gary
Major
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
Byers' With Fire and Sword.
Byers' book is a good read. Enlisting as a private in an Iowa regiment, Byers' hard work earns him a promotion to quartermaster-sergeant. He is reluctant to accept the promotion because he prefers to see action. He only accepts when he is allowed to shoulder a musket. This earns him the respect of the men and officers. As we know, Porter's squadron sails past Vicksburg's guns and Byers is among the soldiers who volunteer to serve afloat. It's the first soldiers' account I have read of Porter's squadron running the gauntlet of fire. Back on land, he rejoins his regiment at Champion Hill serves as the sergeant major. Shortly afterward Byers is promoted to adjutant.
As part of Sherman's Army that attempts to lift the Siege of Chattanooga, he is captured at Tunnel Hill. Byers' is sent to various prisons and escapes to Atlanta where he is captured in Confederate uniform while trying to get back to Sherman whose army is besieging Atlanta. He is then sent to Charleston where a desperate escape is organized but the colonel in command loses his nerve, tells the Confederates and the prisoners never got the break out signal (though some prisoners on their own disarmed some guards - they prisoners had to return the guards' weapons). The colonel who betrayed his men was sent to another camp to keep from being mobbed.
While incarcerated he writes the song, Sherman's March to the Sea which became a hit in the camp. The lyrics, which are sung to the tune of Red, White and Blue, is smuggled out in the wooden leg of an officer who is exchanged and it becomes a hit in the North. Eventually Byers' is imprisoned in Colombia, SC where he and a friend gain access to the garrett (attic) and hide there while the rest of the prisoners are marched off to keep them from Sherman's approaching army. Liberated, he is invited to join Sherman's staff and is offered a captain's commission in the regular army (he declines because of health and he's sick of war). Sherman learnt that Byers penned the song that was popular in his army. Later Sherman appoints him as courier to bring messages to Grant and Lincoln. He takes a boat to meet Grant at City Point (Virginia) and declines meeting Lincoln the next day (he elected to go home). Postwar Byers' is appointed Ambassador to Switzerland and is visited by Grant.
It's the stuff that movies are made of. See if you can get it via inter-library loan. It is as good a read as Confederate John Worsham's One of Jackson's Foot Cavalry.
Byers' book is a good read. Enlisting as a private in an Iowa regiment, Byers' hard work earns him a promotion to quartermaster-sergeant. He is reluctant to accept the promotion because he prefers to see action. He only accepts when he is allowed to shoulder a musket. This earns him the respect of the men and officers. As we know, Porter's squadron sails past Vicksburg's guns and Byers is among the soldiers who volunteer to serve afloat. It's the first soldiers' account I have read of Porter's squadron running the gauntlet of fire. Back on land, he rejoins his regiment at Champion Hill serves as the sergeant major. Shortly afterward Byers is promoted to adjutant.
As part of Sherman's Army that attempts to lift the Siege of Chattanooga, he is captured at Tunnel Hill. Byers' is sent to various prisons and escapes to Atlanta where he is captured in Confederate uniform while trying to get back to Sherman whose army is besieging Atlanta. He is then sent to Charleston where a desperate escape is organized but the colonel in command loses his nerve, tells the Confederates and the prisoners never got the break out signal (though some prisoners on their own disarmed some guards - they prisoners had to return the guards' weapons). The colonel who betrayed his men was sent to another camp to keep from being mobbed.
While incarcerated he writes the song, Sherman's March to the Sea which became a hit in the camp. The lyrics, which are sung to the tune of Red, White and Blue, is smuggled out in the wooden leg of an officer who is exchanged and it becomes a hit in the North. Eventually Byers' is imprisoned in Colombia, SC where he and a friend gain access to the garrett (attic) and hide there while the rest of the prisoners are marched off to keep them from Sherman's approaching army. Liberated, he is invited to join Sherman's staff and is offered a captain's commission in the regular army (he declines because of health and he's sick of war). Sherman learnt that Byers penned the song that was popular in his army. Later Sherman appoints him as courier to bring messages to Grant and Lincoln. He takes a boat to meet Grant at City Point (Virginia) and declines meeting Lincoln the next day (he elected to go home). Postwar Byers' is appointed Ambassador to Switzerland and is visited by Grant.
It's the stuff that movies are made of. See if you can get it via inter-library loan. It is as good a read as Confederate John Worsham's One of Jackson's Foot Cavalry.
Bringing the