USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > Evansville and its men of mark > Part 9
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I take pleasure in bearing testimony to the efficiency and great powers of endurance of the Twelfth Kentucky Regiment of infantry and the Ninety-first Indiana Regiment. In the march from Russellville to Marrowbone and back to Green River Bridge these regiments kept pace with the cavalry and artillery.
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Colonel Hoskins, of the Twelfth Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Mehannger, of the Ninety-first, deserve the thanks and grati- tude of the country for their promptness and efficiency in the management of their regiments. Captain Denning, of the the Twenty-second Indiana Battery, was in command of all my artillery, and I feel no hesitancy in pronouncing him one of the best and most efficient officers in the army.
At Lebanon General Hobson turned his brigade over to me, and assumed command of all the forces. We marched from Lebanon to Springfield; thence to Bardstown and Brandens- burg. When we came within two miles of Brandensburgh we discovered the smoke rising from the burning transports, that had set the enemy across the river, and heard his shouts of tri- umph. We were twenty-four hours in obtaining transports and crossing the river. When once across the river, the pursuit was resumed. We pursued him through the State of Indiana to Harrison, Ohio. At Corydon and other points the enemy was met by the militia. The kindness, hospitality and patriotism of that noble State, as exhibited on the passage of the Federal forces, was sufficient to convince the most consummate traitor of the impossibility of severing this great Union. Ohio seemed to vie with her sister, Indiana, in facilitating our pursuit after the great rebel raider. In each of these two great States our troops were fed and furnished with water from the hands of men, women and children. From the palace and hut, alike, we shared their hospitality. He, who witnessed the great exhibi- tion of patriotism and love of country in those mighty States, on the passage of the Union army, and then could doubt the ability and purpose of the people to maintain the Government, has certainly been " given over to hardness of heart, that he may believe a lie and be damned."
We continued our pursuit of the enemy, day and night, until Saturday night, the 18th of July ; when, by traveling all night, we reached Chester at daylight on the morning of the 19th. Colonel Kautz, with his brigade, had the advance ; Colo- nel Sanders' brigade followed; then my own, and Colonel Wool- ford in the rear. After proceeding two miles, on Sabbath morning, the 19th, in the direction of Buffington Island, we heard the report of artillery on the river. Officers and men -- notwithstanding the immense fatigue they had undergone -- seemed to be inspired with a new life and energy, and there was a general rush forward. After proceeding two miles further I met two couriers with orders : The first was that I should " take the first road leading up the river and cut off the ene- my's retreat "; the second, that I should " press forward, and let Colonel Woolford, with his brigade, take the road leading up the river." I had gone but a short distance, when I received
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a written order to reverse my column, and, with Colonel Wool- ford's brigade and my own, take the first road I could find in the direction of the river, in order to prevent the enemy's es- cape up the river. The column was at once reversed and moved back by the left flank. Upon reaching the road I found the head of Colonel Woolford's column proceeding down the road. He was shown the order, and at once reported to me for orders. He was ordered to proceed with his brigade. He had not pro- ceeded more than one hundred yards, when a courier came from my rear and announced that the enemy had attacked it Colo- nel Woolford was ordered to halt his column ; leave the Second Tennessee Mounted Infantry to hold the road, and follow im- mediately with the Tenth Kentucky Cavalry and Forty-fifth Ohio Mounted Infantry. I at once reversed my column, and on arriving at the point - near Bachin Church -- I found the enemy in force. He occupied a dense wood, an old field, and the mouth of a lane through which the road ran. Our lines were formed promptly -- the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, Colonel Jacobs, on the extreme right; the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, Colonel Crittenden, on the extreme left ; the First, Third, and Eighth Cavalry in the center ; the Forty-fifth Ohio held as a reserve. After fighting about an hour, the First, Third and Eighth Kentucky Cavalry were ordered to charge the enemy. With drawn sabres gleaming in the bright sunlight ; and a yell that filled the foe with terror, they rushed upon him, and he fled at their approach. The charge was led by Lieutenant-Colo- nel Holloway, with the Eighth Kentucky, followed by Major Wolfley, of the Third Kentucky, with his battalion, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Adams, of the First Kentucky, with his regiment -- Colonel Bristow, of the Eighth Kentucky, having been sent back from Ballavia under orders upon indispensible business.
I do but simple justice to these brave and gallant officers, and the veteran soldiery that followed them in that charge, when I say that not in this or any other war have officers and men acquitted themselves with more credit, or manifested more determination and valor. The charge caused the enemy to flee in wild consternation; and immediately a flag of truce came from Colonel Dick Morgan, which was met by the officers of the Eighth and Third Kentucky Cavalry, proposing to surrender. They were apprised that no terms but an immediate and uncon- ditional surrender would be considered ; and Colonels Morgan, Ward, Smith, and their commands, marched within our lines.
The casualties were inconsiderable on either side -- the en- emy losing nearly all the killed and wounded. The number of prisoner captured by my command on that day amounted to about seven hundred, including their horses, arms, etc.
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Colonel Holloway was ordered, with his regiment and the battalion of the Third Kentucky, to take the prisoners, horses, arms, etc., to the river. The command was then moved a dis- tance of fifteen miles, to Tupper's Plains, up the river. On reaching the Plains, the enemy was reported posted in a dense woods at the head of a deep ravine, between the forces of Gen - erals Judah and Hobson and my own. The First Kentucky Cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Adams, and a part of the Twelfth Kentucky, under Captain Harris, had been ordered to pursue detachments of the enemy. Colonel Adams captured eighty, and Captain Harris over one hundred. We had but about six hundred men up, with four pieces of artillery. In company with Colonel Woolford, my Adjutant-General, Captan Hoffman, with two other officers and a citizen, we made a reconnoisance to within a few hundred yards of the enemy. We found that an attack from our side with artillery or cavalry was totally impracticable, and that it would be with great difficulty that he could be reached by the men on foot ; but that Generals Judah and Hobson could move up the river upon him. We occupied the only road upon which he could retreat, unless he went di- rectly to the river, which was strongly guarded. I communi- cated these facts to General Hobson, but it was late in the evening, and I am satisfied that he did not get them in time to make the move. He ordered Colonel Kautz to report to me that night with his brigade. During the night the enemy passed out by a path, and in the morning he was reported four miles in my advance. We at once gave him chase, and ran him fifty- seven miles. The Forty-fifth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel Ross, having the advance, skirmished with him six or seven miles and brought him to a stand at 3 o'clock P. M., on the 20th, at Kei- ger's Creek. A fight ensued which lasted one hour. Colonel Adams, with the First Kentucky, and Captain Ward, with a company of the Third Kentucky, were ordered to make a flank movement and take possession of the only road on which the enemy could retreat. This movement was accomplished with great rapidity and effectiveness - they having taken possession of the road after a severe skirmish. The enemy, finding his way of retreat cut off, and being hotly pressed from the front, fled to an immense bluff for refuge. A flag of truce was sent up, demanding an immediate and unconditional surrender of Morgan and his command. The flag was met by Lieutenant- Colonel Coleman and other rebel officers, with another flag. They came down and desired a personal interview with me. They asked for one hour for consultation among their officers. I granted forty minutes, within which time the whole command - excepting General Morgan, with a detachment of about six hundred officers and men, who deserted the command-surren-
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dered. It was my understanding-and, as I learned, the under- standing of many of the rebel officers and men-that Morgan himself had surrendered. The number of prisoners captured by my command on that day was between twelve and thirteen hundred, with their horses arms, etc.
On the morning of the 21st I called for one thousand vol- unteers, with the best horses, who would stay in their saddles as long as I wanted, without eating or sleeping, until we cap- tured Morgan. The entire command would have volunteered, but for the want of horses. We could find but about five hun- dred horses in the command fit for service. Colonel Capron, Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry, who had reported to me with his regiment on the night of the 20th, volunteered with one hun- dred and fifty-seven of his regiment ; Colonel Woolford, with a detachments from the First Kentucky, Second East Tennessee, Forty-fifth and Second Ohio; we also had small detachments from the other regiments in the command. Colonel Jacobs was left in command of the forces and prisoners. With five hun- dred men, on the morning of the 21st, we resumed the chase. Traveling day and night, we came up with the enemy on Fri- day morning, the 24th, at Washington. Captain Ward, of the Third Kentucky Cavalry, with his own company and a detach- ment of the First Kentucky under Adjutant Carpenter, had command of the advance. He drove in the rebel pickets, and, by a flank movement, drove the entire rebel force out of the town of Washington, killing ten and wounding several of the enemy. One mile east of Washington the enemy made a stand in a dense wood. We formed a line of battle and soon drove him from his position. He fell back two miles ; tore up a bridge over a rugged stream, and took position in the woods on a high hill just beyond the bridge. The advance moved upon his left flank ; while a portion of the Fourteenth Illinois crossed the stream just above the bridge, moved up the hill in the face of a a heavy fire from the enemy. Steadily they moved up and drove him before them. Late Friday evening he burned two bridges over "Still Water," causing considerable delay. We succeeded in crossing, and pressed on all night. At daylight on Saturday morning, the 25th, we came up with the enemy one mile from Athens, marching on a parallel road one-quarter of a mile from ours. One-half a mile in advance the roads formed a junction, We pressed forward to it in time to see the enemy reversing his column and fleeing to the woods. We shelled him thirty minutes. Major Way, of the Ninth Michigan Cavalry, with detachments of the Eighth Michigan Cavalry and his own regiment, and Major Rue, of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, with detachments of the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry, the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, and other regiments, with fresh horses, had
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been sent forward by Major-General Burnside. After dispatch- ing these troops, he issued an order placing me in command of all the forces in pursuit of Morgan.
On Saturday, the 25th, Major Way had heavy skirmishing with the enemy, driving them before him. At dark, on the 25th, the main column reached Richmond. Major Way was two and one-half miles in my advance, in the direction of Springfield. At 10 o'clock that night I received a note from him stating that the enemy was moving from Springfield to Hammondsville, and that I could save five miles by marching directly from Richmond to that place, and that he would follow the enemy up. The column was at once put in motion on the Hammondsville road. About midway between Richmond and Hammondsville. at 12 o'clock on the night of the 25th, I met Major Rue, feeding ; he was traveling in the direction of Rich- mond. He at once reported to me for orders-remarking that he had about three hundred and seventy-five fresh men and horses, and three pieces of artillery ; that he hoped I would give him the advance. I ordered him to finish feeding, reverse his column and follow up immediately ; that I would give him an opportunity. We reached Hammondsville at daylight on Sabbath morning, the 26th ; we could hear nothing of the en- emy. I sent out scouts on every road, but without awaiting their return, I ordered Major Rne, who had come up, to take the advance with the detachment and also part of the Third Kentucky and First Kentucky, under Captain Ward and Adju- tant Carpenter. We proceeded five miles in the direction of Salineville, when a courier rushed up from Hammondsville, stating that the enemy was moving on that place. I ordered Major Rue to send a company of his command, on the best horses, back to ascertain the truth of the report. Within a few minutes an officer came up and announced the enemy at Saline- ville; we pressed on for that point. Before reaching there I learned of the fight between Major Way and the enemy, result- ing in the capture of two hundred and thirty, odd, of the en- emy. My advance, under Major Rue and Captain Ward, went into Salineville. Learning that Morgan with about four hun- dred men had crossed the railroad and was going in the direc- tion of Smith's Ford. I ordered Major Rue to return with the advance to the head of the column, then on the New Lisbon road. We had gone about seven miles, when a courier from Major Rue announced that Morgan had run into the New Lis- bon road ahead of him. Within a few minutes a second courier came from Major R., stating that he had come up with the enemy and wished me to send forward reinforcements immedi- ately. The whole column was thrown forward at the utmost speed of the horses ; we came to where the roads forked ; the
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enemy had gone to the left, between the two roads. My advance had taken the right-hand road. I moved the column on the road the enemy had gone. On our approach, several of the enemy started to run ; they were ordered to halt, and on refus- ing to do so, were fired upon. Just at this moment a flag came from the enemy -- the bearer stating that General Morgan wished a personal interview with me. I caused the firing to cease, and moved around to where Morgan and his staff were standing in the road. Morgan claimed that he had surrendered to a militia captain. (Major Rue had, very properly, refused to take any action in the premises until I came up.) I ordered Morgan and staff to ride forward with Colonel Woolford and myself; and ordered Major Rue to take charge of the balance of the prisoners. Morgan stated to me, in the presence of Col. Woolford and other officers, that he had become thoroughly sat- isfied that escape from me was impossible; that he himself might have escaped by deserting his men, but he would not do so. He also stated, in the same conversation, that he did not care for the militia-that he could, with the command he then had, whip all the militia in Ohio; yet, said he, " that since crossing the Ohio, he had found every man, woman, and child his enemy ; that every hill-top was a telegraph, and every bush an ambush."
After traveling back two miles we halted, to have the pris- oners dismounted and disarmed. General Morgan then desired a private interview; he called three or four of his staff and Colonel Cluke; I asked Colonel Woolford to attend the interview. He claimed that he had surrenedered to a militia captain, and that the captain had agreed to parole him, his offi- cers and men. I stated to him that we had followed him thirty days and nights ; that we had met and defeated him a number of times ; we had captured nearly all of his command ; that he had acknowledged, in the presence of Colonel Woolford, that he knew I would capture him ; that he himself might have es- caped by deserting his men, but that he would not do so ; that we were on the field, that Major Rue had gone to his right and Captain Ward to his left, and the main column was moving rap- idly upon his rear ; that he had acknowledged that the militia captain was no impediment in his way - showing, by his own statement, that he could, with the force he then had, whip all the militia in Ohio-that I regarded his surrender to the militia captain, under such circumstances, as not only absurd and ridiculous, but unfair and illegal, and that I would not recog- nize it at all. He then demanded to be placed back upon the field as I found him. I stated to him that his demand would not be considered for a moment ; that he, together with his officers and men, would be delivered to Major-General Burnside
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at Cincinnati, Ohio ; and that he would take such action in the premises as he might think proper. The number of prisoners captured with Morgan was about three hundred and fifty.
Colonel W. C. Lanet, of the Eighty-sixth O. V. I., reported to me near the Muskingum River, with his regiment ; Colonel Wallace, with some militia, a small detachment of the Third Ohio Cavalry, and three pieces of artillery, reported to me at Washington. Colonel Wallace was sent to the river to prevent Morgan crossing ; Colonel Lanet continued in the pursuit up to the capture.
It is difficult for me to speak of individual officers and men without doing injustice to others. I unhesitatingly bear testi- mony to the uniformly good conduct and gallant bearing of the whole command ; yet I cannot forbear mentioning the names of some of the officers : The noble, true, and gallant Woolford, who was in the entire pursuit, is one of the coolest, bravest and most efficient officers in the army, and has fairly won, by his untiring energy and gallantry on the field, promotion at the hands of his Government ; Colonel Kautz, who commanded the Seventh and Second Ohio ; Colonel Jacobs, of the Ninth Ken- tucky ; Colonel Crittenden and Major Delfree, of the Twelfth Kentucky ; Colonel Bristow, Lieutenant-Colonel Holloway and Major Starling, of the Eighth Kentucky; Major Wolfley, of the Third Kentucky ; Lieutenant-Colonel Adams, of the First Kentucky ; Lieutenant-Colonel Meltous, of the Second East Tenneseee ; Colonel Capron, of the Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry; Lieutenant-Colonel Ross, Forty-fitth Ohio Mounted Infantry ; Captain Powers and Lieutenant Longfellow, of the Fifth Indi- ana Cavalry ; Captain Dodd, Fifteenth Regiment of Infantry, commanding Company Third Ohio Cavalry ; Captain Kinney, of the Third Ohio; Captain Ward, of the Third, and Adjutant Carpenter, of the First Kentucky Cavalry, deserve the grati- tude of the whole country, for their energy and gallantry. To my personal staff: Captain J. E. Huffman, A. A. G ; Captain J. H. Morton, A. Q. M .; D. Mullins, Brig. Surg .; Lieutenant Vuilotte, Ordnance Officer ; Lieutenant Levy, A. D. C .; Capt. Fred Pentecost, Volunteer A. D. C .; and .my faithful orderlies : W. H. McDaniel, Thos. Blakey and Jas. Richardson, of the Eighth Kentucky Cavalry, I tender my deep-felt gratitude for their fidelity, indomitable energy and valor.
Our pursuit was much retarded by the enemy burning all the bridges in our front. He had every advantage ; his system of horse-stealing was perfect: he would dispatch men from the head of each regiment, on each side of the road, to go five miles into the country, seizing every horse and then falling in at the rear of his column. In this way he swept the country, for ten miles, of all the horses. His depredations on the prop-
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erty of the citizens, his recklessness of the rights and lives of the people, while traversing these two States, is without paral- lel in the war. In order to the capture of Morgan, it was indis- pensable that my command should have horses. We had orders to press the horses, giving receipts for them, to be settled by the Government; yet, in many instances, horses were taken when it was impossible to give receipts for them, or leave with the owners any evidence of indebtedness on the part of the Gov- ernment- In many other instances, soldiers, not authorized to take horses, whose horses had given out. yet anxious to continue the pursuit, took horses. In this way - unless commissions should be appointed to adjust these claims, great injustice will have been done to a great number of citizens.
I am, Colonel, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, J. M. SHACKELFORD, Brig. Gen'l comd'g.
After the capture, Morgan told General S. that he wished to present him with the fine mare that he was riding and the Mexican saddle and bridle. General S. informed him that he could not accept them ; but would present his request to Gene- ral Burnside, and he could do as he saw proper.
Soon after the capture of the guerrillas, General Burnside removed his headquarters from Cincinnati to Camp Nelson, Kentucky ; and a man came in with a witness who swore that the saddle and bridle were stolen from him by Morgan's men. General Burnside delivered them up, The story was false ; as General Gordon brought them from Mexico and gave them to General Morgan - as was ascertained after they were gone. General B. issued an order and presented the mare to Gen. S.
General Shackelford soon started on the East Tennessee campaign ; crossed the mountains, and was sent to Loudon after Buckner, who crossed the bridge over the Tennessee and burned it after his passage. From Loudon he proceeded to Knoxville, and was then ordered to take Cumberland Gap. After leaving Knoxville, General Burnside ordered General Shackelford to take command of the division composed of three brigades of cavalry. General Frazier, the Confederate com- mander had more men in the forts at the Gap than General Shackelford had to oppose him. However, General Shackelford proceeded to the mountains, and sent up a flag demanding the
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surrender of Frazier. He refused ; and that night General S. burned the mill in the Gap and all the means Frazier had for sustenance. On the next day, General Burnside reached the Gap with a brigade of infantry, and General F. surrendered, with four thousand men, a large amonnt of stores, and over forty pieces of artillery.
For three months, General Shackelford was fighting up and down the Virginia and Tennessee valleys. General Burnside formed a cavalry army corps, composed of sixteen regiments, and numbering over fifteen thousand soldiers, and placed Gen- eral Shackelford in command. When General Burnside was ordered to go to the rescue of Rosecrantz, he ordered General Shackelford to cover his movement by marching up the Virginia valley and passing through Bristol. General S. fought at Blue Springs a large body of the enemy. The Confederates were strongly fortified at Cartersville, and General S. flanked them ; moving as if he was going to Bristol. General Shackelford met them, tought and drove them in a perfect stampede up the valley toward the Salt Works. General Burnside having ordered General Shackelford to burn the bridges and tear up the rail- road, he captured Bristol, with a large amount of sugar, tobacco ; burned five bridges, and tore up five or six miles of railroad. General Burnside did not go any farther than Knoxville ; and as Longstreet's and Wheeler's cavalry were moving on Knox- ville, General Shackelford was placed on the south side of the Tennessee River, to oppose Wheeler. General Shackelford met him fifteen miles out, at Marysville, and fought him from there to the fortifications. Burnside met Longstreet at Loudon ; Longstreet was driving Burnside, while Wheeler was driving General Shackelford back. The siege then commenced ; and after two days, General Shackelford was placed in command of all the forces on the south side of the river. When the siege was raised, General Burnside gave General Shackelford a leave of absence, to be taken at any time that he saw proper. Not- withstanding his leave of absence, General Shackelford, with his cavalry, followed Longstreet and drove his cavalry out of Bean Station and fixed his headquarters there. Longstreet was encamped six miles from them with his whole besieging army. General Shackelford was nine miles in advance of all the infantry.
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In the latter part of 1863, Longstreet moved his army down on General Shackelford, at Bean Station. The fight com- menced at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and lasted until the night. After night, he was ordered back two and one-half miles, and the infantry advanced Longstreet lost seven hundred men. Next day, skirmishing continued ; but this was the last of the battles in that campaign.
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