History of the Eighth regiment Kentucky vol. inf., during its three years campaigns, embracing organization, marches, skirmishes, and battles of the command, with much of the history of the old reliable Third brigade

Front matter

HISTORY

OF THE

EIGHTH REGIMENT

Chapter I

The Clouds of War. Kentucky's Neutrality. Union Home Guards. Invasion. Enlisting. Recruits Arming themselves with Rifles and Shot guns. Rendezvousing at Estill Springs. Awkward Drilling. Organizing the Regiment. Flag Presentation by Loyal Ladies. Response of the Eighth.

CHAPTER H.

Marching Orders. Taking Leave of Friends. A Rainy March. Loyalty in Richmond, Ky. A Snow Storm. Officers Paying for Chickens. Arrive at Lebanon. Putting on Style. Drilling. Serious Sickness. Moving Camp and Making Beds. Married Soldiers Desirous to be Furloughed. A Shrewd Woman and a Sharp Lieutenant. Kindness of Citizens. Our Death Roll Increases. Pay Day, Marching to Louisville. Boat Ride. An Indignant Boat Crew. Excited Negroes.

Chapter III

A Silent Southern City. Buell's Unpleasant Orders. Cutting ReJjels' Timber. Moving South. Wading Stone River. Heavy Camp and Picket Duty. Ward fools the Doctor and is caught. Shooting a Rebel fool. Pig Skins. The Eighth at Wartrace. Catching a Rebel Surgeon. Fortifying. Cut-

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ling Railroad Timbers and Guarding Bridges. On the Mountains under Gen. Dumont. Hard Living. Returning to Camp at Wartrace. A detail wash ''Dobins" neck. Fourth of July.

Chapter IV

Night Ride to Elk River Bridge. Marching in a Rain Storm. A Knapsack Squabble. Fortifying TuUahoma. The 35th Indiana joins the Brigade. Picketing and Foraging. March to Murfreesboro. Putting the Darkies to Digging Rifle-pits. A silent Night Move ends in Hard Marching. Nelson expecting Attack at Murfreesboro. A hot March to McMinnville. Morgan Evacuates. Expedition over Cany Fork, A hard set of Teamsters. Rain. Hard work, wet clothes and no grub. Counter-march. Green Apples. Nelson's Drills. Expedition to Liberty. Nelson and the pie vender. " Thirty-fives " run a Distillery.

Chapter V

Loyalty leaving McMinnville. March back to Murfreesboro. Scarcity of Greenbacks. An Accommodating Sutler. Troops passing through Nashville. On to Kentucky. Pants only for the ragged Gray-backs in camp. Leaving Tennessee with full Stomachs. The Flag and Loyalty in Kentucky. Branson and the Goat. On half Rations. Grating Corn Hard Marching. Drinking Mule Soup. Skirmishing ahead. Arrive at Cave City. Novel Cooking. Wormy Flour. Soldiers Distrusting Buell. Sleeping with wet garments, A Race for the Ohio. Famishing with Thirst. Midnight Entrance into Louisville. Condition of the Troops,

Chapter VI

Expecting Pay, but Double-quick after the Johnnies. Skirmishing. Scarcity of Water. Battle of Peiryville. Rebels Retreating. Indignant Kentucky Soldiers. Hunting a fight at Danville. On toward Crab Orchard. Night attack on

CONTENTS. 9

the Johnnies. They leave a hot Breakfast, Rebels Blockading the R.oad near Wildcat. The Sth Surprise and Capture a Camp of Rebel Recruits. On to Somerset. Early Snow. March to Columbus. Sad Reports from Home. The 8lh and 2 1st desire a few Greenbacks. Married Men wanting Furloughs. Pay day at Glasgow. Moving on to Tennessee, A big day's Washing at Galatin.

Chapter VII

Slipping on to Morgan at Lebanon. Heavy Rations of Flour, Bacon and Whisky. A novel Supply Train. Foraging at Silver Springs, Guarding Supplies to Rural Hill. Attack at Breakfast. Discomfitted Rebels leave seven dead. Wiseman tumbling a " Jip." Col, Hawkins Compliments the Eighth. Camp nearer Nashville, Changes in the Command, Move to the Murfreesboro Pike. Rosecrans Inspects the Army. Foraging and Battle at Dobins' Ferry. Our Dead and Wounded. Another move. After Absentees in Louisville

Chapter VIII

The Army moves on the Enemy, The Eighth's Company Commanders, Skirmishing in the rain, A Sunday in Bivouac. Pickets' Armistice. Arrival at Stone River, Two Armies Facing. Heavy Skirmishing. Terrible Battle the last day of 1862. Wading cold water. Third Brigade a Bait to Rosy's Trap, Magnificent War Picture, A gallant Resistance by the Third Brigade, Breckenridge falls into the trap. Terrible Slaughter. Murfreesboro ours. Burying Dead. Bad Weather. Loss of Comrades. Irishman's Notion of Putting Down Rebels.

Chapter IX

Torn Battle Flags in Kentucky Legislature. A Hospital Town. Picketing and practicing Economy. Death of three gallant Officers, Foraging on a large scale, A Rebel dislO CONTENTS.

likes his Voucher. Fortifying M, The Status of the Slaves discussed. More Deaths from Wounds. Guarding Pontoons. On a Reconnoissance. Rain, mud and songs. Camp on Lytle's Creek. A stylish Inspector Wets his Pants. Off to Snow Hill with one hundred rounds. Charging the Enemy. Victory. Return to Camp.

Chapter X

Heavy Drills and Picket Duty. Col. Matthews' Farewell. A Mammoth "Nigger" Dance causes Alarm. Maj. Broadhus' and Col. May's Departure. Capt. Mayhew and Adjt. Clark Promoted. Officers being Married to Commissions. Marking Comrades' Graves. Swap for Enfield Rifles. Smith's Gun the Brightest. Dobin Spikes tries Bean Juice. Witnessing the Shooting of a Deserter. Army moves Forward. Marching and Scouting. Union Songs and Rebel Hate. At Woodbury. At McMinnville again. Ornamenting Camp. Unwelcome Harvesters. The last Man ever Tied up.

Chapter XI

Over the Mountains. Topography of Sequatchie. Rattlesnakes. Pikeville. Brains Hockersmith and the Rebel Beauty. Living on Produce. The Loyal Refugee Preacher. A good Work begins. Down the Valley. Crossing the Tennessee. Wet Men. Guarding Supply Train. A piled up Country. Passing the Gate City. Three Miles of Fight. Entering Ringold, Ga. Frightened Women. Back to Gordon's Mills and McLamore's Cave. A Sweet Incense of Frying Mutton.

Chapter XII. ^

Reconnoitering and Skirmishing at Chicamauga. A Cold Night and Piteous Cries of the Wounded. Description of the. Two Days' Battle. Gallant Charge by the 51st Ohio and 8th Kentucky. Return to the city, war worn and brush torn . Loss of Comrades.

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Chapter XIII

Siege of Chattanooga. Digging Day and Night. Under Fire. On Quarter Rations. Picket Repartee. Another Picture of War. Religious Worship. Frank Captures Rebel Beeves. Rosecrans and Crittenden Farewell. The Command Changed to the 4th Corps. A Detail of the Brigade at Field Hospital. Forage for a Living. At Moccasin Point. Wauhatchie and Shell Mound. Dilapidated Clothing. Building Winter Quarters.

Chapter XIV

Over Bad Roads with three days' Rations and Sixty Rounds. Facing Frowning Lookout, Pile Knapsacks and Climbing. Surprising the Enemy in day-light. A Rich Harvest of Prisoners. Novel Missiles. Ward Silencing a Sharpshooter. Battle above the Clouds. Carrying the Flag on Point Lookout. Capturing Camp and Commissaries. An exciting Battle Scene. Finishing Winter Quarters. Consolidation of the Regiment at Shell Mound, Parting with Brother Officers. Maj. Clark's Farewell.

Chapter XV

Re-enlisting. Manner of Doubling Companies. Leaving the '' Illegant" Shanties. Incidents of the March to Cleveland, Tenn. Self Reliance of the Soldiers. Form new Camp and Acquaintances. Veterans get Pay, and an Expedition to Buzzard's Roost. In Leaky Tents at Blue Springs. A Rainy March and Miserable Night Ride. A Supperless Set. Camp at Chattanooga. Chuck-a-luckers Burying Mules. Snow-balling. Veterans Dressing up. An Officer's Advice to his Men.

Chapter XVI

Veterans take a Thirty Days' Furlough, Soldiers' Home. In Louisville. Leaving Lexington. Cleaning out a Hotel. Good Behavior. Home and Friends. How a Southern.

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Rights Woman became Union. Returning to the War. A Reinstated Cook. Garrison and Picket Duties around the " Gate City." Some Characteristic Citizens. Afraid of a Yankee Gun. A sad case of Sudden Poverty.

Chapter XVII. •

Guarding Trains Front and Rear. A hard lot of Bounty Jumpers. The Fourth of July. Steadman's hard Orders to Citizens. Rebel Raid on Dalton increases our Duty. A Hot Valley. Fanciful Reverie of a Thunder Storm. Soldiers taking Interest in Religion and Politics. A Characteristic Debate. Model Worship. Forest's Raid on our Cracker Line. Platform Cars to Cumberland Tunnel. Waiting for Attack at Block Houses.

Chapter XVIII

Life Tvi^enty Days at Elk River. A Destitute Country. An Impressive Funeral. Night Ride to Bridgeport. Returning to Chattanooga. Picketing with Colored Troops. New Clothing. Arrival of the Fourth Corps. A Camp of Discouraged Atlanta Citizens. The Eighth sent to Reseca and Calhoun. Turning over Government Property. Making Muster out Rolls. Bidding good-bye to Lieut. Pucket and the Veterans. All aboard for Nashville. Receiving Pay at Louisville. Disbanding.