On Sunday, the 12th day of October, 1861, the brigade bid adieu to the
attractions and comforts of civilized society, for the long period of
three years or during the war. Little did they think, as they marched
through the streets of Boonville, that it would require three years of
sacrifice for the government of the United States to put down so
insignificant a rebellion as that which was now raging through its
borders. They doubted not of the ability of our armies now in Missouri,
to drive Price from the State, and restore peace in a few months. Their
confidence in Fremont, in their own commanders and in themselves was
unbounded. Their belief that the rebels would not withstand an equal
contest, was well founded and did not diminish their ardor or their
hopes of a speedy termination of the rebellion. They looked forward to
a campaign of a few months duration, and then to a return to their
homes, with peace attending them on the way. But how sadly were they to
be disappointed! They supposed the policy upon which the war was to be
conducted was fully established, and that all there was to do was to
whip out the rebels, who were at this time in arms against them. They
did not anticipate that time, as it passed, would develop new schemes
and new policies until the whole became entirely revolutionized, and
magnified into the most terrible rebellion the world ever witnessed.
They did not think that while they were going to battle with the enemy
in their front, the Government at Washington was changing its policy,
so that instead of one they would have ten rebels to fight, and instead
of a six months campaign they would have a five years war. They had
read the closing words of the President's inaugural address, to-wit:
"Physically speaking, we can not separate. We can not remove our
respective sections from each other, nor build an impassable wall
between them. A husband and wife may be divorced and go out of the
presence and beyond the reach of each other; but the different parts of
our country can not do this. They can not but remain face to face; and
intercourse, either amicable or hostile, must continue between them. Is
it possible, then, to make that intercourse more advantageous or more
satisfactory after separation than before? Can aliens make treaties
easier than friends can make laws? Can treaties be more faithfully
enforced between aliens, than laws can among friends? Suppose you go to
war; you can not fight always, and when, after much loss on both sides,
and no gain on either, you cease fighting, the identical questions, as
to terms of intercourse, are again upon you.
"To the extent of my ability I shall take care, as the Constitution
itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the Union be
faithfully executed in all the States. Doing this I deem to be only a
simple duty on my part. I shall perfectly perform it, so far as is
practicable, unless my rightful masters, the American people, shall
withhold the requisition, or, in some authoritative manner, direct the
contrary. I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as
the declared purpose of the Union, that it will constitutionally defend
and maintain itself. In doing this there need be no bloodshed or
violence, and there shall be none, unless it is forced upon the
national authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold,
occupy and possess the property and places belonging to the government,
and collect the duties and imports. But _beyond what may be necessary
for these objects, there will be no invasion--no using of force against
or among the people anywhere_.
"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is
the momentous issue of civil war. You have no oath registered in Heaven
to destroy the government: while I shall have the most solemn one to
preserve, protect and defend it." And they had all confidence in the
promises of the President, that the "laws of the Union should be
faithfully executed in _all_ the States," and that the power confided
to him would be used to "hold, occupy and possess the property and
places belonging to the government, and collect the duties and imposts;
but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no
invasion--no using of force against or among the people anywhere." And
they knew that Congress had voted, for the use of the President, one
hundred thousand more men, and one hundred million more dollars than he
had requested, to make the contest a short and decisive one," and they
knew that that number of men was about "one-tenth, of those, of proper
age, within the regions where apparently all are willing to engage,"
and that the "sum is less than a twenty-third part of the value owned
by the men who seem ready to devote the whole." Knowing these things,
the members of the Ninth Missouri marched out from Boonville with light
hearts and heavy knapsacks, without a murmur. They knew that while they
were under Fremont, they were entirely able to destroy every vestige of
rebellion in Missouri. Over three hundred thousand soldiers, in other
fields, were waiting orders from the Federal government, or were in
active service; and that sixty odd vessels, with one thousand one
hundred and seventy-four guns, were in commission, and twenty-three
steam gun boats were on the stocks rapidly approaching completion, if
not already completed. That sixty regiments of Federal troops were
encamped near Washington, and that every armory in the land was at work
night and day. Knowing all these things, why should they not anticipate
a speedy termination to their soldier life, and enjoy in anticipation
home society once more? Alas, little did they suppose that they
themselves were to be the instruments in the hands of the President to
work out the "salvation of the Almighty."
It is said that Governor Yates, of Illinois, telegraphed to the
President at a certain time, to "call out one million of men, instead
of three hundred thousand, that he might make quick work of the
rebellion." The President replied: "Hold on Dick; let's wait and see
the salvation of the Almighty." Had the President deemed it policy to
have adopted Dick's advice, the rebellion might have been quelled, but
perhaps the cause would not have been removed; and our good, honest
President has not only been aiming to quell the rebellion, but to
remove the cause at the same time. Hence the instrumentality of the
army in establishing the policy of the administration. As the army
progressed in strength and military discipline, so did the views of the
administration and people change in regard to what might be
accomplished in the destruction of the _casus belli_. And hence the
"military necessities."
The brigade marched a few miles from town and bivouacked for the night.
On the 13th and 14th it marched about twenty-eight miles, and went into
camp near Syracuse.
The country is here not so broken as at Boonville, and is under good
cultivation, with neat and comfortable farm houses and barns dotting
the whole landscape.
The regiment lay in camp here on the 15th, and on the morning of the
16th, struck tents and took up the line of march for the rebel army.
Price is reported to be about seventy-five miles to the south-west,
erecting fortifications.
Since leaving Boonville, some of those who were indisposed on starting,
had become so sick as to be unable to proceed, and were consequently
taken to Syracuse, and left there to be disposed of by the Medical
Director in charge. From Syracuse they were sent to St. Louis, to the
hospital.
When leaving camp, the writer being detained until after the regiment
had moved, came across a young man who had laid himself down by the
road-side to die, as he said. He was taking the measles and was quite
sick. The Surgeon of the regiment, Dr. Hazlett, had overlooked, or been
deceived in the appearance of this young man at the morning
examination, and had ordered him to march with the regiment. This he
was unable to do, and would have been left by the road-side if he had
not been accidentally discovered. With some difficulty he was conveyed
to Syracuse and left in hospital. The commander of his company was
subsequently notified of his death in the St. Louis hospital.