USA > Illinois > History of the Fourth Illinois cavalry regiment > Part 15
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Myself with two or three others were deployed on the left as flankers. I was next to the road and even with the advance guard. We could see two rebels some distance behind the rest of the command and Joe Carter thought their horses crippled or used up so he asked permission of
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the officer in command of the advance to take twelve men from the right, dash ahead and try and take them in. His request was granted and as Joe started out and said "Come on boys" I reined into the road beside him and said "Now Joe we will see who has the best horse." He had just drawn a large white horse and bantered me for a trade on the way out, but I put him off by saying I wanted to see his horse tested. My own had already been tested a good many times. Joe spurred his horse and made him do his best. I kept neck and neck with him without urging my horse in the least.
The two rebels, we started out to catch, we soon found were well mounted and had no trouble to keep out of our way. We discovered after awhile that we were far ahead by ourselves, so Joe suggested that we slack up a little as we might run into an ambush. Joe had come near getting killed a short time before in a similar case.
The command was soon up and we galloped on until we struck Lake St. John, about three miles from where we left Colonel Farrar. We could see quite a large force of rebel cavalry retreating around the lake. We made a short halt here to rest our horses. The weeds were as high as our heads while on our horses, all around there. There was open timber a little to our left along the lake, the way the rebels had gone.
I was sent with two men out that way to stand picket until the command moved again. I took the road and one of the men on each side went through the weeds. I got out of the weeds first and there in the edge of the timber, not a dozen rods from me, stood three rebel cavalrymen in a bunch facing me, with their carbines at a "ready." Ifelt sure that they would shoot at me in an instant but I wanted to get the first shot and I did get it, too.
I drew rein and fired over my horse's head at the bunch. I shot very quick but still thought I had good enough aim so I could not help but hit some one of them. The other boys gave them a round but the Johnnies scampered away unharmed, so far as we knew. We returned to camp in
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about the same order as we went out, without further incident.
I found the following report by Captain Merriman to Brigadier General M. Brayman, Commanding United States Forces, which is hereby submitted:
Natchez, Mississippi, September 6, 1864: I have the honor to report in conformity with your order, detailing me and fifteen men to come east on the Liberty road to find out the whereabouts of the enemy. I found their pickets at the eight mile post, moved on them slowly for two miles, skirmishing all the time.
I was fearful of an ambuscade as they were stubborn. On their retreat I ordered a charge, and a running fight ensued for three miles, ending in the capture of one prisoner, six horses and mules, equipments and four stand of arms, scattering the remaining force all over the country.
I could hear of no formidable force this side of the Homochitto river, a distance of twenty-eight miles. The prisoner captured is from Captain Ferry's Company, Tenth Mississippi, commanded by Colonel Wood now on duty at Springers Ferry on the Homochitto river. The property captured was turned over to the quartermaster.
I am very respectfully your obedient servant,
HARVEY H. MERRIMAN, Captain Company L, Fourth Illinois Cavalry Commanding Expedition.
September 16th-Sergeant Moulton was in command of the patrol on the Pine Ridge road this morning. He found two mules and a horse saddled and tied a few rods from the road in the woods. He brought them all in. They evidently belonged to some rebel cavalry, but the latter were not seen.
The next morning the patrol on the Washington road was ambushed and J. W. Phelps of Company M was instantly killed, fourteen buckshot striking him in the face and breast. Phelps was the Captain's clerk and volunteered to go with the patrol that morning for
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recreation. He wore an officer's blouse and was probably taken for an officer. His folks lived at Ottawa, Illinois. It is understood that this was in retaliation for the capture of two mules and a horse by Sergeant Moulton the day before.
Report of Major Mindret Wemple of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry to Lieutenant C. B. Smith, Acting Assistant Adjutant General, of the expedition to Farrar's plantation :
Headquarters Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Natchez, Mississippi, September 23, 1864 :- In obedience to orders I took command of the detachments of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Twenty-eighth Illinois Infantry, Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry, Sixth United States Colored Artillery and Seventy-first United States Colored Infantry on the morning of the 22d inst and proceeded to the plantation of Mr. A. K. Farrar. *
I loaded fifty-one wagons with corn and cotton, brought in forty-seven bales of cotton and one-hundred and forty head of cattle. The enemy engaged our rear guard soon after leaving Farrar's and kept up a lively skirmish for six miles. I had no one hurt. One man of the enemy was shot from his horse, supposed to have been killed. Returned to Natchez last night at eleven p. m.
M. WEMPLE,
Major Commanding Fourth Illinois Cavalry.
Below is a condensed report of M. Brayman, Brigadier General Commanding, to Lieutenant Colonel H. C. Rodgers Assistant Adjutant General, of an expedition to Sicily Island and Waterproof. The Fourth Illinois Cavalry, or a part of it least, was with the expedition:
Headquarters United States Forces, Natchez, Mississippi, September 30, 1864 :- I have the honor to report, informally, that the forces which I sent out on Monday morning to Sicily Island, Louisiana and Waterproof, under Lieutenant Colonel H. A. McCaleb, Sixth United States Colored Heavy Artillery, returned this morning without accident or loss, with the following results: One rebel flag, one rebel Colonel, three rebel
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captains, four rebel privates, two rebel guerillas, twenty-five serviceable horses, one-hundred serviceable mules and four-hundred fat cattle. * * *
Respectfully your obedient servant,
M. BRAYMAN,
Brigadier General Commanding.
The non-veterans turned over their arms and equipments October 3, 1864, which ended our soldiering in this war in all probability, the veterans and recruits having already been consolidated into five companies.
This same day a Brigade of Cavalry, under Colonel E. D. Osband, came into Natchez from Vicksburg. They reported meeting a force of about two-hundred rebel cavalry this side of Fayette. They claimed to have killed seven of them and took some prisoners and brought in about four-hundred head of beef cattle.
This same force augmented by a part of the consolidated Battalion of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, left here the next day for Woodville on steamers by the way of Fort Adams or some point near there. Another force, with the balance of the Fourth Cavalry Battalion, start for the same place by way of Liberty. These expeditions returned on the 8th. Below is Colonel Osband's report of the same:
Report of Colonel E. D. Osband, Third United States Colored Cavalry, Commanding expedition to Woodville, Mississippi, to Captain F. W. Fox, Assistant Adjutant ' General:
Headquarters Cavalry Forces, Vicksburg, Mississippi, October 12, 1864 :- Pursuant to orders from the Major General Commanding, I left Natchez, Mississippi, on the 4th day of October at six p. m. on transports provided with detachments of the Fifth, Eleventh and Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, Third United States Colored Cavalry, two pieces of artillery and detachment Signal Corps, in all about twelve-hundred men.
We landed at Tunica Bend, Louisiana, at four a. m. on the 5th and marched in the direction of Woodville. When ten
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miles from Woodville, hearing heavy firing in the direction of Bayou Lava, I proceed to that point as far as Sligo, but there finding that the firing receded faster than we advanced, I moved toward Woodville and after surrounding the town, charged with two regiments, completely surprising the rebels and capturing twelve prisoners, one caisson, twelve army wagons with teams, etc.
After destroying telegraph wires and capturing mail I moved half a mile south of the village and camped. At daylight I forwarded all prisoners and captured property to Fort Adams.
Hearing at this time of a rebel force upon my right flank, about one and one-half miles distant, I immediately sent the Fifth Illinois Cavalry, Third United States Colored Cavalry and one piece of artillery to the left and moved with the Eleventh Illinois and Second Wisconsin Cavalrys and one gun to the right.
The column sent to the left met a severe fire from Gober's Cavalry. The artillery and Fifth Illinois Cavalry, supporting, opened at 1000 yards and did fine execution.
Major J. B. Cook with the Third United States Colored Cavalry, pushing rapidly to the rear, stampeded Gober's command and gained the rear of the battery. When forming line of battle he charged through the woods, one battalion with revolvers and one with sabers, cutting down the rebels who were now deserting the battery, driving the gunners from and capturing the guns. The batterymen were secured as prisoners of war by the Fifth Illinois Cavalry. In the meantime the other column met with stubborn resistance.
The result of this half-hour's work was one 12-pound howitzer, two 6-pound smooth bore guns, one-hundred and fifty rounds of fixed ammunition, horses and harness complete, three battle flags, forty-one prisoners and four of the enemy killed.
Our loss was nothing. The figlit occured near the residence of Judge McGehee, who had breakfast cooked for the rebels. Our men ate the breakfast and, giving the
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Judge half an hour to move out of his residence, burned it, together with the quarters he had erected for the use of the rebels.
I now sent Captain Bently, with one company of the Second Wisconsin, a mile to the right of our position where he stampeded a company of rebel cavalry. He found and destroyed thirty-five saddles and thirty-five stand of arms.
I also caused to be burned at Woodville about $100,000 worth of commissary stores, Confederate States army, consisting of salt, sugar, tobacco and cotton cloth. I now moved to Fort Adams, sending captured property to boats.
Here at the junction of the roads the advance (Third United States Colored Cavalry) found and drove a small party of rebels some two miles. Our loss was two wounded, slightly. During the night I learned we had met Power's regiment, two-hundred strong. The Fourth Illinois Cavalry had one man wounded, who afterward died.
Expecting to meet Scott's and the combined rebel forces at Woodville, I marched at eight a. m. for that point but found no enemy. We encamped on Buffalo creek and marched next morning at daylight, meeting Colonel Farrar at Kingston and reaching Natchez at four p. m.
I learned at Woodville that in the skirmish with Power's Regiment the commanding officer, Major McKowen, and eight men were killed.
Summary: The command embarked and disembarked twice, traveled by river one-hundred-seventy-five miles, and marched by land two-hundred-sixty miles. They lost no material, had only two men killed, and one officer and five men slighty wounded, The emeny's loss is two officers and fifty-four enlisted men killed, and by capture four commissioned officers and eighty-two enlisted men.
The command captured three cannons, one caisson, three-hundred-fifty rounds of ammunition, some harness, etc., one-thousand head of beef cattle, three sheep, between three-hundred and four-hundred horses and mules, twelve army wagons, harness, etc., destroying
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three-hundred-fifty stand of arms, $100,000 subsistance stores, destroyed the telegraph station at Woodville and secured a large amount of information through captured dispatches and gained one-hundred-seventy-five able bodied colored recruits. Respectfully submitted,
E. D. OSBAND,
Colonel Third United States Colored Cavalry.
Report of Colonel E. D. Osband, Third United States Colored Cavaly, Commanding Third Cavalry Brigade, to Captain S. L Woodwar, Assistant Adjutant General:
Memphis, Tennessee, January 13, 1865 :- I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by the Third Brigade in the recent raid from Memphis, Tennessee, to Vicksburg, Miss. The brigade moved from Memphis as the rear of a cavalry division on the morning of December 21, 1864, with ten day's rations and one-hundred-twenty rounds of ammunition per man and and numbering forty-seven officers and 1679 enlisted men.
At noon of the 24th of December, being at Ripley, Mississippi, I sent, by order of the General Commanding, two-hundred men of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Captain A. T. Search commanding, to cut the Mobile & Ohio railroad. Moving directly east, about midnight, they cut the railroad midway between Guntown and Baldwyn Stations. After burning two bridges and tearing up one quarter of a mile of track they continued their march and joined the column at Ellistown at noon of the 25th, having captured seven prisoners and destroyed twenty-four stand of arms.
On the night of the 25th of December the brigade encamped three miles from Tupelo. By order of the General Commanding I sent forward the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, who after a night of most unusual exertion, completely destroyed the railroad bridge over the Oldtown Creek, two-hundred feet long, and tore up half a mile of track.
On the 26th I sent the Third United States Colored Cavalry down the railroad from Tupelo to Verona, the Fourth Illinois Cavalry from Verona to Shannon, the
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Second Wisconsin as far below Shannon as they were able to go that night. From Tupelo to Shannon about 2500 feet of bridge and trestle work were destroyed. The Fourth Illinois Cavalry burned ten railroad cars loaded with wagons at Verona, captured twenty loaded wagons, teams and stores just south of the station and destroyed repair shops and a vast amount of materials used by General Forest at Verona.
The Third Wisconsin burned two government ware houses at Shannon filled with quartermasters stores, three-hundred stand of arms, thirteen cars loaded with timber and the important railroad bridges over the Chiwasses and Coonewar creeks, many trestle works and culverts, beside the capture of one First Lieutenant and six enlisted men.
On the 27th the Eleventhi Illinois Cavalry totally destroyed the important bridges over the Chiwapa and Talabalah creeks, each two-hundred feet in length, cutting down such parts that could not be burned. During the day the rear guard skirmished with about sixty of the enemy.
On the 28th I sent as ordered six companies of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, under Major William Woods, to hold Pikeville. Nearing Egypts Station the column was closed up and the skirmishing of the first brigade, becoming exceedingly warm, the pack train in my front being in confusion, blocking up the road, I took the field with the Fourth and Eleventh Cavalry and the Third United States Colored Cavalry, leaving six companies of Second Wisconsin Cavalry, under Captain Forest, to guard brigade, pack train and prisoners.
Moving rapidly toward the scene of the engagement I was ordered by Colonel Harge to support his right flank, held by the Fourth Missouri Cavalry, who were carrying on a fight with General Balstons command, who were inflicting great loss to the Fourth Missouri Cavalry from the shelter of a railroad enbankment, without danger to themselves. Without firing a single shot the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, having formed in line on the right of the
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Fourth Missouri Cavalry charged, utterly routing Rolsom and pursuing his flying squadron to the road beyond.
The revolver and saber were freely used by our men, fifteen or twenty of the enemy being either killed or wounded. One Lieutenant Colonel, five line officers and ten enlisted men were captured. In this brilliant attack we lost two men, severely wounded the enemy, their killed and wounded, a total route and dispersion of their entire cavalry force, had their left turned and the retreat to the swamp before this opened to the garrison of the stockade entirely and permantly cut off.
Immediately to the rear, and supporting the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, I moved the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, but finding the Fourth able to meet all the force of the enemy of that side of the railroad, I changed the direction of the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry by a left wheel and moved them to the rear of the houses situated to the right of the stockade, which furnished them admirable cover for their horses, intending to attack the stockade with them dismounted.
The regiment was here ordered to move to the rear of the stockade, mounted, and in making the movement they were exposed to a heavy fire. One man was killed and two officers and thirteen men wounded.
Forming in the new position Colonel Funk dismounted his men and advanced to assault the stockade but before his men came in range it surrendered. I moved the Third United States Colored Cavalry to the position recently occupied by the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, under cover of the houses and dismounted them. The dismounted column formed and commenced to move on the stockade when it surrendered.
The two companies of the Second Wisconsin and two companies of the Third United States Colored Cavalry were, by direction of the General Commanding, placed on the extreme left of our line, but although they had a few horses wounded, they did not, to any extent, participate in the engagement.
Nine enlisted men of the Eleventh Illinois were too
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badly wounded to be moved and after their wounds were dressed by our surgeon they were left at Egypts Station.
On the morning of January 1, 1865, I moved, by order of tlie General Commanding, from Winona station down to the line of the Mississippi Central railroad. Flanking the line of march of the main column I sent a strong dismounted detail from the Fourth Illinois Cavalry and Third United States Colored Cavalry from Winona Station through Vaiden and West Station to a point five miles below the latter place, a distance of twelve miles.
They totally destroyed two and one-half miles of track, ninteen bridges, twelve culverts, together with station houses, water tanks, etc., Ten of these bridges were important structures and must require thirty days to repair them.
On the morning of the 2d, learning that the Confederates were concentrating a strong force near Goodman Station, I left the line of the railroad and moved on the Franklin Pike in the direction of Ebenezer and Benton.
When one-half mile from Franklin my advance of the Third United States Colored Cavalry was charged upon by a strong force of the enemy. The charge was repulsed and the rebels driven from their advanced position. The forces proved to be those of General Wirt Adams, 1500 strong, who coming from Goodman had pushed one regiment to a junction of the road, covering them in some close timber skirting the road and about a church surrounded by shrubbery.
A flank movement of two squadrons of the Third United States Colored Cavalry, commanded by Captain H. Fretz of Company L, dislodged them from the church while seven squadrons of the Third United States Cavalry dismounted, under Major E. M. Main, dislodged them from the close timber by falling upon their flank and rear, thus compelling them to fall back to a bridge over a small stream where General Adams had concentrated the main body of his men.
Major Main immediately charged and carried the
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bridge but in turn was driven in some confusion by the enemy who being heavily re-enforced outnumbered him three to one.
We should have lost numbers of men except for the most determined gallantry of our officers, particularily among whom was Lieutenant Frank W. Calais, Company A Third United States Cavalry.
In the meantime the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry moved to our extreme right, where they arrived in time to check a flank movement of the enemy. After sharp fighting the movement on their left turned and their forces driven to the main body at the bridge. The Fourth Illinois Cavalry moving promptly to the support of the Third United States Colored Cavalry, met and repulsed a flank movement of the enemy, directly to our left, when quickly dismounting, jumping from tree to to tree soon drove the rebels to the cover of the houses across the creek.
At this time the Third United States Cavalry again charged and carried the bridge from which they were not again driven during the fight. The desperate nature of the fighting, the superiority of numbers displayed by General Adams and the summons from the General Commanding to immediately join the column, now fifteen miles to our right, induced me to attempt to withdraw my men. Fortunately General Adams concluded to withdraw his men and we mutually separated, without further fighting.
One enlisted man from the Fourth Illinois Cavalry and one from the Third United States Colored Cavalry being too severely wounded to be moved, were left at Franklin. Our loss was one officer killed, one wounded and three enlisted men killed, one wounded and two missing. The enemy left one major, one lieutenant and fifty men dead upon the field, aside from which we took seven prisoners. It was the hardest fought cavalry fight in which the brigade as such were ever engaged.
I cannot forbear to mention the loss sustained by the death of First Lieutenant and Assistant Adjutant S. H. Pettingill of the Third United States Colored Cavalry.
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He was thoroughly the embodiment of the accomplished gentleman and the dashing soldier.
Moving through Ebenezer I joined the main column the same night, having been engaged with the enemy one and one-half hours and having marched forty-three miles. My horses are worn out with the labor of fifty days consecutive riding and need rest and care. My men are unusually well not more than twenty being admitted to the hospital from both sick and wounded.
I desire to thank Captain J. F. Wallace, Fourth Illinois Cavalry acting aide-de-camp, for very valuable service rendered throughout the expedition. Attention is called to enclosed reports of the regimental commanders also statement of Lieutenant Hisbit of Fifth Illinois Volunteer Cavalry.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
E. D. OSBAND,
Colonel Third United States Colored Cavalry, Third Brigade Cavalry Division.
October 20th-At 1:30 a. m. we embarked aboard the Paragon and arrived at Cairo, Illinois, at daylight on the 26th and immediatly took a special train, composed of box cars into which we were loaded like so many cattle, excepting we were not furnished any straw for bedding, while it is considered inhuman to ship cattle that way.
We started for Springfield, Illinois, where we arrived the next day. It will be remembered that this was on the eve of a presidental election, which was to be held on the 8th of November. The candidates were Abe Lincoln and General George B. McClelland and there was no small interest manifested in the army as well as elsewhere, so there was a straw vote taken on the boat before we got to Cairo. The result was as follows: Mr. Lincoln 337, McClelland 29 votes. This shows that the old Fourth Illinois Cavalry proposed to vote the way they shot.
The companies were mustered out and paid off as fast as their muster rolls were completed. I believe the last of us left for home on November 6th. At nearly every
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station some one would silently drop off and thus we separated, perhaps never to meet on earth again.
The re-enlisted men or veterans, as they were called then, and the recruits or all those that enlisted subsequent to the organization of the regiment whose term of enlistment had not yet expired, were consolidated into five companies and placed under the command of Major A. T. Search.
This battalion was brigaded with the Third United States Colored Cavalry and perhaps some other troops who were mostly under the command of Colonel E. D. Osband and Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Cook where they served until the close of the war. They did very efficient service.
I submit herewith such reports as I have been able to find where the battalion of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry were participants, followed by reports of some organizations that we were attached to at one time or another:
Headquarters at Corinth, Mississippi. Fourth Illinois Cavalry (four companies) Major Wemple; Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Bazil D. Meeks; Third Michigan Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Moyers; Sixth Tennessee, Colonel Fielding Hurst; Seventh Tennessee, Captain James M. Martin. No further record.
Third Brigade, Colonel Embury D. Osband; Fourth Illinois (five' companies) Captain Anthony T. Search: Eleventh Illinois, Lieutenant Colonel Otto Funk; Third United States Colored Cavalry, Major Edwin M. Main: Second Wisconsin, Major Nicholas H. Dale; Second Illinois Light Artillery, Battery K, Lieutenant Wesley Platt. No date to this organization found but must have been in latter part of 1864.
April 3, 1863: First Division Cavalry. First Brigade, Colonel Benjamin F. Grierson; Sixth Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel R. Loomis; Seventh Illinois Cavalry, Colonel Ed Prince; Second Iowa Cavalry, Colonel Edward Hatch.
Second Brigade, Colonel LaFayette McCrellis; Third Illinois Cavalry Detachment, Lieutenant Colonel J. M.
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Ruggles: Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel M. R. M. Wallace: Ninth Illinois Cavalry, Major Ira R. Gifford.
Jnne 9, 1863: Second Brigade was made First Brigade with Third and Fourth Brigades added to Division, Colonel John R. Wagner Commanding Division; Colonel Hatch Commanding Second Brigade; Colonel F. M. Coruyn Commanding Third Brigade and Lieutenant Colonel Bazil D. Meeks Commanding Fourth Brigade.
It will be observed that after December, 1862, our regiment did not operate with those in the field but was sidetracked, as it were, to guard communications-first railroads then the Mississippi river. This was an important service and had to be performed by some troops and it seemed to fall to our lot.
It was a very hard service, both on men and horses, with but little glory. If we had been given our choice we would have been with the army where our service would seem to amount to something but it is a soldiers duty to obey orders and that we did. We have the satisfaction of knowing that we did what we were ordered to do and accomplished what we undertook in a manner that met the approval of our superior officers and instilled in our enemies, that we came in contact with, a wholesome respect for us.
The consolidated Battalion of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry was consolidated with the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry in Texas, June 14, 1865, which made a full regiment of maximum strength and the organization was known as the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry until it was mustered out some months later. The exact date is not at land.
It will be observed that this consolidation, with the Twelfth was made after the war was over, consequently the services performed in that organization were of no particular interest, so far as I have learned.
Now comrades and friends I beg your indulgence if you find this history incomplete and if you find some errors I have done the best I could with the material obtainable.
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It will not take an expert to see that I am a novice with the pen. This is my first effort along this line. I fondly hoped and waited for years for someone more competent to take up and execute this work and it was only when I feared we would soon all be in our graves and no history written that I decided to undertake it. Farewell.
HECKMAN
BINDERY, IN C. Bound-To-Please®
FEB 05
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
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