USA > Georgia > Jones County > History of Jones County, Georgia, for one hundred years, specifically 1807-1907 > Part 14
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Taken from "War of the Rebellion." Series I-Part II- Reports
Headquarters 4th Div. 15th Army Corps
In the Field near Clinton, Nov. 22, 1864
Will move tomorrow, the 23rd at five A.M. the Third Brig- ade advance, then 2nd, then 3rd Brig. bring up rear. The ad- vance and rear Brigades will each have one Regiment act as advance guards-move the First Pioneer Corps train ordinance and supply and last the ambulance train.
By order Brig. Gen. John M. Corse :
L. Carper, Asst. Adj. Gen.
Stoneman kept to the east of Ocmulgee at Clinton sending detachments off to east, which did a large amount of damage to the railroad and burning bridges over Walnut Creek and Oconee and with his main force appeared before Macon. He did not succeed in crossing the Ocmulgee at Macon, nor in ap- proaching Andersonville but retired back up toward Clinton. He
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seemed to have been hemmed in, gave consent for two-thirds of his force to escape while he, 700 men and light guns, stayed. One Brigade, Col. Adams came in almost intact. Col. Capron's crowd was surprised on the way back and many were captured and killed, others came in unarmed and afoot and Gen. George Stoneman and his men surrendered and are now prisoners in Macon. His mistake was in not making the concentration with Gen. McCook's and Garrards forces near Lovejoy-which as yet unexplained.
"War of Rebellion," Series I, Vol. XXXVIII Part I-Reports.
Hdq. Cavalry Command-
Griswold, Ga., Nov. 21, 1864
I struck Wheeler's Cavalry at Lovejoy Station and recap- tured two three in. rifled guns taken from Gen. Stoneman at Sunshine Church. Wheeler was supported by Ga. Militia under Gen. Cobb. We have destroyed at Griswold a pistol factory, a soap and candle factory, both large and valuable.
14th Cal. came through Hillsborough. Maj. Gen. Blair Com. 17th Art. General Hazen-camped four miles from Clinton Com. 2nd Div. Kept one Brig. at Clinton and marched to Ir- winton until relieved by 4th Div. Brig. Gen. Corse left for Gor- don. Hardee and Beauregard are both at Macon ... Corse came down from Hillsborough to Clinton. . .
Major Gen. P. Joseph Osterhaus Treak Whitehead, Asst. Adj. Gen.
J. Kilpatrick Brig. Gen. commanding at Griswoldville. 1st and 2nd Div. of Cav.
Wife of Confederate Warrior Nurses Federals, Turning Foes Into Friends
Near Round Oak in a large ante-bellum home lived the Hunts. Mr. Jesse Hunt was the brother of eight boys, and all of them fought in the War Between the States. The youngest Francis Marion Hunt was the youngest Captain in the Confederacy, age only sixteen. The others were William McKennie, Alexander Jenkins, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Pope, Henry Penn, Wilkins Wallace, and Jesse Middleton Hunt.
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Hunt House between Wayside and Round Oak built about 1820 by Thomas Hunt. (Courtesy of Miss Nan Hunt)
Three of them were Captains and two of them were color bearers, James Madison was killed in the Battle of Atlanta and Henry Penn was killed at Sharpsburg.
Mrs. Jesse Hunt was before her marriage, Miss Mary Eliza- beth Carver of Macon, a sister of Mrs. W. R. Rogers who was the mother of W. R. (Rock) Rogers of Macon. Of her five children were T. C. Hunt, Henry Hunt, Mrs. Hattie Hunt Creigh, Mrs. Annie Dell Miles, Emie H. Garland, all are dead. There are only three grandchildren, Miss Nan Hunt of Macon, daughter of Henry Hunt and Carver Hunt and Mrs. Wesley Teague, children of Tom Hunt.
In 1864, a troop of Ohio Cavalry consisting of 3000 men under the command of Gen. George Stoneman, was on the way to take Macon and to go on to Andersonville and release 30,000 prisoners there, but met with such resistance at Macon they turned back, met with resistance a few miles south of Clinton,
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came on up to Sunshine Church near Round Oak. Gen. Alfred Iverson with about 1300 men had formed a V and the Federals walked into it. The old hill is still called Stoneman's Hill, for it was here that Stoneman met his Waterloo. The Confederates were enfilading the Federals with shot and shell from every side, Stoneman's left flank gave way, he gave orders, to break out if they could, while he remained with 600 as a holding fight to give the others a chance to get away. Soon Stoneman ran up the white flag and surrendered his magnificient cavalry to the ragged band of Confederates.
This battle was fought about a mile and a half from the old Hunt home and about a half mile from Frank Haskell's home (F. B. Haskell), Mr. Haskell's wife was Mr. Jesse Hunt's sister. Mr. Hunt always said, he had seen the bullets on all sides of the Haskell house and that the Sunshine Church was simply riddled with bullets.
The Federal wounded were carried to the church and to the home of F. B. Haskell who gave over his whole house to them. There the Federals were tenderly nursed and cared for. Mrs. Jesse Hunt cared for the many wounded who were placed in Sunshine Church, and did all that she could to alleviate their pain and suffering. Each day she arose early, prepared delicacies for the sick and was driven to Sunshine Church and to her sis- ter's house, the Haskell's where she not only wrote letters home for them, and fed them, but changed dressings on the wounded.
In the possession of the Hunt family is a letter yellow with age written by the wounded men as they recovered and were carried to Macon to prison. It was an appeal to General Sher- man that none of the Hunt family or their property be molested when he should pass through.
The letter written in a fine slanting hand, reads,
"We, the undersigned members of General Stoneman's cav- alry command, Army of the Ohio, United States cannot permit the opportunity to pass (now that we are about to leave this place, in all probability not to meet again in this world), of ex- pressing our feelings to Mrs. Jesse Hunt for her many acts of kindness and sympathy to us during our stay at this hospital.
Though she may have suffered from us, she has forgotten
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everything in the natural feelings of a noble and generous dis- position, considering only how she could relieve our wants and alleviate our suffering, visiting us frequently, soothing our sor- rows by friendly words and bringing us delicacies for the sick and wounded. May our Father in Heaven who sees all things and knows the innermost secrets of our hearts, reward her bounti- fully. Though we may never have a chance to repay her kindness, the recollection of having done a good deed will be some comfort to her.
"We go to return perhaps in a short time to our several homes or it may be to linger in some loathesome prison camp; but wherever we are during the remaining portion of our lives, and in the prospective family circles, when peace shall have been restored to our dear land, the name of Mrs. Jesse Hunt will be remembered with feelings of fond recollections.
"We earnestly request that any of our troops who may here- after pass through the country will refrain from injuring her property in every respect. Adieu kind lady, may every blessing be thine is the sincere wish of, Yours respectfully : John T. Wil- kins, Asst. Adj., 1st Kentucky Cavalry; Lieut. Daniel Murphy, 1st Kentucky Cavalry; George W. Glosser, Co. B, 8th Michigan Cavalry ; Thomas W. Kelly, Co. K, 5th Indiana Cavalry ; Denny Donolson, Co. M, 14th Illinois Cavalry ; Andrew Cotron, Co. D, 1st Kentucky Cavalry; Sidney Tudey, Co. G, 1st Kentucky Cav- alry; B. F. Morris, Ohio Cavalry."
There were some who signed the letter who died from their wounds and were buried under the tall pines and oaks, and when Sherman's forces burned the church in November, 1864 these graves were discovered and the information given to the Med- ical Director of the Federal Army. This made such an impres- sion on him, that in his report to the General, he mentioned the kindness of the citizens to the wounded. So even now, where old Sunshine Church once stood, out under the trees somewhere are unmarked graves of many heroes.
"Under the sod and the dew, Awaiting the Judgment Day, Under the one the Blue, Under the other the Gray."
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Unfortunately when Sherman's Army passed through Jones County, later, Mrs. Hunt was not at home, and the troops were never shown the letter asking protection for the Hunt property, and all of it was destroyed, though the furniture was carried out, the house itself was not burned. (See picture, as it stands today. )
After years had gone by, peace declared and the folks in Jones County were starting from scratch to try to make a living, the Hunts along with the rest, in 1888, a letter came to Clinton to the Postmaster asking the whereabouts of Mrs. Jesse Hunt. The letter was signed by B. F. Morris, Shenandoah, Ohio. The ad- dress of the Hunts was sent and the letter below was received (now the letter is yellow, faded with most peculiar writing which makes it very difficult to read, because Morris' elbow on the right arm was shattered and he never had the use of that hand again, he had learned to write with the left hand).
Morris was the first man wounded at the Battle of Sunshine Church. Morris's letter says : "Twenty-five years ago, the last of this month, I was wounded by the first gun fired at the Battle of Sunshine Church and I was one of the wounded that was left at that little meeting house, for about two months. Your noble- hearted wife, was so faithful in her labors of visiting us and ministering to our wants while we were there. The aid she gave us and her presence there made an impression on my mind that will never be forgotten and ever since I reached home, while talking of my prison life, I always speak of Mrs. Jesse Hunt. I often tell my wife and children about you. There are many things I would like to ask about folks around there and especially those who helped in our need. I should like to know if the little meeting house is still standing." That is all that's left of the letter.
A newspaper was sent to Mr. Hunt with the two letters pub- lished in it called "The Shelby News," Shelby, Ohio, August 14, 1889, and in the letter column we find the reply of Mr. Jesse Hunt.
"You fought for what you thought was right, I did the same, the war is over, peace has blessed our land. We are in the Union and we both live under the same flag and I am willing to defend
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it as you did 25 years ago. We are one people and one govern- ment; you are the old North and am the new South. The church you stayed in for two months was burned to the ground by Gen. Sherman's Army. Within twenty steps of the place where the little meeting house stood is a railroad. You ask if our property was protected, no not in the least. Everything was destroyed except the dwelling-stock of all kinds, everything in the house and 40 bales of cotton burned, even our furniture was destroyed. My wife was not at home and could not present your kind re- quest, asking for protection of our property."
Several letters were exchanged between the two, and a little later Mr. Morris and his wife and daughter came and spent two weeks visiting the Haskells and the Hunts. Morris walked into the Haskell's home and into the room where he had been wound- ed 25 years before, he could hardly hold back the tears, when he thought of the pain and hopelessness that was in his heart, as he looked over the spot where he lay in bed, there were his ini- tials carved on the wall where he had put them.
In 1890 Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hunt were invited by the Morris but Mrs. Hunt could not go, so Mr. Hunt went alone. While he was there he was the guest of honor at the Federal re-union of the Sherman Brigade. He not only was there but made a 30- minute speech. It is said when Jesse Hunt got to speak he picked up a silver fork, looked it over carefully and said, "I was just seeing if this was my wife's silver the Yankees carried off."
Morris wrote to Mrs. Hunt saying, "Dear Mrs. Hunt : 'My wife and I returned home today from the reunion of the Sher- man Brigade at Mansfield, Ohio, and I hasten to inform you that Mr. Hunt captured the whole brigade. We gave him a place on the speaker's platform, by the side of Senator John Sherman, of this state, Mr. Hunt addressed an audience composed of more than 1000 intelligent men and women, for more than 30 minutes. He was greeted with cheer upon cheer and spontaneous bursts of applause. So much so, that Hon. Sherman had to quiet the multi- tude and he declared that he had listened to many fine speeches in the house of Congress, but Mr. Hunt's speech was the finest he had ever heard.
"Mr. Sherman gave him a cordial invitation to visit him at his
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elegant mansion, which he has done, today. When the speaking was over the people pressed upon him, from all sides eager to press his hand. We had to take him from the stand so that all could shake his hand as they passed by, going out of the amphi- theater. Your presence only was needed, to have made you the center of the crown of rejoicing."
After this, several Northern men brought their families to Jones county, purchased farms and took up their residence here. Among them was W. F. Gladden, who had fought in the Battle of Sunshine Church. Thirty-one years after the battle, he acted as a pallbearer at the funeral of Mrs. Jesse Hunt, who had been a friend to him as a soldier. John T. Creigh from Ohio whom Jesse Hunt had met on his trip to Ohio, came down and fell in love with Jesse Hunt's daughter Hattie, married her and lived at Round Oak the rest of his life. They prospered, were fine citizens and were members of the Round Oak Methodist church. They had no children, and now rest in the Hunt lot, at the cem- etery here, at Round Oak.
UNWRITTEN HISTORY-FROM THE JONES COUNTY NEWS, JULY 23, 1908 By S. H. Griswold
A battle fought in Jones County but never recorded
Just one mile below Griswoldville was old 18 station on the Central railroad. This was exactly 10 miles from Macon and 10 miles from Gordon.
Across an open field one-half mile away, upon a hill stood the house of Mr. Duncan, who once owned the lands around this station, but when Mr. Sam Griswold moved his gin shop from Clinton to Giswoldville the railroad 'moved the station to that place and Mr. Duncan sold his lands to Mr. Griswold and moved to Macon County. No one occupied this house-its fields were allowed to grow up in hedge and bushes.
When Sherman's army came through Georgia Gen. Howell Cobb, by order from General Smith commander of the Georgia Militia (the former was in command of Macon), sent Gen. Philips with a brigade of militia to Griswoldville to make a
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demonstration against Sherman's columns so as to draw them from Macon. Upon the approach of this brigade General Kil- patrick, commanding the cavalry, Davidson of Sherman's army, who had occupied and destroyed Griswoldville, withdrew from that place to the ridge of the Duncan farm and formed line of battle. Dismounting his men and using them as infantry to man the temporary breastworks made of rails, etc., his left flank was protected by Big Sandy Creek Swamp and rested on it; not far from where Reynold's mill now is and his right by the Central rail embankment a fourth of a mile below the old 17 station- this ridge extending from the one to the other and along its edge he made his breastworks, stationing his battery of several guns at its top and immediately in the Duncan house yard. This posi- tion gave them a perfect view and sweep of the old field which fronted it and over which the militia would have to pass if they attacked him.
There were more than 100 acres in this old field and it was bare of any trees or things that might be used to hide or protect a body of troops and it was nearly one-half mile from a small branch which was some 40 yards from the works and at the foot of the hill upon which the Yankees were stationed to the old station and the woods from which the militia must start if they attacked. This branch had a swamp some 20 yards wide and was full of gallberry, box tree briars and other piney woods growth. This branch and swamp ran at the foot of the hill and parallel with the Yankee line all the way. The old field lay comparatively level, sloping gradually from the station down to this branch.
General Philips, with his brigade of militia, marched from Griswoldville down the railroad to old 18 station, then he formed line of battle, his left resting on the railroad at the old station, his right extending down the edge of the woods in the direction of Big Sandy Creek.
A section of Anderson battery of the Confederate army of Tennessee commanded by our own Henry Greaves, who was its first Lieutenant was stationed at the station and in front of the enemy's line, the line being formed in the edge of the woods, was ordered to charge across this old field and to drive the enemy from their position.
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No braver troops ever made a charge than did this brigade which was composed mostly of old men and boys. Led by their officers they left the cover of the woods on the double quick, with a yell and with fixed bayonets, they made for enemy, who with repeating carbines and several cannon made sad havoc of these brave men as they charged across this old field. Hundreds were shot down, many were killed, yet they bravely went forward, but no valor of effort of as few men as were there could avail them, some of them succeeded in getting to the breastworks of the enemy on the hill beyond the branch, but the most of those who were killed, or wounded stopped in the swamp of the little branch where they could find some protection and cover.
The Yankees simply kept them off and so great was the slaugh- ter of the militia men by the enemy that they told some citizens after the fight that they actually got sorry for those brave fel- lows and would not shoot them. They said that they knew that they must be militia as no old veterans would have made a fight like that.
The artillery did fearful damage with its grape and canister, as these men charged across this old field. Our guns under Lieut. Greaves were well handled, did considerable execution amongst the enemy. One shell from his gun killed several horses and men, disabling one gun in the yard at the Duncan house.
This fight was in the flank of Sherman's march, one mile from it ran the Clinton and Irwinton road and on the road was one corps of his army which upon hearing the fight at old 18 formed line of battle at Mountain Spring, dug temporary breastworks through the cemetery there, but as soon as they found out that the Confederates had been checked by the cavalry they resumed their march towards Irwinton, the others retired to Griswold- ville and then to Macon.
Although this fight was made by a brigade of Confederate militia infantry against Kilpatrick's Cavalry Division of the Federal army yet no mention is made of it in the histories. It was a very bloody fight and I have been informed by Julius Brown of Atlanta, that these statistics show more casualties than any other fight of the war in proportion to the men engaged. Mr. Brown is a son of Gov. Joseph E. Brown, who was then
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Governor and commander-in-chief of the state militia and this was a brigade of his troops, hence his interest in searching for the statistics.
It was a very bloody fight by one brigade of militia. They were from all over Georgia and many a good man laid down his life for his country in a very useless fight. Col. Redding was killed here. Wm. Jolly, of your county was killed and several wounded. I know that an experienced commander would never have led his men into such a charge upon a mere order to make a demonstration and so unnecessary was it that even the enemy remarked that they knew it was raw troops they were fighting as you could not have gotten seasoned ones to have made such a fight. I don't know who was to blame, but it was a great mistake and error. I was not in this battle but I lived at Griswoldville and knew every inch of the ground over which it was fought as I had shot doves, partridges, hunted rabbits in the old fields and on the branches until it was as familiar to me as household words. Capt. Robt. H. Barron commanded a company which was from Jones County in this fight. (Battle Nov. 22, 1864. )
Pistol manufactured at Griswoldville for the Confederacy by Griswold and Grier. By courtesy of the Confederate Museum at Richmond and Col. Gordon Green.
Battle of Griswoldville
There is no record that I can find of the many Confederates killed in this Battle of Griswoldville, but there were many from
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Jones, as well as Wilkinson, Twiggs and surrounding counties. From Monroe County I find William A. Redding and his brother James M. Redding sons of Capt. Dan S. Redding and Maria Searcy Redding, both killed at this battle at Griswoldville.
In "The History of Wilkinson Co.," by Victor Davidson, he says, "There was not a bush or a cornstalk left on that hill and many of these boys were from Wilkinson County. Henry Mercer was the first one wounded, Capt. A. A. Beall seized his gun and fought the enemy. The size of the engagement was small but it could justly compare with Pickett's charge at Gettysburg in the bravery shown by the militia companies. There was mourning in many homes that night for the boys and old men who nobly but vainly died that others might be spared. It was madness to fight against so great odds but those boys felt that their homes and loved ones were depending upon what they did that day. If that battle could be won, many homes and towns would be saved from the torch and insults of the bluecoat army."
The Sam Griswold Gin Works which had been making about 900 gins a year was leased to the Confederate government in 1862 at Griswoldville. This cotton gin factory was converted into a pistol factory. This factory made 3,600 cap and ball re- volvers, calibre with rifled barrels and shaped like Colt's re- volvers. The frames were of brass which they could cast and work more easily. The cylinders were made of iron twisted to make it stronger. Most of this metal was salvaged from things in the county as the Federal blockade had shut off imports.
In Nov. 1864 Sherman's forces saw that this entire works was leveled to the ground, only the smokestacks remained standing. The Yankees took all of the pistols that were around, and at that time, they were the best ones made.
Diary of E. P. Burton, Surgeon 7th Reg.
Illinois, 3rd Brigade 2nd Div. 16 A.C. Page 42.
Nov. 21, 1864-Monday. Camped near Hillsboro, town was burned. This day I went into one planter's house, found him at home and very frightened. He felt worse to see his property all leaving him.
Nov. 22, 1864-Tuesday. Had breakfast-ground frozen- I slept cold last night. Went down the road four miles, we passed
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the place where Gen. Stoneman surrendered last summer. (Sun- shine Church.) A widow woman in a pretty white house nearby is said to have taken care of some wounded. Passed but a few plantations today, land cleared off but much of it worn out and turned out to grow up. Went 9 miles very slowly and camped at 10 o'clock. Ground frozen-snow this A.M. blew off cold.
Nov. 23, Wed. A.M. Very cold-passed Clinton out 2 miles, hindered terribly by mud, lost a man (taken prisoner). We got in camp at 10:30 at night, wagon train did not get in until 2 A.M. Much of Clinton is burned-passed within 10 miles of Macon today. The rebs are hanging on our flanks today.
Nov. 24-Thurs .- Burned all of the houses in Gordon except one-the 2nd Div. had a sharp little fight with the rebs near here yesterday, repulsed them with great losses. (This must have been at Griswoldville.)
Nov. 25-Friday-Passed Irwinton-and burned the town, much cotton. This is sandy land, lots of timber of pine, the coun- ty site of Wilkinson Co. sits on a barren hill. 12th Ill .- 1st and 2nd Brigades-All along we loaded up and carried off every- thing that was eatable for men or beast and then burned what was left.
From War of the Rebellion-Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies-Serial No. 99-page 97-Letter 13 Reports of Brig. Gen. Chas, R. Woods, U. S. Army, commanding 1 st Div.
Hdqrs. First Div., 15th Army Corps, Massey's Farm, Ga., Nov. 23, 1864.
Captain : I have the honor to report that the affair of yester- day at Duncan's Farm near Griswold, was of greater magnitude than was at first supposed.
Early in the morning of the 22nd Nov. I received orders from Major Gen. P. J. Osterhaus, commanding 15th Army Corps, to take up a strong defensive position, near the church, and with one Brigade to make a demonstration in the direction of Macon. I selected the Second Brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. C. C. Walcutt, composed of the following Regiments : Fortieth Illinois Infantry, Lt. Col. H. W. Hall commanding 206 enlisted men;
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46th Ohio Inf., Lt. Col. I. N. Alexander commanding 218 en- listed men; 103rd Illinois Inf. Maj. A. Willison commanding 219 enlisted men; 6th Iowa Infantry, Maj. W. H. Clune, com- manding 177 enlisted men; 97th Indiana Inf., Col. R. F. Catter- son commanding, 366 enlisted men; 100th Indiana Inf. Maj. R. M. Johnson commanding 327 enlisted men; total present for duty 1,513 ; and one section of Battery B, First Michigan, Capt. Arndt commanding. About the time I started, the pickets of Brig. Gen. J. Kilpatrick were driven in by a superior force of the enemy. Gen. Walcott moved forward about 21/2 miles on the Griswold road, with a heavy line of skirmishers, which drove everything in front of them to a point beyond Griswold. The forces met on this reconnaissance were a part of Wheeler's Cavalry. I, then, by the direction of General Osterhaus, drew Gen. Walcutt's Brigade back to a strong position on the Duncan Farm, and posted it in the edge of the woods, with open fields in front, the flanks resting near a swamp impassible except at one or two points, and directed temporary works of rails and logs to be thrown up. About two o'clock the enemy attacked with Infantry (militia), three lines deep and numbering about 5,000, four pieces of artillery (12-pounder Napoleons) and two Bri- gades of Wheeler's Cavalry in reserve. The enemy moved across the open fields in three compact lines and gained a ravine within 75 yds. of our works, from there they made three assaults, but met each time with a bloody repulse. The fight continued until sundown, when they retired leaving their dead and wounded on the field. Shortly after dark the Brigade was withdrawn to the po- sition near the church. About the middle of the engagement Brig. Gen. C. C. Walcutt was wounded severely in the leg; he retired from the field and Col. R. F. Catterson, 97th Indiana Inf.ras- sumed command of the Brigade. He showed marked ability in the manner in which he handled the troops. Shortly after the engagement opened the section of the Battery was withdrawn on account of the severe fire from the enemy's lines, then within 100 yards of our position, and very destructive to the men and horses of the battery. About 4 o'clock I sent Major Baldwin, 12th Ind. Inf! 1st Brigade to report his Regiment to Col. Catterson who put him on the right of his lines to prevent the enemy from
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