USA > Indiana > New history of the 99th Indiana Infantry : containing official reports, anecdotes, incidents, biographies and complete rolls > Part 8
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Battle of Ezra Chapel.
LIEUTENANT GEORGE S. WALKER, COMPANY F. 1862.
Born September 30, 1832, on Little Mountain, Hardy county, Virginia. His father brought him to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, when he was 3 years of age, and dying soon after, the boy was reared by an uncle, Smith Marques, of whom he says: "He was the best man I ever knew." George became a farmer and married in 1853. Located near the Battle Ground, Indiana, where he was when he enlisted in August, 1862, and was elected and commissioned 2d lieutenant of Company F. Was in all the campaigns of the regi- ment until the battle of Atlanta, July 22d, where he was severely wounded in the hand, and being taken with the fever soon after, he was unable to rejoin his regiment until after the "march to the sea," and was honorably discharged by the war department, Feb- ruary 4, 1865. After the war, lived fourteen years in Illinois, and says: "I made money and lost it by going security for friends." In 1880 went to Cherokee Nation and engaged in the cattle business for sixteen years. Now resides on a farm near Moran, Kansas. The changes of Comrade Walker are marked by three pictures. The one on this page in 1862 at 30 years, the one on page 107 in 1880 at 48 years, and the one on page 19 in 1900, aged 68 years.
112 New History of the Ninety-Ninth Indiana Infantry.
General William Harrow, in command of the Fourth Division says: "As we were advancing in line of battle about 11 a. m., the enemy's skirmishers began to dispute our progress, everything indicating the enemy to be near. Our lines were rapidly formed along a wooded crest facing nearly south, the First Brigade on the right, the Third on the left, and the Second in reserve. The line was not entirely formed before the enemy at- tacked in large force and with great desperation. After a brief struggle their first line gave way. A second was moved forward, but after a severe struggle met a like fate. The woods in our front afforded the enemy an opportunity of reforming his broken lines unper- ceived. The assault upon my lines was repeated six times between 12 m. and 5 p. m., and in every instance were met and repulsed with great slaughter, until finally sundown greeted us as the victors upon the most stub- bornly contested and bloodiest battlefield of the cam- paign. The battle was fought by the Fifteenth Corps against four times their numbers, with the advantage of works on either side.
"If the soldiers of the Fifteenth Corps had no other claim to consideration than their efforts on that day, it would be enough to entitle them to the lasting gratitude · of their country."-War Records, Vol. 38, page 281.
Major-General H. E. Clayton, commanding a division of the Confederate forces, in his report of the battle says: "Early on the morning of the 28th of July this division was ordered to move from its position in the trenches on the northeast of Atlanta, through the city to the west. Here it was halted until near the middle of the day; when having been preceded by Brown's Divi- sion, it moved out on the Lick Skillet road about a mile and went into line of battle on the right of the road facing to the north. I had placed Gibson's Brigade on the left and was superintending the formation of Holtz- claw's Brigade on the right, having directed General Baker to form his brigade in rear as a reserve, when I learned that without the knowledge of General Gibson
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Battle of Ezra Chapel.
ALFRED A. REAM, COMPANY I. 1862.
A sketch of Comrade Ream will be found on page 55. This pic- ture shows him as he was ready to start to war. In addition to his regulation outfit he was presented by the boys and girls, with re- volvers, bowie knife, blacking brushes, needle box, writing paper, pens, pencils, pipe and tobacco, a bible, deck of cards, hose, shirts, handkerchiefs, etc. In the picture he looks like a walking arsenal, but in six months he got rid of most of them. Revolvers, bowie knives, etc., werc the most useless things a soldier could carry when he had a musket. I do not remember how it was with Comrade Ream, but I remember one comrade of Company C that started with as much in his knapsack as Comrade Ream, but as it was rather shrunken one day on a march, I asked him what he had in it, and he responded: "A navy plug and history of the four kings." A great many soldiers on a march threw their knapsacks in a wagon and made a roll of their blankets and tied them so as to make a collar over one shoulder and under the arm on the other side The picture shows the full armed soldier, that all will recognize as "Sergeant A1. Ream."
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or myself, his brigade had been ordered forward by Lieutenant-Colonel Cunningham, assistant inspector- general of the corps. This brigade soon struck the enemy, whose skirmishers with the line supporting them were promptly driven back on the main line. Moving Holtzclaw's Brigade forward with the instructions to look well to the right, my formation having been from the left on Brown's Division, I hastened to where Gib- son's Brigade was engaged. This brigade had struck the salient in the enemy's works and had suffered se- verely. I was informed by General Gibson that he needed support. The troops on his left had been driven back in confusion. I immediately ordered up Baker's brigade which renewed the attack with spirit, but was in time, driven back with great loss. I then ordered Holtzclaw's brigade to move by the left flank and take a position out of view of the enemy but near their works and covering the ground over which the two other bri- gades had passed, in order to meet an advance on the enemy should one be made. Hastily forming Gibson's and Baker's brigades, both of which had fought with gallantry and lost one-half of their original numbers, in rear; the firing on my left having ceased, I notified Lieu- tenant-General Lee, commanding corps, of my position *
and awaited orders.
* Soon after dark the troops were moved back through the breast-works near the city and on a new position on the left of the army." War Records, Serial 74, page 821.
Thus ended the last great charge of General Hood's forces during that campaign. The brave men of the Confederate army began to see, even the humblest of them, how utterly useless it was to charge upor the works of the Union forces, and when another attempt was made at Jonesboro on the 31st of August, many of the troops refused to do so.
Colonel Bushrod Jones, who commanded Holtzclaw's Brigade August 31st at Jonesboro, says of the attack there: "At the appointed signal for the advance the men and officers generally moved forward with spirit
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Battle of Ezra Chapel.
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ISRAEL MINNIE, COMPANY D. 1898.
and enthusiasm and in very good order. After advanc- ing about 200 yards I met the first line; repulsed with disorder and confusion after a very short contest, and then an open space of about 300 yards intervened between the brigade and the works of the enemy. The line continued to advance with good order and much enthusiasm. Unfortunately, just as the line arrived at the line of railpiles, about forty yards in front of the enemy's line, the line halted without orders and the men sought shelter behind these piles, throwing the line in disorder. I used every effort in my power to reform the line and to urge the men forward to take the works in front, but without effect. I held this advanced position until all the troops within sight of my left had been
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New History of the Ninety-Ninth Indiana Infantry.
repulsed, and until I saw that it was useless to make any more efforts to carry the position, probably about half an hour. I then ordered the brigade to retire in order and reform the line at the first line of works from which we advanced at the beginning of the battle. I regret to say that the conduct of the brigade after halting at the picket line of the enemy was not satisfactory. The men seemed possessed of some great horror of charging breast- works, which no power, persausion or example could dis- pel, yet I must say, that the officers generally did their duty."-War Records, Serial 74, page 835.
The diary of Andrew J. Clayton, of Company D, writ- ten on the ground, gives the view of a private soldier:
Wednesday, July 27th. We left our position on the left at 3 a. m. and started for the right of our line; it rained some through the day, which made bad walking. We got to the right at dark.
Thursday, July 28th. In the morning at daylight our corps commenced swinging around to the right of our lines. We swung in about two miles over the hills and through the hollows and over fences and through thick woods in line of battle and every other way. There was continual skirmishing on as long as we were advancing; about noon we halted and commenced throwing up works; got some temporary works built out of logs and threw up some dirt with tin plates and our hands; we had not worked long until the rebs com- menced advancing on us; they came with strong lines and with ter- rible yells; then came crackings of the Springfield rifles that filled the woods with a victorious echo. The woods were very thick; we gave them a few rounds; then we charged on them and ran them back, and our regiment took forty prisoners. We then fell back to our works and they again came more determined than ever, but we held them at bay. The fight lasted until toward dark; the rebs being beaten very badly; they did not break our line anywhere. Their dead lay over the ground like sheaves over the harvest field; they lost easily ten men to our one. The weather was very warm.
Friday, July 29. We were busy burying the rebels' dead and strengthening our works. It was our corps that did the fighting yesterday. This morning at 3 a. m. the rebs' bugle blew and they left our front and fell back toward the railroad.
The casualties of the regiment in this battle were as follows:
Killed and died of wounds, John Weeks, Co. I; Perry McQuerry, of B; Adam Kious, of F.
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Battle of Ezra Chapel.
ISRAEL MINNIE, COMPANY D. 1862.
Born April 3, 1839, in Montreal, Canada, and came with his parents to Miami county, Indiana, where in 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany D. After the war he returned to that county and October 5, 1867, married Amanda Hall, and lived on a farm near Peru, a man known and respected by all. Spent five years, from 1870 to 1875, in Kansas. He was a great friend of his old comrades and attended nearly every reunion of the regiment, where his good nature and genial ways made him a great favorite. In the summer of 1899, he was passing along the street in Peru when a runaway team came dashing along, threatening to run over a large number of school children just crossing the street; he rushed in, grasped the fright- ened horses and averted the danger, but was himself so injured that he only survived a few days, dying as a hero dies who gives his life to save others. He leaves a wife, but no children. Her address is Peru, Indiana. The above picture shows him as he was during the war, while the one on page 115 shows him as he was when he died.
·
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New History of the Ninety-Ninth Indiana Infantry.
Wounded, Levi A. Boyd and John W. Dumond, of A; Alonzo M. Gibbs and Ferdinand Julius, of B; Thomas Martin, Wm. M. Scott and Wm. D. Kolb, of C; John Johnston and John C. Sarver, of E; James K. Lee, of F; Wm. Selsor, Wm. Staley and Elihu W. Cobel, of G; Lyman Stacy, of I; and Giles S. Thomas, of K. Others were wounded, but the reports are so imperfect that the names and facts will appear in roster.
CHAPTER XVI.
SIEGE OF ATLANTA.
The siege of Atlanta lasted through the month of August and was a time of great trial to the regiment. I have made comments on this elsewhere and give here the diary of Andrew J. Clayton, of Company D, as the best account I can find from the line of the siege:
Saturday, July 30th. In the morning our company went on skirmish; there were a few rebs in our front; the Seventeenth corps advanced in our front and we were relieved.
Sunday, July 31st. Our brigade is on the reserve to- day; the First and Second brigade of our division are on the line; slight skirmishing in front; heavy cannonading to the left; where we are on the battle field is a nasty, dirty place, and we have very poor water; got a letter from sister Jane; it rained hard during the afternoon and it was very disagreeable here for the soldiers.
Monday, August 1st. We are still in the same place; in the morning our skirmish line was advanced and we commenced building another line of works, one-fourth mile in advance.
Tuesday, August 2d. Was detailed in the morning doing work on the fortifications; worked until noon. Our brigade marched up to the next line in the rear of the new works.
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Siege of Atlanta.
JAMES B. DOOLEY, COMPANY H. 1900.
Born in Hendricks county, Indiana, October 1, 1837, and has re- sided there all his life except his three years in the army. Was mar- ried December 18, 1860, and his wife and the three daughters born to them are still living. He lives on a farm of his own of 133 acres six miles northwest of Danville, Indiana. He was a good soldier and could not be anything else than a good citizen, a kind husband and father, and an active christian May he and the wife who "stayed by the stuff" while he was in the army, live long and be useful and happy. Address, Danville, Indiana.
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120 New History of the Ninety-Ninth Indiana Infantry,
Wednesday, August 3d. In the morning our skirm- ishers were advanced; drove the rebs out of their pits; Major Brown, 70th Ohio, was mortally wounded. Our whole regiment went on skirmish lines, some firing all night.
Thursday, August 4th. Still on the skirmish; rain in the forenoon and the sun came out very warm in the afternoon. We made a demonstration all along our division to give the Twenty-third corps a chance to ad- vance; was relieved at 12 o'clock at night.
Friday, August 5th. Heavy skirmishing all along in our front, and our batteries kept up a pretty heavy firing all day; heavy cannonading on our right.
Saturday, August 6th. Heavy skirmishing all day, and in the afternoon our batteries opened all along the line and there was the awfullest roar I ever heard,
Sunday, August 7th. Went on skirmish last night; rained hard until midnight; it is very quiet to-day, owing to its being Sunday, and in the afternoon there was a heavy firing on our right; we were relieved at dark.
Monday, August 8th. There are various rumors in the camp about the enemy's massing their forces on our right. We were ordered to march and take nothing but our guns and cartridge boxes, but the order was counter- manded. I was detailed at dark to take shovels out to the skirmished line for the men to work with.
Tuesday, August 9th. In the morning our division moved out on the skirmish line and made it our line of battle. We are now close to the rebs. Heavy cannon- ading in the evening.
Wednesday, August 10th. We had to keep our heads low down; the rebs are only one hundred yards from us; the rebs have to do the same; at dark our company went on skirmish; we had a line close by the rebs pits. I crawled up within two rods of the rebels' pits. (Louis Manker, Company G, killed.)
Thursday, August 11th. We were relieved from skirmish at day-light. There was slight skirmishing all along the line, as usual. The rebs killed a man in Com-
121
Siege of Atlanta.
ROBERT B. LANK, COMPANY C. 1862.
Was born on May 17, 1838, in Randolph county, Indiana; parents moved to Benton county, Indiana, when he was 4 years of age, where he lived until he enlisted in 1862. He was one of the true men who was unable, on account of a rather weak physical frame, to endure the hardships of the service and was discharged March 10, 1863, on account of disability. After the war he located in War- ren county, Indiana, and engaged in mercantile business for a num- ber of years. He is a good man and an honorable, upright citizen. In 1878 he married Sarah C. Davis, who, with one daughter, now 19 years of age, are still his companions. The daughter is in the de- partment of music at Green Castle, Indiana. His address is Green Castle, Indiana. This picture shows Comrade Lank as he entered the service. The one on page 29 shows him as he is now.
122 New History of the Ninety- Ninth Indiana Infantry.
pany C, and wounded a man in Company B; some can- nonading. Weather warm and some rain. (Augustus Kotka, Company C, killed; Riley Kingen, Company B, and John Brown, Company E, wounded.)
Friday, August 12th. I was detailed for skirmish in the morning; we were within three rods of the rebs' skirmish pits. I had two fair shots at the Johnnies at short range. Heavy cannonading in the evening. (Levi White, of Company E, and Sergeant Noah Cate, of Com- pany I, killed.)
Saturday, August 13th. Everything goes on as usual along onr lines; slight skirmishing and some cannon- ading. It was reported that there were 200 deserters come in. I understand that we are reinforced with 25,000 men, but I don't credit the reports. (Pleasant Stipe, of Company G, killed.)
Sunday, August 14th. More picket firing to-day than usual. John Wesley Hahn was wounded this morning by my side while getting breakfast. Wrote a letter home. Weather warm.
Monday, August 15th. Nothing of importance going on along our front. Skirmishers kept pecking away at each other, and the batteries exchanged shots now and then.
Tuesday, August 16th. Everything goes on about as usual in our front. Still lying very close to the enemy. Constant skirmishing going on. I was detailed at dark for picket or skirmish.
Wednesday, August 17th. Was relieved from skirmish line at daylight; our pickets took in some of the rebs' pickets; lost one man killed, and one wounded. Slight skirmishing and cannonading.
Thursday, August 18th. Joseph Griffet was killed. Everything went on as usual along our front until 4 p. m., and then we made a demonstration, and all of our batteries opened to draw their attention to this place to strike a blow elsewhere. (John Billidew, Company C, captured, and David Stitt, Company I, wounded.)
Friday, August 19th. We are in the same position; nothing of importance going on in our front; we can see
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Siege of Atlanta.
THOMAS HOLLAND, COMPANY B. 1900.
Born June 26, 1824, in Fayette county, Indiana. Served through the war and was mustered out with the regiment. Married Asbrene Curry, October 13, 1870, who died October 13, 1896, leaving him with two children, a daughter and a son. A good christian man, having been a member of the Methodist church since 1842. Has lived in Hancock county since the war; is by occupation a farmer. He is a true friend to his old comrades. Address, Maxwell, Hancock county, Indiana.
124 New History of the Ninety-Ninth Indiana Infantry.
a reb occasionally over on their main line of works; in the afternoon we made another demonstration upon our left, don't hear anything from right. (Henry C. Coffin, of Company H, wounded by one of our shells.)
Saturday, August 20th. I was detailed for picket, went on at daylight; was within four rods of the rebs and they kept shooting occasionally all day; was re- lieved at dark; rained hard and it was very disagree- able in our pits; our batteries fire occasionally and the rebs make a feeble reply.
Sunday, August 21st. Everything goes on as usual along our front; Lieutenant Burnham, Company A, was killed and one man killed in Company G; rained through the day and it was muddy in the pits. (Lieutenant Burnham, of Company A, and Thomas Yelton, of Com- pany G, killed.)
Monday, August 22d. Nothing unusual taking place; skirmishing and cannonading; it is reported that our forces have got the Atlanta & Macon railroad and that they took a lot of prisoners; encouraging news from Vir- ginia was received.
Tuesday, August 23d. We are still strengthening our works; got orders to put another row of stakes in front of our works; this makes three rows; it has now cleared off with the prospects of fine weather; we are still close to the rebs. We lose a man now and then and the rebs do the same.
Wednesday, August 24th. Various rumors in camp; one is that the rebs are evacuating; another is that our division is going to be relieved from the front. L. B. Farrer was wounded in the hand; went on picket at dark. (John Steckelman, of Company A, also wounded.)
Thursday, August 25th. I was relieved from picket at daylight; we got orders to march at dark; the orders were countermanded and we put up our she- bangs again. There was one man killed, Joseph Parker, of Company E, and the skirmish line looked for an at- tack in the morning.
Friday, August 26th. Erastus Ellibee was wounded in the morning on the skirmish line in the jaw; heavy
125
Siege of Atlanta.
RONEY V. JONES, COMPANY K. 1900.
Born in 1841 at Urbana, Ohio. Came to near Logansport, Indi- ana, in 1845. Enlisted in Company K in 1862 and served until the end of the war. Since the war he has lived on a farminear Royal Centre. Was married in 1867 and now has a family of aywife and four children. A good soldier in time of war, he has been a good citizen in time of peace. Address, Royal Centre, Indiana.
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New History of the Ninety- Ninth Indiana Infantry.
skirmishing on our left; we expected to be attacked; our forces are gradually drawing off from the left; at dark, our corps leaving the front, quietly marched all night to the right. (William Wilson, of Company E, and Harri- son J. Nibarger, of Company B, wounded.)
Saturday, August 27th. Still marching on; stopped at 10 a.m. and got a bite to eat; marched on until 2 p.m .; stopped on a high ridge and built some works near the enemy's left; weather very hot.
Sunday, August 28th. Marched on at 8 a. m. in the direction of the Atlanta & Montgomery railroad, very slow; struck the railroad at 3 p. m .; our advance built breastworks. At 10 o'clock at night our regiment went out and destroyed some of the railroad; the country is very broken here. (Isaiah M. Shepherd, of Company H, wounded and died of wounds.)
Monday, August 29th. Lay still all day. The Six- teenth Army corps went out without their knapsacks; destroyed some more railroad; the boys were all very willing to rest; there was very little foraging in that section of the country; weather warm.
Tuesday, August 30th. In the morning at seven o'clock the Army of the Tennessee commenced advancing toward Macon railroad in two columns; our advance commenced skirmishing with them and drove them within a mile of the railroad, where we found them forti- fied; crossed the Flint river.
Wednesday, August 31st. In the morning the rebs woke up and found the Yankees were in force in their front and they thought we were too close on their com- munication and that they would drive us back; they at- tacked us at 2 p. m .; fighting lasted two hours, but the rebs were repulsed with considerable loss; at the same time the rebs attacked us. the Twenty-third and the Fourth Army corps swung in on the left near East Point and took the railroad and destroyed some of it. (Wm. Catt and Ferdinand Julius, of Company B, wounded.)
Thursday, September 1st. We took the rebs' skir- mishers in the morning and the Fourth and Fourteenth
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Siege of Atlanta.
corps commenced advancing down the railroad on the enemy's flank, and we made several demonstrations in their favor; they had considerable fighting to do, but drove the enemy before them and captured some prison- ers and one battery. (John A. Condiff, of Company H, and Jasper Barker, of Company G, wounded.)
Friday, September 2d. Our grand flank movement of the last few days caused the rebs to evacuate Atlanta last night. The railroad being cut, they could not get their ammunition away and they blew up thirty carloads; the rebs left our front last night and we followed them up this morning; passed through Jonesboro.
Monday, September 3d. Yesterday we found the rebs in force four miles south of Jonesboro; we formed in line of battle, the Fourth corps and the Sixteenth and Seventeenth corps on our right, all moved forward to cannonading and found nothing but slight skirmishing to do on our front during the day.
Sunday, September 4th. Nothing of importance took place in our front; some slight skirmishing; our batteries kept banging away. The rebs used no artil- lery. Various rumors in camp about going back to Atlanta; got orders to brighten up our guns.
Monday, September 5th. Slight skirmishing and cannonading going on all day; the rebs didn't reply with artillery; we quietly drew off from front at 2 p. m., fell back to Jonesboro, supposed that our whole army has gone back to the vicinity of Atlanta to take a rest after four months' fighting.
Tuesday, September 6th. We lay in camp all day just outside of the town; our trains all rolled out in the morning toward Atlanta. The rebs have a lot of wounded in town.
Wednesday, September 7th. Our corps marched out in the direction of Atlanta at 7 a. m., our division in the rear: our brigade was rear guard. The rebs have got fight enough so they don't follow us up; we marched eight miles and went into camp for the night: weather cool.
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