The National tribune., 1906-11-01
What We Got for obeyIns Orders.

Editor National Tribune: Forty-one
years after the war we assume with dig
nifty the high authority that 1--WE are
it / am glad these old coffee-coolers
can yet straighten out and swing the
regulation cap over their heads Good
old-young boys. Hurrah, 1 would like
to do little talking. if the scrap
listed Jan. 20, 1862, in the SD Ind.
Our regiment left Indianapolis Feb. 1,
1862, and on Feb. IA, Is and 16, two
weeks later, We were in the battle of
Fort Donelson, Grants immediate and
unconditional surrender-first blood.
first victory, first battle. Who can beat
that? From that time on we became
acquainted with many battles and Gen.
erals, but our A. J. Smith. the little
chief of Smiths Guerrillas," was the
one We knew best We We're the only
ones, l believe, that whipped Gen. For
rest, and that for five successive days.
We found another great General named
Marmaduke. who claimed to boss the
whole Mississippi Valley He did have
and all, at Lake Chicot. 1t was a run
ming fight clear around that lake, thru
rain and mud. after this General. and
We were nearly all worn out At that
fight l was the only man left to report
Co. I present. In the evening the Col
onel inspected his regiment. and when
he came to Co. he said: where are
the balance Of Co. -" Colonel, I do
not know. but expect them in before
long," replied. The Colonel then said:
Il will remember you for that" He
did remember me like this: A week
later We arrived at Memphis, Tenn.
Gen. Sturgis was completely routed by
Forrest at Pontotoc. Miss. We were
ordered out to meet the defeated and
routed men of Sturgis. We got as far
as Germantown. Tenn, saved what we
could and fell back to Memphis. Our
main force was in line of battle nine
miles out of Memphis. Being out all
day and night, when we arrived, we got
orders to march inside the main line
to rest. Forty-three of us got leave
from our company officers to go to
Memphis and get something to eat, If
We had money to pay for it. with in
structions to go to the regimental camp
and wait for the regiment We obeyed
orders, but the regiment did not come
to camp for four days. In spite of the
protest of the company officers We were
court-martialed and fined one months
pay for obeying orders. This was
hard; no better men in the regi-
ment. Forty-three brave boys placed
in front of the regiment in line,
as criminals, and the names read off.
When / was taken before the Colonel
ana my sentence passed, / frankly ask
ed If that was his reward, the promise
he made at Lake Chicot? Nine compa-
nies paid the fine. Capt. Howard, Co
F, refused, and rejected the fine, and
informed Col Main that if any one was
to be fined 1t should be he (Capt. How
ard) and not his men. Capt. Howard
was placed under arrest and his sword
taken from him. When the Paymaster
came Capt. Howard marched up to him.
still under arrest, and said: These
men will sign the pay roll when paid"
They all got their pay. Capt. Howard
intended to appeal the whole matter if
his men had not been paid. but his
sword was restored to him shortly after
think Uncle Sam owes us this money
with compound interest not on account
of the value of the money, but because
it was wrongfully taken and our hon
orable record as soldiers assailed.
Well, boys. April 9. 1865, I took the
last order to charge on Fort Blakely.
Ala. to the regiments of the Third
Brigade, Second Division. Sixteenth
Corps. being orderly at the time
Nicholas thinner. Cos. / and K, SID
Ind. (Smith's Guerrillas), Yorkville,
Ind