USA > Indiana > History of the Seventy-fifth regiment of Indiana infantry voluteers. its organization, campaigns, and battles (1862-65.) > Part 7
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
Col. John T. Wilder, the gallant commander of the First Brigade, to which the Seventy-fifth Regiment belonged up to this time, endeavored to make "Mounted Infantry" out of the Regiments composing his Brigade. His own Regiment -the Seventeenth Indiana-and the Ninety-eighth Illinois were mounted in the winter of 1863. The Seventy-fifth Indiana, however, desired to remain an infantry Regiment, and so voted at Murfreesboro. The One-hundred and twenty-third Illinois Regiment, belonging to the Second Brigade, on the other hand, desired to be "Mounted." Con- sequently, the Seventy-fifth Indiana and One-hundred and twenty-third Illinois Regiments exchanged Brigades. This exchange was effected May Ist, 1863.
On the same date-May Ist-we were supplied with new tents. Our old wall and Sibley tents were returned, except those required by Brigade and Regimental headquarters and for field hospitals. Our tents from this date to the close of the war consisted of two pieces of coarse inuslin, so fitted that two soldiers, by buttoning their two pieces together, and improvising a simple support by two upright poles and a ridge-pole over which the tent was stretched and sloping to the ground, and pinned there by four wooden pins, formed for themselves a comfortable shelter from rain and sun. Each piece of canvas was owned and carried by a soldier upon his knapsack. The tents were called "dog " or "pup " tents, because they resembled a common dog kennel. The wagon trains were reduced at this time from thirteen wagons to three for each Regiment.
On June 8th, by special Field Order of the Department of
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers. 83
the Cumberland, the Fourth Division of the Fourteenthi Corps was transferred to the Reserve Corps and assumed an- other title. The Fifth Division (ours) was from the above date to be hereafter known as the Fourth Division, Four- teenth Army Corps. By the same order, the Brigade under Brig. Gen. George Crook was sent from Carthage to Mur- freesboro and assigned to the Fourth (late Fifth) Division, to be known as the Third Brigade of the Division. By the same order also, the Sixty-eighth Indiana Regiment, with Major John S. Scobey in command, was assigned to the Sec- ond Brigade, in which the Seventy-fifth Indiana now served.
The Eightieth Illinois Regiment, assigned to the Bri- gade, was on detached duty and did not join the Brigade.
Our Regiment now entered into a Brigade of three other Regiments and a Battery than those with which it had been brigaded. Two of these Regiments, the One-hundred and first Indiana and the One-hundred and fifth Ohio, and the Battery, the Nineteenth Indiana, remained with our Regi- ment and our Regiment with them, mutually enduring the same hardships and fighting the same battles, to the close of the war.
The Sixty-eighth Regiment of Indiana Volunteers was raised in the Fourth Congressional District of Indiana, and organized at Greensburg. It was mustered into the service of the United States at Indianapolis on August 19th, 1862, with Edward A. King as Colonel, and on the same date at midnight proceeded for Louisville, Ky. On the Ist of Sep- tember it reported to General Dumont at Lebanon, Ky. From thence it was transported to Munfordsville, Ky., where, on the 17th, it was captured with some other National troops by Bragg's army.
There is an interesting episode connected with the capitu- lation of this Regiment at Munfordsville, which reveals the great presence of mind and loyalty to the flag of the Colonel, who subsequently lost his life while in command of our Brig- ade. When the Sixty-eighth left home for the front, the ladies
.
84
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
of Greensburg presented the Regiment with a silk flag. Just before it surrendered to Bragg's overwhelming forces, Col- onel King wrapped this flag under his clothing around his body. He thus wore it two weeks and saved it fromn cap- ture.
After the Regiment was exchanged, it was sent to Murfrees- boro, Tennessee, where it joined the Brigade to which we be- longed at that time, and remained with us until the battle of Chickamauga had been fought. In the battle of Hoover's Gap the Regiment lost one killed and six wounded. In the battle of Chickamauga it entered with 356 officers and men, and lost over one third of them, including its Colonel.
On the IIth of October, 1863, it was transferred to Willich's Brigade, Wood's Division, Granger's Corps, and with its Brigade was in the assault at Missionary Ridge, losing 82 killed and wounded. It was on the march to the relief of Burnside at Knoxville, returning April 28th, 1864, to Chatta- nooga. After Sherman's army had entered upon the Atlanta campaign, it did garrison duty in Chattanooga, until August 14th, when it was ordered to Dalton, Ga., to drive out Wheeler's Confederate Cavalry, which had swung around into Sherman's rear. It did this work handsomely, with the loss of a Captain and five enlisted men.
At the time of Confederate General Hood's invasion into Tennessee, the Sixty-eighth Regiment was doing guard duty along the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad, and had fre- quent skirmishes with his army. On December 15th, 1864, it helped to completely thrash Hood at Nashville. It joined in the pursuit of Hood's retreating army, and finally got back to Chattanooga, where it remained guarding bridges, until the close of hostilities.
On June 20th, 1865, the Regiment was mustered out of service at Nashville, and returned to Indiana. The Sixty- eighth was a splendid Regiment, and did much hard service.
The One-hundred and first Regiment of Indiana Volun- teers was organized in the same Congressional District of In-
85
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
diana (Eleventh) in which our Regiment was raised. Some of its Companies were raised in the same towns and localities from which Companies of our Regiment came, hence near re- latives and intimate friends of each other were members of both Regiments.
The organization of the One-hundred and first was effected during the month of August, 1862, at Wabash, and it was mustered into the U. S. service on September 7th, with Will- iam Garver as Colonel. To assist in repelling the invasion of General E. Kirby Smith, the Regiment was sent to Coving- ton, Ky. It was transported by boat, on September 23d, to Louisville, Ky., and on October Ist marched in pursuit of Bragg, with General McCook's command. It escorted the wagon train of the Tenth Division from Maxwell to Spring- field, and thence to Crab Orchard, Ky. It was employed in guarding the railroad bridge at Munfordsville until Novem- ber 30th. From thence it moved to Glasgow, and thence to Castalian Springs, Tennessee, where it remained until De- cember 26th. It then went in pursuit of Morgan, and re- turned to the Springs by the 2d of January, 1863. It left here for Murfreesboro, arriving there on the IIth. Here it was assigned to Hall's Brigade, Reynolds' Division, partici- pating in many of the reconnaissances of the Division from Murfreesboro. The One-hundred and first was the only In- diana Regiment in the fight at Vaught's Hill, near Milton, Tennessee, on March 20th, 1863, where General John H. Morgan was completely whipped. It was here on the left of the Brigade, and lost 43 in killed and wounded. From May Ist, 1863, to the close of hostilities, the history of the One- hundred and first is practically the history of the Seventy- fifth Regiment.
Colonel Garver resigned May 30th, 1863, and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Doan assumed the command of the Regi- ment. The Regiment was engaged at Hoover's Gap, and moved with its Brigade to Manchester, Tullahoma and Elk River. It was encamped on University Place, and marched
86
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
via Battle Creek, through the Sequatchie Valley to Shel- mound Station, crossed the Raccoon and Lookout Mountains to the battlefield of Chickamauga, where its loss was 119 in killed, wounded and missing. The Regiment took part in the storming of Missionary Ridge, losing in the battle 35 in killed, wounded and missing. It took an active part also in the Atlanta campaign, and in the March to the Sea, and through the Carolinas. The One-hundred and first was a very fine Regiment; it had many brave and competent officers, whose staunch, soldierly virtues were reflected in their men, making the Regiment a reliable and hard-fighting one.
After reaching Washington city at the close of the war, the Regiment was sent to Louisville, Ky., where, on the 24tli of June, 1865, it was mustered out of the service and returned to Indianapolis.
The Nineteenth Indiana Battery of Liglit Artillery was or- ganized and mustered into the U. S. service on August 5th, 1862, at Indianapolis. Its Captain, Samuel J. Harris, of Columbus, Indiana, had been in the Artillery Service in the war with Mexico, having participated in the battles of Mon- terey, Vera Cruz, and Cerro Gordo. In consideration of his superior knowledge of the Artillery arm of service prior to the Rebellion, he was commissioned Captain of the Seventh Indiana Battery in 1861. Here signed March 29th, 1862, and re-entered the service as Captain of the Nineteenth Battery. He was wounded at Chickamauga and at Buzzard Roost, while in command of his Battery, in consequence of which he was compelled to resign on June 3d, 1864, when Lieuten- ant W. P. Stackhouse was promoted to his position.
At the time of the invasion of Kentucky by the Confede- rates under Bragg and Kirby Smith, the Nineteenth Battery was ordered to Louisville, where it joined the Army of the Ohio. It was assigned to the Tenth Division, commanded by General J. S. Jackson. It fought with this Division, Oc- tober 8th, 1862, at Perryville, where four of its guns were captured, but recovered the following day.
81
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
After Perryville the Battery was actively employed in fre- quent hard marches throughout Kentucky in pursuit of the Confederates under Morgan, and reached the army of Rose- crans at Murfreesboro, the day following the battle of Stone's River. Here, in January, 1863, it was assigned to our Brigade and Division. At the reorganization of the Army at Chatta- nooga, the Nineteenth Battery was assigned with our Regi- ment to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Corps, with which it remained to the close of the war, partic- ipating in all the principal battles of the Division. At the battle of Bentonville, N. C., on March 19th, 1865, Lieutenant Webb of the Battery was killed.
After Joe Johnston's surrender, the Battery embarked on a steamer at Newbern for Washington city, and took part there in the grand review, and then went to Indianapolis, where on June roth, 1865, it was formally mustered out of the service.
The Nineteenth Battery did splendid work at the battles of Perryville and Chickamauga. In the former it lost 18 men, and in the latter 20 in killed, wounded and missing. It was among the best Batteries that entered the service.
The One-hundred and fifth Ohio Infantry Volunteers was what was known as a Western Reserve (Ohio) Regiment. It was mustered into the United States service on August 20th and 21st, 1862 at Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, Ohio, with Albert S. Hall as Colonel. The Regiment was composed of farmers, clerks, students, teachers and other professional men from the counties of Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning. Men of more than ordinary intelligence and bravery made up its rank and file. Albion W. Tourgee, author of "A Fool's Errand " and "Bricks without Straw," was a Lieutenant in the Regiment. It left the State of Ohio with 1013 men for Covington, Ky., on the evening of the 21st of August, being the first Regiment organized under the call of August 4th, 1862, to leave the State. It arrived at Cov- ington August 22d.
88
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
Having been fully armed and equipped for the field, the Regiment left Covington by railroad for Lexington, on August 25th, arriving there the same day. Here it was as- signed to a Brigade in command of Colonel Charles Ander- son of the Ninety-third Ohio. From this place, the Regiment with several others inade a forced march to reinforce General Nelson at Richmond, Kentucky, but the battle was fought and lost before its arrival. It returned to the town of Lex- ington, which was evacuated by September Ist, the One hundred and fifth being the rear guard. This was a forced march to Louisville over dusty and dry roads, with scarcity of water, causing the inen to suffer greatly. It was the bap- tismal campaign of the Regiment, and told sadly on both officers and men. The march was completed by the 5th, the inen arriving at Louisville footsore and exhausted. Here the Regiment was assigned to a Brigade in command of Brig. Gen. Terrell, and to a Division in command of Brig. Gen. Jackson, which developed into the Thirty-third Brigade, Tenth Division, under Buell. At this time Louisville was in an excitement over the invasion into Kentucky of the two Confederate armies under Generals Bragg and Kirby Smith, and the National troops were ordered to build fortifications for defense. General Nelson was placed in command. Here the One-hundred and fifth Ohio was kept at fatigue duty, and drilling and taking precautionary steps to prevent surprise.
After the arrival of Buell with his army, the One-hundred and fifth left Louisville October Ist, via Taylorsville and Bloomfield to Perryville, where it was engaged on the 8th in the memorable battle. Here, with the One-hundred and twenty-third Illinois, the Regiment supported Parson's Bat- tery. The Regiment lost very heavily, 47 men being killed and 212 wounded out of a strength of 800, making the casual- ties of the Regiment to be 3373 per cent. Among the slain of the Regiment were Captains Dwight McKee and Robert Wilson, and four other officers were wounded. Both the Di- vision and the Brigade commanders, Jackson and Terrell,
89
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
were killed, and Colonel Hall of the One-hundred and fifth assumed the command of the Division. ..
After the battle of Perryville, the Regiment, under com- inand of Lieut .- Colonel Tolles, marched to Danville. Colonel Hall was here relieved of the command of the Division by Brig-Gen. Robert S. Granger, and took command of the Bri- gade. At Danville the Brigade, in which the Regiment served, was detached and ordered to Munfordsville, arriving October 25th. Here it remained up to November 30th, per- forming post and guard duty. Leaving here, the Regiment marched to Glasgow, thence to Carthage, Tennessee.
On leaving Kentucky, the Brigade, in which the Regi- ment served, was ordered to the town of Hartsville to rein- force Colonel Moore's Brigade, that was captured there. It remained only one night here, and proceeded to Bledsoe's Creek, where it was assigned to the Twelfth Division, in com- mand of General Reynolds, and participated with the Divis- ion in pursuit of Morgan. The Division was then ordered to join the main ariny at Murfreesboro, where it arrived early in January, 1863. It was this diversion of the Division in pursuit of Morgan, which prevented the Regiment from par- ticipation in the battle of Stone's River.
A permanent assignment was here made by making Hall's the Second Brigade, and Reynolds' the Fifth, and soon af- terwards, the Fourth Division of the Fourteenth Corps. The Regiment here accompanied its Brigade and Division on their frequent reconnaissances.
On the 20th of March it was engaged with its Brigade in the battle of Milton, where Morgan was severly chastised.
In the Tullahoma campaign, beginning June 24th, Colonel Hall and Lieut-Colonel Tolles, of the One-hundred and fifth-the former in command of the Brigade, and the latter commanding the Regiment-were left at Murfreesboro sick, Colonel Hall dying there on the Ioth of July. Colonel Milton S. Robinson of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Regiment succeeded to the command of the Brigade, and Major George
7
90
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
T. Perkins to that of the Regiment. While lying in camp at University Place, during the warmest weather, Colonel Ed- ward A. King of the Sixty-eighth Indiana Regiment was as- signed to the command of the Brigade.
In the battle of Chickamauga, the One-hundred and fifth Ohio inade a inost gallant charge under command of Major Perkins, in which the heroic Major was wounded. The other casualties of the Regiment in the battle were 70 men killed, wounded and taken prisoners, among whom was Captain E. A. Spaulding mortally wounded. Two of the largest Com- panies of the Regiment were not in the engagement, being on detached duty, so that in proportion to the number of men engaged, the casualties were very heavy.
While lying at Chattanooga the army was reorganized, and the One-hundred and fifth was assigned to the Second Brigade, (Col. Vanderveer's) and Third Division, (General Baird's) of the Fourteenth Corps. .
In the battle of Missionary Ridge, the Regiment lost eleven in killed and wounded. In the long and fatiguing campaign for the capture of Atlanta, the record of the Regi- ment was good. While not immediately engaged in any of the heavy engagements on the campaign, the Regiment had many casualties. On the campaign of the March to the Sea, the Regiment was not engaged, but performed its whole duty. It was in the campaign through the Carolinas of sixty-three days' duration; in the reviews of both Goldsboro, N. C., and Washington, D. C.
The Regiment was mustered out at Washington, June 3d, 1865, and returned to Cleveland, Ohio, on the 5th, where it was paid off and disbanded on the 8th. Of the 1013 men who left Cleveland in 1862, only 427 were mustered out there in 1865. The Regiment had marched more than 4000 miles during its service.
The following Regiments composed the Division as it entered upon the Tullahoma campaign:
91
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
FOURTH DIVISION. Maj .- Gen. JOSEPH J. REYNOLDS.
First Brigade.
Col. JOHN T. WILDER. 98th Illinois, Col. John J. Funk- houser. 123d Illinois, Col. James Monroe. 17th Indiana, Lieut. Col. Henry Jor- da11.
72d Indiana, Col. Abram O. Miller.
Second Brigade.
Col. ALBERT S. HALL.
Soth Illinois, Lieut. Herman Stein- ecke. 68tlı Indiana, Maj. John S. Scobey. 75th Indiana, Col. Milton S. Robin- SO11. foIst Indiana, Lieut. Col. Thomas Doan. 105th Ohio, Maj. George T. Perkins.
Third Brigade. Brig .- Gen. GEORGE CROOK.
ISth Kentucky, Lieut. Col. Hubbard K. Milward.
IIth Ohio, Col. Philander P. Lane.
36th Ohio, Col. William G. Jones.
89th Ohio, Lieut. Col. William H. Glenn.
92d Ohio, Col. Benjamin D. Fearing.
Artillery.
18th Indiana Battery, Capt. Eli Lilly. 19th Indiana Battery, Capt. Samuel J. Harris. 2Ist Indiana Battery, Capt. William W. Andrew.
CHAPTER IV.
THE TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN-BATTLE OF HOOVER'S GAP- TULLAHOMA.
(JUNE 24TH, TO JULY IST, 1863.)
BY general order from the War Department, January 9th, 1863, the National Army lying at Murfreesboro was divided into three Army Corps-the Fourteenth, Twentieth and the Twenty-first. These generally corresponded to the divisions under the titles of Centre, Right and Left wings. Major- General W. S. Rosecrans commanded the Army.
The Fourteenth Corps, in command of Major-General Geo. H. Thomas, was divided into four Divisions; the First was commanded by Major-General Lovell H. Rousseau; the Second by Major-General James S. Negley; the Third by Brigadier-General John M. Brannan; and the Fourth by Major-Gen. Joseph J. Reynolds.
The Twentieth Corps was under the command of Major- Gen. Alexander McD. McCook. This Army Corps was divided into three Divisions, commanded respectively in the order named by Brig .- Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, Brig .- Gen. Richard R. Johnson, and Major .- Gen. Philip H. Sheridan.
The Twenty-first Corps was under the command of Major- Gen. Thomas L. Crittenden. Brig .- Gen. Thomas J. Wood, Major-Gen. John M. Palmer, and Brig .- Gen. Horatio P. Van Cleve commanded the three Divisions into which the Corps was divided in the order named.
June 8th, 1863, the Reserve Corps of the Army of the Cumberland was organized. Major-Gen. Gordon Granger was placed in command of it. This Corps was divided into three Divisions, which were commanded respectively by
(92)
93
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
Brig .- Gens. Absalom Baird, James D. Morgan and Robert S. Granger.
The Cavalry Corps was under the command of Major Gen. David S. Stanley. The Corps was divided into two Divisions, commanded by Brig. Generals Robert B. Mitchell and John B. Turchin.
The Confederate Army under General Braxton Bragg, lying in and around Shelbyville, was divided into two Corps d' Armeé; Lieutenant Generals Leonidas Polk commanded the one, and William J. Hardee the other. Polk's Corps was encamped at Shelbyville, and Hardee's was holding Hoover's, Bell Buckle and Liberty Gaps, with his headquarters at Wartrace.
The Confederate Cavalry of Bragg's Army was under Gen- erals Joseph Wheeler and Nathan B. Forrest, which stretched from McMinnville to Columbia. The effective strength of the army under Bragg was estimated at 43,000. The army of Rosecrans, at the beginning of its advance against Bragg, numbered about 65,000 effective men.
The Confederates had possession of all the resources of the fertile Duck River Valley by an extension of their Cavalry force on their right and left from McMinnville to Columbia. Their Infantry occupied a very strong position just north of the Duck River, among the long, rugged, rocky, irregular hills and ridges in which Bedford and Coffee counties in Tenn- essee abound, which divide the "Barrens " from the lower level of Middle Tennessee. These ridges and hills were in- terrupted at intervals by the above named Gaps occupied by the Confederates, and through which the National Army must pass to move upon Bragg. The Confederates also built intrenchments about Shelbyville, which they occupied, with the hope that when Rosecrans did advance, lie would give them battle as they lay behind these works. Chattanooga was the principal base of supplies, and Tullahoma was the depot for Bragg's Army.
The authorities at the seat of Government in Washington,
94
History of the Seventy-fifth Regiment
D. C., were urging Rosecrans to begin an aggressive cam- paign against Bragg. Although parts of his Army, at differ- ent times, were sent out in various directions on reconnoiter- ing expeditions, yet the country was anxiously waiting for a general movement against Bragg. But Rosecrans had to amass his army, mount his Cavalry, and get everything in first class order, before he could advance. It required a superior army in every way to defeat Bragg. Rosecrans could not advance except through the passes, between the high hills which Bragg's army held. The by-roads between McMinnville and Manchester, if he undertook to advance in that direction, were not in a condition for the movement of a vast army.
When everything was in readiness, the National army under Rosecrans began the Tullahoma or the Middle Tenne- see campaign on the 24th of June, 1863. The advance of the army from Murfreesboro, upon this short but successful and highly important campaign against the Confederates under Bragg, was initiated in the following way: Bragg's forces were intrenched at Shelbyville, but Rosecrans deter- mined to render their intrenchments useless by endeavoring to turn their right flank, and moving to their rear upon the railroad bridge on Elk River. This movement, however, could not liave been accomplished except by making Bragg believe that Rosecrans would advance by the Shelbyville route. Rosecrans had to keep this impression upon Bragg's mind until a large part of his army could reach Manchester, whichi could be done only by passing through Hoover's Gap, and Matt's Hollow, a narrow way between high hills five miles long. The gorge was so narrow that one army wagon could scarcely pass another.
To accomplish this feat of arms, Rosecrans, on the day be- fore the general movement of the army, ordered Mitchell's Cavalry to make a furious attack upon the Confederate out- posts south-west of Murfreesboro, along the Eagleville and Shelbyville pike, and drive them rapidly to their main line.
95
of Indiana Infantry Volunteers.
On the same day, tlie Reserve Corps, under Gen. Gordon Granger, and the Third Division, Fourteenth Corps, under Gen. Brannan, were ordered to Salem. Palmer's Division and a Brigade of Cavalry pushed out rapidly eastward on the Readyville pike to the vicinity of Bradyville, seizing a defile in the hills leading to Manchester. The balance of the National army was ordered to be in readiness to march at a moment's warning with 12 days' rations.
This ruse had its desired effect upon Bragg. He ordered Buckner's Corps from East Tennessee to reinforce liim at Shelbyville. He prepared himself behind his intrench- inents to receive Rosecrans. Rosecrans, however, had no intention of fighting Bragg on grounds of the latter's selec- tion. He simply wanted to compel Bragg to fight him on grounds which he himself would select, or to compel him to retreat, which he (Bragg) did, as the result of the campaign shows.
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.