The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1900-11-29
MEN OF METILE.
Brigade Which Saw Campaigning in Earn.
est in Dixie,

| EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the is
sue OF Oct. % / noticed a call for a sketch
of the doings of the First Brigade, Sec
Ond Division, Sixteenth Corps, with list
of the regiments supposed to constitute the
| brigade, namely, the 10th Ind, 18th Iowa,
and sd Ill. So far as attempting to give
a sketch or history of the brigade is con-
cerned, | will leave that for some one to
do who has a better knowledge of brigade
movements, as to dates, etc, than L may
have; but wish TO make corrections as to
the makeup of the brigade.
The sd Ill. at the battle of Shiloh be-
longed to the Third Brigade, Second Divi-
sion, Col. Il. w. Sweeney, of the sd ILL.,,
commanding the brigade, and Gen. Smith
the division. Col. Sweeney being wound
ed and sent home, Col. S. ID. Baldwin
commanded till May 8, 1862, when as a
regiment We were transferred to the First
| Brigade, Second Division, Sixteenth Corps.
| This brigade was now made up as fol-
lows: I'd Iowa, 7th Iowa and sd ILL.,. and
so remained until after the battle of Co
rinth, when the 66th Ind. was attached to
our brigade and remained with us until the
| close of the war.
| There was never any change in the
makeup of the brigade after the Goth Ind.
joined us. | cannot conceive how any
comrade who served through in any one
of the regiments composing this brigade
can so far forget as to try to drag in an
entire regiment that did not belong to u.s.
| have known the boys to rope in anything
would do to eat, but this only occurred
when they were little absent minded and
| happened to run up against something.
| In regard to the fighting qualities of the
entire brigade, it could not be beat Each
regiment when in action gave its undi-
vided attention to the enemy in the imme-
date front just as one man. Their conf
| dence in one another and in the officers
was so great that rather than forsake
| their comrades any one of the regiments
would have stood till there was not q
skirmish line left. There was no useless
material in that brigade. 1t was composed
of men who could start out of camp in
| light marching order with two DAVIS RI
| tons they were likewise light and pursue
old Roddy's cavalry, be out week and re-
turn to camp with the half of the cavalry
horses run down and captured, remain in
camp perhaps long enough to get fresh
supply of rations and ammunition (the am
munition more plentiful than the rations
generality, then start ct again through
mud and rain and take up that dog-trot or
swinging-gait, visit some part of northern
Alabama, then skip back to Corinth, and
keep this up.
Boys, think of the Atlanta campaign
the fighting, marching, skirmishing, dig
ging trenches and picket duty. AS l think
of those days look up to a picture on the
wall. 1t is one of our company quarters,
which we built at Corinth. The most of
the men of the company are standing or
sitting around, with the arms stacked in
front can distinguish nearly every man.
They look as they looked then, mostly all
young men, and to-day how many of them
have answered the last roll-call? We are
nearing the river, boys; the camp is just
the other side, and in a short time the last
man of the rear guard of the old First
Brigade Second Division, Sixteenth Corps,
will be across. Boys, stand by the Flag
and The NATIONAL TRIBUNE.-DAvID
CoRsAIR, Sergeant, Co. X, SD ILL.,, BARS
burg, Iowa.