USA > Indiana > History of the 7th Independent Battery, Indiana Light Artillery > Part 2
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On the 9th of December the battery, with the twenty-third brigade, Genl. Stanley Matthews commanding, escorted a train of wagons on a foraging expedition. They moved out the Mur- freesboro pike, almost to Lavergne, turning to the east of the pike, going to Dobbins' ford, on Stone river. While the wag- ons were being loaded. with corn and what else could be found that would be of benefit, a division of the enemy came upon the command and endeavored to cut them off from Nashville, but failed. The Thirty- fifth Indiana battery did good work in sav- ing the train. The Major of the Thirty fifth Indiana regiment was killed; their Colonel was wounded in the arm; a Captain of the Fifty.first Ohio regiment was killed; the Union loss in
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killed and wounded was about thirty. Information obtained from prisoners taken was that the enemy's force consisted of six regiments and one battery. ' Two guns of their battery were disabled, and they sustained a loss of one hundred, killed and wounded. The train was safely escorted into Nashville.
On the twenty sixth. day of December the army moved to the front, striking the. enemy in force, and our division was brought to a standstill at Lavergne, but the enemy's artillery was soon silenced. On December 29 the army advanced on to Stewart's creek, meeting some resistance but not very strong until within about three miles of Murfreesboro, when, on De- cember 30 the enemy opened fire and stubbornly contested ev- ery foot of ground. The following was read to the army on the morning of December 31:
"HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND, IN FRONT OF MURFREESBORO, Dec. 31, '62.
General order.
The General commanding desires to say. to the soldiers of the Army of the Cumberland that he was well pleased with. their conduct yesterday. It was all he could have wished for. He never saw or heard of any skulking. They behaved with the coolness of veterans. ; He now feels perfecly confident, with God's grace and their help, of striking this day a blow for the country, the most crushing, perhaps, which the rebellion. has: yet sustained. Soldiers, the eyes of the nation, are upon: you ;: : the very fate of the nation may be said to hang on the issue of : this day's rattle. Be true, then. to yourselves; true .to : your ::: own manly character and soldierly reputation; true to the love of your dear ones at home, whose prayers ascend this day to God for saccess; - be cool; I need not ask you to be brave; keep., ranks; do not throw away your fire; fire slow and deliberately; above all, fire low and be always sure of your aim; close stead -. ily in upon the enemy, and when you get within charging dis- tance of the enemy, rush upon them with the bayonet. Do this and the victory will surely be yours. Recollect that there are hardly any- troops in the world that will stand the bayonet charge ;- that those who make it; therefore, are sure to win. -W: S. ROSECRANS,
: General commanding Army of the Cumberland."
About 8 o'clock a. m. the battery, with the division, started
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to cross Stone river. Intelligence was recived that the right was'falling back. Col. Fyffe's brigade was ordered to counter- march, and move at double-quick to the right The battery op- erated for a time with this brigade, shelling the enemy's " cav- alry from the brick hospital, to the right and rear of the army.
From here the battery with, the brigade advanced on the right. The battery took position in a cotton field and shelled the woods, while the infantry advanced to the left oblique, through the field and into the timber. They, having got under cover of the timber and out of the field, a force of the enemy in our immediate front raised and gave us a volley: We, replying with double charges of canister, beld our ground until com - pelled to retire by being completely flanked to our right. An extract from Genl. H. P. VanCleve's report speaks for itself:
"The Seventh Indiana battery, : Capt. : Ceorge : R. / Swallow, joined us on this open field, and rendered efficient aid. ' Here .I received information from Gonl. Rosecrans that Genl .: Rousseau was driving the enemy, accompanied with an order:for me to press them hard. At the same time. I was notified by a mes- senger from Col. Harker, whose.brigade was at 'my: right. and rear. that the enemy was in force on my: right in a'!wood, : and were planting a battery.there. I. immediatelyi sent messages. to Col. Harker and Capt. Swallow, who was doing good service with his battery, not to suffer;it to;be:captured. "The enemy now poured a galling fire of musketry, accompanied by grape and shell. On our right Col. Fyffe's ,brigale, supported by Capt. Swallow's battery, gallantly returned. the fire, but being , overpowered by numbers on front and flank, were compelled to refire, followed but a short distance by the enemy. Capt. Swallow, to whom too much praise can not be awarded, brought off his batttery safely: I cannot'close this report without in- viting your attention to the gallantry displayed by those under my command during this'engagement. ' To both officers and men' too much praise cannot be awarded. " I would particularly notice the coolness, intrepidity and skill of my' brigade com- manders, Cols. Beatty and Fyffe, and of Capt." Swallow, Chief of Artillery."
' In this fight the battery" lost Lieut. Buckmar, killed; Smallwood and' Munwarren, wounded; George W. Van Cleve, wounded and captured. ...
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From this point the battery was sent to the front and centre to relieve Batteries H and M of the Fourth U. S. artillery and took a position, the left of the battery resting on the Nashville and Murfreesboro pike. Here we did considerable firing and repelled several charges. In his report Capt. Mendenhall, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Cumberland, says of Bat- teries H and M and the Seventh Indiana:
"These batteries did much to repel the enemy as they ad- { vanced, with the evident determination to drive us back at all hazards, if possible."
Here the battery losti Elihu Dixon and Murdock McGregor, killed.
Moving from here to the left centre and coming in position, there was quite an artillery duel between the Seventh and the celebrated Washington battery of New Orleans. Other batteries had been here before, but were run out. The shell fell fast and thick among us, but we finally crippled and silenced the battery.
1 Withdrawing from here late in the evening and replenishing our caissons with fresh amunition we received orders to take a position on the left and near the river. The battery remained here during the night, it being very cold and wet and rations short. We took in the neighbor's cow and spent the night in roasting beef, alongwith some of the generals, by a smothered fire. We were tired, wornout and hungry and no one cared to sleep that night.
During the night and morning the whole Union army was massed in a little;valley to our rear.
January 2d everything was quiet during the day until about 4 o'clock p. m., when the enemy, under Genl. Breckenridge. advanced driving[Col. Beatty, who was on the east side of the river. The enemy advanced to the river and a force came in our immediate front, but they could not withstand the terrible fire of that mass; of artillery. They faltered and the infantry with one bound charged and drove the enemy beyond Murfrees. boro. During this action fifty-four pieces of artillery, were in action. -
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In this battle;the;battery lost in killed five, wounded seven. This was a hotly contested battle on both sides and the seventh Indiana battery can proundly claim her share of its honor.
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The battery remained on the battlefield until the fifth of January, when it moved across the river and went into camp near Murfreesboro. The weather continues the same as when the army started from Nashville-cold and rainy. Here the battery put in the time preparing good and comfortoble quar- ters, Nothing transpired except the regular routine of camp duty, and being ordered to be ready to move at a moment's no- tice, and after waiting an hour or two would be ordered back in camp. Such orders were frequent. some caused by the en- emy's cavalry driving in our outposts. At one time a force of cavalry, and the twenty third brigade, with two sections of the battery were ordered out on a scout ard went about five miles, when they ran upon a camp of the enemy's cavalry. The party went into camp and remained until three o'clock a. m., of the second morning, then breaking camp and returning to Mur- freesboro.
On February 14 one section of the battery was sent to a ford on Stone river, about five miles from Murfreesboro, to do picket duty. A stockade had been built for us.
Sunday, February 22, Genl. Rosecrans issued an appeal to the army, asking them that out of respect for the memory of Washington, whose illustrious virtues we revere, whose wisdom, justice, and self sacrificing devotion we resolve to imitate our- selves. and teach our children to today renew to each other the assurance already given of our past toils and sufferings, and which many of our brave companions have already sealed with their blood; that we transmit the freedom we inherited from Washington, unimpaired, to the posterity of our nation-one and indivisable, or we all perish in its defense.
At sundown the battery took a position in front of head - quarters and fired a salute in honor of Washington.
On February 26 an election was held for the selection of a Second Lieutenant. resulting in the election of Sergt. George M. Repp.
On February 28 the battery was inspected by Capt. Wood, who complimented the officers and men for their good appear - ance.
At every opportunity, when the weather would admit, the battery was out to drill, as was the case on March 2. On the fourth day of March Lieut. Repp was sent out with one section
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to relieve the section on out post duty at the ford on Stone river. At noon of March 9 the twenty third brigade, with two guns of the battery, moved out the Shelbyville pike and halted; about two miles beyond the pickets of our army. Two of our guns commanded the pike Early the next morning the force formed a line of battle and remained in that position until day- light. During the night a heavy rain set in, which made it , very unpleasant. The force remained here until the night of March10 at 9 o'clock, when orders were received to move im- mediately, and after marching until two o'clock in the morning we again took possession of our old camp, which had been con- fiscated by the teamsters.
On March 18; at noon, the battery was on review before Genl. Rosecrans. March 22 Lieut. Morgan, who had been at Nashville, returned with two guns for the battery, making the Seventh. a six gun battery. Not having a sufficient number of men a detail was made from the infantry on the 25th.
' At noon on the 30th of March the battery moved its camp one mile to the front. On Thursday, April 4 four guns of the battery, : with .five days' rations, started with Col. Matthew's brigade and several regiments of cavalry, the whole under command of Genl. Stanley. The first day we marched eighteen miles toward Liberty, (or Snow Hill gap). and at five o'clock halted for the night. About midnight we were ordered out, ;. and marched until nearly daylight, when we struck the enemy's pickets. We halted until dawn, when the force began to drive the enemy, and soon found Genl. Morgan's command of confed- erate cavalry in a strong position. They opened on us with - their artillery, but did not accomplish much owing to the dis- tance. The battery was placed in position, and gave them a few rounds, when they moved off through the gap, with our . cavalry after them, who report good effect from the battery's firing.
The inhabitants through this section of Tennessee were strongly Union, but were continually harrassed by Confederate cavalry and scouting parties. We.camped here over night, when the army moved on toward Lebanon. From the refugees who were with us we learned who were the disloyal citizens along the route, and, by authority of the commanding General, Lieut. Morgan, with a squad of six, went in advance for the .
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purpose of collecting all the horses and mules he could find. After scouring the country they met the main force at Lebanon, about noon. Col. Wilder passed through here yesterday, and two of his men who had straggled had been shot. ' One we found dead and the other was living, but terribly mangled, hav- ing been shot three times. Several arrests were made. Along the road we found the body of a Union man who had been bung and had his tongue cut out. Two of our own party came near being captured. They were only saved by the timely notice of a colored lady that the Confederate cavalry were coming. They barely had time to mount their horses before the enemy were onto them. We reached our camp at Murfreesboro on the even- ing of April 7. Lieut. Fislar relieved Lieut. Repp's section from out-post duty on Stone river on May 4. On May 16 Maj. Mendenhall drilled the three batteries of our division at four o'clock a. m.
May 23 Lieut. Morgan with his section relieved Lieut. Fislar at Stone river.
June 2 the Seventh battery was relieved from out-post duty , at Stone river, and Lieut. Morgan called in. June 8 is a day to be remembered by all troops camped in and about Murfrees- boro, as they were all marched up to witness the execution of Private Hall, of the 59th Ohio infantry. 1
On June 15 the battery and men were inspected by Capt. Drewry ..
Early in the morning of June 16 the battery was out to drill, and at nine o'clock the battery, with the whole division, moved out to witness the execution of a member of the Ninth Kentucky regiment, who had been tried and convicted for de- sertion and other offences, and sentenced to be shot.
" We remained in camp until Sunday, June 24, when the army started in a pelting rain on the Chattanooga campaign. The battery moved into a fort to do garrison duty, and re- mained there until June 28. At four o'clock that evening the battery moved out on the Manchester road, divided into sections, . . one in front, one in the middle and one in the rear of a train of about four hundred wagons, loaded principally with ammuni- tion. On June 29 the train was on the march early. . It was still raining, making the roads very bad to travel. Monday June 30, the train, after a very hard days march, reached the
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river, opposite Manchester. On this march the teams and men . had a very hard time, the roads being very muddy and cut up. The teams and wagons would mire, and those that could not be started would be burned. Oftentimes we would not get into camp until midnight.
At Beech Gap theadvance had quite a battle with the enemy's cavalry. Quite a number were killed and wounded. Tuesday, July 1, the battery crossed the river and camped near town. At dark Lieut. Morgan's section was ordered to the opposite side of the town to guard the railroad bridge. On July 5 Sergt. C. S. Pound received his commission as Second Lieutenant. July. 8, in pursuance of orders, the battery fired a salute in honor of the victories of the Union armies, "the fall of Vicks- burg and the defeat of Lee." The battery broke camp, and after marching nine miles toward McMinville, camped for the night. McMinville was reached at four o'clock, p. m , July 9. At four o'clock, p. m. on July 20, a volunteer squad, of which Capt. Swallow and Lieut. Morgan, of the Seventh battery, were parties, all under command of Col. Jarvis, went out the Chatta- nooga road on a scout. They spent the night in climbing the mountain, in a drenching rain, and at daylight dashed into Bushaby Spring, expecting to capture some confederate officers but were disappointed. They returned to camp on the after- noon of the 21st. July 22 sixty men, selected from the three batteries, all under command of Capt. Drwery, of the Third Wisconsin battery, started on a raid through Sequatchee valley where they expected to find a wagon train and lot of camp . equippage belonging to John Morgan's command, who is mak - ing a raid north of the Ohio river. Ou the first day they crossed the Cumberland mountain. After dark they decended the mountain into the valley, each man leading his horse down a narrow trail. They halted in front of a cabin at the foot of the mountain, and the scout (a citizen named Jim Smith) opened 1 . the conversation with an old lady as follows:
"Well, old lady, are you acquainted with Jim Smith, and . do you know where he is?"
"Yes, I know him, but have not seen him for some time."
"Did he not stay here a.few nights ago?"
"No. I told you I have not seen him for some time."
Jim walked up to where she could get a good view of him,
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and she at once recognized him. Throwing her arms around his neck she said, "You have come at last, and brought our brave defenders with you." Her husband ran out of the house .. and gave him a hearty slap on the back to testify his delight. The old Jady went to the back of the house after her two sons who had fled at their approach. The old lady was almost be- side herself, and about all she could say was "Glory be to God: my prayers are at last answered and I can again look upon the old flag." That night the party searched a conscripting offic- er's house, expecting to find arms, but were disappointed. The next morning they started on their raid up the valley where no Union forces had been. They stopped at a Mr. Pope's, and learned he was an excellent rebel. Breakfast was ordered for the squad. They entered Pikeville on the afternoon of the second day out and found that the wagons they had expected to capture had been taken south some days before.
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Just beyond the town they captured eight confederates who were guarding a lot of cattle. Ou the afternoon of the third day they dashed into Sparta and captured a Confederate Quar- termaster and took from him eight thousand dollars in Confed- erate scrip. After a ride of one hundred and sixty miles they reached camp on the. afternoon of the fourth day, bringing with them a lot of horses and prisoners.
On August 4 Capt. Swallow, with one section of the bat- tery and a force of cavalry and infantry, went on a scout in the direction of Sparta, returning on the fifth.
On Sunday, August 16, in pursuance of orders, the battery, with the division, (the Twenty first) broke camp and started in the direction of east Tennessee. After a march of six miles they stopped for the night at the foot of the mountain. On the morning of the 17th reveille sounded at 2:30 o'clock, but it was fully 8 o'clock before they were on the march. The command reached the top of the mountain and moved on four miles and went into camp At 5 o'clock a. m of the 19th, they moved on and entered Pikeville, in Sequatchee valley, at 4 o'clock, p. m. While rendezvoused here parties were sent out at different times, scouting through the country. At one time the division !
with its three batteries, crossed the mountain in the direction of Chattanooga, going within a few miles of that city, accom- panying a Union Tennessee Colonel to his home, and finding
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Confederate pickets on his farm. They returned to Pikeville the next day, where they remained until Tuesday, Sept. 1. The march was then taken up at 7 o'clock, and at 4 o'clock went in camp on the farm of a Mr. Pope, fourteen miles from Pikeville. Sept. 2 they moved on to within twelve miles of Jasper. Sept. 3 they started at daylight and entered Jasper early in the af- ternoon, when they went into camp. Sept. 4 they started for Shell Mound, sending the wagons by way of Bridgeport. The battery spent the forenoon crossing the Tennessee river, and camped near the mouth of Nickajack cave. On Sept. 5 the command did not move until 4 o'clock p. m, and went but a short distance. On Sept. 6 a march of three miles was made. Heavy cannonading was heard in the distance. On Sept. 8 the " command moved at daylight and halted after a few miles march. The twenty first division, with its three batteries. have reached Lookout valley, and Sept. 9, while on the march, reports came that Chattanooga was evacuated, and the command was ordered to pursue Bragg's army. The command passed over the point of Lookout mountain in the afternoon, leaving Chattanooga to our left .. We moved on to Rossville. Sept. 10 the advance was skirmishing with the Confederate rear guard all day, so they have moved only about eight miles. Sept. 11 the battery and third brigade was in the advance, and when within three miles of Ringgold they encountered the Confederate cavalry, and for a time there was very heavy firing. Four of. the bat- tery's guns were brought into action to drive the enemy through Ringgold and Pigeon Gap, which was successfully done. The forces followed for three miles beyond the town, where they went into camp. On the 12 the forces marched back to Ring- gold and took a position with the rear guard and moved on to Lee & Gordon's mill. On Sunday morning, Sept 13, orders came to send all baggage that would be of any cumbrance to the battery to the rear, and the division and batteries moved forward in line of battle, but soon found that the force in our front was but the rear guard of Bragg's retreating army.
September 14 we changed camp to Crawfish Spring, three miles distant, where Genl. Rosecrans had established his head- quarters. . On September 16 and 17 the troops were annoyed by frequent dashes of cavalry, and while at dinner on the 18th & few shells were unceremoniously dropped in the camp. Tents were immediately struck and the whole army was soon on the
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move, one section of the battery going with the cavalry to guard a ford on the river, near Lee & Gordon's mill, while the rest of the battery went on some distance farther, and, about 2 o'clock, p. m., took a position and shelled the woods in advance of the cavalry .. There was nothing more than sharp skirmishing in our immediate front. Wilder's and Minty's cavalry forces had been fighting all day on the left. We stopped over night at this point, and as all blankets and baggage had been sent to the rear, the officers and men missed them very much, as the night was very cool and no fires were allowed. All night long the tramp of Genl. Thomas' corps was heard as they passed on to the left. After daylight on the morning of the nineteenth everything was quiet until about 9 o'clock, when the battle opened on the left, and for five hours the musketry was incess- ant. About 3 o'clock, p. m., the battery received orders to move to the left, as the Union forces were giving away. The battery was mounted and the move made on the gallop, arriving at the point where needed, and advanced into the timber follow- ing the infantry. Soon finding that the battery could be of no benefit, and was in great danger of being captured, it fell back across the road into what is known as the Brotherton field. Here the section that was left at Lee & Gordon's mill met the other sections and all took position together. The Nineteenth Indiana, Twenty sixth Pennsylvania, and Third Wisconsin bat- teries, and four other guns joined in the field, These guns were hardly in position when the infantry began to fall back. The guns were double-charged with canister, and held the fire until the infantry had formed in the rear, and the enemy showed at the edge of the timber, which was about thirty yards from us. Orders were given to fire, and immediately 28 guns opened with terrible effect on the advancing foe. Three times they fell back, reformed, and charged, but no line of battle could breast the storm of shot that poured into them. The enemy discovered that the right flank was unprotected, and, under cover of the thick timber. threw their forces in that direction. The Union right being completely flanked the battery was compelled to fall back at a lively gait, with the loss of one horse killed and one man wounded. The battery, with the infantry, fell back a short distance, where a new line was formed, not going in ac. tion during the remainder of the day.
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Sunday morning, September 20, dawned bright and beauti- ful. The lines were reformed early, and advanced, opening the fight at 8 o'clock. The battery's position was on a hill west of the Dyer House, as also the two batteries belonging to the twenty first division. The infantry supporting these bat- teries was ordered forward as reinforcement, and for three hours the artillerymen could look from their high position down on the woods, where the fight was raging fiercely. Everything indicating that the enemy was massing a force for a grand charge. Presently stragglers appeared Then came the forces, slowly yielding but contesting every inch of ground. Then the three batteries, the Twenty sixth Pennsylvania, Third Wisconsin and Seventh Indiana, opened fire over the columns of infantry. The infantry would form and charge the enemy, then fall back. Everytime the artillery would belch forth the infantry would rally ard charge forward, amid the cheers of the battery boys. A gap appearing in the Unton line was at once taken advantage of by the enemy, who swept down upon the artillery and were thick among them before they knew it, resulting in the killing of Capt. Stevens, of the Twenty sixth Pennsylvania battery, and the capture of five of his guns. Also the capture of four guns of the Third Wisconsin battery. The battery received orders to limber up and fall back, which was successfully done, with the exception of the right gun, which was run against a stump and had to be left in the hands of the enemy. In this engagement the battery lost in prisoners Lieut. John W. Fislar, Sergt. J. W. Kitzmiller and George W. Slusser. When the firing was first heard in the Twenty sixth Pennsylva. nia Capt. Swallow rapidly rode up to ascertain the cause, and seeing a man shooting into the battery, advanced toward him
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