USA > Indiana > History of the Sixth regiment Indiana volunteer infantry. Of both the three months' and three years' services.. > Part 17
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The march was resumed next morning, and our corps bore to the right in order to give other com- mands room on roads running parallel, and all un- der order to concentrate at Dallas. The country in front of us was hilly and covered with timber. This rough condition of the country afforded John- son an opportunity to select the strongest positions to impede our progress, and he would generally fortify and hold his position until we made an un- successful attempt to force his position and then fall back. This kind of warfare was costing Sher- man ten men to Johnson's one, and if it could be kept up long enough would eventually win, and Sherman knew it, too, and consequently was doing his best to force Johnson to fight. This move- ment to the right and concentration on Dallas caused Johnson to leave his position at Allatoona and throw his army across Sherman's road near Dallas, and he took another position near New Hope.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BATTLE OF NEW HOPE.
We are the screw to a big auger-The desperate charge-We narrowly escape capture-Description of the battle-The losses sustained-Our next move to Kennesaw-The charge upon Kenesaw-Total loss of the Army of the Cumberland in June.
When this was discovered we again thought we would get to try the strength of Johnson's army, and the 25th and 26th was taken up in securing positions for action. An effort to turn the rebel right flank received the personal attention of Gen- erals Sherman and Thomas, in addition to General Howard, who was ordered to furnish the assault- ing column. General T. J. Wood's division of the Fourth Corps was selected to make the assault. This movement was on the 27th, and after a good deal of maneuvering to get in position, about 5 o'clock in the evening Hazen's brigade of Wood's division was placed in the lead and the assault ordered and attempted with great vigor. The reader will please remember that General Hazen is our brigade commander, and a brave, dashing officer he was; not a member of the old Sixth that did not know him personally ; and on this occasion he left his horse in the rear and took it afoot, and all the time we were driving in the skirmishers and their reserves General Hazen was
317
THE DESPERATE CHARGE.
with our regiment on the front line, and continued there until the final charge was ordered, or on up until we came to the edge of the field, over which we charged. Here we left the General behind a tree and dashed down across the field.
This field, as near as I can now estimate it, con- tained about ten acres, with woods all around it. About the center was a deep ravine, running so that we went square across it in reaching the rebel works. It was quite steep down to the ravine, and even more so up to the rebel position, on the opposite side of the field. About one hundred and fifty yards to the left of our regiment, as we went across the field, was Pumpkin Vine Creek, into which the deep ravine we crossed emptied its waters. The space between our left and Pumpkin Vine Creek was occupied by the Twenty-third Kentucky, of our brigade. The left of the Twenty- third rested on the creek. Its bank was a steep bluff, except where the ravine emptied into it. Along the bank of this was a rail fence the length of the field, and the left of the Twenty-third, as it charged across the field, moved right along this fence. On the opposite side of the field was the rebel works, hastily built of the rails of the same fence that enclosed the field. On our right was the Fifth Kentucky, commanded by Colonel Berry. In charging across the field, these three regiments kept abreast of each other until the Fifth Ken- tucky struck the corner of a little woods which run down toward the ravine from the right hand
318
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
further corner of the enclosure. In these woods they stopped, while the Sixth Indiana and Twenty- third Kentucky went on up the hill and captured the rebel works the full length of our two regi- ments. Captain Samuel McKeehan, who was acting Major, and who was the ranking officer over there, made the discovery that we had no support on either flank, and told the writer to go down where Colonel Berry was, in the woods, and tell him to charge up and take the rebel line on his front, or we would be compelled to fall back. I instantly turned to the right and started in a quick run, quartering to the rear, thinking Colonel Berry was about in that direction. I had gone about one hundred feet, which brought me directly in front of the rebels, who still held their line on our right, when one of them fired at me as I run, but I was going a little too fast. . The ball plowed across the small of the back, but not deep enough to cripple ; so, after turning a somersault, and going through some other gymnastic performances, I bounded off down the hill, found the Colonel and delivered my message, and, with all possible speed, made my way back to my post in the reg- iment ; but the first sight, upon my return, was the prostrate form of Major McKeehan lying on his face. I ran to him and lifted his head, when he put up his hand, caught my coat collar and pulled me down, then as well as he could speak (for the poor fellow was shot in the mouth), told me to never mind him, but look after the men.
319
WE NARROWLY ESCAPE CAPTURE.
I laid his head back on the ground and straight- ened up with my face full to the front. The first look discovered a rebel column in good order mov- ing at quick time toward Pumpkin Vine Creek. I thought this meant mischief, and broke at the top of my speed to the left, down the line toward the creek, passing to the top of the bluff beyond the extreme left of the Twenty-third Kentucky. From here I could see no help anywhere; but this rebel column had passed by our left, down the creek, and were just coming into the field at the month of the ravine, and in five minutes more time would have been completely in our rear. I in- stantly gave the command to retreat, and at the same time, with all possible speed, went back up to my own regiment, yelling at the top of my voice all the way up, " Retreat ! Retreat " and as soon as I arrived at my own regiment and company I gave the order. " Retreat square to the rear or we will be captured." It is needless to say that both reg- iments broke in wild disorder for a place of safety. But the amusing part of this performance was to see the rebel commander ride in the midst of the Twenty-third Kentucky boys, and with a very gentle, sweet voice, tell them to halt and form their lines, while his own men, with fixed bayonets, were coming as fast as their legs would carry them. The boys did not halt, all the same. But the curious part was that they were so much excited that they did not notice the rebel Colonel, but made their way into our own line and were saved, except a few
320
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
on the extreme left, near the creek. The old Sixth run the gauntlet with the loss of ten men captured. By the time we reached our line, which was at the fence at the edge of the field, it was so near night that no further demonstrations were made that day. The fellows that came so near getting us, simply fell back into their old line, while our boys fortified, and so we rested for the night, with the field between us.
General Woods' division lost over fourteen hun- dred men killed, wounded and missing. The loss of life in our regiment was terrible, and see how near we come to being captured, which would have about finished our earthly career, as the old boys were about done up anyhow ; not many of them could have survived another year in rebel prison pens, in our already exhausted condition.
Our losses in this engagement were as follows : Officers in
Co. A. Samuel F. McKeehan, killed.
Co. C. First Lieut. William A. Cummings, killed.
Co. D. Captain Andrew F. Conner, killed.
Co. F. Captain Andrew J. Newland, killed.
The loss among the enlisted men of the regiment, May 27, 1864 :
Co. A. Thomas Copeland, wounded. Matthew Hillis, May 23, killed. Edwin D. Jordan, May 21, wounded.
Co. B. John Tillman, killed. Jeptha King, wounded.
John B. Wilson, captured. Jeremiah Cagle, killed.
THE LOSSES SUSTAINED. 321
Co. C. William R. Warren, captured. William L. Dowell, captured. William II. Spicer, captured. John Davenport, captured.
Co. D. Thomas B. Bover, May 26, wounded.
Dominick Barrett, wounded. James W. Perry, killed.
Co. E. Levi Meads, captured.
Co. F. Iverson Paun, killed. Robert Townsend, killed.
Co. G. Finley Bixler, wounded.
Co. H. Charles Neal, wounded. Charles W. Heath, wounded.
Martin R. Cole, wounded.
George Courtney, wounded and captured.
Charles A. Ethrington, killed. Joshua W. Griffith, killed.
Enoch Hinman, captured.
Joseph M. Pearce, wounded.
Thomas C. Sharp, wounded. Joseph H. Scoopmire, wounded.
Co. I. William Martin, wounded. Henry Bromley, killed. John M. Denton, captured. John II. Ross, captured.
Co. K. Joshua Chitwood, wounded. William Jackson, killed. Jessee N. Kersey, killed. Thomas W. Lewis, wounded. William K. Wiley, wounded and captured. The above record shows a loss to the regiment
21
322
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
since we left Resaca of + officers and 37 enlisted men, a total of 41. Our last total was 474, less 41, leaves 433.
And, still, the end is not yet. And once more I must call the attention of my comrades of the Sixth to the fact of our being again placed in the front of the battle, and in the most dangerous place occupied by any regiment during the battle, except, perhaps, the Twenty-third Kentucky, which was just as dangerous as our own position, but no more so. I regard the charge down across this field, and the critical position we occupied after we captured the rebel line the most dangerous position on the whole line.
During the month of May the Army of the Cumberland lost about 9,000 men ; 66 officers, and 1,090 enlisted men were killed; 301 officers, and 6,451 enlisted men were wounded; 8 officers, and 858 men were missing. This alarming loss can be more fully appreciated if we will, but for a mo- ment, reflect upon the loss in our own regiment, and then remember the great number of regiments it must take to make the great army under Sher- man.
The day after the battle at New Hope we lay simply watching the enemy, while others were on the front. We moved slowly toward the east a few miles nearly every day, and was a full month getting from New Hope to Kenesaw, a distance of not over twenty miles. Twenty-one days of June it rained very hard and flushed all the little
323
THE CHARGE UPON KENESAW.
streams in the country, which no doubt hindered our forward movement considerably. I can re- member no particular mishaps that befell the Sixth Indiana during this long, tedious movement to the left. We lay for several days in camp near Kene- saw, and when the charge was made upon the rebel stronghold there, I thought sure the old Sixth would be again placed in the front line, but I am happy to say that on this occasion we acted only as a reserve, and did not get into the conflict there on the 27th of June, and we are thankful for it.
Our regiment was on the skirmish line several times while on our trip across to Kenesaw, and a few unfortunate comrades are here reported :
John W. Long, of Company D, was wounded on the skirmish line, June 18, 1864, while near Ken- esaw Mountain, Ga.
John A. Lloyd, Company F, was killed on the skirmish line, June 18, 1864, near Kenesaw, Ga.
Ansel B. Crippen, Company G. wounded June 22. 1864, near Kenesaw, Ga., on skirmish line.
John W. Newkirk, Company H, killed JJune 18. 1864, on skirmish line, near Kenesaw, Ga.
John Tooker. Company K. killed June 18, 1864, near Kenesaw, on skirmish line.
Here we are called upon to make another de- duction from our already reduced number of 433. leaving five less than a few days ago, which leaves us only 428, or an average of about 40 men to the company, and about two-fifths of our original number.
324
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
During the month of June the Army. of the Cumberland lost 5,747 men. Sixty-seven officers killed, 259 wounded and 8 missing; 873 enlisted men killed, 4,300 wounded and 40 missing.
CHAPTER XX.
THE MOVE FROM KENESAW.
We cross the Chattahoochee-Johnson takes position behind Peachtree Creek-We move on to Buckhead-The Sixth Indi- ana takes the skirmish line-We cross Peachtree on logs and driftwood-A new rebel leader-Who tries to draw us on- His desperate charges-His final repulse-The enemy driven within the city limits-Sherman drawing his lines around the city of Atlanta-The Fourth Corps withdrawn from the front -Our term of service expires, we leave the front-We start for home, August 26, 1864.
On July 1st, General Sherman gave orders for the movement of his armies to the right, to turn the position he had failed to carry by assault. On the 2d. General MePherson moved his army, and on the night following, General Johnson withdrew his army, and when morning dawned, was far on his way to other entrenchments.
Early on the morning of July 3d, General Sherman entered Marietta, sending his different armies out on the various roads in pursuit of the retreating rebel army, which, however, did not act like it was very badly seared, as it was found only five miles below Marietta, strongly entrenched and prepared to hold us at bay, long enough, any- how, to allow them to safely cross the Chatta- hoochee River. The strongly entrenched position beyond the river held by the enemy, made it not
326
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
advisable to try to force a passage in his immediate front, and consequently Sherman moved a part of his forces up the river to Roswell, a little town on the Chattahoochee, northeast of Marietta, and our regiment was among these forces.
We left our camp, near Kenesaw, on the 3d of July, moved through Marietta and on toward the river, but bearing to the left in the direction of Roswell. Our division struck the Chattahoochee River at Powers' Ferry, which is about fifteen miles above the railroad bridge. The old Sixth Regiment did not cross the river until about the 7th of July, but en nearing the ferry we had a severe skirmish and succeeded in driving them away so as to allow a part of our division to cross the river and put out pickets. While we lay here on the banks of the river for two or three days, other portions of our army were pressing the enemy for possession of other ferries, both above and below us. General Schofield had captured the ferry below us, and eight miles above the rail- road bridge, which was strongly guarded by Gen- eral Hardee.
Our boys will remember of hearing the roar of artillery down the river, while General Garrard was sent up the river to capture and hold the ford at Roswell, which he did, destroying some fac- tories that for some reason had displayed the French flag. By the 9th at least three good ferries had been secured by our troops, and Sherman was rapidly throwing his army across the Chattahoo-
THE SIXTH INDIANA TAKES THE SKIRMISH LINE. 327
chee. This caused Johnson to again fall back, this time taking position behind Peach Tree Creek. Afterour division crossed the river, we passed down on the east side as far as Price's Ferry, driving the enemy by a heavy skirmish line all the way down. When we arrived at the Ferry, we held it while Hooker's Corps came up and crossed. Hooker's troops relieved us, and we at once joined our corps and moved to Buckhead. On the night of the 17th our corps rested on Nancy's Creek, a tributary of Peach Tree Creek.
The movement of the army had been delayed that it might have time to recruit and rest up, but by the 17th Sherman resumed his forward move- ment.
Our corps now lay at Buckhead, a small town some ten or twelve miles from the river, and in the direction of Atlanta, but moved up and helped to form one continuons line of battle, with our faces all turned toward Atlanta. On we moved, slowly and cautionsly, watching every step, meeting only a strong skirmish line of the enemy both on the 18th and 19th, but on Tuesday, July 19, we struck the enemy strongly posted on Peach Tree Creek. among the hills and bluffs, awaiting our approach.
On the morning of the 20th our division was placed on the front line, with the Sixth Indiana 'on the skirmish line, when we undertook to cross the creek, which we did on drift-wood and logs. The skirmishing was severe and our crossing hotly contested, but the Sixth drove the rebel
. 328
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
picket back on their reserve and then back to their main line. In the meanwhile the whole army crossed over, paying but little attention to the creek, and formed the line again.
But just at this time it was discovered that a gap existed between Thomas and Schofield, some distance to our left, and we were immediataly re- lieved from the front, and our division and Stan- ley's, of our corps, were sent on quick time to fill this gap, and it was a lucky move for the old Sixth, for just in front of where we left the line the enemy was lying en masse, just ready to spring upon us. They lay quiet, showing but little signs of resistance, until near 4 o'clock in the evening ; then called in their picket lines like they were again going to retreat, but all at once they were seen coming in line of battle and without skir- mishers. With a yell and a rush they made for the other division of our corps, which was Newton's. It was a surprise indeed, as our boys thought they were leaving the field again. But our boys were fortunate in having a temporary rail breastwork to fall behind. Our men were soon rallied, and held the enemy in check. The order was given to meet the charge with counter-charge, and for a while the two columns were mingling in battle, but the enemy was finally driven back. The bat- tle raged until about 9 o'clock before the enemy gave way, but being repulsed in every attack, they fell back to their intrenchments, leaving many of their dead and wounded on the field, and with the
329
A NEW REBEL LEADER.
loss of over 1,000 prisoners. This was Hood's first appearance on the field after he took com- mand on the 17th, when Johnson was relieved as the leader of the rebel army. The rebel com- mander, Johnson, was by far the best General of the two, but the eccentric southern fiery chivalry would not stand this idea of being chased all over the country, and they were going to show the Yankee invaders that this business was going to be stopped, so Johnson was relieved and Hood placed in command. Hood was going to do us up in short order, so he doubled his army up in the shape of a great battering ram, and here he come, but his experience was that of the ram that was tied to the gate-post. Hood took two butts at us and one at Thomas at Nashville, but this last butt cured him from butting, as he never tried it again.
On the 22d Hood withdrew from his main line of fortifications, about a mile and a half nearer Atlanta. This induced Sherman to think that the enemy did not longer intend to defend the city, but in this Sherman was mistaken. Hood was only drawing us on for the second assault, which was made in a desperate manner. Charge after charge was made upon our lines from right to left. and in a manner worthy of a better cause. These charges all met with the same result-a most erushing repulse-and, too, at a most terrible cost of life on the part of the rebels.
Fortunately, the old Sixth Indiana did not hap- pen to be on the front line in any of these deadly
330
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
engagements, as our trip around to the left did not only save us from the first assault, on the evening of the 20th, but placed us in the second line. This was a most fortunate affair for our regiment. for, indeed, we had seen so much hard service that, now that our time for final discharge was so near at hand, it would have been a pity, indeed, for any of the boys to serve this long and then not get home. However, it was not for us to remain on the second line very long, as we were again placed in the front when the lines began to close in around the city on the 23d. Our army now held every railroad running into the city but one (or, perhaps, two) ; that was the Macon Railroad. The West Point Railroad intersects the Macon Railroad at East Point, a town about ten miles south of At- lanta, and as this Macon road was Hood's only source for supplies, of course Sherman made a strike for it. This caused a general move around toward the right, or west and south of the city. About this time General Howard was relieved of the command of the Fourth Corps, and General Stanley placed in command. Our corps still re- mained in its position on the left, but close up to the rebel works, while the "Jonnies " occupied the gopher-holes along our front.
On the 3d of August a general movement to the right was commenced, still leaving our corps in its place, on the left. To attract the attention of rebels from this right flank movement, we were required to make a vigorous demonstration along the line of our front, even throwing shells into the city.
331
SHERMAN'S LINES DRAWN AROUND ATLANTA.
Agust 6th still finds us holding the same line, but about this time Sherman ordered up, from Chattanooga, some heavy rifled guns to batter the city while the great heavy shells were being drop- ped over into the city.
Sherman was gradually extending his lines to the right toward East Point, knowing that to get possession of this place, would cut off the retreat as well as the supplies of Hood, but Sherman made the discovery, that Hood held well fortified lines from Decatur on the Georgia R. R., directly east of Atlanta, all the way around the city in our front and extending to East Point on the Macon R. R., presenting a battle front of about fifteen miles. Hood was holding the inside line and if it was fifteen miles long, how long must Sherman's line be in order to cover Hood's front? Sherman's lines were already as long and light as he dare make them, and this put the "Old Man" to thinking. Sherman knew that Hood's disposition, would force him to do something in a short while, and the Old Man decided to let him " alone" a little while, and in the meanwhile amuse him by throwing a twenty-pound shell into the city, now and then. And sure enough Hood, just as Sher- man supposed he would, committed the blunder of sending all his cavalry some ten thousand strong in Sherman's rear, to strike his communications. As soon as Sherman learned of this move to his rear, he at once set about to use his own cavalry to strike the Macon R. R., in Hood's rear, and Kil-
332
HISTORY OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT.
patrick was ordered to do the work. From the 14th to the 18th, there was continuous fighting on the right, while our own corps was continually mak- ing demonstrations, like we were going to make a dash on the lines in our front any hour in the day. But, Sherman finally become dissatisfied with the success of the cavalry and decided to flank the city; so on the 25th of August our corps, the Fourth, was withdrawn from the front to the high ground in the rear of the Twentieth Corps, to cover the retirement of the latter to the farther side of the Chattahoochee to hold the railroad bridge, and to guard the material there. accumu- lated. The morning of the 26th found us resting quietly in camp, with orders to prepare to march at once, and the Fourth Corps did march away to the right as far as Mount Gilead church, but this marching order was not obeyed by the old Sixth Indiana, not that she was afraid to go, or disposed to be disobedient, or any thing of that kind. But the old Sixth had orders to go in a different direc- tion. She was notified that her term of enlist- ment had expired, and was ordered to cease firing ; and to turn her face homeward, and to report to Indianapolis for final discharge. Glorious News! How the hearts leaped for joy! A great lump come up in the throat, making us too full for utter- ance. While, "the eye, in spite of all that we could do" grew moist with tears of joy. Home, Home, Sweet Home; Father, Mother, Wife and Babies ; these words and thoughts alone filled the
333
EXPIRATION OF TERM OF SERVICE.
mind of the few of us who were left, and for the first time in our history we turn our back upon the enemy, and strike out for Home. What strange feelings came over us, as we widen the space between us and the front. The rattle of the musketry grows weaker by every step, until ti- nally lost to the ear entirely ; the roar of the artil- lery toward Jonesboro can still be heard, but grad- ually it too dies away, into a faint rumble like distant thunder and it too is soon lost to our hear- ing. War to us is a thing of the past, our warfare is over.
The reader may imagine, but the writer can not describe the feelings of the few veterans composing the remnant of our once splendid regiment. Three years ago, young, strong and full of life and vigor, we bid our friends good-by and started to the front to help maintain the honor of the nation, and pro- teet the flag of our country. And now. after chasing the enemy thousands of miles through the mud and slush in winter, and the broiling hot sun and heat of summer, and engaged them in battle at Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, New Hope, and Kenesaw, besides hundreds of mi- nor engagements, in every one of which the enemy was made to fly for his life, except one, that of Chickamauga. And, now, finally, when we have him completely surrounded in the very heart of his own country, and we are still found at our post and ready to strike the final blow, we are told to
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