The National tribune., 1886-10-07
ILLINOIS TROOPERS.
Address of Col. A. G. Bracket at the
Reunion of the 9th Illinois Cavalry.

AT a Reunion OF the veterans Of the 9th III
Cav, AZ the Grand Pacific Hotel in Chicago. on
the Both Of September, 1ssG, Col. A. G. Bracket,
who was the first Colonel of the regiment, made
the following remarks, he being President of
the society:
COMRADES OF THE 9rH Ill. CAV: It Is n
pleasure 10 meet you once more, as it brings
back 10 my mind the times which are past,
when we toiled together through the swamps
Of Arkansas under the grand old Union flag.
You all remember the hot weather we endured
there and the difficulty we found in getting
enough 10 eat when placed short Tations.
Our march from Jacksonport 10 Helena was one
long TO be remembered, as several of our COM
rades died from the effects Of the heat and thirst
Our enemies filled up the wells with rails and
dead animals, so that we had nothing 10 make
our coffee pr except the water we found in the
holes and stagnant pools.
Gen. lIindman assured his Confederate fol-
lowers that we were endeayoTing TO escape ont
OF the country, but we undeceived them at
Cache River Bridge, the Waddell Farm, aud at
Stewards Plantation. They endeavorcd 10 take
our wagon-trains from us but we soon taught
them that such undertakings were fraught with
danger, and sent them Keeling back into the
woods. They gave us n warm reception in the
timber, aud showed that they thought them
selves fighting for the right, though we knew
they were wrong.
Gen. Curtis had left you alone at Jacksonport
TO confront the Confederate forces which were
supposed to be approaching with view of as
sauting his army, occupying Batesville, and
you acquitted yourselves 10 his entire sstisfac-
ton. Day and night your pickets were out,
the whole country below you to the Gulf of
Mexico being occupied by the rebel forces
IN OVERWHELMING NUMBERS.
You were TO watch and ward OFF the advance of
the enemy until your General could prepare for
action.
From Arkansas you crossed over into Missis-
sippi, making the memorable march TO Okolona,
where the enemy was again confronted and
routed with loss. At the same time detsch-
ment went TO La Grange where the Confederates
were defeated in fine style. Your march 10
Duvalls Bluff afforded your horses good
chance 10 exercise their limbs and shortly
afterward you went by way of Memphis to
Germantown, Tenn, where one Captain at least
wascaptured by a fair rebel, one of your Lieuten-
ants having already been captured in a similar
way in Arkansas. In July. 1853, you confronted
the enemy at Coldwater, and in tho following
month met him at Grenada, and afterward at
La Grange. From this place you went to
Corinth, and then returned 10 Colliersville On
the Sd OF December you fought the enemy at
Salisbury, and on the next day the 9th bore an
honorable part in the action at Moscow.
In February the 9th accompanied Sooy
!
gagged at Okolona and Mount Ivy. You twice
! drew Forests cayalrymen into an ambus-
cade and sorely punished them with your
rifles. In April you returned 10 Memphis, and
/ portion of the regiment was soon after in the
unfortunate Guntown expedition. In July
you were driving the enemy at PontotOc, Old
! Town and Tupelo losing at the latter place
Lieut.. Mcmahon, who was rs good a soldier rs
his great namesake the Marshal of France. In
August Abbeville, Oxford, and Hurricane
Creek attested your valor, and gave you
merited distinction. In September you met the
ADVANCE OF GEN. HOODS ARMY,
which had been pushed away from Atlanta,
and had sanguinary fight with the same
troops in November at Campbellsville.
At the great battle of Franklin, under the
! heroic Schoield, you bore an honorable part.
| This battle was said by Secretary Stanton TO
have been the bloodiest Of the war, taking into
consideration the numbers engaged. The Con-
federates had Gems. Clcburne, Gordon. Adams,
Strahl and Granbury killed, besides eight others
| wounded. In fact, every General on the field
! belonging 10 the Confederates, except Hood
! himself, was struck by bullet on that Occas-
ion. Gems Stanley and Bradley on our side
were severely wounded.
Under the indomtable Thomas you helped
to hold the lines st Nashville, and hurled
back the rebels as they endeavOred TO push you
! into the Cumberland River. We all recollect
those cold days and slippery roads, where our
men suffered more than they had ever suffered
before, the mercury at night showing 10 de-
grees below zero, they having nothing 10 shelter
themselves with except thin tent and a SIN
gle blanket The regiment was encamped in
the open field, there being no shelter except a
few trees, and il was here that stealing wood
was reduced 10 fine art.
When Hoods army gave way you Joined in
the pursuit, and did much toward bringing the
great rebellion 10 a close. With willing hands
and honest hearts you pressed the Confederates
SO closely that they had no rest, and gradually
crumbled 10 pieces. With the approach Of
Spring you knew the war would soon be over,
and that you could again return 70 your own
homes and firesdes with a conviction that
your work had been well done, and that You
had shown yourselves worthy Of being classed
among the bravess defenders Of our Republic.
From the time the regiment was formed at
Camp Douglas, Chicago, in 1861, until the close
OF the war, il always retained its good name
and was respected alike by friend and foe.
Gen. Forrest, the great Confederate leader,
found in them
FoEMEN WORTHY OF HIS STEEL,
and time aud again the men Of this regiment
crossed arms with his troops. Gen. Lee con-
sidered him the best cavalry leader on either
side, and We all know he led his men well.
recolect being ON the cars going from Memphis
10 Collieryiile TO take command of the Second
Brigade of the Cavalry Division, Sixteenth
Corps, in January, 1861, when some of his men
: exploded a torpedo under the rails, at the same
time pouring in fire of rife bullets on us.
Luckily we passed unscathed, and upon reach
ing Collieryile sent out party of the 9th,
who not only found the enemy, but captured
several. Ia so doing some of our men were
taken by Forrest. one of whom had on n good
pair Of boots. Without much ado Forrest
traded boots with him. and then set him at
liberty. The man upon his return was exceed
ingly proud Of his foot-gea and could well
say he had once stood in Forests boots.
The 9th was always ready TO go into action
and never waited when the word was given
At the Waddell Farm you made n gallant
J charge. scattering the enemy like chat before
you. The negroes made the rails of the old
fence fly when you rode up and chased the Sc
cessionists far of ia the dark woods beyond
Village Creek. Those were exciting times
contrasting strangely with these pipng times
? Of peace. At Stewards plantation we seized
upon colOred brother % guide Us TO the place
where we could find the enemy, aud az we me-
! under those green trees that negro disappeared
as completely as if stricken off the face of thu
earth.
When one OF our men was shot by the guer
rillas in the swamps and knew his hour haC
! come, he asked some of his comrades 10 rails
him up, when he gave a cheer for the old fas
and expired.
a SUCH PATRIOTISM AS THIS
!, is not excelled in any land nor by the soldier