The Columbus Republican from Columbus, Indiana • Page 2

THE REPUBLICAN. boat, proceeded through a large field of corn, the detachment entered the woods, and by order of the-Major halted a 1 few, moments i in order! to close Jnkx ana just as the order to right face and move forward had been given, a heavy volley of musketry, apparently not over sixty yards was i fired into the advunaMg olamn Maior Tanner-i Ml fraftbU the water expedition in Missouri in December, 1861t For several days in succession; the marching was hard uad the excitement intense. Genr' nut all the honor and success of the affair really belonged to Genl Davis. )Vith a few companies of cavalry a little tn advance of the infantry, he intercepted find -captured--1 cruits, who were encamped near Mil-ford, on the Blackwater, and on route to join Price at Springfield. The next we marched them to the railroad, near Georgetown, and from thence sent them by rail to the military -prison at St.

Louis. This secured for Gen. Lavi the commission of a Brigadier-General. The bravery and fortitude exhibited by; Rev. E.

P. F. Wells, a private in the ranks, se the aggregate of 30,000, nien, all under command of Van Dorn. This combined army commenced moving northward for 4he purpose of attacking Gen Curtis," whose fofce was encamped on Sugar Creek on the Springfield and Fort Smith road, immediately south of Pea Ridge, near Elk-horn-Tavern- A citizen of Arkansas mi thwiTil-oflMS" life, came through the Confederate lines and brought information of the strength and approach of the enemy. iTljU.

man remained with, the Union array for protection till it left tho State of Mis- souri the following summer The main line of Gen. Curtis', army was advantageously posted on the northern heights of Sugar Cjreek, here flawing westward toward the Indian Nation, overlooking the valley on the south; up which the road ran till it turned northward, leaving the valley of the creek almost at a right angle. This angle was occupied by a farmhouse and outbuildings, iment. On Jthe 15th of August, orders came to march immediately to Missouri by way of Indianapolli. On reachiag Ibe.t States jf eTwere.

BttpplreJ wi tii" tens which were pitched in the western part of the city. The rolls finally completed by mustering in the commissioned officers of the companies 'and regiment, trm -hrtteTrwr folloinr t43AmirJ effr Davia; Lieu John A. Hendricks; Major, Gordon Tauner, Charles S. Hols master, Emory Bradley; Surgeon, Benj, Assistant Sur-geon, Joseph A Stillwell. The following, the company officers at th organization of the regiment: I s.H" 1JENNING8 COUNTY Captain, 'Michael Gooding; Xfy Leonard Ennia 2nd David Ennis.

JACKSON COUSTY-tCO. B. Captain, iThoa. B. Tanner 1st Jasj M.

Lewis 2nd Jno. F. C. Tanner. 1 i i BROW-Jf COUNTY CO.

C. Captain, Jas. S. Hester, who afterwards became Lieut. CoL; 1st W.

W. Browning; 2nd Will A. Adams. j- CLARK COUNTY CO. D.

Captain, David W. Dailey 1st Wm. H. Ratts 2nd I. N.

Haymaker. .1 1 1 BARTHOLOMEW COUNTT -CO. E. Captain, Josiah Wilson 1st Wm. H.

Snodgrass; 2nd Samuel H. McBride. i 8WITZERLAUD COUNTY CO; P. Captain, 'E. A Steepleton 1st Jno.

SJ Roberts 2nd S. S. Marques; BABTHOLOMEWCOUWTT- CO. O. Captain, Squire Isham Keith 1st Wm, M.

Wiles 2nd For three weeks the troops remained herej constantly engaged in field ma-neuvres iand receiving military in-strTictioD- General com mander of the department reoetving information that Col. Mulligan, then at Lexington, with 300 men, was closely besieged the forces under( Geaeral Pric, ordered the troops zi Jefiei wwAJxXj to-tnarch without lay to his relief. As it. was reported to be a case of emergency, the troops packed their baggage and hastily embarked on board of i transports and steamed off up the Missouri river, leaving Jefferson City on the night of the 18th of September. Five companies of the 22nd had marched by land to Boonville.

The remaining five companies, with as many of the IcHh all under command of Col. Hendricks shipped on the large transport -War Eagle. The remaining companies of the 18th joined the 26th Ind. 'on board of the Iatan, under command of Col. Wheatley.

The 19th of September was a beautiful, clear day, the transports made fair headway up the rapid current of the great Missouri. Expectation and speculation were" rife among both officers and men as they sat in crowded groups, with arms in hand, in, the cabins or upon the decks. Would we be able to reach Lexington in time to relieve the besieged garrison If so, was it not probable that the struggle would be desperate and the loss of life in a corresponding degree? Such were the thoughts and reflections that forced, themselves upon the mind. The novelty of the situation, the constant variation of the steamers as they steamed the shifting currents, the grand and beautiful scenery of this far-famed river all these passed as objects of secondary importance, or of trifling interest compared with the momentous enterprise in which we were engaged. Passing Boonville in the forenoon and receiving on board the five companies of our regiment who had marched thither by land, from rumors and the reports of 'scouts, our commanding officers became apprehensive that the boats might be fired upon from the bluffst of the river or the dense thickets and woods, which in places lined the shores affording excellent opportunities and favorable coverts of the attack of guerrilla bands or larger detachments of the enemy, ordered a heavy guard to stand at arms upon the hurricane decks and the gunners to be in readiness to man the single howitzer which stood charged upon the lower deck of each steamer.

The afternoon passed; night came on and no hostile demonstration was made. At Glasgow, on the north side of the river, a small Confederate force was said to be stationed. Toward 9 o'clock in the evening, we had approached within two miles of the place. It was deemed hazardous to proceed further in the night, as the near approach to Lexington and close proximity to the lines of the enemy, rendered us liable to be ambushed at any moment. Orders were given to land the boats and await the coming' of morning.

The 26th Ind. was half a mile in advance. Each boat tied up on the north side of the river and threw out a strong picket and reserve, the line of each being that of a semicircle, the right and left resting upon the river, above and below, covering and protecting the approach to each boat which occupied the center of the semicircle. The fatal disaster that followed was the result of a military blunder in not connecting these picket lines when established by the proper officers. Satisfied, as he professed to be, that Glasgow was held only by a small force, guarding considerable quantity of Confederate stores and munitions of war, i and that there was a sum of $75,000 in the vaults of the bank at that place Ma Brown Propr's.

Rpubijcah Bcntmno, WaJnut street, opposite poet-office, i TEEMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. I One Copy one 50 One Copy lx tnonihi 1 00 one Oot.f 50 einirie 5 tfi njie 7 mt Hdtrrrrf will to charged each paper aeut out of the county to prepay postage. Send money by P. Oi or Registered Letter a- uiwu nil sk. ru vis-v ty COLUMBUS, 15, 1877.

AN HISTORICAL SKETCn i i i -j the, B. .1 i Twenty-Second Heelment Indiana Vol- .1 FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO THE CLOSE OF THE WAR, ITS BATTLES, ITS MARQHES AND ITS HARDSHIPS, ITS BRAVE OFFICERS IAND ITS HONORED DEAD. BEAD AT THE RE-UNION OF THE REG I MENTj jlELD AT I MARCH 7, 1877, 4 BY R. V. MARSHALL, MARTtSSVILLE, IND.

Brothers and Comrades, Friends and FeUoio Citizens: Following close upon theaoeful solution of those exciting and momentous political events which have convulsed and periled the peace and harmony of our common country from one extremity to the other for the past tour months, comes in fitting time and 1 mann er this jre-union qf the 22nd Indiana Volunteers, one of the early regiments of tne State, two companies of which came from, this goodly city of Columbus and Bartholomew county. We meet to clasp hands, to look into each others faces, to renew! the friendships of "a jfour years service in the cause, of- the country of our birth- or adoption, sanctified and cemented by the terri-ble conflicts of battle, jthe dangers of the skirmish, the sufferings of the march and the uncertainties of the tented field. I I The elements, out jof which the Twenty -Second Regiment, of Indiana Volunteers, were formed, consisted of about 1,200 men who, under company officers of their own selection, rendei-vopd at Camp Noble, North Madison, from the 10th to the 15th of July, 1861. According to 'designation of the governor of the State, most of the companies, and nearly all the men, from the territory at that time comprising the Third! Congressional District. The commandant of the eamp was a Colonel jWarthen, who probably expected to be commission ed Colonel of the new regiment when organized, but being disappointed in inis, commuted suiciue oy snooting t-t te ku A 1 ill IJLi SCii KUUUI U1C lIU V4 aUKUil vu jthe 27th day of Juljr, the United States mustering officer, Lieut.

CoL Wood, came into camp inspected the men by companies, accepted such as seemed to. possess the Requisite qualifications for active service in the field, and all who from personal appearance, j)r who, from information, were! unfit for the life or duties of a soldier. Of the latter there were many who werenanifeatly physically -and mentaly incapacitated others, mentally sound, zealous and patriotic, anxious to enter, the" service of their country, yet were too eld or too young. Many of these shed tears of regret when directed to stand aside. A few who were accepted by the mustering officer, declined to take the oath and be mustered into the service.

These were 1 at bnce drummed out of the camp amid the jeers and insults of their quondam, comrades. The non-commissioned officers and privates duly sworn, the muster rolls I made Out, the men uniformed, equip- ped with 'haversacks, canteens and knapsacks. In a-few days thereafter we were visited by. Govern or. lofton, who delivered a patriotic address, closing with a appeal to the sons of Indiana to hasien to the field and rescue our common country from the 'terrible danger that the life of the nation lie told U3 marching orders were1 awaiting us.

Before leaving Camp Noble, the ladies of Madison prepared and ten-dered a magnificent and sumptuous 1 dinner to the men composing the reg- horse mortally wounded, Orders were given to return the fire, which was immediately done. A desultory and rambling! fire was kept up, as nearly as I could estimate, for five or ten minutes, before it was discovered that the firing came from the' "picket and reserve of the 26th and that our detachment was returning the same. The general impression among officers and men at the time was that we had fallen into an ambuscade of the enemy nor was this impressiori entirely removed from the minds "of many till late in the afternoon of the succeeding day. Shocked and horrified at the spectacle presented, an order was given to collect our dead and wounded and return to the boat, the expedition being abandoned Major Tanner and( W. A.

Coffman mortally and Hugh R. Butler severely wounded, of the 22nd, were carried by details and placed upon cots on board the boat. As we countermarched we passed the two companies of the 18th, where, by the dim light of the moon, we saw two dead and three wounded. By midnight order and quiet were restored. The picket lines had been connected.

A lesson, though a costly one, had been learned. The 22nd lost five killed, and eight wounded. Sometime before day information came that Milligan either had surrendered or i was surrounded by such an overwhelming force as to render all efforts to relieve Bim utterly fruitless. At 3 O'clock a. m.

the War Eagle dropped down six miles to Arrow Rock, and at day! light proceeded siill further, and at noon rounded to at Booneville, where we heard authentic intelligence of the capitulation ot Mulligan and the fall of Lexington. The dead body of Coffman wias carried from the boat and buried at Booneville. Maj. Tanner, Butler and others wounded were sent forward to the hospital at Jefferson City, whre five days afterward the sr i i v- r-r iviajor died. jrordon lanner was a lawyer by profession, a man of high order of talent, and had been Reporter to the Supreme Court of Indiana.

HJwas of medium size and height, of good personal appearance, bilious temberaralnt, precise in all his movements and manners, and had he lived would doubtless have become a distinguished officer. His remains were taken to the capitol of his State, where they were buried with the aighest civic and military honors. The surrender of Mulligan with 3000 men and all the military stores, was a heavy blow to the Federal cause in Missouri. For some days succeeding, Booneville, Jefferson City, and even St. Louis felt the alarm General Price, however, contented himself with making a few demonstrations only on our advanced poets, by way of coverinjg his retreat to Springfield, whither he removed his troops and captured booty.

General Fremont at once commenced organizing a powerful army to attack the enemy, whenever found, determined, if possible to drive him from the State, and to reestablish the Federal authority throughout The command soon marched from Boonville to Ot-terrille, on the Pacific railroad, thence to near which place the regiment remained encampment till the 20th of October, when it joined the forces of General Fremont, then on their marish to- Springfield. DaviV division, including the 22nd, crossed the Osage at Warsaw. Hard marching over dusty roads brought us to Springfield! on the 1st of November. Greatly outnumbered by the forces of Gen. Fremont, Price withdrew, retreating toward Arkansas.

While, either meditating a rapid pursuit or some course, an order reached Gen. Fremont at head quarters, relieving him from command placing General Hunter in his stead. Ink few days orders were given for the entire army to countermarch and return to our former positions on and along the Pacific railroad the base; of supplies, the 20th whither we arrived before of November. few members of the 22nd will ever forget cured-for him the appointment of Chaplain by unanimous recommenda tion of the commissioned officers of the regiment. It was then understood that active operations would be suspended until spring, and that the army would go into winter quarters.

Gen. Hal leek came on as department commander, and Gen. Curtis as commander of the army of the south-west, with instructions to reorganize the troops and take the field at once. Our tents at Otterville were struck, January 26, 1862, and the second time we took up the line of march for Springfield, crossing the Osage at Linn creek. In four, days a junction was formed with Gen.

Curtis at Lebanon. The army was now 12,000 strong, in four divisions, commanded respectively by Gens. Davis, Seigel, Osterhaus and Carr, including five batteries of six guns each and a few sections of flying artillery. The Confederates, reported at about the same numbers, held the city of Springfield, and it was understood that the final struggle which would determine either the Federal or Confederate supremacy in south west Missouri was about to take place. On the evening of Feb.

11th, our advance encountered and drove in the outposts of the enemy within seven miles of Springfield. Early next morning our columns were put in motion; Deploying to the right and left of the main road, our forces moved carefully and cautiously through the prairies and fields. Two miles this side of Springfield the main road passes through a skirt of limber and underbrush of considerable extent, shutting off the view from the open ground and the town beyond. In this timber we expected to encounter the enemy. Arriving within half a mile of this, our line of battle was formed, artillery placed in position and a strong skirmish line of riflemen advanced to draw their fire and thus develop the position of the enemy.

As the skirmishers moved forward all eyes were eagerly turned toward the woods. On went the skirmishers tMl they reached the edge of the timber, when a shout of triumph resounded along the entire line. No enemy was there. Springfield was evacuated. Not deeming it safe to risk a battle, Gen.

Price withdrew and in two hours thereafter the flag of the 22nd Ind. was floating from the dome of the court-Rouse in the plaza of Springfield. Price with his-army retreated rapidly toward Arkansas. Curtis' army commenced a vigorous pursuit. While Davis' division followed close in pursuit of the enemy who had taken the main road to Fort Smith by way of Fay-etteville, Arkansas.

Gen. Seigel's division moved to the left, taking a shorter route, hoping to intercept the enemy and if possible bring on an engagement, Every day there was a sharp skirmish between ur advance and the rear guard of the enemy, till reaching Sugar creek, ip Arkansas, our advance pressed him so closely that Gen. Price formed a line of battle, seeming determined to fight'. While our forces were forming and moving into order, Price again withdrew. Had1 Davis not been delayed two hours, waiting for Seiglf's division to come up and form a- junction with the other forces, there would doubtless have been' a battle' at this place.

Seigel, learning; too late, that he had been betrayed by his guide, hung him to a tree and made haste to come Price continued his retreat to Boston mountains, where he was soon reinforced; by McCulloch Van Dorn, Rains and Steele, Mcln-tosch audi Albert Pike, with 2000. Cherokee Indians, making a force in which were torn down and a six iin battery planted there, designed to sweep the road and yaljey below. Gen. Carr's division was placed in re- i serve on the Springfield rCad beyond Elkhorn Tavern. Sergefs division was thrown forward to Bentonville, nine miles south-west, to meet the advance of the enemy, engage him, re- tard his progress, 'falling back by degrees, and if-poesible, draw him within range of our favorable position.

Early on the morning of jthe 6th of March, the advance of the two armies met near Bentonville, and skirmishing began. The cannonading could be distinctly heard, sounding nearer and nearer as their heavy columns pressed forward, and Seigel fell back. Toward the middle of the afternoon the firing seemed to slacken. Our forces did nobly. Scores of the enemy fell at every turn in the road.

Seigel's rear nearly joined the lines of our chosen position, when the Confederates, doubtless apprised of the situation, ceased to follow, turned to the left, and early on the morning of the 7th, made a vigorous attack upon Col. Carr, in the rear at Elkhorn' Tavern, At the same moment information came from our pickets that McCulloch, with the Texas Rangers and Louisiana troope, Pike and Mcintosh with their Indians, were moving on our right rear. Under orders, leaving a few companies of the 8th Ind. to hold our works, Davis and Osterhaus' divisions changed front and advanced rapidly through the village of Leetown, and in twenty minutes found ourselves engaged with the advance cavalry of the enemy, who recoiled under our well directed fire, and, finding themselves in the presence of infantry, immediately turned and retreated. One of Osterhaus' batteries immediately wheeled into position, the 22nd supporting, and opened fire.

In a few minutes the batteries of the enemy opened in reply. The cannonading now resounded like heavy and continued peals of awful thunder. Shot and shells screamed through the air, bursting and scattering their fragments in every direction. Grape and canister rattled through the trees seemingly thick as hail stones. Supporting a battery, which for a time drew the concentrated fire of the enemy's right wing, our position was one of terrific exposure.

A ten pound shell from the enemy's battery took off the head of Corporal Alfrey 4in the front rank, passed through th? neck and shoulders of his cousin, a jjrivate in the rear rank, and, without' exploding, buried itself in the breast of' Lt. Watts, of company kilfyng all three instantly. This terrible artillery duel, more demoralizing than destructive, only presaged the more desperate conflict just at hand. The opposing forces of the two armies at last confronted each other in deadly strife. A few changes in the lines, au advance here, a closing up there.

Onward came the Confederate columns confident In 8uperiority(of. their. numbers. Their right struck the left of the 22nd. Volley after volley of musketry followed in rapid uocession.

The engagement became general. The deafening crash of imusketry and indescribable1 Good men and true were being killed and wounded on all The left of the regiment was being pressed -back by superority of Acting as aid to Col. Hendricks, he directed me to proceed to the right, go to Col. Patterson of the '18th', commanding I James McGrayel. SCOTT COUNT Y--CO.

H. P. H. Jewett; 1st Thos. Shea: 2nd Wm.

i MONROE COUNTY CO. I. Captain, Daniel Lunderman 1st J. O. McCollough 2nd i A.

R. Ravenscroft. JEFFERSON COUNTY CO. K. Captain, Richard IL Litson 1st Lieut.

4 Perry Watts; 2nd Robert K. Smith. On the 17th day of August the 22nd Indiana, numbering l)40 men, rank and file; including a silver cornet band of choice musicians, marched by rail from Indianapolis and arrived at St. Louis the day following. Our regiment soon become a portion of the army of the south-west, and des tined to take an active-part in the ex citing events transpiring in that de partment.

While, the Mis- sissippi upon at magnmcenc steamer, an artist belonging to one of the com panies sketched the boat, crowded as it was by the entire regiment, and sent the drawing to Harper New York, where it was reproduced and published in their weekly Journal of Civilization. Disembarking from the steamer, the regiment marched through the streets of St. Louis and encamped in the vicinity of the city for ten days, during which time we drew arms from Jefferson Barrocks, and were joined by the Eighth Indi ana, under CoL Benton and the Twen ty-Fifth Indiana, under Col. Veatch. I The south-west part of a few weeks previous to this time had been the theatre of strife, and many skirmishes- and some severe engage- men ts between the Federal and Confederate forces had already taken place.

Carthage, Booneville and Wilson's creek had become historic The latter, consecratectby the blood by the brave General Lyon ana scores of his gallant troops, as also the former were in the' possession of the confederates, who flushed with temporary success, were concentrating a powerful army at Springfield from whence they made frequent demonstrations against Rolla and Jefferson City, their real objective point, as subsequently appeared, being Lexington, 125 miles above the capital on the Missouri river. iiv.t- Marching by rail from SU Louis, Sept. 26, we soon-arrived at Jefferson City, where, an attack from the enemy was Col. Patterson; which preceded us, the 8th, 22nd and't 26th, were organized into a Iayis, commanding the post aer well as the' brigade, i necessarily detached him from his own 'regiment, leaving the 22nd in command of Coll. Hendricks.

jor Tanner requested permission of Col. Hendricks to be allowed to take a detachment of 500 men proceed by land up the river in the night, capture the.jtown.-j Col. Hendricks, who was a cautious, 'prudent at first Tanner, who was brave, ambitiouk and longed for an opportunity; to distinguish rself, urged (his request till at length, Col. -Hendricks reluctantly yielded to his better judgment, told Maj; Tanner select 0y com panies and, march at three, from the 22nd and two from the 18th, Tanner himself at their head, disembarked from the if.