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While in Nashville we drew rations, ammunition, and clothing. Some fool issued orders for the Quartermaster to draw swords and sashes for the Sergeants of the regiment. These were issued to the various orderlies, who in turn issued them to the Sergeants. All manner of fun was made of them, all kinds of ridiculous remark and ludicrous antic were preformed by the boys until they became tired, when they returned them to the orderlies, who turned them over to the quartermaster Wilstach and told him to “go to ---- with frog stickers” as they had no use for any extra luggage.
At this time we were traveling light. Gun, cartridge box, canteen, haversack, blanket and oil cloth constituted the equipment on this march. September 15th we resumed the march, going twenty miles that day on the Louisville Pike. On the 16 twenty-three miles, 17th twenty-five miles, reaching Bowling Green, Ky., and camping about a mile from town. Rained all night for a change, as the weather had been very hot and the pike very dusty.
On the 18th marched three miles, camping in sight of Buckner’s fortifications; 19th marched twenty-five miles, 20thth ten miles and came in sight of Rebel pickets along the Green River. We camped in an old field which gradually sloped down toward the river about three-fourths of a mile. It being Sunday we were idle during the day, but could plainly see the “Johnnies” washing and drying their clothes. General Thomas wanted to attack them but Buell forbid it, as he did during the entire march. September 22nd marched seventeen miles, 23rd twenty eight miles through Elizabethtown. September 24th marched twenty-eight miles and camped on the Salt River. September 25th marched twenty miles to Louisville.
The road from the mouth of the Salt River was along the Ohio River all the way to Louisville. Across the Ohio we could see “Old Indiana.” This made the boys home sick. How they did want to cross the river into “Gods Country.” They would have been willing to have marched the whole distance to their homes for the sake of seeing their relatives and friends and to fill up on rations “mother used to cook.” But there was no hopes. They were in for three years unless sooner shot, and knew the only way to get home was to desert, which they would never do.
On our arrival to Louisville we went to camp on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. So great was the antipathy and distrust of Buell that the army insisted on a new commander, and President Lincoln tendered it to General George H. Thomas. Thomas was of the opinion that Buell should have another opportunity to redeem himself and declined the offer. Fatal mistake for “Pap” Thomas and the ruination of Buell as will be seen later on.
Upon arrival at Louisville we first saw the new regiments, who had enlisted under the 300,000 call of 1862. The “vets” were disposed to have some fun at their expense, and would go around camp yelling “fresh fish.” The government had wisely decided to brigade the new troops with old vets. To our division was assigned the Eighty-Second Indiana to the First Brigade, Seventy-Fourth Indiana to Second Brigade and the Eight-seventh Indiana to the Third Brigade, First Division, Department of the Ohio. All other new regiments were similarly distributed.
Of course the “fresh fish” was a source of amusement to the vets. All kinds of lies and improbable stories were told to the new men. They stared with wide open eyes to see the boys coming in with hardly anything in shape of equipments, while the new troops were loaded down with all kinds of trumpery. Knapsacks were a foot above their heads. Overcoats, two suits of clothes and underwear, all kinds of trinkets, bear’s oil for the hair, etc., gift from loving and well meaning friends but useless to the soldier. On the back of their knapsacks were strapped frying pans, coffee pots and stew pans, pairs of boots hanging to the knapsack, blankets and ponchos, making in weight one hundred pounds to the man, while the “vet” carried about twenty-five pounds.
The nights began to grow cool and as we had no blankets the boys went foraging among the “fresh fish” and in due course of time they were comfortably fixed and the new fellows relieved of considerable weight. They came over to the old regiments with their “tale of woe.” They were told it “was a shame and an outrage” and the best thing they could do was to learn to do the same. They “learned” how in course of time to the disgust of some of the “old” boys. About the second day after our arrival at Louisville some of the boys took “French leave” and went home, but returned in time to start for Perryville.
September 29th the Division was paid off excepting our regiment and the Tenth Kentucky. This caused ruimpus, and the boys fixed bayonets, reversed arms and stuck the bayonets in the ground—butts up. They refused to budge an inch until they were paid. We were out of money and needed it, but the order to march came before the paymaster reached the two regiments. Colonel Kise tried to reason with them, General Fry came over, but they were obstinate. By some hocus pocus which passes the comprehension of everyone, a “feller” by the name of Gilbert had been put in charge of our Corps (formerly commanded by General Thomas), had heard about two regiments refusing to march until paid. He rode up and began a tirade of profanity and abuse, and finally ordered Battery C to unlimber and throw a few charges of cannister into the two regiments and “blow them to ----.” The battery refused to do it, Gilbert was boiling over, ripping and raring mad. Finally General Thomas came over and said, “Boys, I am sorry marching orders came before you were paid off, we are on a very important march and in all probability get Bragg before he gets many miles away. Now if you will fall in I promise you the next stop we make, long enough, I will have the paymaster there and you shall be paid before we move again.” This had the desired effect, the boys cheered him and said, “All right, “Pap,” we will go.” In a few minutes they joined the brigade which was some distance ahead on the march.
Shaw, James Briney. History of the Tenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. “1862”
Lafayette, IN. Burt Hayward Co. 1912 Pg 169-171.
At this time we were traveling light. Gun, cartridge box, canteen, haversack, blanket and oil cloth constituted the equipment on this march. September 15th we resumed the march, going twenty miles that day on the Louisville Pike. On the 16 twenty-three miles, 17th twenty-five miles, reaching Bowling Green, Ky., and camping about a mile from town. Rained all night for a change, as the weather had been very hot and the pike very dusty.
On the 18th marched three miles, camping in sight of Buckner’s fortifications; 19th marched twenty-five miles, 20thth ten miles and came in sight of Rebel pickets along the Green River. We camped in an old field which gradually sloped down toward the river about three-fourths of a mile. It being Sunday we were idle during the day, but could plainly see the “Johnnies” washing and drying their clothes. General Thomas wanted to attack them but Buell forbid it, as he did during the entire march. September 22nd marched seventeen miles, 23rd twenty eight miles through Elizabethtown. September 24th marched twenty-eight miles and camped on the Salt River. September 25th marched twenty miles to Louisville.
The road from the mouth of the Salt River was along the Ohio River all the way to Louisville. Across the Ohio we could see “Old Indiana.” This made the boys home sick. How they did want to cross the river into “Gods Country.” They would have been willing to have marched the whole distance to their homes for the sake of seeing their relatives and friends and to fill up on rations “mother used to cook.” But there was no hopes. They were in for three years unless sooner shot, and knew the only way to get home was to desert, which they would never do.
On our arrival to Louisville we went to camp on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. So great was the antipathy and distrust of Buell that the army insisted on a new commander, and President Lincoln tendered it to General George H. Thomas. Thomas was of the opinion that Buell should have another opportunity to redeem himself and declined the offer. Fatal mistake for “Pap” Thomas and the ruination of Buell as will be seen later on.
Upon arrival at Louisville we first saw the new regiments, who had enlisted under the 300,000 call of 1862. The “vets” were disposed to have some fun at their expense, and would go around camp yelling “fresh fish.” The government had wisely decided to brigade the new troops with old vets. To our division was assigned the Eighty-Second Indiana to the First Brigade, Seventy-Fourth Indiana to Second Brigade and the Eight-seventh Indiana to the Third Brigade, First Division, Department of the Ohio. All other new regiments were similarly distributed.
Of course the “fresh fish” was a source of amusement to the vets. All kinds of lies and improbable stories were told to the new men. They stared with wide open eyes to see the boys coming in with hardly anything in shape of equipments, while the new troops were loaded down with all kinds of trumpery. Knapsacks were a foot above their heads. Overcoats, two suits of clothes and underwear, all kinds of trinkets, bear’s oil for the hair, etc., gift from loving and well meaning friends but useless to the soldier. On the back of their knapsacks were strapped frying pans, coffee pots and stew pans, pairs of boots hanging to the knapsack, blankets and ponchos, making in weight one hundred pounds to the man, while the “vet” carried about twenty-five pounds.
The nights began to grow cool and as we had no blankets the boys went foraging among the “fresh fish” and in due course of time they were comfortably fixed and the new fellows relieved of considerable weight. They came over to the old regiments with their “tale of woe.” They were told it “was a shame and an outrage” and the best thing they could do was to learn to do the same. They “learned” how in course of time to the disgust of some of the “old” boys. About the second day after our arrival at Louisville some of the boys took “French leave” and went home, but returned in time to start for Perryville.
September 29th the Division was paid off excepting our regiment and the Tenth Kentucky. This caused ruimpus, and the boys fixed bayonets, reversed arms and stuck the bayonets in the ground—butts up. They refused to budge an inch until they were paid. We were out of money and needed it, but the order to march came before the paymaster reached the two regiments. Colonel Kise tried to reason with them, General Fry came over, but they were obstinate. By some hocus pocus which passes the comprehension of everyone, a “feller” by the name of Gilbert had been put in charge of our Corps (formerly commanded by General Thomas), had heard about two regiments refusing to march until paid. He rode up and began a tirade of profanity and abuse, and finally ordered Battery C to unlimber and throw a few charges of cannister into the two regiments and “blow them to ----.” The battery refused to do it, Gilbert was boiling over, ripping and raring mad. Finally General Thomas came over and said, “Boys, I am sorry marching orders came before you were paid off, we are on a very important march and in all probability get Bragg before he gets many miles away. Now if you will fall in I promise you the next stop we make, long enough, I will have the paymaster there and you shall be paid before we move again.” This had the desired effect, the boys cheered him and said, “All right, “Pap,” we will go.” In a few minutes they joined the brigade which was some distance ahead on the march.
Shaw, James Briney. History of the Tenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. “1862”
Lafayette, IN. Burt Hayward Co. 1912 Pg 169-171.
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