Promoted from the ranks.
MARCUS, ---- 63d Infantry
MEINHART, ISAAC 63d Infantry
MEINHART, SAMUEL 63d Infantry
MORRIS, W. C 3d Battery
Captured; died and buried at Woodlawn Cemetery,
Elmira, New York.
MEHLINGER, J. C 2d Battalion
METZGER, ISAAC A 2d Battalion
MAYER, GABRIEL 4th Infantry
MOSS, L. A. 4th Infantry
MARCUS, M. Captain 15th Infantry
Killed, October 13th, 1864; buried in Jewish Cemetery
at Richmond, Virginia.
MAGNUS, SOLOMON Cherokee Artillery
Killed at Resaca, Georgia.
MANNERS, JACOB I 8th Infantry
MEYER, BERNARD A 1st Infantry
Killed at Manassas.
MANES, E. H 8th Infantry
Color-bearer at 2nd battle of Manassas, and at Sharpsburg.
MEYER, SIMEON 5th Infantry
MAYERS, AARON Silver Grays
MORRIS, PHILIP Silver Grays
MAYER, ISAAC Major 5th Infantry
MEYER, LAZARUS 3d Infantry
MOSES, ---- Lieutenant C 2d Battery
MOSES, I. CLIFTON A 10th Infantry
MOSES, MONTEFIORE J. 2d Infantry
Promoted Surgeon.
MOSES, WILLIAM MOULTRIE 2d Infantry
MEHLINGER, M B 4th Infantry
MYERS, BERNARD 1st Infantry
Killed at Rich Mountain.
MERZ, LOUIS D 4th Infantry
Killed at Sharpsburg.
MOISE, EDWARD M. Captain A 10th Infantry
Enlisted in 7th Cavalry; served until surrender;
commanded the 10th; had three horses shot from
under him in one day; commanded the advance in
the Hampton cattle raid; captured 2785 head of
cattle in the rear of General Grant's army in
the fall of 1864.
MOISE, A. W. Lieutenant H 24th Infantry
Enlisted at the age of sixteen years as private in first
battalion of Maryland Cavalry; transferred to 24th
Regiment; wounded at the Wilderness carrying the
colors until disabled; promoted from the ranks.
NEWMAN, C. 49th Infantry
POPPER, I. 63d Infantry
ROSENBERG, I. 3d Infantry
Killed; buried at Jewish Cemetery at Richmond, Virginia.
RUSH, GEORGE W. Captain 22d Infantry
Killed at Petersburg.
ROBINSON, A. 15th Infantry
Killed in action June 26th, 1863; buried at Jewish
Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia.
ROSENWALT, LAZARUS 3d Infantry
RUSSELL, PHILIP M. 1st Infantry
SHERLEIN, LEOPOLD 5th Infantry
STERN, ISAAC A 2d Battalion
Wounded at Gettysburg.
SCHIFF, JOSEPH C 2d Infantry
STERNE, LEVI D 4th Infantry
STERNE, ANSELM D 4th Infantry
Wounded by a shell.
SIMON, N. 51st Infantry
SEGAL, M. 50th Infantry
SYLVESTER, L. 5th Infantry
SARLING, SOLOMON 5th Infantry
SCHIFF, JONAS 44th Infantry
SCHIFF, P. 44th Infantry
STERN, JACOB 63d Infantry
TRIEST, JACOB 13th Battalion
WALLERSTEIN, H. 44th Infantry
WERTHEIMER, SAMUEL K 2nd Infantry
WEIL, JACOB 3d Infantry
WITTKOWSKY, DAVID 51st Infantry
WITTKOWSKY, ALEXANDER Lieutenant 19th Infantry
WARNER, L. Silver Grays
WERTHEIMER, HARRIS Carten Battalion
Artillery
WERTHEIMER, HENRY B 4th Regiment
WEISS, L.
Killed; buried in Jewish cemetery at Richmond, Virginia.
ZITTERBART, ---- 4th Infantry
MACON, GEORGIA, GERMAN ARTILLERY.
At the outbreak of the Civil War there existed in Macon, Georgia,
an Artillery Company named "The Macon, Georgia, German Artillery,"
composed entirely of American citizens, of German birth, about
one-third being of Hebrew faith. We give the names and positions of a
few only, remembered by a survivor.
NAME. RANK.
BINSWANGER, NATHAN 2nd Lieutenant
BINSWANGER, J. Corporal
BINSWANGER, G. Private
BINSWANGER, MOSES "
EINSTEIN, ---- "
FENDIG, ---- "
HOCHSER, ---- "
KAHN, ---- Orderly-Sergeant
MILLER, H. Private
NORDLINGER, B. Bugler
NORDWALT, A. Private
SANGER, A. "
SANGER, R. "
1st Camp, Harrison, between Savannah and Brunswick.
2nd Camp, Satilla, near Brunswick, Georgia.
3d Camp, Failfair, near Savannah, Georgia.
Under Brigadier-General Capers. The Company was subsequently
transferred to General Walker.
ILLINOIS.
NAME. RANK. COMPANY. REGIMENT.
ALEXANDER, ISAAC 8th Infantry
ASHER, JULIUS Sergeant B 9th Infantry
AUERBACK, SALOMON {10th Infantry
{31st Infantry
Served until the close of the war.
ABRAHAMSON, OTTO E 10th Infantry
ARNOLD, AARON B 12th Infantry
ADLER, CHARLES G 14th Infantry
ABRAHAM, AUGUST B 20th Infantry
ABRAHAM, WILLIAM 21st Infantry
Wounded at Stone River.
ADLER, W. C 30th Infantry
ABRAMS, SAMUEL 34th Infantry
ASH, DAVID L. 1st Lieutenant B 37th Infantry
Promoted from the ranks.
ABRAMS, FRANK A 39th Infantry
ABRAHAMS, FREDERICK Lieutenant 44th Infantry
ADOLPH, JACOB 44th Infantry
ARNOLD, ISAAC A. Captain A 46th Infantry
Promoted from 2nd Lieutenant.
ARNOLD, DAVID Captain 57th Infantry
Promoted from Lieutenant.
ABRAHAM, JACOB 67th Infantry
ASH, NATHAN 81st Infantry
AARON, G. A 83d Infantry
ABRAHAMSON, WILLIAM K 84th Infantry
ARNOLD, SIMON 92d Infantry
AARONS, GEORGE 120th Infantry
ARNOLD, JACOB 130th Infantry
ARNOLD, REUBEN E 131st Infantry
ADLER, FERDINAND 153d Infantry
ASHER, SAMUEL E 154th Infantry
AARON, JULIUS 156th Infantry
ADLER, HENRY 3d Cavalry
ARNOLD, ISRAEL M 3d Cavalry
Died in Service.
ALEXANDER, W. 4th Cavalry
Died in camp.
ABRAMS, HENRY Sergeant 4th Cavalry
Enlisted as private.
ABRAHAM, ALEXANDER 5th Cavalry
AARON, WILLIAM 10th Cavalry
ABRAMS, H. C 11th Cavalry
ACKERMAN, JACOB H 11th Cavalry
ARNOLD, BENJAMIN
Lieutenant 12th Cavalry
ARNOLD, ABRAHAM 17th Cavalry
ABRAHAMSON, J. 1st Artillery
ADLER, DANIEL Corporal Hershaw Artillery
ADLER, DANKMAR Corporal ---- Artillery
BEHRENS, A. 8th Infantry
BERLIN, DAVID B 8th Infantry
BLIND, PHILIP K 8th Infantry
BACHMAN, JACOB 8th Infantry
BENJAMIN, CHARLES A. 13th Infantry
BERNARD, GEORGE K 13th Infantry
BENJAMIN, W. A 13th Infantry
BRESLAUER, MORRIS K 19th Infantry
BRESLAUER, JOSEPH 19th Infantry
BEHRENDS, BERNHART 21st Infantry
BENJAMIN, JOHN K 22d Infantry
Served three years.
BLUMENTHAL, ISIDORE
Corporal K 24th Infantry
Enlisted as private;
served three years.
BLUMENTHAL, EDWARD K 24th Infantry
BAMBERGER, ALEXANDER K 24th Infantry
BAUM, BENJAMIN Corporal 25th Infantry
Enlisted as private.
BENJAMIN, JACOB 25th Infantry
BRUCKER, S. S. Lieutenant C 39th Infantry
Enlisted as private.
BAER, JOSEPH C 39th Infantry
BIEN, FREDERICK G 39th Infantry
BIEN, DAVID C. 42d Infantry
BAUM, HENRY 44th Infantry
BAMBERGER, V. 49th Infantry
BAUM, GEORGE 49th Infantry
BLUM, GUSTAV 57th Infantry
BAUER, FERDINAND E 58th Infantry
BERNHARD, JACOB 63d Infantry
Killed in battle.
BAMBERGER, SALOMON A 65th Infantry
BERNSTEIN, SAMUEL Sergeant K 67th Infantry
Enlisted as private.
BRUM, SAMUEL Captain 81st Infantry
Wounded at Guntown; promoted to Captain for bravery on
the battlefield; served three years.
BAUM, GEORGE Sergeant B 82d Infantry
BLUM, LOUIS 82d Infantry
BAUER, JACOB H 82d Infantry
BRAND, JACOB 82d Infantry
BREDE, CHARLES C 82d Infantry
Killed at Chancellorsville.
BURGHEIM, HERMAN C 82d Infantry
BAUM, CHARLES 112th Infantry
BEHRENS, FERDINAND E 113th Infantry
BIEN, JACOB B 126th Infantry
BAUM, SAMUEL 142d Infantry
BRESLAUER, MORITZ Sergeant 147th Infantry
BAER, REUBEN B. D 4th Cavalry
BAUM, FRANKLIN 4th Cavalry
BAER, DANIEL M 7th Cavalry
BAUER, HERMAN 9th Cavalry
BLUM, CHARLES 16th Cavalry
Died of wounds.
BEHRENS, HEINRICH 16th Cavalry
BLUM, LOUIS 16th Cavalry
BLUMENBERG, LEWIS 2d Artillery
COLEMAN, ALEXANDER 8th Infantry
CORNELIUS, ADOLPH 9th Infantry
Re-enlisted as Veteran; died of wounds.
CERFF, GEORGE 13th Infantry
Killed at Little Rock, Arkansas.
COLEMAN, ISAAC 15th Infantry
Re-enlisted after expiration of term.
COHN, J. E 18th Infantry
COLEMAN, HENRY 18th Infantry
CORNELIUS, SAMUEL B 26th Infantry
CAUFFMAN, ALBERT Lieutenant E 33d Infantry
COLEMAN, ISAAC D 42nd Infantry
COHEN, A. H 46th Infantry
COLEMAN, J. 56th Infantry
COHN, FRIEDRICH C 82nd Infantry
COHEN, HENRY K 82nd Infantry
COHEN, JACOB H 147th Infantry
COHEN, LOUIS 7th Cavalry
COHEN, WILLIAM 1st Lieutenant B 12th Cavalry
Promoted from Corporal.
DARMSTADTER, JACOB A 8th Infantry
DAVIDSON, HENRY 12th Infantry
Died from wounds.
DAVIDSON, SAMUEL, Assistant-Surgeon 14th Infantry
DE WOLF, HENRY A 15th Infantry
DAVID, DANIEL 18th Infantry
DANIELS, ABRAHAM H 29th Infantry
DAVIDSON, MARCUS L. G 35th Infantry
DANIELS, JOSEPH 35th Infantry
DAVIDSON, DAVID J. F 38th Infantry
Killed in action.
DAVIDSON, BENJAMIN T. Sergeant B 40th Infantry
DE WOLF, DAVID Captain 47th Infantry
Killed at the battle of Corinth.
DANIEL, JOSEPH 49th Infantry
DURST, JACOB G 57th Infantry
DANIELS, ALEXANDER 65th Infantry
DAVID, E. 65th Infantry
DAVID, LEASER A 65th Infantry
DANIEL, JACOB K 87th Infantry
DAVID, JACOB 97th Infantry
DAVID, ISAAC B 132nd Infantry
DANIELSON, ELOF I 132nd Infantry
DAVID, ISAAC Captain 151st Infantry
DAVIDSON, DAVID 5th Cavalry
DANIELSON, GUSTAV B 9th Cavalry
DE WOLF, WILLIAM B 1st Artillery
DANIELSON, AUGUST 1st Artillery
ERLACHER, MAX D 24th Infantry
ESSLINGER, JOSEPH 30th Infantry
ENGEL, FERDINAND H 43d Infantry
ENGEL, ASA 72nd Infantry
Wounded.
ENGEL, FRANK B 132nd Infantry
ECKSTEIN, LEWIS 3d Cavalry
EINDEN, SALOMON Lieutenant 12th Cavalry
Enlisted as private.
EHRLICH, WILLIAM 12th Cavalry
ENGEL, MORITZ 12th Cavalry
FRANKS, WILLIAM F 8th Infantry
FRANK, JOSEPH 10th Infantry
Re-enlisted as Veteran.
FRANK, PHILIP 12th Infantry
FREEMAN, JOSEPH H 14th Infantry
FRANK, DAVID E. 21st Infantry
FRANK, FREDERICK 28th Infantry
FREEMAN, MOSES C 32nd Infantry
FRANKS, E. S. 39th Infantry
FRANK, CARL D 43d Infantry
Killed in action.
FRANK, HERMAN 43d Infantry
Badly wounded.
FRANKENBERG, ELI 46th Infantry
FRANK, SIMON C 57th Infantry
FREEMAN, J. A 66th Infantry
FALKENTHAL, ADOLPH D 70th Infantry
FRIEDENBERG, ISAAC 75th Infantry
FRANK, JACOB 76th Infantry
FRANK, I. A 82nd Infantry
FRANK, MEIER Captain C 82nd Infantry
FRANK, MORITZ C 82nd Infantry
FRANK, MAYER Captain C 82nd Infantry
Enlisted at Chicago; was elected Lieutenant of Company C of the
82nd Regiment, in which he served about two years, when he was
promoted to Captain. He was at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg from
first to last. Subsequently he was appointed Brigade Inspector
and ordered West. He took part in the battle of Wauhatchie and at
Missionary Ridge, commanding the 80th. He went with Sherman to
Knoxville to relieve Burnside. Captain Frank's deeds entitle him
to a place among the bravest Captains in the service of the United
States. When Captain Frank volunteered to dislodge Confederate
sharpshooters, his whole Company to a man followed him. It was
subsequent to this act that he was appointed Brigade Inspector.
Two horses were shot from under him at the first day's battle at
Gettysburg. He scouted for some time in Georgia, Tennessee and
Alabama against guerilla chief "Roddy."
FRANK, JESSE 86th Infantry
FRANK, ISAAC 104th Infantry
FRANK, DAVID Sergeant I 105th Infantry
FRANKS, WILLIAM 1st Lieutenant B 168th Infantry
Promoted from Corporal.
FRANK, ISAAC 118th Infantry
FRANKENBERG, BENJAMIN 119th Infantry
Died of wounds received in battle.
FRANK, EMANUEL 130th Infantry
FISHEL, SAMUEL 135th Infantry
FISHEL, DANIEL 135th Infantry
FRANKENBERGER, DAVID 150th Infantry
FRANKENBERGER, EPHRAIM 150th Infantry
FRANK, ISRAEL B 2nd Cavalry
FRANK, NOAH 3d Infantry
Died in the service.
FREEMAN, MARCUS 7th Infantry
FRANK, HENRY B 9th Infantry
FREUND, LUDWIG 13th Infantry
Died in the service.
FRANK, PHILIP 2nd Artillery
GOLDSMITH, DAVID H 7th Infantry
GREENWALL, DAVID A 8th Infantry
GOTTLOB, THEO. Lieutenant 9th Infantry
GLEISER, N. G 10th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, J. Corporal 14th Infantry
At expiration of term re-enlisted as a veteran.
GOTTLOB, ADOLPH G 14th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, GEORGE 14th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, ALEXANDER 10th Infantry
Re-enlisted after being honorably discharged.
Wounded in action at Stone River.
GOLDSMITH, ALEXANDER Corporal F 19th Infantry
Wounded at Stone River, Kentucky.
GOLDSMITH, JONAS F 19th Infantry
Enlisted as private; re-enlisted after being
honorably discharged. Killed at Stone River,
Kentucky.
GOLDSMITH, ABRAHAM 24th Infantry
GOODMAN, DANIEL E 27th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, HENRY K 28th Infantry
GOTTLIEB, JOSEPH G 28th Infantry
GOTTSHALK, EMANUEL H 37th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, JACOB I 37th Infantry
GREENEBAUM, SAMUEL C 39th Infantry
GREEN, S. W. 42nd Infantry
GREENWALT, SAMUEL 49th Infantry
GOLDSMITH, BENJAMIN F 70th Infantry
GOLDMAN, E. 71st Infantry
GOTTLOB, JOSEPH Captain I 82nd Infantry
Promoted from Lieutenant.
GREENHUT, JOSEPH B. Captain K 82nd Infantry
Enlisted as a private at Chicago, April, 1861, in 12th Illinois
Infantry, being the second man on the enrollment list of those
who enlisted in Chicago for the war. He was promoted to Sergeant,
August, 1861; was with the 12th Illinois Regiment through all the
campaigns under General Grant, in Kentucky and Tennessee, up to and
including the Battle of Fort Donaldson, in February, 1862, at which
battle, while storming the Fort and just before its surrender,
he was badly shot in the right arm which caused his retirement
from the 12th Illinois shortly thereafter. In August, 1862 he was
appointed Captain of Company K, 82nd Illinois Infantry, in which
Regiment he passed through the various campaigns and battles in
Virginia, under Generals Burnside, Hooker and Meade. Captain
Greenhut participated in the memorable Battle of Gettysburg,
July 1st, 2nd and 3d, 1863. He was then transferred to the staff
of Brigade Commander Hecker, being appointed Adjutant-General
of the brigade. This brigade, after the Gettysburg Battle,
Rosecrans who, with his army, was surrounded at was transferred
to the Western army to relieve General Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The brigade had a severe battle at Wauhatchie, near Chattanooga,
in opening communications with Rosecrans. The same brigade also
took a prominent part in the battles of Mission Ridge and Lookout
Mountain, as well as shortly thereafter of that of Knoxville,
Tennessee. On the retirement of General Hecker, in February, 1864,
Captain Greenhut also resigned his position in the army; the
following communication being handed him on his retirement, by
General McGroarty, who succeeded in the command of the brigade:
"Headquarters 3d Brigade, 3d Division, 11th Corps.
WHITESIDE, TENN., February 28th, 1864.
_General order No. 9._
Captain Joseph B. Greenhut, of the 82nd Regiment Illinois Volunteers,
having tendered his resignation, is, in pursuance of special order,
No. 55, Headquarters Department of the Cumberland, February 24, 1864,
relieved from duty as Assistant Adjutant-General of this Brigade, and
Lieutenant Rudolph Muller is announced as his successor. In parting
with Captain Greenhut, the Colonel commanding feels it both a duty and
a pleasure to bear testimony to his diligence, zeal and fidelity in the
performance of his duty in the office, as well as in the field, and he
regrets to see so excellent and brave an officer as Captain Greenhut
leave his command.
Matters of important character only could induce Captain Greenhut to
leave the army in which he served three long and hard years, taking
active part in all the most decisive battles east and west.
To be read on dress parade to the troops to-day.
By order of Colonel MCGROARTY,
Commanding Brigade and Post.
RUDOLPH MULLER,
1st Lieutenant and A. A. A. General.
Captain JOSEPH B. GREENHUT,
Assistant Adjutant-General, 3d Brigade."
In recent years Captain Greenhut was appointed by Governor Fifer one
of the three commissioners to erect a monument on the battle-field of
Gettysburg, in honor of the Illinois soldiers who participated in that
battle. He delivered the dedicatory address at the unveiling of the
monument, September 3, 1891, in the presence of Governor Fifer, and a
large multitude of veterans and representative citizens of the State of
Illinois, who visited the battle-field on that occasion.
The _Chicago Tribune_, of September 4, 1891, prints Captain Greenhut's
speech, as follows:
"Friends and Comrades: We are assembled here to-day on the spot
where, on the first day of July, 1863, our regiment stood in line,
at the beginning of the first day's memorable Battle of Gettysburg.
More than twenty-eight years have passed since that eventful
struggle, but our memory is refreshed and brightened when we cast
our eyes about us and view these familiar surroundings, and we are
impressed in part with the feelings which raged in our breasts when
we were formed into line on this field to stem the advance of the
Rebel Army. It was an herculean task to perform when we consider
that only a small portion of our army was in the field on the first
day of the battle, while the larger portion of Lee's Army was
concentrated on our front and right.
"None of us knew what a hot day's fight was before us when we broke
camp at Emmetsburg early on the morning of July 1st, and began our
march towards Gettysburg. We had not gone far when orders came to
move faster and to be prepared for an engagement. As we approached
the town of Gettysburg on the Emmetsburg road, we could hear the
first shots that were being fired on the cavalry skirmish lines and
soon thereafter received word that the First Corps, which was ahead
of us, was already engaging the enemy, and then came the sad news
that General Reynolds had been killed. We then moved double-quick
through the town to this field where our batteries were placed in
position, and at once opened fire on the advancing enemy. I was
detailed in command of two companies of our regiment to support
Dilger's battery, and I can bear witness to the effective work done
by that gallant battery in holding the enemy in check. We were
exposed to the fearful cannonade fire which the enemy opened in our
front, and by which we had several of our men wounded. We held our
ground for a long time against the large force in our front, but
later in the afternoon Ewell's corps flanked us on the right, and
as our numbers were still entirely too small to combat with the
overwhelming forces of the approaching enemy on our right, there
was no alternative for us but to retreat through the town and take
up a position on Cemetery Hill. It was in this retreat through the
town that our regiment suffered most severely, the rebels coming
in through the side streets, which compelled us to fight our way
through the entire town.
"Besides the killed and wounded we suffered in this street
conflict, a number of our officers were cut off and captured by the
enemy. It was a fearful struggle against great odds, and as our
regiment covered the rear of our brigade in that retreat it has
been a surprise to me that we were not entirely annihilated in our
endeavors to force our way through the town up to Cemetery Hill.
Each one of us can, however, vividly recollect the hair-breadth
escapes experienced on that occasion without any allusions on my
part. From Colonel Salomon, who had his horse shot from under him
in the street, down through the entire rank of officers and men,
none will ever forget that terrible day. As soon as we reached
Cemetery Hill, we felt that we were in a better position and could
resist any further attacks, if they should be made, and the rebels
evidently came to that conclusion, as they did not make any further
attempt that day.
"During the night we were reinforced by the remainder of our army,
which reached Gettysburg from different points and which brought
confidence and encouragement to us who had withstood the hardships
of the engagement of the first day's battle. When daylight appeared
July 2nd, we were prepared and ready for the second day's struggle.
"Early morning hours on the second day were spent in comparative
quiet, each army in full view of the other, and each waiting
for the other to begin the fight. The rebels, however, who had
possession of the town, had filled the houses standing on the
outskirts of the town, just below Cemetery Hill, with sharpshooters
for the purpose of picking off our officers, whom they could easily
spy standing or walking about on the hill. This had become quite
troublesome and General Schurz requested Colonel Salomon to send
a detail of about one hundred men to dislodge the sharpshooters.
I had the honor to command that detail, which was made up of
volunteers, and stormed those houses, driving out the sharpshooters
and keeping possession of the houses the balance of the day. In
making up this detail an incident happened which I shall surely
remember as long as I live, and I cannot refrain from referring to
it at this time. Brave John Ackerman, a private in my company, who
on every previous occasion was the first to respond when volunteers
were asked for to engage in some daring work, did not come to the
front on this occasion. I was much surprised at his action, and
stepped over to speak to him about it. He said to me:
"'Captain, I cannot go with you this time; I feel as though
something terrible was going to happen to me to-day.'
"He looked pale and despondent. Believing that he did not feel
well, I left him, after saying a few encouraging words to him.
Within an hour after I left him, Ackerman was killed, a rebel shell
cutting off more than half his head. His remains were buried on
Cemetery Hill, close to where he was killed. It is singular, that
he is the only one of our regiment killed at Gettysburg whose name
appears on any headstone in the National Cemetery.
"The great artillery duel, consisting of the firing of more than
200 cannon, which was the beginning of the second day's battle,
was especially severe on the exposed position occupied by the
Eleventh Corps on Cemetery Hill, and the rebels seemed determined
to dislodge us from our position, but were unsuccessful in their
efforts. All of us can recollect the myriads of shells and bombs
that flew in our midst and over our heads, dealing out death
wherever they struck in our ranks, and few of the headstones which
marked the graves in the old cemetery were left unbroken after that
shower of shells.
"The terrible charge the rebels made in the evening of the second
day to force us from our position on Cemetery Hill has passed
into history as one of the most desperate and bloody of this
memorable battle. The charge was made from the streets of the town
by the rebel brigade known as the 'Louisiana Tigers,' and it is
officially stated that out of 1700 men in that brigade less than
300 'Tigers' returned to the town after that charge. The third
day's battle was nearly a duplicate of the day previous, our
regiment holding the same position on Cemetery Hill and standing
the terrible fire of the enemy with the same bravery and gallantry
that had characterized our organization from the beginning. We
can all recollect how with frantic desperation the rebels tried to
dislodge us from the position we occupied, but all their attempts
were unavailing, and when the radiant sun sank behind the western
horizon after the third day's fight, the rebels signalized their
defeat by a hasty retreat southward. We can also vividly remember
how light-hearted and joyous we felt on that early Fourth of July
morning when we gazed on those fields and hills in our front which
only the evening before were full of life, covered with rebel
soldiers and cannon, and now looked deserted and forsaken. We then
first began to realize the great victory we had won, a victory
which I confidently believe was the turning point for the salvation
of this country. But while the face of every Union soldier on that
morning was glowing with the flush of heroism, there were but few,
however, who could pass without sad emotions over the fields which
were so thickly strewn with dead and dying that in some places it
was impossible to walk without stepping on some of the dead bodies.
But these are the consequences of war, and I sincerely hope it
may never again become necessary in this glorious country to call
out large armies and to bring such great sacrifices in order to
perpetuate our liberties and freedom. (Cheers.)
"It is not necessary to-day to eulogize the many brave deeds of
the officers and men of our regiment on this battle-field, as the
official records bear ample testimony on that subject, and I doubt
whether any regiment can show a better record for bravery than the
old 82nd Illinois. (Applause.)
"This monument which has been erected through the generosity
of the State of Illinois to commemorate the noble deeds of the
82nd Regiment will stand for ages as a tribute of a grateful
people to her sons, now living or dead, who participated in this,
the greatest battle which was fought during the war for the
preservation of the Union. (Cheers.)
"We, the surviving members of the 82nd Regiment, fully appreciate
this token erected in our honor by the State of Illinois and in
behalf of our comrades I desire to express through his excellency,
Governor Fifer, our sincere thankfulness for the same." (Applause.)
* * * * *
"Mr. Greenhut concluded by paying a handsome compliment to the old
Colonel of the 82nd, Colonel E. S. Salomon, and the ceremonies
closed with the recitation of a short poem in German by Lieutenant
John Baus, of Chicago."