USA > Indiana > History of the Seventy-fifth regiment of Indiana infantry voluteers. its organization, campaigns, and battles (1862-65.) > Part 5
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
59
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
left desolation and destruction in his tracks. He burned the bridges and trestle-works and tore up the railroad track for miles. In his official report of the raid, Morgan himself says that he destroyed over $2,000,000 worth of United States property.
At the time of this bold raid, Gen. Reynolds' headquar- ters were at Gallatin. Hall's Brigade was at Bledsoe's Creek, and our Brigade, under Wilder, was yet at Castalian Springs. Reynolds received the accompanying dispatch from Gen. Rosecrans:
HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, NASHVILLE, December 23, 1862.
BRIG. GEN. JOSEPH J. REYNOLDS, Gallatin :
Try and ascertain the strength of enemy, and if he has any infantry sup- ports. Send out scouts in all directions. Make arrangements for commun- icating in letters to us, in case telegraph line be cut. Concentrate your forces and fight like the devil. General says you will have help from us, and if you whip him recollect you have him at mercy.
By order :
J. P. GARESCHÉ, Chief of Staff.
To this dispatch Reynolds replied :
GALLATIN, December 24, 1862-I a. m.
[COLONEL GARESCHÉ:]
Dispositions indicated are made. Have this moment heard from Hall and Wilder. They are ready and so are we, and we will fight like the devil. The general impression here is that this attack will be made to cover an attack on the railroad.
J. J. REYNOLDS, Brigadier General.
We left Castalian Springs at daylight on the morning of the 26th, moving in the direction of Gallatin. It rained hard during the entire day, and after marching fourteen miles, we encamped for the night, lying down with our wet clothes on, in a muddy field. It continued to rain during the night. At daylight of the 27th, we inoved, the Seventy-fifth Regi- ment leading the Brigade. We marched all day in the rain and mud, and encamped at night at Scottsville, Kentucky.
60
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
Sunday morning 28th, we took the pike for Glasgow. Hav- ing forded the Big Barren River (Morgan burned the bridge) the water of which being excessively cold, we bivouacked for the night on its banks. Early in the morning of the 29th, the Brigade moved, with the Ninety-eighth Illinois Regiment in advance. After marching about twelve miles, we encamped near Glasgow. We remained at this point dur- ing the 30th. At daylight of the 31st we advanced in the di- rection of Munfordsville. January Ist, 1863, we were in the neighborhood of Bear Wallow. Morgan's Cavalry being in the vicinity, our Brigade was formed in line of battle to await results.
The two Brigades under Reynolds were now in supporting distance of each other. In every direction scouts were sent out. To head off Morgan and prevent his escape, Reynolds was ordered to raise all the horses and saddles available, and if these could not be procured, he was to impress into service his mules without saddles. He was to mount half of his Division at a time with these. The "walking" infantry was to start in pursuit very early with the expectation of being overtaken by the "riding " infantry at the close of the day, when the walking half of the preceding day should ex- change with the riding half for the next day.
HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, NASHVILLE, December 25, 1862.
BRIGADIER-GENERAL REYNOLDS, Gallatin :
Morgan has no such force. The total of their cavalry here, and the de- tachment of Forrest to West Tennessee, satisfies me that he has very little more than when en route to Hartsville, without the infantry. Not many crossed at Gainesborough. Prepare to cut off with your division Morgan's retreat. Harlan will be sent to Cave City. He will go up on train to night, and move on Morgan, wherever he may be.
W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General.
December 25, 1862.
BRIG. GEN. JOSEPH J. REYNOLDS, Gallatin :
How many pack and other horses can you raise, with saddles or bare backs, to put infantry on, to pursue them with, say, one-half ride, the
61
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
others walk, and change horses-the infantry walking, to start early, to be overtaken and take the horses, and go on to camp, while the walking overtake them? Volunteers and picked men should go. Tell me what you can do.
W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General.
GALLATIN, December 25, 1862-7 p. m.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GARESCHÉ, Chief of Staff :
I will be off to-morrow morning early, with my division, numbering about 4,500 effective nien, besides two batteries of six guns each. Have nothing left outside Gallatin except some cavalry pickets, which will be left. Also leave here a few cavalry for escorts, couriers, &c. We go from here to Scottsville.
J. J. REYNOLDS, Brigadier- General.
To witness the antics of this improvised Cavalry by mount- ing Infantry Regiments on army mules and plug horses with and without saddles, was an amusing sight ! The perform- ance reminded the writer of the stanzas in Cowper's poem of John Gilpin :
"John Gilpin at his horse's side Seized fast the flowing mane, And up he got in haste to ride, But soon came down again.
"Now see him mounted once again, Upon his nimble steed, Full slowly pacing o'er the stones With caution and good heed.
" But finding soon a smoother road Beneath his well-shod feet, The snorting beast began to trot, Which galled him in the seat."
The mules, when mounted, seemed to be in a highly ex- hilarating frame of mind, with heels of a vigorous and de- cidedly skyward tendency, which created great amusement in the camp. They seemed determined to make the groups of soldiers, who were looking on at their pranks, get out of their way, by backing up to them, with their long ears moving backwards and forwards like a windmill, and their tails as
62
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
stiff as pokers, letting their hoofs fly at them. One of the men, who had been thrown off, fired with ambition to display his prowess over his mule, ran in front of the animal and took a defiant position to seize him. The mule, undaunted, came dashing on, putting one ear back and the other forward, then reversing the movement, with his tail standing straight out. The soldier's courage failed him, and he beat a sudden and inglorious retreat. As he ran, followed by the mule, the scene was ludicrous in the extreme. Hundreds of soldiers, who witnessed it, were convulsed with laughter.
Nevertheless with all these disadvantages and encum- brances, we "fought Morgan like the devil."
Speaking of mules, reminds the writer of a little incident of army life, which may not be out of place to insert here. An army Chaplain, frequently shocked by the profanity of mule drivers, resolved, if possible, to lessen it by the offer of a fine Bible to every one who would "drive a mule team four weeks without swearing." Having published the offer, and completed satisfactory arrangements with the U. S. Christian Commission for a liberal distribution of the Sacred Volume among a needy class of sinners, the Chaplain sat down in his tent to wait for applicants. The crowd of ap- plicants, which he expected, did not arrive. Only one man applied and he was a Dutchman. When questioned on the subject, the Dutchman gave it as his opinion, that by nature no man was able to do it, but by the grace of God alone mules could be driven without oaths. Here is the Dutch- man's solemn affirmation, in his own words, which is vouched for by a certificate from his Captain: "Dis ish to serdify, dat I have triven a mule deam foar veeks widout brofanity." The man received the premium, and doubtless deserved it.
Speaking of Chaplains, the writer is reminded of another army incident. With all the hardships and vicissitudes of army life, a certain Chaplain could not eradicate the oddity of his genius. He was a fine singer, and played well upon the accordion. He was the spiritual adviser of a wild West-
63
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
ern Regiment, and his unselfish and hardy nature won their hearts by telling the boys stories and singing them funny songs. John Morgan captured him in the Cumberland Mountains. The Chaplain, in relating the circumstances afterwards, said : "It looked pretty solemn when they began to cast lots to see who should inherit my horse." But the Chaplain took his little accordion and began to sing and play for dear life. All the droll songs that were ever invented, this doomed captive sang to the bushwhackers of Kentucky. "I think I ought to shoot you," said Morgan; "a fellow that keeps up men's spirits as you do is too valuable to the Yankees for me to let off." But let him off he did. Nobody could shoot such a happy combination of goodness and drollery.
Once after a battle, a church was turned into a hospital, and the wounded and dying lay all up and down on the floor. It was a blue time, when men were dying not alone of wounds, but of despair, which was like an epidemic in the atmosphere. The Chaplain, seeing how fatal this despon- dency was proving itself to be to the men, walking up into the pulpit, planted his little accordion on his knees and struck up "The Girl I Left Behind Me." Sunlight at once came into the despondent hearts with the rich melody of the Chaplain's voice and the humor of his song. The Surgeons of the hospital took heart, and life seemed to come back to the wounded and homesick boys.
Morgan paid dear for all he gained in his second Ken- tucky raid. He lost very many of his troopers in killed, wounded and missing. Col. Duke, who commanded one of his Brigades, was badly wounded. Besides, he was defeated at Munfordsville, Rolling Fork and Campbellsville. Among the loss we had to deplore was the gallant Colonel Halisy of the Sixth Kentucky Cavalry (Union), who was killed in a hand-to-hand encounter with a Lieutenant of Morgan's Cavalry. Our Brigade sustained no loss.
Thus while the National Army under Rosecrans was man- œuvring to fight and was actually fighting the Confederate
64
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
Army under Bragg at Stone's River, the Seventy-fifth Indi- ana Regiment was doing very important and hard service with Reynolds by keeping the strictest vigilance upon Morgan in the vicinity of Gallatin, Scottsville, Bledsoe's Creek, Glas- gow and other places.
While we were yet engaged in Kentucky against Morgan, the fierce battle of Stone's River at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was fought on the last day of 1862, and the first three days. of 1863. This was the largest battle which Gen. Rosecrans. had yet fought. His losses were 1, 533 killed, including Brig. Gen. Joshua W. Sill, who was associated with us in the move- ment against E. Kirby Smith at Frankfort Ky .; 7,245. wounded, including Brig. Gens. Kirk, Van Cleve, Willich and Wood; and 2,800 inissing. The Confederate losses can only be approximated. The officers rarely ever gave full re- turns of their losses. Bragg's losses were about 9,000 killed and wounded, and 16,560 missing. The two wings of the. National army were driven back a short distance, on succes- sive days, but regained their positions finally, and the Confed- erates were repelled and driven from the field. Murfreesboro was left in possession of our army.
In the evening of January 3d, we marched to Cave City, where the Regiment took the cars on the morning of the 4th, for Nashville, arriving in the city on the same evening. The next day, 5th, the Regiment started from Nashville for Mur- freesboro-a distance of 31 miles-as guards of a train of 1, 500 wagons, moving to the front with stores for the surviving troops, who were engaged in the battle. On the way, we met many ambulances conveying the wounded to Nashville. We encamped four miles from the battle-field in a drenching rain during the night. When the Regiment arrived on the field during the morning of the 7th, the noise of the conflict had ceased, and the smoke of the battle had cleared away; but the horrible results of the contest were plainly visible. Dead men and horses, torn and mangled, broken cannon car- riages and wheels, were strewn over the field of carnage. The sight was ghastly and ruinous.
CHAPTER III.
SIX MONTHS' ENCAMPMENT AT MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE -SIXTY-EIGHTH AND ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST INDIANA, AND ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH OHIO REGIMENTS AND NINETEENTH INDIANA BATTERY-RECONNAISSANCES. TO WOODBURY, LIBERTY, ALEXANDRIA, MILTON, CARTHAGE, MCMINNVILLE, ETC.
(JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, 1863.)
MURFREESBORO, in the winter and spring of 1863, was a handsome, educational town, built chiefly of brick, lighted with gas, containing 3500 inhabitants, half a dozen churches, two Female Colleges, a University and a Military Institute. It was located on an elevated plain, beautiful for situation, near the spurs of the Cumberland Mountains. Stone's River, "on the banks of which the great battle by the same name was fought, flowed on the west side of the town.
The encampment of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Regiment at Murfreesboro-stretching over a period of six months- was the longest for one place in the history of the Regi- ment. Our camp was located on the east side of the town, near the Readyville and Woodbury turnpike. It was inade very nice and cleanly and healthy by the removal of all rubbish and decaying vegetation. It was laid out city fash- ion, into company streets, by the formation of the tents into straight and regular rows. Up to this time, we used the "Sibley tent." Major H. H. Sibley, formerly of the U. S. Army, but during the war of the Rebellion a Brig .- Gen. in the Confederate Army, was the inventor of this huge and cumbrous tent. When stretched, the tent was conical in shape. The lower edge or base was a circle fastened to the ground by wooden pins. The top or apex was held perpen-
(65)
66
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
dicular to the base or ground by an upright central pole set into an iron tripod. An aperture was left on the side next to the street for a doorway, with wide edges extending over each other for the purpose of opening and closing. The apex was left open for the smoke from the fire, upon the ground in the centre beneath the tripod, to ascend and disap- pear in the clouds. These tents would hold from twenty-five to thirty men, who slept upon the ground beneath them with their heads to the circumference and their feet to the centre.
In the Regiment were some very good singers. While we were encamped here, our hearts were cheered by the voice of song around the camp fires in these tents. The songs were mostly of home and country. Often here, and on the long weary marches of subsequent campaigns, we reminded each other in song that,
"John Brown's body lies mouldering in the ground, As we go marching on."
"The sour apple trees" were far from being enough to "hang Jeff. Davis on" if he had been hung as often as we repeated the words in rhyme.
The inspiring song of
"Rally round the flag, boys; Rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom !".
And the rhythm of
"Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching,"
were sung with a vim, that filled the air with music and al- most shook the ground with the cadence of song. As we looked back at the vacant chair at home, we sang:
"Do they miss me at home, do they miss me ?"
.And as we looked forward to the battles before us, we sang:
"Just before the battle, mother, I am thinking, dear, of you,"
67
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
And as we made a night raid upon the sutler's tent, we sang:
"We're coming, Father Abraham, 600,000 strong!"
After the lapse of a quarter of a century, taking a retro- spective view of the men who sang with us at the camp fires of Murfreesboro, many of whom died there of disease, and others afterwards died in prisons and moved over battle-fields crimsoned with their own blood, the deathless elegy, written by Theodore O'Hara in commemoration of the Kentuckians who were killed in the Mexican war, seems very appropriate and applicable here:
THE BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD.
The muffled drum's sad roll has beat The soldier's last tattoo ; No more on life's parade shall meet The brave and daring few. On Fame's eternal camping-ground Their silent tents are spread, And glory guards with solemn round The bivouac of the dead.
No answer of the foe's advance Now swells upon the wind ; No troubled thought at midnight haunts Of loved ones left behind ; No vision of the morrow's strife The warrior's dream alarms ; No braying horn nor screaming fife At dawn shall call to arms.
Their shivered swords are red with rust, Their pluméd heads are bowed ; Their haughty banner trailed in dust Is now their martial shroud, And plenteous funeral tears have washed The red stains from each brow, And their proud forms in battle gashed Are free front anguish now.
68
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
The neighing steed, the flashing blade, The trumpet's stirring blast, The charge, the dreadful cannonade, The din and shout are past ; Nor war's wild note, nor glory's peal, Shall thrill with fierce delight Those breasts that never more shall feel The rapture of the fight.
Like the dread northern hurricane That sweeps his broad plateau, Flushed with the triumph yet to gain, Came down the serried foe : Our heroes felt the shock, and leapt To meet them on the plain ; And long the pitying sky hath wept Above our gallant slain.
Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead ! Dear as the blood you gave, No impious footsteps here shall tread The herbage of your grave ; Nor shall your glory be forgot While Fame her record keeps, Or Honor points the hallowed spot Where Valor proudly sleeps.
Von marble minstrel's voiceful stone In deathless songs shall tell, When many a vanished age hath flown, The story how ye fell ; Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight, Nor Time's remorseless doom, Shall dim one ray of holy light That gilds your glorious tomb.
Here at Murfreesboro, Chaplain Orville B. Boyden, As- sistant Surgeon Robert H. Buck, and Lieutenants William H. Wilson of A Company, Noah W. Parker and Jefferson H. Montgomery of B Company, George W. Goode of E Company, Jesse T. Underwood of F Company, Samuel H. Carr of G Company, John B. Collins of H Company, and James W. Richardson of I Company, tendered their resignations and re-
69
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
turned to their homes. Here also disease and death played havoc in the ranks of tlie Regiment. As many as thirty-four men with various diseases succumbed to the inevitable hand of death.
The defeated Confederate Army, under Bragg, after the battle of Stone's River, went into winter quarters about Shel- byville and Tullahoma, on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad, whilst our army occupied Murfrees- boro. The Seventy-fifth Regiment was by no means idle during its encampment here. The six months were passed in reconnaissances and scouting duty, and unimportant skir- inishes.
The first reconnaissance and fight in which the Regiment participated after its arrival at Murfreesboro, was on the 24th of January, at Woodbury, in Cannon county, Tennessee.
The Regiment with its Brigade, in command of Col. Jolin T. Wilder, and the Third Brigade of the Second Division, left wing, under command of Col. William Grose, acted con- jointly in the movement. It was three or four o'clock in the afternoon of the 23d, when the two Brigades moved out. The Seventy-fifth Regiment, however, did not start until 9
o'clock. The night was intensely dark. We took the Bradyville pike, east of the town of Murfreesboro, and bivouacked at Cedar Run, eight miles from camp. Early on the morning of the 24th, the two Brigades moved forward very rapidly, and soon came in contact with Buford's Con- federate Cavalry, which retreated through Bradyville to Beech Grove. From the location of our Brigade at this time, the road leading to Woodbury was impracticable for Artillery. We endeavored to reach Woodbury from the south, but the rough hills and broken country, which abound in that sec- tion, prevented us. We were, therefore, compelled to turn back and take the pike from Bradyville. In the meantime, Wilder sent a small detachment of Minty's Cavalry to strike the McMinnville road beyond Woodbury.
Our forces under Grose and Wilder now encountered the
70
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
Confederate Infantry about three miles from Woodbury, under command of Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Hutcheson, who, together with a Captain and three men, was found killed on the field. Others killed and wounded were carried off. Our forces lost no men.
Our Brigade bivouacked within three miles of Woodbury, and waited for the Cavalry under Minty to return. During the night they came, with a Captain and four privates of Bu- ford's Cavalry as prisoners of war.
The Regimen't, with the Brigade, returned to Murfrees- boro next day, arriving at 4 p. m. The rough, hilly country covered with timber, and the roads impracticable for conveying Artillery, over which we were ordered to pass in our advance upon Woodbury, prevented us from getting to the town in time to capture the entire garrison.
The second expedition was made to Liberty and Alex- andria in De Kalb county, by way of the Auburn pike. Our force comprised the whole Fifth Division and detachments of several Cavalry Regiments-in all about 3600 men, General Reynolds commanding in person. We were five days-from February the 3d to the 7th-on this reconnaissance. We left camp on the Auburn pike, and when about eight miles out, a detachment of Confederate Cavalry was met. They were a scouting party, who retired rapidly without exchang- ing shots with us as we advanced. Our Regiment bivouacked for the night at Auburn, about twenty-two miles from Murfreesboro. Early on the morning of the 4th, after marching a few miles, a Confederate Cavalry outpost was encountered. We skirmished for two miles with this force, one of whom we wounded. As this Cavalry force retired be- fore us, they destroyed the bridge over Smith's Fork, but its destruction did not impede our progress, as the creek was fordable. We passed through Alexandria and encamped be- yond. Here inany loyal people were found-men, women and children marching along with the column of troops, en- couraging the men. Much flour and bacon belonging to the
71
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
Confederates were confiscated here. At New Middleton, on the Carthage pike, the machinery of a large inill, in use for the Confederacy, was destroyed by us. On the 5th a large quantity of bacon, flour and sundries, loaded on wagons, and being transported thus to the Confederate camp, was taken by us and destroyed. In the evening, we encamped on Spring Creek, within four miles of Lebanon. On the 6th, we passed through Lebanon and bivouacked at Baird's mills. At Lebanon, we captured 8000 lbs of bacon, which had been secreted there for the use of the Confederacy. On the 7th, we marched from Baird's mills to our camp at Murfreesboro, a distance of nineteen iniles, arriving after dark.
The Confederates followed us on our return trip, and fired into our wagon train. We returned the fire, and wounded several and took some prisoners.
During the expedition, we captured 43 prisoners, among whom was a mail carrier with the mail from Bragg's army at Tullahoma. The letters were from some of the soldiers to their families, expressing the sentiments, that the writers were tired of the war, and wanted to return home. We also captured 300 horses and mules, 50 head of beef cattle, and de- stroyed many thousands of pounds of bacon and flour, wagons and other useful articles belonging to the Confederate army. Our casualties were five captured and one wounded.
This expedition, made during very inclement weather and over a very rough country, was of the utmost importance to the Government. It enabled the Government to ascertain the correct sentiments of the citizens in that country at the time. The report, whichi Gen. Reynolds made concerning the expedition, was considered of such importance at Wash- ington, as to call forth a vigorous communication from the General-in-Chief, approving the recommendations in the re- port, and setting forth a system of stringent laws for the pun- ishment of disloyalists and protection of loyalists, wherever found.
72
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
We deem the reports and correspondence of sufficient im- portance for insertion of a part in this history:
HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS. Murfreesboro, Tenn., February 10, 1863.
MAJOR : It has occurred to me that some facts not strictly belonging to the military report of the recent expedition of the Fifth Division should be made known, and I have accordingly prepared the following narrative :
Left Murfreesboro on the morning of February 3, and bivouacked that night at Auburn, about 22 miles by the southern road. The inhabitants generally on this day's march kept aloof from us, and evinced no pleasure at our coming. Auburn, a small village, was nearly deserted, and most of the houses unoccupied, and the people who were there remained in their houses. We noticed an occasional farm deserted, and everything that could subsist man and beast gone. Such places belonged to loyal men whose property had been taken by the rebel army, and whose families were refugees, the sons in many cases being conscripts in the rebel service. Where a farm presented any appearance of life and prosperity, forage, ani- mals, and people would be found, the property belonging to rebels and the forage and animals spared by the rebel army.
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.