The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-26

division or payment to them of the small
amount received was unsolicited upon their
part; was in accordance to an agreement
made by the officers with General Breckin-
ridge the previous night without their
knowledge or procurement. There was no
hating or speech-making until after the
savannah River was crossed and general
halt ordered.
Captain Lot Abraham, of the Fourth Iowa
Cavalry, was sent from Augusta to parole
us The paroles were all made out on the
9Th OF May, when Captain Abraham notified
me he had been instructed by General Up
ton 10 take all horses from the private SOL
diers. L declined TO surrender to him, and
told him | would march back 10 North Car
olina and surrender to General Sherman;
that all our horses were private property,
and under the terms of General Johnston's
surrender all private property was to be re-
spected
AT his suggestion General Vaughn, Cap
talns Coffin and Mckinney went with him
to Augusta and telegraphed the situation to
General Wilson, who telegraphed back to-
allow the soldiers TO keep their: horses all
OF which were the private property of the
soldiers.
On the 18th of May we were all paroled
and started for our homes in a body Near
cleveland, Tenn, we were met by a request
from the Provost Marshal at Clevand to come
by that place. We did so and were imme-
defely surrounded by an infantry guard,
and vigorous search of the person and bag
gage of every soldier instituted, and stopped
by Colonel Smith OF the One Hundred and
Fifty Fourth Illinois Regiment, an exceed
ingly gallant and clever gentleman, but we
were sent under guard to Chattanooga,
where General Judah was commanding, but
q certain Provost Marshal named
st. Sargent took all the horses
from the soldiers, allowing the
officers to retain theirs, claiming to act
under orders from General Thomas,
which proved to be false. The soldiers,
thus dlsmounted contrary to the
express terms of the surrender and the
instructions of Genera Wilson, left imme-
dlately for their homes some by rail and
the balance on foot. General Williams hav-
ing joined us, proceeded Immediately to
Nashville and got an order for the return of
the horses taken from breckenridge Brig
ade. and Colonel McLemore got an order for
his, and they both sent back and got most of
their horses, but before the order was re-
ceived and the others sent for, the Tennessee
Brigade had lost 80 head of valuable horses
The Quartermaster had turned them in
dry lot without food or water Many had
died and number were too poor to travel
and were left by the wayside. The loss of
go head of horses was a serious loss to the
gallant soldiers who had just returned to
their desolated homes, penniless and with
nothing with which to start crop.
The following is copy of the last official
order issued by me, which was furnished me
recently by Lieutenant John A Lewis, Ad-
jstant of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, viz. .
HEADQUARTERS CAvELRY DIVISION,
5th May, 1865.
Commanding officers will Immediately make
known to their commands that they are expected
70 conduct them selves as soldiers and as gentle
men. All who are unwilling to do this are re-
Specfully requested TO send up furloughs for ap-
proval and will leave their command. No depre-
datiOns will be allowed, either now or upon the
march, or after they are paroled. All soldiers
guilty of offenses viii be turned over to the civil
authorities. Soldiers who can not refrain from
shooting in and around camps are requested to
not endanger the lives of their comrades or vio-
late the rules of good order and discipline. Read
this to all your men.
q. G. DIBRELL, Brigadier General
Official: J. NJ. HINES. a. A. Gen. and c.
Every officer and soldier who saw this
command admired its good discipline and
soldierly bearing, and all who saw them in
battle admired their gallantry. Commanded
by such officers as Breckenridge and Nc
Lemore and splendid corps of regimental
and line officers, they could not be other
wise than under good discipline and brave
and gallant soldiers, and when they in good
faith laid down their arms and accepted q
parole, as true, brave and good set of men
as ever breathed the breath of life became
good citizens. Justice to their memory de-
mands that l should say this and defend
them against the charge of being irregular
cavalry or clamorous for anything
G. G. DIBRELL.
Washington, April IL, 1882.