Chapter I: Introduction: Comrades and Friends

In presenting to you this record of our military life and of the time we passed in the service of the Government, we have done it with the hope that our efforts will be appreciated by you. Our desire has been to make this a record, which we can leave behind us after we are gone, to those who may come after us. We have done our best to make it reliable and correct. There may be mistakes in it—undoubtedly there are; but the general statements are correct, we know, while the incidents recounted are true, as many of you will aver after you have read them. We have had to labor under great difficulties in preparing for your inspection and benefit these pages, and at times have almost become discouraged, but we persevered, and at last succeeded in getting them into a shape which we thought would warrant us in placing them in the hands of the printer, and distributing them among you. Between the covers of the book you will find not only a record of our marches, battles, and bivouacs, but also a complete roster of the Regiment, showing what became of every man who, on the 3rd day of September, 1862, was mustered into the service of the United States in the 125th Illinois; whether he died on the field of battle, was taken prisoner, transferred to other organizations, or was mustered out with the Regiment at Chicago, when only 343 of the original one thousand who filled the Regiment when we left home, answered to their names. If he is buried in any Government Cemetery, the number of his grave is given. Hoping that our endeavors to make, for the regiment, a record which shall be not only valuable but also entertaining, and one which shall meet with your approbation, we place it in your hands for perusal.

But be assured that not one word has been written in these pages with the intention of wounding any one's feelings in the least. Far from it! We have too much good feeling for those lads who with us marched through "Dixie," to do anything to give them pain.

Again, hoping you will be pleased with our endeavors we remain

Yours Truly,

ROBERT M. ROGERS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I

The organization of the Regiment—Rendezvous at Danville—We start for
Cincinnati, etc., etc.

CHAPTER II

Arrival at Cincinnati—Camp in the corn-stalk huts at Covington,
Kentucky—Incidents of Camp Life, etc., etc.

CHAPTER III

First night on picket—Asleep on post—Shooting at Capt. Fellows by
picket—Receiving the mules necessary for transportation—Incidents
connected therewith, etc., etc.

CHAPTER IV

Down the Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky—Arrival of Buell's army—Camp
on river bank—Removal to the cattle-pen, etc., etc.

CHAPTER V

Our lessons in soldiering just begun—The Brigade formed—The
appearance of Louisville at this time—Futile endeavors to get
discharged by some of our warriors, etc., etc.

CHAPTER VI

We leave Louisville for the South—Foraging—Sickness in the
regiment—First death in Co. B., etc., etc.

CHAPTER VII

Interview with Sheridan—We reach Bardstown—Locked up—Speedy release,
etc., etc.

CHAPTER VIII

Battle of Perrysville—Incidents of the fight—The Regiment's "baptism
of fire"—First bayonet charge, etc., etc.

CHAPTER IX

Reflections on the battle of Perrysville—Arrival at night of the
supply train—A ramble over the battle-field—Scenes and incidents,
etc., etc.

CHAPTER X

March to Crab Orchard—Description of the country—Blankets and
knapsacks—Missing—How Doc. McElroy lost his blanket, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XI

The march to, and arrival at, Bowling Green—Relinquishment of
Buell's command of the army to Genl. Rosecrans—Better hopes—First
issue of the army hat, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XII

We reach Edgefield—Another interview with Sheridan—Sales of coffee,
etc., etc.

CHAPTER XIII

First inspection—New kind of ammunition—Our hopes not
realized—Description of condition of Nashville as left by the
rebel army, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XIV

In camp on the hills—Cotton bale breastworks—Tents issued to
us—Visitors from God's country—The theatres—Stores and hotels,
etc., etc.

CHAPTER XV

Garrison duty at Nashville—Battle of Stone River—Description of the
battle, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVI

Court Martial in camp—The culprit's revenge—Corp. Duncan's interview
with the captain at the Custom House, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVII

Arrival of the Pay Master—Emancipation Proclamation—We receive our
dog tents, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVIII

March to Murfreesboro'—Arrive at Lavergne—Appearance of
Murfreesboro'—Granger orders some of the boys to be flogged, but
is restrained, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XIX

March to Reed's Bridge—Run into rebel wagon train—Almost trapped—The
battle of Chickamauga, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XX

Farewell of Genl. Rosecrans—"Pap" Thomas assumes command—Caldwell's
Ford—Scarcity of rations, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXI

An unusual reveille—Death of the Chaplain—Battle of Missionary
Ridge.

CHAPTER XXII

Battle of Missionary Ridge continued—Defeat of the rebels—March to
Knoxville, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXIII

Assault on Kenesaw—Death of the Colonel—Visit to the hospital—Scenes
connected therewith—Incidents of personal bravery, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXIV

The cracker-box fortification—Mining the rebel works—Description of
Cheatham and Hindman, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXV

The move to the right—Marietta evacuated—The Union Army masters
north and west of the Chattahoochie, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXVI

Atlanta—Sherman's letter vindicating his order—Of the removal of
citizens, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXVII

Destruction of Atlanta—We start for the sea—Occupation of
Milledgville—Joy of the contrabands, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Our stay at Savannah—Appearance of the city—Chuck-a-luck—Visit to
the Wissahicken, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXIX

Still at Savannah—Oysters and fresh fish—Commencement of the
campaign through South Carolina—Foraging—Destruction of Columbia,
etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXX

Cheraw—The dash on our cavalry by Hampton—Battle of Averysboro' and
Bentonville—Occupation of Goldsboro'.

CHAPTER XXXI

Again on the move—News of Lee's surrender—After Johnson "red
hot"—The convention for his surrender, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXXII

The news reaches us of the death of the President—Feeling of the
army—Basis of agreement for Johnston's surrender.

CHAPTER XXXIII

The rejection by the Cabinet of the terms—Johnston is notified that
Sherman "will move on him in forty-eight hours"—Arrival of General
Grant, etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXXIV

The final surrender—Arrival at Richmond—March to
Washington—Departure for Chicago, etc., etc.