USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 5
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"The contest at and around this last encampment was bloody, but at the end of it the enemy was completely routed, some of our men pursuing and firing at them for some distance down the street, run- ning in front of the arsenal and barracks. They did not reappear during the day. It was now I0 o'clock. We had listened for the guns of the 'Arkansas.' I saw around me not more than one thousand ex- hausted men, who had been unable to procure water since we had left the Comite River. The enemy had several batteries commanding the approaches to the arsenal and barracks, and the gunboats had already opened upon us with a direct fire. Under these circumstances, although the troops showed the utmost indifference to danger and death, and were even reluctant to retire, I did not deem it prudent to pursue the victory further. Having scarcely any transportation, I ordered all the camps and stores of the enemy destroyed; and directing Captain Buckner to place one section of Semmes' battery, supported by the Seventh Kentucky, in a certain position on the field, withdrew the rest of the troops about one mile, to Ward's creek, with the hope of ob- taining water. But finding none there fit for beast or man, I moved the command back to the field of battle and procured a very imperfect supply from some cisterns in the suburbs of the town. This position we occupied for the rest of the day. The citizens of the surrounding and thinly settled country exhibited the warmest patriotism and, with their assistance, conveyances enough were procured to carry off all our wounded who could bear removal. A few citizens armed with shot- guns and other weapons, had been able to reach the field in time to
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
join in the attack. Having neither picks nor shovels, we were unable to dig graves for the burial of the dead.
"I still hoped for the co-operation of the 'Arkansas,' and in that event, intended to renew the attack. But late in the afternoon I learned by express that before daylight and within four miles of Baton Rouge, the machinery had become disabled and she lay helpless on the right bank of the river. Upon receiving this intelligence, I re- turned with my command to the Comite River, leaving a force of ob- servation near the suburbs of the town. The Hudson battery, Lieu- tenant Sweeney, and Cobb's one piece, under charge of Sergeant Frank Peak, played their part well.
"I am unable to give the exact force of the enemy, but by com- paring all my information with the number and size of their camps and the extent and weight of their fire, I do not think they brought into action less than forty-five hundred men. We had eleven pieces of field artillery. They brought to bear on us not less than eighteen pieces, exclusive of the guns of the fleet. In one respect the contrast between the opposing forces was very striking. The enemy was well clothed and their encampments showed the presence of every comfort and even luxury. Out men had little transportation, indifferent food and no shelter. Half of them had no coats and hundreds of them were without either shoes or sox. Yet no troops ever behaved with greater gallantry and even reckless audacity. What can make this difference, unless it be the sublime courage inspired by a just cause ?
"The wound of Brigadier-General Clark being thought mortal and the least motion causing great agony, he was left on the field, in a comfortable cottage at his own request, his aid, Lieutenant Yerger, remaining with him. The next morning they gave themselves up to the enemy. I cannot speak in terms too strong of the skill, coolness and courage of General Clarke. He played the part of a perfect soldier.
"Brigadier-General Ruggles conducted the attack on the left with uncommon rapidity and precision and exhibited throughout the quali- ties of a brave and experienced officer.
"In addition to the officers of my staff already mentioned, I de- sire to express my acknowledgement of the zeal and gallantry of Major Wilson, chief of artillery ; Major Hope, inspector-general, whose horse was shot under him; Captain Nocquet, chief of engineers; Lieutenant Breckinridge, aid-de-camp, and Dr. Pendleton, medical director, as- sisted by Dr. Weatherly, on temporary service. A number of gentle- men from Louisiana and elsewhere rendered efficient service as volun- teers, among whom were Lieutenant-Colonel Pinkney, Mr. Addison and Captain Bird, of Louisiana; Lieutenant-Colonel Brewer, of Ken- tucky, and Mr. William B. Hamilton, of Mississippi. The thanks of the army are also due to Hon. Thomas G. Davidson for his attention to the hospitals; and to all the inhabitants of that part of Louisiana, for their devotion to our sick and wounded. Colonel Pond and Major De Baum, in command of partisan rangers, were efficient both before and after the battle in observing and harrassing the enemy.
"The inability of General Clark and failure of several officers to
41
BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.
make reports may prevent full justice to the conduct of the First Divi- sion. Any omission here will, when brought to my notice, be em- bodied in supplemental report. The report of General Ruggles is very full as to all that occurred on the left. I send herewith a list of the offi- cers and men specially mentioned in the division, brigade and regi- mental reports, for gallant conduct, with the request that it be published and the names brought to the favorable notice of the government. I transmit, also, the reports of the subordinate commanders, and the returns of the killed and wounded. It will be seen that our casualties amount to four hundred and sixty-seven. I have reason to believe that the loss of the enemy was much greater. We captured two flags and a few prisoners. Nothing was left by us except one caisson, which was so much injured as to be wholly unserviceable-one of the enemy's being taken in its place. After the battle the enemy, who had pre- viously been plundering, burning houses and other property, stealing negroes and seizing citizens through a large region of the country, never ventured to send out another marauding force. Our pickets con- tinued to extend to the immediate vicinity of Baton Rouge, and very soon the enemy abandoned the place and retired to New Orleans. A few days after the engagement, knowing the desire of the major-gen- eral commanding to secure a strong position on the Mississippi be- low the mouth of Red River, I occupied Port Hudson with a portion of the troops under the command of Brigadier-General Ruggles. The next day I received orders to remove all the troops to that point. Brig- adier-General Bowen, who had just arrived, was left with his com- mand on the Comite River, to observe Baton Rouge from that quarter, to protect our hospitals and to cover the line of communication between Clinton and Camp Moore.
"I directed General Ruggles to select eligible positions at Port Hudson for heavy batteries, and ordered Captain Nocquet, chief of engineers, to report to him temporarily for this duty. Upon my ar- rival here, I found that rapid progress had been made and some of the works, under charge of Captain Nocquet, were ready to receive the guns, which, the major-general commanding wrote me, were on the way.
"Port Hudson is one of the strongest points on the Mississippi River (which Baton Rouge is not), and batteries there will command the river more completely than at Vicksburg.
"On the 19th day of August, in obedience to orders from the head- quarters of the department, I moved from Port Hudson for Jackson, Miss., with a portion of the force, leaving Brigadier-General Ruggles in command with the remainder.
"In concluding this report, I have to express my obligations for the prompt and cordial support which I received at all times from the major-general commanding the department.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, Major-General."
It. will be observed that a temporary organization of the entire forces under his command was made by General Breckinridge for the
42
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
occasion, and that the allusions to brigades in his report of the battle are made with reference to that special organization, and not to the designation they bore at Vicksburg.
We herewith publish the report of General Ruggles, in whose division were included three of the Kentucky regiments. Where he and General Breckinridge speak of "Thompson's brigade" it must be borne in mind that they allude to the brigade of General Preston, that officer having been compelled by sickness to leave the division before its departure from Vicksburg, when the command devolved upon Col- onel Albert P. Thompson .
Colonel J. W. Robertson commanded Preston's brigade after the fall of Colonel Thompson, and reported his entire action throughout the day, as follows :
"HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION. "Camp on Comite River, Aug. 7, 1862.
"To Captain L. D. Sandidge, A. A. G., Second Division.
"Captain : On receiving the order to report the part taken in the action of the 5th inst. by the First Brigade, I referred the order to Colonel A. P. Thompson, who commanded the brigade during the ac- tion with the exception of the closing half-hour that the troops were under fire, when he was borne from the field severely wounded; and I submit with his request the following report :
"On reaching the angle of the main road leading into Baton Rouge, the brigade was formed in line of battle in a common to the left of the main road, the right of the brigade resting on that road and the left near a dense forest, into which Colonel Allen's brigade had passed. The brigade was composed of the following regiments, position from right to left in the order named: Third Kentucky, Cap- tain J. H. Bowman commanding; Seventh Kentucky, Colonel Ed. Crossland commanding; Thirty-fifth Alabama, Colonel J. W. Robert- son commanding ; and the Sixth Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel M. H. Cofer commanding. As soon as the line was established the command 'forward' was given by General Ruggles in person, which was promptly obeyed by the brigade moving forward beyond the dwelling house immediately to the front. The line was at this time found to be some- what deranged, caused by the numerous fences and houses over and around which the troops had to pass. The brigade was consequently halted and the alignment rectified, when the command 'forward' was again given. The brigade moved directly to the front, parallel to the main road, preceded by a company of sharpshooters deployed as skirm- ishers and commanded by Lieutenant J. C. Hubbard. At this point the firing commenced first, the line of the enemy having been un- masked by the skirmishers. The firing continued but a short time when an order was received for the brigade to proceed, and the troops rushed forward with a cheer, the enemy breaking before them. Hav- ing reached the middle of the field, the brigade was exposed to a fire from the right, which could not be returned without exposing the troops of General Clark's division to the fire of the brigade, and was
43
BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.
consequently halted until the firing ceased. An advance was made, skirmishers covering the front.
"The second line of the enemy was then unmasked and exposed to the fire of the brigade. They gave way precipitately before the steady advance of our troops. On clearing the fields and reaching the enemy's encampment the right wing was found to be covered by a portion of General Clark's division. An officer approached from the right and stated that friends were exposed to the fire, when the firing ceased and the charge ordered by Colonel Thompson, he leading the brigade into the encampment of the enemy to the left, which was nearly cleared by this brigade, when troops were met on the right returning without any apparent cause, and were ordered by Colonel Thompson to halt and advance, when a mounted officer informed Col- onel Thompson that it was the order for all troops to fall back. This movement became general in the brigade. In retiring, the Thirty-fifth Alabama and Sixth Kentucky, forming the left wing, became separated from the right, and occupied a position in line one hundred yards to the left and the rear. The enemy reformed in heavy force behind their tents, rapidly advancing, firing and cheering. The Third and Seventh Kentucky Regiments were thrown under cover and met this advance with a steady fire. The Thirty-fifth Alabama and the Sixth Kentucky were ordered forward, but advanced before the order reached them, opening heavy fire on the enemy, whose advance was thus checked. At this point Colonel Thompson was severely wounded and taken to the rear. The command devolved upon Colonel Robertson, who be- ing, from complete exhaustion, in no condition at that time to assume command, and finding the right wing separated from the left, placed Colonel Crossland in command of the right, Lieutenant-Colonel E. Goodwin in command of the left, with orders to maintain the line, which was firmly held for nearly an hour in the face of a terrible fire from musketry and artillery, when the charge which closed the action was made in person by the major-general commanding. It is the request of Colonel Thompson that his entire approbation of the conduct of all the field and acting field officers engaged, and Captain W. P. Wallace and Lieutenant Charles Semple, aids, and Acting Adjutant R. B. L. Soery, of the Third Kentucky, be specially expressed in this report. To the deportment of the Thirty-fifth Alabama Regi- ment he desires attention to be called. This regiment, although for the first time under fire on the 5th inst., proved itself a worthy com- rade for the Third, Sixth and Seventh Kentucky Regiments, who, in this action, sustained the enviable reputation won by them on the field of Shiloh. Colonel Robertson would call special attention to the gallant conduct of Colonel Ed. Crossland and Lieutenant-Colonel E. Goodwin, who, the first with his regimental colors in his hand and the second with his hat on his sword, led the brigade in the final charge. To the reports of regimental commanders you are referred for notices of gallant conduct in other members of the command. The medical staff deserve the highest praise for their prompt and unceas- ing attention to the wounded. J. W. ROBERTSON,
"Colonel Commanding First Brigade, Second Division."
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY. "HEADQUARTERS THIRD KENTUCKY REGIMENT,
August 7, 1862.
"Lieutenant George C. Hubbard, A. A. G.
"Lieutenant : In obedience to an order from your office, I return the following statement of the action of the Third Kentucky Regiment in the battle of Baton Rouge on the 5th :
"The brigade was formed in an open field, the Third Kentucky Regiment on the right flank and ordered to march forward. The Third crossed a lawn into a field, receiving a fire from the enemy's skirmishers, when we were ordered to charge. The skirmishers were routed, and the regiment was halted in a pea patch and ordered to lie down there. We received a heavy fire, killing one man and wounding five. We were again ordered forward and to charge, which order was executed in gallant style. Passing over the ground occupied by the enemy, we saw the bodies of a few of their dead.
"Another charge brought us into a road near the enemy's camp, through which we charged and halted, and remained for some time; and seeing that our line to the left was not up on line with us, I placed Captain Edward in command temporarily, until I went to the rear to see where to form the line, with instructions to remain in line until I could return. After obtaining the necessary information, I started on my return, with the regiment falling back in good order. When I demanded to know the cause I was informed it was by the order of Brigadier-General Clark. I then resumed command and formed on line with the brigade. Soon Colonel Thompson ordered me to fall back to a cut in the road, which order was promptly executed. We remained in this position for nearly an hour, firing nearly thirty rounds of ammunition at the enemy, they at times being in short range of our rifles. The regiment was then ordered to charge forward by Colonel Crossland, which was done, and again we passed through their encampment, and were ordered to fall back, which order was executed without any confusion or excitement. Without a single exception, the officers of the regiment bore themselves gallantly and too much can- not be said in praise of the conduct of the men. Our infirmary corps kept close on our heels and promptly removed and took care of our wounded.
J. H. BOWMAN, "Captain Commanding Third Kentucky Regiment."
"HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH KENTUCKY REGIMENT, "August 7, 1862. "Lieutenant G. C. Hubbard, A. A. A. General.
"Lieutenant : In obedience to an order from your office, I return the following statement of the action of my regiment in the battle of Baton Rouge on the 5th. The brigade was formed in an open field and ordered to 'march forward.' My regiment crossed a lawn into a field and received a fire from the enemy's skirmishers, when we were ordered to charge. The skirmishers were routed and the regiment halted in a pea patch and was ordered to lie down. Here we received a heavy fire, wounding three men. We were again ordered forward
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BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.
and to charge, which order was executed and in gallant style. Pass- ing over the ground occupied by the enemy, we saw the bodies of two dead and three wounded. Another charge brought us into a road near the enemy's camp, through which we charged, and were halted and ordered to fall back by Captain Buckner, of General Breckinridge's staff, who received the order from General Clark, which would have been done in order, but for a regiment in advance of our right, which broke in wild confusion through my regiment, which caught the panic and retired confusedly for a short distance. Aided, however, by the coolness of my company officers and adjutant, I succeeded promptly in rallying and reforming them in front of the road.
"Colonel Thompson ordered me to fall back to the road, where we opened fire on the enemy, then advancing from their camps under cover of a grove of timber, with the evident intention of turning our left flank. I saw two lines of infantry, with cavalry in the rear. They charged, and the Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiment opened and kept up a hot fire from our left, which broke the enemy's lines, and they re- tired in confusion.
"Our ammunition was nearly exhausted, the wagons not having come up. General Breckinridge came up on our right, and I reported the want of ammunition to him, when he ordered me to charge the camp with my regiment and the Third Kentucky. We went through the camp and were halted by Captain Buckner and ordered to retire, which was done in good style. Captain Buckner, by order of Gen- eral Breckinridge, ordered my regiment to remain and support a sec- tion of Semmes' battery, which was posted and remained to protect those engaged in recovery of the wounded and retreat of the strag- glers. Captain Wess Jetton, with five men, was sent back to fire the camps. A cloud of smoke soon told that his mission of destruction had been faithfully executed. He reports the burning of large quantities of commissary and quartermaster stores, together with numerous boxes of guns and valuable camp equipage. Without a single excep- tion, the officers bore themselves gallantly, and too much cannot be said in praise of the conduct of the men. Our infirmary corps kept close at our heels and promptly removed and took care of the wounded. I beg to mention the gallant conduct of Joseph Rollins, our color-bearer. "ED. CROSSLAND, "Colonel Commanding Seventh Kentucky Regiment."
From the foregoing reports it will be observed that Breckinridge's command was reduced terribly in number by sickness. He should have been able to carry into the engagement at least five thousand men, but from causes already mentioned his command was reduced to a little over three thousand, and with this small force the Confederates fought and defeated over four thousand well armed and equipped Federals, drove them back from the camps, through the town and to the river under the protection of their gunboats, and held them there all day. If the ram "Arkansas" had been able to reach the front and succeeded in engaging the Federal fleet, as it was reasonably expected to do, the Confederate victory would have been complete.
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HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
On the morning of the 5th inst., while the command was halted a few miles from Baton Rouge, waiting for daylight, to make the attack, a very serious accident occurred. A squad of local rangers got in front and ran on to some Federal pickets, who fired upon them, causing the rangers to stampede back on the road on which the Confederates were halted, and caused great confusion, in which General Helm was dangerously wounded by the fall of his horse, and his aid, Lieutenant A. H. Todd, was killed. Helm was a brother-in-law of Mrs. Lincoln ; Lieutenant Todd was her half-brother. They dashed back into Cap- tain Cobb's battery, disabling both men and horses, thus rendering the guns useless for the day. The firing aroused the enemy and put them on their guard, and gave them time to make every preparation against the attack.
Colonel A. P. Thompson commanded the brigade; Captain Bow- man commanded the Third Kentucky; Colonel Ed. Crossland com- manded the Seventh Kentucky. Thompson was severely wounded during the engagement, after which Colonel Robertson, of the Thirty- fifth Alabama, commanded the brigade. After the engagemnt was over Breckinridge withdrew his forces to his camps of the night be- fore, on the Comite River. After remaining there a few days, a part of the command was sent to occupy Port Hudson, a village on the Mississippi River above Baton Rouge. The Third and Seventh Ken- tucky were with them. This place was fortified and made a place of only secondary importance to Vicksburg.
CHAPTER VI.
Movement in the North Mississippi under Van Dorn. Price and Van Dorn Unite Their Commands and Make an Unsuccessful Attack on the Federals under Rosecrans at Corinth.
After remaining at Port Hudson until after the 20th of August, 1862, the brigade marched out east to the railroad and embarked for Jackson, Miss., and went into camp five or six miles east of the town. General Preston had returned and assumed command of his old brigade. Perhaps at this time the brigade suffered more for want of clothing than at any other time during the war; hundreds of the men were entirely barefooted, and their clothing was worn into shreds. I never heard any explanation of this destitution at this time. The war had not been going on long enough to have exhausted the resources of the South. Clothing of some kind certainly could have been procured, but it was not. The Kentuckians had left their comfortable homes of plenty and without money or sufficient raiment to cover their bodies, they were risking their lives in battle, enduring all the hardships of the camp and the march for a cause they held dearer than life, and did it without a murmur. The malarious atmosphere about Vicksburg and Port Hudson had made nearly one-half of the men sick, and they were sent to various places to be treated, most of them returning to the command while at Jackson. On the 10th of September the command under Breckinridge broke camp at Jackson and moved by rail north, over the Mississippi Central Railroad, to Coldwater Creek, some fifteen miles north of Holly Springs. About the 20th General Breckinridge was ordered to take the Fourth, Sixth and Ninth Kentucky Regiments and report to General Bragg, whose army was on its way to Central Kentucky. The Third and Seventh Kentucky Regiments were left with the Mississippi army, owing to the fact that they were recruited in the western part of the State, and it was expected that the army with which they would operate would move through Western Ten- nessee to Kentucky. So the Third, Seventh and Eighth, who joined them after their return from prison, were finally separated from the other Kentucky regiments, who went with Breckinridge to the Ten- nessee department; they did serve a short time with them again under Joe Johnston, on the Big Black River and at Jackson, Miss., but they soon separated, not to meet any more during the war. In the latter part of September there was an army organized in Northern Mississippi, about Ripley, by bringing the commands of Van Dorn and Price together. The united forces were styled the "Army of West Tennessee," and was composed of Price's corps and Van Dorn's command, under Major-General Mansfield Lovell. The Third and Seventh were with Lovell's division and brigaded with Alabama and Arkansas regiments and commanded by General Albert Rust, who had just reported there for duty.
The Federals in front of that position were commanded by Gen- eral Grant, who was making his headquarters at Jackson, Tenn., and
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