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LIEUT. C. P. CARMAN
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Charles P. Carman was born at Louisville, Ky., April 9^th, 1834, and is a descendant of the Carmans and Pickerings of Revolutionary fame. His mother and father died when he was three months old. He was the only child and lived with an aunt until he was old enough to make his own way in the world. He left Kentucky in 1854 and came to St. Louis. Lieut. Carman never received much schooling, but while in the army occupied his leisure moments in studying the rudiments of an education. At the conclusion of his army service he worked in foundries until 1875,

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since which time he has been guager and inspector of oils for the Waters-Pierce Oil Co., of St. Louis.

Lieut. Carman was married to Miss Rachel Barratt, of St. Louis, Mo., August 27^th, 1863. His daughter, Jessie Benton Carman was born June 20^th, 1864, and married S. E. Morrison, of St Louis, Mo., April 9^th, 1890. They have two children, Rae V. Morrison, born January 28^th, 1891, and Harold Morrison, born October 31^st, 1892.

LIEUT. C. P. CARMAN’S WAR RECOLLECTIONS.

In the spring of 1861, some citizens of St. Louis possessed of southern sympathies organized a regiment of ‘Minute Men," with headquarters on the corner of Fifth and Pine streets. I thought they were all right and talked in their favor. I worked with a man who was a member of the "Knights of the Golden Circle." We were both born southerners and friends, and one day he informed me that the "Minute Men" had hoisted the "southern" flag, and if I would go with him he would show it to me. I saw the flag and it made me one of the strongest Union men in St. Louis. A patriotic friend who boarded at the same place I did, saw I had changed my views from one extreme to the other, and asked me to go and see a company which was drilling in secret, so as to be ready for service at any moment.

The result of my visit was that I enrolled my name in the organization, which afterwards was known as Co. I, Fourth Regiment, U. S. R. Corps; W. C. Jones, Captain; John Stevens, 1^st. Lieut.; J. H. Holman, 2^nd Lieut. The

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company drilled in a hall on the corner of Third and O’Fallon streets, and on May 8^th, 1861, we went to the arsenal and were sworn into the United States service for three months, by General Lyon. We took up our quarters at Bechner’s Garden, on Broadway, between Franklin Avenue and Morgan street, and when Col. Totten was called out with his famous battery to quell the riot at the Planters’ House, the organization to which I belonged marched down Broadway to support the battery, but was ordered back, the trouble having subsided.

During the troublous times in St. Louis, Do. I had many exciting experiences, and was at one time ordered to Wentsville, on the north Missouri, to protect a trestle over a small stream. When we arrived there we heard that a rebel flag had been flying on a high pole in front of the post office. Lieut. Holman started out to find the flag, and it was secured after a search between the ceiling and rafters of the post office building, and when Holman exhibited it to the company the boys made a rush and tore it to shreds, every man securing a piece as a souvenir.

We received orders to march to Springfield on the 1^st of July, 1861. The 3^rd Regiment, U. S. Reserve Corps started first and we followed after, and both regiments were as good examples of "Buttermilk Rangers" as ever traveled through Missouri. The road over the Ozark mountains was very rough traveling, and we arrived at Sand Springs, experiencing several amusing incidents on the way.

On the 4^th of July we remained in camp to celebrate the day. The lieutenant got out a keg of wine which had been confiscated while the company was on guard in St. Louis, and each mess was given a share. One captain

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thought his company was the best drilled in the regiment, and ordering them in line, marched them out into the field to give the country people, who had crowded into camp, a chance to see their evolutions. But the boys were so "mellow" with the wine that the movements were all in a zigzag direction, and the only way to keep them in a straight line would have been to lay them out on the ground.

On our arrival at Springfield we received orders to go to Phelps’ farm about two-and-a-half miles distant, and with a slight interruption, reached that point and went into camp. We guarded Mrs. Phelps’ house and orchard, but orders soon came to march for the purpose of reinforcing General Sigel. We reached Wilson’s Creek and went into camp. Next day we made a forced march to Mount Vernon, where we came up with Sigel in retreat.

That night we started back in full retreat and arrived at Wilson’s Creek about dark, where we encamped. In the morning after we got our rations I told Lieutenant Holman that I saw rockets going up in the night, he looked astonished and asked me in what direction they were, and I informed him. Those signals were made to let Sigel know that reinforcements were coming. The command then started for Springfield, and my feet were so blistered by marching that I was permitted to sit on one of the cannon belonging to a battery and rode eight miles to Springfield.

Our time having nearly expired we were ordered back to St. Louis. As we marched along we had to pass General Lyon’s headquarters, and he stood outside with head uncovered in answer to our salutes. After arriving at Rolla we embarked on the cars and reached St. Louis in due time, making our headquarters at Uhrig’s Cave.

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The next day we were asked to go to Iron Mountain to keep the rebels out until the three years’ men came. Our time was up, and we were asked to serve ten more days. My company and a few others agreed to go, and we went by railroad to Ironton. The rebels came in sight the next day, but they were informed of our strong position and retreated.

We marched to Arcadia, pitched our tents, and were soon at work cutting trees and building them into a fort. Col. Grant came and relieved us, and we little thought that he was soon to ascend the highest point of military renown.

Lieutenant Carman Raises a Company

On our return to St. Louis we were mustered out of the service, having served three months and ten days. I then wrote to Lieut. Holman asking him to see Gen. Grant and secure authority for me to recruit a company to act as his body guard. Gen. Grant sent me the papers, and in answer to my request to have my men armed with Sharp’s rifles, received word to go ahead, and I should have the arms. I received the rifles from the arsenal and had them conveyed to my recruiting office to show the men what kind of arms they would have.

I soon had some good men. Among them were Comrades Whitton, Page, Wingert, Stoddard, Fritchey, and Jones. I took them down to the arsenal and they were sworn into the service. As we were coming away from the arsenal we met some men from Illinois, and asked them if they wanted to enlist. They said that they came to St. Louis to see if Missouri would take a company from their state. Their names were Allison, Wallace, Woods, and

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Stevens. We soon made a bargain with them, agreeing if they would furnish thirty men we would elect Allison one of the lieutenants, he seeming to be the leader. The thirty men from Illinois were soon on the ground, and in about two weeks we had about eighty men enrolled. I then sent a request to Gen. Grant to let us have Lieut. Holman for our Captain, and the General sent Holman up immediately and he was elected Captain. I would not take 1^st Lieutenant for I felt that I was deficient in knowledge of the tactics, so Allison was elected to the position and I accepted the second lieutenancy. James Whitton was elected Orderly Sergeant, and Page, Wallace and Wingert, Sergeants. We then marched to the arsenal and were mustered into the service as "Holman’s Sharpshooters."

In a few days Gen. Fremont came to St. Louis and took command of the department. After reviewing the company, he was so impressed with our appearance in the regular United States uniform, that he ordered us back to our quarters to await his orders. The next day we were commanded to report to him at the Missouri Pacific depot for the purpose of serving as his infantry body guard during the campaign in the southwest. I was left at headquarters to receive the new recruits and have them sworn in, clothed and forwarded to the company.

The recruiting went briskly on, and after receiving several men from Rev. Mr. Wood, I received orders from Capt. Holman to close up the recruiting office and join the company with the men I had. Proceeding to Tipton, Mo., I found that Capt. Holman’s command had gone to Springfield, and marching on we met the company about twenty miles from Springfield returning to St. Louis with General Fremont, who had been superseded by General Hunter.

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Now I was with my company and promoted to 1^st Lieutenant, Allison, Captain; Whitton, 2^nd Lieutenant, and Holman, Major. On arriving at St. Louis I was taken sick and remained in the hospital thirteen weeks, and while I was there my company was assigned to provost duty, which after my convalescence I assisted in performing. Rebel women would shake their flags from the carriage windows and it was often part of my duty to take the emblems of rebellion from them. I now have the orders issued by Gen. Hamilton for taking these flags in my possession.

On being relieved from the provost duty, the company was consolidated with several companies of

The 26^th Missouri Volunteer Infantry

and ordered on a boat bound for the south. The first place we stopped at was Bird’s Point, Mo. We went into camp in log huts, and the mud was shoe-top deep. After an amusing foraging expedition during which a large number of chickens and turkeys were captured down on the railroad, and many men confined in the guard house in consequence, we broke camp and advanced on Sykestown. We had to go through a swamp over a burnt railroad trestle, and it was hard traveling. When we reached the place it commenced to rain, and we had no tents to shelter us. I was sitting on a log in the dense darkness when I was tapped on the back and a comrade whispered to me to follow him and he would take me out of the rain. We reached a stable and climbed up into the loft. It was so packed that I had to sit p all night. When day dawned I crawled out and saw a very amusing sight. The soldiers had driven the hogs out, and lain down on the floor. When the boys had fallen asleep,

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the hogs walked in and lay down beside them. There they were, man and hog side by side.

The same day we marched to Charleston and encamped, many of the soldiers occupying deserted houses. The cavalry performed all the picket duty. One day they were ambushed about three miles from the town, and several killed and wounded. We soon received orders to go to New Madrid, and when we reached a point about six miles from that place, I was placed on picket and not relieved until next morning. John A. Logan, (who was then a Colonel), was left to protect the rear, sent a detail to relieve me, and when I reached his tent, he asked me if I was hungry, for it was nine o’clock, and he ordered breakfast for the men and myself, telling me not to be in a hurry to join my regiment, as it had moved forward. After a while I found the regiment about two miles from New Madrid encamped in a large cornfield.

The rebel gunboats tried to shell our camp, but could not reach us. The beef that the command received here was very poor. One day we drew a quarter that looked as if the animal had died of starvation, and Co. A got up a mock funeral by putting the quarter of beef on a bier and carried it through camp with "arms reversed" in true military style, and when the hole previously dug in the ground was reached, it was deposited therein, and a salute fired over it.

Smoke was observed floating through the swamp about this time, and it was found to proceed from a steamboat which was cutting it way through the swamp around Island No. 10, this was done by rigging a saw in such a way as to cut the trees under water, and they run over them all right.

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One night we were ordered to march, and going through the woods at early dawn we found that we were too far south. Making a double quick move we soon came in sight of a rebel fort. Co. B entered the fort on the double quick and found the rebels had evacuated the place. One man was found asleep under an old carpenter’s bench, and on awakening him he wanted to know where we came from and where the "rebs" were. It seems that his comrades had got away so rapidly and quietly that he was not disturbed. In about an hour after our occupancy of the fort, the rebel pickets came in and were astonished to find the blue coats in possession of the fort, and themselves prisoners of war. They said it was a mean trick for their comrades to run away and not send them word.

The day following, we took possession of Fort Thompson, and had to cross the trench on some brush, so we did not go over in very good order. In a short time Gen. Pope’s body guard came in, and he upbraided them with being as great a lot of stragglers as the sharpshooters. We had not been in the fort long, when we saw a gunboat sailing down the river with barges loaded with bailed hay on each side. When the gunboat came near enough, the gunners in the fort fired a shot in front of her, but we soon found out she was the "Carondelet," and had run the blockade.

The rebels had built a redoubt opposite Mt. Pleasant, and the gunboat went for it, and it was a grand sight to see an odd looking thing come floating down the river. It proved to be the floating battery the rebels had at Island No. 10. They had scuttled it and set it adrift. It floated down by the fort, and the gunboat towed it in at Mt. Pleasant. We all went on board of the boat which had cut its way

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through the swamp. She was laying in the slough by the fort. We had to go up stream to get out of the slough straight toward the floating battery. Gen. Pope was on board, storming around like a mad man, and told the Captain of the boat that he would have us all drowned. The Captain was the coolest man on board, but when she turned the point and got her bow down stream, she made the best time she ever made. We landed on the opposite side of the river and took possession of the redoubt or what was left of it. The "rebs" had vacated Island No. 10 and were trying to get away. We started after them and just at dark came up with them. We put out our pickets and they had theirs out. In the morning we found out they had crossed. One man of the 11^th Ohio Battery saw a corn crib ahead at dark. When they stopped he went to get some corn for the horses. He found the crib and crawled in. When he got in he found other men ahead of him. He asked them what command they belonged to, they said: "Holmes’ Cavalry." He then knew that he was in with confederate soldiers, so he filled his sack and got out as quick as he could. That morning the "rebs" surrendered. We placed guards over them. They had no small arms. One of them told our men they had hid their guns in the woods. We went out on a search and found them. I found an Arkansas toothpick which I have yet. After the surrender, most of the officers were missing. Gen. Granger took his body guard and started out and captured them. The reason they could not get away, the river was high and the water backed up in the swamp and they could not cross it. Gen. Granger brought them back to camp together with the negro servants.

The confederates we took at Tiptonville were the most

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insulting lot of men I ever saw, especially those from Alabama. The next day boats came and all the prisoners were put on board and sent north.

The 26^th Missouri marched back to New Madrid and staid there for awhile, then received orders to break camp and go on board the steamer, City of Alton, which sailed for Memphis. The boat was crowded, and on reaching Osceola, Arkansas, staid there awhile, then received orders to go up the Tennessee river to Shiloh. We stopped at New Madrid as we went up the river, then at Mound City. Here we got our first onions, and the men were glad to have this change in their diet.

Starting up the Tennessee river, a landing was made at Hamburg, where we went into camp. Gen. Buford was our brigade commander, and he came to our camp and talked to us like a father. We could hear skirmishing going on in our front, and on April 25^th, received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to move with three days’ rations in our haversacks. The 26^th Missouri did not move until three days afterward, then advanced three miles. I was put on picket duty, and it was so dark that the pickets were not relieved. As soon as it was light enough I started on the rounds, and just before I reached one of the posts, it not being very light, I saw something bright on the ground. I stooped down and picking it up found it to be a huge bowie knife. I was puzzled as to how it came there. I think a rebel must have dropped it while crawling past our pickets, for when I came to the next post I found both pickets fast asleep. I took their guns and awoke them. They tried to make me believe they were not asleep, but I told them I found the knife close by, that a rebel had passed their post

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while they slept, that I would report them, and the penalty was death. They begged me not to report, and after badly scaring them by saying I must do my duty, I handed their guns back, admonishing them to be careful in the future. I don not believe they ever slept on their posts thereafter.

On May 1^st, marched out to guard each side of the road, while another regiment repaired the road and built bridges. We staid out all night and could hear the confederate drums beating. On May 2^nd returned to camp, and advanced five miles. The next day firing was heard in our front. On May 4^th, went on picket, and placed the men, but it got so dark that they could not be relieved, and the rain poured down all night. I sat on a log with one foot on each side. One of the men lay down with his rubber blanket over him. Soon I felt the water on my foot, and placed it on the log. After awhile I felt the water on the other foot, and the man who was lying down beside the log got up. The water was rapidly rising and forced me to stand up on the log until daylight. Then I saw a novel sight. The pickets were standing on stumps, some on logs, and we had to wade waist deep to get back to camp.

The long roll beat on May 10^th, and the 26^th Missouri fell in line and marched out. Some of our cavalry had gone out on a scout and were driven back into our lines. Large siege guns came up, and on May 17^th we advanced to Farmington, and here the 11^th Ohio Battery was put in our command We built a small fort and put a huge pole on a large tree for a lookout station. When the top was occupied by the sentinel he could see into Corinth.

On May 25^th I received my commission as 1^st Lieutenant, and Co. A had a skirmish with the rebel pickets, but I

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was not able to be with the command on account of sickness. I went up on the lookout and saw them in the fight. I had not been down from the pole but a few moments when it fell with a crash, and no one could explain the cause of its falling. In this skirmish Wilcox was wounded. At night, Captain David Cain was not feeling well enough to go out on picket, and although I was sick, was compelled to go in his place.

On the night of May 28^th Co. A took the outpost and was so close to the enemy, that when I went the rounds, as I approached a picket I would knock three times on my sword and it would be answered by two knocks on his gun.

On May 29^th on reaching camp, received orders to advance, and when a mile out began to dig rifle pits. On the 30^th we were still working on the rifle pits, and the rebels in our front destroyed what they could not carry away. We left our pits and advanced about four miles, and on the 31^st marched into Corinth on the south side. On halting, I went into the rebel camp, and it presented a sorry sight – the dead and sick having been left behind.

On June 2^nd, the 26^th Missouri Infantry advanced to Rienzi, and on the 3^rd, eight miles. Our tents came up and we advanced again one mile and pitched our tents. On the 8^th received orders to procure three days rations and be ready to march on short notice. June 14^th received orders to march back to Camp Clear Creek, our old camp ground. Capt. Cain had sent in his resignation, and on June 23^rd it was accepted and he left for home.

Lieut. W. M. Robinson of Co. B, was promoted to the

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Captaincy of Co. A, and we received notice of the same on June 26^th, and the next day we started for Holly Springs, marching about fourteen miles and camping on the former site of a rebel camp. On the 28^th, marched thirteen miles and camped at an old mill, and was glad to see a stream of water. June 30^th we passed through Ripley and camped five miles out.

On July 1^st, the regiment started on the back track, marching abut seventeen miles. We celebrated "The Glorious Fourth" by firing cannon salutes.

Co. A, was on picket duty, July 6^th, and after I had finished making out the pay rolls, Capt. Robinson went to Camp Clear Creek to have the pay rolls signed by our sick men. The Captain then procured sick leave of absence and returned to his command in September.

On July 10^th, the regiment moved back to Camp Clear Creek, and on the morning of the 15^th, I was aroused by an unusual noise, and on going out found some of my men under the influence of liquor, and many of the other members of the regiment in the same condition. I commenced an investigation in order to ascertain how the liquor got into camp. It did not take long to find out. One of my men named Michel had gotten it from the sutler. The sutler’s tent was pitched on the side of a hill, and he kept a barrel of whiskey hid in the back of the tent. Michel found it was there, and cutting a hole in the tent, took the prop from under the barrel and away it went a hundred yards down the hill. The boys then followed the barrel and knocked the head in, and the rest can be imagined. The sutler found the empty barrel, but never found out who started it down the hill.

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On July 23^rd, James Blackwell was discharged for disability. Orders came to change our guns to muskets, and there was so much protesting the change was not made.

The 26^th Missouri remained in camp at Clear Creek until September 1^st, then marched to Rienzi, and received orders to go to Iuka, and when about eight miles from the town we confronted their picket line and drove them back. The position occupied by Co. A will be seen on the map, page 208.

We reached a school house, driving in the enemy’s skirmishers, then came to a blacksmith shop, which was the point where the battle was fought. We advanced abut one hundred yards, but was stopped by a masked battery and the rebel line of battle. Our men kept the gunners from working their guns, by picking off every man who came near the guns. We were driven back a little way, but advanced again. We had received orders to move back, and the rebels having placed their guns in position, commenced to throw grape at us, and it was difficult to keep the men in order. Co. A then fell back through the line of battle to a point about fifty yards therefrom, to act as a reserve. We laid down and watched the battle in front.

The rebels advanced twice and captured the guns of the 11^th Ohio Battery, twice, and were twice driven back before they could turn the guns on us. Then they advanced again and our men fell back a little, but not enough for them to get at our guns.

The bugle sounded and both sides ceased firing. In about twenty minutes, the rebels quietly advanced with the

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purpose of capturing the guns, but the "boys in blue" were waiting, and gave them one volley that settled them, and they fell back and left the field to our side.

While Co. A was deployed as skirmishers in this battle, and kept the rebels from working their guns, I was standing by Lieut. Col. Holman, who had one of the guns in his hand. A rebel officer came up to the guns we were keeping them from using and gave an order to "limber up!" Holman stepped out in the road, took aim and fired, when the rebel officer threw p his hands and fell off his horse. We learned from prisoners after the battle that the officer was General Little, of Texas, who had just been promoted for bravery.

The Colonel of the 5^th Iowa, a German named Matthias, was a brave man, and at the battle of Iuka amused us very much. He rode a gray house he called "Shon," and during the battle a bullet struck the pommel of his saddle and tore part of it away. Col. Matthias looked at it and then said to the house: "Shon, they are shooting at you." In a little while a bullet tore away part of his stirrup. He looked down and said: "Shon, they will shoot you sure!" Then the house stumbled over some brush. The Colonel jumped off and looked all around the horse, and said: "Shon, I thought you vas shot!"

At daylight the next day, the 20^th, I was detailed to go over the field to pick up the wounded. It was a sorry sight. Some of the rebels had crawled off the field and were hid in the brush. They did not know which side had gained the day and were glad to see the blue coats come. Then a sight met my eyes that I shall never forget. I showed how brave the Iowa troops were. The left company of the 5^th Iowa had been almost wiped out of existence, over half of

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them lying just where they were formed in line of battle, showing that they never flinched but died before they would give an inch.

On the 21^st we started back to Corinth, and on arriving there camped close to the town. We soon heard that the rebels were advancing on Corinth, and the Union soldiers were set at work building forts and throwing up earthworks, and by October 2^nd were ready to defend Corinth. The works close to our part of the field was named Fort Rolinet.

October 3^rd we were called into line in the woods on our right. There was fighting in our front, but we were in the reserve and did no fighting, but stray bullets were flying in the air, and one of them wounded Col. Holman. The missile struck his heel. I went with him to the hospital and he had his foot dressed. I helped him to get on his horse where he staid the rest of the day. We lay on the field all night.

October 4^th, about daybreak, the rebels began to shell the town and steadily advanced, taking every battery in our front except the 11^th Ohio, which was the one we had to support. We lay in line all this time ready to be called in. While lying down, Henry Herman, of Co. A, was shot in the chin, and retired to the corral for repairs. The 11^th Ohio Battery was now doing good work, but the rebels kept advancing. Then we got the word: "Attention!" and were ordered to wheel to the front on the "double quick," and we went up that hill yelling at the top or our voices. When we arrived at the summit, I saw a sight that made me feel glad. The rebels were in full retreat. We followed them a short way and took thirty-two prisoners. Our boys

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would call to them to halt, and if they did not obey, fired at them. I saw one man run out of the bushes, when Marion Evans and George Bird shouted "halt there!" He did not stop, and Evans and Bird fired at once, the rebel falling with an arm and leg broken by rifle balls. We then surrounded a small grove of trees, believing that some of the rebels were concealed therein, and called for them to come out. They sent out a boy about sixteen years of age, who inquired if they would be hurt. We told him "no." He then called to his comrades, and thirty-two came out and surrendered. While were marching our prisoners to camp we sang "John Brown," and the boy who called the "rebs" out of their hiding place helped us in singing the song.

The 11^th Ohio battery had a gunner about seven feet tall and in the fight his partner was shot, and he loaded the gun by himself, brave man that he was. At the battle of Iuka our men saw a man shot while dodging behind a tree. Some of them said that in the next battle they wold not dodge, but when we were making the wheel up the hill, a shell struck the ground in front of us and every man ducked his head. Some of the men looked around and exclaimed: "Mr. Lieutenant, we thought you were not going to dodge!"

On October 5^th we started in after the rebels, and when we got a little way from Corinth we found a great many of our soldiers dead. They were killed on the 3^rd, in the first day’s fight, and stripped of their clothing by the rebels, were rapidly decomposing. The burial parties dug holes deep enough to cover the bodies, and then with shovels rolled them into rude graves, which were quickly closed with the surrounding earth.

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I had sent in my resignation for what seemed to me good and sufficient reasons, and on arriving at Corinth, found it had been accepted on October 12^th, 1862. Thus I was in a three day’s fight, and not a member of the regiment.