USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 7
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General Grant had succeeded in crossing to the east side of the Mississippi River, some distance below Vicksburg, with the larger part of his army, and marched on to Port Gibson, forcing the small command of Confederates to retreat. Grand Gulf, another fortified point, was also evacuated by the Confederates, because they did not have force enough to contend with Grant's overwhelming numbers. The Federal column marched east to Jackson, without opposition, destroyed a large quantity of property and tore up a number of miles of railroad, and then turned west in the direction of Pemberton's army at Vicksburg, and was met by the Confederates near Edwards' Depot, at a little stream known as Baker's Creek, where a battle known by that name was fought.
The reader will understand that on the eve of the battle Loring's division, to which the Kentucky brigade belonged, had marched out from Edward's Depct on the Raymond road, which leads out in a southwesterly direction, crossing Baker's Creek at a right angle, and went into camp at Mrs. Elliston's. The remainder of Pemberton's army took a position extending north to, and across, the Clinton road, which ran nearly east and west, and on which a large portion of the Federal army was making its way back in the direction of Vicks-
GEN. ABE BUFORD.
57
BATTLE OF BAKER'S CREEK.
burg. On the morning of the 16th of May, the day on which the bat- tle was fought, the Confederates fronted east on a slightly curved line extending from south to north. General Buford, the brigadier-com- mander, wrote full reports covering the movements of the engage- ments of his men, which will give the reader a good idea of what the Kentuckians did on that fateful day.
Report of Brigadier-General Abraham Buford, C. S. Army, com- manding Second Brigade :
"HEADQUARTERS BUFORD'S BRIGADE, LORING'S DIVISION,
"June 16, 1863.
"General: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of my brigade (the Third Brigade of the division) in and around Edwards' Depot, on Saturday, May 16th, and on the march from Baker's Creek to Jackson, Miss :
"My brigade consisted of the following regiments: Twelfth Lou- isiana Regiment, Colonel Thomas M. Scott commanding; Fifty-fourth Alabama Regiment, Colonel Alpheus Baker commanding; Seventh Kentucky Regiment, Colonel Ed. Crossland commanding; Ninth Ar- kansas Regiment, Colonel I. L. Dunlop commanding; four companies Third Kentucky Regiment, Major J. H. Bowman commanding ; Thirty- fifth Alabama Regiment, Colonel Edward Goodwin commanding ; Snodgrass' Alabama Regiment, Colonel John Snodgrass commanding, and Twenty-fifth Alabama Regiment, Colonel James Jackson com- manding, making an aggregate of three thousand and five effective men. The Pointe Coupee artillery consisted of two companies (A and C, four guns each), and was also attached to my brigade, under command of Captain (Alcide) Bouanchaud. The Eighth Kentucky also belonged to my command, but, having been mounted two days previous, were detached. We were encamped at Mr. Ratliff's, about a half a mile in the rear of Mrs. Ellison's, on the Raymond road.
"On the evening of May 15th the Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiment was detailed for picket duty, and was in advance some two miles.
"About 8 o'clock on the morning of May 16th the report of artillery announced that the enemy was advancing immediately in front of the division, which formed the right wing of the army, my brigade being on the left of the right wing. Dispositions were at once made to meet the advance, and I was ordered to form a line of battle on the ground on which I had bivouacked, it being a covered position, approached through an open field, and quite defensible. My right rested on the road and my left extended to an open field through which the cross-road passed on which we passed on the evening pre- vious. My line was scarcely formed when I was ordered by Lieu- tenant-General Pemberton to advance and occupy the ground on which Brigadier-General Green, of General Bowen's division, had formed his brigade, which was in my front and to the left. Informing you of the order, I advanced from the covered position I held and formed, as ordered, on a commanding eminence in the middle of a field, and over which the enemy must advance. The position was a very strong
58
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
one, and tenable. My line had not been entirely rectified when I re- ceived orders to fall back with my brigade some half a mile and estab- lish a line beyond the junction of the military road with the road leading to Raymon by Mrs. Ellison's, my right to rest on the road and extending to the right of General Bowen's division. I was here joined by the Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiment, which had been ordered to fall back before the enemy. I formed the line as directed, which enabled me to hold one regiment in reserve. This position was in the midst of a dense timber, opening on a grove around the residence of Mr. Ratliff. My artillery was placed in position on the right and left of the road by Captain (A. A.) Bursley, chief of artillery of divi- sion, and was detached from my command during the day. I here received a request from General Bowen so to alter my line by moving to the left as to unite with the right, as he had moved to the left to join General Stevenson's right. Informing you of the request, I was ordered to comply therewith, which I did, extending my line some six hundred yards, and throwing forward into line the regiment I had intended to hold in reserve.
"In about twenty minutes I received information from General Bowen that he had advanced half a mile to the left and front, and followed an order from General Pemberton to throw my line forward, so as to rest on the right of General Bowen's position. Transmitting the order to you for information, I promptly complied with the same, my new position being about four hundred yards in rear of my first one, on a line with the skirmishers of the First and Second Brigades, my own skirmishers (whom I had placed under command of Lieu- tenant-Colonel [J. W.] Rogers, of Ninth Arkansas), being some five hundred yards in advance.
"I here remained until about 3 a.m., when, from the heavy firing in the direction of the left, it was evident that the enemy had massed his forces and was throwing them on the left wing of the army. About that time I was informed that General Bowen's division had been moved still further to the left, and I was ordered by you to proceed, without delay, to the left of General Bowen's division. I placed my brigade at once in motion by the left flank and at double-quick. My com- mand double-quicked the distance (about two miles) under a scorch- ing sun, through corn and rye fields, in about a half hour, when I arrived about the rear of the right wing of General Bowen's division, which was falling back in disorder before an overpowering force of the enemy. I was ordered by General Pemberton to hold the road imme- diately in the rear of General (S. D.) Lee's brigade, at a point about a half-mile from the negro cabins.
"Across this road our men were hastening in wild disorder and in consternation before a very heavy fire of the enemy. I immediately entered the road, and was advancing upon it in column when my front (the left) was brought under a most galling fire from the enemy's sharpshooters, and their line, some two hundred yards distant, was posted in a heavy thicket of timber and undergrowth, unexposed to view. I found that the enemy held possession of the road, and that
59
BATTLE OF BAKER'S CREEK.
I must retake it in order to comply with the command of General Pem- berton. It would have been a wanton destruction of life to have formed a line of battle with my brigade in its then position, marching as it was by the left flank on the road, and a portion of which had already changed direction to the left, in order to enter it under the heavy fire of the enemy hidden from view, exposed, too, to an enfilad- ing fire from a battery which had been established by the enemy on a commanding eminence at short range, and, at the same time, my column was continually broken by men of other brigades, who, driven back, were rushing pell-mell from the scene of action and resisting all at- tempts made to rally them.
"My command being thus fully exposed to the enemy, I changed direction of the head of the column to the left, about one hundred and fifty yards from the crest of the rise in the road occupied by the enemy, to a covered position, and formed the brigade. Two of my strongest regiments were detached from the rear of my brigade as it passed the cabins-one by order of General Pemberton and the other by order of General Bowen. The strength of my brigade at this critical moment was thus unceremoniously and materially reduced, this being done without my knowledge and without any report being made to me of the fact by the general who gave the orders. I waited the advance of the enemy, who must approach through an open clear space, the enemy having halted in the road and established a battery. To have charged him from my position with my brigade reduced in strength and over an open space of several hundred yards, would have cost it half its number. I, therefore, moved the brigade by the right flank to a position protected by timber to the ground occupied by the enemy, with the view of moving against the position held by him in the road. I had not completed the disposition of my command when I discovered that the enemy was rapidly turning both the right and left flanks of the position I held, as well as that occupied by him, against which I proposed to move. In all probability I might have taken the position at a great sacrifice, but it would be untenable, and I would have been forced to have given it up almost immediately, besides running the risk of having my entire brigade captured, as I was entirely without support, my strength reduced nearly one-third by the regiments being de- tached, and as all the troops of our center and of the left wing were leaving the field in great disorder. I, therefore, threw my brigade back about a quarter of a mile from the negro cabins, and in the direction of Edwards' Depot, in a commanding position, where I joined with General Featherston's brigade.
"I was ordered to move my brigade into position, so as to move against the enemy's right and pierce his line, and thus, by a vigorous and well-directed attack, force him to abandon the field, it having been reported that his center was falling back, and thus retrieve the day. I was joined here by the Twelfth Louisiana and Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiments and moved rapidly forward, and was forming into position, when I was informed by one of my staff officers that you had received positive orders to withdraw the forces from the field and had commenced retiring. I immediately ordered the brigade to
60
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
march by the left flank and rejoin you then on the retreat to Baker's Creek. Being informed that a section of artillery, with a support of infantry, had been detailed as a rear guard, I moved forward, but was soon informed that the enemy was pressing on my rear, both with cavalry, infantry and artillery, and that one piece of the Pointe Coupee battery had been abandoned, as the horses were killed by sharpshooters, rendering it an impossibility to remove it. This battery had been brought from its original position to the left and ordered by Colonel (W. T.) Withers, chief of artillery of the department, to send four pieces to Vicksburg and follow in retreat in rear of the brigade with the remainder, but had not as yet reported to me. The artillery and infantry ordered to protect the rear, after allowing a portion of the brigade to pass, had, for some reason unknown to me, moved forward, and thus left my rear exposed. I immediately posted the Twelfth Lou- isiana Regiment, with a section of artillery from the Pointe Coupee battery, in line, with orders to repel the advance of the enemy, and made dispositions to support them. The enemy charged forward, but were met by the fire of the Twelfth Louisiana and the artillery, which effectually checked the ardor of his pursuit and caused him to follow our immediate rear with great caution.
"I was then ordered to move to the rear of General Featherston's brigade, which had been placed in position to meet any advance of the enemy, and from in his rear, to support Cowan's battery, of Withers' artillery, which was engaging a battery of the enemy and protecting the retreat of Tilgman's brigade.
"General Tilghman having gallantly lost his life in directing the fire of his artillery, I would offer by tribute of respect to his gallant bearing, and his noble devotion and untiring energy in behalf of our cause, alike on the field of battle and in the private circle.
"I formed a line in the rear of battery on a commanding position (here losing several wounded, and Captain [W. A.] Isbell, of the Twenty-seventh Alabama Regiment, killed), ordering the Twelfth Louisiana Regiment to proceed to my rear and form a line of battle at right angles to the road, and hold it so that we could gain the ford, now about a mile distant.
"A message was brought from General Bowen that he had been forced to abandon his position at the ford, and the enemy was flanking him and was between him and Edwards' Depot. I was ordered to proceed to the ford and support General Bowen while he drew off. The Twelfth Louisiana Regiment, which had been ordered to form in my rear, as stated above, had received orders from General Stevenson to move forward to the ford in advance of my brigade, and, as I learned several days afterward, had already crossed the creek under a heavy fire of artillery.
"From the firing on our right it was evident that the enemy had obtained possession of the bridge across the creek on the upper road, and was endeavoring to reach Edwards' Depot and thus cut off our retreat. General Bowen had retired, and, when near the ford, it was clearly perceptible that the enemy, with his artillery, was raking the same, and at the same time advancing his column in that direction.
GEN. LLOYD TILGHMAN.
61
BATTLE OF BAKER'S CREEK.
Finding that it was impossible to cross the creek under the fire of the enemy and the disposition of his infantry, you ordered me to turn my column to the left, and, by going through a plantation, seek a ford lower down. Sending for the Twelfth Louisiana Regiment to rejoin the brigade immediately, and by no means to attempt to cross the ford, as the enemy was in possession thereof, I turned the column to the left, passed through the plantation, and endeavored to find the ford, but could not. It was then determined to try to reach a ford still lower down, distance two miles, and under the guidance of Dr. Wil- liamson, whom I had secured, moved forward. To his knowledge of the country and the plantation roads we are largely indebted for our safe deliverance.
"As the enemy was pressing us in the rear, in front and on the flank, it became necessary to move with great caution, and only over neighborhood roads and paths long unused. It soon became evident that the artillery could not travel over the paths which necessity forced us to take. Some of the pieces were, therefore, abandoned after using all possible means of saving them which the retreat, the nature of the ground, and the presence of the enemy permitted. They were aban- doned, however, only after rendering them useless to the enemy.
"We moved until near the ford we sought, and to gain which we had marched ten or twelve miles, instead of two or three, and -to a point where we had information that we could secure a guide. From him we learned that the ford was impassible, and that he could not pilot us during the darkness of the night to the fortifications near Big Black bridge without crossing the line of the enemy. The large fires on our right evidenced that the Yankees were at their usual work of arson in and around Edwards' Depot.
"A consultation was called by you and the facts laid before us. I expressed the opinion that to reach Vicksburg we must cross the Big Black river at some of the lower ferries, undoubtedly in presence of the enemy, and to reach even the nearest ferry we would have to marc !! during the entire night, and if we crossed in safety would be in danger of being cut off. Our men were somewhat demoralized, our artillery abandoned, the troops intensely fatigued ; we had but a few rounds of ammunition, the greater part of which would be ruined by swimming the river, as we had no means to build a bridge or boat. We had in- formation that the enemy was crossing the river at several of the lower ferries, and the guide had declared that it was impossible to pilot us to the fortifications without penetrating the lines of the enemy ; hence our only feasible way of escape and to save the division was to move to the rear of the enemy and pass on his flank in the direction of the Jackson & New Orleans Railroad.
"By neighborhood roads we moved during the night, passing the flank of the enemy, hourly expecting an attack, hearing the enemy conversing as we passed along, and crossing ravines and creeks, which proved the impossibility of moving artillery, and about 3 o'clock Sun- day morning reached Dillion's, on the road from Grand Gulf to Ray- mond, and but a few miles distant from the battlefield. We thence
62
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
marched to Crystal Springs, on the Jackson & New Orleans Rail- road, near which we camped on Sunday night.
"We had marched steadily for twenty-four hours, a distance of forty miles, stopping at short intervals to rest, and without provisions. The men were so exhausted that they fell as they came into camp, and nature sternly demanded rest and sleep.
"On Monday we moved toward Pearl River, and thence continued to march to Jackson, which we reached on Wednesday, May 20th. The troops of this brigade bore the march with great fortitude, making little if any complaint.
"My entire loss in killed and wounded during the engagement of Saturday was eleven killed and forty-nine wounded. Among the for- mer were Captain W. A. Isbell, Company G, and Lieutenant T. S. Taylor, Company I, Twenty-seventh Alabama Regiment, and Lieu- tenant George C. Hubbard, acting as first lieutenant of Company F, Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiment. The latter officer, being on a visit to the regiment, was assigned temporarily to duty by request of the captain. These officers were worthy of all commendation as such, and their loss is felt. Among the wounded was Colonel A. Baker, com- manding Fifty-fourth Alabama Regiment, who was wounded early in the engagement near the negro cabins.
"I would call attention to the accompanying reports of Colonel Scott, commanding Twelfth Louisiana Regiment; of Colonel Edward Goodwin, commanding Thirty-fifth Alabama Regiment; and of Cap- tain Alcide Bouanchaud, commanding Pointe Coupee artillery. These were detached from my command during the greater portion of the en- gagement. These officers sustained the high reputation they have won on the field. For particular mention of officers under their commands I refer to the reports.
"The other regiments were directly under my immediate observa- tion during the whole day, and I was more than gratified at the gal- lant bearing of the commanding officers, as well as that of the other field and company officers. To say that I am proud to command the brigade evinces but slightly the high regard and estimation I have for the troops. Their quickness of motion, their ardor, powers of endurance and steadiness exhibited during the engagement of Satur- day and on the retreat are worthy of mention.
"In conclusion, I would mention in a grateful manner the obliga- tions I am under to the members of my staff for their efficiency and promptness in carrying out my orders.
"I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
"A. BUFORD, Brigadier-General.
"MAJOR-GENERAL LORING, Commanding Division."
From the foregoing reports, it will be observed that it was the intention of General Pemberton to have General Loring's division to retire, with the other part of the army, back into Vicksburg, but fortu- nately for Loring and his command, and, perhaps, for the cause, the Federals cut them off from the bridges and fords in the rear before
63
BATTLE OF BAKER'S CREEK.
Loring could reach them. I say fortunately, because it is certain that if the division had gone back into Vicksburg they would have met the same fate the others did on the following 4th of July. General Grant was amply supplied with troops enough to have prevented Pem- berton from breaking through his lines of investment, even with the additional force of Loring.
CHAPTER VIII.
Mistakes of Pemberton. General Joseph E. Johnston, at Jackson, Moved to Big Black in Rear of Grant; Fell Back to Jackson, Where There Was Some Fighting; Moved Back to Meridian; Moved to Canton, Where They Remained During the Winter. Organization of the Twelfth Kentucky, and the Battle of Okolona.
With the exception of Hood's wretched blunder at Franklin and Nashville, no other Confederate army was handled with so little skill as General Pemberton handled his at Baker's Creek. He did not seem to have any plans, and nearly all his movements comprised a med- ley of mistakes. Johnston knew what the result would be if Pem- berton met Grant in battle at that point, and that was why he ordered Pemberton to march out, while he could, and form a junction with the forces under Johnston. If Pemberton had possessed military talent equal to our best generals, he could have stood no chance of success with his small army against the overwhelming numbers of Grant, and being so unequally matched, in both numbers and military capacity, he could not possibly succeed.
After Pemberton's defeat at Baker's Creek and Big Black he withdrew his forces within his works around Vicksburg, where he made a better defense than he was thought to have capacity for. From the 18th of May to the 4th of July he succeeded in defending his lines with a command at no time more than twenty thousand strong, against a force of Federals of from sixty-five to seventy thousand, repulsed a number of terrific assaults and at one time the enemy exploded a mine under one of the Confederate's principal works, and through the gap the Federals attempted to force their massed columns, but were re- pulsed with slaughter. General Pemberton surrenderd his army on the 4th day of July, 1863, and in a short time Port Hudson fell into the hands of the enemy. This was the last point on the river the Confederates held ; the unobstructed navigation by the Federals of the great waterway, from its head to its mouth, cut the Confederacy prac- tically in two.
We will return to the Kentucky brigades when they had returned to join the forces at Jackson, Miss., that Johnston was getting to- gether to operate in rear of Grant, and, if the outlook was favorable, to raise the seige at Vicksburg and liberate the army under Pemberton.
The returns of the army which General Johnston had collected at Jackson shows the following organization : Division of Major-General John C. Breckinridge-brigades of D. W. Adams, Helm and Stovall, six thousand eight hundred and eighty-four men; division of Major- General S. G. French-brigades of W. G. Evans, McNair and Maxey, seven thousand four hundred and sixty-six men; division of Major- General W. W. Loring-brigades of John Adams, Buford and Feather- ston, seven thousand four hundred and twenty-seven men; division of Major-General W. H. L. Walker-brigades of Ector, Gist, Gregg and Wilson, nine thousand five hundred and seventy-one men; Jack- son's cavalry division, four thousand seven hundred and seventy-three,
65
BIG BLACK; ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON.
together with artillerymen, making a total of thirty-six thousand three hundred and fifteen; effective total, twenty-eight thousand one hun- dred and fifty-four.
Colonel H. B. Lyon, of the Eighth Kentucky Regiment, was temporarily detached from his command at this time by the follow- ing special order: "Headquarters Department of the West, Jackson, Miss., June II, 1863. Colonel H. B. Lyon, Eighth Kentucky Regiment, is temporarily released from his present duty and will immediately pro- ceed to the southwestern part of the department, in the vicinity of Fort Hudson, and assume command of all troops there, including those commanded by Colonel J. L. Logan, Lieutenant-Colonel Powell, F. B. Powers and Captain Cochran."
General Johnson's adjutant-general informed Colonel Lyon that he must take his command and go to the rear of the Federal army surrounding Port Hudson and to harrass the enemy as much as pos- sible, and he further said: "General Johnston has selected you for this very important duty, because of his confidence in your skill and judg- ment." I fail to find any report Colonel Lyon submitted, giving ac- count of his detached service.
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