USA > Kansas > The Seventh Kansas calvary: its service in the civil war. An address before the State historical society, December 2, 1902 > Part 5
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A second advance was made on the 27th, led by Cornyn's brigade. The enemy was met in force and driven beyond Town creek. At that stream a severe engagement took place. The infantry supports came up and a heavy artillery duel, which lasted several hours, occurred. From Town creek the entire infantry command fell back to Corinth. The cavalry fell back to Burnsville, Miss., and then moved rapidly to the south. This last movement was in conjunction with the ad- vance of General Grierson, just ready to start on his great raid through Mississippi. Cornyn's brigade moved on the left and in advance of Grierson. The enemy were soon met, and constant skirmishing was kept up until the command reached Tupelo.
At this place, on May 5, was met a strong force under the command of the rebel Generals Gholson and Ruggles. The rebels were preparing an elaborate plan to capture our whole command, and they had the force to do it, but Cornyn did not do his part to make it a success. Instead of deploying at the bridge and being two or three hours forcing a crossing, the Seventh Kansas charged it in column, was over it in five minutes, and the enemy were caught with their forces divided. Company A of the Seventh came suddenly on the flank of a rebel cavalry regiment moving down under the shelter of some ·tenant Sanders attacked at once, and the surprised Confeder- ates were driven down on the Tenth Missouri, who charged, and the entire rebel regiment was captured. A number were killed and wounded, and many of the prisoners bore marks of the saber that played a conspicuous part in this division of the
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fight. Company A lost but one man killed, Corp. Edwin M. Vaughn. While this fighting was going on General Gho!son, supposing their plan was meeting with success, came up through the timber on the left with his infantry, to catch our column on the flank and rear and complete the conquest. He ran into the Tenth Missouri's mountain battery, supported by companies I and K of the Seventh Kansas, and met a galling fire of double-shotted canister and rapid volleys from the sup- porting companies. Company C charged in on his right flank and poured volley after volley into his charging lines. Ghol- son's infantry were largely raw levies and could not stand the cross-fire they were subjected to; they wavered, then turned and fled, in a panic. The timber was strewn with corn bread and haversacks as far as our pursuit extended. They did not attempt to follow when, at night, according to plan, Cornyn fell back, nor did they molest Grierson's column as he passed. The loss of the enemy was heavy in killed and wounded, and the prisoners numbered several hundred, including a large number of officers.
The regiment had permanent headquarters at Corinth after its return until January 8, 1864. The duties performed during the summer and fall of 1863 were arduous-scouting and skirmishing daily, and keeping a constant surveillance over the movements of the enemy. Many severe engagements with Forrest were fought, and the work was always well and bravely done. Until the fall of Vicksburg, constant watch was maintained to prevent reenforcements going to Johnston. On July 11, 1863, Lieutenant-colonel Herrick was promoted to colonel, and Captain Houston, of company H, lieutenant- colonel.
On the 26th of May, 1863, Colonel Cornyn, with a mounted force consisting of the Seventh Kansas, Tenth Missouri, and one battalion of the Fifteenth Illinois cavalry, and the Ninth Illinois mounted infantry, moved towards the Tennessee river. The river was crossed at Hamburg during the night, and the whole force advanced towards Florence, Ala., the Seventh Kansas leading the advance. During the day two companies of the regiment made a detour to Rawhide, out on the left flank, and destroyed the large grist-mill and the cotton and woolen factories located there and employed in manufacturing material for the enemy. The Confederate cavalry were met about ten miles out of Florence. They contested our advance,
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but were easily forced back. Their pickets were driven in,. but the forces composing the garrison of the place were found posted along the west edge of town, supported by artillery. Their cannon were quickly silenced and the place carried by assault, and their entire force, which was commanded by Gen- eral Villepigue, driven beyond the town. A large quantity of fixed ammunition and a number of shops making war material were destroyed, and seven large cotton and woolen factories were burned; also large quantities of corn and forage belong- ing to the Confederate government. As the command moved out to the southward after nightfall it was attacked, and a severe encounter took place. The enemy was driven off but returned to the attack repeatedly, and more or less skirmish- ing lasted during the night. A major and about fifty men were captured by a charge of a company of the regiment ; after that the enemy became more cautious. The Seventh Kansas covered the rear while the brigade was crossing the river on the return, and repulsed several sharp attacks, and, finally, making a countercharge, drove the enemy back over a mile. The brigade returned to Corinth on the 29th. During this raid the Seventh Kansas was in the saddle constantly during five days and four nights, never resting more than two hours at any one time.
Col. Florence M. Cornyn, of the Tenth Missouri cavalry, who commanded our brigade for several months, was a red- headed Irishman, absolutely fearless, of iron constitution. and untiring while in the field. He never stopped to ascertain the number of the enemy's force, but attacked at once wher- ever he was met. His audacity always won out and never failed to score a victory. He was shot and killed by his lieu- tenant-colonel in a personal encounter in the fall of 1863. The raids that we made under him were dashing and always pro- duced great results, and it used to be said in discussing the forays that he led, that "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
It will be too long a story to go into detail in describing .all the engagements which the regiment participated in during the season of 1863. It was a year of constant work and weary night marches, through mud and rain or stifling dust, and many sharp encounters occurred with Forrest.
It will be remembered that the year 1863-the turning- point in the war-was a season of great activity. In northern
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Mississippi Forrest was operating to keep reenforcements from Grant and Rosecrans, and the Union forces, which were really the outposts of Grant's army operating before Vicks- burg until after Pemberton's surrender, were constantly em- ployed in scouting and watching to prevent reenforcements going to Johnston. Forrest was the most skilful of all the Con- federate cavalry generals. He was almost ubiquitous, con- stantly on the move, and, operating as he did in a country friendly to the cause of the South, gave us no end of work. Forrest never seemed to think the life of a man of much con- sequence when he had a purpose to accomplish. He exposed his men recklessly and suffered heavy losses, but at the same time forced the Union cavalry frequently to take desperate chances to offset his movements. In telling the story of 1863, one can give but little idea of the constant strain the little force in northern Mississippi was subjected to. The Seventh Kansas, nominally in camp at Corinth, spent very little time there; the raids into the Tuscumbia valley, to Tupelo, and across the Tennessee river to Florence, already briefly de- scribed, are but samples of the work performed until the regi- ment was veteranized and went north on furlough. After the fall of Vicksburg, every effort was made to hold Forrest with as large a Confederate force as possible in Mississippi and prevent his reenforcing Bragg. Movements to the north and east as well as to the east and south were made, and nu- merous affairs that entailed more hardship than loss of life resulted from frequent contact with the enemy, and many small encounters of. more significance than appeared on the surface will be passed over in this story, in which only the most conspicuous affairs are described.
On March 12, 1863, a fight with Richardson near Gallaway station, Tenn., ended in a rout of the enemy. Colonel Looney, Major Sanford and Captain Bright, of the Confederate army, were captured, together with a considerable number of en- listed men.
On March 16, near Mount Pleasant, Miss., the Confederates . were whipped and their rear-guard captured.
On April 2-6 a series of sharp engagements occurred, which resulted in the defeat of the enemy.
On September 30 companies A and C attacked the rear- guard of a Confederate force crossing the Tennessee river at Swallow Bluffs, Tenn. The rear-guard of the enemy, con-
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sisting of a major and thirty men, was captured. The fight- ing was severe. Our loss was one man killed and five wounded. The enemy lost several killed.
On October 12 and 13 the regiment participated in a sharp battle with Forrest at Byhalia and Wyatt. The Seventh Kan- sas made a number of brilliant charges, and Forrest was eventually driven across the Tallahatchie with heavy loss in killed and wounded. In this engagement Capt. Amos Hodge- man was mortally wounded, while leading a charge against the enemy. He died on the 16th. The fighting lasted three days, beginning at Quinn's mill, south of Colliersville, and ending with the severe cavalry battle at Wyatt, on the 13th. A number of prisoners, including several prominent officers, were captured.
The cavalry engagement at Wyatt was an affair of consid- erable magnitude, and during the first year of the civil war would have easily ranked as a battle. Sharp fighting began about three o'clock in the afternoon, and lasted with little in- termission until ten at night. Our force consisted of the Seventh Kansas cavalry, the Third, Sixth and Seventh Illinois cavalry, Ninth Illinois mounted infantry, Third Michigan and Sixth Tennessee cavalry, and eight pieces of artillery. The rebel force was a cavalry division numbering about 6000, re- enforced with artillery. A severe thunder-storm, with heavy downpour of rain, lasted during the whole time. Our last charge was made by Phillips's brigade, consisting of the Seventh Kansas, Third Michigan and Sixth Tennessee cavalry, and Phillips's own gallant regiment, the Ninth Illinois mounted infantry. The troops were dismounted, and the charge was made at nine o'clock, in pitch darkness, and the enemy's posi- tion indicated only by the flashing of small arms and artillery. Over fences, across ditches, and through mud, our men went up and carried the enemy's position, driving him across the Tallahatchie river, and, following close on his heels, prevented the destruction of the bridge, which he attempted.
. That grim sense of humor that can see a joke in the face of death found an opportunity for exercise just before this charge began. Major Malone, who was mounted, rode out in front of the regiment, preparing to lead the coming charge, with the remark that "we'll drive 'em to hell!" and then van- ished from sight. A smothered and distant voice from the bowels of the earth at last indicated his whereabouts. Halter-
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straps were spliced and let down, and he was dragged up, considerably jarred, but not otherwise injured. A measure- ment was made the next morning from the surface to the saddle on the dead horse; the distance was thirty-two feet. The well was dry and not walled, and the caving earth prob- ably broke the fall and saved the life of the major. When we asked him what he thought as he was going down, he said: "Thought? I thought that I was going to hell on horseback."
On December 1 the regiment was engaged at Ripley, with a superior command led by General Forrest in person. The Seventh Kansas had been sent to retard the advance of the rebels on the Memphis & Charleston railroad. The action was severe and full of hardship and danger, but the Confederates were held back and the jayhawkers came off with honor. Maj. W. S. Jenkins was severely wounded in the head in this en- gagement.
On December 24 a battalion of the regiment defeated a detachment of Forrest's command at Jack's Creek, Tenn.
On the 1st day of January, 1864, while the Seventh Kansas lay in temporary camp below Wolf river, south of La Grange, Tenn., the subject of reenlisting as veterans was taken up. The men were bivouacked in the snow, without shelter, and the weather was bitter cold; they were returning from a raid into Mississippi, and the last two days' march had been made through rain, sleet, and snow. Before night over four-fifths of the regiment had signed the reenlistment papers and stood ready for "three years more." The Seventh Kansas was the first regiment to reenlist in that part of the army, and was the only Kansas organization to enlist as a regiment and main- tain, as veterans, the full regimental organization. The regi- ment at once moved to Corinth. On January 18 camp was broken and the command proceeded to Memphis, where, on January 21, the veterans were mustered, to date from the 1st of January, 1864. The men who did not reenlist immediately became known as the "bobtails." They looked sad as the regi- ment went aboard the transports to go north to their homes for a month's furlough, and a number, who could stand it no longer, reenlisted at the last moment. The "bobtails" were assigned to other regiments and remained in the field and con- tinued to do excellent service. They joined the regiment again on its return south in June, and served with it until their dis- charge.
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At Cairo the veterans were paid, and then proceeded to- wards Kansas by way of Decatur and Quincy, Ill., and St. Joseph, Mo .; the objective point was Fort Leavenworth. The men enjoyed themselves on the journey, and made no end of fun. At Decatur, Ill., the men discovered that the landlord of the eating station was charging them seventy-five cents for dinner, while he was charging civilians but fifty. The land- lord was up against trouble at once, and, realizing it, fled from danger and hid in the attic. He was soon found and dragged out, and, begging for mercy, promised restitution. Probably not more than a hundred of the men had eaten at his hotel, but the whole regiment suddenly assembled and fell in, and, when payment began, as soon as the man on the right received his twenty-five-cent shinplaster he would drop out and fall in again on the left. Had not the train for Quincy pulled out soon that hotel-keeper must have been a bankrupt. At Wes- ton, Mo., the ferryman refused to cross the regiment to the Kansas side at the expense of the government, because he had had difficulty in collecting pay for similar service. The cap- tain of the boat was promptly set on shore, Lieut. D. C. Taylor took the wheel, while several men manned the engines below. As soon as loaded, the boat swung out, made the crossing, and never knew that it had changed crews.
At the landing above Fort Leavenworth the regiment was met by a delegation of Leavenworth citizens and received with honors. The men were accorded the freedom of the city; formal action in this direction was unnecessary, for the boys would have taken it anyhow.
At the end of their furloughs the men assembled at Fort Leavenworth and again were paid off, and March 12, 1864, sailed towards Memphis. At St. Louis, however, the regi- ment was halted, and went ashore and remained there in camp on the old Camp Gamble grounds until June 6. Having been reequipped, it moved by river transports to Memphis, Tenn. On the 17th of June the Seventh Kansas left Memphis and moved out along the Memphis & Charleston railroad, to cover the retreat of a portion of Sturgis's command, defeated at Guntown, Miss., by General Forrest."
6. There is a story I would be glad to write. if I can get sufficient data. of an- other company K boy. Arthur T. Reeve. He was hospital steward of the Seventh Kansas, promoted captain of company D, Forty-fifth U. S. colored infantry. It is the story of his heroism in bringing his company off the field when General Sturges was defeated by General Forrest at Guntown, Miss. He marched his company over 150 miles through the enemy's country, fighting almost every foot of the entire way.
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On July 5, the regiment moved from La Grange, Tenn., as the advance-guard of Gen. A. J. Smith's infantry column, starting south on its expedition against General Forrest. General Smith had detached the Seventh Kansas from Grier- son's cavalry division and given them the post of honor with the main column, which it retained until Pontotoc was reached and captured, and then on the never-to-be-forgotten 13th of July was trusted to cover the rear-guard during the movement from Pontotoc to Tupelo. The advance from the beginning was opposed by the enemy in considerable force, but the Seventh Kansas kept the main road clear, and the march of the infantry column was never retarded; the remaining cav- alry force operated on the flanks.
On the 10th a sharp fight was had with Barteau's cavalry, and they were badly whipped and driven back, with the loss of five men killed and left on the field. Approaching Pontotoc on the 11th, the enemy was met in force, and a sharp engage- ment followed. He was driven back on Pontotoc with heavy loss, but General- McCulloch, with a brigade of rebel cavalry, held the town. The Seventh Kansas was reenforced by a brigade of infantry and drove in the rebel skirmishers. Grier- son's cavalry attacked at the same time from the east. The Confederates were driven from their position and retreated in disorder, leaving their dead and wounded in our hands. The main force of the enemy was fortified on Cherry creek, about eight miles south of Pontotoc. General Smith rested on the 12th, and gave General Forrest an opportunity to come out and attack, which he failed to take advantage of. Early on the morning of the 13th Grierson's cavalry was pushed rapidly to the east, with instruction to seize a position at Tu- pelo, about eighteen miles distant. The infantry, followed by the train, pushed out immediately after, leaving the Seventh Kansas drawn up in line of battle waiting for the Confederate advance. The attack came soon after daylight, and the regi- ment slowly fell back, contesting every inch of the way. For-
As I recall it. his other officers were not with him. It was a heroic piece of work that stands alone for steady. persistent nerve. If they had surrendered they would have been murdered to a man. so they fought their way through for days without rest or sleep. Major Reeve settled in Iowa after the war. Nearly twenty years ago he promised to give me his detailed story of his retreat, but he died soon after, and I never heard his statement. The Seventh Kansas returned from veteran furlough while Sturges was on this expedition, and the news of his disaster met us at Memphis as we landed. We were pushed out hurriedly to help cover his retreat, and were fortunate enough to be the ones who met Captain Reeve with the remnant of his company below La Grange.
-1
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rest had thrown his infantry forward to the east, on a paral- lel road to Pontotoc, and sent his cavalry to our rear to pursue. Twice during the day he attacked in force from the right, but was repulsed by the Minnesota brigade guarding that flank of the train.
To the Seventh Kansas, under the command of Colonel Her- rick, had been assigned the duty of guarding the rear of the train against a division of cavalry. It was done, but how it was done is difficult to understand; it was the accomplishment of a seeming impossibility. Every point of advantage was seized and held to the last moment. Squadrons were detached and fought in isolated positions on the flanks, to give impres- sion of a stronger force. Early in the day company A was dismounted and placed in ambush, at the risk of probable capture. They caught the Confederate advance coming on too confidently and emptied many saddles, sending their advance regiment back in confusion. Company A regained their horses in safety, and this deed had a restraining influence on the Confederate cavalry during the rest of the day. The en- emy immediately brought up artillery and shelled the timber in advance, as a precaution against similar attempts. Com- pany C fought once on the left in an isolated position until nearly surrounded, and then cut their way out and escaped. The Confederate advance was made in three columns; if you checked cne the others came on and threatened your flank. The Seventh Kansas covered the rear alone during the whole forenoon; later, Colonel Bouton, commanding a colored bri- gade, dropped back to its support. During the day three dis- tinct charges were made on the rear of the column, which were handsomely repulsed by the Seventh and Bouton's brigade. Forrest says in his report, relative to the conduct of the Seventh Kansas that day, "He took advantage of every favor- able position, and my artillery was kept almost constantly busy."
This tells but little of the constant fighting done by the jay- hawkers from five in the morning until nine in the evening, when they passed to the rear of the infantry line of battle, formed to meet the attacks of the following day. Supperless the men dropped to sleep, and lay as dead until the enemy's shells bursting overhead in the early morning caused them to turn, and at last one by one to raise up and utter maledictions at the "man that shot the gun." This day's work was one of
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the best that the regiment ever did, and Colonel Herrick showed how much genuine stuff there was in him during the trying time when desperate fighting and skilful maneuvering were necessary to hold a much superior force in check.
The Seventh Kansas with a portion of the cavalry division guarded the right of the line during the battle and was but lightly engaged. The battle of Tupelo was a bloody engage- ment, and the Confederates suffered terrible losses ; some regi- ments were wiped out of existence.
At noon on the 15th General Smith began to move north by the Ellistown road, the Seventh Kansas taking the ad- vance and skirmishing constantly, until camp at Town creek was reached. On the day following the regiment took the rear, and contended all day with McCulloch's Confederate brigade until Ellistown was approached; here a sharp, almost hand-to-hand engagement was fought, which resulted to the discomfiture of the enemy.
During the afternoon Major Gregory, who had been sent back on an intersecting road with two companies to guard against an attack on our flank. had remained too long, and, as he finally came down through the timber that lined the road to join the main coluinn, discovered that the head of the Con- federate cavalry advance was passing the intersection of the roads and was pushing on rapidly after the rear of our regi- ment. Gregory had not been seen, and could have easily with- drawn his command and, by making a detour, regained the regiment, but that was not his manner of doing things. He instantly ordered his men to draw pistol and charge by file down upon and along the flank of the enemy. The movement was brilliantly executed; the Confederate cavalry was taken absolutely by surprise, and our men rode by, Gregory bringing up the rear, emptying their revolvers into the rebel flank with- out a shot being returned. Many saddles must have been emptied, but our men were not waiting to count dead John- nies. With a parting shot they galloped across an intervening ford and rejoined the main column without the loss of a man.
From Ellistown the march was unmolested, and the regi- ment arrived at La Grange on the 19th of July, 1864.
On August 9 General Smith again moved from La Grange to Oxford, Miss. The Seventh Kansas, assigned to Hatch's division, moved on the 1st to Holly Springs. On the 8th a severe engagement was fought at Tallahatchie river, in which
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the regiment was engaged. The enemy was whipped and driven across the river in retreat. On the 9th heavy skir- mishing continued eight miles to Hurricane creek, where the enemy was found in force occupying the heights on the op- posite side. He was driven back with loss and his strong po- sition carried. The pursuit continued to Oxford. At this point the enemy made a stand, supported by artillery ; he was again driven back, with the loss of his caissons and camp equipage. Our cavalry force then fell back to Abbeville. Dur- ing this expedition a considerable portion of Oxford was burned by our troops. Much censure was heaped on General Smith's command for this act of vandalism. I wish to state here that the day this was done Southern newspapers fell into our hands glorying over the burning of Chambersburg, Pa. This was the first news that we had received of this act of incendiarism, and Oxford was burned in retaliation.
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