The National tribune., 1903-03-12

tory of this organization, yet L can give u
fair account of it, based on my diary OF
my army life. l do not have to depend ON
memory for what is set down herein, SO,
if any reader finds an error, it must be
attributed 20 Il misunderstanding of the
events at the time. As my diary was a
personal memoir, to a large extent, SO TINS
will be.
l had previously served limited term
in Co. B. 29th Ind. While at home re-
cruiting my health, had used my powers
of persuasion to recruit all able-bodled
young men for any branch of the service
they might select While so engaged the
call came for siX-months men. l do not
recollect the date of this call. but think II
was about the 18th of July, 1863; neither
do recollect when it first occurred to me
to organize a company for this service
did not keep up my diary while at home.
therefore in this have to depend on men,
ory. l do know that l took a special car
load of recruits from Butler, Waterloo
and COrunna, Ind, to Indianapolis on July
81. We went into Camp Darlington.
where we found goodly number in ad-
vance of us. l Immediately returned to
De Kalb County for more men. L found
it very difficult to get men, as the suitable
material that would voluntarily go was
exhausted. But men We're wanted, ana
they. were wanted in a hurry; so we ac-
cepted broken-down eX-soldiers. old men
and boys-in fact, anything that wore
''britches."
l have seen the statement that "this
brigade was organized to meet an emer-
gency,' but l must confess to dizziness
of vision in not being able to see the
emergency then nor in the light of future
history. But l did see that the organiZa-
ton was hurried one.
/ returned to camp with more recruits
on Aug. 10. We were mustered into sarv-
ice en- the 18th, and mustered in as Co. ID,
11Sth Ind. Vols. on Sept. j. The 115th
and 111th were mustered in at the same
camp about the same time, and the 10th
was mustered at Lafayette. These four
regiments constituted what was known
afterward as the "Persimmon Brigade"
Its first commander was Col. John i.
Mahan-at least history says so, but l
must confess that have no recollection OF
Col. Mahan; Col Jackson, of the 18th,
was its only commander in my personal
recollection.
On a careful review of its personnel,
found that other company organizers had
done as had-accepted everything that
offered and as result we were brigade
of boys with sprinkling of ex-soldiers.
think that fully one-balf were under 10,
and, while they were all IS or over, On the
mtlster-rolls, great many of them had
been born less than 16 years before. No
one was rejected by the Examining Sur
geon. We had formed the idea that we
were wanted for camp or guard duty, to
relieve old veterans needed at the front
We spared no pains to make these
young boys well-drilled soldiers, and we
found the younger boys the most apt
scholars. In a couple of weeks they could
acquit themselves with credit.
EN- ROUTE TO KENTUCKY.
nd naradQ6
the streets of Indianapolis and received
handsome and patriotic ovation, the men
shouting themselves hoarse and the women
and children waving hats and handker-
chiefs and throwing fruit and flowers at
us. Although only partially drilled and
equipped, yet We thought we We're compe-
tent to do the expected guard duty any
where; but we We're to see our woful
mistake about the guard daty. We got
into comfortable cars and left Indianapo-
lis at d. m. and arrived at Cincinnati at
p. m. the next day. During the day this
was triumphal ride. Crowds were gath
cred at every station to cheer us on our
way. Some people do the handsome thing
when somebody else's boy IS making the
sacrifice. Along the route fruit, flowers,
smiles and kisses were showered upon us,
but in our far-away homes there were
many tear-stained faces and aching hearts
for the dear boys that may never come
back. In Cincinnati we We're given
bountiful dinner by the citizens. We
crossed to Covington late in the evening
and Immediately boarded palace hog cars
these cars were not fit for man to go
into, but they. became our place of bed
and board for one day and two nights
expecting to start South, but did not get
off until IL a. m. of the 18th. We ar
rived at Nicholasyille, Ky, at IL p. NJ,
but as it was night and We had no tents,
We had to remain in these hog cars
until next morning. We had been in
these wretched receptacles for hogs for 40
hours, with little TO eat and less sleep.
After the officers got a good ready, on
the morning of the 10Th we fell in and
marched four miles south and formed our
first field camp and called it Camp
Park" Here we drew our tents-'pup-
tents"-and other camp equipage, and
went to housekeeping on our own hook.
The officers made such an effectual kick,
or strike we call it now, that one small
"A" tent was issued to each company.
We remained in Camp Park four days,
wondering what was coming next and
drilling, when it was not TOO hot
wEARIsoME MARCH.
Sept. "a We started, apparently for
Cumberland Gap, a long and wearisome
march. The weather was very hot and
dry, the roads very dusty, and the boys,
like all new troops, started with from GO
to 40 pounds per man, including tents
blankets, ponchos, oyercoats, change of
clothing, cooking and table ware, guns
accouterments and ammunition. They
were all tender, and some had never done
a hard days labor in their lives. How
they did sweat, Mile after mile day after
day, they trudged YEARLY and patiently
along; sometimes we couldn't see the boy
for the mixture of sweat and dust on him
Soon overcoats were discarded, to be fol
lowed later by extra clothing, and then by
blankets and ammunition. Some of these
things would soon be needed, and needed
badly, too. But high-spirited, energetic
soldier will make any sacrifice rather thar
be left behind.
About noon Of Oct 3 we crossed ovel
Cumberland Gap. and went into camp il
a cove on the southeast slope. We ha,
arrived at the long -hoped-for goal, SCR,
footed, sore shOuldered, tired all over
with hopes for complete rest. We ha,
marched 125 miles in nine days; not
very fast march under ordinary circum
stances, but considering the hot weather
the scarcity of food and water, the noun
famous character Of the country, tn
greenness and youth of the troops, / cal
it remarkable. At least, we were sadly il
need of rest. We spent two days here
resting, but not idle. All took goo
wash and cleanup, and then we say
what was worth seeing. We climbed tn
Pinnacle and from its top had a gran
view of the surrounding country; we in