Part 6

I have already given a copy of the letter I wrote my father the night after the second day's fighting. Although I cautioned him that it was only for the family, and not for the public, he was so much pleased with and proud of it that he let the newspaper men take a copy of it. The "New York Tribune," in publishing it on April 22, headed it with this comment: "The following account of the great battle, written by Major John W. Foster, of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, is the most clear relation we have yet met with." In my letter to my wife of the 20th I make this comment: "I was very sorry to see my letter to father in the newspapers. I did not want it published. I so stated to him. I don't want to blow my own trumpet. If the people at home can't learn of my exploits in some other way, it is better that they should not hear them at all. Don't publish any more of my letters unless I give my consent."

But other accounts than mine were published. I make an extract from one of them written the day after the battle: "The Twenty-fifth has gained fresh renown, and can point to their thinned ranks as the record of their part in that dreadful fray. Colonel Veatch had two horses shot under him while commanding the brigade. Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan was wounded in the first fierce charge that brought down so many of his men. Major Foster was everywhere in the thickest of the fight, leading the charge or directing the backward movement. The men will follow those officers anywhere and Indiana may justly be proud of them."

In my letter of the 20th, I report a proposed movement of our camp:--

"Our old camp becoming unpleasant after the great slaughter of men and animals in the battle, we have been ordered to a new camp four miles nearer the enemy. We made our preparations, but a heavy rain has delayed.

"I think when Colonel Morgan rejoins the regiment, after we have whipped the rebels at Corinth and our men have a prospect of a little rest, I will have to manage to get sick!--and by this means get a sick-leave of a month, and come home to see my little daughter to keep her from growing entirely out of my knowledge, and to enjoy the long-desired society of my dear wife and friends. But I won't set my heart upon it, neither must you, for the probabilities are we will have to finish up this rebellion before any of us can get home. Then I will come and make a lifelong visit with you; for it will take a very loud and patriotic call from my country to make me leave my family again."

In my letter of the 21st I note an event which led to an important change in my military service. My wife had two brothers, younger than herself, Theodore, a student in the senior class at the State University, and Alexander, then a clerk in the post-office at Evansville. When the war broke out Alexander (or "Zan") was very anxious to enlist, but he was only sixteen years old, and we refused our consent largely on account of his youth, and besides, as I was about to enter the service, I wanted him to stay at home to look after my wife and their mother. But after the successive victories at Donelson and Shiloh, and he heard from the returned soldiers about me, he became restless to join our regiment. I refer to him in my letter of the 25th:--

"I sent Zan a telegram and also wrote him a letter yesterday, saying if Theodore could take his place in the post-office, I would have him made a lieutenant and assign him to duty as regimental commissary. But I do not want you to be left at home without one of the boys with you, while I am away, and he is not to come without the approval of father and his mother.

"Another reason which has caused me to decide for him to come, on the above conditions, was that Aleck [my brother] has been a little unwell for some weeks, is getting tired, insists on going out of the service, and says he has only stayed on my account. He says if Zan comes he can act as commissary and he (Aleck) will stay a month until Zan gets posted in the business; and we can have him appointed regimental quartermaster. If Aleck goes home, as he seems determined to do, I would like to have Zan with me, as I don't fancy being here alone."

V ON TO CORINTH AND MEMPHIS

Evidently General Halleck's efforts to reorganize the army after the battle of Shiloh were having a salutary effect in the camp, as indicated in my letter of the 21st of April:--

"We are having greater confidence in the army now. We think Halleck will manage affairs with much system and skill, and will not cause such needless slaughter of brave soldiers as we had on the 6th. I am glad to see the public journals exposing the wretched generalship which permitted a complete surprise of a large army, and its almost complete annihilation. But matters will go on much better now. System is beginning to be apparent in every department, and care and foresight. If we only had a good, full regiment everything would go well with me, but we are sadly cut up. Sickness has weakened us very much, and the two last battles have seriously reduced us. Our officers from sickness, exposure and other causes are resigning; two of them go home to-morrow. My own health and spirits are very good, but it is a little discouraging to see the regiment so weakened."

But I cannot end the extracts without a little glimpse at our home life, for which I so often express a longing in my letters. The Mr. Tubbs referred to was the bearer of my wife's letter:--

"Mr. Tubbs said he called on you before he left and heard you play, and praised your music extravagantly. I hope you do not neglect your practice, as I want you always to be able to play as well as when we were married. He spoke of what a pleasant home I had; it made me want to be there. I was much moved at father's last letter in which he said I was always in the thoughts of the folks at home; that _the little ones talked about me every day_. How I wish I could be at home with them again to enjoy the company of the little ones, of my own Alice and the rest."

After three weeks of waiting, recuperation, and reinforcement, General Halleck began the movement of his grand army against Corinth in the last days of April. General Grant places its number at 120,000. I reported this movement in my letter of May 3 as having already begun, and in anticipation of another battle I seek to quiet my wife's fears:

"I wrote you of our change of camp, going four miles away from the river beyond Shiloh Church toward Corinth; and we are now under orders to proceed to Monterey, five miles from this camp, so that to-morrow night we hope to be thirteen or fourteen miles from the river, and five or six miles from Corinth. But I think we shall not have a great battle for some days yet, for I think the enemy will wait for us to attack them in their intrenchments.

"You must not be too solicitous if you hear of a great battle, or be too credulous of telegraphic reports. I will try to do my duty, and we will leave the result to our Heavenly Father, who has kindly been my shield and protector thus far through terrible dangers."

On the 7th of May I write:--

"We are all packed up in camp under marching orders to go two miles farther to the front, and are quietly waiting for the orders to move, so while we are waiting I will try to pencil you a little note at least."

For the first time since I entered the army, with the exception of temporary colds, I report a slight illness:--

"I have been a little unwell for two or three days past, but we are having very pleasant weather to-day, and I shall soon be well again. I cannot afford to be sick at this time; I must wait at least till we get the enemy out of Corinth or wherever we meet them. I see by the papers that the reporters have got the enemy out of Corinth. It may be so, but we don't know it here."

May 8 I note the arrival at the camp of Alexander McFerson:--

"Zan arrived at the river night before last, but did not get out here till this morning. I sent a recommendation to Governor Morton this morning for his appointment, and he will go at once to work.

"We are now fourteen miles from Pittsburg Landing, and six miles from Corinth. We are getting forward gradually; moved one mile to the front yesterday."

The letter of May 12 says:--

"We have been moving out slowly and by degrees from Pittsburg. We are now about eighteen miles from the river, and six miles from Corinth. Our pickets are within three or four miles of Corinth, and can hear very plainly the locomotives whistle and the drums beat. We have various rumors of its evacuation, but can tell nothing of their truth. I think the enemy are still there.

"I have come very near being quite ill for the last few days with fever, but fortunately have escaped and am nearly well again. We were called out in line of battle the other day by a false alarm, and I thought I _must_ go out with my men, though I had a high fever; and standing out in the hot sun for two hours (and we have hot sun now) nearly laid me up permanently. It is the nearest I have come to being real sick since I have been in the service; but I am pretty well over it now, thanks to my strong resolution and Dr. Walker's good treatment. Dr. Walker says I have barely escaped typhoid fever. I have taken medicine quite freely. I cannot afford to be sick now; the enemy must first be driven out of Corinth."

On the 16th I write:--

"We move up slowly, and as we go we fortify our camps by a continuous line of breastworks of logs, brush, and earthwork. The newspaper reporters have kept you unnecessarily alarmed about the battle '_which could not be delayed a day longer_,' and yet it has been delayed for a month. When it is to come off I do not know, or whether it is at all. We have for more than a week past been right in the face of the enemy's pickets, the men of our regiment fighting them all the time; and whenever it becomes necessary for us to move our camp forward, our pickets make a push on them and drive them back the required distance, rather obstinately however. The pickets are now about a mile in advance, and almost any time we can hear the rifles crack, and frequently they go by volleys. If the enemy are going to fight we can't go much farther.

"Zan is in good health and doing well. He is the most anxious man in the regiment for a fight."

In a previous letter I noted that Colonel Veatch had received his commission as brigadier-general, and that Governor Morton was on a visit to the camps and we might expect our promotions soon. I had also reported Governor Morton's visit to Fort Donelson after the battle there. He was one of the most distinguished civilians which the Civil War brought into public notice, and was especially esteemed for his services toward the soldiers. Many years after the war one of our Presidents, in a public address, said: "When history definitely awards the credit for what was done in the Civil War, she will put the services of no other civilian, save alone those of Lincoln, ahead of the services of Governor Morton."

I reported May 19:--

"Governor Morton visited us yesterday and was warmly received by the boys. He told them he would make Lieutenant-Colonel Morgan colonel and me lieutenant-colonel for our services in the field, and the captains have voted for Captain Rheinlander for major. I will get my commission to-day, and so you can address me as Lieutenant-Colonel Foster hereafter, and call me _colonel_, not _major_!

"We are called out into line of battle now every morning at daylight, and some mornings we are out in line by three o'clock; thus, you see, we are determined not to be surprised again by the enemy, if early rising is to have anything to do with it. So I am writing my letter to you before sunrise!"

A short letter on the 22d says:--

"I write you this note to say I will write you a long letter to-morrow, to assure you of my increasing health and strength, and to let you know we are still out of a battle. Since Captain Rheinlander has been made major, I can be relieved of a portion of the outside heavy work, and have the responsibility of the command divided. If Colonel Morgan was back again, I could take things comparatively easy."

In the letter of the 23d it is stated that the St. Louis, Chicago, and Cincinnati papers are now regularly on sale by newsboys, showing that the communication with the rear was well maintained, but I still want the Evansville papers, the magazines and the "Evangelist." I go more into detail in the method of our advances:--

"We are slowly and safely approaching Corinth, making our way secure as we go. We have a heavy skirmish with the enemy's pickets; if they are obstinate we get out the artillery, throw a few shells into the woods, drive them back over a ridge into a hollow a half mile or so, then leave our camp equipage behind, and march out with guns, knapsacks, haversacks, spades, axes, and picks in hand and throw up breastworks on the ridge. When that is done we move up our camp equipage and remain in camp here for a day or more. Then we shove up the enemy's pickets again, and make another camp; and thus we are approaching the enemy's works. Our generals, I believe, are going to consult the lives of the soldiers in winning the next battle. The most of the people in the States seem anxious that the fight should come off _in a hurry_. If they had to do the fighting it might be different.

"If Beauregard will really stand, he will surely be defeated, though it may cost the lives of many brave soldiers; but the life of any of us is nothing in comparison with the life and safety of the Nation. If it were not so I would not risk my life in the contest."

Under date of May 29, I allude to a forward movement of the Twenty-fifth Indiana, similar to others previously made, but which, unknown to us at the time, was a general advance of Sherman and Hurlbut's divisions, and proved to be the last military demonstration against Corinth, as the enemy was then engaged in the evacuation of the place:--

"We went forward yesterday with our brigade and drove the enemy back a mile, thus getting room for a new camp. To-morrow we all move up another mile, getting close neighbors with Corinth.

"We were all glad to welcome Colonel Morgan back to-day, and I have been busy talking regimental matters with him.

"The paymaster has been with us to-day, and I am sending you six hundred dollars. I want you to be at perfect liberty in using the money. Make your house and family comfortable, live well and enjoy yourself. Consult father about the rent of the house, respecting which you wrote me. Don't let these business affairs worry you. Take the world easy."

At last the grand march on the rebel stronghold of Corinth was over. My letter of June 1 says:--

"I suppose there was at least one anxious heart relieved by the news which ought to have reached home yesterday that the rebels had evacuated Corinth, and concluded not to give us battle. So you, and the thousands of wives and relatives of our soldiers, can rest quiet for some time. After the long preparations and constant and watchful readiness we had maintained for battle, it was and is now a great relief for us to relax and take some comfort. For weeks men have been sleeping with all their accouterments on and their arms by their sides, and were ordered out in line of battle sometimes at midnight, or any other hour; but always at early daylight. It is a great relief to us all to lie down quietly now and sleep without being disturbed by the 'long roll' or hasty orders from the generals. I have enjoyed the luxury of the good morning naps, waiting for the rays of the sun to waken me. Until last night I have slept with all my clothes on and in utmost readiness for a prompt turnout. I am thankful for good sleep now, and you are thankful that we had no battle.

"None of our regiment has been killed, but several were wounded on picket and in the recent skirmishes. I have passed through several narrow escapes, but then 'a miss is as good as a mile.' In the last skirmish three days ago, Dr. Walker and I were talking together, on horseback, discussing the close range the enemy had upon us with their cannon, while the shot would occasionally rattle through the trees, when an unwelcome visitor in the shape of a shell came whizzing along, and went into the ground right between our horses, tearing up the dirt at a fearful rate. The boys dug it out, and it was found that the rebels in their hurry had forgot to gouge the fuse, and fortunately it did not explode.

"I rode into Corinth yesterday. The fearful ravages of war are visible on all sides, in the charred walls, solitary chimneys, smoking ruins, and waste all around. The rebels burned all their storehouses full of supplies, their magazines, armories, etc. In peaceful times the town was a very attractive place.

"General Hurlbut is said to be anxious to get the position of commandant of Memphis, and to march our division over immediately and occupy. It is uncertain whether he will succeed. My health, also Zan's, is good now."

The escape of the Confederate army from Corinth, and the subsequent breaking up of Halleck's great army was a disappointment to the people of the North. Halleck's generalship has been severely criticized by both Grant and Sherman in their "Memoirs." Grant describes the movement upon Corinth as "a siege from the start to the close" and says, "I am satisfied that Corinth could have been captured in a two days' campaign commenced promptly on the arrival of reinforcements after the battle of Shiloh." Sherman laments that "the advance on Corinth had occupied all of the month of May, the most beautiful and valuable month of the year for campaigning in this latitude"; and he adds that "by the time we had reached Corinth I believe that army was the best then on this continent, and could have gone where it pleased."

While Buell's army was sent toward the east, Sherman and Hurlbut were sent west toward Memphis. Our regiment was destined to have no rest, as the day after we entered Corinth, June 1:--

"We received orders to support Sherman's division which had gone forward on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad toward Memphis. In half an hour we were in line of march, with two days' rations and no tents. We had a heavy rain that evening. The men marched two hours into the night, and then lay right down by the roadside on the wet ground and slept till morning. In the morning we went to work cleaning out and chopping the fallen timber from the railroad, and then went into camp, and here we are now, five miles out west from Corinth. Our camp baggage was not all up for five days.

"We have a very pleasant camp in a shady forest, everything to make us comfortable in camp but the _wood-ticks_, which are multitudinous, pestiferous, and unescapable; they have almost worried the life out of me by their biting. This country abounds in snakes, lizards, and all kinds of troublesome insects.

"I have taken a few rides out into the neighboring country, and find it tolerably well settled, but the soil is very poor, the people likewise and very ignorant. Since we have been in this camp we have managed to get for our mess fresh milk, young chicken, eggs, green peas, onions, and lettuce, which are great luxuries with us, who had had nothing but Government supplies and what we could get from the settlers.

"We find very little bitter feeling or hostility exhibited toward us by the country people, and all willing and longing for peace. But the men are almost all gone, either in the army or afraid to trust us. They who did not volunteer have been forced into the rebel service by the conscription system, until there are hardly enough left to gather the wheat, which is now ready for harvesting. The farmhouses were full of women and children. They have no money but Confederate scrip and 'shin-plasters.' How it makes their eyes sparkle to see our soldiers' silver and gold. But what is more desired by them than silver and gold is _coffee_. It very often happens that we are utterly unable to get their consent to sell one of the few remaining chickens on the farm with silver at high prices, but a pound of coffee will get the last old hen on the place.

"We don't certainly know what is to be our future destination, but it is semi-officially stated in camp that W. T. Sherman's and Hurlbut's divisions are to constitute the branch of the army which is to move on Memphis. We are anxious to go to that place, but our wish has nothing to do with it, as we are Government soldiers to be disposed of as our generals think best. There you see I have filled up the sheet with a matter-of-fact business-like letter, without assuring you how much I long to be with you and at home. But I don't allow myself to think too much of these things or I would get homesick. I long with you for the war to end, that I may lay aside my emblems of the army, and return to my dear wife and child, and the comforts and enjoyments of civil life, but I must be patient."

Some days later an undated letter says:--

"I had thought of writing you a good long letter this morning, but all human hopes are vain. This morning we have marching orders for the west, and there is no time for letter-writing. We are not informed as to our destination, but the general impression among the officers is that we are bound for Memphis. Will you come down to see me there, or shall I jump on a boat and come up the Mississippi and Ohio and see you?"

My next letter was written from Grand Junction, a station on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, midway from Corinth to Memphis. The marching orders mentioned in the preceding letter were for Memphis, but on reaching this station our regiment was diverted from its course, as will be seen from the letter of June 20:--

"We arrived here five days ago, but our brigade was sent on an expedition down to Holly Springs, thirty miles south in Mississippi, to destroy the Mississippi Central Railroad, which took us till last night: the rest of the army remaining here to support us in case of danger. We came back all safe. The march was a very rapid, but pleasant one, through a beautiful country and to one of the prettiest towns in the South. We hope to leave for Memphis to-morrow."

This was the last letter written by me from the Twenty-fifth Indiana. On my arrival at Grand Junction I learned that Alexander McFerson, my wife's brother, was ill at Lagrange, a station on the railroad a short distance from Grand Junction. I at once hastened to his bedside, and found him suffering from a severe attack of typhoid fever, which was prevalent in the camps. Notwithstanding he received the most skillful medical attendance, the virulence of the disease soon placed him beyond human aid, and he died on June 27.

I secured a furlough to take his body home. The regiment continued on its march to Memphis, and I went on my sad journey to Evansville, bringing the body of the young soldier to his bereaved mother and sister. The sequel shows that I never returned to the Twenty-fifth Indiana, with which I had passed through so many dangers and privations, and with whose men I had formed the deep attachment of soldier comradeship.

The following editorial in the "Evansville Journal" of July 2, 1862, reflects the sentiments of all who knew him:--

A telegram last night brought the melancholy news of the death of Lieutenant Alexander McFerson to his friends in this city. He died at Lagrange, Tennessee, on the 27th ult. at the age of seventeen.