The spring of 1865 found the regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hynes, at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. At this time the tenacity of Grant, the audacity of Sherman, the impetuosity of Sheridan and their overwhelming columns had crushed the rebellion east of the Mississippi. Beyond that the nearest rebel force was General Jeff Thompson's, reported to be 60,000 strong. Early in May, 1865, Major-General Dodge sent out Captain J. F. Bennett, of his staff, and Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, Assistant Provost Marshal, to offer Thompson terms of surrender. The 17th was chosen as an escort. Four companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Hynes crossed the St. Francis River at Chalk Bluffs, four companies under Major Hilliard, with a section of artillery from the 2d Missouri, encamped twelve miles in the rear, while Captain Parker, with 60 men, went forward with Captain Bennett, A. A. G., to Jonesboro, Arkansas, returning May 9th with Jeff. Thompson, who arranged the surrender of his forces, in two installments-at Wittsburg May 25th, and at Jacksonport June 5th. The total was just 6,000, or one-tenth of the force reported. This was the last of the rebellion; and this the last time the 17th confronted the foe, and there concluded the Confederate chapter of events.

Pending negotiations with the Indian tribes this regiment was stationed at various points on the plains of Kansas, a portion of them being at Fort Smith to sustain and witness the concluding events in the Indian department of the rebellion.

During the winter of 1865-6, the regiment was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and returned home.

General John L. Beveridge was born July 6, 1824, in Greenwich, Washington County, New York, and came to Illinois with his father's family, in the spring of 1842. He commenced the practice of law in 1852, and in 1854 opened an office in Chicago. He enlisted August 27, 1861, recruiting Co. "F," 8th Illinois cavalry, and upon the organization of the company, September 17th, was unanimously chosen Captain. The next day he was selected by the line officers as one of the Majors of the regiment. In October the regiment was ordered to Washington, and there, during the winter of 1861-2, in the mud of Maryland and Virginia, he learned the severe duties of camp life, and studied and practiced the drill and discipline of the

GENERAL J. H. BEVERIDGE.

567

cavalry soldier. He shared in all the marches and toils, dangers and battles of that gallant regiment, amid the fortunes and reverses of the Army of the Potomac, participating in the battle of Williamsburg, leading the advance under General Stoneman upon Richmond, taking part in the battle of Fair Oaks, in the seven days' fight around Richmond, and in the long days and weary nights of picket duty around that city, and in the vicinity of Harrison's Landing. Upon the retreat of the army from the James River, his regiment was in the rear of the retreating forces, and his battalion the extreme rear guard.

In the fall of 1862 he fought the enemy, in command of his regiment, under General Pleasanton, at Purcellville, Uniontown, Aldie, Barber's Cross Roads and Amesville, and covered the rear and right flank of the army, while swinging around under General Burnside, to Fredericksburg. He took part with his battalion in the battle of Fredericksburg, this being the only cavalry force that crossed the river on that day. He was at Chancellorsville, and led his regiment at Gettysburg, Williamsport, Boonsboro, Funkstown, Falling Waters, and five times over the ground between the Rappahannock and Culpepper, fighting the enemy.

General Farnsworth having obtained permission from the War Department to raise and organize another regiment of cavalry, at his invitation, and by the consent of Governor Yates, Major Beveridge undertook the recruitment and organization of the 17th Illinois cavalry, having resigned his commission for this purpose, November 3, 1863. He was mustered and commissioned Colonel of the 17th, January 28, 1864, and was in command of it until October, 1865, when he was ordered to St. Louis, to preside over a military commission for the trial of military offenders, and was finally mustered out of the service February 6, 1866. He was brevetted Brigadier-General for gallant and meritorious conduct, March 7, 1865. In the fall of 1866, he was elected Sheriff of Cook County by 8,500 majority, and now holds that position.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

SKETCH AND INCIDENT.

THE EIGHTY-SIXTH IN SOUTH CAROLINA-AT BENTONVILLE-THE SIXTY-FOURTH-WITH MOWER THE FIFTY-SECOND AT Corinth-COLONEL BUCKNER'S PRAYER-THE HARTSVILLE SURRENDER-COLONEL MOORE'S OFFICIAL REPORT-Our Surgeons-Surgeon COATSWORTH-HIS SERVICES-HIS DEATH-COLONEL J. A. DAVIS-THE NON-COMMISSIONED AND PRIVATES-YOUNG ELLIOTT AT SHILOH-THE DEAD LETTER-SerGEANT REYNOLDS-SERGEANT JONES.

MA

AJOR THOMAS of the 86th Infantry gives us an interesting sketch of the participation of that gallant body of men in the battles attending Sherman's march, an extract or two of which we append: "My regiment had three captured at Catawba River. About the time we left Savannah the Governor of South Carolina issued a proclamation in which he said his State was prepared for the contest, was stripped to the waist, and meant to make herself the arena of the Republic, but the result did not come up to his manifesto: the men fled, they had not even the courage to bushwhack us, and when a rebel can't bushwhack he is badly demoralized, and the women were frightened out of their wits. I supposed if we ever got to see a genuine specimen of Southern chivalry, certainly South Carolina is the place to find the animal in his original purity. Consequently I looked eagerly for one, but not a chivalry could I find. I must say I was much disappointed both in the soil and people. The soil is miserable.

"On the morning of the 17th we proceeded on our march, but turned in the direction of Goldsboro, and on the morning of the 19th, the 1st Division 14th Army Corps being in the advance, found the rebels in a strong position near Bentonville. General Carlin formed

his lines and pushed forward with a strong skirmish line covering his front and flanks. At the same time our division, the 2d, General J. D. Morgan commanding, was moved to the right of Carlin, where we threw up works of logs. The action had now become spirited and general in front of the 1st Division, and we supposed all was going right; but the rebels found Carlin's flanks and came in his rear, breaking his lines, and causing his entire division to fall back.

"Our brigade, the 2d, Brevet Brigadier-General Fearing commanding, was immediately moved from behind our works and thrown forward into the gap, where we were soon hotly engaged, and while contending with superior numbers in our front were flanked by two lines of battle on our right. Owing to the dense undergrowth the rebels had got well in our rear before they were discovered, and they enfiladed our regiment, which was on the right of the brigade, with a heavy fire. We swung our right back to a fence, and piled up rails and logs in our front, and succeeded in repulsing repeated assaults of the enemy. About 4 P. M. two divisions of the 20th Corps arrived, and in the evening the 15th and 17th Corps began to arrive. This was a hard fought battle, and for three hours two divisions of the 14th Corps stood the impetuous assaults of Johnston's entire force, supposed to be forty thousand. My regiment had two killed, twenty wounded and one captured. Among the wounded were Captain William B. Bogardus Company G, Lieutenant and acting Adjutant S. L. Zinser Company G, and Lieutenant W. F. Hodge Company H. Captain Bogardus died of his wound. The Captain was a man of talent, a brave, noble man, and his loss was deeply felt."

We give a few paragraphs from a MS. record of the 64th regiment. The writer is detailing events connected with the "Great March."

"July the 12th-fought the enemy at Nanses Creek on the 17th, and at Decatur on the 19th. The 64th Illinois was in the hardest of the battle on the 22d, and fought the enemy hand-to-hand. During this encounter the regimental flag was pierced by eighteen musket balls, one shell, and was rent by a bayonet in the hand of a rebel. The regiment captured forty-two prisoners, one rebel battle flag, and the field-glass and papers of General McPherson, who had been

killed and robbed but a short time before; and lost seventeen men killed, sixty-nine wounded and nine missing. Among the killed were Captain H. J. Stoner and Lieutenant Harley Kingsbury, and among the wounded, Colonel John Morrill, Captains William W. Zuel, James H. Yates; Lieutenants Ward Knickerbocker, D. N. Myers and Theodore Gaylord.

"From the 22d till the 27th the regiment was each day skirmishing with the enemy. On the 28th it was detached from its brigade, and sent to the 15th Army Corps. Here it took position on a rise of ground for the purpose of silencing a rebel battery. It had just time to construct a temporary breast-work when the enemy charged, but were repulsed. Three times more they charged with a determination to dislodge the regiment, but failed. The Windsor and Henry repeating rifles, with which the regiment was armed, were never handled with better effect. The number of rebel dead in the regiment's immediate front exceeded its full number engaged. On the 30th it rejoined its brigade, and from this date till the 26th of August was engaged before Atlanta in fighting, digging entrenchments and advancing parallels, and the whole time under the enemy's fire."

The same writer gives an account of the daring movement of General Mower's division into the rear of General Joe Johnston's head-quarters and across his line of retreat, at Bentonville, in which the 64th participated.

"General Mower's division, on the morning of the 21st, was ordered to make a demonstration against the enemy's left flank. For this purpose the division moved to near Mill Creek, and formed in line of battle, with the 64th Illinois in front as skirmishers. The skirmishers had advanced but a short distance through a swamp when they met the enemy's cavalry in line, with four pieces of artillery, and at once charged them, and captured a caisson. Major J. S. Reynolds, who was commanding the 64th Illinois, was ordered to drive the enemy back as far as he could with his skirmishers. In obedience to this instruction he forced the enemy's cavalry and artillery back about two miles, captured General Joe E. Johnston's head-quarters and forty horses that belonged to his staff and escort. The skirmishers were now in the immediate rear of General John