The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

[DougCooper]

Folks, I am recruiting for one of the Bummers foraging parties under Terry Sorchy. We are the 93rd Illinois and have dug up a tremendous amount of personal info on members of the regiment. Folks signed up so far include Will Eichler and comrades from the midwest, the CHAPs from way out west and others. If you want to join us please contact me at coop2911@msn.com.

This original song composed by the regiment's first Lt Col gives you an idea of their character. Note the italics - it appears they had foraging in their blood already ;)

"THE SOLDIERS' FAREWELL"
Tune: "Jamie's on the Stormy Sea"
Friends, farewell, we now must serve,
Till this bloody war is over;
We will fight, and yielding never,
'Till our land from rebels free.

With our flag high floating o'er us,
We will drive our foes before us;
Then we'll sing the joyful chorus,
Dixie's land from rebels free!

South we go to meet in battle;
In that land of human chattel
Freedom's drum shall loudly rattle,
Rebels' slaves shall then be free.
We will fight to save our nation
Rebel food shall be our ration,
As we fight for unity.

If John Bull should wish to meddle,
We will show our Yankee mettle;
Eastward front, in line of battle,
Drive them back across the sea.
Should European combination
Seek to crush this noble nation,
We will fight the whole creation;
Then, dear friends, return to thee.

Then farewell, we now must sever,
'Till this bloody war is over;
We will fight, unyielding, ever
Fighting for our flag arid thee.
With our flag high floating o'er us,
We will drive all foes before us;
Then we'll sing the joyful chorus,
Dixie's land from rebels free!

[lambrew]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

We shall make Georgia howl!:wink_smil
Please add my name to the list. I'll send in my offical regestration soon.

Respectfully....
Sean Collicott

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Doug,

I now you already know that myself and Tom Steele will be there.

Come on Stillwater Guard!!

Let’s get back together in Georgia as the 93rd IL to continue what we started in Pennsylvania as the 1st MN!

[MD_Independent]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Count me in for a "Stillwater Guard" reunion. Had a lot of fun at AHT... The temptation is too much, so it looks like I'll be spending yet another event away from the CR's...

Billy Birney

[jake.koch]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Doug,

Us five Ohio Boys from the Stillwater Guard are very interested in making Georgia Howl, I'll send you an email.

Jake

[Chip42]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Count me in too!

Time to find out if Southern Apple Butter is edible......

[ajroscoe]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Cpl. Fallihee's on board. Looking forward to seeing the other Stillwaters!

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Now that registration is open lets make those commitments to each other and get registered early.


If you don't have a home yet we would be happy to have you!

You would be in with a group of men who know their stuff and work great together.

Everyone that was in Doug's company at AHT left with great memories and a sense of serving with the best company ever. Heck, we even had men from other companies tell us how good we were and that we should be proud :D

Already researching and counting the days........

[jake.koch]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

I thought that the other Stillwater Veterans might appreciate this as we prepare to become the 93rd. I was looking through my copy of Glatthaar's book The March to the Sea and Beyond (pg. 132) and I found a funny parody a member of the 113th Ohio wrote after the Georgia campaign just prior to the stroll through the Carolinas.

"Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi,
In the Field, Sister's Ferry, S.C., Feb. 5, 1865.

General Order
No. 10

The army during the ensuing campaign will subsist chiefly by foraging off the country through which it passes, and foraging parties will be governed by the following rules:

I. Each regimental commander will detail a foraging party each day while upon the march.
II. No detail shall be made to excee the whole effective force, including negroes.
III. Not more than one thousand pack-mules will be allowed to a regiment.
IV. No soldier will be alowed to take any horses or mules that cannot walk.
V. No soldier will be allowed to take anything from a plantation which he cannot carry, unless provided with a wagon or pack-mule.
VI.No person shall carry more than two hundred pounds unless he is a negro impressed for the purpose.
VII. No soldier shall carry off a grindstone weighing more than five hundred pounds, as a greater weight would injure the knapsacks.
VIII. No soldier will be allowed more then three negroes as private servants; the surplus, if any, will be sent to these headquarters, if females.
IX. Burning of property is strictly prohibited, unless accidental; and any soldier caught attempting to fire any incombustible material will be arrested.
X. Foraging will be conducted with as little shooting as possible, and no soldier will be allowed to shoot anything already dead. Division and Brigade commanders will see that these orders are strictly enforced. Any soldier violating the above orders will be deprived of the priveledge of participating in any engagement during the present campaign, and will be summarily dismissed from the service immediately upon the expiration of his enlistment."

[DougCooper]

Re: The Suckers go a'foragin - recruiting for the 93rd Illinois

Thanks Jake! Hysterical stuff. Kind of a window on the spirit of this greatest of marching armies. Looking forward to this.