- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
In the 27th Indiana, General Greene was apparently respected later in the war for his abilities and trustworthiness, but it was not always so at an earlier date. In the summer of 1862, upon taking command of the brigade that included the 27th, Greene turned the regiment out of their shady camp and posted them in the hot sun in an open field choked with weeds. While on the march, Greene also enforced a bizarre theory of water and food intake. The men were required to pour out the contents of their canteens every morning, and no one could take a drink until ordered to do so, despite the route taking the regiment past numerous sparkling streams. At certain select points, the men were essentially ordered to drink, although in moderation. This effort to regulate water intake was doomed to failure, because the men found ways to circumvent the restrictions. Greene also did not allow the men to leave the ranks unless by permission of a commissioned officer, and only then if under close supervision by a non-commissioned officer. But this latter rule did reduce straggling and thus could be justified as a means of maintaining discipline during a march. In fairness to Greene, it is clear from reading the regimental history that the 27th Indiana, while tough physically and in battle, was a rather difficult set of men to maintain control over (it reminds one of Hood's Texans), so it is not surprising that Greene's efforts to "get their attention" was viewed in a rather negative light by these Hoosiers. Or put differently, these apparent eccentricities may have been a deliberate effort on the part of Greene to demonstrate who was in charge. It might not win popularity within the ranks, but improved discipline makes itself felt during the heat of battle. [Edmund Randolph Brown, Twenty-Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 (Monticello, Indiana, 1899), pp. 174-177]
Bringing the