Chapter VI

Lieut. Call reconnoiters and reports the enemy's position--Colonel
Scott desires to attack him with the Third Iowa, the Home Guarda
and the artillery--Gen. Hurlbut declines his consent--Dangers
of such a movement--Disappointment of the men--The General
reviews the troops--And issues a proclamation--He
sends it by a flag of truce to Green's camp--Green
don't see the point, but takes the hint and gets ready
to leave--The General issues an order against plundering--Further
details of our condition--A detachment goes to Lancaster
after supplies--Escape and pursuit of Green--Details
of the march--Suffering, straggling and plundering--Night
at Wilsonsville--night at Bear Creek--Scouts from Moore--Junction
with Moore at Bethel--Appearance of the place--Character
and hospitality of the inhabitants--Change of plans--Moore
and Smith pursue the enemy--Hurlbut and Scott move directly
toward the railroad--Noon at Shelbyville--Another
proclamation--A man straggles ahead of the column and is
shot by the bushwhackers--Night at Shelbina--The
situation--We proceed to Brookfield 89

CHAPTER VII.

The expedition to Paris--The forces engaged in it--Details
of the movement to that place--Conduct of Colonel Williams
and Lieut. Col. Blair while there--They return speedily to
Shelbina--Green pursues and confronts them with a large
force--Details of the affair at Shelbina--Colonel Williams
retreats to Hudson where he meets General Hurlbut with
reinforcements--The propriety of the retreat discussed--The
account of the Rebellion Record 104

CHAPTER VIII.

We break up camp at Brookfield and proceed toward
Shelbina--Junction with Smith and Moore--Gen. Pope assumes
command--Hurlbut and Williams proceed to St. Louis in
arrest--Pope leads a night march against Green at Florida--Feelings
of the troops--Circumstances of that affair--Report
of General Fremont concerning it--We return to the railroad
and proceed to Macon--Arrival of Generals Pope and Sturgis
at that point--Prospect of active movements 112

CHAPTER IX.

Col. Smith with his own regiment and five companies of
the Thirty-ninth Ohio, proceed to Platte River bridge and
commence repairing it--Col. Scott is ordered to co-operate
with him against the rebels in that vicinity--We proceed to
Cameron by railroad, impress transportation and march
toward Liberty--The first night--Second day's march--Second
night at Centerville--Cannonading in the distance--Our
feelings--Lieut. Call reconnoiters as far as Liberty--We
move at 3 A. M.--At sunrise drive back the enemy's pickets
and camp at Liberty--No tidings from Smith--Cannonading
in the direction of Independence and probabilities of an
engagement across the river--Col. Scott resolves to
attack--BATTLE OF BLUE MILLS LANDING 120

CHAPTER X.

Arrival of Smith--His march from the railroad--Why he
arrived too late--Our feelings on his arrival--The situation
the morning after the battle--What should have been done--Smith
starts for St. Joseph--Burying the dead and caring for the
wounded--Scott's official report--Comments on the same--Gallantry
of Scott and Lakin--Official report of the enemy--Estimate
of his force--Account in the Missouri Republican--Account
in Pollard's "First Year of the War"--The necessity
and merits of the battle 135

CHAPTER XI.

We start for the railroad--Arrival at Centerville--Arrival
of a courier from Sturgis--March to Plattsburg--Orders from
Sturgis--Turn toward Kansas City--Night at Smithville--March
resumed toward Liberty--Sturgis retreats three days
from an enemy who does not pursue--We think his pursuers
turn against us, and turn to the west to elude them--Strike
the Missouri at Parkville and prepare to cross on a flatboat--A
steamboat arrives and conveys us to Leavenworth--We
return next day to Wyandotte--Our stay at Wyandotte--Move
to Kansas City--Arrival of Lane's Brigade--Comparison
between Lane and Sturgis--They quarrel about precedence
in rank--Lane moves out of town--Hospitality of the
citizens 152

CHAPTER XII.

The troops leave Kansas City--We are not in a condition
to march South--Rumored removal of the regiment to
Quincy--Proceed by steamboat and railroad to Quincy--Our
arrival and situation there--We are paid and prepare to
leave--The citizens give a ball in our honor--Incidents
of that night--We proceed to Benton Barracks--Col. Williams,
his release, conduct, and re-arrest--Changes--Our sanitary
condition--We are ordered to the North Missouri
Railroad--Disgraceful conduct of certain captains 165

CHAPTER XIII.

Preparations--We move North by railroad--Details of the
ride--March from the railroad--Night on the frozen ground--Feelings
and conduct of the soldiers toward the citizens--Night
at Martinsburg--March to Mexico--Character of the
citizens--Bad conduct of certain of the men--What the
Major did about it--His speech--Its effect--An excess of
quinine and lack of bread--Return march to Martinsburg--The
New Year--March to Wellsville--Sickness--Conduct and
character of Surgeon Edwards--Foraging and plundering--Movement
of troops to the front--Anxiety to go with them--Fort
Donelson--Discontent at being left in the rear--Trial
and release of Col. Williams--He assumes command and
begins reforms--Marching orders 175

CHAPTER XIV.

Leave Mexico for St Louis--Conduct of some of the men
and officers--Journey from St. Louis to Savannah, Tenn.--Scenes
on the passage--Captain Albert Hobbs--Loyalty of the
people on the Tennessee river--Move to Pittsburg Landing--The
situation--Criticism, &c. 189

CHAPTER XV.

The enemy's reconnoissance April 4th--The alarm 5th
April--THE BATTLE OF SHILOH--The soldier's impression of a
battle--Stragglers and their shameful conduct--The different
movements and positions of our division and brigade in the
battle--Appearance of General Grant--Gallant charge and
repulse of a rebel brigade 206

CHAPTER XVI.

The enemy massing against the left--Our successful stand--Retreat
and our successive positions therein--We form the
left of Prentiss--His gallant conduct and capture--Capture
of Major Stone--He and Prentiss vindicated--Scene on the
bluff--Night and Buell--The cannonade--The night 221

CHAPTER XVII.

The battle on Monday--Defeat of the enemy's right wing--Firmness
of the left--Gallant conduct of Gen. Hurlbut--Col. Johnson in
command of a part of our divided brigade--Victory--Flight
of the enemy and failure to pursue 233

CHAPTER XVIII.

A survey of the field--Plundering the dead--Civilians and
relic-seekers--Congratulatory orders--Camp on a field of
graves 243

CHAPTER XIX.

Preparations to advance on Corinth--Morale of army and
sanitary condition--Advance to Shiloh Springs--Inspection by
General J----Advance to Pea Ridge--Gov. Yates--Picket
skirmishing--Battle of Russellville House--Arrival of Col.
Scott--A night on picket in face of the enemy--THE EVACUATION
AND OCCUPATION OF CORINTH 257

CHAPTER XX.

Resume of the movements of our regiment--Sherman's
movements towards Memphis--Camp on the Heights of
Hatchie--Camp on Spring Creek and Wolf River--Colonel
Williams again--Incidents of the march from LaGrange,
Tenn., to Holly Springs, Mississippi--Return--Resignation
of Lieut. Col. Scott--Arrival in Memphis--Gen. Sherman as
a military man--Marching orders 278

CHAPTER XXI.

Lieut. Col. Trumbull--Leave Memphis--Night on Wolf
River--House burning--Reach and bridge the Hatchie--Hardships
and murmurs--March toward Bolivar--Arrival at Bolivar--A
reconnoissance towards Grand Junction--Attempt of the enemy
to get in our rear--Return to Bolivar--Reinforcements 291

CHAPTER XXII.

A day's march toward Corinth--Arrival of Gen. Ord--Situation
and movements of the enemy--BATTLE OF MATAMORA--Carrying
the bridge of the Hatchie--Disastrous situation--Reserves
ordered into action--Hurlbut saves the day--Carrying
the Heights--Retreat of the enemy--Bivouac on the
field--Reconnoissance, details, etc.--Return to Bolivar--Fruits
of the victory--Losses 303

CHAPTER XXIII.

Col. Trumbull's official report--General Hurlbut's parting
review--His parting orders--How they were received--Congratulatory
orders of Gen. Grant--Telegram from the President 317

CHAPTER XXIV.

Reorganization and changes--Reconnoissance by General
Ross--Disposition of the Hatchie prisoners--The State election
in our regiment--Effects of the news of the northern
elections upon the troops--Wild reports of the enemy's
advance--Fortifying--Preparations for a general advance--Arrival
of Gen. Grant--Grand review--Arrival of new regiments--General
marching orders--First day's march--Condition of the
troops--Our camp at LaGrange--Position of the enemy--Arrival
of Col. Williams--Resignation of Lieut. Col. Trumbull--The
Somerville march--Reviews and marching orders 329

CHAPTER XXV.

The army in motion to the South--Character and scenes of
the first days march--Bivouac at Holly Springs--An earthquake--The
cavalry division and the enemy's rear guard--Cannonading--Camp
Lumkin's Mills--A storm--Movement of Sherman, retreat of the
enemy and advance of troops--Our division left behind--We
advance--Rebel works on the Tallahatchie--Scenes and scenery
of the march--Oxford--Join the army at Yockona Creek--The
Thirty-third Wisconsin--The situation and movements--Raid
of Van Dorn--Movements to open the communications 345

CHAPTER XXVI.

Retreat of the army--Commendable spirit of the troops--March
to the Tallahatchie--Ridiculous rumors--Christmas--We
We go into camp--Return of Dickey's raid--Our condition as
to supplies--The New Year--March to Holly Springs--We go
into camp--March of Denver's division--Our situation--Burning
of Holly Springs--March again to the north--Bivouac
at Cold Water--Reviewing and speculating over the
campaign--Arrival at Moscow 358

CHAPTER XXVII.

Reorganization of Grant's army--How our division was
posted--Descent of guerrillas upon our forage train--We
march to Memphis and go into camp--A glance at the officers
of our regiment--Gen. Lauman's regimental drills--Review of
the Fourth division--Col. Bryant's movement against Chalmers--Our
division ordered to Vicksburg--Parting with my
comrades--Their journey down the river and affair with the
guerrillas near Greenville--Arrival at Young's Point--Their
view of Porter and Steele engaging the enemy--Proceed up
the Yazoo and occupy Haines' Bluff--The captures--Blowing
up the magazines--The 22d of May--They move to take position
in the investing lines--Their position and operations south
of the city--Their subsequent position and operations 373

CHAPTER XXVIII.

SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG--Our division moves with Sherman
against Johnson--March to Jackson--The place besieged--DISASTROUS
CHARGE OF COLONEL PUGH'S BRIGADE--The blame imputed to Gen.
Lauman--He is relieved of command--His parting orders--The
feeling in regard to him--Our losses--Subsequent movements
of the Third Iowa--CONCLUSION 386

RECOLLECTIONS.