History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 76

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360

USA > Pennsylvania > History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I > Part 76

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The Twenty-ninth left in two detachments, the first under command of Lieu- tenant Colonel Zulick. At Wartrace the trains halted, to let an express train pass, bearing General Grant to the front. After considerable delay in ascend- ing the mountain, from the slipping of wheels and want of motive power, the trains passed the tunnel three and one-fourth miles long and were nearly down the long grade on the other side, when they were met by Colonel Innes, superintendent of military railways, who ordered the engineers to back the trains to the summit again to let four freight trains pass. Without taking ad- vantage of the baek ride, the Twenty-ninth alighted and marched down to the foot of the mountain. At Stephenson, Alabama, a little muddy village of a score of habitations, the Twenty-ninth reported to General Hooker and en- camped near corps head-quarters. On the 26th the regiment marched to Bridge- port, where General Geary and his brigade eominanders had already arrived. Drawing three days' rations and sixty rounds of ammunition the regiment

493

BATTLE OF WAUIIATCHIE.

1863

crossed the Tennessee river on pontoons, and proceeded to Shellmound, where is located the celebrated Nick Jack cave, from which the rebels proenred large quantities of saltpetre for the manufacture of gunpowder. Lieutenant Colonel Zulie's was here detailed to superintend the working party laying a pontoon bridge, and constructing a road leading to it. The line of march from Shell- mound lay through mountain passes, and along the bank of the Tennessee river, the rocky bluffs rising like a wall, to a height varying from ten to three hundred feet for many miles. Passing along, beneath the shadow of Lookout Mountain, the command * halted at Wauhatchie Junction.

The Twenty-ninth was immediately ordered on picket duty. General Geary had designated Wauhatchie Junction as an important point, and three com- panies, E, B and K, under command of Captain Rickards, were posted there with orders to throw up rifle-pits; two companies, I and H, under Captain Stork, were sent out three miles on the Kelly's ferry road; two companies, A and F, under Lieutenant Coursault, were posted to cover the ground between the camp and Lookout creek ; two companies, C and G, were pushed out a half mile on the Brown's ferry road, and company D was ordered to the left, be- tween Stork and Rickards, completing a continuous line around the camp.

General Geary, ever on the alert, had ordered this faithful picketing of his camp, knowing that his single division was isolated from the rest of the corps, but believing the enemy not to be nearer than Lookout Mountain; this impres- sion was confirmed by the testimony of citizens. The man most relied on for the correctness of this report was a Mr. Rouden, a magistrate living at the junction of the rail and the Kelly's ferry road. Colonel Rickards, after posting his regiment, went to the house of this man, under the pretense of getting bread baked, but for the purpose of ascertaining more definitely the exact location of the enemy; and while in casual conversation with a woman, learned that Long- street's men had been on that ground the day before. Rouden was immediately taken in custody and brought to the tent of General Geary, who soon drew out the important information that there was a bridge over the creek, and that Longstreet's men were at that moment lying just beyond it not more than a mile and a quarter from his camp. Precautions were immediately taken to prevent a surprisc. Colonel Rickards was dispatched as officer of the day for this purpose, found the road leading to the bridge, and posted his men on it three-fourths of a mile from camp, with instructions to be especially watchful. He ordered Captain Millison, in charge of the reserve, to hold them in readi- ness to deploy as skirmishers on the least alarm. Proceeding on his rounds, he had visited the post at the junction, and was returning, when a rapid firing was heard which seemed to be in the direction of the bridge, where the enemy lay. Riding forward, he soon ascertained that the firing, which soon ceased, was beyond his pickets. Returning to head-quarters to report, he found the com-

*Twenty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, three hundred and eighty-three men, Colonel William Rickards, Jr .; One Hundred and Ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers, one hundred and twenty-five men, Lieutenant Colonel Lewis W. Ralston; One Hun- dred and Eleventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, three hundred and seventy-five men, Major Thos. M. Walker; Seventy-eighth Regiment N. York Volunteers, one hundred and fifty men; One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Regiment New York Volunteers, two hundred men; One Hundred and Second Regiment New York Volunteers, Lieutenant Colonel James C. Lane; One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regiment New York Volunteers, three hundred and eighty men, Lieutenant Colonel Charles B, Randall; Sixtieth Regiment New York Volunteers, Major Abel Godard.

494

TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

1863

mand under arms and in line. All soon becoming quiet, after a half hour, the men were sent to their quarters. They were scarcely in, when firing again com- menced and now in earnest; for the rebels, having watched from the secure heights of Lookout Mountain the movements of General Geary, thought to sur- prise and erush him by a night attack, and were now advancing in strong force without skirmishers. Colonel Riekards rode quickly to the out-post, and met his men falling back, but in good order, contesting the ground with great firm- ness and excellent effect, giving time for the main column to get into position. The One Hundred and Thirty-seventh New York was formed on the extreme left, One Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania on the right, One Hundred and Ninth Pennsylvania in the centre, and the One Hundred and Forty-ninth New York on the railroad bank at right angles with the right of the One Hundred and Ninth. The two companies, C and G of the Twenty-ninth, which had been driven in from the bridge, were posted to support the battery, and when the enemy made a strong demonstration on the right, were moved to the railroad bank. The attack was made with rebel impetuosity, and the men were falling rapidly, especially in the battery; the loss in horses was also very great, thirty- five being killed out of forty-eight. The sixty rounds of ammunition with which the men started was nearly exhausted, when the enemy made a fresh demon- stration on the right, and gained possession of the railroad bank, from which they delivered a galling fire, all efforts to dislodge them proving fruitless. At this juneture a piece of the artillery was taken outside the railroad bank, at a crossing in the rear, which enfiladed the portion occupied by the enemy. In the absence of horses to move it, companies C and G of the Twenty-ninth grasped the prolongs and soon had it posted, when a few well directed shots sent the enemy from the sheltered position to which he had clung with such desperate pertinaeity. This had a depressing effect upon him, for his fire soon slackened, and the White Stars remained masters of the field." Companies A and F, under Lieutenant Coursault, held the wood on the right of the rail- road, and prevented the enemy from gaining the rear, behaving with much dis- cretion and bravery. The enemy had already turned our left flank and captured the wagon train. But this instead of a disaster was accounted a gain ; for the enemy fell to plundering and was slaughtered in great numbers by the artil- lery which was immediately turned upon him. Lieutenant Colonel Zulick of the Twenty-ninth, coming up soon after with a small force which he had col- lected, re-captured it and brought it to the rear. From the fact that the Twenty-ninth Regiment was distributed around the camp on the picket line, the loss was comparatively light, and was principally in the two companies, C and G, pieketing the road on which the enemy advanced. The loss was one killed, five wounded and one missing.

* Geary, meanwhile, had been fighting for three hours, without assistance, and, although at one time almost enveloped on three sides, finally succeeded in completely repelling the assault on his front. The moon shone fitfully into the valley, and the commands could often distin- guish each other only by the flashes of their firearms. Thestrange echoes of the cannon among the hills, and the muttering of musketry from every quarter, alarmed the teamsters of Geary's wagon train, who deserted their mules, and in the darkness and noise, the animals became more frightened than their drivers; they soon broke loose, and with their tacklo dangling and rattling about their heels, rushed in a body directly towards the enemy. This augmented the confusion of the rebels, who supposed it to be an attack of cavalry, and their rout was rendered inglorious by the assistance of a pack of mules .- Military History of Grant, Badeau, pages 449 and 450.

495

1863

BATTLE OF WAUHATCHIE.

The conduct of this handful of men, struggling in the darkness, in tangled wiles, on unknown ground, against a powerful, veteran division of Longstreet's army, familiar with every foot of ground and rejoicing in a knowledge of the weakness of its foe, was most heroic. The personal bravery and skill of the commander was everywhere manifest, and his presence felt in every part of the line. Often amidst the darkness was his voice heard ordering up fresh troops, which never came; but at every order the men chcered the voice of their General most lustily, the deception producing the same effect upon the imaginations of foe as though the solid columns were actually moving forward and taking their places in the shattered lines. The battery, posted on a little knoll in the midst of the camp, did signal service, and was the special object of the enemy's fire, the rebel officers being repeatedly heard ordering their men to concentrate their fire npon it. "The men and officers of Knap's Battery," says Colonel Rickards, "acted nobly. Lieutenant Geary, son of our General, was killed at my side, shot through the brain at the instant he commenced fire after aiming his gun. His was a serions loss to the service; Captain Atwell was badly wounded in the hip and spine; most of the sergeants were killed or wounded. The in- fantry had sixty rounds of ammunition and none in the train. When this was expended the killed and wounded were searched for a supply."

The attack was made by General Bratton of Longstreet's Corps, who on the evening previons, in company with Generals Polk, Longstreet, Breckenridge, Hood, Cheatham and Cleburne, from a lofty station on Lookout Mountain, had watched the progress of Geary's troops, and had planned a surprise which it was confidently anticipated would annihilate it. None but White Stars were engaged who proved themselves equal in this firey ordeal to thrice their number of the enemy's best troops. The first firing of the pickets commenced at half past eleven P. M., and the struggle ended at half past two A. M. The firing ceased and the command immediately commenced fortifying their position .*

*The rebel authorities were greatly chagrined at this achievement, and their newspapers were full of lamentations. Mr. Jefferson Davis had visited Lookout Mountain only a week before, and feasted his eyes with the sight of the national army, shut up among the hills, like an animal ready for slaughter ; and now, at a single stroke the prey had been snatched from his grasp. The door for relief was opened, and from a besieged and isolated army, the force in Chattanooga had suddenly become the assailant. It was Bragg who was now on the defen- sive .- Military History of Grant, Badeau, page 451.

The army felt as if it had been miraculously relieved. Its spirit revived at once, the de- pression of Chickamauga was shaken off, and the unshackled giant stood erect .- Military His- tory of Grant, Badeau, page 452.

EXTRACT FROM MAJOR GENERAL HOOKER'S REPORT.

HEAD QUARTERS, ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CORPS, ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND, LOOKOUT VALLEY, TENNESSEE, November 6, 1863.

* * During these operations, a heavy musketry fire, with occasional discharges of artillery, continued to reach us from Geary. It was evident that a formidable adversary had gathered around him, and that he was battering him with all his might. For almost throo hours, without assistance he repelled the repeated attacks of vastly superior numbers, and in the end drove them ingloriously from the field. At one time they had enveloped him on three sides, under circumstances that would have dismayed any officer except onc endowed with an iron will and the most exalted courage. Such is the character of General Geary. With this ended the fight. We had repelled every attack, carried every point assaulted, thrown the enemy headlong over the river, and more than all, secured our new communications for the time being, peradventure. * * The force opposed to us consisted of two of Long- street's Divisions, and corresponded in number to our corps. From the prisoners we learn that

496

TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

1863

General Howard and staff soon after rode in, and at five o'clock Hecker's Bri- gade of Howard's Corps arrived. General Hooker came at ninc, expressing much surprise at the evidences of the hard fighting. The rebel killed left on the field were one hundred and fifty-seven, and one hundred and thirty-five prisoners were taken, most of whom were wounded. Estimating the rebel wounded according to the usual ratio of killed to wounded, and their total loss could not have fallen much short of one thousand. The rebel forces engaged numbered five thousand strong, while the Union strength was only fourteen hundred and sixty-three, or little exceeding thirteen hundred muskets, a number not much above the loss of the enemy.

On the afternoon of the 29th, the regiment was relieved and marched to Wauhatchie Junction, being vigorously shelled on the way by the rebels on Lookout Mountain, but without effect except in the wounding of two mules. The shelling was continued until the 31st, when the brigade was ordered to take position and fortify a hill at the foot of Raccoon Mountain, on the right of the Kelly's ferry road facing Lookout.

Lookout Mountain was still well fortified and firmly held by the enemy. Its summit was only accessible for a distance of twenty miles up the valley, by two or three trails admitting the passage of but one man at a time, and these were securly held. Its palisaded crest and steep, rugged, rocky and deeply furrowed slopes seemed of themselves to present insurmountable obstacles to the advance of an assaulting column; to these were added almost interminable, well-planned and well-constructed defenses. But a demonstration was to be made upon it.

On the 24th of November, the Twenty-ninth Regiment was ordered to report at division head-quarters, without knapsacks and with one day's rations, for the purpose of joining in the assault. The Second Division marched to Wauhat- chie Junction at five in the morning, where the troops, to form the party, were drawn. up between the railroad and the creek, the Second Brigade, composed of the Twenty-ninth and One hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania, (the One Hun- dred and Ninth being left to guard the camp,) on the right, the Third Brigade in the centre and the First Brigade on the left. The pioneers and a detail from the Twenty-ninth built a bridge across the creek, and the movement commenced at seven and a half o'clock A. M. The column advanced up the side of the mountain until the Twenty-ninth reached the wall of rocks which surmounts the slope, when it fronted and advanced in line of battle extending from the crest to the flat near Lookout creek; Whitaker's Brigade of the Fourth Corps followed as a second supporting line, at a distance of three or four hundred

they had watched the column as it descended the valley, and confidently counted on its anni- hilation. * * *

Major General commanding. Moore's Rebellion Record, Vol. 7, Docs., p. 584.

JOSEPH HOOKER,

EXTRACT FROM MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS' REPORT.

HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, CHATTANOOGA, October 30, 1863.

* * * The repulse by Geary's Division of greatly superior numbers, who attempted to surpise him, will rank among the most distinguished feats of arms of this war.

GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Major General commanding.

Moore's Rebellion Record, Vol. 7, Docs., p. 588.

497

1863

BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.

yards .* The side of the mountain is cut in deep ravines impeded by huge rocks ; but the march was conducted in excellent order, the men scrambling over the obstructions and keeping their places in the line with an unabated ardor. Colonel Rickards deployed companies C and E, Captains Millison and Sorber, as skirmishers, and soon met the skirmishers of the enemy, who became very troublesome, firing from their coverts behind rocks and hedges. After advancing about a mile, the reserve of the enemy's first line was met and the firing became continuous. At this point, leading on his men with determined bravery, Captain Millison was wounded in the arm and side, and was carried from the field. The enemy now appeared on the right of the line firing through a gorge, and soon after a large body passed down a slope leading to the flank. The Twenty-ninth was immediately ordered to change front to rear on left com- pany, which was executed with skill and steadiness, the enemy meeting a full front when he expected to fall upon our unprotected rear. Their first volley was fortunately too high, when, finding a force unterrified and ready to receive them, they threw down their arms and held up their hands in token of surren- der. The line was ordered to withhold its fire, when two hundred and seventy, including many officers, were sent to the rear. The left wing, changing front forward, and the right moving by the left flank, parallel to the crest of the mountain, the regiment again advanced. The enemy, secreted in the gorges and behind rocks, now began to surrender in squads of from five to fifty. The captures becoming so numerous as to require too many men to send sufficient guards with them, they were sent back to General Whitaker's command for safe transfer to the rear.

The line continued to advancet with surprising steadiness, and soon came in sight of the enemy's breast-works. The trees had been cut down with the expectation that they would form an insurmountable obstacle to further pro- gress to an advancing column ; but in the zeal and impetuousity of the troops, the obstruction was scarcely noticed, crawling beneath or clambering over as best they could, and clinging close to the White Star line. The ravine in the side of the mountain, which, from the opposite side of Lookout creek seemed an insignificant indentation, proved to be from fifty to one hundred feet, with precipitous sides. While the Third Brigade was attacking the enemy in the breast-works, the Second, which was far above them, pushed on to the point of the mountain where in the turn which it made it had the shortest line and arrived first, the colors of the Twenty-ninth being planted on the highest at- tainable point of the mountain, and from which the enemy was completely outflanked. They had thought their position unapproachable, and were holding in fancied security their stronghold in the clouds, when the White Star Divi- sion broke in to their rear, compelling the abandonment of their works and securing the virtual capture of the mountain. The Second Brigade halted here, but skirmishers were sent out, who, with those of the Third Brigade, cap- tured two pieces of artillery which the enemy had posted on the hill east of the

*Geary's Division supported by Whitaker's Brigade of Cruft's Division, was ordered to proceed up the valley, cross the creek near Wauhatchie, and then march down, sweeping the rebels from the right bank of the stream .- Military History of Grant, Badeau, page 488.

+ Simultaneously with these operations, the troops of Geary were pushing up the mountain ; his right passed directly under the muzzles of the enemy's guns on the summit, climbing over ledges and boulders, up hill and down, dislodging the enemy wherever he attempted to make a stand .- Military History of Grant, Badeau, page 499.

498

TWENTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

1863

point. The Second Brigade was ordered to move on around the mountain, but found the hill too steep to move in line. Searching in vain for some pass by which to reach the heights above, it was met by a body of the enemy's skir- mishers who were driven back and several captured. Advancing nearly half a mile, a heavy line of the enemy was discovered and dispositions were imme- diately made to attack upon the flank, while another line advancing from below, attacked in front ; but heavy clouds settling down around the mountain so dense as to shut out the light of the midday, rendered it impossible to distinguish friend from foe .* Though much annoyed by sharp-shooters from the opposite side and from the summit of the mountain, the command was ordered to cease firing and to fortify wherever space could be found for one stone to lay upon another. The friendly clouds so shielded the men that only one was hit. The Twenty-ninth remained in this position until nine o'clock, P. M., when it was relieved, and moving to the slope of the mountain the men sat down to their first meal for the day. The loss was three killed and six wounded. The enemy evacuated his works which had now become untenable, and fled during the night. On the following morning a ladder was discovered which the enemy had used in climbing to the summit. Several parties from different regiments were dispatched, by direction of General Geary, to ascend, who carried a flag with them and unfurled it upon the topmost height. As it floated out upon the pure air of the mid-heavens, a cheer was sent up from the troops encamped below, awakening the echoes along all the hills, a fitting climax to the BATTLE ABOVE THE CLOUDS.t

# At two o'clock operations were arrested by darkness. The clouds which had moved over and enveloped the summit, and favored the movements of Hooker, had been gradually set- tling, lower and lower, and from the moment that the peak of the mountain was rounded, it was only from the rattle of musketry and the flashes of fire through the clouds, or the occa- sional glimpses of lines or standards, as the fog rose or fell, that those in the valley could trace the progress of the battle. At four, Hooker informed his immediate superior that his line was impregnable, and commanded the cnemy's defenses with an enfilading fire. Lookout Moun- tain was carried .- Military History of Grant, Badeau, page 500.

EXTRACT FROM GENERAL HOOKER'S OFFICIAL REPORT.

* * During the night the enemy had quietly abandoned the mountain, leaving behind twenty thousand rations, the camp and garrison equipage of three brigades, and other material. * *

JOSEPH HOOKER, Major General commanding.

Moore's Rebellion Record, Vol. 8, Docs., p. 213. EXTRACT FROM GENERAL THOMAS' OFFICIAL REPORT.

* *

* By four o'clock on the morning of the 24th, General Hooker reported his troops in position and ready to advance. Finding Lookout creek so much swollen as to be im- passable, he sent Geary's Division, supported by Cruft's two brigades to cross the creek at Wauhatchie and work down on the right bank, while he employed the remainder of his force in constructing temporary bridges across the creek on the main road. The enemy being at- tracted by the force on the road until his column was directly on their left and threatened their rear. Hooker's movements were facilitated by the heavy mist which overhung the mountain .. enabling Geary to get into position without attracting attention. Finding himself vigorously pushed by a strong column on his left and rear, the enemy began to fall back with rapidity; but his resistance was obstinate, and the entire point of the mountain was not carried until about two P. M., when General Hooker reported by telegraph that he had carried the moun- tain as far as the road from Chattanooga valley to White House. Soon after his main column coming up, his line was extended to the foot of the mountain, near the mouth of Chattanooga crcek. : * *

* Continuous and heavy skirmishing was kept up in Hooker's front until ten at night, after which there was an unusual quietness along our whole front. * *

499

1863

BATTLE OF RINGGOLD.

On the morning of the 25th the brigade advanced diagonally across the Chattanooga valley to Rossville pass. The enemy was posted on Missionary Ridge, with artillery, resisting the advance of Thomas and Sherman. Moving north along the foot of the ridge, the brigade formed in line and advanced up the mountain till it had reached a point in the rear of the rebels, when, finding themselves surrounded they began to throw down their arms and surrender .* An entire brigade was here captured and its vacated quarters were occupied by the victorious column. On the following morning the command returned to the Rossville pass, moving through, crossed Chicamauga creek at dark, at- tacking the rear of the enemy. At nine P. M., a heavy picket force of the enemy was met and captured with three brass pieces and several caissons. Remaining in line of battle during the night, at early dawn the pursuit was re- sumed. The roads were very heavy, and several caissons of Furguson's rebel battery, broken down and left by the way, were picked up. Heavy firing was heard in the direction of Ringgold, and the infantry was hurried forward, the artillery being detained for the building of the bridge across the Chickamauga. At the pass through Taylor's ridge, near Ringgold, the enemy had made a stand, and was strongly posted in the gap in the form of the sides of an acute angle, and on the hills overlooking the town. The troops of the Fourth Corps were already engaged and had suffered severely. The First Brigade was ordered up the hill to the support of the regiments that had been driven back, but the enemy soon flanked their position and delivered a destructive fire, killing Col- onel Creighton, Lieutenant Colonel Crane and many other officers and men. The Second Brigade was then ordered by General Hooker to position in a small chaparral in front of, and to the right of the railroad depot, with instructions to lie down, not to fire till the enemy came within short range, and to hold the position to the last extremity. The Twenty-ninth Iowa, occupying the right of the line, having lost its Colonel and being hard pressed, gave way, exposing the right flank; but at this juncture the Third Brigade came up, and following close the artillery, which was soon brought into position, ended the fight by a few well directed shells. The attack had been made with infantry alone, as the bridge across Chicamauga creek could not be completed in time to bring up the artillery. The enemy made this stand for the purpose of gaining time for his trains to escape.

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History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, Vol. I, Part 76

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn Publication date: 1869 Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902. cn
Publication date: 1869
Publisher: Harrisburg, B. Singerly, State Printer
Number of Pages: 1360