Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 2

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 2
USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 2

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Arriving with his command at Warsaw, this young officer found a still greater difficulty to surmount. The Government had failed to provide transportation for his men to Fort Wayne, and the Pennsylvania railroad officials refused to carry them to that point unless they paid their fare. The Captain and his friends offered to guarantee the fare, knowing that the commandant of the district, who was then at Fort Wayne superintending the sending of other troops to the "front, " would furnish the proper transportation as soon as they reached there, but this would not satisfy the railroad conductor, and the latter refused to move his train unless the men were taken off the cars, or their fare paid in money. Capt. Johnson had courage, but no money, and, having explained the circumstances and offered to guarantee the fare, withont avail, taking out his watch and looking the conductor in the eye, made the following forcible little speech: "Mr. Conductor-My men are here on their way to the seat of war; they have been ordered to Fort Wayne, and they are going there to night and on this train; I have offered everything that is fair. Now, I will give yon just five minutes' time in which to make up your mind to take them there without further parley. If you do not conclude to do so in that time, I will put my own men on the engine, take possession of the train, and run it through to Fort Wayne myself."

Before the time expired the conductor capitulated, the gallant captain and his men were taken into camp, and this is also the first capture of a railroad train, prob- ably, that took place during the war. The determination, decision of character and courage thus early evinced by this young officer characterized his whole subsequent conduct during the war, and many times saved his men from various hardships and privations. From Fort Wayne this company was soon moved to Camp Morton, Indianapolis, where the One Hundredth Regiment, of which it formed a part, was duly organized and ordered to Memphis, Tenn., there becoming a part of the grand "Old Fif- teenth Army Corps," commanded by Gen. Sherman, and constituting a part of the army of Gen. Grant, then beginning the movement on Vicksburg. Col. Johnson and his command bore a conspicnous part in all the actions and movements leading up to the capitulation of Vicksburg and the capture of Jackson, the capital of Missis- sippi.

His regiment was ever afterward continued a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps which was originally organized by Gen. Sherman, and with that great commander took part in the campaign to relieve the garrison at Chattanooga, and also accom- panied him in his grand march from Atlanta to the sea. At the battle of Missionary Ridge, his regiment, of which he had previously been made major for gallant con- duct in the field, gained the distinction of being the first to reach the summit when the ridge was stormed. In this brilliant engagement, which was purely a voluntary movement of the whole army of Grant, Maj. Johnson, who had just come into com- mand of his regiment through the disability of his superior, greatly distinguished

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

himself, beiog in the thickest of the fight, having his horse shot from under him, receiving four bullets through his coat, and being slightly wounded by a piece of shell in the right cheek. After pursuing Bragg to Braysville, the regiment with other troops was detached to relieve Burnside at Knoxville, which having been suc- cessfully accomplished they returned, suffering sorely for food and raiment, and took up winter quarters at Scotsboro, Ala. ; but were soon ordered to garrison Bellefonte, Ala.

Here Maj. Johnson thoroughly drilled his regiment, and placed them on an excellent war footing. It had the reputation of being one of the best drilled regi- ments of the Fifteenth Army Corps, being able to execute "on the double quick " any movement laid down in the tactics. When the spring of 1864 arrived, the whole Federal army prepared for an active and aggressive campaign. The rebels were de- fiant; Grant seemed almost the only Federal commander who could win battles; en- listments in the North, owing to the efforts of treasonable organizations and other causes, were slow, and the gloomiest period of the war approached and cast its dark- ness on the land. But the resolute soldiers in the field girded on their armor and prepared to carry the struggles, as the South itself said, " to the last ditch." The One Hundredth Regiment, still a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps, was attached to Gen. McPherson's army of the Tennessee, and with it moved toward Atlanta. It fought at Snake Creek Gap, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek. Chattahoocheeiver, Decatur, Cedar Bluffs, Jonesboro, Lovejoy and Atlanta. At the battle of Resaca, Maj. Johnson, with a heavy skir- mish line, flanked a rebel brigade, which, with a battery, was holding Osterhaus' Division in check, and drove it from its works, receiving great praise from Gen. McPherson, who was present on the field and observed the movement. Gen. Har- row, commanding the division, in his official report of this battle, says: "On the morning of the 13th of May, when near the Calhoun road, the command was formed in order of battle. The First Brigade, Col. Reuben Williams, Twelfth Indiana Vol- unteers, on the left of the first division; the Second Brigade, then Col. Charles C. Wolcott, Forty-sixth Ohio, and the Third Brigade, Col. John M. Oliver, Fifteenth Michigan, in the reserve, and in this order moved upon the enemy, meeting but lit- tle opposition until the open road on the left of the Resacca road was reached. Here the skirmishers under Maj. Johnson, One Hundredth Iodiana Volunteers, were pushed rapidly forward and drove the enemy into his works on the ridge west of Resaca. At this time, Capt. Griffith's First Iowa Battery placed two guns in posi- tion, and under cover from the fire of these guns the skirmishers were again ad- vanced by Maj. Johnson, and drove the enemy from his rifle pita on the road." Col. Albert Heath, commanding the One Hundredth Indiana Volunteers, in his report of the part taken by his regiment in this battle, says: " My officers and men conducted themselves gallantly, but I shall do injustice did I not make special mention of Maj. R. M. Johnson, of my regiment, who was in command of the skirmish line of your brigade, for his coolness, prudence and gallantry, and I most earnestly hope he may be properly rewarded for the great service he rendered that day, riding along the whole line of skirmishers, inspiring the men by his heroic example and personally directing every movement. Before the capture of Marietta, Ga., Maj. Johnson was temporarily detached from his regiment and made chief skirmish officer of his divis- ion of the Fifteenth Army Corps, and as such opened the battle of Kennesaw Mount- ain, capturing the outer line of the enemy before daybreak, which made it possible for him and his skirmishers to, and they did, reach the summit of the mountain, the first of any of Sherman's army. At Dallas a duty was performed by Maj. Johnson which deserves special mention. The Fifteenth Army Corps under Gen. Logan oc- cupied the right flank of Sherman's army and was in position with its battle line iu the form of an "L," with its outer side toward the enemy. The skirmish line covering its front was some three miles long. The enemy was holding Altoona pass with his lines well secured on either side of the same. To drive him from his posi-

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

tion by a direct assault was next to impossible. Sherman concluded to force him out of this impregnable position by a flank movement to the left. This required the Fifteenth Corps to be withdrawn from his right and moved toward and to extend his left flank. It was a movement not easily accomplished without loss, because it must be done in the face of the enemy. By command of Gen. Logan, Maj. Johnson was placed in charge of this long line of skirmishers covering the front of the Fif- teenth Corps, with instructions to so manage it if possible as to conceal the move- ment of the troops in changing from the right to the left flank of the army, and then withdraw them and rejoin his command. The space between the contending forces was covered with a thick growth of underbrush which contributed to the success of the movement. At midnight Maj. Johnson passed along his line and gave instruc- tions to the various officers on duty, and soon thereafter fire was opened all along . his line, indicating to the enemy that an attack was imminent, while the infantry at the same time began its movement from its works to the rear and left flank of our army. By daybreak our forces were all at a safe distance to the rear and some three miles from their former works and in new works, prepared to resist any attack the enemy might make upon them. Seeing this, Maj. Johnson commenced to with- draw his skirmishes from the enemy's front and so skillfully did he do this duty and so well had he managed the line during the movement of the main body of the troops, that not only did the enemy fail to discover their withdrawal during the time the movement was being made, but even his skirmishers were utterly ignorant of the withdrawal of their support until they had been brought off their line and as- sembled in the rear at the angle of the "L," when the gravity and danger of the situation flashed upon them, as they saw that in order to reach their command and join our forces they must march at least three miles parallel with and not more than a hundred rods distant from the enemy's lines, with nothing between them and to screen them from the enemy's observation and consequently certain capture than a mere strip of woods happily grown up with underbrush and densely covered with forest trees. At first, as was natural, they were disposed to seek safety in flight. That feeling prevailed but for a moment. There they stood, three hundred men and officers, looking each other in the eyes, and those eyes flashing back to each the intelligence that safety was to be found only in remaining calm and cool and trust- ing all to the skill and courage of the officer who had brought them thus far out of their dilemma. All eyes were turned to the Major. Coolly dismounting from his horse and fastening him to a tree near by, as though no enemy were in miles of them, he commanded them to fill their haversacks with hardtack found in boxes left behind by the troops when they moved out of their works. This restored their courage and dispersed their fears. They filled their haversacks with the " soldier's comforter," and prepared themselves to join their commands as if it were but an ordinary march, when in truth it was the most dangerous and hazardous one made by them during the war. To keep up the appearance of security of the situation, the Major, mounting his horse, with a loud ringing voice gave the command to " fall in, " " forward, march, " as if no enemy were within an hundred miles of that local- ity, and all along that "parallel line of march" he insisted that as much noise should be made by his men as if they were with the entire army. Upon approaching the new works where our troops were drawn up in readiness to resist an expected attack from the enemy, the Major and his commaud struck up the refrain, " We'll Hang Jeff. Davis on a Sour Apple Tree, " and this was taken up by the "boys" within the trenches and ran along the whole line of the Fifteenth Corps and no song was ever more lustily sung by any body of troops or more enjoyed by those thus safely arriving within our lines. On reaching the works, General Logan, who with his staff had come out to receive this Spartan band of soldier skirmishers, warmly greeted them and complimented the Major very highly on bis skill and success in saving himself and command from capture, and also for having by his management of the skirmish line, during the movement of the troops, possibly pre-

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

vented a battle in which heavy loss must have been sustained. The enemy did not discover the absence of our troops from their front or that our skirmishers had been withdrawn from the field until about three o'clock in the afternoon, and only then after having made a gallant charge on our breastworks to find them empty and abandoned by our forces. This was one of the most difficult movements made by any portion of Sherman's army during the war, and its success, especially its ac- complishment without bloodshed, was largely due to the skill of the officer placed in charge of the skirmish line of the Fifteenth Army Corps on that occasion.

After the capture of Marietta, Ga., the One Hundredth Regiment, under Lieut .- Col. Heath, was detached to garrison that village, and there remained while the main army of Sherman continued to advance upon Atlanta. But Maj. Johnson was too active and valuable a soldier to be allowed to remain idle and in the rear, and was, therefore, ordered to the front to serve as chief skirmish officer of Gen. Harrow's Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps in front of Atlanta and approaching that city from the direction of Decatur. On the morning of the 22d of July (the day Gen. McPherson was killed) when the enemy had withdrawn his main line from in front of Atlanta in order to concentrate his forces upon the federal left flank, though leaving a strong skirmish line to keep up appearances Maj. Johnson was ordered to throw forward his skirmishers covering the entire division front, which he skill- fully and gallantly did, sweeping back the line of the enemy three miles through the woods until almost upon the fortifications around the city, obeerving which, and knowing the gravity of the situation, they opened upon him hotly with shell, grape and canister to check his advance. To save his command, he concentrated his skirmishers in hastily constructed rifle pits, and sent couriers to inform Gen. Har- row of his success and situation. But in the mean time the whole army swept forward and were soon in possession of the enemy's breastworks around the city of Atlanta. The couriers of Maj. Johnson failed to find Gen. Harrow, whereupon he reported for orders to Capt. Wheeler, of Logan's staff, and was directed to assist the commanders of the brigades of the division in repell- ing the enemy who had thrown heavy forces upon the Fifteenth Corps. Three times the enemy in his front was repulsed with great loss. On the right of the Fifteenth Corps was the division of Morgan L. Smith, and next, on the left, Har- row's division. Through an oversight of Gen. Smith's, a large body of rebels managed, in their fourth charge upon his lines, by passing through an unprotected cut on the railroad, to reach the rear of Smith's division, which resulted in throw- ing his troops into great confusion. Maj. Johnson, observing this, and not know- ing the cause, rode rapidly forward to ascertain the difficulty, and aid in rallying Smith's troops. Suddenly, ere he was aware, he found himself covered by the guns of the enemy who peremptorily demanded him to dismount and surrender.

Seeing at a glance the folly of disobeying, he laughingly said, " Well, boys, I guess you have got me, " and he did as he was ordered. His coolness saved his life, for had he endeavored to gallop off, he would have shared the fate of Gen. McPherson, who was killed on that same day, in another part of the field, under very similar circumstances.

In speaking of the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, Gen. Harrow, in his official report says: " I regret to add that, during this engagement, the gallant Maj. John- son, One Hundredth Indiana Volunteers, my picket officer, was captured by the enemy in the gorge to the rear and right of my lines while encouraging the troops to hold their position. He possessed in a high degree all those qualities which make the accomplished soldier, and his loss is severely felt." Gen. Reuben Williams, then commanding the First Brigade, Fourth Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, in his official report of this battle, says: "I deeply regret the loss from the service, at the present time, of Maj. John B. Harris, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, wounded, and Maj. R. M. Johnson, One Hundredth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, capt- ured on the 22d, formerly of the brigade, but more recently of your staff. Their

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

places can hardly be filled and their loss will be deeply felt in their respective regi- ments." The captors of Maj. Johnson took him to Atlanta. whence he was sent to East Point, thence toward Griffin, on the way to Macon, Ga., the place where federal officers captured from the Western army were imprisoned. On the third day's march toward Macon, by watching his chance, he fell back toward the rear of the column, and finally, unseen by his guards, plunged into a thicket near the road- side. Here he remained concealed until the whole column of prisoners, seventy - five officers and 1,700 men, had passed, and then as fast as he could foot it put several miles between himself and his former guards. He made good his escape, and by traveling nights, and receiving food and guidance from a friendly negro, finally reached Little River, where, unfortunately, he was recaptured by a small squad of rebels placed there to guard the bridge he attempted at night to cross. He was taken back, and in dne time arrived at Macon, where he found his fellow prisoners. Soon after this, in a limited exchange of officers, he was specially chosen for exchange by Gen. Sherman, who by this selection testified to his value as an officer and soldier. Before his exchange, however, he had been conveyed to Charles- ton, where, with Maj .- General Stoneman and other prominent federal officers, he was placed in the line of fire of federal artillery, then bombarding that city, the ob- ject being to divert the fire and save the city, by the knowledge of the peril, to the federal officers. Fortunately no one was killed.

Upon being exchanged, he returned to Atlanta and resumed command of his regiment, and, after aiding in driving Hood across the Tennessee, returned with Sher- man to Atlanta, and thence with him marched to the sea. Gov. Morton, at its re- ception at Indianopolis, at the close of the war, thus spoke of this regiment and its gallant commander, Col. Johnson: "At Griswoldville, Ga., his regiment took part in one of the most notable engagements of the war. when 1,300 Federals whipped 12.000 rebels in a square fight without works; 300 of the noble 1,300 were of the One Hundredth Indiana, and nobly did they sustain the credit of their State by their gallant conduct on that bloody field."

"From Savannah they proceeded through the Carolinas, fighting bravely at Branchville, Congaree Creek, Columbia and Bentonville, and, in fact, capturing the whole State of South Carolina, and all of North Carolina they wanted, and arriving at Goldsboro, N. C., March 24, 1865, thus marching some 1,300 miles and fighting some seventeen heavy battles; while from Dalton to Atlanta they were continually under fire for 'one hundred days.' The maneuvering of this regi- ment, under fire, by Col. Johnson, at Bentonville, N. C., elicited the highest praise from Gens. Logan and Howard, who were upon the field. They assisted in forc- ing the surrender of Johnston at Raleigh, and thence made the great 'quickstep march' of Sherman's army, by way of Petersburg and Richmond, to Washington, where they mustered out of service June 9,1865, having 219 men and twenty -four offi - cers." The One Hundredth Regiment, under Col. Johnson, was the first to enter Columbia, S. C., where they witnessed the spread of the fire started by the rebels to destroy the cotton, and thus prevent it from falling into the hands of the rebels. They knew that the statement of the Confederates that Columbia was fired by the federals was untrue. Col. Johnson, upon entering the city, saw the cotton bales lying in the streets on fire, and saw the flames spread and envelop the city as soon as the wind arose. He says: "It was the insane attempt of the Confederates to de- stroy their cotton, and prevent its falling into Sherman's hands, as was done at Savannah, that resulted in the burning of the city of Columbia, and Sherman and the Federal troops did all it was possible to do to avert and prevent that disaster."

At Bentonville, Col. Johnson, commanding his own regiment of 350 men, and the Sixth Iowa of 150 men, was directed to drive back a large cavalry division on the outposts of the enemy's front, so that Sherman's infantry could attack the main line. This he promptly and skillfully did, forcing them back to the distance of six miles. While thus engaged, a portion of the enemy's cavalry succeeded in flanking

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

Col. Johnson's command, and in throwing a strong body of men between his advance line and his reserve. At this point, Gens. Logan, Howard and Woods and their staffs came up to observe the progress made by Col. Johnson, seeing which the rebel cavalry detachment determined to capture those general officers if it could be done. Bnt Col. Johnson saw the dilemma at once, and promptly shouted the order to his regiment, "Forward ou the right by file into line, double quick, march, fire." The promptness with which his command was executed, no doubt saved the federal officers from capture, and they were empathic in their praises of the readiness, coolness and military skill of Col. Johnson.

. It is believed this was the only time such a movement was ever made by any body of troops of any army, in any war on the field, and in battle and in the face of an enemy charging them. It was the resistance of a cavalry charge by what amounted to a bold and intrepid countercharge of infantry, and proved as unexpected to the cavalry as it was original in conception and successful in execution, and resulted in throwing the rebel cavalry into utter confusion and disorder, and in completely routing them, while it saved Col. Johnson's command, and Gens. Howard, Logan and Woods and their staffs from capture, or possibly a worse fate. The capture of these generals at that time would have been a severe blow to Sherman, the entire army and the union cause.

This ended the hard fighting for the One Hundredth Regiment, although they were present at Goldsboro and Raleigh, and marched proudly with drums and flaunt- ing though tattered banners, at the head of Sherman's splendid army in the final grand review at Washington. Throughout his military career, Col. Johnson had shown the highest military skill and capacity. His promotions came as just and merited reward for faithful, conscientious and brilliant service. He was commis- sioned captain, August 22, 1862; major, August 18, 1863; lieutenant colonel January 9, 1864, and colonel May 2, 1865. After the fall of Savannah, Gen. Logan, com- manding the Fifteenth Army Corps, requested Col. Johnson to become his chief of staff and promised him an immediate commission from the War Department, which would most likely have advanced him to brigadier generalship. Bnt Col. Johnson loved his noble regiment; he had led them through all those long bloody years; had multiplied their joys and divided their sorrows, and had, at the outset, when the regiment went forth in 1862 so valiant, patriotic and full of hope, promised them that come what might, he would always remain with them. So he told Gen. Logan that he could not accept his tempting offer, and the reason therefor, and was warmly congratulated by the General for his fidelity to the magnificent old One Hundredth Regiment.

After the war, upon returning to Elkhart county, Col. Johnson soon formed a law partnership with Capt. A. S. Blake, and continued in the practice at Goshen, this State, until 1886, when he went to Santa Fe, N. M., to serve as clerk of the Supreme Court and clerk of the U. S. District Court, having been thus appointed by the chief justice of that territory. Prior to this, in 1878, he went abroad and was there some three years, traveling in Germany, studying the German language, which he mastered, and taking lectures on law and history in the famous university at Leipsic. In 1888 he resigned his position as clerk at Santa Fe, and was thus com- plimented by Chief Justice E. V. Long: "Your duties as clerk have been ably and faithfully performed, and to my entire satisfaction, and better in my judgment than ever before in the territory." While clerk of the Supreme Court of New Mexico, the legislature, though Republican, appointed Col. Johnson reporter of the Supreme Court, and under that appointment he edited and published the third and fourth volumes of the Supreme Court Reports of that territory. Succeeding this, he opened a law office in Las Vegas, N. M., and also engaged in mining, but in May, 1890, he returned to Elkhart county, and here has since resided. But let us go back and see something of the youth and early training of Col. Johnson, before in- vestigating the results of his public spirit and enterprise in Elkhart county in recent

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Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 2

Author: Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers Number of Pages: 786

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786