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 3
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Kilpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
ment was here dismounted on the right of the road, the Third Ohio being on the left of the road, but did not suffer from the rebels excepting a number of the horses being shot. Getting on their flank, we fell back slowly, threatening them with a cross- fire if they advanced too quickly.
After this our brigade was relieved and did no more fighting, (there being no more to be done) having indeed done the greater portion of it during the whole raid, excepting Lovejoy's where the First Brigade (Second Division) can claim a good share.
Our retreat was now rapid. Passing through McDonough at about dusk, when the rebels ceased their pursuit, we halted for nearly an hour at about nine, the rear of the Third Ohio having gone to sleep during a short halt. Upon their awaking we started on such a ride as "Tam O'Shanter's" must have been on the stormy night when the devils chased him. It was dark as pitch, raining, thundering and lightning as it only does in the South, while we were going at a hard gallop. In Company A we had a two-bushel sack of sugar which we wished to save and certainly earned it before we got through. Almost every moment some poor fellow would come down into a mud-hole, receiving as encouragement the curses of those following for getting in their way. This continued about an hour, when we rejoined the column. At about 3 A. M. there was a halt until morning ; we then swam Cotton-engine Creek after destroying the ammunition- wagons, losing a few men and a number of horses and mules.
The scene at the crossing was very exciting. The creek, from the effects of the rain the night before, was running like a mill- race. General Kilpatrick, on horseback, was on the bank swear- ing and directing, and when any horse hesitated crying, "Take your saber to that horse," while the stream below was well dotted with the horses that had missed the narrow pass which was the only place to get out of the water. Most of the morning was spent in crossing. South River we crossed on the bridge and reached Lithonia on the Georgia Railroad at dark of the 21st. Here we
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
halted for the night, Company A, with its usual luck, going on picket. On the 22d, in passing through Decatur, our regiment had the pleasure of being brought from its place in the column past all of the Third Division to drive a few rebels who had come nearer than "Kill-Horse " thought prudent. The pleasure of our entry into our old camp at Buck Head was greatly increased by the announcement of Colonel Long's promotion, which we no sooner heard than we broke ranks and with cheers and yells rushed for our old places, eager to secure our boards and get water before anybody else.
We had been gone just five days, riding entirely around At- lanta and doing service which for once made newspaper corre- spondents aware of the fact that there was cavalry with the army.
General Kilpatrick gives the following result of the raid : "One gun, three battle-flags, a large number of fresh (?) horses and mules and about fifty prisoners were brought in, while four miles of road, two trains and a large amount of supplies were destroyed." He then praises Colonel Minty and recommends him for promotion and says General Long well deserves the pro- motion he received.
The loss of our regiment was as follows :
Killed-Sergeants A. J. Ferris, A, and Phil. Nehrpass, E ; Frank F. Coles, C; Corporal John Aberdeen, A, and Jacob Bashore, F.
Wounded-Lieutenants Hedrick, E, and Rief, K; Sergeant William J. McCoy, L; Corporals Mason Grabill, H, and Ben. Flieg, M ; Peter Diebold and Lucien Wulsin, A ; Frank Ambros- ter and William Baum, B ; August Keller, E ; William J. Parker, Douglass L. Foote, James Gibbs and August Ude, L; William Moorhead, G ; George Stillwagner, H, and Henry Wittekamp, K.
Missing-Captain James Thomson, L; Lieutenant William S. White, E; Sergeant Jefferson Thompson, G ; Corporal John Stevenson, L ; J. W. Douglass, I, and Thomas Wilcox, M.
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Kilpatrick's Raid Around Atlanta.
Being five (5) killed, seventeen (17) wounded and six (6) missing ; total, twenty-eight (28).
The loss of the two brigades and two sections of the battery of our division was two hundred and thirty-one (231) ; that of the Third Division ninety-four (94), showing plainly who did the fighting.
The common report at the time was that Kilpatrick was so well pleased with our brigade that he threatened to resign unless we were placed in his division. His report does not, however, show this ; for, excepting some praise to Colonels Minty and Long, there is nothing to show that he had any special liking for us.
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3.3
A MARCH FROM CINCINNATI TO NASHVILLE.
BY COLONEL JOHN KENNETT.
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T HE Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was organized at Cincin- nati. Hon. R. W. Corwin and Hon. John A. Gurley, being on the staff of General J. C. Fremont, were instructed by the General to raise two regiments of cavalry in Ohio, to be attached to his command in Missouri. They went to that eminent jurist and patriot, Bellamy Storer, to advise with and ascertain from him the address of some competent persons to undertake the task of putting into execution General J. C. Fremont's order. He di- rected them to William Henry Harrison Taylor and John Ken- nett, and the two set to work, the former to raise the Fifth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and the latter the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Both regiments have achieved a fame fo their discipline and loyalty for the cause they enlisted in ; their valor proved a terror to the enemy, their history and achievements command the gratitude and admiration of our entire country. It is, however, of the lat- ter, the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, that this paper is pre- pared for your attention this evening. After the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry was organized and partially equipped and un- dergoing discipline at Camps Gurley and Dennison, it was ordered to report to that able and successful organizer of the Ohio and afterward the invincible Army of the Cumberland, Don Carlos Buell, at Louisville, Ky.
They left Camp Dennison on the 5th of December, IS61, and marched to Cincinnati, Ohio, receiving at every step the plaudits and encouragement by the popular uprising and manifestations of
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A March from Cincinnati to Nashville.
approval beaming on the countenances of the men and children and the smiles of the gentler sex, as they neared the city of Cin- cinnati, where they were overwhelmed with public attention and general favoritism.
The landing was bowldered with human heads. The crowds, like ocean waves, were oscillating from Main street to Broadway. It was a rare sight, at the beginning of the war, to see 1,000 men, mounted and equipped, preparing for battle. Every availa- ble inch of room in all the windows, porches, doors and house- tops was filled with persons watching their departure on six steamers moored at the wharf (the Jacob Strader, Ida May, Emma, Duncan, Champion and Stitts). They were stowed away without confusion and left the landing in the afternoon in the midst of the cheering, waving of flags and handkerchiefs and booming of cannon, with many tears shed by parents parting with children and relatives perhaps forever. On the following morning the Fourth reached Louisville. After disembarking the regiment was formed into line, and breaking them into columns of fours, they were marched to General D. C. Buell's headquar- ters to salute their commander, receiving from him the order to cross the Ohio River and encamp two miles north of Jefferson- ville at Camp Kennett. There they were disciplined day and night in the school of the soldier in preparation to encounter sterner scenes, which afterward gave them justly a world-re- nowned reputation for dash and success in all their encounters with our enemies. In the start they were poorly armed, receiving only swords and pistols. They were ordered from Camp Ken- nett to report to General O. M. Mitchell, who commanded the Third Division of the Army of the Cumberland and stationed some twenty miles from Louisville, Ky. After bivouacking there over night we took the advance and marched through Shepherdsville, Elizabethtown, to Bacon Creek, eight miles north of Munfords- ville, on Green River, where General Mitchell's command re- mained several weeks disciplining his division.
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. 35
It was a memorable winter, raining the entire time, deluging the fields, rendering the roads impassable and burying the horses and mules in deep mud. On the Sth of February, 1862, we were launched out of that sea of mud, rain, and sickness, and we bid Bacon Creek farewell not regrettingly.
Receiving orders at 8 o'clock P. M. to break up our encamp- ment, strike our tents, load our wagons and leave at 7 o'clock A. M. on the 10th of February, 1862, and form in the rear of Ed- garton's Battery, on the left of the Seventeenth Brigade, and to move beyond Green River and await further orders, but on arriv- ing at Munfordsville, occupied by General McCook and his com- mand, we received orders to take the advance of the Third Divis- ion and pursue the rebel cavalry, whose retreating pickets we confronted daily in duels. We made our way to Prospect Hill to sight for the enemy, also visited Rowlet's Station, within eight miles of Green River. The railroad station was set on fire by John Morgan. This was the spot where the gallant Colonel Willich, of the Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Colonel Robert McCook's regiment), whipped 3,500 rebel infantry, artillery and cavalry commanded by Colonel Terry. The Texas Rangers advanced in gallant style within five yards, halted and fired. By this brave and daring attack they broke the alignment of the Union troops and should have charged them, but they hesitated and halted, giving Willich time to rally his command, when he ordered them to advance and fire and drove the rebels pell-mell before him.
On the 12th of February the Fourth scouted all the roads, sending the intelligence derived from each route to headquarters. We bivouacked that night at Camp Madison. Colonel Turchin, Nineteenth Illinois, and Colonel Milotzky, Twenty-fourth Illi- nois, in the advance of 30,000 men, rested there at night under the guard of the ever-vigilant cavalry videttes and reserves.
Had we marched three miles further we would have over- taken 350 Texas cavalry-perfect desperadoes. We ascertained
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A March from Cincinnati to Nashville.
this news next day on our march of eighteen miles to Bowling Green. Baker's, Webb's and College Hill had been strongly for- tified, as well as several heights and minor points. We passed through Woodsonville, Woodland and Dripping Springs, but they were all deserted.
The day was lovely, almost too warm. We were greatly re- tarded on our forward movement, having to jump, scale over and dismount to go round the obstructions on our way at every step, with fallen timber and their branches chopped down by the retreating rebels. The Michigan Engineer Corps in our rear, with axes, spades, picks and jack-screws, with long ropes and hooks, continued daily at their work, clearing the roads in a remarkably quick time, enabling the artillery, ammunition and wagon-trains to keep together or in succession to each other. The ponds and pools were filled with dead horses, mules, cattle and animals of every kind, with the view to stagnate and poison the water to prevent its being used by the advancing Union forces. The fol- lowing day we marched twenty-one miles through Kentucky and en route to Bowling Green. The country showed at every step the devastation of a receding enemy. The inhabitants looked anxious and inquiritive as to the intention of our forces toward the resident citizens. The weather was oppressive, but suddenly changed from extreme heat to a chilly, rainy, stormy, disagreeable night. We bivouacked under the canopy of heaven, making the most of the weather and taking great pains in locating the videttes, pickets and reserves at night to prevent surprise by the enemy.
The march was resumed the following morning and continued for three days. The cavalry assigned to their nightly duty occu- pied all the surrounding outposts to secure safety to the troops they were guarding while resting in their camps. The Fourth in daily duels were pushing back the rebel cavalry. When within ten miles of Fort Walker's earthworks, thrown up at Big Barren River, the weather continued bitterly cold, a pitiless snow-storm
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
fell, freezing while falling. Our boys kept alive by making fires of fence-rails and passing a sleepless night. Those on vidette and picket duty without fire suffered terribly. The officers set an example to their command in sharing the cold with them, the field officers passing from company to company, cheering the boys, distributing coffee and tobacco to them. Next morning our march was a hurried one. We were making for Bowling Green in hot haste in hopes of saving the bridges across Big Barren River with the artillery and Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, who received orders to leave their camp at 2 o'clock A. M., the very hour the bridges were set on fire. The command was ready, but suffering intensely in the cold blast ; but by frequent dismounting and marching on foot the heroes sustained life in them and pushed the rebel pickets before them. But suddenly an affected halt was ordered. Captain King, at the head of Company H, was ordered to make a detour and come in their rear in hopes of bagging them, which in part was successful. A few men were captured ; the rest were pursued to Big Barren River, where boats were ready to receive and cross the rebels over to Bowling Green, leaving their horses and encumbrances as trophies in our hands.
The Fourth reached the banks of Big Barren River at day- light and planted their banner on the ramparts of Fort Walker for the enemy to gaze at on the opposite shore. As the sun rose we could discern that all our haste and suffering was endured without attaining our special object in saving the bridges. There they lay on the surface of the river, a mass of matted iron, with the woodwork entangled and burnt, by order of General Zolli- cofer. The opposite banks were steep and abrupt. We could see that the rebels, under General Hardee, were surprised. They were loading their cars in great haste and piling wood on the cars as fenders to protect them from our fire. The train was long, with locomotives in front and rear. Captain Loomis received orders to unlimber his battery and prepare to salute them. Bang !
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A March from Cincinnati to Nashville.
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went a shot into the boiler of the rear locomotive, emitting the sound of an explosion and steam escaping, which was taken for a signal and the train started, whizzing out of our sight. The im- mense brick car-house was set on fire by the enemy and a quick conflagration took place, presenting a beautiful display of fire- works. The building was filled with ammunition, military stores, implements and arms. The air was very cold. It was a mag. nificent spectacle, never to be erased from the memory of the artillery and cavalry men who witnessed it. In the course of three hours the right of the advance column of the Third Divis- ion made its appearance. As soon as General O. M. Mitchell arrived and took in the situation from the cavalry reports, he requested the commanding officer to detail a competent officer and men with axes to chop down timber with which to construct a pontoon to enable the troops to cross over. The selection fell upon Captain Jesse K. Wilson, of Company D, who shortly after fell mortally wounded by Morgan and Payne, eight miles south of Nashville, while selecting the vidette posts.
A rope was conveyed across Big Barren River in an impro- vised box by that sturdy dare-devil Samuel Pike and Sergeant Robie to give direction to the floating logs. The Fourth, such as were not already on duty, received orders to trace their steps along the northern bank in search of some other crossing and as soon as the cavalry could make the opposite shore to go in pur- suit of the rebel cavalry. They alternately rode and marched on foot three miles, the weather intensely cold. At this point they discovered a flour-mill, which had an inclined elevator running from the mill into the river. The beams and cross-ties were cov - ered with ice. The command was dismounted, a detachment en- tered the mill, seized the flour and meal bags and laid them on the frozen surface and dismounted led the horses down to the scow at the foot of the elevator, glistening with ice. Eight horses at a time were ferried over and the scow returned for others until a squadron was ferried over, being the first troops of
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
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the Third Division to enter into Bowling Green. The horses slipped and cut their feet in entering the scow, it being veneered with ice. Every movement had to be accomplished in haste and the least possible time. Neither the horses nor men could take time to feed ; it had to be obtained as best they could after cross- ing the river. As soon as landed the cavalry went in pursuit of the retreating rebel cavalry, who were watching every movement the Union army made. The Fourth captured large droves of cattle and hogs, a quantity of flour, meal, bacon and mules. At Bowling Green a few of the houses were set on fire by some soldiers who were never identified and escaped punishment. When the Fourth resumed their march they were ordered to take possession of the junction of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. After passing through Franklin, Mitchellville, Tyree Springs, Goodletville and Henderson, on their way there, they were compelled to abandon the roads and take to the mountain ridges as the Cumberland River and rains had deluged all the roads. Traveling all day in the rain we reached the junction at dark, tired and hungry and drenched with rain. While making a disposition of the ap- proaches and breaking the railroad track to prevent the possibil- ity of a surprise, the Rev. Mr. Dubois with two cavalrymen arrived, bringing a message from General Dumont stating that, being out of supplies, he would have to return to Bowling Green. The messenger was sent back, advising General Dumont not to retrace his steps but to come ahead ; we had secured provisions enough to supply his force and the entire Third Division. In the meantime a hand-car was sent by rail to Franklin under the com- mand of Quartermaster Hastings and four men to General O. M. Mitchell, informing him that the roads were clear and provisions awaiting his arrival. As soon as the Fourth had fed their horses and partaken of refreshments a squadron was pushed ahead in command of the heroic Major Henry Rogers, of Ironton, Ohio, eight miles further in the rain, in addition to the march of all day, to Edgefield, with instructions to capture all the steamboats,
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A March from Cincinnati to Nashville.
ferries and water crafts moored to the shore. The balance of the command rested at the junction but left before sunrise for Edge- field to support the force preceding them. We captured another large supply of provisions at Edgefield. Captain Loomis was directed to unlimber his cannon and mount them in threatening attitude over Nashville. The main thoroughfare at Nashville was crowded with people looking on. The main avenue at Edgefield was parallel with the street opposite in Nashville. The Fourth on entering Edgefield was countermarched across the main avenue several times to convey the impression across the river of a large body of cavalry.
Captain Harris, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, was sent to Nashville to demand of Mayor Cheatham to come over and sur- render Nashville officially. He came over twice and stated that i it was useless to punish the inhabitants by bombarding the city and setting it on fire, as the Confederate army had evacuated the city, and promised to protect all the stores of military nature against marauders until we crossed over. Being assured of our ability to sustain and defend ourselves at Edgefield, the com- manding officer, having received word that Generals D. C. Buell and O. M. Mitchell had reached a point in our rear, concluded he would go and make a report of his operations up to the time of their arrival ; but, inasmuch as the Fourth was ordered to the Edgefield junction of the railroad and no further, there was a slight cloud over the mind of the commanding officer. As soon as he reached the door of the headquarters General Mitchell accosted him with :
"You will catch it. You transcended your orders in going to Edgefield."
After saluting General D. C. Buell, a general explanation en- sued of my motive in throwing a command to Edgefield. Gen- eral Buell responded, "You did perfectly right!"
Comrades, I felt better after my interview than I did before. The cloud disappeared from off my mind.
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Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
In twenty-six hours after the capture of Nashville by the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and Captain Loomis' battery we heard sounds of the puffing of steamboats, fourteen in number, under the heroic General Nelson and his command, who com- menced landing at Nashville, Tenn.
After the capture of Nashville the newspapers naturally enough heralded the honor to General Nelson, because they were not aware of the preceding events at the time, and it would not be amiss here to insert a letter received from Captain H. C .. Rog- ers some time after the event to correct the erroneous claims set up in regard to whom the Mayor of Nashville surrendered the city, and to what corps the troops belonged who first trod the Tennessee soil. It belongs to the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cav- alry. We subjoin the letter :
COLONEL JOHN KENNETT :
Dear Sir :- According to my recollection, the Third Division, com- manded by Brigadier General O. M. Mitchell, advanced upon Nashville from Bowling Green in the latter part of February, 1862. On this march the advance was led by the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Colonel John Kennett commanding. On or about the 25th the regiment marched and occupied Edgefield Junction, some eight miles from Nashville, Tenn. From this place Colonel Kennett immediately ordered forward a detach- ment of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry under my command, with in- structions to occupy the village of Edgefield, opposite the city of Nasli- ville, to take possession of all steamboats and other native crafts lying there and to hold the position. These orders were fully executed, the de- tachment finding no enemy in Edgefield and a few straggling cavalry in Nashville. My command occupied Edgefield two days before the com- mand of General Nelson arrived, during which time the Mayor of Nashville came over twice to Edgefield for the purpose of surrendering the city. On his second visit the city was surrendered, Mayor Cheatham ten- dering and Colonel Kennett receiving the surrender. This took place at the residence of Mr. Fuller, at Edgefield; Mr. Fuller, myself and some oth- ers whom I do not remember were present. This occurrence took place the day before General Nelson's command arrived. The battery of Captain Loomis at the time of the surrender occupied a position commanding and within pistol-shot of the heart of the city. The Fourth Ohio Volunteer
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Cavalry could have occupied the city of Nashville at any time after the occupation of Edgefield had their instructions permitted it. In fact, a small squad did cross over to the city and back again on the ferryboat we had captured. Mayor Cheatham was anxious to surrender the city through fear we might shell it, and in surrendering he agreed to protect the public property until it was delivered to the United States officers. Captain Loomis' battery was under the direction of Colonel Kennett. Generals Buell and Mitchell both certainly must have known of the surrender of Nashville, Tenn., before the arrival of General Nelson. I myself brought them the news of Nelson's arrival two days after Edgefield was occupied by us.
(Signed)
Yours truly,
H. C. ROGERS, Major Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
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[Prepared and Read before the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Association in 1867. |
A SKETCH OF THE SELMA CAMPAIGN. BY MAJOR-GENERAL ELI LONG.
C OMRADES :- I regret that I did not know, when requested to prepare a paper to be read before this association, that an historical sketch of the part taken by the regiment in some one of the actions-whose names are to be inserted on the regimental colors at the State capitol-was expected of myself, with others who have been requested to prepare and read similar papers be- fore the association, for if I had known such to be the fact, I would have felt compelled to decline, through inability to comply with the request in a fitting and proper manner, for the reason, as you all know, that I was only in command of the regiment for a short time ; and after I was relieved from command of the regi- ment-although I lost no part of the interest I took in it-my duties were such as to preclude the idea of my being sufficiently familiar with the duties of the regiment, and of the part taken by it in the above mentioned actions ; therefore, the sketch which I shall attempt to give you of the Selma campaign will be of little value as history of the regiment, and I fear of little intrinsic value of any kind. Having been assigned to the command of the Sec- ond Division Cavalry Corps, M. D. M., and ordered to remount and re-equip the division at Louisville, Ky., the most of its horses and equipments having been turned over to General Kilpatrick's command that he might accompany General Sherman's command from Atlanta to the sea, I accompanied the regiment from Nash- ville, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky., going on the same train. Arriv- ing in Louisville, many good officers left the regiment, having served the time they agreed upon when entering the service, and left it in a somewhat crippled condition on that account. As it
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