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 37
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Our army bivouacked upon the ground in this position while the enemy had possession of the tents which our men had left in the morning.
As every reader knows, our army was reorganized and rein- forced during the night, and on the morning of the 7th, was pre- pared to assume the offensive. We are not attempting a general de- scription of the battle, only so far as to show the part played by McAllister's battery.
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Early in the day it was ordered into position to shell some timber. It was not exposed to the enemy's fire. After this the infantry advanced. In front of the battery was a ravine, on the opposite side of which was a hill, the top of which was much higher than the ground occupied by the battery. On the top of this hill the rebels were in line of battle. Infantry advanced and engaged them. Here was a long and desperate fight, a most terrific fire of musketry for several hours. The hill occupied by the rebels was thickly timbered. The battery took no part in this engagement, but watched it, so far as it could be seen, with in- tense interest. They could catch occasional glimpses of the stars and stripes, this time steadily though slowly advancing, and driv- ing the enemy over the same ground they had driven the Union forces the day before. The enemy were compelled to abandon their position, and to fall back about one mile where they formed a new line. The battery was now ordered up, and opened upon the rebels, keeping up a vigorous fire until their ammunition was exhausted. It then fall back to await the return of the caissons which had gone for a supply. These soon came up.
A call now came from Gen. Sherman for McAllister's battery to go to his assistance, and to silence a battery which was giving him some trouble. The battery accordingly went to his aid, and in a very short time silenced the rebel battery, when the enemy fell back about a half mile. In this duel, battery D lost two horses, but no men were hurt, although the shot and shell flew thick and fast. Following up the enemy in their retreat, the bat- tery engaged in a second duel with a rebel battery and silenced it also, losing two more horses, and having two men slightly wounded. The same shot which killed the two horses of the bat- tery, also killed Gen. Sherman's horse. Luckily, the general him- self was behind a tree! In this engagement it was exposed to the fire of the rebel infantry also. Once more the enemy fell back, and battery D limbered to the front again. The enemy had placed a battery in position to cover their retreat. But after a few well directed shells, this battery was also silenced, and the enemy disappeared from sight, and thus closed the battle of Shiloh about 4 p. m.
The battery remained in this position until sun down, and
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then went to their old camp, where they found their tents still standing, though sadly riddled with holes.
During this two days' engagement, Lieut. J. G. Wood was in command of the right section, and James A. Borland of the left, and Lieut. E. H. Cooper in charge of caissons, and Capt. McAllis- ter in command of all. Officers and men behaved with great cool- ness and promptitude. Borland and Cooper are especially com- mended in the captain's official report. (It should be here noticed that Lieut. Mathew Borland was at this time at Donaldson, dis- abled). Lieut. Cooper was always on hand with the requisite am- munition, and constantly passing from front to rear and from rear to front, with coolness and dispatch. One or two incidents are worth notice. During the first attack in the morning of the first day, while Lieut. Cooper was trying to get his caissons out of the way of the enemy who were fast approaching, while our lines were falling back, one of the caissons got stuck, and all the horses shot except the wheel span. Up rode a rebel officer, sword in hand, and cried out, " Surrender, you d-d Yankee, surrender." The postillion was a burly Dutchman, a detailed man, Fitzburg by name, who instead of surrendering brought the butt of his heavy whip around the head of the officer exclaiming somewhat pro- fanely, "Surrender ! Hell !" Just at this juncture a spent minie ball struck one of the wheel horses, stinging him so that he gave a tremendous spring, and cleared everything from the mud hole, never stopping until safe within our lines.
When the battery went to the aid of Sherman, as has been re- lated, after Borland had got his gun into position, loaded and primed, he lay down on the trail with his eye on the spot where he supposed the enemy's battery to be, which was concealed by a ravine. While he was thus holding his fire, an officer rode up, and asked somewhat curtly, why he did not fire that gun. The lieutenant without looking up to see who had addressed him, kept his eye on the spot, and replied, " By G-, I command this gun, and as I have no powder to waste, I shan't fire until I see some- thing to fire at." In a few seconds more, the lieutenant saw the rebels run out their guns, when he corrected his aim and gave the order to fire, making a most successful shot. It required but a few more like it to silence the enemy's guns. When this was
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effected, Lieut. Borland looked around to see who it was that had addressed him, and found that it was Gen. Sherman, who expressed himself satisfied with the way he saved his powder.
Gen. Sherman in his official report of the second day's battle thus speaks in reference to the battery.
"Seeing some others (guns) to the rear, I sent one of my staff to bring them forward, when by most providential decree, they proved to be two 24-pound howitzers, belonging to McAllister's Battery, and served as well as ever guns could be. * * I gave personal direction to the 24-pound guns, whose well-directed fire first silenced the enemy's guns to the left, and after at the Shiloh meeting house."
Gen. Sherman did not forget the help rendered him by McAl- lister's Battery, as we shall have occasion to show hereafter. McClernand's report of the battle of Shiloh, says :
" McAllister's Battery opened from the corner of the field referred to, and by a well-directed and effective fire, kept the enemy from crossing it, until his battery was nearly surrounded, and his support forced back, when after silencing a battery in the woods on the opposite side of the field, he withdrew three of his pieces along the south road toward Pittsburg Land- ing. The fourth piece was left behind for want of horses to take it off, but was recovered next day. In this engagement Capt. McAllister was four times slightly wounded, but kept the field. An acting sergeant and seven men were severely wounded, and a number of horses killed."
Gen. McClernand's report mentions the battery four or five times again as rendering opportune service during the two days' engagement. The battery fired 50 rounds of canister, 152 shrap- nell, and 230 shells. Loss-wounded, three non-commissioned officers and eight privates. Also lost 44 horses, 16 sets of harness, and two saddles. The battery remained here until its losses were repaired.
The chief of the artillery of the division, Major Schwartz, hav- ing been wounded, Captain McAllister was temporarily assigned to the duty.
April 20th, the battery moved three miles on the road to Cor- inth. Lieut. Mathew W. Borland now resigned, it being appa- rent that the injuries he received at Donaldson had disqualified him for duty. He was an efficient officer, and his loss was much re- gretted by the battery.
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April 28th, the battery moved again in the advance toward Corinth, encamping about eight miles from the river. From this- camp Captain McAllister, who had previously tendered his resigna- tion, left the battery, much regretted by officers and men. He- had proved a brave and able commander, always careful of the welfare of his men. Lieut. James A. Borland, was left in com- mand.
May 11th, the battery moved four miles farther toward Cor- inth. Its position was on the right of the reserve of the army of - the Tennessee.
May 29th, the battery moved again four miles farther, en- camping about three miles from Corinth, behind works thrown up. by our troops.
The battery was not engaged during the seige of Corinth. It fired but one gun before Corinth, and this was done by one sec- tion while on picket duty.
June 4th, the division under command of Gen. John A. Logan, marched toward Purdy, Tenn., and next day passed through Purdy,. and June 6th, reached Bethel, where it went into camp, and re- mained until the 15th. This was a fine camping ground, as there was near the railroad, an abundant spring of fine water, large. enough to supply the whole army. During the march on Cor- inth, the army had suffered much for the want of water, even the. little that could be obtained was very poor.
On the 15th, the division again struck tents and marched. through Montezuma, encamping about three miles beyond.
On the 16th it marched into Jackson. This is a large and pleasant village. While at this place Capt. Henry A. Rogers was. put in command of the battery. While at Jackson, Serg't Emmet F. Hill received his commission as junior 2d lieutenant. The- battery remained at Jackson until the 17th, when it marched to- ward Bolivar, and on the night of the 1st bivouacked on the right bank of the Little Hatchie, about one mile from Bolivar. It re- mained in the vicinity of Bolivar, until the 9th of October.
By the last of July, quite a large force had concentrated here,. expecting an attack from Price and Van Dorne. The place was. fortified, the planters in the vicinity being required to furnish slaves. to assist.
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Sept. 13th, Gen. Hurlbut's division came up from Memphis. Other operations were going on in other parts of the army in the . vicinity. The battle of Iuka, was fought Sept 19th. October 4th was the battle of Corinth, in which Will county was deeply inter- ested and suffered. Oct. 6th Gen. Hurlbut's division marched out, and won the brilliant victory of the Hatchie. In this, Will county was represented in Bolton's battery as related elsewhere. We will only say here that Lieut. Hill of the Plainfield battery had a brother, a sergeant in Bolton's battery, who was at his post in the engagement.
Oct. 9th, one section of McAllister's battery went to LaGrange and bivouacked in the yard of the female seminary. This was a fine brick building quite a credit to the place, which was a very neat and pleasant village. Next day it marched back to Bolivar, where the battery remained until Nov. 2d, when it took part in Grant's formidable movement into Mississippi. The expedition as is well-known, went below Oxford, when Grant was obliged to fall back on account of the raid of the enemy in his rear, who de- stroyed his stores and communications at Holly Springs. The battery marched back into La Grange, and thence to Memphis. On the way they had a taste of short rations, and at one time had corn issued to them in the ear, with instructions to make "lye hominy." Fortunately, however, the battery had two hand mills, which some of the boys had "confiscated " on some plantation, and they were able to reduce their corn to a cookable condition. The battery reached Memphis January 21st.
Here it remained until Feb. 20th, when it embarked on the steamer Forsyth. The steamer left on the 22nd, with the fleet bound down, and arrived at Lake Providence, La., on the 23d. Here the battery debarked with the division, and encamped about four miles from the landing, on the shore of the lake. This is a very beautiful sheet of water, clear as crystal, about three-fourths of a mile wide, and seventeen miles long, running nearly parallel with the river, a few miles from its west bank. It is very deep, and said to be unfathomable in some places. It connects with bayous which empty into the river below Vicksburg, and a chan- nel was being cut through the levee into the lake, with the view of getting boats with munitions and supplies below Vicksburg.
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While this experiment which proved a failure, was being tried, the battery remained here, employed in idling, drilling, foraging, fishing, boat riding, and listening to the music discoursed by the bands on the lake, etc., etc., until March 18th, when it embarked with the division on the steamer Iatan, and went up the river five miles, debarked and camped on the Louisiana side, on what was known as Vista Plantation. Here some of the men instituted a. novel mode of fishing. The cutting of the levee had raised the water in all the sloughs and ditches. As a consequence, the fish in large numbers had gone foraging through the ditches in the corn fields after worms and grubs. The men would stand across a ditch, making a dam with their legs, while another party would drive the fish toward them, when they would catch them and throw them on the land.
March 23d, the battery embarked on the steamer, Platte Val- ley, and ran down to Eagle Bend, about thirty miles above Vicks- burg. On the 25th, it returned to the camp near Vista Planta- tion.
April 17th, it again embarked on the steamer Universe, and went down the river to Milliken's Bend, debarked during the- night and encamped.
The battery left Milliken's Bend on the 25th of April 1863, commanded by Captain A. H. Rogers, the right section by Lieut. G. J. Wood, and the left by Lieut. E. H. Cooper, caissons in charge of Lieut. Hill. Five days were occupied in the march to Hard Times, passing through almost impenetrable swamps, with . intervals of the most beautiful country ever seen. This landing is below Grand Gulf, and some forty miles below Vicksburg. Here they found a portion of McClernand's corps which was cross- ing the river. On the 1st of May, the battery crossed to Bams- berry Landing, at 10 a. m .- Gens. Grant, McPherson, Logan, Dennis, Adjt. Gen. Thomas, Gov. Yates, Congressmen Wash- burn, crossing at the same time. It immediately started towards Port Gibson, 25 miles distant. They had not gone far when the. roar of cannon was heard, telling of a battle in progress, and they hurried upon the double quick. The day was excessively hot, and the enemy had been routed before the battery arrived, although the advance of the division was just in time to take a hand in the-
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closing scene. Several hundred prisoners had been taken. It being sundown, the battery went into camp, within three miles of . Port Gibson. Under cover of the night, the rebels withdrew their forces across the south branch of Bayou Pierre, and burned the bridge after them.
On the 2nd, the battery was put in the first brigade, com- manded by Gen. John E. Smith, formerly colonel of the 45th, It was put in the advance on the chase. Moved early and passed through Port Gibson, and was obliged to make a detour of six or eight miles to cross the bayou, the rebels having burned the bridge, which made delay, and on the same night reached the north branch without opposition. During the day our forces picked up some straggling rebs, and on the 3d crossed the main branch on a wire suspension bridge, which the rebels had failed to destroy in their haste to escape.
At 9 a. m. our forces came up with the enemy, who had a bat- tery of small guns planted on a commanding hill, having a raking range of the road, which for a mile was very narrow, and which gave our boys a few round shot without however doing any damage. Battery D then opened on the enemy, who finding the fight too se- rious for them took to their heels again. Some time was now spent in reconnoitering, and finding the way clear, our forces advanced by different routes toward the Big Black River, pushing the ene- my before them up to and across the river. The enemy destroy- ing the bridge after them. The battery then went into camp, the enemy being on the opposite bank. May 4th, the rebs had the im- pudence to drop a shell in the camp, which stirred up the cooking- arrangements of the boys somewhat promiscuously. The distance was such that Battery D's guns could not respond to the salute, but DeGolyer's battery gave them as good as they sent. Battery D. then went up the river bank, and went into position, and gave them one shot. Here the army waited two or three days for the trains to come up with rations.
On the 7th moved from the Big Black and encamped at Rocky Springs, Miss. Here was found plenty of forage and corn. Remained in this camp the 8th.
On the 9th Gen. Sherman came to the camp and told Capt. Rogers that he wanted to see the men of the battery. The "as -. 52
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sembly " was sounded and the men were soon in line. Gen. Sher- man then complimented the men for their services at Shiloh, when the battery went to his assistance, as has been related. He told the boys that " if he could ever do anything for them he would do it-that if any man in McAllister's Battery ever wanted a blanket to let him know it, and if he had but one he would give him half." When he had got through, the boys gave him three hearty cheers.
On the 9th, again on the move toward Jackson, Miss., and on the morning of the 12th our forces came up with the enemy, three miles south west of Raymond, and 19 miles from Jackson. Gen. Logan's division was in the advance. Battery D was in 2d brigade and center division, De Golyer's being in the 1st, and in the lead. In the early part of the day De Golyer got into a sharp duel with a battery of the enemy. The 20th and 45th Ill., and the 20th, 23d, and 78th Ohio did the infantry fighting, which for a couple of hours was hot ; when the rebels were forced to give way before our determined boys, although they had much the larger force. They fell back towards Raymond, one and a half miles, and attempted and partly formed a line of battle. Now came the time for the old McAllister Battery to take a hand. It was brought to the front into position with our old 20th, and the 45th for its support. The enemy's position was on the brow of the hill, across an open field 1300 or 1400 yards distant, where they had a battery with infantry support. The range was a long one for the guns of Battery D, and the enemy's guns being rifled, the odds were against our boys, but they pitched in with a will, and soon managed to dismount one of the enemy's pieces, and set the infantry flying. This closed the battle of Raymond. Battery D fired 72 rounds, and all the boys acted nobly. Major Stolbrand, chief of artillery, stood by and saw the fight, and with the gen- erals gave the boys the credit of doing good execution. They then entered the town singing-
"Union forever ! Hurrah, boys, hurrah !
Down with the traitors, and up with the stars."
This made the ladies draw their curtains, and they no doubt felt very differently from what they did in the morning, when they
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cheered their brave brothers, husbands and lovers on to whip the Yankees. The battery went into camp at Raymond, and during the night Gen. Sherman came up with his corps.
On the 13th our forces marched again, Sherman taking the right hand road, and McPherson's corps the left. On the morn- ing of the 14th Quinby's division was in the lead, and came up with the enemy four miles west of Jackson, and formed his lines while some of his batteries were engaging the rebels. He was soon ready with his infantry, and made one of the most gallant charges, across an open field, and in the face of the enemy's artil- lery, that any force ever made. He gained the ground and put the enemy to flight, and marched into Jackson with colors flying. Gen. Sherman also had a fight coming into town at the same time. The rebels burned their stores at Jackson, which made a splendid sight.
On the 15th the division was early on the road to Vicks- burg: On the 16th the enemy was again met at Champion Hills. Gen. Harvy's division of McClernand's corps in advance engaged them on the left, while the division embracing battery D went into line of battle on the right. De Golyer's battery being in the lead gave them a few rounds at long range before battery D came up. It was then ordered to the front on double quick, (caissons in the rear), came up to, and passed the line to the front and right, passed the skirmishers, and was halted. But only for a moment; it was again ordered to advance, and take position on a commanding hill, 400 yards in advance of the infantry, without any support, not so much as a skirmisher. As the battery came to the top of the hill, it received a volley of musketry from the enemy, who was also advancing to take possession of the same hill, which com- manded the country for many miles around. Capt. Rogers gave the command, "action front ;" the bullets came whistling by in every direction-not a word was spoken; every man was at his post. The command was obeyed in a twinkling, although to the boys it seemed an age ; the enemy, a whole brigade, lying down not more than 75 yards distant. The boys gave them shrapnell for the first round-fuse time,-one second. They rose with a yell, bayonets fixed, expecting to take the battery before it could fire again. They did not know the time our boys kept. Capt. Rogers
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ordered the guns double shotted with canister, which was poured into the advancing lines of the enemy, with a slaughter that was fearful to behold. They wavered and fell back, and the battery followed up with such rapidity, with shell and shrapnell, that the repulse was complete. During the action Lieut. Cooper's horse was twice wounded, and he was dismounting just as the Captain came riding up, and at the same time Gen. McPherson rode up, saying, "Captain, you will surely lose your battery before support reaches you." To which Capt. Rogers replied, "I can't see it, there is not secesh enough here to take McAllister's battery." As he was speaking he received a slight wound in his leg. The Gen- eral replied, " I hope you are right," and galloped off to hurry up the supports. After the battery had ceased firing, De Golyer came up and gave the retreating rebels four or five rounds, as they had got beyond battery D's range. .
Game being now scarce in front, and the enemy making some demonstrations on the right, the battery changed front to fire to the right, and advanced about 50 yards to the brow of another hill, by the time the support came up. There our forces had two bat- teries to contend with. Wade's battery and Co. D of the 1st regi- ment of Miss. artillery, commanded by Capt. A. B. Rogers. But they soon found that they could not compete with the Ill. battery of the same letter and regimental number, commanded by Capt. A. H. Rogers, of Chicago. The Rogers of the Miss. battery was killed by one of the shells from battery D, and two of his lieu- tenants, and 30 privates. The infantry then passed the battery and engaged the rebel infantry contending for the silenced battery, which the heroes of Shiloh soon took. All the boys stood to their posts, cool and active as usual. The battery fired 236 rounds during the engagement. Every man was just where he was wanted, and the enemy was completely routed, and the victory of Champion Hill was complete. The army moved quickly forward in pursuit. Capt. Rogers went to the captured battery and got horses to replace those battery D had lost.
The battery was moved forward two miles to a creek, and camped for the night. It received many compliments for the part it had taken in the action. " There goes McAllister's skirmishing
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battery that gave the rebels h-on the right," and many such like remarks the boys overheard in passing.
The correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial thus notices the action of this battery, in his accounts of the battle of Cham- pion Hills :
" Early in the afternoon, a section of Co. D, Ill. 1st artillery under Capt. Rogers, advanced to close proximity to the rebel lines, and opened two 24-pound howitzers to drive the rebels from posi- tion, from which they were about to advance upon our men. . The rebels filed out of the woods in excellent order, and formed in front of the battery, and within 300 yards of it. They then marched steadily toward the guns and were about to give. their first volley to our battery men, when a double load of canister scattered among them causing at least 50 to fall. Capt. De Go- lyer's 8th Mich. battery also opened on them, and gave them sev- eral loads of James rifled shells. The effect of our artillery fire was all that could be desired. It broke the ranks of the rebels and caused them to fall back in great disorder. I have never wit- nessed a more thorough rout than that which the rebels met in their attempt to get possession of Capt. Rogers' guns, May 16th, 1863."
On the 19th of May, the battery arrived within three miles of Vicksburg, and had frequent engagements with the enemy, keep- ing their guns speaking without much intermission. On the 29th of May, Capt. Rogers was killed, a sad day for the battery, for although coming to them from another organization, the men all loved him, and had confidence in his skill and judgment, as well as his patriotism. After sighting a gun, he had jumped upon a parapet to witness its effect, and on turning round to give direc- tions in reference to the length of fuse, was instantly killed by a sharpshooter. The men laid him to rest at Chickasaw Bluffs, swearing to avenge his loss.
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