USA > Ohio > History of the Seventieth Ohio Regiment : from its organization to its mustering out > Part 8
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The weather was extremely hot, causing us to suffer greatly from heat and from scarcity of water.
On the morning of July 21st our lines were advanced several hun- dred yards to the base of a high ridge. Our skirmish lines were com- pelled to fight for every inch of ground gained, and at the same time avoid bringing on a general engagement. Our next move was, if pos- sible, to gain the top of the ridge for the purpose of constructing a line of rifle pits. Advancing to a point half way up the ridge, we were called to halt, and while straightening up our lines Nelson Hempleman, of Company G, 70th Ohio, was struck on the thigh by a cannon ball from the enemy's battery. Every bone in his thigh was broken. At the same moment Elijah Bradford, of Company G of our Regiment, was struck on the knee, inflicting a severe wound; and at the same time, standing at order arms, about two inches of my gun-steck was torn away. Nelson Hempleman was sent back to the hospital at Marietta, Georgia, where he died from the effects of this wound on July 24th, 1864.
In the afternoon of July 21st we gained the top of the ridge and constructed a strong line of rifle pits. We had considerable skirmishing during all the afternoon, and within three hundred yards from our lines the enemy lay behind a strong line of works, making it impossible for our lines to advance farther without bringing on a general fight; and, not
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knowing at what moment we might be called into action, we slept on our arms that night. July 22d we were agreeably surprised to find the enemy gone from our front; he had evacuated his line of works and had fallen back. Our Division was immediately thrown forward to the line of works abandoned by the enemy.
Soon after gaining our new position a detail was ordered out of each Company from each Regiment. Captain N. W. Foster, of Company G, 70th Ohio Regiment, was detailed as the Officer of the Day to have charge of the skirmish line. After reporting to headquarters for instruc- tions, Captain Foster deployed his skirmish line and moved forward toward the front through a heavy forest of timber and undergrowth. He did not advance very far before striking the enemy's pickets. A sharp little skirmish followed, causing the enemy's pickets to fall back. The Captain. still advanced his line, and, again coming in contact with the enemy, Captain Foster was pierced through the leg by a minie ball, inflicting a severe wound, compelling him to return to the Regiment.
· About nine o'clock Major W. B. Brown notified all the boys of our . Regiment that mail would be sent out that afternoon; and this being our first opportunity for some time past, every man of us who could raise paper and pencil was soon at work putting on paper the word we desired to send to our friends at home.
I had just written ten lines when Major Brown ordered us to fall in. This brought about an entire change of programme. We were ordered to form our line along the line of breastworks facing south. This done, Major Brown very judiciously said: "Now, boys, use your bayonets. Dig up as much dirt as you can with them, and then take your tin pans or plates and shovel up and throw the dirt over to the other side of the intrenchment"-the object being to change the front of this line of works. We had not worked long in this way until we were supplied with regular picks and spades.
At about twelve o'clock the enemy made a bold and determined attack upon our lines. It was now evident that he had massed a heavy force against us. A few moments later the sound of musketry to our left and rear, growing in volume, accompanied by heavy artillery firing, indicated to us very plainly that we were in the midst of a terrific battle. The skirmish line in our front was driven in. On and on came the charg- ing columns, yelling like demons.
At this period of the battle the right wing of the 70th Ohio Regi- ment rested on the east bank of a deep ravine. On the opposite bank
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to our right was the 48th Illinois, with Colonel Greathouse in command. The musketry and artillery firing was terrific, doing dreadful execution, and for a while it seemed that the noble Army of the Tennessee would be lost, as here and there our troops were on the eve of becoming panic- stricken.
About one o'clock P.M. the enemy made a terrible charge all along our lines, pressing us very hard, and it seemed that for a time the Rebels were all around us, as our fire had to be directed to the rear and left oblique, and then to the front and right oblique. At this point of the battle Captain John Campbell, of the Brigade staff, rode up and ordered our Regiment to fall back, to gain a better position. While in the act of executing this order George Riffle, of Company B, was overtaken by three Rebels, who commanded George to surrender. A hand-to-hand conflict ensued, but George, being stout and active, and watching his opportunity, succeeded in knocking them down with his gun and made his escape from them. A minute later a shell burst near where Ira Riffle was standing, completely enveloping him with the smoke. Every- one supposed that Ira was killed, but when the smoke had all cleared away we found that Ira was all right.
Captain H. L. Phillips, of the 70th Ohio, and Adjutant General of our Division, rode up and ordered the 70th Ohio back to the line of works, saying, " You must hold that line at all hazards." After again rallying to the main line, the enemy made another desperate charge upon us, forcing their way up the ravine on the right of the 70th Ohio. The 48th Illinois, occupying the opposite bank on our right, gave way and fell back a short distance. The Regiments on our left were giving way at the same time, leaving the 70th Ohio and a single battery to hold the fort. Major W. B. Brown, with his head uncovered and hat waving in the air, walked up and down the line, encouraging the boys and saying to us, " Boys, stand to your places ; stand to your places like men. The enemy may capture us, but they never can whip us." The 48th Illinois again rallied to the line, when Colonel Greathouse snatched their regi- mental colors from the hand of the color bearer, stepped a few paces to the front of his Regiment, and while waving his flag at the Rebels was shot and instantly killed.
About one-half of Company G, with an equal number from Com- pany K, 70th Ohio, commanded by Lieutenant Andrew J. Siberal, remained upon the skirmish line during the entire day, exposed to the fire of the enemy. Captain N. W. Foster was removed to the hospital
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in an ambulance. This was the saddest experience of the Captain's army life. He hesitated to leave the field and to leave his men while it. the midst of a terrible battle, but the nature of his wound was such that it was advisable for him to retire to the hospital.
Captain James Brown, of Company A, 70th Ohio, was also wounded. And it is said of him, while cheering his company, he made use of the following language: " I will wade knee deep in Rebel blood before I will surrender a single man."
About two P.M. an orderly rode along the line bearing the sad intelligence that General McPherson had just been killed. Just a short time before this sad occurrence General McPherson parted from General Sherman, and with his staff rode off to direct movements on the field. He had passed over to General Dodge's column, and had sent off nearly every member of his staff and orderlies to various parts of the line, while he himself passed into a narrow path or road that led to the left and rear of General Giles A. Smith's Division, which was General Blair's extreme left. A few minutes after General McPherson had entered the woods a sharp volley was heard in that direction; then following this volley the General's horse came running from the woods, riderless and wounded in two places; and the next report General McPherson was killed. The loss of so valuable a commander at this time was severe. The grief can not be described. The calamity was terrible. The army became dis- couraged, but there was no time to yield to discouragements; not a moment was lost.
General Sherman instantly dispatched a staff officer to General Logan with the sad intelligence of General McPherson's death, and that he must assume command of the Army of the Tennessee and hold stub- bornly the ground already chosen, and more especially the hill gained by General Leggett the night before.
Already our entire line was engaged in a severe battle. General Hardee's Corps had moved out from Atlanta, and by a wide circuit to the east had struck General Blair's left flank. enveloped it, then moved round to the right until he struck General Dodge in motion. General Blair's line was along the abandoned line of Rebel trenches, and was compelled to fight outwards. A space of wooded ground of nearly half a mile intervened between the head of General Dodge's column and General Blair's line, through which the enemy moved. The last order known to have been given by General McPherson was to hurry Colonel
THOS. W. CONNELLY, HISTORIAN.
93 + 94
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Wangeline's Brigade of the Fifteenth Corps across from the railway to occupy this gap.
General Logan, in assuming command of the Army of the Ten- nessee, rode along the lines at full speed, and, holding his hat and bridle reins in his left hand and with his right hand waving his sword above his head, delivered to each Regiment as he passed the following speech: " Boys, avenge your fallen chief!" This seemed to inspire the army with renewed energy and courage. Backed with the determination in every man's heart that a legion of Rebels should be made to bite the dust during that afternoon to atone for the death of General McPherson, and like the charge of the noble Six Hundred, the grand old Army of the Tennessee moved forward in solid phalanx to conquer or die. The fighting was hard and stubborn. Our boys became desperate. The execution on the enemy's rank and file was terrible. Many prisoners were captured. Occasionally a squad of Rebels here and there could be seen coming toward our lines, without arms, surrendering themselves as prisoners of war. Some came in with their arms, bearing a white flag as a token of surrender.
Fourteen men belonging to the 48th Illinois, of our Brigade, were captured on the skirmish line. Lieutenant Andrew J. Siberal, with a detail from Company K, 70th Ohio, took the places in line of the fourteen men captured.
About four P.M. the enemy planted his colors within a few feet of the line of the 70th Ohio, but it required only one well-directed volley from our guns to move them back with greater speed than when they came forward.
At half-past four P.M. there was a lull, during which the enemy advanced on the railway and the main Decatur road and suddenly assailed a regiment which, with a section of guns, had been thrown forward as a picket ; moved rapidly forward and broke our lines at that point. The force on this part of the line had been materially weakened by the with- drawal of Colonel Martin's Brigade. General Lightburn's Brigade fell back in some disorder, leaving the enemy for a time in possession of two batteries, including a valuable twenty-pound Parrott battery of four guns, and separating the two Divisions of the Fifteenth Corps, which was on the right and left of the railway.
General Sherman ordered several batteries of General Schofield's army to be moved to a position commanding the interval by a left flank fire, and ordered an incessant fire of shells on the enemy within sight and
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in the woods beyond, to prevent his re-enforcing. Orders were also sent to General Logan to cause the Fifteenth Corps to regain its lost ground at any cost, and to General Woods, supported by General Scho- field, to use his Division and sweep the parapet down from where he held it, until he saved the batteries and recovered the lost ground. General Logan had anticipated these orders and was already in motion. The entire movement was executed in superb style, our men and the enemy at times fighting across the narrow parapet. The 70th Ohio firmly held her ground against superior numbers after the other regi- ments on both right and left had given back.
At last the enemy gave way, and the Fifteenth regained her position and all the guns except the two advanced guns, which were out of view and had been removed by the enemy within his main works. To the 70tl. Ohio Regiment belongs the credit of saving the day to the Fifteenth Corps. The battle lasted until dark, when the Rebels withdrew, leaving us masters of the field. This closed the great battle of July 22d, 1864. The entire loss to the Army of the Tennessee in this battle, so far as has been reported, was 3.722 men wounded and prisoners and killed. The loss to the enemy was very heavy. Many of their dead and wounded were left on the field in our hands.
Among the dead was one whose loss no numbers could fitiy repre- sent - the accomplished, the brave, the noble McPherson, the idol of the Army of the Tennessee, had fallen. The Army of the Tennessee had lost its commander, every man in its ranks a friend, America a great soldier, and humanity a bright ornament.
By appointment of President Lincoln, Major General O. O. Howard assumed command of the Army of the Tennessee, relieving General Logan, who had exercised the command with great ability since the death of General McPherson. General Logan again assumed immediate command of his own (the Fifteenth) Corps.
On the evening of July 24th one detachment of Sherman's Signal Corps was stationed just to the right of the 70th Ohio. As soon as night had closed in they began throwing up signals, thus communicating to different headquarters General Sherman's orders for further movements of the army. The signal cmblems used through the day were white flags. At night skyrockets were used, which, when sent up, would burst, displaying different colored fire-balls. The station referred to above had sent up only six rockets, when the enemy sent from their battery two or three shells, causing a hasty retreat and a general scat-
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tering of all spectators. It was somewhat amusing to see the boys hunting their holes.
On the evening of July 21st, in accordance with the general plan, the Army of the Tennessee began to move out from its lines on the left near the Decatur road to take position on the right.
On July 27th the Fifteenth Corps marched immediately in the rear of the armies in line commanded by Generals Schofield and Thomas. We were compelled to march hard all day through wet and mud, as it rained the greater part of the day. Night came on only to find us weary, tired and hungry. We continued our march all through the night, halt- ing only now and then to allow our trains to close up, which afforded us .an opportunity to catch a moment's snooze. At this time of the campaign it did not require much of an effort for us to go to sleep when we were still. We could sleep in any position - standing, sitting, iying down; or we could sleep while marching.
A short time after sunrise on the morning of July 28th we halted for a short time for breakfast. In the meantime General Blair moved up with his Corps and took position with his right resting near an old meeting house, called Ezra Church, on the Bell's Ferry road, his left resting on General Dodge's right, who had moved up the evening before.
The 70th Ohio halted at the base of a hill covered with heavy timber. Our skirmish line was thrown out some distance in advance. About the time of getting our coffee ready an alarm was given in front; several volleys were fired, and our skirmish line fell back a few yards. Our Regiment was ordered to fall in and move in line of battle to the front. This, of course, settled the hash so far as our breakfast was concerned.
We moved up the hill to within about two hundred yards of the top, when a very heavy volley was fired into our ranks, but fortunately none of us was hurt. Major W. B. Brown very thoughtfully ordered the 70th Ohio to lie down, and lie flat on the ground. We did not hesi- tate a single moment in obeying this order. Some of us made breast- works of our knapsacks. While in this position several volleys of mus- ketry and two or three shots of grape and canister were fired, but passed over us, doing no harm.
Presently all was quiet. Our regimental and line officers were all prepared for the occasion, and seemed to fully understand the situation. They quietly passed the order along the line to fall back in as good order as possible. This being executed, we reformed our line on and along a hard gravel road, where the sun poured his burning rays upon us with
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power. By this time General Logan had got our Corps (the Fifteenth) all in position, with the left of our Brigade resting near the right of Ezra Church. We now formed the extreme right of General Sherman's army.
About nine o'clock A.M. Major W. B. Brown ordered the 70th Ohio to gather up all the logs, chunks, stumps and rails and pile them up along our line of defense, the other Regiments of our Brigade following our example. In a little while we had gathered and piled up enough to make a wooden parapet about knee high.
About ten o'clock A.M. Generals Hardee and Lee, having moved out from Atlanta by the Bell's Ferry road, formed their masses in the cpen field behind a swell of ground beyond the ridge occupied by the Fifteenth Corps, expecting, of course, to take us in. Our skirmish line fell back to the main line, and as they marched over and to the inside of our little wooden parapet, they said: "Boys, get ready, for they are coming in force." A moment more and the cornbread yelp was heard in our front. On and on they came, making a grand charge upon our lines; but, notwithstanding our shallow works, we were prepared and ready for the attack and met them with a galling fire of musketry that swept their ranks and drove them back in confusion.
Company E of the 70th Ohio was detailed and sent to the front to re-enforce the skirmish line. The position of our line, as we have already stated, was on and along a hard gravel road about two hundred yards from the brow of the hill. The ground was covered with heavy timber and thick undergrowth, which gave us a decided advantage over that of the enemy, as he could not dietermine the exact position of our lines.
Soon after our skirmishers had regained their position in front we began the work of strengthening our parapets. We had not worked long before the skirmish line came trotting back with the same report, " Boys, get ready ; they are coming." Our fire was reserved until the enemy came within proper distance to enable us to give them a deadly broad- sider, which sent them whirling back worse confused than before. This time our skirmishers, while advancing to the front, captured several pris- oners. A detail came along with picks and spades, distributing to each Company, and soon the boys were at work digging trenches and piling up dirt against the logs and chunks we had thrown together, until again our skirmish line came running back with the same words, " Boys, get ready ; they are coming."
By this time a regiment of sixteen-shooters came up and re-enforced the 70th Ohio. We again drove them back with heavy loss to their
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ranks. Again they rallied for their fourth charge, and, driving in our skirmish line, they came this time within a few feet of our line, and at some points the Rebel officers and men were hauled over our works as prisoners. The Rebel flag was shot down seven times in front of the 70th Ohio.
During the fifth charge Company E, of the 70th Ohio, while coming in from the front, was exposed to a deadly fire from both sides. Major Brown recognized them at once as Company E, and ordered the boys to cease firing until the Company could get inside the works, telling us that they were our own boys. Fortunately not a single man of the Company was hurt.
The sixth and seventh charges were made against us, and the enemy repulsed each time with heavy loss. Between each of these attacks we continued to strengthen our line of works until they were completed. Two or three men were detailed to keep each Company of our Regiment supplied with cartridges and water.
About four o'clock P.M. Captain H. L. Phillips, of the 70th Ohio, and member of the Division staff, rode up and said to us: "Boys, it is our time to make a charge. You must cross over the works and go for them. . It is hard, I know," said Captain Phillips, " but we must do it."
The right wing of our Regiment scaled the works and was over. The left wing was following in turn, when the lion-like voice of the Rebel commander was heard in front, giving the command, " Forward! Guide center ! March !" Instantly Captain Phillips ordered our Regiment back into the works, and as we were climbing back over the works to our places Daniel Reeder, of Company F; William Brooks, of Company G, and Lieutenant John C. Nelson, of Company G, were wounded, and Lieutenant John W. Krepp, of Company I, was killed; and others of the 70th Ohio, whose names I can not now call to mind, were severely wounded.
This time the enemy came up close enough for us to see the whites of their eyes and within five yards of the 70th Ohio's lines. The Rebel commander of the Brigade in our front was killed, and afterwards recog- nized by Colonel Charles Walcott, of the 46th Ohio, as Colonel Shields, of Columbus, Ohio. They were schoolmates together.
Captain J. F. Summers, of Company B, and acting as our Major, was shot through the breast while standing within two feet of the writer of this history. He was pointing toward the enemy and telling the boys, "There they come! Pour it into them !" when he fell mortally wounded.
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He was carried to the rear and died within three hours after being carried back. His last command to the Regiment was, " There they are, boys; pour it into them!" And his last words spoken on earth were, "Tell my friends that I died at my post."
Robert J. McKee, of Company B, was wounded, I think, while assist- ing in carrying Captain Summers to the rear. John McMillen, of Com- pany B, fell a victim to heat and died instantly.
Great praise is due to Martin Palmer, of Company G, 70th Ohio. who at the time of this battle was an invalid and off of duty by order of the Regimental Surgeon. But during this day's fight, while not in a condition to handle a gun, yet, with a heroism almost unsurpassed, vol- unteered to carry water and ammunition to the boys during the entire day's battle, thereby exposing himself to the hottest fire of the enemy.
At this point of the battle the enemy made several unsuccessful attempts to capture our fines by driving us from our well-chosen position, but were driven back each time with heavy loss to their ranks. The battle continued fiercely until nightfall, when the enemy withdrew from the field, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands to be cared for.
The entire loss to the Fifteenth Corps during the day's fight, so far as heard from, was six hundred, and of that number the 70th Ohio lost thirty-one killed, wounded and missing.
During the last charge made by the enemy we captured quite a number of prisoners, who seemed to have a dread of falling into the hands of the Yankees. As they stated to us, they had been led to believe that the Yankees had no regard for the rules of civilized warfare, and would murder them as soon as captured. Some were taught to believe that the Yanks were some species of animal wearing horns, and they really believed that the Yankees belonged to some part of the animal king- dom; but when we assured them that we were men, they were somewhat surprised to find that we walked and talked just like they did-like men. Some of them. as soon as captured, would begin to plead for life, showing conclusive evidence of the dreadful horror of being captured by a live Yankee, believing that murder was their doom; and with some it required considerable argument to get them to believe that the Yankees were humans, possessed of a human heart and a human soul.
After the close of the day's battle we managed to get a little supper and arrange for a night's rest. The night was dark and dreary, and it was everything else but pleasant to hear the groans and cries of the
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wounded and dying on the field. Some of the wounded were gathered up that night and brought within our lines, and died before morning.
July 29th we were engaged in gathering up the wounded and bury- ing the dead of both armies. Long trenches were dug, and in some of these would bury as many as three hundred, without coffins or boxes - nothing but a soldier's blanket for a winding sheet. These trenches were dug about three feet deep, and some not so deep; but they were wide enough to admit two men. It looked hard to bury these soldiers - friend or foe - just like we bury animals, but this was all we could do; the best was done that could be done under the circumstances.
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