atter place, since leaving Fort Snelling in
August, as a regiment of the expeditionary brigade, about 350 miles.
The campaign being terminated, the companies departed to their various
assigned winter stations,--Companies A, B, G, H, and K for Fort
Snelling; D for Forest City; E for Hutchinson, McLeod county; and C, F,
and I for Glencoe. Lieutenant Holl was detailed as quartermaster and
commissary for the company during its separation from the regiment.
On the 18th of November we left St. Peter with Companies C, D, and F:
four miles beyond New Auburn parted with C and F, and with D at
Hutchinson, where we arrived on the 20th. This place was already
garrisoned by Company B of the Ninth Regiment, quartered in good log
houses, but there was no accommodation for the newly-arrived company,
and fatigue parties had at once to be set to work cutting and hauling
logs for building. The season, however, being too far advanced, the
work was abandoned, permission having been obtained to hire quarters at
Kingston instead. On the 24th Dreis died of diphtheria. He was buried
in the village burial-grounds near by. Seven men had to be left at
Hutchinson on departure,--five sick and two as nurses.
On the 28th we left for Kingston, traveling by the way of Greenleaf,
Round Lake, and Forest City, and reaching destination the next day. An
old frame store near the mill on the west bank of the Crow River was
used for barrack purposes, and by the erection of a log kitchen and
bake house, with some other improvements, served the purpose very well.
Duties were light, provisions good and ample in quantity, and the time
passed pleasantly enough. A system of furloughs was inaugurated, and
every man had the privilege of fifteen days' leave of absence. After
the departure of Fischer, Koenig had to cook alone, and when he went on
furlough, December 16th, Gantner and Rossion conducted the kitchen in
the interim. Sergeant Burch left on furlough on the 16th, but being
detailed in St. Paul at District Headquarters he did not return to the
company at the expiration of his leave of absence; also Griebler, who
did not return to Kingston either. Sergeant Scheer was reduced to the
ranks at his own request on the 20th, and on the same day Corporal
Burch was, by company order, promoted to fifth sergeant; also privates
Neierburg and Eheim were appointed, respectively, seventh and eighth
corporals, on the 4th of January, 1863, to fill vacancies, the enlisted
men h
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