USA > Missouri > Recollections of the 26th Missouri Infantry, in the war for the union > Part 3
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
From this point reconnoitering parties were often sent out. On one occasion a New York regiment was sent out, and had a little skirmish. On its return they were ambushed and had several wounded. The 26th Missouri with other troops were sent out to assist them, but they had to cut their way through before we reached them. On June IIth, we reconnoitered the Confederate lines, and en- countered a few of their cavalry, capturing one of their horses, but had no engagement. We thought that they were watching the road to ambush us as we returned, but the Union troops returned by another route.
The stay of the regiment at this post was very pleasant, and one of our pastimes was to rig up a pontoon boat with sails made of a " tent fly" and sail up and down the Ten- nessee river with our brigade band on board. We feasted on an abundance of fish, which the boys would catch and sell very cheap. but soon our pleasant sojourn came to an end by the regiment being ordered to Huntsville, Ala .. on June 15th, 1864, to rejoin its division and take up the line of march for Atlanta, Ga. On the day mentioned. the 26th broke camp and marched about fifteen miles, when it encamped near
29
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
Madison Station. On June 16th, Huntsville twelve miles distant, was reached and a camp established with the bal- ance of our division.
June 22d, 1864, the entire division marched on the Burnsburg road for about eleven miles. June 23d, moved sixteen miles to Paint Rock creek. June 24th, marched seventeen miles. passing through Larkinsville, Ala., and biv- ouacked near Scotsburg, where a caisson of the 12th Wis- consin Battery exploded, killing seven men; one man of the first brigade was accidentally shot and killed and two men of the second brigade died of sunstroke.
On June 28th we marched eighteen miles on the Steph- enson road, bivouacking on Crow creek, three miles from Stephenson, Ala., and on the evening of June 27th boarded the cars at Stephenson for Chattanooga, Tenn., arriving there the next day, June 28th.
At this time I received orders from General Stedman to take charge of seventeen hundred head of beef cattle and deliver them to General Sherman's army at Marietta. It was considered a very risky undertaking for one regi- ment to protect so many cattle on a several days' march through the enemy's country, and I so informed General Stedman, who stated that he was aware of that fact, and made an order for about three hundred men then at Dalton to accompany the expedition. These men belonged to dif- ferent commands which had been left there on the sick list, but were then able for duty.
The same day we marched three miles in the country to where the cattle were in corral, and on June 30th we spent the entire day in getting ready for the march, by ar- ranging wagons, ox teams, tents, camp equipage etc., be-
30
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
longing to the cattle drivers. Receipts were given for every- thing-cattle, oxen, ox yokes, wagons, tents, camp kettles, plates, knives, forks, cups, spoons, etc., and all must be ac- counted for at the end of the march.
The officers and men felt " blue" over the prospect be- fore them, knowing that they would be subjected to the chances of a raid by the enemy's cavalry, causing the cattle to stampede and in that event they would rush over us and trample many to death.
On the morning of July Ist. the regiment moved for- ward on the journey of seventy-five miles. Part of the 26th Missouri was placed in front of the cattle, a few soldiers marched on either side of the road in the woods, some dis- tance from the road, in order to prevent a surprise, and the remainder of the men were in the rear of the wagons, having the cattle in the middle. So the march commenced, the cattle drivers whooping and halloing with sufficient loudness as to be heard for miles. Many of the cattle were poor and the weather so warm that quite a number of them gave out every day. With great effort these were driven along to a military station and turned over to a quartermaster, taking a receipt therefor. as all government property must be satis- factorily accounted for. The march was so timed that all the cattle were corraled within the lines of some army post every night while on the road.
Arriving at Dalton. July, 2d. 1864, we received our re- inforcements, but instead of the 300 men promised, there were only 200 fit to undertake the march, and one officer. All had been off duty so long, and under no discipline what- ever. that the reinforcements did not create a very favorable impression, but the best use had to be made of them. Two
31
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
or three officers of the 26th Missouri were placed in charge of them. Lieutenant Colonel McFall was instructed to be very strict with these men, and it seems that he was, for the next day some of them wanted to know if the Lieutenant Colonel " did not belong to the regulars." But in spite of our vigilance we had a great many stragglers by night. Next morning before resuming the march the command was re- organized by assigning an equal number of convalescents to each of the companies of the 26th. The officers did not en- joy the new order of things at first, but on being informed that it was for the good of the service they yielded a cheer- ful obedience, and we proceeded very nicely.
When the regiment went into camp for the night, the rear guard did not have a straggler in charge. The 26th marched twelve miles and then went into camp at Resaca. Ga. On July 3d, on account of the intense heat a six mile march only was made, and on July 4th, marched eleven miles, passing through Calhoun, camping within one mile of Adamsville, Ga. July 5th, an eleven mile march brought the regiment and its charge three miles east of Kingston, Ga., where a camp was made. July 6th, marched nine miles and encamped near Carterville, Ga. On July 7th, the command marched through Allatoona Pass where a great battle had been fought a few days before. A visit was paid to the hospital at that place, where 1000 wounded of the 15th Army Corps and 400 of the 16th were being cared for.
On July 7th, the 26th Missouri marched about fifteen miles to Marietta, Ga., which was the end of a very hot jour- ney. The regiment went into camp and turned over the cattle, wagons, etc., and resting until July 11th, the railroad cars were boarded, and the regiment rejoined the Division which was stationed at Cartersville, Ga.
32
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
The following order was received on July 20th :
HEADQUARTERS 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. CENTERSVILLE, GA. Col. Benjamin D. Dean, 26th Mo. Infantry:
SIR :- You will hold your command in readiness to go to the relief of Colonel Banbury, commanding the Post at Kingston, who is threatened with an attack of the enemy from the south of the Etawah river. Cars will be held at this point for you. By order of
BRIG. GEN. JOHN E. SMITH. C. L. SMITH, Captain and Ass't. Adj't Gen.
The 26th Regiment was held in readiness at the depot for a few hours, but Colonel Dean received a dispatch notify- ing him that his command was not needed. The regiment returned to camp and remained on duty until July 24th, when the following order was received:
HEADQUARTERS 3d DIV., 15TH A. C. CENTERSVILLE, GA., July 24th. Col. Benjamin D. Dean, 26th Mo. Infantry :
SIR :- You will move with your command to Kingston, Ga., and relieve the 5th Iowa Infantry, stationed on the Eta- wah river, and will assume command of the post of Kings- ton, Ga., and 3d Brig., 3d Div., 15th A. C. and relieve Col. J. Banbury, who will report to his regiment for duty. By order of
BRIG. GEN. JOHN E. SMITH.
Next day the 26th Missouri arrived at Kingston and the regiment, under command of Lieut .- Col. McFall, was sent to the Etawah river and stationed at Gillam's and Wool- ridge's bridges, two miles from Kingston. The planks or floors of these bridges were taken up and piled on our side of the river and big piles of dry stuff laid up against them ready
33
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
to burn at a moment's notice. The 93d Illinois and the 10th Iowa were at Kingston, distributed along the railroad. The enemy had frequently dashed in and captured the pickets.
Watch was kept day and night both in and outside of the lines. Quite a number of non-combatant rebels, inside the lines, were trying to give information to the enemy, not- withstanding their proffessed friendship. They were being fed with Union rations, and one " old rebel gent," who pro- fessed loyalty, was especially under suspicion. Several of the boys disguised themselves in rebel clothes and called on him at night. The boys inquired how the .. Yanks" were fixed, and he replied that they had "stacks of rations at Kingston," and gave the number of Union soldiers at Kings- ton, the Etawah river, and the different block houses. The disguised Union soldiers then left the " old rebel gent," who evidently believed that he had done the Confederates a great favor, but to his surprise next morning, the same boys dressed in blue, called at his home and escorted him to head- quarters. I gave him quite a lecture, and sent him outside of the lines across the river, with strict injunctions, that if he was ever caught inside the Union lines, he would be shot as a spy.
About July 30th, one of the Union wagon trains was at- tacked by the Confederate cavalry not far from Kingston. On hearing the firing, a force of cavalry was sent out and the infantry ordered to follow. We met the train guard coming in to Kingston, having abandoned the wagons, and the force was able to save the teams, with the exception of one or two mules which had to be shot. The enemy saw the approach of the Union troops and made good their es- cape.
34
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
Forage for the horses having become scarce, I de- cided that an effort should be made to find some over the Etawah river on the enemy's side, and accordingly a strong detail from the 26th Missouri replaced the planks on the bridge at Gillam's, and wagons were sent over. They had gone only a short distance when a Confederate lady friend ran up to me and said that the men would surely be captured. The 26th Missouri boys, however, did not believe her, and stated that they "could whip their weight in wild cats" and over into the enemy's territory they went, and safely returned with several loads of corn.
The following correspondence explains itself :
HEADQUARTERS 3D BRIG., 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. KINGSTON, GA., Aug. 14, 1864. Gen. William Vandever, Rome, Ga .:
SIR :- The enemy's cavalry is annoying my outposts very much and I have not sufficient cavalry to cope with him. Can you send me a few for a short time?
B. D. DEAN, Col. Commanding.
ROME, GA., Aug. 15, 1864. Major General Sherman:
SIR :- Colonel Dean sends to me for reinforcements. WM. VANDEVER, Brig. Gen.
HEADQUARTERS 3D DIV., 15TH. A. C. CARTERSVILLE, GA., Aug. 15, 1864.
Colonel B. D. Dean :
SIR :- If there is a train of empty cars at Kingston send it to Rome at once. Write to commanding officer to send by direction of General Sherman two of his best infantry regiments with 100 rounds of ammunition per man. A
35
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
train guard of fifty men should be sent with it. Hold your command ready to move on receipt of orders.
JOHN E. SMITH, Brig. Gen.
HEADQUARTERS 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. CARTERSVILLE, GA., Aug. 15, 1864. Brigadier General Vandever :
SIR :- By direction of Major General Sherman you will send at once to Colonel Dean at Kingston, Ga., two of the best and largest regiments of your command. They will be supplied, before starting, with 100 rounds of ammu- nition per man and three days' rations.
I am sir, your obedient servant, JOHN E. SMITH, Brig. Gen.
1757975
HEADQUARTERS 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. CARTERSVILLE, GA., Aug. 26, 1864. Col. Benjamin D. Dean, commanding at Kingston :
COL :- You will send out, Tuesday next, 28th inst., 60 picked men with three days' rations and 40 rounds of am munition, under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Bus- well, to scout the country south and west of the Etawah river, and co-operate with a party of 200, under the com- mand of Colonel Heath, coming up from Dallas to Euharlee. All suspicious persons will be arrested by Colonel Buswell and brought in for such disposal as their conduct merits.
By order of BRIG. GEN. JOHN E. SMITH. CARL L. WHITE, Ass't. Adj't. Gen.
HEADQUARTERS 3D BRIG., 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. KINGSTON, GA., Aug. 26, 1864. Lieut .- Col. N. Buswell:
SIR :- You will select 60 of your best men, with three
36
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
days' rations and 40 rounds of ammunition per man, to scout the country south and west of the Etawah river, and co-op- erate with a party of 200 cavalry under command of Col. Heath, coming up from Dallas to Euharlee. You will ar- rest all suspicious persons and bring them to these head- quarters.
COL. B. D. DEAN, Col. commanding. CAPT. R. McKEE. Ass't Adj't Gen.
On October 12th. 1874, a dispatch was received from Atlanta that General Hood had evacuated that place and was moving north. It was his intention to attack the Post at Kingston, for the purpose of securing the large quantity of commissary stores located there. The troops were set at work building a fort in order to defend them- selves and the depot. The work continued night and day until the fort was completed. It was defended by two pieces of artillery, and the earthworks were addition- ally strengthened by cotton bales. The fort was also sur- rounded by rifle pits. so arranged that the men could be re- lieved from the fort without being exposed to the enemy's fire. A palisade was erected around the entire works, which made everything ready for the attack.
The following order from General Sherman was re- ceived :
IN THE FIELD NEAR ATLANTA, GA. October 15, 1864. Col. Dean, commanding Post at Kingston, Ga.
SIR :- You will cause the two bridges across the Eta- wah river to be burned.
MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN.
----
37
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
HEADQUARTERS 3TD BRIG., 3D DIV., 15TH A. C. Lieut. Col. John McFall, commanding 26th Mo., Etawah river :
SIR :- You will. on receipt of this order, burn both bridges across the Etawah river.
B. D. DEAN, Colonel. CAPT. R. McKEE, Ass't Adj't Gen.
General Hood prepared to attack Allatoona, and dis- patched a whole rebel division, under French, to capture it. General Sherman, aware of his designs, sent a signal from the distant Kenesaw mountains to General Corse, who was in command of Rome, to take his brigade, and move with the utmost speed to Allatoona and hold it against all oppo- sition until he himself could arrive with help.
Pushing forward by railroad, General Corse reached the place with about two thousand men, arriving a little after midnight on the west side of the fortification. Just as Hood's skirmishers approached on the east, the enemy made an assault but were unsuccessful. The rebel General sent a flag of truce to General Corse and demanded a sur- render: Then followed another unsuccessful assault, and another flag of truce with a demand for a surrender. Gen- eral Corse informed the messenger that if Hood sent another flag of truce on such a mission, he would shoot him. They made another assault and were again repulsed. Maddened by their failure, a rebel officer procured a torch and at- tempted to fire the depot filled with rations. A negro ser- vant saw him, and grasping a dead soldier's rifle, shot the rebel officer dead.
Hood abandoned his efforts of capturing the position
38
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
and marched around, but Sherman, anxious about Alla- toona, hastened forward, and reached the top of the Kenesaw, eighteen miles distant. He says, "I could see the smoke of battle and hear the faint sound of artillery." He immediately pushed forward a brigade, and flew his sig- nal, telling Corse to "hold the fort" for he was coming. But General Corse had too much on his hands to be looking out for signals. He knew without them that Sherman was hurrying forward troops to his relief as fast as they could march.
Our garrison at Kingston anxiously listened to the roar of the artillery. fully knowing if Hood crushed Corse the rebel horde would appear in our front the next day. Yet we felt confident that we could hold out until Sherman was on to them. We were more anxious about Allatoona than ourselves, as we were well fixed.
A writer says : "The fight was kept up, and the smoke of battle wrapped the combatants. while far away on the se- rene heights of Kenesaw stood Sherman flying his signals and watching through his glass to see if they were answered. For a long time they waved unheeded, but at last an answer came. and he knew then that while Corse lived. the rebel force would never have Allatoona. At three o'clock in the after- noon the rebel general gave it up-for, repulsed in every at- tack he saw he was only increasing his piles of dead, and ordered his bugles to sound retreat."
Next day Hood passed by our outposts, and we ex- changed a few shots with him. We had large quantities of commissary stores at Kingston, and Hood was well aware of that fact. but he was discreet enough to know that it would cost him too much to capture them.
39
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
Sherman hurrying forward his army passed through Al- latoona to Kingston in pursuit of Hood, which he reached on October 6th.
GENERAL SHERMAN AND STAFF DINE WITH COL. DEAN.
We issued rations to Sherman's army from our com- missary stores. General Sherman and staff took dinner with me, and the General remarked that " Hood would be very glad to eat such a good dinner." Sherman had tele- graphed me when he would arrive in Kingston, and I or- dered my cook to prepare the best dinner possible. and the menu was certainly all that could be desired.
Sherman said that he would follow Hood until Thomas got hold of him, and then would return and make ready to march to the sea. He declared that he " would not hunt up anybody to fight with, but whatever came in his way he would knock out." Sherman returned to Kingston after his pursuit of Hood and was my guest for several days.
On November 4th, 1864, our brigade was ordered to Cartersville to rejoin our Division and make preparations for the grand " march to the sea." Here our brigade, ( the 3d, ) was consolidated with the 2d Brigade, in command of Gen- eral Green B. Raum. Our brigade, consisting of the 26th Missouri, 93d Illinois, 10th and 5th lowa, had become very much reduced in numbers by the expiration of terms of en- listment, killed and wounded, about one-half of the latter- named regiment being captured at Mission Ridge.
THE MARCH TO THE SEA.
From Cartersville we sent north all of our sick, those that were not considered able to march, and all of our sur- plus baggage. We were to march into the enemy's country with just what we had and what little we could gather up in the country, and nothing more. Supplies could not be sent to us, no matter how much we needed them, and no one could know our wants and sufferings save Sherman and his army. We were for a time at least to be lost to the world.
Some of our northern newspapers said we would be utterly destroyed by the enemy, but Sherman and his army were not dismayed, as they had heard that kind of stuff be- fore. Letters were mailed to our dear ones at home; some sent valuables and keepsakes, and told them they would not hear from us again until we opened communication by the sea.
At this place an accident occurred that deprived the 26th Missouri of two valuable officers-Captain John T. Crowe and Lieutenant James T. Berry, Regimental Quartermaster. An upper porch gave way and these two officers fell to the ground, and were so severely injured that they were sent back. With regrets they departed from us on the last train going north.
Sherman had moved his army by easy marches back to the neighborhood of Smyrna camping ground, sent all sur-
41
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
plus artillery and baggage to Chattanooga, put Kilpatrick's cavalry force in the best possible condition, ordered Corse, at Rome, to burn every thing that could be of service to the enemy, and, at the same time destroy all the railroads in and around Atlanta, and finally ordered all the garrisons north of Kingston to fall back to Chattanooga, taking with them the public property and railroad stock, and the rails from Resaca, saving the latter for future use. A historian says, "he thus rapidly and effectually cut himself clear from the outer world, and stripped himself for the race."
"Rome was first burned; and a thousand bales of cot- ton, two flour mills, two tanneries, a foundry, machine shops, store-houses and bridges were set on fire, making a fearful conflagration. The soldiers, seeing the work of destruction commenced, applied the torch to the private dwellings, and soon the flames leaped and roared through the murky atmos- phere, lighting up the nightly heavens with a lurid glare, and flooding field and mountain in flame.
"A few days after, Atlanta shared the same fate. The Michigan engineers were detailed to effect its destruction. A foundry, worth half a million of dollars, was first in a blaze, then an oil refinery, followed by a freight ware house in which were stored several bales of cotton. The depot, turning-tables, freight sheds, and stores around, were soon " a fiery mass. The heart was burning out of beautiful At- lanta.
" A stone ware-house was blown up by a mine. Quar- termasters ran away, leaving large stores behind. The men plunged into the houses, broke windows and doors with their muskets, dragging out armfuls of clothes, tobacco, and whiskey which was more welcome than all the rest. The
42
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
men dressed themselves in new clothes and then flung the rest into the fire.
" At a distance the city seemed ouershadowed by a cloud of black smoke, through which, now and then, darted a gushing flame of fire, or projectiles hurled from the burn- ing ruin.
" The sun looked, through the hazy cloud, like a blood- red ball of fire; and the air, for miles around, felt oppress- ive and intolerable. The Tyre of the South was laid in ashes, and the ' Gate City' was a thing of the past.
"On the 12th of November, Sherman stood detached from all its communications ready to move. His army was composed of four corps; the Fifteenth and Seventeenth, constituting the right wing. under Major General O. O. How- ard; the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps, constituting the left wing, under Major General H. W. Slocum, making an aggregate strength of sixty thousand infantry, with one cav- alry division of five thousand and five hundred men, under Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick, and the artillery re- duced to the minimum, one gun per one thousand men.
" The whole force was moved rapidly, and grouped about Atlanta on the 14th of November."
Rations were loaded in wagons and consisted of bread or hard tack, coffee, sugar, beans, salt, etc., and meat in beef cattle to be driven, and were called "rations on the hoof." The hoof rations our boys would frequently refer to in a very jocular manner. Before we got to the sea our crackers had a good many " skippers" in them, and when the boys saw them crawling about, they would shout: " Here's your rations on the hoof !"
43
TWENTY-SIXTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.
Saturday, November 12th, 1864, our Division marched from Cartersville, Ga., passing through Ackweth and camped for the night three miles beyond said place, distance fifteen miles. Sunday, 13th, marched fifteen miles. Monday, 14th, marched sixteen miles and camped one mile west of Atlanta. Tuesday, 15th, marched sixteen miles. Wednes- day, 16th, marched seventeen miles. Thursday, 17th, marched at 6 a. m., passed through Jackson, Ga. and made about twenty-three miles .. Friday, November 18th, marched at 6. a. m., crossing the Oconee river on pontoons : made about six miles. Saturday, November 19th, marched at 6. a m .; made thirteen miles. Sunday, November 20th, marched at 7:30 a. m. and made fifteen miles. Monday, November 21st, marched at 7 a. m. Tuesday, November 22d, marched at 12 m. Reached Gordon, Ga., at 8 p. m. Wednesday, November 23d, remained in camp at Gordon, Ga. Thursday, November 24th, changed camp about one- half mile. Friday, November 25th, marched to Irvington, - thirteen miles. Saturday, November 26th, marched at 8 a. m. on the road to the Oconee river, making about thir- teen miles. Sunday, November 27th, marched at 8 a. m., and when we were nearing the crossing of the Oconee river, we heard very brisk firing on our front and we supposed that our advance was having an engagement with the enemy on the opposite side of the Oconee river, who were trying to prevent our crossing, and of course the 26th Missouri boys felt inspired with thoughts of following the example of Alex- ander the Great and his army by plunging into the river, swimming across and whipping the enemy. To our sur- prise, and perhaps satisfaction, when we reached the river there was no enemy in sight, but we found the troops in our
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.