The National tribune., 1904-08-25
A HARD MARCH IN TEXAS.
Severe Experience Of . Veteran Regiment
After the War.

The 51st Ind. was one of the IS noble
regiments of the Union army that veteran
lied. The term veteran, a celebrated writer
of war history has said, was the grand
est name the war originated This vet
eran regiment, although engaged in but
% battles, yet was always to the front.
1t served i'm the Fourteenth and the Fourth
Corps of the Army of the Cumberland.
until sent TO Texas in June, 1860. 1t is
not our purpose. however. to extol the
greatness of the regiment or its achieve
ments, but to relate simply some OF our
recOllections, impressions and experiences
while in the army. Nearly every phase of
army life has been touched upon by wri-
ters, and it is difficult to find anything
new that can be of interest to the average
reader. | hope, however, TO mention some
things that are comparatively new.
On May o. 1860, the last grand review
of the Army of the Cumberland took place
at Nashville. Tenn. 1t was an imposing
spectacle. and took place on the Identical!
ground over which the troops fought and
won over Hood the Winter before. The
weather was perfect, the troops in fine
trim. their arms in perfect order. The
booming of cannon announced the arrival
of the General. and the troops began tn
move. Gen. Thomas, "Od Pap" with
Parson Brownlow. Military Governor on
his right and rear. stood with bare head
him. The alignments were perfect and
the review a grand success. We were
happy then in anticipation of seeing loved
ones soon. The review was only pre-
liminary, We thought, to our final dis
charge and muster-out. But We were
doomed to disappointment for a rumor
was confirmed that the Fourth Corps was
ordered TO Texas.
20. ever thus, from childhoOd's hour.
I've known my fOndest hopes decay.
1t has always been a mystery to many
military men high in authority as well as
high privates, why the Fourth Corps was
sent to Texas. 1t is still an unsOlved
prOblem-nO nearer solution. now than it
was 40 years ago. The war was over. All
the rebel armies had surrendered. Gen.
Kirby Smith was the last, Surrendering
to Gen. Candy at New Orleans, by proxy,
and then skedaddling to Mexico. All but
a fragment had deserted before he sur
rendered all tired of war. Then why re-
tain in the service and send to remote
part of the country ut this time a corps
OF the army? Who were we to fight ?
Whom to meet in battle array? 4 brigade
of cavalry would have kept down all dis
content. or danger of political chaos, in
the whole State of Texas. Had one been
sent. many precious lives would have been
But. no; Certain ends of personal ag-
grandizement had not yet been fully con-
summated" The Fourth Corps must go
to Texas becauSe-the whimS of certain
officials must be gratifed.
The Fourth Corps was sent to Texas to
breathe fevers, to fight murdcrous Tex
ans, musketoes, gallinippers, alligatOrs
etc; to be constantly in peril of death in
some fOrm-fOr what! Accordingly or
ders were issued by Gen. u. s. Stanley,
our Corps Commander. and on June 16 we
struck tents and boarded the cars for
JOhnsOnvile, about 20 miles westward OH
the Tennessee River. Here we took boats
for New Orleans. Our trip was unevent
full. and on June 25, 1865. we landed
at New Orleans and moved out south to
the ground on which Jackson whipped the
naughty Britisher, Pakenham, Jan. 8,
1915. JacksOn's line of earthworks could
easily be traced, although 80 years had
passed since they We're erected. Here we
learned that Kirby Smith had surrendered
and Dick TaylOr's army had scattered to
the four winds. Here, too. our impression
was that the Fourth Corps should be sent
North and n brigade of cavalry sent to
Texas to preserve order. Not so. however.
On July the 51st Ind. boarded the good
ship Cambria" sailed down the river
and passed into the Gulf by the Southwest
Pass. Life On the ocean wave was
Soon we were ont Of sight of mother earth,
and n consciousness of our dependence on
the Great Ruler began to creep over us.
Many grew sick and appetites failed. On
the second night a gale struck the ship as
We were passing Galveston. The soldiers
were ordered below and the hatchway
closed. The sailors flew to their posts, and
soon two huge anchors were dropped and
struck the bottom of the gulf. At once
the ship stopped in its course and rode at
anchor" The ships Captain. with
blanched face. strobe the deck all night
long, for well he knew our peril; that only
short distance ahead were breakers on
which the ship might be dashed and all be
lost in the briny deep.
Morning dawned at last. and its light
showed us that we were within few rods
OF the dreaded rocks. But. OH the suffer
ings of the poor soldiers in the hold below.
breathing the hot, foul air in the darkness,
tossed from side to side, unconscious of
their great danger. The storm soon abated.
and we sailed on our course, reaching In
dianola. on Matagorda Bay, at sundown
July ID. We landed. and after making
coffee we prepared for our march 10 Green
Lake, said to be about % miles distant.
but proved to be 40. Now our hardships
began i'm reality. mo word or pen" can
describe that march. 1t would beggar the
English language. The night was until 10
o'clock warm and sultry, the roads rongh.
and the grass tall and wet with dew The
musketoes and gallinippers swarmed about
ns and savagely attacked us OIL all sides.
We had on our Winter clothing, and to
complete the climax of our troubles we
still had our ''sea legs and lOcomotion
was extremely labOriOus. We were still
further unfortunate i'm securing for our
guide drunken sot who led us by a cir
cuitous route. After marching a mile we
stopped 10 rest and were then told that
there was a spring one and a half miles
further along. and oil reaching il, we would
lie down till morning. We reached the
spring. but no water was TO be found.
Now we were told that five miles further
there was a large and ver-failinr spring
with a grove of timber about it. and we
would rest there for day or two. 1t was
now I'D o'clock y. III. Our canteens were
empty, and we were tired and leg weary. !.
however, il was much cooler now, and al
though tired and thirsty, we marched
along as best we could the musketoes and
gallnippers preying ON us savagely all the
while. About l p. IN. we reached the spo,
OF the second spring, which was nothing
more than a small marslIy place with
scores of cattle standing or wadiny abour
in il. Hope now gave way TO despair. and
many threw themselves down utterly ex