USA > Indiana > The Eighty-sixth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry : a narrative of its services in the civil war of 1861-1865 > Part 11
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INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
heavy columns of infantry, and it became evident that the rebel right wing was bearing down on the already decimated ranks of the Third division. They passed the open cotton fields, in three heavy lines of battle, the first column, in three ranks, six men deep-the second supporting the first -and the reserve column last. Three batteries accom- panied this imposing mass, as it came down in splendid order. They came on with steady step and even front, and then, like a swollen torrent, flung themselves forward against Price's brigade. Their strength was overwhelming. In a few minutes the brigade gave way, and the reserve consist- ing of three regiments of the First brigade, the Nineteenth Ohio, and the Ninth and Eleventh Kentucky, were then sent up and fought gallantly. But the three regiments were too weak and fell back, fighting to the river. Fyffe's brigade, to the left, was not attacked directly in front, but the reces- sion of the right brigade forced it to yield position. The enemy, however, received a heavy flank and oblique fire from the Eighty-sixth and Forty-fourth Indiana and the Thir- teenth Ohio. But General Rosecrans was prepared for this movement. He hastily massed fifty-eight cannon on an emi- nence on the west side of the river, where they could enfilade the successive columns as they advanced. Their opening roar was terrific, and the crash of the iron storm, through the thick-set ranks, was overwhelming. It was madness to face it, yet the rebel columns closed up and pressed on ; but, as they came within close range of musketry, their line seemed to shrivel in the fire that met it. They had now got so near that the men could be seen to topple over separately, before the volleys. A third and last time, they staggered forward, the foremost ranks reaching to the water's edge. But here they stopped-it was like charging down the red mouth of a volcano. Their broken and discomfited columns turned back on their path, closely pursued by the Third di- vision which had rallied, together with the First and Second divisions of Crittenden's corps and the fresh troops from the "Right " and "Center." They chased the flying foe for a half mile, cheering as they charged. Darkness ended
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the fight, and the Eighty-sixth with its brigade and division camped on the field.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles D. Bailey, of the Ninth Ken- tucky, in some recollections of this famous battle printed in the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, of January 6, 1889, after giving a vivid account of the part taken by the First brig- ade, composed of the Ninth and Eleventh Kentucky, the Nineteenth Ohio, and the Seventy-ninth Indiana, makes some comments which will be read with interest. Colonel Bailey at that time was the Adjutant of the Ninth and will be re- membered as a most handsome and gallant officer, and as courteous as he was brave. He writes:
"From the beginning of the enemy's advance until his shattered columns regained the cover of the woods from which they had emerged covered a period of forty-five minutes-a segment of time crowded with all that goes to constitute war in its most terrible aspect. In that brief space some three thousand men were killed and wounded, Breckinridge losing two thousand and the Union army about half that number. There was some criticism at the time of the battle, the spirit of which has been somewhat crystalized in history, that VanCleve's division did not make the resistance it should against Breckinridge's onslaught. While losses are not an infallible indication of the fierceness of a fight or the bravery of those engaged, they do show the degree of exposure, and judged by this test VanCleve's division at least did not give ground before it was vigorously assailed. Its loss in the series of engagements aggregated 1,530, an average of a fraction over 117 to each of its regi- ments. * * The division was simply run over by an overwhelming force specially organized for that object, and the redeeming feature was the gallant advance and desperate resistance of the three reserve regi- ments, and the fact that they did advance and make the fight they did was no inconsiderable factor in the ultimate defeat of the rebel plan. * * In many respects the assault of Breckinridge on that day bore a striking resemblance to the famous charge of Pickett at Gettysburg, six months and one day later, and with the possible exception of numbers engaged and the stake at issue, is as much entitled to National recognition as the later event. Like Pickett's, the failure of Breckinridge was fatal to the assaulting army, with whom in each case the first day's successes had been of a nature to promise great results. Like Lee, Bragg with- drew after this bloody repulse. and what up to that moment had been a drawn battle with the odds in favor of the Confederates, by the result of this one movement became a Union victory."
Lieutenant Colonel George F. Dick in his report of the
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movement of the regiment on the 1st and 2d days of Janu- ary, says:
"On the following morning, (January 1), we were marched some mile and a half across Stone's River to the front, and placed in line of battle early in the day, where we skirmished with the enemy all day, lying on our arms at night. The next day we occupied the same ground, skirmishing with the enemy till 3 p. m., when the enemy in vast num- bers attacked the right of our line, composed of the First and Third brigades of our division, which maintained the ground, fighting obsti- nately for some time, when they were forced to yield to superior num- bers, and fell back, when our regiment fell back to the high piece of ground, near a house on the hill, some hundred rods to the rear, where we again made a stand, again rallied with other troops, and drove the enemy from the field, retaking and holding our former position."
The reports of Lieutenant Colonel Aldrich, of the Forty- fourth Indiana, of Major Dwight Jarvis, of the Thirteenth Ohio, and of Lieutenant Colonel William Howard, of the Fifty-ninth Ohio, are substantially the same and concur with the report of Lieutenant Colonel Dick. Colonel Fyffe, the brigade commander, makes special mention of a number of officers and men for their conspicuous commendable conduct throughout the trying ordeal of the many days' fighting. Among those of the Eighty-sixth were Colonel O. S. Hamil- ton, heretofore alluded to, Lieutenant Colonel George F. Dick, Major J. M. Dresser, wounded in the first day's en- gagement, E. D. Thomas, who was an orderly on his staff, and color bearers Benjamin Trullinger and Nathan Coffen- berry, who were both shot down, the first killed instantly and the latter mortally wounded in the fight of the first day.
In his report to the War Department General Rosecrans says that he fought the battle of Stone's River with the fol- lowing forces: Infantry, 37,977; artillery, 2,223; cavalry, 3,200. Total, 43,400. His losses were as follows: Officers killed, 100; enlisted men killed, 1,630; officers wounded, 405; enlisted men wounded, 7,397; officers captured, 44; enlisted mnen captured, 3,673. Showing an aggregate loss of 13,- 249. He thinks the enemy had 15 per cent. advantage in his choice of ground and knowledge of the country, and he es- timates Bragg's strength at 62,720 men. On the contrary
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General Bragg reported to the Confederate War Department that his aggregate effective strength was 37,712, including infantry, artillery and cavalry. If this be correct, and there is no reason to doubt it, the two opposing armies in point of numbers were pretty equally matched. He reports his losses as follows: Officers killed, 123; enlisted men killed, 1,171; officers wounded, 659; enlisted men wounded, 7,286; officers captured, 46; enlisted men captured, 981. Showing an aggregate loss of 10,266. Bragg estimated Rosecrans' strength to be 70,000 men. He also estimates Rosecrans' killed at 3,000, his wounded at 16,000 and claimed to have captured 6,273 prisoners, making a total loss of 25,273. All of which goes to show that in a guessing contest it is not safe to rely on the estimates of the adversary. Wild as Rosecrans was of the strength and losses of Bragg, he is still nearer the mark than Bragg was in estimating the strength and losses of Rosecrans. It is but fair to say that the Union losses were greater than the Confederate losses. Bragg's loss was the greater in killed and wounded, while Rosecrans' loss was the greater in missing or captured. Rosecrans' army was so disabled that it could not make an effective pursuit. But this does not change the facts of history that the battle of Stone's River, was lost by Bragg and won by Rosecrans.
By changing his plan of battle from the offensive to the defensive Rosecrans held Bragg's at first victorious columns in check, and actually turned defeat into victory; and if he did not, like Alexander enter Babylon, "the oldest seat of earthly empire, " he did with the Army of the Cumberland, enter Murfreesboro, and what was left of the Eighty-sixth Indiana regiment was a part of that victorious army. Who among those that participated in the stirring scenes of that battle have forgotten the story? Oh, what a story it is! There is no orator's tongue that can tell it, no painter's brush that can depict it, a story of devotion to country and to liberty, to law and to order, that shall go down in history side by side with the heroic deeds of ancient and modern times. In song and story, and marble tablet, in statues of brass and bronze, the story of Stone's River will be told for
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INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
all the ages, for Liberty will not forget her children until Liberty herself shall die.
CHAPTER XII.
WITHIN CONFEDERATE LINES.
A Trip Through Dixie-From Murfreesboro to Chattanooga-To Atlanta and Montgomery-From There to Richmond-In Libby Prison-How the Days Were Spent-Released on Parole and Finally Exchanged.
As has been stated the Eighty-sixth had ninety-nine men captured on the 31st day of December, the first day's battle of Stone's River. They were taken in squads of from two to a half a dozen while in the effort to rejoin the main body of the regiment which had fallen back from that fate- ful fence. The well formed columns of the enemy had passed over them and they were generally taken in charge by stragglers, who no doubt claimed great glory for captur- ing prisoners already within their lines. In charge of of- ficers and guards the prisoners were marched through the battle-field over which the "Right Wing " had been driven. And what a field it was! The ploughed and trampled earth, the shattered trees, the fields and woods strewn with dead horses, broken artillery wagons, and dead and dying men, looked as if all the forces of earth and heaven and hell had been striving for mastery in the fearful wreck. By the time they reached the Franklin pike several hundred had been collected, and they were started on double quick in the direc- tion of Murfreesboro. When they reached the Stone's River crossing they were granted a breathing spell, but were soon again on the way, though at a more moderate gait. Upon arriving at the city they were placed in the court house yard which was then enclosed with a stone fence. Prisoners continued to arrive until nightfall, and it was not until the
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excitement of the day began to subside did they realize their loneliness. That night was spent in the court house yard with neither fire nor food, and having been relieved of ponches, blankets and overcoats by rebel officers who had headquarters in the court house, there was much suffering both from cold and hunger.
Morning came and they were transferred to an old mill in the southern part of the city, where they remained dur- ing the day, which was New Years, 1863. That long cold day was one of extreme distress. At sunset, the prisoners were marched through town and quartered in an old school house lot where for the first time since their capture they were permitted to have fire. Several barrels of flour were rolled in and divided among the men, each man receiving about a pint. Lucky were the men who had cups or vessels of any kind to store it. Water was furnished, and a dough was made on any kind of a board that could be picked up regardless of its cleanliness or uncleanliness. This soft mass was wound around sticks and held before the fire to bake. It required no appetizer to dispose of that half-baked paste, but like Oliver Twist, they wanted more. While the fire contributed somewhat to the comfort of the prisoners, yet the night spent here was one of sleepless unrest.
Next morning, January 1, they were placed aboard plat- form cars headed in the direction of Chattanooga. The weather was cold, and being without blankets or overcoats, the ride was anything but pleasant, in fact was one of abso- lute discomfort. The train reached Chattanooga about 2 o'clock in the morning. In the meantime rain had com- menced falling which but added to the discomforts of travel- ing on a gravel train. The prisoners were marched to the banks of the Tennessee river under the shadow of Lookout Mountain, afterwards the scene of historic interest. They wandered around in the dark and the rain until daylight, when axes were furnished, and it was not long until bright fires blazed up from the logs cut from trees which stood on the ground, around which the men huddled awaiting promised and expected rations, during the entire day. Just as the
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INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
chickens were going to roost -- there were none there, how- ever-wagons, with unsifted corn meal and sugar, drove up, and these two articles were distributed. A load of spiders- old-fashioned pot metal skillets-were thrown off, and in a driving rain the men prepared the corn meal for use. Before the baking was done orders were received to march immed- iately. Confederate orders, like Federal orders, were not at all times promptly executed, so it was not until 3 o'clock in the morning when the lines were formed and the prisoners under guard started for the Atlanta depot. This time they were placed aboard box cars. The cars were of the most
miserable description, for freight and cattle. The men were packed so close that they could neither sit nor stand with any comfort. They slept somewhat after the style of sar- dines in a box, though not so soundly. With fifty or sixty human beings crowded into so small a space, carpeted as the cars were, the atmosphere soon became stifling. By the time the train reached Atlanta, 138 miles south of Chattanooga, which was the evening of the next day, those cars had all the appearance of having passed through the cedar thickets at Stone's River. At Atlanta the prisoners bivouacked in an open lot, and each man received a small loaf of light bread.
From Atlanta they were taken to West Point, and from there to Montgomery, Alabama, 172 miles southwest. With- out so much as changing cars the engine was hooked on to the rear end of the train and started back. Arriving at At- lanta a camp was established two miles from the city. The men were divided into companies of ninety, and an orderly sergeant appointed for each company. Surgeons passed
through the camp looking after the sick, prescribing for some and sending others to the hospital. The stay here, however, was short, as orders came to march. At nightfall the men fell in line and marched to the depot where cattle trains were in waiting to take them, they knew not where.
Daylight on the morning of January 11, found them at Dalton, one hundred miles north of Atlanta. At this point the road forks, one line leading to Chattanooga and the other through East Tennessee to Richmond. Over which the men
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
would be sent was the question of the hour. When the train pulled out over the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad all knew that their destination was determined. Sunday, Jan- uary 11, was passed in Knoxville. Here as well as all along through East Tennessee the loyalty of the people was plainly evident, as was shown in numerous instances. On the 12th the train bearing the prisoners reached the Wall- tauga river where the bridge had been burned by Colonel Carter a few weeks before. Colonel Carter commanded a force of Union cavalry and had made a raid through East Tennes- see destroying the bridges over the Wautauga and Holstein rivers. This was a part of the plan of General Rosecrans to prevent re-enforcements for Bragg from Richmond. At the Wautauga the prisoners disembarked, waded the river and marched nine miles, the distance between the two rivers. After wading the cold waters of the Holstein, nearly up to their necks, and waiting perhaps two hours a train pulled in to carry the men "on to Richmond."
On the morning of January 16, the train arrived at the capital of the Confederate States. The prisoners were marched across James river, up through the city, amid the taunts and jeers of the throngs that lined the sidewalks. Finally they stood outside the walls of the well known ware- house used in times of peace by Libby & Son, whose sign was still suspended above the door, and gave a name to this prison which will endure for generations. They were as- signed to one of the rooms in this large building where were confined several thousand, though they had free access to all the rooms. The windows were secured by iron bars, such as adorn prison cells. The building was surrounded by sen- tinels, whose beats were on the pavement below. No one was allowed to put his head close enough to the bars to look down on the street, under penalty of being shot. The rations issued to the men consisted of the half of a very small loaf of light bread, and a small piece of tainted meat from cow or horse or mule, nobody knew which, on one day and the broth from this meat, thickened with rice and some times with beans, the next day. This, once a day, consti-
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INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
tuted the rations while in Libby prison. What they lacked in quantity was made up in strength, the rice and bean bugs being abundantly able to sustain life. Here the prisoners became intimately acquainted with a friend which stuck closer than a brother. Twice or oftener each day he helped them by his presence to while away a portion of the long dreary hours, and they even took off their clothing to catch sight of him. The time was spent day after day in such diversions as usually engage soldiers in camp. Many whiled the hours in repining, and every day some one or more were transferred to the hospital, located elsewhere, many of whom died. Old letters from home were read and reread. Scraps of newspapers and stray leaves from old books were perused until worn out. The roll was called twice a day by a ser- geant who was attended by a strong guard well armed. And thus the days passed. Prayer meetings were held every day, and the fervent invocations that were offered doubtless proved effectual. At 3 o'clock on the morning of January 29, all except commissioned officers filed out of Libby prison for the Petersburg depot not knowing whither they were bound. When the train started in the direction of City Point from Petersburg all knew that their prison days were numbered. At City Point they were paroled. Flags of truce boats were in waiting. They were taken down the James and up the Chesapeake to Annapolis where a parole camp had been established. They remained at this camp six weeks, when they were transferred to Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, traveling by boats to Baltimore and thence over the Pennsylvania railroad. After a stay of two weeks here they were sent to Indianapolis and assigned quarters at Camp Carrington, where seven months before they had been mus- tered in and then known as Camp Murphy. An eight days' furlough was granted the men to go to their homes.
Thus terminated the prison experience of the men who were captured at Stone's River. an experience brief and mild compared with the months of sufferings endured by those who were in captivity afterwards, but an experience fraught with extreme hunger, pinching cold and almost unendurable
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THE EIGIITY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
hardships. The story of rebel prison pens is one which every true lover of his country might well wish were never written, but it is a part of human history, and as nearly a hundred men of the Eighty-sixth had a slight personal ex- perience it is here given. Those who survived and were not physically disabled by the cruelties of which they were vic- tims were duly exchanged, and by the 30th of May had all rejoined their regiment, and shared in its marches and bivou- acs, its skirmishes and battles, until its muster-out more than two years later.
CHAPTER XIII.
STONE'S RIVER TO CHICKAMAUGA.
Six Months at Murfreesboro-Camp Life -- How The Time Was Employed-The Long Stay An Absolute Necessity-The Eighty-sixth Receives Really Its First Military Instruction-Punishment of a Deserter-A Piece of Somber Romance -Other Incidents-March to McMinnville.
On the night of January 3, 1863, General Bragg evacu- ated Murfreesboro. He commenced the movement stealthily at 11 o'clock, gathering up his men and guns so cautiously that it was not known that he was gone until broad day-light next morning. He was in Shelbyville, thirty miles away, by noon on Sunday, the 4th. The facts are that General Rose- crans' army was not in a condition to make an effective pur- suit. While the battle resulted in a victory for the Union army, it was a victory dearly bought. General Rosecrans had lost, in killed and wounded, nearly nine thousand men, besides over three thousand prisoners, nearly a third of his effective strength. He had lost, in addition, fifty pieces of artillery, and over five hundred and fifty artillery horses, so that farther pursuit was not only inadvisable but impossible. Bragg retired so hastily as to leave 2,600 of his sick and wounded with 200 medical and other attendants. In fact,
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General Rosecrans found the town full of wounded soldiers of both armies who were greatly suffering for medical atten- tion and the necessary comforts. Hospital appliances were furnished the Confederate surgeons so that they could prop- erly care for their wounded men, while of course his own wounded and sick were not neglected.
The army now settled down into camp life to recuperate and prepare for future operations. The Eighty-sixth with its brigade were assigned to a position on the Maney place, north of the town and east of the Lebanon turnpike. The ranks of the regiment had been decimated to such an extent that it presented all the appearance of a mere squad. While the loss of the entire army had been only about one-third, the loss of the Eighty-sixth had been more than one-half. thirteen per cent. of which had been killed and mortally wounded, fifteen per cent. wounded so seriously as to dis- able them for duty, and twenty-seven per cent. had fallen into the hands of the enemy, leaving but forty-five per cent. of those who had responded at roll call but five days before. It was indeed a time for sadness and discouragement. But the remnant of the regiment bravely set to work. The camp was arranged according to regulations, and men and officers entered upon their duties in all their diversified forms-building fortifications, scouting, foraging, escorting trains, picketing and drilling.
The life of a soldier in time of war presents two especial characteristics, and each of these is an extreme. The soldier is either in the midst of change and excitement in which every power of mind and body is brought into the most active play possible, or his life is one of the most ut- terly monotonous. True, during what is termed inactive life there is a regular routine of roll calls, guard mounts, and drills that serve to prevent complete stagnation, but these become devoid of interest or pleasure to the very large majority. Camp life becomes a weariness and a burden in a very short time. The soldier who has tasted of the excite- ment of a campaign, and the pursuit of a foe, where danger is present all the time, even though he may not like the
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severe work of the battle-field, will soon complain of the dullness and routine of the every day duties of a regulation camp.
The Eighty-sixth from the time it left Indianapolis on the previous 7th of September, up until its entry into Mur- freesboro, the first days in January, 1863, had known nothing of the monotonous side of the soldier's life. True, it was in camp a few days at Nashville before starting on the Stone's River campaign, but during those few days the time was fully occupied in the preparations that were going on most energetically for entering upon that important movement. The first real and complete experience of camp life that was had by the regiment, and in fact the only one that it had during its entire service, was the six months in camp at Murfreesboro. The time here was, however, well spent, and the fruits of the work done were of incalculable benefit not only to the Eighty-sixth, but to the entire army. It. could not have been possible, for any army to have been brought together with the same number of men as were then in the Army of the Cumberland where there was so little knowledge of drill, of guard or picket duty, as then existed in that army.
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