The National tribune., 1894-04-26

| Lauflidu Deeu diuWeQ VI eAeiCisc LIS
usual caution and discretion such ca
lamity would have been averted.
We were refused permission to go on
the field to remove or bury our dead I'M
til next day.
| Our lines that were farther away on
the west and north of the city were
moving up closer day by day, coming in
contact occasionally with the outlying
troops of the enemy, until the night of
July Is, when Johnston with his whole
army evacuated the city, retreating east
ward across Pearl River, before our
troops could be brought up to invest the
place.
Our division left jackson on the 21st
Of July and started on its return march
for Vicksburg, where it arrived on the
23d, Gen. Crocker having succeeded to
Gen. Humans command. We re-
manned in camp near Vicksburg until
Aug. 18, when our brigade shipped on
board transports for Natchez, arriving
there next day.
We stayed in the region Of Natchez
doing guard, outpost and scouting duty
until Nov. 80, when we again shipped
up the river for Vicksburg, arriving
there Dec. 2, and disembarking marched
through the city and out on the jackson
road II miles to a place known as
Hebron, where the 53d H., with other
troops of the division, went into camp,
where we remained most of the Winter,
and during our stay the re-enlisting OF
veteran volunteers was begun and pro-
gressed with great enthusiasm, nearly
every regiment in the division re-eniist-
ing in such numbers as entitled it to
30-days' furlough home.
Among the first regiments to re-enlist
was the SD Ill. Lieut.. G. w. G. Hyde,
of our company, was appointed Muster
ing Officer of the Fourth Division, and
VERY UNEXPECTEDLY
to myself an order from Headquarters
soon after came for me to report to him
there for special service in that depart
ment. The rush of re-enlistments soon
followed, taxing our energies to the ut
most almost night and day in examin-
ing, correcting and approving the vol
luminous muster-out and muster-in rolls
of the veteran volunteers, so that the
clerical force in the mastering depart
ment had to be doubled, then trebled to
keep up with the work.
On the 18th of March, 1864, our
regiment marched to- Vicksburg, and,
shipping on board of steamer bound
for Cairo, started on our homeward voy-
age on veteran furlough. We reached
Cairo March 20, and next day took the
cars for Ottawa, Ill., Arriving at La
Sale early in the morning of the 23d
we marched to Cody's Hall, where the
ladies of the city had prepared US
splendid breakfast, that was greatly ap-
preciated and enjoyed by our very tired
and hungry regiment
After a short stay at La Sale we
boarded a train for Ottawa, where another
reception on larger scale had been pre-
pared for us, and after marching through
the principal streets we entered one of the
largest churches, where we were feasted
and toasted, and RECALLED with the finest
music in the most royal manner by the
good people of Ottawa.
Next day, March "a, we were fur
Ioughed for 80 days, and departed to
our homes.
At the expiration Of our furroughs
the regiment reassembled and proceeded
by rail to La Sale, thence by boat to
Cairo, where we arrived May and
went into camp, where We remained
until the 18th, during which time the
regiment had been newly equipped with
guns, tents, etc, and our ranks increased
by many new recruits.
On the 18th a large force, of the
Seventeenth Corps, including our divis-
ion, left Cairo on fleet of transports for
Clifton, Tenn, where it arrived on the
18th and disembarked, and on the 10Th
our forward movement began to join
and cooperate with other forces in the
Atlanta campaign. was again ordered
to report at Headquarters for special
service in the mastering department,
with Regular Army mastering officer
by the name of Russell, which severed my
active relations with my company and
regiment, and preventing me from taking
only occasional note of incidents con-
nected with its subsequent history in the
service. But | do know that amid the
many subsequent battles in which it par
ticipated, whether climbing mountains
or wading swamps and rivers, it held its
place among the front ranks of the
army, and contributed its full share with
other troops of that command that right
fully earned the appeilation of The
Fighting Fourth DiUision."
The end