6 - WAR
War was declared on the 15th of April. On the 20th of April a Company was organized in Warren. Anxious though I was to serve my country, I was to be denied the opportunity of being among the first to go to the front. I was turned down because of being one-half inch too short - being five feet five, and one-half inches in height. The anxiety and interest of warfare's was above all else the following year. When the call for three hundred thousand more volunteers came in April of 1862, there were no restrictions or requirements which barred any able bodied man, or boy, from sixteen to fifty years of age. Our Companies were K and H, and were raised in June and were mustered in May, but they did not leave for service until the 1st of August.
The call was made for the 96th Regiment when we were mustered in, but owing to the slowness of volunteers to respond to the call for the 96th, our departure was delayed until August. During that time our Company drilled every day under Captain Champion. He was a middle-aged man and had considerable experience in the militia. His salary was two hundred dollars per month and he provided his own food and clothing and accoutrements. I had no trouble at getting a furlough every week, so I reported at least once a week to my home.
We were provided with Belgian rifles which we soon decided were worth more as scrap iron than as weapons of war. In our target practice I soon experienced the worthlessness of the beech-stock-rifles. At a target four hundred yards distance, I missed it by four feet and got knocked down. So we very soon concluded that we need not aspire to sharp shooting in such practice as these afforded. After shooting a few shots our shoulders were so sore that we were unfit for further practice. Our departure for the front was delayed four days by having such guns. Our Colonel went to Chicago to see headquarters regarding the guns and succeeded in having arrangements made for other weapons. Soon we were supplied with new Enfield rifles, and they were splendid guns.
Our Company was with the 96th Regiment and four other regiments at Camp Douglas, at Rockford, on the Rock River - it was a
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LETTERS & DIARIES
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