Alfred Ream
A sketch of Comrade Ream will be found on page 55 [see below]. This picture shows him as he was ready to start to war. In addition to his regulation outfit he was presented by the boys and girls, with revolvers, bowie knife, blacking brushes, needle box, writing paper, pens, pencils, pipe and tobacco, a bible, deck of cards, hose, shirts, handkerchiefs, etc. In the picture he looks like a walking arsenal, but in six months he got rid of most of them. Revolvers, bowie knives, etc., were the most useless things a soldier could carry when he had a musket. I do not remember how it was with Comrade Ream, but I remember one comrade of Company C that started with as much in his knapsack as Comrade Ream, but as it was rather shrunken one day on a march, I asked him what he had in it, and he responded: "A navy plug and history of the four kings." A great many soldiers on a march threw their knapsacks in a wagon and made a roll of their blankets and tied them so as to make a collar over one shoulder and under the arm on the other side. The picture shows the full armed soldier, that all will recognize as "Sergeant Al. Ream."
Born in Carlyle City, Ohio; enlisted when a young - man at Peru, in Company I, and was mustered out after three years of service as sergeant of the company, and is best known by his old comrades as "Sergeant Al. Ream. " After the war he went to railroading, firing on an engine for two years and then becoming an engineer. This he followed until 1873, when, as he says: "I went into the grocery business and am still doing business at the old stand, 28 East Main street, Peru, Indiana." He was a true soldier and a friend of his old comrades, attending the reunions, and is proud of the record of the old regiment. A picture taken at the time of his enlistment, will be found on another page." [see above]
New History of the 99th Indiana Infantry: Containing Official Reports, Anecdotes, Incidents, Biographies and Complete Rolls Daniel R. Lucas, Horner Printing Company, 1900