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 26
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ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
gade remained at the same place. On the 9th it was called up at- four, and had breakfast. The first order was for the brigade to go forward and reconnoitre, but this was changed, and the whole force moved on, news having come from Gen. Wagner, who was opposite the town, that Chattanooga was evacuated. The brigade was on the advance, and the 100th was the second regiment that. entered the town. The road over the end of the mountain was very narrow and rough, but despite that and the heat and dust, the joy of getting possession of this stronghold kept up the spirit. of the troops.
The next day the brigade marched out ten miles, meeting some deserters, and seeing small bodies of rebel cavalry. On the 11th, advanced three-quarters of a mile further, where they staid till 5 p. m., hearing occasional firing ; then marched until 11, going a little further, and camping on Chickamauga creek. It was a hard march, reminding the boys of the one which they made before Perryville, the dust being very deep, and no water to be had, and very dark. Here they found Harker's brigade, which had been skirmishing all the afternoon. This place was known as the Lee & Gordon's mills, the house of the proprietors and the mills being all of the town. The rebels had tried to destroy the mills and a largestock of grain in them, but our forces drove them off before they could effect their object.
Here the brigade remained until the memorable 19th of Septem- ber.
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HISTORY OF THE
REGIMENTAL HISTORIES.
CHAPTER VII.
HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH REGT .- CONTINUED.
CHICKAMAUGA TO ATHENS, TENN. SEPTEMBER, 1863, TO MARCH, 1864.
Chickamauga-Preliminaries-How the Battle Opened on the 19th-How the 100th Behaved and Fared-Night-Casualties-Sunday, the 20th-No Day of Rest-Battle Renewed-How the 100th Fared-Incidents-Casualties- Results-Reports Official and Otherwise-After the Battle-Letters from Adjutant Rouse-Army in Chattanooga-In a Tight Place-Gets Hungry- Holds on-Expeditions-Starvation Imminent-Stealing from the Mules- Delegation from Will County-Prospects Improve-Gen. Thomas in Com- mand-Grant Helps us Out-Rations Improve-A Snake Story-One Story Left for Deacon Williams-Regiment Moves Out-Onward Movement-Or- chard Knob taken-Advance to foot of Mission of Ridge-Takes the Works at Base-Boys Forget to Stop-Up the Mountain-Rebel Works Taken - Chickamauga Avenged -Pursuit-A Response from Libby-March to Burn- side's Relief-Knoxville-Regiment Stays up There-Various Movements- Foraging-Battle of the Convalescents-Advance On Dandridge-Retreat- Camps at London-Tedium Time-Idle Hours-Resources-A Plea for To- bacce-A Compromise Suggested-Moves to Athens.
SHALL attempt no general description of the great battle on the Chickamauga, where its name was justified-in proving as it did, the " River of Death " to so many brave men, both Union and rebel. My only object is to trace the history of the 100th through this, its second great battle. As we have seen, by a series of masterly movements on the part of Rosecrans, he had man- œvured Bragg out of the stronghold of Chattanooga, and made
283
ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
him withdraw to the south or east of Chickamauga Creek, where he awaited reinforcements from Longstreet, which, unfortunately for the army of Rosecrans, came in time and in force sufficient to break the Union army into pieces, and to send its broken ranks, after a brave resistance, back to Chattanooga; leaving many a brave soldier dead or wounded on the field, and in the hands of the enemy. Thanks, however to the masterly generalship of Thomas, and the undauntable courage of liis command, the enemy though victorious at some points, were not after all masters of the field, and did not succeed in getting possession of the coveted stronghold. In its result, this battle was about equally fatal to both rebel and Union armies, and to the reputation of their sev- eral commanders.
In the skirmishing which preceded the battle, the 100th was not seriously engaged. Two brigades of Wood's division, Har- Ler's and Buell's, (Wagner's remaining at Chattanooga) marched out ten and a half miles to Gordon's Mills which they reached on night of the 11th, coming upon the ground which had been occu- pied the previous night by the corps of the Rev. Rebel Gen. Polk. The camp fires of the enemy could be seen across the creek.
We shall now give the narrative of a member of the regiment :
" Nothing but occasional picket firing occurred in front of our division, until Friday, the 18th, when about noon the rebels made a demonstration, our pickets falling back to the creek, and soon after a force, seemingly a brigade of four regiments, came out of the woods in front of our division, apparently intending to cross the creek at the ford near the mill. But our artillery soon made them take the cover of the woods again. Subsequent events showed that the movement was only designed to mask one on an- other part of the line ; the real design being to pass a force down to our left, cross the creek, and cut our army off from Chattanooga. Part of our forces were therefore moved to our left on the night of the 18th to meet them, and on the morning of the 19th, about 8:30 a. m., an engagement began on our left, continuing through the forenoon, and into the afternoon, our division remaining at Gor- don's Mills, until about 3 p. m., when it was ordered to move on the double quick by the flank to the left to support Davis' divis- ion, which was being hard pressed. Our brigade was accordingly
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formed behind the 8th Ind. and 6th Ohio batteries, and com- menced to advance in two lines, the 100th Ill. and the 26th Ohio in front. But almost as soon as they had got into position, the troops in front gave way, and came rushing through the lines of our division in wild confusion, a battery running over our men killing one and wounding several others, and compelling the bri- gade to fall back also, across a narrow field to the edge of the wood where it reformed. In crossing this field they were under a raking fire of the enemy, and suffered considerable loss. The regiment having reformed its lines, an aid of Gen. Wood's came to .Col. Bartleson, saying. " Colonel, Gen. Wood wants the 100th to make a 'bayonet charge on the advancing enemy." The word was given, and the boys responded with a cheer, and charging drove the rebels back across the field into the wood where they rallied, and our regiment endured a short and murderous fire. The ene- my then rallied and inade a charge upon our troops in turn, and the regiment on the left of the 100th gave way. The 100th main- tained its ground until all the troops on both its right and left had given way, and were about to be surrounded, and were get- ting a sharp fire on either flank as well as in front, when they fell back again, leaving many dead and wounded on the field. Again our brigade rallied and drove the enemy in turn, and again' re- treated, and again rallied. During the engagement, Major Ham- moud with a party of volunteers, who promptly responded to his call, retook from the enemy three pieces of the 8th Ind. battery, and hauled them off by the hand. Every inch of ground was hotly contested until night closed the contest, neither side having gained any material advantage. The enemy, however, had been foiled in their effort to break through our lines at this point, and our brigade held the ground somewhat in advance of its original position. It was here that the rebel Gen. Hood, lost his leg, and the boys of the 100th claim the honor of doing the job for him."
Sergt. Garnsey, after the battle of Franklin, had a conversa- tion with a rebel officer, (who had been taken prisoner) in refer- ence to the Chickamauga battles, and who asked how many bri- gades we had at this point. When told that we had but one, he was incredulous, and said that they sent in a fresh brigade each charge.
285
ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
"Night having come on the brigade was placed in a strong po- sition to resist a night attack, and the tired survivors were permit- ted to gain what rest and refreshment was possible, while details with Surgeon Woodruff and ambulances, gathered up the dead and wounded, as far as they were able; the enemy firing occasionally upon them.
" The casualties in the 100th had been about seventeen killed, one hundred wounded, and twenty-six missing. The captain of Co. H found himself with only seven men in his command. Two officers of the regiment had been wounded. These were Lt. Col. Waterman, who received a flesh wound in the arm, and Lieut. Bartlett, of Co. E, who was wounded in the head. Col. Water- man and Adjutant Rouse had their horses shot under them. How any escaped seemed a wonder to the survivors, as the regiment was for three and a half hours in a shower of leaden hail.
" Next day was the Sabbath, but no day of rest to the armies on the Chickamauga. About four o'clock in the morning, the division was moved back to a position on the left of Crittenden's corps. Early in the day it was ordered to take the place previ- ously occupied by Negley's division, about two miles farther to the left. The division was formed in two lines, first line deployed the second in double column closed in mass. In moving up into position, and throwing out skirmishers, the enemy was aroused ; and Col. Bartleson conceived the idea of making a charge, with- out having received orders to do so. It turned out to be an un- fortunate movement. The regiment was led by the Colonel him- self in the advance, upon a masked battery, supported by infantry, who opened upon them with terrible effect. The regiment was compelled to fall back in a somewhat demoralized condition to its proper place in the division. But the colonel and some portions of the regiment did not fall back, and their fate was for a time un- known. The major took command of the regiment. In about fifteen minutes after, Col. Buell, the brigade commander, was or- dered, either by Wood, commanding the division, or by Critten- den corps commander, (neither general would ever admit the fact), to move to the left to support Reynold's division. Col. Buell hesitated to obey the order, and said to the aid who brought it, " Tell the general that my skirmishers are actively engaged, and
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HISTORY OF THE
I cannot safely make the move." Very soon the officer returned, and gave the orders imperatively. Major Hammond said to Col. Buell, that he would be court-martialed before he would obey the order. Nevertheless the order was put into execution, and in less time than it has taken to write it, the enemy being on the alert, saw the movement, charged through the space made vacant, attacking our brigade in flank. They captured the 8th Ind. bat- tery again, and completely demoralized the brigade, each regiment, and in fact, each individual fighting the balance of the day on its own hook. This unfortunate movement is spoken of in the history of the day as the "fatal gap," and neither division nor corps commander would ever father the order.
"When Col. Bartleson led the charge we have spoken of, and meeting such a rebuff the regiment mostly fell back, the colonel himself and parts of companies D and F rallied behind a picket fence near a log house; the colonel seeming to think that the po- sition could be held. Accordingly they remained for some time exchanging shots with the enemy. Here Captain Burrell and Sergeant Backus, of Co. D, were wounded. Discovering after a little that they were left there alone, and were about to be flanked on both sides, and sure to be captured if not killed, most of the men fell back to the breastworks, where they expected to find the rest of the brigade, but here they found everything on the retreat and they followed on with the rest.
" But for some reason Col. Bartleson and Lieuts. Kenniston and Koach did not succeed in making good their escape, and were captured with some dozen or more others. The 100th would have made as good a fight on this as on the previous day, but for the unfortunate manner in which it was handled. When this " fatal gap" was made, and the brigade was moving by the flank, upon the double quick, the enemy poured into them, in front and flank, such a murderous fire of musket balls, grape and canister as nothing could withstand. They tried to keep their ranks in order, but the regiment spread out wider and wider, and soon all organization was lost, and they retired with other troops on the right towards Rossville, where they lay on the 21st in position. Some, more or less, fell into other organizations, and some reached Thomas and Granger's forces and aided in the fight that saved
287
ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
the day. Of this number were Sergt. Holmes, of Co. G, and Selah Spaulding, of Co. F. John W. Goodenow, also of Co. E is said to have fought during the two days' battle in six different organizations."
Thus closed the scene. As is well-known, Thomas, with the aid of Granger's reserves, saved the army from utter defeat and enabled it to fall back to Chattanooga, and thus the great object of the enemy was defeated, though by a narrow chance, and at a fearful loss.
The 100th regiment went into the fight with 315 men, and lost of this number, about 165. Every color guard but one, (Neal Platt) was killed. A list of casualties is here given.
Casualties of the 100th in battle on the Chickamauga, Sept. 19th and 20th, 1873 :
KILLED:
Co. A-George Stewart, Alonzo N. Jones, Philip White. Co. B-Wm. B. Burr, Samuel Rodgers, Corporal Justin Steinmetz, John Barrett, Charles Sampson, Sergt. Hiram H. Harter. Co. C-Theodore Dorkendoff, Henry Karch, Thomas R. Parker, Sergt. John Bez, Lewis A. Prosser. Co. E-Ser- geant Milton J. Smith, Sergt. Stephen M. Spafford, Corp. Chas. P. Spencer, Corp. Daniel Linebarger, Giles Dixon, Jr. Co. F-Felix Durres, Patrick Scanlan. Co. G-Gotleib Weidemer, Matthew Bush, Albert Deal, George Price. Co. H-Corp. L. M. Lyon, Ahas Young. Co. I-Geo. Irish, Francis P. Kelly. Co. K-Sergt. E. S. Miner, J. B. Morey, Amos B. Davis, Sergeant H. W. Morford.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS- WOUNDED :
Lieut. Col. A. N. Waterman, flesh of arm; Capt. John A. Burrell, Co. D, severe ; Lieut. M. N. M. Stewart, Co. A, slight; Lieut. Anson Patterson, Co. E se vere in leg ; Lieut. R. F. Bartlett, Co. E, slight.
MISSING AND PRISONERS:
Col. F. A. Bartleson; Lieut. Jerry Kenniston, Co. H; Lieut. Samuel Koach, Co. D; Asst. Surgeon H. T. Woodruff. Co. A-John Hay, Warren S. Noble. Co. B-Geo. E. McIntyre. Co. C -- Mathias Snyder, supposed killed. Co. D -- Corp. Geo. M. Dake, Rufus Bolton, John Lyman. Co. F-Sidney S. Campbell. Co. G-Sergt. James J. Harley, supposed to be dead. Co. I- Wm. R. Jones, John Augustine, Owen Evans, Henry C. Nobles.
CAPTURED AT HOSPITAL WITH SURGEON WOODRUFF:
Oliver P. Stumph, hospital steward. Co. B-Geo. McIntyre. Co. C- Wm. Peters, Anson Dodge, William Newberry, Eugene Sly. Co. D-G. W. Hill. Co. E-George Pickles. Co. G-Felix Calkins. Co. H-James F. Ladieu, John Cotton. Co. K-Wm. W. King, Erastus Rudd.
WOUNDED:
Co. A-Sergt. E. P. Smith, severe; Corp. Elias Yates, severe ; Francis A. Butler, left arm amputated ; Peter Brodie, Edgar C. Buss, William T. Burker, Wm. Gundy, William Hawley, Thomas McQueen, H. W. Clark, all severe; James H. Preston, James Dowling, LeRoy Jewell, Roger Brennan,
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Francis J. Fisher, all slightly. Co. B-Sergt. Lewis Linebarger, Samuel Weinhold, both slight; Sergeant Henry A. Smith. Co. C-Sergeant Henry M. Starrin, Sergeant Joseph Zeller, Corporal Anson Dodge, (prisoner,) Corporal John Hammond, Benjamin Bever, (died), Albert N. Cliam- berlain, Benoni L. Abbott, all severe. (The two last named are sup- posed to have died on the field.) Martin Fishbaugh, slight; Gothard Freehoff, leg ; Christian Lang, severe; Daniel Mast, slight; William. Peters, slight; Peter Schmitt, severe; Augustus W. Welchlin, severe. Co. D-Sergt. John Fellows, severe; Sergt. Franklin G. Bachus, Peter Peterson, Christ. Lookentery ; Russell Hartung, arm ampt. (died) ; Charles Amen, prisoner, (all severe) ; Corporal Elias Brown, slight; Amasa Carter, George Kines, Joseph Countryman, Louden Jacobs, all slight. Co. E-Corp. Van. H. Perkins, mortally ; Corp. Andrew J. Fries, severe, arm amputated; Jas. McCune, (died) ; John Maples, Henry Bridge, George A. Fabrick, Richard F. Smith, Patrick McHugh; Wm. Reed, (died) ; Wm. H Brace, Mahlon W. Harrington, both severe. Co. F-Sergt. James Gleason; Joseph Butcher, severe ; George Grange, Edward Flannery, John Mallon, John Young. Geo. Simpson. Co. G-Corp. Chas. H. Snoad, prisoner; Frank Adams, Enoch Dodge, Decatur Goodenow. all slight; John C. Batteman, leg broke; Alex. Moat, Jeptha Pierson, Wm. Shaw, Joseph W. Tucker, all severely; Frank LaFayette, Wm. Barse, L. L. Warren, Wm. Hunt; Joshua Bush, run over by cannon. Co. H -- Sergt. Chas. H. Russell, Wm. B. Connor, Corp. William Strunk, John Albright, Isaac J. Jenks : Henry C. King, severe : Barnett W. Henninger, W. C. Morse, George W. Murry, Wash. H. Thomas; William E. Temple, severe ; Deratus T. Moore, severe, died Dec. 17, 1863. Co. I-Sergt. John Hays, slight; Jerry O'Leary, Henry Parkinson, Wm. Stonerock, Levi C. Price, all severely ; John Robson, John Mahoney, John H. Butler, Sam. Aspinwall, all slightly. Co. K-Francis Green, M. C. Snyder, A. J. Puring- ton, Wm. Munday, Orson Churchill, all slightly; Joseph Sloan, leg broken.
Albert N. Chamberlain and Benoin L. Abbott, reported miss- ing and wounded in the above list, were seen next day lying dead upon the field with others by some of the regiment who had been captured, and who were marched over the field on the way to Atlanta. But their fate was not certainly known to their friends until about eighteen months afterwards, when these prisoners were released. As is well known, the rebels left many of our dead unburied, and when our army got possession of the ground, the bones were buried.
Justin Steinmetz, one of the killed of Co. B, was one of the bravest and best of the company. He was painfully and mortally wounded in the bowels, so that they protruded .. Holding them in with one hand, he took one more shot at the enemy with the other, and had just laid down his rifle, when another shot hit him in the head and mercifully closed his career without further suf- fering.
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ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
Col. Buell, in his official report of the action of the brigade, says : " I take pleasure in commending to their superiors, * * Lieut. Col. Waterman and Major Hammond, of the 100th Ill., for their endurance and bravery throughout the entire conflict. In Col. Bartleson, of the 100th Ill., and Captain Ewing, of the 26th Ohio, our country lost two most valuable officers. My personal staff, Capt. James G. Elwood, A. A. A. G., * * Lieut. J. C. Williams, aide-de-camp, Capt. Gardiner, provost marshal, were ever efficient and ready, being in the hottest of the fight."
When the army fell back during the night of the 19th, or morning of the 20th, the division hospital, which had been estab- lished near Crawfish Springs, and to which the wounded of our regiment had been taken in charge of Surgeon Woodruff, fell within the advanced lines of the enemy. Such as were slightly wounded had been sent into Chattanooga. When the poor, wounded boys found that they were to fall prisoners into the hands of the rebels, they were downcast. Surgeon Woodruff and Stew- ard Stumph, as well as the hospital attendants, assured them that they would stand by them, which they did, though at a fearful cost to some of them. In the course of the next day the rebels came into possession of the hospital, and its contents and attend- ants. The manner in which they were treated and disposed of is given in a separate narrative of Surgeon Woodruff, and to that the reader is referred. We will only say here that there were thirty- one wounded men of the 100th in the hospital ; one of these, Van L. Perkins, son of Wm. H. Perkins, a long time resident of Joliet, died on the 30th.
Charles E. Spencer, of Troy, who was among the killed on the 19th, was one of the best of soldiers. He had stepped out a little in front of the line, and falling upon one knee was firing rapidly, when he was struck with a ball in the forehead and killed instantly.
Lieut. Williams, of Co. G, who was serving on Col. Buell's staff, had his favorite gray mustang shot and killed under him, and he himself narrowly escaped being captured, but his legs, al- though they are not the longest, served him a good purpose. It is said that no fast horse he has ever owned made better time than the Lieut. did toward Chattanooga.
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Gen. Wood, in his official report thus speaks of one member of Co. A : " Early in the conflict of Sunday, my color-bearer was wounded. The colors were taken by Samuel Goodrich of Co. A, 100th regiment, who bore aloft my standard through the day, re- maining with me all day."
Henry C. King (Little Harry) of whom we have spoken as one of the " pony team," was severely wounded in both thighs, one shot going through the flesh of both legs. While lying on the field, a rebel general came along, and noticing his youthful appearance, asked him what he was there for, to which he replied. " I am here to shoot just such men as you !"
It has been stated that Col. Bartleson was taken prisoner, but for a considerable time it was supposed that he had been killed. The report of Gen. Wood, bearing date the 29th, speaks of him as probably killed. Parties thought they had seen him fall. One man claimed to have seen him in the division hospital, just before it fell into the hands of the enemy. During this period of sus- pense in respect to his fate, Col. George P. Buell, who commanded the brigade in which the 100th fought, wrote to Hon. J. O. Nor- ton, as follows :
" Colonel Bartleson's conduct was most noble and gallant up to the the last moment I saw him. In fact, he was too brave and daring for his own good. You may take this consolation to your heart that should Col. B. ever fall on the battle-field, he will fall as all true men wish to fall, doing his whole duty with his face to the enemy. Being the immediate commander of Col. B., in the late engagement, and of course a witness of his conduct, I have taken the liberty to write you this, believing that these few truths will help to ease your pain and calm your grief."
Col. Bartleson's movement on the 20th, seems to have been an imprudent one, although very bold and heroic. Had it been successful however, it would have been prudent, and would have been approved by his superior officers, and applauded by all. A similar movement made on the Atlanta campaign, as we shall see, was all right because it was successful. Success like charity, covers a multitude of sins, both in military and civil life.
The 100th regiment, what was left of it, gathered together again at Rossville on the 21st, in command of Major Hammond.
UMIVERSITY OF
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ONE HUNDREDTH REGIMENT.
Here our forces were collected to make a stand and dispute any advance of the enemy. But the enemy did not come, and on the 22d our army fell back toward Chattanooga. All were fearful that Rosecrans could not maintain his position, but by the 23d, Gen. Wood came round and told the boys that they could hold the place in spite of anything that Bragg could bring.
Sergeant Holmes, of Co. G, gives the following account of the closing scene in this day's fight, as it affected our regiment, and of the three subsequent days :
" After marching by the right flank, a short distance, the rebs open on us, and send in the bullets as thick as hail stones. The boys will not stand it at all, and put for the rear. I stand behind a tree a while, and then think if no one else will stay it is no use for me, so I put on after the rest, and after going through a corn- field, up a hill, I find the major rallying the men at the brow. Some stop, but as soon as the bullets begin to whiz, off they go again up the hill a little further. Then they rally again and some other regiments come up, and we stand and pour it into the var- mints. They soon begin to run and we after them, until we get to the open field. Then another rebel regiment advances with the red flag flying, dressed in our uniform. Some of us open on them, and others say, "don't do it, they are our men." While paying attention to this regiment, up comes a division on our right to flank us, so we have to " skedaddle" again. Up we go to another hill, there rally and give it to the rebs; My car- tridges give out, and I empty a dead man's into my box. I fire away here as long as I can see any rebels to fire at. Then we go to the left and fight along with the 21st Ohio awhile. Then I go farther to the left, and fall in with Granger's corps, and fight with them. I find one of Colt's rifles and lay mine down and take that. We fight here until nearly dark, when the rebels give way and we are the victors. The ground is covered with the wounded and dead. We see some rebels in front, and hallo at them to come in, but they will not come, they are afraid to go one way or the other. One or two of our men fire at them, and they all run but two. These get behind trees. I jump over the breastwork of rails and go out toward them, telling them if they don't come in
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