| The following was written by W.W. Calkins who served as an officer in Company E, 104th Illinois: "This company was recruited at Ottawa, IL between the 7th and 15th of August, 1862 by John S.H. Doty, W.W. Calkins and others. The original enlistment paper contained the names of 113 men who intended to serve their country. One hundred and one were mustered into the service of the United States August 27th, 1862. The company was made up of men from Ottawa, South Ottawa and the surrounding townships. Seventy-three had been farmers who proposed to turn their ploughsares into swords. The professions were represented by two, and trades by the rest. The company was a representative one of the best American soldiers physically and mentally. At least twenty of them would have made fine officers. An old muster-roll states the average height of the one hundred and one to be five feet nine inches; the average age twenty-five years. Thirty-two were married; sixty-three unmarried. When the ranks were full and overflowing the company was organized. John S.H. Doty was elected Captain, Milton Strawn First Lieutenant, Ransom P. Dewey Second Lieutenant, William W. Calkins was appointed First Sergeant. The company was duly incorporated in the One Hundred and Fourth as "E" and was known as the Color Company, carrying the regimental flag, in battle a post of honor and danger. That Company E served as a fair target for the enemy, was well proven on many bloody fields afterwards. Having been duly mustered into the service and having enjoyed a few days of camp life at Ottawa, the order to march came and Company E left for the front at Louisville. There, after some delay, clothing and arms were issued and in the intervals of moving camp or marching, the men were drilled regularly every day from four to six hours. But Bragg was then rapidly approaching Louisville and the One Hundred and Fourth took up very soon that long line of marches, campaigns, and battles, ending only at Bentonville, on the other side of the continent. With the Regiment Company E marched in pursuit of Bragg to Frankfort, thence to Bowling Green, KY, and from there to Tompkinsville and Harsville, Tenn. At the latter place December 7th, 1862, Company E made its first bloody sacrifice. Nine were killed or mortally wounded including Lieutenant Milton Strawn and fifteen other were wounded seriously or slightly. Some of these had to be discharged. In the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns Company E was ever found in the line of duty and gave other lives to the cause. At Chickamauga Seward, carrying the battle flag, fell mortally wounded. At Mission Ridge the brave William A. Kain fell, and in the Atlanta campaign the company lost many brave men including the chivalrous Captain Doty, killed at Peachtree Creek. The ranks had thinned day by day from battle and disease, but the remnant under the iron-nerved Dewey, promoted Captain July 20th, 1864 marched on to share with Sherman the triumph of Atlanta, the pursuit of Hood, and the final campaigns to Savannha and through the Carolinas, ending with Bentonville. The record of Company E is a part of that of the One Hundred and Fourth, whose fame it helped to make. The company had during its term of service forty-seven men killed and wounded; of this number twenty were killed or mortally wounded, exceeding by three the death loss by battle of any other company. There were no resignations in this company." |