The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-30

INDIANAPOLIS, April 26, 1886.
John Derogsha Hopkins.
To the Editor of the Indi anap polls Journal:
Your answer in the Sunday Journal of this
date to an inquiry Of an Ohio correspondent,
concerning John D. Hopkins, has suggested to
me some things that had long since been lying
dormant in my memory. The many acts Of
injustice done to men during the long and con-
curing strife to which country was sub
jected, in consequence Of the war of the Rebel
hon, will never be known, save by those VINO
actually received them, or who were witnesses
to their preparation. I was a member of
Company G. Seventeen Indiana Volunteers, the
company to which John d. Hopkins was at
tached during his brief and erratie military
career. Hopkins was undoubtedly insane He
was personally known by the captain Of our
company, and by many others of the company.
Company was organized in Hendricks county,
most Of its members being residents of that
county. For many years previous to the war
this same John D. HOPKINS had periodically
made his peripaletic visits to that coonty, dis
posing of his song called 1.-THE Good Gathering, "
and other songs, of like merit. He would visit
the various towns of the county, select some
prominent corner or street, mount goods-box,
and sing his songs This own compositions), and
then sell copies of them for cents each to those
who were charitahly inclined. He was known
by almost every one in the county as a harmless
lunatic. Shortly after we had encamped at
Camp Morton, John made his appearance IN our
camp, not for the purpose of going to the war,
but to dispose OF his songs to the boys. He had
a good voice, and although it was soon known to
every one in camp that he was insane, yet he af-
forded great amusement to the boys by his
singing and speech making. He was patriotic
and pictured to us in glazing colors, the great
ovations we would receive when we had put
down the rebellings. He told US how the people
of the land would flock around US, feed US on
''fried chicken" "ham and sasages,' etc. How we
should all be promoted to Major generals, !"
build immense forts out in Illinois, have them
mounted with guns one hundred feet long. and
carrying shot weighing thousands Of pounds, by
which we could literally wipe out the whole Con-
federacy. Illinois was to him, the great strate-
gio military point, the possession and fortifying
of which was the secret of crushing the Rebel
lion. For days he kept the camp in q ferment
by his impassioned speeches and his Rrotesque
songs Aside from his Good Gathering song
distinctly remember two lines of another,
which he took great delight in singing. It re-
lated how he courted girl, became engaged to
her, and the day was set for marriage. At the
appointed time he made his appearance at her
fathers house, when the maiden had suddenly
changed her mind, and married another man.
The two lines of this song remember are these:
"John d. Hopkins not married,
The viii not shine"
But we had been in camp some two or three
weeks Our company lacked several men to
bring it up to the number required OF military
bodies Recruits were hard to get, and there
was perpetrated outrage number one on this
i offensive lunatic. He was induced to enroll
. volunteer. He was taken down to the city
to barbor's shop, where his hair was cut and
colored black (he was very gray and much too
old--about fifty Ave-to enter the serviee.) AL
though our captain knew he was insane vet he
probably excused himself by the reflection that
Hopkins's body would be good for rebel bull
lets to let the daylight of liberty through as that
Of any other man from Hendricks county
When John d. was duly sworn in, dressed in the
coutrements, he was the very picture Of valiant
soldier. He then became possessed of the de-
fusion that he would soon be promoted to q
maior-general, with headquarters in Illinois,
where he would build immense forts and maya
zines, and would 60 down with history as the
ordered to Bowling Green, KY, where we were
CHARTERED for three months, during which time
Hopkins Succeeded in making himself conspicu-
ously obnoxious. Much Of his time was passed
in the guard house, under arrest for violation
of camp rules An immense ditch, or trench
ran through our camr, it was probably eight
feet deep. Into the walls Of this ditch John D.
made an excavation, in which he ate and slept
until we were ordered to another point in the
State. While here he hired blacksmith to
make him a shield out of iron. 1t was about
one inch thick, large enough to cover the entire
front of his chest, and weighed at least sixty or
seventy pounds. He also manifested a great
love for the colored women who frequently
visited our camp with corn bread, pies and var
ious other articles of diet to dispose of at fancy
prices. He would make love to them in country
fashion, and very much reminded one of John
Falstaff, in the MERRY Wives of Windsor"
Our regiment was finally ordered to Scots
Vile, Ky. Hopkins had succeeded, while at Bowl
ing Green, In accumulating quite good stock
of clothing. When we took up our march he
had on two or three pairs of trousers and as
many shirts, drawers and blouses. Whether he
had an idea that he would need so much clothing
rebel bullets before they had reached his body,
thus taking the place of his cumbrous shield, /
do not know. 1t was in November, but it was
as warm as weather in June. On one of the last
days of our march, the third / believe, the
marin weather combined with hard marching
30 much clothing, and the gluttonous habits OF
our shero, ,producedlsuch Ia perturbation of his
digestive system that his presence in the ranks
| became unbearable. He was forced to fall out
| of ranks and it was fondly hoped that he would
never be seen again: but shortly after we had
gone into camp, John ID. made his appearance.
It was the general sentiment of the company
that he ought to be discharged He was con
slant and an unmitigated nuisance. 1t was Ions
ere this obvious that he would never be any
thing bat constant burlen and care. Evi
| IDENTIFY the right thing to have done was to give
him an honorable discharge and transportation
home. But this. however, did not seem to b.