The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-03
HISTORICAL RECOLLECTIONS.
BYeG. WASHINGTON JONES.

BYeG. WASHINGTON JONES.
Immediately after assuming COM
mand of the department., Gen. Sher--
man began the concentration of troops
on Nolin Greek, on the line of the
louisville and Nashville railroad. The
camp was named in honor of the
owner of the soil, Camp Nevin. On
the 18th day of October, 1861, the fol-
lowing regiments and batteries were
on duty at this camp: Sd Kentucky
volunteer infantry, 18th Kentucky vol
unteer cavalry, 9th, 59th, 3Oth, 32d,
38th and 39th Indiana volunteer in
fantry, 18th and 10th Ohio volunteer
infantry, 34th Illinois volunteer in
fantry, battalion 18th U. S. infantry,
battery A Kentucky artillery. The
whole under the command of Brig.
Gen. A. Med. McCook, one of our
| ablest Brigadiers. On the 18th of Oc-
tober Gen. McCook issued general
orders No. 8, forming these troops into
brigades which he numbered the 4th,
9Th and 9th. TO the 4th brigade he
assigned Brig. Gen. L. II. Rousseau, to
the 9Th Brig. Gen. 7. J. Wood and to
the 9th Brig. Gen. R. W. Johnson. At
| other points in the State Generals
Mitchell, Nelson, Thomas and 7. L.
Crittenden were rallying to their
standards regiments destined in due
time to share in the glory of victorious
| war.
Camp Nevin became grand school
of instruction in which the officers and
men were thoroughly informed in re-
gard to the duties of the camp and of
the march.
The strength of McCook's command
at this time was about $4,000 men. 1t
would hardly do to call them soldiers,
they were patriotic Union.loving cit
liens who assembled for the purpose
OF doing all they could Is suppress the
monster rebellion. Their officers were
| able and in earnest, and in short
time the men were transformed into
good soldiers whose gallant deeds later
! in the war commanded the admiration
and respect of the American people.
About Oct. Goth, the famous Penn
sylvania brigade under Brig. Gen.
j. S. Negley arrived and was placed
under McCook's command and desig-
mated as the 7th brigade.
On the 18th of November Gen. Sher-
man was superseded by Gen. d. G.
Buell..
Camp Nevin will long be remem-
bered by the troops stationed there.
Here they learned for the first time
something OF the hardships Of SOL
dier's life. Change of diet, wet, cold
and disagreeable weather produced
disease, and at one time the camp was
converted into one vast field hospital.
We lost by disease large number of
men while in this camp.
McCOok was anxious for an advance
movement and determined to move
forward a portion Of the command, at
least. On December 9th he issued
orders for Johnson's brigade to move
forward to Munfordsville, on Green
river. This was accomplished on the
18th, the rebels retreating as our
troops advanced. On the 18th, the en-
tire division moved up, and here for
long, weary weeks the troops remained
in sea of mud, which for military
purposes was called Camp Wood. On
the 10Th of January, Gen. Geo. H.
Thomas achieved a substantial victory
over the rebels at Mill Spring. 1t was
here that our gallant Second first
baptized it's name in blood.
In this battle Gen. Zollicoffer of
Nashville, Tennessee, was killed. His
| body was embalmed and handsomely
coffined and forwarded uner flag of
truce to the rebel lines. The remains
were received by Gen. Hindman, who
| thanked the Federal commander and
expressed deep regret at not being
able to invite him to take a drink, as
there was nothing stronger than water
| In his camp. He remarked that he
had received barrel of whisky the
week before, but said he, ga barrel of
whisky does not go far in a camp where
there is no milk
The Federal officer in charge of the
escort drew from his overcoat pocket
flask containing some very choice
brandy and invited General Hindman
ito smile.' He smiled several times
and the brandy all disappeared. That
officer will always believe that if he
had had a barrel of whisky with him
ne could have negotiated a treaty of
peace between the North and South
and thus put an end to the war.
In few days the army was put in
motion towards Nashville, and Gen.
Grant notified the commander at Fort
Donelson that he proposed to move
against his works without delay" He
carried his threat into execution and
captured the entire garrison, except
ing Generals Pillow and Floyd and
their stats.