xt7rr49g533w https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7rr49g533w/data/mets.xml Gause, Isaac, 1843- 1908 books b92-60-27077978 English Neale, : New York ; Washington : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Ohio Cavalry. 2d Regt., 1861-1865. United States History Civil War, 1861-1865 Personal narratives. Four years with five armies : Army of the frontier, Army of the Potomac, Army of the Missouri, Army of the Ohio, Army of the Shenandoah / by Isaac Gause, late of Co. E. Second Ohio Cavalry. text Four years with five armies : Army of the frontier, Army of the Potomac, Army of the Missouri, Army of the Ohio, Army of the Shenandoah / by Isaac Gause, late of Co. E. Second Ohio Cavalry. 1908 2002 true xt7rr49g533w section xt7rr49g533w FOUR YEARS WITH FIVE ARMIES This page in the original text is blank. ISAAC G A USEl Sergeant, Co. F., Second Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Four Years with Five Armies Army of the Frontier, Army of the Potomac, Army of the Missouri, Army of the Ohio, Army of the Shenandoah ISAAC Late of Co. E, BY GAUSE Second Ohio Cav. NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1908 COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY PREFACE It is not the object of the author in this little book to give a history of his life, or of the company, or of the regiment in which he served. But it is his purpose to relate some of the causes that led him to enlist; and what he observed during four years' service. Being only seventeen years of age at the time of the war, reared in a rural district, with little knowledge of men and their ways, and no knowledge whatever of military organiza- tion; with no ambition but to do his part in coercing the seceded States to return to the Union; and with nothing to indicate the length of time required to accomplish the task; with no thought of ever being able to write any- thing that would interest people, he now finds himself poorly prepared to do justice to the task. Having seen many claims made for official recognition for deeds done in the ordinary line of duty, it now appears to be his duty to his comrades to rehearse these extraordinary experiences. It was his custom to keep a diary when start- ing on a campaign, but owing to the toilsome march, together with the task of procuring 4 Preface something for his horse and himself to sub- sist on, the diary was either abandoned or lost. So, guided almost entirely by memory, he can write only a short history of the long campaigns, privations, and engagements. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGI I. OBSERVATIONS IN A RURAL DISTRICT 9 II. CAMP LIFE AT CLEVELAND. . . 17 III. WINTER QUARTERS AT CAMP DENNISON 3I IV. MY FIRST PICKET DUTY . . . . 48 V. MY FIRST SKIRMISH. . . . . . 56 VI. THE INDIAN EXPEDITION . . . . 75 VII. PROVOST DUTY AT FORT SCOTT . 102 VIII. IN QUARTERS AT CAMP CHASE . I13 IX. IN KENTUCKY . . . . . . . 122 x: ON MORGAN'S TRAIL . . . . . I48 XSI. THE CAPTURE OF MORGAN . . . I60 XII. EVENTS SUCCEEDING A FURLOUGH . 176 XIII. CAMPAIGNING IN EAST TENNESSEE . I83 XIV. MORE TENNESSEE SERVICE . . . . 199 XV. THE END OF THE CAMPAIGNS OF '63 . 2I3 XVI. IN THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC . 217 XVII. SERVICE INVIRGINIA . . . . . 232 XVIII. ROUGH TIMES IN THE OLD DOMINION 247 XIX. THE FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES OF WAR . . . . . . . . . . 267 XX. THE WILSON RAID . . . . . . 275 XXI. GENERAL KAUTZ IN HIS ELEMENT . 286 XXII. REORGANIZING AND HUSTLING . . 298 6 Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXIII. CAPTURE OF THE EIGHTH SOUTH CARO- LINA INFANTRY . . . . . . 306 XXIV. BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK . . . . 330 XXV. CUSTER'S RAID . . . . . . . 343 XXVI. WINTER QUARTERS . . . . . . 348 XXVII. JAMES RIVER CANAL RAID . . . . 352 XXVIII. THE LAST BATTLES . . . . . . 366 XXIX. MUSTERED OUT . . . . . . . 375 XXX. POLITICAL AND MILITARY EFFECT OF MORGAN'S RAID . . . . . . 38I XXXI. THE ARMY HORSE . . . . . . 383 ILLUSTRATIONS ISAAC GAUSE . . . . . . . . Frontispiece MEDAL OF HONOR . . . . . Facing page 9 FRANKLIN ACKLEY . . . . . 22 CHARLES GRANDISON FAIRCHILD. 54 G. W. BYARD . . . . . . 86 A. V. KAUTZ . . . . . . io8 MATHIAS M. SPRINGER . . . 140 WILLIAM W. WURTS . . . . I72 E. P. SMITH. . . . . . . 204 GEORGE A. WILKINS . . . . 242 F. F. REXFORD . . . . . . 272 WARNER NEWTON . . . . . 302 This page in the original text is blank. Four Years with Five Armies CHAPTER I OBSERVATIONS IN A RURAL DISTRICT I WAS born in Trumbull County, Ohio, December 9, i843, and began going to school when I was five. When in my seventh year I moved with my parents to Mahoning County, and at the age of four- teen I went to live with my uncle Elijah Shinn, on a farm in Goshen Township. About that time my attention was called to the political condition of the country, because of the radical change that had recently taken place in the old parties. The people in that locality were of many religious faiths and political opinions, among whom were many Abolitionists, who refused to vote because there was a clause in the Con- stitution which permitted chattel slavery. When an effort was made to admit the Ter- ritory of Kansas into the Union the contro- versy was so bitter that the Abolitionists showed a disposition to vote provided they could get some concession from the Whigs, then under the able leadership of the Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, who conceived the plan to form a new party that would admit them, to Four Years with Five Armies and also suit the liberal or free-State Demo- crats. In i86o Abraham Lincoln was nominated Presidential candidate by the new party. The demonstrations in towns and villages fired the children in the rural districts with a spirit of patriotism, a spirit to which I was able to con- tribute by driving to town and purchasing a flag that we were able to raise on a fifty-foot pole in front of the schoolhouse. After the election of Lincoln, secession being threatened, the probability of war in the near future was much discussed, but there were only a few who thought such a calamity would befall the country. A small per cent., however, thought that a division of States was assured from the fact that the Southern men were accustomed to the use of firearms, and that they were trained to the code and followed the chase. During the winter of i86o I was much of the time in company with two brothers, who took an interest in the pending question from the fact that their former schoolmates, the Copic brothers, were members of John Brown's company, and were with him on the noted raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia, when they took possession of the United States Arsenal at that place. One of my com- panions had also been in Kansas during the border troubles, or '56 war. Consequently I listened to many stories of encounters that had taken place between the free-State men of Kansas and the pro-slavery party in Missouri, MEDAL OF 1TOXOR This medal contains the followilng wvords: T The Congress to Corporal Isaac 6autse. Co. E. 2d Ohio Cav. Vols., for Gallantry near Berryville, V a.. September 13, 1.Y64." It was given to Corporal GaLuse On the recom inendations of Generals Wilson and McIntosh. In " Medals of Honor, a publication issued b) the War Depart- ment. September 19, 1864, will be found the following in relation to Mr. Gause: " Corporal, Co. E, 2d Ohio Cavalry; Action, near Berry- ville. Va.. Date, September 13, 1864. Capture of the colors of the 8th S. C. Infantry while engaged in a reconnoissance along the Berry- ville and Winchester pike." PACING; 9 This page in the original text is blank. Observations in a Rural District the details of which gave me some informa- tion concerning the strategy that profitably can be practiced in the enemy's country. I will relate a story that will serve to show how one may be compelled to pay the penalty of another's crime. This I give as near as possible in my friend's language. He said: "When I made up my mind to come back to Ohio," said he, " I was in Wyandotte, Kan. In order to get to the railroad I must travel thirty miles in Missouri. It was fatal for a free-State or Kansas man to be caught in that part of the country, so I prepared myself ac- cordingly, and if suspected, I would claim to be a pro-slavery man. I had a full beard and long hair, and I put on a white shirt for the first time in a long while, then buckled on a belt with revolver and dirk. I crossed the Missouri in an unfrequented place at night, and hurried along so as to arrive at Weston to take the train at nine o'clock in the morn- ing. About three o'clock, when passing a plantation, a large dog, of which every planter kept one or more, jumped out of the gate and sprang at my throat, but by catching him by the paw and giving it a sudden wrench I pre- vented him from getting hold. To prevent making a noise I drew the knife, and after a desperate struggle I killed him. I imme- diately left the road in order to cover my trail, for if the planter should follow and overtake me I would meet the fate of my victim. When I came to a creek about daylight I washed I I I2 Four Years with Five Armies the blood off, leaving a stain on one cuff of my shirt. It was about sunrise when I ar- rived at Weston and sat down in the waiting- room. Soon after, on looking out, I saw a party ride toward the depot. It was evident they were in haste, and thinking they were in search of a runaway slave I gave the incident little attention until they dismounted, came on the platform, and began looking about the depot. Finally, one of them walked up, reached out his arm, saying at the same time, 'Ain't this our man' Thinking he wanted to shake hands, I reached out mine, and so uncovered the stained cuff. Before there was time to think, they covered me with two revolvers and dragged me out and ad- justed the rope for my neck. There was no time allowed for explanation, as they were wild with excitement. One of them, however, more cool than the others, insisted that they had the wrong man. But the others said, ' Here is the stain on his cuff, and the rascal has tried to wash it off.' 'No,' he said, ' I know the man that killed Bill.' The last re- mark explained matters sufficient for me to catch my breath, inasmuch as I thought they were going to hang me for killing the dog during the night. When an explanation about the stain was given, they apologized for the rough treatment and rode away." The many stories, combined with the in- creasing animosity constantly agitated by the press, convinced me that nothing short of war Observations in a Rural District would settle the political differences between the North and South. At that time it would have been considered presumptuous to inti- mate that I could engage in any way in the struggle, although my mind was made up from the time Brooks of South Carolina struck Sumner of Massachusetts in the United States Senate, that should war be declared I would bear my part in one capacity or an- other. It was my secret, however, until the war was in full progress and the President had made the second call for troops. As no opportunity presented itself for me to enlist in the cavalry, I formed a plan to go away with a neighbor boy and enlist in the infantry. But we were both under the care of guardians, and our plan by some chance became known and was thwarted by them. My uncle, having been raised a Quaker and being of a very mild disposition, had seldom spoken in a positive manner. I had lived with himn four years, and that was the first time he had refused to let me have my own way, although the previous requests had not been of an important nature. One evening in August my aunt read an article from the Mahoning County Register, stating that Professor Hall was recruiting a company in Canfield, to join what was to be known as Wade and Hutchins's cavalry. The names of the enlisted men were attached to the article. There were four with whom I was slightly acquainted, one a former school- 13 Four Years with Five Armies mate, of whom mention will be made in the future. My mind was made up at once. I would go, let come what would. I had al- ways had one or more horses at my command from the time I could mount one from a stump or fence corner, for I was fond of a good horse, and delighted to run races with my associates whenever meeting them, whether going or coming from fairs, camp-meetings, and so on, and I had had many adventures and some narrow escapes. The next Saturday there was another article in the paper that my aunt also read to me. It stated that Captain Hall's company had nearly its complement of men and would depart from Canfield to join their regiment at Camp Wade, Cleveland, Ohio, on the following Tuesday. That was short notice for one who had made no arrange- ments. But, being fully determined, I set about formulating my plans. There were many things to be taken into consideration, many of which had been crudely revolved in my mind, but with no definite conclusion as to the result of any of them. My uncle and aunt were my guardians, and were the same as father and mother to me. I could not have loved them better had they been such in fact. My home was equal to the best of my asso- ciates', and to break my family ties was no small concern to me. Besides, I was bound by a contract between my mother and uncle to remain with them until I was eighteen, and I would not be eighteen till the 9th of the T4 Observations in a Rural District next December. Moreover, by breaking the contract I would forfeit all the financial bene- fit that had accrued to me by the last four years' labor. At the expiration of my time my uncle was to pay me one hundred dollars, give me a horse, saddle and bridle, and a new suit of clothes. As at that time the aggregate of this was equal to two hundred and twenty- five dollars, it was considered a very fair start in life for one at my age. It did not occur to me there would be another chance to go into the cavalry, and therefore I thought to myself, now is the time to go. The worst of all was to leave without the consent of uncle and aunt. Weary with my ponderings, sleep overtook me, and next day I went to church. As soon as the service was ended I collected my associates, and we went to the woods for a council. I told them all about the cavalry company, and that we should all go together and enlist, but there was no response from them. After describing the difference between the cavalryman and the infantry, those that must plod through mud and snow, I gave up the task and started home. On the way I met some young men that consented to go with me. The next thing to do was to notify my uncle. After sitting down to dinner I told them what my mind was made up to do. To my surprise and gratification my uncle said, " If he thinks he must go I will take him to Canfield to-morrow and let him enlist." Much gratified to think Is5 i6 Four Years with Five Armies there was no opposition from this source my arrangements were made accordingly. On Monday morning, when the work had been done as usual, I made preparation to go, but it began to rain and my uncle did not want to take his carriage out. But rain was no ob- stacle in my way, and I walked over to the home of my neighbor, who was presumably to be my future companion, and found him putting the saddle on his horse. When he saw the way I was situated, he hitched the horse to a buggy and drove over to get our other man. He had made no arrangements to go, so we drove to Canfield, put the horse in the stable at the Bostwick House, and here we met those with whom we were acquainted, among them George A. Wilkins. With a cor- dial greeting, he shook hands and asked, " Well, are you going with us " " I surely am," I replied, "if there is room for one more on the rolls." " Come right in here," he said, and then addressing the sergeant, he con- tinued, " Here is another one to add to the list." "How old are you" asked the ser- geant. " Eighteen, of course," Wilkins re- plied, and down went my name. CHAPTER II CAMP LIFE AT CLEVELAND W E went to the Meeker House, where the men were selecting the horses they were to ride in the service. Those horses that had been in- spected and accepted by the government in- spector stood in stalls in the long stables, and the many horse-dealers that had horses to sell occupied the open sheds on an adjoining lot, each with a bunch that he was anxious to dis- pose of. After inspecting three or four lots without finding one to suit me, I passed on to another, and there found one. The owner said, " You know a good horse when you see it, but that one does not come up to the stand- ard height; it has been inspected and re- jected on that account. She is the best animal in the stable and can outrun anything in the county, but she is nervous and unreliable in harness. If you can get her accepted, you will be the best mounted man in the com- pany." He put the saddle on the mare and brought her out. She was anxious to go, and every motion was as quick as a cat, and when I lit in the saddle she shot out of the stable like an arrow. After galloping up and down the street and turning short on the slippery plank '7 i8 Four Years with Five Armies pavement to the delight of the bystanders and to my own satisfaction, I rode to the stable. " Now," he said, " you tell the inspector that if he does not accept this mare you will not go with the company." I carried out his in- structions, and after much quibbling and hesi- tation, and by the earnest request of the by- standers who had witnessed my horsemanship, the animal was accepted and " U. S." branded upon her. After dinner we returned home and made hasty preparation for my departure. The next morning I mounted a horse at daybreak and rode to Damascus, a distance of three miles, my cousin having gone there to stay all night with friends, and driven the horse and carriage that was wanted to take me to Can- field. As soon as we had breakfast we went home and found that my uncle had changed his mind. He wanted to sell a horse and con- cluded to go on horseback. It was fourteen miles to Canfield and the company would leave at ten o'clock, so we hurried away as soon as possible after taking leave of those I might not see soon again. When we had rid- den about three miles we were overtaken by a horse-buyer who wanted artillery horses. I galloped the one I was riding up and down the road to show him off to the best advantage. The trade was soon made by the dealer ad- vancing my uncle five dollars with instruc- tions to deliver the horse at Salem the follow- ing Monday. Camp Life at Cleveland When within a mile of Canfield my uncle said he was tired, as he was not used to riding, and would like to return if I was satisfied to walk. We dismounted, and after an affec- tionate leave-taking, I walked toward town, while he rode in the opposite direction. We were scarcely out of sight of each other when the cannon began to boom the farewell salute to the company as it departed for Youngs- town, where they were to embark by rail. I soon met one of my neighbor boys who had ridden over to see the company start. When I explained to him my dilemma, he rode into town to make some arrangement by which I could get to Youngstown. The streets were deserted and the houses closed, with but a few people to represent the place. Every avail- able horse and harness had been put into use to take the company and its friends to Youngs- town. But it so happened that one doctor had one more bvggy than horse, which his wife graciously loaned us. We found an old breast-strap, and by using ropes for traces, were enabled to hitch my friend's horse; but as there were no holdback straps, we had to get out and hold the buggy back going down hill. We arrived at our destination just in time for dinner. The scene was to me a new and novel one. A vast crowd had gathered around the hotel where the dinner had been prepared and placed on a long table for the company. It was so closely packed that it was almost impossible to gain an entrance. I9 20 Four Years with Five Armies My friend interceded for me, and told them that here was a member of the company who had been left behind and wanted dinner be- fore train-time. That was all that was nec- essary, as everyone was anxious to show gratitude to the soldier. As word passed along, " Here is one, let him in," we finally managed to reach the table. After the dinner was concluded, the people gathered around the empty cars by the already overcrowded platform. These cars were destined to take us away, and it was announced that it was time to board the train. I walked around to the opposite side, where I could gain the step to the car without coming in contact with the crowd, and there, with a hearty handshake, and many thanks for the assistance he had rendered me, I took leave of my friend, to meet him again more than a year afterward on his deathbed. When I entered the car the scene that met my eye was heartrending indeed. There were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and wives with tears and sobs, taking, for aught they knew, their last leave of their dear ones who were going to combat in what was destined to be a long and bloody struggle. My atten- tion was called to one group in particular. owing to its peculiar variance from the others. A middle-aged couple, whose attire would indicate that they were poor people, stood at one end of the car, and as the woman handed her husband some small token, she said: Camp Life at Cleveland "Remember me, when this you see, Though many miles apart we be." Then, with a fond embrace, and tears rolling down her face, she boo-hooed, and left the car. When the train pulled out, its occupants consisted of the company, and a few of the most influential tnen from Canfield and Youngstown who wanted to see their friends safely in camp. Now that we were away from the women, the flask became a frequent visi- tor. I was in a car whose occupants were entire strangers to me, but it was not long until my friends, who had not time to think of me before, came in search of me, and with hard persuasion succeeded in getting me to take the first drink of liquor that ever passed my lips. The most of them became jolly as the train moved along,,and it was a great contrast from the hours before. I thought, how easily and soon they forgetl We arrived at Cleveland about sundown, and when we were out of the cars the captain ordered us to fall in line. I had never been in line, and had seen but one company of recruits march. We crossed the Cuyahoga River and marched up a long hill. It was awkward work for me, but I managed to step on the heels of the man in front as often as the man behind me trod on mine. We ar- rived at the top of the hill, where we found preparations going on for our reception. By details from companies the eleven tents had been stretched, and there was a colored cook 21 22 Four Years with Five Armies for each mess. Supper was almost ready. Our tables consisted of forked sticks about four feet long set in the ground for legs, with short poles from fork to fork, on which rested two boards twelve inches wide and about twelve feet long. Each cook had a tent called "the cook-tent" for him to sleep in, and to store away the rations. After supper the as- signment to the different messes began, but most of these had been done by mutual con- sent before leaving Canfield. There were four or five of us, however, that were on the stray list, we either having no acquaintance with the others or not having had time to make arrangements. The different messes went by the name of the town in which the men lived; as, the Salem mess; Canfield mess; Youngstown mess, Girard, Nilestown, Board- man, Jackson. All of my acquaintances were in the Salem mess, and as they had only ten men I was invited to join them. They soon found another young man, Frank Ackley, about my age and size, to be my " bunky," and to complete the required number for the mess. We each then drew a single blanket, and I lay down in a tent for the first time in my life. My bunky, like myself, was igno- rant of camp life, and had come without any bedding, therefore we were not so comfort- ably fixed as some of our comrades who brought quilts and blankets with them. The ground seemed very hard, and we turned over often during that first night. In the morning FRANKLIN AcKLuv C(orporal, Co. E. iSec d Ohio Vo1luteer Cavalry FACING 22 This page in the original text is blank. Camp Life at Cleveland we began to look about to learn something of our surroundings. We learned that our com- pany was the last of twelve to arrive in camp, but that some of them did not have their full quota and therefore could not muster, al- though they occupied their place in camp. Professor Hall had opened the rolls for en- listment on August ioth, and recruited the first man for the regiment. Xre considered him captain and accordingly elected him as such, with Bales Fawcet for first lieutenant, and Peter L. Rush for second lieutenant. There was a great deal of fault found with Captain Hall's conduct and management of the company, but his selection of non-com- missioned officers showed his judgment was good in that respect. It saved a great deal of trouble in the future, with Warner Newton for first sergeant, a man with executive ability to command a brigade; Dan Arnold for quartermaster sergeant, who had some experi- ence in that line, having been with Walker's expedition across the plains some years before. The other non-commissioned officers were the best men in the company, though none had any military knowledge except Corporal William H. Arnold, and he had been in the three months' service and was at the battle of Manassas Junction. Two days after we arrived in camp our horses, which had been brought on foot, were tied to a picket rope on the flats between Camp Wade and the Cuyahoga River, where 23 24 Four Years with Five Armies they were taken care of by a detail termed " horse guards " until late in the fall. At Camp Wade there was also camped a battery of artillery and a small detachment of Ohio boys enlisted for the noted Jim Lane's com- mand in Kansas. It was in that detachment that the first fatality occurred at Camp Wade. The boys had been furnished with guns and used them when on camp duty. There were two brothers who slept together. One of them, when on camp guard just behind the tent where his brother then lay, saw a cat cross the beat on which he was walking. He at- tempted to kill it, and at the noise of the gun everyone was awakened in the vicinity. His brother cried out, " I am shotl " His com- rade told him to go to sleep, and said, " You have been dreaming of battle, and when you heard that shot it awoke you." At first he thought they were right, and he tried to go to sleep. As he attempted to turn over, how- ever, he put his hand into a pool of blood. He told his companion, a light was brought, and it was found that the ball had passed through his body. He died at seven the next morning. The first week passed away without any unusual event in the Second Ohio; the time of the trooper was fully occupied, and, since I had left home: on short notice, I was anxious to return for a visit to assure my friends that I did not regret what I had done. The location of Camp Wade was on Uni- versity Heights, a high plateau situated south Camp Life at Cleveland 25 of the Cuyahoga River. The Heights con- sisted of several hundred acres of land cov- ered with grass, sloping to the southeast, and bounded on the south by the University. Our camp was located on the north side of the plateau overlooking the city, the suburbs of which extended out to the University on the west side of the plateau. The open ground for a distance of nearly a mile was used for drill and parade ground, and was a popular resort for pleasure seekers. There was a continual stream of visitors, excursions, and picnics from the counties and towns where the companies were recruited. Soon after the uniforms were issued we had a review and a dress parade, and a flag was pre- sented by the ladies of Cleveland to the Sec- ond Cavalry. The ceremony took place in front of the University, where the regiment formed in hollow square. The presentation was made by one of Cleveland's fair daugh- ters. To the presentation address a fitting response was offered. The regiment was pledged not only to defend that banner of silk and gold, but to carry it on wings of vic- tory into the heart of the enemy's country. Then three cheers were given, patriotic songs were sung, the band gave its choicest selection, and the companies were marched to quarters and disbanded. Everything went along lovely until Novem- ber, when the cold north winds swept down across Lake Erie and struck Camp Wade a 26 Four Years with Five Armies broadsider that made the tents totter and the teeth of the trooper chatter. The elevated spot that had been so pleasant during the autumn months had now to be abandoned for a better protected one. By the recent rains the flats had become soft and the horses were standing in mud up to their knees, and many sickened and died. The regiment was ordered to move to the old fair ground, known by the name of "Camp Taylor." With no horse equipments but rope halters we mounted bareback and marched through the streets of Cleveland to the new camp. The horses, glad to be liberated from their muddy prison, pranced and jumped about, and it was impossible to keep them in any- thing like a column. The change in some respects was good for man and beast, or at least it was until the rains set in again, and then it was worse than Camp Wade, for there the horses were kept away from camp, so that we were not constantly kept in mind of their suffering. But in the new camp they were tied in front of the tents, and they tramped and lashed the mud until everything for -rods around was covered with it. It was discouraging indeed to the trooper on duty to go on guard and walk back and forth by a string of horses for two hours, then go into the tent and lie down in wet clothes for four hours, alternately during the whole day. To do justice to the regiment, it is necessary Camp Life at Cleveland to give a better explanation of the mount and its treatment. Our horses were the best that could be selected from the stables of northern Ohio. Each man was permitted to choose his own horse, sell it to the Government, and retain it for his mount. This brought out the choice horses from each neighborhood. Many of them were worth more than the established Government price, the difference being at the trooper's expense, and he was willing to sac- rifice the money in order to have his favorite animal. The treatment the horses received was, for some unaccountable reason, without doubt cruel, and for which cruelty those who were responsible have need to be forgiven. A man had to depend on his faithful animal and companion to carry his burden on the long, weary march, and in the brilliant charge they were destined to carry the Second Ohio Cavalry. While we were at Camp Wade the horses were picketed on the flats in open ground with no care but feed and water twice a day. The rations of forage were scant, and were strewn on the ground for the poor ani- mals to scatter and waste, while they would kick and strike and bite at each other, crip- pling, and spreading disease from which many died. After we moved to Camp Tay- lor it was a daily occurrence to see one or more carcasses drawn out of the hospital, where they were under the care of vet