USA > Indiana > The Eighty-sixth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry : a narrative of its services in the civil war of 1861-1865 > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
172
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
north of Poe's; McDaniel's, four-fifths of a mile north of Kelly's; Cloud's, a half mile north of McDaniel's. With these points borne in mind it will not be difficult to locate in the mind the position to the east or west of the LaFayette road. The Widow Glenn's is almost directly west of Viniard's, abouth three-quarters of a mile. Dyer's is west of the Broth- erton house about a half mile; Snodgrass Hill is northwest of the Kelly field about a mile. North of Snodgrass Hill a half mile is Harker's Hill, a ridge running in a northeasterly di- rection toward the LaFayette road. On the east side of the LaFayette road is Jay's mill, about two and an eighth miles southeast from McDaniel's; Reed's bridge, two and half miles southeast from McDaniel's; Alexander's bridge, a lit- tle south of east of Viniard's two and three-quarter miles; the Brock field east of Brotherton's a mile. Intermediate be- tween the houses named here are the fields and woods belong- ing to the parties indicated by the names given.
As stated, the forces of Wilder held at bay the advance of General Walker at Alexander's bridge until about dark when Wilder fell back toward the LaFayette road, and halted on the east line of the Viniard farm. Here he posted his troops in the best manner possible to prevent the rebel force from reaching the LaFayette road and cutting off the line between Crittenden and Chattanooga. The enemy, however, ad- vanced in such force as to endanger Wilder's position, when he called upon General Crittenden for assistance. Colonel Dick's brigade being the nearest to Wilder it was ordered forward and directed to form on Wilder's right. This was done by placing the Forty-fourth Indiana and the Fifty- ninth Ohio regiments on the line, while the Eighty-sixth In- diana and the Thirteenth Ohio were held in reserve. Dur- ing the night a very determined effort, as it seemed, was begun to force back our lines and gain the LaFay- ette road, but the resistance was so hot, and the rebels not being able to ascertain the length or strength of our lines because of the darkness, after some severe firing, relin- quished the movement and fell back out of range and thus rested for the night.
173
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
Returning now to the movements of the Fourteenth and Twentieth corps, we find Thomas and McCook had kept quiet during the day of the 18th but as soon as night had come these two corps at once started from Pond Spring to push through with all possible dispatched to reach Critten- den's left and interpose their lines between the right of Bragg's army and the route to Chattanooga. Upon reach- ing Crawfish Springs, Negley's division was turned to the southeast to Glass' mill to watch the flank and prevent any surprise from that direction, and Thomas with the other three of his divisions pressed on through the darkness northward past the Widow Glenn's, leaving the Lafayette road to his right and finally turning east, striking that road at the Kelly farm. From that point General Brannan's division moved eastward to Jay's mill and at daylight was in line ready for the battle that was soon to open. Before the dawn had fully come General Thomas had his forces all in position on the left of Crittenden, while McCook was at Crawfish Springs ready to fall into line wherever he should be most needed. The 18th of September had passed and with it all prospect for General Bragg to destroy Critten- den's corps. With it had gone the victory that he had seen within his grasp when he issued his orders on the 17th. By his delays and tardiness in moving he had lost all chance to pass around the left of the Union army and inter- pose between it and Chattanooga. The dawn of the 19th was to be a surprise for General Bragg even greater than he had anticipated giving to General Crittenden. Prior to this time the Army of the Cumberland had shown its prowess in fighting as an advancing and aggressive army. It was now to fight on the defensive, and it was ready to show, and did show, that its courage and staying qualities were even greater than any of its former daring and deeds of valor.
Let us examine the position of the troops of General Rosecrans on the morning of September 19th before the opening of the battle. Crittenden's corps still occupied the left of the line extending from Lee & Gordon's Mills north- ward. Wilder's brigade of mounted infantry and Colonel
174
THIE EIGHTY-SIXTHI REGIMENT,
Dick's brigade had just before daylight been withdrawn from the east side of the Viniard farm, east of the LaFay- ette road, and Wilder's brigade was now formed in line of battle on the ridge in the edge of the woods on the west side of the Viniard farm, west of the LaFayette road. This brigade at that time formed the extreme right of the army. Thomas, however, was moving into position on the north, and he soon had his three divisions across the LaFayette road extending in a northeasterly line to Jay's mill, facing southward. At this time there was a gap in our lines between the left of Critten- den and the right of Wilder. McCook's corps, the Twentieth, was at Crawfish Springs, awaiting orders, yet within easy reach of any position that might need his troops. General Steadman with his reserve corps was at Rossville. Fortune and misfortune were with General Rosecrans' army that morning. Fortune, in that our army was altogether, and that General Bragg was resting in the full belief that Rose- crans' forces were yet in the same position that they were on the morning of the 18th, with Crittenden isolated and alone at Lee & Gordon's Mills, and Thomas and Granger many miles distant on the right. All of this was fortunate for the Union army, but it was unfortunate that Rosecrans did not know that the rebel army was that morning well nigh all across on the west side of the Chickamauga. Brannan's di- vision in position near Jay's mill, on the extreme left of our line, met Forest's cavalry about 7:30 a. m., and at once the battle of the 19th opened. One after another of the brigades extending toward the right took up the battle and the rush and roar of the contest extended toward the right from Jay's mill on past Thomas' corps to Crittenden's, while Negley's division at Glass' mill, nearly nine miles away from our left, was engaged with the enemy. But what of Dick's brigade and the Eighty-sixth Indiana?
As before stated this brigade just before daylight had been relieved from duty with Wilder's brigade and moved to the rear a short distance, and toward Lee & Gordon's Mills, into an open field there to prepare breakfast, and to get such
175
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
rest as might be possible, until such time as the services of the regiment and brigade might be needed.
The sun had scarcely appeared above the tops of the trees until the opening fire of the battle was heard away on its left. In a short time another shot, sounding as if one army or the other was feeling its way. The distance was too great to hear any sounds of musketry, but the artillery shots soon provoked answering shots, as if both armies were fully set in battle array before the opening gun was fired, for the firing seemed to run along the entire front in a very brief space of time. Now the firing on the left grows stronger, and between the artillery shots one catches the sound of musketry. Stronger and stronger grows the contest, and nearer, too, for there breaks upon the ear one continuous roar of artillery from the left, sweeping onward as the min- utes sped, while volley after volley of musketry tells that the two armies have come together in the first charges of the battle.
The contest gathers in strength as on it comes sweeping down on to the lines in front of where Dick's brigade waited, sweeping on to the right until it becomes one commingled roar of artillery and rattle of musketry, dying away in the dull and sullen thunder of Negley's guns on the farther- most right.
The men of the Eighty-sixth can see none of the lines that are engaged, but from the sound of the battle it is be- lieved by all that the Union army is holding its position against the furious charges that are being made upon it.
A lull for a few moments comes in the deadly contest, and only a few scattering shots are heard along the line. Looking now to the front of the Eighty-sixth Indiana through an opening in the trees, may be seen, crossing a ridge, the marching columns of the enemy as he moves toward the left of our army, massing his forces against the troops of Thomas, preparatory to the terrible work of that Saturday afternoon along the line at Viniard's, at Brotherton's, in the Brock field, and at Poe's, in the desperate struggle to turn the left and get between Rosecrans and Chattanooga. The
176
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
lessening of the storm, however, is but brief, for again the sound of the contest begins to gather, and grows rapidly in strength. It came on like the blasts of a tornado, sounding louder and louder, stronger and yet stronger it rages, until it bursts npon the listener in a great rush and roar of terrible sound, before which those who hear and are not a part of it, stand in awe, and, looking each the other in the face, dare not speak.
Over on the right it again broke forth, and with renewed strength rolled on down the lines, growing fiercer and fiercer, and londer and louder, as additional forces were brought into the contest, until it reached the extreme left in a crashing, tumultuous sound, when backward it would sweep to the right, only again to go rolling, and jarring and thundering in its fury as backward and forward it swept, that fearful storm of war. It was as when broad ocean is lashed to fury by the tempest, when great rolling waves come chasing one the other in their mighty rage, until they strike with deaf- ening roar the solid walls of rock on the shore, only to be broken and driven back upon other incoming waves as strong, or stronger than they had been. So came to the ears of those waiting troops, the sound of that mighty tempest of war- volley after volley of musketry rolling in waves of dreadful sound, one upon the other, to which was added the deep sounding of the artillery, like heavy thunders peal through the rushing roar of the tempest, making the ground under foot tremble with the fearful shocks as they came and went, each more terrible than the former. It was evident to those who listened that the enemy with his mighty and super- ior numbers was making most desperate efforts to over- whelm and break the Union lines.
Through that forenoon-and it seemed almost as though its hours would never pass-the Eighty-sixth and its brigade waited outside that contest, and heard that fearful, that ter- rible death dealing tornado as it raged in front and all about them, and could see the constantly moving columns of the enemy's infantry with flying flags, and could see battery after battery as they moved before them like a great pano-
177
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
cama unfolding in the opening on the ridge to which refer- ence has been made.
Dick's brigade had been sent back, as stated, to rest after a night on duty, but rest there was none. The guns of che infantry stood stacked in line, and the battery of six guns, attached to the brigade, stood just in rear of the troops, with all the horses hitched to guns and caissons ready to move at any instant. Now and then a stray shot or shell would fly over the heads of these men and strike in the ground or burst in the air, to their rear.
The men grew restless, that restlessness that comes to men in that most trying of all times in the life of a soldier, when he hears the battle raging with all the might of the furies about him, when now and then he can catch the sound of the distant shouts that tell all too plainly that the charge s on, and can hear the first shot that begins that rattling, tearing, shrieking sound of the volleys of musketry, and of the shot, and shell and canister of the artillery that drowns in its fury the shouts and cheers of the charging lines, and that tells to the experienced soldier that the charge is met by determined and heroic troops, and that great gaps are being torn in the lines-that men and comrades are being torn and mangled and killed.
In such moments and under such circumstances as these, strong men pale, and the body grows hot and weak, and the heart of the bravest almost ceases to beat; then it is that the hearer realizes to the fullest extent that war is terrible.
The men are hungry, but they cannot eat; they are tired und worn, but they cannot rest, the limbs and feet ache, and they cannot sit down; they lie prone upon the ground, put in that position the sound of the battle is intensi- fied, and they rise up; speak to them if you will, and they unswer you as if in a dream; they laugh, but it is a laugh that has no joy in it. The infantry stay close to their gun stacks; the artillerymen, drivers and gunners, stand near to their posts of duty, in a terrible, fearful state of unrest. That body of men who thus stood almost unnerved on that September day were not lacking in true soldierly qualities.
178
THE EIGHTY-SIXTHI REGIMENT,
Their bravery had been tested on other fields. They had passed through the ordeal at Donelson, at Shiloh, at Perryville, at Stone's River. There they had met the enemy in the hottest and fiercest of the battle with all the bravery and firmness of the Roman, and again when the time shall come for them under orders to take their place in the charging line, or in position with their comrades to re- ceive the enemy's assault, they will not be found wanting. Thus hour after hour was passed by these waiting troops in a dreadful state of anxiety and suspense. There were no tidings from the front. They only knew that the battle was fearful, terrible. Noontime came and passed, and still the battle raged with undiminished fury, and this brigade still waited orders to move. Another hour beyond midday had passed, and the second was drawing toward its close, when suddenly from out the woods to the front and left of Dick's brigade onto the open field, dashed an officer, his horse urged to its greatest speed toward the expectant troops. The men see him coming, and in an instant a new life has taken pos- session of them. "There comes orders, " are the words that pass from lip to lip along that line. Without commands the lines are reformed behind the gun stacks, ready for the com- mand, "Take arms." The cannoneers stand at their posts ready to mount limber chest and caisson. The drivers "stand to horse, " and with hand on rein and toe in stirrup, for de- tails of the drill are forgotten in the feverish anxiety for the command to "mount" and away. How quick, how great the change at the prospect of freedom from the suspense of the day. The eye has lighted up, the arm has again grown strong, and the nerves are once more steady. All is now eagerness for the work that must be before them. Every head is bent forward to catch, if possible, the first news from the front, and to hear the orders that are to be given. All are thoroughly aroused; there will soon be no more suspense. It is to be action for Dick's brigade on until the close of the battle. Nearer and nearer comes the rider. Now could be distinguished his features, and one could see the fearful earn- estness that was written on every line of his face. He leaned
179
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
forward as he rode, in such haste he was. The horse he rode had caught the spirit of the rider, and horse and rider by their every movement made, told to the experienced soldiers to whom they were hastening that there was to be work for them, that the urgency was great, and that the peril was imminent.
How much there is of life, of the soldier's life in time of war, that cannot be painted on canvas or described in words. It is the inexpressible part, that something in the face, in the eye, in the swaying of the body, the gesture of the hand, and the officer, the soldier, reads in those movements and appearances the very facts, terrible in detail, that are after- wards put into words. No one who has seen the life of the soldier in actual warfare but has just seen such occasions and just such faces. Such was the face, and such the move- ment of that staff officer that afternoon of September 19, 1863. He had not spoken a word, there had been no uplifting of the hand as he rode across that field, but that indescribable ap- pearance spoke for him. Every soldier as he saw him, read that face and form as though from an open book, yes, and read in all its awful, dreadful meaning that his comrades were in deepest peril, and that help must be borne quickly, or all hope would be gone, and thus reading, every man was ready to do his full duty. Not long delayed were the orders, and as he approaches, this officer is met by Colonel Dick, as anxious to receive the orders as he is to give them. The command comes in quick, sharp words: "The General pre- sents his compliments and directs that you move your brig- ade at once to the support of General Beatty. Take the road, moving by the flank to the right, double quick. I am to direct you, " and then he added so those who stood near heard the words, "Our men are hard pressed." The last sentence was all that was said in words as to the condition of our troops, but it was enough, and those who heard knew they had read aright before he had spoken.
Scarce had the orders been received by Colonel Dick, when the command, "Take-Arms!" was heard along the line, and the artillery bugle sounded for cannoneers and
180
THIE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
drivers, "Mount." It scarcely took the time required to tell it for the brigade to get in motion moving out of the field and onto the road. The artillery took the beaten road, the infantry alongside. It was a grand scene as the men moved quickly into place, closing up the column and waiting but a moment for the command to move.
The guns of the infantry are at right shoulder, and all have grown eager for the order, "Forward." The bugle sounds the first note of the command. Now look along that column; the men are leaning forward for the start; the drivers on the artillery teams tighten the rein in the left hand, and, with the whip in the uplifted right arm, rise in their stirrups; and as the last note of the bugle is sounded, the crack of the whips of thirty-six drivers over the backs of as many horses, and the stroke of the spurs, sends that battery of six guns and its caissons rattling and bounding over that road, while the in- fantry alongside are straining every nerve as they hasten to the relief of the comrades so hard pressed. The spirits of the men grow higher and higher with each moment of the advance. The rattling of the artillery and the hoof beats of the horses add to the excitement of the onward rush, infantry and artillery thus side by side vieing each with the other which shall best do his part. Now, as they come nearer, the storm of the battle seems to grow greater and greater. On and yet on they press, until reaching the designated point, the artillery is turned off to the left on to a ridge, and go into position along its crest, while the lines of the infantry are being formed to the right of the road over which they have just been hurrying. The brigade lines are scarcely formed, and the command to move forward given, when the lines which are in the advance are broken by a terrific charge of the enemy, and are driven back in confusion onto our' line-friend and foe so intermingled that a shot cannot be fired without inflicting as much injury on our men as upon the enemy.
The artillery, on the crest of the ridge back of the brig- ade, have unlimbered and gone into action, and its shells are
181
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
now flying overhead into the woods, where the enemy's lines had been. Confusion seems to have taken possession of our lines, and, to add to it, the lines to the right have been broken and the enemy is sweeping past our flank. The order is given to fall back on line with the artillery. Out of the wood, under the fire of the cannon, the men hasten. Now on the crest of that ridge, without works of any kind to shelter them, the troops are again hastily formed, and none too soon. Down the gentle sloop of that ridge, and away to the right and left and front stretches an open field, without tree or shrub to break the force of the balls. In front, and at the edge of the field, two hundred yards away, runs the road parallel with our lines; beyond the road the heavy tim- ber where the Confederate lines are formed, and well pro- tected in their preparations for their charge. Scarce had the lines been formed when the sharp crack of the rifles along our front, and the whistling of the balls over our heads, gave us warning that the advance of the enemy had begun, and in an instant the shouts of the skirmishers are drowned by the shout that goes up from the charging col- umn as it starts down in the woods. The men are ready. The Eighty-sixth Indiana is on the left of the brigade, the Seventh Indiana battery-six guns-is on the right of the regiment; Battery M, Fourth United States artillery, is on its left. The gunners and every man of those two batteries are at their posts of duty, the tightly drawn lines in their faces showing their purpose there to stand for duty or die. To the right of the Seventh Indiana battery was the Forty- fourth Indiana and beyond this to the right is the remainder of the brigade with its battery. Officers pass the familiar command of caution along the line-"Steady, men, steady." The shout of the charging foe comes rapidly on; now they burst out of the woods and onto the road. As if touched by an electric cord, so quick and so in unison was it, the rifles leap to the shoulder along the ridge where wave the stars and stripes. Now the enemy is in plain view along the road covering the entire front; you can see them, as with cap visors drawn well down over their eyes, the gun at the
182
THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
charge, with short, shrill shout they come, and the colors of Johnson's division of Longstreet's corps can be seen, flushed with victory, confronting us. The men on the ridge recog- nized the gallantry of their charging foe, and their pride is touched as well. All this is but the work of an instant, when, just as that long line of gray has crossed the road, quick and sharp rings out along the line the command "Ready-Fire!" It seems to come to infantry and artillery at the same instant, and out from the rifles of the men and the mouths of those cannons leap the death-dealing bullet and canister; again and again, with almost lightning rapidity, they pour in their deadly, merciless fire, until along that entire ridge it has become almost one continuous volley, one sheet of flame. Now that corps that had known little of defeat begins to waver; their men had fallen thick and fast about them. Again and yet again the volleys are poured into them, and the artillery on our right and left have not ceased their deadly work. No troops can long withstand such fire; their lines waver, another volley and they are broken and now fall back in con- fusion. The charge was not long in point of time, but was terrible in its results to the foe.
Along the entire line to the right and left the battle raged with increased fury. We are now on the defensive; and all can judge that the lull in front is only the stillness that forebodes the more terrible storm that is to come. A few logs and rails are hastily gathered together to form a slight breastwork. Soon the scattering shots that began to fall about us, like the first heavy drops of the rain storm, gave warning that the foe was again moving to the attack. Again we are ready, now lying behind our hastily-pre- pared works. Again is heard the shout as on he comes with more determination than before; but with even greater cour- age do our men determine to hold their lines. The artil- lery is double shotted with canister. Again the com- mand, "Fire!" and hotter, fiercer than before the battle rages along our front. Shout is answered with shout, shot by shot tenfold, until again the assailants break before that
183
INDIANA VOLUNTEERS.
terrible death dealing fire and are again forced back. But why repeat further the story of that Saturday afternoon. Again and again were those charges repeated along that line, only to be hurled back-broken than and shattered. It did seem as though our men were more human. The artillerymen worked as never before. Their guns-double shotted-had scarce delivered their charges, when before the gun could complete its recoil, it was caught by strong arms, made doubly strong in that fever heat of battle, was again in position, again double shotted, and again fired into the face of the foe. The arm bared, the veins standing out in great strong lines, the hat or cap gone from the head, the eyes starting almost from the socket, the teeth set, the face beaded with perspiration, balls falling all about them, those men of the Seventh Indiana battery and Battery M seemed to be supernaturally endowed with strength. Their comrades of the infantry vied with them in acts of heroism, and daring, and endurance. They shouted de- finance at the foe with every shot; with face and hands be- grimed in the smoke and dust and heat of the battle; with com- rades falling about them, the survivors thought only of venge- ance. All the horses on two of the guns of the Seventh In- diana battery were shot down; another charge is beginning ; those two guns might be lost ; they must be gotten back. Quick as thought a company of infantry spring to the guns, one hand holding the rifle, the other on the cannon, and with the shot falling thick and fast in and about them, drag the guns over the brow of the ridge and down into the woods, just in the rear of our lines, and hasten back again to take their places in lines, ready to meet the on-coming charge. An artilleryman is shot down; a man from the infantry takes his place and obeys orders as best he can. When the charge began our men were lying down. Then, in the midst of it, so great became the excitement, so intense the anxiety, all fear and prudence vanished, and the men leaped to their feet, and would fire and load, and fire and load, in the wildest frenzy of desperation. They had lost all ideas of danger, or the strength of the assailant. It was this absolute desperation of
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.