USA > Kentucky > The Union regiments of Kentucky, Vol. I > Part 5
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The advance of the enemy the third time was in several deep lines. of battle, of a front long' enough to cover both batteries. These lines (I could not see how many, for they soon became obscured in their own smoke and that of our artillery), advanced across the open rapidly and completely uncovered, and then our batteries opened on them, a deafen- ing, unceasing fire, throwing twenty-four pounds of iron from each piece, across that small space. with no perceptible intervals in the dis- charges.
I found myself at this moment between the two batteries in com- pany with Maj. Loomis and Maj. Carpenter, commander of the Regular brigade. They, like me, were fascinated by the rash bravery of our foes, who seemed determined to have those guns at any cost. I never saw guns served as fast on trial drill as those were. Before the recoil was expended the gunners grasped the spokes and threw the pieces into jw,sition; like magic the swab was run in. the handle turned, withdrawn, the charge sent home, and the gun fired. Such a roar was deafening, and our little group conveyed our ideas by gestures.
And the enemy. They were swarming across the field, firing and shouting; we could not hear them, but we could get sight now and then
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of their waving arms and guns, while every few seconds a bullet would hiss near us or we would see some man fall, or perhaps a horse rear, plunge and drop. We kept our gaze fastened on the charge coming. coming on like the insatiable sea. ever nearer at each succeeding wave. But men were not born who could longer face that storm of canister, sweeping death and destruction to everything before it. They broke. they fled, and some took refuge in the clump of trees and weeds I mentioned.
We made the welkin ring with our shouts, which were taken up right and left, as soon as it was seen that the charge had been repulsed, while hand-shaking and congratulations were going on at every side, which were changed to a perfect frenzy of cheers when an officer rode out from our lines and returned with a group of prisoners.
After the battle of Stone's River, Bragg's army fell back to Tullahoma and Shelbyville, while Rosecrans re- mained at Murfreesboro during the winter and spring of 1863. In June, Rosecrans advanced through Hoover's Gap; this caused Bragg to fall back and cross the Ten- nessee river at Bridgeport and proceed to Chattanooga.
Rosecrans, on the 16th of August, advanced again. The following extract, from Draper's History of the War, is a concise statement of Rosecrans' movement from Mur- freesboro to Chattanooga:
The details of his plan were, that Crittenden, with the left wing, was to cross the Tennessee at Battle creek, and move on Chattanooga; Thomas, with the center, was to pass over Raccoon mountain and seize Stevens' and Cooper's gaps, leading through Lookout mountain into MeLemore's Cove, twenty miles south of Chattanooga, and make his way toward Lafayette; McCook, with the right wing, was to cross the mountains still farther south, to Valley Head, turning the southern ex- tremity of Pigeon mountain and threatening Rome. It was expected that these combinations would compel Bragg to abandon Chattanooga.
Rosecrans reached the Tennessee river on the evening of the 20th of August and shelled Chattanooga from the heights on the north bank; on the 21st bridges were thrown over the river. at Caperton's Ferry, mouth of Battle creek and Shell mound, and the army, except the cavalry, safely crossed in face of the enemy. By the 8th of September, Thomas had moved to Trenton, seizing Frick's and Stevens' Gaps, on Lookout mountain: McCook had advanced to Valley Head and taken Winston's Gap, while Crittenden had crossed to Wauhatchie, communi- cating the right with Thomas, and threatening Chattanooga by the pass over the point of Lookout mountain.
Bragg did not disturb Rosecrans in these operations. When in the first days of September news came that that general had laid a pontoon near Caperton's Ferry, and that he was crossing in the direction of Will's Valley and Trenton, Bragg did not believe it. It was, however. soon confirmed by the approach of the national cavalry and its advance up the Will's Valley Railroad as far as Wauhatchie. Supposing that he was now about to be flanked on his left, Bragg, on the 7th of Sep- tember, ordered Hill's corps to move toward Lafayette; Polk to Lee and Gordon's Mills; Buckner, with the Army of East Tennessee, and Walker, with his division of the Army of Mississippi, to concentrate at Lafayette; Pegram was to cover the railroad with his cavalry and the stores in Chattanooga were to be withdrawn to points on the railroad in the rear.
Chattanooga was abandoned by the Confederates on September the Sth. and Crittenden's corps took possession of it on the 9th. Rosecrans. with the remainder of his army, was moving through the passes of Lookout and Missionary Ridges, and directing his march toward La- fayette and Rome.
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The battle of Chickamauga followed, September 19th and 20th. Of the battle Gen. Cist, in his volume of the "Campaigns of the War," says Bragg's losses, in part, estimated, were 2,673 killed, 16,274 wounded and 2,003 missing, a total of 20,950. A full report of the rebel losses was never made. Gen. Cist further says:
To the enemy the results of the engagement proved a victory bar- ren of any lasting benefits, and produced no adequate results to the immense drain on the resources of his army. In a number of places Bragg's official report shows that his army was so crippled that he was not able to strengthen one portion of his line, when needed, with troops from another part of the field, and after the conflict was over his army was so cut up that it was impossible for him to follow up his apparent success and secure possession of the objective point of the campaign- Chattanooga. This great gateway of the mountains remaining in pos- session of the Army of the Cumberland, after Bragg had paid the heavy price he did, at Chickamauga, proves that his battle was a victory only in name, and a careful examination of the results and their cost will show how exceedingly small it was to the enemy."
The battle of Chickamauga was soon followed by that of Mission Ridge. Rosecrans was superseded by Gen. Grant, and preparations were made for attacking Bragg on his mountain fortifications. Before mention- ing the battle of Mission Ridge, however, it must be stated that in August Gen. Burnside started from Kentucky for Knoxville, which he occupied September 9th. He was, therefore, in East Tennessee when the battle of Chickamauga occurred, having a force of about 15,000, and was there when Grant was planning to move against Bragg. At this time Grant practiced grand strategy, on a scale of enormous magnitude. He summoned Sher- man to come to him from the Mississippi river, with the anny that had captured Vicksburg, and while Sherman was approaching Burnside was ordered to advance from Knoxville in the direction of Chattanooga. The plan was to tempt Bragg to send a force out to whip and cap- ture Burnside, and while this force was so detached Sherman would be up and the attack on Bragg be made. It so resulted. Bragg sent Longstreet after Burnside with over 20,000 men. Burnside slowly fell back, tolling off Longstreet, and by the time Longstreet was well out of the way Sherman was arriving, and on November 25th the battle of Mission Ridge opened. It was the grand- est and most picturesque battle of the war; the storming of Lookout Mountain, on the summit of which the 8th Ky. Infantry first planted the flag, and the storming of Mission Ridge, in which a number of Kentucky regiments participated, were events that will always be celebrated in history. A full account can not here be given, but the following description of the charge at Mission Ridge,
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written by Maj. Alfred Pirtle, presents a graphic picture of that great movement:
Now commenced the most exciting and brilliant feat of arms yet per- formed during the war. The ridge is about 500 feet high, very steep, free from underbrush where the assault was made, for it had been cleared, as I before remarked. Several wagon roads led up to the top, by which the rebs had communication with the camps below, but these roads were raked by artillery. Here and there sharp ridges of only a few feet in altitude broke the general formation of the slope, affording protection against flanking fire to a few men, who availed themselves of the gullies between. Up the steeps charged Sheridan's, Wood's and
Baird's divisions, in full sight, in the order named, from right to left. Twenty pieces of cannon, under Gen. Bragg's personal supervision, rained grape and canister at our gallant fellow, while thousands of small arms cracked from behind the breastworks. We see the glancing arms of our lines slowly creeping up, and we mark the dear old flags so bravely blowing in the enemy's face. A few yards at a time each man climbed, and when exhausted threw himself down behind a tree, stone, stump or other cover to get his breath. High up the hill one brave fellow has borne his stars and stripes until he falls for want of breath; lying there he waves and waves his flag, and we fancy we can hear his comrades cheer, for he does not long lie there alone but we see men crawling, climbing up to him, past him, and soon he rises, runs forward to plant his flag in or among the enemy, or almost in their ranks. Here he pauses, flaunting his colors at the rebels, who fire at him vainly. Clustering around we see the men forming, and gradually the line .be- comes formidable. Another flag soon stands near the first, and then two regiments approach the top, their centers forming the point of a wedge toward the enemy. Swinging around the wings, they clamber over the breastworks, and are face to face with the enemy, who in superior numbers stretch along both ways, but they are wavering and their line is thin out toward the flanks-ours strengthens every moment, fighting furiously. At another point. up go supports, straining every nerve. We, who stand watching them so anxiously, see the large num- bers of the enemy fighting those already up, and we tremble lest the supports do not get there in time. They "are in at the death," five standards blow out in the north wind, a splendid charge follows. and our men disappear behind the ridge, in pursuit of the rebs. Those who participated in this grand achievement told us that such cheering was never before heard as pealed from thousands of throats, and "Chicka- mauga! Chickamauga"' followed in thunder tones the flying foe down the easter slope, where hundreds of them were captured.
As soon as the great victory at Mission Ridge was complete, Gen. Sherman, who had come from the Missis- sippi river, and went into the battle, almost without halt- ing, was ordered to hasten to the relief of Burnside at Knoxville. He led the relieving force by forced marches over 150 miles of rough country, and on his approach Longstreet raised the siege, and moved off up the valley toward Virginia.
The principal event of Gen. Burnside's East Tennessee campaign, was the terrifie assault on Fort Sanders. Other incidents are noted in the regimental accounts.
During the winter there was a cessation as to larger movements. Grant went to the Army of the Potomac, and Sherman made arrangements for the Atlanta cam- paign.
It would require a volume to set forth the details of
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this memorable campaign, which by reason of the con- tinuous fighting was called by the soldiers "The Battle of May, June, July and August." In this place will only be given an extract from Gen. Sherman's congratulatory address to his army after the capture of Atlanta, which occurred September 2, 1864:
On the 1st of May our armies were lying in garrison seemingly quiet, from Knoxville to Huntsville, and our enemy lay behind his rocky- faced barrier at Dalton, proud, defiant and exulting. He had had time since Christmas to recover from his discomfiture on Mission Ridge. with his ranks filled, and a new commander-in-chief second to none of the Confederacy in reputation for skill, sagacity and extreme popularity. All at once our armies assumed life and action and appeared before Dalton. Threatening Rocky Face, we threw ourselves upon Resaca, and the rebel army only escaped by the rapidity of its retreat, aided by the numerous roads. with which he was familiar, and which were strange to us. Again he took post at Allatoona, but we gave him no rest, and by our circuit toward Dallas and subsequent movement to Acworth we gained the Allatoona Pass. Tlien followed the eventful battles about Kennesaw and the escape of the enemy across the Chattahoochie river. The cross- ing of the Chattahoochie and breaking of the Augusta road was most handsomely executed by us, and will be studied as an example in the art of war. At this stage of our game, our enemies became dissatisfied with their old and skillful commander and selected one more bold and rash. New tactics were adopted. Hood first boldly and rapidly, on the 20th of July, fell on our right at Peach Tree creek and lost. Again, on the 22d, he struck our extreme left and was severely punished, and finally again on the 28th he repeated the attempt on our right, and that time must have become satisfied, for since that date he has remained on the defensive. We slowly and gradually drew our lines about Atlanta, feeling for the railroad, which supplied the rebel army and made At- lanta a place of importance. We must concede to our enemy that he met these efforts patiently and skillfully, but at last he made the mistake we had waited for so long, and sent his cavalry to our rear, far beyond the reach of recall. Instantly our cavalry was on his only remaining road and we followed quickly with our principal army, and Atlanta fell into our possession as the fruit of, well-concerted measures, backed by a brave and confident army. This completed the grand task, which had been assigned us by our government, and your general again repeats his personal and official thanks to all the officers and men composing this army for indomitable courage and perseverance which alone could give success. We have beaten our enemy on every ground he has chosen, and have wrested from him his own Gate City, where were located his foundries, arsenals, and work-shops, deemed secure on account of their distance from our base and seemingly impregnable obstacles interven- Ing.
Among the battles fought were Rocky Face, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, Ringgold, Kington, Acworth, Big Shanty, New Hope Church, Golgotha, Dallas, Kennesaw, Marietta, Smyrna, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Utoy, Lovejoy, Jones- boro.
Atlanta being taken Sherman's army rested in camps near the city during the month of September.
On the 29th of that month Hood crossed the Chatta- hoochie river below Sandtown, and moved back over the country where the fighting had been during all the preceding summer. Sherman pursued, and during the entire month of October marched continuously all over
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Northern Georgia, but never came up with his an- tagonist. October 5th, a division of Hood's army at- tacked Allatoona, 18 miles north of Kennesaw, for the purpose of destroying a great supply of provisions stored . at that place. During the assault, Sherman was standing by his signal officer on the top of Kennesaw and with a field glass could see the signal flag at Allatoona. It was at that time that Sherman sent the words to Gen. Corse "Hold the Fort, I am coming." The fort was held though at the cost of a terrible struggle.
November 1st, Hood having passed into Northern Alabama, Sherman prepared for his march to the sea.
This great movement is too well known to history to require mention here in detail. The march lasted about one month, from the last days of November until Decem- ber 25th, when Savannah was taken. Through the re- mainder of the winter and spring Sherman led his armny northwardly across the Carolinas to Raleigh, Goldsboro and other places, where it was when the war came to a close. A number of Kentucky regiments-infantry and cavalry -- were on this great march, and mention is made of their services in the regimental accounts.
While Sherman was on the march to the sea, Gen. Thomas was contending with Gen. Hood and his veteran army, in Tennessee.
In November, Hood's army was in Northern Alabama equipping for a movement North, Gen. Thomas, at Nash- ville, sent the 4th and 23d Corps and his cavalry down to the southern part of Tennessee under Gen. Schofield. The infantry was at Pulaski, and the cavalry watched the river. November 23d, Hood began to move by way of Lawrenceburg toward Columbia, but Schofield's infantry fell back to Columbia before Hood reached the place. November 28th, in the night, Hood crossed Duck river a few miles above Columbia with two corps, and one divis- ion of infantry, and his cavalry, and on the 29th moved rapidly toward Spring Hill. Hood left nearly all his artillery at Columbia, with a division of infantry, where it was to cross Dnek river and advance up the pike to Spring Hill.
Schofield on the same day sent Gen. Stanley with 5,000 men, and a heavy supply of artillery to Spring Hill, while he held the crossing at Columbia with one division under Gen. Cox. Other troops were advanced on the road be- tween Columbia and Spring Hill.
In the afternoon of November 29th, Hood's forces ap- peared at Spring Hill. but were fought off by Gen. Stan- ley. Night came on. and Hood's force bivonacked. All
.
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that day, and up to midnight, Cox held back Hood's artillery at Columbia. Then leaving, marched rapidly back, past Spring Hill, and on to Franklin. It is said by some that Hood's force bivouacked along the pike at Spring Hill, and very close to it. That is too unnatural to be true, and is not true in fact, as the official reports show. One wing of Cheatham's corps was about half a mile from the pike, its other wing as much. further as re- quired for camping. Then Hood's other troops were beyond Cheatham's. Schofield's troops moved along the pike because Stanley's men were interposed between the pike and the country Hood's men occupied. (See account of 6th Inf.) Next morning, November 30th, Schofield's troops all arrived at Franklin.
If the reader will spread out his left hand, so that the middle finger points directly south, he will have a per- feet diagram of the situation at Franklin. The palm rep- resents the town; the little finger is Harpeth river flow- ing down and around the town, and passing off along the thumb of the hand; the middle finger is the Columbia. pike running straight south; the forefinger is the Carter's creek pike, the third finger the Lewisburg pike. The works thrown up that day, November 30th, are represented by a line from the base of the little finger through the second joint of the other three fingers, and down to the base of the thumb. On the line thus indicated from the river at the base of the little finger around to the Carter's preek pike to the point indicated by the second joint of the forefinger, the 23d Corps was stationed. It num- bered about 10,000 men. From the said point on the Carter's creek pike down to the river below the town, one division, Kimball's, of the 4th Corps was stationed.
Wood's Division of the 4th Corps was stationed on the opposite side of the river. Across the Columbia pike abont half a mile out from the breast works two brigades of Wagner's division, 4th Corps (Lane's and Conrad's), were posted. Opdyeke's brigade of Wagner's division was in reserve. Gen. Schofield himself was on the north side of the river, and Gen. Stanley was with him. Gen. Cox, who commanded the 23d Corps was present all day on the line. He together with Gen. Schofield selected the position that morning, and he posted the troops. The orders show that Gen. Kimball was ordered to report to Gen. Cox for his position. Also the artillery.
This disposition of the troops was so made because it was impossible to tell whether Hood would attack, or cross the river above and move down on the other side. It was thought he would most likely do the latter. Gen.
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Stanley in his report says: "So confident was I that Hood would not attack, I did not leave Gen. Schofield's headquarters until the firing began."
The assault was made about 4 p. m. Gen. Hood says it was made with 20,000 men. In many respects it was the grandest of the war, excelling even that at Gettys- burg. The assault fell upon the line which extended from the river above to the Carter's creek pike. It thus struck only the end of Kimball's division, its great weight being upon the 23d Corps.
As the grand assault came, it first drove back the two advance brigades of Lane and Conrad. As these brigades rushed back down the Columbia pike, and on each side of it, the Confederates closely followed. The men in the central part of the line could not fire, because of their inrushing comrades, and in the scramble over the works - much confusion occurred, causing the line to break in the very center. But neither did the defenders of the line, nor Lane's and Conrad's men rush off the field or disap- pear. They rallied on an interior line about 50 yards back at a fence. To their relief Opdycke's brigade of the 4th Corps hurried and altogether the new line was held, though just in the center the old line could not be re- covered.
The break extended to the gin house which stood about two hundred yards east of the Columbia pike. The line at that end of the break was restored all the way from the gin house to the pike by the forward rush of a reserve line composed of the 12th and 16th Ky., and Sth Tenn. (See accounts of these regiments.) Thus the assault was repulsed, the assailants losing between one-third and one- half of their number.
The successful defense was due far more than is usual in battles to the presence of the officer in immediate command, who was Gen. Cox. He was a veteran officer, having served from the beginning of the war, and always at the front. Mounted, and sword in hand he was in the thick of the fight directing and stimulating the men. At the beginning he ordered forward the reserves. . In the midst of the fight he called for a regiment from the left of his line, and one from Kimball's division on the right to succor the center. They responded and did noble service. Gen. Stanley appeared on the field while Opdyeke's brigade was charging forward, and he says in his report that as that officer was doing the right thing he gave him no order. He remained with Opdyeke's men.
Gen. Schofield was with his batteries, which, from a commanding point immediately across the narrow river,
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just opposite the left of the line of defense, played con- tinuously upon the ground over which the assault was made. His position gave him a complete view of the whole field and as commander he was in exactly the right place.
The fight continued until dark. At 10 o'clock Scho- field's entire force moved out of the lines, crossed the river, and marched to Nashville, where it arrived next morning December 1st.
On the 15th and 16th of December, Gen. Thomas at- tacked Hood's position in front of Nashville, and won a complete victory. Hood was pursued into Alabama, and his army was scattered. After this the 4th Corps remained on duty in Tennessee. The cavalry under Gen. Wilson moved through the states of Alabama and Geor- gia, finding no opposition that could stop their movements.
The 23d Corps, numbering 10,000 men, marched by way of Columbia to the Tennessee at Clifton, and there taking transports went down the river to the Ohio, and up the Ohio to Cincinnati, where taking trains it proceeded to Washington and thence to Alexandria, Va. There tak- ing ocean steamers in January, 1865, the corps proceeded to Fort Fisher, which had just been captured. Landing there the troops took part in an active campaign for the capture of Wilmington. After several severe battles the place was taken February 22d.
The march was then to join Sherman's army, which had marched through from Atlanta to the sea, and across the Carolinas toward Virginia. The junction was made at Goldsboro, and great was the enthusiasm when the com- rades of the western campaigns met again. While the troops were at Goldsboro the army of the Potomac fin- ished its work, the surrender of Lee occurred, and shortly after the great war came to its close.
While these events of a larger sort were occurring, Kentucky was all the time the scene of continuous dis- turbance. The Unionists of the state having, by their votes, refused to secede, and having taken up arms in defense of the Union, those who professed to believe in and act upon the doctrine of state rights seemed to re- gard the state of Kentucky as a proper subject for chas- tisement, for having exercised that right, and adhered to the Union. It was, therefore, subjected to invasions and raids, which required the presence of a large number of Union troops for its protection. No detailed mention can here be made of the disturbed condition of affairs, but a few of the most important occurrences will be shown.
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