USA > Illinois > Will County > Fifteen years ago; or, The patriotism of Will County, designed to preserve the names and memory of Will County soldiers, both officers and privates - both living and dead: to tell something of what they did, and of what they suffered, in the great struggle to preserve our nationality > Part 19
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"May 30th, companies H and K, detailed as skirmishers. One man killed and four or five wounded. Our regiment was relieved at dark by the 39th Ohio, and we went back to our old ravine and to bed. Lt. Meeker, of Co. K, was wounded through the arms. The enemy made an advance on the line about nine, but fell back again.
" May 31st, Lt. Meeker and Captain Logan, go back to Kings- ton this morning. Companies F and A detailed for skirmish line. The enemy closed down on us in the night. Some pretty sharp fun. June 1st, our forces during the night moved to the left, leaving us to protect the rear, a very disagreeable job, as the enemy closed down on us when they found we were leaving. We fell back over hill and dale in skirmishing order. Our company was the nearest giving out of any time since their enlistment. Having been all night without sleep, the fighting and the excitement of the march made it tough. Moved about four miles and camped, and im- proved the time in sleep.
"June 2d, lay in camp all day. It rained hard for a couple of hours. June 3d, five companies ordered to Kingston as train guard. The rest moved about a mile to the left across Pumpkin
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Vine Creek, camped and commenced throwing up intrench ments, but next morning, June 4th, received orders to move again. Rather trying to our patience as it was raining hard. Moved a mile or two and stopped again. Skirmish firing pretty sharp on our left. A change has just been made by our forces apparently successful. We are ordered to intrench again. Commenced, but were soon ordered to suspend. Rained again during the night. Zuell and I have a purp tent and slept well.
" June 5th, ordered to move again this morning. Rebs said to be falling back. We advanced nearly three miles to the enemy's works, and found them deserted. They were very strong and well constructed. The work is said to be done by the negroes, who are said to be as numerous as the rebs. Their right flank was turned by Stoneman's cavalry, and the 17th army corps passing Altoona Gap, and they had to leave. Returned to camp, got dinner and moved again towards the railroad. After going six miles stopped for the night. June 6th, started forward about 8 a. m., going some eight miles, slowly, being hindered by the wagon train. Camped about four at the town of Ackworth, a station on the railroad.
"June 7th, lay in camp with the expectation of a few days' rest. June 8th, ordered to be ready to march on the 9th, a decisive battle expected in a few days. June 9th lay in camp all day ex- pecting to move. Our teams have been sent for forage, cloth- ing, etc. Hear that the 17th army corps has arrived. The 15th and 16th army corps is now commanded by General McPher- son, the right of the grand army.
" June 10th, marching orders, we are to follow the 15th army corps. Frequent showers. Captain Reynolds is sick. Moved into town just before night, and halted until 10 o'clock, then marched about five miles on a very dangerous road, rough and muddy. Camped about 1:30 and went to bed. Showers again. Moved in the afternoon two and a half miles down the railroad, theskirmishers are engaged. Halted awhile, rained very hard. The name of the station is Big Shanty. We began intrenching after dark, made a log work. Col. Morrill went down on the skirmish line, and tried his hand at shooting. He shot one of the enemy with a Henry rifle as was seen by the glass. But he came near pay-
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ing dearly for his rashness, as a bullet grazed his abdomen leaving blue mark.
"June 12, companies B and G on the skirmish line-rain all the time. D and I sent out to relieve them. June 13th, companies H and C sent out. Regiment ordered in line of battle at day- light. The enemy have apparently left Hooker's and Howard's front-our right, (lost mountain), and are either massing their forces at Kenesaw on our left, or are evacuating. Rain still pour- ing down. Captain Reynolds is quite sick. Scorpions are quite plenty in this section, just caught one at the door of my shanty. They have a disagreeable habit of creeping into a person's pants. " June 16th, lay in camp all day. Was stung by a scorpion, applied ammonia, and felt no serious results. Ordered out on the skirmish line at night, expected a warm time as the lines were to be advanced. Moved our pits about forty rods to the front, but were not fired upon. We were supported by six companies. Guess the rebels got sick of the place as they left in disgust, as the 14th Ohio battery knocked their rail piles skyward. Some of the inmates too, appeared to make desperate leaps in the same direc- tion. One of their officers appeared to be furious by the way he waved his sword, but a shell soon quieted him. Their signal lights were in operation during the night on the summit of Kenesaw mountain. Our signal officers can read their signs. One of their messages read that Lt. General Polk had been killed in our front by a solid shot through the arms and abdomen.
" June 15th we were relieved at daylight by two other compa- nies. Towards noon we were ordered out to support our skir- mishers, as they were to advance. Did so, captured eight or ten prisoners. One of them told that five hundred men were captured in front of the 15th and 16th army corps. Some of them came in with a white rag. Bullets circulated pretty freely, but only one of our regiment wounded, in Co. D. One of Co. D shot a reb, wounding him in the back and found that he was from Pulaski, and that one of our recruits in Co. D. sparked his sister last win- ter." (A very affecting incident !)
" Our company laid in a ditch supporting our skirmishers all night. Pioneers commenced putting up a fort, when the enemy opened fire on our line, causing a lively stampede among the pio-
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neers and negroes. The darkies got into the ditches before us, in some places three or four feet deep. Bullets came over by the basket full. Col. Manning was hit on his pistol. It was a hard fight and our second night without sleep.
"June 16th, the regiment was relieved this morning. Other regiments moved out into the new works constructed during the night. The enemy appear to have their principal signal station on top of Kenesaw, about three and a half miles distant. With a good glass groups of ladies have been observed several times on its summit taking a look at the detestable yankees. Our rations are brought to us, and we lay down in the ditch at night ; I tried to make up lost time in sleeping. We were disturbed but once dur- ing the night, and then the firing did not last long.' The pickets commenced talking with each other, asking all sorts of impudent questions. Our officers finally put a stop to it. June 17th, firing commenced at daylight ; our regiment relieved the 27th and 39th Ohio on the front line at 4 p. m. The first division had a poor place, as the enemy's fire enfiladed their works. We had to throw up traverses to protect ourselves. At dark firing ceases and talk- ing commences. Came near coaxing over one of the rebs. They belonged to the 20th Alabama, and had friends in our regiment, and in the Alabama cavalry. At 10 o'clock they relieve guards, then we usually have a small skrimmage. At daylight it began to rain, and rained all day. We got only one and a half hours sleep. Our ditches filled with water, and we had to occupy our cross work until we could drain them. Our situation was too uncom- fortable for description. It ought to be illustrated in Harper. We could not stand up for the bullets, and we could not lie down for the water. The firing was very sharp. I had two pretty close calls. It was dangerous to put a head above the works. We were warned at night that an attack was expected during the night, or that they intended to evacuate.
" During the night, as I and one of the boys were lying in the orchard outside the works, we heard an old recall signal of the guns, and immediately after, signal whistles to the right and left, on their skirmish lines. Waked up the company, and waited for ' what next.' Did not sleep a wink during the night. It rained a little ; no alarm. Morning came at last. We fired a few shot
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into their rifle pens, without eliciting any reply. Neither could any be obtained along the lines. Reported to the colonel that I thought the Johnnies had absconded. He told me to take two groups and reconnoitre. Took one from Co. F, and one from Co. A, and stole out and examined some sixty or more of their pits, but nary reb could we find. Went back and reported. The first division was ordered to fall in, in skirmish order, and examine the main line of works. We found them evacuated. We halted to get breakfast. Other troops moved on to search for the enemy. He soon opened on them from the mountain. At noon skirmish- ing was going on with heavy cannonading. Our generals are on the lookout for some trap, and move very cautiously. At 3 p. m. moved ahead again, beyond the main line of rebel intrenchments, and halted for the night. Our corps are crowded out of the front line, and are now in reserve.
" June 20, skirmishing on the front line as soon as light. It is very difficult to find out the true state of affairs. Our forces appear to be much concentrated and investing the mountain, The enemy occasionally opens a battery on us from the mountain, but is soon silenced. Heavy cannonading toward night. Heavy fight- ing about ten at night. Rainy. Some twenty-eight prisoners came in that I saw ; seventeen of the number were officers. June 21st, rainy and but little firing. Fell in during the afternoon, and moved one and a half miles nearer the mountain. After a good bit of moving and changes of base, stopped for the night, and had just gone to roost, when a fatigue detail came for two compa- nies. A and E turned out. Had some one hundred yards of fortifications to put up. Finished, and returned to camp at day- light. The soil was hard to work, being stony and full of roots. The rebel trains were within a mile of our front. They seem to have chosen this as their final standpoint. They opened on us this morning with several batteries from the top of the mountain.
"June 23d, skirmishing as usual. Heavy cannonading in our front. Shot and shell pass over us by the wholesale. The regi- ment moved down nearer the mountain into intrenchments. Sev- eral shell dropped where we had just moved from. Skirmishers have advanced one-fourth of the way up the mountain. Compa- nies Dand E exchanged coffee for tobacco with the rebel skirmish-
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ers last night. Heavy fighting on our right. A shell struck to-day between two men of Co. K as they were asleep, but did no harm.
" June 24th. All quiet on the lines. Our artillery are firing, but get no reply. Think they are hanging out a bait for us to charge the mountain. At two, received orders to fall in, for the purpose of charging old Kenesaw. The boys seemed cheerful and disposed to make the attempt, although it looked as if we could not get up, even if there were no enemy to dispute the attempt. After wasting an hour or more, we were told to take off our traps. again, as it had been abandoned for the present. A masked bat- tery has been discovered on the mountain side.
" June 25th. One of Co. E wounded in the shoulder. One more of the same company wounded, and one killed. Weather very hot, and much sickness. The majority of the officers are complaining. Some of the troops moving to the right. Our regi- ment relieved on the skirmish line. June 26th, Sunday. Not much firing on the skirmish line. Had a sermon from a chaplain on the front line. It was calculated to make an impression, as a thunder storm was rising at the time. The flashes of lightning, the thunder, the darkness, and the constant skirmishing, all com- bined to make the scene very impressive.
"June 27th. A memorable day ! We were awakened at 2 a. m., by the adjutant, packed our knapsacks, fell into line, and moved toward the formidable mountain. It was understood that we had to take it-or at least to make the attempt. We made the attempt, with our regiment as two lines of skirmishers, and got part way up the hill. But the enemy was too strong in force and position for us to effect anything more."
The 64th contributed its full share to the fearful holacaust of the 27th of June, 1864. Its total loss of officers and men, killed and wounded, was fifty-seven. The adjutant of the regiment was. killed.
" Among the severely wounded in this charge of the 27th was James Stoneking, of Co. F, who had his arm amputated close to his shoulder. He was a boy of only nineteen years, but the pluck- iest of the plucky. The next day after the amputation, an officer of his company went to the hospital to see how he was getting
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along, but he was not there. He had got some one to tie a pail around his neck, and had gone blackberrying.
" June 28th. Firing as usual. Some charging done toward noon. June 29th, about the same. June 30th, General Dodge tendered his thanks to the regiment for its gallant conduct on the 26th, and general good conduct during the campaign.
"July 1st. Reinforcements are reported coming up. Troops were moving last night. Some strategic movement is in contem- plation. The wounded are sent north on furlough to-day. In the evening we had the heaviest cannonading by our guns I ever heard. Some forty or fifty pieces seemed to be discharged at once. At 3 a. m. of the 2d, the cannonading was resumed, and the skir- mishers advanced somewhat. Seven hundred deserters are reported to have come in during the night. In the evening orders came in for companies F and A to relieve the 18th Mo. on the skirmish line, with instructions to hold the enemy in check while our forces moved to the right. Some pretty sharp firing. Our artillery commenced moving, which could be plainly heard by the enemy. We began to suspect that they were evacuating the mountain. At daylight went up the mountain, and had my suspicions confirmed. The Johnnies were gone, except some who were tired of fighting and remained behind. From the summit there is a splendid view of the surrounding country. We found six of our regiment dead on the mountain, who were killed on June 27th, still unburied. The bodies were much decomposed. We gave them a soldier's burial on old Kenesaw. The colors of the 64th were the first planted on the rebel works."
General Sherman, in his recent work, says in reference to this evacuation of Kenesaw : " McPherson drew out his lines during the night of July 2d, leaving Garrard's cavalry dismounted occu- pying the trenches, and moved to the rear of the army of the Cum- berland stretching down the Nickajack. But Johnson detected the movement and promptly abandoned Marietta and Kenesaw. I expected as much, for by the earliest dawn of July 3d, I was up at a large spy glass mounted on a tripod, which Colonel Roe, of the U. S. engineers, had at his bivouac, close by our camp. I directed the glass on Kenesaw, and saw some of our pickets crawl- 27
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ing cautiously up the hill. Soon they stood upon the very top, and I could plainly see their movements as they ran along the crest just abandoned by the enemy."
The men thus seen by General Sherman were Lieut. Knicker- bocker and others of the 64th. On calling Lieut. K's attention to the narrative of Gen. S., he writes :
" As to Gen. Sherman's account of the evacuation of Kenesaw mountain, he must be mistaken about the cavalry occupying the trenches. The 64th had orders, when they relieved the troops occupying the rifle pits, that they would probably have to cover the movement of McPherson's corps during the night, but they did not go. The rumble of our artillery, as it moved, could be plainly heard by the rebels, as our men did not muffle the wheels as the rebels did. I suspected from the signal whistles, that by this time had become somewhat familiar, that they understood our move- ments, and were evacuating. I sent word to that effect to Colonel Morrill. He returned answer, 'Go and see.' As soon as it was light enough to see, I started up the mountain, moving very cau- tiously, until assured that most of the enemy had left. On arriving at the summit, I could, of course, be plainly seen by those below. Then commenced a race between the color bearer of the 64th and those of the Ohio regiments, who were climbing the smaller moun- tain, but the 64th came up ahead."
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We resume the diary : " July 3d. We can see sharp fighting going on beyond Marietta. Prisoners are reported coming in by the hundreds. We marched twelve miles during the night, and got no sleep. July 4th, moved again in the morning about two miles. Our brigade formed in line of battle and moved on the enemy. Sharp firing from their skirmishers. We had one or two wounded. After going half a mile, the line halted, and our regi- ment deployed in two lines. Our loss during the day was heavy -seven killed and eighteen wounded. Our skirmish line advanced to within one hundred yards of their works about 4 p. m. The 27th and 39th Ohio passed us with a whoop, charged the enemy's works, and in a trice had possession. Not three minutes before, the rebs were calling to us, 'Yanks, why don't you come on ?' and
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laughing because the 81st Ohio did not move forward at the sound of the bugle. Quite a number of prisoners were taken. The 39th Ohio had its colonel wounded, and about fifty men killed and wounded. This was the way we kept the 4th of July. Fireworks were plenty.
" July 5th. The enemy reported missing from our front this morning. Lay still until after dinner, then moved to the right again about five miles. Very hot ; some sun-struck. Camped within four miles of the river, where there was heavy cannonading. The enemy trying to cross. A brigade reported to have surren- dered. July 6th, cannonading near the river. Moved one and a half miles to the right and camped.
"July 7th. Lay in camp until noon, when our brigade was ordered to the front about two miles. Piled knapsacks, and advanced down the picket line. At the sound of the bugle we commenced firing by volley, and kept it up until night. A section of the 1st Ohio battery issued a few shells. We never fought at such long range before. One of our company had coat, pants and drawers perforated by a bullet, which was the extent of our casual- ties this day. The enemy opened on us with two batteries in our front, but their shot fell short. We were relieved at dark by the 18th Mo.
" July 8th, lay in camp. The skirmishers moved down to the river last night, and made an agreement with the rebs not to fire on each other, and then went in swimming together in the Chat- tahoochie, and traded coffee for tobacco, and exchanged papers, as though they were the best of friends.
" July 9th, marching orders again, moved to the left, marched about 16 miles and camped about a mile beyond Marietta. Cap- tain Reynolds is here quite sick, and Albert Ashley was detailed to nurse him by order of General Veatch. Two men of Co. F sent to hospital.
"July 10, moved at 9 a. m. The 39th and 64th Ohio brought up the rear. Moved very slow, raining heavy. We had to wade two streams waist deep. Stopped on the bank of the river at a village called Roswell, which has a starch factory, and did con- tain cotton factories, but our cavalry had burned them. They contained great quantities of cloth for confederate uniforms. The
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river is wide here and rapid. July 11th, crossed the river on a foot bridge and camped so as to protect the crossing. In after- noon commenced throwing up intrenchments, and finished them before morning. Saw Captain Holden, of the 88th, to-day. July 13th, lay in camp, nothing important. Went into the river and helped get out one of the 43d Ohio, who was drowning.
" July 14th, lay in camp. There was a shower came up, with sharp lightning. Three men in the 18th Missouri were killed by lightning and two or three in a battery, other casualties reported across the river in the 15th corps. July 15th, the 17th army corps took 4,000 prisoners and nine pieces of artillery. July 17, moved about six miles to Nancy Creek, where we came up with the enemy's cavalry and artillery, and charged and drove them one and a half miles. The 39th deployed in front. No one hurt in the regiment. Were relieved at dark. Our scouts killed two rebels and one old rooster.
" July 18th, moved again in the morning. Our brigade in front. No fighting. Camped about 3 p. m. Had honey, goose and potatoes for dinner. July 19th, moved, 64th in the advance. After going two miles, the cavalry found the enemy. We expected to get into Decatur before night. The 23d army corps beat us in. Not much resistance ; we moved into and through town, when the enemy opened on us with artillery, severely wounding our surgeon, Dr. Stewart and five men. The 65th was then deployed and drove them back. Our advance in that direction seems to have been unexpected. The enemy burned the depot with a lot of corn and government wagons. Our troops tore up and destroyed the railroad for some distance.
" July 21st, the 17th army corps made a charge this morning and took the first line of the enemy's works, losing heavily. In the afternoon our brigade moved to the extreme left and formed the third and fourth line in the rear of the 17th corps, expecting an attack on our flank. Staid there all night without blankets. July 22d, about 10 a. m. the brigade was ordered out on the double quick. The 64th was heavily engaged hand to hand, charging the enemy three times, and capturing forty prisoners and one battle flag, and also recovering the field glass and papers of Gen. McPherson who had been killed and robbed by the enemy. The
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flag of the 64th was pierced this day by eighteen musket balls,' one shell and a bayonet thrust. The regiment lost fifteen killed, fifty-seven wounded and seven missing. Among the wounded is Lieutenant Zuell, of Wilmington, severely in the bowels."
I will here say what Lieut. Knickerbocker, from whose diary the foregoing extracts have been taken, is too modest to say,-that this affair was a very brilliant one. Captain Reynolds, being at this time sick, the command of Co. E devolved upon Lieut. K., who, aided by Lieut. D. W. Moore, of Co. E, and several ser- geants, succeeded in rallying about seventy men from various regi- ments, and threw a skirmish line across the gap between the 16th and 17th corps, capturing as above stated, forty prisoners, among them the man who had rifled the body of General McPherson. This important capture was made by a private of Co. F, Frederick W. Sonner, who handed the dispatches-(Sherman to McPherson), to Lieut. Knickerbocker, who delivered them to the brigade com- mander, introducing Sonner to his notice, with the expectation that he would have honorable mention in the reports of the affair, which, however, Sonner did not get. Sherman thus speaks of the affair in his work : " Fortunately the spot in the woods where McPherson was shot, was regained by our troops in a few min- utes, and the pocket book found in the haversack of a prisoner of .war captured at the time, and its contents were secured by one of McPherson's staff." To Frederick W. Sonner, a private, should be accorded the credit of this ,recovery, and to Lieuts. Knicker- bocker and Moore, and their brave men the recovery of the ground. The reader of the general history of this engagement will under- stand how timely this movement of these lieutenants and sergeants was. This little squad of men remained on the field the longest of any, coming out of the fight in good order with the regimental colors.
Lieut. Knickerbocker was himself wounded, though slightly, in this engagement. That it was not a serious and indeed a fatal wound, isdue under Providence to the memorandum book, con- taining the journal from which I have been quoting, one corner of which was struck by a minie ball, turning it aside, and thus proba- bly saving the life of the brave lieutenant.
is
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In this battle little Frank Swearenger, of Co. G, saved the life of Lieut. Crews, of that company, and lost his own. The fight had become a hand to hand one, and only a fence separated the combatants. A rebel soldier had his gun aimed at Lieut. Crews, and was about to fire when Frank S. with his musket clubbed, struck him down from the fence, and turning said to Crews, "Lieutenant, I saved you that time." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the brave boy fell himself mortally wounded.
From the 22d to the 27th, the regiment was engaged in skir- mishing. On the 28th it was again hotly engaged. It was de- tached from the brigade and sent to the 15th army corps. Here it took a position on a rise of ground for the purpose of silencing a rebel battery. It had just time to throw up temporary breast- works when the enemy charged and were repulsed. The charge was repeated three times and failed. The regiment was armed with the Henry repeating rifle, and handled them with deadly pur- pose and effect. The number of dead rebels in its immediate front is said to have exceeded the number of the regiment. Only two or three were hit in the regiment.
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