USA > Illinois > History of Fourteenth Illinois cavalry and the brigades to which it belonged > Part 15
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From Major Connelly and Lieutenant Wm. M. Moore we learn that Company "L," under Lieutenant Moore, was posted at Loudon, and served as couriers and scouts for General Granger. While there they pursued and fought various roving bands of the enemy as they showed up. They were kept actively employed. Lieutenant Moore was an active and skillful officer and of fine appearance and gentlemanly in bearing. Captain H. C. Connelly, of Company "L" (afterward Major), was never lacking in important service. At this time he served as Inspector General on the staff of General Strickland.
From brief and interesting notes of Captain Wm. R. Sanford, of Company "K," we copy: "In command of first battalion of 14th, left .Madisonville March 14th, 1864; marched to Motley's ford on Little Tennessee river ; arrived at noon ; relieved 2d Indiana Cavalry, commanded by Captain Edwards. This force had been very slack in picket duty. Gave strict orders to prohibit citizens from coming into camp. Weather very fine till 21st and 22d, when we had a deep snow. Twenty-third moved to Niles ferry. March 25th Captain Crandle asks for a reinforce- ment of 50 men, which are sent to him; 27th temporarily relieved by 65th Indiana, so that we could go to Madison- rille to be paid. Weather cloudy and rainy until
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April. Scarce of corn and rations part of the time. Rumor that we will be attacked by a large force. Sent out pickets on Tellico river. April 18th. Much excitement about a female spy-a Mrs. Law. Captain Carrico re- ports to Captain Crandle. April 26th, moved camp to Dawson. April 27th, get orders for myself and Cap- tain C. to go to headquarters and then to Charleston to General Hovey. Marched at noon. Company "B," un- der Lieutenant Beechey, goes with us.
April 29th, 7 a. m. Left Madisonville; marched to Athens, and 30th reached Charleston at noon."
We are informed that Company "F" was posted on the Murphy pike after Captain Hagaman removed. Of Com- pany "H," we have only the record that they were posted first at Citico, and then sent (West says) to Major David- son at Columbus. Company "G," we are informed, was at Dry creek a few miles below Murphy pike. Major Davidson and his command was on or near the Hiwassa river. These records are as we have succeeded in gather- ing; there may be, and probably are, errors in the rec- ords; if so, comrades must excuse them, as we have made every effort to get correct notes. Fortunately we have a good account of the only important military event that occurred during this period. It was written by a participant, but by accident his name is blotted from the record, so that we can not give it. The account agrees with other facts so that we can safely say it is correct, or as nearly so as any account given by any one man could well be. From the record we have, Companies "B" and "E," commanded by Captain Crandle, marched from Madisonville to a post on south side of Little Tennessee river, at the mouth of Citico creek, 16 miles from Madi- sonville. This post was near the mountains, with fine fertile valleys around. They sent out scouting parties daily, sometimes in the mountains, capturing prisoners occasionally, which aggregated 40. We give the follow- ing as reported to us, and we believe it to be correct :
"On the night of May 27th, 1864, one of General Mc- Cook's scouts reported to Captain Crandle that Thomas' Indian Legion had planned to surprise his post, and kill every man, and then sweep down the line of our mountain posts, taking each by surprise in detail. They had planned
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to attack that night. Company "B" had gone to another post and Captain Crandle had but 25 men at the post. This was originally the hunting grounds of the Indians, and they knew every mountain path. It is well known that Indians seek to attack an enemy from unexpected directions as well as at unexpected times. Videttes were posted on every road and path. The tents were left stand- ing and everything arranged to give the appearance that all the men were sleeping in their tents. The horses sad- dled and tied in a thicket, and the company armed and prepared, secreted near their tents. The evening was fair and the stars shone brightly while we eagerly watched, each moment expecting the attack. Only those similarly situated can even guess the extreme anxiety with which we watched the moments pass into hours, and the hours move slowly by. Each man was a vigilant sentinel, with a brave heart, ready for the worst, but anxious that the painful sus- pense might soon end. Everything was calm and still. Only the slight noise made by falling drops of dew, which told that it was growing late at night. The moon rose in splendor, shedding a silver light over a lovely scene. About midnight a gun fired on a picket post signaled the time of danger near. It proved to be a false alarm. We had not much longer to wait. About I a. m. the Indian war whoop rang out loud and clear on the still night air ; a sound to strike terror into the hearts of even brave men, but not a man faltered; with nerves steeled to sell their lives dearly if conquered, they waited their time. The picket was killed, and with savage yells the Indians rushed into the camp and fired into the tents, supposing that our men were sleeping there. Yelling like demons they seemed to gloat over a feast of blood, but no sooner were their guns emptied than Company "E" sprang from their conceal- ment and poured a volley into the astonished band, at the same time giving them a yell that Indian throats could never equal. Faster than they came, they went to the mountains. Couriers were immediately sent to Tellico and on down the line of posts, and a detachment was gath- ered that hunted for Indians all that day, the 28th of May, but no Indians could be found. They sought a sweet re- venge on the 14th for our complete surprise of them in open daylight, but Indian savagery and cunning could not,
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even at midnight hour, cope with the vigilance and bravery of the men of the 14th, and again were they vanquished, beaten at their own game of surprise. This band of over 200 Indians and whites was commanded by the notorious Captain Kirkland. They had planned a sweet revenge, intending to attack each detachment of the 14th in detail, but they were dull, compared to the vigilance of our men, and they were cowards before the undaunted courage of wide awake Yankees. We could not learn their loss, as Indians never leave their dead or wounded on the field. When they were thus outgeneraled they expected to be attacked and fled so precipitately that they left Comrade Harvey Bradley, whom they had taken prisoner. Private James Daily, a sentinel, was killed. One other sentinel was severely wounded. Not knowing how soon the at- tack would be renewed, Captain Crandle, with his brave boys, fell back to Motley's ford, where Company "D" was posted, and soon after moved to a post 4 miles west of Citico, where they remained till the march to Georgia began. At this last post they built a block house to protect against an Indian attack. This ends all we have been able to gather of the positions and the services of the various detachments during this period.
A band was organized at Madisonville about April 20th, 1864. The first organization was as follows: Leader, Lieutenant Moses G. Hascal (then Sergeant), Company "I;" Wm. H. Cross, also of "I;" C. H. Spiller and E. W. Bowman, of Company "C;" Lorenz Walter, chief bugler and Charles Newmeyer, of Company "B;" Frederick Gray, Company "G;" J. J. Russ, Company "E;" A. N. Scribner and J. H. Sterling, of Company "L;" J. R. Fallenwider, Company "M ;" Henry Smith, Company"K." The officers of the regiment furnished most of the funds for purchasing instruments and parts of an outfit. The first instruments were nearly worthless and soon became entirely so ; the second were poor, not what were paid for; but under the skillful teaching and management, notwith- standing their poor instruments, the band was made a success. The subsequent changes in the band were as follows : Frederick Gray was captured on Stoneman raid and never returned to the band; Charles Newmeyer was captured, paroled and returned to the band; E. M.
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Bowman was discharged in August. The following were added : W. Beck, Sergeant Company "K;" George W. Price, Company "B;" Andrew McCormick, Company "C;" G. W. Wolf, Company "L." June 12th, 1865, Ser- geant Hascal was promoted Lieutenant and returned to his company, and James W. Beck, of Company "K," was appointed leader. No further changes were made.
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CHAPTER X.
FROM EAST TENNESSEE TO GEORGIA.
June 13th, 1864. Longstreet has abandoned East Ten- nessee, which is now under the control of the Union forces, `except as disturbed by predatory excursions of rebel raid- ers, mountain bushwhackers, and small local forces of rebels in neighboring portions of western Virginia. Major-General John M. Schofield, now commanding 23d Army Corps, reports on page 509, serial 73, that his army is massing as rapidly as possible at the front under General Wm. T. Sherman. Major-General George H. Stoneman, to whom was assigned the duty of organizing a cavalry division in Kentucky out of such cavalry of the 23d Corps as had been sent there to be remounted, has gone to the front with such cavalry as have been remounted and equipped. As our Indian raid prevented our remount in Kentucky, we were assigned to the duty we are now leav- ing, for the purpose of resting our horses and recruiting them up as much as possible. Stoneman's division is the 6th, and belongs to Schofield's army. Company "I," under Lieutenant Boeke, from Tellico; Company "F," from Murphy pike; Company "G," from Dry creek, all marched to Athens, Tennessee, and camped on northern boundary at 4 p. m. June 13th; march to each, about 25 miles. Athens is a beautiful Union town of 1,500 popula- tion. At Madisonville today a man of Company "D" shot and killed a comrade ; both were intoxicated.
June 14th. The other companies, except those in Major Davidson's command, joined us today. All then marched and camped 4 miles south of Athens, in a timbered lot adjoining a fine pasture lot. March from Madisonville, 20 miles.
June 15th. Reveille at daylight ; marched at 7 a. m., passed through Riceville and to Charleston on the railroad and on the Hiwassa river. Crossed on pontoon bridge, camped about I p. m. on a rough piece of timber land.
FOURTEENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
Marched 12 miles. Major Davidson's command joins us here.
June 16th. Marched at 7 a. m .; reached Cleveland at noon, passed through and camped a mile south near beau- tiful springs of water. March, 13 miles.
June 17th. Reveille at daylight. About noon Colonel Capron with a detachment of recruits joined us today. As nearly as imperfect records show there were 298 re- cruits, which were proposed to be apportioned to the sev- eral companies in such proportion as to entitle each com- pany to a full complement of commissioned officers. As the records show it the companies received as follows : "A," 25; "B," 23; "C," 18; "D," 34; "E," 26; "F," 38; "G," 35; "H," 18; "I," 28; "K," 28; "L," 19; "M," 6. We cannot vouch for the correctness of these estimates further than that this is as the records, which in some re- spects we know are incorrect, show these numbers. Colonel Capron also brought with him a band of about 200, called McLaughlin's Ohio squadron, commanded by Major Richard Rice. About noon "Boots and Saddles" sounded, Companies "I," and "D," under Major Davidson, were sent out to hunt a rebel force that were reported near. Moved rapidly S. E. 2 miles; struck the trail of a rebel mounted force, variously estimated by citizens from 600 to 30,000 ; a fair illustration of the ability of the average citizen, to estimate the number in a mounted force. We moved rapidly on their trail for 15 miles, and came upon the camp that they had just left, where, in supposed se- curity, their horses had been turned out to pasture. We quickened our march, but they had taken alarm and escaped to the mountains. This band numbered about 400. They were returning from a raid into Kentucky and designed to plunder the Union people of Cleveland, had not weighty arguments changed their purpose. We re- turned to camp, having marched 30 miles.
June 18th. Reveille at daylight. Companies "A" and "K," under command of Captain Wm. R. Sanford, of "K," are sent on scout. They followed a force of several hun- dred rebel troopers a dozen miles, returned to camp; marched 25 miles.
Sunday, June 19th. Rained ; drew new horses from a lot brought by Colonel Capron.
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June 20th. Very warm. Command called out last night on a false alarm. Drew some new equipments and the Starr revolver, a worthless arm. Dress parade after- noon.
June 2Ist. Rain. June 22d. Marched at 6 a. m .; weather very warm; camped 2 miles beyond the Georgia line ; marched 15 miles.
June 23d. Morning pleasant ; marched at 5 a. m. to- ward Dalton. At II a. m. turned toward "Spring place." The first battalion, with Companies "I" and "C," under Major Davidson, sent on scout to the left near to "Spring Place." Find no enemy, return ; march 22 miles. Regi- ment marched to Costamaula river and camped. Marched 18 miles.
June 24th. Morning pleasant; Major Davidson, with Companies "A," "G," "D," "C," sent on scout. The de- tachment marched 50 miles, but met no force of the enemy.
June 25th. Reveille at 3 a. m. ; very warm. March at I p. m. south 9 miles ; camped in a wood 6 miles from Resaca. Rough camp.
Sunday, June 26th. Reveille 3 a. m .; pleasant. Marched at 6 a. m. toward Resaca ; cross the Costanaula river ; camped near at I p. m .; poor camp grounds ; weather hot. March, 8 miles.
June 27th. Reveille at 3 a. m. ; take 4 days' rations and 2 days' forage ; march at 6 a. m. through Resaca-noted for bloody battles ; camped 9 miles beyond. March, 20 miles.
June 28th. Reveille at I a. m .; march at 4 a. m. to Cartersville on the railroad 45 miles from Atlanta, and camped in a pleasant grove at I p. m. March, 20 miles.
June 29th. Reveille at 3 a. m .; march at 5; pass through Ackworth and through Altoona and Big Shanty, now the headquarters of General Sherman. Here we saw a large number of rebel prisoners about to be sent north to cool off. We passed through and camped in a grove 2 miles south at 4 p. m. March, 20 miles. Heavy cannon- ading at Kennesaw mountain, within sight. The rebels are strongly fortified there. They have been driven from Pine mountain, and Lost mountain, to Kennesaw. Heavy assaults were made on each others lines on the 27th, with great loss on each side. Sherman's infantry have pressed
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close to the foot of Kennesaw, and are protected by slight earthworks, thrown up by his soldiers with bayonets and tin plates-Sherman's patent fortifying tools. During the night each alternately charged the other. We plainly heard, not only the cannonading and musketry, but even the defiant yells of the charging lines, which raised an eager excitement with our men, who were anxious to join in the fray.
June 30th. Reveille at 3 a. m .; morning pleasant ; marched at 5 a. m. back through Big Shanty ; then moved toward the right wing of Sherman's army. McPherson's corps of infantry is on the right wing. We are now the third brigade of Stoneman's (6th) cavalry division and composed of 14th Illinois Cavalry, commanded by Lieu- tenant-Colonel D. P. Jenkins; the 8th Michigan Cav- alry, Lieutenant-Colonel Elisha Mix commanding; the Ohio Squadron, Major Richard Rice commanding ; Colonel Horace Capron commanding the brigade. Stone- man's division was composed of Colonel Israel Garrard's brigade, the first; Colonel Biddel's brigade, the second, commanded by Colonel Biddel, and sometimes by Colonel Thomas Butler, and Capron's brigade, the third, and an independent brigade, commanded by Colonel Alexander W. Holman, and part of the time by Lieutenant-Colonel Silas Adams. In Colonel Garrard's (Ist ) brigade were : 7th Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Geo. G. Miner ; 9th Michi- gan, Colonel Geo. S. Acker, Company "D," of 7th Ohio was General Stoneman's escort. In Biddel's brigade (the 2d) were: 16th Illinois Cavalry, Captain Hiram Han- chett ; 5th Indiana, Colonel Thomas H. Butler; 6th In- diana, Lieutenant-Colonel Courtland C. Matson; Adams' Independent brigade, Ist Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Silas Adams; IIth Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Archi- bald J. Alexander. For organization see page 114, serial 72. Number in Stoneman's division, 2803. The re- mainder of Sherman's cavalry belonged to the Cumber- land Army, General Kenner Garrard's division, 4822 ; Mc- Cook's divisions, 2570 ; Kilpatrick's division, 1678, in May, and in June, Stoneman's was 2530, and in July 1803, and Garrard's 3699; McCook's, 1634; Kilpatrick's, 2366 (see page 116). The 24th Indiana Battery was assigned to Stoneman's division July 6th. We marched to join our
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division 15 miles S. E. of Big Shanty, and camped in a wood near Stoneman's headquarters. Had heavy rains; drew 5 days' ration. From Ackworth to Kennesaw we were scarcely out of sight of the evidences of one con- tinued battlefield. Buildings, fences and trees riddled and shattered or leveled in ruins by every form of missile used in war ; while the remains of earthworks and other forms of defense were scarcely ever out of sight. The service of our regiment in Georgia until the last of July is merged in the history of the 6th Cavalry division, or rather, in Cap- ron's brigade of that division.
July Ist. Reveille at 2 a. m. Marched at 4.a. m. west 5 miles, halted at Powder Springs; here turn east, then south and march to Sweetwater creek, and camped; march 12 miles. Companies "I," "C" and "L," of 14th, sent to guard Miller's bridge on Sweetwater creek.
July 2d. Regiment in camp near the bridge at Sweet- water village. Very warm. Company "D," with 50 men of Ohio Squadron, sent on reconnoissance; skirmish with the enemy and capture some prisoners.
Sunday, July 3d. March at 9 a. m. toward the Chat- tahoochee river 3 miles; halted and built barricades of rails. On page 514, serial 73, Schofield says : "During Ist of July General Stoneman, supported by General McCook, crossed the Sweetwater creek with a portion of his cavalry, and moved down the south bank to gain, if possible, the crossing near Sweetwater factory, and threaten Chat- tahoochee and Campbelltown." This was Capron's brig- ade. And again he says: "The enemy having retreated from Kennesaw during the night of July 2d General Stoneman was left to continue operations with General McPherson (on the right). The rebel lines hav- ing fallen back to the vicinity of the Chattahoochee river." July 3d at 3 p. m. Major Quigg, with the second battalion of the 14th, was sent forward toward the river to recon- noiter. Moved S. E. 2 miles, Company "I," under Cap- tain Boeke, in advance. Sergeant Puckett, in command of vanguard, discovered a strong post of the enemy and attacked it with vigor ; but was compelled by overwhelm- ing odds to fall back. Having uncovered the enemy on this road, Company "I" then fell back to the battalion. Another road diverging to the left led through woods.
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It was desirous to reconnoiter this road. Sergeant San- ford selected a half dozen trusty men and advanced on this road until they ran into a strong post of 50 or 60 of the enemy, when they were compelled to fall back, having now learned the position of the enemy's pickets. It was now important to know the position of the enemy's main line. Selecting two of the bravest and most skillful men of Company "I," Sergeant Sanford proceeded cautiously on foot, and succeeded in passing the enemy's pickets and discovered the rebel main line a half mile in rear of their pickets. Skirmishers from the second battalion were thrown forward, the remainder of the 14th was also ad- vanced farther to the left, and a vigorous skirmish ensued, lasting several hours. Company "C," farther to the left, threw forward a vanguard, commanded by Sergeant Jacob Balderston, charged the pickets of the enemy and drove them back upon a strongly barricaded post, and received a heavy volley poured into their ranks. Sergeant Aaron W. Scott, one of the best men of the company, was killed, and a number were wounded and captured, and many more received in their clothing and equipments enduring evi- dence of the warm attachment that the rebs had for them. The brave little band was forced reluctantly back, when they dismounted and sent their horses to the rear, and be- ing joined by Companies"L" and "E," of the 14th, they advanced under the command of their proper officers. The remainder of the regiment, farther to the left, also ad- vanced dismounted, and the enemy's outposts, all along our line, were driven back upon their main line. The 14th lay on their arms, holding the ground from which they had driven the enemy. March, 5 miles.
July 4th. The second battalion, under Major Quigg, skirmished until 6 a. m. when they were relieved and fell back to get breakfast, having eaten nothing since the morn- ing before. They then rejoined the regiment, which ad- vanced and drove the enemy toward the river. While dis- mounted and driving the enemy, one of their batteries got the range of our horses and shelled them vigorously. This compelled us to fall back to our horses and find a more secure place for them, when we again dismounted and ad- vanced and built barricades and skirmished until 4 p. m .; when our brigade was concentrated and charged a rebel
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battery, driving it in confusion, and forcing back their whole line, when we bivouacked in the woods at dark. March, 5 miles. On page 45, serial 76, is Stoneman's or- der to Capron : "Strike the Sand Town and Marietta road and scout the country." This we did. In Sherman's re- port of campaign (page 69, serial 72), is this: "On the 4th of July we pushed a strong skirmish line down the main road capturing the entire line of the enemy's pits, and made a strong demonstration along the Nickajack creek, and about Turner's ferry. This had the desired effect, and the next morning the enemy was gone and the army moved to the Chattahoochee." Thus it is acknowledged that we bore a conspicuous part in driving the enemy to his last stand across the Chattahoochee river. On the even- ing of the 4th, heavy cannonading on our left indicated that our lines in that quarter had not been pushed forward as rapidly as in our front.
July 5th. Reveille at 3 a. m. Pleasant weather. Stoneman ordered Capron to try to drive everything across the river and then move his brigade down the banks to Baker's ferry. Stoneman did not then know that the rebels had crossed. Companies "D" and "C," of the 14th, were sent on scout to the river and found the enemy strongly posted across the river. A battery of the enemy opened so fiercely that our boys were compelled to seek shelter behind the hills. Lieutenant Balderston was sent with dispatches to Colonel Butler, of the 5th Indiana Cav- alry, at Sand Town three miles below. His party captured a number of rebels. The regiment advanced slowly along the main road, halting occasionally to build barricades, and were joined by other cavalry and infantry with artil- lery. The enemy were in force across the river and had a fort on an elevation. Our batteries were planted and an artillery duel began. There was some skirmishing with muskets in which the cavalry, with carbines, could not join. A few comrades borrowed muskets and took a hand in. The writer was fortunate in having a Spencer rifle, but as he could not see how many rebels he winged, his conscience has never troubled him on that score.
July 6th. Reveille at 3 a. m. We moved down the river a mile ; halted, dismounted and formed line in sight of rebel forts across the river. Two 24-pounder brass
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howitzers of Battery "M" Ist Illinois, took position on an eminence and shelled the rebel fort. They were answered by showers of rebel shells. The cavalry retired to camp. Weather hot; march, 2 miles. On page 60, Stoneman says to Sherman, July 5th : "I think, or at least hope, that during the past 7 days we have accomplished all that was expected of us. If not, it has not been for lack of effort to do so. We have worked day and night and cov- ered a good deal of country."
On page 61 is Sherman's reply: "Dear Stoneman: I have your note, which is very satisfactory. I have heard of your general success from other quarters. I will in- struct General Barry to give you a good four-gun battery if he can get one from some of the commands."
July 7th. Reveille at daylight; in camp. Forage scarce. Captain Carrico, of Company "D," appointed A. A. I. G. and ordered to report to Colonel Capron, com- manding third brigade, 6th division. Captain Crandle and Lieutenant Thomas, with 50 men of the 14th, sent to Powder Springs, where they burn a large grist mill.
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