This was the first time that Colonel Hovey knew that Indiana soldiers would eat chickens. But he found it out now, as the boys came straggling to the cars, at the call of the whistle, loaded with chickens and peaches. Colonel Hovey called, “Take them back, you d—— chicken thieves, or I’ll have you arrested. I didn’t think I had started out with a clan of Indiana thieves.”
Some of the boys became angry and made threats, while others laughed and were jolly about it. But it was all soon forgotten as the train pulled out. We had to walk by the side of the engine and throw gravel under the drive-wheels so that the engine would pull anything.
We went through three tunnels and came to Jefferson City. This is the capital of Missouri. Governor Jackson had the State House burned and skipped out with the old rebel, General Price.
At 11 o’clock p. m., September 7th, two engines, coupled together, and pulling our full train, went on west. Just as we started one of the boys of Company D fell under the car and was instantly killed.
On the morning of the 18th the engines could not pull their own weights and each company cut loose and pushed their own cars. While doing this, Brown of Company B, fell under the car and the wheels ran over his leg.
We pushed up the grades and rode down them. Sometimes we even had to push the engines.
We reached Syracuse late on the evening of the 18th. We got off of the cars, marched out and went into camp near the town. A strong picket line was posted and a strict order was placed on the pickets. A heavy penalty of death was imposed on those who slept on their post.
The moon shined bright and at 10 o’clock the still night air was disturbed by the tramp of horses’ feet and rattle of sabers coming towards our camp. The picket who was posted on the road did not wait to challenge the supposed enemy, but fired his gun and skedaddled to camp. The pickets all around the camp fired their guns and ran.
The long roll was beat and all was hustle and bustle in camp. “Fall in, fall in!” was the order from colonel and captains, “and get ready for action.” In four minutes the old Twenty-fourth was ready for action and facing the supposed enemy. Several were shaking as with the ague, yet they were ready to take their medicine.
In a few minutes we saw a single orderly coming down the road. He rode up and asked, “What the h—— does this mean?” Colonel Hovey, standing there in his night clothes, with his fighting blood up, answered him pretty roughly and wanted to know who it was. We found out that it was Colonel Eads’ home guards of “Jayhawkers” who had come from California to join our army. We then broke ranks and went back to our quarters to dream of the false alarm and the excitement which Colonel Eads’ Jayhawkers caused us.