JOINING THE CAVALRY
I finished my sophomore year in June, 1862, and returned to my home full
of military spirit and determined to embrace the first favorable
opportunity to enter the volunteer service. As second lieutenant of the
"Tappan Guard," I had acquired a pretty thorough knowledge of Hardee's
tactics and a familiarity with the "school of the soldier" and "school
of the company" which proved very useful. Most of the summer was given
up to drilling the officers and men in one of the companies of the
Twenty-first Michigan infantry, which was in camp near the town, fitting
for the field. The officers were new to the business, without training
or experience, as volunteer officers were apt to be, and gladly availed
themselves of my help, which was freely given. I was offered a
commission as first lieutenant in that regiment, but my ambition was to
go in the cavalry and it was soon to be gratified.
Late in the month of August my father, coming home from Grand Rapids,
met an old friend on the train who told him of Congressman Kellogg's
arrival in that place and what his mission was. I wanted to be a second
lieutenant and told my father that I preferred that to higher rank in
the infantry. So, the next day, he went down to see the Congressman. His
application for my appointment was heartily seconded by a number of
influential men in the "Valley City," who knew nothing of me, but did it
through their friendship for my father, whom they had known for many
years as one of the most energetic and honorable business men in the
Grand River valley. From 1848, he had been a familiar figure in
lumbering circles and during that period there had been no year when,
from May 1 till snow flew, his fleets of rafts of pine lumber were not
running over the dam at Grand Rapids. With the business men along the
river his relations had been close and friendly. They were, therefore,
not reluctant to do him a favor. Among these I will mention but two,
though there were many others who were equally zealous in the matter.
Wilder D. Foster and Amos Rathbun were two of the best known men in the
metropolis of western Michigan. Mr. Foster was a hardware merchant who
had built up a splendid business from small beginnings in the pioneer
days. He succeeded Thomas White Ferry in the United States Congress,
after Mr. Ferry had been elected to the Senate. Mr. Rathbun, "Uncle
Amos" he was called, was a capitalist who had much to do with the
development of the gypsum or "plaster" industry in his section of the
state. Their influence with Mr. Kellogg was potent, and my father
obtained more than he asked for. He came home with a conditional
appointment which ran thus:
"Headquarters 6th Regt. of Mich. Cavalry.
Grand Rapids, Aug. 28, 1862.
"To Captain James H. Kidd:
"You are hereby authorized to raise a company of mounted riflemen for
this regiment on condition that you raise them within fifteen days
from this date, and report with them at the rendezvous in this city.
"F.W. KELLOGG, Colonel Commanding."
My surprise and gratification can better be imagined than described. To
say that I was delighted would be putting it mildly.
But the document with the Congressman's signature attached to it was not
very much of itself. I was a captain in name only. There was no
"company" and would not be unless a minimum of seventy-eight men were
recruited, and at the end of fifteen days the appointment would expire
by limitation. On the original document which has been carefully
preserved appears the following endorsement in Mr. Kellogg's
handwriting:
"The time is extended for raising this company until Tuesday of next
week."
The fifteen days expired on Saturday and Mr. Kellogg kindly gave us four
days extra time to get into camp.
It was, however, no easy task to get the requisite number of men in the
time allowed, after so many men had been recruited for other regiments.
The territory which we could draw upon for volunteers had been very
thoroughly canvassed, in an effort to fill the quota of the state under
Lincoln's last call. But it was less difficult to raise men for cavalry
than for infantry and I was hopeful of succeeding. I soon learned that
three others had received appointments for commissions in the same
troop--one first, one second, and one supernumerary second lieutenant.
The same conditions were imposed upon them. Thus, there were four of us
whose commissions hinged upon getting a minimum number of men into camp
within fifteen days.
The man designated for first lieutenant was Edward L. Craw. Some of
Craw's friends thought he ought to be the captain, as he was a much
older man than myself, though he had no knowledge of tactics and was in
every sense a novice in military affairs. In a few days word came that
Mr. Kellogg wanted to see me. He had been told that I was a "beardless
boy" and he professed to want men for his captains. My friends advised
me not to go--to be too busy recruiting, in fact--and I followed their
advice. Had I gone, the "colonel" would, doubtless, have persuaded me to
change with Craw, since I would have been more than satisfied to take
second place, not having too high an opinion of my deserts.
But there was no time to waste and recruiting was strenuously pushed.
Kellogg must have been stuffed pretty full of prejudice, for I never
came to town that I did not hear something about it. My friends seemed
beset with misgivings. One of them called me into his private office and
inquired if I could not manage to raise a beard somehow. I am not sure
that he did not suggest a false mustache as a temporary expedient. I
told him that it would have to be with a smooth face or not at all. It
would be out of the question to make a decent show in a year's time and
with careful nursing.
Finally, "Uncle Amos" Rathbun heard of it and told Kellogg to give
himself no concern about "the boy," that he would stand sponsor for him.
"Uncle" Amos, though long ago gathered to his fathers, is alive yet in
the memory of hundreds of Union soldiers whom he never failed to help as
he had opportunity. And he did not wait for the opportunity to come to
him. He sought it. He had a big heart and an open hand, and no man ever
had a better friend. As for myself, I recall his name and memory with a
heart full of gratitude for, from the moment I entered the service, he
was always ready with the needed word of encouragement; prompt with
proffers of aid; jealous of my good name; liberal with praise when
praise was deserved; appreciative and watchful of my record till the
end. If he had faults they were overshadowed by his kindness of heart
and his unaffected virtues. When the record is made up, it will be found
with "Uncle Amos" as it was with "Uncle Toby," when he uttered that
famous and pardonable oath: "The accusing angel flew to heaven with the
oath, blushed as he handed it in. The recording angel, as he wrote it
down, dropped a tear upon it and blotted it out forever."
I was the first man to enlist in the embryotic troop and take the oath.
The first recruit was Angelo E. Tower, a life long friend, who entered
service as first sergeant and left it as captain, passing through the
intermediate grades. His name will receive further mention in the course
of this narrative.
The method of obtaining enlistments was to hold war meetings in
schoolhouses. The recruiting officer accompanied by a good speaker would
attend an evening meeting which had been duly advertised. The latter did
the talking, the former was ready with blanks to obtain signatures and
administer the oath. These meetings were generally well attended but
sometimes it was difficult to induce anybody to volunteer. Once, two of
us drove sixteen miles and after a fine, patriotic address of an hour,
were about to return without results, when one stalwart young man arose
and announced his willingness to "jine the cavalry." His name was
Solomon Mangus and he proved to be a most excellent soldier.
[Illustration: JACOB O. PROBASCO]
On one of my trips, having halted at a wayside inn for lunch, I was
accosted by a young man not more than seventeen or eighteen years of
age, who said he had enlisted for my troop and, if found worthy, he
would be much pleased if he could receive the appointment of "eighth
corporal." I was amused at the modesty of the request, which was that
he be placed on the lowest rung of the ladder of rank. The request did
not appear unreasonable, and when the enrolment of troop "E" Sixth
Michigan cavalry was completed, he appeared on the list as second
corporal. From this rank he rose by successive steps to that of captain,
winning his way by merit alone. For a time he served on the brigade
staff, but, whether as corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain or staff
officer, he acquitted himself with honor and had the confidence of those
under whom he served as well as of those whom he commanded. His name was
Jacob O. Probasco.
In the western part of the county our meetings collided with those of
"Captain" Pratt, who had an appointment similar to mine and for the same
regiment. Pratt was a big man--a giant almost--full of zeal and
enthusiasm. He was a Methodist preacher--a revivalist--and did his own
exhorting. He was very fatherly and patronizing and declared that he
would not interfere with my work; that he had plenty of men
pledged--more than he needed--and would cheerfully aid in filling my
quota, in addition to his own. His promise was taken with a grain of
salt and, in the end, I mustered more men than he did, and he had none
to spare. Both troops were accepted, however, and both of us received
our commissions in due time, as the sequel will show.
There was that about "Dominie" Pratt that impressed people with the idea
that he would be a great "fighting parson." He was so big, burly and
bearded, fierce looking as a dragoon, and with an air of intense
earnestness. He was very pious and used to hold prayer meetings in his
tent, conducted after the manner of the services at a camp meeting. His
confidence in himself, real or assumed, was unlimited. Several of the
officers who had seen no service in the field, were talking it over one
evening in the colonel's tent, and conjecturing how they would feel and
act when under fire. Most of them were in anything but a boastful mood,
contenting themselves with modestly expressing the belief that when the
ordeal came and they were put to the proof, they would stand up to the
work and do their duty like officers and gentlemen. Captain Pratt said
little, but, as we were walking away after the conference had broken up,
he placed his arm around my waist, in his favorite, affectionate way (he
had known me from boyhood) and in his most impressive pulpit manner,
said: "Jimmie," (he always addressed me thus) "Jimmie, let others do as
they may, I want to say to you, that the men who follow me on the field
of battle go where death reigneth." As he neared the climax of this dire
prediction, he unwound the arm with which he held me to his side and,
raising it, emphasized his words with a fierce gesture. I confess that I
drew back a step, and felt a certain sensation of awe and respect, as I
beheld in him the incarnation of courage and carnage.
It may or may not be pertinent to mention that the intrepid captain
never led his troop to slaughter; never welcomed the enemy "with bloody
hands to hospitable graves." On account of ill health, he was compelled
to resign in February, 1863, before the regiment marched from Washington
into Virginia. I have always regretted that necessity, because,
notwithstanding his apparent bravado, the captain was really a brave
man, and there was such a fine opportunity in the "Old Dominion," in
those days, for one who really hungered for gore to distinguish himself.
It would have been a glorious sight to see the gigantic captain, full of
the fiery spirit that animated Peter the Hermit when exhorting his
followers to the rescue of the holy sepulcher, charging gallantly at the
head of his men into the place "where death reigneth." There were
several of those places in the southern country.
At the period of the civil war the word "company" was applied
indiscriminately to cavalry or infantry. The unit of formation was the
company. At the present time there is a distinction. A captain of
cavalry commands a "troop." A captain of infantry commands a "company."
A troop of cavalry corresponds to a company of infantry. For the sake of
convenience and clearness this classification will henceforth be
observed in the course of this narrative.
The troop, then, the raising of which has been thus briefly sketched,
was ready on Tuesday, September 16, 1862, to begin its career as a
military unit in the great army of union volunteers. It is known in the
history of the civil war as Troop E, Sixth Michigan cavalry
(volunteers). It was originally constituted as follows:
James H. Kidd, captain; Edward L. Craw, first lieutenant; Franklin P.
Nichols, second lieutenant; Ambrose L. Soule, supernumerary second
lieutenant.
Angelo E. Tower, first sergeant; James L. Manning, quartermaster
sergeant; Amos T. Ayers, commissary sergeant; William H. Robinson,
William Willett, Schuyler C. Triphagen, Marvin E. Avery, Solon H.
Finney, sergeants.
Amos W. Stevens, Jacob O. Probasco, Isaac R. Hart, Benjamin B.
Tucker, George I. Henry, David Welch, Marvin A. Filkins, James W.
Brown, corporals.
Simon E. Allen, William Almy, Eber Blanchard, Heman S. Brown, Shuman
Belding, Lester A. Berry, George Bennett, George Brown, John
Cryderman, Edward H. Cook, William B. Clark, James H. Corwin, Eugene
C. Croff, William W. Croff, Randall S. Compton, Manley Conkrite,
William H. Compton, Seth Carey, Marion Case, Amaron Decker, Daniel
Draper, Rinehart Dikeman, Thomas Dickinson, Orrin W. Daniels,
Matthias Easter, Francis N. Friend, Ira Green, James Gray, George I.
Goodale, Eli Halladay, Luther Hart, Elias Hogle, George E. Halladay,
Robert Hempstead, Edmond R. Hallock, Henry M. Harrison, Warren
Hopkins, John J. Hammel, Miles E. Hutchinson, Luther Johnson,
Searight C. Koutz, Louis Kepfort, Archibald Lamberton, Martin Lerg,
David Minthorn, Solomon Mangus, Andrew J. Miller, Jedediah D. Osborn,
Timothy J. Mosher, Gershom W. Mattoon, Moses C. Nestell, George W.
Marchant, Edwin Olds, Walter E. Pratt, Albert M. Parker, George W.
Rall, Frederick Smith, Jesse Stewart, Josiah R. Stevens, David S.
Starks, Orlando V.R. Showerman, David Stowell, James O. Sliter,
Jonathan C. Smith, Meverick Smith, Samuel J. Smith, Josiah Thompson,
William Toynton, John Tunks, Mortimer Trim, Albert Truax, Oliver L.
VanTassel, Byron A. Vosburg, John VanWagoner, Sidney VanWagoner,
Erastus J. Wall, Charles Wyman, Harvey C. Wilder, Israel Wall, Lewis
H. Yeoman.[2]
The troop that thus started on its career was a typical organization for
that time--that is it had the characteristics common to the volunteers
of the early period of the civil war. When mustered into the service it
numbered one hundred and five officers and men. Though for the most part
older than the men who went out later, the average age was but
twenty-eight years. Nineteen were twenty or under; twenty-nine were
thirty or under; eighteen were thirty-one or under. Only nine were over
forty. For personnel and patriotism, for fortitude and endurance, they
were never excelled. But they were not professional soldiers. At first,
they were not soldiers at all. They were farmers, mechanics, merchants,
laboring men, students, who enlisted from love of country rather than
from love of arms, and were absolutely ignorant of any knowledge of the
technical part of a soldier's "business." The militia had been mostly
absorbed by the first calls in 1861 and the men of 1862 came from the
plow, the shop, the schoolroom, the counting room or the office. With
few exceptions, they were not accustomed to the use of arms and had
everything to learn. The officers of this particular organization had no
advantage over the others in this respect, for, save myself, not one of
them knew even the rudiments of tactics. Indeed, at the date of muster,
there were but three officers in the entire regiment who had seen
service. These were Lieutenant Colonel Russell A. Alger, Captain Peter
A. Weber and Lieutenant Don G. Lovell.