The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-12
BLOODY SCENES RECALLED.
The Surviving Members of the Fifth
Indiana Cavalry Again Together.
A Comrades Recollections of the Horrors of
Belle Isle-Stoneman's Defeat and the
Morgan Raid

The reunion of the survivors of the Fifth
Indiana Cavalry yesterday was an interesting
occasion. AT the opening of the morning ses-
sion the following persons, representing the
different companies, were appointed historians:
| Company A, David Patty, of Hamilton county;
Company B, Frank W. Patton, indianapolis;
Company 9, 8. l.. Pearce, Shelby Company
d, Cal. Thomas, of Allen county; Com
pany E, E. w. Menaugh, Salem; Company F,
John Halfacre, Johnson county; Company
| G, Milt. Morris. Hancock county; Company H,
l.. j. Bruner, Ripley county; Company I, J. s.
Lauderback, Porter county; Company K, j. b.
Smith, Marshall county; Company L, j. K
GOwdy, Rush county, and Company NJ, D. H
Patterson, Wells county.
| The following resolutions, introduced by r.
A. Riley, were adopted unanimously:
awe denounce all laws authorizing any per-
sons other than native or naturalized citizens TO
hold lands within the limits of the United States,
and demand their repeal We will resist the in
PRODUCTION in this free country, of the landlord
and tenant systems that have made virtual
, slaves and paupers of SO large a per cent. OF the
populations of the old world.
1--WE denounce the appropriation OF
to Home for r"'' Fee 6i S Chi,
dren legaized robbery of the orphan
children OF deceased soldiers. and an insult to
every surviving soldier, to be resented"
A letter from one of the surviving members OF
the cavalry, named n. g. Price, of Guthrie Cen
ter, Ia, read, in which the writer regretted
J that he could not be present at the reunion, and
stated that he had been unable TO work since
the close of the war. He had been unable to get
pension, and had been supported by the little
that his wife could by doing washing.
Following the reading of the letter one of the
melnoers OF me cavalry arose ana stated thAe,
although he himself was poor man, he would
gladly contribute 81 to collection for
the benefit of the INDECENT comrade, and
contributions were volunteered by others pres
ent. purse of S25 soon made up, and a
postal money -order for the amount was forward
ed to Mr.. Price.
THE MORGAN RAID.
An interesting account of the Fifth Cavalry's
engagement with John Morgan was read by E.
W. Menaugh, VIII o was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of company e. Mr.. Menaugh's account was
based mainly, he said, on memoranda made dur
ing the After several days of marching,
which had completely exhausted the soldiers.
the Fifth Cavalry arrived within sight of the
Ohio river, at Burlington island about o'clock
on Sunday morning. July 10. cat this time"
Mr. Menaugh says, 1--WE could not see the island,
or anything else, for the valley was overhung
with one of the densest fogs ever witnessed A
man and horse could not be seen thirty yards
away. Soon, however, the fog lifted like the up
rolling of a curtain, and a look toward our left
revealed the main body of Morgan's command,
mounted and ready for duty. They recognized
us and we them. Morgan, however, got in the
first good morning with a rattlng and we'll
directed volley. Three of our boys were killed.
leTy horses. Our men were surprised,
and became panic-strcken. Basil Duke
followed up his first salute with charge.
The advance of our command went back pell-
NELL The artillery caissOn and horses became
entangled, wound themselves together and tum-
hled over in the road, forming harFicade, over
which soldiers drove the horses. Duke captured
of our pieces and turned it loose on us.
After this we rallied and went to work in earn
nest. We were ordered down the flats, and,
with Colonel Butler at the head, We advanced,
threw down fences dashed fields,
iel
piece they had captured. In less than fifteen
minutes from the time we were ignominiOusy
dashed across the valley, and our guns were
pouring shot into the daring raiders. 1t was
complete rout from this on. Although histo-
it is we'll known to us that Colonel
Butler, with Lieutenant O'Neil, led the
charge which demoralized. defeated and utterly
routed Morgan's whole command. We captured
in all about 800 men, ranking from brigader
down TO private. The roads passing around the
bluffs were very dangerous for teams even at an
ordinary rate of travel, as the least turn out of
the track would precpitate them far below
among the Jagged rocks and trees. The rebel
teamsters in driving around these bluffs urged
their horses forward, and many of the caissons
and guns, together with the horses, were
plunged against the rocks, often landing in the
trees far below. 1t is a noteworthy fact that
the Fifth cavalry boys and General Hobson's
Kentucky troops did all the fighting during the
engagement. Colonel Butler and his brave SOL
dlers were highly cOinpllmented by both Gen
erals Judah and HObson."
THE HORRORS OF BELLE IsLE.
William H. Dougherty, in very interesting
paper giving some of his "reminiscences OF prison
life, spoke of his capture, with several comrades,
while getting provisions for the regiment near
Knoxville, Tenn. They were taken to Belle Isle
on New Years day, 1864 In speaking of the
UNANIMOUSLY -wretched condition of the prison
pen, Mr. Dougherty says: "NeYer while life lasts
will 1 forget the horrors of Belle Isle, 1t ap-
peared as If death had given a holiday, and the
inhabitants of the grave were walkiDgin chastity
procession before me. The men there
duced by starvation exposure, and every devil
ish malignlty of their jailerR, TO the last spark
of vitality. Many were without tents, without
blankets, with but little clothing-and that
little was so tattered and torn that it not
sufficient to screen their nakedness Picture
to yourselves our situations: low, barren sand
bank surrounded by the james river perfectly
saturated with water; pools standing every
where; men without fire; numbers with no roof,
save the scowling vaults of space; no bedding to
cover their poor emaciated bodies; no beds save
the fast cOngeaing sluSh undertook, with such
waves of arctic cold rushing down from the North
as to cause those in comfortable homes to draw
nearer TO the cheerful fires, such cold as has
rarely, if ever, been experienced in this land,
and you will gain some idea OF the situation
the island. Throughout the night the sufferers
in this camp kept up march in their
struggle against death. To stop was sure and
speedy death. To go was to many complete
exhaustion of the little physical energy remain
ing. Some were calling on the names of loved
ones AT HOns, anu many were drlNcH 10 FdNlES
maniacs. The singing, praying and cursing on
every side turned the prison into veritable
pandlmonlum; but why pr0lunG my description
of the night of horrorY When morning dawned
men were to be seen on every hand and in al
most every position, frozen to death. Others
not so mercitully dealt with ad feet, hands aud
faces so badly frozen that their sntferings
only prolonged for gangrene and the students
knife to terminate that the winters freezing mad
commenced"
THE SLOVENIAN RAID.
Colonel Thomas H. Butler, In giving history
of the Stoneman raid, said that in the evening
OF July 81, 1864, the brigadier and regimental
commanders of General Stoneman were sum
moned to assemble at his headquarters, where