On the morning of May 11th, 1865, we received marching orders and
at seven a. m. we marched down to the river. We boarded the “Joab
Lawrence” and started down the river. On the morning of the 12th we
met several transports going after the remainder of our brigade.
On the morning of the 13th we landed at the city of Mobile. We
marched out three miles, near the Mobile and Atlanta railroad. On the
15th we drew six months’ pay and one installment of bounty. May 18th
we received an official report of the capture of Jeff Davis.
On the 25th one of the greatest explosions of the war took place in
Mobile. One hundred tons of loose powder and all of the fixed shell
and ammunition that had been turned over to the government was stored
in the warehouses at the wharf. The colored troops were there on
guard duty, but no one was left to tell how it was set off.
The explosion shook the ground for several miles. The loss was
terrible. One thousand, two hundred people were killed and wounded.
The most of them were colored troops and citizens. Several large
boats, loaded with ammunition, went up with the explosion, or were
set on fire and went down.
The buildings in eight blocks were leveled to the ground, and windows
were jarred out for several blocks back in the city. The loss was
estimated at five million dollars’ damage. Many of the dead and
wounded were covered up in the ruins and burned. The fire lasted
for three days, burning the wreck. It could not be extinguished on
account of the bursting shells. They made a sound like the raging of
a continuous battle. Several were killed with pieces of the shells
while trying to put out the fire.
On the morning of the 27th we marched into the edge of town. We went
into camp and relieved the Third brigade. They were mustered out of
service and sent home. June 3d we were reviewed by Chief Justice
Chase. On the 4th we marched on grand parade down to the city park.
We went through the manual of arms and got the praise of making a
splendid show-off. Our battalion was small and well drilled.
Our camp duty was cut down to two hours and dress parade at six p. m.
each day.
On the evening of the 18th, while we were on dress parade, a thunder
storm came up and just as we reached our quarters lightning struck
one of the pine trees in our camp. William Edwards, of our company,
was instantly killed. Some of the other boys were badly shocked.
There were also some boys in an Iowa regiment who were killed. They
were a mile from where we were in camp.
On the 22d the leader of our band, Alec Owens, returned to the
regiment with a new set of silver instruments which he had purchased
for the sum of seven hundred dollars. Company A had donated five
hundred dollars on them, and we never regretted our gift. We were
well paid with the music of those sweet-toned instruments.
On the 25th we received marching orders, struck tents, and moved
down to the landing. The boys had some fun out of the citizens just
as we marched out of camp. There was quite an explosion from a small
cannon, which our boys had loaded and covered with old clothes. A
fuse was left burning. Several of the citizens had gathered in and
were picking out the best of the goods, when the pile was thrown high
in the air. They did not stop to find out the cause, but it had its
effect, and every one called out, “More torpedoes.”
We got on board the “Alice Vivian.” We ran down near Fort Gaines and
ran alongside of the steamship “Hudson” and boarded it. We ran out
between Forts Morgan and Gaines into the Gulf. On the evening of the
27th we passed in sight of the light house at Ship Shoals. On the
morning of the 28th the wind blew a gale and the sea became very
rough. Several of us were thinking about Jonah and the whale.
On the morning of the 29th we came up with our fleet and anchored
near Galveston Bay. The sea continued to be rough and we could not
land on account of the sand bars between the Gulf and the Bay. On the
evening of the 30th, the water being smooth, three companies of our
regiment got on a small schooner and ran into the bay. We landed at
the wharf and got off and lay here all night. It seemed as though we
were in motion all the time. The remainder of our regiment came in
July 1st and we all marched through the city of Galveston, Texas. We
went into camp on a beautiful sandy beach.
On the 2nd we had inspection of arms and dress parade at six p. m.
On the morning of the 4th we marched through the city and all of
the troops at this place met at the public square, where a national
salute was fired. Speeches were made and prayers offered for the
glory of our nation. We marched to camp by moonlight, our band
playing the solemn tune, “Loved Ones at Home.”
On the 9th of July, our left wing, the old 67th Indiana, was mustered
out of service and started home. Colonel Spicely, who had been
temporarily commanding our brigade, went with them. He had well
earned his star but he failed to get it. On the night of the 20th
the officers all got on a big booze. We escorted Colonel Spicely and
the 67th through town, put them on the ship, and started them home on
the 21st of July, 1865.
Our battalion was now small. Almost half of them were on permanent
guard duty and the remainder were doing patrol duty. On the 27th we
moved our camp a short distance to clean up, as our family was now
small. We were the only troops left to keep order and patrol the town.
Our battalion was now commanded by Captain Pollard of Company K.
Nothing of importance now happened except guard mounting guard and
dress parade. On the 28th we moved our quarters up to the east end
of town, near the college and Catholic nunnery. Some of the boys had
a good time trysting with the nuns at the fence. Others of the boys
made good money by digging down fortifications and opening up the
streets. We got all of the water that we used at the nunnery well.
October 1st we received a large amount of mail. There were many
greetings and promises in those letters. We also received general
orders to be mustered out of service, on the 27th of October, 1865.
November the 1st, our officers were all busy making out our pay rolls
and discharge papers. The 48th Ohio relieved us from guard duty on
the 4th and we turned over all of our camp equipage on the 14th.
The boys who wished to remain at that place were mustered out of
service and started for New Orleans to get their pay and settle up
with Uncle Sam. They left on the 15th. Several of them had gotten
into trouble with the Golden Circle or Butternut organization, while
at home on their furloughs and they did not wish to go back to
Indiana.
On the 16th of November, 1865, the remainder of our battalion was
mustered out of the U. S. service.