USA > Ohio > Four years in the saddle. History of the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 > Part 35
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The rebels, knowing that the firing would arouse the camp and that we would be after them in hot haste, mounted their horses and were off on the gallop, as it was not their intention to fight, but only to make a raid and capture the wagon train.
The soldier that had been captured and paroled reported that a force of rebel cavalry was concentrating on the Tupelo road, a few miles south toward Bragg's headquarters, for the purpose of making raids on the railroads, and on the strength of this report the pickets were doubled and ordered to be on the lookout and report at once if any reconnoitering parties of the enemy were observed.
On the morning of July 25, after guard mount, the weather being very warm, the men were scattered over the camp, taking it quiet and easy and many of them sitting in the shade in front of their tents, or on the piles of forage sacks, having a game · of old sledge or poker with a ten cent ante, while others were writing letters to the dear ones at home, or to their best girls, which was more often the case, little dreaming that the enemy
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in large force was rapidly marching and preparing to pounce down upon our little handful of men like a hurricane.
Lieutenant James Cutler, being a physician, had charge of the sick of the post and had established a temporary hospital over in the town in a brick church, and he was making his usual morning visit to the sick, and I, being next in rank, had com- mand of the company. Just as I had settled down on my cot for a little rest, as I was sick with malaria and camp fever, Captain Eggleston, commanding Company E, came running to my tent in his shirt sleeves and bare head and shouted to me that the rebels were advancing upon our camp. I called to the bugler to sound "boots and saddles" and ran down through the quar- ters, directing the men to saddle their horses and mount as rapidly as possible.
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Looking across the camp and toward old Bynam's house, I saw a cloud of dust raising and in five minutes' time the advance of the rebel column came down the road, within three hundred yards of our camp, and gave the rebel yell that would have raised the hair on the head of a Comanche Indian.
I had loaned my horse Billy that morning to Sergeant Chapin to go out on picket, and I made up my mind with but little deliberation and in a moment's time that I was in for it and would be taken prisoner right in the camp; but after the company had all saddled and were in line, I saw one horse still at the picket rope, that I knew belonged to William John- son, who had gone into town to shoe horses, and I ran down to the line, saddled and bridled this horse, and by this time the rebels were in camp, banging away in a very careless manner.
Just as I had buckled on my saber and revolver, Lieutenant Cutler came dashing into camp from town, and I ran into his tent, got his belt and saber and handed it to him and mounted. By this time the rebels were right upon us and we were the only two left, and the enemy had cut us off from our command, which was forming with the infantry behind the railroad embankment.
"Halt! halt! you d-d Yankees," they shouted; but we halted not and "stood not upon the manner of our going," but stuck the spurs into our horses and dashed across the creek, intending to join the command near the railroad bridge.
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A high railroad embankment lay between the camp and town, and two other soldiers who had been cut off from the com- mand, having joined us at the ford, I suggested that we recon- noiter toward town to see if we were surrounded and then report to the commanding officer. Spurring our horses over the em- bankment we run right into a regiment of rebels galloping along the street close to the embankments and hidden from view, and we were prisoners in less time than it takes to tell the story.
We were run off to the side of the street on the pavement .
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and surrendered our horses and arms as gracefully as could be expected under the excitement and confusion, as the advance had fired a volley when they first hailed us and the balls whizzed uncomfortably near our heads. After we had surrendered, a guard was put over us and we were watching the rebel cavalry as they charged down the street in platoons. It was a very pretty sight from the pavement. Just at this moment a rebel soldier wheeled his horse out of the ranks not more than three rods from us, raised his carbine and banged away at us three pris- oners and fired three shots in quick succession as we stood quietly looking him in the face, expecting each shot to kill one of us.
As before stated, the third shot went through my hat and stunned and blinded me for a moment, and I reeled and grasped the fence for support. I was so dazed that I was confident that I was shot, and putting my head down toward one of the boys, I asked him where I was wounded, and taking off my hat and seeing that there was a bullet hole in front and that there was a hole in the crown at least six inches long, I became more and more impressed with the belief that the ball had gone through my head. Of course it was preposterous to even imagine that a ball could go through the head without causing instant death; but in my dazed condition my reasoning faculties were rather "knocked out of working order."
I put my hand upon the top of my head and pulled out a handful of hair and wool from my hat ground as fine as powder, and kept on pulling out the loose hair and feeling the top of my head and looking at my fingers to see if I could discover any blood, and continued this for a moment or two until I recovered from the shock, before I was convinced that I was not wounded.
It was a hair-breadth escape, and had the ball struck an eighth of an inch lower it would have blown the whole top of my head off and I would have been killed so suddenly that I would not have known what hurt me. I have often been asked the question, when persons would examine this hat, if I was not badly frightened and what my sensations were.
I was not frightened during the time the rebel was firing the shots and did not attempt to dodge down or run, but stood still and looked at him very intently as he pulled the trigger of his carbine, but fully convinced that he would kill all three of us. I thought very fast and wished that we had our navy revolvers again that we had surrendered a few minutes before, and we would have fought it out as long as we had a load in our revolvers.
After it was over I felt weak and nervous, but at the time I was as cool as I ever was under fire, and I think I can safely say that I was under fire a hundred times during my service, but this was the "closest call" I ever had.
The fellow made such an impression on me as he sat on
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his sorrel Texas pony in his shirt sleeves, with brown beard and long yellow hair, and a broad-brimmed, brown-colored slouch hat on his head, that I have never forgotten his face, and think . I would know him to-day if I should meet him, if he looked as he did then, although our meeting thirty-six years ago was very brief and rather abrupt. He was so near to me and the heavy report of his carbine, the flash and the ball all combined, knocked me blind and I was bewildered for a moment and there was a stinging sensation, but different from a blow, and my hand seemed to fly out from my body in a kind of tremor, and after I had recovered there was a prickling sensation all over my head for some minutes.
Until this day, if I hear the report of a musket near at hand, I imagine that I can feel that ball passing through my hat and hair in exactly the same direction that that ball plowed a track so near my skull the day I was captured.
I have heard the balls "zip" rather near for comfort many times, and I remember one instance particularly when we made a dash on a reserve picket at night and had a pretty sharp skirmish, and a ball seemed to come so near the side of my head that it brushed my hair and made my ear sing, but it did not come with such force and such a jar.
I have only attempted to describe the sensations minutely for the reason that many persons have asked me what my sensa- tions were and whether I was frightened, etc., at the time, and I have simply related the facts so indelibly impressed at the time. No doubt there are thousands of other similar incidents that happened during the war, and only relate this as one in which it was my fortune to play a part as principal actor.
The rebel cavalry was still charging along the street, and there sat that long, yellow-haired cuss on his sorrel pony, with murder in his eye and his carbine thrown across the pommel of his saddle, as if taking a rest before commencing another fusil- lade on three dangerous, unarmed Yankee prisoners. Just at this moment a rebel officer was galloping slowly along near the pavement, reining his horse in, as if to close up his company. I appealed to him, stating that we were prisoners, that we had surrendered our arms and that we were entitled to protection, and, pointing to the long-haired sinner still sitting on his sorrel pony, informed the officer that he had been practicing on us at short range and in my opinion was getting ready for another engagement. This officer ordered the fellow to join his com- mand, much to our relief, and then ordered the guard to start us to the rear on double-quick. At this time the pavements were lined with women and children and the few men that were left at home, and they had been seized with the general enthusiasm of the occasion, and while the soldiers were giving the genuine rebel yell as they swept up the street at a long
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gallop, the women and children cheered them on with "Hurrah for Jeff. Davis!" "Give it to the Yanks," and such like patriotic exclamations. Now the "fight was on" and the balls from our own command, stationed behind the railroad embankment, be- gan to come over, rattling against the houses and fences and knocking up the dust in the streets like big drops of rain. While it was not a very comfortable situation for us to be placed in - between two fires - still it was amusing to see how quickly the citizens scattered and vanished into their houses, and in a few minutes we had the streets all to ourselves.
The guards hurried us along on the double-quick, for they seemed as anxious to get out of the range of the flying bullets as we were. When we reached the eastern outskirts of the town along the railroad, a brief halt was made to allow us to catch our breath. By this time I was about "laid out," as I was sick and very weak, not having been on my horse for duty for three or four weeks. I said to the guard, that if he wished to take me very far, he would have to furnish me a way to ride, as he could see that I was sick and could not march at such a gait as they were rushing us along at, and in fact I was not in good light marching order, as I had on a pair of high cavalry boots that came above my knees, with a pair of spurs, and being a cavalryman, we had been drilled to believe that it was very humiliating for a trooper to be compelled to march on foot.
The guard that. was looking after my welfare was of the same opinion, and as there were several riderless horses running loose on the common, the riders having been killed or wounded, or in some manner thrown from their horses, the guard caught a fine gray, which he directed me to mount in "one time and two motions." Not waiting for a second invitation, I mounted in hot haste. He proved to be an officer's horse, well equipped, with two revolvers in the holsters fully loaded, and my first thoughts were that if we had found those revolvers a few minutes sooner, we would have made it lively for our long-haired friend on the sorrel pony.
By this time many stragglers were galloping to the rear to get out of danger, which is a very usual occurrence during a fight, and a person to be in the rear of a battle line and see the cowards retreating and the confusion and demoralization would imagine that the whole army was retreating; but when you arrive at the front you find that the line is steady and every- thing well in hand, and the fighting soldiers are under as com- plete control as if on battalion drill.
The guard took the rein of my horse and we started back .with the general rabble, across cornfields and meadows, off to the south toward a range of steep and rugged hills and into the forest. After going pell-mell for perhaps a distance of two miles, we halted on a by-road and we could still hear a few
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scattering shots off toward our camp. As we sat on our horses, there now being five of us prisoners, with perhaps a hundred guards, a big rebel Sergeant rode up to our group and, taking a look at the horse I was riding, he then asked me where I got that horse, and I informed him that the guard had caught him for me. He then took out a big navy revolver, and riding up close to my side, said: "That is my brother's horse, and if he is killed, that is what you will get," and he placed the muzzle of the revolver against my head just back of my ear. I then thought we were in for it, as he was a long-haired, devilish- looking fellow; but I think if he had made the attempt the guard that had me in charge would have interfered, as he was, a fine, manly-looking young soldier and was very kind to me afterwards and during the few days he was with us, and when he could get anything to eat he divided it with me, if I could eat anything. The rebel cavalry depended almost entirely in foraging off the country as they passed along, and we passed. through several small towns and the citizens turned out en masse to see the "Yanks" and fed the rebels on the best they had, which usually consisted of corn-bread and fat pork.
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The women were abusive to us and used the vilest epithets, the more mild terms being "nigger soldiers" and "thieving Yanks," and never would give us anything to eat, and the John- nies told them some great war stories, how they had "licked you'uns" and our boys would laugh it off and try to enjoy the situation.
After our little episode with the big Sergeant, who was anxious to distinguish himself by blowing the heads off of a few unarmed prisoners, instead of being up at the front of his command, we started on a by-road through the woods and hills, and after traveling two or three miles came out on the Tupelo road leading to Bragg's headquarters. After waiting here a short time, the balance of the prisoners were brought up, and there were now one hundred and thirty-four of us. We were then put under a regular guard, commanded by Major Smith, of Missouri, who proved to be a gentleman and a good soldier, and the prisoners were then protected from insult. We learned that the big Sergeant's brother, who was a Lieutenant, had been killed in the early part of the fight, and had the Sergeant known this at the time he found me on his brother's horse, I have no doubt but he would have executed his threat and have killed all of us on the spot, but it was too late when we were put under a regular guard.
The command that had attacked us was General Arm- strong's brigade of cavalry, consisting of about seventeen hun- dred men, and including Colonel Roddy's regiment that had been recruited in Northern Alabama, in and around Courtland, Tuscumbia and Decatur.
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General Armstrong was an officer of the old army and a frne-looking soldier, and became quite a noted cavalry leader during the war.
The rebel commander attacked our camp on three sides simultaneously, and he had been piloted through woods and mountains on by-roads by citizens of the vicinity, who knew every cow-path in the country, and knew the position of every picket, as they passed in and out of camp at will. They had reached a position near our camp before daybreak, and when the picket guard was relieved in the morning they were in plain view of the rebel advance, concealed in the woods, and the rebels then advanced through the woods and ravines and passed two or three of the picket posts unobserved and cut the pickets off from camp; but I think all of these pickets made their escape after the camp was attacked and they found themselves cut off from the command.
The total number of men in our command in the two com- panies of infantry and the two companies of cavalry was about one hundred and sixty men, and when they took position behind the railroad embankment, they made it lively for the rebel brigade for a short time, and in the fight the rebels lost seven. teen killed and twenty-seven wounded; but the rebels closed in on three sides and it seemed useless and hopeless to prolong the fight, and Captain Davidson, of the Tenth Kentucky Infantry, the senior officer, raised the white flag and surrendered, and when this was done our cavalry charged out through the lines and all escaped but twenty-five. Captain B. B. Eggleston and Lieutenant Alkire, of Company E, and Lieutenant Cutler, of Company K, First O. V. C., were taken prisoners.
The following-named soldiers of Company K were taken prisoners: A. L. Sessler, Lewis Latham, Sergeant A. S. Chears, John Patterson, John Winters, S. P. Clark, John Johnson, Wil- liam Johnson and myself.
The first day we marched to Moulton, Ala., the county seat of Lawrence County, a distance of about fiftcen or twenty miles, and were quartered in the court-house, sleeping on the soft side of a bench in this magnificent temple of justice. We lingered here the next day until late in the evening, when all at once there was a great commotion among the rebels, the guards rushed from the court-house, the bugles sounded "boots and saddles," drivers commenced harnessing their mules and orderlies were galloping through the streets. We surmised that something unusual had occurred on the outposts, and it was soon learned that a scouting party of our cavalry had attacked their pickets and we were in high glee, hoping that we would soon be within our own lines again; but the rebel commander did not propose to be so easily cheated out of his prize and he directed that the
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prisoners be started south on the Tupalo road toward General Bragg's headquarters on "double-quick."
We were soon formed in line, fronting toward the court- house, and General Armstrong came down the walk toward us, and I remember what a fine-looking soldier he was, tall and erect, and fine figure, with a neat-fitting gray uniform, and as he reached the steps at the sidewalk, he buttoned up his coat and adjusted a red sash around his waist. Lew Latham, who was known as the most inquisitive soldier in the First Ohio, stepped out in front of our ranks and, saluting the Gen- eral, said: "What are you going to do with us now, General?" And the General, looking at him savagely, answered: "I will shoot every d -- d one of you if you don't keep your mouths shut." It is useless to say that Lew did not pursue his inquiries any further, but subsided, although he said on the quiet "that he would give fifteen hundred dollars to know what we were going to do next."
General Armstrong mounted his magnificent horse, that had just been brought up to him by his colored servant, and galloped off in the direction of the firing. Our officers were directed to get into the wagons and a mounted guard was placed around the balance of us and we were hurried off South on double-quick. When we started, about sundown, I did not think that I would be able to march more than a mile or two, as I was so weak from long-continued camp fever. I crowded up to the front of the column, as it is much easier to march in front than in rear of a column, for the reason that you are not inter- ested by any of the halts which may occur in all marching bodies of soldiers, and the front regulates the march at will.
With several other sick soldiers I strained every nerve to keep up at the front, and when darkness came on, a file of guards were placed on either side of our column, in addition to the platoons in front and rear, and the guards were ordered by the Captain commanding to "draw saber and cut down any prisoner who fell out under any pretense whatever."
The horses of the mounted guard were kept on a brisk walk all the time and this kept us on about a half run, and after marching in this manner from about 5 P. M. until 10 P. M. without a moment's halt and without a drop of water on a hot July night in Alabama was enough to prostrate the strongest soldier. About this time we sick boys began to fall back, and nothing but the cold steel of the guard kept us from falling in our tracks, but we felt that it was a march for life. As I stag- gered on over the stones, for it was a very rough road, feeling that I must soon give up, I was fortunate enough to fall in with Lew Latham and John Winters, two comrades of my own com- pany, and they supported me under either arm and fairly dragged me along for two hours more.
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About midnight a courier came dashing up from the rear with a message, and the officer in command called a halt. We were then just in front of a plantation residence, and I remember that there was a wagon just at the side of the road, loaded with long wood, and the Captain commanding mounted this wagon and made a speech to the guard and stated that he had the pleasure of announcing that they had gained a great victory at Spangler's Mills. At this the guard cheered, but it was not a very cheerful message for us prisoners. We afterwards learned that it was a little skirmish between a scouting party of our soldiers and the rebel pickets, in which two or three men were wounded.
We were then ordered to lay down on the chip pile, on which we were standing, and we did not need a second invita- tion, as we were completely exhausted and ready to fall in our tracks. Sergeant Chears and myself had about half of a rubber blanket that one of us had picked up, and finding a stick of wood for a pillow, we tumbled down on the ground and covered our breasts with this piece of rubber blanket. Our clothing was dripping wet with perspiration and as soon as we halted we began to feel the cihll of the cold mountain night air, but . from sheer exhaustion we slept from midnight until daybreak.
When I attempted to get upon my feet I could not do so, as my limbs were so cramped and chilled. It seemed to me that there was not a joint in my body, and I had to rub my limbs for some time before I succeeded in standing upon my feet. Under ordinary circumstances this kind of treatment and being compelled to lie on the ground with our clothing dripping with perspiration and in the chilly night air, without clothing or shelter of any kind, it now seems would have caused the death of every one of us sick men at least. We had been living on very short rations of hard tack and a little fat pork since we were captured, and on this Sunday morning we had green corn boiled, and eaten without either salt or pepper, bread, crackers or meat, and in fact all we had for three or four days was boiled green corn, without anything else. We would halt at a plan- tation and a guard would direct the slaves to bring out some big iron wash-kettles and fill them with water, and then pull off some green corn and throw it over to us, husk and all. The boys would husk the corn, tramp around on the husks and squeal like a lot of pigs, laugh and joke, and try to make the best of it; but after three or four days boiled corn, without anything else and without any seasoning, became a little monotonous. Like the fellow with the codfish, we relished it three times a day, but did not care to have it for a regular diet.
This being Sunday, the citizens were out to see us in force as we marched through the country, and as our coming had been heralded by the rebel cavalry scouting through the country, at every cross-road we would find carriages filled with ladies
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and gentlemen, waiting to get their first look at a live Yankee prisoner. Some of the boys would ask a great many silly ques- tions of these citizens and furnished amusement, not only to our boys, but to our guard.
A little fat pork was issued to us during the day, and as we had no haversacks we had to carry the meat in our hands or run a little stick through it, and as the weather was very hot, the grease dropped out as we marched along. We were a motley looking crowd, some being bare-headed, while others were in their shirt sleeves and bare feet. We did not present a very soldierly appearance, and no doubt the citizens thought us a genuine lot of mud-sills and "five to one" was only a breakfast spell for the chivalry.
After marching a few days and before we reached General Bragg's headquarters at Tupalo, we were paroled and permitted to return to our lines, and before being paroled we were searched and all papers, diaries, etc., in our possession were carefully examined to see if there were any spies among us, or to see if we had any written information of importance. 'We then signed a written parole not to take up arms again against any of the Confederate states until regularly exchanged, and I have my parole now, as I have it framed to preserve it.
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