The National tribune., 1906-08-23
THE 6STH ILL.
President Lincoln's Pc. Regiment.

ihShl was Tic Vohh Aii'S anu A'isA'
be said to be the Presidents pet,
because it was raised in central Illinois,
largely in Mr.. Lincoln's old law cir
cult, where he was acquainted in many
of the homes from which the boys
came, and because he requested as q
personal favor. that the regiment be
sent TO Washington. 1t enlisted under
an emergency call in MAY, 1862, when
Stonewail Jackson drove Banks out of
the Valley and Washington was threat
tened. 1t was composed largely of COL
lege boys like myself, who could give
three months to their country's service
and not be thrown behind their classes
the next year. We rendezvoused at
Camp Butler, near Springfield. and
were taken as State troops. Our special
duty was to be to guard some $4,000
prisoners that had been taken at Fort
Donelson
When we arrived at the camp every
thing was new, and 1 remember that
when night came we did not relish the
idea of sleeping on the bare ground We
had noticed during the day where some
hay was stored We reasoned about
this way: That hay belongs to Uncle
Sam, we are his boys, and he owes us
better bed than the cold lap of moth
er earth. So when dark came some of
US went to help ourselves. But the cav
elrymen whose horses depended on the
hay had been in service long enough
to know something of human propensl-
ties, SO they We're not far away. They
lat o11
and had started back; then they
stopped us. They were very nice and
pleasant about 1t; they simply had us
put the hay back.
When it came to taking up our duties
We were green enough. 1 shall never
forget my first experience. The next
morning after our arrival a lot of us
were detailed for patrol duty We had
only reported for duty when / was or
dered to take three of the rebel prison.
ers out in the country about a mile,
where they got their washing done.
had an old musket, not loaded, and no
ammunition. But 1 shouldered my
were very considerate; they told me
what to do. and they took me out and
brought me back all safely.
After we had been there some two
or three weeks word came to US that if
we would enlist as United States troops
We would be sent to Washington. 1t
was stated that President Lincoln
wanted our regiment TO go there, and
that IL we would go he would review
US in grand review. That struck the
boys just right; that was the opportuni-
ty of a lifetime 10 see the country. 1t
was talked up at great rate. soon a
vote was taken and the matter carried
overwhelmingly, and we were sworn
Into the U. S. service. No one was
forced to go into that service, and a
few remained and served their time out
In the State, and on the evening of the
9Th of July we took the train for Wash
ington. On the way there was an IL
lustration how feelings may change un-
der changed conditions. We were get
ting pretty well along on our journey,
but in the meantime McClellan's army
had been severely cut up in the seven
days fight before Richmond. The train
had stopped and l was standing on the
ground One of the young fellows came
up to me; he had been wonderfully en-
thusiastic in wanting to go East and
had done more to talk it up than al
most any person. He says TO me: I'VE
don't know where We are going: we
may be sent on to Mcclellan, and if we
are some of us boys will never get
back" Then the tears fell like the
rain, his lips puckered up and he turn
ed weeping away.
As We marched through Baltimore
we received very different treatment
from that given to that Massa chusetts
regiment that first passed through
there. Flags waved to us from almost
every home; we We're loudly cheered
80 that our march was a continued oya-
ton, and we were given a hearty meal
81 ID
Washington we lay there three days
This gave US an opportunity of seeing
the sights and of seeing and hearing
some of the noted men in Congress
And there We're giants there in those
days" One day the bill for the admis-
sion of West Virginia was ur in the
Senate. Charles Sumner opposed the
bill, and l heard him utter the charac-
teristic words to this import: II never
can give my vote TO any measure that
sanctions human slavery anywhere"
Washington at that time was just be-
ginning to waken up, and was nothing
to what Boss" Shepherd made It in
after years.
On the fourth morning we were
drawn up and marched to the Pote-
mac; went on board a steamer that
headed down the river. We did not
know but what We were going down to
Mcclellan for certain, but we stopped
at Alexandria and marched out back
some two or three miles and finally
made our permanent camp on the bank
of creek, close TO fine spring The
camp was about quarter of a mile
south of the two-story cement octagon
house where Mcclellan was said to have
made his headquarters for a while. We
were placed on reserve and relieved
other troops that went into the field,
but when McClellan's army came back
from the Peninsula and landed at Alex
spdria we were taken in there and
placed on patrol apd had plenty to do
tp keeping things straight, especially in
keeping the lid on the joints.
Alexeadria at that time gave many
sed evidences of depsrted greatness. 1t
evidently had enjoyed large trade be-
fore the war, but then its imnjense
Warehouses; We're empty, only as they
we're occupied by Government stores
ItS fpe hotels were deserted. except fol
the Patronage in s9me way connected
With the army. There seemed to 81
mofe palatial residences TO the size Of
the place than could be seen almos
anywhere else, but at that time almos
6ll those splendid homes we're deserted
and going to ruin. Nearly all the "F'
F. VS." had gone farther south. Scarce
ly any of the people of the city attend
ed what few chdrches were open fo
service. A squad of US attended Christ;
CHURCH one Sunday. This was Yer.
Old church, built Of brick brought from
England. More than al, It was Wash
tnpton'S old church and as q mark q,