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 5
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At a council of war held during the early part of the night, two of the corps commanders expressed the opinion that they could not hold their positions for two hours against Sherman's attack, and it was de- cided to retire behind the Etowah River. Early next morning the army moved back, and the Fifth soon followed, overtaking the command at Cartersville. We crossed the river on a pontoon bridge and went into bivouac. Here for several days we enjoyed a much appreciated rest and transformed the woods into an immense laundry.
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CHAPTER XI.
BATTLE OF ELLSBURY RIDGE.
The Federals crossed the Etowah River at three places betwen Rome and the Western & Atlantic Rail- road bridge, and sent two columns to Dallas and one towards Marietta. General Stewart's Division checked the latter at New Hope Church. On May 27 we marched to the left of New Hope about four miles and advanced in line of battle, with the Fifth thrown out as skirmishers. We met and checked the advance of the enemy at Ellsbury Ridge, about a mile east of Dallas. There was heavy skirmishing during the day. Sergt. Julian Frazier, Company "I," was killed lying behind a clay root, and B. A. Haguewood, Company "A;" George Poyner, Company "B;" Ben Kendall, Company "C;" James Thornton, Company "E," and James Rainey of the band, wounded. Lieut. H. L. Linderman being the only commissioned officer pres- ent in Companies "A" and "C," Lieut. E. H. Rennolds was assigned to duty with that company temporarily. The line of battle fortified during the day, and at night the pickets dug "picket holes" large enough to hold a group of four men each, which practice was ever afterward kept up.
On the night of the 27th all the troops except the picket line and Lewis' Brigade, as support, were moved to the right. Colonel Lamb was left in com- mand of the picket line of Cheatham's Division, and Gen. W: B. Bate of the picket line of the whole corps.
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The skirmishing continued on the 28th and 29th. On the former day Gen. Bate, by instruction of Gen. Johnston, ordered the picket line supported by Lewis' Brigade to advance and feel of the enemy, to deter- mine whether or not he was still in force on this part of the line. On receiving the order Colonel Lamb sent his acting adjutant, Lieut. J. L. Lemonds, to de- liver it to subordinate officers. He had proceeded but a short distance before the signal gun was fired pre- maturely. Lewis' Brigade moved out of their works and advanced to the attack. They were met by a mur- derous fire of all arms, and after suffering heavy loss, retired to the breastworks. The enemy meanwhile opened a heavy fire all along the line. A masked bat- tery was developed in our front, only 200 yards dis- tant, and the discharges of grapeshot were fearful, indeed. The firing was too high, however, and our men protected or our loss would have been great. Herron of Company "C" was killed. The firing lasted about half an hour. When Lewis' Brigade retired to the works the pickets on that part of the line followed. When Lieutenant Rennolds observed the left of Com- panies "A" and "C" falling back, he inquired the reason, and was told that those to the left had retired. He ordered them to only swing back and keep up con- nection with the right. Colonel Lamb ordered the pickets to return to their posts, and, commencing on the left, came along personally supervising the move- ment. On reaching Companies "A" and "C" one of the pickets said to him: "Look at that Yankee flag, Colonel." As he stopped to look, another one said to him: "You had better get into the picket hole;
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you are in full view of the pickets there." At that mo- ment a sharpshooter fired at him and he fell mortally wounded. I looked in the direction of the sound of the gun, saw the man who had fired, the smoke of his gun plainly visible, and heard him cry out: "I hit him ! I hit him !" The men pulled him into the hole, and called loudly for the infirmary corps. As the litter-bearers came into view the sharpshooters opened fire on them, and Barney Daniel was shot through the foot. He crawled and limped away. The others, with the help of the pickets and by taking a circuitous route through the bushes, succeeded in getting Colonel Lamb to the rear. He lived only a day or so. The regiment suffered a great loss by his death. He was one of our bravest and best officers. Henceforth we were commanded by field officers of other regiments.
On the 29th James Owens and B. G. Deets were both wounded by pieces of the same ball, which struck the barrel of Owens' gun and split. They both ex- tracted the pieces with a knife and did not leave their posts.
About 9 p. m. on the 29th we were relieved by Ross' Brigade of cavalry, and, after marching four miles, rejoined the division.
6
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CHAPTER XII.
BATTLE OF KENNESAW MOUNTAIN.
Sherman continued to move by the left flank to secure control of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and General Johnston followed the movement by ex- tending his line to the right. In moving by the right flank we would sometimes be halted where the posi- tion was already fortified, and at others beyond the intrenched line, in which case our arms would be stacked, skirmishers thrown out, and we would begin to fell trees and, placing the logs along the line se- lected by the engineers for our rifle pits, would then, with pick and spade, dig a trench behind the logs and throw the earth in front of them, till, standing in the ditch, we could just see over the logs. Above this a head-log would be placed, leaving just space enough to aim the guns through.
Skirmishing was kept up continually, we some- times driving the enemy back, and sometimes being driven ourselves. In one of these skirmishes Corp. T. J. Patterson of Company "I" was captured. At another time Lieut. N. C. Howard, who was in charge of part of the picket line when charged by the enemy's skirmishers, found that they had been cut off from the line of retreat. Lieutenant Howard directed that they start off one at a time and proceed cautiously to the left, taking advantage of every tree or clump of bushes to screen them from view, he being the last to leave the post. All escaped safely except Dock Ed-
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wards and George Forrest, who tried to run the gauntlet, and the latter was killed and the former wounded. On June 15th the Nineteenth Tennessee Regiment was sent to Maney's Brigade, and the Forty-First took its place in Strahl's. In extending to the right our line had been retired till our left was exposed to being flanked. General Johnston withdrew to a new line ex- tending along the crest of Kennesaw Mountain and to some distance to the right and left. This position was one of the best fortified lines held by the army of LIEUT. N. C. HOWARD. Tennessee during the continuance of the war. Just at the western extremity of the mountain the line curved backward and crossed a foothill, on which was placed one of our batteries, and then crossed a creek. The creek bottom being muddy, the breastworks ceased at its edge and began again beyond the creek. The Fourth and Fifth Regiments were placed in re- serve ready to defend, if need be, this gap in the works.
About 9 a. m. May 27, 1864, the Federals assaulted the mountain in several lines of battle. The roar of artillery and the continual crash of small arms was terrific beyond description. Many of the shells aimed
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at the battery on the hill flew over and fell and ex- ploded around us { as we stood at attention, ready to move at a moment's notice ), wounding several in the Fourth Regiment.
The Federals were repulsed and lost heavily in killed, wounded and prisoners. They, however, took refuge under the upper terrace of the mountain and fortified; in some places not more than fifty yards from our works, in others farther away, where they remained, keeping up a harrassing fire all day and sometimes at night. Just where the mountain dipped down at its western end the most destructive fighting occurred, and became known as the "Dead Angle." Here the enemy's fortified line approached nearest to our fortifications.
On the night after the attack our rifle pits at this most exposed point were very much widened and the defending force doubled. Our regiment took its turn in occupying this dangerous position. On the 29th the enemy was allowed, under flag of truce, to collect its dead between the trenches and bury them. On the following night, while in the trenches, we slept none, only dozed a little, skirmishing being kept up pretty well all night, and about midnight a false alarm was given, and there was heavy firing for awhile. These night alarms came to be known as "lightning-bug fights." Those who were trying to snatch a little sleep accused those on watch of mistaking the bugs for gun flashes and firing at them. On the night of the 30th we were in reserve. Another false alarm, however, cut short our rest and sleep. The extension of Sherman's line to the left again threatened our
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communications, and necessitated our withdrawal to a new position. And so, on the night of July 2, we retired to a position five miles south of Marietta, and proceeded to fortify it. By this time we had become such experts at this that we only wanted two hours to construct fairly good breastworks. On the ad- vance of the enemy much shelling and some skirmish- ing was indulged in.
Heavy details of negroes had thrown up a semi-cir- cular fortification around the Chattahoochee railroad bridge, and on the night of July 4 we retired within this line. On the 5th the author was placed in charge of the regimental picket detail. We occupied a posi- tion along the edge of a field and set to work to con- struct some slight works of rails, etc. The enemy's skirmishers soon appeared across the field and fired on us, and advanced on either side of the field, com- pelling us to retire to the works, and some of us barely escaped capture. Private Allen of Company "F" and Seth Speight of Company "E" were wounded and Lazarus Johnson of Company "I" killed by a shell while bathing in the river. On the 7th Bush Archer of Company "E" was wounded, and M. B. Alexander of Company "A" was brought in from the picket line with his arm broken by a minnie ball.
At sundown on the Sth we crossed the Chattahoo- chee River on the bridge, and as the Federals had thrown forces across on our right, the army soon fol- lowed. On Sunday, the 10th, we had preaching by Chaplains Mccutchen and Hearn for the first time for weeks. On the 12th we were placed on picket on the river, and in spite of orders against it, the men
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talked with the Federals and exchanged papers and swapped tobacco for coffee, etc. We were relieved on the 16th and moved back to rest.
At dress parade on the 18th an order from General Johnston, announcing that he had been relieved by
GEN. JOE E. JOHNSTON.
the President and the command turned over to Gen- eral Hood, was read. The men turned away from the parade ground in silence, with sad faces and downcast
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eyes. They instinctively realized that the cautious policy which General Johnston had pursued in the face of overwhelming numbers would be exchanged for one of aggressiveness, for which our weakness in numbers rendered us totally unprepared. The excel- lent morale of the army was destroyed and dread of desperate fighting and consequent disaster settled down on the hearts of all.
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CHAPTER XIII.
BATTLE OF PEACHTREE CREEK.
Sherman having crossed the Chattahoochee River several miles east of the Western & Atlantic Railroad bridge, we moved out on the 18th of July to meet him. On the 19th we fortified one line, and on the night fol- lowing another, and on the 20th we moved to the right, and the division formed in two lines, with Strahl's Brigade supporting Carter's, and the three left companies of the Fifth ("D" and "I," "F" and "H" and "G" and "K") were thrown out as skirmish- ers, under command of Capt. B. F. Peeples ; Lieut. J. L. Lemonds in command of Companies "D" and "I." About 3 or 4 o'clock p. m. we advanced half a mile, Lieut. J. W. Howard lead- ing the charge, cap in hand, leaping the fences like a deer. We charged up to within about sixty or sev- enty-five yards of the enemy's works and halted in a ravine and sought pro- tection behind trees, etc. When Carter's Brigade LIEUT. J. W. HOWARD. came up they halted also, securing all the protection possible, and all the efforts
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of their officers failed to induce them to go farther. A continuous fire was kept up on both sides till dark. A. M. Pinson of Company "I" was killed; Lieuts. J. L. Lemonds, J. W. Howard, G. W. Crawford, G. C. Camp, H. R. Linderman and S. Kirkpatrick were wounded, also Sergt. W. J. Edgar, Corp. D. C. Ban- cum and Privates G. R. Alley, T. J. Broach, E. M. Doughty, Ed Wallace, S. A. Allen, J. B. Ray and J. R. Rumley. Lieut. Camp lost an eye, G. R. Alley an arm and T. J. Broach and S. A. Allen died of their wounds.
Lieut. Lemonds, though severely wounded, refused to leave his command till compelled by loss of blood and severe pain to do so. '
The general attack hav- ing failed to accomplish anything, we retired after nightfall to our works and bivouacked, and at 3 a. m. on the 21st fell back within the fortifications of Atlanta.
LIEUT. J. L. LEMONDS.
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CHAPTER XIV.
BATTLE OF ATLANTA.
Hardee's Corps was aroused before dawn and marched through Atlanta and around beyond the De- catur road to strike the enemy's left flank. Formed line of battle in an old field and loaded the guns. While the men were loading Capt. B. F. Peeples paced slowly back and forth in rear of his company, with his head bowed as if in prayer; then, raising his head, his face beaming, he seemed to lose all sense of fear, and moved into and through the fight as if unconscious of danger. Walker's and
Cleburne's Divisions formed the front line, and, advancing, we struck the enemy in flank, driving them from their half-fin- ished rifle pits, killing Gen- eral McPherson, passing over their dinners, ready prepared and steaming hot in their camp kettles, which was to us a vexa- tious taunt, for we were very hungry and yet had no time to eat.
Our lines were rectified CAPT. B. F. PEEPLES. and we moved through the woods and down the long slope steadily and in fine
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order. Capt. A. W. Caldwell was acting as major of the Fourth and Fifth, and, as he saw the ranks of the Fifth opening towards the left and away from the colors, gave his last command, "Right oblique," with his peculiar accent on the last syllable. Just then he was struck in the hand by a ball and given a wound not considered dangerous, but, complicated with fever, in a few days ended the career of this "boy captain," one of our best officers.
Emerging from the woods into a field, we halted in a ravine and re- formed our line and were then ordered to advance. As the regiment reached the brow of the hill they CAPT. A. W CALDWELL. came into full view of a long line of bluecoats, posted behind a low line of earthworks, who opened a rat- tling fire upon us. With no support on the left and but little on the right, and seeing their comrades falling, the line wavered and sought refuge under the brink of the hill. Ensign A. A. Dinwiddie was mor- tally wounded, but made good his promise to Ensign Jones when receiving the colors at Perryville. Corp. F. C. Robertson of Company "F" and Privates J. N. Feilds, Company "I;" J. K. P. Lawson, Company "K," were killed; John B. House was desperately
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wounded and left on the field and died in prison. Thirty-one others were also wounded. Names will be found in company rolls. Four of the wounded were officers, and with the six wounded at Peachtree Creek, aggregates ten that had been wounded within three days. This shows that they were in the places of dan- ger, yet they were no braver than the non-commis- sioned officers and privates.
Adjutant W. D. Kendall, S. A. Miller, Wash Mitch- ell, W. L. Rumbley, J. W. Crutchfield, J. N. Fields, J. K. P. Lawson, J. G. Hudson, C. S. Williams, L. L. Milam and perhaps others advanced to within fifty- eight yards of the Federal works, and, finding them- selves in great danger and far ahead of their com- rades, dropped down in the weeds and waited for the coming of the balance of the regiment. Convinced in a little while that this need not be hoped for, some one asked Adjutant Kendall (the only officer present) what they had better do. He advised them to retire by crawling through the weeds. This they did, leav- ing J. N. Fields and J. K. P. Lawson dead where they lay.
The officers, perceiving the futility of further efforts to advance, the regiment was formed in the ravine and marched out by the left flank, and, coming into view of the enemy's line, they received a destruc- tive volley, but, increasing their speed to a double- quick, were soon out of sight in the woods, and the battle was over. D. C. Ball and J. M. Coffman were found wounded and helped off the field. We fortified during the succeeding night as usual. The next day there was an armistice and the dead exchanged and
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buried. On the 24th the enemy retired about half a mile in our front and fortified a new line. The meas- urement mentioned above was thus rendered possible and carefully made.
One day, about July 28, Lieutenant-Colonel Shan- non, Twenty-Fourth Tennessee, in charge of the picket line, ordered the pickets to form in line ready to advance and see if the Federals were in their works. Lieut. John I. Simmons of the Fifth Regiment, who was in charge of the picket detail from the Fourth and Fifth, formed as ordered and called for volunteer scouts. A. H. Lankford and Tip Allen of Company "F" responded, and were instructed to reconnoiter the Federal position. The undergrowth in front of the enemy's fortifications had been cut away, but by following a little ravine among some bushes they ap- proached very near the works. Seeing no enemy, they began to talk louder, and saw just then two other scouts near by. Their voices reached the ears of the Federals hid behind the breastworks, and, rising, they opened fire, and the two other scouts fell dead and Lankford and Allen ran for their lives. Lieutenant Simmons became too impatient to either wait for Colonel Shannon's orders to advance or the return of his scouts, and led his sqaud forward, and, raising the "rebel yell," charged the Federal works. The Fed- erals, remembering Hardee's impetuous onslaught six days previous, and expecting a repetition of it, acted on the adage, "He that fights and runs away, may live to fight another day," and fled from that part of the works. When Lieutenant Simmons and his men reached the works, a dead Federal lay just over the
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rifle pits, with a well-filled knapsack on. Mike Terry needed clothes too bad to leave the knapsack there, and amid a shower of bullets he leaped over the works and secured it. The Federals rallied in an old brick house a few hundred yards away, and after a stay of perhaps a half hour, Lieutenant Simmons thought it best to retire to his picket line.
On August 25 J. W. Crutchfield was elected ensign and was the last color-bearer of the regiment. No command ever had four braver ensigns than the Fifth Regiment-William C. Sims, J. B. Jones, A. A. Dinwiddie and J. W. Crutchfield.
We remained on picket on the east of Atlanta till August 26, when we moved to the left. All this time the enemy had been closing in around Atlanta, shell- ing the doomed city and continuing to extend his lines to his right.
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CHAPTER XV.
BATTLE OF JONESBORO.
i
Sherman, having extended his lines till he reached the West Point Railroad, determined to cut the last line of communication with our base of supplies, and, leaving one corps to guard the Chattahoochee railroad bridge, moved with the main army toward Jonesboro, on the Central Railroad. General Hood, not knowing how large a part of the Federal army had thus been detached, sent General Hardee with his own and Gen. S. D. Lee's Corps to drive him back if possible. We left East Point just before sundown of August 30 and marched till nearly daylight of the 31st, and laid down for a short rest. Were aroused at break of day and moved on, reaching Jonesboro by 10 o'clock a. m. We found Bate's Division slightly fortified on the west of the town. Cheatham's Division formed on his right and Cleburne's next and Lee's Corps on the ex- treme right, covering the railroad. Cheatham's Di- vision now consisted of the brigades of Gist, Tyler, Wright, Vaughan, Maney and Strahl. General Cheat- ham was sick and the men noted his absence. Strahl's Brigade was posted in an old field just north of the town, in rear of Tyler, as a support.
About 3 p m. the advance was ordered, and the Fourth and Fifth moved forward. For some reason the balance of the brigade was not formed, and we ยท were separated from them. We met a murderous fire of shrapnel, grape and rifle balls. Finding the enemy
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in heavy force, strongly posted and fortified, and the morale of our army being well nigh destroyed by its want of confidence in General Hood's military ability and discretion, the attack failed at every point and we were soon halted and retired to our first position. Not, however, till four brave men (Privates Tom Barnhill, E. G. Seaton, G. W. Upchurch and Thomas Wisehart ) were wounded.
At nightfall we were moved to the left of Tyler and spent the night fortifying. The enemy shelled us all night at intervals of fifteen minutes. Some one was kept on the lookout, and when the flash of the cannon was seen he would cry out: "Lie down." Every man would drop his pick or spade and prostrate himself in the ditch until the shell had passed over or ex- ploded, and then the work was resumed with vigor. We slept very little.
On the morning of September 1 we were stretched out in one rank, extending the line to the left. In the evening the enemy made a determined attack on our extreme right and were met by a stubborn resistance. The firing was very heavy. Beginning on our extreme left, brigade after brigade was sent to reinforce our right. Strahl's Brigade reached the position about sundown. The firing soon ceased, and we were not engaged. The overwhelming numbers pressed our right back to the railroad, the last train that passed being fired on by the enemy's artillery.
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CHAPTER XVI.
LOVEJOY AND PALMETTO.
During the night of September 1 General Hardee retired to a new position along a series of hills one mile north of Lovejoy Station, and notified General Hood, who destroyed all his stores at Atlanta and retreated with Stewart's Corps and the Georgia mi- litia and formed a junction with Hardee. All night long the explosion of the bombs in the magazines at Atlanta sounded like a heavy engagement was in progress there.
On the morning of the 2d we fortified the new line. Strahl's Brigade occupied a hill just west of the Cen- tral Railroad, a battery being placed on the highest point.
About 10 a. m. the author was sent out in charge of the regimental picket. We found the usual picket holes already dug out. The position of the line of battle and picket line was in an open field, the open ground extending over a hill in front, in some places partially grown up in bushes. The enemy soon ap- peared and deployed skirmishers, who advanced to top of hill in front and were posted among the bushes. Just beyond the railroad a battery was placed in the edge of the timber, and soon began throwing shells at our works. About an hour before sundown the skir- mishers advanced, but were repulsed. The pickets were kept on their posts till nightfall of the 3d.
On the morning of that day the pickets' ammuni-
7
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tion was about exhausted. Lieutenant Rennolds called for a volunteer to go after a supply. Corp. A. H. Lankford, who never shirked duty or danger, offered to undertake the perilous trip. He declined to leave his gun and accouterments, saying : "I don't. want to be shot in the back unarmed." The pickets were instructed to fire at every Federal who showed his head to prevent their accurate firing at Lankford. He started up the slope at a pace that would have done credit to an antelope. The balls from the enemy's pickets tore up the ground around him like pebbles thrown into a pond. He reached the works safely and was pulled over them by his comrades, thoroughly exhausted. After resting and having several haversacks filled with ammunition he started on the return trip. Encumbered with a heavy load, his speed was much retarded, and again the rifle balls flew thick and fast around him. But Prov- idence decreed his escape, and he reached his picket hole almost out of
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