USA > Ohio > Four years in the saddle. History of the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 > Part 8
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Maj. Gen. D. S. Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, Stone River Campaign.
Stone River Campaign.
December, 1862.
General Negley with two divisions had held Nashville for two months, and his troops had seen some hard service during that time.
He had not only to hold the city with the two divisions as a garrison, but he was compelled to gather his supplies from the surrounding country, and detachments of the enemy's cav- alry and infantry were hovering on all sides ready to pounce down upon foraging parties, and all forage trains were pro- tected by strong guards.
The troops in the vicinity of Nashville that were continu- ally threatening Negley were under command of Breckenridge, but Negley kept them off at arm's length, so that they could not invest the city, and starve the garrison out.
He made several demands for the surrender of Negley's forces, but Negley met these demands by dashing outside of the fortification and attacking the enemy, and at one time he routed Breckenridge's forces near Lavergne with a loss to the enemy of about eighty killed and wounded, two hundred pris- oners, and a battery of three field guns.
It soon became evident that Bragg was concentrating his army in middle Tennessee, and Rosecrans immediately moved his whole army to Nashville, and arrived there in person Novem- ber 9. As soon as the First Ohio went into camp at Nashville, Colonel Millikin went to work with great energy to remount and equip his command for the campaign against Bragg's army concentrating at Murfreesboro.
Requisitions were made for horses, many jaded and worn- out horses were condemned and turned in to the post Quarter- master, and a general reorganization was commenced.
Colonel Millikin had always been very strongly in favor of organizing the cavalry into brigades and divisions, as he always claimed they could be of much more service massed than by cut- ting them up into detachments and having them attached to
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divisions of infantry by regiments or battalions.
Up to the time of the battle of Perryville, the cavalry of Buell's army had all been used in this manner, and with the exception of one or two raids during the siege of Corinth and the pursuit of Bragg's army after the evacuation of Corinth by a large force of cavalry under command of General A. J. Smith, the cavalry of this department had not operated as independent organizations in large numbers.
Colonel Millikin was a born cavalry leader, and he entered into the spirit of the new movement with great enthusiasm, which was imparted to the officers and soldiers of his command. He at once inaugurated strict discipline and resumed both mounted and dismounted drill, which was very much needed, as there had been but little, if any, drilling since the evacuation of Corinth. From the middle of November until the last days of December, the regiment was encamped with the brigade, now composed of the First, Third and Fourth Ohio and Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, and designated the Second Cavalry Brigade, near Nashville, and in addition to the regular camp duties, the command was sent out on many scouts and reconnoissances, as Rosecrans believed in the old maxim that "the cavalry was the eyes of the army," and he proposed to use his cavalry for the purpose of observation and to keep at all times well advised as to the movements of the enemy.
General D. S. Stanley, a cavalry officer of long, active service in the regular army, had just been assigned to duty as Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, and as he was very active and aggressive, a long felt want in that arm of the service seemed to have been supplied. He was always on the alert for any duty required of his command, and he did not propose to settle down and wait for the enemy to come to him, but he went after the enemy, and usually found him, as Forrest, Wheeler and Morgan were tireless riders and were making raids on the railroads almost daily.
About the twenty-first of December, Stanley moved out on the Franklin pike to make a reconnoissance, and, striking the enemy near Franklin, had a sharp fight, routed the enemy, kill- ing, wounding and capturing a number of cavalrymen, includ- ing one commissioned officer, with a large number of horses and other valuable supplies.
The First Ohio was sent out on a number of scouts during the month of December, in several of which they had sharp skirmishes with the enemy, and under the leadership of their fearless commander never failed to rout the enemy.
Rosecrans determined to attack Bragg's army, now strongly posted at Murfreesboro, with his advance divisions thrown for. ward to Franklin, Triune and Lavergne. On the morning of December 26 the advance was begun, McCook commanding the
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right wing, Thomas the center, and Crittenden the left wing. Colonel Zahm's brigade moved on the Franklin pike, with three days' rations in their haversacks and one wagon to the regiment, reaching Franklin the afternoon of December 26, where they struck the enemy's cavalry, and after a sharp fight routed them, killing four and wounding a large number, some of whom fell into our hands, with a number of prisoners, includ- ing several officers, and he then pushed on to Petersburg the same evening. On the twenty-seventh the brigade advanced toward Triune, skirmishing all day, and at Triune they attacked Wharton's brigade of cavalry, and had a lively fight, routing the enemy, and on the twenty-eighth still advanced, pushing the enemy back slowly with severe loss.
On the twenty-ninth they attacked Wharton's brigade with great vigor, driving them back to the main battle line, until a battery opened up on the brigade from the opposite side of Stone's River.
The same evening the brigade was put in position on the extreme right of our army and held this position until the close of the battle. On the thirtieth there was fighting all along the line, as both armies were maneuvering for position, and the bri- gade was skirmishing and on the alert, watching the movements of the enemy all day.
On the morning of the thirty-first Hardee made an impet- uous attack on McCook's right division, driving it back in great confusion and with heavy loss in both officers and soldiers. The pickets of the brigade were attacked about daybreak by Wheel- er's division of cavalry and a hot fight was kept up for two hours.
When Johnson's division was driven from the field, the bri- gade covered the retreat and fought stubbornly for every inch of ground. Colonel Millikin acted with great bravery and cool- ness, encouraging his officers and soldiers and handling his regi- ment with great skill to prevent them from partaking of the general panic on the right. But the brigade was pushed slowly until the rebel cavalry were so close that they were using their revolvers.
The very acme of Colonel Millikin's ambitionhad been to have the regiment make a saber charge, and now the supreme oppor- tunity had arrived. His officers and soldiers were falling around him rapidly, Major Moore had been mortally wounded early in the day by a shell while the regiment was maneuvering for position, and Adjutant W. H. Scott had been severly wounded in attempting to capture a rebel flag, and Lieutenant Sam For- dyce, of Company B, was also wounded. Joel Harris, of Com- pany H, and Wesley Poling, of Company D, were also among the killed.
He must act at once, or his regiment would be stampeded and driven from the field, as they were being pushed and crushed
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by an overwhelming force of the enemy, flushed with victory. No officer of the brigade seemed to grasp the situation, no orders were given by the brigade commander, then Colonel Millikin, sending word to the commanders of the other regiments of the brigade to support his regiment in a charge, wheeled his regiment by fours to the rear giving the command, "Draw saber."
There was no time to tighten girths or to look after the condition of revolvers, but tightening the reins on his noble bay "Archie" and raising in his stirrups, gave the command, "Charge!" which was repeated to right and left along the line.
"With sharp ring of bugle the sabers all clank' And the spurs are pressed to each horse's hot flank."
"Commending their souls to God, they charged home." Dashing forward under the spur, with a cheer they followed their brave and peerless leader to his death in that awful carnage.
On, on they go, striking the rebel lines, cutting right and left, leaving a swathe behind of wounded and killed -inter- mingled the blue and the gray. On they went, cutting a line the full length of the regiment, sweeping everything before them, penetrating clear through the rebel line, and there was a fearful struggle when the shock came and the melee was on, with its confusion, fighting, yelling, cursing, horses and men falling, sabers flashing, revolvers cracking, horses and men struggling in a confused mass and going down together.
Colonel Millikin was in the midst of the fray, which lasted but a few minutes, and in a hand to hand fight he was shot through the neck with a revolver, fell from his horse with saber in hand, and died without a struggle. General John A. Wharton, who commanded a brigade in Wheeler's cavalry, claims in his report that a cavalryman of his command, a private named John Bowers, Company K, Texas Rangers, killed Colonel Mil- likin.
. The rebels soon rallied and commenced firing from both flanks and closed up the gap in the rear, and it was just at this critical moment that Colonel Millikin fell.
The regiment at this time was completely surrounded, and they again cut their way back to our lines, with many wounded and killed and a loss of about one hundred taken prisoners. The Fourth U. S. Cavalry then charged the rebel line and a majority of the prisoners were recaptured.
Whitelaw Reid, in his history, "Ohio in the War," writes as follows of this charge:
"When the disaster of the thirty-first occurred, the brigade covered the retreat of our infantry, falling back slowly, con- tending for the ground until near the Murfreesboro and Nash- ville pike. It was then perceived that to permit the enemy to pass that point would prove runinous. Colonel Millikin, having
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received no orders from his brigade commander, took the re- sponsibility of sending orderlies to the various regimental com- manders of the brigade, requesting them to support him in a saber charge upon the advancing foe. Seeing that instant action was necessary, and without waiting for a response, Colonel Mil- likin wheeled his regiment into line and threw it with irresistible power upon the enemy, driving those in his immediate front a distance of a quarter of a mile. Not receiving the expected support, the enemy rallied and closed in on his rear, making his position one of extreme peril. He was absolutely fighting the victorious left wing of the rebel army with a force not exceed- ing three hundred men. Perceiving that the safety of his men demanded their immediate extrication, the "about" was sounded, and the chivalrous little band cut its way through the lines formed across its rear."
"The First Cavalry fell back from the field of its glory, where it had made one of the most heroic charges of the war, with saddened heart, for, weltering in his life's blood in the midst of that carnage, lay its young and gallant commander, Colonel Minor Millikin. Justice never lost a more faithful champion, nor his country a more promising genius or heroic son. Fame, on the list of her favored ones, has few younger and no brighter names. Had Minor Millikin's life been spared - but we dare not say it! He lived long enough to die for his country, and who would or who could ask a more glorious des- tiny? He was mourned by his comrades as the brave mourn for the brave."
The loss of the regiment in this charge was thirty-one killed and wounded, with a number of prisoners, including Colonel Millikin, Major Moore and Lieutenant Condit, killed, and Adju- tant Scott and Lieutenant Fordyce, wounded.)
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On the first day of the battle, Surgeon Wirth and Hospital Steward Doty, when on the field caring for the wounded, were both taken prisoners and taken to Murfreesboro, where they assisted in caring for the wounded of both armies for four days, and until Bragg retreated and our army occupied the town. Dr. Wirth had two hundred of our wounded in a large store- room with floor covered with straw, no cots or beds, and but few blankets. The weather was cold and freezing, and the only means of heating the room was by a large fire-place, in which a blazing fire of pine knots was kept burning. The coals from the fire kept flying continuously, igniting the straw, and it kept one or two soldiers busy day and night putting out the fire to keep the wounded from burning. One night Dr. Wirth and Hospital Steward Doty dressed wounds and amputated limbs from dark to daylight, and the only light they had was a tallow candle held by a soldier. They had no chloroform and but little morphine or stimulants, and the suffering of the wounded men
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was most excruciating. Surgeon Wirth appealed to the Medical Director in charge of the Confederate hospitals for medicine and chloroform, and was informed .that they had none, but he gave Surgeon Wirth free access to all his supplies, and he helped himself to such medicines as were in stock.
During all the time Wirth and Doty were prisoners they were told by the rebels that Rosecrans' army had been com- pletely annihilated, and of course they had no good reason for disputing it, and as may be well imagined, they were overjoyed when Bragg's army commenced retreating and they were left with the wounded of our army.
When Rosecrans' army entered Murfreesboro, the first troops to discover the Surgeon and Hospital Steward was the First Ohio Cavalry. Major Moore, who had been mortally wounded by a shell, was taken to Murfreesboro by the Confed- erates, and his body was found in a cellar and sent home about the same time Colonel Millikin's body was sent.
After the charge of the regiment, December 31, Major Martin Buck, the senior Major present, took command until the next day, and on that day Major Laughlin, having come up from Nashville, assumed command, as he was the senior officer present. The regiment continued at the front during the fighting of the next two days, but only participated in some light skirmishes, with but few casualities.
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Battle of Stone River.
From the twenty-sixth to the thirtieth day of December, 1862, General Rosecrans was feeling the lines of the enemy very carefully, maneuvering for position, and on the evening of the thirtieth the two armies were in close proximity to each other.
There had been considerable of fighting on different parts of the line, but no general engagement; the right, under Sher- idan and Davis, had done pretty sharp fighting on the thirtieth, and the two divisions lost about three hundred men. McCook commanded the right wing, Thomas the center, and Crittenden the left wing, resting on Stone's River, and McCook's right near the Franklin pike. It seems, by the reports of both Rosencrans and Bragg, that their plan of battle was identical, that is, each decided to make the attack from their left flank.
On the night of the thirtieth fires were built for a long distance to the right of McCook's line, to make the impression that the Union army was massing on the right to cover the intended atack on the left. Vancleve and Wood, who held the extreme left of the Union line, were to attack the enemy and force a crossing at the upper and lower fords of Stone's River, and Thomas was to advance in the center and McCook was to "hold the enemy on the right if attacked, and if the enemy did not attack him, he was to attack the enemy." The principal part of the ground in front of both armies was open, still there were some strong defensive positions along both battle fronts. The left wing of Bragg's army, under Hardee, attacked McCook early on the morning of the thirty-first, thus taking the initia- tive, putting the Union army on the defensive.
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The enemy attacked furiously, and McCook's right was pressed, back, for some distance, after a very stubborn resist- ance and great slaughter in both armies. McCook was very largely outnumbered, as Hardee commanded at least three.
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fifths of Bragg's army. Bragg's army continued to wheel to the right, the battle extended to the Union left, and the whole Confederate army was soon involved, excepting Breckenridge's division, which was on the east side of the river.
There was but little fighting on the left of the Union army during the early part of the day, and by 10 o'clock the advance by Bragg's army had been checked both on the right wing and center. Bragg then commenced the transfer of Breckenridge's division across the river to attack Crittenden's left, and there was a lull from the center to the right of the Union army. Breckenridge attacked our left and the assault fell on Hazen near the railroad, in a heavy wood, afterward named by the Confederate commander as the "Round Forest," and the fight- ing at this point in the line was very severe, but the repeated attacks were repulsed, and our left persistently held the "Round Forest" to the end of the battle. The losses to the enemy on the left by their repeated assaults was very heavy, and some of the regiments engaged were almost annihilated.
The enemy had now been fully checked all along the line, and there was but little fighting during the balance of the day, both armies were well exhausted, rested on their arms all night within rifle shot of each other, waiting the dawn of the New Year. The forenoon of that New Year's day, 1863, was a day of great anxiety to the two army commanders, as each hoped the other would retreat, and there was little fighting up to noon, excepting some artillery firing and maneuvering by both armies for position. Breckenridge withdrew to the east side of the river, and Beatty's division and Grose's brigade of the Union army crossed the river, took position in front of Breck- enridge, and the day passed without any general engagement. During the morning of the second there was some skirmishing and artillery firing, and at noon Breckenridge massed his forces and made a vigorous attack on the Union left. The Union line was at first pushed back to the river, but Crittenden's Chief of Artillery, massed fifty-eight guns, opened up against the enemy, and drove him back with great slaughter. There was no fight- ing on the third, and during the night Bragg retreated. The fourth was spent in burying the dead, and on the fifth Rose- crans' army occupied Murfreesboro. When General Rosecrans left Nashville he had in round numbers 47,000 men, and he fought the battle with about 43,500, consisting of 38,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry and 2220 artillery. His losses were 1533 killed, 7244. wounded and 2800 missing; total loss, 11,577, an aggregate loss of more than twenty per cent.
Bragg reported his strength at 35,000, while Rosecrans estimated Bragg's army at 60,000. The enemy's losses were reported 9000 killed and wounded, and 1000 missing, but it is fair to presume that his losses were at least equal to that of
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the Union army. The Union army held the field, and the enemy retreated to Duck River.
Nashville, December 26, 1862, 1:40 A. M.
Brigadier-General Stanley, Chief of Cavalry:
General: Your dispatch is just received. The General's directions are that your right wing shall move along the Frank- lin pike, your left along the Murfreesborough, the reserve along the Nolensville, with the exception of the Fourth (U. S.) Cav- alry, which will accompany the General on the Murfreesbor- ough. There are some 700 of the enemy in Franklin. The Gen- eral wishes a dash made at them, and when driven out, he wants the cavalry to sweep over in the direction of Nolensville, pick- eting the Wilson pike leading toward Petersburg, with one or two regiments, according as the enemy shall prove to be in greater or less force along our front. -
J. P. GARESCHE,
Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.
Extract from report of Assistant Adjutant-General J. P. Garesche:
Headquarters, Department of the Cumberland.
- Camp near Murfreesborough Pike, December 27, 1862. Major-General Crittenden, commanding Left Wing:
Stanley says cavalry acted well; dislodged enemy from Franklin last night; took some prisoners, among them commis- sioned officers. Things work well so far. Enemy under impres- sion our advance was a feint. The distance from Triune to Mur- freesborough being seventeen miles, and the direction of Har- dee's retreat uncertain, he will not order an advance to-night on Murfreesborough.
·J. P. GARESCHE.
Camp near Nolensville, December 27, 1862.
Colonel Zahm drove the enemy from Franklin yesterday; established a strong picket at Petersburg, and is camped to- night on the Wilson pike. I shall move the balance of my com- mand to Stewartsborough to-morrow, unless otherwise ordered. Very respectfully, GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. Nolensville, December 27, 1862.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. Garesche:
Colonel Zahm entered Franklin yesterday, and drove their pickets from that place, killing four. He has gone to-day toward
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Petersburg to observe. Will leave his pickets there to-night and come to this place with his main force.
GEO. H. THOMAS.
Headquarters, Department of the Cumberland, Camp 33 miles north of La Vergne, December 28; 1862, 12:10 P. M.
Brigadier-General Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, Triune:
General: The General commanding desires me to inform you that there is every prospect of the enemy's fighting a battle between Stewart's Creek and Murfreesborough. General Mc- Cook will give you the substance of the information we have on this point. Act in concert with him, and cover his movements.
J. P. GARESCHE, Chief of Staff.
Wilkinson's Cross Roads, December 29, 1862. Major-General McCook:
General: Our cavalry are about two miles beyond this. Zahm is abreast with us; he has been fighting some. The burn- ing going on seems to be the Nashville pike bridge over Stone River. The prisoners and negroes say the rebels are in line of battle from the Franklin to the Nashville pike. They have moved all their camps. I will arrange to bivouac if you have no orders.
D. S. STANLEY, Brigadier-General.
Extract from report of Major-General A. D. McCook:
December 29, 1862.
Colonel Garesche, Chief of Staff:
Zahm drove the rebels in within sight of Murfreesborough, when he was shelled from the other side of Stone River. How will I communicate with you now, as the courier line is with- drawn? Stanley will attend to the roads south.
A. McD. McCOOK.
Camp First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Near Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 6, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry:
On the morning of January 1 I was ordered to take com- mand of the regiment, and was immediately ordered in the rear of Stewart's Creek and on the right, on picket or outpost duty. In the evening I was ordered back in front of Stewart's Creek and on the right to stand on picket for the night.
On the morning of the second I was ordered to advance my
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regiment forward on the right, which I did, and found the enemy in my front and skirmished with them until dark.
On the morning of the third I was ordered to march my regiment to the rear of Stewart's Creek, which I did. In the evening I was ordered to join my command with the Fourth Ohio Cavalry and make a reconnaissance on our left, which was done, and we returned to camp the same night.
Remained in camp on the fourth until evening; was ordered to the front and left to guard the railroad bridge for the night.
On the morning of the fifth went on scout beyond Murfrees- borough on the Shelbyville pike and returned.
Your most obedient, JAMES LAUGHLIN, Major, Commanding First O. V. C.
Colonel L. Zahm, commanding Second Cavalry Brigade. Headquarters First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, January 6, 1863.
December 26 left Nashville for Franklin; arrived at Frank- lin at 3 P. M .; found the enemy occupying the town; drove them from it and proceeded to Wilson's Creek pike, and encamped for the night.
December 27 left camp at S o'clock; proceeded toward Tri- une; struck the enemy's pickets within 5 miles of Triune; drove in their pickets, captured six, and returned to the camp occupied the previous night.
December 28 left camp at 8 o'clock for Triune, where we encamped.
December 29 left camp at 9 o'clock on a reconnoissance toward Murfreesborough. Struck the enemy's scouts when within one mile of Stewart's creek, when active skirmishing commenced and continued until sundown, having driven the enemy's cavalry at least three and a half miles.
December 30, skirmished with the enemy all day on the right of General Johnson's division, driving the enemy's cavalry wherever they made their appearance.
December 31. At 7 A. M. I was ordered by you to take two companies and make a thorough reconnoissance up the creek in the woods on our right. After throwing out skirmishers into the woods, I received orders from you to withdraw my com- mand as soon as possible, for the enemy were advancing in force on my left. I immediately withdrew at full speed and passed the eneiny's left (infantry) within 150 yards under heavy fire slightly wounding one man and two horses. After passing their flank half a mile, I discovered your brigade formed in line of battle in the cornfield on the opposite side of the creek. Being unable to join my regiment at this point, I proceeded down the
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