CHAPTER V.

FROM THE ATTACK ON CORINTH, OCT. 3D, 1862, UNTIL REGIMENT WAS MOUNTED.

_Rebels prepare to attack Corinth--Order of battle--Result of the attack on the 3d of October--New line of battle at "White House"--Line at "Battery Robinett"--Slaughter on the 4th of October--Extracts from a Rebel prisoner's journal--List of killed and wounded--Outpost duty._

The Rebel leaders were not satisfied that our forces should occupy Corinth, uninterruptedly. Hence, in the Fall of 1862 active preparations were made by them to attack that place. A heavy force, under Generals Price and VanDorn, was fitted up for this purpose. The time was drawing near when our boys must endure another of those terrible struggles, two of which they had already passed through.

As I have said, the Regiment had been doing outpost duty at Rienzi, from the 16th of August until the last of September. On the 20th of September, Col. Schaeffer's Brigade, with which our Regiment had been temporarily united, moved Northward, leaving the 9th Ill. and the 59th Indiana, to hold the place. On the 1st of October the 9th Ill. moved toward Corinth, and bivouacked for the night seven miles South of our old camp near Corinth. Moved again, on the 2d of October, and came to the old familiar camp, at noon. Here we occupied our old position again, reporting to General Oglesby, who commanded the Brigade.

On the morning of October 3d, 1862, the Regiment was marched out in its proper position for the terrible conflict, The following order will show the position it occupied during the fight. It was moved out two miles North-west of Corinth, to the old rifle-pits of the rebels. Our Brigade was on the left of the 2d Division. The 6th Division was on our left. On the right of the 6th Division, was the 3d Brigade of the 2d Division, (Col. Baldwin commanding,) which had been temporarily attached to that Division. Gen. McArthur commanded the 6th Division; Gen. Davies the 2d Division, and Gen. Hamilton the Ohio Division. This latter Division was held in reserve. Immediately on our right was the 1st Brigade of the 2d Division. Such was the position our Brigade occupied at the opening of this terrible conflict.

The enemy made their first attack upon Gen. McArthur's Division, which was placed immediately upon our left. After a short resistance, Col. Baldwin's Brigade, placed on the right of that Division, gave way and fell back in confusion. This uncovered and exposed to the enemy our left flank. Soon the enemy came through the large gap thus made, and attacked us simultaneously in the front and rear. The 81st Ohio, placed upon the left of our Brigade, gave way and moved in confusion and disorder to the right and rear, followed very soon by the 12th Ill., and then the 9th moved in the same manner.

In attempting to check the too hasty advance of the Rebels, the 9th Ill. lost Capt. Britt, killed, and the two Captains Lowe, and Lieutenants Hughes and Uleu, together with 53 enlisted men, captured.

Gen. Hackleman's Brigade covered our retreat, and we fell back and formed a new line at the "White House." The Brigades occupied the same order in this line as in the former one. Here the advance of the enemy was checked, until darkness put a stop to the conflict for this day.

During the night our line was drawn back to Battery "Robinett." Just before daylight, on the morning of the 4th of October, the enemy cheered by their success of yesterday; opened from a four-gun battery, on the town, compelling our wounded to leave for safer quarters. A General Hospital was established one mile out on the M. & C. R. R. where all the wounded were removed. Before they could all be removed, one or two of them had been killed by the rebel shells in the Tishomingo House. At daylight, the action became general all along our lines. The Rebel columns made desperate charges, and were as often repulsed.

General Oglesby, commanding our Brigade, was wounded the day previous, and Col. Mersy assumed command of the Brigade. Major Kuhn, of our Regiment, was also disabled, and Captain Hawes assumed command of the Regiment during the fight on the 4th of October.

The slaughter of the enemy, in the efforts to capture "Battery Robinett," was terrific. A true picture of the ground, taken ere the dead were removed, shows the ground to be literally covered with the dead, often lying one upon another.

The struggle lasted until about 10 A. M., when the Rebel line was broken, and their whole army retreated in confusion and disorder. Thus ended another of those terrible conflicts which have marked the history of this war. The conflict was fierce and determined on both sides. Our forces were under the command of Gen. Rosecrans. Those of the enemy were under Generals Price and VanDorn. It was regarded a matter of vital importance, at that time, for our forces to hold that place. The importance which the Rebels attached to the work of re-taking it, and the desperate struggle they made in order to do it, will be seen from some extracts which I will here make from the journal of a Rebel prisoner, Lieut. Labruzan, of the 42d Regt. Ala. A copy of his notes, taken as the battle progressed, and after he was captured, was obtained by some of the boys in our Regiment, and I have thus secured access to it. The following extract will show the position the enemy occupied on the day before the battle commenced:

"_Thursday, Oct. 2d._--The bridge finished about 10 o'clock, when we took up the line of march. We marched right in front, which brought our Regt. near the head of the column. Generals VanDorn and Villipigue were ahead about two or three miles. The army here is fully 25,000 men under command of Gen. VanDorn, who outranks Gen. Price. Brig. Gen. Moore commanded our Brigade of five Regiments. Our Division is commanded by Brig. Gen. Manny."

I omit here a portion of his notes as to the march during the day, and the manner in which he spent the night of the 2d October. It would be interesting to give the whole of this extract from his journal, but it would occupy too much space. It would enable us to view that great battle from a rebel stand-point. Of the first day of the fight, he writes thus:

"_Friday, Oct. 3d._--Reveille by the bugle at 4 A. M. Were marching by 4 ½. Crossed into Mississippi at 7 A. M. Marched just on the border for some miles. At 6 ½ heard some artillery firing. Three miles ahead, skirmishing, which was kept up until after we crossed the M. & C. R. R., which was at 9 ½ A. M. Saw a Regiment skirmishing in a field just below us. The artillery kept up a constant fire about three times a minute. Our Brigade, under Gen. Moore, marching into the woods, formed, a line of battle, our right resting on the Railroad. We had not waited more than fifteen minutes, when heavy skirmishing was heard about a half mile in front, with steady and increasing cannonading. Two men from each company were detailed to attend to the wounded, &c. We left blankets and knapsacks here. About 10 o'clock our Brigade marched forward through a corn-field, and formed into a line within a half mile of the enemy. Heavy firing just in front. Saw a Major who was wounded."

He proceeds, thus to speak of the fight of the 3d; but I will not follow him further, on that day. Let us hear him describe the scene of the 4th:

"_Saturday, Oct. 4th._--An awful day. At 4 o'clock, before day, our Brigade was ordered to the left about one-fourth of a mile, and halted, throwing out lines of skirmishers, which kept up a constant fire. A Battery in front of the right of our Regiment opened briskly, and the enemy replied the same. The cannonading was heavy for an hour and a half. Our Regiment lay down close, and stood it nobly. The shell flew thick and fast, cutting off large limbs and filling the air with fragments. Many burst within 20 feet, and the pieces popped within 2 or 3 feet. It was extremely unpleasant, and I prayed for forgiveness of my sins, and made up my mind to go through. Col. Sawier called for volunteers to assist the 2d Texas skirmishers. I volunteered, and took my company. Captain Perkins and Lieutenant Wumson being taken sick directly after the severe bombardment, I had the Co. all the time. I went skirmishing at 7 ½, and returned at 9 ½ o'clock. We got behind trees and logs, and the way the bullets did fly, was unpleasant to see. I think 20 must have passed within a few feet of me, humming prettily. Shells tore off large limbs and splinters. Struck my tree several times. We could only move from tree to tree, and bending low to the ground, while moving. Oh, how anxiously I watched for the bursting of the shells when the heavy roar of the cannon proclaimed their coming. At 9 ½ o'clock I had my skirmishers relieved, by Captain Rouse's Company. Sent my men to their places, and went behind a log with Major Furges. At 10 o'clock, suddenly the fight fairly opened, with heavy volleys of musketry and the double thundering cannon. This was on the right. In a few minutes the left went into action in splendid style. At 10 ¼ o'clock, Col. Rogers came up by us, only saving "Alabama forces." Our Regiment, with the Brigade rose, unmindful of the shell or shot, and moved forward, marching about 250 yards and rising the crest of a hill. The whole of Corinth, with its enormous fortifications, burst upon our view. The U. S. flag was floating over the forts and in town. We were now met by a perfect storm of grape, cannister, cannon balls and Minnie balls. Oh, God! I have never seen the like! The men fell like grass, even here. Giving one tremendous cheer, we dashed to the bottom of the hill on which the fortifications are situated. Here we found every foot of ground covered with large trees and brush, cut down to impede our progress. Looking to the right and left, I saw several Brigades charging at the same time. What a sight was there. I saw men running at full speed, stop suddenly and fall upon their faces, with their brains scattered all around. Others, with legs and arms cut off, shrieking with agony. They fell behind, beside, and within a few feet of me. I gave myself to God, and got ahead of my company. The ground was literally strewed with mangled corpses. One ball passed through my pants, and they cut twigs right by me. It seemed, by holding out my hand I could have caught a dozen. They buzzed and hissed by me in all directions, but I still pushed forward. I seemed to be moving right in the mouth of cannon, for the air was filled with hurling grape and cannister. Ahead was one continuous blaze. I rushed to the ditch of the fort, right between some large cannon. I grappled into it, and half way up the sloping wall. The enemy were only three or four feet from me on the other side, but could not shoot us for fear of having their heads blown off. Our men were in the same predicament. Only 5 or 6 were on the wall, and 30 or 40 in and around the ditch. Catesby on the wall by my side. A man within two feet of me, put his head cautiously up, to shoot into the fort. But he suddenly dropped his musket, and his brains were dashed in a stream over my fine coat, which I had in my arms, and on my shirt sleeves. Several were killed here, on top one another, and rolled down the embankment in ghastly heaps. This was done by a Regiment of Yankees coming about 40 yards on our left, after finding us entirely cut off, and firing into us. Several of our men cried "put down the flag," and it was lowered, or shot into the ditch. Oh, we were butchered like dogs, as we were not supported. Some one placed a white handkerchief on Sergeant Buck's musket, and he took it to a port hole. But the Yankees snatched it off and took him prisoner. The men fell 10 at a time. The ditch being full, and finding we had no chance, the survivors tried to save themselves as best they could. I was so far up, I could not get off quickly. I do not recollect of seeing Catesby after this, but think he got off before. I trust in God he has. I and Capt. Foster started together, and the air was literally filled with hissing balls. I got about 20 steps, as quick as I could, about a dozen being killed in that distance. I fell down and scrambled behind a large stump. Just then, I saw poor Foster throw up his hands, and saying "Oh, my God!" jumped about two feet from the ground, falling on his face. The top of his head seemed to cave in, and the blood spouted straight up several feet. I could see men fall as they attempted to run, some with their heads to pieces, and others with the blood streaming from their backs. It was horrible. One poor fellow being almost on me, told me his name, and asked me to take his pocket-book if I escaped and give it to his mother, and tell her that he died a brave man. I asked him if he was a Christian, and told him to pray, which he did, with the cannon thundering a deadly accompaniment. Poor fellow. I forgot his request in the excitement. His legs were literally cut to pieces. As our men returned, the enemy poured in their fire, and I was hardly 30 feet from the mouth of the cannon. Minnie balls filled the stump I was behind, and the shells bursted within three feet of me. One was so near it stunned me, and burned my face with powder. The grape-shot hewed large pieces off my stump, gradually wearing it away. I endured the horrors of death here for half an hour, and endeavored to resign myself and prayed. Our troops formed in line in the woods, and advanced a second time to the charge with cheers. They began firing when about half way, and I had to endure it all. I was feigning death. I was right between our own and the enemies fire. In the first charge our men did not fire a gun, but charged across the ditch, and to the very mouth of the cannon, with the bayonet. So also the second charge, but they fired. Thank God, I am unhurt, and I think it was a merciful Providence. Our troops charged by, when I seized a rifle and endeavored to fire it several times, but could not, for the cap was bad. Our boys were shot down like hogs, and could not stand it, and fell back each man for himself. Then the same scene was enacted as before. This time the Yankees charged after them, and as I had no chance at all, and all around me were surrendering, I was compelled to do so, as a rascal threatened to shoot me. I had to give up my sword to him. He demanded my watch also. Took it; but I appealed to an officer, and got it back. I had no means of defending myself for the first time in many years. I cried to see our brave men slaughtered so, and thought where Catesby might be. I have never felt so in all my life. It is now said that our Brigade was never ordered to charge such a place, and that it was a mistake. If so, it was a sad one. Being brought behind the works we found three Regiments drawn up in line, and all of them were fighting our 42d Alabama alone. I helped to carry a wounded man to the Depot, with Lieutenants Marshall, Contra and Preston, they being the only unhurt officers who were prisoners from our Regiment. We and the privates were soon marched to a large house, having a partition for the officers. The men, about 400, in next room. I heard firing again, but I fear we can do nothing. We are treated very politely--more so than I had expected."

Perhaps the reader is now ready to ask what this long extract from a secesh officer's journal, has to do with the history of the 9th Ill. Inft. Well, it is not very intimately connected with it. But it has been preserved by the boys in the Regiment, and all agree that it gives a very correct account of that terrible battle. It has, however, this connection with our history: It shows the desperate nature of that struggle, in which our boys took so active a part. It shows that they had a foe to contend with, full of courage and who fought with desperation.

It was truly a terrible battle. One officer who was on the ground, told me that he at one time thought the rebels would succeed in driving us out.

The loss sustained by the 9th Regt. Ill. Inft. in this terrible conflict, was 20 killed and 82 wounded. Captain Britt was among the killed. The following officers were among the wounded: Major Kuhn, Adjt. Klock, Captains Kneffner and Robinson, and Lieutenants Rollmann, Williford, Clements and Cowgill. There were 57 captured, including Captains E. M. and G. G. Low, and Lieutenants S. T. Hughs and B. L. Ulen.

The following is a list of the killed and wounded, in the various companies:

COMPANY A.--_Killed_, Charles Gibrich--1. _Wounded_, William Kortkamp--1.

COMPANY B.--_Killed_, Joseph Cropp and Jacob Sulzer.--2. _Wounded_, Captain Kneffner, Anton Weenstroth, Sergeant John Eichenberger, Corporal Louis Fisher, Paul Geist, Ed. Hoffmann, George Jenne, Nicholaus Meyer, Jos. Noelsner, George Salz, Daniel Werner, Sergeant Augustus Wurmb. In all, 12 wounded.

COMPANY C.--_Killed_, Corporal John Fangemann, and Frederich Hugenberg.--2. _Wounded_, 1st Lieutenant Oscar Rollman, 2d Lieut. Charles Sheve, Privates John Miller, Peter Schneider, John Frietz, Christian Jackob, Christian Maedel, Henry Behm, and Jacob Herpein. In all, 9 wounded.

COMPANY D.--_Killed_, Jacob Berthold, Hy. Borchording, John Smith, Christ Truting, Louis Truttman. In all, 5 killed. A number were slightly wounded--names not given.

COMPANY E.--_Wounded_, Corporal Francis J. Murphy, Privates William T. Grimley, Jack L. Stevens, James F. Williams, James Malone, John Lill, John Beatty, William P. Kelley, Neal Vestal. In all, 9 wounded.

COMPANY F.--_Killed_, Captain William Britt, Privates John O. Foeshee, and Fred. Weggourd. In all, 3 killed. _Wounded_, Sergt. W. C. Hawly, Corp. James Fiske, Private William Miller. In all, 3 wounded.

COMPANY G.--_Killed_, Alferd Bartley and John McCord. In all, 2 killed. _Wounded_, Lieutenant I. Clements, Henry Brown, James A. Peragin, William J. Heglar, Robert Marshall, N. G. Brown. In all, 6 wounded.

COMPANY H.--_Killed_, Sam'l Giesinger, John B. Livingood, Sebastian Swendeman. In all, 3 killed. _Wounded_, 1st Lieutenant C. H. Gilmore, 2d Lieutenant A. Cowgill, James Brady, William S. Boone, Dennis Bahon, Charles Biernbrier, William A. Cottingham, Robert Finley, Israel Haller, Charles H. Newcomb, George W. Quails, Wm. Reckord, Francis M. Stickle, O. W. Boutwell, Venice C. Haller, Ambrose J. Shelton, Jos. W. Warren. In all, 17 wounded.

COMPANY I.--_Wounded_, Thomas Pat, William Baird, John Jaka, James Lang, Jos. E. Stringer. In all, 5 wounded.

COMPANY K.--_Killed_, James Ulen.--1. _Wounded_, George Myers, Levi Gibbs, Henry Stanger, John Burke, Charles W. Boles, Jos N. Coneden, Peter Hall, Sam'l C. Ulen, Frank M. Winsted. In all, 9 wounded.

The enemy driven from Corinth, our Regiment was again thrown out on the front, a position it had been occupying for some time before the battle. On the 8th of October, it moved South to Danville, Miss., and on the next day the left wing, Companies K, I, H, G, and F, moved on to Rienzi. Col. Mersy took command of all the troops at Rienzi, and Lieut. Col. Phillips, who had now rejoined the Regiment, after his severe wound at Shiloh, of the forces at Danville. The Regiment, with other troops of the 2d Brigade, performed outpost duty at the above named places until the 28th of November, 1862, when they returned and went into camp at Corinth, Miss.

On the 12th of December, the Regiment moved Southward again, going within five miles of Tupelo, Miss., and returned to camp at Corinth on the 19th of the same month; Col. Mersy being in command of the 2d Brigade, and Lieut. Col. Phillips in command of the Regiment.

On the 2d day of January, 1863, we moved three and a half miles East of Monterey, and bivouacked for the night, and returned to camp the next day; Gen. Forrest and his command having escaped across the river. The Regiment remained in camp until March, not having much duty, except guard duty.

During the period embraced in this chapter, some interesting incidents occurred. As I mentioned above, the two Captains Low, and Lieutenant Hughs, together with a considerable number of privates, were taken prisoners. I have given extensive extracts from the journal of a Rebel prisoner, showing the horrors of the battle-field. It may not be amiss to refer to some things connected with the prison-life of some of our boys, who were captured in this battle at Corinth.

The scene, as described by Captain G. G. Low, to the writer, beggars description. The horrors of their retreat was terrible. The Captain thinks if Napoleon's retreat from Moscow was much more terrible, he does not know how it was endured at all. But I shall here allow the Captain to speak for himself, by giving extracts from a written statement, which he kindly furnished me, of his prison-life:

"On the morning of the 3d of October, 1862, our Regiment received orders to move early in the morning. We had moved up the day before from Rienzi, to within 2 ½ miles of Corinth. As we approached Corinth, we could occasionally hear the boom of distant cannon. Conjecture was rife as to what it meant, so little did we expect an action. We passed through Corinth, and to the outer works on the West of it. Sometime before we obtained our position behind the rifle-pits, three had been heavy fighting on our left. We took our position here, feeling confident we could hold it against a vastly superior force. The enemy were gradually approaching from the front, and our line was being engaged, when I noticed a panic in my company. I was on the extreme left of our Regiment. Many of my men broke out of the ditch and started back. I ordered every man back to his place. They told me the 12th Ill. and 81st Ohio were running. I told them it mattered not; we would stay there until we were ordered away. I saw a change of front was necessary, and expected to hear the order to change front to rear, on first company. But it did not come. Soon after, I heard the order to move by the right flank; but it was too late. Already the enemy were in our rear. I saw it would be death for my men to attempt to leave their position, and I surrendered with seventeen of my command.

"We were moved back about three-fourths of a mile. I found that Captain C. M. Lowe and Lieutenant L. T. Hughes of our Regiment, were captured. We were placed under guard at or near a house. Here a woman abused us very much. She insisted that Captain Lowe was the mean Yankee that was there the night before and stole her chickens. The Captain assured her that he had never been there before, and that she must be mistaken. She was certain he was the man, and had it not been for the guard, she would have pitched into him rough-shod. I think she was as hard a specimen of the fair-sex as I have ever seen in the Sunny South; and I have seen many that outraged decency and forever disgraced the name of woman.

"After the excitement of the battle was over, or rather of the scenes through which we passed that day, we had time to reflect. Here we were, prisoners of war, held by a motley set of human beings that, as far as outward appearances were concerned, would be a disgrace to barbarians. I wondered, "Is this the boasted chivalry of the South, sent out to fight the hated poor men of the North, the '_mud-sills_' and '_greasy mechanics_?'" When I saw my poor boys, dressed in their blue uniform, contrasted with these rag-a-muffins, I felt proud of them.

"The "Rebs" had great stories to tell us. Bragg had captured Louisville and all Buell's army. Lee had captured Little Mac. and 40,000 prisoners. Governor Gamble, of Missouri, had turned over 40,000 troops, well armed and equipped, to the Southern Confederacy; and they had come with 70,000 men to capture Corinth, and drive Grant out of West Tennessee, and the war would be over in a few days. All were jubilant.

"At night, we moved in the woods about a mile, and were consoled with a lot of wounded of both armies. About 9 o'clock at night, the news came back that they had captured Corinth, and we would be moved up there in the morning. About this time, Col. Prevene, of a South Carolina Regiment, came to see us, (he was a Mason,) and took Capt. Lowe and myself outside the lines and had a long talk with us. He assured us that Corinth was not taken, and that it would not be; and further, that Gen. VanDorn was (to use his own language) a d--d fool for attacking the place. To-night we had nothing to eat, except a cup of coffee that a Rebel Lieutenant made for us. I furnished the coffee. We passed a restless night.

"The morning of the 4th dawned, and was ushered in with the boom of heavy cannon. This assured us that the place was not taken, but that they had approached very near it, as we could hear the guns of the forts. The cannonading and musketry was incessant from daylight until about 1 P. M. At that time, orders came to move us back to the rear. We took up our line of march to Dixie. Although we were prisoners in the hands of the enemy, yet we were jubilant. We knew they had been repulsed; that the stars and stripes had again been triumphant; and though we had a prison-life, and even starvation staring us in the face, yet there was not a man despondent. We were then suffering for something to eat, but we knew the "rebs." were suffering even more than we were; for they had nothing to eat when they attacked Corinth, and their only hope for something, was the capture of the place. In this they had failed. The retreat soon became a rout. Neither tongue nor pen can describe the sufferings during that memorable retreat. Wagons, with six mules attached, were filled with the wounded and dying, and the cowardly drivers whipping their mules at every jump. The groans of the dying and the curses of the wounded were enough to make the knees of terror tremble. One would think, that if human suffering would expiate the crime of treason, all this army should be forgiven; for they suffered from hunger, thirst, fatigue, and all the ills that follow a defeated, routed, broken and disheartened army. I could not help feeling sorry for the panic stricken wretches.

"At night, we camped about twelve miles from Corinth, on a little branch. I had coffee enough to make us a cup apiece. This, and a few crumbs of crackers, was all we had for twelve of us--eight Federal officers and four Rebel officers." (It will be remembered they had had nothing to eat the day before, and very little on the preceding day.) "We camped near a house, and there was a rooster, the only chicken left on the premises. We offered five dollars for it. The woman would not let us have it.

"On the morning of the 5th of October, we again moved, escorted by a company of the Rebel Jackson's cavalry, under command of Capt. Douglass. Let me mention here, that Capt. D. did all in his power to make his prisoners comfortable. While we were being marched back on the afternoon of the 4th, an aid of Gen. VanDorn's rode up and told him to move the prisoners faster. He said, 'If I move them faster they will fall down from exhaustion.' The aid replied, 'Let them fall, and be d--d. Shoot them if you cannot get them along.' But the Captain took his own gait, and treated all kindly. As we marched along this forenoon we saw a great number of their wounded on all sides of the road. About 1 o'clock we came in sight of Hatchie Bridge. We halted for a few moments, and soon we heard fighting in front of us. We were taken back about one mile, and halted in a hollow. We had been there but a few moments, when rifle shells came whistling in such close proximity that we had to retire further back. Soon we saw the Rebel mass come running back in, if possible, greater confusion than the day before. They thought the whole Rebel army would be captured. They took up the Hatchie about ten miles and crossed us, and we halted about 12 o'clock that night, near Ruckersville, Miss. Here they killed a beef weighing about 300 pounds, for the 300 prisoners and their guards, in all over 400. We had had nothing to eat that day but raw corn. We ate the beef without salt.

"On the morning of the 6th, we started towards Ripley, without anything else to eat. Arriving at that place late in the afternoon, they gave us a very little to eat, perhaps rations enough for fifty men. On the following morning we moved in the direction of Holly Springs, Miss. The day was very hot and the roads dusty. Add to this, the suffering from hunger, and it would be hard to describe the amount of suffering the men endured. We camped at night near a Mr. Robinson's. (To-day we had to march about nine miles out of the way, on account of some one destroying a bridge in the rear of the retreating army.) The officers got a very good supper at Mr. R.'s, by paying one dollar each, in Greenbacks. He would not take anything else. The men got but little to eat.

"On the morning of the 7th, the officers hired a team to take them to Holly Springs, for which they paid $20. We arrived there at 11 o'clock at night. Here we were taken to Col. Roddy's Head Quarters, He said he was surprised that we, being North-western men, were fighting Southern men. Captain Lowe told him that we were not in a condition to resent an insult, and did not wish to be insulted. This ended the conversation.

"The next evening we started by Railroad, under guard, for Jackson, Miss., arriving there about 10 A. M., on the 9th of October. Here we were taken before General Thillman, and paroled for that city and Vicksburg. We had good rooms at the best hotel in Jackson. On the morning of the 10th we took cars for Vicksburg. On this trip We had no guard, except one Rebel Captain. We arrived at Vicksburg about 1 o'clock, and were quartered at the 'Washington Hotel.' We were limited to certain streets. Otherwise we had our liberty. Our fare at the hotel was corn bread, corn coffee, fresh beef and molasses. The ladies were allowed wheat-bread, and when the darkies could do so without being detected by their master, they would supply _us_ with that luxury. On the whole, we were treated pretty well by the 'Rebs.' We found them generally dispirited; but said they thought they never could be conquered, &c.

"On the 18th of October, we were paroled, and started up the river to meet our flag of truce boat. The sight of the old flag and hard bread created great joy among our men. Hard treatment, under a flag of treason, had endeared the old flag to them. A scanty supply of corn bread, and beef without salt, made 'hard tack' look and taste like the best food cooked. On the morning of the 19th of October, 1862, we took our course up the river for 'God's country.'"

A little incident narrated by Private Neal Vestal, of Co. E, who was taken prisoner at the same time with Captain Lowe, is worth noting. When the Rebs. were attacked by General Hurlbut, at the Hatchie on the 5th of October, and a panic was arising, a Rebel Captain passing by Neal, he inquired, good naturedly, "Well, Captain, what are you going to do with us now?" His reply was, "If I had my way, I would shoot you." At which Neal replied, "I bet _six bits_ that man was not in the fight." At this response went up all along the line, "That is true!"