Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02
"reminiscences Of the Second Tennes.
see Cavalry.
NO. xxx
BY LIEUT.. JNo.' w. ANDES.


June 25sh, 1865. 1 received leav,
of absence for twenty days. 1t wal
just on the eve of our muster-out, ano
Capt. w. o. White and Capt. Lon
Blizzard, of the Fourth Tennessee Cav.
airy, received leave of absences about
the same time. We had all been on
duty long time, aud were calculating
upon having good time. Money was
"a necessary prerequisite 10 this,
however, and not having been
paid anything for eight months,
we were without II. First
we attempted 10 get it from Paymas-
tiers ia Nashville on our leaves of
absence. rney had been pretty well
cleaned out, however, and we resolved
TO 20 to Louisville, which we did.
Lieut. Webber, of Company e, about
this time also received leave of alb
sence and joined us, Arriving ut
Louisville, we soon found a Paymas-
ter and succeeded in getting eight
months pay. We remained there
until the 18th, when we left ami re-
turned to Nashville.
We went out to camps and found
everything in q state Of excite ment
over the fact that orders had been
issued TO prepare for mastering out at
once. The biauk Tolls had bee issued
and the company commanders were
busily engaged in filling them out.
Capt. j. A. Montgomery was not
able TO make out his rolls, and L was
compelled TO give up going home and
assist him. Capt. Montgomery, Capt.
Wynn, Lieut.. Davis and myself
rentei room in private
house, where we could work with
out Interruption, and Went to work
to complete the rolls for the final
muster out. We completed them and
were mustered out on the 6 IA day of
July, 1855. The regiment was not
paid, however, until the IA h, when
everybody was set free aud such q
jubilee have not seen before or al nee.
Then came the parting hour. Old
comradts that had fought side by eide,
shook each others hands for the last
time. 1t was time to think over
and review the past. They thought
that sad winter ght, when they stood
picket In snow and sleet when the
enemy was stealthily slipping up to
the deadly conflict. When the crack.
ling of a twig, or the beating of a
heart could be heard. Then the pleas.
ing thought of duty performed, and
that we are now soon to meet loved
ones at home, would pass through the
lions that language can never express.
The birds OF the air, while warbling
their sweet songs, were never happier.
Ear of
bers OF the Regiment here
append the distance travelled
on the Mississippi River; From East.
port to Paducah (mouth of the len.
nessee River) 200 miles; from there
to Cairo, go miles; thence to Column
bus. 20 miles to New MadridF55 to
Memphis, 175; thence TO HsHna, 80;
TO White River, 80; - V@ksburgh,
240 to Natchez, l20 tos Psft Hudson,
12O Sso Baton Rouge 20;to New Or
leans, 1870 total 1910. We returned
the same way to Paducah, lilo miles,
thence up the/'ffVer to Nashville,
making IN al about 262O miles.
Then, counting our extra marching in
the neighborhood of Vicks.
buEgh, ultimate over 5000 miles.
W November, 1862, 1 suppose
We must nave travelled ,UUU miles. |
Ia his offici report, Col Ptosser |
estimates that the regiment marched |
10000 4iles on horseback, which IL
u rErather than over the smount,
q HA.s~e were transported by boats
fhlly 5000 miles during the war.
e The regiment served in Kentucky,
Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
We were at Cairo, Illinois, but did
not leave that place. There are few
in Middle Tennessee, or in
The Blue Grass regions OF Kentucky,
ia which the Second did not travel.
We were at Vicksburg when the i'll.
fated steamer Sultana blew up, and for
days afterwards it was no unusual
sight to see the body of some poor fel
low floating down the river. Two
men of the Second Cavalry were on
the boat, but fortunately escaped with
heir lives. They were Peter e. Potter
ana Ebert Pilkerton. They had been
captured ut Athens, Alabama, where
.he Third Cavalry was captured.