USA > Illinois > History of the 112th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in the great war of the rebellion, 1862-1865 > Part 20
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In the meantime Hascall, with two brigades of his division, had moved over to the right, crossed the main stream of Utoy Creek, and after a sharp encounter with the enemy's cavalry on the flank, gained a position enfilading the line of works ; and that night the rebel troops were withdrawn and retired to a strong line of fortifications extending from the hills near the north fork of Utoy Creek, southward across the Sandtown road, to the railroad a mile beyond East Point.
On the morning of the 7th a burial party was detailed to re- cover and bury the dead left on the field. A few wounded men were also recovered. Many of the dead were stripped of their clothing, having been robbed by rebel vandals.
A deep, wide ditch was dug, and the men laid into it, side by side, wrapped in their army blankets. They were then cover- ed with pine boughs, and upon these were shovelled the South- ern soil. The command was ordered to move at once, and the Chaplain of the 16th Kentucky-as brave, noble-hearted and generous a man, and as true and upright a Christian, as ever lived-requested that the Chaplain of the 112th Illinois be directed to remain with the burial party, and offer a prayer over the common grave of his dead comrades, and assist in giving them a decent and half-way Christian burial.
By direction of Lieut. Col. Bond, commanding the 112th, the Adjutant of the regiment informed Chaplain Henderson of the request of the Kentucky chaplain, and supplemented it with an order from Lt. Col. Bond to remain with the burial party and assist in performing the last sad rites over the remains of our fallen comrades. The Chaplain refused to remain, giving as the reason for his inhuman conduct, that his horse had had nothing to eat since that morning, and he must look up some forage.
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MORE ABOUT OUR CHAPLAIN.
His conduct in East Tennessee, when he refused to carry wounded soldiers had not been forgotten, and after the fall of Atlanta, when the regiment was in camp at Decatur, a paper was presented to him, signed by every officer present in the regiment, from Col. Henderson down, requesting him to resign, and threatening him with court martial if he refused ; and he resigned and left the service in disgrace. After that the reg- iment dispensed with the services of a chaplain ; but it con- tained many men who were zealous Christians, and religious meetings were held whenever opportunity would permit, in fact, more frequently than when they depended upon a selfish and half- hearted chaplain to lead them. Among the leaders in religious exercises was Capt. G. W Sroufe, who did much to encourage the boys in leading honest and correct lives, among many temptations, and whose earnestness and sincer- ity were honored and respected even by those who differed from him in opinion.
After the war the government removed the remains of these men to the National Cemetery at Marietta, where they were interred and their graves numbered, and a record made of the name and number of all who could be identified.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN, CONTINUED. A NEW BRIGADE -- COL. HENDERSON IN COMMAND. THE 112TH ILLINOIS THE FIRST TO REACH THE MACON RAILWAY. JONESBORO-ATLANTA "FAIRLY WON -IN CAMP AT DECATUR.
Gen. Cox's division moved to the right on the 7th of August, and occupied the hills in rear of Willis' Pond, its right resting on the south fork of Utoy Creek, and intrenchied, the 2d Divi- sion in reserve, and the 14th Corps connecting on the left.
Jolin W Whitten, of Co. F, of the 112th Illinois, was mor- tally wounded while at work on the intrenchments, and died in field hospital on the 9th of August. He and Samuel M. Adams, of the same company, were carrying a heavy rail, one at eachi end. Adams was ahead and had safely passed a narrow opening in the timber, covered by rebel sharpshooters. Wlien Whitten reached the opening, a moment later, he was shot. This illustrates the constant danger in which the men lived- at no moment safe from the enemy's bullets.
On the 8th Hascall's division crossed Utoy Creek and in- trenclied on the south side, and the next day the remainder of the division completed its works, under an irritating fire from tlie enemy's sharpshooters, only two hundred yards distant.
On the 9th Reilly's brigade was again moved to the right, and occupied a position on the extreme riglit of the line, and at once commenced the construction of breast-works.
The enemy's sharpshooters still kept up a galling fire, and Lieut. William L. Spaulding, of Co. G, 112th Illinois, was mortally wounded, and Alva W Sturtevant, of Co. B, severely wounded, while building breast-works. Lieut. Spaulding's fatlier, Dr. John W Spaulding, formerly Surgeon of the regi-
237
A NEW BRIGADE-COL. HENDERSON
ment, visited him in hospital and obtained permission to take him home ; but the lieutenant was destined "never to see the loved ones at home who were anxiously awaiting his return. He died on the way, at Jeffersonville, Indiana, on the 25th of August, and from that point the aged and sorrowful father conveyed all that was left of his son-huis inanimate form-to their home in Galesburg. Lieut. Spaulding was a young, ac- tive, brave and energetic officer-always ready and willing to perform his duty, never shrinking from the post of danger, and his death was a sad loss?to the regiment. He was at work with his men, with a spade in his hands, at the time he was struck by the fatal shot. Albert Walton, of Co. D, then acting as Sergeant Major, was making a detail for the skirmish line, and, as he approached the lieutenant, the latter rested on his spade, while Walton informed him of the number of men re- quired from his company ; and while Walton was talking to him he was shot.
As the company had been reduced below the required min- imum number, no promotions were made to fill the vacancy occasioned by his death.
The 112th Illinois, with the division, remained in position, engaged in constant skirmishing, until the 12th of August. On the 10th Thomas J. Reynolds of Co. I, was wounded.
In the meantime Gen. Sherman had brought down from Chattanooga some four-and-a-half-inch rifled guns, and they were put to work night and day upon the city, causing frequent fires and creating great confusion among soldiers and citizens.
On the 12th Cox's division was relieved by a division of the 4th Corps, and made a reconnoissance in force to the junction of the Campbelltown and East Point roads, and half a mile east on the East Point road. Drove in the enemy's pickets and developed his lines extending below East Point. The enemy's lines were about fifteen miles in length, extending from near Decatur to below East Point, and Sherman's lines at that time were about twenty miles long.
The 3d Division returned and took a new position on Has- call's right. The only casualty in the 112th Illinois was Corp- oral James D. Blood, of Co. G, wounded.
While Col. Henderson had been at home it had been arrang -.
238
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
ed to give him a brigade to command, on his return, and on the 12th the 1st Brigade stacked arms in front of Gen. Reilly's headquarters, and the 112th Illinois took formal leave of it ; old brigade commander and comrades in arms. The campaign had engendered a feeling of mutual friendship and respect for each other among the regiments, and between Gen. Reilly and his command, and the leave-taking was like the parting of old friends.
The new brigade consisted of the 112th Illinois, the 63d, 120th and 128th Indiana and the 5tli Tennessee regiments. It was numbered the 3d Brigade of the 3d Division of the 23d Ar- my Corps, and the 112th Illinois remained in the brigade un- til the close of the war, The 5th Tennessee was then at home on veteran furlough.
Col. Henderson was yet too ill for active service, and Col. I. N. Stiles, of the 63d Indiana, was placed in temporary com- mand of the brigade. Col. Henderson took command a few days later, and, with few temporary exceptions, commanded the brigade until the close of the war.
Lieut. Col. Bond's wound received at Utoy Creek, which at the time had been deemed slight, rapidly assumed a threaten- ing character, and compelled him to relinquish the command of the regiment and retire from duty until the wound healed ; and Major Dow took command of the regiment, assisted by Capt. Dunn, acting as Field Officer, Co. D in the meantime being in command of Lieut. James H. Clark.
By the casualties of war, and sickness induced by exposure and constant and unremitting toil, the regiment had become greatly reduced in numbers. But eight line officers were re- ported "present for duty." Some were on detached service, but a majority of the absentees were either wounded or sick.
Several companies were commanded by sergeants, and they did quite as well as commissioned officers ; in fact, every pri- vate knew what was required of him, and performed his work as well without as with orders ; and except to keep the com- pany accounts and make the details, there was not much for company commanders, as such, to do.
The 3d Division remained in position until the 15th, when it moved to the crossing of the Campbelltown and East Point
239
AT LIBERTY CHURCH.
roads, its flank covering both roads, and intrenched, and re- mained there, daily strengthening its works, until the 18th. On the 16th orders were received placing the men on three- fifths rations, whichi occasioned some surprise, and fears were entertained that our line of communications had been cut, but subsequent events explained the reason of the order.
The 18th was an extremely hot day. The command was ready to move at 8 o'clock, but did not move until noon. Cox's division then advanced, under a heavy skirmish fire, to a position nearly a mile east, and intrenched in a semi-circu- lar position, the left of the division covering the Utoy Creek valley, and the right Camp Creek valley. Gen. Kilpatrick with a division of cavalry passed through the lines to make a raid south of Atlanta, to cut the Macon railroad; and on the morning of the 19th the division moved out in light marching order, Col. Henderson's brigade in advance, to reconnoiter the position of the rebels, and support Kilpatrick in "rounding" the enemy's flank. The division moved out three miles to Camp Creek Church, drove in the enemy's skirmishers, and returned at sunset. The 3d Brigade proceeded as far as the Newman road, and returned to its original position in the ev- ening. This was repeated on the 20th, the 112th Illinois sup- porting the skirmish line, and again on the 21st going down the road to Liberty Church, and close up to the enemy's forts in front of East Point ..
Kilpatrick returned on the 21st, having been entirely around Atlanta and cut the railroad, but the damage was soon repaired.
Cox's division was now on the extreme point reached in the advance of Sherman's lines, and when lie made the move- ment to the south of Atlanta, a few days later, this position became the pivot on which the whole army turned. On the 24th the army received orders to be ready to move on the 26th, with twenty days rations, and to send all baggage to the north side of the Chattahoochee River.
On the 25th, the 112th Illinois, in command of Capt. Dunn, (Major Dow being ill) moved out about a mile from camp on a reconnoissance, and drove the enemy's skirmishers through the woods, and obtained a position so near their lines that we could hear their conversation.
240
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
The author has a vivid recollection of climbing a tree and watching a coluinn of rebel infantry which had stacked arms, the men lying on the ground resting, while their band played "Dixie."
Sherman had determined to raise the siege of Atlanta, cut loose from the city. and, swinging south, cut the enemy's lines and compel him to abandon his strong-hold. The 20th Corps had been sent back to the Chattahoochee to intrench and hold the bridge, and on the 25th of August the movement com- menced. The 4th Corps, on the extreme left, was the first to move, and by successive corps and divisions the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of the Tennessee moved in rear of the 23d Corps to the right, and the latter corps, which had been the extreme right, became the extreme left of the line. Hood discovered the movement and jumped to the conclusion that Sherman was retreating across the Chattahoochee, but his illusion was rudely dispelled a few days later.
While these movements were being made it required the ut- most vigilance on the part of Schofield's troops to guard against a sudden attack upon their lines, and at the same time keep the enemy occupied in front.
Frequent demonstrations were made by both sides, and for several days the men were kept almost constantly standing at arms.
On the 28th, the 23d Corps moved to a position a mile north- east of Mt. Gilead Church and intrenched, and the next day moved three miles south and then to the west and south-west and connected with the left flank of the 4th Corps, and in- trenched the position. Moved at 7:30 on the 30th, and struck the Atlanta and West Point road, and took position and built works near Ballard's. The 23d Corps was now isolated from the remainder of the army-which was between the two rail- roads-and it was expected that Hood would attack the corps and endeavor to crush it; but beyond slight skirmishing no serious demonstration was made in that direction.
The Army of the Tennessee had effectually destroyed several miles of the West Point railroad on the 28th, and the Macon railway was now Sherman's objective point.
On the 31st the Army of the Tennessee was in front of Jones-
241
AT ROUGH AND READY STATION.
boro. Thomas was advancing the center, and Schofield was moving forward on the left to strike the Macon railway near Rough and Ready Station. Hood had sent two corps under Hardee to Jonesboro, leaving Stewart's corps and the Georgia troops in Atlanta. Hardee moved out of his works and attack- ed Howard, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and made a stubborn fight, but was driven back into his works with con- siderable loss.
From our position on the left we could distinctly hear the roar of artillery at Jonesboro ; but the Army of the Tennessee had boasted that it had never been whipped, and all felt the greatest confidence in its ability to defeat the rebel army upon this occasion.
About the same time that Hardee moved out to attack How- ard, Schofield's leading division (Cox's) struck the railroad above.
The division moved at 6 o'clock in the morning, Henderson's brigade in advance, the 112th Illinois in front, and marched out through the lines of the 4th Corps to the right, driving the enemy's skirmishers, and took a position facing the railroad.
The 4th Corps then moved to the right of Schofield's corps, and advanced on another road leading to the railway, a mile south. Hascall's division of the 23d Corps followed Cox's.
When all was ready the column moved forward. Gen. Cox was anxious to be the first to strike the railroad, and directed Major Dow to report directly to him with the 112th Illinois. The Major moved the regiment forward, where the right wing was deployed as skirmishers, the left wing in support, and away they went through the woods and brush, on a double- quick, Gen. Cox with them, and struck the railroad at three o'clock.
An intrenched line, occupied by dismounted cavalry, covered the road, but this was carried without difficulty and a number of prisoners taken. By this time the division was on the road, and the work of destruction commenced at once.
A railway train came steaming down the road from Atlanta, and came within sight of the left of the line, but stopped and ran back before it could be reached.
-16
242
HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS.
The rails were torn from the ties and the latter burned, and the rails heated and bent and twisted into all manner of shapes, and many of them bent, like a hoop, round and round trees, so it would be impossible to remove them after they had cool- ed. Hascall's division struck the road at the same place, and destroyed the railway south to the 4th Corps, the latter having reached the road about 4 o'clock.
At night Cox's division went into position across the rail- road, fronting north, and built works, and the next day (Sept. 1st) destroyed the road a mile and a half north to Rough and Ready Station, and then returned and moved south towards Jonesboro-the 112th Illinois the rear guard. Hood heard by the returning train that Sherman's army had cut the road and was moving north on Rough and Ready Station. He had not heard of Hardee's encounter with Howard, the telegraph wires having been cut, and sent orders for Lee's corps to re- 'turn to Atlanta.
Lee moved from Jonesboro in the night, but never reached Atlanta. Sherman having divided the Confederate forces, en- deavored to surround and capture Hardee, but he escaped af- ter a hard fight, in which he lost heavily in killed, wounded and captured, and retired to Lovejoy s Station.
Abont two o clock in the night of the 1st, heavy explosions were heard in the direction of Atlanta, about twenty miles distant, which continned for an hour or two, and again at four o clock in the morning other explosions were heard, which it was subsequently learned, were caused by the destruction of large trains of ordnance and ordnance stores which Hood had not been able to move from Atlanta.
During the night of the 1st Hood evacuated Atlanta and assembled his army at Lovejoy's Station, and on the 2nd Slo- eu's 20th Corps marched in and took possession of the city.
Atlanta had been "fairly won", as Sherman expressed it, and on the 4th the army was ordered to move back slowly and go into camp at the places selected, for a brief period of rest before entering upon another campaign.
The Army of the Cumberland was ordered to occupy Atlan- ta, the Army of the Tennessee East Point, and the Army of the Ohio Decatur, while the cavalry was ordered to cover the
243
THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN ENDED.
flanks and rear from Sandtown to the Chattahoochee River. The army moved back by easy marches, and by the 8th of September all were in their designated camps.
Hood's army was grouped around Palmetto Station, twenty- five miles south-east of Atlanta. He threw a bridge across the Chattahoochee west of him, and sent a cavalry force west to Carroltown, another to Powder Springs, ten miles south of Lost Mountain, and also occupied Jonesboro with considera- ble force.
Gen. Sherman strengthened the garrisons at Chattanooga, Rome and other strategic points in the rear, and at the bridges and other points on the railroad, to guard his line of commu- nications, and the army settled down to rest.
The Atlanta campaign was ended ; and after four months of constant marching and counter-marching, maneuvering and skirmishing, by night as well as by day, in the mountain fast- nesses of Northern Georgia, almost every day under fire, both of artillery and musketry, ever alert, watchful and vigilant- guarding against surprise, yet seeking to strike the enemy un- awares ; at all times prepared for the unexpected and in read- iness to meet and overcome it ; always ready to move at a mo- ment's notice -- to march at the sound of the bugle, or fight at the tap of the drum ; after four such months of incessant strain on nerve and brain, the veterans of Sherman's army were worn and weary, although flushed with victory, and were glad to pause and take breath, while the plans of future cam- paigns were being discussed and marked out by Grant and Sherman.
Lieut. Thomas E. Milchrist, of Co. G, was detailed as Aid- de-camp on Col. Reilly's staff on the 14th of May, and served in that capacity until the 112th was transferred to the 3d Bri- gade, when he was transferred to Col. Henderson's staff and served as Aid-de-camp on his staff, until he was transferred and promoted to captain in the 65th Illinois, in June, 1865.
Capt. James McCartney was appointed Judge Advocate of the division court martial in the beginning of the campaign, and served as such until the 27th of July ; but he commanded his company all the time, holding court martial only when the division was at rest.
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HISTORY OF THE 112TH ILLINOIS
Lieut. James P. McChesney, of Co. A, resigned on the 10th of August, and on the 20th of September Second Lieut. Lean- der U. Browning was promoted to fill the vacancy, and First Serg. Thomas J. Williams was promoted to Second Lieutenant.
Second Lieut. George C. Maxfield, of Co. F, resigned on the 11th of September, and on the 14th First Lieut. James G. Armstrong was promoted to Captain, and First Serg. Bushrod Tapp to First Lieutenant.
As the company was reduced below the required minimum number, no second lieutenant was appointed.
Serg. Major J. C. Baird was compelled to go to the rear, by reason of sickness, on the 13th of June ; and Albert Walton, of Co. D, was detailed as acting Sergeant Major, and served as such until the 12th of September. George Bernard, Quarter- master Sergeant of the regiment, died in hospital at Marietta, on the 24th of August, and on the 12th of September Albert Walton was appointed Quartermaster Sergeant; and Serg. Andrew B. Lafferty, of Co. D, was detailed as acting Sergeant Major, and served as such until the following year.
Q. M. Sergeant Bernard was buried at Marietta, on the 25th of August; and after the war, liis remains were interred in the National Cemetery at Marietta, in Section G, Grave No. 7,269.
At Decatur grounds were prepared and camps laid out with great care and accuracy, tents were set with the greatest pre- cision, and the men, of their own accord, at once commenced beautifying the camp. The ground was swept as clean as a house floor, arbors were erected, and every day some new im- provement was made adding to the comfort and beauty of the camp.
There was considerable good natured rivalry among the reg- iments, each trying to outdo the others, and in a short time the camp had the appearance of a Garden of Paradise. It was universally admitted, however, that the 112th Illinois had the most beautiful and perfectly arranged camp in the corps ; and hundreds of officers and soldiers from other commands, and many citizens visited the camp to look upon its beauty and admire the good taste and skill of the men who had plann- ed and made it.
The officers, however, were compelled to work. The loss of
245
MAKING REPORTS.
the records had thrown their accounts into confusion, and dur- ing the campaign there had been no opportunity to straighten them out.
They were greatly perplexed how to proceed ; but "pay-day" was approaching, and that was an incentive to their inventive genius ; and finally they succeeded in unravelling the knots and getting their accounts in shape for approval.
Report after report was called for, from companies, regi- ments, brigades and divisions, and for three weeks adjutants and clerks were busily employed in making, consolidating and forwarding them to higher headquarters.
CHAPTER XX.
HOOD MARCHES NORTH AND STRIKES SHERMAN'S LINE OF COMMUNICATIONS-A WILD-GOOSE CHIASE. ALLATOONA-ROME-RESACA -- GAYLESVILLE SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA. THE 235 CORPS AT PULASKI, WATCHING HOOD.
Atlanta was not only the center of a great railway system, in the very heart of the grain and fool-proliciug region of Northern Georgia, but it contained extensive manufactures of the utmost importance to the Southern Confederacy.
Its railways and warehouses and mills and foundries sup- plied the Southern armies with provisions and clothing and munitions of war, which were accumulated there in large quantities, and distributed as occasion required.
It was the key-stone city of the Confederacy, and its loss was a severe blow to the Southi.
But it was not for the intrinsic military value of Atlanta, alone, that it ha l been so stubbornly defended. There had been a double purpose in holding it, and the military cam- paign to retain it was but an adjunct of the political cani- paign then in progress in the North. A Presidential election was pending. After three years of war the power of the so- called Confederate government remained unbroken, and its armies contested every foot of ground as they retired before the advance of the Union armies. Lee liad destroyed an army equal in numbers to his own, and still sucessfully de- fended the Confederate Capital against every attempt to cap- ture it.
Calls for volunteers by the National government did not meet with qu ck response, as in the first years of the war, and a draft had been ordered to fill the depleted ranks of regiments
247
ENCOURAGED AND DISCOURAGED.
at the front. The public debt was increasing at the rate of a million dollars a day and no man could toresee the en.l.
Many people of the North had become discouraged, com- plained of the slow progress of the war, and the great sacri- tives of blood and treasure without corresponding advantages, and demanded a change in the administration of the govern- ment ; and one of the great political parties of the country, in National convention, had solemnly declared the war for the I'nion a failure, and demanded a cessation of hostilities, with a view to an ultimate settlement of the questions at issue by a compromise. The Confederate leaders were watchful of the public sentiment in the North, and quick to turn any disaffer- tion among the people to their own advantage. They looked upon the peace party of the North as friends and allies of the South, and determined to continue the struggle with increased energy for its political effect upon the pending election, as well as for military alvantage.
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