camp,
where we remained a few days.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 227
The ist day of February I succeeded in mustering
into the veteran service one hundred and forty-five
men of the Eighth, and, by order of General Stan-
ley, I returned to Bridgeport and collected eight of
the battalion, that were in the Pioneer Corps, and
returned to Ooltevvah Station on the 4th, where I
found the battalion.
The 5th our brigade moved on up the railroad,
making short marches and keeping pace with the
government employes and construction train, repair-
ing the road as we went. The work was being pushed
forward in order to reach and re-build the destroyed
bridge over the Tennessee, at Charleston, our forces
having destroyed it to prevent Longstreet from rein-
forcing Bragg during the battle at Mission Ridge.
On the evening of the 6th we halted within a mile
of the pretty town of Cleveland. Colonel Walters,
commanding the brigade, made his headquarters in
the house of Rebel Congressman Tibbs', and the
Eighth Kentucky and Thirty-first Illinois went into
camp on a hill near by. If there were ever a set of
men in this world gifted with thorough self-reliance,
the Eighth boys were the men. It often required
great fortitude to bear without murmuring the many
little vexations and disappointments incident to the
m.arch and camp. We had just left good quarters,
and were here on a bare, bleak hill, a cold evening,
our old tents full of holes, the principal part of our
cooking vessels and extra baggage far behind, but
no matter where or when we halted, the Eighth boys
were at home. They had learned precisely what to
2 28 HISTORY OF THE
do first, and they did it here. Fires soon began to
twinkle over the bare hill, and our old, leaky tents
rose like the work of enchantment. Some had dog
tents, that lay snug to the earth, like mushrooms.
Soon the fragrant aroma of coffee and tortured bacon
suggested creature comforts that were truly animat-
ing, under any circumstances. We all knew that the
movements of regiments were as blind as fate ; none
of us could tell to-night where we would be to-mor-
row, yet on the morning of the 7th, at the first glim-
mer of daylight, our camp was astir, and prepara-
tions began as if every man expected to spend the
remainder of the winter here. Bricks were hauled
from an old kiln of secession proclivities. Chimneys
were built, and some fire places artistically plastered
with the inevitable red clay, and by 10 o'clock one
mess had found an old crane, on which swung a
legless pot, a donation from an old darkey's kitchen ;
stools and bedsteads were tumbled together by the
the roughest of carpenters, and before night the in-
terior of our rude homes began to wear a home look.
Here, as elsewhere, our[Kentucky boys did not long
remain ignorant of the surrounding country, and its
vegetable and animal productions. In less than two
days they had tasted water from every spring, knocked
persimmons from the best trees, milked some of the
neighbors' cows, roasted pigs and picked chickens.
Not a few made.the acquaintance of the Cleveland
girls, and knew how many were Union and how many
were rebels, andl^how many brothers they had in the
rebel army. Thus life with us began at this place.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 229
But we did not neglect our part of the labors, throw-
ing up a good line of rifle pits, and contributing our
quota for the picket line.
The loth of February Major Glenn, United States
Paymaster, gladdened the eyes of the veterans by
unloading at Captain Wright's quarters his heavy
money chest. They were all paid up to the 31st of
December, 1863, and received their first installment
of bounty, ^200 each. In a few days after Major
Johnson paid off the non-veterans up to the same
time. Now the veteran boys were ready, willing
and impatiently waiting to be furloughed, and they
expected to start soon. Said they to each other :
"Old Grandpap Thomas knows what he's about.
He intends for us to go home while we've plenty of
money." But these calculations and fond expecta-
tions were for the present doomed to disappointment,
for on the night of the 2 2d we received orders to
march at daylight, the 23d, with only two wagons,
one for rations and one for spades and picks, and
only perfectly able bodied men to march. Those
unable for severe duty to remain in command of a
commissioned officer. This order, the boys said,
certainly meant business, if not more unpleasantness
with the Johnny Rebs. Some of the men that
did not re-enlist, who did not expect to be fur-
loughed, joked the veterans, tauntingly saying :
*' That's the kind of furloughs old Grandpap Thomas
gives you — a cartridge box with sixty rounds of fresh
cartridges." The veterans would reply: ''Yes,
you'll laugh on the other side of your mouths when
230
HISTORY OF THE
we board the cars for home; it's all right, we will
bide our time." Colonel Walters ordered that Cap-
tain Wright be left in charge of the camps and con-
valescents of the Eighth and Thirty-first Illinois.
On the morning of the 23d the officers and men,
especially the veterans, left their money with me,
each man's bounty and pay being enveloped with
name endorsed thereon, many of them remarking
that they desired that their money should find its
way home to their wives or friends, if they never
did. Captain Benton, in command of the Eighth,
joined our old brigade at Blue Springs, and marched
with the division on a reconnoissance against the
enemy, near Dalton.
The 25th and 26th, skirmished with the enemy at
Buzzard Roost. At times the firing was fierce. The
Eighth displayed the dauntless courage for which
Kentucky's sons are noted. Five of the Eighth
were slightly wounded.
On the night of the 26th General Thomas ordered
many fires to be made, having the men light long
strings of fences, by throwing two pannels together,
and making much noise, as if receiving reinforce-
ments. This caused the enemy to fall back. Then,
at the hour of midnight, our forces silently marched
back, arriving at Blue Springs, six miles from Cleve-
land, on the 28th of February, when the writer,
with the convalescents and baggage wagons, joined
the battalion. The same day Captain Wilson, Quar-
termaster Kindred, Adjutant Park and the six fur-
loughed men returned to the command. We re-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 23 1
mained one day at Blue Springs, trying to keep dry
in our old, leaky tents.
The first day of March Captain Wilson resumed
command, and at the same time we received orders
from General Thomas to march immediately to
the city of Chattanooga. We loaded up our camp
and garrison equipage, in a heavy rain, and had a
slippery, muddy, wet day's march. Arrived at
Tyner's Station late in the evening, and were pros-
pecting for a place to bivouack for the night. There
being a freight train about to start for the city, Cap-
tain Wilson conceived the idea of giving us a free
ride of two hours, and a cold one it was, too, for as
night came on the rain ceased, the wind changed
to the northwest, and blew cold and fierce. Our
garments being thoroughly soaked, made our situation
on the top of the boxes very unpleasant. On arriv-
ing at the depot, Captain Wilson and myself, after
considerable difficulty, found General Steadman,
commanding the post, and reported. The general
in person conducted us to a small eminence, near to
and west of Fort Wood, and informed us that here
we would pitch our camp. But here was dilemma —
we had nothing to pitch, not even a ration to pitch
into our gnawing stomachs. Our wagons, contain-
ing all our equipage and rations, was ten miles in the
rear. The wind increasing in power and cold, our
clothing soon froze stiff, and thus, hungry and cold,
we wore out the night hovering over some small,
smoky, green wood fires. By much exertion, even
more than a ten miles march, we jumped, danced
232 HISTORY OF THE
and burnt our shins alternately; but as every-
thing earthly has an end, so at last the king of day
came smiling up over Mission Ridge. Some of us
officers^ feeling the urgent demands of the ^' inner
man," hastened into the city on the hunt for some
breakfast. The Central Hotel being the only house
open (a place well and long remembered, and noted
only for high prices and poor fare), we made ener-
getic efforts to get on the outside of one dollar's
Worth of grub. As soon as our wagons arrived we
put the men to hauling the old bricks and boards
from the numerous deserted camps, and the
remembrance of our bitter experience of the previous
night stimulated us to a lively diligence in prepar-
ing quarters. Here we felt sure we would build our
last chimney, having enjoyed the luxury of seven
different winter quarters since October. The men
built small board houses, using the shelter tents as a
covering, each with a neat brick chimney, all laid off
in regulation style. In a few days the camp of the
Eighth again wore a neat and comfortable appear-
ance.
The 5th March, Quartermaster Kindred succeeded
in meeting our requisitions for new clothing, many
of the men, especially the veterans, receiving entire
new outfits. As they expected soon to be permitted
to visit home and friends, they not only needed, but
deserved, the best Uncle Samuel could furnish.
The 9th March, Captain Wilson issued his order
the boys called the ''chuck-a-luck order." That
officer, having a strong prejudice against gambling
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 233
of anj description, also a wish for the best interests
of the men, ordered every man arrested found play-
ing cards, chuck-a-luck, or any other game, for
money, the officer to seize the money up or "staked"
and appropriate the same for the benefit of the sick
of the battalion. But little money was ever found
as '' staked," the sporting men of the Eighth being
a little too cunning for that. But General Stead-
man's order was to arrest all men found by the
police guards gambling, and confine them in the
military prison there for a specified time. Some of
our Eighth boys were passing up the railroad cut to
the Fifteenth Indiana regiment, and stopped a few
minutes where some soldiers of another regiment
were '' chuck-a-lucking," when Steadman's guard
pounced on them and arrested spectators and all.
After much trouble we succeeded in having our in-
nocent men released. General Steadman did not
like to keep healthy, able-bodied men idle long at a
time, consequently he soon had a large squad of
would-be gamblers out in the valley burying the car-
casses of dead horses and mules, causing no little
comment by the soldiers, such as ''Here's your
mule. "
While on picket the night of the loth, the writer
heard the following conversation between one of our
sentinels and an officer of the Anderson Cavalry.
The latter, after giving the countersign, passed in
and said :
" What regiment is yours ?"
Guard—" The Eighth Kentucky."
234 HISTORY OF THE
Officer — ''Well, see here, I want this flag tale
settled. Who first took the flag on Lookout the
25th November?"
Guard — ''The Eighth Kentucky, you bet !"
Officer — '' When I was at home in Pennsylvania I
heard a fellow make a speech, and he lauded the
Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania for that honorable feat.
I told him and the crowd that it was the Eighth
Kentucky, and I came very near having a fight on
account of my statement."
Guard — "Well, captain, you was mighty right,
and you kin git a thousand good witnesses to swear
to It, too.
> >
About this time Sergeant Wood, Company C, re-
ceived a letter stating that his house and entire con-
tents were destroyed by fire. His captain soon cir-
culated a subscription list among his company, and
got one hundred and fifty dollars in a few hours,
which was sent to his houseless wife and children.
The 2 2d March put on a blustering appearance,
and old Boreas let us know what he could do even
down in " Dixie" by giving us eight inches of snow.
The men enjoyed, or rather endured, some lively
snow-ball battles. Blood flowed from a few noses,
some phrenological bumps suddenly developed to
immense proportions, more than one eye was dis-
colored, and a great many were " shot in the neck."
After the fight was over general good feeling, even
among the lately wounded, prevailed.
The night after this snow-ball battle the long de-
layed and much wished for transportation order
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 235
came for the Eighth veterans, with the officers of
such companies as had three-fourths re-enlisted to
have transportation to Lexington, Ky., consequently
the 23d was quite a busy day — some of the officers
inspecting and turning over old, worn-out quarter-
master stores, and the men preparing rations and
washing clothing.
Early the 24th, Captain Benton and Captain
Wright went to the depot and made arrangements to
get aboard the cars at noon. They returned and
had the now exulting veterans to assemble to receive
some orders about leaving their extra blankets and
clothing with the non-veterans, who would remain
with Captain Wilson and a few other officers. I took
the opportunity to give my company the following
good advice, which I am proud to record was gen-
erally heeded by all these veteran soldiers, with only
a very few exceptions :
"Soldiers and comrades: We are about to start
to our homes and friends, to enjoy a thirty days'
furlough. Now, my desire is that every one of you
shall have all the enjoyment possible to be had in one
month's time, and I, your captain, who loves you
all, feel it my duty to say a few words to you, not as
commands, but as advice, respecting your conduct
during that time ; not that I doubt that you can and
will deport yourselves as become the brave men you
are. Boys, I feel proud of you and the bright name
you have so justly won on so many battle fields,
and my intimate association with you for two and a
half years, having with you endured so many priva-
236 HISTORY OF THE
tions and hardships, and saw your cheerful obedi-
ence to all legal orders, under any and all circum-
stances, has cemented our friendship, that I hope is
second to no other fraternal feeling. Let me earn-
estly request that none of you, in your brief
holiday, so far forget yourselves and your standing
as patriotic gentlemen as to become intoxicated.
Let us show our numerous friends that we can appre-
ciate and enjoy good society in the peaceful walks of
life, as well as brave the terrors and dangers of the
field of battle. For this your enemies, if you have
any there, will fear and respect you the more, and
your friends and sweethearts love you better. And,
recollect, boys, we are not free from the restraints of
military discipline until we disband ; until then I
shall allow no absenting from the command without
permission of one of your officers. Now prepare to
fall into line at eleven o'clock."
The conclusion of this advice was greeted by
deafening cheers. We will now leave Captain Wil-
son and the non-veterans doing regular guard and
garrison duty in and around Chattanooga, and, with
the reader's permission, follow the veterans home
and back again to the ever changing variations of
the soldier's life.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE EIGHTH VETERANS ON FURLOUGH AND RETURIi
TO CHATTANOOGA.
The noon train for Nashville, the 24th of March, as
it wound around the base of towering Lookout, bore
the one hundred and sixty-two men of the Eighth, the
Eighth officers, and three colored servants. Captain
Benton, Captain Wright, Captain Smallwood, and
Lieutenants Williams, Harklerhodes, Tye, Lewis and
Pucket. It is not strange that many of us passed
unnoticed the grand scenery of snow-capped mount-
ains, for our minds were busy with cheerful thoughts
of loved ones at home. Some of us had wives and
children, others sweethearts and kind fathers,
mothers and sisters, all of whom had been notified
by mail of our expected, but delayed, coming. We
arrived at the city of Nashville at noon, the 25th.
A recent accident to the railroad caused us to remain
at Barracks No. 2 until the morning of the 27th. At
6 o'clock we were flying northward, and arrived at
Louisville at 5 p. m. We took meals and lodging at
the Soldiers' Home, where the fare was superior to
many hotels, and was furnished by the government
free.
On the 29th we deposited our arms and equip-
ments at the arsenal, made out furloughs for the men
and officers, and made arrangements to take the
Lexington train early the 30th. We had a few men
23S HISTORY OF THE
in each company that had offered to re-enlist but
were rejected by the examining surgeon on account
of physical disability. We officers plead earnestly
with Major Sidell to have these men furloughed, but
he as earnestly refused, saying: ''It is entirely con-
trary to my orders." So we were forced to leave
these good, willing and obedient men, to take their
thirty days' leave at Park Barracks.
On our arrival at Lexington, 3 o'clock p. m., we
gave the men their furloughs, and formally disbanded,
but as the majority of them desired to go the same
road, 30 or 40 miles southwest, into, Madison, Estill
and adjoining counties, they concluded to go the
same evening to Clay's Ferry, some fifteen miles dis-
tant. The officers took early supper at the Phoenix.
It was thought best that one of the officers proceed
immediately to Clay's Ferry to make arrangements
for supper and lodging for the men. Procuring a
good horse, I proceeded to the ferry and requested
Mr. Gilbert, proprietor of the one and only hotel
there, to prepare supper for about one hundred men.
The astonished landlord replied: ''Why, Captain,
that will take everything eatable on the place." I
told him that these were soldiers on furlough and
were perfect gentlemen, and that I would see that
every man paid him, which would enable him to
purchase more supplies. Very soon every member
of that family were busy preparing and cooking.
The clock told the small hours of the night before
the last soldier arose from the table, all being lively,
but not boisterous. The next morning Gilbert said
\
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 239
to me : '' Well, sir ; I have seen and fed a great
many soldiers during this war, but this is the first
time I ever saw so many together and not had oc-
casion to notice some ill bred behavior, and when
you called last night I had no idea of receiving any-
thing for feeding soldiers, besides, I expected my
house would be ruined. They are the most genteel
set of soldiers I have seen."
The men and officers, early the ist of April, scat-
tered to the homes of their respective families and
friends, where the time passed pleasantly and rapidly
with most of us, visiting friends. The many scenes
of tender meetings that took place that night and
the next day, between long separated husbands and
wives and other dear friends, we will leave the reader
to imagine. Suffice to say, every veteran tried to
improve the brief holiday to the best advantage, and
quite a number of them, during that balmy spring
month, found time and opportunity to woo and win
the hearts and hands of blushing brides, so that they
could have some one with whom to leave their
money. However, many of these apparently hasty
marriages had been thoroughly discussed through
the mails by the contracting parties for many months.
It would, no doubt, be interesting to follow some
of these brave youths of the Veteran Eighth, into
some of the many, happy and festive parties, as well
as joyous weddings, that took place during this
bright, cheerful spring month of April, in Central
Kentucky, but these appear to the writer to be too
much like trespassing on the private rights or the
240 HISTORY OF THE
sanctity of home, and the sacred ties that bind in
union two or more hearts in a sacred love, too pure
and high to drag before the public gaze. So should
we not hold up to the reader's view the many tender
and really affecting parting scenes that took place in
Estill, Madison, Jackson and a few other counties
in that part of Kentucky, about the ist of May,
1864. But we will throw the charitable mantle of
silence over them, and leave the reader to draw his
or her own pictures of such scenes. Ah, this re-
turning to the war is attended with more anxious
solicitude by friends, than when the new recruit first
leaves the domestic circle.
The following incident was related to the author
by a friend in Clark County while on furlough :
Young Mrs. C, whose love for the confederacy was
something like devotion gone to seed, against the
wish and advice of her loyal husband, one hot day in
July, 1862, continued the preparation of her flaky
pies and spicy cakes, with which she declared her in-
tention to treat Morgan's soldiers. That sultry
afternoon Mrs. C. mounted her fine saddle horse (a
gift from her father on her wedding day a few
months before). The cumbersome basket prevented
her from using her parasol as she rode, under the
burning sun, over three miles of the rough country
road, contemplating the pleasure she would enjoy in
feasting and cheering the " southern braves." With
these happy thoughts Maggie neared the long line-
like cloud of white limestone dust, that rose and
hung over the hot stone pike on which were passing
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 241
a part of Morgan's dirty, tired and hungry troopers,
who cheered the heroic Kttle woman as she alter-
nately waved her handkerchief, cheered for Jeff.
Davis and handed out the contents of her basket to
the ravenous chivalry. When the basket was empty
Mrs. C. still sat on her horse by the roadside to cheer
and give encouragement to the straggling rear.
Many of the latter were on foot, having lost their
horses in a recent skirmish on the south side of the
Kentucky River. One long-haired, tall Johnnie
rebel stepped up to Maggie's side. She began to
lament that her cakes were all gone. He inter-
rupted her, saying :
''Never mind, my little queen; I'm not much a-hun-
gry, but I'm d — d tired, and I want this here hoss."
Mrs. C. replied : " O, sir ! but I am your friend ;
I am for southern rights."
" Wall, now, beauty, if yer'sich a bully friend to
the south as yer lets on to be, yer'l hev no 'bjections
ter my havin' a good boss to ride and fight Yankees
on !"
Maggie remonstrated, saying she could never let
" Coaly" go to war.
The parley ended by the long-armed rebel reach-
ing up and clasping the small waist with his large
hands, lifting the little, indignant, screaming woman
to the ground. Depositing her saddle by her, the
rebel mounted, and, with mock courtesy, bowed, say-
ing : "Miss, this ere present does credit ter yer
principles, and this ere boss shall put in his best
licks fur our cause," and galloped away.
16
242 HISTORY OF THE
Late that afternoon a very tired and mad little
woman, with face sun-burned, her best dress and
fine gaiters badly soiled, ?,rrived home, where her
anxious, loving husband stood awaiting her return.
With fresh tears she sobbed out :
" O, John ! I want you to get a horse and follow
that rotten, thieving gang of men, and take ' Coaly'
away from them."
John replied to his wife : " Now, Maggie, you
have had your little romance, and I hope you are
satisfied with the loss of one ^300 horse. I am not
fool enough to put myself to the trouble to follow
your friends to give them another good horse, and
probably get a cursing for my pay. No, dear, one
horse and one little lesson learned will do for this
time."
Mr. C. said after that day Maggie could not be
persuaded to sing " In Dixie's Land I'll take my
stand," but that she came over and took her stand
by him for the Union, and we have no doubt smil-
ingly approved his voting for Garfield in 1880.
The furloughed officers and our three faithful ser-
vants met the 30th at the United States Hotel, in
Louisville, and reported at Park Barracks, the ist
day of May. In a few days all the men reported ex-
cept a few who were sick. Private Ingram, Com-
pany D, one of the non-veterans left here, had died.
On the 6th, about all our men having reported, we
put on our '' war harness" and boarded the evening
train, and arrived at Nashville early the 7th, where
we met Lieutenant C. Park and twenty of the Eighth,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 243
having in ch'arge a number of rebel prisoners. We
left Nashville at noon and were delayed at VVartrace
two hours. Our boys called out our old hotel-
keeper, Hailey, alias " Pig-tracks," who said he was
''yit loyal," and he was given three cheers. We
awoke early the 8th, at Stevenson, Ala., and all took
breakfast at the new Soldiers' Home. From there
to the city of Chattanooga we had a hot and unpleas-
ant ride in the sun on top of the blistering, painted
box cars. On entering our old camp we were hailed
with hearty cheering. The familiar valley and sur-
rounding mountains were now clothed in beautiful
green, decked with a profusion of flowers. Our en-
campment also wore a neat and comfortable appear-
ance ; and we were not at all displeased to learn that
our little battalion would not move on to the front,
where General Sherman had just commenced his
long and bloody summer campaign, but would re-
main as a part of the garrison guards — not that any
of the Eighth desired to shirk the sterner duties and
brave new dangers, but knowing this duty had to be
performed, were quite willing to remain and endure
the monotony of settled soldiering, for a while at
least, though our various duties were almost as con-
stant. We could have our neat quarters to return to,
where we could enjoy refreshing sleep, making a
much better substitute for a home than our brave
comrades could possibly have at the front. General
Steadman said he had made a special request of Gen-
eral Thomas that he be permitted to retain the
Eighth here.
244 HISTORY OF THE
Although the recently returned officers were
pleased with our camp and satisfied with our pros-
pective duties, a few of us were in a dilemma about
those important appendages, the cooks. The colored
boys who had returned with us to Nashville, from
some cause, failed to get on the train with the sol-
diers at that place. At breakfast on the morning of
the loth, Captain Wright and Captain Benton were
lamenting this grievance, and discussing ways and
means to have the absent cooks' places filled with
substitutes. Just then Bristo's ebony countenance,
with two rows of shining ivory, made its appearance
at the open tent door. ''Hello, Bristol come in
and give a report of your conduct in deserting the
service." *' Dat I will, Cap'n," at the same time
taking off his hat and making a clownish salute.
" Yer see, I neber tended to lebe yer, cap'n ; it wuz
you alls lef dis nigger." ''Well," says Captain
Benton, '* but where is Simp ?" "I speck he's dar
wid his folks. He say to me, ' Bris, I'se found my
mudder an' de odder chilen,' an' we went down dar
to see em^ an^ we jist got de best kind o' dinner, an'
I say 'Simp, dey'l lebe us, sho — let's be trablin\'
Den yer orter seed dat ole yaller 'omen ! She jist
cling to Simp, cryin'. At last he guv up, and say
ter me : 'Bris, tell Cap'n Wright I's sorry to lebe
him, but dat I'll pay him dat ten dollars ef it takes
till de day ob judgment.' Den I lays roun' dat de-
pot till last night, den I crep in a box car on de grain,
an' nobody see me till dis mornin'. Whoop, doh,
what a cussin' I got from de guard. I gib him half a
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 245
dollar, an* he let me crawl back, an* I here, an*
gwine to stay, cap'n, ef yer lets me.'* Bristo was,
duly restored to his former standing as cook for
Captain Wright and his two lieutenants, without loss
of pay and allowances, and remained a faithful ser-
vant until the command was discharged,
GARRISON DUTIES — SOMETHING OF THE INHABITANTS
IN DIXIE.
Among our other daily duties as garrison guards
of Chattanooga, an officer and from twenty to fifty
men were called for every few days to guard trains to
the front, or trains and prisoners to Nashville.
Occasionally an officer and company would be de-
tailed to help drive and guard a drove of beeves to
the front. Probably at the same time from twenty
to thirty men of the Eighth would be ordered to
unload grain from the cars. Thus, it was often that
we had over half of the battalion on train guard
duty, making it close work to furnish our quota for
pickets.
On the 1 8th May, Captain Smallwood and Lieu-
tenant Tye and fifty men went to Nashville with six
hundred rebel prisoners in charge. On arriving.
Captain Goodwin, provost marshal, sent them on to
Louisville, Ky., with the Johnnies. They returned
the 23d, and again, the 31st, Captain Smallwood
and fifty men made a trip to Nashville with prisoners
in charge, each officer being detailed for train guard
in succession as his name appeared on the roster.
But, to give a detailed account of all our various
duties and expeditions as train guards, (Sec, would
246 HISTORY OF THE
require a much larger volume than the present one,
therefore we shall only be table to take up a few-
incidents in their regular order in the next
chapter.
Our picket line on the south side of the river ex-
tended in a circuit of about six miles, from the
mouth of Citico Creek above to two miles below the
city. This line was divided into six different sta-
tions or reserve posts. Details from the Eighth gen-
erally picketed stations three and four. The latter
extended across the Rossville road. The post com-
mander ordered that all citizens coming to or return-
ing from the city be admitted only at that point,
those without passes to be guarded to the provost
marshal, where, if Mr. or Mrs. Citizen was " all
right," they obtained a pass to return through the
lines. This post, therefore, required a special guard of
a commissioned officer and eight men. All the sur-
viving members of the Eighth Kentucky will doubt-
less remember many amusing conversations had at
this Rossville Station, No. 4, with some of the droll
natives of Tennessee and Upper Georgia, who fre-
quently came fifteen or twenty miles, often on foot,
to trade in the city. They were generally old men,
boys and women. They usually came laden with
marketable produce, which they exchanged for gro-
ceries. Some came to beg from the government,
especially after the war department authorized post
commissaries in certain localities to issue rations to
loyal women where they had a son or husband in the
United States service.
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 247
Among the many that came to Chattanooga to try
Uncle Sam's generosity were really many deserving
people, who were no less needy than their disloyal
neighbors that often came and gave ludicrous reasons
for claiming aid from the government.
The 7th June, a droll, middle-aged woman and a
stout boy came up and were requested by the guard to
, take a seat in the shade until our escort guards re-
turned. After wiping the perspiration from her
tough-looking face with a large red *'bandaner,"
she addressed me, saying :
" Mr. Cap'n, can one draw rations in Chatternooga
neow?"
I gave her a short explanation of the order, telling
her it depended altogether upon her circumstances.
Her face underwent what in some countenances
would have been a blush. She again brought the
mammoth handkerchief into use, and demurely
asked: "Well, Mr. Captain, don't you think that
when the seceshers, that us critters back, eat up all
our last year's crop, and then you'ens last fall just
cleaned out the last sweet tater ; and all this from a
lone widder that's got seven children, that's got no
daddy, is a sarcumstance enough." I readily ad-
mitted that if that was her marvelous condition, she
certainly should be entitled to government rations,
and she returned in the evening highly pleased, with
all she and one of the utterly fatherless boys could
carry.
Another day, soon after, I was on duty at the same
station, as captain of the guard. An old lady and
248 HISTORY OF THE
a boy drove up in a little, rickety old wagon, drawn
by a little black scrub ox, very little larger than a
good Southdown sheep. The harness was a single
yoke, into which the shafts were secured by wooden
pins, and a hemp rope around the ox's stubby horns.
As they halted, one of the guards remarked : "Well,
that rig beats anything I've seen in Dixie." The
old lady, with considerable spirit, replied: ^'O,
sir, if it's Buck and the wagon you calls a rig,
I can tell you it's so much better'n lots of our neigh-
bors can do, I kinder feel proud, for it's a sight
easier'n walking." On the arrival of this primitive
conveyance at Captain Davis' office he politely re-
quested the occupants to remain seated in the wagon
a few minutes^ and that smiling official hurried into
an artist's tent, near by. Very soon the artist was
out on the pavement, adjusting his camera. The
old lady discovered his maneuvers, and instantly be-
gan to scream and make frantic efforts to leave the
wagon, saying, " O, for the good Lord's sake, don't
kill we'uns."
The captain, after assuring her that no harm
should be done, that they only wished to take her
picture, and explaining to her the use of the camera,
she exclaimed : '' Well, 'pon my soul and body,
and that's what you'ens makes pictures with. I
made sure it was some kind of a Yankee gun ; it did
look so frightful with that are man a taken sight at
me and Johnny. I tell you, I thought our time had
come, sure." That evening, as she passed out of
the lines, the old lady appeared to take great pleas-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 249
ure in showing us her picture, saying, "See, there's
me a holding the basket of berries, and there's
Johnny, the wagon, and old Buck, too; all jest
looking natural as life, and all done most as quick
as shootn', only I didn't hear anything pop; but I
tell you, Mr. Captain, I was scart." We offered
five dollars for that picture, but it was evidently not
for sale. The country people generally came with their
marketables to the city on Saturdays in great num-
bers, which compelled our guards to economize time
and travel by escorting citizens to the city in squads
of a dozen or twenty. The 14th of June, just after
the guard had left with one of these squads, there
came to the post two delicate, fair haired girls, the
eldest probably sixteen and the younger about thir-
teen years of age, accompanied by an old negro,
who bore on her head a large basket of huckleber-
ries. The girls each had a peck basket of this early
fruit. They took seats in the shade of our tall hedge
fence, to await the return of my guards. In these
young ladies' manners and speech I noticed a degree
of refinement above the ordinary people. Their
dresses, though somewhat worn and faded, were
neat fitting and scrupulously clean. I felt interested
to know something of their peculiar misfortune,
feeling certain that they had seen better and
happier days. In compliance to my inquiries, the
oldest girl gave a short statement, in substance,
as follows:
At the commencement of the war their father
owned one of the best plantations on Chickamauga
250 HISTORY OF THE
River, and worked about fifty slaves. Their two
brothers had early joined the rebel ranks, and one
of them fell in battle in 1861. The father died
from disease in 1862, leaving their mother, and
with a faithful old negro man as boss of the slaves,
they got on very well, until the great battle of Chick-
amauga. On Sunday the contending armies drew
near in furious conflict. The mother, two daughters
and the old black woman, for safety, took refuge in
the cellar ; but soon a wicked shell exploded in and
set fire to their fine house. They then fled to the
woods, in the rear of the rebel line, and found shel-
ter in the cabin of a poor white woman, whose hus-
band was also a rebel soldier. The loss of property,
excitement, and over exertion, proved too much for
the feeble mother, who, after a few weeks illness,
died. The slaves all left the houseless and fenceless
plantation, and they were still sharing the humble
shelter and coarse, scant fare of the war widow and
her children. The kind-hearted old colored woman
yet remained true to them, and they had just learned
that their only brother was a prisoner in Chatta-
nooga. He had taken the oath of allegiance, but
would be sent north of the Ohio River, and they
desired to see him before he left.
While she related this sad story, vainly trying to
keep back the unbidden tears, our hearts ached in
sympathy for these tender girls, reared in a home of
luxurious comfort, now homeless and nearly friend-
less orphans, toiling with tender hands to gather
wild berries and bearing them over ten miles of
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 25 1
hot, dusty roads, that they might help buy a few-
necessaries of life. The old darkey, with tears in
her eyes, said: ''Dar, Miss Lilly, don't cry befo*
de boss, fur I'se gwine to stick to yo', chile,
so lis."
The next day, after being relieved, I stated to
Adjutant General Moe briefly the case of the rebel
prisoner and brother. Before night he was employed
by the chief of transportation, at Chattanooga, to
work in the depot rubbing up locomotives, and his
two sisters found friends in the city, with whom they
boarded at the expense of the ex-rebel.
CHAPTER XVII.
The 2 2d June, 1864, by order of General Stead-
man, I took command of a guard of forty men —
twenty of the Eighth and twenty of the Sixty-eighth
Indiana — to guard 370 federal prisoners to the front.
They were deserters and bounty jumpers belonging
to various commands, gathered up principally from
the large cities, and were as dirty, lousy and reckless
a set of men as could well have been found on the
globe. Some of them boasted that they had received
six bounties. At noon I received the rolls and pris-
oners, and, with my guards, boarded the top of two
long freight trains containing ammunition. The
power of the unobstructed rays of the sun on the
newly painted boxes was oppressive, and the water
in our canteens soon became a few degrees above
blood heat. As the rebels were daily tearing up
rails, placing torpedoes between the ties, and fre-
quently cutting the telegraph wires and firing on
passing trains from the brush, we made short halts
at all the stations to telegraph front and back. A
train had been blown up, near Resaca, the evening
before, by a torpedo, evidently the work of disloyal
citizens, or emissaries harbored by them. The
thought of riding over tons of powder and striking
one of these explosive and inflammable magazines
was yet more unpleasant than the fear of rebel bullets
or the blistering heat. At dark we arrived at Resaca,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 255
and were telegraphed to lay over until morning. We
passed a sleepless night. Some of our " jail birds**"
were evidently anxious to give us the slip, but the
untiring vigilance of the guards, aided by the light
of a bright, full moon, enabled us to keep our priso-
ners within prescribed limits, but not until several of
them had been touched by the persuasive point of
the bayonet. Early the 23d I made requisition on
Colonel Moore, commanding the post, and received
one day's scant rations, which the bounty jumpers
ate for breakfast. At Kingston we met two long
trains of hospital cars filled with recently wounded
men. The floors were paved with bleeding heroes
of the Fourth Corps. I found Colonel Price, Lieu-
tenants Brown and Buckley, of the Twenty-first
Kentucky, and many others whose faces were
familiar, among the wounded. How our hearts
warmed toward these brave men who had stood by
us so nobly at Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout
and other places. Looking through the train for
acquaintances, white, ghostly bandages, with here
and there a large rusty spot of blood, met our gaze
on every side. As the attendants came along with
canteens of stimulating coffee, graced only with
sugar, tin cups were extended in all sorts of hands
except strong ones. The dull, pale faces brightened
as the cups were filled, and the ghost of a cheer
greeted the coffee man as he entered another car.
Standing over Lieutenant Brown, I asked him how
he was. He looked up, with a faint smile, and re-
plied : *'Why, captain, bully !" Common as was
254 HISTORY OF THE
this af^y phrase, it sounded from the pale lips of
Brown, who was badly wounded, manly and noble.
These and two more car loads were wounded in
action the 22d at Kulp's House, near Pine Mountain.
We did not reach Big Shanty until near dark. This
was the terminus of our railroad travel. After de-
ploying my guards around the prisoners I went to
General Sherman's headquarters, in a house near the
station. The adjutant general readily consented to
furnish me guides to pilot us to the headquarters of
General Thomas, where I was ordered to report.
At that moment the great ^' flanking" general came
walking in, his heavy sword and spurs clanking over
the bare floor. The adjutant addressed him, saying,
"General, here is a captain from Chattanooga, with
a lot of bounty jumpers and scalawags from our
army. I have just sent for one of the boys to pilot
him to Thomas' headquarters.'* The general stood
meditatively about one minute, then said to me :
*' Captain, the road is through swamps and thickets,
full of stubs and mud holes, and it is cloudy. You
had best form a bull-pen of your guards around your
pets and wait until morning, then you shall have an
escort." I thanked the tall old hero, and corralled
the prisoners for the night. The 24th, our six miles'
march was slow, many of the prisoners being bare-
footed and quite lazy. At 10 o'clock, a. m., I
turned over to Colonel Parkhurst, provost marshal,
Department of the Cumberland, our pets. His ad-
jutant proceeded to call the roll and pick out the
men that belonged to that department. The skirm-
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 255
ishers near the base of Kenesaw Mountain kept up
an incessant popping during the evening, while the
cannon of the enemy thundered from their high posi-
tion east and south of us. At 2 o'clock, p. m., we
again took charge of our pets, except the 130 belong-
ing to that department, and proceeded eastward, in
the rear of the long lines of our vigilant army, to the
head quarters of General McPherson, Department of
the Tennessee, situated nearly north of, and near the
base of Kenesaw. Here Colonel Wilson, provost
marshal, was kind enough to relieve my guards
during the night, but said he could not furnish us
rations. I then called on General McPherson, who,
after hearing the statement of the supperless condi-
tion of both guards and prisoners, and the sleepless
vigilance that had been required to watch these men,
most of whom dreaded the idea of a court marshal,
or worse, digging picket holes under fire, approved my
requisition, and soon a wagon was dispatched to Big
Shanty, and returned about midnight with the much
needed grub. The moonlight enabled the pickets to
keep up a lively skirmish the latter part of the night,
along the side of the mountain. But the loss of
sleep for two nights enabled us to sleep regardless of
hostilities within artillery range of Adjutant F.
Earl's tent, where we reposed.
On calling the roll, the 25th, we found eighty-
eight of our charge belonged to the Tennessee, and in
accordance with Sherman's order, we took charge of
the remaining prisoners and started to General
Scofield's, Department of the Ohio, on the extreme
256 HISTORY OF THE
right wing. Feeling refreshed, we retraced our
steps westward, but soon discovered all the right
wing of the army on another flank movement to the
right, and it was 4 p. m. before we came up with
General Thomas and staff, bivouacked. Colonel
Parkhurst sent his provost guards on to Scofield's
headquarters with their prisoners, and again we had
short relief from the bounty jumpers. But early the
26th the provost guards returned to us ninety-eight
of our scallawags, that evidently belonged to the
Army of the Potomac. At the same time we took
charge of one hundred rebel prisoners, some of them
captured the evening before. One of them intimated
to me that he should take the oath to Uncle Sam,
and quit the South forever. Said he : " I'll tell yer
ef we couldn't stop your army from flanking us at
Resaca or Altoona, 'taint no use to try it south of
Kenesaw, and that '11 be abandoned before to-mor-
row." I asked him how he knew. " Well, yester-
day mornin' we had orders to keep everything packed
up, ready for a move, and we've heard that order so*
often we all know d— d well it means retreat." Ar-
riving at Big Shanty at i p. m, we cooped our pris-
oners in empty box cars and arrived in Chattanooga
at midnight of the 27th. Escorted our prisoners to
a large church, during a heavy rain and thunder
storm, and were relieved, wet and hungry. Some of
the Eighth boys remarked : ''Train guard duty aint
no durned soft thing, after all.
About the ist of July our senior surgeon, John
Mills, was assigned the position of medical director
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 257
of the large field hospital on Cameron Hill, several
hundred recently Wounded patients having arrived
from the front, who were wounded in Sherman's un-
successful assault on Kenesaw Mountain.
All the garrison at Chattanooga were up at arms
on the morning of the Fourth of July, General
Pillow, with a force of the enemy, haviiig been re-
ported near Lafayette.
The 4th, as the sun arose over Mission Ridge, in
accordance with General Steadman's order, at the
signal gun, a loo pounder, every steam whistle of
locomotives, steamboats and shops about the city,
simultaneously, rent the still morning air with a
roaring, screeching sound, more unearthly than the
writer ever expected to hear. Nine salutes and
screams were repeated at noon and sunset, making
the mountain-walled valley echo, as I then thought
and hoped, the death knell of the confederacy and
rebellion. The day was celebrated by some officers,
soldiers and loyal citizens^ by a pic - nic and
dancing fandango at Lookout Mountain. From the
picket station I viewed the pleasure seekers with a
field glass, joyous groups of shoulder-strapped and
blue-coated men, and country maids, tripping their
light feet in unison with the lively music, contrasted
with the hostile scenes enacted on the same grounds
seven months previous, when our boys treated the
frowning rebels with cold lead, and now their smil-
ing sisters to expensive ice cold lemonade.
About this time General Steadman issued orders
that all male citizens, living between Chattanooga
258 HISTORY OF THE
and Dalton, within three miles of the railroad,
should come in and establish their loyalty, or be
com})elled to leave the country. This seemingly
harsh order was caused by the frequent obstructions
found placed on the railroad track, and believed by
the general to have been done by citizens, or those
harbored by them. These sweeping orders caused
the now excited country people to flock into the city
by scores. One very hot day in July, our picket
guards escorted to headquarters over two hundred.
Many of these once slave owning aristocrats, whose
love for the *' divine institution " of the South and
hatred for Yankees had kept them from the city for
many months, now came smiling up to the picket
line, their fair daughters availing themselves of this
rare opportunity to once more come to the city to do
a little shopping, though truth compels me to say that
the majority of them came on foot. The reader
must remember that even the wealthy farmers here
had, by the urgent demands for horses for the waning
confederacy, been left without even the proverbial
army mule. At the picket station, these would-be
aristocratic ladies usually halted under our friendly
shade to cool, shake off the dust, and rest. Many
were the sighs and wishes made by them for the re-
turn of the good, old happy days, before the war,
when they could ride in the old family carriage, with
the dressed up darkey driver perched on top. But
alas, for rebellion's folly, the days of slavery had
been numbered, and the mere chattel would come
out of all this blood, carnage, and suffering of many
\
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 259
innocent people, a man with so called equal rights.
But few citizens from the country, and seventy from
the city, were ordered north.
On the iSth of July, while a few of the Eighth
guards were passing some women and a wagon load
of produce into town, some of the Third Wisconsin
Battery boys stopped the wagon and began to help
themselves. E. Sparks clubbed his gun and knocked
two of the battery boys down. Some demonstra-
tions of hostility caused the Eighth boys to cock
their pieces, while the sergeant informed them they
would shoot the first man that came within three feet
of the wagon. After considerable blustering and
threats by the Third, they retired, and after that the
8th boys had no trouble with them robbing wagons.
Chaplain Kindred, like the faithful soldier, kept
watch to thwart, if possible, the enemy, or enemies,
of the soul, for there were many, had our regular
Sunday sermon, also prayer meeting, and preaching
occasionally in the evening. Frequently a preach-
ing brother of the Military Christian Commission
called and gave us a sermon. To one unacquainted
with camp life it would have been a novel, if not an
impressive sight, to see on a beautiful moonlight
night, at the sound of singing, by a squad of soldiers,
some old familiar hymn, the brawny, sun-tanned vet-
erans, each with his camp stool in hand, gathering
around the singers in the space between the tents,
where the sermon would b^ respectfully listened to
by all with as much decorum as in our churches at
home.
26o HISTORY OF THE
The i8th of July Captain Benton was appointed
assistant post inspector, thus leaving us one officer
less for daily duty.
The 2 2d we were rejoiced at the prospect of the
fall of Atlanta ; but this news was soon followed
with the sad tidings of the death of Gen. McPherson,
and for a few days our wounded came back on the
cars in fearful numbers ; also, a good many rebel
prisoners, whom our command guarded on trains as
far north as Nashville. The Fifty-first Indiana In-
fantry composed part of our garrison, after the Fif-
teenth Indiana were mustered out, in May.
Colonel Streight, of Libby Tunnel notoriety,
joined his regiment, the Fifty-first Indiana, the 20th.
About the ist of August all our non-veterans that
had been assigned to the pioneer corps, returned
with Lieutenant W. Park to the command.
Politics began to be a theme of general discussion
with the soldiers, many earnestly desiring now to
free the negro, but bitterly opposed allowing him all
the rights of a white^Jcitizen.
The 14th of August we were aroused from the
lethargy of our monotonous picket duty, by the rebels
making a raid on^Dalton, Georgia, and threatening
other points nearer. The now terrified Union citi-
zens came flocking [into our lines for protection.
Gen. Steadman, with the^Sixty-eighth, Fifty-first and
Twenty-ninth Indiana, and one regiment of colored
troops (the Fourteenth"), and several pieces of the
Wisconsin Battery, hastened out on the train to the
rescue, the remainder of the colored brigade here
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 26 1
supplying the place of the Hoosier boys on picket.
This being the first time the Eighth boys had done
duty with the darkeys, caused some grumbling at
being left behind, when there was a chance, as the
boys said, of helping put down the rebellion. But
like good soldiers, they did their duty, and only
laughed at their novel situation, saying : '' We'll do
anything honorable to cripple the enemy."
Late on the 15th, General Steadman and the four
regiments returned, having routed Wheeler's gang.
The Indiana boys gave us a good report of the col-
ored regiment, who made a gallant charge, coming
to close quarters with the enemy, and in several in-
stances refused to show quarter, but clubbed their
guns and shouted their watchword, "Remember
Fort Pillow," and actually beat the brains out of
several rebels offering to surrender.
Again, the 17th of August, General Steadman was
telegraphed that about 2,000 rebels had appeared at
Grayer's Station, north of Ringgold, and our garri-
son was reduced so much, and the reports of threat-
ened attack put us all the qui vive. At sunset the
Eighth occupied Fort Wood, and lay behind their
loaded guns, "a little anxious for a brush," as the
boys said, for we felt confident with our fourteen
pieces, twelve pound Parrots. The other troops here
also occupied the other forts ; but no enemj ap-
peared, and at sunrise we returned to our quarters,
to endure one of the hottest days of the season.
The power of the sun's unobstructed rays upon our
thin tents, without the slightest perceptible breeze
262 . HISTORY OF THE
for hours, made the camp almost unendurable. At
the close of this terrible, still, hot day, the white
capped clouds slowly loomed up in the western hori-
zon, from which played the zigzag streaks of light-
ning. The camp was unusually quiet. I lay with
the walls of my tent hoisted, trying to get every
breath of fresh air. I watched the gathering storm.
The thunder's hoarse roar, and the continuous vivid
flashes of lightning, playing around the crown of
grand old Lookout Mountain, appeared as if nature,
in her angry mood, was trying to mimic the sad, his-
toric scenes enacted there one last November's
night, i. e., ''the battle above the clouds." The
nearer approach of the coming storm caused me to
cease my fanciful reverie, and assist Bristo tighten
down the tent pins. At 8 o'clock, while the terrific
storm was raging in majestic fury, sitting on my
camp stool, I suddenly found myself lying on my
back, with a tingling, numb-sensation through my
body. In one corner of the tent knelt Bristo, pray-
ing, if not with the spirit and understanding, with
lusty utterance, like, " Oh Hebenly Master, I knows
I's a bad nigger; de good Lord have mussy on us,
fur oh, mars cap'ns dead and, oh my shin — " I in-
terrupted his devotional theme by asking, " Bris,
are you hurt?" ''De lor bress yer, cap'n, I thot
you's dead, an' I skin my shin agin dat pole." At
that time I heard some one in camp shout : *'Abe's
dead." When the storm had abated a little I
learned that the lightning had struck the top pole of
Company A's first tent, following down a musket,
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 263
hanging bayonet downward, near the bank of Abe
Henderson, melting off the point of the bayonet and
paralyzing Henderson to such a degree that he was
unable to move, and not did recover his speech for
several days. On the evening of the 24th of August
Chaplain Burkett gave us a call, and preached one of
his able sermons. I did not get to see the good old
man, being sick. I lay in my tent, and had the
pleasure of hearing him. From the 25th of August
to the 1 2th of September the writer was unable to
make any notes of events in the battalion, being
confined to his bed at a private residence in the city.
The Democratic-Conservative-Peace party met in
a national convention on the 29th August, passed a
series of resolutions, and then nominated General
George B. McClellan for president and George H.
Pendleton for vice president. When I returned to
camp the 12th September the soldiers appeared to be
taking much interest in politics, having now, by an
act of the Kentucky Legislature, a right to vote at
our respective camps. The following resolution of
the Chicago convention was a source of much com-
ment and frequent warm discussions between those
who expressed their opinions favorable to the peace
party and the "Lincoln boys," who then appeared
to be about half of the command :
Resolved^ That this convention does explicitly declare, as the
sense of the American people, that, after four years of failure
to restore the Union by the experiment of war, under the pre-
tense of a military necessity or war power higher than the con-
stitution, the constitution itself has been disregarded in every
part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down,
and the prosperity of the country impaired. Justice, humanity,
264 HISTORY OF THE
liberty and the public welfare demand that immediate efiforts be
made for a cessation of hostilities, with a view to a convention
of the states, or other peaceable means, that at the earliest
practicable moment peace may be restored on a basis of the
union of the states.
This was the first instance in the history of the
nation in which one of the two great political parties
composing the voting population had avowed its hos-
tility in such bitter terms, not only to the existing
administration, but to the conflict in which it was
engaged for the maintenance of the nation's life,
and had the party gone before the people with this
platform, pure and simple, as the only issue between
them and the party of the Union, they would have
been buried so deep in scorn and contempt of the
nation they would never have found a resurrection.
Their chief candidate, however, who was yet quite
popular with the soldiers, accepted the non\ination,
but repudiated the resolutions, especially those that
demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities.
The following short dialogue between one of the
men of Company A and Sergeant Campbell, Com-
pany C, will give the reader some idea of the inter-
est the boys took in the coming election :
Company A — " I am still for my government, but
as for my part I'll support ' Little Mac,' for if we re-
elect 'Old Abe' the nigger will not only be free to
take arms, but the ballot too, and I'll be d — d if I
like the idea of voting by the side of a cucumber-
shinned nigger ; and you know there are thousands
of ofood soldiers and loval men at home who will
support as good a conservative as McClellan."
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 265
Sergeant — "I readily admit that your party em-
braces many good Union men, but it embraces every
secessionist, bushwhacker, guerrilla and rebel now
in Kentucky, and these really recognized Union men
are to screen from the world's view the disloyal
hosts that are huzzaing for Mac. When you hear a
fellow spouting about tne d — d abolitionists having
got up this war, you may set him down as a traitor
or a copperhead, and they belong to the very mean-
est class of reptiles that crawl ; and I believe, if the
case could be fully investigated, we should find that
it was one of them that betrayed old Mother Eve in
the Garden of Eden. Away with your nonsense
about conservatism 1 Do you think our noble con-
stitution has no innate power to maintain itself
that copperheads must become its conservators ? If
you cast your vote for conservatism you will be
spending your influence in the conservation of this
hellish rebellion. We want no more men to manage
public affairs who are so desperately afraid of hurting
slavery. We want no more men covering half his
face with his country's flag and half with the traitor's
flag of rebeldom. I tell you it is all a delusion.
After the horrible record of the last three years,
slavery is gone. To revive or restore it you may as
well call the bodies of the unnumbered dead of this
war to come from their graves as to try to infuse life
into the dead corpse of American slavery. This is
not fanaticism, but the sober, solemn truth, and the
sooner we old soldiers realize it, and conform our
conduct in accordance, the better, for the sooner our
266 HISTORY OF THE
army realizes this fact, the sooner will the final exter-
minating blow be given to this accursed, disgraceful
rebellion."
The 4th September, 1864, all the troops around
Chattanooga rejoiced at the news of the fall of At-
lanta, nor were our feelings of joy the less on the 6th,
at the news of the death of John Morgan, the guer-
rilla chief, who was shot in trying to escape from
some of General Gillem's men, in a garden at Green-
ville, Tenn. Some of the Eighth boys remarked :
Johnny rides on his raids no more.
And ladies can wear jewelry as before.
About this time quite a number of our battalion
were sick, principally from fever. Alvin Schull,
Company A, a fine, promising young man, died in
October, much loved and lamented by his comrades.
His father, Dr. Schull, of Irvine, Ky., arrived a few
days before, and conveyed his remains home.
During our long stay at Chattanooga, Chaplain
Kindred held religious worship regularly in camp
twice a week. Some times we had a sermon from a
member of the Christian Commission, and several
times were interested by the able old refugee, Chap-
lain Burkett, of the Twenty-first Kentucky. A
marked improvement was noticed by the writer and
others in the general morals, speech and conduct of
the Eighth within the last year. We heard much
less profanity in camp than formerly. Many had be-
come disgusted at so much vulgar profanity and quit
the habit. Others, whose convictions were deeper
seated, had joined our Christian League, instituted in
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 267
the Eighth and Twenty-first Kentucky in September,
1863. Doubtless many good men, now exemplary
Christians, can date their start in agenume reforma-
tion in life to some of those interesting meetings
held in camp. At least the author is certain that
several men have since then made such statements,
their manner of life being proof of the same.
Our comparatively peaceful routine duty at Chat-
tanooga was interrupted the 26th September. The
rebel General Forrest crossed the Tennessee River
at Harpeth Shoals, and made an attack on the gar-
rison at Athens, Ala., thus threatening our long
''cracker line," the N. & C. Railroad. At 4
o'clock that evening all of the Eighth able for duty
marched to the depot, each man with sixty rounds of
ammunition and three days' rations, leaving a few
convalescents with our camp and equipage. We, in
company with the Sixty-eighth Indiana, on board a
train of platform cars, halted at Bridgeport and took
on a good supply of axes, spades and picks. The
night being very dark, the train ran slow, and
reached the mouth of the Cumberland tunnel at day-
light the 27th. After a hasty breakfast we laid off a
line of earthworks and worked faithfully all day.
We cut trees and rolled logs and large stones into
line, against which the hard earth was piled breast
high. At 5 o'clock, p. m., our pickets were called
in, we being ordered by General Millroy to mount
the first train north and proceed to Elk River bridge.
After waiting in the rain until after 9 o'clock, p. m.,
we left the Sixty-eighth Indiana here. We halted at
268 HISTORY OF THE
Decherd to throw off our tools, and soon landed at
the bridge. Lieutenant-Colonel Mayhew and three
companies occupied the fort, Company C, Captain
Wright, the block-house on the south side, and
Lieutenant Tye and Company B that on the north.
As soon as daylight appeared everybody about the
fort and block-houses was at work. Water tanks
were cleaned out and refilled, and every necessary
preparation made to stand a protracted attack, which
we had good reason to believe the rebel raiders
would make that day or night. Within these bomb-
proof block-houses, every man with plenty of ammu-
nition lying at his port-hole, while the boys at the
strong little fort, with its four ominous looking
twelve-pounders, we felt rather anxious to have the
enemy attack us, as the men said, " Probably it will
be our last fight, and we intend to make it a good
one." During the early part of the night
a part of the enemy had crossed the rail-
road within a few miles and cut the telegraph. We
grew more impatient waiting to hear the signal fire
of our pickets. At i o'clock, a. m., we heard the
unmistakable trample of cavalry. Then followed
the discharge of several pieces of musketry in quick
succession, then all was quiet, except some loud
talking on picket. The Fifth Tennessee Federal
Cavalry had accidentally, in their co-operative
movements, run into our line. Fortunately, no harm
resulted beyond the wounding of one horse. Ex-
planations were soon made, and our Tennessee
friends passed on. We were kept on the qui vive
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 269
for several days, but had no chance to try our guns
at rebels through port-holes. General Rousseau, on
the 29th, gave Forrest's raiders a complete drubbing
at Athens, Ala., and sent them off southwest again.
CHAPTER XVIII.
We remained at Elk River until the 20th of Oc-
tober, occupying the positions named in the pre-
ceeding chapter, except on the 5th, Lieutenant Wil-
liams and twenty men, of Companies H and B, were
stationed at a stockade and water tank, one mile
north of the bridge. We drew rations for the bat-
talion from Tullahoma. The first five days' supply
were spoiled — old moldy crackers and meat, to-
tally unfit for human food. Colonel Mayhew ordered
a board of survey, that soon reported back to the
commissary at Tullahoma, with the damaged grub.
During this unavoidable delay, for two days gur men
were forced to resort to the poorly cultivated late
corn fields for bread. Some gathered unripe pump-
kins, others found a few potatoes and late green
beans. But as soon as rations were received the
men generously made full restitution to those from
whom they had been compelled to take. Our men,
generally, exhibited more sympathy with families in
needy circumstances in the South, than was usually
shown by troops from the northern states. Though
all the able bodied males were in arms against us and
their country, we considered it wrong to take from
helpless women and innocent children their scanty
means of subsistence. We here found even those
who had good farms, hard run for bare necessaries ;
therefore we forbid any foraging. Still the men
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 27 1
were allowed to trade for or exchange sugar, coffee,
etc., for sweet potatoes and other vegetables.
Captain Wilson returned to Chattanooga, with an
order from General Millroy to bring up our camp
equipage, as we had no cooking vessels. But the
post commander, being equal in rank, refused to let
the Eighth and Sixty-eighth Indiana camps be
moved, and all the men and officers found much
difficulty in cooking rations. Captain Smallwood,
Lieutenant Jones and myself furnished goverment
rations for a Mrs. Garner, living near the fort, and ^
had her prepare our grub. The fine weather, light
duty, and prospects of the early end of the war,
made the command cheerful, under all circum-
stances.
The nth, a squad of Company H, with Captain
Smallwood and myself, by request of old Mr, Emery,
a citizen, attended the funeral and assisted in bury-
ing his daughter, the bride of Sergeant Garland,
Second Kentucky Battery, who had died suddenly
two weeks after her marriage. The scarcity of able
bodied citizens in the neighborhood made our assist-
ance a matter of necessity. Without our aid the burial
would have been a laborious task for the few old
men and little boys. The beautiful corpse and im-
pressive service by an army chaplain, the grief
stricken husband, the moaning parents and sisters,
made it indeed a solemn scene.
That evening the men's knapsacks were thrown
off a train in a heap, near the fort. There was some
confusion, each trying to be first to secure his indi-
272 HISTORY OF THE
vidual property. Many mistakes were made, but all
were soon rectified without ill-humor. Old soldiers
learn to be very patient with comrades.
The 15th a few of the Eighth were in the neigh-
borhood trading, and ran into a squad of bush-
whackers. Our boys dropped behind a fence and
prepared for an attack, but the Johnnies fled. The
same day they stole Lieutenant Colonel Mayhew's
horse from a citizen, to whom the colonel had
loaned his faithful ''old Dun," the same formerly
owned and rode by Colonel Matthews. Many of
the battalion beside the lieutenant- colonel regretted
his loss.
On the 16th of Octol5er, some excitement, and
much indignation was manifested in camp, at a
shocking proposition by one Stout to two of his
comrades, that, as the bushwhackers were known to
have been lurking about the neighborhood, they
three should get one Rice (who had saved about all
his wages), out with them foraging, kill and rob him,
and report that the bushwhackers had done the deed.
But he had evidently chosen upright, honest boys for
pals, they believing him to be in dead earnest, di-
vulged the wicked proposition to a few officers, who,
after thorough investigation, thought it best to place
Stout under arrest on a charge of criminal intent to
murder. This was done partly for the safety of
Stout, for many of his comrades had threatened to
shoot him the first suspicious movement he should
make. We have ever entertained doubts of his real
intentions, and hope he stated facts in saying that he
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 273
was *' only joking." But the Eighth boys deemed
that too serious a matter for jesting.
The 20th, a part of the i8oth Ohio relieved us
about noon. We packed our scant garrison equipage
and stacked arms on the side of the railroad, where
we remained awaiting the promised train south until
2 o'clock p. m., the 21st. The night was cold and
frosty, but a good pile of old cedar ties furnished us
material for good fires. The night of the 21st we
slept in the stock cars on a siding at Crow Creek,
took breakfast in Stevenson, and arrived at Bridge-
port at noon the 2 2d, and reported to Colonel Tay-
lor, Fifteenth Kentucky, commanding the post.
Having no tents, we were permitted to occupy a
large empty wareroom, and remained there doing
picket duty until near dark, the 25th. A train
stopped for us to take a night ride to our former camp,
at Chattanooga. After much hurry and double-
quicking with our traps for half a mile, a position on
top of the cars caused our blood to cool rather sud-
den for our comfort. But most us of soon gave the
guards to understand that we considered it more
comfortable inside the boxes on the grain.
When we returned to our old camp at Chattanooga,
the last of October, our requisitions for new cloth-
ing were promptly furnished by our quartermaster,
as we expected all the non-veterans would be mus-
tered out in a few days. These men generally drew
new suits complete.
Calls for pickets and duty men were frequent. On
the 2Qth, Lieutenant C. Park and thirty men were
18
274
HISTORY OF THE
sent south with a drove of beeves. We were relieved
from picket duty occasionally by the Fourteenth U.
.S. colored regiment, and notwithstanding they were
commanded by intelligent gentlemen (white officers),
a few of our McClellan boys held the dusky boys
in blue to be rather a disgrace to our uniform, and
they thought it a hardship to be compelled to com-
ply with the usual military etiquette and regulations,
"when being relieved, to make the usual salute by pre-
senting arms, as the new guard marched past to take
their position. But they consoled themselves with
the thoughts of the waning fortunes of the con-
federacy, and their soon being again free men in a
free country.
The last days of October, the Fourth Corps, un-
der General Stanley, arrived at Chattanooga. Gen-
eral Sherman's famous Atlanta citizens' order was
being carried out. Hundreds were daily passing
north, the overtasked rolling stock on the N. & C.
road being unable to transport them. Many of them
had to lay over here in the depot buildings.
November 3d we were ordered by General Stead-
man to go to Resaca, Georgia, to relieve the garri-
son there, to be absent one week. Now we had con-
cluded, as our time would be up the 15th, the Gen-
eral should have sent some other regiment, and to
comply with this unexpected order was even more
unpleasant than remaining here and picketing with
the darkeys. Colonel Mayhew sent the author to the
adjutant general, with a request that one officer from
each company of the Eighth be allowed to stay in
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 275
our camp to prepare rolls and discharge papers.
The request was granted, and five officers, including
the author, remained with a few men not able for
duty.
The battalion went on the cars, the 3d, to Resaca,
and part of the command remained there, and the
balance at Calhoun, as garrison guards, until the
13th of November.
The cold, rainy season had caused us to again
hover around our rudely-constructed fireplaces, and
we officers were for several days quite busy with our
muster-out rolls, as we expected the battalion back
the loth. But that and several days passed and we
were anxiously expecting them.
The 13th being Sunday, and camp appearing un-
usually dull, I took a walk in the city and called on
the good lady that had nursed me so kindly during
my illness in September. After partaking of a good
dinner, a few of us took a walk about the depot,
where hundreds of families were waiting transporta-
tion north. General Sherman had decided to make
the city of Atlanta strictly a military post, and in
September had ordered all families in Atlanta having
male representatives in the rebel lines to be sent im-
mediately through the lines to their friends, and all
other non-combatants in Atlanta to be transported
north. The large depot buildings were full, and
many families had provided themselves rude shelter
by stretching up quilts and blankets, tent-fly fashion.
Many of these people bore unmistakable evidences of
refinement. Viewed under surrounding circum-
276 HISTORY OF THE
Stances in which they were now placed, more
wretched than soldier life, little or no shelter, hover-
ing around small smoky fires, on which women were
trying to cook some fat pork and boil coffee that had
been given them by Uncle Sam, crying and fretting
children clinging to not overly clean dress skirts,
these southern women certainly did not present an
amiable appearance. I could but pity these innocent
women and tender children whom the sad circum-
stances of this useless and foolish rebellion had
caused to be houseless and homeless, most of them
unwilling emigrants. I could only say, God pity
them ! and return to my quarters pondering on the
cruelties of war.
Late on the night of the 14th our pleasant dreams
of home were broken by the old familiar cheering
of the Eighth returning. The 15th and i6th were
busy days with the officers. The evening of the
latter the men were paraded and stacked arms.
Ordnance, camp and garrison stores were piled, in-
spected, invoiced, and finally turned over to the post
inspector, with proper vouchers. We slept as soundly
as if no war was devastating our once happy country.
The 17th all the Eighth except Lieutenant Pucket
and the veterans marched to the tent of Lieutenant
Stansbury, mustering officer U. S. A., and were duly
mustered out, the company officers retaining the
men's discharge papers until we should reach Louis-
ville, Ky., where we were to receive our pay.
The 1 8th we bid Pucket and our veteran brothers
farewell, and were soon on board the cars for home
EIGHTH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS. 277
We arrived at Nashville, where we were compelled
to remain until morning. The 19th, after seeing
our baggage safely housed at the Louisville depot,
the officers put up at the N House. Much good
feeling was manifested among us, some of the younger
officers vieing with each other in conviviality, while
a few of us older ones, who made less demonstra-
tions of gayety, felt no less happy at the prospect of
soon being once more free from military orders, and
at home with our dear wives and other friends that
were anxiously expecting our return.
Early the 23d day of November, 1864, the non-
veterans of the Eighth assembled and formed in line
our last time, marched to the United States Deposi-
tory in Louisville, and all, except the officers whose
accountability for government stores had not been
settled, received final payment, and the men's dis-
charge papers were by the company officers given
them. Then followed a general farewell hand-
shaking, with many earnest vows of eternal friend-
ship, and we hastened to our respective homes, feel-
ing confident that in a few weeks, or months at most,
the cruel war would be over by the complete over-
throw of the would-be Southern Confederacy.
CHAPTER XIX.
COMPANY ROSTER OF CONSOLIDATED COMPANY C,
EIGHTH BATTALION KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER IN-
FANTRY (formerly COMPANIES G AND H, EIGHTH
REGIMENT KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS).
NAMES PRESENT AT MUSTER OUT, NOVEMBER 1 8, 1 864.
Captain T.J. Wright Aged j^
First Lieutenant James R. Williams ........ "
Second Lieutenant George W. Lewis "
First Sergeant Daniel Campbell "
Fourth Sergeant William T. Fielder *'
Fifth Sergeant John F. Clemmons "
Wagoner, William Pitcher "
26
24
41
21
21
28
PRIVATES.
I
2
3
4
5
6
7
Abney, Colby . . o
Aldrich, William. .
Bailey, Alford. . .
Dennis, Pleasant. .
Elliott, Philip J . .
Fritz, INIichael. „ .
Gibson, Hughy . .
8 Gabbard, Greenbury
9 Hurley, Gilbert . .
10 Hornsby, William .
11 Hall, Martin B . .
12 Harris, William . .
13 Howard, Francis. .
14 Hendricks, Elijah .
15 Jones, Nathaniel. .
16 Jenkins, Parson . .
AGE
39
35
22
29
25
25
21
33
28
22
21
35
PRIVATES.
AGE
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
King, Francis 23
King, John 27
22
26
26
35
Laneheart, Sidney Q
Lewis, Joseph W. .
Moreland, Richard.
Moore, William P .
Rice, John Q 31
Shackleford,Maundrel E 22
Stamper, William B
Stamper, Marcus D
Stephens, Richard
Tolson, Isaac . .
Turner,* Edward.
Whisman, Hiram
Wade, George W
27 J 32 Webb, Elisha. .
22
21
27
23
25
22
44
29
TRANSFERRED.
Sergeant James M. Kindred, to staff, March, 1862.
Sergeant Henry Morris, to hospital steward, May, 1862.
Private Hiram Burris,to marine brigade, April, 1863.
Corporal Joshua Bingham, to invalid corps, November, 1863.
Corporal Sampson Patton, to invalid corps, November, 1863.
APPENJ3IX.
279
PRISONERS OF WAR,
1 Blevins, Eli A .
2 Barnett, James A
27
3 King, Moses H. .
4 Morris, William .
21
21
DISCHARGED.
Captain Rhodes Winbourn. .
Lieut. Winfield S. Spencer. .
Lieut. Caleb S. Hughes . . .
Private Joseph P. Wright . .
Private William Pucket . . .
Corporal Francis M. Wilson .
Private Dillard Bush ....
Private John Lunsford ....
Private William Baker. . . .
Private Jeremiah Sparks. . .
Sergeant Robert Bingham . .
Private Jonathan N. Bishop .
Private John Groves
Private Alford Blevins., . . .
Private Jackson Moore , . .
Private Robert M. Marshall .
Private John Derbin
Musician Martin V. Hall . .
Corporal Shipton Stephens. .
Private Joseph Derbin. . . .
Private Joseph McPherson . .
Corporal James Dixon ....
Private Francis M. S:hoolcraft
Private Isaac Whitaker . . .
Private Henry Gentry. . . .
Private Henry M. Judy . . .
Private Stephen A Frailey . .
Private Robert Henderson . .
Sergeant Henry Harris . . .
Serg't Carlisle L. Shackleford
Sergeant Henry H. Gabbard .
Private Ira G. Proffit ....
Private George W, Conner. .
Private Henry Burris ....
Private Milton Smith ....
Private Joseph McQueen. . .
Sergeant DeWitt C. Winbourn
Corporal Simpson Wood. . .
Sergeant Fielding P. Wood .
Musician Moses Whisman . .
CAUSE.
Physical Disalnlity
Physical Disability
Consolidation . .
Physical Disability
Physical Disability
Physical Disability
Physical Disability
Physical Disability
Physical Disability
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Accidental Wound
Physical Disability
Cert. .
Cert. .
Surgeon's
Surgeon's
Surgeon's
Wounds .
Cert.
Surgeon's Cert. .
Ankle Dislocated
Wounds. . .
Surgeon's
Surgeon's
Surgeon's
Cert.
Cert .
Cert .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Surgeon's Cert. .
Physical Disability
Wounds ....
Surgeon's Cert, .
Consolidation . .
Physical Disability
DATE
March,
Febr'y,
Janu'y,
March,
March,
April,
May,
May,
May,
May,
May,
June,
June,
Sept'r,
Sepfr,
Oct'r,
Oct'r,
Oci'r,
Oct'r,
Dec'r,
Dec'r,
Janu'y
Janu'y
Janu'y
Janu'y
Janu'y
Febr'y
March
March
March
March
March
April,
June,
June,
July,
August,
Janu'y,
May,
May,
863
862
864
862
862
862
862
862
862
862
862
S62
862
862
862
862
862
862
862
862
862
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
863
S63
863
864
863
2;<0
APPENDIX.
RE-ENLISTED AND'-LEFT AT CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE,
NOVEMBER, iSTH, 1 864.
NAMES.
Sergeant George F. Edwards . .
Sergeant Washington HoUon . .
Corporal John W. Harrison . . .
Corporal Ambrose W. Logsdon .
Corporal William S. Hilton . . .
Corporal William R. Coyle . . .
Corporal William C. Lutes . . . .
Corporal John W. Wise
Corporal Robert G. Ramsey , . .
Private James M. Whisman . . .
Private Howard N. Burgess. . .
Private Calaway Bowman . . . .
Private Greenbury Bowman . . .
Private Elisha Bailey
Private Garland Conner
Private Braxton D. Cox
Private Alexander F. Hays . , .
Private John D. Jamison . . . .
Private George W. Jewell. . . .
Private Edward Lynch
Private Isaac T. Lamb
Private William C Lamb . . . .
Private James McLaughlin. . . .
Private Harden Moore
Private Randal M. dinger . . .
Private William L . Rice . . . .
Private John H. Stout
Private James Smith
Private Eli A. Sparks
Private John Selby
Private Jonathan Scarbraugh. . .
Private Elliott Turner
Private Wilbourn Turner . . . .
Private Christopher C. Webb . .
Private James F. Baker
Private Robert D. Harris ...
Private James Spencer
COUNTY FROM
23
23
22
24
21
31
21
21
21
24
20
22
21
27
20
21
23
21
21
22
21
22
38
24
27
33
21
22
2j
20
24
29
21
22
23
19
25
Clay County.
Clay County.
Estill County.
Estill County.
Owsley County.
Estill County.
Owsley County.
Estill County.
Clay County.
Clay County.
Madison County,
Owsley County.
Owsley County.
Harlin County.
Estill County.
Owsley County.
Knox County.
Owsley County.
Indiana.
Estill County.
Madison County.
Madison County.
Wakesford, Ind.
Owsley County.
Lee County.
Madison County.
Clay County.
Owsley County.
Estill County.
Madison County.
Madison County.
Breathitt County.
Breathitt County.
Estill County.
Clay County.
Estill County.
Perry County.
APPENDIX.
2S1
DIED.
NAMFS.
CAUSE.
Captain Landon C. Minter
Lieut. Wade B. Cox, . .
Lieut. Newton J. Hughes
Sergt. Nathan C. Wilson .
Sergt, Charles F. Culton .
Sergt. Hamilton W. Wright
Corp'l Alexander J. Baker
Corporal John H. Powell
Corp'l Franklin J. Hughes
Corp'l Isaac H. Anderson
Corp'l Abner Q. Logsdon
Corporal James C. Tolson
Private Joseph King. . .
Private Greenbury King .
Private Jonn D. Williams
Piivate Wm. Hembree . .
Private John Roberts . .
Private Jesse Coomer. . .
Private Elisha Mayo. . .
Private William Smith. .
Musician Richard Poore .
Private Buford Lutes. . .
Private Isaac Roberds . .
Private Uriah King . . .
Private Ira G, Dixon. . .
Private Charles N. Burgess
Private Butler Frailey . .
Private Fletcher Bowman
Private Isaac Thomas . .
Private John R. Wilson .
Priv. Edward Richardson
Private Andrew Vaughn ,
Private Alexander Gibson
Private John W. Barnett .
PLACE.
DATE.
Wounds .
Wounds .
Fever . .
Fever . .
Fever . .
Wounds .
Fever . ,
Fever . .
Fever . .
Diarrhea .
Wound .
Smallpox
Fever . .
Fever . •
Fever , .
Fever . .
Fever . .
Fever . . .
Hemorrh'ge
Fever , . .
Inf. Lungs.
Jaundice . .
Fever . . .
Typh. Fever
Fever . . .
Diarrhea . .
Wounds . .
Wound . .
Wound . .
Wound . .
Fever . . .
Dropsy . .
Killed. . .
Varioloid. .
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Lebanon, Ky
Lebanon . .
Murfreesboro
Lebanon . .
Lebanon . .
Nashville . .
Nashville . .
Chattanooga
Louisville . .
Lebanon . .
Lebanon . .
Lebanon . ,
Lebanon . ,
Lebanon . ,
Lebanon .
Lebanon .
Lebanon .
Lebanon .
Lebanon .
Lebanon . .
Lebanon . .
Lebanon . .
Richmond,Ky
Nashville . .
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro
Chickamauga
Nashville . .
'63
'63
'63
'62
'62
'63
'62
'62
'62
'62
'63
'63
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
'62
Jan,
Jan.
Feb.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Sept.
Oct.
Oct.
Dec
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Feb.
Feb.
Mar.
Mar.
Mar.
Mar.
Mar.
April '62
Dec. '62
Jan. '63
Jan. '63
Feb. '63
Feb. '63
May '63
Sept. '63
Nov. '6^
Note.— The author regrets being unable to obtain copies
of muster-out rolls of other companies in time for the publisher.
282 APPENDIX.
The general readers of history are familiar with
Sherman's triumphant march to the sea, with Gen.
Hood's defeat before Nashville, the early spring
campaign of 1865, With the closing scenes of the
war by the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox,
Va., in April, immediately followed by the surren-
der of Johnson's and Kirby Smith's armies. Thus
closed a war which had extended over a period of
four years, had caused more lavish expenditure of
money, and mustered into the field a larger force
than any war of modern times. Hundreds of thou-
sands had been slain and died from exposure, sick-
ness and bad treatment in southern prisons. Slavery,
the boasted chief corner-stone of the defunct confed-
eracy had been effectually annihilated, and the south-
ern leaders and many of their followers humbled but
somewhat sullen.
The people of the north, and many of the inhabi-
tants of the border states, in the midst of their rejoic-
ing, were shocked at the news of the assassination of
President Lincoln by a tool of the expiring confed-
eracy. Then occurred much loud talk in high places
of ''punishing traitors and making treason odious,"
but these vaporings cooled down. Jeff. Davis, the
arch-traitor, was set free, 'and the great question
that puzzled our president and congress was, what
course the government should pursue in regard to
the late rebellious states. Andrew Johnson, Lin-
coln's successor, ''swung around the circle," and
took opposite views to our national legislators ; but
no one was punished except a few of the assassin
APPENDIX. 283
Booth's co-conspirators and Wertz. The bungling
reconstruction acts were followed with unsatisfactory
results to both north and south.
The ratification of the fifteenth amendment to the
United States constitution, giving the ballot to the
colored men, was especially distasteful to the ex-
rebels. Ninety-five out of every hundred of these
newly made citizens could not read their ballots, the
greater number being entirely dependent upon the
white land-owners, who, seeing their only chance of
regaining any political control in the government
was to use this blind power, and, with the help of
the Democratic party in the north, these ex-rebels yet
hoped to gain by the ballot what they failed to do by
the bullet, i. e., control of the government, and how
near they came, through their Mississippi plans, and
the help of hungry northern Democratic politicians,
to making their threat good, are matters of very re-
cent date.
But the recent presidential election has demon-
strated conclusively that the Democratic party,
though boasting of a '^ Solid South," can never gain
a national victory again. The youth of this republic
are not democratic, and so long as slavery and the
war linger within the memory of our youth, the re-
public will continue to grow up republicans, and
slavery and the war will be remembered as long as
our public school system exists. A pointed editorial
in a leading democratic paper of Chicago, just after
this last national contest (1880), coincides so nearly
with our views on this subject that we give it here?
2J54 APPENDIX.
in hopes that my old soldier brothers' boys who may
chance to read this little volume may reason and re-
flect on the truth or falsity of the cause of the Demo-
crats' late defeat :
It is vain for statesmen to declare that there were as many
Democrats as Republicans in the Union army. It is vain to
affirm that the war for the preservation of the Union could not
have been carried to a successful close without the assistance of
the Democratic party. It is idle for philanthropy to suggest
that the attitude of the party toward the war in the beginning
was a humane one ; that it was inspired by the higher and bet-
ter wish that the cause of the conflict should be peaceably re-
moved, and the spilling of brother's blood by brother's hands
avoided. The Democratic party has been ideally identified
with slavery and slave-holding. The Republican party is
ideally identified with emancipation and the war; therefore is
the youth of the country incapable of being Democratic —
therefore the Democratic party can never win a national vic-
tory. Its old men are dying away; the boys who catch the
ballots that fall from their stiff'ened hands are Republicans.
The young wife who held the babe up to kiss the father as he
hurried to the tap of his departing regiment has not suckled a
Democrat. The weary foot of the gray grandmother, who
watched the children while the wife was busy, has not rocked
the cradle of a Democrat, The chair that the soldier-father
never came back to fill has never been climbed upon by Demo-
crats. The old blue coat that his comrades carried back was
cut up for little jackets, but not one enclosed the heart of a
Democrat. The rattled musket that fell from him with his last
shot became the thoughtless toy of his boys, but not a hand
that played with it was the hand of a Democrat. The babe he
kissed crowed and crowed for his return, and its unwitting and
unanswered notes were not from the throat of a Democrat.
The tear-soiled camp letters which the mother read aloud in
the long bitter evenings, while the boys clustered at her knees,
did not fall upon Democratic ears. The girls' sobs, blended
with the mother's weeping, did not make Democrats of their
brothers. Perhaps the father had been a Democrat all his life.
The children go to school ; there is not a Democrat on its
benches. The First Reader contains the portrait of Abraham
Lincoln ; that kind and sturdy face never made a Democrat.
On its simple pages, in words of one or two syllables, is told
the story of his birth and death ; that story never made a Demo-
APPENDIX. 285
crat. In the pranks of the play-ground the name silences the
frolicsome, and makes the jolliest grave ; that name never made
a Democrat. In the pictures that light up the geography are
the firing on Fort Sumter and the death of Ellsworth ; those
pictures make no Democrats. The first page of the history con-
tains a representation of the surrender of Lee at Appomattox ;
no boy sets eyes on that and after avows himself a Democrat.
In the higher grade the same subtle and irresistible influence is
at work. The text books contain extracts from patriot speeches
during the war; those speeches make no Democrats. The
great battles are briefly described ; the narrative has no Demo-
cratic listeners. The strain of martial music runs through the
readers, and that music makes no Democrats. Sketches of the
great generals are given ; their deeds arouse the enthusiasm of
the lads, but there is no Democrat among them. The horrors
and sufferings of the slaves are told ; the maddened blood that
mounts the boy's cheek is not Democratic blood. The curse
of slavery has pursued the Democratic party, and has hounded
it to its death ; therefore let it die, and no lip will be found to
say a prayer over the grass of its grave. The late defeat need
not be attributed to any other cause. Other causes have been
at work, but they were only incidental. The tariff was one;
sectionalism was a second ; let well-enough alone was a third j
the October elections in Indiana was a fourth. But all these
are trivial, and together could not have accomplished the result.
The result was accomplished because the youth of the republic
are not Democratic. That party is therefore without a future
and without a hope. The maledictions of the war have
falsified its brain ; the curse of slavery has poisoned its blood
and rotted its bone. Let it die.
In looking back twenty years, and noting the un-
paralleled development of our great Northwest, and
the general prosperity of our common country, the
rapid extinguishment of the national debt, the credit
and respect other nations of the world have for
Americans, and our free institutions, we cannot help
but feel proud of our glorious Union of States, and
in conclusion, say to all that may have been in arms
against the boys in blue, during the bloody days of
which this volume treats, or to those whose sympathies
286 APPENDIX.
were more with the gray than for us, mourn not over
the death of slavery, which has been the curse of our
country, cease your vain regrets for the 'Most cause,"
stop your efforts to keep alive the once dangerous
but now defunct principles for which Lee and Jack-
son fought, and learn again to love and respect the
one flag of liberty and the one great country it rep-
resents. Unite your energies in helping to develop
the vast hidden resources of wealth of the sunny
South; declare that labor shall be respected, instead
of despised ; discard old time prejudices, abolish
class distinction among whites, encourage public
schools, where all, however poor or of what race or
color, may have free access to the tree of knowledge,
that intelligence may wield the ballot. Then strive
for a '^ free ballot and a fair count," and with us old
boys of the blue rejoice in and be proud of a gov-
ernment where the humblest laborer can go to his
cabin after his day's labor, and take his little tow-
headed boy on his knee and tell him he has the
future and the public schools before him, and has
just as good chances to be President of the United
States as any other boy. Let us throw away section
lines and sectionalism, now the curse of slavery is
out of the way, and turn our attention to watching
our common interests, and guarding against other
evils that may be threatening our liberties and
our peace, such as the encroachments of powerful
monopolies and the fearful increase of vice and in-
temperance, that we may be able at no distant day to
say that all our labors have not been in vain.
THE END.
i
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