The National tribune., 1900-08-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have TO Say
About Their Campaigns.
POUGH-R!D!NG INFANTRY.
soy the 1854 Ill. II lped Whip Morgan and
to Hold EcoTer's Gap.

boys of the old 123d Ill. some events OF
tho rooimcnt's career. On March 1, 1868,
in +bn evening. orders came for us to be
ready to march next morning with TWO
davs' rations and plenty of ammunition.
We went out on the Lebanon ana Mur-
frecsboro Pike. marched four miles, and
crossed Stone River about six miles north
of Nurfreesboro. The river was too deep
for us to wade, and we went over on a
foot-lor. We went over hill and down
dale until about o'clock in the afternoon,
when we reached Breeds Hill, where we
stacked arms
We were aroused by the popping of
few rifles, small guns, and got into line
quickly 1t was MOrgan's men. We drove
them back, but soon began to see that dis
cretion was the better part of yalor, for
we knew Morgan had very large force.
Our Colonel CIonroe) informed us after
we had gone but short distance back
towards the ford we had crossed In the
morning that Morgan doubtless knew of
our presence, and probably there was no
way out of being captured but to cross
the river where we could. and he thought
il too deep for us to wade. We told him
TO get us to the river and we would take
the chances as to the crossing.
We finally struck the river at place
where the banks were almost perpendIcu-
lar, the water several feet deep, fierce
current running and the stream about l5O
feet wide The Colonel told us to mate
off one large man with small one, and
that the little man should get on the lower
side of the big one and hold fast to his
arm. | was as small a man as was in the
company, so l began looking for big fei-
low / found him and he said:
"'Come right on, for know you are not
heavier than half man"
"All right" | replied, ''for i know you
are as strong as any two men IN the COM
pany."
So I clung to Aaron Dilman's arm, and
after we had thrown our gun-StrapS across
our neckS and fastened our blouses and
our accouterments so that we could dis
card them if we had to swim, in we went.
The first few steps brought us in water
waist deep and the water so swift that
my feet shot from under me and foated
straight out, but my good friend Aaron
caught me. l said / was cramplng IN my
AIMS He took my wrist in his hand and
Don't get scared. I'll bring you out
all right
So he did, but he had hard time Of it.
All the other big and little men got across
the river.
Now it was about eight miles to camp
and very cold and dark and no road to
follow. l don't think ever suffered more
from cold than l did that night. My
clothes were frozen, and the wind blew
from Goods country l think as cold as
could be- l happened to espy a light
so l broke for it, and just before l got to
it | ran across three Co. 3 boys. So we
made for the light, and found it to be
in negro shanty with a big fireplace. Az
old negro and his wife were living there
The poor couple were glad to see us. We
learned from the old man that the Union
cavalry picket stood about 80 yards from
his house. But we got Aunty to get us
some supper, and by the time supper was
ready we were almost dry, and with what
we had ourselves made an excellent mea
very comfortably.
Just as we finished the relief came
around. They belonged to the 1st Tenn
Cav. They found US. and wanted to know
what we We're doing there and to what
regiment we belonged. We told them, ant
they said it was a wonder that we hat
not been captured, as Mergan's men were
scouting all over the country on the othel
side of the river They also said we haC
better get inside of the pickets, for sOm'
of the rebels might come across the rive
and gobble us up; but we told them tha
we would risk it. So they went on, ant
we were soon fast asleep, while the goot
old colored man took his shotgun anC
stood guard. We had rest until abou
$50 in the morning, when Aunty awok
Us for breakfast.
After breakfast we started for camp
and soon got inside of our outside pickle
post, about nine miles from MurfreesbOro
AS we pushed on we would run acros
some of our boys who had concluded L
rest until morning, but / VIII venture L
say that none had better time than W
did.
BY 8 o'clock in the afternoon of tn
9th we were all at our quarters talkin
over our scout, while other boys, mostly o
our brigade, were wondering why they ha
not been with us and why we had bee
permitted to take such hazardous scou
by ourselves. We had the same thoughts
We found that it was by request I
ROsecrans by our Colonel. Monroe wa
one of those men who are unhappy unlcs
active, and after lying in camp few day
he had become fidgety and had gone I
the General and begged to be allowed I
take his regiment and scout around clos
TO the outside picketS. The Colonel sal
he would be cautious. 1t was the Colonel
intention to stay outside the pickets an
camp on the north side Of the river, an
IL he had done SO John Morgan woul
have had a fine treat, for be had not les
than $500 at his command and We ha
500. If the enemy had kept themselvt
hidden and not attacked US at Breed
Hill | think we would have camped. CO
Monroe was a very cool and cautio,
man, but this was one of the times tn:
he came near losing his regiment and hiI
self with it.
Our regiment biyouacked at Murfree
boro, doing regimental and brigade scou
ing. Frequently we would be called fro
our beds at Q or 10 o'clock and march,
most all night. We stayed at Murfreesbo
until March 90, 1863, when the brigad
consisting of the 123d and S0th H., 105
Ohio, 1o1st Ind. and two pieces of Il
18th Ind. Battery, Capt. Harris, were 8
tackled at Milton. Tenn, by Morgan. v
scarcely had $50 men all told. We kne
that we were pursued. We march
through Milton aud ascended Il hi
stacked arms and took a rest at wi
While resting we saw u large force of ref
cavalry enter Milton and divide, one pa
going 10 the right and the other to {
left.
We fell into line, took arms and form
a square, the l23d Ill. facing toward {
north, the seth Ind toward the east I
105th Ohio and 1Olst Ind. TO the west Il
south. Capt. Harris with his two picC
in the center.
We had scarcely our lines formed VIII
Morgan sent white flag 10 Col. Hall,
the 105th Ohio, in command, asking
pcaceable surrender. lie said he b
us completely surrounded with 5000 m
and knew our strength. He also said
had six pieces of artillery. Col. Hall I,
him he would not surrender and if
(Morgan) wanted TO get whipped to co
on. so the flag returned. We had be
gathering rails and anything else Il
would DO for protection, and soon had
erably fair breaStworks.