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[Illustration: 1861.
“CARE FOR HIM WHO BORE THE
HEAT AND BURDEN OF THE BATTLE.”
A. LINCOLN.
_Columbia_: “Unless you, my son, save me, I will be ruined. Go and do
your duty, and if you save me I will be your generous friend and
protector as long as you live.”]
Observations of an Illinois
Boy in Battle, Camp and
Prisons—1861 to 1865
By Henry H. Eby
MENDOTA, ILL.
[Illustration]
Published by the Author, 1910
Copyright, 1910
By HENRY H. EBY
DEDICATED TO MY COMRADES OF THE CIVIL WAR, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF
COMPANY C, SEVENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY, OF WHICH I WAS A MEMBER
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREFACE.
The story contained in this book is a true one. It was taken from
letters, memoranda and memory. The author has in his possession
twenty-nine letters written by him while in the army, from 1861 to
1865, and sent to his relatives, who returned them to him at the
close of the war.
The memoranda were written soon after his return from the army. The
accounts taken from memory are reasonably correct, as the scenes
through which he passed, though here poorly portrayed, are of a
character not easily forgotten. They are indelibly stamped upon
the memory, and it seems, as time rolls on, that it renders the
recollection of them even more vivid and distinct. After revising
this story a number of times it is presented to the reader in its
present form.
CONTENTS.
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CHAPTER I.
Beginning of the Great Rebellion, April 12, 1861, 15
CHAPTER II.
Beginning of Three-year Service—Camp Butler and Bird’s
Point—Night Trip to Belmont—A Reconnaissance into Western
Kentucky, 23
CHAPTER III.
New Madrid, Point Pleasant, and Island No. 10, 39
CHAPTER IV.
Up the Rivers to Hamburg Landing, and Thence by Land to Corinth
and Cortland, Ala., 47
CHAPTER V.
From Northern Alabama to Nashville, Tenn., and Its Occupation
by Us—Fight at Lavergne and Many Skirmishes, 55
CHAPTER VI.
The Advance on Murfreesboro—Battle of Stone River—Occupation
of Murfreesboro by the Federals—Cripple Creek and Tullahoma
Campaign—Advance on Chattanooga and Chickamauga—Stuck in the
Mud—Orders to Prevent Foraging, 65
CHAPTER VII.
Battle of Chickamauga—Two Days of Fearful Fighting—The Federals
Holding Chattanooga, 93
CHAPTER VIII.
My Capture by the Confederates—Good-bye to My Faithful
Horse—Introduction to Confederate Diet—Packed in Box Cars
During a Journey of About Nine Hundred Miles—Fearful
Suffering, 119
CHAPTER IX.
Entrance into Belle Island Prison Pen—Discouraging
Outlook—Libby Prison, and the Smith Prison, 137
CHAPTER X.
Our Return to Danville—Many Sick with Smallpox—Smallpox
Hospital, and Convalescent Camp, 155
CHAPTER XI.
Escape from Prison—Much Suffering—A Number of Narrow Escapes
from Recapture and Finally Taken In, 163
CHAPTER XII.
Our Recapture and Return to Prison—Four Days in County Jail
Behind the Bars—Journey to Richmond, and Pemberton Building, 189
CHAPTER XIII.
My Second Entrance into Belle Island Prison Pen—Intense
Suffering from Cold and Hunger—Many Die, 199
CHAPTER XIV.
Under the Protection of “Old Glory” Once More—Caught in a
Terrific Gale and Nearly Shipwrecked—Land at Annapolis,
Md.—Stripped, Scoured, and Dressed in New Uniforms, 221
CHAPTER XV.
My Return to My Company and Regiment, May 25, 1864, 233
CHAPTER XVI.
Reminiscences of George W. Westgate, 245
CHAPTER XVII.
Letter from Calvin W. Hudson—His Escape, Recapture, and Escape
the Second Time, 249
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Consequences of War, 255
CHAPTER XIX.
A Chapter to the Boys and Girls, 263
CHAPTER XX.
Birth of “Old Glory,” 271
CHAPTER XXI.
The Consequences of Secession, 273
CHAPTER XXII.
A Talk with the Comrades, 281
[Illustration: Then.]
[Illustration: Now.]
CHAPTER I.
Beginning of the Great Rebellion in the United States of America,
April 12, 1861.
The “Star of the West,” a United States boat, was fired upon by the
rebel batteries in Charleston harbor on Jan. 9, 1861, which some
people claim as the beginning of the War of the Rebellion; but the
firing on Fort Sumter was the time when the war was really
inaugurated.
Fort Sumter, a United States fort located at the entrance to
Charleston harbor, was fired upon by the Confederates, April 12,
1861, and Major Anderson, who was in command of the fort, was obliged
to surrender to them.
This caused great excitement throughout the United States. Soon after
a call was issued by President Lincoln for 75,000 three months’
troops, which was responded to in a very short time. Patriotism ran
high, and it seemed to most of us that the government should be
defended at all hazards. The fife and drum were soon heard on the
streets of Mendota, Ill., and throughout the loyal States. Quite a
number of young men, including myself, from Mendota and vicinity, at
once signed our names to the roll of enlistment. I was now 19 years
of age, and considered it my duty to help defend the flag.
By the latter part of April a company of about 100 was organized in
Mendota, with Capt. Rust as commander. We were drilled here for a few
days before leaving for Springfield. We were all rather green in
regard to military affairs and it was laughable to see the
performance. There was about as much awkwardness shown as there would
be in breaking a pair of young oxen. In a few days we started for
Springfield, Ill. On the day of our departure, which was April 19,
1861, the excitement in Mendota was beyond description. It was
probably as intense as when McClellan’s army left Washington for the
capture of Richmond. People came flocking into town from all the
surrounding country and villages, with flags flying, to see the
soldiers start off for the war. The streets were crowded with people
who came to bid us the last good-bye. Flags were unfurled and
speeches made in honor of our departure.
About 11 o’clock all who had enlisted were formed in two ranks in
front of the Illinois Central freight house, facing toward it, when a
Miss Davis, who stood upon a raised platform at the northwest corner
of the building, delivered an appropriate address, presenting us with
an elegant flag in behalf of the citizens of Mendota. This was
responded to in a happy manner in behalf of the company by L. B.
Crooker, a chubby farmer boy about 20 years of age, who had drifted
to Mendota for the purpose of studying law, and who had also
enlisted.
He afterwards served his country with honor during the greater part
of the war, receiving several severe wounds while serving as a
commissioned officer. At the expiration of his term of service he
returned home and studied law, which profession he followed for a
number of years, serving also in various offices.
[Illustration: Presentation of the Flag at the Freight House.]
About 12 o’clock we marched to the depot, and an immense crowd of
people gathered around us, bade us good-bye, and we boarded the train
and were soon on our way to Springfield, where we arrived the
following morning and met a number of companies from different parts
of the State. A few days after our arrival we were organized into a
regiment, which required ten companies. The Mendota company was made
Co. B, and the regiment the 12th Illinois Infantry, with Col.
McArthur in command, who was subsequently commissioned Major General.
The Mendota company contained more than the required number of men.
Among the surplus bone and sinew who found no place in the home
company were L. B. Crooker, James W. Larabee, William Eckert, George
C. Loomis, S. P. Whitmore and myself, who all determined to stick
together and stay in service. We immediately began looking about for
an opening large enough to hold these six husky farmer boys, and it
was at last accomplished by entering Co. H of the same regiment. This
was from Tiskilwa, and was commanded by Capt. Swain, who subsequently
lost his life at Shiloh. We remained together in the same mess until
discharged at the end of three months.
It was now imagined that we were going south to crush the Rebellion
at once, but, alas, we failed to realize what was before us. Little
did we think that it would require four long years to end the great
Rebellion. We remained here several weeks, passing the time in
drilling and running about town. On May 25 we were transferred to
Caseyville, Ill., about ten miles east of St. Louis, where we
remained a month or more. While here we received a good many
instructions in military tactics, and soon considered ourselves equal
to Napoleon or any other great general.
[Illustration: The Kicking Musket.]
The guns we received were of the old kicking variety, and could kick
equal to a mule. I can well remember having a very lame shoulder from
the effects of discharging one of these firearms. It reminded me of a
story I heard when I was a boy, about an Irish soldier in an Illinois
regiment during the Mexican War. One day during a small engagement
the soldier fired at the enemy with one of those kicking guns, which
knocked him over backward flat on the ground. His captain, thinking
that he was shot, said, “Mike, are you wounded?” He replied,
“Captain, it seems as though I had the wrong end against my
shoulder.”
The latter part of June the 12th was transferred to Cairo, Ill. We
marched across the country from Caseyville to East St. Louis, then
got on board a steamer and went down the Mississippi, arriving at our
destination on the following day. The only excitement occurring on
the way down the river was caused by a man on the Missouri shore
waving a rebel flag at us while passing. We went into camp at Cairo
on the river bottom behind the levee, our camp being about ten or
fifteen feet below high water mark in the river. The levee was
constructed for the purpose of keeping high water in the river from
overflowing the city. This camp proved to be worse than any
experienced during all our subsequent three years’ service. While
here we received a visit from Gen. McClellan, who addressed us.
We remained here during the balance of the three months’ term, and
nearly all of us were sick, caused by the malaria of the river
bottoms and other causes. After the expiration of the three months’
term of service I enlisted for three years, in Co. C, 7th Illinois
Cavalry. L. B. Crooker, James W. Larabee, and S. P. Whitmore enlisted
in Co. I, 55th Illinois Infantry, William Eckert remained at home,
and George C. Loomis remained in Co. H of the 12th, became a
sergeant, and was twice wounded, losing his right arm at Altona. L.
B. Crooker received promotion as a solace for four wounds, and
Larabee was twice wounded, receiving the grade of sergeant, and
brought home a glorious decoration in the form of a Congressional
medal for gallantry, a proper reward for his splendid soldiership.