USA > Indiana > History of the Forty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry : September, 1861-September, 1865 > Part 7
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
premises. The doctor did not take breakfast at the hotel the next. morning, as he was regarded as an accompliee in the depredation. The entire division crossed the bayou the 28th of September and took up temporary quarters in the town of Berwick. The- first experience of the regiment there was a dismal rain of three days' duration. The ground was inundated. Messes that had built up shelters were compelled to roost .upon them to keep dry. The sun appeared the third day, and, with the wind, gave the place a different look.
Orders came to march on the 4th, and were received by the men with aeclamation. Other orders changed the date to the 3d, on which day, at 7 o'clock, the regiment was on the road. Each regiment had four wagons, in which were carried cooking utensils, provisions and ammunition. No tents were to be seen. The pro- visions were hard bread, coffee and salt. The other articles were. to be " procured."
The regiment reached Centreville, sixteen miles, the first day. On the next, Franklin was made-twelve miles. The boys. approved of Franklin and would liked to have stayed there, and the people fancied the "Hoosiers."
On the 5th of October the regiment marched twelve miles and went into eamp on a large plantation owned by a Frenchman. An extensive sugar mill, with all the appliances for raising cane and making sugar, were part of the institution. For some reason great care was taken of this property. Orders were issued forbidding the burning of rails, killing of sheep or cattle, or the commission of any of the usual exeesses often indulged in by the soldiers.
' During the day orders were sent to all the colonels to place a guard in front of the regimeuts at the halt in the evening, to prevent the burning of rails, etc. This was considered, by the soldiers, a great invasion of their franchise. Great dissatisfaction was expressed. Just before the halt, the colonel of the Forty-sixth had a conference with the captains, when it was arranged that the men should be informed that the guard would not be called for if the rails and other property on the regiment's front were not disturbed, and the officers obtained from the men promises accordingly.
At the halt, the brigade stacked arms in line. In all the- regiments, the "orderly's call" was heard, and the regiments prepared the required guard. In the meantime, the Forty-sixth people were skirmishing for wood and provisions, and by the time.
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OBEYING ORDERS.
the guards of the other regiments were out there was nothing to be protected.
It was not long before the general's orderly came in and notified all the colonels that their presence was desired at head- quarters, and those officers met and repaired to the general's. quarters. On the road much speculation was indulged in as to the purpose of the call. None could guess. But Colonel MeCauley, of the Eleventh, pointing to the brigade line, suggested that the absence of fences on the line had something to do with the business.
General McGinnis was found pacing before his tent in an irate condition. He was as straight as a tent pole, and held his head in the position of a very angry soldier. The officers approached and respectfully saluted. The general said: "Gentlemen, did you happen to get an order this morning requiring the posting of guards on the halt, this evening?" and all responded: "We did, sir." Then said the general: "How was the order obeyed? Look at the brigade front. The fences are all gone." The colonel of the Forty-sixth modestly referred the general to the fence on the front of his regiment, and suggested that he be excepted from the general censure. Looking over and shading his eyes with his hand, the general said: "Yes, the Forty-sixth has obeyed the- order. It is the only regiment that has done so. It has its fences- intact." Some very pointed remarks were then made to the delinquent colonels on the general subject of obedience to orders,. and the officers were sent back to their regiments. Those diso- bedient officers always, afterward, insisted that while they were- detailing guards, as ordered, the Forty-sixth people carried off all the rails on their fronts, and left them without fences to guard and subject to censure for the work of the Forty-sixth.
The regiment was called on that night for "a good, honest company" to guard a large flock of sheep that was on the premises. Company I was detailed. It was afterward charged, by envious persons in other regiments, that seventeen head of fat sheep were carried into the Forty-sixth's camp in the night -so jealous were some of the good reputation of an honest company. The proprie- tor manifested his gratitude for the care taken of his property by presenting the field officers, the next morning, with a fine dressed sheep for consumption during the day's march.
Somebody brought a goose into the field quarters the same- night, and as there was a superabundance of meat already on hand
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
it was artistically cooked, and, with a polite note, sent to General McGinnis as a fruit of obedience to orders; the goose, as alleged, having been caught in the fence preserved under general orders. .On the march the next day General MeGinnis was unusually sedate, but his staff officers that evening confessed that the goose was good, and much enjoyed even by the General.
On the evening of the 5th the brigade overtook the Nineteenth ·Corps and camped three miles from New Iberia.
The First Division of the Thirteenth Corps passed Iberia on the 6th. The Fourth came up and encamped near Iberia on the same day. On the morning of the 10th the Fourth Division was .on the road westward. No regiment in the division had drawn rations for several days, and none were in a condition to march. The last day's march of the Forty-sixth covered twenty-four miles, nineteen of which were without water. Camp was reached after .dark, and the men as they came in were loaded with chickens and potatoes gathered along the road.
When daylight came, on the 11th, the men were astonished and enchanted with the scene before them. They looked over a broad prairie, covered with a luxuriant crop of tall grass, "just "the thing for beds." Innumerable cattle were grazing, unconscious of the arrival of the Hoosiers. The plain was fringed with timber and cultivated plantations. The erack of a hundred rifles raised the impression that a skirmish was on, but it was only a skirmish for steaks for breakfast.
On the 12th the brigade camped for a short stay. A school for field officers and brigade drills was instituted.
On the morning of the 15th firing was heard in front. Again, at noon, artillery was heard, and at 1 o'clock orders came for an advance. At 3 o'clock the First Brigade took the road and marched until midnight, nineteen miles. An attack had been made on General Weitzell, but he had driven the rebels off.
On the morning of the 16th the brigade moved a mile for- ward and encamped on a fine prairie. The brigade had just broken ranks when a disturbance occurred in front. Cavalry came dashing over the plain. Rebel cannon in the timber were firing. The brigade line moved forward, and the cannon opened on the .enemy. The artillery and cavalry moved up and found the rebels trying to get a large drove of cattle out of the woods. After a brief fight, the rebels retreated with a few of the cattle, leaving the most of them for us.
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OPELOUSAS .- BURBRIDGE.
On the 17th the regiment received orders to eneamp near the quarters of General Franklin, and to do picket duty. In an hour. the regiment was in its new quarters. Pickets were furnished toward Opelousas and Grand Chotean.
A reconnoissance was made on the 19th by a cavalry force sup- ported by the Thirty-fourth Indiana. They went eight miles and found the rebels, skirmished and drove thein.
On the 20th the Nineteenth Corps marched, with our First Brigade in advance. Some cavalry had gone before. The remain -- der of the Third Division was in reserve. The negro regiment of engineers was on the right of the brigade, and marched in perfect. order, singing "John Brown." Two hundred and fifty of these. men carried arms, the remainder cleared away obstructions.
The rebels were posted in a wood, and there was enough of them to make a good fight, but they fled. General Franklin rode- behind the regiment on the advance, and complimented the men for their precise movements. In the presence of the commander it is to be supposed the regiment showed off some. The brigade went through Opelousas and turned off to Barre's landing, where- it arrived the same evening.
Barre's landing is on the Bayon Cortableaux. The diver-, sion was made here in the hope of getting supplies by the bayou, but as that was found impracticable, the brigade rejoined the- column on the 29th.
On the return of the expedition from Opelousas, the First Division, under General Burbridge, was left at the camp formerly. occupied by the First and Third Divisions, eight miles from that. town. The Third Division camped about three miles cast of that camp. Between the two divisions there was a plain, or prairie, three miles wide, bounded on the right by timber. The First was on Carancro bayou.
On the 2d of November, Burbridge was attacked by a rebel force, which he defeated, but our division was marched nearly to. the scene of action. On the same day, our forage trains were driven in. At a house in sight of the camp a captain of the. Twenty-eighth Iowa was killed. Three men of the same regiment and two of the Thirty-fourth were killed in the same neighborhood .. The captain was in charge of a small guard, and seeing a squad of Federals, as he supposed, ahead, rode up and saluted them. They were dressed in blue. They surrounded and shot him, and robbed. him even of his clothes.
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
On the 3d, after a few cannon shots, a courier rode in and reported that the rebels were making another attack, and it was apprehended that a general engagement would result. The divi- sion was called in line, but another courier reporting that Burbridge had driven the rebels back again, the men were dismissed.
The First Brigade was encamped in line of battle on the right of the road, the Twenty-fourth on the right and the Forty-sixth on the left. So decisive were the indications of a battle, that the colonel had the men stack arms in line and cook and remain close to the guns. The men had an early dinner and it was quickly eaten.
At noon sharp firing was heard in front. An aide of General Washburn's was seen riding rapidly toward the brigade, bare- headed and waving his hat. The Forty-sixth was instantly ordered in line, and, in a few minutes, was marching by column up the road. Going a short distance, the regiment was overtaken by an aide of General Cameron, who ordered the colonel to halt and await the passing of the brigade and resume his proper position in the column. The colonel respectfully said that he would go on a short distance and await the brigade, and give the men the benefit of the rest.
The regiment marched on rapidly for two miles, when men, wagon trains and artillery were seen dashing ont of the woods. Rebel cavalrymen were seen striking teamsters and artillerymen with their sabers. A mule team dashed through and over all opposition. Batteries of artillery rushed from the woods. Many of them were overtaken by the rebels and the men killed.
Of the artillery, two guns of the Second Massachusetts Bat- tery made straight for the regiment, followed closely by the rebel cavalry. By this time the regiment was within shot. The line was formed, and the men laid on the ground and went to work. The two Massachusetts guns reached the regiment's right, and the gunners felt satisfied to be safe. They declined firing because they had no water, but they discovered that fire was more neces- sary to their safety than water. Both soon got into action, and did good service. The rapid firing of the regiment and the two guns checked the rebels and drove them to the woods. Shortly after this, the remainder of the brigade arrived. It was ordered to await the arrival of the Second Brigade before pursuing the rebels. This was the mistake, for when the Second came the rebels were on the road to Opelousas. At the close of the action,
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CARENCRO.
Generals Washburn and Cameron rode up to the regiment and thanked the men for their prompt and timely service, and compli- mented them on their general efficiency. The regiment had none killed in this engagement. The wounded were: John J. Viney, of Company A; James Luzader, of Company G, and John Howell, of Company F.
Burbridge's loss was eighteen killed and 100 wounded. Four hundred prisoners were taken. An entire regiment in Burbridge's division was captured.
The rebels had over 100 killed. Twenty dead and twelve wounded were found in the woods opposite the position of the Forty-sixth.
During the fight the rebel cavalry moved around on the flanks and attacked the camps, but were driven off.
The camp property of Burbridge's division was all destroyed.
On the day after the fight General Burbridge personally thanked the Forty-sixth for its timely assistance.
On the night of the battle the entire army came back to the camp previously occupied by the Third Division, and on the morn- ing of the 6th all were on the road toward Berwick. A rebel force of 8,000 kept close to us. The columnn was long. The Nineteenth Corps was in front. The last of our division crossed and burned the bridge at 9 o'clock, and was fired on by the rebels.
After a march of five miles the rebels made another attack, and compelled us to halt and form line of battle, but the enemy kept off.
On the night of the 5th, the entire camp was aroused by the explosion of a shell in the quarters of the Forty-sixth regiment. Charles Baum, of Company E, taking advantage of a lull in busi- ness, undertook the boiling of a piece of beef to enable him to keep up on the march the next day. He had propped up his camp kettle with a shell that he had found near the fire. The shell had not been exploded, and about 10 o'clock, as Baum was on his knees, blowing the coals, the fuse became ignited and the shell went off. The kettle and the beef also went off. Baum was rolled over several times, but received no injury except having his eyes filled with dirt. As a large force of the enemy was close, an attack was expected, and the general officers, with their aides, were dashing about in search of the cause of the alarm. Baum was in search of his beef, but in neither case was the search successful.
The head of the column reached Vermillionville about 10
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
o'clock. It passed on through town and encamped three miles. beyond. An infantry guard of twenty-five was left in town to guard some hospital stores. The Forty-sixth was stopped and directed to remain on the edge of town until the property in it was removed. It rained in torrents. The regiment made the best . quarters possible, and watched for the rebels. A train of wagons, containing some forty bales of cotton, was levied on and held for defensive purposes. In the afternoon the sun came out, and the place had a better look. The night was passed without disturb- ance, though it was certain that there were 10,000 rebels within three miles, preparing to take the regiment in.
Fires were made from fences, and the men made themselves comfortable for the night. At daylight earnest preparations were begun to add to the general security of the position. There was a bright, warm sun, and blankets and clothing were dried. There was nothing on the flanks. The picket was one of the companies and twenty-five cavalrymen. The territory thus protected was small, and the regiment was kept together and constantly under arms.
Toward noon the real character of the position became mani- fest. From the steeple of the church the rebels were in full view. They were seen arriving and settling down in temporary quarters, while complete and compact lines were visible for over a mile across the regiment's frout. Residents were coming in, reporting the situation outside, and always in the highest colors. These . were sent back to General Franklin. Two hundred yards in front . of the regiment, in a cottage, was seen posted a squad of rebel scouts, observing the Federal position. Ou being discovered, it was driven off. This created great excitement in town. There was a general packing np, and a desire to get out. The position of the people between the two armies was not encouraging.
At 5 o'clock the sight from the steeple was grand. The prairie in front presented an area of many miles. Within three miles the rebels were visible without the glass, and with the glass. far beyond that distance. All were evidently ready for business. Three miles to the rear, the Federal army was in sight. The two army corps had been in line most of the day. Now, at sunset, the clearest hour of the day, the heavy, dark lines of infantry, each regiment distinguished by its flag, was distinctly seen, while the heavy batteries, with their bright guns in line, and the squadrons. of cavalry moving about, added life and meaning to the seene.
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VERMILLIONVILLE.
Midway between these great points of interest, and watched closely by both, was a line of 300 men, quietly awaiting the approach of the rebels, or of night, when they might prepare defenses, with- out being seen by the spies near by.
As soon as it was dark, the cotton bales were rolled into posi- tion and active spades completed an ample protection by 10 o'clock.
The defense being finished, the regiment was marched in and each man's place assigned him, when the regiment went back to its former position, to remain until 3 o'clock, when they were to get behind the cotton to surprise the rebels, who would, naturally, attack the original position.
At 1 o'clock the regiment was called in. As it marched through town, the rebel cavalry followed and remained until day- light, when the Federal cavalry drove them out.
The cotton taken for defenses by the regiment was, in 1880, claimed by a Frenchman pretending to be loyal. He sued for its value in the Federal Court of Claims, and recovered $10.000.
Lewis Messner, of Company K, and John Clingin, of Company G, were captured, two miles from Vermillionville, on the 12th of November. They were exchanged about January S.
The regiment took its place in the brigade line at Vermillion- ville bayou, near daylight, on the Sth of November, where the army remained, occasionally skirmishing with the rebels, until the morning of the 16th, when it quietly packed up and moved off. The pickets were kept out until the last moment, and New Iberia was reached without any interference from the rebels. Lake Manripas is six miles from Iberia. The division encamped there the first day, and leisurely marched to Iberia the next. Here the rebels made their appearance. As the division reached camp, two , wagons of the Forty-sixth, out for forage, with five men, were captured. Shortly afterward a large force appeared and were driven off with shells.
On the 19th the regiment , went across the Teche as an escort to a forage train. Saw rebels at a distance.
At midnight of the 19th had orders to fall in at 3 o'clock, with eighty rounds and no baggage. The regiment was in line promptly, and, with the brigade and a squadron of cavalry, started for a rebel force, said to be at Camp Pratt, near Lake Mauripas. Just before daylight the advance ran upon the picket, captured it. and surrounded the camp.
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THE FORTY-SIXTH INDIANA.
The rebels were caught asleep, and the entire force, except two men, captured. The commandant, a major, was one of the unlucky ones. Two rebels were killed and twelve wounded. One hundred men, and twelve commissioned officers, were mounted on mules and taken to camp. Two or three of the smaller men were assigned to one mule. The brigade, with the prisoners and two bands of music, passed through the camp of the division, and was greeted with hearty shouts.
Thanksgiving Day was duly observed in camp by the Third Division. A platform was built in front of headquarters, and the ten regiments, with visitors from other divisions, assembled in the morning and had a sermon, prayers, music by two bands and sing- ing of religious and patriotic songs by the congregation. Then there were speeches by men and officers. On this occasion every soldier held his gun, and all were ready to repel an assault that was constantly possible. In the afternoon a grand horse race came off. The same ceremonies common on such occasions at home were observed. On both occasions of the day the rebels were visible, watching, at a safe distance, the doings of the division. At the Thanksgiving meeting the "Veteran" subject was largely dis- cussed and favorably considered.
The regiment remained at New Iberia until the 19th of Decem- ber, when the line of march was taken up for Brashear City. As the brigade passed the quarters of General Franklin, the boys gave him three rousing cheers, and when they came to the camp of the Nineteenth Corps the "Nutmegs" were given a parting yell, such as they so heartily despised.
, At Berwiek the division occupied the ground formerly held by the Fourth.
On the 22d the First Brigade was ferried over the bay to Brashear, and the Twenty-fourth and Eleventh went on the cars to Algiers. The Forty-sixth and a battalion of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin went on the train at noon, on the 22d, in a heavy rain, and reached Algiers at S o'clock in the evening, when the men found dry spots along the railroad and slept. The "Veteran" subject again came up, and was warmly discussed.
On the 29th of December, Companies C, F, H and I shipped on a steamer for Texas. Landed at Matagorda bay, where they met the Seventy-seventh Illinois and the Thirteenth and Fifteenth Maine. Remained two weeks, when they returned to Madisonville.
On the 19th of January the Eleventh and Forty-sixth were
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MADISONVILLE.
ferried to the Lake Pontchartrain railroad, by which they were transported to the lake, where they embarked on a steamer for Madisonville, where they arrived at 9 o'clock and went into camp.
The regiment remained at Madisonville until the 27th of February. Its history there was uneventful. There was no enemy in the vicinity, and but little duty to perform. Considerable work was done on earthworks, but not more than enough for exereise.
Leaving Madisonville, the regiment went back to Algiers. Here the "Veteran" movement was perfected. Three hundred and seven men re-enlisted, dating January 2, 1864. The non-veterans were assigned to the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, and, subsequently, to Varner's Battalion.
Orders were received to prepare for a march west on the 3d of March. They were received with great dissatisfaction by all. It was expected that the regiment would remain at Algiers until the promised furlough could be had. The Eleventh, Twenty-fourth, Thirty-fourth and Forty-seventh had gone home, and the boys felt dissatisfied in being obliged to give up their anticipated pleasure and enter upon a protracted and dangerous service. Like good soldiers, however, they obeyed the order.
Of the Thirteenth Corps, the Third and Fourth Divisions only went. The others were in Texas, Of the Third Division, the four regiments before mentioned were absent. The corps was commanded by General Ransom. The Nineteenth Corps was complete and commanded by General Franklin. This portion of the expedition started from Algiers, another from Vicksburg. A fleet of gunboats and monitors went up Red river. The army was commanded by General Banks, the navy under Commodore Porter.
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CHAPTER VI.
VACANCIES AND PROMOTIONS. - RED RIVER EXPEDITION. - SABINE CROSS
ROADS .-- PLEASANT HILL .- GRAND ECORE .- ALEXANDRIA. - BUILD- ING THE DAM. - BAYOU RAPIDS BRIDGE. --- YELLOW BAYOU .- ATCHA- FALAYA. - MORGANZA. - GENERAL EMORY. - VETERAN FURLOUGH .- MARCHI -JUNE, 1864.
B ETWEEN March and June, 1864, the following vacancies and promotions occurred:
Captain Joseph C. Plumb, of Company F, resigned March 2, 1864; he was succeeded by Lieutenant Michael Rader. Ser- geant George W. Yates was commissioned first lieutenant.
Second Lieutenant Jacob Hudlow, of Company I, was killed at Sabine Cross Roads, April 8, 1864. No promotion.
First Lieutenant John MeClung, of Company K, was killed at Sabine Cross Roads, April 8, 1864. Lieutenant Chester Chamber- lain was commissioned captain, and George C. Horn first lieutenant.
That portion of the column in which was the Forty-sixth left Algiers on the 6th of March. A brief diary of the march will now be sufficient:
March 6. Left Algiers, arrived at Brashear City and crossed Berwick bay same day.
March 7 to 12. In camp.
13. Marched sixteen miles to Boreland's plantation.
14. Five miles beyond Franklin.
15. In camp.
16. Marched to within six miles of New Iberia.
17. Seventeen miles to Spanish lake.
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