August 24th, left camp Butler, going by rail via Danville, Ill., Lafayette Junction, Indianapolis, and Seymour, Ind., to Louisville, Ky. Went into quarters at Camp Jaquess—named for our colonel—south-west of the city. At this camp some guard duty was done, without arms, other than clubs and revolvers; all the clubs and nearly all the revolvers being soon discarded.
About August 30th regiment was supplied with muskets—Austrian or Belgium pattern—and ammunition for same. Muskets were of the kicking kind. From July 24th company had been in receipt of government rations, and was becoming inured to service in this respect.
September 1st or 2d moved to Camp Yates, three or four miles south-east of the city. Other regiments were at this camp, and a Division was formed, the Seventy-third and One Hundreth Illinois, and Seventy-ninth and Eighty-eighth Indiana Regiments making one brigade, commanded by Colonel Kirk. Lieutenant Hawes and Sergeant Lawrence were detailed for duty at Kirk's head-quarters, and a very ludicrous mistake was made, in supposing there were two vacancies created. Accordingly there was an advance along the line; Davies being promoted first lieutenant, as was thought; Orderly Kyger to second lieutenant; D. A. Smith to orderly, and Corporal John W. Smith to second sergeant, the latter being promoted over the writer. The joke fell heaviest on Kyger, as he incurred the expense of the purchase of sword, belt and straps. J. W. Smith resumed his place as corporal, much to the gratification of the writer, who did not like the idea of being "jumped."
Before the middle of September an inspection was ordered, requiring the command to march to Louisville, taking all luggage, accompanied also by wagon-train. The number and variety of articles thrown out of knapsacks and train was amazing to the old soldiers. This inspection was for the purpose of reducing luggage and baggage to articles of necessity. Directly after this the defeat of Union forces at Richmond, Ky., occurred. A rapid advance of a day's march was made by the command to assist in covering the retreat of those forces. Following this defeat came the invasion by Kirby Smith's Confederate forces, menacing Cincinnati and Covington. To meet this emergency the command was ordered at once to the latter place, going via Jeffersonville and Seymour, Ind., and Cincinnati, Ohio. The marching of the Seventy-third in the streets of Cincinnati excited comment, and inquiry was made if it was an old regiment. There was a fine engraving produced about this time representing the regiment, marching in column, on to the pontoon bridge.
Fears of invasion subsiding, the command was ordered back to Louisville, returning via Indianapolis. Buell's army having reached Louisville, a general reorganization of all forces—old and new—took place. The Forty-fourth and Seventy-third Illinois, and Second and Fifteenth Missouri Regiments formed the Thirty-fifth Brigade, Eleventh Division of reorganized army.
Bragg's army, which had followed Buell's into Kentucky, was gathering much strength and material in its march in the interior, and on October 1st the Union army was put in motion and started in pursuit. A dozen or more members of the company were left sick at Louisville. Army caught up with the enemy October 8th. Regiment was placed in and withdrawn from an exposed position, just in the "nick of time," a position within easy range of Confederate battery. Being withdrawn, as above, and resuming position in main line, regiment was actively engaged in battle of Perryville, nearly two hours, the casualties to Company C being as follows:
| Josiah Cooper, wounded, | Died Oct. 31, 1862. |
| Samuel Boen, wounded, | |
| David W. Doop, wounded, | Discharged Feb. 9, 1863. |
| John S. Long, wounded, | Discharged Jan. 13, 1863, died. |
| Francis M. Stevens, wounded, | Discharged Dec. 5, 1862. |
| Zimri Thornton, wounded, | Died Oct. 30, 1862. |
| James E. Moore, wounded, | Discharged March 17, 1863, lost foot. |
| John Murdock, Co. E, wounded, | Died, Oct. 9, 1862. |
The last named enlisted in C, but had been one of the fourteen men "loaned," as before mentioned. Several members of Company C, who had been left at Louisville, came up Oct. 9th and 10th.
Followed to Crab Orchard, marching from there, via Danville, Lebanon, Bowling Green, and Mitchellsville, to Nashville, Tenn. At Bowling Green, Rosecrans relieved Buell. Arrived at Nashville Nov. 7, 1862, encamping first at Edgefield, then at Mill Creek. Nov. 20, 1862, Second Lieutenant Richard N. Davies, resigned. Nov. 28th, First Lieutenant Mark D. Hawes resigned. These resignations, the losses resulting from the action at Perryville, the loss by death of the following named members: Samuel W. Blackburn, John C. Sheets, Thomas Millholland, Israel H. Morgan, John and Alex. Gerrard, and William Henderson; and the following named discharged for disability: Thos. T. Ashmore, John Trimble, and Wm. O. Underwood, discharged, Oct. 9, 1862, made a total loss to company by Jan. 1, 1863, of eighteen men. Three of these, viz: David W. Doop, John S. Long, and James E. Moore, were discharged after Jan. 1st, on Feb. 9th, Jan. 13th, and March 17th, 1863, respectively. Nov. 25, 1862, Kyger was mustered in as first lieutenant, and Dec. 6, 1862, Lawrence was mustered in as second lieutenant.
Dec. 26, 1862, started on movement to Stone River. Regiment not engaged until Dec. 31st, was then engaged fully one-third, and under fire two-thirds of the day. Seventy-third was in Second Brigade, of Sheridan's (Third) Division, Twentieth A. C., and associated with the same regiments as before. The change in number of Brigade and Division occurred when Rosecrans assumed command. At Stone River Company C suffered casualties as follows: John Dye and James Yoho, killed; John J. Halsted, wounded, discharged Feb. 23, 1863; three or four others very slightly wounded, and Lieutenant Lawrence and Daniel Suycott, captured. Lawrence and Suycott were exchanged in the following Spring, returning to the Company in May. About Jan. 7, 1863, a detail from company, Lieutenant Kyger in charge, sought the bodies of Dye and Yoho and buried them. The writer saw both these men expire; they were near together, and died at about the same time.[A]