10th Illinois Cavalry
My 2-G-Grandfather, Aaron V. Matthews, served in the 10th IL Cav Reg, Co L.  He was
from Christian County, Illinois.  After the war, he migrated to Taney County, Missouri,
where he lived out his life.  His daughter, Susan, married Samuel Lafayette Jackson in
Bradleyville, Taney County, Missouri.  They later moved west to Denton County, Texas.
National Flag of the 10th Illinois Cavalry
The Cavalry Charge
by
Francis A. Durivage

With bray of the trumpet and roll of the drum,
And keen ring of bugle, the cavalry come.
Sharp clank the steel scabbards, the bridle-chains ring,
And foam from red nostrils the wild chargers fling.

Tramp! Tramp! O'er the greensward that quivers below,
Scarce held by the curb-bit the fierce horses go!
And the grim-visaged colonel, with ear-rending shout,
Peals forth to the squadrons the order "Trot out!"

One hand on the sabre, and one on the rein,
The troopers move forward in line on the plain.
As rings the word "Gallop!" the steel scabbards clank.
And each rowel is pressed to a horse's hot flank;
And swift is their rush as the wild torrent's flow,
When it pours from the craig on the valley below.

"Charge!" thunders the leader; like shaft from the bow
Each mad horse is hurled on the wavering foe.
A thousand bright sabres are gleaming in air;
A thousand dark horses are dashed on the square.

Resistless and reckless of aught may betide,
Like demons, not mortals, the wild troopers ride.
Cut right! and cut left! for the parry who needs?
The bayonets shiver like wind-shattered reeds.
Vain, vain the red volley that bursts from the square,
The random-shot bullets are wasted in air.
Triumphant, remorseless, unerring as death,
No sabre that's stainless returns to its sheath.

The wounds that are dealt by that murderous steel
Will never yield case for the surgeon to heal.
Hurrah! they are broken, hurrah! boys, they fly,
None linger save those who but linger to die.
From "History of Christian County, Illinois" by Henry L. Fowkes, pub. 1918

Company L:  James C. McGinnis, sergeant, re-enlisted as veteran; Francis McGinnis,
corporal, re-enlisted as veteran; George B. Connor, private, veteran; William H. Hill,
private, veteran; Miller Kelley, private, mustered out December 30, 1864; Aaron V.
Matthews, private, mustered out December 30, 1864; Floyd Peters, private, died at
Marshfield, MO, in October, 1862; Jefferson S. Smith, re-enlisted as veteran; Lorenzo
J. Van Winkle, private, re-enlisted as veteran.

Veterans:  James McGinnis, promoted second lieutenant, Company L; Francis M.
McGinnis, transferred Company B, veterans, mustered out November 22, 1865;
Aaron B. Shick, transferred to Company I, veterans, mustered out November 22,
1865; George B. Connor, private, transferred to Company F, veterans; William
Matthews transferred to Company H; John Rice transferred to Company H, veterans,
mustered out November 22, 1865; Jefferson L. Smith, transferred to Company H,
mustered out November 22, 1865; Lorenzo J. Van Winkle, transferred to Company H,
mustered out November 22, 1865; Samuel Bunstein, transferred to Company D,
mustered out November 22, 1865; Horatio M. Davis, recruit, transferred to Company
D; George W. Feugett, recruit, re-enlisted as veteran; George W. Ford, transferred
to Company D, mustered out November 22, 1865; Egbert A. Ford, transferred to
Company D, mustered out November 22, 1865; Henry Hinton, recruit, deserted;
Stephen A. Hunsley, recruit, transferred to Company D; Jesse Langley, recruit,
mustered out December 30, 1864; William Matthews, recruit, re-enlisted as veteran;
John Rice, recruit, re-enlisted as veteran; William Smith transferred to Company F.
veterans, mustered out November 22, 1865; James M. Taylor, transferred to
Company F, veterans, discharged March 29, 1865, disability; John White, transferred
to Company F, mustered out November 22, 1865.
Regimental Flag of the 10th Illinois Cavalry
Cavalry Crossing at a Ford
by
Walt Whitman

A line in long array, where they wind betwixt green islands,
They take a serpentine course, their arms flash in the sun, hark to the musical clank,
Behold the silvery river, in it the splashing horses, loitering, stop to drink,
Some emerge on the opposite bank, others are just entering the ford, while
Scarlet and blue and snowy white,
The guidon flags flutter gayly in the wind.
Read:  Histories of Illinois Civil War Regiments and Units
From: "Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, 1902"