Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-01-26
CIVIL WAR "REMINISCENCES.
brief History of 25th Mich. Cavalry
During Three Years service.
BY GEO. w. CHoATE.

The following is a sketch written in
jackson. Mich. July Sth, 1866. by Geo.
w. Choate, Co. b. 25th, Mich. Cav
airy. Mr.. Choate died in Louisville,
Ky, Feb. Is, 1902 and was buried in
Cave Hill. He was brother of Mrs.
Grin Purdy who furnishes the Banner
with this interesting history.
Samuel Demorest was Capt. of the
company Frank II. Chase 1st Lieut.
when it was raised but afterward re-
signed and Henry Hill was appointed,
Asa w. Slayton End Lieut.. and was
composed of the best boys of Otisco
township.
Jackson, Mich, July 8, 1865.
In September 1862 this regiment in
command of Colonel Orlando III. Moore
was organized and mustered into the
u. S. service nearly nine hundred
strong, at Kalamazoo, by Lieut.. Col.
Smith of Detroit.
On the lst of October we bid adieu
to our beautiful Peninsular home and
friends, and proceeded by rail to
Louisville, KY, little dreaming who
among our number would live to re-
turn home again. Soon after our ar
rival there the regiment was sent on
a Guerrilla chase through the north
ern counties of KY, bordering on the
Ohio. 1t was on this raid that the
regiment made its first draft from the
rebel government-captu num-
Der of ''rebs" with their horses and
equipments.
From Louisville we marched south
to Munfordsville, arriving there about
the middle of December.
Here the regiment remained in gar
rison for a month and then marched
through to Bowling Green, passing off
most of the winter at that place. In
the latter part of March, 1868, we
were ordered to Lebanon, by rail.
From there in connectio with sever
al other regiments in command of
march in pursuit of the Rebel Gener-
ais Pegram and Buckner as far as
Halls Gap. On our return to Lebanon
the regiment was ordered to report at
Louisville for duty, arriving there on
the 5th of April. In this city we re-
manned during the summer months
doing patrole duty and guarding the
military prison, with the exception of
i've companies, which in command of
Col. Moore, in the month of June,
were ordered to Tebs Bend on Green
River to hold the forts and bridge at
that point. 1t was there that the
brave Colonel Moore with his noble
little band of two hundred men cele-
brated the 4th of July with Morgan
and his three thousand chavalry and
artillery.
For four long hours the contest rag
ed hot and heavy. But alas! for Chiv-
alric John, he was obliged to with
draw his forces with loss of nearly
three hundred men and some of his
most valuable officers, all of whom fell
into our hands.
Upon that memorable battle ground
the glorious stars and stripes were
planted by the citizens of that vicin-
ity, in honor of the distinguished SER
vices of Colonel Moore and his men
there to remain until swept away by
thr hand of time.
On the latter part of August the
regiment was again ordered to Le-
banon and there formed a part of the
lst Brigade I'd Division 23d A. G. Col
onel Moore Commanding Brigade.
Then commenced our rugged, toll
some march under,Gen. Burnside, over
the Cumberland mountains into the
valleys of East Tennessee to the re-
lief of those oppressed, down trodden,
loyal people-who hailed the approach
of the Union Army under Gen. Burn
side, as the SAVIOR of their beautiful
country, the Switzerland of America
from the hands of the despotic rulers
of JEFF. Dayis's bogus confederacy.
Union flags that these long suffering
people had secreted in their houses,
were flung to the breeze, and there
was a general time of rejoicing. We
little dreamed, when we were travers-
ing those lonely mountains, weary and
oftimes without food that we should
be so amply repaid for the hardships
we endured
1t reminded us of home, the enthu
siasm which prevailed there when
regiment after regiment, left for the
seat OF war to battle for the restora
ton of our noble government.
Then came that cold, dreary cam
paign in the winter of sixty-three
with the seige of Knoxville, the battle
of Kingston and Mossv Creek, in which
this regiment took an active part
The hardships and privations endured