The National tribune., 1901-04-04
HOW 1T WAS MADE UP.
1 SSaRdy Old Band Of Fighters Told OF by
Co1urade Fish

60oRdy Old Band Of Fighters Told OF bI
Comrade Fish.
EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: Having
noticed in your valued paper communica
tions from Comrades H. J. Sloan. Co. b
I'd Ill.,; David Corsair, Co. Il, 52d ILL.,; r.
n. Brown, Co. II, I'd Iowa, and John w
Blume. 6jtb Ind, concerning the makeup
of the brigade to which they belonged,
will try TO set their minds forever at rest
GU that point.
When the sd Ill. disembarkcd at Pitts
burg Landing, in March, 1852, 1t was hri'
gaded with the 9th H., Col. August Mcr-
sy; 18th ILL.,, Col John Macarthur, and,
think, the 18th Mo-, whose commanding
officer l cannot now recall. Col. L. W.
Sweeny, of the SD ILL.,, was Regular
and, of course, did not wish to serve in a
subordinate position. Col. Macarthur was
booked for Brigadier- -Generalship, on ac-
count of services at Fort Donelson, and he
did not wish an inferior place. Col. Mersy
was an able soldier, who had seen service
as an officer in the Prussian army, and he
wanted command. Something had to be
done to satisfy these three dignitaries, so
a new brigade was formed of the 52d ILL.,,
Col. Sweeny; 7th ILL.,, Col. Wood; 5Oth H.,
Col. Bane; 57th H., Col. Baldwin; 5Sth
ILL.,, Col. Lynch, and the Sth Iowa, Col.
Geddes, with Col. Sweeny in command.
Sweeny led this brigade into battle on
Sunday, April 8, 1862. 1t was broken up
really before it was under fire; the 5Sth Ill.
and Sth Iowa being first detached and
sent to reinforce Gen. Prentiss, and at
tached to the brigade composed Of the I'd,
9TH, 18th and 18th Iowa, and commanded
by Col. James NJ. TGttle, of the I'd Iowa.
They held the farfamed position, known
as the Hornets Nest" from the severe
fighting that took place there. The rebels
learned to their sorrow they had stirred
up hornets nest" when they so repeat
edly assaulted the position, and were as
repeatedly hurled back with fearful
slaughter.
When Premises line was taken, the I'd
and 9TH Iowa managed to slip out of the
cul-de-sac, but the Sth, 18th and 14th Iowa
and the 5Sth Ill. were nearly all captured,
that had not been killed. The 7th, 5Oth
and 9th Ill. were assigned places along
the line where they were most needed, and
the 52d Ill. fought alone, SO far as its bri-
gade formation was concerned. Col.
Sweeny was back and forth along the
line, visiting his regiments, until, in lead
ing his own regiment single-handed against
a brigade of Louisiana troops from Hind
mans Division, he was severely wounded
and carried from the field, but not until he
into the deep rayine. How much farther
the SD would have gone, had not some
one discovered two converging columns of
rebel infantry closing in behind them, no
one knows. Capt. Bowen, Co. b, tenn
porarily in command, ordered a retreat,
and it became a race for life. But l am
not writing up the battle of Shiloh.
After the battle was over and the field
cleaned up-ths battle was fought with
desperation through our entire camps and
they needed thorough policing-there came
change in brigade formation. The sd
was detached from the former brigaue and
placed at the head of another, composed of
the sd ILL.,. I'd and 7th Iowa, and forma-
tion known as the Union Brigade" com
posed of the uncaptured fragments of the
Sth, 18th and 18th Iowa and 5Sth Ill. This
formation seems to have been forgotten by
Comrades Sloan, Brown and Corsair. They
did duty with US until some time in Sep
tember, 1852, when they were sent North
to reorganize, those captured at Shiloh,
who did not die In prison, having been ex-
changed and sent home. These regiments
as reorganized became part of the army
under Gen. Candy that captured Mobile.
After the army had been organized into
corps, Swssny's Brigade became the First
of the Second Division, Sixteenth Corps,
which, with the Second Division of the
same corps, served under Gen. G. NJ
Dodge, after the occupation of Corinth
Miss, until the capture of Atlanta. and
was known as the left wing of the Six.
teenth Corps.
After the Army Of the Tennessee camp.
ed at East Point, just out from Atlanta
about six miles, there was another change
made in brigade and division formation
and the First Brigade of the Second Divi
sion, Sixteenth Corps, became the First
Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Corps
commanded by Gen. John NJ Corse.
Col. Sweeny was promoted Brigadier
General, and received his commission
while his brigade was camped on the plan
tstion owned by the rebel, Gen. Oates
near Big Bear Greek, Ala. He com
manded his brigade as General some time
and then assumed command of the Second
Division. when Col. Elliott NJ. Rice, 7tt
Iowa, commanded the First Brigade, anG
continued in command until final muster
out. In July, 1865.
l trust this will set the boys right as te
their old command. 1t is a pleasure to m,
to write this little imperfect sketch, as III
j. Sloan was land still Isl one of my boys
Shake, Henry, though it be at long range
and you. too, Serg't Corsair, whilst vol
belonged to Capt Barto, we were all on,
family. And you, Comrade Brown, though
OF the I'd Iowa, you were also of the $40
Ill. Do you remember the games of bal
played between the I'd and SD men, Will,
we were campsd on College Hill al
Corinthl OF course you do. And you
Comrade Blume, of the 66th Ind, yclepet
the "Woodpecker Brigade" how are you
And you, George w. Bailey, Co. r. 66tf
Ind, while l don't remember you, do re
member one Of your officers, Lieut.. Davis
He and were detailed on court-martial NJ
Corinth, and were left there on that dut,
when the brigade was moved out TO Ger
mantown, near Memphis. on the NJ. G
r. X. Poor Davis, saw him In bospita
with badly-wounded arm, Just few
days before he WAS sent North for bette
care and treatment, but he only reache,
Chattanooga, where he died. You wisl
some one would write up history of tn,
old First Brigade, and IL some bette
writer does not attempt II before long
may be will undertake it myself, but i
will not be complete history from m,
pen.-C. Fl. FISH, First Lieutenant. Co
B, SD H., Princeton, Ill.
This Will Interest Many.