The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-11-04
Fate, or What?

No historian of the war will ever
write of companies and battaliOns, and
the strange fate which followed a COM
pany of infantry attached to a regiment
from Michigan need not be looked for
in history, although it would make an
interesting page in any work.
The company was mustered into serv-
ice 100 strong and better lot of men
never took the oath of allegiance to
Uncle Sam. Before leaving the State
three of the men died. On the trip
from Detroit to Washington two were
killed by the cars. In marching along
the streets of the capital another fell
dead. In going into the camp another
was accidentally shot through the heart.
Inside of three weeks there were seven
deaths in this company and not even a
case of sickness in any other. The
regiment was in camp near Washington
for four weeks, and two more men died
out of this company, a third was
drowned and the fourth was shot dead
in a street brawl. This made eleven
men, and not another company had lost
q man.
In its first skirmish the company lost
four men, while no other company had
a man wounded. Its First Lieutenant
and Third Sergeant were two of the
killed. Promotions had hardly been
made when the company was detailed
for out post duty, and guerrillas killed
three of its men at one vOlley. The
First Lieutenant and Third Sergeant
were two of the three. This made
eighteen men, and only one other COM
pany had lost man. Promotions were
again made, and the regiment became
engaged in battle. Other companies
had men wounded. but this one had
five killed. The First Lieutenant and
Third Sergeant we're among the num-
Der. This made the total twenty-three.
Not a man had fallen sick but to die.
Not a man had been hit except to 90
down.
By this time the ill-luck of the COM
pany had become camp talk and men
were not ashamed to believe that there
was something strange and supersti-
tious about it. 1t was hard work to find
men who would take promotion and
three of the rank and file were so I'M
hammered that they deserted. Out of
loss of twenty-seven men in the regi-
ment up to this time twenty-six had
been from one company.
A curious change now occurred. In
its next fight the company lost four
men. The First and Fifth COrporals
were two of these. Within a week
these two same positions were vacant
again. In six months five First and
five Fifth Corporals were killed, while
the First Lieutenant and Third Ser
geant were not scratched. Nor did it
lose any other commissioned or nom
commissioned officers.
When this company had been re-
duced to siXty-one men no other COM
pany had less than ninety. Ten recruits
Joined it on Monday and all were killed
in fight on Thursday. In couple of
weeks seven more came, but in less
than month death had reduced the
number to sixty-one again. In fight
in which this fated company was pur-
pOsely held in reserve, the other nine
companies had fourteen men wounded
and one killed. A rebel shell fell into
the midst of the reserve and killed four
men from the one company. In two
NtdIS IL lOSl lUC lICils NuliC l4O OtACl
company had lost twenty-five. In its
three years at the front it never had a
man.wounded. Whoever was hit was
killed on the spot. 1t lost more
commissioned and nOn-commissioned
officers than any six companies COM
biHed. In one year the man who went
out as Fourth Corporal was First lieu
tenant and dead and almost forgotten.
For three months the company stood
at forty men. Twenty-three recruits
were added and in three months more
twenty men had either died of sickness,
been captured or buried on the battle
field When it was decided to Join this
company with another not one of the
nine would consent and when it had
been reduced to thirty-eight men it was
transferred to headquarters to do guard
aud provost duty.-Detrou Free Press.