Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE HISTORY OF COMPANY A, SECOND ILLINOIS CAVALRY

by

SAMUEL H. FLETCHER

A Member of the Company;

In Collaboration with D. H. Fletcher

AS A
TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY
OF
THE MEN WHO FOUGHT IN COMPANY A
AND OF RESPECT
TO
ALL WHO STAND FOR
WHAT THEY FOUGHT FOR
THIS BOOK
IS
DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHORS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. Page.

Causes of the war--Slavery, the national issue--Conditions immediately preceding the outbreak--Manifestations of patriotism 1

CHAPTER II.

Organization and departure--Presentation of the Flag--Address by David B. Dewey--"Nick. Hotaling's Speech"--Capture of a masked battery--Mustered into service--Camp Butler--Fort Massac--Cairo--Bird's Point--Adventure of Harvey James--Paducah and Murray, Kentucky--Releasing imprisoned slaves 5

CHAPTER III.

Embarcation from Paducah--Instance of official brutality--Capture of Fort Henry--Reconnoitering Fort Donelson--First meeting with Forest's men--Investment of Fort Donelson--McLernand's repulse --Attack by gunboats--Sortie--Grant turns the tide--Surrender by Buckner--Interest of Northern friends--Dr. Gould 25

CHAPTER IV.

From Donelson to Metal Landing--Rescue from flooded camp--Pittsburg Landing--Grand review--Escort Wallace's men to Crump's Landing--The long-roll--Detailed to bring up Wallace--Hardship of men--Second day's battle--Retreat and pursuit--Dickey's cowardice--Charge against Forest's men--Pathetic incidents 45

CHAPTER V.

The Corinth campaign--General Halleck--Manifestation of caution --"Better to retreat than to fight"--Spade-brigade--Elaborate fortifications--Battle of Davis' Bridge on the Hatchie River-- Bolivar--Death of Colonel Hogg--Water Valley--Fight at Holly Springs--Cowardice of Colonel Murphy--Foraging 59

CHAPTER VI.

The final Vicksburg campaign--Situation at and around Vicksburg --Memphis--Lake Providence--Digging the canal--Cutting levee-- Running batteries--March through swamps--Grand Gulf--Feint by Sherman--Battle of Port Gibson--Death of McCorkle--Battles of Raymond and Jackson--Champion Hill--Casler and his "Base of Supplies"--Battle of Black River Bridge--Investment of Vicksburg --Grant--the "Silent"--the Invincible 77

CHAPTER VII.

The siege of Vicksburg--The assault--Logan's Headquarters--The "Bull-pen"--"Boyce's Battery"--Scouting--The mine--The surrender --Phelps appropriates General Buckner's capitulation papers-- Significance of the victory--Credit due to Grant 99

CHAPTER VIII.

Department of the Gulf--New Orleans--How Official Dignity was Vindicated by a Cat o'nine-tails--New Iberia--Vermillionville-- Chain-Vidette--"Bower's Charge"--How Ed. Baker won his spurs --Repulse of Generals Lucas and Franklin--Improvised Cavalry --Death of Crosby--Superior arms of Confederates--Brilliant capture of Confederate detachment--Commended by general order --Outrage committed by Banks and Franklin in confiscating horses--Cowardly manner of its perpetration--Re-enlistment --Veteran furlough--Return to the front 113

CHAPTER IX.

The Red River Expedition--Death of Colonel Mudd--How Colonel Marsh held the line--Fighting Guerrillas--"Alton Hell-Hounds" --Their remedy for picket shooting--Incidents at Clinton, Louisiana--Colored wards and the River Jordan--Dash upon Liberty, Mississippi--Capture of Confederate officers-- Chivalry of prisoners and captors--How a Confederate Captain "made good" 135