Camp McClernand,
Cairo, Ills. Ten men on Police Duty again to day Nighswonger refused to act
having been detailed—in consequence was put in the Guard House on Bread &
water time indefinite. Private in the Guard House Also for drunkeness.
SOURCE: Transactions
of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 227
Morning Drill. near
20 on the sick list this morning Bad news from Mo. Lexington has been taken by
Gen Price. Private Hobbs in Guard House at Cairo for sleeping on his Post, last
night while guarding prisoners. 4 prisoners brought in this evening—from near
Norfolk Mo. taken after a pretty hard fight—in which 12 of the Enemy were
killed—and a lot of arms taken, One of the prisoners has a pretty severe cut
across the shoulder.
SOURCE: Transactions
of the Illinois State Historical Society for the Year 1909, p. 227
Another hot day. How
hot I don't know, but it wilted me. I tumbled down, completely used up while at
drill. Several others did the same. We seem to be getting over it to-night, as
the air cools off. The nights are cool, and that is all that keeps us from
melting. Not cool enough, however, to stop the mosquitoes. The heat, together
with our changed condition of living, is beginning to get in its work. Several
are in the hospital.
Later. There is
great excitement in Company B to-night. Orderly Sergeant Lewis Holmes, the one
we voted to be our orderly, is to be set back and a corporal named Gilbert
Kniffen is to be put in his place. As soon as the companies were organized at
Hudson, we were allowed to vote which of the five sergeants of Company B should
be orderly sergeant. We did not know then, but have since learned that the
orderly sergeant stands next in the line of promotion to the commissioned
officers. Kniffen is only a corporal, but he has friends at home who have
influence, and this influence has been brought to bear so heavy that this move
has been decided upon.
9 p. m. It is all
over, and Lew Holmes is still orderly sergeant of Co. B, 128th N. Y. Vols. We,
the enlisted men of the company, talked the thing over and decided we would not
put up with it. We did not know if we would be able to prevent it, but we
finally decided we would stand by Holmes, and fight the thing to a finish,
whatever the outcome might be. When we spoke to Captain Bostwick he acted as if
he was ashamed of himself, but he said the change had already been made and
could not be unmade. We told him we could unmake it, and would, or die in the
company street. So the matter rested until time for roll-call, when Kniffin
came out with the book and called the name of William H. Appleby, the first
name on the list. To his honor be it said, he remained silent, and was
immediately put in the mule-stable, which was our guard-house. The next man's
name was called, and he went to join Appleby. This went on until the guardhouse
was full, when a council of the company officers was held, after which the
captain gave us a lecture, telling us what insurbordination [sic] meant, and
that the whole regiment, if necessary, would be used to enforce obedience. We
had agreed not to talk back, but to simply refuse to answer to our names when
called by Corporal Kniffin, or in any way acknowledge him as orderly sergeant,
so we said nothing. The men were brought back from the guard-house, and Kniffin
again called William H. Appleby. He did not answer and was again put in the
guard-house. After a few more had been sent to keep him company another halt
was made, the prisoners were again brought out, and the captain called the
roll, when every man responded promptly. We were then ordered to break ranks
and so the matter stands. But we have won our first battle, we feel sure of
that, although we are warned that a company, and if necessary the whole
regiment, will be called upon to shoot any who do not answer roll-call in the
morning. My name is so near the bottom of the list it was not reached, and so I
had nothing to do but look on and listen, but I am as determined as any, and I
flap my wings and crow just as loudly as William H. Appleby does.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 41-3
Camp Millington
again. A sort of trial called a court-martial has been held and the boys who
celebrated yesterday, are meditating upon it in the guard-house, which by the
way is a mule stable on the end of the sutler's shop. Our old tents were taken
down and our new ones are up. Each one is trying to outdo the other in making
them look homelike. Boards are in great demand for flooring, and already
complaints are coming in from the natives, that every loose board or one that
could be loosened from their fences or outbuildings is missing, and they have
reason to think they came this way. We are delighted with our new tents. Each
holds four men. Walter Loucks, George and Jim Story and myself make up our
family. We have to lay straight, and at that there is no room to spare. But we
are protected from rain, and the heavy dews that are almost as bad, and best of
all, we can shut up tight and keep out the mosquitoes. Those that do get in we
can smoke out in short order.
A rumor is afloat
that another regiment has been raised in Dutchess County and is to come here.
We think ourselves soldiers now and are planning how we will entertain the
greenhorns when they come.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 38-9
Capt. Bostwick came
from Albany last night. He has his commission, and is to be captain of Company
B, his being the second company filled. I can now style myself of Co. B, 128th
N. Y. State Volunteers. He got us together and gave us quite a speech. Told us
what he would do, and what he expected us to do. I imgaine none of us know very
well yet what we will do. He said if he had not got his commission he would
have gone in the ranks with us. We gulped this down, but I doubt if many
believed it. But at all events we are one family now, and Ed. Bostwick is the
head of it. We have known him so long as just Ed. Bostwick, that it will take
some time to get used to addressing him as Capt. Bostwick. One of our company,
Jim Wasburn, who hails from Sharon, was put in the guard-house three times
yesterday for fighting. He ought to make a good soldier, for he had rather
fight than eat. He is a "mean dog," always picking at some one
smaller than himself. To-day he pushed Eph. Hammond over, as he was getting
some water from a pail. Eph. is one of our smallest men, but he gave the bully
a crack on the jaw that sent him sprawling, and took the fight all out of him.
One of the Poughkeepsie boys has gone on the war path too. He began Sunday
night by running past the guard, and then waiting until arrested. Just as he
got inside he gave his captor the slip and hid in the barracks until the search
was given up. Then he came out and dodged past another guard and gave his
pursuers a lively chase over the fields before they caught him. He might be
going yet if he had not stopped and let them take him. He was brought in, put
in the guard-house, and before ten o'clock was out and down town, where he got
into some mischief and was locked up by the police. Yesterday he was brought
back under guard and again put in the guard-house, which by the way is only a
tent, with a soldier stationed by it. Last night, as I was coming from the city
I met him going down, and probably by this time he is in jail again.
6 p. m. Have just
drawn our coats, drawers, stockings and shoes. Ben Rogers is here. He belongs
to a Kinderhook company. Jim Rowe and John Pitcher have just come. Twenty-five
of the company are old acquaintances, all from the same neighborhood. Besides,
I have made lots of new acquaintances here. Men are coming every day and almost
by every train, and the prospect of our regiment being soon filled seems good.
The President's call for 300,000 volunteers is being nobly responded to here,
and probably it is the same all over the North.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 7-8
$25.00 more to-day.
How the money comes in! Many people were here to-day, some from our
neighborhood.
Between our camp
duties and so much visiting the time flies fast. The ladies of Hudson presented
us with two beautiful flags to-day, and Colonel Cowles with a horse, saddle and
bridle. It was estimated that five thousand visitors were in camp to-day. We
are the 128th Regiment the State of New York has sent out. I wonder if such a
time was made over each one. There was good speaking when the presents were
made and accepted. We certainly are having a grand send-off.
Night. There is a
circus in Hudson to-night, and the guards have their hands full keeping the
128th in camp. Many get out, and the guard-house is full of those who were
caught making the attempt.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 12-13
