Four Years With the Iron Brigade

by Lance Herdegen

  June 18, 1862

  Fine day. Got orders to clean up for Brigade review by Gen King & Brigade drill. The Brigade got on the ground all ready for buisness about ½ mile from camp. When it clouded up and begun to rain and they dismissed the Regts. Colonels brought them, dismissed them and the water just poured down for a few minutes setting evrything afloat and runing some of the boys out of their tents that had not ditched around them. So that is all that was done today. Co C of our Regt is over in the city guarding. The officers is coming right down on us as if we were so many slaves now. I have had to go to the truble of getting a button brush which cost 30 cents and a box of Tripoli to rub the buttons & brasses with and now Co. B is varnishing their guns at their own expense and it makes them look so much better that the whole Regt will have to do it so I understand. And they are forcing leggins and blous [blouse or frock] coats on us and forcing us to wear them. It’s a dime for this and a quarter for that and so it goes. And whatever the General says we must have, we must take it or be arrested. Our ajjutant [Frank Haskell] just as bad now as the Gen. The boys used to think considerable of him but they hate him just as bad now.

  Well there was a verry disgraceful thing happened today. It is as follows. Three Corporals, G Henderson, F Kidd, & J Bradley and one private G Hickock [Griffin Heacock]59 was arrested for playing Poker or in other words Gambling. The Private was put under guard and the corporals arrested as a corporal cannot be put under guard but will be reduced to the ranks. Cap [Callis] has always allowed it to go on right in his face although it is against orders. And would have this time but the officer of the day watching around caught them at it unbeknown to either Cap or them and he addressed a line to Cap saying that if he didnt arrest them (the players) he would arrest him. So Cap, afraid of loosing his honor, put right out and done it to the great chagrin of the partys. This pleased me although I don’t wish any of them any harm. But they have made great brags what they could & would do. They say if anybody writes back to anybody about this affair, they ought to be rode on a rail and one of the Corporals says he would shoot the man that would do such a trick. But just as likely as not, I might accidently write a few words about it when I write home. I am not afraid of any of them. Let them talk till they gray for I care not what they say.

  It is said that the Col of the Indiania Regt [Solomon Meredith] has gone to Washington to see if he cannot get his Regt out of this Brigade and our Colonel has gone some place and been gone two or three days and the talk is that he has gone for the same purpose as the Ind. Col and if this be true, I hope he will succeed and we will be from under the old tyrant Gen Gibbons. It is him that causes the truble. He comes down on the regimental officers and they come down on the Co officers and as a matter or course, they must come down on us and that is the way it goes. I don’t blame any of them for reminding us of keeping clean but I hate this putting on so much style. The boys call it putting on French airs.

  Most of the Ind & 6th threw their extra clothing away and now they have to draw more. The Gen is bound to make us carry the extra clothing, thereby causing a great many to give out on the march and then they will have to haul them & their knappsacks too. And if they oblige me to carry so much, I will sitt down when tired and they have got to haul me.

  June 19, 1862

  And fine day, no drill but review at 6 P.M. by Gen King. It didnt rain so as to stop proceedings but sprinkled a little before going on review. The officers tried and did make most of the Co draw an extra pair of pants & extra pair shoes. But me with 5 or 6 others wouldnt draw them and we said we wouldnt until forced to and we expected to be marched to the guardhouse in the morning but were not. I have good shoes and good pants and I wont draw them unless forced to. And now they are trying to make us give ten cents apiece to get our guns varnished and there is a strong opposition against it.

  June 20, 1862

  And fine day. Done nothing but work on our guns & getting them varnished &c. They are stained a dark color first, then varnished them. It makes them look a hundred per cent better. Most of the Regt is getting their guns varnished. We did or all the Co did not get theirs done today. It costs 10 cts apiece. Warm day. The Private that was put under guard yesterday for gambling has been released and I guess the Corporals will not be reduced.

  June 21 1862

  And fine day. Finished fixing guns and in the evening had undress parade. A great many orders was read and the three Corporals was reduced for gambling. When their folks hears it, it will make them feel verry bad for it is a great disgrace in a military point of view. And it is really in any place or position and it will stand in the army records as long as they live for they have betrayed the confidence of the officers. It is more disgrace than being Courtmartialed. It will most break the hearts of their parents who are verry pious folks and verry much respected in the circles in which they move. They are liked by evrybody that is acquainted with them and it being read before the whole Regt, it must have made them feel verry bad. And they are quite down hearted about it from appearances.

  Well, I must turn from this disgraceful feature to one nearly as bad which occurred between Co B and our Co. It was this. One of our boys and a couple of B boys had some truble several days since and the B. Boys got drunk today and as one of our boys was going peacable through their street. And those drunkerds thought it was the same fellow that they had the truble with the other day. So they pitched on to him and comenced pelting him and drove him out of the street. This raised quite an excitement and most of the two Cos congregated around and one word brought on another until the two Cos came verry near having an irish row. I kept off a little way so that they should not get me in the fuss. Our Capt reported to the officer of the day what was transpiring and he sent guards to quell and take the imposters and when they went to take 3 or 4 of them, their Co pitched on to the guards and about whiped them out. Then the officer of the day come up and drew his sword and took command of the guard and bid the rascals walk off. Which they done through fear of being run through with the officers sword or the guards bayonet. It has caused considerable hard feelings between officers as well as privates. But if it had been the right fellow it wouldnt have been thought so hard of in our Co. But it was an innocent fellow they miss-used so if it had been the other fellow, a great many of the Co would have liked to seen him whiped.

  I forgot to tell you the promotions. There was Wm A. Smith (my tentmate), Giles Parker [Calvin G. Parker]60 and F. H. Boynton were promoted to the places of the reduced Corporals. I have mailed 2 or 3 letters this week and wrote one today to Sarah & commenced another to Henry Lander.

  June 22, 1862

  And fine day and Sunday. The Cap got a pass from the Col to take the Co to Fredricsburg to Church or all that wanted to go. And most of them went but I didnt as I had a letter to finish and one to write to Isaac Lander which I did. & I don’t like to be led to Church anyhow. And I finished the 3rd letter to send off in the morning.

  Last night the boys serenaded the new Corporals using tin pans &c for instrumental music which they would beat on with the Choir singing. It caused considerable merriment in the Camp drawing a great [number] to see what Co F was doing. Co F is verry popular now throughout the Regt. Also noticed somewhat in other Regts by our Capt being verry popular amongst the white collars throughout the Brigade. But when Cap went to Gibbons to get him to sign the pass, he wouldnt do it saying it was out of order. And Cap determined to not be out done so he went to Gen King who signed it without a word of remonstrance and was pleased vis the Cap in taking such an interest in his Co welfare. And Cap does take great interest in our welfare of late I must say. But still he is the same of other folks, has his faults and one is he gives passes to a few two or three times to others once. But it would be a queer man that could satisfy evryone in the Co.

  June 23, 1862

  And fine day till about 7 P.M. when we had as hard a thunderstorm as we usually see and after raining hard for a half an hour, it ceased to a good steady rain which conti
nued nearly all night.

  We had no drill nor dress parade today. Our Capt got a pass to go to Washington. The talk is that the colonel sent him as a representative from the Regt to see about the state clothing to see if we shall have to pay for it or not. We hadnt ought to pay for it as they would not let us wear it out and it was an order from the United States secretary that no more troops should come in to the field with them before we got or the state pushed them on to us. If we have to pay for them the clothing bill for each man in this Regt will be not less than sixty or seaventy dollars and at the end of 10 months only at that.

  We had orders to clean up the camp today as it would be inspected at two oclock. We all got trees and fixed about our tents each one fixing to suit himself. The street looks verry pretty now. I mailed my letter this morning. Lieut [Henry F.] Young was over to see us today. I was as glad to see him as a brother almost. He with a squad of the Engineer Corps is stationed in Fredericsburg. I wish he would come back to the Co. I should not wonder of hearing of Caps resigning then Young will come in as Captain which he had ought to have been at first.

  June 24, 1862

  And tolerable fine day. Rained a verry little through the day. Us fellows that worked on the Potomac Creek Bridge from our regt got paid today. I got $8.50 cts for my work being about 60 cents a day. This the extra pay over and above the $13.00 dollars per month and the other Regts will get theirs right along as fast as they can pay them off. This pay come in good play and pleased the boys verry much. And I can get in some of the money due me from the boys that sent clothes home with me. That is the expenses accrued by getting them home from the Bridgeport, the R Road station. But some of it I shall have to wait for till payday.

  Had no dress parade, no drill today. Things went on all right today.

  June 25, 1862

  And pretty day. Co drill in the evening & from 4 till 5 oclock. Come in , got ready for dress parade but drilled battalion drill instead. Made some mistakes in the [drill] on account of the ajjutant who I think was some under the influence of liquor from the way he acted which caused some merriment in the ranks. We have to come out looking like a king in a manner. There is one dirty fellow in our Co. He has been sent back from guard mounting twice by the ajjutant and he has been put to carrying water for the Co until further order. He work evry day. Co C is over in the city guarding and has been for several days. I am going to send my dresscoat home if I can get it to town.

  There was a committee of three officers around to examine the knappsacks and haversacks & canteens &c through the Regt. And they condemned our old knappsacks & haversacks and we are to get new ones and I hope they will be of a better kind than the old ones and will carry easier. I don’t care if they get them so they will walk. One of the new Corporals treated the Co to a box of cigars. The boys keeps running to me to borrow money knowing that I got the most of any of them that worked on the Bridge. I could have loaned $1.00 cts if I had had it but I wont loan any but to my tentmate which I loaned one dollar. And my folks need it at home and to them it is promised all I can spare. I am going to keep plenty to do me.

  June 26, 1862

  And a fine but verry warm day. We had Co drill at the usual hour and battalion right after which lasted till dark. We rested several times. The colonel [William Robinson] talked and advised the soldiers as well as the officers what we had ought to do. We certainly couldnt have got a better Col. He is liked better evry day. He never gets wrathy and is always cool. He has a good command over himself as he has over his regt. And when any of the boys goes to him, he talks to them verry gentlemanly. He give one of our boys a pair of socks one day when we were on the march. He heard him complaining of sore feet and let him have them. And he helped the poor fellow who was badly crippled up on account of sore feet. This is something that I am not trubled with. The other Regts drills through the day so we have the best time of it.

  Col told us also that the first blue suit we drew from was made a present to us but we should have to pay for the State clothes out of the money allowed us per year for clothing. I have drawed $36.00 & some cents in clothing from the United states.

  We get splendid good bread. Verry nice. We get it as warm as we can eat it for the Bakery is only one mile. It is in Falmouth. My tentmate heard the Colonel say we were going to stay here till fall and there was some orders read last night concerning tools. I expect we will have something to do soon.

  June 27, 1862

  And fine & verry warm day. No drill today for our Co but some of the Cos drilled. The battalion was formed for dress parade but none of the Regt officers being present but the Colonel, we didnt have any. But he called the officers to him and appeared to be verry much vexed about something and talked in pretty strong terms to officers about their duties and that they had been rather slack of late. He admonished to be punctual and attend to their buisness, saying if the officers didnt take an interest, the privates would’nt in anything. We have to come out in the best of order on musterday which is next Monday the 30th inst when we will have two months more pay due.

  The last rains raised the river so that it took away nearly all of the R R Bridge across the river here and they let the pontoon Bridge swing around to one shore to save it. We were down swimming this evening.

  I forgot to tell you about how nice Bill [Smith] & I fixed up our tent. Well, we went into the woods and skined 4 large pine trees, getting the bark according to the size of the tent and staked up a piece on each side about a foot wide or more and sitt the tent on top of that and put a piece at the back end about two feet wide so that when the oilcloth was put up it closed up the back end entirely so that when it rained, it would not beat in. And we put a floor in of bark which will keep us dry when it rains and keep the dampness from us. We can sleep good on it. And in this Country, the nights are cool & no musketoes to truble. And we sleep under two blankets and about midnight we can get under the blankets & cover it up the same as I would last winter.

  You may think me exaggerating but it is truth but there are some that have only one blanket between them and of course they cannot sleep under two. But I wont tent with a man that wont carry his blanket & if a man cannot carry it, there is a way provided for it to be taken along.

  June 28, 1862

  And fine day. No drilling, dress parade but we had to clean up tiptop for tomorrows Inspection which is Sunday. And the next day is muster. It is not much truble for me for I rub up my things evry morning and that way they keep in good order. But most of the boys after inspection lets their guns go till the next Sunday. Then they buy 5 cts worth of emery paper and scour up their guns. This paper leaves them rough and they rust again verry easy. But I use an oiled woolen rag, thereby leaves the iron smooth and oily. And it is not much truble to keep it clean.

  Cap has got back from Washington, brings the confirmation of the first blue suit being made a present to this regt but we must pay for the State clothes.

  June 29, 1862

  And a fine day. Nothing done, no inspection as usual on Sunday, but we must get our accourtriments in good order for the muster on the morrow. We had a hard shower this evening & heavy thunder. The wind blew quite hard, only rained about 1 hour. Our tent didnt leak much for it is well pitched. I don’t get many letter now a days but I must write one to Sarah soon but cannot send her any money I think, for the boys is without money and they come begging so hard that I cant turn them all off. For you know how it is. They will think it hard and I hadnt a chance to send it until after I got the last five dollar bill broke that I had. Then I couldnt send it but will send it when pay day comes.

  Had dress parade as usual but not so many rollcalls through the day as we used to have. One of our boys has deserted it is thought for he has not been here since about 2 oclock on the 26th. The proper authorities is looking after him but I think he will get away. There is great talk about Cap resigning & going home and it wouldnt surprise me much for I have thought he would do so for a long time.

  From what I can h
ear & see, I am in debt to Uncle Sam for clothing something over $7.00 cts which will have to be paid out of our next pay. But I am better off than half of the boys for the majority of them are over that and some are in debt more than the $26.00 cts and will have [not] a cent coming, but will have to pay some the next payday after.

  I drew a pair of pants day before yesterday, also new knappsacks. Those we don’t have to pay for. And I drew a new oilcloth and Bill did too. Our knappsacks a pretty good ones, better than the old ones but not the best kind.

  June 30, 1862

  Fine day, verry. Inspected and mustered in today. We were inspected verry close but prove ourselves to be soldiers and got the praise as such. No drill but dress parade at the usual hour 6 P.M. The Brigade quartermaster mustered us in this. This evening Cap told the boys that those that worked in Fredricsburg got their pay which was about $3.60 cts apiece but us fellows that worked on the bridge and was away from the Co didnt get any for [we] had got ours a week since.

  Gen Gibbons was around looking at things and went to the Hospital to see the sick and inquired of the sick (three of which were from our Co.) how they got along and how they were waited on and why they hadnt cots to ly on instead of lying on the ground as they was. Well he quized them pretty close and told a pretty hard story but a true one and he seemed verry much dissatisfied. He then sent one of the waiters to have the Doctors come in and one of our boys that was just able to [move] about told us that the General gave him hell (in his way of speaking). Told them they ought to be ashamed to treat them so. He wanted to know why those that were bedfast were not sent to the hospital in Fredricsburg. And the boys complained a good deal about not having good eatables. He told the Docts they must do better and that they had money furnished by government to buy anything that was needed and he wanted them to use it for that purpose. And that there was a great deal contributed by societies and that they was entitled to a share. And could get it if he would. He going there in person and talking to the patients first, he got the true light on the subject. I rather guess he opened the Doct eyes and it is high time too. I suppose from what I have heard from other sources that he gave them to understand that that kind of work wouldnt do. I guess he is the only General or officer higher than our Col that ever was to the hospital.