The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-26
CHRONICLE OF n LONG MARcH.
Incidents of q Jaunt FROM Somerset to
Louisville,

Ohio, of the First Brigade, First Division,
Fourteenth Corps, while lying near the Cum
beriand River, short distance from Soner-
set, KY, Feb. 8, 1862 received orders to re-
cross the river Immediately. The brigade
was composed of the 3lst, 17th, and 38th
Ohio, and l2,h Ky. M. b. Walker, Colonel,
commanded the 3lst.
The apprehensons of the regiment were
excited by repeated roars Of artillery in our
rear. Rnmor Immediately reported that
the enemy, who had retreated from Mil
| Springs, had been strongly reinforced, ana
had turned upon us. 1t did not require
much time to get back to the river, where
we were compelled TO bivoua, in an open
| field during the night while our wagons
were ferried across. We remained in the
camp over the 9th, 1t being Sunday. Next
| day we commenced our march for Lebanon.
The third day we passed through Crab
| Orchard, and camped two miles the other
side. The road over which we had travelled
| was very bad. In many places new cuts
had been made and temporary bridges con-
stfucted. The county was wild aud uncul-
| tivated.
| Az Crab Orchard we reached the pike ex-
| tending from that point to Lebanon, much
| TO The satisfaction Of the boys, but much
mere to the qualification of the horses and
mules, which were nearIy tagged out.
On the 18th we were joined by Lieut.
| Col. Grant who had been ordered to report
! to the regiment for duty, Lieut.-Col. Jones
| having been transferred to the gath Ohio.
Col. Walker and Col. Jones left as at Crab
| Orchard and the command Of the regiment
| devolsed upon Maj Lister. On the 18th we
marched IA miles. hext day we passed
! through DanvilIe, andscamped two miles be-
| yond. We were joined by Col. Walker and
Gen. Schoepf and staff.
A man who had bonght lot Of clothing
for the purpose Of swindling soldiers got bit
| himself. The men were out of money, aud
he agreed to sell clothing and collect his
money at the pay table next payday. He
sold about 500 worth; mostly boots at ~
per pair. Tie bouts wore out before we.
reached Lebanon and the clothing proved
fiimsy And worthless.
When the dealer came to present his &C.
count at the pay table he could find but few
OF the names he had registered on his account
book. The boys had given him fictitious
names. No swindler eyer made his fortune
of The 3ls', but no honorable dealer had any
difficulty IN transaeting business with us.
On The morning,pf the 10th the regiment
was formed in line, and the colors Of the
regiment consisting of q National and regi-
mental flag, were presented. They had
arrived but a few days before from Ohio, the
regiment having been using flag presented
to Co. c at Burton's Station, in Western vir-
ginia, by the ladies, on the Fourth Of July,
1861. We pitched camp within mile of
Lebanon, where the general hospitals were,
and soldiers were dying off rapidly.
On the 10th we marched through Lebanon,
banners flying and bands playing, making q
fine display. After leaving Lebanon the
rain commenced falling in torrents, culverts
were swept away, bridges upset. and little
stream we encountered beyond Lebanon
assumed the proportions OF river before we
had followed it five miles The mems boots
were full OF wafer TO the top, and the heavy
overcoats worn were saturated through, and
became very heavy. n
On the Goth, near Bardstown, we made
our camp on the farm Of man named Will
son, who owned a tract of 3, 900 acres. The
officers boarded with him. and were feasted
sumptuously every day. The old gentle
man and his two sons were remarkable for
their bacchanaian habits. Decanters of the
best liquors were always upon the mantel,
and visitors were sorely pressed from the
time they entered until they left to have
something"
The old man. in hiccoughing state, en-
deavored to prove his Union proclivities
He said his son Bill was an Internal Seces-.
sioDist and was in the rebel army. His son
John was Secessionist, but he was so in
toxicated all the time that he couldn't do
any damage. His son Sam was Seces-
zionist, too, but was sharp enough to keep
his mouth shut. The "old woman" also
was Secessionist, he said but it was no use
IN md He 1y Truin ct
about the premises. The old fellow created
much amusement.
Bardstown was under martial Iaw-the
10Th Ohio acting rs Provost Guards and
Col Lyle Provost-Marshall. A large num-
Der of troops, including the First Division,
were encamped about the place.
For the first time, the troops constituting
the First Division were thrown together
They were organized az follows: First Bri-
gade-3lst OHIO, 18th Ohio, 3Sth Ohio, and
18th KY. Second Brigade-10th Ind, 4th
KY, 14th Ohio and 10Th KY. Third Bri-
gade-9th Ohio, % Mimi, 18th Regulars,
and 35th Ohio. There was also attached to
the Division the 1stOhio Cav. and K Kenhey's,
Stannard's, and Mack's batteries. The Di-
vision was under The command of Brig. Gen.
George III. Thomass The effective force of
the Division was labout 10000 men. Gen.
Buell. complimented Ut as being the finest
division in his army, land Gen. Sherman,
after taking temporary COM mand at Corinth,
| stated that it was the best volunteer division
he had ever seen.,g Since its organization
five Of it's Colonels had been promoted to
Brgadier- Generals, and its commander to a
Major-General.
On the 23d the division received orders to
march Immediately :, to Louisville. The
battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson
had been fought; Bowling Green and Nash
vile had been evacuated, and foothold
gained in the heart.of Tennessee. Our gun
boats had passed up the Tennessee River to
the head of navigation, and the Cumberland
was oars from it's mouth as far toward its
source as we had use for it.
On the morning Of the Gath we prepared
for the march. On the 25th we reached
Louisville and boarded the boat. We met
with very enthusiastic reception the
streets being thronged with citizens who
cheered heartily, showing their sympathy
with the Union.
The 3lst was put on board the Magnolia,
one of the largest and finest boats on the
river and the remainder of the division was
quartcred on 20 other boats, all Of first-class
1t required considerable time to load, and
the boats upon which our brigade took
passage did not start until o'clock on the
afternoon of Feb. 26. We then said good
by, Louisville, and went to Nashville, thence
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