The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-02-23

distance being travelled ny night We were
also short OF ratlons until we reached tie
Summetville Valley, where requisitlons
were made On the country for supplies
We remained in Kingston until November
l2fh, when We marched 70 Atlanta, arriving
there on the 18th, when rgtiUns and cloth
ing were issued
On the 10Th, commenced the March 10
the Sea-" taking possession OF Savannah on
the DIST of Decemh,r. As this was but "a
succession of marches and as but little OPP
positlon was met with until the army had
reached Savannah, il is deemed unnecessary
TO detail the march, We had our share'of
the hardships marches, etc, us also OF the
fine forasing which the country passed
through lfrDrded us We remained In Sd
vanah until Jan 18th, 90, when we com
menced the march through the Carolinas.
This, like the preceding campaign, was
succession Of marches, the bad roads i'm
pedinp more than the rebels, 10 required
more troops with the trains To build COrdu
roy roads, than it did on the skiTmish line,
Tie regiment vas engaged In the battle
of Bentonville and Avefysboro and had
several skirmiohes with small loss We
remained at Goldsb0ro, N. G., fitting ny
for another campaign until April 10Th,
and then marched to Raleigh where the
regiment remained until the surrender Of
,Johns0n's army, when we commenced the
march from Raleigh 70 Washington, ID. C.,
on April 3Oth, arriving there on May 18th
aud then participated In the Grand Re
view on the oath Of May.
Our stay was at Fort Lincoln, northeast
of the city, Our rolls were made aud
we were mustered out on the 9th day Of
June 1868, and on the Sth, we left Wash
ington, for Chicago, arriving there on the
10Th and went 10 camp Fry, where we
were paid off and we returned to our homes
The regiment was engaged in the bat
ties of Iartsyllle, Tuilohoma, Elk River
Dug Gap, Chickamauga, Lookout Noun
tain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Buzzard
Roost Resaca, New Hope Church, Peach
Tree Creek, Eutaw Creek, JUnesboro,
Averysville, Bentonville, besides a great
many hard shirmishes In which we lost
many men and valuable officers.
Now that twentyfour years have passed
since the regiment broke ranks at muster,
out, each member of the regiment feels
that ours was glorious record for unhinch
ing courage and bravery ia battle, much of
which was due to the stern discipline in
the duty of the soldier, drilled into the
raw undisciplined citizen by many cap
tain whose fall was lamented by the regi-
ment and 70 the undaunted courage of
Col Hapeman who commanded the regi-
ment the greater portion of the time. But
to speak of the soljierly qualities of any
particular officer and soldier would be
making, perhaps, invidious distinctions,
where all alike did their duty in the full.
lest sense of the term.
BE 1t said to the honor of the citizen SOL
diers that the members Of the 104th Regt.
have since conducted themselves as good
citizens, many of them occupying promi-
nent stations In life There are five men,
bers of the regiment living In this town
sh lp and four Of them are In town offices.
Il. s. Dresser, of Co. Ii, Is now supervis-
or; Cap w. II. Collins was in the Legisla
ture; X. G. Stevens sheriff, +. M. Sapp,
Is editor of the Ottawa Republican; Major
Widmer one of the best attorneys In Otta-
wa; Col Hapeman one of the best bust.
ness men in the city Of Ottawa; Capt j.
M. Leighton, has been for many years Su,
perintendent of canal; Capt. Howe Is a
we'll to do citizen of Tonlca
AT the end of the war Gen. w. p. Carlin
gave us a farewell address: "Gou, with
the officers and men of the l0ith Ill, after
three years gallant devotion TO the cause of
Our common country, In this war against
rebellion, are now about to return to your
homes with honor unstaiued, and with
reputation bright with glory. our deeds
will live forever. know that you will be
the best of citizens, because | know that
you have been the best of soldiers SO let
us ever cherish as idols of our hearts the
memory of our comrades who have given
up their lives for the salvation of our coun
try--who fell by your sides, battling for the
right Remember the widows and orph-
aus of our dead comrades Be true to them
as our comrades were true to us and our
country. My comrades, accept my graft.
tude for your devotion to me personally.
You have been true and noble soldiers, and
brave men May God ever bless you and
crown your lives with happiness and each
of you with honor, peace and plenty May
your memory and the memory of all grow
green with the lapse of age, and may gen.
eratious TO come never forget the deeds of
our fathers"
The regiment was greeted at the II. l.
depot by crowds of friends, and escorted to
breakfast by the citizens of Ottawa. The
writer with seven other comrades ate at
II II ~