The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-18
NOTES AND

Recollections of the Camps About Indianapo-
lis During War Days-odds and Ends.
The year 1864 was a great year in the annals
OF Indianapolis. Few of the members Of the
Grand Army who have been in the city during
the past two or three days from abroad, or even
our own residents, could be able to find the spots
occupied by the camps in that year. Camp
M~ortcn-the name without reason has been
changed to the State fair grounds, thus
ooilterating an historic landmark-was then
naed with rebel prisoners. Camp Burnside,
lying on the south of it, east of Delaware street,
ana north of Tinker to the State ditch, was then
hiied oy several regiments of the Veteran Re-
serve Corps, who did guard duty over the pris
oners. Camp Shanks was the cavalry camp,
northwest of the city, and Camp Darlington oc-
cIupied a great stretch of common bounded on
the south by Seventh street. east by the Lafay-
cite tnow Big Four railroad track, and west by
the canal, spreading away to the north.
burnside barracks, or Camp Burnside, looked
axe a small city. The barracks were all of uni
form size. built with regularity in blocks and
squares, and all thoroughly whitewashed, look
ing, III fact, like orderly, well kept dwellings.
Inc streets through the camp were we'll graded
ana drained, kept as clean as a floor, with walks
OF planks. The Veteran Reserve or Quinine
q S4ANA ASn oSA0S
made up of invalid soldiers, had no
hight work guarding the rebels in Camp Morton,
Tor they required the strictesr watching, as they
were fertile in devising means of escape, and
frequently as many as half a dozen tunnels
would be discovered in a wee~k-sometimes not
until half a dozen rebels or SO had made their
escape.
Camp Darlington was a city of itself, often
having as many as 5000 or 5000 soldiers. 1t
mad streets, graded walks and drains. The
water was carried away so rapidly that the camp
was dry an hour after the hardest rain. The
main street Of the camp was called Morton
avenue, and was about a quarter of O mile long.
Inc cross streets were called brigade streets,
each being named after a commander Of 8
brigade. In March, 1864. there were nearly
4,OVo soldiers in Camp Darlington, consisting of
skeletons OF the Seventeenth, Twenty-second.
Forty-eighth, Fifty ninth, regiments of infantry,
the Ele venth Cavalry, five companies of the
thirteenth Regiment, three hundred men of the
Eighth Regiment, with detachments of recruits
for a large number of other regiments. Camp
Shanks was then occupied by the Ninth Cavalry.
The place then known as the Soldiers Home is
now thickly covered with dwellings and manu-
featuring establishments. It's east line was West
street. north line Maryland street. south line the
v~andaiia track, and west line the river. 1t was
the place where soldiers going through the city
got board and lodging, and it was also
q prison for INSIDERS. There was a
time, in 1864, when the prison there was
filled with "bounty-iumpers' and bounty
jumper agents" and,these scoundrels, for whom
citizens and soldiers had the strongest detesta-
ton, were on several occasions marched through
the streets. The grand parade of bounty-jump-
es took place on Nov. 2, 1864. 1t was called
1.-The bounty jumpers dress parade" and the
streets were crowded to see the rascally process
sion. After the parade they were sent
to the front, to work on intrenchments,
or any hard duty that could be
by. a herculean colored man ringing a
bell; then came more than twenty fellows hand
cuffed and chained together. some with large
iron balls to their legs, which they had to carry
In order to walk. Each bore upon his back q
large green placard with the words, agents for
Bounty jumpers" These were followed by two
score or more cut-throat-looking fellows,
chained together two by two, each placarced
"Bountyjumper." On each side of the
procession marched a row of guards, with fixed
bayonets, while the band of the Veteran Re-
serve Corps brought up the rear playing THE
Rogues' March" Such another collection of vii
famous humanity has never since been seen in
indianapolis. The colored man who rang the
bell in doleful chime was identified with the
wEsto scoundrels as q clothing broker, hav-
ing furnished the jumpers with citizens clothing.
There was a regular association of the rascals
with agents and jumpers who were professionals
enlsting for bounties and deserving Immediately
thereafter. The agents who assisted the jump
ers to escape went with them from place to place
wherever high bounties were paid. and
the prospects of getting away were
fair. Among those who took part
in the procession of Nov. 2, 1864, was a New
Yorker named John Connell, who was said to be
worth 500, 900. He was a broker in bounty
jumpers and divided profits with them. He
made liberal offers to escape the ignominy of the
street parade, but to no avail, and he was COM
PEELED to travel to the tune of the Rogue's
March.
Il was acting provost marshal In a Southern
city-you may say Memphis, although you may
ho xwrnpr ho-A 81 ~ no~a c1,od - ~
is sometimes called Colonel, s'and it was our GUS
tom to levy a fine of 800 regularly every month
on two saloon-keepers who were partners. One
was a Jew, named Dixey Beck, and the other an
Irishman known by the name of Billy Quinn.
1t was necessary to fine them in order to raise
funds for expenses. The offense with which
they were usually charged was selling liquor on
Sunday. They finally grew weary Of this sort
OF thing, and one Sunday, when Beck was brought
if civil law in Memphis was not suspended and if
we were not being governed under military au-
thority.
Yes
"'Well, sir, / plead my constitutional right.
I am a Jew. and I observe Saturday as my day
OF religious worship
''This was reported to the superior officer, who
gave instructions to watch Dixey on the next
Saturday, and see whether OF not he observed it
as a day of religious worship. When the officers
went down to his saloon they found it open.
Billy Irwin was in charge. and he was placed
under arrest. When brought before the mar
shall, he demanded to know on what charge he
had been arrested. The plea of his partner was
explained to him, and he was told that as he
had been caught selling on Saturday, which
Beck claimed as his Sunday, be would have to
pay the usual fine.
"Im not responsible for any - Jew. I'm
a Christian. I observe Sunday, and do business
during the week. was the reply Of Irwin, who
claimed his constitutional privilege. and refused
to be fined"
"Here's a clipping from the Indianapolis Jour
nal, of May 16, 1864, said a gentleman to the re-
porkar Gsvbiob cbourc tho faaI;po nf fba TT,;oo;c+c