USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 16
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 16
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Gen. Gillem having learned that Gen. Williams had been ordered to join Hood and had left East Tennessee, determined to recross the Holston river and attack Gen. Vaughn's forces, now reported to be in the vicinity of Morristown, Tenn. Accordingly our command left Bean's Station on the 20th, passed through Rutledge, and recrossing the river came to Mossy Creek (now Jefferson City) on the 21st, where we found the enemy had des- troyed the railroad and burned the railroad bridge at that place. Our Brigade was detained here several days awaiting ammunition and necessary supplies before mov- ing on the enemy.
On the 27th of October the Brigade left New Market going in the direction of Mossy Creek, the Thirteenth in advance. At Panther Springs, four or five miles west of Morristown, we met a force of about 250 of General Vaughn's brigade. Col. Ingerton, with a battalion of the Thirteenth, charged them, driving them in the direction of Morristown. In this little fight the enemy lost 3 killed and 5 wounded. It being now after 5 o'clock, and the enemy being at Morristown, 5 miles away, it was decided to postpone the attack till morning. Leaving the wagon train under guard of two companies of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, the Brigade moved at 7 A. M. on the 28th, Col. Parsons, in command of the remain- ing companies of his regiment, in advance. The remain- ing troops marched in the following order. Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, Battery E First Tennessee Light Ar-
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
tillery, Eighth Tennessee Cavalry. About 9 A. M. Col. Parsons came upon the enemy's skirmish line about one mile and a half from Morristown. He immediately charged and drove them back upon their main body which was found drawn up in two lines, one just west and the other east of Morristown. The lines extended entirely across the open fields, the flanks resting on the woods, and their artillery on the flanks of the second line.
FIGHT AT MORRISTOWN, TENN.
Gen. Gillem in his report to Governor Johnson describes the fight as follows : "I brought forward Patterson's battery and placing it on an eminence on our right flank shelled their front line for a short time while Lieu- tenant-Colonel Ingerton was forming his regiment in column of fours by companies. Everything being ready I ordered Col. Ingerton to charge the center and right of their front line. The distance separating our line from that of the enemy was about 1000 yards. The first 600 of that distance was passed over at a walk, and with an utter disregard for the shower of shells hurled at them by the enemy's artillery, which could not be replied to by our artillery without endangering our own troops. When about 400 yards from the enemy's line the regiment raised a trot. Soon after the enemy opened a musketry fire from his entire line and Ingerton charged. For a moment both parties were enveloped; the next the rebels were seen fleeing, hotly pursued by Ingerton's regiment. Just at this time the enemy endeavored to turn our right flank. Col. Parsons was ordered to meet this movement and turn the enemy's left flank. It was my intention not to charge their left flank and second line until Col. Par- sons had a position from which he could cut off their re- treat, but before Parsons could complete his move I per- ceived the enemy preparing to charge our battery. I immediately ordered Col. Patton of the Eighth Tennes- see Cavalry to charge their left and center whilst Col. Ingerton, who had reformed his regiment, charged the enemy's right. Both charges were gallantly made and the enemy completely routed."
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
It will be seen from this report that in this fight the Thirteenth took a conspicuous part, charging and break- ing the enemy's first line alone, the other two regiments being held in reserve, and in conjunction with the Eighth, broke their second line, putting the command to flight. There now being no need of a reserve or support, the three regiments joined in the pursuit, following the enemy beyond Russellville.
The loss of the enemy was 85 left dead on the field, in- cluding 6 officers; 224 wounded and captured, including 19 officers. General Vaughn, the commanding officer, was among the wounded. We captured 5 pieces of artillery with caissons complete, all their ammunition for small arms and 6 wagons. The loss of our Brigade was 8 killed and 18 wounded.
Gen. Gillem in the report from which we have quoted commended the gallantry of the entire Brigade and made special mention of Cols. Parsons and Brownlow of the Ninth, Captain Patterson and Lieut. Reagan of Battery E, Cols. Patton and Brown of the Eighth; and all the Brigade staff officers. Of Col. Ingerton he says : "Allow me to call your particular attention to Lt .- Colonel Inger- ton, commanding the Thirteenthi Tennessee Cavalry, who led the first charge and broke the enemy's first line with- out firing a shot. I earnestly recommend that he be ap- pointed to the command of the first regiment of Ten- nessee troops that becomes vacant.'
There were several incidents of this fight worthy of mention, and which may be remembered by many of the survivors of the Regiment. When the rebel lines were broken and our men in close pursuit Capt. S. E. North- ington came up with a rebel officer, who, seeing that the Captain was some distance ahead of his men wheeled his horse and pointed a pistol at Northington, but the latter was not to be bluffed, but commenced striking the officer with his sword until he turned and fled. Northington knew if the officer's pistol had been loaded he would have fired instead of threatened.
It was reported before the battle that Gen. Gillem had
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offered a silver cup to any officer or soldier who would capture Gen. Vaughn. The story was told after the fight that a young soldier pursued Vaughn and demanded his surrender and that Gen. Vaughn shot him dead.
Lieut. B. A. Miller, of the Thirteenth, who was acting Aid-de-Camp on General Gillem's staff, captured a num- ber of fleeing rebels that day.
One incident of this fight was peculiarly sad. Corporal Marion J. Garrison, of Co. G, Thirteenth Tennessee Cav- alry, whose home was near Morristown, was in the charge, and when the Regiment checked up for a few moments to draw sabres, young Garrison kept on towards the enemy, probably not noticing that the others had halted. He was fired on and fell from his horse dead. Corporal John G. Shell, with a squad of men, was de- tailed to take him to his home and bury him. He was only 20 years old.
After the fight at Morristown the Brigade moved up the river road to Greeneville: the Thirteenth went out 6 miles east of that place to Henderson's Depot (now Af- ton) where we went into camp and commenced repairing the railroad. After his defeat Vaughn did not halt long in his retreat until he reached the east bank of the Wa- tauga river at Carter's Depot. Believing now that he would not have the temerity to attack us again unless he should be largely reinforced, and supposing that, as the star of the Confederacy was now waning, their forces would be needed in other directions, we felt confident we were masters of the situation in East Tennessee.
We remained here quietly, resting our horses, repair- ing wagons and taking a much needed rest ourselves after the various marches, countermarches, skirmishes and battles in which we had constantly been engaged for the past month.
On the 8th of November we held an election in the Regiment, it having been made legal by the State Govern- ments for the troops throughout the entire army to vote in the Presidential election of 1864. We have no record of the vote, but it is safe to say every vote cast that day by
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
the soldiers of the Thirteenth was for the Lincoln and Jolinson Electors. The intention of the movement of the Brigade up the country seems to have been to allow the. Union people in East Tennessee to vote as far as possible. The Northern Democracy, under the name of the "Peace Party," were making a strong fight for McClellan and Pendleton, and no doubt, could the Southern army have voted, the chances of their election would have been very good. The spectacle of the ex-Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the United States receiving the vote of a large number of Northern people, and the support of the Southern press, and the mention of his name eliciting the cheers of the Southern army is a sad comment upon the. loyalty of a large class of Northern people at this time.
Contrary to our expectations the Confederate authori- ties were not yet disposed to relinquish their hold upon East Tennessee. Major General John C. Breckenridge commanding the Department (Confederate) of Western Virginia and East Tennessee with Headquarters at this time at Witherville, Virginia, upon the defeat of Vaughn at Morristown on October 28, immediately began prepar- ations to drive Miller's Brigade out of Upper East Ten . nessee and threaten Knoxville. For this purpose he had assembled Vaughn's and Duke's ( Morgan's old command ) Cavalry, together with Cosby's, Giltner's, Palmer's and Crittenden's forces, some East Tennessee reserves, and four 12-pounder and two 6-pounder howitzers under Ma- jor Page, chief of artillery. This force amounting in all to about 5000 troops. These troops were nearly all vet- erans seasoned by many raids and campaigns, and com- manded by experienced officers. They were under the command of Gen. Breckenridge who was regarded as one of the bravest and ablest Generals in the Confederate service.
Opposed to this force was Col. Miller's Brigade, under the supervision of Gen. A. C. Gillem, who had now been promoted to Brigadier General. The Brigade was now known as "The Third Brigade, Fourth Division, Army of the Cumberland." It contained the same organizations
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that fought Vaughn at Morristown, viz: the Eighth, Ninth and Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, and Batteries E and G, First Tennessee Light Artillery, amounting in all to about 2000 effective men.
Brigadier General Jacob Ammen was in command of the forces at Knoxville and reporting to Gen. Schofield, while Gen. Gillem was acting under orders from Gover- nor Johnson. Our Brigade was of course in the regular service of the United States, but Governor Johnson had it detached by an order of the War Department to operate in East Tenness. It was unfortunate that Gen. Ammen and Gen. Gillem were jealous of each other. Each held the same rank and Gen. Ammen was afraid if Gillem achieved any great success he might receive promotion and obtain a higher rank in the army than himself. Thi, spirit of jealousy has always been hurtful to the service not only in the volunteer, but in the regular army as well ..
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
CHAPTER XXI.
Bull's Gap Stampede .- Full Particulars .- Result of Jealousy Between Commanding . Ammen Censured .- Heavy Loss of the 3rd Brigade .- Brave Defense of the Gap Before the Stampede.
Learning of the approach of Gen. Breckenridge with huis superior force, on the 9th, a battalion of the Thirteenth was sent out on the Jonesboro road as far as Limestone Depot and a battalion of the Eighth on the river road as far as Broylesville ; the remainder of the Brigade falling back to Greeneville. From this place Gen. Gillem tele- graphed to Gen. Ammen, advising him of the approach of Gen. Breckenridge with a superior force and asking lis assistance. Gen. Ammen had a number of regiments under his command in the vicinity of Knoxville, among these was the 4th Tennessee Infantry, which was anxious to come to our aid, and no good reason has ever been as- signed for not sending some of them to the assistance of our Brigade.
At about 9 P. M. of the 9th the scouts returned and re- ported that Breckenridge was advancing by the Jones- boro and river roads towards Greeneville. The Brigade evacuated that place at 10 P. M., falling back to Bull's Gap, which from its position afforded better facilities for fighting a superior force.
Bull's Gap is a depression in Bay's mountain, the rail- road and State road running in a curved line through the lowest part of it. To the north two spurs rising rather abruptly extend back a distance of a mile or more to the main mountain. These spurs are separated from each other by a deep basin or hollow, making the sides of the hills quite steep, and the summits vary in width from 50 to 100 yards, and at that time they were partly covered with forest trees. On the south side of the railroad the elevation was hardly so great.
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
During the 11th the defenses were strengthened as much as possible and preparations made to repel the as- saults of the enemy who was expected at any time. Gen. Gillem again appealed to Gen. Ammen for assistance and telegraphed Mr. Brownlow to use his influence with Gen. Ammen to send reinforcements.
In the afternoon Lieutenants Freels and Northing- ton were sent out in the direction of Lick Creek with parts of Companies H and I. They had not gone far until they received a galling fire from behind
an old fence grown up
with briars and bushes,
behind which the enemy was concealed. Com- pany H received the brunt of the fire, having 7 men wounded out of 30. Samuel Thompson made almost a miraculous escape. A shot took off one of his fingers and struck his belt buckle with such force as to knock him off his horse just as the company was turning to re- treat. Lieut. Freels and other members of the company stopped under the heavy fire to assist Thompson on his horse, and all retreated under the guns of the fort. In this skirmish Lieut. Freels was wounded in the hand. the same ball cutting his bridle rein and striking the pommel of his saddle in front of his body.
The enemy was now seen in large numbers, and it was learned that Gen Vaughn had gone by way of Warrens- burg to attack our position in the rear while Gen. Breck- enridge would make the assault in front.
At 4 A. M. on the 12th our men were in line of battle, Major Wagner on the left of the east ridge, Major Doughty occupying an earth-works on the south side of the railroad. Major Underwood's Battalion was formed across the railroad west of the two ridges and facing west.
Four pieces of the battery were on the west ridge sup- ported by six companies of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry under Major Deakins; and two pieces in the earth works occupied by Major Doughty.
At day-light on the morning of the 12th the enemy opened a heavy fire of artillery from a battery posted to
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
our left, and a demonstration was made on the fort oc- cupied by Major Doughty on the south side of the rail- road. This force merely made a feigned demonstration i11 that direction and turning to the right made an assault on the left of the east ridge, while almost simultaneously Gen. Duke led an assault on the west ridge, occupied by our artillery.
After a gallant resistance against overwhelming odds Major Wagner's battalion had to fall back, contesting the ground as it went, but before the enemy reached the south end of the ridge Capt. Wilcox, who had been on the south side of the railroad, considerably west of the hill, was ordered up and coming at a gallop left his horses at the foot of the ridge and went at double-quick up the hill; and about the same time Major Doughty's battalion, which had been ordered across from the south side of the railroad, with Company D in front, came at double-quick also, and the two forces joining Major Wagner, the rebels, who were coming on with a yell, were halted and then driven back with a charge. In the meantime Gen. Duke had made a furious attack on the works occupied by the Eighth under Major Deakins. This assault being repulsed was renewed two or three times the enemy came up within a few yards of the artil- lery but were repeatedly driven back, our men finally driv- ing them off of the hill. While these charges were being made and repulsed Gen. Vaughn attacked the Ninth Ten- nesee Cavalry under Col. Parsons in our rear on the Knoxville road; this attack was handsomely repulsed, the enemy leaving I captain and 8 privates dead on the field. Although artillery firing and skirmishing continued during the day the enemy did not renew the assault. While these assaults were being made our bat- teries were doing splendid work from an open space on the west ridge. The fight had been fast and furious. The roar of cannon, the rattle of musketry and the yells of the contending soldiers and all enveloped in a dense smoke were scenes and sounds not soon to be forgotten.
In the last charge the enemy moving up through a
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY. 207
ravine made an assault upon the battery that had done such good service in sweeping the ridges to the right, they reached within a few yards of one piece and killed some of the horses. They were under the hill so the ar- tillery could not be brought to bear on them. Lieut. Pat- terson, placing the limber of the piece on his shoulder, thus depressing the muzzle, ordered his men to fire. The rebound of the piece threw him to the ground, but it sent grape and canister into the ranks of the enemy. This was repeated more than once by this brave officer until the blood streamed out of his nostrils, but it saved his artillery.
General Duke in writing an account of the fight since the war and speaking of the men who withstood his as- saults, said : "The enemy were good fighters and our loss was heavy." He said further, "Col. Ward made re- peated assaults on their works; he advanced within 30 yards of their works, the men were staggered by their fire, halted and could not be made to advance. The Yankees sprang over their works and advanced upon us."
Early on the morning of the 13th the firing began all along the line, but the day passed without the enemy renewing the effort to carry the position. We were now short of ammunition both for artillery and small arms. We had been fighting for four days with scarcely anything to eat and with no feed for our horses. We were sur- rounded by a superior force who were being daily rein- forced, and we could hear of no assistance coming to our aid. We had repulsed every attack and had inflicted heavy losses upon the enemy, but it now became absolute- ly necessary to attempt to fight our way out and make our way to Knoxville or remain there and for want of ammunition and subsistence, surrender finally to the enemy.
A consultation was held with Gen. Gillem, Col. Miller and all the regimental officers present, and it was decided to make the retreat that night, November 13th, 1864. It was a clear crisp November night with the full moon al-
1
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
most as bright as day. At 8 P. M. the command moved out in the following order : Two companies of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry under Major Hornsby; the wagon and pack-train followed by the remainder of the Ninth, under Col. Parsons; the artillery; two battalions of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry bringing up the rear, under Col. Patton. Col. John K. Miller with the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry, commanded by Col. Ingerton, and two battalions of the Eighth Tennessee Cavalry, were left at Bull's Gap to prevent the enemy from obtaining knowledge of our movements until the train had got well under way. This latter force was to leave at 10 P. M. and act as a rear guard. In bringing the artillery off of the hill that night it seemed to make tremendous noise and no doubt the enemy suspected that we were preparing to retreat, for a continual fire was kept up on the troops under Col. Miller. The main command passed safely through Whitesburg, and Gen. Gillem learning that a train with reinforcements had reached Morristown, held the command at Russellville, having ordered the rein- forcements to move up to that place and form at the in- tersection of the Arnet road upon which the enemy was now coming in pursuit, and that if they (the reinforce- ment ) were attacked to hold the enemy in check, and that he (Gillem) would attack the enemy both in front and rear. With this plan in view Gen. Gillem passed his force to the front of the wagon train and moved on in this order to Russellville. Hearing nothing of the rein- forcements upon arriving at that place, and knowing the enemy was in force upon his left flank Gen. Gillem or- dered Col. Patton, with 2 battalions of his regiment, to hold the position at the intersection of the road until the wagon train passed. The command then moved on to Judge Barton's place where another road intersects the main road and Gen. Gillem was in the act of placing the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry in position here when the wagon train was attacked at Col. Patton's position. Col. Patton repulsed the enemy at first but the attack was re- newed with increasing numbers, and Col. Patton fell into
-
LIEUT. CHAS. LEFLER, CO. D.
CORP. ISAAC A. SHOUN. (See page 292.)
ELISHA A. SHOUN. (See page 294.)
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
somme disorder after the wagon train had passed on. The enemy came on with a rush but met with a gallant re- sistance by Col. Parsons with the Ninth Tennessee Cav- alry, who held them in check for a considerable time, un- til his ammunition was exhausted. In the meantime Gen. Gillem learned that the reinforcements that had been sent to Morristown consisted of only 300 dismounted cavalry and infantry under Major Smith, and that officer did not feel justified in moving the train forward or separating his men from it, but finally agreed to move the train a mile down the road and form his men on the crest of a hill. This was done and the artillery placed in position commanding the road. Col. Parsons' regiment having exhausted its ammunition and being hard pressed fell back in confusion, the enemy coming on in close pursuit. Part of the Eighth and Ninth Cavalry were rallied and formed at this point, and the enemy coming through the open field were received with a deadly fire of artillery double-shotted with canister, and by fire from the infan- try and dismounted cavalry under Major Smith, lying behind a fence. The enemy recoiled and fell back a short distance but soon came on again with a charge and yell and our men became panic-stricken, and all efforts to hold them in position were fruitless. The artillery was now without ammunition and useless and was ordered back. It had only proceeded a few hundred yards when the en- emy charged and put to flight the few soldiers now re- maining. The men had now became thoroughly panic- stricken and no threats or persuasion could induce them to offer any further resistance. A large number were cap- tured but when the enemy came on to the wagon train and commenced looting it, many escaped. It was certain- ly a night of horror for our Brigade, but the scene was relieved by many brave deeds of officers and men. Heroic efforts were made by brave officers to re-form at different points, but the men out of ammunition and in confusion had lost all confidence and could not be pre- vailed on to make another stand. In the first onslaughts of the enemy all did nobly. At one point when our men
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were firing on the enemy the voice of Lt. Kelly, of Gen. Gillem's staff, could be heard shouting to the men : "Shoot low, boys; shoot low." We could hear some rebel officer shouting "Close up, Major Day, close up!" Capt. Patter- son and his officers clung to the artillery till the last mo- inent. It was said that after the rebels were all around it and seeing it was hopeless to remain longer Patterson mounted one of the artillery horses that had been cut loose and in the confusion rode away. All the officers did every thing possible to avert the disaster.
Col. Miller, who had been left with Col. Ingerton and Major Deakin of the Eighth, after expending what re- mained of the ammunition, left the Gap at 10 o'clock ac- cording to arrangements, with Capt. Wilcox's company forming the rear guard. We passed through Whites- burg, and the head of the column reached Russellville when a heavy fire was opened on us from our right by Gen. Vaughn's brigade, which had got between us and the main command. Col. Ingerton was at the head of the Regiment, and believing at first that we were being fired on by the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry through mistake -it being night,-sent Adjutant Scott to correct the mis- take and have the firing stopped. That officer, accom- panied by his orderly, John S. Hilton, soon discovered that the force were rebels and in attempting to escape from them had his horse killed, but made his escape into the woods on foot, falling in with another dismounted comrade soon afterwards. The Regiment being in column was not in position to charge and was thrown into confu- sion by this unexpected attack. Reaching the west side of the town, and the rebels coming on with a rush and vell, our officers could not hold the men together. Here the Regiment turned to the right and for awhile the great- est confusion prevailed. every man acting at will and trying to take care of himself. Vaughn did not pursue them far but went on in the direction of Morristown. The Thirteenth and Major Deakins' two battalions, after reaching the Holston river, all got together except a few who had been captured or dismounted at Russellville, and
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