Full text of "Biography of Major General Grenville M. Dodge from 1831 to 1871 : written and compiled by himself at different times and completed in 1914."

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BIOGRAPHY

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FROIV: 1853. TO 3.871 „
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1 aac bona at Dan vers, Essex County, MaBooch-UoSetis , April
12, IS 31: son of Sylvanus and Julia Theresa (Phillips) Dodge;
yrandRon of Cbapi. Solomon and Mary ("rosser) Podye of Rowley,
Mass., and of Nathan and Lydio (Pingree) Phillipo also of ifl^co-^^f-
Loassactrasetts .

The house in which I wa^ horn was in North nanvers arai
was owned by ^lics Putnam, he livina in can part and 1 " my
father in the other. It wao a hiotorical piece, nearly two
oe^fiTFio? old and oriyinally occupied 'by +h R porters, a dis-
tinguished familj/. Th- oriylna'^ house woo tamed but Lhe
houoe I m« horn in wae at least a century old. Ellas
Putnam aae born in the hoaoo an* had eleven children, im of
vho », ^thur ami a. A. Putnam aere hoys of my aye an* the
boyhoo.-i acquaintance •-» bent up between ne until both of
them died. .A . A . was < celebrated Paltered Divine and has C~
been very prominent, ocfivo frien^ of mine carina ^b!. ay
life. He hoc arbiter e yeee;, deml f;ut me and I haa^e had
r great deal f eorreepon hnce -ith hia, all of winch -as
.very beneficial ar. ,-r into re e tiny to vo. Jt was often remorhed
*n,f;dhe- wore a d I siiayaiohoH fomll^, furnish in- mony eircne
ioJbnoaiiel B an aho have sectioned alb over the country This
r , m.ptd^-bood was afterwards called Prinamaille.

?fi]1 „v..h-,..; the Porters, the Putm-M occimioo this hohne ,
nany of .ho* .ore «eU IW viehe, people an, in X7R8 the .K.scevH-
nn ,., „,- these Porter, ,,V> ««•»»' ™ st - T ' Wy ^"'^
the Ohio River near Piitfhurs, follo.irh- It *6„n en, Innoee
a „-l eBte-Mieheo the to™ of Uorief U .

„„ ri oou:, hoyhooo^,, ny feth»rl:h^ to Phleo , Lynn,
T- rl ewlll«, -, South t-onver,, aft.™-** l.:m>*n a, Pohho.y.
.., T , um ,,, the cooooo ochoolo Bn rf I« ■*.,»,*».■ the *.«.
of i: o, of ,v teechers. Sore,, Oeyooe, Ho„r Pe .„. lrt> Surer
. Putneoh Jenehe^rr.tt a,- Eh ,er V,d "oUoe.

imism

*"i

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On the paternal side I am ninth in descent from John
Dodge of Middleehinnock Parish, South Somerset, England whose
will was dated October 15, 1635; eighth in descent from Richard
Dodge, who emigrated from England in 1629, with his brother,
William, on the "Lion's Whelp", one of the ships of the Ply-
mouth Colony, and settled in Essex -County,- Mass; seventh in
descent from John Dodge (b, 1631 d. in Berkeley , October 11,
1711); sixth in descent from Phinease Dodge (b May 23, 1688,
d» in Wenham, July 19, 1703) Fifth in descent, from John Dodge
(b, in Wenhatn, February 25, 1714; drowned in Cape Ann Harbor -
in 1782) who married Bertha Conant, who died February 28,
1802, at the old Dodge home in Rowley., on the Georgetown
road; fourth in descent from phinease Dodge (to,, Sept. 8, 1744,;
d. February 15, 1824; and third in descent from Solomon Dodge
(b« May 3, 1776; d. June 20, 1860) rrif paternal grandfather.
On the maternal side, I am descended from: James Phillips
(b» in -England about 1700), who subsequently emigrated to
American and settled at Ipswich, Mass; James Phillips, son
of James of Ipswich (b, February 1729) who resided at Rowley
Mass; and Nathan Phillips, 'third son of James of Rowley (b,
February 7, 1768} and of Lydie Filigree of Rowley, my maternal
grand paref|i.. s

My father (b, 1801 D, 1871) a native of Massachusetts,
was a merchant, and, for about fen years, postmaster of South
Danvers; toy mother (b. 1802 D. 1888) was, a native of Massachu-
setts « My parents were married at New Rowley (now Georgetown,^
Mass., in 1827. G-renville Mellen was the second child and
second son of a family of 'four children, three of whom were
'sons .

My father was a man with much natural talent, a ready
talker, art original thinker, generous almost to a fault, filling
many positions of" honor and trust. My mothter was a beautiful
-woman, brilliant and very quick at repartee; had a very kind
-heart, very energetic and very tenacious of her opinion, very

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active and almost always accomplished whatever she undertook.

My grandfather, Captain S^|M««»» Dodge, was truly
a public benefactor, always ready to help the poor and needy
and to aid in every charitable work. He was a miller and
market man and could truly claim the honor of driving the
first market wagon in Salem as all produce had "been carried
previously in carts and saddle hags.

My great Uncle, William B. Dodge was horn at the old
home in Rowley and settled in Salem, spending many years in
that city, teaching the first colored school, which he estab-
lished at the commencement of' the Anti-slavery movement and
continued in that sphere of usefulness until he moved with
his family to Illinois, where he founded the town 'of Avon»in
Lake Co»» where he became their father, minister, lawyer and
judge. At one time in New England, in his native town, the
churches were closed against him, as it was considered a des-
. cecration to their pulpit to /plead the cause of the slave,
although every where he wan considered a Christian gentleman
of the old Puritanic School of Orthodox, very popular in all
his ideas, except in his sympathy for the poor and oppressed.

My early educational opportunities were limited; 1
worked from the time 1 was eight years of age; first aiding
my father in his business as -butcher and afterwards performing
similar- duties for Mr, Fairfield of South Banvers. From
1846 to 1848, 1 had charge of the fruit, vegetables and milk "
on the celebrated farm of Mrs/ Edward Lander, which' products
1 marketed in Salem, and occupied my evenings and leisiire ^
hours in fitting myself for college.

While at Mrs. Landers, her son, FrederickyLanca^a.

former cadet at Norwich University and a Civil Engineer, who

,-i'* was engaged in his profession:, returned home on a visit. His
brother, Charles Lander, who was then purchasing old meeting
houses and moving them to Wenham Lake and turning them into

VF4S dko A"f ho^nO . ,

ice houses. Frederick f Lander laid out for this brother a

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^ short railroad from the Eastern Railroad to the i N ce houses and
In the survey I took part. Frederic! W. Lander was a tall,
fine built man. I have seen him take a hundred foot steel
measuring chain and throw it ogt its full length without
touching the ground, a feat that very few could perform, fit
was my association with Frederick 1. Lander that encouraged
me to become a Civil Engineer 1 ; and also to obtain a military
education.! During the Civil War, Frederick W. Lander was a
Brigadier General and "was killed in Battle in West Virginia.
In 184-5 and 1848, I aided- my father in conducting^ a hook
store, and also served as clerk in Lambert and M errill's
Grocery store. During the winter of 1847-8, I attneded the
lurham (.1. H.) Academy, and in September 1848 entered Norwich
University of Vermont, a military college, graduating therefrom
in 18 50, with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Civil Engi-
neering. In July 1851, 1 graduated as clvil^enginffer from
C apt. fart ridge's military - school, taking one season's practical
course in the field, and was also graduated in the scientific
course at that institution.

fit this time, Norwich University was the only military
'college in the North 7? There was a similar college in Virginia
and while a small college, its history is equal to almost any c
college in the United States. In the Civil War, it placed in
the Armies and lavies, something like six hundred officers -of.
which there were six Major Generals, 9 Brigadier Generals,
14 Brevet Brigadier Generals,: 36 Colonels, Lt. Colonels, 34,
24 Majors, 155 Captains making a total of 487. In the Navy,
1 Admiral, 5 Rear Admirals, 6 Commodores, 4 Captains, 4 Com-
manders, 8 Lts., making a. total of 60 officers* It also
furnished engineers and prominent officials on the railroads.
While at Norwich University, I hoarded with Mrs. Truman
•* B. Ransom, whose husband was ; a former Resident of Norwich
University and Colonel of -the lew England Regiment in the
HUft X «mWar and Fas killed while leading that regiment upon
the attack upon Chepultepec,; IMxieo » Her family consisted
of three sons, T-. E. G. , Dunbar R., Eugene and one daughter,

f\ * ■ : ' * ' ~ssjr : "•;"•""* V '•-«> • . ..,, „. r „.„^^ !!l! ,..

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late. It was a noted family:. T, E. G. Ransom died at the
head of the 18th Army Corps,, which 1 commanded during the
Atlanta Campaing, he following to the command, of it after
1 was wounded at Atlanta. Dunbar 'R. distinguished himself
in the regular army during the Civil War and the younger*
son, wass a lt» in one of the : regiments. The daughter married
Major O'Hara, an army officer,

^ The Adjutant of the; college was S. I. Fifield, who
had lost one arm, and who was a very close friend of mine.
After my graduation in July from Capt. Partridge's class for
field practice, 1 started west to join the two Ransom Boys who
were with their uncle, George W. Gilson in pern, Illinois, and

and his wrY-e

enroute, 1 visited S. I. Pifield^at liagra Falls. They had -

with them a Miss Woodbury, the niece of Chief Justice 'Woodbury

of lets? Hampshire* • This Miss ; Woodbury was enroute to visit some
relatives in Ohio, and they placed her under my charge, as 1 •

was .going through... Cleveland .....' After my .visit ..to liagra.,. ...we

proceeded to Buffalo, where we tool the steamer Bay State for
Cleveland, lit was a very stormy night. The steamer had a
very large number of passengers aboard, and when we got out infco
the lake, her upp3 r works parted in. the centre, some two or
three feet, causing great consternation; her hull, however,
seemed to be perfect and sound and while all the passengers
were greatly alarmed, Miss Woodbury -was very cool and took
matters very sensihly. We were seated in a vis a vis lounge, "■
when a lurch of the ship, slid us across the saloon and it
was such a funny incidence that Miss Woodbury laugh &d over it,
to that some of the people nearby heard her and one of them
campe up and asked her how she could laugh under such cir-
cumstances- while everyone else was .crying and praying and

looking forward to their death. ' She made answer that she did

not know but whs/? , under such circumstances, it -was just as

sensible to laugh as it was to cry and she thought such things
ought to be faced with courage.

Marly in the morning, we arrived off- Glevelana^v. titer*'

'h - : *'" : .'#h..

gale was still strong and we ; tried to make the inlet, TSwerte. -h

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was a break-water at Cleveland that protected the harbor. The
vessel seemed to be unable to make it and they put out a boat
with a hawser. The "boat capsized and the people in it were
lost. Finally we made the harbor and I put Miss .Woodbury on
the cars and she went to her: relatives in Ohio.

v From Cleveland, 1 took another steamer and went to
Detroit and from there by a strap-rail railroad across Michigan
to Michigan City. At Michigan City, 1 took the steamer Bal-
timore for Chicago. The boat was loaded with passengers and
I was given a mattress on top of the dining €able to sleep
upon. \l did not wake up in the morning until pretty late and
found that the Baltimore had ; sunk at the dock and there was
about two feet of water in the cabin,. - ? 1 got on shore as soon,
as possible and with what little baggage 1 had, made my way
to the canal running, from Chicago to La Salle and went aboard
of what was called a passenger packet, which was cawmanded
by Gaptain Wheeler, who afterwards became the Superintendent
of the sleeping cars on the Rock Island Railroad, 'There
was a curious crowd aboard this packet and as we passed through
Joliet nearly all the passengers were up on deck, shooting
at the Bull snakes that lay on the shelving rocks through
which the canal had been cut. The shooting was very bad;
it was very seldom they hit a snake. Being a pretty good
shot myself, I thought 1 would try my hand and went down into
the cabin and got, ml pistol. : At the first shot, I laid out
a snake and that- my reputation on that boat from there to
'La Salle. If I remember rightly, we were a day and a
night making the trip to La Salle, When 1 got off of the
boat, 1 found that Peru, the place I was destined- for, was ' •
::d...c mile: below there. I stepped up to Captain Wheeler
to ask him how I could get there. He was talking quite
excitedly to' a man, when another man stepped up and shot the
man w bo was talking to Oapt. 'Wheeler. It did not seem to
create much excitement, although a small crowd gathered

around* 1 was anxious to get away from 'there and got an

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T i^-t "• : ' '. ' - V" *" : : : *""' " " *~ww-

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omnibus that in those days ran from l,a Salle . t.o Prati, When

I got to Mr. Gilson's office, which was on 'the levee facing
the river, 1 looted down upon the Illinois River and saw
a party pulling a man dressed inca soldier's uniform, out of
the river. 1 walked down and looked at him, then went up and
went into Mr. Gilson's office , He was at his desk writing.
What. I had seen in the last hour was so astonishing to me that
1 spoke to Mr. G-ilson about it and said to him that there was
a dead soldier "being pulled out of the river.' He kept on
writing and answered, "is there?" and I wondered to myself
what kind of a country I had : struck that no one took any
interest in a dead man. In my home town, such an incidence
would have called out the whole town.

1 joined the two Ransom's hoys here at Peru and

V started in surveying with .Mr* George W. G-ilson, who was then
a Senator in the State Legislature, a very prominent man in
that part of the State and a -great friend of Stephen A. Douglas,
and a land agent and surveyor "by profression. He was oae of
the projectors of the Rook island Railroad, : . a fine man,
possessing indomitaile perseverance, :' ■ thoroughly and prac-
tically educated, of fine perspective faculties, ■„..- a fluent
speaker, a ready and able debater, with a frank and manly coun-
tenance which does not "belie him, for he^s whole soul4and
generous to a fault,uvHs very active and full of "business, throw-
ing all his energies into whatever he under ta^f|,...> » With these
qualties, Mr» Gilson very naturally exercisea a large influence,
and hevAs one of the principle men, if not the head and main
lever of the city, had grown up with it, and had the entire
confidence of the people t \Mhs well known throughout the State,
herldr, the officer of State Senator, t> Alderman, City Surveyor,

-'*? railroad director and land agent, which latter officer occupied
much of his attention. Large numbers of tile land warrants
have already and are being located in this section of the
State, and many are located in Iowa, Prairie lands ten miles
from here which two years ago were worth from one to three

" % * dollars, now readily sell for from five to ten dollars per

acre. Three years ago there was scarcely a dwelling house
in town; now there is comparatively any number completed
.and many ere being: built. 7/e v/ent immed lately to wbrk 'sur-
veying lands and- lots. One evening when we came home, the
prairie was on fire in several places, and a more grand and
terrific sight I think I never saw; sweeping over acres like
lightning, firs ten miles off looked like a torch light pro-
cession its fitful flashes waving backward and forward like
a moving mass. At this time of the, year, farmers have to .

keep clos.- watch of- their barns and hay stacks so that they
may not lose them by prairie fires. Then they see one coming,
tlvy set " back fire or pis v><^il a round their* improvements, but they
often get caught napping and lose sometimes all their hay and grain,
as has been the case of a Krs. Rrowii, whose stacks were al] biinied
a short time ago.

Private shin-plaster banks have been rising up like

mush-roofs. These are a kind of honorable 'bank, and those who

put them forth consider the same as notes, while the chartered

banks are the sane as Eastern ones gotten up to issue currfene^r
receive deysi-fr *nA (ftenfn'W jl»J ^Ua+d tl.*ir<ie 1 ,.ji^rs' J;

out of their hard earnings ^ l am sorry to see the .Democracy

debase their principles for th. sake of a little pecuniary aid,
but so it is with all. They will sell their honor and party 1/
for the petty dollar,

1 entered ii r . ^heeler's, of 3aleti ? Kass., engineering party
who were on the Illinois Central Railroad and were running a line
from La Salle to. Dixon. ' The chief of the party, -heeler, sa'/
that I could run a. transit and immediately gave me the position -
of transition in the party, although the only experience I had
had was th.t obtained from the field practise at Norwich University.
It was a cold , inter and Wheeler, instead of attending to his
dU : J in the fle1 ^ lot ** run t he line whi , le hp staysd lfl ths
blouse fhet ,;e stepped at working up the notes; Wever going
into the new to look at the line. I became satisfied that'
our ime would not ' be accepted by the division engineer, |, r .
Blackstone, and had not confidence in my own ability to run

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a riilroad line, as this was ■ ay first experience. 1 concluded
that as soon as we returned to La Salle, 1 would leave the
party. We reached Dixon and: returned to La Salle. The party
■ then did some work on the Illinois River Bridge. When that .
was completed, 1 went into Mr, Blacksone's office and told
him that I was going to leave. He looked atme with astonish-
ment but made no answer that;! remember of, and 3 was paid
off and left the party, A few years after, I became well
acquainted with Mr. Blackstone. I sold him some land that
I had entered for some friends in the East, 1 think it is
the land thfct the town of Mendota is upon; any how, it was
at the crossing of two railroads. A3H*ryAIn my official
dutt.es, I often met him and he used to tell this story about
my leavi ng the party. He said that the line 1 had run was
a good one and that he had learned that Wheeler had left me
in charge of the party and that he intended when our work
was completed to give me charge of the party; that. my leaving
astonished him and he said it was one ease where a young
.engineer was too previous. :

1 wrote a letter on^the coal and lime rocks of
Illinois to Robert Rantoul, who- .was an attorney for the
Illinois Central,* and a great friend of my father and who
had given me letters to Mr, Mason, Chief Engineer of the Illi-
nois Central Road, The letter is as follows:-

Peru, 111., November, 1851.

Wlen in Boston, on the eve of my starting for the West, I
called at your office with my father, and you expressed a
desire for me to write what information I might obtain in
relation to the minerals of Illinois, more especially its
coal and limestone. :

1 have gathered some little information upon the stib.jetfct,
partly from my own observations and partly from men engaged in
the business and fro$ the more distant' parts of the State, -
from- '.-papers, etc. If you should find, this of any benefit to
you, 1 shall be amply paid, and what other information I may
., get in relation to the subjeot shall be happy to communicate,
t *'* My own observations do not extend beyond La Salle county but

in this county are some of the richest and '(heaviest deposits of coal
in the State, especially along the banks of the Little and Big
Vermillion Rivers. These I have examined and can say that
their banks are one continuous bed of limestone and coal, the '
best which is known anywhere -in this vicinity. These mines '
will probably be worked first on account of being accessible
••■•'- with very, little expense and ;of being within a few miles of
a good marked; viz; La Salle ;and Peru, which are situated
at the head of navigation on -the Illinois River §,nd at the
terminus of the canal; also this will be the junction of the

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Central and Rock Island Railroads, The demand for this coal
is greatly for home consumption than can be sup-oiled, and when
they are extensively worke,d which they will be" in a short time,
the facilities and demand for export will give employment
to a large number of laborers and the profitable investment
of a great capital.

The central road follows the Vermillion for several
miles? passing through some of the richest deposits, hence
this will afford a great advantage to these mine as it will
save teaming two or three mile a. It will also be a source of
great profit to the road, but I think the principal part of
the coal from this quarter intended for the distant cities
will be freighted by the river and canal, which form a junc-
tion within a few miles of some of the principal beds. The
river boats would consume a large amount if they could procure
it. but there seems to be a scarcity of miners and capitalists
to work the mines. Those mines that are no?/ worked pay an
enormous profit, as they obtain 6 cts, per basket whereas the
cost is nominally save one or two cents. Quite recently the
out-crops of the third stratum has been discovered on the canal
about one mile above La Salle. This mine will be soon opened
on account of its being by means of the canal, easily conveyed
to a market. It wil' : also be a great help to the canal, giving
it a vast amount of freight, which it has heretofore been
entirely destitute of, and thj s year it will pay 21 per cent
on the canal loan besides the real six months interest. This
speaks well for the general prosperity of the State and of a
speedily restored credit <,

Between Coal Creek and Willow there are many rich veins
of evcellent bituminous coal -and which are being worked -at very
good profit .but supply none but a home market. The State
conta ins three distinct coal formations, one above the other
at irregular distances. The lowest is the best in quality,
the 'second next and the first the most inferior. In most
places where the mines are worked for fuel, the first and
second stratum are only worked, the third stratum is only
worked at Pekin, near Kingston, and on the bluff near St. Louis,
The coal obtained at these places is considered much better
than that taken from, the first and second stratums and demands
'a higher price. Thus far coal has been obtained by drifting,
excepting at Kingston, Pekin and near St, Loiiis , where it is
made a regular business of and a few shafts have been sunk.
Farmers who have found coal beds on their land have obtained it
by drifting where they did not have to dig very de§>p„ and there
is every reason to believe that the third stratum of Illinois
coal will equal in quality the Erie when mining shall be
carried on by sinking of shafts at a distance from the out-
crops, which has not been done yet, and the out-crops are not
fair samples.

The ¥/hole state is -underlaid by these formations- at
some points they approach nearer the surface than others. Some
50 miles south 'of Chicago, the first Groupings are found and
from that point to Cairo, the entire country between the Wabash
and Mississippi will ySeld any amount of coal with more or less
expense of mining and it is evident that this must be the State's
most profitable mineral, though fich in lead, iron and fine
ores* The coal diggings are comparatively dry, of coucsf,
agreat benefit will arise because the dee -.est are the best, and
,as they can and will be worked deeper, they will furnish a
"'coal as good and ere long better than the Pennsylvania coal.

Adjoining the great unworked <^«.;^:*j$ i ts which stretch
across our State from Central Iowa to Northern Kentucky, manu-
facturing cities will rise as if by magic as busy perhaps
as Pittsburg and as smoky, and coal more andmore valuable for
manufacturing purposes, for solidity, density and heat-giving
will be brought up as the progress of our north-wester manufac-
turing towns make a demand for it, , ^

This state will generally be depended uponrher coal
beds for fuel, especially the northern part . of it, which is
scarcely wooded, except along the banks of the creeks and rivers;

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and. bottom wood Is generally poor, seLldom worked into lumber, and never
used for fuel when it can be avoided We are dependent upon Michigan
and Wisconsin forests for our lumber, which brings about $20 a thou-
sand, and I suppose they will furnish an inexhaustible supply. The
southern part of the 'State has a better supply of timber, especially
along the banks of the Wabash, yet they use coal when it can be easily
procured.

The Limestone of the State 1 will speak of in another letter,
having taken up all my sheet in speaking of the coal,"

After leaving the Illinois Central, 1 went back to Mr, Gil son

and spent part of the next summer in surveying and -working upon one

of his farms on the • south side of the Illinois River, |_I saw a great

opportunity in entering Government land and wrote home urging my

father to obtain money for this purpose, I entered for myself and

others, several pieces that were sold soon afterwards at a great

profit .7

There had been numerous rumors of projects to build a
railroad from Chicago to the Illinois River at Peru and the following
letter gives my views on the matter:-

Sept. 14, 1851,

My dear Father :-

1 closed my last letter with saying there was good news
•from New York, that it has been saluted. A telegraphic despatch
was received here, with the important intelligence that the Rock
Island railroad, two hundred miles long- -separate 'Tom the Great
Illinois Central was to build, and that it had been contracted to
Messrs, Far nam and Sheffield. So you perceive we shall have plenty
of railroads to build, for a short time,' The Illinois Central engi-
neers and directors are now in New York, letting out contracts on
that road } consequently all the parties connected with it are now
lying still, but the Rock Island folks will begin ^operations imme-
diately,

Peru is situated a hundred miles from Chicago and three
hundred miles from St, Louis at the head of the Illinois River and
at the terminus of the Illinois and the Michigan Canal. The principal
part, of the town is located on a bluff, 148 feet above the river.
The forwarding and river trade is done under the bluff at the levee,
which is very handy to the city. The present population of the
place is put down at two thousand and it Is rapidly increasing? the
Yankees and lew Yorkers are actually flocking in here, fljhis is bound
to be a great city and when the various railroads under contract and
contemplation shall be completed, it will be the center of this par"
of the state giving direct communication by the Rock Island road
with Iowa and Oregon, for this Is the true Pacific road and tv.11! be
built soon to Council Bluffs, where a road from St. Louis will inefet
it»Itfaen from Council Bluffs to San Francisco, this being the shortest
and most feasible routeTf In the eastern direction the road connects
at, Chicago with the Michigan -Southern -■"•uad which Is neC arly completed
and will give us a through railroad to New York and Boston, The
'Illinois Central railroad starting from this place, branches to
Chicago and Galena, and runs south, passing through the entire length
of the State through a part of Kentucky and Tennessee and the length
of Alabaipa terminating on the Gulf at the head of M bIIe Bay, \Thus
you see that Illinois will be the center of the United States and part
of Mexico .> There are other railroads being built which I am not so
well 'posted upon. The Illinois River runs through a rich and fertile
country, is bounded on both sides by Bluffs a hundred or more feet
hihsr. leaving, however, a sufficient interval on the brink of the
rivlr for all necessary -.urposes. These bluffs are one continuous bed

/*-: ^ : 7 ...- r ,,. ; ......-. T ,., . .... ; , -~~<^r

-V
\

-12-

©f 'coal 'and limestone which from appearances can never be exhausted.
Back of the bluffs are the prairies of vast extent, perfectly level,
well wooded and watered and as:rich and productive and more lasting
than gold mines. They are fast ;being settled and the day is not
far distant when instead of the hum of the grouse and the silent
footsteps of the deer, will be ; he ad the din of cities, towns and
villages. An excellent road is being built back in the country
for a hundred or more miles, making this a depot for a great amount
of grain and other farm produce. In good weather one can now scarce
get through the principle business streets they are so full of
country teams. The river at the same time is filled with steamers
and canal boats receiving the products if the prairie a hundred
miles around and the noise and ;ehatter of the market men and
produce dealers reminds me of Commercial Street Boston.
«"""* The lead mines of Galena ,. the copper of Wisconsin, the grain
jof Iowa, the furs of the western' territory » the sugar, rice and
| cotton of the south, the manufac furies of the east, the gold, of : *v
I California and the pure' bohea from China will soon be seen, prassing
f north, south, east and wes t from the Grand central .receiving and
forwarding depot, Illinois! The mi ■ are .only projeotir^trat they are
sure to be 'accomplished and when those already laid out shall be
I completed and In operation, Illinois will rank among the first states
[of the Union."

During my work with Mr. G-ilson, 1 feacame acquainted with Mr.
Samuel Robbing, also an engineer. He was a man over six feet tall,
very finely built and very fond of athletic sports. Some years
afterwards, he served under me :as Assistant Engineer and in the
Indian Campaign as a Lieutenant in the 1st Colorado Cavalry.

[J. was .a fine boxer and .fencer A: ■■ These, .two., .sports, had ...been., .taught

us at the University.' I used to practise with him when 1 had an
opportunity. We would either fence or box. As long as 1 could
keep out of his reach, 1 could defeat him, as he was not as expert
as I., 'but when he could reach me, he was so much stronger, that
he could out-box me, but could not out- fence me.

While at Peru, the two Ransoms and myself organized an
Artillery Company, obtained two guns and the equipment and had
a well drilled section of artillery, (kt a riot at Vermillionville ,
we were called out and went there. Dunbar R. . Ransom- was our
' Captain, He planted the guns where the men were congregated and
• gave them so many minutes to surrender and they came down
without further opposition?! This was the only service we per-
formed while 1 was with the company. '"
,* ' Mr. Robbins left us and went to work under Mr. Peter A.

Dey on the Rock Island Railroad at Tiskilwa andj to the fall of ; *-
1852, Mr, Dey gave ma a position in Robbins* party on contraction-
on the Rock Island railroad from Tiskilwa to Sheffield, where I
remained until March 1853, when Mr. Dey asked me if 1 cotjld . ..
organize a surveying party and ; rat ion it. 1 said "Yes" -and when.^

^.^.^a*

* ; "V-.:.: : .J:<d

ff:>(B : '

l7 '^

-._ -M$k

-13-

1 had gotten the party together, 1 asked him whom I should turn
i€ over fed. Mr. Dey looked at me with some astonishment and
asked me if I did not think I could run the party and 1 said 1
thought I could, at least would he very. glad to try. 1 made
the surveys and location of the. railroad from Bureau "Valley
Junction to Peoria, Illinois, :Upon completing that survey „
'Messrs. Far nam and Sheffield, who were the contractors building the
Rock Island Railroad, organized: the Mississippi' ,'- Missouri Railroad
for the purpose of extending the Rook Island across the State of«_^ /
Iowa. Mr. Peter A. Dey was made •Chief Engineer of the road and took .
me with him to Iowa as his principle assistant . We crossed the
Mississippi river at Rock island on May 17, 1853 and commenced our
survey* / The \lo cat ion) of the "bridge across the Mississippi River
determined the point where we should commence and the topography
of the country was such, that the line I laid passed immediately
through the premises of Antoine: LeClare, a very noted citizen of
Davenport, who had "been engaged- in the Indian trade of that country
\ for many years. He was greatly; disturbed to see a railroad line
passing through his orcahrd. His residence was on the side hill and
he called me up there and protested very strongly and tried to get
me to change my line. He argued the question with me and offered
every inducement, except money, -to have me try to find another
route , hut I told him the location of the bridge controlled the
line through Davenport and that 'he had "better make arrangements to
move. He appealed over my head: to Mr. Dey, hut Mr. Dey only sus-
tained the location, j We ran the first preliminary line crossing
the Cedar River at Moscow and reached Iowa City on May 28, distance,
54 miles. .On this survey, 1 became acquainted, with John "$".'■ Dillon,
who was then studying law with John P. Cook of the firm of Cook
1 Sargebt and he was sent out by them to obtain the right of way on
jay line. During the running and location of the line, we had to make
a good many trial lines, and we- obtained righ't of way on more than
one line in order to bring them : in competition. One of the settlers- .
had told me that Mr. Dillpfon criticized my line very much, which, ■■.;■■■■':>
being a young engineer, I took great exception to and I wrote &pok • ' •
& Sargent that they had better have Dillon tend to his duty of r-i^V^h

-14-

of way agent and 1 would, tend to the location of the line. Mr,
Diillon was notified of this and !he -immediately w rote me a letter in
, which he insisted that lie had attended strictly to his duties, and
I acknowledge it and from that time on, we "became great friends.
He became not only a distinguished lawyer hut a distinguished judge
and at the present time, 1911, is one of the most noted lawyers in
lew York, City, and one of my valued 'friends » ,

I'" —

On August 15, 1853, Mr. -Henry W, Farnam sent for me to go to

Chicago, and on arriving there I found he wanted me to make a recon
noissance through ' from Milwaukee'' to Galena^ Illinois, for a railroad
line. On August 15th, I started for Milwauke and traveled across
the country passing along the Lakes, through Madison, Bodgeville,
Mineral Point to Galena, When I reached Dodgeville or Mineral
Point, I don't' 'remember which, r stopped at a hotel. The arrival
of an engineer making a reconnotasanoe, in that day, was a notable
event and all the people knew it'. Senator Henry W. Dodge, who
lived at that place, heard of my being thete and sailed upon me.
It was the first time I had ever met him. 1 really did not know
anything about him. although he was of the same name and of the
same branch of the family. After reaching Galena, I went to
Dubuque and returned to Iowa City, passing through Cedar Rapids, ,
and reached Iowa City on the 20th of August./ 9n September 2, !§#*•",
on Le Claire's ground in Davenport, we broke the first ground for
the Mississippi & Missouri railroad. J

On September 4, 1853, 1 started the line west of Iowa City
to the Missouri River, The names of the men composing my party
were as follows: J. F. House, Trans itman,' George H us-e, Leveller,
Carpenter, Daily, Irish., Wilson,- Dunhai$n Drake , Thompson, Edwards,
Stephenson, Sinew, and Perrin ? Six horses mnd 2 doga. We ran up
Old Man's Creek at the head of which was a well-to-djt? farmer by
ike name of Williamson, who had a large family, three or four
■ daughters, one of whom afterwards married my leveler, George
House and who is living today in! that vicinity on a 'farm,

1 crossed from, the head of; Old Man's Creek into 'the Iowa Valley
passing through Marengo, following up Bear Creek to its. head, cross-
ing the divide where /(Srrinnell now stands, and 'dropped into the . ; ; > ;;-,:-:;

1 was short e*rhands . As we ran up to Boone's place, October, 6,

-15-
Slcunfe Valley, following it out, passing through Newton. 1 continued
West and run down Pour-mile Greek ; into the Des Moines Valley and ■
reached Des Moines, then a very small place, I selected forty acres
of land for the depot grounds, just where the present station of the
Rock Island stands, Thiffy acres of the land werd afterwards released •
leaving only ten acres for the road and that ten acres was in a large
corn field. From Des Moines we ran the line up on the north, side of
Eaccoon River for 12 miles to Daniel Boone's (a relative of the
Kentucky Boones.). I The long summer's work in the field and in the
rank vegetation, had given many of my party the fever and ague and

1853, a young, robust boy, Wiley Lane , about sixteen years of age,
was watching our surveying and seemed to he taking quite an interest
in it, and I asked him how he would like to join the partyf" He said
lie would if his mother was willing, and, being anxious to have
his services, 1 went to s'Z.ee his mother- and she consented to his
going and he joined the party and : was a very valuable man. He was
a strong axeman, well up in all woodcraft, and a bee-hunter. He *
could follow a bee to the tree its hive was in and kept us in honey
all the way to the Missouri River* He was with "uste two or, three
years and lives now, 1911, some four or five miles west of Des

Moines » While camped at Boone's house, 0l .wentv out raarly one morning

out '

to look .the line ahead. Right at: Boone's house, the river cuts a

steep "bluff and Boone had built a : log foot-path around this "bluff.
It was just about day- light when 1 started out, and as I stepped
on to the log, to walk around the 'bluff , coming down the path,
about half way down,- was a panther, 1 always carried my rifle with
me to obtain game for the party* ; I hesitated, not knowing what to
do. The animal looked at me so savage like that I was sure if I
turned around he would come after 'me, I,, therefore drew near him -
ands-Tfired and he fell over into the creek, 'The boys in the came,
hearing the shot, ran out and pulled the panther out of the river.

[ We

We .followed up' the Coon to the mouth of Beaver and up the
Beaver to its head, crossed, the head of Middle and Troublesome
Rivers and passed on to the last Nishnabotna, which we crossed some
pT miles north of where Exira now stands. Prom here we rose out of

S;|»

-16-

Botna and. struck the head of Indian Greek, followed it down to the
forks and up the West fork, crossing the divide between it and the
West fishnabotna at Guppy's Grove, The party was encamped at Indian
Grove on Indian Greek, They were : out of meat, and as 1 rode 'tip
towards Guppy's Grove, I was looking for a deer, I thought 1 saw
one in the "brush on the outskirts: of the timber and drew my rifle
to shoot, when a man rose up out of the : brash with a rifle in his
hand and a read bandanna handkerchief on his head. He said, -"For
God's sake, don't shoot me« n I was as much surprised as he was. He
was Ad Cuppy. He had just settled in the grove. The only other
party in the grove was a Methodist Preacher by the name of Johnson*
1 found that Cuppy was pretty well acquainted with that country
and utilized his information, te; pushed on the line to the West

Botna and canned there „

from Iowa City
Mr, Peter A. Dey, the chief: engineer, had started out .with a

young man by the name of Bacon, a : graduate of Yale, the son of the

Rev, Dr. Bacon, a celebrated Divine, and they had driven to Indian
Greek, following our trail. They: had a team and a box wagon and
had provisions and mail for us. They had a good deal of trouble

crossing the streams, there being no bridges, and Mr* Dey not
finding us where he expected, we having made much greater progress
than he had counted upon, took the horses out of his wagon at on-ee og
the crossing ©f the Creek, put the blankets upon them and he and
Bftcon rode them, reaching the forks of the Indian Creek, where they
camped over night at our old camp. Baoon, not being used to riding
a horse, was very sore and lame in the morning and did not feel _
like coming on with Mr, Dey, who was anxious to reach our camp,
Mr. Dey gave him instructions to be sure to follow the wagon
tracks or the stakes of our line.: Mr, Dey reached our camp .on lov-
ember 8th. 1 wasout ahead of the: party 'reconnoitering for the
proper place to run the line and did not return, to the earpp until
evening. I found Mr. Dey vary much worried because Bacon, had not
reported and I told him that as soon . as I got my supper, I would
ride back to Indian Creels to find him. 1 rode back during the
©veniiig and at every ravine and at every crossing of the stream,' 1
'hollowed at the top of my voice for him and just as 1 reached

' *i7- :

Indian Greek, I struck a band of Otoe Indians who had been south into
• Missouri, stealing hogs and they had their ponies loaded with the
'meat and were making north to their country as fast as possible. I

was greatly frightened when I met

them and they- were also frightened

because they thought 1 was a Mia saurian .after them and we both got

■J Chevti ■■

out* 1 went on to the Indian^. Grove but found -or heard nothing of

Bacon* 1 was convinced . then that 'he was lost and that we must got 7
into a systematic search for him. ■ 1 went back to my camp, divided
up my party in severl small parties and placed them on the streams

creek and the lishnabotma with
and not to leave them, and as soon

and on the divides between Indian
instructions to follow them south

as they found Bacon to put out a signal in the shapre of a fire,
making a smoke, on some high point. The second day out, 1 found
Bacon's horse. Instead of going directly West as he should have
done, he followed down Indian Creek. The Greek being miry, he was
unable to get his horse across and so he tied him to some bushes and

crossed' the river' himself "arid 'kept" on 'south "and the" "3rd" 'day "Mr,

Thompson, one of our teamsters, discovered him 'some twaafj miles
south of our line traveling in the prairie and staggering. When
we rode up to him, he gave him something to eat and drink and as
soon as Bacon came to, so he could talk, he said, "Are you Thompson"
and when Thompson said he was, Baolon pulled a watch out of his pocket
and gave it to him. It appears that Thompson, when we left Iowa
City, had left his watch to be reparled and Mr. Dey was to bring
it out. Mr. Dey had given it to Bacon and it shows that this duty
of delivering the watch was on Bacon's mind all the time. They took
Bacon back to the Indian grove. There had been a kfettle of rice
turned out there, the boys in cooking it having burned it, but it
had not been touched. Bacon had not had anything to eat for .three
'days and nights. When he came back to the, grove, 1 asked him where
tie had slept the first night out and 1 found it '^was very near the
place where I had passe<i in going 'to the Indian Grove and 1 asked him
if he did not hear me hollowing. He said he had heard a noise and
could not tell whether it was a mill's voice or an animals and did
not answer "because he did not think if was possihle^er anyone

-rl8- |

to be 'out there that time of night. .While we were sitting in. the I

grove, 1 told one of the hoys to : take my horse down to the river for I

a drink. This horse's name was Commissary, he having "been ridden ;

by the Commissary of the Northern Boundary Commission. Bacon "bright- • ;

ened up and said, "That is a good name for a horse that came after \

a starving man." 1 also asked Bacon why he did not follow the trail ;

we had made as instructed toy Mr,' Dey and he said that he did not :
think it was necessary as he thought he could find our camp. Bacon

was a correspondent of the lew York Tribune and gave in that paper :

a g^^ferc account of his experience. He said that in the night when ;

he was sleeping, he alwaj^s dreamed of a long table filled with all '■■

the best eatables but that it was impossible for him to reach them.. . ;

He stayed with us during the survey. .We lost him again in the ;

Missouri River Valley but he evidently was not fitted for that *

kind of work and he returned to the East and became a -noted lawyer, .:

settled in Rochester, and I think is now dead. ' -

; I The 1 ■next day 'Mr," Dey "and' myself ro'de" 'out "to'wards"' the 'head of • •

Pigeon Creek. We visited a camp of the Otoe's who had just returned ;

from a fight with the Sioux. We: rode on to the head of Pawnee Creek ;

and on November 17th moved our camp to Pigeon Greek near a deserted ;
Mormon house, Continus-ing our survey down the Pigeon, we struck the

Missouri Yalley and run down that valley making a connection with ;
'* "winter quarters" crossing the Missouri river at what is now

known as Florence, November 22, : 18je3, we reached lanesville, its "K ,

name just having been changed to Council Bluffs. We were very ;
coridally received by the citizens. They were greatly pleased at the

t, % possibility of a railroad coming: to them and- ours being the first t

%f survey 'made considerable excitement in the place. They entertained |

f ''' us by giving us a ball. On December 1st, an engineering party under J |

f •' ' l

the supervision of Col. S. R. Cuetis arrived in the Bluffs making I

' ! a survey for the road known as the Lyons Air lf,ne which started at \ J

the Mississippi River at Lyons and crossed the State. Instead. of ' " j

following the streams to the Missouri River valley, they ran straight- ]

across 'the Bluffs, an impossible- line » ■■'■«./. ■. |

^ " C On December .3rd, the Air-line interests held a publis meeting.:-^ 'f

:•■,:. l-n th ■ . 'U,;;,v,ii

-19-

in the Bluffs, which was largely attended by the citizens. Judge
S. R. Riddle, Col. S. R. Curtis :and Mr, peter A, Dey spoke.

While at the Bluffs, 1 stopped at a hotel known as the Robin-
son House located near where the Ogden now stands. When I came
out frotn my breakfast, Mr. 0. A.- Robinson, who was the proprietor
of the house j- stepped from behind the counter and. took the hati
off of a man's head,- and stepping bacfe put it on a shelf behind the
counter. The man objected and wanted to know what .that was done for
and Robinson replied that he could have his hat when he paid for

his breakfast. This was a new way to force a payment of a debt.! 1

was anxious to obtain one of the mountain breeds ponies and Robinson
told me that they had one that had just come in from the plains;
that he had the distempber but thought he was a fine pony. 1 looked
at the pony. He was very large :for a pony and 1 bought him paying
$50 ♦• He became a very valuable liocse. I rode him for several
years, crossing the State and plains with him many times. He was

a "horse" o"f 'good ""speed "and great .endurance', "sure footed" arid" "his

name was Rocky Mountains,

While we were camped here, I Mr. Dey received instructions
to examine the country between the Missouri Ri#ver and the Platte
Valley to determine at what point on the Missouri River a railroad
coming from the East should strike the river, with a view of con-
necting with a Pacific Railroad that would run up the Platte Valley.
We crossed the River where the town of Omaha now stands and talcing
Saddle Creek, we run up that Creek until we reached the 'Divide* We
followed the divide north-west making towards the Platte Valley. Mr.
Dey remained with the party and I rode on to examine the country
for some twenty-five miles west,; reaching the Elkhorn Valley about
noon of the next day, 1 had been up most of the night before and
was very tired. 1 rode into a ravine Opening out on to the Elkhorn
,RiWr and lariated my horse, tool: his skddle off, placed my rifle
under it and laid down for a rest and soon fell asleep. 'I was ■
awakened by the neighing of the ;horse and 1 lookedout toward the
month of the ravine and saw an Indian leading my -horse towards the
Elkhorn River, 1 was greatly fightened and hardly knew what to do
but I grabbed my rifle and started after the Indian hollering at,

iiO-

the top of my voice. The horse was evidently frightened at the 'Indian

and was pulling back, the Indian urging him along as rapidly as
possible. The Indian saw that I was gaining on him and dropped
the horse and ran to the river and swam across, I "-'as greatly
pleased to obtain the horse and immediately saddled up and started
towards my party. This Indian afterwards "as an enlisted man in an
Indian Battalion, commanded by Major North, which 1 raised in the
spring of 1865 during the Indian campaign and he told ...ajor North
that the reason he dropped my horse was because I hollered so that'
it scared him. ' -

I found my party camped on the Big Pappillion Creek at the
Mormon crossing and the camp full of Indians- -the cook feeding
them,, I immediately saw that if this was not stopped , they would
soon eat up -II our provisions and I told the party that we must
get the Indians out of camp and for then to get their arms. The
only listen word 1 knew was "Puckachee " which means get out and I
said this to them very firmly. They did not seem disposed to obey
at first but they saw that I' was in earnest and left. I f (
they had interfered with the s

ound thot

urvey, robbing the wagona and stealing

•nythins the, co^^ their .a^n. ^ y ^ ^ ^ ^^

to hurt anyone , d^^^^^^^><- ^ci^-^c^ .^l^,

AftPt ' rumiin ^ ow "ne through to the E:khorn, down "alnut
Creek, twhioh afterwards was rny father's, far*. f the party returned to'

myself rode rfowr. the Pappinion Creek to
Bellevue, ^hioh was then a LUss.on, an * whe^^p^ ha „ hi , tra , lnff
post and which was the winter quarters of the Omaha Indies » c
the river at Belize and joined the party at Council <h llffc ^
turned to Iowa city and .pent the winter

Cumeil Bluffs. Lr. ?&v nr .rt

r e c r o s s e &

re-

Iowa City up Clear Or

^:Ing examinations west of

e e k - and o f he r C r e e k s .

0n FebPmrr 13> 1854 _ iny father Brrive(] i(i

ihg-claims„. They bn U yh t ^ fpnr „ f T

/' ° Ca! ' J ai l0Wa Cit ^ P^in.T :."250 for it „ V 1

travelled acrossthe gtate cro-m. + - -• ' ' "

-tctc oiooomg tne Mseouri River and made cl r.lms

t T " ere ^ ^ ° f P — - - located, then returned to

location of the Agissi sq-i ni ? - T -

i-xj-obis&ipi & Missouri r v to D

-P^A^WUy^J, 6h MOIlles arriving tk. r -

011 April 19, 1854.

l ' <"° lllb ^isso^river was /^X miles fr^w.

-21-

T)es Idolnes to Iowa City wa- ; 17'9«3 .'.wiles ar^ the distance fro-:. Iowa
• City to Davenport was W '§4 miles , ^^^ySV^/^ &^^<^ /&<L^t« £2.Z.& m,^
On returning; to- Iowa City from' this survey, I obtained a
leave of absence and returned East to visit, ay father and mother in
Pe abort y, kassachusetts and while there, on kiay 28th » was married to
. Annie Brown of" pern, Illinois, at Salen , La'ss, by the Rev. Ellis,
a Tin i ve r s a 1 i c t kl i n I s t e r .

On June 1st, 1 visited Norwich University in Vermont and met
there Dunbar II. Ransom. I stopped at II rs . Ransoms. Saw the cadets
drill end attended one -of their dances. I returned -to Iowa City by
the way of New York, ,, the Hudson River and Lake Shore Railroads
arriving at reru, Illinois, on June 27th, and Iowa City on July 16th

During the month of July:, KnjH , Mr.-. Frederick '7. Lander whom I
knew as a boy 'and who had been on Lieut, Steven's Government survey
for a Pacific Railroad fro'.n Minneapolis to Fo tlenrt, Oregon, had
returned T>y the way of the Snake and Platte river;:; and reported that
route as far superior to the one that was run by Sieuews an^ v-hioh
we afterwards found to be correct.

Ort Augiiet 26, 1854, kr . J. t> ; fkrinnell^ arrived at Iowa City
from the Fast". He came out for the purpose of locating' a eolony
anrt 'had letter." fro.:; kr, Ueriry Farnsva to tr. bey. kr. key turned
hir over to me end I recoamende- 1 bin to go to the divide between
■ the Iowa Riv,- r and the Skunk where the town of Crlnnell now otorvis.
^In my survey, I had left a tall fie g pole vith a flag upon Ik en
this suu.ii it and marked the place definitely as a controlling point
'in our survey. This country throu-h there was then unsettled and
was mostly school lands. I , aV e ^r.Grinnell naps ' of the! country
and he went out there and wae cell pleased and located e lp colony, '

settl n ? up nearly all those school lends, be started t he grinnell
College and afterwards becare u. saber of Octrees from that dletrict.
V ' Q WerS alwa " rs mi fri0 «^ end the longer be li VQ 7, .the ...ore be
approve* of the location of th town.

** W panic of 1B54 stopped fl rQl lroa , lr] l, in To ^ mi ?JJ ^

engineering parties were discharged. Lr. rifield and hi, wife,
Celeste arrive* in Iowa City on .Sept.. 15th . ^ brother> v , ho '
ha ' a hear \ ovt *» the engineers party wae .^ew.rged with the ]/

rest and returns-* to the East. ft had eiade in, my aJ.nd that I wouldl
settle on rhe kaesoari Rivei- at Council , fluffs cr in Nebraska and I

-22-

Pifleld had come to Iowa City to accompany me across the State to . •
go to our claims in Nebraska. I fitted up a camping outfit to use
as we crossed, the State and we pitched our camp on the Iowa River,
Mr. Peter A. Dey sent two bottles of champaigns to the camp, Mr.
Dey came down raid. Mr, "Fifielcl and his v*ife and myself and wife had
a -jolly party, with Mr. Dey dividing his champaign, I was- receiving
at this time -considerable- money and land warrants from the East to
rater land, and as I moved across the State, I examined the lands
along our line pretty thoroughly, selecting the most favorable for
future entry* We reached Council Bluffs on November 11th, 1854, and
on November 13th, I moved into a little brick house, formerly used
as a land office.

On November 20th, we crossed the Missouri River, The ice was
running heavy. We went up to 'winter quarters, now Florence and to
Ft, Calhoun, where my father and Mr, Fifield had 'made their claims.
We found that both the claims had been jumped, I then made up my
mind to go' to the Elkhom River and make claims there. I crossed
the country from the Missouri - R iver to the Elkhom and made claims
for Fifield, 'my father, my brother and myself, all of which we
afterwards entered,, They were located just north of the ferry
crossing and where the military road was afterwards built on the
Elkhon, and near the railroad line run by me the year before,

,X On December 7th, Mr, Hadley from Salem, Mass, arrived and we
i/Iso made a claim for him. On December 10th, 1 started for Bellevue 1/
and met the Omaha Indians coming in from a battle with the Pawnees,
The 'Pawnees had killed two Omaha squaws, I crossed the river at
Bellevue and went to Council Bluffs, 1 soon returned to the Elk-
horn with supplies. We were engaged all winter in building our
cabins. There had a settlement come out from Q,uincy, Illinois,
settled north of us on the Elkhorn and called their town Fontanelle,
^hiay had an- organization and at the election we all went up there
and voted. I. remember 1 voted for Mr, Hollisteu 1 as Delegate to
Congress. We spent the entire winter in building houses for myself

and Fifield,

H On January 24, 1855, the bill passed the Legislature at Omaha
making Omaha the capital.

•T""

,-23-

On February 1, 1865, I moved my household goods and family
out to the Elkhorn River. Mrs. Fifield also moved out. The
settlers called a meeting as soon as our wives arrived and voted
to give each a claim of 320 acres. '

]_ I had to return to Council fluffs in February by request
of the Railroad 'company and sounded the Missouri River from Florence
to Bellevue, Tl spent the time while at the Elkhorn running out
claims, reconnoissances for the railroad and obtaining that infor-
mation I could of the country from the Missouri River to the
Pacific Ocean. From this information ,1 made a map of the country,
"basing it upon the m&ps made by Fremont, Warren and others who had
explored it and from, the information 1 had obtained from the Mormons
and emigrants.^, I gave an itinerary on it showing each camping
place all the way through to California, giving the fonds, where
water and wood could be found, etc. This map was published by the
citizens of Council Bluffs for the purpose of controlling emigration
and' as' it was" the 'first map of the " couiitry '' giv tog 'such'" informM ion,
it had a great influence in concentrating a large portion of the
Oregon and California emigration; at Council Bluffs, When gold was

V discovered at Denver, Mr. Crofutt, whom 1 knew, took this map and cut

. N / . •

" / it in two on a meridian running through Denver and changed the route

■*.

of the emigration so as to turn it through Denver by way of the
South Platte instead of by the Worth Platte as shown by the original
map, Mr. Crofutt sent me the half of the map that he had used and
1 have it framed and hanging in my office.

On March 25th, I went out to Loup Fonk at the' Ferity crossing
and laid out the town of Pawnee, . afterwards known as Columbus, I had
with me Messrs. Oakes, Shinn, Bunch, Woolword, and Reynolds, At
the crossing of one of the streams this side- of the Loop Fort, the
Indians followed the example of the emigrants who built bridges
ovSV small streams and changed toll, for crossing. When we reached
there , a band of pawnee Indians who' had taken' charge of one of these
bridges, demanded toll of us. The chief -came up to Shinn who was
driving the leading wagon and told him, he was a big chief and that
v they could not cross until they paid. Shinn got out of the wagon.

Ifferuok his breast with his band and told him that he was also a bi|;b;f :a . :, 4

^S^'MJi&a

; . vfrTv

INSERT Cl) PAGS 24, '

On Sunday, May 6, 1855", two Pawnee Indians called at our cabins
and crossed the ferry to their village on- the Platte River and reported
that we were hiding some Indians in our cabin. The. Pawnees made up a
war party of about 50 braves, painted and decked out wit 3 feathers,
. mounted on ponies, with guns and bows and arrows, and led by a chief,
crossed the valley, fording the Elkhorn River above Walnut Creek, came
rushing down the road toward our cabin. 'It was soon after dinner 'and '
the men were still about the cabin, it the cabin were my father, wife,
brother, a man by the name of Buxton and' Jim' Ellis, a man who had lived
on the frontier many years and was familiar with the Indians. One hf
the men saw them coming and gave the alarm. • We all armed ourselves and
went outside of the door to meet them at the threshold. We could not
imagine what was up. As they drew near, they increased -the speed of
their ponies and their appearance, with painted faeds and 'weapons of
war made us think that possibly our last day had come.
*\ ' \ The chief's pony outran the other's and he drew up and dismounted

y at our feet and made past us to enter the cabin- shouting "Ponca."

^ Ellis answered him in his own language 'saying 'there was no Ponca. Others
came up and soon our cabin was surrounded and they crowded into it and
looked into the cellar and up on the loft, we standing in wonderment
as to what it all meant. In a few moments, the Ci.ief mounted his pony
and followed by a few of the young bucks, dashed on down the valley
to Mr. Pifield's cabin, Mrs, Pifield- sat aloiv in the room with window
and door open, her husband being away. The chief entered the room
through the open window and stood -before her in his war costume. She
with coolness and bravery asked him why he did hot come in nt -the door .
instead of the window, lie, finding that he had not frightened her,
walked out the open door and in an hour or two, this war party who
hoped to frighten us returned to their village without accomplishing
their purpose. A few days after this, when Fifield and myself were
absent, about 40 Indians came over from the Pawnee Village to steal
and they found there only Mrs. Dodge and my brother and they over ran
them and. wont in and out of the cabin at -pleasure and were very saucy. ■
1 When I returned, the Indians had not yet crossed the river. I went down
and told, them that if they came over and were saucy again, 1 would
hopse-v?hIp them. I knew that would have 'more effect on' them than
'- •; • anything else because they considered it a great disgrace t© be struck.
(■ or horse --whipped.

All tiiis summer the Indians committed great depredations on
•;' the settlers up and down the Elkhorn, dr .vin/" many of them -away. There

," . was also a very large emigration crossing the Elkhron in sight of our'

' cabins on their way to California and Oregon and the Indians preyed upon
!' them, stealing their cattle and occasionally killing some one of the
emigrants o

-24-

chief and forced the Indian to let us cross without ■na'yiiig,

I returned to the Elkhorn and on April 7th, my father- aid'
brother, and a man by the name of Burton arrived from Massachusetts.

The Pawnees village was directly across the Platte from our
house in a S, W, direction about 12 miles away. Some of the Indians
had come to visit us during the winter and had "become quite friend-
ly. On April 24th» Fifield and myself visited the village and found
Ish-got-up, the chief of the Pawnees very sick. Pi'field who 'had
studied medicine said that the chief could, not live but he could
give him medicine that would relieve him. Pawnee Joe returned with
us to the Elkhorn and Fi field fixed up a bottle of medicine for
the Indian chief which instructions how to take it and 8 Sat it
"back by Joe .

The Pawnees and Poncos were at war and ."both of thetycommitting
great depredations on the other. On May 7th", a band of Pawnees came
in their war paint to our cabins hunting the poncoes. They said we
had hid them, in our cabins, hut 1 knew them so well that 1 knew they
were on a stealing expedition. They rushed into the house, up
to the garret and clown again. My lionises were lariated in the valley
and while I watched the house, I sent Buxston to get the horses.
He was not used to the Indians and was very much frightened.. They
pulled off his overalls and necktie. When he came "back 1 asked him
' what had beoome ; .:of then* He said he did not know. He was 'so
frightened that he did not know the Indians had taken them. From ' •
ou house, the Indians rushed down to Mf ield's .but he met them ^ag
i the door, with, his rPe and drove- them off. . ^f-

©n the evening of May 9th, the Pawnees came to the house
and said that Ish-got-up was very sick and wanted us to come over.
We promised him we would come over in the corning. A day or two
before this> Mr. Clark,' formerly a resident • of the Bluffs, at that
time -keeping a ■ livery stable in Omaha, came out with a wagon load
of supplies, trinkets, etc, to trade with the\Indians. He. was
stopping at our cabin waiting for an opportunity to go to the
village with someone who has been acquainted with the tribe.
In the morning, Fifield, Mr, Clark and myself went over to the
village. Fifield was not feeling very well, and the water in

.5-;

T"" ;

-25-

the river was very cold, so he remained on the north side of the
river taking care of Clark's team, while Clark and myself crossed
to the village. In crossing, I met some of the Pawnees and 1
saw by their looks there was something wrong. They did not speak '
to me as they had before. 1 told Clark that something was up.
When 1 got to the Tillage, I found that Ish-got-up was dead. We
went into the council house where he was lying, and all the squaws
were in it, yelling aid tearing their hair, a terrible scene, and
1 could tell from the looks of all that they had in their mind
that the. medicine Fifield had sent over had killed Ish-got-up;
however, I said nothing but stayed around there for about half
an hour, when 1 said .to Clark that we would return, but when I
started, one of the sub- ^chiefs touched me on the shoulder and
told me to go with him- 1 told Clark he had better return to
Fifield but he said, "No 1 will stay by s you". 1 cautioned him
about using his arms or doing anything; that the Indians were evi-
dently "suspicious' and 'undecided what "to do. They '"took" me" into
a lodge where the chiefs were assembled, 1 should say fifteen or
twenty of them, I noticed, that, they did not pass the pipe of peace.
They brought in the bottle of medicine and I was asked to take of it,
which I did, knowing that it was ; harmless. They then discussed the
question for fully an hour. 1 could tell from their discussion and
acts that 1 had some friends among them, but what the result would be
I did not know. I was very anxious; in fact, any person having
Indians holding a council over them would have -.the cold sweat stand
out upon them as it did on me, but 1 kept quiet and cool and finally
one of the Indians came up to me : and toltf me to leave and 1 put the
river between them and me very quickly. Afterwards these Indians
were enlisted in a battalion of Pawness which 1 raised in January
1885 at the beginning of the Indian campaign. Major N rth was their
tf'dfemander and'wh-n any of their wanted any favor, of me, he calimed
he was the one who saved my lifev' This battalion served with me
not only during the Indian war but all the time I was building the
Union Pacific and were of great -service to me.- They got a great
- many favors, individually, f rom ;me for what they all claimed to :' ■'
.l|ave done for me in the council.

■ ; - 28-

Pawnee Joe was at our house a great deal and was always
friendly and. I have no doubt he ; used his influence in my behalf,
hut this taught me a lesson; I never gave Indians any medicine
after that time . ;

\^ On June 1st, I went into Council Bluffs, hired a log house on
Hyde Street of Mrs, Avery, located just north of where the Methodist
Church now stands and on June 5th moved into it. On June 7th,
there was born there my first daughter, Lottie. Dr. Honn was the
physician. On June 17th, 1 moved out again to the Elkhorn.

In July, the Omaha Indians went out to the head of the Loop

Fork on a hunting excursion and -the Sioux attacked them, cutting

off Logan Fontanel l,e the chief :and a few of the braves ?rtio were

killed, and on July 24th, the Omahas returned and camped near our

• cabins, having the dead body of : Font ane lie with them. They had
one eiid dragging, on the 'ground the other en*..'
him lashed to a tepee pole&pynd attached to a pony. During this

suture r the Indians had become very troublesome. They were stealing

and saucy. The pawnees had stolen a good, many cattle from the

settlers and driven them to their village. One day 1 drove up the ]

Platte and. found that after they... had < killed the cattle, they 'had

With, the horns

placed their heads on 'mounds facing the settlement, which was an

A-

act of defiance and I understood it. Mo;?t of the settlers whose
cattle had. been killed, lived in Omaha. They had their claims on
the Elkhorn and lived in the city* Among them was Mr. Reeves,
who was the Sherriff of Douglas : County. He came out with a party
of thirty of these settlers on their way to the) "Pawnee village.
They reached our cabins early' in the coming and were very anxious
to have Fifield and myself accompany them to the village. I- told
him they were making a mistake as the Indians were ugly and defied
urs and if they went over there, they would be killed, but they
thought we were cowards and said they were going Ao have cattle or
blood. Fifield crossed them on ; the ferry,. 1 took my transit and
■'went up on the hill back of my house where 1 cpuld see the Indian
village and wait one d their movements. The party Trent on until they
reached the Platte River apposite 'the Indian' village, when there
rose up about 500 Indians and surrounded them. 1 could not tell
what was being 'done to them but : I was fearful that they would all. •'
be killed, but pretty soon I saw them rushing back, as fast, as they.^

-ais. : i;*™iis'

as*

/ INSERT (&) PAGE 27. ■

"I- 7 r? :

On July 29, 1854, my brother a.nd 1 took a horse-back ride up
the Elkhorn to near the mouth of Bell Creek. The vegetation was nearly
as high as our heads when on horseback and when separate a short dis-
tance could not see each other.

On the same day some Sioux Indians--, attacked a family on Bell
Creek, just above its mouth and killed one or two men and wounded
one woman, Great excitement was prevalent in Omaha on Monday caused
by this incidents The next Sunday afternoon, two men belonging to the
Quincy Co, and living several miles from Pnntanell on Bell Creek,
started for the latter place, one; of them accompanied by his wife.
"When within a mile or so of their destination, they heard the report
of a gun; thinking it might be some. one of the settlers, -they went in
search of them and when, in a deep: ravine, were greeted by a band' of
Indians. They appeared friendly;; approached and shook hands. One-,
of the Indians took a hat from one of the white men and put it on
"l his own head. The owner tried to- reclaim it bu'> could not and they
j started away. The Indian followed and shot them dead. The woman was
•> some yards away and when she saw her husband fall, immediately rushed
to the spot 9 Finding her husband dea d," she started to escape toward
Fontanelle„ The Indians pprsued her and sent a shower of arrows after
her, one of which took effect,- piercing her through the ghigh, but she
managed to escape and reached Pontanelle* The Indians scalped their
victims and made their escape. This was 'the first attack made by the

Indians and word was • sent- -to- -Fontan-el-l-,-g--a settlement north- -of Bell

Breek and a courier sent to the Governor at Omaha to ask for militia
, to protect the Elkhorn settlement. We undertook 'to get the .settlers
to congregate at our cabin and to; make arrangements to defend our-
selves but they were so .frightened that they were afraid to stay and
all moved into Onifeha, leaving no one but Pifield and my -family in
the settlement and we immediately: moved Into Omaha. |

-27-

could come,, and long before the.y got to the ferry, they were
hollering for the boat. The Indians had taken all their arms,
ha d stripped them of most of their clothes and they were glad. to
escape. When they came back, Fifield asked them which tAywgof,
cattle or blood? This was really the beginning of the Indian War.
On July 29, 1855, three men and na.6 woman were killed by the
Indians just south of Fontanelle. They also came down the Elk'horn
Valley, stealing from the houses, making the settlers cook for them,
and committing other depredations, so that the settlers commenced
leaving the country and moving into Omaha. Pifield and myself
called a meeting of the settlers with a view of staying and defend-
ing our property but they were all frightened and everyone left
except Fifield and myself and our families. We did not consider

it safe to remain and on August. 1st, -we moved into the city. We

.- - in -Omaha

rented an uncompleted log house on the A. D. Jones claim, which

is just south of where the Burlington station is no\? located. We
finished the house 'and moved into it. The rest of the summer • .
was sneht in. Omaha, m^ *TjT/?i * ■ ' ' ' '

'On October 9th,< with my family, I went east, at a call from
the railroad company/ and on ray' return from there, I went ,into
partnership with John T. Baldwin and opened a banking and land
office under the firm name of Baldwin & 'Dodge. ^The knowledge I
had of the country through tny survyes was now utilized in entering
lands for people in the East and for that time, the firm did a large
business."? I spent most of the summer of 3356 in the East meeting
people who wished to invest and making arrangements for their
business. During this summer I. visited Peabody, Danvers, and
Rowley, Mass. , and obtained customers in all those places.

... ' f f n |uly"1856, I organized the Council Bluffs Guards for. the
protection of the frontierCJ It was. the first organized military

"-■«6rapany in Western Iowa and was composed 'of the following citizens:

Geenville M. Dodge, Captain. ; M. C. Goodwin.

■' Seth fit. Graig, 1st Lieut. . ■ Wash Griffith
R# Dunn 2nd " Saml. Holland.

Dr. D.J Sullivan, Surgeon. : H. M. Hargns
Henrv Allen, Sergeant ■ ' v He dig.

Royal u Amy. F.T.r\ Johnson.

Thomas B. Benton, M W. C. James,

John T. Baldwin J. B. Lewis

L b.., .-.,■>,,-,•. 'Leak*

ChauV'wV Bryant . Law*-""" M t=rtle

-28-

H. Barnes
^Nathan P. Dodge

Pat Dor an

R. Dewey

Jermiah Folsom*
M Samuel P. Folsom

T, J. Nevitt

T. S. Nelson

John T. Oliver

Runne 11 s ,

W. R. Reel

Perry Reel

Reynolds

L. Mallett
v Mawhinney

A. McDonald.
T. H. Miller -

Miles,
Wallace McFadden (Drummer)
Milton Rogers.

Soule .
J, R. Snyder
Jake Schoupe
J. B. Stutsman.
J. G. *hit taker
Prank Welch.

This list is not complete -as the company numbered about fifty
men. They were armed with muskets, uniformed with, blue cloth suits.
The company had to pay for its arms, equipments and uniforms which
•cost about $1500, the most of which I paid. There was attached to
it a Saxe Horn Band of which Cyrus C. Kuhn was leader. The company
met regularly for drill and we were often called upon to take part
in local celebrations. They were invited to Omaha in November 1858
and General Thayer of the Nebraska Militia with his staff met
them at the Perry landing and escroted them up into the town
where the citizens entertained them in a royal manner.

In 'September"! sent" them from' Iowa City,' forty muskets' and

equipments,

I During the mummer of 1856, I also went by steamer to St.
Louis and made arrangements for business in that city. In the
fall of 1856, the M. & M. Railroad again commenced work and up©n
receiving notice from Mr. Peter : A. Dey who still had charge of it,
I returned to Iowa City and on October 8th organized a party
and- camped on the Iowa River. My party consisted of J. TT ". House, •
Trans itman, George House, Leveller, Robins, Reynolds, Langerfeld,
Jenson and Carmichael „ Our instructions were to go to the head
of Beaver Creek, a fork of the Raccoon, and make a new survey to
Council Bluffs running down the .Mosquito Ya], ley,

r spent a good deal of 'time examining the approaches to the
Missouri River to determine thereat location into Council Bluffs.

t^ftere had a contest arisen in relation to whether the road should
terminate at Council Bluffs or Florence. Cook and Sargent who
were prominent men in the' company, had bought an interest at
Florence and were very anxious that the road should be built dawn
the Pigeon and terminate at Florence, but the typographical

sW'^

S;«SM::"'>v

«sis«f8»

-; 29-

features of the line determined that it should come down the Mos-
.quito and terminate at Council Bluffs. This was also the .commercial
feature as the town of Omaha had; been established then and had
become quite a place, it being on one side of the river and Council
Bluffs on the other. - The citizens of Onuncil Bluffs and Omaha
both entered this contest, hut the recommendations of Mr, Dey»
the Chief Engineer, that the line l had surveyed town. the Mosquito
should he adopted, was approved by the company and the terminus made//"'
at Council piuf fs,,^

the arrival of the party at Council Bluffs, I paraded the
Council Bluffs Guards. They then had their arms and uniforms and
made a very attractive appearance.

I returned j; -foH Iowa City in fovember, at the termination of
our survey, by stage, my party returning by land. At Des Moines, a
passenger in the~ stage with me, siititthe door on my hand, taking the

nail, of my., second finger ..completely .".o.f.f.. ...It. was., a very., pa inf. til

operation hut I wrapped my hand up in my handkerchief, the best I
coul-d, and went* on to -the city. :The party reached the city on
December 7th. All 'of this winter, we were encamped between Iowa
City and Des Moines, locating and staking out our line. I remember
the winter as a very cold one. There came to us at this time a
young man by the name of Pogue , a nephew of one of the directors,-, , " !
of the company.. We x?ere encamped on Clear Creek near ^ he _.&£&£■«- ••■•

■\X'"

line, Pogue had had no experience, so I? put him to carrying the •

stakes. The heavy snows of the winter had covered the streams .

without their being frozen over but the crust' of the snow had

become so hard that It would bear up the party, but 1 cautioned them

to be careful when crossing small; streams, not to get in, but Pogue,

the first or second day out with his stakes, broke through the

.sjgnew crust and fell into a creek and got very wet. The thermometer * •

'<
was eight or ten degrees, below zero. I was on ahead of the party

and they came after me. 1 went hack and found Pogue freezing,

¥e stripped his clothes off and rolled him in the snow. While

this was a very severe treatment,: it was very effective and saved"

/him from freezing., lach member of the party took off some portion.;''.;

'•'3

-30-

of their dry clothing and gave: It to him, and we got him back to
camp. The shock was such that Pogue did not go out for several
days. He was very despondent.: The stage ran, right past where
•we were encamped and one evening when I came in, I found a short
note from Pogue on the table and it said that the M. & M. Railroad
and myself could go to hell, he was going to New York. He had
had all the surveying he oared ; for.

r — -" There had arisen on the Missouri river, a great fear that
the terminus of the road would' still he moved from Council Bluffs
to Omaha and Mr. Parnifel^iaxl said that if the county of Pottawattamie
would vote him $300,000 in bonds, and if Douglas County would vote
an additional sum, he would commence work at the Missouri River
and grade East until the grading met. 1 presented this proposition
to the citizens of both places, and on January 4th, 18 57, Pottawa-
ttamie County called an election to- vote upon the issue of $300,000
in bonds. Douglas County -Hebraska called an election to vote on
?2G0»000 to the M. & M. rlM.road, providing work started in Council
Bluffs during the year.

On January 12th, I attended the Legislature in Iowa City //'
endeavoring to obtain the passage of a militia bill, but was un-
successful and on January 22nd, 1 attended the Republican State
Convention at Iowa City as a delegate from Pottawattamie County.
At this convention, James W. Grimes was nominated;; for Governor
if 1 remember rightly, :

During February 1857, as 'the party was running another line
up Clear Creek, we came across :a farmer by the nane of John Scott,
then the party reached his fence, they found Scott there with
his shot-gun prohibiting them to cross. 1 was on ahead of the
pa#ty looking up the line when ; thfry sent for me. I went back and
tried to induce Scott to let us pass over his farm but he said no,
^ he would shoot the first man who tried to cross the fence. He

said he knew a better line to the south of us, 1 knew what that ,
meant. 1 gave the wink to -Mr. : House and then started off with Mr.
Scott* I looked over the; route pointed out by him, staying- long
enough to be sure of my party's getting over the farm. When ifB\K- • ■
got back, to his farm, Scott- was : very angry when he saw the . ;.;;oyhy:;

■ ' ■":%*;. . .. .

.. -31-

stakes on his place and saw the : triok I had played on him and was

just ready to shoot me, but i told him the party had gone on with
out my knowledge and that all he had to do to destroy their work
was to pull up the stakes, which he did. 1 cared nothing for this
as 1 had my course and levels over the place. Scott was one of
the frontier men wh/o said he did not want a railroad; that his
neighbors were already to near to him- and they were several miles
away, .

On March 12, 1857, while running up Bear Creek, on a bright
sanny day with a light fall of snow on the ground, every man in the
.party, who was out to work in the field, became snow blind. I
was running the instrument that -day and running to a flag set some
two or three miles ahead, "When we got into camp that night we began
to feel the effects of the reflection' of the sun on the snow on our
eyes and by monring none of us eould see, and we were all put in one
of the wagons and taken to Iowa iCity. With most of the party the
snow blindness was only temporary but with me, being at the instru-
ment, it was very serious and they kept me in a dark room a month
before I fully reoeovered- my eyesight.
a _.,. I During th§4 summer, I negotiated with Mr. S. R, Riddle for
the property which is now known :as the Riddle Tract in Council
Bluffs for the terminal of the Rock Island Railroad. I think I
paid him $10,000 for the tract, reserving some, twenty acres -of it
for the terminals. The balance :of it was divided into interests,
the owners of the M, & H» road and some of .the people of Council

Bluffs each taking an interest, 4
I
V On June 13th, Pottawattamie County voted on the $3D0,0000

bond issue to the M. & M. , which it carried by 630 majority.

During this month LeroJ Tattle became a partner of Baldwin

& Dodge, '

4i on July 15th, the Council ; Bluffs guards •officers were assessed

$20 and the non-commissioned officers $15 and the enlisted pen $5

for the purpose of obtaining equipment etc,

;/>, On August 27th, my brother, Mr. N. P. Dodge, pre-erapjed the

'Wi' &: N. E. l/4 of section 16' -range 10 E„ on the Elkhron River .Nebraska «.•' .,.;

; B41814

-33-
October l<Slh, the a. ft h. road agaio li lacharged ell Its
engineering corps and stepped all work., 1 returned to hoiinvll

• Bluffs by Hie ray of 3!",. Louis on Doeenher 3, "1357. I had bought
In St, Louis a frame house ? all realty to set up, paid *400 loo it
and had shipped it to Council Fluffs,, It cost me fSeO to erect,
plaster and paint it. It is still standing, a nice cottage , with
a nor oh added, a f No , Pierce St, *

During th' year 1850, Baldwin ft Dodge , in connection riih Mr,
B, R. ^egrain opened a mercantile house under the firn name of Bald-
win, Pegram ft Co., end they did a very extensive business, ruining
the summer I eoirmoiieed work again on the kg ft M, road carrying out
the agreement of tug Henry Farnara with the County that hen voted
the bonds and graded a one 12 miles of road up the rlosquito Valley,
This work continued until Novomher 30th, 1358, when the inability
to soil the bonds stopped the work. During this ye or, T also "rule
explorations vrest of the Missouri River and they oontinned ountd
the year ]*?$/. The firm of Baldwin, Pegram. ft Co., co^nonoed

.-freighting on the plains and sunt the first train of flour to
Denver, Thoy established a relay station at old Ft. Cottonwool
afterwards known as Ft, MoPherson. We sent ray father to look after
our stock, and he opened a store there, trading with the -migrants
and the Indians. The emigration throngh the country during this

year was very large, *

My duties took roe euay fro™ Council Bluffs and on July 27, 1850
■ T resigned as Captain of the Council Bluffs Guards and was succeeded

"by Seth 0i«aig o

/ " In August 1339 , ahen I returned from the' plains, 1 met here ^
Abraham iineoln. He had loanded some money to Mr. IT. F. Judi, the
Attorney of the Rock Island railroad, secured by interest Mr, Jndd
had in the Riddle Tract, tin. Lincoln had been to Kansas and en
hdM return, eatpo tip the Missouri River by 'boal to Oouneil Fluffs to
'look at this property. He also had friends here who has formerly
lived in Springfield, Illinois: Mr. 7. H. M. Pusey and Thomas
Officer,, fie learned froei them that 1 had returned from reconnaissances
west of the Klssonri Rim and on the porch of the Pacific House,
he spent an hour cr two with no, leaking full Inquiry as te what

J^u^^ 13, ' Council Bluffs, ieiya, Dec. 16, 1.500*

Dear Mother and Julia:

>->

M . lf . ™ * npve ?f e « ^o nuC y to write you until today j have * Htt,V

ui.ua. ^ .Father writes ine nearly everj week and 1 hear fr-o-n 1-n h'r ih e
ri.grmio who are continually passing through here: bin ran^h , ?£

est Known on the road and ha sells a large amount of rooS "" i' w
hxm on, throe weeks a C o ei-ht large loads of flour, rro,»-,: iP . rf T"
rhe Indians ar, camped close by him and trade considerable! '

do-n ther-°i U io a "f ;» are .not very much excited out here. 1 SU ppo P o

H Is-; Sf" : « s™».h;,-! rh ; is

as s.Si;i:rSiS''sshr-rS-" »:*s S~

rights; to stand fk^ni^r^^ry^tSSS ^ SI?*" inCh f ^ JUGt
of clamoring should nove the Lth S if to , their £ Uns « Wo amount
to break up this union a$ fZ L ? + ? S 8 f u " uh never should be allowed

anoiaUy 6 o under "aid "let e^ery^f^r^wJ^ioSSV? 6 ^^ fliH

Revise t^J^T^i't^^ 1 ? 8e ^f* 1 ^ ^r solid aon turn -

"Brooks « that ^ iL " ^-a.McGowan, half brother to the

a western clty/^ci , Shi'h ^1°^ J he had better P*<*«™ after

negro from Nebraska helL tlken ta tw t er -P nS and defends a

under the constitution he is Tree? ^erntory as a slave when.

' l ' hiii,& *•* ^tuin- new here; good slftiriilnr ar^' i)ip a c, n +
weather. Polks are all well. Little°Ella is as fat as' S •

Let as qmel: as lightening and about as pointed, P '

Givo my respects to all the folks. Is old Dan at Rowley?

Yours,

l'/:- We * re ^ ust getting a P.O. established at cur ranch at '
Co^onwood springs and. father is to be P. m. again.

-53-

my surveys had developed showing a groat interest in the proposed
Pacific railroads. I told him what our explorations from 1853 to
that time had developed and pointed out. to Mm what Mr. Dey's and my
own views were for a proper route for a pacific road across the con-
tinent. Fie virtually shelled my 'woods and got all the information I
had for my employer, Mr. Henry Farnatn, who had personally been at the
expense of our explorations west of the Missouri River. ;

This year we commenced making contracts with the Indians for
different supplies,, especially for flout', which we manufactured in
our ml] and kept our trains running to Denver, 1 went East and
interested Mr, C, W, Durant in our milling and train business and
obtained large sums of money from him which we invested.

:. | During 1800, the political situation in the 'tilted States
caused great excitement. I took an active part- in politics in the
Western part of the State, and at the request of Mr. H, B. Judd„ who
was the manager for Abraham Lincoln' in the campaigns I went to

\/ Chicago at the time of his nomination and aided all T could in

bringing it about. The delegation from 'the State of Iowa was greatly
divided between Seward, MeLane and others.^. In the beginning, 1 think
there was only two delegates voted for Mr. Lincoln but. in the final
vote taken the last day, my recollection is that ir-ost of them voted
for |,fr. Lincoln, „_ ^^ls>U~ i 3J.

I visited Pew Yorb two or three times during the year and had
iiumerouo interviews with Messrs. Farnam, Durant / Tracey and others in
relation to a Pacific Railroad. ^Ihey were 'then going before Congress
in behalf of the line we had surveyed.] March 1, 1861, Messrs, Farnam,
Durant, Tracey, Cook and myself went to Washington and went before
Congress Committees in opposition to what was known as the Compromise

Bill and succeeded in defeating it. Early in the agrl nr; of 1 801 ,

I had made arrangements with H, M. Hoxie who was a warm personal
friend and whom 1 had been working with politically in the State, to
meet him in Washinpfon at the inauguration. We hired half of a house
iuet back of the National hotel, which was occupied by Kasson, Blair,
Hoxio, Gurly, Allison, David and myself end everybody earning from Iowa.*

-34-

• ._-.->'

/i sited as and interested us in the appointments for that State »

\ On March 4th, the clay of Lincoln's inauguration, I wrote the

following home in relation to his inaugural address:

"Old Abe delivered the greatest speech of the age. The
"Sermon on the .Mount" only exe ills it. It is backbone all over;
and Washington, with its onr hundred thousand Republicans i.s very,
very high tonight. The city bristled withbayonets and old Scott i:
praised, by every one for his great and excellent measures to keep
the peace. There has not been a disturbance since I came here, and it
is said that tlv re rover was a crowd to equal this."

All our friends were in favor of Kr, John A. las son for
Assistant Pont -master General and succeeded in having him appointed.

On March 17th, in company v;ith Messrs ley and Draper of Hew
York (Mr. Ney was an applicant for the position of Governor of
Nevada) we visited President Lincoln. Everyone appreicated tdie
hard task before him, and in talking to him in relation to these
matters , he said, "I shall bring the country out all safe."
• •■' I remained in Washington unitl the latter part of March, then
returned to New York to take up' the question of continuing the
surveys for the Union Pacific road and its future legislation.
President Lincoln had assured us that he was very much in favor of
the passage of the law and the building of the road,^ ,
I ' f had become somewhat dissatisfied with the methods need by \

the different companies I was connected with and decided to dissolve
the p. rtnership, and on my return to Council Bluffs in -April, I took

\ this matter u p ,

Xv /■ T h e last of March, of the first of April, the Government

had ordered two companies of soldiers from Fort Bandoll to go south
by stealer to St. Joseph and across the country then to the East.
1 had receiver] information that the Confederates in northern Missouri
were aware of this and proposed to capture these two companies, I

immediately wrote John lasson as follows;

Council Bluffs, April 2, 1861

Dtfar s ^«; yesterday and would have ^telegranohed you at

' " + Tn^Pnh^n'had t d«A^ ■••>•• bo, There are men ror^i cession

nnU^ P ?o i-inine. : at St. Joseph for the purpose of capturing

the troops fro Fort Randall.- They will be down about May 1, on the
Xana^ad they propose to take, boat cms fco ^^^^ ihe

letter e from steadv Union men in St, Joseph, and I shall boaia tne
?; o ; f^s ono comes down. Ky information is such that there is no
doudVtboit SVter, and a telegram from fee proper source to the
officers or. the boat would cause them to fake the proper ac ,iou.
This letter will reach Washington before the troops reach this r J. i--.ee-.

COP''/ '//'/-£/- Cl-^-:^o ' -s.'t^2.-i*-lk ^p^cJ> -^f-'^Z&z^ tZ.J^'-^jdiLr^ /Uyfi.e-i^

1 arrived at t~I:i.:» plrxw las'; dWir.vo.diiy tdrht siXt-r p. chilly
ant! blusterin;; ^cur^y of a Is veil ddys Iiorstbaa'r, tv<< OaySi licyovur* 1
laid ovnr -hat ib rostsd, f.r I should h.avc> Ira.-?;* a?.st! up. Sdev.t idv
a dtdl throe* T,iffr.t,;} t b,-u;;.,no» od td.a tima ir. tlvi wiu^v-n that took; tiov.i;
our duddlddiu rob^s . 1 had not roda tro duys deform X ;yot into cold
^atsr, ffhilo up At oottouv.'^od Springy f,d« "»6.-ttdi<*r va;5 delightful wi^m

1 left, :\r«I iti i'&vz dan been ,io all t/Ir.tai*, X re; >!•:>•# rttm-jri/j^ -At
u,Ivt»a v.-3wro 1 aw lLlriD£»' in mrpsriur asyls tu what, I Imvg lived iir^e

2 /ji.wo 1^'«.;>; «!; Cottonwood* Vaw live letter than d-ddn fr.fid.ly*
Lsttio mnd Ella ^re ronlly Locvutii^I eliiXir^i. dett:!e haa improved
m^h -.•rl.i.cs 3 lt?£t, . 5>he io very c'r^cefal, ana I ]:il(did add, scsoa:-
pi! shed dor -a cdrl or dor &£0 . Shu ruts f*v»vry ">ord in tdie rigni.
plnee, :*."> ^rar^s^rlit.n do^jt hotter ? and thin sly; is very oardblo, can
do n\ii:: d.indr, ,rl dtw«*js tvorfc;. dlla Is tho qj-i^tssa^r.oa of uoo&
r«ctm-e» i:> t "..t dluu^p .>;•; a v^'trrUVy* j.M -grotty, lvk! rlXI tad.d as fact
an a dlfnnr lidiU. v : •vrhoh he thinks sd'J dm?jiec?f ars ndtor dim. and so:"©
thlidd^ tl*\* '•••'■i' 4 ; '* v > : "' '- ^h~i":to,;d a,?; tv^ll,

t'vo L\:viral d'dd,Mrr c,f iriy y2/d,"\i 'for Iid^u t, riyradatioiis Is
cdiov/oi, 'cukI !Idd , ! i.-t/ ', inii^.^C l's m* d* d.^r-j idi; i'.-or^y paid mo In
Omaha r.njao tdnv ;*ar:c^, X thi-id h-j ?d1d ie u:-ud"l:. zc !j,^t any po-

sitinxi lor .^u«- .'us •",:;).•,!, cd." tn-s ^^M-n-w ofdica/. rro fi.ddiCi, 1 believe
tdifi aproir.tt.'-f-'jit. r.:r liv^.:*,'^ \i*3ncy j:>is „d,rs(V?y Veen T.»a.'d-> so I cannot
!ttt\»o that, „

lir.isr:; I can r?^il it' infc«*rc*.st at Cnttcrs.vn^d 1 shall return

(25

lottcr I've.-. "■'- '. ' .1 '■':;, ':.'..- -.'. 1 '• - . " .i "-. ■■ ". . v:-

v.; "„ L. . .11 . ;-c'k\,1. ? : 'V--".,' ;.:;.:•;_ lol-t-.rj ;.:*.., ... • o < ':. i/ ath: : 'jy

..-,-■ -i . . ■, . •• -.-..> - •' " "' • • ,. * ■-,.,-,. > . . , .. . x , -y . ,a,

;. _ .;- \„y p .:•:, _ .-.. ? :; - ; ,1 ... .- _.\: " ;.- . ' r'-t _ -' :.-----.-. . . ;. -j.vy ;^"Jc 4

; p -:o'.a.'.?.y ,\ , ;•;;-,; ;•.:■> \..j,w '.-. c,.". . . "- v . : . \.o '. .'-o jo ; .0'^„'ly

:...;;•.., v.t P T "j- „V.v_- vl:.:! '-•, 1 \V ■ J ■„•.;.. :luli j ; ;■ • .. .

co''x iil^l*. P , -- ' .3 Z > ^^'-..'"' c..:, ..; '.."'. - • • 1; .-'.■•; " ./.r s lyj ■..;:•

: ; T •- . .,.'•' — 'if:. ^ :!.:.: ;' ,- . - ' ". . . : ;• . -, 1 ■ ."- ; -v... 4 ' '; : '. 'Mi . -.v.'- 5 ,
r" - ■ ~~ , . k, .." : '•■;■'.' .t.\.~. yi.\~i ..'..,. :..■_. ."-- ~ .-.'../ j." . .» ' co :1..

....ic; f.oly ni"'";:o l.r .".'j, -. 'PL, .y .v .P. . ;;.•,!..: ',t Jlo -:._-"." '. ..P-or ,::.." :.•-.«

**u*,r ]:urrsr« '.ro :'.-jac;>ir. l;3;o oprss.lt & biuiS, on^a acrnso th<xt

vlio 1 fin-»G u,:n5i.:» 4 ia.»i y:\ion ha *:u\?, It* t^ouhla. I!e took good
*» a v :vi -#,'h.sri I cc>.''=i^ to sot Mo My "bill ir: *h^ ijiariiinn ho r/otild
ncs taka *:ii''; orjnt. 1 h&vo ;.>:^.;s cco-.l fri^tUlT, v:,* vlio ?la«!;& valley,
tilw^/3 f >i"d to iid^ :;:t , Xnr"/ \.:-'u;y r-ooplo k'::n>v ji.o I wii.cs call by r.aia
O.'^ali^ fal.xo n^-:ii3c! ^Ind ta {?-:•>:' ins, as did nI*;:.o ::&n"j in CBlufi's

T.'-.ay !uul o.ll ,h>Kir! ci* our **:;^.v^<j clsan^d cut, scalped 6c,
and ".vere n*^- «^ ^ <s '' ni! '^it-h even a jnuc?: lnr£:ar .scalp thun they over

(S)

'42 GO jfor ^aar

Tery truly.

.:^do«, )

Union men are leaving Missouri in swarms, and unless matters
change ■within a v/eel;, a reign of terror will exist about 3t . Joseph"

I received an order from the Far Department to hoard the steam
. er as it passed here and deliver an order from the T "ar Department
to disembark at this point and march across this state.

On- -'he arrival of the steamer here, 1 went aboard and met
Captain Gettey ..To live. red the ord-r to him and invited them to
encamp in Council Bluffs and the officers to become our guests.
The officers declined stofing that they preferred to camp outside
of the town with their companies. They campekl on the Mosquito
Creek on the main stage line. They marched across the State
until they reached the end of the railroad. (^■^■a^e^/x^J .

On April 25th, the Governor of the State appointed Judge Caleb
Baldwin to talis charge of the organization of military companies on
the Missouri Border and Judge Baldwin appointed 'me as his Adjutant,
i 1 had already organised the Council Bluffs Guards with- a view of
going into the service and. had become Captain of them again ) 1
offered, them to the Governor for the 1st Iowa Infantry but he de-
clined stating that he could not take them away from the borders.
I again offered them to him for the 2nd Iowa and he still declined _
when I informed him that I should apply to go into the regular army.
I immediately went to work on the organisation of the companies on
the. border into a S t ate Guard and I find in my reports I organized
„„ the following companies:

Constitutional Guards, Co 8 A .W.R.English, Captain, Thomas K, Mead Is,

Lt. I. L. Shields, 2d Lt .

Union Cavalry/ Co, B. S. H. Craig, Captain, J. L. Oliver 1st Lt . P. "■

"Wheeler, 2nd Lt,

Council- Bluffs Guard, Co. C G. M. Dodge Captain, Chas . L. Hopper,
1st. Lt. Rice, 2nd Lt . This company which was organised four years
before, had lost all of their arras and equipments but were again armed

.bjrme ,
Page Co. Rangers, Co, D.' Joseph Creamer, Captain, R. P. Coonor, 1st Lt.

■ and George Ball, 2nd Lieut.

Frontier Guards, Co. E a YM, Tripp, Capt. Win, R, Smith, 1st Lt. and
A. J. Millard, 2nd Lt,

Citizens union Guard Co. F. G. E. Gaston, Captain, ! ! /m, A. Ba'&ss,

1st Lt. Channey.L r Clarh^g^LU^ C fp Bluf f s g Lt ^Art. Co, G. Samuel .

! , -3G-

| r 1881

! r.,r L On May 25th, I received the following letter- from Gov. Kirlcwood:

/£--/ "I hereiwth confide to you a communication to Maj. Gen. Harney
y'' , at St. Louis, desiring from him or through him from the Secretary

of War, 3000 stand of arms from the command at Ft. Kearney, Nebraska,
Should It he deemed proper by you, when at St. Louis, upon conference
with General Harvey, to. so to Washington City in order, more readily
to obtain these arms, I desire you to go there at once. When the
order is obtained yon will report to me • immediately for further
instructions."

On receipt of this letter, I Immediately went to Des Moines
and had an interview with the Governor, 1 left Des Moines for St.
Louis, Ft. Leavenworth and Washington, May 24th. I failed to get any
arms at Ft. Leavenworth: also at 3t. Louis, General Harney stated
that he had none but he told mvw thought there was come deposited In
the Allegheny Arsenal that had not yet been use-", I oiade a memoran-
dum of this, 'The Governor had given me letters to Fitz Henry Warren,
a citizen of Iowa, who was then the Correspondent of the New York
Tribune In Washington. On my arrival In Washington, 1 first called
on him and told him my business,, He said he did not believe there
could be any arms procured as every State had been applying for
them, I told him that I knew where there vie re some arms. He went
with me and introduced' me to the Secretary of War, Simon Cameron.
The Secretary told me they had no arms and it was impossible to get
any, 1 asked him if I could have any arms that I found and he said
"Yes" 9 I immediately left him. 1 had a f rien i In the Ordnance
Department and I went to see him, told him confidentially what
Harney had told me and he inquired at the arsenal and found there
/ about 8000 Springfield muskets, smooth bore, that had not been Issued,

With this informations I 'went back to Secretary Cameron, who, nhen I

1v\

told him of these arms, hesitated about giving me an order for them

bujf II held him to his agreement and got the order. I placed a man

in charge of these arms to take care of them until they could get to

the ?tate. On this seconcl interview, Cameron immediately offered me

a-ebmmission as Captain in the 15th ui S. Infantry but I told him that

h i

it was ImpossiblefQDr me to accept It as my serivces were first due

to the State./' He then offered me a Colonelcy of the 4th Iowa Infantry,

I immediately" wired the Governor' and was accepted.) Sec. Cafleron

said he gave me this because 1 had succeeded In doing what all the

rest had failed to do. It "seems that the Senators and Representatives

' : -3.7-

from our State in Congress, had tried to secure arms but had failed.
Villi le in Washington, the Secretary of War and Pitz Henry Warren
desired me to take the first Brigadier Generalship of the Stater I
declined feeling'" I did not have the experience to fill such a posi-
tion. They then undertook to give it ta McKeene but Congressman
| Samuel R. Curtis became a prominent candidate and obtained it./.
"While I was in Washington, -John* Adair McDowell, brother of
Major General Irvin McDowell .who ;was then command in^g at Arlington,
wished to obtain a Colonelcy in the Iowa regiments. He asked me to
dinner with his brother, and 1 accepted. After our dinner was over,
General McDowell said to me, "Here are two young men, John Adair
McDowell and William H. T/or thing ton, who wish, commissions in Iowa
regiments and you. can get them." : 1 was astonished at what he said
and 1 said, "How can 1 obtain them?" He said, "If yon will send
a dispatch to Governor lirkwood, ^recommending them, 1 know he will
give them the position." McDowell and Worthington were both stran-

gens to me. and -I did., not. like. to. ; take ..such ...a responsibility .. but.. I

told, him that I would wire the Governor that he, General McDowell
wished their appointment and' recommended them and .that I thought
the appointment would be good one. This is the substance of the
. dispatch 1 sent lirkwood and he authorized their appointment, one
taking the 5th Iowa and the other the 8th. ■

In the life of Governor lirkwood, fmsfaasmm .the following ^ ^
statement as to my action in obtaining the arms;

"Among these men, one of the most determined and persevering

• -was & M. Dodge. I„ the commencement of the war one of the greatest
• • needs was arms. Fo? the purpose; of obtaining them,, the Governor

issued the following commission: ; Execlltive Hkamber,

Des Moines, Iowa, May 25, 1861,

Capt * tor'sfr:? 61 ! hereby confide to you a communication to Major

• General Harney, 'at St, Louis, desiring from him, or though hitn,
??om ?he Secretary of 'far, 3000 stand of arms from the command at

W Kearney Neb. Should it be deemed proper by you, when at
Sr ToS upon conference with Gen. Harney to go to Washington
CMV in orde? ?he more readily to obtain these arms, 1 desire you
l^go ?here at once. When the order is obtained, you will report
"to me immediately for further instructions. ;

Respectfully ,

Samuel' R, Kirkwood,
■ ••''•••■ " Governor of Iowa.

«,..' -• Gen B odge at this time was 'captain of an independent military

.',*:. lor the protection of the southern border ^rom Missouri secession-

.!■:

-38-

i s t s or t he we s t e rn I nd i an s ,

So anxious was Dodge to enter- upon active military; service,
that he told the Governor he should seek service in the Regular
Army, The Governor then issued to him the above commission, which
he at once proceeded, to execute. Failing to get arms, either at
St. Louis OT Fort Leavenworth, he went direct to Washington, On
his arrival there, Cameron, then Secretary of War, said "every
state was applying for arms and he had none to give them. " Gen,
Fitx Henry Warron went with him, and they urged the matters so
strenusously that Cameron told Dodge thai if he could find any
arms he could take them. He did find some arms, and he took
them, for he had a frieir 1 in the Ordnance Department that put him
on tract of 6,000 smooth-bore Springfield muskets, which he got
upon the or-'er, which he sent at once, in charge of a man, to
Davenport and Q.uincy, where they were used to arm the Second and
Third Iowa Regiments and afterwards the Fourth, Some of them
were used to displace old guns formerly issued that were so old,
thin and poor they were as likely to kill those who fired them si
those at whom they were fired. "^

Cameron offered him. a captaincy in the Fifteenth United
States Infantry and after obtaining the arms, the colonelcy of the
4th Iowa. The latter was tendered him, as Cameron said, on con-
sideration of his successful effots In obtaining arms, when such
men as Senator Grimes, Gen. s , R. Curtis, and others had failed.
He telegraphed the Governor, "Shall I accept?" and got an affirmative

#n y \ O is? ci >"»

Cameron and Warren both wished him to take the brigadier-gener-
alship afterwards offered to and finally obtained by Curtis, but he
declined it, not then having confidence in himself of being able to
fill it, and lacking in experience, though he had a thorough and
complete military education,

• Gen, Grant in after years, said he was the best railroad
builder and the best railroad destroyer in the federal army. In IV
destroying 'the Rebel railroads, he could give the heated rails a
twsist fhich nothing but Federal ingenuity and Federal machinery

could |jntwist ; nitary company lind er'€a P t. Dodge and other ones like

it Governor Lowe, In his last message, said:

"There are several indepdnent military companies m the St a ue
fco whom arms have been distributed Yet ^^nl^r^L
State under which they are organized, or that would ^iiotly
.authorise the Executive to call them into the f,,,ld m v,coOo
requiring their services.^

1 immediately claimed a portion of the arms that 1 had ob-
tained for my own regiment and they were promised me but they had a
varied experience, I sent a portion of the- to Davenport and sent
the rest to Quincy, hoping to get those at o.uincy over the St.
Joe railroad and up the Missouri River to Council Blufs. -Wien they
reached O.uincy, there had come a good deal of trouble " in north-east
Missouri and these arms were sent to Keokuk where Col. Cyrus Bussy

was in charge. They ^J^L^aM^
ree^ts^X^^Sip^s^^ the orders of the . Governor

"and his staff to have these arms sent to me. There was absolutely
no necessity of turning the, over at Keokuk to the Union Guards
there and the Governor- censured- Col. Bussy very severely for what
hs d id. The fact is that rather than let the arms come to me, Bussy
went to St. Louis' and got an order from FremoBt to turn them over

J^u^/- 6s J' fty^rf.

%'\ '..V.- -

Washing ten j. June 11 , 1861.

Dear Mother?

1 ara abort starting for the point of Interest just nov,
Harper s Perry, and ere a week you will hear of a battle or a Treat
run iii that direction, The Company at the Bluffs is in the 4th
Regiment Iowa Volunteers. 1 am a Lt. Col. cf cavalry, got n>y
appointment since I reached this place* I do -not know rhethW I
shall be kept in active service or not. I go to Harper's FennV
on the staff and hope to see some fighting . Eleven regiments" left
here yesterday in that direction; the whole country around is one'
andiviaer 1 camp, 1 hove teen beyond Alexandria ancf to within two
miles of Fairfax Court House but was on duty and eorJc not atop
to see Sylvester. Our scout 1- are close together and fire on each
other every night The volunteers are highly spoken of by the
ladies of ■ the city as being gentlemen and well behoved. A few
days ago 60,000 were encamped here and on the outskirts and' nothing
out. iiniionas met the eye ' "

I suppose you are anxious to hear V<e plans. Well It, is""!
to attack Harper's Perry f r0ffi four points, vi Ze j.-eshirr end {
f^ffff Hageratown and from the west by G^^^^t^es ^ " !

rln ,t °| V v Slnia wil1 at some tirae M * ^d threaten Manas su*

£*?,' *° * ] f - th *y c f nnot go to the help of Harper's Ferryman Pen'

Yours,

Greno

'61 /k^ sf.

0/$'

Washington, D, i„ f June 21, 1801, .-

Bear Mother j \

i am ordered to rendezvous with ray regiment at Council Bluffs
and 1 leave for New York and thence home immediately. 1 go into the ■■
field in twenty days- with as fine a hody of men as ewer drew a sword;
op shouldered a musket* 1 go into this war on"' principle, pecuniarily
It will ruin me. 1 trust you will write my family a letter approving
my course. 1 put my trust in Qodj if I 'come out sP»i safe 1 hope no (
one will have- cause to regret my course,
1 am,

Truly yours,

G. II. Dodge. •

%•*

-39-

of the State, 1 returned to New York and there met Ezekiel Clark and
tindertooS to purchase supplies for the troops. We had to buy
them on the credit of the State. The State had no money and had
issued no bonds. The merchants there were very scary about allowing
us to have the goods and finally they sold them to us and .shipped
them, but they not only, demanded the paper of the State but that
Ezekiel Clark, who was a prominent banker- at Iowa City, and myself
had to endorse the paper personally. This was the first time
I knew a personal endorsement was better than that of a State,

Prom New York, I returned immediately to Council Bluffs
and was received there by the citizens and by the companies that
had already gone into camp at Carapt Kirkwood, which was located
down at the south point of the Bluff, facing the Mosquito Creek,
The two papers of the twon commented on my appointment as follows:
Prom the Council Bluffs Bugle, July 3, 1861,

"We understand that our
ceived the appointment of Ool

fellow citizen, G. M. Dodge, has re-
of the 4th Iowa Regiment, It is well

known to our citisens that Col, Podge and ourself are bitter politi-
cal opponents; but notwithstanding our political hostilities towards
hini, we will do him the justice to say that as neighbor and citizen,
we entertain the highest respect for him, We understand that lie is
a graduate of the West Point Military Academy , and we know t!r?t, he
is an excellent tactician, and if as we hope, Col , Dodge's discretio
modeBation and widsom as a commander are equal to his energy and
ability as a tactician, no better appointment could have been made."

Prom the Council Bluffs Nonpareil, July 6 S 1861.

"Col » Dodge is now on his ifay to this city, and will be here
early next week, with the camp equipage and arms for his regimrnt.
We hazard nothing i~> saying that Col, Dodge will make as efficient
and accomplished an officer as any one of the many men who have been
called from the civil pursuits of life into the army raised for the
purpose of asserting the supremacy of this Government. He is $ man
of indomitable energy, quick perceptions, resoluteness of will, almost
to stubbornness, fearless in the performance of any duty that may
devolve upon him, frank and kindly in his manner, and devoid of the
least particle of ostentation. He graduated at the. Norwich ( Vermont)
Military School, under the veteran tactician, Capt . Partridge,
and ha:- always taken a very lively interest in military affairs. For
years he labored faithfully and earnestly to get an efficient military
law passed in this state, but his labors , were in vain, until the
•freaking out of the present troubles. Through his exertions, a
military company was formed in this city in the winter of 1856
which under his personal suprvision attained a proficiency in the
manual of arms, seldom attained outside of the regular army,, .

-40-

When the Legislature met In extra session In May last, hs
was prompt 13?- on hand, and o on tr United perhaps more than any other
man outside of that body, towards perfecting the military bill which
became a law. Appreciating his energy and perseverance, and relying
upon his superior knowledge in military affairs, Gov, Eirkwood, cloth
-e.fl him with authority to go in quest of arms and munitions of war
for the State, In this capacity hm visited Spriir.-f ield, 111., 3t »
Louis and Washington . At the War Department, hismanner of executing
his commissi on j bo favorably impressed the Secretary of War, that he
tendered him an important oo mm is;? ion on the regular staff, but Capt.
Dodge preferred to serve his own State , even in an humbler capacity.
He was' accordingly tendered the Colonelcy of the 4th Iowa regiment,
which appointment lie at once accepted,, That he will prove an accept-
able officer to the whole regiment, none v/ho know the man as we know
him can for a moment doubt,"

"Col, G-renville II. Dodge, of the 4th Iowa Regiment, ax'-rivea
home from Washington yesterday, and was received by the companies
rendezvoused here, with military honors, and g-reeted by his fellow
cltiaens v/ith a whole hearted .welcome „ The Iowa 4th may well be
proud of its Colonel; besides possessing a thorough military ecluoatio
he has an Iron mill. and an energy that knows no "let up". For the
4th and Its gallant Colonel, we predict a proud stage an the history
of crushing out treason; and wherever they go, whether storming
rebel batteris on the Mississippi or planting the old flag on the
alamo, the hearts of the people, of the slope will go with them,"

On my return, I immediately applied for authority to enlist

a battery, T obtained th.ot authority and made Captain N. T . "'poor

eu\d J: fa Peed its first Lt .
Its Captain.' It was enlisted as Dodge's Battery but as soon as It

was mustered in, it wos designated as the 2nd Iowa B attery. I

enlisted It under a promis,e that it shonlk oo V-.ve with me but I

never saw it after It was mustered in.

I had applications from ail -over the Hinta from persons who

wished to join my command.

On June 27th, I received a letter fro^ John K. Corso, who
afterwards became a distinguished General from Iowa, who had received
authority from the "b,r Department to organize a mounted battery.
He addressed me on the subject and asked mo: 'Till you be so kind
as to inform me what 1 have to do in the premises: Do you wish tho
roll of my company? Vhat are the formalities and ste-s incident
to being attached or at least of being so recognized as attached to

a regiment?" ' p ..„ ^ ., ■•

On the same day, I received o ' let, tor from^amuei KU%wood' tell-
y/lng me that Porter's 3axe Horn Band of Grinneli had been organised
and offered their services for the war and asked me to take' them, •
which I immediately accepted. They went into the service with me

but after reaching St. Louis, the band wa^taken, away from me and

until the campaign oi. iboo •

T ipver saw that „gain. „ I 'received my commission as Colonel- uated

J " ' \

Tulv 6th. The regiment roster after organization was as follows:

-41-

Colonel, G. M. Dodge. Lt. Col. Jno. Galligan, Major IS. R.
English, Adjt. Lt. J. Williamson. Quarter Master, Lt. P. A.
f/heeler, Surgeon A. Bobbins, Asst. Surgeon, W. S. Grimes, Hospital
Steward E. B. Penn. Sergeant Major Hastings. Drum Major- ■■• -------

Chaplain-*-"-**------- " '

Company A. Mills Co. Ga.pt, W. R. English. 1st Lt. T. H.
Head. 2nd Lt. L. Shi le ds. 74 men.

Company B. Pottawattamie Co. - Capt. S. H. Craig } 1st Lt. P. A
Wheeler, 2nd Lt,, W.. H. Kinsman, 98 men.

Company C, Guthrie Co*, Capt. T. Seelj. 1st Lt. S. D.
Nichols. 2nd Lt. L. P. McEwen --98 men.

Company D. Decatur Co.'- Capt. 6. Burton, 1st Lt. J. S.
Warner, 2nd J . B. Springer - 96 men.

Company E. Folic Co., —Capt. H. H. Griffith. 1st Lt. 1. D.
Simmons, 2nd Lt, Isaac Whicher : - 96 men.

Company G, Ringgold. Co. - Capt. !• *. Rice. 1st Lt. L,
Hopkins, 2nd Lt , R. Sry, 8? men*

Company H* Adams Co. - Capt. Elmore Y. Burgan. 1st Lt. H. G.
Anke#y. 2nd Lt. J, J. Hafer, 84 men.

Company I. Wayne Co. -Capt. V. E. Taylor, 1st Lt, S. L.
Glasgow o 2nd Lt, G,S, MoCune, 102 men.

Company K. Page Co., Capt. Joseph Cramer, 1st Lt . G. W.
Freidley. 2nd Lt, J. L. Chittendon. 88 men.

Dodge's Battery, pottaf/attamie Co., Capt, N. K. Sooir . 1st
\ Lt. J. P. Reed, 2nd Lt. C. 0, Dewey 92 men. •

Band 14 tmn . Staff Officers 11, Grand total of regiment,

1,005 men.

Nattvlty .

>^ Ohio, 281. Iowa, 15 ; Mo. 55 111. 64 Ky 35

5 '</r

Va. 45 Penn. 202 . . ind. 245 1. Y.- 66

<S T ' A Foreign Born, 20, r. Ocean Born 1, Scattering, 121.
A ' f Total 1,005 men.

ly J Under 21 years, 317. Average age of regiment 24 years.

7 ¥^ •• :

7 if

^..Jiiwik^

-42
Thero v;a3 great difficulty In getting arms for these companies
but fiannly we obtained a lot of old Prussian muskets that were more
dangerous at the butt than at' the nu&zle .

In July we began to receive .earners of the organisation and
concentration of troops on the northern border of the State of
Missouri with intention of attacking or occupying southern Iowa,
I had a young man in my command by the name of Fred K. Tea] . who
had been recommended to me very highly by F, '/. Hoxie as being
a fit man to send on any fecial duty,; i;n/ ! to ascertain what tceso
organizations were doing in northern Missouri, at the suggestion
of Judge Baldwin, who was still in charge of the organization
of troops on the frontier, I sent Teal to Missouri and on July 23rd
1 received an order from Judge Baldwin to move with about 200 of
my regiment and. a section of the Local Artillery VoL . 'under
Captain Clinton to Southern Iowa to guard that border. He did not
want me to move into Missouri unless it was absolutely necessary,
I went on to Clarinda, Pag-- Co, where Teal .reported to me saying
that the whole country was full of rumors but it was no 'use to
pay any attention to them, that everyone 'had a tale if his own;
that 45 miles south of the State line, there was an organisation
under Col. Poindexter, that they were entrenched at Gent ryville •
they had three pieces of cannon. I immediately halted my command
and sent, Teal through' to that place. Teal, went to Gent ryvi lie
and reported that they had. learned of our movement south; that
it was reported I had. 1000 m-.-vi and a battery of artillery; that
the forces immediately scattered and then/artillery tipped into
the river an"! there was a general fright that we would march into
Missouri and destroy the rebels, I discovered that Missouri was
as frightened as sruthern Iowa and there was not much danger of
either of them, attacking the other and so I returned to Council
Bluffs. My regimetit was now using the arms that had been sent
■'%o Judge Baldwin for the service on the frontier guards. The
regiment was only partially armed, without accoutrements and
without any uniforms.

On July 30th, Governor Eirkwood in writing me extending
his thanks to me and the regiment for the trip south said this
about arming my regiment and the appointment of officer?::

.'-';

-43-

"The Major for your regiment will be appointed frcr- the ^lope
and upon your suggestion, I have today appointed Robbins and
Grimes Surgeon and Asst. Surgeon. They are the only ones approved
by the Medical Board from your region. There is some coirs plaint
from that region that "Council Bluffs gets everything," Your
arms; 1 hope will reach you Boon, There has been much confusion
about then. The people at Keokuk took possession of them at one
time and were determined to keep them for State use, I received
on Saturday the following dispatched: "The Battery of Artillery
with Col, Dodge's regiment at Council Bluffs is accepted with the
understanding that it cannot be attached to any particular regiment,

On August 5th, companies A, D, Ig G and H started for St.
Louis on the stealer r Emelie." On August 8th, companies B, C and
E were mustered into the U. S. Service by Capt, Merrill and on
the 10th 1 left for St. Louis with these, companies. We arrived
at St* Joe and. took ears from St. Jose to Hannibal; leaving there
on steamer "Sucker State," for St. Louis,

On the 13th of August, the regiment was assembled at Jefferson

Barracks and went into Curtis' Brigade. We were here armed with

smooth bore Purssuar. muskets, old ones, and the first time they

were fired, thirteen of them burst.

J On the 24th of August, we took oars and went to Rolla, Missouri

that being the outpost of the Federal Command in .the West. The

arms of my regiment were in such a condition that I insisted on

an officer- coming to inspect them. On August 29th, Capt. ?' „ L«,

Elliott of the regular army came to Rolla , which was known as

Camp Lyni, inspected the arms and made this report:

"I have inspected the arms in possession of the 4th Iowa regi-
ment and find, they are the old pattern musket, 1813, 1824, 1329'
altered to percussion and these without any of the implements ?
such as screw drivers, nippers, ball screws or spring vices, I
consider that this regimentas now armed is unfit for active ser-
vice ," although composed of men raised on the frontier and accus-
tomed to the use of fire arras,"

On September 8th, 1 received the following Ic-tfeer from Gov.

Kirkwood:- ' ' -.\Oc^ Y>v b-^v^^-J^/"/^

"I am almost ashamed to hear from you or to write yon and yet
1 feel that I am not to blame for the mishap you have met with.

My orders were most positive to send you your arms but, ■ at the
tire an attack on Col. Moore at Athens was imminent and the arms
were taker and u-ed to aid him. Fhere the danger was over your
regiment had sone and Col, Bussy supposed there was no nee to
''*'send the--. I did not know they had not gone, until my ree-urn
from V/ashinr-ton. They are now a good deal scattered and I fear
cannot be gotten together again soon. I will ascertain.

I have' beer usinq my best endeavors it Washington xor your
r p ff ^ent also with Gen. Fremont. I had a dispatch from him a
fe^w days since, paying that your regiment and Lauman's were being
provided for, 1 sincerely hope it is so, 1 will write him again.

I have absolutely no money, nor can I get any now. Our bonds
will not sell. The V S, wse in position to pay the troops, and
on the first payment will pay for the time they were in quarters ^
before bin^ mustered in. This is under a recent law of Congress,

yy. ,

l.c •

y:y^e -7-9,

l^-if (4)

[.lis Adjutant General

i.A. 5 U.

V^-rV

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: ou i.u Kt'-n to.;

old X U.^^iton

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a<jSe4

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-nitt

l.r-.-

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■**

944- •

During the fall of 1861, there were assembled at the post of
Rolla, several regiments among: them the 38th Illinois under Gol.
G-r"iese]^ A the 24th -afad 26th Missouri, 4th Iowa and some independent
companies with artillery and being the ranking officer, I became
commander of' the post. 'None of these regiments were well drilled."
The 4th Iowa had not yet -gotten its arms or equipments but I
started in to thoroughly drill It and % had It out nearly every
day In company drill and every other day in regimental a rill.
I exercised it especially ' In the Tiring of muskets, in skir
mishing and in all movements that my military training told me
would be necessary, I marched them through the brush while they
were firing. They were drilled so much more than any other
regiment at the post that there was much complaint by them.
In going through the brush they. tore their Slothes, and they
did not appreciate the necessity ■of discipline and practise.
There was camped near us the remnant of the army that had come
from Wilson' Creek, under General 'Seigle, who reported directly
to General Hailed and "hardly: any' of' those"' regiments" spent ' any

time In drilling. ■ \ .

Ih lie "General Fremont was : in command, 1 was continually receiv-
ing reports, from him that the. enemy were near me or that they
were reported near me and were continually sending out scouting
parties to' determine the fact and Invariably 1 never found any
enemy, so' that the troops were very much disgusted with their
long marches. 1 had an indepdndent company .there commanded by
Captain White. It was a fine scouting party. Captain White
came info my office one morning and said, that it was no use to wear
out his horses on these scouts that he had 'plenty of men In
his company who. 'knew all that country and if they had money to .
pay their way, they could go " any place in Missouri and northern
Arkansas' and find out the facts and, bring them to me. I thought
-* this was' an .excellent suggest ion. but I had no money; however,
■■ my pr ovost marshal, had collected some funotn, fines, permissions, ;
' -etc' and 1 called him in. He concluded that he wouia turn over !
.any money t wanted for that purpose and I set White to work and ■ ;
that was my first experience in the secret service if the army.
I followed- It all- through my service and found it of great benejf|||p-"

-45-

On September 21, 1861, I obtained, leave of sbsekiee for'
fourteen days for the benefit of my health. 1 visited St. Louis
and with the aid of General Curtis, obtained the arms, uniforms,
shoes, mirier-clothing, etc. for my regiment; also over-coats, At
the same time I got a full outfit for the Dodge Battery, command-
ed by Captain Spoor, This was the first outfit the regiment and
Battery had had. The over- coats were dyed black. The, other goods
were of ver' poor material.

On September 23rd, all the regiments except Col. Lyman's,
13th Illinois and the 4th Iowa, left to take part in Fremont's
campaign against Price,

khile I was In S.t . Louis, I ascertained that my regiment

would probably garrison ■ I Rolla during the winter and en my return

log
to that place, I immediately put my regiment. > to tai id ine barracks.

Each &-mA^mfc^xt up its own barracks, with officers quarters;
also a large hospital, ,*., My regiment had the best winter quarters
of any of the command. Whether this was better, in a sanitary
measure, 1 have my doubts, for there vn.a a great, deal of sickness in
the regiment, during the winter, more than in any other regiment
which was quartered in tents; also a great many deaths, so many
that I prohibited music in -oing to the burial as their funeral
marches had a bad effect upon the men in the hospital. The building
of these '-arracks received the approval of General Fremont, who paid
the regimen" quite a compliment*

m November, I sent 1500 men to Texas County after Col. Freeman
and his rebel command* They followed him over fifty miles until
his command scattered.

On November 9th, A. D. Richardson, a correspondent of .the New
York Tribune and T. M. .Knox of the Kew York Herald arrived
in Rolla from General Fremont's comtranri and were very^ severe in their
criticisms of Fremont and hie movements.
^* The forces from Springfield reached Rolla ot. November 27th,
fkeneral,A£Shoth being in command.

In December, Captain Phil. . Sheridan reported to me as Quar-
ter Master- for the force that ws assembling outside of the post;
be was also quartermaster of the post. Captain k. P. Small .
reported as Commissary of Subsistence,

f- <ftz#e -9^'-

^L.

^le^t^i^Ut^ tf£fr«&U&o^> tzS&tXX^-^

Hdqrs. 4th •Regiment Iowa Vols..,

Rolla, Mo.,. Nov. 26, 1861.

Dear Mother:

1 .believe I have neglected to write you for a. Ions time, late
left too soon; he had ought to have seen the Army come in from Spring-
field; it is a grand sight, the whole valley is white with their en- '.
'campments. I have now at this post, which I will command, nearly
20,000 troops; along with the army some .7000 families of Union -people
who dared not stay. Some of them are -good people but have had to
leave their old homes, stock farms and all they have to be fed by me '
and they are really thankful.. You too?/ I could not turn any one away;
I do not know whether the Government, will sustain me but they must be
fed* Price and McCullough is on the advance here. I sent out 1000
men last night to cut off his Texas Rangers, have been expecting them
to run.

THis army is a very fine one but it wants a McClellan to handle
it; its discipline under Fremont was bad. Halleck takes hold to suit me.
If he will only stop the stealing both by officers and men and go to
shooting for the otiibrages committed by many of otir troops, draw every--
thing down to the Army regulations and to a well disciplined army, we
shall always succeed. They must put the troops of each State in the
same divisions under their own generals and each nationality by itself.
1 could straighten out some things much better than they now are,
Fremont was a big enthusiastic man but had poor discipline and was
very extravagant. 1 have' a very fine regiment. 1 know I can lead
them through a hot place; they will follow me until the last man drops.
1 do not think I have an enemy in the '."regiment. Lt. Col.- Galligan, 1 fear,
is unpopular; it was a mistake when he was appointed, still 1 do not
allow any dissensions in relation to him.

I should like to get home a few days but that is impossible.
Lett is very dear to me - I think of her every clay and although I work
night and day, I get time to romp with Ella occasionally. 1 have sent
home tiro fine horses that 1 want good care taken of; also two fine
saddles with trappings. 1 want father to see that they are not hurt or
lost and the colts kept in good trim until I come.

Tell Lettie,. to learn to write so she can send me a letter. Annie
aays site sent you $5 in a letter last week; you no doubt will receive
it. I am tired and must go to bed. We have a nice lot of barracks for
the troops here- I built them. Have' got a house for myself with four
rooms in it.

Love to Jule and 1 expect to see father here before long.

Truly,

G. M.

■46-

At that timo, cur regiments had 28 four-mule wagons to each
regiment, Sheridan's orders were to organise the transportation
into trains for eupolying the army in its campaign to the eoutdv-v/est ,
He came to mo arid ashed me to issue an order reducing each regiment
io two wagono „ He knew when he gave me this order what a rumpus it-
would mote and that protest that would come. He watched to see That
I won,'!;] do. As soon as I issued the order, every "regiment and
battery in the .'ost protested,* they wired their Gove mo re. and they
pretested and it was quite a problem to me, but I wont out and stripped
ijf own regiment first and then called upon the other Colonels to
strip theirs, and, having seen my regiment do it without mating any
protest or fnr.es, the others complied, hut SVridan had great difficulty
in getting the regiments which were camped outside the poet to obey
the order. Serve of thorn absolutely refueed. He finolly eueeoe^ed
in. orogauiaing the trains.

On December 24th, G-anoral Seigie assumed command of a " ! 7. the
broope including the post of Rolla and it was supposed that he was
to command the- army in its movement to the south-west. The last part
of December, I was severely wounded in the leg from a shot of
a email nistol which I can- led in my coat pectet, and which while I
wee riding on horse-back was discharged. T recuperated from this

woun<e very fast,

^ v Geu /

/The 27th of December , gdamael H Curtis was assigned to the in'

command of the district of South-went Missouri and came to Rolla

and assumed oo-reand. This caused a great deal of feeling a^ong the

German troops but was very gratifying to the American troops, quite

a Icrge number of which had concentrated et Rolla,

On January 21, 1062, 1 was assigned to the command of the let

Brigade, 4th division Army of the -cuth-weei. The brigade consisted

of the 4th Iowa, 35th Illinois 24th Missouri and 1 Iowa Battery,

jf% T y^ Division ras commanded by Col, eiigene *, Carra ily commission

^/ V *r 0nlted that of Cel. J Cam and Captain . Sheridan Wid that while it was

V ery proper for me to accept the position which I was pleased to no

■under axm^iF army officer, considering him more competent to

.' command a division than I was, I 'should protest and assert my rights,

I made the pretest to General Curtie. He decided that where commies-

-47-

ions were of the saw.e ran' , the regular amy 'of ficer took rank

over a volunteer officer, no niotter whot the date of the cornrrisslon.

This decision was forwarded to General .Hal leek but he reversed.

General Curtis' decision and decided that T was entitled to the

coimnand of the rfjvi'-icn but that decision did not. reach ns until

after the battle of Pea Ridge and until pfter I had left that

command but it made n. precedent.

Governor Kirk wood was ver anxious that the I ova regiments

should be put ihto brigades and divisions by themselves, but that

-vas innractieabie air 1 the authorities disapprove^ it. The Dad

William
Brigade of Cam's Division was co^wanded b; ; Col. Vandever of the

9th Iowa. V.'e moved forward to Lebanon where we rested and were
joined by Col. Jeff C, Davis' divial.cn of some 5000 men, so thvt
the total eornwand of General Curtis was 12,000 wen.

Co, E. of the 4th Iowa was the first to enter- Springfield
the enery hoving retreated and we woved. on, following Price on a
retreat , attacking his rear guard at every opportunity and bring-
ing on several short engagements, generally at the crossing of the
streams, until finally the^ reached Fayetieville , Ark, where they
were sfo> T ,ed by en ordor of Conerel Halleob, Col, Jeff C. Davis'
Division was posted at ^ugar Creek sowe twelve wiles in the rear,
Osmral Seigle'a onww>arwl , two'niru.si o , some five or six miles
west of Bontonville and Col. Cam's eornwend at a plane known as
Cross Hollows, the root rocky gully ^ -itch pine butternut place
yon ever saw. Col. Vandever •* Brigade was sow- twenty wiles tn
tl , e ? - csU T pe ith Iowa Infantry was posted on Eag^ e fiver at
Blackburn's Mills en, were running loose wills to srpply the cowhand
with corn-n:ea:i./A^idan was the quartermaster and Commissary
and hod U forage ". ,uwl feed the cemwand off of the country, it was
a w .v .MffIo.lt problem', *e were sow. 500 W lles fro. railrou-,1 or
-^ter cowwunioation an. outside of what we ha, Wroawht with us we
" ,,p to reed and forage th- c'omn^ from a sparsely populated eountry
Mth little in it and it has always been a won,er to me how he so
successfully <Hd it. , The entire eowwa.d wanted shoes, pants and

v were nearly rained The maneb ovm 'the

tents, , ; miGht say the:

rou.*t country end through the brush end the yoon orallby of .the

(I) ,

I was several times ' on- the verge of personal con-
flict with irate regimental commanders but Col. G. i. Dodge
so greatly sustained me with Gen'l Curtis by strong moral
support and by such efficient derails from his regiment, 4th
Iowa Volunteer;.., Infantry, that I; shall bear him and
it in great affection and lasting gratitude.'

-48-

material se received, with no surplus vdiatovur, held loft the
amy in a very bad condition,

Tnrrinz 'his eampa irn ,' Captain Sh.ariden tented with "^e ,
Ho had o r ;reat ^ifrienliy in yotlin-- the iiece wr- f^efd. 1 '-'J"-'/', '-
riiRiiiiir" " ;, m g ? fur-arinn, oic. General Seirrle^oould act, furnish
him detail o from his coninnnd, .stating it was not the ~hxiy of a
soldier. He rcrld come to me and at times he would hove the
entire 4th Iowa detailed at different mills and out upon foraging
expeditions and he spoke of this in his Komcirs , £t>#

h^yi^L^i/.. t/ /.

y \

«,;••

f\y

Captain Sherida- used to often any that he thought if
he coul'-i yet into the line, he could do "something and he used to
say his ambition was to get- where 1 was ~._in command of a brigade.

About the first of March, Captain Sheridan had some
difficulty with General Curtis in relation to his receipting for
Bt0 Ien stock, vdiich h- ? declined to ;i o an* General Curtia relieved
him to the great regret of the officers v/ho knew what it meant to
food an arm:- so :far away ^ror a base of sullies. Some of us. went
over to consult General Curtis in relation to the order, endeav-
oring tr have him retains*, but Gen, Curtis naas very oo-itivo and
.■ angr5 ond Ms debutant General, Captain T. J. KcKinfl^, tol-us
we ha* better not come again or we nupyht be relieved ourselves,
Ca P tain Sheridan wont bach to Springfield and was there at the
ttm e of th, battle ^.5i% f ,™ -d 8th of March. Ri S ht after
the battle, a S reat effort was^ made by the reporter* and officers
•of Gen. Seigle'd command to give hi* the credit of the battle,
when he virtually did very little in it. -These dispones were

..,„.„„,,., ^hea- the^ ton' the telegraph,
sent to Springfield ha meseon E ei -ho.! ■-

sh ^dan wao there in charge of the -tel^raoh . He hue, thay^
^ ba S General Oarfis *o had foh & hl this haltje and -on tt .^
,-A Cola „ err', ana ..via- Catena who hod done ,ost of the fi S ht-
lri „, B „he hold those ala P atehes until the dtepatohse ca,ro fron-
Oele, lur tU. He Sent neneral Curtis' ^patches tired,, and
followed the. ,1th Gob. Sei 3 le' S , ahoxain, a very aoldierl;,
quality, after the treatment he had received fro, Cen. r u ,«s.

-49-

Ihe first news of the movement of General Van Dora upon

our army was brought In by one of my scouts and by refugees who

were fleeing before Gen, Van Corn's advance and some members of

that
a foraging party, a part of who in lr?d been can tuned by evening.

We only got the word one day before Gen. Van Dora waa upon us

anr] General Curtis that day issued the orders concentrating hie

army upon Hoi, Jeff C. Davis' division at Sugar Creek,

INSERT CAMPAIGN OF SOUTHWEST.

SEE PRINTED COPY.

Sometime after this battle of Pea Ridge, iu.it e a con-
troversy arose as to the campaign, the part taken in it Tdjt-s^
commands and particularly the action of Generals Curtis and,

Seigle,

Mr. A. P. Wood of Dubuque, who was writing a history of
the Civil Far, wrote me a long letter in relation to this campaign
asking we many questions that had arisen in the controversy end
I wrote him in 1866, partially as follows:

We started at 12 o'clock at night- -a dark, bitter cold
night, Siegel who was on our right , got orders to wove eawe time
we did, but bin delay allowed the enemy to get between ns at, Sugar
Creek wd a n-rtion of his force at Borrtonwille The next day
was co"fm"Md"in closing 'in and taking position. Some sharp skir-
mishing occurred on the Bentonville road in getting Siegle
through. Sore of my scouts brought me word that General Price, s
command was marching down the road from Bentonville to Cassyille,

The'-knaw that country well. About 4 P. r. 1 went to Gen.
Curtis, who was superintending the building of a battery, at the
Mclnt where 'the main road ascends the hill north si-e oi Sugar
Greer T told him thnt the enem- were evidently w orking on our

rlthtw "h^t" there was a good road leading into Cross Timbers
frow Bentonville to our rear; but If led through a gorge called

Ue o rose Hollows, which if blockaded would be a great detri-
^ut and delay to them. Curtis immediate!- asked sere one to go
and fell the trees; but for some reason they did not go, He then

" lf1 to TnP and sand, "You know the country, po and do it.
I told hiw that ^troops had marched allT night and day and were

— -%SJ ;;^Sw2 e 8 o?1hfath Iowa and two companies

Timbers aoeut 9 P. -and ^ J^;- 1 ^ C0Tnpanie3 of the infantry
gone in advance Vuth the ^ w.. i 5 \ end of follow in* the cavalry
under Capt. HicHols got lo a,i -^^^l ^;£ an * ?t ruck the'
too right down the Bentonvxl le ru „d ., ,w ^; u - w f ^ e V y Vot them
,^0,^^^ w? ^Va'iSly iearWenen* moving

" *™ "" oTrUSr^ ^S^J^^L

that we had not struck or seen a ^°^ °n o^i U^oi ^ ^ ^ ,

This alarmed me, and I S *^' ^ Jj , e , and that they
told hie what I ^donejjhe^t^ ^^ar"; also that no pickets
would strike us on the ^f^ ^g^-^ft . 'curtis evidently had
: t ^r°Sf S?4SoS^ V3E1S 1 nofseS 1 to plaoe -eh importances

* ^^ "K& suurlS ^ C L^h m ?fhrTreceived an order to

-50-

attend a conference at a church, or school house some distance
in- my rear and between me and Elkhorn Tavern. I was so confi-
dent -'of the attack on our rear and right, that when T went to
the conference, I gave orders to ray command to break camp and
follow me .

At the Conference I believe el] .but myself and Col,
Jeff C, Davis were for retreating, I cannot say certainly abmit
Osterhatis but it is my impression that it was thought best to
get the Cross Timbers or Ozark Mountain gorges in our front
instead of •■•ear. General Curtis had fixed to fight fronting Sugar
Creek, but had no defense on his right, the vulnerable point which
was all open, I told Gen, Curtis then that we had come there to
fight; that it world never do for us to refuse, now that no had sax
opportunity; and that for him to retreat would ruin us, end him,
especially in Iowa, I think Gen. Curtis intended to fight all
the time, however. While we were discussing the question. Col.
Boyd of the 24th Mo, Inf t , » who was at the Elkhorn Tavern,
sent word that the enemy were driving in his rickets. That was
then our rear. Curtis slipped out, saw ray troo -s standing in
the road, and asked whose they were. I said, "Mine," Col.
Carr, who commanded the division, . was present, and Curtis imme-
diately orderel me to go to Elkhorn Tavern, where in a few
moments, I was hotly engaged, and where 1 fought with varied
success, on the extreme right, all day.

At noon, I received order if i had to fall back, to
retreat slowly, but sent back uord that if I ^id, the day was
lost; that I coul^ and would hold my posit ion-- and I did until
dark, when I had not a round of ammainition loft.

I lost nearly one-third of my command in that position,
and *1] of Price's army, about 12,000 strong, wasagainst Col.
Oarr's division. The 1st Brigade, Col. Van-ever commanding,
on my left, gave way about two hours before I retired, unknown
to me, end when I fell back out of my position, the enemy were .
in my rear, and one battery on the new line established by
Curtis that was piayinginto the enmy, sent half of its shots
into my rear. This drew my attention and I sent Lieutenant
now General Williamson, towards the Elkhorn Tavern to see v.hnt
the trouble was and whore Carr wa*. He rode into a regiment of
rebelr/v/ho all fired at him, but failed to hit him. As 1 racked
out the leading columns of the rebels nehed in be urn d me .hej
struck twn or three of my v/ounded men, and stopper, oo question
them,' which gave me time to slip by and snow a solid front

Cur-tie then came up, desiring to know what, was the
trninhie t told him T was out ' of ammunition and had he la the po
A two""hours after, everything else had left. He told me _

to charge back *hile he went to push Gen. Asboth,who had arrived,
down the road and retake Elkhorn Tavern I ?^\>.?™«l*~>~l
{ retaking "Ikhorn) cannot, be done tonight. • jy -v^ ^-i. ^.i

to - old aS si? ion, the enemy retiring, hut afterwaras^ame

back again/?; the 2nd line, Gen, Asboth failing to drive out
+ >w> rnpnv on mv left "t the Tavern,.

••^killed. Three com-. nines ol Col. ^uboei - -^ba—" o

out ^' in f cha T*™ e ? 8 r-<s ordered in reserve and took position

_ ^..f^^ who had not .been in the

behiia 1 Col. Jeii o, i- ,avi , . ,.. n -,'p.. navis iblaced his troops
. tight up to that time, taking the lefu Da.io ^iac ,

behind a rail f -nee and we ^^J^I^^ot fc ^exhausted,
daylight shivering in ^f jf^ gale's £roons, who" were fresh,
Sepf irSl^^a^t t^«aSU leisurely and * W not
get, into position beiore 7 A.. ^. _ „ n .., H — -... .^^ then

About i o ,.,-.-....: *_ : -- : ■ — 1/: ■■_ ...^ fl . : _, ,,.^-z g. a n ;; *
v - nn- (gn- cant) -then rn.u .-..,.,■:..;. ■.■-•- : ■

■51-

troops back, directly over my men. This looked squally, and
Curtis called me to him, just to the left of my command, where
he, was lying In the repass and waiting for Siegle to get into
position and open. Gen. Carr had he an to me he fore and said
if worse came to worst, he should endeavor to get out with his ■
regiment of cavalry, the 3rd Illinois. General Curtis asked n.e
what we better do if we failed to drive them from cur rear, Y. r e
were then as we had been, surrounded on the north and west by
pie fenemy . To tho West was a broken country such that it was
impossible to flank the enemy there. I answered, "Put my command
at the head and we will out out to the east towards Pineville;
th 3 enemy are certainly weak there for wo hear nothing of the"-."
Curtis answered that he would do it.

General Settle soon moved, Col. Davis reformed and I
left the reserve and went to the extreme right, We pressed forward
and the moment we moved the enemy gave way, ke lost a very few
men that doy. General Seigle followed the enemy to the north;
I had orders to go to the East. We were all carying out our
orders, and if I~hed kept on would have captured every piece of
the enemy's artillery as it went off without any support.
As it was, T took several prisoners and, everything indicated a
re I'd d retreat of the enemy.

About two miles out on the "hite River road, 1 received
an order from Gen. Curtis to immediately return, which astonished
me , and the wholn command . Upon returning, General Curtis said
GPiWal Siegle had tvone to Keitsville and had sent him that letter
ferh-diitinr- it) aiufhe could cot ston him. The letter was from
Gen' Siegle advising General Curtis to get back where he was as
General Van Dorn might recover. General Curtis sain I was a hi
thatVas left to hold the ground. I said, "If you ^ bach, the
enemy will re-occupy this place.™-' claim a victory, ^o-ual
Curtis- answered, "I am going forward not ^ckwa™. ^f^* a
great victory and Gen, Siegle must, retuun 'J occupied ,he
battlefield and Pflce and his army escaped with most ox ai, ...... v.-,

batteries -^trains, ^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^^

rfV7l ^^ t-. m- vas th lenaciiy with ehich we hole the ground

' tb^econd Sav'; W the hard lighting on tku left by Col. Davxs
SI fed^abont 1)00 men, pitted .gained VanDorh' s Id 000 men, and
7h f£:i th-t ell of Generals Mcintosh's and MeCulioeh's troops
Si^ n,o x \to^ dovs fimht, when they, were killed ran on -oo
S " : n ri i" oni > or two regiments waking roun- to the

Beil rSf ft Vvr U , n Gen .Van Porn the third day with

rear ok join .ii-t.ee, .^-^- i o fn-n e p, + c move tbw

Pace's men alone to whip an arm* he .h. a -^%- , B shn , of
day bofore with all his -en. ill ; ti ^ ^ ot ,, inp - nore y Gen.

fiG^t was for the ^^l^^']X ^^^ se^ seya he failed to
Price in his report-- J f jou a -, Jij, l ( v;h3f . T , waS a fatal

accomplish the object J;J^%^ b ^ t ;?o ^eok'ai night he

struct th- L...ocI ; aiU.. — l t p l0 tg:aded he exp^ed imery

c - an //l.^!;: r n ^p + ;^o ™ amit our troops. He therefore
moment, m t.-,e diui- . ■ c J - l - » , fV , -,,.-, hnve g een raaue m.

moved, carefully ^d the attack U>t o., uLI ^ ^ wps .

flight (which would no doubt h.ve ;; e^ a „u ,i 3 wor ,

( p^ Y ed till 8 o'cZocfc. So you se. *tu.o - nw. j-
done by us that night P*^. Washington to make me a

General Hailed, ^- t -o\^l' n ^ ,.,.,„„*£ ap p -riving me
Brigadier General a ve^^ ^ ^ thn ,

credit for more than I was -^i.l-d W ; ^ day BaTOd

t worked hard, fought h^,p md d- _ . PIscover my

^the field. Genera ^f^t.^.l.tlvm^mam^ ddll, until,
weak force, which had ^t^^rn^hvt k was then too late »
,p ? . y. when he moved up to cii ^'^^: ts ol)OIli tnis battle,

I have seen so many fig — General

,lvlng credit to den. Sigie and p^^ ho ^%^ d tt for it. TOieri
commanded ur. , ^.'° Bl ™^ andAaobht

at l2-o« clock ut night on the „n g> ^ to onll a

trot Sol. Bussey to ge % a -;. x , irli? r . P . id n0 wanted no

council of ^ror b^ck oa , ^^^-^^ , oln g to fight it
coimr.il; Ihst h^or^,-; ° l % u ^r told me on my return to
out on thot ground. This Co,. ^-^
^. . fi ,id ef+er the due da., He t.

Y-.\

He informed me about 12 o'clock at night ae I was going to Gen.
Curtio' headquarters what efforts were being madn,°and°I went
directly to Gen . Curtis and told him that the troops that had.
been id la the 'ay before should be gotten to the front to relive
,onr troops that wore exhausted* He said General Siegle should he
up with his force , and flint he --as now on the ground. I told him
it warn not so, that General Siegle was in camp "to our roar, and
his men wero sleeping. But Geu. Cutis would not order him to take"
position and then he told mo ' that there had he en efforts nah Ing
for a council of War, and said his plans wore all ~vtde. He should
fight It out right, -where they wero, I bold him if he world bring
into the ffght early, General Siegle* s command, nearly half his
army, and ikm/oe the fighting, the moral effect on our men and
on the nemy would be great and wound win the day. "That is juot
what I am going to do," said the General,

But General Siegle was late getting into the fight on
the morning of the 3rd day, and the loss in his command (half of
Curtis ' Army, was nominal compared to that in the other two divi-
sions.

The secret of Gen, Curtis' reluctance to push up Gen',
Siegle and the Germans to the same standard of discipline and
promptness that he did the rest of his army, was that Gen.
Siegle was first assigned to the command of that ermy which was
organized at Holla. General Siegle came, took command, end wan
suddenly relieved just as the campaign was about to commence.
Half the array were Germans and the removal of en. Siegle caused
great feolingj in fact, almost demoralisation. General Curtis
instead of putting hie foot down like a true a oilier, tried to
conciliate hp allowing them privileges that no other portion of too
army got; thereby got" the American troops down on him. The German
commanders took this forbearance of General Curtis as fear of
them, rot Ue true meaning; and until after .the pea Ridge ea^paigr
Gen Curtis did ereat injustice to part of his American comma ndero
The't.rooes eaueht the complaint and it ran all through the comrmuw-
The 9th Towa o'ae bitter j the 4th would havo been had I not taken
stroma ground in hie support,.

He afterwards apologised for assigning Gen. Carr co
command the div.sion i-.i which 1 commanded, o brigade, while 1
popi^ri Oe-i Carr, T was so intrv\to with Gen. Curtis that 1
should hnwe taken aim' oositiou he wished me to, end he requested
me to take fhie, T think, doiuVing the propriety of hie om

a e e i s i on , , , ^ _,

At th-nt Council of War, I luarned a xessan tnai wa&
vaiubbl^ to me ever after. It was vacillating, had no ipind, no
nerve, "no fight; and although I was in a great many eri,nmii

a nf forwards, when I wished I had a superior and was often _

adJxeed'to call councils, yet the recollection of Pea Riage Counc
: f w nr 'pe,,t w- ftfom it. Generals Grant, Sherman, McPherson nor
(\ V no renor^that I ever was urw'er ever called one. They often S ot_

V ^ tocltherlo a vise about a movement after it, had been ordered bu,

■WV nwerlo consider the propriety of the movement, tae plan ux a

iJ \ campaign or wehther ^^^/t^l' Qn the eecmed dav of the buttm

•\ > T wae woundeu m t,n« oi..o ou i..au w<~>u....i

\-S „ „- t cf.t^rurf not. a clean cut worn.! and while i' agP;-. ,

Vo " ,V^.tVr i.n.nv T res hurt until I was receive to. bold th,.

the- excitement was eve - I fe.l ugj .on x. > ^^ ^^

..■wto be carried to m, tent ^, i.ma, ,d en ^ TOUnde d men,

ifi+i, v,ri^ r . T i t was token in c.u amuu..uu>x^, .>x...> y <■ ,. ..

■. ■ ibbji ilium i i*"" >.) ...ii.-... x . ,., ^ on!" teei'-.d

for services rendered in the bat ,le o, Foa ^,,.

-55-

'H, e ' u j , ae +, Ckoiieral Rrileek in St. Louis, I told hln that he
expected to make a Brigadier General nr-< have a vacancy but thai i
had, fooled the^: on the varann",

Proa Lebanon, b y easy stages, we reached Kolla where I took
oars to St. Louis. /• t St. Louis, I saw the -Lisp.:! tea of* ^sjor T. J.
kcKeunj, acting An jut ant Genera] of Curtis' Staff, in which lie says;

"Our victory Is complete, w"e have been burying th^ dea A ever
since the battle. Horrible sights meet the eye. The woods being on
fire wany of the wounded are burner! to death. The Iowa Third Caval-
ry had, seven scalped by the Indians. LoCullock and Mcintosh ere
dead without doubt. Gen. Slack ia aortokly wounded in. the groin.
Col, Dodge of th" I ova 4 th is a lion. The 4th and 9 th fought like
tigers. Heron is a prisoner, kany are dead, and any number wounded.
Gen. G ur 1 1 a c o o 1 an d e e 1 f - p o s s e s s e fl . ' '

Gen, Pike couuuanded n brigade of Indians, composed of the
Chickasaw Lkettallori „ Cooper's Ohoctaws, and ■Col, Lkclutoeh's rayiuient
of Greeks and Cant, Stand Katie's reglaent of Oheorkees, about 3000
In number. These Indians had ecelpod obcui eighteen of own a t -. n , part
of whom were In -yfci^ ooaiuend ,w the both Illinois, General Gurtlo
protested to'Gener-al Price stating that a number of his ;nea were
found- on the field scalp* d. General Price answered him staring that
the Indiana, were used in the eervice against his protest and thef
they not only seal pad our men but thct the; scalped hie dead rp.
sympathise* with the position Gen. Curtis took in the matter and said
he would make known both f their opinions to the Confederal e author!-
ties.

I saw the Indians as they cane im to attack the left of the
55th Illinois. At the time, I happened to havo , sectlon Q , ^^

th«t he- just cone an to me arid I turned , rie of the guar: upon the,
mid hhpy imiae-.1ir.1ely fled, apparently panic -stricken . ,i , W t thiok
they rere of any uae on th s bat tle-f ie] d . An In^ion v-on't staa.d up
and fight like the white eo3.dj.er.

Y* AfteP ^ iv *"S **■ St. Louie, I had my vox ^ exaiulnert and , t

was found to be mors severe thai, I expected run 'i , a e corf in ■ < I,
St. Louie urkSi June l,.t , receiving a renewal of any. leav, of ok,, iK;0
three times, -uriir^ thin tine the 4th Iowa Infantry , aa .ontinnnli.^
in correspondence with ne , There was a good a e al of contenif,, * -.

-54-

the regiment to fill the vacancies. The Li out. Colonel having resigned

there isas a vacancy of Colonel an<1 Lt . Colonel. There was a good

many meetings of the officers to fill 'these vacancies and a goon" many

comb:' nations among them, Cert. Griffith, Cart. Taylor, Cant, Hichols,

Capt, Burton and Adjt. Williamson were at one time or Another re com-..

mended for these offices. If I had been with the regiment, T should

have recommended immediate]:' c person to fill all vacancies '<7i'Uvuii

having any town-meetings held,. I did not believe in that method, but

I had been promoted and did not feel disposed to take' any authority

my views

In the 'matter, although T wrote the Governor, but he desired the re-
commended,, .: n of the officers. Capt. Griffith mhr- was a very efficient
officer comma-riding Co. E. was very much dissatlfled and- d{b-h}(e^-o General
Curtis and rot, his company detailed from the re?umeraiy^ iter Jbil liar, son
was recommended and commissioned as Lt . f -< ]„. He appealed strongly to
me and became an applicant as Cantain of the 1st Iowa Battery. Knowing
him to be a fine officer, I wrote Governor Kirk-wood asking for his
appointment and if was made aid he filled the position mith great
deal of ability throughout the war.

Adj-t. Williamson was made Lt, C l. .. hi s brave action through
the battles had drawn attention to him and overcome the prejudices they
had againrt him as to his not being soldierly In his make-up and not
being posted in the tactics of uar. The regiment afterwards recommended
U " Cc)1 * ^'i-Uiamson as Colonel and Capt. Nichols as Lt.Col. but for
some reason the Governor declined to commission Lt. Mchols and appointed
Lt.Col. Burton in Ms place. Captain Hichols was a fine officer' bat >-,ot
very subordinate mn* I had hadeonsiderahJe trouble with hi.,. He ha"
made a etady of the tactics .. • • : and ffas ve -. y critlca] Qf ^ offu
who were faulty In their drill and movements. I think he sometimes'
criticised me but as I had had three or four years drill, if h,d no
impression on me, but I think Nichols thought it was my action uhlch
kept him from the position. I simply endorsed the recommendation the

th V 6SlmCnt SGnt in * If J **« **<* the ,tv''oe myself, I thlnk t
slib-O^-l have talten rurton or Kinasan.

After I left, the re-i, 3 „:., it , !OV , d to Forsyt ,>^ lere U] ^

refine- for 30H9 t,,e. The, Bnro complain- an t*b,e of „e, ,
short Of ratlon8 . They flid not aeah tQ have any ons e[]uaj ^ ^ ^

-55-

for snap] ying the;;;. They wore also short 'on a]]. kin^a of cloth in;::.
The?' uiove^ from Porsyt'i to Datesvlllo dur.'ng a very rainy season and the
roads were very mu-'hiy but in their letters to me they ^escribed Bates-
ville 8.3 a beautiful place on "'hite river, wlvre they received supplies
by steamer and where, I think, they were encamped for o long time. Even
after I hod taken a new comma d, the regiment made application after
application to be placed in my command but they never accomplished it.
That would be taking a regiment out of one department and put tiny it in
another, which the Government wo;gd not do.

From Batesville, the regiment finally no>ed to Helena, reaching
there on Jimy 3rd ^n^ i'r o;u the letters written me, they were in a de-
plorable condition.;, although their discipline seems to have been main-
tained. On reaching there, they made another effort to come to , : e .
From nearly ever;" officer in the regiment, I" received letters very com-
plimentary of the way I ha* handled them in the battle. I thin?' those
who had any feelings towards tie or any criticises to make, thought the
say the regiment was handled in the Pea Ridge fiagit saved them from any
unnecessary loss, although one- third of dhe.^/eil. There were no prison-
ers taken and in their letters to me they ail u^ntioned the fact that ■
when they went off of the field , there were no stragglers and the rewi-
meat was in as good opirit as when it. ^ent on in the morning, 1 was
certainly greets pleased end satisfied with the way they fought r, n that
flay and l was amply repaid for all the time and work I had snont rwtth
them in putting them in a first-class condition. Thn ir action on the t
field won fe admiration ana praise of evor , vnne in c , JrtlB , ^^ ^^
tally of honerr;]. Curtis. •

'* ;hile T Wa3 lri 3t ' Loui3 » T endeavored to settle un, th^,,-gn
*y mother, my old ill rrn^K nought about the rUssolutl,

° f BaldWJU * ™*° ^ ^ »*W> ^a, * Co. I ,,, not t , M; , th „ t
_ o'ood Jurtcnent ha „ beon unwi , ln ciosii ^ n ^ ow ^^ ^ ^

f had lPft t0 *° lnt ° ^ ~ ^ - a e , re33io , that _ on a? ^ nt

^ -n 01 5 *«*■ ca "*^ the two partners, Baldwin * Pe t - . -

\ / \ t ...; • ' f ^w- L,J sacrifice our

/ cr^'ois and our stores ao that it Wf „~ , ' '

7 " ■ L ll lolt us-vory heovily in debt ,nd it

was a continual stru°yl» ^rdrf .u *i

° U 1U& RU ° he tlffle *°- '<* untl 7 Ju% ly in ■

° U6 j ° r llu t0 8ettle «P our- debts and ctraK-Ver ™-

^- ~u aign.en out our affairs. I

. sent ay brother considerable money wlhi.h T h . r1 _„. . ,

i ' "" j npr7 ^-' -^ed for my services

i to d lt . v e turned over everything we had to our cred.bora an- finally

settled with them, without leaving any of us any surplus whatever.

mile I was in St„ Louis , I received a great many lettern from
friends and officers all over the country, complimentary of our services
in the field, I remember receiving; a letter on June 16th from C fto t. H.z.
Curtis, who was on General Curtis 8 staff in which he said he thought the
war was/spverr and he wanted to get Into the regular army.

The latter, part of 2-Iay I reported tc the T'ar Department that I
was ready for duty end I received special order ;! J II4 from the ".'-r-r Depart-
ment assinglng me to the Department of the Mis sou ri \?ith orders to re-
port to Major Cl-eneral Halleck at Corinth, tfinaipsippi.

On July 1st, I left by rail for Ceiro and June 3rd started for
Corinth on the steamer Z& Walsh by way cf the Tennessee River, I arrived

at Pittsburg Landinr at 9 v v ■ nn >-•«*■. /, + h t «m ,~.?~,, - . . *. ,

u '■- - u " ■ • -» uil o <.ti.i^ 4i!i, 1 o 1. .tax. a 00 transportation

£ejokj. there to Cor :■ nth. pMd' vpq c^^-n n f 4 n ,^ <•„„ „_.,..„,__ + . ,, ,, . .,

...1- .j.. , i..i„Li:. ■.....-., j wua uiier urtc; evti-cuamon of Corinth

by the rebel army. There were all kinds of reports then, ; hct Pone had
taken fro-, ten to fifteen thousand prisoners, etc, One report came that
Rich monri had been taken and that Memnhla would -Pe'H . t W- ^r-r-i

Pittaburg Lan ding and passed through the different lines of entrench-
ments, both Union and Hobel. I v/as greatly astonished at the immense
work that had been done by the " army on its approach to Corinth,

Then 1 reached Corinth and heard the viei?3 of the officers,
the criticism of Halleol^s methods of approach and that there *as*a + '
large number of rebels in Corinth, I folt that a mistake hart be-P made
thai, General Pone's army should have been thrown on to the Mobile- and
0.--\-c .Railroad, south of' Cnnr.-ith p-nt + -f^n- +■'•,*- «-*..,,-
Brant so strongely favored,

Tvhen 1 rent to General. Halleck 's headquarters in Corinth, I met

Captain Sheridan who bad he-n -."if*- -no -:„ + ■>,„ t>„^ ,-,-,

i..c... Ln...., Jt i-ua me .,n tne pea Rictgo campaign. He

,? £««i n0ti " e " S Puarter — ter <* "MJeok's head-barter^ Hot, having
-mot Halleck, T asked Sheridan vAer, it ™id be wooer for r! e to c*i 1 or

him. It ^ as then just H>out noon andpheraxian said, "You come in to
lunch ji-ith me and you will see him." 1 rent in nth him ariS/Sheridan
introduced me to Gen. Halleck, who gre ted - ie very 'cordially an^ talked"
to me .out the campaign under Curtis, and spoke hi^hlv of i+ ar^ va<-
very complimentary of the part I had taken In it Pe 1^0 ™-u , 1

the whole matter. He wa a very severe, also, upon'siegle. I remember I
thought when he was talking to me what I had said, that a *rer + ~«„ + .,. e

had been made, that Gen. Siegle was not relieved when Gen. Curtis was put
in command hut 1 made no answer. I discussed with him some of the points
of the battle that ho inquired about and. he told- me that the next morning
he would give rae my coders,,

While I was here, there was a vacancy of Colonel in the 3rd .
Michigan Gavhlry, made by the promotion of Col. Gordon Granger to Brig-
adier General. There was a movement among the officers to recommend
Sheridan for the place . I remember I signed, the petition. My recol-
lection of the master is not as clear as to the opposition that was said
to be against it but General Augur who was then a Captain in that regiment
and who was taking a prominent part an behalf of Gheridan, told me the
circumstances afterwards i He said there was a division in the regiment
and that it was brought about by some differences with its Colonel > Gordon
Granger,, and the Governor said he would never appoint another regular of-
fleer over it but they were so anxious to have A '3her.idan that he took the

■oe tit Son to Governor Blair, who was at that time at Pittsburg Landing,

'■• "' "" /■» i

and prevailed noon the Governor *to appoJnt 'Sheridan and he says f,hat,tno (^ow.

sat dovn on a pine box at tho Landing and wrote out- the appointment of

Sheridan and sent it hack ftp him. ^ien' Sheridon reported to General

Halleck concerning his promotion, General Hal leek told him he could not

accept it until ho got permission f-om the War Department „ The

-rwHr^nt. wnjen was then in Col. Ellio tt 8 s brigade , was about to start on

a trip ' to the south and Sheridan was very anxious to join it, so

r .., ,,, lrfllf ^ivod the noint he had made and allowed h:.m to go and with

Co lon& Is \hou)der-
" bis Captain's uniform, he obtained entrap fro^Gordon Granger and went .

immediately to the command of the rejfo,*id;and made his noted raid. on
o 1p « 7i ^ero-^e-harl a fight and distinguished himself: He also took
pert in the onorations south of Corinth, end for his services there he
was soon mrde a Brigadier General.

" The next morning 1 received r.y orders from General Halleck;
w^BBi^ed to the command of a division ,Uh orders to report to Gen.
olUv at Columbus, Ky, Thla was a far better coiunand than i had ex-
footed and I mediately tol^heridan that 1 *ae Indebted to him for

.„, vnt ^ insisted that Gen. Halleck h^d made It on nis .
so fine a cornmanu out n-j j-^^" u -

, , _, + , -wv ^nich nhv-idrm protested, he could not make

own motion but no master .,.o\, ...uwa

T ,.,_,, wh ot -ood friends we had been in the Pea itldgo
me believe it. 1 ft^-' wn «* T ' b cou

campaign and I was satisfied that he had, a hand in giving me a Division
Instead of a Brigade, It -was a singular fact that while. 1 happened to

be there , n Sheridan obtained the realization of the desire he had so

often expressed to me when he was the Quarter master of the Army of
the south-west , when he used to say he thought he could do aoafc thing

/
j

command, and while he was assigned to a regiment, 1 was- assigned to

If he eould get Into the line and his ambition was to obtain a brigade

a BtVi's rtoi. This whs the beginning of his great career.

On July 8th, "I left' Corinth and at ?ittsburg Landing boarded

Mi© steamer, Golden Era and started for Columbus, Kentucky. 1 arrived X
there on July 0th. My division was immediately assigned to the duty
pf repairing the Mobile & Ohio- . railroad from Columbus south to Corinth.
General Halleck f:as very anxious to have this line open sc as to feed
his army over it. I think when he assigned me to this work, he knew

rof my profession of Civil Engineer and had see.- some of my operations
in repairing and keeping up the road from St. Louie to EoJla ond also
of re airing the railroad from Rolla to the Gases nade River. 1 imme
*' J dlately went over the road for about 64 miles and saw that i had qiiite

a problem before me. Many of the bridges which were out were how-
truss bridges crossing deep bayous where there did hot seem to be a
good foundation. TIk- road bed had gftuwn up in grass, telegraph lines
were down, the water tanks gone and as far as 1 could see there, was
no tools or anything else applicable lor building the road immediately,
T saw that to replace any of the structures that had been in it, it
would take a long time. 1 therefore made up my mind I would put in
crib-piers and sink them In the bayous and use the iron rods that were
in the Truss Bridge for Dowel pine to bolt their together. I found in
my command, which consisted of about 8000 men, made up of the 1st
Kansas, 12th and 15th Wisconsin, 62nd Illinois, 54th Illinois, 15th,
16th and 18th Regulars, 7th and 8th rise oris In Batteries, 1st Kansas

Bakery, Co. G. & C, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery, 2nd and 6th Illinois

eo-m-mayic/fnf the- IX" tyi * i o-yi *> f -^

and 7th Kansas Cavalry, Col. George ^E, Bryant ..who had been a classmate

of mine in Norwich University and who was also a -Civil Engineer. I
immediately cilled him in consultation with me and he told me that
hiHT -.regiment was made up mostly of Wiscons Lumbermen who were used to
working in thr- timber. I sat down with him and made the plans for.

k — ^.

hen we hau the Driages ana i

oad bed prepared we fitted up

and repairedwhat locomotives and cars there were at ColuiifDUi

-f 1-i r.\ t~Lr\ i

Sii'iall chop to make repairs
I undertook to g

;.ea .

There were not sufficient -to man • the road so the uovernmeru

a d d i 1 1 o n a I o ne a and we li a u. set u p ' a

as soon as wc hau the locomotive fi

a portion of the road with it but the weeds had so over grown the

road bed. that when crushed they greased, the rails so badly *e could

snake little orogess until we rot out and sanded the "rails ahead.

We had to rebuild the tracks over the spans over the large streams

and bayous .with trussed strings; -and after the il 'ar I was told

that the ivobile and Ohio Company when they undertook to take out

the cribbed piers and put in truss bridges they had so much trouble

that' it caused ther;! to use very harsh language

bolted "tiieti: to; ether the;

had to use

th ~ vt

to a. foundation and held i'lrn; • the grade and align yy[€nT

f 7" p p. \:-i p ■

U.L.6S

®.iie''

'onfi ■ large ^s true cure l>3 y These

v.-' X J. O U- L !

so rarr

were gooa. vorLcniansr::;.

to any cons traction

that tr.eir bridge piers and superstructure
P end strong andi'rom this experience I or-

et pioneer corps that could put their hand
and repair work needed during the hir *

\ b$

replacing these bridges and detailed both of his. regiments and put
theiv into tho timber £o get out the logs, running them down the streams
and putting in the cribs. 1 also called, from my command a detail- of ■

eveffy person who was a mechanic, or who had ever had anything to do
with railroads and 1 was astonished at the number of men who came
forward and the different vocations they were expect' in, not only
in the building of the road but in the running of -the trains and
organised a very efficient force and they rebuilt this line from
Columbus to Humboldt, 80 miles , so that on June 20th , 1 made a trip
over the road in a hand-car to Corinth^rwhich took me 48" hours. 1
rebuilt this road so rapidly that it .astonished everyone and 1 was
even ' astonished myself at how efficient these men,, detailed from the
regiment, were at anything 1 olaced them at, lY$&r\(j°},

1 remember one of the steamboats, lying at Columbus, which
had come there loaded with railroad material and ammunition, took
fire I happened to be in the ware-house near the boat. Everyone
about there and about the boat were frightened on account of the
ammunition but it was all in cases and in the forward of the boat.'
1 thought we could save the boat and also the ammunition so 1 called
on the soldiers to go aboard and take it off. They hesitated but
1 told them I would go aboard and watch while they took it off. r.hen
they saw me go aboara, a big crowd followed me. One of the boys said,
"If you are willing to ri#c your life at it, we can risk ours." It
did not take vory long to unload the boat and before the fire, readied
the forward part, we had most of the ammunition unloaded* This,
action of mine, i think, gave the men a great -deal of confidence in
me for 1 'heard a great deal of it afterwards. Mir^

On June 28th, I was assigned to the command of the Central i-T"
Division of the Army of the Tennessee with head-quarters at Trenton,
Tennessee . 1 sent a pp-rt -of my command forward to Trenton to occupy
the town "before I went down there myself , The road which 1 had been
building, had. been very free from raids of the enemy, but a' out the
time i waa comnleting it,- thgir cavalry and guerrillas commenced
making raids upon it. 1 got on an engine, with several of the enlisted
men, to go to Trenton and to look over some of tho work. It was just
dark when we reached the station, at Trenton. F/e'got off of the engine

and started up to n, expecting to meet some of ny ovvn coennnd. One of
the ;r.en who had boon en tha online; , iwmt oil

fifteen minutes anc just as \sa

! *-\*-* "-■* 1- J.. '■ i./

anoa.j or ua sorno ton or
up-/V*vw-tho depot .

the center of town, he c^e running back to ire f-nd said

!, o

5 'General, v'o

must, get out cf here

tf.rs ii.tivi l-0

:m its occupied by Conf oderato '"'avnlrv-. "

We turner; around auiofcly., but quietly and hacked our locomotive out of
the town very quietly. They evidently did not discover us

' ; ' ; C'Veri VT13" nouii- • iiar'ijt;i-8 to i rent on to a f joo

s surroandoc; by fine shrubbor.y, naanoiir trees

:.n- ufi

and

On Jul;
deserbod residence

fruit. I had hardly gotten settled hero v;hen 1 .receive
General Hallock, through General Ouiiaby, to ; .ove my division
Hickman and to take the river to Cairo and to proceed iuni-diatoly
East Thin was a great surprise to me mid 1 wondered Vhat had caused
it. Soon the news earae that General McClellan- had bean raided,
I moved my division^, 8000 strong with five batteries and learnsd that
General Halleck was moving 25,000 of his troops north, I had on!-.'
marched out about thirty miles whan I received an order to halt, then
J ' :: return to \r<t^o-n, '. on it seems the cr^or for the tfovemenlv was

countermanded. Trenton was sixty niles f rom colup.bus and eighty
miles from Corinth. After I finfsWa tke Rsu ;lA I comrencse immediately
to 'put up block houses and stockades at all the railroad siSttioris
and all the principal bridges,, This v.'ork vi&s mostly done by the 2nd
Wisconsin reg ient , They v.' ere all very neal'Iy framed and out together
and vror-e a great credit to the tvorkinanshin of thane troops „ Later on
whe n Format Hade hi a celebrated rsid and destroyed all tho bridges;
between. Grand Junction ana Jackson, when they struck my first works
at Humboldt, they *.vere repulsed and tha forces in the block houses
were enabled to drive the enemy av/ay. The troops at ail those stations
had orders to stay in their works and fight „ never to leave them., no
natter hoo large a fsreo came to their;;, and that aa would get troops to
thee as soon as tho block house was attacked <, but the enere y generally
left before v;e reached then, \

j^J \~ General Grant who had cone in con-ana of tke3f${ric-f'o-f yi/e$i %^ n ^ %%€

had, through General r ;aiabyj> boon posted as to the work X had done on
this line and the effectiveness of it in holding the points and pro-
hibiting the testA^ion of the. road and he
complimenting the command

?. immediately issued an order
uid gave an order that all prominent

"bridges and, points ^of Importance should.be protected- in the same manner
and frota that time -on ' iha- was "the usual practise throughout the var.
I was very much' pleased at the. action of tho troops and 1 found that
a company- in a block house could hold off a, regiment, and of ten . two
regiments, that -it was 'impossible to drive them out or tb ekto+urethem
unless they used artillery p gainst them, and, as a general thing, the'
Cavalry had no artillery with then'.

' - While I was at' Trenton, the 7th Kansas Cavalry was Urd-ercd
i<? Columbus r .' . .'..-' to report to Corinth . As they marched down
through the country, they gathered .up the negroes and took thorn' along
r "ith them, which at that time., was a violation of our orders. General
Hal leek had ordered that "no negroes allowed .withint his line unless
they were strictly contraband, and that no negroes should be taken from
his master or from the plantations.' 1 This view of the question did
not suit the soldiers., but the commanding -officers of the different,
posts were obliged to inforce it* .The planters, all -through that
country, knew of Genl Hallecks's order and when the 7th Kansas took
forcibly from ' hem their negroes, they eppoaled. iirectly to him. He
sent me an order at Trenton to arrest the Csvalry and strip it of all
its negroes and send 'it forw?rr?» i received this, order and p~s 1 had
under me the 1st Kansas, commanded by Col. Dietehler, 1 sent him out
•to deliver tho order t» the Colonel of- the 7th Kansas, He halted them
on the outskirts of the town and they refused to obey the order. He

came back to me and reported the Bact. I said to him, "You .command a

brigade '

Hxxsg±KBii©:f-pu know what to do and this order must be obeyed ond you

must take the necessary steps .to do it." Deitehler was a good soldier -

and he said, "Yery Fell, 1 will do so" and he called, out his Brigade

and 'when the 7th Kansas saw that I meant business, they surrendered

the negroes. I had al3 the negroes turned into the public square,

"The planters there then came forward and demanded of ,ar to deliver'

the If-' negroes to them. I said, "lo, my orders did not requirejthat;

: I only had to strip the Cavalry of them." I said, "if you w.-.nt

thorn, go and get them." They would not follow tho planter,'' "but

scattered. Then the 7th Kansas heard my orders, they were glad and

sent ivo cboor after cheer &\r\ they came to my headquarters and shoved

their gr^.-it appreciation of my acts. A great many of the officers-

had picked. out^ these negroes for cooks, wallers, teamsters, etc. The
7th Kansas wont on the next clay and 1' think a great many of the negroes
•followed them; however, I never "heard anything more of it, I reported
to Gen, 'hzimby just exactly what I had done, that 1 h*-d stripped the
reKlir.snt of the negroes and sent the regiment forward but tlut I had
declined to take the negroes and turn them over to the masters. .

"While in coram and here. Col, Hurnt-, a prominent West Tonness-
ean* recruited a regiment of loyal Uennesseeans and they rendezvoused

A and were called the 1st Tennessee Cavalry. General Halle ck sent up

<M. -

0, c. Ord, who afterwards, became a distinguished General , to muster

• them in, T had Col. Hurst get hie regiment together and put them in
•line for inspection at the depo^tat Trenton* ■ A good many of the sol-
diers . went down "to tee. the ceremony of mustering them in", -They were
about the hardest looking croFd of men I ever saw. Poorly dressed,
in fact, having on all kind of dresses. Col. Hurst had on a tallV 'ItjOt

'Col "' F 1 ^

silk hat, a long eoat with brass? -buttons, ^hen 1 took^Ord. to their,
he Bald, "Do you expect me to munter in rraeh a crowd as that'; 1 said,
"Tea," He went through the ceremony and v.'hilo 1 was in West Tenn —
"""^essee the regiment jserved under me.. Moat of them had th"-ir homes

through that country and I noticed when,! aent out expeditions .• . '.

CovrAry

through •thftT A that in the afternoon Col. Hurst -b regiment would begin

to 'grow less , until finally at night, he had hardly a company left;

then- they. would gather in in the morning and catch; us on the march. /IN

ani br*ieon he wovl\<1 k&v^- a -f v 14- 'v-fiei'ni-e-nf p^ «= semi. . ^hfr'^ /

They had* an intuition of where we would J go 8 . ■-! said< : to Col. Hurst- J/ 1 -

that if 1 got into a fight ;■■ , i hoped it' would be about noon so as IX

to have the s.ervice of his regiment. That regiment became quite a

noted one and were very important to me because I detailed from It a

great many scouts and rspies who brought us -valuable information from

the A aray. 1 kept several of them .in my employment all during my

service in that part. of the country.

Trenton was a beautiful town, fine residences , plenty- of shade,
and magnolia tress, but the people , especially the women, wore bitter
seceshioniatc. The men of the town would congregate together every
day in soir.e shndy fp ot and play narhlea, old and young, they had nothing
to do but to plot mischief and I don't wonder at their bringing about
a rebellion o

There was a piano in every house and in the evenings they would
play their choice southern songs such as "Bonnie Blue Rose-, ""The Flag
of One 3tar l | il !r a The one thing uppermost in all their conversation was
the negro question, what would become of their slaves .

During July,, 1 received a great many letters from thd 4th Iowa
giving the condition of matters in that regiment. Captain Taylor, who
was dlsfip.t j. Ri'iedj, sjy'oto me as follows;

tie] pnp Ar»T*- T"1 ""■ 1 >7 "! QP.O

!7e arrived here day before yesterday, worn down by a long
and wearisome march, made on half ratlono with scarcely any water ,
men naked^almo^t and covered with vermin. No troops have suffered
more and been more harshly dealt with than this regiment, nince y u
left. It appear a that we have no friends now to look after our Inter-
ests,, Instead of occupying the proud position wo did when with you,
we are "now so poor an none to do us reverence. :! I most heartily wish
I was with my eovmany 5 out of thin regiment , If wo have to remain in
this army, but if they could be any influence exerted to get us away
from it, would be hailed by delight by every Han„ i! '

I also received: a letter here from George '/., Bailey, who after-
wards was on mj Staff, He was then an enlisted men i :; Co. F. of the
3rd Indiana Cavalry and was at Fredericlcoburg, Maryland,, Lt.
George C, Ford, Co. B„ 4th Iowa, joined me aa A.P.G,

On Jul;/ 23, I received the following letter from Captain T. T.,

T.,T,VR'"?v 1ri ,:,-!>• ,-,f rLan«.r»f'1 O^T* t. T ■=! * ^t n f f •

''Here we are at last after a long and tedious march. On
our way here we had skirrciahing all along., ; r nd one thr-l might b ■
called a small wised fight* This occurred near a little place
called Cotton Plant, and resulted In the cam~leio defeat of the
one my, and. it is stated in Gol. IIenes*a official report thai 120
of the enemy were killed (don't believe it) our losn was six killed
and fifty- two wounded,

The stealing propensity of our army Iva Increased 1000 fold
sirfce you left, and since our arrival so far south, our rrny has
been considerably reinforced, nut I d oubt nuch whether they would
fight as well as In the Poa Ridge army. Gen. Faehburn of V/isconsin,
ia° 1th us and has a brigade. Col. Bussey commands a brigade, he
Is now absent on a pick leave. The divisions are lnt flteel,
2nd Carr, 3rd, Osterhaue, Williamson is Colonel, of the 4th, and
English Is here , btit declines doing duty under Tilliamson. He Ig still
ordnance Officer.

I went in command of a reconnoitoring expedition 180 miles
down the river, and within twenty-five miles of tho Louisiana line.
Had a small skirmish, killing two men. Destroyed some 100 crafts
of different kinds. One locomotive some 70 or 80 guns, &c &c ■■

,"2

There wao a good deal of talk In the regiments about the
elections in the north. John A, Kasson was nominated in my district
for Condons against Daniel v.'. Fln§h, on the democratic ticket. Tho
Democrats hfid taken a positive at and against the uar and I U as as-
tonished that a man of Finch's standing ancl reputation t-ould stand
upon rnich a platform.

My battery, now the 2nd Itn/a, vvaa in General Aaboth's divi-
sion at RionKi, Mississippi.

On July llth, I v.rote + iio following letter to my two little

'daughter g, Lottio and Ella:

Trenton s - famu July 11, 18G2 3
^ ' My dear Lottie and Ello. :-

%*v I suppose y;u are romning at hor.e, and have full nlay for

t^-"\ your free actions on tho green near fipandma s 8 house, vhile I am far

S§" /■■' ■ awav in Dixie, swe:torinr? under a hot .sou.to.ern sun.

V i " a s ^« a &reat sar- pretty girls, but they £ re all "soceah"

/ \ and sing the ''ooimj Blue Rose" and 15 ry own sv?eet Maryland." Thev

are toted around by negroes, little and Mr, and never without them
for guides and guardians. They are called by them "Missus" and the
little girls of ton shot; their authority over then in nrompt, deci-
J siv© orders . Tho liutle xvooly headed negroes and pretty white

I ' girl? romp, jump rope and play hoop together,,

Apples are nipt: and blackberries very nearly 5 I have both
every day 9 nnd often think ho'7 ny little Lottie and Ella Tronic
smuggle them out of ray dish if they ^ere here. Peaches too, v?Hl
soon be rii© . ■ The yards are fulf of shrubbery and. f lovers, but are
not tasteftiiy-y tirrsr^a,]. '

-ou ;-m'-t be good -girls; obey Mother, nnd grandma and grandpa,
and endeavor to ho little ladies with your Dlaynatea. Stand up for
:he Red, White and blue and t^l thorn if you— ere boys -ou w.vjfid be

and
tl

in the fight too. A hiss to both, and good uii^ht.

Father

On July 13th, General Halle ck mio had been called to Washing-
ton to take command of all the crmiec or to act as chief of staff to
the President, called on me entouto there. He- told me that 1 would
not move fron Trenton for a. month: or "two and that our foreos would
lay quiet until September; hov.-eve.,er , he \7ould not let iiie go hone for
a week; said ay corn -and v?ao too important for me -o leave it. He did
not think muoh of the military plans against Richmond; nhithor does
he think the Eastern armies need reinforcements. General Grant will
take command of the district, of .Western Tennessee , not even giving
him a department, General Haliock said if he remains d in the East
he would endeavor to take some western officer thsro and indicated
,that I would be one of thorn* I recieved a long letter her. from my
father who at tho request of Apple ton's Eneylcopeadioa had v.-ritten
up my biography and was asking mo about somCiuatters in relation to
it. He had made a pretty full and pretty fulsome statement in relation
to mo.

-65-

Several of the officers of the 4th Iowa had been given leaves
•of absence and v;ere being assigned to other regiments. Captain
Kinsman was recruiting the 23r^ of which he afterwards because Lt,
• Colonel, He was an excellent officer .hut not very r uborsinsts . He hsd
&ery advanced ideas at out how war should be made and generally wished to
carry the--, out in accordance with his views instead of the orders of
a superior officer; however, 're was enthusiastic an^ very brave. I was
laid up the latter part of July, and while sick, 1 received a letter from
Brir. General J. F, Quimby, who was in command of the district of Colum-
bia-, in which my division was serving. The letter- was as follows;

Columbus^ Ivy, July a 7 th, 136 2.

Brig, Gen. G, a. Dodge,

Trenton , Tenru
General:-

I aia greatly pained to hear of your indisposition and sincerely
hope yon nrs not to have -.siege of fever in addition to your sufficiently
serious local trouble in the side. It, would eiabarass me greatly to be
deprived of your services at th.i:- time and public interests withint
this district coui^.not but s'^'fer from such loss.

It seems as if rebellion were making a last desperate effort to

retrieve its waning 'fortunes, cngi unless our own are co :ensurated with

hers, we sha] 1 lose the ground that has been won by so much hard fight-
ing, suffering and expense. The general order which you propose to issue,
with some modifications, is approved and I hope it will leade to good
results.

You have received a' copy of Hon.. Grant's special order. The
dej.y before I received your- dispatch, I telegraphed hi..; to issue such -. n
order.

If you ' rl o not got better shortly suppose you come down hero as aiy
guest for ?"fow days, ! "e will fake good care of yon and the change can
do no lions, 1 cm, Very truly,"

The excitement of -the election had reached Tennessee aid Hon.
1T \ H. -'therage wa> was running on the union side in '.""est, Tennessee, spoke
at Trenton. There was a large crowd in attendance , especially of sol-
diers; however, \m was serving the union side but was strongly opposed to
freeing the slaves.. Pres. Lincoln hod sent George VJ . Boutwell of mass.
iK" H and Chas. A. Dana of Hew York on an inspection tour bu~t really for
J y, the purpose of testing the sentiment of the officers and soldiers of the
/ army on the negro question. They started from Cairo on a steamboat, stopped
at the different points on the klississippi river, ^hen they reached
Columbus, the principal officers in Oen . ■Quimby • s .command *ere called
to-ttbluiTin to meet them. 'We went aboard the boat and Doutwel] .isade
a statement to us in relation to the negro ouostion. It was not very
definite. ^e , could see that instead of giving their 'opinion . thev
wished ours, Oen. Quir-iby was called upon first as commendar of the

-66-

Di strict. As a regular army officer, he was very careful what he

said, 1 could see that his sympathy was for the freeing of the slaves.

1 think I was called upon next. My views were very clear in the

matter. "l had already, in two or three orders,,, taken a position as

to the rights of the freedom of the negroes and of their use in the

army. 1 was then employing nearly 1000 of them on the railroad and

in the camps and I remember I stated to the commission that 1 was

sent into the army by Iowa for the purpose of putting down the

rebellion and that I was anxious to do it and ready to utilize any

policy or plan that would -ccoaiplish it; that 1 believed in using

the negroes as much as possible for teamsters, in the Pioneer* Corps

\P ' for cooks, servants, &c, (the question of arming them had not yet

/H come up) but 1 believed that they. should be freed as they were the

mainstay then of the south, as they were raising the crops while all

the citizens were in the army* I awn that my talk pleased both

General Dana and Boutwell very much. All the other officers took the

same position but not as strongly as i did. When Messrs. Dana and

Bout we 11 returned to the East, Dana wrote me a letter asking me to put my

views in writing. This 1 did and on August 12, 1862, I received the

following letter from him:

New York, Aug, 12, 18 G2.

To Gen, Dodge;

Tours of the 2nd inst, addressed to me at Cairo, has today
been safely received here, 1 thank you very cordially for the enclosure
which contains everything that we desired.

C, E. Dana.

At this time 1 was receiving a good many letters from different

officers on this question. One from Col, Williamson of the 4th Iowa who

was a democrat when he entered the service,, and is as follows:

Helena, Ark„ , July 29, 1862,
General Dodge : -

Immediately upon the' receipt of yours of the 18th inst. I sent
to Gen. Curtis a request for leave of absence for two days, stating
the reason why 1 wanted to see you and urging him by every considera-
tion to grant my request. Since 'then 1 have been waiting' from day to
•day expecting to get an answer, but as yet' have heard nothing,

i am almost afriad to 'trust myself to write you, I have been
treated like a dog simply because I wont he worse, than a hound, and
pretend to be sick and cringe around the General's Head -quarters to
get a leave of absence or cringe around for my rights, and those
of the regiment. Vandever, with two wagons to a Go. and 'the 1 th
and other regiments^ with; God only knonws who many, had all that they
could do to perform the forced march to this point. Yet 1 am ex-
pected to do an, and more than they did with my little weak and starved

tsams, and nobly did the men and officers of the 4th bear all, and came
in camp in as good condition as any of them. It rained hard at Clarendon
making the roads very heavy and 1 was compelled to burn my old tents,

which you well know were not worth anything, and for doing so have been
lectured "by Gen. Curtis, who says that he had more transportation than
he knew what flo do with.

The General was at that time far in advance and it was with
the utmost difficulty that Dr\ Robbins and myself could carry our
sick, while division and other quarter-masters had any amount of
/ transportation to haul whores and niggers,
■J Gen a Curtis has lost, sight of everything except the negro,

and devotes most of his time to freeing them upon their own statements,
1 have no doubt' of the right the government has by its proper repre-
sentatives to confiscate the negroes and other property of the rebels,
but there are limits to which this power extends, and laws by which it
is to be done, and I have some doubt as to whether the legal manner of
doing it is tc have an entire exporte examination, in which there is
no party but the negro to be liberated. These negroes are well posted
upon the story they must tell; posted by outsiders before they go in.
The only idea a negro has of freedom, is freedom from work, and freedom
to steal. • They cannot be hired to work after getting their free papers,
x have been trying to have some of them for teamsters (in accordance wit
Gen. Curtis' order) but cannot fio so with the Government quarter-masters
feeding them.

The whole army had become lay/less; having no regard or respect
for the rights of persons or property. The lawless habit of taking
everything was to some extent encouraged, and continued on tlm
march on account of having short, or in fact no rations, but it is
no better now when we have plenty than it was then, and all manner
and kind of lawless thieving is done almost openly and goes
unpunished. 1 am willing to go with and as far as you, and any and
all other brave men, actuated by proper and just motives and princi-
- pies to crash out and put down this rebellion, but I am not one
of the number who believe that robbing houses of women's dresses ,
hoop skirts and bonnets is the proper way to put an end to this war,
Men will hardly be turned from the error of their way or be made better
Union men by this course, 1 came into the war for the purpose of trying
to do something worthy of a man, and not of a petit larceny thief.
• According to the policy which is carried out in this army, all auffer
alike from infancy to old age, the innocent and the guilty. My
policy would be to make war upon men, take from them whatever we need,
but take as men, and in the proper manner, and not in the manner of
vandals and thieves*

We have not a great deal of sickness in the regiment now, but
it is on the increase. We will be paid tomorrow to the 1st of July,
Gen. Carr has been gone to Memphie for about a week. During
his absence Ifyman commands the division and I the 1st Brigade. Command-
ing a brigade, unless it is in an engagement, is a barren honor without
a rank, and one for which 1 would not give a darn.

Since 1 have been in command of the Brigade, 1 have had more
• titrable with the first flying battery (a Dutch Institution) than a Brig,
Generalship would be worth,

lever cease trying to get us with you. We want to go. Write
to me often. If Gen. Curtis will let me go, 1 shall be up to see you/ 1

At the same time, i also wrote to my brother giving my views

of the negro question and what use 1 was making of them, which was

dated at Trenton, Tennessee, August 3rd, and was as follows:

W I am quietly waiting for something to turn 'up, Doinsr a
'C little fighting every day with the guerrillas; You seem to think"
\ v negrois are never used; l have had over 1 9 000 at work for two
^Sf a months; they have been building block houses. Negroes go and come
\ A as they please, and there is no restraint upon ttiem, but they are
,/ a nuisance in my command, it takes so much work to feed and care
for- &nem, and demoralizing to the army. Thousands are working up
riorr,ru Within the last two weeks 3000 have passed through my lines.
Slavery has gone up. 1 do not believe the owners care much about
it. They have made up their minds they will be free, so let them go.
Many loyal men are suffering to save their crops.

-68-

General Bragg and most of his army has gone to Chattanooga.
If the north will fill up our old regiments it will be all right.
The south press in every man, while our people in the north hold
back, it is iiseless to wait for volunteers; drafting mustbe immediately
resorted, to, and the sooner you realize that fact, and act upon it,
the better. It is the height of folly to recruit new regiments before
filling up the old ones. Three hundred men 'in an old regiment are
worth a whole new regiment. The men in the field are all right if
those at home will only show one half as much interest, A General
has very little power j he is tied down by orders and must obey the
or our army would be soon a mob. The one thing needed above all
others is backbone in the Congress and at head quarters, and good

advisers and one head to direct; then 1 have no fears of the result.
1 care nothing for these raids into Kentucky and Tennessee. If 1 had
my way, 1 would not send a man to stop them, but keep my forces massed
altogether ; and move down in solid columns into the heart of the enem ' s
country, and occupy their centres leaving just enough in the rear to- pro-
tect our base of supplies and regiments, and" 'cannot get them without
drafting. General Balled? told me it was all wrong not to fill the
old regiments up first; with them full we could move on the enemy any
moment. Jeff Davis Yd.ll have 800,000 men in the field by fall, and
to must have l,G00 s 000. tt

i also wrote a letter to Governor Kirkwood, dated Trenton,

Term. August 4th, 1882, and which was as follows:

Governor:

One word about the new enlistments. Fill up the old regi-
ments first. Everything now depands upon having a large experienced

army in the field. You know all the advantages of this. It not only
gives us a large army but an experienced one s and one ready at any
moment to move with success upon the enemy. Keep our ranks full and we
will give a good account of ourselves. Draft, if necessary, imme-
diately. Do not let. August pass without 1000 able-bodied men in
every Iowa regiment and i will guarantee a good account for every
command. Keep our ranks full; drive back the stragglers and our
old and experienced officers will 3how them the enemy. .Under the
new policy come a renewed vigor and energy; new and successful blows
struck within sixty days will add greatly to the effects and benefits
arising from the -late acts of Congress. It will bring thousands
out of the ranks of the rebel army and will make loyal hundreds, of
thousands who are now afraid to. declare their sentiments, but who
finding us in earnest, will come out to save their property. The.se
acts will fall harmless unless the enemy see we have the force and
power to make them feel them. All here are anxious to go forward
again. When ne\? regiments are raised take old experienced officers
for them, and for God's sake donH put in the skulkers and hang-backs
that have gone home from sore toes, and a few bullets, but reward the
men who, sick or well, have stood to their post, and returned to
their duty as soon as they were able. These men need rewarding, and
there -it is due. Most of our poor officers have left; our good^ones
are in the fleld--let us keep them there.

Yours for the cause,
G. M. Dodge ,

Brig. G S n Comdg.

CO:

rneni

Immediately upon receipt of my letter', Gov .Kirk'." cod answered
it saying that the l"ar Department had issued an order- prohibiting
the appointment of soldiers in the fie].d to the new regiments be- ing
enlisted. This was a very singular order to a 3? of us in the spiny.

? r e ooul' 4 ' not understand it because we thought that the officers who

■n
h had shown themselves in the field in battle was able to b^ a field

f\hp /{ officer, won] ^ be of great benefit to any regiment coming into t.he
field. f r e found tlv t it was almost imposslb 1 n to recruit mer in the
north for the ob" 1 regiment where they went in as enlisted men and
there was no opportunity for them being made officers, while the en-
listments for the new regiments men who were promised offices, made it

a personal matter end with the '"Lieutenants and Sargewts soon raised
the companies, while the officer's we cent up to recruit for their own
mipanies in the field invariably failed This order of tlv- k'ai Deport-
■•X brought so many protests from the officers in the field 'hat it was
immediately changed ao that th* officers in my command who had been
promised field offices in the new regiments, most of them obtained them.

At the same time I received e letter fimm Col. marseilea g.
Crocker, a very efficient o/fioer/ in relation to the eondi tiers in Iowa
which was 'as follows:
Dear n enera ] ; Caulp "earEolivar, Tenn. Aug. 23, 18d:j,

I have just received yours of the 21st inst. I am aratefm
^ ? ou for --o"'- pro.r.pt response to mine of the 15th. T have no new-
°. . a »3' -^aportanco. k"e have bed .quite a union meetin- here to™-
1SMlch 1 ^'f Pressed by the "Grecian Orator," ..cGlernard Thev"
passed stron- miinn resolutions, which in my oni n3 on *n not a ount t
Tf ; T l FJf v ! :r ^ ™U* faith in the efficiency of P.n.nt t
i coamand the xowa Drigade, composed of the M3t h, i Hth 15t- W f"
ICth T owa Vole. d lle y Rre ln fair heolth and ^iri' <sl r U^' -
enemy in the country h e is hmvi to find T -n? \,i+ i 1S n " n

.' have not heard nmck from Towa <Vh^ i i i + 1 -T t i
leads « fi to the belief that Kassol % li 1,1? t nib" iS 6 ," 8 " 3
sonally very popular but he i - iflent i f b-a Wa \ i -"' P e: "

S^ h lrr £-, b ?:?grt-™ s S- -svac ^n^z,.

can find. ' ° fc " iaai ^ u ' u -^ ! unsafe one the t he

He ,eeJ tr^f^e^jr^gdeJ^^r^aaa 1 "^ g« °»1- =«to».

isiilbre. I wonder v.i,, t r n ;7 : . Lv ' u,e campaign has been a

with his jenius! no tUt "° ' " E *'° * t!m '' ? ^<*inr eoa^nsuWats

eial n ."?!b^ tha'n^-a" S" £? n g^ 1 "? te t ror -""Wo or hi, Ju .„.
the .evil =,:, ha s et aWay' 's&T^^l^^^Z

mo-

tions? It Is possible that lie lias brought his military glory to a
premature market.

The gppointmant of Mc Kinney to a Colonelcy In one of the
• new regiments was announced in the Gate City, but Tut tie writes me tiia
it was premature. 1 hope that the Governor' will appoint him. He
has appointed Dewey, of the 15th, Grabb of the 8th, and Stone.
He could, hardly have made worse appointments than Dswey and Crabb.
Stone will make a good colonel.

Gil, Scott, who resigned and went home to run for Congress,
in the 6th Dist. has been beaten in convention, by Judge Hubbard,
of Sioux City, I wonder what he will do? it doesn't, do for the
heroes 'to be in too -great a hurry.

Let me hear frora you when convenient*,

Your friend,

M. M, Crocker.

In September 1 received a long letter from Peter A, Dey
giving me the result of the meeting for the organization of the
■Union Pacific railroad and the authority given him to verify the aJ^
4 explorations we had made as far as Salt Lakes v

General Pope*s great defeat in September caused great un-
rest and disappointment in the north. So much so t,hat there was all
kinds of prophecies of the defeat of our armies,. It did. not make any
impression on us in the field in the West, We had now gotten used,
to receiving news of our defeats in the East but our continual success
in the West made us hopeful and we were encouraged all the time,
but the information that came down from the north was very pessimistic
At the same time, there was being organized at- Council Bluffs another
regiment s the 29th Iowa Infantry to be commanded by 0oi„ Thomas H.
Benton, a banker of my town. It was rendezvoused at the foot of the
lake north of town, near Mynster Springs and was nqmed. after me,
Gamp Dodge. The ground being low there, the camp was soon moved
down to join Camp Kirkwood, where i had organised the 4th Iowa.
It was remarkable what a response iowa made to the calls upon her.
She had raised up to this time 21 s 219 men and put them into the
field while her quota was only 1C570.

The discouraging news from the east of the battles there was
creating a great deal of feeling among the loyal men which they feared
In the election would cause the defeat of the Republican party. 1 was
■being appealed to by a great many 'men in the iiot*th to aid them in
their election matters and to write letters. H, 9nr John A. Kasson
who was a member of Congress from my District wrote me on August 5
as follows;

'1-

Des ^oines, la, aug . :5, 1002.
"I thaak you ft thousand times for your hearty vor-'s and acts
of f rieridr.hip . Liy principal refret is that you ore not here iu the
••hi strict that I night h"ve the benefit of your counsel and aid on
the ground. But the Legislature . he s been convoked for the 3rd of
Sept., when a hill will he passed to give the elctive franchise » to
our soldiers- in the camp en-'- 1 in the field. Yon can, therefore, prob-
ably ^o me great service by asking a few frie -'da of the right atamp
in the regiments, to interest then selves for' ne , Ho far as t'">is
district is concerned, the 4th Infantry will, "I think, remember my
interest mid efforts for the,., in time past-, -"Mid will be willing to
vote, 1 hope other regiments, despising as they ^o , the Gahnney plat-
form of rebel sympathy and kid-glove warfare, rill sustain the admin-
istration candidates. The Douglas Democracy of IrvUanais coiain.- 1 ; up
nobly to this issue, declaring againat party spirit now, and for the
Government, and against electin," nen to Congress to null -hrm/n the
administration.

I also think that a letter from yon to cone friend on the elope
to be puhlie'-ed in 1 he' Nonpareil , speaking froa. ::• .military point of
v i e w o f t h e neceas i t y o f 3 a y i n g a side p a r t y s p i r i t , a n d un i t i n g t h e
people as one man in.supprto of the war, and of the adaGini stratio i ,
of the encouragement given to the enemy by divided counsels, and by
supporting opposition candidates to weaken .the administration, would
do much goo'd" |

In Sept. Gens. Van Gorn and Price with tb.eir ariiiiese rossed the'
Mississippi .River and none their preparations to attack the. forces
under Gen, Grant at Gorinth and other places and preparatory to their
aove.-aer-t they sent forward along our line of communion-! ion mounted
infantry and cavalry nhi..?h was annoying my railway line a greof deal.
I attacked these forces on the Hatch!- and at Dyersbnrg and Grownsvi]]
and Genmark end alwa-s with success . The detachments of my cavalry
and infantry thot I sent, out after then were under able officers an- 1
they never hesitated when they came ugto the e^emy no matter how stron
the.v were in attacking. Genera] Grant, who had now com- in eenam^
took notice of tlvse attacks of ,iro and "their success and sent a ].L
/J,io P dtch to aenoral Ralleck of ^shington givin^ a list of my fiyhts
and compliment i,v ,e upon it. T attacked Gen, V illipacue v;ho wa ^ p
command .of *nn. Van Darn's advance forces on the HatoMe. He god .- out
2000 1KCa "' itl1 Mm nnrt "°™ ™* * -vere fi.ht b,t he wee Bt .onn«, g, '
Ms movamen. north and retreated. I wrote my brother in relation to + ,/, s

and spoke of the fiyht at Depart, tsl-Un/r him oi

our severe loss: also

° f the l0S * ° f U ° ^^ °? Pillory which wo Ml slnnn r ^ T _ ;,

-re herd pressed and had ,e,Kene, -w,r foacee to aid^ ^ ^ _

!"* " 3ht PlMe ' ' *™ lr " T TOa ^ remrore^, the eneny ,,m v l

ny railway, iu y forces fought no matter bow a '

allowed no news to : t out. j v ,

W3;

»e:ny % my spies aa^ scouts and g noK jf h?: ,,.

we would y )e { :> }r t '

On -opt-:Gma= Goth, tho battle

root the **<i 3 w e r£D , nd v , s
d -ell posted as to f|l , ulov , ::]ent8 of the

' :avl< ™*, fight in- v-ouie vin

of lake i7,i.'! fourht. and on g

opt,

• 11 UO Pi S(30

.^oro my loruDt) i i/!i; o ... ■. jLi.n jock^ou ■.* c>i"{ii r, . i-x ^t.
river, ivhy looe was oO; the enemy' n, 7f„

ourlny the month of r.optouVhcr, President Lincoln leaned h;ir
pro c I nam- f si on frselny the ei. ' *.o 3 vhich brought yreat eroourayemont [o
the army . It aae received universally nlth yreat favor, "ven there
-7 who had been opposed to it and pessimistic about Lho results, of it
bad chan. red their viero an-'' it. wae of immense benefit to the ospirit-
n-coi'PG of Mi? whole army.

I hod requested the ' r ar Deportment to appoint Captain b, n.
Kinsman of the 4 th To :; o no i^y A. A, d, but, bis receiving tine appoint-
ment of Id,. Col. m V.-~23xd. leva Infantry, he decline^. I thesn na.ke- 1
the a pro In tine a I of Goon/ye E. o^eroo u vd^o ha-! been ■ 1th the let beb,

Tows. Uo co.'.'- Lo me as;. on after and v.-aa a --cp^ efficient officer and
renamed e 1 tb mo urtib I I appointed him Colonel of the lb ':.;_ .-b. ••.,.-:

J\ On boniemher £8th, Generol Grant came up to Colyibbn end cent
/or' ms to ca.,e ay and m-et him. Ilbhio ran ay firot Intervie' vfi+.h
'nanooul -crt'IUb aretded no very cordially and erode In oonplimontaiy
tome of the aorf t lieb been delay: and Inihmafee tVd, no ra & .-caiiy to
ehanye ear command but did not, tell me bh u J - b- »;os -oin'"- to -ivo .;?>.
On tb- next ,? a y i ie issued v9 . opeclal order, £00, aselynlny ...p t, c t'n "
->--!!b of the district of Coliw.buo. durj.no the aosoo.-.c. r,r ;o,,,.:,.,i ,- , ;
OuLudy v, ho- had deer- oi c b for ouite a lony time ni»i, ras ,-,,!-- dome t~
rec porate , .

"' The eneny a] I dosr; the front hod

on October

let I received

bl my forces V ? I I could opore t- fori nth an- t

ou-- o.ei": r "i u ? vol'-v eci ] ">. e •". r'.a
neral" Grant tc forward
sent f oraar^ - "" i

-l -1 qr%fy- f •■ 7-1 -Pin.-,. ■ n -. ,t ", ^,. e~ -j . /"' (

Il"» V

•i n -on

i or can;; t.hey too]: part in tdie bottle
ctripno,-' the r^: :i fr. n »i ^.-.i m ^ >•, -

:'f "orb/td. i

to Humboldt and all < ho troon- ■
ay couua.ii.-l beh-yo.^ io.>.. 1 or]::ably -.-nn iri tho bnt+ ,

tl -e "■'"" 1 I received the
'.'i'suvc for uy prompt action In the iu-ntcr.
Onp'*f i u y oomuiand captured th^ diar

counll;aente of Cteio^ra] drant

' ' L >J "-' - • '■' • ' ■ i 1.1

.lL»c O l.i, , v_> O

•tb

Alabama, vhich yave a very -raffle d

tescrop-uc.n of bo battle of Corinth

it o

which is as follows :

ii t

'I went skirmishing at 7:30 and returned at 9; 30 o'clock.
Two of Capt. Postern men were killed but none of ours. The enemy
fired very fr. st and. we replied; _we got .'behind, trees and logs and*'
the wa?' bullets did fly was unpleasant to see. I think 20 must
have passed within a few feet of me humming prettily-. Shells tore
off large limbs and splinters struck my tree several times. We
could only move from tree to tree and bending low to the ground 'while
moving Oh, how anxious 1 watched for the bursting of the shells
when the- heavy roar of ! the cannon proclaimed it coining. At 9:30
o'clock I had ray skirmishers relieved by Capt. Reuses company;
sent my wen to their places and went behind a log with Major 1 " Eurges.
10 o'clock™ -suddenly the fight fairly opened with heavy vollies of
musketry and the doubly thundering cannon, this was on the right.
In a few minutes the left went Into action in splendid style. At 10.*;
15 o'clock "ol. Rogers came up by us only saying, Alabama forces.
Our regmment arrived with the brigade all uxu'iindful of shell or
shot and moved forward, marching 250 yards and rising the crest of
a hill the whose of Corinth with its immense fortifications burst
up on our view. The IT. S. flag was floating over the forts and in
the town. We were new met by a perfect storv of grape , canister . ; aid
cannon balls and Minnie Balls. Oh, God. 1 have never seen the
like, the men fell like grass even here; giving one tremendous cheer
we dashed to tlv- bottom of the hill on which the fortifications are
situated ; hero we four/' every foot of ground covered with large
trees and brush cut down to impede our progress. Looking to tlv
right 1 saw several brigades charging at the same times when- a gight
was there. 1 saw men running at full speed stop suddenly and fail
on their faces Kith their brains scattered al.'i around; others irith
leys and arms cut off shrieking with agony; they fell left, behind
and beside and within b few feet of rae . I gave myself to God and
got ahead of my company; the ground literally strewn with mangled
corpses. One ball pass-d through my pants and they cut twigs right a.
at me, and It seemed that b 3^ holding out ray hand I could have caught
a dozen 1 they bussed and hissed by me in all directions but I still
pushed forward, I seemed to be marching right in the mouth of
cannon for the air was filled with hurling grape and canister while
ahead was one continual blaze. I rushed to the ditch of the fort
right between some large cannon. I grappled Into It and half way
up 'the sloping fetalis. The enemy were only 3 or 4 feet from me on .
the other side but could not shoot us for fear of having their own
herds blown off: our men were In the same predicament. Only 5 or 6
were on the wall and 30 or 40 in and around the ditch. CaberBby
on the w&l by my side. A man within 2 geet of me put his head
cautiously up to shoot Into the fort, but he suddenly dropped his
musket snd his brrins were dssheddin a. stream over my fine coat which
I had In my arms and on my shirt sleeves. Several men killed here
on too of another and rolled down the embankment ghastly heaps .;
t$i±3 was done by a regiment of yankees coming about 4yards on our
left after finding us entirely cutt off and firing into us . Several
of our men cried/" "Put down the flag." and it was lowored or shot
into the ditfah. 0h| we were butchered like dogs, as we were not
supported. Some one -placed a white handkerchief on Sergeant Buck's
musket and he took it" to the post- hole, but the yankees snatched it
off and. took him prisoner. The men were falling 10 at a time;
the ditch being full and finding that we had no chance, the survivors
tried to save themselves as best they •'could. I was so far up I could
not get off quickly. I do not remember seeing Gate shy after this
but think he got off before. 1 trust in God h,e has. I and Capt.

stumo; just then I saw poor Poster throw up his hands and saying,
"Oh, "my 'God'" jumped about £ feet off the ground falling on his
face? the top of his head seemed to cave in and the blood spurted
up several feet. 1 could see men falling as they attempted to
run, some with their heads to pieces and others with i.he blood
streaming from their hacks; it was horrible. One poor fellow
|iping almost on me told me his name and asked me to take his

pocket-book, if I escaped, and give it to -his mother and tell her

he died like a brave man, I asked him if he was a christian

and told him to pray, which he did with the cannon thundering dealv

accompaniment. Poor fellow J I forgot his request in the excitement;
his legs vera literally cut to pieces, As our men retreated the en-'
emy poured in their fire and I was barely 30 feet from the -south
of the cannon; Minnie balls filled the stump I was behind and the
fehelle> burst n thin 3 or 4 feet of me, one was so close that it
stunned me and brunt my face with pothers the* grone shot k^o'^d
large pieces off my stump gradually wearing v it awav: T endured
the horrors ~.f death here a half hour and concluded' to pps^n
myself and prayed. Our troops formed in line in the woods and
advanced a second time to the charge with cheers but began firing whe
about half 173 ;■ and I had to endure it all. 1 was feigning death;" 1
wao right between our own and the enemy' n fire, in the first charge
our men did not fire a gun out charged across the ditch and to
the very mouth of the cannon Pith fcJie bayonet, so also at the
second charge but they fired, 1 thank God I am unhurt and I think
it was a. mere if nl Providence, Our troops charged by ro when 1
seized a rifle and endeavorted to fire it several times but e rn.il d
not for the cap waa bad. Our boys were shot down strain like hogs
and could not stand it and fell back each man for aaselfj then the
same scene enacted as before: t'-.is time the yankees charged after
them and as 1 had no chance at all and all arourld me were surrender-
ing 1 ?;as compelled to do so too as a mnn threatened to shoot mo . I
have to give up my sword to him; he demanded my watch; also took it
but I appealed to an officer and got it back. I had no means to
defend myself c-ncl for the first time in years 1 cried to seeour
br?wa v:en slaughtered so and thought where G-aiecby might be. I have
never- felt so in mj life, it is nor said that our brigade xtgs
never ordered to charge such a Ctace and it wao a mistake; if so
it was a Sad ona . Being brought behind the works we found three
regiments drawn up in line and all of them were fighting our 42nd
Alabama alone. 1 helped to carry a wounded man to the depot with
Liaut. Marshall s Lieut. Candy and Lieut, pre si on 5 they being the
only unhurt officers who were prisoners from our regiment a we
and the privates wore soon marched to a largo v< are-house, having
a partititon for the officers, the men about 400 being in the next
room. v I heard firing again but I fear vre can do nothing. *'.'e are
treated very politely—more so than I expected,, I h^-ve no clothes
money or anything, Sergt, Saint, Thor . Sing and Sundlen
are wounded prisoners from our conipany . Joe Bennington., Robinson,
Supt . Buo 5 . Frank Tackei, Gilbert Gas set and Sundlen, I {Endeavor-
ed here to get out to the battle field to see about Gates -'y. 1 ara
moat distressed about him. This is the storming of Corinth „
15,000 men being 5 brigades charged in here; stirring sight ., no
description can convey a correct idea of the horrors. Our vmole
forces engaged were approximately 25,000 men; the enemy fully
20^000 fcnsidea enormous batter:* ea of heavy artillery . price was
commanding our forces; 'fiosecrans the enemy „ Our loss was about
1,500 killed, 1,5000 teoimded and nearly 1000 prisoners making
4000 loss. This in from -toy own observation and must be nearly
correct as I hrd good facilities afterwards of knowing. 1 an
anxious for my parents to know something about me but I have no
chance to get them information. At night we slept in an old dirty-
tent on the bare floor without covering and I suffered from cold.
I have had nothing to eat and am really weak. Crowds assemble
around to gaze at us, and we suffer in various ways. All our

wounded 1 know of are prisoners. Our force's retreated about
3, o'clock pursued by the yankees. Gen. Mc Arthur? is pursuing
PrJce and ve hear various disheartening reports 'from the yankees
but 'believe none of them,

Monday October 6th— Yesterday but one meal and that dinner;
some fat oork and beans, crackers. After much trouble 1 got leave
to go to the battle field with Lieut. Marshal to loot for our dead
and particularly to find something about Gatesay; we were escorted
by two yankee officers. Right at our charging place (the re doubt ■:•■
the dead -oro piled in heaps; Gatesby not thgre , 1 saw Col.

4T.

*7%
so

Rogers stripped,, he was shot with 4 balls and Capt.' Poster, his
brains all on the ground. The stump I was behind is literally
ail cut to pieces by cannon shot and to within a few inches of my
head,, Some had the flesh shot off their bones and other liribs in
little pieces. Those ki?lod here were mostly fror grape shot 3
the fire here was so terrible that hardly a man has less than 2
bullets in him. and in many I counted i or 6, Oh, how relieved I w&e
not to find Oatesby here, for now I believe him safe. On eoirkng
to our prisons I went through the very extensiv-" hospital camps.
X saw some of our 1 mev, $ Sergt, Cane wounded in the thigh. Dick
Higoly phot through from side to side: Gapt Krom through the
thigh find many others from our regiment wounded. There are
more of the yankoes wounded than ours. Even the acting provost
marshal! (keiby) came and paroled us to the limits of the town.
After taking an oath not to take up arms or assist the confederate
States until duly exchanged, which werwere, obliged to take any
how. Gome confederate cavalry came near .'.10 re and frightened the
yankees to death. T"e yere much excited as we hoped our friends
would rescue us, ~ou it was all in vain. About 5, we went to
renort to G ol .. Buck command! - the post, as our parole required it
He told us to make ourselves easy and report at 9 o'clock tomorrow
momiri.T . Tbev briny :?n a few more prisoners, Pent to Hospital
to see our wounded boys again. Gen. Moore of our brigade is a
prisoner. He had his leg amputated today. All of the offiers
(33^ reported to Col, Rick. * He told us to report at 7 again. Out
on battle- field again; most of the dead burled; most of our dead
were stringed rnd their pockets turned out. Our common Mil of
fare and toe eternal impudent gascrs. The women here are all righ
and take every opportunity to speak to our officers but very si?"
about it .

Tnesdsv. Oct. 7, Reported, at 7 when our names were taken.
Gen. ZcKean is "now commander of the Post, f"e have nothing to^ eat
at all but fat baeonj sometimes with coffee, ^apt. Page syyaruree)
asked me to walk with him to his quarters 9 which done he intro-
duced me to his wife and another northern lady. He pressed a
eie^n nhir-t to me so humanely thea I could not refuse. 1 then

" " " " d general hospital ana lost him. There are many

led men thar~. On reporting this morning a young lady^ ^
came to her back door and bowed to me. 1 returned it and she apid

" TP.IB

in a low voice; "V'e can look ot. you out, uaro nor, see
s^ows "~w tb women are here. Afterwards I saw a girl about I'd
^; ?Y , f , n i flo r asked her where she lived and she fold me and asked
ne if we w re secesh officers, and that she v?as glad t-o see a^ aog
of our side of the house. Theynnkee officers show us every etten-
f,-?or> ei-id me in -osrticular . Evening,, ilajor Homes and 1 rent, 00
see "den. V.cKean (yankee) about wb;;W would bo done with us, He is
p verv kind eld man pad said that we would be sent h-me he Ui GUgi.it
!' ,.".1,-,V~ 5 ^ "--iked Abound the suburbs and by the semi, ary

\ the suburbs and by 'one semi
aiid'baak to our mean quarters* Corinth is a pretty place ant

'"■edne^dpv'ect.. S—Tolersbly clear. Another of our regiment;
broun-bt irTVorisoner last overling. He saw Gates'.-' in the fight
on Hetchie River in th morning and ho thiktes all righ. . 1 am
drU^tod and feel easv now. Took a walk up Memphis and Charie-' ou
S ^ .^ verv t, TO ttv *Irl spoke to me while I was talking witft
her 'rather, Mr/warsel. 'They are all strong southerners Bnajr.
warsp-l told me thr.t we had the place' in our power on Sawm-d^ aj>
tbe venkoes were flying before us and only needed one more eifort.
I weS to'hia house with his daughter ito&ly. .and had a splendid
L)'X - e e-^hpr.cr ed rings for a short time .< 1 Kissed hor lit. ole
^JU 4^' and Amanda, they were so glad to sec me and natea
f^^te^thev sa3d. 1 heard that we ftould leave Cor.nLn at

bile ,y eUi.. ! ri.U«-> i-iii^J llviiu , , 4.1-,™ „ -] -i iinn^'hrp nnr t'.^Tlt,

3 o'clock tomorrow morning and so I bade tnem a..u. yood^ ^ .-.it
to our Guard House. *"

_76-

"While at Columbus, I received my first letter from General

Sherman which was as follows:

Memphis, October 3, 1882.

General Dodges

'Thank you 'kindly for the sketch of news up to the 6th.
Rejoiced at the result. Rumors reach rae of less favorabls news
about Bolivar , on Sunday last, but as it came through secession
sources, I donH believe it. 1 can better judge of the shape events
take in the interior by the bearing of the'Secesh, and this does
not indicate good news to them,

1 sent a cavalry fore© yesterday out about 25 miles and
broke up a camp of the enemy completely; killing 4 and wounding.
14 and taking prisoners, arms and horses.

We are all well here, and i think have things so shaped that
when the time comes, we can sally out and clear the way to Grenada.

Will always be much obliged for late news from Bolivar and
thereabouts, as mine comes through spies and secession sources^,
always unsatisfactory."

On August 8th, the 8th Indiana lands at Columbus on their way
to Corinth. This x?as the regiment that fought under me at the
battle of Pea Ridge« They came up to my headquarters and called
on me and ga¥e mo three cheers, remembering our good work at Pea
Ridge„

During my stay at Columbus, two steamboats laying at the
dock; and alongside of our warehouses, caught fire and threatened
the destruction of not only the boats but the warehouses and the

following is the account of the fire written at that time:

"This has been an exciting day here* Some rebel set fire
to our- Q. M, and. ordnance boats with the intention to clean us out.
You know, of course, it was difficult to get men to work against
fire when they knew that the boats were loaded with
i called out the infantry and drove the men to work
of the bayonets all that 1 could find* Many cowards
citizens fled to the bush, but by good luck, I
the soldiers were heroes. The shell and loose

shell and powder.

at the point

and all the
caught a thousand and
shot burst and tore

through us ripping and smashing cars and buildings, and for throe
hours the terrific explosion of shell was grand but very dangerous.
The shell burst all around me, tore everything loose, but the
men stuck to it and "tores were saved. For three hours the artillery
fire was tremendous; over a thousand burst but did. not hurt but
very few, .1 got hit a few times and got a wound in the left arm,
but not bad enough to get a furlough on. 1 had to lead the men
and stand by in the thickest, for they could see but little glory
in such a fight... I am sorry to say that some officers behaved
badly and sneaked off while others stood up like men. No one has
any idea of such a thing; the missiles w his sing around our heads and
tearing through the buildings, and yet no enemy but tf ire to fight."

On October 16th, I heard of the election of John A. Kasson,
the representative from my district, by a majority of 1000 in the
state and 700 majority in the army,

OnOctober 21st, 1 received another letter from General

Sherman congratulating me on the capture 01' Colonel Faulkner and
his -command at Island No* 10, which i had attacked and cap'tured

. at the same time Fa captured some 1400 State troops- and conscripts
twenty- three miles n*est of New Madrid .

When General Quiraby returned the latter part of October,
he met General Grant and when he came to m© he said that General
Grant had told him that he was going to order both of us to his
front. On October 24th, 1 received a dispatch from General
Rawlins to report inane Idately to Corinth and to relieve General
Dscvios ?.iio was then commanding the 2nd division of the Army (t
the Tennessee, I was at Humboldt when 1 received this dispatch,
away from my headquarters and where I had a force at work an the
JBailroad and its- defeases*. 1 was dressed in a working uniform,
a soldier*s blouse with ray shoulder straps on it. The clispatoh
seemed to- be so imperative that I hesitated about going back to
my headquarters and get my staff and outfit or to go iiam§filately
tmt 1 made up ay mind that 1 would go down on the next train to
see what my command was and as the train came along, 1 got aboard,
then we got to Jackson, ^hich wan General Grant 5 a headquarters,
General Rawlins came aboard the train, inquiring if 1 was on
board. The conductor pointed rae out and Solonc-I Rawlins came up
and sale! that General Grant was on the plat fori): and wished to
speak to mc-s. t'his was the first tli.no I had met CrcloacI .ar/lins.
1 was very poorly dressed and sal-;, that 1 did not think i wan in
A propor condition to pay v--y respects t.o the General, but he answered

'•me, laughingly raid said; "ITevor mine that; vre rll know about you."
'When 1 got out on the platform, General Grant greeted me very
cordially and 1 saw that he was no better dressed than I was, which
greatly relieved me. General Grant aaid t "1 have assigned you to
the command of the 2nd Division of the Army of the Tennessee and 1

.want you to understand that "/ou are not going their to command a
division of Cowards." At that time I knew nothing about the fric-
. tion at Corinth and was rather nonplused at what he said and did not

hardly know what reply to make but I thanked Ma for the appoint-
ment and got on the train and went to Corinth, fhare I was informed.
of the friction that existed between General Grant and General
/f Roseorans and 1 also discovered that General Hosecrans, in his <re---

cjr .port h.nd denounced General Davlea division as a division of

cowards because they had been driven back in the battle of Corinth
\ Into the town, although they held their line and the town, men
I oarae to investigate, 1 found that the division had done most of
the fighting the first day and had behaved splendidly. General
Davlee had made a very strong protest against General Rosecran's
report and General Grant had requested it to he changed* General
Rosecrans, upon investigation, changed the report , giving the di-
vision credit for- what .they had done and stated that he had made the
criticism of ths division on the report of a staff officers however
this did not cure the feeling in the division or araon g the officers,
General Grant considered that after the Battle, General Rosecrans
had not followed up the enemy as promptly and efficiently as he
ought to have and General loPherson,. Ord, Logan and others, who
had taken part in the fights at Iuka and Corinth, were very hitter

"V,

on General Rosecrans and had appealed to General fount to relieve

G-eyi,

Rosecrans from the coimrpno. Grant declined to do this. They then

appealed to Mrs, Grant who was then with the General at Jackson.

Mm. Grant told me after the war that 'she sympathized greatly with
these officers hut Ulysses, as she called him* said that General
Roseorans had fought a great battle and won it and no ratter what
feeling he might have in relation to it, or to him., he could not
relieve him, hut she said that a day or two after her talk with
him, Ulysses came out of his tent with a dispatch in his hand and

■■■'twirling It- in the air said, "Julia, it is settled alright", and

he read her the dispatch relieving General Rosecrans of the command
at Corinth and giving him the command of the Army of the Cumberland,
which was a great promotion. In commenting upon this promotion
General Grant said that in all probability, as an Army commander

he would do tetter than as a subordinate because as a subordinate
he did not. respond to orders or to the view.s of a superior officer
• .as Grant thought he raight to. The friction between Generals Grant and
Rosecrans continued throughout the War. 1 never knew General Grant to
make any statement or show any disposition to call it up again,
"but the fact that he relieved him at Chattanooga was a bitter
disappointment to General Rosecrans. After General Rosecrans
had left the army and was a member of Congress/ he took occasion,
on the floor of the house to make a very bitter, uncalled for
attack -upon General Grant, which- fell flat, although General Grant never
made any comment or response to' it,

1— --•' Under the order of General' C. S. Hamilton, who was then in
command of the -district of Oorintt, I assumed command of the And
division of the Army of the Tennessee on October 50, 1882*

General Grant had commenced his movement after Price south
towards Holly Springs to meet the Confederate army that was said
to be concentrated at that place.- General Stanley McArthur* s and Quim-
by's divisions went to him from Corinth, leaving my command alone with
one company of cavalry and a brigade of artillery to garrison Corinth,

The district of Corinth was commanded by General Charles
S. Hamilton with headquarters at Grand Junction, He wrote me that
General Grant intended to relieve me at Corinth and send rue to take
Stanley's division/ Stanley going to Kentucky.

The officers of the divisions made great complaint against
General Rosecrans 8 plans and strategy of the battle of -Corinth.
They claimed that he got demoralised at the battle and ordered the
. depots to be burned, fearing the enemy might capture them. He
could plan and move armies with great effect but when if came to
small bodies he got excited and tried to control rijn'&e tails. They
also complained that he did nfet believe .that the enemy intended to
attack Corinth until the night of the 3rd and he would not concentrate
his divisions

•GO-

r er the ground, the first position taken by out"

until then,

In looking ovei

troops in the A-~tt?.e. three niv- one-half ailes out cf town, is vdinre lie
shohl-7 h - •■" ti-rovn his whole array ?*.nsLcad of the Cnd divis ion K It is
at the olid rebel norbs a:~y 1.: a pplendid point* Had -oArthur 3;f
Stanley been I'here on the aorning of the fr-- 1 , Price a. id Van Dorn
would have been defeated. The 2nd division ahieh ho criticised
so severely fought this first atfsek clone and successfully hut
vith greet las -. After s kettle it. was very easy to say what should
have heen done hut much .aire riifficn.lt to anticipate those fh;r. r "S
before the battel. , There io no doubt .but what General Roseor-ans'
critioisa of the 2nd divisive Is wi-ong an' 1 rngered General -rant
because it was the ^ivislor ho had organised at Cairo, had uade
its first fight under bin at Done"! rioi; and the -division th.-t oherged
the vory.fi and carried the line of intrenchtaents et Done la on and the
- 2nd lova , of the division, h-v-l blaze 1 on its banners, by ors Gr of
Oenoral Cbrant , ''First at Donelson.^ I foui'V it a division of veterans
ably officered and it served under ne froui !.he t hue I took oo^unid
until August 19, 1864 } and never took a step baeknard„ it was a por-
tion of thie division, tthder Corse, ih^t fought and won the bntLIo
ol AlLoona and oavori oil of Shernan's stores.

The election in the north cane off on November 7th and nas
very disappointing to the north r.id also to the arum

At Corinth t f „ un e detachments of a great lanrry conmonds, a
port 3 oxi of rbieh ha- teen captured at "hiloh, oisorig then the Sfh, icth
ond Km Torn, -.h loh hod been organised into a regiar>nivnd call-ed
Iks enter brigade. There <? as great discontent anong them; the, W re
* ltln ° l,t Pr ° POr ° mcSrS an * ^ ^e old of Oovernor KlrkW# ] c , Qt
permission to send then north" t.o recruit and remain until tee rest'
of their command could join f hea ;

, I received a. letter froa Sens tor ,Hr hues inon,ir.hrg narticuieri,
^ tC 1 " he y^^s of cur arayy end als-o inquiring about C^.r^- ^
1 .rote tk^'Very long ,-tter, goirg ln t detsll R , ollt Lhe c , ;ll , nw ,

*«* .ivina hi, the or,ios view ,. f Hydrant, rhiok nas unaninous in fa-
vor of hbo; the; considered hi, the best coanasder they had ever been

-81-

uaier, n nd I complained of the treatment Gen. -Grant was reeeiv.ia-.r~ f>oia
the ""bar* Depar-tu-anf . He ha' 1 been pl^oea in the eoaniana of the
> "District of the "'est Tennessee with about 50. ,.000 men to take care
of that country, nhioh, n.n.-ier General Helled;, it was considered
neeesssry to have over 100,000 men for am 1 with 'this snail force ,
'General Ch-su-it had nsintained his lines of cou'iuuinicaf ion } hce feipbvt
c-rid won th" battles of Corinth and Inl:a and was at that tine uovir.a
against Price and Ponberton s vOo ••ere known to be super io-- in force
to General Grant , General Grant later told me that, Ohio was the most
anxiotiB time of his service, '

"Tier; Grimes received this letter, be was so pleased Fith \f

it that he immediately jave it to Forne:; , the Editor of the Phil-
adelphia Press, who printed it and it. received quite a large cir-
culation .

All Id is tine I nas expecting to join den. Grant snn ooiaiuona a
Division in bi- sonny. General Onimby, who vi3i te^ ue , tola 5 , i (h -. t.
ibis was to bo done, -at J soon receive* a letter frou: General Grant
statins that be sho^ia leave „e in coronet of the District of Corinth;
that if TOa e, .ore important coau-.an* than el division in the field
r aS Lt hel " his nnnlc. H, also said thst he loft r,e there because he
tee* I ,ouW stay, , hlc n va8 3n in s icatio , to Ufl thrt he exrecte ^

to stay no .atter .bat force cane a S ainst ,. 9 . den. Grant feared
General Pr Sse W0lll , detach R force fim Mfl ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^

an, try to cut his cyanic at ions on the .issiseippi Ri.er ana th-t
it ™ necessary for a lar S e force to be posted near the Tennessee Bn

as to bo .eaay to attack any force that attecnte, 1. crc _ „^, vn

L "-• l - l L! •-• o , see a u s e
any sneb -..oveuent as th^i TO iiri h^- f - +^ i ,

l lu " ofc tc destroy r force to neir^r

ar.y force located at Corinth. ^

"» ror t i floati( . n3 a „, un , Corlnt har , bean buiit for ^ ^

no 7 be necessary ,o — •— ^"-e S c thataf0I . 0ft0 „:„ M

77— - — - «, , ,e ,,; ^, lnBlln ,; N ;: 1 ;^

oe sent ansim;? i t - ■>■<- „.. - < • l <- v

• • . —re, ,e co !meo te, the prlnoiple ba tt

<- -. con.t^ted bBf0! -s t he ,-ottlo of c„ r . nt „ _ , .

.o. ..m.n ana area:;; in a! 1
the Imes and built adhtiorm fnrs , „ , :

„ ■ ■ - tlji - c - 3 f0ris ™ all sides of the W. lr .

closmc the store bonses and the roil r o-»a , t , lM ' -

- ^-ino,,a tttubion ana made 3 Vf5pir

strona fortification.

-82-

The troopc /^worked continuously on i'rir. fortification for several \~ onths
before it sas fully eotvmleted.

The Tiicveuieht of General Grant south made fill of the foiif ederate
Cavalr 1 - very active an^ their objective point was the Mobile end
Ohio Railroad, In his nioveaent, General Grant sent Co] , Dickey
with a brigade of Cavalry across to the Mobile and Ohio railroad anr 1
I nover a -'o ce of 2500 down that road to Saltillio to help him destroy
It.. This raid, was successful..

Col. Roddy, with a suiall -caii^ana was lyiny, to the East of me,
across Fear Oeeek and on December 3 8th, General Forest, crossed the
Tennessee river with abort 5000 .men aiv' threatened Jackson., north
of ae , endeavoring to fake that place. At the Gauie <• hue / General
Grant notified me that General Jackson with a Confederate fo-ce Pas
uiovin-3 north frmn i» front of his command evidently with a view of
striklny J$fcfcs'..n .

n Deoo:i'.l3er^l-:th, I sent Col. Sweeney oaf with about 1000
en to attack Col. Ro^dy on Boar Creek. Col. Sweeney e ttacked
1. Roddy's advance at Bear Creek, followed him to ^ane Greek,
ore Col. Ro*dy with hl*'i u en, a body consisting; of about 0400 men
an. four pieces of-arti! iery , took up a stron c post,- but after some
resistance, were forced to abandon it. A fi,,ht was k Ppt up between
this and utile Bear Greek, across wM,b s the bridge had been burned.
Col. Sweeney, however, euecaoded in S ettin S his infmtrv acres, wh~ n
he attacked an, capture, n & , Vs cainp , 8ecurl „ r 8 1q1 q£ ^^
, ft^snfy and quartermaster's stores. In twenty-four houre , J,

fcrCe mBr0heri ™^-*i* -ilea, fouyht a battle the t lasted * 1x
• hours and drove the ™,y twelve miles .

On Deeper lath, j received en or^er fro. General Wl +0
T "^ L — ™ ™ force f ooul ., UVy fpoB ^^ ^ "

take ccvuinnri of fin + «- -,

- Oi i.ju„ u-oops nean Forreet< etfmc^ M n

j -ouaor. ni. 1; «he .rover- h>-> w«q

"° — es or tha K iret Ul3sc;iri Aptlller ^ ^^ ^ .

struck directly north for Terinn ,n '■ -^ann

L^-m^ton, Tenn. with a view of , e tMn- - -
Gen. Forrest's rear oOt u i t - ai ,,

whore

-85-
In .the meantime, General Sullivan, at Jackson, Tenn. had sent forward
the advance of his force to meet Forest and the Ohio Brigade commanded
by Col. J» F. Fuller, consi sting- of the 37th, 39th and 63rd Ohio
Infantry.

I divided my force and sent a portion of it to the Tennessee
River to destroy all means of crossing and follow "Forest directly
north. When I reached Lexington, I found that he had fled toward
Trenton. The advance force of General Sullivan's troops, met him 7/est
of Jackson but were defeated; then the Ohio Brigade, under Col.
Puller came up at Rome Cross Roads and attacked Forest with great
energy. After a battle which lasted some two or three hours with
'.considerable loss on both si-'es, : they defeated Forest, capturing a great
number of his force and Forest retreated to the north towards Trenton.
The defeat of Forest' ?t Rome Cross Roads by Puller, stopped the raid
on the railroad. -He re-crossed the Tennessee river without any further
damage to us. This is the first -time, as far as I know, that Forest
had been met and defeated. His plan of attacking any force after h im,

A was -to- attack -on the flank with ' a 'small'' force,' then in "the' rear ' and

■endeavor to get them to make details for these temporary or false
. attache and after he had accomplished* this, fa would attack the m, In
body and was generally successful in defeating any force that went'
after him. I issued an order to pay no attention to these flank
and rear attacks but to hold their force together and attack ln a ■'
**7 and Col. Fuller, who was a very competent officer, folded this

to de mora i i2 e them, he found if was impossible a n d was obli ,ed to flee

. t ""* T aSSlimed ™ d at . C »*nth, I Mediately, un , er the ' .

instructions of General r T rant r.ar?«

into tbr or, «™ ngs , :5nt3 ror . M

into the confederate lines „tiu^

„ + line ^. ut H^me xome of those that I had -

^used at Trenton; nv» at&hihikii*. t "
V ■ atustawtoi,. I arranged with several mn „

men, who went into th i ■ ' ' ° n Souther n

ent into the .l,nes and nemained' there Pn „ „ nv

able information. 4s thr , „ ; US ^ Valu ~

-84-

ibis information, almost' dally, to General Grant. General Grant had -
requested me to get as muca inform at ion as possible f4or.i the south
an 4 t ] ie ]r;ast' towards Tennessee and on T)eoea;ber23:.rd , some two locomo-
tive engineers an'' an enlisted man that had been taken prisoner came up
from Mobile and brought us very valuable info mat ion which I sent to
General Grant in this dispatch:

"They both escaped by running away with an engine, on plea of
examining the damage done by us to tlv railroad. They left mobile
Tuesday night , and he says there was a large fleet off ilobile and
that great "consternation existed as only two regiments of Infantry
reraained in Mobile, Gen. Forney having joined Jfrice with the other
forces. The three weeks they transported to Pemberton 18,000 men and
were two weeks doing it. They came from Chattanooga to Mobile,
Both agree in the statement as 60 time and numbers. Since that time
no troops have gone that way except conscripts, though they have been
expecting u,ore every day. The talk in Columbus was that Bragg Vs array
eras caning, but he could get no foundation for it except rumor, for a
week past. >je has been transporting the machinery of the Arsenal at
Columbus i.o. Selina and Montgomery; fIso a part to Georgia. The same
has gone over the road from Jackson to Grenada. He says Pemberton's
force does not exceed 40,000 men' and thft your advance has created
great excitement. The troops from Mobile to thisplace are two com-
panies of Infantry at Meridian and Bartolf's Cavalry at i" r est Point.
They were going to move to Okoiona. At Columbus there are no troops.
At Marion, f ur miles above Meridian a2l the stock of th" Memphis k
Charleston P.. R. is laid up, and when Van Dorn advanced on Corinth,
they employed a large number of engineers, expecting to resume operation
of the road.

He also gives full statement of the vessels in Mobile Harbor;
their armament and especially of the F],o id? which run in there some
time ago. He says he has been on her an'-jjl'jfo offered him the place
of 4th Assistant Engineer; th?t she has shipped two crews, expecting
shortly to run the blockade, one crew being for a ship in England.
She is not an iron-clad, but has about' a foot of pressed cotton between
her inner and outer hull . " •

-R.Fi-

On January 1, 1367 s 1 received this letter- from my uncle,- •
lit?. J. Li. Phillips, shov;in~ the anxdety of the- loyal men of the north:

ounc i 1 flu f f s , la. fan » 1 , 1 8 05 .

"It is a long time since I have hear-i from you but still every
movement of yours is of .great interest to me. It seems as though this
war 'woult? xievev cane to a close, but still I an loth to give up the
Old Ship, hut it seems as though it, leaked badly at the present time;
by the papers, it looks as though, you were getting in close corners;
but I have no fears for- you, but if they will give ycu .son and means,
that you wifl come out all right, "What no you think of things? Have we
got to kill th'Sia all off before .they will give up? If so, let us
have men enough, and those we can put confidence in, and put the thin^
through, if it, takes ever}/ man between 18 and 45 to do it. •

If they draft me, 1 shall try to get -in one of v our companies
so as to see you. Think I could, fight pretty well at if Is time, or
at least, would do my best to- put down the rebellion,"

1 had employed a large number of men in the secret service
wMoh required a large expenditure of money and there was" no nroyj-
^[ sion by the Y'nr Department to furnish us with this, money and in ■•om-
nranioating wilhberieral Orant in relation to this matter on January
3rd j I tolihlm that, I had seized a large amount of coftonknd sold it
at piffle sale and the fun^s taken end accounted for on proper
return, I had used for the secret service. The Quartermaster
Department being- unnble to furnish ,ao fuiVs, and It being indispensable
to have then at this piece , a large number of men heing employed in
the service, many of them men mho mill not give vouchers that are to
go through several hands and publicly given, thus making knov- n their
name and badness. The money is disbursed nn^er my direct sun--rvlsion ,
an* the vouchers retained by m~ to be forwarded at the' proper time.

The raid f Forest on the mobile and Ohio Railroad, no rth of '
Jackson had stopped its operations. This road was , , a on]v ^ ^
which I .received ny supplies at Corinth. There mas a good d e .l of

T ccmmv " np the Tennesse& Plw - ^y ™»* —had bv the -

-* V 3ma,l mn to , tl and landed at put8tar8 La ^ in . ^-
-naportec, the,, by team , me flfteen illf)? tc ^^ " '

vera very effective in destroyihe boats arid keeping the enemy fro®
crossing A- ^

'■lie river and all the time I was In command at Ccr.n-*h, we were

, continually operating together end ' in perfect harmony, I alwpje
found the navy ready and anxious to aid in any movement i undertook.

The enemy seerred tc he very"' active on the sr-uth of Corinth and
there were a good many reports coming to us in regard to thjeir move-
ments, I sent Col. Mersey with his brigade south some sixty miles
on a reconnoissance trying to develops the force , if there was any
force there, but whatever force there was -fell back rapidly showing
the reports vrero mostly exaggerated. He -brought back -with him a
copy of the Southern Republic of Columbus, Kiss., which had the fol-
lowing in. relation to the slave question:

"Our sIpvse:- To have seen for a. Ions tine a disposition on the
pp.rt of our b laves to be core independent, and to exorcise a disposi-
tion to do as they please, T "e wish to call attention to this natter
and to warn their owners, thr.t they must keep a more strict watch
upon them. They are running about at all hours of the day or night,
uhlle rvny hnve slready left 'for prrfs untnov/n. The, ere jotting
la/.y nnd shiftless, and we Jmow rumy that have left g'.cd hones, where
thoy Vver-e hired, because thoy had to got l h' in tl\c "saining mi hour
befr.ro doy, and the; would not stand it, end hlair masters and nis-
troasos snntaine ; thon in it. If this course is pursued long, they
wouid not only ruin their slaves but thejrto elves*

How, if aver, in .such times && we arc passing through , a strong
curb should be p-. t upon our slave population raid if it is not d-nc
the owners wild bo alone to blaao for "ir* ov U which isay criso frcr. a
lack of discipline, V;e believe that some h&ve been tampered with,
but we can os yet trace it to no source- tie call ettciit.'.en to this,
because we consider it a duty, and hope our warning will be heeded,"

V-e wuro receiving a great many reports from member?., of the

1st AI*»bsna Cevsirg that G-en -rai Roddy, in ooirantod, was forcing their

"i" \ e a, v a
families, .killing them and committing all kinds of depreciations sad

unftdr- the ploa or snaking an exchange of prisoners, 1" sent a flag of

truce to G-en-ral Roddy with this letter:

Corinth, Jan, 17, 1863.

"I herewith send by hand of one of your '-ion, a livi of prisoners
In my hands, whom 1 desire to exchange for any men of this eorr.rsand In
your hands. If it tnoets your spur obat Ion ;deaae return the men whom
you exchange under flag of truce, to Glendale, with the exchange
papers signed, and I will deliver the prisoners in my hands by Flag
at that place.

It is represented to ire that your command hac -been burning fcho
hduses and turning out the families of Alabamianip who have enlisted
in the- "Oh S, Service „ J deairo to know if this in done by your order
or by your sanction. They also report the hanging of one Union nan,
whose sons are in this rsrmy, and the shootin v of ©there, , for no other
reason than their sentiment a » Southern families ere fleeing to these
lines for protection from those cruelties and depredations, some of
whom I find do not sympathise with our cause, but are driven out
merely tnon sua pic ion, or because sone relative has joined this army.
If you propose to drive out of your line all Union men and thoir fam-
ilies, I desire to know the fact,"

-87-
General Roddy answered we thr t hi e forces had '-eei"! engaged in cone
of these depredat 5 oris but my letter had eo>,:>e influence in. rat oppir.g
the depredations for a tir/.e. It was evident to vae that the enor.ry
were cloning in around Corinth for eoae purpose and I was very
anximir. to .uove out and attack then and wrote to Lajcr Genera 1 Hamil-
ton, in whose co. wand 1 -.vas, thnt a large body of Infantry n n-' cavalry
had iotely he en concentrated at Goluwbus and were re pa I lag the
railroad to Baldwin and that the 2nd Tenrwsseo, and the 4th, 23rd and
26th Mississippi had lately "one over the mobile & (Dhio Railrood from
the east and that G-eneral Bragg had sent to Col. Ro^dy three regiments
of Infantry end one .acre "battery, ylvf.ng him a respectable force, and I
propose to ..icve out end attach them. To do this, 1 rouiM hove to
move in some of the brigades that I had distributed along the
lieuiphip. and Phoniest on Railrood to protect if and the- were not wiliinr
thnt T ebould do this. General Grant -was pressing ^enerr-1 pemberton '
and had nearly reached Grenada when Oe-nersl Errl Van Dorr. s ir- comaian^
/\ of a11 the ^ Gnf3dertfce cavalry moving around hie left info hie rear end
captured Roldy Sprii.-s with all the stores for General n rant « 3 , r », :y =
Col. Ilurphy, ,, ho oo.armnde^ that poet, eurrend-red vddw.t hardly a
light. it was a disgraceful surrender. This forced General Grant
to retreat end to fell back again f o l andu^ and hn saye idv-f tho
fact thot hie amy ^nMng from Gnennde to idemphie waa alle to live
off of the! sparsely settled end cultivate- country taught hiw e
lesson thrt, I f he had that experience befo:e the Iocs of Hoi], ^
brings, he world never have retreated but ,„ have kept ri . h , on
to Yiclcebrrr en' 1 hnv P rppini - 11+ , •>

- t "" ,1 - < ol,t tae or. iriie i pMns Ioi: , 0cn _ , h(ira ^

to eo by ,=„. , 0E1 !h0 ,i !!Mf , c „, „ p „ )e YaEoo ; , ivar to thn ^ ;

of ncl- ab „r B , ■*„„„ r,„n. -a llt ,va, , „.,„„. Ma rU , . ,

i- - -i' o -Lci'in lor ''*•-
In ° 1] P robp Wlity that elan would hrrv, ,,, ,_. , .

or Vxctsburg ececeanUshed. ta . al n rfJlt s ,, t ,, , p , ' '^

to him u-t Pas ^ — ,* , "" " ol ' Ua '" le33on

"" °" - luai ' !? s^t over rite., h, the ^r

^ ^'^^ ,,, Im ,. p

l pJ ^dvuva; -i.uh,«ediafoly

C0,:!! -' ° n tL '^^"o ->< r elP6nl( ,,.'

'•- v "-^'- "J-Jij hg : , he ,., aB o1 , ,

hrai rritte

" g letter to Serial.

"tt Wl!K cf t he „ 01 , t ^ n , Copporhsa , , _

h'iines j n ^ei p h n ,- t . + . +1

1110X1 ^ *™? *M Objected t<

. -...=-88

arresting of men in the north on treasonable charges t where they were
tried and generally released. On January 21si. Senator Grimes wrote

me the following letter;

"Tours of the 12th ie received, Th© matter of which you com*
pic? in in certain!;- 1 ver;/ pernicious and annoying. The question is
whether ve shall not increase am 5 aggravate the evil merely by
attee-.ptiny to eupprosG it by ordinary means more them 'by letting it
alone. 1 do not v- - ant to see another performance like that of Mahony,
carried out, viaj arresting a miserable devil and then discharging
him 'without nun i ^.htnertt or indictment, bo fb-.:'b he may wear a crown
of martyrdom in oiaee of trie fool's cap which best becomes him,

I wo.il -' ftiip-gest, however, you officers have p r -memd;.y in your
ovn ht.ndej exclude those traitercu prints from 7; : nr lines, end punish
every man who brings them into y-.-ur camps o-r military distr.: ctn,

ill ore are 3ojk1 men onoug 1 ' ft heme to tat. . care of Sill the trait
or c -t at heme. Ar, im> the rv'^rnio iou; in/ 3 ue nee i~. your romps yon are
eurej.y competent to eoanLeroet if if you 11.ee fehe power which ;i s in-
d i s pni e h".". ; in your bends.

Your a truly,

J* v.. Primes," •

The rebels eti.li continad their outrages against the Union

men of the northerni part of Alabama and 1 mad© an official appeal

through Oeneral Hamilton to the "far Department in relation ot it.

The letter was as follows:-

J have the honor* fr submit a statement oi* a few of the out-
rage-;; cor:, if tod ueon eilisenu of Alabama hi the confederate troops,

Phmlo ell the -lenders from the president, down ere boaetinp of
their carrying on this war in accordanoo with the laws tbi-t fpom. m
aatioieSj in rue cases, r-r.d ere charging upon our troops rl l in df> of
d©'->rec'af irrp.F nr sp eetrggee,, I thinh a lew sit:, ,!•.. fe^bs must >>uf them to
Mush, oriel rabe fheno parties, and our pr ss and people who are second-
ing the olTorfce of Dpvj. e j to cent :figma upon .:,, oehamod cf work
they are doix;g.

I ' :~'i morel;; 3'iate n-hr t I baa? to bo true. ."bo Cane dr. • nd Mr,
Mitchell weio hvar two weebn -go, for being Union men; they lived in
the ha.obd.ebor eetf lemiimt, Parian Co., /<labe,ne , fir, IT a l" Y ~erI: and
daughter, cf eamo county ere b'h.a <-;hot for eamo cauac, the letter
inetantl" killed., the former is yet olive hut will r>rob*d>"f '■ d.i.-%
pet-. .irr.;e ev .p;v of !• ' e neighbors ?ere hunief r'oni M 200
bloodhounds and captured*

' r :''e " curer of Poo -.r .t, Palre-- , e:-joy, I x'j j ieon an-.' i ha t., — 00
V, ic?i.fn\-?ns%\ and aero- 20 others, wore burnt avei their heads, tiio • omen

rn-' eh n.drvr. ■'.. ijir -ed out ef ^ocrf* f and the aoi. merit y notified that, If
tlr-y allowed them to 0:0 Into ether nounes, or fed or harbored them in
eirv manner, t.h t ".ho; - neold h>~ nerved the vw-v , Hr . Peterson, living
at the nerd of Bull hountair., was er.ot , f-tc* I em now feeding some
100 of these f.mrij.ieBj, wee vib; lb mLr ver-en end children,, eome grey
haired old men, ?nd even cripples on crutches were driven out, and made
th ir way here ihrouga the roods and by ways, exlec.il ."..-ee or eh Itor,

All this was dour; Tot the simple reason that they wore Union
men, or th' t they had brothers or rairtive^ in our .~iTiy<,

T\vj statement & of these people are elm et beyond belief, did -e
not hove the evidence before us,

I am informed by them that there arc, hundreds of loyal men and
women ie the eoodc of Alpfoamn, w.-itinr for an oanortunity to oncape. "

Th.le letter wee .-ive.t to the presp and had s very "barge cir-
culation in the fleet and was ueed as' an answer to th© many charges
that the confederates made of: the action of our troops in their country.

a„_.

Athfche battle of Chickasaw Bayou, General Thayer* r- Brigade, of

which the 4th Iowa was a part, made the principle attack there. It

was a very gallant, one am 1 gave greet credit to raj? old reyinenf ., the

4th Iowa, noloii-^l il linns on sent me th". fo'ncr.ng r.oeouni of th--

part they t- o\: Jn the hat bio » He sayp: "You have heard many exagger-
ated aacuuiUs of th: battle of Cuck'asav bayou :\ -xl lue -vart taken i->
it by the 4 th Tov'f.'. Tb^ facts vev? bed enough, God 3-nowo I After
being under fire -•11 day until f. o'clock, I received r-j » ordo. to charge
the eriem: 's in r en chine rite lying in the face of r b?ttory fhpt was
8;ip3 :-nted about thc-r.-. I hm-i never oeen the ] rovr/' ove: e--,Ich I v as to
ppf.y or* wore r.n* r directions ga^on as to tho exact point "Aher t was to
rar ko the rid.,-. ok, I uae only t.ol r1 to go /or';, pen enf hhet T vr.v^lc be
sunnorted by ether regjwents. ?> T e went forward at a double~ci;j.ck,
Gonere! i'h.eyer *;l, siy side. /,;"tr- ; getuirg under the 3".e;r.; ? s fire, '.re
ran right r.gair.et a nrrrov.', deee fsvaa.rsp that co id orly ho oheacod
by the f.u-nst, v.niah 1 v-ur e.os«-^j.3.3^ to ->, with r ;Ieect /Jije li ,'ront,
with a croHR fire fro?; the catteries on trio right and left, As soon
an the heed of the coJ'V-n pf-seed, v;e filed to the rigM: ted eeix-
forward info 3 Lie. "e wei*e then between the enemgds bpttsryfm-d v-ere
thus ex-'fosed until we gained the first line of intrench entc raid carried
them. Here tho discovery was oiado th.-.t we were net supported, ^heii
General Thayer ordered mf. to retr r-t, but 1 sav- it was; certain des-
truction to a 3 a-'go part of the regiuuinl. to fall naek end I sale to
him that I v.'eiiDd 'eld the pee if ion 1 then Iiad until r-cin:< orcer.ente
came up "qui, no eepport coil g v/o lu d to fell beck, "'hen i got back,
I found thnt the ,'"Oth low? which uns to have followed, had bee/? ordered
to the -.ui'roT'i- of? cceeree.nd on "the right and t h f- balr-rce of the regiments
which were to follow, rere r&stm& iu the tiY-hor. r» bed apparently
been forgotten, rid Gnnorrl korgr-r. r-'ho h-'d conrvir.d of the divj, "hr
had halted tho rest of the brigade. There was gross laisruinagcrent eoiae
place. The lone of tbr r » K 7-iyfient was 7 killed mid 105 voundad,"'

In G-merrl Thayer's report, he prgys thie* tribute i^ the reginent:

"The conduct, of the noble 4th lovra Infantry both officers and ;von
throughout this terrible ordeal, is worth;; of t'*e highest eriaeo. They
pressed steadily and forcibly ftSvw^&'i there was no i 1 inebingj they
entered the enemy's works in splendid r.t/vle. Col, "kHlia>iu$o:n marched
at the bend of hie nolumn and by bin coolnosc and heroic eo'urege ?von
mj iiiiquialified admirat'on. He yap siruck hy J.hrvo balls but not eavere-
iy ironrsde^ nnd rotrnined on the fi-ld the oalrnce of the dsy . "

General Grant in a ^a-nam 1 : ^rrter- eutheri^ed rbe 4th l',r-n, for

their bravo-v;. in thi.i charge l.o ol nee u ion 5te iuumer:^ "Fjr«st •"•!-,

Ch i c k a a aw Bay on , "

Prom the refugees which had come into Corinth from northern
Alabama, there had been recruited three or four cown^nies of cavalry
and by authority of the War Department, 1 had organized them into the
1st- i:a.ebar,a Orvslry, at the head of which,.! placed my Chief of Staff,
George V t Spencer as Holonel, Cameron as'Lt, Col, and Adjutant
George h&oMr&yaf the 2nd lore infantry as Ma lor,' This regiment was
of great service to rue on account of the knowledge they had of the
country and a number of them mi their relatives had acted as scouts
or spies,

^ transient

</ii 1

-:hO.

•Id

'. ran

-. backs

fhfi discontent in the north s-,111 continued and on February

3rd, I received the follov/iog letter frcn the Hon, John A. lasson

in relation to It;

Washington, Feb, 3, 1-63.

".";■/ ha art io fu3d of the 'hourdits whi^h your- 3 otter ^yreatf , I
am nov.'orlooG. The adpuniotration undoubtedly lacks efficiency but
without ohanyo in tho cabinet, I leans' or no v:-y to irrorovo it. ^his
the i'j oaiumit y^cs^s unv; lling to nako . rtoiiton in act f. doom- to to the
""an D^pdr-tnxsn'. , but tho ."Vesidont uooo not i'tecn valll.ny + o ro^.ovo him.
There is* r-lr.o ^r«,&l diona-uioi notion v. ith lU'lleol:..

I think thiy pnrty reset .ternary novoae at in. tho aorth
It i;; tho osinyinii; br-'ot of the misndulrrr. of ta .-.loo:.., r-nf* 11
si'inr; back .r.^ain, nft-.r a little. t- v .w,,.> -*o 3 >*< •• o > ^ri'iin*- ho:
rnrko hi;: voice hear;: cyp;ia«t tteuo comr-fl. tr.'-ltorr-; liiaup;
Of 0".'V tw.pr „ i:

In raster to hip suggestion that every so flier ^riti/13 horr.o
should mp.ho kin voice hoard, 1 vrrote tho follovvlnp; lotf^r %o (laleb
Baldwin at Council Bluffs, lov. a:

Cor inth. , Ki b s . , £'. : b . 5 , 136c' .

"This army cor.-.s is m excellent condition and' ready for 'oho heavy

work not far ahctad of u..» X havc= u large coiiuuand nov; , and an important
on--, a ith fights enough to trait any one, If thin/to looked as bright
in oar rear a;: ui.;;, do in our front, wo rl'oaid have no causo to comploin,
but v»-a oi'-nnot divino on 300 tho policy mil in, . loyol wen in tho north
just nov. I ■"■'< h-jpo no p.crc non : a' : .1'.'« bo coat into prison to ho lot
loosvi to hovl , ^ithaat either ehor-ge, indietiiont or- trial. In it
possible tlv. t when -victory is in eur ro.--.ch va; ero to bo «old out and
disgraced V "hat pre we coming to, rod what can ibi i ~. i-a-.-y think, when
we see leading sea in the north opond ds.yr- 3 v.e-b? nvi hven months
denouncing th^Uvrar f thia army, and bolr.toring tin the onerc: ; . in overy
coneeivablo way. Their antire clock of dennnoin ion oo»neo fro 1 ", the
fact tint nane rebel's oogro will firo p ohot in defp-nco of our cause,
our count ry and flay, Thff ha-vo not one word to -my in favor or
dffens© of "tho best* bravept find ••-o^t nnit-d omry tho world ever anv-',
who hnv<- foiT-ht battda sffer battf§, and. have retained w-ry foot of
ffro-anl M-,«v ha-vr! ran, r-nd v.- ho todny la ve thoir base in the vary center
of the eners^-'s counfcrv— not one uord agr.inst p'LI the barbarities used
a*ain«t ^,\';lthou.'-h ne^ooa and Tn.-Mar)- hrve shot rt up on pl?'ont
everv field, . no sm todpy in all thoir- ranhc, Hon 'a^;o iho;-' one t©nr
to rhed ^or- tin- tliar;pa:-dK of brov-- , nchlo rron vim ji»:ve fsjnen in support
of a aovornr.iont the northern traitors -oul<' turn ovor to rebolo, to
the dtpj-raoe rml ruin of ti-onty '11 lions of p«o P b". Wet onn rord do
the-'uttor i-i f&u-o^ of the cum who hfiv- rtood u P for yee.r^, and fought
ba?b« afLn b^tilo again,! a foe ho Ivvs not n. vMlh c s.vaf- ferocity
mid oruoltv hardl- excelled by the cannibals, ond who today say t,o eyerj-
Sicer in't ir .-n^-Cao'uld -on ohraioo to f«ll into cvo hnndr., ro will

come a ''.a ..-rop xi apj, .--na u i'- J-y ;'- 4 - « o11 ^.-;

th0B8m , ;%S ^iv^u^ lost ^.oro^^i. 1.^

a™or*nlSefand Weak u, onr 8r >ry, the rebellion would be done for

in »«^ s - 5i - n ,. ths north hpvs promlE ea tho rebolB 11' thov -111 hold

out throo months l-myer>

. J- 4 7

tit'.;?/

,.i..i ',;o ;u7'iftt Let nurttu

i draw

such^u-xiort fror- the ormy, that we will agree to emy n aer tie rebels
r'sy dictate; aai;'* on tnot i.groo;;io;{f tin- ^ebe 1 ;-; sre iod.-y- dr^gim* 1 nien
into their army by chfcina.-~conscriot L 5: cvory «me , elf'" r;rc : ytiyr
thni It not o 1 crutches, to uoot our .:wii".s novin • sotifhj and these
traitor c Forth ore carry hi"; out throb p. rt of lb f ?3rre-o«it by eowlnc
diotruot, di^satisfac' ion, and discontion In our army, t-i the" or.st of
their ability, ord one:i3y deolore it r i-:-"!l '-ol be rill,-.-!) •■-<; in f • ot
tellla<_ iv.-: re car. yo cm an! ii to yyt so v-oa; thot ib.. rob in can
cr^'Oh r.s. Thoy send threry 1 - th • rebel linen the 0; jen.yo fines,
fin* i.n>;ii "n vl ;lrer, •-::'• o a ciai u«:r-.v-.n:ic shoe is, v.' ich are oxtea-

ivoly cooio'" fior in t.hcir 'ir-dors'b

f.n.d hy t!*ou- pre--.; to |;ec.\ uo

toe win in,; e-iiic,. ■,; thoir t n:o:ie, e.r.,1 u soldier cannot .30 oui oi" our
lines iato thoij<«% ht.t whe ! v.;-.,.. J vofir: ;u,^J <. pod .Ule c.o _ iod fror. North*
cm ; ii"y.!5 io "j irtcd in hie xhjoo to vuve i!.o.r. nil. • rate ..meoer.o.
ft v;riR oalr ;. fan d .•• i-ro 1.7;." L c. < oi !.'..- :r .:: rieo.-- . biyh in command
no or he*- , -iri*: ty.d. to Livide if; forth vr-ps thoir last j rid only hope-
Virt then rnr ,■ p< r'i :-ct tir^r rr, - '. rain™ < ;. "y, there ocr-tho-m t"r'iicrf,
arid even sain to tho fisscuri soidiora vdie-n they returiod hono too
north '*,cr'in treat f »v v. ith ooi-o r-oyr-cb tr n tboy --v" 1 -" i ! n '"lb 'coin
ho de«. ! " "old v-tion f-s\o;l hy the ioy.."J nsan, if lixz Foati rn -nor ot*

'!-■ fir

nrono nn oj 'i , u;i"0! - t. ir i'-i;---. car.."'.

tSioii-o, "'.ot 7-goli 1 bo done, ho rnooered, '"hy hary, \.\\e\-~ oi
oniiro'-*, "o ' ! on'i o.i.lo'.-; any Union •■^'••nt 'm-nts in c: linos*"

Ts ix, ci rontSor this crrc, p.onds n • ci 1 .;" o; 1 i. >-. iyrnotaoi' one:
^eirwidfi thrt opR'i treason ph." 3 not t-Fi" pom;eaRion oi th«Jr -.n' --:s
and ihoy f-shall not be disgraood by acta coirs; ii ted b,', i/oso left i-e-
hhif'i: Thoro la a pent iy> vojoono dcrr; horo^'eiu' no mtt-T* ";'hs I onr
fa to , I knon who: yroiudices and imot dot.?iT.'.:«.nal icn ths r- rr" vril?
0. rr* bp.r> - rytfiirot tbene -en, and !■" thny imsv ':cv: carcfi'"' 13" pv*.ry
treason •"'bio lottor orirton horo ir-o-n tho rrlii io ?irco] rtod and
laid Mr for fii+ v, ro Rettlencot , t.hry rcnl--' 1 ?^nd it 'h- .-. 'h'f^v t
xorkot from ihn cvv ~ ,

T'ho f ^ i f'l'Oi'C: nt tnhi" 3 .."? 'th n "* "'in.'^ 00 fio "n' ! '! r "i'0"" -, "'i'0'; '"u.itd.o > 00
Adr inistrotion nnd tho *. ar» no rt.t- - n'- ho r oln/R.l'dis o:> v.-hf t o Ty.
tmyne "lit"" tb-nn ! *orth, thoy r'o ro J '"eJyJ v t r ror'd'Oi- aya.^irt the
princiylnR that nature has inntillod into the loyrl 3c Idler, and v-.ich
reboi iizlloto h.avo iiado dou'ol"? doar , '"hoy may ini luenof. a oovard, or
a soldior forced into tho arir• , * agnirnt <vl^ ••;, ill. or om ; ho v, i 11 yot
out at -.11 ha'/,ardo ? but thnf nobio band v. '10 yjoohod to qi:. 1 colo.rn,
tmd "iifivo ^'006 by thorn thro nab mrn^ a br.tt]Oj h) s d can court hia eon
radott' yraV' a la c doaon relic] '~t^.tos, t lie y ya^t; n 1 ;.'-(• tJv, v.i.. u T,

T ] n:.nl r ( "od f ho 1 * hpve ot o.k y- b i'ov**'' no 000 *_oia" no'i.Iny
but chagrin and irdignai Ion hno y- no forth f r ;*: "'!io oo.ldi no. I iu.^e

it 1. ill on-jB tlr l::i' tiysto-n: of !' ir

;-. d tbirb

If -on .v..niy.i:f spiro* t ai-vsunoo' 4 , route do v .'<» o.ei e rmf li. t«.,n
to thi;-. <l-vi'" l\ n" r -.— . ',].o n-nvj-s -m-' :*=)o "•' % -. , tho nrrr- f !''b3.;: .-r/or
It. I.'otice thti rosoiia. ions yaasod by tho Illinoia oflicoia, Th? t
irteo-. L,;? wa ooivdos.:, . of nor.-^.y cf /■ • of "icor of '.'10 Illiroia royinents
hero and was Xod b;, yrowinent hsjiuocrats* 'fh c - hearty end or?: err. out the
resolution;: uooivad fro;;, the aollto-r n 1 .f.'lj no-old a.-tonlrh yoo »
It v;il.l not do to meet those pan wiLh tho charge thoy are soldiero-
raaohioos, ariCi Jo the hidd_oiy of Lincoln, 7hoy obo. ': i_if ."rr
ordora , bur when it comos to civil policy, thoy ore no ontanofcon
as any one »

Wo want.

1, A sonscrxpt lar-. »

2, A Law iefininy Treason, •

3, Better diociplinf, : r\ I 1f';o enforcement o-' sentences
of death on deserters «

4, A general rahiny ol* the north for deserters; their
re torn and punishment.

5, So promo t ions j no appoii: bn.ee t except or officero wbo
have t'leir hearts in the war,

6, And, lastly, everj man who is living off of the
Government, ehor.Icl be made to aunyort th«" war by word and action. If
he will not, find is luke-warm frbr. feor of the copperheads, hnve him
remoeved, nnd put a disabled soldier in his fiaee, who has a rebel bullet

in h in body, anr> yon rill have a ran ^n,

If we ara to u.: h ," l idarl forlh, for God's* sake, don't /cod,
sii'tnort .--.r 1 iiohoh" Ton by "over if en t in: lu< aeu an" . .or-r , .ho are
opposed 1.0 ua ,. 1 am in eai'i -st in thla ... if^r uh hh ; ol avant to p-o
Iv.i^n .Ih-yrroa.l oy s saf. of ran 7 ho ,-,^ f , 1-1^3 trailan^, ui»l only now'
ali owed to spit It out."

Mr, Baldwin gave this letter to the press and it had a very

extensive circulation, both in -the East and the West. Honorable

Wendell PhiUips of Massachusetts read it to a large audience in

Mechanics Hall in Salem, Massachusetts and i reeeiiasci a great many

letters from people all over the country con ending ko for writ inn; it .
The officers and soldiers in the different cr>ri rahK took up the bbbb
question and held meetings and 'each State passed, resolutions. The

Iowa officers, at their meeting on February ?th passed the following
resolutions :

"•.here as, the iovai of i ic-ra aj tho ;;vi rison of Corirah,, have
noticed v.rth deep regret, a {'lri_w3iti.ru an arfbarrass tba Governrvnnb in
its r I ..en Ob to mppross this r-oht;"j lion , on tlu- ( art oi its citiKuns, and

'■'hoffii'i.n, T, h a -a doopi'- .-.ret snioi-nl ' mores^ed Una it :i s tin-- duty
of this yonoaotiou "go establish he:, ona u doubt tho aufhuriiy oi r>ur
6ov->.:nr™;ent? and,

hore;u;, u have oi;t barked i i this stint^nj.o ion th'.t ^apaoaa;
be it therafore

Kos- Ivciji Iha.t Ihe sacrifices v.o have Mad'-; to '.un-ycesft Jails most
osuHOlesa -tid '"iol.od roc, allion, have had the effect of endear! ay lac
Government to uh , ana at this .., :ac:ii va Run. tin; a. ai'y ot ->ia- :i f h.on
and th'? honor of oar fir; uith an • rdor and nit Iran Irs;- never felt, be-
fore and ao partv prejudices, aiihLnil.ica ox ocji.idor.tti.--o cm a 1-
teiiate us fro:i our Okrwernnont;

Renoived, -hot ;<<e aro in fav,ar of proaoenhiny f b • \:c> ait" In-
creased energy and force unt 'J Ihore sha? :. nal bw : .i .."raJ trailer
to dispute tho ihyhtfui author it.v oi. I'ac Cl;yynn- atari f «

haao'Jaod s fhrh wo aituasa ,ii-h ith. a H o deli art. !,h.- en-, .lane;'
and o«'- !.r ith. i s-.i oi the p-reih. body o'l tho poorJo of our f c,r • a as nan-
iff- r- ted "- y ti"r ir nr. ?> inchiny dovoiiei to the Oovorauarat .-hirhi", th: s
unprrp] l^Xf."'' airrryyia for- p." t lorn] existence

i'iosslYsd., 'fr- ! ioio-J.n:.; the ha."«rt of lov-'ft as trnly ro^r ± 9 vr, ro-
grot la ha oc/nraller 1 fo "chrowU odyo flirt th"rr eit trustor-" \:~>or, its
soil, ■::-'' th L re ol-i ia yr-eatr.r con Lot,- pi a cor/araly traitoi la our
rerr thrn '.-a f'c; -i rtv-j y Yv-e in o--r iron" . v]-».- Oaros to neet us on the
battlefield. Thr ;. it It the duty of pi 1 loyal nrnn !,o void and des-
pise fli sner-ir s ic -nr O^vrrnr. r/.t . ra o r foro-frthorr Hie'' re-'-e«
dict f-rnold,

Kcsolvfic' , fhat i- t.'uh: cris:-r t! •':.-• env ~ h v Tmt tvao classes of
men, "Patriot a ana Trcitors," s.nd as clef oncers of our flag and country,
wo will -'ov,. ano hOi cafl.ar refa.aa ;.c -ai;;--ort, si:ah'in, or fcl^ov-
ship rith any nnn, r/ao, in this groat struggle, is not ea-hiaticall^
and truly royaj ♦

Resolved, "That the course taken '•;- the Ihf uque Hera <\, Keokuk
Constitution, havenpoi t Do: o oral and f-voj, rata qi,i..fa h]..dred anc 1 sinor
shafts j thro v yh oat the ^trho, meets y?ith our uncfualifiod and disappo-
batioiij and Vf6 denouueo their ieacainys t «s •-"isjoycl and rovolutionary
in thoir tertiencies.

Resol-»od thfit ?,-* rogrrd tbo toaoh ago of the no call of. peace Mori
of leva an not tending t-. ^iop the v-ar, but only to prolong it, and

thoi <-c; v/ill bold tho»i rosyo.Ofu bio !nr flv* i-i^'! ot pvt j.oy«i sol-
diers sanrifiood by reason" of aucb dioloyol conduct,

lb aooiing v'.-?a lorgomirl onthuoinr-,1 c, ond w*.s oddr^nod oy
Col.*s '.orrep, Rice, Cunnings, Hol e v.tma of th« 50th riltnoie find'
other o „

A. I). Davis,. Cept, Co. A. £dn Iowa.

Chairman,

G. L. f'-ortfrey, Ad .It. 2nd. Iowa.

C. C, Tichonor, Adit, 39th lows. Secretaries,

I finally got permission to start out against the enemy's forces
that were closing in around me and General Grant, who had - increased my
cavalry forces, wired me asking if it was oot, possible for- a;e to drix*©
Roddy's forces north of the TenneBsea. I sent an expedition under Coll
Phillips im csdlately to do thie and the following io General Grant, *s
dispatch to the War Department,, "General Dodged forceo, under Col,
Phillips drove General '^oddy to ".aoi rsJdo of iho 'Ponnessoe river captur-
ing all his train § eonaiting of 20 mule teams, 200 ho ad of cattle, 600
head of si-re/-, 100 head of horses and mules, destroyed the factories and
mills wVinh had been used largely to sup ;<ly the rebel armies.* 1

On February 13th, General M, b, Croohor who was with General
Grant's array rote me that he had been •urging General Grant to bring
my eoromand to his .army. General Crocker v;.roto thr t General brant had
ro-olied: ''Dodge is a good man for any -Lace but he could not bo
spared from Corinth,"
A Thar*} :.or <. good bit of feel_n; c\. eg the lov;a f'ooo rrlr - 1 th©

f nomination of Roneral Heron to a Major Generalship, Ha who a Jr. Brig.
General and they to ought that! should be promoted before him, I feas
also Senior to him, Tfcey consulted with Ganeral Grant in relation
to fehe natter, telling him that they thought the Major Generalship
should have been liven to ie, 1 had taken no part in this and knew
nothing, about it until the letter was received fvou benoml <:rookoi:<,
telling me that General Grant had told them that p.. Us. tboy uv^^ uy
promotion, It would be alright vers Boon.

General Inn Dora's large cavalry force, v/hi.cb had been In the
front of General Grant before he retired to Kemphir>, had been ordered
to join General Bragg. My soi^a aiooovered this and I made it known
to General Roseerans and sent my cavalry under Col* Cornyn of the

-94-

10th Missouri Cavalry who had joined me and was a 'very effiec Lent
officer. He fell on General Van Dora's rear at Tuscumbia, He cap-
tured 200 prisoners and one piece of artillery, stores, arms, &c.
Cn February 24th, 1 received from a woman messenger, the wife of one
of the 1st Alabama Cavalry, the report of the spies stationed In that
vicinity showing the enemy 8 s forces at Mobile, Meridian and Jackoon
and 1 sent the following dispatch to General Grant giving the informa-
tion in those reports:

1st. lo troops have come to Gen. Pemberton's army since
Smith's IOjOOO joined him about Christmas.

2nd, All troops from Mobile up that road ? and from Grenada
have gone to Vicksburg and Port Hudson, leaving a few thousand at Mobile
some six thousand at Meridian, and ten regiments at Jackson; and about
three reginents of militia at Grenanda. A portion that left Grenada
are posted on Black River.

shape of cavalry, even to the partisan
Hudson, joined fan Dora in his move to
regiment or two north of Grenada, a few

and a few companies just south of me.

Everything in the shape of government property has been taken
away from the country bordering the Yazoo and adjacent streams,
at all prominent points such as Jackson, Grenada, Columbus, ■•■-.c.
At Jackson the foundries are running, and a cotton mill or two,,
perhaps a government shoe and c lothing .shop/ but every preparation
is beirg made to take them away. West 8 Mississippi is being entirely
stripped of stock, provisions and forage, &c. and everything indicates
that they are getting ready for a quick move

In the last ten days, some 3 000 negroes have been pressed and
put to work at Columbus, Miss., and one or two points near Meridian,
while the great stock of cars and engines at Meridian
east and south. It appears to be the opinion of the s
the enemy are making p separations to take up the line
be©, for the next position; and say that it is openly

rangers as
Tennessee ;
at Okalona

Everything in the
low down as -Port
leaving perhaps a

and

are being taken
couts that
of the Tom iig-
t allied there,

that gunboats will go up the Big Blafek, where their army will have'
to take position to save Selnia and Mobile.

The trains go loaded from Vicksburg daily with sick and dis-
charged soldiers; they say that they average twelve oars a day.
Last week a heavy steam boat engine and the prow to a ram went
up the road to Jackson, said to be placed in some boat on the Yazoo„

Deserters and conscripts are flocking into my lines daily,, and
so far as the above stations are concerned, they corroborate them.
The raking of the whole state of Mississippi for stock and provisions
is as vigorously carried on as it was by Bragg in Tennessee. Van
Corn took about 8000 mounted men, and tiro batteries away with him.
He is now at Columbia, Tenn. with Wheeler and Forest. Bragg has
taken everything that is movable and this army does not really
need, south of the Tennessee. He has put the R. R. in order f^om
Decatur to Tuscumbia-bought up all the corn in the vallev, and got
ready to move it by cars to ©edatur and by boat to Bridgeport just
as 1 struck Tuscumbia; my forces are on their way to Decatur now
which will stop that game."

The defenses of Corinth had become so- nearly completed that
1 considered them impregnable against any force the enemy would be
liable to send against it. It w&s an entirely different state of
defenses from that of October when ^ the Battle of Corinth was fought.
There were but few of the native inhabitants remaining in Corinth, most

of them hn<~ ;:. If [i-y tec- south. Herrlj. over;; building standing, except-
t-i", s <-'toro houses "V~ :i >, 3 usee by the. irdlit^r-}' , A good many of them had'
been taken dom in th line of fortifications'. The troops had settled
down for the winter and showed a great deal of in^ontt'i.ty In the
conn true tion of their winter quarters.. They had made lov; stockades
en the to;-: oi" which they had placed their tents ' :^.-vinA'

them co- 'ori-ah] o ctuart. :rs« At the 'o?.c> end or the :hookade tney
erecteo Cuivaieyf-. ot .-3 1 sizes and destriptiri:.-: true -r.akj ps. ri.-f'lj

ni't

vill;\,os» l---:h; • in. icgitlar order with yoyid rr streets y;hj.e.:- ver-

kept i-o-t'Oi. '•:;"!" '-cUood, They had sunk -.veils >v ihri, ttv-y* '■-...» : -.ty

of v»a er ! and the ^.fi, waff in such a condition, that I c.uf d :\cr lo.-'ve

a s?;>:o uor.;jr..i in it and mobilize my forces for my . ''..-.pedlt ion

I. wished to make,

s^ervivr*
The secret, ro'iopts that 1 w&s senfiing to General Grant had to

A pass tiv u.-h ' \j suy-enS or oi . zeorsbh, they were sent in £5pher to

\'/u-:nrJiir ~?\>: th'M -'ov-n th« rj vov to wherever his heed- carters were.-

General Hurl but, the commander of the 16th Army Corps at ih-iit'ihis,,

iemanded that I sho.ild give him a full account of the bo scouts who

they were » -here they were located, etc.. He also ordered that I

should return my voucher o through him, This, of course, was fatal

eneipy * s

to the service,. No iaan would dare serve in'ide of the .lines, if

Ilia narae was knovm; they would loon he known by the rebels nnd they
would he killed. It 'as necessary, therefore, in order to save their
lives j thPt no oi^ -should have any knowledge of them... General Grant
did not tannine in relation to any of them*. I wrote a letter to
Ganeral Huir'buf explaining this "but it was not satisfactory and he
still Insisted upon my sending in vouchers. 1 then appealed to
General Grant and he inrvediaf ely instructed that these reports of
scouts and spies should he made directly.- to hiin, .hut when they were
of interest to any ©fhftt? ccrw.pnd to also wake a .report to them.

and he issued the follow .in- orders to ne, "The provost martial
in vour strict vill turn over to you all moneys oolleouea oy
them under existing orders, take your receipt there fore wh ch t,hoy
wlji -^orwFrd to the Prove- -t Martial in settlement oi tnoir account
in "lieu of mone^ and which you will account for as secret service
funds; anv additional funds yoo way require can he obtained hy
requisition on the provost Martial General at my headuoarters.
All sales of cotton confiscated should be made by^Capt. Fddy at
Memphis Tennessee ond properly accounted for by hiti."

This order relieved a© from any farther interference , ' 1 had then
nearly 100 scouts and spies , The stouts were organized under a

€

(j"V / \ 2nd Iowa soldier who had shown himself very efficient, Captain

H'n.rri ^r.r,,, The -spies in the lines were mostlv southern oeonle or

r"iH first T'PMt Tenn. rnvplbry. ,
members of the 1st Alabama. There vero some of the 2nd Iowa and

e r.m y 8 r '
the 7th Kansas who remained in the lines. Their policy was never

to come out but to communicate with us through negpoes or messengers ,
often through the families of the 1st Alabama and 1st Western Tenn-
essee Cavalry, /(They had all been thoroughly instructed to be care-
ful about over estimating forces.!' The great trouble' with all our

information from the enemy was that it was greatly exaggerated; they

\_ were taught to count companies, regiments,, brigades, divisions and

JTfeGW to tell the commands and where troops were moving on trains,
they were taught to estimate the number that could go in a cor and.

^ in this way,, as the time went on, they became eaptet and their
reports were found to be very accurate. There were s great many
ways of. checking them up and when a person would see a company,
in the beginning of the war and call it a regivent, or- a regiment

a brigade, _ '..,<„■ got down to the real numbers of the troops they
saw moving, so that when 1 received their reports I could tell al-
most for certain the truthfulnes-s of them and G-neral Grant depended
almost entirely upon me for this kind of information. No one at
my headquarters knew the names of the spies in the enemies 1 lines.
They all knew, of course, they were there, but 1 alone had their
names,, and at the headquarters they went by number, bo that 1 never
mentioned ©ne of their names. Their reports had to go into cipher
at my headquarters so that the men the*» knew that 1 had the spies
in my employ* Then the company of scouts that were around my head-
quarters, were thought by many people to be the o:-.es on whom 1 de«

nThe scout's
, .ponded entirely for information. '"' ".'ere brave men who took

their lives in their hands and w©"dM go inside the lines, '■■•

' ., sometimes dressed in Confederate uniforms
but they were not the men we relied upon for accurate information

of the movements of the enemy *s troops.

On March 4th, x I received letters from on© of the spies in
Alabama and also from a Confederate officer who had been confined
In the Atlanta prison, on charges of high treason. He made his
escape on the 7th of February and came to ay line. He reported«81
of our officers confined there, among them. General Willich, Col.
Williams, Lt, Stewart, 2nd Ind. Cavalry, Lt* Col, Speaker , 32d Infty.
Lt. Col* Dunn, Lt, Col. 42d Ills,, Ma ,3 „ Warren 5th &ans, etc.
There are no troops on the railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga, and
only about five hundred at Atlanta* At. this place they hare si*
months provisions on hand for the entire western army.

At Mobile there are about 6000 men under Buolcnerj in the
Harbor, five iron clad gun- boat s, A two wooden gun-boats and two
building*

In Charleston harbor they have three iron-elads and two ~>
floating batteries, with two other iron-elads waiting for the mach-
inery which was in the Princess Royal and epfttred by our fleet.

In Savannah three iron-elads or rams* On the Yazoo river,
they have on© powerful ram, which they are pushing tocompletion,
the prow and engine came up from Mobile*"

On March 25th, Lt* Gill Reader of the 1st Kansas Infantry,
who had been- detailed as an A.D. 0-. on »y staff, at his own request,
was relieved to return to his regiment*

On April 30th, I received a letter from General 1'ood who
eneny' b
was in co r:.ond of the forces on Bear r :^eeli and he said they were

A-

holding that line strongly. Unsaid if -we executed some prisoners

which we held as spies, he tould retaliate. He sent me a very dras-

1 answerer!
tic letter which A as follows;

Corinth, Apr* 3, 1883,

"Your communication of April 1st;' by flag of truce, arrived
at my lines todayj and in- answer J have to ■ say that James Neil is
held by ns as a prisoner of war, and treated as, such. How you
obtained such information 1 am unable to surmise, as there is no
foundation in fact for it. Your threat to hang two men for one
is given its proper weight. Our Government, never hangs men without
good and sufficient cause (1 wish 1 could say the same of yours) and
when it decides upon hanging men the threats of Confederate officers
count nothing.

We have no fears of the old story of retaliation/'

-98-

General Hamilton who was in command of the left wins of the 16tla
Army Corps, of v/hich" the district of Corinth was a part,

objected very much to the appointment of Major Gen., J, B. McPlierson
to the command of the 17th A. G, and he visited General Grant and
on April 1st wrote me the following letter:

Memphis, April 1, 1863.

"1 have received your letter on my return from Vieksburg. My
Impression is you had "better stay where you are. It is by no means
improbable that Vieksburg ••.111 yet have to be taken by an advance
from Corinth down the- M, & 0. R, R. I have resigned my commission
as Ma j » Gen. and start for home today. It is brought about wj
family reasons, and because 1 was assigned to a division v/hen Mo
Phorson, my junior, is in command of a corps. 1 am entitled to the
corps by rank and by services, he had no claim to it whatever.

Everything at Vieksburg is jus t where it was three months
since* Every plan has failed and something new must be tried."

a.1

His resignation 'was accepted- and General Oglesby was assigned
to his command. 1 had urged upon General Grant a movement up the
Tennessee valley for the purpose of destroying the supplies that 1
■knew were being accumulated there for Bragg* s Army and also to
drive out the "large force that was concentrating there under Genls,
Roddy and Wood but General Grant had made mr response to my re-
quest until Gen. Rosecrans applied to General Hurlbut for a movemen
up the Tennessee Yalley to protect a raid that he proposed to make
with Col, Straight with a mounted force 2000 strong, land at East
Port and move through northern Alabama to Georgia to destroy the
enemey's communication. As soon as General, Grant was notified of
this, he then authorised the movement I had suggested tip the
Tennessee valley and on April 4th 1 submitted my plans of the
campaign to General Hurlbut. When General Oglesby relieved General
Hamilton, 1 was just starting on this campaign. In order to ascer-
tain exactly what forces there were 'in the Tennessee Valley, 1 ' had
planned to reach Tuscumbia with a flag;: of truce with letter' ad-
dressed to Gen, Roddy in relation to prisoners that we had and also
of the treatment of union citizens and 1 placed it in the 'hands of
Gapt, George E„- Spencer, who was my chief of staff (a very ingeniou
officer) with instructions to. go through to' Tuscumbia i as soon as
possible. This he very successfully accomplished and brought me a

report of every command there was in the valley and on Apr, 13th 1

wrote a

letter to General Qglesby setting forth what this movement was and
the troops I -had to meet. The letter is as follows;

■Cerinth, April IS, 1863*

Gen. Qglesby:

1 suppose you were apprised of the proposed movements in con-
nection with Gen. Rosecrans . It was Planned some time ago, when but
a few troops pare at Tuscumbia. Now we shall meet alxnit 6000 of
the enemy and eleven pieces of artillery, it is agreed that P-se-
crans shall have a force at Eastport, by steam, of 1500 men, t^hile I
join with five or eix thousand, and that we attack the enemy at
fuse mbia and Florence defeat them, and, then rush a cftlumn of cavalry
to Decatur, 'and into G-crgia to nut the railroad. Roseerans' Cavalry
is to go to Georgia while 1 liold line of Tennessee River. They are
to return through the mountains to this place. At the same time a
movement will ! :-e made south, by Gen, Hurlbut , and also one in front
of Roseerans,

Matters and forces have so changed since the plan was formed
that a part of it may bo impossible. The enemy are moving continually
towards Rosecrans* right, and also on to my left, and have made exten-
sive arrangements for crossing the Tennessee river, 1 have placed
scouts? on their telegraph and railroad lines, and they will cufe and
destroy as far as they ean. This may disconcert thorn, I also pro-
pose to fall upon the force st Pear Creek, take their out -posts and
secure the crossings. They no doubt wii: : make a determinate stand
on both , Little and B-->ar Creek. Jf everything works veil- 1 shan
hav=> the line of Rig 'Bear tomorrow, I take 4000 infantry, 1600 mount-
ed infantry and cavalry, and twelve piecea of artillery,"

When 1 moved out on this campaign, my advance was led by Col,

Cornyn in command of a brigade of Cavalry, 1 had to live mostly

off of the country and when /jPre ached luka # e is sued the following

order to the citizens:

{, ^dict ;-?2. Camp Cross April 16, 1863,
The citizens of luka, loyal and disloyal will furnish forthwith
cornbread for the patriotic heron of this command. This order will
be obeyed immediately as the heroes are hungry. Florence J'. Cornyn,"

Thin campaign was very successful' and is. set forth very

fully in my paper on ."Campaigns up the Tennessee "Valley, " page 111

of my "booklet, "The Battle off Atlanta and -other Campaigns.' 1 My ,!

Instructions were to destroy everything in the valley that would be

of use or subsistence to the enemy, especially the cotton, grain, etc.
but to protect private property, The enlisted men took a great many
privileges in the valley and commenced burning private residences.
As soon as 1 discovered this, 1 issued ..the following drastic orders
which put a stop to it immediately:

100

Headquarters, United §tates %ro©s.

Little Bear Creek, Ala. Apr. 89 ,1863
"General Order Ho. 1,

During the march today houses have been burned and pillaged
against, and in violation- of, the most strict orders and military dis-
cipline. This has s in some instances , been countenanced by officers.
To prevent the further wanton destruction oi' private propertv, lC
is ordered,

1st, ThPt any man detected In burning a house* vacant or occu-
pied, will be immediately shot by an officer detecting him in the act.

2nd. Every soldier or officer visiting a house, except- bv order
of Brigade commanders, will be arrested by any officer *o may see him.

3rd, At every h»lt of the command for- rest, the roll will
be called, and -'very absentee who cannot be properly accounted for will
bet arrested and reported to these headquarters,"

4th„ To a certain degree, commanders of regiment and brigades
are responsible for the wanton destruction today. They must keep con-
trol of their men, and take the necessary measures to preven t it. i
call upon them to carry out the order in all its parts, unless they
are desirous of disgracing themselves and the division.

This order will be published and read at the head of each reg-
iment, battfiry, company and detachment tonight, " s

General Roddy's forces that had been driven north of the Ten-
no

nessea concentrated at Florence where they were large mills aad

stores accumulated for the benefit of Bragg f s army. in this
position they were also in touch with the right wing of Bragg' s

Army. • ■

1 arranged with the Mosquito fleet on the Tennessee to cross

my forces for a quick raid upon Florence and Col, Cornyn with his
Brigade of cavalry consisting of the 7th Mo., 7th Kansas., 15th
Ills and the 9th Illinois regiment of aiftaited infantry volunteers
left Corinth on the 22nd and crossed the Tennessee river at Ham
burg and immediately marched very rafidly to Florence, meeting
quite a large body of the enemy and defeating them. They destroyed
seven cotton factories, one of them containing 3^0 looms and em-
ployed not less than 2000 persons. They burned some 200,000 bushels
of corn, captured. 89 prisoners, 200 head of horses and mules and
300 coniifcabands of both sex and all aged followed them back to
Corinth. Among the prisoners was one Major, one Captain, on^
assistant Surgeon and three Lieut b. They also destroyed all of
the corn cribs, forage, etc that had been accumulated along their
route. To protect his flank, Col. Oornyri sent Capt. Carmichael
with two companies of the 15th Illinois to Savannah and they were
attacked by Col. Biff lee' rebel regiment who ordered them to sur-
render but they refused and stood their ground, defeating Col.
BIffles. ''hen Col. Biffles' sent his flag of truce with a flag
of surrender, he never stopped to receive their answer but retreated

Insert '{10) Page 101 D. B.

When my Command turned tc return to Corinth it seemed
as though every negoo In that broad and fertile Tennessee Valley
followed us. They came with their families loaded in all
kinds of vehicles that they took i rem their masters ,- coaches , ■
carriages, farm wagons,- with .Biules, 'oxen and cows hitched- to
them they were the most motley and picturesque crowd that I ever
saw, and it was estimated there was over 2000, They made a

iolumn two miles long and 1 was at

iy wits ena v.<h<

to do with

them. When we reached Corinth I camped them on an abandoned
•'plantation near our entrenchments, placed over them the Chap] a 5 n,
'Alexander, of the 27th Ohio Infantry and guarded them with de-
tails from the Command* The nhit.i

ng risfzj-oei

hite soldiers objected to guard™
and several conflicts ensued when our sentinels shot
one or 'two of t
I would furnish him arms

paries of negroes to watch and guard the camp
authority for this and the ordinance officer v

une contra bandstand Chaplain Alexander said to me-
s and equipment he would raise two coin-
There w&s no
id not issue

uhe arms but v-ould deliver them to Chaplain Alexander on mv

~n x gave and. this solved the problem. The families
■ to work, on abandoned plantations to raise their own

Thi=- fl-i n f i ,.-.v, ,;■ ■: a j

action in arming negroes, the fear' of thRin
country caused constant criticisms and wns

btrt Genl. Oslestv

report upon it

vas avoided but. my

in Lhst ORi^t O'f' i- ho.

r'~ npnt or! f ,— i-"a -t- * — -■ -'■ -
-"■i'-' i "--'■ «~' •;c-.iiiUgi J On s .

Commander, approved n.y action .but made no

\ '■■ ■■ ,. M

. l ,' ' "£,'[ColBiffUs " \

and Col„' Cq rnyn (wrote a letter tf*rom Savannah Sated Kay SOth in which

he said; ""four "pompous iemanci for the surrender of one squadron of
cavalry (15th Illinois regiment) occupying tlil&. place , and your
cowardly retreat 'before you received Captain ijCajratiehael'yS intrenid
reply » suggested to me the propriety of visiting upon the traitor
citiaens hero (who tried to aeait you in the'/ capture of that gallant
little band), a little of the legitimate vengenace of my Government,
Therefore,'.;^ the nane of our- glorious republic, 1 hereby make good
the grand exordium of 'the Declaration of independence, i.e. "That
all men are created free and equal , " and today l fr^e and take with
me from this town every colored creature who inherits with the
humeri race everywhere the image of his Maker j, and an immortal soul."

Col. Hornyn's letters and orders indicated the, character of

te raan; Mgh-p + ritfv'j very active, quick to anger, but"' very brave.

rati and

This letter called forth great protest from their southern

A' - /

people and also from their O-overnraent and the press halt notices

that if General Dodge or Col. Cornyn we re ■ captured they. were to

be hnm. ykefoUowLXgisynyrepaytcnnUtS ^*4'<ti^ 7^^N (74-/o).

SotrYitf^Y this time 1 was called to Washington by an order from
General Grant to rep- rt to the Adjutant General. He ; gave no
seasons for my going there* ill could not but think that; they wore
going to call me to account f©r the action 1 had taken in arming
the negroes and 1 went with a good deal of anxiety until I reached
Washington and reported to the Adjutant General and ;'h© ■_ informed me
that the President withsed to see me and he made an ^ appointment
with President Lincoln for me. I wnt In and met the /PreifiSfrfb *
who greeted me very cordially and learned^ from him that ■! had ^yK
been called there for the purpose ofjJwSSJffcl* in determining ^/
the point on the Missouri river wh-ro the Union Pacific | Railroad
should have its terminus. Hd remembered our interview ah tte Pacifi^
House |orS ^called my attention to it. ihen 1 hoard thift, it
was a greatrellef to me. 1 sat there with him and we $is<me«fed
the terminal queetion very fully, for I saw he was thoroughly ^
mooted on the sentiment of the country locally, as every town from
Sio„x Clt, to Kansas ci^wre contend for to. location. ......

, ., . ^ ... _ i rom an engineering point of <<
\« t ^■„te,o U t clearly to the President „ h ,.r. th. line should
start and wh.t oar «^ ^ act.™*-* He Ustoned and disc^e ,
this option ,i«, ,o for a lon S tine, end 1 »- frc M. tl*

"\"

N»„J

T >-. ~ --, *-* -?- ' 1 1 "i ~n ,-, . .. -^ '? /"> o t^ r>

liwcr j, \±.l! » t'cit^c l'-j-o L- » is.

Aftor our discuss Ion of the Terminal question
President Lincoln expressed his anxiety tc have this road built
and wys disappointed that so little work had been done, I to]<

h 1 71" tr'^t 'it. Vlp,n o1ir.,TT* liM-.Aqcsrnlfl f" ft] v ! ^ ? ,, f l-u= -fN-.-, ,--!-. + r '■■ ; "i A

!':0 !.i variiUittii!,

~1 r. ■'■': -. 1

V10V7 '-V 1

J.J.. :v on

who would unusf'tshs tho 'cb

loin ,,'

"•■.]tf.'^T -j-? i \ :"> n-f 1 - £■■■■- o o o ,«■* -----i-i / ■ . ,-.

ma Kin*

f,r ou

.., oir qui te a a.;. so
• ov)< and see the Company and te
t it iflii_,lrt aid them in f ermine ,ri
I v/eni- immediately to New York, 3
Dix, T. '^ . Durant and other

la-'! R;i 1

ai!U wf

'Oritrress and obtained

o 1'

'..' .'. u '..' .5 i

\ ' y . ' ■ ^J

■ • 102 ' ■

and his indication that his views coincided with mine* and 1 have j¥

no doubt made his decision at th: t time as recommended by me and " % '

soon aft-r made his first order , on Sov. 17, 1863 1- [//-

"t, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do here-
t by fix so much of the vre stern boundry of the State of Iowa as lies '
between the north and south boundaries of the United States town-
/ ship within rhich tho city of Omaha is situated as the point from
J which the lino of railooad and telegraph in that section shall bo '
' constructed, "

This order v;as not considered definite enough by tho company

and on larch 7» 1864, president Lincoln issued the second executive

order as follows :-

"I, Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States, do
upon the application of said^coinpany designate and establish such
first named point on the Oal^frn boundary of the State of Iowa, east
of and opposite- to the east line of Section 10, in township 15,
south of' Ran-e 13, East of the 6th principal meridian in the Terri-
tory of Nebraska »"

On Maubh 8, 1864, he notified the United States Senate that rt--
on the 17th day of November, 1863,- ho had .''located the "Eastern ^%* /'
terminus of the Union Pacific Railway within the limits d" the town-
ship in JOT?? opposite to the town of Omaha, 1 ' Since then, he says t ; •
the comnaiy has represented to me that upon additional survey made,
it has detorr.in cl upon the precise noint of departure of the branch ft s
road from the Missouri .river, and located same within the, Units ^
designated in the order of November last, ,■' ; A

/ Thjs point is where the Fnion pacific transfer ■rior stands, I
V • Y ' ' 9*s*.r\ 00 ■ '

Ob my return from Washington, I organized the .1st Ala.oe-x.a

Infantry, known an the 1st Alabama A.''0. and I instructed GfytyiU'tt

llexander.v.who had been in charge of the contrband camp to collect
all the negroes at Corinth or 'surrounding there and enlist those
that wore willing to. go info the service and the -rest to place
upon the abandoned plantations. '

Before General Grant made his main movement, to the rear of
Vioksburg, he communicated Pith me and nslced roe to' send ' a spy to

Meridian as it had been reported to rae that there', jnro a large ■-.. ^

number of cars and locomotives concentrated there for the purpose ^

Of moving large bodies of troops over the railroad, P- §r this .*

u Had i>ee-nciomf. simi'l^ ser^ica

duty, I selected a.n?ewli$€ aai1 b ? the name of Oo ® wh V e ' nt m tIie ;

trip and gave me the information that v/e wanted*, We .found that ..the
cars^-entered there were the equi ment that had Come off jof tho , ^-^""

103

Mobile and Ohio road and the road leading frc: Grand. Junction to
Vicksburg and that tlv-y had been run oi~t on wooden sidings for
storage v;it.h no intention of their being used.

oone j.ears after, when I was in renvoi ,4 seu who liad served
tinder me brought me a letter written by Coo at the tine to his
brother , giving a detailed account of his trip. It is interesting
as showing the experience of a real spy and is as follows:*

Bethel 9 Tenn. , April IS, 1003 ♦

Dear Brother James :-

1 have jur.f returned from the South Confederacy, 1 found a
letter from Clan tlvt the boys had opened and snwered , for which 1 am
under obligations , you write a splendid letter, far bettor than 1
can, or ever could.

It has been a long time since 1 v.- rote to you or any of my
friends, f,nd for negl once in this 1 can give no reason for, 1 love
you all and think a grant deal obo';. t you and wonder he?' JJron look and
whether our good Mother is still alive, I wish I could bs certain of
seeing her ence rore, but I don't know that 1 ever Rhal" , I some-
times think of g >od sister Sarah and wish for one of her good
letters just such as she can write, I think Sarah beats any one for
a good letter.

And now a few words rbcut ixy trip to flitie. Of course I cannot
give you the full particulars, nor for what purpose I went, as that
would be considered contraband for the present. In the first place,
you must know lhat 1 have been acting as Bo out for the poat of
Bethel, for' the last 5 months. My district had a rang© of about
forty miles, I mads a great many acquaintances. It waa my business
to watch for the enemy, o see that everything was go .Up; on . tr&&Jg§|i,»
and when the guerrillas did any damage to th© Union men, 1 had to "
levy fines j. on th© Secesh to the amount of the damage dene, con-
sequently I had to ddft&Lwith all classes of p eople,,and I never made
but one enemy, even the Secesh al3 liked me, for when 1 took their
property or collected fines, 1 explained it in, such a way that 1
was only doing my duty, just as. I was ordered, and I always l---ft
them with good feelings toward me, , low all these, men would have
business with General Dodge, the Commander at Corinth,, and they would
often speak of that Coe , how he did and what he said, etc. On the
20th Day of Feb, lar.t, I received a dispatch from General Dodge to
report to him immediately,. I took the cars and went right down
to :ils headquarters, Pumpy handled, tc General and said my name is
Coe. The General looked me' all over and then said, "Coe* you have
been recommended to me as man who has traveled a good deal and under-
stand human nature pretty well. How do you. suppose that you can go
into the southern confederacy one hundred and fifty miles and do what
1 want and get back safely," 1 told hiv- ii was uncertain for 1
did not know what he wanted done. He then went on and told me whpt
it was, 1 told him I could try, and would do so for big pay. He
said lv: would raake that part Satisfactory, He tol/ 1 me to fix my
story and get ready to start By the 1st of March, I goi all ready,
though 1 did not leave our lines until the 3rd. X was mounted on a
mule , and when 1 bid goo a bye to our pickets, 1 felt a little "like
the boy," 1 then searched my pockets for papers and threw away
everything that was likely to trouble me, .except a little map of
the two states of Mississippi and Alabama, This was in small form
and was li J tle less than five inches long, and; about three inches
tamft}. This I was obliged to have to travel by. On the 4th, 1 sold
rnv mule for fifty dollars in. Confederate money as he proved to be
not fit for travel, I was then inside the enemy* b lines and concluded
not to buy an other until 1 saw some rebs. 1 knew the country was
full but still I could -ot meet with any. So 1 concluded to stop
until they came along. 1 stop ped at a man's house by the name of
Stevenson, he was a very quiet, good man, and I con Id not tell
whether he was seceah or not. He was so near our lines that he stood

1G4

in fear of expressing his sentiments* but i soon struck up a chat
with the old lad;/ snrl wan satisfied they were seoesh. 1 then told
hep I was a douerter from the Yankee army and that I platted to find
Some Confederate ycouta who would take me prisoner and parole eg as I
wantddd$.e make ray way to Georgia to stay with an Unci© 1 had there
until the TTar was over. People are always Filling to believe what
they desire to believe, consequently ah© swallowed readily, I was
very vr.uch afraid of tho Yankees follow!; -.$ ne , oo 1 kept a looks-
out for them. liile r-fao wont to a neighbor who had a son in accom-
pany or acouta and was <"■! thin tir.x; at hone, she told his that there
was a Yankee at her house who wanted to he taken prisoner , he started
off and tho nort day at four o'clock, five seceiah. cavalry #ode up
and car.e in and told rae to go villi them. They took me on to their
headquarters end their Captain qulaed ru~ and searched r,e , Ho found
a eaopy of tlv ftiieago Times and two letters directed to Bragg'o
Army. Tho Tiroes had a good look to hiin for it is just their politics.
Then he askoa mo how X came by those letters, I told hiia. that a man
near Bethel, T enn. (1 fiaa then in Hiss,) had a son. in Bragg' s Army
whom he had not heard from in eight months and that i had told this
raan 1 viae going to desert and go Bouth arid he had me to take
the letters for him and mail thesi: uhen I got a chance. Thin h6
swallowed for It all looked very reasonable, especially, when I
had the Chicago Times. The map he did not find,

1 stayed with them two days after they paroled roe. Then i
bought a horse, for $820 ,<XJ *f£t oheaffione , for a good one costs from
$400 to $600. I told the Oa'ptato I wanted to go to ciy Uncles in
Georgia, and asked Him if ho would not give ae a letter of recom-
mendation which he did. It read something like this, "All good
Southern l.cu v:ili treat the Bearer with respec". , on his way. to
Georgia, as he 1b a deserter fro:, the Northern Amy and has come here
for our protection, T. V.Ham Comdg. Confederate flouts,"

On the 7th 1 started on my journey. On the 8th 1 atayod all
night at Dr, Owens, a leading tian among the Seoesh. He inquired all
about me and was glad to soe one Yankee who had bubs© enough to know
that they could not whip the south. 1 oleasod thin old fellow so
well that he wanted mo to atay a day or two with hira Which 1 did, and
it was a lxick; thing I Id as the Sequel will show. On t ; ..o 11th,
1 started on and not with no bad luck, Ky letter of recommendation
served rue v,ei' . J met soldiers every day. Hut had no trouble to
go on. Still I was not satisfied, Ky mind was uneasy all the time.
1 would try and reanon with myself- -now no person on top of the earth
knows my secret nnd 1 have had no trouble so far, but then i would
think how the d — 1 mi 1 going to get back; that I must do„ but 1
concluded to borrow no trouble, I always had gotten t' rough the
world bo far, and I would try at ill to do so. On the 18th, I got to
my journeys end. The Uncle story must p;ay out now, ho I was
taken unwell and not able to travel. I engaged board for a w ek
or two until 1 could get able to do some thing. I intended to go to
work doln* something for a living, provided 1 could find anything
to do. nvlB was what 1 told. Ky orders were to stay there until 1
found out whft I ranted to know, 1 con UU yow were it was thflt
1 went, and von look on a Tar Map* and Y on wil1 see il was ^
Meridian where the R*R. running from Vicknburg east crossed the
Mobile and Ohio B.,n, Right on the Stat© lino of Alabama and
lliflsisfiippi. On the morning of the 21st, *hings began to look as
1 wanted, 'but 1 stayed until the next day to stake certain that I
was right. The General told me to stpy until the 1st of "ay,
uniean'x found out before, and if not, by that tine to make my
way back as well as 1 could. But 1 was. Satisfied ! hat I was
right, ?nd I -tarted back, now comes the -'inch, When 1 came down,
'1 traveled noetl ' in Mississippi on the line of Alafcaxn, ' nt 1 must
not fo back the stone way, I struck "F.ast intod Alabama or ratner .
Horth-east, and thendue north, about fifty miles east fron where 1
traveled on ir.v wa^ down. Before 1 changed my course north, and while
traveling East, l"mot some soldiers twice who asked me which wa
I vas roin*. 1 told them that : had deserted from Grant's Army at
Vlcksbufeg and I was making my ray to my uncle's in North Carolina,
That was all right and I went on, I stopped to stay all night at a

105

private house. The biph of the .house was very talkative and I told
»ay story, lio was a man wi.-ll posted and a reading nan, for 1 found
a late Macon paper , this which is an uncommon thing in the south.
He told no that Bono General had issued. .an order thet *11 deserters
from the Yankee Army should leave the Confederate lines in thirty
days or be ruhjeci to the conscript. How I thanks that General,"
up my sleeve, for that order, but I 1-t on to him that I frit
very bud r.boui it for T ?i-d deserted my ov?n arnr- to ^et rid of
fighting and would rathor go back, if 1 had to fight Z I asko<3 hiir
if lie had n.TTi the crd--.^, h^ aaid he had i that, it was in his last
paper. Ho got it for- me and I road it. The editor wont on to say
that it wars 3 good order and ought to have been -ait in fore© be-
fore, and the Yankees would have so much knowledge of what wan goiiv;
on down .r-outh. 1 asked for the paper and ho gavr? it to me and this
served mo to travel on until I got to the outside lines. I got up
near Tusctimhia when I was taken prisoner as a spy. They look me
to their hoad-uarters which happened to be within thirty milrs of
lay old friend s f*r , p-ens. They searched so and found nothing but
about three hundred dollars in -fouthern Currency and one hundred
and tuenti' dollars in cold, 1 started with flOCOin southern currency
and .£-120 iugold. The General told me that if 1 should get in to
trouble, to use the gold to bribe Mie guards with, They hod a
trial and con u prove noth. ng at ri: that looked suspicions , 1 told
the officer that I could not ntay in the aouth unless 1 went in to th
service and rather than do that I would try and slip past our lines
and got homo to Ills, /for .1 did not darito go back to my own Co.
for fear th- y would try arid court mfa-tfal and hang mo. He said he
thought that X was alright, but the hotter place would be to send
mo to fragg, 1 thought 1 was gone up then,, After ho kept ne t^ s, o
clayn, I told him that if he would send for old, -Dr. Ovens, 1 could
provo my character by lain although 1 hud not much acquaintace with
him. He Rent for him a;, my expense and the old fellow was glad to
see ne, though ho said he did not like to vouch for a man that he
had o bfetter knowledge of than In- ha'' of me. But I worked myself

in to his good graces so much that ho told me that if 1 would
go and ntay with h.lm ond give him my word and 'ho -.or that I urould
not leave j he would take me provided 1 would pay my board. 1
accepted hie proposition t\nd went home. They watched me very
closely r day or two, but on the second night report came
thet the Yankee Cr.valry wan within a mile and a half. Thus when
they came up 1 wao up in the loft. 1 hoard the nigger boy toll
th- Dr. 1 jumped up frightedn out of my wits, rushed downstairs
told the Dr. to hurry and we took to the bushes. Hoiv I did want
to see-th-m come along the road, but they did not come and we
found out it was a false alarm. After this he did not watch lie
any. 1 could go off all day to the creek fishing, come homo and
it" would bo alright. 1 wrote letters for th- wuole neighborhoods
to their husbands and friends in the army, and the;- thought 1 was
tho smartest kind of a men. There w.-ts one woman in the neighborhood
whose old wan hf : d gone to the Yankees and she told me she would like
to go herself ifshe could only get her goods through 'out the neigh-
horn had threatened to burn her goods if she starte . I told. her
she would not need any goods. 1 was then within fifty miles of our
rickets and the hardest part of the trip to make , For the purpose
of keeping conscripts from running out, X told this woman (her name
was Martin) that if she would go out, the Yankees would take cere of
her, She had a sianll child five years old, a little girl, 1 pro-
mised to meet her at Cedar Creek, ford early in the morning and that
she must tell that she was going on a visit about ten miles from
there, andlf there was any one at the ford she must ask me to
help her on a niece with her little girl, TH? next morning on the
8 Lb/, we started off»Ifmam across, got the skifi and set her across.
It was then five miles to Rear Creek, vVhen we 50 1 there the skiff
was on the tether side, 1 cn--am over and got it., set the w^ir.an across,
and then let the skiff go down the stream, we then took to the
woods and traveled on until dark, "e sat down, ate a little corn
bread and had cuite a rest, Bythia time, the li'tle girl was so
tired that she fell aileep, 1 took her in my arms and on' we went.
«"e had made tout twenty mile bj about ten o'clock we lost our road.
we wandered all around. 1 carried the child until ray arms acwed,

106

so 1 thought 1 woi.'ld give out. The woman told nw she kn w the country
bo well tlmt che could go to crar pickets wit: '.out taking the road. She
did well until about ten o* clock, when she got lost and could tell
nothing nbouf -'/hero she ?/r-.s . To walked constantly until daybreak, when
we again struck the right path and were only abot.it ton miles nearer
than we wore khe nlghl l-.r.foro and 1 fin certain thai, I walked twontv-
flve miles. I felt certain thoy would follow me, and i knew t-at it was
isieo? n:\blo J' or thorn to catch ; .o. unless the;/ tracked me with nigger
hounds and every dog that would bark, 1 would quicken my paec„"' .^The
littlo girl walked pretty roll and eboirt one 1'clock, wo car/ie in. sight
of our pickets* I then bid the woman goodbye, gave her twenty dollars
in gold and twenty in paper* 1 was halted '-y our pickets- and they
took me prisoner and m arched p.e to Head quarters. The' General grasped
ary claw and gave it a good shake. He waa glad enough to see i»e and
hear whot find I had to tell. My report was very satisfactory and he
then told ne to go anywhere 1 chose /for a month and gave me a free pass
on all the roads. I think I ahalJ go to Ills, next week, and when I
yet back I shall probably continue in th same service.

low I have given you as well as i could a sketch of my trip to
Dixie, though there are a good racmy incidnets that oc cured that might
be interesting to you but mr, too tired to -write -more. I have wiAtten
carelessly, but if you have as much patience t.o read if as I have had
to writs it, you will -lease no. You waited to know ;iow 1 looked.
Fell, as for that, 7. a?c bonely enough, thank God. I aa. six foot and
a ii'.tle less than an inch high, weight about one hundred sixty pounds,
a "title "bald headed, if 1 dont take pains to comb ray hair so it wont
allow. Tell Lottie Downs if I thought I. would ever be pardoned for neg-
lecting to nniwer- her letter, 1 would write no*. My love to mother,
and Sarh and all the rest of the friends „ You can write to sse and direct
to Co, I. 11th life. Cavalry,

Yours truly,

E, D. Coo,
1 will send "'.his letter to Lib and that will save me Train, writing to
her. Lib will ?a;nd it on to you.

1 was almost in constant communication with General Grant in
relation to the movements of Gen. Johnson's forces, 1 bad spies posted

at Jackson, Meridian, Mobile, Selman and Montg^Trpr? 7 . It was very hard

io (yen), &wh\
for there to got through the enemy' p linep "»•---•'. %t was very easy to comm-
unicate with mo, 1 sent the communications to Mem ah is and thoy went on
down the riv-T to General Grant, Two of these spies, in their attempts
to reach Oenoral Grant, vero killed. One of the snias, who was with
General Johnson's army, reached General Grant just before the battle
of Champion Hills and gave him accurately the position of General
Johnson and the force he had, which was not one-half the number
that ike.Y supposed. General Frederick D, Grant, now a Major General
in our Army, was prsent with his father at Champion Hills when this
spy reported and at a meeting of the Society of the Array of the
Tennessee, made a statement in relati anjtCo it* This spy's name was

Sanborn, but he never came back to me. V/e never kneir what became of

will} wkith
him. Ab General Johnson assembled hir amy • ^ he proponed to relieve

Vicksburg by a "tacking General Grant in the- rear, I kept General
Gr-:ri o.r;,5i an to f b - fore^a that he was concentrating and of their

(J?Z«sLeA/~ CF,

y ■

n ffl£a 107. ' '

The Armi3#6r Negroes and organizbvgthem into Companies and
Regiments was being advocated and urged for by Gen, Lorenzo Thomas.
He visited Corinth and I assembled the command to' listen to him.
The following account was written by one of the soldiers present.

Corinth, May 10, 1863, Editor Hawkeye: This has been a
great day for Corinth, Adjt. Gen.. Thomas arrived here- yesterday.

evening and today reviewed and addressed the troops, . The speaking
took place from a covered stand erected at the edge of the beautiful
park in front of ,Gen . Dodge's headquarters, aroung which the troops
sere massed in close column. The. day w,vs clear and beautiful, with
a light cool bre eze to modify the heat of the sun. Gen, Dodge's
brass band composed entirely of I wa Boys, discoursed delicious music,
whilst the troops were assembling by the thousands. Gen. Oglesby
arrived at noon, by a special train from Jackson, when the speaking
began.

Gen. Thomas, after paying a tribute to the 2nd division,
which he called the Old Guard of the army, introduced his business,
which was the organization of negro regiments. He gave his plan,
and also narrated what he had accomplished down .the river. He said
he intended to organize a number of -regiments here to be officered
by the bravest most exemplary and best drilled, men in the service, and
he had orders to dismiss any officer, no matter how high his posi-
tion, who opposed the policy. This was received with tremendous
cheers. He said he wanted men to apply but those whose, hearts were
in the work; those who will not strive only to make their commands a '
terror to the enemy, but an honor to the country. He spoke about
three quarters of an hour, and was applauded many times during the
delivery of his speech. The meeting, or rather the army/ was ad-
dressed by Gens, Oglesby, Dodge and Sweeney and Cols, Cornyn and
Bane who only arose in answer to calls from- the troops. Gen. Ogleabv
.spoke for more than an hour. Richard was himself again in spirit but
not in strength, for his lungs are still suffering from the effects
of the wound he received on the bloody field of Corinth. ' The ex-
ercises closed with three deafening .cheers, from everybody for the
President; three for his policy; three for Gen. Oglesby and three '
lor Gen. Dodge, after which the troops passed in review. Gen, Dodge
is said to be already almost overrun with petitions for commissions
in Uie black regiments. The world moves.. .Let the copoerheads wail "

-107-

movements » The rebel, papers gave the force as 60,000 a~ ^ a. good many
of the re port w of the deserters gave the sa.se, hut the reports that our
spies br.oti.p-ht to us showed that there was somewhere .between twenty-
five and thirty thousand, so that General Grant called first upon
General Sohofield in the Department of the Missour, to sen^ his
spare forces to him so that he would not have to detach from his arm 3?
in front of Flcksburg to meetthis force of Johnson and. as General
Grant says in his memoirs-, --he. gave; the command of this force located near
Black River Bayou to General Sherman and as fast as General Johnson
concentrated his forces, General Grant also received reinforcements
until finally drawing from- General ; Burnside , commanding the Deprtraent '•
of the Ohio, the 9th Army Corps umier General park, who reached V lcka .

burg and moved out to General Sherman's .command, som ©time before the cap-""
■ ture of Vicksburg. s?Ytse.rt Off). ' ■ ,

;■:- ' \ On J,** 8th, i was _ill -and -ha^ been, for some little time,

- and 1 applied for a leave of absence of sixty days with a, view of 'having
a rest. and. going to- Toira for'" the" purpose' of ■" attending to mybuainesa " '"
affairs and wind^ them up. They noeded my personal attenf io but' I was
'not given the leave unt J 1 Angus t. I

The Confederate authorities raised the question of the treat-
ment of ne B ro soldiers when captured. They indicated ta t the. ,^,
not treat the, as prisoners of war. Our government Mediate,, , ade
Wn its pollolB8 that they wonl , retauate fop My orueiUe ; or '

:irT ^ th ° Se " lBm " flW — ^ «• *«. sorters and ■

-. -o had, the, e,a lme d oo,,itted depredations and arrested • -,

«« -ptured ,t G rand Gul f and tal(en t „. Jackson) '^ —

p> rP qt riooi • .p or : llbS »' There was

la : t I V ^" eraent and toe — - — r the ^ h

tbm l™ ™"* ^ «™««o„ of the Cc nfederate r ■ ""
were turned oyer to the ,i lltar „ foroea to fc ^"^ <"— «> th, T

to be united .tates troo ? " ""* ™ th ^ ^™ « '

-tates troop., and were treated as ' • „

™ - the capita, of th . ^^ ^ ^ "' ^ ^:
Poloiy towards negro troop3 . ' '^ ™ -".ted the

h, ■ h °" JUne ' 16,h ' the flr3t "**"* ° f A — cavairy A B

ha* become fully organized n^ ' ■ cavaJr *» A.D.

■ganizert end were mustered illto th . Q . - . ■ mS'm

- -„t 90 me „ and were as f ine a hody of J^ ^."^2^

• -108-

The organising of these regiments gave me a greet, opportunity to
reward enlisted men and officers in ray command who had distinguished
themselves. I took the field officers for- this regiment fro in com-
manding officers of the companies, while the Captains and Lieutenants
I selected from non-commissioned officers who were recommenced to
*me as being very competent an- 3 they proved themselves to he so.
This regiment had built large and commodious br-rracks end were being
thoroughly drilled and upon the muster in of this regiment, we
immediately started in recruiting the Bnd Albania Infantry A. T>.
There was a great change in the sentiment of the army sifter tlvgy saw
this regiment organized, drilled end on duty and there was a great
many applications to me from, officers in the white regiments for-
authority to recrmit other regiments. The regular white troops • at *&•«:*
Corinth obtained 3 set of colors and they were presented to the colored
regiment by Col. i;\ . k. Bane of the 50th Illinois Infantry, His speech to
the regiment was eloquent an- 1 pathetic, urging them to defend their
colors to the last extremity. Two colored soldiers responded, fixing
the attention of all who could hear. One had made his wav to Corinth
over 200 miles only 3 few weeks ^"affa,. Among other most appropriate and
witty remarks, he said to his colored friends that they had often
heard of the old banner, and longed for the freedom it promised.
And although thev could not ^eny having ha* plenty of "stripes" they
h?d -certainly never before received the "stars." These colors he
exhorte* hi fellow-soldiers to boar aloft, never allowing their rebel-
lions it, a sters to trail them in the dust.

C©1. Weaver of the 2nd Iowa Infantry also spoke very eloquently
telling the colored soldiers that since their masters had given
them the "stripes" it had now come their turn to make them see "stars,"

Inanition to the greet number of negroes who flocked into
CTorinth, there also came a very large number of white refugees from
the northern p Pr t of Alabama and Tennessee. They were all loyal and
the able-bodied men entered the 1st Alabama .Infantry but it left
the w P ,,en .and children without support. I could A ot take C8re 0;l -, theT

VJ^^IJ miSfi " ^ ^ aSSeSSI3e M ' *™ "» ^npethi.ers of
th -,S^itrem people, gulte a sum of money and sent them north to

lem

-109-

be disposed auiong the loyal people there. General Buford was in
corn:; an d at Cairo an^ he distributer 1 some 5 00 of these women and
children, sending them to O.uinoy, "Decatur and Centra lia in Illinois.
The Kayor of Centralis on June 24th, wrote a letter to den. Buford
which was as follows:- "By what authority do you force upon the
people of Cent rail a the one hundred and twenty paupers yon sent here
by yesterday's train? Yon are respectfully requested to arrange for
their transportation south. Sanmel Storer, Mayor."

fien. Buford who was a very sympathetic and loyal man sent
hi in the following letter from me:

" T send you five hundred women and children refugees from the
south. They are loyal people. Their husbands, fathers and brothers
are in the array ^oing their duty and I ask as a avor to me as we]l as
a justice to them, that they be made comfortable and settled down in
the northern states It will be well for them to scatter to the
different tonnes where they have friends.

They have already suffered more than death and have been kicked
about, till they are *i sheartene- 1 , many of them, to die, I could 'tell
tales cBf their Buffering under Jeff Davis' a tyrannv that would make "
every loyal mar and woman's heart bleed, but all the- now ask is a
place where they can live comfortably, an^ in oeaee until the war"
closes and their protectors can join them. I once more bespeak for

i h n? yo " r vel1 knoFn kindness anr1 efficient aid. I am, very Respect-
fully, lour obedient Servant, G. i- . T) rige, Erin', Gen." ' "

The action of the mayor of Centralia brought down upon his
head tho severe denunciation and criticisv.i of the entire north and
there came applications from, the different towns lor such refugees
to be sent to thei, and fmu that tJ(ne 0Tlf we ^ nQ ^^ ^ ^^
ing them and relieving our front of their charge.

rmrinrr the month of June, my troops were very busy; there were
continual attests of the enemy to break our line of communication
but we would not wait for them to reach us but whenev.w „ ._„ _
their concentration, we i.„,i e riia- ....

troops under Gen. Hatch had sevc
south of the Memphis and Charles ■
shown in the of.rir.ui reports ; r
of the 9th Illinois, a aplen ,^
work .

On Jxmr. - n *, J received a
after General Cr^-t's e, r ^ h aki bt
w "* -tven a leave of ai^nce o n F
-as a very able officer .n n * * as h . ,

-110-

ablest division coven; and ers . He wrote me from "Oes M oines as follows:

Des Koines, Iowa, July 2, 1863.
General Dodge : . . .

I came home in time to be present at the Republican Convention.
I found theni hell-bent on nominating some military hero, barren
and Stone were both on hand urging their claims, 1 could have been
nominated but declined peremptorily. 1 told them that if they must
nominate a military nan, to select one who 'had seen the. enemy and
who h?d a rood record an^ suggested your name, but when asked if yon
would accept I was compelled to say that I did not, believe you would,
with your views and prospects, consent to sever your connection with
the army. Had 1 felt at liberty to give any assurance in your name,
you would hnve '-een easily nominated. They ^i-" 1 not want to nominate
Stone j but preferred Stone to Warren. So ^id I, and I gave Mr. Brig.
fen, Warren all the grief that I possibly could*

The Copperheads talk pbout nominating Tuttle, but Tut tie
wont accept. If he does he has not the sense that I have credited him
with and I will cut on him."

I had no knowledge of these matters and would not, have consid-
ered the question of leaving the front, going to lows and runninn for
office. General Oglesby, who had been in co./.mand of the Left Winn;
of the 16th army Corps and who was my superior officer,, had been
severely wounded ? ; .t Corinth and in his general order #21, dated
Memphis, July 6th, he bade good~'faye to his command on account of his
physical infirmities, stating that he- had resigned. While he wos
relieved of the command of the Left Wing ? 16th A.c., he was so fine an
officer that the President declined to accept his resignation and he
was put, on temporary duty in the north. On July 8th, 1863, I was
assigned to the command of the Left 7* in- 16th Army Corps which con-
sisted then of three divisions, reaching from the Tennessee river alom
the line of the Memphis and Chrrleston roed to Grand Junction and be yon*
and north to Jackson, Tennessee,

On July 6th, v- e received, news of the capture of Vicksburs,

which brought nrreat p-ratifi rat i nn to + v,„ -,. ■,

Mauncanon to the oriole army and changed the

whole temper and f eeli ng of the people of the north.

Col. Biffles regiment, of General Poddy's command, captnred ,y
camp of convalescent and unserviceable horses and ,ules M on the

:; corinth - Tt was sua — ** - — of the 59 th I0WR ; nuraberiPF

r n ""^ GPPt " L — *» -ptaii and twenty of hla ne , : _ e ~

-Ptured. Co, corny, wUh, his brigade followed, them and at M .

r : uite a batti - —^ *- *-*■■ -**.. and flrtvlPff them

across Bear Piver. J

-,3.11-

At the same time . Col. Phillips of my command moved north
to attack a force that had. crossed the Tennessee river, with a vie?/
of capturing Jackson, Tennessee., They attacked this force about the
time it reached Jack 3 on, defeating it and drove it across the Tennessee
River.

On July 11th, I received the following letter from Silas Hud g on

who was a cousin of Gen, Grant and had been with him during a portion

of the selga and capture of Vicksburg:

Memphis lennee, July 11th, 1882,
General Dodge :

1 have just arrived here from Headquarters and am on my way
home with Master Fred, the General's son, who will remain ©erne time
north for the "benefit of his health, »,

• Before leaving, 1 had a confidential interview with the GeneraJL
and it gives me pleasure to be able to inform you authoritivsly that
your name will head the list to be sent forward by him for promotion
to Major Generalship, 1 an also authorized to say to you that his
recent success gives him more real pleasure and gratification because
it enables him to advance the interest of meritorious officers in his
command who have nobly stood by him, and have so largely contributed
to his present fame and position, than from any other consideration.
And although he las known you but little except in an official capacity,
you have his full confidence, and he approves your management of the
duty addignecl you fully and completely.

We have taken 31,277 prisoners, one Lieut. Gen. and 14 Majors
and Brig. Gen. and about 80 Cols. etc.

So far as we are able to obtain record by actual count, we
have 88,000 stands of arms, 173 field and large guns, 660 bbls flour
corn in quantities, five million dollars in clothing--their invoice,
250,000 lbs* of sugar, large amou ta of bacon, &c. &c. and ammunition
surficient for years, and of the best quality as are their arms, 30,000
of which have never been used, and which we will exchange our for,
and so make the calibre used by us uniform,"

This letter was, of course, Very gratifying to me but I had
known from the letters of General Tuttle and of General Crocker that
Gen. Grant intended to promote me. General Crocker wrote me about this
time saying that General Grant takes every occasion to speak in
highest terms of you and myself as the two Iowa men in whom he takes
stock 8 He may be mistaken but it is noad the less a compliment, to us,"
As' stated in Hudson 1 s letter, General Grant in his recommendations
for promotion at Vicksburg, recommended me first to be made a Major
General. He recommended many of his officers to be Brig Generals,
among them his chief of staff., Colo»*l John A. Rawlins These recom-
mendations were taken to Washington by Co)oisi«| .Ra'wlins and oiie would
have supposed that after such a great victory as that of Grant, any
request of his would have been acceded to but the only promotion
that was made was o (T Colonist Rawlins who captivated the cabinet with

his eloquent speech and description of the campaign and capture of
Blcksburg. Mone of the rest of Vg promoted f 0r - a ?e ar. As the

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War Fec-rds show General Grant endeavored time and time again to
have me promoted because- as a Brigadier General I was holding a
Major Generals command an^ it was difficult to hold me in such a posi-
tion as there Fere often officers commanding a division who ranked rae
'and they would have to be changed to allow the troops they commanded to

serve i.m r1 er me .

My commands ha* been very free from desertions although there

had been some and in August/ ^member of ' the lfct AlabamaCavalry , by

the name of A. J. Johnson, had deserted from our army and joined the

confederate array en* was captured by m;Om :m-_ troops! The regiment

appealed to me almost unanimously to make an exam pie of Johnson,

1 give an account here os his arrest, trial and execution as written

by a person present,

"Corinth has today been the scene of the saddest and most
impressive of all military spectacles — the execution of a soldier.

Private A. J. Johnson" of Company I>. 1st Alabama (Federal)
Cavalry 3 on the 18th of June last, was stationed as a vi^ette on the
road leading from Glendale to Burns vi lie. This duty is one of the moot
responsible of all s soldier's duties. Prom this he deserted and
went over to the enemy. To have simply deserted his post r-t such ?
position T'ould have merited death, according to the laws of war: but
to fake the very arms and property that Government , .. he had sworn to
serve, and turn the::- against that Government, made his the highest
cr ime a so Id i er otnh 1 d c omm it ,

On Saturday last, I think, the 5th Ohio Cavalry surprised the
camp of Cnpt. Carpenter, a rebel commander of p guerrilla ban^ , some
distance south of Corinth, and captured a number of prisoners. Among
them was tbi° deserter. The facts were so plain and the offense was
so glaring th?t/it was determined to deal suaniarially with hi:;;. A
special commission was appointed -an^ he Fas tried immediately, and
found guilty. The sentence could be nothing less than the extreme one
of -'eath, Gen , Dodge approved the finding and sentence, and appointed
nine' &' clock today as the time for the execution. This sentence ;Was
communicated to the prisoner today. Short time indeed for the unhappy
man to prepare for death, yet long enough to allow him to suffer more
than the pain of a hundred deaths in anticipation of the one.

.PREPARATION.

This morning the sun arose on an unclouded sky, but soon a haze
obscured its brightness, and threw a kind of funereal shadow over our
garrison. The news of the coming execution was not published yesterday
to the 1 roops , nor was it. fully known until nearly night, ^his' morning"
.however every one kne 1 -'' of it, though it seemed to be avoided as a
subject of conversat on. (Ten-. Dodge intended to not onl 1 -- have the sad

duty performed with all due dignity, for the sake of the condemned,
but also to make it as fully impressive as possible to the troops of
the entire command.

As early as seven o'clock the fifes and drums of a regiment were
heard as it took its way to the head-quarters of its brigade. By a
sort of cruel fatality, this regiment with its sounding music marched
directly past the place where the ' condemned man '; was confined. What a
fearful reminder of the preparation for his doom'. Soon other regiments
were marching and the artillery and cavalry be fan to move.

THfl OROITNo, " •

The place selected for the execution was a large open field
southeast of the town of. Corinth. The troops were formed into three
sides of a square-the fourth, open side, toward the east. The

-113-

infantry, in four ranks, on the west side, and the artillery on the
north side. Behind the .infantry , ana nt the flanks of the artillery
a-"d cavalry, were gathered iitizens and others not in the regular-
arms of the service, in wagons and ainlDulanc.es, on horses and mules
and on foot, ,

ABRIVAL OF THE PRISONER.

The line was completely formed by half past eight. The soldiers
were ■unusually silent, and all were anxiously looking forward the centre
of the unoccupied side of the square, where the execution was expected
to take place. All at once the solnien notes of a mournful air by
the division hand attracted attention to the procession slowly advanc-
ing toward the -outh-west corner- of the square, from the direction of
Corinth, It was the prisoner and his escort. First came Provost
Marshal General Branhill, under whose direction the sentence was to be
executed. He was accompaualedd'by one or two officers mounted. Then
the hand on foot. After ft a detail of twelve men. of the prisoner's
own company, under a sergeant, who were to he the executioners. They
marched as infantry. Next was the wagon which contained the prisoner.
Two soldiers of the Provost Guard, as a funeral escort marched, with
a r ins r e ve r s e d .

APPEARANCE OF THE PRISONER.

It was the first opportunity I had of seeing the prisoner, and
I was surprised -at his apparent intelligence. He was a tall man, of
spare figure, dark hair and fair complexion. He appeared to be not
over thirty years of age. Seate on his coffin, with one hand he was
grasping the bad-: of a chair, while with the other he kept a handker-
chief closely to his eyes. He seemed to be deeply affected and was
weeping distractedly. Rev, James Houng, Chaplain of the 21st Ohio,
was sitting on the coffin beside him, but the poor condemened man seem-
ed too much occupied with his own wild e....otions to listen to anything
from the minister. Thus he rode along to the right of the cavalry,
which was the south-east corner of the square.

THE DEATH MARCH.

Here the wagon stopped- the prisoner and. eaplain got out, and
■the pall bearers took out the da k coffin, and a new procession on
foot was formed. First, Lieut. Colonel Barnhill, accompanied by Capt.
Barnhill, Post Provost Marshal, then the band, followed by the execution-
ers. Next the black coffin borne by the four pall -bearers. Follow-
ing this was the prisoner leaning on the arm of the chaplain; last of
all came the funeral escort with arms reversed.

What a death march was that I This condemned man is ':,o march to
his execution in the centre of the unoccupied side of the square, by
passing around the other three sides in front of the troops. It is a
distance of nearly a mile. 'But the sad procession moves. The vast as-
semblage of soldiers and others, with the stillness of death, catch
the wailing sound of the dirge to which the slow procession marches.
To the condemned man, what an agony, worse than death, must have b r, en
that long march- silent, except Mien broken by the almost sepulchral
death-notes of the music. Is it wonderful that he leans heavily on
the chaplain's arm, or that he is bathed in fears, or looking on the
ground at his feet? 'That to him were the Ion" lines of troops before
which he was passing? He.' sa#on.bEe. ofrthein^ Like one walking in a dream
he walks to where he shall waken in another world.

THE LAST.

The procession reaching the centre of the eastern side of the
square, halts, facing west toward the troops. No chair, or post or
block marks the place of execution. The proves t-marshall' s -attendant
stepped forward and with his foot drew a line on the ground where the
coffin should lie. The pall-bearers placed, it there; the band and the
pxecirci oners faced about, and the escort that had been in the rear of
the prisoner, passed to the front and in 'the rear of the executioners.
During these movements the prisoner stood by the side of his coffin
in, evident distress. He could be plainly distinguished by his dress.
He'wroe no coat, but had. on a blade hat, black pants and' a white shirt.
The position of all being assigned, the prisoner in a composed and
audible tone requested to see his picture which had been taken in the
morning. It was a photograph and of c rrse there had not yet been'
time to print any from the negative. His request could not be granted.
The prisoner, and the chaplain by his side, then knelt upon the coffin;
the soldiers and others of the little groupd. reverently uncovered their

-114-

heads, and the chaplain reverently offered the last prayer for the
prisoner. During its utterance the "big tears of sympathy for the
accused as a fellow being f and not as a culprit, coursed down the
cheeks, of even his executioners.

The chaplain, in a few and simple words, prayed for the sal-
vation of the soul that was so soon to be freed from the body; he prayed
for the mother of the prisoner, far his wife and for his child. He
asked that this terri"ble lesson might he productive of good to the army
and finally he prayed that the time might soon come when the white
dove, of peace shoiild return to our distracted land, and these scenes of
bloodshed no more be enacted within our borders.

While the prayer was "being offered, the orders giving the
action of the court in the case- the charges, finding and sentence, and
their approval- were read by the different adjutants to all the troops.

The prayer ended, the prisoner shook the hand of the chaplain,
and the provost-marshal in silence, and then, upon an intimation to
that effect, stepped over his coffin and took a seat upon it. The
attendant produced the wide white bandage .vhich was to hide from his
view the men who were to be his executioners, and tied it over the
eyes and face of the prisoner. This done, the hands were tied behind
him - and there was nothing to do but the last. Oh, could there'' not
come a swift rider, with his glad reprieve^ at the last moment? The
chaplain and attendant move backward- toward the soldiers, leaving the
free space for the deadly bullets* Only the reporter stays near to
catch the last words of the prisoner* They are few, simple broken
utterances of prayer- "0, Lord s have mercy on ae. God, save me.
Protect my sonl s Lord."

The Provost Marshal draws his word and command, "Ready". The
vast concourse suspends its breaMi - "Aim,™ The deadl barrels are
leveled. Will no reprieve come? There is no flying horsemen approach-
ing, "Fire." Too late now for the reprieve of man- the soul has gone
to its maker.

It was a positive relief to know that, death was certain. There
was not even a struggle or a groan. The doomed man dropped easily
backward, and all was over. His limbs were composed, his hands folddct
on his breast, and then, 'lying, beside his coffin on the ground, he was
permitted to be seen by every member of the whole command, as it was
marched by the fatal spot.

Thus ended the first military execution in the army of the
Tennessee* What a commentary on the discipline and the spirit of this
vast army is found in this act, 1 *

We had a very important spy ? a southern man who is still living

whom ire had kept inside of the lines and who was very reliable. He

had gone to Richmond and came out of Richmond with Longstreet's Corps

on its way to join General Bragg in front of General Rosecrans. He

left Richmond the first week in August and got to a telegraph within

oar lines when he telegraphed me that he had come through with

Longstreet's corps, had left them in Eastern Tennessee and that they

were on their way to reinforce Bragg, 1 immediately sent this dispatch

to General Grant and also to General Rosecrans. General Rosecrans

sent me a very sharp reply stating that he' had different information

"and that my information w.as not correct and indicated that he would not

want me to report to him direct. 1 sent this dispatch to General Grant

-115-

and he instructed me to hereafter send such disp&cthes to him. It is a

vers?- singular fact that General Rosecrans,' when he had notices of
the approach of Longstreet from several sources, would not believe
them and did not pay any attention to them. General Wilder, in com-
mand of Wilder f s Brigade, gave him information to the same efffeot
fotir or' five days before the battle. General Wilder claimed to have '
captured a prisoner from Longstreet's corps. General A. D. Atkins
of Wilder' s command, informed me ; that he took a prisoner from a
Virginia regiment of Longstreet 'a corps two or three days before

the battle of G hickarnaugua to General Rosecrans and he told if e

prisoner, who was very frightened and timid, that he was a 'liar and
, scared him so that General Atkins had to interfere to protect hi:n .
General Sheridan also captured a ; prisoner or through his own scouts
ascertained that Longstreet's" corps was in their front and notified
General Rosecrans of that fact but General Rosecrans had a dispatch
from the War Department which assured -him that no forces had left
te^.±fcelVs front, and he depended sore upon that dispatch than upon
the reports of the officers in his own command which was a fatal mis-
take.. General Rosecrans did not concentrate to meet this large
reinforcement of Gen. Bragg's army until it was too Late. If he had
acted upon these dispatches an- concentrated his army, the battle of
Chickamaugua, no doubt, w oul/ have had a different ending. This shows
the Importance of paying attention to the infection that comes to
you, no matter from.*hat source. '' m our a-my, we never failed to
'follow up any information we had until we ascertained whether it was
true or not, especially su6h information, as 1 gave Gen.. Hosecrans, com-
ing fro, a man who hid be^n withthe corps and rhom I h„ew was reliable
in- every way.

After the execution .given abo H a very sad affair occurred
at Corinth and one of my hest Cavalry commanders, C ol. Cornyn -as
Mlled hy ,i 8 Lt . col. during a court martial. Thare had heen a
.real dea! of miction hetween U. Col. , wen and Col. Cornyn. Col
Cornyn had preferred charges against Col . V, 0Mn ^ he ^ ^
arretted and pla0 ed in close confinement by order of Col. Cornyn
I had relieved hi, of this and given him the 1Iberty „ f thp
post. during the tiral the two m en met in the ante-room, when

•116-

an altercation ensued between then* and Lt . Bo wen drew his
pistol and shot h^n in "three places, killing him instantly.
There was great excitement among the soldiers of the 10th Missouri
hut no further trouble occurred.: Gol. Bo?/en was tried by court
martial and was ac-Cfuitted . :

On August 8th, General Crocker wrote me 'telling me of an
interview he had with General Grant who gave his reasons placing
me first on his li^st of promotions for ^icksburg although 1 was
not present in that campaign. He : told General Crocker that my
services in holding his flank at- Corinth and in posting him on all
of the moments of the enemy in his rear and relieving him of any
anxiety and my always going out to attack the enemy before t-hey
woulrt reach my lines, ha J relieved him of all anxiety as to that flank
and that my action had been of as great, service to him as any of the
officers directly under his command. This infonae tion was vei?y
gratifying to me but I had received from General Grant,
directly, in his telegrams and letters, indications that what I was
doing met his approval .

While I was in the service, I never received any criticism
of any kind from General Grant of any of my acts, m sending me an orfle v
General Grant always- left it to my discretion, or would ask ae if such
or such a thing could be accomplished. His suggestion was an order
that 1 always acted, upon promptly.

I had with me on my staff, j. w. Barnes, Lt. of the 118th

Illinois Infantry, who had been acting as an A.D.C. Colonel George

E. Spencer who had been my Chief of Staff, was now relieved to take

charge of the organization of. the: 1st Alabama Cavalry, of which he

was to become G olonel m , j; a8ked : the appolntment Qf u# ^^ ^

be a Captain and A;a.g. ln place of Spencei% ^ ^ ^ ^^

Ment granted. General Ogleaby, who was a very fi ne orator, on

arriving in the north, -was called; upon by the people there to ,ake !

Beeches and answer the copperheads who were attacking the arny and \

the politics of the government. On Au- i 9th h(3 W1 _ t +u ?

au iytn, he wrote. me the 0ollowi n **L i
General Dormer- ' : Decatur, 111. Aug. 10, 1865 to I

P*yii^ r S^ I*"**** ^o copies f !

letters give ne more eatisfactl^^bS iLTltl l^ ^ tpy , I

, : 1

: ■ I

117

in Tennessee and north Mississippi than any othe.r channel. • You
have doubtless connected with General Rosecrans" right before
this, and must "be freed from so much annoyance from, that direction
upon your left and rear. I am glad Hatch thrashed them at Jackson.
Does Capt. Spencer still run his flags of -brace? Spencer has a
good style. He goes with a truce in one hand and a revolver in
the other. Since my return. I heave endeavored to remain quietly '
at hone- have generally done so; a few times, however, I have con-
sented to go into the worst holes of copperheadism, and those few'
limes I have not spared them, _

A hold front terrifies them. Their impudence has gone unre™
buked until it has become insufferable, and to be boldljr called
traitors and challenged to fight at once, makes them very angry but
does not make the villians fight- dirtjr cowards, they have but to
be boldljr met to- be eternally disgraced. They are sot so many nor
so blatant as they were. They were never so numerous as -thought to
be. I shall use all my -spare house to practice upon them. The
President did not see fit to accept my resignation nor to give me
six months leave, A little firm talk by union men was all that
was necessars^. The talk has been "Wait until our soldiers come home
they will put down, treason." 1 repudiated this talk at once and
told union men to say "We will out it nown without w/aitng for our
soldiers to return." This spirit alone will save the country. I
send you two" letters which I hope you will have no hesitation using
in my name; send the m at once to General Grant to go forward, unless
Jrou have some reliable friend to trust the matter to,

At the same time I received a letter from Thomas S. With, ow.
who was the chairman of the Republic State Committee of Bes Moines
asking what the feeling of the fioys in my command was? He said,
there was some dissatisfaction in two or three regiments at Vi oks-
burg but nothing we have reason to believe that will amount to
anything. f Tuttle has been put in nomination by a Mahony State
Central Committee, with the hope that he can carry the army vote.
He is on identically the same platform occupied by Vail and ing lam
in Ohio, and is the candidate of a more intensely disloyalvo-rgan-
ization than ever before existed in this State. We have newspaper
rumors this morning that he is at home and delcares his purpose to
decline. He will do well for his own reputation by pursuing that

course."

-1 was perfectly astonished to hear of the nomination of
General Tuttle by this- party and more astonished when I received
the following letter of General M. M. Crocker;

Hd.Qrs. 11,. S. Forces Mat obex
August 26, 1863.

' General Dodge : \

General Tuttle, I hear, has accepted the nomination of the
Copperheads. 1 did not expect this of him. Ihr- day he left
Vic ks burg he called on me' and' stated most positively that he would
•not accept the nomination on any terms. I am afriad that he has
not as much '.sense as we gave him credit for. In fact, .his conduct
in this whol> matter has been that of a weak old nincompoop with about

as little sense as Thompson's coltT.

— US-
Well let him go * He is'dead, deader, deadest and I . have
written his epitaph which I am. going to send his, it is Billy
Pringle's epitaph on his pig:

"While he lived, : he lived in clover,
But when he died, he died all .over."
I have been iransfered. from the 13th to the 17-th Army Corps
and am here with my Division and Ransom's Brigade commanding the
District from _ Grand . Gftlf to the Louisiana" State Line. My duties
'as yet have not heen of a very arduous or trying kind. I have not
had any information from General Grant, as to what .he 'intends to do
this fall."

1 had. sent Lt*. Col. Phillips with a large command to Grenada
to meet the forces moving frora'Vicksburg tinder direction of General
Sherman to Grenada for the. purpose of capturing and destroying the
large amount of equipment that had heen caught there by the movements
of the two armies during the seige of Yioksburg. I had found that in
these raids in tearing up the railroads and destroying the equipment, '
&c. that they were not effective and I had instructed Col. Phillips,
in the destruction of locomotives, instead of breaking off the
side bar pistons, & .- todestroy the fire box by lighting the fuse of
a shell and bursting it inside. _ The confederates had the machinery to '
replace the side pieces of the locomotives but they could not replace
the fire box. Col. Phillips and his command' reached Grenada and
found a large number of cars and locomotives there which they destroyed.
.The raid was a great success. *, '■■ a

0,1 ''" £1 ' ;n mh ' > * es . tal »'-', ™ ry si.- vitft ", conrestlv* , h >12
^ r3E r ° nt "" rth ^ ™<*p,rat.. , hIle x was ln th6 north> ar> f j; {
T. 0. nurant .ante. me to resl S n from the army an. take c„, rge of V^
the surveys and conduction .of the Union Pacific railroad, hut t>>
£ I decline, to do. J wrot e the., u^ ., soon as th9 mp _ over
V I was perfectly willing to g0 baok on the ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ '
<\ under Mr. Dey, who was then in charge. "" -■

u *k

A,u-gy9 ^cf Tum^ , 754. &££*** if k^v^H ^ U M V f^

\t-C ClUda-L jlasuJU

™7

ad v;

bo r , ; .onii ".

: 1- X . . l. - t !

,:J, ff 1th frl ra, 1 ;a diaau;

"r-T,',"., w : . \ 1 . ..rued \ . ; J. ilo.wai'? Idea i,
id iibout to 'toil. M. i owe la fk;,: clt
okl,''- ! <a.' Tm;.. 1 SOrJoUal^ jm-m ivo ' lp; I
sarvia '• in. •' kr;i; i'i" km 'c'liiLr^'j *na<

Ti'EKTr.M, 1! i:- ,;•,'.:. -a ; P -;op..i r - _,,: •., t . i .,, r ..i..'„, c.ok:io;vl-
adpomen L a: aaleoi.,- cad of i ur i.-_, -> "" ,,: e.n,.-;^,u air aid N -.rch:, it
. • VJO/jr Lisked, I i"-vc -n.- r-des ! i aw; 15 m -a '"•-:;-'•-] "be pa bei;
pro >/od ai.a'k.f ' < he; • u*" 1 ea su-h, ho can ■■eh, r^r -nitia^ fr .,-f'i , 3 n -.,-c
"a-] i >r d n "u .! icmii' ci; i^crof. i>e,

■ ■ Be It resolved by the Common Council of the city of Council
Bluffs th' t in the name of" the city, and for and in behalf of it,:.
citizens, that we bid Ceneral Dolge a cordial and generous; welcerm
to his home . ■ . .

T,<" "'■ I'.t'i u 'u f a hi-, onstant care and gener'.uie treatment
ek' in ciMiJt cl hi n ~, e,k nil rust them to his care, and for h"s
be • v "j ', ii* ,,->j iir< m i\ l'uct' in the field; that hy 'rl s
ui • " i „ > " 'r . ji.r" 'if-r n' h; 'onal rnd lasting hoaor on the
,>i -i'.il^ j.loi h i 1 n , "" To> v., mad won for himself by honorable
and. ^jiioi\-)U.j Cv^oLiuicii ,.mon the most brave and gifted of our g-il
lant army, s: name in history worthy of the palmiest days of the re^u!
lie. " *

And be It, further Resolved, flirt the Mayor and City Recorder
be constituted a committee to receive him on behalf of the city - nd
to communicate to him the unanimous adoption of these resolution;.:,
T.G. Crawford, City Recorder. "

The program of the.' exercises of the reception is as follows:

1st.. Citizens desiring to participate will assemble in fro a I
of Clerk's office at the firing of one gun,

2d. A procession will be formed by H. C. Nuti,, Marshall, in
the f o blow 3 1 1 J r ". -nn

1st. C _.!, ru-atl l\< 'bo •".! Bluffs rifles,
2nd, huh' j x± f s cnrrln-e, rT ith' .reception committe, together
nd ''omm-a. "' aan "1 in o a-rhges.
don,; 1 . C.uard, "k t,el, h,a].

with i. ..

"•U.

a ,d< .

all .

'Lb

the _ , > -
Do dp/j dh

^ .,< ,- !_ M 'r'Qstevin.

n L i i ji.- i:n bor;:;ad' u. ud i 1 ' carriages.
( a hvm;, on forsebcel an 1 in carriages.

v ^ ,u,f. ii : ' ] I . i-i'li , w bi'u: japy p?d be f^rm^d in proper
■ a.o'.'ix fax f' 1 ' l. J ; 1 • '" bi. "■_' ra] . bfiar he
: , aa i..." n y +h- Ccr.--Jt\e , a ^ t v -, . . ..rir^,

^ i r ' i>. 'i , I. '/, 1: j- .-i ..:,;u ' \i :; s '' : ^n.
" j f.> r'li^ i'i' a" ' '• " ^ , j'i l.uc.io 'aid n ,,j a 1 ". Upon

' i

"-' ^

a i- ; : i

t mi. «- -

-] ' "-, y I f-"^ c" .

'->" U- lip "i,"'' " to unite in this mark oi

' ah ~ 1 id . 1 M « i'isen alio now returns horn-

i ^ " w "" "'l .d received in the battles

the ^ a,' , ,aa a' ,■ > . <;
esco.-' n » n -r u '

• ••a -i!J.- e
resj- a l i • o '. q i ' i :

a bi k ,-••', • , , y .

before Atlanta.

By order of Committee on Arrangements.

I) , C . EL o o me r , Oh a I r man .

Mr. Crawford, in the name of the city, bade the Ceaeral wel;

home, in the following words, to which General Dodge respondes a.

below:

fir . Crawford ' s We] come .

Oj. i

Lha

a - 4 <-< ,,,.*i

l 0'

•1th,

5 Z ,

T hr ,r " b^en charged by the unanimous, voice
*r. k ^ a- m and behalf of its citizens, with
« r ! i '"-kip you a cordial an-^ generous v;elcm.r
a", 1> -it 1 t - ou in view of your seriously/ inr- arid
• ai. 1 up and arduous duties In the field,
•"i . >ur count rv.

i- , r

118-S

¥*

To oca muni c ate the hope that health and vigor may soon
return to you and that you may live lone to enjoy the evidence

of their entire confidence and profound respect you have so nobly
won and so meekly wear,

1 have been charged to thank you for your courteous and kindly
generous treatment of our citizen soldiers, entrusted to your care"
ami whom you have seen cloven down by your side, in the tempest of
battle, upon the bloody slopes of Fea Rlrdge, and upon uhe plains
and in the valleys of Tennessee- to those valor on the field ond frith-
fulness in the camp you have . so often end eloquently paid honorable
end generous tribute,

I have been charged to thank you, Sir, for your prudence and
soldierly conduct upon the field of battle, by which "ou have con-
ferred additional luster iron the already glorious escutcheon of
Iowa, end won for yourself a name in history, that mist and will
live as lorry as liberty end good government are loved, and desotisra
usurpation and tyranny despised.

In the cr'ppt of St, Paxil's Cathedral in London, is the tomb of
Sir Christopher T'ren, the architect of that noble structure, and
the felicisous inscription upon it runs thus: "Reader, if you seek
his monument , look round." And so re cay this day to the ~"orld, and
let the depotisni of the old world behold and tremble.- If you would
see how well the American people love the government of their
fathers. "Look around". Behold the old man trembling with age. but
• i + b the J '_ i i • J .k bde* hi " urning brightly in his bosom, casting
. '■ g bis c uJ...h 'u ' ye. ^ n 'he deadly fire lock. The young man

•- -b- i flV Ur^r- the spring bloom of infancy nerving
bbu-'-bLf i or ih.' «..'.• ". '. "•' 11 he was a veteran of some of our
a-< •"' ;m. ' ' < x , ^m . ' . ■ " i r taking the sword of her dead father,
• d _l--i i- " ' * ; l he braid o" her brother as she does so casting

a a ay Lb:, ,'jclb ', Th: ;;.<- '..him faking her only boy and pointing

where the battle rages, fells him to go and to return with honor
or came nor more .

Add how well have Iowa soldiers kept the oath, they registered in
heaven, Go read ye uoon the graves of our early dead- upon the
speulchral stone? of our Ttiltle, Kinsman, Mills, end the hosts of our
unreturning brave, but eulogy greets not the cold dull ear of death;
let us hope when the Angel of Death prevents us with his scroll that
our death m y be as glorious as theirs, and our memory worthy of the
fame and honor theirs now enjoy, Ckerieral, I bid you welcome to your
home, in behalf of this large assemblrge of your admiring fellow
ditizens, with the hope that repose will soon restore your impaired
health and fit you for the further performance of the high an-"!
responsible duties imposed upon you; that your future may be as
remunerative of honors as your past has been, and that you may long
erujoy the confidence and respect of the people you have do;e so
much to serve and honor , " //

General Dodge's Reply.

Ladies and gentlemen:- If 1 had the mental, 1 have not the
physical ability to make a proper response to your generous welcome.
It was densral Scott, 1 believe who said: "That there was nothing
dearer to ma soldier than the approbation of his countrymen." I
know that there is nothing dearer, when it comes from his own home,

-p ^ -p -^ -.. -p "h -j ^ |-|/% avi/>q| 1R y^t -* r% im A p

y; ' ..,- +a • , r -rs since T 1 t ; '- b it , :*>•

ib :>' t > a Tx r l y. T L -romised lac _- J ^ - . eb > t

"■ ~

r ,gd ,,ib->'-'-' e 1- - k o-t d-,1y. ? r e r .,'. mi- H .,• i ■ r ' ,( " - - 1

u ,,h,,isi U 7, »s no' to ~. "The re.-.-" 1 . r - ■ a •* -. ,t ;_ y

, -, L .

y.n, T" '- ■ -' i ■* _ v '- " ' ' our prisiJo™.- ^ b-bi- 4 e j*. -

i -,

i- . , f !• J1 ,-- h -\- " ,- f- ' "- j ^ promts'"" , Id, 1 aim fb.e , i "

. to d r-" 1 ! b, . ^ '... 1 ., < at/ l can d'n'MV - — T a 1 y

- y

p tl - - i. T' 'r'o i ,.r.-a in the n-<:~, - ' f- ^ - br-Jgr

i <-, ,

m \ r , i a *'- • m d i.. p. v , .y ,- -_ ■ j i ; - , i <- ■, i f he "' "

] ""'

lV ■ •- i ^"it rb', - !-•• " '•■-"■ or. -' n - -w ' T, • , : ci a-

The army tort. 3/7 is i. excellent condition. Tt is loyal to the
heart. It has fears only of dishonor- never of death: and all
that it asks of you is that generous support which all soldiers have
the right to expect and all Governments havs 'a right to demand of Its
c-itisens. It believes In the present policy of the war, arid nays to
you vho are all anxious for peace, that there Is but one way to
obtain it, and that by hard fighting- dealing of swift, determined
blown. No mild yolciy will accomplish It. Nothing but the utter
defeat and breaking up of the rebel armies will ever bring peace.
We say to you, fill up our ranks - send us good, cheer In g "cords at
all times - give us your heartym undivided support, and we rill soon
place this rebellion In a condition th~t you can read its downfall
and destiny In v;ords as plain as the hoonday sun.

1 have corn home to -regain my health and build up a constitution
badly shattered. It is my dee Ire. and 1 shall return the moment
my surgeon mar h a me for duty,

1 have burled my best friends and bravest men In the south, and
I intend to atay there until you and 1 and everyone can visit their
graves In every State under the peaceful protection of that flag
which every loyal citizen loves to honor, and every; soldier- fights
and if necessary dies for.

There Is a monitor here, that tells- me that I hr.v<= pgi-onrfv gone
•f • o .' . T v - y n i 1 .- *• } take each cue of you by the hv ' ' • -'_ K t
- - ' - ,' ,< 1 " . ' b N r rabids, aad 1 trust you will tal" ... t ' -"! ir-
b- I f . • ' 41 d d V

119

Before I left Corinth, I lad raised four companies of the
2nd Alabama Infantry but they had not been mustered in. Soon after
I left there, General Hurlbut ordered the officers who had been as-.
signed to these companies ^ to be relieved and sent to their regiments
and for the men to report to Memphis to fill up an artillery regi-
ment that was being organized there. My authority for raising the
troops had come from the Adjutant General, Lorensa Thomas of the

Army .

When Captain Barnes received this order, he did not con-
sider it as being as important as my order and was also a great in-
justice to the young men whom I had commissioned in these companies
but had not mustered in. I therefore had the mustering officer mus-
ter them in and then forwarded them eb United States troops to Mem-
phis. I believe General Hurlbut recognized the mustering officer .
but had the company changed from Infantry to heavy artillery.

While I was at my home in the Bluffs convalescing, my
attention had been called to criticisms of some of the people in re-
lation to the Aid Societies, Sanitary Commissions and other organizations
that had done such wonderful work and had been. so beneficial to our
soldiers. I was appealed to to answer a charge that was made in
the Des Moines Register by 'Dr. A. Y. Hull of Des Moines, My letter
to the Register was as follows: '

Council Bluffs, Sept. 12, 1863.
Editor of Des Koines Register?

In your issue of. Septemuer 11th is a letter addressed to
the "Ladies of De^ Moines", by Dr. A. Y. Hull, which, if allowed to
go before the people of Iowa uncontradicted, will work a great and
vital injury to our sick andwounded soldiers in the field.

It has been my good fortune to have under my command many
Iowa Regiments, and there are very few that have left the State that
I have not seen, and conversed with some of their officers, in rela-
tion to the generous aid our army lias received from Sanitary Societies.
And of all the regiments I have met, I have not seen one that did not
receive great and lasting benefit .from the noble efforts of the
Ladies of Iowa through the Sanitary Commission.

I have two letters from the late Col. W. II. Kinsman of
the "23rd Iowa Infantry," the regiment specially mentioned in Dr.
Hull's letter and in both of these he speaks in the highest terms
of the efforts of the Sanitary Commission, and he thanks them for
what they have done for his regiment. And ,1 say, without any fear
of successful contradiction that not a company or regiment has left
tMs state, but what has received great benefit from them.

The ladles of I wa, as well as those of other states, by
this channel, have saved the lives of thousands of soldiers. There
is not a hospital in an Iowa regiment, not a General Hospital in the
army, that the Sanitary Commissions have not.if'lfiembere3, for the aid
given, in the prayers of the sick,- wounded and dying soldiers.

In my command, we have been well supplied, not only by the
ladies society in Des koines, but by all others in this and other
states. Their organizations are so well conducted that we now find

Sanitary Stores are needed. They may not be issued as coming from

any particular Society; but all sent through the authorized agents
reach the army by the proper channel, and are dealt out to our sick
and wounded with a generous hand.

I have met most of the agents of our State, and I know that
they are honest. They have worked long and hard, and we can never
repay them for the great good they have done us,

1 do believe that Dr. Hull or any other person who seeks
to fatally stab the efforts of these societies, and thereby work-
injury to the soldiers, which can never be repaired, cannot do It from
any good or loyal motive. 1 trust that: his letter will not dis-
courage any loyal woman from giving her aid and her mite. 1 assure
them that no soldier in the field who had lain on his cot, sick or
wounded.,, and received the delicacies thus furnished but will remember
them. They can now only thank them by nobly doing their duty, in
the future as they £ave in the past.'

G. M. Dodge, Brig. General.

While I was resting at home, the question of the Pacific J&j&v-^
Railroad and its organization came up. I received a letter from P-'^
\ , Mr, Peter A. Dey on September 11th in relation to the appointment,

Y / of a Government Director. He recommended Mr. Caleb Baldwin, but

• ' ■ Jf u

the authorities at Washington had selected Mi% Garter.

to
4

My staff at Corinth were continually writing me and were veyy
much disturbed in relation to the orders that General Eugene A.
Carr, who was temporarily in command of the Left Wing of the 16th
A. 0, was issuing. They thought he should endeavor to carry out
my policies inaugurated there but' they seemed to think that his
whole desire was to reverse it. ■

On Octofeer* 20th, I received a letter from my Commissary of
Subsistences Captain C. 0, Carpenter, which said he had been ordered to
accumulate one million rations at Corinth to supply General Sherman
and Ms command when it arrived there. That was the first news
Tie had of the proposed movement of General Sherman from Vicksburg
sbo Memphis and from there eastward,

i also 'received letters at this time from Mr, I, C. Durant
urging me to come to New York to consult with him in relation to
the Union Pacific road* They had written me asking me to resign
and take the position of Chief engineer with a salary of $5000 par
year. 1 declined this and they said they would hold it open until
the next Spring and urged me to visit lew York "before 1 returned to
my commando

On September 29th, I received a letter from Hon. John A.
Kasson who had learned of this proposition of the Union Pacific
and he requested me not to decide until he could communicate with
Washington; however, 1 had made up my mind that I would not leave
the service o 1 decided to go to lew York, however, 1 arrived
at Des Moines on September 50th, where 1 was given a very cordial
reception. There was a great deal of excitement in the State in
relation to the coming election and at Des 'Moines 1 met a good many
of the leaders of the party. They seemed to "be nervous over the
prospects but my own judgment was that there was no doubt, that
the election in Iowa and all over the country would be very favor-
able to the Republicans. 1 felt that the great victories in the West
would insure this. Col. T7m. Stone had been nominated for Governor

-121-

^ \

and (len. McClernand,. 1 division commander had written a very' strong - •
letter in relation to his' services- in the army, which had been vigorously
attacked; ;

On my arrival in lew York, I rn'et Mr. John A. Dix, Mr, T. c.
"Durant and others connected with the Union Pacific Railroad. They

/n-tfie-Ff«U

had already placed Mr,. B. B, Brayfon and Peter A. "Dey, who was In
faharge . of the surveys from the -Missouri River west, one starting at
Bellevue and the other at Omaha. There was still a good deal of
«■*» A anxiety in relation to the terminal as the President had .not yet fitT"

issued his order and they were very anxious that I should go to ' 1
Washington and see him again but I; was so' certain that he had
made up his rainri in this me tier and where it would be -that 1 con-
vinced them that it would not be goofl policy for me to interfere
farther in the matter, as I had avoided any preference for my town
orj3lty»^ stating the results in an : engineering . point of view in de-ri
teraaining the location afnd I did not want to place myself 'in the

. position of advocating the- interest of .. any .o.f .the,, towns., ' ',

^ Since ay visit in May, 'there had been a good deal of talk

in relation to who could control the organization and the New

*
. York parties were very anxious to accomplish this as they ha*

made up their minds to go forward with the work depending upon ob- .

taining a change in the law as promised by President Lincoln. I
. returned directly from New York to |c rlnth; arriving there on October
". 15th, but was still unable to perform my duty. I ( was suffering with

neuralgia and confined to my quarters. I on'y wdighd 126 pounds. As (£

"h- S °° n aS r ' eneral Shemf « ^n of my return, he came to Corinth to J^

± I VlS " Me - He had a lette! " fr « ^neral G rant , „ hlch ,, e ^ to ^ J.

fc} J »hne Ben.™! Orant was very complimentary, he also instructed General

Sherman to take my. command with him. General S her,a,, was anxious to

know if I was able to r o. I immediately answered that I was. I '

knew that going into the field would cure me nuicker than anvthin,
^ else, Oenerai S heman alaQ toW ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^

Oha,mers and hie 00 mm B nd to capture him enroute from Mepni, to
>j^ Corinth and how close they came to it. Hard fi EhUnR a] 0n9 ^
*W them. .General Sweeney of my co^and had heard of G en . Chafer's
| i; approach and had gone olIt pr0Bptly ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^

I 4 2

cavalry to attack Chalmers before he reached the line of' railroad
following our polciy In that matter but Chalmer avoided -both his
command and Hitches and got on -the road *f Colliersville; however.
Col. Sweeney and Hatch both, -as soon as they found that Chalmers '
had escaped them, followed them so rapidly that he was forced to -
leave and before he had made a capture 'of the station.

On October 19th-, 1 got up and 'went to Xuka to visit General
Sherman. General Sherman's forces were then across Bear Creek, His
destination at that time seemed to be simply the Valley of the
Tennessee. He had no orders to go any further. ||is statement was
that his occupation of that valley would draw forces away from Gen,
Bragg, especially his cavalry force and 'he proposed to fortify some
of the prominent points in the valley. 1 consulted him in relation
to the secret servcie men whom 1 had in the south. I found that
during my absence, the scouts had been badly scattered and I imme- ' ' ■
diately arranged to gather them together again and get my men
posted; one at Mobile, another at Okolona and the other at Atlanta..
One at Jackson, Mississippi and another at Columbia. General Shweman '

was very anxious to have all the information 1 had in relation to

^ -enemy's
the positi^of the forces south and the reports of the scouts and I

wrote him m letter giving him a full statement of it and on October

22nd» he wrote me the following letter:

Tuhr>, \ n», Oct. 22,1863.
General Dodge:

I thank you for the budget of news which is most ■ serviceable
as we can approximate the truth. Of course 'here I am balked by
Bear Creek which is a worse break than was presented to me,

I have my three leading Divisions' across Bear Breek, and all
hands are busy at the bridge and trestles. The enemy skirmished brisk
ly the day before yesterday and yesterday. We. have lost eight killed
and about 35 wounded in all. Among the dead is Col. Torrence, 30th

Iowa. 1 think it well established that Lee who came from Jackson
Clinton and Canton with about 4000 good cavalry, is" to my front with
Roddy's brigade; and I think also that Wheeler's cavalry has been
driven out of Tennessee and is now resting between here and Decatur,

If all this cavalry turns on me, % will have a nice time, but
can't help it and if Porter gets me up some boats to Eastport I will
check-mate .them. The Tennessee is in very fa£r boating order for four
f-^et, and I expect daily a boat up from Cairo- also a ferry bort. I
have had the river examined well, and am more than satisfied we cannot
ford | even on the shoals.

Of course, 1 don't believe the report you send of the capture o
Banks, and 15 regiments, Dick Taylor was somewhere lest of the river
between Alexandria and' Shreveport . That is ground familiar to me,
and I know Dick Taylor cannot get to the east side of the Mississippi

with anything like an army. After the capture of Vic ks burg we

relaxed our efforts and subsided. The Secesh, on the contrary, increas-

-123-

ed theirs amazingly. The rascals display an energy worthy a better
cause, had as it is, hut when they come to the finish they don't fight
equal to their numbers, Ohalmer' s dispatch is a sample. He captured
the camp of the 7th Ills, off on Patch's expedition, and nothing
else of moment; hut he may again at t erupt the road, yet Hurlbut has
plenty fo checkmate him if he doesn't attempt to folio;? but anticipate
and interpose between the R,R. and Tallahatchee.

I propose to finish the bridge and move on Tuscumbia, but in
the end may actually cross at Eastport. My orders are fully compre-
hended in their drawing from Rosecrans the cavalry that have heretofore
bo tiiered hiin.

I had a regiment at Eastport. A party crossed over who,, saw no
one but hear the river was patrolled so as to report* all our movements.
I will fortify this place somewhat, so that if the enemy's cavalry at-
tempt to operate against it, they will catch more than they bargain for.
Corinth is too formidable a place for them to dream of an attack, but '•
you should keep a couple of re"iinents disposable to take the offensive.
I am much obliged for all information, and will impart all positive
information to you. Kee p me well advised from day to day of Puller's
approach. 1 have one brigade at Burns ville --two here and three
divisions front of Bear Creek, ' '

Yours,

~h>, $. Sherman,
■ x Maj. (Jen.

On October 25th, he issued' an -order for me to take from the
troops in my command and such others : as are on railroad guard duty, not
belonging to any of the organized brigades of Hurlbut f s &R-fc4s*« 01 was to
command the movement up the valley of the Tennessee. He said, "Our
object is to secure absolute footing; up the valley of the Tennessee

and... the ...river.., ..giving us. ..a. .certain... supply.. ..to.. .Eastport.. now, ...and Florence

very soon. We can risk the railroad,; or use it as long as we can. Is
your health equal to it? Come up and: see me on the subject. 11

1 immediately went up to see Gen. Sherman to consult with him
as to the numbers of troops I Should: take and what I should leave. T .V.hile
1 was there, he received an order from General Grant to drop everything
and. move with all of his command and: mine immediately to Chattanooga.
This message was brought by onr of the scouts. He came down the IV nessee
river in a skiff, nearly all the way: inside the enemy's lines. I then
arranged to concentrate what gunboats and steamboats and other means of
crossing the Tennessee at Eastport and Gen. Sherman immediately commenced
crossing his command. He concluded to move up the north side of the
Tennessee instead of the south, thinking that he would meet less opposition
from the enemy. ■

On October 27th, 1 received a special order #31 as follows:

r ; "General Dodge's division and Puller's brigade of the 16th
Army corps will forthwith fitted ouV for field service and will move
east of Corinth; hold for the time being, Iuka & Bear Creek and the
moment the command is fitted for the: field, will move forward and report
to head quarters, if here ever they may be. 11

1 immediately concentrated, my command, which was the Left Vifing

12i

of the 16th Army Corps, consisting of the 20th and 39th Iowa, 7th,"

60th, 52nd,- 64th, 122nd, 111. Infantry, the 18th Mo, Infantry,

• 16th Ind. Inf. 81st Ohio Infantry, Fuller** Parade, 27th, 39th, 47th,

i""©". E. °rri TT". 3. Art,.
.■ , 63rd. Ohio Infantry and the- i'oixou.uig o.- i .: ; „•,..„ l ' ..ry 1 and

y i ^h i ' r o.n A
H. ifrst Mo. Artillery. 14th Ohio, ; Vi , batteries and

the 9th 111. mounted infantry. About 10,000 men in all.

Before leaving Corinth, I mustered in the first Alabama Cav.

and also Battery D, first Alabama colored Artillery and left them

at Oorinth, The spies reported that on the 8th of October Loring,

Lee, Chalmers, Peruson, Oohlson and Ruggles had been ordered to

concentrate at lew Albanay for the purpose of breaking up the railroad

and they claim that their available force to do it would he 25,000

men. .And it also appears that Johnson was not then aware of Sherman's

movements. As soon as he ascertained this fact, an entire change

was made, Loring, Lee & Ferguson went to 'Bragg and the Tennessee.

' On November 3rd, T > roj-.o-ived the following letter from Mr. T .G.

Durant: ' lew Yofk, Nov. 3, 1883.

General Dodge :

•njt ? -"-i-vi '.ha election of di; ozilooo- and have organised the
board,, J» \, lin, Pres--T. c, Dur'-I, in w Pres.--J. J. Cisco, Treas.
V -H. V. Poor, 3e-j„ — r.nd H. and H. < T » Pale, est howl because they could
ft not have it nil their own way,

3 The pape-v. for Baldwin came loo lale. Carter was appointed

J October 'Jnt'as it v:?t< then ' promist c 1 hLu a! that time.
$ If Dey will only get his preliminary surveys' on here at once we will
make a hold stroke for the location.

To iiinpt get at work immediately on the line and have a g--od
\ N force on before Congress ^netts,
" : x ' J think I shall write Ho^-e or telegraph him to come on and
help look after the location at the sterling point. There will he
an effort made to get ,i I no' <h and also ootith- I note what iron say
in regard to this and re ^ urn obliged to yon for posting me. Will
write you in a day or two."-

This letter shows that the New York parties were successful and
v5\ a few days before I had informed -them -that there: was no doubt as to the
President's decision on the location and that it would be issued that

month.

$n loYember 8th I crossed iay-forc.es by steamboat over the
Tennessee river and on lovember 9th received the following letter
from General Sherman:

125

Fayette ville. Term. Nov. 9, 1865,

Brig, Gen, Dodge;

1 arrived here .yesterday and your letter of the 5th to General
Blair was sent forward to me. I also received a dispatch from General
Grant dated Chattanooga, Nov. 5th, as follows: "Leave Dodge's command
at Athens until further orders and com. with remainder to C. evens on
or until you receive other directions, I have given dirr /r\ns for
putting the railroad from Nashville to Decatur in running uaer. That
road is now only guarded to Columbia and the force left by you will
have to guard the balance with the aid of the cavalry from ^homas'
command until other arrangements can be made . It is not my intention
to leave any portion of your army to guard road in the Department of
the Cumberland when an advance is made and particularly not Dodge
who has been kept constantly on that duty ever since he has been subject
to my orders. Your army being the smallest army in the field would be
another reason why it should not be broken up guarding railroad, " You
dee at once General Grant* s kind feelings toward yon.

Gen. Grant on the 5th pnpposed we were moving on the Athens
and Huntsville road but by this time he is differently advised,'
and may somewhat modify his orders, .but should he not I dispose
of your command as follows:-

At Pulaski feel with your oa/alt; +u Columbia up the pike send-
ing a commas sary. : >.wifh sufficient wa oiu. L - get you bread, salt, sugar,
coffee, Etc. Then move down to Elklo oi P"ospect and put parties
to work on the %ohland and Elk Rivoe tt-I^^b until the regular re-
pair trains come up from the rear. :_ en as those bridges are
advanced far enough for you to be assui "ui that supplies can reach you
by that road, move to Athens and aw,.. it osu=r s, guarding the road as
far as Pulaski. Whilst delaying at "rosp>n : yu- will find abundance
of meat and corn up and down the Vax x ; ; u° "b "lie River, which
use freely, lesvinjg barely enough fli i ' .' iif a ^ i -ants, and let them
feel and know that by breaking up c.iiiu'.i'.ca^i ^ they force us to eat
them out. Elk River valley has here to Lb.* . contributed largely to
supply the enemy, and to be fair th ■/ ^ 1" should do as much for us.
You will find that the 15th Army Corps in passing up this valley have
§1 ready made a deep impression but still a vast amount of corn and
meat remain,

gen. Crook is with a strong cvrlry Division at Majorville
near Huntsville and •*■ understand Gener r Elliot has another division
at Winchester near De . What : c u Columbia 1 have no means of
knowing, but from General Grant's dispatch. I infer there is ' a force
there crmpptent to construct and guard the railroad forward to Pulaski.

I found al; the road up the valley of the Elk very. bad, but
I have i,u' yet had a full report of the condition of the road from
Florence to Pulaski or from Pulaski here. When you write give me
exact information on these points as I should like to know the condi-
tion of all roads leading back towards the Tennessee."

This letter was a great disappointment to me and to the command.

?Je thought we were going to enter the field and remain in it.

On November 11th, I wrote General Sherman as follows ;-

Pulaski, November 11th, 1865.

General Sherman:

1 have the honor to acknowledge, the 'receipt of your l>-\ Li of
Nov. 9th, enclosing General Grant's dispatch of, Nov. 7th. by :u\,rnco
is eight miles east of here, my rear three miles west. There are
in this section of the country some 1,000 rebel cavalry, girot ri lias ,
robbers, &c . and the moment they see we. intend to repair the v : Uvjixc]
they will begin to give us trouble. I therefore wait your or J -'0, j hnll
take immediate measures to guard that portion from Lynn ville to Athens
and the' entire road as it now stands as follows: Placing my largest

126

brigade at Prospect with one regiment of mounted infantry at Athens
holding two brigades- here and putting -;u at or near Reynolds, 1
h.rve with me ten days full rations ol tv~:a;1, 'nd 14 of small rations ■
and will store here and send trains to Coluvlia. An the brigades will
be put to repairing the railroad and g r 'ljr.g it in running order as
soon as possible. 1 think General Gran I rJii not leave me lor-,
but while here I will make every effor-t lo carry out your r >:, lev. ot ions ,
and get the road running as soon as po,-aibla„ I judge from your
letter that as fast as the road is repaired xvom Columbia south.
General ihomas 1 troops will relieve mine and 1 am to work south
until 1 get all my force in Athens. 1 shall communicate with
Columbia often and your dispatches will probably reach me quick-
est, by that route, I will, tomorrow or next day, give you fall
dt'Suid. f len of the route I have travelled. -1 did. not come by
Florence but took the direct road from Gravally Springs to the
military ford of Shoal Creek, nine miles north of Florence, thence to
Lexington, thence here, and found a good practicable road most
-of the way. My troops are all in good condition, excellent health
and finely equipped, and are all very desirous of joining _ you in
the field. 1 do not life to aendforward the 111th Illinois aline.
General ni.iir * ,s 30 far tehlml, it might be greatly annoyed, probably
used Up. I T,, lil hold it sending it by way of Columbia or- directly
forward as poi. may direct. They are" a green regiment and are not
much ujed Co bushwhackers. My 'column has beer attacked several times,
but no damage except a few wounded. 1 should have some cavalry as
soon as possible."

General Sherman also wrote me in a private note that the sooner
I got the railroad completed,, the quicker 1 would get something for
my command to eat. I immediately distributed my forces along the rail-
road lines from Elk River to Columbia and after looping over the situation
I found that 1 had three problems before me to solire. The first was
the feeding of my command; the second, the repairing of the railroad
and the third th watching of the line of the Tennessee river from
Huntsvi?le to Easupert, a distance of over 100 miles, 1 made my
headquarters at Pulaski, and occupied a very fine residence owned
by Mr. Jones, who was- in the Confederate Congress,

As 1 had a thoroughly organized Pioneer Corps, as soon as
the troops were located, 1 set them to work upon everyone of the
prominent bridges, I ordered details from all the commands of ail
officers and enlisted men who were mechanics, or who had been
engaged in any such work,, axemen, graders, etc. to report and they
were assigned to the Pioneer Corps, enlarging it so that 1 had
two or three thousand men at work withint 'two or three days after
we got located, I also immediately organized .the foraging parties,
issuing very strict': instructions against any depredations and
ordering that each party should ben accompanied by an officer.

127

I changed the policy of the government entirely in the obtaining
of previsions, I issued a circular notifying all of the. o it i sens
no matter whether their views were union or southern that if they
brought in their produce, forage and everything we had to have,
and sell it to us, we would pay for it. If 1 had to send for it,
only receipts would he given. 1 also notified that those people
of southern views who brought in supplies would not have to take
the oath. There were several mills adjucent to the line. J took
possession of all those and made details for running them and I also
brought into the line all the blacksmith shops and all the carpenter
shops snd everything that had tools that could be used in the construc-
tion of the road, 1 put the guarding of the Tennessee River from
ffuntsville to lastport in charge of Lt, Col. Phillips who was in
command of the 9th Illinois mounted infantry and instructed him to
gather up horses and mules sufficient to mount two other regiments,
1 had to be very particular in my orders and instructions to the
troops from the fact that I was occupying a portion of another
department, the Department of the Cumberland, commanded by Major
General George H. Thomas and I was reporting to the cobui ardor of
another army, General Sherman. General Thomas 1 forces occupied the
country from Columbia .to Nashville and were expecting to rebuild the
railroad between those two points. 1 was to complete it to
Decatur. 1 knew General Sherman's orders in relation to depredations

were very strict.

1 needed every team I had for use on the railroad and for supplying

my troops with forage, food etc. As soon as my forces had gotten
well to work, 1 made a trip, on November 14th and 15th,- over the
entire line from Columbia to Mcatur and saw all the parties that
were at work, 1 took with me Captain Armptrong, who was at the head
'of my Pioneer Corps and some of the principal ^officers in charge of
the bridges. 1 induced a good deal of competition among them, who
should get their work done first.

On returning from Pulaski, 1 reported the condition of the
road -in the following letter to General Sherman:

128

Pulaski, iovember 18, 1863.

General Sherman :-

As I telegraphed, I have made a thorough examinat on of the
railroad from Columbia to Decatur; also of the different pikes. and
• dirt roads loading !o ri : ; p £v> i r n t parts 'of the State. The commanding
officer at Columbia ix.f'-r 1,1*3 r.e there are seven bridges north of that
place besides Duck River r.ridge. A bridge at Lynnvilla Station
over Robertson's cr-u h tq , Molly . destroy, :d, another bridge over this
creek 3 l/2 miles sou! h of Lynnvl lie Statiou 3-- partial 1 1 r gone.
At Reynolds Station a bridge over Richnaldn Creek i s badly^'damaged;
also another over Llie jaiue three miles south of Re; uoldts is partially
. out. These creeks -ore formerly crossed by truss bridg.-a, TOO
feet span. We sha ' i : .in '.nestles, bu „U -..'ill nczd Li-ug,-, by the
{s time fall rains ar - Hie- ^ Richland Cree 1 " -^oar Richland niaflcn bridge
^ is gone 200 feet t ; ; 50 ' nigh . At Tune 11 T I. ...» three miles south of -
\V Richland is a tresis -oik GOO feet by 40 fret high, all gor.e . .'\t

|g Elk river a bridge b00 reet, long and 40 f :■:, u high it. nearly all out,
^V"i *•$ trestle will replace this,, but by Chris Uu^a trusts baidges 2.50 feel

\ \;l' ppan will be required „ T\.o and a half miles coulli of Elk River trestle
f (^ bridge over small creek 500 feet long and 30 feet high all gone.
" lf , ^ g The Bridge over lliite Sulphur Creek 8 miles north of Athens is
/¥' tf completely destroyed, length 600 feet--hiehgt 72 feet. A small
. ;;i -?" p\; tfcestle work at Athens i s out; also Swan Creek t ridge . 10 miles
% j'^ sotjith of Athens is all gone. Spring Teek bridge 10 miles south of
„ \^ Athens is all gone. Spring Greek bridge five miles north of Decatur
1 " and bridge over bottom near Decatur are all out, 700 feet of trestling
will repair the road between Decatur and Athens.

1 haYe placed my workmen detailed from regiments at nearly
every break Prow Elk R:Kcr to Columbia- I belieYe in ten days I can
repair the road from ^ulnaki to Colunbia.

The telegraph wire from Doeotur to Columbia is in a pretty
good con hit ion, fen- breaks only, and can be repaired in a very few
daye, provided T get material. 1 have sent for if to Nashville.
The principal dirt and pike roads leading from Lynriville,
Pulaski and Prospect to Columbia, Shelbyville, Fayetteville ,
Lawrenceburjr, Savannah, Waterloo, Florence and Lambs Perry are good
with plenty of water and forage, streams now f ordable . The road lead-
ing south to Athens via Eikton it good, except crossing at Elk river
at times is fordable, but from here to Elk-fcon thence to Hunt svi lie,
is also good except as stated above, also ioad leading from Prospect to
Jlfhens, and Hunt svi lie high water would retard an army moving over
the attQire road, as all bridges are gone.

1 shall have no difficulty to supply my command with bread,
meat, forage and supplying my mounted men with stock, if the
people bring it to me, 1 propose to pay them. If 1 go after it,
shall only give a certificate, I now have mills running, which will
furnish all 1 need, 1 believe that I should have an order, authorizing
my Q. M. and 0, s. to purchase to supply the coraiiand, and would like
to have the chief A.Q.M. and C.S. of'Dopt. send the price that we
shall not exceed, as 1 prefer to pay one price from one end of the
command to the other. 1 have some difficulty in getting supplies
promptly, because General Grant has not ordered it, this, no doubt
ere this, has beendone^

There iu considerable number of rebel bands scattered through
the country, thoy do rhat damage the;- can and run. Lee and Ko^dy
are south of Tennessee. At Decatur thoy have a battery behind
fetter haLo3„ At Hinitaville is also reported rebel cavalry. My
mounted infantry have roue there.

1 do not consider it prudent, or being practicable to put
.infantry poufh of Mk river, until we get bridges over that atr-aam.
I therefore keep mounted men south of s "ik Rivei*.

This railroad is ? except as mentioned, in fine running order,
a good road bed, fine rail (strap- joint ) plenty of spare rail along
the road, and good cedar ties its entire length, it lackes new water
tanks, only. If you can send me a good topographical or sectional
map -of Tennessee, it would be of great aid, I have none; also, if
there are any engineers, topographical or civil, off duty any place,
one would be very acceptable, and I could get up maps of this country
ghat might' be/ of benefit in the future.

129

1 trust troops will soon relieve me, and that I can go forward.
A small division would, guard the road; It now has good stockades at
nearly every bridge, and with a neuclus.to fall back "to at Athens,
Prospect. Pulaski and Columbia, the road would be comparatively safe"
and supplies of beef, pork, forage and stock could be gotten and sent
to Nashville . "

In answer to this letter, I received the following from General

Sherman: . Pulaski, November 16, 1863.

General Dodge;

Your disposition of your command meets my approval. If you
were to see the desolation of the vhole country and the wretched
condition of the horses and mules you .would be contented with your
lot. Keep your mounted men active collecting horses and, mules.
Mount your regiments. Watch Lambs ferry close, and handle the country
back of Florence and Savannah without gloves. The moment guerrillas
are quiet, change your policy, and pay A.Q.K. vouchers for corn and
meal, "

I had three brigade commanders under me whom 1 was very anxious

to have promoted and 1 thought that now was a good time to appeal to

Heneral Grant and on November 16th 1 wrote him the following letter;

i
Pulaski, November 16, 1812.

Generrl Grant:

1 desire to roapeof Xully call your attention to three officers
of my command and earoeriiy recommend them to your favorable consid-
eration for promotion.

Col. Aug, Meraey, fth Illinois Infantry, commanding
Jrd daviai.T , *• '~l~- '\,c. one of the best brigade commanders
army; an old soldier; he li:\3 participated in every battle
the Yieksb«.i.t'j Campaign .'uid has always so conducted himself
bat tie fie V as to !.in the approbation of his commander. He nao
commanded a brigade since 1 held a command in the department of the
(fennestiee,

Coj. . 11, LI, ?.mie , 50 lb Illinois Infantry, commanding 3d brigade
Pud division, IGt.h *,C. Col u Bane lost an arm at Shiloh. Has com-
manded a brrgado over a year- la in every way competent. Of fine
habits and nlwajv, r^ady., You never will regret asking his promotion.

Lt» 0o"l . Jo a so Phillips commanding 9th Illinois Mounted infan-
try—over,* inch a soldier, The best officer of m ounted infantry
T ever met, No\or tc Puses a fight j always handles his men with
good judgment and r n"^oi'. To him 1 am greatly indebted for success-
fully holding cN, raj l-ood that 1 have guarded. He is active, ener-
getic, untiring and Is really entitled to most of the credit of the
success of all the cavalry fights f" «~>vir front. Reaching from Tuscum-
bia to Grenada end -'ajorville. Has. he ihe rank and a mounted c mmand,
he would be invaluable to us. 1 ora very anxious to get him rank and
a mounted command.

Since 1 have been under your command no officer under me has
4ver received promotion by the President except General Sweeney, and
his came from services before wondered, and. although they did not
participate in the Vicksburg campaign., ye I they did all in their
power to aid and Sustain you* I'bcli^vr that 1 never have asked the
promotion of but one other office: 1 before., I do this out of simple
justice to these ofri;-u's unbeknov/n to IVr >i and without tholtasking.
I know the gr^at pre- s sure for promotion and, lay their cases before
you, aski' >/ that yon r3 11 jive them the consideration that you deem
most beneficial to the service „" \

General Grant answered me by telegraph as soon as he received

my letter stating that he had forwarded my recommendations with the

strongest endorsement he could place- upon them, and 1 made this known

to these officers but, unfortunately, not one of them received the

promotion.

brigade

the

180

Col.' Phillip j was very active with what force he had in as-
certaining the llTfv-.ut fords across the Tennessee and what forces
\,a «t C n i in v.; t.o ,• --et on the south side of tin 0" ^""'. T ''"no prs g1,
• c '1 1 >• •"•-!"' ;>ng a notice from him that ir.<_ - f , „ _.'-> .1 ^ rud.-
forces had been ordered to Chattanooga and others to Ok&.lbrvA' eo that
1 only had Ko>idy, Patterson, Harman and some others In my front,
perhaps no 1 more than 3000 men.

Soon after General Grant send me his dispatch, i received a
.private letter from General Sherman in which he told me of a conver-
sation he had had with General Grant and he made this statement:

"it is not my intention to have any portion o f your army to
guard roads in the Department of the Cumberland when we advance and
particularly not Dodge, who hae been kept constantly on that duty
since he was subject to my orders. He is too valuable an officer to
be any where except in the front, and one that you can relj^ upon in
any and every emergency." You see Grant has not entirelv forgotten

i took the precaution to send a copy of all my orders and
instructions to my troops to General Sherman as fast as issued so
that he could see whether or not 1 was infringing in any way on the
Department of the Cumberland and on November 18th General Sherman
acknowledged receipt of them in the following letter:

lour *>-H^v en^nd"" r vJ of ynv^ >rdojs r r»^;M - 1, T
he;u ,; ilf -u .;•»»" ' , i>ur jn"'en e ••d hhlnk it right "o --rice -*' 1 * K 5 ^ w - rn
gcof tr"""_ • . , m hey c " r .""•' poreuo j^e • " 1 *' • - .„ • "" ->■ t' .. •"'*-<'* o> my
tl-r^nt I i"d c*. -l-^ thoj l-'wajn in .. ma , " 1' ' " > v , go., >•' Silas: vt
Gr« -njj. u 1. '-^,«->. Keep your infantry so that you. can concentrate and
lc». yuan cavairy watch well down to the mofith of the Elk on both
t.idoj. Don't let the enemy draw any supplies from north of the Tenn-

I have been up to Chattanooga. Their poor mules and horses

+ 11 she tale of horrid roads and no forage. 1 hate to put ours up
4i diet mountain gorge. Two divisions have gone forward and two
more follow tomorru' „ I go again to Chattanooga tomorrow and think
many days cannot "■- . ise before v;e bring on a fight . It is in' ended
to ack quick as Loi.gJtreet isgone up to East Tennessee.

General Grant says that everything has been done to push the
work on the Nashville and Decatur Road, north of Columbia, but work
on that rail sod moves slow.

Write me fully and frequently and send me all statistical
information, that 1 may stow it away for the future. Your sketch
of your route shows Pulaski a good point from which to operate. 1 wil
try" and get you some more cavalry from the .north."

■ u ' : There flocked into our line from middle ffannesee and northern

Alabama, a large number of negro women and children and with the work

1 had before me, I could not take care' of them. I therefore issued

the following order disposing of them;

II •" :.-;ing in o^eiLl- 1o fV'.-cl the laigc in unlet of ivgro '-oav u -u-d

ehlldren uming +c our I '111s urf it beii^ - port ox th<~ col icy :«I Ike
'-•cvc-uiur .- to p^ok-cf Liu., it I- her.b; ordned thrf the oommanusr

181

of Posts and Provost Marshals place them upon plantations, with
written instruction. U t.be proprietors to feed and. protect them.
Stock, produce and f: i-a^.- will be left on sunn plantations in suf-
ficient quantities !,. L ,ort them. Where negro women and children
come from so great - lU..-nce that it is impost. ^ uie to x ; nrn them,
, + hey will te quarte. v. u.^n- deserted farms, and :i a\ U.uidoned

. S.cuk end sufficient sallies left to support lh«iu. "lu.x roandoned
j. a ms are not convenient they will he quartered upon !"c!.i rebels.
All able bodied negro men will be received and disposed of as here-
tofore ordered."

Thos who were used to handling the axe, I put to work on the
road, most of them in getting out cord-wood, for the use of the loco-
motives as soon as we commenced running them. There was no fuel on
the road whatever. (x

We had hardly gotten settled when the enemy's guerrillas and
scouts inside our lines commenced their depredations. 1 had "ith
md a very bright .young man as chief of my scouts, James He., on! of
the "th Kansas and 1 detailed several men who had been on those
duties and turned them over to him. The first capture he made was
a very important one. It included Sam^ Davis, Captain Shaw, who
was then Captain Coleman who was at the head of the Coleman scouts , ofaer_
afiiwiii ray line§. Joshua Brown and some others, I knew nothing about any
of them except Davis. I found upon him very important information
which he was taking through to General Bragg- -map s , letters, etc,
and while the others were taken in as prisoners of war, he was held
as a spy and on Tlovember 20th, 1 sent the following letter to General
Sherman acquainting him of this capture:

Pulaski, Nov. 20, 1863.
C! 'uir I ..herman:-

I jnclose herewith copy of dispatch taken from one of Bragg' s
spir^. * t j had a heavy mail, papers, &c . and Capt . Coleman is pretty
v>.l i , ueL-sd» 1 think 1 rill h n ve him in a day or two. Tie have broken
«p ee^,ie.i bands of mounr., robbers, end confederate cavalry in the
pes I .vYon, capturing soim f i" : commissioned officers and one hundred
cni-Vl ou men, which has ">;>.> forwarded. 1 also forward a few of the
most, important letters found, in the mail. The tooth brushes and
blank books I was greatly in need, of and therefore ' appropriated them,"

1 was very anxious to capture Captain Coleman who was then

in my hands but 1 did not know it. 1 had Davis brought to me. 1

found him to be a young man not over twenty years of age, tall and

cm
"' aoldierly and very respectful. I knew what ha-d been found him and

1 desired to locate Capt, Coleman and his command and ascertain

who was furnishing the information, which i saw was accurate and

valuable to General Bragg.

Davis met me modestly. He was a fine, soldierly-looking

t£2

young man, dressed in 'a fWci 1 Federal soldier's, coat, one of our
army soft hats, and. top boo^s. He had a frank, open face, which was
inclined to brightness. 1 tried to impress upon him the danger he
was in, and that I knew he was 'only a messenger, and held out to. him
the hope of lenient treatment if he would answer truthfully, as far
as he could, my questions.

He listened attentively and respectfully to me, but, as I re-
collect, made no definite answer, and I had him returned to the
pfiison. My recollection is that Capt" 4 fu-puha" f m y "Provost Marshal
placed in the prison with hie: and the other prisoners one of our own
spies, who claimed to them to be one of the confederate is c outing
parties operating with in my lines, and I think the man More, whom
the other prisoners speak of as having been captured with them and es-
caping, was this man. However, they all kept their own counsel and
we obtained no information of value from then:,.

The reason of this reticence was that fact that they all knew
Colonel Shaw^was-one of our captives, and that if his importance
was made known to us he would certainly be hung, and they did not,
think that Davis would be executed.

Upon Davis was found a large mail of value. Much of it was
letters from the friends and relatives of soldiers in the Confederate
Army. There were many small presents — one or' two, 1 remember, to
General Bragg-- and much accurate information of my forces, of our
defenses, our intentions, substance of my orders,, criticisms as to
my treatmaat of citizens, and a general approval of the way 1 paid

for my supplies, while a few denounced severely some of the parties

who reaMy was, C^w^.^hr
who had hauled in supplies under the orders. Captain Coleman men-
tioned this in one of his letters.

There were also intimations of the endeavor that would be
made to interrupt my work, and plans for the capture of single soldiers
and sma 11 parties of the command out after forage.

After my Provost Marshal had reported his inability to obtain
anything from Davis, I had him brought before me again and I then
informed him that Bie would be tried as a spy: that the evidence against
him would surely convict him; and made a direct appell to him to give

133

me the Information 1 knew he had. He very quietly, but firmly, refused
to do it, 1 therefore let him be tried under, t'herfollov/ing order:

ti'U 'Va, Li!, "iiiij. 10 Mi ...(.;. rul..kl» Tenn. Nov. 20, 186)3.
• r ^^~"~i Crd-.j, It . ', T>, A Jdxio';!', fosxiii.u.sio,. L hereby anointed
iu '-'^ a ' " I *^i» m eiai. ui t>- 2ird Inst,, or ;^ soon ' thereafter
as iu.ot.io »Ae ior t^o liiol of S-jaue.i l 'a\ls and such other persons
as ui'Xj hv, IrMijIi before if, „

*& l-M]. for the '"L.hnuisslou: 1, ^1, Madison Miller, 18th Mis-
souri Infantry Vo~L,aLers a C . Lt. C i. 'Hhomas W. Gaines, 50th
Missouri Infantry v\ Iv^U-ora. d La jo • Ltti.hr op, 50th Ohio Volun-
teers Infantry--C\-l. .'„ . CI 3-,, '. LLUotb, fhth Iowa Infantry Volun-
teers, Judge Advou^.y. T^o CWiuxss lu\ wlix. sit without regard to
hours. By order of Frig,. Gen. G. ph, Lou&e » J, L. Barnes, Lt ."■ and
A.A.A.G. .^Th^^tf-mmfssf'ow f«uW 2> aWs ff ff \rjr &<& & "W %vii orleril' hi-m k*>\{* J ,

1 approved the. findings of the Commission and ordered the
sentence to be carried into effect on Frieday, Nov. 27th » 1865
between the hours of 10 A. m. and 2 p. M, Brig. General T . W.
Sweeney, commanding 2d division, will cause the necessary arrange-
ments to be made to carry out this order in the proper manner.

A great interest was tfeken in young Davis by the Provost
Marshal and G haplaln Young, and considerable pressure was brought to
bear upon them by some of the citizens of Pulaski; and 1 am under
the Impression that some of them saw Davis and endeavored to Induce him
to save himself, but they filled. Mrs, John A, Jackson, 1 remember,
made a. personal appeal to me in his behalf. One of my' noted s.couts,
known as "Chickasaw, " believed that he cotild prevail upon Davis to
give the Information we asked. He took him in hand and never gave It
up until the last moment, going to the scaffold with a promise of

pardon a few moments before his execution.

One of ^aptain Coleman's letters, found on Davis was as follows;

Sili s Co. Tenn., Thursday morning,
Nov. 19, 1863.
Col A. McKinstry, Pinr^st Marshal General, ^rmy of the Tennessee,
ChalU-Miooga:- Dear Si,,,*; l send you so\-en Nashville } three Louisville
and one Cincinnati Papers with dates lo the 17th- In all eleven.

I also send for General Bra^g three wash- br lis of soap- three
more tooth brushes and two blank-books. t could out 30! a larger
size diary for him, I will send a pair of shoes and sHipers,
some more soap, gloves and socks goon.

The Yankees are still camped on dhe line of the T.A- \,E,P.,
General uodge's Head Quarters are at Pulaski- his uu-in ioro 3 . is
camped fr-m. that place to Lynnville- some at ^11; river r ml t. »"o
'regiments at Athens. Dodge has issued ^n o. d^ r Ic tbe pco..lt in
those counties on the road to report all the stock, grain and for&go
to him and says he will pay or give vouchers for it. Any refusal
to report he will take it without pay. T hey are now taking all they
can find. Dodge says he knows the people are all southern and docs
not ask them to swear to a lie ,

All the spare forces around Nashville and vicinity are boing
sent to ITcMinville- six batteries and 12 parrot guns were' sent forward

on the 14th, 15th and 16th. It is understood there Is hot work In
front somewhere . Telegrams suppressed.

1S4

Davis has returned- Grieg is gone below- Everything' is be-
ginning to work better. 1 sent Roberts with things for you and'
General B, with despatches.

I do not think the feds mean to stay here. They are not now
repairing the main points on the road. I understand- u art of Shernen's
force has reached Shelbyville- I think a part, of some* other than
Dodge's division came to Lynnville from- the direction' of Fayetteville- '
I hope to be able to post you soon, 1 sent Billy Moore over in that
country and am sorry to say he was captured. One of my men has
just returned from there. The General impression with the citizens
is 'they will move forward soon some way. Their wagon train has re-
turned froE I.

Davis tells me the line is in, order Lo K 'omerviile, I send
this by one of my men to Lhrt ilace. The despatches sent' you on the
\< - 9th with papers of the 7th, reached Decatur on the 10th at 9 P.M.
j Citizens were reading Iho prpers next morning after breakfast.
j 1 do not think the Major will do io forraed them from reports.
r^y I am with high regn-rd, Capt, E. Coleman. "

ty At the appointed time, the Provost Marshal of the place

\ executed D avis upon the scaffold erected for that purpose. A few
moments before his execution, Chickasaw went up to the siaf fold
and endeavored to save him, promising parion if he would comply with
my request but Davis absolutely refused. 1 had made every effort to
save this young man and it was with great regret that I had to allow
him to be executed.

1 did not know until some years after the war, when Joshua

in New York
Brown, then a broker, came to me and gave me the facts in the case.

He told me that Shaw, who was Gen. 'Bragg's chief of scouts, aias also

Cpipt. ^oleman ( who was the one who hed. given ail these papers to

Davis and Davis was the messenger to General Bragg and that Davis
■A

died to save his chief. It is hard to conceive of a braver act.
Cols. Shaw, -Joshua Brown, a man by the name of Smith and others who
were captured at the time I sent north as prisoners of war and they
were afterwards exchanged. Brown said that every time I sent for
Davis, Shaw was greatly disturbed for fear he would give him up and
save his own life but he did not and this is where Davis showed
himself a true soldier. He had "been intrusted with an important
commission by an important officer who was imprisoned with him
and died rather than betray him. He knew to §. certainty, if he
informed. me of the facts, that Shaw would be executed, for he was
a far more important person to us than was Davis.

During the war 1 had many spies captured; some executed who
were captured within the confederate linos and who were equally

185

brave in meeting their fate. The severe penalty of death, where a
spy is captured, is not b&tfru.l& '• trnere :l Jmvthftw? dishonorable

in the fact of a person being a spy but only men of peculiar 1 gifts

for such service, men of courage and- cool judgment, and und'.f-iM^d

ani f(\e service fhe-j" p^^-for-m eivf- i-f le& -fiem* fo PT-earf ho-no-y.
patriotism are selected. The fact/ that the information they obtained

is found within their enemey r s lines and the probability of <great
danger "to an army is what causes the penalty to be so very severe.
A soldier caught in the uniform or part of the uniform of his enfmy
within his enemy* s lines establishes the fact that he is a spy and
is there in violation of the articles of war and for no good" purpose.
This alone will prohibit his being tried as a prisoner of war when
caugh J as Davis was in our uniform with valuable documents upon him.
That sealed his fat, I appreciated fully -that the people of Tenn-
essee and Davis' comrades understood his soldierly qualities and have
honored his memory by raising a monument to him in Nashville, Tenne . ,
and 1 t^ok great pleasure in contributing my mite to that tribute
to his memory although -the service he performed was for the purpose
of injuring my command, but given for* the faithful performance of
the duties he was as isigned. to.

On November 2lst I received a distpatch from General Grant -
telling me of the necessity and his' desire that i should put all the-
forces that 1 .could obtain to repairing tho --"ailroad to CalumoiX T<? /*"-
{negroes- and in faot giving me a car- 1 b\A viltlo <*c anything that woula ■
"advance the work. 1 had applied to him for t« Civil Superintendent
of p:-51^oi>ds and he said he would send me one soon. I made answer yd

to this djVooi^h U- General Grant the same day as follows

V '

Pulaski, lov. 21, 1863.

General Grant:- M?

I ha¥e heavy details at work on all bridges from the Elk river^
to Columbia' and amusing every tool in the 'country. Between Columbia >*
and Mis end of tho railroad is D uek River bridge, a very important ^f^-
work and nine other bridges out, A pioneer corps is stationed at ,J
Smith's station, but have no orders and the last 1 heard from them . ;
they were doing nothing. 1 have tried 'to find some one who had author i-
tj to set them at wofck. They should be at work -.on the bridges up/to
and including Duck Riven. 1 will have my work 'done before the jr and
then move south and build 'to Decatur. 1 hold the road to that point
not." ■

1 became very anxious about the work north of Columbia; there
was no progress being made upon it. There were six how trusy bridges
along that line that had been destroyed and I learned that flfy . Boomer

186

.of Chicago had the contract for replacing them. 1 knew 'him as a bridge
builder and immediately got in communication with him 'and found that
he did not expect to furnish these trass bridges for two or three
months. 1 communicated these facts immediately to General Sherman and
suggested that temporary false works be put in over ' all these streams
strong enough to carry trains and that this false work could be
used in erecting the bridges and urged that orders for that purpose be
given. General Sherman immediately answered me saying that he had
applied to General Grant to have that "portion of the road placed under
my command.

On Hovember 23, I wieota General Sherman stating that 1 had 12,000
men in my command and < ed to reorganize them, making two di vising

and asking that General T. e. G. Ransom he placed in command of one
of the divisions. 1 received orders to organize the two divisions
but did not receive the services of General Hansom who was in
ano t h e r oo mm and »

On November 23rd, 1 wrote General Sherman as follows:

Pulaski, Nov. 23, 1863.

General She .-man;

1 am ii VM-v-.ipf of your letter cf Vo\><, 15, tr'itlen a, 1j r5 dgeport .

If a fight comes off at c hattanoo^a i and tfc- ore not in, we shall be
sadly disappointed, hi;! 1 1-±> i". fo^- vr-rUd that ,11 y-j for- the best.
Burns ide is no -h.,'M fi^M^nc before nor, ou Lenrtrl reel and Hill left
long ago.

The Tennessee is so low that Roddy fords the river, runs over
and hack. He has one regiment on this side near Florence. As soon
as I get my regiments- mounted, 1 will use him up. As it is,
1 have to watch all points from Decatur to Florence. It keeps my
mounted men busy J.

This country is loaded with corn and wheat, not a pound of bread
or meat do 1 draw, but run the mills, gather the stock, and if you
require 1 could supply your command from here, when ears run, wi h
all the forage you need.

I had failed until today to wake up anybody north of Columbia.
I assumed command over that pioneer corps and told it to go to work.
My bridges are all well under way, and had 1 have had the toole ?ihen I
halted here, would now be done. I have sent a mounted regiment through
to Eastport to be gone eight or ten days. My infantry a: - . T can
concentrate in 12 hours, and 1 at the same time hold the r ad from
Colombia to Decatur, My troops are very healthy only seven .vml sick
mo::.

I have picked up already stock to refit ,350 teams to r-mount
one and nearly mount two infantry regiments and ! have about "OO in
corral. 1 will soon have all my teams driven by negroes, "a" 1 b:ving
500 enlisted men. 1 have heretofore forwarded my prison-? is Kc Hash-
ville, got your order tonight and they will hereafter go 1 o
Cairo . • •

' II is not safe to send couriers through to ^astport h Florence.
T hear.-] of a Lt . and fiire men going through, I trust they r,ol i^ij,
'•ui.. fair the.- ^ors taken.

I often h ar f^-m rra;:y'b rear, - id Live n-"*-"^ 5-; el™ 1 ' 4 , or t

d a ,\ s ::> id, ^h -" ; w > v- c v i. * e r " T ; ' t ' e ;i

ir 3 < ra Lne n-^tj n-; e?™>r or T •*".
b 1 i 3 ! T ° i . -1 m ' a --. x * <** -i > c f r 1 1 b a c k ,

137

llie products collected In Coosa Valley show that.

They appear to fear an advance by Grant, by way of Gun tersville

or Decatur, more then any otlv-^ way. The rebel forces on the south
side of the Tennessee :.x c obliged lo Forage on this side and we now
ha¥e got most of than' boiLd ord several of their teams."

On loveinber 26th, 1 received the following dispatch giving the

conditions at Chattanooga: "All right with us» WedSfaated Bragg
conolp. tely on Missionary Rfige, and our troops are pursuing. 1
start-M at onetgfor the head of the column. Keep your troops well in
hand and T hope" soon to come to you and we will then make all right
south and west of Decatur." • ,,, „, /...

lAi. M. JWr rrf&Ta.

My troops in their foraging for supplies for the command, had,
of necessity, ignored some of the orders of some of the officers of
the Army of the Cumberland between Columbia and Nashville and I received
a very strong protest from Col. Mizner and I made answer as follows:

Pulaski, Nov. 27, 1383.

Col. Mizner;

I regret tlint nr\ of my soldiers should be guilty of acts in
violation of the 1"^b of mar. When officers and men are not designated
it is almost .Liu t ■", t"" ? to fasten it upon the guilty parties. I will
endear; i~ *b. .-v ^u i^ 4 :. .:\v;e. My orders are that my troops shall
live •n*'-*,. +M:, "ovi't^y, r.y trains a^o supplied by stock from it,
but find • M i -t " , r> ' t- xn an orderly and legitimate manner.
I pro>o.m, 1 u . 'l " j. j. the surplms, and perhaps the entire crops In
the o-'.c^i-jf bit ^ _ s irvicenble stock, mules, horses, &C » oo that
when ^ ■- ■ ... b . . ■ -del ar:ni~ , if it ohould oyer get here, (3 an

li'*e ,.>. dc«. u - . T*' << p i ''f- cr.o pr>nnd, arrogant rebels who beg our protec-
tion, but wi: 1 u 1 >c "L'.vi'.'.j a ; uhe same time to oppose our armies and
our governme; ! = m "~ '' 1 . ".- . ± n j.. federal officers should- fall justly
but heavily upon *h .. , . fn-' .. jy should respect us, not from love
(for they never will do l 1 ^ ; N bt. I from fear of the power of our govern-
ment. Now 1 propyl. : . > i\i . e T can, to let these people know that we
want war, that we \ * l1, orrery of rebels and. that they must
support my coimanh .. , t v . ' o> d ..-oey my orders, and that all they
possess, belongs ' i f >. ,<d - L„. to die United States government.
If they bring it '-j ^ p . > J u$ "*" propose? to pay for It, not that It
Is their right bid "' L * ' i- cho iper for us and for the government.
If I go after it T i..' - „ , T ^ rver ask them to take the Oath,
but treat them as ' ^ ,_ p.j'., ^v y rebel takes tin ^ . ' b to save his

property. 1 know n TT ," i. „ l h this -n try uix^d 1 openly

declares, and sho .. L, hi:, r < . + . , • ^ hat he j Willi.,- "o ' ready to shoulder
a musket In our cautic , ky Hurdlers know one pen I '..;/ l-j any violation
of orders, they also know what is right and prpp." -■„ a.'. 1 If detected in
wrong doing, will be punished to the extent of th~ i > . „ "

Under the direction of G-eneral Sherman, 1 sent Col, Rowett of
the 7th Illinois with a detail from each regiment to Corinth to b ring
forward all our camp equippage and the property belonging to the
soldiers which was left there. Col. Rowett crossed the country to
East port and ' from there crossed the Tennessee river and went on to
Corinth. He met Johnson's 4th Alabama of Roddy's brigade and r^ulod
them, taking 55 prisoners. He also reported that Col. Cypert \ I <. -no
raising a regiment of loyal Tennessee men had 125 men and were noUd.-
liohed near Waynesboro. He brought news that they were greatly °.- i-

108

ghtoned at Corinth, looking for an attack hpt Gen. Forest, was at

Okolona and h*§ and Lee's troops were concentrated for an attack, but
1 did not believe, myself, that Cavalry would -attack the four 'or
five thousand men behind the intrenchments at Coriiith. General Steven-
son in command there concantrated his troops in the farts and moved
all his siege guns and ammunition to the forts. There were also re-

ports that Roddy was crossing the Tennessee river in connection with
General T^ieeler for the pur nose of attacking my line but 1 wired
immediately to General Grant to find out where Gen, Y/heeler was and

found that he was north of Chattano. o where- near us; therefore
paid no attention to the continual pari 6 hat were floating up and
down my line,

1 sent cut Col, Phillips to follow down the Tennessee river to
Florence snd get the actual condition of matters both south and ng r ih
of the river. He reported on December 1st that he had performed this
duty, going as far as Florence, that the forces crossing the Tennessee
were very small and generally to obtain forage and that there were no
large organized forces on the south of the Tennessee river and that
all the confederate cavalry were concentrated at Okolona under General
Forrest, whom they claimed was making preparations for an extensive
raid. He captured five officers including General Bragg 1 s Inspector
General and 35 enlisted men.

On December 2nd, 1 received a dispatch from General Grant in
relation to the work north of Columbia informing mc that Mr. Boomer
was to build/the bridge for Duck -ivc-r and the prominent bridges for
'the whole road and that he would telegraph the commanding ^ r i^ers in
the array of the Cumberland, located on the road, to immeli > ' c 1. v. put
their* forces to work rebuilding It north of Columbia and for fear no
one tenaw; 'anything about that kind of work, to obey instructions from
me. 1 had made another trip ever. the road and was not very well
satisfied with some of the work that was being done and on December 3rd
1 wrote to Capt. ' 1: Iedeman, my engineer, the following letter:

Pulaski, Be«r, 5, 1863.
Capt, Tiedeman:

1 am very impatient at the slow movement of the corps, by one
excuse and enotber / they appear to see how slow they can work.

139

You have had ample time to put in 'all the bridges, one says he
"waits for a plan" &c&c . Now if you have got an officer in charge who
cannot put up a common trestle without a plan, report him to me and
I will relieve him. They must got to work and put up something that
will take cars over, and when a detachment is sent to a bridge, my
orders are they shall go to work and put up something that will do.

1 am told you are rafting stone to fill the cribs, these cribs
will sink themselves and can be 'filled any time. What we want is action,
practical sense and strong bridges, • Every lieutenant under you can go
and put up a bridge without a plan or any order except to put the bridge
in, and hereafter when you send a sqtiad of men to a work, give them such
orders, and let "plans" go to the "dogs."

I must have more energy, more working and more accomplished
by the corps than has been done. All your spare negroes not at work
on bridges, set to work getting out cord wood for the road."

In answer to General Grant's dispatch placing the forces north

of Columbia under me, I replied on December 3rd as follows :-

Pulaski, Dec. 3, 1383.

General Grant :-

1 start one hundred bridge builders for Duck river this morning,
but I would suggest that as the bridge for Duck river is on the cars in
Nashville, and has be n for three weeks that Mr, Boomer send a super-
intendent to take charge of putting it up. I will furnish thim the men.
ft is an endless job at this stage of water to put In a t.',et"e, and we
can run the <^'cr\^ .might up; between Duck river and Smiths st<'i,:on (end
of the cars) Ox's five small bridges that should be put in, . o as to

get the ca / "u Duck R iver, If Gen. Rousseau would det; II l,\ <. hundred
men and put Litem to rork on these bridges It would help i,t „ ^bere are
hundreds of me i ir every regiement that can build a commot. .^ctle. I
will have thirti-; u bridges finishdd in a week, when I ought l v move
south of En,; civer. Some very large ones. Every bridge on .be road is
entirely destioyed „ Please answer about Boomer and Duck river, so 1
may know who' to du I will go up there tomorrow."

On December 4th, I received a dispatch from General Grant that
General Hurlbut reported that Forrest was approaching Corinth and for
me t o immediately mover the forces 1 had at Eastport to Corinth,

I sent Lt. Roberts with "" ■ . -c h "' . ' ' ^v..-' mrt,

leaving on Dec. 4th, at O'.oC " . ., • . . ,a...^i' -i..i,^ .J ,--t - .- , moved

tf.fi* S> erf 5

with his command to Corinth, .& j ' ' .-■ccn ».n into sevorai bands

of guerrillas, capturing more men than he had with him and returned,
delivering his prisoners without a single man missing. At one time
he was surrounded by a regiment of the enemy but made lis escape 6

On December 8th, 1 made examination of the line north of
Columbia to get accurate information as to the work required there to
complete that portion of the railroad. I found that there were three .
bridges -over Rutherford Creek from two. to three? hundred feet long and
from thirty-five to forty feet high; two bridge over Carter Creek
two hundred feet long and thirty feet high and the bridge over Duck
Creek which required two hundred foot of'Jffcowetruss and two of 100 feet.
Boomer was to furnish each of these, we- putting in the false works.

140

1 communicated immediately with General Ros§eM4 f giving him
the details lie should make and urging upon him prompt action but- *
I came to the conclusion that the v. were so slow in responding that
1 would send, my own men to .Duck Fiv'cr. General RosseMfL answered
me that he had organized a force of 100 bridge builders but said
Ihis own command had' been drawn on so heavily in the way of details
for guard and other duty that he had been forced to call upon
Col. Andrews, the Sunt. ■" .,' uu-.d to furnish- a' force of regular
bridge builders. T Ud ro b«i in^lorc-e^ o.n+leie ^til^s ani Ui'll

On December 9t, 1 received a letter from John A. Easson at
Washington, telling me of an interview with General Halleck in
relation to the delay',, in my promotion that had been urged by
General Grant and Sherman, . 1cm, Halleck told him that the promo-
tions in Gen. Grant's army were made just as Grant .recommended
&hdm but there were no vacancies. Is there had been several promo- -
tions made, this rather surprised me because General Grant had
assured me that I stood first. When I met General Grant on
December 21st at Nashville, I called his attention to this statement
of Gen, Halleck and he was quite indignant and surprised and imme-
diately wired the War Department in relation to it but they answered
him that there, was then no vacancies. Gen, Grant -said they appar-
ently paid no attention to his recommendations.

The recruiting of negro regiments h-ad become quite active

in Tennessee and officers detailed for that purpose acting under
orders from the D p:un' m>n:t ard ''i~vy of the Cumberland were coming
down my line -n.,d > crutfieA, he ujjyroes that I had brought in to
work on the road and on December 9t$, 1 wrote General Grant that in
pursuance of his instructions 1 pressed all the negroes in this
cj,i t i" °rd put them to work on bridges, cutting wood, railroad
u r 12... tn hi,, ,» so as not only to have file ready to run but to have
material to run it with, which it is now entirely destitute of.
The recruiting officer fpr colored troops claims the right to
open recruiting off leer -along my line. If this id done, I lose
my negroes, which at this time is very lefcrimental to the service,
so far I have refused to allow the recruitC^ I cbn't want any trouble

141

with them and have assured them that when we were through Mth the
negroes, I would see that they go into serivce."

In gnawer to this dispatch, I received the following from
General Grant, Chattanooga, December 9th.

"Your potion in prohibiting the recruiting of negroes from

those you have pressed into the service for repairing railroad and
providing fuel for trains, is approved. Put in" arrest any who dis
obey your orders,"

That settled, the negro question and the recruiting officers
left my lines, The guerrillas and citizens were still annoying
mo, cutting my telegraph, which I had completed and interfering with
the small detachments scattered along the roads. 1 instructed
Col, Phillipas to ascertain if he could who cut the telegraph
lines and to assess the nearestsSecash livin near where it was cut
one hundred dollars; inform then if they allow guerrillas to inter-
fere with telegraph of railroad the known rebels would suffer,
and "to pick out prominent influential rebels and make them pay for
the work of repairing. This had an excellent effect and the guer-
rillas kept away from the line showing that thefw' depredations

were generally committed by citizens who were right in our midst.

On December 10th, 1 had a letter from CqC Spencer of the
1st Alabama informing no thai in the attack of General Lee on
the Memphis and Charleston railroad at Salisbury and Moscow, that
one of the regiments of negores a ich I had raised made a fight
at Moscow and defeated the enemy. This being the first engagement
they were in, was very gratifying to those in the army who believed
in the negr- regiments. There was - still quite a difference in
opinion as to how they would stand under fire but it generally

depended upon how well they were officered.

I 1

On December 15th, I received a letter from Mr. Peter A. Dey

from Omaha. In speaking of the excitement in Omaha on account
.of the location of the terminal of the Union Pacific he says:

"Tfc-.-e ; : . e gnrnd ..any apee'bk t 1 as i'n Omaha, and men are
'.ci wild e, b '.'i> „ - : j 1 : In To w\d "CY. f i «. Durant has the absolute
conk-el cT tbic rc.d and '"13 1 uan.e_p i I. fee the present as he pleases
T w'^1, y, .v,.- _ tijc-'.d he was i> diff'-" d kind of a. man. I shall
hrm dwrgo •■ C th ; wjj-k f o " Idv pi .a? .ad. ; n ov long, I hoax ;k t th ~>
r.n.iulesL ide^., J sent, Wra^tou to I he ; iu"td,e his be aw Iir.ro l'n\:nigh
lla pastas «, T iudg • a. lr o ,/Lada-aci b; yuan msesura inae th ". .*u?ld and
^lu.uh', P. e.-Jon't lines ere qri + ^ s ike- ..dbio ;it> -.•"ir be anti-
cipated . 1" ki a et.wu "i v- 1 1 ~:^a , i Cb.e "; t .nne Pass wl ,koul a ga .me

142

of ove- ./h fa.d, to the mile. I' would like to do some work here
now but -la t,' f nothing in the shape of an order from Mr. Durant
to fh&i. >'if f h

n g r f ; -"'~ ciepply interested in the success of this work, and I
want t> h _i,, t.ot wait until the southern line 'gets the start and
we shaij h ec to work hard to catch up."

On December 15th, I also wrote General Sherman as follows:-

Pulaski, Dec. 15, 1363.

G-e ne r a 1 3h e r m a n : -

By dispatch from General Grant 1 learn you are expected at
Chattanooga in a few days. I therefore report the operation of mv
command, since you left.

We have nearly all the road from Duck River to Elk Mount
finished, putting in some very larges structures, l have fortified
most of the important points. The command north of Duck river not
commdncing the repairing of that part of the road as expected by
you, under orders of Maj, Gen. Grant, 1 have put a heavy force
of mechanics and laborers on that part of the work, andwill soon
have five 'large bridges finished north of Duck river, and I trust
Buck rivor bridge will h- ^iulsb-d ^- the 1st of the month.
I am now moving my "\euLn t) art;h a ,o.dh of Elk river, and with
the exception of out beidg.- "'ill conpl- :.e that work in the first
week of January, l&C, Th. lr-hl L o -;o!en of is ?0'' feet long and
72 f'-et high, a sub- ; . cstle inn Js a. ":ry heavy job. 1 will put
upon it all the toih-r^ T c i T . ," ry Ihxiig appe: ":: b ing to the
road, its running department, &c was destroyed* I' am replacing
everything j water tanks and switches and have alt-o large working
parties getting out wood.

So far as meat, bread and forage is concerned., I h ?e lived
entirely off the country. 1 have had tr haul m, ruiall w' "ons from
Nashville. The demand towards, Chattanooga prevmd I p_ '.he .uipply
of cars to me, I have mount ecr^egimf-nts of infant) j, f'-*o.' stock tak-
en in this country. I have rei [u> my trains rid ,■.-! i llery and am
now in fine condition. The moiih> afantry have bear. or. -joyed
washing Lhe Tennessee river, n " Mi country towards Eastport,
an' ]i-!*-i. ; .iptured in several skii m- t.h->s some 300 prisoners including
21 J ; ' , ..'i, , The work upon the rrr'l.uad has been immense, and the
ru.imhig of mills, guarding trail., , ,c , , have kept the reman n I very
busy " 'd v.vy healthy, I have examined this railroao. its e - U re, ■
length, and. the N. & 0, R. R. from its junction with thi.„, opposite
to Decatur to Hunt svi lie. The bridges on that road ,~ .. c> 'ircx'
destroyed, but can be soon replaced. If the command * r !.>.. hoj.d this
country, as protection to its most southerly point, ^t^ourr t>I mid
be held by our forces. This could also give us a fir;, poinl to
operate from with out cavalry and mounted infantry.- The enemy "how
have a considerable force there, fortified with one full battery, and
use it as a point to annoy us. Over Elk and Duck rivers 1 have
constructed pontoon bridges, which will soon be ready for use."

On December 15th I sent General Grant a dispatch .t
1 had captured a party of rebels under command of Maj, J. Fontaine,
They had been on a reconnoisance along the line of the Chattanooga
and Nashville railroad. They connected with the telegraph and
took off a number of dispatches and I guess got pretty well posted.
Their orders were to examine thoroughly the railroad between
Columbis and Nashville and no doubt they will endeavor to burn
our bridges. They are evidently posted on our weakness of forces
be twee Columbia and Nashville mmi I have a man in from Montgomery
Alabama, eight days on the road. All troops in Alabama picking up

143

conscripts .are ordered to Hardee. All men between 16 and 80 are
called out to replace them. Two brigades last of November went
through to Bragg. This Is all the fo-rce that so far has gone up.
The boys met large numbers of deserters."

At this time, my chief of scouts, L. H. Jtoirwr , known as
Chickasaw was given a leave of absence and James Hensal, a very
noted scout* of the 7th Kansas was put in. his place. The con-
tinual depredation's of -the guerrillas' on. small parties, etc.
made it necessary for me to iromedaitiey put up block houses to •
protect the principal bridge stations, etc. and 1 issued the
Folio-wing circular showing our method of* the constructions of

thojso works: Pulaski, D ec . 15, 1863.

Circular*: To the commanders of troops guarding railroad, mills,
oulposis, &c. within this command:

For the purpose of bettor securing I ho safety of troops
guarding bridges, stations, depots, sully and outposts within
Ibis command, the commanding officer of each regiment or detach-
ment stationed thereat will Ivmsidatelj/ cause earth works, stock-
ades, or blockhouses to be built for the protection of troops., and
in such position as to mor-t a Cfcctrrllj and safely command the
place to be protected.

Where comands consist of one or more regiments small earth-
works on commanding positions are pre re able, Where, of only a
few companies, stockades are best. A d.> ' ch on the outside should
in all cases be made, with earth banked up to the loop holes,,
Blockhouses should be surrounded by a small earthwork, conforming
in plan to .the blockhouse itself, and which- will mask it wholly,
or in part from the artillery fire. Where there are thickets >
woords or heavy growth of weeds within rife! range .of any work,
they must be removed at once, '.later shouid always be kept at
hand, inside of works, so that it can be obtained at all times.

Where timber is plenty an totalis of timber should surround
the work at a d:" stance of 100 yai :1s from the work and under its
fire, Tt should be carefully staked down, the points sharpened
and r.iiHs and tu;l g£ removed 6 "

1 also issued the following instructions to Captain Taylor
who was in charge of the work at Sulphur Trestle, a very long,
high bridge:

Pulaski, Dec. 1G, 1863.
Capt. Taylor:

As fast as working parties finish their work at other
places, they will be sent to you, and 1 want men kept at work,
©et up your sub-trestle, and then your main trestle. Sufficient
posts are standing for you to ascertain the height of the old sub-
trestle and work to it. Thuowint out tho lower mud oil Is and
blocks, put your bolts right in the 'old places. All your floor
beams, horizontal and lateral bracing mid cvrr* thing else that can
be worked, have sawed out at Hayes saw mill,. In putting up trestle
don't wait to put in braces, unless they are' trot, and will not
detain you. Establish a good blacksmith's slr-p, and Jet men to
work on" the bolts. If you have not enough send to Elk river and
get the iron from the old bridge and work it up. Divide your
men in o pontics, so as to have hauling, chopping, hewing, framing
and raising all going on at once. Order al'i citizens having
f o old bolts to bring them to you. The pit ft you have will do to
work to and I think is reliable and you have Letter work right
to it, except as above stated.

144

If you think best to put 'in the double mud 'sillswith block
do so. Do not let it detain you however* » If you have more
negroes than you can work, se t them to chopping, cord wood near you."

On December 16th, 1 received an order from General Grant to
report to him at Chattanooga. _ This order was afterwards changed to
Nashville and on the 17th 1 reached that place and met General
Brant, Sherman, Sheridan, Cppstssger, the commander of that post of
Nashville, Gefi.&r;>ifio,eYand Rawlins ,-,-..■-. All/ of "is of the Army of the
Tennessee were a hard looking crowd; none of us had seend Nashville
or any base of supplies since we had luarched from the Mississippi
River to Ihattanooga and we had been hard at work building rail-
ways and foraging. We arrived in Nashville late in the afternoon
and General Sherman took us to Geeral Grant's headquarters. Gen,
Grant suggested that we should call upon the Military Governor of
Terms s ss o, Andrew Johnson, and pay our respects to him. We,
of course, followed General Grant, and were introduced to Governor ^
Johnson, 1 remember that our uniforms were greatly worn, one or |
two of us wearing blouses with Army overcoats, and he looked at usl

with a very quizzical eye, until General Grant said, to excuse us f f

that he had not given us time since we reached the city to change {
our uniforms j but Gen. Grant knew we had no others. Governor ?
Johnson was then a very radical m«ja and was irery emphatic in J

informing, us that while he was Military Governor of fennessee, ■*

no rebel would receive much consideration from him and brought his" f

fist down on a piano in the room with such force that the sound <\

from it started us all. We lefttheirwith the idea that rebels ; (

in Tenne: «ro had better get out j but I hardly ever got my hands *

on rebel stock or supplies that 1 did not find Governor Johnson j:

trying to pull them off.

After our visit General Sherman suggested that we should all
/ 2,0 to the theatre that evening and und "" h is lor.cl")r-arip, we went to
the prineiprl c;e -»a house to hear the pl-y of F.^ri .?;.„ We were all

atrangeri in Nashville ; even General Grant was not well known. We

a;/ t'Tl: ~eats in the balcony
paid our u.-y in, md found the threaten crowded -with soldiers going

to and returning from veteran furloughs. General Sherman, vihom

you trow waa a. great lover of the theater 1 sat alongside of

145 l- ' V

me and soon commenced .1 1 + iei ^.ig the play, -ear*. "-till*' protesting

that it was 1 m <ti murcie 1 -d. T ' acl to check him s v . 1' times and

told him unless he kept quiet, the soldiers would recognize him and
there would be a scene. We had entered late and there soon came on t
the scene where Hauls'. . ,!,? "j j-piizes over the skull of Yorick. The
audience was very r>ir?, uuleavorlng to comprehend the actor's words,
A when a soldier far back in the audience rose up and in a clear voice

called out, as the actor held up the skull, "Say, pard,i^to± is it,
Yank or Reto?" The house appreciated the! point and was instantly in
an uproar, r^C Hoaeerf r '. ant said we had better leave, so we went
quietly out, no "Vu H4 covering Grant's or Sherman's presence,
uvitt. Sherman immediately suggested that we should find an oyster-
house and ; % i -.me thing to eat and General Rawlins was put forward

as guide and spokesman. He took us to a very inviting place. We

went in and found there was only one large table in the place and
there was one man sitting at it. Gen. Rawlins in a modest way,
without informing the man who&is party was, asked him if he would
change to a smaller table and let us have that one. The man said
the table was good enough for him and kent on eating. General

y Rawlins backed out into the street again. General Sherman said if

we depended on Rawlins, we would not get anything to eat and
that he would see what could be done. He hailed a man who pointed
out another saloon kept by a woman, and to this Sherman took us,
and she served us what, we then considered a very nice oyster stew.
As we sat aroi : '" ' t,r ' ae^l^, we talked more than we ate and "by the
time we hi i hi.l:£ finished car supper the woman came in and asked
for the pay and said we must leave, as under the military rules, her
house must close at 12 mirk hj,Mi and it was then a few minutes after
that hour}, so out we got and took our way to Grant's headquarters,
where we bunked down the best ve could during the night.

Some of the staff hoard of our evenings adventures and gave
the news to the press and the next morning before breakfast, all
the parties were present to apologise to Grant, saying they did not
recognize' him', ~. we were out of our o"n Jni ~'< s " J e : . ioi, end in thai

of khe ik-.^ n the Cumb-vvland but Gran 1 , is Me ,.„d,»st e :y, 'elisiied

146

tliem that he hail no .complaint; however*, there poured in on him for
all of "us complimentary tickets end invitations to almost everything
in Nashville .

~i After breakfast we all assembled in a large noon at head-

aurtors to bear what General Or ant had to say to us. He took up with
?Y^ / us ths plan for a winter campaign. He proposed himself to take
, : ,fw' / about OCaOOOof the tr-ops concentrated at Ghsttanooga and transport

' '*

through northern Alabama, northern Mississippi

■the'-:, by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Hew Orleans • •• " and there
take with him the troops of Gvneral Canby and go thence to Mobile
and attack that place. General Sherman was to go to Memphis,
father up all the forces along the Mississippi River including the
troops at Yicksbrug end Hatches together v.ith the 17th Corps and,
march from Vieksburg to Meridian and thence join Grant at Mobile.
When- that place was taken, it nauld open the Alabama river and enable
a movement to be made 'on Atlanta using that .as a base. I was to

take the 16th corps which was then located on the line of the Nash-
ville and Decatur road, to go v/ith about '..(7,000 cavalry that Gen.

W' , Sooy ^mith had concentrated near Nashville and sweep dean

To -f U 1o-m3i4,S)&e "River reiiirni-vi^ lk> a

Missisaipp.5 '■■""' Mestern Tennessee
i ' L 4

attacking any force of the. enemy that eight be met and destroying

all the railroads and provisions that had been stoned in that
country, this with a view of Braking it difficult for any of the
ccid at « . ■• armies to again occupy the territory, so as to enable
oh'.w.' a/ Grant when the spring and summer campaign came on to
utilize all the union troops that had been occupying that country.

That evening we were all invited to Gen, Granger's house for
dinner aad we met there Gen. Granger's mother, an old ladv-of the
old army, alio was very much disturbed at the methods vie were using
in making war. 3b. , .f.Mlb ^ me first for the drastic orders T
had issued against guerrillas and othru-s 'for the protection of
the lines of road I aas building. 1 slipped; out from any con-
troversy with iier by simply saying I was, obeying the order of
superior officers. She then turn ed on General -herman end criticized
very severely his orders and the action of the troops in th&ir nova-
naait !\o tk j cuIj! ox knoaville, G*._.c,al Sherman aas so much uf a

H7'

gent lemon and a soldier end tried to a-eif nr- c cntrcversy with
her but she pressed him so hard that he finally turned upon her
and as I remember said, "My dear Mrs. Granger, They had no right
to send iTie to the relief of Knoxville . My troops had marched 'from
Memphis dV Chattanooga; they, were without clothing, blankets and shoe
and when I got into that country, 1 found it filled with everything
the soldiers needed and I authorised the in to take It and he said,

yon ought to txiow me well onough to know thiol nhen It came to the

rebel e It I sen or
question of feeding and clothing a union soldiers, wheel? I would

a L and , "

This put, a very cold} wet blanket upon that dinner and very
little was said afterwards.

While we were at Nashville, the Mayor of Galena came there
and presented General Grant with a horse. (1 think this horse
was known as "Egypt". J We were all together at Gen. Grant's head-
quarters when the mayor took out a very fine address upon parchment
and delivered it to General Grant who seemed to be abolutely non-
plused and not" knowing what to say, I think he had written something
and tried to find It, any how, his response was nothing compared to
that of the mayor and after It wan all over. General Grant said
to me, "Dodge, if they send me many more horses, it will be necessary •
for someone to send forage."

On the 22nd, we all left for our commands to carry out the

plans General Grant had given ue, lie reported them to Washington
but president Lincoln objected because lie was afraid If we took so
many troops from Chattanooga, that Longstroot , who was occupying
Eastern Tennessee with his CffXb^ would return to Chattanooga, or
middle Tennessee and undo all we had accomplished in the Batts|L. of
Chattanooga. General Grant had no fear of this tut he made up his
mind to go Immediately to East Tennessee and take the forces there
under General Foster, attack ad defeat Longstreet, and then come back
and carry out his plans „ He found after reaching Knoxteille that It
was Impracticable to concentrate General fester's forces and others

tir - nalt II" U' ",■?*>...■: .. ! •- >.V h* : C'"r'Ud" J O: ,.i,K igl. ill f'.:, t.O

aooomtlxsk ;/:rd. h.: h.rr • ^, .-,: ' _ .ri. , df had tc a"unid>> , bio

148

general plan of campaign, only sending ^Shernum tc Vioksburg, who
matched out to Meridian and returned, while the J 7 ,000 cavalry under

General William Sooy b mitii, who was to 'loin %erman overland,. •
moved nou + b ^p+irg ^"/ -"rivrr.u th ~ • ,uay until he reached '/est

- 5 - ; : " ~ \d '"oi- • n ^' . „: the enemy, and returned to
n.m.p.ij.0 . ' ^'u.v*dev F«»T-T-est

General Grant said afterv/ards that he ought .to have' carried

^f _ out his Knoxville campaign that there would have been plenty of time

y to have done so and. made the movement to Mobile.

On Dpc-iiibcr 2Srd, 1 returned to Pulaski and immediately made

preparations to carry out my part of the plan, General Sherman had
sent instructions to General Logan with the J.I5lh corps to. stretch
out and occupy the country along the I'oiaphis end Charleston road
and to rebuilt it to a. connection with the HfafcHw%3nd $feia) r 'road,

south of the Elk River and requested me to post Logan as to the
condition of matters on that line as my forces had been occupying
it. I wrote C\tr\. ill relation to our meeting at Nashville and that
I had nearly completed the line from Nashville to Decatur, with the
exception of three heavy bridges, which 1 proposed to cross temporar-
ily telling him that the work between Huntsviile and the Junction
was light; that he would find all the bridges out, but would have no
trouble in building as common trestles were sufficient; that for
Limestone, a permanent bridge would be made in Chicago and put in
after the temporary one -was finished and the road running; also^.
that the country that he .would have to occupy from Huntsville West
was very rich, full of forage' and -me at. On .December 28th, 1 received

the following reply from him:

Scottsboro, Dec. 28, 1863.

fa\r&e*.r Gen*. Dodge:
j Your letter of Dec. 24th was received yesterday. We are

pushing. along the road westward, the roads being almost impassible.
But small quantities of forage and stock re-main in the country and
the little there is cannot be reahced without great difficulty on
account of the bad roads and weakness of mules y The Pioneer Corps
are all at' work corduroying and .repairing, bridges and will be kept
.hard at it «, .

My common: -a * i. > .-.a - 1 - ' : k Lpirite a k 1 \p range number of them
will enlist in th.. v. t.juu, ,"uipu> : 'id lyiJi, cf course, lose f, j.cj
by the furlough ing >j ? fa p-i< ciat, 1 wilx ridh. forward on the i t .aJ
towards Hunt sv! 11^ to 1 a,, and =uilisfy myself s tu the condtion of
things and mak,> ai'j'. n;y utcuU; f o i* I. he advance- of the column and you
may rel\ o 1 . my making the connection with you by the 1st of February
■if such •• thing is possible.

The enemy cannot annoy us mum or. thro aidj at '-ho : Ivor,
and we 'are provided with ma . io a c>o.^,".i.j ih.rv:: re slol .

1 am tryly thankfal for your kind offer u" eouo .eret'ea and
will always be ready to ^Mee ct ^our lie no sal l v n 15 if-, a, r\ or :Xr ,v

149

portion of it whenever yon may need Its services, lie all remember
with admiration the activity and skill with which you aid your com-
mand helped in the great march to the 1 relief of G hattarmga and
have no doubt but that your line of communication will be kept fu! lv ■
up to its requirements." btry hv\v n A. An,'/»

My movement south of Decatur was not to take place until ray
troops, which had veteranized would, return, which would probably
be the first of February or later. At this time there was a great
deal of excitement and great anxiety among all the old soldiers
to reinlrtilo The Government had given all those who -would reinlist
when their tarm of three years was out, a month* s leave of absence
and every regiment in my command, except one whose term of service
was "tibi. Expiring, reinlisted so that It reduced my forces to less
than 4000 men and these troops were moving in6r?th, generally,' In
regimental organisation and there- reception there was something
wonderful, lhay all came back brining many recruits and greatly
improved. The. action of the Government was a very remarkable and
s.iVo.:M stroke of policy. Under 1 merit and the great

irj.«l..-- of re-inlisted regiments it carried with them a gr-* at many
who intended to leave the service, so that there were very few in
in any of the veteran regiments who refused to re- enlist and even
some of those, after the others returned, re-enlisted» A great
many of the regiments took advantage of the following instructions

from. Washington: -

First: That the term three fourths as used in connection
fcith veteran regiments under existing orders is understood to mean
three fourths of the organization serving, end does not include
men absent in prisons, and General Hospitals, &c.

Second : That men belonging to veteran regiments who have
not served two years ar^ crr.Frr.uent'] y J r not aome wit 1 -"*^ td~e limits
of j-e-enlistment , will * ,- y . m.Iitod U ,_ ^ "urlough ^'.l 1 '
main body of the regimant n, e ..,. ,!f g"<>;S a «in ofgani^e ! J en,
provided they show their "-il]." n r . sh -' o >\ -> ..list as "jj. a:> \ hey
coil'. v'tJiln the limits, Ike .... r , to - . ", to come wfkh.. "1,3
limits im recruiting n <\* y;', deu'Itnn to ;a •--- ".list will _ot I:
gra.it>-- a firloughs,

t'grd: Tli at no volunteer recruit shall be reiv-oU 1 "" o- account
of height, who Is F feet or ovor. Present, regulations l-eL\y thus
modified* Jamea 13. Pry, Pro. Mar. Gen, By order of lie. J. ^m,

' U. d„ Grant „

In wr il. 5 ug General Sherman on the 25th in relation to the en--
lleln.md :* In my .n.uaand, 1 said:

"The a •• >n. haling of veterans is weakening my command very-
fast and mack more th,-m I suppose It would. The late order from
.yy,. T; r P- , ; - . „..or allowing recruits to go with veterans, takes all.
Cat of treaty uiie regiments I have three that are not entitled to
iv -or." * .. as vet 5 run volunteers, and of the nineteen regiments

150

every regiment will get three fourths of 'its veterans, thereby al-
lowing under the new order* the recruits with the regiments to' take
benefit of the furlough.

if I have 4000 of my command left 1 shall do well, and shall
be forced to keep the -lllth Illinois Infantry here until my reg-
iments begin to return, when I will send it forward. It is possible
that I may have to contract my lines, and bring all up this side
of the Elk. In that ■ case a brigade from the 15th A.O. could occupy
Athens, but the contemplated m§t?ement to ft ; e-weat will', I suppose,
render me safe for the present. ■'

As matters now look I can hold my line in tact and get along
very well, but any raid or movement this way night put me to my
trumps and force me to concentrate suddenly and leave exposed all
the works on the road, I do not anticipate any such move, -but
notify jrou of my exact condition that you can advise me if you
consider necersary.

My reg-'mono^ will login t.u re* urn about February 10th to the
15th, and then all \ u.a^ V lnJ'j .loL,"

General '\ q . ^.-ay . * t _ ... that wes to accompany

General Smith In "'z, no vet eat iato Uf£.fi^3ippi came to me very

poorly mounted and 1 turned over to him all the extra stored 1 had.
General s mith wired me from Nashville urging me to give Gen. Grooi
at least six or eight hundred horses a <d to instruct him to take all
he could find in the country,,

A very singular occurrence in the promotion of Col. E . W. Rice
commanding the 7th Iowa Inft. on my recomme i<i'.-ion and that of
Generll G-rant and Sherman, the war Departm,au ^aj ordered his
promotion* The Clerks. carried out the order. Instead of promoting
Col, E. w". Rice, they promoted his brother. Col. Samuel Rice of
another regiment and the Commission had been issued to his brother

and he accepted it, not knowing that it was intended for E. W. Rice.

0.W.

When this was discovered Col. Rice was ordered to Washington to report

to the Adjutant General to endeavor to have the matter rectified

and on December 27th 1 received a letter from him in which he says;

"I learn that your promotion was- recommended ' y P,\af.. and that Oxi the
19th of August Halleck placed your name a' tV h-<n of his list of
recommendations and Stanton endorses it "Approve," II how awaits
a vacnaey only. My brother resigned his comm*.- s5* i as Brig« Gen
in my favor bit the War Department would not ^ „v,d his resignation
and they have ret yet made my appointment bu' T -m assured that it
will be made. '"11 ;,he officers through whos*. nnnds mj trother'a
resignation paaaed disapproved of it as'' they hed recommended bis
promotion after the battle of Helena and the "h— Department declined
,to accept it for that reason so that Col. Rice.v;hom 1 had recommended
was chaftted out of it and did not receive it for six months or more,,

On December 28th 1 sent the following dispatch to General

Grant giving the location of the enemy's forces, reported to me by

on <3 of the spies who came into the camp. He 3 ay a;

Left Cove Spring the l&th , "-.a the lv.uit Lain,-,.- had

his hunu iuarT,ers at Dal ton, with his arm near i.here. One brigade of

151

infantry at Eesaca. Kelly's division of cavalry was with Ha ■ ;• , ,
At Voce Spring there was a brigade of cavalry, Martin's division
of the 1st, 2d and 3d Tennessee under co ran and of Col, Wheeler uf

the First Tennessee. They were building barracks and expected to
stay for the winter. In Rome there was a large force of State
troops, estimated at fifteen thousand. Martin's other two bri-
gades of cavalry were; with Longstreetj on his way here, the spy
passed through Gadsden, Somerville, Courtland, etc. and found
no troops at those places.

On Dec. 29th, T sent another dispatch to Gen. Granilas
follows: We captured a mail today from Bragg' s Army.' The letters
all speak of going into winter quarters at Daltori, Resaca and
Rome. Also of the appointment of J. Ip. Johnson to the command of
that army. The Chattanooga Rebel of the 20th. announces his ap-
pointment ■ nd states he would take command the next week." This
n-are us the first news of the Appointment of Johnson to the commend
of Gen. Bragg ' s army. I sent another dispatch to Gen, Grant on
the same date, felling him that a scout had captured a dispatch
from Gen. Roddy to Gen. Forrest, in which he said he had 18 boats
below Florence ready to cross on. This was all important informs
tion to our army and we immediately made preparations to meet
Gen. Forest, should he cross. I. immediately notified Gen. Tliliiam
Booy Smith, who informed General Oruok and the other cevalrp forces
moving in that direction; in fact the movement of Gen. Smith's
forces stopped this movement of Forest and forced him to move
south to concentrate against General Smith in his' movement .

The correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial gives this
account of the Left iflrig^a *Tdiat 'time in middle Tennessee:

"T neve seen tens 'of thousands of troops, but never any who,
Ln inv opinion, surpasses Dodgers in .soldierly qualities. Gen. Dodge
is f the seme school as Gen. Grant; a .plain, unassuming man eut^a
-oldler Ha is distinguished for good sense and business capaci^-,
as well ss for fiahting. You will, perhaps; wonder how a modes.
Brig. General, without friends in ''sashing! on, comes to have so large
r. command. The secret is, he staphs h: Ji i: fir aft 1 ... - ._ T ";• .
Grant, ranking next In estimation -u "Is' n s n, s.G lh. ..e,;> ^ d '
is famous for taking tins rssponsi. .. .ft u , R . uj ! . n o.,, lui, w'lf ,
on Friday and ordered a military <->., . *, ^' . ; '\ . ' ,, 4 1 .* .,.1 n- -
the case was finished on Wednesday, -."• '* >s i m. > '. l -m „ V Jo*/.
today. I suppose he thought an e.ri'j -s . . d > s . i , L

judge frow the accuracy of the imo.d..i - „ Pocui
it, i- ou Id seem so.

.Ui , ,- .u 'u,' u -

152

■ ■ The General "hies not require them tu hdr :,V» oath of alle-

giance, but to conduct themselves as good cV ii,. us ., Soon aft^r "
his arrival at Pule^ki, he. was called on Vp : ^ ,ei _ eel officer'' of

the Confederacy, a Colonel, who said to hl„u "I am a rebel So
are all people in thi . ennPry, though: they deny it while vou
are here. . low, what r'ui. I uov 1 don't want to take the oath
SI of allegiance. Sulci Tie General : "I'll tell you what to do;

go home, and behave y. n **. ].f ; es long as you stay quietlv at homo,
you will not be mol.'oh^ bod if you g0 to burning railroad bridges,
or corresponding tith the anen; , I'll hang you."

General Dodge is a !•%, el hV, i-ord, and he would not lis,- about a
little thing like that.".

On January 13th a spy arrived from Gen. Johnson's Army and 1
reported to Gen. Sherman that Johnson's arm- was at Dalton and fesaca;
not to exceed 26000 men. One brigade of Martin's Cavalry is at
Cave Spring. The state militia at Rome. Roddy is in the Tuscumbia
and Rusjv ^ "i villa Valley with not to exceed 1600 effective men. There
are great desertions from the Worth Alabama and Mississippi Troops.

1 al© reported to him :. '. that the work assigned to me on the
railJU " " „t ~ ifctually completed to the connection with the Memphis
and C 1 --. "' • ./ v-r. road and that we wore now waiting for the completion
of the work north o.f Columbia,

I sent Mr. M. P. Hurd, wh; » -., ou "■ hie. id man of the 2nd Iowa
but who was a very competent Civil Engineer and had had a good deal

of experience in railroad buiiging and operating, to Louisville,
Cincinnati and St. Louis with the engineering instruments of the
corps to have them repaird and to get what information he could as to
^supplies* >^qn lppmu:t ? el-u at those places,

I i-seM •, ■: o ai<Lhoi'ity to raise the ffitf 2nd and 3rd Alabama
Infantry, A. D» and appointed the officers for the regiments from
the different commands in the copps. The stacking up of .work gave
them a good opportunity to recruit from the negores whom 1 had working
for me, who were now out of employment _ and they soon filled these
regiments.

On January 9th, 1 applied to the Hon, H^'Stanton, Sec. of War-,
for authority to raise one or more regiments of .Cavalry from Alabama
stating that there were large numbers coming to my lines and a better
class of men than had ever come before, being men who have furnished
substitutes when ' drafted for the ^ru-vd oe » Several of them want

158

lo ^.:„^, oMinpnn j'-jr and I have no doubt it could be easily/ #©.ne i# y3d,*
They come to me because 1 recruited the 1st. Alabama Cavalry at
Corinth, Miss, which is now nearly 1000 strong. I also asked
authority to appoint the officers which I would select from the old
regiments now in the service, stating my advance is opposite Decautr
and at points on the river easily reached from- the Alabama Mountains,
from which these men seek our lines. We have to feed them and it is
no more than, right that they should enter the -service. Most of them
are anxious to do so but prefer to go into organizations of their
own.

On Jan. 12th, 1 wrote Gen. Sherman stating- that all my regi-
ments had reaniisted that Would do so under the orders and that eight

of them Hitfa three batteries had gone home; seven more are now ready

conges ton
to go and have been for some time but the ■ north of Nashville

has stopped the transportation of all our troops.

Gen. Crook's Cavalry Division reported to me 1 •.• a part had
gone * ** T " ;f.-- ,, ~"- ">->!.-, e s.see; some 600 head, of stock that 1 had gotten
toget >> . ..' T h. c I <: i u "■ over to Gen. Crook as he came xvith 1600 dis-
mounted* men. I said if we could make a lodgment at Decatur it would
give an outlet to a large number of union people who are seeking our

lines and who would Join our Alabama regiment,

I also enclosed i ho foxlov.'n list of regiments that had

!>»-« enlisted, giving the uunioer lull - ^ red and the number furloughed:

b9th Ohio, iFusf.o-od 47-i, furloughed -±e3j fet " Ohio, musteres §65,
fir-'i ..^rad 454; 27th 01. lo, Fus „ ^3?, It i-l . 2'jO. , "" *)hio, Mus. 236,
furl. 234. 7th llLluoU-,, mug. 2GS, 1V»*1 3C.~. !5uct Illinois, Mus. 289,
fiu-1. o04. 3d MichJ&:ui ^ttlLory, !:us. ?0, :u,\l SO. Co, H. 1st Missouri

Artill- ry, Hun, 65, F?j\i , 09. Cr . B a :U;i flchl^n Artillery, Mus. 40,
Furl GO,, 64th Tllino'^, Knr. . 181, lot furloughed. 68th ZMf<im&-, Mus.
280. Total, mustered 3 t ^d5; furloughed 3,179,

The discrepancy i^nhpor: "-motered 11 and "Furloughed" arises
from men who have not joi^'<c:l ?, years, filing their re-enlistments and
furloughs under author! - i granted by the Secretary of War,"

On (January 30th» 1 received a dispatch from General Grant that

he had arrived in Nashville and hereafter that would be his headquarters

ffe said that he had had a very cold rough trip -from Knoxville to

Louisville; the roads were in a horrible condition, having been very

muddy and then frozen so that it was almost impossible for a horse to

travel but he had made remarkably good time, accompanied by his staff

and an escort and was received throuyh Kentucky ".?:! h a great deal of
enthusiasm.

-A. W'

He stated that he had avoided most of this admiration from the fact that

everyone Supposed he was an old^jptfi and his surgeon, -who was a white-

.haired men, was picked out to be Grant, which allowed Grant to slip
away and get out of the crowds., . ■ s

I notified Gen. Grant that all my work was completed except the
Duck River Bridge which Boomer was erecting and I 'feared the trains
would be held, there for two or three weeks.

On January 16th, 1 received a letter from. Col. James M. Alexander
of the 1st olabaiio Tnfr t^', /.D. Corinth. He says:

"I or : L wu^ ( wo«. at III iabo some interest in the 1st Alabama. I
wish to speak cf if e\;.o^irlly, that you may know how we are sotting
along. I m- rrird to dr.y everything moves like clock-wort =md°hue ever -
since 3*011 1^'!, it ,1s jiver up by everyone that ours is the best
regimen* ry.--^ -lilts or black. be have mastered .ever;" port uf eomoany
and bat'tOU^' -Ul. r /e stall keep 'up squad and batt&ni^nili nvery'rtay
wQen the i,< ^her oe-muts. On January 1st, we were just 052 strong. Of
this nrol\n' only Jem In 1 ho hospitals; not one died dr.rni3 the month
of December c Not single man in the guard house or in arrest, ■ lot
a single office c or enlisted man has any charge aginst him. in the .
regiment or ovJ of it* Oiif of 39 commissioned officers, all are on •
duty in the regiment except Lt. Raskins , detailed in Memphis. Of the
35 commissioned ofl'Seers, 31- do not use intoxicating drinks. I do my
own punishing, I have si* bolls with chains, all weigh about 120
lbs. each without chains,, The sight of these is all that is needed.
Our men are in the best of spirits and are in good condition every wayj
none desert, la there any way by which we can get into your command
again? "

On January 18th 1 'received a letter from Mr, H. C. Crane of the

Railroad

Union Pacific, Hew York, in which he- inquires, afc to freight on iron

rails from lew York to Omha. He said he had just commenced shipping.
This was the first rail going to the Union Pacific.

The farmers through Tennessee had come to recognize the freedom
of the negroes and were willing to employ -them and on Jan. 19th, I wrote
the following letter to Gen. Lorenzo Thomas, Adjt. Gen.' of the Army;

Puisaski, Jan. "H\ 1864.

There are in this state a large number of planters who have
decided to act upon the fact that slaves are free and that they can no
longer hold then to labor; and they are anxious to have some settled
plan 'upon which they can act in employing such negroes as the Government
does not require. I have always encev.rrged planters and farmers to hire
their slaves (such as 1 could not enlist) and in most cases they are
anxious and willing; but to do it successfully the commander of the troops
01* the General Government must lay down some policy upon which the farmer
can- act, and by which they can hold the freedmen to live up to their
part of .the contract. Those that come to my lines 1 generally put to
work on abandoned plantations; or hire out to parties to pick cotton, &c»
But this is only a very small proportion of the slaves in the country
who are not fit for the army, and I desire your views as to fsir v-ages.
Miat would be a proper method for making the slaves (aft or having volun-
tarily contracted to ?fork a year) live up to their contract? A uniform
price would be better, from the fact that it will keep negroes from runnin,
about to obtain higher prices,

1 submit this matter as it is different, you see. from the method

^Cv

-155-

pursued on the Mississippi River, from that fact that most of the plan
rations are occupied by their owners and many of the slaves are still
upon them. The policy once inaugurated that, all the slaves in the
State are free, and must, be hired and their labor paid for, it will fore
all to adopt the policy. No matter whether those opposed to it agree
to it or not, they will have to do it for self-protection, as negroes
will go where they can get paid for their labor an^ Government will
protect them in doing it .

I may state that I have already recruiter?, uivier your old order,
tv/o regiments in North Alabama, known as 2nd and 3d Alabama Infantry A,t>
and will soon have another under \mj , I firm 1 no difficulty i..- raising
a few regiments whenever I happen to stopon any march, and ws>ul d like
authority to appoint from my command a board of officers to examine
applicants from the com.aan-- 1 * for positions in the regiments.

I vill soon forward list of officers who have bees appointed
by me to the regiments named, that they may receive proper appoint-
ments from you"

On Jan. 10th, I receiver! notice from Lt . Bailey that the trains

were running from Nashville to ^uck River, waiting there for the cmn-

t'\ pletion of that bridge before they coulrl cross, 1 was very anxious to

r\*t' y purtahase twenty acres where my house stands in Council Bluffs and in-

<^ x structed my brother to buy it for me if possible and on January 17th

he wrote me thfet it was owned by T)r„ 7,'illipins who liv^d in Missouri.

He further says; "TChen here last fall he would not price this tract;
said he wanted to live on it, himself. He says, The Pacific xi , R.
Go. have done nothing as yet except to speculate off of the Nebras-
kians; after they g«&t all the property they want arH their charter
~ th rough ? territorial legislature work will be commenced. The President
"A made a starting point on the river in Omaha township which gave the
/Ok v / company privilege of making depot grounds either two miles north or £**
\ / south of Omaha City; they threatened to make it at Saratoga; then th-
r\\ I Florence Land Go, made large offers if they would follow the river to

\ j their place an*" 1 thence west, w^ich world give them a chance to compete

I with Omaha, With these levers the company has drawn out of Omaha G 3 'ty

1 property owners., on e mile of front on the river, with nearly all the "

land between the bluff on n^T^Tl^TB^n^mi IlruTse stands and the river
The location of the Pacific R.R. is having a most favorable effect 'o^ ' •'
this s e c t i on of t. h e c o unt ry . ,!

Mr. Peter A. n ey wrote me as follows:

"br. Duranf has got the whole thin? in his hands, but is mna^in"-
it as he has everything else that is in his hands. A m n deal apread" a
and a good deal n nothing. He considers it a bin* thinp-, the P>i^ Thino-
of the age and himself the father of it - while I am afraid that* Rl-ib
of the Northern road, who is a systematic and persevering sort of -man-
•i J, 1 u f® hir » ? s he chooses. ourant is now talking of connecting with
4 A them either at a point between Desoto and Canning Oity on th« Kissonri
\ % / ? r p ,f t * Point in the Papillion -Valley directly west of that /'whereas

V s / lf ? e wo !' 1 rlm hls 3in " t0 F remont by the shortest practical route 'thov

V / w ? ul " m ?J? tA r lF con "^tion at the Fluffs, for the- never wilt arc's tfi

river without a decided advantage gained b - lt . f cannot mat. mS

£«/ V h ???- ver » * n ? if Z attew Pt to nut a little common sens. jVhJc,
head h e fl2Q „ off in a m of eXcite t> The x t frora M-i

. tare ate red to make the connection in Iowa. I advised him'in thprevent
to run up the valley of the Middle Coon and, cross over into the Rnver
as we originally talked of. He has also some i^ea of l«pvln- the river
S \ Be J-!?™ cr-rainc the Platte near the mouth W'sa'lt Greeh^nd r unnln^
intc thteBl,e and reaching the Kearney. If the ^eograph? 4f a li t e
larger, I think he would order s snrvey round by the moon and a few of t

' I ??/ * S} \°, See if he COUW not S et some aore depot -romUs or w

wild lands or somPthin* else, that he *on't want, and hoboes no know
what to do with it when ho gets it. '

doctor needs common sense, more than any th inn- el se .and I h^ve
been so completely disgusted with his various wil^eas, ' tha t r have
oeen disposed repeatedly to abando^n the whole thing. 1 note '"to do .it

-15G-

as there is a- great future in this thing, If judiciously and prudently
managed . '

?.'"e should have had all our ties and the gracing under contract
to Loup Fork, before this andenxious as 1 hav,e been for this , have not
'fv*r?' been able to force him to any point at all.
-» ? k /" f V'ri te me whe" 1 you have leisure, .1 think a summer in the mountains

I ,/ would restore your health perfectly/ Cannot advise you as to investment
•*'' as the Doctor mry want t/o connect tomorrow with the route through Texas."

On January 20th, I wrote General She r .an requesting omission
tjo approve the sentence and or r1 er a court martial for the execution of
■ o soldier in the 2nd Alabama Infantry A.T). stating it was an aggravating
case of desertion and an example is needed to stop' the desertions. The
regiment as doing "Fatigue Puiy" in pioneer corps, as -teamsters, &c . and
many of them desert. An' example will stop it all. This is the first-
nan caught and now is the time to make it tell.

On Jan, 22nd, !■ received a- letter from k, w. Kobbins of the

4th Iowa stating that the 9th and 4th Iowa and 16th Ohio of the brigade

had veteranized. He says: "Our men are. fixed cmite comfortable now
A part of them have built Iok huts with chimneys, and all of them that
are in tents have chimneys and fire-places. The mud i<~ the greatest
drawback we have. When not frozen up we have the worst forego ^ mud

imagainable throughout the camp. A ^reat many men cose into" our" lines
every day; their object is to keep out of the rebel army and to keen
from starving, " '" ''*

An organization of citizens in connection with some men of the-
18th Missouri ha* been formed for the purpose of stealing under the
plea of foraying from my corps and it operated' from about Lynnville
to Nashville. OoK Hizner had complained a good deal of them, charging
it up to my command. I set my detectives to work and on Jan. 25th, I
wired Col, ilizner as follows:

, +1 "LJ 1 T ve cau Sht .-even of the citizen rebels and detected the ^- np .
in the 18th kissouri down here and put p regiment in it* „?o«2 ? S ? S

at or near Franklir-, but I cannot get their names," g S llVe

It is evident to me that the enemy south of the Tennessee River
had discovered what a weak force I had along my line and they were
preparing to make an attack upon it. 1 h,d no cavalry, except one
regiment of mounted infantry and a part of that had left.

On jan^ry 26th the, crossed the river in two places attacking Athen
I had received word of this , vement and had sent Col. Phillips with his
command down the Tennessee to attack the force that had oroaae , at Florence
I reported the result of their attack to Gen. Sherman as follows:

157

*A*| «Wtf

' „v.L >».L _. v L.

™a

J '-' u ' P- >- -1 ' ' tjCklo j . .'. 'l - 17. U«j 1 1 " J

..«.. Mid

. _* i .j <.,

•' --• -' "' 1, ~ lJ " " uo ' «, »:. r t> • 'j. I iiiou . t/ "* _.,.C;>.. .... ; w x . . ^. k , J

1 j. x w u ;

-> / .. T '. o ' u . . ' -:. l g. f 1 . w v, 'v . ' "- w ;;- -oa'. Mill

1> - , «

>• a

II ... ' "h ~ <eke , vo" " i- ■ •: •.. rl ' :•. -r/ ". ,

^ ■- ... ; en .: ;f iV-aowii "'•-a, d x' el- \; e ul _ ; ;^~_- L ,_ ^

r 1 ' 1 ". h/u«» . .., V • n ■... •••' 1 - ! , >\) !' J<> . • J p^a-,- 1 "hoal

"> .i. i. .1. " o "** Oo U i. i. r - .*& . ' * . a j . hi j ^_ _ I. "' - lit. o. ,

I'i z i . - '"" . V.i .... , i f k ~ i mi uCi . ini ....oh *. ; i .'.i . o • i U..V

did not. luiuw ui Liiiii and uiuv/eti Up In a.Couj.'dUiiCw Willi bxa jiiciiltj, buj».
hearing of the force to the ivest of hira, and getting Gol. Johnson's
despatch that he could not support him as lie was checked' by a heavy
force In front, ho recreated, f'e had no- force to follow hln.

Gapt. 'Adams and hie n.en diaplayed great coolness and judgment,
and fought with determined bravery, checking G-eri, Roddy r s command
and -holding them sons two hours, enabling as to a end off all stores
and transportation. The noble conduct of these- troo-ps saved all of our
bridge parties, 'both north and south of Athens, as well' as all the
structures lately put up. Had the attack succeeded It would have boon
very detrimental to us and delayed the opening of the road for a long
tame. I think such instances- of Mie repulse of so large a force by so
. few men without fortifications or artillery very seldom occur, and must
resound to the great credit of our arms, while it equally disgraces
the enemy.

Our loss was about 20 killed, wounded and missing. The force at
Mooresvilie under Gol. Brigga was notified of the attack at sunrise by
Jlr.j, p -'., .ay .mitendant of rep alias on the railroad, who urged that
ofj.ii. r k' f-lLx u ion the roar of the enemy at Brown's ferry by a road
i^-Mip ' 1 i* "Ovk. 'a that place, down the river. Had this been done the
\.l p. _ , > 'he enemy would have been captured.

; „ '"h, i. < Phillips heard of the anticipated attack ^nd returned
promptly making!; direct far- - Browns ferry, but his advance arrived
there only just In time to see the last of the rebels over. He
marched all night and day until he arrived on the ground "

On January 27th 1 wired- General Grant that Col. Miller of the
Army of the Cumberland had had a severe fight near Florence; the
enemey was repulsed and several prisoners taken. tke Prisoners
reported that Corinth had been abandoned. General -Grant "wired me
thai ii^ thought this was probably true as General Sherman hac mutuary
■• l "■'■• l ky to withdraw his troops from It using them In his ca. ; " gj
Vyo^ i kaburg, If he thought necessary.

On January GCtk, r Lt ./.. my Lillta'p lajid from Feb. 1, 1861
to kl, 1, 1884 to th-- ,r 'ia ^pp ntme;et In com^liuace with an order from
tkv. A..-! jntant General,

158

On Jan. 24th, 1 arranged with Gen. p. I). Roddy, commanding
the troops south of the "Tennessee for an exchange of prisoners .

On January 29th, I received an answer from my application to
the Secretary of War to raise the 2nd Alabama Cavalry, through Gen.
Grant, authorizing me to recruit and officer the regiment.
. • General Grant sent me a dispatch asking me if l had a competent

'officer for a special duty that I could recommend. I recommended
Captain C. P. Chenoworth, my Inspector General. He performed this
duty for general Grant and did it so well that' General Grant sent me
a dispatch asking me if I -was willing to spare him to go on his staff.
I immediately answered him that while fie was one of the best officers
1 had ever had on my staff, that I woul- be pleased to see him get
the promotion and he was taken away from me permanently. General
Grant was so pleased with this of ficer's 'work that after he became
President of the United States, he sent him to China on duty for the
State Department, where he was of great service to the Government.

On January 50th, 1 wired Gen. Grant that spies sent me irord
from Montgomery and Mobile that no troops had left General Johnsons
but all the scattering commands had been hurried to Mobile as well
as troops from Charleston; that the rumor there was that there was a
movement for the capture of Mobile; this, of course, was a concentra-
tion on Gen. Sherman's movement on Meridian.

On Jan, 30th 1 received the following letter from General
Grant in relation to movements that ie had suggested;

Nashville , Jan. 30, 1814.

General Dodge;

¥our despatch suggesting th>. oegunigation of a mounted force
sufficient to hunt clown and driv 4 he •n.etny , s cavalry now threatening
our railroads in middle Tenness e*;, ;..> a point beyond any immediate
apprehension of danger is approved i-f, Kit owing to the expedition
already ordered and in motion, our cv^lvy and mounted force is so re-
duced th ' - it wipi u-, .n , if cult ^ "•"•' -> L j a f,,v:o fuvj enough to
cross the ':ioid : > .fide „f J hc Tenncstj ■- at a ,i - ,., ; \!, ,, m h ■ viemy, however,
must not be fiV-mifl -1 te remain uii thi~ u ; h, "bit i?!" 1 therefore,
collect and crvuul^ at ^'<oe, under a Cjmp':„r^; offii.. >■', all the
•■mounted 'Wi ^cssihi', uf your command, Lev the- i, v.i >.-:se suggested in
your despatch and indicated above. The ->i .o: fb " bhev to rendezvous
and when and where to move, for the attrinni ... • f "h desired object
will be left entirely to your own ifudgm it a,,d d:: o; L ' >,a.

A copy of your despatch of the l°l> 5i... J , jl\t. : ifor<"e+ i ~-i
obtained by the force pf yours, from si;r mile,, w \;\. .-, ? FIu-vm.j.^, •'•he
day before, was, on date of receipt, se. * lr f-e;rr;l turn's wit 1 -! lh?
following directions, viz: "You will direct General Gr-cub "< e c. gamiie

fn expedition at once, of sufficient fore-", and --rocked without delay
y the most practicable route and drive ^eddy out Prom vtv:v; he :.ov

159

is, oud d-sVo. nj > K 'its and materials he can find, that might' in any
corJ -nig 'UJ, bv 'mo,, ', the enemy in crossing the Tennessee river."
"•- ! (, "o' i< hjs „ « been had from General-, Crook. General W.F.
Sffli ' " l - ! :< 1 i 1 " ~ o\t,i from Memphis the 25th inst., via Okalona,
wit 1 ' ^ l"i'2. fui-c- u p cevalryj Honora! Sherman moving at the same
time ivm ^c'-.'Nr'g eastward a formidable force of all arms, and
Gen«?icu. Logan hens olmatiy thrown r< pontoon h^My nodosa t,h ■ T eiJ _ 05See
fiver at Larkin t. f^rry, over ~hjch hew ill cods Ir a :I;p cr- trr, rt
farthest, movin^ torard Rome, mi Ih all Mr t ormrnd, i.-r-vi'-g >>\\r ]vis
riilroad guards be hind him. The forces at Ohai ' aauu^i- :" no I
inactive. Prom all these expeditions ami Ur^a+eninj°^o^t;i..-nitG it
is hoped much will be accomplished, and csp6eiolj.y i" "oiviuj the
enemy back from within striking; diotanceo •"* --v r • • • • •* ;-, ^ . »

As I had received no answer fron *.. DefHT-bwe-wf: Hem • . -.bis

time,- I had sent Col.- Phillips with what mean cod. fr^oc T? could collect

down the Tennessee river with instructions to fight and drive out' any
enemy there w as there and on Feb. 1st I answered General GrantSs
letter as follows;- , ^

Pulaski, Feb. 1, 1884.

Y ■ cm i n r»pfe 4, ^t of ifo^rs of January fi.fh and so far as it con-
lempl"iios u"ivlnj llie m up. ^ oath of Tennessee T have artieipnted
your order,-, ^ r "; ;.'>&• , • r. n.-ral Thpaa a. st ynpl; the enoaj uii this
"id of Tram. >** ^"* +(n . the w^iifKfc+Srd* ^ use V.ver.

1 i;-.nsn i. \.riy f > > ' ,j vi rhno m^vniid men t" jonld p" .3 faring to fu,ko
lhe chain* -^ of g-" 4 ting r hip >d Jn Ute offensive of at. -hiding here to
£je oti, lui'f ir. 1 r Measure <^ F fcnkl^ . This force Moved out under Lt.
Coi, PhiiiVo Un<„ ad >y morning, strr-f: the enemy Vrldry -orning and
continued d: ivhig nmu Friday night* Juiummn's cafjiie of Roddy" s
division roeroes«.n <o the south oleic of the ricef, nil, Phillips
pursuing if.jm so h >rd that he captiomd ".fJ ] fhvfr 'roja :,c, some 20
mule teams, 2i_''o bead of cattle, and Ouo Kn~,-"> uf .-'nan ,„.fJ ..bout 100
head of horses oed mules. He also bam si P tier's factory and mill
which had bnpy.lieO thorn. This has cleaved the noe'h Ode of the
river. Tl j ^oint ue should in my opinion siis^e up ma t % "oon as posa-
blo and herd is Decatur. It is the hnf noint to o'^ohi information
of movements of live enemy's force -is ^ <"xi nv f > ■ ^ ■> r or v Ory to
operate f^o.'i, eilh^r '-outh, east or 'vest; :u,d 1 do nut hoi i ve this
line of ooiimiioioat Ion cm 1a- snooessfully used, unless that point is . -
held, 1 not. to-' .dvt y^n ; ?y in relation to movements of General Sherman,
He telegrams aij nccs \o me ;<>\d explaias the movements of troops
toward MohJ lo v/hjcii T teTogr.-nihed you yesterday and today. There is
ni doubt but ccnsncVrahl -. force has gone, in that direction. I think,
however, eviy on" divnsion nn-i one brigade have left Johnson,

"fou <'.v. <ii f.'e oh~l 1 hrve guarded our line of communications for
a long t h;o and ^ nst vhen ilie campaigr onenc Cennrl Grant wil.i see
fit to aj l^n n- to -„ '>e part in it. 1 i\: ?."lna;n i-il'Jh'3 and cheerfully
acqniesont in any duties assigned me-, but 151.; *-\ll ohhrrs sometim-~s
have a nreference, 1 trust you will not 00ns 4 -!e e if no out of place
for me to express the above wish. 1 judge' from your letter that the
present movement is only temporary. The reports and movements of the
enemy look as though Johnson were now south of the Etowah river."

People were coming down from the north, and endeavoring to go

through our lines to buy cotton and to Mpeeualate in the country we

had occupied and my brother had writ Ion m: L.> Icnow if 1' could not

make some investments there myself and on January 31st ' I answered him

saying, I am using the money J earn in Nov/ York speculating in stock.
My friends are on the inei.de tract and are bound to make me some money.

160

My funds invented in St, Lon.be ore doiu" iv^J, I mrnt to kepp my
spare money a;? far a**- ?v>< the ar,.ry av pc^aiblo a« any used inside
of the lines by an o^flc'er is mi^eonblrucdj no , ; ;;i -/. t r how legitimate
the operation; therefore r r - ill not uso t r *• he." 11 ,"

On February lot ibo acont arriv " m-u q?i -v and I immediately

wired General Grant telling him that he reported a division from
Johnson's army and one brigade baside other troops spiken' of in my
former dispatch, had moved west towards Mobile and Meridian. This
spy also said it was common talk that Johnson was to fall back behind
the Etowah. r -iits information rather distrubed General G rant as he
was fearful that Johnson might try to concentrate on Sherman in his
movement from Vioksburg to Meridian and he requested me to get all
the information from, that quarter that I could.

On Feb, 3rd, 1 received very grave complaint from Col. Mizner
in relation to the action of my troops and^I immediately wrote him
asking for detailed particulars and he wrote me as follows:-

Columbia,, Feb. S s 1864.
Gen. Bodge:

The acts referred to have been complained c p almost every day

for the last two months. The best union Citizens here say tha'. Lvinh
disgraceful conduct has never been known in this Beat.* on 5 by F ' vil
or Confederate troops. Hen have run wild, and u.ru i rificers ha.'e
protested against it; 7th Illinois, and cavalry lrn T 3 ae^cd in this way
The very subsistence has been taken from families nho hove taken the
oath and given evidence of loyalty c These people Gen, Rousseau is
determined to protect. 1 doubt if there is a smoke house that has not'
-been robbc'' between Lynnville and Smith land. This by men who have
rations, T "ajur Hanna. 50th regiment Illinois Infantry, £"^\pd at
my protection papers te pa/ Lies where my jurisdiction ^-^ -."j and
under pretense of leaving a team would turn out worth. * i.s ..o *k he had
with him while he and 'its men cloaredout the smoke hon ->r , 'ILis
after you' had as sued nt- no ror^ a took would be taken in Murry County.
Gen. Rousseau has di -1 '" '.ed no to send Sergt. Major Henry under guard
to Nashville, if he- comes .near me pressing negroes to be soldiers."

These complaints had become wery aggressive and upon my own

investigation 1 found that my troops had simply been obeying orders
in taking stock, forage and in bringing the negroes in to work on

the road; that so far as pillaging or robbin3, it was mostly citizens

t_-

•> or other troops that were moving up and ■lorn the pike without officers

but M finally appsaled to General Grant in the matter in the follow
ing letter:

161--

Pulaski, Pet). 4, 1884 »

General Grant :

I enclose copies of two dispatches ..are! a h ttrcejh regular
ruliji.,1"" channels from Col. Mizner. It ha? hooa ip* eraloa aor to do
-11 I c juld 3ln c a: aping out my orders not to ea?iu~aeh ....op. any
offh^e. You are awar; l1 at 1 have had to f uk 1 11,000 "r.Oa. while
I nave beer h.pr a ; aire r La thou.ar.nd nriTr*^ _. ; Ite* T ha"» : mounted
• i. • -,-, xr^.h eat, a of lu-Panir;; tilth ••toe"- feh^i fm +1 ^ country
ana! rrritl--- 1 up enliro iaaine* ^h.'-i I ereivop b e c p p-p no animals
1:1 t fo<" .-n'Vi'u- in-ri^ turaod o^' r r-. 0::;th1r v I Inn nf Cho-nnih to
the l""-^ ---i-.ar Oevpa hffoae I vms ordrreel Lc r.ovs, and Hien the orde-
cnuio T ,-« ,| <ai* w'tii jv..t uhef t i-i ,nr? r'\>i «caht lap «<y hands on.
T ' , '* 1 ~ I'V^nf^:: M ■ - - Wl d'pn-ac^iiona have he a co--r1 If Od T have no
'luV . CJ, piano" ren^rfe^ oiah' ->- a v - go „ f f u_r !:5 etni p

hh.on- i ' v-n>>a - «-,, n-. ^ j - uS ', n--"V> r ^n-.'j of c * M " , u'" oi ■h* ;<
T (-, ,-,■•> i,- ^•.n ^r-l r- 'j ^r c [' T'h a t" ^n p~-p, • p' , ,* ' -p T

\i "•!•"-• " ! "" , ."-['•> o la v?M ?• t ha . -^ ran .a a. *" J- •> •' I \e,.e;- of my
c zin-n^" "^ t u „. o"+^n .. t tiaar: h-v? hr ••: ^'thanh meat and no '
doubl f.h'hica- ha ••-> •* ,-i-o<- 5 4 „ f- "* „ tt. .,,-■- 1 a..tee " „.f sending these
hl.h'" h> !.!•"• hoar"' Ih-.la ooarnlau I „ I da-^rophed me In general
ntpii than; ■ - 1 Ihor •■'irre^ -'uvund arn 1 "-hnt.^;; the entire command
to lr: c ' Siiich ]' orfi.T-n". T >ot ;f Lhp "oiiay 1 al ats are from citizens
llyjnr r-m-ith r.' ,, hr Holarthln ' > •-a , Pup]" r>h;oi\ He claims jurisdiction
over eight o~ t°/-i ^"Teo .-f conntr-y couth of 1 here , and has gone so far
as to arret.* \rj ofrioeri tnl-.inr catHo v. r iMiin that limit, claiming the
were encPo" ,,, hi'\. u_ i ^ hi-- ih^Li,,

~ T o^\ l I .nhaU . vac ' t ro + ; r-n-a - ^>i "" htst the citizens should
he vr fa ->•-.-• to r, fw,i T >-5v?»i a oi-> -. iao to r.ur.ish the guilty? Or if
act'." i j to -n-ha .. • -'"nvnln to th- '-It •* nas!

The faa 1 oP l'->a aa J la?!- 1 "- , I h ni .'-* " M €vr looked upon here as an
int ,v u !■■>•■• ar { ay poa""f Mn:^ >1 a,, - *-oi „ i -1 .. the c^rrs he. has
inane. 1 ;,i"t- ■ "'.:'-<; I n j thn. "nc rt to ;•■• „ T~ ! -"" alwaji , h '- in my desire
\ v u -•" , ^ --. ,, ••»,--, •-"!•! ' " - h r>l ; 'K.lti,, fa a?.'- with „' a. When

i ^ P:oJ'~ . ■"* ! -ha An.„ „, !h n u ^^'-n-' '-a - , : - on la* '-ny to

West Te , - V "°' ." "i Pv • ;">^i n •■>''' t- 1-u - - ,, i .<_ J ^ v \ • - ;. "" - l 1 could
to r^iV 1 1 ■. , " 1 ' «'o-'- ; . 4jJ , t .]\jj -, >' :,,- .; 'inii ok. Lo ' hi with

600 '> • " oi v v. i.*w . ">..oL„il j.iiu.» h ,j J, ■ « • - ^ Oi h .'...'• i; > 3 Jki-
mit ■ ; l-v. ' " - ., a.~w- ."! ^ j '".' \.jj\\ 'f ^ 'no sn.'!..,, 'h .' _• .•.■!.'. id, I

too" hu'ht *" hh '" ' i , i m L>~*ii^-ijp TT ^ VlJ ! ' '"llVwry — j^J — 1» 'u '.u- u 1 '^ «>-fe4m

6^©»j4e«*-e^ — e****L,: , - _h v au.a ! '- ,a^.. . ' .i c ' " .' ? „ . ii. n' b'n,.: 1 them.
I assure yuu ]1 -'A T , 5 .x o' , >, . - „ - . a ^ ' - o v w ■■ a

man v,ho is r, i:x ! ; of 'h„jaa an uT o "on.-.; a^ '- 1 . ^ "h a "ho se
depredation., • f '. w ^, un - .\i>.iih . a.i.j.. . . 7 ao w \ aliaa * i. any
officer to h"o h „. ao.au t '" 1 ~o.',j..a :.."«.!. ad ..waoj " ' h -■ ^ aai v uiditt£,
and have V~ ^ .. ■ u '. . < .\. O o 'V : ' ^-J °^ iI -* ^ -,/:-;"- -'"-s where
j ~ " ' h •' v.-.a. " a " 1 ' * ' a ^ « b, h> kiiufe' Lucia 1 cuu consider

a- aof itJ f * -, ."•'. *7' 1 iu : 6 ' , ni^h-h aal laount my command out

c .r IM: o , ,,Lr', ; .w 1 a,.rvlall; v^ou T ;a-J:. u-.groes to hull d rax lro ads
ta' ;„ ->o- .•/ 'i. - i.o.-jliv; xil "> "a C'n.oia^ :,hei,a n. • _.. J must do
so; and I o ui „,-.h.c _ " -o 4 oa'ij il^^t, i-a7 : h 1 dif.,» • t- lees it.
This entlr- '' ' "n 4 . . ;, aao full «.. i ova--;th; o r " ] ' n J c * ir i::i ' e and that
was the oni > .h.naaaal h rr- j a' a,, u 11 ' ret i w '"-ltc secure
its possession again; and he u:> e v ,.h_ wixi. tm , 'a*. uiy toward

middle Tennessee. And not oni, I'-lo, C'ies and L .u, -"o duties were
unanimously for secession, Jh . ;,„ a" lo„ i fpers 1 could not respect
onc'pt-so far as personal property was concerned that ' 1 " Bj.-u^ h'd
no I used. I heir' + ^nt no papers proteq.t against the a if«;V" a of
c coaimand, ara 5 T »-all:vo rhen you get outside of the a'.iuu^, 1 " rr af
nol..u.hIa you will riiV 1 ufc citizens will say that my troops have
hrh. \ed remarkably well, and that 1 'ear; puerd.pi^ r!pi dip PQalnrt,
and punished severely, rli a., i iho: 1^ al -a : eed'h I one,

ane thing more .--houid h" tslaui i tiiw core Iforat Io„ , The p-Le
which runs along my eoiu.iaal hr, h or: us^ci i ni. t >; tiring, t»-. o L a
and detachments going to the naup>' ox hue c-.uud .-r-^ - n ■ " 'o ' ':• x-"J-
l.GI, many of them without proper offjoors, IXaiholeao came of them ■
have comadttoed such ch oredatior.a as ameho feueo ^' U ziiinz$ ?'■ - p
meat, kill In;-; hogs, &c £ I hvo Inetitued a^a innaah-y .'ntc: t'^s:
charges and hr-ve sent to ncl. Kii-' er it • ^ iat a of ai-. p-a^aio d: ■-

proaalcd n"oa, , , , . „ , , , •

f jpnid sa,>- mana hit Lea- uhinj.c In i : un aiat - an h.a Ji- c^3;~

162

courtesies shown in these dispatches; and show that I have, borne
many iuu ! :;.t * ties that few officers would q:i.L.t". ; ? i>\-n I care

naugld

f.n

, It era sc 1

".s they -concern l

when the,
an er,t ir

Gran! - •

who 'Vi'
title--

; ' '!•■- =f !■. • * ■ ' v.ops but
hi" come w:tiIi u :,<".A attacks upon all and ai-o Ow.- out to
v'j*i"i^ j, . c -ii* m w cr to me, it is another thing.
:ao.a.V ']!••" ■' .-catches and orders and trust that General

a'\I„',n-:i Ui.\'*. •_ Col. Mizner to hereafter' 1 s--nd persons
n v , i 'i Ir,, i'^l.;ii call out such outrageous attacks and so

Upon receipt of this letter General 'Grant gave orders for the
arrest of the officer for disrespect towards General Dodge, and!
placed the following endorsement upon the papers,

"W .Tiary 15, 1864.

Your dispatch of the 11th of December j
T. C. Williams, and one of January 16, 1884 -'
with Brig, Gen, &, K» Dodge's explanation and
reached these headquarters. Your wholesale a
gallant and superior' officer, is uncalled for
authority you "cv. rv ""d +o you^s^lf in pr^stir
his orders, and -dsi'? u f you*- gucrd linos,
bad taste. W ">' h cl< ""(uOi 1 o-"* I'r^j d-i^palche
is calculated 1c cicala Ik. d " > j t v of froling
to co-operate wit h each u'.hn 1 , Int-n^o. «1 you
Dodge's explao i'. ion , "

"<_ 15, to Captain

r ttpt„ Polk, together
"Ciarks thereon, have
1 ''^k upon Gen. Dodge, i
r.un improper. The
officers acting under
was unmilitary and in
s show "bad temper and
between troops expected
will find copy of Gen.

1 received the • following letter from A, Kountz on Feb. 4jf#6f

"I hasten to write yon as follows;
1 project which is almost certain to carry ir, on foot which if
effected and carried out fully will com -'let el" ruin Omaha and
Council Bluffs. It 'is this— the Miss, & Mo, R . R. and the Cedar
Rapids Road are about to unite at some point in Iowa and in doing
so propose to run a single line only across f'e 'State to the Missouri
River in which case they will run to the Missouri at a point 10,
15 or possibly 25 miles north of Council Bluffs and 1 fear that our__
misfortunes will not stop here. I fear that a relocation of the *
starting point of the Union Pacific R .R, may "be made and thus leave
-us- forever without railroad facilities, I think T, c. Durant is i^ "^
- adverse to our interest! and you may about as well make up your
mint to such a result as to think of any other for I see nothing, to
avert this calamity* "

1 had also received dispatches from Council Bluffs and from

other people interested in Iowa in relation to the effort of Ir.

■Tewx>*ie&.viy,o p\d T>a% koines
Durant to change the line^of the M. & M. 'road A'cnreSsCouncil Huffs
Ani croSSi'-H^ +h& MrSSoiiW "River-

K.k De Sot a. 1 -immediately wrote h'r. Durant the following letter:
h

Pulaski s Feb. 4, 1884.

I sent you a despatch today about location of M & M R. r .
It was drawn out from severiil dispatches I received from Iowa in
relation to fixing of terminus of railroad, at Desoto. 1 did not
believe you had any such idea and was under the impression it was
'a move to bring to your support some other combination or interest.
But if you have, let me advise you to drop it. A change of such
vast Importance to western Iowa, and i rom its centre of population
and t rade, would be met by so determined an opposition by all
classes as would force you to terr.s in some way; it would carry with
it the legislation and congressional influence for all time in
direct opposition to all the company's interests. The fact is the
M. & M. is considered all over the state as well as outside of it as
having been located and its terminus fixed at Council Bluffs. It is
on record. The company have drawn their bonds on that route, and the

163

public have acted upon It, To build u-i now any opposition that will 1
be felt everywhere when you are just beginning a new project is not
good policy,,

But one thing sure, I say 60 you as an engineer (and Mr. Dev
or any one who has examined the country will tell you the same) " '
that it is not the route. Par from it; one of the worst vou could
accept. Ho present benefit that Mr. J|iajy? or anybody else can
promise you -ill repay the future detriment it *;111 be to jrou.
I The greet block in the way in going west 'is now and" for a
* long time will remain, the Miuscuri rivor- and ^ou nlace vour road
up there where the valley is eight or more miles wide, four- of which
overflows; ant, l^se^ all the natural -advantages of a vallev only
£2 1.2 miles wide, only 1/2 mile of which ever under anv circumstances
is under wtiter and very seldom over 600 feet 2

You also ignore the two most important towns on the Missouri-
River, Council Bluffs and Omaha, and for a long time, bring against
you the legislatures of both states. The fact is whatever we have
got in Iowa has come from the east,, that western "Iowa, or Council
Bluffs interest have always stood, .like a rook for you and have
swapped away every pet project to get votes for the y. & K»

rlow you may think I have personal interest there; hut not
one word would I ever advance wl&ch- I knew would be detrimental
to_ the interest of either road, 1 look at -the metier as it is,
I know it better than ony man in Iowa, or out of it; and I speak
frankly, for 1 know you will give me credit for never advising or
I doing aught for the company tat what was for their benefit and
f, often for my direct injury,
/ _ Look this matter over well before you decide. Don't let

> any argument against big bonds force you to climb more summits
,; . with 80 feet grades. From Fremont to the boundary in Iowa, the route
; will be in favor of Omaha. 1 know this and I defy any engineer
\ to 30 into the field against me and beat It,
■ The Eoyer Valley is good hut it does not do away with the practical

test that hss been put on all these lines. If you want to" straighten
y the II. & K„ , it is much easier and cheaper to run down the Turkey,
( strike Lewis and thence west. The north bend of the Platte is very
\ little s north of the Bluffs. From DeSotos west it is broken, crooked
) and hea\r r . Any profile that shows different has bean gotten up for
I the occasion. How I believe I can read the plan and if, as 1 suspect
; Mie talk is for the purpose of getting influence on p e R, n., why,
"'; all right; but if in earnest, look well to these pointy, and while

> you hold the power you now do , let no threats draw you, as 1 said in
I my last letter, from the best, most direct and only route west. They
} must all come to ijpiii therefore, sacrifice no influence (especially
/ such as 0«B„ & Omaha have) for any bargain or compromise with any
"; other 3 ine 8 )

I believe this was simplyfe. movement of Durant to accomplish
some other purpose .but 1 thought it was a good opportunity to let
him know what he might expect from Iowa in maintaining tlB old /

location.

As a sequel to this, confirming my opinion, I received a

•• x letter from my brother in which the following was given:

"The scare in Washington was a stock operation by Durant en-
tirely as 1 now believe, Durant ran up R. Island to 149 f and very
' <\^ quietly sold out all his interest and that of his friends j for whom
/"; ^ ^"1 he was operating- and had men buying into Galena, and Chicago, Goes
\~~ % ,/ y ?' to Washington and gets up a combination scheme proposing to them ^~
1 /'"' location so far north_ as to make Galena and C.R.R. the direct co - ".nec-

/' tionfi. R. Island stock goes down to 11JL and Galena up -in proportion-

when that change in prices is accomplished he buys back in R. Island

and sells out in Galena- in other words gets back Home and makes
M t ^ the round trip for himself and friends $5,000,000. It Is the
'' y| smartest operation ever done in stocks and could never be done again."

On February 4th, there were indications of a general movement

of the confederate troops in my vicinity south. Citizens had suddenly

been stopped from crossing the river to this side, I informed

General Grant of this and suggested that it might be on account of

to join Sherman
the movement of General, Smith's cavalry over-land .which proved to

be the case. There had been a great many reports from my foraging
parties and others of the activity of many of the rebel citizens in
helping guerrillas and for. the purpose of stopping this, 1 thought
it best to make and example and 1 issued the following order which ■ •

had the desired effect:

Pulaski, Feb. 4 t 1864.

11. The following named persons having been reported by
officers of thir. command as being dangerous persons to remain within
our lines (Being aiders and abettors of the rebellion) will appear
within ten days from the date hereof at the Provost Mar. General's
office in Pulaski, Tenn. and give bonds in the sume of $5,000 oach
and take an oath to hereafter "behave and donduct themselves as
peaceable and loyal citizens $, and to commit no acts that will tend
in any manner to aid, or' abet, or give comfort to the rebellion;
|. P. M. TCilllnns. 2» V7,R„ Porter, 3, S. J. Matihes, Sr. 5 4. Stephen
She It en. 5, Joi:i Glossess. 8, John WileoKsen. 7 a Jilton. 8. A. A.
Burney, 9. Robert Vfilliams, ( T anner) 10, John Hammond, 11 „ Harvey
Shelton, 12. Willis Johnson, 13. linos Cox. 14 Murphy Nutt. 15.
W. P. Holcourt.

This privilege is given them with the understanding that if
not faithfully lived up to, they with their families will be sent
south of the Tennessee river and their property be taken, and, if
violated, they will suffer death."

On February 5» 1 received the following letter from Capt.

Chenoworth, who was on General Grants staff 'at Nashville:

Nashville, Feb. 5, 1884,

"1 received your letter relating to Col. Mizner' s dispatches to
day, 1 had already heard of them through Lt . Col. Bowers, who
treated them with utter contempt, but he and Gen. Rawlins thought they
would send them to yon to let you know what Mizner was doing. Gen.
Grant arrived here last night and the matter was laid before him, and
he gave orders for the arrest of Mizner for disrespect towards you.
This was before you had written, Mizner has not been arrested yet
because General Rawlins thought it best' 'to delay the matter a
litt,e but he told me today that Mizner* s command woul^be taken away
from Columbia.

You stand just as high as it is possible for you to do in the
estimation of all at these head quarters, and anyone who endeavors
to injure you only draws ridicule upon himself,"

. Upon receipt of, this letter I wrote General 'Rawlins a personal
note stating that I did not think it was best to arrest Colonel
lizner that if the change of his command was made, it would be
better, . X told him 1 thought Col. Mizner's acts came more from the
general policy- of the officers in the Department of the Cumberland
The j; had neYer been forced to live off of the country as we had;
they had always been near transportation where all their rations,
forage, etc, was furnished them on regular requisitions and that
this was a new experience to them, - It is a singular fact that
Col. Mizner afterwards served under me in the Indian campaigns

in 1865 and proved himself to be an efficient' officer. Heoften
spoke to me about his action at Columbia and explained it as feame
as 1 have to General Rawlins. He was stationed at Laramie and built
there a very fine log quartet for his entire Hegiiaent,

Mr. C. 1. Hildreth of Go, I., 2nd Iowa, who had been detailed
in my command 9 xk81 edited a little army paper known as "The Chanticleer"
at Corinth and Pulaski. This paper had quite a local circulation on
account of its being a newsy Sheet, ii having picked up items of
interest to the army. When Mr. Hildreth was discharged, he was
ordered to Washingont and on Feb* 5th, 1 received the following letter

from him. :

Washington, Feb. 5, 1864,

1 have the honor to inform you that after spending a week or so
in Washington City, 1 find everything founded upon a false "basis ,
Treason and rebellion do not blush to assume the uniform and accept
the pay of Mie United States. This is the secret of the series of
failures which have always attended this army, 1 am most thoroughly
disgusted with the capitol, and do not fear to assert that the Loft
VftLng of the 16th A rra y Corps will acompMsh more in one week toward
crushing the rebellion than the entire army of the Potomac has ever
done, A few ouch regiments as the 7th Illinois Mounted Infantry
and the 9th Illinois would teach the rebels in this vicinity a lesson
which they have as yot had no intimation of,"

Col. A. L. Chellain of the 12 th 111, had been promoted to a
Brig. Gen 8 of U. S. Vols, and he was assigned' 'to f.br command of all ■ ■

the colored troops in the State of Tennessee with head- quarters at

ffVe-mP'Kfs".. Col, Ghetlain was a citizen of Galena and a particular
i ' ^preventative

friend of General Grant and through the influence of , ^"'ashburn

■succeeded in obtaining this promotion. He was a fine officer and I

16-6

regretted to part with him. He was a commander of a regiment and as
I had recommended other officers of brigade for promotion, this shows
that a member of Congress influence and pressure at Washington accom-
plishes what no one in the army, from General Grant down could, bring
about. This was very discouraging to the officers, notwithstanding
everyone knot? that Chetlain was a good officer and they were glad to
see him promoted,

1 had received a personal letter from General Grant telling
me that as soon as i got my force, which had veteranized, back, to go
forward and tale D ecatur as I had so many times recommended* After
recieving this, I sent a dispatch to the Adjutant General of Ohio,
where the 27th, 39th s 45d and 63d Ohio veteran infantry were having
gheir furlough, asking him to return them to the command as soon as
their furloughs expired as rapidly as possible.

1 received another letter from Mr. A, Kountze, dated Washington
I ..Feb. 10th in relation to the action of Mr, Durant in trying to change

fA-j

v - " * the M. & M. Road. It shows the feiling existing in Omaha in relation

to this matter, and is as follows:

Washington, Feb, 10, 1884,

Things are not yet looking very favorably for us. Durant is
still bent on going north witb hia K„ & M. road and thus leaving Council
f\\i*'''\ '^-UfTs and Omaha out in the cold. In order to enable the K& M. road

\ /\ -and Codar Rapids road to unite and form a new line of road, but to do
,/\\/ so some congressional legislation will be required and u.iless they can
"' y/ secure this they -ill probably not go on with their plan of project,
/ lest assured of one thing,, however, and that is that no effort will
/ be spared to succeed with this movement. To convince you of this
I fact, 1 need only to state to you that Durant is now having surveys

made frwa Omaha bearing north, almost directly so. After leaving omaha,
say 8 or 8 miles west, they bend the lino way out of its natural course
or channel increasing distance and eiipense greatly, but this movement
will subserve the proposed project now on foot to slaughter us. How
we are - to arrest this formidable undertaking, I confess I don't now
see . "

I made a trip over the road from Nashville to Decatur to examine

the work as completed and to see that every arrangement had been made

for the operation of the road as soon as the Duck River bridge was
completed. On Feb. 11th, 1 reported the condition in the following
dispatch to General Grant :

167

Pulaski, Feb. 11, l*fcl.

1 have just returned from opposite Decatur, Cars can run
there as soon as Duck river bridge is done, say next Wednesday, Not
' much done west of Hunt svi lie. Pour pretty large bridges to build.
I will get ready to move as suggested. 1 ought to have fire or six
regiments back now. The 2nd and 7th iowa*s time is out, also feller's
Brigade of Ohio, If you could hurry up their return, I would be
strong enough. The Tennessee is fordable in but few places, and the
cavalry force has increased. 1 suspect that Davidson's division from
Rome has been sent down into the valley. There was a pontoon bridgd
in Nashville when 1 was there; can 1 have it?"

This dispatch referred to the movement on Deeatur and -also the
Memphis and Charleston line from iforesville to Huntsville which : had
been urging the 15th A. c. to rebuild as they were occupying that
country but they had not had the experience in rebuilding railroads
that we had had and were slow in accomplishing the work.

1 had to make preparations for putting in a pontoon bridge

across the Tennessee river to connect with Decatur when captured.
The railroad bridge, which was a. truss bridge some 2#0;/feet long,
had been burned, leaving the stone piers standing , 1 had some pon-
toons in the Duck and Elk rivers and 1 had applied to Nashville for
others but I saw that I would have to build others and immediately
sent Captain Armstrong $» at the head of my pioneer corps, to 2ro«?k,
under the following Instructions, and sending him plans:

Pulaski, Feb. 14, 33*8-.

As soon as you get through with bridges and as your wen are
relieved from work uit then to work making a pontoon bridge.

Make pontrons 26 feei. jong, 5 feet wide and 2 feet d»pp drawn in at
both ends say one half, make centre for ten feet strK/ig«. T "iiere balks
will resty male balks stranger) twenty-six. feet long- 4\ 3 inches
five to a bay and chesses (floor) twelve feet long and one and one
half or two inches thick, one foot wide out .,r as light timber as you
can find. The bridge whan laid will have baO/s of 18 to 20 feet between
boats, and the balks will Ian at each end,"

Captain Armstrong was a very fine officer and a very competent
builder. He was a fine organizer and a rapid worker and had had charge
of my pioneer corps for a long time and _ eont inued in charge as long as
I cormnanded in that army and smie of the structures that he put
VLptf supposing them to be temporary were fine pieces of workmanship and
a good many of them were left in their positions for many years after
the war*

:1C8

Notwithstanding that I was occupying Tennessee, the rebel citi- *
zens were plotting and planning to help the enemy and at every oppor-
tunity were showing their animosity towards Union men' and the following
order shows our treatment of them:

S. 0. No. 42, Pulaski, Feb. 15, 1864.

VIII. It having been ascertained that the following named
citizens were engager] in breaking tip and driving out of this country
Mr, J. 7. Faldron, a staunch union man, and that they purchased a por-
tion of his goods, when publicl" sold by a band of guerrillas under
the lead of one Capb. Emerson, it is hereby ordered that they pay to
Col. J. B. ""a aver, 2d regiment Iowa Infantry volunteers, commanding
post of Pulaski , the sums set opposite their names respectively, and
that Gol. TTeavsr, turn over to the siad J. r , Walron or his family
the amount so collected , and make report of the same in comoliance
with 6, 0. No. 4, 1864, ho ad quarters military division of the Mississ-
ippi. Clay Stiumit, $1,000. John Marks, f:800 . Quartis Mayfield, $300"

This order, and. the one issued before, putting the citizens

under bond, |iad the proper effect and after that I received no, more

reports.

On February 18th, 1 notified Gaaeral Grant that the D uc ic River

Bridge had been completed and. that the railroad was finished and in

running order and that trains could go through safely. I also

informed him that there was a steamboat running on the Tennessee river

dealing in cotton, paying, sugar, coffee and gold for it. It went to

ike "Rebel
lastport and Taterlio, On the boat was a relative of A General Roddy and

had hii protection. The host runs to point" ^r- 4 - 1 ? i he rebel lines B
Gen.SIierv.an <-*.enf orders to gunboats on Tuiuesroo R:'«ver bo <* bop this trading,
The gang of thieves connected with bhe 18th Mo. had been U-iod

and the leader, John D. Vance of the 18th Mo. had been convicted and
on Peburary 17th, 1 sent the following di.- patch to General Grant:

"One John D. Vance of the 18th Missauri infantry, tM leader of
a gang of robbers and murderers, has been tried, convicted and ordered
to be shot. 1 respectfully request authority to carry sentence into
effect. It is a juwt verdict and -will have a g od effect if promptly
acted upon. He is a very bad man."

Some time afterwards, General Grant notified me that in such
cases the officer in the fieli could not execute the order of the
Court-martial hut it must go to the Department headuqarters and from
there to Washington, a recent order of the War department requiring it.
What became of Vance, I do not know, but the effect of the arrest of
these citizens 'snd the conviction of the men connected with the 18th
Missouri had a very good effect on the command.

In response to a request from General G rant to give the facts
and details of the arrest and conviction of Mr. Vance, I sent him the

169

following letter:

Pulaski, Feb. 18, 1884.

Yanoe is a private of Co. 6 . 18th Missouri infantry ; he was

found guilty of the charges of assault ' and battery with intent to
commit a felony and of robbery. He is a very had" and dangerous man
and has been the leader of a gang, of robbers composed of citizens and
members of the 18th Missouri infantry. The specif ic at: cms to the
charges of which he is found guilty, show that he went with his gang
at night to the house of a citizen whom he robbed of ail the money
hi. had, and he himself knocked Mrs., Davis down several times by blows
upon her head with a pistol nearly fracturing her skull. Also
knocked Mr. Davis -down with hia pistol, dragged him out of his house
some distance and- beat him insensible for the purpose of gettinr him
fco tell where. his money was, Mr, and :Mrs. Davis are very old people
(seventy years old.). He (Yanoe) doubtless lias been a. professional
robber and probably. murderer. fl

On February 20, we received the first news of the movement
of Gen. Sherman from Vifksburg towards Meridian, Lt. Col, Phillips
who was watching the Tennessee river was often in communication with
the enemy on the other side and he sent me word that the enemy
opposite him said Sherman was in Meridian and that General Hardee
commanded the confederate forces in his front and that the enemy
were falling back before him, moving up towards Golumbts, Mississippi.

On February 25rd, 1 made my official report of the work of the
corps in the rebuilding of the railroad from Nashville to Decatur as
follows:

"I have the honor to report the duty performed by this command,
in repairing the railroad from Nashville to Decatur.

The command arrived at Pulaski No 11, 1863 and was soon after
scattered along the railroad from Columbia to Athens. Details of work-
ing parties were placed to work on all the bridges, every bridge on the
road being out, I soon after received orders to take charge of the work
north of Duck River and placed parties to work on seven bridges north
of Duck River and also a heavy detail on Duck River Bridge, the piers
of which had been destroyed. Since that time we have out in the follow-
ing important bridges, all good solid structures, numbered from six
up, 6, Garter's trestle, 225 ft. longs, 32 £*>» high, 7„ Sutherford,
Greek #1, 120 ft long, 19 ft, high. 8 Rutherford Ck #21308 ft. Long
19 1/2 ft. high, 9 Rutherford Ck. #3p52 ft. long, 29 ft. high,'
10. Rutherford Creek #4872 ft, long f 24 ft high, 11, Duck river 608
ft, long, 70 ft. high. ^Two spans Howes truss, two spans treslte,
1009 ft. long, 33 ft, high, 14 Grayces trestle, 630 ft, long, 43 ft.
high, 15, Robertsons trestle, 112 ft, long 17 l/2 ft. high. 18.
Richland Oreok trestle /lJSL92 ft, Jong,.- 27 ft. high. 17. Rich, and
Creek trestl #2/175 ft, Idng 29 ft, high, ,18 Richnomd Creek trestle
#o» 168 ft, long, 32 ft. high. 19 Richmond Cr. trestle #4|sS0
-ft. long, 34, 50 ft, high, — 2 Tunnerl Hill, 620 ft. long/39 ft, high.
21, Elk river bridge trestle, 615 ft, long, 36 1/2 -ft, high rests on
7 cribs. c 22 Mill creek trestle, 515 ft, Jong, 50 ft., high, 23
Sulphur Spring trestle, 539 ft. long, 75 ft, high— 24 Athens trestle,
95 ft. long s 7 ft, high. 35 Athens trestle, 152 ft, long, lift, high,
26 Athens trestle, 72 ft, long, 11.5 ft. high. 27 Swan Creek trestle,
360 ft, long, 12 ft, high-- 28 Swan creek trestle 114 ft. long, 11 ft
hihg-- 29 Swan Greek trestle swamp, 200 ft-, long 9 ft. high, 30
Junction Trestle, 240 ft. Jong, 15 ft, high.

Two spans of the truss at Duck river were put in by L, D. Boomer

170

of Chicago, a deck truss being substituted for a through truss; the
piers having been destroyed by rebels rendered it impracticable to ■
rebuild to former height.

Elk river bridge was just built by me as a common trestle; a
freshet in December trashed it out and I substituted a bridge of 50
foot spans resting on cribs 18 feet high. It will do for a permanent
structure and is finely built* There were also built two pontoon
bridges, one over Duck river with twelve bsatteaus made from plank
and timber found at a saw mill, length 240 feet; one over Ilk river,
300 feet made of flat boats, so that they could be run into Tennessee
river as ferry boats, if they should be needed; the timber for this
bridge was standing in trees, as was all the timber for 'all the rest
of the bridges. At Prospect a steam saw mil] was put up; and is now
ready for Government use.. It is a fine mill, and will saw 3000 feet of
lumber per day. At each of the bridges good substantial earth works or
stockades have been built to protect the troops guarding them. The
work uoon them has been immense, and the- works are very creditable
ones. The water tanks, switches, track, &c. iiMve all been rebuilt
and put in order and some 2,000 cords of wood gotten out and put on
the road, sawed ready for use; and the entire road put in perfect running
order. All the v;ork has been done by soldiers of this command and
negroes pressed, in the country: and when the amount of work done is
considered and the unfavorable weather is taken in aefciunt, 1 think it
must be looked upon as very creditable to the command.

The entire command during its stay has lived entirely off the
country, drawing nothing except sugar, of fee and salt.

The mounted infantry has been kept busy watching Tennessee
river and the country west and staging the time several skirmishes,
and the fights at Athens, Florence and Cane's ferry occurred. Some
400 enlisted men and 42 officers have been captured and sent forward
/ aa prisoners of war. The health of the command is excellent; the sick
not averaging 5 per cent of the total strength «,

1 cannot speak too highly of the industry, alacrity and interest
the command has shown in taking hold of and finishing the work. No
t^' emergen y could arise but what some officer or man could be found to meet
and master it. They all seemed to appreciate the importance of opening
up the communication for the future operations of the army, and took
hold of it with a determination that it should . ' be done at the
earliest possible moment."

-£ \, During this work I had received the active support of General
^ Grant . and he made known to me in many ways the satisfaction he had in

f-r

^ u m y work and in his memoirs he makes the following statement;

i £ "Sherman's force made an additional army, with cavalry, artillery

■^ and trains all to be supplied by the single-track road from Nashville.
v J All indications pointed also to the probable necessity of supplying
"""** ^Burnside's command in East Tennessee, twenty-five thousand more, by the
S"i - same route, A single track could not do this, 1 gave, therefore, an
^ ^ order to Sherman to halt General G. M. Dodge's command of about 8000
^ "* men at Athens, and subsequently directed the latter to arrange his troops

J: along the railroad from Decatur north toward Nashville and to rebuild that
^ ^* road. The road from Nashville to Decatur passes over a broken country,
4: ~ cut up with innumerable stream £, many of them of considerable width and
\ "&" with valleys far below the road-bed. All the bridges over these had ■
\ been destroyed, and the rails taken up and 'twisted by the enemy v All
'^Ii£L_£jLl'il— '-il 1 ' 1 1 oeomotives not carried of f ,had been destroyed as effectu-
ally r-j I '•••~^> •-• il " v oooi • m^ .. 1 between Nashville and Decatur and thence '
to fiLevanaou --.here Li. Ll^mphis and Charleston and the Nashville and Ohatta
noogs roads unite. The rebuilding of this road would give us two roads
as far as Stevdnson over which to .supply the army. From Bridgeport a
short distance further east the river supplements the road. .

General Dogge, besides being a most -capable 'soldier, was an
experienced railroad builder. He had no tools to work with except
those of the pioneers, axes, -picks and spades. With these he was able

to intrench his men and protect them against surprises by small narties
of the enay. As he had no base of supplies until tbo road should be

■171-

oompleted back to Nashville, the first matter to consider, after protect-
in* his men, was the getting in of food ar/> .forage from the surrounding

hnd his men and teams hriir^ in all the grain they could find
and all the cattle for beef and such other food as

country., He hss
or all they needed,

could he found. Killers were detailed, from, the ranks to run
along the line of the army. When these were not near enough
.for the protection, they were taken down and moved up to the
"road. Blacksmith shops"with all the iron and steel found in
moved up in like manner. Blacksmiths were detailed from the
set to work making the tools necessary in railroad and bridge

the mills
to the troops-
line of the
them were
ranks and
build inn; .

::\

T? 'hen these were not near enough to the troops for protection, they were
taken down end moved up to the line of the road. Blacksmith shops were
taken 'down and with all the iron and steel found in them were moved up.
Axemen were put to work getting rut timber for bridges r nd cu'tins fuel for
locomotives when the road should be completed. Car builders were set to
work repairing the locomotives an* cars. Thus every branch of rail-
road building", making tools wofck with, arid supplying the workmen with
food, was all ' going on at once, and wit 1 '- out, the aid of a mechanic or
laborer except 'what the command itself furnished . Btit rails and cars
the men could not make without material and there was not enough rolling
stock to keep the road we already had worked to its full capacity.
There were ro rails except those in use. To supply these deficiencies
1 ordered eight of the ten engines General kc^lierson had at Flcksburg
to be sent to Nashville and all the cars he had except ten. I also ordered
the troops in West Tennessee to points on the river and on the Memphis
and Charleston road, and ordered the cars, locomotives and rails from all
the railroads except the Memphis and Charleston to Nashville. The military
manager of railroads also was directed to furnish .:.cre rolling stock and
as far as he could, bridge material. General Bodge had the work assigned
him finished within forty days 'after receiving his orders. The number of
/bridges to rebuild was one hundred and eighty two, many of them over deep
.and vide chasms. The length of road repaired was one hundred and two
miles."

General Grant's statement that the work assigned .me. was completed

in forty days, is correct but that did not include the entire road. The

?/ork at Columbia snd north" to Nashville, 'which was within the department

of the Cumberland, and which thev were to reconstruct, progressed to

slowly that Gen. Grant finally put it. in my change, and I had to take hold

of it after most of my work was done and build it;'" also the Imie from

the Junctlon^.f Loresville on the Memphis and Charleston east to Hunt svi lie

was not. reconstructed as ordered bg the 15th Corps until after my fork

was completed. If all this work hod been placed under r.ie at the be winning

I would have had it all finished at the same time as I had the organised

forces .that, could d Q it and 1 could hove aided my workmen very much if I

had had the line north of Columbia; I could have' controlled the movement

of trains south of Nashville which would have been of -root, aid in bringing

forward material and supplies. Even after I got the trestle up at Duck

River, ihat bridge was not used until after Boomer hud . put up' his two

SOO.ft. trusses. . The railroad oprators would run their

trains to Duck River and not cross the;,i on account, as they said, of

■172"

the ^ e i 8y it would cause Boomer anf we stayed st T^ck River nearly a

.month Millie trains might have been running over the false work.

Mr letters and dispatches to General Grant and Sherman explainer!
these matters very fully and' I think many times I called their attention
to the work. Finally Grant put all the work north of Columbia under ue ,
but he insisted that the work from Moresville to Huntsville, should be
done by the lfith Corps. The- -ere posted at Stevenson and <U* not extern
west from there for a long time. The fact is it was some timo hi Larch
before they had that line completed.

General Grant was very anxious to keep posted in relation to

7 Generals Sherman's and Smith's operations and I had kept ray secret ser-
vices men and scouts very busy and I sent him numerous dispatches of
their reports and on February 25th, I received wor* from the spy at L.ont-
gomery and sent General Grant th following dispatch:

"Dispatch from scout at Montomgery, nate* 19th, says %erman has
reached i. : . p< 0. Railroad; that Polk has evacuated; that part of his
force is north and part south of Sherman; that bulk of it has gone
towards Mobile and fallen back behind Toinbigbee river; that greet
consternation exists in all the towns; that all troops from there have
been sent to Polk leaving only provost guard at Uontgoiiiery Selman
and Tuscaloosa; that no troops ha* gone from Johnson's army since
last report ? but that everything that can be raked together is being
hurried towards iuo ; :ile and' to Folk: that our iron-cladp, have attacked
forts at Mobile; says rebels have no idea of Sherman's destination;
that he is destroying everything and negroes , mules and citizens are
flocking east* He sent a messenger through to Sherman. No battle up
- to that date had occurred "

9n the sa \e date, I senS him a report of the troops from Atlanta

and Rome, Georlpa, as follows:

"The fortifications around Atlanta are three lines of rifle
pits; surrounding the place, and on the Ohattahoochie river, eleven
miles north of Atlanta, commencing at the Island they are putting up
works running down to the railroad bridge. These works have been
lately commenced and every tenth negro has been impressed to work.
upon them .

At Rome , Gen. Brown with a blrgade of Infantry is at, work on
fortifications. Capt. Green is engineer building the birdge on Ousf&noula
river. On the east side of the river a large fort is being built,
which commands approach from the west. Wear it are some thirty-two
pound -nms, not mounted. This line of fortifications is lAJ'd '>n> ,
but only partially built: runs up this river to the mountains porth
of town and connects with another r ort } ladd out but not built- -that
commands the roa^ running in from the north between the two rivers.
From this fort four lines of rifle pits, now being worked on, run to
the, Etowah Kiver. Some distance above the bridge'-, over this river, a
battery is built that covers the bridge and a small village on south,
side of the river called i,j okskillet .

during the first, part of February, troops, mostly Tennessee,
Forth Alabama, Kentucky and Arkansas regiments, were 'moved to
Mississippi to prevent desertions, and Southern Alabama and Lliss issippi

178

troops were brought up to. supply their place. This movement lasted
till about the 12th. At Kingston, Cave Springs, Marietta, White
River and Cross Plains are 'some 6000 cavalry, horses and some cav-
alry with them. The stock is in very poor condition. Grigsby(s
brigade was relieved at the front by Hume^ 1600 strong, and went
to Oxfrod, Benton County, Alabama, the terminus of the rfeilroad
running toward Rome, Ga. from Selma. Forage is very scarce every-
where except in Cross Valley, where there is plenty of corn;
meat also is very scarce everywhere, and the army at Dalton which,
he says, is about 25,000 men strong, is on half rations. Where he
_ was the new conscript act has not as' yet been very vigorously
enforced, but preparations were being made to rake up everybody.

All the State troops of Georgia have been turned over to the
confederacy and on the 21st of January they wfre given 20 days
furlough. Alabama has not yet turned over ■ her state troops."

He gives troops -stationed as follows: Atlanta 5000, Rome
3000, Oxford 1500, Grigsby's Brigade, Gads end 2500, under Roddy
and White Plains- three companies. In Villi's Valley about 300
state troops. The scout from Kor> t gome ry says all troops have
been hurried to Mobile and Polk, '>•:- corroborates the change of
troops in the two armies, but things perhaps three brigades more
went west than returned. Most all the planters in Floyd, Polk
and Paulding Counties, Georgia have Moved their- stock, negroes
and valuables south. They have no faith i"> the ability of their
army to hold that portion of the country

The scout says the work at Rome does not look like a vigorous
effort to make the place a very formidable one, but north of Atlan-
ta, he says they are very busy.

He saw advertisements of General Wheeler sailing upon refugees
to join him and enlist, as he should operate in Tennessee and Kentucky
this summer. Breckinridge and Buckner are collecting together all
the cavalry in East Tennessee and scout says that Hume's, Roddy's
and Grigsby's brigades are all he could hear of with Johnson »"

This information was ail from reliable men aiiu that 1 ' hey

from their own observation

knew was correct, lhat they learned from others was often greatly
A

exaggerated and sometimes absolutely untrue. These spies collected
the newspapers in their vicinity, which had any information in
them and they were sent to us by messgnger.

On February 26th 1 commenced receiving pontoons from
Nashville for my Tennessee River bridge*

Fuller's Ohio Brigade returned to me and 1 was making every
preparations to capture Decatur.

On February 27th, 1 received a letter from Mr. Hoxie of

Washington who was looking after the Union Pacific interest

there. It was as follows;

"Allison introduced the bill for two reasons; one that he
was on the Land Committee, the other that we wanted to commit him
to its provisions. The bill provides that the railroad shall be
^ •'' built through the cities of Des Moines and Council Bluffs. It
/ also provides that' other railroads may connect and ran over the
h.-g same road and that they shall share- in the land grants and shall

y pay their proportion of the expense. The Cedar Rapids folks had

Cf**" 7 a scheme on foot some two weekg. since, and tried to get- an an—
'* rangement-to have a bill pass that woul/d allow them to leave

Des Moines to the south, and cross the Missouri river at or near
•qDe Soto „ They represent that a road could be built much cheaper
/ down tho valley of the Boyer river than over any other. This
matter was brought up and 1 was iraur diately telegraphed to arid I
at once came to the cit^. I shall stay -till the 10th of March

4i
/f /

i 74

and I hope by that time we will have our' bill through the House.
I wrote you on the subject some days since.

Doctor Durant is now in New York. He will return next
Wednesday. He telegraphes me th#-t he has made arrangements to
raise one million dollars and says he will push the road at once
through. The Doctor means to play fair 1 think. John E. Henry
-aid E. Cook have been here but are now gone home.

Be assured, my dear General, that all will end well. I
did expect to return by way of .Pulaski but have caught a man hero
that 1 must take back to Iowa."

This letter shows that the question of where the M. & M.

road should cross Iowa was still up and that the eiti.sMs "off :

Om.'dia and Council Bluffs were endeavoring to fix the location

rlii di n;nve the St 'to the laiv^ ••• rn » n t.
by, act or* Cohere s s^ A I don't think any •£ bin*; ever came of this.

The necessity of it had passed.

The 9th Iowa Cavalry under Col, Hamilton, 900' strong wh;
were ordered by G-en. Grant to report to me, and also the 1st
Alabama Cavalry, which 1 had raised, -were a long time coming.

On March 7th Captain Armstrong had completed the necessary •

work to finish the pontoon' boats. He had built them on the

Tennessee some miles above Decatur and on this date I issued the

to Col. Puller
following order, placing the movement in charge of Col. Sprgaue

off the 83d Ohio, a very competent officer:

"In crossing the Tennessee river -tonight you will follow
the following general directions altering thera if in your judgment
necessary:

1st, 63d and 43d Ohio "regiments will take the boats at twleve-
o'clock at night loading from right to. left each company and regi-
ment by itself. The boats in moving down the river will keep,
place in column same as loaded and hug this shore,

|lhen they cross they will move by the left flank and if
possible strike the shore in regtilar line at one time. The troops
will immediately unload, form in line and take possession of the
high bank of the river.

The oarsmen will be held as a protection to the boats and
as soon as a lodgment is safely secured one half of the boats will
be sent directly across the river to bring over the remainder of the
command, lo firing will be allowed under any circumstances and after
landing, unless attacked.

Should the boats fail" to land in proper order, 'the troops will
form as they land, until it is ascertained they have a secure lodge-
ment when they can be changed.

As soon as it is light enough to see the troops will move to
tho rear of Decatur, connecting with Lt, G ol. Phillips and covering
all the roads except the Courtland road."

This order was carried out almost to the letter and 1 had
arranged for Col, Phillips and the mounted men he had of -the 9th
Illinois to cr.-<ss the river below Decatur on a lot of flat boat's and
canoes which he had collected there. Both crossed on time, surround-
ed Decatur and captured all the forces in it with very little loss

L7 ' INSERT' ON PAGE Y\^ ' -i * a [

Gri March 11th, I moved my headquarters to Athens and in
notifying General Grant of the phange , " I informed' hi."' that after
talcing Decatur, I pushed my forces out under L'.. Col. Phillips.
He captured Courtland driving the 'enemy out and followed them
up, crossing the mountains, capturing Moult on, talcing a number of
prisoners and a large amount of stores, a large 'quantity of artillery
and rifle ammunition, stock, etc. T also informed him that I had
2500 recruits unarmed now here and it was > yreat detriment to the
service to keep those green men undrilled i.'.il we moved.

When we first captured Athens, we , u.u-J two of the prominent
citizens of the place and distinguished men in the Confederacy,
• Mr. Ilvnoion, who formerly had been a member of the U. S. Congress
and Mr. Pr- or who was at that time a me moor of the Confederate
Cohgr.;eB» in the public square playing marbles and when we came
up to them, Mr. Pryor said to me that, what they had been doing was
what had caused secession—idleness. Mr. Houston was considerably
disturbed because he had sons in the Confederate army but I told
him that all they had to do was. to obey our rules and orders when
tta^vere vvitliin :.bUT" lines and they would not be disturbed. He
asked if he would be allowed to write to his sons. 1 said, "Yes,"
and he said he would bring the letters to me for examination but I
told lira that that was not necessary that 1 knew he would not send
through the lines any information that should not properly go fa- ' "h
the entmfv ' I said, "I don't think you could send any information to
the enemy which they do not already have." . 1 told him we appreciated
the fact that being in the enemy's country, we could not keep the

information from going to them.

A day or two after we had been there, Mr. Houston who had a
plantation outside of the lines was brought to my headquarters
under guard of two negroes, his own slaves who had enlisted in
one of the colored regiments. He seemed to take this a great
.'•deal to heart BuE 1 told him it was the fortune of war and gave
him a pass that would avoid any such humiliation, as he .called
it, a ^aiii.

17i|

- fpon the steeple of the church, the remnants of a U. S. Flag
fere flying, at which we were all astonished and 1 asked for an
explanation and they told me that a young lawyer, a citizen o f the
place when the question of seesasion was on in Alabama was a strong
union man and he climbed that steeple and nailed the flag on It
declaring that it should, never be taken down but when the State
seceded, this young nan entered the Confederate service in a company
that was raised in that town and no one had the nerve to climb the
steeple to pullthe flag down so the remnants of it greeted us as

we entered the town.

Both Mr. Prvor and Houston,- r. ■" • ' " our officers living
up to our orders and gave us good advise as far as local matters
were concerned. They were astonished that I did not recpire them to
take the oath and that 1 put so much confidence in them. 1 knew
that such treatment would go a long ways in inducing the citizens
through the country to bring in their supplies. They also used their
influence among their own people against harboring guerrillas or

encouraging them.

General Fuller had reported to me the arrest of some deserters
and was desirous of punishing then: and I answered him that it was
best to drum- he ad the Deserters.. If tried by regular coast , A the
case has to go to the President,

On March 12th, we received official notice of General Grant's
being assigned to the command of all the armies; of General Halleck
being assigned to duty as Chief of Staff of the Army and the Secre-
tary of "'ar. General Sherman, as commanding the military divisions
of the Mississippi; General McPherson, to the command of the Annr
of the Tennessee.

175

loss to themselves; in fact, they surprised the enemy so that they
surrendered as soon as they sair the trap they were caught in, I
reported this immediately to General Grant and he answered promptly
congratulating us upon our success and often spoke of the movement
as having been kept so secret and of its being such a surprise to
the enemy, ly own cormand even had very little knowledge of what
was going on. ii\^&ri CD-

\> On March 4th, General Grant was called to- Washington to he
given his commission as Lt. Gen. of the Army and command of all the
forces s On his return to Nashville on March 17th, we were again
called to meet him. 1 found there General Sherman, General Rawlins,
General William Sooy Smith, aW e"tl\er officers.

General Grant told us of his visit to Washington, his reception by
the President and all the courtesies that had been ■ paid him . He

also told us that he accepted the commission of Lt . G&'Xt* and 'commander

of all the armies on condition that his plans should not' he inter-
fered with at Washington and- that he should haYe command of the
Staff Departments of the Army, These Staff Departments had always
considered themselves independent of the Commander in the fi--ld;
in fact, at the beginning of the war, the officers of the Commissary,
Quarter Masters and Ordnance Department declined to obey the orders
of their intermediate commanders except- by order of their chief in
Washington. General Grant soon settled this. The foninissary of
Substance declined to carry out one of his orders and General Grant
said to him "that while he could not force him to obey the order,
he could relieve him and put in his place one of the line officers
who would obey ail orders," This officer reported this to his chief
in Washington and he changed his orders feo that they were to obey •
the officers in the field hut to report to, their chief in Washington.
/General Grant said that President Lincoln in reply to his request for
the command of the Staff Dept. said "that he could not give that
to him legally but he said there is no on hut myself that can inter-
fere with your orders and you can rest assured that I will -not

do that," We were all anxious to hear of his visit to the Army of

.176 • " . .

the Potomac and his opinion of thatiand General Sherman soon got him
to talking about it. He said it was the finest v army he had ever
seen; far superior to any of ours in equipment, supplies and trans-
portation. He saidj however, that the officers he talked with con-
sidered he would have a far more difficult probing on his hands U=»n
he had in the ?, r est and he said to Sherman, naming an officer whom

both of them knew, hut whose name I have forgotten, "You have not
faced Bobby Lee yet." Is he said it, I could see that twinkle in
his eye that we often saw when he meant mischief. General Grant
after discussing the Army of the Potomac and having nothing but
praise for it, informed us that he should mafce his head-quarters
with -that army and leave Sherman to command the armies of the lest.
He also propssed to take some of the Western officers East with
him. Gen. s herman strongly protested against this and it was finally
compromised by his taking General Sheridan. General Grant laid down
his plan of campaign, that ever army should move on a certain day
against the enemy in front of him, so that Lee and Johnson could
not detach any of their commands to reinfore the other. He told
General Sherman that he would try to keep Lee from sending any force
to Johnson but he said "If he does, 1 will send you two men where he
sends one and 1 want you to keep Johnson so employed that he cannot
send any force to Lee." It had also been Grant's opinion that ail
our armies should move together but that was objected to and it was
the opinion of Halle ok, Rosecrans and others that it was not good
policy that it was better while one army was fighting to have another
idle, so that if anything happened to the one which was fighting,
they could call on the other for reinforcements and up to this time
in nearly all our great battles, the enemy having our inside lines
were able to put in front of our armies, fighting as many fighting
pen as we had, but from now oh this jijt Policy was to be ohanged.fr.
While here, General Sherman told us that in the movement in
the spring, he intended to move the Army of the Tennessee from
Decatur south and I received instructions to move all the citizens
out of Deoatur and to fortify it strongly so that it would be held
by a brigade or a less number of troops.

Y/hen our visit with General Grant ended, General Sherman accom
panied him to Cincinnati to tall over and complete their plans as
General Grant if as very anxious to get back to the Army of the Potomac.
General Sherman, at a meeting of the Society of the Army of the
Tennessee in lateYyears, pointed out to me in the Burnefet House the
room they occupied the night before they parted, spending the whole
night going over their maps and concluding the final arrangements
which inaugurated the two great campaigns- --Richmond and Petersburg
in the East and Atlanta in the lest ,

Before 1 left Nashville, General Grant informed me that he
had made a personal request a" Mr. Lincoln for my promotion and that
the President had promised it and he was certain it would come within
a very short time.

On my return to Athens I find awaiting meja letter from General

Ogleaby which confirmed what General Grant had said and is as follows:

Washington, March 15, 1864.

I have deferred an answer to your letter until I had something
to. write, I was glad to hear from you and your command. * He is too
anxious to serve the cause and 1 belli eve does his 'duty well.

I hpve this moment returned from a visit to Mr, Stanton; he
says if 1 will present Adams' papers for promotion middle of April,
he will nominate him in'- the Senate. 1 will do so and you will please
say so to him.

1 have been' very anxious' to aid in the promotion of Col.
Bane, Col. Rice, Gol. Hatch and Col. Mersey, for the- latter I find no
recommendation here, 1 would like to see Col, Fuller and j,t.
Gol. Phillips go up. 1 have seen Mr. Lincoln and talked freely about

them all, but he seems unable to aid them now. He freely consents
to the justice due them and speaks cordially of their merits but
cannot, he says, .find places for them.

Mr. Lincoln speaks freely with me; sees me often and is very
willing to oblige me if he can. 1 have become acquainted with Mr.
Grimes and your friends Mr. and Mrs. Kasson. - 1 fear Grimes is mad
at the President on your account. He spoke to me the other evening
very unkindly of Mr. Lincoln.

The whole facts are these, no more, no less. Mr. Lincoln knows'
you well; respects you highly and is exceedingly anxious to promote
you and what is mere will do so I think very soon not that he will
not and perhaps has already sent other names in before yours very
recently- on the special recommendation of General Grant, I told
him that it was unjust to delay your promotion a moment longer if a
vacancy could be found. At. present there are no vacancies, not on^e
I believe. There is a report here that General Baliy; '. Smith has been
prohoted at the special rlnstance of Lt..- General Gram:, and for a special
purpose as intinrted to t dec the Potomac Army, After fell these tables
to the President J ->-.\,\, ^.., Lr. Stanton thi s morning. I did not more
'than mention your none until he said; "It is ftot necessary to endorse
General Dodge, we all know him." Grant recommends him and he is at the
head of the list. He will be appointed as soon as it can possibly be
done. 1 have seen fit to state these facts to you if for no other
reason tha. you may see you are not forgotten nor : misappreciated»

1 have refrained from recommending a single Brig. General from
my own state that none should be in your way , 1 hope and believe you
will go up and your services be fitly acknowledged. Go on and spare
not. Pursue your own tactics, and run yotir scouts deep into the
enemy' ~* lines". You have found out the great fact that' information

178

Is worth more to a general than men. Remember me to all the officers
of your household who ask about me .

. It mny 'be that after this court martial is over 1 will make
a visit to your camp before my resignation is accepted. At the
end of every month since I saw you I have regularly retendered my
resignation but so far to no effect,

I am told there is -a sword in your camp for me or perhaps/
by this time in the rebel camp. Ytfiat do the men of the 2d brigade
wish about it- that 1 should come and get it or not? 1 will be
through here in four -veeks and presume I will then go home or
where I please.

1 shall be glad to hear from you before 1 leave here. Grant
has been here, made a good impression, stayed three da^rs and left,
but I td-ii.t! to return very soon again,

1-iJ.ioc; io still here, iSoks well as a man could with a wet
blanket and \<=v'± <"o3d dny; is good natured, however, "Tid 1 have no
douM, n'3 11 h ip rli he can to wind up the raid. We are strong
enoii"ii to wind no the rar in six months if to good general-
ship lo addod g od luck. We have 1 think, for duty today 600,000
men. Robe ,1s have not. o30»000.

If your lady is with you 1 sh?ll be -pleased to be remembered
to her."

There was also a letter for me from Oapt » Chenowith which
was as follows:

Nashville, March 15 1864.

"I received your letter of the Utk ju:t no"!, I had heard
of your successful seizure of Decatur, 1 spoke to General Grant
of the difficulties you have had in getting your wants supplied.
He says whenever anything of the kind occurs your best way is to
telegraph immediately to these headquarters.

He arrived here from Washington Inst evening. He says • that
you are to be the next major General appointed and there is
likely to be a vacancy very soon,

General Grant das no idea of being mummied in Washington.
He said that he would not accept the Lieut .-generalship if it would
take him from the field, and you see from what hasbeen done that
the authorities have allowed him to have his own way.

Whenever you want anything done that lioan do let me know and
I will be at your service."

To carry out General Sherman's instructions, I immediately

issued the following order for the removal of all citizebas from

Decatur:

S.O.Io. 72, Athens, 19, 1884,

1. The necessities of the army require the use of every
building in Decatur for Government purposes. It is therefore ordered:
J,st. thp. t ail citisons living in Deont.ur or within one mile of the
limits of t e torn on 'ltd south side of the Tennessee river shall move
outside of the lines within six days from the receipt of this order.
2d. They will be allowed to go north or south as they deem best and
take with them all their personal and moveable property. 3d. As
fast as the build Jigs are vacated the commander of the post will
.take possession of them and see that they are preserved and no damage
'done them. 4th. Io exception to this order will be made except in the
case of families of persons in our army or employees of the government,

Sth . Brig, Gen. J. D. Stevenson will cause this order to be
immediately complied with:,"

in sending this order forward to General Stevenson who was in

command at Athens, I wrote himas follows:

Athens, March 19, 1864,

'179

"I enclose you an order that no cloube will cause some hard -
ships. "When persons desire to go north and are poor people you can give
them transportation by railroad. If you have unserviceable worn
out stock you. can let families have a team when they have no other
means of moving. Take particular pains that nothing in destroyed
and th&t all property left is gotten together and stored with some
responsible party.

1'e desire to cover all movements and therefore be very strict, y
on your picket lines, and aildn? no person to come in, unless he is .
a refugee to join our army, or a negro whom we can use to advantage,
except when in your judgement it is to • our advantage- orfherliil these
people should move as far south or north as possible,"

Captain Armstrong had completed his bateaus for the pontoon

bridge and we immediately put it in place. It was 2200 feet long.

It was anchored by strong ropes, attached to the piers and was

thrown across by the engineering corps very rapidly. An enlisted

man of the f^|4ft Ohio took a sketch of it as it was being laid and

the next day brought me an wil painting of the bridge in place,

showing the stone piers of the railroad bridge and both shores.

It was a very accurate painting of the whole -work and 1 still have

'it

it in my library and priee A very much.

After we took Dt-.,atur, the deserters and citizens of northern
Alabama began to'cose in there and there were all kinds of rumors and
scares. They had Forest with a great force crossing the Tennessee
with a view of attacking the line of railroad. They had the head-
quarters of General Grant and Sherman at lashville very much alarmed.
I kept sending out re'connoissanoes, kept my cavalry active all aloiig
the river but invariably found that the reports were based on un-
truths. General Forest had concentrated quite a force in Corinth but
the ' forces that were centering around Decatur were simply for the
purpose of watching us; however, 1 sent out, on March 22nd» a aaution
ary order to my forces stating that in case of attack, no matter
what the force opposing them, they were to remain in their po ition
at their block houses or stockades and fight and under no circum-
stances to leave '.the in. 1 knew a company in a block house or a

stockade could stand off a regimdnt or two regiments until the

i
reserves could reach then.

So ninny reports came in relation to Forest that 1 finally
got a ooirole of my spies and scouts with him and learned that he was
in the vicinity of Corinth with a force of about 4000. I informed
General Grant of this and General Hurl but who was in command on the

iSO

Mississippi was greatly alarmed and. wired. General Grant who in-
structed, me to dispatch General Veatcli who was coming up the Tennessee
River with '4000 men to join my command, 'to land at Savannah and move t

to Purdy and intercept r, r „ v r ^epl . 1 sent a messenger to Gen. Yeatch

bo ViTT-r-^ at o3 if to 1 ™
on March 2\ flu and /y, rooeedecl vapidly to Purely. He reported he had

seen or heard nothing- of Forest. ' •

On March 28th » General Sherman, McPherson, Berry Allen and

Smith visited me at Athens, and we took up the question of supplies

of ,. ■
and the condition^myjsorps for the movement that was to be made by

the first of May, r informed them that the fortifications of
Decatur were strong enough so that no force liable to come against
them could capture them and that the pontoon bridge was strong
inougli to carry any weight put upon it, which seemed to gratify
them very much. 1 had. had considerable, troulb e in getting rations
to supply my forces when they started and General Sherman sent
orders to fashbille to aid me in the matter but it did not seem
to have much effect because there wese so many commands demanding
rations that I could "not keep more than a few days ahead..

On April 7th, General Veatch returned from Purdy and joined me
at prospect. He was assigned 'to the command. of the 4th division
16th A. 0. with headquarters at Decatur.

On April 10th I received the following letter from Caleb
Baldwin giving me the condition of matters, politically and other-
wise in Iowa;

Council Bluffs, April 10, 1864.

"late leaves for your headquarters and 1 thought 1 would
improve the opportunity to write to you, I am at home and have
a most miserable pen, and that always makes me want to get
through quickly. late will give you all the local news of importance
and I will not have much to write about. The war is yet on hand--
this 1 suppose you have knowledge of. We have been so disappointed
about its speedy termination that we begin to settle down under
the conviction that it is going to take years yet to close it up.
The spring campaign so far has not been 'attended with much success
to the north. The failure of Sherman, for it-, is so regarded; the
disaster in Florida} the failure at Richmond, have aach had the
effect to strengthen the hopes of the rebels north and south. Yet
we have great reason to rejoice that our veterans have nearly -all
ro-or listed, and the-' so many new ones have gone into the service,
and that our armies are today stronger than they wire ever, Iowa
hna done nobly and evei\,our county has done well. When called on
to furnish 20 men, as her quota, she stood right up to the work and
got the men within a week- Iowa is all right. She has more able-
bodied men today then when the war began. She has got the will and
the means to dc." nil of her port in this great struggle, and nothing

181

does more to make, her feel like doing her share than the influence
of the proud part her lir.T'3 ho; h have t alien in this great struggle.
The recollection of their h ave acta inciter, others to go and' do
likewise, and those that cannot _,o riant >o have some part in the
matter grid they help those that do ay . I or, a is a proud state today.

As 1 expected this 'l on I. legislature was not much credit to
us. Bell did well, but Roas was a failure. He has no brains and dont
know it. He ouajht to repaedcul some bUoh place as Lewis, Extra or
Dalmanetha, as he lias t , idea of what a commercial point ife.
Because h- no~d to live in Levis and because the railroad, did not
run by that place, he thought It would show his hand against the ~
railroads in tiie 3onata» He failed, however. Bell .stood up
for uo well, I an >;»ose ■ you are posted about our railroad prospects,
if not, Hate ri"! J ;ji ve you our hopes and chances for a road.

Since Chad'-' has "declined I think there can be no doubt about
Mr. Lincnjn'o rero ; I nation -and election. The Cofp will run Little
Mac, and ^ : li : o«te out about li/ke Tuttle in Iowa at least.
Many voted f«r* Tuttle believing he was a patriot, who will not
vote for Mc Clelland, because they know that any man that would
indorse Judge Woodward, as he did is a traitor.

The Germans will not go very strongly for Mr. L, but as betfwen
ho and hcC, I think they wil go. all right. The Democrat is apposed
to L. ard it has some cause for so doing. The only dark spots on
Vi r. L'?-,, historjr as President are those which come from his course
lo'./ard the Radicals of Missouri and his border state sympathy,
i oup; u 3 you have heard that a fourth judgeship of the Supreme
four". li"'3 been created and that Bro» Cole has been appointed, this
is all right, 1 will not write any more tonight; promising a longer
onu he i oaf tar. I hope you will have a good chance to win laurels
i his reason, but I hope you will come off safe; don't get hit, it
laiyjht hart you,"

On April 8th there reported to me one of our most reliable

spies. He was a southern man and was a union man but was in the

employ of General polk of the Confederate army and had been for a

long time. He remained most of the time inside the enemy's lines

and we allowed him, when he came through to our lines, to smuggle

things through, 1 also instructed him that what information he
to the enemy

took '^*" " ;h that it must be reliable and truthful and in that
/v

way he obtained the confidence of the Confederate forces, I for-
warded his report to General McPherson, which is as follows!,

Athens, April 8, 188 4.

"LeftRi uz- , . HTiFHip-ij Ih'.'ol. l r th y J f'3 I , T .l l«'o - e: t at
Eupelo, he ha i r r.Kuu ia.acd to -i-oOi how, a, " ond'u .it it-'K/U
was with him, hi>. t eop s i a v ''J To inc Lt-oe tans a d ;;.', Uoi:'.itit
Left. General ac"^'-* '.a d 'in, i,;.. at T\ „> ■< }} '< - > Lnb»? th„ C'.rs
canjf run. to IV^v hridjc on II. a j\ R. P, C uv. . o! r-ui. i -^ from
Meridian to Selma but men are at work on it. poxk Tfas to move to
Meridian as soon as the road was finished. He has 10,000 troops.
French and Lorings besides some 3000 vlcksbuipg prisoners in camp
not armed. lo troops have gone from Polk to Johnson since Sherman
was there Nothing at Columbus, Miss. Lee and Adams are towards
Vicksburg, Left Selma March 26th, nothing there. A good deal of
army work going on there. Left Montgomery ^arch 27th, nothing
there. Left Atlanta March 28th, considerable number of troops
there. All state troops. General Morgan with his command left on
the 28th going north-east. Was going up to Longstreet* . s army.

Said to have 6,000 men all mounted. Left Atlanta March 28th. went
to Rome, (la. Heneral Brown s brigade at Rome, very small force

182

not to exceed 1500.' Men are at. work ^u battery covering the crossing
of the Oostamanda. Passed 21 cars "loaded rith pontoon bridges at
Kingston going to Dal ton. The;- also had a large amount of pontoosn
-U Atlanta and were building them there, and at Selma and Demopolis.
Johnson has about 45,000 men all told, infantry, cavalry and artillery.
'■•--•. t of his army, say 35,000 is at and about Dalton. It is' the general
imp cess Ion that- Johnson ia getting ready to move. He Iips a consid-
erable stock of provisions on hand ready, Johnson he^ps his lines
closed, allows no persons in or out. 'It is the generrl telk that
f^r-nit has taken a large force from our front to Washin -ton . m he
EiO"Gment In our right at Decatur, &c . they are watohin ; e"lo~el- »
Have a courier line to Rome and do not know what to male o+'Jl". *

Went back to Rome to West Point, Ga. , left then- A n n Pd,
came up and crossed Blue Mountains, left there A pr ii 2d; at, lh- I
point, Martin's division of cavalry had just arrived t/,c:nit,
and move 15 miles south ; also three batteries that had been" stationed
there to recruit held gone to the front. Few cavalry left at
Gadsden, Clantcn left -Anfurday, crossed the mountains at Summit,
thence to Oostamanla, thence to ?Jhitesburg, thence to Flint river

where he was this morning. Our mounted force were skirmishing with
him at Flint river,

Johnson is in good spirits, and at 'a 11 other points despondent.
They do not increase the army by the conscript act very much. It
is the general belief that Sherman intends to turn their left by way
of Coosa Valley, but its is the general rumor that Johnson intends to
turn our l~ft. They believe Thomas has only a small force, that Grnat
is accumulating some 250,000 men in front of Richmond and has weakened
Sherman to do It. At Tome the -scouts sa w an A.G-.K. who was col-
lecting 1000 artillery horses, and he said Johnson was about ready, tha
he- had 1000 wagons loaded with commissary stores. The scout also says
that it was talked generally that Forrest was to cross to our right,
Morgan on our left and break our communications. Morgan, Forrest
and s . D. Lee were on consultaf 'on at Columbus, Miss, before Forrest
moved north. This was from March 12th to 15th. So far what the scout
saw the report is reliable and he is a shrewd observer and one of
my best men. He gives the rumors as he heard them.

All the talk of officers was that Johnson intends to take
initiative. All furloughs hav e been stoppd. No troops since March
11th of any account have eith'r moved east or west. Johnson's army
is fed almost entirely from South Alabama, and a large amount of
produce goes from S.k". Ga, to Lee's Army, Stores In considerable
quantifies are accumulated at Atlanta and Mariettr rnd a good deal
of corn is brought from South Alabama to Blue Kouin a A s over Selma
and Rome Railroad. The scout says everything north uT Atlanta is
virtually skinned and the road he travelled from t<=_i Point to
Blue Mount n ins in very poor ? and the first good couribry he -struck
was around JnurSLnvj lie ? t Teuton County. Columbus, Ga. is being
extensively i or id fjc '" .

Foi'<'o-csl 1 " i I l n r, ins at Tupelo and it Is engaged hauling
corn to that point. Two soldiers belonging to General Smith's
command, wounded in the fight at Okalona, were killed in the has iAUI
at Aberdien by some of Forrest's .men. It created considerable excite-
ment and Indignation among the citizens. Lt. General Polk said if
Smith had reached Sherman he would have gone to Selma and they c r J d
not have stopped him,. H2,'(Pilk) said he estimated Shermans fux-eos
at about 20,000 men. Scouts had orders from General Forrest,
General Polk, Atlanta, Rome &c. He says they all say their army is
today at its maximum and that they cannot increase it. Every point
he was at he saw gangs of deserters at work In chains and met them
on all traiHB. "

Buck, reports as this were of great value to us as we could check

them up and it will be seen by the other reports of spies that they

generaly corroborated this. 1 do not give the name of this spy because

he is still living in the south.

183

Our method of treatin-- thieves and desertigg soldiers is shown '
in the finding' of a court-martial on Moses Smith as follows:

S. 0. lo. 28, Athens, April 8th » 1864.

The court finds the accused "giaHty as charged. And the Court
does therefore sentence him, Moses Smith, an enlisted undt i* cook of
African descent, in Go. H., 111th Illinois Infantry Volunteers, "To
have his head shaved on the right side from a line extend ii j from the
nose across the top of the head down to the nape of the reck; that
he be clothed in a cotton suit, to be striped in alternate ,-'"ipes,
extending around hie person, of black ond white. four inches ride each,
from the neck to the feet with the following inscription in red
letters, to be three and one half inches in length each, upon the
white stripe across his tack, viz: "Unworthy of Freedom," and in
this condition paraged before the colored troops in this command on such
day as the Commanding General may designate. After which he is to be
sent to the Dry Tortugas, and kept at hard labor during his life."

Ffcling of the court in this case approved. The Court erred
in designating the place of imprisonment in its sentence. In consid-
eration, however, of the aggravated character of the crime and that
the prisoner may not escape punishment justly due him, the sentence
is confirmed,"

This method of treating them was really more effective than
imprisonment or none severe sentences.

On April 11th, Mr.. Peter A Dey wrote me as follows in relation
to the progress of the Union Pacific road;

Omaha, April 11, 1864,

1 am glad, to get your letter foe mouy r resins, and one in
particular to find you full of confidence an -I kppo. I have felt that
it was a mi. Luke taking Grant fro:-, the An,;;, of i no West, but hope
not. I trust the comoa5gn of this year will cad the war and if crush-
ing two armies will do it, hope that every effort, will be made to
accomplish it. I fcc>r the result of Maxima 11m ' s landing in Mexico
it looks to me like a part and parcel of a iai; f c r armed interven-
tion and I . can readily see that those southern ?. o. iers driven to
desperation will Moke ;nj terms with Franco oi anybody else rather
than submit. A successful campaign and r;.pjd clo:. 3 of the war is all
that to my mind- w-: 1] sa>/o us from further mrl grerter difficulties.
With this in view, T n- grot ted the -transfer of Grant from the south-
west to a point where jol ilieiol si rife and combinations, may render
hin useless for a ->orlJcn of tin- .season.

fio.'i] if IfW '.We., began grading up the ravine 'South of Oinatia and the
prospects are thai, iho road will be pushed forward this season and

I T think the Iowa reeds will be united and built from Des Moines
tc the Bluffs on tk~ shortest practicable route,

1 Durant is vrec.-i Hating and changeable and to my mind utterly
unfit to head such r-ii enterprise. He has the position and money
to ran it, but it lu like dancing wlt.h a whirlwind to have, anything
to do- with him. To-* ay -matters run smoothly and tomorrow they don't,

I have on hand a large party of ..engineers ready to stqrt for
the mountains and am delayed by an order to wa.:t a few days with
the prospect of having to leave the surveys unfinished next fall for
want of time. Grading is the same way; can get no instructions to

! let the heavy work between this and the Elkhorh river, which should

j have been done the 1st of December, if there is any object in

\ "i received vesterdav your bridges, or rather the photographs ,

\ some nice work, and judge you can get better lumber _ than this portion
\ of lebraksa furnishes, . ^

\ If there vresre parties managing in New York that 'voulo be governed

' l by i-hat I --rite and furnish the money without desiring to meddle with
the details I could build the work Tor less morroy raid nor-- repidly
tlwm can bo done the way they prop.-se tn do it. 1 a- buying land

164

above Florence and getting out ties with a gang employed and under
a foreman; they will cost us less than 50 cents. I could not con-
tract for that; hope things will run smoothly here."

I received a dispatch from General Sherman requesting me to

send General Thomas $20,600 in Confederate money but 1 had a few

to Washington
days before by direction of the Secretary of War, sent #60, 000 .which"

1 had on hand, as I did not expect to have any use for it after we
moved. This money was generally picked up by the scouts and the
Cavalry in their raids. It was also brought in and reported to
me, where it was 'obtained and at the end of the war I had quite an
amount of it. A few days before this 1 had given the scout employed
by General polk $6,000 for which I took his receipt.

On April 12th, 1 was- called to Huntsvi^le by General Mcpherson
and met General Logan and General John E. Smith and Major General
Slocum. General Mc herson took up the plan of campaign and the
movement of his army, making the final arrangemends for the crossing
of the forces at Decatur. While 1 was there he informed me that ■
General Grant had asked my promotion and assignment to the country
West cff the Mississippi river. He said that General Grant was very-
much disturbed as to the conditions over there and greatly dis-
satisfied. This was a great surprise to me and General Mcpherson
said while it was a promotion, he would be very sorry to 'lose me.
General Grant never said a word to me in relation to this until
after the war but I find the following in the war Records:

General Grant to Gen. Hal leek, March 28, 1864.

In the campaign, it is desirable to commence as soon
as our veterans return. It is important to have some one near Banks
who -'can issue orders to him and see that they are obeyed. This will
.be '©sepcialiy important- if the move is made against Mobiel as I
now calculate upon. How to effect this 1 do not j/now see; unless all
that territory embraced in the department of the Missouri, Kansas,
Arkansas, and the Gulf are formed Into a military division, lliom
to piace in command of it I do not know. Of the four department
c-'-mmanders, Steele would be far the best and would do very well.
He has not got with him, however, a single general officer whom I
would like to trust alone with a command.' The best suggestion I
-■could make would be to promote Dodge for Steel's command. I wish
you would think of this matter and give me your views."

On my return from Huntsville, I learned that a company of the
9th Ohio C avail' y, watching the TeHtoeS'£-ee river near Lucas Ferry-
had been captured, evidently through great negligence. The enemy
took them in before daylight without firing a shot. As this was the

TO BE INSERTED ON PAGE Iff,

The lack of transportation caused so many complaints that
General Grant sent General ¥.„■::. P. Smith, his Chief Engineer, to
see me and 1 made a suggestion as to the operations of the
trains, I said that 'the trains going to the front should be
given the right and be r-n in sections and the empty trains
going to the rear should be run individually so as to' use a
single siding in passing the other trains. They adopted this
and it enabled them to nearly donMe their tonnage and ifhen
General Smith returns to General Grant, he recommended that
the operation of the road should be turned over to me but Gen.
Grant declined to put that burden upon mej' saying it was the
duty of the Operating Departments of the road to take care of
it and. he brought those men into consultation with bin at Hash-
ville and accomplished a ^veoi deal in relieviu~ the con;'^?fr:,n

185

first expedition' of the regiment, the;; were evidently green and
off of their guard. The quarter-master and Commissary Department
-at Nashville had to supply the Army of the Cumberland, Army of the

Tennessee and the Army of the Ohio, stretching from Nashville to

to Chattanooga and Knoxville

Decatur, and they found it impossible to do it with the two lines

of road and Col, Donelson, the chief quarter master at Athens, had
built eight light boats to run from Decatur to l>Mons and on
April 10th, ho v> volo me. a letter suggesting that I extend the
railEoad at Doc'tn from the Junction to the river so that he could
connect. On Apr 14th 1 wrote him that I had the railroad finished
across the Tennessee bottom; the bridge across Swan Pond, the only
obstacle; that this would allow the cars to run to the river. The
railroad grade at the river is twenty feet above the table land. To
remedy V i s I am building a track down upon the table land along
the slope "jf the old gra^4f and thence up 'the river and parallel
to it so that they can be unloaded directly into boats or ware-' ■
houses as the case may require.. 1 have also built one warehouse on
the river for my own use 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, and am
putting up one alongside of the track 250 feet long and 60 feet
wide, I think it would be safe for boats to run from Decatur to
Bridgeport, provided they were conveyed by gunboats. We have posts
on giiis side of the river at Ifhitesburg, Claysville and Lark ins* s

Perfy (both sides)..

I .don't think that these boats wer e ever extended to Decatur

that they stopped at Stevenson. Between Stevenson and Decatur the
opportunity for sharpshooters and others to reach the river and annoy
the boats, was, 1 judge, the reason, as the railroad line from
recatur to Stevenson was a long ways from the river. . ■ •'( (!)
On April 14th, my brother, Mr. N. P. Dodge, reached me fet
' Athens and accompanied me that day to Decatur i When he passed
through Nashville they considered him surh a dangerous person that
Captain Williasm Mills, acting as Asst. Quar„ Master, took his
revolver from him.

-186- "

There were continual reports <ow of the movement of Forest, to • '
Jackson anr" the crossin.fr of the Tennessee river anfl from. "Decatur that
the enemiT were o losing in around that place. There had been so many
rumors that I pai^ no attention to them until on the 17th 1 received
a dispatch that the enevay were in- line of battle only a short dis-
tance away from tine fortifications. 1 iinmedipit ely took a han^-car and,
with an Aide and ay brother went to Decatur. I marie up my mind timt
! woul^ determine what '-forces there '--ere in the front and I took
Fuller's Brigade end went out on a reconnolssanoe myself. About
three miles from Decatur, I struck the enemy on the opposite side
of the creek, apparently/ in force:. I immediately put out my skir-
mish line. There was a cornfield: between me and the enemy and as
the skirmishers went through it, the enemy opened upon them. It was
a puzzle, to ray brother why the soldiers dodged from behind one corn
stalk to another when they were no protection frou the^- -bullets. I
told him that was to destroy the enemy's aim. It looked to me as
though 1 was going to have an engagement and I -tola my brother that one
of a family was all that was necessary to be present and that he would
have to retur ■ to Decatur* which he very reluctantly *i* # r soon brfeke
through this force, scattering it: and. discovered that it was only a
heavy picket line around us, who were only wxf d in f :.' what was going to
happen. ? arid 'ire turned to Decatur.

As soon as I reached Decatur, I received a dispatch frocn
General iicPherson that General Forest was in Western Tennessee,
destroying everything and he wanted to know if i could not send
Oaneral Sveerey with his division Rafter him, i d W not believe
these stories about Forest and I "feme lately sent Col. Rowett with '
the. 7th Illinois mounted and ' the P th Ohio Gavaly to' go f- the river
and get hie men across and brin* me the truth concerning Forest. General
Rowett carried out his orders very promptly and I forwarded by
telegraph to Ger .ilcPherson, his report as follows;

Mit of thI^t^I^ T ?S?l^ ^ dl f te thSt F ° reSt is ^k!„ C

.hat infant.™ n^^+^f! W°?? ( \. hl,n fa F en0 «3h to sfciisfy mjrat

sl^€SS^

what, the citizens and "scol^ ,1,,, ! „f •™ , ( "' leaat tM
affects ,»n in , eat Te^Y..* & i s pLSS^rL^

a
ded.

187

one or two thousand to it since he went there. He takes everything

without regard to former principles of the owners, and that entire"""
country ir: feasting him and his officers. I know of a large number
who have professed great "love" for our flag, who have outdone then-
selves in "toddying™ Forrest.' It would be a just judgement on T7es "t
Tennessee, if the troops sent there were given orders to burn the
entire country, take everything that can walk and destroy every and
anything a rebel can ear ot drink, or be of any benefit whatever to
them . *

It is safe to say that General Forrest did not have over one-
half of the 6000^ men which he claims to have had, and that he
was simply there to feed -his command. He soon left which re] ieved
u s of the necessity of sending any troops after him.

The planting season was Coining on in Tennessee and it became
neeessar27 for us to protect the people who -ere on their farms to
keep s hem from starving and on April 19th, 1 issued the following

order:

Athens, April 20, 1884.

"The country west of the Elk rivr having heretofore been consi-
dered outside of the federal lines, and having been heavily depredated
'and foraged upon, and it being the policy of the Government so far
'as p-r-jhl.e to encourage the raising of crops through out the country
north of the Tennessee river, it is hereby ordered:

I. That the people living north of the Tennesseee river will
receive from commanding officers, visiting or occupying that section
of the country west of the Elk river, suoh aid as is consistent with
"heir dt i-j^z and the taking of stock except as a military necessity
with will he desisted, from,

II . 7ith every family, who desire to raise a crop this season,
there will b" left at least one team and also provisions for the
subs.! stnneo of the family two months,

III. So far as practicable, 'the Chief Quarters Master will
lease to citizens broken down and unserviceable stock, to replace
any stock taken, taking receipts and bonds therefore, as prescribed
in Gen. Grant's instructions,

IV. Troops subsisting off of that country will endeavor to
obtain their supplies from known rebels, and will give every pro-
tection and aid in their power to known and undoubted loyal citizens,

V. If the loyal citizens of that country desire quite and
protection, they must by act and deed give their hearty support
to the Government of the United States, nno^Tederal troops; put
down guerrillas and robbers and discountenance in every way rebels
rnd their sympathizers.

VI. Nothing in thSs order modifies or does away w ith orders
heretofore issued, prescribing the manner of taking forage, stock

&e . everything .taken from undoubted loyal persons , must bo receipted
for and re ported in such manner p that they can receive cash vouchers
from the Chief Quarters Master of Commissary of Subsistence of this
command . "" ■ •

flhen enclosing these orders to Col. Howeit to have him distri-
bute them throughout the country, I gave him the following instructions

188

Athens, April 11, 130''.

.v>

"I enclose an order Issued to apply to the cc nm
Elk River. It is probable we may need, ourselves „, o g -
what they raise, but for the present support we wm ' or
to' raise enough for themselves to eat, and obviate- the
the government supporting them. The order -does in. t <~ ro
taking of stock, when needed by our troops, but d ; scoot
used' in' this and teams left with all. If you ha~o :>rr r
animals, or broken down stock that you cannot recruit,
well for you to get blanks- from Captain "ing and l^t '< ',
country, the same as he is doing here. The or dor ji ">".
out, will keep us better supplied with stock than wc a - *
at the. same, time gives the people a chance to raisp cor:
themselves, or for our own men next fall, should any of
be in the count ry.

1 desire you to see that the order is properly o
Captain Wing I .believe still has broken down stock to^b

THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.

u'i< west of the '"
i t-il deal of
i' urage them,
• .v-cessity of
I Jbit the
ion must be
unserviceable
it would be

out in that '
eiously carried
e now and
n, &c„ for

our forces

bayed,

e left out,"

On April 22d» 1 received my first orders for the movement of
troops in the Atlanta Campaign. On the same day, I received an order
from the War Department to hang Sgt. John Myers of the 7th Illinois
Infantry at 10 o'clock A. 1. on the 28th. This was a surprise to
me. Sgt. Myers had killed the Captain of his company at Corinth;
had been tried and convicted and the recommendation of the court
martial went forward for the approval of the War Department. When
I left Corinth he was in the guard house. 1 Immediately made
inquiry of General Sweeney, who commanded that division and as-
certained from him that when Corinth was abandoned by our troops
that the soldiers Confined in the guard house we6e released and sent
to Utiiv regiment/ and that Sgt. Myers had returned to his regiment and
taken his place in the company as a Sgt. and had been on duty ever
since; had taken part in battles, etc. I immediately appealed to
the War- Department for a remittance of this sentence as there were
a great many extenuating circumstances in the tilling of the Captain
and this soldier could have escaped. He did not need to return to
his regiment j he had been dropped on the roils and no one would
have looked for. him, but, like a good soldier, he came back to his
■■company. This appealed to me and 1 tried to gave him but the war
Department wired me to carry out the order and to report to them
as soon as executed. I trans fered this order to General Sweeney
and he notified me that he was executed at 10 A, m. on the 28th.

■189-

My first orders for the movement of my forces was to ^ove from
Decatur, crossing the 1'lint Greet: towards' Rome; this order was
chancer!, orfierinr nie to viiove directly on Himtsville. Genera 1 °herman
issued an order thst each regimen an r1 battery should have one wagon
and the officers of each company one pack animal* that each Corps,
division and Brigade head-nnarters should have one wa^on ; that all
the rest of the transportation was to be organised into ordnance
and supply trains and carry twenty days rations for command, nnd ,
where practical, men should always carry three days provisions and
this made our or-knance and supply trains pretty heavj r but the rest.
of tiie transportation was very lirht. ?/e were ordered to carry 140
rounds of infantry ammunition, and 200 rounds of artillery for a pun
and 40 rounds of ammunil inn to the man; no tarts were to be taken, I
sfrippc- 1 my troops to this order, literally, so did almost all of the
Army of the Tennessee. ?/e a] so f-und that when General Sherman took
the field he followed the order, literally, and had at his head
ouarters for his own use, only the tent fly and a. small tent for his
Adjutant General, but v^en we struck the array of the Cumberland, v, e
saw more tents fci?oun*':their head-quarters than the whole Army of the
Tennessee had and saw tents throughout their command and a general
protest went up from the A r my of the Tennessee that they should be
deprived. of the:.,. Thile General 3 h «man said that they h?d not li^ed
up to the order, he did not inforce the order: therefo-e, the Army
of the Tennessee Rn * the Ohio began to pick up covering wherever the,,
could E ef it and „. e landed in Atlanta with a C ood „ e al ,. ore than we ha,,
when we started.

t. co™ a „<. the 16th Army ,orp S in th, fiele *„ rln , the e^i-n
consists of the follows, regents, batteries a „„ oo ra9n „a rB , f „, p h

"" ,i0r ' brlga " e ^ r9elMnt! The «*" »"ice r3 of the 1st A labnma
OBvalry ,e,e Oeorge E. S pe„ c e r , Wml , Ozro ,. ,^, s . Lt _ ^ _ _ ^_

L. ^frey, I^or. P rancis L . CraBel , ; , a , or , ., ?ilonzo ^ ^^ ^^

190

SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS {LEFT WING) .

Maj . Gen. Grenville K,' Dodge
Brig, Gen. Thomas E, G. Ransom.

General Headquarters.

1st Alabama Cavairir:

Lieut. Col. George L. Godfrey.

Col. George 1. Spencer.
52d Illinois, Company A., Capt, George E, Young^

Second Division.

Brig.. Gen. Thomas W. Sweeny.
Brig. Gen. Elliott W. Rice.
Brig. Gen. John M„. Corse,

First Brigade. I Second Brigade.

Brig, Hen. Elliott W. Rice. '. Col, Patrick E. Burke.

; Lieut. Col. Robert N. Adams.
Col. August Mersy.
Lieut. Col, Jesse J. Phillips.
Col. Robert N. Adams,
526! Illinois, Lt . Col. Edwin A.- 9th Illinois (mounted)

Bo wen Lt. Col. Jesse J. Phillips.

66th Indiana: Maj. John H. Kuhn.

Lt , Col, Roger Martin Capt. Samuel T, Hughes.
Maj. Thomas G. Morrison 12th Illinois.-
CajSt. Alfred Morris. Maj, James R. Hugunin.

2d! Iowa: ' Lieut. Col. Henry Van Sellar.

Col. James B. Weaver 68th Illinois:
Lieut, Col. Noel B. Howard Maj, Andrew K. . Campbell .
Maj. Mathew G. Hammi.*.!. ' Capt. William S. Boyd.
Capt, John A, Duckworth 81st Ohio:
7th Iowa: - Lieut. 'Col, Robert 1>I. Adams.

Lieut. Col. James C. Parrolt ■ Maj. Prank Evans.
Maj. James W, McMullin. ,' Lieut. Col, Robert N. Adams.
Lt . Col. James C. Parrott.; Capt. Noah Stoker.
Maj. James W. McMullin. ' Capt, William Clay Henry,
Capt, Samuel Mahon.

Third Brigade.

Col, Moses M. Bane. -
Brig. Gen, William Vandever.
Col. Henry J. B, Cummings .
Col. Richard Rowett. ' .

fth Tll.inoic; 39th Io^a:

Coi» Rich:;] 5 .-' Rowett ' ; ' Col. Henry B, Cunuuings.
Li. ^o, , Footer Perrln. | Lt . Col. James Redfield.

50th Illinois jJ.Iaj.^Pi. Hanna. I . Col. Henry J. B. Cummings.

57th Illinois, LU Col. Freder- •; Maj. Joseph II, Griffiths,

iok J. . HurlbuL. _ ': ■ Lt . Col, James Redfield.

Artillery. ■•

Capt» Frederick Welker.

1st Michigan Light, Battery, B. Capt, Albert F, R. Arndt.
1st Missouri Light, Battery, H. Lieut. Andrew T. Blodgett
1st Mismiri Light, Battery, 1, Lieut. John F. B runner.

191

Fourth Division.

Brig. Gen. James W. Veatch

Brig. Gen. John W, Fuller.

Brig, Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom.

Brig. Gen. John W. Puller.

First Brigade,

Brig» Gen. John W. Fuller.

Col, John Morrill,

Lt. Col. Henry T. McDowell.

Brig. Gen. John W. Puller.

Lt. Col. Henry T . McDowell.
84th Illinois:

Col, John Morrill.

Lt, Col. Michael W, Manning.
18th Missouri:

Lt. Col, Charles 5. Sheldon.

Maj. William H. Minter.
27th Ohio Lieut. Coll Menclal Churchill.
39th Ohio:

Col. Edward F, llojes,

Lt. Col. Henry T. McDowell.

Maj, Jihii S, Jenkins.

Lt. Col. Henry T. McDowell.

Maj. John S, Jenkins,

Brig. Gen. John* w* Sprgaue

35th New Jersey:

Capt. Cha-'lr^ ., Angel.

Col. John J. h.: dek.

Lt . Col . i . "> A am A , Henry .
43d Ohio, Col, tr ager Swayne .
83d Ohio:

Lt . Col. r i *u-"« ;■;- E. Brown.

Maj. John " tp ots,
26th Wisconsin:

Col, Milton Montgomery.

Lieut. Col. Jeremiah M. Rusk

Third Brigade.

Col. James H. Howe.

Col. William T. C. Grower.

Col. John Tillson.

10th Il'JijiO'C, CJ.pt. George C, Lusk.
25th Inlh-jiu:

i ;. < (\fl« John Rhe inlander.

C'i,-^ ! „ Join- o 3. Wright.
lYirh 1 - 'oi' 1 :, I'-ij. Joel 0. Martin.
3261 WL. WW) GoU Charles H. De Groat.

Artillery.

Capt, Jerome B. Burrows,
Capt. George Robinson.

ItI Miekic™ Li-lit, Battery C
C: ,k . n«-orye Jlobinson.
T.Jout. Henry Skier.
Ohio l,l::lii , 1'ilh Eattery.

C'tpr , jofono n . Burrows.
Lieut » 'loth r. Laird.
Lieut » George Hurl but .

2nc' TTiited States Battery P :
It. Albert M. Murray,
i,( . Joseph C. Breckinridge

* , Lemuel Smith.
ft, Rezin G. Howell.

The 9th Illinois of my command was mounted under the command.

of Lt. Col. Phillips, My Pioneer Corps was under the command of

Captain Armstrong and my Chief Engineer was Col. Tiedeman. My

Pioneer Corps took a small amount of the different kinds of tools

with them and my enginerring corps was quite large, having had many

detailed fatjv.i it from the ranks and I held them in trt 1- m.d utilized

of aH 'u-v- >n3>fe|.er
them during the whole campaign, requiring them to makts maps , of the

roads and the country and get all the information possible, giving

192

distances, topography, streams, camps, towns, etc., which was so

full in detail that it was of great use not only to myself but to

General Sherman and General McPherson who often called on me for

the data 1 had collected. I took care to leave all of the stores,

baggage. , etc. in charge of convalescing men and stored them in

HnntsMlle so that they could be reached at any time. Having

raised three regiments of colored infantry, I only had to leave

a small brigade of my command at Decatur; the 10th Illinois, 25th

and
Indiana, 17th New *orh ... h 3&U. " - .. I also left,

temporarily, the 7th i: linoj s ^ounlc^], but :,Vy were after?; ards
relieved ffel/ 1 forces of the Army of the Cumberland, when they
rejoined me. 1 had left in command of the line from Lynnville to
Decatur, General J, D. Stevenson. Hi issued strict orders as to
foraging, prohibiting any depredations except by order of an
officer. Lt. Harris who had been in command of ray contrband camp,
while I was located on the line of the Nashville and Decatur road,
returned to me on May 1st the following report:

Decatur j May 1st, 1884,

"I b~" ' 'he honor to submit the following report for the month
of Apri], Tpr., The number received in the different camps during
the month is 1''"*, The number received up to March 31, 1864,
1263, male In ; n total of 2590; of which 1529 are 12 years old and
over, 1061 see "hi -ears old and under, 979 males and 1811 females.

The," car : crated as follows: 01 Brown's plantation, (riles
Col, Tenn„, ""FG; Phillips, Ditto, 697— Reynolds, ditto 205- -
Rivers, D" t ' ' } Z''>--Alx. Carter's Ditto, 7--Thos. Jones, Ditto 5..
Oobbs plai :•"-!, "-a i Ime stone County, Ala. 303,

The nur' 1 " i"- detailed during the m-mth, 20, making a total on
detail of 2P1, T',> number of deaths 40. Have drawn and issued
35778 ratior' 'h'j nig the month.

Have h-i] ! 00 houses this month making in all 75. About 600
of the people '" w> yet in railpens and sheds, but it is hoped to
soon have cr; for table quarters for all.

Have built 50 houses. Have planted 1000 acres of cotton, 200
acres of corn, three large gardens, paid have about 200 acres read;?'
for planting.

The Grist mill on the Brown plantation has been running as
constantly as grain could be procured and the saw mill on the same
place has sawed 22,400 feet of lumber of which 16,000 feet has been
consumed.

Have -n-vjcO J00 bed of g t <v t\irae'ht coo lemned .A >•••'" n~ ,- -dure.
Amount deposited in Post T;eiiojvy, =l ulaski ? ii r u > to Vv *ch 01st,
1864, $8400. 09 «, -1 car ~i „ sud expended up to sinptU', ,; 0187,00
Remaining un clo^Oo' i [-0001 00. Anion t depositOv. hi Apvil, lOOx,
&161.40. Tomx.1 oo dspo3.1f, "C-JG".C'9 8 Amouaf dv* •>■> ' ''ili 10.04.
§6462,99 . Amount expended in April 1864. fh&d„io» h-oiud eomrhiing
on hand, $5459.89,

Since January 1st, 1864, three hundred and fifty paiss of
shoes have been bought and distributed among the people, also a
number of blankets-. Some contributions have been made, but nothing
comparatively to what should be to supply the wants.

I am carrying on various kinds of labor at the same time;
milling, sawing, lumber, building houses, blacksmltbing and

(1) ffafc — , -| ,, -,_ '^ ,,1't " '-..'Jl, i°. '.. , nas organizing his

for-.". - ■'■' -" . ' :> (■ >' .'■ "n ". . n. .1," - ;. hn *"h ;n demanded the right to
takv <— , ui; -'. > C !;••■' !•.!', i lu.v Hot o;s ir J CI aid, Sherman con-
ceded that he had the rHrrht. to this command, and notified General
Grant of Hurlbut f s reri Grant answered: "I desire that
Dodge command the 16th Army Corps in the field. Would not re-
commend Hurl "but for further command,* Sherman Mien answered
Hurlbut : "Dispatch from Grant shows that he", wants Dodge to
command 16th Army Corps in field." On April 11, 1864, he wrote
Hurlbut as follows; "You have a high order of professional
knowledge, but 1 think yon do not take naturally to rough >., '. .> :
in the field. Failing to destroy bridge at Canton and dec-* 1 =.,<:,
Red River command. 1 think Grant, if Dodge were a Major G-; . '.' ,
would have taken away from you your command of the corps and

given it to him."

193

agriculture. The expenditure} is as various as the labor.

HI has been acompiishod in Com- months. On the 1st of Jan-
uary the first camp was Oi\pyui-er] r;ar Pulaski, Term, without a
dollar to start with. . 11] J he • is ic > ip ended since then has been
procured by picking cotton, 't ? . - 1 s ier pound, from cotton raised
on the Phillips and Reynolds "pit ■n l: '< ions, picked, ginned and baled
by the contrbands of those- ^w t v, f onO from the tax collected in
accordance with Gen. Thomas's i ~~d t. Though" 1 the amount drived
from the last named source Js To.;, tKui I should desire, yet my time
has been too much taken up in Liu ui conization of new camps, to" make
collections.

I would suggest that some plan for saving the cotton lying
about loose and endangering the buildings in which it is stored by
adopted. By proper management at large amount now wasting might
be saved to supply the wants of the destitute.

The accomodations for the sick ha¥e been poor, but I ara now
building hospitals. The supply of medicine is quite limited.

During the advance of the • army but little attention has been
paid to the educational department, but 1 hope the school master will
not always be abroad, and as soon as teachers and books can "be
procured school houses will be built."

This shows how we utilized the families of the contrbands whom

I had working on the railroad Ind when 1 left there, 1 left the

colored troops with their families well housed and well cared for

without any expense to the government.

On May 1st my troops moved out of Athens, Pulaski and Decatur
on a direct road to Hunt svi lie where 1 was ordered to concentrate,
1 immediately went to Hunfsville to make arrangements there for the
supply of my troops as they came through and also for the storage ■
of all our camp equippage. . <y>ts-epr csy.

On May 2nd, General Hurlbut was relieved of the command of
the 16th Army Corps, leaving me in command in the field and this was
his farewell order:

Cairo, May 2, 1864.

«, T1

T 1

l<>. . 0> Lev <2 ft mm i ii, , Uv

1,, Tl =

L .

has l h , " rt' 7

_ . u' i ; e n ;> .

fVom tl c .o '.:? i - f .V J " h
In sera. -/t5rp from r oodj of offieoe" eue men ' n . T a- "<> s^ Imp
comranfol, .d '.on! 1 he h.pv ; ,-'.." i < : ; : '. "<^ • f r'ii,i,>

if i did rn<". pi* : =)oi c l^f 1 a -n.: a ef iif.-'lcf * rendered and duties
performed h; thin ., n

The ' c ;" •' v J j p 'In'*:, corps, under the command of Brigadier
General Door/- co-op 1 * lod 'ith Major General Sherman in his advance
in October Li iclievc l ""i f tanooga and Knoxville, and now hold the
right flan 1 - of thu ocliw r.rmy in Tennessee. Two divisions of
this corps parti ei -u^P in the march to Meridian, and under the
•'able direcllon of fr:^. General A. J. Smith rolled back the tide of
disastrous ij'Kl'lo oM J3Jd River, It is with proper pride that ' I
claim Smith "ad ? orov one" their commands as pasts of this corps,
lor do 1 furg-jt "^ u ra""^ credit to a detachment friam the 17th Arirr
Corps which marched ana fought as brothers in arms with them. lor
is H least among the credit due to the 18th Army Corps that it
furnjhhod to Major General ?<. T. Sherman, then commanding the 15th
Corps 970 -wagons and teams an- 1 7,000 new muskets; for without that
transportation his march from Corinth to Chattanooga, and from
Chat f.oncoga to Kno :v:lllo , conl^ uoi hove bee: made in time iiecoo/ory
for the relic-:" cf those ,ioints Reduced by these beery dre 1m ,

I.V Fielder residue of the 1 6th Army Corps was notwithstanding, ex-
pec lei to cover the line of .the old district of West Tennessee;
1u protect l he river, and to hold the immense depots and hospitals'
< n f '"o.'i i'. .The Cavalry division reduced by exposure and constant
datw- for their record shows constant 'and dashing work9 by furlough
oT ■tt-otrr'",. regiments, and absolute want of horses to comparative
'.-» ifloien.,;; infantry not more than sufficient for garrison duty
r-ealer-oc t'-e command unequal to the task assigned . them. Thev have
lost no honor by not performing impossibilities. Every day now
brings you additional strength, and soon the day will come when
you will reckon with the enemy for this long enforced delay."

On May 2, I received an order from Oeneral Sherman to put
General Sweeny's division of over 5000 men on the cars at tarkins-
ville at 8 o'clock' A. M. on May 4th and Gen. Veatch's command of
6000 men at Woodsville at the same hour, and to have my trains and
artillery and mounted infantry and cavalry go by dirt road to
Chattanooga. On receiving this order, knowing that the command was
not posted in loading cars, 1 went immediately to these two points
and issued the following order:

May 2, 1864.

1st: Regiments and Brigades so far as practicable will be
loaded together. Each box car will be loaded with 70 men, placing
them inside and oul . and brigade commanders will see that the men
aee counted off, sk- > hey are placed upon the train, and as counted
the men will be aligned to them,

2d. The flo[ ibirs will be tab * rv> < I v- '-*tt,ery, 2d for
regimental teams, b rnes and rule-*. ), >0 1 ">s ]o,i}ed with at least
15 to a car and Q,» M.'s will sec t. r i. Obi; 1 nnjpL ^\ y attended to.
Five days rations will be taken.

Prom each regiment will bo do 1 * ** 3 , 1 men who know engine sig-
nals to mann each brake, who '"d 1 1 hav charge of the brakes, and
stgey by them during the entire 1 1" i p „

The ammunition will be die So" 1 'but,, ->y through the train, and in -
the cars that soldiers occupy. Line officers will in all cases
accompany their commands and field officers their regiments.
Brigade and regimental commanders will give their personal atten-
tion to the loading of the troops and stores. Any disregard of
this order will be immediately reported by inspectors, either to
division commanders or these head quarters."

These troops ?rere loaded and reached Chattanooga during the

night of May 4th and were unloaded from their trains and ready to

march on the morning of the 5th. 1 arrived in CK4ifc*'.w*r a very early
on the morning of the firth and General Shemman sent a dispatch to
•General Grant that "Dodge is here and will secure Tunnell Hill in
the morning," The rapidity with which I marched my men through from
Pulaski to Hunt svi lie and on to Lark inevi lie has often been spoken
of. We marched 75 miles in two days. The following is an extract
from the Cincinnati Gazette in relation to this march:

195

It •; -p-os bill a IIpp to hell that General f&Ati'e f S command

move.- - ! fro.r-n :;; ni1\, n ir t ah! how many lines would it

require to cell the- h: si o^y of such a march? There are many '
steps La "<e 'n~Jon; u u. nj. rk>ut, and with many a soldier each step
is an . von.;.. Forty ,;sr.."j hence little urchins sill clamber upon"
the f'-eble knees or yr"y -he 1 ro 1 historians and listen to the en-
chant Ln v _ ..Lcr-ir,, 1 _, \i t .. aL'.-r's march. I will not mar the" his-
tory ; • „i'. L ; " t __ ., r, " ' " J hoes.

Tiio ao,.u.u , V:, v. of ^ \ ' -.h is a drear: . ' 'ri uose day of hard
walki.. o^oi .-very joneeiiv ] 'i e kind of road. i ai^'t of broken
resty r>. n-i i be i't-i-o •, I s . !<->,- i,f Ike same gloomy >yy , t;. i s true that
a daj. (s march oi a raiment Is a very hard duly- hat any one who has
marched with a regiment knows that there never so much life and
hilarity among the soldiers as v/hen marching. The wit and re-
partee may not be the most brilliant or the most refined, but it is
thoroughly good natured and intensely laughable. The good hum or
thus engendered goes far toward lightening the weary way of the
soldie, , Fxrery peculiarity of every soldier is made the subject
of rLdJc^'i ci good natured comment. Even their own burden is
char* c U'r iii_ 1 t\ every conceivable name. The Cartridge box is
erij>=d i.ho ''lu.'igaaine " , the belts, etc., sire "Harness."
•\ ooi lie-' da cl'i ! 3s he carries with him not only his food arid raiment
but :iso V ' "ailght* s lodging," It is well these playful
moods p u e^' Ik Su much, else a soldier's life would be dreary enough."

On the morning of May 5th, I reported to General Sherman at

his head quarters very early. I had been down to the station to see

that my troops lied arrived •d::h; , -t and were properly encamped.

pr> ; -e>v.rp "German's

1 met General McPherson . ' rr ad- quarters. He was discussing a

dispatch that he had sent to President Lincoln. When General

Sherman commenced preparing for the Atlanta Campaign, he issued an

order prohibiting any stores being sent by cars to citizens; they

must livd off of the country or must go to a country if here they

could get provisions because the roads were not, equal to hauling

equipments and provisions to both soldiers and citizens. On

account of this order, a great protest was made from all that country

to the President and the War Department and president Lincoln had

Sherman
made an appeal on behalf of these citizens to General n - a; it and he

had sent Lincoln the following dispatch;

Hdqrs. Military Div. of the Miss.,

In the field, Chattanooga, May 5,
"We have worked hard with the best talent of the country, and
it is demonstrated that the railroad cannot supply the army and the
people too. - One or the other murt quit, and the army don't intend
to, unless Joe Johnston makes us. The issues to citizens have been
enormous, and the same wight of corn or oats would have saved thousands
'of the mules, w'.ose carcasses now corduroy the roads, and which we
need r ~o much.- We have paid back to Tennessee 'ten for nno r? previ-
sions t d.en in war. I will not change ' my order, and J " g sf you tc
be s<' List led that the clamor is partly humbug, and f > . -rf.-.tj rod
to test it--I advise you to tell the hearers of the a> t •- ni !o hnr.-y
to Kentucky and make up a caravan of est tie and wagon"' ri/ 1 oo„ie o;e±'

the mountains by Cumberland Gap and Somerset, to re 1 , u ye their
arfferkig rriouds, on foot., es they used lo do > f Poi-c .- t\ "ireae ."as
belli. Tell + J.tm Mil-, krvo re Mm? V lo ■•"- , v 'o eon i dkw all
nnturi 'uf fcriug b; >jnj'-, company or regime k giv-'n;, o£ k>eir savings.

196

Every man who Is willing to fight and work gets a full ration, and
all who 'won't fight or work should go away, and we offter them free
passage in the cars,
■ • ' W. T. Sherman,

Major- General

General Sherman greeted me very cordially and inquired where
was

my commandv-and complimented me on the way I had taken care' of the
country and the methods 1 had taken to carry out my orders and
he said to Mcpherson, "Send Dodge to take Ship's G-pt|i, lf and General
McPherson said.., "That Is 31 miles away." Sherman made no comment
on it. 1 said 1 would like some maps or a guide that t did not
know anything about the country, but what 1 would rather have
would be some breakfast. General Sherinam pointed out a hotel
where I could get some provisions* 1 went over to the hotel and
sat down to the tabli. 1 found the knives and forks chained
to the table, I said to myself that these people had heard febout
the Army of the Tennessee and after breakfast when I went back to
\v » where General Sherman was, I said to him, laughing, that evidently
|.^. everyone in Chattanooga had prepared for* his army's coming to

',1 Chattanooga. I said, "Sherman, they must have had queer experience
with you when you were here before." Sherman said, "What?" 1
said, "At the table where you sent me to get my breakfast, that
they had the knives and forks chained to the table so that the Army
of the Tennessee could not carry them away," Sherman, instead of
taking it in a numerous way, was pretty 'mad over it but General
McPherson thought it was a good joke.

At General Sherman's head- quarters, 1 received a letter from
Pulaski dated May 4th from a very prominent woman whose husband
was a manufacturer at Pulaski. This woman was a union woman- -
a raiity in that country. When 1 reached Pulaski, this lady called
on me immediately and tola me that although she was a southern
woman her heart and sympathy were with -the Union Army hut that it
■' had been impossible for her to express herself and she told me
that she was willing to do anything it was possible for her to do.
1 told her she would have to be careful as it might be possible
that we should leave that country and anything she did might hurt
her or her husband's business but most of her appeals to me were

-197-

tn help people of the southern a,,, who were in distress and needed
olir protection. There was a lady, the wife of General John. B.
Browl> (*o was a General in the Confederate Army) living ,t Pulaski
8nrt .he spoke to me a,out nor but General Brown's wife, ha, co.e

heca _ she was a wife of. a confederal Oeheral that the soldiers
■ nl „ht encroach on he, or harm hen. I said I woul* V* *

her house if she wanted mo to hut she said no she woul* rather
h , ¥e one of my ataff officers room at hen houae , so two of my officers
roome d at her house while we were in the city. She was a very ,
fine lady. She hrousht me a letter she had written to her huabard 5
thinking I wouW want to reA* it before -she sent it to him but I '
told her I niH not need to ree* it because I knew she would not
/ send anyhthmng that should not <- to the amy. Her husband commanded

/ tne division which broke thr ugh the lines on the Augusta Railroad

J^ • on July 2 Ond and -hen I aided in retaking those lines, a Lieutenant
^', of my command fell into General |rown « s hands and as soon as he

became aware of, this, 'Hiring the f : •■ ' -i truce that was had- after .
^ the battle of Atlanta, he made known to me that this Lt . Was in his
hands and that he wa- going to take care of him and would send him
through the lines as soon as he could. He thanked me for taking
care of hia family at rule ski. General Brown wa a afterwards with
me in building the extension of the Texas Pacific railroad in Texas
an* became the receiver of that road. T-is la 1 - save me a great
deal of information in relation to the people of the country who
they were, what they had done, &c. but she -''id not ask any punishment
for them and kept me pretty thoroughly posted as to what was going on
in the inside circles of the Confederate people in that country.

The letter I received from her at Chattanooga was as follows:

May 4, 18f4.

".permit me, dear sir, to tha 1c voir for your many kind acts
towards me and mine while you were in our t midst. Although very
much wa.s said and done hy my enemies to. prejudice you against me,
. y o u we r e s t i ] ] the s am e k i n d a. nd o b 1 i g i n g f r i en - 1 .
'■ Relieve me in losiria you from among us,' I feel that I have
loat my bent friend, and one whom I more highly honored for his
patriotism 5 integrity, energy, braver;.'' and true nobleness of char-
acter, than any soldier of the army. May God help you, and shield you

' ■ 198

you wherever you may' be. '

While you were here and near us, how securely I felt- but now
shall I tell you, General, that, 1 have the saddest'heart in our vil-
lage! That everything here to me wears a gloomy aspect, that dark
looks and darker threats, are be 3. inn ins to burden the atmosphere
towards the "few poor misguided (?) wretches whose hearts yearn
towards the dear old flag for proteoli < r .

I may be alarmed without/ Cu.uss, T hope it is so, hut every-
thing wears the appearance of gradual evacuation at thie ^o*> t/
and the faces of the secession! f ta loU : nb earned and glorified.
If the worst comes, and we should be left here without \lr~- L t-c-
tection of the Federal army, I know not what shall becouo «-/ us a
We cannot fly from our home well, and yet, if we remain T r ir the
consequences. Let me implore you even at the distance ten r^e from
us to sti]T watch ov.r ur , and give us your protection by loc'lng
out to the prominent r>cce?h in your lines the same treg Lmn .y tivt
secessionit.1 d mete out to your friends inside their lir';^ c
There will always be persons here to report correctly end ^10 vtly
to you, if the place should be so unfortunate as to be abandoned.

I shall always regret that 1 did not see you before you left
1 had' so much to say that you must remain unsaid. Will always.
be glad to hear from you and beg that you will ever remember me as
your friend.

P. S. You must pardon this liberty 1 have taken and attribute
it to a grateful heart that could not rest until it had thanked
you from its depths for your goodness, and asked you to continue
your protection- while I endeavor to stem the tide of popular wrath."

First 1 moved out vith both of my divisions, a battery at 4
fe ached to each, without any transportation, on the morning of the
5th and I reached Gordon Mills, camped there that night. When
I arrived there, 1 rode up to the house and saw three officers sit-
ting around a small table with a bottle of wine upon it. 1 in-
quired of them the road to Ship's Gap and they looked at me and
inquired who I was and I told them and what my command was, and
they immedaitely said they were General^ Hooker, Sickles and
Butterfield and invited me to bivouac with them. General Hooker
noticed that I was a Brig. General and commanded a dorps while
General Butterfield and Gen. Sickels were Ma;' or Generals, Butter-
field commanding .a division in Hooler'a Corps aril .Sickles on a

in the west
trip of observation for President Iincoia » General

Hooker looked at Butterfield and said, "if I did not think my nose
would go out of joint, meaning of cours.e, that I would lose my
command; 1 did not know hardly what answer to make to him but he
brought it up twice and 1 thought possibly he might be demanding
my command for Butterfield but that was my first acquaintance with
all of them.. Afterwards I became quite intimate with General
Sickles and Butterfield, especially General Butterfield and we were
together in Civil Life afterwards in many processions, official

199

occasions and General Sieves is still alive and a very dear friend.

On the night of the 6th I- camped at Gordon- 1 s SfsrlngsVutnit 1

pushed Spr ague's brigade forward and at midnight he entered /Ship's

Gap, very fortunately for us for it was a narrow pass, easily ■

defended arid the next 'morning before day-light, the enemy came there

and found it occupied. On reaching Ship* s Gap, on the morning of

May 7th, I sent the following dispatch to General McPherson:

Hdqrs .Dei a ehncn I V.'SLh Army Corps.
In field, .la? ( ., 3SC4,
Colonel Spragtie, with Second Bri nu. , FuiMh Division,

Sixteenth Army Corps, holds Ship's G=p md cress -rpiachi loading to
Lafayette. One regiment in the gap, the ms' el <"oct of mountains and
at the cross-roads. Saw only t went 3^ of tit 3 .-uomyj iko r ~ \vere on the
Alabama road none in the gap. Signal -rf^^< i rts- '"'n re.-' "~ i the top of'
mountain to where the rebel signal slmliou was loco '..ad , that communi-
cated ftfat LaPayette to Dalton, say thrt Ihoy c >nV nr-o 00 indication
of Gene ml G^rr.-.r-rL

r'vant , "

General Sherman had ordered General Garrard's division of
Cavalry to join us in this flank movement through Snake Creek Gai but
it never joined us. On the night of the 7th, 1 camped .at Villanow
and on the night of the 8th 1 reached the head of Snake Creek Gap,
1 had with me about 20 men of the 9th Illinois mounted Infantry.
I sent them through the Gap. They returned and notified me that it
was un-occupied. 1 immediately pushed the 39th Iowa Infantry through
to the East end of the gap„ It was a long narrow passage and a re-
giment could have stopped any command coming through it. This
placed us on the flank and rear of Johnston's forces at Dalton.
General McPherson was with the 15th Army Corps and had not yet come
up but I sent word to him immediately. that my Command was at the Gap
and a portion through it. This was one day in advance of General
Sherman's time for the Army of the 'Tennessee to reach there.

At midnight on the 8th, General McPherson issued the following
order for our movement the next dayl

S. P.O. No,. ".. "ink.. C-M-j 5 Gap. May 8;
The command will be under arms ready t v , urmh £>L n o'clock
''A. v. Tomorrow, through Snake Cred- Qv lo H ', ^i.-?c'*' of Resaca.
The advance division of Brig, G.-n. T\y — »s •<. n« nl will march
as soon ps ike cUvio'.n in the r>'i ckle^os \> o- .1.

?»*"■ r '--u, Ver'. ,^'s div-'sion -"ill nuu'?'' n < - >, ;3» k precisely
Maj. Go n .'" Logan's command wi]i f H » ' aim^Jaitrly nfUr General Dodge's

co uirni through the gap. .

-' - >,-> v v -i Pejnflr to make a. hold and rapid movement on the

ou.--u»'s f].n' " lines of communication, all wagons and baggage of
'vei-y descniMioa will he left behind, except ambulances and ammuni-
S1 ,,, r ,^ r lx - ^'-rr-h to make sixty founds per man in addition to

200

what we have In cartridge t«ni n 3,

The wagons left behind will bo properly parked near the west

entrance to the gcp, and a brigade of infantry from Major General
Logan's command, one brigade of infantry and a battery from BMig.
Beneral Dodge's command will bo left ms guard for the train.

Special pains will be taken to keep the road through the Gap
open for the passage of troops.

'The men will have provisions for three days issued to them
tonight if they can be procured. It not, make them go as faras
possible „

The battery belonging to Brig, den.- Dodge's command which came
up tonight' with horses much fatigued is the one to be left,"

At 2 A. M. on May Oth, I received verbal orders to move as far

as Rome Cross Roads in Sugar Valle £n <• > await o I specific orders

and instructions. The object of the' i..m-e as stated to me to be to .

demonstrate on Resaca while other troops would cut the railroad at

that place. My official report of this movement gives it in detail

and made at the time, and Is as follows;

At daylight In the morning (May 0} the advance, consisting of
the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, and Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry,
was attacked by Ferguson's brigade, of the enemy's cavalry,, The
Second Brigade of the Second Division was immediately ordered up,
and, moving forward, promptly drove and routed the enemy. In this
engagement the gallant Lieut. Col. Jeaoe J. Phillip-' , commanding
Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, was -r >rely wound , Upon reach-
ing Rome Cross-Roads, I received card-n - ! ,o advance <.,.,. ""esrri, mov-
ing forward until I should succeed in d veloping the enero; M, i hi:
of battle or In his fortifications, and, if I gained the Calhoun
and Dalton Cross-Roads, one mile west of Resaca, to hold them until '-.
one division of the Fifteenth Army Corps should arrive and relieve
me, 1 advanced steadily, meeting with considerable resistance and
skirmishing heavily the entire distance to the last- named cross-
roads, when the enemy was discovered in' line of battle on .the Bald
Hill, about three-quarters of a mile west of Rasaca, and in his
works at Resaca. Laaving the Fourth Division at the cross-roads,
I immediately ordered the Second Division formed Be two lines, and,
advancing it rapidly, drove the enemy, -took possession of the Bald
Hill, and held it. My position and that of the enemy 'and his strength
'was promptly reported to Ma jor-Oeirral Mcpherson, who soon there-
after arrived on the ground and directed me to send a few mounted men
up 'to the Dalton road to recounolter the country and find an
approach to the railroad in that direction. He also directed me to
hold the Bald Hill and cross-roads until the Fifteenth Army Corps
arrived. I immediately sent a detachment of eighteen mounted men
(all 1 had left), under Captain Hughes, Ninth Illinois Mounted In-
fantry, up the Dalton road. This force struck the railroad about
two miles" south of Tliton (which tMy found strongly patrolled by
fh P enemy's nf-Vfilry"* pad succeeded in cutting the -telegraoh wires
and iu noiii,^ n-.mud stolion, - j /; -,_, ! «- - '- ' -,^ ,..' 'l C3s at -dark,
/'Don I I "» '" Tt v'M'ixc" Lirnl'v. o; : D\r> my 1 .il. ;,"• - Fourth
Dillrloi.j 'a 1'^ "-'. ,x- pc . oXh ^T Rn:om-i, n. 1 I,! 1 H- Bald Hill.
" : Lh blw ?">-.i-i rI-'ir1ou. ^ -. ■- 1- " ^---i,? 1 ^rs B -> 1 i i. B ; ordered to
Faj., r ! o cat " 5 ,. > u ' - i ' .,' .l . ' . . " '>i MB' division,

mo v •

1 1

m, >k r :->l u r.ii ^: " BI'isi'~ns, ^-"V "?vv i a ; n oimcly, he mover]

\, , do'mi'iui

li, -o :

t "m

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L.o ii

•h-,- v-< frr! oT "Ml" p -i 1, i... '■' °ii v' 1 * r of Resacc,
i\~ -io^ n,.r- ,+ $ -\ - - -ed r yd-^-y fi *• a om his
•r.t ai uv>n ih kliimr, -n.,-i rV% t ■■<■•' Bmr vLV r- - ' d musketry,
t,p-> i, t: ^ !/-•=> d .a-'--' Pj- muu, d In, , Inv-mi'. Mm, little
y',< ^-B, /i,1 Vh ling :..ov. 1 L>- so? u' a Emcos^ 'B ^frvt open field,
,B " , r ^\ f ,,,- •• '-«,...., ,v l I'cPhrco^n -u oner Mr" '..' 'i" ""■ to look well

>n r <r w j on ma" a a ~ res sing forward :* n + 1 " 1 ,J

■ " >t C./lLi • ' (,«u-- :.'-iy,;,l j-^V., a 1 - Fuller ", ml ' u a. Be no
."f th'-^si uuis, si, JU-B "o a -a. y- m, y u>~-<- • f lb" reo-S urn
ilo - * -' ' ..f dm Mr': ^-o-.h, T ->n . 1- <d ,. u il " + VB ."c7.- "1
f.~ v , ", i V -C-v ' ^ ^ - — -'c bri- I B'J •- t 1 ] t I, ; i .-d.

201

hy r 11 -- >f General McPherson, to support the left of the Second
d;iyi- 4 wi -rid' hold the space between that, division and the Fourth
Divl i , I was with the advance (Puller's brigade.) The skirmishers
had ~usi reported that the;- wore within a short distance' of the
railroad when the enemy opened fire upon the brigade with a. regiment
'-f infantry and a battery in position, directly on our right.
I immediately sent orders to Colonel Fuller to charge the°battery
and swing still farther to the north, under cover of the timber,""
Beftwe this order was executed, J received orders from General
McPherson to withdraw the brigade and close neon Colore] Sprague
who was formed on the left of the Second Division. This had to *
be done in view of the eremy, whose batteries had a no int- blank
range across the open fields upon the column. Colonel Puller dsolovsd
his brigade under cover of the timber, and, withdrawing by regiments
across the open fields, formed in position on the we st"" side of
Mill Creek, By the time the. with-clrawal was accomplished it was
sunset, and I received orders to withdraw the oomma-'d and return to
Snake Creek Gap, I accordingly withdrew the command and bivouacked,
about 12 o'clock at night, at the eastern outlet of the rra.n The
pirlp- i-t 1 - TJ"r , 1: T> C t^v a 1 " ■ \jh-n r> Li _ a -■-•> r - ^ - ,- t
p-v »->, -, , - -;.ph{ -"i • d-'-.-ir. • ^ - > * b-f- ■■ + ^ - h~ . '"•'

,-1 ! - ! -m , n'p-r-,1' ?->• '• , - r p, r.,-1-".^ t\t - - _ •< >;_,, .-, c j

7P. °" ' " \"' :"? , ;nink'i ° A * *- -do m 1T "- w 1 n> "O .- r i _ -v. _ c \
^ f "i ,. ; --,1 ,, _ d _ "<-< - " ><<~ -!,"-,:< ad 1 '" * !"-" j ■'•>"' "■•[". , ™h • od
• r ; m, l0 , r "\i.-'n - v».-, ,. ^ -■•... -i, . ,i p- ,~ , r , ], - ; •■•(•. , ... m^. - nn i
ra..dd. Dual" J1 ^ => ': - *-y fh n ._ - - 1 a ^' ma-,-, [b _ - <■.,-..-.-_
dlaee-::c- .. r M' \ --•C --v-i "p.^ ., . , ^ "■ . « ; i " y .' p i .'« " ^-— "ted
r*>l hi i - k'r i , M" 4 ■""»-,..' o<~'ei" n. ■ 't i u* " W ;, ^ •■ p- i > a t pal
<vHh 'h? -i i" ci rpo.j si •• • t - - i .p n : 'In- ogt, o» "" y >., ■> , l ^- „
wr^i.o. ",.i T *e > ~ w* . e 1 -., 1 - g i. i-.' 1 , , ;-. wfVm.a: i'--ri, , , <r, -.f

Ik, „ e ... >.k . r ".' ' "• '!■-,: v" .i. d« b ( M<- «^,m , -\ 'p~ i - lr n-" 1

ami "r.l ' r-p^-> , " b"i p- •• ,,,-pPi-- f,-, =p ■' ;• d^p ar ' e K "" °.

When 1 reached the hills of Resaca, General McPherson and General
Logan overtook me. . It was then late in the afternoon and General
McPherson asked me what I thought about taking Resaca, I answered
that 1 thought it could be done if we could move immediately.;
that nothing had appeared in my front yet that I could not quickly
dispose of and after a lengthy conversaton on the matter, in which
there was some doubt expressed about our hoeing time,
General McPherson told me to move forward. I took Puller's Brigade
of the 4th division and moved rapidly forward to strike the railroad
north of Resaca. The enemy appeared in considerable force but did
not stop us and during this movement, as stated in. my official

report, General McPherson stopped my 2d brigade to place it on
the left of the 2d division and we soon returned to ^nake Greek
San. This was a great disappointment as shown in the dispatches
and letters of General Sherman to General McPherson,
There has always been a controversy in relation to thi >■ rc/onerd

and its object and the understanding between Mcpherson and

i • n - : "i ?

About five <i"'~ f\. ° ~ ,'i„ T ".^ ■; , "■ . " ' .

•^ P, , ',

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0( .1 - ■■ -:•- • "r ,

n/h , i-, t" ' * j „ n i ;-

-. ,.- - 1 4 , "■ , ; i '

tion on the east ":ni
era! Sherman.

Sincerely yours »

Jas. B. McPhernon.

M a jo r - Ge ne r al .

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202

General Sherman was evidently different,. General McPherson thought
he was to make a demonstration on the railroad and fall back to
Snake Creek dap while General Sherman intended that he should make
a lodgment on the railroad to capture Resaca and remain. General
McPherson reported on May 9th to General Sherman as follows:

"General Dodge's command moved up and skirmished with the
enemy at Resaca this afternoon. While that was going on one company
of mounted infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips 1 regiment,
succeeded In reaching the railroad near Tilton Station, but was fore
ed to leave without damaging the track. They tore down a small
portion of the telegraph wire. The enemy have a strong position at
Resaca naturally, and, as far as we could see, have it pretty well
fortified. They displayed considerable force, and opened on us
with artillery. After skirmishing till nearly dark, and finding
that 1 could not amcceed in cutting the railroad before dark, or
getting to it, I decided to withdraw the command and take up a
position for the night between Sugar Valley and the entrance to the
gap for the following reasons: ^irst, Between this point and Resaca
there are a half dozen good roads leading north toward Dal ton down
wiioh a column of the enemy could march, making our advanced posi-
tion a very exposed one. Second. General Dodge* s men are ail
out or provisions ? and some regiments have had nothing today. His
wagon train is between here and Villanow, and possibly some of them
are coming through the gap now t but they could not have reached
him near Resaca; besides, 1 did not wish to block up the road with
a tfiain. It is very narrow, and the country on either side is heav-
ily wooded. I had no cavalry except Phillips' mounted men to feel
out on the flanks. If I could have had a division of good cavalry
1 could have broken the railroad at same point. I shall be com-
pelled to rest, my men tomorrow forenoon, at least, to enable them
to draw provisions. T *ke have lost some 6 men killed and 30-ftdd wound-
ed but have inflicted a greater amount, of damage to the enemy, and
captufced about £5 prisoners.

General Kilpatrick is very anxious to make the attempt to cut
the railroad. General Garrard is in La Payette tonight; says his
horses aHe very much fatigued and short of forage; desires to remain
there until his forage train comes down from Chattanooga. When I
move forward again I would like a division of Hooker's command to
hold the entrance to' the gap and the roads at Sugar Valley, thereby
enabling me to move forward with my entire command, except .train guards.

The news from Grant is glorious,"

Genera.l Mc Pherson toderstawd^iis orders is shown in his 'dis-
patch to General Sherman on May 9th at/ 2 P» M. as follows:

' li T+' : ls impossible to communicate with General Hooker by signals, ow-
ing to the rough, impracticable nature of the country, and the dense
foliage, I propose to cut the railroad, if possible, and then fall
back and take a strong position near the gorge on this side of the
mountain and await your orders, I wrote to General Hooker to co '-
trol the ror.'T neria.s the oimk.,: 1 from ©alton, about six miles north
of Snake Cpp- r o ,." ,|^ e ,'« hi$ Jfspfc4 i«5*ti. 'X. fe.r/Miyf* *f i~b.™.

General Jlv-rman m is memoirs says:

IcPherson had on hand. 23,000 of -the best men of his army and
could have forced fei-fle ■ '■■\\- Resaca then held -only by a small brigade
or. he could have placed his men astride the railroad above Resaca
and even withstood the attack of all Johnston's army with the
knowledge that Schofield was on his heois ; Had .he clone so, I am
certain Johns boa ^ould nut have venlr<xu1 to attack him in position
bui. rould hove retreated eastward by Spring Place end we would have

203

captured all his army, arti Mery and wagons at the very beginning .
01" the campaign. Such an opportunity does not occur twice In a
•-ingle 3 1 Ce, but at the critical moment, McPherson seems to have
been a liitle timid, still he was perfectly justified bf' his orders
and fell back and assumed the unassailable defensive position in
Sugar Valley on the Resaca side of Snake Creek Gap,

General Herman wrote a letter to General McPherson as soon
as he heard of his position which General Mcpherson handed me to
read. I do not see this letter any wlv re in the records but
General McPherson took if as 'a censure and felt it very deeply.
He thought and felt that he' had accomplished the object of the
movement to open up Snake Creek Gap to Johnston's rear.

On May- 10th, William* s division of the Army of the Cumber-
land joined us and two brigade of 'it came, through the Gap. There
was plenty of time then with this additional division and with
Hooker's corps marching towards us for ufe to again move out and
plant ourselves on the railroad at Resaca and perhaps capture the
place. Gen. McPherson was greatly handicapped in this movement
by not having any Cavalry. General Garrard's division of Cavalry
was ordered to report to him and It was intended that It should
reach him by the time he reached Snake Creek Gap but as the dis-
patches show, it did not come to him or he did not hear from it.
It Is evident after the first attempt to take Resaca, General
Sherman did not propose tc make any other until he got his whole
army through the Gap as shown in his dispatch of May 11th to General
McPhersons as follows:

"I i oc.oived by courier In the night yours of r and o:5"0 p, m.
of yes tor hu. You will also during the night have ub,,^r^'-d that
I had cone Lo the .same conclusion. You now have your 2d, 000 and
Hooker is iii close support, so that you cah hold ak ,kr Johnston's
arm; i 1 ^hre'; should he abandon Dalton. He can't af:\^d io abandon
Dal') on for h) has 'fixed it up so nice for us, and he chs-rvis we
are do.."; of haifli waiting for him to quit. He cannot °! r erd a de-
tach:. ouL strong enough to fight you, as his army wid "> "... admit of It.
Strengthen your position, fight anything that comes, and threaten the
safety of the railroad all the time. But -to tell the truth, I would
rather he should stay in Dalton two more days , when he may find a larger
party than he expects in an open field. At all events we can then
choose our ground and he will be forced to move out of his trenches.
1 do not Intend to put a column 'into Buzzard Roost Gap at peesent.
See that you are in easy communicaton with me and all quarters. After
today the supplies will be at Ringgold,"

204

XI poo

General Sherman states General KcPherson' s forces as too large.

7 r e had left two brigades at the East end of the Gap to protect our

trains and the enemy at Resaca was much larger than* General Sherman's

as uren- 4- ,

statements shown in Johnston' s Dispatch of May gth at 1 P. M. to Maior

A -

General Wheeler as follows:

Crigsby's brigade is in the trenches at Resaca.

General Johnson wants some cavaly in observation between this
place and Resaca for fear of a surprise by an advance here. I do not
think Resaca is -in any danger; we have 4,000 men there. Let me con-
gratulate you on your splendid success till the general can speak his
thanks. Let Colonel Allen call at Headquarters as he passes."

It also appears' from a dispatch of Mackall, Chief of Staff to
General Cleburne that Ytkoakn had reached Resaaa with his regiment.
It was evident the enemy were on the lookout because a dispatch from
General Cleburne on May 9th to General Cranbury directing him tofall
in with his brigade immedaitely and move in the direction of the
Dalton and Resaca road a General Johnson, on the same date, in a
dispatch to General C4?lf€r';» who was in command at Resaca says that
General Johnston was sending another* brigade. He impressed upon him
the importance of the bridges and the absol ate"/r necessity of their
being held. General Martin is near Calhoun mailing arrangements
to come to feu if pressed, and he said; "Remember, if you are attacked
by a very large force, the General will come to your assistance

■ '1 so you can hold out with a certainty of being relieved," Martin
commanded a division of Cavalry and Calhoun was only a short distance
away. This shows that the enemy was watching Resaca carefully.
Why they left Snake Creek Gap open for us to pass through is beyond
my comprehension because a Brigade would 'have held that' Gap against
almost any force we could bring against it. I thought when we first
reached Resaca that' we could take it but I saw that we would have
met a much larger force than we expected and we would not have ted

time to capture it that night, ft W* Brf^* w ** ^'"^It'l"^
And c«uU h&v*<L<si-r'rei ft, but wtre. WY^s 4?Ai'«Sf the enemy "h- «•*-»*• '~

•fro-H-fr "fon^'the 10th, we fortified a line about' one mile in advance
of the Gap and the Army of the Tennessee occupied it. During the

205.

llth and. 12th, the Army, of the Cumberland and the Army of the Ohio
passed through the' Gap taking position to the north of us, Then
the 20th corps came through, 1 was at General Sherman's headquarters,
General Hooker had pitched his tent along side' the main road and
as his corps .pd-SS^A him, they cheered and General . Sherman had Issued
orders that there should be no drums beaten, no music or noise;
his theory was to get the whole army through that Gop before Johnson
discovered It and he was guite excited when he saw this corps
cheering Hooker and he said to me "You go over and tell Hook£er to
stop it." I went over arid spoke to General Hooker and gave him
the compliments of General Sherman and Hooker laughed raid said he
would go into his tent, which he did, but they still cheered. The
fact is those in the ftoont of the corps had started the cheering
and those in the rear really did not know what it ?jas for but kept
it up.

On the night of May 12th, General Johnston's armj retreated
from Dalton followed by General Howard. and on May 13th, the whole of
Johnston's army moved out to take position with its right resting
on Resaca and its left to the north with a view _ p^oteetin ■•: the
railroad, and we faced the whole of Johnston's army a nd were lined
up parallel to the railroad, which he controlled. The Army of the
Tennessee took position on the extreme right resting on the
Oostenaula river. My 4th division was put in line on the extrmeme
right. The 2nd division was held. In reserve. On the evening of
May 15th, the Army of the Tennessee chftpged the Intrenehments in
front of Resaca and carried them which gave us a position in which
our artillery commanded the Resaca Bridge.

On May 14th I received an order from General McPherson to move
my 2nd division to Lay's Perry and. force a crossing over the
Oostenaula river and. put in a pontoon bridge which was coming to
me from Snake Creek Gap. General Sherman sent General Corse of his
staff down to General Sweeny to explain to him what he wanted. ^ As
sson as Gen. Sweeny's division arrived at the ferry, they fd^id "it
strongly occupied on the other side by the enemy. They undertook
to put the pontoons into Snake Greek and float them down the river

206

but found it was too shallow, -when he immediately formed the 81st
Ohio and 86th Illinois in liner and they charged right down'- the.
river -bank, under a very heavy fire of the enemy getting the c reek
and holding it. That enabled them to control the mouth of Snake
Creek into whio - - '..,-„., ->-'•' h were wooden frames with canvas

-, -. 4 x ) II were />/aceJ \ • ^

sides and bottc Uuvic/,&4 about 200 me * I-n '.her. ind in

they crossed the river
the face of the fire of the enemy on the other p i < I .- ^ l'iud-'d and drove

off the skirmish line, but soon found, the enemy in line of battle

a short distance back, when they w---re reinforced by the 81st Ohio

and 66th Illinois. Just as this operation was going on, General

Sweeny received a report from General McPherson stating the enemy

in a large body was coming down the Oostenaula on the opposite side

of the riv-r and for him to delay making hie effort to cross until

further orders. Gen. Sweeny bJilieted this report to be true aitB.

thinking his command that was on the south side of the riv~»r ronfi

in '''* !•'." t i -,n,
be in danger, he withdrew it, which was a mistake, as th , Wc.s

not true. General Corse, who was present, said he heard of this
report and that Gol, Bane with 2 regiments of infantry and a battery
of artillery was sent to Calhoun ferry to see what truth there was
in the report. As soon as Gen. Sweeny discovered that it was a
false report, on the morning of the 15th, he threw his force again
icross the river and put in the pontoon 'bridge and crossed his /"?£
brigade. He captured, several prisoners belonging tot the 85th, 87th a
and Oth Georgia. Captain Chamberlain of the 81st Ohio who had
charge- of the three boats that first crossed the' river gives this
description of the crossing': He says: the 86th Indiana of the
1st Brigade was dployed as skirmishers along the river bank , oppo-
site and abov-' the ferry road anc Capt. Welker ,, s Battery H, was
placed in position so as to shell the position of the rebels along
the road. When th" boats were placed in the river, companies B and.
C. of the 81st Ohio and Co; I of the G6th Illinois were ordered to
enter the boats which were now launched on Snake Creek. The boats
would hold but eighteen men each, and the companies were necessarily
divided in filling them. After these three companies had embarked
it was determined that they would fill as many of the remaining bents

207

as possible and have them read; 7 to. follow closely the van of the little
fleet. In these latter boats ware placed companies A, E an P and H
of the 81st Ohio, two companies of the 66th Illinois and one of the
12th Illinois. The order in which the boats lay when all was
ready, gave the advance to Lt . Dixon, with aplatoon of Go. B. 81st
Ohio; next was Captain Hayes with a platoon of Go. T |6th Illinois
and third Capt. Chamber lin, with a platoon ^f Co, 0. 81st Ohio, The'
command of the three boats and of the skirmish line was given to the
latter officer. Before those brave men loomed a dark, deep forest,
which might prove a magazine of dfiatfa. At its edge flowed the d ep,
angry Oostenaula, soon perhaps, to be reddendo by their blood. Yet
from this uncertain fate not a man shrank though many a heart stood
still, and many a thought of home and dear ones these came up as for
a last retrospect.

All this while, with hurrying feet, a courier's steed was dash-
ing from General McPhernon to General' Sweeny, carrying an order to
delay the crossing until a rumor that the enemy was crossing above
to attack General Sweeny in rear, was traced up. Ignorant of the
coming order, the men in the boats faced danger and death unflich-
ingly. The order was given for the three boats to go forward.
Silently the oarsmen who had crossed the advance of the Army of the
Cumberland at Caperton Perry, and who took Sherman across the
Tennessee at Chickamauga, but who had never before made a crossing
inthe immediate face of the enemy, dipped their long oars into the
muddy water of s nake Creek and moved toward the river. As still as
death the white boats with their living cargoes of blue, moved on
until near the mouth of the little creek, when "Halt" is yelled
out from the rear. Two of the boats heard the command in time to
stop, but the foremost is into the swift current of the river and
'cannot stop. Shall the gallant little crew ba abandoned to its
fate. 1 ' Quick as thought Col. Adams decided those men should be
saved, and he ordered the others to advance. Into the river they
plunged but the third boat on entering the river caught and he'd
on a snag. Up to this time, the movement had been unobserved by the

208

enemy, but now iheenemy poured, out their fire which came splashing
into the water and hitting men in the boat. In a moment the boat,
is extricated and is across the river. Quick as thought the men
are landed and deployed along the bank. The 4th and 5th boats arrive
arid bring the remainder of companies B and C» 81st Ohio, "Forward"
was immediately give 7 } and springing up from the water's edge, almost
like coming out of the ground, our gallant boys presented themselves
before the' rebel skirmish line. A volley and a cheer, and a rush
forward, arid the little band had cfptured half its number of prisoners,
including one captian and two lieutenants. The rebel force at the
intrenohments at the ferry, finding their position flanked, took to
flight without stopping to ascertain our number. By this time the
reserve froce under Captain W. H» Hill, 81st Ohio, had landed and
were placed. in position to support the skirmish line. The rebel
Officers again and again tried to force their men forward, but our
gallant boys no sooner perceived a line than they rushed toward it
and sent it flying to the rear. The peril of the crossing and
the complete success of the movement so elated the men that a feel-
ing of disappointment was expressed when they learned that they were
to recross. Py sunset the whole force was safely withdrawn without
a single shot from the enemy, who were so demoralized, that they left
a battle-flag at their intrenohments opposite the 88th Indians, which
a soldier of that regiment secured by swimming the river."

At midnight on the 15th my forces on the picket line informed
me that they could hear the trains of t'se enemy moving south and
Genera] Sweeny reported the same thing and we immediately reported
It to Hcatirq rriera s when orders were received to move early the
next mo-'iiLv,. The Amy of the Tennessee marched by Lay's Ferry.
From the reports. 1 got from. Lay's Ferry, 1 felt anxious and got up
,early in the morning and sent word to General Sweeney to move out
with his forces and feel for the enemy. 1 got around there about
ten o'clock in the morning and found most of Sweeny's forces still
on the north Aside of the river with only one brigade t.o the front.

I pushed right on to this brigade, xvhich Col. Burke commanded, and
f 01iri< 5 him skirmishing wit'- +he enemy, that he developed 'a large

2(19

force In line of battle. I saw our danger and I Immediately
ordered him to throw out the 84th Illinois, his own regiment,
which was armed with the Henry Magazine Rifle and told him to
have them open up briskly upon the enemy. We soon discovered
that Walker's division was in front of us. This action of the
84th Illinois, when it fired rapidly from its Henry Rifles,
sounded like a line of battle and Walker thought that was what
was before him. We were in a thick woods which deceived him
and gave me time to throw behind him another brigade. The enemy
got a battery around to my left which opened on our train In the rear
and created a good deal of demoralization among the teamsters,
and the enemy moved around on our right, and forced back a portion
of my right, but the men held steady until all the 2nd division came
up and 1 got it into line and moved on the enemy and they fell
back rapidly but not until after there had been a considerabl loss
on their side as weld, as ours. I soon found there line was formed
to protect the road, --4 little in the rear of what was known as
the Rome Road, which crosses the Calhoun road In advance of the
right of the 2nd Brigade. Along this road a heavy train elk wagons
was passing and It wan importatn that it should be well guarded.
Walker's and Cle&u.')r-vi's: ". divisions, two of the best of Johnston's
army, were detailed for this duty and were strongly posted. As

soon as these trains passed, the divisions gave way.

ike
Col. Burke commanded ^ brigade and was badly wounded In the

foot from which he afterwards died.

General Mcpherson came up before 1 got through Tilth the

fighting and was a goo " tv's disturbed at the unpreparedness of

the division to meet this force, which he and I both knew would

probably be thrown there to cover the trains of the enemy, but

General Sweeney had not grasped the situation as he ought to

have done and had his whole division out, there the first thing

in the morning, I explained the matter to General HcPherson.

It was very fortunate that 1 happ -ned to be there on the ground

but Col. Burke handled his force with good judgment, holding an

entire division with some two or three regiments for nearly two

hours .

210-

On M|iy 14th, General Sherman received a dispatch from Gen.
Halleck giving an account _ of the great battle at Spottsylvania
Court House, where Johnston's division was captured by Hancock.
On May 13th, 1864, for daring services in the battle of the Wil-
derness and Spottsjfivania Court House, General Grant recommended
several officers for promotion in the regular and Volunteer
service and in his dispet oh said: "In making these recommendations
1 do not wish the claims of General G. M. pddge overlooked and
recommend that his promotion be sent in ad, the same time." Generrl
Halleck telegraphed him that there "ere no vacancies among the
Major Generals but a Brevet could be given General Dodge. General
Grant was evidently not to be put off with this and therefore paid
no attention to it.

General Veatch's division soon came up 5 /^ the 15th Corps. 1
pushed on to Calhoun, where we camped that night. General Spr ague's
division of the 4th corps was the first to enter Resaoa. During
the battle of Resaoa, the 35th New Jersey and 25th Wisconsin were
sent to sunoort Col. Woods and upon their* return to me he sent
with them the following letter:

"I take great pleasure in speaking in the highest terms of the
conduct and gallantry of Col. Montgomery and his regiment, the 25th
Wisconsin, during the time they were under my command at Resaca,
on the 14th and 15th inst .

The arrival of Col. Montgomery with the '"\>L U , "" - -■ ^ t sin and
five companies of the 35th lew Jersey was app^' tun o , ^ «nne of
my regiments, the 30th Iowa, -was bard pressed on J the! ammunition
expended. I sent Col. Montgomery forward tith his regiment to
relieve the 30th Iowa. This was done in admirable style his
regiment standing up bravely to their work and holding the crest of
the hill until the enemy retired. They afterwards 'worked faith-
fully on the rifle-pits until they were completed.

At the time the E comprnioo f the 55th New Mersey reported, I
was obliged to send them to General G. A. Smith on my right, who was
also hard pressed. General Smith wished me to speak most approvingly
of the conduct of the portion of this regiment sent to him,"

On May 17th we moved, follow rig the enemy, and my corps

camped three miles in the rear ox McGuires. On May 18th, we moved

to Adairsviile and the same night, I moved on to Woodlands, marching

ail night. On the 19th 1 moved to a posit ion \ three-quarters of a

mile west of lingston. Here we rested and prepared for a flank

movement on the enemy. General Sherman came to the conclusion

that Johnston would fight at Cassville. We remained at lingston

for- three days.

211

. The rebel rear guard had left after daylight. The day

before engines with trains lay here and moved south before the rear

re he 1
of the^army; this morning before daylight, a Yankee engine pulled

the whistle which announced the arrival of the first engine under

federal direction. As the roar of the whistle resounded through

these mountains, it received an answering echo of' 10,000 Union

soldiers who literally swarmed all over the ground. The boys

remarked that "General Johnston is on the train ir\ advance of

General Sherman and keeps his train flaged to avoid being run into."

err ""uith

It was reported that ^ train 'was eight i .".„. , . A .--the two bridges

below being unlnjHred. The pursuit wqs so close that no attempt

was made to burn the first bridge. Our cavalry arrived at the

second in time to capture the squad vhich was attempting to fire the

bridge and with their greasy haversachs put the fire oat.

The position at Cassville was a very strong on one tod well

intrenched and none of us could understand why Johnston abandoned

it without fighting but he says in his memoirs that the reason was

his two corps Commanders, Hood and Harare claimed that their posi-

union
tions were untenable: that the artillerv commended the position

they occupied and £tm lad eel their flanks and when he found he

could not hove the support of his corps commanders, he immediately

concluded to retire.

I received orders here to send the 3rd brigade, 2nd division
commanded by Col. M. LI. Bane to Rome to occupy that place which had
been captured by G-eneral Davies 1 division of the Army of the Cum-
berland, This reduced my force 2000 effectives.

While resting here, on May 22nd, the actual strength of the
force was called for and the 18th Army Corps, 2nd division had
8216 effectives; 4th division, 522G; 1st Ala, 382, total, 11824.
The 15th Army Corps bad 13150, present ," effectives and one division
,at Huntsville, Ala* , 4005 effectives.

While here, we stripped our army of every surplus article,
company boxes, belongings of men that we had had to carry in the
wagons and sent them, to the rear.

91 9

/v 1 W

General Sherman Issued an order sending ail wounded, sick
and worthless men, and idlers, to the rear*, and the rations for
the troops would be pne pound of Bread, flour or meal; two days
allowance of bacon per week and sugar, coffee and salt. Four
pounds of grain was allowed each animal and no more. All else
must be gathered In the country. This was reducing us to less
than one -half ration and stripping us- for a long march.

On May 23rd, our army moved across the Etowah River at a
bridge some 14 miles from our camp and camped eight miles south
of the bridge, 1 received here the resignation of Col, M. M. Bane
who In a long letter to me gave his reasons. He had lost an arm
In the service and his health was poor, I hesitated to accept It
but felt that It was due to him. He had done good service and
was a splendid soldier. His regiment and brigade protested
against his leaving.

On May 24th, I moved on the Vanwirt road to Peakes farm; then
on the Cedarville road to Vanwirt. May 25th, I moved on the Vanwirt
and Dallas road to three miles of Vanwirt. Cut a road through the
country, passing the trains of the loth Amp Corps and canned on
Pumpkin Vino Green, one and one-half miles South-west of Moody
Mills. On May 26th, we formed a line of battle and moved into
Dallas taking position on the left of the 10th Army Corps. The
enemy retired on the Marietta road. This placed us some three or
four miles to the south-west of the Army of the Cumberland which
Hooker's corps of this Army, in going to posi' * near New Hope

Church, had had a very severe battle rlth, th )Y .-sees being very
large on both sides. It was evident that we were up against the
whole of Johnston's army, who were intrenched in front of us.

213

On the night of the 26th we intrenched our position very heavily

and on the nnrning of the 27th the enemy attacked the entire line of

the 15th and 16th Army Ceres repeatedly. In some of their charges.

that . •

they got up so close to our intrenchmci.to ^ y or captured two or

three officers who got so near that they could not retreat, and sur-
rendered . These attacks were .very destructive to the enemy hut as

we were behind our woteks, our 'loss was comparatively light. The

our
force I • ^ j , out was supposed to be the whole of Hardee's corps.

General Sherman was anxious for us to close on Hooker and gave us
the order to rove on the 28th, bu J on the night of the 27th, the
enemy came out again at midnight ,■ evidently believing that we were
about to move but they were repulsed eith comparatively no loss on
our side. Tie had cautioned our men to remain in their intrench-

ente and not to try to follow the enemy In night attacks. General

McPherson returned from General Sherman and gave the order for us
to pull out that night, ife built, a new line of intrsnchments some-
what in our rear 'arid at a- right angle, In which each corps was to
put a brigade and hold it against any force that attacked us.

On May 29th, we made an attempt to pull out again but the enemy
had been skirmishing with us all day and between IS: 30, midnight
and 3 A. M , they- made five distinct night charges on my line.
During the night we got out of ammunition and we did not dare to
trust the men to go back for it In the dark so myself and staff, on
our horses, carried the ammunition forward to them and replenished
enough to hold against any further attacks. During a lull in the
engagement, General Dog an with his staff redd down behind his own
line cautioning the men and they cheered him as they went by. It
was so dark that he could not tell where his line ended and he got
down along my line, thinking he was on his own and ray men tunned

around and gave him hearty cheers, alien he struck me, he was
'somewhat non-plussed, to find that he had been kldlng my line;
he thought if the enemy charged again we ought to follow there or
have a portion of our commande follow them. He thought they would

be so dcuoi-aiisc.i In the retreat that we could capture many of them
iut J ; ^d the Lb;:, It was .raigci ous -erkj lb. ! tk,.y mljld ra<s'nuge

-214-

arid get our sen mixed, up with theirs so thet we could not deliver
our fire and he came to the sane conclusion. Soon cfter he returned,
the enemy charged me again, but it -appeared to me tha+ their last
charges were only strong skirmish lines to keep ur from moving. I
have no doubt but what they had learned of the orders for us to close
in on the Array of the Cumberland , The prisoners whom we took told
us that their officers told then the line they were to charge was
100 daymen and would run on the first onset. The anger of some
of tlie men rounded end captured cannot be described when they found
instead of 100 day men, the veterans of the Army of the Tennessee,
who had whipped -them at rionalson, Shlloh, Corinth, Vioksbrrg ,
■Chattanooga and Resaca were in their fronts. The prisoners said they
understood what is meant by 100 day men; that it means raen who #111
fight 100 days without stopping or giving an inch -of ground. The
charges at Dallas made against the 15th and iGth Corps were desperate
arid bloody our men never gave an inch. The official reports of the
enemy stated that in these charges they lost 3000; our loss was about
300. It -was finally concluded that we would withdraw by daylight
right in the face of the enemy.

On the morninn- of June 1st, at 7 A. Ji. the mogement for with-
drawing commenced. By our withdrawing a brigade from each ^ivisio:
and placing it in the new made intrenohments then pulling >-ut fro.
right to let, the main forces holding our skirmish line in position
with instructions if the enemy cane forward to hold an*' fight as
long a s possible. My skirmish regiments, the 66th Ind. and 64th
111. were both armed Fith Henry rifles, carrying 13 chorges in
their magazines, and as they opened up, the enemy, following,
hesitated, thinking thrt we were still in the intrenchmenta .
The skirmish lines fell bnck as the- cenie forward to our in-
trenchmenta and there, held the,;. Our main forces were pulled ut ?
the ski^iah lines came back rapidly unt ,il they got in the rear of the
brigsdes posted ln the iw intrenchments ? n'-i thn whole movement was
effected ln splendid 01-er. The enemy followed Closely but made no
attack. The 15 corps passed on to the rear of Gen .Hooker" while I
placed ray gnr, division at riwht angles to Hooker's line and the 4th

.on

'O.'.l

215

-division some distance in "my rear, covering our trains and in
reserve .

On May 30th, Lt . Edward. Jonas of the 50th Illinois who had
been captured at Shiloh, reported to his regiment and was detailed
to me as an A.D.C. He was a very fine staff officer and remained
with rae throu~.ii the I7ar. On this day, President Lincoln telegraphed
General Sherman stating that he had promoted Dodge, relieving him
of his difficulty. The explanation of the distpach was that I
was commanding a Corps, as a Brigadier General, while the per were
in the Army of the {fumberland, Major Generals commanding divisions
who conisidered they were entitled to my command. When Gen.
Hurlbut had applied for the command" in the field. General Grant had
stated to General Sherman that he desired me to have command of
the Corps in the field and expected to have my promoted. He had
first recommended me on July 22, 1883 after the Vicksburg campaign.
He recommended me in person when he was in Washington on March

2nd and Mr, Lincoln promised to make it. On March 28,. 1864,
he asked it again by'wi'fceland again on March 13, 1864. after the
battle of the Wilderness. General McPherson and General Sherman
had seconded his requests and the Governor and Members of Congress
Senators, General Oglesby and many others had made personal efforts
in the matter, I said nothing myself, 1 made no application,
■ I know that if Gen. Grant 'Could not obtain it, no one else could.
General McPherson or Sherman would not allow me to be relieved from
my command. 1 had heard a great many times during the campaign
that 1 was to be relieved. The rumors of the staff were sometimes
annoying to me, so that I finally wrote to General Sherman that to
avoid criticisms, 1 thought it would be well for him to give me a.
command suitable to my rank. General Sherman was annoyed at this
and made a very sharp reply to me in which he sais; "Suppose
you wait until someone that has a right to complain does so and go
ahead and do your duty as you have been doing and not trouble
yourself about what others says" He did not even sign it officially
but after the war he used to make fun of me for it.

e
wa

-210-

• About this time, ka.lor General palmer, coma an* In- the 4th
Corps asked to be relieve* because hi. divisions wore sent to
support other command, claiming that this was an indirect way
of telling him thnt he. was not citable to command his corns.
General Thomas an* General Sherman both disabuse* hie mind as
to fiis matter. It was simply a case where such a thing some-
times occurs because circumstances demsn* it. It showed, however,
that Palmer was a goo* *eal ..ores sensative than 1 was.

General Sherman was very anxious that a movement shoul* be
made on Mobile while he- was making his movement towards Atlanta
sad he wire* Genl. Halleck asking him to sen* Ger.i. A. J. Smith
with 10,000 men of the 16th Army Corps, who had been *.ith $&%k^
on the Fed River expedition in concert with the navy to attack
Mobile, but no attention was paid to it.

In taking up my new position, I h^ my lines very greatly
xtende* ■* o cover a lot of ground on our extreme right as She r.. an
g ^denvoring to move the army to the left and strike the
railroad at Ac worth,

* On June 2n* ? the enemy move* arotin* my right and attacked
General Veatch and the 4th division, but he happened to have
a force in front of them sufficient to check them and drive them
back, but I immediately closed my forces in and moved all my
trains farther to the rear and held this position until June 5th,

1/l/JlCTj the Army of the Tennessee move* to the left; my
command camping the first ircht at Burnt Creek and on the night
of the 6th reached Acworth on the railroad.

On June 3rd, General Grant wired to Gen, Halleck as follows;

"Cold Harbor, June ?, 1864; Please order the 16th Army Corps
staff to report to Gen. Washburn for *uty. The 16th Corps is now ^ith
out f coin t; finder; that portion of if in the fiel* being commanded
by General Dodge an* the remainder by General Washburn. It maybe
well to leave this ^orps without a name* commander until Sherman
can be heard from, when he may recommend ..a union of that portion of
the 10th an^ l?th in the field into one corps and the troops ■ belonging
to them in West Tennessee info another Corps."

•■' ' It was very evident that Johnston had defended everj^ tenable line

{fttett to .fall back on the next line, which ha* been fortified in the

meantime. As he 'retreats, every citizen falls back with him. All

the . stock is driven off end the large wheat and oats fields , .,': ■ left h A :r

217

for us to forage on. Thus far we have been successful in keeping
open communications; how long, it will last is hard to tell but the
fact that there swas very few desertions and no demoralization of
Johnston's army ?ras very discouraging to us. When we reached the
railroad, we were ordered to send the cars back to Altoona and bring

forward ten days rations.

On July 8th, we were ordered to send back all our sick and

wounded to Altoona and strip again f or ' a flank; movement. Gen.

adding 12,000 troops to our ar
Blair had come up with the 17th Army Corps. Oh June 10th the

army moved forward until it struck the enemy's line of inferench-
ments covering Lost Mountain r Kenesaw' Mountain and Pine Mountain.
Our base of supplies was moved forward to Big Shanty. There had-
been a report in- the rebel army that General rlieel'Ilr ' s command,
which had been in our rear, had'" destroyed the tunnels in our rear.
A few days after we arrived at Big Shanty, a locomotive came up to
the front and commenced whistling for several. minutes, which caused
the rebel prisoners, that we hafltteAwl.; » to say that "General Sherman
not only took bridges along with him to replace those burned but
also tunnels.," -We heard here of the defeat of Sturgis by Forest,
which was a very bad 'defeat. Sturgis had some 8000 men while

Forest had only about 8,000, but it was a great satisfaction to

who
the 16th 'Army Corps to learn that Col. Alexander } commanded the

1st Alabama Colored Infantry, had behaved very well in this

campaign; in fact, had saved the trains by their severe fighting.

On June 15th, I advanced my line facing Kenesaw Mountain

keeping in line with the Army of the Cumberland and charged a peach

Orchard that had several log cabins in it which frere occupied by

the enemy as block, houses. The 35th New Jersey took these block

houses in a splendid charge, notwithstanding that the men were in

them; they moved right up, went into their rear and captured the

whole party, although their loss was very heavy, I had to go

forward quite a distance to get tenable ground and found when I

got it, that it was a commanding position, but far in advance of

the main line and I was ver3r anxious to hold it, 1 intrenched

it but I was under a cross fire of the enemy. General McPherson

218

let; It to me vdb. ether I should hold or come bach into line but
the 35th- New Jersey and another regiment that was occupying it
13rotested very strenuously from being brought back and 1 left
them there,,

On July 17th, I received my commission from the 7'ar Department
' as Major Gcno •. ad, acknowledged it and sent in my oath. I had sent
to the rear, reload Spencer who had been sick, to pick up the
scattered forces, convalescents and detachments that were left along
the line of the Mobile & Ohio railroad and which it tiadlleea im-
possible for us to get forward to the command. They' had been de-
tailed by the officers occupying that line for all kinds of duties
and in violations of orders. He wrote me on June 19th that Lt.
Hoffman with 150 convalescents .and 150 in different detachments
had oome forward to their commands and that there would be at
least another 100 that were on all kinds of detached service;
spine clerking at the head quarters, others at the Quarter Master
Department and all kinds of serYice imeg.i liable . He notified them
that they were all reported absent Without leave and they must
all join their regiments. Captain Hurd of the \%" Illinois is a
Provost Marshall at Pulaski, 1 ordered him to his regiment and told
him his detail was against order. Captain Warner of the 7th Iowa is
in the same condition, I think there is a Lt. in the same condition
stopping at a farm house near and has been there for a month.
There is a dozen such instances among officers. The post-master

belongs to Mersey's Brggade and is 'keeping a store. Howe's Brigade

for the front
of the 16th Corps started from Decatur and marched one day when

it was ordered back on account of the defeat of Sturgis by Forrest,
They were fearful that Gen. Forest might swing around on that
front. The 7 h Illinois which had been, left there, mounted, was
started by rail. Col. Spencer reports five large regiments of
infantry, 12 pieces of artillery and the 9th 'Ohio Cavalry as
garrisoning Decatur and that Roddy lays seige to the olace. The
troops at Decatur do not dare move out to drive him away. Nearly
all the buildings of the town have beentorn down and hh believes
that Decatur was stronger than Vicksburg.

He also wrote me that there was trouble about the contraband camps $
that General S$a?vkweather,$n. command, could not find any authority
to issue rations; that he appealed to 'General Sherman to know
whether he had authority and General Sherman ordered that no rations
should be issued. The camps are in a nice concision end have large
crops growing and are a decided success. There 5h leOO acres of
cotton growing which looks fine, also a good deal of corn and other
produce, which will more than pay when gathered, all expenses;
but if they cannot get rations now, they will be obliged to bresk
up and all will be a total loss. He says the Sturgis affair was very
bad. Alexander's regiment of darkies saved, the whole command from
destruction. Forrest did not have to exceed six thousand men;
Sturgis had at least 8,000.

I arranged with General Sherman that the rations ?rere being
given to the darkies . ■ " should be continued „ General Sherman did
not understand that they were the families of the colored men in the
2nd and 3rd Alabama regiments, many of whom were in our Pioneer Corps,

driving our teams, were our cooks, etc for the army and that if we

-not -fa.wu\res

would hold their together, the men would certainly leave and go to

their families, die appreciated this and gave orders to have them fed.
Colonel Spore i s.^- Id "the people of Pulaski all inquire about you
and speak of you in the highe st terms. Your administration there
has done a good deal of good and there is a much better feeling towards
the Government than I expected to find. 1 don't believe there is a
dozen men here that would not regret to see 'the .rebels get possess-
ion of the country again. With the women T presume it is different,
but the property holders have come to the conclusion thet. the

Rebellion doesn't pay."

■While we were laying in front of Kenosaw Mountain, the ene.ny
had their signal station on the foe of H, in plain view and my
signal officer, Lt „ Shirley, had deciphered kkieir code so that
we could read ' all their dispatches, 'ti,- *'. > I k.,j . bj wiyotie
in the army, except myself, General '.-./ n_. - n, ' . Si ■-•man.

If wae through this telegraph oieoaal Lorn w- ha :w the officer who

wae i:ij.l''d on fir :iHu:t'..in woo it, jo ' d-, >. . eal folk.

•220™

General Sherman was at the battery which fired the gun which
killed, (ten, polk '54wf fk&f 'there was great consternation at the ti>;ae and
1 sow the 'ambulance co.ne and take his body to Marietta and our
signal officer soon informed us that it, was General Polk.

On the morning of the 19th, we discovered that there had
been a, blanket put up in front of the signal station so we eoutfed
not see it. We knew then that something had happened end that day
General Grant telegraphed General Sherman that the Hew York Herald had
a telegram in the paper stating that we had deciphered the enemy's .signal
code. This, of course, explained in.aed lately why the blanket war,
nut up. A.s soon as General Sheraan got this dispatch, he sent it
over to General Thomas with orders to arrest and hang the Correspondent
who was Randolph D. McKeira, McKeim was a friend of mine and had been
at my headquarters, but he had not form* the secret out there. He
went, from me to Lie Fliers on and was at LicPhersen's headquarters
when this order cane. General McPherson was a joC friend of his
and Keirn told hePherson that he had been fold by one of the staff
officers and that he had written it confidentially to i,r. Bennett,
the editor of the Herald, but not to be published.

Both General I,c*herson and myself went to see General 9hern*jl,
We knew that unless we could .pacify him, ho would hang Mr, Keia.
Keirn got into commtmication Immediately -uth Lr , B emi ett, who
explainer the watter by saving the letter had com, to hi... cor.f Mentally
but that it hfld been opened by the night editor, who thought
this was a rood thing to publish, not appreciating what damage it nvight '
*o; that he h, d innately dismissed the niglit editor* from the p , per
and 5 a*|5ff«l Gender,™ 3G that he allowed Ke i, to leave our Vbias , tlt
he would not aHo, hlm to regain in the,. Gen. Shernan was verv bitter
against the correspondents an*- this. was one of the .any experiences he

had had with them. Kei;n is still Uvln , in w a3hina , ton . •

.,.<.,,.] j.ngt, Oil, ic; a corresoordenf

" remSy1 ™ 18 ?***. => -an of ln „™„„ „» a pfiraona] frlRn ,, '

,m e . He eiHeiror thfi * e , aR i£fe l8alon , „, lc „. Is ,,. at ^ ^

221

of, the book on the Statue of General Sherman and also wrote one

■ d&cL(c&^(6Y\ of the-

on the >::>t at tie. of Roohanibeau, both of them very valuable and
A

Interesting books.

The picket lines of the two armies had gotten into the
habit of making an agreement not to fire unless one -side or. the
other moved forward to an attack and their conversation was often
very interesting and the following is the report of one of them:

"The other day in the $'£& Illinois, of our. brigade, they had
quite a lively time, they were about thirty yards from the rebels.
As soon as they went out the rebels sung out:

"Hello Yank.' Our boys sung ou'r "Hello RebJ " Rebel--
"What regiment is tl<"(. ?" ' Answer-- "F2d Illinois."" Rebel— "Bully
for the 52d." (T'w.-.s ere of the regiments the 52d guarded from.
Donalson to Chicago,) "Yank, you won f t fire, will you?" 52d~-"No,
if you don't," Rebel-- "All right." 52d— "Where's* old Polk?"
Rebel-— "Gone to h--ll." 52d-— "Gone to h— 11." -52d— "How do/
you like to exchange Lieut, Generals for solid shot? "--no answer.
52d~ "Hello Johnny!" Rebel answeres— "Hello Yank." 52d— "Where ' s
old Pemberton?" n-b,-- "Played out.". "TYhBre's MeClfellan?" They
toe - - !.h,- coi:v> ^".tl^n and exchange papers until the 49th
T;i^> L,s,a: 1 ^ re ] ■] -reC, by another regiment, the firing commenced
n^e' r ,

n>> .inM/hei cr t.jm ,- our bo3^s sung out I.
" T I.'iiu' VL," No ans wer. "Hellow Johnny!" Reb.-.- "Hollow Yank."
"1 - \hj.a, a good camping, ground at Atlanta?". "Yes, but you can't
iui it," "Isthere plenty of chickens over there?" Reb.-- "Yes,
bnl not for you." "johnny has you olenty of niggers at Atlanta.
Bang! Trent Johnny's gun, and the confab ended."

The enemy's works in our front were all of a formidable
and scientific nature, strengthened by salient and transverse
lines and angles. They have line after line of them. As soon
as they would take position in one front , they would go into
position in their rear, ten or fifteen miles in the back and erect
another line which they would fall back to. The front of their
lilies were so full of entanglemenst and pits that it was almost
impossible for us to pass through them,

lie had been laying in front of Kenesaw Mountain for nearly
a week and it had been continually raining. The roads were so
muddy that it was ii i. ujs: o 1 - * to move our trains but on June
28th, Genera}. Sherman made up his mind to try to break through
these works and the orders were given for us to prepare for
making a full reconnoiseanoe. The assault was to be made on
the front of General Thomas and Logan, while I was to endeavor
to climb Kenesaw Mountain with a heavy skirmish line and General •
Blair, on the extreme iVc-ffl with Garrard's Cavalry was fco press
around the mountain and threaten Marietta.

I- -

a fig

On the evening of the 27th, General McPherson called his
Corps commanders for consultation to carry out his part of the

order. There was no favorable place of attach except on Logan's
front and he ordered Logan to break through with a division.
General Logan and Blair both expressed the opinion that it was
impossible to break through their intrenchments and Logan cri-
ticized the order saying that when it came to the killing, his
command always got in. This nettled General McPherson consid-
erably, while McPherson agreed with us all that it was very
doubtful whether we could "break through. He siiid to General
Logan, "l will put one of Dodge's division in with you to mate
the charge in your place." He said, "io; 1 do not want any one
to- make a charge in front of j§g except my own division and
McPherson also said that no matter what we thought as to the
success of dhe attack, in a doubtful case, it was our duty to
make so much the greater effort, so the order «ras given and each
of us prepared to be ready to move in the morning. My skirmish
line was part way up the mountain but it was very steep and
impossible, 1 knew, for men to climb t't without exposing them-
selves, but I took the 64th Illinois and 86th Indiana, who were
my skirmishing regiments and were armed with the Henry repeating
rifle and gave them the order to climb while 1 supported them.
They got to within 500 feet of the enemy's intrenchmentsj the
boys climbing up driving the enemy, slowly going from rock to
tree and from tree to rock, and it was nearly ten o'clock at

night before they were permanently halted. It was a beautiful

sight down were my headquarters were to see the movement as the

two lines went up-? -the enemy's falling back and ours moving up.
The line of fire was distinct and it was very interesting.
The 66th Illinois had two of their men killed within 100 feet of
the enemy's intrenchments and in holding their position there-,
tliey could not get to the men but they were anxious to save the
guns. They held the enemy off of them until they retreated. The
fire was so hot that neither side could get to them, either day
or nirdit .

9 9Q

K» Ui tj

These two regiments were so far in advance of the rest of the
Army that T had to put a regiment on each of their flanks leading
down the mountain to a connection with the rest of my line to ■
hold it in position.

The attack was made on Thomas'' and Logan's front. . Both
failed. General Bi a i r IIlove( j around the mountain but could 'not
.reach near enough to threaten M arietta. The losses on our part
were very heavy, being- over 5000, while the enemy claimed to
have lost nothing. General Harker and Gen. Daniel McCook,and
Colonel Barnhill of the 50th Illinois A and several officers
were severely wounded. After it was all over, General Sherman
sent his remarkable dispatch to Gen. Halleck that he had charged
the enmy's lines on three points in his front and had failed at
vail points. General Sherman said the enemy and our own army
and officers had settled down to the conviction that the assault
of the lines formed no part of my game and. the moment.. the enemy
was found behind any kind of a parapet, everyone would doe c„

throw "up con,, c-rorks and take it easy, leaving -it to t^e ul I

„ not

man to turn the position. Had Gen. 'Harker and MoOook been

we,

struck down so early in the assault,, would have succeeded. Even

as it was it made Johnston much more cautious and my ground much

more free. If he weakened his lines, we would attack 'and

he thought this bold attack on his fortified line, vk'fa it

failed would still he of benefit to us, but there was no one in

that army who believed that we could overcome their very heavy

intrenchments and fortifications.

1 received here the following letter from General Oglesby;

Decatur, June 26, 1884.

Your last letter has been received. I am glad you still
live, and live to serve your country. You have done much to
annoy, discourage and dishearten traitors, and, have done well.
Sherman seems to merit all you say of him. -.Moves off well,
looks well to the right and left and coders • 1 -" c frc-t *~v>" 1 rear
with what seems to be good sense all tin Iv % » r \.- ~ , "* um in
the less exoosed regions of danger f "'C" 5 v vy h'i "> rid "3 an to
be true to you to the last. We must ai " ' * 1 1 r v- ih! , country.
The people seem more devoted than ever, 'hi* hu :■ lu^f „ ou hear
of traitors tit homo is bad enough, but ict al rJi d:o ^ cus.
The friends of Vallandinghma are few and «• *".j.ons i ^ * 1 ^^_, irate
but not dangerous. I think they should bu buiniuariiy dealt with
by the Government. Evei-ything at home loo>,s well, '"e feel con-

9yJ

>v hj 1

ficlent

0.1

,. t

^ v'--p ,

,. sere and are ready to pay the expenses,
Grar!. d> -s it < ' • •, ato uj us rapidly as 1 had hoped he would.
I thnrik f cv bu ---Id , v across fh^ James River and real change
of base m h, i'oq,' ; the f'all measure of benefit from it he should
have tab .-•>,, ? '-, o Ijnv In^r^ Ire got over to confront him. He
lost a bo m,m ' h- cndm"! only gain by just what he did, still Grant
will so through, in my opinion, and Riohmond will fall in time in
our hands. I visited Grant just before leaving Washington at
Calpefwr Court House). He was confident, nrudent and certain of
success in the end. No special news here i to interest von as far
as 1 know ,

We shall have splendid crops in this State; all that the
heart can wish. It rains plentifully but prudently and evorv man
works the full day through, i too am busy, as you have doubtless
heard before now.

On th 26th of May my resignation was accepted and you were
appointed in ir.y place. You are altogether mistaken- You are un-
doubtedly a Major General of Volunteers, and I am glad of it. 1

'- n T hope you may
iti"" in it so long as
I '.d ied to appoint
horn ^ of it so* it

What has become of

think you deserve to be- have fair: ( < ,*r>i it
live to enjoy what little pleasure „ . ^ "hi[
the war will last, 1 knew Mr. Lin., Yr •?. s ^
you, Stanton and Grant both were sIion.Y "a
had to be done, and was done.

Can you do nothing for Mersey and Bane?
Puller? I wish the services of all of them oould be recognized
promptly. I shall bs glad to hear from you after you get into
Atlanta or some other s out hern seaport. How do you. fellows live?
Tfliat do you eat and where do you get it from, and how long
can you get it?

Captain George E. Ford of Co. B. , 4th Iowa, ^ho had once been
on my staff was dim. « * • al agjln and came to me as aa A. D. C.

1 received a 'YYfA- fiom General Thomas requesting information

in relation to the 2nd and 3rd Alabama regiments which I had

organized, and 1 wrote him the following letter:

Kenesaw Kt.» July 2, 1884.

1 have the honor to acknow] ~u\_" lbs p->«-i- t of your communi-
ohdc- L.r Jr.'o °d h. Companies A . , P -i 1 c . r dr^ Id Alabama A . D.
(n •" y;o*^ G.D, ) m\- .n duty with ' b-. TW' - •. ^ .\ j, 2d division,
t Oth A 0. pcrti'MP - r theee compel Los oov -i duty with the $.M.
D^r,-a,.f p^,-}i, and one oompp^v on d-iiy ---i-h the (V . m.ary Department

,d 'hi

d , they — u' pd

VU'.'U. I ..

•.lib "!■-> understanding

Min^u 1 " f-> wb. ' -. regimen"' wn i. ^ o^ :. "•> ) £ •> - f i • - - n duty as Pioneers,

'.p^- - ;,o<

1 hav<" iv^ "> 'h- ^

regime .t pro a. a ; ' '>

^o i fine. ', Tilth me. Head-
, . " the balance of
'>>'■ Lilies have been

tho i g hn "• d <- - doing > _" 1 "' * J| ' did y
rrnner 1 -' - ,/h'hiooreia'nd i s ,f • d and h' <o a fun '»e^ omental organ-
i"sMoa~ P.,' reference ,n u i' ><-s of 3d ^hd^oa \P, you will
find nauiCo of of^i "e^s,

1 have rec'Yi i 7 loo ojiia

ain' r t*on to those at

Athens for the Itb JY> -g -,< rl n , ■] j y- t ^ -p ,-> ;i fm it. 'I have given
authority to eni* ■' m -''a . uve i • >sM --'./nation to recruit for
it. As soon as I •>">*•> , m^" musts > i.,- ^ T 4 "'* I will have the two
companies at'lo>', C » ? 'a.f.enai raid 'd v d ! o join the regiment.

t desire vl. v.iy- th^', l-u shoo id . on J some one, or visit the
o^a ! sib and oanij, md.: 1 Ltad, Iluoib ' , " '•hfhor.s . Alabama. He
'.ir ptmp two thousa.^ a. ot uyioo ^r "J 'd vol, mm; .U- faking care of
two thousand ol ' i "i 'ore;: rs^d oh If l\ on ar/i Ih o' gh some mistake
;,hf» pit inip It^ h' a hoi .o^- >•■»•■ h --^ lv)on stopped. He only
osho idnot m - '• n ,M b^'ho or ri c "> ~o1d hi.-, m hi is amply
oblo fro- the or<ro.lngs of h.Ls o yg^o s lo - -- for all thej? eat and
•_ lolhe riT-i ..srdMrr hr> sen" .*. TTnti] f a. ! 1 ho re Ms your aid, I

225

am too far off to attend te it. . If broken up now tb^y v - ]' "lose
all tteir labor and fee thrown upon our camps and became t b u ndon
to the Government,, Their hu.> jands and brothers are r,\i'- „<f fAn,
with ine doing duty as teamsters* pioneers, &c . , &c."

General Sherman felt that he was not making rapid progress

and he wrote a private letter to General Grant giving the reasons:

In. the field, Juno 18, 1864.

>n ' r 'eneral: I have no doubt you want me to write v u occa-
sion*"!: Utters not purely Dffi-ji], bin. vrhich will admit of a little
more "eMUdo than such docun\ r :, ,iwr, o, 1 have dailv sent to
Hallo-?: I ^le raphs which I n^--i a; n i t - -* fv ,rt to 3rou, and which he
says he has done. Tout therefor-, i» e '< obese we are and what we h
have done. If our movement has been slower than you calculated, I
can explain the reason, though 1 know you believe me too earnest
and impatient tote behind time. My first movement against Johnston
was really fine, and now I believe I would have disposed of him at
one blow if McPherson had crushed Resaca, as he might have done, for
then it was garrisoned only by a snail brigade, but Mc. was a little
more cautious lest Johnston, still at Dalton, might move against him
alone; but the truth was 1 got all of McPherson 1 s army, 23,000,
eighteen miles to Johnston's rear before he knew they had left Hunt-
svlllc With that single exception McPherson has done very well.
Schofield also does as well as 1 could ask with his sraall force.
O-i- cavalry is dwindling away. We cannot get f rd 1 forage and have
L." graze, so that the cavalry is always tins Ale to attempt anything.
Oar card is ove> -• >a<.u ti t n.-, and 1 think Stonemru is lazy. The former
has 4,600 and ' br Inh.i,- about 2,500. Each has had fine chances of
cutting in bu* 1 ■*<?'.-><= easily checked by the appearance of an enemy. My
chief source el tiv.td is is with the Army of the Cumberland, which is
dreadfully sli w. A. fr^f- furrow in a plowed field will stop the
whole column, erA ^"h"! begin to intrench. I have again and again
tried to impr » ; s on TKvs ,s that we must assail and not defend;
we are the of Pens-' •-••_, oar 1 yet it seems the whole Army of the
Cumberland is '-a b ">bi iau ted to be on the defensive that, from its
to the lowest private, 1 cannot get it out of their
out without tents and ordered all to do likewise, yet
•a tyrters camp on the style of Halleck at OorSnth;
r- i -ly with a wall- tent, and a baggage train big
ni\ isiun. He promised to send it all back, but the
^ there is allowed to do as he pleases, and they
! as though the railroad and all its facilities
"s slowness has cost me the loss of two splendid
opportunities which never recur in war. At Dallas there was a delay
of four hours to get ready to advansw, when we first met Johnston's
head of column, and that four hours enabled him to throw 'up works to
cover the head of his column, and he extended the works about as fast
as we deployed. Also here I broke one of bin lines, and had ws
followed' it up as 1 ordered' at daylight, there was nothing between
us and the railroad back of Marietta.- 1 ordered Thomas to move at
daylight, and when 1 got to the 'point at 9:50, I found Stanley and
blood fraarreling which should not lead. I'm afraid 1 swore, and said
what 1 should not, but I got them started, but instead of reaching
the Atlanta road back of Marietta, which' -is Johnston's center, we
only got to a cr-uek to the south of it by night, and now a heavy
rain stops us and gives time to fortify a now line. Still I have
all the high and commanding ground, but the one peak near Marietta,
lEfaicfa 1 can turn. We have had an immense quantity of rain, from
June 2 to' 14, and now it is raining as though it had no intention
ever to stop. The enemy's cavalry sweeps all around us, and is now
to the rear somewhere. The wires are broken very often, but I have
strong' "•n^T'ds plorg the road whi^h msko prompt ^ppab^s, Thus far our
mi^tai v n '" f.~od 'iv . beer g"cd, ^n : tbr; ^y> m< l a a' i „ en' 1 vv be" •
tcLuu, g.cvLi'- rdv 'd , r : , oalSj V „ "a. .ug- ru c 1 i ~' J 1 ' ^ A ". "1
n'U uj'u 1 'h: ' T ''.hi! to. .Aae:. be p'-^fa Ao'.auhoe r s f: t a., t ,jan

commander

do wn

heads.

came

Thon us v

' a .'

: e *'

ever, a !

' -\

«v^

enough

>"n

-• a a

trutn it

4 ^ :

will d '

" I *

*" u> l

were 'h

us.

:26

overcome the natural obstacles and inspire motion into a large,
ponderous, and. slow (by habit) army. Of course, it cannot keep
up with my thoughts and wishes, but no impulse can be given it"
that T will not guide.

As ever, your friend,

-»i rn ";- „ - , ...

This letter was published in the keen Rec- < . k, 70 -0 :g y
criticised by the Army of the Cumber land and caused a good deal
of coolness between that Army and General Sherman. They thought
his reflections upon them were unjust. This letter should not
hive been published. It was not an official communication, al-
though it appears to have gotten into the files. There had been
considerable criticism by the Army of the Ohio and the corps
Commanders of the Army of the Tennessee that they were always kept
on the flanks while the great strong array of the Cumberland, which
was equal in strength to the other two, elways had the center, and
had much less work to do. A force on the flank always has twice

the work in picketing and feeling for the enemy than a center line
has, especially where we are behind intrenchments .

One day while we were lying in front of Kenesaw, we were all
at General Blairs* headquarters. Gem-orals McPherson, Logan and

myself were there discussing this matter when General Sherman cane.
General Blair fold him what we were talking about. The officers

of the Army of the Tennessee were, all intimstely acquainted with

Sherman as he belonged to it. Sherman listened and when Gee.. Flair

got through talking, he turned to McPherson and said, "You know,

b<r the army of the Ohio.

Mo,, if the Armv of the Tennessee gets knocked to nieces, or is

j, % ■

defeated while on the flanks, 1 have old Tom left; they can't move
him." Gen, Biain took exception to this. He did not think those
two armies ought to be pounded to pieces for Mie purpose of saving
,-■ Thomas but Sherman did not have any sympathy for us -and rather
laughed at Blair's idea. We were held here in this position on -
account of the rains, We had had a steady rain for nearly nineteen
days but on July 3rd, the order came for another flank movement and-
011 the morning of the 3rd, the 64th Illinois, at day- light, notified
sic dr- +vy wer". .re. the crony's 5 n'v'^n^heenLs :r. the toy, oC Fere. saw

_ >■ O rt _

Mountain, showing that the energy had again fallen back. The
Ainmy of the Tennessee was mover? to the right, fgy order waa to
, follow lio^n t 1 'ie Sandtown res..' 1 , I reached the Nickaiaok Creek

on the evening of the 3rd, I discovered the enecnj?" in considerable
force in front of me. Generil Sherman expected that the energy had
fallen, back behind the Chattahoochee, on the morning of the 4th,
1 gov en forward to Ruff's Mills. There I found the enemy behind
heavy intrenehments . Our orders were when we went forward if we
struck the eneay to attack thea . There was nothing said about
intrenchraents and I hesitated ebout attacking such heavy intrenck-
rnentn; however, I na^e tip my r/t ind to attack and pnt the 4th
didivion linger General Veatch in line for the attack, supported
by the 2nd division and General Veatch selected Colonel Noyes
brigade. Colonel Noyes formed his brigade in 'two lines and
moved forward across an open field and imrnod lately took the
enemey's first, line of works with a good many prieoners. Col .
Noyes wao badly wounded in the leg. I Ptood and watcher! this
charge, rhj.cn received only one fire from the ene;,iy, but it
was a destructive one. As they brought Colonel Noyes away ■ rem the
field in an ambulance, I pulled up the curtain, saw it was Noyes
and asked him if he was badly hurt. He said :, le thought he wae
nnd th?t he thought he would lose a leg.. He -ordered what his
wife would say. -hen. Colonel Noyes veteranized three months before,
he h-d married ., beautiful lad. in Cincinnati. He nia not aeeci to
pay eny ettention to hie wound but jmri wondered what she *oul*
think of it. After the force was reformed and strenghtened at the
line of intrenchraents capture*, about dark they ooved forward 5 . PirK
working their waa, through the entanglement* and carried the ™ Jn ]Jne
of the ener,y. This was the only line of entrenchments carried '
cluring the campaign and the boya all said thef the ronton nn.

SteV6Wn ' 7 " 1Vlninn ° f Hc °*'* °or P s wee in uv front end n,^ , n
M^e.oirs givea as , wa ,on for our carrying the intrenchaents t,«t he
waa . 1liat gullin. out under orders to ,o to the Chatt ahoo-he. * P ,

22#'

the fact is they did abandon that immense line of works only
.some eight or ten mile's' to the south of the Kenasaw line and the
main force crossed the Chattahooche leaving Hardee's corps north
of the Chattahoochee, its right resting on the railroad ad the
left at the mouth of Nickajack Creek on the Chattahoochee.

General Mcpherson in reporting the charge on the ".•'" . 4th ^' L

to General Sherman said: "General Dodge moved across and. ran
against Stevenson's division and he developed his lines capturing
a few prisoners from each division of Hood r s Corps. As soon as
the troops were over in position, the charge was gallantly
executed,* the works were taken and some §0 prisoners captured;
our loss was not to exeeed 200. Col. No yes 83th Ohio was severely
mounded. This gives Dodge the position about one quarter of a
mil- east of f'fiobajack Creek."

On July 5th, I moved .:' * " at 1 p. M. on the Sandtown
road to the Widow Mitchell's farm, and bivouacked, holding roads
leading tic t> oI ,i to Turners-, Howells and Sand Town ferries.

On the morning of the 6th I received a note from General
McPherson stating that General Sherman wanted us to demonstrate
along the river as though we were attempting to cross and I sent
forward regiment'!.? with batteries to Howells Ferry where they
remained but held, my main force at the forks of the roads leading
to the three ferries. At this place we received from Chicago,
a paper which had an article in. it written by a correspondent
in the army which criticized very severely Sherman's movement
and in it told of the defeat of the 16th corps and of its re-
treating disorderly, etc. The lines were headed "The account
of Dodge's Retreat." This reached Sherman and the following is
an extract from General Sherman's circular on Army Correspondents:

"What the commanding General do's f i - c ^r'c i • - ^ , the mainten-
ance of that class of men who wPl > J t-s-- r vn. 'n "• and fight but
follow the army to pick tip news •f'-.v <-.<-,.' < . i; l """- in 1ti"" on a species
of reformation, which is dangerous. l_ mu' a - - g a i our cuase, and
who are used more to bolster up i t". ^ -d ; r>" H i"! c.-,s officers than to
notice the hard working and merit'^ioi'o, i'-o" 1 >, udo-tg is genearlly
equal to their courage." "it is sn 'Tteient fnn yrn t know that the
16th Corps has shared in the entire campaign under me and that
it has at all times acuxl 4 ted itself with honor to itself and. its
commander.

v* o x^ Eight Miles from 'Atlanta,

July 7, 1864 .
Dear Kate: -

I got a paper from iron with an extract from one of my letters;
becarefui hereafter in giving the papers any extracts from my letters
not to, have it mentioned as coming from me.' That will not do. 1 have
' no objection to having any news in the letter published,,, but give It
■as. simply news, not giving the source from which it came,,

We got Johnson out of his position in front of Kenesaw. i
assaulted 'on the 27th of June going right up the mountain while
Logan, Hooker, Thomas and other- a.-sualted in their right. Johnson '
then took up a position eight miles south of Marietta in a very strong
^ line of works that have been built sometime. We got worked up to them
on the 3rd; on the 4th, I charged them again with parts of two divisions
carrying their first line in gallant style. Col. Noyes, 39th Ohio
and Angle of 36th- New Jersey fell; this turned Johnson left and he
fell back to the Chattahoochie, which is virtually the' works that
defend Atlanta. They are very strong. The Vioksbur e works are no
comparison to these works. Johnson has built.

Both of our flanks now rest on. Chattahoochie River; tho left at
Vinlngs Perry, the ri G ht at mouth -of uiokajaok Creek, and Atlanta u 1r
Plain view, we con see teams and n.ops in its streets and see the forti^
f lotions' surrounding it. My lose was considerable on the 4th, T
in the ch«r 6 e about 150 prisoners and we fought ri 6 ht over their works
Many of the boys g ot the fire so close a, to have" their clothes burn-' '■
and nrny fell j n the entrenchments.

V* have not long work yet v e may get a little reat here but
cannot tell; did the world ever see such fighting and such continuous rid-
ing* We have got, telegraph and cars right. .up to us and our supplies av e all
• right. You will hear of daring work before looa, Tnlv

" * " ' G.M.

■2d-

There was not a word of truth In this statement because apf"

f/taT time,

we had been in, no battle. I suppose the correspondent was in

the rear and heard c r ' > n-- f:Ii<" roil h Frown from the front and

•r •' ; ■ ■

1st W^ '•

manufacture red the t^ * „ ''lb- o> -" Mors of the cavalry during

our movement had been very .unsatisfactory to General Sheriran
and he showed his temper in the matter in a dispatch to
General William Sooy Smith, Chief of Cavalry on June 13th, in
relation to their protecting his rear. It is as follows;

"Your dispatch is satisfactory. How about Harrison's regiment?
I think the expedition sent, from Memphis June 1 has drarri Forrest
from his plan of re-enforcing Johnston or striking our roads. I
think our roads are best covered from Decatur, with cavalry in
reserve at Pulaski, guarding well Lamb's Perry and Florence. This
should be the duty of G-illen's division. You may send notice to
Florence that if Forrest invades Tennessee from that direction, the
town will be burned, and if it occurs you will remove the inhab-
itants north of the Ohio -River, and burn the town and Tuscumbia
also. O-un- boats will patrol the Tennesse e above and below the
shoals, and whenever you want a davalry force to cross at
Eastport or Waterloo, you can order up a ferry-boat from Paducah,
convoyed by a gun-boat . Admiral Porter will give il with promptness
and - 1 isuro, if he knows it to be ray wish. If Gillem has Iqqo 'mM"
mou* Ic ', he should be south of th Tennessee River, in the direction
of fV tabus, Miss., with Decatur to fall back on. He can better
prol^^' Tennessee from there than from Nashville. At all events
he -r-. r'.d be between Columbia and Florence in motion. Cavalry
should not occupy the same camp two successive days, and should
habituate their horses to grass and green food. Thes" 5 are enough
firm now in Kentucky to dispose of John Morgan.

W. T. Sherman,

Ma j . - Gen » C omnia nd in g .

230. ' , '

On the evening of July -Oth, General Sherman called at my
he ad- quarters-, Hd took out a map showing me the position of out

, a map snowing me t.ne
ill. on the. river to 3ar

troops, reaching from Roswell A on the river to Sandtown on the
right, some thirty-one-, miles. He said he wished a bridge
built at Hoswejlj telling me that it was rock-bottom and shoales.
He asked me how long I thought it would take to build it, as it
would probably be six or seven hundred feet long. I told him if
we had to cut the timber it would take us a week. He seemed rather 1
pleased at what I said.

Thai evening I received an order from General McPherson to move
from Sandtown to Roswell and that I would receive my instructions
from General Sherman. I moved o.n the morning of July 9th. I saw
General Sherman during the day and went fully into what he intended
to do . He said that he intended to c ross the Army of the Tennessee
on the next movement at Roswell and wanted a double-tracked trestle
bridge completed as soon as .possible, 1 camped one mile East of
Marietta. I went to the hospital in Marietta to see Col„ No yes ,39 th Ohio
whose leg had been amputated, and found him doing well,

1 had received a protest from the Commanders of the 2nd Brigade

2nd Division, against 'the commanding officer. General Sweeney, and

i wrote General Sweeny a letter calling his attention to the way he

on the r o & a t o San '- 1 f . o wn
posted the Brigade, and the expeeure it was given. General Sweeny

mad© answer to it but not satisfactorily to me.

I arrived at Roswell at noon on July 10th, Sunday, and immediate

ly examined the shoales to see if 1 could ford them. I ascertained

that we could and planted my artillery on this side and ordered Sen,

Fuller to cross •: . -.. his brigade, . He formed in regimental front.

It is an interesting sight at any time to see a column of troops

fettling a stream, but this was doubly interesting on account of

the great hilarity manifested, by the men. It was amm&at impossible

to wade across without falling down once or more, and every time a

.•man fell, a fresh strain of laughter was sent .forth by his ooraraifB,

any of whom were likely to meet with the same mishap at any moment.

As soon as the Division was across, . they were moved to the front

and a strong tete-du-pont was "built, 1 found Roswell to be a small

town with a very few fine houses and a great many smaller

onoes, occupied by the families who worked in the fac*, .

■ . ■ . 231 "

; tories, three of which had teen burned by General Garrard's Caval

; ry» thus leaving 600. women without employment; Gen. Garrard Sis-

mounted one of his regiments and sent these women to Marietta
and Big Shantj. When I came through Marietta, 1 found a good
many of these women there and : arranged to have them employed as

• nurses forthe 2nd and 4th division! f talcing a donation myself of

I -

I $100 for .each division for. the' purpose of paying them. The bal-

• ance of the women were sent north.

| ■ On looking iter the ruins of the factories 1. found there
i

' ■ . was a great deal of material which I could use for the bridge,
such as plank for flooring and the timber for trestles, which I
knew would shorten the time very much for building" it. On
Sunday afternoon, 1 had the Pioneer Corps thro?/ a foot bridge '
.across the stream so the working, forces eould cross from one
'"'" side to the other and on July : 10, 1864, I wrote General s herftin '

the 'following letter; -

In the field, July 10,
! 'Iy troops are arriving and crossing. .1 have been here two
hours, and in company with General Newton have thoroughly examined'
the country. 1 will occupy and fortify. tonight , a tete-du-pont

l/2 mile from the river and extending up and down one mile cover-
ing the entire ford bridge and roads leading to them. The ford
is l/2 mile or more in extent, very rough, and impassible except
for troops. To bridge the stream, I will have to build over650
feet in length.. I shall use the old piers trestle between,, We
have ' a strong picket out three miles, covering the fork of the
road leading to 'Iv'e/f-pfridge , eight miles up this river also cover-
ing forks of roads that lead to Atlanta. But it is too far out
to tak,e the command until the river is easily passed by artillery
and trains," ■

At 8 P. M. , 1 wired him .that my forces were all over the
river, hard at work fortifying; had batteries all over also;
have built a fsoirt bridge. The re-ad bridge 'is a pefetty big
Job but will work hard on It. i 'There is no force in our front
that, we can hear of .

On July 16, General Sherman answered me as follows:

11 1 have been out all day and am just back. Have received
General Garrard's and your dispatches. , 1 design that McPherson's
whole army shall come to that -flank, and you are to prepare the way.

General Newton will stay with you till'-; you are safe, when he
will rejoin his corps now in support of Schofield, eight miles
below you. Garrard will picket the roads and 1 want you to forti-
fy a tete~du-?pont and bridge . MoPherson will operate to the
right, 'end then when all is ready will come rapidly to your flank,
therefore Bake all preparations to 'that end. Scb.o|..}'e«l<i has ''Sr^tut-ed.
.ft ".'- \->lace- opposite the mouth of Soaps Creek. Keep me well ad-
vised by courier to Marietta and Telegraph,"

232

On Monday the nth, I put all the Pioneer Corps to work '■
putt ng up the bridge- and-, a large force of the command In tearing
out and hauling to .the river such material- as was left in the . "
bunned factories. An officer of my s r taff,' a Lawyer, who came

to me during the day,. said that the proprietors of the factories
had a French Flag flying- over their houses' and protested agianst
my using any part of the factories for building the bridge.
.There was one building of the factofties that had been 'left, which
I was tearing 'down and he thought 1 ought to be. careful what 1
did. 1 immediately communicated with General Sherman, giving him
this information and General Sherman answered me the same -day as

follows:

July 11, 1864.

1 know you have a big job but that is nothing new for you.
Tell General Newton that his Corps is now up hear Sohofields cross-
ing and that -all is quiet thereabouts, he might send down and move •
Ms camps to the proximity of his corps, but I think R'oswel] and j
Shallow Ford is important that I prefer .him to be near you till j
you are well fortified. If he needs rations, 'tell him to get his
wagons up, and I think you will be able to spnre them day after
tomorrow, I know the bridge at Roswell is important so that you
may destroy all Georgia to make it good and strong,"

^ , You will notice that General Sherman does not; A-ay t any atien-v /_ H

^/'-^■^>''''-W«- -^ft^'^s^A^ c^C^-^e^^a^z 'C~cs> %a^au£<£ tl/ ' f^>~*^ -W* ' My^f, ..

" tion to the French Flag., 1 read between the lines .and kept on
building my bridge. After the Civil War, this question came j
. up, these parties making claims against the Government for the

burning of their factories, etc. and the Government communicated
"with Gdner al Sherman and also with me. Sherman ignored it, vir-
tually saying he knew nothing about it and of course there was no
order showing that he did„ 1 admitted it but claimed that the
factories had ail been destroyed on account of their furnishing ' ' ,,,
■supplies to the Rebel army. "Whether the Government ever paid. . ■■■/
anything or not, 1 do not know s

On the evening of July 11th, 1 wrote- General Sherman and ; i
notified him that eight miles up the -river there was a good bridge
.that was not 'yet destroyed and he immediately wired General Garrard
to. save it . The following is my letter to Sherman and his .reply: \

HdoQrSo L. W. 16th Army Corps,' \

Roswell, July 11, 1364 . j

Maj. Gen, ?\ T. Sherman, ' !

Commanding. • . ■ .

AJ.1 quiet this morning. I had. no fear about being able to •
build the bridge, but thought you night expect it finished sooner )

233

than possible, as it was twice as long as I expected to find it, -
and twice as long as the river is wide down at Sand town. I have over
1000 men at work on it day and night , and it is alreadv well under
i-ay. i hnve planking for floor on the ground, and not "one minute
shall be lost in pushing it forward. Every man that can work on it
snail be kept at it. Reports here show no force of the enemy's
infantry this side of Peach Tree. Wheeler's cavalry advance is at
Buck Head, with all of his force south of there. Last night Joe
Johnston s headquarters were three miles this side of Atlanta on the
railroad. Atlanta papers of the 10th instant say that at a council o
of war held that day it was decided to fight for Atlanta, All
trains of the eraamy are reported by citizens and deserters to have
wealth^cl^ze^r**' md a g6neral refu § ee i»S is going on among the

G, M» Dodge,

Hd» Qrs* Mil. Div. of the Mississippi,

In the' .field, near Chattahoochee River

„ _ July 11 j 1864.

General Dodge,

■Roswell,
Your tfispfefcbh:is received. Send ine any Atlanta papers you get. I
have no doubt you will have the bridge done in time. As soon as yom
can spare General Newton he should be relieved to join his corns iitoere
his camp equipge is, I rode along the river-bank todav , and the
force of the enemy seemed to be merely sharpshooters in small num-
bers in their forts. All well with us.

fl. T. Sherman,

Maj. Gen. Commanding.

The work had advanced so rapidly that on the 12th I wrote
General Sherman as follows;

Ro swell, July 12, 1864. ■

I send herewith a rough map of the country south of. here,
taking in nearly all the roads. I got it up frou surveys and
from information received from diFferent citizens, and I think
it is as correct as such 'maps can be made. The roads, citizens
living upon them, &c are ppAtty reliable, you will see it dif-
ferent from any of our maps, I pushed my mounted infantry down
five miles today to the crossing of Nancy's Greek, where we
found the enemy's cavalry in force and they followed us back. '
One half mile above the bridge at this place, is. a ferry and wil
be a good place to put in a pontoon bridge should you desire.
The river is about 300 feet wide.

1 will have the bridge at this place finished tomorrow.
All the bents are up tonight, strings on and planked one third
the distance across. When done it will take safely over any
number off troops and their trains. All quiet here. The river
slowly rising.

1 was so anxious to get this bridge up that I spend most
of my time on it. I could stand on the bank and see the Pioneer
Corps work; every man in his place and the bents went up one
right after the other so that instead of being a week in build-
ing th^ bridge, it only took me. three, days.

As so'-'n as General Sherman,. received my letter, 'he wired me

as follows:

July 12, 1864.

"The 15th Corps will start this P. M. for Roswell via
Marietta, General McPhorson will follow in person tomorrow.
The 17th -Corps will wait a few days to await the return of

284

St one man. All quiet everywhere."

On the 14th, General Sherman issued an order for the whole
army to cross the Chattahoochee on the movement to Atlanta.

On the 13th I wired General She man that the bridge and
telegraph was completed at 3 P. M. and that the advance of the
15th Corps had arrived at Ro swell'.

On July 14th , the 15th Army Corps crossed and moved to

position on the Atlanta road, one mile 'in my -advance. While

they were crossing a terrific thunder storm arose, the lightning

struck, in several places, killing five men and wounding ninteen.

Col. Foe, General Sherman's Chief Engineer, asked me for the

particulars in relation to this storm and 1 answered him as

follows;

"Ky corps, the 16th, reached Roswell Sunday noon July 10,
1864, and we immediately crossed the river and worked until
Wednesday night pitting in a double track trestle bridge. The
weather was excessively hot, the hottest I think we experienced
during the campaign. On the south side of the river, my corps

were formed, very compact, in a tete-du-pont, covering the bridge
and roads . I had all my artillery in position and most of the
infantry ho.:^ their arras stacked as there were heavy details at wors-
en the bridge. It was finished -bout 5 P. M, Wednesday, and the
15th Corps, which arrived there that day commenced crossing
the next day. About 6 P. l". t , Thursday the 14th, a gale of wind
arose blowing terrifically for 15 minutes when the thtradre
shower came on, the rain pouring down in torrents and the thunder
and lightning close together (hardly any distinction from one
proal to another) it was so strong that at times the 15th corps
has to halt. This corps was crossing the bridge during the
storm and passed directly throurt my l.;nes and went to the left,
there not being room in the rear of my entrenchments for it
to bivouac; and it was halted right on the road and on the bridge;
thus being in the midst of my corps at the heaviest part of the
shower,, The lightning first struck in the hill and south side
of the river in a battery in position, then in a regiment of
infantry, a short distance to the right, then on the north side
of the bridge in the Valley and right at the head of the bridge
where my Pioneer Corps was camped, killing one man r-nd several
mules; during this time it struck one or two o" er points,
doing no damage, however. Horses and men in the 15th corps on
the bridge were knocked down but not materially injured and a great
many in ' oth the 15th and 16th corps felt the shock. It was the
dost destructive in the battery, in_ray coprs 33 or 34 men were
killed or wounded and quite a number', ' believe 18 (but 1 may" "be
filstakerik were killed outright. The wounded wero burned paralyzed
and shocked. Some severely, some ^liyhtly , , but all had to be nut
in hospital, and on the bodies of tho killed you could trace the
tracks"' of the lightniii£S, so I viae told, but I did not examine
■ghern. They were not much, if any. mutilated, and I remember it was
spoken of that one or two of the killed had not even a trace on
them. Several stacks of muskets were struck, bent up, bxr'ts
split, etc. It was one of the most terrific storms I ever exper-
ienced, and the' lightning appeared to strike close around us at
every flash for nearly half an hour. It struck close to my tents,
so close that we all felt the shocks sensibly. -They were pitched,
on the bluffs north of the river, one half mile from the line where

235

most of the damage was done , No persona were injured except in
my cox-ps.

It was Lieut, Maurey's light Batter;' A, 2d TJ. ?,. Artillery,
that suffered most. I forget the regiments of Infiantry but it" in-
cluded two or three. I think the storm came from the northwest but
I will not be certain about that, 1 know that although it was -only
6 o'clock or thereabouts, it wag- so dark :daat you "could not -see;
the heavens were very black md all light of -day seemed to be
shut out. The green trees and some buildings were struck * The
storm did not extend very far from the north of us and to the
south its track seemed to be from the north west to the- south-
west. I ordered the Medics! Officer to render full report stating
the circumstances, the nature of the wounds on both the killed and
wounded which was done and properly forwarded from that date® If
it can be found, more .definite and correct information can be
obtained/ 1

The soldiers , who generally are vary suprstitous about these
matters, predicted all kinds of disasters on account cf this and
the fact that Maurey's 2nd TJ. ■--. Battery, the first time it got
into action on the :32nd of «|uly at Atlanta, while it was coming
from Gen. Blair f s front to 'me down the road on which Gen. Mcpherson
was killed, was captured by the same rebel skirmish line that killed
General Mcpherson, this fact carried out the superstition of the
soldiers. They always quoted this as being proof of th-"ir sup-
erstition and prophesy.

^Jhan 1 ej3is?i3=±s5s* the completion of the bridge so soon, . General
Sherman was greatly astonished and sent a very complimentary dis™
p&tc'h to the Corps for their work and I also issued the following
to the Pioneer Corps:

Roswell, July 15, 1864.

1 cannot refrain from expressing my thank'" for the prompt,
efficient and quick manner in which you have under many difficul-
ties completed the bridge over the Chattahoochee River at this
point .

1 say; personally with what- alacrity and interest you day and
night performed your .duty; it is very seldom so large a work is
accomplished in so short a time. All priase you, and say "well
donl 1 . 1 '

On July 11th, -I received the following letter from my Medical

Director, Dr. Gay;

"I have to report that while in, the discharge of my duties
during the march of our troops July 10th, I was grossly insulted •
by Brig, General T. W„ Sweeny without cause or provocation. That
he used language disgraceful and unbecoming-, an officer. That he
ordered one of his orderlies to use a horsewhip on me and that
said orderly did come- near me and raised a club to strike me,
He also challenged me to fight and was looking for pistols when
his staff interfered and carried him off. On his being taken away,
he said he should shoot me the first time he caught me alone, or
Words to that effect. ?/hile I have no personal fear of a man who •
will make so mean and cowardly an attack, I 'believe that the good
and honor of the service required that such men be dismissed,
that such scenes may be stopped,

- As a member of your st aff I claim the protection that my

286

rank and position entitle' me to*"

On the same date, 1 wrote the following letter to General

McPherson:

Roswell, July 11, 1864.

I respectfully request that Brig. General Thos W. Sweeney be
relieved from command of the 2d division 16 th A.c.

I have for a long time delayed in making this request, al-
though 1 was aware it was my duty to do so . The benefit s of the ser
vice and especially the welfare of the division require it. 1
enclose a communication from Surg. N. Gay, Medical Director of this
command, and I have no doubt that General Sweeney, in • the presence of
officers and enli&fcod-men, conducted himself in a manner unbecoming
an officer, and without any just cause on Surg* Gay's part,

1 also respectfully request that Brig. General J. M. Corse
be assigned to command of the division. 1 understand that Major
General Sherman is willing to relieve him from duty on his Staff,
in order to allow him to he assigned to this command, if requested.
I, however, do not desire that my request 'for his assignment should
interfere with the assignment of any other officer, if the General
Commanding the Department' desires to make a different one."

Upon this -letter General McPherson made the following endorse-
ment :

"EUDORSEMEUT: Head Quarters Dept. and Army of the Tennessee,
near Roswell Bridge, 6a „, July 14th, 1864;

Respectfully returned .to Major General Dodge, who will, if he
deems it for the best interest of the service, arrest General Sweeny
and prefer charges against him in order that he may be tried by
General Court, MaAtial,

It is not advisable to relieve a commanding officer in face of
the enemy, without sufficient cause to ground his trial by General
Court Martial," . «£, ti

What 1 wanted was the relief of General Sweeny, preferring
charges and bringing on a Court-mastial, which I knew could not be
done there. I, therefore, called General Sweeney to my head-quar-
ters -and had a long talk with him. The fact of the matter was j_ n
all these matters of delinquency, it came from his drinStng habits.
He saw that this was a .serious charge and he tried to excuse it.
I made up my mind it was better for me to try to get along with
him until the campaign was over, appreciating, myself, the reflection
it was on -an officer to have him relieved in a campaign. I, there-
fore, took no farther 'action. General Sweeny promising to attend
closely to his duties, but I told him ,at the time If any more diffi-
culty arose, I would, certainly relieve him. I made up my mind that
1 would issue the order of relief myself and take the responsibility.

On the 15th of July, Col. Spencer was' relieved as my Chief of
Staff and took command of his regiment at Homo, Georgia*

During the time wo were at Roswell, wc received notice of the
movement of General Grant across the James River and soon after that

237

General Sherman received a letter from General Halleck, in which

General Halleck says as follows:

- "1 fear Grant has made a fatal mistake in putting himself south
of James U±r er. He cannot now reach Richmond without taking Peters-
'burg, which is strongly fortified, crossing the' ftppomattox and
racros5in|j the James. Moreover, by placing his array south of Rich-
mond, he opens the capital and the whole North to rebel raids. Lee
can at any time detach 30,000 or 40,000 men without our knowing it
till we are actually threatened, 1 hope we may yet have full' suc-
cess, Mt I ; tind that many of Grant's general offiCioers think the
campaign already a failure, Perseverance, however, may compensate
for all errors ami overcome all obstacles. So. mote it, be," • •

. This dispatch indicates the feeling at Washington in relation

to General Grant; however, there was no such anxisety or feeling in

the Western Army, We all- had no doubt:. but what ha would succeed

and considered his change of base to the south side of the James

as a Master movement.

On July ": 3th, the order was given for the movement of the Array
to the souths The Army of the Tennessee was to move towards Stone
Mountain, except my Corps; 1 was to move to fancy's Creek and keep
in connection with General Schofiold's command and was the left of
Gene r al She rm an ' s Army .

On Jly 7th, 1 marched and bivouacked on Nancy's Greek and
connected with General Schofield^s forces by a picket line. On
the morning of the 18th, one of my spies came to me from Atlanta,
1 gave his report to General BcPherson as follows:

Peach Tree Greek, July 18, 1864.

"Scoidt in from Atlanta. He left there this morning, says the
enemy were moving troops all night. Last night there all the
trains were started off on the Augusta Road, That Bates' division
moved ftpon Peach Tree Road and is intrenched on south 'side of that
Creek, near Howell's BrlpteS-- > that the bridge is ready to be burned.
He also reports one regiment of dismounted iavalry 'at Buck Head
prepared to content our advance. This morning Bates' division was
the extreme right of Johnson's Infantry, and Kelly's division on
north side of Little Peach -Tree between me and Buck Head a This
agrees with report of rebel Lieutenant captured by me this morning.

• This scout says that it is the general talk that if Atlanta
falls, Polk's Corps will go west toward West f^Lnt, whils t the re-
mainder of Johnson's Army will go towards Augusta, or Macon. On
.'yesterday Hood had the left, polk the. centre, and Hardee the right,
the Militia in Atlanta, Johnson has received no reinforcements
up to today. The enemy are at work on their forts and intrenchments
around Atlanta, ' ' ■

Dispatches from Richmond report their forces shelling Washing-
ton. Atlanta papers ftp to the 17th. inst. have nothing of interest
.in them. An editorial'speculation on Sherman's probable movements;
thinks he may possibly mbve on Stone Mountain to force the evaluation
of Atlanta."

On the 18th 1 moved directly on the road to Decatur and crossed
Little peach Tree Greek* There was nothing in my front except now

and llien. v \ dcx ^ I of erw.? lX'X\ On Sho
iVi. v n r x ) ",■ '•"'- o.iuC c. v ii 1\ o .t -* l u i p r't (f n. oi j x n x' x d ,,,v

, l X \ X CiX f-'cl VO "'-' -. .'3 110 'u X ! - ' X '6 1 1 Ci'i "XII r r Q o .i

;-1iw n.-? t.

i r

to; , one s

;-•. b .:. : i 1 Ij

'T1V- ,° "T, P 7

s . t - •. .!ii.- i I i i i ! ■ ' S 'i • ; i f ' i I

Anuy frou Joi'uiiou to hooch J ''Dcv; Mil.; ■•••as vc?i ^- loportarot oo,d
•_.....,.,. .....^ -uioiooaa no. a noiii loo. uo Guoto no nouoo a; voio.e oonorso .jC

iel di dpi' iri ' L j i ■ - do.''' od bin"; 1 Otii I ioroo'diate' 1 v it- do ovoi" to see

a, i ic-uro' 'inn u oeuor.;.,L iiicuooo... ih;u joru nonoro i ..:jO;n o .o t. .

o tne ..nuoo orl oc .. o..io«o I ir.nceu ^:n) ''-ano;.' < : enenej. ..•11010.00"',

i'Oint,

lOr-i.

ejo !

sioano a j epao; rno.t 111 hoe opinion Iiooo. would oaj'tot.oo o±1l: ''"ioxiiii
i 7 oonL*y~f'our h^oii'o. Ggho ioo.l clioxoonvi ocit do '.01 oioji, v >..o ; . o. .oouc.j_..
oio.. i.o.:.r.od hi::; ordex v o a on cent rati no; Inis army. This opy rna;o a

old! 000 0L0 ]:od been in the south moo I oh Lhc time sinco o f o lofl
Pulaski, T nod not heo.nd dnoio nil.; don 1 rieorly sin months. I"
me that thoy yot suoyio a.oooo oh hi r;. and to protect hio.c^ If, lie ^n~
liotod ij'j one of tno i/ohaJ i-oyl..ojno^ , I ii.?no foi-ootton the 0100 ho
told no j ano ao soon o.;. ho;. r;ot t.;;io ponoi'* on.':i. san that it no.s voi'j
important, ho o/orked his no.y thi'ou.yh the linos and pot to mo. do
did not rant to ronain ; vit;i our forces as ho thoayht thoro loia^t
be a oossiMlity of his copturo rncl ho .:ouid coi'tcd.nly ho hauped,
I tno-rofoi'o sent: hi:.; north to dash oil! e -ith a lot tor in fPo
CooioiandiiOj officer thoro end asked hiio to nut niio on sono detail
unore iio ooul.u oe ooi'iecol; sao o --00100:0 00s c ruoo . I never sa:o
anythinp noro of hiio unti often the Atlanta Canpaipn.

On the 19th, 1 move 6. direct p; tonrards Decatur ohrikin™ tloo

rai iroo; 1

T? ,-t , J-

of thot ■'■lace cn^ eionlovin

foioces in the destruo-

■Y >,

tion 6f the, looad. At the Depinuiny of the h r ar, 1 had tairkt my

Pioneer Ci-oo-^ uoo to de ■:■; tree: ^ ro-d effective.'

the habit of poinp alone; the railroed rood liftinp tl.
jorot tippinp if over and oconotiooos hondiiio e. rail, nhiooi
effect j re, "out I hod tompnt my di-'uio-or Corps to tad) •...
off of 'the ties, olio the ties p.y> and out the rails on t

rails and

lone.o., so Zu-u it naoi i : ,oo-oosi

iuachmery ai

die ratio sufficiently to keio;
"1 otro.ipnten thoo: onocpt hy

2 ~l.ll O p H. Ai. J. i i ^

:. n I hi a aori
tlio best railroad builder eeaa the J cat r
oral array --in centre vine rebel i , .i.L.i"„:c

)O0:

twiat rdiicli notain" hut Federal inyercu

On July 2 0th, I moved in

-I..'- ii'./. (... .v J li'J 'J'JiI.i '.

In ~T->r~ n i lea oaf jae 3

Lao .LG'J... :\1

(,:.■ ya L - in aac
ivo the re.ile

i ] 'rr, -^ " ~j„ a "G »

rear

the Decatur an'" 1 Atlanta, road, rea canny th
for nee ay a i via ion at a

no a

ivi , a

.lj«<v

d and inti'encliod the poarti !

-'_>-' v l;u

r< , , .

cairoe ai.L3 ecai

:ro 1 teera aae

Decatur relieving Garrard ' a C valry dial ai an alii
o raid ta one rear of tn-> aaaaiy and I n7?a seat
nfentry a a el: to PoGeell ta report ta Con daayn
OUT ''■■ roil 03 , -vita, a viey of auaraany the;.; f

ao ecane j. or ;

auar}/ c

Corpa on
o and 1

;■:; brigade to

aoani;"' a out on
a Illinois nauate..
no. a Lti -.n:a rge of
!', a* pa a a fur

ie br ego aa

to Doea .ur v/aa ordered to con eon tra.f a

. a

, I'^in r>ii

i n tree chiae nt s .

en tlio .'ilst, the tern of cornice of uoat of the ath lilinola
Monnted Infantry eras expiring and I gave orders to Gel. hereey to
take that portion of the eouaanai ta Onattenoogo. to bo Jiuaterea e*"t ,
The balance cane to be conaoliia, ,a trio eoeipaniec under the corneaa
of Lb. Col. Plalllipa.

a n c i.ii.y aaetai

behind Peach Tree Creeh a;

of our array under

r< -. ,- ......

re. j i noma a ai on yrnaa xoree

and very fiercely but they .'/era iianaeomely reprice- J by hi."' troop.?,
all alone the line. Our leeo v:aa heavy Ooit the t of the oniay uiuct.
have been vcaay area laryera .aici: eaoeeO tJa.it General aohofiaid'o

pi''Opi'ieey ana e ■. u-vii

Hood."

a iuaodiately attach ue, vac true, "nt

hie effort t- dartre ao up an tin- riyht flanh •/.-as a coneletc failure.

1 received noti'.

Ooloeal of the 11th reylnent ll.f.C.inl

Col. Lath.rop Lia; ! , he lanl been appelarte
■try s iiiic a/ a. a mo fri'
Alllama reyineat that I had raised end left on the Naafvi lie" aaid
Dec a tin 1 road. The 2nd regiment eas dasigir-ted by t:.e Cevernnanf
as the 110th IT. r ' . .Infantry and after that time aaa hneea aa

.a On July fist, I advanced ray line-sand connected vita the -23rd

Army Corpa, A strain; 1 lino of ahi tan ahera jiioved cernoird and secured

- [ \ o )-,

a pool Li en on ■ a ridge ef ia.lla at

nectiny on riyih., <a-f \\& w &rm\r ^o-fjjS^luli--

- 1 *--> : '!

■a\e

v "''Oai ai an. ,

-240-

a,W forked

Our trains were ordered from Koswel' &t ^ec^tur. Durin * the afternoon

of the 21st, the 17th Amy Corps liar' a. very severe fi^ht on our left

trying to take 'aha!, waf kno?Ti as Bal - 1 Hill airi afterwards as

Leypieti's Hills. In this f iyhf , on the evenmnp of the 26th, Genera:'

Walter T, H-reshao was very severely wounded an- lost, his ]o [i . 'Gonera!

Ec-tdaerson was very anxious about his left flank as iho cavalry ha- 1 all

left. On the ovenins; of the 21st. he or^erer 1 .ae to send the 1st briyade

of Fuller's division with a battery to the left and rear of the

17tVt corps, 1 sent the brigade th°re an- 1 General Blair die not

put it into line but bivouacked about l/4 aile in his left rear

in the open ground end hold' it as a reserve fpX&ci'vie ^^--e h-&H^r\- )' "M
Ji(5 iro-ni line' '3

At -.' A. LI. on the aornins of the 22nd , General Sweeney re- "

ported to r;;e that the eneny had abandoned his intrenchxaenta in

front of his lines. I nas ordered to move forward a very heavy

line of skirmishers, towards Atlanta. The 64-ifl Illinois advanced ■

over- c-ne mile an^ fouir' the ener.v in his Forks near the city.

In olo'-ir-v iy\. towards Atlanta, General Sweeney's division was

crowded. ( "'Ut of the iff in line av\i he 111 : n reserve, n-enerai

Mcpherson visited ;n* about 8 o'clock In the ,.;orniiig, oppress in- anxiety

about his left.He^as Sonfinent our army - ou ]d bo attached «nd in

his iudo- rae nt 7 npon our left fronton* he ordered Uie to nove' n e -erai

Sweenej to the -left an* take position on the left of the l/nir

Ana- Corns, rhich was intrenchin- a lino in front of the "one they

captured on the morning of the 21st.' After he .had -iven this

order, it appears that he received the following order fron Hm

,qi

^nercsnt-

Hd. Qrs. Military ntv kiss
In the field at Howard House,

Peneral i, c Phorson A r -^ n-e +- Near Atlanta, July 22, 1864~'
.i .^.. ,. ..t ui. jm,i sun, i-i i'ih y of t r '€: 1 onressee ■

"General: Instead of sendj n ^ " ; -D ^" P to mini- 1--+ r , • ,
woulr. put the */hoIe corns at 'work ,^^roid no J-^\J'^ ° ' , , FlsU ^ on
back to and Pnclunipo- n e catur t ™ + +7' I 5 al,Roll1 te] y the railroad
'completely destroy"*''' every ^ Li r ? R " abso] ^ely and

as Garrard return^ if tv b^ y " + n T F, ™*1 twlstev. an^ as soon
shift you around to the extreme" r 1 ^t *■ i th ¥u-n^ ! n X Wl11 S " Rin
depot. Explore roads nth thai view I lthnor s Ferr '-' as a

Yours,
• ! ' : ■ ?■'. T. Sher.a^n,

On receipt of thla or-er, Hener,.! Stronr o^e™?™^:
Prion's staff, sap th, t ,«!»,„„ !,„«., atel" ; ,, ar ,a s vl ,,i t to

•41

General Sherman. He thought it ^neither wise or prudent to move
the 16th Corps from the important position it was ordered to
occupy until later in the day : , To this General Sherman promptly
assented and left the time for the execution of the order to Mc,
Pherson's discretion. General McPherson said that if the enemy '
made an attack upon our army that day, he thought it would occur
before one o'clock, and it was generally understood among the
members of the staff that if no general engagement took place
by that hour, the 16th, corps, or one division at least of it would
be drawn out and sent to the rear to execute General Sherman's
order/'- In pursuance of this idea, at 12 ©"clock, no engage-
ment having taken place. General Strong says:^

A few mintites before 12 o'cloc, we .met General Logan and staff
General Blair and staff, and several of the division commanders,
on the railroad, three- quarters of a mile, or more, in rear of the
right division of the 15th corps, and as evertyhing at this time
was quiet along our entire line, we all dismounted and had our
lunch together in a little groVe .of oaks Just to the south of

the railroad. , . . _

Of "Mcpherson's staff, there were present at this time, ool.

..1.....T... Clark.,... .Mjutant-Cllm*ril,land chief of .Staff » Hickenlqoper,

Chief of Artillery, Reese, Chief Engineer, Captain lilburn Knox,
Rose, Signal officer, Dr. Duncan, Buel., Chief Ordnance Officer,
Willard, Gile and Steels, the: General *s personal aides- and myself .
Soon after finishing our 1'nhof, and while we were enjoying our'
cigars. General McPherson wrote the following letter in Pencil

to General Dodge; . ; ■ ■

: Hd.- Qrs, Dept. & Army of the Tenn.,
■: In the field, July 22, 1864,

Major. General Dodge, ■•

Commmnding 16th Army 'Corps;
General: Enclosed 1 send you an extract from Major- General
Sherman's letter to me just received .

As General Sweeney's Division has already -fflwved over to the
••left and is about going into position on the leff, of Blair, as • -

we talked.' you will leave his: division -where we designated, and
send Fuller's Division back on the line of the railroad between
bjtre and Decatur to destroy it as directed. Send orders to
General Sprague to burn it through Decatur and to the east and
we<rt' of the torn as far as he can. The men should take their arms
along and stack them near where they are at work, so that they can

be ready for any emergency, .

Yours truly,

Jas. B McPherson,

Major-general.

1 never received this order from' McPherson. -The officer that _ .

he gave it to, when he .reached me a' few minutes after 12 o'clock, .

saw me In a death grapple with Hard** » a corps and of course .did

not deliver it and 1 did not ; see it until after the war.

After General McPherson? s interview with me at 8 o'clock in the .
morning, I moved the 2nd division along a back road leading 'from
the main railroad along the line south to Sugar Creek Valley and

' ( »

: : . i

-24:2-

thence West, • passing up near khere General Fuller was encamped

with his brigade and thence tip through .the woods and through
the lines of the 17th Army Corps.' I went on ahead with ray
. staff and when I reached Fuller's; Brigade, I took Fuller with xy

' me and went out to the front 'to 'see the - ! position that I was to
take. I found General Blair's Corps In the intrencbments he had captured

tin ^/oyte-ek- Carps l'H'fcf3it|, - >(^«>te*)l>>f t y, U is front yiew

the day before. I ro.de out some 'distance beyond his line? o
intrencbments and selected, the ground for ay corps to occupy
resting on -his new left. We were: in plain view of the intrencbments
in front of Atlanta;- coul'' 1 - see the 'men in them plainly and it.
would have been an easy matter to' have reached us with their
artillery fire /and I think with their musketry fire, but they made
no movement. It was as still as death on that front'. I saw that
it wouVhaot do for me to put my corps in there until the line ■ '

was intrenched and I therefore immediately sent word back to
General Sweeny in command of the 2nd division to halt his command-
when he reached Fuller and send forward his Pioneer Corps .to en-
trench the line Fhich wouP be shown him by my engineer who was
with me. As I returned, I inquired of the men working at the front
if they had seen anything of the enemy or any pickets an* they ' '

said, "^o« and when t got to fTen.! Giles A r smith who was in '
command of the left of Gen. Blair's 17th Corps, I inquired
particularly of him if he he* seen anything of any of the enemy - -
° r thelr P lckets ^ he ^, »io," that he only hadl.Wrj/oickets •" :
out; there were no cavalry on our- fide. 1 returned to General
Puller's tent which was on a hill ; just back of where his commas
was and where Ms ammunition train was parked. He Invited m e 'in to
take lunch rith him. I got off my horse and went into his tent * " '
. I saw it was a few minutes after '12 o'clock. Before we sat down/ i
heard a scattering fire in'the rear to the W "of us and General
Puller said it was the boys shooting hW. I.i.ediately said

^ Mm ' " N ° ; S6t ° Ut and pUt *>™ — « line/ it la the enemv" 8n / , ent '
one of my staff to Gen. S weene7 OTdering hM tQ * Q ^ ^ ^ ^^

^ ******* ****"**' he *** f °™« a "ne right where he was bivouaokin,
while waiting for an order from melwhen he was to go into the new nj •-

md .^ ^ h0t fire '^ ith ^ ^^Bions of -the enemy. His position

was in
the

*ilfe

243

rear of General Blair and in the rear of all our army/,. ; ■:■ G© n .
Hood had moved. Hardee's Corps clear around our left clear into
our re ar^ud*. Sweeney onfklWp^ckj he was fight ing^ot&iAjst

•and East instead of West towards Atlanta, ' .

Soon after the war, 'I wrote a description of this battle which
I read to the Military -Order of the Loygl Legion of New York and in
1910 printed it in a booklet called "The Battle of Atlanta and other
Campaigns and addresses." and -which Is -as* follows.: '

In *>6r-t Here "&*W\i <? f -JtHavtia.".

In 1902, General Green B.. Raum gave a description of the tattle

of; Atlanta in the National. Tribune dated.. Sept . 25 ,'■1902. 1- met

him afterwards and in conversation with him called his attention to
many discrepancies in his account and he asked me to write him a
letter in relation to it and the following is the letter which I .
wrote: . f n ^ er f fo^e f rin fel /VUffe> ia ta —

This battle of Atlanta was the .greatest battle of Sherman's

Campaignpnd virtually .destroyed Gen, Hood's army, so' far as an

effective force against Sherman. The loss of General McPherson

was more to that army than its, great victory and no one felt it

mote keenly than General Sherman and in his dispatch to the

Adjutant- General of the Army of July 24th, 1884, he paid this

tribute to General McPherson;

"General McPherson fell in- battle, booted and spurred, as
the. gallant knight and gentilaetn would wish. Not his the loss,
but the country's, and the army will mourn his' death and cherish his
memory as that of one who, tough coniparativelyyoung, had "risen
by his merit and ability to the command of one of the best armies
which the nation had called into existence to vindicate its
honor and integrity. History tells us of but few who so blended
the grave and genteleness of the friend with the dignity, courage,

'faith, and manliness of the soldier His public enemies, even
the men -who directed the fatal shot, ne'er spoke or wrote of him
without expressions of marked, respects those whom he commanded loved
him even .to idolatry, and I, his associate and commander, fail in
words adequate to express my opinion of his great worth, 1 feel
assured that every patriot in American on hearing this sad news will
feel a sense of personal loss and the country generally will realise
that we hage lost not only an able military leader but a man who,
had he survived, was qualified to heal the national strife which

■-'had been raised by ambitions and designing merj. His body has been
sent north in charge of Major Willard, Captains Steel and Gile, his
personal staff."

The death of General McPherson was a great personal loss to

me„ Prom the time he took command of the Army of the Tennessee,

he showed great personal interest in my work* Being an engineer

•■ol.f

trie oarunai'w;a

and, in a ninoiw

1,7 Interested in iuy railroad r ;or/: drrlr7
also Anew of General Grant'; frl en: A;u In A:«r
Ii.? was always wdlvlnp mo weed advice. 0:; f

of July, after I land made the charge on the enemy on my chttj responsi-

bility, ho sold to me, "I an pi ad you did t

" Some time I will tell yoa.„ If

jo i ti ..' I-,. • > •-> aim '•'.' ny . lit

i.eral PtoPherson iioPi lived

af +he. IX"

lie coulcl have made an official report of the battle,^, many of the mis-
representations In relation to it would never have beoii node. He was
pre cent on the "round, and saa the fi.7htj.n7. of the 10th end 17th Amy
Corps, There v/as 3 wood deal of controversy as to the time avid how-
General IoTcPherson was hilled Put that was prett ' thorouphly settled.

by the statement of Lt , Ohorfwp the oipnal officer, -/ho vent from me
iVl'tH >."»*e|-!i,: v { -f »> den. Gules /?w$-m rf d ■/•» ^efas<s. 6<'s )«••/*+ a-wj n*/-*. /**- "»"i'f A.f"

to the 17th A. C. and met General Mc Flier- -.on -as he was leavinp me and

poiww to Gen", Blair'. He told Goncral IToPhor ~-"w. that the enemy ;jei-- :

on the road but Mcpherson either did not understand him or 70 id no

attention and kept on, Lt. Ghorfy turned and //cut with PlcPhor.-on era" 1

when 'the fire froi/. the enemy's line .hilled !.:;:• Ph or; on, it scared Gharry's

horse and threw him against a tree. Ills watch ston-ed Pis

:o minutes

of two which fined definitely the tine of Gen, Hefner-eon' a death.. Put

General Willxom E. Gtr'wm; v:ho was urea General MoPhereon'a staff

a.V)

■ ith him v'o to a i'e.v minutes hefore hie death, delivered an address

unon General HePh

eon and hia death, at the m eetin,;- of the

iJUCl .::

of tne Amy of the Tennessee, sPLPi set forte, all the facte In Id:

ma u

a/1, -pit cr* ^

ter, he havxiw had the testimony of evei'yone who was with C/&1\. 'rid

of Captain William Petrel who commanded the robe" sPIr-mlsh line
hilled McPherson. I listen;

'. .' I i X V • i, i

ea two Gal. St roup's address on the matter
and on October 10, 1085, wrote dim the foirowiii7 letter in relation t
It ;

While in Cni

Council B ruffe, Oct, 10^ 1075 ,
oui- late reunio-.-p, I read, yoi: very Int

erestinp neper on the death of General McFhore.00. Ae I -tated
to you then, It la the clearest, end n.o :t .■■ ecu rate I Imve e^ei
seen. It a ."'reed 'with we/ cecal 1 oof ten-';. On wv awdvol bo^m T ?p-
ferred to ray notes on the death of Gen. Me Ph? re on, 1 fi r! o tli-.t

your dc count In all tne prin Ipal noiuts eoiwciples -with my data,
and I than!: yon for pultdnr in eueh oclr.irr.tlo form -. ' full n.in Int

ereotiap an account of the ev«:.
'"T'.^at c OiVJi" 1 ' ' no or . I oi .vi t' 1 i'.v- 1 ''

01 the 20 d a

aa for yen- trutiiful ae script ion

ocg oi -'iir

of the fi-i.tin • of the 10th A.c. on that day, Althouw;h oni v u.vqc--
bripadoe of It were on that part of the field, yet, by their palianf

ived n Ur ar]uy f ri?;u f:rc ^t loon and defeat

flwhtinw that e.ay, they a

245

repulsing Hood's, well planned attack in our rear. ' As Blair well ■
said,- "The Lord placed Dodge (meaning. the 16th A.C.) in the ripht
place that day/'

The loss of McPherson was such a shock, that I think, all
failed to place that victory whdre it properly belonged. . Especially
unfortunate was his logs to my Corps,, for he was the devoted friend
both of it. and myself, and he saw the onslaught of the enemy, and
the magnificent fighting with which my corps met three times its
number and drove them bsck to the woods.

McPherson was killed, wlt&hut doubt, long after one o'clock
P. M. , I find in my entry of that date, that I opened the battle '
at two minutes after twelve M. I immediately sent Capt. Edward
Jonas, A.D.C, to General Giles A. Smith, requesting him to refuse
his. left and cover the ground between General Puller's right and
his (Smith ' s) line informing him that the enemy were far in his •
rear* He said he would do -so. As the battle progressed and I saw.
no 'movement on the part of the General Smith, I sent, 1 think.
Col* Tichenor A. d.O. to Smith „ to inform him that the enemy were,
passing my right flank, which was opposite his c en" re and rear,
and requested him to refuse his left immediately or he would be
cut off. Col. Tichenor returned to me at 1 P. M. saying that
Smith was just being engaged; that he hid received orders to
hold his line, and that troops would be thrown into the gap.
My Aide returned over the name road, McPherson was killed upon
close to 1 P. M. and evidently after you had taken the order to
General Smith to hold firm.

General McPherson was not aware as 1 was that the enemy
were passing around Fuller's rightn and swarming into the w- ods
between the 16th and 17th A.c. Nor was I aware that General Mc
Pherson was on ' the field, I was watching ray right' flank, knowing
its exposed condition, and also seeing that the enemy overlapped
Fuller on the right -as well as Sweeny on the extreme left.*

Soon'af'er 1 o'clock, reports came to me from both flanks
that the enemy were overlapping them. General Blair- came in
pdrson for aid while I was heavily engaged, and said he could
not get to General Smith. 1 told him that as soon as we checked t
this (the second) attack, that 1 would turn one Brigade of-
Fuller's on them, and 1 requested him totry and reach Smith so
as to hel''": Fuller. As soon as he. checked the second attack,
• General Fuller swung around one t&aine^t slCarply to the right
under a galling fire, the enemy firing into his flank and rear
at short range, Fuller charged into the woods and cleared them,
showing great personal bravery in holding his men to the work.
It was in this 1 attack of General Puller that the 64th Illinois
captured a portion, of the rebel line, upon which were foi|n.d the
glasses and documents taken from McPherson' s person, which you
mentioned in your statement.

The orders you quoted from General Sherman-..-, to .General
McPherson and from General McPherson to me, relating to the move-
ments of the 16th A.n. were never received by me. The only orders
General McPherson gave me that day were received about 8 A. m.
He refers to those in one of the orders you quote. He came to
me at aba-fit 8 o'clock A..M. , took out his map, and we discussed
the position I was to take on the extreme left. He told me to
get my Corps together, intrench my position and look out for my
left, pointing out on the map a hill I was to occupy and a road I
was to command if possible. These orders werja n-wer countermand-
ed. I was engaged in carrying them' out when £&.um divisions, Bates
MMif^ Walker's and Oie'bwne f 's of Hardee's Corps, struck me » Early in

- the morning- 1 had been over the ground' I was:, to occupy, and there-
fore had a full knowledge of the position of 'the 17th Corps and
my own, and appreciated the situation, 1 saw that the safety of
the Army of the Tennessee and all its trains in its rear depended
on my defeating the enemy* I had every man in line- no reserve.s. ■
1 could, see every part of my line and the entire line of the enemy,
except that beyond my right which was masked by the woo'ds, and it
was, as you say, a magnificent sight and one seldom offered in
battle, Hickenlooper's map, so far as it relates to the position of
the enemy is wrong; poe's is more correct, but neltbfer gives accu-
rately the position of the 16th Corps and the enemy,"

-246-

General Sherman im his dispatches an -^ reports of the
battle of Atlanta-, evidently was misled in many of the state-
ments as to the time an* actions of the different commands, he
not being present on the ground. ?<hile I was "in command of the
"Department of the Missouri, after these reports had been
published, I receiver] many letters from officers of the 16th
Army Corps coin plaining and asking me to write General Sherman
and correct them, and I therefore wrote him the following letter:

Ft. Leavenworth, Nov. 19 1865.

"I found a copy of your report of the Atlanta campaign a Jew
days ago an* read it for the first time.

1 fin-' iri your report of th'~- battle of the 22nd that yon
were not fully informed as to the movements of the Array of the
Tennessee or perhaps more especial);/ of the 16th Corps, no dnnbt
from the fact that 1 made no report of its operations until
a f ler the Arm;*" commander had made them an* General Howard in his
report of the campaign did not have mine before hi..,, and I
believe so states in his report. I was not able to make mine
at the time it shoul* have beer ''one. I merely wish to state
for your information some matters that occurred and that appear
in the official reports of the 22nd as it will no doubt be a
satisfaction to you to get at all particulars.

I'Tien I was ordered to the left by Gen. ivicpherson , I went in
person to the posit lor, I was expected to take up on the new
advanced line to the left of the 17th A. n, selected the
groun* and find.ng that the new line would not be complete'-"' for some
time s the 17th A. C. commenced work late that day. I* went back for
the Pioneers and ordered the 10th forps to bivouack where they were
in the rear of the 17th Corps. They halted right on the ground where
they afterwards fought. On my return I mot one of ray staff officers
who informed me that Gen. Blair's hospital had been attacked. whic'V
was situated to the east of where I was bivouacked, and that "the
enemy had cavalry in there.

I immediately rode towards my corps f feeling some anxietv
concerning the report from the fact of our surprise at the
sudden evacuation of our iron that morning. I immediately
ordered skirmishers to be cent out to see' what truth there was
in the report, and they soon commenced skirmishing rapj*ly.
1 immediately went into line, and had hardlv nrottem f ornert * whe---. I
■■i -covers* the enemy's columns ard soon became hoflv en^a^ed"' '"
•Disc'overing the enemy's object. I i „;e*iafel- sent a staff of-
ficer to Gen. Giles A. Smith to notify him that the enemy was i n
his rear, and that he had hetieWtTs line and connect 'with 'me." '
This was efore he was engager) and after I was. In a f pw minutes
I sent another staff officer, seeing the importance nf mnMn^'th^
connection . Tne seeta* oi ficer, found "G6T[ierAlaailth-lu>tTv"flnVo^M.
and Gen, 5fc.ith.also, I think, had then received orders from gin ' '■
McPherson to hold his line; that he (Gen. McPherso.nl would fil] the
gap; and of cogirse ha* no chance to move then, as he hart all "he
could do to hold the enemy. Gen. Mciherson arrive* some time f* PP t
was engage J and stood to the extrme right of my line? near
the edge of the timber, watch ng the attack on lue/win- I
was weak in numbers, and he coul* see I had every "can onS4d

The moment I broke the -nemy's lino and e»muien.cefl driving -

them across the fiel* and into the woods, i cPh^son i Pft 1
go to Gen. Smith, who was them hotly engaged. He 'had loft hut
a few moments before- I detected the 'enemy's column in tut
woods some distance to my right and between me and'V'enera]
Blair. Gen. Fuller waeeled one brigade to confront ■-%*©., an*

247

immediately attacked and captured the skirmish line that had ■
killed McPherson, and drove them back quite a distance. On
tw.- of the men of the ■ skirmish line captured, we found Me
Pheraon*s papers and. glass, &o. I Immediately examined them
and this was the first knowledge 1 had of his death, or as
I thought at the time, of his capture, and I immediately sent
my, ji.A.G., Capt „ Barnes to you. 1 saw that the papers were
of r importance, remembering one as being from you to him, in
which you spoke of a despatch from Grant that Lee could spare
20^,000 men, &c. and that you must never quit, etc. The-
prisoners taken I hear numbered thirty, they might be more, and
vVfe. got, I believe, all the papers. Up to this time, Wengelin s
Brigade had not come up, and did not for some time after;
they took no part In the fight until very late In- the after-
noon, and until Giies"Smith had come back and formed on the
extension of my line, as Wengelin when he came up formed on
the right of the little creek, which was on my right, and Giles
Smith In his last formation had Wengelin on his left and in the
attack ji|st at night on the hill, Wengelin took his brigade in
so as to endeavor to catch the rebels in flank. Also,
when the 15th corps was broken on the railroad, it- was Mersey's
brigade of the 2d division of the 18th corps that made th>~
charge down the railroad to retake- the ground. At the same
time, that Wood came down to the intrenchments from ?/here you
were, Mersey 'double-quicked It from where I had been fighting
over to the road, went into line, -without halting and charged
losing heavily in the charge, but took a large number of prisoner
and went into the works with Williamson's brigade of Wood's
division of the 151th A.C. The offcial reports, I believe, show

all this.

This is a matter you may now have full knowledge of, but
your report led some of the officers to think not, and they

desired me to write you. 1 *i& not think -it of any great impor-
tance, as the report speaks of this thing generally, and cannot
be expected to be exact In minutiate. '

It appared to be the impression of those who didnSt know,
that 1 was caught on the march, and after Gen." Smith had become
engaged. But the enemy's att.-ack was .first in the rear and about
opposite the centre of the 17th corps* and had the 16th not
1 uoklly been in the rear, the enemy's attack,,, would have struck
way down the rear of the 17th corps at ISst'' to -'its right, as
the enemy's line overlapped my left, anci I was formed quite a
distance to thv rear of' the 17th, and was at right- angles to
it. The enemy evidently were holding back with their attack on
the left of the 17th corps until the attack was commenced- on
their right. They proably did not expect to find a -corp§» or
any force, where the 16th met them." .

After General Sherman printed his memoirs, he received a
great many criticisms of statements he had made In them, es-
pecially in relation to the Atlanta campaign and. he wrote me
a letter telling me of these criticisms, etc, and asked me to
write up my personal experience or, views upon the campaign, which 1
did. When the second edition of his memoirs was printed, my
' statements were printed in' it as an appendix. General Sherman

248

always said to us that everyone saw a movement and a battle from

Kis own point of view and, the only way to. get a truthful history '. ' '

of the war was for each one to write it as he saw." it and his

answer to the critics was, "i have written these matters in my -

Memoirs as I sat, them; if you saw. them differently write them as '

you saw them. --My- UfU* vW\\ W^h^i n, M. f ? % . 3att $.1 J^^i,,

There was another controversy on- the question of who recap-
tured the line of the 15th Army Corps on the Atlanta and Decatur
line of railroad that was broken by General J e c o Brown's division
of Cheatham's Corps,. The facts are that Mersey's 2nd brigade
of the 2nd division of the 16th Corps .was the Brigade that charged
from the front and also Williamson's Brigade of Charles V«. WoodSs ■
Division of the 15th Corps charged from the flank and they met at
the same time at the battery after driving out the enemy, although
the 81st Ohio of Mersey's Brigade had charge of the guns and fired
them after the recapture , My Aide, Captain Edward Jonas, whom I
sent with Mersey's Brigade when this' dispute arose, sent me the
following letter:

Cora -Plantation, Whitecastle, La,,

May 7th, 1892.
G-en. G. .1, Dodge, ■ ■ •

1 Broadway, New York,
Dear General:- . .

Tr.urs of .May 4th received. The following are the absolute
facts as to -the matter of sending Mersey's command to .Gen. Logan's
airl on' the 22nd of July ■ during the . engagement before Atlanta,

Gen. Logan rede up to you, stated he was hard pressed and needed
aid on that portion of the line at the r-road near the Brick
House, and you ordered Colonel Mersey's brigade to go to his
assistance, detailing me to conduct it because 1 had been over the
ground frequently during the day and knew it. You instructed me
to say to the officer in command on that, .portion of the line that
you sent Col. Mersey's brigade to his assi-tance, and to .request
its return as soon as it could be spared. Gen, Logan no doubt rode
■back the moment he saw Mersey in motion, and was on the spot
(as he always was when his command was engaged^ when Mersey arrived,
deployed and charged, but he did not lead Mersey's brigade or
accompany it; Col, Mersey rode at its head myself by his side;
no orders were given Mersey by anyone, when he arrived on the ground'
he deployed and charged pt once, recapturing the ground lost, and
itifel it De Gross* guns* i did not see Gen. Logan when things had
quieted a little, so rode to Gen, Morgan L. Smith who 1 learned
was temporarily commanding the Corps, and said to him with your
compliments that your own line was none too strong and that you
requested the return of Me-rsey's brgiade as soon as it could
be spared, to which he responded; "Say to Gen* Dodge that his

Brigade has done nobly and shall have full credit in my official
report." 1 rode directly back and so reported to you, also des-
cribing Mersey's assault, his' wound and the loss of his horse "Billyf
I can remember it as though it all happened yesterday, I had not
heard that Gen. Logan was in command of the Army of the Tennessee,

24.9

when he asked aid; If you had you did not mention it, and of
course as I was with you 1 had no other means of knowing the fact.

1 saw the Logan report in the War Record and .would have '
written you, but had fumed and fretted so much on previous
occasions that, I thought perhaps you were getting tired,
i am not at all well, h

Yours ,

(Signed) E. Jonas,

W. E. McCreary of the 81st Ohio wrote Capt . E. Jonas, my Aide

in relation to this matter as .follows:

Emporia, Kans . July, 18pl\ -

In recent numbers of the "National Tribune," quite a contro-
versy has been going on -in regard to the retaking of Gen. M. -L.
Smith's line and the recapture of Captain De dress' Battery of
20-pqunder Parrotts, July 22, 1864. Some correspondents assert-
ed that no portion of the 16th A.C. assisted in retaking them.
General Logan says that he took (Jen. James W. Martin's Brigade
of the 15th A.C. and retook them.

My diary of that date shows that between 3 and 4 o'clock,
after firing had ceased in our- -16 th A.C, front, and General
Logan was at Dodge's command, Smith's division broke. ^ ogan
asked for assistance of Dodge, who immediately started Coi Aug,
Mersey's 2d brigade, 2d division,' 16th A.C. — 12th and ,: <fth Ill-
inois and "81st Ohio --on. the double-quick passing through Smith's
somewhat demoralised line along the Decatur .railroad. Just
after passing through Smith's line, we were opened upon by canis-
ter and shell, killing several of my regimen t--Slst Ohio--araong
them Lt. H. Hoover.

The 12th and ''#Ui Illinois formed line on the left or south
side of the railroad, the 31st Ohio "on the left into line -faced
by the rear rank" on the right or north of the riilroad. Here
Col. Aug. Mersey had his horse shot- from under him

T- T e charged and retook the works, and some prisoners; the
right (as now faced) of the 81st Ohio coming to the line at the
Battery. We unspiked two of the guns, and opened upon Atlanta
with shell, A private of G » I.," 81st Ohio, had seen Blodgett,
and Laird using "Double Charges" of canister on our own line,
so concluded to give the "Rebs" a double charge of shell.

He put a 30 pound percussion shell on top of the one already
In the gun, remarking "Feed 'em, d-m "em, give thera double rations,"
The gun was fired, and burst, and not till this time, did Martin s
Brigade come up. T/e continued to occupy' the works till about 9
o'clok when we moved sotuth to the railroad to the rear of the 17th
A.C, where we remained until our Army moved to the right or West

of Atlanta,

As you accompanied our Brigade to General Smith's could you
furnish any information as to the movement and positions in the .
charge? Hoping that 1 have not obtruded — •---

Endorsement: Dear General ;T his man is perfectly correct*
You ought to write an -article for the old '16th. I conducted the
Brigade as mentioned, was with it in the charge, saw the guns and
works retaken, and old Mersey's horse "Billy 11 killed; reported to

the Brigade to M. L. Smith and was answered, "Tell Gen. «dge his
troops have acted most gallantly, and shall have full credit in
my official report .'" Don't think it was ev^r given. 1 never
saw the article menti-ned, or would have replied myself .
Remember me to Mrs. Dodge and family. Tours, L. Jonas.

250

I made answer to him on October 3#ddas follows:

,' ■ : Council Bluffs, Iowa.

"In answer to your statement, as to certain members of the
15th A.C » denying that any portion of the 16th A,C, took part '
in retaking their line when broken by the attack of the rebels
on July 22d» 1864, 1 have to say, they certainly have not
examined the official records. If they look at my official re- ''
port of that battle, they. will see that General Logan called
upon me in person, requesting aid in retaking the line. In
compliance with his request I immediately sent on the double-
quick, Col. Mersey's- Brgiade of the 2nd division. This Brigade '
.formed on the south of the R.31ine s pnd charge and retook that
portion of the line south of the railroad. At the same time,
Hen. Wood's division b-f the 15th A,o, retook the portion north .
of the ' railroad. Mersey's Brigade lost severely in killed and
wounded and his own horse was shot under him during the charge* ■
The Brigade ' o apt ured about 100 prisoners.

Gen* Morgan L. .Smith who commanded -that Division of the 15th
A.C. that was. broken by the enemy, came and thanked me in person
for Mersey's gallant work, and spoke in the highest terns of the
prompt decision and effective charge of Jersey and his Brigade ,

1 sent with the Brigade, Capt. Edward Jonas, of my staff to
report to Gen. Smith. He was present and witness of the entire
action of the brigade. He emu give you any particulars. ■ His
address is lew Orlenas, La. tt

These questions only show what General Sherman says,
how differently everyone looks at a battle and how mistaken
■■they often -are' ■■about' things- that ■ occur ■ ■under .their. .own- .noses.

During the day of the fighting, 1 had trouble with General
Sweeny* Whan 1 went on to the field, he had not^ gome to the
front, although his division was in line of battle and fighting.
When he did come, he came on foot and I saw that he had been
drinking; therefor© I stayed right in the rear of the 2nd
division all the time, on a high piece of ground just behind
the batteries from which I could see the whole of my' corps
and the enemy's forces as they came out of the woods into the
open and during the battle 1 had to give direct orders two or
three times to the Brigade and regimental commanders of Sweeny '-s
Command, especially the order! to Col. Mersey to chage the flank
of one of the columns which he broke up, and saved my line. 1
had a single line of about 5000 men and Hardee* s corps in four
columns came at it. I did not have a singlfe man in reserve and
fc appreciated what it meant to the Army of the Tennessee if
they broke- through me and reached the* 15th and 17th corps, but,
fo was able to hold them. ■

j- . -

In the -afternoon of -the .26th, : General Sweeny came to my head-
iuarters. General Puller was : there at the time and hade made
some complaint .in relation to; General Sweeny Vs action during
the battle..

The wwMrersation turned onto the fight of the 22nd„ General
Sweeney denounced the. move. He said his right was unprotected
on account of the 4th Division's running and General Puller
stated that they did not run,; He appealed to 'Captain lelker^
when General Puller said/'lhem any person says the 4th division .
ran, thej; say something that is not so," General "Sweeny imme-
diately said it was so and that General Puller was a god-dammed
liar and struck him in the face. General Sweeny only having
one -arm, General Fuller refused tc return the blow but Sweeny
continued to damm Puller after' he retired and sat down* Other
officers present interfered and secured Sweeny's arias. 1
stopped General Sweeny and called his attention to the fact
that his statements to Puller ^ were not correct and then 3 weeny
turned on me and virtually called- me a liar. He did riot go
quite that far but his statements .indicated that. He was then
full and 1 immediately placed ;him under arrest. I made up my
mind during the battle to 'demand" his relief; the fact is, the
whole division was up in arms against him and after the battle
they made a universal complaint. Is soon as General Sherman .
heard this, he wrote me a note and told, me it was a very serious
thing to relieve an officer on the field of battle and I think
was rather disposed to countermand the arrest but he did not.
1 answered hime very frankly, ; telling him 1 understood fully

: 1

how serious a case it was but ; J^ felt It was a far more serious
matter to hold an officer in command of a division in battle
who was not in condition to fill the ^ position, or something to
that effect. General Sherman in commenting upon this wrote
to General Logan, Commander of the Army of the Tennessee, on
July 25th, as follows: •

- - 252' -••- -.- .

.Hd.Qrs. Mil. Div. of the Mississippi,
In the field, near Atlanta",
July 25, 1864.

Maj. Gen„ John A. Logan,.

Commanding A rmy of the Tennessee:
General: _ I have your, application for the services of General
Corse, which I grant, because I want you to have good division
commanders. But 1 beg you to see that no injustice is done
to General Sweeny. 1 have noticed for some time a growing
dissatisfaction on the part of General Dodge with General
Sweeny. It may be personal. See that General Dodge prefers
specific charges and specifications, and you, as the army
commander, must be the judge of the sufficiency of the charges .
No one but the commander of an army can arrest and ■ send away
a general; it is a high power, but I construe the power to reside
■with the commanders of my three amies, because each has a com-
mand other than the troops here on the spot. You, as commander
of the Army of the Tennessee, should judge as to the cause of
arrest and see that no injustice is done, a general officer.
You can 'see how cruel it woulr'be to a brave and sensitive gentle-
man and officer to -be arrested, deprived of his comma: d, ana
sent to the rear at this time. I do not believe General Bodge
would willingly do an act :of injustice, but still you are the
one to judge. 1 fear that General Sweeny will feel that even
I am influenced against him to befriend General Corse, but it
is not so. 1 give up General Corse because the good of the
service demands that at this crisis you should have 'good
division coBimaflders.

1 am, with respect, your obedient servant,

II, T. Sherman,

Maj, Gen . command! ng „

Upon General Sweeny's leaving the Army, he gave the

following address to his command:

Headquarters,
Near Atlanta, Ga. , July 25, 1864 „
To the officers and soldiers of the

Second Division, Sixteenth Army Corps:
Your General has been deprived of his command and ordered to
Nashville in arrest. Before leaving, he is constrained to express
to you his admiration at the heroic, manner in which you repulsed
the terrific assault of the enemy upon your lines on the 22nd
instant. Feeling every ffonfidence in you, he had looked for the
displaying by you of the ordinary fortitude of soldiers in the
hour of conflict, but you did more than this; with empty
cartridge boxes, and lines unbroken, you stood, trusting to your
basronetBf like a wall between your country and' ruin. At the order
to "charge" you rushed upon the advancing columns of the enemy,
and snatched victory, colors, and hundreds of prisoners from
them. As if not content with the glories already won, the Second
Brigade moved with alacrity to a distant part of the field, and
charged like an avalanche upon a victorious column of the enemy,
assisting in re-establishing our line in its former position, and
again prisoners and recapture d cannon were the rewards of their
efforts. Your general Confesses to you freely that the evening of
the 22nd instant was the proudest of his life, made so by your
daring, your fortitude, your heroism, and it was his desire to
lead your victorious banner into the doomed city in our front;
but this is not to be. It is only left wi|h him to request of
you to extend to your future commanders, the confidence and'
cheerful obedience that you have always shown to him.

T. W. Sweeny,

Brig* General.

-253- - '

1 compiled with General Sherman's order In relation to
preferring charges against General Sweeny. 1 did not care to
follow them up. 1 had no desire to Injure him and when he
was tried 1 did not appear. He was acquitted. All 1 desired
was to have him relieved from my command; howe¥er» the opinion
of General Sherman and General Logan and the War Department in .
relation to the matters shows in the fact that he was not giYen
another command in the field.

When 1 notified General Logan of the arrest of General
Sweeny, his Adjutant General sent: me the following:

lear Atlanta, July 25, 1864.

11 1 have your note with regard to Sweeney.

Your action is heartily endorsed hy General Logan and 1 need
not tell you that 1 am gratified at it.

I will see that the "'Dog:" is placed where he can do no more
harm... The order is already issued."

Col. Clark 1 3 opinion of General Sweeny came from his "being
Assistant Adjutant General fof General JfePherson and he knew
General HePherson'a opinion of him and of his action during th»
campaign.

On July 25th, General Sherman heard of the promotion of
Generals HOYay and Ostertiaus, "both fine officers, to be Major
Generals. They had gone to the front and left "because they
could not get the command they 'wished and General Sherman sent
the following dispatch to the War Department:

lear Atlanta, Ga»» July 25, 1884.

Col. James A. Hardie,

Inspector General:

1 have your dispatch of yesterday, announcing the appointment
of General Gsterhaus as Major -General. 1 do not object to his
appointment, tout 1 wish to put on record' this- my emphatic opinion,
that it is an act of injustice to officers who stand by their
posts in the day of danger to neglect them ahd advance such as
Hovey and Osterhaus, who left us In the midst fif bullets to go
in the rear in search of personal advancement. If the rear be the
post of honor, then we had better all change front on Washington.

: ¥» " T. Sherman,

.. M§,jor-Generai.

President Linoiln immediately answered him as follows:

,*-•:

Washington, 'July 28, 1884.

Major-General Sherman,

Near Atlanta:
I have just seen yours complaining of the appointment of Hovey
and Osterhaus, The point you make^ is unquestionably a good one,
and yet please hear a word from us. My recollection is that both
General Grant and yourself recommended both Hovey and Osterhaus . •
fop promotion, and these, with other strong recommendations, drew • • '"

. 254

committals from us which we could neither honorably or safely dis-
regard. -We blamed H(ovey) for -coming away in the manner in which
he did, but we ^new he had apparent reason to feel disappointed
and mortified, and we felt it mas not best to crush one 'who cer-
tainly had been a good soldier.: As to .O(sterhaus) we did not know
of his leaving at the time we made the appointment, and do not
now know the terms on which he left. lot to have appointed, him, ■
as the case appeared to us at the time, would have been almost,
if not quite, a violation of our word. The ?/ord was given on
what we thought was high merit E and somewhat on his nationality.
1 beg you to believe we do not act in a spirit of disregarding
merit. We expect to await your programme for further changes and
promotions in your army. My profoundest thanks to you and your
whole army for the present campaign so far. '

A. Lincoln.

General Sherman immediately answered President 'Lincoln as

follows: • ■ -

; lead Atlanta, Ga. , July 27, 1884.

His Excellency president 'Lincoln,

Washington.
Sir: Tour dispatch of yesterday is received. I beg you will not
regard, me as fault finding, for; 1 assert that I have been well
sustained in every respect during my entire service. I -did not
suppose my dispatches would go outside the offices at the War
Department, 1 did not suppose you were troubled with such things.
Hovey and Osterhaus are both worthy men, and had they been pro-
moted on the eve 'of the Yieksburg campaign, ii would have been
natural and well acdepted; but I do think you will admit that
their promotion, coming to us when they had gone to the rear,' the

one" of fended ""because""!' could not'"unite" in" the" same ''division'' f ive

infantry and five cavalry regiments and the other for temporary
sickness You can see how ambitious aspirants for military fame
regard these things. They come; to me and point them out as evidenc es
that I am wrong in encouraging them to a silent, pateint discharge
of* duty. 1 assure you that every general of my army has spoken of
it and- referred to it as evidence that promotion results from
importunity and not from actual service. I have refrained from
recommending any thus far in the campaign, as 1 think we should
reach. some stage in the game before stopping, to balance accounts
or writing' history. I assnee you that 1 do think you have con-
scientiously acted throughout the war with marked skill in the
matter of military appointments:, and that as few mistakes have been
made as could, be expected. I will furnish all my army and division
commanders with a copy of your dispatch, that they may feel reassured.
With great respect, [

• ; '. T. Sherman,
': • Major- General,

The result of this correspondence was a notice from Washington
to 'forward for recommendation the names of eight colonels for pro-
motion and General Sherman sent; forward in the following dispatch
the officers recommended by his army commanders. One of these.
Col, J. '". Sprague was from, the 16th Army Corps:

Hd.Qrs. Mil. D'iv. of the Mississippi, •
In the field, near Atlanta,' Ga. ,
July 29, 1864.

Col. James A. Hardie,

Inspector- General , Washington,!*. C.
In compliance with your distpatch of the 28th instant, I now send
you the names of eight colonels who are recommeride d by their
immediate and superior commanders for promotions, and I earnestly
recommend that they be appointed Brigadier- G enerals : Col. William
Grose, '""hirty- sixth Indiana: Col. Charles C. TValcutt, Forty-sixty

255-

Ohio; Col. James W, Reilly, One hundred and fourth Ohio; Col,
L. i J . Bradley, Fifty-first Illinois; Col. J. T ". Sprague,
Sixty- third Ohio; Col. Joseph A. Cooper, Sixth East Tennessee;

Col. John T. Groxton, Fourth Kentucky; Col. William W. Belknap,
Fifteenth .Iowa. Three of them are from each of the armies of the
Cumberland and Tennessee, and two of the Army of the Ohio, and are
all. at their posts doing good service.

?'. T. She rn an.

Ma jor - Gene ra 1 . ^

These nominations were made while the officers were on the
battlefield an- 1 had a marked effect and were greatly appreciated.

Some of these officers had been. recommended for promotion for a
long time.

^ighf after the battle of. Atlanta, the enemy asked for
an armistice. I sent one of my Staff officers whomet General
Cleburne of the rebel army and when I went out myself, I saw my staff
officers had made the neutral line too close up to my intrenchments ,
and I criticised, him for" it. General Cleburne stepped, up and said he
was responsibile for it and that ■ I need not worry because they
had seen all of our intrenchments. they war ted to the day before.

On my front they buried 422 rebel ctead; on the front

of the 15th and ].7th A.C. they buried 1000, My corps lost more

in killed and mounded than either of the other corps although it

was the smallest corps. The total loss in tlr-other corps was

more because they lost more prisoners than I did. The total

killed and wounded in the three corps was 1989

The totel killed was '430 1 "

Total wounded " 1559*

Prisoners ' 1733*

Totai : 5711 ;

#tie 15th Corps lost 4 guns:, the 16th, 8 guns and the 17th
two. The six SU na of the 16th Corps ve.re not 'lost in battle- -they
were coming on the road between the 16th and 17th corps an* struck
the Cleburne Skirmish line Miich was between those Corps.

I had on my staff JjK Edward Jonas. On General flood's
staff was his brother, Major Jonas, onmiasary of riUbalstence> C|3<
afterwards U. S. Senator from Louisian arid they met during this ar-
mistice for the first time during: the war. Lt. Edward Jonas
f»as a citizen of n ulncy but his brother had leftQuincy and gone to
lew Orleans and entered the service from that state. Their ueeting
ffts a very cordial one. ;

, -256-

The cportinuous fighting fr-on Chwtlanooga to Atlanta had
reduced. my command go thtt on Ju '■■ y :34th, I wrote the tolloolnp
letter to Ooncrol Sherman:

Hear Atlsnta, Go.., July 3-.!,

i .ec-i

"I respectfully request tiv-t trie 'Pi brigade, -tth division
13th A.C. no;'/" el Decatur, Ala, he ordered to join has command.
The two diva,.; lone comprising four brigades present (two of each
division) have lost In killed and nounded clone ;ome :3000 eon ;
and the • detacnln" two brigades, together with torn loss fro,:- sick-
ness, has reduced the command from 12,000 effectives, 'nhich it
started rith, ' to some 0.000. One brigade 10 CO stronp is at hone,
Ga., and one at Decatur, Ala. If either brigade or "both oowld
join me, It would five us a valueble addition to Mi- army.

TliOJ/e ore else detoched t;,o 1' t Alabama Cavalry, at some,
and the 0th Ohio Cavalry, at Decatur; besides seine three re'ussento

loose

of colored troops belonpinp to this command, which

absent and without the command fells equal to the present. If it

Is pos 'Ibie under the exigencies of tiro service, I trust the General

Coimnandlrig the Military division of the Mississippi will order up
a portion of my commend, 1 '

It Is a sinrular fact that on the same da

'ens r o 1

Blair wrote a similar letter to General Pin rman statinp that his

corps started out with abort 1:3,000 and slthonph he had b- en mth us

only sin ce Bip Shanty, it had been reduced tc -about 0000 but part

of this reduction emme from his leaving a division on tire railroad

line at Alteona and north. The rest wore lost in battle end as

prisoners. Col. heresy -die had feught his brigade on three parts

of the field the t doy and shen the repiments services had e.rslred,.

and wis? v, ore under orders to po Items, showed til,: soldierly pro titles

in tahlnp his command into the battle. T/hor he left us • on the 3 rith,

I wrote til m the following letter;

"As yon are at out to leave my commune on account of
expiration of term of service, I tore this opportunity to thae.k
you for the efficient and geirwrous aid you have always rendered
me. That yon; have always promptly and well done your duty no owe
for a moment can deny, and that the men under you h-'ve well arid
bravely done their ml ole duty all gladly admit. You leave st a.
time and under circumstances of which you and •sour command nave
good reasons to be proud. Flwhtlnp as you did on three different

-.e, forms the best

fields the same doy, and victorious on every

and moot eonorable rewsard that you

can take

•J" 1 1 'ij ;bi j T fp. <~" , r\i Ti

heartily thank yois for all yem have done, and trust tilt you will
not forget old associates in any now field you may ctoae,"

General She rim? again ordered hi.-s cavolry force to the

enemey's rear with a vie-' of destroying their coiimnunlcation; and

force them to abndon Atlanta. Tiri ■;; rind was virtually a frdlure.

McCeoh' pot on the road soutt: of Atlant.

'. ome

L0 or Id hundred of the command were corturod the rest w-

tereel and straggled bach in small p ./ties, it tahiwr
a couple of weeks to get within our 1 lines.

some

5fc

' ' On July 26th, Brig, Gen.* J., M. " Corse reported to me and

. I assigned him to the command- of the 2nd -division loth A. 0. Some
time before I had applied for him. , He had /been serving on General
Sherman's staff during- the campaign. . ■ ' '

On July 26th we received .our -orders to move 'from the
extreme left to the extreme right of the Army-.

On July 27th, General 01 0. Howard was assigned to the
command of the Army of the Tennessee which was a great disappoint-
ment to that army. They felt, that "an army that had followed
Grant, Sherman «--/:•" Mcpherson*, and Logan, who had taken it -success-
fully through its last tattle,: after the' death of McPherson, had
material enough in it to command it. On the movement from the
extreme left to the right, 1 pulled- out first and as I was
moving to the rear of Gen. Thomas' army, 1 saw General Logan
sitting on 'the porch of a log huilding. I went up to speak to
him and found that General Sierman was inside. After speaking
a few v-orHs to, Gen. Logan, 1 went - in and had a talk with General
Sherman, inquiring about the change of c commanders and expressing
my wish that General Logan had been" assigned to- the command. He
anmwered me by saying.it was alright; that he would tell me the .
reasons some time,. When f came out, General Logan was still
'sitting- on the porch and as the door was open-, I have no doubt
he heard what 1 had to^yto ; General Sherman, for there mere
tears' in his "eyes. I spole to him very cordially, and said to .
him that 1 was^diss&pointed at the 'change, but I ^of^h it
rould mi alright . . He., like a! good soldier, said it jw*ld£ut
he said- it was pretty' hard on him. lothing more A ,was said about
it. Years after, 1 had correspondence in relation to this

matter with General '"Sherman, when the- frienda^ of ■ Logan and
-myself were endeavoring 'to hrrngg them together. For a long
' time after the war, General Logan never forgot Sherman's treat^
ment of him' and ,.-,• at times -fe-ltf^f 5i# one day A*. VMri%«x>+
of 'the^Senate^iSgan made a speech in defense of Sheramn, dn*in
praise of him, which finally brought them together and their

258

old troubles were forgotten. Some. time after the war, 1 forget
now the place but I think it was when we were together at one- of
the reunions of the Army of the Tennessee, General She men made
a full explanation to me of the matter and at the time I made
full notes of it fn my diary and I -' -quote here what he said:

"Sherman said thfet in the winter of 1863-4 after the

Dodge

v- _, w w v.> u n.4." "With

18th Corns both in Gen. Thomas's Department;" On hisTreturn, he
found Logan -much dissatisfied with Thomas and complained of
their treatment of him. He could not send an officer or soldier
to Nashville until he got his orders or passes approved by
.Thomas" provost Marshal' or some local commander. Sherman, when
he .saw Thomas, told him he should not have treated Logan in
that way, that he was a Corps Commander and was entitled to
better treatment. Thomas complained of Logan in several matters
and said that he was hard to get along with, and that he had
had no', trouble with Dodge. Sherman said that he tried to smooth
the matter over, but he discovered an unfriendly feeling that
continued through the Atlanta Campaign.

When McPherson fell, on the 22d of July, in front of
Atlanta, Logan by seniority of rank assumed command by his direc-
tion and handled the army well. After the battle, Thomas came
to Sherman and they discussed the question of a commander . for
the Army of the Tennessee. Sherman told. Thomas that Logan' was
entitled to the command, was competent for it and he desired to
)lace him in it. Thomas answered with much feeling that he was
sorry to hear him say so, for if Logan was assigned to the com-
mand of the Army of the Tennessee, he should consider it his duty
to resign his command. Sherman answered Maj. Gen. Thomas: "You" •
certainly would not do that and leave me here in that condition".
Thomas hesitated and finally said; "No, 1 dont know as I would
go so far as that," but protested that Logan should not be
assigned to the commando Sherman said: "I dont see how I can
pass him "by; 1 dont want to do anything that wil] seem to re fie ct
on' Log an. £ Thomas answered; "TCell, let the President or
Secretary of TJar select a commander," Sherman said, "No, 1 do
not want them to send a commander here that is outside of this
Army. • " Sherman said: "In other words, you dont feel that with
Logan in command you and, he could act cordially and harmoniously
tog ther?" Thomas said, "Yes, that is it, and I think, to ensure
success, that there should be not onlj harmony but- fentire cordial
ity between the army commanders." Sherman's answer was that he
coulfi not -afford to put Logan in command under such circumstances,

Finally they sat down and discussed the merits of the
different Generals and settled upon Howard. "I have,- said -Sherman*
always been a friend to Logan in a great many different, ways. He -
was a good soldier. He handled the army splendidly on the 22nd,
and. in his -ovenient to the right. But you see 1 had a great re-
sponsibility and had to do the best I" could under the circumstances,
1 consider Logan the representative volunteer General of the War." ■

- While I never knew the exact facts in the matter, 1
know the Army of the Tennessee wanted'. Logan and was greatly disap-
pointed when' Sherman went outside of it for a commander. The
officers and men felt that the little army that had had for its
commanders. Grant, Sherman .-: .\.\ McPherson, A liaS filled every post of
responsibility to which iC had been assigned, and that there was
matte rial left' in it to command it; but 1 think no one in it
knew of this complication and it is well they 'did not.

(fa

3V[ t J'**JL ;w I*****-** '^^'''

t Near Atlanta. July 31, 1864.

'Dear Father

- * T+ in « verv rain* day and everybody except the skirioisna-s
-,-,./ i Y inc- B t<U "*nd 'taking a long breath. Our guns throw their
shelfcSnti^ily into the Gats City, tear down its big blocks.

Y : v l7 ni read of the great struggles of the 20th, 22nd and
Unless yon' can" -conceive a battle fir- Id, where 10,000 men
where hundreds of canons thunder and a hundred thousand^ nusicets
forth death for hours, you can have -no conception of a ds u Us,
1] 'to mv part to- stem the tide that was rolling; over us on
2nd and" roll It hack saving our array, the Gallant band, ^. one-
of which saerifi sd themselves,, pressed down on the -rebel
and .crumpled thorn up and it never was better done before,
believe appreciate It and are disposed to five the 16th
full credit*

28th,
fall,

belch
It "fe
the 2
third
hosts
All I
A. C.

Then again on the 28th for four long hours, we received
ill of Hood's Array and it went 'back broken, disheartened,.

the

shock of a

leaving its dead by thousands

brer shed to establish empires

in our hands. Blood enough has
in the old world] still the rebels

stand up,
few hours
honor and
blow", , by
of campaigns,

bleeding , ready to receive more. 'A few week's rest, a

stern reality.

at home would be the most •grateful thing to me..' Military
glory looks well upon paper but when won by such 'hard
such continual exertion and such unheard of or unthought
it all gives way to a matter of fact duty and becomes

lie

n Oft-
left

How many, many of my friends have fallen! How many
bleeding in unwelcome towns I dare not estimate 1 Still many are
and ere tomorrow- night may be marshalled again against the rebel ""
hosts. Go-d so far has spared my life and carried me safely through , though
many a bullet has been well aimed and well intended for me„
I have strong friends here, none more so than Grant
and the brave ' McFherson who fell near my lines./ the

gallantly I was driving the

fell mourned by us all. -We
- TXA ■>£-— O-

to v hear from yon. all; know what you are doing,

seems to me that I could' sit down and quietly
farm, though 1 suppose it is not so. An Hour's rest, with a letter

uttered when- he -aw how

"Hurrah for Dodge.,, , He

1 always like

the prospects, etc. It

and Sherman
last words he
enemy was - ! - j ■-" ..
cannot replace himu

from any of you, that takes me back
me for weeks of turmoil and make me
our heads day and night „

to my - old haunts
f o r g e t the sh e 1 1

repays
that whi;

;z over

I hope you are doing well this summer and as you say, old
folks never like to be idle, I shall always have to- keep busy at
something thcvgh 1 think that ere long I shall quit military life.
1 have struggled up as high as 1 can get, against ill-health and
with few influential friends until I, at least-,,- have won a reputation
as an able officer and have come up from, a Captain to a Corps Commander

Remember me to all D ' -

G. M.

.259

She-rm^n showed himself a master when he took therespon--

' •■ sibility and made no explanation, 'and thus preserved the good
feeling throughout the great: command. I -heard the news of the
appointment of Howard In place-: of 'Logan -'as. we mere marching from
the left to right. I did not know Howard personally, brt ht!
:>~"ru ■ ' ;'■.'';.'

•""' '- When I arrived near the, position T was,to take on' the right ' .

of the" Army of the Cumberland, : General Howard, met me. ' It was the

first time I had ever seen him : to know him. My 2nd .division was

goi,ng into line. My 4th division had been' halted by other troops -

on the way and were not up and": they had stopped to lunch. General.

Howard spoke to me feather 'criticising the fact that the M+H division

was not up -and--I answered him by telling- him 1 would he .in line on

time'. He rather hesitated and ^doubted it but my -^"^rVrsrVwde ' '

soon came up and formed into -line and began to intrench. 1 .went

.around to where 'General Howards was and told him th&t my' -division^' .

isffcin line and- ent ranched This astonished him and he was much ' ■

more -cordialy than he was. in the- forenoon. My meeting him in this .

way did not make" "a- favorable" "impression upon me »

On July 28th, the enemy case out in force endeavoring to

turn our right and struck the. 15th Corps before 'it was in line,

Logan met these attacks promptly and with great effect. General

> • -

John. C. Brown who was in command of the division that made the

attack -at first, said the sk&ughter &k the.fr m&t was enormous

and they called ft a killing ' instead of a battle. ' ■

About -2 P. K. I sent the-Slsi Ohio, iMth Illinois and 46# -

^vCati'as^arid a New Jersey regiment to the. right to- -reinforce the

15th A. C. and the;* did very effective work. Two of -the regiments
were armed '-'ith the Henry rifle. General Howard happened to be
there and saw what effective work 'they did. They halte-- 1 anri drove
back a superior fore ' of the enemy and he complimented them highly
.Upon if; r.ls--. in his official report/ In s e <r i" QjA

-• '---- On. August 1 nt , ir writing home I made this statement in rolnlb'-n
to the conditions in our front:

Three long months have passed since I s-w you ; end it. seem;" a
yen-'; many , mnny eventful hours have I seen daring thM, time; -lays
vol''.' by and .nights are slept rwoy with othing but the roar o"°
.;u-h]"le^y or- the crack of the rifle to break one's thought, ;'s 1
----sitting hers crack, crack goes the skirmish line, while the sul.3
thnr.-hrr of a rebel, or Yankee giin posses by. 'I see thnt Gpeeley hao
.-■.-.■--v-e idea of ndeace., I woul^ like to see it and see tki-. >•! ending

260

country going fouaard once more united ?n-:" prns r >Rroue . Vrj em.
feeilnga are changing, and my o mi ulcere are wnvariir: n little ao to
idiat is "best for the United States. I • knom that t hn r>"ooio are
heartily aiek of liheir bargain, aiid tli on r;h the 1 : ' lhurd.ro their'
column a agalnat ua it in with '3. if tin rn/aid.,, Pri a eao re taken often
hove conteo.no filled wi + h whirdcy, and are often drr.nV-.-ov.'ly think
of making men drunk on.r 1 ^ ending them out to 'throw away the in llama
rher Ih^lr leadero know they could not f oa ! ?o thou if ?obei\

?r y "mao has now in it ft, Tkiehoncrg C;..ot oka m >'"-0" "ud a , -v.,
"^'"•'i ~ : '" 1 TV « "'d- "" -'-iv: t=of, koa,i : a, f.o_i ?. ud .v.:!; 1:V.; •■:. l;-«>
.coou-d fiagga bat d.o pouaet oe a ,, onioou, fnttovj u o ••:,;_.. c g thorn
Lo us Iu.eririe.-m Hoiking oanoa over tho railroad Ian, aoldiop's
""'d i •••■'•'■ , "if h-ord] y that; ore single tram,: rcamta this great army
rifh oil ito hc-rcaf, ri> ; : and he:agera-on, ompd.cvoeo^ Ac, Hoof"
bar ivuma-aul. eoue im-j.nf o roemente , hut not e'-nol to kio ].o,'r , v bile
his loot railroad io broken re, I do ,.of see h-~ ho ic to hold
out much longer, hud ho may," .

Or .Anguet Cud, T3rig . den. T. E. G. Ramscer reported to no
-and urns assigned to tho oon'nand of tho ilh ''i^iotaii, IGth :' oray
Corps, .1 made application for General Ranaom as soon ae ho recovered
from die eaaaad raced, vod ie the Red River e?ipedit ion , hut .It maa
a long time foforo ho reaohod me , Ho relieved. General Rift ]..?.• v^io
bad bec-i acmmauiding the division alrroe femoral Voaleh 3 oft.
Ransom maa a ' school-mate of mine. ' r e rent neat togethor and had
aluaya kept up our oca re op audience and it, woo o groat nloaoure to
both of us to ho hro'ught togothor again.

On the oame day, I relieve^, to ho mustered out of tho
service, a young aigiuoer, an enlisted man in fhe'2*fi loaaJ'wI&viWK'

, as , _ n eo.ii.sfed maum oaor oinoe

Md F. Fnrdo Ho had beea on duty .„_ ... _..,._,.

T - aa el Corinth, Tn e ed.l tried, to 'got him promoted., hut doing
detailed from the company the off i core f tho rgiinent would
not promote him arid tho Government did not seo any way that they
could do it j so he remained in charge of thr engineering fa-roe of
ray Corps as on'ealiofod man, "He mao laraau ao dajor dnrd arid
though ho had no commission , ho a/as reoogniaed hy ev-ryoie a a
Major end uaa treated as such be the offioere of the Engineering^
Corps , on aooomrt of his ehilify, dlion oaer.ho svao :1 j e the front
u'itd'i the Bmoneer Cor-pa and was attacked, he never ran but • ho
mould moke tho pioneer Corps dropthoir shovels and pioku end
stand up end fight until ho ues drive 1 ' 1 in and in a great many
insiur-cea runs able to ho3^ hia line.

261

On August -i, ^oncr-gil Shemiae began his movements vith a
viev of bree.king' through to the obest Poiiit railroad and to tho
Mac on road and he' 6 ant around Gbenerlil Palmer 'o Corpe of the
Army of the Chimb erl and for tho au'i';ose of aiding General dehofield
in accomplishing that work.

On Aivmat fib, I rrote the folloa in."- letter to Geiavrel Sherman:

A.Gc,

"T liavo hcsii aeaii-'nfieially informed tV:t Faj. Hen, veiih has
been assigned to the eonnand of this corps. This, of course, was
laroxnoeted to mo , as you had informed mo that I was to l.n assigeted
to it,;,- command. Geneoal KcFhoroon had also several times so informed
me, and -."It" out , on uy port, ever seeking the poeitv.o.o, I rns al-
ways contented to ov.Oenvor to do my duty, wherever my commanding
officer oan fit to rut me , but now tbe cose io different; from
DepErtment and Itilit.a-"y Division Hood barters, the difforor.t com-
manders have been infooioed T was to he -assigned to the corney it
was so understood by ell this army, I Irvo he'd a eoeinand during
tho campaign ? neaely equal in strength to root of tho Gorge of the
diae.a of" the Teoueooee,, ard f air confident it has cheerfully done
Its'" out" on all occasions, dor to aesigrr a differeof ca-a-d.ua,
to the corviR, and one vho h-s not periieipaiod in the oarunUgn, is
a diroctr reflection upon me, end rill so he looked iv^on by all in
that avniv. I trust, 1 should bo eonred. this mortal tertian, I ap-
nea! to "von. in thematier, and I believe you will give me credit o^
never eel in all tho time I served under yon, or under General
fa-ant /'ever before complaining of any disposition mode of no, no
-rafter when on adhere it has been, and also of dedBSvering as for
psViv anilities admitted, of cheerfully and heartily doing all in
mv -oowen- to further the ends and objects of ail my commending of-
ficers. I alee deudre to say that, in no way whatever, had I
ende averted to seek the command promised me,"

I think thio is the only letter T ever wrote in relation to a
command. On Augnot - 6th, General Sherman ansvered as follows :

" "four a of> tIliG 6o - te v " recsivod. I know m id hog of a eo . A. J.

Smith's aosianment to the command of the 16th corns. An nag ^ ^
?,f f cIl of serial Orders received from Washington, was one assigning
Major John Hugh to duty with G-etu A, ,t. Smith, in commonam g the
3*31 h coano It meo> be as commanding -that part of the corps on
i'he wisrsieoippl, where the reserves still are. This is all any
one knons about it. Hen. Grant, I knov, supposed you vould suc-
ceed Rurlbut , but I kmo~~ nothing further than the above I f^ake
Pleasure in saying that yon have err done -our hole duty ojali
a e a 1 on d f e i ' v o r . "

On thio date, I also advanced my line very close to Atlanta and
entrenched tho yoeitiJW*! had captured a hill vhere the enemy* o vorks
were not more than five or six hundred v^rda distant and Lho rail-
••' road station of Atlanta vas in plain viev. ,

9f?9

kv Vi hJ

General Sherman had brought to the froUrt, some 5 2- pounders,
two of which he put in this battery. On August 9th, our batteries
all being in position, we received an order that all the batteries
which can reach the buildings o ; f Atlanta, will fire steadily on the
town using during the 'day about fifty "pounds per gun, sheila and
solid shot. At the same time, General Schofield was to make 'his
effort to turn the enemy's left. On August 11th, 1 pushed mjr
line forward and captured the enemy's -skirmish line, taking a
number of prisoners and got possession of their pits and occupied
them, which brought me still nearer to their entrenchments. We
moved our forces up and entrenched them. Prom prisoners taken here,
we learned that Parragut had captured the forts at the entrance
of' Mobile Harbor. This was very encouraging, as we knew Mobile

would fall : and this would give
Alabama river.

us a line of supplies up the

Our artillery attack .on Atlanta did not seem to destroy build- .
ings. I was', in Atlanta myself :to see the effect of it but in the

spring of 1885, when General Sherman returned to St. Louis where he
was in command, I asked him about the effect of my artillery fire
which was the closest .to Atlanta and 'he said that it .did not ac-
complish 'anything— that I only ;made a pepper-pot of the railroad
station. General Schofield' s attack on the right also failed to
accomplish anything. General Palmer, who was sent to aid him,
raised the question of rank, claiming that he was the ranking
officer. This caused a long correspondence between Pelmer, Thomas
Schofield and Sherman. General . Shemnian's decision, was that Schofield
b«§ing an army commander by order of the President, that the officers
serving in his command were Junior to him and. he had the right to^
command them, no matter what the date.- of the Commission. This is
true as commanders of Departments and -armies _ had officers serving'
under them 'who ranked them, but Palmer' was dissatisfied, did not
accept the decision , resigned; and went to the rear. This causeft. •-.
a good deal of del-ay on the right and the enemy moved thejr force
over there and stopped Schofield's approach in that direction,

263

whereas, there is no doubt, if it had been made promptly when the
movement was first started, they would have reached the '"est Point
road and threatened -the Macon road. We had all come to the con-
clusion that to drive Hood out of Atlanta., we would have to cut
loose and make anofcaar flank movement,.

On August 14th, another 32-pounder was placed in my line and
T was ordered to fire every ten minutes during the day upon the
city. General Hood- foun^ our cavalry going to the south, sent his
cavalry to the rear under General ""'heeler and they went as far
nofcth as Til ion and Resaca, but .our troops along the line whore they
had stockades and entrenchments, as a general thing, stood their
ground and held the line. General '"heeler was only able to break
it in one or two places, which did not materially delay our train.

After General Howard had taken command, he was in the habit
of having religious services at hie head- quarters on Sunday and we
took his request as an order to attend. On Sunday, August lath,
all the corps and division co;a anders of the Army of the Tennessee
were present and some brigade commanders. Just after 1 the service
had commenced, the firing commenced down on my l.tne. I felt rather •
nervous, but did. not like to leave. Pretty soon it began- to roll up
to Logan's line. He said he could not stand that, so we got on
our horses and went back to our commands and found it was a false
attack. Prisoners fold us they had discovered we had these religious
services on Sane ay arid they thought they would break them up so
pitched iirtw- our skirmish line and opened up a fire for that purpose.

On August 17th," General Sherman i a sued his orders for the nekt

on the railroad
flank movement. Re proposed to place a corps ben nnd • the Chatta-
hoochee river and for the rest of the Army to move by the r.i ghtf.lank
and rear and to attack the enemy whenever it was found.

•On August. 18th, our movement was temporarily (Suspended and I
received an order A from General Sherman to feel* the enemy's front to
see if we could not break Mi rough . I was nearest to it, r received
this request in thw morning and I sent out Co'J . Phillips, my Chief
of staff, to examine the line and also asked Ransom to examine his
front and their report not being satisfactory, I went out myself to

264

look the field over. I made up ray vm'ne If there was any possibility .
1 was so near to them that I would try to break through, reach Ifahair
entrenchments and carry them and I made known to Ransom what I
intended to do and for him to mass up a force to support the Brigade;
that -I was going to order Corse to make the charge. It 'was about
9; 30 when I reached the entrenchments. My line was so exposed, that a
person could not show himself above "'the entrenchments without being

hit. To reach my entrenchments, we had to go up a trench that
was made so sis' to avoid exposing ourselves to the enemy's Ci«re, I was
in the line of the 7th Iowa Infantry and boys cautioned me several
times about exposing myself and one of them said that if T wanted to
see the enemy, I could look through a peep-hole which they had under
a log, and that I could see better than above the entrenchment s .
After looking the field over some time, I put my eye to this peep-
hole and the moment I did so, a rebel shot me in the head. It
anpeara that the light shown through this hole and whenever it was
darkened a sharpshooter had his- gun ready and fired.it, I, of
course, went down immediately. I remember distinctly the thought
which went through my mind as I fell and that was "This is the last
.of Dodge," Captain H. I. "nith, in whose eomoany I fell, .put me
in a blanket and 1 aas carried to the rear, r»own this trench', 1 was ,
unconscious for a long time, and I was supposed to have been mortally

wounded. As Boon as' General Sherman heard of my being wounded, he

all ' ' ! .o my wound;

sfoppd • "" telegrams going north in relation a"* proposing t,o send

them himself, but the correspondents had gotten on to ily and
telegrams had gone north that I was mortally wounded and when i ; H iy
people began to inquire about me, they could not get any response.
Finally General Sherman wired that 1 was wounded but not mortally
and Sherman said he never un-lertook to do_ a smart thifSfc but .what
ho got beaten; I think it was the second day. after I was wounded,
when 1 was still unconscious, that General "Sherman came and brought
his medical director, Dr. KAttoe and when he was in the tent watching
,.,:;, I heard Sherman say, "Kit toe, Dodge isn't going to die; he is
— ring to." and that is hfyr first remembrance of hearing.; a- ./thing -hen
became conscious.

.! '

-265-

On August 20, 1875, Captain H. I. Smith makes this state-
ment to my brother in relation to the wound:

"Mr. H, I. Smith, President 1st National Bank, Mason City,
Iowa, stated to 1. P. Dodge that he was 1st Lt. Co. B, 7th Iowa
Infantry and commanded the skirmish line 22d August, 1884, cover-
ing a part of the front of the 18th Array Corps, in front of
Atlanta, Georgia. . That General &« M. Dodge , Commander of said corps,
came into the ditch where his men were stationed to get a view of

the enemy's works preparatory to making an assault. The skirmish
line of the enemy was so close, that if any part of a man in Lt.
Smith's, command was exposed, he would -at onoe he pierced with bullets.
Against the ditch there was a bank raise and in this bank they
had apertures made with cartridge "boxes split angling, through
which the soldiers kept up a fire on the enemy's skirmish line.
Gen. Dodge was requested by Lt. Smith to look through one of these
boxes buried in the bank.,. Just as so^-n as he put his face to it,
a bullet from the enemy's _ skirmish line, came angling through the
hole first striking the box, and glancing struck the General in
the centre of his forehead, and furrowed toward the top of his
head, not penetrating the skull; knocked him senseless into the ditch,

Lt. Smith, supposing him to be killed, sent a man to Col.
Parrot t commanding his regiment, for a stretcher, and reported Gen, Dodge
killed, . The stretcher not coming as soon as he thought it ought,
he went in person for it, and, on 'returning, found. Gen. Dodge rest-
ing hi , head on his elbow, and 'as he approached, I asked for his hat
which was handed to me, with two bullet holes through it. After
he was carried to the rear on the stretcher p.. ho, (Smith) picked up
a piece of his scalp (which the bullet had, torn 'off ) out of the
large pool of blood where he lay." ' '

Capt. Smith got. the bullet which hit me and afterwards gave \/
it_ to my brother and the hat 1 wore at the time is in the Historical
Department, Dea M oines, Iowa. It seems that I had in my pocket at
the time, my Commission as Brigadier General and the blood which flowed
from my head stained this commission so that it shows in every fold;
this is also exhibited in the Historical Department and is quite a
curiosity. The bullet cut out the^ bone of the skull almost to the
brain, but did, not injure the brain. It closed my eyes; they f' a lt as
though they were full of sand and it .was some days before 1 could open
them and see.

On August 24th, as soon as 1 was well enough to dictate, 1
issued the following circular to my i command and on that day 1 also
received, thirty days leave of absence:

"It becomes necessary for me to relinquish my command, -for a
short time. Mo one can regret this more than 1 do.

Upon leaving you I cannot refrain from extending to you my
heartfelt thanks for the -efficient and, brave manner in which you have
supported me throughout this campaign. Whether on the battle-field, in
the trench or on the march, you have given that earnest, zealous and,
efficient_attentio:n to your duties that always ensures success.
•^ Foom Chattanooga to Atlanta, through a< campaign unparalleled in
its severity and its success, you have done your full share'. Your com-
rades are buried .on every field and while we deeply mounr their loss, ■
we have the satisfaction of knowing that they fell nobly doing their duty.

I leave you in the hands of able and trie d commanders. Give them
the same cheerful support you have always given me, and there will be
no fears of the sesult, 1 shall watch your course with the same interest:
your victories shall be mine." . "

It was. the intention to hold me there in the hospital 'but
General Sherman finally decided; that my wound would be such that'
it would, be so long healing that I had better be sent north and on
August 25th, he ordered a car reserved for me in the train and
Van Dyne, the Superintendent of : . Transportation., answered me that
,they would give me the best car : in the train, but it would be a'
freight oar. On August 25th, they strung up a cot in the freight
oar so that it would swing;, they could not lay me on the floor of
the oar because my head would not stand it. On the floor of the
car were ^soldiers who were going north. They were convalescing,
• and had not been seriously wounded. - .

The effect of General Sherman's tying up the telegraph is
shown in the following letter from my brotherlto^ Mrs. Dodge;.

; Council Bluffs, August 26, 1854 .

"we have just got word of. G. 1. being dangerously wounded and
are all feeling very sad; it spread like wildfire through the town
and I ...cannot ....go ..on. the... street but I mm 'hailed to know the latest
news 'from him,, I think it strange none of his staff have telegraphed
me and that 1 get no word ftoom you. I sent a disjbatch to you this
A.M. and hope to get a reply.- We are very hopeful ye J fear the worst
as the tenor of the dispatches is not very favorable to his recovery.
If is not unexpected by 'me since the death of McPherso'-i. In fights
before Atlanta and his investment, 1 have been in great fear he
tould get hit, knowing; he was not naturally cautious,- while the

' ever ready sharpshooter never relfijses 'his diligence, but is always
prepared to take advantage of any' officer 's incautious act. If
the present wound takes G. Iff 1 a life, the brilliant record which- he

' leaves ought to be a source of great consolation to his family,
although 'a poor return for his loss/' .

At Marietta, the trains were stoppdd for the purpose of exam-in-

f
ing it and to see if the wounded men needed any atfemti-on and soon

after stopping, I heard a' woman asking which car General Dodge was
in; they pointed it out to her and it was KortherBickerdike, who
had been with my command ever since Corinth. She was a short woman
and could not get into the car herself -and called two soldiers to
boost her in. She gave me some: delioa'cies, looked at my wound,
,.■ saw that 1 was alright and then gave attention and some food to -
everyone of the soldiers in .-the. oar . After she had gone, the
soldiers said they were lucky to be in the car with the General for
they would get more to eat and : more attention, but all the way they
dndeavored tc help me, T was absolutely helpless. We reached .
nhatt.-nooTa at 1 P. K. on the 26th;were again treated and fe^rd ,

267

he reached Nashville at 8 A. A. oa the 27th. I wa;?: taken to
Sheldon's hotel where Mrs, Dodge met me , Dr. AA '■:. Robbins, whoee
time hud expired in the service, was going hem 'and was aooompmuAnr
mo. I stayed In Nashville over the 28th,. Left there at 6 A. K„
on the 29th. The;- marie a couch for me in a passenger oar and 1
haa a very comfortable- trip to Louisville, On August 30th, I
arrived at Indianapolis, My three allies, Jonas, Ford and Tieheno-r
were with me and they left me at Indai.napol.ts, I arrived at
Greenfield, Ind , at my brother- In-law' s, that evening.

As soon as my father herxd of my mound, he wrote me the fol-
lowing letter, which I received at Greer fie Id :

Flkhcru City, Aug, 27, 1SC4

"With great sorrow I received the unwelcome nerve of y ur don-
geroue wound. Some telegrams hod it fatal mound, hut Nathan, in a
letter,, also containing the newe by telegx---Ar f same date, -note
on the envelope that you hnd removed to A' A' ' A.j.e and mas ^oin"-
well as could be expected, 1 hope the 1 he- '• ;,,jv;s is the truest „
I '.have been painfrlly apprehensive that y:,:; - --Aid meet with some
casualty before Atlanta way in possession ~A ArrrnaiA's "Noble Army A'
Still 1 have lived In hope that you might xrx ,;e the ante and shell
that fake the nlace in the Army, of the Air 'xg birds of our glene
and ravines in the old "Haunts" of ;■ otir d hi rr'"ed and the sunny ■
"West, 1 unit with the deepest anxiety fy ;.- ll~r next news concern
ing you. I cannot sleep until I hear a;r;,A;, Nate has promised
to write me every day, and we get daily *AX.:,xAa pan era here every
day, except tee dayr in the week. :

I suopose Annie is with you by tbir * .Axe „ I hope you rill
soon be able to reach home, and how glat" v.e e brill all be to see you
once more. Your mother as well as myeol V .eat be In trouble about
you. The new? of your wound has brought gr ; -xwl regret and deep
sympathy for yor with it. "

"Honor thy- Father and Mother" per' x ;,, A 1 ao good a commandment
as any of the 'ten", and It may truly be ex'd you have done that
to the fullest extent, of Its meaning as xgAlxl to humanity, and it
may be truly sxld you never did anything rx rA'shonor them to my
knowledge, ,x A 7 r uvae and prey that yon . A A- (according to the
promise) mry , e '. Ae long upon the land, .-re A at In due time you
may be able to A--,; the lion's share of su-A.iu'Jng rebels,. and hairing
northern oor'AAxade and traitors of th*. . '■"■■'■ if you can catch or
trap them.

1 will .not ray anything about the A. ;l r raids end scares
gotten up at Omaha, the murders at Ell-thorn xx>t did not take place,
nor my o'ui Insignificant affaire until -tXA :e weiA with you.
l!y prayers are continually with and for ; :.:■.. I never lay my head
on my pillow at night without thlnting^ re. xoi,., and often lay awake
at the iV'Oii- hours of night fearing some- oeeJA ait may befall you.
May God protect you from fatal rebels Ae"' xrAirn you safe home A'

The first' time my woun^ -was dressed .A, rreenfield, everyone

got around to see it. I wae lying on A :■. ;•< , • a ■ and my little daughter

Ella climbed up on the head of the sof-- -' x v etched the Dr D dreeeing

me. All at once, ehe fell over on mg A- ': dAad faint. The sight

of the wound overcame her". After thxt 7 Arvt children out of

-268-

tlie operating room* It took them a long time to bring her to and.
created a great excitement.

On August 31st, we received the first news of the Battle of
Jonesboro, the result of the flank movement which my wound prevented
me from taking part in, although 1 had .made- every preparation for
the move. Col. Jesse ,U Phillips' time had expired and he went
out of the service. He was a splendid officer—one of the best
cavalry officers i ever saw. General McPherson, General Sherman
and myself made every effort to get him advanced in rank so he
could he given a command in the cavalry. He had 'been commanding
a regiment of mounted infantry .and was never sent out on. an
expedition that he did not' fight and win, While he was a fearless
and brave man, still he was prudent and his men had great confi- •
dence in him and I was very sorry to see him leave the service. He
had 'been serving as my Chief of Staff after Col. Mersey left.

On September 1st, 1 received, the following letter from my

father

Elkhorn City. Sfifjf /" tfCf.

"We are all more than rejoiced to hear of your- convalescence.
We feel thankful beyond description, and "before you leave for the
army, we want you to be sure ' and come to Council Bluffs; we are very
desirous you should. You know that there is a "Big event* to come
off at your house the 4th of October, and it. is necessary that you
should be there with Annie to make it a bigger one. Mate is
especially desirous that you. should be present, and you know he is
the most interested in the affair and should -by all means be
gratified. So- do come without fail. 1 know Sherman must give you
a furlough under the circumstances of your health if you request
it. I tell you it will be a big affair, and but one more such
to happen in our family—how can you stay back in- such an emer-
gency? Now come a^ong because I want rather to see you, Annie
and the little Dodges than any of the same name living on the face
of the globe. ■ . . '. "

There is much excitement up the Platte Valley about the
Indians, I suppose the Copperheads and Bushwhackers are among
them. The inhabitants have all left above Cottonwood and their
ranches are all burned; and many have left the Elkhorn River, while
others have packed up their goods already to leave. I think they
act cowardly and a --"reater set of cowards close not exist than, live
in Omaha. Some 400'. Omaha ilndians passed through here from their
hunt, having been driven from the Republican by the Sioux, and that
caused the greatest furor you ever heard" of, Omaha shut up all

her stores , got out picket guard rr. &c, never attempting to
move West, to assist th citizens who have given, them their
territory, but just trembling and looking out for their dear selves.
The Omahas camped on the hill just above Walnut Creek, and 1 slept
in the old cabin alone as usual. No harm done, they pushed on.
again in the e&iftly morning. Somebody saw the Indians at a
distance and put for- Omaha, hence- the scare. The Sioux or Ohe^erTfl" s
(Shians) have committed serious depredations on the Atchison

ft i: u

269

route and -above Kearney, -and -may -do the same here, but mofet of the

citizens, do not believe they will come down this Car. Council
Bluffs are more frightened about bushwhackers and are organizing
Companies for home defence. 1 am now in the midst .of haying, " ■
and shall put up about one hundred tons. I?e ha^e 'a fine" stock of '
young cattle, which is about all I can depend upon. Stock has
always paid well, while _procude : of a farm has always been very un-
certain. I am obliged to get half my hay at least from the Platte
Valley, as 1 cannot obtain it on this side .of the Elkhorn.

It is very hot today and ]h am. nearly melted, lot a breath
of air from inhere we are getting hay today, close under the
timber of Walnut Creek, :

1 would like to hear from you and Annie, and would like to
know the particulars of -your wound, &c. I have strong hooes of
seeing you before long." \ ■

On September 2nd, 1 took my first walk out and received the ■

news of ''the fall of Atlanta, ;

While 1 was -at Greenfield, ;the nomination of McClellan for

President was. tap de .at Chicago and the trains for the delegation
'-coming from^hicM o. ■ . ■ /S

. ■■ '^ stopped at Greenfield where a portion' of the Indiana delega-
tion-left it. it was about midnight. T was living 'close "to the
station and 1 heard three rousing cheers given for President ~

"iflTwt -Davis,' "Which was -a 'great' 'astonishment "to -fte' '-"and"' gave "me'' the

fir st. idea of how_ strong the copperhead sentiment was in the
norttt^ I wrote this fact to General Sherman and he answered in
a long letter stating that when -they got through with the rebels
down there, they would 'dome back and take care of the rebels -in
the rear, . ;

Oneday, while I was at Oreenfeleld and was out walking, 1
saw two or three soldiers, who -had veternaized, pulling a man off
of a load of ha;; and beat him. ;I had. my uniform or: and as soon
as they saw me they came to attention, - I spoke, saying, "Boys, - .
you should not do this. . You will; reflect upon the army and bring
criticism upon it." The boys were respectful and said, "General,
you won't think so when you here what this man' did." They said, that
ever since they had been hom$., this man had tried to induce the
^soldiers to desert; that, this man and others had 'be.en making a-
determined effort to keep them- from returning and' they proposed
to put a stop of' it. AS soon as 1 heard this, - I turned on my
heel and said" nothing. ;■

i\Fi

Z10

- _0n September 38c|,T received the following letter* from my
Assistant Adjutant General,. Major Barnes, giving me the account
of the movements of liiy command, the 16tli corps; •

- Hear Love joy, Oa.

"Atlanta at last , Is ours, Sherman's grand flank move-mint has
so far be>ii eminently successful,, "Hood has been completely out-
witted. ."'Tien the army withdraw from " before Atlanta 1 ' the
Atlanta papers announced the Yankees falling hack to the Chatta-
hoochie, thst we had abandoned the campaign, and that the Gate
City was Tree from all dnager. This was published to the Array,
and the Johnnies generally believed it. They hold a big jubilee
over it, and were still celebrating wiiv^n word war brought that
the Army of the Tennessee was advancing on Jonesboro, This put
a new phase upon affairs , and caused the faces of the Johnnies to
so mo what elongate .

Wo marched from Atlanta to Shaclna on the West "oint rail-
road without opposition. The 89th of August was spent In des-
troying the road, 'ni the 30th we advanced on Joriosboro , fight-
ing Ross* Brigade ocf? Cavalry nearly the whole dl stereo. Hood
by this time had news of our movement, and sent Hardee's and* hie
own Gov'ts to Jonesboro to meet tie . Our advance,- on the nlgbd
of tin.: 30th wao a mile and e half from Jonesboro. Breastworks
were thrown up during the night, and by 1 P. t\ on the 31st
our old friends marie one 'of their favorite charges against
our lines. The rejSii.lt. waethe old stereotyped one; The rebels
wetro moot beautifully whipped, losing heavily, A surgeon in
Hardee's corps told me, that 2000 wounded from the cor r, crime
into hospital from this fight, "lille they' were attacking no
the 4th are 1 14 '"h corps secured a lodgment on the railroad below
Rough end Ready,' and commenced destroying it, moving towards;
us» On the evening of the 1st of September, the 14th corps
joined on our left and immediately attacked the enemy on his ■
flank o Davis captured ten nieees of artr-lery, and 1000
prisoners.

It la reported thet Stanley with the 4th corps res In t he-
rebel rear at C P. ¥. capturing his lure pi tale, but failed to move
against hie line, because of the lateness of the hour. His fall-
ing to attack, loot us the splendid fruits of a glorious victory.
It 13 said thet Sherman gave Stanley a good rourU cursing for
this neglect,, If this report le true, Stanley most certainly
de'e.orves the severest censure-. On 'the night of the 1st, the
enemy untreated from our front, and the re.mt morning we fed lowed
him to this point, where we found hie breastworks.

The pros-pec ts are this morning, that Sherman Is going to
slack up hie energies a little, and give ue a breathing spell.
On the night of the 1st, Hood evacuated Atlanta, blowing up hie
inagastr.es of .supplies, end destroying 80 eve of ammunition,
.Slioum occupied the city at 11 A, h. yesterday.

Your command Is doing finely under ffeneral Ransom, and the
Staff, at least, Is very gla-i it fell Into se good hands.

All send you their best regards ,_ and lie arty wishes for if -np
speedy recovery/ from your wound „

hot us hear from you often. ? r e are all anrrlou.s to know
how you are getting along. I helie'-e •Ohamberlin Is preparing o
lengthy account of our wenches Bnd operations t.o ?ond you,,"

1 also received a letter from Captain Chamber! in vt o was

present, at my heedquarters one time when we were discussing the

taking of Atlanta. Captain Ohambsrlln inks letter says:

o. >1 i

d i i

bear Love joy" 3 Station.,, do lp „ 1.

!•, i 1 '•<

i I r« r

onto

''Tbo you reeombor bcv often you rood to oa
lyito ':'efur? ; : Atlouto, ihef. re rould never tohe it utrtil wo cnt
loooo from it r^n^ our co'oiimieatioiio rand snrpy r round to the
south? be hovo spo^on of it, end feci nroud that your policy
was the true cnr. , "

On Septoiohor 5th, I. received a lotto'! 1 froio Ooptoio, t.orohonoe

teliinp; ue that Jones Hernial , Ho, b„ 7th Eoueuno Cavalry, 00s seir

fenced. to. five years leiprieonieenl at Haahvills, To ro.ajuo « T

believe tbel tho eo idler voe innocent ei •'•ho oborpee prof erred.

enoinot bin. Tho:; ore one of the chief opies and tho roof active

'..;•: 10 -oeiuono ? ; -,o t p, ^.odiaiely rode eo invest ip^f 5 00 cm-': found

that hi woo oioiply. coropiep -"eat the oroooo rod .u'ove;.-:poe rhich

be hod ns o ot.y oro hoi toon ehnrppod o'ith eirngpiioy o<d --iber

thiopo, Tho aoo moo oho hod gone to the dined ot boehvdllOj

tr- otod bin as o thief end It took of roup letter from ,ao end

olso tone doooob, dhfooo-'; to not him di = ohorppdu Thio U00 o

sod "cooon to IIomooI. Ho toorphl ho too .\ inp ejreet oof,, for

the dover.ooniont oii did not knor nhud ^ro]'' hoooo beeoeo of bin

■' r T tod not hepoened to ho alive.

My Chief C.S.

Oo do-boober* 3th, do ••■trin. H, d, Coo-onion ..out ,..■?. tho fol-

looinp letter:

East ?o:liit, do. . , op + . 3, lddd„

t h.nvr: fhouyht 'vpilp rro ooro o"i tho lofo e:opedi t io" that "s
soon as the ceo'ond pot hoct I world Tirriie I'o 1 ^

Tt io no- nipht , end no hone loot fndoi^into position heo'p
ohono jo-oid: ooy :" 00 • u-o !.o roueio for nome time to rest, ho oaid
off, do, d;e. I ehojb oof aftoird-, to tell yoo nuoh about the
lofo Rv L ,o.nUcn; yon kuoo' me pereon i"' on ^o.moei od with a- oortoin
con-00 n' too hnf'ror facilities* for leorninp rPef in ppjinp on
f hooupbood. the entire army.

Tho oounirp over v-blob re traversed 000 the best no ho-r hod
ot oil, for oorobdoy r.a erop* compactly, end he-poop it in arofh
ro\ion -ttot it. noon 1 '\puohly :--o thronn into lino and ooi-o-nif m-tod .
o n - or twr. do- .0, i-.-, /.idio" olonpj I could see the oolrnrr of tho Idth
A.C. on tho loft of o ro.n C o of fields, the l'7th A.C, un tdie^ripht
end the T of h in the centre: and fin:' country 000 00 level and. oc
f w -t-vo^p idod. b" o fen'houro oorh ritb your Pionaer C rp.o,
rood oonld be out out thr-;up^ the finido, aod afj-:-.e.-i of timber
suroicdenf for e clay's noi'oh of our corps, dootonoi fonooiT: cot
njono veri-- well, "nd io quite 00; energetic ;nan; but the Corps
thought thirreu did not novo os sooothly ao If yon bod bono in
co-mvrnd. T'-Ig res tho generoly eroreoeioii of oien end offlooro,
and I h-ve no doubt there wo: ocnoe truth in it, 00 be of couioop
was not uor-d to novi-.p o ceoirete array.

You too.-" the movouent eo ;-onced tho v orninp of tlie 2GMi, .ond
on the^dDth re lo id over at Shodnab c hurcb, noon Fair burn on the
boot ^oirit rood , s.nc\ tore up severol rotleo of the roe'. The next
door otartinpj ot 5 o'clock A*. K. , : o bed 14 ;o.lo8 to otelco to
Joiwsboro on the Kacon rood, denorol filpotriob wrs in tho
ndvence cIoeoIo- foDoood by the loth corps, -••hen about p.^-ven

iC'i W

miles out, ebirnishing became oretfv henv- i,- furd ,- r + i,.. ~, rJ .p
tho eovalry at ono point roll beob and the ?i T ee ;'.)nM'i,- " W nV
pushed in; to tho^ont, 'btioh In conjunction ul ;y-, =vn m,."«V i,^/" ,..
^v^tho v^bol- R .tart toreros doa.an no 3 .n:-,* ' ,:^^ imootno "that
Uu) >- ! >v. iv' km re another half fcr fln^v^i n -n r. -.

" e ^^'l nearly all nighlu In fret, I ^s'ti, ;; n M-ht ~ P * -

position norm ,,T I'lint. River; the Xaeon Railroad beli^' oai v Ti /o
ail( T ^ t{ ' rii : n T J? Pioneer orp0 wej .. pt . ah9d forw ,, rd ^^Vln" ' ""
ro a junction nith the troops ihreu uo soma hrenptw c ,r>p s -r V ' rint
vas spent in cam:oiw,ain S and skirmishing^ end the ] st *of "3enferbar
ro,n}.^ : in the oonnlote discomfiture of the enemy. On t.ho^or^
. t ; g t : ? : n !J"^ " V1 or;Jer Fas p0!?ld ir5 ^ o:rm,,s.frcm General 3 hsr:Ma
f "*'• ;jLe "^ : -y, a-=>y was cut in two aid that we "would f on 1 or o-d

destroy then, n is said that what balked a n^rt of ?-on«roi

,;,herinr,n J yi-na was the officer- command jii^* the 4th Corns whjch
ff 3 sw ' un t: across the railroad at Hough and Ready and came duwn'bi
i-n. rear oi -Tonesboro, capturing the rebel hospitals ac at 5 p k
putting off the attach until tee next moraine uhar, H- rdeli "l^s" ^--m* ..
draun. fleneret Jeff H . Davis and the Mth Chrepo JP h^M v Voir^V'
of for -good conduct on the First. It is also • sfxJd flint 'Wr^" ""
Blair aid iiot perform his part o'-ing to geitins lost

The casualties in the IGtli in nil their inarches 'and n-'Ms
has beer very light. The boys got plenty of rrosn com and^oot
potanoes, and are in excellent health and good sririte. I ah ad]
try to feed than sell uo^ so that they will be prepared for future
emergencies,. I hope you will bo - o" 3 enouyn to\have ecnmaod Then
our next cavraign commences, and this wish 'is shared lu everv
man and officer in the army . j hope you rp.t home rhoro ■•ouijonv
have re ^t and quiet without much- pain from that woni'd . tt^rrai
oheman'a head ouarters are iu Atlanta. The Amy of the ^uimasee
is hero. Thar; is only a rater tank and single hones at this
place. It is mostly dense woods around the confluence of these

two roads. The Army of the Ohio is at Deeaturu "

1 aee this MeCaellaji political movement leoka, nrett'^ fori^da-
Tblo. I hopa be icay not be elected, as I thin?; it -"ruLd be disas-

troua to our Republic, but I hope God rill pave oar* count rv

vdioever la elected President. H,:pin,a yon '=ridl aeon be we] 1 "

On September 10th, feaeral Shermav; nade his celebrated

agreement with Gen. Hood's Confederate force for cm arrciatrsj ran-

ni:n 5 from 3 0l -.te-hor Iftti until dayli s bd; on '"eptembe-- S2, ten full

days, from a point on the Macon road knorn as Kouyh and Reidy

and the Country round about uitrtin a circle of t7a> miles radiue

for tna purpoae of af fordirip: the people of ntlanta a safe moans of

removal to point j south , He Kioved every eitlaer out or Atla;;t?i

the same as I had done out of Do'co'nr and brerght douu upon hie

head the severe criticism not only of the enemy but or many, of

our people in the north and the south haa, alraye held tha.f against

•'him, it being one of their personal reasons fqr continuing their

enmity ae long.

Ani 33^5 fM ,; hia3
On September ICttt, T went to davenport , f Iowa and met thei?e

sevdral friends, among them John A. hasson.

273

On Sertombor 3 If h T received, from General Rrnaom his com-
plimentary order to the corps an^ also that of General Howard
and General Bhormar who gave them grant credits for their courage s
perseverance ar.d endurance, which they hnd displayed In the
campaign just close and. on ^optomber loth, T received the fallow-
ing letter from General Ransom:

East Point, Sept. IS, 1304.

"It Is said, that "Republics .are ungrateful ,! and I hrve hoard,
it often conceded that kajor Generals particularly "hen weur.ded,
expect inpoealbllltles of their subordinates,

Thi:~ runt he so, or you worm 1 not give mo a lecture for not
writing f' 1 on "he lot inst, rhon yon left, vs on the' 25th ult .
Doubtless ere thin you have received my letter of the. 4th giving
a detailed account of the movements of ymr commend up te that time
and will , I hope, ypve ire full credit for the Immense draft mien
my ""idnlyjht oil", that such lengthy efforts Involve,

August 3 iVfd left the ecr-a In position in front of Love joy's
Station, the" 2d division on the -right of the army, joiner] on the
left by the 17th corps. The 4th division one rile in recr of
right in reserve and covering the FayetteviUe ; "'oid Covington reed.

On the -4th Inst . I was ordered to fortify a now position 2
mil c-a, l)i rear jo in in;- Logan on the right, to he e coupled by the
4th division, which war, to act as rear guard to the right column
or left retiring, on the withdrawal from the enemy* 3 front.
These works were completed and the 4th division moved In at Turner's
Place at .noon on ihu' 5th, The trains were all ordered to the
rear (Jonooboro) at 2 F„ Id., and the. ermy to withdraw ct 3 P. . ,
leaving out the sklrmle line unli"' 12 K. at which time the rear
guards were te retire from their new position bringing up the
reai* of the army.

Fuller get his train.'." out of the. ray , hut ^orse was behind 2
hours T'lth his and Rlalr, who moved In advance In same road with
the 16th corpa, did not start h. ; e trains to the rear until a r v
p, y at which time a severe rain storm commenced, that cut up the
roads and wrushon out the bridges and rendered, movement of trains
and artillery almost Impartible, Our trains floundered through
the roads all night . Myself and thestaff and everybody else
worked hard all night pushing them forward. At 12- ¥.. Logn with-
drew his re-mo guards leaving my left QQan, end chancea for being
cut off from Joneeboro, painfully certain. Most of the tralna
of the 17th corpa mere still within a mile of the re archil the
troops of both, corpa f "in a short time the Infantry pickets came- In
leaving cavalry only in my front ; they were, stamyeded -bout 1 A, k.
Then I "got worried some, cent Corse over to fake the ^lace of-'
Logon's" division, withdrawn , . and worked hard st^t)]a trains .
Got them all out of the way, also the 17th corps* a*. 5 A, r* «.rb 0n I
withdrew without lose, -mighty sudden, making the march to Jonesboro
4 miles in one hour and two minutes, _,

we were in a devilish tight place, but the robs did not dis-
cover It, aa J ic.epf up a bold front with' Corse on my loft and the
-bully 9th Illinois elong our entire front, General Howard, com-
plimented mo on the successful termination of an effalr that looked

"verv squally. • .,

"fe took our old works and camps at Joneaooro, or rather en
the Flint river, the enemy's cavalry coming- up to our akirmlsh
line about noon. On the 7th, moved at 8 1/2 A. Ik being- the advance
of the left column, through Renfro Place, e crass Shoal Vreok and
went into caran near the forks of S oal Creek, having marched 8 miles

On the 8th moved at G.30 A. M. , again in advance, (Blair still
-'n the rear) to a point about one mile south west of .'last Point,
eecuipTdiv-- old rebel works . The Army of the Tennessee had a great

274

time getting located. It toot us from k ~ - -*<r t g r[ the 8th
until the 11th, during which time the il h - - r \ ^) three times,
the 15th twice and. the 17th twice.

He are now on the extreme right, ic3n >' sr i >^ ry the 15 h
wh-" "' <" ojo'u the railroad at East Point and is joined on its
le- 1. ^ ' v " Vith corps and which connects with the 14th corps.

1 Mill oi'y and. get up -a map showing our different, positions,
as i-^Ju ' ' M "e of the large amount of brains displayed' by some-
bod}/, rjin'-o iur arrival here, we have been fixing tin, getting
Q. *". ^ '" °nd making works &o . Sherman and Howard published
co:g> aiiii - to -•'■ orders which 1 will send you; also my disclaimer.
All ace very husy getting up reports, and Clark desires me to urge
yon ' ,' ~ • ' yj.rs up at the earliest possible period.

.. Tc ,\rw;ts of brigade, division and. corps will be in to • ■
De [.,„.- 5 -. r ■ ^--id Quarters by tomorrow,

I will have copies of Fuller's, Corse's and my reports sent
you as soon as they are done. Mine, of course, will only embrace
from the 19th Aug. to present time.

Howard has recommended me for Major General ■, and 1 presume
the document will, be favorably endorsed by Sherman, though I have
no information on this -•oint. Howard told me last night that
Grant had ordered Sherman to pushthe enemy and keep him in our
front by all means, and that in order to carry > u^ 1 he s ■> orders, a
new campaign would be commenedd by the 1st .>>' ^ --f b--vg ibis, of
course, is not known in the Army and will be c g-vu ', disappointment
to all, as a respite anri general recruiting h- r u !,i o.l>-"t.ed, and.
officers expect that a reasonable proportion of them will be allow-
ed to go home.

Howard is also talking of breaking up one corps and dividing
it out to the other two. He suggested the following to me last
night:" That the 4th division, 16th corps be sent to the 17th corps
and the 2dn dividion to the 15th, and you placed in command of the
17th corps, Blair to be. sent to the Mississippi River and organ-
ize the ieth corps out of the troops there belonging to the
Department." He also said that he would have to consult with Blair
about this change, as he "would, not have a difficulty with the
Blair family for the world." You see, therefore, that in all pro-
bability Bga.ir's and Logan's interests '111 be looked out for pro-
bably at your expense.

Though the General exyr'ssed Iru~ d v -. ^oc "nation to retain a
corps in the field for you., ^of the laid >.\ knows what he will do
with Logan and Blair buck*. "• i . ' , -.' > you and I, General,
he has shown great weaknes i 'lit 1 <" k. - merit, and he will not
do, he will soon become a Uk 1 l< v; "1 o i 1 a< 1 'controlled by strong-
er men. I say this to you ki , , - - h, ^ully advised as to the
situation and for yourslef rh.ci h. 'h • i 'i <V3 the result.
Howard says he wants to ine t ,s. lV v ^vs-k 5 or 8000 and get a ' ,
cavalry regiment for each r< , r., . II ~ "u'oss: to go to Memphis and J v
get such forces as he may m ' f ~ v ~~ j.1 ip > -^d send them here _ ^ %
before he leaves there. Tht- i -• r.-t d v :* k d , however. ^ s

The army of the Teniie.-a^ to™ -ii-> -> ' °'',000 aggregate, witk^
18,000 muskets. Ganby has g« f M, o*n c<"\ m ders along the A river,
and they are instructed to i ^ to rnLur'! i ' o Sherman's or Howard's
orders. Morgan L. Smith a^"' - n c;m — I. ^ '. the river have no
show and are doing nothing. It looks as though the Department of the
Tennessee had ceased to exist, and Sherman's control on the Miss-
isssippi been suspended.
■ ; Major Osborn" Chief of Artillery, told men he wan' ed to send
for c oll Lothrop, Chief of Art i] lery of thd Corps to be at these
Head Quarters in thut capacity.

He has also directed that the artillery be changed, so as to
have ? f Z light 12' s and l/3 3 inch Rodmans, when a division has but
Uo 'h->'ttereis, one to be rifled the other light 12'S. this makes
r e> i ;e in the 4th division that is not satisfactory to the
b: s.t^ries.

The brigade at Rome is scattered, two regiments of it have
gone to Pulaski. I am trying to get them here, but think 1 shall
not succeed. The 27th Ohio will probably be returned to us soon.

-t-

1 "'U'

- vn

"'■" I

n you
e but
i-enort
the 5L 7th'. New

h at

e,.

Jrr . • ;
. - -t ,

■r, was ordered to report to,, ^l air, -and has
Ihr re. .1 made a row about it last night, and
n return him and give us a good engineer for
know is a perfect stick, and his
little better. Van Esmo has been
to his regiment. Col, Brover and
York were both mortally wounded in. the
Jonesboro* The regiment lost "bnui 90

'""." k Han ill, 2nd Iowa, was badly wounded
• d T "i f --' on the 30th ult; his regiment and ■
dpy,
was wounded in tie leg at Joresboro;
^actors are all leaving us. Gay is
■•"S, and some five or six others are

certificate of disability.
?3ign» Refeild and Parks have ten-
any quantity of .line officers are
1 think that Sherman's flattering

r i, -

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lo

iv L

"u. a

Cry! , T
Sett. "11

Reeao h
e p c h d t
aid i
oniei'C'i
Major Marti'
fight on t lu-
men killed m
in the ad van"
the 7th lour

I.f , Co n .,
he has been d
going to be
getting out

Cham be
dered their >'<-_
tender ing tl :s J r
assurance i< M
rest- we sh-m "" '
the last f oi. ; -

the same light v 'lLh + h.-> -,. thusiasfic Command ing General, and. are
therefore making an. effort to get out, Barnes has applied for
a leave, bud;, 1 think if we are to move soon, ve cannot let him go.

The members -of your staff are all well, and often speak of
you, and we all look anxiously for your return. During the move-
ment on Jonesboro and to Love joy's and return, I was greatly in-
debted to the gentelemen composing your staff; they were energetic
and always on hand, and though 1 worked theinvery hard they offered
no complaint, but chg@#fully complied with al i orders, '^ledeman
used to get lost several times a day, but we got along and did not
miss him.

T learn of your gradual improvement with much satisfaction
and only regret that it is not more rapid.

The nominee of the Chicago Convention and their platform, gives
us courage in the army to believe that Mr. Lincoln will be re-
elected, We are now looking anxiously for the returns from the
draft, which we expect will be promptly and rigidly enforced.
If the administration does not enforce the. draft with det rmination,
they will lose great strength in my opinion. ' Mr,
show back- bone no v.".

on* ulatory order— thrt after a month's
a "fine winter campaign" in view of
rnori:- ce , the officers cannot see if in

Lincoln must

M--

prince ',.

u, c
■ ' j i L <. .
o . . '. t
joy's

uc.
i

It is a question in ray mind '"bethel
or great injustice in writing _> . u fb.m'-
by the time you have waded thrc a
express yourself in the languag -
present . "

Sherman and Hood have agra.m.
them to get the people put of ' 11
miles around Rough and ^eady am"
bo that part, and thence to Lo\
a clean sweep of the inhabitant;; i '•'_<■ it •

You will appreciate the ii./e t -n -~ -
us from what 1 have said about i. ■ i. o L .o..»-a
shall watch your interests and k • t i I ho
my best to keep all right, but „ j. u kl ...*w.
could do this yourself,"

On September 16th, 1 received this ietiehe from V; . S. Peabody,

an old school-mate of mine;

i you justice
s. Probably
o able to

uore at,

oetter to enable
oat ends to 2
king from Atlanta
crman is making

. ly fce titan to

in. ■ ization. 1

o i onstantly and do
u.m.k better you

276

Hilton, Hr.iu, ocr-L . 16, 1864,

,,T \j you nnv^lri 1 p I .,r • ^h - - i ^-m ,_ ^ r l ■ i L ' "•■ - - ■■> --"

jo ti -V s jI t, t > bu „ """>., oi,' ' 1 roit'

t u. u*\

"ar\; o> i ; on f "oi ii'ij v "^.\. ■', ", h-~ > 'h~ .ili*hr i .- .:/i._
;"ou ">v ^-. >^. " bbni u- on ' aat. i'x eb>J.il, . _,> 7 ,Lp.- ,- -^ u-

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^ a -° ' -""' r^u n>. w.. 1 , uu .lb.. , T L J me

ploesnro u- li-'ii 1 r^vij Urn i_ I' .'um^h "' ^ <^<,:--„ ,,f 1 n - K'av-

T el ul7 : - v.'ilh ag> ^ ■-- ' ' -M- I-v-I.m , ,: — ->--' •<-., '—,_,.. in

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- v n' ,, """' ->" n*', iol'o r 1 • , - i.,.1 a >„

t • - "' ' - ■; n , r\.u», ef : nnfi -u. , " •::'
off, ig ., r. a* .,.., ii . .. -•-, ._ ••• o.C . ..n h.'

r> '-•' ' '* -" " ' i } hi - "1j ~ onl: i'i"l ->h " , ij' -. >''■,,-<, rs n.-.i-al.

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i° r 'vU' \.i ~ . ■' , :' ~ d _ ,.c- ^ J' "-o''". ^: « ■-„, ". ^., cvi . 1 -
jutu.i',: j, t T '. '-,.• ■: } Lj i-: -i j .- i -. ^'i-i ^o > j . .-j "'., .
-.■•it- L» ,um. "". 'in.'' -, _ r 4,, -w,^ 'i ^ 'il. ......ui-u" r?. - ; j-.

warrant any every extensive ^Ti^ i.i' ' movements, and this place is
so easily defended lay ^ni-boaLs a I jntdful of men can hold the Sea
Islands, for if the iv.bs c rl" 1 on them, the question of getting
off would he quite ara> J V. , nd ' \i i.avy can slip in behind them
by the numerous creeks and shell ^< ry square mile on all these
islands.

As it is public lj/ announced by officer's both of the army and
navy, I suppose it is not . contraband to say that an attach maybe
expected < Charleston about the 25th of this month, and they say
they, are rh; t mained to capture 'it at all hazards.

Your jlurious victories under General Sherman are the praise
of every tongue, and no? r if General Grant can keep Lee where he is,
-ont the rebs be fast approaching that famous "last ditch,"

t also received at this time, notice of G aptain Chamber-
lin's resignation. He had been on my staff.

Prom Davenport I went south to St. Louis ana from there
to St. Joseph and taking- steamer there returned to Counc.-l Bluffs.
On my way north, I hrrt to stpp at St. Louis and St. Joseph for a
rest but the citizens of my town had prepared to give me a public
recoptionV alfl«> ngh T bed endeavored to avoid it.

u i ' b

1864.

On September 17th, the citizens of Council Bluffs extended
to General G. M. Dodge,' a public welcome, on his arrival at his old '
home. The reception speech was made by Captain Crawford, to which
General Dodge responded as follows; :

"Ladies and Gentlemen*. You cannot exepct me to reply suit-
ably to the ' eloquent welcome of my friend Crawford, nevertheless I
appreciate the motive that brings so many of my townsmen to greet me
on my return home. There is nothing so cheering to a soldier as the
knowledge that his conduct meets the approbation of his friends at his
own home. It cheers him on, and sustains him amid dangers and hard-
ships that otherwise would break him down. .

One year ago, the army I am connected with marched from
Memphis across the State of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee and is
resting after penetrating the heart, of the Southern confederacy. It
has just finished a campaign unequaled in its severity and successes.
Four months of fighting brought us to Atlanta, and one of those bold
moves that that Great Captain Sherman is celebrated for, has safely
and securely planted in 'the great strategic point of the south-west.

Ho efforts of the rebels can remove it or its war-worn flag
?rtiich floats to the breeze from the : steeples of the Gate City.

Let us look at the present, state of our country and see what
is the duty of ever:, citizen. With, Sherman's army in Atlanta, ■ which
virtually gives us all of Mississippi, Alabama and two-thirds of
Georgia, with the choice where .and when to strike. And wherever
Sherman chooses to ;.goj,, : . there 'must Hood follow he can no longer control
our movements, for we are master of the situation. With Grant firmly
planted before Richmond preparing for one of those daring and strategic
movements that he is so celebrated for, and which, I firmly believe

wall" defeat' hee^s army ■■■and" give- us ■ Richmond ;" with "the "enemy's ■Tanks

depleted and with no effort on their part to prepare for ibhe future, all
their energies being bended to take : care of the present, and 'all their
hopes for final success depending upon a divided north—it appears
to me your duty is plain. . Fill up- our ranks, show a solid front, a
united north- -and our army will soon defeat and conquer theirs. Then,
and not till then, can we have a peace that shall be lasting--one that
you and I and eve yone can subscribe to, and one that will be no dis-
honor to the south. ' •

Their last hope fails when they preceive our armies filling
up --our victorious columns pressing: forward and penetrating even the
Carolinanas. I say to youto give them no comfort; let them know
that traitors, no matter row much you desire peace, can have any aid
or sympath-yy while our flag is not recognized on every foot of territory
comprising the old United States.

Ladies and, gentlemen, I heartily thank you for your generous
welcome. I trust in a few days I can return to Sherman's army and
take with me your hearty support and cordial aid.™ •

279

While in Council Bluff s, I wrote the following letter to - -
General Sherman: ''.':'

September 19, 1864.

I arrived- here last ■week and was in hopes I could 'return by
this time, hut my wound is giving me a good deal of trouble. The
bone was injured arid will work our , : whichkeeps the wound open, though
it now looks as though itwould soon: Heal .1 Since I heard you were
resting, I have been more contented; and will get back before you
move, sick or well.

The fall of Atlanta carte in a- very opportune moment and has
put a different phase upon matters in the north, and it- will aid
greatly in enforcing the draft, as well as obtaining recruits. There
will be no serious opposition to it;. People are begining to appreciate
the great event our army has accomplished, and 1 hope will show it
by filling up our ranks.

On September 21st, General Ransom again wrote me in re-
lation to conditions at the front:

last Point, Sept. 21, 1884,

Very much to my astonishment, I received a letter from you
today postmarked Des Koines, Iowa. If it had been Denver City I
should not have been more surprised- and I think if the "hole in your
head" doesn't get well too soon I may reasonably expect you next
communication to hail from the Rocky Mountains.

fell, I am delighted that: youare able to travel, but, I most
say you: are imprudent to be running; around so soon in a country where
railroad communication is so limited.'

As I predicted in a former letter, the breaking up of this

corps- is- -decided -upon, --and -Goiige goes- -to ■ the -ISth and- the 4th -divM?-

Ion to the 17th corps. It isl all fixed and I expect the order to-
tomorrow. I believe it is General- Howard 1 s intention to offer you
the 16th corps to be cade up from troops on the Mississippi river,
though I am not fully advised on this point.

180-

T '- ,- b

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i. -

n m.-.m" ,- -■>,
r • - ' - - •

in a horn ,

H"od has left the !;!acon road air 1 swunj around with bin mbole
force on the beet Point Road with Head quarters (yesterday) at
Palme th hbaticmr 18 miles fror. here. He hue with him a large
pontoon train of 100 wagons: query- whet, the devil is he going to
do? The exchanged, prisoners- 2,000 are coming in, v: 'e get a few.
They are all men that have been taken in thia campaign. Let me
hear from you, "

On the s'ane date, I received a telegram from Or. T» Q, Ourant
.in which he asked me to come to tier York as soon as I was able

to travel .

On September 22nd, General Howard issued his order assigning
the 6mo divisions of the 16th Army Corp n to the 15th and 17th corps
thus disposing of the heft 7/Ing of the 10th Army Corps In. the .
field.

On September 23rd, General Fuller -wrote me the following

letter:

East Point, Sente » 03, 1804.

r>- -

y. n Vb

. , .. ,

- - " -0-- , , ' 1 -

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; •, -; -; _ . . ii.

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:n '.- - , -.■.-:.■•.,•■■ ifb • h^ - • •

■ •> IT' "i .'0 -

i"t\j ye- ^e ao <ig -.= ■■ r • l h i ^ h -•- ^- ' "

yuii have a.1, a.,yj. o^riaU., c, — r-,.0 h_:m? In ■m 4, V,

remembered.

Ole like General Ransom very much, r ' ^e - ;
confiflence of all, I thlnkne like him la- ' I m- \^

body 'who might be put hdre, because me ]- u 'ma t
friend to you. . b .

° 1 - o the

, <: .t any-
r firm

281

1 have some hmc of "getting a leave next month. If --on e^e
In Indiana at that time, I would cheerfully spend a c i r ,v for the
sake of seeing you, ao- I might 30 home via" Xndlarionolio as vol 1
as via Cincinnati.

On the same date 1 received a letter from Col, P T. Clark

the Assistant Adjutant General of the Amy of the Tennesoee in
which he said:

In the new organization, the General intends to give you two
division* at least. Logan and Blair are en leave; Ransom commands
the 17th Corps, Osterhaus the 15th. The "glory has departed from
Israel." 1 wish 1 could unite in a more cheerful vein] hut I am"
not contented and never can be under the present regime^. however
I cannot consent to leave this Army. God" k :ows how^T have Vapored
for its welfare, hou I have worked for its friends, and aee~wh"t
reward 1 have reaped.

On September 27th, General Howard issued his order Pacier
Major Goneral F. j. T, Dana, temporarily in command of the 16tk
Army Corps Including the combined districts of Memphis and Vieks-
burg. The portion of the 17th Corps on the Mississippi River
were put into the loth Corps. I had no knowledge of this

^prder. It appears it was sent to me at Greenfield hut I did not
receive if and only heard of if later on when I reached General
Grant's headquarters. This order woas a great injustice to Major^en.
A. J. Smith who commanded the Right "hung of the 16th ^rmy C or p S
and myself, who commanded the Left Wing, both in active service,
while Dana' had never served in the Army of the ^fknw, and had
never been in the field. Why General Sherman allowed it, knowing
r 'ener*al Grant's preferences, 1 do rot know but, when the order
readied General Grant, it was held up. He saw the injustice.

On September 28th, T received a letter from Col. Thomso
Benton vP was a eitisen of Council fluffs and an o^.d friend and
who took into the field from that point, the 29th Iowa;

We felt sad when wo first heard' of your woourmi , eupricsimg it
to be mortal, but are much re'oiced go leer-nfhat yon are recover-
ing. rr r wm the papers, 1 infer that you are at Davenu-ort, and
hence write you rt tlvt place, and as m'y letter is on business, I
must say by way of apology do not trouble yourself about It unless

T am vug n- ir - : - g -r.f _ _y my, - -!. i-m,o -vr-i '- .

rev, r,< ' - ■-' -ve m a,, v - ■ }.- "•',; .fuo ^--p ^ ' r / - „

T , ;,^ > xl t , ,.,,.; i,,.,,! la ;p- •■gjor. •'* ; >- "d-a- ±, > •? - vV . ->* - - -
""dumiauoj a! a c " •• w'Pob h m\ • rr v. -• a- > ' ., g, -p - V -;m~
k ovi 1 :<: or i i P!; J r vr.n.ii-.'.ui.ub 1 d "wi.v-h . T ' a ■ .«.■•. nf
r<>'- f-reef 'pivot.-, j--, th.- ri 1 ".'-'- - 1 ■ •' , " 1 -:".' h y ^ - ■! " ho"
p- 4 ecu;" Irtgc: -.am f i cul-wg • _o>.d. "b-- h v.. -erg.-,-.. "
^x-ud dop. .<r :or! o,:w:v P.- whl^h ■? g> t hut H 4 p ~ --, -g' ,
A u;' bPo 4 '! ■' h° ■ be' - - mm no "'-vfun.'' - owe. ^^r P 4 -■ ; ww'. I •• a

282

regular Lager ^eer (Dutch) organisation and v- e have h-d to oubrrnt
to enough of their arrogance to sicken n dog, A Dutch B-^h - 3 -, n
Compander and a n u toh Commander fcr each brigade and ftmi ewn : -
thmg else .-on can nswie in Dutch--staf f, batteries, escorts, order-
xies, ..,:o. Lost spring we had for a short than a .'»oo> hrt'--r|r»
covrmrndor, General R>.e, fines rl.er.i. w e hPve raised n fund's
b'sYn'w.' to orect a monument to hi- niemorv. j ence !bau>-bt thorn-
;f rKKri Chileans were just the thine, hut I um hop co?rhM eu that
they arc a groat humbug and half of then cowards. The" ti^
^"sat on :-.t--lo and arrogance in camp a 1 . out permentu "mosts, "but
in the taoe of the a no my they boon a respectful distance, ^'e car'
sai-7orc transact, bus loess at Head Quarters withorh. hein^ in^itpT
by seme upstart.

"e are tirod nf this kind of life and wo want -nice -.™ r ^ to
get whore wo can associate with' white foil-?.. One briwade is nor
commanded by a - Colonel whose only recommendation is. teat be In-nt
a beer saloon In 3t » Louis, and can drinb -i gallons of la. ---'and
a quart of rot-gut a day. y i.i mill ask a-n y ve do aot ni-eiW
charges. That la the use of doing so with a division com-mandor
of the same stripe {-.aid court ditto. But enough of this,

@ar- officers and iron are al: amnions to fe with yon and -no
'tsli y)U to uae your influence to -have us transferred,, General
Steele has always treated both r:yself and regiment with great
courtesy and 1 would not wind in am any to iradicata tin'. Ho
appreciates -our •••cr vices and would regret to part with no and the
Dutch would be unwilling to let us ^,o because they want us to do
their drudgery and fighting for them.

I third-, with the aid of Kassoa and our delegation, bached
by your own ners.-ual application, you can get the change made.
I do not wish it to be known that it is in" eonseqtienee •-■ P any
complaint from ufi , but on the ground of ova mutual .acquaintance,
friendship j g;0 .

Please let me hoar from you when convenient, You are a good
engineer, air 1 if yen can engineer this thing througd, yon. will add •
to your reputation for scientific shlil and place us under last i: a;
obligations* It provokes w.e to think that Iowa is sending to the"
field, her chosen bands of patriots to be domineered over by men
just, from Europe and unable to speak our language, '.".'hen they give ■
an order ;<ou cannot tell whether it is shoulder arms, or ground
arms .

All is quiet he:re at present. I trust you will ea-on be able
to resume your duties and that we may join you this fall S

1 left Council Bluffs and reached Hem: .York on October 5th.

1 received permission from General Grant to visit his he ad- quarters

under the following order:
v /

/ Hd.Ors. Armies of the II. d. Hity Point,

Virginia, October 7, 1884.

Special authority is hereby granted Kajor General G, kg Bodge,
16th Army c orps, now in New York, wotinded, to vifeit these Head
Quarters in person. Military authorities will pass h'm accordingly
By command of Lieut, Gen . Grant, T. a, Bowers, Asst. Adj. General,"

I Immediately went to City Point, On my arrival there, 1 was

-•cordially greeted and. every attention 'ossible was given me while

I was there and I was given every opportunity to see the great

Army of the Potomac, General Rawlins, the Chief of Staff, took

me to visit all the Corps commanders and also General Meade, adien

I arrived at General Jleade's headquarters, General Meade was in a.

great rage at his staff for- seine tiling they had done or failed to do,

283

/\i >

. / " nn to see his sample room. It

„ni I

j \ ; erected to keep tine samples of

It. -is the, first time I ever saw a commons' ina officer os abusive

and I was rather astonished and said to' Rawlins that I thought

we ha"" better leave. He said,: "No; don't mind, this; it will be

over in a few minutes.." General' Meade received me very cordially

but 1 did not- see any where in that _Arniy, the friendship which

existed between the different -commanders or Corps and Divisions

which existed in our Army in the West.,, There was a disposition

to criticise fchat had been clone or what they had failed' to do.

General Rufus Ingles, who was the Chief Quarter Master, took me

was a long building which had been

everything furnishesd the 'troops .

and it was complete. When 1 returned to head-quarters, General

Grant said to me, "Dodge," if you had Rufus? sample room, it would

be all you would need for your; corps." I acquies-ced in this,

because the Army of the West had no such equipment as -the Army of

'the Potomac had.,, They were always based on tide ¥fater and could

- ' ' ■■■ ■" «* Commissary ■■-■

receiver full supplies of quarter masters stores all the time,^

our- ■ ,

while we were always far from base and could only obtain those "'

things' when we reached a railroad communication where they

could be brought to us,_so that our armies always lacked camp

del i'cae-iJps

equipage, clothing R and everything of that kind. ■ •

Every evening there was a : bon fire Built out in front of
the quarters and we used to sit around 'that f ire • and talk. General
Grant was very communicative to me a 1 , out all 'his campaigns from
the time he- personally joined the Army of the Potomac until then.
He told me of his successes and his failures. The failures generally
came from the failure of his orders being promptly carried out or
from some misunderstanding of -orders and one evening 1 innocently
asked him who was -to blame for these failures, saying that if it
had oc cured in the West, some : o-f us would .have lost our heads.
-He looked at me, smiled and said, "That has .jiof yet been determined,"
The fact is, General Grout never' • critl cirod an officer to others.

^IPlf, j wf!3 r j : city Print, there was an orcl^r issue,'' to General

enemey's A>ydyA **
Butler to try to break through V '■: .• lih^ -]y» Richmond or to mane a

demonstration of some kind and General Grant Bent. me up on his

boat with an aid to se<= this movement. vr e arrived there early in

' Extracts from ' letters of General John A, Rawlins

to his wife ^ S'be&fis o-f fK«'s i-n ove /w-e-mf-

■ City Point, October 12th, 1864. General Dodge of

the -Western Army is here. It does one's heart good to meet one

from the army that has made such a bright record for its country's

honor and its own fame., I can shake the hands of these veterans

and heroes with something ■ of the thrill of joy and pride that

preva.de s n.y being when I take hold of the hand of my own dear wife

after months of absence,
i

General Quiniby, formerly of the old Army, is also here,
He is, however, not in the service , having long since resigned.
Major General Doyle of the English service is here. He is the
least English and most American of any Englishman I have ever met.
He - sympathizes with us in our struggle to maintain our govern-
mental authority, and furthermore he believes we will succeed.

City Point, October 17th, 1864, General Butler, al-
though acting under positive orders not to attack the enemy in
fortified positions, did so attack, and lost for us fully 1,000
men, killed, wounded and prisoners, without any corresponding
damage, if damage at all, to the enemy. I am free to say I fear
the continuance of General Butler in command will some day work
-disaster of a serious character to . our arms. But General Grant
has had to deal with such men from the beginning and has succeed-
ed. I therefore have hopes he will succeed with this one.

Suf\^€

284

the ■■ orninn; and went out to the front find saw the troops move
out and at to ok the entrenchments while another force was to
turn the flan]-;:, I watched the movements of these troop a care-
fully, I was greatly astonished to see them get airoot up ti-
the entrenchments and there stand and fire without seeking shel-
ter, taking the enemy's fire steadily, while with ue , under ouch
circumstances, our hoys would immediately hove covered themselves
either by getting behind the trees or digging pits, but t'hia line
stood up until they were ordered to retreat, 'l eaw that the.
movduvent woe a failure and returned pretty early to r'if y point.
When I arrived, th re 0-eneriil Grant met me and asked me how matters
progressed up there and I told him I thought the movement was a
failure. He seemed greatly astonished at, what I said and 1
said to myself probably he had had different information or later
information and I had better keep quiet. He questiwned me pretty
closely and I told him what I had. seen biit I said I was not present
to see vhs.t occurred on the extreme right „ As we 1 were sitting
around the camp fire cboat 10 ©clock, he commenced receiving dis-
patches that put, a different face upon the attack from what his •
early dispatched had and he turned .to me and cold, "Podge, you
are right; it, is a failure," I leerned afterwards thet the dispatched
which were poured into him were of a terror of great success, I saw
that he was greetly disappointed. bile -I gas there , there were
a great many recruits coiling to that, army 'from the dr aft but
(Tenor-el Rallnws "told me thot the desertions were -"baud equal to
the recruits and that there was a good deal of -pessimistic feeling
among itr: officers. They seemed to think that generel Orent had
reached the end of his success and there was a great many a siting
for leaves: if was even said that Hancock was disappointed and
had asked to' be relieve* and I believe was and went to' Pennsylvania
o: - ;;o;uo place t-o ra«.^o o ^a^^'-vo .-.a-:.-,, j o;- ::.-.:■ : . -. .;..;-•
■fov-yiu-g lad 'ba.:-r-.I drouth obole i, ■;■",- .r; :; v-o 1 fta :.;; ■.;■.■ rib
,-.-.:-}-.r-- -' ■-...- - k,: v:.; ■ v%-. c ; rr;.m:j..o lj .: , -s ■,-:<• ■:>■• ■■...-.. •-■■•- "^

tlons for It. ' I. myself Imbtl:d;ed frf's. feel ins W^ttaf'of- .all his

staff. . . "

While I was here, 1 was ; told of the order of General Howard
organizing the 16th Army Corps and General Grant talke to me
about a movement upon Mobile ifrora Vicksburg. While the" had
■ heard of the order of out ting Dana at the head of the 16th A rm
Corps, as I remember it, they ^Jr.aC.£ not heaniof my being assigned
to that command. I saw from ;General" Grant's talk to me in
relation to if that' he hart in mind the sending of this- corps from.
Vicksburg to the rear, of Mobile, which I was to. command and a
movement by water. from lew Orleanse In connection with the navy,
■"lien I was at City Point, there Is no dmubt that these were

the darkest days of Grant's career in the East for the country
J ^^\ had begun to talk of his campaign as hot being successful, his

great battles as butcheries and there was a great deal of criti-
cism'" 0"f 'them. ' ,'" : ■ ■■ '■

When 1 wan starting ba k to my command, General Grant

requested me to call on President Lincoln. He. did not give me
any reason why- 1 should go, but, of course, a request from him
was an order, and 1 went to Washington on his steamer. There
was on board, this steamer, General fufns Ingles, the Quarter-
master of his ■Army, and Major-General Doyle, Commander of Mb
British forces in Canada., Major- General Doyle was an old, gray-
haired man. I was a young man end the one thing that troubled
the General was that he could not understand why I, so young,
could have the same rank as he did- -an old men sixty years of age,

then 1 arrived, at Washington and went to the White House,

to call on President Lincoln ,; 1 lie t _ Senator Harlan of • thite 'State

In the ante-room and he took .me in to See. the President, It

happened to be 'at the hour when the president was receiving the

crowd in the ante-room next to his room. Senator Harlan took .

Bi'e up to him Immediately and '■■ presented me to him. President.

Lincoln received me cordially and said he was very glad to see

me* He asked me to sit down: while he disposed of the crowd.

,,, aa+ ... ■"■■■■•

1 ■ - '" c , ..an '

2-86

i^yas^

i sat down end waited,* I saw' Mm take each person by the. hand
and in his kindly way dispose of them. To fin outsider, it would,
seem that they all get what they wanted for they seemed to" go
away happy. •! sat there for some ttr-, and felt that, I was over-
staying ray time with Mr, go Mapped up and aalh that 1 ha<i merely
called to pay my respects, and that I had no business, so would
say.soodhye, President Lincoln turned to me and said, "if you
have time,' I wish you woul d wait; I want to talk to you." 1 Mo
down again and waited quietly until he had. disposed of the croud .
When he was through, he took me into the next room. He sav th.M
I was ill-at-ease ? so he took down fron his desk a little hook _
called "The Gospel -of Peace." \ 1 think it, was written by Artonuo
MM and was very humorous. He oponed the hook, crossed his 1 eys
and began to read a portion of a- chapter, which was .so huriierouo y
that 1 began to lauph and it brought me to myself. When he ean

that he had' gotten 'me" in his pouer, he" TaldMhn hook down and

began to talk- to me -bout my visit to the Army of the Potomac
and that 1 saw. H e did not say a. single word about ny o-n
command 'or about the Mst, shoMn S hir. Mole interest wan in Mo
Array of the Potomac . Mile we .were sitting there talking, v;o voi-*
called to lunch. ' Pur in- the Mai he talked ehoui the Army or Ma
•Potonac an*. MoM MaM, o.M .f Me~ M 1-1 M to the place where
he asked me the question of MM 1 thought about Or ant, and MM
I thouahi aboM his next campaign. Just as he asked the question
W,e E ot up from the table. I answered, "M. President, you k:vu
we western men have Me greateM confidence in General Grant;
I have no doubt, whatever, that in MM noM campaign he will
defeat Lee -how, or Men he M to MM, 1 cannot Mil, , but I
• alt Rure of it.." He took my hand in both, of his and very eel- My
said, "You don't Mo- how glad 1 an to MM you say that." T .U<?
not appreciate then MM cheat .strain he was under-.-not until
reading belles'* Celebrated Diary, showing that Lincoln had no
person^uM him to -M.se hit.," that everything he did wao frcr,
his o-n thoughts and initiation. Mi is a wonder to me that he

,< w

■>,.., V y.^.., ; . : ,.. :K ,. W

287

ever sot through the "han so. successfully. I did not knew; then _ -
that Lincoln's table wa.s piled prith letters deK.ar1ciI.115 the change
of Grant , declaring thht his eo.Foooign. was a failure and wanting
to have a different eermaodrn sent, etc. "Tien I ros ready to leave
1 thprked President 'I, inccln for rho x he hrd done for no one! PSked
lf t}iere v.'RS an; thin- I foulr do for him. FH said, "If you. don t
care, I world like to have you: take my respects to your Army,"

After ray visit vith President Lincoln, 1 rent immediately to'
?fen York nhore X p S ain net. the, haiori Pacific people and consulted
with them in relation to their: plans for the future and I had an
understanding with them ahat -as soon as 1 left the Army, 1 was
to go hack on the Union Paoifin rood. Pn-n hen York I went for
a visit to my old hoy-hood hone in Peohody,, hon-oro, Eorely, etc.
I received a. dispatch from Cap|t.'j. if. wing from Atlanta asking
' to he ordered to immediately ™port to me and tellinn me thet on

"account' of not being ai'le'to" procure ' forage longer ''ah' Atlanta,

f V« / he h o.d sent to Copt. Bemjaminlat Some, Georgia, all my horses,

' / ' of fico equipment., okiniinp pness, hlo.uhn and cook. Captain

Benjamin agreed to furnish. forage and to take care of them until

my peti*.nn. • . :

, . n t nii- T ipft iTpfj York on the evening
On the evening of Octohf r -18uh , I loio wen vox n on

hootI.^^t the Rev. Alfred A. Putnam who had heen a .school-boy

■^L this isfe .coount of our neetin S and' also of my reoep^ ^ _

fion of FanU°l Hold;

, i',^,.,,,+ i 11( i r.-~.jool- and added very nvich to
Ti,d,r: 3 r: K hn : n ::;; nh-';,^ .; rc ,. t{ ..^ n ,.,„,, hurt

the inferos 00" po-o , ■,:. '^^.,1,: ' " Vd-r^ ,t^ v], r v P -or,; rp-or-h.,;!
P .ft*r ho wo;; nooofo- --h.ro ^,. ; • » „_ ■.■■■->■■:■■;■, kht

«er-°- — --^ ^: tc rr- 1: ;^ %* -•, ; - we^-ny, ^

frn?,-- v ..-• "'^'-'v/: ;;.; 7 v: T ,„:.V: , ;■ -S-.r. , t on; or the hoot

^urknydi on^. no,- n~ ■ ... .. ^. -• • •, y ;; , T , otic ^ r . irilkhnrp

o*,.tb.e ;vuuns Y-k, ^; l ;j;,;; ,, 0U ,, h ruY onj he lookon ot 010 nnr.
llokinj uon rif- r. sold,^; . -lou^. » peanokof oopnrn

1 loofnd of hiu, o:d ati.no, - - ~- i" ^ ,,,, r 1:e rt?P .y, tolfinp
tioa, *o rncopni f ^o. aooh ofh.e ; _ . ^V^irf h u ]>2 o±n T, "There
o n-.. .i dor-n ah-t r rfF " lfJ - 1 ; :k:.-r ;. -ln,,, in rouoo.i1 Roll

IB hcdap to>, ^--rr''^,;;:°; n - ! -^4i,f S'-'^^apool-^ftnu^rVnd T

,,,, .do; to to- yoo ^-y;,;:,." -. -----V; -, r : rnoh +.-. t^o

^ ■' V *V ^-'V'. ■ 1 n- "V/r-" "v-13,.1 11'v -' ™o ^ VOt '>"

r i

void

288

Fell , no both meet nemt monririg on one arrival I.n B-efon
to the ferleer houoe nod l' studied ho? T shoved menage this,
X got hold of a proper, a morning paper, ar.c 1 foun5 a^notiee of the
Meeting signed by Hon, Joeiah fhiiney as the' Chairmen of +-be
Commit too of arrange rent s . So I sent a messenger to h:n< at once,
carlo in the morning saying that "Major General Podge of the iVest,
has jnst arrived; end of course, as so m'eny distinguished iren,
soldiers and civilians are to be present, it would add great]" to
the interest of the neeting to hove him there; 1 believe f hot" you
will invite him," Well, the Che Lrnnn loot no 1 ime in inviting" the
Geneiml to be present at the meeting, seating myself where T
could- the the speaker... The evening pape; o hod not eorm id, yov
gee, and there was no ehonce for the public to hno<- thet kaior
Gen, Dodge vas to be there.

^rhon the neeting was assembled, early lu ohm aid crnoon,
gbent ton- or- throe o clock, the Mayor- came uo on the platform with
a greet retinue of vary distinguished men; men in regiment els end
badgee of he-no©, end there was Kaior. Gen, Dodge with hln's}iou.\cii^- , ^yii>s t
He raas assigned o very front seat, on the platform. Ohas. G, Ln 1 -
ing, one of? the most pixsininent men in Boston, presided, T do not
know whether' he bnen Gen. Dodge was there or not. I oupoooe he
did, but then he hex! his speech all mritten out and had no time
to make any alterations; so he read hie speech and referred to
other greet rn-ldiers, Great t, Shannon, &e , but made no mention
of Gen. Dodge* Probably, he did not know thot Dodge was there;
but if ho did, ""'drier it/ seems must, be the case, wee not quick-
witted enough, u? liiar Lunate cooxigh , to get it properly irisirtsd
into Ms introductory speech f as the presiding officer- o" the
occaeion. fleet left Edmord Everett a capital opporunity to take
all the gl-ory to himself, yen boom, and me he a great da ah ee an
orator; and he didn't ellon the opportunity to slip him. He v-uas
a man -oho could do it to the greateoi go;, ciule edvanuagi/, a.,,1
eo he dMed

"Th '■ he..G., -tble gentleman mho prooaiue o~c« the meeting
has recall fid a long list of greet and glorioua mam-'u; of men mho
hove nerved their country as soldiers, mho have mm greed vie-
torieo, who are deoorvf.og of their country's lienor and praiae;
but 4 here 1;- mo gallant chieftain mbom he omitted to mention in
the breed roll, end mhom they ^ere all ao fortanate as to have -a •

present ! I th them there, on thet oe-eaion. He referred, he said, •
to the noble j brave soldier from the Feet, Major Gen. Dodge, just ■
from the seat of - er, mho has come from Washington bringing die the
intelligence that all is nell - ith the Army of the- Potomac." By •
that time Everett had reload the audience, to the greatest, pitch
o" clmcitemeni . This man had been wounded, year know, before Atlanta
and the country bmd thought him' '' o be dead, and there he eac on
the y-lotform, "khe aodjoaco called ut from all parts of the
Hell 1 , "DedaeJ Dodge! DoPge! and he had to come formerd,
Tkor-oc he Rood vim >he epaulette and right- alongside him, the
most eol-edid orator of the day. 1 always thought itjea..;, oin of th
banniest occasions, and grandest opportunit oe, one of the mo.-d,
brii?.ient. 30,00003--? for the orate c in the norld , and Everett knew
how" to do if, urn I-:nov. ' Juui at the right point of time ohen
the exci tenant was et mhite hoot, with 'that qui tot of his firgmr, y
V ou vne-,-.-, he stepped forward. "Yea, felloe citizens, yea* and -
bearing honorable' scare on hie bi'ov . " As hm said this, he
touched the General's brow with hie fiugrr. " Bearing honoreblo
sc.^n, non in deedlp coe.fl.iet." But -it van; an. om.Da : amf-g tmone
of emei.tem-nf end o- -yd- net com. dot .tag mould hare been bettor than
that or more affecting; you could not concern of anything 3 ike
it. Bat how they appiaueleld the General! \

2 B:

When the Hon. Edward Everett brought' me forth to .the audience.,

they demanded a speech, but ,1 was not used to public speaking so

confined myself to telling of matters as 1 saw them 'at. City

Point and referred briefly ' to our victories in the West, which

was very enthusiastically received. "The audience in the Hall

was a very .ippres. iva one to me. It was composed of old bald-.

he aded men; the hall was crowded and people stood up all over
A.

the house and the occasion being in behlaf of the army In the
field, aroused the enthuaaism to the greatest pitch 1 ever saw ■
and 1 was' greatly impressed with it.

On SafBrtiiaer 20th, 1 vent : to Peabody, Mass.. and stopped
with my Uncle, Alonso P. Phillips and remained with him during
tlr~» 21st. On the evening of the 21st, a great receipt Ion was
given me at Peabody, which had; "been my home during a part of my
boyhood days. They had a torch light ' procession that was over

a mile in length and ended at the perbod} Institute' where I was

-.. ha . a

given the reception. -Speeches were yrixdaL by old residents,

especially one by the minister- of the Universalis! Church which
my father attended when he lived there. Nothing could have been
more cordlaly than the 'reception I received: in Peabody. All the
people whom I knew came to see; me personally and as 1 rode at
the head of the procession In the evening, the side walks were
wrowded and I was kept standing dnrlny the entire distance in _
response to calls and cheers for me.

On October 22nd, 1 went to forth Danvers where" I was' born and
was received there' by citizens at the Town Hall and was driven
all' over that country and. shown the different places -of interest,
. especially Whitller's home .V Whit tier was a great friend of my
father; 1 have often heard -my -father repeat his poems.

On October 25th, I went to Rowley and visited my Uncle, Benj.
Dodge. There was no town here but the people from all over the
country gathered at his home and I 'was given -a reception there.
Tills was where my father was born end where the Dodges had lived
for generations and occupied the oaiee f E .r;s and vorked in -the same
mill and which Is ovnef still; by the Dodyes,

.290- .

From 'Rowley. 1 went to. Sclera and. visited Daniel Haskell,
. who' was a very old friend of ;my father. In the evening there
nas a reception for no In- Keehani^cs Hall and I was received
h-"- ,p-eor-:e T '-cutv:ell and Moses - Kimball „ I-'y- reception there was
also very enthusiastic, the -hall was .jammed full; mat the corn-
pllment paid me by Bon.t1.7ell and. Kimball raised the. house to a
high pitch of excitement, olieri 1 stepped up to respond to the
call of the audience, offer 'Boutuoll had concluded, a lady in
the gallery threw* a "bouquet at me. I did not see it and
It struck me on the 'he ad. The hlood spurted out of ray wound .
-and a horror went out over the crowd nhioh was hard to describe.
It staggered ns hut did not take ne.froo my feat, I stepped
back a stepoor two- ond said that no harm had teen done: that 1
was noihurt, which greatly relieved them,, but 1 saw, running

thr-ough- -the., hall... nil .the. time.. I was speaking.,... a ...teftW#; fear

that r had been hurt. After this was over, ray Doctor told me
I would have to quit. 1 was; not gaining in strength and what .
had occurred at Mechanics Hill frightened him a good deal more
than it did me and from' there I Immediately avoided, any further
receptions. 1 went to And'over and visited Mr. E. Upton who
had been my school teache^nd from there, on my return to Salero,/ ,
I met Mr. Allen W. Dod C e of : Hamilton, the father of Havy Abby V
Dodge, known as &alfe)^ji* Whad often written me letters

during the war._ . - :

" On October 27th, 1 took the' cars for the West. 1 arrived

at Greenfield , Xnd, at 6 A; M. on the ..30th. On that day, 1

received a letter from Col.! "c. Cadle- giving an account of the

death of Col. T. E. ' G." Ransom, *ile at the head of the 17th Amy

lorps. It is as 'follows: ; ^ .

; R01W Ga.» Sept." 3D, 1864.

+ -,.,„ ,-fv,, ,.,-nn hr've heard of the death
Before you receive this, jC, .■■..+- '"• L

of General. R*nPO". J„ b ,,. _'„.,+ ,-^, P ,v-'f 1 ien? s I- con 'sldrr

^-ic/in- y-; .0 be r '';;;"-;.. 1 ,; rl ;.- fi ;,,' •;., ; vlr tin, to- his death,

it my duty to rive yor <-re ; o;u 1 ■^■-]^ p -. -. _ dylng> ana
r:-» re oe._no.L-"] _-y e. '"• "'y '. ' ""'" - " ,-,; Cc ,.„-, .■< .-;| C e «t 2:25 o'clock
wished to he rememberer, to ,u . -^./ .;-;;; *j.„;',;, c > ersentery,

o-o veeferdoy afternoon -bouu u. ei., f n„ a h.-m ■.-•■• <•» - •>

-291-

He- was taken first with it at East Point on the 1st inst. just as
tre were starting on our last campaign. He refused to stop "but
continued on in command of the Corps until the 18th when he was
obliged to relinquish it. This was at Gayiesville, Ala, He
remained there .attended by Lt. ' Trddway and myself with a Surgeon
until the 29th when the movements of the army made it necessary
. for us to go to Rome. We started with him on a litter, but on the
second day when within six miles of Rome, he commenced to sink.
We took him into a, house and. in about four hours he died.

His death was calm and peaceful. He said he was ready to due
but would much rather have been killed in battle. He gave full
directions in regard to everything and spoke of all his friends „

His death was as his life, heroic. The country lias lost one
of her best officers and his friends have lost their best and
noblest friend*

Capt. ^oane and Lt. Tridway went north with his reiaains.
Doane returned from home a few minutes before his death,

'He is to be buried, by his own direction, in Chicago,
Major General Mower has been commanding the 17th A,0. since
General' Ransom was taken sick, but General Blair is back and
General 11. will take the 1st division (formerly 2nd division, 18th
A. C). ' -JL,

We are about to let go of Hood's rear and go on a gran/1' raid
de situation unknown," jl.

On October 30th, I left Greenfield for Nashville and received

/( there by the hands of Col* Mogrill, the following letter from Col.

Spencer:

Rome, Ga, , November 1st, 1884,

Yours from lew York is received. We are all bus It e and ex-
citement here just now, being on the eve of another campaign.

Tfe send your horses, books, papers, safe and money by Col,
Morrill, who is ordered to report to you, 1 would like to receive
an order from you to join you. 1 tried to get a leave but could
not on account of this march, 1 am ordered to report to General
Howard and he gives me command of my re Iment 5th Ohio and 9th
Illinois s and is to try to get another regiment. 1 think 1 can
make some reputation on this trip.

Generals Sherman, Howard and Corse have complimented me for
the part 1 took in the late short campaign when Hood went North,
and have all made some promises, but 1 attirubte it more to known
friendship to you and a desire on their parts to conciliate you,
1 had a long talk with General Sherman about you yesterday.
He denies any attempt on his part to in any measure, take" a com-
mand from you, and nnys he would prefer you to either Blair or
Logan, but three cofcji.s ' in the Army -of the Tennessee was too
small &c. Blair and Logan, he says, have a political power
and that it is useless to fight, that Blair was soreheaded because
he was not given the army, and thag was the reason 1 accused him of
injustice and' underrating you; all of which he denied.

1 have found out the secret of managing him; it is to complain
of bad treatment and injustice on his^part. He can stand anything
but that, but 1 don't think he is governed by rules of justice,
but by wh'ms and he cannot stand a person that will stand up and
Insist upon his rights. Blair he pronounces an unmitigated
nuisance* Logan is a bitter enemy of yours, why, 1 cannot
imagine. If you were' here now, you would have the 15th corps, as
Logan is not here and unless he gets here In the next two days,
he will not be here in time.

Poor Ransom! He died the 29th three miles from here in an
ambulance. It. is a great loss s as he was one of , the best men 1
ever' met and next to you had more friends than any one 1 have met
in the army.

9 q 9-

N» O IV

Col Kerr ill. will tell you the -Ian of the PM.-.ni^,, T v, ••■„.»
told It to him and ln<™< vhnt It. I,-, as I have it from Ooreral
.vhermnr 's ; nucth. • ' "

I ! 10 :^ T abr;11 " et letters from you tubes I ranch the des'Mnntion
I sore v,- make -cine reputation end obtrin rore i.nf lr..-:nco than 1
no"- hsvc tth both Ohorman end Howard, ond v,u mov r-^t ' n^ur •--."■:
that I shall not let art opportunity pas.-. to>u ether •- ur"l nivm/ats
xl- a.,. o . a:ou over pertteul or, - i

Y VV- r Gl ': - cl|,li ' ;1 '^ ''iH ~-vcr forgot you, and Kill -Jf-^s
curse she order breaking up the cornehd, bhen th^vn-et -ais th~
money on the sword ulll he paid, and -on rill hrv-^tho •rj- : -.e*t /'10
ever presented, _ _i " "

X regret I onji't 3 ee yon so 'as .to toll ^"ou all that ho,, p-, p ~
pened. T hovo gotten along veil viih Horse /and ho io e fr.ir.pY
of yours, but ho . is intensely selfish, end Is looking out for"
number one. Ho never refuses me anything and conauUs me oWrot
everything, t don't think ha favored 'the breaking u- of the Corps
and did all he could to prevent it."

At hooh^ii:e. -u i.revemh.-.r Orb, I received ;hc following
order fron Conere] Sherman :-

Xtt, Oelh. 0, yy bodge, United States Volunteers, with the
officers of bin staff, Fill proceed to "lobshurg, Miss, and rc-?ort
to llnjor Ooneral If, J. T. Dana, Commanding Id'UYAimry Yaps, for
assignment to duty on Co, annular of tV Left ' 3 btng ; loth Array
Corps and District of Vieksburg, The Ouortorwns ten Deportment
will furnish transportation for the Officers' private Horses and
public and private baggage,"

On November 7th, t-he election came > giving an overwhelming
me lenity for President Lincoln, Iowa giving 10,000 seniority,
ctl-i ying eeiny ooiaviy ■ y.c^,': t', o,

?'hile et bbshvllle on November Sth : I 'received a letter from
Mr, Peter b., Bey as follows:

Youro re;"; received some darg^ago, I' a in at a lone whet to
ansi?ar you no to trotting after* Durant any ford, her, 1 wiLl not.
"aha road thus far owes more to me than any Kan connec ; ed vith it--
even tbo Denver peo-nla conceded a route necessary to -success as
far "north as the Onohe La Poudre--the surveys thus far, and we have
m out line of then, d I show that I hove hit the locality every
timo. Our fa*.].tn^ to conn n?. Lo-d. tiro Platte end Republican Valleys Is
simple becauoe tire iriiltnry were unable to furnish us en eseortp
The fea of sitting ■ 1 ovm deliberately and writing the Doctor day
'1 v after day and week after week withoiTt answer or notice, ■and then

A" all of a sudden to find' a. batch' of telegrams hot and furious about

. , , matters that I had written and talked and preached time out of mind.'

''Y" The truth Is^Dr, Durant 'iec trio many other things to think of

and pays ^ery little et,tentio.n to anything until he happens tc

«u

want it, when Instead of walking into the sbther room where these
things should be, he pitches off a lot ,of telegrams.

It is gratifying to me at least, to know that the surveys
and examinations of Reed, Evans and Case strike the same route In
almost every yarticular as I have Indicated and they can find
nithlna elsewhere that compares at all favorably,

Silas .Seymour was out here with Mr, V'ilDiams, Gkovernment
Director; both had letters In their pockets from Durant to me asking
me to show them the Eastern end o f Mrs road, end advise with them
freely 'about grades, bridgmig, location of stations, etc. A few
IJours after their arrival your telegram came, informl! ng me that
these things were none of their business, that nobody must look
into the Platte Valley „ I showed the message to Km Henry, who

293

+ l L 1 °^l 1 , t 7 ° U ''"'^ i mtil <« on a grdai many airs I then, told limn
iha, uh e message was dictated by Mr Duranf as you woulc nev"«
qi your own accord, send anything oh' the Kind, Vnr" nu- - V>-
brains foWBomc hours and condluded that he' had l^/^Xt^
.-1-c cns.ncca Dom, thet there was not sen ,, e „ h ^ ihe°?hSl^
pari;,-, to got many i dea s out of it.. j POUli ^ + n n- -n ? ■,
manage matters to perfection. b °° New J " 01k au *

+ 1 -X f 2 ' f iu ls ibere 1S no uee in trvSng. That clo^s

the Doctor wont yon to do? 1 can't for the life^o/me fathoS his

_hJJL cXj. lo $

This contract destroys the charm of the ^or\ ao it wan] d hav-
been creditable to have built a chea- road- no man'cnn cfll^sn'ooo
per nine for a road up the Platte Vallev anything else ''nit a h5r-
swindle— and thus it must stand forever". " '" '

I cannot see who is the gainer as the road is denroo:! atod so
much in value as its cost is swelled, mid constructor" and the Road
are swindles by the same .process— both rendered worthless.
Did the ir. ?<■ It, represent only its- actual cash coat toda-w "do-ei onv
man believe that it would take long to raise fho means to complete
it? Hoping to hear from you soon.

On Mie scots day, I received the following letter fnom General

Howard:

Smyrna Camp. Ground. Ifoveynhe^ £- 1 flv.

I recoived your kind note. My confidence in you as an uro-
righf man and n godd soldier hoe never been impaired. 1 would
have been ver^ pled tr hove hod ;,oi; hod the 16th corps and to
have had if in the field, but for reasons which I will explain
to you at length when I see you, 1 recommended General Dana,
He appeared to be senior to you and General A, oh ^mithj but T
assure you 1 .shall be gled to hove yon command a corps under me in
tho field when opportunity offers. At present 'General Oater-haus is
commanding the Ifth corps, and T an reluctant to- hove General
Wqo^ , who is commanding his division, again thrown bach to a
brigade, which he would be in case of General Logan's return or
of another and outside assignment.

Tail between you and me, T nuieh prefer yourself to General
Ostorhuus as a matter of personal preference; the 16th corps is
now broken up? ^nd T don't know v/hat you will have," ,

I loft Nashville for St. Louie, prepcEatory to leaving for

my command at Vichshurg an/?, on November 11 received the following

letter from General v. F„ nnrajue t

hkrioitn, do,, Fern 11, 18t34 a

lour esteor-en four of the 3d instant wob received late last
night, and as our eovmunioal ion e with the north are to be closed
for a time , 1 improve the last opportunity to write you.,...

There has been, and is now but one expression in your old
command and that is, deep regret at losing you as a commander--
this feeling I believe is common to all, and is often mentioned---
for* my oe If, I have had a faint hone •"that I might be ordered to
report to you. If you should desire it at any time, and can
procure such an order. , it would suit me exactly.

It was •understood, here that you won,] d <be assigned to the
command of the 15th corns, and T think ouch was the intention; but
I aspect, without knowing positively that General Logan did not
feel entirely friendly to you, and that some of his officer's were
btought to partake of the same feelings. I may be wrong in the
suspicion, but I think not, .As. opportunity offers I shall leanr
moee about those things, and shall not fail, to advise yourof all '
that will interest you,

"'General Blair has returned aa you may know, and is in oomriidir
■of this corps. Kavor General Kower has been assigned to the command

294

of this division. You will believe that we regret and mourn the
loss of General Random.

The Army has just paid and clothed, =nid 1b in rood condition
^«*e it in to go has not yet ."Transpired" . Thio Division is to
destroy the rood from Noonday- Creek to half a mile south of Mari-
etta, probably tomorrow,

Fe looked upon the command- of the division of Yickeburg- as
an important one; and eiropoeed it to be the very nest thing to
the command of a corps in fho field.

. We have had a good deal of rain. The roads ore in a bad-
condition, but it is now clear and cold,"

Tfaile in St. Louis, I received a dispatch from. Oeneml ■
Rawlins which indicated to me that General Grant was not satisfied
with my assignment and. on November 12th I received a diapathh from
Col, TrT . It Clark, Assistant Adjutant General of the Army saying;
"DO^'t go to Vieksburg. Moot me -«t Louisville on the 15th."

§)n the 15th T went to ii^&is ullk K , and saw Col. Clark. Ho in-
formed me that my orders to go to Vieksburg had bean suspended by
General Grant; that he was not satisfied with the a,%s4#»ts4,ri and

that ^ General Howard was greatly worried over it and that by the
order of General Grant , >$ had been ordered to St,' Louis and he
handed me the fo lowing order from General Howard: -

Louisville j Nov. 17, 1864.

_ IV. Major General G. II. Dodge and Staff rill proceed to St.
Louis, Missouri, and there establish his Head fhiartern for the
purpose of making out reports of thr Campaign in Georgia and
completing the records of the Left "ing, 16th Army Corps.

He will then await further orders from Headquarters of the re~

igrtment in the field. "

Major Barnes, Asst. Adjt. General, will rcccnnaiv- r\*v* P r«-.i
Doo.gr to St. Louis, hlieoouri or other points, for the purpose nf.
assisting him in making his reports.

Tbe following letter from General Howard to -Ceriem! Grant a>;ows
that General Howard was not fully satisfied in hie own mind with the
orders he had' leered in relation to the organisation of the Idth A

/s . O

Atlanta, Nov. S, 1064 .
General Grant r-

'-wounrt Ma rT Gen ^ 1 .^^ i I learn visited you ..when awav -U.h hie
• *ound. I have heard he felt disappointed in riot havir- t^e Vfith
n? So.^T i 1 aSSUPe ymi he is a wor ^y officer., B nd ne t «m
l e Y e Vl^ l^ COmmn ^ R dlvldlon or « ^ under me; bu? Snerals

A^-SSZ"* 7

-€h

'-g^StfE-*?

Annals
over- state

Chicago j October 19, 1SGJ

H<5h. C. 0. Carpenter s

Fort Dodge , lev; a. • -

D e a r ■ o v error;-

I have juei read your Interesting article in. the
of Iowa f ,gv... .Q,Qi,Qh§J^ 1 happen to know that you do not
'General Grant' 3 high estimate of General Dodge's ability, and of
the value of his services, to his country. There is one fact in
connection with his -military career which greatly emphasises that
estimate , and it is a fact of which 1 have never seen aeixtion in
print--indeed, I do not know th.Pt there ia any public record of
it. The fact in that 'General Grant soap time 'prior to General
Sherman's march to the sea, had in contemplation the sending of a
strong column from Sherman's, army to the sea, and had actually
gone so far as to r-eleet an officer for the command of the (expe-
dition and that officer was. General Dddge. The only person whom -
lie i,F known to have taken into his confidence in the matter was
General Sheridan, and it was 'General Sheridan himself who gave
me the particulars.. Here may be found the explanation of General
Grant's ordering General Dodge to the East, where he remained at
headquarters for a week or two , being afterwards ordered to conn and
West of the 'Mississippi. General Grant's purpose in bringing him
to City P. 'lint at that time has always remained, aoiaet-aing of a.
mystery, but the probability is that he wanted to give General
Dodge personal instructions for his guidance in conducting "this
contemplated expedition, developments in Sherman's
operations probably causing a _ change in his purpose
time,

I see your' article is to be continued in the next number,,'
and naturally in treating of the Atlanta campaign, .in which General
Dodge performed so magnificent, a part, 'it has occurred to me that
a tact of this nature
one to present -

1 shall
interest.

to give
in conduct

field of
in the mean-

would be regard by you as an interesting

watch for your next article with a great .deal of

Very

truly
N. E.

yours ,
Dawson,

Port Dodge j Iowa, Oct, 27, 1893.

N. E. Daw a on, Esq, , •

Chicago, 111.

Dear Sir:-

1 received your letter of recent date in which you write
about iay article--f irst part, in regard to General Dodge; and
'mention an incident which I will use tin the January number. 1
thank you for taking the pains to ^ write toyw&*

1 served on Gen. Dodge's etaff for two yeare,, and ■ oarae to
know hire, pretty thoroughly. Fe wau one among the beat officer?

the servicej an< 5 like Grant, his stron
thoroughly in
even show.

joints were that

and was not afraid to fight when tw
C C, Carpenter,

he was
; had an

296

Port Dodge, Iowa, Oct. 26 , 1893,

General' G, M. Dodge, • . ' "

No, 1 Broadway, New York.

Dear General; -

* I enclose you a letter from M; K. Dawson. If he is right
about this matter I should like to make use of It. I mistrust
that he has somewhat confused the purpose which General Grant
had in view, I have long been aware that he Intended to plaee
you in command of an army to move out from Vick.'-hurg with the
purpose of crossing the country and taking Mobile. And 1 suppose
the fact that Hood marched around Sherman's flank and pushed' "
his way into Tennessee changed this purpose of Grant's. As he
foresaw that if Sherman made a campaign to the sea, Jeavlnff Thomas

to take care of Hood s 'that all the forces along the Mississippi
except barely enough to police the territory, would he needed by
Thomas, so he gave up this scheme and asked for your assignment
to command the Department of the Missouri, Please tell me if
I am right in my diagnosis of the situation.

The public records, which I have been able to reach con-
cerning your operations while In command of the Department of
Missouri are very meager Indeed. {They had not then keen onb-
, lished. Ed) Up to the time you left the Army of the Tennessee
at Atlanta, from the time you took command at Corinth, I was
with you; and had personal knowledge of your -lovements. But
after you left, I was assigned to the staff of General Logan, and,
ox course, had no personal knowledge of your subsequent career whUe
in the army. Did you make a written rpport of your operations- whn e
in command of the Department of Missouri, and also Sf your campaign
against the Indians In 1868? if so, 1 presume the corllerB of
the rebellion record have not reached these reports In the order
of time, I wonder how I can work it to get copies of these
reports I

I desire very much to attend the reunion of the .Army of the
Tennessee at its recemt meeting in Chicago, but was unaMe to do so.

Very -truly yours,

C. C. Carpenter."

The only explanation I can give of Mr. n. E. Dawson's

statement is that General Grant must ' ave referred to giving me

command from Vicksburg to Mobile which he talked toll e about when

I was at City Point, General Sheridan never said anything to (I

me In relation to this matter but Mr, Dawson^ who compiled allL^

mj records and spent a yeQ . r at It^nd whom I sent to General '

Grant .When he requested me to recommend, someone as his Secretary

and stenographer, was with General Grant when he wrote his own "

memoirs and It was to Kan Dawson that he dictated Me 2n d volume

Mr. Dawson always a „u>. to me that It was some other command beside.

J*~*JojJ .<%ft**r-

This letter received by me in 1886 is the £irst
intimation I had of what Er. Dawson states and which information
he accorded in his letter to C. C. Carpenter. I ■ think at the
time that the conversation occurring between Sheridan .and Grant
was when Rood had gone to the rear of Sherman at Atlanta and . ,
it • was supposed that Sherman would follow him which would have
put a stop to the march to the sea and the theory of General
Grant was that if Sherman followed Hood there would be very
little opposition to the march either to Savannah or Mobile
, and that they might have thought of placing me in command of
troops for that purpose. I know General Grant was very much-
disappointed that I 'did not go to Vicksburg and with the 16th.
Army Corps move on Mobile and when that was stopped he may have
had an idea of giving 'me command of Atlanta either to move
toward Mobile or toward Savannah but I had no direct information
of this myself.

220 Md . Ave . , U . S .

Washington, May 17, 1888.

Dear General:

Are you aware that Gen . Grant at one time h'\d it
under consideration to send you in command of the "Matich to'
the sea" expedition?

Have you given up coming to Washington?

Yours Truly,

N. E. Dawson,
tren . G . M . Do dge ,
' New York.

.297

he one to Motile that General Sheridan referred to; however, n

they had in their mind never came to pa as. ^/Wttj-J- C\3) t

ffl rs .Pa-Jfe ' • •

•V'nile at St. Louis, ^ received the following letter fooa

Mary -Abby Lodge, one who was well-known as Gale Hamilton and. as
the Biographer of -the Life of J nines G, Blaine;

Ham i 1 1 on , Ma s s «, , H ov . 16, 18 64 .

My dear Cousin: -

Yott inpy be, a little surprised at this sudeen assumption of
relationship, but if you had been brought, up ainonn; as. rainy Dodres
as I have, you would understand how I have beer, forced- to idopt
something like Darwin's principle of selection— oo Mien t see P
Dodge of distinction, I claim him at -once, but when I en 'ashed ' ■
about a disagreeable or otherwise objectionable one, I sa- care-
lessly, 'Fell, I s-ppose he came from the seme stock, but' we dr, ' .
not trace any relationship!" , - • '"

¥ou know » however, thet selection iiupliee the power of r. n- C .
tion so you can condemn me out of ray o?:n mouth if ™ choose.

ny friend, Mr, 'Dodge— a Dodge whom I acknowledge— bed the
greet good fortune to meet you on the way to Lawrence and he v/ao
so enthusiastic in his estimation that you night not take it emiss
if I should send you "A New Atmosphere" of which T hnpnen to hove
several copies in my possession. I assure you I should: not have
thought of such a thing myself for it is a violent and fBi-oriouc

little hook; ^nd
ginning to end.
midst of war and

I ^ know, because 1 hove read it careful] v fron ho-
lt seems a pity that 'people -who ar* Ihvir- in 'the
into a "B-ttm nf^T° r n °fT r f a11 the tlme * 8bould ^ '*hruat ' '

P V + °i li:i » f'^aps, the General end yourself ai'e nn' RC c— fo-n

ed to warfare thr-t the hot shot. which oomns pe U down t hron' •?
this new ateostpher will seem to you onlyVsWr^

?>V C ^ e "oblo .nan who hns ennobled the nai-e w hr.r Bu +

^oi/JT" 01 ?°* ' 2°- WOrdS can e *P rea '* G^tifude for ecde, Xn
thin- of ni tf'" re ^^ notbi ^" ^e-ept '^hat is easy to - V^rt

craving not only death r. n ich i* f 1ln - t ,,,,,+ Kl I ^V 1 "' d " n ^ 1 >

££od of talking!

" T ^„" f y ' branch of the-. family had half ns Pinch

L S^alT 8 E ° m h ^ 6ee y° u ln Danvers, but
one who did ao wanted to e«e you .more , or had

a £T

and

-egard and gratitude

than I

V7 h o

s t e v

COT

am sure
PT en ten i

a s
that

awe

yonr;

Most truly yours,

Mary abby Docke,

^ -... t~

298 ■■

While at St. Louis, Major General I!. J, T. Dana, commanding

a 16th Army Corps, applied to -the " x ar Department for me to be ■

ssigned to him, to take command of the district of West Tennessee,

and charge of the campaign ' that :was then being made to break up

the Mobile .& Ohio railroad. General' Canby also applied to the "* r "<r

Department to have me assigned to him to take part in the campaign

against Mobile that was then being arranged but General Grant on

November. 25th , wrote General 'Haileck as follows; -

"While in Washington, ■ I .urged the removal of Rosecrans and
the substitution of Podge for his plaae. I would like you to urge .
^•j this upon the President," ' ;

On December 2nd, 1884, the War Department, issued General

Order #294 as follows; '. ,,

I. Major-General G. M. Dodge, U.S.V. is appointed by the
President to the command -of the -Department of Missouri,

II, Major-General Rosecrans, on being relieved will repair
to Cincinnati, Ohio, and report i.by letter to the Adjutant General
of the Army." :

Before issuing this order, the War Department wired to General
Thomas asking him whether 1 was well enough and available for duty,
showing'" that'" while"" they "had "been 'receiving' dispatches"" all ' during
the month of Nbvemver in relation to me, they did not know where
1 was, ' ".

On December 8th, 1864, I received a dispatch from the Assis-
tant Adjutant General notifying me of the General Order of the
Department and directing me to t&ke the command immediately and to
notify the War Department when 1 was in command. Upon reoieving
fehis dispatch, I had not yet seen the order assigning me to duty
in the Department but 1 called onjfeneral Rosecrans and showed him
the dispatch. He Tad the -order and I suggested to him that he . .
issue the order placing me in command, when he turned on my very
indignantly and said that, he understood 1 had been in Washington
seeking his command and decline to issue -the order. J made no
answer to him but got up and left. As t went out of the Qfflc ^
I saw 0ol o Dubois, whom I knew, Inspector General on General
Hoseoran's Staff and asked him to dra, up the order ana iW it
to me and that j would be at the Llnd eli Hotel. Ab art noon Dubois
came over " to tne.Lindell Hotel and said General Resecrans wanted
to see me. I told Buboia" that if General Rosecrans' wanted to see

-39-9-

mo,-I would be at the Lindell Hotel. General Roseorans came over
to the hotel ..and told, me that Mien he made the statement he did,

it came from information lie found was not true and said he was
willing to give me any information 1 desired in relation to the
Department. I told General ftoseerans that the command came to
me as a surprise; that while it was a promotion, it was a great
disappointment and until 1 received the order I knew nothing about
the change and did not know what had caused it and at that we
parted and my order to assume command of the department was issued.

On December 3rd, 1 received a letter from Mr. B. B. Braytfcn,
... 'f' Division Engineer on the Union Pacific in which he said he desired to
quit railroading and asked if 1 could not give him some place. In

,<#

/ speaking of the work he said:

1 believe it is the intention, that Durant v will. push the
Union Pacific as rapidly as possible up the Platte Valley to the
Mountains, as the Government aid outs ids of the lands will give
a profit. of|8 to 10,000 per mile. 1 think when they have reached
the Mountains and have got all the bonds for the road built
the company will throw up unless additional government aid
sufficient to leave a margin over celt is granted through the mountain
region,"

This shows the view of one of the engineers of the east of
building the Union Pacific, The fact is the subsidy to the. 'mountains
would not pay any where near the cost of the work while the subsidy
after they reached the mountains was so large that there was quite
?. profit in it.

On December 5th, the Hon. John A. Kasson wrote me as follows:

Washington, D.C.December 5, 1854,

You are to supercedes Rosecr»ans in Missouri. 1 also under-
stood the Sect, of War you were to have Arkansas: but 1 may have
misunderstood him as to Arkansas. Some change is 'to be made there*

A confidential friend of mine, who Is near Grant, told me
today that the reason you were not with Sherman was that it was .
feared your strength was not adequate to the proposed campaign*
He assured me that was the only reason, not any Interior schemeing
Whatever. Your position was strong every other x-ray,"

When General Roseorans was relieved, Secretary of war Stanton

asked General Grant where General Roseorans should be assigned and

General Grant made the following response:

City Point, Ya a D e c, 2. 1884.' 1 P e M.
Hon, P* M. Stanton, Sec, of War,
Washingt n, D„ c.
Upon receipt of Thomas' dispatch, I sent him a dispatch which he
no doubt. you read as it passed, through the office, ROsecrans will do
less harm doing nothing than on duty, 1 know of no department
which deserves having such a punishment inflicted upon them

-300-
His name can well go on • the list 1 sent tr \ a few days ago,"

1 quote tills to show that General Grant had never changed his
opinion of General Rosecrans since the battle of Corinth.

As' soon as 1 assumed coraiand and got into communication
with the staff, 1 found there had been a great many dispatches sent

to Rosecrans urging his sending troops to the aid, of Thomas and that

vKssr

there was great dissatisfaction in 'the Department in the way he

o*t allotted Price to roam 'over Missouri, when he had troops enough in
£hw the command, if concentrated, to stop him before he reached the
:^V latitude of St. Louis;
/ On December 9th, General Grant sent the following dispatcu to

General Halleck:

City Point, Va., Bee. 9, 1884.

Please direct Gen, Bodge to s end all the troops he can spare
to Oen„ Thomas, With such an order he can be * relied on to send all
that "can properly go a They had probably better be sent to Louisville

for 1 fear either Hood or Brlekenridge will get to the Ohio river.
1 will submit whether it is not advisable to call on Ohio Indiana
and Illinois for sixty thousand men for thlr ty days. If Thomas has
not stttrck yet he ought to be ordered to hand over his command to
Schofield, There is no better man to repel an attack than Thomas,
but 1 fear he is too cautious to even take the 'initiative."

The first dispatch 1 received after assuming command was frmm
General Halleck ."to send all the fcroops I could spare to General
Thomas bgt such route as 1 might deem best* General Grant said:
"'With such an order you can be relied upon to send all that can
properly go.« n 1 learned afterwards that President Lincoln was pre-
sent when this order was given and that it was he who suggested to
General' Hallecathat that portion of Grant's dispatch should be added
saying, "It might induce Dodge to make an extra effort to help .Thomas
out," In "looking over the command, 1 found there were no organised
rebel forces in the State, nothing but guerrillas and 1 therefore took
every organized regiment in the command sent it to Generll Thomas.
There were two divisions of the 16th Army Corps under Maj. General
A. J. Smith who had already started and 1 added' to this some five regi-
ments of infantry, a regiment of cavalry and several batteries.-

'" '" ... ' - '-

Mrs. 3\* 16?. Ransom, the mother of Gen. T, S.G.Ransom, wrote me a

letter in answer to one of mine- in- which she says:

- New York, Dec. 9, 1864.
Tour warm expressions of sympathy are very, grateful to our

sorrowing hearts; we know' you were strongly attached* to our dear,
precious Greenfield, and will mourn sincerely our irreparable loss.
What lie was to us, no langugage can express.- In him our earthlv

affections were too deeply centred; I had often feared. Every"

(flft

•'St. Louis, Dec.. 11, 1864,

Dear Mother:

Before this you will have seen in' .the papers that 1 have been
assigned to the command of the Department' of Missouri, very un-
expectedly to me and without any endeavoring on my -part to obtain
it. It is a very responsible and laborious command but I shall
try to fill it. We think some! of trying to hire a furnished
house in the city* We will have a hard time to find one. ^ When .
we get settled we would like to 'have Jule come and stay a few
months with' us this winter; she could return in the spring and
X 1 have no doubt it would be better for her health as well as
keeping her mo-re at home evenings as she would have plenty of
Company. Hood is pressing Thomas back; he will however make
nothing out of it. ' Thomas, has: got and is getting troops, plenty
to take care of Hood and. use him up.

Sherman is working his way through to the coast destroying
~" everything' as he goesjso far he has met no opposition and 1 guess
he will have very little trouble jwhen he gets through he will rest
a few days add no doubt operate with the fleet. 'Grant will soon
burst nut in a new place; he is now doing what he can to keep all of
Lee's troops in his front. We- want and must have more men; the ■
draft was a failure, got 'us very few men. I. believe a good system
.of volunteering, or" if we draft, forcing .every one to go or furnish

....a .good, substitute.,. ...giving no ...credit a,... is ..the only.. thing ...that will

do and hold the principal of the substitute* I am very 'busy but
want to hear from home. ■

By visit Bast was a very pleasant one though it took all
my time to respond to receptions* I had no idea 1 should be received
so cordially. It was very gratifying to know that they had not
forgotten me. Many kind things were said' to me and 1 believe they
all wish me. well. I felt rather hard over the breaking up of the
16th A. C. ' Gen. Grant doe's not like it very well but it was all
.for Ha good of the service and it seems they did not forget me as
they often do Generals as they- gave me a much more' important command
'than I expected.

How do matters get along out at the Horn since Hate married
and settled down? I have very few letters from him. Sue, I suppose
is in clover v while Nate is np to his eyes in petticoats.

1 hope Father is staying in the Bluffs this winter; it is too
cold for him to stay at the Horn and you will need him in the
Bluffs.

Annie and. Ilia are here ; Lettie in Greenfield, Lettie had
.great times down east; she saw , grandma Phillips and all others at ',
Rowley; she was well posted, you had told her so much about them.
Ella says she sends a kiss; she now has both hands, and mouth lull
of pop -corn. '

Truly,' "
Gren. '

thoughtfri 1 of onr comfort, and yhappinooe, sparing no psine or- ezpenee
In Ms efforts to aakp our- daily .life rl eeasant and independent —
our hoar to are Indeed deeolete. Oh , it 1b with unspeakable anguish
■ we give him up. To realise that we shall sec his face no wore; that
those love-bearing eyes are closed forever; that the place?; that
once knew him shall know him no wore, 1?T e lift onr s'trainigg eyes to
God and pray for resignation and " swimi lesion to His blessed Will-
Be are e sewered that He do.ee not "willingly afflict nore. grieve the
children of men", and I know He will- never' "leave us comfrotleRB. "

I timet by ihie time your wound ban CRaoed to pair' you, end
that your health continues to improve."-

'Then, ai Norwich University s 'I boarded in the family of Ifre.

- -Rantioi'i end there my acquaintance with all the children commenced and

lasted a. n lone; as they lived. I was especially attached to General

. Ran sou as we cane west together,

I alee received the following letter front General Quinsy;

Rochester, Hev; York, Dee, 10, 1864',-'

Before touching upon business, I muei congratulate yen on your
promotion to your present, important and reeponeihle command . It"
would have saved hhe country eeriows loea, could you have been sent
to it three norths sooner. Having proved your abilities as a. eoldter •
you hoxo now an opportunity to exhibit, them In some extent in civil
'•■administration; for in your present position your functions- 'ruet in
some measure partake of a civil character, and 1 have net the least
doubt that your career will fully indicate the ricMom of Grant's"'^ '
selection for the command. Steele, I eee, has beer relieved of'
hie command- This 1 expected from what Grant, told "me at/' Oily Point.
Will Arkansas be also embraced in your Department? He wae a"elaes-°
mate of Grant' e, but mere personal consideration hove p u t jitfe
weight with the latter,"

On December 3 0th, only og.e day after I assarted eomnend, I
sent the following diepateh to General Falleck:

"I. sent -five regimen Lb of infantry, all there an e in +>w

Demartmeni organised subject to be sent outoide nf the ne-.-c Om-

regisient ■of cavalry well mounted and will send batter^si they *go by

Tbe3e tro °bs were detained by ice in the Mesouri end one command
that I had sent by boat around by the Ohio were fror.cn in before they
reeched Cairo and I had to fake them off end send them by rail. One
of the boats blew up, killing ?.Q men and- woundin/ eC others with a
loss of all stock, eras and equipments belonging to the troops on ■
the boat. The cH-pe tones from General Thomas to me stated the
necessity of getting troops to hia' rapidly wad,- as wake a £ , eat effort'
fcUt the ^-"^i" ™« o.gainef us. - rnwooeeded, however, in getting

' "EW^^I tai^^ ln the *™* ***»« of N,3hville.

'On Dec^her 11th W I 'was appointed Major General of the Hieeonri
State Militia under r,i arrangement made by the Precedent of the United '
States ond Governor Gamble, thet the commanding officer of tho •
Department of Missouri should also command tMe nilitia. ' Ther e vrere
S0lUe _ t6n ^C^ents of them that were organised by the state for the

purpose of service in the State, ^e coui: not take- them out but
they were under thd direct orders of the commander of the Depart-
ment.

On the 14th- I received a letter from my old commander, S. R.
Curtis, Commanding the Department of Kansas, congratulating me on
my new command and offering me any aid he could give to help solve
the problems in Missouri. He bad had some experience that way
himself, I was receiving .a good deal of advise from over the'
State as to the course I should take and. some very comfort ing infop-
. mation that the command was the grave of the reputation of every
General who had held it.

On December 16th, Ron,, J. .A. Kasson. wrote me from Washington.
as follows:-

"Fben I first saw Stanton about, your case, he nro.pt! ey mwt

me with the reply, "Dodge i-s ordered to take the 'Department of
Missouri in place of Rose-crans, " I was astonished end gratified.
It was about what I had proposed last session; but it came now,
1 think, from Grant, men I find the facts, I will let you know,
I kept the secret of the prpposed change until the Missourians
here heard of it and came to me about it. They think, some of them,
that I did it. Senator Brown came to me a few days since end

wished me to write yon and enclose the aecomnanving circular, cop" '
of his negro suffrage letter; he is afraid parties win ge t your "
influence against the plan and against him. Blow told me he had writ-
ten to his friends, meaning the radical interest, to pav yon atten-
tions and see you fell into the right hands &c, Thev don't under-
stand you. I said to them you were sound enough on the radical"
question, that I did not believe you would touch the negro suffrage
lu^was a local question; I did not believe in it if Fissourm did ° "
let her do as she pleased. That your great merit wss that thp '
public knew what you were going to do when it was done -.not before
Your work was for the country not for the newspapers- von would
seek to pacify Missouri, suppress guerrillas, restore order, "*c. frc-
by careful and persistent work. '

n+ F irre iR "° dcml ' t ^ clear friend, thev hav^ given von e diffl-
l U shouid C ?li h '^ ° TO U Whlch a P^manent honor and°fa he n
Lit I \ ) i G *? Glve you iay ldeas » but cannot "on paner. I dsv'o
talk world hardly sever the ground, Rosecrans spUrt on -n *«*i{ v "
avo.aed rock - he was Jesuitical, talking to different naaetie" ^

■■:n l a;:"^■•~•™'^ s " ; »--*=■!i■..s.;;^I^!^.^r;^

303-

The former is' perhaps the nost thoughtful end prudent of
-.^. „v/o, end krone hnw to keep counsel; but your own" indented t
ie, o.ftor all Xipyhte: ere obtniiied, the' safest standard, "yoii
will succeed if yon adhere to your v/orkinp; et^le an heretofore.
Unless they cbanye your character there* vou otono nf al] th* "
GCiiueandere i n Missouri will survive the trial. ' If T can ov*>r core
uo see you I will. Pardon this lorry letter, because t hevo ^isr-^
been half inside in Missouri natters.

■"rite me ae confidentially and freely ar, you please."

I immediately fonnnd the acquaintance of Pad. r.r. Elliott
and James E. Yeatiaen.

The following is a dispatch sent by General Grant to the
President? -

Gi ty Point, Va, Deeenber 7, ld04.

■ "The best intereot of the service requires thet the t.rn ar .<,
of the Nor-oh-v/pst, department of the north-west, IHeeouri and "
Kansas, should all be under one head, Properly ' tb^y ebouid"an
be in one deportment. Knowing, however, the difficulty in^lnl
f^t 1 :^ d ^ }o r i t ' me " t - commands, I have recommended these denirt-
menus to be thrown toyefber into a rnilitarv diviMnr. end

^- PTe flit In oonmiand, Thie is advisable from" the feet <w a-
a rule only one point ie threatened of, P time, end if all tw
^\ 0ry ^.^^"ded by one n,an , he ran take f noons Son S^
point, to satisfy the wants of mother t-r 1+h ,._..^.„^;; :, J " ? lie x
commanders, they went to beep aV'thU hev" 4T~ ' ^ f Pf rtnent

command l T ieeorri ner ntll it be ^ifh Pore." >Ha— nt.ed to

There reported to eie berlVnV'^f niy beat scout whom I had
not seen since-! aent bin through the linee from Corinth and who
had been arrested by den. Forest and taxied as a spy. H e had
gotten word to mo of Ms hereabouts, I enclosed' t h , s lett . r in a
letter to choral Dana aehiny him in lis cavalry raid to try to
relieve hia and he answered ne on December o 0th that B rlrnVw
General ctriercen ,eald leave the next day on e „1.d ,n, th,, he
I-d rented hi, to of feet the relief of "Hereon if nn RnJnl , _,
if -T of the fa.dly oo ae to hire hfl , /miId ,., „„ ±n ^ ^ ^
aid thee;,

■ On tM a Braie aate I re=. tveS anotSlRr ,. eU(!r ^ ^^
Dodge in v.'hloh r,ho nays :

-15 t!u-''n?" l 'Sd™l'i [ \,?!; r , t t'p; ""'* n-J'i"3 ?bout ftc con- f™ w , .,..,,.,
"■^-i^'nbout 'aonp Si Pt S"*tbd- ??<*- - ^ ^man pf^

aS-tf ^b; ,n -«--ti„ C '^y ri ^\?yi;er I ;„ae ; d IhUspr^ '—

i.r.,,uxgie./ if J Bm no + fri: ,.. ,,-, - , , -aa • —nrio taej/eh through

^ or ^ al a,b. h edrr- ™Urtf- Sydirtltr-pb'-

^ day I r eoetTofl tM„ leU er f,« Gsl , F( .. ml]tori) T „^

is* , rny co, PS un ,„ .,, Jor RMB; , al A- ^ so!m ^ the ^^ a

304

J SSHJ>

regiments the +„ served under him made the principal attack on General
<->- - • . . y\

Thorns', a* rippM » turning Hood's left and carrying the intreaolcneris
Ix^hM thoia-forcinr; Food to make a precipitate retreat. General
Thomas op dec in the highest terms of the actions of these troops
and General Smith always claims that if his victory had been followed
up ss he veiched to have it, the captures would have heen much larger
than they were. In honor of the victory., t> general salute was ordered
throughout the command,"

On the 21 st, l' wrote to General Hal lech; the conditions as I
Raw them In Missparci as follows:

"It is well hnovn that when Price l.^ft the State, a larve
nr.mhor of rebel sympathizers end sairrrillss joined h!.m, m.oc + ly sen
who have heen noted for their open sympathy end eefs in aid of the
rebellion.

It is else ^ell understood thet this class of Missoiiriens intend
to return early in the spring to follow their old voce then of rohhery,
rapine and murder. The two only inducenente for 'their 1 return , are
lot, their families betne located here; Snd, their love of pleasure.

New I am convinced" that if from the disloyal district? thfcir
families were, to a certain extent, sent to them while they are in
the rebel lines, it would net only keep them there, hut would deter
meny others from retnrniri; and at the same time have a very salutarv
effect upon the remaining dielo^ml eitisers„ 1 heve always found that
banishment, to s certain extent and judiciously end. quietly made, is
very. beneficial in its ef facta, end I em convinced it would do ercat
ged-d in this State. I can already eee the preparations for the*"
strife _,. intended to he commenced as soon an the leaves come, end if
we allow these cltiaen puerrillas, &e. to join Price when thev "choose
swell the- columns of the enemy that cornea into the siete, end" to ' '
return to their homo a end the hush after haviiv been defected and
any en out, allowing their families to remain and eniov ouu pro _
iect.ien while they feed end clothe their. : , iw rlundo-n ^ r d Pn^a^e
in active hostilities sssainst us, without some"'' ret ^ iatorv
measures hein G adopted toward them, the suorrlllrn warfare and rehel
^rengin will, increase in the state instead of diminlshe 'nefeue "
Lakin £ any positive action in this mat for, I dn P i. P t.n' h-r'o + *'
appro-el of the adminietretion, for, to banish^rehels 'ard^th^n'"'
have thP orderes thereto issued, countermanded, onl v „ e a [? h

influence and authority of the co^n^r. It is new f ^ J ^

ment in the no] lev, • A " u,i '''° '• - ■- ri> - Govern-

Missoxu^f^ yen, ere flu-ly posted on

and inform me o? Vo v , T^W^7 f^f 1 ^ "™ <*^in
in the matter, as I de^ ^ *^l wTf l? ent and Secretary of ever
premises, ' " " nuel i' to * a Pe vay actions in the

Persons as

t ,' S lt; x;iI ^ iles °f noted rebels ^h'e in',n f , t^, ,
3rd, ihe avowedly diolovm f-mili- n-,^-': JV . ' 1

■ service, " ' ,]lil "' ! 0l Parens m the rehel

of p rt ce. deia S?K £££$* Xai:i t Sd ctlvr n " flrs and ab *"°™

305

S'ih. Those persons who harbor bushwhackers,, From this
list I should select the most noted character,™ for banishment,,, taking/
them ts near as possible from- the different neighborhoods and sections^
for the benefit of effect on those permitted to re.i".alru"

General Halleek answered immediately spproving the policy

end which I put into effoet immediately by an order to my district

commanders embodying the principles set forth in the letter to

Gen. Halleok. This order drew clown upon my head a good many £ : ,f

criticisms but it was the first move towards bringing peace to

Missouri, There war, sent me the Selma Dispatch by one of my

spies r/hioh had an advertisement in it as follows:,

$)BE MILLION DOLLARS FA W TED TO HAVE PEACE BY THE 1st. OP

MARCH, If the ' citizens of the Sou thorn Confederacy will furnish me
with the cash, or good .securities for the sume of one million
dollars, I will cause the lives of Kb r ham Lincoln, T * T illir<ra H.
Seward and Andres Johnson to be taken by the first of March next.
Thic will give pgace, and sat.ie.fy the world that cruel tyrants
cannot live in a , *oland of liberty. "* If this is not accomplished,
nothing will be claimed beyond the sum of fifty thousand dollar ",
in advance ,, which is supposed to be necessary to reach and slaughter
t b o th re e v i 1 1 i a 1 1 a ,

I will give myself one thousand dollars towards this patriotic
purpose. Everyone V: 1. shine; to contribute will address bos X, Cebba,
Alabama, m December 1st,, 1864,"

Through my secret service men and the Post-master, I uas
getting a good deal of information as to the combinations that were
being made b^ telegraph, steamboats, muggling, killing Generals, etc.
Vbilowe were da the trail, ne had not yr t gotten to the place whore
we could make any arrests.

On December 86th, I received the fslloving letter from General
Oglesby who had been elected Governor of M£s*ew*^ -"**

Decatur., Ill, Dec. ad , 1CG4,

After receiving your long and Interesting letter- fr^-m Gro-
.eld, Indians,, in October, 1 substantially lost the run of Vnu "
it ll you assumed esnnsnd of the Dept. of Missouri T em *.ruiv •

uu " ^"'- -"-"•<•«"--' ^ "-lu-mu uj. -,iie uspu oi Missouri. T em ^rui ^ -lad
you are so near mo. I shall try to run 111. if vou wiU aia>adeV' to '
keep Missouri straight and respectable. I fear you win find*'ibis /
a troublesome job unless you make up year mind to run r^n>iVr^hht

anead, 1 know that you are entirely cempetnul to marai-e°it fl " ^ '

„T:}^y* ffniTB > and equnliy no its political. If you adhere
o^iooly to your can mens gum ent, p n (\ pursue the jos^uaior- n f'vo lr
0Wl } fi^-^Missouris sewns to be purely loyal - x,o k-er herds' ' *' "
and arurp in snbiecften the rebellious spirit of he- floorer- «,u in-
jects, would seen to be the cardinal consideratio^'b^'whi I a" th"
Government Should be controlled. . ' '

',, rn . f ^: ^ant still hesitates before Lee and Richmond. "V hsv-

anf tw w OTt hiA and ° Ur ^^ion; but he must tab, J i "nmemd
and that, before many mnnlhs end I Relieve h- n n ». r s ^Vhrf™

S:-? r J"?"^ Se S v*™ a V™ rt a pleasant P rominade 'thro WS^oV- s^ ^d

lr f - :;at ^«^'H muetly before Savannah and vein in ; f^ ^ u r ; , 1 ; T ! n . 1
uake possession and then gamrp the River -t hi -"i «i ^'^ "* t + °5
*° ?° the -"nation, ell things 'considered is" na^v^m " '.fSe ^
could reasonably desire. Thomas has don- a good thing forced on a

3.06

small loss. I think it was a email fight- not go severe as some
wo have had. I go to Springfield to live about the middle of
■ January; will be inaugeraljed on the 9th. 03/ 10th, end rill be very
much pleased to have you cone up with Mrs. Dodge and visit u.f •there
when you can. ^ill always be glad to see you anywhere."

On December 27th, Mr, George R. Taylor, =aho was interested in
the railroad system 01 ^"k'made ar; appeal to me to- aid in fh.e
pasearge of a bill through Congress, introduced by Senator Henderson
of Missouri, to provide against periodical Invasions into atn-U).
Missouri s and to protect, the interest of the Government on the f'oaterri
Border, by building or aiding in building 'a railroad through South-
west Missouri: arldng that it be done as a military neoeaeity, it
having been recommended by former commanders of the Department
and supported by letter from General Hail, Sherman Seigel, Roseerans
and others. There had been a good deal of work done on this line
and when 1 assumed command at Ro'lla at the beginning of the amir,
I had myself called the attention of the Government to the necessity
of pushing this road to Springfield, which would have been ar economy
at that time, but I could not now see the great importance of if.
to the Government; it was now more of a matter of aiding private
enterprise end I mould not feel like taking any part in it.

As soor as I took command of this department, there arose a
question as to the refugees in the State All those people who had
left the State to enter the rebel ermy had left their families in
'the state and there had been a great many families from Arkansas
and the south who had been driven rout and eome" int > this state. There
had been a system of raiding them by the Government until it »vd ■
become a very henvy burden and I leaned orders that the refegeea from
^ SOUth Would - * ot be fe ' d a** longer by the Government and that here
after ihie class, of people will have to take on, of themselves;
that the Government had taken care of them throi^ the winter but os ■
the munmer season approached, they ,ere ..to fi nd employment in the'
country. 1 arMP5ed to Bena them o ^ , nto ^^ no ^ h ^ ^^ ^

farmers and others mho would take them, and u P to time time- hod Bent
away over "00 families; thl, however was only a small rumber of tivme
m the state. I ektabliehedp by order ( «., 31 , a rsfu ^ ; ^^ ^
eaCh diStriCt WMCh *"»** *e ^ eharge of ^officer and nhere rc ,-
S1M °' " ChPpMXh °° that RM *^ only be given to those wtJwere

307

earthy objects of charity. Thia decreased the expense very
i -- -.atrial ly but tkpy rere still quite a burden upon the Govern-
ment,

■On the 29th 1 received a conrsur: .loot ion from General Ealleek
whom I had made ray action known to.' 1 was authorised to raise
$P 0,000 for the purpose of carrying out nm agreement I had made
with the Rani tray OoiemlsFt 01m under Mr. Teat-nan. to -take- oaro of
those refugees, provided I turned over ±o 'him what was known an the
Lav/ton Tionpital. I arranged to do this and the $10,000 v/as rained
by an aeeeeoaient upon known active rebel e ireide our lines or
upon property ,f known rebels who had left the State or were in
the Confederate amy.

The order I had been issuing for the purpose of brining peace/ ,.-
to Mir.fsouri did not seen to suit hardly anyone and- I wrote the
Horn J.obn /\ . Kacson, a letter explaining some of them and he took-
th(? lottev t0 t1ne p resident and iiad quit0 a 1()T1:; irvt:>l:>view wlt]l

him and wrote me that the President understood the matter and eeid

he uould not atte-pt to eb-ngp the department comnandere of Mi ^eoyrn ^

again.

At this time, on Jam 8th, I received a letter from the Hon,
William A. IT; ..11, member of congress as follows:

Washington, D.C. Dan. 8, 1864.

"So little attention was raid to my rsprnnenfd 1 onfJt- -nr.
predeceeeor that, i .hould not have troubled' 1 you eith'lhl" lett.
l\ J haa not 1?oen encouraged to do so by yorr friend, Br-5 n- n r I, ' ?

Xn^r?^^^^^ B ^ erS P -^ X ateted^to' jtn Smile
-in o J0 J.ouio UL..M. my fiHction of count r^ wan in fhr, pour-sp n-p

There were in that section of count rv nr + n n -, - 1 + . >

considerable marther of huRhv^ c v<-* 1 I." U| ' *'° J im ' J * nt an ^--^
into Chariton Kcrnntv %4r' «£mo +b iw\- ?v n3mR( * TlUEna " ^-Qent^
cold blood, neren c3ti:et: :;'oter?.^^^""^f^"" ^^f in "
unoffending men. He was erreste it ?° ^ , ^ J 1 \* f??™^'? k " CT

The snlri^M ,->,,,-, d, , . . i^e\,..uieo ta :<.i p n mnr acquitted, ^

„ ^..-jimwau,!,-,, x 'he consequence is

308

that many wen have been driven to the bush to save their liver:, thr.
number of bushwheehers has greatly increased b,y men being h- iven to
desperation, and who havo- not the means of leaving the country.'
The .men of property are generally leaving the country ? many have
left and others are preparing to leave « niid will leave if they
believe this state of things Is to continue, The system of scatter-
ing the soldiers over the country in small bodies, it poems, to me
almost neoessarial ly lead ho abuses. The number of officers v:ho erne
or will restraie their men is very inconsiderable.

The large number of recruits .which Price is said', to hoe e gotten '\^s
in these counties is owing to the attrociou e practice of tbv soldiers.

It, is "ivell h"ovn that notwi th strndhrig that the -i-^^v before there •
were the save rebel recruiting officers, tn a f iio i apvi last season,
the3 r total ly- failed in getting recruits.

1 am well aeerc that there ere many southern sympathi e.r re in the]
counties I have named, but they hnv- resisted a "hi template, one to tahe

•lh;

Si "!

SIC

up arms, and I em satisfied ere felly prepared to di

duties. Put the evils I have 'enumerated have n-..t fallen upon then

alone* Union men alike •'"uri-e been subject to them,

1 sen satisfied that we nil '. h^ve n^ security while the soldiers
are fostered :
hushwackei 3,

tone us. The people can in a great degree repres: the
,nd""l believe will if left to tab" care of themselves.

I am veny respectfully yours.

On the sane

I issued General Orders & 7:

Helens 9 Dei

St. Louis,
means in his power for the purpose of ridding th

of the Missouri
Mo, Jsnua.

"It being the intention of the general commanding to employ

iec?c.

eV' ry

whp eher
nta
to the

guerrilla bends, and rebel emiFsant

e dcrcrtment of buch-
anri of restoring and

maintaining law arid o^der, he deems if proper to make knovww in orders,

ittsens of Missouri their duty ih the premises and the require-
ments that will be exacted from them. The ejessriorsc of the pact
three years has clearly demonstrate d the fact that ibw bu sinvhaokcrs
and guerrilla bands operating In this State congregate, dwell;, and
obtain their support in disloyal counties and neighbor!: oods , v'-ere
they ere '-neou.ra.ged. and protected, ami the efforts of the military

forces to hunt them down are often rendered ruieuceessfwl Uv reason of
the deceptive end nan-committal course of +he resident disloyal oit.is.ei;.
The general commending desiree all such eitlsees to distinctly under-
star, d that he Intends, to the extent of hie ability srwl powers to hold
them f> a strict accountability for their pypv^ act of direct or
indirect hostibltv to the Government , or that tends in any scanner t ..•
aid these outlaws.. Henceforth, In "order to merit end receive its aid
and protection, citizens must by their actions show to the Government
that they not oris have no sympathy whatc-namr " ith bushwhackers; end
guerrilla bands,, hint that tbeyy are most e -mostly opposed to them;
and they muet st the semie time give these ou.tlav.-s to bnoa that, they
cannot dwell in their midst end roam over entire counties a cm! abide
in their neighborhood unmolested end hot. reported. Hereafter it will
be required, of citizens, in all canes,, to report the passmng by, hhe
congregating or camping near or upon them, the feeding, whether
through fear, or force, or otherwise, of bushwhackers ,. guerrillas,
and any other' knowledge they may Iisve relative to the whereabouts
doings, &c. of these outlaws,, Thin report must bo promcsUr-meMe to
the nearet military authorities. All citisens failing to report as
above required wll have their property seised and themselves and
familes sent beyond the limits of this department: and those who are
found to have given direct and voluntary aid to bushwhackers and
guerrillas, or rebels, will be arrested ''and banished, o- tried by
military courts for violation of/the laas of mar. Any person, mahlnr
any agreement with budhwh ackers end guerriim ss ,ov pretended rebed
•bands, for his nwn personal seourity'or that off his -fairil v or rrooertnr
and who dees not immediately report to the federal authorities'^ the'
fact of such agreement, showing that if was made through • force . reed
not empeet any mercy, n t the hands 'of the Government. The dislovsl
residents of each county will be held to a strict accountability for

sny injury inflicted upon loyal people iharsVef lip bushwhackers and
robol marauders. It is' time that people r.-ho have ho an allowed to
live peaceably, enjoy protection, end grew rich under 'air Government
while they have given aid and comfort, to the ene'.iy, either directly
or indirectly, on by a non-committal course of conduct, should he
made to show their kands and once for oil to place themselves either
in esrnsfet, practical support of the Government or- with it a evened
enemies, so than we can- deal with them uuderstsndingly » -Frew this
time h or: co fortlr district and sub-district commanders and provost
marshals wi 3.3 report to these headquarters tha names of all individuals
and fanwtlifue who are f.oucvl to he' guilty of piping the rebel 1 lor on of
aiding or encoinwtginbJglnishfPnaekers and parti can marauders by arch
note of commission on omission as heroin mentioned, in or-der that
immediate action :?ay bo taken in their cocas. Those oitisens who
conaider themselves go hound to their guerrilla and robol friends,
that they cannot comply with the reqrir em ante of this order, and
who therefore prefer to join their friends within the rebel lines,
vaflpapon application in writing to those headquarters for that
purposes, fee given permission to pass boy mid our linos, with the privi-
lege of talwing with them sufficient, of their per-sorr l property, such
as clothing, &c, tc render them comfortable. The military forces throw-" 1 ?
out the department ere ciamKianded to respect the oivi] law, and when '"" !
necessary to aid officers; to refrain from a],] unauthorised depreda- \
lions, especially to commit no act thronrh personal enmity, a.nd to \
protect f aid, end encourage all those oho by their eel s uniformly f
show an honest and oameot desire to support the Government ir nutting i
down the rebellion and ridding the country of bushwhochnrs -nd m&rr-Ula
bauds, .

By command of Ma jor-General ' Dodge:

J. T ", Barnes,

Assistant •idgutart-General .

On January 7th, I wrote the following letter to Gov error

Fletcher:

Hdqrsn Pent, of the Niosouri,

w .. ri r, , ., m , -- Louis, Mo. Jen 7 4 ISCi .

Hj.fi Fmceileney Thomas 0, Fletcher ,

Governor of Mis sou, ml;

Governor': j thins wo should, a s ear]v as pop ; nbio ? a-pf Pn .->,.-* r ^ -,„

tion in all tbv disloyal counties. especial 3s;- i- those horderi-^"^"

on the Missouri river. If the legislature masses -« hiU with" no

exemption clause end classifies the enrollment, s;w we call out, em

above meniuoned counties under experienced, trJe.O and nngo--teon-
lo ^i ^?J ^t the smesi of all guerrillas &e. Ry'tbls w m *he
running from nne county to another by these bands wi 11 " be n rented .
J?f ?r Hrrua !f l . cavi ' X understand, feed these meru Let tim"n,ipt

^'t: ::!!! pr ™ 00 *. ^ .™ d tMn "ould clo asay with Jn pre eonnlairms
;;,,J l; i'^',,. 1 ^ d "'-— ! "^ commander could hove bheae smn unaer~hia non

Uu " ulu » ; ,Hl t f necessary we could -place sub-distnw ci ne-uwrd— '

?I Br 1'*^/^ some or cur old regiments, ' As soon ^ "' os t'ig
'^^T' 1 ? Jnr " T m+ - inbll:i » I w^.l Pit tne disfriut m^S
*°J* t0 ^::'niiso_ these eosro-nieo and hrgp mi 1o „ P ^ n V r "/„,..,
Bounties As) eve .nmmi'-i ncG ? got . lf p0Bci g lc , i- -- ••-■ ; - ■■■ - " —

PofS '?' ^^nding there car be no doubt abon? ,"" n a ^l d i^

for coirmir.nderR-r.ien who have been tried I* ,<, *, '..;T- • ,c,lc ' 1 ''

to have 100 men on duty in ^eeh of tr , ^onrM- ,- t-"-"- ? M

River within the nextWy dap. W^Vl^

^ar t^n r ?r n tM^ ff ?r ^T^ f ^ " h « ^^^\f^ to £ od
'""t 1 -a r 'mb ftOit, uet iee bear fro-i vm,

Very respectfully, Pir , yoiir obedient/ s'emdrant ,

CJ. H. oodgej

No jor -General.

General Re-noids arranged that tHo rebels going sorts under
my order should be nas.esed thr my his linear. GainesK&)ie, on the
Mississippi fiiV esm a large number of the families of men in the
confederate army took sdvantage of thie erdsim

•^

310

The Governor of the State vho was follom'teg out my suggestion •
as to or can I?; in?; militia in the State, requested my views in
relatior' to the matter and I wrote him the fallowing Letter:

St Louis, J-n. 14> 18C5.

I submit as you requested, wbot I consider the important
points in a mllit.ie organisation, to make it effective.

First, make all persona, between certain agerg, subject to
militia duty. Wo exemptions 'Whatever.

Second, classify into divisions , let, 2d , cd, the 3d claBs to
include all persons who would he exempt from actual military service,
c; account of physical disability, yet who ere able to shvulder a
musket and do ordinary guard dutrv .

Third: The right to arrest and confine and to assess finer!,
for nor.- attendance when called out, by competent authority.

Fourth: To ho no ejection of oomimiesioned officers; all
to he appointed by the Go\rei'ner. Rtaovmls to be made by the Governor
as no?/ made by the " T ar Department, or President of the United
States, or* upon the recommendation of officdre appointed to examine
them, when reported by their proper superior officers ao unfit and
incompetent.,

Fifth: Ihe right to tax counties for the support of 'the
militia when called out and assigned for their protection. This,
however, only to he done in cases where the trouble is entirely
local; as now tvtns/n troubles arise out of the action of eltizorin of,
and in j the dir.loyal counties.

Sixth; The Legi cloture to provide for raising funds to arm,
equip and support the forces called out for the general defense &c
for tin-' State „ In cases of emergency , the Governor to hove authority
to raise funds, &e„

Seventh, • A clause to encourage the organisation of fiudenendent
companies and regiments, the officers e-d men to ennport and uniform
themselves; the State to furnish arms end equipments. This can be
clone by exempting them f r mi some duty or some particular tav, Th i P
clause uould bo applicable tc times of peace r/hen militia wnvid rot
be needed., for actna* rervice, and would tend to keep un en or-un-
lantion of efficient soldiers sufficient for ail, purposes, learned
in, and prepared for, military duty.

Experience fells up that even in tirnr of peace we cannot learn
"°? iimcb of ams » and *>e too well prepared for var, and it onlv re-
quires encouragementfespecially now since the martial spirit in do
lirly nroiioed to cauee our young men, who take pride ie mi liter-
display to organise into companies, batteries, regimenfe / Vo ' "

The more simple in its plan and detaile, a militia ie\ * n <1 the
more latitude and authority 'it allows the commands in" eh 5 .f tl r~
ganizing &c, upon rules, regulations and orders to be prescribed
and is.-ued by hi.-, the more effective it win h ,, ] " a

To make militia effective these two thirds W ,i ieolllt? v
^ecessary. First, if 3 officer* must be apppointei W f,hf Go^rror
not anon elections, but with reference entirely to ^" e, ^ ^
neso, from habit, education and experience of" the ner on

of the Commander-in-chief." e -™- 1r *y to.fae direction end orders

The Legislature authorised the organize tion of these companies
deluding the priencipal points I had recommended. I also re-
established the block houses and stockades ihmt had been destroy^
by Price in bis raid and added many othero to important bridges
and towns where small bodies of troops were to be stationed.
On Jnnuary 15th, I received the f ollowin^i^Vorc
President Lincoln:

311

Ex e c 1 1 1 1 v e M a n a i c n ,

Washington, January II; , 136

Major Crenera] Dodge ,

Saint Louis, Ho:
It, Ik represented to me that 'there Is so uucb irregular violence?
in Northern Fiaaonri as to be driving aeny the people and elnioef de-
populating It. . 'Pleaee gather information, and consider- whether
an appeal to the people t^ei s to go to their homes and lot one
another alone, recognizing as a full right of protection for each
that he lots ethers alone, and barring only him 'who refuses to let
others alone, may not enable youftc "withdraw the troops , tboir presence
Itself a oauno of irritation and' constant apprehension, and thro
restore peace and quint "and returning prosperity, Plraae eonraider
this, and telegraph or write me,

A. Lincoln.

I enswerec tMe letier on the lotli ae folloae;

Hdqro. .Copt, of thr- Fieeourlj

St.. Louie, Ho, J.-n. ]G, IGCUt.
Hon. .A b r ah a m I , i n o o 1 r ?

President of the United Stater., hashing t on , B.C.
leer Sir:- I have the honor- to acknowledge the receipt of ^onr tele-
gram of the ICth inslaif. Since I asaumod commend here the troubles
in North Missouri hove increased, from tho fact that the troona that
were in thoee counties infected by guerrilla band. a were ncarl" all
withdrawn, by me to send, to Genorol Thomas, but there is no doubt"'
that this country ie now uore nuicvt than it has boon Tyofore for three
years, There theee 'troubles owlet the people are to a great ontenl
.disloyal,, and it is the protection, nid 3 and sympathy that they ••••:! vo

to the enemy and 'to ontdawa that causae thoee troubl^n. Cue class
- (the dialoyal) desires all troops withdrawn, while tho oth^r (the
loyal men) petition to have mora Rent, The fact ia that unt^ea troona
are kept in the Missouri River .countios, no 'loyal pernio can live
tnere. I have eonatfated with Governor Plefeher in -v*] at j on to
this matter, and so far as possible ¥/e hav& ende r.vored to "quiet

Price ^^IZbJPr* ^T d men left these oo^isfi ^""joined
i™,,^' SjM^Many of them ar- now enealeing back and eoi>i>>

ef u '" Ul f l)u3 y; ;'« operate. The people who are leavinr ^ ^Vl"

those uhose friends -re' in the rebel airing, or uhose" aornneih ' po

are with the rebel*, and these who expect to ba di^ fe - (

lat-nt. Tnev ao not leave o| account of depredations crnr^ + fprt
' ^ p011 tlCT1 ^ ™* troops bit through fear' of oetin of the ^at,
Convention. Lbeliev,- moat of the loyal men. rr^^e ^c^-
n^f^/ ^^^ 1Cim3 » are determined to fev Jhe^ of

the policy to pursue! ' A f 't « t ed ^ ^ , ;n ro3l , f]

passes the new'ailitia bill , to r?? ^%r£ r ^fl^^f^
of those dialer] r,oun+i,« ',:,;, lll:0cl lt 1(X; ilien fr '°^ eahh
officii cHi^ns™ th-'V" ^?tl UV ? er C0!n P°^"t and relioble
Government am, ear r ore fo'eTf ^ V"\ b f 6n ncrv1 ^. Lot the
P1 ^ one -f these 00.0^1^1 fe >T '™? li£E TK> then,

les where these trouM rVt^t ^ Stt^l^f °hC + ' hP fl *rloy*3. counts
.teers, and call U non h r^t t~nr fl'f "' th f FJ ^ IU thp U «- Volun-
isations. To a groat ', t " ^f^Vvf ^ theCe °"S^"

who v/ill not, and uho ^ ft ir ^i- ^eivfully do if, Tbone
bo flent out Jf thp deno^ ^nt /w ^ "^ to ^^haolrers, to
all the tro:ps in rSVC L t f '° f^ 1 stl ^hfent orde 3 R to
' personal enmity end ^Lj^ f!l U n ^ f - g^ ion3 " d ™*« through
hear' of but v e r-^ w d V" ^i'4i '\ "r^'^y bginp: prodnca^. T
Winter it is • o " tS I " ?nt e ^J SS'th^* 1 ' 00 ?? recentl ?> ^t^-he "

heap - ur troopa arav a '^n these outlaws and thoir frlPrd^ fo

obtain re-enffiroeJionta feom? l^^?? 1 ^' f^ w «" «.^ct io "
statoa, here merr^ i 1P v„ ronV^ ^ * '" nd even fron th « -l-ova.1

cone, will an return;"'" ^IS^ol^t^^ ***> ? " hen thG ^ves
and te e y are doing rood wo- ^ ^ ?S, ^ , re Icept very c.ctiv©,

and marauding band s r That roSc, 1 ?! ^ .f r .^a]:in^. u P suerrill-'s
Mieeeairi St , te Mlitiaf '^h^r?;^ "

312

Their diccxpline has been very lax. Find on account of the defective
nature of ibei organiaat 1 on. the" have not been efficient, I have
'taken measure 3 to hold the officers responsible for the discipline
and acts of those troops.. I do believe that the system of local
organisation that I intend to inaugurate will yooovr effective' foe
the special reason that we will have the selection -e^ the officer?,
and most of them wi 11 he old, tried,, ~vnd exevrieneed soldiers,
frilly imbued with the right sentiment <, ^nd feeling a personal int-
eract in restoring lav/ and order , Jj Alton me to assure' yen that the
course yon propose would he protested againetb^the Ptate auihotrri- ■
ties, the legl latere, the eonvetion, and by nearly every loyal man
in North Missouri, while ft would reeetviw the sanction of nearly
evei 1 " disloyal , aw:mt~10yal and non-committal per con there, Ml
aueh could, under- that course, live and would want to ef a;; ? in fhsd
country, while pvcry ].eyal nan would have to -leave those counties
where the disloyal sentiment is in the ascendency, i take it that
the only eyre rood to peace in Ibhis Stale is through the "aity and
support of its undoubtedly loyal pontile tier, and with the oryyani-
aalion I speck of I -na satisfied I ear restore and mantina quiet

1:P

wish and eerneet endeavor to

,ve eve

•. o i ;

a-.-.

re te cone cap firmly to the etipport

in North Hie courier It i.<
peregrin the state ,, ^nd el
of the Government , no letter what their antecedents arc s e ' d T
have in my orders srxl! Inetruetiens to my treope commanded them to
give all encouragement , aid and protection in their reran' to and:
and every person who chews an honreci and earnest desire and ird.en.-
tien to support the Government and assist in nutting d-mee guerrilla
warfare, I herndpi secljra my Order No. ';' vhieP teibodles °owo of
the views of yT.it' dispatch, and which will r'eceivfe ■"' the cordial
indorseme. si and cheerful sepport of ^vovv person .In "to Plato who i;
not aidlny mc 1 . abetting bttsh\vhy,twakers or who eve ao disloyal thrt
they would not
office"-,

;vc "hsc honor-' to re, air, rowDeetfuiiv, ^oe

a n 'fift

to or npneovc of anything leaned hy a federal

honor-' te be s sir, respectfully,

chediert servant ,

H. hedge ,

lialor-Oea-orerl

me as

T iiemeriinf elv communicated with the? Governor of the State,-

be"

:g forth President Lincoln 1 a swsgost 1 end the Governor -was wo red

follows:

Jeffereon Gity, jerw la, lEdtg.

Ha j„ ten, G. P. Podge;

1 hove heard of sore Uninn men being >113ed in North hissouri

and of borne rehela moving av.-ay. No. Prinn awn rente the treope with-
drawn from here. The Union won will return and he erganiaed under'
new military law and eon t.hon defend then selves. I will eoneenf to
no bargains with rebel,;. All re want ie discipline in the troopa
we have and thoee to be organised, t do not believe the policy"
mentioned by you would have any good "effect, end think it bee been
euggesteb hy the came men who have been compromising with the enemy
eince the ear began. T bed hoped the President would not Hi. 1 en to
their counsels

again-

Th>:

d. Pie tola:

Governor of Mi a a err i.
Both the Governor and myself began to so<* the marked charge^
in matters in the State caused by the different! ordere I had. issued,
the chewing of better discipline among the troopa and the effort a,
to put in every county possible, the Civil authorities in rarer
relieving the military. My idea .was that as far as it was possible,
y,o wtiiytle put the county officers in authority and have the military

313

simply help the civil authorities to .maintain la?; and order,

Instead of the military occupying the position of the Civil

authorities, Thie war. being done so quietly that very few knev,

of it, hart the Governor end myself were acting in accord in the.

matter. To show the attitude of the very radical union people

of Missouri and what they required of the Army, the following

letter from Dr. M. Wmnson sets. forth their aide of the question:

Grane Grove, Jan. IGy] 865.

"I an a stranger to you, but the emergenc"- of the ouby-ot
I write on, scons to set aside ePl etiquette, 1 nr; an ^ri-jr^l
loyal. Union iaan, "abinitio billi," and r lov&t t- In thief 'p^ri
of the country where I am known, is above suspicion. I r.n r-. ra on '
of N. jr., by birth and education; hut have boon a nitiaan of thi-
State twenty-en x yoore nf this county twentv v eiWP . t m « n- r od^
uawe of nedieine hy authority of Harvard Univoroi + v at Oeinbrddee

Mass; but have been r former fifteen yearn, T en now near'-i/

^'IU^^ ° f T/ thi f Ms ke P ,fc me fr °- taking 'part in fbe ermlp

? |4 ;y „>^ n %^ ^.S^'o? 1 ^"u^"^! "

^n? io tt ,„ peopl , ani fOTU l yy s syt ty yyyyy:-- *-*
taih t! h \ v "' eU: ts,ialf . ™i i,v t ,, e i r gyggyy ° ; edli "i .

lies here have becon^ -m-e n i <-> i-™ ,. ,i \ i - * iAe l0 e-l ;ani-

Thio will be Plain to ^ o ! i' "f n0t Without " 00d ™ ap °»-
barbarities that ^re neCt^W *? T ia ° Uent ot the auful

^ thin State, yere -ei 1^ ^ w"? *? the .T 1 P po rle last year
better this year, dfh^ thKv ti lol,lld to see if if ' is t o he
loyal innocent bi n f n , ™l ? Project ie e bad one. The/
the ground in this covntv «i£ " '*?* ?° rS ° nS Was '^ to drench *
these oiartvne t.n +!,.-!: l."r°. e ^ lawt i^ar. Have the liven of

thair doorr.; then ,-oG eg, g^g *^"f. *% M<,SB ^» « l,:^ i

vUS/^yg ». d: > ° -«-™ahy^^y;*y f g g L^,

™,» ■*"' i^'nSt Sy^ B "L^ !:-".' ^«in- «:; " r ^

314

in all rights of person and proper!;"/, than It, hoa made a failure
of carrying cut the great object of its or oat ion.

The people of country are paying to support four 5 ga/eriwionts.
They support hy taxation, lot A County Government,, find, t fin to //
Government, 3d „ A Haliona 1 Goiarrimerf j>.nd roe since this way then
have to support a stupendous military government. Tho blessings to
bo given in return for nil this should ho groat .indeed. They, th«
loyal people demand of right, that the haridiite, pirate 3 &c ho
kep out of our borders, Thny have right to demand if, and do
expect it. Are the;; to abandon thekr farms n nd boner: -aid neek ia-w
ones? To many families thins would ho. ruinous, utterly 00, r n aet
do wo 00c? Ail the able bodied nor, of this part of the country
snaking preparations to leave early in the spring. And the high mill-
• tary fre giving the passes to go. This is passing strange Indeed.
So then the old and tnfoirui and families ere only left to tell the -
tale of wop, Our kilitia system has boon on utter failure, §0 far
as it respects the en term! nation of banditti?, and land niraatos, " igh-
wayraen fee. It in money thrown away. All that Gov. Hall or any other
official can say in "high -fa-luting 'massages" will never make it
otherwise, ke want regular veteran troops, no others are adequate
to the emergency.

By the national compact the loyal people of any state, have a
right to full protection to life, liberty and property by the power
of nation as against internal violence. I an credahly informed the
Bandits s are aa thick as flies on a dead carcass in hacksaw County,
LaPayette, Sfy.ins s and other counties, nor ' n the dead of a inter.
A man was .attacked in Lexington by a band b:f them a few days ago.
kr, Reynolds was murdered in F- iliac in open day. - fter he had given
them their dinner?. This subject ie inexhaus title , but I fear T
have tired your patience, it is a mot tor of life end daath v. 1th, tin;
peakle and they rant t) knee whet to depend on„ Or. your decision
fJipands their action ae tc the way to save themselves „

Rebels have had a two-fold proteet.1 on since thie ear eommenced--
by theinselvec They hove had the protection of Union Armies, end
Rebel armies of course protect them. Loyal people hare had little
protection aa against the enemies in the bnaom of the Facial fly a ton,
1 hope, Fir, you vail let the people know by public paaelanatn on,
or otherwise, what they can rely on being done for their aafefy the
coming summer. "

On January iCth, the Missouri stale Oonsittu iional Convention

adopted the following resolution;.-;:

"Resolved, 11- at we moot heartily approve of; na.i, den. Dodge's
General Order- No. 7, believing as we do that the only"way to -nive the
loyal people of Tiieaouri that security and protection io'Sdmoih they
are justly < rati tied, and which alone can secure khe peace end proe-
perity of tJie State, ie to hold rebels and their sympathiaers at
home to e rigid responsibility end acoouutabilkk^ for thn outre am
consulted by their fric-T.dc tke bushwhackers and rebel maraudersT And
on behalf of the Union loving people, we tender Gen. Dodge uur thanks
for the decided etepe he baa inaugerated ; arid nledge him a ela-erful
and cordial co-operation in carrying his' order" into effect tlvatahout
tke State. , A. Erekelj President ko. Ftoie Convention.

litest Amos Ik Poster, fee, lea Stare Contention.
JTr. Drake offered tke following resolution -hjoh wae adopted;
Resolved ~ That 'the President of this eonvsntk a - npptyi at" r
committee of three to wait upon Gen. Bodge and present ban vht^ e "eop-
oi ; the resolution as offered by Mia Holland' and unarrwonslv edawfef
trie day , ' •„.-.£...

A r F xe ;rer,irtcnt appointed as such committee- bosons. Drake, Polled
and Davis of hodaway. Attest Amoe P. Foster, Secroier^ m , etate
^Convention. To Maj. Gen. Dodge Commanding thekkepi, ofWVoi'

All this action of the State end City authorities showed the
good effect of order #7 and thet if was hning pretty generally com-
plied with. The Hon. ^Lilian A. Hall, member of Congress wrote
me the fcllowiny letter?

315

Vashington, Jan,

"Complaints have been made by me as well an others. of tbp msnogo-
moni oh affairs in North Missouri,

In all thit, I ijnve staged to the President, 1 have distinctly
stated thai, the matters of which I coin plained diJriot -grow out of
your administration, and I have decidedly refused to tales part in any
movement which looked to o change in the command of the Department.

The character you 'bear satisfies me that you ivj.ii neelc 'the wel-
fare of our State. The only fear I h«ve ir that yon nay -ot he cor-
rectly iMormed of the true condition of -things. T-Ty life has Peon
sought because I complained of Truman; it -is understood that tboct;
ivhc/raal'.s complaint a expose themselves to .great danger, and 'most per-
soriR are afraid to complain.

Tii o se who are culpable, will, of course, deny or pa~P iste abuse?.:
Of one fact tbnr-e can be no question, thrt most of oar- best citisams
have fled their homos , or are preparing to leave. This cannot be
without cause. One of the clief cansop, the outrages by soldiers,
the shooting down of unarmed citizens without invesilga >A on, end the
burning of dwellings,, I havo called your ottentioii to,

I am gr art 1 filed at the tone of you" letter, 1 boco you will not
consider me officious, for 1 sot only through a s?nso of da'ly to my
fellow citizens, and seek only t 1_i e good of ;ny country".

veret tip

I also received a letter free Horace ^
corun/nrhtmg the order;

Gounci 1 Bluff

f Council Bluff

Jan

- ■ o ,

50b.

"I cannot permit the satisfaction your General Order No, ? and
your letter to Nr. Pwiieler has given me, a^d your* friends here, to
pane unraentinncd. Your deceara tiers carried oat will certainly give
peace to Niseouri, end I cherish the expectation thai 1 ■ - rill be
brsugbl abaci order' your administration.

IPy peculiar acquainiauce with the n.ost pro-slaves' section of
the state., has long convinced me that your order ^ s the only ore ever
mafic thee': w 11 ! sooomrllsh arty practical results.

n? .?

In I'egard to the oondi (.1

a 1 low me to suggest, that if yen nee-.

:>T affairs in FmrnrJ, fa

n\ information

, 'tJi-miC
Chariton, cooper or eon 1 ' lasers eountloii, Mej. d, Lcosasuh eth s 11.3.11.
and s .member of the State Convent on. can he consul wed Pith evei'y confi-
dence. He oae hern sad 'raised in Howard County, educated in Germans,
and has the cenfiecrce of Lhe radical portion of hie. sonstituer to .

If yen ear favor
oblige Hone to you. "

.n a military a a

1 aha hi be uric

..•a.---,

a' ea ■:,

FlmtOJa.r
take the

better to Governor
the Pta+e Uiiitia, to

January 2Prd ? 1 wrote the fellowiri
ia role Lien to the organisation of
place fif the foderal troops;

ot. Louis,, Jea 215., IGfg

"With this you will received my request for the organ isa tier
of some thirty caia".;iha of volunteer militia to be oialioned in
.the disloyal unjaEiint&£-':afaaa3aoi±ceEamil:iiat counties and infected
districts .

allow mo to suggest that yon nsbo an effort to me !, Irfo these
companiee all the Mbfdh whose term oi service empires, sod who v:V1
nqi go into M !u b.rpYola, and oil the discharged sola'oes -oaeiblcm"
'• • I am fearful' that if me do net retain these soldisre"ia the
service, oh- bitterness of many of them, on soeo^at of pant injuries
and 1 ossosm, will cause them form into bandc, end seok their own
revenge -—in fact, mere bushwhackers. ' Their officers are continual 1 r
repreeeating to me their fears of this. Pach a course wonb! defect"
and ruin oar of forts for peace; thin yon. can clearly see, for is - e

316

rorld enforce nvC uo.iata.Ui law and order in t^r stats, the- first
u-lrclpol of rmccese Is to live up to law end soriply rlth orders'
eauualves and this, alone fill] strike tBvror to ratals end outVu.e;
bo ;.. If we all or. luauraiullng a ! ul lui el inha china; on on 1 " ovm oleic and by
o-,.' own feiner s '-Idlers., ue license lavSlcssnoss end there will be
no security for any one. I suggest tboae matters for your' consider-
ation.

Hie Bomior xi\i get troops posted in North nissouri , the better
It will bo for in. "fa can maintain order and bold tbat portion of
tba State comparatively quiet against rebels end bno]usbaekar s ,
but uc do not went to be meet with civil atrlfe caused by peylna
■up old grudges; this would spive us anarchy sure." •

On the same date., I received the follow! us; letter from the

Hon, Austin ■"., Vina? representative in Congress,, ejlviu.s an account,

of tron'ble career by the lack of discipline in tiie IblBSonri State

Militia-

^ashlnsptoii, Jan, S3, 13G5.

•"I am ir. receipt of letters constantly f ■ on ny district (the
6th Diet, of V.o.) sivnnp m ^qty distressing" account" of the state
of affairs there. Ve Preeldeat told ne that h nas udviuud of
't-^e-ao thineps, and that he had written or telegraphed to jo\} to see
if a rcnedy cor Id not bo provided, I have seen yoviu late, order
No. 7 ana with its scope, object and inter*. n b, t% tt , ver v?m
satisfied, bat that reader only strikes at about heif tin- evils
I rive you an extract fron a letter just rueclved from a feentlene-
t*/ 1 ** repeatability, ItsPayetle, and ,hoss VoyalV has nWer been
qab.Lioneu; he says, "1 aa sorry V Inforn you thot the nonuiion
oi our wretched State is not improved, and that the -trace rr-hV
afeMIsy is, that the slaiost entire ponuletdon pi] n, 7e ^u'r,
the spring. Iboro are stilt soma rovlna bands ofV^riYV '^Ji"
S e c ™^ Just eramh to keep the soldiers annua V ir ., "'and "'to' ^i ve
C " m a S r " Gt « Ct fGT : robMn and ordering defensoluss eniaers °
p .h V 3 ,* diiy ? Slr i 06 ' Alien Hcneimolflc, who livud near dran I

J°» an honest and loyal man, nas taken out of his bourn -d -nadcr.
8< \e:; cold bi00d in sicht. of his wife and obiM^ l? » s^n/'r-

f^^^ this is onl ? ° ne of hundreds\47inVi a ^^: a :; 1U, ';^V
a ; t oconrxne eve- day, and of ubleh no notice or In^lu ^'ti i v
J" ' ci u!:Uvci ' 1 ur uiadc. It seema to ne ibd theso -i — n^n <

Jv_ e - u '^ ; f " nild trnieEt ^^ »r th; ao;;,;;;,; 1 ^" ;^ : r:^"^ . ,

iXVlU if" ^ ?e' y th- lea ?S^^^ed- hy tha^evnuuur^t^tu ;-^'» 3 °
LiV,uv7%;;!/ L a;° ^Y^ ol ^ an ; I ylve you an extract froY
days slner'and SnvS-^ ^1^*1 ?f l ? ' ^ ^"^ hoeu o fee
intolerable., Horse- of «....- 1 r,. n . ,..,-,,; " l " '- ouni -e -sni .-lutto, are

SSa,SlSfi'4iS ;; /v:-ita^-d:bSd-L

Today Madison horrle, "n o?d .UWn^ ^t: X16l( \ a " d ^deroJ.

; in f c ^ Person as he Wired \i;f ^tree" ^ tJT^ 1 1 , ™" . f hot ^ R ^*-

roabery Is of rirhtv oonrrorr- ; C V^' J ^ ^ hii ' settle elteuand

enumerated, thu peonVV tin a ; "' T' to tll3s "' late ^s "st

ttey nope urou i ;l P wi?^^ P ^??v a p i y ^^ r S r ? uded in ^-^u, hut today,
one -,n, At! ,„. „.„ V iol ' ail piutiu'eu in averv f;-,^,, rp.,,,--,-, ,. „d J

particular individuals or- coruuendc j but I do Paeo LbM vc.r-j :-reeah of

our- trouble grow out of a looseness of diecMline , nhieh ?Uow;:
soldiers to g • and do an they please without' rostra in t. find T inn-
. further ? that the fault begine with the coraaarden ef o'disMiet
and descends down through ail the grades, ranch Insecurity a,- the
people roe have, M eiy districts mahen? buohehaohors ; tlioy"are not
sate at r.oiue> end their natural iirpulae- is M floe for saaiVten
The President ta M iuc, that you ioleeeraphed Mia that thine a" „ P ro
iaara quiet., than for vears before in Missouri,, This xir^r he so In
ao.ee paras of the Stat*, cat if each infermati on caae to 'n^a f r0 a
ma district, they have misled you. T deeire mnst aMc-T-r.lv tha
your actainiotration of the Department of Mseoi;>^ a in n V;," „-,.,., p., ••
^• L ;, J cc ^f id : i' the condition of affairs in aey 'district and I think
: ,n tne ™*';^ ^ d ~ of the river in a norse fix than thav barn am-
uee "° I1 h ls no ' 1 ' wor : ' CT0 "a cifiaena, aa-saleine, their rMaeV v.---,-'
bsaaco ana vindictive spite upon each other and daaMM,- ana^oMMd
^l a ^ r r, U :- f ?f ir M ' AM I =a, tell yoa that if on' nad T 'rM
^ecn- - "n ; - I ; 1 f G8 % 01 ' ^/fforl made to resiere .onfidanc, and '

despicable OAIe, Ho. XI wMcVd^iiuS JSiiJSo^^e^^^^ror

tL: 10pe G ! r t aral H 1 * 1 - you will excuse loo for ahat

'-"^'"""tr.ii

-;t •;,.. v . "7 1 , rr " , lciy ^ uu luu excuse ice for ahat T baec --,ae«
wiie. ° Wl::hcd yOU m0CGCP - in ^saoui^i Mai 7 thus '

1 know you aae eeaparaiMeM p etrar-'a-r M nv- ,■--.■,-■«• , -

want eon to tunc ths^ahole troth r*-. f --o V UuU ^-j

me that ha la^lt^a, J- ww* + Gc ' ul ' tl1 ^^'cir.c once naid to
If you can fh5| ^ ^ *Mf n,i° e ° !nmand iw ^1^ Hi^^A, ovd
rifiht, then the nerv ?. a/ u thtf "* ° G en ™S h to toow ^ is
and ^ J^ of rutting Mwaa b^h^?!-^^^ dlP -- 1 ? lineS " iU ir ^ lire
papatviaere, and friends Mll^he an laev f^'^U ™« ^ ***
•- 1 -' reUored in the Government aM w~i - l- +r c ^ u f u ^e vo. a
people earnest lv •>,.,>„ S ,„„, V' '• t '" l ' i ' ° ?P : ' l; '- a - of the
P^ ^wa, and ahen th ^ f "f ? ^i* 8 ,™-? ^^--^Irg shaM ''ho

e n f «m Btaad by them", t >- t "„£* ft] 1 }^ P1 '- ^-"^ ^ienda, -
i t dean." *' " "• ^ XVc ilil their- eaerg: c a >.o put

ily reply aaa aa f hloaa:-

„.St. Loul--, hi an on ri .

. " '•'■;"• , 5 j- a . ry, ioc

^n.i.i;? 1 ? t "nl r t,%.^; t 1 ^ i ^ r^ed Me eonteaXe

allow then to covalf. ^ T v . "^ , " i; iUt ' ' "f * l '° control the troonr n r -a

P^ -"-- ^ once; but T^e "t^** 1 :^ 1 ™- ^ ie hard* to M^h

;2 ff f0 ^« «iom. I have "aeon r^nof^^ 11 ^"- 01 " 6 ^ an ' a l Jl ^ose '

S, 01 " 11 ^ ia vory quiet. "mor; Z^k-x^f^ f°° PS beJiavc '- wel1 ^ t ha {""the

Th %f en y°* apeak of/ 1 kn OT a)^L " ^? , heen fc ^ tfe la«t tin nni-
^o the rebel ar K v ca-on ^ v a , llh ° ui - J -* i! ^aton Jra one- han ""

JuBhwhachora ^^0^: endei^^^^ 011 ^ tbfin ^--^ a i, v ^
boxng taken to Kansa^'city pT:°^ 1 ^ ' esca f? ^' !d w^s killod nhUe

tae Vl ha ? b ^ baaiihed an P ^UK "^ ^ B 1K '' L 1? ^
M-, horris aras shnf- o+ t -i a •- a^aaesiona,

"l«0i-8, killed one, V^mS, 1 * '"" ti,oub1fl : " { ' h — ^a'a o

R - M. Box Co ~»r«' % sh0 . b ^ sol<Hors of -y »; - T , Nl

J—, M=-lAt« 1 lel"f--»« 1 Pd n M

-.--vt^tagennon in hie ciso.

'^C

318

I hold that no man. should he killed, except caught, ?.?it]i arm/ in hie
hands , and propose to look carefully into the. facte of the death
of KcRaynolris,,

1 think the militia we are organising; to scaup;/ these troubled
counties will give them comparative quiet. T prop ore io put old
tried, obedient soldiers at the hoed nf each company. y»*

Tli ere is no man who is riore 'opponed to lawless conduct of troops r
than I am j and I will punsih them to the extent of my power for every
unauthorized act. Yon have certainly been ni a informed as to the
troubles and leaving of panties: mo ny .ere lea-fine to he sure,' hut in
mo ct all eases, for fear 6f acts of tie Convention end Logic] j-.tu.ro,
not from fear of acts of soldiers. • I am very much obliged for- the naps.

On January 31st, I received i',he- following letter 'from Governor

Fletcher in response to my letter* in relation to l,he raising -if the

t r o op at

Jefferson, Mo. J-m. 31, 1805 „

"1 have -the honor herewith tc enclose a pr-posi Lion to Zee- of

■rar fr organising a force of say 14000 men f r service in Mo, tor

twelve months, in such prpportions of infantry and eevalr-' es you

may direct, to be credited to the. State on quota under call of lyih
Dee, 'i34.

You are aware of our condition and appreciate the hardships of a
draft for 1398-i out of a population worn dowr vulth nilitia duties
our 5 s , "

The injustice of requiring us to furnish men to u. ". Service
while we are compelled to keep so large a number of our peon! e con-, '
stantly in service in militia, is so apparent that it redds" enlv to hf
understood to be- acknowledge. Your department has been we") 1 n^gh-strip

o.aue, ana the justice of what 1 have ssked of the "ar Den-rtmerf
Will son pxease end^ae and forward aeeempe^i n r i ct f r P T w~
forwarded corj to delegation in Con^e&s" J ~ -^^ l ^ l «"*>■'■

The following concurrent resolutions were adopted bv the C'eaeral
Assembly of the State of Missouri on order j&ft

currl„?^ie^^^lv 1V ^tv r ¥ ^JT^ ^ «W™^*U™s, the Senate con-
poses of^eneral Order Fo. 7 S Serf-- ^^^1 Vi ., wc ^ *»*-
Department of Missouri . ^ i^w ^\ T^ ^.:f \lv :d f.™ ^d^rters

1 'iU/Vo.feo d the fhtoidiv- hjfif,>i '/».. j , n

u " in o -tetter .L«i i: T j';e Secretary of T n r- j n

relation to the number of troons ir tK- r. P ,.„..,-. .. „ , ,,

"i wopo ia wee, Ghi^iue and the number that

could be put into .the field :

319

Hd. Or8„ Depto of the liieoorri,,

St. Louis, Eo„ Jan, 31, 1S0S.

Hon, E, iv d tot on,

Sue, of " r ar, dhaehlne?toiv D.C.
Dear _ Sir:- I have 12,000 ra «n for duty of e,l aroie. This inelnden the
^urinon o ,. Alton, 111., Veteran Reperve Corps at Draft Ponderous,
Enrolled Miseoun Militia, &c., mostly Missouri feVie ^Htl ? b m' c
terra of services expires this erring which will leev- the department
almost enoieoly deelitute of troope. I have ntreody had to 4n U n n
the Governor- icr troops to occupy the dialoye] con^-fes to tobe" the * '
place of those wnoac tern of service 1b now expiring. I have- ordered
uo Generals Tneeie.8 arc! Ctonby nil my regiments of volunteer inVnV- ■
v.nose terme of eerviee do not expire within two nontv Pxcer +. r n ; ?
aod_tho iremn f service of portions of three I sort evnrto i r the ^
ppring. I hove in the deportment the following orryoni^oti one of'V c;
Volimt,era: deventeenth Illlrole Cavalry VolunVero (dismounted) ; * " * •
ihirloeneh Kxo-ourl Cavalry Volunteers ) one -half mounted) : fevroVh
Aansas Oovolry Volunteers (mounted) j Portv-firot MVsouoi TrV ir , L r-I r
one year a re S Im-vl (at SV Louis); Thirty^iintb Mloeourl Infant- 1
one year's reylraent (at St. Louis) Fiftieth Klo^oe-i TnVtV-/ Vv
co:rpories); torn of service spires in Proruar- end F^oh, Voi-ivl"
- lx y d l'i -o^llnf^try (tern of service expiree in Auryoet W^
captured by Price, peroled, end was placed on duV a 6 ri

" iji ^ flcl ^« Tho balance are Missouri State HiliUnV, v ; h ,, u,,,,
expiree and od , o nearly all yo out of the eervloe hv Hav.'"'^; r " Sl^
*£* ^^.^ t ^^-vrr ? r,ar,tiono to oora M ex: their ror ; so' «^l~

£t-l V C - Jeu f 1 ? ' FriCr " *'*"' ^-"i' of ^^,are conin- heed, for ti f
parpoee, end I orn confident it will reauire frce> 1" 00 V Id w

troo ? jS ^V 10 ^ °^ border. At the proeenl r .t. c 4'V^o^ ^

^7 XC r^^i % th0 + lRt °f ^ ^e only better l^'f ''oM 4000
moil., i deeie,, frreaer to call vour nt'Le^tio- V fb- r- ,-f + n- + n

hphh m vd ; 'hi ; ' Kl;curt tfce reeeniidfhdfdXeudhtth^yi--

Inline and the dlsohnrfjecl volimteer-a, ther-e If .Vt ddd,\" d V
frSlf' l f* e "Vf f0r the ^ros, h seeM^d dPn e , 'f ft ,f t t ''™

out of thr- <*W ^ ; ^-/:' '?7 u0l " lt - T ' ai tt ^ ™ noviny their follies

w odLrtvdh'hdth Fd^rtr- yyedodVye-- ■■» ■" ^ha^n

«h2:odf l ^,r 1! w te f -id -^hd ':dedr;das y d;: hddd

'iedoa Ui „ ct o' dd:;d y : rGOpe to hold the st — '<>= — '<"■ dtwht

I am, Vu.,;. r3 E p fi otJ\ni S , you;- ohed ieiit ^rvsnv,,

(J. !■:. noi'. 3 o,

™" '■'■*■*'"■ K1L; ™ fcl -''^ t' General firnit s *ieh hn on^-ed
*» -en f ie t,o a! Hd rell tn Baopt , h0 pla!] prnroBca hy aovu ^

PletOher for the protection of N^onrt the en S uln a year, thet 1.,, to
let the governor c-n ,u< Tor one yeee "he ro „,her o:t ee, ,,,,.„ '
DOdSe t!il!ll! 7 B1U '« "— "^ to P ro t00 , the e,au, „,, rtp h „,, n . ^^

Xil COG Bei'VdO 1 " n ror>. i, .• .-, p ■!■ 1-. ■-,--,,. r, .,

' Ui Jil "^ 1:i ° r ' G th ^ '^^ vblunt,,r,, and infinitely

nore tVm thoee ohteined h- drn-e t r , h : r d „. ;

- t - L — t, e-nerc su eaai eeo disluvel ,

I S loe eeeetveo wo,e fr01il , sn6ral ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^

:jie 4St:i ,U! '' ;oa '"' I r ft - ti ^ *'* T ^ -t M hh, bK „, ,,,,„„„'

at Naeheille before T cHpcov,---.^ t^if if v., 7 ?^

' ^ bi " jt - Lt ^«'-' A --;---'V! fully nnganieed,
rnd iidietee-ed ir. "iir n-m- r ,-,-.--\ n n ,

' l ,CU °' ia RalleCk W ^ ^U.rning It to hev. It fuliv

820

•or; v aniKe(u

''. received, trie folle--i;v" letter from Generol Alfred Pleasaaton
uho wan on leave of absence at Philsdelnhia, ' ..." ,.

1 S /

'X.

• , • ." ^ ' " January 30, 18 "5,

' "1 beg leave bo return you my a i nee re thanks far the spirit of
fairness and Impartiality vith shlch yon have received and acted.
upon ray application. Believe ;;ie your action vas thoroughly appre-
ciated as veil a - ; the generous cense of justice end right vy v/hi ch
i t w a s d 1 s t a t e d ,

Alio 1 *" me respectfully to add the assurance thet '"our high char-
acter and reputation as a military commander mill not he in any

. It, necessary to

decree lessened hj the fact that yon did not deem

deprive others of their civil 'rights , or to otrlhe do.m the freedom

of the press. Thanking yc again for your prompt and impartial action
in this matter,,! remain."

The follov/iug order mas issued from Tas.irgton on January 50th,

merging the Department of Kansas into the Department of hi :u; curl

and relieving Major General Curtis and placiny me In command:

jr~~ By direction of the _ president the Department of 'Kansas is
• merged In the Department of hi s son rl , end Ka j . Pen. Curtis is
transferred to the -Department of the Northwest. Headquarters of
the Department of Missouri Is transferred to Fort heavensent;:, hanea;;,

TI,~^Mejor General Pope Is appointed to idee com.mand of the
military division of the Idle :-ourI, Including the Department of Ilissouri
and the Nor th~nest , headquarters at St, Louie."

A .short time before tills order was issued, I received A. •■

dispatch ' : rem General Grant as' iny if a eampaiyn could be made against

the Indians on the plains in the winter, I answered hi

M ~,~~.~. n ^ A -P 4-

Pes' If the

AV,\

troops vrer-' properly equipped for it. General Grant knem th
had had a good deal of experience on the plains in thm -inter and he
ha d been urging General Curtis to open the telegraph, staye and mail
lines which hod been closed more ■or less for three months. I have
no doubt that this order came from my answer to his disp.-teh. .1 was
greatly surprised at tire order and sav tint I hod out my foot in it
so far as having an easy winter was concerned.

On Jsnuary "1st, General Ilalleck -sent tbe ^ollcving order to
Gene re 1 I '"■■p»g:

• "fo~:> i n ">i- on T'">'i SI 1 f' "", r -

Maj. General Fo/>e }
Milwaukee.

Dear Sir: I send you general order #11 just Issued, Please go at once
V6 St, Louis and have General Dodge relieve General Curtis, The "-stole
overland i^j i J,,,^r^ti&, requires sufficient protection from Indian hostll-

The Leylslaturo of Eansa ; hod passed resolutions to hsve troops

sent to that state and the ttvo Senators, Joins Pome-'ov and^dhhp

° ;"a *"

had both been demanding of the Government that action be taken to onen

y6.

/t^T

vy 1

anal droop open ''.-be 'overland routes.

Cn February 6th, I left for 0t , Leavenworth by rail nr: d on
Februo.ry 8th assumed command of the former Deportment of Ran or..".. Froa
tLo officers at Ft. Leavenworth a no tlio Ooeumonts in the Deparhmon thor
1 ascertained thnfall the routes,, the Ornate Fo leading' t o he,; hle-ico,
the South Platte route leading Prom Leavenworth and Omaha by way of
Denver to Salt Lahe and tho North Ibtatte route -which followed up the
Month Platte -by way of Ft, Lai ami o and tho Osuib Pass, wore all
occupied by tho Indian 3. Tin stage staffers had boon abandoned, tho

': the lino 3

telegraph linos torn down and the troops, generally, or tie
demoralised and all the Indiars.grad been concentrated for the yurpooe
of mhablng war against tho United States, Their excuse "/as tho
Chivington massacre made •nearthe south he'nd of Sands; Rivo"r on. the ;39th
of hovoioboir 1064.

There were encamped.

a l--rge number of lodges of oho

Cheyenneo, Arppahoos. he, whics "/ere. un 'er tsm protection of Ft,
Lyon, Col. Chivington Surprised thio camp and in his dispatsw claimed t
have hilled 500 Indian, toot POO malms and ponies, marched miles
in ten days with tho snow two feet deep and lie loot 9 rilled and 50
wounded. Therm. Indiana claimed to be friendly .and were capped here for
protection of Ft, Lyon. Thio action aroused all the Iridisns on the
plains and tho warrior.' 1 assembled and then- were ■ ends from 1P00 to
2000 and tlioy tool; possession of all tho over-lard routes. Thoy Ins
defeated, our troops In ^yotj fight, driven thorn from, ail the stare and
telegraph stations, captured many prisoners and large number of cattle

o V.nd stays stock, murdered, scalped and outraged many persons living

on road and at Stage station. This if Inter was one of the hardest in

■ / "<■ ±

■i(Voi<a- jt_e.i-'o to

our annals, F;r thre^ weeks the thermometer stood A ihirty degrees below
r.ero s r It.h quite a fall of rrc-v on tho ground. ' This 'was the condition
that I found when I arrives at Ft. Le avoirs ' rth. If was necessary to
take very drastic measures to open those linos. . Tiie '"eoartmerwt of

'Oi'O hSVlO" ti'.r- see

.Kansas was divided info districts; Co'!,

Arhansas Riv^r distri of ■ h, '".' . '^-Itcholl tho li^hrim! d D - * strict- HfO

■ , .\ '

Livingstone the District from Ft, Koorn yt o Valley Junction- Col.
Moonlight of the 10: tit hairsss ti.e Colorado district and Choi, Collins
of the llto Ohio tho Ft. Laramie Dlmmriet, 1 sort to tho end of tho

telegraph line and id once by messenger to each of tne Oistrlet • •.ommand-
el ' ; S the ofoI-)-0'Btng s^es-sa^e;

p_? hj i-. j ■

''Send me by telegraph or messenger statement of the condition
of affairs along the over-land mail and telegraph route* Do youib
stages run regularly 9 ' r 'hat measures are you taking to keep up ' the
route and protect it? That Indians are engaged in these troubles?
Where are their, villages? Do thsir families travel with them?
have you spies in their camps? Give me all particulars?"'

"Place every mounted man in your command on the South Platfeo
Route; repair telegraphs; attack any hody of Indians you meet,, learge
or small. . Stay with them and fight thera. until they move north of
the Platte or south of the Arkansas. I am going with two regiments
of cavalry to the Platte line and will open and protect it and
whip all the Indians in the way."

In answer to these dispatches, 1 did not receive any very
encouraging news and they aee shown in my official report, which
will appear later on.

I immediately started two regiments for the plains; the 15th
Kansas from Leavenworth and the 11th Kansas from ft. Riley . 13
of the 15th Kansas froze on the trip to Kearney and 9 companies
of the 11th Kansas got thoought without much difficulty. ..When
the officers ordered the 1-lth Kansas to move, the commanding
officer at Ft. Riley wired me that they refused to move. I
immediately answered to arrest every officer .In the regiment;
that I would assign other officers to the command. This brought
them to their 'senses and they immediately wired that they had
started, ■ 1 called to Pt. Leavenworth, Mr. Edward Creighton in
charges of the. telegraph, line and Mr. B Hughes in charge of
the stage line and the post-master at Leavenworth directing each
one of them to "make preparations to put on the stages, the telegraph
and the-. mails. They seemed very much astonished and none of
them believe I could open and maintain the lines during the winter.
I irametiiate-ly sent an order to the troops at every post to get
into the field, to follow up the Indians no matter where they were
and even if defeated not to retreat to the posts but to get to
cover and -go after the Indians again. The troogS'got into the
field and from c.ol. Livingston 1 received the ' following dispatch .

i SSh er Ta£ d S ^"ne^ SS^ $£%£,& *£.

323

engaged in the fight. Gun loss two killed and 21 wounded; it is
supposed 40 Indians were killed* Baurs and Creighton were driven
off. TJ-e Indians crossed at Bush Creek going north., The tele-
graph poles are all gone for 15 miles and one-third of the lines
.gone or are. so tangled as to be useless. 700 lofees "of Indians
crossed Pole Creek seven miles below. Pole Greek Grossing*

1 did not like the tenor of this dispatch; fio §ew of our-
own men being killed and wounded and made " that fact" known immed-
iately to the commanders, that they must fight these Indians and
drive, then 'off of the line.^^ 1 ^^^^ ^ fo>,f * K * PU .'" x - - ""

a>t I^foimd^that the friendly Indians in the Indian territory
had made bitter complaints against the citizens of Kansas and
others for robbing them, stealing their cattle, etc, and -1 issued
|N- / the .following special order #44;

Hdqrso Dept 8 of fto. Fort Leavenworth,
Feb. 13, 1865.

Paragraph 7. Hie military permits and approvals given to

parties trading in stock, havign been abused- or misused by parties
receiving the.ri, are hereby reYoked,

All military co.rmanders will arrest and hold in confinement
any person who is hereafter, guilty of Fobbing- the friendly Indians
of the cattle* or in any way swindling them,

lo permits will be given to any person to pass through the
lines of the department of Missouri, for the purpose of trade of •
any kind, - ' ■ • -

All cattle or stock of any kind brought out of the territory
south of this department, for sale of speculation, will be
seized, turned over to the proper staff department, who will hold the
stock till the case -can b© fully investigated at these headquarters."

On February 8th,' General Pops applied to the War Department

to have .Utah added to the Department of Kansas and that a new

SJ^tv\tt"t he organized for the plains to be 'commanded by General

Connor. His reasons were that I was needed in the Department of

Missouri but General Pojfe^had no knowledge of why General Grant '

had sent me to the plains . As soon as this recommendation of Polfi.

reached Washington, it' was . disapproved. General Grant saying he was
'..-•• ■ ■ ' perform .

certain I would be able to handle the Indians as well as my ±& uitienln

/Vl ■ • ' ' .' /v ■ ! "

•*-^ ? Missouri, and no change was made excepting that Utah was added to my

1 fV "/ J command, thus giving. me the entire overland route. ■ -
! '/ ' ' '' 'Ft. ■. Leavenworth

1- found that the band belonging to - ; „.. 7V " J ■ ■>, at and several

officers were out through the State of Kansas taking part in the
politics of the State, virtually .under the direction of Senator
James Lane, I issued ah order .sending all these officers to their
commands and for the band to return to Ft. Leavenworth. Senator •

v,../'

( iV

Lane called mo- protesting against the order holW^that ** ™ ptate

necessary to utilise these- officers as they were ,:f,,^.g In V..- . >..^g ■ .
and the band was of great' aid in the political meetings..' I- told
him that I was sent there to put down the Indian troubles and I
had nothing whatever' to-do with politics and' ,ii orders must, cane
from higher authority, if such work was continued, J wo-J. =-'-- »■><"■»
• .. .1.. He hinted to me that no officer could long remain

in command-in Kansas if he did not use his influence and aid politic
ally, and 1 answered that the Department had been assigned 'to me with-
.out any desire on my part and that I should not protest against

its being taken away from me at any time and 1 saw he was greatly

t'isgusted when he left me.

Knowing the importance of having 'Indian scouts and guides, 1
immediately applied to the War Department for authority to organize .
two companies of Pawness and also a company of Delawares. This
authoritj was given and the two companies of Pawness, x sent immediately
into the field under the command of Major North, whom I had known,
and they performed excellent service. I found that, the Government
trains and the trains of private freighting companies were crossing .
the plains unarmed and unorganized, offering opportunity to small
parties of Indians to capture their stock. I immediately issued
the following order controlling the' transportation over the plains;

Hd„Qrs* Dept„ of the.Ko.,

Ft. Leavenworth, Feb. 10, 1865,

Vie The commanding officers at Fort Riley and. Fort Kearney
T7i.ll halt all traino going west at those points and organize the
persons accompanying the.vf into companies for the protection of
the train, A competent person will.be selected as captain and
placed in charge of the train anfl organization.

VI I „ Ail persons accompanying the train must he armed, and as
soon as teams enough are concentrated to organize a company of 100
or more armed men, they will be sent forward in charge of the captain
'appointed,, who will be held, responsible for holding the organisation
and train together for its security, <■ c «, Under no circumstances will
teams he allowed to straggle along the road, or. go forward except
under a thorough organisation as above prescribed. The officer in
charge ot eht rain will endeavor to camp as near military posts as
possible, and any insubordination on the part of, any person accom-
panying the train, refusal to obey orders, c-c* frill be reported at the
first military post P the commanding officer of which will immediately
cause the arrest and punishment of the parties.,

VIII o All Government trains passing Forts Kearney and Riley will
be strongly guarded, and citizen trains wiU be allowed to accompany
them© In such eases the commanding officer of th escort will be
placed, in charge of the entire train*, The commanding officer of all
posts, are commanded to give §.11 aid in their power to trains crossing
the Plains and to see that thin order is compiled with.

IX ♦ Government -trains and troops will obtain forage from the
depots to Forts Kearney and Riley from citizens on the route,- in
all cases giving .the proper receipts to the citizens and 'making
the proper returns to the depot quartermaster, that no delay' or •
trouble may • ensue in issuing the proper vouchers.

X. At all times the overland mail will be so protected as to
insure its safety, escorts running from one military post to another.
Breaks in the Aelegraph line must be immediately reported and repaired.
Sudden dashes of Indians is no cuase for stopping or tunring back of
mails, as the moment the Indians are driven off they can be pu -shed
through* The mail stations through the country wfaere Indian diffi-
culties exist should be placed within protecting distance of military
posts,,

XI. Trains returning will be organized, as above prescribed^

at some post near Denver .to be selected by Colonel Moonlight, command-
ing District of Colorado*

By order of Major-General Dodge:

John Willans,

Asst. Adjutant -General.

On February 11th, I sent the following dispatch to the Post-
office Agent „ Chas. J. Leonard, Ft, Leavenworth:-

"All your mails will be guarded through., lot only Colorado
mails but the entire overland mail will be protected, through this
Department* 1 am now ready- to give the necessary protection fra .
■Kearney west. Any troubles, telegraph me immediately."

On the same date I sent a dispatch to the end of the telegraph

and by messenger to Col. -Moonlight commanding the district of Colorado

as follows:

The department of Kansas has been attached to iiy commando You
will immediately throw your available force on the road from Denver
to Julesburg. If you have not men enough, take militia to hold the
route until 1 can relieve them with troops on the way* Co-operate
with Colonel Livingston. Repair telegraph* open communication and
hold it open. Plenty of troops are on the road to chastise the
Indians but Denver must hold its part 'of the line. Let me hear from
you." ■

On the same date 1 sent the following dispatch to Bealfi, M. Hughes:

"You can inform Mr* Holliday that I. am prepared to protect his
stages through my Department* Orders have been issued for necessary
guards between Denver and Julesburg/'

I also asked authority from the War Department to build a
telegraph 'line from Ft. Leavenworth to Ft* Riley telling them that
it took five days to communicate and get answer from them. Ft. Riley
was the basis of .all supplies for the Sante Fe Route and the head-
quarters if that -district.

On February 13th, I sent the following dispatch to general
Halleck: '"'

"Open 6 communication with Denver Bast. Military post|safe„ No
damage West of Valley Station,"

826

On March 5th, I sent the .following letter to General Pope:

■ . . St. Louis s Mo. 1.1 arch. 5,- 1804.

"T have the honor to inform the Malar General oommaivblng the
military division of Missouri , thnt there are some two hundred and fifty
men in confinement at- '^lt/0on, Illinois, known as the "Galvanised Yan-
kees, i.e. men who we re ""taken prisoners by the enemy during the last
year,, and who, to avoid starvation and Heath, enlisted in " Burks
Battalion" of the. Confederate i^rmy, and who in the recent raid de-
serted on the approach of our forces, to us. These men have already
applied to be sent back to their regiments, taut it is not considered
safe to send them vhere they will be in danger of capture by the
enemy. There are also 1000 prisoners of war, and conscripts, who
refuse* to he exchanged, claiming to be'deserters , unwilling cen-
ser lots fto. These men have applied to enlist In our array.

'i respectful lv submit, if we had not better organize a regiment
of these men, a.nd nut them on the plains, where they -an be made of
use 'o our Government, relieve our prisons, an*, I have no *onbt t m
most cases make better men, and ?ood soldiers of the-,,

t0 J.X "nVevery recent »' Jn£ntry ^ -J.U fi ^
relieve that n»*er of cavalry to u.e in of ^^ / V rte gr ^ lve

^"o? %^ 2 ;rS?orSltl^r,eJr^: an, ^ - S ooU n .r- "

nest soldiers.

The prisoners of war and the military prisoners of the north,
especially Alton., Rook Island, etc, did not want to be exchanged
and returned to their own commands but were willing to enter the
United States service to fight the Indians. -The Government took
advantage of this an* raised the 2nd and 3rd regiments of U.S. Vol-
unreers known In the army as reconstructed rebs and we raised another
regiment at Alton so that In the Department of the Northwest on the
plains, commanded, by General Sulley and under my command, we had five
regiments. The officers were selected from the captains and sargeants.
of our own troops so that -they were* 1 "'ToiTIcerWand were very
effective troops and were of valuable aid to us durin- their term of

one- year's service,,

The troops which I had started from, Leavenworth and Riley were
concentrated at Kearney and on February 14th, Insert th. following

dispatch to Gen. Mitchell:

••™« fwmns sre on the ^oad ; rn-et them at Kearney; as soon as the
troops T rLcb°SS™? bS ready 'to 'push right out against the I^na
■Inn f 1 o - thein until thev are entirely broken up and so- chastised
?hst Sev'w llfnot 'return. I. don't want any. sued, outrages .as were .
committed .b- Ohlvi^ton, I think if we could ge hold of a lot of
Indians and'" hold them as hostages, H would be a, good xdea.

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Full text of "Biography of Major General Grenville M. Dodge from 1831 to 1871 : written and compiled by himself at different times and completed in 1914."

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