FROM THE ATTACK ON CORINTH, OCT. 3D, 1862, UNTIL REGIMENT WAS MOUNTED.
_Rebels prepare to attack Corinth--Order of battle--Result of
the attack on the 3d of October--New line of battle at "White
House"--Line at "Battery Robinett"--Slaughter on the 4th of
October--Extracts from a Rebel prisoner's journal--List of
killed and wounded--Outpost duty._
The Rebel leaders were not satisfied that our forces should occupy
Corinth, uninterruptedly. Hence, in the Fall of 1862 active
preparations were made by them to attack that place. A heavy force,
under Generals Price and VanDorn, was fitted up for this purpose. The
time was drawing near when our boys must endure another of those
terrible struggles, two of which they had already passed through.
As I have said, the Regiment had been doing outpost duty at Rienzi,
from the 16th of August until the last of September. On the 20th of
September, Col. Schaeffer's Brigade, with which our Regiment had been
temporarily united, moved Northward, leaving the 9th Ill. and the 59th
Indiana, to hold the place. On the 1st of October the 9th Ill. moved
toward Corinth, and bivouacked for the night seven miles South of our
old camp near Corinth. Moved again, on the 2d of October, and came to
the old familiar camp, at noon. Here we occupied our old position
again, reporting to General Oglesby, who commanded the Brigade.
On the morning of October 3d, 1862, the Regiment was marched out in its
proper position for the terrible conflict, The following order will
show the position it occupied during the fight. It was moved out two
miles North-west of Corinth, to the old rifle-pits of the rebels. Our
Brigade was on the left of the 2d Division. The 6th Division was on our
left. On the right of the 6th Division, was the 3d Brigade of the 2d
Division, (Col. Baldwin commanding,) which had been temporarily
attached to that Division. Gen. McArthur commanded the 6th Division;
Gen. Davies the 2d Division, and Gen. Hamilton the Ohio Division. This
latter Division was held in reserve. Immediately on our right was the
1st Brigade of the 2d Division. Such was the position our Brigade
occupied at the opening of this terrible conflict.
The enemy made their first attack upon Gen. McArthur's Division, which
was placed immediately upon our left. After a short resistance, Col.
Baldwin's Brigade, placed on the right of that Division, gave way and
fell back in confusion. This uncovered and exposed to the enemy our
left flank. Soon the enemy came through the large gap thus made, and
attacked us simultaneously in the front and rear. The 81st Ohio, placed
upon the left of our Brigade, gave way and moved in confusion and
disorder to the right and rear, followed very soon by the 12th Ill.,
and then the 9th moved in the same manner.
In attempting to check the too hasty advance of the Rebels, the 9th
Ill. lost Capt. Britt, killed, and the two Captains Lowe, and
Lieutenants Hughes and Uleu, together with 53 enlisted men, captured.
Gen. Hackleman's Brigade covered our retreat, and we fell back and
formed a new line at the "White House." The Brigades occupied the same
order in this line as in the former one. Here the advance of the enemy
was checked, until darkness put a stop to the conflict for this day.
During the night our line was drawn back to Battery "Robinett." Just
before daylight, on the morning of the 4th of October, the enemy
cheered by their success of yesterday; opened from a four-gun battery,
on the town, compelling our wounded to leave for safer quarters. A
General Hospital was established one mile out on the M. & C. R. R.
where all the wounded were removed. Before they could all be removed,
one or two of them had been killed by the rebel shells in the
Tishomingo House. At daylight, the action became general all along our
lines. The Rebel columns made desperate charges, and were as often
repulsed.
General Oglesby, commanding our Brigade, was wounded the day previous,
and Col. Mersy assumed command of the Brigade. Major Kuhn, of our
Regiment, was also disabled, and Captain Hawes assumed command of the
Regiment during the fight on the 4th of October.
The slaughter of the enemy, in the efforts to capture "Battery
Robinett," was terrific. A true picture of the ground, taken ere the
dead were removed, shows the ground to be literally covered with the
dead, often lying one upon another.
The struggle lasted until about 10 A. M., when the Rebel line was
broken, and their whole army retreated in confusion and disorder. Thus
ended another of those terrible conflicts which have marked the history
of this war. The conflict was fierce and determined on both sides. Our
forces were under the command of Gen. Rosecrans. Those of the enemy
were under Generals Price and VanDorn. It was regarded a matter of
vital importance, at that time, for our forces to hold that place. The
importance which the Rebels attached to the work of re-taking it, and
the desperate struggle they made in order to do it, will be seen from
some extracts which I will here make from the journal of a Rebel
prisoner, Lieut. Labruzan, of the 42d Regt. Ala. A copy of his notes,
taken as the battle progressed, and after he was captured, was obtained
by some of the boys in our Regiment, and I have thus secured access to
it. The following extract will show the position the enemy occupied on
the day before the battle commenced:
"_Thursday, Oct. 2d._--The bridge finished about 10 o'clock,
when we took up the line of march. We marched right in front,
which brought our Regt. near the head of the column. Generals
VanDorn and Villipigue were ahead about two or three miles. The
army here is fully 25,000 men under command of Gen. VanDorn,
who outranks Gen. Price. Brig. Gen. Moore commanded our Brigade
of five Regiments. Our Division is commanded by Brig. Gen.
Manny."
I omit here a portion of his notes as to the march during the day, and
the manner in which he spent the night of the 2d October. It would be
interesting to give the whole of this extract from his journal, but it
would occupy too much space. It would enable us to view that great
battle from a rebel stand-point. Of the first day of the fight, he
writes thus:
"_Friday, Oct. 3d._--Reveille by the bugle at 4 A. M. Were
marching by 4 ½. Crossed into Mississippi at 7 A. M. Marched
just on the border for some miles. At 6 ½ heard some artillery
firing. Three miles ahead, skirmishing, which was kept up until
after we crossed the M. & C. R. R., which was at 9 ½ A. M. Saw
a Regiment skirmishing in a field just below us. The artillery
kept up a constant fire about three times a minute. Our
Brigade, under Gen. Moore, marching into the woods, formed, a
line of battle, our right resting on the Railroad. We had not
waited more than fifteen minutes, when heavy skirmishing was
heard about a half mile in front, with steady and increasing
cannonading. Two men from each company were detailed to attend
to the wounded, &c. We left blankets and knapsacks here. About
10 o'clock our Brigade marched forward through a corn-field,
and formed into a line within a half mile of the enemy. Heavy
firing just in front. Saw a Major who was wounded."
He proceeds, thus to speak of the fight of the 3d; but I will not
follow him further, on that day. Let us hear him describe the scene of
the 4th:
"_Saturday, Oct. 4th._--An awful day. At 4 o'clock, before day,
our Brigade was ordered to the left about one-fourth of a mile,
and halted, throwing out lines of skirmishers, which kept up a
constant fire. A Battery in front of the right of our Regiment
opened briskly, and the enemy replied the same. The cannonading
was heavy for an hour and a half. Our Regiment lay down close,
and stood it nobly. The shell flew thick and fast, cutting off
large limbs and filling the air with fragments. Many burst
within 20 feet, and the pieces popped within 2 or 3 feet. It
was extremely unpleasant, and I prayed for forgiveness of my
sins, and made up my mind to go through. Col. Sawier called for
volunteers to assist the 2d Texas skirmishers. I volunteered,
and took my company. Captain Perkins and Lieutenant Wumson
being taken sick directly after the severe bombardment, I had
the Co. all the time. I went skirmishing at 7 ½, and returned
at 9 ½ o'clock. We got behind trees and logs, and the way the
bullets did fly, was unpleasant to see. I think 20 must have
passed within a few feet of me, humming prettily. Shells tore
off large limbs and splinters. Struck my tree several times. We
could only move from tree to tree, and bending low to the
ground, while moving. Oh, how anxiously I watched for the
bursting of the shells when the heavy roar of the cannon
proclaimed their coming. At 9 ½ o'clock I had my skirmishers
relieved, by Captain Rouse's Company. Sent my men to their
places, and went behind a log with Major Furges. At 10 o'clock,
suddenly the fight fairly opened, with heavy volleys of
musketry and the double thundering cannon. This was on the
right. In a few minutes the left went into action in splendid
style. At 10 ¼ o'clock, Col. Rogers came up by us, only saving
"Alabama forces." Our Regiment, with the Brigade rose,
unmindful of the shell or shot, and moved forward, marching
about 250 yards and rising the crest of a hill. The whole of
Corinth, with its enormous fortifications, burst upon our view.
The U. S. flag was floating over the forts and in town. We were
now met by a perfect storm of grape, cannister, cannon balls
and Minnie balls. Oh, God! I have never seen the like! The men
fell like grass, even here. Giving one tremendous cheer, we
dashed to the bottom of the hill on which the fortifications
are situated. Here we found every foot of ground covered with
large trees and brush, cut down to impede our progress. Looking
to the right and left, I saw several Brigades charging at the
same time. What a sight was there. I saw men running at full
speed, stop suddenly and fall upon their faces, with their
brains scattered all around. Others, with legs and arms cut
off, shrieking with agony. They fell behind, beside, and within
a few feet of me. I gave myself to God, and got ahead of my
company. The ground was literally strewed with mangled corpses.
One ball passed through my pants, and they cut twigs right by
me. It seemed, by holding out my hand I could have caught a
dozen. They buzzed and hissed by me in all directions, but I
still pushed forward. I seemed to be moving right in the mouth
of cannon, for the air was filled with hurling grape and
cannister. Ahead was one continuous blaze. I rushed to the
ditch of the fort, right between some large cannon. I grappled
into it, and half way up the sloping wall. The enemy were only
three or four feet from me on the other side, but could not
shoot us for fear of having their heads blown off. Our men were
in the same predicament. Only 5 or 6 were on the wall, and 30
or 40 in and around the ditch. Catesby on the wall by my side.
A man within two feet of me, put his head cautiously up, to
shoot into the fort. But he suddenly dropped his musket, and
his brains were dashed in a stream over my fine coat, which I
had in my arms, and on my shirt sleeves. Several were killed
here, on top one another, and rolled down the embankment in
ghastly heaps. This was done by a Regiment of Yankees coming
about 40 yards on our left, after finding us entirely cut off,
and firing into us. Several of our men cried "put down the
flag," and it was lowered, or shot into the ditch. Oh, we were
butchered like dogs, as we were not supported. Some one placed
a white handkerchief on Sergeant Buck's musket, and he took it
to a port hole. But the Yankees snatched it off and took him
prisoner. The men fell 10 at a time. The ditch being full, and
finding we had no chance, the survivors tried to save
themselves as best they could. I was so far up, I could not get
off quickly. I do not recollect of seeing Catesby after this,
but think he got off before. I trust in God he has. I and Capt.
Foster started together, and the air was literally filled with
hissing balls. I got about 20 steps, as quick as I could, about
a dozen being killed in that distance. I fell down and
scrambled behind a large stump. Just then, I saw poor Foster
throw up his hands, and saying "Oh, my God!" jumped about two
feet from the ground, falling on his face. The top of his head
seemed to cave in, and the blood spouted straight up several
feet. I could see men fall as they attempted to run, some with
their heads to pieces, and others with the blood streaming from
their backs. It was horrible. One poor fellow being almost on
me, told me his name, and asked me to take his pocket-book if I
escaped and give it to his mother, and tell her that he died a
brave man. I asked him if he was a Christian, and told him to
pray, which he did, with the cannon thundering a deadly
accompaniment. Poor fellow. I forgot his request in the
excitement. His legs were literally cut to pieces. As our men
returned, the enemy poured in their fire, and I was hardly 30
feet from the mouth of the cannon. Minnie balls filled the
stump I was behind, and the shells bursted within three feet of
me. One was so near it stunned me, and burned my face with
powder. The grape-shot hewed large pieces off my stump,
gradually wearing it away. I endured the horrors of death here
for half an hour, and endeavored to resign myself and prayed.
Our troops formed in line in the woods, and advanced a second
time to the charge with cheers. They began firing when about
half way, and I had to endure it all. I was feigning death. I
was right between our own and the enemies fire. In the first
charge our men did not fire a gun, but charged across the
ditch, and to the very mouth of the cannon, with the bayonet.
So also the second charge, but they fired. Thank God, I am
unhurt, and I think it was a merciful Providence. Our troops
charged by, when I seized a rifle and endeavored to fire it
several times, but could not, for the cap was bad. Our boys
were shot down like hogs, and could not stand it, and fell back
each man for himself. Then the same scene was enacted as
before. This time the Yankees charged after them, and as I had
no chance at all, and all around me were surrendering, I was
compelled to do so, as a rascal threatened to shoot me. I had
to give up my sword to him. He demanded my watch also. Took it;
but I appealed to an officer, and got it back. I had no means
of defending myself for the first time in many years. I cried
to see our brave men slaughtered so, and thought where Catesby
might be. I have never felt so in all my life. It is now said
that our Brigade was never ordered to charge such a place, and
that it was a mistake. If so, it was a sad one. Being brought
behind the works we found three Regiments drawn up in line, and
all of them were fighting our 42d Alabama alone. I helped to
carry a wounded man to the Depot, with Lieutenants Marshall,
Contra and Preston, they being the only unhurt officers who
were prisoners from our Regiment. We and the privates were soon
marched to a large house, having a partition for the officers.
The men, about 400, in next room. I heard firing again, but I
fear we can do nothing. We are treated very politely--more so
than I had expected."
Perhaps the reader is now ready to ask what this long extract from a
secesh officer's journal, has to do with the history of the 9th Ill.
Inft. Well, it is not very intimately connected with it. But it has
been preserved by the boys in the Regiment, and all agree that it gives
a very correct account of that terrible battle. It has, however, this
connection with our history: It shows the desperate nature of that
struggle, in which our boys took so active a part. It shows that they
had a foe to contend with, full of courage and who fought with
desperation.
It was truly a terrible battle. One officer who was on the ground, told
me that he at one time thought the rebels would succeed in driving us
out.
The loss sustained by the 9th Regt. Ill. Inft. in this terrible
conflict, was 20 killed and 82 wounded. Captain Britt was among the
killed. The following officers were among the wounded: Major Kuhn,
Adjt. Klock, Captains Kneffner and Robinson, and Lieutenants Rollmann,
Williford, Clements and Cowgill. There were 57 captured, including
Captains E. M. and G. G. Low, and Lieutenants S. T. Hughs and B. L.
Ulen.
The following is a list of the killed and wounded, in the various
companies:
COMPANY A.--_Killed_, Charles Gibrich--1. _Wounded_, William
Kortkamp--1.
COMPANY B.--_Killed_, Joseph Cropp and Jacob Sulzer.--2. _Wounded_,
Captain Kneffner, Anton Weenstroth, Sergeant John Eichenberger,
Corporal Louis Fisher, Paul Geist, Ed. Hoffmann, George Jenne,
Nicholaus Meyer, Jos. Noelsner, George Salz, Daniel Werner, Sergeant
Augustus Wurmb. In all, 12 wounded.
COMPANY C.--_Killed_, Corporal John Fangemann, and Frederich
Hugenberg.--2. _Wounded_, 1st Lieutenant Oscar Rollman, 2d Lieut.
Charles Sheve, Privates John Miller, Peter Schneider, John Frietz,
Christian Jackob, Christian Maedel, Henry Behm, and Jacob Herpein. In
all, 9 wounded.
COMPANY D.--_Killed_, Jacob Berthold, Hy. Borchording, John Smith,
Christ Truting, Louis Truttman. In all, 5 killed. A number were
slightly wounded--names not given.
COMPANY E.--_Wounded_, Corporal Francis J. Murphy, Privates William T.
Grimley, Jack L. Stevens, James F. Williams, James Malone, John Lill,
John Beatty, William P. Kelley, Neal Vestal. In all, 9 wounded.
COMPANY F.--_Killed_, Captain William Britt, Privates John O. Foeshee,
and Fred. Weggourd. In all, 3 killed. _Wounded_, Sergt. W. C. Hawly,
Corp. James Fiske, Private William Miller. In all, 3 wounded.
COMPANY G.--_Killed_, Alferd Bartley and John McCord. In all, 2 killed.
_Wounded_, Lieutenant I. Clements, Henry Brown, James A. Peragin,
William J. Heglar, Robert Marshall, N. G. Brown. In all, 6 wounded.
COMPANY H.--_Killed_, Sam'l Giesinger, John B. Livingood, Sebastian
Swendeman. In all, 3 killed. _Wounded_, 1st Lieutenant C. H. Gilmore,
2d Lieutenant A. Cowgill, James Brady, William S. Boone, Dennis Bahon,
Charles Biernbrier, William A. Cottingham, Robert Finley, Israel
Haller, Charles H. Newcomb, George W. Quails, Wm. Reckord, Francis M.
Stickle, O. W. Boutwell, Venice C. Haller, Ambrose J. Shelton, Jos. W.
Warren. In all, 17 wounded.
COMPANY I.--_Wounded_, Thomas Pat, William Baird, John Jaka, James
Lang, Jos. E. Stringer. In all, 5 wounded.
COMPANY K.--_Killed_, James Ulen.--1. _Wounded_, George Myers, Levi
Gibbs, Henry Stanger, John Burke, Charles W. Boles, Jos N. Coneden,
Peter Hall, Sam'l C. Ulen, Frank M. Winsted. In all, 9 wounded.
The enemy driven from Corinth, our Regiment was again thrown out on the
front, a position it had been occupying for some time before the
battle. On the 8th of October, it moved South to Danville, Miss., and
on the next day the left wing, Companies K, I, H, G, and F, moved on to
Rienzi. Col. Mersy took command of all the troops at Rienzi, and Lieut.
Col. Phillips, who had now rejoined the Regiment, after his severe
wound at Shiloh, of the forces at Danville. The Regiment, with other
troops of the 2d Brigade, performed outpost duty at the above named
places until the 28th of November, 1862, when they returned and went
into camp at Corinth, Miss.
On the 12th of December, the Regiment moved Southward again, going
within five miles of Tupelo, Miss., and returned to camp at Corinth on
the 19th of the same month; Col. Mersy being in command of the 2d
Brigade, and Lieut. Col. Phillips in command of the Regiment.
On the 2d day of January, 1863, we moved three and a half miles East of
Monterey, and bivouacked for the night, and returned to camp the next
day; Gen. Forrest and his command having escaped across the river. The
Regiment remained in camp until March, not having much duty, except
guard duty.
During the period embraced in this chapter, some interesting incidents
occurred. As I mentioned above, the two Captains Low, and Lieutenant
Hughs, together with a considerable number of privates, were taken
prisoners. I have given extensive extracts from the journal of a Rebel
prisoner, showing the horrors of the battle-field. It may not be amiss
to refer to some things connected with the prison-life of some of our
boys, who were captured in this battle at Corinth.
The scene, as described by Captain G. G. Low, to the writer, beggars
description. The horrors of their retreat was terrible. The Captain
thinks if Napoleon's retreat from Moscow was much more terrible, he
does not know how it was endured at all. But I shall here allow the
Captain to speak for himself, by giving extracts from a written
statement, which he kindly furnished me, of his prison-life:
"On the morning of the 3d of October, 1862, our Regiment
received orders to move early in the morning. We had moved up
the day before from Rienzi, to within 2 ½ miles of Corinth. As
we approached Corinth, we could occasionally hear the boom of
distant cannon. Conjecture was rife as to what it meant, so
little did we expect an action. We passed through Corinth, and
to the outer works on the West of it. Sometime before we
obtained our position behind the rifle-pits, three had been
heavy fighting on our left. We took our position here, feeling
confident we could hold it against a vastly superior force. The
enemy were gradually approaching from the front, and our line
was being engaged, when I noticed a panic in my company. I was
on the extreme left of our Regiment. Many of my men broke out
of the ditch and started back. I ordered every man back to his
place. They told me the 12th Ill. and 81st Ohio were running. I
told them it mattered not; we would stay there until we were
ordered away. I saw a change of front was necessary, and
expected to hear the order to change front to rear, on first
company. But it did not come. Soon after, I heard the order to
move by the right flank; but it was too late. Already the enemy
were in our rear. I saw it would be death for my men to attempt
to leave their position, and I surrendered with seventeen of my
command.
"We were moved back about three-fourths of a mile. I found
that Captain C. M. Lowe and Lieutenant L. T. Hughes of our
Regiment, were captured. We were placed under guard at or near
a house. Here a woman abused us very much. She insisted that
Captain Lowe was the mean Yankee that was there the night
before and stole her chickens. The Captain assured her that
he had never been there before, and that she must be mistaken.
She was certain he was the man, and had it not been for the
guard, she would have pitched into him rough-shod. I think she
was as hard a specimen of the fair-sex as I have ever seen in
the Sunny South; and I have seen many that outraged decency
and forever disgraced the name of woman.
"After the excitement of the battle was over, or rather of the
scenes through which we passed that day, we had time to
reflect. Here we were, prisoners of war, held by a motley set
of human beings that, as far as outward appearances were
concerned, would be a disgrace to barbarians. I wondered, "Is
this the boasted chivalry of the South, sent out to fight the
hated poor men of the North, the '_mud-sills_' and '_greasy
mechanics_?'" When I saw my poor boys, dressed in their blue
uniform, contrasted with these rag-a-muffins, I felt proud of
them.
"The "Rebs" had great stories to tell us. Bragg had captured
Louisville and all Buell's army. Lee had captured Little Mac.
and 40,000 prisoners. Governor Gamble, of Missouri, had turned
over 40,000 troops, well armed and equipped, to the Southern
Confederacy; and they had come with 70,000 men to capture
Corinth, and drive Grant out of West Tennessee, and the war
would be over in a few days. All were jubilant.
"At night, we moved in the woods about a mile, and were
consoled with a lot of wounded of both armies. About 9 o'clock
at night, the news came back that they had captured Corinth,
and we would be moved up there in the morning. About this
time, Col. Prevene, of a South Carolina Regiment, came to see
us, (he was a Mason,) and took Capt. Lowe and myself outside
the lines and had a long talk with us. He assured us that
Corinth was not taken, and that it would not be; and further,
that Gen. VanDorn was (to use his own language) a d--d fool
for attacking the place. To-night we had nothing to eat,
except a cup of coffee that a Rebel Lieutenant made for us. I
furnished the coffee. We passed a restless night.
"The morning of the 4th dawned, and was ushered in with the
boom of heavy cannon. This assured us that the place was not
taken, but that they had approached very near it, as we could
hear the guns of the forts. The cannonading and musketry was
incessant from daylight until about 1 P. M. At that time,
orders came to move us back to the rear. We took up our line
of march to Dixie. Although we were prisoners in the hands of
the enemy, yet we were jubilant. We knew they had been
repulsed; that the stars and stripes had again been
triumphant; and though we had a prison-life, and even
starvation staring us in the face, yet there was not a man
despondent. We were then suffering for something to eat, but
we knew the "rebs." were suffering even more than we were; for
they had nothing to eat when they attacked Corinth, and their
only hope for something, was the capture of the place. In this
they had failed. The retreat soon became a rout. Neither
tongue nor pen can describe the sufferings during that
memorable retreat. Wagons, with six mules attached, were
filled with the wounded and dying, and the cowardly drivers
whipping their mules at every jump. The groans of the dying
and the curses of the wounded were enough to make the knees of
terror tremble. One would think, that if human suffering would
expiate the crime of treason, all this army should be
forgiven; for they suffered from hunger, thirst, fatigue, and
all the ills that follow a defeated, routed, broken and
disheartened army. I could not help feeling sorry for the
panic stricken wretches.
"At night, we camped about twelve miles from Corinth, on a
little branch. I had coffee enough to make us a cup apiece.
This, and a few crumbs of crackers, was all we had for twelve
of us--eight Federal officers and four Rebel officers." (It
will be remembered they had had nothing to eat the day before,
and very little on the preceding day.) "We camped near a
house, and there was a rooster, the only chicken left on the
premises. We offered five dollars for it. The woman would not
let us have it.
"On the morning of the 5th of October, we again moved,
escorted by a company of the Rebel Jackson's cavalry, under
command of Capt. Douglass. Let me mention here, that Capt. D.
did all in his power to make his prisoners comfortable. While
we were being marched back on the afternoon of the 4th, an aid
of Gen. VanDorn's rode up and told him to move the prisoners
faster. He said, 'If I move them faster they will fall down
from exhaustion.' The aid replied, 'Let them fall, and be
d--d. Shoot them if you cannot get them along.' But the
Captain took his own gait, and treated all kindly. As we
marched along this forenoon we saw a great number of their
wounded on all sides of the road. About 1 o'clock we came in
sight of Hatchie Bridge. We halted for a few moments, and soon
we heard fighting in front of us. We were taken back about one
mile, and halted in a hollow. We had been there but a few
moments, when rifle shells came whistling in such close
proximity that we had to retire further back. Soon we saw the
Rebel mass come running back in, if possible, greater
confusion than the day before. They thought the whole Rebel
army would be captured. They took up the Hatchie about ten
miles and crossed us, and we halted about 12 o'clock that
night, near Ruckersville, Miss. Here they killed a beef
weighing about 300 pounds, for the 300 prisoners and their
guards, in all over 400. We had had nothing to eat that day
but raw corn. We ate the beef without salt.
"On the morning of the 6th, we started towards Ripley, without
anything else to eat. Arriving at that place late in the
afternoon, they gave us a very little to eat, perhaps rations
enough for fifty men. On the following morning we moved in the
direction of Holly Springs, Miss. The day was very hot and the
roads dusty. Add to this, the suffering from hunger, and it
would be hard to describe the amount of suffering the men
endured. We camped at night near a Mr. Robinson's. (To-day we
had to march about nine miles out of the way, on account of
some one destroying a bridge in the rear of the retreating
army.) The officers got a very good supper at Mr. R.'s, by
paying one dollar each, in Greenbacks. He would not take
anything else. The men got but little to eat.
"On the morning of the 7th, the officers hired a team to take
them to Holly Springs, for which they paid $20. We arrived
there at 11 o'clock at night. Here we were taken to Col.
Roddy's Head Quarters, He said he was surprised that we, being
North-western men, were fighting Southern men. Captain Lowe
told him that we were not in a condition to resent an insult,
and did not wish to be insulted. This ended the conversation.
"The next evening we started by Railroad, under guard, for
Jackson, Miss., arriving there about 10 A. M., on the 9th of
October. Here we were taken before General Thillman, and
paroled for that city and Vicksburg. We had good rooms at the
best hotel in Jackson. On the morning of the 10th we took cars
for Vicksburg. On this trip We had no guard, except one Rebel
Captain. We arrived at Vicksburg about 1 o'clock, and were
quartered at the 'Washington Hotel.' We were limited to
certain streets. Otherwise we had our liberty. Our fare at the
hotel was corn bread, corn coffee, fresh beef and molasses.
The ladies were allowed wheat-bread, and when the darkies
could do so without being detected by their master, they would
supply _us_ with that luxury. On the whole, we were treated
pretty well by the 'Rebs.' We found them generally dispirited;
but said they thought they never could be conquered, &c.
"On the 18th of October, we were paroled, and started up the
river to meet our flag of truce boat. The sight of the old
flag and hard bread created great joy among our men. Hard
treatment, under a flag of treason, had endeared the old flag
to them. A scanty supply of corn bread, and beef without salt,
made 'hard tack' look and taste like the best food cooked. On
the morning of the 19th of October, 1862, we took our course
up the river for 'God's country.'"
A little incident narrated by Private Neal Vestal, of Co. E, who was
taken prisoner at the same time with Captain Lowe, is worth noting.
When the Rebs. were attacked by General Hurlbut, at the Hatchie on the
5th of October, and a panic was arising, a Rebel Captain passing by
Neal, he inquired, good naturedly, "Well, Captain, what are you going
to do with us now?" His reply was, "If I had my way, I would shoot
you." At which Neal replied, "I bet _six bits_ that man was not in the
fight." At this response went up all along the line, "That is true!"