USA > Kentucky > History of the 3d, 7th, 8th and l2th Kentucky C.S.A > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
It will be remembered that the Eighth Kentucky and some com- panies of the Third Kentucky were mounted some time before the Baker's Creek engagement and were detached from the brigade at that time. They went back into Vicksburg with Pemberton's army, but in some way made their way out and through the Federal lines, and thereby escaped the seige and surrender of that fated city. General Johnston remained with his command at Jackson nearly the entire month of June, all the while Grant was doing all that an overwhelm- ing army and the unlimited resources of a rich nation could do to break the lines and crush the Confederates in Vicksburg, Pemberton hoping for and expecting Johnston to make some demonstration to relieve him. Johnston was aware of the fact that his and Pember- ton's commands combined could not be more than half as large as Grant's; in other words, Grant could front the works around Vicks- burg with twice the number of Pemberton's army, and at the same time could front Johnston with twice his number. This condition rendered it absolutely hopeless to make the effort to relieve Pemberton. But the condition of Pemberton's army had become so critical that if the effort was to be made at all it must be done at once, and though an advance on the part of Johnston was but a forlorn hope, it was resolved upon, and Johnston sent a message, or attempted to send one, to Pemberton, acquainting him of the decision ; so on the first day of July Johnston put his army in motion in the direction of the rear of the Federals. Perhaps troops never suffered more during the war, on account of extreme heat and dust and scarcity of water; men fell on the march, utterly exhausted and famished for want of water. On the evening of the second the column was halted in the vicinity of Bolton's Station, and the command was moved further down and bivouacked in line at Champion Hill. On the morning of the 6th, having learned of the surrender of Pemberton's army, the troops commenced their march back to Jackson, and arrived there on the afternoon of the 7th. On
66
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
the morning of the 9th the Federals made their appearance in its front. Johnston stationed his army around the city in poorly con- structed works previously made. Loring's division was assigned a position on the extreme right, the Kentuckians, under Buford, on the right of the division, and its right resting on or near the Pearl River. There were no works thrown up on that part of the line which they were ordered to occupy, and just at the time the Kentuckians were about to take up their station, the Federals advanced on that position. The Eighth Kentucky, being first on the ground, they were fiercely attacked and suffered terribly before assistance could be gotten to them. The other regiments of the brigades were pushed to the assistance of the Eighth as fast as possible, and on their arrival the Federals were driven back with considerable loss. The Eighth lost nearly one-third of its number here in a few moments, but they never yielded an inch, although contending with overwhelming numbers.
As soon as the Federals were repulsed the brigade occupied the position they were expected to hold, and commenced at once throwing up rifle-pits. There was a ravine just in their front, extending the whole length of the brigade, and on the rise on the other side the Federals threw up their works, from which they kept up almost con- stant firing on our line, to which our men as vigorously responded. This was continued to the night of the 16th, at which time Johnston threw his army from Jackson across Pearl River, using pontoon bridges, the bridge having been destroyed by the Federals when they were in Jackson before the battle of Baker's Creek. Johnston moved his army east in the direction of Meridian, halting at Dear River on the 18th. As soon as the Confederates evacuated and Sherman, with his army, took possession of Jackson and vicinity, he immediately went to work destroying the town and ravaging the surrounding country. Such a ruthless destruction of private property was witnessed at but few other places during the war.
On the 18th Sherman reported to Grant: "We have made fine progress today in the work of destruction. Jackson will no longer be a point of danger. The land is devastated for thirty miles around." After accomplishing the destruction of the country, Sherman moved his command back to Vicksburg. About the 20th, Loring's division went into camp at Morton, where they remained for more than a month, entirely inactive, there being no Federals near them. Breckinridge's division in the meantime having gone back to the army of Tennes- see and other parts of the command being sent to other points, leaving only Loring's division, which constituted the only body of infantry troops in that section. Later on the division was moved to Canton, where they went into winter quarters and remained there, inactive, un- til February, 1864.
During the stay at Canton the Kentuckians had, perhaps, the most pleasant time of the war. The men succeeded in procuring logs and other lumber to construct comfortable quarters; the citizens of the town and surrounding country were hospitable and treated the Ken- tuckians with great kindness and consideration. During the fine weather of the fall the command was drilled a great deal and reached
67
BIG BLACK ; ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON.
a very high point of proficiency in both the maneuvers and manual of arms. There were two regiments that attracted much attention, their exceptionally fine attainments along that line; they were the Fifteenth Mississippi and Third Kentucky, and in a spirit of rivalry arrangements were made to have the two regiments meet in a competive drill. When the day came for them to meet the whole army, together with the citi- zens of the surrounding country, turned out to witness the contest. The general verdict was that both acquitted themselves elegantly. The Fifteenth Mississippi was drilled on that day by its gallant colonel, M. Farrell, who, after that, gave up his life on the breastworks of Franklin ; and the Third Kentucky was drilled by its colonel, A. P. Thompson, who lost his life the following March, making a charge on a fort at Paducah, Ky. Another pleasant occurrence that transpired while there was the presentation to the Third Kentucky of a beautiful banner, by a Miss Hanby, a lovely, accomplished young lady of Can- ton, Miss. Her presentation speech was a gem, couched in the most beautiful and patriotic words. The banner was received and the re- sponsive speech made by Lieutenant-Colonel Holt, the handsome lieu- tenant-colonel of the Third. A great many other pleasant things long to be remembered, occurred while encamped there. The brigade had comfortable clothing and plenty to eat during the winter.
About the middle of January, 1864, the Federals commenced plan- ning a campaign out from Vicksburg to Meridian. On the 15th Gen- eral Grant wrote: "General Sherman has gone down to Mississippi to collect at Vicksburg all the forces that could be spared for a separate movement from Mississippi, with instructions to move to Meridian and destroy the roads east and south of there so effectually that the enemy will not attempt to rebuild them during the rebellion."
In conjunction with Sherman's forces, General William Sooy Smith was to move out from Memphis in the direction of Meridian by way of Pontotoc and Okolona and form a junction with Sherman at Meridian. But Smith never got there: he struck Forrest in the vicinity of Okolona and suffered a complete defeat at the hands of the "Wizzard of the Saddle." As the Twelfth Kentucky, Faulkner's regi- ment, was in that engagement, we will give it further notice in an- other chapter.
On the 2d of February General Sherman, at the head of two army corps, aggregating twenty-five thousand infantry, marched out from Vicksburg, crossing the Big Black and on the fourth was at Clinton, where the Confederates, under Adams, and Starke engaged in a heavy skirmish. The Confederates were pushed back through Jack- son, the Federals marching through that place on the 5th. Loring's division, still at Canton up to this time, was now ordered to move to Brandon, and arrived there on the 8th. General Polk, who had been placed in command of that department, was under the impression that Sherman was making for Mobile, and he therefore returned to Mobile that part of its garrison which had been withdrawn from there. This left Loring's division and a small cavalry command to contend against a Federal army amounting to twenty-five thousand. On the 14th, Sher-
68
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
man occupied Meridian and Polk fell back with his small command of infantry to Demopolis, Ala. And this ended the service, as infantry, of the Kentuckians. In the early part of the following month, they were mounted and served with that matchless cavalry leader, Forrest, until the close of the war, the story of which will be found in other chapters.
The writer did not serve in the same command with the Twelfth Kentucky, or Faulkner's Regiment, as it was commonly called, until it was attached to the brigade to which he belonged in the early part of 1864, and is therefore compelled to rely upon someone who served with that regiment and knew of its organization and service previous to the time it was made part of the brigade composed of the Third, Seventh and Eighth Kentucky. Captain Henry A. Tyler, who was with them from the first, kindly consented to supply the information and the following is culled from manuscripts submitted by him.
"W. W. Faulkner organized a company of Kentucky cavalry in the spring of 1862. I first heard of him being surprised near Dyers- burg, Tenn., some time in the early summer of 1862. His men had been in the saddle all night and were soundly asleep in the woods, when they were surprised and stampeded. Some time afterwards I went out from Fulton county with eleven men same day that Captain Gideon Binford started. Binford was attacked and scattered whilst crossing the Obion River at Merriweather's ferry. I crossed at Sharp's ferry unmolested. I afterwards met about thirty-five of Binford's men near Covington, Tenn., and they went with me, reaching Byhalia, Miss., where we found Faulkner's company. Binford soon reached us there and took command of his men, and united with Faulkner in making a squadron. I found there Captain F. Bowman and Lieutenant Kit Dun- can, with a few men and united with them, forming a company, and joined Colonel Drew Outlaw in organizing a battalion of mounted men. These two commands were rather independent in their operations and we never met with the regular army, unless we were driven back on the main line. Our main line was south of the Tallahatchie River and Mississippi River, whilst we roamed over all North Mississippi and West Tennessee, making an attack at one time on Island No. 10 on the Kentucky border. On this expedition Captain Faulkner was cap -. tured. After this Outlaw's battalion and Faulkner's squadron were consolidated. The first time we were forced back upon the main line of the army was in the fall of 1862, when the Confederates advanced under General Loring to old Lamar, some eight miles north of Holly Springs, Miss. There we were met by a strong Federal force and forced to retire, when we were all driven back below Grenada, where we were with the main army. I was wounded December 2d near Ox- ford. After we reached Grenada I went south for a few weeks to re- cover from my wound. When I returned I found Outlaw's battalion had been broken up and only Faulkner's squadron left. I joined the company of Captain Binford. About this time Captain Faulkner got back from prison and went to Richmond and secured authority to raise a regiment of partisan rangers.
69
BIG BLACK ; ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON.
"The regiment was organized with W. W. Faulkner, colonel; W. D. Lannom, lieutenant-colonel; J. M. Malone, major; W. A. Thomp- son, surgeon; S. K. McKnight, assistant surgeon; M. J. Holifield, chaplain; R. M. Meriwether, assistant quartermaster ; J. O. Morris, adjutant ; J. T. Williams, Sergeant-major.
"We went with General Chalmers on a raid to the Mississippi River. On this expedition our squadron and a portion of the Seventh Ten- nessee, three hundred men in all, met three hundred and fifty Federal cavalry at Atkins farm, three miles south of Hernando. My company led the charge and we brought out more prisoners than we had men. With each man we got a good horse, Burnside breech-loading rifle and Colts revolver. It was then and there I laid my ground work for mv company, being fully equipped for mounted service. To this was largely due the fact that we were always selected for any active mounted service. It was in this action I received my worst wound, being shot through the calf of my right leg. Before I got able to ride Colonel Faulkner crossed the Federal line of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. On their way my captain (Bowman) was taken a prisoner. I reached the company in camp near Covington, Tenn., in September, 1863, and took command again. Faulkner began active work to raise a full regiment, in which he soon succeeded.
"In the meantime a great many old officers of the army entered West Tennessee with authority to raise regiments. Finally General N. B. Forrest was sent to take command of the department including West Tennessee and Western Kentucky. He crossed the Memphis & Charleston Railroad December 4, 1863, and began active operations to recruit a large force and organize them. This soon attracted the at- tention of the Federal authorities and they started four expeditions against him, one coming from Nashville, Tenn., crossing the Tennessee River; one from Columbus, Ky .; one from Corinth, Miss., and the remaining one from Memphis. Each column had about four thousand men, as many as the entire force under Forrest's orders, nearly all of whom were raw troops, undisciplined and unarmed.
"Forrest's headquarters were at Jackson. He sent Colonel T. H. Bell with seven hundred armed men to Spring Hill to hold in check the column coming from Columbus; he sent Lieutenant-Colonel Wis- dom to Jack's creek, with three hundred armed men of Newsom's regi- ment ; Lieutenant-Colonel W. D. Lannom with three hundred armed men of the Twelfth Kentucky, and Major Allen with one hundred and fifty armed men of McDonald's battalion, to skirmish with the Naslı- ville and Corinth contingent and hold them in check, whilst he sent all the rest of his command, mostly unarmed, southward by way of Estinaula. Here they had to cross the Hatchie River on a pontoon. With this column, however, he sent Colonel Richardson in advance with some four hundred armed men. Col. Wisdom reached Jack's creek during the night of December 22d.
"With Richardson's men, our regiment advanced directly towards Memphis, fighting much of the time. We reached Raleigh, a small town some eight miles from Memphis, during the night of the 27th.
70
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
We remained there during almost the entire day of the 28th. We had learned a few days previously that our captain had died in prison, and by order of Colonel Faulkner we held an election there that day, and I was unanimously elected captain. Within an hour after the election a squadron of Federal cavalry came out, and with my company we drove them back into Memphis and then, riding down one of the streets of Memphis, we went south. Richardson and Faulkner, with their regiments went south by way of the old race track. All of us reached camp next day near Hernando, Miss."
About the Ist of February, 1864, it was arranged by those in com- mand of the Federal forces in that department to move a large in- fantry force out from Vicksburg, through Jackson, on to Meridion, Miss., and at the same time, a large and well-equipped cavalry force was to move out from Memphis, Tenn., and form a junction with the Federal infantry forces at Meridian, and the combined forces were planned to march from there on to either Selma or Mobile. The in- fantry force was to be commanded by General Sherman, who moved out from Vicksburg promptly on the agreed time and had very little trouble in moving his forces east in the direction of Meridian, owing to the fact that there was but a small force of Confederates to contest his movements. On arriving at Meridian he proceeded to destroy everything that would burn and destroyed the railroads in all direc- tions. Smith, with his cavalry, was not destined to be so fortunate; the ever-watchful and relentless Forrest was in his front with, in the main, a new organization of cavalry, but as ready for the fray as if they had been old veterans, and headed by this indomitable leader, made an obstacle to be reckoned with. The Federals slowly advanced in the direction of Okolona in the vicinity of the rich corn-producing section, and from which a large amount was drawn for the use of the Con- federate armies. Forrest concentrated and gathered his forces in front of the advancing enemy and gradually fell back until he could make a successful stand with some chance of coping with his overwhelming adversary. In the meantime those falling back in front of the enemy had some sharp engagements. It was notably so with the Twelfth Kentucky contesting the passage of the Federals at Wyatt and Abbe- ville, where they suffered at the hands of the Kentuckians. On Feb- ruary 20th Forrest selected a point where he proposed to make a stand and hold the Federals in check until General Lee could come up with reinforcements. He selected a point on the Sookatocha stream that could only be crossed at one long bridge, and it was about five miles from West Point. When the Federals arrived in front of this point they hesitated and declined to risk an encounter. Forrest as- sumed the offensive and forced the fighting and gained a magnificent and brilliant victory, and throughout the whole engagement the Twelfth Kentucky bore an honorable part. Captain Tyler, of Company A of that regiment, was in the forefront of the engagement through- out. He kindly consented to furnish me with his observations and actions. The manuscript is now before me from which I liberally select.
71
BIG BLACK; ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON.
From this time forward the Twelfth Kentucky remained brigaded with the Third, Seventh and Eighth Kentucky and their movements and actions are recorded in the following pages.
"In February, 1864, when Sherman advanced from Vicksburg, Miss., and drove the army back through Jackson and Meridian, a large column of seven thousand mounted men under the command of General Wm. Sooy Smith advanced from Memphis against the com- mand of General Forrest, of not exceeding four thousand men. We were driven back to beyond West Point and across the Sakatonchee River, three miles west of West Point. There we made a stand and repulsed them, when they immediately went out of view. Not knowing but what it was for the purpose of a flank movement to cross at some other point, either above or below, General Forrest called upon Gen- eral Chalmers to 'send him two of the best companies in his division under a good leader' to make a forced recognizance in front. Gen- eral Chalmers immediately sent one of his staff to Colonel Faulkner, of the Twelfth Kentucky, to 'send him up his Hernando Boys under Captain Tyler ;' this meant Companies A and B, of the Twelfth Ken- tucky. Upon reporting to General Forrest he directed me to follow up the Federal forces and ascertain in what direction they were mov- ing. Here another incident occurred to show the reputation of the boys. When we came up to Forrest, his escort was near, who had heard the General give the order for Chalmers' best men. When we came up a number of men, in tones of disgust and contempt, exclaimed, 'Those are the Kentucky Gorillers ; they won't fight." Colonel Robt. McCulloch, commanding our brigade, who had seen us in action, called out, 'Go with them one time and see.' We advanced rapidly to West Point and there captured a few of their rear guard and learned their entire force had gone northward in full retreat. Sending a courier back to Forrest with this information, I continued in pursuit, in almost con- stant skirmish with their rear guard. About six miles north a brigade with a battery of artillery made a stand in a strong position in the woods and just in rear of open fields on both sides of the road on their front. Here I halted my men, being back in the timber on one side of the fields. Soon my attention was attracted by the blowing of a bugle in my rear, and looking back I saw General Forrest at the head of his escort, their flag flying in the breeze, bugle blowing and the General well in the lead, with sabre flashing over his head and bearing down in a sweeping gallop, headed for the mouth of the lane. I immediately had my men in column line and swung along side of the escort. As I closed up by the side of the General, I said to him, 'It is death, General, to attempt to go through that lane.' His tart reply was, 'Fall in behind and follow me.' I said, 'No, we will ride with you, but we will not ride far.' By this time we had neared the lane, when the Federals opened upon us with artillery and rifle fire. Pretty soon the enemy began to retreat and I to follow them. Pretty soon Forrest came out into the road with his escort. He said, 'You appear to have a pretty good lot of boys with you, and you handle them well; I will give you another lot-the best soldiers on earth-my escort under Lieutenant
72
HISTORY OF THE 3D, 7TH, 8TH AND 12TH KENTUCKY.
Thos. Tate. Follow up the enemy and harass their rear as you have been doing and I will go hurry up Chalmers' division.' I said to my boys, 'Let us see whether this escort is composed of crowing cocks or fighting cocks.' We pressed on and soon came up with the rear guard at the residence of Colonel John Watkins and soon drove them out and then on to the cotton gin on the Evans farm. Here a full regiment, acting as rear guard, made a stand. On one side of the road was a large farm and on the other a two-acre lot with cotton gin. Around this lot was woods. Immediately I flanked the rear guard regiment, when they broke and it was a race between us for the mouth of Randle's lane, half mile away. I had my men in column of eight abreast, four of Company A and four of Forrest's escort. Here was my chance to test their mettle. On we dashed at full speed and were closing in the mouth of the lane, a little in advance of the Federal regiment, my men cheering lustily as they saw we would head them off and capture them.
"But alas! when within fifty yards of the mouth of the lane, from behind the fences and black-jack timber on the west side, a most deadly fire was pounded into our faces. The Federals had dismounted an en- tire division and posted them in the timber and behind the fence. Many of my brave boys went down under this dreadful volley. The two men immediately at my side, one on each side, were shot, one of them instantly killed. The fire was too heavy to stand and I was just in the act of ordering a retreat, when above the roar of battle I heard the order, 'Close in with your revolvers, Tyler, I am here,' and looking to my left and a little to the rear I saw General Forrest with sabre drawn and full thirty feet in front of McCulloch's brigade, coming down the road. We closed in there into one of the most desperate hand-to-hand conflicts of the war. We soon had them routed out and in full retreat, but many a poor boy of those who had followed me that day sleeps there still.
"With the brigade now closed up with me, we followed on until in the night. The next morning General Jeffery Forrest's brigade had the precedence and took the lead on to and through Okolona and on out to Prairie Mount, four miles out on the road to Pontotoc. Here the Federals halted their entire force and took a strong position. Here McCulloch's brigade was ordered to the front and as we rode up the road in a sweeping gallop, passing the brigade of Jeffery Forrest on the side of the road, we, believing we were to take their place in front, jeered them unmercifully. But when the head of our brigade came up with the head of the other, their bugle blew the charge and to- gether we dashed forward, McCulloch leading our brigade and Forrest his. The Twelfth Kentucky was in part of McCulloch's brigade, and my company at their head. We had just come to a turn in the road, where it lead up a slight hill. As we swept into the open road around the turn, the most terrific volley I ever faced was poured into us. McCulloch was wounded, Jeff Forrest was killed and how many of our men I never knew. It was terrible. The shock was terrible, and then, too, both brigade commanders being shot, we halted and the
73
BIG BLACK; ENGAGEMENT AT JACKSON.
men took shelter in the timber on each side of the road. I witnessed the sad scene of the General dismounting and taking his dead brother in his arms and kissing him and then, springing to his horse, he called upon us to follow him. Then followed another desperate charge and hand-to-hand conflict. We soon had them in full retreat from which they never recovered. We drove them hard all day and then returned and went into camp at Starksville. We were there when the Third, Seventh and Eighth Kentucky were sent up to be mounted. You camped at Tobee Tibee Station and there the Twelfth Kentucky joined you and we were placed in the same brigade. You know all that followed."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.