of a newspaper, mounted them on cardboard, pinned them upon his shoulders and announced himself as COL. DUFF. It was not long before his title was acknowledged by the rank and file. Shortly after Duff's "promotion," he was sent on an errand: as he returned to head-quarters, when passing the guard he brought his hand to the side of his face, after the style of a Lieutenant General, but for some cause was unnoticed, and failed to receive the customary salute accorded to field officers. Suddenly wheeling his horse and drawing his sabre, he exclaimed, "D-n it, man, why don't you salute the Kernel? Are yer eyes so poor you can't see my shoulder-straps?" Duff appeared so terribly in earnest as to frighten and confuse the guard, who brought his musket up to a "present" in double quick time. Ever after that the "Kernel" received the proper salute when he was known. At the battle of Inka, Duff ventured too far to the front and was wounded with a minnie ball. He managed to get to headquarters, but the wound not being properly cared for, gangrene set in. He was removed to a hospital at Keokuk, Iowa, where he died of his wounds, December 4th, 1863. The subsequent history of Company A was entirely distinct from the infantry arm of the regiment. Seldom were the two in the same department, and as the company not long afterward was assigned to the 15th Cavalry, we shall notice its brilliant career in a separate chapter. Resignations and changes among officers were of frequent occurrence. Many who at the outset had vowed to stand by their men to the last, in their intense anxiety to see their wives, their children or sweethearts, threw up their commissions and retired from a service which their experience at Rienzi during the long summer of 1862, taught them was one of inglorious OFFICERS OF THE REGIMENT. 221 inaction. Some had had enough of soldiering, while others from disappointment, and chafing because promotion did not come soon enough to fill the measure of their ambition, left the service. Notwithstanding their exit, the affairs of the nation went right along as usual, and but few realized the loss the country had sustained by being thus deprived of their valuable services. Ill health forced from us many brave fellows who were ready and willing to stand up and face the dread realities of battles, whose devotion and courage had been tried on the blood-stained fields of Arkansas and Missouri. Others, unable to realize that waiting is an essential element of war, grew restive at the delays and inactivity incident to the development of military plans. Battles and victories looked to them a long way off, and not being possessed of the power of omniscience, to see that the day of glory was sure to come, left the rich harvest to be gathered by others more patient and willing to watch and wait. The following were some of the changes about this time or shortly after among the officers of the 36th: Lieut. Col. E S. Joslyn, resigned, succeeded by Albert Jenks. Many of these changes and promotions were made in the regular order of rank. Some were for meritorious services at Pea Ridge, or in the umbrageous shade of the oaks at Rienzi. Col. Greusel was not without his share of military honors, and was placed in command of a brigade composed of the 36th, 44th and 27th Illinois, the 2nd Iowa Infantry and the 1st Indiana Battery. The same meed of praise and lavishness of honors was bestowed upon privates as well as officers, and it was thought that the authorities at Springfield or Washington, from whence many of the commissions emenated, regarded the whole regiment as a band of heroes, worthy positions of honor and trust. The 36th had the honor of furnishing officers for other State organizations, some of whom taken from the ranks attained the position of Colonel. Among these were: M. La Rue Harrison, private Co. K, to Colonel 1st Arkansas Cavalry. CHAPTER XVII. RIENZI TO LOUISVILLE. URING the summer of 1862, the different armies in the West, like gladiators, manoeuvred for positions from which to strike effective blows. After the evacuation of Corinth, Beauregard fell back to Tupelo, his troops demoralized, and their ranks considerably thinned. Subsequently he retired from the army on the plea of ill health, but the want of success in his management of affairs in the West, somewhat clouded the brilliant reputation he had gained at the commencement of the war. The large army which Gen. Hallock had gathered at Corinth, in a short time was broken into fragments and scattered over a wide extent of country, each detachment so absorbed in building railroads, maintaining long lines of communication, and guarding Southern plantations, as to leave little time to attend to the main business in hand-the suppression of the Rebellion. A column under Gen. Buell moved leisurely eastward into Tennessee, and in the direction of Chattanooga, which Beauregard in his retreat had left uncovered. With the exception of a small force in Eastern Tennessee, there was at that time no Confederate troops in the State, and by a little exertion on the part of Gen. Buell, both Chattanooga and Knoxville might have been captured, and the State freed of the last vestige of a Rebel army. Strong positions in Alabama and Georgia could have been occupied from whence successful movements in any direction might have interposed a barrier and frustrated all attempts of the enemy to gain a foothold in either Tennessee or Kentucky, the battles subsequently fought in the environs of Louisville and Murphysboro would have been transferred to soil more steeped in rebellion, and these States escaped the pillage, destruction and ruin which marked the progress of armies within their borders. Instead of this, the army was halted, and remained idle at Nashville. Unimportant expeditions were sent out, where movements in force should have been made. No obstacles were interposed or plans devised to thwart their designs upon these States. In fact, barriers were thrown down and invasion invited. Gen. Bragg, who succeeded to the command of the Confederate forces, prepared to assume the offensive. His cavalry and numerous guerilla bands swarmed around the posts occupied by our troops, for the purpose of mystifying the Federal commander in regard to his ulterior purposes, which were to slip by his hesitating foes, and by a bold and rapid movement into Kentucky, menace Cincinnati and Louisville, and compel the withdrawal of armies which, at a cost of much treasure and blood, had obtained a firm foothold in the heart of the Confederacy. The plan was well conceived, and to carry it out successfully the whole vast energies of the South were concentrated. Reinforcements were drawn from all parts of the country, and the conscription rigidly enforced, adding large numbers of fighting men to the ranks. The country was friendly, and no long lines of communication needed protection. The inaction succeeding the Federal successes |