Unknown Civil War soldiers, courtesy of the Library of Congress

Over the next few weeks, they marched 58 miles to Lexington, Kentucky, the last leg of the march being by train. They remained there through the winter, protecting the city. By March 1863 about half the regiment was ill from the cold, wet weather, and about 30 had died. In the spring of 1863 they started to see some action. The 112th was “under fire for the first time at Monticello, Ky., in the spring of 1863, and although it was not severely engaged and suffered no loss, it was complimented for its steadiness.”


They were in Somerset, Kentucky much of the spring, with several other regiments. They camped along the river with the Confederate army across the water. They would often sleep with their guns in case of a raid in the night, but surprisingly, they also occasionally declared a cease-fire and engaged in fishing together with the Confederate soldiers. The 112th raised $500 for instruments and a teacher to form a band. The band was very popular throughout the region, and was also useful during drills and marches.

Authentic photo of a hospital in the civil war from the Library of Congress. Places like this and makeshift tent hospitals were where James spent most of his time during the war.

Knoxville seen from south bank of Tennessee River; East Tennessee University in middle distance. Courtesy of Library of Congress.

They were taken to Knoxville and jailed. In July they were sent to a parole camp in Saint Louis, Missouri. A parole camp in the Civil War was a strange situation where prisoners were released by the enemy back to their own army, but on parole. This meant they could not fight, and were to be guarded by soldiers on their own side. It was based on the honor system, which at that time made sense, but for us in the 21st century seems a little ridiculous. The soldiers could only be released back into combat if they were formally exchanged for enemy prisoners. The camps were dirty, and not well guarded, and many men escaped and went back home. James was at this camp from early July until September 10th, when he was exchanged. He was moved around a bit by the army and eventually rejoined his former regiment in December 1863.

“December 25th was anything but a merry Christmas to our 112th boys. Roast turkey, plum pudding, and pumpkin pies were not to be obtained. Instead, they dined on parched corn, or cornbread baked in ashes. Canteens were split open, and made onto graders by punching holes with a bayonet and the corn grated as our mothers grated nutmegs, and the meal mixed with nothing but water made into bread. Our Christmas dinner was not sumptuous, but it was healthy. Having an opportunity to send to Knoxville, by a guard with prisoners, the author, among others, sent for some salaratus (baking soda), salt, and pepper. These little condiments made the food more palatable, but they were expensive luxuries.”

Photo of the Union Army’s outer line in the battle of Nashville. Library of Congress

After Atlanta they went into Tennessee in pursuit of General Hood and participated in the battles of Franklin, and Nashville — Two of the largest and most decisive battles at the end of the war (more below on those battles). 
This quote from The History of the 112th Regiment describes the aftermath of the Battle of Franklin. The army had fought a large battle in Franklin, then in another battle in Nashville. A few weeks later they headed back to Franklin.

“The beautiful village of Franklin presented an appalling spectacle on our return there on the 19th of December. Churches, school, buildings, public halls, stores, shops — even blacksmith shops — many of the dwelling houses — every available room has been converted into a hospital, and all were filled to overflowing with wounded men; and union and confederate surgeons labored harmoniously together to alleviate the sufferings. It was a sight never to be forgotten — the dark, dark side of war. Many of our own wounded were there and had been left behind on the 30th of November, but nearly all were Confederates — the same men who, in the pride and flesh of manhood, had swept forward over the level plains in front of Franklin in grand battle array, on that bright November day, to assault your lines — now groaning with pain, some gasping in death, and many of those who survived crippled for life: and the newly made graves gave evidence that hundreds and hundreds of their comrades had already been buried up on the field, where they fell. Well mate, our great commander, exclaim, "let us have peace.”

General Sherman’s Men destroying a railroad near Atlanta, Georgia. Its possible some of these men are from James’ regiment. Library of Congress.

At Wilmington they met with the confederate army to trade prisoners. The 1000 or so Union men they received were in horrible condition. “they were black as tar and alive with vermin; a majority of them, helpless; many verging on insanity; others, who had been wounded, were actually rotten; and all were emaciated and half starved. The confederate officers excused their condition by saying that these were the worst cases; but the men denied this, and affirmed they were the best cases; and the worst cases could not be moved. They were sent to the hospital, and some of them were sent home on furlough. A majority were too weak to travel, and many of them died in the hospitals.” 


When the train carrying the prisoners returned south to the Confederate army, not a single Confederate guard who had brought the prisoners was on it, they had all deserted after seeing such horrors and were glad to escape. 


I cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like for James to take care of these men in the hospital.

On June 20th, 1865, the 112th was finally ordered home to Chicago.

The war had lasted four years, cost the lives of more than 620,000 Americans, and freed 3.9 million enslaved people from bondage.
I’m sure James was very happy to finally go home after all the awful things he saw, but I also hope he was proud that in his time in the army he had helped save the lives of so many men.

All quotes and most information from The History of the 112th Regiment by BF Thompson. 1885

Full Text Here

At some point James was attached to the hospital department of the 112th. This is where he first started to learn to care for the sick and wounded, which I would surmise inspired him to become a doctor after the war. I believe this would have kept him out of much of the fighting, since he would have been stationed at the hospital tents and tending to the wounded during battle. This probably saved his own life, while he saved the lives of many wounded comrades. 


In June the 112th regiment was called to support Colonel Saunders with several other regiments. They marched for many days from Knoxville, Tennessee along rivers (Powell, Clinch, and others), engaging with the enemy and burning bridges, supply trains, etc. They had no tents, and had to sleep out in the rain. They often marched through the night, in the dark, with enemy fire coming at them.

On June 22nd at Chillers Gap, James was captured by the enemy. That day several companies were marching together and Colonel Saunders’ regiment up at the front of the line saw the enemy up ahead in their path, so they decided to take another route, seven miles up a mountain. They found all the mountain passes were guarded by Confederate soldiers, so they had to fight their way up the mountain. The enemy was engaged throughout the night, and many horses became too worn out to continue and were left on the mountain paths with other supplies and weaponry too heavy to carry. Many men became lost in the dark, there was confusion about stopping for the night or continuing, and in all of this mess James and several other men were captured.

General Sherman and his men in the trenches in Atlanta GA. Library of Congress


The 112th regiment then went to Georgia for a time and participated in the battle over the city of Atlanta. At Utoy Creek they lost the most men of any of their battles, even though they later fought in some of the largest and most gruesome battles of the Civil War. They lost 71 men that day. 


Here is an interesting story from one of the battles in Georgia:


“There were some colored troops in Terry's corps, and in advancing his lines, one of his colored soldiers, captured a prisoner, who proved to be the Negro's former owner. As the colored soldier, in his blue uniform — an emblem of his freedom — with bayonet fixed and gun at right shoulder shift, marched proudly to the rear in charge of his prisoner, his black face fairly glistened with delight, and as he passed through our lines he exclaimed, “I'se got ‘im boys — I done got ‘im””

Aftermath of the battle of Nashville, a view of the same outer trenches on December 16th 1864. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Dec 25th. 1864

“Another Christmas had overtaken us, and the war was not yet ended. But rapid strides had been made during the year, and in the dim distance, the “boys” could see the beginning of the end, and they were much happier than one year before. Many camp stools were vacant as they gathered around the campfires on the sacred holiday, to talk of friends, and bygone Christmas festivals at home; and many on unbidden tear trickled down their brown and rugged faces as they referred to the places is made vacant in their ranks since the last Christmas.”


The 112th was then transferred to North Carolina, where it aided in the final battles of the war and in driving the confederate army out of towns such as Wilmington, and Greensboro.

“The distance marched the day was 10 miles, through a country, never before invaded by union troops. The people had never seen any union soldiers, and the command marched along the road, the Negroes, old and young, men, women, and children, some as black as tar, others scarcely brown, and a few, as white as their masters, came running out from the plantations, singing and shouting with joy and thanksgiving at the presence of “massa, Linkin’s sogers.”

The celebration at Fort Sumter (where the war officially began), April 14, 1865. Library of Congress