The papers here collected were read by the Regimental Historian, from time to time, at Annual Re-unions of the 9th Indiana Cavalry. They are printed at the request of the boys of the regiment, and are for their benefit. Combined, they give, as seen from the standpoint of the individual who narrates, the principal events in which the regiment took part, but do not even refer to many skirmishes in which it participated with the forces of Wheeler, Forrest, Rhoddy, and other Confederate Cavalry lead

On the afternoon of the 22d of September, 1864, the 9th was ordered to furnish a force of mounted men to march to Elk River Bridge, on the Nashville & Decatur Railroad. The detail was promptly made from the mounted men of each company, and, under command of Major Lilly, senior major of the regiment, started the same night. The force leaving Pulaski, consisting of portions of the 9th and 10th Indiana Cavalry, being under the command of Colonel Pace, of the latter regiment. The command arr

On Sunday, the 25th day of September, 1864, the mounted portion of the 9th Indiana Cavalry, about two hundred in number, were called to do battle at Sulphur Branch Trestle, Alabama. Firing began on the skirmish lines at 5 o'clock in the morning, and was kept up at a lively rate until about 8 o'clock, when the battle began in earnest. There were with us about one hundred of the Third Tennessee Cavalry, and there were also about three hundred colored troops that were stationed in the fort. We were

While stationed at Pulaski, Tenn., details from the regiment were frequently ordered out upon reconnoitering parties, and upon these occasions generally met Roddy, Duke, Wheeler, or other cavalry commanders in that department, in skirmishes, which, as a rule, were bloodless. They were all exciting, however, and accustomed the boys to the use of their carbines. Of these affairs, what was termed in the regiment as "The Lynnville Fight," was the most sensational, and resulted in more racket than wa

While held at Enterprise, our men learned of the existence of a government within the State of Mississippi, of which most readers of history are to this day ignorant. They were informed that early in the days of secession Jones County, which touches Clarke County on the southwest, by its leading citizens, withdrew from the Confederacy, declaring themselves a free and independent people, organized a special and distinct government, under the name of the "Republic of Jones," adopted a constitution

Atlanta had fallen. Sherman, before starting on his "march to the sea," detached the Fourth and Twenty-fourth Corps, under command of Schofield, and sent them by forced march to Pulaski to watch Hood, who was at Florence, and to retard his advance into Tennessee until Thomas, who was at Nashville, could concentrate enough troops to—as Sherman pithily said—"take care of him." The main body of the 9th Cavalry had shortly before this been sent to Nashville to secure horses for mounting the regiment

Those who were present will admit that Capt. Hayden's account of the 9th at Franklin is but a conservative statement of the facts. On the day after the fight, while we were all feeling very well satisfied with ourselves and the part the regiment had taken in the affair, I wrote a letter to the Cincinnati Commercial, which was published in its issue of December 29, 1864. I think it sufficiently pertinent to justify the insertion of the greater part of it. D. W. C. Camp of the 9th Indiana Cavalry,

It has not been our purpose in these papers to make special mention of any officer. As an exception to the general plan, I have thought that a brief mention of Col. Jackson's name would give no offense and could not be regarded as an unfair discrimination. Holding, by virtue of his rank, the most conspicuous place, he is in the eyes of his old comrades the foremost mark for blame or praise. He went west soon after the conclusion of the war—since then but little has been known of him by members o

I belong to the 9th Indiana Cavalry. I had just gone to bed and fallen asleep, when all of a sudden I was awakened by some horrible noise. I sprang out of bed and found the cabin full of flame and the passengers all jumping overboard. The water for a while around was covered with people struggling for life. I never heard such terrible and mournful wailings. The glare of light showed a scene such as never before had been witnessed. I happened to find a log after swimming some distance. There was

The officers and crew of the iron clad Essex deserve unstinted credit and praise for the part they took in picking up the passengers of the ill-fated steamer Sultana. Lieutenant James Perry, Ensign of the Essex, was awakened yesterday morning about 4 o'clock, and informed that the steamer Sultana had blown up, and was now burning; that the passengers were floating down the river and crying for help. The Lieutenant jumped up immediately, and was startled and horrified by the agonizing cries of th

After the explosion of her boilers, and the rapid spread of the flames, the burning mass of what had been the fine steamer Sultana, floated slowly down with the current until within a few hundred yards of Mr. Fogleman's residence, when it grounded on the Arkansas shore. We visited the wreck about 10 o'clock. It had sunk in twenty feet of water, and the jackstaff was standing up before the black mass, as though mutely mourning over the terrible scene, a silent witness of which it had been. The bo

I was awakened when the explosion took place, lying on the top of the wheel house. As soon as I discovered that the boat had exploded, I caught hold of the fender and slid down to the water and let myself in, having nothing on me at the time. I judge I must have swam about ten miles. The river was alive with people crying and calling for help in the greatest of agony. Just as I was coming down off the boat I saw two ladies who had thrown themselves into the water, they having nothing to keep the

I went to sleep about 2 o'clock and was awakened in about half an hour by hot water falling on my face and hands. I was not struck by anything nor scalded, but remained on the boat until the flames compelled me to leave. I then ran up on the cabin floor, snatched off a door and then made my way down to the lower deck and jumped into the river. By the light of the burning steamer I could see hundreds of the passengers in the water, all crying and wailing for help. I swam for about one mile and a