USA > Pennsylvania > York County > Shiloh > The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania at Shiloh. History of the regiment. The battle of Shiloh > Part 13
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Thence the course followed in the pursuit led through Ship's Gap and down the Chattanooga Valley to Gaylesville, Alabama, where the corps arrived on October twentieth.
Sherman, having followed to Gaylesville, finding that he could not bring the enemy to a stand and give battie, he turned back with his army to Atlanta. Before doing so, he on the twenty-sixth of October, ordered the Fourth corps to proceed to Chattanooga, stating that the commander of the corps (General Stanley) would there receive instructions from General Thomas, commanding the Department of the Cum- berland, regulating its future movements .. By rapid marches it reached Rossville, four miles south of Chattanooga on the night of the twenty-ninth.
In the evening an order was received by telegraph, from General Thomas, directing the corps to proceed by railway to Athens, Alabama, as early as possible. Early on the morn- ing of the thirtieth it moved into Chattanooga to take the cars. At five in the afternoon of November first, at Athens, orders were received to move to Pulaski, Tennessee, imme- diately. The regiment moved at daylight on November sec- . ond, with the brigade in advance of the division, marched to and crossed Elk river at sundown, encamping one mile be- yond. On the third the regiment marched, in turn, in the rear of the division to Pulaski.
By November fourth, the three divisions of the corps, less one brigade, which was escorting the artillery and trains, were concentrated at Pulaski. Here an elaborate system of field works was laid out, a certain portion of which was assigned to each division. and ground was immediately broken in their construction. The work was vigorously continued,
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Pulaski and Columbia.
notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, till the works were completed, by which time they were practically impreg- nable. The Fourth corps could easily have held them against Hood's entire army. The trains and artillery of the corps reached Pulaski on the twelfth.
Information was received and corroborated, that the enemy was in force on the north side of the Tennessee river, and was preparing to advance. The vital questions were, what route would he take, and where would the blow fall? On the thir- teenth of November, General Schofield, with a part of the twenty-third corps, arrived at Pulaski. On the following day he assumed command of all the forces there. Information received from the fourteenth to the twenty-second, was that the enemy had not only successfully crossed the river, but was moving northward toward Lawrenceburg, and thence probably to Columbia. The first and third divisions of the fourth corps, with the trains and artillery moved to Lynn- ville during the afternoon of the twenty-third. That night information was received that the enemy was rapidly moving toward Columbia. The corps was put in motion at one A. M. of the twenty-fourth, and two divisions of it were concen- trated at Columbia by noon of that day, having marched a dis- tance of twenty miles. The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania. with the first division which had marched in the rear of the train and artillery, arrived during the evening and went into position on the left of the corps. The twenty-third corps was in position on the right.
By nightfall of the twenty-fifth a strong line of intrench- ments had been constructed. During that night the first and second divisions were actively engaged in constructing an interior line of intrenehments. Just before daylight. on the twenty-sixth, the enemy, in force, attacked the Union pickets, and forced them back a considerable distance. Re-inforce- ments were promptly brought up. The enemy in turn was driven back, and the picket line restored to its former posi- tion. No further effort was made by the enemy to molest this position, so long as the Union forces occupied the south bank of Duck river. On the twenty-seventh, which was a dark, dreary, cheerless day, the reserve artillery and trans- portation was passed to the north bank of the river. At five
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P. M. the artillery was withdrawn from the front line and sent across, and at seven o'clock the infantry commenced to .cross. The pickets came last. Then the bridges were de- stroyed. The crossing was made about two miles below the town.
The enemy evidently did not discover the movement, as there was no interruption. On the evening of the twenty- eight information was received that the enemy were crossing the river, some five miles above the Union left. At eight o'clock the next morning the Seventy-seventh, with the first and second divisions, moved toward Spring Hill. All the artillery that could be spared, and all trains and ambulances were ordered to follow to Spring Hill. It was apprehended that the enemy might make a flank attack upon the position of the Union force between Duck river and Rutherford creek. Accordingly the first division was halted, and posted so as to cover the crossing of the creek.
Up to this time it was thought that the opposing force was only Confederate cavalry, but a dispatch from General Scho- field stated that the enemy had crossed the river. This left no doubt that the divisions were now confronted by a much superior force of hostile infantry. About the same time an attack was made by Confederate cavalry, at Thompson's Sta- tion, three miles toward Franklin, upon a small wagon train, which had passed on. Simultaneously, Confederate cavalry appeared to the west and threatened the station at Spring Hill. Thus- the Union force was hemmed in and threatened on all sides.
: As night closed in, the enemy could be seen rapidly extend- ing his lines, and, by eight o'clock, it was evident that at least a corps of Hood's army was formed in line of battle, facing the turnpike and less than a half mile from it. The pickets reported that they had seen Confederate columns passing to the east to get possession of the hills at Thompson's Station. Then the anxious question arose whether a way could be forced through to Franklin. General Schofield pushed on with one division and found that tlie enemy had made no at- tempt to hold the road. It was now eleven o'clock at night. another division, that had just arrived from Columbia, pushed on at once for Franklin. From a Confederate officer of Cle-
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Spring Hill.
burne's division it was learned that the corps in front of the Union forces was Cheatham's.
The second division got through with some skirmishing. So close were the enemy that it was difficult for a Staff officer or orderly to get through, when a column of troops was not passing. The Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania, with the first division, covered the retreat to Spring Hill. This movement was protracted and much drawn out by the delay in crossing Rutherford's creek, over which there was no sufficient bridge. The third division arrived at Spring Hill about midnight, passed rapidly and silently through the village and took a position about one mile to the north, on the east of and parallel with the road, to cover the movement of the trains out of Spring Hill and towards Franklin. During the day Gen- eral Grose again took command of the third brigade.
The trains commenced pulling out, at one o'clock, on the morning of the thirtieth. Including ambulances and artillery the wagons numbered about eight hundred. At the very start they had to pass singly over a bridge, and it was ex- ceedingly doubtful whether the train could be put on the road before daylight. While this work was in progress the first division came up, passed rapidly through the village, and moved on as a convoy to the trains. It was highly necessary to move silently and rapidly so as to avoid a night attack from Cheatham, who was encamped on the east within six hundred yards of the road. The embarrassment was greatly increased by the great number of wagons, etc., which had to be protected and quietly withdrawn. By five o'clock on the morning of the thirtieth the whole train had been put on the road, and the rear had passed a mile north of Spring Hill. In the night march past this place the regiment was the rear guard of the army. This was an exceedingly hazardous posi- tion, particularly during that march past the Confeder- · ate camps, as at any time during the night, had they been . more alert, the enemy could easily have swung a column across the road, cut the Union army in two and captured a large part of it. The Seventy-seventh being in the rear and the very last to pass the hostile camp, would surely have been taken. Fortunately. just about the break of day the last of the column had safely passed Spring Hill, when the Confeder-
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
ate cavalry made a very spirited dash on the wagon train. The regiment at once formed in line of battle and soon re- pelled the attack, driving the enemy off, without suffering any loss. Forming again in marching column, the regiment reached Franklin about ten o'clock in the morning of the thirtieth.
On arriving at Franklin, the Twenty-third corps was sta- tioned in the suburbs of the town, with its left resting on the Harpeth river above the town, and its right extending across and west of the turnpike. The first division of the Fourth corps arrived about nine o'clock, and was posted on the right of the Twenty-third corps, with its right on the river below the town. The trains were all crossed over to the north side of the river.
Intrenchments were at once thrown up all along the line, and every preparation was made to repel an attack from the enemy. At eleven in the morning Colonel Rose was ordered to report the Seventy-seventh for picket duty. Having marched all night and skirmished with the enemy early in the morning, the men were very tired, and it was therefore per- haps half an hour before the order could be complied with. The regiment was marched out and posted by General Grose himself, about a mile from Franklin to the right of the turn- pike leading to Centreville. Here the regiment covered the entire front of the brigade adjoining on the left the pickets of Rogers' division, and on the right the pickets of the second brigade. Four companies were put on the front line, at about one hundred yard intervals, and the other four companies were posted as a reserve about two hundred yards back of the centre of this picket line.
The line was scarcely posted and instructed, when the enemy appeared on its front, and picket firing commenced. In a few minutes the enemy was seen extending his lines in great force, to the Union left and at the same time rapidly encircling the right. Then the pickets became hotly engaged. The enemy constantly re-inforced their skirmishers, but the Seventy-ser- enth easily kept them at bay until the line on its left, being fiercely assaulted. gave way. The left of the Seventy-seventh picket line then gradually began to fall back. The company on that portion of the line had been instructed by General
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The Battle of Franklin.
Grose to fall back to the main line when they found that they were unable to hold their position, but they were so com- pletely turned that they were obliged to fall back on the re- serve companies, which they did, in good order, fighting all the way. One by one the outpost companies now fell back to the reserve, and took their places in the regimental line.
As soon as they were formed in their proper places the enemy was seen directly in front, advancing in line of battle. The regiment opened fire and soon cleared its front. Directly it received a heavy fire on the right flank, which killed two men and wounded several others. The enemy had already passed the left flank of the regiment, when it fell back about one hundred yards, faced about, delivered a volley, and then quickly changed front to receive the line of gray that was coming down on its right. The regiment stopped the enemy instantly in that direction, only to find Confederates coming up, yelling and firing upon its left, which had been the ori- ginal regimental front. The Seventy-seventh then fell back, partially in a ravine, and changed front so as to receive them in this direction. As the Confederates there were on higher ground, and within fifty paces, the volley delivered by the regiment produced fearful carnage, and drove the enemy back pell mell. The regiment now took shelter behind a fence, high and strong, supposed by the men to be a cattle corral. Colonel Rose, being on horseback, could not pass over the fence as quickly as his men, and was almost caught by the Confederates, who were coming down the ravine in great force. He was almost completely hemmed in when some of his men came to his assistance, and brought him in safety across the fence. The fire of the enemy was so hot and their force so much superior that the regiment was obliged to fall back in slight confusion. Order was quickly restored and fire again opened upon the Confederates, but it was weak, compared with their previous fire, as most of the men were out of ammunition.
Soon they had all fired their last cartridge, and were or- dered back to the breastworks to replenish their ammuni- tion. After which the regiment again started for the front. but was ordered by General Grose to remain in reserve. It took no further active part in the battle of Franklin, in which
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Seventy-screnth Pennsylvania Regiment.
it lost two men killed, fifteen wounded and two missing. The other six regiments of the third brigade sustained a total loss of eighteen, killed, wounded and missing. The total loss of the entire brigade was thirty-seven, of which more than one- half was in the Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania.
The results of this battle were so disastrous to the Confed- erate cause that there was no longer any doubt about the suc- cessful withdrawal of the Union troops to Nashville, and the concentration there with Thomas. To prepare for such with- drawal, the trains were started before nightfall of the thir- tieth. At midnight the troops on the south side of the river began to withdraw, and cross to the north side. This was rapidly and successfully accomplished. The enemy probably suspected the movement, but was not in condition to inter- fere. By three o'clock on the morning of December first, all the troops had crossed the river, and the bridges were fired.
As soon as the destruction of the bridges was assured, the last division withdrew, and by four o'clock the whole column was on the road, moving toward Nashville. On reaching Brentwood, nine miles north of Franklin, they halted an hour to let the men cook and eat breakfast, after which the march was resumed. The rear of the column reached Nashville at one o'clock that afternoon, where the Fourth corps was re- ported to General Thomas, and by him, assigned to its posi- tion. On the second the enemy appeared on the Union front.
The brigade threw up a line of earthworks, and was then ordered to another position, where it erected strong works. On the third the enemy advanced with skirmishers and drove in the Union pickets, who in turn drove the skirmishers back, re-occupying their former positions. On the eighth the Con- federates again drove the pickets out of their line of works, which were then charged upon and retaken. In this affair the regiment had two men of Company A wounded, the one mor- tally, the other one slightly. At daylight on the fifteenth, the brigade moved from its position near the Franklin pike, to the right of the Hillsborough pike. The Seventy-seventh was on picket at the time, but it followed the brigade near noon, as soon as it was relieved from picket duty. It was then placed in reserve, and was not actively engaged that day.
On the sixteenth the regiment was placed on the second
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The Battle of Nashville.
line of the brigade, but was soon ordered to the front line. It then advanced to assault the enemy's works. The ground in front of the brigade was mostly farm land. Running ob- liquely across it was a ravine, which had to be crossed to reach the enemy's lines. A little after noon an assault was ordered, and the whole line advanced. The enemy's skirmish- ers were soon driven to their outpits and first works, which were assaulted and carried. On gaining these works, it was observed that the second division, which was on the left, was moving beyond to the enemy's main line, which was about four hundred yards to the front. The brigade was then or- dered forward, but as it started, it was discovered that the line on its right was not moving. The regiments to the right of the Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania were therefore halted, as they could not advance without encountering a severe flank fire.
The Seventy-seventh, however, moved forward to the right of the second division, and to within a few paces of the enemy's main works. The second division being repulsed, the Seventy-seventh also fell back to the first line gained, which was strengthened and held under a severe fire from the enemy's main line. The brigade, however, was safely shel- tered, and ready for the next move, which came about four o'clock that afternoon. To the right the fighting was very severe, the assault soon extending all along the lines, as the engagement became general. The enemy's lines were soon carried with many prisoners and all the artillery in the works.
In this assault the Seventy-seventh was actively engaged in the front line. where it captured one gun and many men from one of the batteries from which it had suffered severely while advancing. Lieutenant Alexander T. Baldwin was killed in the first charge. The brigade moved forward of all the other troops, on the right of the Franklin pike, and at nightfall its skirmishers covered the mountain pass at Brent- wood. Early the next morning the pursuit was continued, with the brigade in the front, and was kept up as far as Franklin. On the eighteenth the command again pushed for- ward but without encountering the enemy. On the nine- teenth it moved to Rutherford's creek, and began building a bridge, which was completed the next day, moving then to
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Seventy-serenth Pennsylvania Regiment.
Duck river. On the evening of the twenty-second the river was crossed and Columbia occupied. The pursuit was re- sumed the next day through Pulaski and three miles south of it.
On the twenty-fifth and twenty-seventh the command moved forward to Sugar creek, reaching Lexington, Alabama, where it encamped. On January 1st, 1865, the command reached Elk river during the afternoon, and commenced build- ing a bridge. Next day work on the bridge continued, and rafts were constructed on which part of the troops crossed the river. The bridge was finished on the third, and the rest of the brigade crossed over and marched to Athens, where it arrived at sunset. At ten o'clock, on the morning of the fifth,- it reached Huntsville, camping about a mile east of the town, where it built comfortable quarters.
The Confederate army having been driven back across the Tennessee river, and so completely scattered that it could not be again brought together, its commander, General Hood, on January twenty-third, relinquished the command of what had been the Army of the Tennessee. Thus ended Hood's at- tempt to carry the war back into Tennessee. The battle of Nashville effectually put a stop to all further ambitions on his part.
The loss of the Seventy-seventh in the battle of Nashville was one officer killed and fifteen men wounded. It was the last battle in which the regiment was engaged. So the regi- ment ended its fighting career, as it had begun it, by the cap- ture of a part of a battery and fifty-one men from the enemy at Nashville, its last fight, just as it took a section of a bat- tery and a considerable number of prisoners at Shiloli, its first fight. Thus Nashville came as a fitting climax to its fighting.
The total losses of the regiment in all the engagements, in which it participated, in killed, wounded and missing were in excess of three hundred and sixty. Yet up to this time, which was the end of the regiment's fighting career, it never had more than eight companies.
Two hundred and twelve of these were killed and wounded. those missing or captured nearly all died in Confederate pri- sons, principally at Andersonville.
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Huntsville.
One hundred and eighty-two died from various diseases, in camps and hospitals, while many others who were discharged on Surgeon's certificates for disabilities and diseases con- tracted in service went to their homes to die, of whose deaths there is no official record, it is therefore impossible to give the exact losses of the regiment.
The regiment remained in winter quarters at Huntsville until the thirteenth of March, when it broke camp and went by rail to Knoxville, Tennessee, marching thence to Straw- berry Plain, at which place it arrived on the sixteenth.
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Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Regiment.
CHAPTER X.
East Tennessee-Strawberry Plain-Bull's Gap-New Companies join the Regiment-Embark at Johnsonville for Texas-New Orleans-Texas -Return to Pennsylvania-Discharged January 16, 1866, at Philadelphia.
0 N March 3, 1865, while the regiment was at Huntsville, Captain Paul H. Rohrbacher joined it with ninety-six men, who had enlisted for one year. They were or- ganized into Company H, and remained with the regiment until it was finally mustered out. On the twentieth the regi- ment was joined at Strawberry Plain by Company I,. com- manded by Captain John Bell, and on the following day Cap- tain Daniel Shock brought Company F. These were all one year men. The old companies had been so greatly reduced in numbers, that an order to consolidate some of them was issued on the day of Captain Schock's arrival. Consequently the men of Company F were transferred to Company A, and those of Companies D and E to Company B, thus reducing the number of companies in the regiment from eight to five, in order to make room for the five new companies of one year men, who had just joined or were about to join the command. On the twenty-fifth of March the regiment, together with the division, marched from Strawberry Plain, arriving at Bull's Gap on the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, where, two days later, the regiment was joined by a large number of re- cruits, and by Company D, under Captain James Shaw, and Company E, under Captain Sydney J. Brauff, all one year men. The total strength of the regiment was now greater than it had ever before been, reaching 1,064 men.
The regimental camp was about six miles above Bull's Gap on the railroad line. Ilere its principle duties were to watch the gap, to chase guerillas and horse thieves, that harbored in the Smoky mountains nearby, and to build the railway through to Linchburg. Here, on April tenth, Captain W. A.
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New Orleans and Texas.
Robinson, of Company E, who had been captured at Chicka- mauga, rejoined the regiment, receiving a very warm recep- tion. Three days later he was commissioned Major. On the eighteenth the whole division was ordered to Nashville. It marched back to the gap, where on the twenty-first it boarded the cars, and arrived at Nashville on the twenty-fourth.
Major Philips returned to the regiment at Nashville on May eleventh. He was suffering greatly from his wounds, and left for home on the twenty-fourth. On June tenth, Major Robinson was mustered in as Lieutenant Colonel. On the eleventh Colonel Rose was placed in command of the bri- gade, and Lieutenant Colonel Robinson took command of the regiment. On the seventeenth orders were received to move, in the morning for New Orleans. A large part of the corps had already gone. Accordingly the next day the division started by rail, reaching Johnsonville on the Tennessee river at three in the afternoon.
On the nineteenth the regiment embarked on the steamers Havana and Idaho. The entire fleet on which the corps was embarked, consisting of one hundred steamers, left Johnson- ville on the twenty-first. On the twenty-third, David Under- coffer, of Company D, fell overboard and was drowned. The command arrived at New Orleans on the evening of the twenty-fifth. Next day it disembarked about four miles be- low the city, and marched to the old battlefield where Gen- eral Jackson whipped the British in 1815. Here camp was established. The bad water, and the poor, low, marshy camp ground caused considerable sickness and many deaths here.
Great discontent here arose in the corps. The men dis- liked the idea of going to Texas at this time of the year, partic- ularly as the object of the expedition was not apparent. They supposed that it was to enforce the "Monroe Doctrine," and help to drive the French out of Mexico, that being the only reason which they could think at all plausible. Every one said, the war is over, the Confederate armies have sur- rendered, laid down their arms and gone home. The men con- tended that they had enlisted only for the War of the Re- bellion, and not to fight any foreign foe on foreign soil. This feeling caused a great many desertions from the ranks. The
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