Cole - William Carnihan - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Notes: Resolutions of Respect Camp of 72nd Reg't. Ind. Vols. Wartrace, Tenn., July 4, ‘63 At a meeting of the officers of the 72nd Regiment Indiana Volunteers, held this eveing, to express our feelings with regard to the death of Chaplain Eddy, who was instantly killed by a cannon shot upon the battle field at Hoover's Gap, Tenn., on the 24th ult., Col. Abram O Miller presiding the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted: Whereas, The all-wise Providence has been pleased to take from our midst by death in battle, our beloved Chaplain, rev. J. R. Eddy, therefore, Resolved, That while we humbly bow to the dispensations of He who doeth all things well, trusting always in His divine wisdom, we most deeply and sorrowfully deplore the loss of our esteemed minister in whom all recognized the high qualities of an able and devoted Christian, a brave and patriotic soldier, and one in whom none had ever failed to find a true, a generous friend. Resolved, That in the seemingly untimely death of Rev. Mr. Eddy the Chruch has been bereft of an intelligent, energetic and successful advocate, his family is called upon to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and parent, and our regiment a truly good and accomplished Chaplain. Resolved, That though his sojourn with us in the tented field was but brief, we had all known him and appreciated his great moral worth as a minister and a citizen, in years past, before the present unholy war had called him or us from our peaceful homes to defend the honor and integrity of our country. Resolved, That to his bereaved family and friends we offer the heartfelt sympanthies of a regiment of soldiers who, with him, believe that opposition to our country's traitors is obedience to God, and we trust that they, like us, in the midst of their sorrows, will find consolation in knowing that he died a true christian patriot, ministering to the comforts of our wounded brethren upon the battle field. S.C. Kirkpatrick, Lt. Col. James E. Robinson, Capt. William C. Cole, Asst. Surg. Com on resolutions

Publication: Indianapolis Daily Journal Date: 7.27.1863 Notes: Smith's Cavalry Expedition - The 72nd Indiana –List of Casualties Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal Germantown, Tennessee February 27, 1864 This portion of the 72nd Indiana Mounted Infantry, under command of Major Carr, reached here yesterday, having, with the cavalry division under Gen. W. S. Smith, penetrated Mississippi as far as West Point, on the Ohio and Mobile Railroad. The expedition effectually destroyed the road between that place and Okalona, burned a number of cars, more than two thousand bales of cotton; besides capturing two thousand horses and mules, and bringing off fifteen hundred able bodied negroes. Everything favored us until we reached West Point, south of which the enemy was found to be in force. A retrograde movement then commenced, and with it our misfortunes. With our rear pressed and flanks threatened, we fell back to Okalona. There it was found necessary to halt the rear brigade, under command of Col. McCrillus, 3rd Illinois Cavalry, and hold the enemy in check until the two advance brigades, with their long train of pack mules, led horses and contrabands, could get out of the way. The enemy refused our offer of battle, and the column then moved forward, but had scarcely stretched out on the road, when the rear was boldly attacked by a heavy body of rebel cavalry. The 4th Regulars charged them bravely, but were repulsed with considerable loss, and fell back upon the column Two Tennessee regiments were at this time thrown into confusion. The 72nd was then dismounted and thrown into line, but before they could deliver fire, their ranks were broken by the panic stricken troops from the rear. A simultaneous attack on our left flank by the enemy compelled us to mount and fall back Several successive lines were formed, but with no better effect, until near night, when the 72nd supported by the 7th Indiana Cavalry, checked the pursuit, and punished the enemy so severely, that he became more respectful of us. The march continued day and night, until we reached this side of the Tallahatchie. Our trains was safely crossed, and we were not afterwards molested, except by occasional guerillas, in our rear. The loses in killed, wounded, and missing, in the division is about four hundred. The 72nd had two men killed, thirteen wounded, and eleven missing; appended is the list: (list) Wm. C. Cole Acting Surg., 72nd Ind. Mounted Infantry

Publication: Indianapolis Daily Journal Date: March 3, 1864 Smith's Cavalry Expedition The 72nd Indiana –List of Casualities From The Indianapolis Journal This portion of the 72nd Indiana Mounted Infantry, under command of Major Carr, reached here yesterday having with the cavalry division under Gen. W. S. Smith, penetrated Mississippi as far as West Point, on the Ohio and Mobile Railroad. The expedition effectually destroyed the road between that place and Okalona, burned a number of cars, more than two million bushels of corn, and tow thousand bales of cotton; besides, capturing two thousand horses and mules, and bringing off fifteen hundred able bodied negros. Everything favored us until we reached West Point, south of which the enemy was found to be in force. A retrograde movement then commenced, and with it our misfourtunes. With our rear pressed and our flanks threatened, we fell back to Okalona,. There it was found necessary to halt the rear brigade, under command of Colonel McCrillus, 3rd Illinois Cavalry, and hold the enemy in check until the two advance brigades, with their long train of pack mules, led horses and contrabands, could get out of the way. The enemy refused our offer of battle, and the column then moved forward, but had scarcely stretched out on the road, when the rear was boldly attacked by a heavy body of rebel cavalry. The 4th Regulars charged them bravely, but were repulsed with considerable loss, and fell back upon the column. Two Tennessee regiments were at this time thrown into confusion. The 72nd was then dismounted and thrown into line but before they could deliver fire, their ranks were broken by the panic stricken troops from the rear. A simultaneous attack on our left flank by the enemy compelled us to mount and fall back, Several successive lines were formed, but with no better effect, until near night, when the 72nd supported by the 7th Indiana cavalry checked the pursuit, and punished the enemy so severely, that he became more respectful of us. The march continued day and night, until we reached this side of the Tallahatchie. Our trains were safely crossed, and we were not afterwards molested, except by occasional guerillas, in our rear. The losses in killed, wounded and missing, in the division is about four hundred. The 72nd had two men killed, thirteen wounded and eleven missing, appended in the list List: Wm. C. Cole, Act'g Surg. 72nd Ind Mounted Infantry Publication: Crawfordsville Journal Date: 3.10.1864 etter From Nashville Correspondence of the Daily Journal Nashville, January 4, 1865 After the usual meanderings through the labyrinths of red tape, I reached Nashville last Friday night, sans guerrilla, or any other ravenous beast, to hedge up my way. Thanks to the kind geni that always attends us, Jack Goodwin, and I got seats in the rear of the train, and vainly did the charming notes of the dinner gong at Cave City seek to allure us from those cushions. Better a dinner of fried partridges from Sockwell's and buttered biscuit therewith, than steaks from the neck of a "stolid" ox and a perpendicular seat the remainder of the journey. Thus reasoning the Doctor and I "formed a junction" of our subsistence departments, and thus rendered the culinary powers of our considerably better halves subsidiary to our internal and external comfort. We brought up at Nashville in the dark and in the rain, but found our way through both to the Indiana Agency. Next morning I awakened to look out upon as wintry a looking country as I left at Indianapolis. The snow looks like Indiana snow, and the noses of the people looked as blue as the coats that covered the "Yanks" that thronged the streets. I find the hospitals in a "far better condition than I thought they could possibly be made so soon after a battle. The new medical director of the hospitals here, Major Brinton is evidently a man of business. If anybody doubts it, let him look in, see, and be satisfied. The overflow of patients that existed a fortnight ago, has subsided and the slightly wounded are being rapidly sent home on furlough. I hail this evidence of sound sense and genuine humanity with great satisfaction. May no fool or brute get hold of the machinery until every poor, pining soldier who can be conveyed to the dear ones at home, shall reach that cherished. Longed-for bourne. Fragments of a number of regiments and batteries are here, but the bulk of our Indiana men are where they like to be, and their commanders like to have them - on the front line. McCooks's brigade of cavalry is over the river and nearly all well mounted and in fighting trim. The 142nd, Col. Comparet, is camped north of the city a mile or two. Col. Blake, of the 40th, is here on duty with Gen. John F. Miller, commander of the post. Col. Blake has been unwell, but is still on duty. Col. Ed. Anderson of the 12th cavalry is here to be tried by court martial for shooting a lot of bushwhackers that he captured down by Tullahoma. The Colonel takes it very coolly, shows his orders from Gen. Granger, and says he'll shoot some more of them if they get in his way. There seems to be some site work about the thing. I guess Col. A will live some time yet, if he don't die until Thomas has him shot for shooting bushwhackers - order or no orders. I chanced to stumble upon Judge Levering here the other day. He is in the law business, and is getting a fair start with the new State of Tennessee. He says Tennessee wil have a purer Democracy in the days of her redemption, than Indiana ever had. I honor his judgment, but if they will show us as good an article as "used to was" when Jo. Wright and the Judge, and some more such men were at the helm. I'll be satisfied with it. Gen. Thomas, I am informed, will be here tomorrow to arrange matters preparatory to establishing anew base on the Tennessee. Hood will then probably "redeem"Alabama! Capt. Goodwin, the officer in charge of prisoners, has shipped all the old stock of Thomas's Nashville and Franklin captures to the South. Still they come in by "dribs" every day. Last night about 250 prisoners and 65 deserters were brought in shabby fellows they are, too. On Sunday morning a large gang of them left for the North. They have passed the "line" at Franklin and will find nothing to resist their progress to the Ohio river, and perhaps to the borders of the lakes. This is as Hood promised. Col. Shaw, the Indiana Agent, is overrun with business. People are getting to understand the beneficial workings of the State Agency, and now soldiers and citizens arriving at Nashville and needing any assistance, "strike a bee line for 42 ½ Cherry Street. Since I have been here the number of Indiana soldiers assisted and supplied at the office alone must have averaged a hundred per day. This, added to hospitals supplied, makes Indiana an important "element" in making up the sum of soldier comforts in this city. A case came to the Indiana office on New Year's morning that is worthy of remark. A young man named Read, belonging to the 13th cavalry, and residing at Dupont, Indiana was captured in the fight with Forrest at Murfreesboro. They striped off his overcoat, hat and shoes - took his knapsack and robbed his pants, and then made him march, on a double-quick a good part of the distance, to Pulaski, which, by the route they took, was about 150 miles. Here his feet were so cut and bruised that he had to lie down and take chances of being knocked in the head for it. He feigned sickness, and seemed so near dead that they left him in their hurried flight, and soon as they were well out of sight, he "lit out" for Nashville. He came to see if the Hoosier agency could relieve him any, and sure enough they did. They fitted him out with new boots, shirt, drawers, socks, hat and overcoat, and he went on his way rejoicing that some good hearts and hands were working in Indiana for the relief of our own needy soldiers. Ah, if the narrow and niggardly beings in Indiana who have given men the "cold shoulder," could travel with me along those long rows of sufferers and see the wants that I see around me here, methinks they would hang their heads and cry pecavi. If they were only here a day to stand in this office and see what is going on, they would no more raise the whine that I have often heard from traitors and skinflints, "the soldiers don't get anything from the Indiana Sanitary Commission." I am here to see that they do get them. The oldest Hoosier in the State has not got a leg half as long as the list of names of Indiana soldiers who are supplied with clothing or "sanitary" at these rooms every month. I'll show a few specimens when I get back there. Colonel Shaw keeps abook showing where everything goes, and it is open for all to see for themselves. Many things are needed, but there is special need of woolen underclothing and gloves and mittens. Nobody seems to think of sending mittens or gloves to the boys. If anybody says the boys don't need them, I hereby sentence him to carry a frosty crow bar around the house for two hours during one one of these winter nights bare handed. That will covert the stingiest of them. How many young ladies will knit or "hook"(queer advice, that, for a preacher to be giving!) a pair of mittens or gloves for the soldiers? Don't say you're tired of working. The soldiers get tired of fighting, marching, starving, and freezing; but they don't quit on that account. Your duty is to make all the chilling limbs, and heavy feet, and icy fingers warm that you can, and Heaven will reward your faithful efforts. The soldiers of this army are fighting in God's cause, and it should be written of each loyal woman in our free North: "She hath done what she could in promoting their comfort." When the Legislature meets let it not forget that it is supposed to be a loyal Legislature, and is expected to "provide liberal things" for the soldiers and their families. Let all the machinery put in motion by our Governor for the convenience and comfort of our soldiers be liberally sustained. Let the military agents be regularly commissioned as officers of the State, and held responsible as such Citizens cannot make things "go" in the army like officers can. Where bullion is the prevailing element, it takes bullion to get along well. Mount leaves of brass, and eagles of silver upon your agents, and they can glide around smoothly, and perform numberless and valuable services for our noble boys. Let the lawmakers lay this advice to heart. It comes form one who knows. Today I was out inspecting the condition of the men of the 142nd Indiana. I called first on the boys of the ranks, and so on down to the Colonel. The boys were in good spirits and treated their officers well, as far as I could see. They occupied dog tents, just the same as their company officer did. The only friction I could perceive, was in the Quartermaster's Department, and this, it is thought, will not last long. The Surgeon and his Assistant, Doctors Bruce and Sinclair, are good, faithful men. I was astonished when I learned that since they marched from Indianapolis, about the middle of November, but seven men have died! Only three are seriously sick, and I hope for the recovery of two of these. I fear that Seth Adams of Co. F will die. He has spinal congestion. Capt. Johnson, of Co. A was shot on the streets on Friday night, and died Sunday morning. I have not learned the particular. Tomorrow, the State Agent and I cross the Cumberland to visit our Hoosier boys of the cavalry. I enclose the report of deaths in the hospitals here since my arrival. Col. Shaw will make such reports to you from time to time here after. A vast sea of mud spreads out on every hand and in the performance of the mission on which I come, I am compelled to navigate these "depths profound." If in any of my perilous voyages my frail bark is wrecked, and sinks to rise no more, I trust some appreciative survivor will anchor an empty cracker box over the spot, and inscribe upon it Hic Situs. JARGO P.S. Dr. Abbot of our city, is in charge of hospitals at Franklin. I haven't got out to see him. Dr. Wishard, I think, is with Dr. Abbott. Drs. Richmond and Cole are in one of the departments of Cumberland Hospital. Dr. Beachley is at the Officers' Hospital (No. 2) and Dr. Jno. R. Goodwin at No.3. Dr Bland's ward being consolidated with another, relieved him, and he returned home with the Hospital Train, having the special charge of some Indiana officers. Dr. Harriman was not assigned to duty and left before I arrived. The volunteer surgeons now here are working faithfully, and are safe men of the business. J.

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