REMINISCENCES, INCIDENTS, BATTLES,
MARCHES and CAMP LIFE
OF THE
OLD 4th MICHIGAN INFANTRY
IN WAR OF REBELLION,
1861 TO 1864.

By O. S. BARRETT,
Late Lieut. Co. B, 4th Michigan Infantry.

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Dedicated to the Survivors of the Regiment.
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Hope for the living,
Tears for the dead.

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DETROIT, MICH.:
W. S. OSTLER, PUBLISHER,
1888.

THE

FOURTH REGIMENT

Michigan Volunteer Infantry

was organized at Adrian, Michigan, and Mustered into United States Service June 20, 1861, for three years. It was quartered in the North College building, of the group of buildings situated at extreme west suburbs of City. Was commanded by Dwight A. Woodbury. It was presented by the ladies of Adrian, with a beautiful flag. The Regiment left its Rendezvous June 25th, for Washington, numbering on its rolls 1025, officers and men. In his orders for the movement, Colonel Woodbury said: “Let each man remember that he has the honor of Michigan in his keeping.” The first appearance of the Regiment, while passing through Cleveland, Ohio, brought from the Leader of that city, the following notice of

MICHIGAN TROOPS.

“When we see the splendidly armed and equipped Regiments from Michigan, pass through here on their way to the seat of war, and compare their appearance with that of the Regiments that left Camp Cleveland recently, it makes us almost ashamed of Ohio, and inclines us to enquire in the mildest and most collected manner, why it is that Michigan in the same length of time sends Regiments to the field prepared for service, while Ohio, who boasts of her enterprise and patriotism, sends from her camps as Regiments, mere mobs of men, half uniformed, unarmed, and wholly without drill.”

The Regiment left Cleveland, via Buffalo to Elmira, New York, where we took supper with 23d New York Regiment in barracks there. We were royally entertained; had a good time; had a good supper. I wish to say here, the first hard tack the writer ever saw was issued to us at Cleveland. They were round, and as large as an elephant’s foot, and as tough as a prohibitionist’s conscience. I noticed some of the boys, out on platform of cars, trying how far they could sail them. Others had coupling pins, trying to pulverize them. On leaving Elmira, some of the boys who were a little off, pulled the coupling pin, which detached three or four cars. The rest of the train pulled out some distance before it was discovered. The advance section backed up, the rear cars were hitched on, and the boys were induced to all-aboard, and the train passed on to Harrisburg, Pa. The Regiment encamped a few days at that city, and we were drilled in the art of street fighting, expecting a collision at Baltimore. The people of Harrisburg asked: “has Michigan sent another Regiment equipped?” And in fact the troops at Camp Curtin “thought if Pennsylvania would only clothe her men like that, she would not have a single citizen at home.”

From Harrisburg, on to Baltimore. The Regiment was disembarked from the cars some distance outside of the city; formed and marched into the depot. We were armed with old buck and ball muskets, and were not allowed but three rounds of cartridges. The Regiment was formed into platoons, and marched through the general thoroughfare to Washington Depot. On its way, while about midway, the crowd was immense on the sidewalks, a demonstration was made by some crank of a Rebel, at a point opposite our colors, pointing a revolver toward the flag-bearer, but was suppressed so quick that it was not seen but by few of the Regiment. The writer was a file-closer and in rear of rear platoon, and saw the movement. Had that pistol been discharged, the result would have been a terrible indiscriminate slaughter. My gun was on a line with the act in less time than it would take to pull a trigger. Somebody would have been hurt. Men hissed and jeered, but the column moved on to Washington Depot, where the Regiment was embarked on cars for Washington. Just before reaching the Relay House, the train was stopped and we were told that Rebels were in our front. We were formed in line of battle. It was a false alarm. We got aboard again, and passed on to Washington. Arrived in that city on the night of July 2d, and soon went into camp on Meridian Hill, near Soldiers’ Home. Remained in camp until a short time before first battle of Bull Run. The Regiment was ordered over the Potomac, and to Alexandria, and out to a place called Cloud’s Mills. Remained in camp there, and done picket duty until a few days prior to first Bull Run, when it was ordered on to Fairfax Station, in rear of advancing army. The left wing of the Regiment was detained at that place, while the right was marched to Fairfax Court House. The writer was with the part remaining at the station. It was evident that the Rebels had left in a hurry, as the advance of our column appeared; they had tried to burn the station and other property, but were prevented by stress of time. We found plenty of corn meal; also a number of hogs that had been corralled in the rear of the station, but had been let out of the pen; on arrival of our men in pursuit, they were running around loose. The writer fired six shots at an old hump-backed sow, and got nary a swine. One W. W. Carpenter, the liliputian of Company B, killed her with one shot from an old Colt’s revolver. We had mush and fresh pork in abundance. We found some cows on an abandoned plantation, near by. Also plenty of honey. We had mush and milk ’till you couldn’t rest. One of the boys, while reconnoitering around, developed a colony of bees. He seized a hive and started for a brook near by. He attempted to jump a pole fence. His toe caught and he pitched headlong. The hive flew twenty feet. The bees followed back, and swarmed in his bushy hair, which caused a lively rush for the water. He plunged in and soon divested himself of the vicious little insects. But not daunted he returned, and seized the hive again. This time he succeeded in drowning the bees. He got the honey all the same. That night, after the adventure with the bees, myself and my bunkey tore some of the hives to pieces, and placed the boards on the ground, and spread our blankets on them for our bed. We went to bed tickled with our layout. About twelve o’clock we were aroused with injunction to keep very still, as Rebels were near, and were expected to attack us. My bunkey and I got up, or sat up. About that time I saw bunkey slap his legs, and heard him swear.

About the same time, I felt an unusual sensation under my pants, in the region of where I sat down. There were plenty of live bees still, that had staid with the boards. They had crawled inside our clothes, and everlastingly stuck it to us. Well, if you ever saw an Indian war dance, picture to yourself our appearance. We were ordered to keep still; but had a Brigade of Rebels attacked us, we would have fought these bees.

Next day was fought the first Battle Bull