Statewide County WI Archives Military Records.....A Few Reminiscences 
Civilwar 3rd WI Light Artillery Battery
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 13, 2006, 11:48 pm

A Few Reminiscences
A FEW REMINISCENCES

  Captain Drury was a man of much humor—two illustrations we give: Oct. 6, '63 he
writes to the Racine Advocate, from a field hospital near Chattanooga: "My wound is
doing remarkably well and as soon as Forrest gets through playing the d—1 with the
railroads I will start home. The surgeons of the army are having a nice little time
over my wound. They say that by all the rules of surgery and anatomy, I ought to
have died in three or four hours, and some of them, the most enthusiastic in their
profession, are indignant because I can't see it. I was struck about an inch from
the center of my body. three inches below my right nipple, the ball lodging between
two of the ribs three inches from the spine. An incision was made in my back and the
ball was removed with forceps. It is supposed that my liver was perforated—but a man
that has pluck can get along without a liver."

   A few days before the battle of Chickamauga when General Crittenden's corps was
lying at Gordon's Mills waiting for General Rosencrans to come up, with the
Fourteenth and Twentieth corps, a fight occurred on the picket line, in which Capt.
Drury, of the 3d Wisconsin Battery (and allow me to say right here that a braver man
or more genial comrade never pulled a lanyard,) was wounded, as we all thought
mortally, a minie-ball crushing through his right lung. Borne to the rear, he was
laid on a cot in a house near the mill and a surgeon summoned. Pending his arrival,
the writer sought to impart such consolation as the case seemed to require, and told
him, among other things, to keep up his spirits; that a man with his continuous flow
of spirits and good health might fight off death by force of will. "Ah, colonel,"
said he (and as he spoke the red blood welled up from the wound with every breath,)
"I believe—I would—rather— have that—experiment tried—on one of my wife's
relations."

   From Corinth, Mississippi, the battery proceeded with Gen. Buell's army, in quest
of the Confederate army, which had gone east. In a few days the army arrived at
Iuka, Miss., and owing to obstructions at the front, were ordered into camp in the
outskirts of the town, and the natural curiosity of the boys of the battery, led
several of them to take a stroll through town. Among them were several printers, of
which the battery was well suppled. While going along the principal street they
espied a sign reading "Printing Office," and they could not resist the temptation to
see what a southern printing office looked like; so in they went, but found the only
occupant of the office was a small boy, commonly called the "devil," of which every
well-regulated printing office was supposed to contain. In answer to questions he
said all the men connected with the office had gone into the Confederate army. He
then, probably thinking the lower regions was a more desirable place to be in at
that time, immediately took his departure also. Left alone in possession of the
office, someone of the boys sprung the idea of going to work and getting out a
newspaper. The idea struck them all favorably. All the printers of the battery were
hastily called together and all were eager for the work. Then a controversy arose
about who should be the editor-in-chief, but as Capt. Drury had but a few months
before published a lively newspaper in Berlin, Wis., (called the Green Lake County
Democrat) he was unanimously chosen as editor-in-chief. He called as his assistants,
J. D. Galloway, Dave Hubbard and Ed Case, with Wayne Galloway as the poet. Soon the
compositors were at work, and in a remarkably short time enough was sent up to fill
the paper. Then with Esau Beaumont as the chief motive power, the paper was printed,
which was called the "Badger Bulletin." It was filled with all kinds of interesting
matter, except advertisements. The scarcity of them was owing to the storekeepers
not wishing to patronize that kind of a paper. Then Wayne Galloway was chosen as
chief circulator, who worked so hard he has been unable to do a day's work since. He
soon had a corps of newsboys going in every direction, and that evening nearly the
whole army was electrified by hearing the cry: "Here's the Badger Bulletin, just
printed. All the latest news; only ten cents." The greatest capacity of the motive
power was not sufficient to supply the demand, and the treasury of the office
carried by the circulator, was supposed to be well filled: but, although some of the
boys that did the labor of getting out the paper were mercenary enough to think they
ought to have a share in the proceeds, the treasurer, thinking the distribution of
so much wealth among the boys at once would have a bad effect, concluded it was best
to carry it himself. But since the war it is currently reported that Wayne Galloway
has been traveling all over the country trying to find the boys interested in that
paper, in order to distribute the funds collected from the sale of the "Badger
Bulletin."—E. D. Case.

   While the steamboat, J. W.Hindman, was taking on the battery at Louisville, Ky.,
March 8, '62, a spar fell, striking Chauncey R. Stone, and knocking him senseless
into the icy and turbid waters of the much swollen Ohio river, where he would have
drowned if Maurice Crimmings had not instantly plunged into the river, catching him
while sinking and, swimming with him around the bow of the boat, brought him safely
to land. Maurice still lives.—Esau Beaumont.

   Our harvest of reminiscences having proved less fruitful than we hoped, you will
pardon your secretary in presenting some personal recollections. In consequence of
the long-time healing of my Chickamauga wounds, and the further developing of
injuries received at Stone River, I was unable to join my command until Nov., '64. I
left Harvey hospital in charge of a squad of convalescents bound for their commands.
It was with difficulty that they were kept within the fold, for like a lot of school
boys, frolics they were bound to have, and especially so, when meeting the many
recruits our train received at every station, where frequently the impromptu war
dances proved quite amusing. At Chicago and Indianapolis the recruits still poured
in more rapidly, in fact, than when I was sent north. Those for the east received
immediate transportation; we for the south or Army of the Cumberland, were delayed
as information received showed that Gen. Hood, with a desperate horde of ragged and
almost destitute rebels was advancing on Nashville and threatening communications
with Chattanooga. After a while we received transportation for Louisville, and when
I arrived there every man of our squad had disappeared. On reporting that fact to
Gen. Hobson, he did not seem surprised, but said the provost guard would bring them
in. If it were streams of soldiers we met at other points, here indeed was the
flood, pouring in squads, detachments and regiments, shouting most jubilantly "We
are coming Father Abraham, 300,000 more." A perfect jam was on the trains—passengers
and box cars were crammed full, top and inside; 13 trains were in our string. In the
night freight trains loaded with munitions of war ran out of Louisville every twenty
minutes. We tarried in Nashville but a little while and passed numerous camps of
troops guarding the road to our place of destination through a much devasted
country. Our train was the last through as Hood's cavalry destroyed part of the
track and we found that we had just escaped capture by the alertness of the train
engineer. We will never forget the scenes that we met at our arrival at Chattanooga.
The surroundings of the depot were very filthy in comparison with the trim
appearance at the northern depots. Here we met one of the most motley crowds of all
known hues in complexion and of every degree of human classes, specimens of the
chivalry, stalwart and impudent and shameless negroes of both sexes, distressingly
appearing refugees, and the blue coats in their mighty omnipresence.

   By a dint of inquiry I found my command and, what a change from the appearance
when last I knew it, in its vigorous virility of stalwart manbood. But one
commissioned officer was with the command at Ft. Phelps, viz: Lieut. J. Waite, late
Ord. Sergt. This position was now filled by W. H. Williams. This fort was a sort of
a great mound thrown up from the plain; clustering around and below were the
quarters, cabins of lumber, with fire places. I did not feel satisfied at all with
the condition of things which to me seemed very woeful. Many strange faces appeared
and many of the boys had gone home for good, their term expiring, and many of the
unfortunate had passed to their last resting place. The battery never afterwards
seemed natural to me and withal I was disgusted with doing garrison duty which
however was very essential.

   Shortly after arriving here we heard the deep booming to the north of guns; this
continued at intervals for several days, and after communication was restored we
learned of the destruction of Hood's army at Franklin and Nashville, eighty miles
distant.

   We had no communication here for 30 days with the outer world, and during that
time again was experienced a season of lack of food. I paid two dollars for four
biscuit, very sodden blue affairs; cheese was $2 a pound, condensed milk $2 a quart.
I paid $1 for a cow's skull, and picked out of the ditch surrounding the fort, bacon
rinds, that had been thrown there in slops a long time before and ate them. Our
rations remained extremely scant until the embargo was raised and when our friends
at home got things to us we were happy indeed. On occassional visits to the town we
found that aside from the usual business of camp life that much activity through
industrial pursuits were progressing. Among them we visited with interest were the
various iron works and boat yards, which activities we learn are far more widely
developed. In closing a point of much interest to me was the National Cemetery
where, too, lie our battery's dead of the Chickamauga campaign, whose memories we
will ever keep green.

                          OUR DEAD.

     How sleep the brave, who sink to rest,
     By all their country's wishes blest!
     When spring, with dewy fingers cold,
     Returns to deck their hallowed mould,
     She there shall dress a sweeter sod
     Than Fancy's feet have ever trod.

     By fairy hands their knell is rung;
     By forms unseen their dirge is sung;
     There Honor comes, a pilgrim gray,
     To bless the turf that wraps their clay:
     And Freedom shall awhile repair
     To dwell, a weeping hermit there!

     Soldier rest, thy warfare o'er,
     Sleep the sleep, that knows no waking,
     Dream of battlefields no more,
     Days of toil and nights of waking.

   We will state that the morning of Sept. 20th. Found the battery in position at
daylight on an elevation of the Dyer field, spoken of with the "action front,"
toward a body of timber in the rear of some of our intrenchments, back of the Poe
and Brotherton houses; soon after the engagement commenced, we were ordered to
advance toward and into this timber which we did, passing over a rail fence. We had
not gone but a few rods when we found that farther progress was almost impossible,
and while in this fix we received a shower of bullets from an unseen force. We
immediately fell back to near our previous position, on what is now known as Battery
Hill; and discharging our guns at times from this our last position, until informed
(a mistake) that we were firing on our own men. Regarding this position in which
there has seemed to be confusing ideas, we will give it correct from Corp. Ira E.
Smith, prefacing it regarding the business of the day before—the 19, viz.; "The 3rd
Wis. Battery checked and forced back the whole rebel left at 4 o'clock p. m., by
getting an enfilading fire on their line of battle and that when our line was
broken, I claim that our battery saved our right wing from being turned at that
time. We went into line of battle (last position the 20th) moving by the left flank
by in battery to the right. Our first pieces which I had the honor to command that
day, being in the lead, became the left of the line; the 6th piece became the right
of the line by going into action in that manner. The front of a battery while
limbered up, is the way the pole points. The front of a battery in action is the way
the guns point.—Ira E. Smith.

   We will state that at the dedication of our monument and previous locating the
rebel commissions conceded the correctness of the positions assumed, Maj. Colburn,
E. M. Kanouse and Esau Beaumont were present on said occasion and corroborate said
statements.

   The battle flags of all Wisconsin organizations but ours, are displayed in the
Historical Rooms at Madison. The explanations of its absence has been very
frequently asked for. We will present for the interested, the communication of
Comrade and Dr. T. D. Kanouse regarding the matter:

                           Glendale, Cal., Aug. 26.1901. 
Esau Beaumont Esq., Merton, Wis.

       My Dear Comrade: It would be my greatest pleasure to be with the 3d Battery
boys the 18th, 19th and 20th of Sept. next, and nothing but the great distance and
large expense hinders me. I am abundantly able (physically) to travel, and my heart
yearns to go. Please answer "aye" for me at roll call and make my fraternal regards
to all the comrades.

   Anent the guidon: In the battle of Chickamauga, Billy VanTyne was sick. I got
leave from the Q. M. to go to the battery for the battle. The captain gave me the
guidon to carry when marching. After the skirmish of 13th Sept., during which I
carried it; it was placed on a baggage wagon. After the battle of 19th and 20th, I
was too sick to tell a guidon from a ramrod; was sent back to die,—didn't die, but
was sent to battery again, norsaw the guidon afterwards. —T. D. Kanouse.

   We have now learned that while the debris of the battery were across the
Tennessee at Chattanooga, the starving mules that were hitched to a battery wagon
eat up everything they could reach, and the colors of the battery proving a delicate
morsel for the famishing creatures came to an inglorious end then, and there.

    While we lay at Murfreesboro we received a newspaper denying the charge that
England was supplying the rebels with muuitions of war, asserting that the Christian
sentiment of England would not allow it. Well we found on the battlefield of Stone
River abundant evidence of the controversy, viz: Through empty ammunition boxes
marked "Ludlow & Co., Manchester, England" left by the rebels, and which we were
pleased to use for fuel.

   We will conclude the reminiscent order with a portion of our Maj. W. J. Colburn's
account so brilliantly narrated at a banquet of the Army of the Cumberland, of a
part taken by him at the battle of Chattanooga. It is all is should be in
characterization and comprehensiveness of description and we regret that we cannot
quote more from its highly interesting pages: Maj. Colburn, was on duty on the staff
of Gen. J. M. Brannan, chief of Art'y Army of the Cumberland, and was instructed to
act as aide-decamp during the impending battle. Maj. Colburn had organized a supply
train from the 18 batteries composing the artillery reserve of the army. After a
vivid detail of the great struggle along a four mile front, over precipices 400 feet
high, and of the magnicent [sic] victory, he informs us that he was ordered by Gen.
Brannan, to proceed at once to Gens. Gordon, Granger, Wood, Sheridan and Baird, and
notifiy them that he was sent to take charge of the captured guns. "I proceeded at
once to Gen. Bragg's headquarters where I found Granger, Sheridan, Wood, Hazen and
members of their staff, hilarious with joy at the success of the grand assault on
the center by the gallant old Army of the Cumberland. I delivered my message which
was then and there confirmed and on behalf of the Army of the Cumberland I took
charge of the captured artillery. It was ten o'clock that night before I completed
my tour and was able to report to my chief that we had captured 40 pieces of
artillery. The next day I commenced moving the captured guns, * * * and parked them
in front of the headquarters of Gen. Brannan in Chattanooga. With this capture our
army felt as though the evil fortune of our batteries at Chickamauga had been
retrieved, and what was of far greater moment to the national cause, we had secured
Chattanooga forever to the Grand Republic."



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of the Services of the Third Battery Wisconsin Light Artillery

In the Civil War of the United States, 1861 -65

Compiled from all sources possible, but principally from members themselves

COURANT PRESS, BERLIN

DEDICATORY

This book is reverently and affectionately dedicated to the Memory of our dead and
living Comrades, and to all patriotic relatives of the 3d Battery Wisconsin Light
Artillery.

PREFACE
   This book is not expected to cover all the service of the Battery, many facts at
this date are lost which will detract from its comprehensiveness.

    We still have a mass of information in connection with the Battery which for
sufficient reasons we cannot at present use.

    It is of a reminiscent character and very interesting and should be preserved in
book form; likewise there should be added several other illustrations, notably one
of the Tablet placed upon the ground of our last battle and destruction.

    I will most gratefully thank in the name of the Association, those who have
responded so freely and generously to the request for information.

   Among the contributors of incidents and essential memoranda I will mention the
names of Esau Beaumont, E. D. Case, Wm. Plackett, Harlan S. Howard, E. M. Kanouse,
Alf. Lounsbury, Ed. Harroune, Lew D. Williams, E. G. Jackson, Ansel Hayes, Maj. W.
J. Colburn, Ira E. Smith and others.

                                     H. H. G. BRADT,
                                                  Secretary.


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