A history of the Henry County commands which served in the Confederate States army, including rosters of the various companies enlisted in Henry County, Tenn., Part 2

Author: Rennolds, Edwin Hansford, 1839-1912
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Jacksonville, Fla., Sun Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 322


USA > Tennessee > Henry County > A history of the Henry County commands which served in the Confederate States army, including rosters of the various companies enlisted in Henry County, Tenn. > Part 2


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Monday, May 20, 1861, was selected as the time for the permanent organization of the regiment, and on that day Paris beheld such a scene as had never before been witnessed on its streets and such as it is never likely to witness again. Crowds from every


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district of the county poured into the county seat by every road, and long before the middle of the day the streets were filled with people. The criers of the dif- ferent companies mounted the courtyard fence and halloed, "Oh, yes! oh, yes! all that belong to Captain So-and-So's company parade here ! parade here!"


When the different companies had been formed, a line of march was taken up to McNeill's grove, at the intersection of the Huntington and Ft. Mason roads. Hundreds of citizens of both sexes and all ages ac- companied the line on both sides and in the rear. When the grove was reached the companies were formed into columns under the trees, and proceeded to elect the field officers, as follows: Colonel, Wil- liam E. Travis ; lieutenant-colonel, John D. C. Atkins ; major, William C. Swor. The staff officers, company officers, etc., will appear in their proper places.


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CHAPTER II.


CAMP, DRILL AND DISCIPLINE.


The regiment was ordered to go into camp at Hum- boldt at once, but the Memphis & Ohio Railroad, which had been but recently built, was very deficient in rolling stock, and no means of transportation could be secured for several days. The men were ordered to return home and rendezvous again on Wednesday, the 22d. But on that day a further delay was necessary till Friday, the 24th. On the evening of that day enough cars were secured to transport one battalion of five companies, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Atkins. Only flatcars were pro- vided, and seats were made of crossties placed cross- ways a foot or so apart. A large crowd, composed of the relatives and friends of the departing soldiers, saw them leave and cheered them on their way with waving handkerchiefs and hearty cheers. Many of the wives, daughters, sisters and sweethearts of these embryo ยท soldiers viewed the strange sight and tears flowed freely from many eyes as the train steamed away. On the evening of the next day four more companies followed, amid such scenes as were wit- nessed on the previous day. At Henry Station Cap- tain W. D. Hallum's company joined the battalion. At every station and road crossing groups of people were gathered and added their quota of enthusiastic stimulus given the State's patriotic defenders.


The regiment went into camp at Humboldt, and


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were, the next day, armed with old-fashioned heavy muskets, using a "buck and ball" cartridge. Guards were placed around the encampments, and we settled down to the tiresome routine of camp life. About a week later we were moved by rail to Union City, and were joined by the Sixth, Ninth, Twelfth, Fifteenth, Twenty-Second and other regiments, and were placed under command of Brigadier-General B. F. Cheat- ham, and, with the exception of a few short intervals, served under him throughout the war. Very few of the officers knew anything about military tactics, but we were furnished with two good drill masters, Cap- tain W. W. Carnes and -. -. Robinson, and they drilled both officers and men, beginning with the tire- some squad drill and followed with company and bat- talion drills. Progress would have been greater, how- ever, but for serious sickness in camp, mainly measles, Private W. Shelly Puckett being the first man in the regiment to die. Every day relatives and other vis- itors came into camp by rail or in vehicles, bringing generous supplies of cakes, pies, fruit and other knick-knacks, and thus was the monotony continually broken and the hearts of the men enlivened by let- ters from home, both by mail and private post.


1


At a special election held June 8, 1861, the voters of the State overwhelmingly decided to separate from the United States and to unite with the Confederate States. And all the State troops were mustered into service of the Confederacy and the oath of allegiance to the new government administered. At the regular election, on the first Thursday in August, Lieutenant- Colonel J. D. C. Atkins was elected to the Confeder-


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ate Congress and resigned his commission. Adjutant Calvin D. Venable was elected lieutenant-colonel and Lieutenant Joseph D. Kendall of Company "F" was appointed adjutant. At the State election all the soldiers who were entitled to vote were furloughed home for that purpose, only the boys and a few offi- cers remaining to look after the camp, and they were also furloughed on the return of the older ones.


About this time Dr. R. T. Clark resigned as sur- geon and Dr. Joe H. Porter was appointed in his stead. This necessitated other changes and promo- tions in the officers of Company "F." Captain M. S. Corbett of Company "E" resigned, and his place was filled by the election of Pleasant G. Swor as captain. Generally the changes of company officers will be found in the company rolls. Assistant Surgeon Dr. F. F. Porter resigned and Dr. T. C. Harcourt was ap- pointed. About September 1 an advance movement was ordered, and we were transported to Columbus, Ky., by rail, and were set to work to fortify the place and to fell the timber on both sides of the river to give a view of an approaching enemy, to impede his progress and to allow a better use of our artillery. A strong fort was built on the high bluff called the "Iron Banks," and heavy batteries mounted down its slope. A few days later an advance was made by a few regiments to Mayfield, Ky., as a feint, by which to gain time to get our fortifications completed.


The march was a rapid one, and as the weather was warm, the men who had not regained their strength after their attack of measles suffered greatly. As only cisterns were found from which to get water,


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thirst was added to our discomforts, but there was no complaining. We returned in a couple of days, and the work on the fortifications was pushed forward rapidly. Private John Yow of Company "D" was killed by a falling tree.


When the fort was completed it was garrisoned by the Fifth Tennessee Regiment, Jones' Battalion (afterwards the Fifty-Fifth Tennessee) and a bat- talion of heavy artillery under command of Major Alex. P. Stewart, and Colonel Travis, as senior offi- cer, was placed in command of the fort. Later Major Stewart was promoted to brigadier-general and given the command of the brigade in the fort. No- vember 7 a force of Federals landed on the Missouri side of the river several miles above, and, marching down, attacked the two regiments of infantry and a battery of artillery encamped at Belmont. Several regiments under General Cheatham were ferried over to reinforce our troops. The officers and men of the Fifth bewailed their fate when they found that they were not to be included in the reinforcing column, and three men, D. F. Alexander, John H. Porter and Robert Tyler, crossed without permission and took part in the pursuit of the enemy, and Tyler was killed, the first one of the regiment to die in battle. Many of the regiment stood on the bluffs and watched the progress of the battle and the firing of the huge gun (Lady Polk). A few days afterward this gun, which had been loaded while hot, was fired and exploded, killing several men and tearing the coat of General Polk, standing near by. Mr. Dublin of Graves County, Ky., who was visiting his son in Company


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"K," had a leg blown off and died from the amputa- tion. His son was discharged that he might go home and care for his widowed mother and his sisters.


The regiment was well housed in tents and shanties, many with stoves. They had plenty of books, money to buy delicacies from the sutlers, in regular com- munication with home, and an occasional visit of some of the homefolks, and thus the winter passed away pleasantly, and many a time afterward we thought of the good times we had at Columbus and wished for a return of similar ones. The Federal gunboats occasionally came in sight on the river, and once threw some shells at us, one of which fell in the fort and exploded, but did no harm further than giving some of us a good fright.


General Polk was placed in com- mand of the forces at Columbus, and dubbed by the men "Old Granny," because the boys thought a preacher unfit for the stern duties incident to war.


In February, 1862, General Grant captured Ft. Henry, on the Tennes- see River, and Ft. Donelson, on the Cumberland, thus enabling him to GEN. L. POLK. get into our rear, and as Colum- bus was no in the early longer tenable, we evacuated it days of March and were carried on steamers to New Madrid, Mo. In passing Hickman, Ky., where Company "M" had been en- listed, the people lined the shore, and by waving handkerchiefs and cheering us, so excited the soldiers


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that they ran to that side of the boat and tilted it so much as to cause the water in the boilers to cover their red-hot sides and thus risked the danger of an explo- sion that would have sent a thousand men into the water and most of them into eternity. Lieutenant- Colonel Venable hurried the men back to their proper places and the equilibrium was restored and disaster averted.


At New Madrid pickets were placed out and the erection of fortifications around the town begun. The enemy advanced on the place from Bird's Point and some skirmishing occurred. Captain W. D. Hallum was wounded in one of the skirmishes, the first one to be wounded in the regiment.


The Federals, having occupied Point Pleasant below us on the river, New Madrid was abandoned, and one dark, rainy night we embarked on boats for Island No. 10. The close proximity of the enemy made it imperative for us to omit the use of lights, and two men, Privates Thomas J. Dumas and Spence Hunt were overlooked and left asleep in one of the tents, many of which we left standing, and when they awoke next morning they found the camp full of Fed- eral soldiers and were captured. After a few days' stay at Island No. 10, the command was marched down to Tiptonville and transported to Randolph, and next day to Memphis, and in the evening taken by rail to Corinth. Colonel Travis was absent on sick leave, and the regiment was now under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Venable and Major Swor. The troops from Columbus, Ky., were organized into an army corps of two divisions, under Major-General


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Leonidas Polk. Brigadier-General Cheatham com- manded a division of two brigades and Brigadier- General Charles Clark the other; Brigadier-General A. P. Stewart commanded one of Clark's brigades and Colonel R. M. Russell the other. General Stew- art's brigade was composed of the Fourth Tennessee, Colonel R. P. Neely; Fifth Tennessee, Lieutenant- Colonel C. D. Venable; Thirty-Third Tennessee, Col- onel A. W. Campbell, and Thirteenth Arkansas, Col- onel J. C. Tappan.


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CHAPTER III.


BATTLE OF SHILOH.


General Grant had transferred his troops from Ft. Donelson by river to Pittsburg Landing, twenty miles from Corinth, and General Buell was marching overland from Nashville to unite his forces with Gen. Grant. Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, who was in command at Corinth, determined to attack Grant be- fore Buell could reach him. So, on April 2, he put his army in motion towards Grant's encampment, hoping to make the attack on the morning of the 5th, but the roads became so muddy from continued rains and the passage of so many wagons and field pieces as to be almost impassable. The country was heavily wooded and unsuited to travel and the men generally unused to marching. The officers, in the main, knew nothing practically of campaigning, and the progress was slow and wearisome. Some of the commands did not get up till the evening of the 5th.


On the evening of that day and morning of the 6th the line of battle was formed, with Bragg's corps in the first line, Hardee's in the second and Polk's in the third, with Breckenridge's division as reserve. The Fifth ocupied a position a little to the left of the Corinth road.


Soon we were ordered forward. The underbrush was so thick that it was impossible to keep up a good alignment. The firing soon began in front, and we pushed on down the slope into a little clearing extend-


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ing along a narrow valley. Those who were the last to push their way through the thicket, especially the file-closers, increased their speed to overtake those who were ahead. Here a grapeshot from a distant battery struck down J. Perry Murrell of Company "K," the first man killed while serving with the regi- ment.


On the crest of a little ridge beyond the valley we halted, and the alignment was perfected. A little farther on we halted again and deposited our baggage, and, after moving forward 200 or 300 vards, a cannon ball, or shell, cut down the colors in the hands of Wil- liam Sims, color-bearer. He caught them as they were falling and tied the pieces of the flagstaff to- gether with his canteen strap. John Porter and Ed Ralls were killed, Lieuten- ant J. P. Cooper and Wil- liam Whittaker wounded by pieces of shell about the same time, and B. F. Tay- lor knocked senseless by the explosion. We then moved, by the right flank, CAPT. J. P. COOPER. about 400 yards and forward about the same distance under a heavy fire of grapeshot, and halted near one of the enemy's encampments, and about fifteen min- utes later advanced through the encampment.


Here the brigade was ordered moved to the left.


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This movement was executed by three regiments, the Fourth Tennessee, not hearing the command, was left behind. Then advancing across a small stream and up the side of a hill, we were ordered to lie down by General Stewart, who went back to bring up the Fourth Regiment. When this was done the Fourth was ordered to charge the battery, which had been firing into us, and it was captured and silenced, thus enabling us to advance, which we did under a heavy cross-fire from two batteries and infantry and suffer- ing severely in killed and wounded. Here Lieuten- ant-Colonel Venable observed the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Tennessee just across a field hotly en- gaged with the enemy, and he ordered the Fifth for- ward in support. The men were ordered to lie down for protection, while one piece of Polk's Battery was brought forward and opened fire on the enemy in front. Being annoyed by sharpshooters, who had ad- vanced up a ravine, the regiments were retired about 200 yards and two companies of the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth and three of the Fifth were ordered to drive them out of the ravine, which they accomplished. Having become separated from the brigade, Lieuten- ant-Colonel Venable says: "I charged on an en- campment of the enemy, in which I was successful, and from what observations I could make there ap- peared to be about 1,200 or 1,500 of the enemy in the camps. I pursued them through their camps, killing and wounding a great many and taking several pris- oners."


After moving forward about half a mile the ammu- nition was found to be nearly exhausted and the regi-


3


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ment was moved to the left about 300 yards to a ravine and the cartridge boxes refilled from wagons. After a halt here of only fifteen or twenty minutes the regi- ment was moved still farther to the left to avoid an open field into which the enemy were pouring a heavy fire of artillery.


After advancing about 200 yards General Polk, in person, ordered us to charge an encampment in front, by which the only avenue of escape of the Federals in the camps was closed, and other troops coming up -


on other sides, General Prentiss' division was cap- tured. About the time the surrender was made, Pri- vate L. L. Milam of Company "C" rushed up and snatched a Federal flag from the hands of the color- bearer.


As soon as the prisoners had been placed in charge of a cavalry guard and started to the rear, the regi- ment was moved about 300 yards to the rear and halted to rest. In a few minutes the Federal gun- boats opened a terrific fire with shot and shell. Pri- vates James Bouie of Company "C" and one other man were killed, being horribly mangled. We were at once ordered to retreat to the protection of a ravine. The screaming of the huge shells, the crash of falling tree tops, the cries of the wounded were reasons enough to hasten our flight, and we "stood not on the manner of our going." At dusk we moved back still further and bivouacked among the Federal and Con- federate dead. The rains poured down the livelong night, but our wearied bodies found repose in sleep.


We were astir at daylight on the 7th (Monday). The great supply of commissary stores in the captured


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camps furnished food to fill our empty haversacks and stomachs. The regiment was ordered by General Bragg to report to General Chalmers, on the extreme right. We were marched to the place indicated and were placed in position for the serious work of the day. Lieutenant-Colonel Venable had so strained his voice on the previous day trying to make himself heard above the roar of battle that he could not speak much above a whisper, and it devolved upon Major Swor to give the commands. As many of the guns had been wet by the rain, it was thought best to fire off all of them, clean them out and reload. Major Swor rode rapidly along the line, saying : "When I give the com- mand, 'ready, aim, fire,' aim about ten paces in front and fire into the ground." Before he reached the end of the line some of the men, catching the word "fire," thought the enemy were advancing and began to fire, and soon most of the guns were emptied. Several men who were standing in front were in great danger and some were wounded. Much confusion prevailed for a little while, many believing that the battle had opened. But the cause was soon explained and order restored.


Our position was just in the rear of an open field, the enemy occupying the woods on the opposite side. When the command to advance was given we charged through the field under a withering fire, but we were unable to drive back Buell's fresh troops from their strong position, and were forced to retire to the woods. Again and again the order to charge was re- peated, and each time heartily responded to, only to be beaten back with loss. After the officers had be-


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come convinced that further attempts would be futile, Private J. A. Aguilar of Company "D" (familiarly known as Jesse Mexican) ran out in the field and, waving his hat over his head, vainly endeavored to induce the men to make another effort, and then yelled out at the top of his voice, "I left me own coun- try to come and fight for ye country, and, d- ye, ye won't fight for ye own country."


By 2 o'clock General Beauregard became convinced that Grant's reinforcements had made him too strong to be successfully attacked, and ordered a retreat. After moving back to near Shiloh Church we halted for an hour or so, and then, after marching a few miles, we bivouacked for the night.


Shiloh was the least scientifically fought battle of the war. The attack was made in well-formed lines, but the resistance was made very irregular at differ- ent points at first in defense of their camps, and our troops were moved back and forth through the thickly wooded country wherever seemingly needed worst. and so the battle was, in the main, a series of inde- pendent attacks and defenses, which it is impossible to detail in regular order at this late day, and there are many incidents worthy of record that could not be properly placed in the narrative, some of which, how- ever, will be related.


Color-Bearer Bill Sims was wounded on the first day, and Lieutenant J. P. Cooper of the Color Com- pany "F" carried the colors for a little while, when he gave them to Color-Guard James M. Mitchell. On the second day Mitchell was wounded by a sharp- shooter. Sergeant J. B. Milam watched the man


-


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dodge behind an old house and as he reappeared shot him before he could fire again. Lieutenant Lucius Bowman of Company "M" was killed by a shot in the head while standing on a stump cheering on his men.


Colonel A. W. Campbell of the Thirty-Third Ten- nessee says of one part of the engagement : "Owing to the peculiar location of the ground, the left wing of the Thirty-Third and Fifth Tennessee and Thir- teenth Arkansas could not engage the enemy without firing over the regiments in advance of them. .* * I called to the regiments in advance to charge the enemy, which they declined doing. Knowing that I must advance or retire, one or the other, I ordered the Fifth and Thirty-Third to charge, which was done in most gallant style, sweeping the enemy be- fore them and putting them completely to rout. The regiments over which we had charged joined in the pursuit, which was continued by the Fifth Ten- nessee." General Polk refers to this also in his re- port. Captain T. H. Conway was wounded in the hand and died at Mclemoresville on his way home. All the casualties of the battle will be found in the various company rolls, and this will be true of other battles as well.


Private Thomas B. Miller of Company "D" was wounded about dark Sunday evening and left on the field. General Cheatham, in riding over the battle- ' field that night, found him and carried him on his horse to the hospital, where he died.


The night of the 7th was another of incessant rain, and next morning we arose drenched to the skin, but continued our retreat. The roads were filled with


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wagons and artillery, and the troops wound their way through the thick woods on either side of the road and were soon scattered and commingled in chaotic and indescribable disorder. Lieutenant-Col- onel Venable reached camp at Corinth late in the evening, with the colors and an escort of six men. The others straggled in for the next two days, all tired, many wounded and many more sick. Both surgeons being on the sick list, Lieutenant John T. Irion, M. D., was detailed to per- form the duties of surgeon, and did noble work in treating the great numbers of sick.


Soon after the battle of Shiloh the flags captured there were sent to Rich- mond by Lieutenant Clint CAPT. JNO. T. IRION. Aden. Private L. L. Milam of Company "C" had been selected to bear the stand he captured, but his serious sickness prevented his going.


6


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CHAPTER IV.


REORGANIZATION AND SIEGE AND EVACUATION OF CORINTH.


About the middle of April the Federal army began its march to Corinth. The place was fortified by Gen- eral Beauregard, who succeeded to the command on the death of General A. S. Johnston, and every step of the enemy's advance was stubbornly resisted, and General Hallack ad- vanced only by the slow process of gradual ap- proaches. The Fifth Ten- nessee bore a full share of the daily skirmishing and picketing during the months of April and May.


In one of these skir- mishes Captain P. G. Swor of Company "E" dis-


tinguished himself for bravery in gallantly lead- ing a charge on the ene- CAPT. P. G. SWOR. my's pickets. We finally retired within the fortifications immediately around Corinth. No water was to be had except that in the small creeks, which ceased to flow on the approach of summer, and was covered with a green scum. This stagnant water, which was polluted in various ways,


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produced an epidemic of dysentery and typhoid fever, which debilitated, decimated and disheartened the army to a serious extent.


As an unfortunate mistake had been made in en- listing the troops for only one year, and as the time was drawing near when the period of enlistment of many of the regiments would expire, it became neces- sary that some steps should be taken to keep the ranks of the army filled. Congress, therefore, passed a gen- eral conscript law, making every man between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five subject to military service (with a few exceptions). All soldiers who were under eighteen or over thirty-five years old were to be discharged. This law was very unpopular, es- pecially the feature by which the commissioned offi- cers who were not re-elected were to be honorably discharged. The Kentuckians who had enlisted in Tennessee regiments felt that as they were not citi- zens of the Confederate States that it was unjust to compel them to serve beyond the time for which they had enlisted.


An order was issued for the four smallest compa- nies in the Fifth Regiment to be consolidated into two, thus reducing the number to ten (the usual com- plement), and for the regiment to be reorganized by the election of field and company officers, which was done. The health of Colonel W. E. Travis had failed to such an extent that he was unable to endure camp life, and he was reluctantly compelled to retire from command of the regiment in which he had taken so much pride and which he had so diligently labored to enlist and equip.




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