USA > Illinois > History of the Ninety-sixth Regiment, Illinois volunteer Infantry, Vol. I > Part 10
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105
18651
AN UNFORTUNATE ADVANCE.
march direct to Spring Hill. and then move to the left to meet a force that had been sent ont from Murfreesboro. It had been supposed that Spring Hill was occupied merely as a picket post, and that the main body of Rebels was at Colum- bia. Col. Coburn's surprise was therefore great when, about three miles out, he met a large force of the enemy marching toward Franklin. Deploying his troops he moved forward, the cavalry falling back in his front. Ile soon became satisfied that his force was greatly outnumbered, and so informed Gen. Gilbert. Receiving order, to continue the forward movement he advanced for some distance, and then went into camp for the night. at the same time sending word that he believed his position a critical one. and urging that reinforcements he sent him. He was peremptorily ordered to advance, however, and did move forward next morning, only to find a large force upon his front and flauks. Again he sent word to Gen. Gilbert that it was sheer despera- tion to assine the offensive with his single Brigade ; but the order to advance was repeated, with the intimation that to do otherwise would be to show that he was a coward. Cut to the quick by the tannt, Col. Coburn moved forward to Thompson's Station, and made a gallant fight, but was soon hemmed in on every side, and. after some ineffectual attempts to ent his way out, concluded that it was inhuman to further sacrifice the brave mes undor his charge, and surrendered, first exhausting his limited supply of ammunition. His cay- alry, a battery of artillery, and his train and train guards retreated in time, and reached! Franklin in safety ; but about: two-thirds of the 22d Wisconsin, eight companies of the 19th Michigan, and all of the 33d and 85th Indiana, -1, 800 or 2,000 in all, -- were captured. After events fully confirmed Col. Coburn's belief that there were 15.000 rebels in the army with which he had been contending with his force of perhaps 2,300 men. The prisoners were sent to Richmond and paroled, returning to Tennessee in June following.
At the time of the arrival of the Brigade to which the NINETY-SIXTH belonged there were in Franklin only Gen. Gil- bert's Division, a few cavalry, one battery. a small number of
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ILISTORY OF THE 98TO REGIMENT, ILL. V. ..
stragglers, some sick and wounded men, and a remnant of the 224 Wisconsin, which had effected their escape from the enemy just before the surrender by Col. Coburn. The tents, con- taining much of the baggage of the captured Regiments, were still standing and looked lonesome and deserted enough.
The NINETy-SixTH. with the other Regiments of the Bri- gade, stood about in the mud and rain during all of Friday ; but just at dusk the wagons arrived from Nashville, tents were pitched, and the night was passed in a semi-comfortable way . The camp was located near the rathoad track, on the noch side of the river, and a half maile distant from the village. The surroundings were pleasant. and as this region figures quite extensively in the Regiment's history, it should be briefly described. To the rear, looking in the direction of Nashville, the country was broken, high points being numerous. The most conspicuous of these was Roper's Knob, a boll peak used as a station by the Federal Signal Corps. This was a half mile or more from camp. Just to the left of camp the railroad wound through a deep ent, emerging from this depres- sion a short distance below. The pike leading to Nashville was a short distance to the right. To the front and left, on the north bank of the river, was the beginning of what after- ward became a formidable earthwork, known as Fort Granger. On the south bank of the river was clustered the pleasant village of Franklin. From the village, roads or pikes led in various directions, and from the height on which the camp was located a fair view of the open fields beyond the village could be had. Near the camp were a few large houses, mostis of brick. There were heavy bodies of timber in all directions. but generally at quite a distance from the camp. On the open fields, stretching to the southward from the village and in plain view from this camp. was to be fought, long months afterward, one of the most desperate battles of the war, and in that battle the Regiment was to have a part ; but this was not to be until it had marched and fought. again and again. far to the southward.
Saturday, March 7, it was confidently expected that an advance would be made, and throughout the forenoon the
107
1868]
Two MEN MADE PRISONERS.
troops held themselves in readiness to leave camp at a moment's notice. The wind blew a gale all day. Extra ammunition was issued, and the arms of the men were in- spected to make sure that all were in fighting trim. During the afternoon, it having become apparent that there would be no forward movement that day, several members of the Regi- ment asked and obtained permission to visit Roper's Knob. Two of them, -James Piley and Patrick Conway, both of Company F. -- went from the Knob to a house near by to procure some butter, and were captured by a squad of the enemy's cavalry that changed to be scouting in the neighbor- hood. They were the first members of the Regiment cap- tered. Both were exchanged, and returned in time to take part in the battle of Chickamauga, where Pimley was killed and Conway seriously wounded. For a more ciremostantial account of their experiences reference is made to the chapter on " Prisons and Prisoners of War," in another part of this volume. During Sunday the troops sent ont from Murfrees- boro, under the counnand of Gen. Sheridan, and which it had been expected Col. Coburn's Brigade would meet at or near Rally Hill, made a detour and reached Franklin. Other forces arrived from Nashville, and by Sunday night some 15,000 troops including quite a force of cavalry, had been concen- trated. Every day the cavalry reconnoitered in various direc- tions, making sure that the onemy hut not again moved to. ward or past Franklin.
Monday, March 9. the little army moved southward, the main body upon the Columbia pike. Every man had three days' rations in his haversack, and twenty rounds of ammu- nition in his pockets in addition to the forty rounds in his cartridge-box. Tents were struck and loaded upon the wagons. but the wagons did not follow. The cavalry led the column. and manenvered on the flanks. The enemy's cavalry was encountered a few miles out, but fell back without serion- resistance, although at times the skinishing was lively, and occasionally the artillery was called into use. It was a strange spectacle to watch the movements of the advance troops. Deployed in line of battle on either side of the pike, they
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ITISTORY OF THE 961H REGIMENT, I.L. V. I.
stretched away across the fields. As fences were approached one man in four would dismount, run forward and throw back the rails from every other corner, so that the horses could pass without breaking the line for more than a few seconds. The work of throwing down a fence required but a moment, often a mile or more being made ready for the passage of the line of battle in as little time as would be required to throw open an ordinary gate. When a store wall was encountered there was a little longer delay, and the gaps would be less frequent, but in a very few moments the wall would be made casy of passage, and the labor of the wall-layers for long months would be undone.
Neur Thompson's Station and Spring Hill there were many marks of the disastrous battle of the fourth. Most of the white men had apparently followed the army southward, for. except in rare justances, only women and negroes occupied the homes along the line of march. Gen. Sheridan's Division jul the advance of the infantry forces the greater part of the day, but toward night Gen. Granger's command moved to the front, passing Sheridan's troops in bivouac. That night the Regiment, with other troops, camped in an open field in front of a large farm house, having marched a dozen miles. Upon the arrival of the command there was a board fence upon one side of the pike and a rail fence upon the other, but in half an hour not a vestige of these remained, except here and there. a fence post that had been set so deep that it could not easily be pulled out. The troops boing without toats, the fencing Was used to provide shelter and fuel for the night. All felt that they were in an enemy's country, and that there should no longer be any restraint in the confiscation of property when the comfort and well-being of the soldiers was under consid- eration. The region was rich in supplies, and the troops ipred sumptuously .-- fresh pork, bacon, potatoes, poultry, tobacco and honey being secured in liberal amounts. The day had been pleasant, but before midnight a drenching rain set in, making it most uncomfortable for the soldiers.
Tuesday, March 10, the cavalry again took the lead, beginning to skirmish with the enemy almost as soon as
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109
IN SIGHT OF REBEL CAMP FIRES.
1863]
they left camp. A few shells came over from the front. bursting near the Regiment, -- the first that had ever been fired at the command. The advance was cantious, the infan- try moving forward well to the front, advancing two or three times and then halting, as if there was an expectation that the enemy would resist the attack, and perhaps assume the offensive. After a time the cavalry moved more rapidly, and the firing receded. About noon the order "forward " was given to the infantry, and a very rapid march of six or eight miles was made, the column occasionally breaking into a double quick. Then came a brief halt, and later a further advance of a half mile was ordered. All day the artillery. which accompanied the cavalry, shelled the woods in front, and a lively skirmish fire was kept up, but with few casualties. At six o'clock the troops went into bivouac in the woods, in close proximity to the enemy, the pickets exchanging shots and the camp fires of either army being plainly visible to the other. It was the nearest approach to the enemy that the Regiment bad yet made, and all foh that a battle was imini- nent. The rain, which had been falling moderately through- out the day, increased as night came on, but ceased at ien o'clock, the weather turning severely cold. The troops hav- ing been subjected to so much exposure and fatigue, and the night being so unpleasant, the usual detail for picket was omitted and an entire Company sent out for four hours, when a fresh Company was called up and sent to relieve them. It is to be feared that had army regulations been strictly en- forced. and every man found asleep on his post that might been given the full sentence of the law, there would have been several executions during the days immediately succeed- ing, for certain it is that there were some who could not, or did not, keep awake. This is not to be wondered at when it is remembered that the command had been given little oppor- tunity to sleep the previous night, and that many had slept but little since leaving Nashville, five days before.
Wednesday, March 11. the cavalry and artillery engaged the enemy, and quite a lively skirmish took place at one of the crossings of Duck River and at Rutherford Creek. The
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ILISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, IM V. I.
water was so high that the formidable streams could not be crossed, and as it was not practicable to bridge them, no further advance was attempted. A few prisoners were takeu and a few of the cavalry were killed or wounded. Exagger- ated reports as to the losses and gains came from the troopers at the front, but the day passed without any general move- ment of the infantry forces.
Thursday, March 12, the entire command marched back to Franklin, Gen. Sheridan's Division taking the lead. While there was plainly no cause for hurrying, yet Sheridan's vet- crans led off at a rapid pace, evidently undertaking to show Granger's troops how to march. The entire distance of about twenty or twenty-two miles was traveled in seven and one- half hours the camp ground at Franklin boing reached at four o'clock in the afternoon. It was a very severe and unneces- sarily rapid march, many of the men falling out from sheer exhaustion, -- those from Sheridan's Division being quite as numerous as in the connand that followed thom. Subso- quently the report was current that two Division commanders had made a wager of a basket of champagne as to the ability of their commands to march; if so, it was a most heartless undertaking. for quite a number of the men were entirely used up by this experience. Next day Gen. Sheridan's Divis- jon resumed their march, making a leisurely trip to Murfrees- boro. Thus ended what has gone into history as the Duel: River campaign.
March 13 and 14 were given to resting, nod cheating up the camp grounds, although on the latter day there was an inspection of all the troops by Gen. Granger. Gens. Gilbert, Baird and Smith being with him. The men were ordered to loep three days' cooked rations in their haversacks, and to be ready to move at a moment's notice. it apparently being expected that the enemy would make an attack on Franklin and attempt to drive our forces back to Nashville.
Sunday, March 15, eighty men were detailed from the NINETY-Sixin to work on the fort, and on the twentieth one hundred men were called for. On the twenty-second the entire Regiment was on picket duty across the river, going
111
1863]
A NIGHT MARCH TO BRENTWOOD.
out at daylight and remaining for twenty-four hours. the line of the Regiment entirely surrounding the village, and both fanks resting on the river. There was some excitement through the night, and a little picket firing. Ouly a night or two before a Captain from one of the other Regiments was killed by a Rebel scout. and the knowledge of this served to keep the soldiers unusually vigilant. Matters remained quiet until the twenty-fifth, at which time there was a report of trouble in the rear, and skirmishing was going on all around the lines, the Rebel cavalry approaching so near as to ex- change shots with the pickets, and threatening to attack the post. It soon transpired that the remnant of the 221 Wis- consin and two Companies of the 19th Michigan, which had been guarding a bridge at Brentwood, aboat midway between Nashville and Franklin --- and which were the real objects of attack-had found themselves surrounded by a large infantry force at daylight in the morning, and were compelled to sur- render. The NISTTY-SixTH, as well as the other troops in cinp at Franklin, were kept in line until nine o'clock in the evening, but the commander did not attempt to make any aggressive movement.
On the twenty-seventh the NINETY-SixTH, with the 92d Illinois Infantry, 6th Kentucky Cavalry and 9th Ohio Battery left Franklin at five o'clock in the afternoon and marched back to Brentwood in a pouring rain storm. The distance traveled was about nine miles, a halt being made at half-past ton. The night was terribly dark. the roads muddy, and the men pretty thoroughly tired with their long walk. A deep and rapid stream had to be forded on the way. When the wagons finally came up and were unloaded there was much trouble experienced in erecting the tents, as the camp ground was on a stony hillside, and the rain was pouring down in torrents. The underlying rocks prevented the driving of tent stakes, but all were put up after a fashion, and, a few mails being secured, most of the men spent the balance of the night in an upright position, the rails being laid down and the knapsacks placed upon them and thus kept out of the wet. Sometimes the soldiers, sitting upon their knapsacks, would
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HISTORY OF THE 96TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. L.
sleep so soundly as to lose all consciousness, and fall over into the mud and water. Often streams of water poured through the touts, and the night was a thoroughly disagreeable one. The next morning the soldiers spent an hour or two in looking over the partially burned camps of the captured troops, reading their letters, looking at photographs, an l speculating as to how the " accident " happened. During the forenoon the entire command went into camp near the rail- road bridge, the infantry beginning the work of fortifying its position, while the cavalry reconnoftered the surrounding country. Major J. C. Smith, of the Nixgry-Sixru, laid out a line of earthworks capable of accommodating the two regi- ments of infantry. The trench was in a zig-zag shape, about six feet wide, and so deep that the men would be protected while loading. There was a bench on either side for them to stand upon while firing, the works having the advantage of facing either way. The timber and orchards in the immediate front were ent, and heavy timbers, rolled upon skids, served as head-Jogs, under which the men coald place their innskets jf called upon to fire from their position. In front of the work. an abatis was constructed from the limbs of the trees. The branches were sharpened, and hooked stakes driven into the ground to hold down the limbs. These earthworks ran along the erest of a hill and commanded the country for quite a dis- tance in every direction. The men worked zealously in con- structing them, and a few negroes in the neighborhood were compelled to assist. There was at least one white citizen called upon to do a couple of days' work in the trenches. He was a resident physician, who had the audacity to ask for a pass to go in and out of the lines, by day or night, but who declined to take the iron-clad oath to give no information to the enemy under penalty of death, or to swear that he was and would remain a loyal cirizen. The Doeter did not really enjoy working side by side with his own negroes at hard, manual labor, and at the end of two days was so thoroughly used up that Major Smith relieved him. Although a little careful. swing to the disaster that had happened to Coburn's troops. the men made more or less excursions into the country, and
113
1863]
PIECING OUT ARMY RATIONS.
more than one citizen was doubtless surprised on attempting to milk his cows in the morning to find that he had been anticipated by the Yankees. There was considerable foraging in the neighborhood, and the boys were quick to possess them- selves of anything that came in their way, provided only that there was no safeguard about the place, being certain that the military authorities had sifted out the truly loyal people and given them ample protection. A mill in the neighborhood was set in operation, and quite an amount of meal ground out and issued to the men. thus adding to the variety of their rations. There was more or less suffering from scurvy. owing to a lack of vegetables, which was partially relieved through the efforts of the officers, who made an urgent request for potatoes, cabbage, and other odibles in this line. Here. as al many other points during the early part of the Regiment's service, and while the command was in casy communication with the North, many boxes, filled at the homes of the soldiers with butter, fruit and other things not on the list of army rations, came by express, bringing good cheer and add- ing to the happiness and health of all. The picket duty of the conmand was very heavy at Brentwood, two or three Companies being called for every twenty-four hours, besides daily details for camp guard. On one occasion, when an attack was apprehended, all of the camp kettles and mess- pats were filled with water and taken to the rifle-pits, so that the troops should not suffer from thirst in the event of a siege of a day or two.
An incident of the stay at Brentwood was the dressing up of an ancient donkey that had wandered through the camp. The boys arrayed the animal in military clothing. using cast-off garments, tied on his head a hat decorated with an ample amount of brass and feathers, and put on either shoulder a large shoulder strap. Thus arraved; the animal went here and there about the camp, braving out his protesta- tions against this unusual treatment. The officers and men enjoyed the sport. the former assuming that at all events it must be some one higher in authority than themselves whom the soldiers were trying to " take off."
1144
History or run 96TH ExerMess, ILL. V. I.
On Sunday, April 5, the new Chaplain of the Regiment, Rev. Ilorace G. Woodworth who had been mustered in March 22, and had just reached the command, preached an able sermon. He was a man of fine ability, and was very entertaining. His sermons were of a character to inspire the men to patriotic action and honorable living. About the same time Dr. Byron G. Pierce came to the Regiment and entered upon his daties as Surgeon, to which position he had been commissioned. There was considerable excitement in camp on the fifth, as an attack was expected, the Rebel cav- adry being in the neighborhood. They evidently found the force too wide awake, and concluded to retire without even attupting to take the command prisovers.
Here twenty men from the Regiment were detached, under Lieutenant William M. Loughlin, of Company C. and entered an organization known as the Pioneer Corps, being subse- quently transferred to the 1st Regiment of United States Vet- cran Volunteer Engineers. In a subsequent chapter will be found a detailed statement as to their organization and work.
On the Sth of April a Division of Infantry, under Gen. Mergai. arrived from Nashville, and the Nixgry-Sixra, with the other portions of Baird's Division, marched back to Franklin, leaving Brentwood at five o'clock and reaching Franklin at eight r. M. The ninth was spent in fixing up the very dirty camp ground, nearly the entire day being con sumed. The Regiment was usually called at four o'clock in the morning. as were all the troops at Franklin, -- then num- bering about 3.000 infantry and 2.700 cavalry .- and stood to aris until after daylight. Indeed. throughout the entire stay at Franklin this was the rule, the men being obliged to stand in line .-- or engage in drilling if they preferred. - for at least an hour before daylight every morning, and occasionally réveille spanded as early as three o'clock. The weather was often damp and the morning's alnost always foggy, so that this duty was very severe. There was a great deal of complaint about it at the time. although there is little doubt that those morning drills at Franklin added materially to the efficiency of the command in after months.
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A FIGHT AT FRANKLIN.
1863]
Friday, April 10, at about noon, firing was heard on the picket lines in front of town, and in an instant all was excite- ment at the camp. With hardly a moment's delay the line was formed, and the Regiment ready for service whenever needed. Artillery at the fort began throwing shells to a point far beyond the picket line, quickly getting range and doing considerable execution. This was responded to for a time, the flashing of the rebel guns being distinctly visible from camp, and a few of their shot striking just outside of the fort. The Rebels, under Gen. Van Doru, charged directly upon the picket lines, most of their forces being upon the Lewisburg pike just south of the village. The 10th Ohio was on picket that day, and gave the savey troopers a hot salute as they came up. checking their advance, but only for a few moments, for soon the cavalry charged again, this the riding past the picket line and directly into town. Some of the more reck- less riders made their way ahnost to the pontoon bridge, and one or two were shot close to the river and only a few rods from the fort. The main force halted in the village, where they were harrassed by the 40th boys and the patrol guarda, who took shelter in houses and kept up a continuous firing upon the disorganized raiders. Soon Gen. Van Dorn seemed to become convinced that the force upon the north side of the river was one with which he did not care to cope, and accord- ingly he ordered the recall sounded, his forces galloping southward as rapidly as they had entered town, the Union piekets giving them a parting saluto as they rode away, which brought a number of them to the ground. The advance hed been made with a large force, and apparently with a good deal of determination, and as the force at Franklin was not large, it is difficult to understand why the attack was so readily abandoned. At this very time Gen. Stamley, with a large force of cavalry, was moving from Murfreesboro toward Spring Hill. and it may have been that Gen. Van Dorn thought to make a dash upon Franklin for the purpose of capturing the regiment on outpost duty, and diverting the Union forces from their south- ward trip. It seemed a useless sacrifice of life to go so far with a movement and then abandon it. Just what the Rebel
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HISTORY OF THE 98TH REGIMENT, ILL. V. I.
loss was cannot be told, but nineteen of their dead and quite a number of their wounded were left in and around the village, and it was known that several wagons or ambulances were driven close up to the outposts and filled with those who had been disabled. The 40th made a gallant fight, and lost si :: killed or mortally wounded, a few injured and ten captured.
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