The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1906-03-15

"The panic over yellow fever" said
the Doctor, reminds me Of a panic
we had in our brigade on account of
yellow fever at New Orleans. The
brigade, composed of the Forty second
Illinois, the Twenty-first Kentucky,
and two others regiments, was at
Nashville in June, 1865. expecting dis
charge. On the 10Th, the Forty-sec-
ond went by rail from Nashville to
where 1t was joined by the other regi-
ments of the brigade. All were placed
on large steamer and started down
the Tennessee under orders to report
to Sheridan in New Orleans for duty
in Texas.
when the order was promulgated
there was CONSERVATION in the ranks.
The boys regarded the war as over.
Most of the Illinois and Kentucky
regiments had been mustered out and
had gone home. 1t was reported that
the yellow fever was raging in New
Orleans and that the climate of Texas
was hard on Northernefs. Therefore
the men Of the four veteran regiments
were very sore over being retained in
the service after the close of the war
and Indignant over the thought that
they were to be sent to a pestilence
ridden city to do garrison duty there
and in Texas.
'They held Indignation meetings on
the boat and declared they would not
submit to such an outrage. They
knew that the boat must pass Mound
City, ILL.,, and they made formal de-
mnnd on General Conrad that he stop
the boat at that place. While they
waited for an answer, they interview
ed the captain of the boat and intim-
idated the pilot by assuring him that
| if he didn't land them at Mound City,
orders or no orders, they would shoot
charge of the boat
1.-THE captain and pilot both believed
the angry soldiers would carry out
their threat and they besought the
General in command to make ut least
pretense of landing at Mound City.
Nohitu tdii'd "a tuuhtii va
war and asked for opinions. Most of
the officers favored running by Mound
| City as the best means Of Quieting the
| threatened mutiny. The General,
however, was in favor of compromise.
He admitted that mutiny was mutiny,
but contended that circumstances al
tered cases. Most Of the men on board
the steamer were veterans, some of
them having served four years and all
having served creditably.
Now they were unduly excited over
the reports Of yellow fever in New
Orleans and over the report that they
We're to be retained in the service in
| definitely. lie believed that n bloody
riot would be preclpitated by hasty
action and he proposed to avoid an is
sue by stopping the boat at Mound
City, stipulating, however, that every
man who went ashore without leave
should be reported Il deserter. In II
| little address to the men he said the
boat could only remain short time
and while there would be no objec-
ton to the men going ashore for bread
| or water or ice, there must be obedi
ence to orders and no attempt to take
French leave of the boat would be
countenanced.
"The boat stopped at Mound City.
The expected happened. The Illinois
men made rush for the shore and the
whole brigade seemed ready for Il
| ,to ,,.hn ,f
tucky Colonel rang out like IL bugle
| call. He ordered his men into line
with their rifles. When the regiment
had been formed he ordered the men
| to stack arms and sit down. Every
order was executed with precision, and
as the men sat down they barred the
way to the landing for all on that side
| Of the steamer. The other regiments
We're ordered into line for roll call
| and the majority of those on shore hur.
ried on board and the mutiny was at
an end"
"There were over fifty absentees at
roll call In the Illinois regiment, and
these We're marked deserters. Many
| of them never returned, and they stand
\ recorded as deserters on the company
rolls. A dozen of these We're veterans
and over thirty substitute and drafted
recruits. The steamer went on its
Journey down the Mississippi, and In
due time arrived at New Orleans,
where there was no yellow fever, and
where we found General Sheridan,
with whom we had served Mt Chicka
mauga and Missionary Ridge.
among the men who left the
steamer at Mound City was II young
fellow in whom I had taken great in
terest. AS he was preparing to jump
ashore l urged him not to go. He
was excited, however and said he was
going for ice and bread. asked him
to bring me some, and he ran up the
landing. He was arrested few hours
later and with others was sent after
us, n prisoner. l had forgotten him
and his case until one day, while we
4 T.