Friday, September 5, 1862

Early in September orders came from the State Capital in Springfield.  The Bond County recruits were to rendezvous at Belleville, Illinois, a small city almost 50 miles to the southwest.

For the past several weeks the two companies ate pretty well while still in their civilian clothes.  While they had all taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, they were still more civilian than soldier.

But with these orders, that was all about to change.