Weekly Gazette
Elgin, Illinois
March 12, 1862

Army Correspondence.
From the Thirty-Sixth

CAMP ON SUGAR CREEK BENTON CO.
Ark. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1862

I suppose by this time you are a little anxious to hear how the boys of the 36th are getting along in their chase after Price. I would have written sooner, but there has been no opportunity of sending a mail; and even now , I am not certain that this letter will reach you.

Well, let us commence at the beginning. We left Lebanon on Monday the 10th inst. with about 15,000 men, in two divisions; one under Sigel and other commanded by Gen. Curtis. We are the 2d brigade of Sigel's division. Our brigade is composed of the 12th and 17th Mo., 36th Ill. and two batteries, under the command of Co.l. Greusel of the 36th, Col. Joslyn being in command of the regiment. Everything in the line of baggage was cut down to the lowest notch. The men were obliged to leave their knapsacks, and the officers their trunks, so that none of us have a change of clothing with us. Only 14 teams were allowed to our regiment which is but half what we had before, and then we thought we hadn't enough. Five tents to a company were all that were allowed to be carried, which gave one tent to from 16 to 20 men. We quartermaster boys had a team and were by ourselves, however so that we were not so much crowded.

Only six days' provisions were taken along. The first day we marched 17 miles, and camped on one of Sigel's old camp grounds. The next day we had bad roads, and marched only 13 miles, camping at marsh field, the county seat of Webster county. Wright's cavalry were the advanced guard, and at this place they had a little skirmish with a secesh company who were guarding a steam mill- two of the rebels were killed. The town was strongly secesh, and the day before we arrived the C. S. flag was flying on the Public Square; when I went through the Stars and Stripes were in their place. A good many houses were burned by our boys-or rather by the "Dutch" in this place. The third day we marched 16 miles. We rather expected a skirmish this day, as we knew we should drive in Price's pickets; so when we got out three or four miles the boys were halted and ordered to load their guns. The day was very warm, and by the time we reached our camping ground, which was in a valley between two hills, we were tired out completely. We had just reached the camp and broken ranks, when we heard quick, sharp firing, with with musketry, a little beyond us on the hill. Immediately the bugles sounded "to arms" and the drums beat the "long roll to "fall in." You may believe there was some hurry and excitement just then; but the boys forgot that they were tired and hungry, and stripped off everything but their jackets and formed in line splendidly. The firing grew sharper, and presently we heard the "bull dogs" begin to growl in the distance. We thought we were in for it surely, as we were only 8 miles form Springfield, and we expected Price had his whole force drawn out to meet us. But there was no flinching among the boys of the 36th-they only hoped and prayed that Price was going to fight. Presently the firing ceased, and our cavalry and artillery returned, reporting a force of two regiments only, who retreated after an exchange of shots. We were ordered to sleep on our arms, and be ready to march at three o'clock in the morning-no tents being allowed to be put up. The roads had been very bad that day, and the teams did not get in till 11 o'clock , so I "went to bed" about nine, supperless, and without even so much as a blanket to cover me. But I wrapped myself up in my overcoat as well as I could, slept in that way a couple of hours, when our teams having come in, I got up, got a cup of coffee-which you believe tasted good-and then rolled myself up in my blanket and went to sleep again. At two o'clock we were called up again and at four our division left; the teams did not leave till 7 a.m. however, and I received orders after I had started with the regiment to stay with them.

Well, when we reached Springfield we found that "our bird had flown" the night before. Our boys were very much disappointed but consoled themselves by thinking that he hadn't got much the start of them, and that we could soon catch him. We camped that night-which was very cold-on his old grounds.

Springfield is a very pretty place about the size of St. Charles, Ill., but four out of every five of the houses were deserted; and nearly every house along the road between this place and Lebanon has also been deserted. Many of these the boys have burned. The court house, and two large churches in Springfield are used for hospitals, and there are a great many sick in them.

We left Springfield the next morning, marching that day 18 miles. On the road I saw three dead bodies-secesh-where our advance had a skirmish with Price's pickets. One of them had his skull smashed in, and his face disfigured, and was a sickening sight to look at. The 15th we marched 25 miles. Our advance had several little skirmishes this day, and brought in several teams and prisoners. This night we also slept on the ground without our tents. It was a pretty cold night, and I only got about two hours' sleep. The infantry left again at three a.m. and the teams at 4:30. Our rations were now out, and since then we have had to depend upon "Providence" for our "grub."- The 16th we marched 23 miles, camping at Cassville, the county seat of Barry Co., Mo. Thirty-five prisoners were here brought in by Gen. Davis' brigade, which was in the advance, and they were lodged in the court house for safe keeping.

We procured a small supply of flour here-about half a pound per man. Of beef we have plenty , of course. We left Cassville the next morning again at 8 o'clock, and marched 15 miles this day, passing through Keetsville, which, like every other village we have passed through, was mostly deserted. We crossed the line into Arkansas this day, and camped about a mile the other side-a mile and a half from water. I walked that in after dark for a coffee pot full, so that we could make coffee; and when I got it, it was half mud. Coffee is worth more than anything else to a soldier on a march.

We had heard heavy firing, at intervals all day, which we afterwards found out was between Gen. Curtis' advance, and Price's rear guard. The next day, which was yesterday we came up to "Sugar Creek," which was near where the skirmish took place , and found Gen. Curtis' division encamped here; so we went into camp also, and are having a rest to-day, for the first time since we left Lebanon, I rode up to see the battle ground which is about two miles from where we are camped, and it looks considerably like a battle. nine of our boys were killed, and several wounded. Dead bodies were strewed all over the ground, to the number of 25 or 30, I should think. Large limbs were torn off the trees, and one house was somewhat riddled. Two flags of truce arrived in camp yesterday with surgeons, looking for the dead and wounded. They acknowledge the loss of 80 men. The first Iowa battery, which was in the fight, was camped close by, and I met Cousin Dan. Lee. He says they lost two of their horses and had one of their wheels broken, b ut suffered no further injury.

I presume the chase is given up for the present; but whether we are to go on to Fort Smith, 85 miles from here, or whether we are to go back to Springfield, I don't know. At any rate, we are to leave in the morning for somewhere.

Our boys have been living on half rations for some time, and half of them are barefooted, and there is no chance to get either provisions or shoes if we march forward. If you could see how we have to live, you would consider us more objects of charity than some of the poor at home. Nevertheless our health continues good, and I feel as well as I did when at home.

There is a report that Charley Harvey and two other 36th boys , who were coming thro' with a wagon, are taken prisoners; and as he ought to have been up long ago, I rather think it's true.

Well, I can't write any more at present. We haven't received any letters or papers since we left Lebanon, and we are in total ignorance of what is happening in America.

I'll write again as soon as I have an opportunity.

A. A. Keyes

Private A. A. Keyes was from Elgin who was assigned to Company A of the 36th Illinois Volunteers.