Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-05-21
From the Twelfth Regiment.

From the IWelIth Regiment.
The Trip 10 Cairo-7Sibute to Chicago Ladies
Shabby Treatment on Illinois Central x. r.
Serious Accidents-D Demonstrations Hs
Way-7Ae Situation at Cairo.
Correspondence of the State Journal.
CAIRO, ILL.,, May 7th, 1862.
The Marching Twelfth has had its fur
Tough and got so far back on its way to Dixie,
liable to take fresh start at any moment for
the seat of war, in order to Eight the good
fight, and finish our course (of three years
service) with joy"
On Saturday, the 90th ult., the appointed
time having arrived, the regiment was drawn
up in line before our headquarters in Camp
Randall, and received our new colors from
the hands of our worthy Lieutenant Governor,
accompanied with short and patriotic speech.
They are certainly splendid set, and our
boys feel proud of them / assure you. The
U. S. flag has inscribed on it, Lamar, Cold
water, Vicksburg, jackson, Bakers Creek,
Meridian Expedition quite a testimonial
to the character of the services performed
during the first term of enlistment Soon
afterward we left your city, many of us prob
ably never to return, and swiftly sped toward
| Chicago.
About D. H. we reached that city, and
were marched through it to the Illinois Gen.
trail Railroad Depot and introduced to train
of freight cars, destined to convey the bodies
| and rations of sundry heroes and patriots"
whom " generations yet unborn shall delight
to honor" to the city of Cairo. The present
| generation of Illinois railroad men do not
| seem inclined to honor Wisconsin's heroes
with very good travelling accommodations.
We were taken from thence to the "Soldiers
Rest and received an excellent supper from
the fair ladies Of the city, who evidently have
a proper understanding of the most accepta.
| BILE way TO "honor a battalion of hungry
heroes;" it would be we'll if their husbands
| and big brothers, who run the railroads, had
| as correct an appreciation OF the wants OF
tired and travel-weary soldiers. After sup
per 1--we returned to our boxes-box-cars
| mean-and clambered in, and as some of the
cars had been newly painted, we carried off
many marks of the considerate arrangements
for comfort provided for us. The cars had
rough, unplaned boards stretched across
them for seats, swing lamp hungin the CEN
ire, with half barrel of Lake Michigan be-
low it, and "nary spring" about them.
A little after 10 o'clock we left the depot,
with jerk, hard enough to upset several I'M
suspecting soldiers, a process repeated at
every one of the numerous starts and stop
pages In order to obtain correct idea of
humanity can endure, suggest that voyage
| q la nlilitaire be made from Chicago to Cairo
in a freight car, without lights, fire or cush-
ions, as did this "noble regiment of which
any state might be proud" If the eyes of
our neghbors, our state and our country are
upon us, as we are told, they beheld very
queer sight on the first of May, 1864, and
must have ached sadly at our mishaps on this
trip.
A part of the 9th Michigan heavy artillery
travelled in company with us to Cairo, but
their State furnished them with passenger
coaches to ride in while lot of recruits for
the SD Indiana, who joined us at Nation,
were "honored" with similar accommoda-
tions, in freight cars, to ourselves.
About o'clock on Sunday evening, when
within one miles of bingham, and 81 miles
from Nation, an axle of the tenders truck
broke, throwing four cars off the track, in
which the Indiana boys were riding, causing
the instant death of two, and severely wound
ing some six others, one of whom had his leg
amputated by our DIR. Rogers, it being fright
fully crushed. This accident delayed US I'M
| til III o'clock Monday morning, and we shiv
cred through the weary hours, while storm
| of rain and snow drove fercely around and
| about us While the train was at Efingham
depot, and under slight motion, Eugene Rob
| GrLS, OF 20. HllS5Su HOlO, nDilC
oring to Chamber into one of the accommoda-
ting freight cars, falling partially on the
| track, when a wheel ran over his leg, crush
| ing it so severely that it had to be cut off,
| | may be true that he was not as free from
the effects of whiskey as he might have been,
| but if there had been a platform with steps
| attached, so that the car could have been en-
| tered from the ends, instead of scrambling up
| at a side door, whose floor was on level
with his chin, Roberts would have been
sound man, ready for duty to-day, instead of
being left behind a cripple for life. Uncle
| Sam has lost veteran, and Roberts a leg,
through the peculiar way of honoring the
brave" which the Illinois Central railroad
has exhibited in furnishing us with such trans
| portation.
Everywhere we were received with great
demonstrations of enthusiasm by the citizens,
ladies waving flags, bandkerchiefs and other
| things at US from almost every house. At
Centralia several girls passed among the
boys and along the cars, handing their Sun
| day school papers to all who would accept,
| and l saw none refuse, all seeming eager to
get these tokens of good will and sympathy
from the children.
We reached Cairo about half past two on
Tuesday morning, and went into camp north
of the city at once, in company with many
other troops.
Yesterday we were inspected by our new
Corps commander, Maj. Gen. Frank p. Blairs
Adjutant General therefore it is calculated
that we shall be on our way to Alabama, to
take position on the right of Sherman's grand
army very soon now.
The weather is quite warm here; the trees
are in leaf, flowers in the gardens are in full
bloom, mud-holes in the streets, neither few
nor far between, are covered with very
thick coat of green scum; the hotels are
crammed with shoulder-straps from double
stars down; while the levee is a perpetual
scene of activity, loading and unloading cars
and boats.
Gen. Gresham, with part of our Brigade, is
at Clinton, on the Tennessee river. Our
Brigade headquarters, with another part of
the Brigade is across the river at Birds Point,
Missouri while our Corps and Division head
quarters are here, close to our camp.
Yours truly, CIV"
C& In the Louisiana State Convention,