The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-22


Blair. was then rendezvousing. preparatory
to joining Gen. Sherman's advance OH At
lanta.
Daniel Hayford, Lieutenant in the
10Th Ind, and a resident of ROckpOrt, In
that State, until his decease. in 1880, kept
a shorthand journal of his army expert
ences. from which the following article is
compiled:
The Doth Ind arrived at Nashville,
Tenn, on Sunday May {, 1864, and was
quartered in the Female Academy, from
which a fine view was had of the city.
with it's commanding Capitol Hill. Re-
ports were current that the armies at Chat
tanO0ga were on the move, for 1t was on
that day that their old Corps Commander,
Gen. McIherSon, fanked the Confederate
position at Dalton. On the 10th the regi-
ment was ready for its start to the South.
but a heavy rain prevented conven:ences
for the sick being furnished Oh that day.
and the regiment. which had already board
ed the cars, was compelled to wait another
day. The start was made the next day at
3 o'clock. arriving at Murfreesboro at To
and at TullahOma at in the afternoon.
The green fields of the Valley of the Cum
berland, from which the scars of war in
ficted in the campaign of 1867 had al
ready largely disappeared. formed pleas
ing panorama. and the men in gazing on
this new territory forgot for the time
their cramped positions in the cars and the
frequent showers that wet them through
out the day.
At o'clock on the morning of the 10Th
they passed through Huntsville, Ala, ar
irving at Decatur at sunrise. Here the
regiment was warmly greeted by the sd
Wis. with which it had long been brigaded
and the members of whom they had play
fully nicknamed the REMINDERS"
The 25th drew-shelter tents and estab-
lished its camp in the rear of the town.
II IL. Il
.Dn the 18th and 18th there was frequent
firing on the picket line back of the town.
The regiment now moved into the fort on
the banks of the Tennessee River. and all
Qualifications were strengthened against
possible attack. On Sunday. the 10th.
there was quiet. and the men began build
ing for themselves shanties from the ma
terial taken from the many houses in De
tatur that had been torn down.
On the 10th our chroncler was ON
picket. The enemy was persistent and Gu
rious and there was firing and reconnoiter-
ing of the Union lines all day. loyal
woman living beyond the picket line came
to Lieut.. Hayford. and informed him that
four of the enemy had just left a clump
of timber near his position on the picket
line. They We're but half mile from the
reserve and much nearer TO the vldetS.
These facts being Immediately reported,
led the post at Decatur to expect an at
tack AT almost any h0ur, anu increased pre-
cautions were the rule.
May II the enemy was reported across
the river, and the 18th Ind. was ordered
out on n scout in that direction, marching
hack along the railroad as far as Madison.
II miles. Finding the enemy gone without
having done any damage beyond tearing up
few rails of the track. and hearing tina:
he had withdrawn in the direction of a
point on the river IL miles above Deca-
tur. the regiment marched thither, but
only had the tiresome old game over again
of chasing cavalry on foot. That night
the 18th Ind. bivsgacked in the rain and
returned to DecatSr on the 18th. after a
fatiguing march of 81 miles. A long rest
followed on the next day. Sunday. and on
Monday work was resumed on the breast
works. Lieut.. Hayford having charge Of the
IS men detailed for that work from the
9th Ind BY the 21st of May the forti
hcatiOns were so well advanced that the
garrison did not fear five times it's num-
Der. However. the vigilance was never for
moment relaxed.
May 26 the Seventeenth Corps. Gen
Blair in command, reached Decatur. and
was all day crossing the river on the pom
tO0n bridge. This great addition to the
garrison enabled it 10 again take the active
offensive. and on the next day the 10Th
Ind. was of at in the morning on a scout
to CORTLAND, d miles northwest Tho
For IL miles the column encountered OPP
position. though the loss to the regiment
was but one killed. The enemy lost their
Major. who was shot through the heart.
He was a gay and dashing young fellow.
the idol of his followers.
At one point on the road the enemy en-
Geavored TO make a stand. and with two
cannon shclled the advancing column at
the close range of half mile. several men
in the 10Th Ind being struck Though
under fire. laugh went up when it was
discovered that the mess coffee pot was
spoiled by n fragment of shell passing
through il. Clearing the road to Court
land. the regiment returned to Decatur
next day. having a harder march back than
on the way out.
June Lient. Hayford went over to see
the "contraband camp" near Decatur. Ii
was in charge of Lieut.. Harris. 5000 ne
groes being under his care. He had 1000
acres under cultivation in cotton and GOO
acres in corn. He adds: 1.-The negroes are
gay and happy as clans. There are many
children there
June 3. while on picket, six deserters
from Roddev's cavalry were brought in TO
Lieut.. lIayford by the advanced pickets.
For the remainder of the day the woods
on the front of the Union forces were full
of men looking for the deserters. After
questioning the new arrivals. the officer
of the guard says of them i'm his journal:
They are tired of fighting for their rights
under the Confederacy, and want change
of masters"
The 10Th the regiment was part Of
force that marched out on scout toward
Huntsville to protect the railroad. They
camped ut bridge on q creek ~ miles
west of that place. where was stationed
Union force in blockhouse. Within thc
blockhouse our chronicler saw this signifi-
can't and characteristic order signed by
Gen. Rousseau: This fort shall not be
surrendered under any circumstances
The regiment had expected to continue
to Chattanooga and join Gen. Sherman's
army. but the order was counterInanded
and thew returned to Decatur on the 10th
and took up the quarters formerly occu-
pied by the 10th Iowa. The weather con-
tinued to be very hot. and the work ON
the Notifications was suspended during the
heat of the day. Work was begun Mt <
o'clock and ceased at IL until 3 30. when il
was again taken up and continued until
go. Ii was at this time that Lieut.. Hay
ford made the acquaintance of Gen. Rob
ert s. Granger. comma nding the Military
District of Northern Alabama. their first
meeting being a conversation i'm relation to
the Notifications of Decatur. He speaks
Of Gen. Granger in his journal as being
of quick and decisive manners, and witbal
very courteous and agreeable.