USA > Indiana > History of the Sixth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry. Of both the three months' and three years' services.. > Part 10
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At noon Bragg, on consultation with his gen- erals, decided to retreat, leaving the field in pos- session of his opponent. About midnight of the 2d, after Breckinridge's failure, Cleburne and Withers had sent a communication to Bragg, stating that there were but three brigades that were at all reliable, and even some of these were
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
more or less demoralized. They expressed their fears of great disaster, which should be avoided by retreat. Polk told Bragg that "after seeing the effect of the operations of to-day, added to that produced upon the troops by the battle of the 31st, I very greatly fear the consequences of an- other engagement at this place on the ensuing day. And," he continued, "we could now, per- haps, get off with some safety, and with some credit, if the affair was well managed. Should we fail in the meditated attack, the consequences might be very disastrous." Bragg saw very plainly that his generals were already whipped, and that to risk another engagement would be certain destruction to his army, so about midnight of the 3d he put his whole army under full retreat to a position behind Duck River.
Sunday, January 4, 1863, was spent by our boys in burying the dead of both armies.
The retreat of Bragg was rapid and complete. and only a feeble effort was made to follow him. He left, in his hospitals at Murfreesboro, all his sick and wounded. By this some 2,500 prisoners fell into our hands to be cared for. Thus, after seven days' battle, the Army of the Cumberland rested in Murfreesboro, having achieved the object of the winter campaign.
The final battle for Kentucky had been fought by Bragg and lost. Nashville, too, was now beyond his hopes, and for the great vietory of the 31st, which he claimed, Bragg had but little to show.
189
RESULTS OF THE BATTLE, ETC.
In the heavy skirmishing, prior to the 31st, success attended every movement of the Union army. The heavy fighting of the early part of the 31st was all in Bragg's favor up to the time his advance was checked by our center and the new line on the right. From that time to the occupation of Mur- freesboro, every movement resulted in favor of the army under Rosecrans, and the retreat of Bragg, after the defeat of Breekinridge, gave the halo of victory to our army as the result of the campaign. In his retreat Bragg admitted that he had gained nothing but a victory barren of results, at a cost to him of 10.125 killed, wounded and missing, 9,000 of whom were killed and wounded-over twenty per cent. of his command. Bragg's field return of December 10, 1862, shows an effective total of 51,036, composed of 39,304 infantry, 10,070 cavalry, and 1,662 artillery. This included the forces of Morgan and Forest. who were at this time absent raiding through Kentucky. These commands numbered 5,638. This taken from Bragg's total leaves 46,604, which was the strength of the army with which Bragg fought the battle of Stone River. General Rosecrans force on the battle-field was: Infantry, 37,977 ; artillery, 2,223 ; cavalry, 3,200: total, 43,400-just 3,204 less than Bragg's army contained. The loss in the Union army was: Killed, 1,553; wounded, 7,245; and the rebels captured 2,800 men. This makes a total loss to the Union army of 11,598, or about
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
one-fourth of our entire army in the fight. Rose- crans lost twenty-eight pieces of artillery and a large portion of his wagon train. Bragg lost only three pieces of artillery.
The record shows no officers of the Sixth In- diana killed or wounded in the battle at Murfrees- boro, while the killed, wounded and captured in the regiment during this battle are as follows :
COMPANY "A."
George A. Benafield, killed December 31, 1862. Dow Conway, killed December 31, 1862.
William T. Ellis, killed December 31, 1862.
James Stevenson, wounded and died February 5, 1863.
COMPANY "B."
Seeley Jayne, killed December 31, 1862. William Jolly, killed December 31. 1862.
Jas. S. Kitts, wounded and discharged Novem- ber 4. 1863.
Jas. T. Shewmaker, killed December 31, 1862.
Benjamin F. Simpson, killed December 31. 1862.
COMPANY "C."
Enos Clark, killed December 31, 1862.
Jas. W. Dunlap, wounded and discharged June 9, 1863.
Robert C. Guy, wounded and discharged April 17, 1863.
Ira Roberts, killed December 31. 1862.
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THE SIXTH INDIANA AND HER LOSSES.
David B. Simonton, wounded and died January, 1863.
Samuel S. Stull, killed December 31, 1862.
COMPANY " D."
William Conway, captured and died in prison, February 25, 1863.
Jonathan Eades, wounded and discharged Oeto- ber 27, 1863.
Casper W. Land. wounded and discharged JJuly 27, 1863.
William Wallace, wounded and discharged Sep- tember 22, 1864.
John W. Long. wounded and discharged Feb- ruary 1, 1865.
COMPANY " E."
Lost none killed, wounded or captured.
COMPANY " F."
Elijah C. Bailey, wounded and died January 16, 1863.
COMPANY " G."
Alexander Bradford, wounded and died Febru- ary 16, 1863.
James Keay, killed December 31, 1862.
Gideon Powell, wounded and transferred to 68th Regiment.
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
COMPANY " H."
Robert Chillis, wounded and discharged April 27, 1863.
James II. Earl, killed December 31, 1862.
James F. Fish, wounded and transferred, V. R. C., November 29, 1863.
John W. Sharp, killed December 31. 1862.
Adolph Cotton, wounded and discharged March 19, 1863.
COMPANY " I."
Lost none killed, wounded or captured.
COMPANY " K."
John Breese, wounded slightly.
James R. Castner, wounded severely.
John W. Hyatt, killed December 31, 1862.
John F. Harrell, killed December 31. 1862.
Lemon W. Jackson, wounded and died February 13, 1863.
Edward McVey, killed December 31, 1862.
Here we have a loss to the regiment of sixteen killed, seventeen wounded, and one captured- making a total loss of thirty-four men-and a fur- ther examination will show that all this was done on December 31st, and in the short time of fifteen or twenty minutes. The Sixth boys will remem- ber that our brigade was on duty back at General
193
BRAVE AND DARING BALDWIN AND TRIPP.
R. W. Johnson's headquarters, which was nearly a mile and a half in the rear of the balance of our division.
They will also remember that stragglers coming pell well to the rear was the first intimation we had of the terrible disaster to our right. It was by the most rapid and quick work, as well as the splendid military ability of our brave and daring Baldwin and Tripp, that we got in line and was ready to meet the victorious foe, who were sweep- ing on through the cedar wood, apparently with- out any opposition, after our retreating and shattered ranks. How we rained the leaden hail into their dense columns as they approached us. which made them waver, and finally checked them, and would have sent them to the rear again but for the fact that they overlapped our right, which was entirely unprotected, and with many times our number. And, heavens! how we got to the rear when we started, and it was well that we started when we did, as a ten minutes' longer stay would have given many of us a trip down South for the winter, and, perhaps, for all time to come, as we may have met the fate of poor William Conway, who was captured, and died in prison the following February.
The soldierly bearing, and cool, deliberate con- duet of Colonel P. P. Baldwin, in handling his brigade on this occasion should have won for him the title of "General," as he certainly deserved promotion, and no more so than our own dear
13
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
Colonel H. Tripp, whose bravery and courage on that day stamped him as a hero and commander well worthy the place he occupied, and capable of a much higher position. In fact, both officers and men of the old Sixth acquitted themselves nobly in this engagement. But, strange as it may seem, some laughable things happen on these quite serious occasions, and some of the boys to this day laugh heartily over a little affair that took place when we were falling back that day. The Captain - of Company -, of our regiment, complained of being quite lame from rheumatism, so much so that he could scarcely get along even with the as- sistance of a large cane which he had carried all day. In the scramble for life or death when we started for the rear, it was, for a few minutes, " every fellow for himself." and our rheumatic Captain had been lost sight of for the time being. But just as we were getting out of the woods, and had struck the edge of a large field directly in our front, one of his boys was heard to call out: "My God! look yonder at Captain -, going across the field, he is just touching the high places."
It is not entirely the object of such a work as this to give the whole movement of the entire army, nor a full and complete description of a battle of such gigantic proportions as the one fought here at Murfreesboro. Still, I think I have been sufficiently minute to give the reader a toler- ably idea of the battle, as well as the part taken in it by our regiment. Nearly all the fighting
195
WE MOVE INTO MURFREESBORO.
done after the first day, that is after December 31. was done by Crittenden's Corps, which was hardly considered in the fight at all on the 31st. This of course kept our division on the reserve, and, in fact, out of any other hot engagements for the bal- ance of the fight.
The cavalry, as well as some other small detach- ments, had preceded him, but on the 5th General Thomas, with his whole command, marched into Murfreesboro and went into camp on the Man- chester and Shelbyville Road. This was followed by other commands until the whole army went snugly into winter quarters on the exact premises where Bragg had carefully stowed away his army for the winter only a short time before. Our brigade found quarters near Stone River, just a little southwest of Murfreesboro and between the town and river: and now that we are snugly tucked away in winter quarters, we can think back over the very eventful week just past, and indeed it is difficult to determine which to admire the more, the heavy, quick, decided onset of the rebels, as with ranks well closed up, without music, and almost noiselessly, they moved in the gray light of the early December morning, ont of the cedars, across the open fields, hurling the full weight of their advancing columns upon our right with all the dash of Southern troops. sweeping on with rapid stride, and wild vells of triumph, to what appeared to them an easy final victory; or, later in the afternoon, when our troops, that had
196
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
been driven from the field early in the morning, were re-formed under the eve of the commanding General, met and threw back from the point of the bayonet, and from the cannon mouth, the charge after charge of the same victorious troops of the earlier portion of the day. One was like the re- sistless sweep of the whirlwind in its onward course of destruction, the other the grand, sturdy resistance of the rocky coast, which the waves only rush upon to be dashed to pieces. In each of these the two armies displayed their distinctive features to the best, but the cool, deliberate, staying quali- ties of the Union Generals were never shown up to a better advantage than in the battle of Stone River.
CHAPTER XII.
IN MURFREESBORO AND RESTING UP.
Half rations-Potatoes a luxury-Repairing the railroad-The accidental shooting of Lieut. Holcomb-Bragg takes position at Shelbyville and Tullahoma-Our army reorganized-Plans for the Tullahoma campaign -- The forward movement ordered -The Sixth Indiana broke camp June 24-The boys anxious to go-Our beautiful tented city goes down-We march for Liberty Gap-Our position and the part we took-The heroic deeds of the Sixth Indiana-What it takes to make a good soldier-The darkest cloud has a silver lining-Lord save, or we perish-The light begins to dawn-Our army closing in around Tullahoma -- The pressure too great for Bragg-Again he retreats-Tired and weary we go into camp in Tullahoma -A short but brilliant campaign-Western Tennessee cleared of armed rebels-Hood went up to see Thomas-But he left before dinner.
During the first six months of 1863 the military operations of the Army of the Cumberland were of a minor character. The exhaustion attending the severe fighting of the last week of the previous year kept that army in camp for some time, to re- store the losses of arms and material, to reclothe the army, to recruit the strength of the troops, to forward the needed supplies, and to build the necessary works to fortify Murfreesboro as a new base.
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
The repair of the most complete wrecking the Louisville Road ever suffered demanded Rosecrans' attention the first thing after the battle of Stone River. When the army left Nashville on the ad- vance to meet Bragg the supplies in that city were very limited. With the disabling of the road it was impossible at that time to forward sufficient supplies to meet the wants of the command, and for the first few weeks while the army remained at Murfreesboro the troops were on half rations, and many of the articles constituting the "ration " entirely dispensed with, leaving but three or four on the list. The surrounding country for miles was scoured for forage and provisions. Every- thing of that kind was gathered in by raiding parties, not leaving sufficient for the actual necessi- ties of the inhabitants. To such an extent did this go that to the officers with means to purchase such provisions as were to be had potatoes and onions became luxuries. But the railroad was soon repaired and the supplies necessary for the comfort of the army were issued, to the great delight and satisfaction of the boys, and for nearly six months it was "go on pieket" to-day, and "drill" to-morrow, with inspection of arms on Sunday for a change. Many things occurred in the old Sixth during these six months that will be remembered by the boys as long as they remember anything. One was the presentation of a sword to Colonel Baldwin by the officers of the regiment. Another was the accidental shooting of Lieutenant
199
ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING OF LIEUT. HOLCOMB.
Jerome P. Holcomb, of Company G, on the morn- ing of the 12th of May, by a squad of men who had just come off of picket duty and was ordered to go to a certain spot near the river and fire off their guns in a brushy thicket, just at a time when Lientenant Holcomb was passing on the opposite side. He received the full force of a ball in a vital part of the body and lived only a few hours. Lieutenant Holcomb was buried with the honors of war in the military cemetery near Murfreesboro.
On Bragg's retreating from Murfreesboro he took position with a portion of his army and es- tablished his headquarters at Shelbyville. He then ordered part of his command to move to Tulla- homa and there entrench, throwing up extensive earthworks and fortifications. Later he placed his troops in winter quarters.
Some important events took place during the first six months of 1863 that had a bearing on the fortunes of the Army of the Cumberland. On January 9, in recognition of the services of that army, by General Order No. 9 of War Department. that command was reorganized and the center. right and left were constituted the army corps designated as the Fourteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-first Corps, under the same old command- ers, while to General Rosecrans was committed the care and control of the entire army as com- mander-in-chief.
During the early part of June General Rose- eraus commenced placing his troops in position
200
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
preparatory to a general advance. He organized a reserve corps from the various smaller com- mands ordered up from the rear and placed it under the command of General R. S. Granger, and about the 23d of June Rosecrans, having made all necessary arrangements for his command according to his plans, and learning of the favor- able prospects at Vicksburg and of the movement of the force under Burnside into East Tennessee to take and hold Knoxville, issued the necessary orders for the advance of his army on that of the enemy.
THE ADVANCE ON TULLAHOMA.
In June, 1863, General Bragg's army was occu- pying a strong position north of Duck River. His infantry front extended from Shelbyville to War- trace, and his cavalry rested at MeMinnville on his right, and Spring Hill and Columbia on his left. General Polk's corps was at Shelbyville, having a redan line covered with abatis in front. A detachment from it was thrown forward to Guy's Gap. General Hardee's corps held Hoo- ver's, Liberty and Bellbuckle Gaps. Chatta- nooga was the base, and Tullahoma was the chief depot of supplies.
General Rosecrans determined to concentrate the corps of Generals Thomas, McCook and Crit- tenden on the enemy's right, covering this move- ment by a feint upon his left, with General Gran- ger's corps and the main portion of his cavalry.
201
PLANS FOR THE TULLAHOMA CAMPAIGN.
The execution of this plan was commenced on the 230 of June by the advance of Granger's corps. The enemy's position was well chosen for either defense or retreat. He had in his front a range of hills, rough and rocky, through whose depressions, called gaps, the main roads to the south passed. These gaps were held by strong detachments. with heavy columns within supporting distance. Such was the strength of the position at Shelby- ville that General Rosecrans anticipated stubborn resistance should he attack it, and in the event of success in assaults, the enemy could cover his re- treat. having a route to his rear easily defended. He therefore proposed to turn General Bragg's right, and, avoiding his entrenchments at Shelby- ville altogether, provoke a battle on ground of his own selection. or force him to retreat on a disad- vantageons line.
This purpose involved the necessity of forcing the advanced forces from the gaps from the left to the right of the main position. The movement of troops to Trinne had been made to create the be- lief that a direct attack would be made upon Shelbyville, and now, in the actual advance of his army, Rosecrans endeavored to keep up this im- pression. For this object, General Mitchell, com- manding the first cavalry division, moved forward from Triune, and drove back the enemy's cavalry upon his infantry line. General Rosecrans also demonstrated with his cavalry from his left. and sent an infantry force to Woodbury, that the
202
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
enemy might regard these movements as a feint to divert attention from the direct attack upon Shelbyville. The same day, June 23, General Granger's corps moved from Triune to Salem. The next day the whole army was in motion. The 24th day of June, 1863, will be remembered by the members of the old Sixth Regiment as long as there is one of them left to tell the tale.
The orders to "strike tents and be ready to march at a moment's notice," was received early in the morning. This meant business and we were well aware of it ; such orders were not unexpected ; we knew they would come and were anxious to receive them.
We had laid around in camp for the past six months and were tired to death "doing nothing;" we were simply rusting our lives away, to what seemed to us, no purpose. Rations of course had got plentiful, and inactivity had produced scurvy, indigestion and gout. No wonder, indeed, that the orders to "strike tents" were received with universal joy throughout the Army of the Cum- berland ; and in less than two hours from the re- ceipt of these orders, our beautiful " Tented City" looked like a cyclone had struck it. The great white tents had been torn down, folded up and were ready to be loaded into the transportation wagons. Each soldier had his knapsack packed and ready to strap on his back at a moment's warn- ing. His haversack was full to the brim, while
203
WAITING FOR THE ORDER TO "FALL IN."
his cartridge-box contained forty rounds of am- munition. Thus prepared the boys were waiting patiently for the orders to " fall in, " and I am not sure that the thoughts of some did not linger around the old camp scenes, and " heave a sigh" at having to bid farewell forever, to the dear old camp we had taken so much pains to beautify, for our camp, as well as our streets, were laid out with as much precision, as though a Government en- gineer had done the work; the streets were all nicely graded and rounded up in the center. They were policed and not only kept clean of any offal from the tents, but swept as clean as a parlor floor every morning; in fact, the most rigid discipline and cleanliness was observed : situated as our camp was on the banks of the beautiful Stone River, and that too during the most lovely season of the year ; the boys of the old Sixth will long remember the many times we have strolled up and down its clear, rippling waters in search of mussel or clam shells : out of which we used to make finger rings, watch charms, as well as many other ornaments, which we sent to loved ones at home. This day my wife has a finger ring, I made of a shell gath- ered from the gravelly shores of Stone River, and sent her in 1862, or twenty-eight years ago. All these and many more might be mentioned to revive fond recollections of the old camp at Stone River.
The bugle sounded the " fall in" about noon as we fell in line and started on the Tullahoma can- paign.
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
General McCook's Corps advanced toward Lib- erty Gap. He started on the Shelbyville turnpike, but the divisions at different points deflected to Millersburg, where Sheridan's and Davis' divi- sions bivouacked at night, while Johnson advanced to the Gap (the Sixth Regiment was in Johnson's division).
Liberty Gap is a narrow passage between two high ranges of mountains, which if resolutely de- fended by a thousand men, could be held against ten times the number. Our troops moved gal- lantly forward and drove the enemy through, and beyond the Gap, and encamped therein during the night.
During the night the enemy was reinforced, and again offered battle, which we accepted. The fighting the day before was by our division, but on the second day Carlin's brigade was sent to the front. He met with a most stubborn resistance, but finally succeeded in repulsing the enemy and sent them in a hurry up the rugged pass way.
During the conflict at Liberty Gap, General Thomas was pushing the enemy at Hoover's Gap, through which passed the Manchester pike. At the same time the Union forces that went down the railroad toward Shelbyville, which was Bragg's * best fortified point, had made it very clear to Bragg that they, too, meant to do him mischief, and should receive a share of his attention.
While it is not the aim of this little work to give all the movements of the entire army, yet in order
205
DESCRIPTION BY HENRY M. CIST.
to more properly show the part our own regiment took in the matter, I must also show where our brigade and division operated, and what part they took in the campaign, and I can do this no better than to quote from General Henry M. Cist. who says that "Johnson's division was advanced up to Liberty Gap, with the Thirty-ninth Indiana, under Colonel Harrison, thrown forward to skirmish. Harrison developed the enemy in front of the Gap. Willich's brigade was moved forward and drove the skirmishers in the rebel front back upon their main line, placed on the crest of the hills on each side of the entrance to the Gap. Here the enemy was too strongly posted to attack his front. An- other brigade, under Colonel John F. Miller. who had been transferred to Johnson's division, was then brought forward. These two brigades were at once deployed in line, making a front of such length as to envelop both Hanks of the enemy's line, and advancing, these brigades gallantly drove the rebels through the defile, a distance of two miles. After clearing the Gap the troops returned to the north end of it and there bivouacked. On the following day, late in the afternoon, an attack was made on Willich's and Miller's brigades, to drive them out of the north end of the Gap. John- son's failure to hold the southern entrance enabled the enemy again to enter it, and to secure it entirely they made this attack. The engagement opened with a heavy fire on the center of the command,
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HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
the enemy attacking in force. They were hand- somely repulsed. Renewing the attack Hardee then endeavored to secure position on the hills to the right and left so as to command Johnson's flanks with his fire, but each movement was met by Johnson's troops, supported by Carlin's brigade, and every attack was repulsed. Beaten at every point, late in the evening the enemy withdrew en- tirely, taking position at Bellbuckle. The fighting at Liberty Gap was the most severe, so far, of the campaign, and in this attack Johnson's command, including Carlin's brigade, lost two hundred and thirty-one killed and wounded. The enemy's loss was still greater."
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