USA > Indiana > History of the Seventy-fifth regiment of Indiana infantry voluteers. its organization, campaigns, and battles (1862-65.) > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
. The Federal Divisions of Brannan, Baird and Johnson be- yond Kelley's farm, on our left, were fighting Walker's (Gist's), Cheatham's and Cleburne's Confederate Divisions. This battle was before and after 2 p. m., and formed the first group of battles for the day. Johnson maintained his ground until dark. At 2 p. m. Gen. Thomas reorganized the Divisions of Baird and Brannan, and placed them in a good position on an elevated ground near the cross-roads at Mc- Dannel's. At 1:30 p. m. Van Cleve's Division was ordered forward from Lee and Gordon's Mills, where it was lying during the forenoon. Palmer's Division had already gone.
Reynolds' Division, after the night march, halted at Os-
I35
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
borne for breakfast. It was early in the morning. We heard on our left the mutterings of the approaching conflict by the occasional boom of cannon, and irregular discharges of mus- ketry. The breakfast at Osborne was the last for inany of us. The men of the Seventy-fifth Regiment made their coffee under very great difficulties. The fire was hardly built, until the command to "fall in" was given. We would move for- ward a short distance and halt again. Corporal George W. Iler, of H Company, and the writer of this history, made their coffee that morning conjointly. The former furnished the coffee and the latter the vessel in which it was boiled. It was the last coffee the Corporal drank; he was killed before an opportunity was given for another meal; and it was the last coffee made in that vessel. In the writer's diary, this sentence occurs: "On the same day (Saturday) a rebel bullet put a hole through my coffee-pot tied to my cartridge-box belt." The "hole " was not discovered until evening, when an attempt was made to fill the vessel with water.
In Volume XXX of the Official Records, which contains the reports of the battle of Chickamauga, as published by the War Department, the Brigade and Regimental reports of King's Brigade (ours) do not appear. There is every reason to believe, however, that they were written and submitted at Chattanooga to the proper authorities in a few days after the battle. Colonel Milton S. Robinson of our Regiment, who commanded the Brigade at the close of the battle, in a letter under date of November 26th, 1891, says: "I was very sorry, when I learned some months since, that the regimental re- ports of our Brigade had been lost, as I am sure they were made. I preserved no copy of ours, as I did not anticipate that it would be missing. I met Gen'l Reynolds a few days since, and after talking the matter over, he came to the con- clusion that the reports of the Regiments in our Brigade had been placed by him together and lost."
In some unaccountable way these reports were evidently lost, misplaced or stolen; hence they cannot now be found
136
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
among the other reports in the archives of the Department of War. They would have greatly facilitated in the prepara- tion of the story of this battle, if they had been accessible. The writer has received letters from Colonel M. S. Robinson of the Seventy-fifth Indiana, Colonel George. T. Perkins of the One-hundred and fifth Ohio, Captain James H. Mauzy of the Sixty-eighth Indiana, Captain Benj. F. Williams of the One-hundred and first Indiana, and Captain Samuel J. Harris and Sergeant John M. Conklin of the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, relative to the various positions of the respective Regiments and Battery of the Brigade in the battle. Much that is now inaccessible through the absence of the reports, has been reproduced by these letters. The reports of the casualties of the Regiments and Brigade, and of the Division and Corps commanders, are not missing. General Palmer refers to the work of our Regiment in the battle in his report. It is a great pity the reports in full of the Regiments com- prising King's Brigade cannot be found; for in them doubt- less many deeds of personal valor were mentioned, which may never be known.
After breakfasting at Osborne, in the course of a few minutes, the Seventy-fifth Regiment, with its Division, by- order of General Thomas, proceeded to take its position in the line of battle. It was the intention to proceed in the direction of the sound of battle on the left, and enter the en- gagement in progress there with the other two Divisions of the Corps; but as the Divisions of Johnson and Palmer, re- spectively of the Twentieth and Twenty-first Corps, had pre- ceded ours to the left, Reynolds was instructed by General Thomas to post his Division in position northeast of Widow Glenn's house. About noon, we were at Dyer's, lying upon our arms. At 1:30 p. m. the Third Brigade under Turchin, marching in advance of our Brigade from Dyer's, was placed in line of battle on the left of the Division of Palmer, south- east of Kelley's cross-roads. Our Brigade, under Col. King, was to take position on the immediate right of the Third
I37
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
Brigade. But circumstances altered the case. Between 1:30 and 2 p. m. Stewart's Confederate Division of Buckner's Corps was hotly engaging Palmer's Division, whose ammu- nition was nearly exhausted. This was at the time our Brigade was manœuvring to get into position. Palmer called on Reynolds for assistance. To meet the emergency of the hour, our Brigade was wheeled into line of battle to the right of Grose's Brigade. The two Brigades of our Division thus became separated, which was not at first intended. It is best ordinarily for the troops of the same Division and Corps to fight together in battle; but in this case, circumstances seemed to demand our separation. Though the position in the battle of this day indicated for our Brigade was near the point where it entered, it was, nevertheless, unfortunate for us to be separated from the troops of Turchin's Brigade and them from us, and for the Regiments of both Brigades to be inixed up with the troops of another Corps, as they were. Turchin was posted on the left of Cruft, and King on the right of Grose. The former fought with Cruft's Brigade and the latter with Grose's Brigade. Before the close of the day's battle, Hazen's Brigade of Palmer's Division got around on our right, so that our Brigade was between Grose's and Hazen's Brigades of Palmer's Division.
Reynolds sent three Regiments of our Brigade under King to form line at this point on Grose's right. They were the Sixty-eighth and One-hundred and first Indiana, and the One- hundred and fifth Ohio. The Sixty-eighth was on the left next to Grose, and the One-liundred and fifth was in the centre and the One-hundred and first was on the right.
The Seventy-fifth Indiana and the Brigade Artillery, the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, were at the same time posted by General Reynolds to the right and rear of the battle line of the three Regiments of the Brigade, as a reserve force. This reserve position was on a ridge, which ran parallel to the Lafayette and Chattanooga road. A thin growth of woods covered the space that intervened between us and the
IO
I38
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
road. From this position the Battery shot over the heads of our men in its front, into the ranks of the enemy, with ter- rible effect. The Battery remained here until 4:15 p. m.
The Seventh Indiana Battery of Van Cleve's Division, supported by the Ninety-second Illinois Regiment of Wil- der's mounted Brigade of our Division, was added to this re- serve force. The Ninety-second had dismounted and hitched their horses in the woods for this purpose. Presently Palmer called for the Seventy-fifth Indiana to take the place of the Sixth Ohio Regiment of Grose's Brigade of his Division, which had removed to our reserve force for a re-supply of ammunition. Gen. Reynolds ordered the Seventy-fiftlı Regi- ment forward, and for the time retained the Sixth Ohio with the Batteries. It was now about 2 p. m. At the moment the Seventy-fifth Regiment started from its position at the road where it had been posted to support the two Indiana Batteries, the Confederates were driving some of our troops out of the woods across the road. This caught Gen. Pal- mer's eye, and he, in person, ordered our Regiment to charge these advancing Confederates. The place was somewhere between the Tanyard and Poe's field, and the time was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The initiation of the Seventy- fifth Indiana Regiment into the battle of Chickamauga was upon this charge, which was most gallantly and successfully made. This charge was entirely separate from and indepen- dent of any other National troops. Gen. Palmer, in his offi- cial report, highly complimented the Regiment for the work accomplished by this charge. Palmer says:
I had hardly reached the 10ad when some troops driven out of the woods crossed the road, pursued to the edge of the woods by the enemy. At that moment one brigade of General Reynolds passed going to the right, but as they seemed likely to go too far, I requested Colonel Robinson, of the Seventy-fifth Indiana, to meet the advancing enemy. He did so in fine style, and drove him back for a considerable distance. The officers and men of that regiment deserve great credit for their gallantry in this affair. After Robinson's regiment had moved off under my orders, General Rey- nolds suggested that his withdrawal had left his battery without support. I
139
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
then ordered Colonel Anderson, with the Sixth Ohio, to fill his boxes and remain there until relieved, and returned to my own lines.
The above impartial words, so highly complimentary to our Regiment, are the more appreciated, as they are written by the pen of a Major-General who was not our commander, nor even a member of our Corps.
By being ordered upon this charge we were thereby sepa- rated almost the whole afternoon from our Brigade. We did not join our Brigade until late in the evening.
In this gallant charge by the Regiment, which occupied only a few minutes, Joseph Boon of D Company, Levi S. Saylor of E Company, John A. Hancher and Jackson Need- ham of G Company, Thomas J. Fullum of H Company, Henry Wildunner and W. Riley Woods of I Company, were instantly killed; and James Jellison and Matthew H. Milner of E Com- pany were mortally wounded. Several others were more or less severely wounded at the same time. These comrades were killed and wounded by minie balls. Boon, Fullum and Woods were struck squarely in the forehead between the two eyes. Saylor was the first man killed in his Company, and possibly in the Regiment. Wildunner was shot in the breast, the ball passing entirely through him, and in its exit, tearing away a part of his knapsack.
Wildunner had a presentiment of his death. Captain M. H. Floyd relates the following: "If such a thing as a pre- sentiment were ever possessed by any one, it was by Wil- dunner. Twice that morning he told me in all seriousness, that he would be killed that day; and when he turned around to me after receiving the fatal shot, he said: "Cap., I told you I would be the first man killed." He marched to the rear more than half a mile, and when our lines broke, and we had to go back, I myself saw him lying upon his face dead, with his gun clutched in his hand and all his accou- trements on, as they were when he received the bullet. It shows what tenacity of life the poor fellow had, to endure a march of half a mile after receiving his death wound."
140
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
The battle now all along the left wing of the army was raging furiously. The Confederates made sudden and dash- ing onslaughts upon first one portion and then upon an- other of our columns. It was a succession of charges and counter-charges. Troops on the immediate right of our Brigade called for help; General Davis responded by entering his Division there. The pressure against the line, where the three Regiments of our Brigade were in position, having drifted farther to the right, was so great that Colonel King called for his other Regiment-Seventy-fiftlı Indiana-to join its Brigade. King, doubtless, was under the impression that we were yet at the reserve; but by order of General Reynolds, and at the request of General Palmer, we had left the reserve. Reynolds sent the Ninety-second Illinois to take the place of our Regiment. The Ninety-second had scarcely started, when it was nearly run over by our retiring forces, pursued by the Confederates.
In a few minutes after the Seventy-fifth Indiana Regiment had made the brilliant charge referred to, the ammunition of · all the Regiments of Grose's Brigade, except that of the Eighty-fourth Illinois, gave out, and they retired for a sup- ply. On the retirement of these Regiments, the Seventy- fifth Indiana was thrown into the greater part of the breach. In his official report, General Reynolds thus refers to the work of the Regiment here: "The Seventy-fifth Indiana re- turned late in the day and in some disorder, having relieved an entire Brigade and done efficient service." The "Bri- gade," which the Regiment relieved, consisted of the Sixth and Twenty-fourth Ohio, the Twenty-third Kentucky and the Thirty-sixth Indiana Regiments, which retired for ammunition. They belonged to Grose's Brigade. It is no discredit to any Regiment to have it said, that it was "in somne disorder," after having done the service of "an entire Brigade."
Shortly after 2 p. m., the Confederates under Stewart of Buckner's Corps, savagely attacked Van Cleve's Division on
141
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
our right. Palmer and Reynolds each sent a Bigade to Van Cleve's aid. The former dispatched Col. Grose's Brigade and the latter ours under Col. King. The movement more or less diverted the attack of Stewart against Van Cleve. In a short time the line all along Palmer's and Reynolds' front gave way in considerable confusion. Reynolds, Palmer and Hazen now collected together several Batteries-Cushing's, Russell's, Swallow's and Harris'-and planted them on either side of the Chattanooga road near Poe's. Towards these Batteries, the Confederates were inaking a bold dash. In the support of these Batteries, the Regiments of Col. King's Brigade with some others were formed. Here, the Seventy-fifth Indiana Regiment joined its Brigade, where it properly belonged. It was placed here on the right of the Brigade, taking an ele- vated position in a stubble field near these Batteries-Cush- ing's or Russell's. In taking our position, thie Regiment emerged from a woods and crossed the road leading to Chatta- nooga. The woods, which we had occupied, seemed filled with missiles of death. Bullets flew fast and thick, cutting off, as by a knife, twigs and small branches of trees. The enemy had pressed us back by taking us in front and right flank. But here with the aid of these massed Batteries, which threw double-shotted canister into the ranks of the advancing columns of Bate and Clayton, we were able to hold our ground for a while, even though a perfect hailstorm of lead and iron fell around us.
It was here that Hazen's Brigade of Palmer's Division, passing in the rear of our line, having withdrawn for ammu- nition, formed on the right and rear of our Brigade to support it. As they approached us-our Regiment being next to them-and noticing strange troops, we inquired: "What Regiment ?" Their reply was: "The Bloody Ninth!" It was the Ninth Indiana.
In the course of time this charging column of Confederates was advancing farther to the right and beyond the line formed by our Regiment, by reason of the removal of Hazen's
142
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
Brigade, which had received the order to retire. We received orders to retire also with the Batteries. During this on- slaught by the Confederates, the writer is informned by Comrade John M. Conklin, Orderly Sergeant of our Brigade Battery, that all the horses belonging to Sergeant Green's gun and caisson were killed, and the gun and caisson cap- tured. The Battery had only time to reverse its guns from front to right flank and fire half a dozen rounds to each gun, when it was compelled to fall back to the left and rear. It was at this time that Captain Harris of the Battery fell severely wounded in his right side, and was carried from the field.
Many of the officers and enlisted men of the Regiments and Batteries under Reynolds and Palmer lost their valuable lives at this crisis of the battle. The affair almost proved disastrous. Upon whom the blame must rest, or whether any one in particular was responsible for the mishap, the writer is unable to say; but he can say with a reasonable de- gree of certainty, that the fault was not from any cowardice on the part of the commanding generals and officers and men of the Regiments and Batteries engaged. A braver set of men never entered a battle.
It was in the retiring movement from the elevated ground in the old stubble field, which was occupied by the Batteries, that seven of our men in A Company of our Regiment were shot on the right side of the head by the enemy, who were then flanking us. Among those of A Company, who were shot in this way and at this time, was Corporal Henry James. Whilst the tempest of bullets and shells from the enemy swept the field, a minie ball ploughed through his face, near the right temple, and instantly his face was covered with his warm blood. The comrades of his Company supposed him killed, as the Confederate Brigade swarmed into the field over his body. He was taken prisoner and lived eight days, showing thereby the tenacity with which he clung to life.
Corporal James Stewart, of F Company-the color-bearer
I43
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
of the Regimental battle-flag-was here wounded in the right hip. As he fell, Color-Sergeant Jacob Lair, the bearer of the Stars and Stripes of the Regiment, seized the battle-flag also, and being a muscular man, carried both flags for the moment in his hands, and Corporal Stewart on his back. In a few minutes a minie ball pierced the body of Corporal Stewart from right to left immediately under his arm-pits, as he hung bleeding and wounded upon the back of Color-Sergeant Lair. This shot killed the Corporal. He was a brave fellow. The Regimental battle-flag borne by his hands was pierced with bullets before he fell. Corporal Thomas P. Henderson of C Company now seized the battle flag and carried it in honor to the close of the battle.
The Seventy-fifth Regiment retired across the field about fifty yards to an old worin-fence at the edge of a woods, which separated the field from the woods, and behind which we re- forined. Here we held our ground securely. Vivid is the writer's recollection of some officers of our grand old Regi- ment, who, with tears in their eyes and determination on their faces, begged the privilege of charging the Confederates from this point, and of retaking the ground which we had lost. Notably among them was the brave Captain McGinness, who met with a terrible inisfortune on the following day.
When Van Cleve withdrew from the front of Stewart's Division, which implicated Grose's Brigade of Palmer's Division and King's Brigade of Reynolds' Division, and we were pressed back to this position, we here stayed the flank- ing, advancing foe, and compelled him to withdraw from our front and rear. It is true, that Croxton's Brigade of Bran- man's Division, from the left of our line, came to our relief. But by the effective use of our Batteries, which vomited forth incessant volleys of grape and canister, and by the well- directed aim of the musketry of our Brigade, we had the Confederates on the retreat, by the time Croxton got to us. In the excellent map of Merrill, Ruger & Kellogg of the battle-field of Chickamauga, it is said: " When Van Cleve's
144
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
withdrawal had involved the right of Palmer and Reynolds, Brannan's Division, which had been idle since 2 p. in., was sent to their support; but the head of Brannan's column only reached the vicinity of Reynolds, when the enemy was being repulsed."
Gen. Reynolds in his official report of this terrible on- slaught of the Confederates says:
I met our retiring regiments in person, pointed them to fourteen guns in position as evidence that the enemy must be thrown back, and by great ex- ertion succeeded in reforming several regiments in rear of the batteries.
Battery M, Fourth regular artillery, commanded by Lieut. Russell, at this time came to our position, and was ordered into action on Harris' left. These batteries fired with terrible effect upon the enemy, his progress was checked, and our line for a time prevented from yielding any further. The enemy now shifted further to the right, where there was evidently an open- ing in our lines, and coming in on their right flank, our regiments again became disheartened and began to retire. The batteries following the regi- ments changed front and fired to the right, and the line was reformed along a fence nearly perpendicular to its former position, with the batteries in the edge of the woods, the enemy pushing still further to the right and rear. I rallied and formed into double line some ten or twelve other returning regi- ments, which came in from the left centre, and placing the front line under the immediate command of Col. Croxton, Tenth Kentucky, ordered them to swing around on the left flank as a pivot; this order was well executed by both lines in our rear, thus entirely cleared of the enemy. It was now nearly sundown, and operations on this part of the field ceased for the day.
The Confederate General Brown's Brigade of Stewart's Division fell heavily at the same time upon Turchin's Brig- ade of our Division and Cruft's Brigade of Palmer's Division, who were to our left. They held their ground for some time under a deadly fire, but were driven back by the impetuosity of the assailing enemy. In his official report of the circum- stances, Gen. Palmer says:
While riding toward Cruft's brigade, to order him to move to the right to support Grose, a heavy force came down upon him and Turchin. For ten minutes or more our men stood up under this fire, and then the enemy charged them and bore them back. Cruft, Turchin, and all their officers exerted themselves with distinguished courage to arrest the retreat, and I gave them what assistance I could. It seemed as if nothing would prevent a rout; but as if by magic the line straightened up, the men turned upon
145
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
their pursuers with the bayonet, and as quickly they turned and fled, and were in turn pursued. Many prisoners were brought to me at this point by soldiers for orders. I told them to break their muskets and let them go, and then go back to their places in the ranks. By this time the enemy had passed to the rear, and I felt much apprehension for Hazen. I rode in the direction of heavy firing near the Rossville road, and found him with a part of his own brigade and a large conscription of stragglers and several pieces of artillery, resisting an attempt of the enemy to cross an open field in his front. His fire was too hot, and they abandoned the effort. Very soon other troops of Reynolds' division came up; Grose collected his troops, who were somewhat scattered; Cruft was ordered to fall back to this point ; our lines were reformned, and the battle seemed over.
In this terrific charge against ours and Grose's Brigade, the Confederates gained some ground and a few pieces of ar- tillery-the Nineteenth Indiana Battery losing one piece-but they were most severely punished. Their officers were un- horsed by the death of their animals; their Regiments were commanded by Captains, and their Companies by Sergeants. Onward they madly rushed, yelling like bloodhounds upon the trail. Every moment had its peculiar sound of terror- every spot its ghastly sight of destruction and horror. Brig. Gen. Bate, who was in command of one of the charging Bri- gades of the Confederates, says that twenty-five per cent. of his men were killed and wounded, and that his loss of wounded officers was heavy. Brig. Gen. Clayton, command- ing the other charging Confederate Brigade, admits that he lost nearly four hundred officers and men killed and wounded in the charge. In his official report Bate says:
At 3 p. m. Brigadier-General Clayton's and Brown's brigades successively engaged the enemy. In about thirty minutes I was ordered by Major-Gen- eral Stewart to advance, General Clayton having withdrawn and Brown also passed to the rear. My line of battle was organized by placing Caswell's battalion of sharpshooters (Fourth Georgia) on the right, and in succession from that wing were the Twentieth Tennessee, Col. T. B. Smith; Thirty- seventh Georgia, Col. A. F. Rudler; Fifty-eighth Alabama, Col. Bushrod Jones, and Fifteenth and Thirty-seventh Tennessee, Col. R. C. Tyler, con- stituting the supporting line. I had thrown out no skirmishers. The whole command moved forward with spirit and zeal, engaging the enemy hotly before it had proceeded 200 yards, his lines extending in front and to the right and left of us. A battery in front of my extreme right played con-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.