Full text of "Uncle Sam's Medal of Honor : some of the noble deeds for which the medal has been awarded, described by those who have won it, 1861-1866"

IRLF

fc vx V

SERGEANT TAYLOR RESCUING LIEUTENANT KING.

UNCLE SAM S

MEDAL OF HONOR

SOME OF THE NOBLE DEEDS FOR WHICH THE

MEDAL HAS BEEN AWARDED, DESCRIBED BY

THOSE WHO HAVE WON IT

I86l-l886

COLLECTED AND EDITED BY

THEO. F. RODENBOUGH

BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL U. S. A.

With Portraits and other Illustrations

NEW YORK & LONDON

G. P. PUTNAM S SONS
CTtJ* Unidurbocfecr $)vrss

Press of

G. P. Putnam s Sons
New York.

OUR VETERANS

AND TO

YOUNG AMERICA

THIS BOOK IS
INSCRIBED.

THE MEDAL OF HONOR.

FORT MCHENRY, 1814.

PREFACE.

THERE is no reward for military merit dearer to the
Soldier s heart than the decoration bestowed by his
Government for brave deeds in the line of duty. Promo
tion, Power, Wealth are to him trifles compared with the
Iron Cross of Germany, the Victoria Cross of England, the
Cross of the Legion of Honor of France, the Russian
Cross of Saint George or the Medal of Honor of the United
States.

In all ages a personal decoration for valor has been
eagerly sought, proudly worn and jealously guarded, and
in all countries, save our own, it has been conspicuously
honored. In Europe, where such rewards are more numer
ous, because of the size of armies and the frequency of war,

v j PREFACE.

the possessor of this glorious token is envied by men, ad
mired by women, and loved by children.

In America the men who are entitled to wear the Medal
of Honor,* given by the Congress only for distinguished
conduct in the presence of the enemy, are almost un
known to their countrymen, and the records of their hero
ism lie buried in the pigeon-holes of the War Department
and in the recesses of their own breasts. And yet in
the very year of the institution of this military reward,
Mr. Stanton, the famous war minister, proclaimed f that
" alacrity, daring, courageous spirit and patriotic zeal on
all occasions and under every circumstance is expected
from the Army of the United States . . . and the people
of the United States will rejoice to honor every soldier
and officer who proves his courage by charging with the
bayonet and storming entrenchments, or in the blaze of
the enemy s fire ! "

A stranger within our gates will hardly agree with the as
sertion, so often made, that "we are not a military people "
if he takes note of the profusion of military medals and
crosses worn by American citizens. With few exceptions,
these have no national, official significance. The badges
of the Loyal Legion, the Grand Army of^the Republic and
kindred associations are honorable reminders of our greatest
struggle for Liberty and Union, but do not mark individual
acts of courage or self-sacrifice. After these come militia
decorations : prizes for length of service, marksmanship, zeal
in recruiting, athletic sports, personal popularity, and other
commendable things.

* For full description see Appendix.

t General Order 5, Headquarters of the Army, Jan. 22, 1862.

1&gt; RE FACE. y jj

That a great nation, possessing for more than twenty
years a congressional decoration for valor, already conferred
upon several hundred heroes, should be ignorant of its exist
ence is astonishing.

The cause of this ignorance may be found in the mistaken
simplicity which has marked the method of presentation.

In countries from which we get many of our best military
customs, the decoration is often handed to the soldier by
his Sovereign in the presence of the principal officers of
state, of large bodies of troops, and of thousands of the
people ; the name of the fortunate recipient is published in
the official gazette and by the press throughout the domin
ions.

In oiir country this reward from the highest power in our
Government is sometimes conveyed to the brave winner by
the hands of the postman, with the brief remark, perhaps, of
" a parcel for you." Seldom is there a parade of the troops,
or prancing of cavalry squadrons, or rumble of artillery
wheels, or flashing of infantry bayonets, or crash of military
bands while the prize for valor is pinned over a heart swell
ing with honeit pride. Seldom is the affair an occasion of
ceremony. But mayhap the man will glance wistfully at it,
for it means so much to him and seems to mean so little to
others, and then it is laid aside to be occasionally brought
out for inspection by a comrade, or to be worn on parade if
specially authorized.

The War Department has very recently published a list
of officers and enlisted men who received the Medal for dis
tinguished service during the war. A similar list of those
who have been thus decorated since the war (more than
three hundred) will doubtless be forthcoming. An order

Vlll

PKEEA CE.

containing such a lis*t, with general instructions for the pre
sentation of the Medal in future, might be issued with great
benefit to the Service.

The record of many of the exploits for which the Medal
has been given shows that they have been as grand as any
in the so-called Age of Chivalry, and that they shed a bril
liant lustre upon our national escutcheon.

Why should not the custom of the Continental Army r
established by Washington, that those who had received
the " Badge of Military Merit " should be " suffered to pass
all guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do,"
be revived and applied to the Medal of Honor? "The
road to glory, in a patriot army and a free country, is thus
opened to all." As has been said by a gallant volun
teer officer, " Can we afford to neglect those appeals to
an honest pride which Napoleon and every other great
captain have found so valuable ? " f

The names of those whose deeds are herein described
were taken at random from the official list above mentioned.

The valuable aid rendered the Editor by the .Adjutant-
General of the Army, the Adjutants-General of many of the
States, Captain R. Catlin, U. S. A., Captain H. M. Munsell,
U. S. V., and Lieutenant A. W. Vogdes, U. S. A., is grate
fully acknowledged.

* See Appendix.

+ Capt. G. F. \oyes " Bivouac and Battlefield.

CONTENTS.

A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE r

" FIGHTING JOE S " MEN 21

MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURGH 33

THE SALIENT AT SPOTTSYLVANIA 7 1

THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS 93

THREE THINKING BAYONETS 115

HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS 126

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN 145

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME 163

FOILING AN ASSASSIN 210

A BEAU SABREUR

" RED CLOUD S " BAPTISM OF FIRE

TRAILING THE APACHES 249

A SPARTAN BAND 276

THE SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY 301

HUNTING " LITTLE WOLF " 320

BESIEGED BY THE UTES 335

REGULARS OF THE OLD SCHOOL 374

A MERITORIOUS CAMP FOLLOWER. . . 401

APPENDIX: U. S. MILITARY REWARDS, 1776-1886. . . 403

ILLUSTRATIONS.

FULL PAGES.

I AT.H

SERGEANT TAYLOR SAVING CAPTAIN KING . Frontispiece
THE MEDAL OF HONOR ....... iv

"COME AND TAKE IT" .... . x

PRESIDENT LINCOLN TO GENERAL HOOKER . . .21
SERGEANT-MAJOR HINCKS AT GETTYSBURG . . 34

CORPORAL WEEKS AND HIS CORPS COMMANDER . . 70

BATTLE RELICS .96

CORPORAL ANDERSON S BREVET . . . . .112

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN ..... 144

SERGEANT MUNSELL S FLAG .162

SERGEANT ROBINSON S GOLD MEDAL .... 209
CONFEDERATE COLORS AND CAPTORS .... 22:;

FORT PHIL KEARNEY 238

" A FRIEND INDEED " ...... 248

A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT ...... 266

SCOUT CHAPMAN S HEROISM ...... 275

OUR CAVALRY IN WINTER ...... 300

THE CORRAL . . . . . . . .361

SOLDIERS COMING" 366

PORTRAITS.

PAGE PAGE

SERGEANT MERRITT . . i LIEUT. GERE .... 95

SERGEANT BROWNE . . 22 PRIVATE DUNLAVY . . 107

SERGEANT LUTY ... 28 CORPORAL MONAGHAN . 113

MAJOR HINCKS . ... 33 CAPTAIN ANDERSON . . 121

GENERAL BUFORD ... 42 LIEUT. CURTIS .... 126

JOHN BURNS .... 45 LIEUT. RIDDELL ... 130

CORPORAL WEEKS . . . 71 LIEUT. NORTON . . 135

LIEUT. FASNACHT . . . 76 CAPTAIN MUNSELL 163,195,207

XIV

ILLUSTRA TIONS.

POR TRAITS. (Continued^

SERGEANT ROBINSON . . 210

PAYNE, THE ASSASSIN . . 216

COL. TOM CUSTER . . . 223

RAIN-IN-THE FACE . . 232

RED CLOUD 239

LIEUT. -CoL. POWELL . . 241

CAPTAIN KING .... 249

SERGEANT NIHILL . . . 264

SERGEANT HARRINGTON 276

PRIVATE EVANS . . . 301

LITTLE WOLF AND CAPTOR 319

SERGEANT LEWIS . . . 320

MAJOR THORNBURGH . 334

INDIAN BOY 335

FORT MCHENRY, 1814
CANDLE AND SERPENT
SHERIDAN S CAV RY BADGE
FRENCH MORTAR .
THE DIETRICH FARM
CAVALRYMAN OF 186,
THE ADVANCE GUARD
GETTYSBURG FIRST DAY
GETTYSBURG BELLE .
CONFEDERATE PICKET
WHERE PICKETT HALTED
RELIEVING WOUNDED
A FIRESIDE . . .
THE WILDERNESS .
ANCIENT ARTILLERY
GEN. SCOTT S AUTOGRAPH

" OURAY "

" ANTELOPE " . . .

"BILL"

" UTE]ACK" . . .
PAYNE AND CHARGER
SERGEANT GRIMES
SERGEANT LAWTON .
JOSEPHINE MEEKER .
"SUSAN" . . . .
COL. BEALL . . . ,
GENERAL HARNEY
COLONEL MAY .
SERGEANT FEGAN .

PAGE

339
340

358
359
363
368

370

373

380

384
39 2

MISCELLANEO US.

PAGE

PACK

1- v

KEARNEY CROSS .

I 80

[ . 19

DEVIL S DEN ....

185

LDGE 20

MONUMENT 99TH P.V.

193

BATTLE-FLAG 99TH P.V.

208

THE HAPPY OMEN

220

Music ON THE FRONTIER

237

3 39

A MUSKETIER ....

247

)AY 41

THE HELIOGRAPH . . .

2 5 I

ADJUTANT S OFFICE . .

264

COMPANY KITCHEN . .

271

:ED 57

THE COURIER ....

318

. 62

A PACK-MULE ....

333

. 69

OURAY S SWORD .

372

RESTING

400

125

" CHUM "

402

APH l6l

MILITARY NEIGHBORS

4i3

THE MEDAL OF HONOR,

PART FIRST.

1861-1865.

" My heart is fretting like a tethered steed s
To join the heroes in their noble deeds.
A noise of armies gathers in my ears :
The Southern yells, the Northern battle-cheers;
The endless volleys, ceaseless as the roar
Of the vexed ocean, brawling with its shore ;
The groaning cannon, puffing at a breath
Man s shreds and fragments through the jaws of death ;
The rush of horses, and the whirring sway
Of the keen sabre cleaving soul from clay ;
And over all, intelligible and clear
As spoken language to a listening ear,
The bugle orders the tumultuous herds,
And leads the flocks of battle with its words."

Boker.

COME AND TAKE IT !

SERGEANT JOHN G. MERRITT,

FIRST MINNESOTA INFANTRY.

A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE.

PERHAPS the battle of Bull Run (or Manassas),
which was fought on Virginia soil on a certain Sun
day in July, 1861, may be likened to one of three signal-
guns : the capture of Fort Sumter being the first, and the
battle of Gettysburg the third.

The firing at Sumter warned men to choose sides and to
prepare for a struggle, long and severe ; how bitter, how
bloody, none at the time dreamed.

Bull Run and its famous stampede taught the lesson that
something more was required to win battles than masses of
armed men ; that courage without discipline was of little

2 A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE.

avail, and that the vast resources of the Government must
be organized, drilled and led by experienced commanders
ere victory could be ours.

Gettysburg marked the " high tide" of the war: the
roar of its cannon sounded the death knell of the Confeder
acy. Other battles were to be fought and thousands of men
in blue and gray were to lie down in death on the same
fields, but the preservation of the Union was assured when
the sun went down behind the sheets of summer rain on the
third day of Gettysburg.

Somehow or other the name " Bull Run " is generally
associated, in the minds of people who were not there, with
the idea of an amusing and, on one side, at least, an en
tirely disgraceful performance ; and this is quite natural.
We are often told that first impressions are strongest, but
this hardly holds good of a defeated army : there the
strongest impression is doubtless the last.

Greatly ridiculed and denounced when it occurred, the
battle of Bull Run is gradually rinding its vindication.
General Sherman says it was " one of the best planned
battles of the war, but one of the worst fought," and that
"both armies were fairly defeated." General Johnston
says: " If the tactics of the Federals had been equal to their
strategy, we should have been beaten." While therefore
Bull Run will always be famous for its discreditable feat
ures, it is now known that in no other affair of the war
were there more brilliant exhibitions of personal gallantry
and heroism than on that historic field. Many of these ex
ploits were by boys of eighteen who faced death there for
the first time. One of these, Sergeant JOHN G. MERRITT,

GOING TO THE FRONT. .

Company K, First Minnesota Infantry, who afterward re
ceived the Medal of Honor for gallantry at Bull Run, tells
the story of his first battle so well that it is given here in
his own words :

GOING TO THE FRONT.

" I was a sergeant in Co. K, First Regiment Minnesota
Volunteers.* The regiment broke camp at Centerville
about three o clock on the morning of Sunday, July 21,
1861. With a soldier s equipments and three days rations,
we realized before sunrise that it was going to be a hot day.
After we had been on the march for about a couple of
miles we turned off the main, road to the right ; we were
delayed a good deal by fallen trees with sharpened points
sticking towards us. Whenever we could we would double-
quick, and, as the morning was very hot, the pace told on
some of the men.

" John Ball, the orderly sergeant of K Co., was sick and
I was acting as orderly sergeant. As sick as Ball was, he
came on the field, and I saw him standing near the regiment
while they were engaged, with his arms folded, apparently
the most unconcerned person of the lot ; he was a brave
and fearless man. Captain Lester, Lieutenants Holtzbornf
and Periam^: were the officers of the company.

" We could hear the sound of cannon very distinctly about

*" The brigade left camp near Centerville at 2.30 A.M. in the following order :~ist
Minnesota, Ricketts Battery, sth Massachusetts. The Minnesota regiment was arranged
with the two front companies as ready to act as skirmishers, the next three companies as
the advanced guard, and the remainder of the regiment formed the head of the column
... the brigade reached Bull Run about n A.M. after a march of about twelve miles."-
War Records, Col. Franklin s Report,

t Killed at Antietam.

\ Mortally wounded at Gettysburg.

4 A M1NNESO TA BOY S FIRS T BA TTLE.

eight o clock, and by ten or eleven o clock we could plainly
hear the sound of musketry ; by that time we knew we were
going to have a fight. After I was satisfied that such was
going to be the case, and being desirous of obtaining mili
tary distinction, I applied to Lieutenant Holtzborn, of my
company, for the privilege of selecting four men for the pur
pose of capturing the first Confederate flag we could get.
The lieutenant told me it was a hazardous undertaking,
but said, after consultation with Captain Lester, I had per
mission. Sergeant Dudley, Privates Durfee, Grim and one
other, whose name I have forgotten, readily consented to
my proposal, and all agreed to follow me and to stick to
one another under any circumstances.

" Before going into action, the whole regiment divested
themselves of knapsacks, haversacks and blankets, and piled
them in one large heap beside the road, thinking of course
we would be back in a couple of hours as soon as we had
crushed the Rebellion. I and my four men in partic
ular carried nothing with us but our ammunition and guns.
After we had supplied ourselves with water,* and every
thing being now ready, orders were given to Forward !
and we immediately filed through a cluster of trees, where
the dying and wounded were being brought on stretchers
and blankets. Everything was at the height of excitement,
as the roar of camion and the incessant volleys of musketry
were very heavy, and with an occasional stray shot coming

* " At Sudley Springs, while awaiting the passage of the troops of the division in our
front, I ordered forward the ist Brigade (Franklin s) to fill their canteens. Captain
Wright led forward the Minnesota regiment to the left of the road which crossed the
Run at this place. . . ." Colonel H eintzlemarf s Report.

GOING INTO ACTION.

among us, you can rest assured the regiment was on the
alert.

" I never shall forget the first sight of dead, wounded and
dying. Pity and sympathy, mingled with a feeling of fear,
made me realize in an instant we were approaching death.
But the feeling passed away as soon as it came.

" So far as my recollection goes, when we got out into the
open space we were ordered to the other side of the field,
and in marching over, double-quick, we passed directly in
the rear of our artillery, which was heavily engaged.* It
was very laughable and amusing to see some of the men
jump and squat down, trying to dodge, in all manner of
ways, the cannon shots from the Rebel guns ; and I was
not slow at the dodging business myself. One of my com
pany would constantly run out of the ranks and up to the
captain and say, Has the fight commenced yet ? Has
the fight commenced yet ? He was not long in finding
out when the fight did commence.

"Arriving at what seemed to me the extreme right, we
formed in line in a ravine, near some cavalry, and awaited
orders.

" It was now about half-past one o clock. We were soon
ordered forward, and as we advanced rapidly to the brow of
a plateau we knew we were soon to meet the enemy, face
to face, at short range. Just before we got to the top of
the plateau the bugle sounded lie down. With fixed
bayonets and loaded rifles we were ready and anxious for
business. In about a couple of minutes the bugle sounded

* "At a little more than a mile from the ford we came upon the battlefield. Franklin s
brigade was posted on the right of a wood near the centre of our line, and on ground ris
ing toward the enemy s position." Colonel Heintzleman s Report.

6 A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE.

1 stand up ; no sooner had we done so and were well in
line when the command Forward ! was given. That
brought us directly in plain sight and directly in front of a
line of Rebs. * We were not more than thirty or thirty-
five yards apart ; in fact we were so close that for a minute
we did not know who they were f (I saw, about this time,
General Heintzleman riding in plain view of the enemy).
We saw their colors and all fired immediately ; in less than
half a minute they gave us a round. We were ordered to
lie down and load ; then we were ordered to stand up and
fire. We had given them three or four rounds and they
were slowly falling back, a little confused. When the
smoke and dust would break away we could see them and
their colors as plain as you can see a man across the street.
Just at this time a single gun from Ricketts Battery came
directly to the rear of K Company, unlimbered, and in less
than half a minute gave them a round of grape and canis
ter. The artillerymen immediately reloaded and gave them
another dose of the same medicine. The second round
threw them in utter confusion, and it was at that time
myself and the men named above advanced double-quick
on the Rebel color-bearer. We had no trouble in reaching
him, as the smoke and dust had not risen, and from his

* " I then led up the Minnesota regiment, which was also repulsed but retired in toler
ably good order. It did good service in the woods on our right flank, and was among the
last to retire, coming off the field with the sd U. S. infantry. . . "Colonel Heintzle-
inati s Report-

t "The ist Minnesota Regiment moved from its position on the left of the field to the
support of Ricketts battery, and gallantly engaged the enemy at that point. It was
so near that point, friends and foes were for a time confounded. The regiment be
haved exceedingly well, and finally retired from the field in good order." Colonel
franklin s Report.

A FIGHT FOR 7 "HE STANDARD. y

actions I thought he was under the impression he had been
captured.

A FIGHT FOR THE STANDARD.

" The man who carried the colors was about five feet ten
or eleven inches, dark complexioned, with black hair, slight
mustache and black eyes ; he with others about him wore
gray clothes and black slouch hats ; some one was trying
to form them. The color-bearer had his coat unbuttoned,
with his hat on the back of his head. As I got within a
couple of feet of him I commanded him in a peremptory
manner to surrender, and at the same time Dudley, Durfee
and myself cocked our guns. I grabbed the colors out of
his hand ; he and one or two more said, Don t shoot !
don t shoot !

" The flag was a red one with a white stripe running
through the middle of it, with blue in one corner and some
stars on it. As soon as I grabbed the colors out of the
Johnnie s hands I told him to follow me quick, and at the
same time told my men to get back to the regiment as soon
as possible. Dudley, Grim and myself were laughing at
the easy thing we had, and all of us running for the regi
ment as fast as we could go, when bang ! bang! bang!
came a volley after us, killing Grim and the comrade whose
name I have, forgotten, and at the same time a dozen or
more of Rebs ran after us, some of them hollering * Kill

the d d black abolition, red-shirt Yankee, . . . . and

at the same time gave us another round. From the sound
it seemed as if a regiment was firing at us. That was the
shot that killed young Durfee and wounded me in the leg;

8 A MINNESO TA BOY S FIRS T BA TTLE.

another bullet went through the breast-pocket of my shirt
and shivered my pipe in pieces. I dropped my gun but
held on to the flag, and was going about as fast on one leg
as most men generally go on two ; but before I had gone
ten feet I was hit over the head with what I thought was
the stock of a musket. It knocked me down but did not
knock me senseless. They immediately pulled the flag out
of my hands and fell back on a run.

" As they did so, Dudley came back to me (he had run
ahead some little distance), helped me up and assisted me
along as fast as I could go. How Dudley and I escaped
with our lives seems almost incredible, and looks now as if
we had been hedged about with some halo of good luck.

" From the firing of the gun of Ricketts Battery to the
time I was shot, not more than five or eight minutes had
expired. What we did, we did quick and without cere
mony, and if we could have kept them off from us half a
minute longer we would have been safe. As soon as we
got back to the regiment and I realized the fact that I
could not walk and was bleeding very fast, I took my sus
penders off and tied them as tight as I could above the
wound, to keep from bleeding to death ; and at the same
time asked Lieutenant Holtzborn, who happened to see
me, to have some one assist me to the rear. This was dur
ing some change of position of the regiment.

" He ordered Sergeant Dudley and Private Durfee, a twin
brother of the one who had just been killed, to carry me
off. I put an arm round each of their necks and held on
to them as they hurriedly walked along.

GOING TO THE REAR. O

GOING TO THE REAR.

" The regiment was still fighting, and at this time a
mounted officer, with his reins in one hand and a big navy
revolver in the other, rode by us on a dead run ; turning
round in his saddle he hollered out, Men of Minnesota,
for God s sake don t disgrace your State ! - and he was
off for Washington or some other safe place as fast as his
big bay horse could carry him. It was an ocular and com
plete demonstration of the advice a father gave to his son,
Do as I say, but not as I do.

" As soon as we got to the foot of a little hill I fainted
away on a spot where some horses had been standing. I
was brought to by Dudley throwing some dirty water in
my face. This immediately straightened me up, and taking
hold of them as before we hurriedly moved off. By the
time they got me to a house, which was being used as a
temporary hospital, I began to feel sick at my stomach and
very faint. Surgeons were dressing the wounds of some
of Ellsworth s Zouaves, Michigan and Massachusetts men,
and giving them stimulants. They gave me two or three
swallows, which settled my stomach and made me feel bet
ter. The next thing I knew I was being pulled up and
yanked along as fast as we could go. All commenced to
move along at a break-neck gait. The retreat had com
menced. And of all the helter-skelter, pell-mell, dcvil-take-
the-hindmost gang I ever saw, or heard tell of, or ever read
about, that crazy crowd beat them all. They all went as if
a cyclone had struck them. All was confusion, all disorder
and every one acted as if the Johnnies were determined to
have a Yankee apiece for supper; and some of them would

I o A MINNESO TA BOY S FIRS T BA TTL E.

pass by and look at the wounded that were being carried
and helped off, as much as to say, * They can have you, but
by golly they shan t catch me ! I don t believe there was
ever a greater stampede of troops than there was between
that house and the bridge. Dudley and Durfee saved my
life without a doubt. Durfee would have abandoned me to
Dudley s charge some time before if I had told him the
truth about his brother, about whom he was constantly in
quiring. And here was an instance where evasion seemed
better than telling the truth. His brother, as brave and
daring a fellow as ever shouldered a musket, and very quiet
and modest at all times, made a remark just before I
grabbed the colors out of the color-bearer s hands that I
shall never forget. Sergeant, said he, when you take
it, hold on to it, and in less than half a minute he was
shot dead. Had I told his brother he had been killed or
wounded he would have returned to his assistance immedi
ately, and that would have been the last of me.

" I was the only one of the three that had any money,
and we finally succeeded, after several attempts, in per
suading a teamster, with a four-horse wagon, to let them
put me on the off-wheel horse, by giving him four one-dol
lar gold pieces and some sutler s tickets. Dudley remarked,
Give him all you have got, as we might as well get broke
here as anywhere. Riding the off-wheel horse brought
my wounded left leg between the two horses and on top
of the wagon tongue ; this caused me so much pain, I had
to turn round on the horse so as not to have my leg hurt
between the two horses. With one hand holding on to
the root of his tail, and the other hand behind me grasping

A FAMOUS KE TREAT. j ,

the end of the names, bare-headed, with a heavy red
woollen shirt on (the whole regiment wore blue and red
flannel shirts), all open at the collar and the sleeves rolled
up, my face covered with blood and dirt, hair sticking
straight up and matted full of old leaves and grass and
sacred soil, and with the worst looking wounded leg
you ever saw, you can imagine what a pitiful but ludicrous
sight I must have presented. There must be lots of men
living yet who saw me just as I have described. I am sure
I have not half described my appearance on that horse.

A FAMOUS RETREAT.

" Everybody was hollering to get out of the way, and
every one was running or trying to run. The road was full
of troops, wagons, ambulances, artillery and some private
conveyances ; all going as fast as they could go and acting
just as if the whole Confederate Army was at their heels
with fixed bayonets. The Rebs were shelling us and
everything was at the height of confounded confusion.
No one knew or cared anything about any one except
themselves. The cursing and yelling of the teamsters, the
pushing of those whose passage was being obstructed, and
the groans and appeals for assistance from the wounded, all
tended to make one believe that, as the teamster said,
1 H 11 had broke loose/

" We arrived at the bridge a little before sundown. As its
passage was obstructed by a big gun or caisson, and as we
were being heavily shelled at that point, madness and con
fusion reigned supreme. The teamster could go no fur
ther. He jumped off his horse (he rode and drove with a

12 A MINNESOTA BOY^S FIRST BATTLE.

jerk-rein), unhitched the near leader, cut the jerk-rein and
away he went across the stream. The wagon was full of
wounded, with pick-axes and shovels for a bed. All of the
wounded were begging to be helped across the Bull Run, a
stream about eight or ten feet deep, and about twenty feet
wide at that place. Just as the teamster mounted his
horse one of the men in the wagon, with his arm in a sling,
jumped out, and with one hand commenced unhitching the
saddle-horse. I at the same time reached over my horse s
haunches and unhooked both his traces, and at the same
time appealed to the fellow to unfasten my horse s pole-
chain ; it was impossible for me to do it, as I was back
wards on my horse. He did so, and as luck would have it
the chain unhooked at the first pull ; he instantly mounted
his horse, and turning around to the left rode into the
stream. My horse, being the mate, jumped over the
tongue of the wagon and followed him. The horses seemed
as anxious to get away as the panic-stricken soldiers. Men
and horses were in the stream plunging for the other side.

"As I was crossing, one of the Zouaves caught me by the
wounded leg, with a view, I presume, of getting across. It
hurt me so, I let go the horse s tail and gave him a punch
in the head with my fist which loosened his hold on me
very quick; before I resumed my tail-hold the horse was
across and had struck into a gallop, following close to his
mate. At that time a shell passed so close to his head he
threw it up as if he had been suddenly jerked by the bit.
That started the horses into a run, and I certainly thought
I would be knocked off my beast as he galloped so fast
under the low branches of the trees, raking and scratching

JOHN GILPIN OUTDONE. j ,

me on the back ; at times it felt as if I had been struck
with a club, but the tail-hold and harness saved me. Pain
and Fear were riding for life, with chances now in favor of
the latter ; you may be sure I was not going to lose the
race by being pulled off. I believe the distance from Bull
Run to Centerville is about six miles. I think the bridge
where we crossed was about two miles from the battlefield,
so I must have ridden that horse backwards about four
miles the most of the time as fast as he could go. We
did not stop for anything neither ditches nor fences. If
the one-armed wounded soldier that rode my horse s mate
fought as vigorously as he rode, he certainly knocked out
more than one Gray-back. I did not once have my
horse s bridle-rein in my hand. I never saw my friend
before nor since, and the only words we -exchanged with
one another were when he told me his horse was running
away, and I said, For God s sake, let him go !

" We arrived at Centerville about nine o clock at night.
I was helped off the horse by a regimental surgeon under
some trees. The poor old horse was nearly exhausted, but
was immediately remounted by a soldier who rode off.
Surgeons were taking care of the wounded. They looked
at my wound and told me I had better have my leg ampu
tated at once, but I would not consent to it. I was suffer
ing very much from pain, and was nearly exhausted from
loss of blood ; nothing in the world kept me up but excite
ment. A four-horse wagon drove up and the soldiers that
were being cared for were helped in. The confusion and
hurry was still great. I begged them to let me get in the
wagon, but an officer refused, saying there was no room

1 4 A MINNESO TA BOY S FIRS T BA TTL E.

for me. I crawled to the wagon and got in over the front
wheel while the others were being helped in the back end.
I stayed in the wagon, although I was ordered out two or
three times ; they were in too big a hurry to put me out.
Off they drove as fast as they could get along. There
were seven of us in the wagon, all badly wounded ; the
driver and a soldier on the seat with him were not
wounded : one drove and hollered, while the other
whipped and cursed. It was very dark and I think it was
raining. The road was still full of wagons, ambulances and
straggling troops. We would go very fast at times, and
then would stop for a few minutes until the teams ahead of
us moved on. I think the driver was the worst scared of
all of us, for he tried to drive by, and drive over, every
thing ; up hill and down, over stumps, logs and rocks; we
were continually being thrown or tossed from one side of
the wagon to the other.

THE SILENT PASSENGER.

" We arrived at Fairfax Court House about midnight. I
laid my head on a big fat fellow who had sprawled out at
full length on the bottom of the wagon. We had been
quarrelling all night about interfering with one another s
wounds. I supposed the fat fellow had gone to sleep, and
taking advantage of his position I laid my head on his
stomach and immediately went to sleep myself. I thought
it was the softest pillow I ever used. I don t know how
long I laid there perhaps half an hour ; we all went to
sleep. We were awakened by being jolted about in the
wagon, which was going down hill at a lively gait ; all were

THE SILENT PASSENGER. l ^

complaining about our wounds ; two or three were groan
ing and whining. When the team would walk we would
all go to sleep again two or three of us using the fat fel
low as a pillow as before. I had a dispute with one of the
men about my place on the fat fellow s stomach and made
him move his head along and I resumed my former place.
We laid as best we could in that position until daylight,
when we discovered we had been using a dead man for a
pillow ; the poor fellow had died about the time we left
Fairfax, as he was very quiet at that place. I thought, the
last time I laid my head on him, what a clever fellow he
was to let us have such a comfortable position, and was
sorry I had quarrelled with him the early part of the night.
We kept him in the wagon until just before we arrived at
the Long Bridge. Our pain and exhaustion silenced any
scruples we otherwise would have had on such an occasion.
" We were delayed at the bridge some time by the wagons
and troops crossing. We got on the bridge about half
past nine or ten o clock, and must have been an hour cross
ing. When we arrived on Pennsylvania Avenue it was
raining. The street was full of transportation of all kinds,
and soldiers ; all moving in different directions. The six of
us left in the wagon were completely worn out and ex
hausted from hunger, loss of blood, and neglect. My leg
was very much swollen and very painful. The wagon
stopped between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. Some
ladies passed some wine into the wagon under the cover.
All drank what they wanted. I drank a tin cup full ; it
was delicious, but made me drunk immediately. I did not
see the ladies, but the hand that passed the wine to me

1 6 A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE.

was small and white, with a silken sleeve, and with dia
monds on the fingers. The ladies also passed in some cold
meat and bread, but we had no use then for bread or meat,
as the wine was food and raiment.

" We remained on the avenue about an hour before it was
decided where to take us. Finally we were ordered to the
E Street Hospital, where we were taken out of the wagon
and surrounded by a large crowd of men, women and chil
dren, some laughing and others pitying the appearance of
the wounded as they were being carried into the hospital.
I was laid on a bed in a large room filled with wounded,
mostly from the New York, New Hampshire and Massa
chusetts regiments. As soon as I was laid down, one of
the Sisters of Mercy who were in attendance God bless
them commenced washing my face with cold water. It
was a delightful sensation and I immediately fell asleep.

" When I woke up the doctors were around my bed ex
amining my wound and deciding whether they would ampu
tate it above or below the knee. I would not consent to
amputation and they left me in charge of an attendant.

HOSPITAL MEMORIES.

" The New York papers contained a list of dead and
wounded ; my name appeared among the list of dead. My
father telegraphed the late Senator Grimes of Iowa, who was
at that time a senator from that State, to find out, if he
could, if I was dead or alive. The Senator learned I was
in the E Street Hospital, and called on me Wednesday
morning. As I had never seen him before, he introduced
himself and made known his errand; after a few minutes

HOSPITAL MEMORIES. t -

cheerful conversation he bade me good-by and left. He
immediately wrote to my father, and in a portion of his let
ter he said :

" I found your son, Sergeant Merritt, Wednesday morn
ing, in the E Street Hospital. He is badly wounded in the
leg but seemed very cheerful when he told me the doctors
had decided not to amputate it. He is a fine-looking
young man, and when these trying times are over I hope
his parents may again have the pleasure of taking to their
bosom their brave and honored son. Ex-Senator Windom,
then a member from Minnesota in the House of Represent
atives, often called to see me at the hospital, and was
exceedingly kind in every respect.

" The chaplain of our regiment called everyday. He was
very deaf and very much devoted to my spiritual welfare.
He would come right up to the bed holding a Bible in his
hands, and put his mouth down to my ear and say in
a loud voice, ( Good-morning, Sergeant. How did you
sleep last night, Sergeant? Do you think you are im
proving, Sergeant? Let us pray; and down on his knees
he would get and pray for about five minutes, invoking
especial aid and blessing on all of the wounded of the 1st
Minnesota Regiment, and would wind up by saying he
hoped I would soon be able to report for duty to the reg
iment. Amen! Amen ! He would get up, take up his cap
and get out as quick as he came in. He was a good man,
but it was the same questions and same prayers every
morning except Sundays, when he would include for special
blessing the soldier in the bed next to me.

! 8 A MINA T ESO TA BO Y S FIRST BA TTLE,

" John Heenan, the pugilist, and a man by the name of
Decker, ex-chief of the fire department of New York, called
frequently to see one of the Zouaves, an old friend of theirs
who laid in a bed next to me. I got well acquainted with
Heenan. They would sit, one on my bed and the other on
their friend s bed, and talk for half an hour or so, and
always bring some little delicacies. Heenan told me, one
morning, he understood I had captured a Rebel flag at Bull
Run, and asked me what I had done with it. I pulled off
the sheet and wet cloth on my wound and pointing to it
said, I traded it off for that ! The sight of it made him
sick at his stomach and he left the hospital. In two or
three days they came in again, and as Heenan approached
the bed he threw up both hands and said, laughing, * No
more leg ! After a few minutes I asked him if he would
like to enlist in my regiment. He said, No, indeed ; from
what I have seen/ looking toward my leg, * I can do better
fighting in the Ring than in the Field. He was a fine-
looking, clever fellow, and looked and acted more like a
gentleman than a prize fighter.

" While we were in camp near Alexandria, Va., before we
went to Centerville, we would occasionally do guard duty
there. I was relieving guard one morning with a file of
men, and on passing an open door of a private residence,
there stood a couple of young girls, about sixteen or eight
een years old, laughing and making fun of the Yankee
soldiers. One . of them had on an apron representing the
Confederate flag. I halted the men and told her to take
it off. She said, You long-legged, hateful Yankee, I
wouldn t take it off to save your good-for-nothing life ; and

THE REWARD OF MERIT. ^

both of the girls glared at us defiantly. We all laughed at
their pluck and moved on."

THE REWARD OF MERIT,

Sergeant Merritt remained in hospital about thirty days,
when, having recovered from his wound, he rejoined his
regiment in Maryland. His record shows that he served
with characteristic gallantry during the remainder of the
war, and took part in all the battles of the famous Second
Corps, Army of the Potomac.

Long after the events which he has described, he received
the bronze medal, with a letter, of which the following is a
copy:

WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, April i, 1880.

IR: I transmit to you the en
closed Medal of Honor, which, as
the inscription shows, is from
44 The Congress to Sergeant John
G. Merritt, Co. K, 1st Minnesota
Volunteers."

This medal is awarded to you
under the provisions of law for
gallantry at the battle of Bull Run, in July, 1861, where
you were wounded while in advance of your regiment.

In connection with this award I find occasion to remem
ber v/ith renewed pleasure and gratitude the patriotism of"

A MINNESOTA BOY S FIRST BATTLE.

Minnesota s citizens, who in answer to my call as Governor,
at the first dawn of the war period, valiantly responded with
the cheers, the trumpets and the drums of the First Minne
sota Regiment, of which you were a member.

ALEX. RAMSEY,

Secretary of War.

SERGEANT EDWARD BROWNE,

SIXTY-SECOND N. Y INFANTRY.

"FIGHTING JOE S" MEN.

IT is well known to veterans that Major-General Joseph
Hooker, at one time commander of the Army of the
Potomac, was affectionately called " Fighting Joe," on ac
count of the dashing manner in which he habitually led his
division in battle. In fact, wherever he was acting as a
subordinate commander not weighed down with the re
sponsibility of an independent army he was enterprising,
energetic, cool-headed and vigorous in the performance of
his duty.

In an evil hour President Lincoln, deeming General
Hooker available, promoted him to the command of an
army of more than one hundred thousand men.

While the army was in camp, and required only to be
clothed and fed and disciplined, its new leader was equal to

CHANCELLORS VILLE. 2 -

the occasion and greatly improved the condition of the
troops. But when called upon to manoeuvre this armed
host in a wilderness, in presence of the enemy and of the
chosen champion of the Southern cause, " Fighting Joe s"
powers seemed paralyzed, his sword no longer flashed in
the charge, his voice no longer rang in clarion tones, " For
ward ! " His counsel seemed weak and uncertain, and his
movements those of one groping in the dark.

The battle of Chancellorsville was "Fighting Joe s"
Waterloo, as the general of an army, although he lived to
win fresh laurels as a corps commander in the memorable
" battle above the clouds." This is not the place to enlarge
upon the mistakes of leaders, however, beyond brief men
tion of the operations in which there was the usual propor
tion of individual gallantry among the rank and file. The
battle of Chancellorsville is famous as the spot where
" Stonewall Jackson " met his death in the hour of his
triumph, just as he had given a crushing blow to the right
flank of the Union army. The operations on the left of the
Union line, although more creditable, were of no avail in the
end, excepting as they inspired the enemy with a respectful
caution in following up Hooker s retreat to his old camps
on the left bank of the Rappahannock.

If the army commander was wanting at Chancellorsville,
his subordinates, generally, were equal to the emergency.

The operations on the Union left were controlled by
General Sedgwick. One of his brave men, a survivor of the
Great Rebellion, Sergeant EDWARD BROWNE, Co. " G,"
62d N. Y. Vol. Infantry, gives an interesting sketch of his
recollections on that occasion.

24 " FIGHTING JOE S" MEN.

I. THE AFFAIR OF SALEM HEIGHTS.

" While ordinarily it is not agreeable to me (not to say
indelicate) to write of myself, and to speak of a distinction
which fell to my lot, I confess my pride in being the holder
of a Medal of Honor, conferred by the Congress of our
grand country, in recognition of alleged merit ; and to
enable you to determine whether the acts, for which my
then superior officers thought fit to commend me, are wor
thy of being recorded, I will briefly narrate events.

" It was on the morning of May 3, or 4 (I am un
certain as to the date), General Hooker was at Chancellors-
ville. General Sedgwick, with the Sixth Corps, crossed to
the right bank of the Rappahannock, about three miles
below Fredericksburg, and took up his line of march tow
ard that city. The advance, after considerable resistance
on the part of the Confederates, entered the city just before
daybreak and drove the enemy from, and quite a distance
beyond, the city. My recollection. is that the enemy found
refuge behind a stone wall at the base of the heights back
of the city. Be that as it may, at daylight six companies
of the 62d Regiment were thrown in advance to uncover
the enemy if behind the wall. I was with the color-guard
at the time. We advanced in line of battle until we came
within the enemy s works, which formed a circle at the foot
of the hill, and uncovered the enemy. But we reached
there through a murderous fire of small arms at point-blank
range, opened upon our front and flanks, and it seemed like
going to sure destruction. Our men were literally mowed
down. Those of us who were not incapacitated sought the

SALEM HEIGHTS. 25

cover of the city as soon as we could. The color-bearer was
injured in the engagement, but my comrades and I brought
him back with the colors. Upon our return to the city the
remaining companies of the regiment were brought up, and
the regiment re-formed. The colors were entrusted to me.
About noon we were in line of battle for the charge which
carried the stone wall and the heights beyond. I was
among the first upon the wall with the colors, and kept
them flying until we reached the top of the heights and the
enemy were routed.

" In the afternoon we pressed forward, after having re
formed our columns, to Salem Church or Heights, about
four miles to the rear of Marye s Heights, where, in a belt
of woods, our advance became engaged with what we sup
posed to be the rear guard of the enemy. We afterwards
learned that it was a part of Lee s forces on their return
from Chancellorsville. The 62d Regiment was in the sec
ond line of battle supporting a battery, with its right rest
ing on the road from Fredericksburg. Generals Newton
and Wheaton were close by, mounted. Suddenly our boys
came in hurried retreat from the woods, followed by the
enemy in good form. I was at that time in front of the
line waving the colors, when, on turning to the right, I
observed a line of the enemy emerging from a belt of woods
in that direction, and called the colonel s attention to it.
While doing so I was wounded in the side. The colonel
noticed that I was wounded and suggested my retirement
to the rear. But the boys were coming across the wide
open between the woods and our line, and I remained with
colors open so that they might know they had something

2 6 " FIGHTING JOE S " MEN.

to rally about, and to show the enemy that we were not in
a panic. I remained at my post until the boys had crossed
the open and were within our lines, and the enemy had
been brought to a halt by our fire. Then the colonel, C.
B. Hamilton (God bless him ! a nobler man never breathed),
commanded me to give up the colors and get to the hos
pital. I transferred the colors they were not dropped, but
held up while being transferred to a noble fellow, who
afterwards fell under them ; and after the enemy s line was
broken and they had retired to the woods whence they
came, late in the afternoon, I went to the field hospital.
On the following day I crossed to the left bank of the river,
and from a safe position, in the stone house which served as
a hospital, I saw the battle.

" I returned to my regiment as soon as my wound healed,
and was with it in all engagements up to the fight before
Washington in 64. I was made sergeant and a commission
was offered me, but I declined the latter through lack of
appreciation of its worth. I was breveted 2d and 1st
Lieutenant and Captain in New York Volunteers."

HEADQUARTERS 30 BRIGADE, 30 DIVISION, 6TH CORPS,

CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, VA., May 27, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with General Orders 53, Par. i, Headquarters Army of
the Potomac, I have the honor to forward a list of officers, non-commissioned
officers and privates, whose gallantry and merit were conspicuous and worthy of
especial notice during the recent battles at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights,
May 3 and 4, 1863.

62d New York Vols., commanded by Lieut.-Col. Chas. B. Hamilton.
*********
Corporal EDWARD BROWNE, Co. " G," is recommended for a " medal " and
" honorable mention " for good conduct at Fredericksburg and Salem Heights,
May 3 and 4, 1863. In the second battle, May 4, near Salem Heights, Cor-

SERGEANT BROWNE S CREDENTIALS. 27

poral Browne, who carried the colors of his regiment, was severely wounded,
but continued at his post under fire until positively ordered to the rear by his

regimental commander.

Very resp y your obt. svt.,

(signed) FRANK WHEATON,

GEN. S. WILLIAMS, Brig.-Genl. U- S. A.

A. A. G. Army of the Potomac.

A REGIMENTAL CERTIFICATE.

This is to certify that Sergt. EDWARD BROWNE was a member of the 626.
N. Y. Vols., and during all the time the regiment served he was a brave and
efficient soldier. He was promoted from private to rank of color-sergeant for
courage and meritorious conduct on many a field of battle, and was commended
in general orders for personal bravery at " Salem Heights." He was offered
a commission during the latter part of the campaign, but refused to accept it,
preferring rather to remain among his comrades, the non-commissioned staff
and privates with whom he had so gallantly won his promotion, than to enter
the ranks of commissioned officers.

I would gladly recommend him to any military position, knowing from expe
rience and personal knowledge he will fill it both with honor to himself and ser
vice to the cause.

(signed) SAM. C. STEWART,

Late Adjt. fod N. Y. S. Vols.

Sergeant Browne has achieved an honorable position in
civil life, and is now (1886) a Justice of the City Court of
New York.

FIGHTING JOE S " MEN.

II. FEELING FOR A " STONE WALL."

After the famous Southern general,
Stonewall Jackson, had with character
istic energy and skill attacked the right
flank of General Hooker s army and
caused the troops of an entire corps to
retreat in confusion, it became necessary
to send out scouting parties in the dense
wilderness at night, to find the enemy.
One of these parties was sent out by
direction of General Berry, from the 74th
New York Infantry. Captain F. E. Tyler
writes : " As the corps (3d) to which my
regiment was attached did not arrive at
Chancellorsville for some time after the
main army, we were put in reserve a
short distance back of the main line and
near the road from the U. S. Ford. About
-4 P.M. the nth Corps was broken by
Stonewall Jackson and fell back in great
confusion. General Hooker ordered up
our division (Hooker s old division) to retake the line from
which the nth was driven. As we marched out we found
the roads and woods full of the fleeing nth Corps, and had
to charge bayonets to clear a passage. We regained the
original line of the nth Corps without much trouble, and
immediately proceeded to cut down trees to fortify our
position. I was then the senior captain of the regiment
and acting major. During the day General Sickles, who

SERGEANT LUTY.

SEVENTY-FOURTH N. Y. V.

FELIX BRANNIGAN. 2 ^

commanded our corps (the 3d), had two divisions of the
corps, well out in front of our main lines, scouting, and
at the time of the break of the nth had not to our knowl
edge returned ; there were also other troops well advanced
in front of our main lines, observing the movements of the
enemy. So it seemed important to know just what was in
our front, and also to find out what had become of the
troops of Stonewall Jackson. Some time about midnight
General Revere, who commanded our (Sickles ) brigade,
rode down our line, and stopping at my regiment, asked
for the colonel. As he could not be readily found at that
time he was referred to me, and stopping, asked me if I
knew what troops of the enemy were in our front, or if
there were any. I mentioned the fact that it was reported
that the 1st and 3d divisions of our corps were in front;
also the rumor that the Irish Brigade had been sent out in
that direction. He then told me that it was of the utmost
importance to know what was in front, and ordered me to
pick out some trusty men and send them out to get the
best information they could. I went to my old company
(A), and called for FELIX BRANNIGAN, who had been with
me all during the war, and whom I knew from long expe
rience to be a cool, courageous, intelligent soldier. I told
him what I wanted, gave him my ideas as to how to get
out of the lines and what to do, and suggested the other
men whom he should take along. They went in twos,
each in a different direction, having to pass our own pick
ets and presumably those of the enemy, make their way
stealthily through the thickets and swamps and go until
they found troops in front ; either ours or of the enemy.

3Q " FIGHTING JOE S" MEN.

They had all returned by daylight, coming in at different
times, the last man coming in being Jos. GlON, who was
out so long I greatly feared his death or capture. They
reported that they had gone a considerable distance when
they came to an open/ which was occupied by a large body
of troops ; by laying low and getting as near as possible to
the troops, who were camped close to the woods, they
found they were Stonewall Jackson s men, and that they
intended to make a determined effort at daylight to break
through where they broke the nth Corps the day before,
and push on and secure possession of the roads leading to
U. S. Ford, thereby hoping to effect a capture of a large-
portion of the Federal army. To prove the importance of
this scout, shortly after daylight Jackson s troops, then led
by Stuart (Jackson had fallen during the night), charged
our works, where we held them for, say two hours, when
we fell back and formed a new and shorter line just back
of the Chancellorsville house. During this fight my colonel
and lieutenant-colonel were both seriously wounded, and
I was in command during the latter part of the battle.
After we returned to our camp across the river, General
Hooker ordered that each commanding officer report such
men as were conspicuous for good conduct. Under these
circumstances I made a detailed report to General Hooker s
adjutant-general, and the men were awarded medals."

GOTTLIEB LUTY, one of the men selected for this haz
ardous service, and whose portrait, taken from a war-time
photograph, heads this account, says :

" On the afternoon in May, 1863, when the Eleventh
Corps was driven back, General Hooker ordered the second

GOTTLIEB LUTY. ^

division of the Third Corps to take their place. We ad
vanced and took their old position, which we reached about
dark. While lying there we heard firing in front, and Gen
eral Berry, supposing that some of the nth Corps were
still in advance yet, asked Colonel Lonesberry of the 74th
N. Y. if he had one or two men who would volunteer to
go out and see if any were there, and find out what position
the rebels were in. There were four of Company A, viz.:
FELIX BRANNIGAN, HENRY BIERMAN, Jos. GION and
myself, and Sergt.-Major JACOBSON, who volunteered to
go. We divided into two squads, Brannigan and myself
going together, the others going by themselves in a differ
ent direction. We advanced outside the outposts, prob
ably fifty yards, close to the plank-road. We heard horses
coming down the plank-road. We concluded to drop and
await developments. They came down to within fifteen
yards of us. When the firing commenced it appeared to
come from all sides at the same time. I could not tell
from what quarter it started. We found out by the talk
that it was a body of rebels that rode down, and I
think probably it was Gen. Jackson and staff, as we heard
them say the general was shot just after the firing
ceased. As there was only one round fired, we had a good
chance to hear all. After the rebels withdrew, we got up
and concluded to go back to our lines, but lost our way
and got among the rebels. They were terribly excited
about General Jackson being shot. All was confusion.
So we quietly withdrew, as it was not very healthy for us
there. We reached our lines about 3 o clock in the morn
ing. We then heard that General Berry had followed us

2 2 " FIGHTING JOE S " MEN.

out and was wounded, and before he died he requested
that if any of the men that went out got back they be
rewarded for their services. The others returned later in
the morning. We then fell back over the Rappahannock
to Falmouth."

MAJOR WILLIAM 15. HINCKS,

FOURTEENTH CONN. INFANTRY.

MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

A MIDSUMMER night s dream. At least all the ma
terials were there. The moon bathing the corn and
wheat with mellow light ; the faint sound of church bells
wafted over the meadows from the neighboring town ;
the low, sweet notes of the whip-poor-will and the ceaseless
murmur of the brook ; and last, but necessary ingredient,
a young girl.

These pleasant sights and sounds centred in a lovely spot
in the suburbs of the now historic town of Gettysburg,
near the Emmittsburg road. Here upon a little crest
stood, a few days before the great battle, a modest farm
house, surrounded by out-buildings bearing the usual Penn
sylvania proportion to the size of the mansion ; the great
red barn, with its gothic windows framed in white, being
the best sign of the owner s prosperity. With the excep-
3 33

AN AMERICAN GIRL.

tion of a few fine old trees which shaded the house, there
was but little timber on the farm. In front of the house,
on the brow of the hill, a huge rock jutted out toward the
south ; its top was moss-covered, but level as a table, and
guarded, sentinel-like, by two large willow trees ; between
them swung idly a hammock, within which, half reclining,
and with her face turned southward, was the maiden of the
dream.

THE DIETRICH FARM.

Elinor Dietrich was a true American girl. Her father,
a hard-fisted, prosperous " Pennsylvania Dutchman," had
married, some twenty years before, the pretty daughter of
a Lutheran clergyman, who had lived and labored and died
in the somewhat barren vineyard of a country parish, where
thistles grew more plentifully than grapes. In the only
child the virtues of the parents seemed reproduced : the
courage and self-reliance of the father, the patience, forti
tude and physical beauty of the mother. At an early age
she had been sent to a famous Philadelphia school, where
girls were not only taught the accomplishments, but also

36 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

the domestic arts of life, and where the experienced princi
pal, herself a mother, took some of her pupils into her
heart as well as under her roof. Elinor was one of the
favored few, and when she returned home "finished "it
was a pure, true-hearted woman who was clasped to her
mother s breast. From a child she had been fond of out
door life, and before she went away to boarding-school
could ride the wildest colt on the place, and bring down a
partridge on the wing with her father s best double gun,
whenever she could persuade him to let her share in the
sport. But in all this there was no sign of the hoyden no
torn-boy manner.

Although Elinor was only nineteen, she was not heart-
whole. Three years before, she had met a young student
from North Carolina. He was good-looking, clever, and
after due inquiry was permitted to become a suitor. He
had made a long visit at the Dietrich homestead, and all
seemed smooth sailing, when the guns at Sumter, regard
less of lovers knots and lovers sighs, called Frank Arden
to what he termed "the defence of the Old North State."
So the usual vows were exchanged and the youth departed
for the Confederacy. More than two years had passed. If
love laughs at locksmiths, he certainly has but scant respect
for picket lines. At intervals a letter found its way from
the far South where Frank (now an infantry captain) was
fighting the invader. One day Elinor received a billet from
Richmond, and the writer spoke of the rumor that General
Lee would make " an excursion into Pennsylvania some of
these days," and hoped that it might come to pass. And
Lee had come, but Arden s regiment passed by on the

BUFORD OPENS THE BALL. ^

other side of the county and it seemed a case of " hope
deferred."

As Elinor mused over these things, Carlo, her pet terrier,
lifted up his shrill voice in a warning bark. Shuffling foot
steps came across the lawn and a voice, strangely familiar,
said :

" Heh 1 HI dog, wha fo you go back on yo frens? "

Elinor sprang to her feet.

" Jim, is it you ? "

"Yesm yes, Mis Elinor; got somfin fum Mars Frank.
Tole me to put it in yo own hans."

And the dusty, travel-worn negro, diving into the pocket
of his jacket, drew out a letter on once white paper.

BUFORD OPENS THE BALL.

The clock in the tower of the Seminary marked the hour
of eight. The morning of a day famous in the annals of
American history had arrived the first day of the battle
of Gettysburg. And yet, at the moment, there was but lit
tle sign of war in the landscape, as it lay spread out, smiling
and placid as far as one could see. Just in front of the
town a few hundred horsemen were resting under tempo
rary shelters of canvas or lounging under the trees, while
their horses impatiently stamped at the flies or, motionless,
drew in deep draughts of the clover-scented air. They be
longed to Buford s division of the cavalry corps, Army of
the Potomac ; of that army they were supposed to be the
eyes and ears ; their duty to keep both wide open in the
direction of the enemy; to report his plans and movements,
to delay his advance and to hang upon his rear in retreat ;
and, besides, to do a multitude of things not usually re-

MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

quired of cavalry (in the books), but which are apt to fall to
the lot of brave, zealous, and intelligent soldiers horse or
foot who happen to be on the spot in an emergency.

All this passed through the mind of the advanced vidette
on the Cashtown road, about two miles west of Gettysburg.

He was a bright young
farmer from Illinois, and
a dragoon of nearly three
years service ; it was long
since he had seen so fer
tile a vale as that spread
out before him, and in
fancy he saw the old home
farm and wondered how
the crops compared with
those at his feet. But
he kept his military eye
" peeled," and his large
ears open at the same
time. His position on a
knoll, in the edge of a
grove, commanded a view
of the road for several
miles in the direction of
Chambersburg. Private Kelly had good eyesight, and as
he looked down the road for the hundredth time since go
ing on post that morning, his eye rested longer than usual
on an object about three miles away.

A moment decided him as to its nature; it was undoubt
edly a horseman, but whether friend or foe it was impossi-

THE CONFEDERATE ADl ANCE.

ble to tell. Another glance revealed three six a platoon
at least, moving slowly along at a walk. The man first
seen kept in the middle of the road ; a hundred yards be
hind him rode another cavalier ; at a similar distance in
rear came four or five men, riding together, with one in
front who seemed to be in command. Private Kelly was
much interested in the spectacle ; he braced up in his sad
dle, drew his horse back into the shadow of the wood, and

THE ADVANCE GUARD.

took another look. The leading horseman had disappeared
in a little gorge through which a small stream filtered un
der a few boards crossing the road, and as the breeze came
from that direction it bore the muffled sound of hoofs to
the alert Union picket. And now a larger party of horse
men, perhaps twenty, came within his vision and the flash
ing of something in the sunlight suggested an armed party;
on either side of the road and a little in advance of these
could also be seen three or four mounted men moving
across the fields in open order. Private Kelly could not
tell whether these visitors were likely to be welcome or not,
and very properly concluded to transfer the responsibility
to other shoulders. In rear of the little clump of trees

40 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

there was an open spot, plainly visible to his " reserve," and
not exposed to any one coming from Cashtown. Kelly was
there in a moment, riding his horse rapidly in a circle and
putting his cap on the muzzle of his carbine as a signal
that something was wrong. Instantly this was seen by the
sentry in front of the picket-guard, and in another moment
a corporal was galloping to the front. "What is it,
Kelly?" The vidette silently pointed down the road.
The horsemen were now only two miles off, but some
distance in their rear was a column of footmen, well closed
up, with a cloud of skirmishers in front, extending for a
hundred yards on both sides of the road.

" Johnnies! and doughboys * at that, it must be a divis
ion at least," said the corporal. "Well, Kelly, you know
what to do , stay out as long as you can, but don t let them
gobble you. I ll report to the lieutenant;" and back the
corporal sped with the news.

" Honest John," as the commander f of the First Cavalry
Division was affectionately called by his troopers, was sit
ting on a camp-stool under an old elm tree, which did duty as
headquarters, taking his after-breakfast smoke. The mod
est brier-wood pipe was as much a part of his equipment as
the blue hunting-shirt which General Buford invariably
wore in the field. The general was not much of a talker,
at least in mixed society, and in this respect resembled the
Great Captain who sleeps so quietly at Riverside. Nothing
escaped his keen eye, and none was more ready to recognize
merit in others or slower to push his own claims for pro
motion.

* Cavalry slang tor the infantry.
t Major-General John Buford

THE FIRST DA Y S FIGHT. * j

A staff-officer rode up, dismounted, and saluting the gen
eral reported that the pickets of Gamble s Brigade had just
observed the enemy in some force, advancing on the Cash-
town road. The Chief took one or two meditative puffs,
and then removing his pipe said, " Give my compliments
to Colonel Gamble, and tell him to move out with his com
mand and meet the enemy ; we must keep him out of the

GETTYSBURG. FIRST DAY.

town as long as possible. Tell the colonel to keep me
posted as to the enemy s movements from time to time."

In ten minutes Gamble s Brigade the 8th New York, 8th
Illinois, and part of the 3d Indiana and I2th Illinois regi
ments of cavalry about 1900 strong, with Tidball s Bat
tery of the 2d U. S. Artillery under Lieutenant Calef, was
moving into position. Three squadrons, part dismounted,

MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN BUFORD.

FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

KEEPING RESERVED SEATS. ^

were sent to the front and deployed as skirmishers to sup
port the squadron on picket, then falling back slowly. Two
of Calef s three-inch rifled guns were placed on each side of
the road, and two on the right of the left regiment of cav
alry. The enemy cautiously approached in column on the
road with three extended lines on each flank, and the artil
lery and skirmishers became engaged. Soon the cavalry
were forced back, giving ground very slowly considering
that the little cavalry brigade was standing up against three
divisions of infantry veterans of the Army of Northern
Virginia. For more than two hours this unequal contest
was waged. Under the eye of one of the best cavalry
fighters in the world, the Union troopers surpassed all
previous efforts. In Buford s own words, " the brigade had
to be literally dragged back " a few hundred yards to a
position more secure and better sheltered ; at one time the
enemy had a concentric fire upon the battery from twelve
guns, all at short range. Calef held his own gloriously,
worked his guns deliberately, with great judgment and
skill, and with wonderful effect upon the enemy. Even
when the advance of the First Corps came up, so thor
oughly had the horsemen warmed to their work, by fighting
on foot, that some of the 3d Indiana Cavalry found horse-
holders, borrowed muskets and fought side by side with
the Wisconsin regiment of infantry which came to relieve
them. But the work of the cavalry in keeping " reserved
seats " for the grand bull fight was not yet over. Heavy
masses of the enemy were advancing upon Gettysburg
from the north and west. General Buford stemmed the
hostile torrent on the northern side with Devin s Brigade

44 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

until the arrival of the Eleventh Corps, when, perceiving
that the portion of the First Corps then engaged was sorely
pressed, he sent Gamble s Brigade to the left of General
Doubleday s line. It arrived at a critical moment and
rendered invaluable service. Dropping behind a low stone
fence, Gamble s dismounted men delivered, at short range,
a repeating-carbine fire that was perfectly terrific and
caused the enemy to recoil, temporarily discomfited.

And now General Hancock arrived on the field and
assumed command, and as the great army corps came
up they were assigned to positions. Both armies Lee
with more than 70,000 and Meade with more than 80,000
soldiers, the flower of American manhood now prepared
for a terrible struggle. The character of the battle of
Gettysburg, the magnificent display of courage and en
durance on both sides, and the nearly equal conditions as
to leaders and numbers engaged, shows that the result de
pended largely on position. The result was therefore prac
tically decided in favor of the Union army when John Bu-
ford selected and held on to the ground where the battle
was fought. Well could he modestly report that " a heavy
task was before us; we were equal to it and shall all re
member "with pride that at Gettysburg we did our country
much service."

JOHN BURNS FIGHT.

In the lull of the fighting came a strange figure upon the
battlefield. A farmer-like person with homespun clothes
of an ancient cut, well patched and darned, carrying in his
hand an old Kentucky rifle with an immensely long barrel,

JOHN BURNS.

and weighing almost as much as a light field-gun. Ap
proaching the commanding officer of a Pennsylvania brig
ade, he asked permission to go on the skirmish line. After
vain attempts to dissuade the old man, he was finally
allowed to join the soldiers in the front, where he remained

JOHN BURNS.

during the entire battle, picking off the Confederates from
time to time as he saw a chance, utterly unmindful of the
bullets which buzzed about his ears.

This man was John Burns, a resident of Gettysburg.
Bret Harte tells the story in verse, from which an extract
may be proper :

" Have you heard the story the gossips tell
Of John Burns, of Gettysburg ? No ? Ah, well,
Brief is the glory that hero earns,
Briefer the story of poor John Burns ;
He was the fellow who won renown

46 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

The only man who didn t back down

When the rebels rode through his native town;

But held his own in the fight next day,

When all his townsfolk ran away.

That was in July, sixty-three

The very day that General Lee,

The flower of Southern chivalry,

Baffled and beaten, backward reeled

From a stubborn Meade and a barren field.

*********

How do you think the man was dressed ?

He wore an ancient, long, buff vest

Yellow as saffron, but his best ;

And buttoned over his manly breast

Was a bright blue coat with a rolling collar

And large gilt buttons size of a dollar

With tails that country-folk call " swaller."

He wore a broad-brimmed bell-crowned hat,

White as the locks on which it sat.

*********

Close at his elbows, all that day,

Veterans of the Peninsula,

Sunburnt and bearded, charged away,

And striplings, downy of lip and chin

Clerks that the Home Guard mustered in

Glanced, as they passed, at the hat he wore,

Then at the rifle his right hand bore,

And hailed him, from out their youthful lore,

With scraps of a slangy repertoire:

" How are you, White Hat ? " " Put her through ! "

" Your head s level ! " and " Bully for you ! *

Called him " Daddy," and begged he d disclose

The name of the tailor who made his clothes,

And what was the value he set on those ;

While Burns, unmindful of jeer and scoff,

Stood there picking the rebels off

With his long brown rifle and bell-crown hat

And the swallow-tails they were laughing at.

FLEEING FROM THE WRATH?

Twas but a moment : for that respect

Which clothes all courage their voices checked;

And something the wildest could understand

Spake in the old man s strong right hand,

And his corded throat, and the lurking frown

Of his eyebrows under his old bell-crown ;

Until, as they gazed, there crept an awe

Through the ranks, in whispers, and some men saw,

In the antique vestments and long white hair,

The Past of the Nation in battle there J

"FLEEING FROM THE WRATH."

On the morning of Bu-
ford s cavalry affair, Elinor
was sitting with her moth
er underthe willows. The
old lady was knitting away
upon a woollen sock of
liberal dimensions, a pros
pective addition to the
wardrobe of the ancient
Dietrich. Elinor occupied
a substantial old-fashioned
arm-chair, and pensively
toyed with Carlo s ears.

With a slight sigh Mrs.
Dietrich said : " Dear me,
when will this terrible
fighting be over? So far
we have escaped, but no
one can tell when the soldiers may come here. By the way,
Elinor, have you any news from the South?"

48 MARS AND CUPID A 7 1 GETTYSBURG.

This was Mother Dietrich s way of asking : " Have you
heard from Frank ?" And her daughter therefore replied :

" Yes, mother. He writes that he is on the march from
Carlisle, and hopes he may have an opportunity of seeing
us on their way back to Virginia. But of course he can t
tell they may not come within many miles."

"Well, my child, we must be patient and hope for the
best."

A heavy report, as of thunder, broke the stillness ; it was
followed by a distant explosion. Both of the ladies rose,
and hurried to the northern side of the house, from which
they had a partial view of the artillery duel in front of the
Seminary.

Farmer Dietrich appeared. He was a large, heavy per
son, a " Peace-at-any-price " man, who took no interest in
the issues at stake except as they directly concerned him
self. He had tried to steer a middle course, with the re
sult that he was looked upon with suspicion by both sec
tions of the people. He now seemed somewhat excited.

" Mother, you and Nell will have to go over to Henry s
until this thing blows over; they tell me there s likely to
be a big battle right around here, and the womenfolks had
better get ready at once. The wagon will be around in a
quarter of an hour."

Being women of action, no time was wasted in specula
tion or lamentation. Within the specified time, trunks
were packed, many valuable things were thrown hastily
into large baskets and made ready for removal ; for it was
impossible to conjecture the fate of the house in the event
of a battle. Much fine old furniture, too heavy to move,

THE DIETRICH CAVALCADE.

was left behind, including an old Dutch clock, which had
ticked away, without stop or falter, for nearly a hundred
years.

The six-seated Germantown wagon, drawn by two fat
horses, was quickly filled by the family and the "women
folks " excepting Aunt Chloe, the cook, who, perched
upon the top of her own precious trunk in one of the light
farm wagons, with a band-box of generous dimensions in
one hand and a huge red bandanna bundle in the other,
presented, to all whom it might concern, an example of
monumental dignity hard to equal and impossible to sur
pass.

The Dietrich cavalcade moved down the Emmittsburg

road with a view of getting within the Federal lines if possi
ble. First, the proprietor on one of his best horses, a colt
with which he hoped to take a prize at the next county
fair ; then came the Germantown with its fair freight-
Elinor, pale but composed, and occupied with comforting
her mother. By the side of the carriage ran Carlo, who
looked on the whole thing as a picnic ; then four wagons
of various sizes, laden with an assortment of ploughs, pro
visions, pots and pans, and the odds and ends of farm equip
ment ; and, last of all, a small herd of cattle. As they
reached the summit of a long hill Elinor turned to look at
the deserted homestead. The familiar spot never looked
so beautiful ; the house in which she was born, the great
barn, the scene of so many frolics, the willows weeping in
silence all stood out sharply against the smoke of the bat
tle, now waxing hot in the background.

The refugees had almost reached a turning to the east-
4

50 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

ward which would give them a good road to Taneytown
and safety, and Elinor s father was beginning to breathe
more freely, when just ahead he saw a mounted man with a
carbine resting on his knee. Making a sign to his coach
man to stop, Dietrich rode forward.

" Halt ! " said the soldier. " Whar you uns goin ? "

"I am taking my family to a safe place until the fighting
is over," was the reply.

" Wai, reck n 1 hev to turn yo all over to the Looten t,
so keep right along o me ; " and the procession moved.
" Likely critter that," said their captor.

The farmer s heart sank within him. To use his own
words, he " had jumped from the fryin -pan into the fire."

Soon they came upon the commander of the picket-guard.
This officer was very civil, but sent them a mile further to
the headquarters of the scouting party to which he be
longed. Here Captain Jones of the Confederate cavalry
kindly exchanged some of his own spare-ribbed steeds for
the farmer s plump animals ; relieved the wagons of a few
sacks of oats and flitches of bacon for immediate consump
tion ; turned over the cattle and wagons to the quarter
master of the expedition ; permitted the family to retain
the Germantown wagon, now drawn by two exhausted cav
alry horses with " U. S." branded on their shoulders ; re
quested Mr. Dietrich not to move further for one hour; left
a corporal and one man to see that he should not forget,
and after apologies to the ladies for any inconvenience
which they might suffer from this change in their plans,
touched his cap and departed.

The Army of the Potomac was posted with its centre

THE THIRD DAY S BA TTLE. 5 T

upon a high crest on the southern edge of Gettysburg,
called Cemetery Hill ; from this spot the right of the line
extended toward the east, and lay on the north of the Bal
timore pike; from the Cemetery Hill the line occupied the
crest of a ridge which, broken by clumps of trees, extended
southward for nearly two miles to a high and rocky peak
called " Round Top," forming the extreme left of General
Meade s position.

The Army of Northern Virginia occupied a ridge nearly
parallel to the Union line, but not so high and with more
timber on its crest. These two lines of battle were sepa
rated by low broken ground, at a distance of from half a
mile to a mile.

The farm buildings stood between the lines and a little
south of the Union centre. The buildings were first occu
pied by the rebel sharpshooters, who began to annoy the
Yankee skirmish line. Finally a rush was made by a New
Jersey regiment, which drove out the occupants and cap
tured eighty of their number. This was a brief triumph ; a
fresh body of Southrons attacked the building, and again
planted the " Stars and Bars " over the farm-house. Thrice
was this combat repeated until night, when both sides took
a rest.

THE THIRD DAY AT GETTYSBURG.

At dawn on the third day of the conflict a noisy fire from
Lee s artillery began. The battle of the previous day had
been most furious at Cemetery Hill and at the Round
Tops. Twice it seemed as if the Confederate army would
overwhelm the troops defending those points. General

52 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

Lee now determined to make his final effort to dislodge his
enemy by a direct assault upon the centre of his position.
The th North Carolina Infantry (or " The Pine Knots,"
as they had been christened, on account of certain tough
qualities) were aroused at an early hour on July 3, 1863.
While it was yet dark the colonel had sent for Captain
Arden of his regiment. A tall, muscular young man,
bronzed to an old-oak color, with strong features, dark eyes
and hair worn in cavalier fashion, appeared and saluted.

" Arden, the regiment is ordered to re-occupy those build
ings in our front as quietly as possible, so as to be in posi
tion by daylight. I want you to take your company and
occupy the farm-house. Jackson s company will go forward
to the barn. The rest of the regiment will support you.
It may be that we shall find the Yankees there before us ;
in that case we must try to bag them if possible."

" Very good, Colonel ; is that all ? "

"Yes ; take care of yourself."

Captain Arden had been a witness to the warfare at the
Dietrich homestead on the previous day. He felt certain
that Elinor had gone away, but where? and how? Had.
she reached a place of safety, or was she exposed to the (
horrors and dangers of the campaign?

At the appointed time the " Pine Knots " crept forward,
Arden s company leading. To avoid injuring each other,
a special countersign was agreed upon. The precautions
proved unnecessary ; the buildings were unoccupied and
the regiment established itself unmolested.

The force at the house was under Captain Arden s com
mand, and as soon as he had made everything secure out-

A RUINED HOMESTEAD. ^

side, he entered the familiar doorway. What a ruin !
Shattered windows, bullet-holed walls, blood-stained floors ;
the old clock battered and silent ; it was impossible to con
ceive of the destruction that one day could encompass.
Arden found the heavy oaken door leading into the cellar
closed, and fastened on the inside. Calling some men to
his aid, it was soon broken open. As the eyes of the party
became accustomed to the light, they saw in one corner a
curious heap of boxes and barrels ; peering behind this, one
of the men exclaimed : " Cap n, thar s a nigger hidin in
that corner come out n that."

" Ise comin , seh," said a smothered sort of voice, as amid
laughter and a cloud of dust from the flour bin in which he
had been lying, Jim appeared.

" Why, Jim, what are you doing here?" said Captain
Arden.

The negro chuckled. " Tell de truf, Mars Frank, couldn t
git away. When de family done gone I tink go n git some
sleep hant had none two r tree day. When I wuk up dey
wus at it. Hamr end tongs ! how dey did bang an fight an
groan, en it seem t me dat I bes lay low entil dey was less
citement."

" What did you have to eat ? " asked some one.
" Dey was right sm at meat an pie lef, but powerful dry
fo watah only vinegar an sich," said the boy. Taking
him aside, Arden soon had the news of the flitting as well
as a short note from Elinor, penned as she was leaving, and
entrusted to the boy. Jim was a free negro who had be
come attached to Arden long before, when on a visit to the

54 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

farm, and had gone South with the young soldier as a body
servant.

On the Union side, and occupying an advanced position
in front of the right of the Second Corps, were two regi
ments of infantry : the I4th Connecticut and the 8th Ohio.

About 10 o clock the fire from Arden s sharpshooters be
came so annoying that the Connecticut regiment was or-

CONFEDERATE SHARPSHOOTER.

dered to drive them away and hold the buildings. Captain
Moore, with four companies, moved forward against the
barn. Instantly the " Pine Knots " behind the stone wall
poured a volley into them, and two officers and several men
were seen to drop. But, with a cheer, the Connecticut
" boys " rushed on and over the wall, and at the same time
a canister shot ploughed its way into the barn and exploded,
wounding several of the Confederates. Major Ellis of the
Fourteenth, with the greater part of his regiment, now at
tacked the house. Here there was a stout resistance. The
assaulting party were met with a sharp fire from the posi-

PICKEWS GRAND CHARGE. ^

tion defended by Arden s men. But the New Englanders,
having come so far on their errand, did not propose to re
tire, and availed themselves of the cover of the barn.

In the mean while they noted the tall form of a young
rebel officer moving unconcernedly to and fro behind his
men, encouraging them and occasionally correcting the aim
of a nervous marksman. Several shots were taken at him
by the Union sharpshooters without effect. And now the
Connecticut men rushed forward on both sides of the be
leaguered domicile. Even veterans cannot stand before a
flank attack, and so the " Pine Knots " fell back sullenly.

All this took place during a pause in the general opera
tions. It was a sort of tournament. Orders came to burn
the buildings, and so Major Ellis applied the torch to
everything that would burn, and in an hour the Dietrich
homestead was a smoking ruin."*

PICKETT S GRAND CHARGE.

About two o clock in the afternoon a heavy cannonade
was opened from one hundred and fifteen pieces of Lee s
artillery upon the Union front and centre ; like the blows
of a great steam-hammer, shot and shell fell for nearly
three hours. At half past four o clock, the firing ceased as
suddenly as it commenced. Across the plain came with
measured tread, elbow to elbow, three long lines, fifteen
thousand strong, the flower of the Southern army, com
manded by a gallant Virginian General Pickett. Their
purpose was evident ; they were about to assault and risk

* The site of this exploit was purchased by the Fourteenth Connecticut Veterans after
the war, and a Memorial Stone marks the spot.

-6 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

everything on the cast of a die. General Hunt had massed
fresh batteries in the rear of the Second Corps, and soon
they were pouring destruction into the enemy, each moment
coming nearer. But on they came, until those on the cem
etery crest could almost see, as in olden times, " the whites
of their eyes." With flags unfurled and floating proudly,
the undaunted assailants pressed forward. Round shot
ploughed furrows, shell and canister tore great gaps in their
lines, but the furrows disappeared and the gaps were in
stantly filled from the rear. Stannard s Vermont brigade
was in position so that it commanded the right flank of the
approaching division, and it fired two or three volleys, with
the effect only of causing the enemy to crowd a little more
to the left. It seemed as if this huge wave must reach
and sweep over the Union army, when nothing might stay
Lee s triumphant march to Philadelphia. But the com
mander at the threatened point was equal to this emer
gency. As the Confederates were within two hundred
yards, six thousand men of the Army of the Potomac rose
from behind the low stone walls, and full in the faces of the
advancing host burst forth a sheet of flame. Volley after
volley roared and rattled and blazed into what had been
such a brilliant array of banners and bayonets. Nothing
living could withstand the effect. As with a scythe the
gray-brown rows were literally mown down in this great
harvest of Death ! With this relentless musketry in front
and their own artillery a mile in their rear, now playing on
friend and foe alike, there seemed nothing for them to do
but to drop down and be gathered in by the Union troops.
On the left of Pickett s line hundreds threw themselves flat,

THE HIGH- WATER MARK.

waving in token of surrender hats, handkerchiefs or naked
hands. Others would not yet yield, but while availing
themselves of any cover that offered, planted their colors in
the earth and crouched behind and under them at bay.*

In spite of this hot reception the main part of the as
saulting force, led by General Armistead, dashed through
the withering fire and reached the Union centre. The blue
flag of Virginia waved for a few moments over the Union

WHERE PICKETT S CHARGE ENDED.

lines, and it was said by more than one cool spectator at
other parts of General Meade s line, " Our centre is
pierced." The Confederate general laid his hand upon a
captured Union gun and shouted, " Give them the cold
steel, boys ! " In a moment he fell, mortally wounded.

* The fences along the Emmittsburg road were riddled. One inch-and-a-quarter board
was indeed a curiosity. It was sixteen feet long, fourteen inches broad, and was perlo-
rated with eight hundred and thirty-six musket balls. This board is said to be in the
possession of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. This board was on that part of the
fence where Scales brave little brigade crossed it.

58 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

The Union general, Webb, by his personal example
greatly helped to turn the tide of battle. For a moment
there was great confusion. Regiments had lost their for
mation, although the men had not lost heart, but were fight
ing " on their own hook." A regiment from Minnesota,
one from New York, another from Michigan and a fourth
from Massachusetts threw themselves into the breach with
Webb s Pennsylvanians, and the enemy was pressed back,
broken and decimated, but defiant still. At this moment,
Lieutenant Gushing, of the regular artillery, who had been
mortally wounded through both thighs, his battery a ruin,
his men and horses lying dead or wounded at his feet, ran
his only serviceable piece up to the fence and said: " Webb,
I ll give them one more shot." As the report of the gun
followed, Gushing called out " Good-bye! " and fell dead.

SERGEANT-MAJOR HINCKS EXPLOIT.

During the grand assault, the Fourteenth Connecticut
Regiment was in position opposite the left of the enemy s
advancing lines ; this regiment was armed with Sharps
breech-loading rifles and their fire was very severe.

Sergeant Wade of this regiment says :

" By this time the Fourteenth were all excited ; they re
membered Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville,
and over the wall they went; nothing could stop them, and
soon- they were fighting hand-to-hand with the rebels. We
captured six battle-flags and forty prisoners ; and over one

hundred prisoners came in afterwards Oh, it was a

glorious day for the old Fourteenth ! One of the lieuten
ant-colonels taken by our regiment, coming up to our thin

SERGEANT-MAJOR HINCKS* EXPLOIT. rg

line, asked us where all our troops were, and being told that
he could see all there were, exclaimed, Oh ! that I had
known it a half hour since/ Some of the prisoners told us
that their generals told them that they were fighting noth
ing but the Pennsylvania militia, but when they saw that
ace of clubs, the trefoil badge of the Second Corps, they;
all exclaimed, * We have been fighting the Army of the
Potomac.

After the first fire from the Union side had taken
effect, Sergeant-Major WILLIAM B. HlNCKS, of the Four
teenth, saw, planted in the ground, some distance in front, a
rebel flag. Around and on a line with it were a number of
unwounded men who had thrown themselves down to avoid
the heavy fire. He determined to capture the flag. Leap
ing over the wall, with nothing but his short sword in his
hand, he ran straight for it. At the same time two or three
others of his regiment had started for the same goal. One
of these, an officer, was brought down by a bullet ere he
had run ten yards. Hincks outstripped the others, reached
the spot, and with a yell seized the colors by the staff, and
waving his sword over his head was on his way back before
those around could divine his purpose. Instantly a shower
of bullets came all about him ; he was also exposed to a
scattering fire from our troops. It was " running the gant
let " indeed. Hincks, in his dash across the neutral ground,
seemed to bear a charmed life. As he neared his own lines
he saw the men standing up, regardless of the leaden mes
sengers behind, and as he mounted the wall, trophy in hand,
the regiment, to a man, wildly cheered the gallant fellow.
It proved to be the colors of the " Fourteenth Tennessee."

6o MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

On the flag were inscribed the names of the following bat
tles in which it had been borne: " Seven Pines," " Mechan-
icsville," " Cold Harbor," " Shepardstown," " Fredericks-
burg," "Chancellorsville," "Ox Hill," "Harper s Ferry,"
" Sharpsburg," " Frazier s Farm," "Cedar Run," " Manas-
sas."

Major Hincks writes : * " We were behind a low stone
wall, such as may be seen on any New England farm. Par
allel to this wall, and perhaps 150 yards away, was a lane
(Emmittsburg road ?), on either side of which were the ruins
of a wooden fence. My recollection is that our people
began to fire as the front line of the enemy crossed this
fence. This broke their front line ; their advance was
checked and they began to fire. Then their color-bearer
ran forward, planted his flag in the ground, and with several
others I presume the color-guard laid down beside it, our
fire being very hot. At that time I was firing two Sharps
rifles which Lieut. Hawley was loading for me ; they be
longed to men wounded early in the day. . . . The regi
ment on our right fired buck-and-ball cartridges, and I think
that I was in as much danger from them when I ran to get
the flag as from the enemy. . . . One gun (cannon) which
had been pushed out a few rods in front of our stone wall
remained there during the charge, having been disabled. A
daring Southerner jumped upon this gun and waved his hat ;
but did not live to tell the story. In going after the flag I
ran past this gun, leaving it upon my left hand." f

On the right of the Fourteenth, but further to the front,

* August i, 1886.

t See full-page drawing facing opening of this chapter.

SERGEANT MILLER S TROPHIES. fa

another small regiment, the Eighth Ohio Infantry, had been
posted since the day before, as part of the picket-line.

SERGEANT MILLER S TROPHIES.

When the wave of Pickett s charge rolled up to the crest
of the Cemetery Ridge it passed to the left of the Ohioans.
Having spent its force, part of it receded and, breaker-like,
scattered its foam along the battle beach. For a moment
it seemed as if the gallant Eighth would be washed away.
But it stood like, a rock ; and the ebbing tide divided as it
met this new obstruction. The enemy was not panic-
stricken ; there was plenty of fight in him yet. Hand-to-
hand encounters took place. Prisoners and colors were
taken, and there were many acts of gallantry. Sergeant
DANIEL MILLER, of " Company G, 8th O. V. I.," was a
terror in this combat. He had already sent several prison
ers to the rear when he saw, a short distance away, some
thing tempting; it was a rebel flag in the centre of three or
four " Pine Knots." At that moment a shell exploded just
over their heads. A piece struck the color-bearer and
brought him to his knees. The colors were not suffered to
touch the ground. A young officer sprang forward and
grasped the staff. This man was already wounded ; covered
with dust, the blood trickling from a gash on his forehead,
without a hat, his eyes blazing, holding his torn but pre
cious standard aloft in one hand while he guarded it with
his bare rapier in the other, he seemed the living imperson
ation of valor. But he was almost alone, his revolver
empty and his line of retreat nearly cut off. He backed
slowly toward a gap in the fence near which he stood ; once

MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

on the other side of it he might reach his own lines in
safety. But the foeman was upon him. The Ohio soldier
confronted the brave Confederate and bade him surrender.
Nine out of ten men would have done so. But no; holding
the flag behind him the rebel officer parried with great dex
terity the thrusts made by the sergeant, who was loath to
shoot this gallant youth. But there was no time to lose ;

RELIEVING THE WOUNDED.

if he wanted the flag he must act promptly. " Surrender !
or I ll shoot," hoarsely cried Miller. In response the slen
der sword-blade seemed to wrap itself round the barrel of
his rifle and the point pierced his wrist. A sharp report
rang in the ears of the Southern soldier; he dropped his
weapon and fell backward upon the banner of his regiment,
pale and motionless. His opponent in vain tried to loosen
the death-grip which held the color-staff, so tearing the
silken trophy from the lance, he thrust it into his bosom.
Honors now were easier. There were but few in sight of
that grand division of Virginians and Georgians which

AFTER THE BATTLE. 63

swept so proudly on to the Union position less than half
an hour before. Here and there might be seen a little
group slowly nearing the rebel lines with wounded com
rades. Once more did Sergeant Miller add to the glorious
" loot." Creeping along a stone wall he saw a " butter
nut " figure. It proved to be another color-bearer. One by
one his color-guard had been killed or wounded, and he
was making to the rear. It required but slight exercise
of Miller s persuasive powers to induce the man with his
charge to turn about as a prisoner of war.

And now the forces of Nature took their turn. A great
thunder-storm gathered and broke over the battlefield.
The artillery of the heavens in mighty peals seemed to
mock the late cannonade. The lightning blinded man and
beast; and the rain, falling in great sheets, promised to
wash out the blood-stains from the face of mother earth.
And this last was a great blessing to the thousands of
wounded and dying who, burning with thirst and faint for
want of food and drink, were instantly refreshed.

AFTER THE BATTLE.

The day following was the anniversary of our national
independence. How it was spent on the battlefield is told
by Sergeant Wade of the Fourteenth Connecticut, in an
interesting letter: " Saturday, July 4, we were called up at
three o clock, and ordered to fix up our little stone wall put
in front of us, as the rebels would no doubt try us again early
in the day. But they did not come and we lay here all
day, resting from our arduous labors of the few days pre
vious. We could hear the groans of the wounded rebels

6 4

MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

ahead of our picket-lines, but every attempt at taking them
off to a hospital would prove unavailing, as the enemy s
pickets would fire at us if we attempted it

" This was the first Fourth of July we had been in the Ser
vice, and we talked over our prospects for the future, and
reviewed the past ; especially that portion since we had left
Falmouth. We had been on the march twenty-one days,
had travelled over 200 miles, and suffered exceedingly from
the heat and had pretty hard living. We had scarcely any
thing to eat from July I to the night of the 3d, when we
crawled out on the battlefield after dark, where the ene
my s wounded lay, and took the haversacks from those who
had been killed in the fight that day ; these haversacks
were nearly all full of nice hoe-cakes. Some that we found
were stained with blood where it had run into their haver
sacks from their wounds. But we were so hungry that we
didn t stop for that. This may seem a tough story, but it
is true."

The Dietrich family, shorn of much of this world s goods
by the Confederate foraging party, finally reached their
kinsman s roof. Here, during the battle, they eagerly lis
tened to the booming and the crash of the conflict as it
came to them on the fitful wind. But Elinor was not idle ;
together with others of the household she scraped lint and
made rolls of bandages, and felt that although men might
fight and maim, yet it was woman s sweet privilege to bind
up the wounds, to be the ministering angel, and to spread
the soft mantle of Christian charity over Rebel and Yankee
alike. Naturally her thoughts turned to the young soldier

WOUNDED UNTO DEATH. 5,

so far from home and kindred ; she did not sympathize
with his cause, but he was her hero and in danger.

Coming up the lane, at this moment, appeared a negro
boy, dressed in a Union soldier s blue trousers and cap,
and a shirt of no particular allegiance or color. As he
came nearer, Elinor s heart beat fast. It was Jim. Were
his news good or bad ? She ran forward. Jim took off his
cap when he saw her, and in answer to her questioning
eyes, said : " Sorry, Mis Elinor, t bring you sich news.
He s been wounded despert bad, an de doctah say he doan
kno ef he kin live fru de night."

WOUNDED UNTO DEATH.

Seated under a tree, out of sight of the house, and forti
fied by the simple refreshment of pie and milk, Jim told
his story. In brief, he had been left in camp by Captain
Arden on the morning of the third day. When the rem
nant of the " Pine Knots" came back that night his master
was not with them ; he had been last seen in front, when
the Confederate line fell back. Late at night, Jim and one
of Arden s men had crept out to the point indicated be
tween the pickets, and after an hour s search had found
the missing officer lying unconscious, but alive, and still
grasping the color-staff, from which the flag had evidently
been torn. Having found him, the difficulty was to get
him within his own lines. Jim had brought with him a
small flask of Pennsylvania " apple-jack," with which he
managed to partially revive the captain. Then, aided by
his companion, he made a sort of litter with a blanket and
rubber poncho, stripped from a dead Union soldier, and
5

66 MARS AND CUPID AT GETTYSBURG.

thus they half carried, half dragged their almost uncon
scious burden to the Confederate picket-line not without
danger of occasional shots from the vigilant watchers of
both armies. From this point Arden was carried to a small
hut occupied by an old colored woman. Upon examina
tion, the surgeon reported that Captain Arden had received
a slight scalp wound, apparently from a bayonet ; but the
most serious thing was a gunshot wound through the body,
near the left lung, the ball having evidently passed out
through the back, under the shoulder-blade. That it was
impossible to say, then, what were the chances of recovery,
but that, so far, the absence of fever and a fine physique
were in the patient s favor. In any case, it would be a
matter of nursing rather than of medicine. As the boy
finished, Elinor had made up her mind. She must go to
Frank. Who could nurse him so well as she ?

Jim reported that the Confederates had fallen back from
the place where Arden was lying, and that he had passed a
number of farmers returning to their homesteads. So
Elinor took her father into her confidence, and he, seeing
her resolution, yielded. Her mother was not to be taken
into the secret until a day later, when it would be possible
for her to join Elinor by comfortable conveyance. Under
pretence of taking a ride in the direction of the Dietrich
farm, Elinor and her father, followed by Jim on one of the
despised " U. S." cavalry horses, set out early the next
morning.

Aunt Sheba s abode was a rude cabin of boards with two
rooms ; one was kitchen, reception, dining and sewing
room, and the other answered the purpose of a bedroom;

REWARDING THE VICTORS. 5*

at present doing duty as guest chamber. The place was
" neat as wax " and not without a picturesque air, with nas
turtium vines running up its weather-beaten sides and
almost shutting out the light which struggled to enter at
the port-hole-like window s.

Within, on the bed, lay Arden, pale, helpless and breath
ing with difficulty, his eyes fastened upon Elinor, who
stood by his side, holding his hand. On the other side of
the bed was the doctor, an old practitioner in the neighbor
hood. At the foot of the bed stood one in half clerical,
half military garb, with a book in his hand. In the back
ground sat Farmer Dietrich.

Although fever had not set in yet, the wounded man was
very weak, and it was thought his case was hopeless. By
mutual consent it was determined to join these loving
hearts while the spark of life still lingered. It seemed to
gratify Arden that at least Elinor would bear his name.

The ceremony was brief but impressive. After it was
over, the sick man closed his eyes, and all but the doctor
and the young wife left the room.

REWARDING THE VICTORS.

On a crisp, beautiful morning in December, 1864, there
was a grand parade, of all the troops available, near the
headquarters of the Second Corps. After a review by Gen
eral Meade, the command " Order arms ! " was given. The
adjutant-general of the corps soon appeared at the head of
a small party of officers and men, wearing side-arms only.
There were three commissioned officers, two non-commis
sioned staff-officers, and several sergeants, corporals and

68 MARS AND CUPID A 7 GETTYSBURG.

privates. They advanced to the front and centre of the
line, and after the adjutant-general had read the orders in
the case, the Victor of Gettysburg, followed by a brilliant
retinue, including several corps commanders, visiting offi
cers of foreign armies and others, approached near the little
group and presented to each man, with a graceful word or
two of congratulation, the Medal of Honor won during the
campaign. When Lieutenant Hincks name was called, a
tall, slender, boyish figure in the full dress of an adjutant
of infantry, advanced and received his medal. As General
Meade handed Hincks the prize, he said, looking at the
lieutenant s shoulder-strap, "I am glad to see, sir, that you
have received something more substantial than a medal."

Through some inexcusable blunder the gallant Sergeant
Miller, of G Company, 8th Ohio Volunteers, never received
the medal for which he was recommended by his regimental
commander, but it was sent from the War Department to
another man of similar surname, in the same company.
The poor fellow died some years since, and never ceased to
feel that " Republics are ungrateful." f

We have already taken up too much space with the
incidents of the great battle, and must stop short now.
But not before it can be truly said that what seemed to be a

* WILLIAM B. HINCKS of Connecticut, aged 22, enlisted as a private in the i4th C. V. I.,
July, 1862. Promoted through all grades to ad lieutenant and adjutant, Oct. 20, 1863,
major, April 3, 1865. Served with regiment in Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, -dur
ing entire period, and in following engagements: Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancel-
lorsville, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Peters
burg, Hatcher s Run, Appomattox. Received honorary degree of A.M. from Yale College,
July, 1878.

t " The 8th pressed forward, capturing a large number of prisoners and three stands of
colors ; one marked 34th North Carolina and one 38th Virginia were captured by Ser
geant Daniel Miller G Co."Lt.-Cot. F. Sawyer, %th O. V. I. Official Report, Battle of
Gettysburg,

PEACE AND PROSPERITY. gg

death-bed marriage had a happy ending. A strong constitu
tion and the tender care of his wife enabled Captain Arden
to pull through. But his recovery was very slow, and re
quired a trip to Europe to complete the cure which Elinor s
nursing had commenced. Indeed, the young Carolinian
had hardly stepped upon his native heath when the news
of Appomattox put an end to his military ambition.

I saw them driving in the Park the other day. From the
size of the family party and the appearance of the equipage
it was evident that our Gettysburg friends are both happy
and prosperous. In the dignified coachman, I with diffi
culty recognized Jim.

CORPORAL JOHN H. WEEKS.

I52D N. Y. VOL. INFANTRY.

THE SALIENT AT SPOTTSYLVANIA.

THE Army of the Potomac, leaving its winter quarters
at Brandy Station and Culpeper, with its shelter-tents
folded on the top of the knapsacks, and its cartridge-boxes
and haversacks well filled, had crossed the Rapidan River,
for the last time, " on to Richmond."

For six days it had fought and marched through the
Wilderness, and on May n, 1864, had reached the neighbor
hood of Spottsylvania Court House, where General Lee,
with the Army of Northern Virginia, barred the way.

Never before had gigantic armies striven for the mas
tery in such dense forests, where in a single week forty
thousand men had fallen, killed or wounded.

The country from the Rapidan River to Spottsylvania
Court House was an immense wood, with here and there a
clearing or field that had in former years been cultivated
for the raising of corn and tobacco The male portion of

J2 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTSYL VANIA.

the population had nearly all gone further south, leaving
the women and a few negroes at home.

There was a projection in General Lee s line a short dis
tance north of the Court House, which military men call
" The Salient." General Grant determined that an assault
should be made at that point- He issued orders at 3 P.M.
to " move three divisions of the Second Corps by the rear
of the Fifth and Sixth Corps, under cover of the night, so
as to join the Ninth Corps in a vigorous assault on the
enemy at four o clock A.M., to-morrow." He sent two staff
officers to impress upon the commanders concerned the
necessity of pushing forward vigorously.

How these orders were carried out is related in the fol
lowing pages by two soldiers of Hancock s Corps one from
a Pennsylvania and one from a New York regiment. These
men received two out of the fifteen Medals of Honor
awarded by the Government to Grant s army for distin
guished service at Spottsylvania. Their statements were
contributed upon the invitation of the Editor.

I. CORPORAL WEEKS STORY.*

" On the night of the 1 1th of May, 1864, we were relieved
by the 5th Corps at Laurel Ridge (or Stony Ridge, I have
forgotten which) after dark, and moved out of the works,
with instructions to move as silently as possible ; not to
allow our cups or bayonets to rattle or make any unneces
sary noise. We marched all night through a cold rain,

* JOHN H. WEEKS was born at Hampton, Windom County, Connecticut, March 15, 1845.
Enlisted as private, " H " 1526. N. Y. Volunteers, August 28, 1862. Served in Second
Corps, Army of the Potomac, until discharged as corporal, for wounds, May 25, 1865.

CORPORAL WEEKS STORY. 73

until just before the break of day, on the morning of the
1 2th, we were halted in line of battle, with orders to * in
place rest. The report had been in circulation during the
night that we were going to relieve the 6th Corps in the
Reserve, that we might get a chance to rest, as we had
been under fire constantly for six days ; and when we
halted we could see the light of camp fires shining along
the sky in our front, where. we supposed were the 6th
Corps. No sooner were we ordered to rest, than I threw
myself down in the mud and fell asleep. In a few min
utes I was awakened by the tramp of a horse coming on a
lope. I raised up and saw an aide ride to General Hancock
(who happened to be near our right) and give the verbal
order to the general, as near as I can remember, as fol
lows : Gen. Meade s compliments, and directs that you
move your corps forward and occupy those \vorks.

" We were called to attention and ordered Forward,
guide centre, march ! Little did I think then what it
would cost to obey that order, as I still thought it was the
6th Corps in our front.*

" We were in the second line of battle, following close
behind the first, till soon the Reb skirmishers commenced
firing. Then for the first I began to realize that we had
work before us. It was now getting quite light, but the
fog prevented us from seeing far in our advance. We soon

* General Grant says, "The ground over which Hancock had to pass to reach the enemy
was ascending, and heavily wooded to within two or three hundred yards of the enemy s
intrenchments. In front of Birney there was also a marsh to cross. But notwithstand
ing all these difficulties the troops pushed on in quick time without firing a gun, and
-vvhen within four or five hundred yards of the enemy s line broke out in loud cheers, and
with a rush went up to and over the breastworks. Barlow and Birney entered almost
simultaneously. Here a desperate hand- to-hand conflict took place.

THE SALIENT A T SPOTTSYLVANIA.

came to an open field with a gradual ascent to near the top,
where there had been heavy timber, which had been felled
with the tops toward us and the boughs sharpened ; also
wire stretched through the tree tops. Still beyond this
obstruction were the enemy s works, which consisted of a
ditch, eight feet wide and nearly as deep, with a row of
sharpened stakes set in front, the points about breast high.
Immediately in rear of the ditch were the breastworks,
which were formed of the dirt thrown up from the ditch,
making the distance from the bottom of the ditch to the
top of the works from twelve to fourteen feet, without a
chance of a foothold.

" As soon as we came to the edge of the open field they
opened on us with canister and musketry. The artillery
had been massed at this point and all double-shotted with
canister thirty pieces, if I remember right. Such a
storm of iron and lead I never saw before or since. It did
not seem possible for a man to live to reach the crest of
the hill and pass the obstructions ; but, as history tells,
some did. But by the time we reached the ditch there
was no line of battle, but a moving mass of yelling Yan
kees. We succeeded in wrenching the sharpened stakes
from their places, and used them in crossing the ditch and
scaling the works. When I think now of all the difficul
ties we had to overcome, with the flower of the rebel army
behind such works pouring upon us a shower of lead, success
seems impossible. It seemed to be an angle of their works
where we made the charge, in shape of the letter V. Our
right was on the left wing of the angle, so that when we
got inside of the works we could still see the enemy on the

THE CO A PS COMMANDER. j?

right wing opposing our men there from entering. It
brought us in their rear. When we had sent our prisoners
to the rear we still advanced, but very slowly, on account of
our broken ranks.

" I saw the enemy give way at this time on the right wing,
and amongst the rest was a stand of colors and color-guard.
These men fired their muskets in a volley, and broke for the
rear. They had to pass down our front to get out of the
angle, and would have succeeded, but I made up my mind,
as soon as I saw them start, that I must have those colors.
I had also fired my gun, but had no time to reload. I ran
up to the sergeant and snatched his colors from him, threw
them on the ground arid put my foot on them, cocked my
empty gun, and told them the first one of them that moved
out of his tracks I would shoot him down, and ordered
them to throw down their guns and surrender. The ser
geant said to them, Boys, they have got the colors, let us
go with the colors ; so they threw down their guns and
marched to the rear as my prisoners. When I got back to
our line, Col. Curtiss told me to take them away, for we
might get driven back at any moment.

" I recrossed the works and started for our rear, when I
met General Hancock and staff going to the front. As he
passed I saluted him. He returned the salute, and said,
What have you got there ? I told him a stand of col
ors I had captured in the front. He then asked me if
those were my prisoners. I told him they were. He
looked at some of his staff and smiled (I thought at the
time a little incredulously), for there were five or six lusty
rebels and I was at that time about eighteen years old.

76 THE SALIENT A T SPOTTSYL VANIA.

Then he said, You deliver your prisoners to the provost
marshal and write your name, company and regiment with
the date of the occasion on a slip of paper, and pin it on
your colors, and turn them in to the adjutant of your regi
ment, which I did. I did not hear anything more about
it till in the following winter when in Campbell Hospital,
suffering from a wound received at the battle of Boydton
Plank Road, on the left of Petersburg, I received a package.
Upon opening it I found it to be a Medal of Honor."

LIEUT. CHARLES H. FASNACHT,

NINETY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.

II. SERGEANT FASNACHT S ADVENTURES.*

"On the evening of the eleventh day of May, 1864, the
Ninety-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers

* CHARLES H. FASXACHrwas born March 27, 1842, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Enlisted in 1861, in the Ninety-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers for three years.
Re-enlisted February, 1864. Served continuously with his regiment, excepting seven
months in hospital from wounds received at Chancellorsville and Spottsylvania. Pro
moted corporal and sergeant and mustered out of service, with regiment, as first lieuten
ant July. 1865. Received the MEDAL OF HONOR; Silver Medal from the Directors of the
U. S. Sanitary Fair at Philadelphia in 1864 ; and the Bronze " Kearney Badge"

THE NINE TY-NINTH PENNSYL I AN/A. ^

was lying back to the right of Spottsylvania Court House,
Virginia. The men were somewhat exhausted, having had
fighting and marching in the Wilderness since the 5th day
of May. Rations were issued between seven and eight
o clock P.M. About nine o clock P.M. the troops of the
2d Brigade, Brigadier-General J. Hobart Ward, 3d Di
vision (Birney), Second Corps (Hancock), received orders to
fall in, and shortly afterward the march to the left com
menced.

" The Ninety-ninth was commanded by Colonel Edwin R.
Biles, and was the leading regiment of the division, being
preceded by Generals Birney and Ward, with their staff
officers, and the pioneer corps. The night was very dark,
and rain was falling nearly all the time. The men had
orders to keep very quiet, and allow no noise from the
rattling of canteens or other equipments. The rank-and-
file had an idea that the Second Corps was marching for
some vulnerable point of the enemy s line, and that as
Birney s Division (composed of what was left of the old
Third Corps) was leading, it meant that on the morrow
desperate work was before us.

" Nothing occurred during this weary march until after
midnight. We could hear, now and then, all through the
night, away off to our left, the soldiers of Lee chopping
wood ; while away off to our right could be heard the
rumbling noise of artillery. The quiet and stillness of this
steady march through rain and mud was almost unbear
able. Some of the men were tramping along almost
asleep ; in fact, on several occasions muskets dropped from
the shoulders of weary men. Now and then a comrade

78 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTS YL VANIA.

would ask in a whisper, What does this mean ? or,
Where are we going? But no answer could be given, as
no one knew, except only those high in command.

u Company A of our regiment was leading, and kept well
closed up to Colonel Biles, who was just behind the staff of
Generals Birney and Ward. And as we were thus march
ing silently along, with a soldier s steady tramp, suddenly
the horses and their riders in our front came back pell mell,
scattering the men in every direction. Every man grasped
his musket more tightly, with hand on trigger, believing
the enemy was at hand. The cause of this stampede was
soon discovered. A soldier in the pioneer corps in front
had accidentally discharged his musket, which scared horses,
staff officers and others who were near. It must have been
between one and two o clock, on the morning of May 12,
when the head of our column arrived at its place of destina
tion, and our company commenced to right by file into
line ; and for a long while after, the troops were passing
in our rear and forming in line to our left, with our regi
ment on the extreme right of our corps. The ground was
wet and all around was darkness. The men in the ranks had
no idea, as yet, of what was to be done in the morning. But
the veteran soldiers who composed that line knew by instinct
that daylight would see heavy fighting. W T ith this belief, the
men were soon lying on their arms, dreaming of home
and loved ones. The writer hereof was in l light marching
order, having nothing but haversack, canteen and rubber
blanket, besides his trusty Springfield musket. So with
my rubber blanket wrapped around me, a soft spot in rear
of the company was found, where I also was soon lost

AN EARLY MORNING WALK. yg

in dreamland. About four o clock in the morning I was
awakened by being punched in the ribs with an officer s
sword, and hearing a rustling noise, and low talk of the
officers and men in my front. Jumping to my feet I dis
covered that the line was commencing to move forward.

"The men were told that we were advancing to charge
the enemy s works, supposed to be three-fourths of a mile
in our front, but which could not be seen from our starting-
point. Colonel Biles also ordered the men not to fire a
shot or give a cheer until we were inside the rebel earth
works; this was to take the enemy by surprise. At start-
ing, we advanced through a swamp, overgrown with briers
and small trees. After going about one-third of a mile we
came out into a clearing on high ground. The line by
this time being somewhat out of shape, it was straightened
while still advancing. It was now daylight, and the en
emy s works could be seen about one-third of a mile in
our front, running along the edge of the woods, parallel
with our advancing line of battle.

"These works looked formidable at that distance, and
proved so, later on, when we crossed them. A great many
low camp-fires were burning in the woods behind the
enemy s line, while still others were being started ; no
doubt to dry clothing and to prepare for an early breakfast.
The smoke of these fires, mingled with the fog, was hover
ing a few feet from the ground. What force the enemy
had could not be known, as only here and there a sentry
could be seen on the intrenchments ; nor did anyone in
our line have time to scan very closely.

" As our line came out in this open ground, where it got a

8o THE SALIENT A 7" S2 J OTTSYL VAN1A.

glimpse of the rebel earthworks, some soldier away off to
our left, who could not hold in any longer, gave a cheer.
It was against orders, but it started the cheering along our
whole line, and the rebel pickets commenced to fire on us,
while the enemy was seen to rush up to their works. But
our line swept on. Colonel Biles told us now that the faster
we went, and the quicker we got over the enemy s works,
the better it would be for us.

CAPTURING A FLAG AT SPOTTSYLVANIA.

" The assaulting column was composed of Birney s Divis
ion on the right, Barlow s Division on the left, with Mott
and Gibbon s divisions supporting ; my company (A), QQth
P. V. V., being on the extreme right of the line. As we
advanced, it was discovered that on our right there was a
gap in the line, which was afterward filled up by troops (I
think) of the Sixth Corps.

" When the colonel gave the order to get over the enemy s
works, the regiment started on the double-quick. At
this time, and while yet five hundred yards distant, a rebel
flag was raised over the works right in front of my com
pany. The man holding it, waved it to and fro, as if invit
ing us to come on. Long before this I had an ambition to
capture a rebel flag in actual battle ; not to pick it up from
where, perhaps, it had been lost by its bearer, who being
shot down had left it on the ground ; I wanted to be able
to say that it was actually a captured flag.

"I was behind the company as a file closer, being a
sergeant at the time. I ran around the right and in front
of the company. We had swept the enemy s pickets from

THE ASSAULT. 8l

before us ; the rebels were crowding to their works ; their
fire was getting very warm, and opposite the gap on our
right the enemy had a battery which opened a flank fire on
our regiment. By this time the Ninety-ninth was pretty
close to the enemy s works, and their strength was evident.
In times like this every man in the ranks must, for the time,
be a general himself ; that is, he must be brave, use good
judgment, make up his mind in a moment, and take advan
tage of every opportunity to overcome the enemy. In
short, it is only when each private soldier is doing his whole
duty, feeling the responsibility resting upon himself, that
the general commanding will have his orders executed and
his plans crowned with success.

" As we came nearer, the enemy s fire was very heavy, the
ditch, about eight or ten feet wide in front of the works,
being nearly filled with water from the rain in the night.
In front of the ditch limbs of trees had been placed, making
a strong abatis. When Our regiment came to this, the
enemy s fire was making great gaps in our ranks, but we
pressed on, tore away the obstructions, and jumped into
the ditch (the water being over two feet deep at this point)
and commenced to scale the works. The rebel flag was
still held up and waved, until just as I was about on top of
the works calling to the color-bearer to surrender, and mak
ing a grab for it, the rebel sergeant, with several other sol
diers, started off on a run up on the inside of the works.
At this hour the smoke and fog were still near the ground
in the woods, and one could see but a very short distance
ahead. Tents to shelter the men from the rain, during the
night, had been made hastily with blankets and canvas.
6

8 2 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTSYL VANIA.

" Thus it was not only impossible to see far into the
dense woods, but it was hard to get through and over these
obstructions. On account of the cheering of our men and
the delay in starting, the enemy was aware of our move
ment before we got over his works. But the charge was
still a surprise to many of them, and a grand result in the
end, for we took over six thousand prisoners. The Confed
erate general, Ewell, made a narrow escape from capture/*

" When I jumped over the works I was followed by our
whole regiment, Colonel Biles being right behind me.
What a sight to behold ! Confusion all around. While
many of the enemy had rallied to the works, numbers of
them were found in their rude shelter-tents. Some were
without their equipments ; they were firing in every direc
tion. Some had just begun to get their breakfast ; others
would shoot through their tents. Our men tore down
everything giving shelter to the enemy, using the butt-encl
of the musket and the bayonet. Our men seemed to be
possessed of superhuman strength and a determination to
conquer or die, right then and there. No one seemed to
see or fear danger, and yet we were right in the midst of it,
men falling all around us.

" Immediately after our regiment had crossed the first
line of works, Colonel Biles made a half-wheel to the right
with the regiment, intending to move up and capture a bat
tery the enemy had there.

* " Hancock s corps captured some 4000 prisoners among them a division and brigade
commander 20 or more guns with their horses, caissons and ammunition, several thou
sand stand of arms and many colors. Hancock, as soon as the hand-to-hand conflict was
over, turned the guns of the enemy against him, and advanced inside the rebel lines.
About six o clock I ordered Warren s Corps to the support of Hancock." Gen. Granfs
Memoirs.

CAPTURING A FLAG. g^

4i From the time that I first saw that rebel flag waving so
defiantly in our faces, my sole object was to get it, and to
that end all my energies were brought in play. So after I
was inside of the works I took in the situation in a moment.
Knowing the direction of our line of battle toward the left,
and the open gap on our right, I concluded that the rebel
color-bearer would try to escape by running up towards the
right, and then cutting through the woods. I started on
the run, diagonally through the woods, intending to head
off the color-bearer. The distance I had to go would be
shorter than his, and as one could see but a very short
distance through smoke, fog and woods, I lost sight of the
flag for a few minutes. But I had run probably one hun
dred and fifty yards over all kinds of obstructions, when my
calculations proved correct ; for suddenly right in front of
me, through a clump of trees, came this same color-bearer,
carrying aloft his flag, and behind him were five or six sol
diers, his color-guard. I brought my musket to my shoul
der, with hand on trigger, and as he did not see me as
soon as I saw him, he ran almost up against my bayonet
before he stopped. True, my musket was empty at this
time, but the muzzle of an empty gun at such close quar
ters looks almost as dangerous as a loaded one, and he did
not know but that it was loaded. The men behind him
might have shot me down, but for some reason did not.

" So when we met at that instant I demanded his surren
der and the flag ; he asked me not to shoot and reached the
flag towards me. I did not lower my musket, but let the
flag fall at my feet, and told him to go to my rear, which he
did with his companions, who dropped their arms. I have

84 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTSYL VANIA.

often, since then, wondered why the men behind him did not
shoot, but I suppose they were in the same fix as myself ;
that is, their muskets were empty. When the color-bearer,
who was a man fully six feet tall, had passed to my rear I
placed my foot on the staff and tore the flag off. It was a
flag inscribed with many battles, and the words 2d Louisi
ana TigreSy a good fighting regiment in the Southern
army, and one that we had met on many a battlefield
before. While crowding the flag into my bosom under my
blouse, absorbed in what I was doing, I cared little for what
was taking place around me. I heard some one say, You
had better let me have that. On turning my head I dis
covered my colonel, for the first time, about twelve yards
behind me, and about as many yards in front of the regi
ment ; he had taken the same direction with the regiment
as I had. When I saw from whom came the voice, I gave
him such a look (continuing to stow the flag away) that in
after years he told me that he saw very plainly I did not
wish to part with my prize, and he therefore told me to
keep it.

WITH THE WOUNDED UNDER FIRE.

" By this time the regiment had advanced some distance
to a line of works running at right angles from the first to
the second line of defence, behind which the enemy had ral
lied to the support of some artillery. Our regiment at this
time was on the flank and rear of these pieces, and the
enemy, seeing the hopelessness of holding out, just as we
were about charging, raised white flags, in the shape of
handkerchiefs and pieces of tents, in token of surrender.

WOUNDED AND UNDER EIRE. g^

We called out to them to come over the works without
their arms, and they embraced the opportunity as fast as
possible. At this time a heavy fire from the second line of
works was opened on us, while quite a large number who
had been driven before us took refuge on the outside of
the first line, and were also firing into us. * Just as I had
stepped back a few feet to make room for these men who
were surrendering, a volley from the enemy on our right
and front was poured into us, killing and wounding a large
number. I fell shot, by a minie-ball, in my left leg at the
knee joint. Brave Captain Lewis F. Waters of I, and
Lieutenant Henry S. Zeisert of l D, both fell alongside of
me, instantly killed.

" I was picked up and carried back to the first line we had
crossed, where Sergeants McGrann and Ursprung took me
further back about one-half mile, when our provost-guard
was met ; they ordered all the wounded, who could not
walk, to be laid on the ground, and the carriers to return to
their regiments. The men with the stretchers were not up
yet, and we remained in this clearing for an hour or more.
This one hour seemed an entire day, surrounded as I was
by several hundred wounded men who could not walk.
We laid on the bare ground like so many sheaves of wheat,
unable to move or get out of reach of the enemy s shells
and solid shot that were striking the ground all around us,
their artillery having a good range of this part of the field.

* " Lee made the most strenuous efforts to regain the position he had lost. Troops
wore brought up and attacked Hancock furiously. Hancock was forced to fall back: but
he did so slowly, with his face to the enemy, inflicting on them heavy loss, until behind
the breastworks he had captured. These he turned, facing them the other way, and con
tinued to hold." Gen. Grant s Memoirs.

86 THE SALIENT AT SPOTTSYLVAN1A.

With all my pain I couldn t help but smile at some of the
odd expressions and ludicrous scenes, when a shell or solid
shot would strike close to some unfortunate and. scatter the
dust all around. Some would berate the provost-guard,
severely, for leaving us lying there, to be scared to death if
not killed outright by the enemy s missiles ; others, with
mangled arms or legs, would try and roll themselves away
from a shell or round shot, as it struck the ground near
them, making some witty remark.

" No pen can fully describe, nor pencil do justice to, this
scene ; several acres of ground covered with wounded sol
diers, enduring untold pain, without attention or medical
treatment, and under the constant fire of the enemy s
artillery. It must be borne in mind that the bravest of the
brave under such circumstances will weaken, and wish for a
place of safety.

" At last, after an hour or so, the stretcher-bearers came,
and I was taken away from this place to an ambulance, and
driven to the rear, about two miles, to a little grove. On
one side of this grove ran a small stream of water, and on
the other a road, an open field beyond the road, a cornfield
on the other side of the stream, a little rise or hill in our
rear, and in front a heavy woods into which the road
entered. These were the surroundings of the place where
I was doomed to remain a prisoner for five days.

" It was probably a little after noon when we were brought
to this place. There was great activity all the afternoon in
loading up the wounded into ambulances, and toward even
ing heavy army wagons were used. As darkness had set in
I saw the last wagon filled and drive away, as they said, for

CAPTIVITY ON THE BATTLEFIELD. 37

Fredericksburg Hospital. It now dawned upon me that I
was one of the unfortunate two hundred and twenty who
were doomed to remain, for we were soon told by a surgeon
that one hospital steward and ten men were left in charge
of us ; that we should try and be contented and see what
would turn up in our favor; that he would do all he could
to make us as comfortable as lay in his power. The sur
geon (whose name I have forgotten) had but a small
amount of stores with him, and could give but little medi
cal treatment to us ; he and his men were busy day and
night carrying water and food to us ; besides, they had to
dig graves and bury, on an average, ten of our number
daily.

CAPTIVITY ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

"On the morning of May 13, about nine o clock, a brigade
of Confederate cavalry, under General Rosser (since Engineer
of the Northern Pacific R. R.), and known as the Laurel
Brigade (their badge being a sprig of green pinned on
the left breast), came marching over the brow of the hill
behind us. My place being quite close to the road, I heard
the general give orders to one of his aides not to allow his
men to go among the wounded, nor to disturb anything.
But as soon as the head of the column had disappeared in
the woods, the Confederates swarmed in among us, asking
all manner of questions, and teasing us with the assurance
that soon the Army of the Potomac would be driven back
across the Rappahannock River. But we were rather out
spoken in telling them that a new commander, GRANT,
was at the head of our army, and that there would be no

8 8 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTS YL VA NIA .

retreat and no stop this side of Richmond. None of our
wounded were molested, but the newcomers took nearly all
the meat, sugar and coffee that had been left for us.

" The evening before, we could hear firing until late at
night, and this morning the firing seemed further away; we
were now told that we were outside of our lines, and that
our army had moved further on towards Lee s right. After
the Confederate cavalry had passed out of sight, into the
woods, I concluded to look at my rebel flag, which was still
in my bosom, not having looked at it since the day before.
I asked the hospital steward to assist me. I had on at the
time a short army blouse, made for me the winter previous
by a Philadelphia tailor. It was lined throughout and filled
in with cotton wadding. I took off my blouse and secreted
the flag under a piece of old army blanket and placed it
under my legs. We next opened the lining at the back of
the blouse and pulled out all the wadding, then stuffed the
rebel flag in and pinned up the lining, after which I put on
the blouse ; and no one could notice it, except that I ap
peared rather stout. We had to be very careful while doing
this so that no one could see the flag, especially the six
wounded Confederates, who were lying about one hundred
feet away from me. I was afraid that if the rebel soldiers
should find it out they would take the flag away from me ;
and as I had no other place to hide it, and as it was a
trophy that I prized very highly, I determined to keep it
with me as long as I possibly could.

" We had barely got through with our work when we heard
scattered musketry in the direction the Confederate cavalry
had taken, and in a very short time the whole brigade came

"THE LAUREL BRIGADE."

8 9

back pell mell ; the road not being wide enough, many of
the cavalry came through the woods and brought back with
them several wounded men. They had been gone only two
or three hours, and all that we could find out as to their
sudden return was that after they had gone out several
miles they came across some of the Union cavalry, who
drove them back. After this episode, General Rosser, with
his brigade, made his camp right alongside of us in the open
field, and remained four or five days. Their officers paid
frequent visits to our wounded, conversing with us, and
paying a good deal of attention to their own six wounded
who lay amongst us. These Confederate officers told us
that they were only camped there for the purpose of captur
ing our ambulances that would be sent there for us, and
that then they would take us in our own wagons to Rich
mond. We were anxious to find out what would-be our
fate, and this was certainly bad news to us. The horrors of
Libby Prison, Belle Isle, Andersonville and other Southern
prisons, arose before us in their vivid forms, and I made up
my mind that death would be my fate if I was taken on to
Richmond. For three years past I had been striving with
thousands of other Northern soldiers to get to the Confed
erate capital, and now that in all probability an opportunity
would be given to go there I did not wish to accept it. I
set my wits together to devise some plan whereby I could
outflank this latest of Confederate movements on my lib
erty. I had some hopes that our cavalry would come in
there after General Rosser, and find us and take us away.
But five long, weary days passed and no sign of a Union

9 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTS YL VA N1A .

soldier coming from any direction. Was it any wonder
then that despondency took possession of all of us?

DELIVERANCE.

" On the afternoon of the fifth day of our captivity, several
Confederate officers came among us and told us to be pre
pared to leave by next morning, as they would then bring
their own conveyances and take us away. During these
days I had planned out a course to take, and now I had but
a few hours to make my preparations. I again called on
the hospital steward, and told him my plan ; that he was to
get me two small limbs with forks on them, and by wrap
ping pieces of old blankets around them I would make use
of them for crutches. That in the night I would try and
drag myself across the little run of water and into the corn
field, where I would hide myself until the Confederate cav
alry had departed with the wounded. I would then get out
of the cornfield and run my chances of being picked up by
some Union cavalry, or die in my effort to escape rather
than go a wounded prisoner to Richmond. The hospital
steward listened to my plan, told me it was risky, but he
would assist me all he could, and wished me success. Be
fore dark, that evening, I was ready for my undertaking.
But * man proposes and God disposes, for while I was
worrying my brain over what would be my fate in the next
few days, a movement by some of our troops was being ex
ecuted for our rescue.

" It seems that our situation had been made known to
army headquarters, and a small division of infantry (I think
it was Mott s White Diamond Division), and a battery of

OUT OF B OA T DA GE. Q ,

artillery were on their way to our relief, and just before
sunset, while sitting on the ground with my back against a
tree, a wounded soldier, lying not far from me, cried out
loud enough for all of us to hear him : * Look up there on
the hill ! Turning my head and looking towards the hill,
I saw that a piece of artillery was unlimbering, and the in
fantry were moving up to support it, when several other
pieces were run up and placed in position. But the first
piece fired one shot into General Rosser s cavalry before
they knew that there were any Union troops near. The
echo of the first shot had not died away before three more
pieces were firing in rapid succession. In the Confederate
camp all was confusion ; horses tore loose, officers were
calling to the men, and everybody was looking out for his
own safety. And it took General Rosser and his men but
a very short time to get away from that place, and their
speed was accelerated by the Union shot and shell. Never
before nor since did I experience such real happiness as at
that moment, when these friends, wearing the loyal blue
uniform, came marching under the Stars and Stripes so
unexpectedly to our rescue. There were wounded soldiers
among our number, more dead than alive, who would rise up
and faintly cheer at the sight of the old flag and friends, and
then fall back exhausted, weeping for joy. Men grasped
each other by the hand, and with tears in their eyes praised
God for this unexpected deliverance. Yet in our feeble
condition we tried to give a few parting words to General
Rosser s men, as they so hastily took their departure. We
twitted them on their unceremonious going away without
us ; asked them how soon they would return : but they paid

9 2 THE SALIENT A T SPO TTSYL VANIA.

no heed to our remarks, and in a very few minutes they
had all disappeared, leaving behind a few wounded and
prisoners. In less than one half hour ambulances were
driven up and we were carefully lifted into them, so that by
eight o clock that evening the last Union wounded soldier
had been loaded and the ambulance train with its escort was
ready to start for Fredericksburg. As already stated, there
were two hundred and twenty of us who were brought here,
but about fifty had died.

" It was about eight o clock on the evening of May 16
that our train started. I had been placed on the seat with
the driver, with my leg in a swing, and tied to the roof of
the ambulance, and in driving along that night through the
darkness, over rough roads, the wheels would strike a rut
or stone and give my leg a jerk that would send the pain all
through my body, and jolt those lying in behind, who would
hurl uncomplimentary remarks at the driver, for causing
them so much pain. About nine o clock the next morning
our train arrived at Fredericksburg, where it was intended
to place us in hospitals ; but all the houses that could be
made use of were already filled with the wounded from the
Wilderness.

MINISTERING ANGELS.

" We were then given coffee and bread, and after some
delay our ambulance train was started off across the Rappa-
hannock River, towards * Belle Plain, on the Potomac River,
where we arrived early that evening. It was about nine
o clock that evening when I was carried on board of a barge
which was afterwards towed out to a large Government

MINISTERING ANGELS. ^3

boat in the middle of the stream. Shortly after, I was laid
on the barge, where a few flickering lamps shed their dim
light. I could hear s\veet voices, followed by some of the
ladies of the Sanitary Commissions. These minister
ing angels, with lint, medicines, brandy, milk-punch and
sandwiches, went from cot to cot, attending to the
wounded and speaking words of good cheer. Surely the
sick and wounded soldiers can never repay the debt of
gratitude they owe to the loyal and patriotic women of the
North, for the good work done by them in hospital and in
camp during the dark days of the war.

" During the night, our barge was towed out in the middle
of the river alongside of the large steam-boat, to which its
load of wounded was transferred, being placed on stretchers
in rows, making several hundred in all. The flag attracted
a great deal of attention in the hospital at Washington.
One gentleman, when he saw it unfolded, with the name
and number of the regiment it belonged to printed on its
stripes, Second Louisiana Infantry, C. S. A., said he was
in New Orleans in April, 1861, when this same flag was pre
sented to the regiment. At the Armory Square Hospital,
to which I was taken, a screen was put up, a tub of water
brought, and a good bath given me. During this process
the surgeon came with a large glass of brandy and told me
to drink it, and it seems to me, even at this late day, that
was the best drink I ever tasted. I was now dressed with
clean under-clothing, and placed in a bed on the right hand
side, next to the entrance door, with my flag fastened on
to the wall over my head ; and under the influence of what
I had been drinking, and the sweet strains of music coming

94 THE S A LI EN T AT SPO TTS YL VANIA.

from a piano at the other end of the ward, I forgot my
pain, and was soon lost in slumber. After going through
with what I had the previous two weeks, I indeed now felt
as if I was in Paradise.

X- -X- * -X- -X- -X- -X-

" After remaining in hospital at Washington and Philadel
phia for nearly seven months, I rejoined my regiment in
the field and served with it continuously until the close of
the war."

THE WILDERNESS A YEAR AFTER.

LIEUT. THOMAS PARKE GERE,

FIFTH MINNESOTA INFANTRY.

THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

IT was upon a crisp, bright day in February, 1865, that an
interesting scene might have been witnessed in the War
Department at Washington.

The place itself was one of the lions which all pilgrims to
the Shrine of the Constitution thought it the correct thing
to visit.

Young officers, who for the first time entered it on offi
cial business, did not entirely "leave Hope behind," but
they were conscious of a chill in the region -of the back
bone as the old green leather doors swung to behind them.
The corridors were dark and damp, and had a musty odor
from the tons of red-taped official papers which filled the
countless pigeon-holes. And the messengers, sitting on
guard at the doors of the various bureaux, had a stern and

BATTLE RELICS.

THE OLD WAR OFFICE. Q7

mysterious air, befitting men rilled with plans of battles
and secrets of the Council Chamber.

There are pleasant memories, also, of the ancient struct
ure ; of the time when the stone-flagged halls echoed the
ponderous tread of General Scott, with the front of Mars
himself ; or resounded with the stride of General Harney,
the military gladiator of his time ; or reflected the jingle of
Charlie May s spurs, or rang with the jolly laugh of old
Ben Beall, of the dragoons, as he bandied jests with Prince
John Magruder, of the artillery, careless of the coming
"chestnut bell." While, later on, the clank of Ouster s
sabre and Sheridan s quick footfalls mingled with the run
ning to and fro of orderlies, and the tinkle of the great
Secretary s little bell.

But the quaint, ark-shaped edifice has been torn down,
and in its place has arisen an official palace of marble and
iron and mahogany. In the new order of things one is not
impressed, as in the olden time, with the Spartan simplicity
which belongs to the God of War.

I. NASHVILLE TROPHIES.

Within the large reception-room of the War Department
there had assembled, on the day already mentioned, about
one hundred persons.

They had been summoned by the Secretary of War to
take part in the ceremony of receiving certain Confederate
battle-flags captured at the battles before Nashville, in
December, 1864.

In the centre of the room were grouped fifteen gallant
men who, in hand-to-hand combat, had perilled their lives
7

gS TH E VICTORS AND THE SPOJLS.

to secure as trophies the tattered banners now proudly
borne as spoils of war. These were generally young men
some of them mere boys whose bronzed faces were
flushed with pride and excitement. In front of these, and
in a sort of horseshoe formation, was another party. Sena
tors and Representatives, war governors, members of foreign
legations, a cabinet minister, the Adjutant-general of the
Army, and other distinguished personages had taken a half
hour from their public duties to do honor to these brave
Western soldiers.

The spacious room had been cleared of furniture. Near
the walls, on three sides, were arranged in continuous line a
number of muskets, " stacked." Suddenly the hum of con
versation ceased, and a short, stout man with square shoul
ders, and wearing eye-glasses, stepped out between the sol
diers and the civilians and unfolded a paper. This was the
famous cabinet minister, whose name will always be asso
ciated with troublous times our " Reign of Terror." He
read as follows :

HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

NASHVILLE, TENN., Feb. 13, 1865.
Special Field Orders, No. 38.

(Extract^)

XIX. By virtue of permission received from the Honorable Secretary of War, the fol
lowing named officers and enlisted men, captors of rebel battle-flags, at the battles of
Franklin, Nov. 30, 1864, and the battles before Nashville, Dec. 15 and 16, 1864, will pro
ceed with the trophies to Washington, D. C., where they will report to the Honorable
Secretary of War, turning over to him the flags now in their possession, after which they
will rejoin their various commands in the field.

The detachment will be in charge of ist Lieut, and Adjt. THOMAS P. GERE, sth Regt.
Minn. Vet. Vol. Inf., who will be accountable for their good conduct while en route.
The Qr. M. Depmt. will furnish the necessary transportation.

ist Lt. (Adjt.) Thos. P. Gere, sth Minn. V. V. Infantry,
ist Lt. O. Colwell, " G" Qsth Ohio V. Infantry,
ist Lt. C. H. McCleary, " C " jzA Ohio V. Infantry,
ist Lt. W. T. Simmons, " C" nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Sergt. A. Ramsbottom, " K " gyth O. V. Infantry.
Sergt. W. Garrett, 4 ist O. V. Infantry.

THOMAS PARKE GERE. 99

Corpl./- IV- Parks, " F " nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. L. P. Koltenback, u F " i2th Iowa Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. G. W. Welch, "A" nth Mo. Vol. Infantry.
Corpl. F. Carr, " D " i24th O. Vol. Infantry.
Private O. W. Smith, "G " gsth O. V. Infantry.
Private W. May, " H " sad Iowa V. Infantry.
Private G. Stokes, "C" i22d Ills. V. Infantry.
Private A.J. Sloan, " H " izth Iowa V. Infantry.
Private Wm. F. Moore, " C " ii/th Ills. V. Infantry.
Private D.J. Holcomb, " A " 4ist Ohio V. Infantry.
Corpl. H. Collins, ist Tenn. Cavalry.

By command of Major-General THOMAS,

WM. D. WHIPPLE, Asst. Adjt. Genl.

Lieutenant Gere s name was called. A slender and
earnest-looking young man advanced, flag in hand, and
made these remarks : *

u Mr. Secretary : I have the honor and pleasure to present
to you the colors of the 4th Mississippi Infantry, C. S. A.

" The capture was due, and should be credited, to the
valor of the soldiers of Hubbard s Brigade, McArthur s
Division of A. J. Smith s detachment, Army of Tennessee.
It was the result of the final charge upon the enemy s
works by that invincible command in the second day s bat
tle. Every soldier who participated in that assault shares
the credit of the captured colors.

" This brigade had a record previous to Nashville, and
its services had been recognized in the promotion of its
former lion-hearted leader, Joseph A. Mower, to be a major-
general.

" Smith s detachment, ten thousand strong, made up
from the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps, after fol-

* THOMAS PAKKE GERE was originally mustered as a private, Co. " B," Fifth Regiment
Minnesota Infantry, Jan. 17, 1862, aged 19; appointed ist sergeant, March 6, 1862; 2d
lieutenant, March 14, 1862 ; ist lieutenant, August 20, 1862 ; regt. adjutant, March 19,
1863 ; brigade adjutant, March 7, 1864 ; discharged, April 5, by reason of expiration of
term of service.

100 THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

lowing the fortunes of Grant and Sherman from Shiloh to
Vicksburg, was, much to its regret, made an orphan by the
order lending it for sixty days to the Red River expedition,
but emerged with undimmed record from that campaign
to join in the long chase of Price and Marmaduke * through
Arkansas and Missouri, and arrived at Nashville just in
time to take position as the right of the army confronting
Hood.

" Advancing south-westerly on the morning of December
15, from the Charlottesville Pike, in echelon, by brigades, the
enemy was soon encountered and steadily driven, through
continuous fighting, some three miles south ; at night our
front was to the east within one-fourth mile of the Granny
White Pike, our pickets on that road, and the enemy s left
flank was completely enveloped. During the night he
extended his line to the west some distance beyond our
position, again fronting north ; to meet which dispositions
our front was, on the morning of the i6th, changed to the
south, and our portion of the line advanced to within three
hundred yards of his position. Hubbard s Brigade, its left
now on the Granny White Pike, just north of the Brent-
wood Hills, was in an open field, protected only by such
works as the soldier had learned to hastily construct under
fire. The enemy s line was behind a stone wall, in front of
which during the preceding night he had constructed a
strong ditch and abatis ; and between us only a cornfield.
Our batteries took position on higher ground to our rear,
and opened upon the enemy s line. The enemy s batteries

* See " Capturing a Major-General," p. 107.

BATTLE OF NASHVILLE. , o ,

in our front were in his main line, but the short distance-
between the lines prevented any exposure whatever.
These relative positions were maintained until about 3.30
P.M., at which time we received the order to assault. Elo
quent speakers have detailed the history of the succeeding
minutes .that made the soft cornfield the battle s gory
meadow/

" The command swept through the carnage, over the
works, capturing everything. In forming for the assault
in two lines an interval was left between our brigade and
the troops on our right, which subjected the brigade to an
enfilading fire, but by sheer momentum the assaulting col
umn cut straight through and landed beyond the opposing
line. Quickly discerning that the enemy in this interven
ing space were our prisoners, we swept down their flank,
pushing them to our rear. This is where the capture of
these colors took place.* I reached the works near the
right of the brigade, but my horse could not cross the
abatis and wall ; so with the troops hurrying along the
enemy s works to our right we came upon the colors. I
was a little in advance in this movement. The color-bearer
leaped over the works toward our rear with the others,
leaving the colors behind the works. I could not reach
them, but compelled him to recross and deliver the flag.

" That second day s battle at Nashville was the most
complete rout of the enemy that I ever witnessed, and had
the assault taken place as early as noon I don t think any
thing could have prevented the capture of Hood s entire

* All that follows is taken from a recent letter (Aug., 1886) written by Lieut. Gere.

102

THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

army ; but it was wet and misty and soon became dark.
The Rebs were completely broken up by that charge ; they
were tired and hungry, and did not offer much opposition
to capture after the works were reached. I carried a
1 revolver in hand during the melee, and as everybody
was * shooting quite promiscuously they complied very
promptly with our orders to move to our rear. I had been
slightly wounded in the right wrist the day before, but for
got about it until the excitement was over."

Lieut. Gere also delivered to the Secretary, on behalf of
Lieut. CHARLES MCCLEARY, who was absent, the flag of
the 4th Florida Regiment. McCleary, being in advance of
the Union line of battle, came upon the rebel color-bearer
and color-guard. He called upon them to surrender, which
they at first declined to do ; but, as he insisted, they finally
yielded and were made his prisoners.

Lieut. OLIVER COLWELL S trophy was also handed in by
Mr. Gere.

Lieut. WILLIAM T. SIMMONS presented the flag of the
24th Louisiana.

Sergeant ALFRED RAMSBOTTOM gave into the Secre
tary s hands the flag of the 2d Mississippi regiment, taken
only after a hand-to-hand conflict.

Sergeant WILLIAM GARRETT turned in the flag of the
1 3th Mississippi.

Corporals JAMES W. PARKS and LUTHER B. KALTEN,
BACK each brought forward a captured color ; the last
named that of the 44th Mississippi.

Corporal G. W. WELCH offered the flag of the I3th Ala

CORPORAL COLLINS REVENGE. lcr

bama. He said that as the color-bearer was trying to es
cape he shot him and secured the trophy.

When Corporal HARRISON COLLINS stepped out from
the group the Secretary made a little speech to his deeply
interested auditors. Said he :

. " General Croxton, who commands the force to which
this man belongs, praises in the highest terms his gallantry.
I am sure we will all be glad to hear the story of the capt
ure from the lips of this brave soldier."

Corporal Collins blushed under the fire of so many big
guns, and after the clapping of hands had subsided, with
a little urging on the part of his comrades, he said :

"Well, gentlemen, there ain t much to tell, but I ll give
you the story the best I can. You see, last December,
when General Hood advanced toward Nashville, I saw that
flag rally to the front. For thirteen days we fell back in
good order before the enemy ; it looks now as if we were
just drawing them on. That flag seemed to be in sight
nearly all the time. I shot at it every time I got a chance,
sometimes under embarrassing circumstances. It got to be
so provoking that I made up my mind if we ever got a
chance I d pay those rebels for flaunting that there flag in
our faces. After our army rested at Nashville for a week
we advanced on the enemy, and it was now their turn to
fall back, which they did, so fast, that on the second day
it ended in a big stampede. On the third day I caught
sight of my old friend, this flag. I was on duty with
my regiment the First Tennessee Cavalry supporting" a
battery. The rebels made a stand at a creek which was
bridged in our front. Part of them, with the flag, tried to

IO4

THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

cross lower down. Then I saw my chance. Some of us
charged. I was soon close to the flag. The Confederate
officer ordered some of his men to dismount and ficrht on

foot. Our party halted here, but I forgot everything but
the prize, and riding through the dismounted enemy, over
took the color-bearer and demanded the flag. He threw
it on the ground. I dismounted and picked it up.

" By this time I was some distance in advance, and as
our bugle was sounding the * rally I turned back with
my trophy."

Corporal FRANK CARR recaptured a U. S. guidon from
the enemy.

" So you recaptured the old flag?" inquired the Secre
tary.

" Yes," was Carr s reply. " We made a charge and were
repulsed. I got into the abatis, and couldn t get out. A
Johnnie came up and told me to surrender. I wouldn t do
it, but put on my bayonet and was going to stand a fight.
The fellow had this flag sticking out of his breast. I
grabbed it, and he turned and ran away."

Private OTIS W. SMITH captured the battle-flag of the
6th Florida. He was one of the first to leap the rebel
works, and took both flag and bearer.

Private WILLIAM MAY presented the flag of Borran-
cood s Battery, and Private ANDREW J. SLOAN delivered
the colors of the 1st Louisiana Battery.

Private GEORGE STOKES and DANIEL J. HOLCOMB also
transferred, to the care of the War Department, Confeder
ate flags.
- Private WILLIAM F. MOORE told how he got his trophy,

WARLIKE TAPESTRY. IQ r

a battery flag of Cheatham s command. He said: "The
color-bearer was in a small group of rebels and was trying
to climb the hills. I shed my knapsack, took after him and
a captain of the same regiment and captured both."

As each man advanced to deliver his trophy it was re
ceived by a gray-headed veteran of the Mexican War, who,
after unfurling the flag, laid it upon the musket-stacks pro
vided, and when the last silken standard had been placed
there the effect was brilliant and thrilling. The varied
hues of the rainbow lighted up the sombre apartment in a
blaze of color. Each face, for the time at least, glowed with
the patriotic spirit of the occasion, and reflected the warm
tints of the tapestried walls. Was ever there a grander
decoration to human habitation to feudal castle or impe
rial palace than these battle-flags ? Embroidered by the
hands of fair women, bearing upon their folds the names
of bloody battles where brave Confederates had rallied under
them again and again ; torn by conflict, worn by tempest,
they had at last fallen by the fortune of war into the hands
of the victor. The Secretary, beaming with genuine pleas
ure, now as Master of Ceremonies, presented each of the
notable personages to the heroes of the hour; each received
a hearty grasp of the hand and a word of encouragement
which none of them was likely soon to forget.

The trophies were then inspected by the company, and,
when the last dignitary had been presented, all returned
to their respective groups while the Secretary of War ad
dressed Lieutenant Gere and his comrades as follows :

" In behalf of the Government of the United States, I
return to you its thanks, and the thanks of the people for

IO 6 THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

your gallantry. Accept also the gratitude of this Depart
ment for yourselves and for your comrades-in-arms. The
Adjutant-general will be ordered to take charge of the flags
with the descriptions you have this morning given, so as
to connect your own individual histories with the noble
actions by which they were captured. He will also be or
dered to present to each one of you a Medal of Honor, to be
worn by you as a token and a recognition of your gallantry
and distinguished services. I wish you all a safe return to
your homes, and that you may long live to enjoy in peace
the victories which have been won by you and your com
panions in arms. Lieutenant, I return to you and your
command the thanks of the Department and of the Govern
ment, and you will make known to them the high estima
tion in which their services are held."

Turning about, the Secretary, in an imperious manner,
thus addressed the Adjutant-general of the Army, who was
present, accompanied by the military chiefs of bureaux and
officers temporarily in the city :

" General Townsend, to your keeping I commend these
sacred tokens of the courage, self-sacrifice and patriotism of
our armies. You will cause a proper record to be made of
the particulars of each capture, and present to each cap
tor, on behalf of the United States, a Medal of Honor suit
ably inscribed.

" You will publish in General Orders the names of these
gallant soldiers, furnishing each with a copy of the order, to
the end that their noble example may incite others to sim
ilar deeds.

" You will direct the Paymaster-general to pay to each
officer and soldier a month s pay in advance.

CAPTURING A MAJOR-GENERAL. Io -

" And, finally, you will grant to each a furlough of thirty
days, with free transportation to his home and thence to his
regiment."

As the detachment filed out of the apartment each man
saluted the War Minister. Mr. Stanton seemed for the mo
ment to forget the grimness of official duty in the emotions
that swayed the warm-hearted man. He waved his hand in
acknowledgment, his eyes filled with tears, and as the last
" boy in blue" disappeared the Secretary turned, without a
word to his guests, and darted into his private room.

PRIVATE JAMES DUNLAVY,

THIRD IOWA VOL. CAVALRY.

II. CAPTURING A MAJOR-GENERAL.

In presenting the trophies of the battle of Nashville to
the Secretary of War, Lieutenant Gere spoke of the long
chase of Price and Marmaduke in Missouri and Arkansas by
the very troops that returned to Tennessee in time to gain a
victory over the famous leader, Hood, at Nashville.

I0 8 THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

The capture of the Confederate general, Marmaduke, was
made by a young Iowa cavalryman, Private JAMES DlJN-
LAVY,* under circumstances which he relates in a letter
from which an extract is here given.

The Union forces consisted of two brigades of cavalry,
commanded by Colonels Benteen and Phillips. General
Sterling Price s forces were falling back, with the Yankees
close upon their heels. Dunlavy says :

" General Marmaduke had formed his division on the
prairie to hold us while Price s train crossed Mine Creek.
His position was bad, with Mine Creek to his rear, Benteen
on his right and Phillips on his left. Col. Benteen s charges
were made promptly, and, according to Gen. Cabell (Con
federate), just in the nick of time. A moment later
Cabell intended to charge upon Phillips. He had just
passed the word for it when Benteen struck their right,
capturing their artillery. Marmaduke s whole right and
centre were completely stampeded. I was on the extreme
right of my regiment, and was wounded in the arm by a
piece of shell, which also hurt my horse. Just as Marma
duke s men broke, my horse wheeled to the rear and my
gun fell from my hand, but held by the sling. Just as quick
as I could get my horse to the front, seeing my brigade far
in advance to my right, I noticed troops. Thinking they
were Federals I started for them, but soon found they were
Marmaduke s men in full retreat. I noticed an officer in a
Confederate uniform. This officer started in my direction,

* JAMES DUNLAVY enlisted in Co. F, soth Iowa Vol. Infantry (aged 18) ; re-enlisted Co.
D, 3 d Iowa Cavalry, 1863. Served during all campaigns in Tennessee, Missouri and
Georgia until close of the war. Mustered out with regiment at Atlanta, Ga., April 9, 1865.
Was graduated M.D. at Keokuk in 1870.

A MUTUAL SUXPKISX. {o ~

shouting, What do you mean, shooting your own men !
He was evidently trying to rally what he thought were his
own men. I shot at him, but missed. I checked to a trot
and he was soon by my side, and seemed surprised when I
demanded his revolver. He handed it over, saying, I sur
render; thought I was with my own men. I started to the
rear, and as one of our men asked for the rebel horse, I
ordered my prisoner to dismount, which he did in a very
cool and military style.

11 I then started to the rear with him on double-quick.
Had gone a short distance when he said that he had been
up all night, and was very tired, and asked me if I would let
him walk ; which I did. He wanted a horse, but I refused
to get him one. He then asked me to take him to General
Pleasanton, as he was personally acquainted with him.

" I told him that if the General could be found he should
see him. He then remarked, * I will tell you who I am.
Just then one of Pleasanton s staff came up, and my pris
oner introduced himself as General Marmaduke. I again
started to the rear with the officer. He asked me in what
troops hands he was. I told him Iowa. He said he was
glad he was in Iowa instead of Kansas. We had gone
but a short distance when we met Gen. C. W. Blair, to
whom 1 delivered my captive. Blair got a horse and
mounted General Marmaduke, and asked me to accom
pany them to General Curtis.

" General Blair introduced Marmaduke to Curtis, then
myself as General Marmaduke s captor. General Curtis
remarked, Right from my own State, and that he was
acquainted with my father. I started to the field hospital

IIO THE VICTORS AND THE SPOILS.

to get my arm dressed, when an officer rode up to me, shook
my hand warmly, and said, * My boy, you will hear of this
day s work in years to come.

" Started, in company with a comrade, for the front, but
had not gone far when my arm began to bleed and become
so painful that I gave it up and returned to Fort Scott.

" That night it rained ; my feelings can better be imag
ined than described. A boy away from home the first time ;
a stranger in a strange place ; wet, wounded, dirty, hungry
and homesick. But General Blair sent for me and treated
me with great kindness. A load was thus removed from
my heart for which, I shall ever be grateful.

" As soon as my arm was well enough for duty, I left
Fort Scott, carrying with me a vivid recollection of the
kindness of the citizens, and as tokens of their friendship,
from the ladies an elegant album and a beautiful copy of
Tom Moore s poetical works, and from the men a brace
of very handsome * Colt s navy revolvers.

A rather unique testimonial to military merit in the
form of a Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Davis
County, Iowa, is in Dr. Dunlavy s possession. It reads as

follows :

BLOOMFIELD, IOWA,

Jan. 12, 1865.

WHEREAS it has come to the knowledge of the citizens of this county
that Private JAMES DUNLAVY, Co. D, 3d Iowa Cavalry, did in the late battle
of Mine Creek, Kansas, between the Federal and Rebel forces, after being se
verely wounded in the arm, by his own personal daring and courage rush upon
and compel the noted general, Marmaduke (rebel), to surrender to him as a
prisoner of war, Therefore be it

Kesolved, that we hereby tender the said JAMES DUNLAVY the thanks of the

A UNIQUE TESTIMONIAL.

I I 1

citizens of this county for his brave, faithful and distinguished services. He it
further

Resolved, that the clerk of the Board of Supervisors be directed to spread
this proceeding upon the record of this Board, and that he furnish the said
JAMES DUNLAVY with a copy of same under seal.

I, William Law, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Davis County, Iowa,
certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of proceedings, had by said Board at
its January term, 1865.

Witness my hand a nd Official Seal this I2th day of January, A.D. 1865.
L. S. WM. J. LAW,

Clerk.

IMRC1II.B

shall (Come. (5w rtinj :

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112

CORPORAL PATRICK H. MONAGHAN,

FORTY-EIGHTH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.

THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

IN every army there may be found enlisted men who are
not only able to obey orders intelligently under the eye
of their commanding officer, but who can act with energy,
courage and good judgment when thrown upon their own
resources in an emergency.

The armies of the United States have abounded with
such men especially in time of war.

The " three thinking bayonets," whose adventures are
described in this chapter, belong to the high type of Amer
ican soldiership referred to, and their gallantry was re
warded with the Medal.

I. RECAPTURING THE COLORS.

PATRICK H. MONAGHAN,* formerly a corporal, Co. F,
48th Pennsylvania Volunteers, writes as follows :

* PATRICK H. MONAGHAN enlisted (at the age of eighteen) at Minersville, Pa., Aug. 12,
1861, in Co. F, 48th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Promoted Corporal 18. At
tached to Battery "M," 3 d U. S. Artillery, Sept. to Dec., 1863. Served with Army of
Potomac and in East Tennessee Campaign, until mustered out with regiment, July 17,
1865. MEDAL OF HONOR " for recapture of colors yth N. Y. Heavy Artillery, June 17, 1864."

8 113

H4 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

" My recollection of the affair of June 17, 1864, and the
recapture of the colors of the /th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, is
as follows :

" After crossing the James River on the I5th of June, we
marched rapidly towards Petersburg, and on the evening of
the i6th debouched from a dense strip of woods, deployed,
and double-quicked across a field toward the enemy s
works. On our approach, a brigade of the Second Corps,
which occupied a hastily constructed breastwork in front,
advanced to carry the enemy s works. But after a des
perate attempt to storm them, they were repulsed with
severe loss, especially in prisoners. It was then that the
New York regiment lost its colors. This was late on the
evening of the i6th. During the night w r e manoeuvred,
crossing a marsh that intervened in single file, and took
position closer to the rebel works. While in this position
the most profound silence was maintained, as we could
hear the enemy talking, and every man was notified to
secure his tin cup and trappings so as to make no noise and
be ready for a charge. Before daylight the order came, and
we, with the 36th Massachusetts, dashed forward, under a
heavy fire, leaped the enemy s breastworks, capturing four
pieces of artillery, six hundred prisoners, and about a thou
sand stand of arms.

" In leaping the breastworks, a rebel fired, with his gun
so close to the left side of my head that my hair was
singed, my cheek slightly burned, and ear injured by the
concussion so that I feel the effects of it yet. Thomas
James, a comrade of mine, knocked a rebel down with his
gun, and Isaac Lewis (another comrade) and a rebel fired

HA ND- TO-HA ND. l } $

at each other, killing each other instantly. It was short,
sharp work and we lost seventy-five men. The enemy
fell back in confusion toward their second line, while our
troops occupied the one just taken. A few of us a strong
skirmish line as it were without orders, pursued them.
Between the line just taken and the next, the ground was
undulating, and a small stream of water flowed in a hollow
thus formed. A growth of small trees and underbrush
lined either bank of this stream. A part of the enemy
made a stand here and delivered fire. As we dashed for
ward, firing as we went, a young man, whom I took for
an officer, came towards us, with a handkerchief fastened
to a rod, reached it to me and said he wished to surrender.
I asked him to what regiment he belonged, and he replied,
* The litter corps (corresponding, I think, to our stretcher or
ambulance corps). I directed him to the rear the line just
captured and held by our troops and ran to the edge of
the woods and fired. A man fell across the small stream
with his head almost in the water, and immediately a
tall rebel, who was near, threw down his gun, ran forward,
caught him, sat on the bank with his feet in the water, and
placed the head of the wounded man in his lap. I came
forward, aimed my empty gun, and ordered both to sur
render and go to the rear. The tall man cried out, Don t
shoot the Major! I inquired, Major who? and I
understood him to say, Major Crawford of the 34th Ten
nessee. * I asked the Major to arise, and we both would
help him back. But he said, No, I can t walk, I have just

* I think he said " 34 th Tennessee," although it might have been " 44 th Tennessee,"
as Robert Reed, of Co. " G," captured the colors of that regiment the same morning.

H5 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

been wounded. I think my hip is broken. He seemed
to be a man, forty or forty-five years of age, with a florid
complexion, and a reddish beard, clipped short.

" I then ordered the tall man to go to the rear, but when
he attempted to rise the Major moaned and said, * Please
leave him with me, and you go and get some of your men
to carry me back/ I replied, And he will be gone when I
return. He answered, I give you my word of honor that
we both will remain until you come. The other man said,
* I saw a stretcher (litter) in there. If we could get it you
and I might be able to carry him. Of course all this took
place in less time than it takes me to tell it. I stepped a
few paces to the left in search of the stretcher, when a
rebel, with a gun at a trail and a flag over his shoulder,
came running toward me. When he saw me he attempted
to use his piece, but I had him covered, and shouted to
him to drop his gun and surrender. He dropped it, and I
ran forward and took the colors from him.

" I was so elated over getting those colors that I merely
called to the prisoners to follow me, and not knowing
whether they did or not, ran excitedly back to the line
which was still firing over us, who were in the hollow, at
the retreating rebels beyond the thicket. I fortunately
approached my own company, who upon seeing me ceased
firing, set up a cheer, while I leaped upon the breastworks
and waved the flag. Lieut. John L. Williams, of our com
pany, jumped up, embraced me, and the boys pulled us
both down, as the enemy had opened a pretty lively fire
from their second line by this time. We unfurled the flag
and found it belonged to the 7th New York Heavy Artil-

A GOOD DAY S FISHING. j , -

lery. The prisoners, except the few we had taken in the
pursuit, had been sent to the rear by this time. The
young man who first surrendered to me was still there, but
was about being sent back under guard. When he saw me
he said to the captain, I am his prisoner, I surrendered to
him.

" I told the captain about the wounded major and the
other two men. He ordered me to the rear with the pris
oner and the colors, and said he would attend to them.
On my return I understood they were brought in. In the
centre and on the left was an equally interesting time.
As I started back I met Lieut.-Col. Pleasants, who com
manded the regiment. He congratulated me, and re
quested me to give him the colors, bring the prisoner to
the rear, and report to him on my return. After some hes
itation I gave him the flag. I soon overtook the other
prisoners, escorted by as numerous a guard, from various
regiments, as they numbered. I turned over mine and
returned to the front. In the mean time, the regiment had
moved forward and were throwing up breastworks. It was
from near this position, a week later, that we commenced
the mine that we exploded on the 3Oth of July.

" General Meade presented three others and me with
Medals of Honor, December i6th, 1864, at Ninth Corps
Headquarters in presence of a large part of the Army."

II. A GOOD DAY S FISHING.

One of the operations resulting in the capture of Rich
mond was the affair of Hatcher s Run, October 27, 1864.
Its object was to gain possession of the Southside Railroad,

U 8 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

then an important line of supply for the Confederate army.
Although the attack was unsuccessful, there was some hard
fighting and many curious happenings yet to be told in
print. One of these incidents is described by ALONZO
SMITH, then 1st Sergeant (since lieutenant) 7th Michigan
Veteran Volunteer Infantry.* He says :

" I will give a sketch of what is known as the battle of
Hatcher s Run, Va., Oct. 27, 1864, so far as my memory
serves me. The 2d Division, 2d Corps, formed line of battle
across the Boydton plank-road on quite a high ridge, facing
towards the south and west. My regiment was a part of
the left flanking brigade, with its right resting at or near
said plank-road, extending the line to the left in front of
the woods that were in our rear ; and on the left of the road,
as we faced the south and west, our line formed a half cir
cle with centre in the advance, my regiment extending
into the woods towards the plank-road. The brigade was
composed of iQth and 2Oth Massachusetts, 42d and 59th
New York, 1st Minnesota, 36th Wisconsin and 7th Michi
gan. The Confederates attacked our right and rear, cap
turing the artillery in position on our right. While in this
position some stragglers came through the woods in rear of
my regiment. Our colonel then deployed us to the left,
towards the plank-road, to prevent any stragglers from
passing our left, we being the left flanking regiment of in
fantry within sight or hearing ; although we understood at

* ALONZO SMITH enlisted (on his nineteenth birth-day) Aug. 9, 1861, in the yth Mich.
Vol. Infantry. Promoted corporal, Apr., 1863 ; sergeant, Apr., 1864; first sergeant Nov.,
1864 ; first lieutenant, Dec. 9, 1864. Served through campaigns, Army of the Potomac.
Wounded -A*. Antietam, in left thigh ; at Gettysburg, in left wrist. MEDAL OF HONOR for
capture of flag 26th N. C. Inf., Oct. 27, 1864.

A WHOLESALE SURRENDER. l { g

the time that Gregg s Division of cavalry were the only
troops on our left. Looking in our rear I saw quite a num
ber of men moving towards our line. Calling to Sergeant
Thomas Smith, who happened to be near me, I asked him
if he did not think they were Rebs. After a thorough
look in that direction he pronounced them to be Yanks,
and started to report to Colonel Lapoint, who then had
charge of the picket-line a little in our advance. Feeling
somewhat uneasy as to our position, I went some fifteen or
twenty rods to the rear and discovered the men to be Con
federates, coming directly toward me every man for him
self. Stepping behind a large elm tree, I concluded to
try a demand for surrender as soon as they came near
enough.

" With a loaded musket and fixed bayonet I awaited their
approach. When within a rod or so, I stepped out from
my hiding-place and demanded a surrender, which they did
not appear to heed. I made the second demand when
their line officers came to the front, and I saw that none of
them had side-arms. They said they would surrender to
me if I would take them out of there all right. They
wished to know if we had any troops in there, and in what
direction I was going to take them out. I pointed to the
direction of the plank-road, when they said it would be
taking them back into their own lines. I informed them
that we had a division only a few rods from me. Their
officers then told the men to throw down their arms and
surrender. I then called to Alfred Bordine and John
Cramer, they being the first I saw after the surrender.

" The good news soon reached the regiment and a guard

I20 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

formed who helped the discomfited Confederates to remove
their cartridge-boxes, and I kindly became the color-bearer
of the 26th North Carolina. Just as I had taken the colors
from the sergeant, Colonel Lapoint came to the scene and
wished to know what I had been doing. He then told me
to take a guard and report to General Hancock, whose
headquarters were in an open field to our left, and across
the plank-road. I obeyed the order, and General Hancock
directed me to report the prisoners to the provost-marshal.

" The same night the army fell back to their old camp,
and through some mistake of the aides my regiment and
the SQth N. Y. were left to their fate. When daylight
came, the colonel discovered their position and started for
the rear, but had not crossed the first field when a squad of
rebel cavalry made a dash on them, which was repulsed by
a volley from the boys in blue. They then formed a skir
mish line and kept under shelter of the woods. The color-
bearer of the State flag took the flag from the staff and put
it around his body, under his shirt ; the U. S. flag was torn
to pieces, each man putting a piece in his pocket.

" After wandering through the woods, avoiding openings
as much as possible, they became lost. Going to a log
cabin they found an old negro, who was willing to pilot
them to the Union lines, where they arrived after two days
tramping. The old contraband was sent to Monroe, Mich
igan, by the regiment, as a reward for his services.

" The number of prisoners for which my regiment re
ceived credit at the engagement on Hatcher s Run, Va.,
was 20 officers and 480 enlisted men."

AN INDEPENDENT BA TTER Y. 12}

This was an extraordinary haul for one lone fisherman,
but shows what a thoroughly wide awake sergeant may
do.

BVT. CAPTAIN PETER T. ANDERSON,

LATE CORPORAL 3IST W1SC. INFANTRY.

III. AN INDEPENDENT BATTERY.

In the year 1840, when Chicago was a village, among the
arrivals there were two Norwegians husband and wire-
on their way to a new home in free America, where land
was cheap and where industry and thrift have ever been
rewarded with success.

They settled in Wisconsin, on the banks of the East
Pecatonica River, and erected a homestead, where in due
time numerous olive branches grew up around the worthy
couple, and became the seasoned timber of which true
American citizens and, when needed, good Union soldiers
are made. When the great war came, two of the boys volun
teered to fight under the old flag. One, Gotack, gave his
life to his country in one of the battles near Atlanta, in

122 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

1864. The other, PETER T. ANDERSON,* enlisted in a Wis
consin regiment at the age of sixteen, and before the close
of the war, in which he served to the bitter end, had given
many proofs of his hardy Norway blood and his healthy
American training. His is one of the few instances in
which a private soldier has been honored with a brevet
commission as captain, for a special act of gallantry in the
presence of the enemy.

Anderson had tramped with his regiment under General
Sherman on the Great March to the Sea, and after the
capture of Savannah, had found himself still under the lead
ership of " Uncle Billy " as Sherman was affectionately
called by his men close at the heels of the distinguished
Confederate, Joe Johnston.

Occasionally the enemy would turn and snap viciously at
his pursuers.

One of these occasions was at Bentonville, March 19,

1865. It is thus described by Captain Anderson, then
Corporal Co. B, 3ist Wisconsin Infantry:

" The morning opened fair and warm. About one o clock,
and just after dinner, we forded a stream. While we were
crossing the stream our major, Robert Stepherson, asked
me to fill his canteen with water and then get into an am
bulance and ride, as he thought I looked too sick to march.
I told him I never had been in an ambulance and would
rather stay with my company. We were ordered down

* PETER T. ANDERSON enlisted Sept. 8, 1863, in Co. B, 3131 Wisconsin Infantry. Pro
moted corporal " for gallantry at Averysboro, N. C.," March 16, 1865. Breveted captain
Wisconsin Volunteers (page 112). Served in the Western Army continuously until
mustered out with regiment at Louisville, July 8, 1865. MEDAL OF HONOR " for gallant
conduct in saving gun of i4th Corps from capture," Bentonville, N. C., March 19, 1865.

FALLING BACK IN GOOD ORDER. , 2 ,

close to the left of the turnpike leading to Bcntonvillc ;
the timber grew quite large and thick where we were
formed in line of battle. About four rods in front of our
regiment there was an open field ; about a quarter of a mile
across it we could see the Rebs forming their lines. In the
mean time, our men were cutting down trees and piling
them up for temporary breastworks. There were only
three regiments of our brigade there. We had only a few
minutes to work, as the Rebs saw (or thought they saw) a
chance of gobbling us up a large gap between us and the
I4th Corps. They fell upon both our flanks about the
same time ; our right flank gave way first. Our regiment
was on the left flank and my Co. (B) on the extreme left.
When we saw the Rebs were clear to our rear, on both of
our flanks, we fell back in great disorder, some of the boys
going so far to the rear that they never got back until noon
the next day. We ran towards the rear, on the other side
of the pike, and behind where we formed our first line the
iQth Indiana Battery was stationed. The men had aban
doned three of their guns. After most all of our brigade
had passed them, some one (think it was one of the battery
boys) shouted : For God s sake, save the battery !

" I said to one of our men (George Neamiah) that I was
going back to get the battery ; he said I was a d d fool if
I did ; but back I went. The gun nearest the road was
* limbered up and ready to move. The team consisted of
a pair of mules on the lead, while the swing and wheel
ers were horses. I soon got them started by using my
ramrod for a whip. I only had about four rods to go to
reach the pike. Just as I got to the pike, the rebels began

I2 4 THREE THINKING BAYONETS.

to flock around me pretty thick. All the time I kept giv
ing it to the horses with my ramrod. Once I undertook to
get into the saddle of the wheel team ; just as I was going
to mount a bullet struck the strap of the stirrup and cut it
in two. The enemy began to think they were likely to lose
their prize, and all began to shoot at me (or at the horses,
as they were badly wounded), and some of them used
pretty rough language, telling me to surrender. There was
one Johnnie rode right up to me, with a Colt s revolver
drawn and pointed at me, and shouted, * Surrender ! you
d d Yankee/ He had hardly uttered the words before
one of our boys shot him from his horse.

" The Rebs followed me up close till they saw our brigade
forming. Colonel West, taking command, said, We will
hold this position or die right here. My ramrod was bent
double from trying to load my gun as I was running. So
when I got to the regiment the colonel told me to go to
the rear, as I could do no good there with a broken ramrod
and my hand badly bruised. I took the gun and horses to
the rear with me. As I approached the batteries that were
massed in our rear, an officer (I think it was the chief of
artillery) stepped in front of the works they had thrown up
and asked me what battery I belonged to. I told him I
was Independent. I told him in a few words all I knew
about it. Then he asked me if I would let him use the
gun, and of course I consented. Then I went to the rear
of the battery and sat down under a tree. I sat there
about ten minutes when an orderly came along with a ram
rod in his hand. I asked him to give it to me as mine was
broken. He gave it to me. I started right away for my

RE CONNOITRING. l 2 ^

company, and got there just as the rebels were making
their second charge. They charged us five times, but we
checked them every time.

" Just after dusk that evening the Major asked me to pick
a few men to go with me to reconnoitre in our front, and
see where the enemy were. Our regiment was instructed
not to fire until we got in, even if we did shoot a little in
front of them. We started, and kept in the dark as much
as possible ; several of the pitch-pine trees were burning,
and made it quite light in some places. After advancing
about two hundred yards several rebels jumped up and
shouted, * We surrender ! There were ten or twelve of
them and only five of us. We took them into our lines,
which was just what they wanted. The next day we buried
the dead of both armies, and on the twenty-first started for
Raleigh, N. C., where we lay until the surrender of John
ston s army."

LIEUTENANT JOSIAH M. CURTIS,

TWELFTH WEST VA. INFANTRY.

HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

THE Sword has been often, in figure of speech, " turned
into a ploughshare," but has seldom been likened unto
a sickle, with which in olden time the harvest was gathered.
And yet, in the last month of the Civil War in America,
Farmer Grant made just that use of the sabres of his caval
rymen, while with the bayonets of his infantry the over
ripe crops of rebel resistance the weary soldiers, the droop
ing battle-flags, the flying artillery, the stampeded wagon
trains were tossed into Uncle Sam s barns.

Many of the reapers were rewarded with the Medal.
Let us glance at the record in three cases.

I. THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

The month of April, 1865, was a black one in the Confed
erate calendar. Ere its second day was spent two heavy
blows had been struck at General Lee s army, and while
the enemy was reeling under the shock, General Grant

126

THE BEGINNING OF THE END. I2 y

ordered others to be delivered in quick succession. The
outer intrenchments of Petersburg had fallen into the
hands of the victorious Yankees, and of the inner line of
works there only remained two small but strong forts, called
Gregg and Whitworth. General Grant says : " We thought
it had now become necessary to carry them by assault.
About one o clock in the day Fort Gregg was assaulted by
Foster s Division of the Twenty-fourth Corps (Gibbon s),
supported by two brigades from Ord s command. The bat
tle was desperate, and the national troops were repulsed
several times ; but it was finally carried, and immediately
the troops in Fort Whitworth evacuated the place. The
guns of Fort Gregg were turned upon the retreating
enemy."

Of the assaulting force, one young officer* greatly dis
tinguished himself. His father (Brevet Brigadier-General
W. B. Curtis, late Colonel I2th W. V. Infantry) furnishes
the following account:

" I was commanding the 2d Brigade, Independent Divis
ion, which consisted of the I2th West Va., 54th Pa., and
23d 111. (Gen. Mulligan s Irish Regiment). Lieutenant Cur
tis was then acting as aide on my staff. The assault was
first made on the Confederates by the 6th Corps, and their
line was broken. The fighting during the night was terrific,
the artillery and infantry both being engaged. When day
dawned on the morning of the 2d of April, we discovered

* Lieut. JOSIAH M. CCRTIS enlisted as a private, D, i2th West Virginia Infantry, Aug.
25, 1862, at the age of sixteen years. Promoted through successive grades to ad lieut.
Dec. 16, 1864. Served under Milroyand Hunter, 1863, and under Sheridan in campaign of
1864 in the Valley of Virginia; honorably mustered out of service in 1865; awarded Medal
of Honor for gallant conduct in battle, April 2, 1865.

I2 g HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

that the enemy were evacuating their works. We were
ordered to attack a large fort, which we took without any
material loss, as the enemy had mostly withdrawn. Our
division was ordered to move along the Confederate works
towards Petersburg. We captured many prisoners on our
route, meeting with no opposition until we came to forts
Gregg and Whitworth, south of Petersburg. Fort Gregg
was surrounded by a ditch, flooded with water, about eight
feet wide and four or five feet deep, and manned by the
48th Mississippi Infantry (a part of Mahone s Brigade).
Gen. Foster, who was commanding the first division of our
corps, had made two or three assaults on the fort, being
repulsed each time with heavy loss. Our division com
mander, when we came up, ordered me to charge. After a
desperate struggle we succeeded in crossing the ditch,
pulling each other up the bank and planting our colors on
top of the parapet, captured the fort. In this assault
Major Davis of the 54th P. V., and three color-bearers of
the 1 2th W. V., were killed before we succeeded in planting
the colors upon the parapet.

" My son, Lieut.. J. M. Curtis, after the third man had
been killed, grabbed the colors in his left hand, and cheering
the men on in the charge, a rush was made into the fort, and
after a short struggle the enemy surrendered. The Medal
of Honor was given to him for gallant conduct in this as
sault.

" This was the last place the enemy attempted to hold in
front of Richmond ; they commenced to evacuate the city
that day. My regiment was presented by our corps com
mander with a golden eagle to surmount our State colors,

AT THE " LAST DITCH." I2Q

inscribed as follows: * Presented to the I2th West Va. Vol.
Infantry by their corps commander, Gen. John Gibbon, for
gallant conduct in the assault upon Fort Gregg, in front of
Petersburg, on the 2d day of April, 1865. The loss of our
corps in this assault was 715 killed and wounded. Lieu
tenant Curtis, with his regiment and brigade, also partici
pated in the pursuit of Lee, until he surrendered at Appo-
mattox Court House, marching thirty-five miles on the 8th
of April to get to the support of Sheridan.

" Lieutenant Curtis was one of the officers appointed to
take charge of the Confederate colors, which were surren
dered and sent to Washington. Gen. Gibbon, our corps
commander, who had seen service all through the war, and
participated in some of the hardest-fought battles that oc
curred, says in his report that this was one of the most
desperate assaults made during the war." *

In a conversation that took place the night after the as
sault between some of Mulligan s Irish Regiment, one was
overheard to say :

" Moike, did yez moind young Cortis, standin on the
parrypet av the foort, wid the colors in "Wan fisht an his
soord in the other? Be me faith, he luk d loike he wuz
afther takin a lape entoo Gayhanna ! "

II. A FOOT SOLDIER AT "THE LAST DITCH." t
" Since the day that Sheridan s cavalry, the Fifth Corps,

" The whole capture since the army started out gunning will amount to not less than
12,000 men, and probably fifty pieces of artillery." Grant s Memoirs.

t Lieut. RUDOLPH R. RIDDELL (late 6ist N. Y. Vols.). He enlisted in 1861, at the age of
fifteen, as a drummer, and was promoted through intermediate grades to rank of Lieu
tenant, commanding a company. Honorably discharged 1865. Awarded Medal of Honor
for capture of flag at Sailor s Creek, April 6, 1865. (This account of the battle is by
Mr. Riddell.)

HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

and Miles Division of the Second (to which we belonged)
had struck Lee s extreme right, rolling him back and doub
ling him up, we had been straining every power to finish
the job, as Sheridan had expressed it to Grant, To this
end the pursuit was vigorous. The now desperate enemy,
finding himself too closely pressed, would frequently and

LIEUTENANT R. R. RIDDELL,

SIXTY-FIRST N. Y. VOLUNTEERS.

with great suddenness turn upon us. This made the many
engagements which took place along the line of retreat and
pursuit generally unexpected, and always sharp and deadly.
Keep em on a jump, was Sheridan s characteristic order,
and inspired with victory the order was carried out with
terrible energy. Thus the two armies swept their stormy
course from Petersburg to Appomattox.

" Near the close of that race for life the enemy s converg
ing columns reached a point on Sailor s Creek, and taking
up a position of great natural strength upoa the further
bluffs that border the creek, faced their pursuers, for what

SAILOR S CREEK. l {

proved to be the last and greatest struggle of the retreat..
It was the veritable last ditch into which, for four years,
we had been trying to get them.

" I remember we had pressed on one day, with frequent
heavy skirmishes, until late at night, nearly exhausted, we
threw ourselves upon the ground to get what rest a soldier
may under such circumstances. The morning (the 6th of
April, I believe) broke dark and lowery, and the weather
continued heavy, with frequent showers throughout the
day. At an early hour we were under arms, but instead of
taking up the pursuit and moving out with promptness,
there were certain dispositions made, and positions taken,
which seemed to indicate that we had something more seri
ous to undertake than a rapid march after a flying foe. To
men who have served four years and fought a score of bat
tles, the signs of approaching battle are pretty clear. I was
ordered by our adjutant to take my company, with full
supply of cartridges, and report to brigade headquarters.
As I had been on the skirmish lines all the preceding day,
I indulged in a little quiet reasoning, while preparations
were being made, as to the probable service before me ; and
as it was not customary to detail the same officers and
men for skirmish line or picket duty two days in succession,
I drew my conclusions, and they made me homesick.

" However, I was scared too soon ; just as I was about to
file off with old Company B, I was informed that the order
was recalled and I could keep my place in line. Firing
now began in our front, telling us the skirmish line was
feeling the enemy, and warning us that the services of a
line of battle might be needed. The woods in which we

1^2 HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

were, and the general conformation of the ground, con
cealed the position of the enemy from that part of the lines.
But as the firing became heavier, we were moved forward in
line, and soon came to the edge of the woods, and halted
for a moment just within shelter. Walking forward a few
yards with some brother officers, we saw our skirmish lines
about half way down the slope, hotly engaged with a strong
skirmish line of the enemy, who were posted along the
creek, and in little squads by the bridge, and at several
places sheltered by trees and bushes on the slope leading
up to the enemy s position on the ridge beyond. It was
perhaps a third of a mile from our position to theirs, but
the creek did not evenly divide the valley. From our crest
the descent was more gradual, and the distance to the
creek much greater than from the crest occupied by the
enemy. Running diagonally from left to right down the
slope, on our front, to the creek, was a broad road, badly
cut up by the passage of the enemy s trains, and partly con
cealed from us, because cutting in places quite deeply into
the side of the slope, leaving the upper bank deep and
steep ; but after leaving the bridge it rose clear and distinct
in its diagonal course to the creek beyond. I have a de
cidedly clear recollection of that road. It impressed me, as
standing upon the wooded crest I saw its broad, red course
as it left the creek and rose to the opposite crest, strewn
with the cast-off clothing and equipments of a retreating
army, together with its steep upper bank ; and as our line of
charge, if direct, would take us across it, I wondered how
the boys would manage to get up that wet and slippery
bank. But it impressed itself upon me more substantially

AA r INFANTRY " CHAKGE."

J 33

soon after, when, in charging down, about a quarter of the
regiment rolled pell mell down its steep bank, carrying an
undignified quantity of the muddy, sticky sacred soil with
us, and making us look like an outlaw band of Sioux braves
painted for the war-path. Those who get the idea that a
line of battle charges as if dressed on a straight edge, with
guns aligned to a hair at an angle of forty-five degrees, with
alternate movements of right and left legs, so perfect and
together as to enable you to look down the entire line and
see the triangular hole made by the bend of their knees,
ought to see the real article as it tears its way through
brush and woods ; as it tosses and heaves across fields ; as it
bends and billows and crowds itself up the slope ; as it reels
and roars and plunges itself upon the enemy, perhaps to
recoil broken into fragments, streaming back to shelter.
This latter is just the way we went down that slope, across
the run and up to the crest beyond. We did not wait long
in the edge of the woods before the order came, and burst
ing forth we began the charge. The artillery opened on us
at once, and as we neared the run the musketry joined in
the work of death. Many a brave fellow was struck down
before the crest was reached. Especially was the loss heavy
during the struggle up the rise, beyond the creek. It was
like all other charges of like magnitude, impossible to de
scribe ; the terrible rush of armed men, the hoarse com
mands, the fierce energy of action, the smoke and tumult
and tempest of cannon and musketry are beyond descrip
tion. We reached the crest, pausing a moment to pour our
fire into their ranks, then leaped forward with the smoke,
tore our way through the brush and tree-tops with which

HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

they had hastily covered their works, swarmed over it
shouting, yelling, struggling a moment in the awful chaos,
broke and crushed them, and well, it was all over in less
time than it takes to tell it.

" Colors were captured all along the line. It s easy
enough. All one has to do is to be there and go in with the
crowd, and be careful not to let too many get ahead of him,
else the first choice of flags is lost. There are some risks,
however. If the fellow who carries the flag is obstinate,
and don t want to give it up, you can hand him your card,
or use any other inducement which may occur to you at
the time.

" Those of us who took flags were soon after permitted
to go to Washington and present them to the Secretary of
War ; were granted a leave of absence or furlough for thirty
days, and a Medal of Honor from Congress."

III. A CAVALRY REAPER.*

" Uncle Elliott, I think I d like to be a soldier."
The speaker was a handsome boy of fifteen, just at the
age when boys are apt to run to hero-worship, and Charlie
Jackson s hero was his Uncle Elliott, who had fought in the
war under Custer and Sheridan, and who, long before Char
lie had opened his eyes on this world, had been honorably
mustered out of service, and turned his attention to the
quieter pursuits of an American citizen.
"Why do you say that, Charlie?"

* ELLIOTT M. NORTON enlisted as a private (B) 6th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, Oct. n,
1862. Promoted through intermediate grades to rank of lieutenant and adjutant, served
with his regiment in the field in Virginia, and for a few months on the Western frontier,
and was mustered out at Salt Lake City in 1865.

A CA VALK Y REAPER. l ^ *

" Well, I ve been reading Charles O Malley, or the Irish
Dragoon/ Did you ever read it ? It s a daisy book, I tell
you."

" Oh ! That s the reason, is it? Yes, I ve read it, but I
wouldn t like to say just how long ago ; and I m inclined to
think it had the same effect on me. At any rate, when the
war came, in 1861, I was wild to jine the cavalry, as we
used to say."

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT M. NORTON,

ADJUTANT SIXTH MICH. CAVALRY.

" I say, Uncle, tell me something about the cavalry and
how you got the Medal and all."

"Well, my boy, there isn t so much to tell (just hand
me those slippers and my old brier-wood pipe seems to
bring me back to camp-life again). Four years of fighting
and marching are equal to a lifetime of peaceful pursuits
here at home. Time travels very slowly when minutes of
excitement seem like days, and when hours of suspense are
like months at other times. But it doesn t take long to tell
about, as we sit here now."

j 36 HORSE, FOO T AND DRA GOONS.

" Uncle Elliott, how did you feel in your first battle ? "
"Well, the first fight, I think, was at Hanover, in Vir
ginia, on the 30th of June, 1863. I don t remember much
about it now, only that I was badly frightened, and sup
posed we must all be killed. It did not seem possible that
any one could live in such a shower of lead. It literally
rained bullets. I determined to sell my life dearly and
just * waded in. A few days after, we had a stubborn fight
at Hunterstown, Pennsylvania. We drove the enemy, and I
was surprised to find myself alive and able to go into camp
at night. The fact was, I was getting used to it a little ; it
seemed that when I had plenty to do I forgot the danger."
" Uncle, which was the greatest battle of the war?"
" Charlie, that s rather a hard question to answer. Per
haps the most important single battle was Gettysburg, when
we drove General Lee s army across the Potomac, and, it
was said, * broke the back-bone of the Rebellion. "
" Were you at Gettysburg, Uncle ? "

" Not precisely at the town, but all around the neighbor
hood. On the third day we were engaged part of the time
with the enemy s cavalry, and part of the time in support
ing some artillery. This last is the worst sort of service
to stand still, while every now and then a solid shot will
come rolling along like a base-ball, and knock down a set
of fours like so many tin soldiers ; or a shell may explode
just over you, and cut off limbs of trees and drop them on
you. This sort of thing tries the nerves of horses and men,
you may depend. But there is nothing to do for it but
just to close in the gaps made by a horse falling in the
ranks, or, wounded, backing frantically clear out of them."

THE DA Y AFTER GE TTYSBURG. l . -

Charlie seemed much impressed by this serious glimpse
of real war. He sat silent for some minutes, while his
uncle puffed away at the brier-wood.

Suddenly the boy burst forth with a new query.

" Did you ever kill a man ? "

" I am afraid I have in the line of duty ; probably sev
eral, but I only recollect one, and that was in self-
defence."

" Where was that, sir? "

" It was on the glorious Fourth (the day after the battle
of Gettysburg), at Monterey, Maryland. Although the
enemy were firing rapidly from their field batteries and our
artillery replied, and our men kept up a lively racket on the
skirmish line with their carbines, I confess it has seemed
much more deafening in a real old-fashioned Grand Rapids
Fourth. We had some hand-to-hand encounters. One
gigantic rebel captain at least he seemed so at the time-
sprang from behind a high stump (we were fighting on foot),
and fired right into my face. The bullet went through the
rim of my hat, pretty near the crown. The pistol was so
close that the smoke and flash almost blinded me for a
second. At the same moment I fired, and the Johnnie
fell back with a groan. At that moment something else
claimed my attention, and I never knew whether my enemy
was dead or only wounded."

" Were you an officer then, Uncle?"

" No, only a sergeant ; but I can tell you, I never felt
prouder than when my captain promoted me to be anon-
commissioned officer of our company, July I, 1863."

[^8 HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

" Was that the narrowest escape you had in the war.
Uncle?"

" No, I suppose our charge on the rebel rear-guard at
Falling Waters, July 14, of the same year, was * the closest
call I ever had. The enemy had crossed the Potomac,
and feeling secure from any pursuit in force by our army,
was resting some of his infantry on the opposite bank.
The Michigan brigade was ordered to advance a short dis
tance and form in line. My regiment, the 6th Michigan
Cavalry, was then moved forward very quietly to within
two hundred yards and halted, and companies * B, of which
I was sergeant, and F in all about one hundred men-
were ordered to charge the breastworks which the enemy
had thrown up to cover the crossing. It was a greater
blunder than the Charge of the Six Hundred at Balaclava,
from which less than two hundred returned. But our offi
cers and men never faltered.

" Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die."

" The enemy at that point comprised a large force of
infantry, who could have successfully resisted a brigade of
cavalry. What chance do you think our little squadron
had?

" Well, a Confederate soldier who saw the whole affair
answers the question.* He says :

" As Heth s Division, guarding the line of the retreat of
the main army, reached Falling Waters, near the Potomac,
while lying on the ground with arms stacked, in a state of

* "A Confederate Soldier," in the Southern Bivouac.

" CHARGE OF THE ONE HUNDRED." l ^

presumed security, they were attacked by the enemy under
the following circumstances :

" Generals Heth and Pettigrew, Capt. Jas. H. Moore,
and other officers, from an eminence, were reviewing the route
over which they had just travelled, when all of a sudden a
small force of cavalry burst forth from a skirt of woods
about two hundred yards distant. The little group took
the cavalry for Confederates. The cavalry then displayed
the United States flag, and galloping up to Pettigrew, with
swords drawn, shouted out " Surrender ! " They rushed
over the little group, firing their pistols and mortally wound
ing General Pettigrew. These brave fellows then attacked
the command of Heth. Heth s men very soon realized the
situation of things, and seizing their muskets, opened on
this party with effect, and very soon despatched the force,
tumbling them out of their saddles in every direction.
They were all killed or wounded in a very few moments.
This was the last battle fought north of the Potomac in the
Gettysburg campaign.

" You see, Charlie, he says * they were all killed or
wounded, but that is not quite true. Of that devoted band
of one hundred, I and five others rode back ; the rest fell
victims of a foolish order.

" You asked me if it was a narrow escape. You can
judge for yourself. A rifle ball took off my hat, another
pierced every thickness but two of my overcoat, which was
rolled and strapped on the cantle of my saddle ; three bul
lets passed through my clothes and three through my horse.
What a charger he was, Charlie ! A superbly built black,
nearly seventeen hands high, and as active as a cat. I saw

HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

both my officers fall, and the detachment almost * wiped
out in two or three minutes. I turned to leave when a
Confederate infantryman thrust his piece almost in my face
and fired. My face was filled with powder, and the ball
cut off a lock of my hair, which was rather long and thick;
with my sabre I struck the barrel of the musket an up
ward blow, and at the same time took a downward cut at
the Johnnie. Without wasting any time, however, my horse
carried me back over the works and, while I laid as close to
his neck as a Comanche, used the spur and flat of my sabre
on his sides. He carried me to our lines, nearly a quarter of
a mile away, and as I dismounted, the grand old fellow
sank down in a heap, shivered and was dead."

" Was there much fighting the last year of the war?"
" Yes : the year 1864 was a constant series of hard strug
gles on both sides. Our cavalry was improving in every
respect, and our supply of horses was unlimited ; the enemy
was running short of horses and supplies of all kinds, and
their horsemen were getting discouraged."

" Now, Uncle Elliott, tell me how you captured the flag."
" It was near the last gasp of the war, only a day or two
before Lee s surrender Sailor s Creek,* it was called. The
battle began about half-past three o clock in the afternoon.
I was then a lieutenant and acting-adjutant of my regiment.
At five-thirty we were pursuing the enemy in l column of
fours at a gallop. I was riding at the head of the regi
ment with the colonel. Seeing a squad of the enemy, about
twenty in number, about sixty rods to the left with a battle-
flag, I left the regiment and went for them, with no other

* This is the same battle described by Lieutenant Riddell, page 130.

ANOTHER FLAG-CAPTURE. I4I

object than to capture a flag. I had made several attempts
to do this before, but failed. When within six or eight
rods of the party they fired together at me, leaving their
carbines empty, and me unharmed. With drawn sabre I
rushed upon them and ordered them to throw down their
arms, which they did. They did not so quickly give up
the flag. But I suppose they saw I was bound to have it,
and as some of our troops were now ahead of these Confed
erates they sullenly resigned the flag to my care. Tearing
it from the staff and thrusting it inside my coat, I told my
prisoners to fall into line and start for the rear.

" It was after seven o clock that evening when I overtook
the command, then going into camp. I kept my prize a
secret until evening, when as we (the colonel and I occupied
the same tent) were about turning in I told Col. Vinton
that if he would promise not to say anything I would show
him something. He agreed, and I then pulled out my
trophy. The old war-dog fairly danced with delight.

" t Jeems River! cried he, my regiment shall have the
honor of capturing that flag. No, Adjutant, I shall break
faith with you ! And he did. But I forgave him.

After the surrender, I was ordered to Washington, in
company with a number of other flag-captors, to turn over
to the Secretary of War all the flags captured by the cavalry
corps. Here we each received a furlough of thirty days
and a Medal of Honor.

" My battle-flag belonged to the 44th Tennessee Regi
ment. It was of heavy silk, 12 x 4^ feet in dimensions, with
gilt stars and bars, and the motto Death to Invaders.

" Well, Uncle, that is very interesting ; but although you

I4 2 HORSE, FOOT AND DRAGOONS.

ran a great risk of getting shot when you went for the flag,
it seems to me that the Southern color-guard gave up the
flag pretty easily to one man."

" Ah, my boy, those were gallant men. They had fought
us during four long, weary, years ; but when they saw our
forces closing around them on that day, they realized that
the end had come, and then resistance died out with the
last volley from their carbines. Just how they felt is de
scribed by an eloquent Southern soldier, who, writing of this
very occasion, says :

" * Soon we hear the notes of a cavalry bugle. How mer
rily it sings ! how defiant its tones ! how martial the strains
as the gentle south wind brings its cadence to our ears ! It
is no stranger to us, for its strains we have heard before,
and we know their meaning. It is Custer s trumpeter, rally
ing his dashing squadrons to the headlong charge. We fall
back to the foot of the hill to receive it. A Georgia brig
ade re-enforces us. On, on they come, as though on pleas
ure bent. The sharp clang of sabres is heard as they fly
from the scabbards. A moment more they flash in the
sunlight, magnificently. The enemy ascends the summit of
the hill and dash on us. We pour in a deadly and appalling
volley, and thirty brave fellows fall from their saddles.
The conflict is short, sharp, and decisive, and the gallant
Custer and his squadron fall back before overwhelming
numbers as gayly and gallantly as they came. But the lines
are closing around us, and the Confederacy is in its death
throes. Four hours later and the bloody conflict of Sailor s
Creek closes the last chapter in its melancholy history.

" Nearly all of Ewell s Corps are captured. Oh, the an-

CUSTER A T SAILOR S CREEK. j . .

guish of the hour! We saw, surrendered, eighteen battle-
flags which bore upon their tattered folds the historic
names of Manassas, Cold-Harbor, the Wilderness and
Spottsylvania Court-House. Wait ! Every cloud has its
silver lining. The next morning, after a refreshing slumber
on the sweetest of all beds the bare ground we are again
marshalled in line.

" Down that line came General Custer. By his yellow
hair and boyish face he is known to all of us. Near the
centre of the line he turns to his band and orders it to play
"Dixie." As the marvellous strains of the Confederate
war-song floated in liquid sweetness around us, we break
into tumultuous cheering. General Custer waves his hat,
and a thousand gallant soldiers in blue dash their caps in
the air.

" Such was General Custer in the presence of a con
quered foe. Here might the artist have found his inspira
tion for " Custer s Last Rally," and the Southern poet who
wrote :

" The nations of the earth shall know
That love, not hate, alone can glow
In soldier-hearts by valor tried
On many a field, and this our pride,
When heroes of the Blue and Gray
Shall each to each due homage pay,
And scorn with all their martial souls
The cowards base and venal ghouls
Who shunned the conflict they had bred,
And live but to malign the dead. "*

* "A Confederate Soldier," in the Southern Bivouac.

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

144

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

IT was a wet day in November at the Soldiers Home.
Four veterans of the War of the Rebellion were enjoy
ing themselves in an innocent fashion. Two were playing
chess. It was not serious chess by any means, and when
ever the players lagged in the conversation they were
cheerfully relieved by the others, who appeared to act as
seconds in a peculiar game they called it in old soldier
slang, " swapping lies." All, but one, were smoking pipes,
and punctuating their talk with puffs, now and then taking
the pipe out of the mouth and waving it in a lofty manner,
intended to be at once impressive and convincing. One of
the players was a white-haired man, who had been with
Sherman in the Great March to the Sea, and now, being
without kindred, he was spending his last days upon one of
10 145

146

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

the most beautiful of the green pastures for ancient war-
horses that a grateful country has provided.

They were talking of the promptness with which the
people of the North answered the President s call to arms
in the early days of the war.

"Well," said old Sergeant Bent, "none on em did bet-
ter n Illinoy."

" Ohio wa nt no slouch them days," remarked Private
Strong, who was standing behind the first speaker, nursing
his elbow.

" That s so," grunted Peter Williams, who never indulged
in long sentences, but was generally supposed among his
associates to do " a heap of thinking."

The fourth man Corporal Prim was more laconic still.
After poring over the chess-board for a few moments he
briefly remarked, " Check ! "

By mutual consent a halt was called, and the ancient
Sergeant, taking up the thread where he had dropped it,
continued : " I ain t a going back on Ohio ; she done noble ;
but as an Illinoy soldier I hev a pride in her war record.
See here what the adjutant-general of the State said in
his report. I cut it out a long time ago." The old man
produced a great leathern wallet, and turning over a bundle
of discharges and pension papers found a newspaper clip
ping which he handed over to Comrade Strong, saying,
"Your eyes better n mine; jest read that to the crowd."

With one hand raised to fix the attention of his listeners,
Strong read the following :

" * The order of the Secretary of War, making the call upon
this State, assumed that a draft would be necessary, and in

ILLINOIS PA TRIO TISM. ^

anticipation that the States would not be able to contribute
their quotas of the call in July (1862), announced that if any
State should not, by the i8th of August, furnish its quota
of the three-years volunteers, the deficiency would be made
up by special draft from the militia. . . . These vigorous
measures gave hope of a speedy termination of this terrible
war. The people of the State received the announcement
with the wildest excitement and most unbounded satisfac
tion. Messengers and committees from every portion of
the State hastened to the capital, demanding that, as they
were ready to perform their share of the work of saving the
Government, that they should not be drafted so long as
they were willing to volunteer. This condition of things
was promptly communicated to the War Department, and
the assignment of our quota under both calls urgently re
quested. The next day it was announced that our quota
under each call would be 26,148, but as Illinois had fur
nished 16,987 men in excess of her quota of those in the
field, the total number required under both calls was 35,320.
. . . On the Qth August, from returns made to this Depart
ment, I informed the public that there would not be a
draft : this was upon the strength of the despatch from
Washington that our quota was 35,320. . . . On the even
ing of that day, however, the assistant-general announced
that it had been decided in fixing the quota not to regard
those in the field before the call, leaving our quota at
52,296. ... To raise the increased number (16,976) of vol
unteers, but thirteen days were allowed. The floating pop
ulation of the State who would enlist had already done so.
These new volunteers must come, if come at all, from the

I4 8 FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

farmers and mechanics of the State. It is no exaggeration
to say that, inspired by a holy zeal, animated by a common
purpose, and firmly resolved on rescuing this Government
from the verge of ruin and restoring it to the condition in
which our fathers left it, over 50,000 of them left their har
vest ungathered, their tools on their benches, their ploughs
in the furrows, and turned their backs upon home and loved
ones ; and before eleven days had expired, the demands of
the country were met and both quotas were filled ! Proud
indeed was the day to all Illinoisans when the extraordinary
announcement was made that the enlistment rolls were full.
And when the historian shall write the record of those
eventful days of August, 1862, no prouder monument can
be erected to the honor and memory of a free people than
a plain, full narrative of the actual facts !

" There," burst in the Sergeant, " what do you say to
that ! Ain t that bully ? "

" Why, the fact is," quietly drawled Corporal Prim, " I
enlisted under that call myself."

The reading of the Adjutant-General s report seemed to
stir the usually placid pulse of the Corporal, and as his com
panions pulled at their pipes and gazed at him in mute
agreement that he had the floor, the veteran leaned back in
his chair and went on: " Yes, I enlisted in the iiQth Illi
nois Infantry in 1862, but we weren t mustered into the
United States service until October of that year. Our first
duty was guarding the Mobile and Ohio Railroad for more
than a hundred miles, and we came mighty near being gob
bled up by the rebel generals, Van Dorn and Forrest, near
Holly Springs ; but while they were capturing one of our

CAPTAIN McCONNELL. l ^g

companies, five miles away, our little detachment jumped
on a train and changed station in a hurry. In February,
1864, we joined General Sherman at Vicksburg, and the next
month were sent under Gen. A. J. Smith to join Banks
Red River expedition. My company, * H, was com
manded by a gallant officer, Captain SAMUEL McCONNELL.

A MEDALLIST OF THE iiTH ILLINOIS.

" The troops from the Army of the Tennessee were rear
guard of Banks army to the mouth of the Mississippi River,
and also guarding Commodore Porter s ironclad fleet in
fantry guarding ironclads the same as a train of wagons
the fleet being covered with cotton. On our trip up Red
River we landed at Simsport, Louisiana, and on the I4th of
March, 1864, we started on the march to attack Fort De
Russy, which we captured after 28 miles, before sundown.
Captain McConnell captured the field-glass of the command
ing officer, as he said, to show that he was in with the first ;
it was on the platform of the pivot-gun. Our next battle
was at Pleasant Hill, La., April 9, 1864, where we drove
Dick Taylor from the field. Our regiment captured the
flag of the 1 2th Texas Infantry; on the flag was embroi
dered in silk, Presented to the I2th Texas Infantry by the
ladies of Galveston? Our next fight was at Bayou La
Moore, La., May 7, 1864. We were sent in some heavy
timber on the left of the line of battle, as there was heavy
skirmishing in that direction. We took our position about
four hundred yards in the timber, and about one mile from
the line of battle. The regiment took position in a low de
pression and was ordered to lie down. There was no enemy

I [JO FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

in sight, but the musket-balls striking the trees around us
and cutting off boughs over our heads, with an occasional
solid shot from a one-pounder the Rebs had. We had not
to wait long. The 5th Texas Infantry came on the double-
quick, with the Texas fierce yell, to turn our left flank and
get between us and our line of battle. The heavy timber
and underbrush concealed us as we lay on the ground in the
depression, and instead of gaining our rear by passing our
left flank they came square in on our front. When they
got within about thirty paces of us we fired a volley into
them, and then charged on the double-quick with the bayo
net. In less time than it takes to tell it there was not a
Texan to be seen, except the dead and wounded. The
regiment then fell back to the same depression. In the
mean time, the 8Qth Indiana Infantry was ordered to our
assistance. They were passing along in our rear, on the
double-quick, by the right flank, when the 5th, 6th and /th
Texas Infantry made another dash to gain our rear. This
time they made the attempt to get round the right flank.
The right flank of the 8gth Indiana had passed our right
flank about fifty paces, when the Texans opened fire on
them at short range ; but the Hoosiers kept on the trot
until they cleared our regiment, when they came to a front.
Both regiments charged with the bayonet, when the enemy
again ran. Each Reb seemed to be an arsenal on legs ; be
sides his musket, each man had two navy revolvers and a
heavy knife, about twenty inches long, with eight feet of
cord, one end attached to the handle of the knife and the
other end tied around the wrist ; the prisoners we took ex
plained that the knife was to be used by throwing it into a

STRIPPING FOR THE FIGHT. l 5 r

Yankee, and the string was to pull it back for another
throw.

"On the 7th of February, 1865, we were sent to New
Orleans, and camped on General Jackson s old battle
ground, six miles below the city. We were moved from
there in a short time to Dauphine Island, at the mouth of
Mobile Bay. From there we went up the bay and marched
across to Spanish Fort ; there our brigade guarded the
flank of the forces that were operating against Spanish
Fort to keep re-enforcements from coming by way of Fort
Blakely, opposite the city of Mobile.* After the forces
had completely invested Fort Spanish, our division was
eent up to take part in the siege of Fort Blakely, which
commenced on the 3d of April and ended on the Qth of
April, 1865."

Here the Corporal was interrupted by, " Blakely? Why,
I was there, too," from the Sergeant, and " We helped you
take it," from Strong. " Is that so? " replied Prim. " Per
haps I d better stop ; twont be much news to you fellows."

" Go on ! go on ! " urged the others, and the veteran went
on with his story.

" On April Qth, about four o clock in the afternoon, an
order came from brigade headquarters that our company
was detailed to lead the charge on Fort Blakely. Soon we
had orders to form the company, and see that each man had

* Canby appeared before Mobile on the 2 7 th of March. The city of Mobile was pro
tected by two forts, besides other intrenchments Spanish Fort, on the east side of the
bay, and Fort Blakely, north of the city. These forts were invested. On the night of the
8th of April the national troops, having carried the enemy s works at one point, Spanish
Fort was evacuated ; and on the gth, the very day of Lee s surrender, Blakely was carried
by assault, with a considerable loss to us. On the nth the city was evacuated

152

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

his arms in good condition, with full forty rounds of ammu
nition.

" The men took their places in silence, and answered to
their names as though they felt it would be the last time
they would stand in line for roll-call on this earth. I felt
the tears in my eyes as I saw the boys stripping off every
thing that would be an incumbrance, and tightening the
waist-belt and making every preparation for a desperate
rush. We took our position in the rifle-pits in front of our
brigade ; the charging columns of infantry were in line
close in rear of us. Near where I was standing the two
color-bearers of the 2ist Missouri, counciling together in
regard to throwing their deck of cards away. One was say
ing that they had gone through the battles of Fort Henry ;
Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Tupelo and Nashville, and
had thrown away their decks of cards at all of those places
and had come out all right ; and that, as cards were hard to
get, he thought they would take the risk of going in
the fight with them. The other thought they ought to
throw them away ; but as the first man was not willing, he
would not carry them and he gave them to his comrade.
They were large, strong men. When the bugle sounded,
they left their regiment and overtook Captain McConnell,
about forty paces from the fort, where they were both shot
dead, one falling against the captain. I heard distinctly
the balls pass through their bodies.

" When Colonel T. J. Kinney of our regiment was

giving the final instructions, Tom O (known as Big

Ugly ) said : Colonel, I think we had better not go in
the fort, for it will only raise a fuss !

OVER THE WORKS. jr-,

"The color-bearers of the three regiments of our brig
ade seemed to think it was a foot-race, as all three left
their regiments and started on a dead run for the rebel
works. Our color-bearer, a bow-legged Dutchman, came
over the works two hundred yards ahead of his regiment.
He did not stop to plant the colors on the works, but went
straight on. He is running yet for all I know. We made
our way through the abatis, which covered the ground
in front of the works for two hundred yards. The
abatis, you know, was made by a thick growth of small
pine trees that were felled, the tops out ; the limbs
trimmed and cut off at the proper distance and sharpened,
which made our progress very difficult. When we got
through, we found a wire stretched along the front of the
ditch and about twenty feet from it. When I got to the
ditch I looked around to see if the company was close at
hand. I found only the Captain near; he was just in front ;
the rest of the company was some distance back, making
the best progress they could. There was no time to waste.
Captain McConnell said, Come along, Prim/ We started
for the works, got over the ditch, and were near the top of
the breastworks when the rebels ran out a gun through the
embrasure and fired. In the smoke and confusion we had
not noticed the embrasure, and we were close to the muzzle
of the gun when it was fired. We were blown back in the
ditch. We were on our feet in a moment, and went over
the works among the guns and gunners ; I with my musket
cocked and bayonet fixed, the captain with revolver in hand,
ready for instant use. The gunners held up their white
hats in token of surrender. I suppose they thought that

!54 FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

only two men would not come over the works unless they
had backing close at hand. I told them to get down close
to the breastwork, where they would be out of danger ;
they did so.

" Captain McConnell and I went to the rear of the works
and turned to the left, towards the bay, and opened fire
with musket and revolver on a squad of Rebs that was try
ing to get to a small gun-boat that was at the landing on
the right of their works. They fired one volley at us and
turned to the right. We kept on our course till we came
near their right, on the bluff near the bay, when a captain
faced his company to the rear and they came to a ready on
us. I thought my time had come, for it did not seem pos
sible that they could miss us at that distance ; but at that
instant some of our men came over the works and saved
our bacon. The rebel company surrendered to Captain
McConnell, and he took the rebel flag that was on the
works. The gun-boat was still at the landing. It was
lying broadside to land, and the gang-plank was still out and
the boat was crowded with rebels that had taken refuge on
board. We concluded to take the boat in and got within
about one hundred yards of it when we halted, and the
captain came to the conclusion that it would be risking
more than we cared about ; although the boat had a white
flag hoisted, we were afraid it was a trick to catch some
Yanks. We fell back in good order and the boat steamed
over to Mobile. I did not get a scratch, but Captain
McConnell was hit by a piece of shell on his left knee and
his clothes were riddled by Minie balls.

" Our brigade was paraded July 12, 1865, on Government

THE COLORED TROOPS. l ^

Street, opposite the headquarters of General Kilby Smith,
and the Medal of Honor was presented to Captain McCon-
nell by Lieut. Colonel Lyons, Assistant Adjutant-General,
i6th Army Corps. He made a splendid presentation
speech. The captain seemed to think it a more trying or
deal than the capturing of a rebel flag, and his company
took as much pride in it as he did."

After a few minutes pause Private Strong asked :

" What regiment was yours, Sergeant ? "

" The I22d Illinois. At the siege of Blakely we were on
the left of Corporal Prim s regiment."

u And my regiment, the 9/th, was on your right, Corpo
ral."

" It looks as if we had General Canby s entire force repre
sented here," chimed in Peter Williams.

" Don t forget the colored troops ; they were on the ex
treme right, next the 9/th, you know," remarked the Cor
poral.

" Yes," said Strong, " they did well when they came to

close quarters."

" You sec," continued Strong, " I was Colonel Vifquain s
standing orderly, and had an opportunity of seeing and
hearing a good deal about the operations in front of
Blakely.

COLONEL VIFQUAIN AT BLAKELY.

"The Qth of April, 1865, was an eventful day around
there. Since the 2d of the month the trenches had been
pushed forward with great energy. Colonel Vifquain had
charge of the works in front of the Second Division, 1 3th

5 6

FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

Army Corps. The division was under the command of
C. C. Andrews, the corps under Maj.-Gen. Steele. On
the right of Andrews Division was Hawkins colored Di
vision, and the works in front of this division had not been
pushed with the same vigor as those in front of Andrews ,
so that on the 9th of April, in the morning, several rifle
shots had been sent through the third parallel which Vif-
quain was then completing. Not having lost one man as
yet, while at work, and not desirous to lose any unless it
was unavoidable, the Colonel reported the fact to General
Andrews, about twelve o clock noon, and requested that
the colored division be instructed to occupy the ground on
his right and in their front, so as to push back the rebel
line of pickets and skirmishers. He also reported the facts
to General Steele, who ordered the colored division to ad
vance sufficiently to answer the requirements.

" The rebel line of pickets was unusually strong that day,
and the works of the Second Division were not over fifty
yards from the little V redoubts occupied by the rebel
pickets. So close were they, indeed, that the night pre
vious, a beautiful moonlight night, several rebel bullets
struck the spades of our working force. The spades were
bright, and the moon, shining on them, made, so to speak,
looking-glass targets for the rebels as the earth was flung
over the parapet.

" At four o clock P.M. the colored division started on its
advance and were soon greeted by a terrible cross-fire of
artillery, which, added to the numerous torpedoes with
which the ground was covered, made the task a telling one.
The officers of the negro division behaved with unusual

COLONEL VIFQUAIN. I5 ~

gallantry, but their men had laid down and could not be
made to rise up again under the destructive me from their
front, and the secret fire that sprang up now and then from
under their feet as the torpedoes were trodden upon.

" Generals Canby, Steele and Andrews were on the ex
treme right of our rifle-pits and could see everything very
well. General Canby, who commanded the Military Divis
ion of the Gulf, turned round and inquired, * What can we
do to relieve them ? Colonel Vifquain said that if we were
to charge, the rebel fire would be turned upon us, thus
relieving, to some extent, the colored division. He con
sulted with Generals Steele and Andrews, and very soon
afterwards General Andrews ordered him to prepare to
lead the charge. The regiment was put in line of battle in
the third parallel, the 76th Illinois being behind our
right, and the 24th Indiana Volunteers behind the left of
the 97th Illinois. These two regiments were crowded in
the zig-zags and second and first parallels, and were to fol
low our regiment after we had reached the foot of the hills
on which the forts of Blakely were. The Colonel had given
special instructions to every one of the captains as to what
point they were to go for. By this time it was almost five
o clock. General Canby had remained in the works and
was in the zig-zag that led almost to the very centre of our
regiment. The last words he told Colonel Vifquain were :
Colonel, stop at the foot of the hill if the fire is too mur
derous. Vifquain answered, General, there is no stopping
place for us except in Blakely. He had studied the
ground for several days, and knew that any charge or
assault from the place where we were must be made to a

!$8 FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

finish. He had the most implicit confidence in his men,
knowing what they had done at Vicksburg. General Canby
then said : * Well, go ; and good fortune attend you. Vif-
quain asked him what time it was ; General Canby replied
it was five o clock and five minutes. The Colonel told him
that within a quarter of an hour our flag would be on the
rebel works.

"At the appointed time, I saw the Colonel jump on the
shoulder of the parapet ; the rebels could see him from his
knees up. He quietly drew his sword and allowed the
rebels to empty their rifles at him, and then gave the word.
Before the enemy could reload their guns we were upon
them ; rolling down the hill like an avalanche and up the
other side with great force. Our commander made for the
battle-flag on the rebel works, with the color company
right upon his heels ; and while he cut the halliard of the
rebel flag with his sword, and in the act of pulling it down,
our color-bearer planted our flag ; for a second or two Vif-
quain was hidden by the folds of our victorious banner
mingling with those of the rebel standard. Our color-
bearer was killed on the spot. The bayonet finished the
work, and Blakely was ours with 5000 prisoners and 85
pieces of heavy artillery.

" The same night our regiment slept in the fort where
the rebel battle-flag stood in the morning, and General
Canby sent Colonel Vifquain a note in pencil, which read as
follows :
" Dear Colonel:

" Thank you, and may God bless you and your brave boys.

" E. R. S. CANBY,

"&lt;Mj.-Genl. Comdg?

TWO HEROES. { ^

" The orderly that brought the note was killed on his
way back by a torpedo. Upon General Canby s recom
mendation Colonel Vifquain was breveted Brigadier-Gen
eral, and received the Medal of Honor.

"ONE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH."

"Captain P. H. PENTZER,* of my company, C, 97th
Illinois Infantry, also won the medal. He was command
ing the extreme right of our skirmish line, and finding him
self inside the rebel works in the charge, would have been
captured had it not been for the colored troops, who at
tacked the enemy with great fury, using the butts of their
muskets. About this time the captain noticed a rebel
soldier waving a white flag. Approaching, the man shouted
that the general wanted to surrender. Captain Pentzer
was then conducted to the headquarters of General C ,
who in person surrendered himself and headquarters flag.
Captain Pentzer remained in charge of his distinguished
prisoner for several days."

PRIVATE CALLAHAN AT BLAKELY.

" Well, boys, dunno that I can add anything to what s
been said about the Blakely fight, but one of our boys got
a Medal of Honor there, too," said the old Sergeant.

"It was this way: My regiment, the I22d Illinois In
fantry, was on the extreme left of the Union forces sur
rounding Blakely, and between our position and the enemy

* Captain P. H. PENTZER enlisted as a private in Co. H, gth Illinois Volunteers (three-
months men), April, 1861. Re-enlisted for three years July 15, 1862, as sergeant-major gyth
111. Vol. Infantry; captain, Feb. 14, 1863. Served at Vicksburg and Department of the
Gulf. Mustered out July, 1865.

r 6o FIGHTING THE BATTLE O ER AGAIN.

there was a swamp, in addition to the abatis and torpedoes
you all have been describing. Blakely, you will recollect,
is on high ground, about eighty rods from the swamp.
Going on the skirmish line about sundown, I and Private J.
J. CALLAHAN (the man who got the medal), met two of the
rebels between the hostile skirmish lines and had a friendly
talk for about half an hour. The rest of that night we
stood on our feet with a sharp lookout to see if the rebels
were going to make any move. Being relieved about sun
rise on the Qth, we returned to the reserve, and tried to get
a little sleep. At noon we were notified that the fort
would be assaulted at five o clock P.M. We advanced into
the swamp, apparently unnoticed by the rebels, but as we
raised out of the swamp it seemed as though the infernal
regions had opened in all fury. But every man did his
duty; we carried everything before us. We captured the
Confederate general, Liddell, and many others. General
Liddell had a demijohn of * old peach at his head
quarters, of which Callahan and I had a taste. Our regi
ment also captured a battery. As we wheeled to the left,
on the inside of the works, Callahan and I saw the rebel
flag defiantly floating; then he said to me, That flag must
come down. Without orders we made a dash for it. Calla
han reached the spot first, and seizing the colors, demanded
a surrender. The color-bearer, seeing there was no way to
escape, reluctantly gave up the flag. At this time a bat
tery of two guns, just to the right, was still firing at us.
Captain Bostwick of our company said : * Boys, we want
those guns, and with a cheer we charged, capturing the bat
tery and all of the men belonging to it. Captain Bostwick

GENERAL SCO TTS A UTOGRA2UI. 1 1

told Callahan to get on one of the guns and stay there, and
he did so until the guns were turned over to the proper
officer. From Blakely we were ordered to Montgomery,
where we received word that Lee had surrendered, and that
Peace was made. Every man was almost wild with joy ;
but it is impossible to describe the shock that the Army
received at the news of the assassination* of Lincoln, our
beloved President."

1 62

CAPTAIN HARVEY MAY MUNSELL,

NINETY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY.

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME*

T UST twenty years after the Great Conflict, I am asked

to give for publication my recollections of service as

a color-sergeant, during the War of the Rebellion. It

seems as if the subject of War had been written almost

threadbare : however, I will describe some incidents of

my soldiering days.

THE TRIALS OF A RECRUIT.

I was born at Painted Post, Steuben County, N. Y., Jan
uary 5, 1843. My ancestors, on my father s side, are traced
to Sir Philip de M(a)unsell, who came from Normandy
with "William the Conqueror." His grandson, Sir John
M(a)unsell, was Lord Chief Justice of England, in the time

* Contributed by Captain HARVEY MAY MUNSELL, at the request of the Editor.

163

164

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

of Henry III. My mother was a May, and one of her
ancestors was John May, Esq., who came to America in
1640, from Mayfield, a town in the county of Sussex, Eng
land.

At the time war was declared, and Fort Sumter fired
upon, in the Spring of 1861, I had charge, for an uncle,* of
a lumber yard at Oil City, Pa. Having been taught, from
a boy up, that Slavery was wrong, President Lincoln s first
call for 75,000 three-months volunteers naturally set me on
fire, as it did almost every one throughout the Northern
States. Oil .City, at that time, was in the backwoods of
Pennsylvania; before the days of railroads in that section.
However, the people were intensely patriotic, and joined
me in purchasing the materials for an immense flag, made
by the ladies, hoisted to the top of a tall staff made of
derrick poles, and unfurled to the breeze amid cheers from
thousands of voices.

That was a great day for Oil City, and the flag was a
gentle reminder to all able-bodied men to fall into line and
march off for the preservation of the Union. That flag
did good service, and yet when the people of that region
learn for the first time that the flag we all " rallied around "
in 1 86 1 was as much like a rebel flag as any I ever saw,
they will certainly be as much surprised as I was in making
the discovery. However, such was the fact, and I have
since enjoyed many a good laugh over it.

The people were a little slow in Oil City, so I went to
Franklin, seven miles distant, hoping to join a company
there, but was too late.

* Hamilton Stow, Esq., of Cincinnati.

THE TRIALS OF A RECRUIT. l ^

Then I made Pittsburg my objective point. Arrived
there one day too late. Sign posted up at all recruiting
stations, "No more men wanted!" Saw the officers, how
ever, and plead with Jhem to "let me in," but all in vain.
Besides, the daily papers announced to the public that the
quota of 75,000 men under the President s call was full,
and that twice as many more had offered than were wanted.

Just then my eyes fell upon a recruiting advertisement
in a Philadelphia newspaper. I opened a recruiting office
in Pittsburg, and wrote, published and distributed several
thousand copies of the most patriotic, " soul-stirring "
handbills ever flung to the wind in that ancient and honor
able town ; and they did the work, for in less than thirty-
six hours I was on the cars with twenty-seven men, tick
eted for Philadelphia.

Arriving there, all the men breakfasted at my expense,
and before I could report and turn them, with myself, over
to our French colonel, Romaine Lujeane, all but eleven
deserted ; and by evening on that day but three men
remained. The colonel ordered me back to Pittsburg
that night, to take advantage of my circulars: result, thirty
more recruits. Took them to Philadelphia, where all but
four deserted.

Those patriots simply wanted free transportation, and
they got it ; but the seven who remained with me were
seven of the best boys, honest, true, brave, soldier boys,
in the United States Army. The fact is, I was only a boy
myself, just past eighteen, and weighed less than a hun
dred pounds ; but taken with the other seven (who were

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

about my age and weight), I felt like a giant, because I
could now call myself one. or eight at pleasure.

From that time forward, I stood before the country in
the ratio of one to seven, or, as seven to one ; and it cost
me in shining gold just $65.25 to reach those proportions,
as per following detailed statement :

When I first arrived in Pittsburg I had just $75.00

2 days board in that city, $3.00

Incidentals 2.50

5000 handbills 15.00

Transportation for 28 men to Philadelphia (paid by Government) oo.oo

Loaned to a recruit (afterwards deserted) 25.00

Breakfast for 28 men in Philadelphia 7.00 52.50

Total cost of first invoice $52.50 22.50

My return trip to Pittsburg cost :

i day s board 1.50

Incidentals , 2.50

Transportation for 32 men (paid by Government) oo.oo

Breakfast in Philadelphia for 32 men 8.00

Loaned recruit .75 12.75

Total cost of second invoice $12.75 $9-75

Add cost of first invoice 52.50

Aggregate expense $65.25

and for that, we had eight recruits and $9.75 left.

In round numbers each recruit cost just $8.15.

The Colonel was several weeks in filling his regiment,
so it was among the first ready for service after President
Lincoln made his first call for three-years men. The
Colonel offered to promote me to a lieutenant, but I bash
fully declined the honor, for I knew nothing about military
tactics. Was mustered into the U. S. Volunteer Service,
with my seven " good and true" recruits, July 26, 1861,
we being the youngest, smallest, scrawniest-looking "high
privates in the rear rank," of any in the 32d Regiment
(afterwards re-numbered the 99th) Pennsylvania Volun-

"JOHN BARLE YCORNr , 5 -

tcers. We were at first looked upon by everybody in the
regiment, except the Colonel, as of no earthly value.

The regiment was disciplined and sent to the front, but
it took some time to get there. While on the route, it
garrisoned, for a few days, Fort Davis, one of the chain oi
forts surrounding Washington, and located about two
miles from the south side of the Anacostia River, com
monly known as the Eastern Branch of the Potomac.
While there I was promoted corporal, and a few days later
it was my misfortune to fight my first battle with an enemy
not on the programme.

It was brought about in this way : A day or two pre
vious, a very estimable young man by the name of Griffith
in my company, " C," was taken with a cramp and drowned
while he and the other members of the company were out
bathing in the river. Griffith ventured out too far, in very
deep water. His body sank, and remained at the bottom
of the river.

A detachment of men from Company C was at once
despatched to the Navy Yard, with orders to secure a gun
boat or a heavy piece of ordnance on a barge, as soon as
possible, and proceed to the spot in the river where the
soldier went down, firing the cannon over the body until
it rose to the surface. It was a tedious undertaking, so
the men were worked by reliefs, changing every two hours.
I was one, and just after I had been relieved, about eleven
o clock, one of the darkest nights I ever saw, a sergeant in

my company, by the name of G - R , and myself

started for the fort. There were two or three ways of
going, but, as it was so very dark, we concluded to take

jgg WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

the public highway. Sergeant R had been drinking

just enough to make him boisterous when we started, but
before we had travelled half a mile he became morose and
ugly. We lost our way in the dark, at a place where sev
eral roads branched off. While slowly feeling our way in
the dark, a horse and wagon came along, going in the same
direction. The Sergeant wanted to ride, and made known
his wants in the most vigorous manner possible. He yelled
so loud that the horse and driver were alarmed, and in a
moment were out of hearing. Then the Sergeant became
very angry and laid down in the woods, declaring he would
not move another inch.

Supposing we were near our camp I travelled on, leaving
him to follow at leisure. Within five minutes I heard a
wagon, and saw a light in the road coming toward me at a
rapid rate. It proved to be the same wagon that passed
us, but this time it was crowded with soldiers, and each sol
dier had a loaded rifle, and each rifle had a fixed bayonet.
In the next instant the wagon stopped, and the sergeant
in charge called out, " Who comes there?" I replied,
" Friend with the countersign," and as 1 was advancing to
give it, down came every rifle, with the muzzle pointing at
me, and with the same movement, click, click, I heard the
double action of the locks, as they cocked their pieces.

Could there be anything more dreadful than to be
unwittingly placed in such a position on a lonely road in
the woods, in the middle of the darkest night, unarmed
and alone in a strange country? All the battles I after
ward saw, rolled into one, could not equal the terror of that
supreme moment just before they came to my relief, by

"A BRACE OF BRIGANDS." l6 9

dragging me into the vehicle with them. They turned
the horse and wagon around, and drove off at break-neck
speed, finally landing me in the guard-house of an unknown
regiment.

Well, it was another relief to get there, although their
treatment of me had not improved, for they handcuffed,
shackled and tied me down. While one party was doing
that another had driven away for the Sergeant, who, when
found, was treated in like fashion. We had the guard
house, a large wall tent, all to ourselves; but it was doubly
guarded by extra men, detailed for that purpose.

About daybreak, the following morning, I learned " con
fidentially" from the Officer of the Guard that the vehicle
passing us on the road, and about which the Sergeant made
such a row, was returning from Washington with the regi
mental mail. Frightened half out of his wits, in that
lonely spot at the dead of night, by the sergeant s intem
perate yells, the young man drove into camp, rousing the
whole regiment, exclaiming at the top of his voice that
he had been attacked by two highwaymen.

Sergeant R - had commenced to sober up, and I shall
never forget the look on his countenance when I told him

we were a "brace of brigands," to be tried by " drum-head
court-martial" at nine o clock that morning, to be con
victed, sentenced, and shot at twelve o clock, noon, of that
day. He believed every word of it, and well he might
after such an ordeal as we had gone through the night
previous. I wanted him to believe it, up to the very last
moment, for had he let liquor alone, and gone along about
his business, he would not have dragged us into that

I/O

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

scrape. The Officer of the Guard secretly furnished me
with pencil, paper and envelope, that I might communicate
with my regiment. I wrote a letter to my colonel, explain
ing the whole thing, and the Officer of the Guard sent it
over to him.

About nine o clock that morning we were marched out in
front of the strange regiment (a new one), lectured by its
colonel, and then asked by him what we had to say for our
selves. I looked off to my right, about that time, and dis
covered my company (C) marching toward us, and then I
respectfully told the Colonel " nothing we could say, after
such treatment, would be of any avail, and we would leave
it to our regiment to settle with him." Just then the officer
in charge of our company handed the Colonel a letter,
demanding our immediate and unconditional release. We
were released, there and then ; and from that day forward,
as long as those two regiments remained near each other,
whenever our men caught any of the others outside their
camp, I regret to say, terrible battles were fought on our
account.

Sergeant R - was never seen under the influence of
liquor after that. He was an honest man and a brave sol
dier, and was, near the end of the war, a lieutenant in that
same Company C when I became its captain. Colonel
Lujeane and my captain (William J. Uhler) declared I
had fought my first battle and won a great victory. I
thought so then, and I think so now. As the result, I was
promoted to sergeant. Moral. Never be caught in the
company of a drunken man, under any circumstances what
ever, for you will have trouble when least expected.

A FAMOUS BADGE. I7J

" THE KEARNEY PATCH."

From Fort Davis the regiment moved to Alexandria, Va.;
from there to the Peninsula, under General McClcllan, and
afterward, with his army, we moved up near Manassas,
under General Pope. It took part in General Pope s event
ful campaign of 1862, including Bull Run 2d and Chantilly ;
the latter being the battle in which our brave General
Kearney was killed. After the battle of Chantilly, the
Army retired to the " Defences of Washington," General
Birney succeeding to General Kearney s command.

General Kearney, before his death, had issued an order
requiring officers and men under his command to wear a
badge or mark by which they would be always known.
The badge was a piece of scarlet cloth, worn on the hat or
cap, so as to be seen at all times. That was the first
attempt to designate officers and men in our army by any
distinctive mark. It proved to be a good thing, for then
we could always tell whether our men lagged on the march
or straggled in action.

Soon after Kearney s death, General Birney issued an
appropriate order, and in it spoke of the piece of cloth to
be worn in memory of the dead general. The scarlet cloth
referred to was soon cut in the form of a diamond, and
this was known as the " Kearney Patch." After General
Hooker took command of the Army of the Potomac in
January, 1863, he wisely issued an order requiring the offi
cers and men of each corps to be known by some distinct
ive badge or mark ; the 1st division of each corps wearing
red, the 2d, white, and the 3d, blue.

Ij 2 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

The following is a characteristic order issued by General
Kearney to his soldiers :

" Brave Regiments of the Division : You have won for us a high reputation;
the country is satisfied ; your friends at home are proud of you. After the
battles and victories purchased with much blood, you may be counted as vet
erans. I appeal then to your experience, to your personal observation, to your
high intelligence, to put in practice on the battlefield the discipline you have
acquired in camp. It will enable you to conquer with more certainty and less
loss.

" Shotdder-straps and Chevrons ! You are marked men ; you must be ever in
the front.

" Colonels and Field Officers ! When it comes to the bayonet, lead the charge ;
at other times be among your men and supervise. Keep officers and men to
their constituted commands ; stimulate the laggard ; brand the coward ; direct
the brave; prevent companies from huddling up.

"Marksmen! Never in the fight cheapen your rifles. When you fire,
make sure and hit. In wood or abatis one man in three is to fire, the others
reserve their loads to repel an onset, or to head a rush. It is with short
rushes, and this extra fire from time to time, such ground is gained. Each
man up in first line ; none delaying ; share danger alike ; then the peril and
loss will be small.

" Men I You Brave Soldiers in the Ranks ! whose worth and daring unknown,
perhaps, to your superiors, but recognized by your comrades, influence more
than others, I know that you exist. I have watched you in the fire. Your
merit is sure to have its recompense ; your comrades at the bivouac will repeat
your deeds ; it will gladden your families, and in the end will be brought be
fore your country.

" Color-bearers of Regiments ! Bear them proudly in the fight ; erect and defi
antly in the first line. It will cast terror into your opponents to see them sus
tained and carried forward. Let them be the beacon-light of every regiment.
The noblest inscription on your banners are the traces of the balls.

" Again, Noble Division, I wish you success and more victories until, the
cause of our sacred Union being triumphant, you return, honored, to your
homes."

"WHERE THE RED VOLLEYS POURED.

KEARNEY AT SEVEN PINES *
I.

So that soldierly legend is still on its journey,

That story of Kearney, who knew not to yield !
Twas the day when with Jameson, fierce Berry and Birney,

Against twenty thousand he rallied the field.
Where the red volleys poured, where the clamor rose highest,

Where the dead lay in clumps through the dwarf oak and pine,
Where the aim from the thicket was surest and nighest,

No charge like Phil Kearney s along the whole line.

II.

When the battle went ill, and the bravest were solemn,

Near the dark Seven Pines, where we still held our ground,
He rode down the length of the withering column,

And his heart at our war-cry leaped up with a bound :
He snuffed, like his charger, the wind of the powder,

His sword waved us on, and we answered the sign ;
Loud our cheer as we rushed ; but his laugh rang the louder,

There s the devil s own fun, boys, along the whole line.

III.

How he strode his brown steed ! How we saw his blade brighten

In the one hand still left and the reins in his teeth !
He laughed like a boy when the holidays heighten,

But a soldier s glance shot from his vision beneath.
Up came the reserves to the melee infernal,

Asking where to go in through the clearing or pine ?
* O, anywhere ! Forward ! Tis all the same, Colonel :

You ll find lovely fighting along the whole line.

IV.

" O, evil the black shroud of night at C handily,

That hid him from sight of his brave men and tried !

* E. C. Stedman, in Scribner 1 s Magazine.

^4 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

Foul, foul sped the bullet that clipped the white lily,
The flower of our knighthood, the whole army s pride !

Yet we dream that he still, in that shadowy region,

Where the dead form their ranks at the wan drummer s sign,

Rides on, as of old, down the length of his legion,
And the word still is, Forward ! along the whole line."

OUR BATTLE-FLAG AT FREDERICKSBURG.

It was a long step from Chantilly to Fredericksburg, but
it was successfully made, overriding all sorts of obstacles,
marching and counter-marching, fighting in a small way,
called by some " skirmishing," and by others magnified into
regular battles ; and battles they were to those who hap-
pened to meet with a stray bullet while doing picket duty.
Little does it matter to the poor soldier who has been shot
to death while fighting where a hundred thousand were
engaged, or where he was the only one out of a hundred
thousand who fought and fell. That was his greatest bat
tle, and if we could compile the thousands of cases of that
description in both armies, what a record it would make !
Then it is so much easier to speak of thousands having been
killed in a certain battle, than to speak of only one in some
other battle.

Here we are at Fredericksburg, where one of the greatest
battles of the War for the Union was fought, and although
nearly twenty-four years since, it makes me shudder to look
back at that dreadful field as I saw it December 13, 1862.
Thousands upon thousands fought their " last and greatest
battle " there, and that my last was not fought then and
there was certainly a miracle. And I will tell you why : I
was color-bearer of my regiment, and the regiment was in

FREDERICKSB URG. l ^

the very thickest of the fight, doing treble duty. First, it
was on the extreme right of our division, supporting about
thirty pieces of cannon the enemy wanted to capture.
Second, we were also held there in reserve to support Gen
eral Meade and his brave Pennsylvanians, who were away
ahead in our front, in plain sight, grappling with the enemy.
Third, our regiment opened ranks in the face of a victori
ous foe to let General Meade s decimated regiments pass to
the rear, after they had exhausted their ammunition, and
were compelled to retire in confusion. Then, closing our
ranks, we made a dashing bayonet charge, driving back a
Georgia brigade which tried to capture our artillery.

It was a sight long to be remembered in its terrible
grandeur ; and all happened quicker than I can write it.
The brave Georgians wanted our artillery, which was pour
ing grape and canister into their ranks at a fearful rate,
but in order to get it they had to mow down the 9Qth
Pennsylvania. The Southerners came down upon us diag
onally, on the double-quick. Our soldiers reserved their
fire until the enemy was within about three hundred feet,
and then gave them a galling reception, making them halt,
when they in turn commenced pouring a heavy shower of
bullets into our ranks, from the right of the regiment up to
its centre, at the flag.

I had the colors, and when I looked down the ranks at
my right and saw them melting away like ice under an
August sun, and heard bullets humming about my ears like
bees in a swarm, I concluded whatever was done must be
done quickly; for if the enemy ever captured our artillery,
or got in our rear among the ambulances, baggage-wagons,

176

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

and ponton bridges, the result might be serious ; so I
instantly started toward the Georgians on a run, with the
flag, and beckoned our men to follow. They were found
equal to the occasion, and did follow with a cheer, on an
extra double-quick. All in our regiment who were not
killed or wounded by the terrible musketry fire, all of Gen
eral Meade s men who had recuperated from the panic, and
all stragglers and " coffee-coolers," caught the inspiration,
fell into line and helped drive the Georgians from the field
at the point of the bayonet, capturing many prisoners.
Both the flag and my clothes were riddled with bullets, but
I did not receive a scratch. It was said the enemy made
the same desperate attempt to break through our lines,
along the entire front of our division, all at the same time
and were everywhere repulsed, with great loss. However,
subsequent events proved that the QQth received more
than its share of the work on that day, because the object
ive point of the enemy was our artillery.

The " regimental poet," Mr. George Flower, composed
some verses about the battle, while we were lying on the
ground in the front line nearest the enemy," during the next
two days, and they will come in very appropriately now,
years after that desperate struggle, showing its fierceness
and naming some of the actors.

SONG OF THE NINETY-NINTH PENNSYLVANIA.

(Composed on the battlefield.}

At Fredericksburg, the 99th their battle-banner bore
Two days and nights in foremost rank, despite the cannon s roar;
The bursting shells, the whistling balls, the grape s destructive hail,
To move that living wall are sent, but all are doomed to fail.

SOA G OF THE NINETY-NINTH,

They are hardy as the granite, and they ve got a wondrous knack,
When face to face, to give the foe good cause to turn his back ;
Swift and steady on the march, firm and gallant in the fight,
They drove the best brigade of Georgia clear, clean, out of sight.

Our colonel, wounded^ left the field, and many captains, too,
When gallant BILES assumed command, none braver or more true-
He cheered us on so heartily, himself so cool and steady,
That to follow in his glorious path all hands and hearts were ready.

Upon that bloody battlefield for fourteen hours or more
We stood, our comrades from their wounds their ebbing life-blood pour.
The young and gallant SETLEY, as his bright sword waved on high,
Cried, " On, boys ! for our country, let us bravely fight or die I "

The colors of our glorious State, that CURTIN gave in trust,
Were borne aloft by MUNSELL, and will never kiss the dust ;
While his heart with life is beating he will nobly lead the way,
With our banner proudly waving, as it did upon that day.

********

Three cheers for WARD with hearty zeal, three cheers for BIRNEY too,
Who praised us on the battlefield, the enemy in view,
A sigh and tear is all we can, as sorrow s tribute, pay
To dear departed KEARNEY, ever foremost in the fray.

********
Chorus: Come along ! push along ! By our bay nets sparkling gleam

We ll prove the rebel power but a false and idle dream.

General Lee, in his report of the battle of Fredericks-
burg, says that at no part of his line were his men driven
from the ground they had captured from our troops except
at the point where Birney s Division drove back Early s
Division of Ewell s Corps. As the QQth Pa. was in and on
the extreme right of Birney s Division, it held the post of
honor, and had the honor of clearing the enemy from that
part of the field, as already stated by me.

j^8 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

MEMORIES OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

The next great battle was fought at Chancellorsville,
Va., on Saturday and Sunday, May 2d and 3d, 1863, and
it was the only battle during the war, in which I took part,
where the carnage on both sides was so great, and the
blood flowed so freely down the hard-trodden, sloping sides
of a ravine, that a little brook, dividing the Union and Con
federate forces at the point where our division was engaged,
actually ran red with blood !

"At midnight of Saturday, May 2, General Birney re-
ceived an order from General Sickles to make the necessary
dispositions to drive the enemy from the woods in his
front, and retake the plank-road and earthworks near it.
Ward s Brigade (in which was the 99th Pa. Vols.) was
placed in advance. Slowly and cautiously the men moved
along this road at midnight. No officer uttered words of
encouragement ; no drum beat ; no colors waved ; no cheer
rose from the ranks. The pale light of the moon, beam
ing at intervals from between the clouds, increased the
effect of the scene, and photographed it upon the memories
of those who beheld it, in characters never to be forgotten.
Add to this the flash of the guns from the batteries sta
tioned in the rear of the line, which in the early part of the
evening concentrated their fire upon a point on the plank-
road, to deceive the enemy as to the real character of the
movement. As the batteries belched forth their flames
and lighted up the landscape with a death-like hue, which
the flash of powder at night always imparts to surround
ing objects, the scene was grand beyond description. At

CHANCELLORSVILLE MEMORIES. 1 ~ g

a given signal, the fire of the batteries ceased, the men
rushed forward upon the intrenchments, and their object
was accomplished. The enemy abandoned the position
without a struggle, and soldiers and officers rested upon
their arms until daylight." *

General Jackson was in command of the line in Birney s
front on Saturday night, May 2, 1863, and he was un
doubtedly wounded in front of Ward s Brigade in the great
midnight charge already described.

When General Lee first heard that Jackson had been
wounded, he exclaimed : " Thank God, it is no worse !
God be praised that he is still alive ! Any victory is a dear
one that deprives us of the services of Jackson for a short
time ! "

About 5 o clock Sunday morning, May 3, 1863, the rebels
in turn attacked our division, and then commenced the
terrible destruction on the hill-side and in the ravine al
ready mentioned by me. One correspondent wrote up the
awful reality as follows, and when speaking of the enemy,
said : " It seemed as if they were a dense mob, those in the
rear being ignorant of the carnage going on in front, and
crowded their companions on to sure destruction. They
appeared in front of our lines for at least a mile, along the
front of the entire Third and Second Corps, coming up in
dense masses, climbing over the heaps of the fallen, firing
heavy volleys, and going down among the slain as the
response broke from our ranks. It was frightful to con
template, the slaughter to which these men were forced.

* New York Herald, May 7. 1863.

i8o

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

Whole brigades were swept away in the determined effort
to force our lines, and still other brigades sprang up to take
their places."

And so the battle continued, from five o clock that beau
tiful Sunday morning until after eleven on that day. If

OBVERSE.

REVERSE.

there was ever a place on earth that could be consistently
called a human slaughter-pen, that ravine and the sloping
land on either side of it was the place. Nothing that I
ever saw before or since could equal it. Within a radius
of a mile or so, more than twenty thousand men were killed
or wounded on that fatal Sunday morning.

THE DIVISION DECORA 7Y6W. 1 3 r

THE KEARNEY CROSS.

Soon after the great battle of Chancellorsville, on May
27, 1863, General Birney presented a few of his soldiers
with the Cross of Honor, called "The Kearney Cross,"
as follows :

*********

"The Brigadier-General Commanding Division announces the following
names of meritorious and distinguished non-commissioned officers and pri
vates, selected for their gallantry, as recipients of the * Kearney Cross, the
division decoration.

" Many deserving soldiers may have escaped the notice of their commanding
officers, but in the selection after the next battle they will doubtless receive
this honorable distinction.

" This cross is in honor of our old leader, and the wearers of it will always
remember his high standard of a true and brave soldier, and will never dis.
grace it.

*********

" Sergeant HARVEY M. MUNSELL, Company C, 99th Penn. Volunteers.
*********

" An official copy of this order will be given to each soldier entitled to wear
the cross. D. B. BIRNEY,

" Brig.-Gen. Vols., Commanding Division"

The following order was also issued :

" HEADQUARTERS, FIRST DIVISION, THIRD CORPS,
" General Orders, 51. May 26, 1863.

" The division will be paraded to-morrow for the presentation of the medals
at three o clock P.M. A staff officer from each brigade will report at these
headquarters at half-past two o clock P.M., for instructions as to the ground.
Every available man will be turned out, and particular attention will be paid
to dress and accoutrements of the troops. The brigade band of First Brigade
will be present, and report at two o clock to Captain Briscoe, Acting-Assistant
Adjutant-General. The drum corps of brigades will be consolidated.

" By command of Major-General BIRNEY, etc., etc."

!g2 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

The occasion drew together a large assemblage of soldiers
and civilians, in addition to the regular force of the divis
ion and the distinguished officers present by particular
invitation.

The First Division, to members of which, only, the medals
were awarded, was drawn up in hollow square on a beauti
ful meadow in the valley of the Potomac Creek. The
distinguished officers present occupied the centre of the
square.

When Major-General Sickles rode into the square, the
whole assemblage of soldiers broke out in the wildest cheer
ing. An attempt was made at " three times three," but
the response was more like nine times nine. It was a con
tinuous roar for several minutes.

As soon as the party were all present, the several brigade
commanders were directed to call the Roll of Honor of
their several commands, and the parties designated in the
above order stepped to the front. They were quickly
formed in three ranks, by brigades, the representatives of
each regiment carrying the regimental colors, and the
brigade colors being placed in front of each rank.

At the request of General Birney, General Sickles made
the presentation address. He spoke as follows :

" SOLDIERS : Your general of division has confided to me the most pleas
ing of duties the decoration of brave men with Medals of Honor. These med
als are the gift of your fellow countrymen ; they are such tokens of appreciation
as a martial people should bring to the camp of their defenders. You have
earned these proud emblems of constancy and valor more precious than riches,
more honorable than office ; they are legacies for your kindred, which neither
time nor change can impair. You are Volunteers, the noblest type of an army.
You have offered your lives for the preservation of a Government alone among

THE SOLDIERS OF KEARNEY.

183

nations of which it has been gracefully said that its blessings, like the dews
of heaven, descend alike upon all. Your power is in your bayonets. Bayo
nets have dethroned kings, created nations, opened avenues to civilization and
religion. The sun which now gilds yours, never lighted holier paths than those
you follow to battle. The steel which destroys the enemies of a good cause
is consecrated. It is this, and because you know how to use your arms, which
makes you invincible. On the day after the attack upon Fort Sumter, April
13, 1861, I had the honor to be accepted by my late lamented friend, Colonel
Vosburgh, as a volunteer in the ranks of the Seventy-first Regiment of New
York Militia. Like yourselves, a citizen soldier, my military services began
with the Rebellion ; and, if spared so long, will end when the rebels are put
down. Peace, while the Rebellion breathes, is dishonor. Never since Caesar
led his legions to conquest ; never since Rienzi, last of the tribunes, fell with
the last fragments of the Roman Republic ; not in the armies of Napoleon,
where Marshals rose from the ranks ; never in any army, has promotion so
generally and so surely followed merit as in ours. The genius which chal
lenges victory, even from adverse fortune, will, sooner or later, find its place
at the head of the column. Let your motto be EXCELSIOR the emula
tion of the brave for the commendation of the good. You are the Soldiers of
Kearney that electric commander, disdaining death, whose sword yielded at
last only to the Supreme Conqueror. These medals bear his honored name,
and his cherished image. When I add that Birney is his fit successor, and
that you are worthy of both, I hope that nothing is left unsaid which the occa
sion demands. The medals will now be delivered to commanding officers of
regiments, who will decorate the men of their commands, named in the order."

THE NINETY-NINTH AT GETTYSBURG.

Then came what was more important to our country in
its results than the battle of Waterloo to Europe, viz., the
great battles and final victory at Gettysburg, Pa., fought
July ist, 2d and 3d, 1863, just two months, to a day, after
Chancellorsville.

The movement of two giant armies of nearly a hundred
thousand each, from Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville
to Gettysburg, such a long distance, in such a short time,

1 84

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

was looked upon by everybody as one of the most stu
pendous undertakings of the war. Officers and men in
both armies had been schooled for that contest. All vet
erans ; and all used to the familiar " zip " of the bullet as
it passed them by. Long years of active service had hard
ened them against the sound of roaring cannon, screech
ing and ricochet shot, and bursting shells ; hardened and
as tough as Bessemer steel ; and nothing but steel and cold
lead could produce an impression upon a solitary man
of that two hundred thousand thoughtful souls. There
they were, face to face, in battle array. Stripped for the
contest, armed to the teeth, waiting the signal to try and
annihilate each other. Christians, in a civilized country,
and every man of them battling for what he thought to be
right.

It was my good fortune to be one of that mighty host
battling for the Right as I understood it that Slavery
was wrong. I was but a unit, as compared to that great
whole, but I felt strong.

" Only a Color-bearer," but that old, tattered, bullet-rid
dled regimental flag appeared to be nothing more than a
pipe-stem in my hands on July 2, 1863, the day the great,
seething, roaring whirlpool of the battle struck my grand
old regiment a regular " broadsider."

It came about in this way. The 3d Corps, General
Sickles , occupied the extreme left of the Union line in the
second day s battle. Ward s Brigade occupied the extreme
left of the 3d Corps, and the 9Qth Pa. (my regiment) occu
pied the extreme left of Ward s Brigade, up near Big Round
Top, in front of Little Round Top, at the Devil s Den.

THE DEVIL S DEN."

185

Why it was that the 99th had the post of honor, as it were,
again, in this line, I cannot tell ; but we were there, occu
pying by all odds one of the most important positions in
either army. As a matter of fact, historians have since
declared it was the " key to the situation." Twist it as
they tried, the rebels always got a double twister that
hirled them back instead.

GETTYSBURG " DEVIL S DEN."

Describing it, an eye-witness said :

" Silence, deep, awfully impressive, but momentary, was
permitted, as if by magic, to dwell upon the field. Only
the groans, unheard before, of the wounded and dying;
only a murmur a morning memory of the breeze through
the foliage ; only the low rattle of preparation for what
was to come, embroidered this blank stillness. Then, as
the smoke beyond the village was lightly borne toward the

1 86 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

eastward, the woods on the left were seen filled with dark
masses of infantry, three columns deep, who advanced at a
quick step. Magnificent ! Such a charge, by such a force,
fully forty-five thousand men, under Hill and Longstreet,
even though it threatened to pierce and annihilate the
3d Corps (the one the QQth was in), against which it was
directed, drew forth cries of admiration from all who be
held it.

" The rebels came on furiously, halting at intervals, pour
ing volleys that struck our troops down in scores."

There, on " our left," stood the QQth, as firm as the rocks
beneath their feet ; watching and waiting for the avalanche
of maddened men bearing down upon them, a cyclone of
thirty thousand of Lee s bravest and best, sweeping toward
us, with loaded guns in a bayonet charge.

"Only a Color-bearer," but Merciful Heavens! I me
chanically prayed as I never prayed before nor since. My
heart was in my mouth, or boots, and never to this day have
I been able to tell which. My teeth, like those of "poor
old Harry Gill, went chatter, chatter, chatter still ; " and
chatter now when I think of it. Frightened almost to
death, and not a soul in the regiment knew it but myself.
If I could have been suddenly transplanted, or could have
taken on the garb of an angel and heavenward flown, or
gone up like Elijah, what happiness at that supreme mo
ment in which I was living two hundred thousand lives
every second, as it were, and when I would have sooner
died two hundred thousand times than to continue in the
terrible suspense when seconds seemed hours.

HIS SA TA NIC MAJES TY S DEN." ! g 7

LOCKING OUT THE DEVIL.

We were at the " Devil s Den," and the " Den " was locked,
and the 99th, as I said before, held the " key." Only a hand
ful of men to arrest and keep at bay " His Satanic Majesty "
and thirty thousand others, trying to get in. The members*
of the QQth, every man of them, looked like ghosts, and it
was not until after I made that discovery that I came to
the conclusion they thought I was the only man in the reg
iment not frightened half out of his senses. Every second
brought the advancing host nearer to us, and every second
they remained in the distance counted thousands of men in
our favor, for every one of us was quadrupling himself for
the herculean struggle near at hand. The regiment ap
peared to be elastic, able to contract and expand to any
length and breadth at will.

I had the flag unfurled to the breeze in the front as in
former battles, and every man looked to me and the flag as
a guide, and I knew it, but they did not know I did.

They had the guns, the bayonets, the bullets, the pluck,
the courage; and we all felt safe in each other s hands.
Not a solitary man of that little band, even for a mo
ment, thought of being driven from " the Key."

We were the "Davids," and on came the " Goliaths " to
their destruction. Our little " slings " did it. Column after
column of the " flower," as Lee was pleased to call those of
his army, was thrown against us, and for one hour and
thirty-eight minutes we were kept busy hurling them back.

It was solemnly said, by non-combatants and eye-wit
nesses, that " men fell as the leaves fall in Autumn, before

jgg WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

those horrible discharges." " Faltering for an instant, the
rebel columns seemed about to recede before the tempest ;
but their officers, who could be seen through the smoke of
the conflict galloping and swinging their swords along the
lines, rallied them anew, and the whole line sprang forward
the next instant, as if to break through our own by mere
weight of numbers." At many points along the 3d Corps
line they did break through, but never for an instant at
" the key " ; but the key was finally flanked and had to be
abandoned, but not until a new line of fresh troops had
formed at the hinges of the door.

" Only a Color-bearer," with colors riddled, and eleven
bullet-holes in my clothes ; but the worst was not yet, I
had survived the whirlwind, had looked down the throats of
thousands of fiery guns, discharged without harm to my
person, and now that we were compelled to go away from
the " Den," out of that Hades of fire, and save ourselves
and the flag from capture, immediate action and some
engineering was required.

I had a color-guard of eight corporals, and every man
was killed or wounded. The rebels were pouring into our
rear in vast numbers on both flanks. General Ward or
dered our regiment, or what was left of it, to fall back as
quickly as possible. It got a good start, say about sixty
feet, before I commenced to fall back, because I misunder
stood the order, and as several of our men were too badly
wounded to leave the field, and yet able to load and fire at
the enemy from where they fell, the thin line of rebels re
maining in our front, naturally thought our regiment was
lying down waiting for another charge. I retreated with

ALL BLOWN TO PIECES:

189

the flag a few hundred yards in good order, but shortly a
shell came whizzing past, then another, and still another,
bursting all around me. One struck the ground, tearing it
up, and burst right at my feet.

Stunned by the concussion, I tumbled into the depres
sion it made, and many of our men, who looked back and
saw me fall, reported me dead. " Munsell all blown to atoms
by a shell, and the flag captured." That both the flag and
myself were not captured was no fault of mine, for there
we were for a long time, " playing possum" and I apparently
dead as Julius Caesar. The staff laid along the surface of
the ground in my front, under some rocks and bushes; the
flag under my body, with my head and shoulders down in
the depression, and my feet and legs out, as a wounded or
dead man would naturally lie, stretched at full length, dur
ing a battle ; for the fight was still raging on both flanks,
and the rebels were working a battery which they had cap
tured at the "Den."

I was surrounded by low rocks and bushes, as well as by
the rebels, and I dared not move from that position until the
coast was clear to the rear ; the only thing I feared was that
a Johnnie might come along and try his bayonet on me to
see if I was really dead.

Just about that time the 6th Corps swept down toward
and past me, driving every " Reb " before it. I jumped
up and " skedaddled " to the rear, where my regiment had
formed, quietly fell into line and unfurled the flag. Such a
shouting I never heard before or since. Men who saw me
fall, "all blown to pieces with a shell," and "the flag cap
tured," came and looked at the flag, and felt of me to see

190

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

if there wasn t some mistake or humbug about it, for I was
already booked as among the " slain in battle." I saw
more, accomplished more, in those few hours than during
my whole life before.

I quote from a personal letter to me from General Daniel
E. Sickles, dated New York, Aug. 17, 1886.

K- * * * # * -x- -x- *

" The 99th Penn. Vol. that noble regiment that stood
the brunt of battle for hours in the Devil s Den, cover
ing Round Top, the key of the Union position, while Gen
eral Meade was sending troops to hold it."

I also give an extract from the report of the commanding
officer of my regiment and brigade.*

" CAMP IN THE FIELD (NEAR WARRENTON, VA.),

"July 27, 1863.

" Sir : I have the honor to make the following report of the part my com
mand took in the actions before Gettysburg on the ist, 2d and 3d inst.

#-*##*########
" The courageous conduct of Color-Sergeant HARVEY M. MUNSELL, and the
manner with which he bore the regimental colors during the conflict, has in
duced me to make special mention of his case, as one worthy of the most de
cided approval.

" (Signed) JOHN W. MOORE,

" Major ComcVg 99^ Penn. Vols"

" HDQRS. 2d BRIG., ist Div., 3d CORPS,

"August 4, 1863.

" Captain : I have the honor to transmit a report of the action and move
ments of my brigade on July ist, 2d, 3d and 4th :

"It would afford me much gratification to speak of others in the terms they

* From the advance sheets si the U. S. Records--" War of the Rebellion," Vol. XV.. 1880.

HEROES OF THE COLOR-GUARD. JQJ

deserve, but space will not permit. I would respectfully refer to the regimen
tal reports for a detailed statement of the particular deeds of many other gal
lant officers. I cannot omit, however, the names of a few gallant non-commis
sioned officers, viz. . . . Sergeant H. M. MUNSELL, 99th Pennsylvania Volun
teers, . . . who by their bravery and example inspired all in their vicinity. It
is to be hoped that a suitable reward, by promotion and otherwise, will be
awarded these splendid soldiers.

" J. H. HOBART WARD,

" Brigadier-General."

It is proper to mention, right here, three incidents in con
nection with our color-guard at the " Den."

HEROES OF THE COLOR-GUARD.

GEORGE BROADBENT, from Lancaster City, Pa. ; young
(about 1 8), tall, slim, light weight, fair complexion, always
kind and gentle, and nick-named on that account, " The
Lady" ; had a mess-mate by the name of CHARLES HERB-
STER, one of my good and true Pittsburg recruits, and
both were color-corporals. Each had a " presentiment," a
few hours before the battle, that he was going to be
killed in the fight. They told everybody so, and made all
their plans to die. I talked with them about the matter,
and tried to ridicule the idea, but all to no purpose. My
captain wanted to detail them on other duty till after the
battle, but fight they would, and fight they did, and died
as heroes there at the " Devil s Den."

"The Lady" had fired away nearly all his ammunition at
the enemy in our front, and had just asked me what we
would do after our last cartridges were gone, when a bullet
from the enemy struck him square in the temple, right be
fore my eyes, killing him instantly. He fell to the earth,

IO/ 2 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

the blood spurting out of the bullet-hole over his battle-
begrimed face.

Charles Herbster saw him fall, and was by his side in an
instant, took out his handkerchief, wiped the blood from
his dead comrade s face, kissed him, and said, " Poor Lady is
dead ! " On his knees, behind the body, Herbster planted
himself, and again commenced loading and firing at the
enemy in close company with GEORGE SETLEY, another
one of my color-guard, from Lancaster, Pa.

When we were compelled to abandon our position and
go to the rear, I tried to get Herbster and Setley to go with
us, as they were the only two of the color-guard, out of
eight, not killed or wounded. Nothing could move them.

There they were, riveted to the ground, avenging the
lives of their comrades, and there we left them. Setley
was frothing at the mouth with excitement and anger, and
Herbster taking it as cool as a cucumber. Both were the
best shots in the regiment, and both had done great execu
tion. The next day we found Herbster s body lying on
top, and square across "the Lady s," ano? both were com
pletely riddled with bullets.

Setley had been wounded, was taken prisoner, and sub
sequently died in captivity. What a wreck ! annihilation
we might say. Eight boys (they were nothing else) shot
to death defending the Flag of their Country at a critical
point, at a critical moment.

Twenty-three years have passed since that terrible
tragedy, and it is as fresh in my memory to-day as if but
yesterday. Heroes they were, every inch of them, fighting,
and dying martyrs in a good cause, as were all their com
rades who fought and died on that bloody field.

MODERN MARTYRS.

On the 2d day of last July, the 23d anniversary of
the conflict, the surviving members of the 9Qth Pa. Vet.
Vols. erected and dedicated a beautiful monument to the
memory of all its fallen heroes, on the very spot at the
Devil s Den where the little band of eight gave their lives
that we might live as a Nation.

That great leader in the noble army of martyrs, Abra
ham Lincoln, said, on the same spot, a few months after
the battle : " We cannot consecrate nor hallow this ground.
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have
consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The
world will but little note, nor long remember what we say
here ; but it can never forget what they did here. It is for
us, the living, rather to dedicate ourselves to the unfinished
work which they so nobly advanced ; to consecrate our
selves to the great task remaining, and to gather from the

graves of these honored dead increased devotion to that
fc&gt;

cause for which they gave their lives.
Here let us resolve that they shall not
have died in vain ; that this nation shall,
under God, have a new birth of freedom ;
and that government of the people, by
the people and for the people shall not
perish forever from the earth."

Out of respect to the sacred memory
of the heroes who consecrated with their
life s blood the spot, where our beautiful
and enduring monument now stands, I take pleasure in
furnishing a miniature reproduction here.

194 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

MY "VETERAN FURLOUGH."

From Pennsylvania we returned to Virginia, and during
the Summer and Fall of 1863, the 9Qth was engaged in
marching and fighting many small battles, such as Auburn,
Kelly s Ford, Mine Run, Wapping Heights and Bartlett s
Mills, in all of which I carried the flag, and, with my
usual good luck, came out unharmed. January I, 1864,
found the ggth at Brandy Station, Virginia, and during a
tidal wave of patriotism that swept over our regiment
about that time, nearly every man in it " re-enlisted for the
war," unless sooner shot, of course. As I had been right
along with the veterans, through everything up to that
date, I wouldn t, couldn t, and didn t desert them.

The entire regiment received thirty days furlough, and
returned home to Philadelphia in a body. I shall long
remember the day our regiment parted company with the
Army. The feeling was something like that possessed by a
strong, affectionate man leaving his family for a long jour
ney. I thought, if the Army of the Potomac got into
trouble with the enemy, during the absence of the QQth, it
would have hard work to pull through without our assist
ance ; and when our regiment moved off, homeward bound,
I felt as if the whole left flank of the Army was going with
us, actually deserting those poor fellows left behind,
nearly a hundred thousand strong.

Soon after arriving in Philadelphia I had my photograph
taken, and for the novelty of the thing, give a fac-simile of
it right here. I was 21 years of age, to a day, when it was
struck off.

A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT."

195

One afternoon a committee of officers from the 99th
waited upon me, requesting the pleasure of my company
at a little entertainment. I accepted, as a matter of course,
without thinking much about it, for the officers had
always been very kind. They wouldn t tell me a thing
about it, except that it was a " little entertainment." I
didn t know whether it was an evening party, a ball, or a
regimental drill, but I went
to work and arrayed myself
in my best, and when re
flected in a Continental Ho
tel mirror I scarcely knew
myself, the transformation
was so great. Satisfied that
I looked well enough to be
presented, if necessary, to
Her Majesty, the Queen, I
hurried off to the " little en
tertainment."

Arriving at the place, I was sadly disappointed at not
finding any ladies there. No one but the officers of my
regiment, and their friends. In order to remove my
embarrassment, the Colonel, Asher S. Leidy, of Philadel
phia, brought forth from its hiding-place one of the hand
somest American flags (made of heavy silk, and of the
regulation size) I had ever seen.* In a short and appro
priate speech, on behalf of himself and the other officers of
the QQth Pa. Veteran Volunteers, he presented the flag to

* See full-page engraving facing this chapter.

196 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

me, to keep as my personal property. With tears in his
eyes, and in the presence of all his commissioned associates,
who were likewise in tears, he thanked me for himself, and
for them, and said that as I had successfully carried the
regimental standard through all the great battles in which
the regiment had been engaged up to that date, and at the
critical moment in each one I had never been found want
ing, they desired to acknowledge the fact in a fitting and
substantial manner. "That flag," said the Colonel, "with
the battles in golden letters on its stripes, and the engraved
inscription on the silver plate attached to the staff, tells
the whole story."

The inscription reads as follows :

Presented to

SERGEANT HARVEY M. MUNSELL,
Color-Bearer ggth Reg t Pa. Vet. Vols.,

By the Officers, for
Meritorious Conduct on the above Fields.

When the Colonel had finished his remarks, I was found
blubbering too. I had always been considered iron-clad,
and bomb-proof, but when it came to being bombarded with
tears in that fashion, I surrendered, thanked the officers
for the beautiful gift, and told them I had only done my
duty as I understood it. If I had been the means of aid
ing, in the slightest degree, in maintaining the good reputa
tion of the Ninety-ninth, I was extremely happy, but it
could only have been accomplished under certain condi
tions ; viz., by the aid of the officers and soldiers of that
grand old regiment, who vigorously sustained me at all
times, and more particularly at the critical moment in all
the great battles in which we had been engaged. I was

A NO THEK PRESENTIMENT.

I 9 7

proud to say, not a solitary officer or man had ever been
found wanting in a fight with the enemy, that we had
stood by each other, in fighting our battles with the com
mon enemy ; and because we were all of one mind, and
stood by each other, shoulder to shoulder, we invariably
won our battles. I again thanked them for their good
opinion, and the honor bestowed upon me, and closed the
" little entertainment " by banqueting every one present
with lemonade and ice-cream.

WHAT CAME OF A PRESENTIMENT.

Soon after I re-enlisted for the war, a feeling came over
me, a sort of presentiment, as in the case of Broadbent
and Herbster, that the next battle in which I carried the
flag, I should be killed. That ugly sensation hung over me
all the time I was home on my veteran furlough.

On the re-assembling of the regiment at a camp near
Philadelphia, after its leave of absence had expired, I
brought the matter before my captain, and he tried to get
my furlough extended sixty days, but without avail. The
commanding officer of that department said it could not
be done, that every able-bodied man was wanted and
needed at the front. From Philadelphia, the regiment
went to Washington on its way to the field.

I still kept on wondering how I could honorably get rid
of carrying the " old flag" in the next battle, and at last an
idea struck me.

The Government wanted officers for colored troops, and
as there was a free military school in Philadelphia for

I0/ g WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

applicants for commissions, I thought I would now try
the Secretary of War.

One afternoon I took my Kearney medal, and the flag
presented by the officers, and started to see the Secre
tary of War. When I arrived at the War Department it
was late, and many were ahead of me, on various kinds of
business. Mr. Stanton received and listened to each man
in his turn. It was nearly dark when it came my turn
to meet the War Minister. Just before Mr. Stanton was
ready to leave for home, I introduced myself to him ;
he appeared tired and worn out by the day s work, and
spoke short, and treated me rudely. Wanted to know
what I was doing there, away from my regiment at that
time of day. I answered politely, and at the same time
unfurled my flag, and showed him the battles on it, and
the inscription on the silver plate. There was only a dim
light in his office, and I remember how he went and hunted
a match, lit up everything that could be lighted, and then
called in some staff officers and others to look at the flag.
It was simply a grand, impromptu reception. Scarcely a
word had passed between us up to that moment, but he
looked first at me, then at the flag, and then at his army of
aides.

Finally Mr. Stanton asked me what I wanted. I told
him I was a coward, and wanted to get out of the next
fight. That blunt answer to his question nearly threw
him into convulsions of laughter, and at the same time he
whipped out of his side pocket a little memorandum book,
and asked if there were any more " cowards" like me in my
regiment? I answered, " Yes, all alike." He took my

SCA TAR Y STAN TON S A CTION. l ^

name off of the silver plate on the flag-staff, wrote it in his
book, and then asked for two more. I gave him the names
of Captain John W. Moore and Lieutenant A. W. Bach-
man, the latter a 2d lieutenant of my own company. At
his request I gave him a short account of my service, and
also told him about my " presentiment."

Mr. Stanton was apparently pleased with my record, for
he said, in the presence of everybody there, when shaking
me by the hand, that I was the only stranger, either soldier
or civilian, who had ever asked him for a favor, without be
ing loaded down with letters, and who had brought such
a living testimonial of any service they had rendered the
United States Government. Those were about his words.
He kept right on in the same strain, as follows : " I ll dis
charge you ; I ll promote you to a commissioned officer in
the Regular Army ; I ll do anything in my power for you,
Sergeant Munsell."

That was certainly the happiest moment of my life, and
I was almost willing to go back to my regiment, take the
"Old Flag" into the next fight, and be shot. I told Mr.
Stanton, when thanking him, I did not want to be dis
charged or promoted, or anything of the kind ; but sim
ply wanted a furlough to attend the " Free Military
School," in Philadelphia. He sat down and filled one out
for me, himself, leaving it undated. He then wrote a letter
to my colonel, requesting him to date the leave of absence
the day I left the regiment, leaving the time optional with
me. I took said furlough and letter to the Colonel, and he
became furious ; tore up both of them, and put me in the
guard-house. Late that night the guard let me out, and

200 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

I went direct to Mr. Stanton s home and reported my
trouble. He in turn became furious at the Colonel, wrote
me another furlough, and sent me back to my regiment
with an escort. This time the good colonel respected every
thing, and everybody, but Mr. Stanton never forgot the
insult to his authority.

I attended the " Free Military School," then went before
the Board of Examiners in Washington, and passed for
what was then called a "ist Class, First Lieutenant," for a
company of colored troops. The great battle of Spottsyl-
vania had been fought in the mean time, and I having suc
cessfully flanked it, took " French leave " of Washington and
started for my old regiment at the front, arriving there just
in time to take part in the battle of Cold Harbor, and all
subsequent battles with the regiment, including those
around Petersburg, and the first battle at Deep Bottom.

While absent at the military school, I had been pro
moted to first lieutenant in my own company, C, 99th
Pa. Vols., and took command as lieutenant in the regiment,
at Cold Harbor, having been excused from going into a
colored regiment. Then Captain Moore, Lieutenant Bach-
man and myself were ordered home to raise a new regiment.
That was the trio Mr. Stanton took down in his memo
randum book, and through him and General Birney the
order was obtained. Moore was to have been colonel,
Bachman, lieutenant-colonel, and I major, of the new regi
ment.

PRISON AND PROMOTION.

Just before we could start home to recruit the new regi
ment, I was taken prisoner. Moore and Bachman raised

HOW TO MAKE CONSCRIPTS FIGHT. 2 OI

the new regiment, the 2O3&lt;i Penna. Vols., in Philadel
phia, in less than a month, and immediately marched with
it to North Carolina. Colonel Moore was killed while lead
ing the 2O3d Pa., in the assault on Fort Fisher, and Bach-
man was promoted colonel.

Immediately after the battle of Cold Harbor, General
Grant moved the Army of the Potomac to the south side
of James River, in front of Petersburg, Va., and on June
17 or 18, 1864, the day after its arrival there, it fought
a desperate battle in trying to capture that city.

Our brigade had just received several invoices of raw re
cruits, made up in most part of conscripts, who were in
clined to be anything but patriotic and soldierly, declared
they wouldn t fight, and if taken into a battle would either
desert to the enemy in front, or run away to the rear.
They made no secret of their designs, so the commanders
of regiments and brigades were compelled to take prompt
and decisive action to thwart them, and they did it in the
following way. More than half of the soldiers in the brig
ade were old veterans, and they were detailed and divided
up into two parts, one part to be equally distributed
throughout each company in every regiment, and the other
part was sent out on the skirmish line, in charge of an offi
cer. I was placed in charge of those in front of our regi
ment, and before advancing to our position, each man was
supplied with a spade, one day s rations of food and water,
and 60 rounds of ammunition.

Under cover of the darkness, about two o clock in the
morning, we advanced on our hands and knees to within a
few hundred feet of the rebel skirmish line, and then each

2Q2 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

man dug a hole, large and deep enough to lie down and
move about in comfortably, without being seen by the
enemy. When daylight came our work was completed, and
the rebels knew nothing about it. At 3 o clock that after
noon the troops advanced to give battle to the enemy. The
moment it had passed the skirmish line, which was itself a
line of battle, in single file beneath the surface, the old
veterans in the regiments in front were ordered to shoot or
bayonet any conscript refusing to fight, or caught deserting
to the enemy, and the old soldiers in their holes on the
skirmish line were sternly ordered to instantly kill any man
trying to pass to the rear, unless wounded. There the
poor conscripts were between two fires, viz., the fire of
the enemy in front, and the fire of their friends in the
rear; besides the fire of the veterans in the ranks right
alongside of them. They were completely cornered, and
had to fight or die ; so rather than die without any show
whatever for their lives, they stood square up to the rack
and took their chances with the rest of us, and fought like

demons. From that time on we had no more trouble with
" drafted men."

During that battle the ggth had two adjutants killed.
One, the regular adjutant of the regiment, was killed at the
front, carrying orders to and fro. The Colonel appointed
another on the spot, and sent him to the rear for some
thing. There, over half a mile from the skirmish line and
the battlefield, and down in an immense ravine, where it
seemed to be entirely free from danger, the new adjutant
stopped to wash his hands and face in a little brook, and
while stooping over, a stray bullet from the enemy came

MAKING A MAN" OF ME.

203

along and killed him. That adjutant was a poor man,
while the other one was rich, but the bodies were both
embalmed and sent home at the same time, to their rela
tives in Philadelphia. By a strange coincidence, the names
and addresses to be placed on the boxes containing the
remains, were by mistake changed ; that error caused
great confusion in Philadelphia, for the box containing the
remains of the poor man went to the rich man s relatives,
and the other went to the poor man s friends. When the
mistake was discovered, the wealthy people defrayed all
the funeral expenses.

In a little over a month after that battle I was captured
on the skirmish line, at a place north of the James River,
called "Deep Bottom"; it was about the time of the
great "Mine explosion" in front of Petersburg.

Our lines were not long enough by a mile or so, and the
rebels came right around on our flank and rear. Before we
knew it, more than a dozen of us were between two fires,
and compelled to surrender or die.

Not being ready to die just then, we surrendered. A
rebel captain kicked off a board from a fence near, grabbed
me by the shoulders, dragged me through, and said he
"would make a man of me." While saying that, he took
my hat, a bran new one, put it on his own head, and
placed his own old, greasy, slouch hat on my head, pulling
it way down over my eyes and ears. The ridiculous busi
ness made us both laugh, right in the midst of the fighting,
and as he was ordering me to the rear, a shell from a mor
tar on one of our gun-boats in the James River came along,
burst, and blew him to atoms. I made my way to the rear,
and to Libby Prison, under guard, just as fast as I could.

204

WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

In about a month from that date, our army had a fight
with the rebels on the Weldon Railroad, near Petersburg,
and lost several thousand men, taken prisoners. The fol
lowing day the prisoners were brought to Richmond, and
among them a few wounded colored men. They were all
passed in review before " Dick " Turner, the fiend in
charge of Libby Prison. The column stopped, and a
wounded colored soldier, on crutches, who had almost bled
to death, dropped down in his tracks, and Dick Turner
gave him several heavy kicks trying to get him up. We
hooted at him, through the prison grates. He ordered us
back from the windows, under penalty of instant death.
We, like good soldiers, obeyed. At 10 o clock that night
we were aroused from our slumbers by the music of a brass
band marching into the prison, up stairs, and right into our
sleeping apartment, a room fifty or sixty feet long, and
about twenty feet wide. Said band was at the head of a
file of rebel soldiers, with loaded guns and fixed bayonets
commanded by " Dick," himself. He marched the band
and soldiers around the room about half an hour, made
every one of us (about 400, all officers) fall into line, between
a double guard of rebel soldiers, at a charge bayonet, and
then told us to commence " marking time," and ordered the
guard to shoot or bayonet the first man who stopped be
fore daylight the next morning, said he would teach us
to " hoot " at him again. That was the hardest night s
work I ever did, and on an empty stomach too, for the
wretch had cut off our rations of corn bread for that after
noon and evening.

From Libby we were taken to Salisbury, N. C., where

J X/SON EXPEDIENCES.

205

there were about ten thousand of our enlisted men, prison
ers of war. Nothing but a line of rebel guards separated
the men from the officers within the enclosure, called a
stockade. So we commenced to plot and plan for a break
and escape.

SUCCOR BY PROXY.

By an oversight on our part the rebels found it out, and
immediately sent the officers to Danville, Va., and there
put us in an old tobacco warehouse that contained three
floors. In order to be out of the way, I took up my posi
tion on the third floor, in the corner farthest from the
stairs. A few days after our arrival there, a rebel officer
came to the head of the stairs, on the floor where I existed,
mounted an empty candle-box, and called out as follows :

" Any you Yanks who would like to supply food to
my brother, now a prisoner of war on Johnson s Island,
Lake Erie, captured at Gettysburg, I will furnish you in
return." Every officer jumped at the chance, and then I
commenced to bemoan my situation, condemned myself
for taking up a position so far from the head of the stairs,
and mentally resolved never to do such a foolish thing
again. There was a regular scramble among the officers to
see who would be the " lucky one," when the rebel captain
firmly told everybody he would not furnish them with any
thing until he first heard that his brother had been sup
plied. I saw and heard it all, and I saw every man leave
the Captain as if by magic. Then I jumped up, and yelled
at the top of my voice, saying /would do it. He instantly
discovered me, pointed and yelled at the top of his voice,

206 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

saying, " You are just the man I am looking for. I thought
there was one honest man in this crowd, who was willing to
trust me." He was Captain Hutter, a resident of Lynch-
burg, Va.

Although a rebel, he was an honest, upright, whole-
souled man. He commenced supplying me from that
moment, and kept it up till I was released from captivity.
His brother wrote him from Johnson s Island, Lake Erie,
that I had more than kept my part of the compact. That
my friends had taken clothing, provisions, and money in
great abundance to him, but as the United States Govern
ment was retaliating on prisoners of war, he was not allowed
to accept. He wrote his brother in Danville the strongest
letters in my behalf, telling him to do anything he could
for me, which his brother in Danville did, from first to last ;
fed me, and several of my prison friends, sumptuously.
Went all the way to Richmond, and made " Dick " Turner,
of Libby Prison, surrender all the money he had robbed us
of when captured. Procured a special order from the C. S.
Government for my exchange ; this was not used by me,
as the general parole of prisoners was near at hand. He
had me measured for a suit of clothes that was to have cost
twenty-seven hundred and fifty dollars, in rebel money, but
did not wait to get them, because I had to go North before
they were finished.* That was in 1865, just before the
close of the war, when everything in the South was dear
and scarce, and a barrel of flour was worth twelve hundred
and fifty dollars.

* It was said Captain Hutter was a son of one of the wealthiest men in the South be
fore the war. Owned several plantations, and several hundred slaves. Captain Hutter
was ordnance officer at Danville, Va., at the time he met me in prison.

"WHEN JOHNNIE COMES MARCHING HOME." 2 O7

A TRANSFORMATION.

On returning to my regiment, May 17, 1865, after I had
been declared exchanged, I found a letter from the Ad
jutant-general of Pennsylvania, enclosing me a commission
as Captain of Company C, ggth Regiment, Pa. Veteran
Volunteers, to rank from September 12, 1864. I was then
just a little past twenty-one, and captain of the same
company, in the same regiment, in which I enlisted as a
"high private" in 1861, when but a little over eighteen
years of age. This is a fac
simile of a photograph taken
of me in a captain s uniform,
July, 1865, soon after the
war ended. My long and te
dious experience as a pris
oner of war had worn me
down, and made me look
thin and pale. However, I
did not mind that, for look
ing back over my four long
years of the most active kind of service, barely touched
upon in this article, I could not but feel thankful for hav
ing passed through the whirlpool of excitement and danger
unharmed. Besides all that, the final victory had been
gained, Slavery obliterated, the Rebellion crushed, and
the Union saved.

But what a contrast. The little, scrawny, eighteen-year-
old boy, with a knapsack on his back, marching down
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, a Private in the rear

20 8 WITH THE COLORS IN WAR TIME.

rank, and at the tail end of the regiment, in July, 1861 ;
and the same person marching down the same thorough
fare, after the war was ove-r, Captain, commanding Com
pany C, of the same regiment, during the Great Review,
by the President and his Cabinet, of two hundred thou
sand men.

February Qth, 1866, the Secretary of War sent me a
" Medal of Honor," accompanied by a letter of transmittal.

"WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL S OFFICE,

" WASHINGTON, February 9, 1866.

" Sir : Herewith I enclose the MEDAL OF HONOR which has been awarded
you by the Secretary of War, under the Resolution of Congress, approved
July 12, 1862, To provide for the presentation of MEDALS OF HONOR to
the Enlisted Men of the Army and Volunteer forces who have distinguished
or may distinguish themselves in battle during the present Rebellion.
" Please acknowledge its receipt.

" Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" (Signed) E. D. TOWNSEND,

" Assistant Adjutant-General.
"To HARVEY M. MUNSELL, Late Color-Sergt., QQth Regiment, P. V. V."

BATTLE-FLAG 9QTH PA. VOLUNTEERS.
(CARRIED THROUGH 13 BATTLES BY SERGEANT MUNSELL.)

GONDUCTONTHF j
1865 IN SAVING M
$\ THE HONOR ABLE &
THEN SECRETARY gg
OF THE
STATES

FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

FAC-SIMILE OF GOLD MEDAL (PAGE 2l8)

209

SERGEANT GEORGE FOSTER ROBINSON,

NOW MAJOR AND PAYMASTER U. S. A.

FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

TO the schoolboy of 1860, "the times that tried men s
souls " meant the days of the American Revolution.
The schoolboy of to-day learns that men s souls and bodies
were sorely tried in a greater revolution, only twenty years
ago, when blood was poured out like water to preserve the
Union.

The war closed with a tragedy, the assassination of one
of the greatest men and wisest rulers the world has ever
seen. The enquiry into the circumstances of President
Lincoln s death laid bare a foul conspiracy, which intended
the destruction of the principal officers of our Government.
The plot was only successful in one instance. Why it
failed in another case may here be shown.

In the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five, there stood

210

A FAMOUS NEIGHBORHOOD. 211

in the City of Washington, not far from the White House,
and on the eastern side of Lafayette Square, a plain, red
brick house. It had been a fashionable club house, but at
the time mentioned it was the residence of the Secretary of
State. The street was bordered by noble old trees, and
although within a few yards of that famous thoroughfare,
Pennsylvania Avenue, might almost have been a lane in the
suburbs of some ancient provincial town, so prim and quiet
and dull did it seem. Appearances were a trifle misleading
as to its character. Over the well-swept cobble-stones had
rolled the carriages of some of the noblest families of Eu
rope ; under the grateful shade had sauntered haughty
dames and gallant cavaliers. Within these precincts there
had been revelling and feasting and " flow of soul." But
these times had fled. War, with wrinkled front, had come
and changed the sights and sounds. The marching regi
ment had taken the place of the handsome equipage ; the
clanking dragoon had succeeded to the languishing beau,
and the martial notes of " We re coming, Father Abraham,
a hundred thousand more," had supplanted the softer strains
of Strauss and Verdi.

As the war period drew near the end, the little street be
came less frequented, and at the time mentioned, was rather
avoided by vehicles, for the famous dweller in the house
was very ill ; he had been thrown from his carriage and se
riously injured.

*********

" Swear to be loyal to me, to stick to me through all, and
I will give you more money than you ever dreamed of !
After a pause came the answer in low but firm tones, " 7

212

FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

swear ! " The speakers were two young men ; the time,
February, 1865 ; the place, a room in the principal hotel of
Baltimore. One of these men was tall and slender, with
piercing eyes, and hair of raven hue. His dress was quiet
in tone, but not in its first youth, and was worn with a care
less grace. His movements were quick and nervous, and
a voice singularly melodious was one of his attractions.
This man bore a name honored in his profession, albeit his
place was not among the " stars." But he was known to
the public as a bright and promising actor, and to many as a
genial companion. Who would have thought that here was
the material for a conspirator nay, a leader of conspirators?
For this man was John Wilkes Booth.

Strongly in contrast was his companion. Almost gigan
tic in stature, broad-shouldered, muscular, he was a mag
nificent animal. His low brow, fierce, restless eyes, square,
massive jaws and deliberate movements, indicated qualities
which, in the hands of an unscrupulous master, might be po
tent for evil. He was dressed in a motley assortment of
clothes, half military, half civil, such as might have been
selected at random in a cast-off clothing shop. His shoes
were originally soldier s brogans, now worn to the welt, with
the toes peeping through the uppers. A pair of faded light-
blue trousers, torn and patched, frayed at the bottoms, and
liberally bespattered with mud, covered his legs. Around
his brawny chest was tightly drawn a dark-blue flannel shirt
without collar, in lieu of which a red bandanna handkerchief
was loosely knotted about his neck. A jacket of Confeder
ate-gray cloth, from which nearly all the buttons had dis-

A QUEER CUSTOMER. 2 { ,

appeared, and a brown hat, completed the costume of
Booth s singular guest.

At that time, in Baltimore, it was not unusual to see men
in such incongruous garb ; stragglers or deserters from the
Confederate army or Southern refugees. It was war time,
and even the former dandy of his club, when on short leave,
was glad to get into " cits " of a past date ; so that it was
not wonderful that this tramp-like person should be per
mitted to pass the portals of a fashionable hotel without
question, in the company of the well-known actor.

This " queer customer " was a bit of drift-wood from the
war waves. He was reared in Florida, upon a small planta
tion, and without the advantages of education. At eighteen
he enlisted in the Confederate army, fought gallantly, it was
said, and after much wild adventure had left the sinking
Southern ship and wandered to Baltimore ; there, footsore,
hungry, destitute and utterly friendless, he had stumbled
across the actor. A long while before, he had once seen
Booth upon the stage, in the velvet doublet and trunk
hose of the days of Chivalry, in all the golden radiance of
the footlights. His imagination had made the play real
and the players noblemen, in every sense. So, when he met
his stage-hero in the streets of Baltimore, he ventured to
accost him.

A brief conversation impressed Booth with the belief that
this man could be made a useful instrument in the evil pur
pose he had in view. He was right. He had found the
unfortunate wretch who was soon to be known to the civil
ized world by the name of Lewis Payne.

214 FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

The fourteenth day of April, eighteen hundred and sixty-
five, was well-nigh spent. It lacked but three hours of mid
night, and the dimly lighted Washington streets were silent
and almost deserted. It was the moment when theatre
goers begin to enjoy the play if it is good, or become bored
and restless if it is otherwise. To the frequenters of Ford s
Theatre there was, that evening, all the excitement of a
" first night." The President and Mrs. Lincoln, with a
couple of friends, were conspicuous in a box, thoroughly
enjoying " Our American Cousin," which, under the au
spices of that (long ago) favorite, Laura Keene, had been
having a successful run. Had none among that gay throng
any presentiment of calamity?

At that moment, two men were in earnest consultation in
an obscure drinking-saloon in a side street, near the theatre.
In one we recognize our dramatic acquaintance ; the other
wears his hat pulled down over his eyes. On a table before
them are a couple of glasses, half full of an amber-colored
liquid. With the exception of the bartender, they are the
sole occupants of the room. In his nervous way, Booth
puts his hand on the other s shoulder and whispers, " Re
member, try the medicine dodge first ; but see him sure. As
soon as it is done, meet me at the bridge. Now go ; it
is nearly time/ Both rose to their feet. Booth s compan
ion towered above him as they clasped hands for the last
time in their lives, although they knew it not. The motion
threw open the long brown-and-white-check overcoat worn
by the stranger, and disclosed a belt, buckled tightly about
his waist, in which was thrust a large knife, and from an

SERGEANT ROBINSON S OPPORTUNITY. 2 I C

open holster on the other side gleamed the silver-mounted
handle of a revolver.

A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

Within the domicile of the disabled Cabinet Minister all
was quiet ; lights were turned low, and those persons not on
duty prepared for bed. Mr. Frederick Seward (the Assist
ant-Secretary of State) was at his writing-table near his
father s room. Major Augustus Seward was resting, pre
paratory to his regular watch, which would commence at
midnight.

In the sick-room the curtains were tightly drawn, and the
shaded lamp cast a soft radiance upon the quaint furniture
and the snow-white drapery of the couch upon which the
invalid sought in vain the brief oblivion of sleep. The
soldier-nurse, after a final glance at his charge, sank into
the depths of an old-fashioned leathern arm-chair, and pick
ing up a book was about to open it, when he heard a ring at
the bell. Sergeant Robinson was not a regular hospital
nurse, but was himself barely convalescent from a severe
wound received as a soldier of the Eighth Regiment of
Maine Volunteer Infantry, at Bermuda Hundreds, Virginia,
on the 2Oth of May, 1864. As soon as able, he was given
light duty, and detailed to take care of Secretary Seward.

The bell was answered by the colored boy, William. A
large man in a light overcoat and slouch hat strode into the
hall. He spoke hurriedly and roughly.

" I want to see Mr. Seward. I have some medicine from
Dr. Verdi."

216

FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

"You can t see the Secretary; nobody lowed in his
room," replied the faithful servant.

" But I must see him, " said the stranger.

William reflected that perhaps this was a messenger from
the doctor, who might be allowed to see one of the family,
to whom he would perhaps deliver his message. He moved
towards the stairs leading to the second floor, closely fol
lowed by the stranger, who kept his right hand in his

pocket.

^si^eBMfc,

" Don t tread so heavy,"

said William, as the stranger s
boots came down solidly on
the polished wood of the stair
way. As they reached the
first landing, Frederick Seward
came forward.

" Tis a messenger, sir, from
the doctor. I told him he
couldn t see the Secretary,"
said William.

" Of course my father can see no one ; he is very ill."
" I must see him ; the doctor said so," persisted the man.
" But I tell you it is impossible," said the Assistant-Secre
tary. The man turned about as if to go down, and William
went before him. Suddenly, with an exclamation more
like the growl of some wild beast " You ! " the
stranger struck Frederick Seward a terrible blow, which
felled him to the floor ; again he brought down the butt of
his pistol on the defenceless head with crushing force.

At this moment the door of the sick-room opened and

PAYNE, THE ASSASSIN.

AN UNEQUAL STRUGGLE.

217

Sergeant Robinson appeared. Before he could under
stand the situation, the assassin rushed at Robinson
and struck at his throat with a knife. Robinson instinct
ively tried to ward off the blow, but received it upon his
head and was knocked down. Bounding over Robinson,
the would-be murderer rushed to the bed and began to
strike wildly with his knife at the throat of the Secretary.
Already he had cut the flesh from one cheek to the bone,
and the blood flowed in torrents over the pillow. Then
the courage and resolution of his New England forefathers
came gloriously to the support of our Maine volunteer.
Although just from the hospital, with his wounded leg not
yet healed, and enfeebled from his year of suffering, he
sprang to his feet, and without one moment s hesitation,
without one moment s thought for himself, save, as he
afterward said, the thought that he must die to save the
Secretary ; without a weapon of any description, he op
posed his naked hands to the armed and desperate ruffian.
Robinson seized the assassin just as the deadly knife was
about to be buried in the throat of the Secretary. Then
commenced an unequal struggle, in which the chances
seemed entirely in favor of the herculean stranger. Robin
son succeeded, at the expense of two deep cuts down his
back and two more under the left shoulder-blade, in drag
ging the villain from the bed, but vainly tried to protect
himself from blows which were rained upon his head with
the butt of the pistol. By this time, Major Seward, aroused
from slumber, ran in and also seized the desperado, and
although himself cut and bruised, with Robinson s help pre
vented another attack upon the Secretary, who lay gasping

2 j FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

and bleeding upon the floor, where he had fallen from his
bed.

And now, baffled in his dread purpose, and alarmed for
his safety, the murderous intruder suddenly threw up his
hands, exclaimed " I am mad ! I am mad ! " and rushed
from the room. As he reached the threshold, he encoun
tered a State Department messenger and stabbed him also.
It was but the work of a moment to throw his knife across
the street, to jump, hatless, upon a horse standing at the
door, and disappear in the darkness. William now ap
peared with re-enforcements from the military headquarters
at the corner of the street. It was too late. Payne, the
instrument of a stronger mind, the blind tool of a fanatic,
had made good his escape.

A HAPPY OMEN.

It is unnecessary to dwell upon the events which fol
lowed : the excitement in the North over the murder of
the President ; the pursuit, capture, trial, and conviction of
the conspirators ; and the slow but sure recovery of the
wounded Secretary and his son.

The distinguished gallantry arid fidelity of Sergeant
George Foster Robinson were brought to the notice of Con
gress, and it was decreed that a gold medal should be struck,
in commemoration of his exploit, and that in addition the
sum of five thousand dollars should be presented to him.
He was for some time a clerk in the office of the Quarter
master-General, at Washington, and in 1879 ne was commis
sioned Major and Paymaster United States Army.

The closing scenes of the Great Conspiracy were marked

A HAPPY OMEN.

2I 9

by some curious incidents. One of these, never before
published, was told to the writer by an eye-witness, and
seems a fitting conclusion to this story.

It was late in the afternoon of the day upon which the
murderer of Lincoln was captured, when an ambulance,
drawn by four handsome mules, rattled along the road from
Surrattsville, in Maryland, toward Washington. It con
tained Major-General Hancock and several officers of his
staff, Colonels Tompkins, Morgan, Mitchell, Wilson and
Parker. In the confusion and terror which filled the minds
of the friends of the Government, men turned with firm trust
to Hancock, next to Grant, as a strong arm to lean upon ;
and a sense of relief was felt throughout the land when the
presence at the Capital of these dauntless, cool-headed
soldiers became generally known. As the party journeyed
along, they chatted of the stirring and bloody war scenes
they had witnessed. The great calamity that had just be
fallen the country was, of course, the leading topic, and
doubt was expressed by one or two as to its effect upon
the sections so lately estranged. The General, however,
expressed his firm belief that nothing could prevent the re-
establishment of " Peace within our borders." " The peo
ple have seen enough bloodshed ; they are tired of war and
seek rest," said he. Just then, Colonel Tompkins, who was
looking out over the landscape, and at the distant dome of
the Capitol as it glowed in the warm tints of the setting
sun, said to his neighbor, " Parker, do you see anything
peculiar about the sun ? "

That officer cast a careless glance in the desired quarter,

22O

FOILING AN ASSASSIN.

and then quickly called the General s attention to a curious
sight.

Within the blood-red disc, now very low on the horizon,
could be plainly seen, surrounded by a luminous haze, the
outlines of a pair of clasped hands ! All saw it, and for a
moment there was an impressive silence. As the phantom
shape slowly melted away, Hancock said very gravely and
earnestly, " Gentlemen, that is a happy omen ; it is the
sign of Friendship. May it come to pass throughout Our
Country ! "

THE MEDAL OF HONOR

PART SECOND.

1866-1886.

" O the dragoon bold, he scorns all care,
As he goes around with his uncropped hair ;
He spends no thought on the evil star
That sent him away to the border war.

" His form in the saddle he lightly throws,
And on the moonlight scout he goes,
And merrily trolls some old-time song
As over the trail he bounds along.

" O blithe is the life that a soldier leads
When a lawless freedom marks his deeds ;
And gay his path o er the wildwood sod,
Where a white man s foot hath never trod."

221

CONFEDERATE COLORS CAPTURED AT SAILOR S CREEK, VA., APR. 6, l86 =

WITH PORTRAITS OF THE CAPTORS (CUSTER S CAVALRY DIVISION).

(FROM A TINTYPE THIS SIZE.)

222

BVT. LIEUT.-COLONEL TOM CUSTER,

LATE CAPTAIN JTH U. S. CAVALRY.

A BEAU SABREUR.*

I CANNOT tell with what gratitude I embrace the op
portunity to add my tribute to the valor of one of the
soldiers this book seeks to commemorate.

Many a woman adds to the pang of bereavement, the
sorrow of knowing that the grass has sprung up and faded,
for over twenty years, on the graves of those who saved to
us the unity of our beautiful land, and, alas ! who now lie
forgotten. Will not, then, the hearts of many fill with
thankfulness that the brave deeds of those that are gone
are here given anew to their Country, and that a monu
ment is raised to their " loved and lost " more lasting than
"storied urn or animated bust?"

In New Rumley, Ohio, on March 15, 1845, Emanuel and

* This chapter is from the pen of Mrs. George A. Custer.
223

224 A BEAU SAB REUR.

Maria Custer received the gift of a son, the third tie that
bound together still more closely their happy lives. The
mother said in after years, even when pride for her success
ful boys filled her heart, that no time of her existence was
so happy as when the door of the simple farm-house shut
in, at dark, the little band about her. The war-drum burst
in upon this contented home, and scattered her dear ones
far and near. Her heart had grieved enough over the
departure of her ambitious eldest, Armstrong,* who had
implored his parents, four years before, to let him educate
himself as a soldier. But after he had gone, she huddled
the little curly-headed fellows that were left, more closely
about her, and sang still, at her daily toil, for their comfort.
In 1 86 1 peace departed from the hearth-stone. The two
striplings began to beg to go to the war. They finally
agreed to be content if one was permitted. Nevin offered
himself, but was declined ; although not an invalid, he was
delicate. Then Tom rushed to get his chance, but the
father had privately conferred with the local recruiting
officer, and Tom was refused as under age. At last nothing
could keep him. He sought another officer and was ac
cepted ; at sixteen he kissed the weeping mother and little
sister Margaret, and was off to the wars as a private soldier.
It was all the father could do to keep the fourteen-year-
old boy, Boston, from going. Yet I hardly think the
parent blamed the sons. He was, from his own boyhood,
fond of " training-days," and had put his eldest son, Arm
strong, into a uniform when he was but a midget of four,
and chuckled and admired the piping voice of the minia-

* The late General George Armstrong Custer, U. S. A.

"OUR TOM." 225

ture soldier when he called out a line from the schoolboy s
elocution, that was practised in the home audience " My
Voice is for War."

The boy Tom was sent to the Western army, and soon
selected as orderly for General Negley. When I saw this
officer, a year ago, he went back over twenty years and told I
me what a splendid soldier he had found our Tom. The
praise one brave man gives another, irrespective of station,
shone from his eyes, while he bore testimony in unstinted
words to the courage and fidelity of the lad. In 1863, my
husband was made a general officer, and found his oppor
tunity not only to send for his old school-mates and offer
them places on his staff, but he began to plan for his
brother to be transferred from the West to the Army of
the Potomac. He obtained for him a commission as Lieu
tenant in the 6th Michigan Cavalry, and not long after our
marriage, in 1864, Tom found us in Virginia and became our
boy. The amount of mothering and petty tyranny I exer
cised was not in proportion to my years, but he submitted
to it all as only brave and big-souled men can do when as
sured of sincere, disinterested affection. His manners and
self-culture became a serious study with him. He not only
aimed to be a perfect soldier, but he was determined to take
up his studies, interrupted by his early enlistment. Even
in those busy times he bought himself school-books, and
pored over them with patience in the evenings. He
seemed to have come through unscathed by the coarseness
of his surroundings as an enlisted man ; for though the best
blood of our land was often in the ranks, there was a large
element of lawlessness, beside, among the soldiers.

22 6 A BEAU SABREUR.

THE YOUNG AIDE-DE-CAMP.

As soon as Tom was made aide-de-camp he followed his
intrepid brother in charges, and was entrusted with the car
rying of important despatches and orders, which involved
caution in traversing the enemy s country, and reliance upon
his own judgment. He was invariably selected for the
hardest work. If, after a tumultuous day, the General and
his staff threw themselves down around the camp-fire to
sleep and were awakened by the news that required one of
them to saddle and start off for night duty, Tom was the
one selected. I never heard that he even looked a mur
mur. I only know that I agreed with the staff when they
used to say, " If any one thinks it is a soft thing to be a
commanding officer s brother, he misses his guess." If I
ever attempted to put in a protest for the nineteen-year-
old boy, my husband argued with me that he must watch
himself ; that he never made the slightest difference in disci
pline because Tom happened to be his brother. If the lad
came in our room to report officially, the General received
the Lieutenant in the most formal manner, but the moment
the business was finished, Tom flung aside his sword and
the two fell to scuffling, just as they used to in their merry
boyhood days on the old farm in Ohio.

Tom said little about his determination to try for medals,
but he was just as eager for another, as ever, when he had
taken his first flag at Namozine Church, April 2, 1865.
Beside this, he was inspired to try again, as he found his
brother, after whom he had modelled his life, was so proud
of his achievement. General Custer had taken the first

AT SAILOR S CREEK.

Confederate colors of the war while serving as aide-de
camp on General McClellan s staff, in 1862.

General Capehart, who commanded the Third Brigade of
the Third Division, saw Tom take his second flag at Sailor s
Creek, April 6, 1865. I quote from a recent letter he has
kindly sent me regarding that day: " I saw your brother
capture his second flag. It was in a charge made by my
Brigade at Sailor s Creek, Virginia, against General Swell s
Corps. Having crossed the line of temporary works on
the flank of the road, we were confronted by a supporting
battle-line. It was from the second line that he wrested
the colors, single-handed, and only -a few paces to my right.
As he approached the colors he received a shot in the face
which knocked him back on his horse, but in a moment he
was again upright in his saddle. Reaching out his right
arm, he grasped the flag while the color-bearer reeled.
The bullet from Tom s revolver must have pierced him in
the region of the heart. As he was falling, Captain Custer
wrenched the standard from his grasp and bore it away in
triumph. For intrepidity I never saw this incident sur
passed."

Major Farnham Lyon, who was a staff officer of General
Custer s at that time, has written me that he recalls Tom s
charge over the rifle pits at Sailor s Creek, and his being
wounded in the cheek. " I know I felt at the time," he
adds, " that it was a great wonder he escaped with his
life." General Whitaker, General Custer s chief of staff,
bears testimony in a recent letter that " Tom, on that day,
fought like a lion."

228 A BEAU SABREUR.

A BATTLE-FLAG HARVEST.

Major Allstrom of the 3d New Jersey Cavalry describes
to me the melee in which General Custer s Division found
themselves after the capture of nearly six miles of Con
federate trains ; also artillery and thirty-seven battle-flags.
The confusion was great, and while the firing was still at
its height, he saw our brother Tom dashing past him, his
face streaming with blood from the wound he had received.
The flag he had captured was flying out from the standard
he still grasped. The Major, terrified at Tom s temerity in
making himself so prominent an object for the enemy s
sharpshooters, called out to him, saying, " For God s sake,
Tom, furl that flag or they ll fire on you." Major Allstrom
has in his possession a tintype,* taken by a camp photog
rapher twenty-one years ago, of two rows of officers and
soldiers, holding in their hands the lances bearing the thirty-
seven battle-flags captured that day. The men are in
rough campaigning dress, their weather-beaten faces partly
covered with all sorts of slouched hats, but above their
brave heads is a line of tattered bunting that had but the
day before led out the valiant South to the last desperate
struggle of their waning cause. Major Allstrom stands
in the front row with his captured colors. On the end
of the line, our Tom, holding a standard in each hand.
The thirty-six men were sent up to Washington to present
in person their flags, and receive the recognition Congress
made of their valor. I was in the Capitol at the time of

* This is the original of the engraving which faces the opening of this chapter

"I VE GOT MY FLAG." 229

their arrival, wearily waiting for the war to close. The
first knowledge I had that the colors were taken was the
sight of a street-car filled with soldiers, and with flags
streaming from every window as the horses were urged
rapidly to the War Department. The street gamins fol
lowing, called out, " Hurrah for Custer s soldiers and their
flags! " That was enough for me. I instantly joined the
crowd on the walk and followed. On giving my name at
Secretary Stanton s door, he admitted me, and as each
soldier presented his flag, I was introduced to him as the
wife of their commander by Senator Harris, of New York.
It was a very memorable day in my life, as well as in that
of the dauntless men who had won distinction.

My husband described to me, as soon as I saw him,
some of the circumstances of Tom s wound. He was
deeply moved as he talked. He said his first knowledge
that his brother was shot was seeing Tom dashing tow
ard him, covered with blood. The ball had entered his
cheek and passed out behind his ear. Only a short time
before, a favorite color-bearer, whom my husband valued
very highly, had been wounded in the face, and the
bullet severed the jugular vein. He reeled in the saddle,
and was dead almost instantly. The General, seeing Tom
similarly wounded, was terribly startled, and expected that
in a moment more the boy would totter in his saddle and
his life ebb away. As he reached him, Tom called out,
" Armstrong, the d d rebels have shot me, but I ve got
my flag," and instantly set spurs to his horse to charge again.
The General checked him, and told him to go to the rear
and have his wound dressed. Evidently there was a trem-

230 A BEAU SABREUK.

ble in the elder brother s voice, and the younger was em
boldened to disregard the direction. He was so full of
fight no ordinary request checked him. Then the com
manding officer s tone was assumed, and my husband, see
ing the necessity of instant obedience, ordered him in arrest
and to the rear. Poor Tom, hearing the order, which is
the extreme resort of military discipline, had nothing to do
but to report to a surgeon.

We both felt immense pride in his valiant deed, and the
black patch, planted in the midst of a very new and downy
beard, was an ornament in our eyes for all the time it
covered his wound. I remember that my husband was so
proud of Tom s medals that he showed them to a general
officer, who was our guest just before the campaign in Da
kota, in 1876. The officer was surprised to find Colonel
Tom had two, and told my husband, if he had his choice, he
would rather have a medal for a flag than any brevet that
was ever given.

" OUR TOM " ON THE FRONTIER.

In 1866, Colonel Tom received an appointment as lieu
tenant to his brother s regiment, the Seventh Regular Cav
alry. He reported for duty at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was
received into our household as one of our family. From
that time on, he was in all the campaigns and engagements
of the regiment. It was an immense change to come down
from the position of aide-de-camp on the staff of the com
mander of a division of thousands of cavalry, to the simple
humdrum of a lieutenant of a company. It was a great
test of the true metal of a man to adapt himself to the po-

ON THE FRONTIER.

231

sition of a subaltern, after the independent and important
duties with which he had so long been entrusted in the
exciting scenes of the war. Tom s character bore this test.
He was as conscientious and simple-hearted in the dis
charge of his company duty as if he had never known any
other than that life. His brother, though never relaxing
the strictness of discipline, continued to place more and
more important trusts in Tom s hands, and proved, as years
advanced, that his judgment and soldierly abilities stood
uppermost in his mind, even among the tried and true of
the Seventh Cavalry. In 1874, while the regiment was
stationed at Fort Lincoln, Dakota, it became necessary to
attempt the capture of a noted Indian murderer, Rain-in-the-
Face. Captain Yates and Colonel Tom were selected to go
to a post below us on the Missouri River, and secure the
Indian as a prisoner. The story of the capture which fol
lows has already been told by me.*

" RAIN-IN-THE-FACE " AND HIS REVENGE.

" In order, then, to deceive as to the purport of their ap
pearance at the Agency, the captain in command resorted to
a ruse. He sent fifty men to the camp, ten miles away, to
make inquiries for three Indians who had murdered citizens
on the Red River the year before. Colonel Custer was or
dered to take five picked men and go to the trader s store,
where the Indians resort constantly. This required great
coolness and extreme patience, for they had to lounge
about, seemingly indifferent, until they were certain the

* " Boots and Saddles," by Mrs. Custer. New York ; Harper Bros.

232

A BEAU SABREUK.

right man was discovered. The cold made the Indians

draw their blankets around them and over their heads.
There is never any individuality about their dress, unless
when arrayed for a council or dance ; it was therefore
almost impossible to tell one from the other.

" Colonel Tom had to wait for hours, only looking fur
tively when the sharp eyes of these wary creatures were off

guard. At last one of them
loosened his blanket, and
with the meagre descrip
tion that had been given
him, Colonel Tom identified
him as Rain -in -the- Face.
Coming suddenly from be
hind, he threw his arms
about him, and seized the
Winchester rifle that the
savage attempted to cock.
He was taken entirely by
surprise. No fear showed
itself, but from the char
acteristically stolid face
hate and revenge flashed out for an instant. He drew him
self up in an independent manner, to show his brother
warriors that he did not dread death.

"Among them he had been considered brave beyond pre
cedent, because he had dared to enter the Agency store at
all, and so encounter the risk of arrest. The soldiers tied
his hands and mounted guard over him. About thirty
Indians surrounded them instantly, and one old orator com-

" RAIN-IN-THE-FACE."

RAIN-1N-THE-FACE. 233

menced an harangue to the others, inciting them to recap
ture their brother. Breathless excitement prevailed. At
that moment the captain in command appeared in their
midst. With the same coolness he had shown in the war,
and during the six years of his Indian campaigns, he spoke
to them, through an interpreter. With prudence and tact
he explained to them that they intended to give the prisoner
exactly the treatment a white man would receive under
like circumstances ; that nothing would induce them to
give him up ; and the better plan, to save bloodshed, would
be for the chiefs to withdraw and take with them their
followers. Seeing that they could accomplish nothing by
intimidation or by superior numbers, they had recourse to
parley and proposed to compromise. They offered as a
sacrifice two Indians, of the tribe, in exchange for Rain-
in-the-Face.

"It was generosity like that of Artemus Ward, who of
fered his wife s relatives on the altar of his country, for
they took care not to offer for sacrifice any but Indians of
low rank. Rain-in-the-Face was a very distinguished warrior
among them, and belonged to a family of six brothers, one
of whom, Iron Horse, was very influential. The officers
prevailed in the end, and the prisoner was taken to the
cavalry camp. During the time that the Indians were op
posing his removal, the troopers had assembled around the
entrance, ready for any emergency, and prepared to escort
the murderer away. The Indians instantly vanished ; all
went quickly and quietly to their camp, ten miles distant.
Later in the day, a party of fifty mounted warriors dashed
through the Agency to the road beyond, which had to be

234 A BEAU SABREUR.

taken by our troopers on the way home. Of course our
officers expected an attack from that party when they be
gan their homeward march ; to their surprise, they were
unmolested. We learned afterwards that the mounted In
dians went to the camp of Two Bears to urge the young
braves there to combine with them in the recapture of
Rain-in-the-Face. Two Bears had long been friendly to
the white man ; he was too old to fight, and prevented
his young men from joining in the contemplated rescue,

" After the command had returned, and the officers had
reported, General Custer sent for Rain-in-the-Face. He
was tall, straight, and young. His face was quite im
perturbable. In a subsequent interview the General
locked himself in his room with him. Through an in
terpreter, and with every clever question and infinite pa
tience, he spent hours in trying to induce the Indian
to acknowledge his crime. The culprit s face finally
lost its impervious look, and he showed some agitation.
He gave a brief account of the murder, and the next day
made a full confession before all the officers. He said
neither of the white men was armed when attacked. He
had shot the old man, but he did not die instantly, rid
ing a short distance before falling from his horse. He then
went to him, and with his stone mallet beat out the last
breath left. Before leaving him he shot his body full of
arrows. The younger man signalled to them from among
the bushes, and they knew that the manner in which he
held up his hand was an overture of peace. When he
reached him the white man gave him his hat as another
and further petition for mercy, but he shot him at once,

AN INDIAN MURDERER. 2 $$

first with His gun and then with arrows. One of the latter
entering his back, the dying man struggled to pull it
through. Neither man was scalped, as the elder was bald
and the younger had closely cropped hair.

" This cruel story set the blood of the officers flowing
hotly. They had already heard from one of the white
scouts a description of P.ain-in-the-Face at a sun-dance,
when he had betrayed himself as the murderer of the vet
erinary surgeon, by describing in triumph his beating
out the brains of the old man with his mallet. After all
this, it is not to be wondered at that each officer strode out
of the room with blazing eyes."

Two Indians, one of them Iron-Horse, had followed the
cavalry up from the Agency, and asked to see their comrade.
The General sent again for Rain-in-the-Face. He came into
the room with clanking chains and with the guard at his
heels. He was dressed in mourning. His leggings were
black, and his sable blanket was belted by a band of white
beads. One black feather stood erect on his head. Iron-
Horse supposed that he was to be hung at once, and that
this would be the final interview. The elder brother, be
lieving there was no hope, was very solemn. He removed
his heavily-beaded and embroidered buffalo robe, and re
placed it with the plain one that Rain-in-the-Face wore.
He exchanged pipes also, giving him his highly orna
mented one that he afterwards presented to the General.
These pipes are valuable, as the material of which the
bowls are made has to be brought from Kansas. Then,
finding that there was a prospect of Rain-in-the-Face having
his trial in Washington, he took off the medal that had

2 3 6

A BEAU SABREUR.

been given to his father by a former President, whose like
ness was in the medallion, and placed it over the neck of
his brother, that it might be a silent argument in his favor
when he confronted the " Great Father."

After his two friends had left him, Rain-in-the-Face occu
pied part of the guard-house with a citizen, who had been
caught stealing grain from the store-house. For several
months they had been chained together, and used to walk
in front of the little prison for exercise and air. The
guard-house was a poorly-built, insecure wooden building.
After a time the sentinels became less vigilant, and the
citizen, with help from his friends outside, who were work
ing the same way, cut a hole in the wall at night and es
caped. He broke the chain attaching him to the Indian,
who was left free to follow. We found afterwards that
Rain-in-the-Face did not dare to return to the reservation,
but made his way to the hostile camp. In the Spring of
1874 he sent word from there by an Agency Indian that
he had joined Sitting Bull, and was awaiting his revenge
for his imprisonment.

In June, 1876, the Seventh Cavalry, unaware of the fact
that eleven thousand Indians were encamped on and in
the vicinity of the Little Big Horn, attacked a village, were
overpowered with numbers, and Colonel Tom fell beside
his dearly loved brother. Rain-in-the-Face, who was in the
fight, sought out our brave brother and wreaked his savage
vengeance on the dead body of one against whom he had
so long treasured up an injury. The vengeance of that in
carnate fiend was concentrated on the man who had ef
fected his capture. It was found on the battlefield that

A MORTAL ENEMY.

237

he had cut out the brave heart of that gallant, loyal
and lovable man, our brother Tom !

So perished a gallant, noble, tender-hearted soldier, a
devoted son, a faithful, affectionate brother, a loyal friend.

I cannot end this account of our chivalrous brother with
out the brief testimony my husband gave of his apprecia
tion of Tom. Just before the last and fatal campaign, a
woman friend of ours in the East, said, " Well, General,
what of Tom ? "

" If you want to know what I think of him, all I can say
is, Tom ougJit to be the General and I the Captain."

238

" RED CLOUD."

RED CLOUD S " BAPTISM OF FIRE/

WHEN the Emperor of the French, at the opening
of the war, in 1870, which cost him an empire, dic
tated a dramatic despatch containing the words quoted at
the head of this chapter the cold world laughed in its
sleeve.

When the Indian chieftain, " Red Cloud," at the head of
thousands of brave warriors, flung himself upon a handful
of white men outnumbered a hundred to one and finally
withdrew, baffled, awe-struck, and bleeding, before the
deadly volleys from the newly-invented breech-loader, he
might, truthfully, have said to his people, " We have had
our baptism of fire ! "

This affair took place in the Summer of 1867, near Fort
Phil. Kearney, D. T. It was a modern tournament between

239

2 4

RED CLOUD S " BAPTISM OF FIRE."

the representatives of civilization and barbarism science
and superstition.

The leaders were admirable types of their respective races.

Red Cloud was a Sioux of moderate rank but immod
erate ambition. Whea the Government of the United
States sought to obtain the consent of the Sioux to run a
road through their country to Montana, Red Cloud refused
to sign the treaty, and placing himself at the head of a large
force of Sioux and Cheyennes, prepared to resist what
they deemed invasion. Burning with a desire for distinc
tion and accessions to his band, he laid in wait near the fort
already mentioned.

His opportunity came ; one day, when a little party of
regular infantry fifty-one men and two officers marched
out from the shelter of Fort Phil. Kearney into the
country to protect a " wood party," which, under the
eye of a contractor, was cutting fuel for the use of the
garrison.

The commander of the detachment was Brevet Major
James Powell, Captain 2/th Infantry, an officer of more
than twenty years experience, in all grades, from private
to captain. He was still suffering from the effects of
wounds received in Georgia during the war, where he had
won two brevets " for gallant and meritorious services."

Powell found that the contractor had two encampments
of wood-choppers ; one of these w r as in the centre of a small
plain, fairly adapted to purposes of defence and for grazing
the animals ; the other, a mile distant, on the other side of
Little Piney Creek, near the foot of the mountains. Part of
the soldiers were detailed to protect the working parties

COLONEL JAMES POWELL.

2 4 I

and to escort the wood trains on their trips to and from
the fort.

Major Powell wisely determined to make the position on
the plain as strong for defence as possible.

A number of wagons, sometimes called " Prairie Schoon
ers," with high bodies or " beds," had been sent out to haul
the wood. For this purpose the running gear alone was
used.

The beds became of unexpected importance. They

were laid on the ground,

,
end to end, forming a

wooden fort, oval in

shape thus : 3Cc. At

the point on each side of

this little plan there was

one of the wagons on

ivheels, which contained

supplies for the use of the

troops such as blankets,

ammunition and tents.

There were fourteen

empty wagon-beds, and

in the wooden sides of each, holes were bored about

eighteen inches from the bottom, large enough to admit

the barrel of a rifle. Between the wagons the spaces were

filled with any loose material likely to stop a bullet, such

as sacks of forage, ox-bows, chains and short logs.

THE ATTACK.

Major Powell, having made his preparations for defence,
calmly awaited the attack.
16

liVT. LIEUT.-COLONEL JAMES POWELL,

CAPTAIN U. S. ARMY.

242 RED-CLOUD S " BAPTISM OF FIRE:

" About nine o clock in the morning of August 2, 1867,
two hundred Indians attacked the herders in charge of the
herd, driving them off; at the same time, five hundred
attacked the train at the foot of the mountain, driving off
the men belonging there and burning the wagons."*

This double attack had the effect to deprive the com
manding officer of nearly one-half of his detachment ; these
men, cut off from the " corral " of wagon-beds already
described, made the best of their way back to the fort,
losing several of their number, killed and wounded.

At the " corral" Major Powell completed his prepara
tions for a desperate stand. On that very ground, but a
few months before, three officers and seventy-six veteran
enlisted men had been killed in an hour by the same tribe
of Indians which now, to the number of three thousand
braves, hemmed in this little band of twenty-six soldiers
and four civilians. So confident of success were the In
dians that they had brought many of their squaws with
them to assist in torturing the victims, and to carry off the
plunder. The soldiers were told off to the wagons, which
were in most cases covered with blankets, under which the
men laid flat. At the " wagon-on-wheels " on one side,
Major Powell made his headquarters, rifle in hand, while
Lieutenant Jenness occupied the other.

Major Powell s parting injunction to his men, before the
fight opened, was, u Go in there and fight for your lives."
And well did his men execute the order.

By this time the surrounding hills were covered with

* Major Powell s Official Report.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL CHARGE. 2 4 ^

gayly painted savages, who awaited with impatience the
moment when the white soldiers should be overwhelmed.
It was not unlike one of the great Roman spectacles of the
time of Nero, when bands of Christians were given over to
wild beasts in full view of the people. As the first act of
the bloody drama, eight hundred savage horsemen charged
down upon the silent little spot on the plain, as if to ride
over their prey and crush them to death under the hoofs
of their ponies. On they dash, with the speed and the
force of a whirlwind. As they come within a hundred yards
of the corral a sheet of flame darts out from the wagon
sides, followed by a roar, which is kept up without cessation
for several minutes. Like dry leaves before a gust of
wind the Indians are swept aside to the right and left.
The front of the legion has gone down in its place melted
as snow under the midday sun ; those in rear are rallied
again and again, under new leaders, with fresh horsemen,
but although some get within ten feet of the corral they
fall dead as if by lightning stroke.*

None can live in the furnace blast which shrivels up group
after group of the desperate assailants. Red Cloud, who
saw this failure from a commanding crest, wondered, and
secretly chafed at the discomfiture of some of his most
dashing lieutenants.

But the success of his whole campaign depended upon
crushing this puny force and that speedily. He deter
mined to pour his entire band, on foot, down upon the
corral.

* Major Powell says one ball often penetrated two Indians.

244

RED-CLOUD S "BAPTISM OF

Lieutenant Jenness, leaving his wagon for a moment,
to perform some duty or other, exposed himself to the
enemy s fire and was instantly killed. The firing had been
so rapid that the barrels of the rifles became very hot, and
it was difficult to handle them. The poor shots among
the soldiers were set to work loading spare guns, and keep
ing the marksmen supplied.

To make his second attack overwhelming, Red Cloud
had circled the corral with masses of Indians, preceded by
a swarm of sharpshooters, creeping forward, dodging be
hind every stump or boulder, and hiding in the hollows,
firing upon the little garrison constantly. The grand charge
which followed is well described by Colonel Dodge, U. S. A.,
who afterwards had a talk with one of Red Cloud s sub-
chiefs, who was wounded in the fight.

" But now from the hills swarms a semicircle of warriors,
at least two thousand strong, under the leadership of the
gallant young nephew of Red Cloud, anxious to signal
ize his valor, and to win the right to succeed his uncle
as sub-chief. When within about five hundred yards, the
order to charge was given, and the whole line dashed on to
the corral, to be, when they had almost touched it, hurled
back in confusion and dismay. Again, and again did the
gallant band rally and charge, only to be again broken, dis
comfited and driven back; and it was only after three
continuous hours of almost superhuman effort against this
unseen, intangible foe, that the line became utterly demor
alized, and fled in consternation to the hills.

" When the defeated horde had reached the safety of
he hills, they were ordered not to fight any more, but to

COUNTING THE SLAIN. 2 A.~

recover the bodies of the killed and wounded. A cloud of
skirmishers were sent out to cover this operation, with
orders to keep up a continuous fire. All the killed and
wounded nearest the hills were soon taken to the rear and
cared for, but to recover those nearer to the corral was ex
ceedingly difficult and dangerous. Taking one end of a
long rope, formed by tying together many lariats, a warrior
ran out into the open as far as he dared, then throwing
, himself on the ground and covering himself with a shield
of thick buffalo hide, he crawled to the nearest dead or
wounded man and fastened the rope around his ankles.
The men in the woods at the other end of the rope then
pulled on it, and dragged the man or body to a safe place.
The rescuing warrior then crawled backward, protected by
his shield."

TREMENDOUS SLAUGHTER.

One of the citizens who fought with Powell was a griz
zled old trapper, who had spent his life on the frontier, and
been in Indian fights without number. Some months after
the battle, the department commander met and questioned
him.

" How many Indians were in the attack? " asked the Gen
eral.

" Wall, Gin r l, I can t say for sartin, but I think thur
wus nigh onto three thousand of em."

" How many were killed and wounded?"

" Wall, Gin r l, I can t say for sartin, but I think thur wur
nigh onto two thousand ov em hit."

" How many did you kill ? "

346 RED-CLOUD S " BAPTISM OF FIRE."

11 Wall, Gin r l, I can t say, but gi me a dead rest, I kin
hit a dollar at fifty yards every time, and I fired with a dead
rest at more n fifty of them varmints inside of fifty yards."

" For Heaven s sake! how many times did you fire?"
exclaimed the astonished General.

" Wall, Gin r l, I can t say, but I kept eight guns pretty
well het up for mor n three hours." *

Colonel Powell f writes (Sept. 20, 1886): " In one of the
charges on foot, the Indians came so close that the men,
not being able to load their pieces fast enough, tlireiv the
augers (used to bore the loopholes) at the savages, who in
turn threw them at the soldiers. The tops of the wagon-
beds were riddled, and after the fight presented a very rag
ged appearance, where the enemy s bullets had struck for
tunately, in most cases, above the heads of my men.

" I claim the credit of shooting Red Cloud s nephew dur
ing the fight, which was over before the troops came from
the Fort to relieve us. We were very glad to see them,
however, as we were nearly exhausted, having been fighting
continuously from seven o clock in the morning until three
in the afternoon."

The wounded Sioux chief, in the fall of the same year,
told Colonel Dodge, U. S. A., that the number of Indians
in the fight was over three thousand, and that a prominent
" medicine man " of the Sioux told him that the total loss
in killed and wounded, of Indians, was eleven hundred and
thirty-seven ; which would be at the rate of one white man
to two hundred and sixty-eight Indians ! J

* " Our Wild Indians," by Col. R. I. Dodge. Hartford : A. D. Worthington & Co. 1882.

t Major Powell was breveted Lieut. -Colonel U. S. A. for this fight. [EDITOR.]

% The troops lost one officer, and two privates killed, and two private soldiers wounded.

THE MEDICINE FIGHT.

247

The Indians on the Plains, to this day, speak of this con
flict as something mysterious and awful, and although they
have since learned to use breech-loading arms as skilfully as
white men, yet the Sioux and Cheyennes always speak of
the fight as the Medicine Fight, where the "Bad God"
fought against them.

A FRIEND INDEED.

248

CAPTAIN CHARLES KIT

UNITED STATES ARMY.

TRAILING THE APACHES.

I. "A FRIEND INDEED."

SCARCELY any savages have more thoroughly resisted
every effort to civilize them than the Apaches. These
Indians accept, rather sullenly, the beef and bread which
Uncle Sam periodically issues to them ; but when the first
green blade shows itself above the ground, the Apache paints
his face, leaves his tall hat and " store clothes " with his dusky
housekeeper, mounts one of his numerous ponies and sal
lies forth. He carries the latest thing in breech-loaders, the
newest patent in cartridge belts, filled with bright copper
cartridges, and a pass from the agent certifying that " the
bearer, Victorio, is a good Indian." He proceeds leisurely
through the country, with a few boon companions, killing,
burning, and laying waste. They are pursued, but so famil-

249

250

TRAILING THE APACHES.

iar are they with the mountains that it is a long chase and
a stern chase, indeed, before the last marauder is caught ;
and many a gallant soldier loses his life in the vain effort
to perform with one horse what the Indian does not at
tempt without three of the toughest beasts known, or if
necessary does easily on foot. The latest instance of this
kind is the chase of old Geronimo s band in Arizona by that
gallant and lamented officer, Captain Crawford, of the Army.

By the fall of 1874, the Apache War in Arizona had
dwindled to small proportions. For nearly three years
General Crook had kept the entire Fifth Cavalry in scattered
detachments, scouting through the mountains and tracking
the renegades to their lairs. Fghting had been incessant,
the regiment had lost many a valuable officer and man, but
not a single fight, and when the summer of 74 was ushered
in, nearly all the once savage and hostile Apaches were hud
dled together ; some on a reservation far up in the Verde
Valley, while others were similarly guarded at San Carlos,
two hundred miles by the mountain trails to the south-east.
The little garrison of Camp Verde consisted of two troops
of the Fifth Cavalry, " A " and " K," and two companies of
the Eighth Infantry, all under command of a veteran sol
dier, Brevet Colonel J. W. Mason, Fifth Cavalry. Some
of the cavalry were still out on the inevitable scout in the
mountains, to the south-east, but all seemed peaceful around
the post.

Lieutenant King, of the Fifth Cavalry, was at work mak
ing a survey of the military reservation, and was riding
along with his little party of rod-and-chain men one Octo
ber afternoon, when they were startled by the appear-

THE ALARM.

251

ance of some herders coming toward them at full gallop
from the foot-hills. They brought the news that instead of
being all driven off to the south-east or into the Agency,
as was supposed, there was now a band of Apaches raiding
through the valley, far above them, and upon the very bor
ders of the reservation. Taking two of the herdsmen with
him, Lieutenant King rode back to the post, where Colonel
Mason was speedily informed of the news. The first thing

necessary was to communicate with the commanding officer
at the Apache reservation, whose station was twenty miles
up the valley, and the Colonel directed Mr. King to take a
fresh horse, gallop to the Agency, confer with this officer,
who was also acting as Indian Agent, and get twenty
Apache scouts to accompany the troops, which the Colonel
purposed sending out that very night. Long before sun
set, therefore, the Lieutenant was reining in his panting
horse before the shelter of the spreading canvas under
which his regimental comrade, Lieutenant Schuyler, was

252

J^RAILING THE APACHES.

busily at work writing down the statements of some
of his own " reservation police," who had come in to
report that they, too, had found the trail of the raiding"
band, who had driven off some fifty head of cattle
through the Red Rock country to the north-east.
Though some years his junior, Lieutenant Schuyler had
seen much more service against the Apaches than his friend
and statesman," King (they were both New Yorkers),
for the latter had been on other duty until the preceding
winter, and Schuyler had been selected to command this
big reservation because of his long experience among, and
intimate knowledge of, the Apaches. Both of them had
been in the field commanding scouting parties all that
Spring, however, and had been usually successful in find
ing the Indians for whom they were in chase. They were
warm personal friends and generous rivals. Here was
another opportunity for sharp, soldierly work, a chase, a
battle, the recapture of the stolen cattle and the thrashing
of the Indian marauders. General Crook was quick to
appreciate and reward zeal and dash in his young officers,
and both King and Schuyler had already been named by
him to the President for " brevets " for gallant conduct in
these conflicts in the Arizona mountains. Neither of them
would stand in the other s way, yet each was eager for the
command of the force to be sent, as orders were given in
those days "to pursue and punish " the Indians in the case.
The moment Schuyler caught sight of King, he knew that
the story of the raid had already reached Camp Verde,
and that it was to be King s " benefit," not his. All the
same, he gave his comrade every assistance, pointing out to

PREPARING TO MOVE. 353

him that so far from being a day old, as the herders had re
ported, it must have been three days since the stock was
run off, and the Apaches were by this time well up tow
ards Snow Lake on the " divide " of the Mogollon. King

o o

asked for some of the scouts he had had with him in May
and June, but, as bad luck would have it, they were all out
with other commands, down toward the Tonto Basin to
the south-east. Schuyler had nothing to give him but
some Apache-Yumas, whom King had never seen, and even
they were out somewhere on the reservation, and would
have to be hunted up. At sunset, therefore, King re
mounted, and with a parting shake of the hand and " Good
luck to you, Old Man," from his brother lieutenant, hurried
back to Verde, pondering over in his mind all that Schuyler
had told him about the probable course taken by the In
dians, and the best way to nab them.

PREPARING FOR THE SCOUT.

Reaching Verde he found that orders were already issued
by Colonel Mason. Lieutenants King and Eaton, Fifth
Cavalry, with twenty men of troops " K " and " A," and
a like number of Indian scouts were directed to push out
at dawn, go north-eastward, find the trail, " pursue and
punish the Indians." King had a few moments chat with
his colonel over what Schuyler had told him, and then went
off to see the veteran packer, Harry Hawes, who was to go
with the mule train. It was estimated they might be gone
ten or twelve days, and already the men were drawing from
the commissary store-house their supplies of bacon, flour,
coffee, sugar and " hard-tack," while from the ordnance of-

254

TRAILING THE APACHES.

fice were lifted out two solid, heavy little boxes, painted a
dark olive green and labelled, " 1000 Rounds Springfield
Carbine Ball Cartridge Calibre 45." There was no telling
how much of that sort of thing they would need in addition
to the supply each officer and man carried on his person in
the handy " thimble belt." Lieutenant Eaton was quarter
master of the post at the time, and ordinarily would not be
detailed for such duty as scouting, but here was a chance
of finding the Indians close at hand, and having the fight
over and done with in less than a week, so he wanted to go,
and received the Colonel s permission.

Busily at work among the soldiers was an Irish sergeant,
between whom and the cavalry officers, and even men, there
was a deep respect and esteem. He bore the name of
BERNARD TAYLOR, was called " Barney " by the troopers
when off duty, but respectfully addressed as " Sergeant " at
all other times. Both King and Eaton knew him well. He
had been in many a scout and skirmish with the regiment,
and was hailed as a daring, resolute, intelligent man, and a
non-commissioned officer of high merit. He had not waited
for Lieutenant King s return from his forty-mile ride, but
had everything in readiness to report to him on his arrival.
The horses had been carefully inspected, and both they and
the mules were re-shod where the shoes were worn to any
extent. This is an imperative precaution over the Arizona
mountain trails there is no rougher country in the world.
By ten P.M. everything was ready but the scouts. They
had not appeared, and as the lieutenant knew he would
have no great difficulty in overtaking the Indians during
the week, burdened as they were by slow-moving cattle and

SUSPICIO US ALLIES. 2 ^

compelled to follow the beaten trails, he was well content
with the Colonel s orders to let the men have a few hours
sleep before starting. It was his purpose to push up
Beaver Creek in the dark, and scale the mountains from its
head-waters, hiding in the cafions by day and continuing on
the chase at night, so that his coming would be unperceived
even by the wariest of Apache eyes. Late at night the
Apache-Yumas came riding down from the reservation, and
reported to Lieutenant King at his quarters. He and Eaton
looked them over by lantern light and shook their heads.
" No good," said Eaton. There were fifteen of them, under
the leadership of a couple of petty chiefs. An interpreter
came who said that Lieutenant Schuyler wanted the horses
returned at once. They had only been lent to hurry them
down. No mountain Apaches ever did their scouting ex
cept on foot, and the first thing these fellows did was to de
mand that the horses be kept for their benefit. Being re
fused, they began to grumble and then to demand supper,
and were finally marched off to the command in a sullen
mood.

" I ll bet a hat," said Sergeant Taylor, as he watched
them talking in low tones among themselves, " those beg
gars know just who the renegades are and don t want to go
and help find them."

At the first gray of dawn the little command was ready
to start.

FRONTIER UNIFORM.

Let us inspect these frontier soldiers. We look in vain,
with our civilized eyes, for the " pomp and circumstance "

2 5 6

TRAILING THE APACHES.

which one associates with a "regular" in the East at
Washington or New York. Where are the plumes and
pipe-clay? where the dazzling brasses and the faultless cut
of the company tailor? A search in the men s lockers
would doubtless reveal them, snugly packed away for the
next garrison duty. But here another garb, a combination
of experience and the old-clothes bag, is the correct thing.
We may perhaps except the detachment commander. His
clothes are not shabby ; and he can t help being neat, even
when on a " scout." From the top of his low-crowned,
feather-weight, drab, felt hat to the dark-blue flannel shirt,
fastened at the neck with a knotted silk handkerchief, and
the small soft gauntlet which he twirls restlessly in one
hand, the artist as well as the campaigner stands out ; he of
all the party wears closely-fitting cavalry breeches, boots,
spurs, and a cartridge-belt well filled ; an " officer s rifle "
completes a picturesque and useful outfit.

Standing by his horse, a little apart from the men, is
an admirable specimen of the Irish-American soldier. Of
medium stature, very powerfully built, with a frank, bronzed
face, bright blue eyes and close-cut auburn hair and mus
tache (marked in the descriptive list as "sandy "), Sergeant
Bernard Taylor of the Fifth Horse would at a glance be
picked out as one of the best men in the party. His cos
tume, although hardly as natty as that of his superior, is
not less adapted to the nature of the service. A gray felt
sombrero, with upturned brim, is clapped well down on his
head, with a gentle inclination over the right eyebrow ; a
faded lead-colored flannel shirt, open at the neck, gives a
glimpse of a red undershirt ; a plains-man s home-made

SERGEANT TAYLOR S OUTFIT,

257

cartridge-belt, bristling with metallic ammunition, encircles
his waist, with a revolver on one side, balanced on the
other by a keen-bladed hunting-knife ; buckskin breeches,
and well-greased cowhide boots, with huge rowelled Mexi
can spurs, make up the Sergeant s equipment. The short-
limbed, compactly-built, California horse, standing quietly
at his elbow, looks fit for any emergency, and has more than
once shown a clean pair of heels to the enemy, when discre
tion on his rider s part has been the better part of valor ;
the McClellan saddle, stripped of every ounce of unneces
sary leather, and planted well forward on the neatly folded
blanket, the snug sack of barley, like a small section of
stove-pipe resting behind the cantle of the saddle, the
extra girth, all these are signs that mean business.

The rest are more or less similarly accoutred. Hardly a
forage cap, not a sabre, nor a letter or number to tell to
what particular regiment of Uncle Sam s retainers these
bandit-like horsemen belong.

Fording the Verde, they pushed rapidly up the valley
of Beaver Creek, and at night were dragging their horses
after them in a tough foot-climb up the jagged steeps of
the Mogollon. Long before midnight the Indians, who
ought to have served as guides, had dropped hopelessly
behind. " Tired out," they said, and yet, when they want
to, any one of them can out-last the stoutest mountaineer
on a tramp. King, Eaton and Sergeant Taylor led the
way up the heights or down through the dark ravines,
guided only by the stars, and when dawn of the second
day arrived they halted, tired and foot-sore, far up in
the range, and, they believed, undetected.
17

2 5 8

TRAILIA^G THE APACHES.

One thing had occurred to confirm the suspicions of
Sergeant Taylor. Climbing up out of a deep gorge they
came, just before daybreak, to a point from which they
could see the range, far away northward, and there, stand
ing boldly out among the eastern cliffs of the reservation,
casting its glare miles to the eastward, but hidden from the
west, was a huge signal fire, a warning to the enemy that
the soldiers were coming. King sent back to the rear for
his scouts and silently pointed to the distant blaze as they
were finally huddled before him. One and all they denied
all knowledge of it, but declared they could not keep up
" Soldiers go too fast." Warned that the first one caught
at anything that might betray the presence of the com
mand would be summarily shot, they were herded down to
the next ravine, where the day was spent in resting in con
cealment.

The next night the command marched rapidly through
a wild and beautiful table-land, far up in the mountains,
among pine, juniper and scrub oak. Here nothing could
keep the Indians along with the column. Two of them
swore they were sick, and both the officers felt certain that
they knew the troops were rapidly nearing the position of
the " hostiles," and dared not be with them. One of them
was so cold and abject an object that the Lieutenant or
dered him to mount a spare mule. He did so, fell asleep,
rolled off and nearly cracked his skull. Eaton picked him
up, unconscious, and plastered the crack as well as he could
by starlight, and then, leaving the Indian in charge of two
of his demoralized comrades, the little column pushed
ahead. When they reached the banks of Snow Lake, far

A HOT TRAIL.

2 59

up on the plateau, only nine of the scouts were left. Two
had deserted and gone no one knew whither.

The actions of the entire gang were so unlike those of
all the other scouts with whom the two officers had dealt
in the past that they became thoroughly distrustful of
them. They kept protesting to Lieutenant King that no
Apaches could be in the vicinity, but their very volubility
convinced him they were lying, and excited his wrath. It
had grown sharply cold so far up among the mountains, that
the water froze in the canteens at night, and the Indians
complained bitterly of the hardships. But on the dawn
of October 31, King and Sergeant Taylor, scouting out
in front, came upon recent Apache signs in the sand of a
little gully ; more than that, they were soon on the track of
the captured cattle. That very evening, down in a broad
depression, they came in sight of the chase, and, leaving
their skulking allies to look out for themselves, the little
troop rode headlong down the slopes, and while some
"rounded up" the frightened cattle, King, Eaton and
most of the men rushed on in pursuit of the Apaches, who
had scattered into the hills. Darkness put an end to that,
however, and they had to wait until the scouts came up.

Leaving a guard with the cattle, King and his men
again set forth about nine P.M., and found themselves,
about one in the morning, in the defile known as Sunset
Pass, where they bivouacked for the night. Their orders
were to " pursue and punish." They had pursued, but up
to this moment had inflicted no punishment. Both officers
were confident that they would find the Apaches lurking
in the mountains north or south of the Pass, and were de-

2 6o TRAILING THE APACHES.

termined to have it out with them ; but the scouts pro
tested that as soon as it was dark the Tontos must have
doubled on their track and gone back towards Snow Lake.
At dawn, King ordered them out to search the neighbor
hood for signs. They were in a rocky ravine, through
which there trickled a tiny stream that formed little pools
here and there, from which they watered their horses.
South rose a rugged mountain, covered with tangled shrub
bery and boulders. Northward lay another, and between
them curled and twisted the old trail leading to the Sunset
Crossing of the Colorado Chiquito, twenty miles away.
The Indians sullenly obeyed, but huddled nervelessly to
gether, making only faint pretence of search, and inces
santly protesting, " No Tonto here."

" THICK AS LEAVES."

Suddenly there came a shout from down the ravine.
Some of the men, in hunting about, had come finally on
a pool with sandy shores, and there, thick as leaves,
were the fresh prints of Tonto moccasons. The scouts
were fairly driven to the spot by the officers, and con
fronted with the evidences of their worthlessness. Then
came the hurried consultations. It was evident that after
filling their water-vessels the Tontos had taken to the
mountains, south of the Pass, and King determined to fol
low at once. Eaton, with the main body, was ordered to
remain a short distance in rear, while the commander, with
Sergeant Taylor, should force the scouts ahead and find
the trail up the rocky slopes. White men could not do it
unaided, and there were a dozen ways in which the Indians

"HEAP TONTO SIGN." 2 6l

might have gone. Damning them for their cowardice and
treachery, King warned the scouts that they might expect a
shot from either himself or Taylor if they lied again, or
dered them out in dispersed line across the slope, and then,
pointing upward, gave the word " Ugashe " (go ahead),
and he and Taylor followed at their heels.

The ardent officer soon found himself and the Sergeant
far in advance of the more slowly moving detachment. In
a few minutes both stood upon a great flat rock, jutting
out from the precipice, and covered with huge boulders,
relics of some early upheaval ; above them, the great cliff
reared its forbidding front, black and seamed with the
storms of ages ; below, the mountain side fell away in
mingled forest and ravine and rushing torrent.

Looking around for some outlet to the spot, for he was
convinced the hostiles were lurking near, the Lieutenant
sent the Sergeant in one direction, while he cautiously glided
into the underbrush in an attempt to flank the position. A
moment later something whizzed by his head and buried
itself deep in a tree. He had found the hornet s nest ! In
another moment he felt a sharp burning sensation as an
other dart, better aimed, cut through the muscles at the
outer corner of his left eye and flew down toward the cow
ardly scouts, who, at the sound of the first arrow, had taken
to their heels.

A HORNET S NEST.

To jump behind a convenient rock was but the work of a
moment for the bleeding but not seriously injured officer.
With carbine at " ready," he eagerly watched for the game.

262 TRAILING THE APACHES.

He had not long to wait. Another arrow sped by his head
from the left, and like lightning his rifle was at his shoulder;
a sharp report followed, and one of two dark forms crouch
ing in his front dropped out of sight. Ere he could reload,
a volley came from the same direction, his carbine dropped
from his hand, and his right arm, pierced by a bullet, hung
nerveless by his side, while down the wounded limb the
warm life-blood poured.

In such situations men must think quickly. He must
run for it. Could he hold out until he reached his men,
whom he knew were even then springing forward to his
relief? All this passed through the gallant fellow s mind,
in a second. In another he was springing down the side of
the hill with the yelling red devils after him, but moving
more slowly, as they did not expect any friends in that
direction.

The breathless and fast weakening soldier hardly needs the
obstruction of a tough, clinging vine to send him headlong
eight or ten feet down, where, bruised and nearly senseless,
he lies. But one thought is uppermost. They shall not
take him alive without another shot. He fumbles for his
revolver and what is that ? Upon his ear comes a familiar
sound. It is the Sergeant calling his name. " Lieutenant !
Lieutenant ! where are ye ? "

" Here ! Sergeant," faintly replies the wounded man.

The Sergeant took in the situation at a glance. In a mo
ment he had picked up his officer (who held on with one arm
round the soldier s neck) and was getting over the ground
in true mountaineer fashion.

When King fell, the Apaches for a few moments lost his

SA VING HIS OFFICER S LIFE. 2 6l

"^ J

trail, but now they came tearing after the fugitives. Every
few yards Sergeant Taylor would stop and send a reminder
from his carbine that his arms were all right, and twice a
Tonto measured his length on the rocks. But the gallant
Irishman was getting winded, and King, fearing that both
would lose their lives, urged, implored, ORDERED his com
panion to leave him and save himself.

But the Sergeant was not that sort of man ! To leave
any white human being much less the officer whom he
loved and respected to the mercy of those howling fiends
was not to be thought of for an instant. He knew what
that meant, death by torture, with which the cruelties of
the Spanish Inquisition pale by contrast. The shots now
came more frequently, they came closer, and arrows mingled
with the leaden shower.

At last, just as Sergeant Taylor s strength has nearly
given out with the weight and the pace, sounds of crashing
bushes and excited voices are heard, and

" Here come the boys, sir ! " is the welcome shout which
rings in the Lieutenant s ear as he loses consciousness.

In a quarter of an hour the affair is over. Several of the
Apaches have gone to the happy hunting-grounds of their
people, and the command is resting in a picturesque nook.
Lieutenant King s wound is not beyond the rough surgery
of old campaigners, of whom there are not a few in the
command. Fortunately, the ball had avoided the arteries
and the bones. Cold-water applications, careful bandaging,
some strong coffee, and as soft a bed of blankets as could
be made, went far towards bracing the disabled cavalryman
for the ride back to his post. And although suffering

264

TRAILING THE APACHES.

much, the first thing he did upon his arrival was to dictate
an official report, in which Sergeant Taylor s conduct came
in for conspicuous mention and recommendation to the
military authorities. None realized better than the Lieu
tenant that, but for Taylor s pluck and perseverance, to
some other pen would have fallen this professional duty.

It was for this act of daring and devotion that Sergeant
BERNARD TAYLOR was named for and awarded the Medal

of Honor, and in the skirmish up the height Corporal
BRYAN SMITH and Private FRANK BIFFAR were named for
conspicuous conduct.

Taylor was a typical Irishman, brave, intelligent, full of
high spirit and pride in his regiment.

He was a fine rider, a quick shot, a gallant and enthusias
tic trooper, and never more thoroughly in his element than
in the rough mountain scouting, in which the Fifth spent
so many stirring years. Poor fellow ! he lived only a few

DECORATED AA D DESERVING.

265

brief months, and died at Verde, just before the regiment
started on its homeward march.

SERGEANT JOHN NIHII.L,

FIFTH U. S. ARTILLERY.

II. THREE TO ONE.

Frequently the force sent after the hostile Indians is
small, but that it gains in quality what it lacks in quantity
appears from the story of Private JOHN NlHILL, " F," 5th
U. S. Cavalry, a soldier who won a Medal of Honor for his
good conduct in the Whetstone Mountains, Arizona, July
13, 1872, and upon other occasions.

He has since become a sergeant in Battery " B," 5th U.

?,.

266

SERGEANT NIH1LL S ADVENTURE.

267

S. Artillery, and at the Editor s request gives the follow
ing account of one of his adventures :*

" During the Summer of 1872, the troop to which I then
belonged ( F, 1 Fifth Cavalry) was stationed at Camp
Crittenden, A. To, which at that time was the most ex
treme Southern post in Arizona. The post was situated
at the base of the Santa Rita Mountains, which at that
time was a favorite resort of the Chiricahua Apaches, in
their raids through Southern Arizona.

"In the Summer of 1872, the Apaches committed more
depredations in the vicinity of Camp Crittenden than in
any other part of the territory, and we were poorly pre
pared to return the compliment, having only the one troop
at the post, three-fourths of whom were sick with chills and
fever, and unable to perform any duties, so that a sufficient
force could not be sent out against them, to punish them in
their favorite haunts. Still, Lieutenant Hall, the post com
mander, did all that possibly could be done, under the cir
cumstances, to afford protection to the settlers in the vi
cinity of the post.

" Indian alarms were daily occurrences, so that it was noth
ing new, when, on the morning of July 13, 1872, a Mexican
ranchman, who lived about two miles from the post, came
in at daylight and reported that during the night a party

* MEDALS WON BY SERGEANT JOHN NIHILL, " B," sth U. S. ARTILLERY. (See Portrait.}
The medals on the right and left, respectively, of the Medal of Honor are &lt;i) the De
partment of the East, " Skirmisher Medal," and (2) Division of the Atlantic, " First Silver
Medal," won at Creedmoor, Sept., 1885. The medal under the first named is (3) the
" Battery Medal," to be won three years in succession before becoming the property of
the winner; won successively 1884, 1885 and 1886 by the wearer. The medals under the
Medal of Honor are (4) a " Marksman s Pin " and (5) a " Sharpshooter s Cross." The one
on the left of the cross is (6) the Division of the Missouri " Silver Medal," won at Fort
Leavenworth, Sept. 27, 1882. (For Nihill s Certificate of Merit, see p. 266.)

2 68 TRAILING THE APACHES.

of Indians who had a lot of stolen cattle in their posses
sion had passed by his ranch at a quick gait. Immediately
a detail of eight men, including the First Sergeant, under
command of Lieutenant Hall, started in pursuit.

"The trail was found within 600 yards of the post, and as
it had been raining the day before, the ground was soft,
so that there was little difficulty in following it while in
the open country.

" The trail headed towards the Whetstone Mountains,
which were distant about fifteen miles, south-east from the
post.

" We travelled as rapidly as the nature of the ground
would permit, hoping to overhaul them before they reached
the mountains.

" Several times the trail was lost, owing to it leading over
rough, rocky ground, but as the majority of us had more or
less experience in trailing, we would soon recover it again.

" When we reached the mountains our progress was nec
essarily slow, as the Indians had in several instances split
up, so as to throw us off the trail, but they invariably
came together again at some given point.

" Late in the afternoon we passed some cattle that the In
dians abandoned in a deep ravine, as they were thoroughly
exhausted and unable to travel any farther. This caused
us to make as much haste as possible, as we knew they
would strike into some of the deep caftons in the moun
tains, where it would be almost impossible to follow them.

" About two miles from where we passed the cattle, the
trail led into a deep caflon, where we had the greatest dif-

MOUNTAIN FIG HIDING.

269

ficulty in following it, and then could only do so by dis
mounting and leading our horses.

" We had advanced in this manner about one mile into the
cafion, when we were suddenly attacked by about forty
Indians, who were concealed behind rocks on one side of
the canon, and about 800 feet above us. The side of the
ravine where the Indians had taken up their position was
almost vertical, so that it was almost impossible to get a
shot at them.

" At the time the Indians made the attack I was following
the trail of some who had gone up the opposite side of the
cafion. I was about 75 or 100 yards to the right of and in
advance of the rest of the party. I took up a position be
hind a small tree, which had a fork about five feet from the
ground ; in this fork I rested my carbine to steady it. I
watched for every opportunity to fire at an Indian, but
they were so well concealed behind rocks that it was
almost impossible to catch more than a fleeting glance of
them, as they ran from one position to another.

" During this time, some of Lieutenant Hall s party were
wounded, as also some of his horses, and to make matters
worse, the Indians commenced to roll rocks down from
the top of the cliffs ; these came down with such force and
noise that the horses became almost unmanageable.

" It was then that Lieutenant Hall made up his mind to
retreat, and gave the men orders to do so, the First Sergeant
and himself taking the post of danger, in rear, and giv
ing the wounded men the chance to get out first.

" When the order was given to retreat I was watching
a chance to get a shot at an Indian who was dodging behind

2/0

TRAILING THE APACHES.

the rocks on the opposite side of the canon. I did not no
tice that I was being left behind until my party had got
a considerable distance ahead of me.

" However, I started to catch up to them. I was dis
mounted, with the bridle-rein over my arm, and my car
bine in readiness for whatever might turn up. After I had
gone about 300 yards I was fired at by an Indian, but the
gun (a muzzle-loader) missed fire, and before he could make
a second attempt I fired and dropped him.

" In the mean time, three others rushed down the side of
the canon, with the intention of cutting me off from the
remainder of my party. One of these stopped long enough
to shoot at me, but missed, and I returned his fire, and was
fortunate enough to bring him down also. The other two
concealed themselves behind rocks, directly in front of me.
I turned my horse loose, and drove him ahead to try and
draw the fire of the Indians. I moved about 30 or 40 yards
to the right of my horse, making as little noise as possible ;
when my horse got within about 30 yards of them, they
came crawling around the rocks to the side where they were
exposed to me, and just as soon as they discovered me I
fired, killing one ; the other jumped into a ravine and I
saw him no more. I kept on and rejoined my party, who
were waiting at the mouth of the canon.

" We marched that night to old Camp Wallen, an aban
doned post on the south side of the Whetstone Mountains,
on a tributary of the San Pedro River. We made the
wounded as comfortable as the circumstances would permit,
and next day marched back to Camp Crittenden.

" A few days afterwards we went back with all the men

THREE TO ONE.

271

that could be spared from the post, but did not find any
Indians.

" In the latter trip, Lieutenant Stewart went along.
About one month afterwards he was killed in Davidson s
Canon, with Corporal Black, while going in with the mail to
Tucson, and in a short time afterwards Sergeant Stewart,

Corporal Nation, and Privates Carr and Walsh, were killed
about two miles from the post, in the Sonoita Valley.

" The Indians got to be so bad that when we went
to * stables, morning and evening, we took our arms
along and kept them in the stalls while grooming.

"The post was abandoned in January, 1873, and all the
property removed to New Camp Grant, where we took post."

Corporal Nihill s account is corroborated by the following
extract from, the official report of Lieutenant W. P. Hall,
Fifth Cavalry :

272 TRAILING THE APACHES.

" On the 1 3th of July, 1872, I was in command of a
party of eight men of Troop F, Fifth Cavalry, and fol
lowing a fresh Indian trail, which led into a deep canon
in the Whetstone Mountains, .Arizona Territory. My
party was attacked by about forty Indians, who were con
cealed behind rocks. Private Nihill was a flanker to my
party and about 200 yards on my right ; four Indians en
deavored to cut him off from the rest of the party, who
were unable to go to his assistance ; his horse was badly
wounded ; he, however, made his way through them, kill
ing three Indians. He brought out his horse, and acted
throughout in a gallant and praiseworthy manner."

III. THE APACHE CAMPAIGN OF 1885.

The following is the statement of Private SYLVESTER
GROVER, Troop " C," 4th Cavalry, who received a Certifi
cate of Merit for the affair which is, as nearly as possible,
related in his own words :

" In October, 1885, I was stationed at Lang s Ranch, N.
M., directly on the line of the Pan Handle of New Mexico
and the Mexican State of Chihuahua. On the Qth of that
month I was ordered, with Private Hickman, Troop F,
4th Cavalry, to carry despatches which had arrived from
Captain Crawford, in Mexico, to General Crook, at Fort
Bowie, A. T.

" We left about 1 1 o clock A.M. and put up for the night
at a ranch about forty miles from our starting-point.

" Next morning, before daybreak, we started off, and trav
elled at good speed towards Cow Boy Pass. The country
through which we passed is perfectly level, except piles of

PRIVATE GROVER S "CLOSE CALL." ^--

rocks called Mai Fais, with which the plain is covered and
through which the road winds. None of these piles are
more than the height of a man and horse, and we had a
good view of the country around us and had no idea that
any hostile Indians were in the vicinity, as the last we heard
of them located them below the National Boundary.

" About 9 o clock, A.M., while passing near one of these
rock piles, we were suddenly fired upon by about fourteen
Indians, who. upon delivering the fire, suddenly rose up
around us.

" Hickman fell at once from his horse, dead, as I found out
afterwards. My horse dashed away with me and got about
five hundred yards when he fell dead. I dragged myself
from the saddle, got the despatches out of the saddle-bags,
and with my carbine crawled to a pile of rocks about
twenty yards off.

" I could see part of the Indians chasing Hickman s horse,
and the rest followed me up on foot.

" I opened fire on them at once, and held them at bay.
They did not know that I was wounded, and to that fact
I undoubtedly owe my life.

"After the Indians caught Hickman s horse they all made
a break at me. I fired as fast as my wounds would let me,
and at last had the satisfaction of seeing them leave
toward the mountains, which gave me a chance to look at
my wounds. I found that I was shot through the fleshy
part of the thigh, below the hip, and through the left wrist
and hand.

" For over two hours and a half I was lying under a

burning sun, without water, and I felt that my last mo-
18

274 TRAILING THE APACHES.

ments were coming, when I saw a wagon approaching.
With it were seven citizens, some of whom were discharged
Government scouts and packers.

" I called out as well as I could, and managed to make
them hear me at last. They stopped, brought me water,
washed my wounds, and made me as comfortable as possi
ble, and brought me to the Post Hospital, at Fort Bowie.

" Hickman was shot in seven places. The Indians did not
mutilate his body, only took off his belts.

" My horse was shot four times, one shot passing through
his body.

" I have since recovered entirely from my wounds, and,
through the recommendation of my captain, have been
awarded a * Certificate of Merit by the President of the
United States."

This is a short, concise statement of the affair, which was
really very desperate. The man is very quiet and modest,
and not inclined to talk much about it, and does not think
that there was very much in it.

The affidavits which accompanied the recommendation
give more of the latter part, after the citizens came up.

Grover is about twenty-seven years old and has been a
soldier about seven years. [EDITOR.]

SERGEANT JOHN HARRINGTON,

THIRD U. S. CAVALRY.

A SPARTAN BAND.*

THE year 1874 was an eventful one in the history of
the border. The Cheyennes, resident in the Indian
Territory, the most warlike and powerful of the south
western Indians, had for a long time been restive, and as
soon as the grass had sufficiently matured to subsist their
ponies, many of the younger warriors of the tribe, thirsting
for blood and glory, formed themselves into bands and set
forth upon predatory incursions into Southern Kansas and
Colorado.

With their faces painted, dressed in barbaric costumes,
and mounted on fleet ponies, these parties penetrated Kansas
to the northern part of the Arkansas River, poured into

* This chapter has been contributed by Captain J. S. Payne, U. S. A. (late sth U. S.
Cavalry), who participated in the Indian campaign of 1874, and is familiar with the
episodes described.

276

IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

277

south-eastern Colorado, and swarming about the defiles of
the Rocky Mountains, lighted their camp-fires almost at
the entrance to the famous Raton Pass. They killed cattle,
stole horses and mules, burned ranches, and when they
returned to their villages, there to narrate their exploits to
the squaws and old men, more than one brave carried at
his girdle the reeking scalp of a hated " pale face." Of
course this whetted the savage appetite, and the warlike
feeling soon manifesting itself amongst the neighboring
tribes, the Kiowas, Comanches and Arapahoes, a general
Indian war resulted. In August, a large force of cavalry
and infantry, under the command of General Nelson A.
Miles, then colonel of the 5th Infantry, was assembled at
Camp Supply, Indian Territory, which point it left
the iQth of that month ; its object being the pursuit,
capture, or defeat of the large Indian force that, as had
been ascertained by scouts, was at that time located some
where near the Antelope Hills, on the banks of the Cana
dian River. The Summer of 1874 was intensely warm, and
no rain had fallen throughout that region since early Spring,
so that the streams, even the large ones that traversed the
Indian Territory and the " Pan Handle " of Texas, were
dry, or nearly so. The troops and animals, in consequence,
suffered greatly from thirst, but the column was pushed
steadily on, until, after many a weary march through chok
ing alkali dust and beneath the fierce, pitiless rays of a
southern midsummer sun, a broad Indian trail was struck
on the Sweetwater and relentlessly followed. Our march
on the 2Qth of August was long and toilsome, but when

2 7 8

A SPARTA 2V BAND.

evening came we saw the promise of success before us. We
had crossed the wide flat plateau south of Ash Creek, and
had reached its southern border, where it broke off into
ravines, deep valleys and precipitous knolls, covered with rich
verdure. Just as the long column was about to descend
into the valley below, and as our eyes were resting with a
keen sense of pleasure upon this picturesque, involuted
landscape, brightened and beautified by the last rays of the
rapidly sinking sun, great clouds of dust arose before us,
and we knew that at last our game was within reach.

We camped in the valley that night, and early next
morning, near Red River, defeated them with loss in war
riors and camp equipage, and pursued them to the far
famed Llano Estacado, or Staked Plain of Texas. We had
been marching in light order, and now awaited the arrival
of our supply train. Having remained in camp until the
7th of September, and without news from our train, it be
came evident that the savages had cut our line of communi
cation, and consequently the command was forced to retrace
its steps. The loth found us in camp on McClellan Creek,
and here an event occurred so well indicating the boldness
and skill of an Indian warrior, that I must ask leave to
place it on record in this place. The troops were en
camped among several knolls that overlooked the valley of
the creek I have named. The tired horses were out graz
ing on the rich bunch-grass growing on the hill-sides, and as
the command was dependent upon game for subsistence
several large parties were out hunting buffalo, which were
numerous in that country at the time.

PE TIT JOHN SCALPED.

A BOLD EXPLOIT.

About one o clock in the afternoon, whilst a number of
officers were seated upon the top of a knoll, some one had
called attention to two soldiers who were just leaving
camp, mounted, en route up the valley, and the remark had
just been made that it was dangerous for so small a party
to leave the command, when a body of mounted men sud
denly appeared upon a high hill, further up the stream.
They disappeared almost instantly, and whilst we were
discussing the question whether they were Indians or a
hunting party of soldiers, our attention was again attracted
to the two soldiers before mentioned, who had now pro
ceeded to a point some five hundred yards from camp.
The point of a bluff ran quite close to the creek at the spot
the two soldiers then were, the valley narrowing to a
hundred yards or less. Just as the leading man was about
to turn the spur of the bluff, an Indian, mounted on a gray
pony, was seen by us though unseen by the soldier com
ing at full speed around the point. He was followed at
short distances by several others. There was no time to
give warning. In a moment the leading warrior was
around the bluff, and raising his rifle he fired upon the ad
vancing trooper, breaking the latter s right arm. The brave s
lance was instantly in rest, and rushing upon his helpless
foe, he ran him through, hurled him from his horse, and,
dismounting, tore away the bleeding scalp of his victim, and
flaunting it in our very faces, mounted and was gone. The
other soldier had only his revolver, which he emptied with
the effect to keep the other savages at bay. Pursuit was

2 8o A SPARTAN BAND.

made, of course, but so weary were our animals it was un
availing, and poor Petit John was unavenged.

From the camp on McClellan Creek, General Miles found
it necessary to send despatches to Camp Supply, and for this
important mission a select party of six men was detailed.
It comprised the following soldiers of the 6th Cavalry :
Sergeant Z. T. WooDALL, Privates JOHN HARRINGTON,
PETER ROTH, and GEORGE W. SMITH, of troops " I,"
" H," " A," and " M," respectively, and Citizen Scouts WlL-
LIAM DIXON and AMOS CHAPMAN. The enlisted men
wore the summer scouting uniform, light blue trowsers
re-enforced with white canvas, dark blue flannel shirt, soft
black felt hat, and top boots. Their blouses and overcoats
were rolled on their saddles, and they carried neither shelter
tents nor blankets. Dixon and Chapman were dressed in
buckskin trowsers, ornamented with fringe, dark flannel
shirts with sailor collars, and each wore moccasons and
broad-brimmed white-felt hats. Every man carried rifle,
revolver and two hundred rounds of ammunition ; a hunting-
knife stuck in each man s belt. The duty demanded cool
ness and courage, and braver men were never selected for
desperate service. The country was infested by savages.
They were to be looked for at every stream ; every clump
of trees might be an ambuscade ; in every ravine danger
and sudden death might lurk. But these brave fellows,
fully realizing their peril, received their final orders,
mounted their good horses and cheerily set forth, followed
by the best of wishes, and at the same time the feelings of
deepest apprehension, entertained by their comrades and
officers.

S/X G ALLAN? CAl ALlhRS. 2 8l

The red September sun was still shining across the gentle
undulations of the prairie as the party left camp, but it
soon sank in gorgeous splendor behind the purple hills, and
the sombre shades of night fell softly upon the vast plain.
Deep down in the darkening shadows of the great cotton-
wood trees that fringed McClellan Creek rode our brave
adventurers ; not foolhardy, reckless men, but each confident
of himself and of his companions, and resolutely prepared
to encounter every danger. After several hours march the
party camped for the night, and at early dawn were again
in the saddle. Between the rising and the setting sun of
the nth they travelled nearly fifty miles, and when over
taken by darkness sought a secluded spot for the night.

And now, before daylight of the I2th, our troopers are
again on their way, riding swiftly across the great plain.
The morning star has sunk to the very verge of the hori
zon and shines there like a ball of silver ; the stars over
head are beginning " to pale their ineffectual fires " before
the rising sun, whose advent is heralded in the east, first
by a faint, uncertain glow, followed by rosy gleams of
brightness. Then the clouds take to themselves the gor
geous tints of the morning, increasing in beauty until a
flood of primrose radiance pours upon the scene, and then,
sending forth in advance long shafts of light, the Day-god
leaps above the horizon, and soars aloft in luminous splen
dor. The dew-drops glisten like diamonds ; all is quiet,
serene and beautiful in that great solitude. Not much is
said by the members of the party as they speed along, for
at such times men are not much given to speech. Nothing
is heard save the steady tramp, tramp of the horses feet,

282 A SPARTAN BAND.

pressing the dewy sward, the occasional rattle of carbine
against stirrup or saddle, or the sweet note of lark or
thrush.

"FRIENDS OR FOES?"

On, on they ride, now descending into an arroya, where
all surrounding objects are hidden from view, now ascend
ing an acclivity, now crossing a divide, and again straight
as the crow flies, traversing a dead flat. Every eye is on
the lookout, every ear alert, yet no sound has disturbed
them, no suspicious object has been seen. But they are
riding into the toils, and one of them is going to his death.
The dew on grass and flower was dry, and the sun was float
ing two hours above the sea of grass, when, as the party
ascended a slight eminence, Chapman, whose eye was like
an Indian s, said, " Boys, we are in luck ; there is the advance
guard of the wagon train," and he pointed to the north
east, where there was soon disclosed, to the full view of the
whole party, a number of horsemen. They were riding in a
body, and it was this circumstance that induced the belief
that they were soldiers.

But the meeting so soon to take place was not destined
to be of the friendly and agreeable kind anticipated. The
practised eyes of Chapman and Dixon, ever on the alert,
soon saw, from certain movements amongst the advancing
party, that they were Indians, and as Indians, at that time
and place, meant deadly enemies, everything was got ready
for the approaching combat. A. brief halt was made, arms
and ammunition carefully examined, and saddle girths
looked to. The advance guard of the Indians, for such

READY FOR THE FRAY.

283

turned out to be the party first discovered, was now fol
lowed by a much more numerous body, which deployed to
the right and left of the trail. They were now within
half a mile, and as they rode forward in the sunlight it was
easy to distinguish their brightly colored blankets and
their war-bonnets, whose long trailing plumes of eagles
feathers floated softly on the breeze. Indeed, they pre
sented at this moment a striking and beautiful barbaric
picture that our soldier friends, however, had neither the
time nor inclination to admire. The point where the In
dians were encountered was midway between Gageby
Creek and the Washita River, Texas. The country in the
vicinity was high, undulating prairie, presenting, however,
few spots suitable for defence. Hills and valleys followed
each other in succession, and here and there was an arroya
or ravine, affording some slight cover. Timber there was
none, and whatever position the little band of white men
might take would be open to assault, front, flank, and rear,
as well as exposed to fire from every direction at long range.
But they were ready for the fray, and right nobly on this
September day did they maintain the high reputation of
their race for heroic courage and patient fortitude in the
face of what seemed to them inevitable death. Capture
meant torture, and of course there was no word or thought
of surrender. Escape was impossible, so with brave hearts
these gallant men went to the encounter. And now that
the moment of conflict has come I will let one of the par
ticipants in this memorable border fight (Private Harring
ton) tell the story in his own way.

He says: " Between us and the Indians was a good-sized

28 4

A SPARTAN BAND.

ravine, to which we advanced and rode into, they being
still on the opposite side. We had scarcely time to dis
mount and leave the horses in charge of Smith, before they
were on us from all sides ; we sought what shelter we could
on the sides of the ravine, and while we were doing so,
Smith was shot through the arm, compelled to abandon
the horses, and join us. About twenty-five Indians then
charged down the ravine and stampeded our horses, taking
all but one. Concluding that things were getting too
warm for us and that we would have to find some better
position, we formed a skirmish line and fell back, the one
horse left by the Indians following us. An Indian at
tempted to capture him, when Sergeant Woodall turned
and fired, and the Indian fell.

" We again retreated in skirmish line, receiving their fire
from all directions. Whenever we attempted to secure a
knoll or other vantage ground, the Indians would be ahead
of us in such numbers as to make us change our direction.
None of us even expected to get out of the fray alive, with
such fearful odds against us, but all determined to die hard
and make the best fight possible. We continued our skir
mishing, and whenever a shelter was secured, took what
little rest we could until driven out by renewed attacks.

" At every halt, the Indians, dismounted, would surround
us, closing in from all sides. The medicine man, deco
rated with buffalo horns and an immense head-dress of eagle
feathers reaching to his horse s tail, looking like the Devil
himself, tried to force them to charge over us ; each time
as they circled in to within about twenty-five yards, we
would jump up, yell, and run toward those in our rear.

WITCHING HORSEMANSHIP. 285

The Indians could not fire for fear of hitting their own
party, but would open out and allow us to pass through
their line, firing at us as we went through.

" It seems almost impossible that we should have received
their fire, as long as we did, without serious injury ; but it
could not go on so forever. We kept up these tactics
until about four o clock in the afternoon. The medicine
man, now the only mounted one of their party, kept riding
around us all the time, getting bolder and firing his pistol
when he came in range. Chapman, the scout, said not to
mind him, for he couldn t hit anything, but at last he came
within about twenty yards, when Scout Dixon fired at him,
after which we saw no more of the bold * medicine man.

" By this time we were about fagged out, and our ammu
nition, of which we had two hundred rounds per man in
the morning, nearly exhausted. Determining to make
one last stand, we broke for a small knoll on the top of
which was a buffalo wallow. While attempting to gain this
position, Smith was again shot and fell, mortally wounded.
Woodall was shot in the groin, and I in the hip. All
gained the knoll but Smith."

WITCHING HORSEMANSHIP.

Sergeant Woodall writes (from his station, Fort Cum-
mings, N. M., August I, 1886) of the clever tactics of the
Indians, as follows : "At this stage we were eye-witnesses
to some of the most magnificent feats of horsemanship that
could not be equalled by any like number of men in the
world, rising readily from the stirrups while the horses
were in rapid motion, and standing erect on the backs of their

286 A SPARTAN BAND.

animals while they delivered their fire, and then instantly
dropping, as if shot, into the stirrups, swinging tnemselves
rapidly under their horses bellies, in which position they
could easily aim and fire. These tactics were continued
by them for some time. There was one spot on the prairie
where the grass stood over five feet high. Toward this
place the Indians would ride as fast as their ponies could
go, and I noticed every time any of the men fired at an
Indian near this place the latter would drop as if hit, while
their ponies would continue on until finally caught by some
of the squaws. Fully twenty of them dropped in this man
ner, leading us to believe that they were all hit. Nothing
more was seen of them for about an hour, during which our
attention was engaged in an opposite direction by another
party of Indians, who repeatedly charged us, eventually forc
ing us from our position. In moving to higher ground we
approached the bunch of tall grass, before referred to, near
which we had seen so many Indians drop. We got within
fifty yards when a line of Indians suddenly sprang up, pre
senting as good a skirmish line as any body of soldiers
could form, and poured a murderous fire on the party, kill
ing Smith and severely wounding Amos Chapman, Har
rington and myself."

CHAPMAN S HEROISM.

Once within the slight protection of the buffalo wallow
a moment s respite came. It was now known that Woodall,
Harrington, and Roth had been wounded, and Smith, who
had fallen outside, was thought to be dead. In a little
while, however, he was seen to move, and these brave men

CHAPMAN TO 77/ A SCC&gt; .

287

at once thought of his peril. How was it to be done?
The Indians were about them on all sides. To leave him
where he was, was certain death ; to attempt his rescue
seemed almost as certain destruction to him who should
attempt the gallant feat. The heroic Chapman volunteered
for the attempt, and I will let him tell the story of his
noble act in his own quaint and graphic way. Turning to
his comrades the brave scout said : " Now, boys, keep those
infernal red-skins off of me, and I will run down and pick up
Smith, and bring him back before they can get at me."
Laying down his rifle, he sprang out of the buffalo wallow,
ran with all speed to Smith, seized and attempted to shoulder
him.

" Did any of you ever try to shoulder a wounded man?"
asked Chapman, when telling the story. " Smith was
not a large man, one hundred and sixty or seventy
pounds, but I declare to you that he seemed to weigh a
ton. Finally I laid down and got his chest across my back,
and his arms around my neck, and then got up with him.
It was as much as I could do to stagger under him, for
he couldn t help himself a bit. By the time I had got
twenty or thirty yards, about fifteen Indians came for me
at full speed of their ponies. They all knew me, and
yelled, Amos ! Amos ! We have got you now ! I
pulled my pistol, but I couldn t hold Smith on my back
with one hand, so I let him drop The boys in the buffalo
wallow opened on the Indians just at the right time, and I
opened on them with my pistol. There was a tumbling of
ponies, and a scattering of Indians, and in a minute they
were gone. I got Smith up again and made the best possi-

2 88 A SPARTAN BAND.

ble time, but before I could reach the wallow another gang-
came for me. I had only one or two shots in my pistol, so
I didn t stop to fight, but ran for it. When I was in about
twenty yards of the wallow, a little old scoundrel that
I had fed fifty times, rode almost on to me and fired.
I fell, with Smith on top of me, but as I didn t feel
pain, I thought I had stepped into a hole. The Indians
couldn t stay around there a minute ; the boys kept it red-
hot ; so I jumped up, picked up Smith, and got safe into
the wallow. Amos, said Dixon, you are badly hurt/
No, I am not, said I. Why, look at your leg; and
sure enough, the leg was shot off just above the ankle joint,
and I had been walking on the bone, dragging the foot be
hind me, and in the excitement I never knew it, nor have I
ever had any pain in my leg to this day."

IN DESPERATE STRAITS.

Fierce indeed had been the conflict, and desperate seemed
the situation of the beleaguered party. Every species of
Indian strategy had been used to subdue their spirit and
accomplish their overthrow, but undaunted by the dangers
surrounding them, the brave fellows proceeded to do what
was best, under the circumstances, and make the most of
the one chance for life now left them ; i. e., hold their posi
tion until Miles, marching back along the trail, should bring
deliverance. With their knives and hands they dug deeper
their little fort, some working whilst the others, keeping vig
ilant watch, fired at such Indians as came within easy range.
The savages, Kiowas and Comanches, the finest and bold
est horsemen in the world, again resorted to their favorite

"FAITHFUL UA TO DEATH." 289

tactics. Mounted on their fleet ponies, they would circle
around the rifle-pit, coming nearer and nearer with each cir
cuit, and firing as they rode. But still undaunted, the white
men held the red devils at bay. Smith, " faithful unto
death," cheered his comrades by his heroic conduct ; for
whilst his life-blood was slowly ebbing away, he told them
to place him he could not move upon the top of the rifle-
pit, thus offering to make his suffering body a shield for
the living, after his hands could no longer aid in the defence.
But happily, succor was nearer at hand than dreamed of
by the besieged. About four o clock in the afternoon J:he
Indians were seen to draw off, and shortly afterwards rapid
firing was heard in the distance, and the savages were seen
no more. A body of troops had been seen, and the Indians,
after engaging them until nightfall, left the vicinity. Dark
ness fell upon a sad scene that night. Smith was dying,
Chapman s leg was broken. Every man in the rifle-pit had
been hit, and Dixon, alone, was not disabled. They were
without food, and but for the blessed rain that came during
the night they would have suffered dreadfully for water ; of
this they had only what fell in little puddles in the pit, and
even that which quenched the dying thirst of Smith was
red with his own and his comrades blood. Could they
hold out until Miles would come, bringing food and succor?
What they felt and what they suffered in the silent watches
of that long, cold, rainy night, none save themselves can
ever know. The morning broke, dark, wet, comfortless.
Smith had died before dawn. Would the Indians return, or
would they be left unmolested until the weary hours that

A SPARTAN BAND.

must elapse before Miles could be expected, had dragged
themselves away? Soon after daylight a consultation as to
what was best to be done was held, and after considering
all the surrounding circumstances, it was thought best that
Dixon, the only able-bodied man left, should go back on the
trail, meet General Miles, which it was hoped he would do
within thirty-six hours, and apprise that officer of the con
dition of affairs. In the mean time the ammunition was
divided between Dixon and those remaining; Dixon taking
with him on his dangerous journey on foot just four cart
ridges. With what was left the besieged must defend
themselves as best they could.

Dixon left the rifle-pit in a drizzling rain, and had pro
ceeded less than a mile when he saw approaching him a
body of mounted men. Unable to determine whether they
were friends or foes, he secreted himself in some high
grass and awaited their coming. The newcomers proved
to be Major Price s command, a battalion of the 8th Cav
alry, with whom the Indians had been engaged the evening
before, and Dixon at once made known the state of affairs
at the rifle-pit to the commanding officer. As they pro
ceeded to the buffalo wallow, Dixon walking by Major
Price s side, that officer directed his orderly trumpeter to
ride ahead and find the rifle-pit. Upon this trumpeter s
saddle was rolled a red blanket, and as he came in full view
of the party in the wallow he was taken for an Indian.
Sergeant Woodall deliberately took aim at this man and
fired, the ball happily missing the soldier, but killing the
horse.

GENERAL MILES TRIBUTE. 2 Ql

THE RESCUE.

So you see there was fight left in the brave fellows still !

The long fight was over and the rescue was made.
Food was given the almost famished men, and a detachment
was sent off to inform General Miles of the condition of
things. General Miles was found on the Sweetwater, and
that night Chaffee, of the 6th Cavalry, with his troop, pro
ceeded to the buffalo wallow. Poor Smith was buried,
and the wounded, mounted on horses, were taken to the
supply train, which, as had been ascertained, was camped
on the Washita. Those were stirring times that followed,
for the great Indian war, begun under warm summer skies,
was terminated only the next Spring. Many gallant
deeds were done, but as the men would gather round the
camp-fire the long and cold winter nights, they heard no
nobler story than that of the dead Smith and the survivors
of the fight on the Washita.

That celebrated Indian fighter, General Miles, U. S.
Army, made a special report of this affair to the War
Department, from which we make the following extract.
Upon his recommendation the Medal of Honor was
awarded to each survivor.

" I deem it but a duty to brave men and faithful sol
diers, to bring to the notice of the highest military
authority an instance of indomitable courage, skill, and
true heroism on the part of a detachment from this com
mand, with the request that the actors be rewarded, and
their faithfulness and bravery recognized by pensions,

202 A SPARTAN BAND.

medals of honor, or in such way as may be deemed most
fitting. . . .

"Although enclosed on all sides, and by overwhelming
numbers, one of them succeeded, while they were under a
severe fire at short range, and while the others with their
rifles were keeping the Indians at bay, in digging with his
knife and hands a slight cover. After this had been
secured,, they placed themselves within it ; the wounded
walking with brave and painful efforts, and Private Smith,
though he had received a mortal wound, sitting upright
within the trench, to conceal the crippled condition of their
party from the Indians.

" From early morning till dark, outnumbered, twenty-five
to one, under an almost constant fire, and at such short
range that they sometimes used their pistols, retaining the
last charge to prevent capture and torture, this little party
of five defended their lives and the person of their dying
comrade ; without food, and their only drink the rain-water
that collected in a pool mingled with their own blood.
There is no doubt but that they killed more than double
their number, besides those that were wounded. The ex
posure and distance from the command, which were nec
essarily incidents of their duty, were such that for thirty-
six hours from the first attack their condition could not be
known. . . .

" The simple recital of their deeds and the mention of the
odds against which they fought ; how the wounded de
fended the dying, and the dying aided the wounded by
exposure to fresh wounds after the power of action was
gone, these alone present a scene of cool courage, heroism,

SERGEANT KITCHEN S ADVENTURE. 293

and self-sacrifice, which duty as well as inclination prompt
us to recognize, but which we cannot fitly honor."

II. AN AFFAIR WITH THE COMANCHES.

Another episode of General Miles campaign in Texas, in
1874, is described by a wearer of the Medal of Honor
First Sergeant GEORGE K. KITCHEN,* Troop " I," 5th U.
S. Cavalry :

"On the morning of the Qth September, 1874, Captain
Wyllis Lyman, 5th Infantry, with * I Co. of that regi
ment, and a detail of twenty cavalrymen, including myself,
of Troops A, H, f I, and M, 6th U. S. Cavalry,
left Commission Creek, Ind. Ter., to escort a wagon train
of supplies destined for the command of General Miles,
on the headwaters of the Red River, Texas. The General
was at that time engaged in suppressing a rising of the
Cheyennes and Arapahoes.

" We pulled out from Commission Creek at 7 o clock A.M.,
and crossed the Canadian River at 8.30 A.M. When about
two miles from the river, and about 9 o clock, we were sud
denly attacked by a large band of hostiles.

" The train, consisting of 24 six-mule teams, was formed in
two columns. The infantry formed line on each side of the

* GEORGE K. KITCHEN enlisted at Harrisburg, July 21, 1870 ; assigned to Co. " H," 6th
U. S. Cavalry ; Corporal, April 2, 1872 ; Sergeant, May 2, 1872 ; MEDAL OF HONOR for
action lasting Sept. Qth to Sept. i4th, 1874. Participated in an engagement with Indians
under Lieut. Henely, 6th Cavalry, on Sappe Creek, Kansas, April, 1875.

Re-enlisted July 21, 1875, Troop " F," sth Cavalry; Corporal same date; Sergeant,
May 7, 1877.

Re-enlisted Troop " I," sth Cavalry, July 21, 1880. Sergeant to date from May 7, 1877 ;
ist Sergeant July 22, 1880. Discharged as ist Sergeant July 20, 1885. Character, " A most
excellent non-commissioned officer, and thoroughly trustworthy and reliable man."

Re-enlisted Troop " I," sth Cavalry, July 21, 1885. Re-appointed ist Sergeant same
date, with continuous rank.

2^4 A SPARTAN BAND.

train, and the cavalry detail, by repeated charges, strove to
keep the Indians at a distance.

" In this fashion the command travelled on, fighting as
we went, until we arrived at the sand hills, about one mile
from the Washita River, Texas. At this point, after a
short lull in the running fight, the Indians concentrated
their entire force, and made a vigorous and united charge
on the train. We afterwards learned their strength to be
between seven and eight hundred warriors. This charge
was repulsed after a hard fight, the Indians coming to
within 50 yards of the train, and repeatedly attempting,
after being beaten off, to overwhelm the troops by dint of
superior numbers.

" The wagons were then, as it was impossible to advance,
put * into park as rapidly as possible, forming in an egg
shape. The infantry were thrown out on a skirmish line
round the hastily formed corral, some 25 yards from the
wagons. When this movement was completed, the little
band of cavalry found themselves, at the end of some hard
fighting, about 500 yards away from the skirmish line, and
surrounded by the enemy. To regain their comrades of
the 5th Infantry they had to charge through a mass of
Indians, who concentrated themselves between them and
the wagons. This was successfully done.*

"On reaching the park we secured our horses inside
the enclosure, and were then ordered out on the skirmish
line.

* About this time a trooper s horse was killed under him. Sergeant Kitchen halted
and picked up the dismounted man behind him, and managed, under a heavy fire, to carry
him off unhurt to the shelter of the corral. [EDITOR.]

INDIAN TACTICS. 295

The hostiles now divided, and about four hundred of
them at this time made two unsuccessful charges on the
right rear of the corral, defended by about one-half of the
command. These charges were made in column of pla
toons, and the alignment was as precise and well main
tained as regular troops could do it. Each time they
came up to within 40 yards of the line in admirable order,
and only the perfect steadiness and continuous, well-direct
ed, firing of our troops prevented this well conceived and
daringly executed movement from being successful.

" Our heavy firing, however, at last succeeded in repelling
them in confusion from the very muzzles of our guns.

" The enemy then, unsuccessful in storming us, took up
position on the numerous sand hills around, some as far
away as four hundred yards, others at about only two hun
dred yards, surrounding us by a complete circle. As we
lay beneath them we were exposed to a severe and vexatious
fire from all points, and our return fire was comparatively
harmless. When darkness arrived, we were divided up
into squads, and orders were given to dig rifle-pits, from
twenty to thirty yards distant, around the corral. The en
emy followed our example and were occupied in intrench
ing themselves on the sand hills they held during the day.
Their object now appeared to be to starve us out, as they
knew we had no means of quenching our thirst. The
Washita was one mile away, and the one water-hole near us
had been inaccessible during the day, and our repeated
attempts to get at it, at night, proved futile. Several details
tried to reach the water, but the Indians placed a strong guard
around it, and their fire was too well-directed to allow of

296

A SPAXTAN BAND.

our men getting near. They would permit us to get within
fifty yards of the hole, in fancied security, before opening
on us, arid then poured in their fire in a way which balked
every effort of ours to reach the desired spot. In the mean
time, a desultory fire was kept up by them from all sides
of us.

" Next day this fire became regular and continuous, and
was returned by us from the rifle-pits. The Indians per
formed some prodigies of horsemanship in full sight of us
and in the most daring way, right before our fire, offering
themselves in the most reckless way as targets for our fire.
When we learned afterwards that Comanches were amongst
our foes, we understood the cause of these freaks; these
Indians being generally reckoned amongst the finest horse
men in the world, as they are perhaps the most showy,
reckless and daring. One at least of every three of these
foolhardy braves was picked off by the marksmen of our
little command, but this did not in the least prevent one of
his comrades from at once taking his place, after the dead
body of the first had been carried off. This was done
always by two Indians, riding at full gallop, one on each
side of the dead man, who was picked up by them without
their making the slightest halt, and dragged into shelter.

" When we first went into corral there was but a very
little water amongst the command, and this was saved for
the use of the wounded. From the gth to the morning of
the I4th of September, no one, except our wounded, had
one drop of water. On the third day, when driven almost
to despair by the torments of thirst, some men opened a
barrel of vinegar, and undertook to drink it when sweetened

PERIL AND PRIVATION. 2 Q7

somewhat by sugar. It was with difficulty that they were
prevented from swallowing too much of the mixture. One
of the ten men whom I had in my rifle-pit drank, in spite
of my efforts to prevent any excess, so much of this drink
that he became delirious and very violent. We had to
tie him hand and foot to keep him inside the pit ; he
frothed at the mouth, bit and fought, and exhibited
every token of insanity. It was two days before he re
covered from the effects.

"The fighting, until the night of the I3th of September,
was continued in the same way, we staying in our rifle-pits,
exhausted by heat and thirst, and returning as best we
could the fire of the Indians, who remained in possession of
their sand hills.

" On the morning of the I4th we saw, with relief, the
whole band of Indians pull out and move South. If we
had had water we could have lasted a long time. Without
it we could not have stood the siege for many more days.

" All our wounded got their hurts on the first day, except
one trooper, who received a severe scalp wound on the last
day. Lieutenant Lewis, 5th Infantry, was wounded in the
knee, and afterwards, I heard, he had his leg amputated.
We buried one sergeant, of I Co., inside the corral. The
assistant wagon-master was wounded, and died two days
afterwards. Him, too, we laid beside the soldier in the
corral, with brief but impressive ceremony.

" One-third of the horses were killed, and about one-half
of the mules. When we started again on our march, on
the morning of the i$th, having remained one day to
straighten up, a few of the wagons had four mules to

2 9 8

A SPARTAN BAND.

draw them, out of their original six ; the rest had only
two

" Captain Lyman, about a week after the action, went
over the ground, and in one ravine counted forty fresh
mounds, graves of the Indians slain, but their loss in fatally
wounded and disabled must have been much more.

" The weather was throughout very hot, and the nights
pitch dark.

" We were met on the Washita River by General Miles
and his command, and went into camp for a few days to
recuperate. The rumor of this command s arrival near
the scene of action had alarmed our opponents and been
the cause of their sudden flight. We now learned that
they were composed of Comanches and Kiowas united, who
had left their reservation, on the war-path. After the
fight with us they moved back, disheartened, we supposed,
at their severe loss and failure to gain any plunder. At any
rate, they kept within their bounds the rest of that year.

" During the fight, the stench from the dead animals, our
own and the Indian ponies, was very horrible, and added
much to the discomfort of the men, and the danger of sick
ness.

" On the third night we were corralled, the First Sergeant
of the infantry company came to me and asked how long
we could stand this. I thought then perhaps the best
plan would be to fight our way through to the river, but
this would entail the loss of the wagon-train. The First
Sergeant (Mitchell, now ordnance sergeant at Fort Assina-
boine) suggested we should fire the train to keep the
Indians from getting it, and fight our way off by its

"FOR GALLANT CONDUCT." 299

light. These suggestions, made at the time, show that,
at one time, we felt little hope of the Indians raising
the siege, or of our being relieved in reasonable time."*

* For conspicuous good conduct in the above affair, General Miles recommended the
following enlisted men of the sth Infantry for Medals of Honor, viz. First Sergeant
MITCHELL, Sergeant WILLIAM DEARMOND, Sergeant F. H. HAY; Corporals T. H. KELLY,
JOHN T. W. KNOX, and T. TAMES ; privates THOMAS KELLY and WILLIAM KOELPIN
(now Battery F, sth Artillery).

On May 18, 1875, the medals were awarded by the Honorable Secretary of War, and for
warded to headquarters 5th Infantry, where they were distributed on July 28, 1875.

300

PRIVATE WILLIAM EVANS,

SEVENTH U. S. INFANTRY

A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

HAVE you ever thought what a sensation it would make
if a detachment of United States Infantry and Cav
alry, made up of men suddenly taken from the duty of the
moment, were to appear on that busy thoroughfare, Broad
way, to illustrate in panoramic fashion the Army as it is on
the frontier? To nine-tenths of the people the nature of
our military service on the far-away prairies, or at the foot
of the rugged " Rockies," could in no other way be so dis
tinctly set forth.

We will take our places on the steps of the Fifth Avenue
Hotel and note the features of the procession.

A post commander at the head of the column : fortu
nately for him, he has been making his daily informal in
spection of the post and vicinity and is mounted ; he is
nearing the retiring age, but is well preserved, rotund and

302 A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

bald, with stiff Rebellion Burnside to crown his florid face.
His uniform is a simple blouse, fastened by one button,
soldier s blue trousers, and gaiters ; as a conservative field-
officer of infantry, he substitutes a light switch for spurs,
to the evident satisfaction of his well-fed cob, which ambles
quietly along.

The commanding officer s orderly closely follows. A
cavalry soldier this, in natty clothing and spotless side-
arms ; the horse, groomed like a looking-glass, suffers him
self to be curbed behind his more staid brother of " the
foot," but evidently longs for a gallop.

With a free stride, but " route-step," a body of bronzed,
athletic men approaches : the fact that they are soldiers
cannot be concealed by a grotesque and unfamiliar dress ;
there are trousers of blue, tattered and torn, bound below
the knee with strips of bagging, or turned up at the bot
toms, or pushed into the tops of cowhide boots ; there are
shirts of all colors, open at the neck some of them, or
with sleeves rolled to the elbow ; hats and caps of varied
ages and patterns. Each man carries a spade or an axe or
an adze or a sledge-hammer or a saw ; this is not a gang of
laborers, nor is it a working party of military prisoners, but
simply Company " L," of the th Infantry, returning from
its daily task of building quarters at the new post of Fort
Barker. All drills have been suspended, and the necessary
guard duty and roll-calls and Sunday-morning inspections
are the only military duties performed by these soldiers
for the last three months. Although " Uncle Sam is
rich enough to buy us all a farm," he has frequent fits of
false economy of this kind.

OUR ARMY ON THE FRONTIER. 303

And now there comes to our ears the sharp flint-and-
steel " click " of horses shoes on the stony street. Four
score cavaliers in plainsmen s garb of buckskin, mingled
with a dash of cavalry light-blue and yellow, with soft felt
sombreros and boots to the knee, pass in review before the
wondering tax-payer. The spare, soldierly man at the head
of the column carries upon his body the scars of conflict on
the Chicahominy; the solid little captain near the rear of
the column has a name borne by three generations of
American soldiers ; there are other distinguished officers,
so disguised by this bandit-like but most comfortable field-
dress, that none but their men or intimate friends can rec
ognize them. These troops are a part of the th U. S.
Cavalry, just starting on a campaign against the Sioux ;
when they come marching home again, their ranks will be
somewhat thinner, their horses jaded and weary, but their
task will have been done and well done.

In rear of the cavalry come the " packs," patient little
long-eared creatures, trained to carry burdens larger in bulk
than themselves, and to follow with sure-footed sagacity
the leader, whose tinkling bell is their guide.

"Who are these in bright array?" Sixty mounted men
in helmets with waving yellow plumes, buttoned, booted
and spurred, with bright sabres, bronzed carbines, sitting
like centaurs the snorting, curvetting chargers that spurn
the roadway with an impatience due to idleness and oats.
It is Troop " K," of the same regiment of cavalry whose
curious outfit we have just noted. This troop has been
left behind in garrison, and has been taking part in a pa
rade of ceremony.

2 04 A SOLDIER-SCO UT S S TOR Y.

Three ambulances succeed the horsemen. Each is
drawn by four nimble mules. The curtains are rolled up,
and we can note the faces of the passengers. They are
clad in furs, although it is not cold. They represent the
survivors of three Arctic expeditions, and almost without
exception they are from the cavalry and infantry officers
and men ; a mere handful of brave spirits, nerved and
trained for world-wide exploration by their army service on
the Plains.

If the reader can imagine this Broadway spectacle, per
haps he may follow us to the great North-west, where, amid
storm and wind and deep snow, a little party of cavalry is
returning from a scout.*

The thermometer registers 42 below ; the driving sleet,
and the breath from mouth and nostrils, freezing upon
mustache and beard and eyes, forms a solid mask of ice
upon the faces of the blinded, perishing men ; far back,
like a broad red ribbon, stretches the bloody trail, where the
horses feet have broken through the sharp crust of the
snow-drift, and the exhausted animals suffer themselves to
be urged into a barely perceptible motion by their half-
conscious and dismounted riders ; some of whom would
fain yield to a deadly languor, from which they can only
be roused by flat of sabre well laid on. The column is
steered by a compass in the hands of the leading man.
Left to themselves, these soldiers would never reach an
earthly destination, but with a resolute, experienced com
mander, and a habit of discipline and obedience to orders,
the detachment will, ere many hours, reach the shelter of a

* See engraving facing chapter.

SKIRMISHERS OF CIVILIZATION.

305

cattle ranch, where they maybe sure of a warm and friendly
welcome.

But there are other uses for the Army than to hunt the
warlike Sioux or the treacherous Apache. Our friend the
reader may see, as with the eye of a bird, the little encamp
ments of a few tents each, scattered all over the public
domain west of the Missouri and south of the British pos
sessions in North America. These are the bivouacs of
military geographers, geologists, meteorologists, telegraph
linesmen, and others ; they are the skirmishers of civilization,
the outposts of settlement, the harbingers of Peace, and
yet they are fitted out from the Department of War.

But this is a long digression from the title of this chapter,
which has to do with a phase of army life not yet touched
upon. It is the narrative of a soldier Private WILLIAM
EVANS,* 7th U. S. Infantry who won the Medal of Honor
in gallant and important, if bloodless, service : twice taking
" his life in his hand " as a bearer of despatches. The nat
ure of this service is set forth in the following document :

" HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA.
" In the Field Camp at mouth of Big Horn River, July 26, 1876.
" General Field-Orders,

"No. 5.

" The Department Commander has recently had urgent occasion to communi
cate from this camp with Brigadier-General Crook, commanding a force en
camped on the headwaters of Powder River. The duty of carrying despatches
between those points, through a country occupied by a large force of hostile
Sioux, was of the most arduous and perilous nature. A scout, inspired by the

* Enlisted at St. Louis, April 26, 1875 ; assigned to " E," 7th U. S. Inf. ; enlisted Camp
Baker, M. T. (Co. D), Nov. 2, 1878 ; re-enlisted Nov. 2, 1883. Corporal Nov. 30, 1880. Hon
orably mentioned in Regimental, Department and General Field Orders for gallant service.
Medal of Honor, August, 1876.
20

306

A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

promise of a large reward, made the attempt but soon abandoned it as hopeless
As a last resort, a call was made upon the troops of this command for volun
teers, in response to which not less than twelve enlisted men promptly offered
their services. From among these the following named soldiers were selected :
privates William Evans, Benjamin F. Stewart, and James Bell of Co. E, yth
Infantry.

" On the Qth day of July they set out for General Crook s camp, which they
reached on the twelfth, delivered the despatches, and returned, arriving in camp
on the 25th.

" In making this public acknowledgment of the important service voluntarily
rendered by these soldiers at the imminent risk of their lives, the Department
Commander desires to express his deep regret that at present it is not in his
power to bestow the substantial reward which has been so well earned ; but he
is confident that an achievement undertaken in so soldier-like a spirit, and car
ried so gallantly to a successful issue, will not be permitted to pass unrewarded.
The exploit is one calculated to establish in the public mind a higher and more
just estimate of the character of the United States Soldier.

" The Department Commander, on his own behalf and on behalf of the officers
of this command, desires thus publicly to thank privates William Evans, Ben
jamin F. Stewart and James Bell, Co. E, 7th Infantry, for a deed which reflects
so much credit on the Service.

" By command of Brigadier-General Terry,

"ED. W. SMITH, Capt. i8th Infantry,

" Acting Assistant Adjutant-General"

Following is an extract from Evans modest statement :
" Being requested to furnish a sketch of my services in
the army, and any remarkable incidents that I have taken
part in, I will give all the facts in my possession.

AN ARMY RECRUIT.

" I enlisted in the army on the roth day of April, 1875, in
St. Louis ; was sent from there to Newport, Kentucky, and
assigned to the Seventh Regiment of Infantry. Arriving

KECRUH^S AND HOSTILE INDIANS.

30;

at Carroll, on Missouri River, in July, started on our march
to Camp Baker, Montana distance, 165 miles.

" There were 225 recruits, among whom four rifles were
distributed for defensive purposes. The country was full of
hostile red-skins. A number of friendly Crow Indians rode
with the column part of the way, and it almost made our
hair turn gray to look at them. We recruits didn t know
the difference between Crow and Sioux, our information
being limited to the wooden Indian of the tobacconist; and
the old soldiers seemed to delight in our ignorance. On
the fourth day we reached Camp Browning, where two com
panies of the regiment were stationed. After dinner the
men not on duty were permitted to enjoy themselves after
their own fashion ; some went hunting, some to fish, and a
number, myself included, to wash our clothes in the creek
near by.

" About two o clock the camp was attacked by Indians.
All the hunters were killed, one of the fishermen was
wounded, and some who had gone into the woods for fuel
had nothing to defend themselves with but axes. Those of
us who were washing clothes escaped with our lives. We
were entirely naked (as we had been swimming), and although
some of the hostiles came near us they did not molest us ;
probably taking us for squaws or lunatics. The Indians
left, taking with them some of our cattle and horses. Lieu
tenant Woodruff pursued, and captured sixteen head of
stock. We found the hunting party dead and scalped on
the skirmish line, except one, and he had reached the foot
hills, getting behind a rock, where he had fired thirty-eight

308

A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

cartridges (as we found the empty shells) before he was
killed.

" This was not a cheerful first experience for us, especially
as we expected to march 200 miles further without any
weapons. But we were not annoyed again, thanks to our
friends, the Crows, who attacked the Sioux the next day
and whipped them.

WINTER ON THE PLAINS.

" I soon had a taste of winter campaigning ; not winter
according to the almanac, but as it is to be found on the
Plains. Our company, E, Captain Clifford, was ordered on
the Yellowstone Expedition, March 17, 1876. Left Camp
Baker, thermometer 30 below zero, with snow three feet
deep. First day out all our wagons rolled down White s
Gulch Divide. Spent all day getting them right side up.
With two of the company badly frozen, travelled three days
through snow three feet deep. Arrived at Fort Ellis ; was
left behind to drive for Fort Shaw cofnmand, my company
going ahead as escort to wagons. One of our men de
serted on road but was captured in Bozeman, and I was
ordered to hitch up team and take the deserter and catch
up with my company. Left the fort at three o clock in
afternoon ; got into a snow-storm on Bridger Pass Divide.
This divide is a part of the Rocky Mountains, and over
looks Fort Ellis and the beautiful Gallatin Valley ; it is
thickly covered with pine timber, and wears a virgin
crown of snow the year around. It is at this place that
the Northern Pacific Railroad tunnelled through the moun
tain, from the Valley of the Yellowstone to that of the

WINTER ON THE J J LASA 7 S. 300

Gallatin. We had not been out long when it commenced
to snow, one of those blizzards for which that country is
noted. Soon lost all trace of the road and started over
a road of our own ; this was not a success, as before we
reached the summit the wagon stuck fast in the timber, and
we could not get it out without axes, which we did not
have. It was the coldest night I ever saw. Left wagon
next morning ; had to give deserter two mules and took
two myself. Caught up with company at Quinn s Ranch,
thermometer 42 below. On our arrival 1 did not know
for some minutes whether I was alive or not. As Quinn
sold what they term whiskey in this country, my company
commander, Captain Clifford, ordered me, I think, about
a quart, and it was all that saved my life. A party of
men were sent back for the wagon ; they had a hard
time finding it, and a harder time to get it out of the drift.
Ever since, they have called it * Evans Snow Trail over the
Moon.

CARRYING DESPATCHES.

" On our arrival at old Fort Pease on the Yellowstone, the
regimental commander, General Gibbon, desired to send
despatches to General Terry, who was crossing overland
from Fort Lincoln. It was necessary to travel by water,
and, being a pretty fair boatman, the choice fell upon me.
At that time I was a very young soldier and not much in
spired with the military spirit that afterwards was instilled
into me by my company commander, the late Capt. Walter
Clifford. If ever there was a man to train a soldier for the
field, it was that man. Coming to me, he said : Evans,

3 ! O A SOLDIER-SCOUTS STOR Y.

you are a good boatman and, so far as I know, you are no
coward. I want you to take this trip. I do not want one
of my men to go where I would not go myself, but the
General will not let me go. All right, Captain, tell the
General I will go. I and a scout (Williamson) and a com
rade (Stewart) started that night by moonlight. Our orders
were to travel the stream only at night, but in this instance
positive orders had to be disobeyed or we should have per
ished with hunger. Starting from the mouth of the Big
Horn River in skiff, we proceeded down the Yellowstone
very slowly, as we dare not use oars ; there were Indians
on both sides of the river and we had almost to hold
our breaths. The western bank of the river in many
places is like beautiful enclosed parks, with elk, deer,
buffalo, antelope, and other kinds of game down to the
squirrel ; while in this part of the Yellowstone there is the
finest mountain trout. The east bank is more mountainous,
occasionally broken by heavily timbered bottoms. Farther
down, between Powder River and Glendive, the scenery was
really grand, as though we were sailing through a city in
ruins, with the beautiful rounded peaks running up to the
clouds like church spires. The ground was covered with pet
rified wood, shells and fish. I was almost afraid to stop
there for fear of being turned to stone. The same night we
ran past an Indian camp and were nearly given away by
their dogs, who howled and barked while we pulled like
good fellows until morning, when, finding we were not pur
sued we laid to under some willows and took a nap. The
second night out, after running into various sloughs and
carrying our boat over sand-bars, we arrived at what is no\v

CARRYING DESPA TCHES. 3 , r

known as Buffalo Rapids. In running the rapids in the
dark we ran against the rocks and smashed our boat.

" We, however, succeeded in landing with our rifles and
one can of peaches ; all the rest being lost, and not knowing
how far we had to go, we sat down, rested and ate the
can of peaches, We arrived at Glendive Creek about three
o clock P.M., and there met Colonel Moore with four com
panies, Sixth Infantry. One incident of our trip that made
us * feel strange around where we lived, was the sight of
three black-tail deer standing directly in line with each other,
and we three hungry men stood looking at them without
daring to fire a shot.

" Colonel Moore kindly sent his own scouts on with the
despatches, returning two days afterward with the answer.
We volunteered to return with answer, but Colonel Moore
sent his own scouts, as he did not seem to put much confi
dence in soldiers carrying despatches. Those same scouts
talked so much about Indians, and what they should do in
case of an attack, that they scared each other almost to
death before leaving. As Captain Powell and the sergeant-
major were present, I offered to bet $10 they would be back
before morning, which bet the sergeant-major accepted, and
lost. .The first thing we saw at reveille were the scouts
returning without either ammunition or rations ; they said
they had run into Indians and had thrown everything away.
I went up to Colonel Moore and told him if he would trans
fer the vouchers to me I would carry back the answer. The
steamer Far West coming up the river, we all got on
board and went up as far as Powder River, Colonel Moore
giving me his own horse. I was just in the saddle when I

-&gt; ! 2 A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

espied the first boat coming down, which was the advance
of my own command ; thereby losing my $250, which was
on the vouchers.

AN ARMY COURIER.

" After both commands joined, nothing occurred worth
relating, until after the Custer battle, which happened on
June 26. After our return from that fated field to the
mouth of Big Horn, General Terry, desiring to communicate
with General Crook, rewards of $1200 were offered. As
usual, citizens got the first show, and, as usual, failed,
when General Terry called on the command for volunteers.
Twelve men out of the command answered the call. Our
opinions were asked in regard to routes on map, and I was
chosen ; I suppose because I made a success of the last
trip, or probably because I chose the most direct route on
the map. I had my choice either to go alone, or to take
two men with me. My company commander decided for
me that I should take two men with me, and also that they
should be of my own company ; those that he knew he
could trust. We were furnished by Captain Clifford with
all we had in line of equipments, field glasses, compass,
maps, and, above all, his own experiences in cases of emer
gency, which were very useful. Crossing the river at dark
on steam-boat, with one company of cavalry as escort to
come with us 12 miles, as the Indians were pretty thick
around the bank of the river, we proceeded up Tullick s
Forks until about 9 o clock, when Lieutenant Roe, Second
Cavalry, returned. My orders on leaving the camp were
that, whichever way any two of the party wanted to go

" KEEP COOL." 1 * i -&gt;

in case of dispute, that the third should be compelled to
comply ; also to travel as little as possible in daytime ; but
on all trips of that kind you have got to use your own
judgment to a certain extent.

" We travelled all night. Our horses becoming tired, we
dismounted behind the largest hill we could find, so we
could look the country over at daylight and also rest the
horses for whatever the day might bring forth.

" Not seeing anything stirring, we kept on until we struck
the Rosebud Divide. Going down the mountains into the
canon, we found the very spot where the Indians buried
their dead, the first camp they made after they fell back
from the Custer battle. The Indians were buried on posts
set in the ground with poles on the top ; they were wrapped
in white cotton sheeting which had blood-stains on it, prov
ing that those Indians had been wounded and taken along
that far, when they died.

" A CLOSE CALL."

" We dismounted and had counted about 30 dead Indians,
when around the bend of the stream came the head of a
herd of ponies, driven by about sixty hostile Indians.

"As fortune would have it, we were at the bottom of a
ravine in the canon, and it was there Captain Clifford s ad
vice came in good Keep cool. We consulted a moment,
and came to the conclusion that it was no good running away,
so when the head of the herd came along we very quietly
led our horses into the herd and travelled along with them
until it became dark, when it did not take us long to get
out of that vicinity. This was the closest call we had on

3 ! 4 A SOLDIER-SCO UT S S TOR Y.

the trip, though we were badly scared the same night, or
about two o clock in the morning. It was pitch dark, and
rainine as it had never rained before ; and as the horses

could travel no longer, we dismounted. We took our lar
iats and tied them around us and let the horses feed. We
could not have been more than 15 minutes in the place
when we were all asleep ; the horses getting scared, tried to
run away and pulled us in three different directions. You
may guess we were frightened, but did not call out, as we
dare not. It took us half an hour to find each other, when
we proceeded on our way and found out afterwards that it
was Crook s old battle-ground we had laid down in, and the
wolves eating dead mules that frightened the horses. We
left the canon at daybreak and branched off on Ash Creek,
a tributary of Tongue River, where we struck Crook s trail.
Following up the trails was where the first dispute arose.
About 4 P.M. we saw two different smokes at the foot of
Big Horn Mountains. We were about thirty miles away at
the time. Taking out the map we found out in which di
rection Goose Creek ran, where we expected to find Crook s
camp. Then Stewart and I decided to take the left-hand
smoke, as it was the most direct to Goose Creek ; Bell
deciding to go the other way. So we failed to obey orders
in so far as we let him go. He started and went about a mile
and came galloping back with the very natural question,
But I have no despatches ; what will I do if it happens to
be the camp ? Well, if you insist on going, tell the Gen
eral that we expected to find him on Goose Creek, and that
if he is not there, that he will find us in Fetterman ; that our
hard tack has given out, and that this command is on half

GENEKAL CROOK S CAMP.

315

rations long enough. Well, he says, you can give that
message to the General yourself ; I guess I will go along
with the crowd ; and as it happened, he was wise, as he
would have walked right into the Indian camp. We trav
elled all night, and about nine o clock saw the glad sight of
canvas spread, but were not close enough to tell whether
Indian tepees or soldiers tents. Keeping right on we were
rewarded with finding tents, and were very lucky that we
were not one hour earlier or we would never have reached it
alive, as the Indians had attacked the camp that morning,
burning the prairie and driving the encampment across
Goose Creek, leaving some of the Third Cavalry mess-kits
behind. When we arrived and saw it we did not know
what to do, as we could not see the camp for smoke, but
concluded to go ahead, generally the best thing to do in
Indian warfare.

" It was a great surprise to the officers and men when they
saw us arrive, as they did not think it possible for any white
men to be in that vicinity, and still a greater surprise when
they heard that General Custer was killed, with all his men.
We being tired and wanting rest, General Crook attached
us to H Co., Qth Infantry, and ordered me to report to him
next morning. But there was little rest for the weary in
that camp, as there were present five or six reporters of
prominent papers. Between them and the officers and sol
diers, we got no sleep until near midnight. The camp was
attacked about eleven at night, we sleeping in the First Ser
geant s tent. When he left the tent to form company, he
asked us if we would go along. I turned over and said,
What do you say, boys, will we go, or take our chances

3 i6

A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

sleeping? Stewart said, Let us go to the next world
asleep, if we have to go, and we were asleep in a second
and did not hear any more of the fight, which lasted over
one hour, as we were told next morning.

" When we left General Terry s command there were three
Crow Indians sent out in a different direction, in case we
should not be able to get through. They arrived in General
Crook s camp three days after us. After asking in regard
to trails crossed and Indians seen en route, the General asked
me if we would volunteer to return with an answer, giving
us our choice ; telling me both commands were going to
join, and saying if we did not like to return, he would send
the Indians. Bell s horse dying the day we arrived in
camp, he could not come, so Stewart and I volunteered to
return. He entrusted his despatches to me, sending the
three Crow scouts with us. We left the command at dark
and had proceeded but a little way when the Indians called
a halt, and commenced eating their five days rations, which
did not take them long. Not being satisfied, one of them,
Buffalo Calf by name, came over to where our haver
sacks were laying on the ground, and picked them up and
walked off ; they ate the contents of them, as well as their
own, not paying any attention to our remonstrances. We
then made up our minds that when we arrived in a country
where we dare fire a shot, that there would be three more
4 good Indians ; but a lucky accident happened which
saved them and also satisfied us. We travelled two nights
and one day. At about noon on the second day we arrived
at Custer s battlefield and there saw a calf, the only game
we saw in the country on the trip. The Indians were laugh-

HUNTING A DINNER.

317

ing at us. Our eyes were sticking out of our heads with
hunger. When I saw that calf I dismounted, and would
have shot if the world was coming to an end ; but the In
dians commenced gesticulating for me to stop and they
would get the calf, which they did, by running it down.
Well, you ought to have seen us watching that calf, with
our guns in our hands. We were bound to temper their
appetites on this occasion. Whether they took the hint or
not, they acted like gentlemen, cooking the best parts of it
first for us and then filling our haversacks to make up for
our rations, and having lots of fun at our pitiable condition
and looks. There was nothing more happened, on our trip
back, of any moment.

" When we arrived at Yellowstone our camp had moved
down river, which was a disappointment to us, made up,
however, when we arrived there, by the welcome we received
from both officers and men. There being no steam-boat up
at the time, we could not get our horses across the river just
then. The steamer Far W 7 est came up that night. It
was commanded by Captain Grant Marsh, the brave man
who ran his boat up the river for Custer s wounded soldiers,
making the remark that he would go there if he had to
take her overland ; which he did the bigger part of the way.

" Not liking to leave the horse that had carried me so far,
across the river to be eaten up by buffalo gnats, I went to
General Gibbon and requested him to get the steam-boat to
go for him ; the General told me to go to Captain Marsh
myself, that he would go for me if I asked him. Captain
Marsh was at the head of the table at a dinner given to
some of the officers and tourists that were aboard his boat

A SOLDIER-SCOUT S STORY.

when I made the request. Pulling me into his cabin he
made the remark to his guests that there was no service,
either he or his boat could perform, that I was not wel
come to ; drinking my health, and at the same time order
ing steam up. General Gibbon made me a present of the
horse for my devotion to him.

" HEADQUARTERS ;TH INFANTRY,

"CAMP MOUTH OF ROSEBUD, M. T.,
"General Orders, August 5, 1876.

" No. 14.

" In communicating to the regiment General Orders No. 5, Department of Da
kota, the regimental commander desires to express his obligation to privates
Evans, Stewart and Bell for the gallant and important services rendered. In
doing so, he recalls the fact with pride that this is the second time during the
operations of this summer that privates Evans and Stewart have volunteered
to carry important despatches at the imminent risk of their lives, and he con
gratulates them that they were as successful in the second effort as in the first.
Such conduct cannot fail to reflect great credit on these soldiers and the organ
ization to which they belong.

" By order of Colonel John Gibbon. LEVI F. BURNETT,

u \st Lieiit. and Adjt. Jth Infantry"

LITTLE WOLF AND HIS CAPTOR.

(THE LATE CAPTAIN CLAKK, 2D U. S. CAVALRY.)

319

SERGEANT WILLIAM B. LEWIS,

THIRD U. S. CAVALRY VOL.

HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

THE Northern Cheyennes being unhappy and dissatisfied
on account of sickness, caused by the strange climate of
Indian Territory, where they were sent by the Interior De
partment, had traversed the State of Kansas during the
autumn of 1878, desolating happy homes and committing
many outrages on their path to their old home in the North.
After a close pursuit by the troops of three departments
they divided into two parties. A portion of them, under
Chief " Dull Knife," consisting of one hundred and forty-
nine Indians and one hundred and forty ponies, were cap
tured in the sand hills of Nebraska by the command of
Captain Johnson, 3d Cavalry, who had two Sioux guides,
Lone Bear and Eagle Pipe. Their arms and ponies were
taken away, but the prisoners said they would die rather than

^20

DESPERATE PRISONERS. ^ 2I

be taken back to Indian Territory. When told they must
go to Fort Robinson, and regarding this as a step toward
the hated Indian Territory, they began digging rifle-pits
and a fight seemed inevitable ; but through the coolness and
judgment displayed by the officers it was avoided and they
yielded peaceably, were taken to Camp Robinson through a
snow-storm, and there confined in an empty barrack.

The other party, under " Little Wolf," escaped by scatter
ing in the sand hills, where a dense snow covered their trail,
and though the pursuit was kept up till numbers of the
soldiers were frozen, it was fruitless.

Remaining in confinement from October till January,
closely guarded by sentinels on all sides of the barracks, Dull
Knife s band was notified that the Interior Department had
directed them to be returned to Indian Territory. The few
who were willing to go and began to make preparations for
departure were forcibly detained in the prison-room by
those who dreaded punishment for their misdeeds, and were
determined to die rather than be taken back South again.

THE INDIAN FUGITIVES.

Wild Hog, a bad Indian and the principal disturber, was
arrested and securely ironed January 9, after a very severe
struggle, in which a soldier, one of the guard, was stabbed.

The Indians in the prison-room immediately barricaded
the doors and windows to conceal their movements ; began
tearing up the floor, and made r;fle-pits commanding all the
entrances. Some carbines and pistols, as well as ammunition
in plenty, had been obtained from the Sioux, at the agency
near, who were secretly friendly to them, and being in many

322 HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

instances related by marriage had been allowed to visit
them. Squaws had undoubtedly concealed the articles in
their blankets and clothes, thus passing the guard. The
barrack was now in such a condition that for any white man
to enter was certain death ; six sentries were posted around
the building. About ten o clock on the night of January 10,
shots were fired from the windows, killing two sentinels and
wounding the corporal in the guard-room. The Indians
then burst from all the windows in a rush for " liberty or
death," securing the arms and ammunition of the disabled
sentinels. The garrison gave chase immediately, the Indians
retreating toward a creek near the post and keeping up a
constant fire on the troops. All refused to surrender when
called upon to do so. Thirty-two Indians were killed and
seven were captured ; the remainder were pursued, and at
a point twelve miles from the post intrenched themselves
strongly, and having plenty of ammunition, probably con
cealed for their use by friends, by previous arrangement,
were able to keep the troops at a respectful distance.

The next day Lieutenant Simpson, 3d Cavalry, had two
skirmishes with them and lost a corporal killed and one man
wounded. The next day they again strongly intrenched
themselves in a place about twenty miles from Ft. Robinson.
Shells were fired into their fortification, but during the night
they succeeded in escaping under cover of darkness. Forty-
five Indians now remained, evidently bent on joining Little
Wolf s band, and preferring death to recapture.

General Sheridan had telegraphed orders to the command
ing officer at Ft. Laramie, Wyo., " to send all his cavalry to
capture or kill this band." After hard marching by day and

BROUGHT TO BAY. 323

night, this command had again, January 20, driven the In
dians to intrench themselves in a high, rocky peak, several
hundred feet above the mountains through which they had
been chased, commanding the surrounding ground on three
sides on which the troops must advance, and almost perpen
dicular to the valley on the other. Coming upon them sud
denly, after hours of climbing up and down the steep moun
tains the Indians had chosen as more difficult to follow them
in, the command was greeted with a volley ; fortunately no
one was hurt, but on the command being withdrawn to
cover, a captain and two of his men were found missing.
No one knew where the Indians were concealed, or from
which direction to expect the next volley. Another captain,
selecting several of the best shots in his troop, crawled warily
forward to relieve the beleaguered captain and his men, if
alive, or to recover their bodies and prevent mutilation ; and
by calling out, thus making their whereabouts known to the
hostiles as well as their friends, found to their joy that they
were still alive, and concealed in a pit in the rocks to which
they had betaken themselves for cover, not knowing which
direction the Indians were in. Warning their friends as to
their intention of keeping up a hot fire on the Indian posi
tion to keep the Indians down, their friends were enabled
to slowly work their way out of their awkward predicament.
It being impossible to dislodge the Indians, and darkness
coming on, accompanied by a snow-storm, guards were posted
on three sides of the rocky bluff to prevent escape. The
command in the valley a mile below them, having heard
the firing, had gone into camp at the foot of the wall of
rock on the other side, so that their position, though im

324 HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

pregnable, was nearly surrounded, and it was thought the
Indians couldn t get away this time.

ELUDING PURSUIT.

At dawn, the watchers, who had paced wearily around the
eyry all night, were surprised to see the command at the
foot of the wall moving across the valley below them ; shots
were fired, flags waved, but all means of signalling failed to
stop them, and a messenger could only reach them by a trail
fully fifteen miles around. Had the Indians, or a part of
them, escaped during the night? The commanding officer
announced that it would be foolish to expose the whole com
mand to a murderous fire while climbing the bluff, and that
he wouldn t order anybody to throw his life away in discov
ering whether the Indians were still there, but if two or three
men would volunteer, they could go. Hardly were the
words spoken when Sergeant WILLIAM B. LEWIS of B Troop
stepped up, and with his heels together, saluted, and said :
" I d like to go, Sir." Two more men volunteered, and after
receiving instructions as to the signals to be used in the
event of any discoveries, started forward, carbines in hand
and belts full of cartridges, to prevent the useless sacrifice of
many lives. Stealthily moving from cover to cover, and
climbing, climbing, till lost to the view of the command, they
struggled upward, liable at each new step to be greeted with
a volley that would doom them to lonely graves, and possi
bly a report in the papers that " a sergeant and two privates
were killed." After a seemingly long while a shot is fired.
Has one of the men been killed ? Anxious guesses are made
ns to what it means. Sergeant Lewis has gotten in the first

SERGEANT LE WIS RECONNOITRES. 3 2 5

shot at a wounded warrior, unable to travel, but very wide
awake and thoroughly able to use his cocked rifle, which he
holds ready for use on one of the Sergeant s companions,
the noise of whose movements has alarmed him. A dull
thump and a limp fall convinces the Sergeant that the
"bullet has found its billet." He moves forward warily
now, as there may be others equally eager for a shot at him ;
he soon discovers, however, that this was the only one, and
climbing to a point whence the command, which is eagerly
watching for him, can see him he waves his hat to let
them know that the Indians have fled. The commands,
" Mount ! " and " Forward ! " are promptly obeyed, and the
cavalcade moves out at a trot to join their friends in the
valley, whose movements are now understood ; horses being
left for the Sergeant and his men to come up with. The
Indians were making for the Red Cloud Agency and friends.

A FAINT TRAIL.

The trail which the Indians made after making their peril
ous descent was almost obliterated by the snow which fell
during the night, and they counted on its making it impossi
ble to follow them, and leaving the " sojers " at a loss to know
where they had gone ; but Captain Wessells had at dawn dis
covered the faint trail, and his sharp-eyed trailers followed
it diligently till he overtook the Indians on the 22d, in
trenched in a circular gully caused by a water-spout, on a
knoll which commanded the surrounding ground, and which
they materially strengthened by judicious digging with their
knives.

3 26

HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

SAVAGE DESPERATION.

Captain Wessells surrounded their position with his
four troops of cavalry, and, with an interpreter, crawled
forward toward their breastwork and raised a white flag,
the meaning of which is understood by almost all Indians.
Retold the interpreter to tell the Indians he didn t want to
hurt them ; he told them that the soldiers were their friends,
but had to do what the " Great Father " ordered, and that
the soldiers must either take them back to Fort Robinson
or kill them all. For answer, a volley was fired, which
knocked off the interpreter s hat. Captain Wessells then,
seeing that the Indians were desperate and would not lis
ten to him, ordered a charge. The men dismounted,
rushed up the open space surrounding the pit, and dis
charged their weapons in the faces of their enemies, but
were forced to retire, leaving Captain Wessells wounded
in the head and bleeding.

Lieutenant Chase, seeing that he was not dead, picked
him up, and endeavored to carry him out of danger, but
was promptly notified that, being next in command, he
must take charge.

The interpreter was again used, with as little success as
before, and another charge was made. After the third
trial, failing to effect anything, the interpreter swore that
he wouldn t risk his life again in such foolishness. Seeing
that the Indians were desperate, and meant to die there,
repeated charges were made, till, no more resistance being
offered, the pit was examined, found full of dead, and nine
Indians were captured, three of whom were wounded. Our

A PLEASANT CEREMONY.

327

old friends of the mountain-top rode up too late for the
fight.

Burying the dead and rigging travois for the wounded
the command started back to their garrisons, mourning
their dead comrades and the stern necessity which had
compelled them to kill all the occupants of the pit, who
preferred death to recapture ; and after facing death in one
form, now looked at it through another, through the bitter
cold of a Wyoming January.

AWARDING THE MEDAL.

The garrison of Fort Laramie is in gala dress this April
evening; w r hat does it all mean? The call for " Dress
Parade ! " has been sounded, the band plays, line is formed.
The Adjutant, having presented the regiment, is directed
by the Colonel to, " Publish the orders, Sir," faces about
and reads the following :

" HDQRS. FT. LARAMIE, WYO. TY.
Orders, Afiril 17, 1886.

" No. 21.

" The Congress of the United States having conferred upon Sergeant WM. B.
LEWIS of Company B, 3d Cavalry, a Medal of Honor, for bravery exhibited
in an affair with hostile Indians near Bluff Station, Wyo. Ty., on January 20
and 22, 1879, th 6 same will be delivered to him on parade this evening, and
will be worn by him on all dress occasions.

" By order of Major Evans.

"(Signed) JNO. C. THOMPSON,

" ist Lt. and Adjt. yi Cavalry,
" Post Adjutant:

Sergeant Lewis being directed to step forward, does
so : the Colonel pins the Medal on his breast, and with a

3 28

HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

few kind words excuses him. The Adjutant commands,
" Parade is dismissed ! " joins the officers in the march to
salute the Colonel, and he, as well as every other officer in
that line, as it halts and salutes, would brave any danger to
wear deservedly the Medal just delivered; while the men in
ranks feel a thrill of pride in the Sergeant for his gallantry,
and gather about him on being dismissed, to look upon, and
reverently touch, his Medal.

A BLOODLESS VICTORY.

Lieut. WILLIAM P. CLARK, the officer selected by the De
partment Commander to capture the remnant of the desper
ate band whose fate has already been described, was a sub
altern of the Second Cavalry, and had for a number of years
made the study of Indian character and customs a specialty,
and was greatly respected by both savage and civilized
men. He was young, handsome, brave, and straightforward,
and the sequel proved the wisdom of his selection. In com
mand of a squadron of his regiment and some trusted In
dian scouts, the hostiles were soon overhauled. Lieutenant
Clark says in his report :

" The next morning I struck an old camp of the hostiles,
two days old, after I had marched some three miles ; and
about two miles further, two of my Cheyenne scouts met
me, bringing three of the hostiles with them ; said they
went into camp during the night, and had delivered my
terms, which the hostiles said they would accept. The
three Cheyennes, brought to me, corroborated this state
ment, but desired me to go into camp where I was,
and their village would move over and join me ; that if I

"WHITE HATS" DIPLOMACY. 329

marched up to their camp, the women and children might
be frightened and there might be some trouble. I declined,
of course, to do anything of this sort, but selected the two
head-men, Brave Wolf and Two Moon, of my Cheyenne
scouts, to ride on ahead and renew, briefly, kindly and
firmly, my terms, and bring Little Wolf out to me as I ap
proached the village with my command.

11 This the scouts did, and Brave Wolf added to the mes
sage in delivering it, I love the soldiers at Keogh ; I go
with them to fight all their enemies, and if you will not
listen, you will force me to fight my own people, for you
are my kinsfolk.

" Little Wolf met me about half a mile from his camp, and
said he would accept the terms offered by my scouts, and that
he was glad to meet me again. I marched my command
to within one hundred yards of the village, which was in a
natural fortress, and they had strengthened it by breast
works of stone and dirt, and put my forces in the next best
and strongest position about there, both for their protec
tion and to attack, in case there should be any necessity for
such a measure. After about an hour, to allow the excite
ment to wear away and to give my Cheyenne scouts time to
talk the matter over with them, I went over to the camp,
taking off my arms to show them that I had confidence in
them, and briefly told them in council what they must do, as
far as I was concerned; that I had told my scouts to give
them no lies and I hoped they had done as I had told them ;
that the guns and ponies must be given up. This was the
price of Peace, and they must pay it. I wanted the guns
then, and would take the ponies when we reached Keogh;

HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

that I was truly and heartily glad we had arranged this
matter without loss of life on either side ; they had ears
and sense ; they must listen and use their reason ; there
were many troops and Indian scouts in the country, and I
thought they were wise to surrender.

" Little Wolf said, in reply, Since I left you at Red
Cloud we have been South, and have suffered a great deal
down there. Many have died of diseases which we have
no names for. Our hearts looked and longed for this
country where we were born. There are only a few of us
left, and we only wanted a little ground where we could
live. We left our lodges standing, and ran away in the
night. The troops followed us. 1 rode out and told the
troops we did not want to fight ; we only wanted to go
North, and if they would let us alone we would kill no one.
The only reply we got was a volley. After that we had to
fight our way, but we killed none who did not fire at us
first. My brother, Dull Knife, took one-half of the band
and surrendered, near Camp Robinson. He thought you
were still there and would look out for him. They gave
up their guns, and then the whites killed them all. I am
out in the prairie, and need my guns here. W T hen I get
to Keogh I will give you the guns and ponies, but I cannot
give up the guns now. You are the only one who has
offered to talk before fighting, and it looks as though the
wind, which has made our hearts flutter for so long, would
now go down. I am very glad we did not fight, and that
none of my people or yours are killed. My young men
are brave, and would be glad to go with you to fight the
Sioux/

INDIAN SIGN LANGUAGE.

331

" One or two others followed with similar remarks. They
were suspicious, and the idea of giving up guns, at once,
startled them, and in the fear of this, to them, immediate
danger, forgot the future, and failed to ask me any ques
tions about staying in the northern country. I therefore
held them to the terms as long as I deemed judicious, and
compromised on my wagons as the place of giving up
guns, to which they agreed. I felt that from this time out
they would camp where I told them, and I could reverse our
present position ; and though I had no fear whatever of
any trouble, I deemed it best to secure this advantage at
once. I therefore told them to pack up and we would
move out a short distance that afternoon. We moved
about six miles and camped. I issued them some rations,
and Dr. Sabin kindly looked after their sick and cared for
their wounded ; and by the time we reached our wagons
a great deal of confidence had been restored and good feel
ing really established.

" While the command was out the thermometer indicated
33 below zero. It has snowed and rained, and the ice has
gone out of the streams, leaving them swollen, difficult
and dangerous to ford."

##### -A" -X-

" WHITE HAT" AND THE SIGN LANGUAGE.

" In September, 1884, a party of army officers, cut off for
a week from mail and telegraph communication, whilst pass
ing through the wilderness between Forts McKinney and
Washakie, was approaching the latter post, when, late one
night, a courier arrived, bringing despatches and mail. In

332 HUNTING LITTLE WOLF.

one of the letters the death of Capt. VV. P. Clark, 2&lt;d Cav
alry, was mentioned. A day or two afterward the courier,
who was the Post guide and interpreter at Washakie, told
us something which excited great curiosity and surprise. A
few days before leaving, he was riding some miles from the
Post when he met an Indian, who, without uttering a word,
and by means of the sign language alone, told him that Cap
tain Clark was dead ! The Indian had heard the news at
the Agency, and imparted it to a man of whose language he
could not speak a word. Now that Indians, like deaf-mutes,
could communicate by * signs we all know, but here was
an unexpected event, occurring thousands of miles away, and
yet this Indian, without using his tongue at all, was en
abled to communicate it to another. The assertion was at
first startling. Captain Clark, although known in person to
many of the Plains Indians, could be known by his name to
the very few capable of speaking English, but those who-
did know him must have some way of designating him, and
here was the key to the whole mystery. Indians designate
each other by some attribute of the person, or by some in
cident in the life of the person referred to. Captain Clark,
while serving with Indian scouts, wore a white felt hat, and
hence was known as the Chief with the White Hat. His
proficiency in the sign language was such as to make him a
marked man among them, and hence it was easy for an
Indian to designate him as the Chief of the White Hat,
who talked so well with his hands. Of course, if the man
spoken to had not known of Captain Clark he could not
have guessed who was alluded to, nor indeed could you or I
know who was alluded to when Washington s name was

GENERAL GIBBON S TESTIMONY. 333

mentioned, if we had never before heard of him. All can
understand how the person once being designated, it was
an easy matter for the Indian to state by signs that he had
gone to sleep, died or * gone under.

" The distinguished officer, whose death was in this way
spread amongst the people who held him in high regard,
left behind him a lasting monument of his skill, industry
and untiring energy. His book on the sign language ex
hibits not only these qualities, but deep and careful re
search." *

* General John Gibbon, U. S. A., in Journal Military Service Institution U. S.

THE LATE MAJOR T. T. THORNKURGH.
334

BESIEGED BY THE UTES.

HE chronicles of the
contests between
the red and white men
of North America are
thrilling stories of hu
man fortitude, self-sacri
fice and military adven
ture.

From the moment
when the daring De
Soto landed at Tampa,
in the Land of Flowers,
down through three
centuries of white set
tlement to the latest
Apache outrage in Ari
zona, our Indian annals

It /If 1^ \ abound with the details

of- small wars, broken treaties and bloody massacres ; and
there is something sad in the thought that the countless
hordes once roaming free as air, upon their own hunting-
grounds, from Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate, have
dwindled, by dissipation, disease and violent death, to a few
thousand souls. These, driven toward the setting sun, from

335

336

BESIEGED BY THE UTES.

one strip of earth one Naboth s vineyard to another, will
finally, perhaps from the verge of the Pacific Ocean, turn a
last look backward ere they plunge into oblivion. The
present savage generation is doomed.

Its children will become citizens of the United States,
cast a vote at elections, and share in the pleasure and pain
of office-holding ; but the fathers the Noble Savage of
Cooper s novels, and the ruthless rovers of the present
day will have vanished from the scene.

In the year 1879, among the most warlike tribes was that
of the Utes, a name once given to all the Indians west of
the Rocky Mountains as far as Nevada, and south, includ
ing New Mexico and Arizona ; a name since given to the
territory of the Mormons, known as Utah. At that time
the four principal bands numbered about four thousand,
of whom eight hundred were located upon a Government
reservation, on the White River, in Northern Colorado.

These " oldest inhabitants " had accepted certain gifts
from the United States to be paid them annually, and had
in turn given up all claim to millions of acres of land. A
very large tract had, however, been set aside for the White
River Utes, where they might hunt, fish and graze their
herds of ponies. These ponies are very hardy animals, and
nearly every Indian could boast of at least twenty, as an
evidence of wealth and social standing.

But although their chiefs had agreed to this arrangement,
the young men, or "bucks," were not satisfied with the
limits of the reservation, but in small parties roamed about
outside, among the settlers, hunting the grizzly, the moun
tain lion and the buffalo, for the skins; in doing this they

INDIAN INFANTR Y AND CA VALR Y.

would sometimes, to the injury of the settlers, set fire to the
magnificent forests abounding in that region. The great
grazing grounds of the buffalo are in the North-west, near
the Canadian border, and in the South-west near the banks
of the Rio Grande. Between these points, at certain times
of the year, vast herds are in motion. Then the Indians of
the Plains (like the Sioux), and those of the mountains (like
the Utes) get up large hunting-parties. These two tribes
are hereditary enemies, and fight when they meet. On the
Plains, the Ute, who is a natural infantry soldier, is at a dis
advantage ; but should the Sioux horseman venture too
near the mountains, a shot from behind an innocent-looking
rock is apt to remind him of his danger, if it does not, then
and there, put a stop to his career.

INDIAN AGENT MEEKER.

Upon each Indian reservation there lives a white man,
who represents the Government and makes known, from
time to time, the wants and condition of the Indians. In
1879, the Agent at White River was Mr. Meeker, a kind-
hearted, zealous man, who did not realize the fierce nature
of his wards, but hoped to persuade the Utes to give up
their ponies and take to ploughing, and become industrious
citizens. He also proposed to change the location of their
camps and of the Agency buildings. Against all this the
majority rebelled.

In their eyes the " buck " who had not " heap ponies"
was of no account ; labor was all very well for the poor
whites, but it degraded the noble reds ; horse-racing was a

338

BESIEGED BY THE UTES.

time-honored amusement of their people ; it improved the
stock and trained the warrior.

But the Agent was not discouraged. His daughter
taught an Indian school for the few children who were
permitted by their parents to come. Twenty-five Indians
agreed to dig a ditch across the Agency farm for fifteen
dollars a month, and, as the Agent reported, did it well ; but
they stopped at the end of the first month. Some of the
squaws were taught to milk a cow and to make butter, and
for awhile this was a fashionable amusement ; but as the
cows were wild when taken from the herd, and at every
milking had to be Rareyized with straps and ropes, the
Indians soon tired. Then Johnson, one of the sub-chiefs,
pretended to want to become a farmer, and demanded
wagons and farming implements and a house. He brought
to the Agency two vicious Indian ponies (that had never
had a white hand nor a bit of harness leather upon them)
to be broken by the white teamsters ; but after a fort
night s work by one of the employes, it was found to be
a shrewd trick of Johnson s to fatten his ponies upon Uncle
Sam s hay, in order to beat a rival s horses at a coming race.

COMING EVENTS CAST SHADOWS.

In fact, to any but the Agent the signs of coming mis
chief were plain. The Indians became impertinent, went
off and on the reservation as they pleased, bought large
quantities of cartridges for the Winchester breech-loaders
with which they were armed, and one day in August shot
at the Agency ploughman as he was quietly turning a
furrow.

OURAY.

339

340

BESIEGED BY THE UTES.

SOME INDIAN TYPES.

Yet there were some in
teresting characters among
these people. The head
chief, " Ouray," was a noble
specimen of a patriarch.
He had flocks and herds,
and a large farm, cultivat
ed by Mexicans whom he
employed. He rode about
the country in a handsome
" Germantown Wagon," pre
sented by the Governor of
Colorado. He also had a
substantial bank account in
Denver, to which every
year the Government added
one thousand dollars, in ex
change for his good influence with his people.

Some of the sub-chiefs did not come up to this high
standard. For instance, " Ute Jack/ who was a bitter
enemy of the whites, although for a time he managed to
conceal it ; " Piah," who was suspected of setting the woods
on fire that the game might be driven out where he might
kill it without too much trouble.

" Bill " was still another bad fellow to meet in the dark,
with savage qualities well developed. He once boasted
that no lead could kill him. A comrade kindly offered to
test the matter. " Bill " stood up, folded his arms, and, as

ANTELOPE " OURAY S RUNNER.

A TOUGH FELLOW.

341

the other aimed his rifle, gave the word " Fire! " The
bullet went through his left side, breaking a rib, but not
touching a vital part. "Bill" staggered slightly, put his
hand to his side, laughed and said, " I told you lead no kill
me." He was laid up for a couple of weeks and came out
all right.

One afternoon in the
early part of September,
Indian Agent Meeker
was sitting at his desk,
musing over the trouble
some state of affairs in
his dominion, when the
door opened behind him,
and a rush of many feet
fell upon his ear. Be
fore he could turn around
he was seized by the
shoulders, thrown down
and severely kicked ; he
was conscious of being
dragged to the door of
his office, and hearing
voices in loud and angry tones, and then everything
became dark. When he came to himself he was lying
on a bed in his own house, surrounded by his family.
The Agent, although severely shaken and hurt, realized
that the moment had come for action ; that he was power
less to control the bad elements, and that he must call
upon the army for help. Without a moment s delay he

BILL.

342

BESIEGED BY THE UTES.

sent the following telegram to the Commissioner in Wash
ington.

"Sir: I have been assaulted by a leading chief, Johnson, forced out of my
own house and injured badly, but was rescued by employes. It is now re
vealed that Johnson originated all the trouble stated in letter Sept. 8. His son
shot at the ploughman, and the opposition to ploughing is wide. Ploughing
stops ; life of self, family and employes not safe ; want protection immediately ;
have asked Governor Pitkin to confer with General Pope."

Imagine yourself, friendly reader, upon an oasis in the
desert, surrounded by several hundred well-armed savages,
who regard you as an enemy, and suspect that you have
sent for the means of punishing them. Imagine, further,
that this spot is two hundred miles from any Government
aid, and fifty miles from the nearest settlement, and that
your available force consists of eight white men, embarrassed
by the presence of helpless women and children ! If you
can thus put yourself in his place you may realize the
Agent s terrible plight. But the lightning was at work,
and within forty-eight hours his appeal to the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs had been sent to the Secretary of War, and
orders were flashed back to the commandant at Fort Steele,
two thousand