they remained about a month. In the meantime he was given a commission as Second Lieutenant. Frequently, when the drill was over, he went out and made speeches in aid of other gentlemen engaged in raising companies. When the regiment was complete Governor Morton voluntarily commissioned him Colonel.

The military authorities were concentrating troops about that time in Louisville to meet Kirby Smith, who had passed through Cumberland Gap and was making way northward through New London to Lexington. The rawness of Colonel Harrison's companies can well be imagined; muskets had just been issued to them, and they did not know how to handle them. But the excitement was heightened by the circumstance that General Bragg was hastening with the main body of his army to Louisville, having turned Nashville, to which General Buell had marched to save the immense stores of supplies there collected. The rebel general was in fact north of Nashville, so that Bowling Green, which was at that time. fortified, had become a Union outpost, below which everything had been broken by the Confederates. Thither Harrison's 70th Regiment

Indiana Volunteers was hurried.

Buell's army, in pursuit of Bragg, marched past Bowling Green, and the regiment was still there when the battle of Perryville was fought, having been brigaded temporarily under General Du

mont.

While stationed at Bowling Green Colonel Harrison was sent upon an expedition against a body of rebels lodged at Russellville, and, as it was his first essay in what may be called an independent operation, it may be of interest to give its details. His command was put upon a train and hurried off. When he had arrived within about ten miles of the town the advance was stopped by an untoward circumstance. The enemy had burned a bridge over a small stream and then retired to Russellville to have a good time with sympathizing friends. Colonel Harrison, however, was not so easily stopped; he had resources within his regiment. Two or three of his captains had been railroad men, and, upon examination of the bridge, they thought they could repair the damage so as to cross the train with but little delay. Only a portion of a span was gone. A pier of railroad ties was piled up in the centre as a support; then a couple of large trees were cut down, and pushed across the break. From a side track near by some rails were torn up and laid upon the timbers. Thus a crossing was effected. While slowly approaching the town a negro man plowing corn saw the train, and unhitching his horse, jumped on him, and galloped alongside the track. Colonel Harrison was at the moment on the tender of the locomotive, the better to observe whatever might happen. He had men at the brakes on the freight cars, and

they readily answered his signal to stop. The negro told him where the camp was situated, and how it could be best approached. The Colonel then divided the regiment, sending three or four companies under Major Vance to go around and come in on the other side so as to intercept the enemy when started. Waiting time enough for the detachment to reach its position, he disembarked his troops, and attacked with energy. The surprise was so complete that there was not much of a fight. Forty rebels were killed and wounded; one Unionist soldier was killed. Ten prisoners and all the horses and arms of the rebels were captured. With these trophies the young Colonel returned to Bowling Green.

The 70th Regiment was brigaded with the 79th Ohio and the 102d, 105th and the 129th Illinois, Brigadier-General W. T. Ward, of Kentucky, commanding; and, what is extraordinary, the organization thus effected was kept unchanged to the close of the war. The closeness of the ties formeb during the long service between officers and men can be best understood by old soldiers. Out of the association there also grew a confidence of regiment in regiment of inestimable benefit to the cause-a confidence which, as we shall presently see, became in the hour of trial a kind of audacious faith each in the other. By virtue of seniority of commission, Colonel Harrison was given the right of the brigade.

Now that the 70th regiment is in the actual field, it would be very agreeable to give a roster of the officers and, for that matter, the full roll of the men. But on account of the many changes that occurred in course of its career, there is not space for all, while a partial statement would be unsatisfactory.

From Bowling Green, Colonel Harrison, with his command, accompanied the brigade to Scottsville, Kentucky, and thence to Gallatin, Tennessee. For two months he was occupied guarding the Louisville & Nashville road between Gallatin and Nashville. Four months then followed in camp. This period was about evenly divided between hunting guerillas and drilling his men. To the latter occupation he devoted himself sedulously; for it must be remembered that he was as fresh in arms as the greenest man in the ranks. He was systematic and painstaking, however, and buckled to the mysteries of the tactical "schools" as he had in college days to geometry. Indeed, his method of instruction was precisely that of his college tutors. Calling the officers to his tent of evenings, he questioned them progressively and required them to illustrate the manœuvres upon a board, chalk in hand. "Hardee " was of course the umpire for the settlement of questions. On the parade ground there was general practice of the lessons studied. The course pursued was wise and effective.

The

70th became, while at Gallatin, expert in all the military exercises required of infantry. While their dress parade was beautiful, they were "up" not less in sentinel and picket duty. Their "skirmishing" is said to have been a remarkable performance. All the while he was thus making soldiers of his men, the Colonel was making an accomplished officer of himself. His theory was that every day in camp should be used in preparation for that other day, always to be kept in a soldier's mind-the day of battle.

From Gallatin the brigade marched to Lavergne, and thence to Murfreesboro. There it became part of General Granger's Reserve Corps. When General Rosecrans set out for Chattanooga General Ward was sent to Nashville to look after the safety of the trains carrying supplies to the front, a most arduous and important duty, often taxing to the uttermost the courage and best resources of those engaged in it.

At length the time came when Ward's command was called to the front. On the 2d of January, 1864, it became the 1st Brigade of the 1st Division of the 11th Army Corps, and Colonel Harrison was put in command of it, his chief taking the division.

The 11th and 12th Army Corps about this time were consolidated into the 20th Army Corps, whereupon Ward's old brigade became the 1st Brigade of the 3d Division of the 20th Corps,