Read Ebook: History of Company E of the Sixth Minnesota Regiment of Volunteer Infantry by Hill A J Alfred James Stees Charles J

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 126 lines and 18082 words, and 3 pages

ther having been assumed to enable him to get sworn in without his parents' consent.

With the exception of less than half a dozen, all of the above were residents of Minnesota, fifty-four being from St. Paul, eight from Winona, and the remainder from other parts of the state. Twenty-four of the members had been soldiers previously, many of them having seen active service--seventeen in European armies, one in the United States regulars, and six in the United States volunteer forces. Wolf--then a boy of sixteen--enlisted in Bulow's Army Corps, fought at Quatre Blas, and was present at the battle of Waterloo.

PART 2.

SERVICES IN MINNESOTA AGAINST THE SIOUX INDIANS--1862-63.

Immediately after the organization of the company the usual recruit life began. Military clothing and equipments were issued, squad drill commenced, and light guard duty done in and around the fort. The quarters of the company were two rooms on the northern side of the parade grounds, with a kitchen and dining room below. Fritz Stirneman, a civilian, but an ex-soldier of the First Regiment, assisted by Rossion, was hired to do the cooking.

On the morning of the 23rd we disembarked at Shakopee, 24 miles from the fort. From this day commenced the official organization of the regiment, it being the date of Colonel William Crooks' commission. The route followed was through Jordan, Belle Plaine, and Henderson, to St. Peter, where we arrived on the 24th. All the companies of the Sixth were now concentrated at this point, where an expeditionary force was collecting for the relief of Fort Ridgley, then sorely pressed by the Indians. On the 26th the expedition commenced the march, and arrived at the fort on the 28th; the regiment encamping on the prairie near by.

H. Henricks was appointed wagoner of the company on the 30th. Also on that day Louis Thiele, a Prussian settler of the neighborhood, whose family had been murdered by the Indians, enlisted in the company as a private.

On the 31st an expedition under the command of Major Joseph E. Brown, consisting of the Union Guards , under Captain Grant, and a detail of men from the other companies of the Sixth Regiment, and the Cullen Guards under Captain Anderson, was dispatched to the Lower Agency to bury the dead, and ascertain if possible the position of the enemy.

Early on the morning of September 2nd, rapid firing was heard in the direction of the Agency. The scouts reported that the detachment under Major Brown was attacked and surrounded at Birch Coolie, 20 miles from the fort and 3 miles from the Lower Agency. A second detachment under Colonel McPhail, consisting of the Hickory Guards , Sigel Guards , Young Men's Guard , of the Sixth Regiment, under Major McLaren, also some cavalry and one howitzer under Captain Mark Hendricks, was at once sent forward to their relief. When within three miles of the beleaguered force, the demonstrations of the Indians became so threatening--coming near enough to shoot one of the horses--that the commander of the relieving party, not daring to fight his way through, made a halt, had the horses unhitched, and disposed the men to meet the expected attack, but, as the enemy did not return any nearer to us, we shortly fell back some distance to a better position. Night soon came on and it was spent watchfully by the men behind their corralled wagons, the silence being broken only by the occasional firing of the howitzer. The firing had been heard at the fort and towards morning the little force was strengthened by the arrival of the remainder of the Sixth Regiment, the Seventh Regiment, which had just arrived at the fort, and two pieces of artillery. About daylight on the 3rd, the combined forces were drawn up in line of battle, ready to move; the Indians soon appeared and commenced the attack, but the return fire was so heavy, and evidently so unexpected, that they almost immediately retreated to the woods in the coolie, from which they were driven by the heavy fire delivered by the artillery. The Indians having been repulsed, the whole force continued their march to Birch Coolie camp, and the Indians then abandoned the attack of the party there, though the soldiers of the first relieving party were not allowed the honor of driving them, which was given to the Seventh Regiment. After burying the dead and attending to the wounded, the troops returned to their camp at Fort Ridgley.

Five men of the company were with the original detachment at the battle of Birch Coolie. R. Mueller and Klinghammer were severely wounded, the former in the side and arm, and the latter in the leg. They were cared for at the post hospital. Dreis and Fandel were there, having accompanied the volunteer cavalry from St. Paul; Dreis joined on the 4th and Fandel, being wounded in the hand, went to the hospital. Thiele, too, was present at this fight. About this time Lieutenant Exel with the seven furloughed Winona men returned.

Shortly after this affair the order of the adjutant general of the state was received and published, fixing the letters of the companies according to the rank of the respective captains. The Sigel Guards were the fifth company, and so became E; in position it was therefore the seventh from the right wing of the regiment, and had, when marching during the summer, Company A of the Ninth Regiment in front, and Company K of the Sixth in the rear.

While preparations for the campaign were progressing, the troops were drilled daily in the "school of the soldier" and "of the company;" and, among other things, trenches were dug at the fort, and beyond the camps. About the middle of the month Eberdt was detailed as regimental pioneer.

On the 18th of the month the expeditionary force took up the line of march from its base at Fort Ridgley. Crossing at the ferry near by, the route pursued was on the south side of the Minnesota River, fording the Red Wood at the usual place, and touching Wood Lakes, about three miles from Yellow Medicine, which was reached on the 22nd. On the morning of the 23rd the Indians surprised a foraging party half a mile distant from the camp. The Third Regiment formed in line, and, crossing a ravine, opened fire on the Indians, but immediately received orders to fall back. The Third recrossed the ravine, and, the Renville Rangers coming to their support, the Indian advance was checked. Captain Hendricks placed his artillery in a raking position at the head of the ravine, and soon dislodged the enemy. On the right, Colonel Marshall with five companies of the Seventh Regiment, and Companies A and I of the Sixth under Lieutenant Colonel Averill, charged and drove the Indians from their position. On the left, a similar flank movement was repelled by Major McLaren with Companies F and K of the Sixth, while the remainder of the regiment was held in reserve. The action lasted about two hours, at the end of which time, the Indians being unable to withstand the murderous fire of shot and shell rained upon them, fled with great precipitation, and thus ended the battle of Wood Lake. The whole plan of battle seems to have been of defense, fought on the old lines of chivalry--man for man, instead of bringing all the troops in line of action and dealing the enemy a crushing blow at the beginning. This mode of action may have been very nice from an Indian's point of view, but the men in the reserve who stood in line of battle for nearly two hours, and those engaged at the front who were held back and not allowed to drive the enemy, would have preferred a little less chivalry and a few more dead Indians.

On the 25th the line of march was again taken up, and on the 26th we arrived at the camp of the "so-called" friendly Indians, where were most of the white captives taken during the insurrection, and who in a day or two were delivered up. This place was nearly opposite the mouth of the Chippewa River, and near by, about a quarter of a mile south of the Minnesota River, was formed the camp ever afterwards to be known in local history as Camp Release, from this memorable surrender of captives there.

On the 4th of October, Captain Whitney, with two companies of the Sixth and one from the Seventh, was sent below in charge of the Indian prisoners to gather the crops in the vicinity of the Yellow Medicine Agency. On the 5th all the company present, 91 in number, were mustered into the military service of the United States, "for three years from their respective dates of enrollment." On the 13th, Colonel Marshall was sent to the westward with a detachment consisting of Company G of the Sixth Regiment, 100 men of the Third, and one howitzer, in quest of the Indians reported to be near the headwaters of the Lac qui Parle River and Two Lakes in the Coteaus. The expedition returned on the 21st, having penetrated the prairies nearly to the James River, and having in charge about 150 Indian prisoners, including men, women and children.

Though within sixty miles of depots of supplies, and though the majority of the fighting men of the insurgent Indians had either been captured, or had surrendered, or retreated further up the Minnesota river, the rank and file of this small army had here to suffer for the want of commissary stores,--truly following the advice of the ancient philosopher to leave off eating with yet a little appetite. Had it not been for the potatoes of the Indian gardens and cattle of the slaughtered and fugitive settlers--which provisions, though costing nothing to the government at the time, were made to offset the amounts due for non-issued rations, the source of "company funds"--we would have been nearly starved.

The return march was begun on the 23rd of October, on which day the weather turned suddenly cold and a high wind rose, which blew down many of the tents at Yellow Medicine that night. Arrived at the Lower Agency on the 25th, and then went into camp at Camp Sibley; and remained there till the 8th of November, and then resumed the march. The next day the company was detailed as guard for the prisoners, two men being assigned to each wagon. Though the troops left the village of New Ulm a mile or more to the left, yet the citizens, exasperated at the sight of the Indians in the wagons guarded by the soldiers, lined the road opposite the town in great excitement, hurling stones and endeavoring to get at the Indians, in which they partly succeeded. On the 10th we arrived at Blue Earth River bridge, and camped a little beyond it, on the townsite of Le Hillier and immediately south of the isolated bluff at the mouth of the river,--the camp being called Camp Lincoln.

Here Eberdt was relieved. Fischer left on the 15th on furlough, from which he never returned; Juergens and Knobelsdorff, sick, were sent to the hospital at Mankato the same day. Gaheen, Gantner, Meyer and Parks had been detailed or detached as regimental teamsters during parts of October and November, but by this time were all with the company again for duty.

The regiment marched, by the way of Mankato, to St. Peter, on the 17th, having traveled to the latter place, since leaving Fort Snelling in August, as a regiment of the expeditionary brigade, about 350 miles. The campaign being terminated, the companies departed to their various assigned winter stations,--Companies A, B, G, H, and K for Fort Snelling; D for Forest City; E for Hutchinson, McLeod county; and C, F, and I for Glencoe. Lieutenant Holl was detailed as quartermaster and commissary for the company during its separation from the regiment.

On the 18th of November we left St. Peter with Companies C, D, and F: four miles beyond New Auburn parted with C and F, and with D at Hutchinson, where we arrived on the 20th. This place was already garrisoned by Company B of the Ninth Regiment, quartered in good log houses, but there was no accommodation for the newly-arrived company, and fatigue parties had at once to be set to work cutting and hauling logs for building. The season, however, being too far advanced, the work was abandoned, permission having been obtained to hire quarters at Kingston instead. On the 24th Dreis died of diphtheria. He was buried in the village burial-grounds near by. Seven men had to be left at Hutchinson on departure,--five sick and two as nurses.

On the 28th we left for Kingston, traveling by the way of Greenleaf, Round Lake, and Forest City, and reaching destination the next day. An old frame store near the mill on the west bank of the Crow River was used for barrack purposes, and by the erection of a log kitchen and bake house, with some other improvements, served the purpose very well. Duties were light, provisions good and ample in quantity, and the time passed pleasantly enough. A system of furloughs was inaugurated, and every man had the privilege of fifteen days' leave of absence. After the departure of Fischer, Koenig had to cook alone, and when he went on furlough, December 16th, Gantner and Rossion conducted the kitchen in the interim. Sergeant Burch left on furlough on the 16th, but being detailed in St. Paul at District Headquarters he did not return to the company at the expiration of his leave of absence; also Griebler, who did not return to Kingston either. Sergeant Scheer was reduced to the ranks at his own request on the 20th, and on the same day Corporal Burch was, by company order, promoted to fifth sergeant; also privates Neierburg and Eheim were appointed, respectively, seventh and eighth corporals, on the 4th of January, 1863, to fill vacancies, the enlisted men having shown their preferences by special election; the same day also Gaheen and Hauck were similarly recommended for company cooks, and were detailed as such. Juergens rejoined on the 13th. A. J. Hill left for Washington, D.C., in obedience to orders from the Headquarters of the Army requiring him to report there for duty; same day John left on furlough, but, becoming ill, did not return to the company at its expiration. Sproesser was detailed as company fifer on February 1st. Klinghammer rejoined, sick, on the 6th; he having been mustered in at Fort Ridgley on the 13th of October.

The company being ordered to Fort Snelling, where the headquarters of the regiment were, left Kingston on the 27th of February, on the arrival of Company H, which relieved it, and traveled, in sleighs mostly, by the way of Clear Water and Dayton, reaching the fort on the 1st of March. Quarters were assigned it in the old barracks, near the sutler's store, and the usual routine of drill and guard duty began again. Here Fandel joined, sick, and Griebler rejoined. Jakobi was detailed as company bugler on the 22nd, and John rejoined on the 29th. Private Kobelitz was on the 1st of April honorably discharged, for disability. The regiment went into camp on the river, about a mile above the fort, on the 4th, and Sibley tents were issued as before. George Paulson left on detached service for Yellow Medicine on the 12th, afterwards acting as orderly at regimental headquarters. William Gabbert, a Prussian, resident of St. Paul, enlisted as private in the company on the 13th. Privates Griebler and Maurer left on the 17th on a pass, but did not return at the proper time, and were afterwards found to have deserted. Privates Harrfeldt, W. A. Hill, and Meyer were, by District order of the 1st of May, transferred to the Third Minnesota Battery.

PART 3.

INDIAN CAMPAIGN IN MINNESOTA AND DAKOTA--1863-64.

At the end of April, 1863, orders were received to rendezvous at Camp Pope on the upper Minnesota River. Fifteen of the men had to be left behind at the fort, viz.: J. J. Mueller and Reimers, on detached service; and Becker, Fandel, Gantner, John, Kellermann, Knobelsdorff, Koenig, Mann, J. Mueckenhausen, Peterson, Schauer, Scheer, and Wolf, sick. On the 28th of April Companies E and D embarked on the steamboat Favorite, but could go no further by water than to within about three miles of Mankato, thence going on foot, arriving at their destination on the 5th of May.

Camp Pope was not an original settlement, but a spot selected especially as a base of operations against the Indians; for which purpose storehouses had been erected there. It was situated on the river about a mile and a quarter above the crossing of the Red Wood River. On the reassembling of the regiment the company held the same rank and position as before, but had as neighbors Company G on the right and Company I on the left.

In the latter part of the month a regimental band was formed, and Seidel, Eberdt, and Jakobi were detailed as members of it. J. J. Mueller and Reimers rejoined on the 5th. Detert was detailed as regimental pioneer on the 15th. The expedition being ready, those sick and unable to travel were left behind at Camp Pope; of Company E, Hellmann and Paul Paulson remained there. The strength of the company present at this time was 68, and aggregate number 85.

The second expedition for the chastisement of the Dakotas left Camp Pope on the 16th of June, 1863. The 19th and 21st of the month were spent in camp. On the 23rd, transportation permitting, the knapsacks of the men were carried in wagons. The valley between Big Stone Lake and Lake Traverse was reached on the 26th, and a camp established about a mile from the latter on the south side of the Minnesota River , which camp was situated near but outside of the state boundary. The camp was called McLaren, and three days were spent there. From here a detachment consisting of three companies of infantry, including Company H of the Sixth Regiment, some cavalry, and one piece of artillery, all under command of Lieutenant Colonel Averill, was dispatched to Fort Abercrombie for supplies. Klinghammer, unable to march, was sent along to the fort. It may be here noted, as a matter of interest to hydrographers, that Lake Traverse was not at this time an unbroken sheet of water, as a corporal of Company G crossed it on foot near the middle, seeing the lake in two parts, to the right and left of him.

Resumed the march on June 30th, and forded the Sheyenne River on the 4th of July, camping a little beyond it at a spot three-quarters of a mile northeast of the two mounds called "The Bowshot" and in the neighborhood of where the fight occurred about forty years before between the Pawnees, Shawnees, and Sheyennes, which, as I am informed, resulted in the annihilation of the last-named tribe. At this place,--named Camp Hayes,--70 miles distant from Camp McLaren, the expedition lay six days, awaiting the supply train, which arrived on the 9th. Resumed the march on the 11th, on which day Lieutenant Exel left on furlough. The 12th was spent in camp. The second crossing of the Sheyenne was made on the 17th. On the 18th arrived at two lakes named Jessie and Leda, 90 miles from Camp Hayes. An entrenched camp was established on the banks of the former which was about three miles long. The camp was called Atchison, and a day and one-half were spent there in making arrangements for a vigorous pursuit of the Indians. Companies C and G of the Sixth were stationed there as a part of the garrison, and five of the company were left behind there, viz.: Seidel, Eberdt, and Jakobi, as members of the band, and Kraemer and Reuter, who were too sick to travel.

This camp was located on the W. 1/2 of the N.W. 1/4 of section 28, and the E. 1/2 of the N.E. 1/4 of section 29, township 147 north, of range 60 west, on the northeast side of what is now known as Lake Sibley, and about 11 miles in a direct line to the northwest of Cooperstown, Griggs County, North Dakota.--T. H. L.

On the 20th, all the arrangements having been completed, the expedition began a more rapid advance in pursuit of the enemy, and on the 24th of July, 89 miles from Camp Atchison was fought the battle of "Big Hills" or "Big Mound." As soon as it was known that the Indians were in force, the train was corralled on the margin of a small lake, Big Mound being directly to the eastward and distant about one and one-quarter miles. The Sixth Regiment with one company of Mounted Rangers and a section of artillery occupied the east front, and threw up a line of earthworks for protection. As soon as the attack began, Colonel Crooks at once deployed Companies E, I, and K of the Sixth and A of the Ninth, under Major McLaren, as skirmishers, and they pursued the Indians two and one-half miles. Three companies of the Sixth were also deployed on the left flank, and the Indians were repulsed at that point. Major McLaren with companies A, B, D, I, and K advanced four miles at a double-quick, having been ordered to support the troops already at the front, but on their arrival they were ordered to return to camp.

On the 25th the expedition moved only about five miles to a better camping place and remained there on account of the jaded horses. On the 26th, with the Sixth Regiment in advance, the march was resumed. On arriving at Dead Buffalo Lake, some 15 miles from the last camp, the Indians again appeared in force and commenced an attack. Colonel Crooks immediately deployed a part of the Sixth, including Company E, as skirmishers, under Lieutenant Colonel Averill, and they advanced steadily, driving the enemy as they went; the remainder of the regiment under Major McLaren being held in reserve. After an advance of about one and one-half miles Major McLaren with five companies of the Sixth was ordered to return to the camp at the lake, three companies remaining at the front. Desultory firing was kept up until about 3 p.m., when the Indians made a final assault, which was repulsed in fine style by the troops under command of Major McLaren. The Indians, having been defeated at every point, now withdrew from the field.

On the morning of the 27th the advance was again resumed, and in the afternoon a camp was formed on Stony Lake. On the 28th, as the troops were forming in column, the Indians again appeared and made their last charge. About one mile beyond the lake the Sixth Regiment was deployed to skirmish on the right of the train, and they repelled the attack of the Indians who threatened it. The firing continued for a time, the Indians finally making a rapid retreat in the face of the advancing expedition. The pursuit was continued until Apple River was reached, where a camp was formed for the night.

On the 29th the army crossed Apple River, continuing the pursuit, and in the afternoon the Missouri River was reached, the regiment, under the immediate command of Colonel Crooks, skirmishing nearly two miles through the woods to it. The Indians having crossed to the west bank and hoisted white flags, the battery which had been advanced, and was in good position for shelling, was moved away, as the policy seemed to be to kill Indians only when they made an attack. Many of the skirmishers ventured to the river bank and began filling their canteens, when suddenly the enemy fired at them from the other side and the men were forced back, but not without sending a volley in return. A camp was formed on the banks of the Missouri River near the mouth of Apple River. The point on the river struck was in about 46? 40? north latitude, 600 miles from Fort Snelling by the route followed, 6 miles above the mouth of Apple River, and 85 miles from the Big Mound.

On the 30th Colonel Crooks with Companies A, I, and K and details of men from other regiments, proceeded to the Indian crossing, and destroyed all the wagons and such other property as would be of service to the Indians, and then returned to camp.

The return march began on the 2nd of August. The 5th and 9th of the month were spent in camp. Passed to the southward of the outward journey, shortening the route some thirty miles, and arrived at Camp Atchison on the 10th. Rested on the 11th. Reached Sheyenne River on the 13th, and camped three miles beyond it.

At this last place the nightly entrenching, commenced on departure from Camp Pope, was abandoned, the impulse of discontinuance coming from Company E. It had been the custom, both in the campaign of 1862 and this, to throw up every evening light exterior mounds and ditches for defense, a work necessarily irksome and unpopular with men fatigued with hard marching, and in the presence of an enemy they neither respected nor feared. The traces of these works, slight as they were, will be visible for years, and if properly noted by the surveyors of the public lands as the surveys extend westward, and by future Pacific Railroad parties, will furnish means for exactly determining the routes of the two expeditions; certainly as regards that of 1863, which lay through trackless wastes, over which not even an odometer passed with this expedition. It is to be regretted that the commanding officer of the expedition, lavish as were the expenses attending it, thought fit to negative a proposition made to form a quasi-topographical force for its use. Such a proposition would have involved no other expense than that of a few simple instruments for the use of the surveyor and his assistants who might be detailed, and their labors would have furnished valuable material for the maps which were afterwards ordered to be constructed, besides contributing to the interests of geographical science in general.

The 16th and 18th of August were spent in camp. Reached Fort Abercrombie on the 21st and camped on the west side of it; distance from Camp Atchison about 115 miles. Remained at the fort three days. Here Klinghammer rejoined. Resumed march on the 25th. Spent the 30th in camp. Arrived at Sauk Centre on the 2nd of September, and remained there all the next day. Here Rehse was left behind, sick. At this place the expeditionary forces were divided, the Sixth Regiment being ordered to Fort Snelling. We left Sauk Centre on the 5th; and spent the next day in camp. The route was by the way of St. Joseph, St. Cloud, and Anoka, and the neighborhood of the fort was reached on the 12th; the return route from Apple River being about 510 miles.

John and Scher rejoined on arrival at the fort, and Seidel, Eberdt, and Jakobi were relieved, the band being temporarily suspended. Corporal Eheim was sent to the hospital on the 18th.

Companies A, C, E, F, G, and H, being ordered to Fort Ridgley, left together on September 19th, going by the way of Bloomington, Shakopee, Jordan, Belle Plaine, and Le Sueur. At the latter place Gantner rejoined on the 22nd. Passed through Traverse, and came to Fort Ridgley on the 25th. Detert was now relieved. Here the destinations of the companies ordered to guard the southwestern frontier of the state were announced. Of Company E the main body was to proceed to the station at Lake Hanska in Brown county and the remainder to the post of Cottonwood , to relieve the troops there in garrison. Accordingly on the 28th the movement took place, the smaller force reaching its assigned position the same day, the main body taking two days for its journey. While at Lake Hanska, Sergeant Bell left for St. Paul, where, on the 9th of November, he was commissioned second lieutenant of the company.

Left New Ulm on the 3rd of the month, and reached Mankato, 28 miles distant, the assembling point of the train and escort, the next day. Eberdt and Jakobi left on the 4th to report at Fort Ridgley, and Lieutenant Holl for St. Paul. Seidel and Sproesser left, on the 6th, for Fort Ridgley, Corporal Steifel was sent there sick, and Radke was sent to the hospital at Mankato on the same day.

The expedition, with Captain J. C. Whitney in command, started on the 7th. The escort consisted of Companies D, E, and H, of the Sixth Regiment. The 9th, 10th, and 11th were spent in camp, also the 14th at Leavenworth, where the nuts were taken off the wagons . Sergeant Siebert, sick, left for St. Peter on the 15th, and Bast on furlough; from which, falling sick, he did not return at the appointed time. Reached Des Moines River, near the outlet of Lake Shetek, on the 18th, and there remained in camp all the next day. Here Lieutenant Holl rejoined and commenced to act as first lieutenant, having been commissioned as such November 7th; the present strength of the company was now 59, and aggregate 79. G. Paulson accompanied the expedition, but is not reckoned in this number, as he was on detached service at the headquarters of the expedition. The route of the train was a few miles to the northward of the Red Pipe Stone Quarry, and the Big Sioux River was reached and crossed--53 miles from Lake Shetek--on the 23rd. Crossed the James River, 90 miles from the Big Sioux, on the 28th. Arrived at Fort Thompson, 75 miles further, on the 2nd of December, and remained there three days. This fort is a stockaded inclosure about 500 feet square, built to include and protect the Agency and barracks; it is 95 miles, by river road, above Fort Randall, two miles from the Missouri, and about a mile from Crow Creek. On the 5th left the fort for return. Remained in camp on the 14th, twelve miles below Yankton; Corporal Leitner was promoted fifth sergeant, and privates Juergens, Gaheen, and Hoscheid appointed to fill the vacant offices of sixth, seventh, and eighth corporal. The 17th was also spent in camp on account of a terrible snowstorm. Reached the neighborhood of Sioux City, Iowa, on the 18th, camping two and one-half miles northwest of it. On the 21st the troops again moved; traveling by the way of Melbourne, Cherokee, Peterson's, Spirit Lake, and Estherville, Iowa, they came to Fairmont, Minnesota, on the 30th. Remained in camp the next two days. Passed through Winnebago City and arrived at Mankato on the 3rd of January, 1864, when Company D left for the north.

This journey of about 750 miles--315 outward from, and 435 return to, Mankato--was accomplished in fifty-four days; and because of the rigor of the Northwestern winter, and much of it through a pathless country,--the command sleeping in tents on the snow-covered ground,--the men called it the "Moscow journey." The mercury at times stood 30? below zero, and never was above the freezing point.

Companies E and H returned by way of New Ulm to Fort Ridgley, 45 miles, on the 7th and 8th of January, having marched since leaving the former place in November about 825 miles. The only company of the Sixth Regiment at the fort at this time was A. Company E was assigned quarters in the stone barracks, on north side. The duties were not heavy and the time passed comfortably enough for soldiers. Musicians Seidel, Eberdt, Jakobi, and Sproesser now rejoined, but not for duty, being detailed in the band; also Sergeant Steifel and George Paulson. Sergeant Siebert rejoined on the 20th. Sergeant Huhn was detached as acting post hospital steward on the 27th, being afterwards discharged--on the 20th of February--to enlist in the same capacity in the regular army. Henry Steck, enlisted as private in the regiment on the 3rd of February and assigned to the company, joined for duty March 20th,--native country of recruit, Wurtemberg. Bast rejoined on the 10th, and Radke about the 15th. Captain Schoenemann left for St. Paul April 4th, and Lieutenant Holl assumed command of the company. On the 19th Sergeant Siebert was promoted to first sergeant and Corporal Stiefel to fifth sergeant, and privates Radke and Gabbert appointed seventh and eighth corporals, respectively; but the latter scarcely ever acted as such and was reduced to the ranks, at his own request, on the 13th of the following month. George Paulson was detailed in the regimental band on the 7th of May.

At the beginning of May a detail of about a dozen men of the company, under Sergeant Huth and Corporal Radke, were sent from Fort Ridgley to Milford--12 miles--to relieve the cavalry at that post. On the 15th Corporal Smith replaced Corporal Radke there. This detachment returned at the end of the month. While there the woods of the Big Cottonwood and in the neighborhood of Milford were thoroughly scouted, both by parties from Company E and from Company G , but by the former traces only of the Indians were found.

The Sixth Regiment being ordered to rendezvous at Fort Snelling, to prepare for their departure to the South, in accordance with the order of the War Department of the 26th of May requiring it to report at Helena, Arkansas, Companies A, E, and H left Fort Ridgley on the 2nd of June. The only member of the company left behind there was F. Henricks, sick in hospital. Traveled by the way of Henderson, Belle Plaine, and Shakopee, and arrived at Fort Snelling on the 7th, and went into camp about a mile above the fort--Camp Crooks.

Between the 8th and 12th the following recruits joined the company for duty as privates, viz.: Edward Bryan, a native of Ireland, enlisted November 7th, 1863; Henry Wetterau, native of Wisconsin, enlisted February 4th, 1864; Peter Holtzmer, native of Luxemburg, enlisted February 5th; Joseph Rachel, enlisted February 11th; Michael Knopf, native of New York, enlisted February 24th; Charles Foglesang, native of Baden, and William Hildebrandt, native of Hanover, enlisted February 26th; Mathias Frank, native of Luxemburg, enlisted February 27th; Stephen Iwan, and Francz Troska, natives of Prussian Poland, enlisted February 29th; John Lieber, native of Nassau, enlisted June 10th,--and all were enlisted for three years. Of these Bryan had been enlisted for the company at St. Paul, but having been at once placed on detached service did not join his command till this time ; with him, from the same duty--herding mules at Glencoe--returned Rehse. Corporal Gaheen was detailed in the regimental color guard on the 12th; and on the 14th Captain Schoenemann resumed command, and Burch rejoined.

The sum of the distance traveled by the company from its organization to this time was over 2,700 miles.

PART 4.

SERVICES AT HELENA, ST. LOUIS, AND NEW ORLEANS--1864-65.

On the 14th of June, 1864, the whole regiment left Fort Snelling, marched to St. Paul, and embarked on the steamboats Enterprise and Hudson, each having two barges in tow for additional accommodation of the men. Arrived at Dunleith, Illinois, on the 17th and took the cars to Cairo, which point was reached on the 19th. Here wagoner Henricks, sick, was left in the hospital. Embarked on the steamer Empress at midnight, and arrived at Helena, Arkansas, and landed there, on the 23rd.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet