The National tribune., 1903-10-29
HISTORY OF A MILITIA REGIMENT.
Story of the Sd Mo. State Cav. Epitomized
for Publication

pdpcIS aUoul pen
sions and alleged fraud practiced to pro-
cure them that it has caused me to jog
my memory and see what l can recall of
| hardships endured and dangers incurred
while defending the Union during the re-
belion-what l can remember about SOL
dering in those troublesome and danger
Gus times, Were We then intent on goug-
| ing the Government, Swindling the Treas
ury?
/ remember the War Department on
Nov. Z, 1861, issued General Order No 90.
| In compliance thereto Walter A. King, in
the months of February, March and April.
! 1862, organized the Sd L. S. NJ. Vol. Cav.
in northern Missouri, and went into camp
at Chillicothe. Mo.
The regiment was composed principally
of married men-middle-aged men. 1t
was raised in section which had pre-
viously sent most of its young men into
| the early Missouri and Kansas volunteer
regiments. The great majority We're farm
ers, men of property, who enlisted, not
for bounty nor for pensions. but as n
duty. The men generally furnished their
own horses.
| Before the regiment received its outfit
| it was ordered to the then desOlate and
rock bound southwest Missouri. 1t marched
| Immediately to Sedalia by way of Lex
ington. 115 miles. About 500 Of us rode
bareback on unshod horses and we carried
the heavy Springfield musket. At Sedalia
orders were urgent to march to Springfield,
Mo-. and horse equipments and new arms
were issued to the regiment during n Sc
we're rainstOrm. The horse-Shoes We're
loaded on wagOns-we had no time to shoe
and the regiment moved by rapid march
to Springfield. by way of Warsaw, dis
lance 100 miles.
remember that then the fun began for
us. Every stormy night the regiment could
no m rrbiuO wifbnut hnppapa n
transpOrtation-with six days rations-
and the expedition generally lasted -
days!
We We're ordered to Mt. Vernon. 81
miles. On arrival there we We're ordered
to CassviIle, Sd niles. The day after
arrival there the regiment was ordered,
with six days rations, without baggage
or transportation. into Arkansas. We
passed through the rugged, roaring river
country. across White River and its noun
tains, Kings River, and its mountains,
by Berryville, thence southwark to Hunts
vile, thence to Fayetteville by Elm
Springs and Bentonville, thence to Cass-
ville-distance 155 miles. On that scout
we made many important captures, and
great many Union men of Arkansas
were enabled to come out of hiding. These
men organized the LIST Ark. Cav. I re-
member enough that happened on this
scout to fill the best paper in the United
States on every page, but ! must leave out
all such for space reasons.
Within five days after our return the
regiment was ordered, with wagons, to
Fayetteville, after rebel lead. We moved
by forced marches, but the lead had been
removed, and We returned, bringing with
us a number of Union men. Distance, 149
miles.
Before we got rested the regiment was
ordered and moved by forced marches
night and day. to Fayetteville, to give bat
tie to the rebels-Raines, Coffee, Haw-
thorn, Tracy and Standwatie We fought
the rebels and drove them from Fayette-
vile through Cane Hill, over the Boston
Mountains, and then we returned through
the Indian Territory, by Bentonville, with
quite number of prisoners and more res
cued Union men. Distance go miles.
The regiment remained at Cassville
about 40 days and during the 40 days it
kept up a continual line of scouts to Pine
vile, Mo. by way Of Cross HollOws, Ark
and to Galena, Mo. At the same time we
hauled our own r,tiOns from Springfield,
Mo, distance % miles. and hauled our
forage from Spring River Valley, distance
Of 40 miles; furnished our own guards,
escorts and pickets for all occasions. We
also swore every man in Barry and Nc
Donald Counties
We often had to pluck grass to feed our
horses. The regiment at this time was 81
crippled that We were ordered to New
tonia, where TO our great joy we got for
age for our horses by hauling it only 20
miles; but before our wornOut teams made
one trip for forage, we were ordered to
Springfield, to carry rebel lead that we
had captured, and bring back rations for
the regiment. Round trip. 145 miles. On
the day of return to NewtOnia with ra-
tons we were ordered by forced march, |
with baggage and transportation, TO
Springfield, which we reached in two
nights and one day; y miles. Within As |
hours after reaching Springfield we were
ordered on forced march without baggage. |
to the northwest Of Mt. Vernon. We
went, and returned the third dag; distance.
II miles. Within SO hours after our re-
turn We We're ordered on forced march. by |
way of Notification, to Newtonia to re-
lieve Maj. Hubbard, who was besieged by |
1000 rebels. We accomplished this march |
in 10 hours; n distance of 20 miles; and
the next day We moved by way of Neosho |
and Carthage to Bowers Mill. and. while
marching thence toward Springfield, we !
got counter order to go. by forced march |
as usual, to Greenfield. We got that order
at midnight and the next day at noon we |
were at Greenfield; distance. 81 miles,
At Greenfield the regiment joined in |
the famous Coffee scout" under Col |
Wright, marching to Usage. thence south
Ndiu, III CnISe VI COl- COUee, Uy way OF |
Montebello, Carthage, NeOsho, and among
the rocky cliffs and mountains, near Pine
vile. Ark; returned by Neosho and New
tonia and SarcOxie to Mt Vernon; dis |
lance since leaving Greenfield 240 miles.
At Mt Vernon we rejoined our baggage
having been absent q days.
Within four days the regiment went to
Newtonia. with other troops, and whipped
5000 Texan cavalry; then to Cassvile
where we captured the rebel pickets, sur
prised the rebels there and captured a
number. We then returned to Mt. Yer
non, distance 20 miles. The next day
the regiment moved to Pond Spring,
Mt. Vernon and to Center Creek; distance,
IS miles.
Here the regiment became part of the
Army of the Frontier. and Immediately
went, by forced march, to NewtOnia to
The relief of Gen. Solomon; and then back
to Center Creek, being the last regiment
brought off the field; distance so miles,
In 36 hours we returned to Newtonia,
Under Gen. Schofeld. In the chase of the
rebs in this expedition the regiment went
Prairie, to Indian Creek. to Cassville, to
Cross Hollows, to Pea Ridge, to Hunts
vile, to Usage Springs, to Fayetteville
md returned by Usage Springs to Cass-
vile, and by Spring River to Springfield;
distance Travelled since leaving Center
Creek. $50 miles.
would fill volume; but will only NEIL
Up with the enemy on the left, killing some !
m nf I'D. |