USA > Indiana > History of the Seventy-fifth regiment of Indiana infantry voluteers. its organization, campaigns, and battles (1862-65.) > Part 24
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On the morning of the 4th, our Brigade was detached from 20
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the Division and ordered to return to Marietta and garrison the town. We remained here for eight days. Our instruc- tions as to our duties were direct from General Thomas, and are herewith given:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, In the Field, near Ruff's Station, Ga., July 5, 1864. COL. N. GLEASON, Commanding, Marietta :
COLONEL : The major-general commanding directs that you endeavor to preserve public and private property in Marietta as nearly as possible in the state in which you found it, and prevent plundering and pillaging. You will arrest all deserters and stragglers front all the armies and forward those belonging to the Army of the Cumberland to these headquarters by squads of from thirty to fifty. Those belonging to the Armies of the Tennessee and the Ohio you will send to the headquarters of their respective armies as op- portunity offers. You will permit no officer to take quarters in Marietta, except by order of Major-General Sherman, and the topographical engineers. of the Army of the Cumberland who have been sent there to establish a lith- ographic press for making maps. You will permit all Union people desiring to go north for the purpose of remaining there to do so, and order transpor- tation for themselves, families, and baggage. You will arrest all resident rebels and report their names to these headquarters. You will seize all cot- ton belonging to the rebel Government, or which has been abandoned, and turn it over to the quartermaster's department for shipment north, taking receipts for the same, which receipts you will forward to these headquarters. All cotton belonging to private individuals you will have nothing to do with any more than any other private property.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WM. D. WHIPPLE, Chief of Staff.
During the time our Brigade occupied the town, we were actually out of the range of the eneiny's guns; but we were on a most delicate, dangerous and important mission, as the following messages direct from General Sherman will show:
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, near Chattahoochee River, July 10, 1864. COMMANDING OFFICER, Marietta :
The officer at Acworth reports that a cavalry force of the enemy is near and that they threaten to burn a bridge between you and Acworth. Now that the main army of the enemy is across the Chattahoochee, Allatoona is safe, and you can safely detach one or more regiments forward to secure the
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road. See that the bridges are all well guarded as far as Acworth. Four companies are at Big Shanty.
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field. near Chattahoochee River, July 10, 1864. COMMANDING OFFICER, Marietta :
The Twenty-third Corps is now across the Chattahoochee at the mouth of Soap Creek, and being exposed will need every regiment in it. It is my smallest army. The signal officer reports the enemy's bridge burning, in which case the enemy will, of course, abandon this side altogether. As soon as that is ascertained to be actual truth, I will arrange for permanent details to guard tlie road back as far as Allatoona.
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.
HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI, In the Field, near Chattahoochee River, July 14, 1864. COMMANDING OFFICER, Marietta, Ga .:
I have ordered three regiments at Marietta and a brigade at Kenesaw. This brigade will come to Marietta in case of danger to the depot, but Kene- saw is selected on account of its security and proximity, and troops are more easily disciplined in camp than in a town. Although you are chiefly needed as a town guard and to handle stores, you should not neglect the military duties. Always be prepared for a dash of cavalry. Occupy the court house and barricade and loophole the doors and windows; also make a good ladder to the roof, and make the balustrade bullet-proof, so that a party of men on its roof could sweep the streets. Other houses should also be selected and prepared near the railroad depot. A few hours' work will convert any good brick or stone house into a citadel. Arms and ammunition should always be kept handy, and pickets kept well out to give notice. All citizens of whom you entertain the least suspicion should be sent North, no matter the seeming hardships. The safety of our depot must not depend upon the pleasure and convenience of citizens. Should any one be caught molesting our road, telegraph wires, or our stores, he should be disposed of finally and summarily, especially if disguised in the garb of a citizen.
W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General, Commanding.
However hard our duties were, with fine weather, comfor- table camps in a beautiful town, plenty of rations, and 110 fighting, we certainly enjoyed our week's sojourn here. On the 7th, our Regiment was detailed as guards of the Quarter- master's and Commissary's stores of Sherman's Army.
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Whilst encamped at Marietta, without his previous knowl- edge and consent, the writer of this history was detailed to command the Provost-Guards at Brigade headquarters. These guards were chosen from the different Regiments of the Brigade. Their duties were chiefly to protect tlie property belonging to Brigade headquarters. The names of the men and Regiments respectively to which they belonged were as follows:
Sergeant David B. Floyd (commander), Geo. V. Everling, Anthony High, Aaron Smith, Earl S. Stone, Henry Trout, Silas H. Wentz, and Daniel Yohe of the Seventy-fifth Indi- ana; Sergeant James S. Caldwell, Henry B. Bailey, Thad. C. Hanson, and David Wilson of the One-hundred and fifth Ohio; Corporal Isaac Rogers, Corporal Daniel Shockey, Oscar Green, Silas Harvey, Lewis Jennings, Charles Powers and Benjamin Sawyer, of the One-hundred and first Indiana; Spencer Bayles, Geo. W. Kibler, Jolın C. Moore and Geo. W. Singer, of the Eighty-seventh Indiana; Robert Compton, Joseplı Davis, Robert Gunn, Gunder Gunderson, Lewis Horst, and James Lynch, of the Second Minnesota.
During our absence at Marietta, the Twenty-third Corps had effected a crossing of the Chattahoochee River several iniles above the position occupied by Thomas' Army, and the Confederates were forced to withdraw to the east bank, burning the bridges behind them. The Fourth Corps went to the support of the Twenty-third, and our Division occu- pied the position at Pace's Ferry, which the Fourth Corps left.
On the 13th, our Brigade rejoined the Division at the front, nine miles from Marietta, at Vining's Station on the railroad near Pace's Ferry, on the west bank of the river. We re- inained here until the 17th. On the 15th, the Second Min- nesota Regiment was detached from the Brigade and ordered to return to Marietta and relieve the Twentieth Connecticut Regiment as provost and depot guards. It was absent from the Brigade for five weeks. Brigadier-General Turchin, on
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account of ill-health, was now relieved of the command of the First Brigade of our Division, and Colonel Walker of the Thirty-first Ohio Regiment was assigned to his place. The Fourth and Twenty-third Corps, to our left, having crossed the river, built pontoons and cleared the Confederates from the east shore of the river. Our Division, preceded by the other two Divisions of the Corps, on the 17th crossed the river at Pace's Ferry, on a pontoon bridge, and encamped on the east bank. At 2 p. m. next day, we advanced from the river and crossed Nancy's Creek, on Kyle's Bridge, and en- camped near Howell's Mill on Peach Tree Creek. The Twentieth Corps was on' our left. The right of our Corps was at the junction of Peach Tree and Nancy's Creeks. The Fourth Corps was at Buckhead. We had considerable recon- noitring here, as the bridges were burnt and the enemy con- fronted us, which rendered the passage of Peach Tree Creek difficult. Our First Brigade was sent to the support of Davis' Division. At 6 o'clock on the morning of the 19th, we moved in the direction of the Creek and forded it after dark at Howell's Mill. On the 20th, early in the morning, the First Division of our Corps effected a crossing, and took position on our left and connected with the Twentieth Corps. The position of our Brigade here was on a range of wooded hills just south of Peach Tree Creek. We built heavy in- trenchments. Our skirmishers advanced and took possession of the works of the enemy, with the intention of occupying them with our first line of battle. The Thirty-fifth Ohio was deployed and moved upon the double-quick to hold them. The execution of this movement was very creditable, and the Regiment sustained considerable loss in making it. A Bri- gade of the First Division of our Corps relieved us here, and our Brigade moved about a mile to the right, where we re- mained in rear of our Division.
In the afternoon of the 20th, the Confederates under the leadership of Lieutenant-General John B. Hood, who, on the 18th, had superseded General Johnston, sallied forth out of
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Atlanta and furiously assaulted the troops on our left, con- sisting of the Fourth and Twentieth Corps and the First Division of our Corps. This was the battle of Peach Tree Creek. The Confederates made charge upon charge against our left, but each impetuous assault was gallantly met, and the enemy was worsted in the battle, sustaining a fearful loss. It was clearly to be seen that the Fabian policy of conduct- ing the campaign by the enemy was changed, as soon as the rash Hood succeeded the sagacious Johnston in command.
During this fight, our Brigade was exposed to a mnost galling fire from the enemy's Batteries, and sus- tained several casualties. Captain Lewis F. Dough- erty of the Thirty-fifth Ohio was killed, and several others of that Regiment were wounded; Lieutenant Jacob H. Leiter and three enlisted men of the Eighty- seventh Indiana were se- verely wounded; two men in the One-hundred and first LIEUT .- COL. WM. O'BRIEN, Indiana were wounded. Wounded at Chickamauga, Sept. 20th, 1863, and at Peach Tree Creek, July 20th, 1864. The casualties of the Sev- enty-fiftlı Indiana in the battle were William Brown, of K Company, killed; Lieutenant- Colonel Williani O"Brien, commanding the Regiment, Daniel Gift of H Company, John W. Richardson and Jeremiah Sherman of I Company, wounded. Colonel O'Brien was wounded in the right hand by the fragment of a shrapnel shell, which necessitated the amputation of the two middle fingers and the removal of two metacarpal bones of the hand. This wound disabled the Colonel for several months. Major Cyrus J. McCole now assumed the command of the Regi-
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ment. Gift was wounded between his right shoulder blade and spinal column, where the enemy's bullet yet remains im- bedded. In the battle of Peach Tree Creek, the Army of the Cumberland, (which alone fought it from the Union side) lost 1600 in killed and wounded.
In his official report, General Baird says of our Division in this fight:
No part of the rebel assaulting columns reached my lines, but throughout the whole attack and until dark my troops were subjected to an artillery fire as constant and as terrible as any that I have ever witnessed, and the loss in the division from this cause and upon the skirmish line was considerable. Throughout the whole both my officers and my men behaved themselves with a degree of coolness and heroismi highly commendable, and showing then to be veteran soldiers.
The following poem the writer of this history found on the dead body of a Confederate soldier killed in this battle, who, doubtless, was its author, whose cheerful life went out in darkness, no doubt "fighting bravely" by "Fate's decree:"
SOLDIER'S SUPPER AND CHIT-CHAT.
What shall we have for supper ? Hard-tack and slice of meat! And upon this rusty hoe We'll bake a corn-cake sweet.
While meat and meal are cooking We'll wash our dishes few, Namely-a broken case-knife, Tin-plates-numbering two.
Now, draw some rye(o) coffee In yonder old canteen, From which we'll drink, one by one, Until the dregs we drain. Come, roll up the lesser log, Hard by the larger one,
One will serve for table, The other to sit upon.
Supper being over, then Push back the smaller log, Pass round the muddy water, Be sure to hand no grog.
=
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Now, Tommy, make down the bed, We mean, the camp-worn blanket, Place not a rock at the head, For cartridge-boxes "rank it."
But ere to Morpheus we yield Our Confed'rate selves up, Let us light our corn-cob pipes And take a social smoke.
I wonder if my father, Sister, or my mother,
Dreams sadly of me just now Or of my captive brother.
And Belle, my fairy Belle, If she watch our lone bright star And think of absent Lionel, As he bears the toils of war ; If she visit the bowers. When twilight shades draw near,
Mindful of the halcyon hours We've spent together there.
And, Will, where do you suspect Fair Annie is to-night ? Sleeping sweet, or dancing gay At ball or party bright? Where'er she is, I trust, Jule, She's true to me as ever, And hope when cruel war is o'er We'll meet to part-never.
Cease this talk for the nonce, boys, Each get his trusty gun, Place it near by at once, boys, Then wait to-morrow's sun! For then we go to battle, And if 'tis Fate's decree, We'll die-fighting bravely- For Right and Liberty.
"LIONEL."
BLUFFTON, S. C., July, 1864.
The above poem, written by the hand of "Lionel " and stained with his blood, is yet in the possession of the writer of this history.
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On the morning of the 21st, after having quite a spirited skirmish, our Division extended its battle lines about a mile, the Brigade taking a good position on a high ridge, and building intrenchments very near the enemy's works. We were now within four miles of Atlanta. During the night the enemy evacuated his works in the immediate front of Sherman's entire arıny, and fell back to his strong fortifica- tions surrounding the city. This last movement of the enemy was so sudden and unexpected, that it gave us the hope of the evacuation of Atlanta; but hope vanished. Hood now occupied a commanding and impregnable position, which covered all the roads leading into Atlanta, his army strongly intrenched behind a redan line of redoubts that had been carefully built for more than a year-around the outside of these redoubts ran a rifle trench of abatis and chevaux-de- frise.
Our entire line now advanced and swept over the old para- pets of the enemy, until we occupied a circling line around the city with a radius of two miles. In the pursuit our Di- vision struck the road leading from Marietta to Atlanta, which we followed until we came within a couple of miles of the city. Here the First Division of our Corps was doing some lively skirmishing with the Confederates close up to their works. To our immediate left lay the Twentieth Corps, and east of us a few miles on the Augusta Railroad lay the Army of the Tennessee. We again moved south by the west side of Atlanta to a point, where the Turner's Ferry and Atlanta roads intersect. Here we took a strong position un- opposed, under the eye of General Thomas, who was present. The Second Division of our Corps moved into position on our right. We built heavy earthworks at this point during the afternoon of the 22d, so as to protect ourselves from the shells and bullets of the enemy. At the same time the sounds of a fearful battle were heard raging away off to our left, in front of the line occupied by the Army of the Tennessee. It was the famous engagement known in history as the battle of At-
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lanta, July 22d, 1864, in which, General McPherson, the commander of the troops engaged on the Federal side, was killed. In this battle the Army of the Tennessee lost 3,722 in killed, wounded and missing. The Confederates lost 8000.
CHAPTER XII.
THE SIEGE OF ATLANTA -- ITS CAPITULATION.
(AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER 8TH, 1864.)
FROM the 23d of July to August 3d, the location of our Division was not materially changed. The lines of battle of the two contending armies were uncomfortably close, each inviting the attack of the other. We were liable at any mo- ment to be shot by the Confederate sharpshooters at the least exposure of our persons, and they ran about the same risks of having their heads pierced with bullets by us. We were at a point from which Atlanta could be reached with shells, shot from our rifled field pieces, and consequently during the day and night there was a continuous fire directed upon the city. The Confederates had some large guns by which they were enabled to throw shells into our camp weighing sixty- four pounds. We called these shells "camp-kettles." We often watched these huge shells, as they arose from their guns in the hostile forts, describing their beautiful curves through the balmy air in shape of a rainbow in the clouds; and before they dropped among us and spit forth their wrath, scattering their deadly contents in all directions, we could hear their screeching noise. At Atlanta was the first experience the Seventy-fifth Indiana Regiment had with the enemy's siege guns, and from the general demoralization which they at times produced among us, we were thankful our first was our last experience.
On the 27th of July, the Army of the Tennessee, under General Howard, who, after the death of General McPherson succeeded to its command, moved behind us and formed line of battle on our right. The battle, known as Ezra
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Church, was fought there on the 28th, between the Army of the Tennessee and two Corps of Hood's Army-Lee's and Hardee's. The Confederates attacked again and again with great impetuosity, but they were repulsed with great loss. During the fight there was considerable skirmishing all along our line.
While we were lying here in front of Atlanta behind our works, under the fire of the enemy's guns at tlie close of the month of July, the Thirty-fifth Ohio Regiment left us for Chattanooga, where it was mustered out, its service of three years having expired. We were sorry to part with this noble Regiment, as we had become endeared to many of its mem- bers.
For the purpose of the extension of the flank of the Mili- tary Division of the Mississippi still farther to the right than the Army of the Tennessee had been able to reach, General Sherman now shifted the Army of the Ohio and the Four- teenth Corps of the Army of the Cumberland to that flank soutlı of Atlanta. General Schofield began tlie movement on August the Ist, and took position near the railroad at East Point. On August the 3d, our Corps, relieved by the Twen- tieth Corps, marched early in the morning to the point on the extreme right, designated by General Sherman. During the afternoon, wliile we were on the march, a refreshing shower of rain fell. The First and Second Divisions of our Corps, having preceded us in the movement, encamped about two miles north of Utoy Creek. Our Division passed on still farther to the right, crossed Utoy Creek, and formed in line on the right and a little to the rear of the Twenty-third Corps to support it, with the right of our Division resting on the Creek. It was nearly dark before we got into position. During the night we worked hard to construct our breast- works. Early on the morning of the 4th, we readjusted our lines, and conformed them to a more advantageous ground, placed our Artillery into position and strengthened the fortifi- cations, which we had built during the night. All this time the enemy was unusually quiet.
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Late in the afternoon of the 4thlı, about 5 o'clock, General Palmer ordered a Brigade from our Division to make a recon- naissance of the Confederate works in advance of our general line of battle on the right of the Second Division of the 'Twenty-third Corps. The object was to develop the enemy's strength, attack his works and carry them, if practicable. General Baird selected our Brigade for this duty. Colonel Gleason formed our Regiments at once into two lines. He put the One-hundred and fifth Ohio and the Eighty-seventh Indiana in the first line, and the Seventy-fifth and One-hun- dred and first Indiana in the second line. (The Second Min- nesota was yet absent on guard duty.) In the immediate front of these two lines of battle, our commander placed a heavy line of skirmishers, composed of a Company from each of the four Regiments. The skirmish line was commanded by Major Sabin of the Eighty-seventh Indiana. The skirm- ishers from the Seventy-fifth Indiana consisted of G Com- pany, under command of Captain Joseph T. Smith. The Brigade, as it came out of its own line of works in an open field in front of the enemy's intrenchinents, made a most magnificent display. We pushed forward rapidly and were soon enveloped in smoke and flame from the enemy's Bat- teries, confronting us from behind his fortifications. The Confederates had two lines of gopher-holes in front of their main works, which were filled with their skirmishers. In the assault we captured these two lines of gopher-holes, and got so near the Confederates' fortifications as to develop their strength, finding it impracticable to undertake to carry their main line. We captured 25 prisoners, and established a line of our skirmishers in front of our main works along the first line of the enemy's pits taken in the assault. Having ac- complished the object for which the movement was ordered, the Brigade returned behind the works in its old position. The loss of the Brigade in this assault was confined to the three Indiana Regiments; the Eighty-seventh had one man killed and fifteen wounded; the One-hundred and first, two
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killed and seven wounded; and the Seventy-fifth, one wounded-making twenty-six killed and wounded in the Brigade. Van Horne's History of the Army of the Cumber- land, Vol. 2, p. 127, says of this affair: "The next morning Gen. Baird readjusted his line in expectation of supporting the Divisions of General Schofield in an assault. But no movement was made of a general character, and late in the day General Palmer directed him to feel the enemy's works in his front with a Brigade. He designated Colonel Gleason's Brigade for this service, which advanced in double lines with skirmishers in front. Colonel Gleason carried the first and second line of rifle-pits, and approached so near the enemy's main line as to develop its location and character, and drew from it an artillery and musketry fire. At night he with- drew his Brigade, but held with skirmishers the outer line of rifle-pits, which he had carried." General Baird in his official report summarizes this action as follows:
A little later I received another written order, also from Major-General Palmer, stating that it was intended that I should push out with Brigadier- General Hascall as far as practicable, and reconnoiter the enemy's works, and directing 111e to attack in column if the works could be carried. The first part of these instructions had already been carried out before the order was received, for I had, the night previous, taken possession of all the high ground in that vicinity, and it only remained for me to await the other con- tingencies-the arrival of Brigadier-General Morgan, or the advance of Brig- adier-General Hascall. I had made full preparations, and was awaiting ac- cordingly, when, about 4 p. n1., Major-General Palmer came up in person and asked me if my brigade was ready for the reconnaissance. I replied that no special mention had been made of sending out a brigade on that duty, and asked if he wished me to send one. He replied that he did, and I at once detailed Colonel Gleason's brigade for that purpose. The brigade was formed in the shortest possible time in two lines, with a strong skir- mishing party in front, and at once moved out. The operation was vigor- ously conducted and two lines of skirmish-pits captured. The party kept on until the location and character of the rebel main line was fully developed, and a heavy fire of artillery and musketry drawn from it. This accom- plished, and no movement whatever of the troops on our left having been made, and no tidings received of Brigadier-General Morgan, I at dark directed Colonel Gleason to bring his men back to their works, leaving his skirmishers in the first pits. Colonel Gleason and his officers and mien de-
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serve the highest praise for the manner in which this affair was conducted. They brought in 25 prisoners, and the brigade sustained a loss of 26 in killed and wounded.
From the information our Brigade had obtained in the as- sault, it was now considered necessary to advance the whole line of our Division. The Confederates, however, had again extended their line of skirmishers with a much greater force, as far as those rifle-pits or gopher-holes nearest their main works, which our Brigade had taken in the charge. From prisoners we had taken afterwards, we learned that the skir- mishers were ordered to hold these pits at all hazards. Being thoroughly acquainted with the ground over which we had moved, we were ready for the other assault.
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