USA > Ohio > Roster of surviving members of the Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, 1861-1865, with a brief historical sketch of the regiment. January, 1891 > Part 2
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asm throughout the camp. The command set out at once for Huntsville, the cavalry leading. Our route lay along a circuitous dirt road and through a mountainous country. Twelve miles brought us to the State line, marked by a high pole bearing the tattered remnants of a rebel flag.
Now we are in Alabama. The plantations stretch out in a beautiful landscape, and, as the innumerable negroes grin at us from every fence and field, we are forcibly reminded that we are " in the land of cotton." Halting at sundown to feed and await the remainder of the division, the cavalry again moved on rapidly aud went into bivouac at ten P. M. At two in the morning a de- tail of picked men was made to ride across the country and tear up the track on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, leading east from Huntsville. Pickets were also thrown out to intercept all travel to and from town. At four o'clock on the morning of April 11th, the artillery were in motion for Huntsville, eight miles away. Nearing the town the battery galloped on to the front, the Fourth Ohio following close. It was a matter of all import- ance that the place should be reached before any trains should leave; and, when two miles off the whistle of a locomotive sounded on our ears, all was excitement, and every horse put to his speed. Such a clatter never before awoke the echoes in those Alabama hills. Yonder curls the smoke and here comes the engine with but a single car, steaming eastward across the plain. Simonson wheels a gun, lets fly a solid shot, and the engine hesi- tates, slackens speed (as if to ask the meaning of all this), and puffs quickly on. A shell speeds after it but fails in its intent. However, the train cannot escape altogether, if our railroad wreckers have safely reached their trysting place. The locomo- tive may be ditched and lost us for service, but will hardly carry the news to Leadbetter, at Bridgeport, that the Yankees have come.
Company A has orders, and in an instant a dozen troopers have dismounted, thrown down the stake-and-rider fence, and
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18 Chasing John Morgan and the Capture of Huntsville.
away goes the company across the plain in hot pursuit- horse flesh vieing with steam! But the iron-limbed courser had the best bottom, and whirled along amid a shower of bullets-escap- ing for the time-but only to become a prey to the detachment up the road. Another whistle sounds, and another train comes in sight. Simonson's bull dog again barks-again ineffectually. A repeated effort is more successful and a shell crashes through the cab. The cavalry company is on hand this time, and bang! bang! crack! crack! go the carbines and revolvers, and the balls whistle about the engineer's head and rattle against the cars. The train stops, and the passengers, rebel soldiers and officers, leap to the ground and endeavor to escape. A few succeeded, but the majority were taken. Meanwhile the column dashes onward and goes dashing into Huntsville. At the station is another train just leaving, with troops who are going " on to Richmond." A cocked pistol held at the engineer's head has the effect of shutting off the steam, and the train is placed under guard. The regi- ment gallops up the street and through the town. Pickets are thrown out on all the roads.
Black faces were at every door and window ; blacks were at tl.e gates, and blacks were on the streets ; but the " chivalry " had evidently deserted the place, except the few who viciously peered at us through the blinds " robed in white.". Perhaps it was too early for white folks, and our call was untimely on that bright April morning-the clock had not yet struck six-and perhaps they were too high-toned to suffer Yankees to look upon their faces. After reconnoitering the streets and gathering in a few wearers of the gray, the regiment was apportioned to various duties.
Another train had just pulled in, all unconscoius of the recep- tion awaiting. This, too, was filled with soldiery from below, bound for Richmond-four officers and 180 privates. At one of the hotels a Major and three Captains were taken, and others at other points in town. The full result of the morning's work was
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800 prisoners, seventeen locomotives, and a large number of cars. The locomotives themselves were of incalculable value, and more than paid for the expedition, if there had been no other fruits, for they enabled General Mitchell to push his troops rapidly in any direction, and hurry forward supplies. Without them many of the results which soon followed could not have been accom- plished.
From the Sheriff the keys of the jail were demanded, and a large number of prisoners, loyal Tennesseeans, were liberated. Some of these at once enlisted in the Union army. Huntsville was ours and " fairly won " without a casualty on our side or loss of any kind.
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[Prepared for and read before the Fourth O. V. C. Ass'n in 1867.]
THE FOURTH OHIO CAVALRY IN KILPATRICK'S RAID AROUND ATLANTA.
BY LUCIEN WULSIN, Late Private Co. A.
A FTER our return from the feint which the Second Division of Cavalry made in aid of Stoneman's raid on the Macon Railroad, (at the end of July, 1864,) the Second Brigade camped at Buck Head, a cross-road about six miles north of Atlanta, a little to the rear of the left flank of the army. We remained there doing nothing but picket duty and occasionally scouting a little till the 17th of August; that is, we were supposed to be doing nothing else, but would hardly have been so well supplied with roasting ears and other little luxuries not included in Uncle Sam's rations had we remained as quiet as strict discipline re quired
About noon of the 17th, it began to be rumored in camp that we were to move to the right, and this was confirmed by the sounding of the "General" during the afternoon. At sundown we saddled up and held ourselves in readiness to move. A little before midnight we moved across the country in the rear of the infantry lines, to the Sandtown Road, and march- ing all night, reached Sandtown about 8 A. M. Lay here in camp all day of the ISth, most of the boys passing their time in sleep. Those who ventured out reported a large force of cavalry gathered, all preparing for some great move.
The force consisted, according to General Kilpatrick's official report, of the Third Division of Cavalry, the First and Second Brigades of the Second Division with the Third Division Bat-
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tery and two sections of our Chicago Board of Trade, in all four thousand five hundred (4,500) men and ten pieces of artillery, under command of Brigadier-General J. Kilpatrick of the Third Division. All horses not able to stand a forced march having been sent back with the pack mules to the infantry, we saddled up at sundown and formed by battalions in a field to the right of the road. Here an order was read stating that we were bound not on a raid but on a well-planned expedition against the enemy's communications ; that other expeditions had failed, that we were now the last cavalry hope of the army and the General commanding hoped that all would start with the determination to "do or die," signed J. Kilpatrick, Commanding Expedition. For a moment succeeding the reading of this there was a great quiet, then as the orders to mount and by fours forward were given, hearty cheers broke forth which were echoed and re-echoed by the different regiments as they moved to the road.
The Third Division had the advance, Minty's Brigade of the Second the rear. Of the march during the night General Kil- patrick in his report says : "Pickets from the Sixth Texas were met and driven across Camp Creek, and that regiment routed from its camp, a mile beyond, at 10 P. M. At 12:30 A. M., General Ross' Brigade, 1,100 strong, was driven from my front in the direction of East Point and held from the road by the Second Brigade of the Third Division while the entire command passed."
The Fourth Ohio was dismounted once during the night but did no fighting and reached the West Point Railroad about daylight of the 19th. Thinking the track must be tired of lying so long on one side, the First Ohio and our regiment had just dismounted to turn it over when this act of kindness was interrupted by the noise of artillery and the screech of a couple of shells. The order was given to mount and we had an opportunity of seeing how "Kill-Horse," as the boys called him before the raid was over, handled cavalry. For a moment each of the staff officers
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Kilkpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
and orderlies seemed possessed of a devil bent on making him break his neck but which leading him to some regiment it in turn became possessed and started on a kind of "Johnny Gil- pin's" ride. This lasted about five minutes and we found our- selves half a mile away in line of battle with artillery in position. The artillery fired a few rounds, and we advanced nearly to the railroad, but this affair caused by an attack on the rear by General Ross, did not amount to much.
On resuming the march our brigade had the advance, the First Ohio in front dismounted. During the morning the whole brigade was several times dismounted and about II A. M., on reaching the Fayetteville Road, encountered Ross. Here the whole brigade moved some distance in line. Our regiment then took the advance dismounted, a portion deployed on each side of the road, the remainder in column, and moved in this way several miles, driving the rebels before them so rapidly that the main body made regular marching time. Occasionally the firing of the skirmishers became quite lively ; the rebel bullets in return mowed and sang over the column at a lively rate. Sometimes the rebels would raise a yell, to which our skirmishers would respond with voice and carbine, then we in the column would take it up, being encouraged thereto by Colonel Minty, who, with some of Kilpatrick's staff, was directly in our rear and would say whenever we yelled: "That's right, boys ; keep it up. Show them you're coming ! "
Companies G and H had been relieved, E and M had taken their places as skirmishers, when, about two P. M., on reaching the top of a long hill above Flynt River, we saw the rebels busy tearing up the bridge. There were then only seven companies of the regiment together-B, A, L, C, F, I, and K. The boys immediately began crying: " Charge, charge. Let's charge." As we came front into line, Diebold, of Company A, received a bullet through the leg, which dropped him. In a moment Lieu- tenant-Colonel Robie gave the order to charge and away we
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went over fences through corn and stubble fields down to the very bank of the river, the Johnnies all the time pouring a heavy fire into us, while we drove them from the bridge back to their rifle pits, hardly firing a shot but yelling all the time like good fellows. As we charged they had opened with two pieces of artillery, the shells flying over our heads but nearly putting an end to Colonel Minty and some others at the top of the hill. One of Company H, who was coming down to see the fun, got a bullet through the leg, which spoiled his prospects of fun for some time to come.
At the first dash we did not cross the river, but taking posi- tion under cover, kept up a heavy fire, keeping the rebels very close in their pits. The Third Ohio was then brought up and formed on the left of the road, our regiment on the right, the artillery opened, the whole line dashed forward to the bank, poured in two or three volleys and broke for the bridge, crossing on the stringers, and driving the rebels toward Jonesboro. Our regiment was the first to cross, some of Company L crossing first. Companies K, L, and M remained for a while in skirmish line beyond the bridge while the remainder of the regiment advanced in line through the woods on the right of the road to Jonesboro. reaching that place about five P. M. We halted at the edge of the town while the artillery shelled the rebels, of whom the town was full, all excited as bees about to swarm. We here had the opportunity of seeing some pretty artillery practice. One section of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery was directly in front of our line shelling the detached parties of rebels and making them scamper. A lot of them about a large white house had been scattered, excepting one who sat in the piazza with his. chair tilted back and his legs crossed, as though he " didn't care a continental whether school kept or not." The sergeant of the battery threw several shells but failed to move him, when the lieutenant, dismounting, swore he would move him. Calling for a percussion shell, he sighted the gun and fired. It seemed as.
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Kilpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
though a match had been struck in the house, then came a puff of smoke and when that cleared the Johnny was nowhere, while the door of the house seemed to have been widened ten feet.
Our regiment had been one of the first to reach the town and the boys were naturally expecting that we would have an oppor- tunity of informing ourselves as to the manners and customs of the people by an investigation of their houses and manner of living, but this spirit of philosophical inquiry was nipped in the bud by an order posting us in skirmish line to the left of and beyond the depot, around the north-east portion of the town. While we lay here the depot, a train of cars, some storehouses, and a lot of cotton were set on fire and as though to heighten the effect, (it was very dark at the time) the band of the Ninety- Second Indiana Mounted Infantry formed in the full light and played "Yankee Doodle," "Star Spangled Banner," "Come Johnny, Fill Up The Bowl," etc. The effect of this upon us can better be imagined than described-it was meat, drink and rest ; all fatigue was forgotten. Some of the boys jumped up, threw their hats in the air and danced like wild men, while the cheers of the other regiments in town were responded to till we were all hoarse with shouting. It would have been a splendid scene for an artist-the black sky for a background, the huge fires, the mounted band playing and the groups of men mounted and dis- mounted, in front, forming such a scene as is rarely seen.
About ten P. M., the regiment was relieved and we had an opportunity of making coffee. Our dreams of rest were soon disturbed by an order sending the regiment to the southern end of the town, where Murray's Brigade of the Third Division had been attacked and driven back by the rebels, but with re-enforce- ments had in turn driven them out.
Here we began a line of rail barricades, but before they were half finished were double-quicked to the center of the town, where we built a work out of fences and outhouses which were torn down for that purpose. This was hardly finished when we
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were again marched down to the unfinished rail-work and set to work to finish that. Having to carry the rails some distance, it was not done till day began to break. Never did rails feel so heavy. We had now been out thirty-six hours without a halt, about twenty hours of which our regiment had been dismounted, marching, fighting and working. When, upon starting back toward our horses the order was given to double-quick some of us learned the meaning of "giving out." Fortunately our horses had been sent to meet us.
The whole force, excepting the Third and Fourth Ohio, had moved during the night in the direction of Covington. We moved at daylight, the Third Ohio having the rear, about five miles and then again turned south. When the boys found that we were again moving from our lines there was some tall swear- ing done and remarks made that " Kill-Horse " was bound to get into a muss before going back. By seven A. M. of the 20th, we rejoined the main body and had an opportunity to get breakfast. The last mouthful of this was hardly washed down when the rebels were again upon our rear. After some firing and manœu- vering, a brigade of the Third Division was left to engage the ene ny while the remainder of the force moved in the direction of McDonough, "thence six miles across the country to the Fayetteville road and toward Lovejoy Station, on the Macon Railroad."
The First Brigade of our Division, which was in advance dismounted, had nearly reached the railroad, when a concealed brigade of rebel infantry in line of battle and without skir- mishers, sprang up in their front and poured a heavy fire into them. A number of men were killed or captured, and the whole First Brigade, after a short resistance, routed. Our regiment was at the head of the column in the road, between two high rail fences, when this attack began. Some confusion immediately ensued. Colonel Long, who had been a little in advance of the column, returned and ordered two squadrons of the Fourth Ohio
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Kilpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
to be dismounted and moved to the front, but in the first con- fusion on the right of the regiment, this was not done. Some contradictory orders were given. First it was left wheel and lay down the fence, then dismount, then mount, until no one order could be obeyed. In obedience to the first order, Company B laid down the fence and filed left. The firing in front was now very rapid, and the yells of the rebels almost appalling ; strag- glers began to appear, and we were in danger of breaking, when a number of men from each company near the head of the column, dismounted and rushed forward with cheers into the woods to the right of the road. Colonel Long had in the mean- time personally ordered Captain James Thomson to dismount his squadron and move forward and hold the rebels. This was obeyed, Companies L and M advancing directly in the road and deploying to the left in the cornfield, under a fire of cannister from a gun run out in the road by the rebels. The men who had first dismounted and rushed forward on the right, after advancing about a hundred yards came to a large fallen tree, which formed an admirable breastwork. Halting here, we were trying to form when the whole line of the First Brigade came running back, officers and men, pell mell, every man for himself and the devil for the hindmost. One Captain, as he ran past, told us it was no use-better get out of there or we would all be taken. At that moment there was not an officer with us, their efforts having been required to keep the column from breaking. Shortly after, Lieu- tenants Hedrick and Rief came up with men from their com- panies, but the mettle of the Fourth showed itself. Instead of joining in the rout of the First Brigade, it seemed as though every man felt that the safety of the expedition rested with him. Totally regardless of the heavy fire we were under, they sprang upon the log, hat in hand, cheering, yelling, entreating, cursing, calling upon our men to stop "for God's sake," and defying the rebels to "come on" with the wildest taunts and imprecations. Many of the First Brigade did stop, and what with more of our
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
regiment who came up, a kind of line was formed and such a fire poured into the rebel line, that they, believing we were in force, stopped advancing.
Flushed with this success some one cried to " charge them." A portion of us immediately sprang up and charged to within twenty-five yards of the rebels, when seeing the folly of the attempt we halted and took cover. We paid dearly for this temerity for some good men of the regiment were killed and wounded then, among them Corporal John Aberdeen, of Com- pany A, who was shot through the hips, tried to drag himself off, but was shot again and mortally wounded. Lieutenants Rief and Hedrick were also wounded. The rebels now began to dis- cover our weakness and, advancing slowly in front, got their left on our right flank and gave us such a cross fire that we were compelled to fall back, being also in danger of capture by their enveloping us. In fact they were so near our boys as they got out, that with the usual compliments they began summoning them to surrender. One of Company F, being thus summoned, replied to the Johnny who was within a few feet of him by sending a bullet through his body. In one of our halts Frank Cole, of Company C, was shot through the body and fell begging to be carried off. An unsuccessful attempt was made, but as he breathed his last the near approach of the rebels caused him to be left. Captain Thomson's command had also been hotly en- gaged and held the rebels for a short time, while about a hundred yards in the rear, Colonel Long was in the road, on foot, rallying the boys and making them pile up rails to form a barricade. Reinforcements coming up the rebels were stopped for the time .*
* It was not like Selma-a desperate, but triumphal charge-but the contrary, a wild but dogged resistance to a superior force flushed with suc- cess. Words can not describe the actions and feelings of that time. Hours seemed crowded into minutes, and the excitement was such that the body seemed too small to contain the feelings and they found vent in the wildest yells and curses. Well was Kilpatrick's injunction of "Do or die " obeyed, as the loss of many a gallant fellow testifies.
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Kilpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
In his report, General Kilpatrick says of this: "On attempt- ing to move on the station, I encountered a brigade of infantry ; was repulsed, and my command only saved by the prompt and daring action of Colonels Minty and Long, and Captain Estes, my A. A. G."
The Fourth can claim a very large share of the praises due . those who saved the command, for there was nothing between the right flank of the column and the rebels but a portion of the First Brigade, who were then running their best, when our regi- ment rushed in and stopped the rebels long enough for some dis- position to be made for their reception.
General Kilpatrick says, again: " At this moment a staff officer from Colonel Murray informed me that a large force of cavalry and artillery had attacked his rear. In twenty minutes I found that I was completely enveloped by cavalry, with infantry and artillery. I decided at once to ride over the enemy's cavalry and retire on the McDonough road. A large number of my people were dismounted, fighting on foot, and it took some time to mount them and form my command for the charge. During the delay the enemy had constructed lines of rail barricades on every side, those in front of his cavalry being especially formidable."
Our regiment mounted and formed about half a mile in the rear of where it first dismounted. We were on the right of the road. The regiments formed in columns of fours, the artillery in the center. Then came the order, "Draw sabre, trot march, charge," and, all the artillery giving us a hearty "God speed you" by a general discharge, away we went through cornfields and gullies, over fences and barricades like a tornado, and like it strewing the way with death and destruction.
Reaching a thick wood we were obliged to file left and take the road ; here was the rebel artillery, the gunners sabered and the horses shot. Immediately in front of it was the gallant Captain Scott, of the First Ohio, shot through the arm and covered with blood, lying up against a tree. The road was now full of
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men rushing forward, waving their sabers and cheering, while the woods on each side were full of rebels who could not be followed on account of the undergrowth, and who, recovering from their rout, were picking the men from the columns in regu- lar bushwhacking style. We charged in this way about three hundred yards from where we first entered the road and began reforming, when some one cried to go back for the artillery. Turning, we had gone but a short distance, when "Make way for the artillery," was heard, and out came all the artillery safe, with one rebel gun in place of one of ours which had been broken in the attack near the railroad. At this hearty cheers broke out, and the brave fellows were greeted with "Bully for you, boys." There was more quiet but not less feeling when all the ambulances came out full of wounded, yet leaving many of our boys on the field.
General Kilpatrick says of the rout of the rebels, General Jackson's Division, four thousand strong : "It was the most per- fect rout any cavalry has sustained during the war. We captured four guns, three were destroyed and one brought off. His ambu- lances, wagons, and ammunition train captured and destroyed.' '
The command was now quickly reformed in a field to the right of the road. In Company A, Sergeant A. Jackson Ferris, was missing, having been shot through the head and killed by a rebel whom he was about to saber. In Company L, Captain J. Thomson was missing, having been captured with Lieutenant William S. White, of Company E, while looking after some wounded near the railroad.
Our brigade was thrown into position and fought the rebel infantry and artillery, who now came up, until it was found that only sufficient ammunition remained to effect our return with. The line of march was taken up, the Third Ohio dismounted covering the rear. About 3 P. M., while falling back across an open field, with a swamp and creek to cross, they suffered very severely, and Colonel Long was twice wounded. Our regi-
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