Eugene Casey Installment #2 – Illinois to Savannah

This picture of Eugene Casey is with some of his Civil War friends in the Old Soldiers Home in Hot Springs, South Dakota. He is the one with the star over his head. As you can see he is a short man, his Army papers say he was 5' 4" tall. Eugene Casey was not well educated, because he was out working at age 8-10 and on his own from the time he was a boy. That he could read and write as well as he did is amazing. I have corrected some obvious spelling errors for him but if it adds to the story I have left his spelling intact putting quotes around words. The other spelling errors you may find belong to me. Remember that this is the story of a boy age 17 when he enlisted and turned 18 on 4 April 1864. So we will begin now with Eugene Casey’s words:

Enlisted 16th day of February 1864. Private of Captain John F Nichols. Co, K, 30th Regiment of Illinois Veteran Infantry Volunteers for 3 years or duration of the War.

Was discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, 17th day of July 1865. By telegram from the War Dept.

Company K 30th Illinois Volunteer Veterans Infantry. 3rd Division. 17th AC. No objection to his being enlisted is known to exist. (I think this should have said no reason for being discharged is known to exist, Patj)
George L Hueron
2nd “Leutenan” Co K 30th Regt.
U.S. Infantry Volunters

Army Service
Recruited at Trenton, Illinois, Clinton County for service in Co. K 30th Illinois Volunteer Veteran Infantry.

Was examined at Carlyle, Illinois, was stripped naked for examination, was accepted and sent to Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois.
Went into “bivowac” for 4 or 5 weeks, “manovered” and drilled in Infantry tactics pro & con and picket duties, some fatigue duty that raw recruits had to do for 4 or 5 weeks. About 1200 new recruits were mustered in the service.

After we was whipped we was loaded in “Box Cars” that had benches in, we was shipped to Cairo, Illinois, then transferred on steamboats on the Ohio River via up the Tennessee River to Clifton, Tennessee, disembarked at Clifton went into camp until ordered to Huntsville, Alabama.

We camped at Clifton 4 or 5 days in a cedar grove until to Huntsville, Alabama.

Stayed at Huntsville some time and drilled until ordered to march to Shermans Army. We marched within 26 miles of “Chattanogah” then followed the railroad line of the Atlanta and “Chattanogah” lines, met no Johnnies until we was ordered to doublequick from “Ackerworth” and “Roesacker” to Big Shanty Georgia and then I, or we, was deployed on skirmish line, that was my first scare, part of the line was in the woods and bushes, my cap was raised off my head, seen no Johnnies until we advanced in and open fire it was a relief to see some distance and no Confederates. We stood in line until ordered back, did not fire a shot. This move suppose to be one of W T Sherman faints.

From then on we seen picket duty and skirmish line service and night alarm. I seen service in the following engagements: Big Shanty, Marietta, Chattanooga River, New Hope Church, Big and Little Kensaw Mountains, Nikajack, Jonesborough, Rough & Ready Station, Georgia; Beaufort, South Carolina, Cheraw, Fayettesville, Saluda River, Columbia, South Carolina; Goldsboro, Bentonville, Peach Tree, Seige of Atlanta, and Battle of Atlanta July 22 where General J B McPherson was killed. That was the hardest battle we had, for General Hood got our rear and attacked us in the left flank. Our Corps and the 17th commanded by Frank P Blair were doubled up almost like a jack knife by Pat Clearbourns Corp. Battle lasted from 11 AM until dusk. That battle was the downfall of Hood and his army especially after Hood could not get back to Atlanta, that move of Hood’s gave Sherman clear marching to Savannah, Georgia. Resacka Georgia Sherman’s forces was attacked with near all Hood’s troops that was when Blairs Corp was ordered to reinforce Sherman’s forces at Resacka , Georgia.

After that we marched north up the line of the Atlanta & Chattanooga Railroad like we was to head off Hood. Sherman wanted to get as far north as he could, so Capt Thomas and Schofield to hold Hood in the sack until that army was near Nashville, hold Hood from getting back to Sherman’s Army.

It was one of the boldest moves made in any war to cut loose from all supplies and live on ½ grub and feed off the country what the yanks could forage for, until we got to the Sea. We had scarcely any opposition until we got to Savannah, Georgia. I don’t but very little about war, that was a Grand event and we all felt good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This ends Installment #2. From Illinois to Savannah, Georgia. Stay tuned for more of Eugene Casey at age 18.