The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-07

Excellent Record as Soldier, Citi-
zen and Public BenefactOr.

zen and Public BenefactOr.
Eli Lilly, the eldest son Of Gustavus and
Esther f. Lilly was born in Baltimore, Md,
July 8, 1888. When he was a year old his
parents moved to Lexington. KY. where
they remained until 1S4S when they moved
to Galatin county, Kentucky. After resid-
ing in that county three years the family
removed to Greencastle Ind. in 1851. There
he received limited education such
could be obtained from the private schools
and from the preparatory department of the
old Asbury University. His first independ-
ent effort for his support was in connection
with the publication of the Asbury Notes,
the college paper of that period. Soon after
he obtained a position in hrug store, where
he became greatly interested in his duties,
and at once displayed a remarkable apti
tude for practical chemistry, in which
branch he became very proficient. When
about seventeen years of age he entered the
service of Henry Lawrence an English
chemist of Lafayette, Ind, where he
manned for several years and perfected HIM
self in his life work, 1t was during this
time that he became a member of the La
fayette Guards which developed in him
love for military affairs and greatly infu-
enced his future rcaEeeT. s-,Ehen as subse
quently, he took a deep is5erest in his bust
ness showing the same zeal and energy
that has charac terzed his life in all his
subsequent undertakings. He was actively
engaged in the drug business at Lafayette
when the war broke out. His father was
an Abolitionst, and is reported to have been
a station agent on the underground rail-
road. The son did not look at the question
of slavery from that pointfof view. In fact,
in 1850 he gave his voteo9or Breckenridge
for President 'l+1@h -.l7;@>
When the war broke out he was one of
the most enthusiastic Union men in his To-
cality From the Democracy of Breckin-
ridge and the heresy4 that slavery was ma
tional he Went TO the1extreme of unionism
and became not only a Jealous supporter
of the Lincoln policy bat early connected
himself with military Organization. He
was one of the first to join what was sub
sequently known as the First Indiana
Heavy Artillery, which was organized at
indianapolis in July. 1861. He was so eff
cient soldier that he early attracted the
attention of his superior officers and was
recommended to Governor Morton for a
more important command, namely captain
of the famous Eighteenth Indiana Battery
To the work of recruiting a battery he
brought that energy which has character
lied him in all of his undertakings In two
weeks he had recruited a full battery and
the officers were selected and mustered in
This was Aug. 20, 1882 Lieutenant Campbell
of Charlottesville, a member of the battery
writes: He was exceedingly young man
Tor SO important a position, as the command
OF battery in those days was more COM
pick and important than the command of a
regiment CT infantry His youthful apd
him, the men of the battery thought as
they gathered together at Camp Morton in
the middle. of the summer of go. But the
first day of active service in which the bat
terry participated dispelled all doubts as to
the ability and qualifications of the youth
full captain. From that time on there was
no doubt of his fitness and ability.
EFFICIENT WORK.
1.-THE rapid advance of the rebel army
under Bragg and the retreat of Buell. to
Louisville, during the latter part of the
summer of 1862, required all the raw troops
to be hurried down to the Ohio river. In
this hurried movement all his admirable
qualities as an organizer and disciplinaran
were developed. In the space of twenty-four
hours he transformed green lot of men
who had never seen piece of artillery. and
harnessed and hitched new lot of unbrok-
en- horses together for the first time into an
effective battery ready for action. Sept. l
Captain Lilly drew his guns and caissons
them on flat cars on the Jeffersonville Rail-
road, reached Jeffersonville the next day
about o'clock, drew his complement Of
master, and by the greatest exertion the
battery was harneSsed, hitched and moved
down to the river, ferried over and assigned
a place in the lines of defense around Louis
vile in the afternoon of the same day. There
his untried men stood In line of battle, while
the tired and dusty veterans of Buell.
marched past into the city.
During the winter of 1862 Colonel Lilly's
battery was changed into mounted bat
terry Four additional guns were added
making it a ten-gun battery, and the entire
command was, attached to the famous
Wilders brigade of mounted infantry and
made a part of the Fourteenth Army Corps,
under Gen. George H. Thomas The first
terry participated was at Hoovers Gap.
Tennessee, July "a. 1S63-the first day of
Rosecranss strategic advance on Chatta-
nOoga. For four hours Colonel Lilly stub
bornly held his battery on the brow of a
hill and poured triple charges of grape and
canister into successive charges of two bril-
gades of Ciaiborns division, which Vainly
attempted 10 drive the Union troops out of
the gap. All the while the battery received
the shot and shell from two batteries OF six
guns belonging to the brigade opposing him.
BY deftly retiring the guns below the crest
of hill so that the muzzles Just cleared
the greenSWard of the brow he deceived the
aim of the rebel batteries and greatly
shielded his men from slaughter, AS the rain
of shot and shell tore up the earthwork on
the crest of the slope. Colonel Lilly dis
mounted from his horse and was every
where through the battery directing the aim
of the men and encouraging them, his pres
ence inspiring confidence and courage. He
frequently helped "a tired powder boy carry
up ammunition from the caisson
1.-THE Tullahoma campaign, which FOL
lowed the battle of HooyerS Gap, was very
trying on the battery. There were twenty
one days of constant rain, which upon the
barrens of Tennessee, made movement al