The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-16
THE DAY AT ACTON PARK
GLAD TIME FOR TIL. BOYS OF THE
OLD sEVENTIETH.
Happy Exchange of Reminiscenccs-A
Letter Read from General Harri-
sOn-Camp Ground Notes.


The last day of the reunion of the Sew
entieth Regiment, at Acton Park, was more
largely attended than the day previous and
the mornings exchange of war reminis-
cences was SO agreeable that the soldier
boys, contrary to intentions, consumed also
the afternoon in the same pleasurable man
ner. The well-known character of the
usual reunion speech was we'll exemplified
in the annual address delivered by James
c. Bennett. of Shelbyville, who told of
three trips made by the regiment to Rus
seIlville from Bowling Green on Sept II,
Sept 80 and Oct. 2, 1862. He said: I'm look
ing back over the thirty-fve years when
we were dark-haired boys going out under
the call OF President Lincoln for 300 900
troops as the first regiment from Indiana,
it all seems like a dream Now our hair is
gray and our features changed that
many of us are scarcely recognizable by
our former comrades. But we come to-
gether each year to renew our memories of
each other and tell the old stories over
again. And it is the story of three mem
orable trips to Russellvile that l shall talk
about
Our camp was pitched first near Elrod's
spring and afterward at Camp Burgess, I'M
NJ NAAC OlO IFOG1 AOII DNllI ny IouChtlSls
twenty-five miles northeast of Russellville.
On Sept. II we started to leave Russellville,
where we had been sent to assist a cavalry
regiment that was expecting an attack by
the rebels. Our route to Elrod's spring lay
over a rough, dusty, zgzag road and on
the march some of the boys came near CIV
ing out. Two Of them, Dick Thralls and
Bob Angelton, began to examine the stables
along the in IA Of finding a
horse. Now, thit was contrary to the
ders Of Colonel Harrison, but the boys per-
sisted, and at last about midnight, Dick
found an old sorrel nag in dilapidated
barn. Feeling around in the dark he got
his hands on a bride, and, having adjusted
it, led the animal forth in glee. Nathan
Hale, who was about played out, was
placed on it's back, together with all the
knapsacks possible. Everything went well
until the next morning, when at about 10
o'clock we stopped in front of a small house
for a rest, and what should espy US from
the house but an old woman who came
flying out though she was crazy:
My horse! My horsep she cried. That's
my horsev She carried on at a fearful
rate, and there was the colonel taking it all
in. Poor Dick, he did nothing but tremble,
but The colonel never said a word. Finally
the horse was given back to the old woman,
and it is agreeable to note that Dick was
never punished for disobeying orders. The
colonel pressed some OK carts into service
to make up for the loss of the horse, and it
was on this trip that he allowed Comrade
S. Is. Robertson to ride his horse while he
himself walked and carried the musket.
Captain Fisher also carried a musket or
two for his men, About six or seven miles
from bowling Green We 1OUnQ a cave
spring beautifully arched over and contain
ing the most refreshing water we obtained
on the route. After leaving the spring we
noticed line of rebel cavalry on u road
parallel with US about mile away, but, al
though some of the men were anxious to
give them a little skirmish, the colonel
would not give the order, because he said
they were not bothering US. After steady
march of forty hours, during which time
we had but one meal, we arrived in camp,
very dusty and hungry. AfterWard, when
the regiment was on dress parade, and
was on guard in front of Colonel Bruce's
headquarters, an officer remarked, pointing
to the boys, That well-dressed regiment
colonel replied, Don't fool YOURSELF they
outmarched cavalry regiment the other
day.
The next trip described by the speaker
was that taken by the regiment to Russell
vile on Sept. IL, when it met and engaged
the enemy. 1.-THE journey was begun in
six inches of manure. After running for
eleven miles further progress was obstruct-
ed by a bridge that had been burned. Pick
cts were Immediately thrown out and the
whole regiment was put to the work of re-
building the structure. Teams were pressed
into service, trees were hewn down and
constructed into big pens, which served for
piers, and the stringers, also made of logs,
were fastened in their places. In two hours
time the bridge reconstructed. Mean
time the people in the neghborhood We're
required to furnish food for seven hundred
men. Resuming the journey, we finally ar
rived within a mile of Russellville, where
the colonel learned from a negro the posi-
ton of rebel cavalry regiment. Alighting
from the train, we formed in line of battle
in a cornfield to the rear of the village.
We advanced TO the left from the railroad
with Company deploying as Skirmishers.
At this juncture some awkward fellow let
his gun go off, thus apprising the enemy of
our presence, and almost Immediately We
were in conflict with seven hundred rebel
cavalrymen. Although only one man was
killed and one wounded in the regiment,
the losses or the enemy were heaVy. we
captured twenty prisoners, forty horses and
q lot of small arms, saddles and other
property. After taxing the good people in
the vicinity for our supper we LETT the
town about o'clock at night, taking cur
dead and wounded, together with our pris-
oners, and reached camp all right on
Oct. !.
The third trip to Russellville on Oct. was
begun at a. m, the destination being
reached about noon. I'VE took UP the line
of march by foot path over the hills to
the rear of the town. After entering the
town we stacked arms for the purpose of
resting awhile before beginning a work of
confiscation for the benefit of the hospital.
Goods to the value OF 5000 were secured
and carried back to camp, together with
two prisoners and two horses"
The members of the association were
much interested in the address, which will
be added to the historical records of the
regiment, and nearly ali the morning was
taken up with discussing it. All the minute
details of the three trips were thoroughly
reviewed, and the man who let his musket
go off in particular received full atten-
ton. The Rev. DIR. Dashiell president of
OF welcome 10 the comrades during the
morning. He spoke of the victories of
kenesaw Mountain, Resaca and others.
Referring to General Harrison's riding a
horse up the mountain side at ReSaca, he
said that 1t was the courage and heroisln
of the men who followed him that helped
to make him distinguished in battle. But
peace" said the speaker, are no less dis
tinguiShed than those inswar." He referred
TO General Harrison being called to the
presidency, and spoke of others distn-
guished in civic life. He compared the
march to the sea TO the march through
in which the regiment participated TO that
grand review in which all hope TO take
part down Pennsylvania avenue of the cap
ital of life" A feeling response to the ad-
dress of welcome was made by Judge c.. G.
Grubbs, in which he narrated many remi-
niscences of the regiment
GENERAL HARRISON'S LETTER.
Comrade Smock read letter from Gem
eral Harrison, written on July z, in which