The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-03-26
ArI:Yal OF the Sd REGIMENT.


The SD regiment III. Vol. of reenlisted
veterans arrived at Ottawa Gu Wednesday
morning. As The probable time of their
arrival had been announced by telegraph
the Ladies Aid Society had made rrepar>
ations 10 give them public dinner, and
citizens generally, not only OF Ottawa but
Of the county, had gathered IN large con1-
pany to extend to them suitable welcome
The reception took place in front OF Union
Fall on wednesday noon, Rev. L. Coman
making the reception speech after which
the soldiers repaired TO the inside, aud
partook of the splendid dinner the ladies
had prepared for them
Looking at the regiment as they were
drawn up in front of Union Hail, we con-
fess we never saw a body of men who
looked SO completely tie thorough soldier
They were all neatly dressed, with their
arms shining and clean as PIN; but il
their robus. frames. bronzei cheeks and
fla .aE eyes, it was impossible not 10 see
tia: here were men of whom it would be
tame compliment 10 say they could whip
their weight in wildcats. We have seen
many fine looking new regiments, but we
have seen no new regiment of 900 men
with whom we slocld like to undertake
the joo of whipping the 2225 boys of the
sd
Tho history Of The sd regiment is so
familiar to most OF ctr readers, that we
occupy but little space in recouatng 1t -
1t was enlisted at Ottawa, in the fall of
1861, BY Col. w H. ". Cushrian, under
special permit OF the War Department,
and was intended to be composed Of 10
companies Of infantry. one of cavalry, and
one of artillery. Before the organization
GA this plan WAS all perfected, however,
the regiment being still short one inian-
try company it was in Feb 1862 order
ed to the field Il went from here TO
Chicago, where the artillery company
Capt. CogswelIs) was first taken from it;
and going thence 20 st. Louis, Gen. Hall
lack also robbed it Of its cavalry cornpanv
Capt. Ford's.) BY detailing it as his body
guard. The Regiment was thence order
cd Up the Tennessee river. where il arri-
we'd just IN tirlo te be too late to particle
pate III the heat Of the bloody battle Of
Shiloh. During the subsequent siege ofCor
Hath, however, twas put in the front and kept
there until Bcauregards retreat. the BOYS
having daily skirrnishes with the enemy
and thus becoming thoroughly Injured TO
the smell of ''ylllanous saltpeter' From
Coriath the regiment vent to Moscow,
and was kept there, or along the Mobile
and OAio r. Il until Oct. when it was or
dsred to the front, and bore so gallant
and heroic part in the battle of the
Hatchie, with the particulars of which our
readers are familiar. After that engage
ment, the regiment accompanied Grant
o. the Campaign, 10 the fall of 1862 to the
Tailahatchie, with the history of which
our readers are also familiar On the re-
turn of this expedition, the regiment
went into their old quarters at Moscow.
remaining there until March, 1868 when
they we're ordered to Memphis and thence
down the river 10 Nicksburg 1t was not
IN the brilliant campaign Of Gen. Grant IN
the rsar OF NIcksburg, but was in Gen
L3wrnan ; division which drove the rabsIs
from Haines bluff, when Grant cr.ssel
the Big Black on his approach to Vislss-
burg On tae norniug after the surren-
der OF Nicksburg, the regiment was order
ed TO accompany Sherman In the expsdl-
ton to Jackson, where the regiment had,
as the reader knows, their blocdiest bat
tie
Thence it returned to Vicksburg,
thence, on the 18th Aug it went ta
Matches; thence bacl, to Vicksburs. and
accompanied Gen. Sherman in his late
brilliant raid to Meridian; and returpiu,
from that expedition, started from Vicks. |
burg March 18th, for home The regi- t
ment originally contained about 800 in
fantry We have not the exact figures y
il returns with about $50 men.
When first organized, the following was
the Iegimental roster:
C,l0aek-W. H. ". Cushman,
II. tOjoHe -iar'l +. HIT.
4eI0s-T- c. Gibson
g1GTfe'Azas.ermf lilo I.indley.
Gdjutdnt-S. ". Hardin
CHaDlas.-Rey Cleveland
!Surgeoa-W. W we!cb
Asssstdnf SzrySss-J. o. Hsrri, ,