202                         HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

enlisted quite a number of volunteers for the service, and while at
Indianapolis looking after quarters for his proposed company, aspirants
for commissions persuaded the men not to confide in his loyalty and to
proceed at once to the organization and election of officers in his absence,
in which he was wholly ignored. He then ordered a Zouave uniform,
just such as was worn by the Eleventh Indiana Infantry, which he donned
and at his own expense proceeded to Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, with the
intention of enlisting under Colonel Lew Wallace, but the Regiment
having been ordered back, he returned with it to Indiana and at once
engaged in enlisting another company, which was incorporated into the
Forty-third Regiment, at Terre Haute, commanded by Colonel William
E.  McLean. Before leaving camp, Major was elected captain of this
company, which, by perseverance in drill and discipline, was brought up
to first grade and given the position of Company “A.” Six months after
having gone to the front he was appointed major, in the spring of 1862
commissioned lieutenant colonel, and before the close of the war pro-
moted to colonel. On the 4th of July, 1863, while momentarily expecting
an attack by an overwhelming number of Confederates, at Helena.
Arkansas, the gallant old Forty-Third Indiana was placed on the extreme
left, with instructions in person from General Solomon to hold that posi-
tion at all hazards and at any sacrifice. Before the battle ended Colonel
Bell and staff, First Arkansas Regiment C. S. A., and nearly every man
of his command, walked up and surrendered. Lieutenant-Colonel John-
son, C. S. A., and Lieutenant-Colonel Major, U. S. A., were both Ken-
tuckians an(l formerly lived in adjoining counties. After veteranizing, in
1864, the Forty-Third was stationed at Indianapolis, guarding prisoners.
Here Colonel Major relieved Colonel Stephens, and was subsequently
detailed for duty on a court-martial, at Cambridge, Ohio. Having con-
cluded his mission there, he returned to Indianapolis and was mustered
out of the service, August 31, 1865.
    In the spring of 1866, in company with Cornelius Wagner, of
Brazil, he started out on a trip to the gold-fields of Montana. There
were then no railroads in operation west of the Missouri river. They
went to Atchison, Kansas, which was at that time the eastern terminus
of the overland stage route for the Pacific Slope. Arriving there they
had to wait several days in order to secure choice seats in the coach for
the long and weary trip of two thousand miles over a rough, wild and
practically uncivilized expanse of country. On the morning of the 16th
of May, with tickets for Helena, costing each of them the snug little sum
of $400, with the satisfaction of knowing that their meals on the road,
consisting of middlings, hard-tack and rye coffee, could be had at the rate
of $1.50, they started in fair spirits, reaching Denver, Colorado, at the en(l
of the first week, traveling day and night. After spending one (lay here.
resting and sleeping, they resumed the road, arriving at Salt Lake City.
Utah, at the expiration of another week. Here they spent several (lays,
resting, sleeping and looking over the “City of the Saints,” then again
resumed their journey, arriving at Virginia City, Montana. after another
week’s jostling ride. Having taken one days rest here, Helena was
reached the succeeding day in time for supper. too tired to even dream
of their being in the gold-field. After resting a week or more here. Major
was employed by the firm of Taylor, Thompson & Co. to do the necessary
fluming on a ditch to bring a sluice-head of water from Ten Mile Creek
into Grisly Gulch, where their mine was located. This ditCh was about