Thursday, November 26, 1863

Sarah Josepha Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, wrote a letter to President Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to make the "day of our annual Thanksgiving a National and fixed Union Festival."  In past years several states, particularly those in New England, scheduled their own Thanksgiving holiday.  But they were on different dates.

In here letter to the President, Hale continued, "You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritive fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution."

Unlike several of his predecessors who ignored her petitions, President Lincoln responded to Mrs. Hale's request immediately.  Lincoln's proclamation set the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise" for the entire nation.

And so today, the first national day of Thanksgiving was observed by many of the Union troops stations at New Iberia.  The dinner eaten that day was only slightly better than usual.  However, public services were held and most of the troops of the Fourth Division of the Thirteenth Corps participated.  

A platform was erected in an open field for the speakers.  Instrumental music was played by one of the brass bands in the division.  All of the speakers expressed their full confidence in the Union cause and their eventual Union victory.  

Charles Johnson shared this memory of the service:

At the close of the service all joined in singing the Doxology, and the air rang with a full chorus made up of thousands of male voices.

Wednesday, November 18, 1863

About this time another change was made in the Division.  As now arranged the 1st Brigade was commanded by Colonel W. J. Landram, and consisted of the 19th Kentucky, the 83rd and 96th Ohio, and the 60th and 67th Indiana Regiments, and the 17th Ohio Battery. The 2nd Brigade, commanded by Colonel D. P. Grier, consisted of the 77th, 97th and 130th Illinois and the 48th Ohio Regiments, and the Mercantile Battery of Chicago.

Sunday, November 15, 1863

The Union soldiers stationed in and around New Iberia were frequently assigned to foraging parties.  While the term "foraging" might bring images of picking berries, the reality was that the Union troops would take what they wanted from surrounding farms, plantations, and homes.

The prairie around New Iberia was dotted with rich plantations, and corn and fodder was found in abundance.  The local plantation owners tried every possible way to be exempt from providing supplies to the Union army.  They would produce what they termed "Protection Papers," and claim to be foreign citizens.

The Union Army ignored their claims.

Tuesday, November 10, 1863

Private William T. Havil from Company C died today in his hometown of Thebes, Illinois.

Wednesday, November 4, 1863

Despite the attack yesterday, the northern troops enjoyed their time in western Louisiana.  The fall weather was delightful.  The Indian summer almost made thie region a fairy land.

The white cabins of the slaves were in long rows, like villages. The elegant mansions of
the wealthy, with broad verandas encircling the entire house, were located nearby.  The orange groves were at the height of their fruit bearing, with the branches bowing low under the weight.  The groves were filled with a wonderful fragrance.

Unfortunately, war was taking its toll on this paradise.  The old plantations, with their stately mansions, were falling into disrepair.  The fences, gates, and ornaments of all kinds were disappearing as the soldiers re-purposed the resources to their benefit.

Tuesday, November 3, 1863

The first brigade of the Division, while encamped in advance of the main army at New Iberia, was surprised today by the enemy, just as the paymaster was paying the troops. Nearly half of the brigade was captured. The paymaster barely escaped with his funds.

In the coming days, the false alarms were numerous, due in large part to the payday attack.  This forced the troops to be in line of battle at 4 o'clock every morning.

Friday, October 30, 1863

Private Thomas Johnson was from Sangamon County and assigned to Company B.  He died today at New Orleans.

Thursday, October 29, 1863

Today Corporal David Renfrow died at New Iberia, Louisian.  He was from Thebes and assigned to Company C.

Wednesday, October 28, 1863

Private Austin Miller from Waterloo died today in New Orleans.

Sunday, October 25, 1863

Private Samuel White, Jr. from Company F, from Greenville, died today at New Iberia, Louisiana.

Thursday, October 22, 1863

There was quite a bit of excitement in camp, as there was continuous rumors that New Iberia would be attacked.  The Confederates were in force at Vermillion Bayou, just 18 or 20 miles to the west.  The Union cavalry were watching their movements.

But with their close proximity to New Iberia, the town was in danger.  To strengthen the town defenses as much as possible, an extended line of rifle pits was made, and the citizens of New Iberia were forced to help with the construction.

The Union cavalry surrounded and captured a small group of the Confederate's cavalry.  The Confederates were brought into town and many of the Union troops at New Iberia went out to the road to look them over as they passed by.

The prisoners were disarmed and rode their horses, but the reins were held by well-armed Union cavalrymen who rode along side.

Monday, October 19, 1863

The men of the 130th enjoyed the October days spent at New Iberia.  The weather was mild and delightful.  The foraging parties found plenty of honey, sweet potatoes, chickens and turkeys.  Milk was also plentiful - procured from the local inhabitants. They also enjoyed pecans and the oranges that were ripening in the orchards.

Friday, October 16, 1863

During the latter part of 1863 many Negroes enlisted in the Union Army.  The enrollment and organization of these men was especially active in the Department of the Gulf.  The African-American soldiers were invariably put under white officers.

These officers came mostly from the ranks of regiments that had seen combat.  But to secure a commission in this service a considerable amount of knowledge of military tactics was required, and candidates had to pass a rigid exam before a board of experts.  Many ambitious young men, who saw little opportunity for promotion in his own regiment, began to study military tactics.  They then went before the examiners and later secured a commission.

While stationed at New Orleans many men left the 130th Illinois Infantry in this way.  That trend continued in New Iberia this month and a several of the best men in the regiment were lost to promotion.

Wednesday, October 14, 1863

Private Charles Heck died today at Carrollton, Louisiana.  He was from Thebes and assigned to Company C.

Sunday, October 11, 1863

The town of Franklin sat along the river and the regiment stopped here for several days.  But soon several regiments, including the 130th, pushed on to New Iberia, another town on the Bayou Teche.

Nearly all the inhabitants of this area were French, and many of them could not speak any English.  The soldiers found it amusing and curious to hear the "Negroes" speaking in a foreign language, rather than the "slave-speak" they were accustomed to.

The well-to-do people lived in quaint old houses. Before the war some of them were very wealthy.  These French were genuine Creoles.

Wednesday, October 7, 1863

At one time, on the march, the road led throug a light growth of timber and moved a considerable distance away from the Bayou Teche.  The marching soldiers had all but forgotten the waterway.  Then, all at once the soldiers looked through some small trees and saw a steamboat moving slowly.  It looked like it was moving on land through the timber.

The flat shore and the narrow stream all helped to complete the illusion.

Tuesday, October 6, 1863

The region was very level and the land was very fertile.  The cypress fences enclosed huge sugar plantations.

Along the bayou they came upon several sugar mills. Many of these were built with bricks.  The mills contained expensive machinery.  The mills were built on the banks of the bayou so the sugar was transported to the market with the least possible expense.

The bayou was narrow in many places - so narrow a boat couldn't turn around.  There were no hills next to it, and so the bayou seemed like nothing more than a great ditch.

Monday, October 5, 1863

Private John Vira from Company I died today in St. Louis.  He was from Springfield.

The 130th regiment started up Bayou Teche today.  This country was attractive and many delightful
homes were passed.  The houses, half hidden in trees, had wide porches and large windows that reached to the floor.

At this time oranges were ripening and many orchards they passed were bending under the weight of fruit.   Nearly all the fences were made of cypress. This wood was split into thin board-like pieces and the posts were also cypress with mortises for the horizontal pieces.  The fence was very neat, but must have taken a great deal of time and labor to build.

The division halted tonight for dinner, and every man seized one or more pieces of this fence, and
made a fire to heat their coffee pots and toast their slices of salt pork.  Nearly every man carried an old tin can that previously contained fruit or oysters.  They filled these cans with water and, when it came to a boil, added ground coffee.

They would toast a thin slice of bacon or salt pork on the end of a stick.  The fat that dripped off was caught on a hard cracker this became their butter.

Sunday, October 4, 1863

Early this morning the 130th Illinois Infantry and boarded the cars for Brashear City on the New Orleans, Opelousas & Western Railroad. The train was made up of open flat cars.  When moving over the rough rails the men had to be extremely careful or risk falling overboard.

The 80 miles of country they covered by train ran through swamps, bayous, lagoons and sluggish creeks.  It was heavily timbered, and for most of the way, one vast wilderness.  They reached Brashear City late tonight.

Saturday, October 3, 1863

The men of the 130th Illinois Infantry had spent more than a month at Carrollton.  They had taken advantage of numerous opportunities to take in the sighs, and underwent two reviews and numerous inspections.

But today it was time to move on and become a part of the Western Louisiana campaign.  This evening they took a steamer down the river about 10 miles and landed on the opposite of the river at the railroad station at Algiers.

Monday, September 28, 1863

Private James Pullen deserted today.  He was from Blueville and assigned to Company D.

James M. Clark was from Harrisonville and Company A.  He died today in St. Louis.

Wednesday, September 16, 1863

Private Alex C. Dickerson died today at St. Louis.  He was from Company B and Sangamon County.  

Monday, September 14, 1863

Private Celestine Goffnett died today at Carrollton, Louisiana.  He was from Sangamon County and assigned to Company B.

Saturday, September 5, 1863

Corporal John Patterson died today in Carrollton, Louisiana.  He was from Greenville and assigned to Company F (same Company as William Fleming).

Friday, September 4, 1863

General Grant reviewed the Thirteenth Army Corps today, along with General Banks and Adjutant General Thomas.  It was an imposing display, with at least fifteen thousand troops on review, including infantry, cavalry and artillery.  Again, the men assumed this meant they would soon receive orders to march, but they were again happily disappointed.

Thursday, September 3, 1863

Sergeant John R. Cox died today at Carrollton, Louisiana.  He was from Harrisonville and assigned to Company A

Wednesday, September 2, 1863

The men of the 130th quickly fell into a routine in the camp at Carrollton and the continued to enjoy their rest and lack of action.  Charles Johnson described it this way:

The monotony of camp life at Carrollton was, in part, relieved by frequent visits to the city of New Orleans, with which there was convenient railway connection.  Those in command were lenient in this direction, and hence passes were easily procured.

The men took in all the points of interest:  the battleground where the English forces met with a crushing defeat in 1815, the beautiful parks and cemeteries in and around the city, Lake Pontchartrain, etc.  They generally had a good time and at times must have felt like they were on a holiday vacation, rather than in midst of the Civil War.  

Saturday, August 29, 1863

Soon after their arrival, the men of the Thirteenth Army Corps received orders to be ready to march on twelve hours' notice.  Today they had a review on a small scale before General Banks, and the men of the 130th expected they would soon take up the line of march.  However, they were happily disappointed.

Friday, August 21, 1863

Corporal Thomas Reilly, from Waterloo, died todayy at Vicksburg.  He was from Company A.

Wednesday, August 19, 1863

After a pleasant trip down the Mississippi River, the 130th Illinois Infantry landed at Carrollton, Louisiana.  They set up camp on open plat of land about 5 miles above New Orleans.  They expected to rest, recuperate and have a grand review, in preparation of future movements.  Most of the troops that had previously been assigned in this vicinity had been sent forward.  So, the men of the Thirteenth Army Corps pretty much had the run of the town.