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715 Series I Volume XLI-II Serial 84 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part II

Page 715 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

commanded it for about five days. Arms dirty and in bad order, with the exception of Company I, Captain Mohrstadt, which was in good order. Two companies on parade without knapsacks. Many deficiencies in haversacks, canteens, and cartridges. Instruction of officers in drill and tactics very deficient; knapsacks very poor and badly slung. General appearance unsoldierlike. The regiment has good material, and its bad condition is the fault of its company officers. Sanitary condition bad, and its sick report large. They have four six-mule teams, one four-mule team, one two-mule team, one two-mule ambulance; two other mules and one horse, which latter was ordered to be turned over to the cavalry. Sixtieth U. S. Infantry (colored)-Inspected at 10 a. m. August 12. Arms in tolerable order. Clothing, equipments, and accouterments good. Drill and instruction pretty good. Discipline good. Officers tolerably good. This regiment garrisons the batteries of Helena. It has twelve six-mule teams, and one two-mule ambulance, three extra mules and seven horses, two of which were ordered to be turned over to the cavalry. One hundred and forty-third Illinois Infantry-Inspected at 4 p. m. August 12. Aggregate effective, 684. It is a regiment of 100-days' men, whose term of service expires in a month. In tolerable condition for a regiment of that class. Arms in good firing order. Equipments good. Sanitary condition not good. It has three six-mule and one two-horse ambulance. Sixth Minnesota--Inspected at 6 p. m. August 12. Aggregate effective, 325. Aggregate present, 937. This is an old and most excellent regiment, with a fine set of intelligent and well-instructed officers. The colonel is an excellent and educated soldier. The regiment left Cairo for this place two months ago with over 900 strong and hearty men for duty. They have been terribly afflicted at this unhealthy spot till the sick-list is now 598. It has increased in the last two days forty-five, and there are a number of deaths daily. The regiment is fast going to destruction under the scourge of sickness which has assailed it, and officers and men are disheartened. Not 100 men could now march ten miles. To save this fine body of men and render them effective for the field they should be moved and kept in garrison where there are good hospitals till they are reinvigorated. I recommend that they be immediately ordered into garrison at Vicksburg. They would there probably be effective with 600 men in October. They have one four-mules wagon, one four-mule ambulance, and one extra mule. Thirty-fifth Missouri Infantry-Inspected at 8 a. m. August 13. This regiment was inspected at ten minutes' notice and entirely unprepared. There were five companies on outpost duty six miles from here guarding fords. Aggregate effective strength, 342. Sanitary condition good; arms, smooth-bore muskets, caliber .69; not in good order. No field officers with the regiment and it appears to be neglected. The material is good, but it exhibits the lack of good officers and wants instruction and discipline. Many haversacks, canteens, and cartridges wanting. It has three six-mule teams and one two-horse ambulance. The horses were ordered to be turned over to the quartermaster's department for cavalry service. Forty-seventh Iowa Infantry-Inspected at 9.30 a. m. August 13. A regiment of 100-days' men. Aggregate effective, 537. Sanitary condition bad, having a sick report of 310. Considering the ignorance of the officers and the general lack of buoyancy in the regiment owing to their belief that they were to fall victims to a bad climate, the condition of it was not so bad as was to have been expected. On the whole that portion fit for duty was not bad when we speak comparatively as of a militia of such a short term of


Page 715 Chapter LIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.