USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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After Antietam, the 7th continued with the Army of the Potomac in its marches through Northern Virginia until the 11th of December, 1862, when that army stood
on the north side of the Rappahannock, gazing across at the enemy's works at Fredericksburg.
During the night of the 10th the Union engineers had laid a pontoon-bridge partly across the stream, but at day- light the rebel sharpshooters soon drove them away. Vol- unteers were called for to cross the river and seize a foot- hold on the opposite shore. Lieut .- Col. Baxter, then in command, called on the 7th for that duty, and as one man they responded to the call. Foremost of all the army, they sprang into the boats and set out for the opposite shore. The rebel bullets fell thick and fast among them, and many were slain or wounded,-among the latter being their gallant commander,-but still they held on their way, and at length made good their landing. Close behind them came a Massachusetts regiment. The two formed on the bank, dashed up the heights above, drove the enemy from his intrenchments, and captured several hundred prisoners at the point of the bayonet. The pontoons were then laid across the river, and a portion of the army crossed in safety. The subsequent disasters which befell the forces of Gen. Burnside in that action cannot dim the glory of the bril- liant exploit of Col. Henry Baxter and the 7th Michigan Infantry.
The regiment acted as provost-guard at Falmouth until the 3d of May, 1863, when it again crossed the Rappa- hannock to take part in the battle of Chancellorsville. It was not closely engaged, but the enemy's artillery fire wounded ten of the men.
During the Gettysburg campaign the 7th underwent even more than the usual hardship of that torrid and dusty period. On the 27th of June it marched thirty-seven miles, on the 28th six miles, and on the 29th thirty-two miles, making seventy-five miles in three days ; a remarkable ex- ploit when it is considered that every soldier carried a rifle, bayonet, cartridge-box, belts, blanket, haversack, and can- teen, and that marching in column in a cloud of dust is twice as fatiguing as walking by a single individual.
On the 2d of July the 7th arrived at Gettysburg, and was immediately placed in the front of battle on Cemetery Hill. In this exposed position it remained until the close of the action on the 3d of July, meeting and repelling some of the fiercest attacks of the enemy. So much had the regi- ment been depleted by its previous conflicts that only four- teen officers and a hundred and fifty-one men went into this fight. Of this small number twenty-one were killed (in- cluding the commander, Lieut .- Col. Steele) and forty-four wounded ; the total of casualties being nearly half of the whole number engaged.
After taking part in the pursuit of the enemy, the 7th went to New York a short time during the enforcement of the draft, and then returned to the Army of the Potomac. On the 7th of December, after considerable marching and skirmishing in Northern Virginia, it went into winter quar- ters at Barry's Hill. Here, notwithstanding all its hardships and losses, a hundred and fifty-three men re-enlisted as vet- erans, and the regiment was sent home to Monroe on the 1st of January to recruit. After a thirty days' furlough it returned to Barry's Hill, where it remained until the grand advance of the army on the 3d of May.
It was lightly engaged in the Wilderness on the 5th of
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
May, but on the succeeding day it had a severe conflict with the enemy, having eight men killed, thirty-eight wounded, and eight missing. On the 10th it was at Spottsylvania Court-House, where it was subjected to a severe fire from the rebel sharpshooters, and also made an assault on the enemy's works. The total of casualties during the day was five killed and twelve wounded. The next day it was again slightly engaged, and on the 12th it took part in Hancock's charge on the left of the enemy's line, eleven of the men being wounded. The next day there was another fight, when the 7th had three men killed and ten wounded.
Continuing, with the Army of the Potomac, the flank movements to the left which constantly brought it nearer to Richmond, the 7th passed the North Anna and Pamunkey Rivers, being frequently engaged as skirmishers, and on the 30th and 31st of May, and 1st of June, it lost six killed and had nine wounded. At Cold Harbor it gallantly charged the enemy's works, but the long lines of intrenchments, behind which the rebel marksmen leveled their deadly rifles in almost perfect security, proved impervious to the thinned ranks of the 7th and their comrades, and the regiment fell back with a loss of sixteen killed and wounded.
The 7th reached the lines in front of Petersburg on the 15th of June, and at once entered on the tedious picket and trench duty, fighting nearly every day, and having twenty-three killed and wounded during the first ten days. In the battles of Strawberry Plains and Flussier's Mills (August 14 and 17) it had three men killed and eleven wounded. It was also engaged in the battle of Reams' Station on the 25th of August.
On the 26th of October, the 7th was one of the regi- ments which advanced on the enemy's right, and the next day it took part in no less than three battles; those of Hatcher's Run, Burgess Tavern, and Boydton Plank-Road. In this movement the 7th, alone, captured four hundred and eighty men and twenty officers of the 26th North Carolina rebel infantry.
From the beginning of the campaign to the 1st of November, the feeble regiment, in these constant battles and skirmishes, had had forty-one men killed and one hundred and thirty-one wounded, besides thirty-six captured by the enemy, and thirty reported as "missing in action," some of whom were killed and some captured. And still the Her- culean task of destroying the rebel army was uncompleted.
The regiment remained in front of Petersburg during the winter, sharing all the dangers and hardships of the army, but not suffering as severely in killed and wounded as during the previous six months. On the 2d of April, the 7th, with detachments of the 1st Minnesota and 19th Massachusetts, were ordered to attack the enemy's works at Cat-Tail Creek. They advanced steadily to their task, and, notwithstanding the fire from the rebels, safely ensconced behind their intrenchments, the 7th dashed boldly forward, reaching the enemy's lines the first of the Union forces, and driving out the gray-back defenders at the point of the bayonet. The assaulting brigade quickly captured two forts and three cannon; then forming in flank, it swept along the rebel works, capturing five other forts and about five hundred prisoners.
The regiment was less fortunate on the 7th of April,
when, after capturing many prisoners, it was cut off from the main army by a large force of rebel infantry and cavalry, and, in attempting to fight its way through, had three officers and thirty-four men taken prisoners. In the afternoon it was relieved and rejoined its brigade. Two days later, Lee's army surrendered, and the most serious trials of the 7th Michigan were ended.
It was sent to Louisville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind., in June, very much to the disgust of the men, but was mustered out at Jeffersonville, on the 5th of July, 1865, sent immediately to Jackson, Mich., and paid off and dis- banded on the 7th of that month.
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS FROM HILLSDALE COUNTY.
Henry Baxter, commissioned capt. Aug. 19, 1861; lieut .- col. May 22, 1862; . wounded at Antietam ; severely wounded at Fredericksburg; com. brig .- gen. March 12, 1863; wounded in the Wilderness; brevetted maj .- gen. for gallant conduct ; must. out Aug. 24, 1865.
Sidney B. Vrooman, com. Ist lieut. June 19, 1861; capt. May 22, 1862; wounded at Gettysburg ; must. out. Oct. 5, 1864.
William W. Wade, com. 2d lieut. June 19, 1861 ; res. Jan. 30, 1862.
Gilbert Chaddock, appointed surg. Jan. 15, 1862; must. out at end of service. Charles A. Nimocks, com. 2d lieut. Jan. 1, 1863; wounded at Gettysburg; com. Ist lieut. Oct. 2, 1863; capt. April 7, 1864; must. out Oct. 5, 1864.
John C. Tracy, com. 1st lieut. Oct. 2, 1863; wounded May 3, 1864; discharged on account of wounds, Sept. 6, 1864.
Charles Oakley, com. Ist lieut. April 3, 1864; wounded at North Anna River, May 24, 1864; died of wounds May 25, 1864.
Lewis D. Locklin, com. Ist lieut. Sept. 6, 1864; capt. June 20, 1864; must. out July 5, 1865.
James B. Coates, com. 2d lieut. May 22, 1862; died at Harper's Ferry, Va., Nov. 13, 1862.
Alonzo Smith, com. Ist lient. June 12, 1864; must. out July 5, 1865. John S. Edwards, Co. C; killed at Fair Oaks, Va., May 30, 1862. George T. Storer, Co. C; killed at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862.
Elliott Todd, Co. C; killed at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862.
J. Henry Lewis, Co. -; died at Harrison's Landing, Va., July 12, 1862. Appleton M. Crary, Co. C; died at Ship Point, Va., May 14, 1862. Nelson Worden, Co. C; died at Camp Benton, Nov. 7, 1862. James Williams, Co. C; died at Camp Benton, Feb. 4, 1862. William White, Co. C; died at Camp Benton, Nov. 7, 1862. Delos W. Harris, Co. C; killed at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1862. John M. Fitterling, Co. C; killed at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1862. Alex. McGregor, Co. C; missing at Reams' Station, Va., Aug. 25, 1864. Thomas E. Cooney, Co. C; missing at Hatcher's Run, Va., Oct. 28, 1864 ; returned.
Henry L. Hartshorn, Co. C; killed at Antietam, Md., Sept. 17, 1862. Robert B. Vanslyke, Co. C; died at Washington, D. C., Nov. 29, 1862. Byron Cusick, Co. C; died at Andersonville, Ga., June 18, 1864. Oliver Park, Co. C; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, March 8, 1864. George Manning, Co. C; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, Jan. 15, 1864. Perry E. Babcock, Co. C; trans. to 6th Mich. Cavalry. William H. Sinclair, disch. for promotion, October, 1861. Robert O. Sinclair, Co. C; discharged.
A. A. Foreman, Co. C; dischi. for wounds, Nov. 12, 1862. Samuel E. Gear, Co. C; disch. for disability, Nov. 29, 1862. Christopher Myers, Co. C; disch. for wounds, Oct. 24, 1862. Wm. N. Vanderpool, Co. C; disch. for disability, Nov. 15, 1862. Henry O. Tucker, Co. C; disch. for wounds, Dec. 12, 1862. Ezekiel C. Estus, Co. C; disch. by order, Aug. 8, 1863. Sidney Barber, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 27, 1863. Joel E. Gray, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 14, 1863. William T. Brain, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 6, 1863. William I. Graves, Co. C ; disch. for disability, Jan. 10, 1863. William T. Searles, Co. C; disch. by order.
Charles Welkins, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 6, 1863. Charles St. John, Co. C; dischi. for disability, March 30, 1863.
C. Berbeck, Co. C; disch. for disability, April 24, 1863.
T. H. McMillan, Co. C; disch. by order, July 16, 1863. Leverett N. Case, Co. C; disch. at Detroit, Mich., July 1, 1862. Arthur Cheney, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, Sept. 9, 186 . Jacob M. Lair, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, Aug. 26, 1864. Orril W. Avery, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, Aug. 22, 1864. Alex. Worden, Co. C; disch. at expiration of service, Aug. 24, 1864. Seymour Underwood, Co. C; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 16, 1863. John Bowen, Co. C; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 18, 1863. John L. Rice, Co. C; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 19, 1863. James O. Hall, Co. C; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Dec. 16, 1863. Byron C. Ellis, N. C. S .; must. out July 5, 1865.
William A. Herring, band; must. out July 5, 1865. Jacob W. Snyder, Co. A, must. out July 5, 1865.
William N. Dunn, Co. B; must. out July 5, 1865.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
John R. Randall, Co. C; disch. for promotion in 18th Inf. July 27, 1862. Clark R. Warren, Co. C; must. out July 5, 1865.
Clark W. Blair, Co. C; disch. for disability, July 18, 1862. Philip Fox, Co. C; disch. for disability, Sept. 28, 1862. Jolin B. Fullerton, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 27, 1863. Joseph W. Fullerton, Co. C; disch. for disability, Feb. 28, 1863. Wm. F. Nelson, Co. C; must. out July 5, 1865.
James H. Warring, Co. C; wounded at Fair Oaks; disch. Nov. 20, 1862; re-enl.
in 46th N. Y. Inf. Aug. 14, 1864; in battles of Hatcher's Run, Peebles' Farm, and Petersburg; must. out June 20, 1865.
James Gibson, Co. C; disch.
Robert Gibson, Co. C; must. out July 5, 1865. Robert D. Glasgow, Co. C; disch. Dec. 19, 1862.
George O. Nimocks, Co. C; disch. by order May 6, 1865. Thomas Caldwell, Co. F; must. out July 5, 1865. Thomas A. Cooney, Co. G; must. out July 5, 1865. Walter Nichols, Co. K ; disch. for disability March 1, 1865. John Spillane, Co. K ; must. out July 5, 1865.
TENTH INFANTRY.
The 10th Michigan Infantry was raised in the fall of 1861 and winter of 1862, its headquarters being at Flint, Genesee County. Company K was principally recruited in Hillsdale County, sixty-eight of those who served in it during the war being from that county. No other company was represented by Hillsdale County men, but Christopher J. Dickerson, of Hillsdale, was lieutenant-colonel of the regiment.
The 10th left Flint on the 22d of April, 1862, and joined the Southwestern Army. It took part in the siege of Corinth and in several skirmishes, but escaped any gen- eral engagement during that year. In the fall it was trans- ferred to Middle Tennessee, and remained there over a year, engaged in the necessary but not very exciting duty of guarding trains, watching guerrillas, etc.
In November, 1863, the regiment started for Knoxville, in East Tennessee, but was suddenly sent back to Colum- bus, Ky., on the Mississippi River, and again as suddenly ordered to Chattanooga, which it reached on the 19th of December. On the 25th of February, 1864, the 10th took an active part in the severe battle of Buzzard's Roost, near Dalton, Ga., having thirteen men killed, thirty-six wounded, and seventeen missing. Lieut .- Col. Dickerson, who was in command of the regiment, was wounded and taken prisoner. Soon afterwards, three hundred and ninety-five of the men re-enlisted, as veterans, and, after a furlough at home, the regiment returned, in May, 1864, to take part in Gen. Sherman's Georgia campaign.
On the 17th of May it arrived in front of Rome, and the next day participated in its capture. At the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, on the 19th of June, the 10th was in the reserve. Pursuing its course, and sharing the toils and dangers of the army, it came into position in front of At- lanta on the 22d of July, and remained there during the rest of that month and the whole of August.
On the 1st of September the 10th bore a gallant part in the battle of Jonesboro', having thirty men killed (includ- ing Maj. Burnett, the commander) and forty-seven wounded. On the 8th of September its trials were rewarded by its entrance into captured Atlanta. On the 28th it returned to Chattanooga, and operated in that vicinity and in North- ern Georgia until the 1st of November. It then returned to Atlanta, destroying bridges and railroads the whole dis- tance, thus guarding Sherman's army from assault in the rear while it should make its contemplated " March to the Sea."
The 10th accompanied the army on this celebrated expe- dition, setting out from Atlanta on the 26th of November, 1864. The movement was mostly a holiday trip, but on the 31st of November three companies of the 10th, while on picket at Louisville, Georgia, were attacked by a large force of rebel cavalry. After a sharp fight the enemy was completely repulsed, leaving his killed and wounded on the field.
After reaching Savannah the regiment remained there until the 20th of January, 1865, when it moved with Sherman's army through the Carolinas. It was slightly engaged with the enemy near Fayetteville and Averysboro', N. C., from the 11th to the 16th of March. During the night of the 18th, the 10th, which was intrusted with the defense of the position at the junction of the Smithfield and Goldsboro' roads, was vigorously attacked, but succeeded in repulsing the enemy.
At the battle of Bentonville, on the 19th of March, the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, 14th Corps, was disposed in two lines, the 10th Michigan being in the second. The first line was charged by the enemy, but repulsed them, and in a counter-charge captured a large number of prisoners. The 10th, with the rest of the brigade, thien moved forward to the first line, but in a few moments the rebels, having broken through the 1st Division, were discovered in the left flank and rear. The Union line was at once placed on the other side of its works. The enemy advanced rapidly, but. the 10th and its comrade regiments poured a deadly volley into his ranks, and then charged with the bayonet, driving the foe in confusion from the field, and capturing a consid- erable number of prisoners. The regiment skirmished some the next day, which was its last service under fire.
It then proceeded to Richmond and Washington, partici- pating in the grand review of Sherman's army in the latter city, on the 27th of May. On the 13th of June it was sent to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out of service on the 19th of July. On the 1st of August it was paid off and disbanded at Jackson, Michigan.
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS FROM HILLSDALE COUNTY.
Christopher J. Dickerson, commissioned lieut .- col. Nov. 20, 1861; wounded and
captured at Buzzard's Roost, Ga., Feb. 25, 1864; com. col. 6th Inf., Nov. 12, 1864; app. brevet brig .- gen. of vols., March 13, 1865.
Ethel Judd, com. capt. Oct. 1, 1861; res. July, 1862.
John T. Storer, com. 1st lieut. Oct. 1, 1861; res. June 21, 1862.
Avery A. Smith, coni. 2d lieut. June 23, 1862; 1st lieut., March 31, 1863; res. Nov. 8, 1864.
George H. Sherman, com. 1st lieut. Feb. 24, 1865; must. out July 19, 1865. John Cronk, Co. K ; died June 3, 1862.
Horace F. Crosby, Co. K; died at Camp Farmington, May 3, 1862. Alexander Robb, Co. K ; died at Camp Thompson, Mich.
Norman Doolittle, Co. K; died at Camp Dennison, Ohio, July 12, 1862. Alonzo Wood, Co. K ; died at Camp Dennison, Ohio, July 12, 1862. Homer Northrup, Co. K; died at Keokuk, Iowa, Aug. 18, 1862.
James Fuller, Co. K ; died at Keokuk, Iowa, Aug. 18, 1862.
Alexander Williams, Co. K; died.
Emory C. Yost, Co. K; died.
.
Win. Russell, Co. K; died at Evansville, Ind., Sept. 9, 1862. John McGuiggan, Co. K ; died at Stevenson, Ala., Oct. 6, 1863. Samuel Fuller, Co. K; died at Nashville, Tenn., March 18, 1863. Nelson Judd, Co. K ; died at Keokuk, Iowa, Nov. 4, 1862. John Van Deger, Co. K; killed near Dalton, Ga., Feb. 25, 1864. Adriel Gibson, Co. K ; killed at Jonesboro', Ga., Sept. 1, 1864. Thos. Russell, Co. K; killed at Jonesboro', Ga., Sept. 1, 1864. Joseph Wolfe, Co. K; killed at Buzzard's Roost, Ga., Feb. 25, 1864. Warren Merritt, Co. K; disch. for disability, July 29, 1862. Thomas Dean, Co. K; disch. for disability, July 29, 1862.
Paul Fifield, Co. K; disch. for disability, Oct. 8, 1862. Lothario Chase, Co. K ; disch. for disability.
Engene Cronk, Co. K ; disch. for disability.
8
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
James Fifield, Co. K ; disch. for disability. Ampton Otto, Co. K ; disch. for disability, July 25, 1862. Charles H. Spencer, Co. K; disch. for disability, Sept. 30, 1862. Peter West, Co. K; disch. to enl. in marine service. Jacob U. Squier, Co. K; trans. to Vet. Res. Corps, April 10, 1864. John E. Cleveland, Co. K ; disch. for minority, May 15, 1863. Frederick J. Baker, Co. K; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Jasper Bryan, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Christian Howold, Jr., Co. K; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Giles P. Mesick, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6; 1864. John C. Ollin, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. George Rose, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Gideon H. Sherman, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Philip B. Spencer, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. John Vandusen, Co. K ; disch. to re-enl. as veteran, Feb. 6, 1864. Willard F. Lamb, Co. K; disch. July 8, 1862. Frederick S. Baker, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. Samuel Sanform, Co. K ; disch. at expiration of service, Feb. 6, 1865. Marshall Bartlett, Co. K ; disch. at expiration of service, Feb. 6, 1865. Albert Bates, Co. K ; disch. at expiration of service, Feb. 6, 1865. Sheldon W. Curtis, Co. K; disch. by order, May 16, 1865. Thomas Faulkner, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. Charles Goodrich, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. Eben M. Lewis, Co. K ; must. ont July 19, 1865. William Otto, Co. K ; disch. for disability. Valentine Riggs, Co. K; must. out July 19, 1865. Benjamin F. Vreeland, Co. K; must. out July 19, 1865. Wayne Vosburg, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. George Young, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. Emery Yost, Co. K ; must. out July 19, 1865. George G. Spencer, Co. K; must. out July 19, 1865. Peter Ackerman, Co. K ; disch. by order, June, 1865. Abram Stall, Co. K ; disch. at expiration of service, Feb. 6, 1865. George Salmon, Co. K; disch. at expiration of service, Feb. 6, 1865.
CHAPTER XII.
THE ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
Hillsdale County Represented in Five Companies-Its First Battle- Gallant Conduct-Triumphant Charge through Stone River-In Thomas' Command at Chickamauga-The Grand Assault at Mis- sion Ridge-The Georgia Campaign-The Old Regiment Mustered Out-Reorganization-Services of the New Regiment-List of Offi- cers and Soldiers in both Organizations.
THE 11th Michigan Infantry was raised in the summer and autumn of 1861, in St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale, and other counties of Southern Michigan ; its headquarters being at White Pigeon, in St. Joseph County. Hillsdale County was represented in no less than five companies, but in all by comparatively small detachments. The number serving during the war, in the respective compa- nies in the first organization, was as follows: Twenty-four in B company ; seven in C; thirty-eight in D; eleven in G ; eleven in K; total, ninety-one. In the new organiza- tion the members were four in Company A; one in B; four in C; one in D; eleven in E; one in F ; six in H ; thirty-one in I; and three in K ; total, sixty-two. Total in both organizations, one hundred and fifty-three.
The regiment moved from White Pigeon, on the 9th of December, 1861, to Bardstown, Ky. It remained in that State, and near Nashville, Tenn., until the advance of Gen. Rosecrans' army in December, 1862. Though not engaged in battle during this time it suffered very severely from sickness ; no less than one hundred and eighteen men hav- ing died previous to the 1st of November, and one hun- dred and twenty-seven discharged on account of disability.
The first fighting of the 11th was at the battle of Stone River, on the 31st of December, 1862, and the 1st and 2d of January, 1863, and a most severe " baptism of fire"
it was. On the morning of the 31st the enemy approached the position of the regiment from the right front. Skir- mishers were thrown out, and the 11th steadily awaited the assault of the foe. Just as the men were bracing themselves for the expected attack a heavy fire of musketry and artillery showed that the principal advance of the rebels was on the left rear. The regiment immediately changed front under a heavy fire, and advanced in line of battle to the crest of a hill, from which a Union battery had re- cently been driven.
Here the heavy columns of the enemy were seen ad- vancing, while a large part of his artillery appeared to be aimed at this point, and with terrible effect. Undismayed by the bullets and cannon-balls which riddled its ranks, and before which officers and men fell on every side, the 11th poured in a steady fire with severe effect on the advancing grays. This fire was kept up until the general in command, seeing that the enemy's fire was concentrated on that locality, sent orders to the 11th to retire.
It fell back about fifteen rods, faced about, fired on the rebels as they came over the hill, and then again retreated to the cover of a wood a short distance in the rear. Many other regiments were also there, and some confusion was temporarily manifested. Order, however, was promptly restored, and the 11th, with other regiments, moved slowly to the rear, keeping up a constant fire. At one point the regiment halted, and held the enemy in check nearly half an hour. A little later, in obedience to orders, they rallied on the colors, and made a sudden charge back with the bayonet, stopping the course of the startled foe, until, again in obedience to orders, they once more fell back to the Mur- freesboro' Pike, which was steadily held by the Union troops.
During the 1st of January the 11th was not called on for active service, but in the afternoon of the 2d it per- formed one of the most brilliant feats of the war. It was at that time lying down as a reserve in rear of the Union batteries, on the right part of the left wing of Gen. Rosecrans' army. Between three and four o'clock, the rebels on the other side of Stone River made a heavy attack on the Union front. At the end of half an hour they succeeded in forcing back the Union troops, one regi- ment being driven in great disorder across the river and through the ranks of the 11th.
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