USA > Indiana > The Eighty-sixth regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry : a narrative of its services in the civil war of 1861-1865 > Part 24
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diana, mounted the Ridge, and referred to by General Bate. Here are General Bate's own words:
"In a few moments I saw a flag waving at the point in the line of General Anderson's division, beyond the depression in the Ridge, where a section of artillery of Dent's battery had been firing and was now located. I thought it a Confederate flag, but on near approach and more minute inspection I soon detected the United States colors. The line in my front had recoiled a second time, but was rallied and was advancing up the hill in such numbers as to forbid the displacing of any of my com- mand. I was ordered by General Bragg to withdraw a portion of my command and dislodge him if possible; but upon suggesting that I was without reserve, and the danger of withdrawing when so hard pressed on the front, which would necessarily cause a gap in my line, he directed me to take such as could be best spared. I at once took the command under Major Weaver, which had come from the ditches and were aligned across the Crutchfield road, it being disengaged, and moved it at a double-quick some five or six hundred yards to the elevation on the right and rear of where the enemy had formed near his flag. I was un- able, notwithstanding the assistance of Major Weaver, to get his com- mand farther, and could only form it on the hill at right angles to my line, protecting my flank, and seek to dislodge him by a well-directed fire or hold him in check until the repulsed brigade in Anderson's line could be rallied and retake their lost ground. Having made this dispo- sition and opened fire, I left Lieutenant Blanchard, of my staff, to report the result and returned to my line, which was being dangerously pressed. It was but a few moments until the second and third flags were on the Ridge near the same spot, and the enemy in such numbers as to drive away the command under Major Weaver. This command, upon the ad- vance of the enemy, broke and retired in disorder. The enemy turned our guns upon us and opened a fire of musketry from our right and rear. This advantage gained caused my right to give back.
In seeking to rally the right I did not see the exact time when the flag went up at the left of General Bragg's headquarters, but refer to the reports of Brigadier General Finley."
Finley's reports and the reports of others referred to could not be found, as they are not given in "The Rebellion Records," but presume that they correspond with the re- ports of Bate and Bragg. General Bragg says:
" About 3:30 p. m. the immense force in the front of our left and center advanced in three lines, preceded by heavy skirmishers. Our batteries opened with fine effect, and much confusion was produced before they reached musket-range. In a short time the roar of mus- ketry became very heavy, and it was soon apparent the enemy had been repulsed in my immediate front. While riding along the crest congrat-
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
ulating the troops, intelligence reached me that our line was broken on my right, and the enemy had crowned the Ridge. Assistance was promptly despatched to that point under Brigadier General Bate, who had so successfully maintained the ground in my front, and I proceeded to the rear of the broken line to rally our retiring troops and return them to the erest to drive the enemy back. General Bate found the disaster so great that his small force could not repair it.
About this time I learned that our extreme left had also given way, and that my position was almost surrounded. Bate was immediately directed to form a second line in the rear, where, by the efforts of my staff a nuclens of stragglers had been formed upon which to rally. Lieutenant General Hardee, leaving Major General Cleburne in com- mand on the extreme right, moved toward the left when he heard the firing in that direction. He reached the right of Anderson's division just in time to find it had nearly all fallen back, commencing on the left, where the enemy had first crowned the Ridge. By a prompt and judicious movement he threw a portion of Cheatham's division directly across the Ridge facing the enemy, who was moving a strong force im- mediately on his left flank. * * All to the left, however, except a por- tion of Bate's division was entirely routed and in rapid flight, nearly all the artillery having been shamefully abandoned by its infantry sup- port. * * The position was one which ought to have been held by a line of skirmishers against any assaulting column."
This is quoted from General Bragg's report of the bat- tle, and is directly to the point as to where his line was first broken. It corroborates Bate's statement on this point. It also shows why General Wood used sound military sense by not rushing on over the Ridge into the valley in pursuit of the retreating enemy and exposing his left flank to Hardee's attack. It also shows the extreme daring courage of the rank and file in presuming to attack, without orders, a strong
battle line intrenched in a position "which ought to have been held by a line of skirmishers against any assaulting column." All this is submitted as evidence that the Eighty- sixth and Seventy-ninth Indiana, led by Colonels Fred Knefler and George F. Dick, first mounted to the volcanic crest of Missionary Ridge on the 25th of November, 1863.
General Willich claimed his brigade was first upon the Ridge, but says the flag of the Eighty-sixth was among the first of the flags upon the crest.
General Turchin, of Baird's division, also claimed that his brigade was first to mount to the crest of the ridge. The
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statement of Hugh Leslie, a member of Company A, Fifty- ninth Ohio, of Turchin's brigade, who was in the ranks that day and witnessed the magnificent assault of the two lead- ing regiments of Beatty's brigade controverts his claim. He was not blinded by an ambition that would rob his com- rades in arms of their just won honors. Here is his state- ment made in a letter written to J. A. Barnes and dated at Hillsboro, Ohio, September 12, 1893:
I belonged to the First brigade, Third division, Fourteenth corps. I said then and I say now that the first flag that I saw at the rebel works was an Indiana flag, a bright new flag, and according to the de- scription that I gave you we concluded that it was your flag. * * It was after we had taken the rebel works that we went over to the left to help scatter a rebel line that had formed after they were driven out. We had no officers there to give any commands at that time-the boys fought that battle on their own account. * If this was your flag I am very glad to testify to the facts for they were brave boys and true, as were all the Indiana boys that I had the honor of knowing. * * I have stated the plain facts and can testify to them all.
This letter was not quite clear as to the exact location of this flag Comrade Leslie had seen first at the rebel works, hence the second one, which is dated at Hillsboro, Ohio, October 4, 1893:
I received your letter of the 24th. * You want me to make a clear statement of the case which I can do just as well. The flag that I saw was on the immediate right of Turchin's brigade, and I believe now was the flag of the Eighty-sixth Indiana.
Comrade Leslie speaks only of the Eighty-sixth, but, of course, it is understood that the two regiments acted together as one regiment.
Some years afterward in a letter to Lieutenant Colonel Bailey, of the Ninth Kentucky, Colonel Dick writes:
We remained on the Ridge all the next day, our guns stacked just where we entered the works. During the day-the 26th-many staff and General officers came along the Ridge to look over the conquered ground, and I will not thought to be claiming anything above any other regiment, if I state that they halted at my flag, and remarked: "Here is the new flag that went in first." And the place where the rebel line was first broken was an object of interest all day. These things I elaim for Beatty's brigade. The facts are very prominent before my mind that our brigade went up in its own front against a big opposition, cap- tured troops in front of the brigade on the left, fought hard along the
1
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THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT,
Ridge to the north until the battle ended, and saw no troops in our front except the enemy at any time.
General Beatty speaking of the assault says:
The advance of my brigade was the Seventy-ninth Indiana, Colonel Fred Kneller, and the Eighty-sixth Indiana, Colonel George F. Dick. These regiments advanced with spirit and drove the enemy from his rifle-pits and works at the foot of the Ridge.
The fire of the enemy was so hot here, and enfilading us so com- pletely, that Colonel Knefler, commanding the two regiments, was not ordered to halt, and pushed on up the hill. This rendered it necessary to support them with other troops, and, being unable to obtain commun- ication with General Wood, I immediately ordered forward the Thir- teenth Ohio, Colonel Jarvis, and the Fifty-ninth Ohio, Major Vanosdol, to their assistance. Most gallantly did these regiments spring to their work, and step by step, exposed to the terrifie fire of batteries on the right, left, and front, did they ascend the steep hill.
Hoping to obtain a firm footing on the Ridge, I ordered forward the remaining two regiments of my brigade. Seventeenth Kentucky, Colonel Stout, and the Nineteenth Ohio, Colonel Charles F. Manderson, to sup- port those already sent forward, and soon after received the order from General Granger to send forward all my troops.
These two regiments advanced in splendid order. By the time they were half way up the Ridge the four regiments in advance had gained the crest and occupied the rebel works, having successfully, at the sec- ond attempt, charged the enemy from them and planted their colors on the summit of Missionary Ridge. The colors of four regiments of my brigade, viz: Seventy-ninth Indiana, Eighty-sixth Indiana, Thirteenth Ohio, Fifty-ninth Ohio, were almost simultaneously planted on the enemy's works. At nearly the same time the colors of a regiment of General Willich's brigade were established on the works by its Colonel.
General Beatty further says:
In recounting the operations of my command in the advance of the lines on the 23d, and the charging of Missionary Ridge on the 25th, I have to compliment Colonel Fred Knefler, Colonel George F. Dick, Col- onel Alexander M. Stout, Colonel Dwight Jarvis, Colonel George H. Cram, Colonel Charles F. Manderson, and Major Robert J. Vadosdol for the discipline and efficiency of their troops, and upon the gallant style with which cach vied with others in doing their utmost to secure a victory to our arms. The adrance of the Seventy-ninth and Eighty-sixth. In- diana was strongly resisted by the enemy, but led by their gallant commanders, and supported by the advance of the Thirteenth and Fifty-ninth Ohio regiments in splendid stylo, succeeded in first planting the national flag on the rebel works on the summit of Missionary Ridge.
In this last statement General Beatty makes amends to the Seventy-ninth and Eighty-sixth for his former statement
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that "the colors of four regiments of my brigade, viz: Sev- enty-ninth Indiana, Eighty-sixth Indiana, Thirteenth Ohio, Fifty-ninth Ohio, were almost simultaneously planted on the enemy's works." In this last he states that "the Seventy- ninth and Eighty-sixth," supported by the other regiments, "first succeeded in planting the national flag on the rebel works on the summit of Missionary Ridge." This was exactly the situation.
Colonel Knefler's report is as follows:
Nothing occurred Tuesday, the 24th, or Wednesday, the 25th, until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, at which time I was ordered by General Beatty to advance with my command beyond our works and form on the left of the front line of General Willich, to advance and take the rifle- pits of the rebels in our front. The rebels upon our approach abandoned their rifle-pits, which were occupied by our forces. Not having re- ceived any order to remain in the rebel works, I ordered my command to advance upon the mountain side in our front. Crossing the open space beyond the works we met a terrific fire, enfilading my command in all directions. The fire of the rebels becoming very severe, and their infantry in front, who were retreating before us, halting occasionally and firing upon us, I perceived that the safety of my command required it to get the protection of the mountain side to be enabled to take shelter among the trees and rocks. Furged a rapid advance, and with the hearty co-operation of the officers of both regiments the whole line was carried forward in the best order possible, on almost inaccessible ground. Here protected by the steepness of the mountain, the men were enabled to make good their foot-hold, and reply to the rebel musketry, which was very galling, and ahnost surrounding us. We advanced steadily step by step. When near the top my attention was called by Captain Howe to the fact that our adrance upon the mountain isolated us from the rest of the line with which we advanced upon the enemy's rifle-pits; there was no support on the right or left, and on looking back perceived our forces occupying the rebel work below; to retrace our steps would have been inevitable destruction to the entire command. The resolve to advance and hold every inch of ground until supported was our only safety. The line advanced firmly, taking advantage of every obstacle, under a most furious fire of artillery and small arms, the enemy rolling lighted shells among my men and throwing rocks upon on heads; but the ground was held and contested with the utmost determination. The rebels did not succeed in forcing us back one step. We remained in our position, our flags and the enemy's almost touching, keeping up a heavy fire, until support came on the right and left, advancing up the mountain. At last orders were given to fix bayonets, and to charge them; once the effort failed, but advancing again succeeded, and gained the
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enemy's works, which were covered with dead and wounded, and full of rebels, who made haste to,fling away their guns and to get to our rear. As my men swarmed upon the crest the rebels made another stand. commanded, as ascertained, by the rebel General Hardee, but their resistance was very feeble; they were quickly broken, and fled in the greatest confusion. Here a battle-flag was captured: I regret to say it was torn to shreds by the men in their eagerness to secure mementoes. After pursuing the rebels, and the capture of many pieces of artillery and numerous prisoners, the command bivonacked upon the crest of Missionary Ridge. * * I beg leave to call the attention of the gen- eral to the following officers whose conduct deserves special mention: Captains Hanna, Jordan, and Howe, Adjutant Ritter, Lieutenants Mount and Burns of the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers; Captain Sims, Gregory, and Carnahan, Lientenants MeInerny and Laymon, of the Eighty-sixth Indiana Volunteers.
I cannot close this without making my acknowledgments and thank- ing Colonel George F. Diek, of the Eighty-sixth Indiana Volunteers, for the rery valuable assistance rendered me in commanding the two regiments while consolidated during the battle and from the time we left our camps.
The following is Colonel George F. Dick's report:
SIR :- I have the honor to submit the following as a report of my regiment in the late engagement, near Chattanooga, on the 23d of No- vember:
According to orders received from headquarters, I moved out my regiment, which, according to previous arrangements, had been consol- idated with the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Fred Knefler commanding. My regiment formed the left wing of the battalion, and we moved in front of Fort Wood, where with the brigade, we formed in double column in mass. We then moved on the enemy and halted when about one mile cast of the fort, where we were ordered to deploy in line of battle. We lay in this position till dark, nothing occurring in our front with the exception of picket firing, when we were ordered to move to the right a short distance. We bivonacked until about Il p. m., when orders were received to dig rifle-pits and construct an abatis in front by felling the dense timber.
The 24th we lay in the same position awaiting further orders.
On the 25th, at 3:30 o'clock, we received orders to move forward, which we did, and halted outside the abatis, and formed in line with and to the left of General Willich. Orders were given to forward on double- quick and charge the enemy's breastworks at the base of Missionary Ridge. We double-quicked abont one mile, driving the enemy before us in confusion, and took possession of his works, during the whole of which time we were under a most deadly fire from his guns on the Ridge. It was here that Major Jacob C. Dick and Lieutenant Jerry
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Haugh, commanding Company B, received wounds which disabled them to lead their men farther. The pursuit was continued, and when at the foot of the Ridge we had to face volleys of musketry from the enemy. We charged the hill through this hail, which was poured into our ranks from rifle-pits at the summit of the mountain, which was about 1,200 feet in height, and the ascent at about an angle of 50 degrees. When about two-thirds of the way up, the brave and much loved Captain Southard, Company K, was instantly killed while gallantly leading and cheering his men. When within about fifty feet of the enemy's works our men, being so nearly exhausted, halted behind stumps and trees to rest. Again we started, following the colors, which were nobly borne aloft by the color-bearer Sergeant Stephen Cronkite, Company E. This gallant soldier deserves much honor for his bravery in bearing the un- furled Stars and Stripes up these steep and rocky heights, and in the face of a most bitter fire. When within fifteen feet of the enemy's works he fell wounded and was unable to go farther. They were taken up by Sergeant Thomas J. Graves, Company D, who gallantly carried them over the works and pursued the confused and retreating enemy.
Here might be mentioned that some of the men were in advance of the colors. Private John Clawson, Company C, has the proud honor of being the first man inside the works in our front on the heights of Mis- sionary Ridge. A portion of the regiment continued the pursuit, fol- lowing the retreating enemy pouring deadly volleys into his confused and scattered ranks. When about a quarter of a mile to the left of the point where we reached the summit, the enemy made a stubborn resist- ance behind a second line of breastworks. Here Sergeant Thomas J. Graves, who was gallantly waving the colors, fell dangerously wounded. They were taken up by Captain William S. Sims, who almost at the same time captured the Major of the Forty-second Alabama. However, we succeeded in driving the enemy. Another portion of the regiment charged directly over the Ridge, and with others of the brigade cap- tured and brought to the top, by hand, two pieces of artillery. We bivonacked on the Ridge for the night.
On the 26th, we lay on the Ridge awaiting further orders. At & p. m. orders were received to return to camp near Chattanooga, which were complied with, arriving here about 10 o'clock.
Of my regiment, I am proud to say, that both officers and men behaved well. Much honor and credit is due them. The officers in par- ticular displayed that courage and bravery that should characterize every true soldier. I might especially mention, as these came under my immediate observation, and without any disparagement to others, the names of Captains Sims, Gemmer, Gregory, and Carnahan, and Lieutenants McInerny and Laymon, as doing much in leading their men to victory.
Of our companions in arms, the Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteers,
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I can pay them no higher compliment than to say they fought with their usual gallantry and bravery.
The colors on whose folds were inseribed, " Presented to the Eighty- sixth Indiana Volunteers by the ladies of Boone county," * received eighty-eight musket shots and two in the staff, one of which severed it.
Herewith I send you a rebel battle-flag, captured while ascending the hill.
While it is ont of place, and I feel a delicacy in presuming to dictate as a junior officer, yet I must say that Colonel Fred Knefler, Seventy- ninth Indiana Volunteers, well deserves and richly merits a commission as a brigadier general, for his gallantry displayed in charging and tak- ing Missionary Ridge.
The regiment went into the engagement with two hundred and thirty-six men and nineteen officers. Herewith I send you a list of the casualties.
As has been stated before the loss of the Eighty-sixth in the assault upon the Ridge was greater than that of any other regiment in Beatty's brigade, and nearly double that of its companion regiment, the Seventy-ninth. In fact, accord- ing to the records that regiment did not lose a man killed and only twenty-eight wounded, but the mention of this small loss must not be understood as an attempt to detract from that regiment's gallantry. It was occasioned by its less exposed position. The other two brigades of Wood's division lost more heavily than did Beatty's brigade. There were two very plain reasons for this. The brigades were larger-had a greater number of men exposed to the enemy's fire and they were a longer time getting well up the Ridge, and therefore a longer time in securing the protection of its steepness. The loss of Hazen's brigade was the greatest of any brigade engaged in the battle before Chattanooga or on Lookout Mountain. This must in part, at least, be accounted for by the withdrawal of Wagner's brigade-the left brigade of Sheridan's division-after it began the ascent of the Ridge, thus leaving Hazen's right unprotected and exposed, and the enemy on his right nnengaged and free to attack him. Yet the official tabulated list of casualties is a little misleading as to the loss of regiments and brigades in the
* For a history of the colors of the Eighty-sixth regiment see Appendix to this volume.
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assault proper as it includes the losses of three days' fight- ing, viz: the loss of the advance and attack upon Orchard Knob, and also the loss by skirmishing on the 23d, 24th and 25th, as well as that of the assault upon the Ridge. The loss of the Eighty-sixth as reported is confined strictly to the killed and wounded of the assault proper. To include all the loss of the Eighty-sixth of the three days' battle it would be fifty, and perhaps more. But as reported the loss was nearly twenty per cent. of the number engaged. This loss in less than one hour's fighting indicates hot work and close quarters where the work could be made effective. But it still remains a marvelous, miraculous affair to all who labored up the Ridge through that volcanic down pour of shot, shell, shrapnel, grape and canister, and musket balls, that many, very many more were not killed and maimed for life whenever they think of the red current of war that swept down the steep declivity, through their ranks and over their heads, literally raking the mountain slope from crest to foot. As Taylor well says, "The story of the battle of Missionary Ridge is struck with immortality." But he says, "Let the leader of the Fourth corps bear it company." Shall it not rather in justice be said, let the leaders, the Eighty-sixth and Seventy-ninth Indiana, bear it company, as they were the first to conceive and first to put in execution the thought of trying to capture the Ridge-the real origi- nators of that memorable assault. Let history be just even though it be towards the men in the ranks and humble subalterns.
As material results, and as revealing how thoroughly the enemy was beaten and demoralized by the successful as- sault on Missionary Ridge, Captain T. G. Baylor, Chief of Ordinance of the Department of the Cumberland, gives the following summary of the captures of ordinance and ordinance stores: Field guns and howitzers, 40; field carriages, 38; caissons, 26; battery wagons and forges, 5; rounds of artil- lery ammunition, 2,236; stands of small arms, 6,175, besides infantry accouterments without end. General Brannan,
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Chief of Artillery, Army of the Cumberland, in his report gives the following credits:
By General Davis' division, at Chickamauga Station . . 24-pounders 2
By General Geary's division on Lookout Mountain · field pieces 2
By General Osterhaus' division on Missionary Ridge field pieces 1
By General Wood's division on Missionary Ridge field pieces 12
By General Sheridan's division on Missionary Ridge · field pieces 6
By General Johnson's division at Graysville field pieces 4
By General Baird's division on Missionary Ridge field pieces 1 Claimed by Generals Baird and Wood Missionary Ridge field pieces 6 Claimed by Generals Wood and Sheridan Missionary Ridge . field pieces 6
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