[CHAPTER XII.]
The troops leave Kansas City—We are not in a condition to march south—Rumored removal of the regiment to Quincy—Proceed by steamboat and railroad to Quincy—Our arrival and situation there—We are paid and prepare to leave—The citizens give a ball in our honor—Incidents of that night—We proceed to Benton Barracks—Description of Benton Barracks—Colonel Williams, his release, conduct and re-arrest—Changes—Our sanitary condition—We are ordered to the North Missouri Railroad—Disgraceful conduct of certain captains.
Lane and Sturgis moved to join the main army under Fremont in the pursuit of Price. We expected to accompany them; but our supplies were not at hand, and we were not in a condition to go. It was without disappointment, but with feelings of regret that we saw successively Lane's and Sturgis' brigades move out of Kansas City for the south, and Jennison's cavalry to Fort Leavenworth to prepare for a winter campaign on the frontier, and we alone remaining, waiting for transportation to—where? To the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, whence it was rumored the regiment had been ordered to Quincy, Illinois—for what purpose? To recruit and drill. It seems that some of our prominent officers had obtained this order by representing that we had suffered greatly through exposure during the summer and losses in the recent battle, and that we had not had that period of drill requisite to secure a reasonable degree of efficiency. Whatever might have been thought of this then, there can be but one opinion now. It was humoring us; it was making children of us. Soldiers acquire most rapidly those qualities which the enemy most dreads, endurance of hardships and steadiness in danger, in the field and under his fire. This begging off for us, as it really was, from a work which others would have to do in our stead, is a matter of which we certainly have no reason to be proud.
About two o'clock in the morning of October 18th, we were aroused by the arrival of the boat which was to take us away. We went aboard at daylight, and soon after were moving up the Missouri. About dark, we arrived at Iatan and went aboard a train of freight cars. Crowded together, and jostled about by the motion, we went to sleep and awoke toward morning in St. Joseph. Soon after sunrise the train moved over the railroad towards the east. We passed Platte river bridge, the scene of the rebel massacre of innocent citizens; then Cameron, where we had left the railroad for Blue Mills; next Utica, the site of our first camp in Missouri; and then successively, Grand river, Chillicothe, Locust creek, Brush creek, Chariton river, Brookfield, Callao, Hudson, Clarence, Shelbina, Monroe,—places around which clustered many recollections. When night came, we jammed ourselves together and went to sleep, and awakening at eleven o'clock, a sky full of stars revealed to us the broad and placid surface of the Mississippi, and beyond it the glittering lights of Quincy. We crossed on a steam ferry. There was no noise in the city but our voices, and the clatter of our unequal steps,—no visible life but our own and the lighted lamps. After marching three-quarters of a mile, we reached our camp on the north side of the city. Joyfully did we greet the comrades we had parted with at Hudson; and before morning many a social chat was had, and many a thrilling tale was told around our cheerful camp fires.
Our camp at Quincy was delightfully situated. We had no pickets or patrols, only a small camp guard. The usual time consumed in the daily drills was three hours. Colonel Williams was yet under arrest; Colonel Scott had obtained a leave of absence; and Major Stone was left in command. Immediately after our arrival we drew supplies of clothing and blankets, and appeared for the first time in the Federal uniform. The citizens of Quincy, with a patriotism which knew no distinction of State or place, seemed to take pride in doing us honor. They strove to make our stay among them pleasant; and so well did they succeed that we shall ever look to their beautiful city as the greenest spot in our whole soldier-life.
A number of furloughs were granted to the enlisted men, and most of the officers obtained leave of absence ostensibly to recruit for the regiment. I need not say that very few recruits were obtained in this way.
Thus we spent three weeks at Quincy; and the monotony of camp life began to be more irksome than tiresome marches; and we justly feared that by remaining here, we would become an example of effeminacy, and fall behind our comrades in glory.
Our regiment having received five months' pay, and, in the opinion of some one in authority being sufficiently "recruited," we received orders to repair to Benton Barracks, Missouri. This was on the 7th of November. That night the citizens gave a grand ball in honor of the Third Iowa. It was an immense attraction. It attracted sentinels from their posts; and at 10 P. M., there were not twenty men in our whole camp including the guard. Those who were not attracted to the ball, were attracted elsewhere; and a number of little incidents occurred in Quincy that night which are not reportable. The author of this book has a vivid recollection of being a member of a patrol guard, commanded by good old Captain McCall, which saw that night one or two strange adventures. A castle on an island was besieged and then carried by storm. The prisoners were treated with a magnanimity which would have done honor to Fabricius. Does any one recollect it? It was a night of "riot most uncouth." Money flew, wine ran, and spirits rose. The temperate men were happy, the "bibbers" were jolly, and all of us thought we were having the best time in the world. Amid all this joy, bad as matters were with some, I claim that under the circumstances we behaved remarkably well. There are few regiments of our numbers that would not have behaved worse.