USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 27
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COMPANY G.
Recruits-Frechorn J. Fletters, William V. Scarlett, Thomas Il. Smend ; Joseph Con- way, died at Nashville, Tenn., April 17, 1865; John W. Eston, died at Nashville, Tenu .. March 30, 1865.
COMPANY 11.
Privates-Robert 11. Campbell, veteran : William Ream, veteran : Robert Keown, discharged June 2, 1862, for disability.
Recruits-David M. Lenrd, Daniel Labmar, William HI. Reavis ; Noah Bowman, died nt Chattanooga March 13, 1866; Andrew J. Buckhart, died at Chattanooga February 28, 1865.
COMPANY 1.
Recruits-Robert Ames, John Beiderman, Joseph P. Bishop ; William H. Dawson, promoted Corporal ; William HI. Jamisun. George H. Lee ; John M. Loomis, promoted Sergeant : Oliver Loomis, promoted Corporal ; Levi Lewis, Sylvester Lovell. Frederick Miller, George Reprogle, William S. Reprogle, Peter Rothman, Francis Smith: Allen Bodine, died at Nashville April 4, 1865; Joel Wall, died at Nashville April 15, 1865.
COMPANY K.
Frederick Stickley, Theodore Titus, Jacob E. Tolbert.
THIRTIETH REGIMENT INFANTRY-(THREE YEARS' SERVICE).
The Thirtieth was composed in part of three companies from Allen County, to which may be added nearly or quite 150 recruits at different times. It was the first regiment that was organized at Fort Wayne, and went into Camp .Allen, that was situated on the west bank of the St. Mary's River, a short distance above where the equal aqueduct crosses that stream, on what was known as the .. Old Fair Ground," on the 20th day of August, 1861. The companies frou this county were A, Capt. G. W. Fitzsimmons; D, Capt. J. W. Whitaker, and E, Capt. J. M. Silver. The reghuent was mustered into the service by Maj. Carpenter, of the Nineteenth United States Infantry, on the 24th of September. 1861, with Sion S. Bass as Colonel, Joseph B. Dodge as Lieutenant Colonel, and Orrin D. Hurd as Major, aud was ordered to Indianapolis October 2, where the men were provided with uniforms, arms and equipiuents.
On the 6th of October, it left for Kentucky, with orders to report to Gen. Sherman, and, on the Sth. it went into camp fifty-five miles south of Louisville, near the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, on Noliu Creek. The camp at that place was known as Camp Nevin. While there, the regiment was presented with a splendid stand of national colors by the ladies of Fort Wayne. They were afterward returned to them, riddled with more than a hundred bullets, but not dishonored.
The regiment remained at that point until the 11th of December. during wbich time it suffered terribly from sickness. Aside from the sickness naturally attending all troops in the process of becoming acclimatized to a soldier's life. typhoid fever and meusles raged to an alarming extent. The Medical Depart- uient of the army had nol yet been organized on a war footing, and, if not inef- ficient, was unable to provide the necessary supplies for the men, and the officers of the regiment raised $500 in cash, and purchased medicines for them.
The regiment remained there until the 11th of December, when a forward movement was made fourteen miles south, to Bacon Creek. Here the rebels had destroyed a bridge on the railroad, and the troops halted to rebuild it.
On the 17th, they moved forward to Munfordsville, on Green River. Ax the troops were going into eamp, rapid firing was heard from across the river. In a few minutes, intelligence was received that the Thirty-second Indiana, Will- ich's regiment, that bad been sent across the river on picket duty, had been attacked by a large force of rebel cavalry-Texas Rangers. The Thirtieth, with the brigade to which it was attached. was at once moved on the double-quick-to the ferry, on the Louisville & Nashville turupike, aud were crossing. when word was received that the enemy had been repulsed, and that the gallant Thirty see- und Had whipped more than twice their number of the enemy in a fair fight, and the battle of " Rowlett's Station " had been won.
Nearly two months were passed at Munfordsville, in the usual routine of ramp life, guard and picket duty, working details and reconnaissance. The health of the regiment was good, and it attained a high reputation for sollierly condnet.
On the 13th of February, orders were received for the division the Thirtieth was attached to (Second Division of the Army of the Ohio , to proceed to the mouth of Salt River, below Louisville, on the Ohio, and embark on steamboats for
the vicinity of Fort Donelson, to re-enforce Gen. Grant, who was about to attack the enemuy at that place. The comuand immediately marched fourteen miles, over altuost impassable roads, and hivouacked in a cluster of woods. The night was intensely cold. The state of the roads prevented the wagons from keeping pace with the troops, and the men were without tents or blankets.
Gen. Grant was then besieging Fort Donelson, and great anxiety was mani- fested by the entire comumand to arrive in time to take part in the fight.
The next morning, news was received that the enemy had surrendered that important position. Although disappointed because a portion of the glory was not. theirs, they made the valleys and hills resound with their cheers for that great Union triumph.
The command was at onee ordered to retrace its steps, and marebed to Bell's Tavern, on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, near the Mammoth Cave.
Several miles of railroad track had been destroyed by the retreating rebel forces, under Gen. Hardee, which had also filled up, near that point, both ends of a tunnel six hundred feet in length. The division halted to repair damages.
After five days unremitting toil, the railroad was repaired, and the march resumed in the direction of Nashville, and, on the 4th of March, the division crossed the Cumberland, and, marching through Nashville, encamped five miles south of the city, on the Franklin turnpike.
The fall of Fort Donelson, and a rapid advance made by Gens. Nelson and Mitchell, had compelled the evacuatiou of Nashville. On the 16th, the entire army moved on south haltiug only to rebuild the railroad bridges that had been destroyed by the enemy.
On the the 1st of April, it crossed Duck River at Columbia, about forty miles south of Nashville, and at once marched for Savannah, a small town on the Tennessee River, seventy-five miles southwest of Columbia, The progress was slow, and the march difficult. The road passes through a rough, hilly country, often following for miles the hed of a mountain stream. Heavy rains had ren- dered the streams difficult to ford, hut perseverance and energy triumphed over all obstacles : and, on the 5th, the command encamped within twenty-one miles of Sivannah.
The next morning, moving forward rapidly, the regiment reached the sum -. mit of a high hill, when distant reverberations broke upon the ear sounding like muttering thunder ; a halt-a brief silence-and the sound, swelling with increased volume, and echoing through the mountains and valleys, denoted that a battle had comuenced; none could mistake the boomiug sound of artillery, and the reverberating crash of iunsketry ; they were the first. echoes from the bloody field of Shiloh.
Feverish anxiety at once dispelled all listlessness. All were anxious to move forward. Soon the order was received to leave the trains. With eager faces, and renewed energy, the troops pushed onward, over muddy roads and through almost impassable streams, reaching Savannah that night. Here were found the sad results of deadly strife on every hand : every bouse was a hospital, the wounded of that terrible day's conflict (around the church of Shiloh ) filled the air with their cries of agony. Tents were filled, steamboats were loaded, and still the stream of wounded men kept pouring in. To add to the gloomy surroundings a terrifie storm, accompanied with heavy thunder and vivid lightning, made horror visible. The measured reports of heavy artillery from the gunboats sounded dis- mally upon the river, adding to that night of horror.
At 10 o'clock at night, the Thirtieth embarked on a transport, and, before daylight. reached Pittsburg Landing, but did not land until after daylight.
The steep bluff was literally covered with a disorganized moh of men, whose only desire appeared to be some means to get out of the reach of danger. A strong guard was at once placed around the boat, and then it was difficult to keep them off. Many leaped into the water, and, as they were swept away by the remorseless enrrent, ericd piteously to be taken on board.
As the regiment elimhed up the steep, slippery, unddy bank. it was assailed with dismal cries from these disorganized soldiers, cach of whom represented his regiment as " cut all to pieces." The stern reply of the Thirtieth was, " Come out and see men fight."
About. 7 o'clock, the Thirtieth moved with the rest of its division toward the front, and the battle that had lulled during the night at once commeneed. The enemy confident and daring, the Union troops equally so, and determined to secure the vietory. The Thirtieth was the extreme right regiment of Buell's ariny-the Army of the Ohio -- and joined on the left of the Amuy of the Ten- nessec. For nearly an hour, the brigade to which the Thirtieth belonged was held in reserve. The advance line having exhausted its ammunition, the reserve brigade was ordered to relieve it. This, always a difficult movement under fire, was at once performed. as promptly as if the troops had been on the drill ground. The rebel line had bern re-enforced at the same time, and had advanced somewhat nearer our line, than it had been before. Just then a rebel hattery secured a position so that it could enfilade our line ; an advance of twenty-five paces was the only way to get relieved of that. The wuen moved forward as steady as though there had not been an enemy within a hundred miles of thewu.
Bullets fell like hail, officers and men like leaves before the autumn frosts. Still the line advanced. Amidst this glare of shected flame and sulphurous smoke, Col. Bass, as brave a soldier as ever lived, fell mortally wounded. Maj. Hurd had Is horse killed under him. and he and Adjt. Edsall displayed distin- guished gallantry. The battery before spoken of having been captured, the brigade was ordered to fall back a short distance, so as to connect with the rest of the line.
The enemy, supposing it was a retreat, instantly charged. The brigade at once faced about, swept forward and repulsed the foe. At this moment, his line was re-euforeed. In the excitement, he forgot to take shelter behind a protecting ridge he had left, when he charged, and l'or twenty minutes, with lines not fifty yard . apart, the combatauts hurled death into each other's ranks. The contest
67
MILITARY HISTORY.
was terrifie. Suddenly the firing of the enemy eeased ; a gust of wind raised the eurtain of smoke, and the foe was seen flying in wild disorder. The battle was won.
The regiment lost 38 killed and 107 wounded, offieers and men.
The following compliment was paid by the General commanding, and as every regiment mentioned contained men from Allen County, it is given entire:
HEADQUARTERS SECOND DIVISION ARMY OF THE OHIO,
FIELD OF SHILOH, TENN., April 15, 1862. HIon. O. P. Morton, Governor of Indiana :
SIR -- It may be a useless task for me to add another tributo to the glory of Indiana, while the battle fields of Rich Mountain, Pea Rilge and Donelson speak so cloquently in her praise. But justice to the Sixth, Twenty-niuth, Thirtieth, Thirty-second and Thirty- ninth Regiments of Indiana Volunteers requires me to speak of their conspicuous gal- lantry while fighting under my command in the battle of Shiloh. The Thirty-second Regi- ment had already won the prestige of victory at Rowlett's. The other regiments, actuated by a proper emulation, unflinchingly stood their first baptism of fire, and their action upou the field of Shiloh will embellish one of the brightest pages in the annals of our nation. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. MED. McCook, Commanding Second Division.
From this time until the oeeupation of Corinth by our troops on the 30th of May, the regiment was busily engaged in the movements ineidental to the siege of that place, which had been fortified under the supervision of the most experi- enced engineers of the rebel army. The Thirtieth, with the division to which it belonged, was left to hold Corinth after the Union forees got possession of it, while the remainder of the army went in pursuit of the retreating foe.
On the 10th of June, the line of march was next taken up, moving east aeross Northern Alabama to the mouth of Battle Creek, ahout twenty miles helow Chattanooga, on the Tennessee River. The march was a very severe one, owing to the intense heat, and seareity of water on the route. The regiment remained there until the 20th of August, when it was aseertained that Bragg, with his rebel army, had erossed the Tennessee River at Chattanooga, and was rapidly moving north, with the intention of invading Kentucky.
Pursuit was at onee eommeneed, and, moving on roads parallel with those Bragg traveled on, the army reached the vieinity of Munfordsville, Ky., on the 17th of September. On the morning of that day, sharp firing was heard iu the direction of Munfordsville, and it was soon aseertained that Bragg had reached that point in advance of us. A few troops were stationed there, consisting of a detachment of the Seventeenth and Seventy-fourth Indiana Volunteers, under command of Col. Wilder, of the Seventeenth. He was soon overpowered and compelled to surrender, and Bragg erossed Green River and pressed on north. Our army, under Gen. Buell, followed elosely in his rear, skirmishing continually with his rear guard and picking up stragglers. When we reached Elizabeth- town, about fifty miles south of Louisville, Bragg turned to the right on the road to Bardstown, and our army to the left, on the road to West Point, on the Ohio River, a few miles below Louisville. The army reached Louisville on the 28th of September, nearly naked, quite dispirited and completely exhausted. Here they found a large number of new troops awaiting their arrival, and were wel- eomed by the citizens, who had feared that Bragg would attaek the place before Buell eould arrive.
Here the command was specdily furnished with elothing, and the army re-organized. On the 1st of October, the division to which the Thirtieth was attached, under command of Gen. Sill, marehed in the direction of Frankfort. At Floyd's Fork, the brigade to which the Thirtieth was attached. had a slight skirmish with the enemy. On the 3d, it had a sharp encounter near Claysville, on the Frankfort road, killing and capturing sixteen of the enemy. On the 4th, it reached Frankfort, and on the evening of the 6th, was ordered to make a reconnaissance of six miles on the Georgetown pike. This developed the fact that the rebel Gen. Kirby Smithi had moved with his forees up the Kentucky River, doubtless with the intention of joining Bragg, who was known to be in the direction of Danville. It immediately returned and followed the rest of the division, that bad marehed, in the mean while, and overtook it at Lawreneeburg, fifteen_ miles up the Kentucky River from Frankfort, and from there moved aeross Salt River and bivouacked at a place ealled Dog Walk, having made a march that day of thirty-four miles.
Gen. Kirby Smith had been after the division for two days, with a foree of over fifteen thousand men, making desperate endeavors to capture it, a thing that looked easy enough, as Gen. Sill had only ahout six thousand muen, nud had it not been for a trivial eireumstanee he would have probably done so. There were nine Regimental Quartermasters, with a team each, and about fifty guards, that had got separated from their commands before the division reaelied Frankfort, that were now trying to rejoin them. On the evening of the Ttli, finding that they were elose to the rear of the division, they halted, just after dark, and went into camp in an open field, the wagous seattered some distance apart from each other, and huilt their fires to cook supper. A person at a distance, eould, no doubt, he easily deccived and led to believe that there was a large foree encamped there, and in that way Smith was led to believe that the whole division was there. At daylight, the Quartermasters found themselves surrounded by Smith's entire army.
Skirmishing at once commeneed, and, after some pretty sharp firing, during which a private soldier of the Thirtieth, who was a Quartermaster's clerk, was severely wounded, a flag of truec was sent in, accompanied with a demand for unconditional and immediate surrender. Peter P. Bailey, formerly of Fort Wayne, Quartermaster of the Thirtieth, received the flag and condueted the negotiations, and, after the most amusing parley, without a doubt, that ever oeeurred under a flag of truce, surrendered himself and the other Quartermasters and men and train to Maj. Gens. Kirby Smith, Cheatham and Withers, of the Confederate army. The affair was so extremely ludicrous that the surrender was accomplished amid roars of laughter, in which all, save Smith, joined. On his reporting to
Bragg, he was placed under arrest for not having captured or destroyed the entire division, and was not released until after the battle of Stone River had eommeneed-nearly four months after.
Smith, having secured the Quartermasters, tried to attack the division ; hut he had wasted too much time, and his attaek was repulsed with considerable loss to him.
The division moved on rapidly from there, and rejoined the rest of the army near Perryville, on the 11th, two days after the battle of Chaplain's Hills, near that place. The army then marehed on through Harrodsburg, Danville and Crab Orehard, from where a reconnaissance was made that developed the fact that Bragg had fallen baek, through Cumberland Gap, into East Tennessee. This made it necessary, in order to save the stores and garrison at Nashville, to occupy Middle Tennessee before Bragg eould rcaeh there, and the army started for Nashville at once, moving rapidly through Danville and Lebanon, thence to Bowling Green nnd Nashville, reaching the last-named place on the 7th of November.
On the 30th of October, Gen. Roseerans relieved Gen. Buell and assuined eommaud, changing the name of the army to the Army of the Cumberland, and completed the re-organization of the army that had heen hurriedly attempted at Louisville.
After the arrival of the army at Nashville, the Thirtieth went into eamp about six miles south of there, where it remained, engaged in the duties ineiden- tal to camp-life, until the 26th of December.
On the 27th of November, while making a reconnaissance near Lavergne, on the road between Nashville and Murfrecshoro, the regiment had a number of men wounded, among them Lieut. Col. Hurd, who was severely wounded in the left shoulder.
On the morning of the 26th of December, the army moved out on all the different roads running from Nashville in the dircetion of Murfreesboro, where Bragg lay with a foree of over 62,000 men. Rosecrans' anmuy consisted of about 47,000 of all arms. It was a eold, wet, dreary day, but all looked forward cheer- fully to the confliet that they knew was impending. That day, the column, of which the Thirtieth formed a part, on the Nolensville pike, mnet with but little resistance, and the regiment bivouacked after dark in a meadow covered with water two or three inebes deep. Next morning, the regiment was in advance of the infantry, a small foree of eavalry heing the extreme advanec. When near Triune, the enemy made a determined stand. The cavalry were repulsed, and the regiment moved ahead in a dense fog, at one time getting within a few yards of a rebel battery without either party being aware of it, until a gust of wind parted the fog a moment. The battery made good its escape.
At Triune, the enemy appeared in force, and having destroyed the bridge aeross a stream just north of the town, appeared to be inclined to dispute seriously our furtber advanee. The stream was not fordable at that point, so a detour was made half a mile below, and the ereek forded, the water being more than waist- deep to the men, under a galling musketry aud artillery fire from the enemy. He was driven from his position, and retreated aeross the Little Harpeth River. It was now dark, and pursuit impossible.
On the 29th, the brigade to which the Thirtieth was attached marched across the country and bivouacked in a stubble field in which every one sank ankle- deep in the mud at every step, and in this muud, without tents or fires, and in a steady, drizzling rain, the night was spent. At daylight on the morning of the 30th, the division moved out in support of Gens. Sheridan and Jeff. C. Davis' divisions, that had the advance. Skirinishing was continuous, and at times rose to the dignity ot' a battle, but the enemuy was steadily driven back, until about 4 o'clock, P. M., when the division ( Johnson's) was ordered to form on the right of Davis'. Shortly after, fighting eeased for the day.
At dark, the skirmish line of the Thirtieth was only fifty yards from that of the enemy. The regiment bivouacked that night in a dense eedar ticket, about seventy-five yards in front of our main line. The night was intensely dark, so that it was impossible to distinguish any objeet a few feet distant.
Au hour before daylight on the 31st of Deeemher, the brigade was under arms, the pieket line was strengthened, and every precaution taken to guard against surprise. A dense fog, that arose as it otherwise would have been getting light, rendered objects indistinet.
At daybreak, as soon as anything eould be distinguished. the enemy was seen approaching. He advaneed across a narrow valley in our front and on our right, in immense foree, formed in column by battalion, ten battalions deep, while we had a line of but one battalion. Their mareh was resistless. We had the advantage of position, but, as great gaps were torn through their ranks, they were filled up as though on the drill ground; whole lines were swept away. and they were instantly replaced. Meanwhile, another foree had swept around and gained our rear. In order to save any, we were compelled to fall back.
The Thirtieth had lost frightfully, but fell baek in good order, after all the troops on the right and rear of it had gone, to a fence that ran at right angles with the line we had ooeupied at the commencement of the battle. Here a stand was made. The same programme was again gone through with. Simonson's Fifth Indiana Battery, partly recruited in Allen Conuty, was with the Thirtieth here, and together they swept tbe advancing lines of the enemy with the besom of destruction. He was obliged to halt ; his lines wavered, and in a moment more would have been foreed to fly, when a mighty shout was heard on our right, followed by a terrifie volley on our right and rear. Cheatham's veterans were upon us, and our bleeding battalions were again foreed to seek :1 new posi- tion. The Thirtieth fell back in good order to near the Murfreesboro pike, repulsing a cavalry charge upon the way, and frequently checking the rebel host that were surging on in our rear.
Finally reaching a good position, our line faeed about, determined to go on farther. Soon the enemy appeared, advancing confidently, and poured in a
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
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withering volley, which was promptly returned. He halted, and volley after volley was exchanged. Our ammunition, of which each man had eighty rounds in the morning, was nearly exhausted. All at once, the comm ind to charge hay- onets was given. Instantly every man that was left sprang forward npon the enemy. He wavered for an instant, and his lines gave way and fell hack, and that was the first serions repulse the enemy met with that day. The Thirtieth was relieved in a short time, and was ordered to the left of the line of our army to repel a threatened attack from that quarter, which, however, did not amount to anything serious. On the night of the 1st of January, the Thirtieth made a reconnaissance to ascertain the position of the enemy in front of the right of our army. The duty, a very delicate and dangerous one, was performed to the satis faction of Gen. Rosecrans, and developed the fact that Bragg was massing his forces on our right for another attack. Measures were at once taken to foil him in his attempt, and it was abandoned.
From that time until the evacuation of Murfreesboro hy the enemy on the 4th of January, the Thirtieth was not actively engagedl. On the 5th, the entire army moved into and south of Murfreesboro, the Thirtieth going into camp abont three miles south of that place, on the Shelbyville pike. The entire loss of the regiment during the battle of Stone River was twenty-eight killed, including Acting Adjutant Edwin R. Stribley, of Fort Wayne-as hrave an officer as ever drew a sword ; one hundred and cigbt wounded, and eighty-two missing, nearly all of whom were captured. The regiment remained in that. camp until the 7th of February, engaged in pieket duty, varied hy being sent out on foraging expeditions and reconnaissance occasionally, in all of which it met. with success. On that. date, it was detailed for duty on the fortifieations heing erected at Murfreesboro, where it remained until the 24th of June, when it, with the army, moved south to attack Bragg, who had fortified Tullahoma, at the junction of two railroads about thirty miles south of Murfreesboro.
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