The National tribune., 1909-01-14
THE 10TH I'LL.
II Served sast OF the Time N the 11th
ILL.,, and Was Gallant: Fighting Or
ganfxatfOn.

III, and Wa. a Gallant: Fighting Or
ganixatf0n.
Editor National Tribune: In answer
to request of Geo. A. P. Cumming to
give a little account of the 109th ILL.,,
you gave out that the 109th was or
ganized at Camp Anna Sept. IL, 1862.
for three years, and served seven
months, when 237 deserted, and the
officers, with the exception of those OF
Co. K, having proved themselves ut
terly incompetent, the regiment was
mustered out April 10, 1868, Co. K be-
ing transferred to the 18th Ill. Now,
Mr.. Editor, you should inform yourself
better before you make such breaks.
The 109th Ill. was organized at Camp
Jonesboro, ILL.,, in August. 1852. left for
the South in September, 1852, landed
at Columbus. KY, and Cos. A and G
were sent to Moscow, Ky. Thence the
regiment was sent to Bolivar, Tenn,
where Grant was mobiliZing his army
preparatory to striking the Johnnies
blow at Grenada. Holly Springs being
made the base of supplies, the 109th Ill.
was stationed by the Colonel to guard
the railroad bridge, Co. A being placed
within short distance of Holly Springs,
the remainder of the regiment being
placed by companies along the railroad
to the bridge. Col. Murphy, of the sth
Wis, was In command at Holly Springs.
News having reached the headquarters
of our Colonel by some colored men
that Van Dorm would attack Holly
| Springs on the following morning, Col.
Nimmo dispatched two men to notify
the post commander at Holly Springs
| to prepare f the attack. all of which
can be verified now, as both the dis
patch bearers are living, or were a short
| time since. But the post commander
paid no attention to the notice. and
allowed his men to lie in their tents
until Gen. Van Dorm aroused them and
captured nearly all the command there,
and sent an Orderly down the line for
| our Captain-A Company-to march
| his men up and surrender them. But
our Captain emphatically refused, but
struck tents and marched to what was
known as the Lumpkin House. where
the headquarters Of the regiment were.
Gen. Grant having his communications
cut and quite an amount of commits
saries destroyed, had to fall back, all
| because the commander at Holly
Springs did not hold the place. In
few days the 109th ILL., was ordered
| back to Holly Springs. and placed under
arrest. for what no one knew. Up to
that time never private soldier had
| left his command. But after being
| treated worse than rebels they began to
get away, as 1t was reported that the
regiment was to be banished to Island
No. 10. But Gen. Grant after a month
or two Investigated the matter. and the
| Springs was dishonorably discharged
| from the service and the 109th exoner-
ated and put to duty at Morganzia
| Bend, La. Grant again modified to
take Vicksburg, and the 11th Ill. being
| partially without officers and so de-
pleted in its files by the battles of DON
elson and Shiloh, there was an agree
ment made by which the 109th and
11th were consolidated. Co. K of the
11th having no officers and very few
| men, Co. K went in as a whole COM
pany, while the officers of the remain
ing companies were discharged for
want of place to use them The Col
onel of the 18th was Garrett Nevius,
who was killed in the charge on vicks-
burg. the 109th then being almost the
entire regiment. James n. Coates was
made Colonel, of whom there was no
more military or braver man. If alive
to-day you would not dare say aught
against one Of the 109th boys. The
109th, with few veterans and ESQ re-
cruits, composed the 18th ILL.,, and bet
ter fighters never graced the army.
They were the boys that ran the block
ade up the Yazoo River on an open
transport when our wooden gunboats
reared They fought the aIl-day battle
at Liverpool Hights. They are the boys
that were reported captured at Yazoo
City, when we fought seven to one all
day, having three flags of truce run up
on us for our surrender. The regiment
was engaged in some of the most des-
perate charges, and from Vicksburg on
the 109th Ill. composed nearly the en-
tire 18th.
Now, Mr.. Editor, to have filings made
at regiment which was serenaded for
Its fighting qualities by nearly every
Dand In the army at Vicksburg when
they came marching in from the Yazoo
expedition is exasperating, and do me
and my brave comrades the honor to
correct your statement-Paul Miller.
Co. 81, 11th Ill, Anna Post. 55s.