USA > Indiana > History of the Seventy-Fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry ; a three years' organization > Part 7
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My life was as the day half spent ; My soul a star in dim eclipse At its full zenith when 'twas sent On Earth! And as the needle dips To the North Polar, as the Sun Oft' clouded glides adown the West, My life in misty darkness run
Hath been declining in my breast.
A few brief years of care and pain Some sighs, some tears, few fond regrets At best, if not untimely slain And my faint star of being sets! Since Earth hath been so dark to me Can I deplore the mortal hour Which sets my fettered spirit free And frees me from all harmful power ?
O What is Life? Look on the sky And see the world revolving 'round Their central orbs of fire on high Through almost spaceless circuits bound, And mark the alternate day and night Through which their rapid courses lay- A few short hours they fail the sight Then burn with doubly brightened ray.
And lives are as the stars that shine Upon the azure brow of night And God the Central Fire Divine The unfailing source of life and light- Around him their brief circles run, And Day is Life and Night is Death, But every day must have its sun And every night its morning hath.
And in the dark Beyond that lies Over the River and in the Vale
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
The Sun of Righteousness shall rise With beams whose healing cannot fail,
O lead me up the narrow path To Zion's everlasting Head That in the Resurrection Day My soul may rise from out the Dead !
Then let this crumbling house of clay A darkened ruin sink to earth ! Its light shall shine with brighter ray And in a temple better worth, My mother earth take back thy dust Release the imprisoned life within !
O let me join the immortal Just The heavenly host redeemed from Sin!
Yours religiously, M. BAKER.
Triune, Tenn., June 18, 1863.
P. S. I just heard from John. He, Frankie and Hariett are well.
M. Baker.
Headquarters 74th Reg't. Ind. V. I. Ringgold, Georgia, March 12, 1864.
Dear Sister Jennie :-
Today I rec'd your kind letter of the 4th inst. for which I am obliged. I am sorry to hear that little Fannie has been indisposed. It is too bad that these little innocent copies of humanity should have to suffer pain and sorrow in their young dreamlike days of being which alone of all their lives may be exempt from trouble and affliction. Lucian has undoutedly chosen wisely in concluding to go into the store. Not that he could not succeed in a profession, but that mercantile success is more certain, speedy and lucrative, if honesty, energy, pru- dence and good business tact be brought to the avocation. My dear sister I take unto myself all the advice I give. I have quit swearing and evil speaking and thinking as practices un- worthy any of God's reasonable creatures and poorly becoming a man holding the responsible and perilous position it is my duty to fill. I am not a soldier for its horrors, nor am I here for its profits. Neither nor both of these considerations could hold me in the army one moment. But from the first I have felt it to be my duty as one claiming that proud civic boast "An American Freeman" to be here battling for nationality and liberty. I hope to live through the fiery campaign of war and
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REGIMENT INDIANA VOL. INF.
breathe the freer purer air of peace. I hope to return to you all once more unharmed in morals and uninjured in health and limb. I trust in God that after helped in my humble way to crush the enemies of my country, I may be permitted to spend years of repose under a flag and government justly dear to all at home and honored and respected throughout the world. No man being in battle once would ever dare to go into another with any selfish motives. I speak of those men exposed to all the dangers of the perilous field. An exalted sense of duty is the only consideration to bind the true soldier to his post where, living, he will be found, or else he will claim death as the better part. I did no wrong act in arresting my chaplain. He had been guilty of a military offense and I had to treat him just the same as I would any other delinquent. Exact and equal justice to all men is part of my faith. And I could not wink at a breach of discipline in one man and punish it in an- other. I didn't know I spoke of any one as my wife --- only an intended one-but you know these women are "mighty un- certain" as the Indian said of the white man, and a young man ought not to suppose he will ever succeed until after the mar- riage ceremony, when he usually finds out that his success has been like the Irishman's who married for "better or worse" but found out it was principally the latter.
I have not seen a Goshen Times for many a month and did not know it had any nonsense in it about me. I reckon the men are satisfied to go into battle with me. *
* * * I have tried to deserve the good will of my men by caring for their every want, but I have taught them at the same time I must be implicitly obeyed and that any manifestation of coward- ice would be punished on the field by instant death. There is not a regiment in the service that has a more spotless reputation for courage and determined bravery than the men composing the 74th and they have won it by desperate fighting and almost un- pralelled sacrifice of life and blood. I had rather die a thou- sand times than have my men falter in their line of duty-and while living I never mean they shall. I am in good health-yes- terday trying to ford the Chickamauga River which was swollen by recent rains I got into a rapid current which carried my horse down stream and came pretty near drowning him and me. The current was very swift, the banks steep, and the water about 10 feet deep-I had a beautiful cold bath but finally got out, losing only my holsters and saddle-bags. Love to all- write soon. Your affectionate brother,
MYRON.
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
Headquarters 100th Ind., Marietta, Ga., August 6th, 1864.
John H. Baker, Esq.,
Dear Sir :- -
Yesterday I telegraphed from the front to you the intelli- gence of the melancholy event which has brought deep sorrow upon us, and to yourself, family and relatives, doubtless the most poignant grief. I take the first opportunity of giving you a necessarily hasty account of the circumstances attending the death of your brother.
Our regiment had just advanced and constructed breast- works, upon a hillside, facing the enemy, whose picket line was but a very short dstance removed. We were exposed to a fire from rebel pickets, and also from a rebel battery in close prox- imity to us, but had escaped with the loss of but one man. Our works were well advanced, when Myron passing along the line, stopped at my company and engaged in conversation with me upon the events of the day. We sat down-he by my left side-a couple of rods in the rear of the breastworks, but upon ground considerably higher than that on which they were constructed, so that they, as the sad event proved, furnished little protection. Myron was conversing cheerfully and at the moment was ex- pressing his confidence in the unimpaired bravery and deter- mination of our army, when the fatal musket was fired, the report of which I scarcely noticed, owing to the continued firing which had been kept up. Leaving a sentence uncompleted, Myron raised his arms quickly, fell backward, straightened his body, gave one gasp, and without a groan or struggle, his brave and noble spirit had taken its flight. The ball had struck in the center of his forehead, and passed quite through the head, lacer- ating it badly. I hesitate at reciting these mournful particulars, and as I write the picture of that face of him whom I cherished as one of my dearest friends, with the life blood gushing through the cruel wound comes before me, but too vividly. But I pass on.
The officers of the regiment sought immediately to make arrangements to have the remains sent to the North, and I was directed to attend to carrying out their wishes. Owing to the great distance which our camp now is from Gen. Thomas' Head- quarters, I was unable to get permission to accompany the re- mains to Chattanooga, in time to start before morning. This morning, however, I started early for this place, where I ar- rived in the afternoon. I sought immediately to have the body embalmed but the physicians decided that its state was such as to prevent this being done. I have, however, obtained a metallic
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REGIMENT INDIANA VOL. INF.
coffin, placed the body in it, and shall start for Chattanooga by the midnight train, where I shall arrive at one o'clock p. m. tomorrow. I can there have the case properly sealed, "(which could not be done here) and sent by express to Goshen, to your address. I have sought to do all I could to enable you to obtain the precious remains-all that is left to us of your brother. I regret most deeply that I will not be enabled to do this in such a manner, that I can advise you to open the coffin for a last look of the departed. Causes which must suggest themselves to you have prevented my carrying out my wishes in this respect.
I have received great assistance and everywhere the most earnest sympathy in the perfomance of the mournful duty which I am seeking to discharge from all the officers and soldiers whom I have met from the Elkhart County, of various regiments. Gen. Hascall and Col. Heath have rendered peculiarly valuable as- sistance.
While feeling that I have lost a friend, proved under diverse circumstances most true and faithful, and than whom scarcely any could have been more dear to me, yet I cannot think to fathom the grief which a brother or a parent experiences, nor to offer to them any adequate condolence ; and what I have written, I fear, will rather harrow than console that grief. But I cannot refrain from telling you how much the officers and men of the 74th loved and admired their lamented commander. I suppose there are few colonels who possess to so great an extent as he the affection and confidence of their men, or who would be mourned so truly, if lost. During the short time that I was with the regiment after Myron's death there was to be seen on the countenances and in the conduct of the men all indications that a great calamity had befallen them. It could not well be otherwise, for all knew Colonel Baker to be seeking ever the welfare of the men under his charge, and while avoiding almost studiously all display or ostentation, going forward always in the quiet, and faithful discharge of every duty. When in the presence of danger, in the face of the enemy, he proved himself personally brave, almost to a fault; at other times he showed all that gentle bearing that evinced the true knight. A careful and considerate commander, a brave soldier, a true friend-it is the loss of such a one we mourn, and almost despair of seeing his like again.
The night is growing late and I must close my hasty letter.
Your sympathizing friend,
E. F. ABBOTT.
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
Headquarters 100th Ind. Vol. Infty, Marietta, Ga.
Dear Baker:
I feel no disposition to write you condolence, because no friend can feel as a brother feels; it has been my lost to have brothers and I know what your pangs are, but thank God while you mourn the loss of a brother, and such a brother, one who knew not guile, you have the consolation of knowing that he died as a soldier born to die. He died upon the field with his armour on. I tried to give you the consolation of a last word but could not, but have done all I could to send you his precious remains.
John, you know I am outspoken of your brother who was my friend. I say he loved his country and hated her enemies. His only ambition was to conquer her foes. He has died in the defense of the flag he loved so well. God bless him.
Truly,
A. HEATHE.
4
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REGIMENT INDIANA VOL. INF.
REPORT OF THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN By GEN. BAIRD
Headquarters 3rd Div., 14th Army Corps, Jonesborough, Ga., Sept. 7, 1864.
Captain :
I have the honor to submit the following report of the part performed by this division in the campaign which began with the movement of the army from Chattanooga, Tenn., in my last, and terminated with capture of Atlanta, Ga., in the 1st instant.
On the 22nd day of February this division marched from Chattanooga, together with two other divisions of the Corps, to Tunnel Hill and Buzzard Roost Gap, for the purpose of making a reconnaisance of the enemy's position in front of Dalton, and having ascertained by feeling him closely for two days that his army was still there in force, strongly posted and fortified, we withdrew upon the night of the 26th to Ringgold, where this di- vision took part, the remainder of the troops being removed to other points.
From February till May the division continued to occupy that place as the extreme part of the Army. Our pickets and those of the enemy were always in close proximity, and affairs of minor importance between them were of constant occur- rence. On two occasions, reconnoitering parties of large force were sent as far as Tunnel Hill, both of which were highly successful and chiefly useful in inspiring our cavalry with greater confidence in their superiority over the enemy. In each of these expeditions Brigadier-General Kilpatrick, whose divi- sion of Cavalry was placed under my charge, commanded the Cavalry, and Colonel F. Vanderveer of the 35th Ohio, an In- fantry Brigade. Both of these officers displayed on these occa- sions the high soldierly qualities for which they are known, energy and boldness, guided by the coolest judgment. During the interval from the first to the sixth of May the divisions and corps of the Army of the Cumberland were concentrated about Ringgold, the army of the Ohio taking a position on our left and the army of the Tennessee a line of march passing to our right. My division was at that time constituted as follows :
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
INFANTRY
First Brigade, Brig. Gen. J. B. Turchin, Commanding.
Command
Officers Men Total
11th Ohio, Lieut. Col. Ogden Street.
15
263
278
17th Ohio, Col. Durbin Ward
22
569
571
31st Ohio, Col. M. B. Walker
26
583
609
89th Ohio, Maj. J. H. Jolly .
10
211
221
92nd Ohio, Col. D. B. Fearing
13
310
323
82nd Ind., Col. M. C. Hunter.
17
252
269
19th Ill., Lieut. Col. A. W. Raffen
15
239
254
24th Ill., Capt. A. Mauff
14
211
225
Total
132
2618
2750
Second Brigade, Col. F. Vanderveer, 35th Ohio Command
Officers Men Total
2nd Minn., Col. J. George
22
380
402
35th Ohio, Maj. J. L. Budd
15
277
282
9th Ohio, Col. G. Kammerling
20
380
400
87th Ind., Col. N. Gleason
17
316
333
105th Ohio, Lieut .- Col. G. T. Perkins
15
337
352
101st Ind., Lieut .- Col. Thos. Doan.
19
359
378
75th Ind., Lieut .- Col. Wm. O'Brien.
23
408
431
Total
131
2457
2588
Third Brigade, Col. G. P. Este, 14th Ohio, Commanding.
Command
Officers Men Total
10th Ky., Col. W. H. Hays.
23
343
368
10th Ind., Lieut .- Col. M. B. Taylor
32
653
685
14th Ohio, Maj. J. W. Wilson ..
36
.498
518
18th Ky., Lieut .- Col. H. K. Milward.
28
454
676
38th Ohio, Col. W. A. Choate
25
651
676
74th Ind., Lieut .- Col. M. Baker
15
380
395
Total
143
2979
3122
Total Infantry
406
8054
8460
ARTILLERY
7th Ind. Battery, Lieut. O. H. Morgan
4
157
161
100
6
19th Ind. Battery, 1st Lieut. W. P. Stackhouse
3
144
147
118
6
Total Artillery
.7 301
308
318
12
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REGIMENT INDIANA VOL. INF.
NARRATIVE
OFFICIAL REPORT Brig .- Gen. Absolam Baird, Commanding. 3rd Div., 14th Corps.
May 7th, leaving Colonel Este's Brigade (the Third) in garrison at Ringgold, the remainder of the division marched on the morning of the 7th to Tunnel Hill. The other two divisions of the Corps being in advance, had already brushed away with their advance guards, the pickets of the enemy at that place and had gone into position when we arrived. The division went into line on the right a little to the south of the village, where it remained during the night.
On the morning of the 8th the division moved south three miles upon the Villanow road, so as to form connection with the Corps of Major-General Hooker and at the same time to cover the right flank of Brigadier-General Johnson, who was swinging forward to the south end of Tunnel Hill ridge. In the after- noon we crossed the ridge and moved in support of Brigadier Generals Johnson and Davis, then in front of Buzzard Roost Gap.
May 9th, 10th and 11th, during these days we remained in our position in reserve, no active operation being carried on in our front. May 12th my division, in advance of the Corps, marched at day break toward the right to support Major-Gen- eral McPherson, who had passed his army through. Snake Creek Gap and had taken position in Sugar Valley threatening Res- eca. Being detained by the 20th Corps in advance of me, I did not get into position until after dark. The other divisions of the 14th corps were behind me, and they were followed by the 23rd corps.
May 13th, moved forward at noon along with the remainder of the Army, and about dark got into position on the left of Brig .- Genl. Johnson's division, upon a series of steep and difficult hills, covered with dense wood and undergrowth. Major- General Schofield was somewhere on my left and rear, but not connecting. Brig .- Genl. Johnson's skirmishers became engaged with those of the enemy, but mine did not come in contact with them.
RESECA
May 14th, having received orders during the night from the Major-General commanding the corps to swing forward my entire line along with that of Brig .- Genl. Johnson, his right
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
being taken as the pivot, and to push on until the enemy was encountered. I put my troops in motion at daybreak. Colonel Vanderveer was on my right, formed in two lines, and Brig .- Genl. Turchin on the left formed in the same manner. My right had moved some three-fourths of a mile, and the direction of our line was about due north and south, facing east, when I received another order from the same source, informing me that Major-Gen. Schofield, whose corps was then in line, half a mile in my rear, with his right overlapping nearly the whole of my left brigade, was about to advance and charge the ene- my's works. and directing me to move forward with him and assault at the same time. I had not previously known that the enemy had works in our vicinity, nor was I then informed as to their position, their character or the manner in which the attack was to be made. There was, of course, no time for a reconnaisance by me without neglecting to advance along with Major-General Schofield as ordered. I had barely time to give the proper instructions to Brig .- General Turchin on my left, and was communicating the same to the right brigade, when the troops of Brig .- General Judah, on Schofield's right came up with my left. His front line passed through my rear line, be- fore mine began to advance, and thus interlaced both went for- ward together.
It was subsequently ascertained that the rebel line of works ran along the western slope of the ridge, which extended from near Reseca northward, on the west side of the railroad. A narrow valley, intersected along its length by a boggy creek, separated this from another ridge which lay parallel with and in front of our line. This our troops had to pass. It was cov- ered for a space of nearly half a mile in width by so dense a growth of woods that an individual alone could make his way through it with difficulty. It was utterly impossible in this thicket for a regiment. much less a brigade commander, to see and control the two exteremities of his command. Yet our lines of battle worked through it and reached the crest overlooking the valley in as much order as could have been expected.
From this position the rebel works could be distinctly seen, and could our men have been allowed to halt here and reform and to readjust their lines, and an examination of the position be made, better results would have ensued. It would appear that Major .- Gen. Schofield's left in open ground did not encounter the same difficulties as his right, and pressing forward, the impul- sion was communicated along the line to his right, which carried my left brigade with it. It was the affair of a moment, and be- fore I could learn (at three hundred yards distance upon the
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REGIMENT INDIANA VOL. INF.
right) of the condition of affairs, it was too late to stop the movement. Descending about one hundred feet the almost vertical slope of the ridge our men emerged into the open valley, and into direct view, at short range, of the rebel works, and immediately received a fire of artillery and musketry. The tried veterans of this division, who had never failed to accom- plish anything that was possible, did not falter, but pushed forward until they had reached the creek. Few got beyond this. Many stuck under the miry banks of the stream and a few isolat- ed groups got beyond, not being in sufficient force to sustain themselves, were driven back. It was at once apparent that this effort had failed and was at an end, and most of the men were withdrawn to the summit of the ridge to be reformed.
A few, unable on account of the sharp fire from the rebel works to leave the banks of the creek, remained there until dark doing valuable duty as sharpshooters. The movement of the first brigade, along with Major-General Schofield's troops, had been so sudden, and the distance to go being less, the second brigade did not reach the crest of the hill until after the failure of Schofield's right and my left had become known, and I did not have it advance farther. Our whole line, from the right of the Twentieth Corps to the left of the Twenty-third Corps con- tinued to occupy the ridge during the afternoon, and having placed numerous batteries in position, shelled the rebel works with fine effect. The loss my command sustained in the operations of this day was as follows: Casualties May 14, 1864: Killed- 2 officers and 14 enlisted men; wounded, 7 officers and 112 en- listed men ; total, 9 officers and 126 men.
During the day the Third Brigade, with the exception of the Eighteenth Kentucky, which remained to garrison Ring- gold, came up and was placed in reserve behind the other bri- gades. On the morning of the 15th my division was withdrawn from the line and sent to the extreme right of the Corps to aid in filling a gap, Major-General Hooker being taken out to operate on the left of Schofield. I there connected on my right with the left of the Fifteenth Corps of the Army of the Tennessee. The position was an important one, as my men worked industriously during the day and following night in advancing and strength- ening our works, so as to give more perfect command of those of the enemy in our front. Our skirmishers were during this time hotly engaged with those of the rebels. May 16th, during the night, the skirmishers in front of my Third Brigade dis- covered signs of a movement of the enemy, and pressing for- ward shortly before daybreak entered his line and found them evacuated. Together with a party of the first division of the
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HISTORY OF THE 74TH
Corps, which advanced about the same time, they pushed on into Reseca and were the first to enter the place, and the first to dis- cover the entire withdrawal of the rebel forces to the south side of the river, Lieut .- Colonel Wharton, of the Tenth Kentucky, in charge of the skirmishers from my Third Brigade, being the first officers who entered Reseca. The division was marched into the town and remained there until night to await the construc- tion of bridges on which to cross the Oostenaula in pursuit. At Reseca, the Eleventh Ohio was detached from the First Brigade and left in garrison at that place, thus reducing my command by 278 men. It was soon mustered out of service. May 17th my wagons having crossed over during the night, the Division passed the river at 3 a. m., and followed closely upon the heels of the Fourth Corps, encamped at night two miles north of Adairsville. The advanced guard of Maj .- Gen. Howard had closed up with the enemy and was skirmishing throughout the afternoon with his rear. May 18th, the march was continued as upon the day previous, the enemy resisting strongly to cover the withdrawal of his trains.
Passing through Adairsville, my division encamped for night four miles north of Kingston. May 19th, marching through Kingston, I was there informed by Major-Gen. Palmer that the enemy was exhibiting himself in a threatening atti- tude in our front, and I was ordered to post the division on a range of hills south of town. This order was duly executed, but later, during the afternoon, other orders were received directing me to move out to the east of town and go into line on the right of the Fourth Corps. When I got to the position designated, that Corps was already four miles out from the town. My line when formed, connected with the right of Brig .- Gen. Wood, my right resting on the railroad. During the afternoon, previous to my arrival, I was informed that the enemy had displayed quite a formidable line of battle, but before my division reached the ground it had been retired from view. May 20th. On this morning the rebel force was found to have again fallen back, having succeeded in passing his trains over the Etowah River at or near the railroad bridge which was afterward destroyed. Throughout this and the following days our troops remained in position, supplying themselves so as to be able to quit the railroad and move on the enemy's flank. On the 23rd the Ninth Ohio, of the Second Brigade, whose term of service had expired, went north for the purpose of being mustered out. At the same time the Twenty-fourth Illinois from the First Brigade and the Tenth Indiana from the Third Brigade, were detached and left in garrison at Kingston. The Twenty-fourth Illinois never afterward rejoined the command, as its term of service soon
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