USA > Indiana > History of the Forty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry : September, 1861-September, 1865 > Part 2
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The "City of Madison" and the "Izetta," with the remainder of the regiment, reached Paducah on the evening of the 21st, and were sent on to Cairo. General Nelson made strenuous efforts with General Sherman to retain the regiment, but without success.
The several companies did not come together until they met at Commerce, on the 23d of February.
On the arrival of the "Golden State" at Cairo, the whole regi- ment was ordered by General Payne to report to General Pope, at Commerce, Missouri.
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CHAPTER II.
VACANCIES AND PROMOTIONS. - COMMERCE. - HEAVY SHELLING. - NEW MADRID. - FORT THOMPSON. - RUNNING THE BATTERIES. - EVACUA- . TION .- NIGHT MARCH. - POINT PLEASANT. - BUILDING BATTERIES. - TERRIFIC BOMBARDMENT. - OSCEOLA. -- FORT PILLOW. - MEMPHIS NAVAL BATTLE. - TAKING DOWN THE FLAG. - AGAIN AFLOAT. - FEBRUARY -JUNE, 1862.
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THE following vacancies and promotions occurred between February and June, 1862:
Captain Felix B. Thomas, of Company H, resigned March 28, 1862; Lieutenant George Burson succeeded him, and Lieutenant James W. Brown was commissioned first, and James F. Mitchell second lieutenant.
Lieutenant Benham, of Company F, died April 1, 1862; Joel Ferris was appointed second lieutenant.
Lieutenant J. W. F. Liston, of Company I, resigned April 22, 1862; Lieutenant Jacob McCormick was appointed first, and N. B. Booth second lieutenant.
Lieutenant John M. Arnout, of Company B, resigned April 1, 1862, and was succeeded by Sergeant Matthew K. Graham.
First Lieutenant Anthony Garrett, of Company C, resigned April 26, 1862; Lieutenant A. B. Robertson was commissioned first, and Sergeant John Troxell second lieutenant.
Second Lieutenant Jacob H. Leiter, of Company K, resigned April 30, 1862; Sergeant John McClung was commissioned to suc- ceed him.
Second Lieutenant John M. Berkey, of Company G, resigned May 6, 1862; Sergeant James Hess was appointed to succeed him.
Second Lieutenant N. B. Booth, of Company I, resigned May 21, 1862; Sergeant Joseph H. Benner was commissioned to suc- ceed him.
Captain John Guthrie, of Company D, resigned May 10, 1862;
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
he was succeeded by Lieutenant William M. DeHart; Lieutenant Charles A. Brownlie was commissioned to succeed him, and Ser- geant A. K. Ewing was commissioned second lieutenant.
Captain David Howell, of Company F, resigned February 5, 1862; Samuel Osborn was commissioned in his place.
Captain Osborn, of Company F, resigned May 26, 1862; he was succeeded by Lieutenant B. B. Daily; Lieutenant Joel Ferris was appointed first, and Joseph C. Plumb second lieutenant.
Lieutenant Colonel N. G. Scott resigned May 24, 1862; he was succeeded by Major T. II. Bringhurst; Captain John H. Gould, of Company A, was appointed major; Lieutenant William A. Pigman was commissioned captain of Company A; James M. Watts was commissioned first, and James V. Brough second lientenant.
Chaplain Robert Irvin resigned May 8, 1862.
At Cairo were the 15,000 prisoners captured at Fort Donald- son, and the gunboats that had taken so prominent a part in that magnificent victory. On the 21st orders were received to draw rations and proceed to Commerce, forty miles above Cairo. The other two boats had not yet arrived, but the "Golden State" steamed out on the 23d, at noon, and reached Commerce, after much delay from sandbars, at 6 P. M.
On the 23d the companies on the "Golden State" began unloading, and were soon in camp on the bluffs. The " Izetta," under Lieutenant Colonel Scott, with four of the tardy companies, came in and spent the remainder of the day in unloading. On the 24th of February the regiment was on the road to Benton, Mo. Immense quantities of stores and ammunition were on the road, and artillery and cavalry were hurrying to the front. Benton was reached at 2 o'clock. The town is the county seai, and has all the adjuncts of an imposing court. There was a large bar, according to the Record, but the members of it were absent, following the fortunes of General "Jeff" Thompson. The Forty-sixth filled the bench, the bar, the witness and the jury boxes, and members of it cried, " O yes! O yes!"' from the sheriff's desk.
The seats were fully occupied by the less ambitious members of the regiment. There was a great intlux of law books in regi- mental quarters. General Palmer collected about a hundred vol- umes of reports and statutes and returned them to the Court-house. It was remarked that stray law books were found only about the quarters of ex-attorneys. Nothing was discovered in other tents except chickens and an occasional pig.
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THE MARCH TO. MADRID.
The remaining three companies of the regiment, under Colonel Fitch, arrived at Benton on the 25th. They had left the "City of Madison" at Cairo and shipped on the "Switzerland."
On the 1st of March the regiment left Benton and soon found the road obstructed .by timber and broken bridges. It went into camp at 5 P. M. Resumed the march next day. Heavy rain. Much mud. Crowded roads. Made five miles in five hours. At 3 p. M. stacked knapsacks and marched seven miles to dryer ground. On the 3d, reached within thirteen miles of New Madrid, with a bright prospect for a fight. Overtook "Jeff" Thompson, two miles from camp, and captured three of his guns.
There were now in Pope's column about 9,000 men, with some artillery. The Forty-sixth was in the Third Division, under Gen- eral Palmer. The First Brigade (the Thirty-fourth and the Forty- seventh regiments) was under Colonel Slack. The Second Brigade (the Forty-third and the Forty-sixth) under Colonel Fitch. The Seventh Illinois Cavalry and the First Missouri Battery were attached to this division.
At 1.30 the column was within two miles of New Madrid. City very quiet. A regiment of infantry and battalion of cavalry deployed on each side of the road. General Pope came up and took position. Skirmishers advanced. As the column came in view of the rebels, their gunboats opened fire. Their aim was good but their fuse short. The fire was kept up until 5 o'clock. In the meantime the Forty-sixth had been assigned, with an Iowa regiment, to support General Granger, who was pressing the rebels toward the river. On the retreat of the rebels the regiment went into camp.
Up to the 13th, skirmishing and manuvering occupied the time. A rebel surrender was now only a question of time.
On the 14th, at 3 o'clock, the division marched out to relieve Stanley's First Division, in the trenches. Heavy guns had arrived and been placed in battery, ready for business. The rebels had become aware of the presence of their new antagonists, and had determined to leave. The Forty-sixth waded through deep mud and a heavy rain to their position, near the fort. At daylight, a squad of artillerists, under Captain Joseph A. Mower, suspecting an evacuation, went into the fort and found it empty. All were gone but three men. Two of them were asleep and the other arnnk. Captain Mower took the colors of the Forty-seventh Regi- ment and raised them over the fort. As the raising fog enabled
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THIE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
the soldiers to see, a shout went up from those nearest, which was taken up and repeated to the outermost camp.
The situation, as formed by the evacuation of the forts, left the rebels strongly fortified at Island No. 10, with six gunboats, under Commodore Hollins, hemmed in, in a twenty-mile stretch of river. They had an infantry force along the road between Island No. 10 and Tiptonsville, a distance, by land, of five or six miles. There were two Federal gunboats in the river, with the advantage, to them, of being able to go further down the stream.
Tiptonsville was the gateway now to Island No. 10. When that was lost to the rebels the situation was lost. There was, already, a Federal gun at Point Pleasant, on the Missouri side, a few miles above Tiptonsville. Now, it was proposed to erect a battery further down, and opposite Tiptonsville.
On the 16th of March the regiment started, at 9 p. Jr., down to the river bank. Extreme silence was enjoined. A few miles below New Madrid two large guns were met in the road with long ropes attached. Details of a hundred men were invited to "take hold," which was done, and, until five o'clock next morning, over hills, through swamps, the regiment dragged the guns, when Point Pleasant was reached, and in half an hour the tired and hungry men were asleep.
At 2 p. M., on the 17th, the regiment started for Riddle's Point. To avoid the enemy it took a road back from the river. The road was swampy, and led through woods, cornfields, barn- yards, streams and fences. A halt was made back of the " Point" at 3.30, but too near the river, and a backward move was made. The whole division then went into camp on a fine large meadow. On the morning of the 18th four meals were due the men, and yet no wagons in sight. At 11 o'clock a dash was made for the strag- gling cattle, hogs and chickens, and the fast was broken at noon. At 4 o'clock all the wagons were np and a big supper was pre- pared. The long grass was cut and made into beds, and a huge sleep was anticipated. At 7 o'clock orders came to prepare for an immediate march, with arms and blankets. "Positively no talking or coughing" was an order often repeated. Marched two and one- half miles. The right was halted in pitch darkness. Companies A and C marched on, while the other companies stacked arms and were introduced to wagons loaded with spades, picks and empty corn sacks. With these the eight companies were armed and marched off in the darkness.
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RIDDLE'S POINT. - BATTERIES.
Although the regiment was in ignorance of what was to be done, there were those present who knew what was wanted and how to accomplish it. A few officers were dodging about with lines and pegs, and the men were soon at work, digging here and filling there, guided by the white pegs arranged by the engineers. Bags were filled and piled up, under their direction. At 12 o'clock it began to rain, with a sharp thunder storm. The remainder of the night was showery. The regiment was about opposite Tip- tonsville, and the noise made by the rebels, as they loaded their transports, and their occasional shouts, could be distinctly heard.
The work on the battery progressed rapidly all night. The men had but an imperfect understanding of their work, but they had confidence in the intelligence and skill that were directing them. Toward daylight a force was put to work digging rifle pits, for the protection of the men against the gunboats. Nearly enough were completed to afford protection for all; but all con- tained water.
When daylight came the men were astonished at their work. There was a battery of four guns well protected by bags of earth, and by embankments. The magazine in the rear was a complete room, impervious to any attack. All seemed ready to receive and resist successfully, any assault from the boats. There were eighty rifle pits, looking comfortable enough, but rather unpleasantly similar to graves.
After daylight, as the work was being finished, the men laid down, and many of them slept. Others were anticipating the sur- prise of the rebels when we opened fire on them. About S o'clock a fine large transport came puffing up the river. When opposite the battery, a gun was fired at her. The ball went screaming through the air, struck the water just inside the boat, and passed over her into the woods beyond. The boat put on all steam, and, after another ineffectual fire from the other gun, passed out of range. This scene had scarcely closed when another packet came up, evidently ignorant of the situation. At the landing at Tip- tonsville, the boats set up a continuous whistling to warn coming boats of the danger, but the one coming up took no notice of it, and was soon in range. The guns were both ready, and fired sep- arately. The first shot went just ahead of the boat. The second struek the water just behind the bow, arose and went crashing through the upper works. She kept on and was out of range before another shot could be had. In locating the battery, it had
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
been placed too far up the river. A heavy growth of cypress trees cut passing boats from view too soon. The men were in high glee over the performance, and wanted more. The gunners (regulars) said to them, " Wait a little." In a little while four rebel gun- boats were seen putting out from Tiptonsville. They came over the river and paddled about for a while, and then opened fire. The first shell came from a boat directly opposite the rifle pits, passing over them and exploding just over the rear trench. The company which should have occupied it was at the bayou on guard. As each boat obtained position, it opened fire, and soon there was a perfect tempest of shot and shell. Their guns were well aimed, and the shells seemed to explode just where they wanted them. The round shot were thirty-twos. The rifles were sixes, tens and twelves. Some were all lead, others were iron, with a lead band for the rifles. After firing some time the boats changed position, and the men liked it less than before. One boat remained in front while the others came around toward the bayou to obtain a cross fire. A sloop came on an exact line with our trenches. She opened with three guns, throwing ten-inch fuse shells and six and ten-pound percussion. The fire from all the boats was continuons, and left no room outside the trenches for any living thing. The loose banks of the pits and trenches were plowed and dashed over the men in them, and the explosion of the shells in the air and over the trenches was terrific. The heavy shot caused a sound like a sudden storm, and the lighter ones a fierce scream.
The firing continued nearly an hour and a quarter, and with very little intermission. Our guns got in only an occasional shot. When the gunners showed their heads a storm of iron came, compelling all to go down.
During the firing it was reported that the rebels were landing, and the regiment was called out into line. The report proving false, the men went to the pits. Finding that the guns could not be dismounted, the fleet dropped down the river. But one man was killed in the attack, and he had no mark or wound about him. Dunfee, of Company II, was rendered deaf by the concussion of a shell.
Companies C, D and I were at the bayou, on guard. They were nearer to the boats, and were often covered with the earth dashed out by the balls. Nearly every trench showed marks of the bombardment. Company A, on the right of the rear trench,
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FIGIIT WITH THE NAVY.
received a number, very close. F had them overhead. On the pits, marks were abundant. H occupied those on the right of the front, B on the left. The second of B from the left received a ball on its edge, which bounded out over the ground instead of into the pit, which it might have done. The first pit had two large balls over it, within two or three feet of the occupants. One of G's received a ball through the bank, which knocked it in, but did no other damage. Two balls struck the building back of H, which must have passed very close.
After the engagement the regiment spent the remainder of the day in perfecting the works and in building new ones. Enough provisions were brought from camp for a partial meal at 2 o'clock. The regiment was relieved by the Forty-seventh, at 10 p. M.
"The force at Riddle's Point consisted of the Thirty-fourth, Forty-third, Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Indiana. There were also 200 cavalry, three light brass field pieces and two ten-pound Parrots, forming the division of General Palmer. At the battery below, the twenty-four pounders were worked by a detail of regulars.
Operations at Tiptonsville were plainly visible from the Mis- souri side. The rebel gunboats were below, occasionally running up and exchanging shots. Heavy firing was constantly heard at Island No. 10. On the 22d of March four persons were killed by the explosion of a shell, thrown by a rebel gunboat, on the attack on the "Point." It had been kicked about since that time, and was considered harmless. A member of the Forty-seventh under- took to pick out the powder with a file. He, with a citizen and two boys, was killed by the explosion.
The four Indiana regiments did the duty at the "Point." One went down each day. The rifle pits at the battery were extensively decorated. Some of the regiments cut seats in them, built chimneys and otherwise added to their usefulness as residences, but entirely destroyed them as a refuge from shot and shell. Others had to be built. The new pits were ornamented with wall paper, pictures, carpets, stoves, chairs, etc., borrowed from the adjacent abandoned dwellings.
On the 1st of April a fearful storm of wind and rain swept over the camp, blowing down all the tents and flooding the ground.
On the 4th of April the gunboat Carondelet ran the rebel bat-
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
teries above Island No. 10 and came on down to the city. On the 7th the Pittsburg also ran past. The two then amused themselves with the rebel land batteries, silencing the most of them.
On the 6th a transport, bearing the stars and stripes, passed · rapidly down the river, turned and came up again. A rebel battery opened on it, when the Curondelet opened on the battery and soon silenced it. Later the same gunboat attacked another battery and drove the gunners off. A squad was then sent ashore and the guns spiked. On the 7th the Carondelet again came down and silenced every battery that could be found. Our people on the Missouri side looked on, and were delighted with the entertainment.
The 7th was the day of the Forty-sixth for duty at the "Point." It went out in a heavy rain. At 2 p. M., orders came for immediate embarkation. On the same afternoon the huge rebel floating battery came down the river. It was arrested and secured. The regiment embarked at 3.30, on the 9th. With the Forty-third, it went on the "Ohio Belle," and landed at Tiptons- ville at 6 p. M., and went into camp for the night. The rebels were coming in and surrendering. Island No. 10 had fallen, and the retreat of the rebels was cut off. Three thousand prisoners, including Generals Mackall and Gant, were captured. The latter were on the steamer "Alec. Seott," and were subjected to a very annoying scrutiny by the boys of the Forty-sixth. There were no introductions.
This was the end of the campaign against Island No. 10, the first move toward the opening of the Mississippi. In it, as well as in the final acts at Vicksburg, the Forty-sixth regiment bore an important part.
In a congratulatory order to General Pope, General Halleck said:
"I congratulate you and your command on the success that has crowned your toils and exposure. You have given the final blow to the rebellion in Missouri, and proved yourselves worthy members of the brave army of the West."
And General Pope said to his soldiers:
"Much as the general commanding has desired to shield the forces under his command from unnecessary suffering and loss of life, the success of our operations required unusual courage and patriotism, and an exhibi- tion of the highest qualities of the soldier. The general commanding has expected much from the gallant men of this army, but he is proud and
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OSCEOLA .- FORT PILLOW.
gratified to-day that his anticipations have been more than realized, and that he has been impressed with a confidence in the officers and men of this command, which foreshadows for them a most brilliant future." * *
Up to the 15th, the regiment was engaged in scouting over the country, capturing rebels and stores. On the 15th, at 7 A. M., the regiment went on board the "G. W. Graham" and the "Emma." General Palmer, with his staff, went on the "Graham." Colonel Fitch commanded the brigade. At 3 o'clock the boats were in sight of Osceola, Ark. The smoke of the rebel gunboats and of Fort Pillow was seen across the bend. On the 16th, the fleet, then numbering twenty-two transports, crossed and tied up on the Arkansas side. In the evening the mortarboats began throwing shells into the fort. At the same time the "Jessie Bentou," a beautiful little tug belonging to the navy, took fire and was destroyed. On the 17th, the paymaster came and interviewed the boys, making the first payment on that date. The entire transport fleet, except the "Graham" and "Emma," went up the river, leaving only the Forty-third and Forty-sixth with the gunboats.
At Osceola the ground was wet and low and the river high. The brigade was on land during the day and on the boats at night. The weather was hot. The sick list, on the 23d, was 104. Up to the 9th of May, nothing of interest occurred. Scouting parties went inland, in boats, and any employment that offered was accepted to occupy the time. Under a "Military Masonic Char- ter," a lodge of Masons was organized at a plantation house, near Osceola, under the direction of Surgeon Horace Coleman. Regu- lar meetings were held, and the institution did quite a satisfactory business. The "jewels" were manufactured at the steamboat blacksmith shop. Beyond the usual benefactions of the institu- tion, the meetings helped to break the monotony of the situation.
On the 9th the rebel gunboats came up, and a regular engage- ment occurred between the Vun Dorn, Price, Sumpter, Lovell, Little Rebel, Beauregard and the Bragy, and the Federal deet. The fight lasted over an hour, and resulted in the sinking of the Cincinnati and Mound City in shoal water.
The attack was made just at daybreak, and the men on the transports left their beds with commendable promptitude.
Henry S. Fitch came to Osceola as brigade quartermaster. Le Roy Fitch was in command of the "Torrenee," a magazine boat, belonging to the navy. George Groves. another Indiana boy, was on duty at one of the mortars.
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
Up to the 2d of June there was only the usual routine of duty. The regiment was on and off the boat each day.
On the 3d of June, Lieutenant Brownlie was sent down the river reconoitreing. He found a rebel gunboat tied up, while a part of the crew was on shore, getting ice from a house on the bank. He surprised and captured seven of them, and brought them off under the fire of the gunboat. The prisoners were put on horseback, behind the soldiers, and made a rough voyage to the Federal camp.
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On the same day the major of the Forty-sixth, with three companies, was sent down near the fort, on the Tennessee side, with orders to construct a raft or bridge from the timber in a house known to be there. The bridge was to be used in crossing a creek just outside the fort. In the midst of the work firing commenced from the rebels, which was replied to by the Federal gunboats. Heavy shot went over the work and plunged into the timber. A. narrow island, covered with a heavy growth of brush, obstructed the view of the river, and it could not be discovered what the cause of the attack was. Under the impression that the movement was discovered, the detail returned to the boat. The firing was occasioned by an attempt by Colonel Ellet to cut out a rebel boat, just above the fort. He started down with the ram Queen of the West, but failed, on account of the heavy fire, to reach the boat. Ellet's movement was without the knowledge of Commodore Foot or Colonel Fitch, and the presence of the detail was not known to Colonel Ellet. The unfortunate movement of the ram prevented the brigade from participating in an attack upon the fort, while the evacuation was in progress, for the rebels were all out in forty- eight hours.
On the 4th, Captain Schermerhorn, with a detail, went over and completed the raft, but the rebels were gone.
On each day from the 30th of May, information was received that the rebels were evacuating, and it became certain that the end of Fort Pillow was near. On the night of the 4th, the light of a great conflagration at the fort was witnessed from the Federal fleet. Evidently, a large quantity of stores was being consumed. On the 5th, at 3 A. M., the brigade dropped cantiously down toward the fort, the little steamer, " Hetty Gilmore," in the lead. Arriving at the fort, the "Hetty" gave three whistles and all landed. The fort was entirely empty. Every thing portable, exeept some heavy guns, was burned or destroyed.
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FORT PILLOW. - MEMPHIS.
The gunboats and rams came down with, or shortly after, the brigade, and by daybreak the fort was thoroughly occupied by the invading soldiers and sailors. The flags of the Forty-third and. Forty-sixth floated over the parapet of the fort from daylight until noon, when they were furled to be again given to the breeze at Memphis.
Colonel Ellet, in his report to the department, says that on the evening of the 4th, he made a reconnoissance of the fort, going far enough down to discover that it had been evacuated, and that on the 5th he went down with all his rams, before daylight, and "planted the stars and stripes on the fort." Colonel Ellet is mistaken in his facts. Up to 2 o'clock of the morning of the 5th, it was not certainly known to anybody on the Federal side that the rebels were gone. The "Hetty Gilmore," with a portion of the Forty-sixth, was at the fort landing before any ram or gunboat appeared, and none of the fleet, except the "Hetty," came until after that boat had given the signal which had been arranged.
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